Want to Add a Little Heat to Your Summer?

     Summer is the perfect time to pick up a steamy paperback romance and relax with a tall glass of iced tea. Whether you like old fashioned "clean" romance like Jane Austen or if you go for the steamy, modern-day fare, you can find it here at the library. This week--in that spirit--I thought I would feature some of our new paperback romances, but with a supernatural twist.

     First, we have one of the newest Otherworld Novels by Yasmine Galenorn called "Darkness Raging." This series follows the D'Artigo sisters--Camille the good witch; Delilah the werecat and Death Maiden; and Menolly the vampire married to a werepuma. These cunning half-human, half-Fae sisters used to work for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency, but as of late they have been battling the forces of darkness amassing to break free of the Sub Realms to make their way onto the streets of Seattle. When Menolly's wife, Nerissa, is kidnapped by the enemy, she will lead her army of vampires to the depths of the Subterranean Realms and she is wholly prepared to destroy anyone who gets in her way.

     Next, there is "Dead Heat: An Alpha and Omega Novel" by Patricia Briggs. Charles Cornick and Anna Latham are mated werewolves who have been very busy lately. Charles is enforcer for his father, but with a lull in business, the two lovebirds decide to take a pleasure trip to Arizona. Unfortunately for them, they stumble upon a sinister plot by a dangerous fae being. It seems the fae have decided to escalate their cold war with the human race. They have been secretly replacing human children with fae-blooded clones and Charles and Anna know they will be squarely in the cross fire. Will these two ever get a break?

     "Runaway Vampire" is an Argeneau Novel by Lynsay Sands. Dante Notte is an immortal vampire hot on the trail of the people who kidnapped his twin. Unfortunately, Mary Winslow has just run over Dante with her RV while escaping the exact same bad guys. His broken ribs and punctured lung are nothing compared to the intense electric feeling he gets whenever her gets near Mary. He knows that this smart, stubborn woman is supposed to be his life mate. Mary feels the same irresistible connection to Dante as well, but trusting her feelings will mean putting her life in the hands of an immortal being who is the very definition of a perfect stranger.

     Finally, we have "White Tiger: a Shifters Unbound Novel" by Jennifer Ashley. For the past twenty years, Kendrick--a white tiger Shifter--has been the guardian of a group of shape shifters who are living in secret and constantly in fear of being found out and consigned to Shiftertowns. When Kendricks group is found out and forced to flee, he becomes more desperate than ever to protect them. Addison Price is a lonely waitress at a diner in the middle of nowhere, but she has noticed a great many unusual strangers drifting through. None have been as imposing or enigmatic as the fugitive who wields a broadsword with the ease and skill of a master. When he risks his life to save her, Addison's fear turns to empathy and finally to desire. As she learns more about Kendrick and his cubs, the more she wants to help them, no matter the cost.

Harvest Hunting

Yasmine Galenorn's latest book, Harvest Hunting is another great entry in her Otherworld series. This book is mainly about Delilah, the middle sister of the D'Artigo sisters, although the book does further the story of her and her sisters Camille and Menolly and their husbands and partners. I love this series, because it blends supernatural and romantic elements in an action-packed, believable world. The D'Artigo sisters are half-Fae, half-human and each posesses unique qualities and talents. Delilah is a werecat who also changes into a panther and is on her way to becoming a Death Maiden for the Autumn Lord, Camille is a witch who's powers often backfire and who has aligned herself with three men who help her magic strengthen and Menolly is a vampire who is learning how to exist in the world. A lot happens in this book, in the D'Artigo sisters (and their friends) attempts to defeat the Shadow King and other demons in their path to find the spirit seals and defeat their enemies. The series is a great read--the characters are very interesting and complex and have just as many issues as the rest of us, even though they are only half human.

Have a Date with a Demon Mistress

Yasmine Galenorn's latest book, Demon Mistress is the sixth novel in the series starring the D'Artigo sisters, three half-Fae/half-human women who work for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency and are stationed on Earth. Camille D'Artigo is a witch, Delilah is a changeling (she transforms into a cat) and Menolly is a vampire. Demon Mistress focuses on Menolly mainly, and is told from her point of view, although the reader does receive information about the lives of the other two sisters and all of the D'Artigo's assorted fae, demon and human friends. I am not a big fan of fantasy novels, but this series has hooked me from the beginning! The sisters take part in an on-going battle with demons from Otherworld, who keep coming Earthside through portals that have been opened between both worlds. The battles are ferocious and the day-to-day lives of the sisters are enjoyable, as is the interactions between the three of them. There are some detailed descriptions of intimate encounters, in this book, but they add to the book's appeal. This is another great entry in this series and I look forward to many more! Be sure to check out her web site at http://www.galenorn.com/

Check-Out This Supernatural Suspense!

Denise, our ILL Librarian, read a book several months ago that she loved so much, she encouraged me to read it. The book was Witchling, written by Yasmine Galenorn , and I enjoyed it so much that I am now “hooked” on the series! I am not much of a fan of the romance genre, so it was a surprise to me that I enjoyed reading books that in our library have a “romance” genre sticker on their spines. Described by author Mary Jo Putney as “Laurell K. Hamilton with a lighter touch,” the rest of the books in the Otherworld series are: Changeling, Darkling, and Dragon Wytch. These books are technically one of those cross-over genre books that should be more accurately classified as supernatural suspense. Basically, the stories are about the three D’Artigo sisters who are half-human, half-Fae, who have moved through a portal between Earth and Otherworld because they were outsiders in magical Otherworld. The sisters work for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency, tracking down rogue demons, goblins and other sinister beings who have crept through portals to wreak havoc on Earth. The most interesting aspect of the D’Artigo’s is that each is a different magical being: Camille is a witch (with varying degrees of magic-spell success), Delilah is a changeling (she changes into a cat, sometimes at inopportune moments), and Menolly ( a vampire, who was a super-spy until she was changed by a rather nasty vampire). The sisters have a great repertoire with each other, and each of the books focuses mainly on the adventures of one sister. Galenorn is also the author of the Chintz ‘N China mystery series (set in a tea room), but she has stopped writing that series due to the popularity of the Otherworld series. The magic is so integrated and believable in these stories, that I almost expect to stumble across Camille or Delilah one afternoon while shopping in downtown Vicksburg! I also suggest you check out Yasmine’s website at www.galenorn.com to see what she is up to next.