The Summoning - Armstrong, Kelley

The Summoning is the first book in the Darkest Powers series. I really like Kelley Armstrong's books and this is no exception. This is young adult fiction and would be appropriate for my grandkids, and probably yours.



Chloe is 15 years old, and a freshman in high school. Suddenly she starts to see dead people. When she panics while in school she's sent to Lyle House, a group home for troubled teens. But is it a home for troubled teens or something more sinister? Is Chloe troubled or does she have special abilities that someone wants to harness? This story has a definite cliff hanger. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. Very highly recommended.

Chasing the Night - Johansen, Iris

Chasing the Night is an Eve Duncan novel. For those who've never read a book in this thread, Eve Duncan is a gifted forensic sculpture. She can take an old skull and put a face on it like nobody else. Her skills are put to the test in this story. You don't have to read Eve Duncan books in order but they're all good.



Eve is surprised to find a woman in her house. A woman who wants Eve's help to find her missing son. By the time this puzzle reaches it's conclusion there will be kidnapping, death, and mass destruction. The question is, can Eve and her friends keep that destruction from spreading to multiple American cities. There's a definite cliff hanger here, but the this story does conclude. Now I have to read the next one. Very highly recommended.

Emmett & Gentry - Locke, John

Emmett & Gentry is the third novel in the Emmett Love western series. You need to read these books in order, but it's definitely worth it. This series contains some examples of 99 cent wild west good reading.



Emmett has escaped the army railroad gang and heads back to Dodge to find Gentry. He's got to get rid of his leg irons, fend off civil war widows looking for a new man, and find his Gentry. It's not going to be easy, but with some help from Rose he should manage. Very highly recommended.

The Mill River Recluse - Chan, Darcie

The Mill River Recluse is the most enjoyable story I've read this year, and I've read plenty. This book is truly a 99 cent marvel.



The Mill River Recluse is a story about Mary McAllister. Mary suffered a horrific event as a young girl. That event influenced Mary's entire life. While she became reclusive, she never lost her humanity or her capacity for love. The way Mary's life affected the lives of everyone in the town of Mill River Vermont makes an amazing story. Anger, anxiety, joy, and profound sadness are just some of the emotions Chan's novel evoked. This tale brought tears to my eyes from happiness and grief. An amazing book. Very highly recommended.

The Player of Games - Banks, Iain M.

The Player of Games is a book that takes place in the distant future when mankind has spread out to fill the galaxy with what's known as The Culture. If you like science fiction you should love Banks vision of it.



Jernau Gurgeh is the arguably The Culture's greatest game player. The alien empire of Azad is ruled by the winner of a game called Azad. Will Gurgeh give up his decadent life in The Culture to play the game of Azad? With a little nudge he might, and the result could be an adventure he'd never imagine. Very highly recommended.

Victory of Eagles - Novik, Naomi

Victory of Eagles is a Temeraire novel. Temeraire is a dragon in Her Majesty's Service, in an alternate history where dragons are just another weapon in the arsenal of most large nations. This is book five in the series. They should be read in order to be appreciated.



Temeraire and Captain Laurence have been convicted of treason and separated. Captain Laurence is imprisoned on a ship and Temeraire is exiled to the breeding grounds. When Napoleon manages to cross the channel and threatens London, Temeraire and her captain are freed to help in the fight to save England. This is another story, set in a pre-industrial age, when the world is threatened by war and dragons can be the difference between defeat and victory. Another hard to put down tale. Highly recommended.

Succubus Dreams - Mead, Richelle

Succubus Dreams is the third Georgina Kincaid book. Georgina is doing her best to be good when her job is to be bad. She is a succubus after all.



Every time Georgina feeds on the energy of another person she dreams it away that night. It's a problem she can't figure out. To make things more interesting a new succubus is in town and Georgina is the designated succubus mentor. Throw in a bunch of angels on a secret mission, boyfriend problems, and Christmas just around the corner. Something is going to have to give. Very highly recommended.

Three Ways to Die - Goldberg, Lee

Three Ways to Die is a trio of stories about dying. This book makes me think I have to read more stories by Goldberg. These are great.



Jack Webb's Star is about a man who goes to great lengths to please a woman. It's not enough and somebody dies.

Bumsickle is a little murder mystery that takes some infidelity to solve.

Remaindered is about missing the one little thing that eventually catches up to you.

These are all clever and compelling stories. I'll be looking for more books by Goldberg. This collection is very highly recommended.

To Kill A Warlock - Mallory, H.P.

To Kill A Warlock is the first book in the Dulcie O'Neil Series. Dulcie is a fairy working for the A.N.C (Association for Netherworld Creatures) as a Regulator. Dulcie is kind of a Netherworld cop, but when this story starts she's a seven foot tall monster who resembles a gigantic booger. A warlock has hexed her good. Another 99 cent winner.



Dulcie is the best regulator working out of the Splendor California office. She'd rather be a novelist, and she's working on it, but crime doesn't stop just because she wants to be writing. When the warlock who hexed her turns up dead, and a particularly gruesome dead, she's on the case and a suspect at the same time. This book just gets more interesting as it goes along. It's a good relatively light-hearted romp with demons, vampires, gremlins, hobgoblins, elves, and even a loki. It continually entertains. Highly recommended.