The Sable City (The Norothian Cycle) Edward McNally

Although I'm a big fan of fantasy, I don't usually favor the epic, world-building variety. "Sable City," however, transcends that genre to deliver just the right amount of detail.

I particularly recommend it for those who like a long, leisurely read. This is no slam-bang action adventure story. For me, the characters reign supreme, and they stayed with me long after I'd finished the book.

Fortunately, for those who fall in love with these quirky individuals, you'll have an immediate opportunity to follow their continuing adventures. Volumes II, III, and IV are also published (with, apparently, more to come.

Blue Valley (A World War 2 Fantasy) (The Elementals) (Kindle Edition) Christine Rice

The setting of this book is John Steinbeck country--the Salinas Valley of central California. As the latter part of Steinbeck's East of Eden described the social disruption caused by World I, so Blue Valley focuses on World War II: the demand for increased agricultural production, fears of enemy sabotage, and the internment of people of Japanese ancestry.

These elements would make a solid foundation for a historical novel, but the author (as the subtitle, A World War 2 Fantasy, promises) chose to blend history with magic. Sarah, suspected because of her mysterious connection with the earth, becomes the object of a literal witch hunt by both local farmers, who blame her for turning the earth, and by government forces, who think she is an agent of the Japanese. Will Leary is supposed to discover the truth; instead he falls in love with Sarah.

Not only did I find this book a compulsive read, but I continue to think about it. This is vivid and provocative story telling at its best. I am delighted that it is the first of a series, and I hope the second novel is published soon.

These Hellish Happenings Jennifer Rainey

I'm not a fan of vampire novels, but the description of this book was too intriguing to ignore. I'm so glad I followed my intuition to purchase and read the story.

The main character, Jack, though a vampire, is also a kind of Everyman, stumbling into a foreign country--in this case, Hell. His attempts to make sense out of a world to which he is doomed for eternity form a narrative with which anyone (human or not) can identify.

The author has complete control over her material in terms of world building. Her brilliant imagining of Hell is hilarious and consistent in details. For me as a reader, exploring that world was a mind-bending journey.

My only criticism is of the title, which I thought could have been much more descriptive of the content.

I am praying (might be the wrong word) for a sequel.