Multiculturalism by Charles Taylor is a unique look on an age old problem of providing an environment compatible with various diverse cultures. I’m not sure thatI can explain it exactly, I just know I really enjoyed it and the philosophy it presented. It’s so far outside my usual zone that I’m not sure I can judge it on the same scale as, say, Once Bitten, Twice Shy. It was a fantastic book, though, and, I believe, one that could inform the teaching styles of teachers in diverse communities, or anyone who would deal with an accurate cross-section of said community.

Just read it, y’all.

That is, if you’re in the mood for a pretty intense book.

Stephan? Who’s Stephan? OMG, he’s a vampire! Wait, please tell me this isn’t like Twilight.

(And, no, it is not like Twilight.)

Then:

Adam? Who’s Adam? OMG, he’s a werewolf! Wait, please tell me this isn’t like Twilight.

(No, seriously, not at all like Twilight.)

After that:

Magical walking stick? Ohhh…now I’m starting to see that this is not like Twilight!

(Right you are! But now it’s starting to sound more like Once Bitten, Twice Shy by Jennifer Rardin, and, by the way, the last book in that series came out, and I am currently reading it. Cute series.)

Right, well. This book is not a stand alone. By any stretch of the imagination.

So Anyway, River Marked is a very interesting book. I really liked the sea monster. Well, river monster. I’ve noticed that there are very few stories about those nowadays. Or maybe I’m just reading the wrong books.

Here’s why I love short story anthologies: If you hate one of the stories, it’ll be over soon. If you love one of the stories, you’ve found a new author who you can then buy all the books of. Also, if you get one where you hate all te stories except for the one that the author you got the book because, well, there’s still that story.

Anyway, It was a great book: there were a lot of fabulous teen authors in it, in fact, many of the same who wrote in Zombies vs. Unicorns. So, if you liked that, you might like this. Even though it has a ridiculous name. The Eternal Kiss? Seriously?

Anyway. It was a really good book, but I liked The Poison Eaters by Holly Black and Strange Candy by Laurell K. Hamilton better, so if you like Pretty Monsters, you may want to read those also. Or, if you’re looking for something supernatural, but not chilling, or if you are more looking for some more lighthearted short stories, A Touch of Dead by Charlaine Harris, or for Potter fans, The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling. Some of the stories in Beedle were a little childish, of course, but personally, I was quite fond of “The Warlock’s Hairy Heart”.  For a little bit of creepy, a little bit of funny, and a whole lot of weird, there is nothing I would more recommend than Zombies vs. Unicorns. I did a review on it a while ago, and I don’t think I can do it justice. I think that the awesomeness of short stories and novellas is often underestimated. Short stories are charming, creepy, funny, whatever, and in anthologies with multiple authors, helpful for finding new favorite authors.

Speaking of authors. I love prolific authors, authors who have, arguably, the opposite problem as Kelly link. Authors who, some would say, have written “too many” books. But for series readers like myself, these authors are perfect. I love authors like Laurell K. Hamilton and Patricia Briggs who have written about a million books.

But seemingly, these two examples, who are, unfailingly, two of my favorite authors, Laurell K. Hamilton, however, residing first in my heart (though Patricia Briggs is getting there, now that I’ve read The Hob’s Bargain), have both fallen short in my estimation. Where. Are. My. SEQUELS?! Nightseer had gorgeous characters, an interesting plot, so much potential…and no sequel. In one of her Anthologies, Laurell K. Hamilton, even says that she had writtenm a sequel, but her publisher rejected it. But that was back in the day (Nightseer was her first book), and now she has more clout. The Hob’s Bargain was so good. I LOVED Caefawn, I loved the characters, and it felt to me like a series could have gone to fabulous places. Sigh. I know this sounds like a rant (and it is, of course) but there could be no greater recommendation, and, actually, of these two books, I enjoyed The Hob’s Bargain more, actually. But they were both awesome.

Masques was set in a different world, but it felt like earth. I loved it, because she didn’t make a  big deal of it, or jar you out of the story with long extravagant excerpts about “in this world…” It reminded me of Nightseer, by Laurell K. Hamlton, somewhat. (Still, I am soi much in love with Laurell K. Hamilton and would like to take a moment to humbly beg that she write a sequel to Nightseer. Please.) The characters were charming, but not as deep as the Mercy Thompson books.

In all, a 7. Good, but not fabulous. I don’t know why I am addicted to Patricia Briggs. Maybe I just have an addictive nature. Say, does anyone have any recommendations? Please, I’m begging you.

The first book, Guilty Pleasures, (Yes, the name sucks. Yes, it sounds like a romance novel. It’s not. Really. Not so much as a kiss for about five books. Can you say the same for, say, Twilight?) is really fascinating: sounds like your general plotline: evil vampire comes to town, brave (zombie-raising) heroine and nice (strip club-owning) vampire along with a (assassin) friend get together to kill vampire, vampire dies, and the audience is told some fascinating tidbit that makes them want to buy the sequel (The Laughing Corpse, in this case). But really, for some reason, this book really makes you want to buy, not just one sequel, but heck, all SEVENTEEN of them. Of course, you’ll only like them if you’re more fascinated than disgusted. Warning: graphic imagery of corpses!! DO NOT say I didn’t warn you!

But otherwise, they’re very enjoyable books.

The characters are multi-layered, well-developed, and no two are similar. Trust me, you’ll find no “generic friends of the uber-cool vampire slayer”. Good guys and bad guys aren’t clear-cut, black and white. Everyone’s a shade of gray. Love it!

I would rate this book a 9.5 of 10.

The Third Circle by Amanda Quick stars Leona, a crystal worker who meets a powerful hypnotist who has the same goal as her: to retrieve a powerful crystal called the Aurora Stone. After saving Thaddeus from certain death, they join forces to protect the stolen stone and discover a murderer called the Midnight Monster. However, Leona’s house is broken into, and they realize too late that what they’re dealing with is more dangerous than it seems…

I would give this book a 6.5. It was interesting, but the rantings about true love were like marzipan: too sweet, saccherine, and they just sat like a rock in my stomach, not doing anything for me. (Had you noticed all the food references when I’m talking about Books? Hmmm…)

Undead and Unwed by Mary Janice Davidson is about Betsy Taylor who, after a vicious attack by  “mysteriously” bloodthirsty muggers who “mysteriously” don’t like garlic, finds herself waking up in a tacky pink outfit, in a morgue after supposedly dying from getting run over Anyway, within her first week of undeath she finds out that she’s not like other vamps: she touches crosses, holy water just makes her sneeze, and sunlight does nothing to her. She also manages to infuriate an insane and powerful vampire who really takes the “you’re with me, or you’re against me” stance. Now, she has to contend with being one of the undead, an insane adversary, and naturally an attractive, if creepy, vampire who keeps insisting that shes a queen.

I would rate this book as a six. Its just fluff, but it kindof gets a little more mysterious at the end. Good thing theres a sequel, so that all my questions can be answered!

All I want for Christmas is a Vampire by Kerrilyn Sparks is a paranormal Romance about a woman named Toni, who, after a brutal Malcontent (the bad vampires) attack, goes to work as a guard for the  good vampires, the ones that drink bottled synthetic blood. The vampires take her at face value, accepting her reasons for guarding them in the daytime, except for Ian, a scottish vampire, who suspects her of a secret agenda. As all of this plays out, the malcontent threat grows like a roiling stormcloud on the horizon, and war threatens.

On the scale, I would give this book a six. Its pretty much a fairy cake book. With marshmellow icing. Thats SERIOUSLY fluffy!

Basic Instructions: How to Set someone Straight

And to kill two birds with one stone for the other side: You like Twilight. You like Barbies. Here’s both.

Coming Soon: Fanged Friends

See. I’m not pro-Twilight. I’m not anti-Twilight. I have sucessfully found a happy median. Anything is possible.