Between the Covers - Book Review #5 & 100 Followers Contest Winners Announced!

First, congratulations to Spot, Kat, and Lindsey Beth Goddard. You won a prize for my 100 Followers Contest!

My last Creepfest giveaway is still going on. Don't forget to check the post and comment to win a signed copy of my work.

It's cold and rainy outside and with my bad back and a roaring bout of insomnia; I've been reading a bunch more than usual lately. I have five books to share with you, my constant reader. Thankfully, none of them are duds, though some are better than others.

1) Theodora Goss's short story collection, In the Forest of Forgetting, proved beautiful on more than one level. It is a gorgeous book; the cover illustration and the page illustrations accompanying each story fit quite well. And the stories will give any writer writing envy. They are so beautiful. Gross does a wonderful job of weaving myth with modern world or a Victorian setting. This book is a shining gem!

2) Quiver by Holly Luhning started out very promising. Danica Winston, a young forensic psychologist, gets wrapped up in the mystery of Elizabeth Bathory's missing diary, which would be the perfect bribe for her interview with a suspected serial killer with a Bathory fetish. This book was great, until the ending. I felt the characters were very two-dimensional, which is okay sometimes in a crime novel with a good plot, but this one fell short with the ending. The rest of the book was so good that I expected more than I got at the end.

3) Inkheart by Cornelia Caroline Funke was a joy from beginning to end. The characters were rich, vivid, and wonderful. The concept of a book's characters coming alive in a story is not a new one, but this tale of magic and personal growth/triumph captured my interest. I loved the villain in the story and rooted for Meggie, the little girl, from beginning to end. This book would win the heart of any teen or adult.

4) My reading only hit another high note with Lilith Saintcrow's Working for the Devil. Again, not a new idea, having a necromancer working for the devil, but Dante Valentine's tortured past and her budding love interest with her own demon protector from hell is so intriguing and well written. I highly recommend this one. Working for the Devil will steal your soul. Heheh. Bad pun, I know, but I couldn't put this one down.

5) Troll's Eye View: A Book of Villainous Tales edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling is a great young adult collection of retold fairy tales and new fairy tales. The twist is telling the story from the villain's perspective. I can't pick a favorite. They were all so good. This is a quick read and entertaining for adults and teens alike.

As always, happy writing and happy reading to all!