Escaping the Dark through Fiction

No power? No TV? No internet? While less than ideal conditions, such losses do give anyone plenty of time to catch up on reading. Yes, even librarians have stacks of unread books awaiting discovery.

A stack of interesting books and decent battery powered lantern makes things more bearable. Here’s what I read:

Carey, Jacqueline. Dark Currents (Fantasy)

I was a fan of Jacqueline Carey’s other works, so I thought I would give her newest offering a try. Daisy Johanssen lives in the picturesque town of Pemkowet, Michigan. It may look like a cute little tourist town, but it is far from it. It has an underworld- vampires, fairies, naiads, and the heroine Daisy who is half human, half demon. Daisy is the local enforcer for the goddess Hal, the Norse Goddess of the Dead. Hal oversees all the supernatural beings who live in the area. A young college student dies under mysterious circumstances. His family blames the supernaturals and it is up to Daisy to find out the truth. She is aided by her high school crush Cody Fairfax, who is also a werewolf.

Felber, Edith. Queen of Shadows: A Novel of Isabella: Wife of King Edward II (Historical Fiction)

I discovered historical fiction with books about the Tudors and have not looked back.This one takes on an earlier time, the 14th Century. It is the story of Queen Isabella, who was married as very young princess to the handsome Prince Edward II. Their marriage sadly was not a happy one. He did his duty and provided heirs, but their marriage was one of political convenience, not love. Edward I (father of Edward II) crushed the Welsh rebellions and made many enemies. Young Gwenith of the Marches is brought to court to serve as a lady in waiting to Isabella. Gwenith has been told from a young age that it is her duty to kill Edward II, but she finds herself caught in Isabella’s spell. She feels great sympathy for the Queen, and they become friends. For those who need a change from Henry and his wives, but still like their history sprinkled with a bit of romance, this book is worth a try.

Locke, Kate. God Save the Queen (Steampunk/Fantasy/Horror)

I met the author at Comic Con 2012 in NYC. I’m sorry I hadn’t read the book before I saw her so I could have told her how much I loved it, and how I can’t wait for the next volume in the series.

The series motto is “Stay calm and wait for dawn”. Why? That’s when the vampires, halvies (half human/half vampire), werewolves, and goblins go to ground during the day. In this fast paced, supernatural, steampunk novel readers meet Alexandra (Xandra) Varden. She’s feisty with a personality that matches her flaming red hair. Xandy is half human, half vampire and she is a member of the Royal Guard who protect the vampire aristocracy. Xandy’s youngest sister goes missing and the search leads Xandy to places and revelations she never saw coming.

Robb, J.D. Delusion in Death (Mystery/Thriller)

Lieutenant Eve Dallas returns in her 35th adventure.  A popular bar in New York City, happy hour- 12 minutes and 82 people are dead. The victims were exposed to a toxic airborne cocktail of hallucinogens. Friends turned against friends in a frenzy of violence. The police have figured out what cause the attack, but not who is behind these senseless acts of violence. The same thing happens at a popular restaurant over lunch. With every attack it becomes more vital to find the culprit before they strike again.

Sometimes to the best way to find new books to try is just by walking around in the Library and looking. See a book that looks interesting? Pick it up and read the description and blurbs. You might have found a winner.

In relation to the categories listed above here’s how to find similar books.

Are you a Fantasy Fan- head down into the stacks and straight to the back wall. That is where the Fantasy collection can be found. The books have “Fantasy” spine labels so you can easily find them.

Looking for more mystery in your life? (and not just the case of the missing socks that vanish from the dryer) Check out our Mystery section also on the back wall of the stacks (the mysteries start right after Fantasy. Mysteries also have their own spine label.

Historical fiction is scattered throughout the regular fiction collection, but if you need any recommendations feel free to email me directly at: monica@pjteen.org.

You can always stop by the Reference Desk and ask the librarian for help in finding your new favorites.