Recommendations from the July 8, 2008 meeting, compiled by Brenda O'Brien, Woodridge Public Library
Explore the many worlds of paranormal romance! These imaginative writers combine elements of the supernatural and the passionate that are sure to keep readers eagerly awaiting the next in the series.Vampires, werewolves, ghosts and witches, time travel and psychic powers make these romantic and sometimes sexy books entertaining reads.
Allen, Sarah Addison. The Sugar Queen, 2008.
Josey is 26, still living in her childhood home, and at the back and call of her manipulative mother. When older, wiser Della Lee hides out in Josey’s closet—escaping her own bad life choices—things start to happen for Josey. She makes new friends, gets the guy of her dreams, and breaks out of her shell. The paranormal elements of the book are more of the magical realism sort, making for a book of gentle charm rather than racy excitement.
Booktalked by Debbie Wordinger, Indian Prairie Public Library
Arthur, Keri. Full Moon Rising, 2006.
Riley Jensen and her twin brother Rhoan are the extremely rare offspring of a werewolf mother and a newly-turned vampire father. Passing to the world as full-blooded werewolves, both are employed by Melbourne’s Directorate of Other Races and work to protect humans from rogue supernaturals. When Rhoan disappears, Riley is forced to pair up with an irresistible vampire to find her brother – during the week of the full moon, when werewolf passions become all-consuming. And explicitly sexy romp with an underlying good plot, this is the first of a series.
Audience: adult (due to graphic sex)
Booktalked by Nancy Bent, LaGrange Public Library
Bardsley, Michele. I’m the Vampire, That’s Why. 2006
Single mom Jessica Matthews of Broken Heart, OK had no idea when she took out the garbage one fateful night (because teenage son Bryan forgot again) that she would be turned into a vampire. She’s not the only single parent in town to have met this fate, and fortunately there’s a coalition of nice vampires (such as gorgeous ancient Irishman Patrick O’Halloran) and their human compatriots to help her deal with her new issues: how to break it to the kids that mom’s a vampire, how to raise her children when she’s only awake at night, etc. As if that’s not enough to handle, one of the other new vampires is Charlene, the young secretary that Jessica’s husband left her for before he was killed in a car accident. This entertaining, steamy story filled with Celtic and vampire mythology is followed by Don’t Talk Back to Your Vampire.
Booktalked by Debbie Darwine, La Grange Public Library
Blair, Annette. Gone with the Witch. 2008
Beautiful, edgy Storm Cartwright, one of three witch triplets from Salem, MA, has a special gift: she hears crying children and is able to locate and help them. Storm is excited when she is given a reason to “kidnap” hunky Aidan McCloud, the best man at her sister’s wedding. She is sure that the crying baby she hears whenever she is near Aidan is his child, but he insists he doesn’t have one! The attraction between Storm and Aidan is strong, and he is willing to put up with her crazy behavior in order to spend some private time with her. This is the second book of a trilogy, and starts in the middle of the story begun in Blair’s Sex and the Psychic Witch.
Booktalked by Debbie Darwine, La Grange Public Library
Brallier, Kate. Boundless Deep, 2008.
Graduate student Liza Donovan, Midwestern born and bred, has always had dreams of sailing on the ocean. When she accompanies her roommate to the roommate’s aunt’s house on Nantucket, Liza’s dreams become more intense and erotic. Realizing that she has lived here before, over 150 years before, Liza tries to discover who she was and who was the great tragic love of her life, and, can she be reunited with him today? Pleasant enough, but at 432 pages, too long.
Booktalked by Debbie Wordinger, Indian Prairie Public Library
Carroll, Susan. The Bride Finder. 1998
For centuries, the men of the St. Leger family of Cornwall have relied on a Bride Finder to bring them their perfect mates. The choices have always been successful; only if a St. Leger man tries to thwart destiny and choose his own wife does tragedy ensue. Anatole St. Leger is the son of such a disastrous pairing. Feared and avoided by his unhappy mother until her suicide, and ignored by his grieving father, Anatole has grown up wild, rough, and afraid of his telekinetic gifts. Beautiful, delicate Madeline Breton is far from his ideal of an appropriate wife; in addition, she resembles a woman, seen by him in a vision, who may bring disaster to Castle Leger. However, the Bride Finder is certain that Madeline is Anatole’s destiny. This is a very romantic story of the healing power of love.
Booktalked by Debbie Darwine, La Grange Public Library
Castle, Jayne. Ghost Hunter, 2006.
Botanist Elly St. Clair, though she is from a powerful Guild family, shows little of the psychic energy that the rest of her family uses to control the ancient energy ghosts that form in the ruins of the ancient alien civilization that underlies her city. Powerful ghost hunter Cooper Boone is not only the local Guild boss, he’s also Elly’s former fiancé. When he follows her to the nearby big city to win her back, both get embroiled in a larger plot involving illicit drugs and murder. Part of a series.
Audience: adult (due to explicit sex)
Booktalked by Nancy Bent, LaGrange Public Library
Colgan, Jenny. The Boy I Loved Before, 2004.
Thirty-two year old Flora is living the perfect, albeit boring, life in London. She has the perfect (on paper) boyfriend, a lucrative job, and owns her own flat. But when a wish made at her best friend’s wedding sends her back to being sixteen, she has a chance to change the future—but does she really want to? The “physics” and “consistencies” of the time travel elements don’t bare close scrutiny, but this was a fun romance with a satisfying ending.
Booktalked by Debbie Wordinger, Indian Prairie Public Library
Esquivel, Laura. Like Water for Chocolate
In old Mexico, where traditions are strong lives, Tita, the youngest of three daughters born to Mama Elena, who is the owner of the family ranch, De la Garza. While still in her mother’s womb, Tita cries violently, which cause early labor and birth, while her mother was preparing dinner. Being born in the kitchen, among the many smells and fragrance of spices and herbs, this is where Tita drew her strength and comfort as a child. This early encounter with food soon became her life calling, growing up to become the Master Chef for the family.
In old world traditions of Mexico, the youngest daughter born into a family does not marries, but remains at home to care for her aging mother. As a young adult, Tita falls in love with a young man, Pedro. Pedro loves Tita, but is not allowed to marry her because of the tradition that the youngest daughter never marries, living only to serve and care for her mother until her demise. Mama Elena arranges for Pedro to marry TiTa’s sister, Rosaura. Mama Elena also forces TiTa to make the wedding cake as punishment for her bitterness and unwilling ness to fulfill her duty as the youngest daughter. She cries as she is preparing the cake. Her tears fall into the batter which provokes a remarkable sexual reaction among the guests who eats the cake. It is at the reception that it becomes apparent that Tita’s culinary talents are very unique and mystical. As Tita and Pedro age, so does their love for other and the magic Tita performs with each dish she make.Even a mental breakdown and the love of another cannot replace the eternal love that she has for Pedro.
The mystic, affects the lives of everyone who partakes of the dishes in Mama Elena’s household, even Pedro and Rosaura. Only Chencha, the family’s maid recognizes and understands the source of the mystical culinary power that Tita has. She also understands the love that burns in her heart for her sister’s husband, Pedro. Only after Mama Elena’s death does Tita and Pedro recaptured the love that was theirs, causing an inferno that carries them throughout eternity.
Booktalked by Janis Elmore, Steger-South Chicago Heights Public Library
Feehan, Christine. Oceans of Fire
Abigail Drake is swimming with dolphins near her California home when she reencounters Russian operative Alexei, whose partner’s just been shot. Abigail is the third of seven Drake sisters, all with magical abilities. Abigail has an affinity for water and for dolphins. Alexei is on the trail of stolen Russian antiquities and wants to regain Abigail’s trust and love. This book has some violence, suspense, romance, and humor. The first book in the series is Magic in the Wind.
Recommended for adults and young adults.
Booktalked by Brenda O’Brien, Woodridge Public Library
McKnight, Jenna. Witch in the House
After being jilted on his wedding day, Mason and his best man Anthony travel to snowy Mystic Manor to investigate Jade Delarue, whose husband, along with two friends, disappeared several years ago. Jade is a witch, specializing in herbal remedies who also runs a bed and breakfast. She has a candle spell go awry and attracts Mason to her. Jade faces discrimination in town for being a witch so does not advertise her services or her inn, and is very upset when she learns Mason’s been spying on her. Mason tries to make amends with snowmen, which attract lots of attention.
Recommended for adults.
Booktalked by Brenda O’Brien, Woodridge Public Library
Putney, Mary Jo. A Distant Magic, 2007.
Jean Macrae is a Guardian, one of a group of people with magical powers, but she herself has only modest abilities. When she is kidnapped by a pirate, a man with a grudge against Jean’s father, she discovers not only a raw, untrained magical talent but also someone for whom she feels an irresistible connection. Together their powers are more than the sum of the parts, and when they are called upon to assist in the movement to abolish slaver they find their life’s calling. Part of a series.
Audience: adult and YA
Booktalked by Nancy Bent, LaGrange Public Library
Raye, Kimberly. Your Coffin or Mine?
Matchmaking vampire Lil participates in a dating show in New York City to market her business. Her mother wants her to settle down, while disliking her brother’s normal fiancee. Lil is somehow telepathically linked to made vampire Ty, who has been kidnapped.
Vampires in Raye’s series drink blood out of refrigerated vials, and can get intoxicated on alcohol, but can’t eat solid food. Lil can also fly as a bat, and as a born vampire, is discouraged from dating made vampires. She also dresses very fashionably, and helps her brother’s fiancee look at poufy wedding dresses in some humorous scenes.
Recommended for adults and young adults.
Booktalked by Brenda O’Brien, Woodridge Public Library
