Winter of Different Directions by Steven J. McDermott

Published by Storyglossia Press

Steven J. McDermott has put together a stunning collection of short stories which captures the reader's attention and imagination from the beginning. This collection of stories features characters who are so vivid and memorable, mainly because they are so average, people you can bump into on the street every day. There are twenty stories in all, and each of them is wonderfully different from the rest.

In Swept Aside,a young man has reached the end of a relationship with his wife. He turns to an old friend for support and after a little soul searching, he decides he needs to give their marriage another try. He parks outside their home and seeing that she is not home he awaits her return, little expecting the confrontation that is heading his way.

In Crane Man, we are introduced to a young man who lives in a high-rise studio apartment and who lives with the daily frustration of having a crane operator peeking into his home with a set of binoculars. It finally becomes too much and his plan to cure the Crane Man of his habit is not only genius but hilarious too.

In Seven Blocks North, Two Miles East we are introduced to a boy with a speech impediment who is beaten regularly, by student and teacher alike. The latter finally opens a door to a new and surprising friendship as two former enemies join forces to achieve a common goal.

These three are just a small example of the tales within this book. Each has a unique quality and charm that will make it hard to choose favourites though I admit mine were the ones listed above, as well as Cleanliness is Next to Emptiness, Tough Act, and Tools.

Whether you savour each story seperately or like me, devour the entire book in one sitting, this book will not disappoint. I love that it has so much passion, so much raw energy and some of the tales, if not most of them, are written in a great style where the author doesn't simply tell a story, but inspires the imagination of the reader to provide their own details. I found myself asking lots of questions as I read. I wanted to know more about the character I had just been introduced to and often I wished I could read more about them, especially their history. It's by far one of my favourite short story collections and I will be watching for more by Steven J. McDermott.

Author's website: http://www.stevenmcdermott.com/ If you visit the site, you can hear many of these stories read by the author himself.

Consequences by Penelope Lively

Published by Key Porter Books

Consequences follows the lives of three generations of women in the same family. First there is Lorna, a young lady who finds herself on a park bench one day, distraught from yet another argument with her mother. A chance encounter with a local artist named Matt brings her hope, a hope that is shattered when war begins and Matt is killed in action. She is left to try and pick up the remnants of her life and raise their young daughter alone.

Then we move forward twenty years and follow the life of the daughter Molly. The reader observes Molly as she struggles to find herself. Her first job leads her unexpectedly into the arms of an older man, a man who adores her and wants to marry her, especially now that she is carrying their child but Molly is not in love with him.

It is their child, Ruth, who seems to have the most stable life as an adult. Settled down with her husband Peter and their two precious children, she seems to have it all but Ruth finds herself with a lot of questions. Questions she can only answer by rediscovering the past. Will there ever be a woman in this family who can find true - and lasting - happiness?

A friend told me I had to read this book and I am so thankful I did. It's a book that grabbed my attention from the first couple of sentences and kept me reading - often with my breath held - for the duration. I found the characters to be well written and the story as a whole was wonderfully executed. The shifts back and forth in time add something special to this novel and I especially like that we get to see how women of the same age and similar circumstances face very different challenges in each era.

I loved the reminders of England. The references to the Zannusi fridge, fish and chips, the narrow lanes that only one vehicle can pass through, and lots of British terminology. For that reason alone I was very fond of this book.

It's a wonderfully addictive tale.

Author's website: http://penelopelively.net/

Chiva: A Village Takes on the Global Heroin Trade by Chellis Glendinning

Published by New Society Publishers

Chiva is the true tale of the village of Chimayó and it's battle against drugs, mainly heroin. Chimayó is in the state of New Mexico which at one time was ranked #1 in per-capita deaths from illicit drug overdoses. More accurately, Chimayó is within the county of Río Arriba which ranked #1 in the state for the same thing, leading all other counties by more than 5 to 1. In addition Río Arriba ranked #2 in DWI deaths and had a murder rate of three times the state average. To say the area was troubled is putting it mildly.

Within this book the author provides an enlightening history of the global heroin business and its impact upon the places involved. The author also shares the string of events that led to Chimayó's citizens finding new hope and determination in ending the terror that was inflicted by the drug dealers. Their success at driving the problem from their village by a return to old values and a strong sense of community is hopeful, as is the personal journey of a young man named Joaquin who struggles with his heroin addiction.

This book was an interesting read from the start. It has a wealth of information which will provide much food for thought, regardless of your stance on the issue of drug abuse. Even though the book grabbed my interest, I did have a slight problem getting into it at the start. A great deal of facts and figures are tossed at the reader but it didn't take me long to adjust, and once I did it was an enjoyable, if somewhat disturbing read.

I loved that in the book, the community - of which the author is a member - joins together to solve the problem. Most surprising for me, leaders and members alike, of various religious groups joined together for the good of everyone. It's refreshing to hear about such a union. Imagine it, 450 or so people from various faiths: Catholic, Tewa, Jewish, Sikh, Muslim, Aztec, Pentacostal and Protestant walking together along the highway to pray for an end to the violence in their town.

I couldn't help but feel a sense of longing, as well as hope. If a village so troubled can come together and work through some extreme circumstances, then surely other places around the world can follow their example to deal with their own local issues. Granted, I am one of those positive people who tries to see the bright side of everything and the good in everyone, but it's a nice dream regardless.

This is one of those books that will definitely leave behind a trail of contraversy but regardless, the message is one that will inspire the reader to desire a better world. At least, that's what it did for me.

The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop by Lewis Buzbee

Published by Graywolf Press

In the Yellow-Lighted Bookshop the reader is led on a journey of passion by the author. A passion for all things book related. Through personal anecdotes, the author shares with us how his love of books and reading began, and his various careers in the literary world which provide some wonderful insights. He also includes a great deal of history regarding the beginning of bookshops, the first library, the various developments in printing and publishing, the challenging and banning of books, and a great deal more.

This book is delightful. The author has a gift for taking the most simple of events such as walking into a bookshop to buy a new book, and turning it into an experience which teases the senses and lightens the soul. For die-hard lovers of books, like myself, this book is the equivalent of a five star restaurant meal with perfect service. It is a book which begs to be not simply read, but savoured.

When the author describes wandering between the shelves of used bookshops, I could practically smell the familiar scents of worn pages, and see the creased spines and inscriptions which make you wonder about the life of the previous owner. When speaking of the chain stores, it's easy to smell the coffee, feel the warmth and listen to the low tones of people sharing thoughts and opinions. I can't help but wonder if the reason this book speaks to the heart of the reader this way, is because the author is writing from the heart about a subject which he obviously has a deep love for.

I don't usually mention the covers, but this cover was one that I fell in love with from the start. I also loved that the edge of the pages are deliberately a little rough and uneven, which I often associate with older books. It just gives a little something extra.

I adored this book and I can't imagine any booklover who wouldn't. It truly is a joy to read and helped me to feel less alone in my book addiction.

Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Published by Alfred A. Knopf Canada - A Division of Random House Canada

Half of a Yellow Sun follows the lives of three characters whose lives are connected. Ugwu is a thirteen year old boy who leaves his village to become a house-boy for a university professor. He realises his life is not like the life of other house-boys. They do not sleep in a spare room within the homes of their Masters, nor are they encouraged to read books the way that Ugwu is. Ugwu is eager to please and proves himself constantly to be a valuable asset to his Master's household.

Olanna is the professor's mistress. She and her twin sister have led priveleged lives in Lagos, due to their father's status. She gives up that life in order to live a more exciting life with her "revolutionary lover" as her sister often describes the professor.

Then there is Richard, Unlike the rest of the characters within the pages, Richard is a white man who is eager to make his life in Africa. He is obesessed with Olanna's twin sister, who is very different from Olanna, as she is a very strong, fearless, and independent woman.

Their lives change when war breaks out - the book re-creates the struggle of the 1960's between Nigeria and Biafra - and as igbo speaking people, they find themselves fighting for the right to live.

I don't know where to start with this book. I fell in love with it in a way that is rare for me. The characters are each filled with such energy and very distinctive, and I think what surprised me the most with the characters, is that even those who make a brief appearance were wonderfully defined. The detail of the war itself is phenomenal and often brutal. Chilling scenes are often described such as when Olanna is on a train on her way back home. Olanna is seated on the floor, urine spreading on the floor of the train and a lady asks her to come and take a look at something. Olanna looks into the bowl that the woman is holding and there is a little girl's head with ashy-gray skin, braided hair, rolled-back eyes and open mouth. That's an image that will stay with me for a long time.

Raw emotion leaps from the pages in this novel and I often found myself biting my lip as I worried about the characters. Thanks to the brilliant detail, each of them is so easy to feel attached to and I had to keep stopping myself from skipping ahead to reassure myself that they were all fine.

The glimpse of another culture was definitely what made this book something special for me though. I enjoyed learning about the foods, the language - there are words in igbo sprinkled throughout the pages -, the people, and the landscape. It was just an amazing novel. It says a lot that it's a little over 400 pages and I practically inhaled it in just over a day.

This one is a definite must read.

Author's website: http://www.halfofayellowsun.com/

Above All, Be Kind: Raising a Humane Child in Challenging Times by Zoe Weil

Published by New Society Publishers

Zoe Weil brings us a book that is insightful and practical. Today's culture makes it difficult for those parents who want to raise their children as kind, humane, generous, responsible, and confident people. Children are discouraged from spending time outside in a natural environment, choosing instead to spend time with their computers, gaming systems, and of course television. Commercials are becoming more bold in their quest to push the latest product, and peer pressure - through all ages, including adults - makes it hard to resist materialism.

While we often want our children to have better lives, and can provide them with so much more than we were offered in our childhood, are we really doing what is best for them? It's becoming more common for children to lack self-esteem, confidence, and compassion, instead we are finding apathy, fear, and self-doubt.

Above All, Be Kind is a book which offers solutions to these problems, teaching the parent how to raise their children with positive values. The author gives the parents a teaching tool known as the Four Elements of Humane Education: Providing Information; Teaching critical thinking; Instilling the three Rs of Reverence, Respect and Responsibility, and Offering positive choices.

Parents are encouraged to use these elements in their daily lives and become a more positive role model for their children. The Four Elements enables children to become more aware, empowered and compassionate, usually helping the child to live a happier, and healthier lifestyle.

What I loved about this book, was that as an adult with parents who didn't really help me develop good values, I have learned a great deal that will help me live a more positive life and be a shining example to those around me. I especially liked that throughout the book, the author doesn't just provide instructions without explanation, she explains how and why the Four Elements work. She also provides so many examples from both her personal life and the lives of others which are wonderful lessons in themselves.

I also liked the "Did you know?" sections in which she provides information about important issues such as sweat shops, advertising that is targetted at children, and factory farming. Complimenting those sections, the author provides suggestions on how we can make more humane choices with regard to each issue. Also, a well written questionaire is provided in the latter pages, which you can use to define your goals and ideals, as well as discovering how you can improve the message you send with the actions in your life.

This is by far one of my favourite parenting books.

The Adultery Diet by Eva Cassady

Published by Pocket Books - A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc

Eva Cassady has a good life or so she thought. When her twenty year old daughter moves to France for a year, Eva has more time to think and the conclusions aren't good. Her marriage has become a dull, lifeless shell of what it once was, her career is going well but writing for a magazine was never her dream, and to top it all off, her weight is at an all time high.

The one good thing about her job, is that it has given her the opportunity to get back in touch with an old flame, Michael Foresman. Michael had wanted to be an architect and is living his dream. He has even created a dream home for himself in his spare time and Eva's boss wants an exclusive interview.

Eva bites the bullet and contacts Michael. Soon they are flirting back and forth in email, giving Eva a rush that she hasn't felt in a long time. She decides that before the interview with Michael, she needs to look perfect and so begins a diet and exercise regime that is fuelled by passion and longing. As the weight falls away, Eva feels so much happier in life and feels young, and desirable. When she finally meets Michael, she finds she has serious choices to make.

This book was a fantastic read. I couldn't put the book down as I was too desperate to find out what would happen next. There were more than a couple of surprises along the way, but what made this book a great read for me is the fact that even though this book is listed as fiction, it could quite easily be the true story of so many women. I also loved the humour with which it was written.

I loved this book. It's Eva Cassady's first novel and I can hardly wait to see what she writes next.

Don't Chew Jesus: A Collection of Memorable Nun Stories by Danielle Schaaf & Michael Prendergast

Published by BenBella Books, Inc

Danielle Schaaf and Michael Prendergast bring the reader a delightful collection of nun stories, or more accurately, anecdotes. This book includes ten chapters in all, as well as a glossary at the back which those readers who are not Catholic, will undoubtably find useful. I know I often found it to be an invaluable resource.

The chapters are Oh Sister, Where Art Thou?, Don't Chew Jesus!, Off to School with Publics You'll Go, Private Parts and Impure Thoughts, Shrouds of Mystery, Knuckle Cracks and Group Slaps, Eyes in the Back of Their Habits, A Sister by Any Other Name, A Legacy, and Sister, Speak Up! Each of these chapters contains enlightening information about this group of women who people understand very little about. Also included in each chapter are personal anecdotes from many different sources, which are relevent to the subject at hand.

Although I greatly enjoyed the information provided within the pages of this book, the personal anecdotes made this book for me. Regardless of whether the memories were pleasant or not, the fondness for the nuns comes shining through in all the accounts. I found myself with tears of joy, and sadness. I laughed out loud on more than a few occasions, and I learned so much about these incredible women who would often go above and beyond to teach their pupils.

A great little book, and one I will definitely read again.

To read excerpts, learn more about the authors, and even share nun stories of your own, please visit http://www.nunstories.com/

Author's website: http://danielleschaaf.com/

Some proceeds from this book will be donated by the authors to S.O.A.R! (Support Our Aging Religious), a national non-profit organization serving retired religious.

This is My Funniest: Leading Science Fiction Writers Present Their Funniest Stories Ever edited by Mike Resnick

Published by BenBella Books, Inc

Mike Resnick presents a diverse collection of short stories by leading science fiction writers. Each author has chosen what they believe are their best comical tales and introduces that story with a short introduction though we find out why they chose a certain tale, and at times some insight into the authors themselves.

The authors featured are Harry Harrison, William Tenn, Jane Yolen, Howard Waldrop, Barry Malzberg, Laura Resnick, David Gerrold, Spider Robinson, Robert Silverberg, James Patrick Kelly, Jody Lynn Nye, Nick DiChario, Tom Gerencer, Michael Swanwick, Esther Friesner, Gardner Dozois, Jack McDevitt, Ralph Roberts, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Bill Fawcett, Josepha Sherman, Nancy Kress, David Brin, Walter Jon Williams, Joe Haldeman, Mike Resnick, Harry Turtledove, Connie Willis, and Robert Sheckley.

As for the stories, they are a fun insight into just how fun the imagination can be. The reader gets to explore so many strange situations:

• What would happen if someone were to spike the water supply with LSD?
• What if Heaven and Hell were managed Mafia style?
• What would it be like to live the life of Franz Kafka, especially if you were to have the ability to turn into a giant cockroach superhero called Bug-Man?
• What happens when a sassy teen discovers an alien with a bad disguise and offers him a free makeover?
• What would a radio station sound like if it were hosted by aliens?
• Could sugar plum fairies take over the earth?

These and many more questions are answered within the pages. Pages which offer so much entertainment, and laughter. It's a fun read and I love that I got to experience the writings of so many authors I was unfamiliar with. I think I am going to have to explore more books of the science fiction genre in future.

A light, fun read.

The Geist Atlas of Canada: Meat Maps and Other Strange Cartographies compiled by Melissa Edwards

Published by Arsenal Pulp Press

The Geist Atlas of Canada is a collection of full-colour maps with a difference. Each map has a special theme and only places which fall into that theme are included. Among my favourites are:

The Conflict Map of Canada: Push and Be Damned Rapids, Argue, and Bombproof Island.

The Spooky Map of Canada: Terrified Rocks, Lac Dracula, Killoween, Lac Gremlin, Crypt Falls, and Bugaboo Park.

The Canadian Map of Nicknames: Montréal aka Sin City, Vancouver aka Terminal City, Kamloops aka Camel Lips, Calgary aka Cowtown, Saskatoon aka Toontown, and close to where I live is Chicoutimi aka Blueberry.

The Fairy Tale Map of Canada: featuring Anderson Narrows, Looking Glass Pond, Snow White Mountain, Sleeping Beauty Mountain, Gingerbread Creek, Lac Hansel, Witch Cove, Goldilocks Lake, and Troll Falls.

Of course, I have to mention the Literary Map of Canada: Dickens Point, Browning, Conrad, Othello, Carroll, Shakespeare, Atwood, Ivanhoe, and Kipling.

The Gay Map of Canada: Drag River, Lac Lez, Mercury Rock, Transition Bay, Bents, Biville, and Butch Bank.

The Erotic Map of Canada: Nymph Point, Moan Creek, Spankie Lake, Mount Dominant, Climax, Cumaway Creek, Lac Latex, Spread Eagle, and Sodom Lake.

These maps, and many more, make for an interesting reading experience whether alone or with friends. It's the perfect book for those who usually avoid geography like the plague, and for travel lovers like myself it's a fantastic resource to find unusual places to visit. On each page there are also some explanations for how places got their names which I liked learning from.

In the back of the book, not only is each place indexed but there are some appendixes such as: Almost Maps: Maps that haven't been made yet since there haven't been enough appropriate names found. - Looking for something to do in winter? Pull out a Canadian Atlas and get hunting!, and Demonyms: What are you called when you live there? For example, Bellevillians come from Belleville, Lakeheaders come from Thunder Bay, Abstainers come from Stainer, Moose Javians come from Moose Jaw, and Egg Monsters come from Egmont.

I found this book to be very entertaining and my husband got a few laughs from it also.

Some of the maps can be seen at the Geist website: http://www.geist.com/maps/

Raising Cats Naturally: How to care for your cat the way nature intended by Michelle T. Bernard

Published by Blakkatz Publishing

In this book, Michelle T. Bernard guides the reader through the subject of raising your animals in a healthy, and natural way. A subject that has become so much more important with the recent pet food recall nightmare. So many owners were frantically looking for alternative options, safe foods and more, and I was one of those owners.

I came across this book and decided I wanted to know more. This book is refreshingly simple and straightforward. The author doesn't just provide recipes and tell you to use them, rather, she delves into the background of the cat, the nutrition they need, the ethics of the pet food industry, and also provides a lot of data to support this healthier choice.

For me personally, I find that Michelle's inclusion of her own experiences with this method of cat care, has convinced me that I should try this on my own furry companions. The list of benefits is just incredible, some of those benefits are: reduced shedding, improved temperament, reduced litter box odour, healthier teeth, better general health, and also better weight management.

One of the thoughts which influenced me greatly, was this one:

Commercial cat food, especially dry cat food, is not healthy for most cats. If
it were, why would so many different formulas be necessary? If their food was
truly 100 percent nutritionally balanced and complete, would there be such a
need for all the prescription foods? In all the years I have been feeding raw to
my cats, I have not had to change the formulation of the diet I feed them to
address an illness.

Also covered, along with diet, are the subjects of vaccinations, and homeopathic veterinarians. Both subjects also gave me much to think about and I have to admit, this is one of the best pet care books I have read in a long time. It's refreshing to see a book that doesn't simply support the pet industry by telling you everything your pets must have, but instead, delves into what is naturally best for your pets.

What I especially loved, is the care and detail that shines through in Michelle's research and when she reaches a subject which she isn't quite sure about, she has no problem expressing the fact that she hasn't been able to find enough information on that issue, and that she is constantly learning.

Anyone who has, or is considering, a cat in their lives, needs to have a copy of this book also.

Author's website: http://www.blakkatz.com/ (lots of info on this site, plus you get to meet the author's feline companions which I enjoyed learning about in the book.)

Bay of Fundy: A Natural Portrait by Scott Leslie

Published by Key Porter Books

Scott Leslie brings us a stunningly wonderful book on the Bay of Fundy. In this book he provides over a hundred vivid and amazing photographs of birds, mammals, landscapes, and underwater life. Accompanying the images, the author has provided a great deal of text in which he shares his own personal exploration of the area.

I adored this book. All too often, I forget to enjoy nature as much as I should, and this book was a brilliant reminder of the amazing sights that are just waiting out there for us in the great outdoors. I couldn't put the book down as I followed Scott's journey and lost myself in his descriptions. His sense of awe and his enthusiasm are contagious. I loved learning about the things I wouldn't usually pay attention to, like the sea anemones, nudibranchs, fan worms, sea peaches, lampshells and more.

I loved learning about jellyfish and sea ravens. Both of these creatures are caught in images that are breathtaking and awe inspiring. Scott Leslie seems to capture each photograph perfectly in a way that fills it full of life, and I am definitely left with a longing to go and visit this amazing place for myself. I love that this book also contains a message about our responsibility to preserve the nature around us and helps the reader to take a closer look, beyond the obvious, to the many life forms that we often miss.

This is one of my favourite books, and one I will be returning to often.

Author's website: http://scottleslie.com/ (Amazing galleries included on the site, including some of the creatures I mention here in the review).

A Letter from Mom by Mimi Thelma James

Published by Llumina Press

In A Letter from Mom, a mother - the author - writes to her son and daughter. She addresses her daughter Jan in the beginning and tries to capture in words, what Jan was like as a child and some of the fond memories she holds so dear. Next she addresses her son Roy, and tries to explain to him how she chose to give him up, and how letting go was the hardest thing she ever did.

This book is very short but it carries so much raw emotion within the pages. It is touching, heartbreaking, inspirational and uplifting all at once. I found it to be written with an honest and open heart, as the author bares her soul to her children.

I was deeply moved by this book, and by the courage that the author showed in not just sharing her deepest sense of self with her children, but through this book, the world also.

I loved it.

Consumption by Kevin Patterson

Published by Vintage Canada - A Division of Random House of Canada Limited.

Kevin Patterson has written a stunning first novel. Consumption is based mostly around the life of an Inuit named Victoria, who we follow briefly through her childhood as she battles tuberculosis and has to be taken to a sanatorium in the south. A sanatorium where she is misplaced for some six years. When it is time to return to her family, she feels unsettled. Robertson enters the scene. Though he is not Inuit, people on the tundra grow to respect him and the way he takes care of his wife and their children as they are born. Victoria never quite feels complete though.

There are so many colourful characters, such as Victoria's father Emo, who is a wonderfully complex character, with his distant personality. Another example is Penny, a teacher who moves into the area, and is filled with such a lively spirit and love for life. She spends much of her time adjusting to life on the tundra by learning the traditional ways to live. Hunting and travelling the tundra with her team of dogs. The doctor and priest are among my favourites too, as they each battle their inner demons.

In this tale we are introduced to a beautiful culture, and a view of what can happen when too much outside influence is introduced to such a community. The results are often heartbreaking as things change for the worse. At the peak of this experience, there is a tragedy and as the community try to discover what really happened, Victoria's family seems to fall further into confusion and chaos. Will things ever seem right again?

This book is a fantastic read. The description of the backdrop to this novel is so vivid that you can almost feel the crisp cold air against your skin as you picture the tundra. The characters are wonderfully written and developed. The relationships are often complex and it's rare that I have come across a novel which seems so down to earth and yet surreal all at once. I blame that on my own perception and being raised in the UK. When I think of igloos, dog teams, and hunting/slaughtering animals, I often think of it in really old historical terms. I realised I had to stop doing that when an 80's reference was made. It was a little jolt to the system - in a good way.

This is also one of those books that I just couldn't put down. Too often I found myself putting it down so I could deal with a chore, only to pick it back up two seconds later because I just had to know what was coming next. It really is a compelling read. For me personally, what made this book was the detail. Not just for the characters and surroundings, but the social consequences of events which take place within the pages.

I can't wait to see what Kevin Patterson comes up with next, he is definitely an author to watch. It is the first I have heard of this author, though some of you may be familiar with his short story collections, or non-fiction works.

A great read. I can't rave enough about it.

Madam of the House by Donna Birdsell

Published by Harlequin

Cecilia Katz is a woman with problems. Her marriage has come to an end, leaving her in a financial mess, and her career as a real estate agent is on rocky ground. If she could just sell her best property, a huge - and ostentatious - house, the commission would solve everything.

As she tries to stay afloat, things go from bad to worse. Her ex-husband decides to remove all her furniture, and thanks to him losing most of their money, their special-needs son is threatened with being kicked out of his boarding school. At work things aren't looking any better. Things are getting crazy as a co-worker sabotages all her attempts to make sales and tries to steal her clients. Thank heavens for Jake, her assistant who is an absolute god send. He isn't bad looking either, if only he wasn't so much younger.

Cecilia is struck by an idea and decides to use the property to host a party. Not just any party. She gets Jake to hire hot young studs to entertain bored housewives and suddenly things start to look brighter. That is until a stash of drugs is found and the local law enforcement start paying closer attention. Suddenly her once calm and quiet life becomes crazy and she wonders if she will ever come through this.

I decided to read this one when I was surfing online and saw the title and storyline. It seemed so fun, so outrageous, so brilliant, and surprisingly it was a harlequin novel. That shocked me. I had memories of watching my mum read harlequin books and I remember peeking through them and thinking they were too old fashioned, romantic and mushy for my taste. This one caught my attention though and I was thrilled when I read it, to find that it was as fresh and original as the blurb on the cover said.

It turns out that Harlequin have a series, of which this novel is a part. It's the Next series, which their PR manager describes as a series of warm and compelling novels for any woman who's ever wondered "What's next?". I myself like to think of Next as meaning that they are directed at the next generation of women. However you want to see it, it's a series that I will be paying close attention to. This book had fun, friendship, laughter, drama, thrills and more. This is definitely not how I remember Harlequin novels. Look out for this range of books at a store near you, take a peek for yourself, and you just might be as surprised as I was!

Author's website: http://www.donnabirdsell.com/

Conan and the Songs of the Dead by Joe R Lansdale. Artwork by Timothy Truman

Published by Dark Horse Books - A Division of Dark Horse Comics.

In Conan and the Songs of the Dead, we are introduced to Conan as he wanders the Stygian desert, hunting food. What he catches is quite unexpected as he stumbles across Alvazar, an old acquaintance, buried up to his neck in sand along with a few other people who really don't look good. After getting rid of the guards who are to watch over Alvazar until he is dead, Conan gets to the root of the problem, literally. Alvazar had found the Demon's root, the key to immortal power which is desperately wanted by a sorcerer.

An encounter with Djinn of the Stones, who resides in the House of the Night, makes the situation more clear to Conan and so begins the duo's adventure filled with skirmishes, monsters, magic, and a meeting with Ohala, a warrior woman who is on a mission to find a dangerous book.

This book was fun to read and filled with action, humour, and some sexual content. The artwork - drawn by Timothy Truman and coloured by Dave Stewart - is just fantastic and unlike most of the graphic novels I have explored so far, filled with amazing detail. In the back pages of the book, there is also a sketchbook included, showing some of the drawings in the earlier states. That was a favourite feature of mine.

My dear husband read and enjoyed this one also. When asked what he thought of it, all I could get out of him was "Crom!".

Author's website: http://www.joerlansdale.com/

Artist's website: http://www.trumanstudio.citymax.com/

Chickenhare: The House of Klaus by Chris Grine

Published by Dark Horse Books - A Division of Dark Horse Comics.

Chris Grine brings the reader an adventure featuring a strange little character called Chickenhare. In The House of Klaus, Chickenhare and his friend Abe (a turtle) are not having a good day. They are on a journey to be sold to a collector of animals. This isn't just any collector though, this is Klaus, a taxidermist with a flair for the weird and unusual. Though they try everything to avoid this fate, they find themselves caged, along with two new friends, Banjo, and Meg.

This motley crew decide that they need to make their escape, and fast. They aren't sure what the deeply disturbed Klaus has planned for them but the display of stuffed and altered creations around the place doesn't bode well. Finally they are on their way, out in the bitter cold, nothing but a snowy landscape can be seen, at least until they find a cave to shelter in.

Things would seem to be looking up, except for the weird ghost of a goat named Mr Buttons (who wears a monacle and top hat), and a tribe of Shromph who are convinced that the newcomers are food. Things just can't get any worse, or can they?

Where do I start with this? The characters are cute and unusual, the plot is filled with adventure, humour, fun, and friendship. This is definitely a group of characters that I would love to see further development of. As it happens, I am in luck, as I learned from the site that there is to be a sequel next march. The artwork is all black and white in this book and you can see some samples at the website too. Also included on the site, is the 10 page prologue so you can even preview the book to see if it is something you would enjoy.

A light and speedy read which I know I will revisit again, and again.

Author's website: http://www.chickenhare.com/

The Baby Jesus Butt Plug: A Fairy Tale by Carlton Mellick III

Published by Avant Punk Books

Carlton Mellick III brings us a strange little tale about a couple who adopt a baby jesus after responding to an ad offering a litter of baby jesuses to good homes. By good homes, they clearly mean that these baby jesuses are not meant to be used for adult entertainment, like so many are. The couple soon realise that this baby jesus they have, is something special. They don't know just how special.

Little Bobby, as they name him, soon shows his unique personality which leaves the husband feeling more than a little nervous. One day at work, he gets a phone call from his wife and she tells him that he is right, there is something really strange about the baby jesus. She is terrified and hiding from it. Joe decides he needs help with this and slips to the nearest copy shop to have a few copies made of himself to help him in his battle.

A very freaky story that I actually liked a lot. I won't claim to have made sense out of it but it is wickedly fun and imaginative. It was inspired by an actual adult product which can be found at Divine Interventions. It definitely isn't a read that is for everyone but if you like the works of Chuck Palahniuk or Brian Keene, you might want to check this author out too. I know I am glad I did. I especially liked the illustrations (done by the author) within the pages. Very simple but they add a great deal of character to the book, as does the haunting cover image which is illustrated by Tom Andrews.

Author's website: http://www.carltonmellick.com/

Illustrator's website: http://www.t-designs.co.uk/

General Slocum's Gold by Nicholas Kaufmann

Published by Burning Effigy Press

General Slocum's Gold is the tale of a thief named Sackett who is fresh out of Rikers and already headed for trouble. He was given a map, a map which shows the location of a fortune in gold which is rumoured to be buried on a deserted island. The island is located in New York's East River. Word is already out about the map, and before he even begins his journey, adventure comes to find him, in the form of Carson, a low ranking thief who is out to make a name for himself.

When Sackett joins Whitey and his crew, they depart for the island with no idea of what faces them. The island isn't deserted after all and the ghostly inhabitants are willing to do whatever it takes to protect their treasure.

What I loved about this chapbook, is the mixture of past and present. The tale slips back and forth between the tale of Sackett, and the story of how the gold came to be at the island. It makes for a compelling, tense, and wonderfully detailed read. I was pleasantly surprised at how much of the characters shine through. It's not often that a reader can connect in so few pages.

It's a great read!

Author's website: http://www.nicholaskaufmann.com/