Best of what's new

Thin Air
Weather Warden Book 6
Rachel Caine
Wow! Thin Air lived up perfectly to the rest of the series. Although I got frustrated that Rachel makes David's character absent to often. The romance is there but you are beginning to loose the connection between Jo and David. I loved that at the end of the book you get a preview to Book 7, but it ends up feeling like an epilogue to Book 6. The preview made all the pain and tension of Joanne's struggle during Thin Air dissipate and take us off the edge of our seats. I'm really loving the direction the series is going. Everything is so mercurial in these books, you feel like anything can happen. No one is safe.

Thanks to Rachel's livejournal blog and her website newsletter we know that there is a contract for 3 more Weather Warden novels. Yahoo! Also that she just completed the Book 7 manuscript, The Friction Layer! It won't be out until most likely this same time next year, but it is a comfort to know that it is out there.







eclipse
Stephanie Meyer
Another enthralling installment to this totally captivating series. Don't sell it short because it's YA. It's a great story no matter what category it's shelved and marketed to. Of coarse it isn't perfect, the heroine is often over dramatic and the author uses the same descriptions over and over again. Let me never read "pouted" again from you Meyer. It is also ridiculous for an 18yr old to be grounded. And shoving a love triangle into a story about that one true love dims the authenticity of the original love story and makes me wonder if Bella really is just too young.
But these are minor concerns and annoyances. The book as a whole was a success.
If you go to Meyer’ website you can find Edward’s version of Twilight called Midnight Sun. The first chapter has been posted and it is awesome. Go read it now! Next up is Breaking Dawn which has a 2008 release date.





Poltergeist
Kat Richardson
Better than the original! This sequel to Greywalker was thrilling. I love love love Richardson's characters in this series. I’d love to see a series on the Danzinger’s and Rhino boy. That would be to cool. Quinton is a character you know is going to just explode with a major back story soon. That guy is hiding something major, and it’s a pleasure to have him in any scene. I’d love for Harper to be more involved with him and the Danzinger’s. Even Albert, the D’s ghost, is foreshadowing like crazy and he can’t even talk. I can’t wait! I even love the ferret Chaos. This is a series that is not to be missed. It is more in line with Dresden Files- without the goofiness- and Women of Otherworld series- with a lot less romance.
The third book in the Greywalker series, Underground, is slated for release in summer 2008.
Read an excerpt from Poltergeist.

Richardson had this to say on her website, "First draft of Book 3 is now officially done and ready for printing and shipping to New York--as soon as I get a new toner cartridge and paper. The title has been officially changed to Underground and the publisher hopes to stick to one-word titles henceforth. As this is the last book under that contract, I'm now looking for other things to keep me busy, but I do have a short story or two on tap for anthologies (including a werewolf piece) and another novel I'd like to get back into. And of course, my agents and I hope for a new Harper Blaine contract near the end of the year."

Oh, she had better had a new contract for more Harper books by the end of the year. No kidding, I'll flip.
Check out her blog to keep up with the news. Websites are always the last to know.



First Among Sequels
Thursday Next Book 5
Jasper Fforde
Okay... I loved it because Thursday is back, but... I didn't exactly looove it. And this is coming from the girl that has gone through the series six or seven times already. The elimination of Spec Ops and the whole End of the World deal with Friday was really hard to accept. It will change things a lot.
Does this mean we really won't ever see Anton?
Before, time was more elastic, and it was possible if not really necessary to have Anton resserected. An added bonus is Col. Next is home. But the downside being that he is absent from the story.
TN Book 5 was way to techno geeky. Reel it in will ya.

The three Thursdays was very cool. As was most of the book. It's a must read and a wonderful launching pad for the Next books to come.
I especially love the coloring in contest. That was major cool.
Check out that and other extras at Fford's website- the best one out there for sure. Also check out his amazon.com blog. And a great audio interview here.