Urban Fantasy

Silver Borne
Patricia Briggs
Ace, Mar 30 2010, $24.95
ISBN: 9780441018192

Even though the human population knows that vampires, werewolves, and fae exist, it does not preclude mortals from fearing the paranormal. Mechanic Mercy Thompson is a shapeshifter who can turn into a coyote, but is mated with her beloved alpha werewolf Adam. His pack feels a coyote is beneath them on the food chain and using their mind control powers try to persuade Mercy that she is not good enough for their leader.

While an outraged Adam is trying to ferret out who is destroying his pack and messing with his Mercy’s mind, she has two other problems to contend with. Her friend Samuel the werewolf struggles with his human side so his beast keeps him alive while Mercy triess to give him a reason to live. A fairy wants her to return a powerful tome that a fae lent her; she kidnaps her friend Gabriel to insure Mercy cooperates, but the bookstore is shuttered permanently and Mercy knows the queen will try a double cross.

The fifth Mercy Thompson urban fantasy is filled with action, romance and fae intrigue; perhaps the deadliest kind on the planet. Filled with various subplots that tie deftly together, the continuing adventures of Mercy and Adam make for another entertaining entry in a strong saga. However, it is Patricia Briggs’ world-building skills on a par with early Laurell K. Hamilton that make Silver Borne a winner as readers will believe in shapeshifters, fae and vampires, oh my. Harriet Klausner

Freaksville
Kitty Keswick
Leap Books, Dec 2009, $16.99
www.leapbks.com
ISBN: 9781616030018

In Stony Creek, California, Maxwell females can see the future, which is hard on sixteen year old Kasey. She wears gloves to avoid touching anything or anyone as that triggers her skill; worse her mom sees everything.

Kasey has a vision starring mysterious English foreign exchange student Josh Johnstone. Her sight leads her to co-starring with Josh in Romeo and Juliet and a kiss. However, someone wants to harm either him or both of them starting with a stage light falling and there being locked in the basement. When they see a ghost, each knows who the malevolence is who is after them, but neither knows how to send the mean spirit to its final resting place even though she has the gift of sight via touch and he is a werewolf.

This is an enjoyable teen romantic urban fantasy starring a Romeo and Juliet couple harassed by genetics and paranormal incidents. Although blogging provides an interesting modern feel to the plot, this is also a big detractor as Miss Manners wisely says: “Don't go public with your so-called private life." Still young adults will enjoy Freaksville as the cast is solid even the ghost and Kasey’s BFF could support her own tale. Harriet Klausner