Get some otherworldy tales with several new paranormal books!
New York Times bestselling author Seanan McGuire returns to her InCryptid series and ballroom dancer/monster hunter Verity Price in "Midnight Blue-Light Special."
Verity belongs to the Price family, a group of cryptid hunters once involved with the Covenant of St. George.
But when the Covenant wanted to kill on sight cryptids who just wanted to blend in and get on with their lives, the Price family left. Ever since the Covenant has had it out for them and wants them dead. Verity just wants to help police the cryptids of Manhattan and win a few ballroom dancing awards. To complicate things is her on-again/off-again boyfriend and Covenant member Dominic De Luca. When Dominic shows up at Verity's job at a nightclub run by a pyjama-wearing Boogeyman with a warning that the Covenant are coming to town, Verity knows she must take it seriously. She must warn her cryptid friends to lie low until they leave. And she must deal with the knowledge that Dominic could very well sell her out to his cohorts. Will Verity live to dance another day?
This is a fun new series with a new twist on the "monster hunter" genre. Verity is like a ballroom Buffy, who might befriend the cryptids, but isn't above putting an errant one down either. And her romance with Dominic will keep readers guessing.
"Midnight Blue-Light Special" is published by Daw. It is $7.99.
New York Times bestselling author Rob Thurman goes back in time with Cal and his brother Niko in "Slashback."
Caliban and Niko make their living killing monsters. Though Cal has some monster blood in him, he attempts to keep that side of him at bay with mixed results.
But the boys get a warning that the legendary Spring-heeled Jack has his sights set on them because of their past and the danger heats up. As young teens, Cal and Niko faced off against a human serial killer that has ties to their current threat. And an old friend helps the boys find out a secret about their past.
Told in alternating past and current storyline chapters, readers will get to see how Cal grew into the scary fighter he is now, as well as one of their first fights into the dark side.
For a good look into the pasts of favorite characters, fan will love taking this flashback ride with Cal and Niko.
"Slashback" is published by Roc. It is $7.99 and 337 pages long.
#1 New York Times bestselling author Patricia Briggs tells another story of Mercy Thompson in "Frost Burned."
Mercy is just getting used to married life with pack Alpha Adam, and is looking forward to the holiday season with he and his daughter. But when she and her stepdaughter are in a crash, little do they know that one accident may have saved them. Returning home, Mercy finds the pack is gone and all evidence points to someone, possibly government agents, have abducted them. Someone wants Adam to murder an outspoken politician, and the pack may be the collateral they need to force him to do it. Mercy is determined to not only save her husband, but her pack as well, and isn't above getting a little dangerous herself. Who or what is pulling the strings behind the scenes? Even Mercy may be shocked in the end.
Briggs' series continues to entertain and delight fans. There's always twists and turns in her adventures, double-crosses and shocker moments, and Mercy navigates them with relatability. Readers will still enjoy visiting Mercy's world after seven books.
"Frost Burned" is published by Ace. It is $26.95 and 340 pages long.
New York Times bestselling author MaryJanice Davidson collects three novellas featuring two favorite characters and a few new ones in "Undead and Underwater."
In'Super, Girl!' the new hire to Ramouette, a company who makes target silhouettes, Linus, doesn't know what to think about the job he's gotten himself into. Not only is the boss never around because she's more interested in turning broomball into an Olympic sport, but everyone in the company is a bit...off. The receptionist is literally referred to as Audrey the Receptionist, there's a 29-year-old worker everyone refers to as "the Old Coot" and the head of Human Resources, Hailey, is gorgeous, funny, refers to her coworkers as her minions, and has been able to range paid holidays for just about every holiday invented, like Greenery Day. And while Linus is intrigued by Hailey, he can't help but notice that she's late to work all the time, looking like she's been fighting someone...is there a superhero in the company's midst? And if there is, does that mean there's also a supervillian?
In 'Undead and Underwater,' Betsy takes time out of time traveling to help one of her vampire court's daughter. And little does she know, but Madison also works for a mermaid named Fred, who has an attitude that rivals Betsy's. Will these two be able to work together to help Madison or will a vampire versus mermaid fight break out?
In 'Incomer,' the story of Lara Wynham, future leader of the werewolf Pack, goes back and forth between the present and the future to tell of her rise to leadership and the hot alpha male that threatens her heart, Jack Gardner. Lara doesn't need trouble and that's all that Jack is, but will she give in to the temptation?
These three stories are full of sarcastic heroes that still endear, sexy romance and plenty of pop culture references. I really enjoyed Davidson's look into the superhero world, but wished the story didn't feel as rushed and confusing. And it's always a delight to see Betsy again, the vampire queen with an obsession with shoes.
"Undead and Underwater" is published by Berkley. It is $15 and 331 pages long.
Contact Amy Phelps at email@example.com