Micah
by Laurell K. Hamilton

Vampire hunter extraordinaire Anita Blake arrives in Philadelphia to raise a witness from the dead so that his testimony can be taken with the help of Micah, the king of the wereleopards, but she is more fearful of spending time alone with Micah, her former lover, than dealing with a zombie.

While really a short story, it's a great filler in between the books in the Anita Blake series. Provides some good background on Micah, Anita's nim-raj. I would like to see her return to more vampire slaying and action - hopefully Danse Macabre returns to more action and concentrates more on Anita's skills and her job, rather than the sex (but don't lose it altogether). I will keep reading Laurell's novels - I enjoy the worlds that she creates and the lust as well.

Dreaming in Amber
by Tony Shillitoe

Meg Farmer doesn't believe in magic. She certainly doesn't believe that she's inherited the Skill, despite her mother's best hopes and prayers. But when a sliver of amber reveals the truth, Meg's life is changed forever.

With her father away at a distant war for the Queen of Shess, Meg is left to help her mother on the farm. She finds a lone, badly injured soldier and nurses him back to health, while the long arms of battle move close to the village. Visited by dreams of the future, Meg leaves home one cold dawn to warn her soldier lover, Treasure, of the knight who will fell him in battle. Despite her best efforts to avert tragedy Meg is unsuccessful and returns home cloaked in grief. However, the Queen has heard of her and Meg is called to the city to be trained in the skills of a Seer. Meg's training takes her into unknown territory in more ways than one when she unwittingly opens a portal into the grey dust of Se'Treya, the world of the ancient Andrakian Dragonlords.

Meg flees the city for home and hoped-for anonymity once more, but she cannot escape the consequences of her actions...and giving up magic may not be her choice to make.

This is the first in a four book series that ties in with two other series that Tony has written, yet it stands on its own. It is an epic and satisfying read. I love Meg (Lady Amber) and it is also immensely satisfying to read a fantasy novel full of the glorious Australian bush - a faithful dingo, kangaroos, gum trees and kookaburras. I will definitely read the other books in this series - just a case of waiting for them to be written.

Dead to the World: A Sookie Stackhouse
Vampire Mystery
by Charlaine Harris

The mind-reading, vampire- dating, small-town cocktail waitress from small-town Louisiana returns in her fourth Southern Vampire Mystery. Life is never simple for Sookie Stackhouse, despite (or maybe because of) the fact that she always tries to do the right thing. Maybe that's why, when she comes across a semi-naked vampire on the road home from work, she doesn't just drive on by, even though she knows it almost certainly means trouble. Turns out the vampire hasn't a clue as to who he is. But Sookie does. It's Eric, still as scary and sexy - and dead - as the day she first met him. But now that he has amnesia, Eric is sweet, vulnerable, and in need of Sookie's help - because whoever took his memory now wants his life. Sookie's investigation into why leads straight into a dangerous battle among witches, vampires and werewolves. But the greater danger could be to Sookie's heart - because the kinder, gentler Eric is very difficult to resist.

I love this series! Black humour, easy to read and at times raunchy and scary. It would make a fantastic TV series too. It was a little sad to see Eric revert to his big old bad self and not remember Sookie caring for him and the relationship that developed. I wonder what will happen next - am about to order the next two books in the series. The story lines always keep you guessing and the characters are really interesting.