Touched by an Alien

By Gini Koch

Place: Publisher & Year: New York: DAW Books, Inc. 2010

Genres: Science fiction, thriller, romance

Series: Alien; 1

Format: Paperback (mass market)

ISBN: 9780756406004

Audience: Adult

Number of pages: 389

Setting: Pueblo Caliente, AZ, Roswell, NM, & New York City

Time period: Contemporary

Plot summary: As marketing manager, Katherine “Kitty” Katt, is on her way back to work from jury duty, she witnesses a bizarre scene outside of Pueblo Caliente’s courthouse.  Before she has a chance to think twice, she has killed her first alien parasite/ superbeing with the only weapon she had on hand – her pen.  As a result, she now has several good looking Men in Grey trying to recruit her to their agency.  Kitty soon finds herself racing at hyperspeed to save her family (and the world), while discovering intimate secrets about her new colleagues.

Hunting Ground

By Patricia Briggs; narrated by Holter Graham

Place: Publisher & Year: [New York]: Penguin Audio, 2009

Genres: Fantasy, contemporary fantasy, urban fantasy, paranormal, romance, paranormal romance, vampire

Format: Digital download – audio

Series: Alpha and Omega series; 2

ISBN: 9781440644634

Audience: Adult

Length: 8 hours, 25 minutes, 43 seconds

Setting: Seattle, WA (opening scene takes place in Aspen Creek, MT)

Time period: Contemporary

Plot summary: When Bran, the Marrock, plans to attend a werewolf delegation in Seattle, Charles just knows that it would be a disaster for his father to be there.  Bran allows Charles and Anna to go in his place.  The delegation will allow the European werewolves to have a chance to voice their concerns prior to the Marrock’s announcement to the public about the existence of werewolves.  Charles and Anna will have their hands full during the delegation of Alpha wolves, especially after someone threatens Anna.

Cry Wolf

By Patricia Briggs; narrated by Holter Graham

Place: Publisher & Year: [New York, N.Y.]: Penguin Group (USA), Inc., 2008

Genres: Fantasy, contemporary fantasy, paranormal, romance, paranormal romance

Format: Digital download – audio

Series: Alpha and Omega series; 1

ISBN: 9781429526609

Audience: Adult

Length: 10 hours, 6 minutes

Setting: Cabinet Mountains Wilderness & Aspen Creek, MT (opening scene takes place in the Chicago area)

Time period: Contemporary

Plot summary: Anna spent her first three years as a werewolf being brutalized and abused by the other wolves in her Chicago pack.  She is finally freed from her tormentors when her pack leader is killed by The Marrock’s enforcer, Charles.  Charles recognizes Anna as a rare Omega wolf – someone who can bring peace and healing to others wolves even while she is wounded.  Charles’s wolf also recognizes Anna’s wolf – as his mate.  Will Anna’s wolf recognize his?

Matched

By Ally Condie

Place: Publisher & Year: New York: Dutton Books, 2010

Genres: Science fiction, dystopian, romance

Series: Matched; 1

ISBN: 9780525423645

Audience: Young adult

Number of pages: 369

Setting: The City & Mapletree Borough, Oria Province

Time period: An unspecified time in the future

Plot summary: Cassia Reyes lives in a perfect society.  Debilitating illnesses have been eliminated.  People die when they are old, surrounded by loved ones.  The Society makes all the decisions for everyone to ensure that everyone is contributing to The Society for the benefit of all.  This includes who people will love and to whom they will be Matched.

When Cassia learns that her Match is her best friend Xander, she is both happy and confused.  It is extremely rare for Matches to know one another from childhood.  Her confusion is magnified, however, when she looks up the information about her Match given to her by The Society at the Matching Banquet.  For a moment, she does not see Xander’s face on the screen; she sees another friend.  But how can this be?  The Society does not make mistakes.

Dead and Gone

By Charlaine Harris

Place: Publisher & Year: New York: Ace Books, 2009

Genres: Mystery, fantasy, dark fantasy, contemporary fantasy, faerie tale, paranormal, paranormal mystery, romance, paranormal romance, vampire

Series: Southern Vampire Mysteries (Sookie Stackhouse); 9

ISBN: 9780441017157

Intended audience: Adult

Number of pages: 312

Setting: Bon Temps, LA

Time period: Contemporary

Plot summary: Werewolves and shifters have finally come out to the rest of the world about their existence, which sparks fear and violence in various parts of the world – including Bon Temps, where a werepanther is found crucified in the parking lot at Merlotte’s.  Meanwhile, trouble brews amongst the fae, which has significant repercussions for Sookie.

The Exile: an Outlander Graphic Novel

By Diana Gabaldon; illustrated by Hoang Nguyen

Place: Publisher & Year: New York: Del Rey, 2010

Genre: Historical fiction, fantasy, adventure, time travel fantasy, historical fantasy, romance

Format: Graphic novel

Series: Outlander Graphic Novels; 1

ISBN: 9780345505385

Audience: Adult

Number of pages: Unpaginated

Setting: Scotland

Time period: 1743

Plot summary: Young Jaime Fraser returns to Scotland after living in exile.  He is met by his godfather, Murtagh, who tries to guide Jaime back to his home – Lallybroch.  Jaime isn’t ready to head home, though.  He’s much more interested in the mysterious Sassenach that Murtagh saved from the English Captain Black Jack Randall.

Shadow of the Wind

By Carlos Ruiz Zafón; translated by Lucia Graves

Place: Publisher & Year: New York: Penguin Books, c2001, 2004, 2005

Genres: General fiction, historical fiction, mystery, romance, suspense

ISBN: 9780143034902

Intended audience: Adult

Number of pages: 487

Setting: Barcelona, Spain

Time period: 1945-1966 (although some events occur prior to 1945)

Plot summary: As a boy, Daniel Sempere, finds a copy of The Shadow of the Wind by Julián Carax and immediately becomes engrossed in the story.  When he tries to find other works by Carax, he discovers that someone has been mysteriously buying all of Carax’s books and then setting fire to them.  It is possible that Daniel holds the last known copy of a Carax book.  As Daniel grows older, the mystery of Carax gnaws at Daniel until he begins his own investigation of Carax.  As Daniel dives deeper into the past, he discovers many horrors of love and war intertwined with Carax’s fate.  Daniel continues his quest, until the past slams fully into the present and Daniel’s own life is in danger from the knowledge of Carax and his life.

From Dead to Worse

By Charlaine Harris

Place: Publisher & Year: New York: Ace Books, 2008

Genres: Mystery, fantasy, dark fantasy, contemporary fantasy, paranormal, romance, paranormal romance, vampire

Series: Southern Vampire Mysteries (Sookie Stackhouse); 8

ISBN: 9780441015894

Intended audience: Adult

Number of pages: 359

Setting: Bon Temps, LA

Time period: Contemporary (post Hurricane Katrina)

Plot summary: Sookie has recently returned to Bon Temps from the vampire summit in Rhodes, where many of the attendant vampires were injured or killed.  While Sookie yearns for life to return to how things were prior to the summit, she knows that this is unrealistic.  The vampire community of Louisiana was heavily impacted by both Hurricane Katrina and the Rhodes summit.  She also has not seen or spoken to her boyfriend, Quinn, since Rhodes.  On the bright side, however, a mysterious stranger appears in town who wants to meet Sookie and may have a positive impact upon her life.

Drums of Autumn

By Diana Gabaldon; narrated by Davina Porter

Place: Publisher & Year: Prince Frederick, Md.: Recorded Books, p1999

Genres: Historical fantasy, fantasy, historical fiction, romance, time travel fantasy

Format: Audiobook

Series: Outlander; 4

ISBN: 9781419359743

Intended audience: Adult

Recorded time: 39 sound discs (45 hr., 45 min.)

Settings: North Carolina – Wilmington & Cape Fear River, Tuscarora & Mohawk Nations, Scotland, the Atlantic Ocean

Time periods: 1767-1770 & 1968-1970

Plot summary: As Claire and Jamie seek relatives and a home in the US colonies (specifically in North Carolina), Brianna and Roger discover startling news about the two.  With the knowledge of her parents’ future deaths, Brianna decides to travel to the past to warn them.  When Roger discovers what Brianna has done, he feels compelled to follow her.

All Together Dead

By Charlaine Harris

Place: Publisher & Year: New York: Ace Books, 2007

Genres: Mystery, paranormal mystery, fantasy, dark fantasy, contemporary fantasy, urban fantasy, paranormal, romance, paranormal romance, vampire

Series: Southern Vampire Mysteries (Sookie Stackhouse); 7

ISBN: 9780441014941

Intended audience: Adult

Number of pages: 323

Setting: Bon Temps, Louisiana and the city of Rhodes (located on Lake Michigan)

Time period: Contemporary (post Hurricane Katrina)

Plot summary: Sookie is on her way to the vampire summit in Rhodes, even though she doesn’t want to go.  She told the Vampire Queen of Louisiana, Sophie-Anne Leclerq, that she would assist her a long time ago and she can’t go back on her word now.  Among other things, she may be needed to help the Queen with a vampire trial.  The Queen has been accused of assassinating her former husband, the King of Arkansas.  Sookie’s not looking forward to spending time with either Bill Compton or Eric Northman – both of whom are also attending the summit as a part of the Queen’s entourage.  On the bright side, though, she may be able to squeeze in some alone time with her new boyfriend, Quinn, since his company is organizing many of the events at the summit.