In Regency England, two orphaned sisters, Kate and Emily, end up under the guardianship of a trio of distant relatives on their ancestral estate... but there are also even more distant relatives who live in a subterranean kingdom beneath that ancestral estate. The Goblin King needs to marry a non-goblin wife in order to preserve his people, and with the extinction of the elves, that leaves the humans to choose from... and he has his eye set on Kate. However, Kate is much too careful and clever to be caught so easily... but she can't protect herself and her sister quite so well from her bitter relatives. Then, when a sorcerer begins to ensnare the goblin king's subjects, it's up to Kate to save them all and come to grips with her true feelings.

This book was a remarkably quick read, very engrossing, and extremely enjoyable. It takes old mythological standbys--- changelings, maidens being spirited away by monsters, etc. ---and weaves them into a humorous, enjoyable story that's full of all the best parts of gothic tales, things-that-go-bump, the most intelligent parts of romance, and all the usual ingredients one finds in magical/fantasy stories as well. 

Artemesia fell down a flight of stairs at the Angels Academy for Young Maidens, hit her head, and reversed the amnesia she had been suffering for the last six years. She remembers that her mother was the famed Piratica, queen of a vast pirate fleet, who had her own unique way of getting her way through trickery and style, rather than force and murder. Art escapes from boarding school and follows her vague shreds of memories to rejoin her mother's scattered crew, take to the seas once more, and resume her forgotten legacy. But unfortunately, what she finds isn't quite what she remembers...

I had mixed feelings about the book. Art's memories of her mother's crew were way too romantic and idealized to be practical, and I was skeptical--- until it was revealed that, in fact, Piratica hadn't existed in the way that Art remembered her. Much of the enjoyment of the book comes from Art having to deal with reality, and try to make this imagined ideal come to life with her reluctant crew. The story takes place in a parallel world, so it's interesting to see such countries as Canadia, Franco-Spania, and the Free Republic of England. Unfortunately, I don't care for the timekeeping system--- it's inconsistent and illogical (ask a math geek why); not a big deal, but it sticks out and interrupts the flow of the story. But that's just because I take my worldbuilding seriously... so if you want a fun, lighthearted read, give it a try.

Darren Shan is a soccer player, a spider freak, and a horror nut--- not a particularly good kid, but not an overwhelmingly bad kid, either. He's pretty average, until a secret freak show comes to town and he and his friends decide to attend. Unfortunately, the four of them are only able to purchase two tickets... and Darren and his best friend Steve are the two who end up being able to go. The freak show, as advertised, turns out to be entirely unsafe (werewolves, dancing poisonous spiders, and the like). But when the show is over, Steve tells Darren to go home without him. Of course, Darren stays behind to make sure that his best friend is able to leave safely--- and discovers that the mysterious Mr. Crepsley (who possesses Madame Octa, the poisonous dancing spider) is, in fact, a vampire, and Steve wishes to become one himself. When Steve is rejected because of his evil blood, Darren isn't quite sure he'll be able to look at his best friend in the same way anymore. Later, Darren can't get the image of the amazing Madame Octa out of his mind and he is determined to possess her. He successfully steals her, but things go wrong when Steve gets bitten by her lethal fangs and no doctors are able to find an antidote to the poison. Darren is forced to find Mr. Crepsley to confess his actions and see if the vampire will be willing to help the boy who stole his spider save the life of the boy who threatened to kill him for rejecting him... and what price will Mr. Crepsley ask in return for his cooperation?

The book is written in the first person, from Darren's perspective, and he is a very active narrator, frequently making comments to the reader. I was expecting this book to be aimed at readers thirteen and up, but it seems like something that nine and ten year olds can enjoy. Older readers can enjoy the book as well, if they can overlook the youngish slant of the narration. While the first part of the book flowed rapidly and was full of action, the middle part did suffer some dragging. But as we reached the end, the action picked up again and my interest was reignited enough to be interested in pursuing more of the Cirque du Freak series.

Jack's family was always moving, so he was a "professional acquaintance." He loved to read, but mostly because he liked to project himself into the stories. What he really wanted to do was write, but he was too wrapped up with drugs and alcohol to focus long enough to really create anything. A pair of smugglers ask for his help in running two thousand pounds of hashish from the Caribbean to New York. It's a chance to escape from the racial riots in St. Croix, his father's failing construction business, and the constraints of family... and the $10,000 they promise to pay him won't hurt, either. It's not until he's betrayed and in jail that he discovers the focus and drive that have eluded him for so long...

While I expected this to be primarily a prison tale, the majority of the book deals with his short-lived smuggling career. One of the best points is that you can be a smart, nice guy... but that doesn't exempt you from making bad decisions. By the same token, however, sometimes it takes hitting rock bottom to realize exactly how to fill those empty holes in your life...

16-year-old Elianna lives a sheltered life in the music conservatory, away from the violence and famine that are tearing apart her country. Her life revolves around her violin and hopes to someday join a prestigious ensemble. But her world is torn apart once when one of her friends is murdered as a heretic; and again, when she discovers the true reason behind the misery that plagues the kingdom. She finds herself sucked into turbulent rebellion revolving around politics and religion, but is such an inexperienced, sheltered girl going to be able to be the kind of leader that fate is demanding of her?

This book is the first in a two-volume series. Music plays a major role in the book, and the author does a good job of integrating something so audial into such a visual format as print. The characters were likeable and convincing; the author also did a good job on the worldbuilding, drawing from heavy Italian influences. The religions that play such a heavy hand in the plot involve a sort of alternate-universe Christianity, and an AU form of paganism as well--- the roots are recognizable, but they are both handled creatively enough for people who like to keep their theology and their fiction separate. I was surprised at the number of characters who didn't make it through the book alive-- and as Elianna is drawn further into the revolution, I expect the sequel to become darker and grittier.