The Book of Names - D. Barkley Briggs

An excellent young-adult tale of mystery and fantasy, Briggs writes of brothers Haydn and Ewan Barlow, whose strange discovery of a rune-carved archway on their father's land leads to the entrance into a world of magic and wonder. Once found in the land, Karac Tor, the two are said to be destined for greatness, but only if they can survive the tragedies and battles that befall them while seeking their route back home. If they do live to tell their story, will the Brothers Barlow truly be the rumored 'champions' of the mysterious land?

Briggs has an excellent way of writing a detailed tale without too much being revealed. True friends and enemies are anyone's guess as the brothers lose, find, and lose each other on their journey through the land, but only an atom of a large and complicated truth is unveiled in the ending, flawlessly leading into another twisted and meandering tale of adventure and suspense.

Goetia (Hellgate: London) - Mel Odom

The struggle to rid London - and the world - of the demons released from the Hellgate continues in this second novel, in which ex-Templar Simon Cross continues with the struggle of finding citizens lost in the remains of London and growing an army of fighters to battle the Darkness.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, Cabalist Warren Schimmer has become the underling of the powerful demon Merihim, who wishes to take his place in the higher demon hierarchy. To do this, Warren must, with direction from the demon and a "bound" voice, knock their opposition from their thrones so his master can rise in the ranks.

But a new weapon to battle the demons has been discovered - the Lesser Key of Solomon, or 'Goetia', a book containing the true names - a tool controlling the demons' vulnerability - of the higher demons stalking the streets of the city. Will Simon and his rogue group of warriors be able to find Goetia and save the world from the demons oozing from the Hellgate?

Odom has a great way to packing this good-versus-evil plot with enough suspense and mystery to allow it to stand out among similar stories. His clever wording throws powerful punches into tame situations and helps to clarify the happenings of a high-energy situation. This series, ending with the late August release of Covenant, is one not to miss.

Storm Front by Jim Butcher

Storm Front is the first book in The Dresden Files.

Imagine Raymond Chandler writing a detective story that features a wizard in modern Chicago and you have the idea behind Jim Butcher's series.

Harry Dresden is low on money when the Chicago P.D. brings him in on a case. A double murder has been committed with black magic. One problem for Harry is that he is a suspect. The bigger problem is the black mage behind the murders knows Harry's name. When a black mage knows your name, he can use his magic to kill you.

This book is a definite page turner as Harry races the clock to see if he can stop the black mage before he gets killed.

Fans of the books in the Hard Case Crime line will enjoy this series. Any fan looking for a good series will be hooked from the start of this story.

Recommended.

Seven Up by Janet Evanovich

Step aside, Duane "Dog" Chapman. Meet Stephanie Plum, Trenton New Jersey's latest fugitive apprehension agent (aka bond enforcement officer and bounty hunter).

In Seven Up, the seventh book written by Janet Evanovich in the Stephanie Plum series, we find our humorous heroine aimlessly chasing after a semi-retired mobster named Eddie DeChooch for skipping his bond. DeChooch just happens to be an elusive old geezer, who is terribly depressed about his impotence.

Throughout the course of this book (and in typical fashion), Stephanie and her hilarious sidekicks (Grandma Mazur, Mooner, Lula, and Dougie) manage to chase fugitives, discover dead bodies, dodge gunshots, attend funerals, ride a Harley, purchase a pig heart and escape kidnapping three times. You'll get to meet all of her other nutty family members too.

Stephanie is not without her love interests. She has a long standing romance with Joe Morelli, a vice cop with whom she has had an on/off fling since she was six years old. They are even engaged, or at least they keep spreading that rumor. But she has a steamy chemistry with fellow bounty hunter, Ranger, whose mysterious ways make her lust and fear simultaneously. She finds them both irresistible and complicated.

There is never a dull moment as Stephanie Plum chases bail jumpers till the very end. You will laugh out loud and flip through each page quickly as you anticipate each new twist and adventure. And you'll discover Miss Plum is the sorriest and luckiest bounty hunter ever.

This is a series novel, so it is helpful to start the series at the first book, One For The Money. However, Evanovich tends to re-introduce each character and their background in each book, just in case. I recommend reading the whole series in sequence.