Wednesday, February 29, 2012

WoW: Fair Game by Patricia Briggs

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. She has a linky widget at her site each week for your post and to make it easy to find posts by other people.

The purpose of the meme is to spotlight books that we are eagerly anticipating. It is fun to take a look at what others are waiting for.

I have noticed that it has expanded my wishlist and TBR mountain though. Be warned!

I can't wait to get Fair Game by Patricia Briggs. It will be published on March 6. Here is the description:
Patricia Briggs, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Mercy Thompson novels, "always enchants her readers." (Lynn Viehl, New York Times bestselling author) Now her Alpha and Omega series-set in a world of shifting shapes, loyalty, and passion- brings werewolves out of the darkness and into a society where fear and prejudice could make the hunters prey...

They say opposites attract. And in the case of werewolves Anna Latham and Charles Cornick, they mate. The son-and enforcer-of the leader of the North American werewolves, Charles is a dominant alpha. While Anna, an omega, has the rare ability to calm others of her kind.

Now that the werewolves have revealed themselves to humans, they can't afford any bad publicity. Infractions that could have been overlooked in the past must now be punished, and the strain of doing his father's dirty work is taking a toll on Charles.

Nevertheless, Charles and Anna are sent to Boston, when the FBI requests the pack's help on a local serial killer case. They quickly realize that not only the last two victims were werewolves-all of them were. Someone is targeting their kind. And now Anna and Charles have put themselves right in the killer's sights...
I am a fan of all of Ms. Briggs' work and can't wait to read this one.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Teaser Tuesday: Timeless by Gail Carriger

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I just got Timeless by Gail Carriger and I couldn't wait to begin reading it. I am a huge fan of Alexia, Lady Maccon and her way of looking at the world. This is her fifth and, I think, final adventure. Here is the product description:
Alexia Tarabotti, Lady Maccon, has settled into domestic bliss. Of course, being Alexia, such bliss involves integrating werewolves into London High society, living in a vampire's second best closet, and coping with a precocious toddler who is prone to turning supernatural willy-nilly. Even Ivy Tunstell's acting troupe's latest play, disastrous to say the least, cannot put a damper on Alexia's enjoyment of her new London lifestyle.

Until, that is, she receives a summons from Alexandria that cannot be ignored. With husband, child, and Tunstells in tow, Alexia boards a steamer to cross the Mediterranean. But Egypt may hold more mysteries than even the indomitable Lady Maccon can handle. What does the vampire Queen of the Alexandria Hive really want from her? Why is the God-Breaker Plague suddenly expanding? And how has Ivy Tunstell suddenly become the most popular actress in all the British Empire?

Teaser:
Alexia detested the very idea that she might actually have to use her gun. Like any well-bred woman, she vastly preferred merely to wave it about and make wild, menacing gestures. This was partly because her marksmanship was limited to sometimes hitting the side of the barn -- if it was a very large barn and she was very close to it -- and partly because guns seemed so decidedly final.

Sunday, February 26, 2012

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (Feb. 27, 2012)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.

It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week.  It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.



I had a good reading week last week despite my busier than usual schedule. I finished six books (though 3 of them were short). Here is what I read:
I went graphic this week and read Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson Moon Called Volumes 1 and 2. I have read the novels but is was entertaining to read these graphic novels too. I liked the way the stories were redone to fit the graphic format and I liked the illustrations. My review for these two is here.
I had to let Timeless by Gail Carriger jump the queue when it came. It is the last book in the very amusing and entertaining Parasol Protectorate series. It is a lovely combination of steampunk, paranormal romance and historical fiction. My review will be posted on March 1.

Dark Eyes by William Richter made it to the top of my review stack this week. It is a young adult thriller that I got from LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program. It was very good but also very violent. I think it would be great for older young adults. My review will be posted on March 1.
The Plight and Plot of Princess Penny by Michael Mullin also jumped the queue. I got a copy from the author of his latest fairy tale in verse. It was only 32 pages long but was a nice story with some amusing and entertaining rhymes. My review will be posted on March 3.

My long car ride on Saturday let me listen to almost half of A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle (read by the author herself). I had to finish listening when I got home because it was very engaging. I have read the book but it has been a number of years. It was nice to revisit these characters. I don't plan to review this one on my blog.
I am currently reading Celebrity in Death by J. D. Robb. This is another book that jumped to the top of the stack when it arrived. I have been reading Robb's In Death series since 1995 and I am still very excited each time a new one comes out.

Next week it is back to the stack of books that I need to read and review in March.
I received Born to Darkness by Suzanne Brockmann from the Amazon Vine program. I love this author's romantic suspense and am eager to see how she does a futuristic paranormal.

Hilari Bell sent me a copy of Traitor's Son which is her sequel to Trickster's Girl. I liked the first book and am eager to read the second. It was an interesting blend of YA dystopia and paranormal.
If I finish those, I will be reading Loss by Jackie Morse Kessler which I received from Amazon Vine and Spellcaster by Cara Lynn Shultz which I got from NetGalley. Both are sequels to young adult books I read.


That was my week. What do you have planned for yours?

In My Mailbox (Feb. 26, 2012)

The weekly In My Mailbox post is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It is fun to see what everyone else gets in their mailboxes, shopping bags, and library visits. Click on the link to The Story Siren's site to see the rules and join in the fun.
 
I guarantee that your TBR pile will grow when you see all the wonderful books everyone gets. You will discover lots of great blogs and lots of books that you won't be able to live without.


I got four books this week to add to my TBR mountain. Here they are:
The Cowboy Takes a Bride by Lori Wilde was one of my Amazon Vine picks this month. I was in the mood for a romance.

Celebrity in Death by J. D. Robb is the latest in her In Death series. I can't get enough of Eve and Roarke and am very eager to have a chance to read this one.
Timeless by Gail Carriger is the last of the Parasol Protectorate series. I started this one when I had a couple of free minutes at work and had to finish it right away. I love the humor in these books!

Infatuation by Melissa Schroeder is a new book for my Kindle. I almost didn't need to read the summary or review when I saw this one someone's blog. The cover was enough to make me add it to my reading stack.

What did you get this week?

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Book Reviews: Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson Moon Called Volumes 1 & 2

Patricia Briggs Mercy Thompson: Moon Called Volume 1

Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson: Moon Called, Vol. 2


Authors: Patricia Briggs, David Lawrence, and artist Amelia Woo
Publication: Dynamite Entertainment (March 8, 2011 & Jan. 31, 2012)


Description: (Volume One) Five Mercy Thompson novels have topped the New York Times best-seller list, and her premiere graphic novel did the same. Now Patricia Briggs' heroic shape-shifter returns to comics! Mercy Thompson inhabits two worlds without truly belonging to either. To the human inhabitants of the Tri-Cities she's an oddity, a female mechanic operating her own garage. To the town's darker residents, werewolves, vampires, and fae, she's a walker, a last-of-her-kind magical being with the power to become a coyote. Mercy warily straddles the fine line dividing our everyday world from that darker dimension... 'till a boy, mauled by vicious werewolves and forever changed by the attack and on the run from those who committed the crime, appears at her door. Now her two worlds are about to collide! Outnumbered and out-muscled, can Mercy possibly save the boy... or even herself?


(Volume Two) In the past week, coyote shapeshifter Mercy Thompson has seen her friends kidnapped, killed, and assaulted - and things are about to get worse! A war between werewolves is erupting, and Mercy is caught smack in the middle! Can she unravel the secrets of the dark conspiracy that threatens them all in time to save her friends... and herself? Scores are settled and secrets revealed in the thrilling climax of Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson: Moon Called. Collecting issues #5-8 of the series, along with an all-new, never-before-published 8-page bonus story, and a complete cover gallery.


My Thoughts: These short graphic novels that hit the high points of Moon Called would make a good introduction to the world Patricia Briggs has created. David Lawrence has written an interesting story that remains true to the novel. The art is well done and I particularly like how Mercy is drawn. Though she does look younger than I had pictured her in my imagination. 


In the first volume, Mercy takes in a new young werewolf named Mac who tells a horrifying story about how he came to be a werewolf. But it isn't long before the werewolves he was running from catch up to him. He is killed, Adam is wounded and Jesse is kidnapped. Mercy is forced to take Adam home with her to Bran to get him the help he needs even though it also forces her to confront Samuel about their past.


In the second volume, Mercy, Adam and Samuel come back to the Tri-Cities to try to locate and rescue Jesse and to figure out what is going on with the invading werewolves. There is a lot of story to condense in the second volume and occasionally the pacing seemed rushed. However, it might encourage readers to pick up the novel to get some of the detail that just can't fit into the graphic novel format. I know looking at and reading this one has made me eager to re-read Moon Called myself.

I recommend these to graphic novel fans. The story and the art were both done well.


Favorite Quote:
"Oooh, Stefan! They said you were bringing entertainment but I didn't know he'd be so yummy..""Lilly, you know it's not polite to lick our guests."
I bought these. You can buy your copies here and here too.

Friday, February 24, 2012

Book Beginning & Friday 56: Moon Called Volume One by Patricia Briggs

Happy Friday everybody!!

Book Beginnings

Book Beginnings on Friday is now hosted by Katy at A Few More Pages 
Anyone can participate; just share the opening sentence of your current read, making sure that you include the title and author so others know what you're reading. 
If you like, share with everyone why you do, or do not, like the sentence.

The Friday 56
Rules:
  • Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
  • Turn to page 56.
  • Find the fifth sentence.
  • Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of Freda's Voice
  • Post a link along with your post back to Freda's Voice
Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.
Again, it is graphic novel time. I have both Volume One and Volume Two of Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson Moon Called by Patricia Briggs, David Lawrence and Amelia Woo. Based on Moon Called by Patricia Briggs, written by David Lawrence and artwork by Amelia Woo, this story makes a good introduction to Patricia Briggs' world. Even though I am a long-time fan and have read all the novels, I think that this would be a good starter for someone wondering about the series.

From Volume One:

Beginning:
Mercy Thompson inhabits two worlds without truly belonging to either.
Friday 56:
You're a wolf--but stick to venison. It tastes better and its easier to live with yourself later.
From Volume Two:

Beginning:
I was special forces in Vietnam.
Friday 56:
Signora Marsilai, Mistress of the Mid-Colombia Seethe, may I introduce Mercedes Thompson, auto mechanic extraordinaire -- and her friend Dr. Samuel Cornick, son of the Marrock Bran Cornick.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

ARC Review: Touchstone by Melanie Rawn

Touchstone
Author: Melanie Rawn
Publication: Tor Books; First Edition edition (February 28, 2012)


Description: Cayden Silversun is part Elven, part Fae, part human Wizard—and all rebel. His aristocratic mother would have him follow his father to the Royal Court, to make a high society living off the scraps of kings. But Cade lives and breathes for the theater, and he’s good—very, very good. With his company, he’ll enter the highest reaches of society and power, as an honored artist—or die trying. Cade combines the talents of Merlin, Shakespeare, and John Lennon: a wholly charming character in a remarkably original fantasy world created by a mistress of the art.

Although Touchstone can stand alone, it is the first book of a brilliant, utterly engaging new fantasy series from the author of the bestselling Dragon Prince series.




My Thoughts: Touchstone was an interesting fantasy in a well-developed world. Cayden is an aristocratic young man whose dream is to be part of the theater world rather than be part of the court world. This puts him into conflict with his social climbing mother. The characters in this world are all blends of various kinds of paranormal creatures like wizards, elves, harpies, gorgons, fae, pikseys, gnomes, goblins and trolls with different kinds of magic. Cayden himself is a wizard but he also has dreams of the future. He went away to a school to try to learn how to control his visions with somewhat limited success. He does know that he can change the futures he sees but is determined to change them only for himself no matter what he sees in the future for anyone else.


In this world, dramatic productions involve a lot of magic These dramatic productions are done by groups of four young men - and only men can officially attend the productions. It might be just me, but I couldn't quite picture what a performance would look like, beyond the fact that magic was used to create sets and costumes and one of the other performers could influence emotions. 


When the story begins, Cayden is the tregetour for the group which apparently translates as author. He is in a group with two of his friends but they are looking for their fourth - someone to play the role of glisker. Jeska is the masquer and Rafe is the fettler. Along comes Meika who is an excellent glisker and an interesting character. This book required a five page list of terms which only deals with the vocabulary leaving the social and political situation to context for explanation.


The story is about how the group gels and becomes a very famous one and how they get along as they compete in the Trials held each year for performing troupes to travel on the circuits assigned by the King. As they travel their circuit, we learn more about the culture and the prejudices of the people. We also learn about the growing friendship between Cayden and Meika that is complicated by visions Cayden has had of Meika's future and his soul-searching about what he should do about what he sees.


Not much really happens in this story and it is filled with new vocabulary that has to be learned in context. If you are looking for a rich fantasy world and want to start a new trilogy, you might be interested in this one. 

Favorite Quote:
"Something must not be quite right on your father's side," she'd mused more than once. "My people never threw such a mongrel as you." He knew by the names alone that he has Wizard and Elf (two water, one fire), Piksey and Sprite, and even that rarest of all bloods, Fae, in him. And Troll, he'd heard his mad great-granny say, because where else could he have gotten a face like his?
I received this book through the Amazon Vine program in exchange for an honest review. You can buy you copy here.


Wednesday, February 22, 2012

WoW: Angel's Flight by Nalini Singh

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. She has a linky widget at her site each week for your post and to make it easy to find posts by other people.

The purpose of the meme is to spotlight books that we are eagerly anticipating. It is fun to take a look at what others are waiting for.

I have noticed that it has expanded my wishlist and TBR mountain though. Be warned!

I am eagerly awaiting Angel's Flight by Nalini Singh. This is an anthology of novellas from her Guild Hunter series. It will be nice having all the stories in one book. I am really looking forward to reading Angel's Dance which is new for this anthology. I think I have read the other stories but reading them again will not be anything like a hardship.

This anthology will be published on Feb. 28. I pre-ordered my copy on Jan. 16.


Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Teaser Tuesday: Touchstone by Melanie Rawn

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I received Touchstone by Melanie Rawn as a part of the Amazon Vine program. I have a few of her high fantasy books in my collection and was eager to sample her new story too. Here is the description:
Cayden Silversun is part Elven, part Fae, part human Wizard—and all rebel. His aristocratic mother would have him follow his father to the Royal Court, to make a high society living off the scraps of kings. But Cade lives and breathes for the theater, and he’s good—very, very good. With his company, he’ll enter the highest reaches of society and power, as an honored artist—or die trying. Cade combines the talents of Merlin, Shakespeare, and John Lennon: a wholly charming character in a remarkably original fantasy world created by a mistress of the art.

Although Touchstone can stand alone, it is the first book of a brilliant, utterly engaging new fantasy series from the author of the bestselling Dragon Prince series.

Teaser:
She never simply exited a room. She swept, strode, stalked, glided, drifted, anything rather than just put one foot in front of the other. And there were always sound effects. 

Sunday, February 19, 2012

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (Feb. 20, 2012)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.

It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week.  It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.



I had a slow reading week this week. In my defense, however, two of the three books I read had more than 400 pages. I finished:
Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler - I brought this one home from my school media center because my colleague and a fellow teacher were raving about it. It was a very entertaining story. This one throws a paranormal twist onto a story about a very real issue - anorexia. It was fascinating getting into the mind of an anorexic young woman. And Death who has taken on the appearance of a dead grunge rock star was a hoot.
My review will be posted on Feb. 25.

Darkride by Laura Bradley Rede - This is a self-published young adult paranormal with the requisite love triangle - only this one makes sense. This was a very exciting story filled with very life-like characters. We got to know them because all three - Cicely, Ander, and Luke - were viewpoint characters in their own first person chapters. My review will be posted on Feb. 23.

Touchstone by Melanie Rawn - This was a complex fantasy with great world-building but very little plot. It was well-written but a bit of a slow read because of the complexity of the world and the made up (or archaic) words the author frequently inserted. I got this one from Amazon Vine. My review will be posted on Feb. 23.

Since I literally just finished Darkride, I haven't yet started my next book. Here are the ones on the stack for this coming week:
I finally have both volumes of the Moon Called Graphic Novels Volume One and Volume Two by Patricia Briggs and am eager to read them to tide me over until Fair Game comes out on March 6.
Born to Darkness by Suzanne Brockmann is the start of a new series. This one is futuristic paranormal romantic suspense. I love her style and am eager to see how she handles this switch. I got this one from Amazon Vine. This one will be published on March 20.

Dark Eyes by William Richter is billed as a young adult thriller. I got this one from LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program. It will be published on March 15.

I don't know how much reading time I will have this week. We have Parent-Teacher Conferences on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. But we do get Friday off to compensate. Then on Saturday a friend and I are rising quite early (leaving my house at about 6 AM) to head to the University of St. Thomas for the 20th Annual Hubbs Children's Literature Conference. Guests of Honor this year are Christopher Paul Curtis and Linda Sue Park. I hope to get my library copies of their books autographed.


What are your plans for the week?

In My Mailbox (Feb. 19, 2012)

The weekly In My Mailbox post is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It is fun to see what everyone else gets in their mailboxes, shopping bags, and library visits. Click on the link to The Story Siren's site to see the rules and join in the fun.
 
I guarantee that your TBR pile will grow when you see all the wonderful books everyone gets. You will discover lots of great blogs and lots of books that you won't be able to live without.



I received an interesting variety of books this week. Here are the ones that followed me home.
I got First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones because I couldn't resist after the large number of positive reviews I saw for it on the blogs I follow. Amazon calls it paranormal romantic suspense. I would have guessed urban fantasy. In any case, it sounds really good. True Blood 

I am hopeless. I recently read the first True Blood graphic novel to get it off my TBR mountain and liked it so much that I had to go buy the second and pre-order the third. True Blood, Vol. 2: Tainted Love just got added to the stack.
I was all set to read another graphic novel from my stack - Mercy Thompson: Moon Called when I realized that what I had was Volume 2. Therefore, Mercedes Thompson: Moon Called Volume 1 got added to my stack this week.

I also bought the latest in the Cynster series by Stephanie Laurens - The Capture of the Earl of Glencrae. I like reading historical romances as a change of pace and have really enjoyed all of the Cynster books I have read. 
Speaking of graphic novels, Soulless: The Manga, Vol. 1 by Gail Carriger came out and had to get added to my stack. I don't know how the humor from the novels will translate into the manga format but I am eager to find out.

Speaking of humor, I also got the latest compilation of the Unshelved comic strips - Too Much Information by  Gene Ambaum and Bill Barnes. I love their library humor and recognize so much. My copy is autographed with a quick sketch on the title page and came with 5 Unshelved bookmarks too.
Last this week, I received an unsolicited review copy of Grave Refrain: A Love/Ghost Story by Sarah M. Glover. This one is a PDF sitting on my computer. While it sounds interesting, the PDF is an intimidating 450 pages long. 

That was everything for me. What did you get in your mailbox?

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Book Review: True Blood All Together Now by Alan Ball et al.

True Blood All Together Now
Authors: Alan Ball, David Tischman, Mariah Huehner, David Messina
Publication: IDW Publishing (February 15, 2011)


Description: Blood and sex mix on a hot rainy night at Merlotte's, when Sookie and her friends are trapped by a vengeful spirit who feeds on shame. People die and dirty secrets are revealed as Sookie, Bill, Eric, Sam, Tara, Jason, and Lafayette and are all coerced to dig deep and tell painful memories from their past — those things we all have locked within us that we never tell another living soul! Bon Temps, Louisiana has never been stranger, or more twisted, in a story co-plotted by True Blood series creator Alan Ball, with a script by David Tischman (Bite Club) and Mariah Huehner, and lush art by David Messina (Star Trek: Countdown).


My Thoughts: So, this story begins on a rainy night in Louisiana. An evil spirit, and Imp Shaloop, comes to Merlotte's and traps the staff and patrons. It is an old Choctaw spirit that eats souls with evil thoughts. He calls himself Ted and requires all of the patrons to tell the most shameful secret about themselves before he will let them go. 


Sookie, Eric, Tara, Sam, Lafayette, and Jason willingly tell their stories. Bill is the last to tell his. But the spirit is a trickster whose real purpose is to take revenge on Eric because Eric refused to help the trickster spirit's mother when the spirit begged for help. The spirit also kills a number of the patrons in Merlotte's including the girl who was Jason's date. But since the characters killed by Ted, in the Star Trek terminology, are all "red shirts", we don't really miss them. There deaths just serve to ramp up the sense of danger. After the trickster collects all the stories, he forces Eric to feel all the emotions he collected which is very hard on a vampire. Then he lets them go. But Eric sticks around to talk to Sookie about something he really fears - a crazy vampire that he thought Godric had staked. Then the book ends on that cliffhanger.


The story was interesting and had some backstory about our favorite characters that help make them more well-rounded people. I would have liked more depth to the story but lack of depth seems to be a characteristic of graphic novels that I don't feel the art quite compensates for. 


The full-color art was well-done except for one frame early in the book where the terrible scary monster was almost completely swallowed the by center binding of the book (pp 14-15). The characters mostly look like they do on the television show. I did have trouble recognizing Tara in a couple of the frames. I liked the composition of the frames and the color palette used. This would be a good book for fans of True Blood to have if they, like me, are waiting for the next season to come out on DVD.


This book had been sitting on my TBR stack since March 14, 2011. The only disadvantage to pulling this one off my TBR mountain to read is that, after I finished it, I had to go buy Volume 2 and Volume 3 which just adds two more to the mountain.


Favorite Quote (Lafayette and Tara are talking about Jason):
"It's a good thing that boy is pretty."

"Where the Hell did he find that void in a skirt?"

"They find him. He's like catnip for white trash."
I bought this one because I am a fan of the Sookie Stackhouse series of books and True Blood. You can get your copy here.

Friday, February 17, 2012

Book Beginning & Friday 56: True Blood All Together Now by Alan Ball et al.

Happy Friday everybody!!

Book Beginnings

Book Beginnings on Friday is now hosted by Katy at A Few More Pages 
Anyone can participate; just share the opening sentence of your current read, making sure that you include the title and author so others know what you're reading. 
If you like, share with everyone why you do, or do not, like the sentence.

The Friday 56
Rules:
  • Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
  • Turn to page 56.
  • Find the fifth sentence.
  • Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of Freda's Voice
  • Post a link along with your post back to Freda's Voice
Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

I was in the mood for a graphic novel and pulled True Blood All Together Now by Alan Ball, David Tischman, Mariah Huehner, and David Messina off my TBR mountain. It has been there since March 14, 2011. This is an original story set in the True Blood world.
Blood and sex mix on a hot rainy night at Merlotte's, when Sookie and her friends are trapped by a vengeful spirit who feeds on shame. People die and dirty secrets are revealed as Sookie, Bill, Eric, Sam, Tara, Jason, and Lafayette and are all coerced to dig deep and tell painful memories from their past — those things we all have locked within us that we never tell another living soul! Bon Temps, Louisiana has never been stranger, or more twisted, in a story co-plotted by True Blood series creator Alan Ball, with a script by David Tischman (Bite Club) and Mariah Huehner, and lush art by David Messina (Star Trek: Countdown).

Beginning:
Bon Temps is a strange place to live these days.
Friday 56:
During the 1500s I found myself in one of those small European countries with an unpronounceable name.
I bought this one because I am a fan of True Blood even though I have to wait for the DVDs to catch up on each season since I don't subscribe to whatever cable channel it is on to watch the series. I didn't realize until I picked it up now that it is an original story.