There’s something for everyone in YA; it only seems like paranormal dominates the shelves in September. Okay, maybe it does a little, but fortunately you have your intrepid Fresh Takes Column to help you find what you’re looking for. Paranormal I don’t know what is its about autumn (Halloween? The shortening of the days? Some sort of Jungian fear of the approaching dark of winter?) but there is a plethora of paranormals coming out these next few months. I don’t even know where to start with all these great books. Yes, I do. FIRELIGHT, by Sophie Jordan. Here’s what she had to say about her YA debut. RCM: What’s the book about? Sophie Jordan: With her rare ability to breathe fire, Jacinda is special even among the drakiÑthe descendants of dragons who can shift between human and dragon forms. But when Jacinda’s rebelliousness leads her family to flee into the human world, she struggles to adapt, even as her draki spirit fades. The one thing that revives it is Will, whose family hunts her kind. Jacinda can’t resist getting closer to him, even though she knows she’s risking not only her life but the draki’s most closely guarded secret. RCM:…

I have a confession to make. I am a Food Network junkie. If you ask me what Giada made on her show yesterday, I can tell you. Where was Guy Fieri on the latest episode of Diners, Drive-in’s and Dives? In Baltimore, of course! If it’s being sautéed, chopped, or stirred on the Food Network, I am most likely right there watching it. So, when the delectable cookbook by this month’s Jen’s Jewels Melissa Clark came across my desk, I couldn’t wait to check out her scrumptious recipes. You may recognize her name from the New York Times Dining Section. Her culinary writing career is quite amazing, to say the least. In her latest endeavor, she combines her favorite stories with the food she loves. Each recipe is a mouth-watering treat. As part of this interview, Hyperion Books has generously donated five copies for you, my favorite readers, to try to win. So, don’t forget to look for the trivia question at the end. And, thanks for making Jen’s Jewels a part of your back-to-school reading list! Jen: Without a doubt, your writing prowess is synonymous with culinary expertise. Whether the topic is fine dining or homemade comfort food, you…

Finally! There is a little bit of a nip in the air, the kids are back in school, and you can almost hear an audible sigh of relief! Fall is Here! And with the beautiful falls days to come, there is a multitude of fresh new cozy mysteries to be enjoyed! So, with no further ado . . . THE CROCODILE’S LAST EMBRACE: A Jade Del Cameron Mystery by Suzanne Arruda Obsidian: $15.00 No one does historical mysteries better than Suzanne Arruda, and her Jade Del Cameron Mysteries, set in the 1920s, are always thrilling adeventures – and her latest book, THE CROCODILE’S LAST EMBRACE is no exception! Returning from Europe, intrepid explorer Jade del Cameron arrives in Kenya with bittersweet memories-and the certainty that Africa is her home and Sam Featherstone the man she wants to share her life with. When a letter arrives from America, Jade hopes it’s Sam sending word of his return. Instead, it’s a message written in the hand of her long- dead fiancé, asking “Why did you let me die?” When two men die under mysterious circumstances and Jade discovers that her old nemesis, Lilith Worthy, has escaped from prison, the deaths and the…

It’s September. I can’t believe we are already into fall. Not only is school starting, it’s also time for the new television season. In October Discovery ID is doing a whole series, Hardcover Mysteries with authors Harlan Coben, Sandra Brown, David Baldacci, Kathy Reichs, Lisa Scottoline, Joseph Wambaugh and Sara Paretsky and others. They’ll be sharing stories about mysteries that have confounded investigators.. The new CW drama Hellcats is based on the book CHEER by Kate Torgovnick, and the show stars Ashley Tisdale and Alyson Michalka. This is one of those series that surprised me by how good it is. The cheer and dance sequences are fun to watch, and there’s a great deal drama and college-aged angst. It’s definitely worth checking out. Overall, this is a pretty good season. Maybe not as strong as last year, but there is definitely a wide variety of shows from which to choose, and some great ones in the mix. That’s enough about television. I have a ton of books to tell you about this month, so let’s get to it. I love me some Eve Silver and she doesn’t disappoint with SINS OF THE SOULS, the second book in the Otherkin trilogy….

Bullet Catchers #8 October 2009 On Sale: September 29, 2009 Featuring: Constantine Xenakis; Lizzie Dare 352 pages ISBN: 1439102228 EAN: 9781439102220 Paperback $7.00 Add to Wish List Romance Suspense Buy at Amazon.com Reader Alert! It’s time to get caught up on the Bullet Catcher series. Roxanne St. Claire has a new Romantic Suspense trilogy coming November 2010. Make Her Pay by Roxanne St. Claire Sometimes it takes a thief to catch a thief Bullet Catcher and former Navy SEAL Constantine Xenakis has infiltrated a dive ship to discover who’s plundering priceless gems from a legendary sunken Spanish galleon. When he catches Lizzie Dare red-handed in the locked treasure room, her story of a stolen ancestral legacy convinces him to work with the sexy thief instead of turning her in — and not just because he wants to find the real culprit. Lizzie is willing to risk everything to save the Bombay Blue Diamonds from her sworn enemy, even if that means giving in to an irresistible desire to get closer to her accomplice. But when passion hits them like a rogue wave and danger surrounds them like a school of hungry sharks, their adventure on the high seas turns treacherous…and…

Who: The Blades of the Rose What: A band of adventurers, scientists and explorers who follow the four points of the compass to find and protect the world’s magic. Where: All over the world! From the wind-swept steppes of Mongolia, to the gleaming islands in the Aegean Sea, to the rugged Canadian Rockies, and a few more surprising locations. Why: I’m an admitted fan of historical romance, but I’ve also enjoyed the freedom and diversity available in paranormal romance. After reading many, many books about spying dukes and bluestocking debutantes, I wanted to read something really different, something that combined the richness of a historical romance with the range and potential of paranormal romance. So, the BLADES OF THE ROSE were born. Romance readers are a diverse group, and I decided to bring that diversity to a historical setting. This means that not only do I have English heroes and heroines, I have a Canadian Indian hero, an American journalist heroine, and a black British hero—who happens to be a scientific genius. I loved writing each and every one of my heroes and heroines, not just for their diversity, but because they were fun and, above all, intelligent. It’s a…