There aren't many books that I read that I could honestly recommend. Of course there are the obvious choices that everyone would pick. What good is it for me to recommend Stephen King? You know he's a good read. Instead I have recommended titles I have read that resonate with me. These books have had a lingering effect on my mind, and I can't soon forget them. I highly recommend each title, and have provided a link for purchasing each one through Amazon.

Read about vampire films and severed hands. Visit the bookstore now!

Middle Grade Fiction (11 - 13)

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan This series is a must for anyone who loves Greek myths. The hero, Percy Jackson, finds he's the son of a Greek god, thus making him a demigod. On his quest, he must face Medusa, the Furies, and travel to Hades. Although the plot is bit episodic, so were the original myths. The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1) Demon Keeper by Royce Buckinham I love this book. Not only does it tackle demons and chaos, it has a living snot monster. Need I say more. Awesome read. Demon Keeper

Young Adult Fiction (14 - 18)

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld This is one of the best series I've read in a long time. I couldn't wait to grab the next volume in the trilogy. The premise is simple. In this future world, every person under the age of 16 is considered ugly. Once your hit your 16th birthday, you undergo an operation to make you perfectly beautiful: a Pretty. You get to party all day and all night. The perfect life. Of course there has to be something wrong with all this. The heroine, Tally, is about to turn 16, but she runs into another girl called Shay. This accidental meeting sends Tally down a road that leads away from the Pretty life, and into the Wild that surrounds her city. Another cool thing about this series is that all the characters move around via hoverboards. They are a cross between surfboards and skateboards that skim magnetic fields to fly through the air. Uglies (Boxed Set): Uglies, Pretties, Specials (The Uglies)

Cirque du Freak by Darren Shan I've only read the first two books of this series, but would highly recommend it. It can be addicting. In the series, young Darren Shan (same name as the author) visits a traveling circus with some very strange performers. There's a woman who can bite through anything. A man who can digest anything. And even a snake boy. The most fascinating act is Madame Octa, a huge spider with a deadly bite. The plot thickens when Darren wants to steal the spider. Too bad the owner is a vampire. Cirque Du Freak Boxed Set #1

Full Tilt by Neal Sushterman I picked this book up after meeting the author at a writer's conference. The opening is a bit stilted, but once you reach the circus, you'll be hooked. Imagine a circus were every ride is designed to kill you. The bumper cars become a chance to crash a real car. Or the carousel animals come to life and try to trample you. If you don't escape before sunrise, you'll be trapped in the circus forever. Full Tilt

Adult Fiction

Gil's All Fright Diner by A. Lee Martinez Imagine a road trip with a cranky werewolf and a sappy vampire. Now add a teenage girl who wants to bring a Cthulhu style monster into our world. And all of the action takes place at the site of a road-side diner. This book made me laugh all the way through, yet I still couldn't put it down. The characters and pacing were amazing. Buy this book now and read it! Gil's All Fright Diner

Cold Skin by Albert Sánchez Piñol This is the first novel written by this anthropologist, but don't let that turn you off. I devoured this book from the very first page. It follows a young man assuming a weather official's post on a postage stamp island somewhere in the Antarctic Circle. After the first night on the island, the young man is attacked by a savage group of creatures that come from the the frigid waters surrounding him. He must fight for his very life each and every day. Piñol elegantly depicts the rigor of survival, replete with desolation and despair. His commentary on war is carefully woven into the text. Cold Skin

The Brief History of the Dead by Kevin Brockmeier Although Science Fiction is not my usual fare, this book captivated me. It takes place in the near future where a genetically designed disease does a good job at wiping out humanity. There are great bits with the Coca Cola Corporation dealing out some very Machiavellian advertising campaigns. The core of the book deals with life after dead. Brockmeier plays off an African concept of the living-dead and the truly dead. The living-dead are those who still have people alive to remember them. They inhabit a city and go about their regular routines until the last person who remembered them dies. Then they simply disappear. To where is the real question. The Brief History of the Dead

Read about vampire films and severed hands. Visit the bookstore now!