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'The Demon Ororon' Vol. 1-4 by Hakase Mizuki

ISBN: 1427807329
Format: Paperback, 880pp
Publisher: TOKYOPOP
Pub. Date: December 18, 2007
Price: $19.99

“So it was in the fall of my fifteenth year… that my first love died. He was just some broken guy I picked up on a rainy day… some lonely devil … who had beautiful dark gray eyes… and smelled like blood.”

Don’t expect it to end happily. Not everything does. Don’t expect it to be perfect. Not everything is. Prepare to fall in love and get your heart broken. Prepare to hold your chin up knowing what will come and how it will turn out. You won’t turn away, not because you wouldn’t like to but because you can’t.

When Chiaki meets Ororon he’s sitting in the rain, soaked and hurt, waiting to die. But she takes him home with her, against the advice of her best friend Rika, and treats his wounds. Chiaki is just one of those people with a good heart; a pacifist to her core, she abhors violence, so when she learns that this mysterious man she’s rescued is none other than the King of Hell she isn’t sure what to think. But her heart, which very rarely has anything to do with the head, falls in love with him anyway.

Ororon immediately recognizes Chiaki for what she is and understands why she has been followed all her life by monsters and ghosts, and why she can give them a kind of release. Chiaki is the daughter of an angel and a human, but not just any angel — her father was the Archangel Michael. But can a half breed angel and the Lord of Hell not only coexist but love?

Because Chiaki has saved Ororon’s life he offers to grant her one wish. That wish? For Ororon to stay with her forever, which he grants without a moment's hesitation. But Ororon and Chiaki aren’t going to have it easy. Ororon left his throne and ran into the mortal world, trying to escape the constant assassination attempts made by his older brothers, each of which want the throne for themselves. They aren’t going to stop just because he’s left hell.

With a large cast of characters ranging from the wonderfully cute demon cat brothers Shiro and Kuro, demon house keeper Miss Lucy, Ororon’s brother Othello — not to mention the many evil brothers and demons that come into play — this story moves swiftly and surely toward the inevitable ending.

This is Romeo and Juliet between Hell and Heaven. The damned and the good falling in love and struggling to find that middle ground where life can be lived in all gray tones; where the stark bleak realities of a black and white world don’t overshadow a tender passion surrounded by blood and sin.

The Demon Ororon should be recommended reading for everyone, a timeless story filled with enough gore to keep the guys turning pages while the heart-wrenching love story will keep most girls involved. Not to mention the elongated stylized bodies, and the tilted faces with side long glances that pop from the page and bring each moment into painful reality.

On December 18th Tokyopop is releasing an edition with all four volumes in one. Trust me, you will want to read it this way, because once I finished volume one I couldn’t stop until I had devoured the others. Lose yourself in The Demon Ororon — a story of heartbreak and belonging, of fighting and loving and lessons in how, in the end sometimes, it just doesn’t work out.

'Dancing with Werewolves' by Carole Nelson Douglas

ISBN: 0809572036
Format: Paperback, 240pp
Publisher: Juno Books
Pub. Date: October 2007
Price: $6.99

When the millennium came around a few things changed. But it wasn’t the computers that everyone had prepared themselves for. Instead everything that humans thought of as myth or legend revealed themselves to be true; vampires, werewolves, ghouls, witches, ghosts, and everything else that you think of while hiding under the blanket at 3am. They came out of the closet, and from under the bed, and demanded to be included in society.

Delilah Street was named after where she was found abandoned as a baby. She grew up in an orphanage, the center of constant attacks of one kind or another. Delilah is what she refers to as vampire bait. With black hair and pale creamy skin she has every vampire in a 100 mile area putting the moves on her, or at least trying to. But growing up like that taught Delilah how to defend herself. It also gave her a nose for the paranormal.

Now all grown up, Delilah is working at a paranormal reporter for a small town Kansas TV station. She’s happy there, having carved out her own spot and made herself a fixture with the local residents. She does anything and everything relating to the paranormal. But when a date with her vampire co-worker goes bad, Delilah gets frozen out at work. So with her self respect and the clothes on her back she high tails it to Las Vegas.

Once in Vegas she runs into Ric Montoya, a former FBI agent who has a nose for finding dead bodies. When the two connect over a double grave everything that Delilah knows about herself will change. Haunted by strange alien abduction nightmares and coming to terms with the fact that she might not be completely human, Delilah and Ric unravel the mystery of the dead couple.

The big draw for me with this one is the alternate history. I’ve read several paranormal novels that deal with a world in which vampires and werewolves are everyday things. Some authors handle it better than others and while Douglas’ world isn’t the best I’ve found, it is one that I wouldn’t mind spending some time in.

Carole Nelson Douglas’ writing is crisp and edgy. As I read Delilah’s voice came through loud and clear, a perfect mix of hard-nosed reporter and small town girl. She’s a likable character, the kind that you would quickly become a best friends with. Dancing with Werewolves is a wonderful addition to the paranormal genre and I can only hope that we’ll be seeing Delilah again.

'The Tarot Cafe' Vol. 6 by Sang-Sun Park

ISBN: 142780396X
Format: Paperback, 192pp
Publisher: TOKYOPOP
Pub. Date: October 2007
Price: $9.99

In the sixth volume of The Tarot Café all of the characters are finally starting to realize they have become pawns in a much larger game. The missing pieces of the broken necklace of Berial that Pamela has been searching for are coming together. Once she has all the pieces if she so chooses she can finally die with Belus’ aid.

Belus meanwhile has realized that Pamela is much more to him than just a means to an end, much more in fact than just a partner in a contract. He has told her that life with her would never be boring, and coming from an immortal being that is saying quite a lot. He has shed blood for her, come to realize that he loves her, and in the end he might even die for her.

There is only one episode in this volume, Episode 17, “Invitation to Hell,” and all the pushing and pulling, the maneuvering by some unseen hand, has finally stopped. The players and the pawns, the characters of the stories have come to face what is inside their hearts.

Pamela finally remembers details of her past and come to see the truth about those in her present. Ash still has not realized that in another life he was Pamela’s lover, her protector and savior. He has no memories of their time together and has come to hate her in this life because he believes she stole Belus’ affection. Ash saw Belus as a father, his best friend and the one person who understood him, but when Belus left Ash to return to Pamela years previously Ash never recovered. Ash would do anything to keep Pamela from stealing Belus, including murdering his former love.

Pamela also learns the true identity of Berial, what his true face is behind the beautiful mask he wears. She comes to realize that it has been his hand all along that had guided her life, ruined her happiness and love. Berial has done nothing but take from Pamela, nothing but play with her life from the very beginning. Can she find a way to escape this dangerous game?

The artwork is stunning, each character beautifully drawn and detailed. Park’s continued fascination with fairy tales and gorgeous men have given the series a distinctive feel, a flavor that is purely Tarot Café, Making this series one of the best rendered manga I have read.

The seventh and final volume will be released in June of 2008. We will see what fate has chosen for Pamela and those around her, whether her love for Belus will be enough to keep him alive. The destiny of the lonely werewolf Aaron and his protector Nebiros; and finally Ash’s fate, lover and betrayer, friend and foe. I can’t imagine it will end too happily but I’ve got my fingers crossed anyway.

'The Tarot Cafe' Vol. 5 by Sang-Sun Park

ISBN: 1427803951
Format: Paperback, 192pp
Publisher: TOKYOPOP
Pub. Date: May 2007
Price: $9.99

Pamela is a Tarot Card reader for the supernatural. Ghosts, werewolves, fairies, immortals, dragons, and other worldly beings all come to her for help. Whether she reveals something about themselves that they had not realized or points them in the right direction, Pamela touches each of their lives and in turn they touch hers.

As the story has progressed we’ve learned about Pamela’s dark and miserable past. We have learned that with the death of Ash, a dragon and Pamela’s lover, centuries before Pamela has became immortal. When his blood was spilled it touched her first, marking her and setting her apart from the rest of humanity. Lost without Ash, Pamela has spent her immortality searching for a way to end her life, convinced that there I nothing worth living for with Ash gone.

Belus, the mysteriously handsome man who hangs around the café, has offered to help Pamela achieve her goal if she will do one thing for him. Pamela must find all the missing beads of Berial’s legendary necklace. Slowly but surely Pamela has collected bead by bead and soon will have all the beads she needs to fulfill her contract with Belus.

But Belus, who when he first met Pamela centuries before, told her that she wasn’t really his type has gone soft on her. Concerned with her well being, bent on protecting her, Belus is struggling with himself torn by hidden agendas and the desire to keep things between him and Pamela as they are.

Episode 14 “Leanan Sidhe (Two)” finishes the tale started in volume four. The famous rock singer narrowly escapes the clutches of his beautiful but deadly muse. While the muse, a dangerous woman known as the Leanan Sidhe, wonders if the rocker really cared for her at all or just the talent she offered.

In Episode 15 “Perfume” Ash reveals himself to be completely ruthless. Though he is not exactly the dragon that Pamela once loved he does seem to have memories of her. He is also jealous of the relationship that has grown between Pamela and Belus, though he does not seem to want her for himself he doesn’t exactly want Belus to have her.

When Ash takes part in the kidnapping of Pamela, Belus rushes to her rescue. A twisted perfume maker is draining blood from Pamela to make a perfume of youth, Pamela’s blood being the main ingredient since it is immortal. But to get Pamela to a point where they could take her blood Ash has used a perfume on her that makes her relive her worst memories.

Stuck in a dream that will not end Pamela sees Ash’s death once again. Reliving the cold horrible moments of an attempted rape by a monk, realizing that Ash knew it had happened but done nothing to save her, and finally watching her lover die in her arms. To wake Pamela from her horrible past Belus learns that she must have the blood from someone’s heart. Does he love her enough to give his life for hers?

Episode 16 “Tree and Long-Horned Beetle” was one of the more heart wrenching stories of the entire series. A small abused boy makes friends with a tree spirit and when the boy’s father almost kills him the tree spirit makes the ultimate sacrifice for the boy.

This volume of The Tarot Café is the best one so far. We’ve learned so much about Pamela along the way and the end of her story is coming. Nebiros, the man that the werewolf Aaron has been looking for, also makes a small appearance letting us know that he plays a much larger role in this game than we could ever realize. How it will end, who knows? I’m looking forward to finding out.

'Dark Lullaby' by Mayra Calvani

ISBN: 159374907
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press, LLC
Pub. Date: September 2007

Dark Lullaby is the kind of novel that you will want to read in one sitting. As the tension builds, as the characters fall into their own personal hells, you are compelled to keep reading.

When Gabriel Diaz meets a mysterious woman he shoves all thoughts of his ex-girlfriend Liz, a bohemian librarian, from his mind. Even though she happens to be sitting next to him when Kamilah introduces herself at a bar and invites herself into their conversation about good and evil. Liz seems to recognize that there is something odd about Kamilah but Gabriel is blinded.

Gabriel is an intelligent introspective man, he had a difficult childhood and is struggling to work out who he is. Soon Gabriel infatuated with Kamilah, her beauty and mind draw him to her. When Kamilah invites Gabriel to visit her in her homeland in Turkey. But Gabriel’s sister Elena, his twin and close friend, is waiting for him in Belgium where she is expecting a child. Gabriel had promised to be there for the birth but Kamilah’s invitation drives it from his mind.

Once he is away from everything familiar, deep in Kamilah’s territory, Gabriel becomes sick and loses his cell phone. All communication is cut with Liz, who is extremely worried about him and his sister Elena, who has become frantic with worry over her brother. With her due date coming closer and Gabriel still missing she begins to wonder if he too will disappoint her, just as everyone else in her life has.

Meanwhile Kamilah, beautiful and strange, is acting oddly around Gabriel. She always seems to be hot to the touch and she seems oddly fascinated by the nature of good and evil. When Gabriel begins to suspect that Kamilah is somehow making him sick with hallucinations he struggles to find a way to escape her. But it could be too late for himself as well as for his sisters unborn baby.

Part horror and thriller with a touch of romance Dark Lullaby is a quick read that will keep you glued to the pages. Thoughtful, entertaining, and chilling the characters and the exotic settings will sweep you away.

'Arm of Kannon' by Masakazu Yamaguchi

ISBN: 1591828104
Format: Paperback, 200pp
Publisher: TOKYOPOP
Pub. Date: May 2004
Price: $9.99

While browsing my husband's manga collection I came across Arm of Kannon. Curious, I asked him a little about it but he only shrugged. So I sat down to read it and find out for myself.

Mao has just turned 16 and is about to start high school. He and his sister Maya live with their mom, their dad having mysteriously disappeared three years ago and they have not seen or heard anything since then. They’ve learned to live without him and the two siblings are very close. When the father shows up claiming to have found the mysterious Arm of Kannon, a religious object of mystical power, Mao is worried. As he should be.

There are a lot of people after this Arm of Kannon. An undercover organization that is breeding men with lizards wants it for the genetic mutations it inflicts on the wearer, among other as of yet non-specified reasons. And a secret temple has sent an expert and legendary swordsman to protect the siblings from the monster that their father has become under the Kannon’s influence.

Isurugi, the swordsman, doesn’t get there in time to save Moa. Instead Moa’s father gets to pass on the Arm of Kannon in a very uncomfortable way. Unsure whether or not he has been truly infected the undercover agency captures him and sticks him in a lab where they test him in some unconventional ways.

The rest of the story is pretty much a gore fest. The characters don’t really grab me and I have to admit that I’m not a big fan of horror anyway. But I have a pretty good feeling that if you decide not to read this one you won’t be missing out on much.

The art isn’t bad, not the best I’ve come across, but you get the point pretty well. Not to mention the monsters that punctuate the story are very well done indeed, I would even go so far as to say extra creepy. Yamaguchi handles the horror aspect of the illustrations in a way that dialogue is unimportant, he goes for the big gasp or at least the little grimace. Panty shots also frequently show up just in case you get tired of all the gore.

Arm of Kannon is not for the faint of heart, rated mature for a reason you will encounter everything from swear words and rape to bodies cut up and stuck in a fridge. Even though we already own the next three volumes I don’t think I will continue to read them, I’m not that desperate for something to read yet.

'The Tarot Café’ Vol. 4 by Sang-Sun Park

ISBN: 1595328149
Format: Paperback, 184pp
Publisher: TOKYOPOP
Pub. Date: December 2005
Price: $9.99

The Tarot Café just gets better and better as it goes along. Dragons, fairies, werewolves, water spirits, and ghosts all reveal their stories and in doing so show us bits and pieces of Pamela’s past. This tarot reading café owner is the big draw for me. As the series has gone on I’ve just gotten more involved in her story and I can’t wait to see how it turns out.

In Episode 11 “A Butterfly in My Dreams” Pamela helps a brother and sister reconcile long after they have wronged each other. I really enjoy that each of the little episodes throw in a twist at the end, sometimes it’s a bit clichéd but it always somehow seems to work. This one is no exception, you have characters that are seemingly straight forward until the end. I guess I should learn to recognize this by now, since none of Pamela’s customers are never what they appear to be.

In Episode 12 the “Contract” we find out who Berial was and a bit of history about his legendary necklace. Berial was considered the prince of falsehood and deceit, a devil who held nothing sacred and his necklace was rumored to hold immense power. We once again dip into Pamela’s past, into her history and the recent death of her love Ash. When Pamela is accused of being a witch, just like her mother before her, Belus steps in to save her.

Belus, the Prince of Pandemonium, wants Berial’s necklace for himself and sees a way to get it through Pamela. Without Ash Pamela feels that life is not worth living and tries to end it several times only to learn that she cannot die. Belus however offers her a contract, in return for the complete necklace of Berial he will grant her death.

Belus also has more of a soft spot for Pamela than she might realize. Although he does claim that she isn’t his type he cares for her deeply despite the contract that has been forged between them. Something that the reincarnated or amnesia suffering, whatever it is, Ash has a problem with.

Episode 13, “Leanan Sidhe (One),” introduces us to a rock star and his muse. Sasha is a no name until he comes across a legend about a woman who can make you famous. When he finds her he realizes that there is price for fame and that he might not be willing to pay that price. But Pamela is approached not only by Sasha but also by the muse who is seeking redemption. The story for this one continues into the next volume.

Some of the artwork in this one is a little different than the first three volumes. The full page illustration depicting the tarot card at the first page of episode twelve is darker in tone, heavily shadowed instead of the delicate line work that has been showcased before. Just as lovely, only different and in the volume it is the only example of that style. There were also more full page characterizations in this one compared to volume three.

I’ve already picked up volumes five and six, I just can’t seem to stop myself and I have ear marked volume seven for purchase once it is released in 2008. The Tarot Café is a great series so far, with a little bit of everything, and I can’t wait to continue reading.

'The Tarot Café' Vol. 3 by Sang-Sun Park & Jung-Su Kim

ISBN: 1595325573
Format: Paperback, 192pp
Publisher: TOKYOPOP
Pub. Date: September 2005
Price: $9.99

The Tarot Café continues in volume three of this seven part series. Pamela and Aaron, the werewolf with the painful past who now works at the café, are getting along well, even if he is a bit nosey. In the last volume, we were introduced to a character named Ash who wears a face out of Pamela’s past, a long dead love that is somehow tied into the fact that she cannot die herself.

In this volume, the relationship between Pamela and Belus, which has been hinted at as being something more, starts to come out into the light. Though they aren’t lovers and not exactly friends, we have yet to see what the exact circumstances are. We learn that Pamela must collect all the pieces of Berial’s necklace, though who or what that person is remains a mystery, as part of a contract between herself and Belus.

What this contract entails we haven’t learned yet beyond the fact that Pamela and Belus are tied to each other. Though Pamela cannot die, she can still be hurt and does feel pain. Belus can feel Pamela’s pain and tries to protect her as best he can. He has already come to her rescue several times, the last being from episode seven, “Witch Hunt,” when Ash and Pamela were abducted and almost killed.

Episode eight, “The Star of Jealousy,” dips into Pamela’s distant past. In the year 1529, Pamela met a King who fell in love with a young slave but let his jealous emotions destroy the one thing he cared for. This story relates how Pamela came to have one of the major pieces of Beria’s necklace, a beautiful blue stone that holds the reddish ting of jealousy.

Episode nine, “Lady of the Lake,” is the light hearted bit of volume three, as well as providing a little comic relief. While so far most of the stories in The Tarot Café have been bittersweet, this one actually has a happy ending. A broke collage student falls in love with a water spirit but becomes so wrapped up in giving her material things that he doesn’t realize all she really wants is his time.

In episode ten, “Dragon Heart,” we learn the more about Ash and Pamela’s love affair. Though this new Ash resembles the one from the past, and could very well be, he seems to be suffering from amnesia - though he does seem to know Pamela from somewhere and have plans of his own for her. He also knows Belus, though what their connection is remains to be seen.

When another face shows up out of Pamela’s past, she is stunned. Alecto was Ash’s best friend and for hundreds of years was convinced that Pamela had killed Ash. But when Alecto comes to take his revenge on Pamela and sees the current reincarnation of Ash, or whatever he is, Alecto changes his plans.

The art, as with the previous volumes, continues to be wonderful. Though this volume lacked a lot of the full-page carefully drawn characterizations that the first two held, it does feature a few. There is more going on with each of the characters than meets the eye, and the story is really starting to pick up. Pamela isn’t the only one with a dark past, and it’s obvious that Belus and Ash both have hidden agendas. How it all relates to Pamela and Aaron, who is still looking for Nebiros, only time will tell.

'Key to Conflict'

ISBN: 0441015034
Format: Mass Market Paperback, 336pp
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Pub. Date: May 2007
Price: $7.99

There is a reason people read reviews. One of the reasons is that hopefully you will not spend your hard earned cash on a book that will only disappoint you. Of course when you’re an impulse shopper, like me, and you see a cover that catches your eye sometimes you just have to bite the bullet.

I really, really wanted to like Key to Conflict. It’s got a great plot idea and a few characters that really grab your attention. Unfortunately the end result is something short of what you might expect. It’s clumsy and awkward in spots, with too much detail and development in which the author shows you a lot of things without letting it just unfold onto the page. There just was not enough conversation to keep the book going; Indeed, Gryphon would tell you that certain characters had talked, and this just got to be a little boring. I don’t want to be told what they said, I just want to read it, damnit.

Not to mention the fact that this is labeled fantasy… except that for just fantasy it sure does have a lot of sex going on. Or if not sex, then enough time spent inside Gillian’s head thinking about the hunky beautiful drop-dead-sexy males she finds herself surrounded by. They all want her too, she’s that perfect. I personally would have stuck this in the romance section, except that it wouldn’t really fit there either.

Dr. Gillian Key is a Marine Paramortal Psychologist. So she kicks your ass and then she’s going to ask you how you feel about it. It’s an unusual combination, and it almost works. She is assigned to a master vampire by the name of Alesksei and a charming ghost and while she is there for their mental health she is also supposed to unearth some clues about Dracula. Yes, the Dracula, who is the ultimate in bad guys and just so happens to be stirring up trouble again.

From there we learn that basically Dracula is trying to take over the world again and our brave and oh-so-sweet doctor has landed on the wrong side. By helping Alesksei, one of Dracula’s sworn enemies, Gillian has been made a target. But since part of her mission is to uncover information she’s in the perfect, if a bit tight, spot.

Soon Gillian has formed a relationship with Tanis, Alesksei’s even cuter brother and the dead but very sexy turquoise-eyed ghost she’s treating for shock over his untimely death hundreds of years ago. And Alesksei has a thing for her too, but there is that whole doctor-patient line that Gillian doesn’t want to cross… well… until later, at least.

The Dracula stuff never goes anywhere and nothing is resolved. There are hints of a second book with the open ending and I can only pray that if a sequel does show up it is less tell and more show. In the end I just started skipping pages, which I have to admit is not a good idea since there is so much information crammed onto each page to begin with.

But I couldn’t bring myself to go back and read it. So I just gave up, and I hate to admit it but — this particular Key to Conflict just might have to remain lost in the couch cushions.

'Suppli' Vol. 1 by Mari Okazaki

ISBN: 1427803145
Format: Paperback, 192pp
Publisher: TOKYOPOP
Pub. Date: November 2007
Price: $9.99

If you think that manga is not for you, you’re wrong. Whatever age range, or whatever genre you enjoy be it fantasy, mystery, or romance there is a series out there for you. And speaking of romance I just found my new favorite series, Suppli by Mari Okazaki.

Minami is dedicated to her job working at an advertising agency and as a result her relationship with her boyfriend of seven years has suffered. He’s always there when she gets home and she expects him to be, taking their relationship for granted. But she’s unhappy, wondering why she can’t seem to get the words out to break up with him. But when he beats her to the punch she’s heartbroken.

Once the relationship is over and the boyfriend gone, Minami realizes that she has no friends and knows no one except her work colleagues. At 27 she is afraid that she could end up alone, the office spinster, spending her time sitting in front of the TV and talking to herself, something she seems to do a lot of anyway. So when some people from the office talk about going out she makes sure she gets invited too.

When Minami takes a break from Karaoke with the group Ishida, a younger co-worker, is waiting for her out in the hall. He is playful and kisses her but she doesn’t handle it well and later in the evening when she sees him reach for someone else’s hand she doesn’t think that he really likes her at all. She puts it behind her, thinking nothing else of it, although it is obvious that Ishida is smitten.

Then Minami meets Ogiwara, who was hired at the same time and in the same age. He’s not as playful as Ishida, more down to earth but he’s also got a ghost hanging over him. He has recently broken up with someone as well but he seems to be taking his break up a lot harder than Minami took hers. He likes her though and in the end he asks if she could just be a shoulder for him to lean on. She agrees, wanting to be there for him and hoping that a relationship could blossom.

There are some really sweet romantic moments here; the kind of things that just make your heart go pitter-patter. But it has some comedy too, so that over all you have a great balance between the drama and romance, which makes Suppli a lot like real life. Then the little bit of narration by Minami stuck here and there adds so much to the story, which gives it a very cinematic feel.

I really like Minami, her thoughts and actions are those of any woman, no matter the age; but since this is rated 18+ it will definitely appeal to the 20-somethings out there. I think that when you read this one you might see a bit more of yourself than you expect as well. We’ve all gone through similar situations and can identify with Minami as she juggles work and the possibility of starting a new relationship.

I’m really impressed with Suppli, the art is good and the Volume 2 is being released in July 2008 with volume 3 following up in March. There are six volumes but the release dates for the rest have not been set as of yet. Keep your eye on Tokyopop for the latest information though and keep your fingers crossed for Ishida, I like him best.

'The Road to Hell' by Jackie Kessler

ISBN: 0821781030
Format: Paperback, 304pp
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corporation
Pub. Date: November 2007
Price: $15.00

The Road to Hell is pretty in your face with the sexuality. In the first 20 pages you get premature ejaculation, bathroom masturbation, and dirty talk. Imagine, if that is what you get for your first taste, what else is in store? Yeah, I can hear your brain working through my computer.

Jesse, formally known as the demon succubus Jezebel, is a stripper. Something that is not that far removed from what she did as a demon seeing as how she seduced humans to claim their souls for hell. But all that is behind her. She is no longer that demon succubus but Jesse, the now human girl who loves her job stripping at Spice as much as she loves her New York City cop boyfriend, Paul.

Jesse just thought she left that all behind. When her best friend’s sister shows up, all that soft, comfy safety flies out the window. Megaera, Jesses’ one time best friend, until she left Jesse to die, is in trouble and being tortured. Jesse is asked to help her, save her from her fate because Jesse is the only demon to ever escape hell and live to tell the tale.

But Jesse isn’t sure she wants to. She likes her human life, she likes the relationship with Paul and doesn’t want any of that to change; which of course it would if she went back to hell to save her betrayer of a best friend. But deep down Jesse is still the succubus she once was, sure she has a soul and a human body, but you can’t change 4,000 years of living one way for another over night.

When Paul gets pulled into the mess Jesse knows what she has to do. Along the way we meet a ton of fun characters. Angel, who just happens to be a real angel, is great and Jesse has a lot of fun corrupting little Miss Perfect.

The Road to Hell is being labeled a paranormal romance. It’s not. Sure this is paranormal but this isn’t exactly a romance. Jesse, though she does love Paul, doesn’t spend a lot of time with him in this. In the end he just spends too much time off stage to be a love interest or a character that I care about. Not to mention that though she is dedicated to her relationship it doesn’t stop her from letting other questionable things happen; which just flies in the face of the romance format.

Not that I mind something that’s a bit unconventional, which The Road to Hell certainly is. You’ve got strippers, demons, and a ton of in your face action of all kinds. Jesse is a unique voice and I’m sure that she will have her own fan base in no time. So if you are looking for something a bit kinky, a little dirty and a ton of fun look no farther than The Road to Hell.

'Angel Sanctuary' Vol. 1 by Kaori Yuki

ISBN: 1591162459
Format: Paperback, 198pp
Publisher: VIZ Media LLC
Pub. Date: April 2004
Price: $9.95

I picked up Angel Sanctuary because it’s a classic. There are 20 volumes in all, as well as a three-episode OVA series that ties into the manga. It was first serialized in a Japanese magazine but was then released in volume form starting in 1995 and has been in print since. And I have to say that it holds up to time well; the story still has an edge and freshness to it that I haven’t found in a lot of the older manga and anime.

But it is impossible to deny that the story line is confusing. There is so much going on, so many characters, besides who they were in another life, are introduced in the first volume that you would have to read the entire series before you understood how they all fit together. The first volume simply presents you with a few faces and lays the ground work for the long tale that follows.

At first Setsuna Mudo seems like your basic troubled high school guy; coming from a broken home he doesn’t have it easy. When we are first introduced to him he is getting his butt kicked, but besides that he doesn’t seem like he would be anyone special. Well, until we find out that he is the reincarnation of the female Organic Angel Alexiel. And oh yeah, he’s deeply in love with his sister Sara. But the blurb on the back warns you that Setsuna “harbors feelings for his sister that can only be described as incestuous” so that part isn’t a surprise.

We also find out that teenagers all across the city are dying in a mysteriously gruesome way. At the scenes a floppy disc (see I told you this was old school) called Angel Sanctuary is found and when Sara’s best friend Ruri is given one by a foreign priest on the street you know trouble is coming. Along the way Ruri meets Sara’s brother Setsuna and develops a crush on him. When Ruri asks Sara to set her up with her brother Sara freaks out a little and the reader begins to realize that Setsuna isn’t alone in how he feels.

Ruri starts to play the game on the disc given to her by the odd priest and finds out that the game is an Angel. Eventually the Angel takes over Ruri’s body and she becomes the home of the male Inorganic Angel Rosiel, the twin of Alexiel. The two have a bitter past and Rosiel is determined to kill his twin.

Heaven and Hell, Angels and Demons, and humanity are at stake as the characters line up and take sides. Setsuna doesn’t realize yet that he is Alexiel, held to his human form because of his love for Sara, and this puts him a few tight spots as Rosiel gains a human body and starts building her army.

I’m not sure that I will continue reading Angel Sanctuary right away. The story is good, lots of twists and turns but all the gender-bending got to be a little much. I don’t mind some of that but when no one is who they say they are it gets to be a little confusing. But there's no doubt Angel Sanctuary is a classic and I know my curiosity will get the better of me. It’s only a matter of time before I pick up volume two.

'Bride of the Water God' Vol. 1 by Mi-Kyung Yun

ISBN: 1593078498
Format: Paperback, 184pp
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Pub. Date: October 2007
Price: $9.95

Bride of the Water God is manhwa, different from the Japanese manga since it comes from Korea and there are differences in the character designs and un-translated sound effects. Manhwa is also read from left to right, unlike the Japanese and Chinese counterparts, which makes it more accessible to western culture. Bride of the Water God is a superb example of this style of graphic novel and is sure to gain fans and popularity as the series continues.

Bride of the Water God is the tale of Soah, a beautiful young woman who is sacrificed by her village to the Water God Habaek. Convinced that the gift of a beautiful woman will save their village from drought, they send her out alone to face what is believed to be a horrible monster. But the last thing Soah expects is to be welcomed to the land of Suguk by Habaek the Water God, who happens to be a child.

Soah is welcomed into Habaek's household as his bride, and she spends a lot of her time wandering around the palace. She meets several of the other Gods who are living there, a strange collection of beautiful and slightly eccentric characters that I'm sure will be fun to get to know as the series continues.

Among the people living in the palace is Huye, a man that Soah first mistakes for the Water God. When Soah is attacked by a che, a monster that is similar to a tiger but has the tail of an ox and barks like a dog, Huye is there to save her. Soah hurts her ankle in the process, and Huye carries her back to the palace to the annoyance of Habaek.

Habaek, who can be a bit temperamental, just happens to be cursed. During the day he is the child that Soah knows, but at night he reverts to his adult self. While the rest of the inhabitants of the palace know, no one has filled Soah on this little secret. When she comes face to face with a grown Habaek, she has no idea who he is. Habaek, in response, panics and tells her that he is Habaek's cousin, Mui.

It gets a little tangled from there and even worse once Habaek's mother Seowangmo, the Goddess of Punishment and Torture among other things, shows up to inspect Habaek's new bride. We find out that Soah isn't the first of his human brides, but nothing is known of his previous wives or where they have gone.

Yun's artwork is spectacular and amazingly detailed, especially the clothing and the kingdom of Suguk. I was particularly enchanted by the first few pages, which are done in color; delicate and other worldly, they give such a romantic feel and make the perfect introduction for the black and white drawings that follow. Bride of the Water God Volume Two is being released in February of 2008, so you don't have long to wait for the continuing story. I can't even begin to tell you how much I'm looking forward to it.

'The Tarot Cafe' Vol. 2 by Sang-Sun Park

ISBN: 1595325565
Format: Paperback, 192pp
Publisher: TOKYOPOP
Pub. Date: June 2005
Price: $9.99

The second volume of The Tarot Café was just as hard to put down as the first. But then again once you start reading why would you want to? In this volume we finish the story of the Jester and the Alchemist which was started in volume one, learn more about Pamela and her mysterious past, and we meet a werewolf.

Episode five, “A Heartless Princess, an Alchemist, and a Jester (Part 2),” continues from volume one and finishes the tale of the evil Princess, the Alchemist who kidnapped her hoping for love, and the Jester doll that was made to please her. When the Alchemist finally realizes how truly horrible the Princess is he must make a choice between his creation and her evil.

In Episode six, “The Werewolf Boy,” we meet Aaron, a werewolf with a painful past. When his alcoholic father sells him to a mysterious man by the name of Nebiros, Aaron for the first time is given everything he wants. But Aaron feels trapped, and though he has promised not to betray Nebiros by leaving the safety of the castle he does so at the first chance available. When Aaron realizes his mistake it is too late. Cursed to wander the earth as a werewolf he seeks out Pamela, hoping that she will be able to help him.

This story is particularly interesting because we learn something crucial about Pamela, a hint of things to come, at least. Aaron makes it to the Tarot Café but in werewolf form. He attacks Pamela, unaware of his actions, and bites her on the neck. But the bite doesn’t kill or turn Pamela into a monster. Instead, the wound heals and we learn that Pamela is much more than just human.

And in Episode seven, “The Witch Hunt,” we learn a lot about Pamela’s past, things that were only hinted at in the first volume. When a man stumbles into her café wearing a face straight out of her past, it stirs all kinds of memories. We learn about Pamela’s mother as well as Pamela’s real age. Not to mention a little bit about Belus, the man who spends a lot of his time hanging out at the café, who also has connections to Nebiros and Aaron. Though the true meaning of those connections are yet to be revealed.

As in the first volume, Park’s artwork is nothing short of perfection. Beautiful and detailed, the story is told in elegant lines that simply demands attention — and once again you can tell that Park has a fascination with fairy-tales. I’m really enjoying The Tarot Café and I can’t wait to pick up the next volume.

'Ice Storm' by Anne Stuart

ISBN: 0778325008
Format: Mass Market Paperback, 352pp
Publisher: Mira
Pub. Date: November 2007
Price: $6.99

I am now a life long fan of Anne Stuart. After reading Ice Storm I can’t do anything else besides convert, there is just no use fighting it. You might find this a little extreme but I promise you it isn’t. And how can I even think of becoming a fan with just one book? Easily and you better believe I’m going to the bookstore to stock up on the rest of her titles in the Ice series.

Isobel Lambert is a cold-blooded professional working for a covert organization called The Committee based out of London. They have highly trained assassins stationed across the globe, cold blooded men and women all with Isobel at their head. Nicknamed the Ice Queen, or Irion Maiden, there is much more to Isobel than meets the eye.

Serafin the Butcher is the most dangerous man in the world. The Committee has already tried and failed to have him eliminated once. But when his name comes up a second time it isn’t for termination. Serafin has brokered a deal with the Committee, in exchange for his personal safety he is willing to trade information about the third world countries he’s been hiding out and causing havoc in.

Isobel, the head of the Committee, is the only operative able to go. Not to mention that Serafin asked for her personally. Her mission is to extricate him from North Africa and get him safely to England where he can be debriefed and then given a new identity. A simple job to Isobel’s mind until she discovers that Serafin the Butcher is really a man named Killian, a man from her past that she thought she had killed years ago.

With the Committee falling apart around her ears and Killian stirring all kinds of feelings she thought she could control Isobel is coming to the end of her tether. Her past and present collide putting her in the difficult position of feeling emotion once again while trying to keep from falling apart. Plus you get great sex scenes and a body count, how awesome is that?

Stuart’s characters are wonderful. I could gush at you for pages about how well she wrote Isobel and Killian, not to mention the rest of the characters who have their own titles to explore. I’m in love and I just can’t help myself. But I won’t subject you to such mushy fan-ism, what I will say is that I have rarely come across such complex and three dimensional characters. The fact that they are some of the worlds deadliest assassins helps though, too.

Ice Storm was great. No, it was nothing short of brilliantly fantastic. I literally could not put this one down and took an extra long lunch just so I could finish it. If you haven’t read Anne Stuart start now. But if you beat me to the bookstore be sure to leave a few for me.

'The Innocent Mage' by Karen Miller

ISBN: 0316067806
Format: Mass Market Paperback, 642pp
Publisher: Orbit
Pub. Date: September 2007
Price: $6.99

I don’t read a lot of epic fantasy; I’m intimidated by the large page count and tiny words. Not to say that I haven’t read anything along these lines but when it comes to this genre I tend to prefer Tolkien. But I’d been reading for weeks how good The Innocent Mage was, Karen Miller’s first in her Kingmaker, Kingbreaker duo, and I just had to see what all the fuss was about.

The characters are what really make this book readable. Asher, Matt, Danthe, Prince Gar and the way they all interact is fantastic. I read the first 200 pages of the book in one sitting and just could not put it down.

We first meet Asher, our hero, as he is leaving behind his small fishing village. He’s the youngest of the family and stands to inherit the smallest piece of the family business so he decides to seek his fortune in the city. I know this is a pretty typical beginning, it’s nothing you haven’t read before, but Asher jumps off the page and is larger than life. He is a fantastically real character and makes the cliché work.

Once in the city Asher stops Prince Gar’s horse from bolting. Asher is blunt and upfront and doesn’t particularly care either way for royalty. Because of his honesty, Prince Gar offers him a job working in the Prince’s stables which Asher accepts. This is where he meets Matt and Danthe, two members of a secret Olken circle who live their lives by an ancient prophecy dedicated to saving the world. Everything seems to be going well for Asher; he has a good job and has made friends, except that we know otherwise.

There are two races of people living in the kingdom of Lur, Doranen and Olken. The Doranen race is able to perform magic, the royalty is Doranen and all the higher offices are held by them. The Olken’s are considered the lower race, they keep the harder jobs and while they hold office it is still lower than the Doranen. The Doranen are very protective of their magic as well and it is believed that no Olken has the talent to work the magics that the Doranen’s do.

So with this powder keg of potential unrest waiting to blow we learn that Asher is none other than the Innocent Mage, the very same mage that prophecy has said would come and save the world. Danthe has been waiting for a very long time and with Asher’s coming she knows it signifies the end times. But from what is Asher meant to save the world from and why must he be kept innocent about his potential magic?

The Innocent Mage is full of vibrant characters and a decent plot. Ms. Miller effortlessly weaves each character’s perspective into the story, each voice unique and solid. You spend a lot of time getting to know the players and that only serves to make them more life like. The story continues with The Awakened Mage, the final installment in Asher’s tale. Which you just have to read once you’ve finished this one because of the cliff hanger ending.

'Legends of the Dark Crystal - The Garthim Wars' by Barbara Randall Kesel Illustrated by Heidi Arnhold & Max Kim

ISBN: 1598167014
Format: Paperback, 192pp
Publisher: TOKYOPOP
Pub. Date: November 2007
Price: $9.99

Legends of the Dark Crystal – The Garthim Wars takes place 100 years before Jim Henson’s classic film The Dark Crystal and gives the reader a peek into the history leading up to the healing of the dark crystal by the Gelflings Jen and Kira.

But this is before the crystal was healed and the Gelflings almost extinct. Garthim still hunt the nonviolent Gelflings for the evil Skeksis. The captured Gelflings are taken to the Crystal Palace were they are drained of their essence which the Skeksis drink for immortality.

Lahr, a peaceful shepherd, is away from his village when it is raided by a large group of Garthim. He comes back to find everyone gone and is attacked by a lingering Garthim. Lahr successfully fights the monster off, an unheard of feat. Determined to warn the other Gelfling villages Lahr leaves behind the ruins of his past.

Neffi’s village was attacked as well and when she stumbles across Lahr’s path they decided to go on together. Soon the two heart-sore Gelflings have reached the next village. Lahr warns the elders of what is coming but the village is split in its decision to stay and fight or flee. The Gelflings are a peaceful nonviolent race and the idea of fighting and war are completely alien to them.

The art by Heidi Arnhold and Max Kim is great, very detailed and there is a lot to look at in each panel. They did a good job of sticking to the ideas of Brian Froud, who did the original artwork and designs for the movie, while making it their own. There is also a guest art gallery at the back with drawings from 16 other artists.

The gentle Mystics don’t play a huge role in the manga though the evil Skeksis make an appearance and are as creepy as ever. I really liked the idea that this story is history, set 100 years before the story we are so familiar with, and that it isn’t bogged down with cameo appearances. Legends of the Dark Crystal is new and fresh while still feeling slightly familiar. It’s perfect if you’re a fan of The Dark Crystal or are just looking for a solidly drawn fantasy.

Have you heard of GoodReads? It's a free site where you can connect with other readers. You can add and review books you are currently reading, going to read, or have already read. It's a great way to share what you love with others or find something new. You start by just searching for your books, adding them to your catalogue where you can organize them on shelves. They also give you little widgets to put on your blog. And best of all there is no limit to the number of books you can add. It's all free. Check out GoodReads, and if you do let me know so I can add you as a friend.

Have you heard the rumors of the Harry Potter prequel? If not check out the article over at Blogcritics and let me know what you think.

There is also a new Beyond Bounds full of new releases and upcoming titles.