2 Recent Reads:

There are no vampires in Rhiannon Held's Silver, just her own spin on werewolves.  The packs in America are divided, and territorial.  Silver's pack has just been tortured and destroyed, and she is hurt and on the run.  Andrew Dare, the Enforcer of the Roanoke Pack, is sent to find her and escort her from his pack's territory.  But Andrew finds himself drawn to Silver, and drawn into finding out who or what killed her pack...before they strike again.

Rhiannon Held has written a compelling urban fantasy. I have to admit, while I immediately liked Andrew, it took me a little longer to warm up to Silver, but her strangeness eventually grew on me. (Although Andrew is still my favorite.) Overall, Held's novel is a surprisingly fun read.  If you're a fan of Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson books and are looking for a similar read, give this one a try.

As a fan of The Gilmore Girls, I've admired Lauren Graham as an actress for years. Now I can admire her as an author, as well. Her novel Someday, Someday, Maybe tells the story of a twenty-something girl trying to make it as an actress in New York City. Franny Banks gave herself 3 years to accomplish her dream; now she only has 6 months left...and the clock is ticking.

Graham aptly captures the struggle of what it is like to be in New York trying, hoping, failing, doubting, and trying again to make a dream come true.  Franny is an engaging character who talks a little too much, is a bit of a klutz, but who never gives up. I did sometimes get impatient with how often Franny gets lost in her own thoughts and doubts, but I liked her vulnerability and I never stopped rooting for her to succeed. And I really enjoyed getting a behind-the-scenes look into the life of an aspiring actress.  This was a great summer read.