Vampires, The Recent Undead edited by Paula Guran, 430 pages

This is a collection of vampire short stories previously published between 2000 and 2010. These are written by some outstanding authors such as Charlaine Harris, Charles De Lint, Kelley Armstrong and one of my favorite vampire authors of all time, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro. These are varied vampires, some dark and sexy, others more metaphysical and then ones that are truer to the original fiends that populated early folklore. This is a great read for fans of vampire literature.

Sweet Valley Saga:The Wakefields of Sweet Valley by Kate William, 346 pages

Alice Larson, a bold sixteen-year-old from Sweden, arrives alone in America to start a new life-but with a broken heart. Headstrong frontier tomboy Jessamyn runs away to join the circus, leading her sensitive twin, Elisabeth, into a desperate search that ends in tragedy. Spirited twins and rivals Samantha and Amanda battle for the love of the same boy during the glamorous Roaring Twenties. Marjorie, stranded in France during World War II, becomes a heroine of the Resistance. Alice Robertson, child of the tumultuous sixties, makes a painful romantic choice she will hide forever-even from her twin daughters, Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield. Discover the lives and loves of these extraordinary young women in the biggest, best Sweet Valley story ever.

Enid's Story by Kate William, 213 pages

People who meet pretty, quiet Enid Rollins find it hard to believe that she ever ran with a wild crowd. She's popular, a straight-A student, and is best friends with Elizabeth Wakefield. Finally, Enid seems to have her life together. Then everything starts to go wrong. She's interested in Jeffrey French, Elizabeth's ex-boyfriend, and thinks that he likes her, too. But it turns out he hasn't gotten over Elizabeth. Then Enid's father shows up drunk for his Christmas visit. The only person left in Enid's life is Elizabeth, and when they have a terrible disagreement, Enid feels totally alone. So when Brian, a boy from her past, asks her out, Enid is thrilled. She knows that being with Brian is risky, but he's the only person who seems to appreciate her. Can Enid resist temptation, or will she return to her wild ways?

The Girl They Both Loved by Kate William, 151 pages

April Dawson adores her boyfriend, Michael Harris. They both love dirt bike racing and spend most of their free time working on their bikes and preparing for races. Lately, though, Michael has become obsessed with winning every race he enters. He desperately wants to beat his former best friend and racing partner, Artie Western. April knows something terrible in the past tore Artie and Michael apart. She's got to find out what happened and bring the two boys together again before this feud leads to tragedy, even if the cost is her relationship with Michael.

Pride and Prejudice Hidden Lusts by Mitzi Szereto, 265 pages

"Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen has had many spinoffs with zombies added, told from Mr. Darcy's side and sequels galore. Mitzi Szereto has set her pen to the novel by revamping it with a new highly erotic twist. Mr. Darcy has never unbuttoned his breeches flap and Elizabeth lifted her skirts more than in this highly sexually active version. Mr. Bingley has set his sights and tongue on Darcy instead of sweet Jane, Lydia has a penchant for rubbing herself on anything and everything, and Mr. Bennet has a taste for penciled pornography. All in all, this isn't your normal Jane Austen's novel.
"Pride and Prejudice Hidden Lusts" by Mitzi Szereto is a raunchy retelling of a classic. More obsessed with fitting gender on gender encounters along with numerous self-gratification scenes than creating a new twist on an old favorite, this book falls short of the original wit and creativity of the book. I myself was a trifle embarrassed by the explicitness of the novel but others may find it enjoyable. Sometimes classics aren't improved by adding more sex, and this may be one of those times. I would have stopped reading after just the first chapter due to my blushes but I had to read it for review. Definitely not one I'll let my teenager read.

The Thackery T. Lambshead Cabinet of Curiosities edited by Ann & Jeff Vandermeer, 320 pages

Thackery T. Lambshead had collected many odd and curious items throughout his life, most never photographed or completely described. After his death in England, the remains of his cabinet of curiosities are examined. Some famous authors and artists have teamed up to share some of the items in Lambshead's varied multitude. I enjoy many of the authors that have written for this book and I love oddities and curiosities but this didn't grab me. It was too confusing and strange, and didn't flow well, leaving me struggling to finish the book. The cover and artwork is outstanding though, reminiscent of nineteenth journals.

Stories for Nighttime and Some for the Day by Ben Loory, 210 pages

"Stories for Nighttime and Some for the Day" by Ben Loory is a collection of short stories that really defy easy description. The stories are odd, disturbing, intriguing and confusing. There's a man who is the only one to see a monster in a swimming pool, a little girl who wants to play with a balloon to her mother's dread, a knife act that threatens a friendship, and a man who learns that it's the crown that makes the king, along with many other short stories. Most of the stories left me questioning and confused, not always sure what the intent and meaning of the story. This was not one of my favorite collections, it was probably a little too obscure for my taste.