Fablehaven, Vol. 5 : Keys to the Demon Prison (Brandon Mull)

Since ancient times, the great demon prison Zzyzx has protected the world from the most dangerous servants of darkness, including Gorgrog, the Demon King. After centuries of plotting, the Sphinx is on the verge of recovering the five artifacts necessary to open the legendary prison.
Facing the potential of a world-ending calamity, all friends of light must unite in a final effort to thwart the Sphinx’s designs and find a safe home for the five artifacts. To this end, Kendra, Seth, and the Knights of the Dawn will venture far beyond the walls of Fablehaven to strange and exotic magical preserves across the globe, where the end of every quest becomes the beginning of another. In this explosive series finale, allegiances will be confirmed and secrets revealed as the forces of light and darkness collide in a desperate struggle to control the keys to the demon prison.

I enjoyed this series. This final book had a lot of twists that you wouldn't expect. It had an ending, but he also left it open enough you could easily build off of it.

Iron Kissed (Patricia Briggs)

When her former boss and mentor is arrested for murder and left to rot behind bars by his own kind, it's up to shapeshifting car mechanic Mercy Thompson to clear his name, whether he wants her to or not. And she'll have to choose between the two werewolves in her life-whether she wants to or not.
This is #3 of the Mercy Thompson series and I'm loving every one.

Bone Crossed (Patricia Briggs)

Car mechanic/shapeshifter Mercy Thompson must protect her friends from vampire queen Marsilia's revenge.
#4 in the Mercy Thompson series. I love reading about Mercy and her friends. This one is going on my wish list.

Into Thin Air (Cindy Miles)

After centuries of protecting lost souls, modern-day earthbound angel Gawan of Conwyk is a month shy of retirement (into blessed mortality) when a new case drops in his lap-or, more specifically, onto the road to his ancient, spirit-inhabited castle. When he finds Ellie stumbling in the rain, she doesn't know who she is or how she got to the north of England; as it turns out, she's more dead than alive, a corporeal projection "fluttering about betwixt the living and the unliving." To help her, Gawan's got to track down her real body and solve the mystery of her near death, but he knows that once he saves her life, she'll forget him-a matter complicated by Gawan's discovery that she's his one-and-only soul mate.

I am so happy that I have discovered this author.

This was another sweet and charming love story with enough humor to keep it from being too sappy. I definitely recommend it!

Dark Lover (J.R. Ward)

The only purebred vampire left on the planet, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who murdered his parents centuries ago. But when one of his most trusted fighters is killed--orphaning a half-breed daughter unaware of her heritage or her fate--Wrath must usher the beautiful female into the world of the undead...
Racked by a restlessness in her body that wasnt there before, Beth Randall is helpless agains the dangerously sexy man who comes to her at night with shadows in his eyes. His tales of brotherhood and blood frighten her but his touch ignites a dawning hunger that threatens to consume them both.
It's a definite thumbs down for this one from me.
I have heard tons of rave reviews about this series, The Black Dagger Brotherhood. I liked the author's style of writing. The idea of the brotherhood was good and I am curious as to what happens with some of the other "brothers" but I dont know if I want to wade through all the sex to find the little bit of plot that she throws in.

Dickens Inn, Vol 2: A Far, Far Better Place (Anita Stansfield)

Jackson didn't know how long it was before he finally realized that he was in the hospital, and it was Dr. Callahan on the floor with him, trying to talk some sense into him. Once the realization hit him, he struggled to bring himself back to reality while his breathing and heart rate remained shallow and fast for more minutes than he could. . . He felt more afraid than he'd dared to admit. . .
Their lives have all the ingredients for “happily-ever-after” until a traumatic and life-changing even in Jackson's life plunges his family into chaos and sorrow. His mother's unexpected death hurtles him toward a painful pilgrimage into a past that collides with the anguish of the present and threatens to destroy his family's future.

I am really enjoying this families story, I hope there are more books to follow.

Death's Mistress (Karen Chance)

"Dorina Basarab is dhamphir, half-vampire, half-human, a berserker who polices/executes misbegotten vampires (while she may consider that all of them, it's actually only revenants, vampires who didn't make it through the change correctly). Karen Chance is known for great action scenes. This book has a couple of over-the-top action scenes that, while original and humorous become, frankly, exhausting.
Louis-Cesare, her aristocratic French vampire love interest, returns here accused of murdering the vampire who is holding his former mistress Christine. Also appearing is Radu, Louis-Cesare's maker and Dorina's uncle. Radu is always amusing. Christine is an interesting plot device with a twist. Dorina's sidekick-in-a-bag is an absolute joy...whoever said that tertiary characters couldn't be fun? Louis-Cesare, in my mind, comes across as rather flat in this installment, though he was well-developed in the first book. Dorina, while still fun, is also a bit flat. Perhaps it is the lack of madness that's a problem (or perhaps it's the unexplored explanation for why her fits are gone).
Dorina's father, vampire Senator Mircea, has been given many, many pages in the Cassie Palmer novels, but in Death's Mistress, the passages regarding his attempts to build a better relationship with his daughter are well executed and quite touching.
I was slightly disappointed by this book. Still, it's an entertaining romp, and I look forward to the next one."
(anonymous review from Barnes and Noble site)
I copied this review because I agreed with most of what was said.