A Discovery of Witches, by Deborah Harkness

Wow. While not the best amalgam of history, fantasy, and romantic suspense, it's a pretty good story. We have a powerful witch who refuses to use her power, preferring to blend in with the human world, but that all ends when she 'draws' a coveted manuscript to her by accident. We have a powerful vampire who at first only wants the manuscript, then wants the witch herself. We have daemons--they are the eccentrics of the world, the savants.

And this is only the first book in a series. Wish I'd've known that when I picked it up.

Running Scared, by Lisa Jackson (on CD ... and paper)

I bailed on this CD near the end simply because I couldn't stand listening to it anymore. But I had to find out how the plot tied up. A little too neatly for my liking. Reminded me why I don't read romantic suspense novels very often. Ugh.

Jane, by April Lindner

When I cataloged this, I knew I had to read it: it's a modern retelling of Jane Eyre. In spite of having reservations towards the beginning of it, by the middle of the book I was firmly pulled in, trying to figure out how Lindner was going to work the original plot out.

Now I need to go find my copy of JE and reread it....

Promised Land, by Cynthia Felice and Connie Willis

Interesting little mix of a western potboiler romance set on another planet. Cute, lightweight, easy, nothing here will startle anyone.

Banishing Verona, by Margot Livesey

Excellent book, as long as you buy into the doggedness of the main male character, Zeke.

Zeke, though it's never spelled out, is autistic, probably has Asperger's Syndrome. His parents are greengrocers and want him to take over the shop now that he's approaching 30. He wants nothing to do with it; he enjoys his handyman jobs. His life is far from 'normal' but it fits him fairly well.

He's busy painting in a house whose owners are out of town on holiday when their visibly-pregnant niece shows up at the front door ready to spend the night. Of course, she's really not their niece, and he knows something isn't quite right, but he is taken by this strong but needy woman and she does spend the night. Then she disappears.

He can't forget her. He knows they have a connection and he is determinded to hold on to that connection no matter what. No matter if his father has just had a heart attack, his mother is intent on running off with her lover, his business is going to suffer...no matter, in fact, that he is terrified of flying and ends up flying to America on the basis of a 2 minute phone call from Verona.

It's quite a weird book, yes, but once I got inside Zeke's (and to a lesser extent, Verona's) head, all the choices they make are perfectly in character. I'd call this kind of book Literate Chick Lit.

[Autism is clearly the current Darling of the Literary World--I've read or heard about dozens of books on the subject in the past couple of years.]

The Undomestic Goddess, by Sophie Kinsella (on CD)

...in which we meet Samantha Sweeting, high-powered London attorney about to be offered partnership, willing to work 120 hours a week but unable to turn on the oven in her apartment. That's ok--she doesn't need to know that stuff.

Until she finds an error that she made that is so costly that it almost literally blows her mind. Before she recovers herself, she has wandered onto a train that takes her out of London. When she reaches the end of the train-line, she exits the station desperate for an aspirin but still in shock. When she knocks at the door of a large house down the road she is mistaken for an interviewee: the householders are looking for a housekeeper. Through a series of bizarre misunderstandings, Samantha is hired and ...

Hilarity ensues. And love. And all that. I like Kinsella, but this is rather obvious all the way through. Still, a nice palette cleanser between listening to gory murder mysteries, and there were some laugh-out-loud moments.