[NightBird]

Horror

Running Dry by M. Christian

Ernst Doud is a middle-aged 154-year-old nonhuman painter. He is living quietly in Los Angeles when he receives a cryptic message from a lover he last saw in 1913--when he killed him, or so he had always thought. So begins M. Christian's debut novel, Running Dry. It is unlike any book you have read, and Doud is unlike any hero who has ever graced the pages of a novel. Set in contemporary Los Angeles, with excursions into the surreal outback of Southern California's high desert, Running Dry is a stunningly realized vampire tale of vengeance, loyalty, and the inescapable humanity of the inhuman.

SF

Dancing with Eternity by James Patrick Lowrie

What would happen if Odysseus met Captain Ahab in the Fortieth Century? Only Captain Ahab is a beautiful woman named Steel who owns her own starship and Odysseus is an unemployed actor named Mohandas who’s stuck on the backside of a backwater moon because he won't pay his taxes. Oh, and everybody—well, almost everybody—lives forever, did I mention that? And there’s a telepathic Internet that allows the entire population of the galaxy to communicate at will and even experience the world from another person's perspective. Dancing with Eternity is a sprawling galactic odyssey that takes Steel, Mo and the crew of the starship Lightdancer on an incredible voyage of adventure, self-discovery, and revelation. … And they get to go to a lot of really cool planets, too.

Historical Romance

The Last Lady of Lansdown by Shirley Kennedy.

In the dawn of the Regency era in Northern England, precious few mourn the sudden and shocking passing of the Earl of Lansdown. Certainly not Jane Elton, the young and beautiful widow whose life he made a misery. After her initial relief, Jane must contend with an unexpected and devastating reality: because she is childless, she and her family must descend several rungs down the social ladder. One hope remains. Could she be pregnant? A son would inherit; otherwise the title and estate will go to the Earl’s slightly younger twin brother, his greedy wife, and many unpleasant offspring. Jane must also contend with the unrealistic hopes of her bitter and ambitious mother and dowerless sister. Enter Douglas Cartland, a notorious rake with a tragic past. During these first months of widowhood, Jane’s conduct must be above reproach, but she cannot keep her distance. Especially when Cartland contrives to turn up everywhere she looks. Is Cartland really the scoundrel everyone believes him to be? Will Jane forfeit her title, her family’s fortunes and her reputation for the sake of forbidden desire? Fate--and Cartland--have many surprises in store.

Cold April by Phyllis Humphrey

Fresh from three years in America, Englishwoman Elizabeth Shallcross has big plans for her future, and they do not include remaining in England as a lowly governess. She finds, however, that she has one last obligation to fulfill; she must accompany Richard Graham, a dashing American widower, and care for his charming child on a luxurious voyage to America. Their ship? The Titanic. On this fateful trip two handsome men vie for her attention. But when the ship hits an iceberg, who will survive?

Contemporary Fiction

Not My Kid by Mary Billiter

What happens when a reporter covering a lead crime story realizes her son is a suspect? For journalist and single mom Megan Reilly, the discovery of her teenage son’s secret life throws her own existence into turmoil. When Austin is arrested for shoplifting and becomes the prime suspect in a series of bomb threats at the local middle school, Megan’s immediate response is, “Not my kid.” What does it mean to be a good parent? How far should a mother go to protect her child?