The rest of Week 3..and a vampire!

Gotta be quick, 'cause I've been a bad, bad girl.  I cheated.  I should have studied more and rested more and done more story background.  It wasn't all naughtiness; I've been sick and dealing with sick child (who seems determined to defy gravity when my back is turned).  But I kept peeking at a book until I ended up reading it, so I feel like I've committed adultry against my school work, the books that were already in the queu to be read and reviewed, and my own story waiting to be born.

I'd hesitated getting Raphael, and not just because each of my classes demands an uber amount of reading.  The author and I had a...disagreement about a character in someone else's novel.  We were both speaking (well, writing) English, but her words made no sense to me...Until I realized that I was reading the urban fantasy the story's creator meant it to be but she was reading a paranormal romance.  Made me worry about how I would react to her characters.

No need for a genre rant (I've sworn off them, really) because I loved them.  Cynthia Leighton is an ex-cop P.I.--I know, I know, been there done that.  BUT she's her own character, not a rip-off of any P.I.'s we've seen before.  She's "smart, tough, and sexy" without crossing the line into obnoxious.  When a certain powerful vampire (and yes, he's a hottie alpha male) hires her, she holds her own against the creatures of the night with her brain and a few high calibur weapons, and without losing her humanity. 

Check it out.  Urban fantasy fans will find that the heat between Cyn and Raphael doesn't overpower the investigative plot, paranormal fans will find that the heat is worthy of their time.  Readers of either genre, or not hung up on genre at all, will find great character establishment and worldbuilding--a win for everyone.

Now I'm going to go peek at her web site for info on the next book before I finish plotting out my own act one.  See?  I'm still workin'.