Installment #3 is Shanna Swendson’s, Don’t Hex With Texas[asa]0345492935[/asa].
(Disclaimer: These books are not in order read. Just sayin’. Oh, and I refer to her by her first name, because I know her. It’s not a weird respect thing – refer to boys by last names, girls by first. I know Allan Cole, too, but he’s a joint author. Nor do I have any idea why the Amazon block is in German…)
This one is totally different from Cole/Bunch and Scalzi. This one is just plain fun. The genre is chick lit/paranormal/futuristic/romance — and is shelved for some reason in “literature”. I never understand the decisions that go into THAT. But that has no bearing on the book, unless you try to find it in a Brick & Mortar — which you should. I have NEVER found Shanna in a Used Bookstore. NEVER… that should say something to you…
Don’t Hex is book #4 in a series, but I’ll tell ya up front, I have not read the other 3 YET. I want to now. Don’t Hex is most simply put, fun. I’ve told Shanna that I struggle when it comes to talking about her book, because it can come off totally insulting, but it’s not.
Shanna’s book – and I assume the others are the same way – are pure entertainment. There’s no deep thought involved. They’re cute. They’re a fast read. They’re funny. They’re a great read if your real life is in a dark-ish place, or you’re really busy. It’s great escapism.
And you see where I could be in trouble here. That sounds like there’s no “value” there — but there is. A LOT of value. I don’t know about other people, but there are times when I don’t want to be in MY life. But KATIE’S life… that’s another thing. And to be able to take someone out of their lives and problems for even a little while and put them in a fun and weird place is a great skill. One I actually aspire to in my own writing.
So that’s where I walk the line between glowing and insulting. Shanna creates an engrossing world with colorful characters — I HAVE to go back and find out more about the Gargoyles. I love Sam — and bizarre circumstances. She’s also very good at incorporating just enough backstory that you’re not basically re-reading the previous novels, and yet, you’re not lost if you didn’t read them in order (yes, I’m bad). Well, at least in #4. Don’t Hex definitely was able to stand on its own. Again, a kudo to Shanna. That’s really difficult to pull off.
Go… read Shanna Swendson. We need more books like this. We all need more humor in our lives.