LeAnna Herrera

Any book that introduces a horrible ghost called Naughty John is a book for me.

And so begins The Diviners by Libba Bray. After refusing to apologize for a scandal caused by a party trick in her hometown, headstrong “modern girl” Evie O’Neil is sent to live with her Uncle Will, owner of The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult in New York. This is no punishment in Evie’s eyes and she makes plans to paint the town red, as any flapper worth her while would do. Until the murders begin, and the very thing that Evie was exiled for becomes the greatest tool in solving the murders. Evie is a Diviner, and as it turns out, a handful of other characters have begun to develop certain supernatural gifts, which coincide with the appearance of a comet, multiple murders, Naughty John, and a doomsday cult. Not necessarily a story one would expect to see set against the glamorous backdrop of New York during the Roaring Twenties. Libba Bray pulls it off by creating a believable world with a dynamic cast of characters akin to The X-Men, and a story line that throws curves at you from every darkened alley way.

Imagine if you will, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy peopled with the members of Spinal Tap and what do you get? Year Zero by Rob Reid. When Earth’s music – specifically the theme to “Welcome Back Kotter” – breaks through the barrier to the rest of the universe in what the Universe begins to refer to as Year Zero (1977 to us), aliens go crazy for it. Turns out they’re addicted to the art form, and we Earthlings make the best music in the Universe. Through a series of events, these Aliens find out they’ve been pirating music from us for years, and as it turns out, paying for the licensing to keep using our music may very well bankrupt the entire Universe. So what is an entire addicted civilization to do when they can’t pay for their fix? Well the only logical thing to do is to blow the entire planet of Earth to smithereens.

Add in a sexy alien nun, another alien constantly mistaken for a vacuum cleaner, and an entertainment attorney named Nick Carter (you know, like from the Back Street Boys, except not) who is barely convinced the whole thing isn’t a prank and you’ve got a hilarious ride through pop culture, music industry insanity, and just plain old fun.

Del Rey Books, $25.00

Although initially it was the cover of Stories for the Nighttime and Some for the Day that I found intriguing, it was a recommendation from another reader that made me give it a try. I am not a usually a fan of short stories- but after reading Loory’s collection, I may have changed my mindset. This fun, quick read is exciting and filled to the brim with charming stories. This is a great holiday gift for any reader. Tea sipping Octopi, invisible crowns, sharks that swim in pools, sentient televisions and tiny men in boxes -- Loory’s tales are filled with imagery as vivid as any Dali or Ryden painting. Loory gives a coy wink to the preposterous, challenging readers to reflect on the absurdities of the world they live in. Loory’s sly sense of humor is peppered throughout each fable. At the same time, these short little yarns feel very intimate. From the first sentence on, Stories for the Nighttime and Some for the Day creates an atmosphere that can only be compared to what it might be like if we were able to read Loory’s dreams. - LH

Give the Gift of Rival Magicians with Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke. One of my alltime favorite books to curl up by the fire with on a cold and rainy winter night. The first time I finished this book I turned it over and promptly started reading it again.  --LH