One Bloody Thing After Another is written by Joey Comeau, a Canadian writer best known for his Web comic, A Softer World. This novel is billed as horror, and although it is not truly horrific, it does possess a rather distinct creep factor. Short and to-the-point, with fast pacing and crisp prose, One Bloody Thing After Another, although a little disjointed at times, is a quick and engrossing read. In turns a ghost story, a teen romance, and a tale of a family gone horribly wrong, One Bloody Thing After Another weaves together the tales of three distinct characters whose lives intersect at odd turning points.

Jackie has a knack for trouble and skates a thin line on the edge of crazy. She also has a frightening and frequently useful ability, one that brings her ever closer to her dead mother, and her dead mother’s ghost. And Jackie is madly in love with her best friend, Ann. But Ann has problems of her own. Her mother is turning into something else, something monstrous, something that demands living flesh for meals, and Ann doesn’t know what to do. Even with the help of her sister, she’s barely keeping it together.

And then there’s Charlie, and elderly man and his equally elderly and a little bit dim-witted dog, Mitchie. Charlie sees ghosts. Or, rather, one ghost in particular: a girl who holds her severed head in her hands and follows him around every day. He’s not sure what she wants, but he knows she wants something.

With the lives and fates of these three intertwined with touches of dark humor, One Bloody Thing After Another is an intriguing, if brief, read. The last line is sure to have the reader laugh out loud, and then feel just a little bit guilty about it.

Zombie movies have been popular for a while, but they seem to be enjoying a resurgence of popularity lately, with the success of movies such as Dawn of the Dead and the Resident Evil franchise. More recently, zombie comedies such as Shaun of the Dead and Zombieland have become popular, so it really should come as no surprise that zombie comedy books are on the rise as well. One such series is the Living with the Dead series, by Jesse Petersen. The first book in the series is Married with Zombies, and the second is Flip this Zombie, a funny, breezy action-comedy about what happens after the zombie apocalypse and how life goes on when everyone around you is dead—sort of.

Husband-and-wife team Sarah and David are now Zombiebusters Extermination Inc. They’re the zombie answer to the Ghostbusters. Things have settled down a bit since the world ended and life has returned to, well, not normal, but as normal as it gets these days. Until the rumors start floating around about bionic zombies: smarter, faster, harder to kill. Then Sarah and David take a new job: capturing zombies instead of killing them, for a scientist working on a cure.

It turns out killing zombies is a lot easier, even if you have to make pesky decisions like whether to use the scythe or the gun. Capturing…well, you have to get a whole lot more up-close-and-personal, and zombie goo gets everywhere. Not a good look for anyone with fashion sense. Then Sarah and David run into one of the bionics, and realize there’s a whole lot more going on than they thought, and that’s when things take a dark turn that leaves Sarah and David fighting for their lives—against an enemy that wants more than just their brains.

Local writer Jill Myles is the author of the Succubus Diaries series, paranormal books about a succubus named Jackie Brighton and her two sexy boyfriends/masters Noah and Zane. Yeah. Masters. It takes a vampire and an angel to make a succubus, so Jackie’s saddled with both of them, which comes in handy when it’s time to scratch her Itch. Succubi Like It Hot is the second book in the series, and it’s a fun, snarky romp of a read.

Jackie’s still pretty new at the Sucking business, but she’s having some issues. First her craving gets stronger—and much more frequent. Next she knocks the pizza boy unconscious with her touch. One little deal with a demon later, and Jackie has the answer: she’s cursed. Too bad neither of her boyfriends are speaking to her right now. So, it’s off with her “adult movie” star best friend Remy, to New Orleans, to find Delilah, the oldest succubus in America, and the only one who might be able to help get rid of the curse.

But their road trip is plagued with bad luck from the start. Remy is periodically demon-possessed. Jackie has a stalker, albeit a handsome, charming one. Throw in the creep factor of Remy’s newest “co-star,” and this isn’t quite the vacation Jackie had in mind. After a bloody warning at a hotel, things take a turn for the worse. Soon Jackie’s fleeing for her life, alone and helpless—sort of. Even when she reaches Delilah, the answers don’t help matters. The curse is destined to kill her if she doesn’t get rid of it. But more important than finding out who wants her dead is finding out which one of her lovers placed the curse on her.

With most Metroplex schools closed for almost a week, there were a lot of bored kids out there. Next time the kids are stuck at home, why not give them a good book to read? There are a lot of options available, with e-books being the quickest. An e-reader isn’t even necessary, as both Amazon and Barnes and Noble have free e-reader downloads for PCs and other devices. Some books that have been out for a few years are now available for the first time as e-books. One of these is Raising Dragons, by Bryan Davis. This book is filled with fantasy and faith, as the author weaves together Arthurian legends with Bible quotes in an adventure-filled tale about a boy who learns he’s half-dragon. While marketed as a young adult book, this books seems to be most appropriate for younger teenagers looking for excitement.

High school is hard enough without being known as “Dragon Breath,” but that’s Billy Bannister’s new nickname. He doesn’t know what’s going on, but things have changed, and his super-heated breath is just the first sign. When the school troublemaker frames him, he has his first encounter with the odd new principal, Mr. Whittier, who has a fascination with dragons and knights. Then he’s rescued by the new girl, Bonnie, who never takes off her backpack. No matter what. Billy’s day gets worse when he overhears his father talking about being a dragon. Reeling from the shock, Billy doesn’t know what to think. If his dad has lied to him all these years, can he really be trusted?

Then Whittier attacks Bonnie, and when Billy rescues her, he discovers what her backpack hides. Soon Billy’s family and Bonnie are running from Whittier, who’s really a dragon-slayer descended from one of King Arthur’s knights. A housefire, a plane crash, and being lost in the snowy wilderness are just part of Billy and Bonnie’s adventures. Aided by Billy’s best friend and an eccentric teacher, the two struggle to beat the dragon-slayer and fulfill an ancient prophesy foreseen by Merlin himself. Will Billy’s faith be strong enough to withstand the trials?

With the wintry weather still gripping North Texas—which currently resembles the frozen North—staying warm with a good book continues to be a good idea. While you’re sipping something warm in toasty comfort, try discovering the world of Maggie Stiefvater’s Linger, the second book in The Wolves of Mercy Falls series. Set in frosty Mercy Falls, Minnesota, these books explore a unique take on the werewolf mythos.

Although the first book, Shiver, might be a more appropriate reaction to current temperatures, Linger delves deeper into Sam and Grace’s tale. Sam, after surviving a harrowing cure, is no longer a werewolf, but now he must deal with a future as a human—something he never thought to have. Grace, his true love, is at his side, but she has a secret of her own. Dealing with headaches and fever, Grace doesn’t tell Sam that she’s sick, that something inside her wants out. She’s afraid of what’s coming, of what she’s becoming, and Sam has enough worries. Not only is he getting used to being human, but he still has to take care of his pack—which has new members for the first time in years, including the mysterious and ever-changing Cole. Cole is a rock star, and discovery of his whereabouts would cause a media feeding frenzy. The last thing the wolves of Mercy Falls need is more attention. They face another threat, for someone in town wants the wolves dead, and after the death of a boy and the disappearance of one of Grace’s friends, the townspeople are up in arms, ready and willing to destroy the wolves for good.

What’s the best thing to do on a snowy day? Curl up with a good book and try to stay warm. With the current weather in North Texas, a good book is just the thing. And if you happen to like the current weather and would like to read more about a winter wonderland…why not try Entice, by Carrie Jones? Set in the winter woods of Maine, it’s bound to make anyone feel better about our paltry two inches of frozen precipitation. The third book in the Need series, it’s about pixies…but not the cute little Tinkerbell-esque creatures most people think of when they see the word “pixie”.

Bedford, Maine isn’t exactly a hotbed of…well, anything. It’s cold. It snows a lot. It’s surrounded by woods. And those woods are full of all sorts of creatures from legend. Pixies. Wolves. Shapeshifters. Even the occasional elf. Despite all that, the inhabitants of Bedford manage to get along. Until a group of evil pixies moves in, and teenagers start disappearing. It’s enough to give pixies a bad name.

As usual, Zara is right in the middle of things. Her friends don’t trust her anymore because she’s been pixie-kissed…and not just by any pixie, but by pixie king, Astley. Her soul mate, Nick, is dead. Well, sort of. He’s been taken to Valhalla, a place for warriors that’s right out of legend, and Zara and her friends don’t know if they can get him back. With the end of the world looming on the horizon, and war imminent, Zara knows she has to find her warrior and bring him home. With Astley at her side, she sets out to find Valhalla and rescue Nick. There’s just one little problem: Nick hates pixies. Will he even want to leave Valhalla when he realizes what she’s done to save him?

P.S. Isn’t this the greatest cover ever?

Kaylee Cavanaugh finally has the screaming under control. Mostly. As a bean sidhe—a banshee—she’s compelled to scream when anyone around her dies. At least she was, until she met Nick. But she and Nick broke up while she dealt with his addiction, and now she’s on her own. Which is a bad thing to be, especially when chaos erupts at her school. Teachers are dying mysteriously. Kids are fighting in the parking lot and rioting in the halls. Everything is a mess. Right in the middle of it is Sabine, Nick’s ex-girlfriend. She’s new in town, and she’s desperate to get Nick back. And Sabine just so happens to be a Nightmare—able to read people’s deepest fears and bring them to life in their dreams–bringing new meaning to the phrase “scared to death.”

Now, with the fates of her schoolmates at stake, Kaylee doesn’t know where to turn. There’s Tod, Nick’s Grim Reaper brother, but just how much can a dead guy do? And Alec, who she rescued from the Netherworld, and the clutches of his Hellion master, Avari. Avari wants Alec back, and he wants Kaylee, too. And Avari can possess her body—or the bodies of those she cares about—while they’re sleeping and force them to do anything he wants. Now Kaylee has to figure out what’s going on, and who’s behind it. Can she trust Nick to fight his addiction and his history with Sabine, or must she face the Netherworld without him?

Set locally, in Arlington, Texas, My Soul to Steal is the fourth installment in the Soul Screamers series by Rachel Vincent. Kaylee Cavanaugh may be a banshee, and her world may be filled with creatures from legend, but she’s still just a teenager, with a teenager’s dramas and problems. This compelling book will have you desperate to find out how she resolves them—and how she deals with Nick’s nightmarish ex-girlfriend.

Zoey Redbird has issues. She’s a fledgling vampyre High Priestess, and blessed by the Goddess Nyx. She lost someone she loved, which almost tore her soul apart, and her best friend died–and now possesses unheard-of powers. Zoey is also one of the few who sees the true nature of Neferet, the evil High Priestess intent on destroying Zoey and her friends, and anyone else in the way of her quest for power—and war with humans. With the Vampyre High Council believing in Neferet’s innocence, Zoey is left to combat the evil alone.

Barely healed from the battle for her soul, Zoey returns to Tulsa with her warrior, Stark, at her side, determined to reveal Neferet for who she is: a servant of Darkness. Zoey’s best friend, Stevie Rae, is hiding something that could destroy them all, something that not even Aphrodite, a Prophetess, has foreseen. Now, when Zoey needs her friends the most, Neferet’s evil and Stevie Rae’s secret rips their circle apart forever, and they must stand alone to combat the ancient evil that she has awakened.

Awakened is the eight book in the best-selling House of Night series by P.C. and Kristin Cast. Full of secrets and a desperate battle against evil, the book is a fast-paced tale that drags the reader along for the ride—without giving them a chance to catch their breath.