Finished "Family Man"

Lipman's latest turned out just as fun and entertaining as it started. I enjoyed it and recommend it for a good light read.

Now I'm finishing up the teen werewolf novel "Nightshade" by Andrea Cremer. It will be out in October, and it is a perfect blend of romance and paranormal. The main character, Calla, is the up-and-coming alpha to a to-be-formed pack of werewolves. She and her destined alpha male, Ren, are on track to be mated, take over a pack of their own, and continue their inherited role as Guardians... but then sweet, mysterious, gorgeous boy Shay comes into their lives. Confusion ensues. So far it's a page-turner, with some of the club-going exclusivity of the Bluebloods series or other popular elite urban teen series (Gossip Girl, A-List), but none of the random hook-ups or crass commercialism. I like that Calla is a warrior primarily, but her heart sure does go pitter-pat. The mythology might be a bit too intentionally enigmatic so far (Calla and the other Guardians only know the Keeper-approved stories of their origins and purpose), but I'm zipping through it and having a good time. I'm really looking forward to meeting the author later this month when she comes through Seattle for her pre-pub dinner tour, and I think this will be a great book to recommend to teens and others who enjoyed "Graceling," "Shiver," "Twilight," and "Rampant."