This week, I want books that will take me away from real life into places where the rules are different and the monsters aren’t human, so I’ve picked two Vampire novellas and the first book in a trilogy about a human organisation trying to manage relations with the Fey in modern Los Angeles.

I’m looking for action and humour rather than whimsy or existential angst. Most of all, I’m looking for strong storytelling around engaging main characters.

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‘We’re All Monsters Here‘ by Amy Marsden (2023)

I’ll confess that I looked at this book because it has such a striking cover. I bought it because I liked the relaxed arrogance the main character displays in the opening paragraphs below:

“The company retreat boasted seclusion and sunshine, both of which were ideal for murdering a bunch of humans and getting away with it. The seclusion, at least—the sunshine was a nice bonus. I hated rain and cold weather. It ruined my carefully cultivated image of perfection. Drowned rat was not a good look.

​I was pretty new to the company. Although, to be honest, I wasn’t really a part of the multibillion-dollar oil corporation. They’d recently bought my start-up and had invited me out of the goodness of their sweet little hearts. And by that, I meant they’re rich, and rich people love to show poor people what they’re missing out on. ​

Jokes on them, though. I’m not poor, and this whole thing was a setup on my part.”

Marsden, Amy. We’re All Monsters Here . Kindle Edition.

What’s not to like about a vampire who preys on fossil fuel billionaires? And how come a vampire likes sunshine? And how can I resist a predator with a sense of humour who likes to play with her food?

I’m hoping this will be a fun, original novella and that I’ve found a new author to follow.

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‘Bad Blood‘ by Chuck Wendig (2016)

I’ve been looking forward to reading ‘Bad Blood‘ since I read ‘Double Dead‘ last month and met Coburn, a vampire who wakes to find himself in the middle of the zombie apocalypse. ‘Double Dead‘ was Chuck Wendig’s debut novel and I thought it was wonderful. It was great fun from the first page to the last. It was original, energetic, surprising and often funny. 

Five years and more than a dozen novels later Chuck Wendig returned to Coburn and it looks like he’s determined to make the vampire’s undead life more complicated by introducing a new super-zombie worshipping cult. I’m looking forward to seeing Coburn take them down.

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‘Borderline’ by Mishell Baker (2016)

I’ve already started ‘Borderline’ and although I’m enjoying it, I find it hard to describe in just a few lines, so I’m going to quote Mishell Baker’s description of the Arcdia Project Trilogy (‘Borderline‘ , ‘Phantom Pains‘ and ‘Imposter Syndrome‘) on her website:

“The series is narrated by Millicent Roper, a snarky double-amputee and suicide survivor who works with a ragtag collection of society’s least-wanted, keeping the world safe from the chaotic whims of supernatural beasties.”

I like that, in a book about the Fey crossing over into and influencing the modern world, the focus stays strongly on Millie. Even the title, ‘Borderline‘ refers as much to her borderline personality disorder and how it affects how she sees and reacts to the world as it does to the bordr between the fey world and our own, She’s a remarkable character and discovering human/fey relationships through her eyes is a unique experience. Add in a mystery and the threat of a war with the fey that mankind would lose and it has my full attention.