Born and reared on the windswept plains of Montana (and if anyone is thinking Hannah Montana please recall that Hannah's story, Soulmate, was written in the 1990's), Hannah Snow always gets two looks.  One is for her waterfall of fair hair and clear gray eyes, and one is for the pale rose birthmark on her cheek--the color of watermelon ice.  Soulmate tells the story of how she finds that she is an Old Soul, who can remember many different incarnations--and the vampire lover who has tried to win her since she lived in a limestone cave--Thierry.  There is a look into Hannah's Night World story in the Sneak Peeks section.

James is the cool guy on campus and reminds Poppy of Secret Vampire vaguely of James Dean. But James’s secret is a deadly one: he is a vampire from one of the “best” families—meaning one that will kill human vermin without hesitation if they feel James is getting too close to them. What that means for James’s soulmate Poppy is that she faces deadly danger on every hand. See a Sneak Peek of their story in Cuts and Peeks.

The thorn in Jez Redfern’s side—they have been contending for the leadership of the gang they’ve built out of vampire orphans since they were children. Except that these days, Jez is starting to feel something new for the brooding, moody Morgead. See their story in the Stories section and a Sneak Peek of Huntress in Cuts and Peeks.

A slight, shy girl with soft brown hair, Sarah Strange may feel more comfortable among trees than people, but she’s the lynchpin of Strange Fate.  Still trying to cope with the recent death of her mother, Sarah now gets migraines which take her to far-distant places and show her witches and vampires, shapeshifters and Wild Powers.  Even her two best friends, Kierlan Drache and Mal Harman can’t help her when she’s in the dreamworld.  Even worse, these two best friends have begun to treat Sarah differently—as if she’s grown up over night.

A vampire with a witch’s last name? Yes, Mal is the whole package. He’s a vampire fighting off the old urges—and one new urge whose name is Sarah Strange.  Is it his imagination or does he see a silver cord stretching from him to her?  He might seem cold and harsh, even to Sarah, but then why does he appear every time she’s in trouble?  If Sarah only knew what he was really thinking . . .

The oldest vampire in the Night World series, and the mother of both the first made vampire (Thierry Descouedres), and the first lamia, her son Red Fern, Maya has been the villain behind all villains in the Night World.  She’s supposed to be dead, and, like all vampires, not in the line for resurrection. But she was a witch before she was a vampire, and in Strange Fate, Maya is back and set on nothing less than world dominion for the vampires.  In her way?  A sixteen-year-old girl called Sarah Strange.

One of the four Wild Powers of Strange Fate. She is part of the second impediment to Maya’s destruction of the present world and her debuting a kingdom of blood and darkness.  Jez is the first vampire/human hybrid child, and she embodies the Wild Power of Fire.

Jenny without Julian? Or Jenny sans Tom? How does The Forbidden Game end? In any case, Jenny can now wear her hair any way she likes.  But even that doesn’t seem to be enough to keep a wistful look out of her eyes.  This is one book that I’m seriously considering for a sequel once I’ve finished my Vampire Diaries and Strange Fate contracts.

There are many visions of Elena—one for each person who reads The Vampire Diaries books.  Here is one such vision—and I’m always happy to welcome more.  Golden and imperial, this Jenny hasn’t forgotten her simple ribbon days.

A study in contrasts—is it really Vampire Elena, or considering the clothing, Katerina half a millennium ago?  Again, everyone (including the CW).  This lovely girl obviously has some serious plotting in mind.

Elena seems awfully fond of someone.  But which brother is it?  At this point, she’s still in love with both of them.  In any case, she looks content.

Another glimpse of an upcoming book . . . that is definitely not for middle graders. Aprit is stuck in a love triangle that includes a prince whose only desire is to be a minstrel, and a mysterious faun called Fenrian, whom she has—perhaps unwisely—let out of a thousand years of prison.  How was she to know that fauns are wicked creatures with a reputation with the ladies?  The apricot-haired princess has to save her kingdom without losing her life in the process—but this is not your traditional fairy tale.