Four days and five books later (you’d think I’d learn to savor them!) I’ve made it back home. New York is crowded and smelly, airplanes suck, but, boy, was the reading fantastic! I have a new series to recommend to everyone, sort of a Harry-Potter-for-Grown-Ups. Katie MacAlister has penned a very funny and intrepid heroine named Aisling Grey.

I knew Aisling and I were kindred spirits from the opening lines of the first book, (MacAlister, Katie. You Slay Me. New York: Onyx, 2004:p1.)

“Ezling.”
“No, it’s Aisling.”
“Azhlee?”
“Aisling. It’s Irish….” I sweetened my smile, pushed down the worry that something would go wrong with the job, and said very slowly, “It’s pronounced ash-ling.”
“Ash-leen….”
I nodded. It was close enough.

If I had a nickel for every time I’ve had that conversation! There are currently three books out, with the fourth scheduled for November 2007. I don’t think I can wait that long! I am going to write a personal thank you letter to Katie for the hours of laughter and book lust she’s given me.

On this vacation I also read Last of the Red Hot Vampires, also by Katie, which was good, though the title doesn’t make much sense with the story line. It also deals with the crazy fabulous world that Aisling inhabits.

On the plane over, surrounded by elderly asian tourists, I read Karen Marie Moning’s Kiss of the Highlander. The cover shot left no doubt what sort of book I was reading, english proficiency not required. I was slightly embarrassed, but hey, who cares? Right? Right.