Garnet Lacey, Books 2 & 3

Author: Tate Hallaway
Series: Garnet Lacey, Books 2 & 3
Publisher: Berkley Trade
Genre: Paranormal- Adventure Romance

Magic is not for the gutless. And I, Garnet Lacey, have become a seriously powerful Witch. Let's just hope I can stomach what's coming.

I should've known I'd never get away with murder. Especially when the people I accidentally unleashed the dark Goddess Lilith on were Vatican Witch hunters. Besides, I've had other things to worry about. I really don't want my vampire boyfriend to find out that my vampire ex is stowing his coffin in my basement...

Meanwhile, pesky frat-boy zombies are popping up everywhere, even at Mercury Crossing, the occult bookstore I manage. And if that weren't enough, I've got a gorgeous FBI agent hot on my trail.

What to do? A teensy little love spell might encourage cute FBI guy to listen to my side of the story, and I could break it anytime...right? Between love spells gone wrong and sharing my body with the Goddess Lilith, a plea of innocence won't be so easy to conjure up...

Title: Dead Sexy
Start & Finished: 2/15/09
Published: May 1, 2007
Pages: 294

Vampires, Vatican assassins, a hot FBI agent, and even zombies show up in Tate Hallaway’s Dead Sexy, the second story in her series featuring Garnet Lacey (formerly known as Meadow Springs). All of course is dealt with by the heroine-- usually in hilarious ways! Hallaway also writes science-fiction/ fantasy novels under her real name Lyda Morehouse.

Garnet actually started off as a cozy mystery heroine "who, using astrology, would solve murders BEFORE they happened. However, [Hallaway’s] editor was really looking for paranormal romances, so [she] tweaked her around and gave her a dark past, dark goddess, love interest, etc," and I’m so glad that she did. Garnet alone is interesting and still unique but her magic-made vampire boyfriend Sebastian, her regular vampire ex-boyfriend Parrish (whom I really, really like- probably since he was a highwayman in life and even more… interesting as a vampire), and her friends are what help give the story vitality.

There is a lot of vampire romance out there lately but none quite like Tate Hallaway’s series. Perhaps because the author herself is a witch as well though she does take liberties because “real-life witchcraft can be pretty dull,” she also makes a lot of it seem almost real. Of course, that does have its drawbacks since this story does have zombies in it which really scare me but I was so intent on what Garnet was thinking and feeling that I had very little time to be scared for anyone but her! This is truly a fun series in the same vein as MaryJanice Davidson and Erin McCarthy.

Picture Explanations
Holy Grounds: A coffee shop where Garnet’s friend Izzy works
Crow: Helps Garnet in the story

~__________~

I'm on top of the world. The Vatican witch hunters think I'm dead, the FBI has closed my file, I might get to buy the occult bookstore I manage, I'm cofounding a brand-new coven - and the vampire I love has just proposed. How lucky can a girl get? Wait...

Oh, drat. I've jinxed myself. My fiance, Sebastian, is missing and I'm worried sick. Has he been kidnapped? Or could he have run off with that leggy blonde from the coven? Now I'll have to seek the help of my future stepson - the same brat who once turned me over to the witch hunters, all for a pimped-out Jag. Plus, the Goddess Lilith, who camps out in my body, has been making embarrassing appearances. Now, all I need is some crazy shape-shifting killer on my tail. Hold on...Double drat.

Title: Romancing the Dead
Start & Finished: 2/15/09- 2/16/09
Published: May 6, 2008
Pages: 304

The third story in Tate Hallaway’s Garnet Lacey series is Romancing the Dead which the author was inspired to write by a local Wisconsin werewolf myth "The Beast of Bray Road." When asked what inspired her to write this particular story Ms. Hallaway said, "A lot of the romance I read when I first started reading romances were “first blush,” as in the main point of the story was the excitement of meeting someone new. At the end of these novels, things faded very quickly into the nebulous (and unrealistic) happily, ever after. One of the things I’m trying to do in the Garnet Lacey series is promote the romance that can be found in a long-term relationship."

A series that has quickly become one of my favorites is the Garnet Lacey books. The main character "is a lovable flake with a dark side, namely the Goddess Lilith with whom she accidentally bonded when some witch hunters killed her coven" and she has a ton of neat friends not to mention a totally gorgeous magic-made vampire (he’s practically human besides the being immortal, drinking blood, and is incredibly strong) for a boyfriend… nope, make that fiancé now!

Of course, she has a really snotty stepson to look forward to named Mátyás but he can be somewhat decent at times during Romancing the Dead. Like all of the stories in this series, mythical and magical beings do show up and are usually part of the plot like the “werewolf” in this one. All in all this is a truly magical series that I enjoy quite a lot and though the premise is a bit a la Undead and Uneasy by MaryJanice Davidson, Hallaway’s story has more than enough uniqueness and flair not only make it work but it also draws you completely in and has you coming back for more.

Garnet Lacey Series:
1. Tall, Dark and Dead (2006)
2. Dead Sexy (2007)
3. Romancing the Dead (2008)
4. Dead If I Do (2009)
Many Bloody Returns Anthology

DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE INTERVIEW I DID WITH THE AUTHOR!

Links: Author Wikipedia, Author Blog, MySpace, YouTube Channel, Louisiana Voodoo
Interview: Mike Brotherton, Jenna Black, David B. Coe's, Lori Devoti, Amberkatze, Jeri Smith-Ready, and ME!

Picture Explanations
Werewolf?: Seems to be stalking Garnet
Wind Chime: Someone lauches a magical attack against Ms. Lacey and uses the crystal wind chimes in her store to do it.