[WizardofOwls]

I've got a new book to add to the pile. It is called Tithe and it was written by a lady named Holly Black. You will most likely find it in the Young Adult section of your bookstore, but don't let that fool you - I'm a little over halfway through it, and all I can say is that if you are a fan of DeLint-style Urban Fantasy, then you will LOVE this book! I think that it is excellent! There is a second book by the same lady called Valiant which appears to be in the same series, but the characters are different. I'll be reading that one as soon as I finish Tithe, so I'll be sure and let you know what I think.

I've been thinking... there are a few more books I'd like to add to the list. These are all by one of my favorite authors, Mercedes Lackey. The first three are part of a trilogy called the Diana Tregarde Mysteries. They are Jinx High, Burning Water, and Children of the Night, and deal with a practicing witch who uses her magic to solve supernatural mysteries. The other is called Sacred Ground, and deals with a character named Jennifer Talldeer who is a Native American medicine woman. She uses her magic to solve a mystery dealing with the disturbance of a sacred burial ground which stirs up some vengeful spirits. If you liked Urban Shaman by C. E. Murphy, then I think you would like this one too.

So here is my list of favorite Urban Fanstasy books so far:

Charles DeLint - Almost ANYTHING!
Emma Bull - War for the Oaks
Raymond E. Feist - Faerie Tale
C. E. Murphy - Urban Shaman, Thunderbird Falls, and Banshee Cries (a short story in the book called Winter Moon)
James A. Hetley - The Summer Country, The Winter Oak
Mercedes Lackey - Sacred Ground, Jinx High, Burning Water, Children of the Night
Holly Black - Tithe (and probably Valiant, if it is as good as the first book)

Still looking for more books to add to the list, so keep those suggestions coming!