Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

I loved this. I think it might be a children's book, but who cares? There is no shame in adolescent literature these days.

The first in a series, this is a magical, fantasy novel with ridiculous monsters and parallel worlds. All of which are a lot more fun than my world.  The writing is fabulously descriptive and easy to fall into and the plot is engrossingly unreal.

Best of all - there are no vampires! So we won't have to endure the sullen what's-her-name lolling around like a stroke victim when this is eventually turned into a film. Which surely it will be. Please.