Insatiable by Meg Cabot

... or prepare yourselves for a very long, very gushy review.

Writing for the long-running soap Insatiable is Meena Harper's dream job but it comes with some less-than-dreamy things attached to it, like her new boss Shoshona (who got the promotion that should have been Meena's) and the fact that Shoshona and the network are adding a Vampire story line to the show.

Like Meena doesn't have enough problems of her own, among them the fact that she knows when someone is going to die, and that no matter how much she tries to help, half the time people just don't listen to her. Still, when one night she can't sleep and her little dog, Jack Bauer, pleads to be taken out for a walk - at 2 A.M. - Meena figures it can't hurt. She had no idea that Lucien Antonescu would rescue her, and Jack, from a bat attack outside St. George's Cathedral and that, in doing so, would change her life... and her perception of vampires.

Lucien is none other than the Prince of Darkness in the flesh, come to New York to take care of some unpleasant business that might have something to do with his brother, and maybe to sweep Meena off her feet.

Following Lucien's footsteps is Palatine Guard Alaric Wulf, hunter of all things evil who has an special bad grudge against vampires and who will go any length to see Lucien destroyed.

Allow me to pause at this point to say this is not a typical vampire novel, but it is typical Meg Cabot in that it's made of AWESOME. I'm not kidding.

Meena is sweet and funny (she has a secret candy stash hidden in her office!) but she's also surprisingly clear eyed when it comes to Lucien and Alaric, seeing them for who they are -good and bad - rather than just as a vampire and a hunter.

Alaric became one of my favorite hunters of evil things (I'm putting him up there with Buffy! that's major props!), he named his sword, likes Betty and Veronica comics and has Goofy watch. He's also very good at mercilessly killing vampires.

And Lucien, well, there is no doubt he's a vampire but he's the kind of Vampire I like: he knows what he wants, he goes to get it, he's not one of those who nobly restrains. He's also mature, and very aware of the respectability he shoulders, he acts like a man, not like a teenager.

Aside from these three very strong, awesome characters, Insatiable has a lot more going on. There is this very visual feel about the book - Meg does a great job with descriptions, it was like I was reading in Technicolor - with a dash of Law & Order. Great Pop Culture references without excessive name-dropping, great support characters and just a really well-rounded story.

I'm already biting my nails waiting for the sequel - coming out Summer 2011 - because I just can't wait to spend more time with Meena & Co. This book is that good!

Favorite quote: "Alric didn't give him a chance for any last words. In his experience vampires didn't really have anything that interesting or insightful to say. It was all Shakespeare and emo."

PS - Check out Meg's site, it's full of Insatiable extras!