Geekomancy by Michael Underwood (Urban Fantasy, 2013, 284 pages).

Geekomancy pitches itself as Clerks meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer. This description isn’t too wide of the mark, and that is a glorious thing.

Imagine a world just like ours, except that all the genre stuff we geeks squee over (from Firefly right on down to D & D) is real. Want to fight like Buffy? Well, if you’re a genremancer, all you have to do is watch a lot episodes and you’ll be able to magically channel the Buffster – badass moves, cutting snark, and all.

Wish light sabers were real? If you have the right kind of magic — and belief — they damn well are. Secretly believe that there are Druids, and Steampunk heroes displaced in time, and trolls, and psychic paper? In Geekomancy, they’re all real, real, real.

The plot of Geekomancy revolves around a barista named Ree Reyes. While Ree is your nothing-average-about-her geek girl, her existence is pretty mundane. Until, that is, a man named Eastwood blows some trolls up in the alley behind her cafe, ushering Ree into the thrilling (and often perilous) world of magic. Eastwood enlists Ree’s help in solving a series of teen suicides with a supernatural twist and things only get crazier from there.

Geekomancy is a fun read. The pacey story isn’t the only draw, either. Testing your own geek cred against the rapid-fire genre references is just as addictive as the it-ain’t-always-black-and-white plot. The narrative wraps up with a satisfying resolution but leaves the door cracked wide enough open for what will hopefully be several sequels (there is currently a book 2, Celebromancy).

In short, if you’re looking for a quirky distraction from all the holiday festivities and family fun, and if you’re a true genre-loving nerd, Geekomancy was written for you.