God, When Will You Answer My Prayers?
Patty Cakes, author
Sam Wallcom, illustrator
Outskirts Press, Inc.
10940 S. Parker Rd., 515, Parker, CO 80134
9781598002720, $17.95 1-888-672-6657 www.outskirtspress.com
God, When Will You Answer My Prayers? is a Christian picturebook for children discussing one of life's most difficult issues - why does life sometimes seem to take a turn for the worse no matter how much one prays? Following a puppy named Samantha, who has a hard time at the beginning of her life and prays for help, God, When Will You Answer My Prayers? reveals that sometimes God's timing and ways of dealing with the world is simply different than ours. The first in a four-book series, God, When Will You Answer My Prayers? is a heartwarming tale meant to be read aloud and shared between parents and children as an affirmation of faith.
A Prairie Day with Annie
Michelle Fattig, author
Josh Fattig, illustrator
Flower by the Water Publishing
PO Box 579, Genoa, NE 68640
9780979580512, $14.99 www.anniebooks.com
Written by school psychologist Michelle Fattig, who herself lives a highly successful life even though she has ADHD and Asperger's Syndrome, A Prairie Day with Annie is novel for young readers featuring a pair of children, Michelle and John, who have Asperger's Syndrome and Attention Deficit Disorder. They apply their unique perspective and insight to combat crime and evil, and further world peace. Black-and-white illustrations and a large typeface gentle on the eyes distinguish this easy-to-read chapter book and its upbeat message life with ADD and Asperger's. A handful of black-and-white illustrations by Michelle's son Josh Fattig, who also has Asperger's Syndrome and ADD, round out this excellent novel for young readers ready to start on their first ever chapter books.
Senior Smart Puzzles: Mazes, Hidden Objects, Same/Different Puzzles is a black-and-white, consumable activity book designed especially for seniors, ideal for stimulating thought, conversation, and memories. The mostly visual puzzles include mazes, hidden object finds, and uncovering the differences between seemingly identical pictures. All the puzzles are fairly simple and suitable for children as well, though the chosen imagery is especially designed to appeal to the elder population - adult individuals and families at work, at play, or doing routine things around the home. Visual solutions are listed in the back. Enthusiastically recommended as a stimulating tool for senior centers.
Have A Jesus Filled Day
Roy & Ann Chapman
Integrated Book Marketing
PO Box 321, King Park, NY 11754
9780977965700, $14.99
Non-denominational church pastors and founders of Chosen Ministries, Inc. Roy and Ann Chapman present Have A Jesus Filled Day, an uplifting self-help guide for Christians to filling one's days with blessings, satisfaction, peace, guidance, vision, abundance, and the many other benefits of inviting the Lord Jesus Christ into one's heart. Sample daily confessions for personal study and recitation pepper this spiritually uplifting text. "When the Lord is the main focus in your life, there is no reason to be afraid. There is no fear when you have the light of the Lord in your life. When you walk with Him, you will not stumble in the darkness. There is protection. When trials and temptations come, you will not fall because you have the promise of His presence to guide and shelter you."
Mary Cowper
Reviewer
Dunford's Bookshelf
The Rozabal Line
Shawn Haigins
Lulu Press
860 Aviation Parkway, Suite 300, Morrisville, NC 27560
9781430327547 $16.95 www.lulu.com www.shawnhaigins.com
The Rozabal Line is a suspenseful novel about modern-day religious tensions. Father Vincent Morgan becomes immersed in a storm of controversy over the ancient tomb of Rozabal in Kashmir, which has contained the body of the saint Yuz Asaf since 112 A.D. Caught in the crossroads between extreme Islamic fundamentalists and the equally extreme fundamentalists of the Crux Decussata Permuta, Morgan must question whether the world-altering secret held within Rozabal should be revealed at all. Religious wrath, ruthless controversy spanning the globe, and the threat of nuclear destruction make for a gripping read from cover to cover.
Bones Of The Dead
Elle Newmark
Katherine Brandenburg
Marketing Department
iUniverse, Inc.
2021 Pine Lake Road, #100, Lincoln, NE 68512
9780595417391, $16.95 www.iuniverse.com www.ellenewmark.com
Set in 15th Century Venice during the time of the Renaissance, "Bones Of The Dead" is a unique novel in which author Elle Newmark brilliantly unfolds a fascinating story about an underground network of chefs at the dawn of humanism who are teaching subversive 'new' ideas disguised as recipes. This was a time in which both Church and State were seeking to suppress humanist notions through torture, imprisonment, and even death. But the era of ideas would not be stopped no matter what the cost. One of those ideas was to use cookbooks a instruction manuals in philosophy. "Bones Of The Dead" is a gripping novel of political and papal intrigue that will grip the reader's total attention from first page to last. Enthusiastically recommended for personal reading lists and community library collections, he recipes embedded in this articulate and original work of masterfully crafted fiction are an added bonus!
The Philosophy Of Rich
Ted Courtemanche
Iterim Publishing
PO Box 39778, Greensboro, NC 27438
Gulotta Communications (publicity)
341 Lexington Street, Newton, MS 02466
9780979894299, $16.95 www.thephilosophyofrich.com
In "The Philosophy Of Rich: A True Story About Brothers And Resurrection", author Ted Courtemanche has deftly written a complex memoir that includes four distinctive themes or stories. The first one focuses upon the last two months of his brother Rich's life which ended in suicide. The second one recounts the two brothers growing up together, taking yearly family vacations, and coming of age. The third is about Rich as a millionaire futures investor. And finally, there is Ted's philosophic and scientific look at their families, the issues of illness and death, and such miscellaneous family matters as the building of go-karts and tree houses. A personal family history that is laced with ideas and information about bipolar disorders, and the coming to terms with sudden death and tragic loss, "The Philosophy Of Rich" is especially recommended reading for anyone having to deal with similar events and conditions in their own lives, families, and friends.
Chaco Astronomy
Anna Sofaer
Ocean Tree Books
PO Box 1295, Santa Fe, NM 87504
9780943734460, $24.95 www.oceantree.com
During the summer solstice in 1977, researcher Anna Sofaer was high on a butte in New Mexico's western deserts when she observed a single shaft of light perfectly bisecting a rock art spiral. The spiral was created by the ancestors of the Native Americans known as the Pueblo people. Sofaer recognized the significance of this 'Sun Dagger' and commenced a thirty-year investigation and research into the meaning of it and numerous other astronomical expressions found throughout the architecture and art of the ancient Chaco culture. The results of this three decade study are what comprise "Chaco Astronomy: An Ancient American Cosmology". The result of Sofaer's own researches are augmented by other contributors to The Solstice Project. The informed and informative text is enhanced with the inclusion of numerous black-and-white photographs, drawings, and sketches. "Chaco Astronomy" is a work of seminal scholarship that is enthusiastically recommended for personal, professional, and academic library collections in American Archeology, Native American History, and Paleo Astronomy reference collections and supplemental reading lists.
Michael Dunford
Reviewer
Greenspan's Bookshelf
No Stress Tech Guide to ACT! 2007
Indera E. Murphy
Tolana Publishing
PO Box 719, Teaneck, NJ 07666
9780977391257, $49.95 www.tolana.com
Specifically designed for introducing novice educators, school board members, and concerned parents to Act! 2007, this thoroughly 'user friendly' guide by author, educator, and IT professional Indera E. Murphy provides step-by-step instructions on installing and customizing ACT! Readers will learn how to create, edit, and duplicate contract, company, and group records of all kinds. "No Stress Tech Guide to ACT! 2007" shows how to use the 'Lookup' command, sort contract records, link company and contact records, how to run and customize reports, scheduling activities and create opportunities, modify report templates and menus, as well as import and export data. Of special note is the information relevant to performing database maintenance tasks. All this and more comprise "No Stress Tech Guide to ACT! 2007", making it an invaluable and very strongly recommended instruction manual and reference guide!
Rebellion of Thought
The Brothers Williamson
Exploration Films
PO Box 1069, Monument, Colorado 80132
$22.95 www.explorationfilms.com
Rebellion of Thought is a DVD assessment of the interplay between post-modern philosophy and religious belief. Post-modernism is the concept that there are quite literally no absolutes - what is "true" from one point of view is not necessarily true at all from another. The consequences of such thinking are far-reaching, both for organized religion and for society in general. How can believers in Jesus Christ express their faith in compelling ways, amid a modern generation that defies authority, code, and convention? What does it truly mean to love one's neighbor as oneself? Rebellion of Thought ultimately criticizes and deconstructs the flaws of post-modern thinking, while offering guidance and recommendations for parents and social leaders confronted by it. 75 minutes, color.
Gateways to the Otherworld
Philip Gardiner
Reality Films
PO Box 91, Foresthill, CA 95631
$24.95 www.reality-entertainment.com www.gardinersworld.com
Continuing the fantastic metaphysical journey begun by "Quantum Mind of God", Gateways to the Otherworld confronts a question as old as humankind's primordial consciousness: is there life after death? Offering a technique through which we can travel to the "other realities" that exist within ourselves, and tapping into the power of quantum physics, documentary producer Philip Gardiner undergoes his own experiments to prove his points and reveals that ancient humankind is far more advanced than previously thought. In an amazing blend of science and mysticism, Gateways to the Otherworld tells of the universal frequency that allows the mind to travel to other realms; the "quantum entanglement" connection; the secrets of the Great Pyramids; methods of healing nearly lost to time that could benefit all of humanity; and much more. A welcome and highly recommended addition to metaphysical studies DVD shelves.
Feed
First Run Features
The Film Center Building, 630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1213, New York, NY 10036
$24.95 www.firstrunfeatures.com
Feed is a raucous documentary-comedy about running for president of the United States with a twist - it's comprised of footage shot during the primaries and the intercepted satellite feeds of unwitting candidates. From the real Hillary Clinton on the campaign trail, to Jerry Brown's use of nose inhalers, Ross Perot's dirty talk, Pat Buchanan's temper tantrums, and Bill Clinton's doublespeak, Feed is proof that truth can be not only stranger than fiction, but funnier as well! Enthusiastically recommended for anyone in need of a good laugh at modern politics. 76 minutes, color. Independent film enthusiasts, movie buffs, and film school librarians would be well advised to visit the First Run Features website at www.firstrunfeatures.com for a complete listing of their extensive collection of independent and foreign films.
Able Greenspan
Reviewer
Klausner's Bookshelf
Racing the Dark
Alaya Dawn Johnson
Bolden
9781932841282 $24.00 www.agatepublishing.com
Teenage Lana lives on the island earning a living diving in fresh water to take jewels from mandagah fish. When Lana goes through the rite of adulthood ceremony, she finds a special blood-red jewel that she hides from her family and the village elders. She knows the gem means she is someone with power, but she does not want to become an elder as those who obtain special jewels become; elders have no independence as their life is filled with responsibilities for others.
Six months after she hid the jewel, the village cash crop, the mandagah fish are dying out caused by changes to their watery environs. Lana's family wants to relocate to another island, but have no means to pay neither the transportation nor settling. To do so Lana obtains an apprenticeship with a strange "exiled" witch the sorceress Akua, who uses blood sacrifice to fuel her spells. As Lana learns how to cast spells, she must sacrifice something of personal value to cast her incantations. When she is tricked into sacrificing her beloved mother, Lanai knows she cannot; she must find someway to save her mother's life, which means using even more ancient forbidden dark magic.
This is a terrific coming of age fantasy thriller starring a thirteen years old girl whose rite of passage into adulthood takes a dark turn when she finds the special blood gem. Readers will feel they have entered Johnson's Island (not the military base in the Pacific) realm as the geography and climate come across rather influentially and powerfully. However, the island culture beyond the gem economy and government never fully seems developed although in fairness the gems are the heart of society. Still filled with twists especially the key Twilight Zone spin, young adults will enjoy RACING THE DARK alongside of Lana, who would do anything for her beloved mother as witnessed by her sacrificing her soul to apprentice to the blood witch.
Chile Con Corpses
J.B. Stanley
Midnight Ink
2143 Wooddale Drive,, Woodbury, MN, 55125-2989
9780738712598 $13.95
James, Bennett, Lindy, Lucy and Gillian are members of the Flab Five, a club who supports the members concerning proper diet and exercise so they can lose weight. It is a diverse group with Lindy trying to get up the courage to tell the high school principal she likes him. James and Lucy are an entry but the two are drifting apart and the relationship ends when he sees her with another man who is helping her pass her test to be a police officer.
James is drafted into being a chaperone at the Luray Caverns where art students can paint after hours. While everyone is in a different area, one of the students finds the body of Parker Willis who they later find out is an heiress who was in practice with veterinarian Collin Crabtree. Her twin sister Kinsley is distraught so the group members try to console her. They once again start sleuthing to find the killer while Kinsley lets her ex-boyfriend Gary console her.
CHILI CON CORPSES is as much a tale of friends with common interests as it is an amateur sleuth mystery. The five members of the support group know each other's strengths and faults, but like each other despite of their weaknesses. James is the glue that holds the story together as he takes care of his father, tries to remain friends with Lucy while pursuing another relationship and guiding the investigation so that nobody is in danger.
I Never Saw Paris
Harry I. Freund
Carroll & Graf
c/o Avalon Publishing Group
245 West 17th Street, 11th floor, New York, NY 10011-5300
9780786720545 $23.00 1-800-788-3123
In Manhattan, four people wait on the sidewalk for chance to cross Park Ave when a car jumps the curb killing each of them and the driver. The group of strangers consists of sexagenarian businessman Irving Caldman, fifty something personal shopper for the wealthy Clarissa Bowen; grandmother Essie Mae Rowder employed as a housemaid; twentyish interior decorator Brett Taylor; and the driver Mendel Perlow who survived the holocaust to own a New York candy store.
Malakh welcomes the group at a heavenly rest stop where he prepares the quintet for their upcoming worthiness before the Judge of the Universe. He orders each to share their life history with the others. At first none of the five are comfortable revealing their inner most fears and desires, but over the course of bickering and fighting, each opens up revealing good and bad memories as a camaraderie forms.
This is a fabulous parable with an interesting spin on how heaven works and what it takes to get there as deeds count. The story line focuses on all five recently deceased mortals with Irving as the prime player with his dry assertion that he never saw Paris nor will he at least in that lifetime. Readers will appreciate Harry I. Freund's insightful look at five strangers going through the stages of a group (Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing and Terminating as Malakh moves them on) while also the stages of grief for those they left behind.
Winter in Madrid
C.J. Sansom
Viking Books
c/o Penguin Putnam Inc.
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780670018482 $25.95 www.penguin.com 1-800-847-5515
By 1940 the brutal Spanish Civil War has finally ended, but much of the country remains devastated with people worried about basic sustenance needs like food, clean water, and shelter. As neutral Spain struggles to recover, the Germans blitzkrieg continues its rapid conquest of Europe and their air force daily bombs the last foe Britain. The leader of the winning side General Francisco Franco and his Fascist party considers joining the Nazis like Mussolini and Italy did.
England sends reluctant Harry Brett to spy on his old peer Sandy Forsyth, a dishonest Madrid businessman, who has close toes to Franco. Brett has doubts he is the man for the job, but journeys to Madrid to win the confidence of Sandy and through him what Franco's plans re the war with Hitler are. However, he finds Madrid nothing like the energized vibrant city that it was just a few years ago under the short lived republic when he and his close friend Bernie Piper visited the city. Instead he finds distressed hopeless people starving and dying; he wants to go home where the Nazi bombings have only increased the fortitude of his fellow Brits to defeat the German monster.
WINTER IN MADRID is a terrific historical thriller that is part espionage and part political. The storyline provides an insightful look at the aftermath of Franco's victory in the Civil War especially the political turmoil of a divided Fascist Party debating whether to join its two allies or recuperate from the bloody internal fight. C.J. Sansom places a powerful spotlight on battered Spain as WW II has devastated much the rest of the continent while the Battle of Britain seems inevitable and would enable Franco to claim like Mussolini he was on the victorious side.
Forget About It
Caprice Crane
5 Spot Hachette
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017-0010
9780446697552 $13.99 www.hachettebookgroupusa.com
At work advertising expert Jordan Landau's boss bypasses her to promote a less talented squeaky wheel yet has no qualms about taking full credit for Jordan's brilliant ideas because she knows her star employee is a wuss. Her personal life stinks too as her boyfriend is a cheater and her mother and younger sister disdain her as a wimp.
Being despondent over not fighting back over all that seems to have gone wrong, Jordan wants to start anew. She gets her chance when she is in a bicycle accident; she pretends to suffer from amnesia. Jordan begins to open her mouth at work, with her family and with kicking the cheater to the curb. She receives a promotion and begins dating the driver of the car that hit her and her bike.
The metamorphosis of Jordan from doormat to assertive is cleverly yet realistically designed so that reader believes in the heroine's changes. The support cast enhances the alteration as they must change in their side of the relationship to keep up with the suddenly self-assured Jordan. Fans will enjoy her ripping skin from her boss, her mom, her sis, and booting her boyfriend out of her life. Though the romance with the driver is unnecessary, readers will appreciate this fine character study as Caprice Crane's novels are proving intelligent and contagious.
Dragon Harper
Anne McCaffrey & Todd McCaffrey
Del Rey
c/o Random House Trade Group Publicity
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, New York, NY 10019
9780345480309 $5.95 www.randomhouse.com 1-800-726-0600
Although apprentice Harper Kindan is disappointed not to impress one of the eggs containing baby dragons on the hatching grounds of High Reaches Weyr, he knows there will be other chances. He returns to Harper Hall and finds himself protecting a Harper young women from the senior apprentice Vaxoram. After getting some special training, Kindan and Vaxoram duel with the former winning. According to the terms of the duel Vaxoram is Kindan's servant and under his guidance. Vaxoram becomes a better person, genuinely glad when his friend impresses a fire lizard and worried what will happen when it is discovered that Kindan is in love with a Lord Holder's daughter
These worries are swept aside when a new danger threatens Pern. A super flu starts spreading from hold to hold and nobody knows how to cure it. The records show a plague like this hit once before and it took twenty turns to recover from the aftereffects. With thread coming in twelve turns, the weyrs have to quarantine themselves so they will have enough people and dragons to fight thread. It is up to the Holds and the information gathering of the Harpers to find a way to have the plague burn itself out before the population will not be able to produce goods and grow crops because there won't be enough people to do it. Kindan plays a big role in trying to stop the spread of the disease and caring for its victims.
Readers who have read any of the Pern books will find DRAGON HARPER just as exciting and enthralling as all the other books in the long running saga. The collaboration between Anne McCaffrey and her son Todd McCaffrey creates the same voice as if mom wrote this alone. There is plenty of action in DRAGON HARPER but the heart of the books lies in the characters who come together during the crisis.
Half the Blood of Brooklyn
Charlie Huston
Del Rey
9780345495877 $13.95
Vampyre P.I. Joe Pitt is no longer a Rogue but is an Enforcer for the Society, a clan that carved out a piece of Manhattan belonging to the Coalition. The two clans have an uneasy truce, one that can be broken by the smallest misdeed. Joe isn't interested in vampire politics but in his girlfriend Evie who is dying from AIDS. However, it is just a matter of time before war breaks out and the Manhattan clans are trying to get allies from the outer boroughs.
Terry, the leader of the Society is turned down by the Docks for an alliance and he retaliates even though he knows he will make an enemy of that clan. Joe is sent to look at a death caused by what looks like Van Helsing and the sad part is that the victim was not a vampire but a businessman who sold blood to the vamps. Another clan wants to negotiate but this time when Joe drives to Brooklyn, he is taking a hostage so that the negotiator will be brought back when talks are finished with Terry. It sounds like a simple plan but Joe becomes involved in a clan war and the end result is losing everything that matters to him.
This dark supernatural urban noir shows a brutal vampire society that is hidden amidst humans yet are predators who think of humans as prey. Manhattan is the perfect place for this storyline to take place because it is full of predators only in Charlie Huston's world they are of the supernatural kind.. Most are out for themselves and want power and territory. Joe is no choir boy but a predator who has one soft spot, his dying Evie. Clan warfare is comparable to the mafia wars.
In 1834 in New Orleans, twenty years old female Quadroon slave Isabelle Gayarre has decided to run away before she is used by her current owner. She seeks refuge in Europe because there is no safe haven for a runaway in the States. Her only hope to cross the Atlantic rests with The Jude sailing shortly.
Ship's captain Josiah Carter does not want the trouble have the enticing Isabelle on board his vessel. Still he takes her when they leave New Orleans. On the journey, he begins to admire her courage and conviction; she his strength and caring. Soon they fall in love, but laws forbid a marriage between a Quadroon and a white. Will they defy the laws and public opinion for a chance at happiness together.
This inspirational historical romance entertains readers from the moment that Isabelle seeks freedom by pleading her case to come on board the Jude and never slows down until the final kiss. The action is extremely high at sea, but it is the timely deep look at racial marital taboo laws and a society that enforces them that provide insight into the historical sanctuary of marriage.
Metal Swarm
Kevin J. Anderson
Orbit( Hachette)
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017-0010
9780316021746 $25.99 www.hachettebookgroupusa.com
The Terran Hanseatic League known as Hansa, the Ildiran Empire and the recently formed Confederation of Hansa (former colonies of the failing Terran Hanseatic League) struggle to survive while fighting one another. The three groups know they need to forge an alliance as they have external threats to their respective security.
However none of the leaders want to be accused of taking the first step towards forging an alliance as no one trusts the others to adhere to any pact. Instead they each continue to go it alone with some military resources diverted to keep the other two empires in check. Separately they struggle against runaway robots, strange intelligent fire beings and worst an insectoid race that has pandemic plans to eradicate all humans on planets found in all three spheres that they consider theirs. Failure to unite means extinction in many sectors of the universe.
The latest intergalactic interspecies hostilities outer space thriller is fast-paced and exciting, but has too much going on making it difficult to keep up with the zillion subplots especially for newcomers. Still the exhilarating story line is filled with plenty of non-stop action. Though no character stands out (there are almost as many key players as there are insectoid), fans of the series will enjoy the METAL SWARM of killer robots, fire creatures and the bugs as humanity stands on the brink of extinction in some places due to species cleansing if they fail to forge an alliance between distrusting enemies.
Saint City Sinners
Lilith Saintcrow
Orbit
9780316021432 $6.99
Her Lucifer assignment to capture four demons is on hold though she prays that the prince of Darkness is ignorant of being put aside even temporarily; Dante Valentine does not need another confrontation with a superpower who would not mind her being dead. However, the text message Gabrielle "Gabe" Spocarelli is succinct and to the point: "Danny, Mainthusez I need you. Now. Gabe". Only for her best friend in her Saint City childhood would Dante put of Lucifer.,
Dante returns home to learn Gabe's beloved Eddie was murdered ten days ago and Saint City is filled with danger. Dante seeks vengeance, but is irate with her demon lover Japhrimel, who seems to know who and why, but refuses to tell her anything. As Dante's frustration grows, Japh turns increasingly obstinate as he insists his prime objective is to keep his beloved safe including from her own reckless self at the cost of their relationship if need be. However once again he underestimates the necromancer who affirms hell hath no fury like a female seeking revenge even when it is against the wrong individual as she fails to see she is the victim of a Judas betrayal.
The latest Dante Valentine paranormal thriller is an exciting tale that showcases the talent of author Lilith Saintcrow as she combines angst and heart break with supernatural action. The story line is fast-paced, but the key elements to this superb fantasy are the plausible plot twists that send the heroine deeper into depression and anguish; she even seems suicidal ready for demons or Lucifer to kill her (kind of like having the cops shoot you). SAINT CITY SINNERS affirms that you can't go home even for a heavenly cause.
The Con Artist of Catalina Island
Jennifer Colt
Tessera Books
2461 Santa Monica Blvd #509 Santa Monica, CA.
9781604612677 $22.95
In Los Angeles, identical twins Kerry and Terry McAfee are tall red-heads who enjoy riding their respective pink bikes on the highways. The two professional sleuths own and operate Double Indemnity Investigations. However they are as dissimilar a pair of sisters one can find. Whereas Terry is a former cocaine user who has done time for possession Kerry is a college grad who appreciates men with a sense of humor.
The siblings look forward to vacationing with family members on Catalina Island for their Christmas holiday. However, upon checking in at the hotel, they learn their room was previous occupied by newlyweds, who were publicly arguing until the bride vanished along with her apparently valuable rare green diamond ring. Soon afterward the murdered corpse of diving instructor is found floating in nearby Avalon Bay. Unable to resist, the twins begin investigating only to find the sheriff angry with their intrusion into the official inquiry, a stalker turning up everywhere yet just out of reach, and a death threat for intruding in a situation that has its roots in an African diamond mine. That is when they are not hunting for a toothless poodle that ran away from the family.
This fourth McAfee investigative tale (see The Vampire of Venice Beach, The Butcher of Beverly Hills and The Mangler of Malibu Canyon; none read by this reviewer) is an amusing young adult combo whodunit family drama. The siblings are fabulous to follow as they seek romance in their own way while dealing with their relatives especially Aunt Reba's tryst haunting everyone, and finally a missing person and a homicide. Life is normal for Kerry and Terry as their vacation turns out the way their work time is, handling a difficult case that will most likely not help their bank accounts.
Dark Maiden
Norma Lehr
Juno Books
c/o Wildside Press
9710 Traville Gateway Drive, #234, Rockville, MD 20850
9780809557806 $12.95
Prime Books/Wildside Press,9710 Traville Gateway Dr., #234,Rockville, MD 20850
Everyone says that Sheila Miller's son Timmy died of SIDS but she knows an Asian woman sucked the soul out of her infant. Her husband Karl believes she hallucinated seeing an Asian woman as a means of projecting her feelings of guilt onto someone else; and had her hospitalized for three months. When she gets out they move to Auburn to be near her Aunt Iris. When she arrives there she meets Chad Olson and they both have immediate feelings for one another as if they knew one another in a previous life.
Sheila starts hallucinating about a Chinese massacre that happened near the mine on the property. Chad is obsessed about opening up the mine and digging for artifacts. Sheila begins to hear sound and seen Asian woman and she starts blacking out. She doesn't remember what she did but those around her got hurt or killed. Chad sees a giant fox following Sheila around but she thinks he is seeing things. Sheila's psychiatrist from the hospital contacts the Wus and shows them a drawing she made while in the hospital. The elder Wu has an identical amulet and tells the doctor that Sheila's condition is explained by a supernatural being and if it is not stopped, Sheila will cease to exist
DARK MAIDEN is an enthralling and entertaining dark fantasy that will bewitch readers with its hypnotic storyline. Readers will empathize with Sheila who has to cope with the loss of a child and supernatural attacks. Norma Lehr is a talented writer who somehow makes the events that take place in this tale as believable as her characters who behave in plausible manners. Once the audience learns what motivates each of them it is exciting reading about their encounter with and how they react to the supernatural.
Master of Shadows
Janet Lorimer
Juno
9780809557820 $12.95
After her father disappeared, Ariel McPherson learned that he was a gambler who left them in poverty except for a cottage in the village. Her fiance Michael broke up with her and his father Daniel Gilchrest is struggling to keep the business afloat because her father, who was his partner, embezzled finds to fund his addiction. In the village, Ariel goes to the stream in the woods to get water for her ailing mother who believes it contains medicinal qualities.
It is there she meet Louvel who is kind to her even though he doesn't let her see him. He offers her employment in the form of fixing up his library and she accepts. After a time, she tells him she loves him but he rejects her and sends her back to the cottage where Michael is waiting for her. He reminds her of their engagement and tells her that her father's body has been found; washed up from the sea. She and her mother return to the city where society accepts them. Her mother is happy but Ariel is uneasy in Michael's presence and misses Louvel, a man she never even saw. Eventually she learns the truth about Michael and Louvel and discovers the true meaning of love.
When Ariel is in the city, there is a modern day feel to the storyline; but when she is in the woods and at Louvel's castle readers feel as if the characters are in a fairy tale. The heroine is determined to learn the truth about both men in her life even if it means going against Louvel's decrees. Readers will enjoy this enchanting romantic fantasy as the audience will hope Ariel obtains her happily ever after.
When her parents died eleven-year-old heiress Nadirah Lewis moved into the home of her paternal Aunt Stephanie Richards. Whereas Aunt Stephanie is cruel and abusive to everyone, her spouse firefighter Lester was very kind and loving to his niece as was her twin sibling older cousins Les and Lynn. A few years later, an accident leaves Stephanie physically crippled and Nadirah emotionally crippled as her guardian blames her ward for causing the trauma. Just under a decade after Nadirah joins the Richards family and long after the cousins moved out, Lester dies.
Stephanie uses guilt as a weapon to keep Nadirah home with her. However, the elementary schoolteacher is turning thirty in ten months and besides inheriting a four million dollar plus trust fund from her late parents, she begins to want out of jail, but is afraid to go it alone. Lynn, who left her acrimonious mother almost seventeen years ago, encourages Nadirah to make the break. However, it is her at risk eight years old student Bree, who desperately needs help and that leads Nadirah to believe she can do it especially if she wants to become the child's guardian. A desperate Stephanie fearing being left to die alone, does what she does best; spreading lies of a teacher-student affair that harms her niece especially when Bree's unstable family surface with demands of the teacher.
LIVING, BREATHING LIES is a powerful character study that focuses in on dysfunctional interrelationships built on fabrications. Each of the Richards are unique, but the most profound protagonist is Aunt Stephanie who is a household Machiavelli as she manipulated her husband to do what she wanted and likewise her niece; in the latter guilt is tight handcuffs. Nadirah is also fascinating as a willing victim filled with guilt that her aunt insures overflows. As the web of lies that go much wider than Nadirah knows begins to unravel one thread at a time, readers will demand more angst family dramas like this tense tale.
Splitting Harriet
Tamara Leigh
Multnomah Books
12265 Oracle Blvd., Suite 200, Colorado Springs, CO 80921
9781590529287 $12.99 www.multnomahbooks.com 1-800-929-0910
As the daughter of a minister in Franklin, Tennessee, Harriet Bisset was expected to behave with utmost decorum. Instead as a teen she was the poster child for open rebellion.
Now twenty-seven years old, the former running wild as a child displays prim and proper behavior even working part-time as the women's ministry director at her father's church First Grace. She also earns money as a waitress at Gloria's Morning Cafe, which she hopes to one day own. Her church hires reformed bad boy Maddox McCray to help bring new members to the congregation. As he brings in innovative ideas like music and computers, Harriet worries about the impact his changes will make on her. Worse he pushes her buttons as he wants more of the bad girl persona that he senses underneath her "image". He is attracted to the woman who is addicted to jelly belly and detests the minister's daughter running from a jelly belly.
This interesting chick lit inspirational romance argues that the way to bring young people into the Church is through modern technology like computer access and music; this is not a new assertion, but makes a strong case that contemporary marketing is needed before more of the next generation seeks a different Word in the electronics. Harriet is terrific as she feels split between her rebellious youth that Maddox encourages and her prime and proper adult behavior that her dad supports. SPLITTING HARRIET between the men in her life leads to a humorous with a serious metaphoric geometric leap in her addiction to jelly beans. With a deep look at this young woman caught between traditionalism and modernization, Tamara Leigh provides an enjoyable tale; of course her first name doesn't hurt her rating.
What Lies Within
Karen Ball
Multnomah
9781590524152 $12.99
Kyla Justice's construction company has been a great success, but though she is making money she feels unfulfilled as she has not given anything back to society. However, an opportunity arises to do so when a church asks her to convert a dilapidated mess into a youth center. She readily agrees though she did not realize that even Job would be pressed to remain a believer.
The Blood Brotherhood gang does not want a youth center in their territory. The owner of the site does not want a youth center built on his property as he has other avaricious plans if the construction fails. Her boyfriend Mason does not want her building a youth center in the dangerous slums. The suppliers do not care one iota about a youth center as they want top dollar for shabby material. Three previous contractors were run off or paid to leave. Now Kyla faces sabotage and worse as she remains persistent in her mission though someone targets her for harm. Only former Army Staff Sergeant Rafael "Rafe" Murphy, a local coffee shop owner, supports her quest but he has an agenda to keep her safe; he is falling in love with Kyla.
The latest Family Honor tale (see SHATTERED JUSTICE) is a terrific inspirational thriller that subtly conveys the biblical message of good deeds are important but one must give oneself to God to be with the Lord. Kyla is a fabulous center holding the plot together as she is a combination of fortitude and despair. She makes the tale as Karen Ball brings her biblical theme to life in a modern day urban gangland setting.
Try Dying
James Scott Bell
Center Street (Hachette)
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017-0010
9781599956848 $21.99 www.hachettebookgroupusa.com
Los Angeles attorney Ty Buchanan prepares for a defamation of character defense in which he claims the plaintiff has NO LEGAL GROUNDS to sue his client. However, as he prepares for the case, he suddenly is hammered with a tragedy, the death of his fiancee Jacqueline Dwyer. What makes her demise even more difficult to cope with is the randomness of the event that killed her. Spousal killer Ernesto Bonilla committed suicide on an overpass and plunged off it landing on Jacqueline's passing vehicle, killing her.
At her funeral an unkempt out of place male demands Ty give him money in exchange for the truth behind Dwyer's death; the stranger insists she lived after the Bonilla dive. Perhaps looking for a different explanation, Ty needs to know the truth; but when he tells the cops, they assume he is a grieving person who has been conned. Although he understands he could harm his rising career, Ty investigates finding a conspiracy of the powerful concealing something, but what and how it ties to Jacqueline remains elusive.
Though there is a solid legal thriller subplot, TRY DYING is more an investigative tale as Ty works Los Angeles seeking whether his late fiancee was murdered by someone else after the Bonilla incident. The story line is action-packed, but in every sense of the word is owned by the mourning young lawyer who cannot understand how this could happen and recognizes he may be reaching for a less random incident even if it is homicide. Fans will appreciate Ty's efforts to learn the truth at the cost of his career.
To Catch a Cheat
Kelley St. John
Grand Central Forever (Hachette)
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
9780446401227 $6.99 www.hbgusa.com 1-800-759-0190
Marissa Kincaid compared her history with males to her pals at AtlantaTellAll Poll and finds she ahs always managed to date cheaters. Frustrated with men she decides to open up an Internet site TheGuyCheats.com exposing these two-timers where women can anecdote these losers.
She starts with Trenton Jackson who canceled a date with then teen Marissa to go out with another girl. Trent learns of Melissa's web page and sees an opportunity to publicize his webzine so he responds. She sees a plus to his answering her charges and they form a He Said She Said debate over the net. The media enjoys the dispute and a radio arranges for the pair to share an apartment for a week. As they fall in love, she refuses to take a second chance on him as once a cheater always a cheater; he will do anything to convince her they belong together forever.
Readers obtain three fun contemporary romances (including a proposal in a dugout). The lead duo is fully developed characters so that Trent's desperation seems genuine and Marissa's mistrust as real. Although the premise that he sees a PR advantage to her site that insulted him seems inane, readers will not care as they will root for the heroine to finally catch her cheat.
Sex & the Immortal Bad Boy
Stephanie Rowe
Grand Central Forever
9780446619028 $6.99
Being one month old means little to Paige Darlington as a person matures rather fast when working for the boss from Hell, Satan, as an apprentice rivka. However, the rookie rivka wants what her former mentor has recently achieved although it took Becka Gibbs a few millenniums (see HE LOVES ME, HE LOVES ME HOT); she desires breaking free of Satan's hoofs.
However Satan has learned from his mistake with Becka so in creating Paige he added a diabolical touch; any living thing that touches her dies. Thus Paige who wants love like Becka found, feels lonely and ponders how she will survive eternity as a subservient to her master. That is until she meets shadow warrior Jed Buchanan, who has a Faustian deal with Satan Jr. to save his brother's soul. Jed does not seem to desire Paige who wonders if his shriveled soul can be saved by her before he completes his latest task killing her.
The latest trip to the Rowe pantheon is an amusing but darker thriller than the previous journeys to this weird but entertaining universe. Fans of the series will enjoy the devilish goings on as the demonic assassin and the rookie rivka begin to fall in love over the consternation of Satan father and son. Although lacking some of the freshness of the just as wild predecessors, fans will enjoy going to hell in a hand basket with Stephanie Rowe at the oars.
Stone Cold
David Baldacci
Grand Central
9780446577397 $26.99
With their recent escapades (see THE COLLECTORS and THE CAMEL CLUB), the DC based Camel Club members have gained some powerful friends who support the revealing of government official wrong doing and avarice; but also some equally powerful adversaries who prefer secrets remain that way. However, the club's associates are like the Three Musketeers when it comes to protecting one another. When honorary assistant Annabelle Conroy get in trouble after conning about forty million dollars from Atlantic City casino king Jerry Bagger (started in THE COLLECTORS), the Camel Club protects her from him; he plans to do to her what he did to her mother, kill her.
However, Camel Club leader Oliver Stone has a new greater threat to contend with. Homeland Security Agent Harry Finn, a loving father and spouse and highly regarded patriot, is methodically killing the survivors of a CIA Cold War cell Triple 6 out of retaliation for arranging the death of his father, an alleged traitor Raymond Solomon. Oliver when he was the late John Carr was part of that unit. The other club members (Reuben Rhodes, Caleb Shaw, Milton Farb and honorary member Secret service Agent Alex Ford) are divided over whom they need to protect as both threats are deadly serious.
The speed of this thriller is incredible as both subplots move out at an extraordinary pace yet the key players seem fully developed and plausible especially Harry and the Camel Club members. Both Oliver and Annabelle recognize the problems they respectively face as each knows they are in trouble, but in some ways welcome the confrontation. Underlying this strong thriller is a caution that government secrets are rarely security issues, but more likely the hiding of embarrassments usually caused by a lack of adequate checks and balances on arrogant imperial power.
A Week from Sunday
Dorothy Garlock
Grand Central
9780446695336 $12.99
Twenty-one year old heiress Adrianna Moore has no time to grieve the death of her father when she learns he placed the family fortune in a trust fund totally controlled by his former banking partner attorney Richard Pope. To make matters worse for the despondent Adrianna, Richard blithely informs her she will marry him next week.
Adrianna refuses to allow an odious lecher like Richard run her life. Instead while he is away on business, she flees her home only to lose control during inclement weather and crashes into a truck in Louisiana. The truck driver Quinn Baxter offers Adriana work while her automobile is repaired and to pay off the damage she caused to his vehicle; she will play the piano in his bar and to help him and his nasty Cajun housekeeper Lola Oxnard with his teenage handicapped brother. As Quinn notices how kind Adrianna is to his sibling, they fall in love. However, Lola tries to destroy their relationship as she intends to wed the bar owner sans his brother and Richard is coming for his "fiancee".
Dorothy Garlock fans will appreciate this entertaining romance in which extreme good battles against excessive evil. Adrianna is a wonderful person who refuses to be pushed into a marriage she does not want nor allow anyone to hurt Quinn's brother. Besides the bad duo having no redeeming qualities and deserve each other (not sure why Quinn employed Lola), the relationship between the lead couple is pleasant to follow as Adrianna brings a caring heart to the Baxter brothers. Readers will enjoy this Bayou battle.
House Infernal
Edward Lee
Cemetery Dance
9781587671692 $40.00
Venetia Barlow, a pious young woman, who is thinking about becoming a nun, is working the summer for extra credit to fix up St John's Prior House. After her arrival she learns that the builder of the house was an approved Vatican architect who was a closet Satanist. There are hidden names and message throughout the house as well an involution in the catacombs. She also finds out that two months ago two virgin nuns were murdered here. Unknown to Venetia a Pith leading to hell is in the catacombs of St John's Prior House
In Hell, High Lord Boniface, an anti-pope from the Middle Ages and one of Lucifer's most devoted servants, has a Pith the atrium of his fortress. For a hundred years he has tortured and raped captured angels who the demons made pregnant. The years of pain caused them to lose their purity making them ripe for Lucifer's purpose. Father Alex and Ruth, two Human Dead, have a mission that will enable him to ascend to heaven and her to purgatory in a thousand years if they are successful. Their assignment involves preventing Venetia from being used as a weapon that will impact life on earth.
Readers will be able to visualize the different areas of Hell thanks to Edward Lee's very graphic and colorful descriptions. Venetia is ignorant of the tug of war role between heaven and hell they want her to play, but she trusts her own instincts to do the right thing for God. At first when she hears Father Alexander's voice, she thinks she is going crazy but she perseveres with her beliefs and tries to convince herself that it was all a dream. This is a fantastic horror novel that readers will place on their keeper shelf.
Clear Blue Sky
F.P. Lione
Revell
c/o Baker Publishing Group
PO Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
9780800718862 $17.99 www.bakerbooks.com
With the Labor Day weekend and its feasts over, the overworked NYPD police know they can catch a breath after tons of overtime mostly involving crowd control. Police officer Tony Cavalucci did his job, but crowd control is a part of his patrol work he hates as he dreams of getting "out of the bag" and into a plainclothes anti crime unit.
He and most of his peers fear the new mayor will return the streets to the perps as his aids are not impressive; still he does his job of patrolling the streets. Following a graveyard shift on the morning of 11 September 2001 on a warm clear day he stops for coffee and muses unhappily about the demands his family have placed on him. His brother wants him to host a wild last fling bachelor party to remind him what he is giving up by marrying. His extended Italian family especially his mother hates his fiancee Michelle as she is ethically and religiously incorrect and had a child Stevie out of wedlock. They insist he drop her or else. As he ponders whether he will have to give up one of the two families he loves, all that changes when he notices smoke coming from one of the Twin Towers.
CLEAR BLUE SKY continues the insightful look at the life of a New York City cop (see the previous three Midtown Blue novels: not read by me - THE DEUCE and THE CROSSROADS; read by me SKELLS). 9/11 is important to the plot, but comes towards the latter part of the novel as readers follow Tony's personal and professional life in the days just before the tragedy (much of the setting), during the rescue attempts, and immediately after. Fans of police procedurals will appreciate this series that focuses on the cop on the job and off the job as readers obtain a perceptive glimpse of the work pressures and family demands on a police officer.
Dark Lullaby
Mayra Calvani
Whiskey Creek
9781593749071 $12.95 www.whiskeycreekpress.com
Astrophysicist Gabriel Diaz enjoys an intellectual debate especially over beer, but recently he has had doubts he will ever find a passionate love as his relationship with Liz went from girlfriend to friend. Meanwhile the only person he loves, his pregnant Elena begs him to be there when she gives birth as she is frightened having lost a newborn three years ago. Gabriel would do anything for Elena so he promises to come to Belgium where she lives.
However, his sibling's need vanishes form his brain when he meets Kamilah. She challenges his intellect with debates on good and evil and what is justice. Instead of going to Belgium, he accompanies Kamilah to her home in the Turkish mountains overlooking the Black Sea. Once in Rize, Gabriel loses his cell phone and becomes very sick suffering from nightmares that make sleep horrendous and he suffers even worse hallucinations when awake. As an increasingly paranoid Gabriel fears for his mind and wonders if somehow Kamilah is behind his descent into insanity and overall ill health, a panic stricken Elena keeps wondering where he is as he never failed her unlike their parents and she cannot believe he will fail his soon to be born niece.
This is a terrific horror tale that hooks readers who in spite of knowing that Kamilah is malevolent from almost the first siren meeting with Gabriel wonder what her her motive is and who she is. Fans will assume due to Gabriel's descent into paranoia and Elena's increasing manic panic attacks and anxiety-depression that borders on bipolar that this is a psychological thriller; but the Turkish locale and Kamilah make it so much more. Maria Calvani will have fans hooked in a one sitting read as the author's appreciative attentive audience will want to know is it madness or something more paranormally chilling.
Garden of Darkness
Anne Frasier
Onyx
9780451412478 $7.99
Too much happened in Tuonela, Wisconsin to allow her unborn baby to be born in a place filled with evil memories caused by supernatural malevolent beings (see PALE IMMORTAL), but especially of one betrayer, her once beloved Evan Stroud. Thus medical examiner Rachel Burton is leaving town to move past his nightmarish duplicity.
However, before she leaves town, a skinned corpse is found in the nearby woods. People also complain that they see spirits walking the streets as if the dead have come back to life. Everyone blames Evan, but no one not even Stroud understands yet that the prize display of the Tuonela Museum, THE PALE IMMORTAL alleged vampire corpse, is calling out to the deceased and the living dead. All are coming to town, especially to the Old Tuonela part of town, and no one not even a pregnant medical examiner can leave.
GARDEN OF DARKNESS, the second Tuonela thriller is a fabulous horror thriller that combines events from the past with a frightening present. The story line grips the audience from the moment a couple driving stop when the woman who just miscarried sees a girl and never slows down from her first scream to the last confrontation. Keep the lights on as Anne Frasier provides a powerfully scary supernatural tale.
Third Degree
Greg Iles
Scribner
c/o Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl., New York, NY 10020
9780743292504 $24.95 www.simonsays.com 1-800-223-2336
In Athens Point, Mississippi, special education teacher Laurel Shields takes a home pregnancy test and is horrified to learn she is pregnant; for eleven months she was having an affair with Danny McDavitt, the father of one of her students. He ended it because if he couldn't file for divorce because his wife would gain custody of his beloved autistic son even though she finds their child is a burden.
aurel leaves the house for a parent-teacher conference, while her husband Dr. Warren Shields searching the books in the library. When she returns home, Warren points a gun at her. He found a love letter Danny wrote to her even though he didn't sign his name; Warren is furious demanding to know who her lover is. She doesn't tell him but he has an idea that will crack her password on the computer and she knows that there are emails with Danny's name on them. When the children come home, he frightens them by acting crazy but Laurel is able to get her son out of the house. He tells the neighbor who tells the sheriff and pretty soon the house is surrounded by police who know that there is a good chance that the good doctor will kill his wife if and when he discovers who the father of her children. In an ironic quirk the only person Warren trusts to talk to is Danny.
When one thinks of a great thriller writer Greg Iles naturally comes to mind. The tension begins on the very first page and just keeps on escalating as Warren becomes more and more out of control. There is no reasoning with him yet Laurel desperately tries to reach him. Readers will admire her as she deftly handles him but will also sorry for the couple who have lost so much and stand to lose even more. THIRD DEGREE is the appropriate title because that is what Warren does to Laurel throughout this terse domestic thriller.
The Bad Girl
Mario Vargas Llosa
FSG
9780374182434 $25.00
Extraordinary things happened in the summer of 1950 in the Barrio Alegre neighborhood of Lima, Peru. Whereas everyone seemed to be falling in and out and in of love, the premier event at least in the mind of resident Ricardo Somocurcio is the arrival of the two teenage sisters, fourteen or fifteen years old Lily and her slightly younger sibling Lucy. The pair claimed to have come from Chile and Ricardo quickly fell in love with Lily. However, when their claims of escaping their homeland prove false, they vanish leaving Ricardo heartbroken.
Several years later in Paris, Peruvian expatriate Ricardo meets exiled Cuban activist "Comrade Arlette" whom he knew as Lily though she denies it; once again he falls in love with her until she leaves him behind. As the years go by, he keeps meeting his Lily as she becomes Madame Robert Arnoux the wife of a UNESCO official and Kuriko the mistress of a Japanese businessman. Each time they meet she treats him with icy aloofness as he hopes she makes this encounter a wonderful thing because he cherishes his Lily even if he does not know who she really is.
THE BAD GIRL is a fascinating character study that affirms that as you grow older you can only go home to your youth in your memories. Lily and Ricardo are interesting protagonists as the audience never knows who either truly is as Lily remains an enigma throughout and Ricardo no longer has his Peruvian roots to ground him. Their relationship over the years never changes even as she denies each time that she was who he claims she was. Always providing an intelligent thought provoking read, Mario Vargas Llosa writes an odd entertaining tale of two people adrift in a sea of humanity that is also drifting along the ebb tide with memories as the only anchor.
A Dark Sacrifice
Madeline Howard
Eos
9780060575922 $14.95
Ouriana is the Divine Incarnation of the Devouring Moon, strong in magic due to the deity that resides in her. Like her, it feeds on blood and death and works only dark sorceries. She is impregnable and is served by the Furiadhim, mutated beings who were once men who wield black magic. The only thing that Ouriana fears is the prophecy that states one of her blood will overthrow her. Her niece Winloki is the child of the prophecy all grown up and living in Skyrana in the north adopted by King Ristil who is at war with the Eislanders.
Winloki, a healer accompanies Prince Kivlik and his relative Skerry to battle but they are overrun and find themselves trapped in the fortress at Tirfang. A small group who want Winloki to fulfill the prophecy are marching to the fortree including the powerful healer Sinderian, her dead father who takes the shapes of various birds and the half-Faey prince Ruan. The people are under siege from giants, shapechangers and Eislanders. When Winloki is kidnapped by the Furiadhim, the siege ends; her allies go out to find and rescue her. Both groups face danger from various creatures and supernatural beings.
A DARK SACRIFICE is a wonderful fantasy set in a world where magic is taken for granted and dwarves, the fae and other creatures of myth and legend are real and dangerous to humans. Readers will feel sorry for Winloki who has to adjust her conception of herself and admire Sinderian who is willing to do whatever it takes to defeat Ouriana. These strong willed independent women come to realize the power that resides within them and make difficult choices according to their nature. Madeline Howard is a first rate fantasist.
The Empath
Bonnie Vanak
Silhouette Nocturne
c/o Harlequin Books
225 Duncan Mill Road
Don Mills, ON, Canada, M3B 3K9
9780373617777 $5.25
The Morphs and the Draicon detest one another as they differ when it comes to the third sentient species on the planet. The Morphs are shapeshifters who believe humans are beneath them on the food chain whereas the Draicon werewolves believe all life is sacred.
Draicon werewolf Nicolas Keenan learns that the Morphs threaten his soulmate, a Draicon veterinarian Dr. Maggie Sinclair, who thinks she is human. He races to Florida to keep her safe, but she rejects him as being a lunatic. Her belief systems changes when the evil shapeshifting Morphs attack her and Nicolas saves her life. As she realizes who she is and who he is to her, they team up in love to fight for their lives.
The key to this paranormal romantic suspense fantasy is the belief that the Draicon and Morph are genuine species who are in a shapeshifters' civil war. Nicolas and Maggie are interesting lead characters whose relationship morphs (a bad action verb for this couple) from her assuming he is crazy to joining him in love and safety. Fans will appreciate Bonnie Vanak's engaging thriller as her world is a dangerous place to live let alone fall in love.
Holiday with a Vampire
Maureen Child and Caridad Pineiro
Silhouette Nocturne
9780373617760 $5.25
"Christmas Cravings" by Maureen Child. Tessa Franklin saves the undead life of Grayson Stone left to die in the sun. However, his life remains forfeit as vampires warn him to pick sides and die; stay neutral and die. This is multifaceted vampire romance starring two strong protagonists, but the resolution seems too easy following stratospheric problems and threats.
"Fate Calls" by Caridad Pineiro. Connie Morales tries to raise money for charity ringing her Christmas bell. Across the street from Connie is irritated vampire Hadrian Aurelius who finally decides the only way to stop the ringing is to kidnap the irritant ringer. He abducts Connie, but instead of peace on earth, he finds himself attracted to Connie. Caridad Pineiro writes a wonderful Christmas paranormal romance starring two appealing lead characters.
Sub-genre fans will appreciate spending the HOLIDAY WITH A VAMPIRE (or two).
Saving Destiny
Pat White
Silhouette Nocturne
9780373617746 $5.25
In England, the Cadre captures Kadenshar and to his shame forces the demon warrior to journey to the United States to bring to them American research scientist Destiny Rue. Kadenshar, who is afraid of nothing and is the best at tempting mortals to sin, fears this female; he believes she is the legendary healer Crystal Goddess, whose peacemaking activities will annihilate his species.
Destiny fears she is going insane like others of her family as she starts hearing voices. When she meets businessman Kade Sharpe she is attracted to the handsome hunk who surprises her by displaying interest in her work. He also tells her about the Crystal Goddess while suddenly needing to keep her safe by protecting her from his demonic brothers trying to kill her before she attains her destiny, which would, as an unintended consequence, eradicate their race.
This superb romantic fantasy works because of the believable metamorphosis of the male lead from cold blooded Kadenshar the demon to warm blooded in love Kade the protector. Destiny also changes due Kade's entry into her life as she finds she has someone to lean on and trust while coping with a fate that makes insanity seem welcome. Pat White delivers with the thrilling SAVING DESTINY.
The Beast Within
Lisa Renee Jones
Silhouette Nocturne
9780373617753 $5.25
When her brother-in-law Mike dies in a car accident, travel writer Karen Gibson leaves her Caribbean tour to run home to Brownsville, Texas to be there for her grieving sister Eva. However, instead of deep mourning, Karen finds her sibling suffering from some odd ailment. Knowing she is out of her league, Karen takes Eva to the neighboring ranch seeking help. There she meets Jag.
They are attracted to one another immediately, but besides not trusting one another, Jag fears for anyone he shows an interest in because of his enemies, the evil Darkland Beasts, who killed his wife years ago. Jag leads the Knights of White in the millennia old civil war for species control against the Darkland Beasts. Karen would be a pawn to these malevolent beings, but he cannot stop himself from falling in love for the second time in his long lifetime as he learns just who she truly is.
The fascination that the romantic fantasy crowd will have with Lisa Renee Jones delightful The Beast Within resides with the Knights of White who are no that different from their adversaries as heroes like Jag suppress the evil within them or join the other side. Readers will appreciate this engaging thriller as Jag and Karen battle love and much more.
Vendetta
Meredith Fletcher
Silhouette Athena Force
9780373389759 $5.50
The leaders of the Athena Force know how to best use the talents of their academy graduates. So when someone arranged the murder of Marion Gracelyn and the kidnapping of two Athena students, they turn to investigative writer Winter Archer to learn who; few people can obtain information better than she can.
Using the guise of writing the biography of the Athena Academy's late founder, Winter asks David if she can look at his mom's papers. However, David, the U.S. Attorney General, rejects allowing an author look at his late mom's papers. Winter persuades him that her interest lies in uncovering the real culprit behind the homicide. David grants her access, but soon finds himself working to keep her safe from a killer who wants to remain the anonymous star of a soon to be cold case.
More a suspense thriller than a romance as the latter takes a back seat to the former, the latest Athena Force tale continues the delightful saga with a past and present thriller. The story line is fast-paced in both periods so that readers are caught up with the non-stop action. The lead couple is fully developed although the romantic interest between them seems forced, as a requirement rather than a plot enhancer. Still fans will enjoy VENDETTA.
Girl in a Box
Sujata Massey
HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
9780060765156 $13.95 www.harpercollins.com 1-800-242-7737
Underemployed Japanese-American sleuth Rei Shimura needs work so she accepts a job with some nebulous alphabet soup federal agency that is either a rival to the CIA and NSA or somehow connected to one of them. To know requires a top secret need to know clearance.
Her superior Michael Hendricks assigns Rei to go undercover as a clerk at a Tokyo department store whose profits are mind-boggling to learn how that can be. Besides struggling with why the Feds would care, she likes the assignment as she can purchase the latest in fashion using her employee discount. However, besides sexual harassment, Rei overhears the store's top manager make a death threat, which she reports to Michael. Worried about her as he is attracted to her, Michael rushes to Tokyo to allegedly protect her back. As Rei bungles with hiding her identity until she is exposed as either a CIA or espionage agent, Michael arrives in time to share a kiss.
This is a terrific espionage thriller as Rei changes occupations from sleuth to spy. Readers will enjoy her antics as she takes Tokyo like a typhoon hitting the city. Rei provides a strong anchor to the wild story line as an assimilated American struggling to adapt in her ancestors' homeland as a spy who to a degree is in the cold. The support cast is as good as they get whether it is store management harassing her naval, her agency boss kissing her, her store peers cursing her (and the customers) and the city as a whole. GIRL IN A BOX is a terrific fresh entry in this top rate Japanese American detective series.
Grace
Deneane Clark
Leisure Books
c/o Dorchester Publishing Company
200 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016
9780843959970 $6.99 1-800-481-9191
As an earl, Trevor Caldwell knows he must marry in order to begat the heir and the spare, but has no interest in taking on the responsibility of a wife or children. Instead the wealthy aristocrat defers finding a spouse.
However, Trevor changes his mind about bachelorhood when he meets and falls in love with spunky Lady Grace Ackerly. The fiery woman likes the earl and even concedes she probably loves him, but prefers single status as she plans to remain a spinster. As he does everything in what seems to the increasingly frustrated Trevor futile power to persuade her they are perfect for one another, she thwarts his efforts until he is ready to cede that he has lost at love. Grace realizes what her obstinacy might cost her, but wonders if it too late to accept Trevor's proposal as he has apparently given up trying to make her his wife.
The cast especially the lead couple make for a fine Regency romance as Trevor chases after Grace, who seems immune to his charm and not care about his wealth. The secondary characters also feel fully developed as they enhance the enjoyable marriage go round story line.
The Salt Maiden
Colleen Thompson
Leisure
9780843960174 $7.99
When her sister Angie disappears, veterinarian Dana Vanover leaves her practice to search for her sibling in her last known address, the desert town of Devil's Claw, Texas. No one in the isolated West Texas community wants her there, especially the politicians who fear their dirtysecrets will be exposed and Rimrock County Sheriff Jay Eversole who fears for her safety.
Jay insists Dana go home and let law enforcement deal with the missing person's case; but she refuses as this missing person shares her blood. As Dana forces Jay to work with her, their attraction makes the temperature of the desert look like that of a tundra. However, someone watches both Jay and Dana with the understanding if they get to close they will find a permanent rest spot underneath the sands of the desert.
The key to this romantic suspense thriller is the depth of the cast including the references to the modern mummified title character. Dana is obstinate as she refuses to walk way without the truth while Jay is dedicated and caring in a town without pity. Readers will appreciate Colleen Thompson's tense tale as the strong characterizations and their interplay make the tension that much more vigorous and potent.
To the Edge of the Stars
Joyce Henderson
Leisure
9780843959963 $6.99
In 1870 in Texas, Kalen Barrett seeks work. She is terrific with animals having the hands of a healer. To only herself, she admits she stinks with humans having not felt tender loving care in what seems like a century. Her only chance as a single woman to obtain work is as a ranch-hand at the spread of half-breed Taylor Savage.
As an outcast who has felt the racism of Texans towards a partial Comanche, Taylor empathizes with Kalen's plight and hires her. She soon finds her yearning for someone to love her especially when she witnesses how kind and nurturing Taylor is towards his family especially his blind mom; they reciprocate his deep feelings. When her uncle dies, he shows her compassion, but now she wants more; she wants her employer's love.
The key to this fine Texas historical romance is the setting including the secondary characters who bring out the traits in the lead couple. Taylor is tough yet nurturing and vulnerable when it comes to his family, his animals, and his land; Kalen is as tough yet also as nurturing and vulnerable when it comes to his animals and, over time, his family. Joyce Henderson provides a warm nineteenth century Americana tale starring two protagonists who find love truly takes them TO THE EDGE OF THE STARS.
The Price of Pleasure
Connie Mason
Leisure
9780843957457 $6.99
In 1798 Reed Harwood is incarcerated in the infamous French Devil's Chateau for espionage; Reed expects to die as no one locked inside this hellhole survives. However, British agent Fleur "the Black Widow" Fontaine buys his freedom.
Reed has heard rumors that the Black Widow uses her purchases as sex toys before discarding them. However, instead Fleur is kind to him and emits a sense of purity about her. She never tries to seduce him although he admits to himself he is seduced by her innocent lure. He returns to England where he learns he is now an earl, but the woman he loves remains in France. Risking his life, Reed goes back to France to bring Fleur home with him as his wife, but danger follows them across the Channel.
This exhilarating historical romance stars two terrific protagonists who risk their lives to save one another. Fleur is a fascinating character as her reputation is that of sexually devouring male prisoners that she bought for her entertainment, but Reed quickly realizes that is a sham used by her to help her buy freedom for the imprisoned. Although a late suspense seems unnecessary, readers will appreciate Connie Mason's strong late eighteenth century romantic tale of love in two cities.
Demon Eyes
L.H. Maynard and M.P.N. Sims
Leisure
9780843959727 $6.99
She is being offered a chance of a lifetime, to be promoted to personal assistant to Alex Keltner, the managing director of Keltner Industries. The offer is so sudden that she needs time to think about it. When she gets home she tells her lover about it who finds it a two edged sword. On one hand they need the money but on the other hand Helen doesn't want Emma traveling for long periods of time. They agree she will try out the position and if it doesn't work out, she will leave.
While Emma is accepting the offer, Helen dies in what seems like a supernatural event. While grieving, Emma must act the hostess at her boss's country home where all the firm's most important clients are attending. Her former boss gives her a warning to get out while she can but shows fear when Alex watches them. Emma notice that later her ex-boss is nowhere to be found. Emma sees and feels things that make her believe she is dealing with people who only wear the mask of humanity. She's afraid that if she doesn't escape, she will end up being their puppet, doing what they want with no will of her own.
L.H. Maynard and M.P.N. Sims write a true horror story that will scare the heck out of readers. The heroine is forced to come to terms with what she sees and at first denies because it seems possible that the Keltners have a strange interest in her as if she is a key to their future. People who know the Keltners for what they are join forces to try to rescue Emma and if successful, though that is doubtful, might even save the human race.
Sword of Rome
Constance O'Banyon
Leisure
9780843958225 $7.99
In 47 BC Lord Ramtat, leader of the nomadic western desert tribes sends his adult sister Adhania to the court of Queen Cleopatra so that she can be properly trained as a lady. Also at the ruler's castle is Marcellus, who fell in love with her when they met during a warrior's games in the desert.
The Queen pays Marcellus the Roman VIP a high honor when she assigns Adhania to live amidst Marcellus' household. He vows to keep his newcomer safe, but wonders how he will keep her from him as his desire for his guest remains obsessive. However, he may dream of Adhania being at his side forever butMarcellus knows the law does not allow them to marry. Although he struggles with his attraction, he does not neglect his duty; he has learned that someone has planned a devious scheme to kill Julius Caesar; his vows to uncover the identity of the wannabe assassin leader.
The sequel to the exhilarating ancient Egypt romance LORD OF THE NILE stars the sister of the hero of the first story. The sense of time and place through interwoven tidbits lead readers to believe they are in BC in the desert and in Cairo. Adhania and Marcellus are star-crossed lovers, who pray they can find away to become a couple, but besides the legal taboo the assassination scheme to kill Caesar must be prevented or all hell will break loose. Constance O'Banyon provides a strong historical romance that transports the audience to the time of Cleopatra and Caesar.
The Lady of Light and Shadows
C.L. Wilson
Leisure
9780843959789 $7.99
Ellysetta Baristani was raised in a simple lifestyle by a woodcarver and his wife. Nothing in her childhood prepared her for her fairy tale destiny that her Prince Charming will come for her, but he did right out of the sky. Thus Ellysetta struggles with being the soul mate of the shapeshifting Fey King, Rain Tairen Soul. Adding to her doubts and making a happily ever after questionable is many Fey resent this outsider rejecting her as their king's soulmate.
However, the malevolent High Eld knows who Ellysetta is and begins a campaign to destroy her starting with turning her dreams into nightmares. Rain warns Celieria City that the High Eld is back, but decades of indifference leave them disbelieving his beseeching. He knows he must find a way to stop the deaths of both races, but begins to believe his beloved Ellie holds the secret although she remains ignorant of what that is
The sequel to the exhilarating romantic fantasy LORD OF THE FADING LANDS is an exciting tale starring two beleaguered and somewhat bewildered protagonists. The story line is fast-paced but driven by the trials and tribulations of Ellie and Rain as the High Eld has been reinvigorated to begin a new war of terror. Fans will appreciate C.L. Wilson's strong continuation of the destiny that awaits Ellysetta Baristani and Rain Tairen Soul.
The Morcai Battalion
Diana Palmer
Luna
c/o Harlequin Books
225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, ON, Canada, M3B 3K9
9780373802890 $24.95
Attempts for peace throughout the galaxy appear impossible and a deadly intergalactic war seems imminent. Most understand that billions will die and whole planets destroyed if the fragile treaty collapses. Yet the Rojok dictator Mangus Lo pushes hostilities with his brutal assaults on planets; his objective to be the lone ruler of the galaxy. In minutes he turned the trial peace planet Terramer with a colony from one hundred twenty federation planets into dust killing ten million.
After failing to prevent the latest Rojok war crime, on board the SSC Bellatrix, horrified Tri-Fleet Strategic Space Command officers Lieutenant Commander Madeline Ruszel, Dr. Strick Hahnson and Captain Holt Stern along with their crew are forced to flee their damaged spaceship. They manage to gain passage on the Holoconcom vessel Morcai, but the divergent groups clash. When a betrayal leaves members of both sides imprisoned and tortured by the Rojok, Holt knows he must unite the two sides if they are to escape to fight another day against an amoral enemy who wantonly kills innocent people in order to terrorize his foes.
THE MORCAI BATTALION is a rewriting modernization (seems odd to state modernizing a futuristic tale) of a 1980s Diana Palmer science fiction thriller. The story line is action-packed with the galaxy containing numerous populated planets at war. Readers will root for the good guys especially Holt, but though limited in appearance, Rojok steals the show with his mental forceless Darth Vader like contempt for everyone else. Not for fans of Ms. Palmer's western romances, fans of stark outer space military science fiction will appreciate this sobering at war thriller.
A Red Hot New Year
Cynthia Eden, Diana Mercury, Virginia Reede and Denise Rossetti
Avon Books
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022
9780061451478 $13.95
"New Year's Bites" by Cynthia Eden. On New Year's Eve, a wolfman bit Anna Summers changing her physically and mentally. Jon York saves her life and escorts her on her trek into becoming a "bad girl" with a bite.
"Night Resolutions" by Diana Mercury. Chantal attends a New Year's Eve party hoping to find the passion that has vanished between her and her boyfriend, but instead his best friend heats her bones to the melting point.
"Snow Blind" by Virginia Reede. Gerry and Maggie and Jules and Joe go on a New Year's weekend vacation at a remote mountainous cabin in Colorado. Although wintry, one of them brought shorts, but none of the foursome was prepared for the heat generated that keeps everyone toasted.
"Coming On Strong" by Denise Rossetti. Angst laden Gina McBride rarely goes anywhere because she fears excitement, which turns her into a dragon. Sam Jones knows that there are two sides to Gina, but plans to excite her in ways she has never felt before.
Although the tales range from fantasy to contemporary, A RED HOT NEW YEAR contains four delightful erotic romances that star solid characters who would be fun to read about even in not XXX settings.
Halfway to the Grave
Jeaniene Frost
Avon
9780061245084 $6.99
Half-breed Catherine "Cat" Crawford has always had an icy relationship with her mom because her mother has never moved past the fact that her daughter was the result of a vampire raping her. To try and gain her mother's approval, Cat hunts down and kills vampires; but in spite of her being good at her vocation and the danger she places herself in, Cat knows her mother still sees her as a rape byproduct who ruined her life.
When Cat attacks master vampire Bones, who is a professional vampire bounty hunter, he defeats her. He is attracted to this unique warrior and persuades her to join him in battling evil vampires. While that will not make her any popular with mom, she agrees especially when he explains he has chased after Hennessy for years, but the psychotic vampire successfully kidnaps and kills the unattached.
This dark vampire romance will grip fans from the moment that Cat and Bones meet and never slows down until the last bite occurs. The story line is fast-paced and filled with action even with a first person perspective because the grim world of Frost comes across as real. Fans will enjoy this fine thriller as Bones may convince Cat that since she can't please her mother not even if she died, she should try to please herself; if not that than please him as a worthy partner who admires and loves her.
KALM-TV manager Osgood Horton hires Paladin Private Investigations to keep their star Georgiana Mundy, the cooking queen of CaliforniYum, safe as he thinks someone wants to harm her. Former cop turned private investigator Ethan Darling is assigned to protect Georgie.
Ethan and Georgie already met on the building's elevator when she rushing to catch it accidentally attacked him and stomped on his foot. However, while he discusses the job with Osgood, she fakes a faint AROUSING SUSPICIONS in Ethan's mind that she is hiding something behind a sham; Ethan cannot fathom what that is. As he stays close, they fall in love, her secret implodes leaving her in danger, but Ethan, though he is not sure from what or who, will not allow anyone to harm his darling "Grasshopper" even if she drives him crazy with her moving his furniture feng shui style.
The Darlings may be the most dysfunctional detective family around, but few lead characters are as zany and weirdly functional as New Age Georgie is. The story line is fast-paced and filled with humor while the danger enhances a wild contemporary romance. Readers will enjoy this Darling drama, as Mr. Short-tempered turns into Mr. SATISFACTION when he falls in love with Ms. Strange temptation.
Untouched
Anna Campbell
Avon
9780061234927 $6.99
In 1822 Grace Paget has no idea why the thugs came for her; all she knows is they kidnapped her from the family farm in Ripon and brought her to an isolated Somerset manor house. That is until her "hosts" offer her as a whore to the lunatic they hold prisoner Lord Sheene. Although he has needs, Sheene refuses to touch the gift they bestow on him.
However, Sheene realizes that like him Grace wants her freedom; Grace realizes that the alleged insane aristocrat is not crazy and by not taking her proves he is not abusive either. As they fall in love, Sheene knows he has a more compelling reason than ever to escape his jailers; as he wants to insure his Grace regains her liberty even if it means dying to achieve his revised goal.
This dark historical romance grips readers from the moment the lead couple meets. Sheene is a tortured soul who wants his freedom back, but Grace gives him the extra incentive he needs. Their changing relationship from fear to admiration and respect to love is beautifully rendered by Anna Campbell. Fans will appreciate this fine tale wanting to know why his jailers insist Sheene is crazy while also seeking the author's previous tale (see CLAIMING THE COURTESAN).
To Wed A Highland Bride
Sarah Gabriel
Avon
9780061234965 $5.99
In 1822 Scotland Viscount James MacCarran returns to his family home Straun House following the death of his crazy grandmother. Per her will to inherit the estate, he must complete her tome on fairy lore and marry a woman with fairy blood. A warrior more comfortable on the field of combat, he figures finishing the book will prove rather easy compared to finding a female fairy as he does not believe in the existence of the magical species.
Elspeth MacArthur sprains her ankle on the Straun estate during a nasty storm. James takes her into his home to get her out of the weather, but they are alone. After the torrent ends, he escorts her back to her home where he speaks to her grandfather about marrying her because she was compromised. Her grandfather refuses to make Elspeth marry the Viscount because he understands first hand the fairy curse that hurts his family. Elspeth agrees to marry him if they can find the hidden fairy treasure that will break the curse.
This is an interesting Regency romantic fantasy due to the lead couple as he finds love, but she finds a reason to reject his marital offer. The story line is entertaining, but the otherworldly elements never feel as if they belong unlike the previous magical MacCarran tale (see KEEPING KATE). Still fans will appreciate the Viscount's efforts TO WED A HIGHLAND BRIDE with fairy in her blood.
One Knight Only
Julia Latham
Avon
9780061235160 $5.99
In 1486 Yorkshire, Anne Kendall is proud to be a member of the secretive League of the Blade. So when she has a chance to go on an adventure to keep the king safe she volunteers. Her assignment is go undercover pretending to be seeking a husband while trying to uncover the identity of those plotting to assassinate His Highness.
Her ploy works perfectly until she meets Knight Sir Philip Clifford. They shared an evening of passion that left Anne wanting more, but as a Blade she knows the mission comes first. Still she needs a bodyguard and no one ever guarded her body like he did. As they fall in love, the assassins get closer to achieving their nefarious plan unless Anne and Phillip can stop them, but they still remain ignorant as to whom they are.
With her latest female masquerade thriller (see THRILL OF THE KNIGHT) Julia Latham provides an exciting historical. The sword and romance tale is owned by Anne who displays calmness, courage and cleverness even under hostile attack. Phillip proves her equal as he risks his life to keep his beloved out of harm's way. Fans will root for this couple as they go the extra kilometer to keep their monarch safe.
The Warrior
Kinley MacGregor
Avon
9780060796679 $6.99
In Scotland, from birth Laird Lochlan MacAllister was trained to lead his clan; thus he has never been away from home as responsibility to his people has always come before any personal desire.
However, he also never had a reason to go away until now. His late brother's plaid is returned to him and his family implying his sibling lives. He vows to find his sibling and if alive rescue him. On his quest, Lochlan comes to the rescue of Catarina, the illegitimate daughter of King Phillip of France, from an attempted abduction by the monarch's men. Realizing she is safer with Lochlan than with some toad her sire wants her to marry, Catarina accompanies him as he searches for his sibling from tournament to tournament.
This Brotherhood of the Sword historical romance is an exciting tale due to the changing relationship between the lead couple as he investigates what happened to his brother. The duo initially distrusts one another, begin to admire one another, and finally fall in love with one another. Readers will appreciate Kinley MacGregor's fine tale that combines a bit of a mystery with adventure, romance and humor. Only this author can create such a spellbinding tale.
An Affair Before Christmas
Eloisa James
Avon
9780061245541 $7.99
1778 in Paris, Lady Perdita "Poppy" Selby and the Duke of Fletcher "Fletch" meet and fall in love. They marry and both expect their desire and attraction to last forever. Four years later, Poppy decides to live a separate life from her spouse; Fletch plans otherwise as he wants to woo back the woman he still loves into his arms and bed. His goal is to start anew with AN AFFAIR BEFORE CHRISTMAS that this time he intends as a "second once in a lifetime" (mindful of Peabo Bryson's song If Ever You're In My Arms Again).
Meanwhile the Duchess of Beaumont Jemma and her husband live for the most part apart except for the stimulating chess games; they may still love one another, but that's not enough apparently as each tries to checkmate the other. On top of that is the scandal and fear as Jemma's brother and the Duke of Villiers duel. However, Jemma and Poppy find some solace from their spousal relationship problems in the re-energizing of their friendship even as Villiers heals from the duel with Lady Caroline attending to his needs.
The latest DESPERATE DUCHESSES saga is a powerful character driven Georgian romance that grips the audience who will feel as if friends are facing marital and other woes. The three subplots are well written and intermingle cleverly like a DNA double (make that triple) helix. Fans will appreciate Eloisa James wonderfully complex historical as the cast provides the audience with a tremendous tale.
The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen
Syrie James
Avon
9780061341427 $13.95
Historians and romance readers have always wondered whether Jane Austen, author of six novels and many letters, kept a dairy as none were found yet that was popular in early nineteenth century England. None were found until now. In Chawton Manor House, one of the homes owned by Ms. Austen's brother, a worker repairing a roof found a seaman's chest; inside are manuscripts of the previously LOST MEMOIRS OF JANE AUSTEN. The chest was probably left there and forgotten by Jane's beloved sister Cassandra who admitted to having destroyed much of the letters written by Jane to her. This particular publication is one manuscript whose condition is excellent but written when the great author was ill and dying sometime in 1815-1817, but relates to events from an earlier time.
With the death of her father Reverend George Austen in 1805, his suddenly impoverished daughter Jane gave up writing, a pastime she enjoyed since she had already expected to be a spinster having never met a man she considered her intellectual equal. That is until the summer of 1810 in Lime when she meets witty and intelligent Mr. Ashford; she is excited by this handsome charmer who inspires her to return to writing by revising a novel she had drafted years ago but never finished (Sense and Sensibility).
Every time this reviewer assumes there is no new way to dissect Jane Austen, I am proven clueless by an author with a new spin. Syrie James is the latest to pay homage (some might say chutzpah) as she uses the device of finding a long forgotten hidden journal written by the author to tell the tale of Ms. Austen's inspirational romance that led to her completing her great novels. Readers will believe Syrie James captures the voice of Ms. Austen with this fictionalized entertaining account by romantic literature's first author "in her words".
Big Boned
Meg Cabot
Avon
9780060525132 $13.95
Former teen pop star Heather Wells attends New York College. To pay for her tuition, Heather works as an assistant dormitory director at the Fischer Hall residence dorm better known by the residents as the "Death Dorm" following some recent murders there. Heather is also serendipitously dating her remedial math instructor Tad Tocco although she admits only to herself she still loves private investigator Cooper Cartwright.
Someone murders Fisher Hall's temporary manager Dr. Owen Veatch. The police immediately suspect graduate student Sebastian Blumenthal, a protest leader, who had public run-ins with the deceased. When Heather receives a tip that insists Ted is innocent, she begins to investigate, but ends up in trouble from a murderer who would not mind killing the somewhat slimmed down but still BIG BONED Heather.
The third Heather Wells' big is better amateur sleuth (see SIZE 14 IS NOT FAT EITHER and SIZE 12 IS NOT FAT) is an entreating New York murder mystery due to the antics of the precocious heroine. Heather is at her best as she squeezes into dangerous situations that are to tight for comfort yet continues to do so. Sub-genre fans will enjoy this big woman's escapades as she makes inquires that concern the two men in her life.
In 1814 Miranda Albright searches for her mom's runaway dog Oslo. Instead she sees her family's neighbor the Earl of Rothchild Ethan Hamen without a shirt and licking a female "down there". She becomes tingly.
Three years later, Miranda's dad died leaving her, her three younger sisters and her mom in massive debt. Miranda struggles to pay the bills, but only her sister Penelope understands the problem. Their spoiled mom and sister Beatrice think Miranda is a miser who does not want to have a good time. Their other sister Winfred is too young to understand their plight. Miranda feels guilty that she rejected wealthy suitors during her recent season; but Penelope points out, she had no idea how broke the family was..
Penelope is their only hope if she finds a wealthy match. However, for her to have a season they will need money. Miranda offers a deal to her "sex tutor" Ethan She explains they are destitute, her father's family rejects them and her mother's family has no money. Her father's friends have called in their debts, but are willing to forgo them if she gives herself over to them. Ethan is willing to finance her sisters' seasons; for every month that Miranda has sex with him, he will fund a sibling. She is to come to him once a week. They seal the deal with a kiss, but end up making love. As they fall in love, both will be hurt by their illicit affair, but not as much Penelope.
This is a refreshing erotic Regency romance starring a courageous heroine sacrificing herself by doing what she feels she must for her sisters especially her best friend sibling Penelope. Whereas Ethan is an interesting rake, Miranda's mom and Beatrice are spoiled and unlikable. Still sub-genre fans will enjoy this heated historical.
Taken by the Night
Kathryn Smith
Avon
9780061245022 $5.99
For six centuries, Saint has been a vampire who has seen loved ones die. Not willing to feel the pain of loss any longer, he refuses to fall in love ever again.
Over the past few years whenever he is in London on business, Saint stays at the Maison Rouge brothel when he is not home. In that time he has watched the madam's daughter Ivy Dearing grow into a beautiful intelligent woman that by 1899 he is attracted to; his first in hundreds of years. He helps Ivy with her amateur sleuth investigation into the murders of two Maison women. When more females are killed, Saint who wants to drink Ivy's blood and kiss her senseless, knows she could be a target of a dangerous serial killer who may prove more powerful than a vampire in love.
The latest Kathryn Smith historical vampire romance (see BE MINE TONIGHT and NIGHT OF THE HUNTRESS) tale is a fabulous paranormal Victorian whodunit. Readers will feel transferred back to the late nineteenth century as the atmosphere of London seems to take on a life of its own even in a backdrop role. The romance between Ivy and Saint is done in such a manner as to not overwhelm the serial killer subplot nor visa versa. However, the key that makes this tale take over a reader's night is Ms. Smith's ability to make her cast seem genuine, which in turn means vampires and paranormal killers feel real.
Successful Jessi Teresa "JT" Blake is wealthy, pretty and intelligent so even the toughest male athlete is intimidated by her; as no one messes with Lady Blake as she is referred to by her rivals. When her car breaks down on a California freeway in the Bay area, trucker Reese Anthony stops and offers the beautiful lady in distress a lift to Oakland, which she gladly accepts.
Reese initially hides from her that he is a former cop turned investigator looking into a murder in professional football. When someone threatens JT's life, he tells her who he is and offers to protect her. Although she feels confident that nothing will happen to her, she gladly accepts as much because she wants him as an undercover bodyguard protecting her as she wants him under the cover guarding her body close up.
DEADLY SEXY is an exhilarating sports romantic suspense with the emphasis on the romance. The lead couple is a wonderful pairing as they exchange barbed tongues throughout the humorous story line. Whereas the two mysteries provide supporting subplots and the sports milieu serves as a backdrop, the prime focus is on the feisty Lexus driver and the tough truck driver falling in love.
Not The Marrying Kind
Hailey North
Avon
9780060582470 $5.99
New York artist Harriet and her son Zach are going to Doolittle, Arkansas to visit his maternal grandmother for the Christmas vacation. In Doolittle Ted "Colonel" Porter plans to propose to the retired schoolteacher he met over the Internet. Finally Ted's son Los Angeles music producer Jake Porter is coming to town at the bequest of his dad to meet his fiancee.
At the local B & B Jake does not recognize Harriet as the nerd he met at Doolittle High School sixteen years ago and took to the prom. All he knows is that he is attracted to this sophisticated woman. However, she knows him as the boy she loved in high school, who vanished the morning after the dance. As Jake tries to make Harriet his, she remains aloof although deep in her gut she realizes she still loves the cad who broke her teenage heart.
The Doolittle B & B is host to a couple of second chance at love romances that fans will enjoy especially that of the younger set. Insisting he is "NOT THE MARRYING KIND", Jake cannot convince cynical Harriet that he needs her as she remembers the first rejection as if it was yesterday. Although relationships especially between Jake and Harriet feel a bit forced as she has no reason to trust him with her heart, readers will enjoy spending Christmas in Doolittle.
In My Wildest Fantasies
Julienne MacLean
Avon
9780060819491 $6.99
In 1870 heiress Rebecca Newland refuses to marry the man chosen by her family. She decides to find her dream lover Devon Sinclair, the heir to a dukedom as she has never forgotten him although she has not seen her hero in four years since he saved her life in a runaway coach.
Devon's father the duke is irate with his hedonistic ways; he demands his son marry by Christmas or lose everything. He searches for a biddable bride when Rebecca finds him. He knows she hero-worships him so figures he can bully her to do his bidding in bed and with her money. However, he soon admires her and falls in love with his new wife; she has loved him for four years but recognizes her hero has flaws.
The first Pembroke Palace Victorian romance is a warm charmer starring a likable lead couple although readers will need time to warm up to devious delectable Devon and realize that Rebecca is not a worshipping bonehead. The story line is simply fun with the hero beginning to understand the treasure he obtained when he married is not his wife's wealth, but is her. Julienne MacLean provides an enjoyable late nineteenth century romp.
In 1801 London, the four preadolescent female cousins vowed to never marry. They form the Spinster's Club.
Ten years later, two of the members have had "Misadventures in Matrimony (see NO MAN'S BRIDE and GOOD GROOM'S HUNTING). A third one Madeleine, tired of insincere proposals, plans to run away with scholarly Conlon Dover, a father of two. However, the fourth member, still unmarried Ashley jumps into the coach with them. Dover tells Madeleine they need a chaperone anyway; she asks why since they are eloping.
At a cafe, Marques John Martingale quietly drinks coffee when his brother Nicholas arrives. Nick explains that he humiliated Duke Bleven by calling him a rapist at a party. Bleven sent thugs after Nick, who explains that he also quoted Jack as calling Bleven an asshole. A moment later Bleven and his armed thugs arrive. Jack and Nick flee. As Ashley, Madeleine and Dover are leaving, Jack with his nose bloodied and clothing stained by coffee dives into their coach. Nick replaces the coachman and drives. Jack is instantly attracted to Madeleine who demands he take them to Gretna Green; Jack says no. Madeleine is attracted to the roguish Jack, who steps out of the coach only to find Ashley's dad has caught them. Nick jumps her dad. Jack insists he must marry Ashley as they jump back into the coach and flee for Gretna Green with two dads, Bleven accompanied by his thugs, and who knows who else in pursuit.
This amusing Regency romance will have fans in stitches as the runaways land in one predicament after another. The lead couple is a nice pairing while her cousin and his brother provide strong support once the audience understands their bickering started from meeting one another prior to this romp. Although the villain is dispatched too easily; making the climax too fast and weak, readers will appreciate this hilarious historical.
Shattered
Jay Bonansinga
Pinnacle
9780786018772 $6.99
In Northern Virginia FBI profiler Ulysses Grove receives his latest major field assignment: stop the Mississippi Ripper, a serial killer, who murders in pairs before the culprit slices up his victims. His grotesque portrait of death is to have two people facing one another. Grove methodically follows the clues and believes he is unlocking his opponent's psychopathic mindset, yet the rampaging killer continues his vicious homicides seemingly ignoring the Fed trailing in the murderer's row.
However Grove and his FBI compatriots will underestimate their elusive vicious foe. Using his paranormal skill, he targets Ulysses' wife, Maura and their infant son Aaron as a pair to disembowel. Meanwhile Grove keeps on digging applying his mother's supernatural visions to guide him.
The third Grove FBI police procedural (see FROZEN and TWISTED) is an exciting thriller that cleverly balances the varying elements from the paranormal to profiling to old fashion sleuthing foot work. The key cast members seem genuine even when using special psychic like power as Grove does because he is a loving family man and the terrifying Mississippi Ripper feels like a Headlines News killer. SHATTERED is a taut cat and mouse tale with the hero's family as the cheese.
Black lace Quickies 6
Hannah Brophy, Kimberly Dean, Portia Da Costa, Alison Tyler, Mae Nixon and Cal Jago
Black Lace
c/o Virgin Books
65 Bleeker St.,New York, NY 10012
9780352341334 $4.99 www.blacklace-books.co.uk
"Learning Procedures" by Hannah Brophy. Since his secretary Liz quit a month ago, Kevin has gone through three temps. His latest is blue haired Katie who proves efficient at the office and effective into luring him into a bondage scene with a Xena mistress out for vengeance one whip at a time.
"Rocky Mountain Rendezvous" by Kimberly Dean. In the Rockies near Denver, Jenna waits for her lover Shane who is late. When he shows up they have the best sex ever until she listens to her voice mail that Shane will be late and his twin Shawn is coming.
"Are We There Yet?" by Portia Da Costa. Mr. Stone drives a blindfolded and handcuffed Ms. Lewis to a special place for their sex game. However this time she will soon realizes how clever her Bobby is.
"Coffee Break" by Alison Tyler. At the cafe, Danielle may be seeing Marlow, but it is the coffee delivery king Declan who heats her up.
"Private Performance" by Mae Nixon. At the video store Peter the pianist reintroduces himself to Tess who loves music. They play quite a duet together.
"Beautiful Things" by Cal Jago. She loves the thrill of a theft as much as she loves sex with Alex; he loves it even more as he knows when she steals he has his best sex.
Just like the title says these BLACK LACE QUICKIES are six fun heated tales; just leave your morality on the outside the bedroom door.
A Gentle Rain
Deborah Smith
Belle Books
P.O. Box 67, Smyrna GA 30081
9780976876076 $16.95
Although she has no doubts that her parents love and cherish her, Kara Whittenbrook has always felt inferior next to their achievements. However, when they tragically die in an accident, Kara learns how remarkable the Whittenbrooks were; they adopted her. She further finds out her biological mother and father Lily and Mac are mentally challenged individuals living at the Thocco Ranch in Florida.
The spread is run by Ben Thocco, who is the care-keeper of his Down syndrome brother Joey. His ranch has become home to a lot of people facing challenges in the outside world, but able to be productive and keep their self esteem here. When Kara arrives to meet Lily and Mac, she and Ben never expected the attraction between them. However, will both take a chance on love for the first time in their respective lives?
GENTLE RAIN is a fantastic character driven love story starring two caring but wary individuals and a host of matchmaking fully developed secondary players. The well written poignant storyline is beautiful and the first person accounts between Kara and Ben are astounding. They both face a new kind of love frightening in its intensity. Deborah Smith writes a deep touching tale as Ben and Kara find new strength when they found one another.
Flowers for Emily
T.L. Vanc
iUniverse, Inc.
2021 Pine Lake Road, #100, Lincoln, NE 68512
9780595444991 $11.95 iuniverse.com
Scotland Yard Inspector Veronica (Roni) Donovan had given up ever finding the serial killer who murdered her sister; her obsession with bringing this animal down also killed her marriage. However, the culprit seemingly vanished as the murders suddenly stopped.
She remains frustrated until he "sends" her his deadly business card from Denver. Apparently, he has surfaced and she plans to help the local police bring this predator down. In Denver before she reports to the cops, she stops for a workout at a gym where she engages and knocks down Dean Colby in a kickboxing match. He is the FBI agent in charge of the serial killing investigation. As they team up, they are attracted to one another; ironically the culprit is also fascinated by Roni as the sister of a victim. She offers herself up as bait over the Fed's objection as he fears he will lose her to this lethal genius.
FLOWERS FOR EMILY is a fabulous romantic police procedural starring a tough ass female and an open minded male "matchmake" by a devious killer. The story line is fast-paced as the two law enforcement officials from separate sides of the pond work together to end the murderous reign. The instant attraction seems unnecessary, but does add to the triangle once the killer hones in on Roni. Readers will enjoy this strong thriller with a terrific final twist that should have been obvious, but most aficionados will not see it coming until Monday morning quarterbacking.
Hand of Evil
J.A. Jance
Touchstone Books
c/o Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl., New York, NY 10020
9781416537533 $25.95 1-800-223-2336
Arabella Ashcroft was partially responsible for Ari Reynolds receiving a scholarship that allowed her to go to college. Arabella summons Ari to her home; she tells her that the nephew Billy she never met wants money or he will have her committed. She is afraid having been confined in a facility before. She gives a diary to Ari that states Billy's father sexually assaulted her. With Ari's help her plan is to blackmail the blackmailer into leaving her alone.
If that is not enough to disturb Ari's equilibrium, her friend Dave Holman has a daughter Crystal, a sexually abused teen, who runs away from her mother's home to be with her father. Ari has to take care of her since her father, a police officer, is working a case. Crystal lies at every opportunity and runs way in between fabrications. Crystal saw someone beaten almost to death and Ari finds and follows followed the criminal but lost him. He tracks Ali down at the hospital where plans to finish his victim off. Ali is taken hostage by this insane person who holds a gun on her. Help comes from people she barely knows risking their lives though the outcome remains in doubt. Later on Ali is taken hostage by someone she trusts.
Fans of the taut suspense of Mary Higgins Clark and P.J. Tracey will want to read HANDS OF EVIL, a tale that keeps the tension in the stratosphere. The story line never takes a respite as action occurs in every chapter. What the heroine goes through would put many people in an institution suffering from battle fatigue syndrome; yet Ali displays courage and tenacity as she handles a series of devastating mental blows while maintaining her sanity.
All Through the Night
Suzanne Brockmann
Ballantine Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, New York, NY 10019
9780345501097 $16.95 www.randomhouse.com 1-800-726-0600
Long distance lovers FBI agent Jules Cassidy and movie star Robin Chadwick have decided they love each other and want to marry. Since Robin is doing an HBO series in Boston, Jules obtains a transfer so that the pair can live together.
Their plan is for a small wedding attended by mostly family and their closest friends. However, the list of attendees grows enormously as many people want to attend the gay wedding of the year including Jules' Troubleshooter associates. As Jules works a dangerous assignment in Kandahar, Robin is frantic with worry that makes him wonder if he can live with his beloved working in the hottest spots. They also have problems with the media who want in because of who the engaged males are; a Hollywood star and an FBI agent. Finally a stalker will do anything to prevent the marriage from occurring as that person has plans for both Jules and Robin.
Fans of the Troubleshooter's romantic suspense have waited too long for this particular tale to be told, but Suzanne Brockmann does it justice with a terrific thriller. The story line contains several fascinating subplots including the special love story between two gay men. Filled danger from terrorists to stalkers to reporters to family members, readers will appreciate this high point in a superior series.
Murder on K Street
Margaret Truman
Ballantine
9780345498861 $24.95
U.S. Senator Lyle Simmons is considered by the pundits as one of the leading candidates for president. However, he soon has a different problem outside of politics to deal with when he comes home following a fundraiser. His wife Jeanette lies on the floor of their foyer; someone brutally murdered her. Capital Police Detective Charles Chang leads the official investigation with the media spotlight following every step he makes.
Clues send Chang in the direction of K Street where the senior senator from Illinois has close ties with lobbyists who provide him with plenty of campaign funding. However Chang also finds the street is close lipped to outsiders, even cops on official inquiries and corruption and lies are the norm. Under the press' persistent digging, the perfect Simmons's marriage suddenly has cracks and holes that make it look as if it was tied together by White House ambition only. Meanwhile Simmons's friend, retired detective Phil Rotondi wonders whether he should come clean with what he knows about the relationship between Lyle and Jeanette; although he admits to himself he still has sour grapes having lost her to him when they attended college together.
When the story line focuses on K Street, readers obtain an interesting look at how much influence is bought and sold as there is a lobbying stock market selling and buying specialized commodities. However, the constant flashbacks to college are a distraction that slows down the present murder mystery, which is too bad as this Capital Crimes entry had possibilities for an insightful relevant thriller if the plot concentrated on MURDER ON K STREET.
Amazing Grace
Danielle Steel
Delacorte Books
c/o Bantam Dell Publishing Group
1540 Broadway, New York, NY 10036
9780385340236 $27.00 1-800-726-0600
On a warm San Franciscan night, Sarah Sloane the socialite wife of a financier hosts the black tie Littlest Angels Ball fund-raiser at the downtown Ritz-Carleton. The entertainment for this black-tie evening comes from award winning teenage rock star Melanie Free, who has problems with her martinet mom-agent. Covering the affair is Everett Carson, a former war correspondent who suffers from battle fatigue syndrome having seen too many atrocities. Attending as a rare outsider is Sister Maggie Kent whose flock is the homeless.
These four have nothing in common beyond the charity event until a deadly earthquake hammers the city. Sarah learns that her spouse has conducted nefarious illegal transactions that will cost the family more than just their reputation and place in high society as he may do time. Melanie has gained freedom from her mother and volunteers at the temporary shelter to help victims and makes non musical friends like Tom the archeology student. Maggie and Everett forge a friendship that both knows is love, but as they confide their feelings they must consider she is a nun.
AMAZING GRACE is an interesting look at the impact of a major disaster on the lives of various people especially the prime four described above. The story line provides a convincing description of people struggling with the calamity, but is nowhere near the depth of non-fiction accounts of Katrina or Burke's JESUS OUT TO SEA; nor does it use the World Series earthquake as a realistic anchor. Additionally, none of the main quartet seems fully developed with Everett and Maggie especially feeling one dimensional. Still Danielle Steel provides an entertaining look at the aftermath of a disaster.
Being a half breed, Hai knows her blood lines are considered impure by her paternal serpentine family and by her aviary maternal kin. Neither side recognizes her beyond being a mongrel even with cobra blood flowing inside her. Even more painful proof of being a lowlife outsider is her broken falcon wings that occurred when she lived on Ahnmik Island and envisioned her beloved Nicias with a full blooded flacon female at his side. However, residing at the Wyvern's Court has not proved much better though albeit a bit safer as she is unaccepted by anyone and everyone fears her out of control magic causing havoc.
When Hai's half cousin Oliza Shardae Cobriana abdicates the Wyvern's Court throne, the kingdom is thrown into chaos. Hai has visions of the terrible destruction of her new home. It is ablaze and she also sees serpent King Salem dying while Nicias the Falcon guard is unable to save the children or himself. She knows she must do what she can to save the people especially the children, but she feats what it will cost her.
Volume five is a strong ending to the Kiesha'Ra young adult fantasy thrillers that has been a deep coming of age saga. Hai is terrific as she feels a responsibly to save the court especially the children although most of the adults have treated her with bias and disdain because of her mongrel status. Readers of all ages will enjoy the finish, but it behooves the audience to peruse the previous four tales as this is a fine series.
Lord John and the Hand of the Devils
Diana Gabaldon
Delacorte
9780385311397 $25.00
"Lord John and the Hellfire Club". Lord John Grey is asked by Robert Gerald, the junior setetary of the prime minister, for help with a problem. He agrees seeing how upset Gerald is but later that day Robert is killed. The last word he spoke is Dashwood. That night he attends a Hellfire club invitation, not knowing that he is to be the murderer's second victim.
"Lord John and the Succubus". Rumors move swiftly through the troops that a succubus is on the loose. Lord John is persuaded to use his white horse to find the grave where the succubus inhabits a dead body. The horse moves to the grave of the man's mother who made the accusation. They also find the body of a dead English solder in the cemetery. The allies are nervous about the rumors, but John believes that someone secular has spread them and he plans to expose them before the upcoming battle in the long drawn out world war (1756-1763).
"Lord John and the Haunted Soldier". After being injured by a cannon that blew up during battle, Lord John answers his superior's inquiry re the incident. John later learns eight more guns blew up that the military wants kept quiet and he would make a good scapegoat. He needs evidence to prove he wasn't negligent; help comes from an unexpected source.
These three novella give insight into the character of Lord John Grey, an honorable man who has to hide his homosexual preference from the world since it is a crime punishable by death. He always chooses the most ethical cause of action even when silence would better serve him. Diana Gabaldon has written an exciting anthology of an eighteenth century solder at war in which don't tell means avoiding "friendly" fire.
Holy Smokes
Katie MacAlister
Signet
c/o New American Library
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014-3658
9780451222541 $7.99 www.penguin.com 1-800-847-5515
Guardian Aisling Grey and her wyvern lover Drake Vireo have decided on a simple wedding. However, unknown relatives are coming out of the woodwork from even unheard of paranormal places demanding an invitation to the wedding of the year. As the numbers grow, even imps want to be there though one must be cautious in allowing that species anywhere near a gala unless food fights are on the agenda.
As their wedding plans expand to the point they consider elopement, the hostilities between the green and the red dragons ignites into what looks like a heated war. Finally Fiat the blue dragon demands Drake back off as he has a prior claim on Aisling. Overwhelmed by it all, Aisling concludes she either remains single or she abducts Drake so that he can become her beloved spouse.
The fourth Aisling Grey romantic fantasy is a wonderfully amusing relationship drama with some YOU SLAY ME escapades. Fans of the series will enjoy the zany goings-on as the lead couple prepares for a wedding celebration that has completely gotten out of control especially on the supernatural plane. HOLY SMOKES, this is a laugh out loud tale that readers will appreciate while wondering elopement but to where, breaking up but they light each other's fire or I do while dragons war and Fiat heatedly objects.
In the Blood
Savannah Russe
Signet
9780451222619 $6.99
Ever since the Feds "blackmailed vampiress Daphne Urban into joining Team Darkwing (or face termination), she has spied for the government. Her current assignment accompanied by her two remaining teammates is to investigate and mount a rescue of ten kidnapped teenage girls, daughters of New York City's upper crust.
To accomplish the objective, Team Darkwing needs new members to replace those who left; not all voluntarily. They recruit former criminal Rogue and researcher Audrey to assist them on their mission. Time is running out as the government refuses to negotiate with terrorists so Daphne and Team Darkwing begins a search amidst the decadent Mew York vampiric underground before a deadly outcome occurs.
The Darkwing Chronicles stars a female who detests being a vampire, which adds a sense of gloomy chick lit realism to her escapades as she has been a bloodsucker for a couple of centuries and knows she is BEYOND REDEMPTION. In her fourth appearance (see BENEATH THE SKIN and BEYOND THE PALE), Daphne is at her best as she whines and dines the new recruits before hitting the bloodiest clubs of Manhattan in hope of saving the teens.
Into Thin Air
Cindy Miles
Signet
9780451222626 $6.99
After spending the last millennium on a not choosy assignment as an earth bound angel, Gawan is going to start a new as a mortal. That is if he successfully completes his final tasking. Having been successful for the most part over his thousand years as a guardian angel, Gawan expects little trouble although in recent years attaining the objective has become increasingly more difficult requiring creative solutions.
Gawan's last project is personal. Suffering from amnesia Ellie's spirit lies near death with no earthly idea what happened to cause her predicament or even where her body rests in a comatose state. Grimly Gawan knows if he intervenes with this almost ghost female and saves her mortal life, neither will remember the other once he returns to mortality in spite of them being soul mates. However, if he fails to save her life, they will switch localities and be separated anyway as he is about to become mortal and she would have passed to the beyond.
Readers will enjoy being SPIRITED AWAY into the wonderful creative world of Cindy Miles. Gawan is a terrific champion who knows his beloved's life forcee is fading INTO THIN AIR and will soon be gone if he fails to sacrifice their love. Ellie is fabulous as she struggles with her lost memory while her spirit aided by Gawan seeks clues to find her lost body. Fans will appreciate this strong romantic fantasy with an investigative mystery underpinning wondering whether heavenly intervention is the only prayer for this couple's salvation.
Highlander in Her Dreams
Allie Mackay
Signet
9780451222633 $6.99
Paranormal investigative journalist Kira Bedwell is on a tour of allegedly haunted Castle Wrath when she meets Aidan MacDonald, who claims he is a medieval era laird. She initially assumes the hunk is joking, but after that first encounter, she only sees him in her wet dreams; he shares those sexual nocturnal encounters when he sleeps.
Kira is investigating a paranormal incident in Scotland when the reporter becomes the story. Somehow she is sent back to Aidan's time. His clan is frightened by Kira's arrival as they assume she is a witch. Meanwhile as he tries to convince his people she is his soul mate, he also battles his evil cousin who has plans to abuse the clan for personal gain after killing Aidan. Kira knows who won that confrontation of blood so must change the near future even if it means giving up her beloved Highlander.
Although similar in theme with the person from the future knowing and there wanting to change the specific history, Allie Mackay provides an entreating time travel romance because of just that scenario. From the moment his clan wants to burn the witch until the final cousinly battle, readers will be enchanted rooting that Kira, who believes her beloved will die in the upcoming altercation, finds a way to change the near future; her encouragement is based on her arrival being an aberration making anything possible.
Blonde Faith
Walter Mosley
Little, Brown & Company
c/o Hachette Book Group USA
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
9780316734592 $25.95 www.hbgusa.com 1-800-759-0190
In post Watts riot Los Angeles, Easy Rawlins knows he must be very careful working as a private investigator as that is against the law for a black man. However, when he comes home he finds eight years old E.D. Black waiting for him. The Vietnamese child says her daddy Christmas dropp
