Shadow Books

I've been following the Binding of the Blade series and loving it. Beyond the Summerland started a little slow, but if you stay with it, you become engrossed to the point of no return. I read Shadow of the Deep on a long plane trip, and it made that trip much more bearable. Excellent bood, decent Christian symbolism. I can't wait until the the next one.

I read the first book in the series. It drew me in completely.
Then I read the second book. I tore through it.
I have now finished the third book, and I am just amazed. L.B. Graham never ceases to amaze me with his writing. Every time I read one of his books, I get drawn into the story. I feel like I'm right there, standing beside the characters, seeing what they are seeing. I thought the first two books were fantastic. This third book does not dissapoint. The character development continues to be fantastic. The plot couldn't be better. Graham takes the reader farther and farther into the world he has created. Just when you think you've explored as much as you are going to, the author takes you further in. I highly recommend this series for anyone who likes adventure, battles, friendship, love, devotion, and, simply put, GREAT STORIES!

L B Graham has never failed with any book in this series! I keep thinking he might write a dud or something, cause it's not natural to write book that are this good! This book has great imagery, action, and the plot is unreal! You will have trouble putting this book down if you pick it up!

Oh yeah, this one also has a major cliff hanger! Can't wait for book #4!

We read on in the tale of Benjiah as he seeks to discover the truth of the eternal rain, and Aljeron seeks out the lost dragons in the frozen wastes of the North. It has some great flashback bits about the enemie's pasts, and powerful battle scenes, with a twist (predictable) at the end.
Graham's third book in the Binding of the Blade trilogy is satisfying, but it seems to be lacking a bit in the intrigue department. I am not saying I dislike this book at all, it was a great continuation of his earlier story, but it seems to waffle on in certain parts. The "secret" of the rain, which I won't disclose here, was painfully obvious even in the second book. Not a bad fantasy read, go ahead and try it, but it lacks the zest of his previous two books.

This third book in the Binding of the Blade trilogy is roughly on par with the 1st two in the series. The characters are well developed and each chapter has plenty of conflict, adventure, and romance to keep the reader hooked. The style is reminiscent of the earlier works of Stephen Lawhead (that's a good thing). Some of the plot lines are interesting, but they are pretty typical for this genre. Others show flashes of brilliance that leave you with hopes that Graham will grow into a world class author. As a trilogy, the three books are not quite as cohesive as they could be - more like a set of episodes in a series than a unified saga. I expect this is simply a mark of inexperience and not a serious weakness. If you are a fan of sci-fi/fantasy with a positive moral compass, I highly recommend this series. I do recommend reading them in order.

I absolutely love this book. I read it about ten years ago and always remembered the title and that I loved it. I recently rediscovered it along with all of Dorothy Keddington's other books. Please write more Dorothy!! If you enjoy romances this is definitely a must read.

Dorothy PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE write more books!! I have them all and read them over and over... I cannot get enough. Soft, clean, romantic.... When life seems to rough I love to escape into your books!!!!

I AM CURRENTLY READING THIS BOOK FOR THE UMPTEETH TIME. I HAVE READ IT SO MANY TIMES I HAVE LOST TRACK. THE ROMANCE/SUSPENSE COMBINED MAKES THIS BOOK A BEST SELLER IN MY EYES. READ IT, YOU WONT BE ABLE TO PUT IT DOWN, EVER. THIS REVIEW APPLIES TO ALL OF DOROTHY'S BOOKS. PLEASE, DOROTHY, WRITE MORE BOOKS LIKE THESE! IT NICE TO BE ABLE TO READ GREAT LOVE STORIES WITH OUT THE FILTH.

This is my second favorite of her books (with Return to Red Castle being the best). If only she would write more books like these. If you have never read her books, they are a must for everyone. I am not a book lover, but her books seem to touch my heart in just the right ways. I have read this book at least 4 times. Her descriptions of the characters are so vivid it leaves an impression on you long after you have (regrettably) finished the book. She has written 7 books(that I know of) and her first 5 are the best. Jayhawk, Flower of the Winds, Shadow Song, Mermaids Purse and Return to Red Castle. DOROTHY... Please write more books like your first 5.

I loved this book. I recently wrote to the author, Dorothy, to tell her how I loved her books. I asked how to obtain all 5 books she has written. She informed me know that by the end of May, four will be in print through Granite Publishing. I can hardly wait! "Flowers in the Wind" will be coming sometime between April and May. "Shadow Song" was just released. If you want "Mermaid's Purse" write to her! Happy reading!

It may be just me but I love her works, and there are many days I wish she could have written more for us readers. The Aggar series is great and how I first became aware of her, but she speaks to the romantic in me in both Bitter Thorns and Annabelle and I. If you liked her writing style in this series, I strongly suggest you check out her other 2 books that were published as well.

Diana n'Athena is ready to go home. An "Amazon" from the all female planet of "dey Sorormin" (which Wolfe translates as the Sisterhood), Diana is a sociologist employed by the Terran Intergalactic Empire for the last 20 years as a Cultural Liaison and Feild Operative. Approaching forty, Diana has served the last five years on Aggar, a patriarchal, pre-industrial, semi-feudal planet located on the Empire's border. Over six foot tall, lean, strong and brown-eyed, Diana must pass as male to work effective on Aggar. Such a charade is not uncommon for Amazons serving on "primitive" planets, but it does wear on their spirits. Facing her last mission before she can return to her home world, Diana must locate and rescue a Terran pilot. He carries information that may mean the salvation of the Empire which is on the brink of war.

After years of working alone, Diana is not pleased when Aggar's ruling Council of Ten assigns her a native "Shadowmate." Shadows are individuals trained for years to act as guides, protectors, linguists, trackers, companions and whatever else is needed to aide the individual whom the Council has determined is important to the future of Aggar. Such assignments are one of the ways the Council "tips the balance" of fate for pivotal individuals and gently guides the planet's future.

Diana's Shadow, Elana is particularly special. In addition to her training and expertise, she bears the rare "Blue Sight." This extrasensory gift (genetically linked with blue eyes)allows her to read people's intent via their aura and create illusions. For years Elana has been training to become a Shadow. For the last five years she's been experiencing dreamlike visions of the Amazon that she is to Shadow.

"Shadows of Aggar" is a classic heroic quest. As such, the journey itself, what happens to both women during the trek and what they learn from the various encounters, is as important as the result of the quest. -- Although having the end of the empire as it is known hang in the balance does build the suspense! -- There are some similarities between Aggar and some other fantasy realms. Yet these parallels reflect cultural archetypes and Wolfe, who died in 1997, created some interesting, unique details and characteristics for three cultures: Aggar, Amazon and Terran. For example, imagine a race of humans whose skin color changes with excitement or exertion, thus making the racial differences we know, moot. Furthermore, Wolfe created the basics of a language for the "dey Sorormin" and provided a glossary of words from Aggar and the Sisterhood in the back for reference.

"Shadows" was originally released in 1991, and this reader has returned to it at least twice in the last decade. The story and characters hold up to re-reading. The same is true of Wolfe's second Aggar novel, "Fires of Aggar." Happily, the publisher has made a commitment to keep Wolfe's titles in print. The new covers of both titles are disappointing and distracting. Yet, to coin a phrase, don't judge the book by it's current cover. If you like fantasy stories with strong female leads that explore complex issues of gender roles, societal pressures to conform and their impacts on the individual -- not to mention a good old fashioned adventure with a touch of lavender romance -- you'll enjoy "Shadows of Aggar." Pick up a copy of it and its companion book, "Fires of Aggar."

This is definitely one of those books that will keep you up until the wee hours of the morning - you just can't put it down! This so reminded me of the Darkover series by Marion Zimmer Bradley (which I LOVED). Like MZB, Wolfe has created an exciting and interesting new world in which two technologically separate cultures meet...with one big plus. The relationship between the two women is protrayed in a more intimate and central way here than in MZB's books. This well written book was a throughly enjoyable read - do yourself a favor and buy it! :)

Many of us have found this dense book daunting, printed in tiny type with almost no white space for relief. However, for those who pick up the book after first laying it down in disbelief at the number of words, there awaits a well crafted world of Amazons, psychics and bad guys. Wolf has created a very believable world that mimics what most of us know about the medieval ages. Her imagination is rich and detailed. You will believe in Aggar before the end of the book.

I was annoyed by Di'nay's ability to be obtuse about her lovely "shadow" bonded to her in their attempt to rescue a downed Terran pilot. The world of Maltar was satisfyingly ominous and the Maltar was sufficiently evil. Once you get past Wolfe's inability to write straight forward dialog, you will enjoy the page turning excitement of the adventure. You will also enjoy the romance. Wolfe writes loving romance which hints joyously at what transpires between the two "shadow mates."

I could only find the most recent edition of this book. The cover should be punished as a crime against the author and the type setting is very bad. One wonders if anyone read the galleys.

I read any science fiction and fantasy novels that have lesbian characters that I hear of or stumble across. Most of what is out there is written for mainstream audiences and often by straight authors. There's nothing wrong with that, one of the attractions of the SF and Fantasy genres is that authors explore a vast array of character types and cultures. But there is a definite lack of fantasy novels written by lesbians for lesbian audiences. What's worse is, most of what is in print is mediocre at best and not worth the space on the bookshelf at worst. In desperation, lesbian fantasy fans end up buying and reading the dreck anyway.

Shadows of Aggar is a rare exception. To say that it's the best lesbian fantasy novel I've run across is true, but defining it that way is a disservice to the book, since that isn't really saying much. It holds up on its own merits within the fantasy genre as a whole, not just within the sparse lesbian fantasy subset. Shadows of Aggar contains most of the elements that make fantasy what it is; a unique world and culture, swords and magic, and imperfect characters on a heroic quest. The icing on the cake is that the lesbian romance is good too.

I do have to say here, I have NO idea what in heck the current publishers were thinking with the new book covers. I don't get this trend of putting photographs of real people on fiction. Part of the allure of written fiction is that our minds supply the images. To be blunt, the new covers are tacky and ugly. (I also note the editor's review said something about a trilogy, but there are only two books with those characters.)

One final note, as I noticed a previous reviewer mentioned hoping for more from Chris Anne Wolfe. Unfortunately for us, she lost her battle with cancer. So I highly recommend collecting all of her works currently in print if you enjoy her writing, as there won't be any more. Shadows of Aggar is by far her best, but the others are all worth a read.

What struck me most profoundly while reading Shadows of Eagles was the authenticity in the writer's voice. One couldn't get past the first page without realizing that Mr. Lodge knows his bi-planes. Not just the planes, but the engines that powered them. My first guess was that the author flew one such plane during WWI. But just a cursory glance at his photo on the back cover shows this guess to be wrong.

So, he had to do a whole lot of careful research. But it's more than that. It goes deeper than that. A high school kid, in a decent library, can be paid minimum wage to look up WWI bi-planes. But it requires an artist to take the component parts and bring them alive to a character who obviously loves these planes, who respects their brute power and reveres the beauty of their operation. When handled well, as Stephen Lodge handles his subject, the bi-plane becomes a separate and distinct character. Written by a lesser scribe, the bi-plane would be hit by enemy fire. With Lodge we hear the tearing of canvass and shattering of struts. The enemy doesn't use guns: He uses a Spandau machine gun. The protagonist, Josh McComb and his plane interact, to the benefit of the reader. It is passive interaction at first with Josh pulling his prize from the barn in which it had been housed. The reader senses the love of a man for his machine.

This is authenticity of voice. Examples are strung throughout this fine novel. They are too numerous to mention. Expect the vehicles that are driven to be described with such striking detail that we can feel it rattle and rumble beneath us. Early on, the horse that Josh is sitting on blows snot from its nose! Suffice it to say that no character simply lights up a cigarette. It is a Lucky Strike or a Camel and it is lit with a Zippo or a Blue Diamond Match.

Of course, authenticity by itself will not take the novel to a successful conclusion. Still, I would be surprised if one so adept at the finer details of his craft would not also be the inventor of a gripping and thrilling plot, action that pops and crackles, and characters who are complicated and grow to be something in the end that they were not in the beginning. No, I was not surprised. I expected nothing but the best for my reading investment. And, I was not disappointed. Stephen Lodge is a master of his craft, as you will agree when you finish Shadows of Eagles.

If you are partial to fast action, bad guys, guns, horses, vintage planes, and good old-fashioned bravery, Shadows of Eagles is your wisest choice. Author Stephen Lodge takes the reader on an intimate journey through southwest Texas as men and women band together to track down a group of escaped Nazi prisoners. Rich characters make the story come to life and one is tempted to let the answering machine take messages to avoid putting the book down. A wonderul book, a terrific plot, a rich experience. Thank you, Steve, for writing this book.

Lynn Price

"Shadows of Eagles" places first time novelist -- but no stranger to writing credits -- Stephen Lodge in nobody's shadow as a writer. The realistic dialogue with a cast of colorfully, diverse characters in "Shadows of Eagles" is in my mind the author's best talent as a writer. An exceptionally well written book and fascinating historical perspective are two other gifts the author brings to his readers. No doubt, this author/screenwriter may have recently published his first novel, but it most definitely will not be his last. Keep them coming. Outstanding!

The underlying theme of honor and respect permeates this fast paced story of a most unusual happening. Stephen Lodge has captured the essence of Texican pride and stubborn persistence as Cowboys chase Nazis across the hard desert mountains of southwest Texas. Using vintage WW1 planes, old trucks and cowboys on horseback, the action never slows. The author's intimate knowledge of the Big Bend country, along with his realistic dialogue takes the reader on a most intriguing journey.
Based on a real story during WW2, the touching camaraderie between sworn enemies makes this an outstanding adventure.
Shadows of Eagles is destined to become one of the great stories of our time.

The underlying theme of honor and respect permeates this fast paced story of a most unusual happening. Stephen Lodge has captured the essence of Texican pride and stubborn persistence as Cowboys chase Nazis across the hard desert mountains of southwest Texas. Using vintage WW1 planes, old trucks and cowboys on horseback, the action never slows. The author's intimate knowledge of the Big Bend country, along with his realistic dialogue takes the reader on a most intriguing journey.
Based on a real story during WW2, the touching camaraderie between sworn enemies makes this an outstanding adventure.
Shadows of Eagles is destined to become one of the great stories of our time.

My friend Arlene Blum (Anapurna: A Woman's Place) climbed in the Himalayas and elsewhere and lived to tell the tale. She now leads treks into the world's remote and wild regions, but she once rendered me speechless with her offhand reply to my horror at one hair-raising tale she told of crossing an ice bridge about a million miles up a some scary mountain.
"Why on earth would you do that?" I had asked, when I recovered my voice. And another unspoken question hung right behind the first: Having done it once and survived, why on God's green earth would you do it again? And again, and again.
"Oh, it's not really dangerous," and she poured me another cup of tea.
Not dangerous. Yeah, right.
Arlene had already lost a lover and several friends to accidents in high places, and others have died cold and lonely deaths since then. Not dangerous? I mean, what??
But there will still be those who MUST climb mountains. Some of them will die, and their survivors often are quoted as saying, "He died doing what he loved best," or the feminine equivalent. Maria Coffey's book, Where the Mountain Casts Its Shadow," chronicles the naked underbelly of the experience of this particular kind of loss. It looks behind the public quotes into the hearts and bleeding souls of the survivors, and I believe it's a story whose exposure is long overdue. The personal costs of extreme adventure are too often dismissed for the thrill of reading about the adventures themselves. Coffey handles with grace and delicacy the stories of wives, husbands, lovers, friends, and children left behind my someone who just had to climb yet one more mountain - for reasons the rest of us armchair travelers can't even begin to imagine.

Losing a friend or loved one is never an easy process, but it becomes even more tangled when they leave for a mountain adventure and never return. I first experienced this in the early 70's when 3 close friends were killed while attempting Mt. Elias in Canada. Maria Coffey examines how climbers and their families and friends cope with the devastating losses that shadow this sport.
She begins with a search for why people climb in the first place, and in particular why they continue after close calls; without becoming banal, she quotes Jim Wickwire, "One of the addictive aspects of climbing is that it allows you to be in the present moment in ways that are impossible in ordinary life". Similar thoughts come from Csikszentmihalyi's concept of 'flow' - which finds that the "enjoyment of risk comes not from the danger itself but from managing it, from the sense of exercising control in difficult situations." And then, there's the ultimate mountaineering existential futility of Camus' Sisyphus facing an "unspeakable penalty in which the whole being is exerted toward accomplishing nothing... Each atom of that stone , each mineral flake of that night filled mountain, in itself forms a world. The struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a man's heart".
The bulk of this powerful book interviews the survivors and comrades of lost climbers. At times, its difficult to read, but the feelings expressed range from acceptance to anger and denial. In most cases, there is a community of shared experience and values. Whether you're an active climber or arm chair mountaineer this book gives a much needed balance to the hyberbolic tales of expedition climbing. And for those of us who have lost people to the mountains it offers, not comfort, but a stoic acceptance.

Coffey is to be applauded for asking the hard questions about the climbing game. In my experience, mountaineers too often pay lip service to the death toll in the hills, regardless of their own struggles with grief and fear. I think it's because grief and fear become so tied up together for a high-altitude climber of any enduring ambition, it becomes very difficult for them to honestly talk about the issues -- because it's all very close to the surface and uncomfortable. Coffey's exploration, filtered through her own grief, is compelling but not complete. What's missing is that internal monologue where grief and fear are seen to be in starkest play. I certainly recommend Coffey's book, but I would urge you to look at the new book by Peter Hillary, `In The Ghost Country', to complete the picture of the dark side. There you'll enter Hillary's mind and find the grief and fear of the game working there for all to see, a lifetime of horror playing out in his head on a walk to the South Pole. I love both books.

A terrific successor to Fragile Edge by the same author. That book was a personal journey - a quest for answers - followed by the author after the death of her famous mountain climber boyfriend on the slopes of Everest.

This book looks at the effect of following this most dangerous of passions on the partners left behind and some who sometimes accompany their loved ones. Even more interestingly, Maria Coffey looks at the point of views of those who have no choice in their relationships with those whose addiction seems as self-serving and as inevitable as any other addiction - parents and children.

I really liked Coffey's earlier book, and I recommend this one as much. I believe she has matured as a writer as well. She has the knack of addressing very large picture issues yet not losing sight of the personal and `small moments'.

Some of the personal testimonies about coming to terms with loss and dealing with grief are true not only for losses under such circumstances, but there are some universal truths particularly for anyone who has had to deal with death and the "loss of a future", rather than a mere celebration of a life fulfilled (as many older person funerals have become in my culture in recent years).

An understated but important subtext for me is what this has to say about gender relations. It is no accident that most of those off risking their lives, and the fur=tures of those around them are male. Ms Coffey does touch on this, and especially the unusual circumstance of women with children who still pursue the apex of whatever mass of rock and ice they have their heart set on. However, she never table thumps an agenda . . . you are lft to ponder your own conclusions.

A remarkable achievement.That Ms Coffey has the confidence of so many associated with the pursuit is a testament to her insight and empathy.

I rate this alongside Ed Douglas's book "Chomolungma Sings The Blues" as my favourite books discussing ethical and spititual concerns about mountaineering.

I loved this book, but probably not for the reasons of most other readers. It reminded me of the Darwin Rules website and books celebrating the ways in which people find to remove themselves from the gene pool.
Surely this applies to mountaineers! This is my conclusion after reading Maria Coffey's engaging book. She relates harrowing tale after harrowing tale in which these absurd risk takers try again and again to kill themselves. Eventually they all seem to succeded.
It becomes hilarious after about the fourth chapter.
Coffey does not try to make us feel sorry for those left behind. This is a wise ploy as it would only soften the impact of what she has to say, which is that these people cannot be helped, but perhaps understood.

This is the fifth book I have read by this author and the twists and turns keep comming! I can't wait to see what messes Coventry finds himself in the next Laws book! Definitely a page turner and highly recomended!

As Denver homicide detective Bryson Coventry finds himself entangled in the collateral damage of a killer who uses the entire world as his playground, newly licensed attorney Paige Alexander lands her very first case --a case that could possibly destroy the most powerful law firm in the world; a case involving a deadly, high-stakes international conspiracy of terrible proportions; a case that started in Bangkok but will not end there.

This is arguably the best of the Laws books yet. It is a fitting successor to Night Laws, Shadow Laws, Fatal Laws and Deadly Laws.

Each time I get into one of Jim Michael Hansen's books, I feel like I am putting on my old comfortable pair of tennis shoes. The only difference is that my shoes go where I want to go. With the "Bryson Coventry Thrillers," I am never sure where my journey will end.

Bryson Conventry, head of the Denver Homicide Division, is confronted with a killing that should seem cut and dried. A guy stabbed in his bedroom. Bryson figures it should be pretty easy. Instead, it ends up intersecting him with two very interesting women.

The first is Paige Alexander. She is a newly licensed lawyer who is currently working as a waitress. The Denver legal market is turning out to be a bit harder to crack than she thought it would be. But Paige's luck is about to change when she meets the second woman, Ja'Von Deveraux. A beautiful private investigator from San Francisco. Ja'Von wants to hire Paige to help her go after the largest law firm in the city. This law firm had sent the P.I. to Bangkok to do surveillance. Instead, Ja'Von ended up being forced into the sex slave trade. And Ja'Von is sure the firm had something to do with it.

To complicate matters, Bryson is finding himself falling for Ja'Von. The beautiful P.I. is falling for Bryson also, but does not want to tell him the real reason why she is in the city.

Avid readers have their favorite authors and this one has become one of mine. The style of each book is the same, but the plot twists and turns are uniquely different from one another. This is the fifth book in the series and the luster is still there.

Bryson Conventry is just as interesting now as he was in "Night Laws" - Hansen's first book. Especially the women he meets. They just seem to get more beautiful with each new story. The characters that surround Bryson have not lost their luster either. They all come off the pages as living, breathing people.

The best part of Hansen's writing is that I get dropped into the depths of the story within two or three pages. As with most of the series, I started and finished this book in one sitting.

I whole-heartedly recommend reading "Bangkok Laws." It is great, whether or not a person has read the other "Laws" books.

Kathy Martin
In The Library Reviews

There's no other way to say it, I'm hooked on Bryson Coventry AND the man who brought him to life. Hansen's other characters change with each story and are so full of life and so vivid that unfortunately, I can never put one down until it's finished. This story deals with Bangkok white slavery and a mega law firm As usual, he is working on more than one case and they begin to collide as the body count rises. Naturally it wouodn't be truly Coventry if he didn't have a string of females at his beck and call but maybe Ja'Von will be different and the start of a long romance. No matter how it plays out, Hansen contines to be the best. I can't wait for "Immortal Laws." I'm sure it will just as suspenseful as the others.
Andra Tracy

The road to crime gets rough as Bryson Coventry; a handsome hunk of a man from Denver homicide is soon in route of another murder suspect. Let's follow him as he leads us, like a blood-hound on the scent of a sly fox. But this sly unforgiving assassin doesn't just want to terrorize a small portion of the world like Bangkok; he is hungry for and waiting to involve every mind and heart of all humanity in his blood-chilling scheme. Will Coventry stop him before his lethal game can break free, like a deadly plague, and make its way to other parts of the world?

The plot thickens! The terror intensifies! Soon our brave hero finds himself knee deep in danger as this nightmarish attention grabber leaves behind a trail of dead bodies. Can this conspiracy be stopped before Paige Alexander, and Ja'Von Deveraux become involved in all the mayhem? Is it already too late?

Magnificently written! Get ready for another shocking crime novel that will have you on the edge of your seat, biting your nails. BANGKOK LAWS is a new top notch winner from one of the greatest thriller writters, Jim Michael Hansen. His wonderful work will leave you wanting more. I know it did me.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Twisting and turning, exciting, scandalous, and sometimes disturbing, the characters are well developed and the story leaves you wanting more.

The author also does a nice job of weaving the energy of New York City into the subconscious of the reader which adds an intriguing dimension.

Would love to see a sequel.

What a book! Not the same ole same ole. Plot twists
surprised me. Very easy read. Thoroughly enjoyed it from start
to finish. Give it a shot!

I was "hooked" from the moment I started reading. All the plot twists and turns and surprises make it a real "page turner!" There were times where I sat down only to read one chapter and before I knew it, I read 4 or 5! You will find yourself becoming "attached" to all the characters and wondering what was going to happen next! It is full of suspense!
I stumbled upon this book one Sunday afternoon as I wondered thru the bookstore where the author was having a book signing. After hearing a few excerpts read by Ms. Finelli, I knew I had to get it. I sincerely hope a sequel is on the way!

GREAT BOOK. I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN. EVERYTHING YOU WANT IN A BOOK, MURDER, RAPE AND AN ANNOYING URGE FOR MORE. CAN'T WAIT TO READ THE SEQUEL. IT'S A MUST HAVE. A GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFT.

A must read. Ms. Finelli brings the characters to life! I found myself rationing the pages so that I wouldn't finish the book. A sequel is a must. Hope one is on it's way. Move over D. Steel!!

The entire series rocks! If you like vampire romances, you'll likely love these books. It's great to watch the characters mature over the series. ;-)

This book draws you into solving the mystery with Nikki and Michael, and before you know it, you are wishing that they would hurry up and get together.

Book 3 of the Nikki and Michael series. This time the case Nikki deals with hits closer to home. Nikki also tells Michael that she wants to be with him, but he has to accept her as a full time partner in their cases. Great read, really keeps you hanging. There is a little bit of romance in this series, but it isn't too heavy. Book still falls under sci-fi/fanstasy.

This was a real good book. Can't wait for the Fourth Book Kiss the Night Goodbye. Keep up the good work.

This was my first Keri Arthur book, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised. The plot was fast paced, well-crafted and believable. The romance (which was also well done and well developed) wasn't the main thrust of the book, the story was. The only problem I had with this particular book is that I didn't get a complete mental image of the three main characters, Jake, Nikki and Michael. I suspect that the problem was that I hadn't read the other books in the series published before this one. But, since I loved this one so much, I intend to not only read those books, but the rest of Ms. Arthur's books. A great read!

When I first sat down to listen to his audio of this book, my mind was filled with the business of the season. I was bored with listening to a story when so many other things were expected of me. Later I decided to stop buzzing around and relax and try listening again, and I am so glad that I did. It is truely a story of hope, a story of love and it brings Christmas Day so much closer to the reality of the season. This will truely touch your heart. Charleen Crenshaw.

This is a wonderful holiday tale. It's right up there with Miracle on 34th Street and the movie version of White Christmas. The premise is totally original. this story will touch your heart and make you ponder the magic of Christmas!

This is truly a Christmas classic!

Another Christmas classic: Christmas Gifts, Christmas Voices--this story shows the miracles that occur as a result of simply thinking of others.

It's not only a beautiful story but the book itself is the highest quality. I wanted to share the "Christmas spirit" with my children and friends.

A Christmas tradition to be read every year. I must point out that this edition does not include the CD (which you definitely need to have!) but if you like to play the songs yourself, it includes the score. Nice print, comfortable to read... Just great.

I got tired of our son borrowing ours and not returning it until after Christmas so we got him his own...finally. We love this story.

Great page-turner! I challenge you to put it down once you've started it. Uplifting and empowering. Check it out and see for yourself.

Questions of faith,family bonds, psychic ability,dark forces, personal strength, intrique & redemption all come together in this harrowing tale. Good stuff.

I read this book while on vacation and finished it in two days
(I'm hoping for a sequel) One of the things I so liked about this story was the simultaneous vulnerable toughness and courage of the main character. She pulls you into her experience and although at times that's hard to take, she also brings you to the place of real discovery and healing... This truly is a must read for women who can relate to a story of true hope and courage and also enjoy an action packed thriller.

A well written story that is chilling yet hopeful at the same time.

This book deals with a dark and horrifying subject, while making sure the reader never loses sight of the light. Ms. Hillard is a wonderfully descriptive writer and a liberator. When I finished the book I felt there was a way for every person to not only survive tragedy and abuse, but to completely defeat it and thrive. I will be watching for her next novel to be sure I am one of the first to read it!