Science Fiction and Fantasy Books

I am not a fantasy reader but when the rage over Harry Potter got to me I picked up the first book, read it, and enjoyed it. But when I read Michele's GreeHee The Journey of Five I felt that I discovered a new J.K. Rowling.

The lovable characters and their nightmarish adventures stemming from Michele's imagination - dragons, fairies, giants - are etched in your memory long after you close the book.

Like Harry Potter, Michele's fantasy will appeal to both children and adults. It's only a matter of time when the U.S. version of Ms. Rowling takes hold in America.

Francine Silverman, author of Talk Radio for Authors (Infinity Publishing 2007).

You have to read GreeHee the Journey of Five! It is so uplifting and inspiring! The characters in the book were filled with such goodness, love, hope, faith and tolerance. In a world filled with greed, war, anger and judgement, it was so refreshing to read this book. It takes you away to a better place - a place filled with the kind of awe, love and joy our own planet and people should possess more of.

The messages contained within the book are so important to our every day lives. We have to stay centered, balanced and fearless so we can find our inner selves and fight the internal/external battles that plague us daily. Only if we stay true to ourselves and love ourselves without judgement, and not cave in to pressures and expectations of others, do we win the war of life. If we stay true to this tenet, we will find ourselves surrounded by those who hold similar beliefs and values and love us for who we are as well, just like the five in the book.

I related to GreeHee the most because he had a difficult upbringing - parents who were not supportive of him and wanted him to conform to their twisted beliefs. Even though their conditioning didn't feel right inside, he was still fearful that maybe he was the one who was wrong - he was the one who was defective. But instead of just living a lie and going along with what others told him he should be, he struck out on his own, forged his own path and discovered his own belief and value system that was right for him. And because he stayed true to himself, he was able to conquer his fears in a way that others could not. His faith stayed strong, he was drawn to others who supported his search and in the end, he succeeded in conquering his demons - the ones we all face in our own lives.

There's something for everyone in GreeHee The Journey of Five - fantasy, magic, mystery, intrigue, adventure and especially wisdom. I still think about the wisdom contained in this book and try to apply it to my own life daily. I can't wait for book #2 to come out!

I couldn't stop reading this wonderful fantasy. I read it in one sitting through the night. Every character in the book touched a part of my soul as if I had been this character or at least lived the same experiences, feelings and thoughts at some time in my existence in this lifetime or in another. GreeHee, a young dragon, who wanted to be cruel like his father comes upon Loni,a young fairy, who helps GreeHee follow his heart. Together their adventures help them learn to love, overcome obstacles and be true to their hearts. This book is not just for children. Every adult should read this book. It helps us go back to our childhood where fantasy and dreams are always alive and real. You will love GreeHee, Loni and their adventures in Tamoor. I am looking forward to Michele Avanti's next book in the series. Thank you, Michele, for your vision and sharing it with us.

I'm a retired teacher. I've worked with elementary/middle school children and have tried to choose books to read to them or to recommend that would enhance their self esteem and encourage them to make good choices. GreeHee is an excellent book for these age groups. GreeHee is very unsure of himself in the beginning of the story but he grows into a self assured dragon because he learns to trust the love of his friends which helps him to learn to love himself. He learns that one can get through difficulties through teamwork and making good choices. He learns that following rules is essential to survival and doing well. I enjoyed watching GreeHee evolve into a happy and trustworthy dragon (friend). This story is uplifting and the loving qualities of the characters persist throughout. I felt better for having read it and I highly recommend it to any age group-even us big kids.

This is not my typical type of book to pick up...but I am sure glad I did!! From the moment I started reading, I craved more! I can see why so many children as well as adults enjoy this book!

GreeHee The Journey of Five, by Michele Avanti, took me to a whole different world. Every time I picked it up I forgot about the laundry, the bills, the to-do list... and just lost myself in the story.

GreeHee is a young dragon who seems to be born into the wrong form, as his heart is not that of what his father says a dragon should be - fierce. While practicing how to be fierce, GreeHee meets a young fairy, Loni. Intending to eat Loni and her family, GreeHee helps Loni find her way home. Along the way, the two become friends and face adventure together. I have to stop there or I'll give away too much information!

GreeHee The Journey of Five is a delight to read! Full of adventure, full of mystery, and full of magic ... you just won't be able to put it down! I highly recommend this for readers of all ages!!

-1smileycat :-)

I'll leave the details of The Greenstone Grail to others here as they have already been elaborated upon. My purpose of writing a review is to note how remarkable this book is. I have been a reader for many years of various genres. Some have been disappointing and others have been very satisfying. I would put this book into the latter category.

Curiously, this story is a blend of fantasy and science fiction. However, my local library has it classified as an ordinary story. It is also listed in the adult section, while others have noted that it is more suited to teenagers. It can't be classified one way or another and that is a sign of a good story. A good story draws one in and shuts out the ordinary world. A good story makes one question the world around and look differently at the events that make up one's life.

While it is only a story, who hasn't longed to know something of the extraordinary? Our world seems bent on overwhelming reality. Reality is reality with its own set of rules, but we are primitives in modern accoutrements. Our very beings long for some of the mystical and unknowns that our early ancestors knew. If one book can bring out only a little of that, then it is a book worth reading. It has been a long time since I found a book that I felt ended too early. I look forward to the next installment.

This book kept my daughters and me on the edges of our seats. If you or your children enjoy Harry Potter then here is his match. We are weighting with bated breath for the next installment in the Trilogy -- What happens next??? I am sure will delight and fascinate!!!!!!!

Amanda Hemingway is fast on her way to becoming a favorite author, a position hardly easy to achieve as Neil Gaiman has happily held that position for years. For now however, Amanda Hemingway-otherwise known as Jan Seigel for her untitled Atlantis and Fern Capel trilogy- has a way of touching upon and writing the stories and bringing forth the ideas that one all knows and loves without making a cliche of them or treating them with thinly veiled contempt. Simply because they are a requirement of story progression.

_The Greenstone Grail_ is the first novel in the Sangreal Trilogy, following the exploits of Nathan Ward in his quest to recover the scattered items that may or may not save a cluster of worlds on the edges of the universe. The story starts out with Nathan's Mother Annie, making her way with an infant Nathan in tow to a town where she may potentially have a job. Pursued by an invisible force that she can neither name or explain, she manages to stumble right into the path of one Bartleby Goodman and his far to intelligent dog "Hoover". Bartleby, one of "The Gifted" (a term used in her last trilogy, written under the penname Jan Siegel) sees Annie's plight and lets her into his home. From there we traverse across thirteen years to modern day where Nathan's adventures start as he grew up to be a smart, popular and good hearted young man and perhaps what one would considered an old fashioned hero. Intelligent, athletic and irrevociably drawn towards goodness that leaves the reader with a warm glow of satisfaction. Nathan is an all around good guy that is rarely seen now a days both in fiction and in reality. While his Mother Annie is a good woman and a decent Mother and a likeable narrator, neither bogged down by Hemingway's other herione-Fern's-unexplainable and constantly strong denial and almost rut in the mud attitude towards life. Indeed when strange happenings begin, Annie accepts them without comment or betraying action and goes on to handle her life as best she can whilst supernatural things happen all around her. All focusing on finding an item of far off and familiar mythology while the unknown or possibly known antagonist (Hemingway handles the mystery of the villain in the story expertly, keeping them a constant precense without revealing to much of them early) of the story looms threateningly. Nathan is accompanied by his good friend Hazel, his faithful dog Hoover, with help of Bartleby and even a rescued traveler from another world. Even while Nathan dreams himself into other worlds in his sleep, becoming more and more substantial as he travels...

Hemingway's close to the edge of purple prose is subdued in this novel, still there with great descriptions and realistic dialogue and steady and good pacing it's also toned down enough for the young adult market. One almost wishes that Hemingway would use such language and writing style in all her future volumes. For this novel, perhaps it having something to do with being marketed as a Young Adult novel or having learned from previous writing experiences, _The Greenstone Grail_ is a clean novel with a deft hand and concise well contained plot. The novel has a set ending that can leave the reader satisfied it also leaves the potential and indeed almost promise of future volumes in the series. Everything in the story fits in it's place while still retaining an air of mystery and though the title belays another book in the endless series of Arthur and Camelot mix, happily Arthur never even comes once into the story and indeed Camelot is thankfully never mentioned. While it is another story in the long overused plot device of the Holy Grail, with promises of future volumes dealing with other famous Camelot like items, it is in Hemingway's complete removal of Camelot itself that brings together this novel and makes it stand out in a genre that is regaled to, too often used cliches and retellings of the same story that had already once been told to death. _The Greenstone Grail_ is a good novel worthy of many rereadings, while definitely deserving a place on the keeper shelf. Reccomended for fantasy lovers, lovers of the oft familiar plot of finding the "Holy" grail and a must for all Young Adult and Young Adult fantasy lovers.

A world is dying. Its only chance for survival lies with a Great Spell that nobody knows how to perform. What they do know is that they need three objects of power- a cup, a sword, and a crown. Strange things are happening in Eade, a peaceful English town that is home to a boy called Nathan. Nathan has dreams of a world that is contaminated by magic. He gradually realizes that he is dreaming of a real world, a world completely different from his own. The Grimthorn Grail is a cup that once belonged to the Thorn family that is said to have strange powers. The only remaining Thorn descendant wants the cup back and is trying desperately to prove that the original sale was illegal. As Nathan's dreams become more and more real and he learns about this other world, he realizes the fatal problems that it is facing. The cup comes from the other world, he is sure of it, but he also thinks that it was sent to his world for safekeeping until a need to use its powers arose. Where does the cup truly belong? Can the world be saved?

"The Greenstone Grail," is the first novel in a trilogy, each focusing on in turn on one of the three powerful objects, each full of unanswered questions. Vivid descriptions bring the story to life as Nathan, his mother, and his best friend discover knew dangers and complications in their quest to set things right. Amanda Hemmingway weaves the story of a world that has an unbelievable problem and a young boy who just might have the power to set things right. Advanced mystery readers will enjoy the many unanswered questions of the book as each different character encounters fears and problems of their own.

Reviewed by a student reviewer for Flamingnet Book Reviews
www.flamingnet.com
Preteen, teen, adn young adult book reviews and recommendations

If one has to accept the fact that almost all fantasy books are now the beginning of a series (and we're just about to that point), then at least The Greenstone Grail is a compelling enough beginning to leave the reader wanting more while still resolving at least this portion of the story. Grail opens nicely with a bit of suspense and mystery as Annie Ward, carrying her infant son, is chased/herded, down a dark unfamiliar road by things dark and barely seen. She stumbles across a haven in the form of the small home of Bartleby Goodman, whose sight clearly has some power. From there we jump to when Nathan is thirteen years old and about to embark on the adventures of the trilogy.
Half the story involves a local legend regarding the Greenstone Grail, a family legacy lost centuries ago that seemingly has returned and is about to be auctioned off. The resurfacing of the cup leads to a legal battle, some strange mystical events, an old, usually harmless witch ("grat-grandmother" to Nathan's best friend) biting off more than she could chew, and eventually a murder or two.
The other half of the story involves Nathan's emerging and improving ability to dream himself into a strange dying world where magic exists and whose inhabitants (steadily decreasing) are becoming more desperate to find someplace to move where the encroaching "virus" that has killed off most of their universe won't find them.
It doesn't take the most astute reader to figure out that eventually the two stories will have something to do with one another. Meanwhile, toss in a vengeful waterspirit, a mysterious couple who just moved into the small town, Nathan's best friend Hazel who is both repelled and compelled by her own potential Gift for magic, a dog who is more than a dog, an old-time bumblingly benign inspector, an otherworldly princess, and a host of other items and you have a book whose numerous parts mesh together wonderfully well.
The plot is both complex and nicely compelling. The coming-of-age portion of the story is handled subtly and with humor. The characters could do with a bit more edge or vividness, with the exception of Annie who comes across strongly. If Nathan seems a bit too good or too wise/eloquent for the typical 13-yr-old, the author gives us a built-in reason for this.
All in all, Greenstone Grail stands out as one of the best of the many, many offering in young adult fantasy--better written, better plotted than most. It doesn't quite achieve the quality of the Bartimeus trilogy by Stroud or the Gregor series, and falls somewhere in between the two with regard to target age (though can be enjoyed by older teens/adults), but it is a welcome addition. Highly recommmended.

This is a great classic story and one that is worth reading. McKillip's writing is just so beautiful and haunting that you have to read it to understand. It might be an older series of books, but its creativity really stands up.

Patricia McKillip wraps up her Riddlemaster trilogy in a manner that other current fantasy authors have yet to match. If the second book of a series tends to be the weakest, the last is the most likely to disappoint. Here, the trilogy gets even more amazing.

In the aftermath of Heir of Sea and Fire, Raederle and Morgan have been reunited in Anuin, where the dead are still roaming around, Deth has vanished, and Raederle is afraid to marry Morgan because of her fears of her own strange ancestry. Morgan brings a shipful of wraiths to his home of Hed, and confronts the family who sees that he is no longer as he once was.

And the lands of An are teetering on the edge of war, with shapechangers creeping through the land and the sinister Ghisteslwchlohm somehow at the middle of it. "There are men in it who have already died, who are still fighting, with their bodies possessed by nothing human." So Morgan and Raederle must go on the ultimate mission -- a mission that will take them to the heart and history of their world, the secret of the shape-changers and what they are, and what Morgan's secret destiny is...

McKillip doesn't falter for a moment in this book, the third of the series; she's never written doorstopper epics, but her books are some of the most outstanding fantasy in print. Her writing evolved even over the course of the trilogy, becoming more introspective and more spellbinding in its descriptions. She gives you only a hint of how something looks, but every sense about how it feels and how it is perceived by the characters.

Morgan and Raederle have both grown from the beginnings of their initial books. Morgan is now a more tormented, multidimensional person than the guy who hid a crown under his bed and got sour milk dumped on his head. He feels the weight of An on his shoulders, and experiences equal determination and fear. Raederle has also changed, since finding out about her mixed heritage and why she has her mysterious powers. In a way, this knowledge about her past balances out with Morgan's knowledge about his future destiny. She's not the usual fantasy girlfriend whose sole purpose is to provide the hero with some romance, but a strong and independent female character who acts as a vital part of the storyline.

The supporting characters are also amazing: Deth is his usual ambiguous self, where you can't be sure if he's working for or against Morgan. Rood is still delightful, but transformed into a more serious character. And we see more of Raederle's quirky father Mathom, Morgan's sister Tristan and brother Eliard, and various other faces from the past two books.

This is one of the few fantasy stories where you simply can't guess what is ahead. Questions and hints laid out in the previous two books are followed up on, and pretty much no threads are left dangling. You won't guess beforehand what Morgan's destiny is or what the shapechangers were, or even how they can be dealt with. You won't know what Deth's plans are until he reveals them, or whether he's a villain or a hero. As in real life, the answers are not laid on the table for everyone to see; what you see is not necessarily what is real, and what the hero thinks about a person is not necessarily what is true.

Unlike most fantasies, this book is not padded for extra length, given an enormous cast of characters or an overly complicated system of kingdoms and hierarchies. There are no stereotypical elements like elves, dwarves, gray-bearded wizards, or Dark Lords; only shapechangers and human beings. McKillip's magic is not the slam-bang-whizz-sparks-of-light type, but a subtle, strange, powerful kind.

The climax to one of the best fantasy stories since Lord of the Rings, and one of the best out there. A must-read.

An eloquent tale that has a life and spark of its own. Much can be learned within its pages for those fond of riddling and star dreaming. I read the last first by accident and spent seven years trying to trace back the riddle. I recommend this book to all. A great gift from a great writer.

The Star-bearer (Morgon of Hed) and Raederle of An, united at last, continue their search for their true identities in this final volume of McKillip's 'Riddle-Master' trilogy. "Harpist in the Wind" won the Locus Award in 1980 and I feel 'award-winning' is the least amount of praise one can apply to this trilogy. McKillip 'dreams awake' when she spins her fantasies, and that's how it feels to read them.

Love, family ties, and even magical bonds to the land play an important part in these novels, as they do in many other great fantasy epics such as 'Lord of the Rings' and Norton's Witchworld trilogy concerning the triplets Kemoc, Kyllan, and Kaththea. Vengeance, which was a prominent theme in "Heir of Sea and Fire" slows to a cold drizzle in "Harpist in the Wind" and in one case dries up completely.

Revenge might indeed be a 'dish best tasted cold' but if it gets too cold, the hero could end up feeling sorry for his erstwhile enemy or even forgiving him, as does Morgon. His gradual change from innocent farmer-prince, to vengeful shape-changer, to the Star-bearer spins out the most challenging riddle of this trilogy. Who is the Star-bearer? What is his true purpose?

"Stars, children with faces of stone, the fiery, broken shards of a bowl he had smashed in Astrin's hut, dead cities, a dark-haired shape-changer, a harpist, all resolved under his probing into answerless riddles"--at least in the beginning of "Harpist in the Wind."

As in all of McKillip's fantasies, there are scenes of high astonishment and magic in 'Harpist,' most especially in Morgon's discovery of wizards other than the evil Ghisteslwchlohm who are still alive, most prominently Yrth, the creator of Morgon's three-starred harp. Or is this another of the riddles the Star-bearer must solve? What is the relationship between Deth, the High One's harpist who betrayed Morgon to Ghisteslwchlohm, and Yrth, a great wizard who had once been called the Harpist of the magical city of Lungold?

In the end, all riddles are answered and the Star-bearer comes into his heritage, although his friends and loved ones (and the reader) seem to realize who he is long before he does. Such is usually the case with heroes.

The Riddlemaster triology is my favourite story ever. I can't count the number of times I have read it, immersing myself in the beauty of the language and characters, always hurting a little when I come to the end. I have actually printed out and framed the last paragraph of Book Three, because I think it is a piece of the most beautiful writing I have ever come across.

I love short stories, and each one of these wonderful fantasy shorts are perfect to read before bed! Patricia MckIllip really paints pictures with her words, and she is one of my favorite authors.

It was good to read all those fairy tales and see the same magic that enchanted me with "The Changeling Sea". My only complaint is the same for all others book by the autor, that some short stories ended without telling all about them, making me hungry for the next one.

A great selection of short stories by a masterful fantasy author.

Patricia A. McKillip is the author of several wonderful books (my favourites being "Alphabet of Thorn" and "Winter Rose") and is one of the few fantasists in the publishing world that is original. Although her stories may contain typical fantasy elements (dragons, heroes, kingdoms, quests, good versus evil, etc) they are written in such beautiful poetic-prose that the stories transcend the clichés they stem from; reading more as luminous fairytales than hum-drum fantasy. Although the prose is beautiful, it is also an acquired taste. When I was first introduced to her work, I found it rather difficult to adjust to a story that was often hidden under such dense, rich language. Of course, it's worth it in the end, but for those just starting out on McKillip, perhaps this anthology of short stories is a good starting place.

And for those already well-versed in the magic of McKillip's writing, a series of stories is an added bonus to add to a collection. McKillip is just as skilled in the creation of short stories as she is in full-length novels, and sometimes a quick-fix of her work is just what a devoted reader needs. Containing fifteen stories (some of which span a few pages, others which are better described as novellas); there's enough variety amongst them to keep each one fresh and interesting.

In the story that gives the book its title, "Harrowing the Dragon", a dragon-slayer comes to the island of Hoarsbreath in order to harrow the dragon from its shores. He is joined by a native of the island, a young woman who isn't too sure if she wants the dragon to go. "A Matter of Music" concerns Cresce Dami, a bard who has freshly graduated from her school with ambitions of playing in Daghian. Attempting to negotiate her way through the rules and etiquette of playing music in a high court, Cresce becomes involved in the political machinations of the countries surrounding her. These stories are by far the longest in the entire book, and are typical of McKillip's wonderful world-building and imagery.

McKillip borrows from other fairytales too: in "Baba Yaga and the Sorcerer's Son", she uses the Russian folklore of Baba Yaga and her chicken-legged house to imagine a meeting between the witch and a young wizard who needs her help, whilst the Hans Christian Anderson tale of "The Snow Queen" imagines a contemporary setting in which Kay cheats on his devoted wife Gerda with a beautiful stranger...but Gerda - whose entire life has revolved around Kay - finds a hidden strength of her own to survive his betrayal. "The Lion and the Lark" is an amalgamation of several fairytales, (most obviously Beauty and the Beast, though keep your eyes open for the others) which makes it a little predictable, though ends with an image of amazing imaginary force. Finally, in the story that ends the book, "Toad" is an explanatory back-story of "The Frog Prince", explaining why the prince would agree to marry such a spoilt princess. McKillip looks deep into the imagery at work throughout the fairytale, using the golden ball and the frog's intrusion into the princess's life as a metaphor for her burgeoning maturity. I'll never look at the Frog Prince the same way again.

As well as building on other sources, McKillip creates fairytales all her own. In "A Troll and Two Roses" she weaves the tale of an ugly troll who becomes enraptured by a beautiful rose and its connection to two enchanted lovers, while in "The Fellowship of the Dragon" five bards go out in search of the Queen's favourite harper, only to fall prey to the traps and snares strewn throughout the wood they must traverse. "Lady of the Skulls" (one of my favourites) involves a mysterious tower in the desert, to which many questing knights travel, attracted by the promise that should they take the most precious thing that it holds, they will be allowed to keep it. The catch? If they choose wrongly, they die. Then there's "The Stranger", which concerns a man who forms dragons out of the colours in nature and his own imagination, and the weaver-woman who tries to prevent him from the destruction he wreaks. In "Voyage into the Heart", we are privy to a unicorn hunt in which the bait (a young virgin naturally) is unaware of her part to play in its capture.

There are two other stories that don't seem to fit into any category: "The Witches of Junket", which involves three prodigal grand-daughters returning to their hometown to help destroy an escaping evil, and my personal favourite "Starcrossed", which concerns the investigation into the deaths of Romeo and Juliet by a soldier who is disillusioned with love. It's a fantastic concept, and McKillip pulls it off brilliantly.

Lastly there are two little stories (which come across more like experimental writing exercises) "Ash, Wood, Fire" and "Transmutations", the former concerning the dynamics of a medieval kitchen, the latter exploring what goes on in an alchemical laboratory. They are probably the weakest stories of the anthology, but they are both reasonably short (and with other such exemplary stories on display, it doesn't really bear complaining about). Besides, thirteen out of fifteen ain't bad.

Altogether, this is a great collection and a must for any McKillip (not to mention K. Y. Craft, who always provides beautiful cover art) fan.

Patricia McKillip is my favorite fantasy writer for a reason. She hasn't written one bad paragraph in her entire career, and I've read everything she's written. I've been reading Science Fiction and Fantasy for 40 years, and I've never come across an author whose fantasy was quite as gorgeous as McKillips. Her characters are fascinating, her plots move at a meandering, but decent pace, and her worlds are lush and dreamlike. I always feel as if I've had one of those miraculous moments of connectivity with the magic of the world when I read her work. Everything takes on a brilliant cast, and the world seems a beautiful place because of her gracious work. This book is no exception, filled with generous chapters of rich storytelling. I can't recommend it enough, but then, I recommend all of her books. It's hard for me to pick a favorite, but I must say that I adored the Book of Atrix Wolfe, and Winter Rose.

I have never seen such a beautful and colorful calendar. When the day is over you dont want to get rid of it. The nicest day to daya calendar I have ever purchased.

If you love Harry Potter, you will love seeing a new scene every day of 2007.

This calendar is awesome because it has all four years in it, and the pictures are really cool. Sometimes the descriptions are a little off, but that's no big deal. I really like it.

I love the calendar i get excited every day when i go to work to see which picture it will show. I know I might be a dork, but I don't care. Everyone should own a Harry Potter Calendar.

I love this calendar!! With every new day comes a new picture from one of the four movies. Along with the picture is a description and the title of the movie it is from. It is the perfect size for your desk too!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows is an all and all good book. You connect with the characters as the books goes on and you see how some friendships grow. Harry, Hermione, and Ron seem like they are the best of friends, but after you read this book, you see that they can be even better friends.
I really like in the book how some things are not completely explain and you have to think to figure some things out. I like to think when I read the book. When things are just given to you things get a bit boring. The ending is pretty good, but I just sort of wish that there would be a bit more explanation to it.
There are a few things that could have been better. It gets into a lot of detail and a lot of people their minds start to wonder and they get off topic so the explanation of some things could be a little less yet there are some things could be a bit more detailed.
So I think the book was very interesting and I would recommend the book to anybody who wants a good read and would take the time to read it. º

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the unabridged audiobook conclusion to J.K. Rowling's acclaimed "Harry Potter" fantasy series, about a boy wizard on the verge of manhood who must stake all he has - even his life - to defeat his murderous, virtually immortal archenemy Voldemort. Voldemort and his Death Eater minions have taken over - wizards who are not "pure blooded" are being systematically hunted down and imprisoned or executed. The Magic of Ministry has fallen. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is no longer a safe refuge. Dumbledore, the only wizard Voldemort ever feared, is dead. The one way to end Voldemort's menace is to find and destroy the pieces of his shattered soul - but Voldemort has hidden them well! Harry and his best friends Ron and Hermione must undertake an epic quest that will pit them against the most formidable of foes. Perhaps worse than the quest itself are the lingering secrets that Dumbledore has hidden from Harry. Three powerful magical artifacts, known as the Deathly Hallows, will have a crucial bearing on Harry's quest, but will they be his rescue - or his ruin? A monumental epic and a satisfying conclusion to the wildly popular saga, impressively narrated by Jim Dale. 17 CDs, 21 hours 39 minutes.

I listened to the unabridged audio version of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows and really think this was the best harry Potter book so far. It was spectacularly narrated and, is 19 CD's long, which is probably why I haven't written a review for a while.

I particularly enjoyed the environment in this latest one. It is darker and more urgent. Harry, Hermione and ron are on the run! Harry must find horcrux's which contain bits of Voldemort's soul. Our heroes are also battling uncertainty, doubt, and betrayal. I particularly enjoyed the fact that Dudley seemed to have shown a kinder side, and the revelation about Aunt Petunia was just fascinating. I almost felt bad for her.

I enjoyed the backstory with Lily/Snape which explained a lot. I only wish Harry's dad had been less cruel towards Snape.

Overall, this was a spectacular conclusion to the HP series, although, I think I could've done without the epilog at the end. It didn't add anything.

I wish to instill upon all my readers the solemnity with which I type these words today. It's been just under 48 hours since a large percent of Muggle-kind poured into bookstores worldwide to get their own copy of the most awaited book ever published. It was without a doubt the greatest novel I have ever had the pleasure of reading. Rowling writes so well that it all seems so real, real enough to become an international phenomenon that has made Harry's world leap into our hearts and homes. Hogwarts, Godric's Hollow, and Hogsmeade have all seemed to be out there just beyond the reach of our outstretched, groping fingertips. It is because of this that what I am writing now will be like no other review that I have ever penned. I have followed Harry from Number 4 Privet Drive, to the very end, and cherished every word. Ending the Harry Potter series is like drawing a line between his world and ours, it's the final breaking point at which our ever-growing curiosity will never be satisfied. And we know it. Even though it was voiced by J.K. long before the release was scheduled that this would be the final installment, I thought that, maybe, just maybe, there was some fleeting chance of another book. The first thing I ever read in the book assured me that it was a futile impossibility. In place of a synopsis, it simply stated 'We now present the seventh and final installment in the epic tale of Harry Potter'. This was it. End of story. Literally.

This is a book that cannot be passed up. It answers more questions in such a special way that only Rowling is capable of. If you wanted to know something about the previous books, the answers are in here. Every chapter was a good read, with nonstop action throughout. Many very important questions are left addressed, but unanswered until the latter part of the book, but within the first chapter, key elements of the plot are unveiled. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is one of those books that you will lay reading at night, fighting to overpower sleep, unable to put it down, and get through 100 more pages than you originally expected to before the drowsiness finally overtakes you. The dedication in itself is enticingly vague enough to make you want to read the book all in one sitting. Rowling addresses six of her friends and then has one final thing to say: 'And to you, if you have stuck with Harry until the very end.'. It made me uneasy, and it made me wonder, as I'm sure it will you.

I cannot say much about the plot that you do not already know, without revealing important determining factors in the book. I will however say that during Harry's search for the Horcruxes, he faces more obstacles that he has in any previous endeavor that he has undertaken. The power of evil is growing even stronger, and the magical world is not what it used to be at all. You'll have to read it to get to "the good stuff", and this is guaranteed a book that you won't find boring. It will be one of the best decisions of a read you'll ever make.

As we come to the end of this unique world of fantasy which JK Rowling created, kudos must be given to Jim Dale, who from the first book made every character come alive with a distinctive voice and personality. I have read the books, but for me, listening to the CD's of Jim Dale's narration made the experience fully real. He created little children, old women, giants, monsters, centaurs, and the hissing voice of the snakelike villain. Each voice so distinctive we came to recognize it instantly.
As for the this the final book in the series:
This is the last book in a seven book series that reads as one long fabulous story, a fantasy classic for all ages. It stands with JRR Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" in that it started out as a children's book: "The Hobbit" in Tolkien's case; "The Sorcerer's Stone" in Rowling's case, and both moved on quickly, as if of their own volition, to proceed away from a simple child's story and become a real world in fact, with humor, tragedy, love, and loss and a great overwhelming evil that the decent people are required to fight in order to keep their self-respect and honor. In each case, the sagas are works that can be appreciated by every age. The Harry Potter series gives us characters as real as any people we have known. They have faults and frailties, we have seen them grow and mature before our eyes through the series from childhood to late adolescence with all that entails, and we have come to really care for them. Though surrounded by magic, by potions, by fantastic animals, and unknown species, the main characters are deeply human. The world they live in is similar to our own, but has the added ingredient of magic, which all the major characters can use. However for much of the story magic is a sideline---very important, discussed and used continually--- but not as important as those very human qualities of friendship, love and trust which actually pull the characters through their losses, to fight their battles, and get them through the on-going great battle with almost overwhelming evil. The human qualities inevitably trump the magical ones in this world: The protective spell of a mother's love...sacrificing oneself for one's friends...those qualities and others are more powerful than spells, potions and wand-work. This, the final book is an excellent entry to the series. Every thread is tied up, and a surprising new subplot is introduced. There is much fighting and death, but it is for a cause well worth fighting for, which mirrors events of our times, and no death is for shock value or the wantoness of blood, gore and pain. The losses suffered by the good people in these last two books have been enormous, yet, again, suffered meaningfully for that great cause, and always appropriate and always mourned. As the book ends, one feels that this world exists and will continue. The work which is the seven part series will stand, I think, in the fantasy literature genre as a classic to be read and remembered. The word "heart" is used frequently, and "heart" is at the center of this world: love, friendship and self-sacrifice are themes repeated over and over, and are the touchstones of this world and what make it special. No recent great work has so unashamedly been so clear on that point, and that is what has drawn so many to it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The most amazing part about it is that the plot is so detailed, complex, and believable. This book is most definitely NOT all about sex. There is suspense and drama. It would be a page turner even if there was no slash. Believe it or not, the plot is what makes this book great.

On the downside, there are some remaining typos, but they can be overlooked. I was a little disappointed that the post-pet recovery phase was cut so very short. I would have preferred a more gradual improvement in Rye and more detail descriptions of his progress.

All in all, though, it was an excellent book that I would highly recommend to anyone that enjoys slash and extremely light D/s stories.

I had originally read this on the author's website a while ago. It's nice to have it in book form. While there are some well worn themes in this that you find in other "original" works like Psi abilities and anarchy type communities, this story still feels original and not hackneyed.

I like that this story it isn't just an excuse for smut (although I rather enjoy smut). The fact that Ichi resists taking advantage of his "pet" no matter how many times the pet tries to tempt him makes this not your usual yaoi story. There is a romance, adventure, mystery.

To address some of the critical parts... as another reviewer mentioned there are times when it could have gone through the editing process a little more thoroughly for grammatical and spelling errors. Mind you on the website the typos were more prevalent, so I know that it did get proofread and much of it has been corrected but there are still a few errors here and there. Also the page layouts could be improved. The gutter is too narrow so sometimes when you are reading the verso (left side of the page) you almost have to break the spine because the words are tightly in the folds.

In any case I would hope that someday the author will write a sequel to this story. She's written some shorter side stories to some of the characters but I would love to read more about Ichi and Rye.

Heroes and Ghosts should be on all homoerotica lover's bookshelves. Payne is a master at capturing your attention and holding it relentlessly throughout the story that beautifully unfolds. I found myself not just reading text, but becoming wholly immersed in the tale of Ichi and Rye as they struggle to find and come to terms with themselves and each other. Romantic and sizzling, engaging and interesting... I highly recommend Heroes and Ghosts.

Ok, I'll admit that I wasn't all that thirlled when my friend said to me: I found a story you will love... but it's yaoi.

I distintly remember wrinkling up my nose and going 'ewww'. Then (with much prompting) I read it -- all of it -- in one sitting. The title of the story was Heroes and Ghosts and it changed how I viewed an entire genre. S.A.Payne has the ability to draw a person into her world and hold them hostage as the story unfolds, magically, before their eyes, then shake them up before turning them loose again.

Desperate people doing desperate things and surviving their own stupidity is (IMHO) one of the underlying themes in this story. Not to mention, I also think it's fun to watch how an uptight,emotionally stunted, scientific type transmorphs over the course of the story into someone capable of having an energetic love life full of tender moments and screaming climaxes.

I think the only thing I didn't like about this story was the ending, because, well... it ends.

It's interesting to read a western written m/m, yaoi-influenced, story and have it not be fan fiction. It reads a lot like fan fiction, lending to the theory that Ms. Payne has written quite a bit of it in her day, though the story is clearly original and the characters and background just as complex as anything to be found in the canon work of an original creator. And I realize that sounds nothing like a ringing endorsement, but I've read a lot of fan fiction in my day and I have read more than a little original fiction by those who have also written fan fiction and I have rarely come across the quality of storytelling that I have found here.

You know how, when you really like a story, you scroll through the dialogue to see what happens next? Yeah, I did that with this book. Actually, I have a nasty habit of taking any book I read, skipping to the end and finding out what happens before I can settle myself down to start it, going back later again and again to skip ahead to see how things progress. I only actually did that once while reading through this story. The rest of the time I spent focused on the development of the plot and trying very hard not to skim between love scenes to get to the next.

The book begins slowly, introducing the main character, Ichi, the quiet, comparatively sheltered researcher from a repressed (influenced by Japan) culture, living on a research space station as the only gay among the lively boisterous people of Avalon, who have seen more than their fair share of pain in life. Following this brief introduction, the story drives through the local politics of how Avalon came to be independent finally from the opressive colonization by the Concord (under which Ichi's people are ruled peacefully). It easily shifts gears to focus on Ichi's difficulties in his love life and in a drunken act he accidentally orders a sex doll from a company either cleverly or contrively named, PETS. Months later when it arrives he embarrassingly attempts to rid himself of responsibility for the thing, until he discovers that his "doll" has been "upgraded" to a "living companion," a genetically modified human-like creature designed to fulfill the physical desires and fantasies of its owner. Ichi is forced, at first unwillingly, to take the "pet" in, refusing to use it for its intended purpose, but as time passes his bond to Rye grows and he discovers his "pet" is quite a bit more than he expected. What ensues is a story filled with romance, action and intrigue set on the backdop of a complex futuristic sci-fi universe. Many parts are almost cheesily predictable, particularly the development of the romance between Rye and Ichi, but to be quite honest, I don't think I could have handled anything less. The temptation to compare this story to Ai no Kusabi (recently licensed in English by DMP) exists, only with Heroes and Ghosts we know we won't get a tragic and heartbreaking ending. The story is never boring, however, and there are plenty of twists and turns to keep one guessing about what will happen next, or at the very least, whether something will or won't happen at all.

The characters are all three-dimensional, and this is where Ms. Payne shines the most. Atttention to detail in character design is something often the first to go when trying to simplify a story for the BL or m/m genre of fiction, but here background information, character growth and development are not left in the dust in favor of speeding to the foregone conclusion of the romantic pairing. In fact, I was not only surprised, but thrilled to see the story continue on after the first third of the book. A lesser author would have tacked on a quick simplistic "happily-ever-after" ending at the point where Rye (of course) starts to become more human and falls in love with Ichi, but there is so much more to tell in the story. The love scenes are scattered throughout the book and get decently graphic. They border on the predictable side in lead-in and follow-through, but to be honest that is not a deal-breaker for me by any means. The story development around the main romance is so complex and somewhat dark that having this perhaps "fluffy" romantic development is most welcome.

Also of note is the difference I have found between Western writing styles in this genre and their Eastern counterparts. The book is styled after the typical Japanese BL/yaoi genre, but it is written from the perspective of a Western writer. In Japanese genre stories the focus tends to be on the repressive nature of the culture under which the protagonist either realizes his is attracted to another man, or is gay and is trying to hide his identity for fear of social discrimination. Most of the struggle in these stories are therefore struggles of choice and whether to submit to societal pressure or pursue one's true happiness. In Western m/m romance the host culture tends to be more socially accepting and the focus of character growth and development is based on the character's relationships, pasts and personal conflicts, much the same way as they are in non-genre romance storytelling. However, generally in western m/m storytelling we don't get the wide-ranging universes, character backgrounds and complex sci-fi or fantasy backdrop. To read a story that has the best aspects of both worlds is not only refreshing, it is engaging.

That said, I do have a few complaints. And I'm not suggesting that my complaints somehow make the book not worth reading. I wholeheartedly endorse experiencing this story and I hope my criticisms are not taken too much to heart.

First and foremost is my stickler's mind about grammar. The whole story could use a good editing by an unbiased third party. All authors should use them. Fan fiction authors use them, they call them betas, and they find simple typographical and grammatical errors that spell checks and reading over one's own work don't and fix them. Ms. Payne is a talented writer and I hated to read all of the simply correctable confusions of "then/than," "they're/their" and myriad of other awkward and easily correctable usages and mistakes throughout the story.

I also spent a good deal of the book trying to figure out if Ms. Payne was a speaker of British or American English, because of the inconsistency of some of the language. The references to height in feet and inches betrays American origins, as every other corner of the world has long since converted to metric, but there is a good amount of ambiguity. One might ask, however, what it matters, but there is a difference to sentence structure, grammatical and punctuation usage that occurs between the two forms of English writing and for someone like me, who easily notices such things, it left me, not necessarily agitated, but a little distracted. A quick trip to the SAPayne webpage cleared it and some other questions up, but I'm still left a little off-put by it.

Getting away from technical complaints I did have a few lingering issues with some aspects of the story. There were times when things were mentioned and then completely dropped and never brought up again, or not completely justified in the story. Now, there were a lot of instances of this that by the end of the book were actually cleared up, like the question that arises about a quarter of the way in (after Rye begins to show signs of a dark past) about why in the world PETS would allow such a "dangerous" person to live at all, and is only answered close to the end of the book. I'm glad it is ultimately cleared up, but I have to admit I spent several long chapters in the middle wondering if I was just supposed to accept the lack of closure about that as a plot device in a yaoi novel and nothing more and move on.

I think my biggest question is the value of the whole psi/empath classification in the story. A lot of time and care is set aside for explaining this very interesting aspect of human evolution (or whatever it really is), but to be honest I would have accepted Will's value as a shoulder to cry on and a voice of comfort and reason without any special abilities (though his breakdowns towards the end due to his "burden" are dealt with dramatic effect). It really only amounted to just one more thing Ichi does not share with his host culture among the Avalon people and making his grandfather the one to have founded the research into the field is only mentioned briefly at the beginning of the story and neither brought up again, nor used in any meaningful way later.

There were also times when I wished aspects of the story had been shown in the plot. In particular was my dismay that the scene where Ichi "returns the favor," as it is so eloquently put, for the first time is only mentioned and not shown. While the equally exciting scene that follows shortly after is very satisfying, I truly wish that particular scene had been shown in detail, or that aspect of the development of Ichi and Rye's relationship had been incorporated into said scene instead. And then there is the scene on the other space station where Ichi and Rye leave the party early to go to bed together. I wanted to see that love scene. It would have been oh so very deliciously angsty, beautiful and emotional. In fact, and somewhat embarassingly, I admit that I wish there were way more love scenes throughout the book. I wanted to see these two guys going at it like rabbits, not just reading that they were.

I also have to question the lack of explanation for the usage of Earth nationalities, like Korean and Japanese, when referring to the ancestry of specific characters. No mention of Earth origins is present in the book, which sort of leaves a little plot hole about how humans have come to expand throughout the universe and retain knowledge of ethnic lineage after what must be many generations of planetary colonization and political restructuring.

Finally, I have to question the moral ambiguity of the final confrontation at the end of the book. The "solution" is justifiable, but the revenge angle leaves just a little bit of a bad taste in my mouth. It is dramatic and wonderfully written, but it just seems a little too clean-cut and black/white for my personal tastes. The same result with a line like, "doing this won't truly fix anything" or something about the selfishness of the act to protect oneself and loved ones would have resolved that for me.

In the end, I wish I had illustrations to look at, like in many yaoi light novels, to better visualize the characters in my head. I'd love to have "seen" Rye and Ichi and all the rest. The ending is a conclusion, but it feels like there could be more, and I would truly love to read more about these characters and this universe. My four star rating is only given for my technical complaints, and should these be corrected in a future edition I will retract them and give it five stars. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the genre, whether you like the Western m/m romance or the Japanese BL/yaoi genre. There's a lot here for both.

The Hundredth Woman is an inspiring novel about women finding themselves, connecting with friends and lovers, and embracing the spiritual world. They tap into the strength of all women, present and past, to follow their chosen paths and become the women they are supposed to be. This is an amazing and empowering book that every woman over the age of 13 should read. Throughout the book, author Kate Green weaves many lessons for us all. Lessons many of us know but tend to forget. It's an excellent pathway to claiming our best lives. Bless you, Kate Green, for putting your soul into this. May you be phenomenally rewarded for your efforts and for bringing such an important work to us.

In The Hundredth Woman Kate Green has uniquely crafted three goddess characters full of passion, drama, and beauty. They are real-life women enduring real-life battles. Well-written with a clearly defined plot, Kate's novel is much more than a book "just for women." There is no hardcore male bashing -- only hardcore women discovering their inner strengths and how to use them -- powers the author experienced while traveling the world learning from indigenous female spiritual leaders. The story includes women confronting ghosts from the past, women learning how to rebuild their lives, and women trying to save the planet -- all entwined together in this highly spiritual life-changing novel.

I loved The Hundredth Woman! Weaving women's history from the witch hunting craze in Europe with the lives of three modern women, Kate Green has created an action-packed adventure sure to entertain. But The Hundredth Woman is more than "just" fiction because the world she writes about is our world, the trials and tribulations of the characters are ours as well, and their process of awakening and growth can be ours, too. Kate asks, "What if women hold the key to our future?" By the end of the book, it's clear that we do.

The Hundredth Woman is a celebration of the Feminine Spirit. With sobering insight Kate Green paints a portrait of moral wisdom which empowers and enlightens. It is a journey of discovery that resonates with emotional authenticity. A rich and provocative tapestry that is original and evocative.

Kate is a first rate storyteller and The Hundredth Woman is a novel that inspires and impresses. It is a magnificent statement , a testament to the strength , honor , courage and spirit of women. It is a poignant tale of inexhaustible spirit and the will to triumph over adversity. With remarkable gentleness , honesty and humor Kate has created a supreme masterpiece that embraces the Goddess in us all.

Infinitely compelling and intellectually honest , this is a novel that inspires us to look within. Kates descriptive powers are lyrical , lucid and richly poetic. Her thoughts are overflowing with absolute positivity , conveying to all who read this a work of art in harmony with the soul. The Hundredth Woman is a beautiful expression , tremendous in scope which echoes across the literary landscape like a song for all souls to sing.

I honor what she has accomplished.

Goddess Bless The Hundredth Woman and Goddess Bless us all.

In The Hundredth Woman, Kate Green has masterfully woven the stories of three women whose lives intertwine in an exploration of their feelings, desires, strengths and passions as they come to grips with the true essence of who they are. The book draws you in right from the beginning and it doesn't let go. Far more than just a novel of fiction, Hundredth Woman brings to light the power women have always had and the power that is being positively reclaimed today. I found myself mesmerized by the characters and the story, but far more than that, I found the message exciting, empowering, and impactful on many, many levels of my being. The book is a celebration of women and life. And this `hundredth woman' is sharing it with the other `hundredth women' in her life!

Ms. Eason wrote an enjoyable book. As a teacher I know that my students will find it highly entertaining, as well! Very creative and I am looking forward to future books by Eason.

I think "Hungry" is amazing. I see it as a parable that both adults and children will enjoy and learn from in varying levels. There are so many cross-over elements in "Hungry." I think about "Lord of the Flies" for instance in the challenge about whether to eat, or not eat, your best friend.

Ms. Eason told me: "The book seems to be evoking a lot of this. I think it will help teachers talk issues with kids. I'm hoping [my next book] STARVED will continue with this."

Janet Grace Riehl, author Sightlines: A Poet's Diary

Reviewed by Emily Robbins (age 13) for Reader Views (1/08)

Deborah has a normal life here on earth. Well, that's what everyone thinks. She's really an alien from some faraway planet in a human disguise. She even has an alien name, Dbkrrrsh! But, when her parents want her to eat her best friend, Willy, will she prove her loyalty to the Home Planet?

"Hungry" by Alethea Eason was a fantastic book that kept me on my toes! It was a pretty easy read, but was written very well and descriptive so I could picture what Deborah's alien self looked like. Unlike most books, I actually didn't know what exactly was going to happen at the end! But, I disliked how there were very few challenging words. They were mainly pretty simple words, and I think the author could have used a few bigger words to add flair to the book.

My favorite character would have to be Deborah's grandmother. She was such a mean character; I couldn't stop reading because I wanted to know so badly what mean thing she was going to do next. There was no end to her cruelty! You could probably make a whole book about her. She was enthralling to read about. My least favorite character would have to be Alicia. She was mean, like the grandmother, but Alicia had a snotty air about her that I just didn't like. She was always changing her mind about Willy. One minute she's be nice, and the next moment she'd be cruel and snobby beyond belief! She was a well-written character, and was perfect for the book, but I just didn't like her personality.

I would recommend this magnificent book to anyone and everyone, no matter what kind of book you like. The descriptive, colorful sentences made up for not using a large variety of words. "Hungry: A Novel" has everything, and I enjoyed every minute of it!

Halloween this year is looking pretty bleak to 11-year-old Deborah (or Dbkrrrsh, which is her real name). Her best friend, Willy, has managed to clash with their teacher over his constitutional right to dress as a vampire all October long. He can't get the hang of algebra, no matter how much Deborah tries to help him. All the while, she thinks she may be falling for him, and, to top it all off, her parents insist that she will have to eat him and his parents to prove her loyalty to the Home Planet.

The long-awaited invasion is finally upon them, but although Deborah's stomachs continue to rumble, she's not sure if she can live up to her species and betray her best friend. As her family grows more involved in the plans to ransack Earth and turn every human into a slave, she wonders if she's been misguided all along. Is human food really poisonous? Could it provide another way to survive? Or should she give in to the memories flowing through her blood that insist upon her own superiority to her would-be meals?

One alien's struggle to discover her place between the life she knows and encroaching familial history can provide a humorous perspective to anyone else who is trying to find their way. Luckily, one doesn't need tentacles to feel a connection with the main character.

Reviewed by: Allison Fraclose

Although written with a middle-school aged audience in mind, the sly and dry wit is a delight for adult readers, too. The younger readers may miss some of the references, but there is plenty humor there for them. Also, the book presents issues facing young readers, such as crushes and cliques, in a fresh and orignial way. All in all, a fun book for readers of all ages.

Another great read from Cindy Miles. Make sure to read the first book, "Spirited Away" because the characters from that book pop up in this one as well. I loved the characters, the humor & mystery. I stongly recommend this author!!

Again, she published another great book to read. Her ghosts really feel real and you get lost in her stories. I truly enjoy her books and I am glad I found her to read. I can't wait until her next book. Thanks!

After waiting months for this book to finally come out I have to say it was worth the wait. It is amazing to me that a author can find a new take on a genre that has been done multiple times. I loved Spirited Away and Into Thin Air exceeds my expectations...HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

I found this book to be far better than 'Spirited Away'. (Perhaps it's because I read other books very similar to it.)

On to this book:
Gawan, who's a thousand years old and a rather hunky angel to boot, is close to retirement. When he literally bumps into a dazed Ellie, he realises that she's not quite 'dead' and her spirit is caught between two worlds.

The race for Gawan to find her mortal body and save her before she really dies is filled with urgency and fear. The corporeal Ellie doesn't know where her mortal body is and Gawan has less than a month to go as an angel who can help save her. To fail means that he would lose her forever... and therein is the catch. Even if he does save her, either way he still loses her.
As a guardian angel, after Gawan saves a soul, neither will remember each other. Now this is personal for him because Gawan has discovered that she's his soul mate and he's fallen in love with her, and losing her is not something he can contemplate.

Spoiler Alert!

When disaster strikes, and Ellie dies, he does the only thing he can, he bargains for her life with the powers that be, and lets her go. His memories of her fade and Ellie doesn't remember him.
However, all is not lost.
He and Ellie didn't count on Gawan's houseful of interfering, but interesting residents. The ghosts. They had quite happily interfered in every aspect of Gawan and Ellie's romantic life.
Those lovable characters were not prepared to let them forget each other, and the things they do to get them back together was hilarious.

Really loved the scene with Ellie and the mirror. That was great.

Read it, it's a wonderful story.

Into Thin Air by Cindy Miles is a fabulous book - I could not put it down. I am not a paranormal fan more of historical romance junky and I love this series. This novel takes places after Spirited Away (you don't need to read this novel to enjoy - but why not enjoy both novels). Ellie is found on the side of the road near death in northern England by Gawan. Here is the twist Ellie caught between being dead and alive. Her physical body is lying somewhere and Gawan(her guardian angel and hunk) has to find her body,solve the puzzle before he retires and the clock is ticking. You will laugh, cry and be on the edge of seat, Enjoy!

I would also recommended;How to Abduct a Highland Lord by Karen Hawkins, Spirited away by Cindy Miles,Have Glass Slippers Will Travel by Lisa Cach,Crazy For You by Kate Angell and Highland Knight by Cindy Miles(due out June 2008).