Kearney Books

I enjoyed the series more than the final book. It has a "contractual obligation" feel - that the author had to write an ending to the series, but couldn't really figure out how to do so. Previous events in the series as well as the first part of this book set up the bad guys as nearly unstoppable - until they are suddenly stopped. Plenty of loose ends are left in the plot, but since all the major characters are dead the book ends.

If you've read the series, by all means finish it with this book. But prepare for some disappointment.

Why are these books out of print? I thought this series was pretty good and pretty original. Way better than a lot of fantasy out there. I like the real world parallels brought into the book like the question of religion. These books aren't amazing and the character development is not great but they are a fun little read. Great break while waiting for Jordan to get healthy or Martin to release another biblical fantasy.

What will surprise readers most is the fact that there is a huge time gap between book four and five. Books one through four where pretty much an uninterrupted stream of events and the sudden leap in time left me a bit disconcerted at first, especially being the last book, but once I adjusted I truly enjoyed what Kearney did.

In a lot of ways this seemed like a book long epilogue. He promptly ties off loose ends and by the end of the book no story line is left unfinished, I didn't say all questions were answered though. It is not neccesarily a happy conclusion but for me it was a satisfying and interesting one with some unexpected surprises.

Some reviews state that he seems to have gotten tired of writing and just quit, but I will say that after impatiently waiting for the next books from authors like Robert Jordan, George R.R. Martin, Terry Goodkind, and R.A. Salvatore it is a nice change of pace to have a well written series end in a timely manner.

While I have given this book just 3 stars, the series as a whole probably deserves 4 stars.

The Good (What has gone before)
The story was largely well done up until the last book. Kearney did a great in job building a fairly complex, gritty, largely low-fantasy world. There are many intriguing ideas in this series, some of which are obviously borrowed from medieval European history. Ironically, most fantasy writers all but ignore the subject of religion while creating their pseudo-medieval worlds, even though it is religion that gives real medieval history much of its flavor, both for good and for ill. Kearney, on the other hand, is very successful in integrating a religious atmosphere largely reminiscent of our own Middle-Ages. I found this to be fascinating plot device that worked well.

The Ugly (Mostly this last book!)
This last book takes the wind out of the sales of what was shaping up to be a great fantasy series! Virtually all of the main characters that you have spent the entire series with are systematically killed off in the end. It's not that I have to have some sort of happy fairy-tale type of ending, but many of the characters are abruptly dispatched with hardly a reference. We don't even get to experience King Abeleyn's death, but instead are told of it after the fact. And while we are given slightly more detail about Hawkwood's ignoble passing, it just seemed somehow out of place and inappropriate for the story. I agree with a previous reviewer's assessment that Kearney seemed to be tired of writing. The story feels rushed and fragmented; it skips all over the place leaving many unanswered questions and unfinished plot lines. I also found the closing scene of the book/series to be somewhat cryptic. Instead of putting the book down at its conclusion, and having that sense of satisfaction that comes from finishing a good story, I was left scratching my balding head and trying to figure out what I had just read. Perhaps this is what Kearney was after, something that in the end would leave you puzzling over it. If so, he certainly achieves it.

Conclusion:
If you have read the four previous books you will want to read this one. It does have its moments, for example, we finally get to see Murad get his due. But on the whole, I found this book to be a disappointing conclusion to a potentially great series.

The series as a whole was excellent, but the end seemed far too simple, and left many questions unanswered. I was shocked to discover that this 5th book jumped us many years into the future. Not only this, but the author failed to fill us in on most of what happened during this gap. Also, the author ends up killing the main characters off in mass quantities, and does so in situations that make it seem that the author got tired of writing about them and needed them to go away. For instance, Kearney puts the kings, lords, and military leaders of Astarac and Hebrion on the same boat, and then sinks it. After spending so much time with a character as awesome as Abeleyn, it seems that he was cheated out of a good end. We also say goodbye to countless other characters in similar circumstances.

One of the things I was very sad about was that Bleyn's identity as Hawkwood's son is never revealed, not even to Hawkwood before his death.

The battle at the end of the book also seemed unrealistic. Aruan's mighty army has destroyed the invincible mega-armada of Hebrion and Astarac in less than one night, and yet Corfe is able to do so with a single field army. Aruan has his Flyers attacking his enemy in Charibon, but then does not use them for his own protection when he is attacked by Corfe's small Bodyguard force?

Regardless of what seems to me to be a quick ending written by someone who was tired of writing, the rest of the series is very well put together. The characters had much depth and history to them, and I enjoyed the politics between the kingdoms and such. The last chapter of this book was cryptic and intriguing, and leaves you with a last thought to ponder on.

I thoroughly enjoyed Slipknot.From the first page it pulled me in and didn't let go. More twists and turns than a Dead jam!(and I'm not even a deadhead!)
Tim Kelliher
Seattle WA.

Slipknot is an engrossing mystery involving amazingly unique, 3 dimensional characters you really grow to care about. The book is set in a small town on the Olympic Peninsula where McKinney's small town sheriff tries to keep the peace between the loggers and the environmentalists, and solve a couple of murders along the way. The varied characters and the sheriff's non-judgmental descriptions of the beauty of the old growth forests contrasted with the beauty of the previously logged re-growth forests is so well done you find yourself thinking about the points of view of both sides. A wonderful book. When is the next Gavin Pruitt book coming out?

SLIPKNOT is an enjoyable read. I learned some of the ins and outs of the logging business. I really enjoyed how Gary compares every day life with songs of the Grateful Dead. Even if you aren't a Dead Head, it is neat how he does the comparison. Slipknot always has interesting turns of events leading the investigation up to the murder. The exciting action increases from the start to the finish. You will definitely not know what is coming next.

Gary McKinney's "Slipknot" starts with a killer (literally) scene and never lets the reader down. His smalltown Washington coast setting permeates the escalating action as Deadhead sheriff Gavin Pruitt tracks down the murderer of a prominent environmentalist amid a wild cast of characters from drunken loggers to a Doc-Martin wearing femme fatale eco-activist. The sparring -- physical and verbal -- is lively and the characters colorful, yet the people are real in their complexities and emotions. McKinney, who grew up in a small Northwest logging community, gets the police-procedural facts and the places "dead on."
I'm not a Grateful Dead fan, and didn't need to know the insider references to enjoy this rich, fast-paced story. I'm eager for the next Gavin Pruitt adventure!

This is a gripping story, but what totally captured me was all the concerns and situations that made these people and their worries seem so real. Gavin is a member of a community where everyone knows everyone else's business better than they know their own. They won't necessarily tell, though, because rising or falling in social class can encourage anyone to hush up. Gavin tries to be a good neighbor to a deliberately difficult man. He wants to do a good job parenting an adult daughter who sees him as quaint at best. He lives partly in the past because he's a "Deadhead," in love with the music he trusted as a kid. On the other hand, he's obsessed with modern equipment intended to reduce stress. What makes the whole situation tough is the fact that his coast town doesn't seem so small when the local loggers and developers attract the anger of big city environmentalist groups. He steps into that because he must, but where can he find the time? He's a whole person, not just a sheriff, and so his struggle is fascinating to watch.

This book is key in begining a triathlon lifestyle. The calculations that are required for the year-round training program seem labourous but once you get started, it is well worth your time. The section on bike maintenance is simple and includes most everything to make you feel like you've been doing the sport for years. Great!

I am a previous distance runner (high school and college) who also enjoys mountain biking and recreational swimming. I have never competed in a triathalon before. For a beginner, this book focused too much on the technical aspects of training for professional triathletes.

Much of the book focused on complex training cycles and tracking methods. I had hoped to see recommended programs for beginners, such as base level resistance training to increase muscle tone and endurance, and base level cardiovascular workouts, followed by guidance for moving to the next level.

I also would have liked a listing of organizations in my area that organize triathalons.

For the most part, this book assumes the reader is already familiar with triathalons and training. I would recommend beginners look elsewhere.

This was the first book I owned on the subject and could not believe the amount of training that the authors recommended one need do to finishi a triathlon. Given that the book is a bit old, I believe that these recommendations are a sign of those times. Nowadays, people know that one can do very well at the sport of triathlon on significantly less training, and I point the interested reader in the direction of books such as "Time-saving ..." and Sleamaker's "SERIOUS Training...". These books are equally scientific, but do not put as much emphasis on having to cover so many miles, but rather inform you on how to spend whatever time you actually have to train.

I would not recommend this book to a newcomer, nor to a seasoned triathlete anymore, but a few years ago I might have...

This is a good book for everyone thinking about triathlons. It offers good advice on choosing equipment, techniques and training programs.
Instead of relying on distance, its programs focus on time and percentage. Since biking encompasses usually 50% of the race, training should focus 50% on biking (unless you're very weak in one of the other legs).

It offers sample worksheets to set up your own program, based on the type of triathlon-sprint to Ironman.

I'm a new transition to triathlons. This book works well for me because I'm prepared to accept the information the book has to offer. The information is objective and the training methods presented appear well organized with technical reasoning backing up the new concepts I learned here. I feel the author is genuinely concerned about the readers success and therefore disagree with other reviewers comments' that the there is too much (unnecessary) training. My thoughts on this matter are that Triathletes need a sufficient amount of training to efficiently compete and I think once again the author backs up the reasons why the training is important . My interpretation of the general training outline presented is that this will prepare one well for the stresses of half ironman competition, but one can adjust up or down from there to suit their racing needs. For a 1994 copyright, this book is well worth the money because the facts, figures, and methods being used appear to be genuine by even today's standards. If you wish to find something exactly for you please visit your local full service health club and pay several hundred dollars for a genuine taylored plan, this is a serious statement for those being extremely serious about this sport. But for the novice like me, this book tells me everything I need to know at this point. See you on the course friends...

Hard at work on a critical experiment, being interrupted by a man is the last thing Endekian scientist, Dr. Alara Callandar, needed at the moment. Alara had been hailed as a war hero simply for surviving at terrorist attack at the hands of the Terrans. It was for that reason alone that she'd been allowed to continue with her controversial project. Now that her world had achieved peace though, her work was becoming vastly unpopular. Time was of the essence.

Unlike other humanoid women in the Federation, Endekian women were slaves to their biology. Once a female reached childbearing age they would enter a critical stage called Boktai every other year. During Boktai a women must engage in regular sex in order to regenerate their cells. It didn't matter if they were in a relationship or not, if they did not do so they would die. To make matters worse, when the need became too strong any male would do and if a female mated with the same male too often she would adapt to his essence and their lives would be inextricably intertwined. If the male refused her or died, she too would die. Alara had lost her beloved mother when her father had died during the Terran attack on her village.

Space Captain Xander is a Rystani warrior who had suffered torture at the hands of Endekian soldiers as a child when they'd conquered his home planet (THE CHALLENGE). Taking an Endekian woman as one of his crew was unpalatable but the Terran's predicament left him with no choice. He is on a mission to travel to the rim of the galaxy in hopes of finding a Perceptive One, the legendary higher intelligence who had left behind the machines that manufactured the psi suits every Federation member wore from birth.

Federation mythology proposed that these beings had once seeded their galaxy with pure DNA to create the diverse life forms in existence today and had placed Sentinels on the Rim to protect their galaxy from attack by the evil Zin. Then they'd simply disappeared. The Terrans (earth dwellers) were now dying in droves from a mysterious incurable virus which was rapidly spreading throughout the universe. By finding the Perceptive Ones Xander is hoping to bring back a strand of pure DNA to affect a cure. Alara has a unique talent which Federation intelligence has indicated would be necessary for the success of his mission. She is able to read a life form's DNA by sight alone. It is a testament to Xander's courage that he is able to accede to this necessity. He would surely have died from the Endekian torture had it not be for the bravery of the 21st century Terran, Tessa Camen. He owed Tessa and her people a debt of honor.

Alara isn't about to agree to give up her life's work. She has no love for the Terrans who killed her family and besides, due to same biological issue she seeks to cure, no Endekian female has ever been allowed to leave the planet. Xander, who isn't about to leave behind his best hope for the mission's success, is forced to make an untenable deal with the Endekian leader, Drik. To free Alara from this edict Xander must leave behind a hostage, Kirian the beloved Rystani wonder child, now 18, whose unique abilities stemmed from the fact that he had been born in hyperspace. As Drik and the other males of Endeki enjoyed their dominance over their woman, Alara would not be missed.

Since Alara isn't amenable to Xander's proposition he kidnaps her only to discover what a good deal Drik had actually made. Alara is in the throws of Boktai and with no Endekian male aboard Xander's ship, she will surely die. Just being in Xander's presence has pushed Alara's hormones to the limit causing her to lose control of her psi. As Xander becomes aware of her predicament he proposes a new experiment, and what an experiment it is! Does Xander have the cure for what ails her? Or will she be forced to give him an ultimatum? Will they find the Perceptive Ones or will the experiment which is their very existence end in failure.

As the saga continues, these books become more and more impossible to put down! Xander and Alara's quest brings whole new elements to the existing plot, but I have the feeling that Kerian has only begun to tap his potential, because as the story concludes the "powers that be" appear to have more plans for him. Look for his story THE QUEST in July 2006! If you love a scorching hot romance combined with suspense, spirituality and intriguing science fiction run, don't walk, to the nearest bookstore and begin reading this fascinating futuristic series!

Reviewed by Leslie Tramposch for PNR Reviews

Susan Kearney really knows how to build a world. Learning more about the different kinds of aliens and societies she can come up with is always intriguing. And this one is no exception. The only thing I didn't care for (and thus, why I took 1 star off), is the sections with Kirek (a super genius and the possible key to saving the future) as a sexual slave. Slavery is just hard to take, even for the sake of a story.

But otherwise, the story and the characters continue to feel fresh and interesting.

Scientist Alara Calladar lives to research the unique problem women fromher planet, Endekia suffer. They die without sex. Worse, once they bond with a man, they cannot even get the revitalization they need from other men. Knowing this, Endekian men treat their women cruely. Still, hate it though she does, Alara is as subject to the forces of biology as any Endekian woman. And when sexy Rystani warriro Xander of Mystique walks into her lab, her hormones demand that she mate with him--or die.

With a deadly virus spreading through the galaxy, Xander knows there's little time to head off a tragedy beyond anything the universe has experienced. The virus attacks not only humanoid life, but every form of life--and it's spreading quickly. He hopes that Alara's unique skill, the ability to see DNA with her naked eyes, might be the extra he'll need in his hunt to find the "perceptive ones" who first seeded the galaxy with life and who seem to have vanished but who, if rumors can be believed, still live on one remote planet. Since the Endekians are responsible for his people losing their planet, an Endekian woman would be his last choice. Still, if sex is necessary to keep her alive, he's certainly willing to oblige.

For the perceptive ones, humanoid life is a form of game--but a game with high stakes indeed. Their enemies threaten to wipe out their great accomplishment, but the perceptive ones can only do so much--humanoids much achieve a higher level of evolution--and there is little that the perceptive ones can do.

Author Susan Kearney continues in her efforts to combine science fiction and romance for the Tor Romance line. Following on her previous novels in this series, THE ULTIMATUM explains more about why the galaxy is how it is, how alien life-forms are able to breed so easily, and why the apparently senseless war between Endekians and Rystanis took place.

THE ULTIMATUM certainly combines solid SF world-building as well as the traditional elements of a romance novel. But Kearney is not quite the writer to merge the two--at least not in this story. Following a clunky opening where the reader gets an information dump, Alara and Xander set off to explore the universe. Manipulation of events by the perceptive ones weakens these two as protagonists. Kearney does better when it comes to the sexual side of her story--with spankings and dominance games, as well as alien but not-too-alien names for body parts to intrigue readers.

Kearney fans are certain to enjoy THE ULTIMATUM. For those who are looking for the real integration of romance and SF, though, this story just doesn't quite fill the need.

When two enemies need one another, diplomacy enters new realms. Alara is a brilliant scientist among the people of her world, but her species' women are cursed by the need to mate at certain intervals or suffer a painful death. She is less than thrilled when that time comes upon her and the one available man is Xander, a man whose allegiance is to her people's enemies and who has come to kidnap her so that her unique talent for being able to see DNA can be used to help find a way to cure a galaxy pandemic. He's only too willing to help out, and the two agree to exchange services for their mutual benefit. Their quest will be long, dangerous, and filled with surprises, and much copulation.

* This story is bogged down by excessive emphasis on sex and a need to have the past books fresh in one's mind, despite claims that it stands alone. The highlight of the story are the italicized conversations between two semi omnipotent beings, rather like the Q, discussing the fate of the galaxy. *

Amanda Killgore

Every time Kearney comes out with a new one I read the synopsis and it looks good. Unfortunately there are no laws against bad authors taking good ideas. If Kearney were a true book lover she would give her ideas to someone who could do them justice. I mean my god! Every single one of her books is disappointment after disappointment. You'd think that even if she couldn't manage to come through with the story she would at least put some spark into the romance. I swear she uses the same sex scene in every book. And its not even a good one! Spanking, and 'tavis's' and submission as if she's following a manual. She manages to remove any sexyness (not a word I know) from the sex scenes! How the hell did she get published? It's just wrong! I know the story looks good, but if you read them you will only be infuriated that an author like this got her hands on a plot with such potential.

This book was really good in my opinion. I do not think I could give it 5 stars however because I do not find the writing that good or the plot to be very surprising. I, unlike others, do not heavily bash writing that is sometimes predictable. Sometimes characters actually act in rational ways so when they do there should not be surprises. However I am a history buff and like the unique parallels to the real world infused into the book. I think it is a pretty unique story and am thouroughly enjoying the series. One thing I would like to see though is someone using a bow and arrow which would probably be a far superior weapon to these slow constantly lit arquebusses.

I read this book from cover to cover over about a day and a half. I think it is the best book in the series so far, and I liked them all. In the vast panorama that Kearney is painting, the characters come to life more and more - Golophin the mage, Corfe the hero, and the many others - they draw you in and become real. The plot likewise twists, turns and intertwines from the battlefield to the bedroom to the cathedral. If you liked the first two books, you'll definitely like this one.

To put it bluntly, the Monarchies of God series has been getting worse with each additional book. At first, the innovative setting and original plot were enough to make up for the weak characterization and occasionally amateurish writing. But after three books, Mr. Kearney's faults become too glaring to ignore, especially since the novelty has worn off.

Two-dimensional characters are often defined through childish dialogue and direct authorial statements, rather than through their actions. Dialogues are frequently painful to read, being cliché-filled and uninspiring. What's worse, the plotline gives itself away at every turn, and the reader rarely has any doubt where the action is going. Finally, as mentioned in the review title, the book opens with a disgusting rape scene that is inappropriate for younger readers.

My verdict, obviously, is that the Monarchies of God series is no longer worth reading; I'd reccomend George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series instead. The writings better, the characters have depth, and the plot twists are truly unexpected.

The Iron Wars, book 3 of the outstanding "Monarchies of God" series by Paul Kearney, is one of those novels that keeps you planted in your chair until you've turned the last page, and then leaves you thirsting for more. Kearney absolutely outdoes himself with this volume. Where vol.1 was the satisfactory introduction, and vol.2 the strong buildup, volume 3 goes full throttle. It is a page-turning machine, with more action and intrigue than you can shake a stick at.

Paul Kearney is a top-notch writer, not just by the story he creates, but also the prose he presents. Sometimes, it can be his undoing, as occasionally he spends an exorbitant amount of narrative in situations that don't require it. With the Iron Wars, there are no such problems. He achieves the perfect blend of action and description, and what results is possibly one of the most enjoyable fantasy books I have ever read. Because this is the third volume of a five-book series, there is only a minimal amount of rehashing the previous events. Kearney avoids hammering the same points over and over. He keeps the tale on the move, making it nearly impossible to take a break.

Another strength of Kearney is the lifelike, believable characters. There are characters you will absolutely love, there are characters you will utterly hate, and then there are the ones that you still haven't decided whether you should like them yet (simply because they are so multi-faceted). These people literally draw you into the story, creating scenes that are wholly authentic.

Although I am remiss to divulge any spoilers, I'll say that this was the best read I've had it a great long time, and I've read many a book. I cannot wait to find out what books 4 and 5 have in store for me. Don't pass up this series!

In "The Iron Wars," Paul Kearney outdoes what he has done in the first two books of "The Monarchies of God" series. This book is much more political than the first two novels and this has much more military action than them as well. This book opens up with a riveting prologue that will be sure to lure you in to this creative tale. From there you are taken back to the lands of Normannia and its doings.

Even though this book doesn't deal with what is going on on the Western Continent, this book is still great. Most of the novel involves Albrec and Avila and their quest to bring the biography of Saint Ramusio to Macrobius and the war that is being taken place with the Merduks. Therefore, most of this book takes place in Torunna, while some of it takes place in Hebrion's capital, Abrusio.

Kearney's writing skills are superb. Not many author's are capable of doing what Kearney does. He gives you many plots and lots of characters and manages to keep you hooked like a skilled writer should. You won't be bored while reading this book as important events take place one after the other.

This isn't the best fantasy novel that I've ever read but it will certainly leave an impression on me in years to come. If you have read the first two novels of "The Monarchies of God" series then this is the book for you to read. This book will not disappoint and I guarantee that you will enjoy this novel immensely. This is what fantasy is all about it.

Happy Reading!

Lawyer Mandy Newman has received good news and bad news recently. The
good news? She and her friends won the biggest jackpot in lottery
history. The bad news? Someone is trying to kill them, one by one.

DEA Agent Zack Taylor is the son of Mandy's boss, Catherine, and
brother to her best friend, Dana. When he hears what's happening he
comes to Mandy's aid as her bodyguard. He's acted in this part once
before, and he and Mandy hit it off, with explosive results. Then he
left her to go back to his job at the DEA. Will he stick around this
time to find out what's really happening to Mandy and her friends, and
to discover the secret that she's keeping from him?

I'm not a fan of the "I had your baby and kept it from you" books, but
Kiss Me Deadly manages to put a new spin on an old plot. The suspense
angle in this book was intriguing enough to keep my attention and
allow me to not want to slap Mandy, a smart woman, for her stupid
choice in having a child and not telling the father, Zack.

I did enjoy seeing Mandy and Zack together and was happy to see the
two of them together in the end. I was also happy that Ms. Kearney
left enough clues to the suspense conclusion to make me wonder, but
not give it away until the very end. Lovers of suspense will enjoy
Kiss Me Deadly.


Amelia
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

I purchased this book based upon the other reviews. I was sorely disappointed. This book has no plot. Susan Kearney cannot decide whether it is a mystery or a romance novel.

Do not waste your time. I even skipped some of the pages on the so-called sex. The mystery might have been acceptable but there was so little time devoted to it. I should have just thrown it in the trash.

Winning the largest lottery in U.S. history should be a dream come true for Mandy and the other women in the lotto pool, but life has turned into a nightmare as one by one, the members are attacked and or killed. The danger forces her to turn to the one man she most wants and most wants to avoid, Zack Taylor, a sexy DEA agent who she once loved, but who left her. Yet, with her life on the line and her child in danger, trust issues and secrets are of secondary importance.

**** Ms. Kearney has found her niche; when writing romantic suspense, she truly shines. Though some scenes seemed a bit too hot, especially under the circumstances, her pacing and ability to evoke suspense is spot on. This is a quick, compelling read that leads you through a labyrinth of intrigue at a heart-stopping pace.

Amanda "Mandy" Newman is a lawyer. She practices family law and has been dealing with many divorce cases recently. So when a man in a white truck begins riding her bumper, Mandy figures the driver is drunk, near sited, or the husband of someone she represented out to scare her. But all bets were off when the truck rams her vehicle three times, sending her crashing and sinking into the Hillsborough River (which flows out into Tampa Bay). Thoughts of her one-year-old daughter, Gabby, gives Mandy the needed mental and physical strength to survive.

Things begin looking up when Mandy learns that the Powerball jackpot ticket she and some of her coworkers purchased won. They now have three hundred and sixty million dollars to divide between them. (Sixty million dollars each.) Then someone stole the ticket. One by one Mandy's coworkers are being attacked. Mandy has no choice but to wonder if her near brush with a watery grave had anything to do with the ticket. Each person gets bodyguards, which Mandy thinks is a good idea until she learns that her bodyguard is Zachary "Zach" Taylor. The man who does not know he has a daughter. The man who told her that he never wanted kids or a family.

Zach and Mandy had a one night together before he disappeared into his next assignment. Zach is a DEA agent and often goes deep undercover. He is currently on leave, due to a death in his last mission, so when his sister, Dana, calls him to be Mandy's bodyguard he agrees. Though Zach never phoned or wrote Mandy after that night, he has been unable to forget her. They are soon kept busy, dodging a killer who seems determined to kill her.

**** I found this to be a wonderful romantic suspense story. I have no doubts readers will be hanging on the edge of their seats at some points. I certainly did. Author Susan Kearney proves that she knows suspense, whether in space or in Florida. Encore! ****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

Most people have fantasized at one point or another about winning the lottery. When they do, they tend to think of all the good things that can come from it.

Kiss Me Deadly is about a group of women who work in a law office who win the lottery, but their joy becomes short-lived as one by one, they are targeted. The women decide they need protection. The main character, Mandy, is given a former bodyguard, brother to her partner Dana, and former lover, Zack. Mandy and Zack had a child together a few years ago, but Zack doesn't know that. So as they try to keep Mandy (and her partners) alive, Mandy has to decide if she can trust Zach with her life, her child and her love.

This book really keeps you intrigued, between the storyline about why the women are targeted, and the love affair between Zach and Mandy. The love scenes are nice, not overly done. And every emotion and action is well-defined, so what they do seems to make sense. I hate it when books have characters behaving in ways that don't make sense. If you like suspense and intrigue, try this.

I have had the chance to read this book, and I felt he was to hung up on himself, he was always feeling sorry for himself and never gave a crap about how anyone else felt. He didnt care what he put his parents through or the rest of his family. I also had the chance to talk to him in person and believe me hes not changed at all, hes still self centered and he thinks the world owes him something, well a reality check Mr. Kearney the world dont owe you anything, and in order to succeed in this world you have to give some to get something in return. I understand why most of your family dont talk to you, its because you havent changed at all since your accident. I think you need to write one about how to have patients and keep friends. I also feel that just because you were and alcoholic and you blamed alot of your set backs on that, you could have gotten help if you really wanted to do it. It shouldnt have taken you that long to get into a rehab center. I feel if you werent so self-centered you would have gotten through alot less then what you had to put yourself through, and just took your parents advice and got the help you needed from the start. And one last thing, you actually brought all this on yourself and now you want pity from everyone who will listen to your sad sobbing story, well MR. Kearney grow up and face what you brought on yourself, its not everyone elses fault, you need to take the blame for what you have put yourself through during all this. Thanks for sending me the book, I had fun writing this review, and I hope you understand and learn something from this, Stop blaming everyone except yourself. Also I forwarded the book for my boyfriend to read Im sure he will be writing a review soon.

Very easy reading. Like listening to someone tell a story. It deals with pain, adversity, descent into addiction and then, with help and willingness, overcoming the odds to be a productive, happy menber of society. I would recommend this book to anyone with an alcohol addition and/or a disability. It is truly inspiational.

This book was very easy to read and after I started it I couldn't put it down. As a alcoholic I found it hit right at home. Anyone who is disabled will find this book very helpful.I recommend this book to everyone.

This book held me captive throughout. It was the first book that I read all in one day. I just couldn't put it down.

Can't wait for the movie!!!!!

Anyone with a disability or an alcohol problem must read this book. I can't tell you how much this story has meant to me. I think it should be required reading in junior high and high school. It shows in a realistic way how alcohol can destroy many lives.

Sue Kearney delivers again. I loved the hero in this one and the action was non-stop. Jasmine and Rand and the tight plot kept me involved from the beginning. Put this one on your "to be read list." It's another winner!

In the first three pages of this book, Jasmine Ross' house is set on fire, Jasmine receives a long-lost letter revealing the identity of her father, and she goes to his home and is informed that he's dead. By the end of Chapter One, the hero has offered her a job (since she ran a company out of her house) and a place to stay, even though he doesn't know her in the least. At this point, I'm thinking, "Woah! I'm all for fast openings, but this is ridiculous." The entire book unfolds like that, with Kearney throwing one implausible event after another at us with no sense of narrative tension or rhythm. (Jasmine's standing on the sidewalk watching her house burn and the mailman just _happens_ to walk by at that exact moment with the letter that's been missing for 25 years. Uh huh.) The romantic subplot has Jasmine falling for her father's attorney, Rand Sinclair. Well, falling might be giving Kearney too much credit, since it's less than 100 pages into it (and Jasmine's only been there one day) before our heroine sighs that she's in love with this man. Again, that was fast. It also doesn't leave for much else to happen for the rest of the book. The bad guy couldn't be more obvious, and that goes double for the revelations about Jasmine's parents that allow for the required happy ending. Some of the moments where someone appears to be gaslighting Jasmine are suitably creepy, though far too many of them are just dumb. (If someone tells you not to lose a key, would you leave it in the attic door and walk away? If so, you deserve to come back and find the key missing and the door shut. Duh.) Kearney has proven she can write some good books (check out "Lullaby Deception" on that count) but this certainly isn't one of them. Obvious, predictable, underwritten, and stunningly absurd, "Priority Male" is bad in every sense of the word.

When your family wants you dead, where to you turn? Too bad you can't choose your relatives. Jasmine doesn't know if she's done herself any favors by discovering her family. Fortunately, there's one man she wants to trust more than the others, especially since he's not a relative, and she's falling in love with him despite her habit of mistrusting everyone. You'll fall in love with his consistent character and level-headed approach to solving murder and mayhem. And his gentle, understanding approach to love. Oh, yes...and a very sexy approach, too.

Intrigue author Susan Kearney delivers another spine-chilling tale of romance and deception in this first book of the "Return to Sender" duet with author Charlotte Douglas. In PRIORITY MALE, Jasmine Ross loses everything--her house, her business, her sense of security--in a suspicious fire. The next day, a letter her absent mother sent 20 years ago is returned. She finally has a clue to the identity of her father, but to follow that clue to the truth means coming into contact with Rand Sinclair. Rand is enigmatic, powerful and sexy as all get-out! But does he want to help Jasmine, or stop her dead? Don't miss this book!

As with most anthologies, in 'Beyond Magic' you get a bit of a mixed bag. The first story, 'The Shimmering' by Susan Kearney, was very enjoyable. Despite the too-unlikely-to-believe premise, even for a paranormal story, there was a good plot (if you could ignore how unlikely it was!) and the characters were also good, if a little sketchily drawn in such a short story. There were some rather convenient bits woven into the story to make it all wrap up nicely but I did enjoy reading it and learning of a new world where weather is controlled by a magic totem which has been stolen and where our heroine has to impersonate someone else and tame a much-feared warrior.

Elaine Cunningham's story 'Beyond Dreams' was also fairly good. With a rather large cast of characters I didn't feel I entirely got into the head of any of them, except perhaps Cassie the heroine. Cassie finds herself reconnecting with her former fiancé Nick after he confesses to some murders - for which he has complete alibis. The reason Nick and Cassie broke up was because his rational, scientific mind couldn't believe in her psychic skills; however Nick is beginning to discover that he, too, has some spooky talents. Can Nick and Cassie work together to discover who is murdering young people? The plot in this story was well constructed and there were some side-plots about various family members which worked well. However the romance side of the book was fairly underplayed and I was never entirely sure why Cassie left Nick originally.

The third story is 'Hill and Sky' by Kassandra Sims. I've read two full-length novels by her and really not liked them and unfortunately the same happened with her short story. She has an interesting writing style and a good way with words but I can never really tell what's going on, I can't follow the plot properly and I find my attention wandering. The story was nominally about a witch who finds herself involved in a quest to safeguard someone magical, despite her general apathy about this kind of thing, but the plot was obscured by lots of random people who wandered in and out of the story doing random things. No doubt there are some people who get on well with Sims' writing but I'm not one of them and it rather spoiled the book for me as it left it on a rather low note. The first two stories are worth reading but I'd give the third a miss.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book © Helen Hancox 2008

"The Shimmering" by Susan Kearney. Reporter Sandra Lowell tests an astral projection gizmo only to be sent to another planet light years from earth. She ends inside the body of the wife of warrior Daveck Gorait, who has a world to save. With her memories in tact she wants to go home, but is falling in love with the hunk who insists their marriage is a political necessity.

"Beyond Dreams" by Elaine Cunningham. In Providence Nick Romano keeps having nightmares of murdered women. Although he does not believe in ESP, desperate to end his restless sleep, he visits psychic Cassie O'Malley.

"Hill and Sky" by Kassandra Sims. Although she loves her family, Annika Madsen moved to Nashville to escape their constant hovering. Her mother begs her to come home insisting the family needs her; she implies the magic is dying. Finally mom sends Tommy Brennan to help her with an investigation.

"The Shimmering" starts as a science fiction but moves into fantasy on another world; while "Beyond Dreams" is an urban mystery fantasy; and "Hill and Sky" is similar as an urban mystery fantasy, but much more introspective. Fans will enjoy these three well written novellas.

Harriet Klausner

Kimberly Hayward was a stickler for the details in her action-adventure script. She'd checked out every heist -- and murder! -- for authenticity. Now she had to inject some more sizzle into the love scenes. Who better to help with some "hands-on" research than the mysterious but sexy Jason Parker?

Field agent Jason had never tackled an assignment like this -- tail a gorgeous blonde who seemed to be up to something suspicious. And he was certain the case didn't involve indulging in sexual fantasies with Kimberly, but who could resist? She seduced him one night -- and even took notes, strangely enough!

No question, their unfolding relationship was hot, explosive...obsessive. But what happened next wasn't even in the script...

[4th in the Heros, Inc series; sequel to Bordering on Obsession.]

This is the sequel to Susan Kearney's Bordering On Obession. Do you remember the spunky assistant to Quinn in Bordering On Obession? This book marks the return of Kimberly. Kimberly is in Europe looking to add in the sex scenes for her movie script and Jason Parker is there to give a "helping" hand (literally ;)
I don't want to give away the story...but if you like adventure mixed with a little spice and romance then this book is for you.