Paranormal Books

Broken wings is not at all along the same lines of Lora Leigh's normal reads. This book really shows how inventive and excelent a writer Leigh can be. I was pleasently suprised and would love to hear more about the winged people in this book.

What a Surprise this book was.....After reading a couple of the breed books I normally passed over leigh's books- along with many others..I am sooooo tired of paying for explicit borderline porn sex scenes that take up too much space in most of today's romance books.....BROKEN WINGS is a super book and PROVES Porn is NOT Needed for a book to be a really great read........Wish she would write more like this one!!

I am very sad to say the first review which shows - 3 stars - stopped me from buying this book for quite some time. This book does lend itself more to the Fantasy side of writing than a traditional romance, but how many of Ms. Leigh's books are traditional romance??

If any of you have read the Obsidian Trilogy by Mercedes Lackey you will LOVE this book.

If you are expecting this book to be like the Breed series, it is not part of that series. No there aren't any erotic sex scenes as you've come to expect if you've read any of her other works, but you really didn't miss them. This book was very fast paced, I felt like a detailed sex scene would have gotten in the way of the story.

The emotion you will feel during this book is hard to describe. At one point I was almost sobbing. I felt the whole emotional range from the very beginning of the book until the end. The scenes of "inappropriate wing touching" as a reviewer described the intimate scenes were well placed and were almost as erotic as some of Lora Leigh's very detailed scenes in other books.

This story will keep your attention without the erotica. Well done Ms. Leigh, I only hope we haven't heard the last from the Bastard Breeds and the Clans.

For those of you that are fans of Lora Leigh- be surprised. Not the passionalte wonderful sex that you are used to but WOW. what a great read. I dont think I noticed that the sex was tamed down. the book was just so good. I was caught up in the characters and the plight of the bird people.

If you havent read it please order it and enjoy. I finished in one night and passed it to my mom who has since read it twice without returning yet.

Reese

I have never cried so much reading a book in my entire life! And I don't simply mean I got a little choked up. I mean tears rolling freely down my face and even a sob here and there. This book was so touching, so sad, so happy, so... everything that pulls a woman's heartstrings.

The personalities were so fully formed, the fantasy world and characters so fantastically described, and the plot moved so smoothly I could not put it down. I read it all in one day and was left wishing it went on and on so I could continue to live in the world of beautiful winged beings.

I would HIGHLY recommend this book and can't wait to read some more of Lora Leigh, as this was my first. I see she has several books that are a series. I can only hope she'll give us the pleasure of revisiting the winged clans again.

Darcy Smith is a bartender among several other jobs. She does these just to stay afloat; having not finished high school, good jobs are hard to come by. She does what she needs to, to survive. Having been in foster care since a baby, she'd been moved less than every two years, coming to believe herself a freak. finally running away as an early teen. She isn't like normal people. When she gets hurt, she heals two quickly to be human. She's stronger and faster than a normal human. At age eighteen, she stopped aging. She believes she's a freak. And for that reason, doesn't let anyone close to her - no meaningful friendships, no meaningful relationships. She's alone - and until she can figure out why she is the way she is, prefers it that way.

Styx has a problem. Seems the prince of weres is in Chicago, where he isn't supposed to be. He's outside his hunting territory, and Styx wants to know why. News travels, and Styx finds out he's after a girl - Darcy Smith. He plans to get to her first and use her as a hostage, and as a bargaining chip with Salvatore. What he didn't plan on was wanting Darcy for himself. And just when Salvatore almost has his hands on her, Styx beats him to it.

Salvatore Guiliani is desparate. Turns out, Darcy is one of four missing sisters, all who had gone missing shortly after birth and believed to have been sold on the black market. Their DNA had been `toyed' with, which surpresses the wanting/needing to shift. The weres need Darcy and her sisters because of it. Having been forced by the vampires to boundaries is slowly killing their race. Purebloods are almost non-existint, as are curs, and if they have Darcy and her sisters, who's shifting has been surpressed, they'd be able to carry children full term, replenishing their race.

Styx treats her wonderfully, never making her feel like a hostage or a bargaining chip. He cares for her a great deal - Darcy feels a kinship with him, can feel his loneliness. When Darcy finds out that Salvatore wants nothing more than a breeder, the thought sickens her stomach. And she won't be pushed, for she's fallen in love with Styx, and no one, not even the mother she never knew she had, can change her mind or heart, regardless if she is a were...

Oh, did I like this one. I adore the series and can't wait to get my hands on the next novel. While is seems that most men have that caveman attitude, Styx learns quickly that Darcy will not be pushed around. She isn't one to be told what to do. Believing she is human, he thinks her fragile and vulnerable, until Darcy shows him otherwise.

She doesn't back down from an argument, and gives as good as she gets. Styx isn't used to that. He'd lived the life of a monk for so long, celibacy and all, and is finding the stirrings of desire in him fresh and new. Darcy surprises him more and more, and what surprise could be the biggest ... when they end up mated.

I loved watching Darcy and Styx fall for each other. It was the sweetest thing. Action scenes where well written and spaced, love scenes erotic enough to make any reader hot under the collar and breathless. The author has a way with her descriptions of sucking (no pun intended) you into the story and you'll have a hard time letting go. I think the best part was when Darcy managed to convince both Styx and Salvatore that everything can work out if they compromised, teaching them both a lesson. This novel sets up the next few novels in the story really well. Truly a series in the paranormal romance genre you don't want to miss.

Styx was only just more interesting than Dante in book 1. But there was a lot more that could have been done with this...it did not deliver based on his build up in book #2. This did not deliver like that book did with Viper and Shay.

This was kinda flat against expectations..for him to be such a serious awesome warrior and the king of vampires, it felt like the soda was flat in the bottle.


On a scale 1 to 5, Five is Best:

Villian: 3.2
Plot: 3
Creativity: 2.9
Uniqueness: 3
Humor: 0
Bringing the sexy: 2.7
Passion: 2 stars
Laughs & Amusement factor: 0
Silly Whiners who get on your nerves: 0
Lazy Author repeating too much prior chapters:0

Last year I stumbled across this author by a friend loaning me her book. Wow. I've loved the two first books in this series. Ivy can actually combine humor (I actually laugh out loud once in awhile) with suspense. This book did not disappoint. I hope she continues this series, at least until it is no longer fresh. I love her style of writing.

I love all of this author's books. I can't wait for the next Guardians of Eternity book!

Great book.. Keeps you reading so you can see what is going to happen in the end..can't wait for the next Guardians of Eternity book to come out.

Lots of great stories and information in this one if you like haunting and things of that sort

Love his books. I grew up in the area he writes about and I learned so much I didn't know. Would recommend his books.

Troy Taylor is the author of more than 30 books on ghosts and hauntings and knows his subject matter. This remains the definitve exploration of haunted places in Illinois. Combining a love of history with an interest in the paranormal, Taylor gives us a book that is well-researched and completely entertaining. I can recommend any of his books but "Haunted Illinois" is a great place to start. After that you've got 30 or so more that are equally as good!

I've read a lot of these true haunted and ghost story books, and this is one of the very best. It's not only a collection of documented ghost sightings and legends, but it also acts as a social history of Illinois. In fact, you can learn much about Illinois' history from reading this book. The author is a great researcher and a good writer. I can't imagine someone not liking this book. The only complaint is the tiny print. I understand that the book is crammed with info, but the small print does make it difficult to read.

Being from the Central Illinois area I found this book to be very truthful about the many places and stories of the area. Somethings I did not even know I have since checked on and have since found the stories to be reliable, (as far as the teller is concerned). Be aware though that the book is full of typo's! All in all, this book is a wonderful mix of real true to life history and paranormal happenings. I would not hesitate to recomend this book to anyone.

I enjoyed the book immensely. I have now read all opf the series and would like to see how some of these relationships work ok. I was unable to stop reading unless I fell asleep or reached the end of the story. I like the way all of the main characters cross over into the other books in the series. All of the series seems to be well put together and I will be looking forward to more books from the Heart series.

As with her previous books in the Celta series, Robin Owens once again enriches her stories with a romantic match-up between characters who are unique, interesting, and fun to get to know. Straif, whose flair power has made him the premiere tracker on the planet, has been searching for a cure to the illness that wiped out his family. For years he has avoided returning home since everyone in his family died there except for him (at last, fans will learn how he managed to survive the fatal illness). But now a distant relative is laying claim to the home and all his property unless he returns, fixes the place up, and restores it to its past grandeur. He hires Mitchella Clover for the daunting task. Her flair skills at interior decorating are still developing, but her creativity will delight the reader, especially her passionate desire to help Straif even when his accounts are frozen while ownership of the property is contested. This books delves into the rigid obligations of Druida City's upper crust society, what is expected of those with great flair, and the responsibilities that heretofore Straif has been avoiding. Mystery, danger, humor, heartache, revelations, and love are all deliciously intermixed in this story, a skill Owens is a true mistress of in all her "Heart" books. New readers and fans alike will not be disappointed.

This author is fantastic - each book I read draws me further into this world and into the characters that exist in all the books. I want a heartmate too!

Straif Blackthorn is the last of the Blackthorn family. His entire family had been wiped out by the Celtan Angh virus fifteen years ago due to a defect in the family genes. He had decided to move back to the T'Blackthorn Residence, his ancestral home. The morning he made his decision to move back to the ancestral home, a wet cat informs him that she is his Familiar. "You will adore Me. Everybody adores Me." They adopted each other and became companions. The Fam's name is Drina. She's a beautiful half-Siamese cat, the daughter of the Cat Zanth, which is Familiar to T'Ash.

Mitchella is a member of the Clovers family. They are a family that pride themselves as the most fertile family on Celta. Mitchella cannot bear children of her own. She's sterile, a condition caused by a disease when she was a child. She has a ward, Antenn, who she loves as much as she would any child of her own body. Mitchella owns The Four Leaf Clover, a store specializing in interior design.

After returning to his ancestral home and activating the spells for housekeeping and general habitation, Drina informed Straif that the house was not up to a cat of her degree. They must go shopping. After all Drina is female, she likes shopping. She insists they shop at The Four Leaf Clover. Drina will not allow the gloom to remain in the residence. Besides, she needs an adequate pillow to sleep on. Mitchella had been pondering how she was going to keep her store open without getting a loan from her family. When Straif introduced himself and told her he needed his home redecorated and refurnished, she just knew this would be an expensive job. Sexually attracted to the man and a good paying job, could a woman ask for more? But, he's a noble of the highest class, and a relationship between them would never work.

Robin D. Owens has written another winner with HEART CHOICE. This is the fourth book in her Heartmate series. I was fascinated by the magical environment. The house itself was amazing. It was like a living being. It was able to communicate and use Straif's flair in order to take care of itself. Mitchella was able to use her flair to redecorate the rooms. She could even make walls into moving scenes. I absolutely adored the Familiar, Drina's snotty attitude. Her diva attitude had me laughing out loud many times. Straif and Mitchella's hearts had both been grievously injured in the past. Straif by the deaths of his family to the virus he had survived, and Mitchella by men's rejection due to the fact that she couldn't bear heirs. Their love for each other is almost tangible. Straif's determination to find a cure for his family's genes keeps him from seeing the possibility that Mitchella could be his Heartmate. It was wonderful to revisit Celta and get to read about some of the characters we learned about in previous books. HEART CHOICE is a wonderful book to lose yourself in for a while! I'll be anxiously awaiting the next book in this wonderfully imaginative series.

Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)

Others have written good synopsis of the characters and plot. I would like to add my recommendation. This is one good book. It makes you feel horrible with Michella when Straif rejects her because of infertility. Not many authors can make you connect to characters the way Robin Owens can. I am waiting eagerly for number 6 in the series.

Oh yes, a cat like Drina can make you really glad to be a dog person.

Heart Quest if full of romantic tension, murder, and mystery. Readers will particularly enjoy how Robin Owens has woven fascinating secondary characters into Ilex and Trif's story. Right to the end, you'll wonder who lives, who dies, and who has been right all along - Trif or Ilex. A truly enjoyable read, a solid winner that will have you eagerly awaiting the next book in the Celta HeartMate series. It's always a pleasure to return to the magical inhabitants of Druida City and find out who will be next to discover their HeartMate.

I read the first few books in the series years ago and have been reading her new series as of late. I know it has been quite some time since I read a book from this series, but I really think she surpassed herself on this one. I can remember the previous books being more mushy and romantic. This one was sweet but primarily I found it to be a mystery. A cult is killing people in horrific sacrificial manner and our main characters are not only trying to solve the case and trying to stay off the evil people's radar. Definitely worth your time. I loved it and had a hard time putting it down.

I somehow missed this book on it's release date, but was a must have as soon as I realized it was available. I loved Triff's story. Ms. Owen's continues to be one of my top 10 authors.

I have to admit, it took me a couple of Ms. Owens' books before I got the hang of the setting. It was so different from other works, but I kept coming back for more. In Heart Quest, the main characters Trif and Ilex were carefully crafted and so dear, story line was paced well, never a dull moment. I can't wait to read more on the Winterberry's in the next book!

Every time I get a new Robin D. Owens book I expect the best and I have yet to be disappointed. In Heart Quest, Ms. Owens brings two previous background characters to the forefront with their own story of love and heartache. When I read that Winterberry and Trif were the stars of this story I didn't think I would enjoy it as much as her other novels, simply because these two never seemed that important or remarkable, however, I am pleased to say that they really shine in this story, and of course there is all of the other characters from other books making guest appearances. As a stand alone novel, this is a good book, with a charming heroine and a serious, sexy, authority-figure hero. I love a man in uniform! As a continuation of her other Heartmate novels, Ms. Owens outdoes herself time and again and I cannot wait for her next one!

I caught on to this author a little late, and admittedly bought Bloodring on a whim because of the fabulous cover! Just finished Seraphs and both books are wonderful. The world Thorn inhabits is fascinating, she is a great character - very likable and believable - and the secondary characters are well done, too. This series has everything - mystery, action, romance, religion, friendship, politics, and more. Very thoughtful and an intriguing look at one possible end of the world, but not. Can't wait to see what happens with Thorn, her men (Lucas, Eli, and especially Raziel!), her friends, her sister and Mineral City. Going out to buy Host today. Highly recommend this great series!

This is the next book after Bloodring. This series is an enjoyably wild ride with non-stop action!

The Thorn series (Bloodring, Seraphs, Host) is HIGHLY recommended. I read all three books in five days over the Christmas holidays! I hope the author will write more soon. These are the best!

I think what I like the most about this new series is the characterization. Hunter does a wonderful job creating unique, well-rounded characters. Thorn, the heroine in this series is now outed (as per the last book) and is being brought to trial for being a "witch." That's only the beginning as she discovers the evil coming out of the mountain has to be stopped. Then there is the captured Sereph and Cherub, which it seems she is the only one willing to believe exist. It's up to Thorn to step up and save the day, again. There was alot of questions answered in this novel and a few unanswered surprises that come to the surface. I'm anxious to read the third and would definitely recommend this one to any sci-fi/fantasy reader. By the way, don't let the buff angel on the cover fool you. This is not really a romance series, but far more action pact.

I am really impressed. A TOTALLY new idea and very entertaining. I have read all 3 of the books out so far and I cannot wait till the next one. Faith Hunter has created a complex and engaging universe, while her character development allows you to become deeply involved with the storyline. I am a huge fan of Kim Harrison, old L.K. Hamilton and Kenyon. I was skeptical because I normally do not like post-apocalypse stories, but I was really hooked by this one. I HIGHLY recommend it!

I've been a fan of "real-world" fantasy fiction before I even knew the term, and as a queer male, I have to implore Tanya Huff to keep writing this series. I'm currently researching a potential series that I want to write, and I've found no one else who is willing to work within the "everyday life" perspective - I have flat out not found anyone else who has been willing (or able) to approach fantasy fiction from an "altered now" perspective. We've got several authors who are willing to retreat into a world of their own making, but there isn't anyone else brave enough to take a contemporary context into their writing. And the fact that Ms. Huff is able to write from the opposite gender-perspective for the romantic-relations? Outstanding! (I can relate-- most of my friends are dykes, hags, and bi-chicks - I try to excel at avoiding gay drama...) I hope that I'm equal at writing a conflicted (parallel) female heroine. I'd be a poor reviewer if I off-sited a review of the book ("say 'hi' to Library School") - but this series is a mega-read for queer-teens, and a gratifying and better-than-beach-novel-read (harder to find in sci-fi/fantasy genre) for inclined gay men, and (as a veteran of the original Henry Fitz-Roy series)something that as a now aspiring-writer & English Professor (adjunct) I'd be beside myself if Ms. Huff chose to continue. We can only be so favored... How much intelligent gay fiction occurs involving the modern world rather than someone's not-so-attached-to-current-reality world? This is where some of us want Hamilton and Harrison to go to...

(N.B.: if you haven't read the original series with Vicki Nelson, *read them*! - well worth it! - mh.)

Interesting characters, witty humor and sex scenes done right (which is to say, not overdone) the Smoke series really does it for me. The third book is definitely the strongest of the series and they have gotten progressively better. My only complaint is that I wish there were more in the recent future, as I'd much rather be reading more Smoke books than more Valor books as I much more enjoy the wit Smoke contains.

This is the last part of Huff's Smoke trilogy and also the best one. Whereas the first book was "only" interesting and the second one immensely suspenseful, the third one is one amazing ride, from the very first page to the last one.

To sum it up...
-> Tony's inner monologue is simply hilarious! I laughed so hard that there were tears running down my face!
-> Huff creates the best female characters, strong but not ornery.
-> There were no "empty spaces" where the reader would get bored, there was always something going on.
-> I love the relationship between Tony and Henry. They are ex-lovers but you don't feel bad about them breaking up because they actually didn't. Break up, I mean. Henry is still a huge part of Tony!s life and Tony wouldn't want it any other way.
-> Victory had a small cameo and she still kicked butt!
-> The CB Production's crew is a bunch of hilarious, lovable nutjobs with their own little oddities.
-> And lets not forget the budding relationship between Tony and Lee that progressed at the right pace, considering the mayhem in these three books!

Overall, a must-read and one of the best books that I read in years!

Another fine book by Tanya Huff. Interesting characters and a really dangerous enemy they face. I would not be upset if I see these characters again. Tony Foster seems to develop with each book, Henry Fitzroy stays the same, letting Tony look more impressive as the books progress

The third and up to the moment last book of the "smoke" series has left me somewhat unsatisfied.

As of now I tend to ascribe this to the plot, sort of a remix of the one in volume one, that is demons invading the world and Tony fighting them. I felt less suspense than I would have liked and even if I never got bored I am not able to say the usual "I couldn't put it down".

In spite of this rather annoying limit this book is quite fun all the same, an entertaining read.

Side characters here tend to step backward and spotlights close on Tony who is likeable to the point of being adorable, uneducated but now, finally, mature and the main tool for the author's puns: Tony's dialogues with himself are outrageously funny, those with Henry hardly less so.
Henry here is quite likeable too. Ms Huff slightly alters his general attitude and he turns from a possessive demon more concerned to safeguard his property from harm to an affectionate if not a little possessive ex lover. He cares for Tony a lot but in this volume he seems to have given up any hope of being with him again. Whether this was an author's deliberate choice or simply an inconsistency in characterization I cannot tell.
Even the romance between Tony and Lee takes a new turn. Gone is the angst of the first two book where Tony was caught up with Lee and the latter behaved ambiguously enough to make the reader scream.
Even in this case I got the very strong impression this was no more a meditated progress than Ms Huff's giving up consistent character development for the sake of building up a good story. I appreciate the characters here more than in the former two episodes but this also keeps me from giving a five star rating.

The writing is proficient and proficiently pushes the story forward: the 400+ pages flow unhindered to a nice if not really memorable ending.

Other reviewers keep on mentioning sex scenes: I have found them quite tame and unlikely to cause any reaction except from very prudish readers; a rather generous amount of four letter words again can only disturb above mentioned readers.
This book can be read by teens too, if mature enough even from the age of 14 or so. They will probably miss some of the interpersonal depth (especially the subtext of the relationship between Tony and Henry) but they will not miss the fun.

Deb Stover never takes the easy way out with her books. She writes complex, unique stories that deal with sensitive, timely issues, yet she still manages to blend it all with humor and generous doses of steamy sensuality. Best of all, she peoples her books with strong, multi-layered characters--heroes and heroines not afraid to take risks and face their fears on the road to happily-ever-after. I loved ALMOST AN ANGEL, and I can't wait to read Deb's latest book, STOLEN WISHES (10/99).

Nobody writes paranormal better than Deb Stover. She *makes* you believe -- even if her characters may have a little trouble! ALMOST AN ANGEL will float into your heart. (I think the comment from Oneida says more about her than about this book.)

Deb Stovers ALMOST AN ANGEL is a delightful and humorous tale which includes a beautiful ghost, two characters who learn through love. It defintely has alot of humor. I believe all of Debs books are worth buying and keeping! The reviewer from Oneida, Wisconsin may not like it but many of us do and she needs to be a little more kind and tactful.

I read all of the reviews before I bought this book. I really didn't believe the book would be as good as everyone said, but thought I would check it out for myself. This book was even better than everyone claimed! I started and finished in the same day and not one bit of housework got done that day. It kept my attention from the first page to the last. Even when you thought you knew what was going to happen.. you didn't. She just kept surprising you.

"Almost An Angel" by Deb Stover was a wonderful and sensual book. From the moment Zach and Hillary met, I was on the edge of my seat and could not stop reading until I knew how the story ended. I will definitely read many more books by Deb Stover

This is the BEST book I've ever read. There is fantasy, romance, magic, intrigue, mystery--an absolute genius plot. The psychology of the characters are so moving. I cried. I laughed. I felt deepened in myself and uplifted after reading this book. I would recommend it for anyone not only seeking to be entertained, but to those who want to learn more about themselves and the human condition.

A love story about acceptance in seemingly unacceptable situations. All of Kaliors stories have a lesson. This was a great fantasy novel.

This book was a great romance that had a lot of suspense throughout it. Was filled with great plots. The author did a wonderful job and can't wait to see more books from her!!!

The story is about one of those epic romances,like Gone with the Wind,only this story has all the elements of dark fantasy,including magic,and uncovering all dark psychology of humane nature. I found this story interesting because it wasn't as much about good against evil,(although the tension there is strong.)as it is about how one can't exist without the other. And what happens if there is a great imbalance? The culprit in this story played by the main antagonist is Apathy, although that word is not used but played by a supernatural character. The plots and subplots were characteristic of Shakespeare,and the medieval magical epic story reminded me somewhat of the story Excalibur. There was alot of depth to this book,many layers to it that all came together in the end unraveling a very exciting mystery.

I really enjoyed the intense romance. The story was filled with interesting subplots, suspense and adventure. This is great look into human nature. I did not get bored reading this book. It always held by attention. I hope there is a sequel.

What could be more horrifying than to have the psychic ability that forces you to witness the events in other people's lives but not be able to find your own son after he is kidnapped? With an intense plot and vivid detailed writing, Rick R. Reed has crafted a compelling, fast-paced thriller that would haunt any parent's nightmares.


www.AllTheseBooks.com

Reviewed by Tyler R. Tichelaar for Reader Views (2/08)

Rick R. Reed's new novel "Deadly Vision" is another page-turner from this masterly horror writer. The novel opens with Cass, a single mother, who also happens to be a lesbian, simply trying to make a life for herself and her son by working as a waitress in a diner. One day, she gets hit on the head by a tree branch during a storm, and when she wakes up, she begins to see strange visions, which she realizes are related to the recent cases of missing girls within the community. Cass is reluctant to be in the public light, but she knows she must use her knowledge to save lives. She has a difficult time trying to get help from the authorities and media, but eventually, she convinces them and one of the girls' bodies is found. When Cass's name appears in the paper for having helped the media find the missing girl's body, the killer decides he must stop Cass from revealing more. His revenge leads to an exciting showdown.

Unlike many horror, thriller and detective novelists who center the plot around a detective character searching for an unknown killer, Reed eliminates the mystery behind who the murderer is, and instead depicts the killer in alternate chapters. Reed did an exceptional job in his previous novel "IM" of getting into the killer's mind, and by doing so, while the mystery is absent, the excitement and adrenaline flow all the more. In "Deadly Vision" Reed writes in third person, so we do not understand as well what causes the villain, Ian, to act as he does; instead we view the action from the eyes of Ian's girlfriend, Myra. Ian is obviously crazy, talking about how he must sacrifice people to The Beast, yet Reed fully makes the reader understand why Myra remains with Ian for so long, first because he is gorgeous, secondly because he taught her how to lose weight and make herself attractive, and finally out of confused loyalty and eventually fear of Ian. Myra is forced into the role of accomplice to Ian while she continually tries to manipulate him to stop the crimes, and yet helps him out of fear. I personally thought Myra the most developed and interesting character in the novel.

Reed's characters are often homosexual, and in past books his characters' sexual orientation has added to the novels' plots. However, while the back cover includes Lesbian with Fiction/Mystery/Thriller as one of its genres, I didn't see any reason why Cass or Dani, her reporter friend, were depicted as lesbians. It was clear they were going to become a couple, but their sexual orientation was not detailed enough to advance the plot or motivate their actions, unlike the detective in "IM" who is himself homosexual and seeking to save his male lover from a killer bent on murdering gay men.

I would gladly welcome a sequel to "Deadly Vision" where Reed further develops the relationship between Dani and Cass so their sexual orientations are more integrated into the plot. The two women make a great team, and I can definitely see possibilities for further adventures as Cass learns better how to use her psychic abilities. I would also like to know more about what became of Myra. I hope another Rick R. Reed book will soon roll off the presses.

Cass D'Angelo lives a regular life in small town, Ohio, with her seven-year-old son, Max. She works at a popular diner and has little unusual going on in her life except, initially, the lack of a girlfriend. Her whole life changes, however, after being struck on the head during a storm. When she wakes up in the hospital, she discovers that she's acquired psychic powers, specifically the ability to visualize the grisly deaths of local girls who have recently begun disappearing.

The killers are an insane, but handsome, psychopath and his smitten and spectacularly confused girlfriend. We find out very quickly that they worship a devil-like entity, "The Beast," and when they discover that Cass has directed the police to unearth one of their victims, they go after her and her family.

Like Charlaine Harris's Harper Connelly character, Cass D'Angelo is a psychic character who's fascinating to read about. She's thoughtful, smart, and capable. Unlike Harris's character, who travels around to use her gift, Cass is mostly happy and settled in her Ohio home and committed to family, friends, and her community. That makes her deadly visions and horror over the sick murders even more palpable. Everyone is at risk, even her own son.

Reed gives us alternate chapters from the perspective of the twisted killer's girlfriend and of our increasingly-stressed heroine. His secondary characters, particularly Cass's mother and Cass's journalist girlfriend, are lively, interesting, and essential. His use of tone, pacing, and atmosphere is masterful. A natural born storyteller, this author does an excellent job showing Cass's increasing panic in the face of the killers' single-minded murderous intent. With every page, the reader's tension level rises until the wild climax. At times graphic, always descriptive, and endlessly suspenseful, this novel takes you on a rocky ride through horror and anxiety. Will the killers be thwarted? Will Cass live to see another vision? Will she lose the one she loves the most?

Highly recommended for all who enjoy heart-pounding suspense, horror, and good old-fashioned fright within an expertly constructed narrative. ~Lori L. Lake, Midwest Book Review

Hot on the heels of his enjoyable gay serial killer novel - last year's "IM" - Rick Reed returns with another gripping thriller, "Deadly Vision." Reed is quickly developing his own unique formula that blends suspense, fast-moving narratives, fully-realized gay characters, and a touch of the occult. His seeming bid to become a gay hybrid of James Patterson and Dean Koontz will not be lost on readers with this latest offering.

Cass D'Angelo, single mother to seven-year-old Max, is toiling away as a waitress in a small, depressed river town in Ohio. When Cass goes off after Max when he wanders off one afternoon during a thunderstorm, she runs afoul of a lightning strike and a falling tree limb. She awakens days later in the hospital - relieved to find Max safe - and discovers that the resulting concussion has left her with a newfound psychic ability. Before you can say Psychic Friends Network, Cass receives disturbing images of several local girls gone missing - their grisly fates playing out behind her mind's eye. Fearing more deaths, the reluctant psychic reaches out to the police and to one of the missing girl's parents - all of whom are skeptical. But when the father of a second missing girl begs Cass' help in finding his daughter and her decomposing body is found along the Ohio River banks, Cass finds herself the center of unwanted attention from a pair of devil-worshipping killers desperate to find out how she found their carefully hidden grave. It's here that the story kicks into even higher gear with a kidnapping, a manhunt, and - to a lesser extent - hints of a budding romance with a sympathetic female journalist.

As in "IM," Reed again opts to tell his story through multiple points of view. And, again, it works surprisingly well even when minor characters like Cass' mother get their chance at the storytelling bat. Laying out the actions and motives of your villains for readers is a tricky proposition - give too much and risk predictability at the expense of the suspense. But Reed expertly walks the tightrope between disclosure and omission, crafting passages told from the killers' perspective that are appropriately chilling and give just enough away to readers so that their acquired insight translates into dread when the action switches back to Cass and company. It's foreboding at it s finest with readers left muttering, "If you only knew what I know" at the book itself.

Reed also imbues "Deadly Vision" with a strong sense of setting, creating in Summitville a bleak tableau of working class hardship. One gets a strong sense of inevitability for the fictional denizens of the town, like they surrendered master status of their own destinies somewhere between unplanned pregnancies and factory closings. He nails the idea of familiarity and disconnection as analogous functions of small-town life:

"When Sheryl McKenna's mother opened the door, Cass felt as though she had already seen her. And maybe she had. Summitville was, after all, a small town. She could have passed the tired-looking woman on the street downtown, or served her in the diner. The woman stared at her with bright gray eyes, looking her over as if Cass were something she had discarded in the yard that had managed to make its way back to the porch. Mrs. McKenna was small, with no fat on her bones; she looked almost skeletal. Her skin was weathered, the result of too much sun, too much smoke. Her skin, combined with straw-like bleached blonde hair and hard eyes made her, Cass was sure, look older than her years. She held a cigarette in her hand, and the smell of tobacco smoke came out of the house in a wave when she opened the door."

Unlike "IM," the lesbian romance is relegated to the background here, never even a glimmer of possibility until the third act - and even then it's only alluded to in a near future. This is the novel's only misstep - and a slight one at that - and an area where Reed missed an opportunity for deeper emotional investment in the reporter character of Dani Westwood. The lack of romantic connection to Cass keeps her at arm's length for much of the action, consigning her to stock character status.

The novel's supernatural elements are handled quite well, with Cass' understanding of her precognitive abilities evolving gradually over the course of the book and never coming off as forced or over-the-top. Only toward the end when Cass encounters the spectral vision of one of the victims does one get the sense that they're smack dab in the middle of an episode of "Cold Case" or "The Ghost Whisperer" - and that's either criticism or commendation depending upon your level of tolerance for either of those shows.

The literary equivalent of a hybrid vehicle, "Deadly Vision" powers forward on a combustion of supernatural suspense, murder mystery, and breakneck thriller. With psychics and serial killers rendered with the same deft hand in a propulsive narrative likely to increase respirations, it takes no psychic ability to see that Rick Reed is headed for the top of the suspense class.

Ready for yet another roller coaster ride from one of the most entertaining authors around? BUY THIS BOOK!! It's a heck of a ride.
Enter the world of small town America... a place where life is pretty quiet. Well, usually.

You'll become entrenched in the drama in this well written, taught thriller. At times you'll laugh, cringe, sigh with relief and at times your breath will catch in your throat. Mr. Reed knows just how to grab his audience... where it counts.

If you've never read any of Mr. Reed's books, this is a great one with which to begin. After this page-turner... you'll be wanting more, much more. And he'll never disappoint you. Mr. Reed is one of the best, freshest authors today. You're going to be hooked.

"Deadly Vision" is a great read! Fast paced and full of characters you not only like but actually care about.

Will the killer be stopped in time? ONly one way for you to find out... click on the "Add To Shopping Cart" button now!! Then go and buy his other books. You'll be very glad you did.