Paranormal Books

Pilate- A Brutal Bible Tale is such a weird re-telling of the story of Jesus and His disciples and His Resurrection. However, once the reader becomes involved with the characters- vampires and all - it's a hard book to put down. Mr. Page does a fine job of drawing us in- into the violence and all. Demons work the streets of The Harbor, selling drugs, while "the good guys" do their best to stop them from spreading evil and discontent among the people. Brutal Bible Tales stays with us long after we've turned the final page. Good job, Mr. Rage.

This book was amazing!!! You can read it as a simple vampire novel, which I love, or if you have ANY knowledge of the bible stories you can peel away the many layers to the story of the betrayal of Christ, told long ago. This book takes the real story of Pontius Pilate and puts in a graphic, horrifying drug filled today and tells the same tale. Amazing~ The characters and descriptions are off the hook. I can't wait to read the next installment!PILATE: A Brutal Bible Tale

Alright, I am going to be the person to admit it. I saw Bible tale and I crused outloud. But on full faith and the great Ellen, I bought this book.

The religious story, is merely the forefront of the novel. Instead Mr. Rage gives us a passionate world of dark bitterness and despair!

There are so many twists in this book, you get a great feeling for the characters among a dark canvis. Plus its the ultimate game of cat and mouse with reincarnation, and Jesus as a girl! I knew there was something to the paintings with the long hair.

Excellent all around. Will read it again, certainly worth the money!

Pilate A Brutal Bible Tale ain't your Momma's Bible Story!
Steven Rage has written an alternate land, The Harbor. There are vampires, drug dealers, rank language that will shock you and make you stop. Pilate is a drug lord. A young lady named Immanuel is the Christ in this incarnation of the Passion. The story goes from brutal to brilliant to magestic and is an amazing read.
Is it for everyone? No.
This book will make you think. It reminded me of The Last Temptation of Christ - not because it reads like that, but with that book and this book, you MUST think - you will run the gamut of emotions and by the incredible ending, you will be spent.
Rage's treatment of Pilate is amazing. No matter if Christ is portrayed as a woman, or as He was before, the story is just as strong, powerful, and violent. And the triumph is with you to your core.
Can you tell I loved this book? Yes.
I have never read a book with so much palatible violence. The world Steven Rage created is a scary one. But some can triumph and transcend. Just know when you are thinking of reading this book, brace yourself for one WILD violent ride.
I will read the next 'Harborside' series Jonah Job. Rage is an excellent writer.

Pilate A Brutal Tale 'ain't' your Momma's Bible story!
I am delighted that it is available on Kindle - I plan to have it sent to my Kindle. I am keeping books that touch me in my Kindle.
Steven Rage has written an alternate land, The Harbor. There are vampires, drug dealers, rank language that will shock you and make you stop. Pilate is a drug-lord. Immanuel is a young woman and is the Christ in this incarnation of the Passion. The story goes from brutal to brilliant to magestic and is an amazing read.
Is it for everyone? No.
This book will make you think. It reminded me of Kazanzakis' The Last Temptation of Christ - not because it reads like that, but with that book and this book, you MUST think - Many books do the thinking for you - that's why this book is so great - you must think it through -
You will run the gamut of emotions and by the incredible ending, you will be spent.
Rage's treatment of Pilate is amazing. No matter if Christ is portrayed as a woman, or as He was before, the story is just as strong, powerful, and violent. And the triumph is with you to the core.
Can you tell I like this book? Yes.
I have never read a book with so much palatible violence. The world Steven Rage created is a scary one. But some can triumph and transcend.
Just know when you are thinking of reading this book, brace yourself for one WILD ride.
I will read the next 'Harborside' book of the series, Jonah Job. Rage is an excellent writer.

This is a must read. Don't bother if you didn't read the 1st one you will love it. Any girl will love this that read Anne Rice with love it.

Love that the heroine has the personality to carry her through 400 years of earning a living and dating. Vampires having everyday(night)problems just like the rest of us! I guess I understand the occasional whine, if I had to live forever things would start wearing on my nerves. I will continue to keep a lookout for anything from this author.

Okay, I have to say: I think these books are a stitch. This is book 2 in a series, I'm already half way through book 3. They aren't difficult, but they are fun and witty. There are times when I laugh out loud at Valdez, the shape shifting guard of Glory - who is in the form of a labradoodle.

Here's the gist:

Blade and Mara are off to Namibia to find Westwood and try to kill him. I can't imagine they are going to be successful on that front for quite a while or who would the "bad guys" be? In the meantime, he leaves Will, another shape shifting guard, to help Valdez keep an eye on Glory.

Can you imagine that there are vampire drug dealers? Yes, there are. They call themselves "Energy Vamps" and they steal the energy from vampires - or buy it - to make "Vampire Viagra." Yes, you read that correctly. Not to prolong endurance but to increase sensation in both men and women. Apparently, it is also quite addictive, as Glory's friend and roommate, Flo, finds out.

The Energy Vamps want Glory since she hasn't shape shifted so she has a lot of stored up energy. 400 years worth. Glory has to try to not get abducted by EVs all the while dealing with day to day life - like her store that has been vandalized and she must now rebuild, and weird emails and messages from Westwood.

Here's a bit of a spoiler: Glory finally shape shifts and you will not believe the animal she chose. That's all.

LOL, awesome!

I'm really enjoying this series. Lots of laughs, great action scenes (in and out of the bedroom), and great, likable characters.

I love Glory. Sharp, sassy, I love her attitude - not only about life but about the people she cares about and those she hates with a passion. Even when things get tough, she prevails and charges full steam ahead.

While Blade runs off to hunt the vampire hunter that's after her, a whole new set of problems arise that Glory has to deal with. You get to learn a little more about Richard in this one, but not much. I truly adore Valdez, Glory's bodyguard/dog, and I'll be sorry if/when she loses him. A new `bodyguard' also pops into the scene, as well as an old flame that takes her by surprise.

Even though the author wrote two different plots, one is for sure ongoing, the other could pop up at anytime - I liked how one is only sort-of resolved. It's hard to talk about this novel without spoiling it for those who have yet to read it. Glory is finding her footing more and more, her independent streak shines on, but she isn't afraid to ask for help. She conquers one of her fears in this one, and I truly liked how it played out. An excellent read!

A great series of books, each one is a ball of fun and I have to read them right through so they only last a day. **Sigh**
Nothing really in depth in characters just a fun loving vampire who is trying to run her business and avoid energy vampires. Her boyfriend is away in most of this book and there are little in the way of relationship development.
Open read and enjoy. Don't study it too much. Mind candy!!

Well worth your money. This book was very well written and is one of the better books I have read.

Autumn Sommers is not a fan of dreams. When your dreams have the power to foretell tragedy and you don't know why and when they will choose to show up it is not pleasant. It has been twelve years since the last time her dreams scared her. Now she is dreaming about a girl who needs her help. She needs to help her - no one else can.

Ben McKenzie has lived every parent's nightmare, the loss and death of a child. Now Autumn is telling him his beloved Molly is not dead only stolen and Autumn needs his help to find his daughter. Can he survive the heartache of going through the search again or will it tear him apart? Does he dare give up the shred of hope?

Convincing Ben that she is not out to hurt him or his family, or to gain financially from their tragedy, is not going to be easy. But Autumn can't give up. Molly needs her help and no one else can help her.

The Summit is an intense, gripping novel. I found myself being rung through a gamut of emotions. The pain that Ben feels is not treated lightly but is shown in a tactful and intense manner. Autumn is just the right amount of uncertain in what she dreams, but at the same time certain that she needs to try and help Molly. Kat Martin has written a book that draws on the reader's emotions. A novel well worth reading.

Emma
reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Received item very promptly and in very good condition. Will purchase from this shipper again.

I think that the idea of this is certainly good, delving into the emotions and feelings involved with a kidnapped child and religious crazies. However, the writer spent more time explaining to me how to belay someone and all of the other jargon used during rock climbing than on any other theme in the book. I get it, they like to rock climb, and it is terribly difficult. I would like to have known more about the daughter, we just see her throughout the whole book in a couple dream sequences. We do not know how she feels about anything until the very end, and she is not that upset. It was okay for a light read and really had potential.

This book was great. My heart was pounding through the last 3 or 4 chapters. From the beginning of the book until the end I never wanted to put it down. I highly recomend this book.

Melanie Jackson has created a world that is the modern version of the world that the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen wrote about. The fey are real and they have their own powers (although many have recently died off for not-quite-understood reason). Goblins have been granted political asylum in the USA and have taken up residence in - and under - Detroit, Michigan, where they run a booming tourist trade and goblin fruit trafficking-ring.
Io and Jack Frost are up against a powerful and numerous foe and their story is highly entertaining.

Pros: Strong story, lots of adventure, tons of interesting ambient aspects (like 'drawing' a spell so tourist have magic in Goblin Town). Sets up an interesting world

Cons: Romance just sort of *happens* without any real foundation for "why" (which gives more time for the adventure, I suppose). Readers must really pay attention at the beginning to understand what's going on - magic properties, races, descriptions, etc. If you don't read semi-carefully, you will be very confused very quickly.

Overall, this is a nice bridge between folkloric fantasy and romance. I'm looking forward to reading more of Melanie Jackson!

The world of the Wildside that Jackson created in the Traveler was a great one with a faint touch of Simon Green, goblin conspiracies, and all kinds of magical mixes of Fey, elf, siren and other such 'handicapped' half breeds sharing a near-future goblin run Detroit with full blooded humans. And once the stage was set there was a nice bit of suspense and action and it took the death fae hero Jack and the siren heroine Io both and the magic of love to save the world. What fun!

The Traveler was an enjoyable mix of urban fantasy and with a touch of paranormal romance, perfect when you're in the mood for a light read. The only real hint that this book was published five years ago is that the language in the love scenes is much milder than in current mainstream romance, so that instead of stretching the love scenes with descriptions of the mechanics, the scenes used poetic language, focused more on the emotions and left room for a bit more story. The only weakness, which is typical for the first book in a series, was that there was a quite bit of world building going on in the first few chapters.

Even with all the recent additions to genre of alternate world type of urban fantasy romances, The Traveler has held up well. It still feels original with its world of fairy tale creatures instead of the current usage of weres, vamps and demons. And now I'm going to enjoy the bonus of having discovered a new to me older series -- I don't have to wait a year to read the next one!

Melanie Jackson's Wildside Series
Outsiders
The Courier
Still Life
The Master
The Saint

I'm new to paranormal romance, but a book like "Traveler" is good enough to give me a taste for it. It's well-written, and glib without being lazy...it doesn't take itself too seriously, but it still works up a nice, convincingly dark atmosphere.

Melanie is an untried undercover operative; Jack Frost is a very experienced one. This sets up the dynamic between them pretty much from the first, which has Jack in a more dominant position - he's more ruthless, understands the enemy better. But over the course of the novel he grows to appreciate Io's abilities, both raw and developed, and the balance evens out...a bit.

One thing that struck me about the book is that things go a little bit too well for Jack and Io. They have obstacles to overcome, but I never really felt like they were in danger of losing. I'm not sure how I feel about this; I think it was enjoyable, actually.

And the romance was pretty sizzling. Jack Frost is a "death fey" which seems to mean that he can control the other people's bodies...make their hearts stop, or go faster, or sexually stimulate their nerves without touching them. And then sex with him seems to involve giving him total control over your whole system - at which time he may or may not decide to kill you. As far as I was concerned, this made for some pretty hot sex - Io was attracted almost against her will, terrified, and then ultimately, you know, satisfied beyond her wildest dreams. Nice!

The one thing that struck me is that Jack and Io both seemed to be *compelled* into their feelings for one another - this may or may not heightened the sense of their fatedness/connection to a reader. I thought that it made their bond that much more convincing.

(My rating is 3.5 stars.)

Traveler is the first in Melanie Jackson's Wildside Romance series, and it introduced me to an alternate reality of earth that I definitely want to learn more about. In Jackson's world, a number of species, primarily the fey and the goblins, have, with much struggle, become a part of human society.

Despite the existence of H.U.G. (Humans Under Ground), humans, on the whole, seem to have little awareness or understanding of the evil that permeates the goblin infrastructure. Luckily for humanity though, the fey, having much greater knowledge of them, and the magic to see them more clearly, understand that the goblins, trolls and gargoyles, etc. are big trouble, and are taking steps to do something about it.

Traveler plunges us directly into a goblin plot to take over, well, the world, and Jackson does a great job of describing Goblin Town, of showing us the tragic horror of human addiction to goblin fruit, and making clear the complete callousness of the goblins and their ilk to life - human, fey, and even of their own kind.

While I really liked both Jack and Io, I found the romance aspect of the story less satisfying than the setting and the adventure. The story takes place over a few short days, which contributes to the romance feeling very rushed, and although Jackson explains the almost instant connection and partnership of the two by telling us that (roughly) `the magic is urging them to fall in love and make baby feys to help save their almost extinct race', I still felt somewhat cheated out of the pleasure of watching their emotional attachment grow. I never really felt that I got to know either of them very well, and because I cared about them, and they intrigued me, I found that frustrating.

I also found the writing somewhat choppy, as if scenes had been deleted or edited, and information that would have made the story flow more smoothly had been lost. There were several instances, particularly in the early chapters, where I found myself bothered by that annoying `Huh? Did I miss something?' feeling.

I enjoyed this world, and I want to know a great deal more about the wide variety of magical people who inhabit it, and about their diverse powers and histories. Even though I had a few problems with Traveler, I enjoyed the book, recommend it to others, and look forward to reading the next books in the series. I have confidence that Melanie Jackson will, in them, answer a lot of my questions, and I can't wait to find out where her imagination is going to take me.

Recommended.

Wow! I cannot believe that I left TRAVELER by Melanie Jackson sitting on my bookshelf for months, ignored, in favor of reading other romantic paranormals. What an idiot I was! This book is a jewel among paranormal romances! It has fantastic characters, a fascinating storyline, and a creative setting. The best part is that Jackson can write - and I mean well! I cannot stop raving about this book.

The hero, Jack Frost, is sent in by the police to find out what dirty deeds the flesh-eating goblins are up to in Goblin Town. Jack happens to be a death fey, meaning he has potent death magic up his sleeve. At the same time, an underground organization called HUG is sending in Io, a siren fey, to intercept Jack and find out what he knows. Jack and Io meet, the attraction flares, and from that point on, they work together on a dangerous mission to stop an evil goblin from exterminating the human species.

The alternate world that Jackson creates is fantastic. Goblin City comes alive in all its ugly weirdness. Jack and Io's magic spells are also fun; in many ways, the magic itself becomes a secondary character. I love the easy dialogue between these two, as well as their relationship. You can practically see these two fall in love. And it's not fast or cheesy. Plus, this book is NOT sex scene after sex scene, interspersed with minimal (or stupid) plot, as many other romances are. No, it actually has a great plot, which keeps you reading. You WANT to know what happens next in Goblin Town.

Of course, the book is not perfect. Some reviewers complain the first chapter is confusing, which could be true. Certainly, it is almost all talk and no action, as it tries to explain the dynamics of humans, half-feys, and goblins within this alternate world. Also, I would have liked to see Jack use more of his death magic ... but that's not so much a complaint as it is curiosity.

Anyway, if you are looking for a good, engaging read, try this book. TRAVELER is one of those stories that tickle the imagination. It is also the first in a series. The next book is called OUTSIDERS (supposedly, the hero is a dragon). I can't wait to read it!

***For a similar read, try Emma Holly's erotic THE DEMON'S DAUGHTER. It is also set in an alternate world, which is sort of like Victorian England.***

OK first of all let me say for the record what we all know to be true. There are no such things as Ghosts. Every single solitary unbiased examination has proven this to be the case. That being said we all love a good ghost story being told and this book has a number of really fun and enjoyable ones to tell around the campfire on a dark night. Weird Hauntings has a number of fun and enjoyable stories, none of which I would take too seriously.

The authors do a good job of making these stories seem real because in many cases there is enough information given to make the story seem juicy but of course just enough so it can never be verified. All of these stories are full of crimes and lives cut short but at some point in the past that can never be proven. So none of them are at all credible but you are not reading this because you believe it is a text book. You're reading them in a dark room to scare yourself! For that alone it's worth reading!

I enjoyed reading this book very much. The book has great artwork. Just a great book all around!

I found this book to be quite disappointing. It begins well with a very readable and page-turning first chapter but from there on things just go downhill and never really recover. Every now and then an interesting and believable scary story pops up but mostly it seems just like what you could expect to encounter if you took a class entitled Creative Ghost Story Writing For Beginners 101. It seems that an awful lot of the tales stem more from the imagination of the narrator than from some otherworldly realm. And not a few times I cringed in embarassment when a paranormal suggestion or explanation was offered for events that were so obviously nothing of the sort. If you like your ghost tales served up with credibility and objective research and investigation then this book is definitely not for you. Spared from a single star rating only by the heroics of Chapter One.

Weird Hauntings by Joanne Austin is quite good for a book of ghost tale compilations. This is from the same team that does the entire "Weird" series of books (Weird U.S., Weird Arizona, etc.), and reminds me of the best of the books that I would find at my local library as a child with a voracious appetite for the macabre. Off the bat, the introduction by Ryan Doan in which he relates the fact that his father used to hide under his bed as a child starts off the bizarre proceedings on a wonderfully weird note.

In particular, another value in the book is that it details investigations or stories from individuals that have not been repeated ad infinitum in other books on the subject. There is also mention of a few famous areas such as Alcatraz or Gettysburg to keep one interested as well.

Well done: 5 out of 5 skulls

I enjoyed reading this book, very interesting as it leads you to different places and each author has his/her own story to tell. The table of contents was organized from haunted houses, historic haunts, terrifying travels, the otherworldly outdoors and so forth. It was a well-researched book with detailed events. Some of the photos of places and people were such a good addition that made the book more interesting to read. Although I'd like to add that some of these photos were edited to make them look more scary. One of the exceptions is the main photo for pages 214-215 (Eerie Eateries, Spooky Salons), it was a bit cheesy and tacky. The Graphic Artist/s could have done a better job than that and made the images look more realistic and believable. I am a Graphic Designer and I saw the flaw in this book. I gave the review 3 stars because with all these edited photographs, the authors could have used the space for more text and information. I will give the authors credit for the great content of the book. Overall, the book is more interesting than scary.

Carrie is a vampire as well as Max, and Ziggy in addition there is Bill and Nathan who are both humans. As much time as Bill hangs out with vampires he will never understand their hunger need for blood. The Soul Eater has rallied up an army of vampires. Carrie always knew this day would come and now it's here. Carrie is ready to put a stop to the Soul Eater even if it means she has to sacrifice her life to do so.

I would not recommend reading this book without having first read the other three books in the Blood Ties series. Another reason why I recommend reading the other books first is because I didn't really feel vested with the characters, so I had a really hard time making myself stay interested till the end. Even though I had the general concept of what was taking place in this story I still was some what confused. Then there was the ending. Something that should have been grand but instead was damped by the fact that I was just glad to have completed the book finally. All Soul's Night is the final booking the Blood Ties series. As much as I was disappointed that I could not get into this book, I would give Jennifer Armintrout another try.

I finished reading the book, because I had read the three previous titles in the series. As far as the main story line was concerned it was still a good read. However, one of the main characters became intangled in homosexual relationship. I did not at all like reading about that. It was an unexpected suprise. Did not enjoy it at all.

Disappointed..........no where near as good as the other three in the series, it took half the book to even get into the story.

BAD GUYS GET DEAD - CARRIE GETS WED -SOUL EATER LOSES HEAD.
Thus ends (I think!) Jennifer Armintrout's very excellent 'Blood Ties' quadriligy. I loved everyone of these four books - unending excitement; ongoing suspense and a 'no wasted words' writing style.

And who of us does not relish the 'bad guy' getting his just deserts!?Moreover, our author has the ability to incorporate a dash of humour with all the gore.

With all of the supernatural, paranormal, subnormal and abnormal literature flooding the marketplace, it's great to 'hit' upon a skillfully written series such as this. Sure hope there are more!!!

Publishers Weekly in describing Book 1: 'The Turning': "This fast, furious novel is a squirm-inducing treat." Believe me when I say that this comment could apply to all four of these books.

I found this book a bit unbelievable but I did like the ending and the lack of crying that book two and three unfortunately had in abundance. Ziggy and his mate were hot hot hot, Bella and Max made a great family. I have no idea why Cyrus was even in this book but I enjoyed the ending for Carrie and Nathan. As for the series, I recommend the series if you are into paranormal romance with a ton of emotions and feelings. If you are into the fantasy story like myself, who prefers the romance/sex to be part of the story but not the focal point than this series will be speed reading for you.

Good story with a well-crafted plot which I found more impacting as a representative of the historical genre than as a preternatural tale. The author has an uncanny ability to recreate a previous era in a multi-faceted way that truly brings the past into the present. I've never read other volumes in this series but can attest to the fact that this one, set in the so-called "Dark Ages" during a time of Viking incursions into feudal Europe, was an enjoyable, cerebral read.

I'm fairly new to Saint-Germain, and the book that had gotten the most hoopla was Out of the House of Life (which is good, fills in some background on him), but this is better than that, in my opinion. It opens with mere mortals, then introduces the Count, with such perfect physical descriptions that you are truly transported to the flesh of the woman who meets him. The mysteries and sadness that seem to pervade this series are of course present; there is sadness in the ending that one might have liked to see otherwise, but it was still excellent. Plot and descriptions are both strong throughout, not always a trait of historicals or romance. And as a bonus, the reader learns about ergotism (called "blighted grain," I believe, in the book). Fascinating!

This is one of the finer novels of Saint-Germain that I've read to date. The immortal Count Saint-Germain washes ashore at the Saxon fortress of Leosan after a shipwreck in 937 A.D. He is rescued and nurtured back to health by Ranegonda, the Gerefa of the fort. Having a women run a fortress was unheard of at the time, however her brother, the original Gerefa, has joined the monks to follow the order of the White Christ and left Ranegonda in charge.

While the overall theme of the book is consistent with other Saint-Germain novels, in this story he does not have his own elaborate household with servants, his athanors, and his wealth. What he does have is a growing romance with Ranegonda as the months go by. From what I have read, she is one of the three great loves of his life. The fortress and surrounding village is at the outskirts of the Saxon empire, ruled by King Otto. They are few in number and struggle simply to survive from starvation, the plague, and the constant threat of outlaws living in the forests and the Danes. The people now also follow the teaching of the White Christ, as opposed to the 'old gods'.

For Saint-Germain fans, this is a must read book. It is very well written, moves quickly, and has one of the more satisfying endings than some of the others I've read.

Don't let the title, or the awful cover (Who *are* these people? They certainly aren't the characters in the book!), nor the fact that it's a "vampire" novel put you off. This is, quite simply, one of the most enjoyable books I've read this year. Well drawn characters, atmosphere you could cut with a knife, a richly detailed plot, coupled with one of the strongest female leads I've ever encountered in a novel make this for a fantastic read. Add to that a plot which builds to a truly shattering climax and I suspect no purveyor of fine fiction could ever put this book down unsatisfied. While none of Yarbro's Saint-Germain novels are bad, this one stands up and grabs you by the throat, but not in a way so's you'd notice until it's too late. Oh yeah - has one of the most satisfying "just desserts" scenes I've encountered in recent memory.

Or ninth, if you include "Out Of The House Of Life", which is primarily a spinoff novel about Madeline de Montalia, a former lover and vampiric "childe" of Saint-Germain, but does include some flashback scenes to Saint-Germain's early life in ancient Egypt.

Or twelfth, if you include "A Flame in Byzantium", "Crusader's Torch", and "A Candle for d'Artagnan", the spinoff series about Atta Olivia Clemens, an earlier lover and vampiric "childe".

The Saint-Germain series is a series centering on the life of Francois, le Compte de Saint-Germain (at least, that's the name he goes by in France; his name always approximates that in a form not incomprehensible to those speaking the language of the land he resides in at the time), a vampire born something on the order of 2000 years BCE. Each book in the series is a historical novel set in a different time period; this one is set in Saxony (part of what is now Germany) in the mid-900s. Saint-Germain is a rather untraditional vampire, in that he is an unequivocal hero and all-around nice guy; he does not kill when drinking blood, but rather gets the most sustenance from the blood of someone who loves him, knowing what he is and accepting it. As such, most of the books in the series are historical romances of one sort or another; this one is no exception.

If you enjoy your vampire fiction fast-paced, brutal, and horrific, this book (and this entire series) are definitely not for you. If, on the other hand, you enjoy a powerful novel with fascinating characters and excellently researched historical settings, don't object to a good romance with a few tasteful but very powerful sexual scenes, and can tolerate the concept of a heroic vampire as a main character, you'll love most of the books in this series, and this is one of the best of the lot.

I thought this was overdone and outdone. It's a concept that has been used over and over in other novels, on T.V. and in movies. Frankly, I've heard it before and enjoyed it more with other authors. I read a little over half of the book then got just too bored to continue so I scanned to the end. I don't think I missed much.

The main characters were pretty amazing, adapting to the whole thing quite quickly. Jordan, an investigative journalist, seeks the help of Lindsay, who works for a U.S. senator, in digging for the truth about a secret lab, secret drugs, and the reason why key people are dead. With one touch, they unlock a force between them, a telepathic connection that gets stronger with every touch. Soon they can do things that other 'normal' humans can't. And both want to know why this is happening.

It's great to see both characters develope, how they feel about one another. The plot unfolds, action and suspense abound, a great first novel.

Whether a fan of Ms. York's or just looking for a new twist on the modern-day romance, this new series is great.

Set in power circles of Washington D.C., an investigative journalist and a Capitol Hill worker decide to work together to solve the mysterious death of the son of a wealthy power broker.

While still featuring some traditionally York features - powerful sex, mind connections, intrigue - this is also a new direction for her. I really enjoyed this first book, and I can't wait for the next book, Beyond Fearless.

Paranormal romantic suspense is a hot commodity, and no one does it better than Rebecca York. With BEYOND CONTROL, we get a no-holds-barred suspense tale, filled with the danger and excitement that such a story entails. We also get a paranormal story, with a hero and heroine who invade each other's dreams, can communicate with a touch, and whose need for physical contact almost turns into an obsession. And, of course, we get the sexual intensity that Ms. York is known for, with all the sensuality that includes.

Journalist Jordan Walker believes he's taken on the story of his career when elusive billionaire Leonard Hamilton offers him the chance to write a totally authorized biography. Jordan at once feels that the deal is too good to be true, and in a way, he's right. Hamilton will give him his story, but in return he wants Jordan to investigate the suspicious death of his son, Todd. Hamilton is sure Todd was murdered, and even though there's circumstantial proof to the contrary, Jordan knows that he'll have to use every investigative tool in his power if he wants to get Leonard Hamilton's biography published.

When he contacts congressional staffer Lindsay Fleming, Jordan reassures himself that it's only to use her contacts to get close to Senator Conroy. Jordan 's sure that if he can question the Senator, he can find out exactly what happened in the boating accident that took the life of Todd Hamilton and his alleged boyfriend, Glenn Borrow. Not to mention that Jordan wants information on the reclusive and highly secretive facility known as Maple Creek, which Todd and Glenn had broken into shortly before their deaths. Suddenly, though, getting answers to his questions isn't nearly as unsettling as the power that sparks between him and Lindsay at Senator Conroy's party.

One touch is all it takes for Jordan and Lindsay to begin invading each other's dreams. That touch produced nearly literal sparks, and now the need for them to touch, to be close, to be in contact with one another, is nearly a physical ache. Lindsay has no idea what's happening, but she knows that helping Jordan Walker in his investigation has suddenly made her a target-for a killer. Now Jordan and Lindsay are in danger, not only from the obsession to be together, but from a brother and sister who share the same bond, and are intent on getting rid of them before they can disclose what really happened to Todd Hamilton on Chesapeake Bay .

Rebecca York has woven a web of danger, intrigue, and passion that you're not soon to forget. Beyond the relationship of Jordan and Lindsay, past the passion that they create together, is a plain old suspense story that is imaginative and scary-the best in romantic suspense.

This book was entertaining, but not captivating. This was my first Rebecca York book and my last.

this book was not very good. there were 3 of the 4 authors that wrote these stories who were favorites of mine. angela knight, lora leigh, and emma holly. I did not like their contributions to this particular novel. and diane whiteside was completely boring and not in the same arena with the other type stories. I was very surprized that I did not like none of my favorites in this book. I gave this one 2 stars.

I just loved the twist in Angela Knights story. I hope she continues with this world, hothothot.
As usual I loved Lora Leigh's story. It was a great mix of sex and suspence, I love these "breed" stories!
Diane Whiteside her story was filled with magic and love. Not as hot as the other stories but just as stong.
And last and certianly forgettable, Emma Holly. I didn't have a urge to finish this story. Her latest books and novella's have fallen short.

Overall for lovers of hot sex and the paranormal this is a must read.

This book contains the following four stories.

5 stars for DRAGON'S DANCE by Angela Knight.
Creative, new, different, fun. Humans with special powers are called Hypers. Some are good and some are bad. I don't want to give away some of the fun surprises, so I won't tell any more of the story, other than it was well done and worth buying. Sexual language: strong. Number of sex scenes: three. Setting: current day Blue Ridge Mountain area in U.S. Genre: paranormal romance.

For a list of my reviews of other Angela Knight books, see my 2 star review of "The Forever Kiss" posted 9/09/08.


3 stars for IN A WOLF'S EMBRACE by Lora Leigh.
Some parts wild, wicked and fun. Other parts a little weak. Too much time was spent in the thoughts of Matthais, thinking and worrying about losing her and his life without her. Too much time was spent with Grace rejecting him and wanting to get away from him after seeing him shoot another man. But otherwise, it was enjoyable. Story brief: Matthais is 1/2 wolf and 1/2 human. His breed has only one mate for life. He meets Grace and knows she is his. He spends time with her. Then she sees him execute a man who had tortured others. Matthais kidnaps Grace and she eventually gives in and falls in love with him. Sexual language: erotic. Number of sex scenes: five, some several pages long. Setting: 2003 New York city and Catskill Mountains in upstate New York. Genre: erotic paranormal romance.

For a listing of my reviews of other Lora Leigh books, see my review of "Tempting the Beast" posted on 6/30/08.


2 stars for CAUGHT BY THE TIDES by Diane Whiteside.
Not entertaining enough. Something was missing. I wasn't emotionally invested in the characters. I was bored with the way the author described the lifestyle, schooling and lack of parenting of mages, as well as the powers of mages and magick of the land. I'm having a hard time describing what was wrong, but overall I was not entertained. Story brief: A British spy, Owen who is a mage, just returned from spying on Napoleon in France. He is injured and Emma heals him. Trevelyn is a spy for France, living in England and is also a mage. He and Owen fight. Sexual language: strong. Number of sex scenes: two. Setting: 1803 English coast. Genre: historical, paranormal romance.

For a list of my reviews of other Diane Whiteside books, see my 2.5 star review for The Irish Devil posted 8/31/08.


2 stars for QUEEN OF ALL SHE SURVEYS by Emma Holly.
Something is missing, I'm not sure what. I kind of wanted it to be over. The plot is about having sex, not much else. The king has a large sexual appetite. His son Memnon, does as well, but he chooses one woman per month to be with. An enemy queen has a stable of harem men. She uses several of them every day to service her. Her army captures the king's army and she requests Memnon as the ransom. Memnon goes to her at his father's command. He is so good in bed, or should I say they are so good for each other, that she keeps him and no longer uses her harem of men. Sexual language: erotic. Number of sex scenes: six, some several pages long. Setting: ancient Yama civilization on earth. Genre: erotic paranormal romance.

Beyond the Dark is a pretty good book if you are into the paranormal romance genre. Fans of Angela Knight and Emma Holly will enjoy these offerings from them, which are the typical high quality we've come to expect from these authors. I also enjoyed Diane Whiteside's offering although I was not familiar with her work. I felt Lora Leigh's novelette was the weakest of the four but it was still worth reading. While this collection is not really a "must read", it does have merit and is worth a look for veteran readers.

This is a collection of four stories by well-known authors of paranormal romance of the more erotic variety.

DRAGON DANCE by Angela Knight
This story started off excellently with our heroine, Arial Dean, trying to negotiate the release of a woman and two children in a hostage situation. Initially the story seems to be an ordinary hostage situation but then we learn that the man who has taken his wife and children hostage is a Hyper, someone who has some extra powers. These powers became apparent in the population five years before and can have devastating effects on the mental states of those who become Hyper. Arial and the other law enforcement officers have to call in Tracker, a Hyper who works for the Feds, to try to deal with the hostage taker. When Tracker arrives he and Arial rescue the family, but with some collateral damage - to Arial. When Arial realises she has become a Hyper and turns to Tracker to help, she is starting a new journey in life where she discovers there is a lot more to the Hypers than previously thought. Arial's personal Hyper skills may be necessary to defeat the evil Kali, a woman who has taken six slaves and wants to get Tracker and Arial too.

This story was interesting and well written although the sex scenes felt rather unnecessary to the plot, at least in the detail in which we were given. The situation of the Hypers was interesting and I would have liked more to be made of it. However it was an enjoyable read and the characters were well drawn and appealing. Four stars.

CAUGHT BY THE TIDES by Diane Whiteside
This story follows Emma Sinclair, a young widow, who sees a man washed ashore near her home in Cornwall and goes to rescue him from the incoming tide. Although he's far too heavy for her to lift she finds that the magickal spells she learned years ago, that never previously worked, seem to help him. She nurses him to health, finding his recovery amazingly fast. This is because Owen Bentham is a King's Mage and messenger and Emma herself has previously unknown magickal abilities - she is a chalice which means she can amplify the power of a mage. Owen's mission of returning from France with the antidote to a spell that Napoleon could use to find safe UK harbours was disrupted by a local mage working with a French mage; that local mage wants to both kill Owen and take over Emma's chalice skills. Owen and Emma have to work against him, utilising the magick stored in Emma's house and some new magic of their own.

This was a charming enough story set in an interesting time (the time of Napoleon) with magickal overtones. The romance side was an instant love-at-first-sight rather than anything more deep and complex but was pleasant enough to read. There were some aspects of the story that didn't quite work for me, such as the Gryphon's occasional appearances, but it was a reasonable read. Four stars.

QUEEN OF ALL SHE SURVEYS by Emma Holly
This story is another set in Emma Holly's Yamish world (also visited in full-length novels 'The Demon's Daughter' and 'Prince Of Ice') and the story has some similarities with 'Prince Of Ice', at least as far as the special mating abilities of the Yamish royals go. However the other background of the Yamish world isn't really featured in this story and it works perfectly well as a stand-alone short story. The hero of this story is Memnon, only son of King Ravna, whose battles in the long-running war with Queen Tou aren't very successful. King Ravna agrees to give his son to Queen Tou as a war tribute in order to have captured soldiers released. Memnon is sent to Tou's city and has to join her harem of men. It soon becomes apparent, however, that there is something special between the two of them; Tou is god-touched and King Ravna had also received the favour of the gods - it seems that Ravna's son and Tou might have a special affinity for each other.

Much of this story is taken up with the sexual antics of Tou and Memnon but there is also an attack on Tou's city which forms a brief part of the plot at the end. The main focus is always the relationship between Tou and Memnon which is described in detail. Like all Emma Holly's books this is a well written story set in an interesting world but the short story form leaves little room for much plot other than the sexual relationship and I would have appreciated more detail about the rest of the situation of Tou and Memnon. Four stars.

IN A WOLF'S EMBRACE by Lora Leigh
This story is apparently part of a series as there are several other characters named whom we don't actually meet. The hero, Matthias Slaughter, is a Wolf Breed, a man who has been genetically engineered with wolf genes and who, along with the other Breed, was experimented upon and tortured for much of his life. He and the other Breed members now work to track down those responsible and bring them to justice - in Matthias' case, often summary justice. Unfortunately when he shoots Dr Benedikt Albrecht in the back of the head in his hotel room, he doesn't realise a young woman was in the room too; not just any young woman but Grace Anderson, the woman he realises is fated to be his mate. He kidnaps her so that she can't turn him in, takes her to her cabin in the country where he can persuade her of the justness of his actions.

Most of this story consists of the conversations between Matthias and Grace where he persuades her that shooting a man in the back of the head without warning is OK, that it is a necessary part of the struggle against those evil people who torture Breed members. His explanations don't seem that convincing to Grace but fortunately the mating bond takes over and she seems to accept it. The story is mostly about their mating bond, with a short escape from danger at the end. There's a reasonable amount of characterisation for Matthias, a man without family who's always been on his own, but Grace was rather more of a cipher. It was a reasonable enough read but nothing special. Three stars.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book, www.curledup.com. © Helen Hancox 2007

The Bride of Casa Dracula by Marta Acosta

Oversize paperback release date September 16, 2008
4 stars

Marta Acosta's The Bride of Casa Dracula is another fresh addition to her Casa Dracula Series. Her eccentric characters are alive with charm and style. Milagro De Los Santos is an aspiring author who is soon to be wed to the man of her dreams, plastic surgeon Oswald Grant. The problem is Oswald comes from a long line of `vampires' and to marry they must resolve problems with parents, murder attempts and the secretive Vampire Council. To make things more stressful, Milagro is reunited with Ian, the handsome debonair vampire who has been pursuing her and Milagro finds, to her dismay that she may not want to run.

This book is filled with zany escapades, as feisty Milagro seems to find herself in wacky to serious situations wherever she goes. The off the wall characters make this read a non-stop ride. If you are looking for a fun read that is full of laughter and enjoy a spirited heroine, with unconventional appeal, this is the book for you! The only small disappointment with the story for me is that it ended rather abruptly and unresolved. That is to say, it is not a typical ending and seems to imply there will be another book in the series. But if you love this series, this will not be a problem since you will want to read more anyway!

Reviewed by Steph at Bookaholics Romance Book Club

This, the third of Milagro's adventures, continues the clever,
witty, and fast moving saga.
I never know what is coming but do know that
it will be interesting. Milagro is one saucy woman who deals
with livf as it comes. She expresses a myriad of emotions from joy to sorrow. The characters who join in her adventures are complex
and so real though not necessarily alive. Did I say I love this series?
More, more, more....

OMG!! I can't get over how great this book is. I really liked the first two, but this one is the best. I read so many books, that I rarely get giddy over what happens, but this book made me giddy. I really want to just write what I loved about the book, but I can't do that without giving important things away. Everyone needs to run out and buy this book when it is released on September 16th.

Milagro De Los Santos is living a great life. She is engaged to a wonderful man , but having problems planning the wedding. She is trying to balance being her own person with being the person Oswald wants her to be. I felt that she was struggling with this more than the vampire council. The regular cast of characters is present, although we don't see much of Edna or Winnie. My favorite character, Ian, is back and causing trouble for Milagro. The Bride of Casa Dracula is quite a ride and full of surprises. I was very sad when I reached the end of the book. I can't wait to find out what happens next for Milagro.

more reviews at www.thebookgirl.net

She's ba-a-a-a-ck! My favorite new heroine, Milagro De Los Santos, is planning her wedding to the fabulous Dr. Oswald Grant. But her life is never a straight and easy road, and here it is further complicated by trying to comply with the bizarre requirements of the Vampire Council and provide her fiance's long-established and well-respected family with a proper vampire wedding, while never relinquishing her own integrity and independence. She cannot and will not suppress her natural skepticism and humor, and even on the brink of her marriage, she finds that much of their world is still a mystery to her, a mystery which only deepens during her solo trip to meet with the Council's Rules Committee and later when she has a car accident she does not believe is an accident, her engagement ring and wedding dress disappear, and she finds herself being shadowed by a wolf/dog.

Milagro's old friend Nancy decides to take over as her wedding planner. The fascinating Ian Ducharme and his mysterious and seemingly vindictive sister Cornelia reappear to complicate matters further. You really never know what will happen, and I stayed up much later than I should at my age, just to find out.

Although she has been drawn into a vampire world, Milagro is as real-life as they come. She loves the Grants and the sense of finally belonging to a family, after being raised as the superfluous outsider in her parents' home and losing her adored and adoring grandmother. She has twice survived infection with vampires' blood, and enjoys heightened senses and abilities. But she will always be different, not quite one of them, a "normal human chica" whose culture informs her identity and who cannot resist "poking the bear" now and then. Surrounded by wealth, with gifts freely offered to her, Milagro insists on earning her own way, agreeing to ghost-write the truly incredible memoirs of the very peculiar Don Pedro Nascimento. Don Pedro and other new characters continue to enter Milagro's life in unexpected ways, and she is open, accepting, and sometimes a bit naïve in allowing them in.

Milagro is also coping with the loss of a beloved friend, finding that the joy of unconditional love is matched by the grief of its passing, though eventually that sadness is tempered by wonderful memories.

Like most of us, Milagro finds that even the love of a fabulous man does not automatically ensure security or blind us to the charms of the many other beautiful, interesting, and attractive men in the world. She lives in a diverse world, is fiercely loyal to her friends, whether longtime or newly acquired, and nothing about her life is predictable. Her life seems crazy, and even the Grants begin to wonder about her sanity. As her new friend Joseph Alfred observes, Milagro is a "complicated chick."

As she struggles to be truly accepted for who she is, Milagro learns that she is really the heroine of her own life. For me, she is everything that Elizabeth Bennet was when I was a teenager, a woman I wish to emulate and long to know. A great friend is back, and there is nothing I enjoy more than hearing about the new adventures in her life.

The Bride of Casa Dracula is another "funtastic" installment in the Casa Dracula series! Marta's writing is so infused with humor, you will find yourself smiling throughout!

Milagro is busy preparing for both her normal and vampire ceremony wedding to Oswald. She's got her hands full with Nancy and Cornelia's interfering help. Along with the pressure from the Rules Committee, Oswald's long work hours, her writing project for a loony, Ian's perfectly timed appearances and a series of mishaps Milagro and Oswald are feeling the strain. Not to mention her beloved dog Daisy has died and she is grieving. There's a whole lot of crazy going on!

Amidst the ardent humor is Milagro's longing for acceptance, love and a real home underlying the story. We see her grow as she blossoms on the inside and begins to accept and make decisions for herself. The Bride of Casa Dracula is so much more than a comedy. Romance, suspense and mystery are all included for a page turning delightfully amusing read!

I loved it...even better the second time around!!!