Paranormal Books

Reviewed by Melissa LaMunyon for RebeccasReads (5/08)

Michael Quinn has a problem. Most problems really aren't all that significant in the grand scheme of things, considering that most people won't care about whatever their current problem is a year from now, much less at the end of their mortal life. But now that Quinn is a vampire, and his problem is that he is an immortal bloodsucking fiend--he thinks that qualifies as a problem with a capitol P.

Or is it a capitol J? Because the only person in the way of Quinn regaining his mortality and becoming human again is a cute, and now deadly, blond from his past: Janie Parker. In Quinn's mortal past, Janie was the annoying kid sister of his best friend. Now, Janie Parker is all grown up and still being annoying. If only she weren't so cute, maybe Quinn could overcome this obstacle...

Oh, and as if things weren't bad enough--Quinn used to be a Vampire Hunter, one of the best in the business. Yeah, and now he is a vampire, one of the scourge that he had dedicated his life to destroying. The irony is not lost on him either. He'd laugh, if he weren't so depressed.

Now both Quinn and Janie are after an ancient, powerful relic: The Eye. Hidden for centuries, The Eye is reputed to have the power to grant its holder any wish. Quinn wants The Eye in order to wish himself human again so he can re-dedicate his life to good. Because, vampires are evil, right?

Janie is between a rock and hard place...if the proverbial rock is her demonic boss who is holding her sister ransom and the hard place is her old childhood crush, Michael Quinn. Unless she finds The Eye and gives it to her boss, for whatever nefarious purposes, both she and her baby sister are done for. Janie doesn't care all that much about herself, but she can't let anyone hurt her sister.

However, Janie and Quinn are about to find out that the stakes have been raised and the rules of the game they're playing have changed without them knowing. Because they aren't the only ones after The Eye...and it might be more than their lives are worth to keep The Eye from being used for unspeakable evil.

A fun twist on the paperback romance, I enjoyed "Lady and the Vamp." Michelle Rowen's fans should be thrilled that Quinn is back and hotter than ever. Typical characters and a predictable plot aside, the amusing writing style and character additions--Quinn's psychic werewolf friend is great fun--"Lady and the Vamp" was a fresh twist on a timeless format. I wish that things had been a bit steamier between Janie and Quinn and that Janie had kicked a bit more butt, but all in all it was a fun read.

Janie Parker is a supernatural assassin, tied to working for The Boss against her better instincts but unable to escape her contract except by death. When The Boss sends her to collect a supernatural artefact called The Eye, Janie soon runs into Michael Quinn, a former vampire hunter and the man that was her childhood crush. Quinn has recently been turned into a vampire and is struggling with his thoughts and feelings about this, thinking he should be dead but not quite able to commit suicide. Quinn has learned that The Eye grants one wish to a supernatural person and he hopes to find it in order to be returned to a human.

Quinn and Janie find themselves travelling together to find the eye, neither trusting the other. They run into various problems including another vampire who is after The Eye. Can they follow the treasure map to the Eye, keep it from the baddies, and can Janie overcome the hold that The Boss has over her.

This was a fun read which was never boring and had some amusing moments. The story had good pacing and the characters were interesting as they learned about each other, particularly Quinn's doubts about his new status as vampire. The denouement at the end felt a little rushed and there felt like there was also some repetition in the writing style but apart from these small niggles it was a good read.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book, curledup.com. © Helen Hancox 2008

4 Stars
Reviewed by K. Ramsey for ReviewYourBook.com 4/08
Vampire hunter, Janie Parker, is on a mission to find the "Eye." Her life and her sister's life are at stake. She joins forces with Michael Quinn, former vampire hunter, in the search. Legend says that the Eye will grant one wish to whoever finds it. Vampire, Malcolm, wants the Eye for his own evil purpose--to rule the world. It is up to Janie and Michael to stop him.
Lady & the Vamp by Michelle Rowen is a fun read. The plot is fast-paced and has non-stop action. Rowen has added just the right amount of humor. This is the third book in the series. Michael and Janie play well off each other. Malcolm is the perfect antagonist. If you like vampires and the supernatural, you will not want to miss Lady & the Vamp.

The Ruby Eye will grant a wish once every thousand years. As the time for it to be able to do so approaches, two once upon a time friends are in a race against each other to gain it first. Janie's enigmatic, cruel Boss has ordered her to bring it to him and kill her rival, or she and her sister face the most unpleasant of deaths. Killing her rival should be easy for her, despite the crush she once had on him, for she is a vampire hunter, and Quinn is now a vampire. He is determined to find the Eye and wish for humanity, but seeing Janie and hearing her need changes things. As they get closer to it and to each other, their impossible situations continue to become more and more painful.

**** Excitement, a strong, character driven, intense plot, and wicked humor keep this story racing. It's a true gem, that adhere to some conventions, but at the same time remains fresh. As usual, Ms. Rowen delivers a winning story. Enjoy it. No fooling. ****

At first I did not want to read this book because I was disappointed that the main character in this book, Quinn, didn't end up with Sara, from the first two books of the Immortality Bites Series. However, after reading this book, I realize that Quinn belongs with the other main character in this book, Janie Parker, because they are both so alike in their stubbornness and physical and mental strength. I ended up really enjoying this book because of its romance, adventure, and the personality of the characters. If anyone is struggling whether or not to read this book after reading Bitten and Smitten and Fanged and Fabulous, give it a try. You won't be disappointed. I wasn't!

This cute teen romance makes a very attractive package. Great cover art and a catchy title spelled out in bold pink and blue give Oh. My. Gods. excellent shelf appeal and that does matter. On a quick thumb through, the compelling first person narrative is a grabber.
Phoebe is a brilliant runner with her future mapped out until her mom comes home from a family reunion in Greece engaged to be married to the headmaster of an exclusive academy located on an Aegean island. Phoebe has to spend her senior year there and - surprise!!! - these are no ordinary kids. They're the descendants of Greek gods, with godlike good looks and godlike powers.
The success of fantasy worlds depends on the richness of detail in the vision of the creator, often revealed through unusual characters and their uniquely different views of the world. Unfortunately, we've all met Childs' stereotypes many, many times before, and despite Childs' snappy dialog, they are no more likeable here. The bitchy blonde with her incredibly cute boyfriend, the "nice" best friend, the mom who tries to be so understanding and know-it-all Phoebe herself... On the whole, this quick summer read is a tale of Greek gods and goddesses that could use a few more lightning bolts.

Phoebe is a runner. Long distance running makes her happy and takes her outside of herself. If she can keep her grades up and have one more stellar cross-country season, she'll have a scholarship to USC locked up. Then suddenly her mother falls in love with a mysterious stranger from GREASE of all places. Her mother announces that she and Phoebe are moving to Greece and Phoebe will be attending the super-exclusive Academy where her new stepfather is the headmaster. Phoebe's plans are shattered, but maybe if she can keep her grades up at the new school and keep training she can still go to USC. It's just one year, after all. Then she finds out the secret of this school on an island in the Aegean, all the students are descendants of the Greek Gods, superpowers included! How's a girl supposed to compete against Greek Gods? Throw in an evil meddling step-sister, and Griffin, the gorgeous god-like boy who runs like the wind and seems to like her and hate her all at the same time, and you've got a Greek Drama worthy of the Olympians!

I really enjoyed this book, the character of Phoebe is great and there's enough twists and turns in the plot to keep it interesting. There are all kinds of pop culture references from My Chemical Romance to IM's. Really a cute book, a lot like an older version of the Percy Jackson books, except without the monsters and quests.

The summer between junior and senior year, Phoebe's life was right on track. She ran her heart out at cross-country summer camp, where the past seven winners of the final race went on to receive full scholarships to USC, her dream school. After crossing the finish line, she accepts her coach's compliments, hugs her best friends, and is surprised to see her mother standing there. Her mom has come home early from a family reunion in Greece to drop a bombshell: she's engaged, she's getting remarried in a matter of weeks, and they're moving to a place called Serfopoula.

Before she knows it, she's in Greece, where everything is new - a new country, a new home with a new stepfather named Damian and a new stepsister named Stella, a new school called the Academy - and everything is foreign. Then Phoebe is told that Greek gods really exist, and her classmates are their superpowered offspring. Damian, also a descendant of the gods, works at Academy and tries to look out for Phoebe. Being a mere mortal means that she has to work twice as hard to compete with the others in terms of athletics and academics, but Phoebe proves that she's to the challenge.

Oh. My. Gods. will be appreciated by mythology aficionados as well as athletes. Set in contemporary times, this fun fantasy is also a realistic drama. The classic fish-out-of-water story is accented by the supernatural twists, rather than being upstaged by them. Phoebe's acceptance of her new family and new situation comes gradually, as does the revelation of what happened to her father six years earlier. Considerate and daring, Phoebe is a strong young woman, both in body and spirit.

Tera Lynn Childs is currently working on the sequel. I can't wait to read it.

I absolutely loved this story. The second the characters walked onto the page, I never wanted them to leave. I can't wait for my two girls, ages 13 and 11, to read it. What a wonderful job Tera's done portraying the struggles of everyday teen life with an imaginative twist. New girl at school, clicks, evil stepsister, boys, and the excitement of new love. All done with taste. As a mom of young girls, it is refreshing to find a book we all can enjoy and share. Can't wait to read the next book!

Phoebe's got it all in the bag...a promise of a great scholarship, the top cross country title, great friends, and a wonderful mother. Senior year is going to be perfect. But then her mom drops the bomb--she's getting re-married. And they're re-locating. To Greece. Soon Phoebe is on a plane to a whole other continent, her old Southern California world quickly fading out of sight.

But when she finally arrives to the island of Serfopoula, she's hit with another shocking surprise--the place is inhabited by descendants of the Greek Gods, godly powers and all. This wouldn't be so bad, except Phoebe is considered a nothos; a normal person who they feel doesn't deserve to be anywhere near them. But Phoebe herself may be more than she appears at first glance...

Not only is Oh. My. Gods. funny, smart, and absorbing, but it also contains a surprising amount of depth. Childs gives us a real and honest look at Phoebe's thoughts and memories, making it easy and enjoyable to connect with her. Though a couple elements of the story do seem rushed (a friend's willingness to dump her boyfriend, for example), it does not detract from the pace or charm of the story. This is a highly imaginative book packed full with many mythical facts and a dash of romance, conflict, and girl power, making Oh. My. Gods. your thinking girl's beach read.

A short, fast read - enjoyable for a lazy weekend or traveling book. I enjoyed Delgado's character, but felt that he was a bit 2 dimensional in this first intallment. There were gaps in the story..like Rowan's drug induced stupor/escape from the bad guys. That whole series of shenanigans felt like it could have added to Delgado's character and their relationship, but ended up with me flipping back thru pages, wondering if I accidentally skipped a chapter. Rowan's character seemed intriguing, but never really developed into anything impressive (until the next book.) In my opinion, this book and Hunter Healer should have been one volume. If the book sounds like something you might be interested in, pick it up along with the sequel. Getting just the one feels like an incomplete read because of the ending. Overall, I gave it 3 stars because of the brevity and incompleteness, if they had made it one book with the Hunter Healer story, I probably would've given it 4.

I like Lilith Saintcrows writing style and her books have plenty of
action. Sometimes the quilt trip of the two main characters got irritating
but overall it was a good book.

Fast paced book. Good charactor development. I just was going to 'look' at it before I went to sleep. I didn't put it down until the finished in the wee hours. Purchased sequal the next day.

Fast read with a good concept. Make sure you buy the second one at the same time as the first. Characters were good. It is *sort of* a romance novel, except that it is written from the perspecitive (mostly) of the male protagonist. This point of view was a nice change from the norm. I'm buying the sequel so I give it up a thumbs up.

A young woman is more than a bit different. In fact, she has psionic abilities. This makes her of interest to two groups, the government Sigma agency, and a group of underground psionicists called The Society, that want to prevent such people being used as government tools for spook operations, etc.

Of course, the society is set up like a covert agency themselves, out of necessity.

The young woman is powerful, hence all the interest. Throw in the usual bloke that helps her out she will like, and a not too bad leave you wanting to find out what is going on ending and this book is ok.

My sister loves anything by Lilith. So, for Christmas and her birthdays I help add to her collection.

The sexual tension between Mari the water witch and Hanson the Watcher of "Storm Watcher" dominates the second novel in "The Watcher Series". Over a year has passed for the two of them yet every other page has Mari and Hanson thinking of touching each other, being near each other, smelling each other, and more, splitting the plots effectiveness. Extra words and some misspellings also detract from the flow.

As with the previous book, there is little substance behind the history of Circle Lightfall, a Lightbringer's enemies, or the characters. Mari encounters vicious monsters but outside of its name and the immediate threat, nothing further is clarified whether how such creatures are conjured or what specific Dark powers are available. The fights receive a fleeting account by cutting to the next chapter as the battle begins.

The series is pro-pagan; therefore those of a highly inflexible religious background or intolerant attitude towards religion might want to avoid the selection.

Thank you.

Good story line, however the book could be hotter in the love department. I huuried to finish the book not because it provided excellent reading, but because I wanted the experience to be over quickly.

Not a bad read if that's all you have on your bookshelf!!!

I really enjoyed Dark Watcher, which is why I bought Storm Watcher. This second book in the series delves a little deeper into the characters. Unfortunately, I had started reading this one about a month ago and had to put it aside for a time. I picked it up recently and haven't finished reading it, but it was easy getting back into the story. I'm looking forward to finishing this one and moving on the next in the series.

Water witch Mariamne Niege cannot believe how much her world and that of her two best friends Theo Morgan and Elise Nicholson have changed since the Circle of Light sent Watchers Hansen and Dante crashing into their lives (see DARK WATCHER). However, she knows there is no going back for any of the trio although she dreams of her idyllic mousy academic days; but they have become Guardians in a war with the evil Dark.

Her visions are becoming ever stronger and increasingly frightening. The worst is her seeing her Watcher Hansen killing Guardian Theo. Mari's roommates fear and loath Hansen who has taken over the couch to insure his charge, who he knows by touching her is his soulmate, remains safe. When Rossini the gargoyle sends her research writings by her former mentor Suzanne, forces of the Dark break into her home killing her roommates. Hansen knows the Dark craves taking his beloved, but he does not understand how far they will go to achieve their goal; the earthquakes are their first assault, but Mari thinks Hansen is involved.

The second WATCHER romantic fantasy is a terrific tale starring two fascinating lead characters. Elise may love Hansen, but she fears and distrusts him too; Hansen may love Elise, but his pre Watcher days make him feel he is unworthy of her. Readers will appreciate the irony as they need each other not just as soulmates, but to survive; if they fail to overcome the negatives the Dark will triumph. Lilith Saintcrow provides an exciting tale that sub-genre fans will relish.

Harriet Klausner

I had read the first two, and I like this series, though it's not my favorite. For me, this one had a bit of a slow start, but it got better as it went on, and I really enjoyed the ending.

Overall, I enjoyed the story and theme, but there is one thing that really bothered me. Ophelia is just starting to "come to terms" with her psychic "gifts", and based on her history, this is understandable. However, I can't help feeling that if I was in her shoes, I would want to learn anything and everything I could about my gifts and what I could do with them. Ophelia doesn't seem to be doing this. And given the fact that she's a librarian, I simply can't imagine why she hasn't, at the very least, read the "magic" journals that her grandmother is pushing on her.

I enjoy the series, but Ophelia's sometimes "odd" decisions and behavior keep this from being a favorite.

This is actually the third book in the series. I haven't read the previous two. It was never explained why Ophelia referred to her grandmother as Abby rather than gradma or something like that. That bothered me a bit. In this tale a journalist friend of Ophelia's asks her and her grandmother, Abby to help him find a missing girl. The last known location of the girl was with a cult. Ophelia and Abby are not only psychic, but they are witches as well. Taking a vacation they head to the lake to check out the cult and try and get some idea where the missing girl, Brandi, might be.

Although there were several references to things that had gone on in earlier books, I didn't feel I was missing out with starting at the third one. Told from Ophelia's point of view, I didn't get a good feeling for the depth of Abby. Abby seemed to be the all-knowing wise woman, and I would like to have known more of what was going on in her head. The perky, cheerleader type, best-friend, Darci was a little over the top. Perhaps if I'd read the other books, I might have made more of a connection with the character. Although, lacking that, she seemed superfluous to the plot. The plotting and pacing were good. I didn't feel the story really bogging down at any point. Overall, I liked it.

Our basic ingredients here are a dubious psychic research establishment; a surly teenage girl; a Native American with mystical powers; a mysterious tramp, and a cottage that is corrupted by dark magic. And murder. Shake well and we get this excellent Ophelia and Abby mystery - the third in the series.

After receiving a telephone call from an old friend, Ophelia is persuaded to help search for a missing girl in deepest Minnesota. This is the first story in the series in which our heroines leave their hometown of Summerset. It's also the first story to put the more supernatural aspects of the main characters at the forefront of the action, and also the first in which Abby is more than just a bystander.

Shirley Damsgaard has written another gripping tale that will have new and existing fans hooked. For those who haven't read either of this novel's predecessors, the series fits into the `cozy' category. It's not a difficult read, and if you're after challenging literature, this is not for you. However, if you're just after a good yarn to while away a few hours, this is very entertaining reading. It's not necessary to read the first two novels in the series (`Witch Way to Murder' and `Charmed to Death') before reading this novel, but passing references are made to events in those stories.

Another great Ophelia and Abby mystery. I really enjoy the relationship between this grandmother and granddaughter. The mystery is clever and well plotted and the characters are so well developed that you really come to care for them and wonder what is in store next. And of course that is what makes a good writer keep her fans coming back for more. This time Ophelia and Abby are ask by a friend to help find a missing teenager and this takes them on a trip to a lake in Minnesota and a rustic cabin in the woods. They encounter new age research being done by a local couple and they have charge of a young niece who they say pushed her mother to her death when she was five. Then we have a bizarre local murder that complicates things and toss in a mysterious Native American shaman to the mix and just for fun a demon. Then you have the perfect mix for a great page turner and a must read for all Ophelia and Abby fans.

When Abby and Ophelia learn that a young girl has disappeared in PSI, a remote Minnesota commune of psychics, the pair of witches take a vacation to see if they can help locate her. They are quickly joined by Ophelia's friend and employee, Darci, who loves an adventure as much as anyone.

What they discover is a small town with more secrets than just PSI, including a lakeside resident with a hit and run driving record, a Native American veteran with a justifiable anger at whites and a whole lot of shamanistic talent.

What breaks the trio's heart though is learning another young girl, Tink, silver haired and lavender eyed, with strong talents as a medium who is being drugged and spelled to keep her talents in check.

The trio are in a desperate race to solve the mystery of what PSI is about so they can save both missing girls--and ultimately themselves. "Trouble" is moving away from the tea cosy mystery where the books started and into a bit more heavy mystery-paranormal.

Character growth for both Ophelia and Darci is very well done. Ophelia is beginning to accept her own magical gifts and through her acceptance, we begin to learn how her magical heritage works as well. Darci is also coming into her own, through Ophelia's mentoring and showing herself to be a clever and intelligent person as well as a beautiful one.

The one-half star demerit is for a somewhat muddy plot. With the addition of so much local color and Tink's plight, their original purpose sometimes gets lost. However, this is still a very well-written and interesting book and a valuable addition to the series.

I've read each of Christine's "the others" books and thought they were GREAT! However, this book was the weakest link, and I hope it is not a sign of things to come. Kitty and Max were too stereotypical, not fully fleshed out characters for me. I just wasn't drawn into the story at all.

I've now read 3 of the previous Others books, and this one. This was the best.

Excellent! Well thought out, well written. I thought it was the best of the five "Others" written so far. Highly recommend it.

I found this book really fun and sexy. It was much more "animal" and the plot was deifferent from the previous "Other" books, which was nice.

4.5 Stars.

Christine Warren is one of those authors who consistently produce top quality books. And Walk on the Wild Side book five of The Others series is no exception. This book is more of a stand alone read, it still takes place in the world of the others, but with completely different characters. This doesn't detract from the story at all, but is important to know for some people who may be expecting something different...

This book is filled with some of the most interesting characters that I've read about in a long time. The villains are truly evil & hateful and you'll quickly find yourself wishing for them to get their just deserts...

After being involved in a near fatal accident Kitty Sugarman finds out that for the last 24 years everything that she knew about herself is in fact a lie. And instead of being a nice ordinary small-town girl she is in fact a were-lion. Kitty does have a few TSTL (to stupid to live tendencies) some of which may be due to her youth and inexperience. But in spite of that she makes a good likable and engaging female lead...

The male lead, Marcus Stewart is truly the ultimate alpha male. His character is extremely likable, Strong and sexy but at the same time never over-bearing...

This was a thoroughly satisfying read. The characters of Ophelia and Abby continue to grow more intriguing, and my initial reservations about the introduction of Tink as a regular character are completely gone. Aunt Dot was a hilarious addition to a rather gruesome story, and the return of Cobra/DEA agent gave me hope for romance in Ophelia's future. The pace never lagged, and the parallel stories were fascinating. I cannot wait for the release of the next installment now!

This book is one of those books that you just can't put down... I'm not a person that can sit and read books for hours on end but all of the Ophelia & Abby mysteries are real "Page Turners". I think i read these books in a matter of days (2-3) as opposed to weeks-months.

I HIGHLY recommend these books to anyone who is into mysteries

this was a very charming light read. nothing here for the hard core goth but a clever and entertaining read. I wish the cat had had a bigger role in the story but it would be hard for a cat to bring home a skull!

I really enjoy this series! Anytime "SD" comes out with a new book in this series, it is always on my "request book" list! I enjoy Abby and the characters and it seems to keep me coming back for more!
More to come I hope!!! I really love paranormal books and this series is no exception!

Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques

Psychic with Ophelia Jensen is getting ready to adopt Tink, a teenaged medium she is mentoring with the help of Ophelia's grandmother, Abby. Unfortunately the adoption hasn't exactly gone smoothly so far and is complicated by other things. The last thing Ophelia needs right now is another mystery to solve.

Now Aunt Dot has come to visit and is itching for an adventure. Fortunately for her, but not for Ophelia, when a local funeral director is killed in his own mortuary, too much just doesn't add up. Then there are the visions Tink has been having about corpses with missing body parts begging for help.

As if that wasn't enough, now Tink has been kidnapped! Ophelia and Abby must really get involved in solving the mystery, with the not so welcome help of Aunt Dot and her fairies. But is the kidnapping connected or is it a part of a completely different scenario?

The Witch Is Dead is the fifth book in the Ophelia and Abby Mystery series but is the first one I've read. While there were some parts of the story I was not up to speed on (like Tink's back story and a certain sexy DEA agent who keeps popping up), for the most part I had no problems following the story.

The mystery to be very well done and it kept me guessing as to what was really going on and who the guilty party was. There were one or two things I figured out right away, if not the motives for them, but generally, I was carried along with Ophelia, Abby, and Aunt Dot as they try to get to the bottom of things.

The Witch Is Dead is a fun to read cozy mystery, creepy crematorium owners, dismembered ghosts and body parts aside. There's enough humor to keep the story light in spite of the darker aspects of the story line. I am definitely going to have to go back now and pull out the books to read the whole series, starting with The Trouble with Witches so I can find out the whole story behind Tink.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, November 2007. All rights reserved.

I was so impressed by this book. The characters are so wonderful. Especially Kalyss. Her journey from a terrified virgin bride to a fearless modern warrior takes a thousand years. It takes a few deaths and reincarnations before she gets it right, but in the end, she is pissed! And rightfully so! The fate have been playing with her through 9 lifetimes, and she isn't going to take it any more. And Dreux evolves in the opposite direction. He starts out a warrior, and turns into a different kind of champion, giving Kayliss all the support she needs to become the kind of woman she must be to break the curse.

The plot is intricately woven, mysterious yet believable. Some scenes are touchingly tender, and others are horrible in their brutal detail. It all comes together to make a beautiful story.

Highly recommended! One of the best books I've read lately.

I didn't care for the flashbacks--it interferred with the flow of the story. I think I would have enjoyed this if the author has started the story at the beginning instead of constantly going into the past.
Half way through I decided to stop reading and sell it at my local 1/2 price book story....I won't bother reading another from this author.

I picked up this book at a local library. Almost didn't read it though because the cover made it look like one of those run-of-the-mill romances. The positive reviews here made me give it a try, and it indeed was a well-written story with engaging characters. I hope the author will be able to exercise more control over the cover choices in her next books.

What if a curse, by a slighted woman, affected someone's life over a thousand years? This story explores how the lives of a particular woman, who is reborn each century, are entwined with that of a man who has been cursed and is now a statue. Each lifetime Kalyss slowly begins to 'remember' about her history, her former life with Dreux, the man she married and spent one night with before the curse caught up with him. And each lifetime Dreux's half brother Kai has to kill Kalyss to prevent her from rescuing Dreux from his stony state, the man that Kai believes is a murderer. Kalyss has the help of Geoffrey, the man who originally betrayed Dreux to Kai and who has been trying to make up for it for almost a thousand lifetimes.

The story is told with various flashbacks, mostly to the time that Kalyss (then called Kynedrithe) and Dreux first met, but also to other times when Kalyss was killed by Kai. The main part of the story is set in 2004 where Kalyss is recovering from an abusive marriage and has learned self-defence and become a stronger person than in her previous nine lives. However, in order to gather that strength she has sworn off romantic love, instead feeling a strong brotherly bond with her friend Alex. When her memories of Dreux start to reappear, as they do at some point each lifetime, she has a chance to deal differently with the situation because of her changed nature. However this time Geoffrey has set things in motion so that Dreux is rescued from his statue state and is a living, breathing man again. Dreux and Kalyss have to try to rescue Alex and Geoffrey who are kidnapped by Kai but also to learn about each other and to understand how they are both different from the couple that married almost a thousand years before.

The story is rather patchy with some really good parts but other parts that dragged, particularly the beginning. The writing style was good, the characterisation believable (although Dreux was possibly a bit too good to be true) and the setting well described. The flashbacks worked quite well and enabled the author to gradually reveal parts of the plot to the reader as the story progressed. There were some additional characters, including some angels, which were perhaps a bit overcomplicated but overall the story was well told. It's certainly an original idea for a book although I sometimes felt the attempted marriage of reincarnation, the Christian God, angels, curses and undying people didn't quite all fit together.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book, www.curledup.com. © Helen Hancox 2008

Wow! I initially picked up the book because of Christine Feehan's endorsement on the cover and then read the back and thought I would give it a try. Boy am I glad that I did. The book is very creative and wonderful. It is a book that you can't put down and you get lost in it (in a good way). I am glad to read in another review that a sequel is coming next and hope she continues to write the same. I am interested in how the light and the dark angels will "continue" to overcome the bad angel that is now awake.

Please keep it up. I loved the whole story-line, very original. Thanks!

Can't wait for the whole set so I can see a new side to the Arthur legends

Celtic Fire is set in 116 AD in Roman Britain, where Nash creates a tale of a Roman warrior, Lucius, and the Celtic Queen, Rhiannon, that's pure seduction and intrigue. I couldn't put the book down because I loved both of the characters so much. It's no wonder she's a National Best Selling author! Her books are real keepers! Terry Spear, Winning the Highlander's Heart, Heart of the Wolf

Celtic Fire is a refreshing change of pace from the normal historical periods you often see. Set in 116 AD in Roman Britain, Nash skillfully weaves a tale of a Roman warrior, Lucius, and the Celtic Queen, Rhiannon, and conjures a Paranormal Historical that hits target. Lucius comes to learn about the death of his brother, but finds love with the slave Rhiannon. The conflict between the conquering race and the Celts, the fact Lucius blames the Celts for his brother's death, provides a strong conflict to counter balance the leads instant attraction.

The characters are vivid, the story compelling, and written by an author with a love for her subject.

Nash's debut book strikes a note that says she is here to stay.

Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques

Joy Nash's debut book for Dorchester shows the talent she has developed over the past few years in the small press arena.

Rhiannon, hidden queen of the Celts, desires to free her people from the invading Romans, but with as little bloodshed as possible. She longs to unite the clans and reach peace in their land, as soon as they can be rid of the Romans. When their powerful Druid Priest sacrifices one of the Romans to the horned god, she knows danger will draw even nearer as the invaders won't stand for such things.

Lucius Aquila does not believe the reports of his brother Aulus' demise, as they don't ring true; especially in light of the fact his brother's ghost is haunting him. When he travels north to investigate, he is caught by surprise at the strength and cunning of an attack by the native people, and is even more shocked to find that his captive is a vivacious young beauty with enough passion to set him afire.

Rhiannon and Lucius are attracted to each other from the first, but much stands in the way for them. Lucius begins to suspect that she has dark powers when he realizes that only she can free him from the agony of Aulus' spectral form, which has grown stronger and more troubling since coming north. Rhiannon is being commanded to lure him into her snare so her people can finish their rites to the horned god. What they don't realize is that their love can bring them salvation and maybe even peace between their people. Will they figure it out before it's too late?

Here is an intriguing premise for a romance, taking place in a time not often featured in this genre. Fans of the paranormal subgenre will love the plot line of Aulus' ghost. This reviewer liked Ms. Nash's own spin on the idea of ghosts and the way this character changed throughout the story line, with a shock to come in the climactic battle scene towards the end of the novel.

Rhiannon's character was interesting in how she was drawn. She is a very strong woman, with some special skills and abilities that come into play several times in the story. For as strong as she is, the author stayed true to the times with Rhiannon, who even though she is a queen in her own right, her people don't respect her as much as they will when she chooses her king. She has many internal battles to face as she longs to do what is right for her people, without compromising her heart and wisdom. She has a deep well of love to share, as can be evidenced in her relationship with her brother, Owein, and Lucius' young son Marcus, as well as in her passion for Lucius. It is also interesting to learn of her ancestress' history and how that permanently affected the clans. Rhiannon wants to be strong and brave as her grandmother was, but without endangering her people.

Lucius' character is vividly portrayed, as are his internal battles. He longs to get to the bottom of the mystery of his brother's death, so as to allow his spirit eternal rest. He knows his duty to his land, and knows what he must do, as much as he wishes he could have a different life. One will like seeing how he grows and changes throughout the story, with the evidence of them being found in the relationship he has with his son.

One very well done plot device was the use of religion to progress the story line. The pagan beliefs of the Celts, and their need for sacrifices, is crucial to the story, as is the lesson some learn about how power gained can corrupt a person. It was interesting to see the differences between the beliefs of the Romans and those of the Celts, and how their beliefs lead them on their chosen paths, as well as how they all come to terms with their faiths and how it affects them, in the end of the story.

Joy Nash is definitely one to be watched. She has great world building skills, and her own personal magic with the pen is guaranteed to make hers a very strong name on the market in the not too distant future.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, May 2005. All rights reserved.

I am on a "debut" author roll. Buying a lot of first books from new writers. They strike me as fresh and giving me a new delight in finding authors that still love what they are doing.

Nash goes to Roman Britain and her love for the period truly shines through her writing. I ended up buy The Grail King and Deep Magic because of this book. She's that good.

Let's see, how's this one go? In the company of some fanatical Jesuits, Saint-Germain goes on a state mission from Poland to Russia, abandons the mission, gets the dying madman Ivan the Terrible (guilt-stricken over slaying his own son and heir) fixated on his collection of gemstones, and then gets wrapped up in marriage (hey, after 3,500 years the man was bound to tie the knot sooner or later) with a traumatized Russian noblewoman whose relatives seek to take over the throne of Muscovy. Not a bad job on Yarbro's part as far as getting the terminology and xenophobic outlook of the era right but not much really happens in this slooooow 350 page novel.

This is one remarkable book delving in and around the times of Ivan IV of Russia in the late 1500's. Ferenc Rakoczy, (the Count Saint-Germain) is sent with an embassy of priests representing King King Istvan Bathory of Poland. Their mission is to ally the two countries for future attempts of invasion of the Turks. The Russian Czar is feared to have become mentally unstable after the death of his son and both the Russians and Poles fear the potential dangers this could create.

If you are familiar with Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's Saint Germain books, then you will once again marvel at the historical setting of this tale. One can't help but get absorbed into the life, the struggles, and sorrow of the times.

Ferenc Rakoczy, the close to 4,000 year old Vampire, blends in very well into the development of the story as he is not like Vampires that you'll find in other books. As he is described in this book: "All that death had given him was durability and strength far beyond that of the truly living, a degree of control over animals, superior night vision, and one specific thirst. The rest - the skills, the learning, the music, the compassion - he had acquired for himself in many long years and painful lessons".

This book does an excellent job at depicting the political and religious unrest of the times, the influence of the various European countries, the Orthodox and Roman Catholics, and the Turks. It's easy to get mesmerized with the story as it unfolds. Not only do you get an exceptional novel with a compassionate Vampire, but you are left with a history lesson you may never had the opportunity to discover.

Or eighth, if you count "Out of the House of Life", which is primarily a book about Madeline de Montalia, but includes some of Saint-Germain's history. Or eleventh, if you also include "A Flame In Byzantium", "Crusader's Torch", and "A Candle For d'Artagnan", which are almost entirely about Olivia Atta Clemens, and therefore properly a spinoff series of their own.

The series to date (the date of the writing of this book, not the writing of this review) is: "Hotel Transylvania", set in the mid seventeen hundreds in France; "The Palace", set in Florentine Italy in the time of Botticelli; "Blood Games", set in the imperial Rome of Nero (and slightly beyond); "Path of the Eclipse", set around 1200, in China, India, and the middle east; "Tempting Fate", set in Germany between the twentieth century's world wars; "The Saint-Germain Chronicles", a collection of short stories set from 1880-1981; the aforementioned "Olivia" trilogy (Olivia was Saint-Germain's love interest in the book "Blood Games") set respectively in 6th century Byzantium, late 12th century Europe, and 17th century France; the aforementioned "Out of the House of Life", which features Madeline (the love-interest from "Hotel Transylvania") in early 19th century Egypt, with occasional flashbacks to Saint-Germain's days in ancient Egypt, circa 1000 B.C.E.; and this book, in many ways the best of the lot.

This book is set in late 16th century Russia, during the reign of Ivan IV (The Terrible) and that of his son, Feodor. As usual, Yarbro's historical research is impressive; I'm not sufficiently educated on the subject to vouch for any of her books' history, but it certainly feels right, and meshes with what little I DO know from other sources. Also as usual, her plot is excellent and her main characters are a delight. What sets this book apart from most of her previous entries in this series is that her villains are much less cardboard; usually, her villains have been simply blatantly evil, from diabolists in Paris to insane worshippers of Kali the death-goddess in Persia to Nazis in Germany. Now granted, all of these sorts of people existed, but their motives generally weren't as one-dimensional as these stories have generally made them. They were generally more like the villains in this book: a hypocritical Jesuit who resents Saint-Germain for his successes and talents, and for being independant of his authority, and various ambitious nobles looking to improve their own situation at anyone and everyone else's expense.

For those new to the series, Saint-Germain is a vampire who has lived for something on the order of 3500-4000 years, and so each book gives us a look into another period in the life of an immortal. The series is probably more interesting to fans of historical fiction that traditional vampire fans, as the vampiric aspects are much reduced from what one usually sees. The writing is very good, and the main character is a delight.

I first picked up this book because it was set in pre-revolutionary Russia (which I love). It looked mildly interesting, and I was facing a long ferry ride. Did I ever get the surprise of my life! I have never been a big fan of vampire fiction, but after I read this book I couldn't get enough of it! The Count is a fascinating character, the historical plot is real, something readers can relate to and understand, and I cried my eyes out at the end. I have since read every single Chelsea Quinn Yarbro book in my library (hint: try 'False Dawn,' it's amazing)and have branched out into other authors like P. N. Elrod, L. J. Smith and Anne Rice....but the Count remains an old favorite.

Darker Jewels is a historical novel featuring a vampire. It's one of the more recently written in a series about this character; there are earlier novels in the series that you might want to read first. Those who already know that they like vampire novels, anything at all that features a vampire, can skip this review, and likewise, those who hate the whole idea of vampires can skip it. But for those trying to decide whether or not to read more of this genre, or whether the one vampire novel you've already read was a fluke, it may help if we have some ways to categorize these novels. Thus: BunRab's Standard Vampire Elements. First, most authors of vampire novels approach from one of the main genres of genre fiction; thus their background may be primarily in romance, or in science fiction/fantasy, or in murder mysteries, or in horror. Second, many vampire novels come in series; knowing whether this is one of a series, and where in the series it falls, may be helpful. Then we have some particular characteristics: - Is the vampire character (or characters) a "good guy" or a "bad guy"? Or are there some of each? - Are there continuing characters besides the vampire, through the series? - Are there other types of supernatural beings besides vampires? - Can the vampire stand daylight under some circumstances, or not stand daylight at all? - Does the vampire have a few other supernatural characteristics, many other supernatural characteristics, or none other than just being a vampire? (E.g., super strength, change into an animal, turn invisible) - Does the vampire have a regular job and place in society, or is being a vampire his or her entire raison d'etre? - Does the vampire literally drink blood, or is there some other (perhaps metaphorical) method of feeding? - Is sex a major plot element, a minor plot element, or nonexistent? - Is the entire vampire feeding act a metaphor for sex, part of a standard sex act, or unrelated to sex? - Is the story set in one historical period, more than one historical period, or entirely in the present day? - Does the story have elements of humor, or is it strictly serious? - Is the writing style good, or is the writing just there to manage to hold together the plot and characters?

Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's series about the vampire St. Germain starts from the historical romance genre (although Yarbro is equally well known as a science fiction writer), and is a continuing series. St. Germain is definitely a good guy, using the knowledge he's gained in several thousand years of living to help others. There are a few characters that continue from book to book besides him: the women he turns into vampires, and his "servant," Roger, who is a ghoul. Ghouls are the only other supernatural characters who appear in these books. St. Germain can stand daylight with the right preparations. He has unusual strength, but not limitless; unusual wisdom; and is an "alchemist" but there are no overt "magic" powers. In most of the series, he has an occupation of being an aristocrat, insofar as that was a full-time occupation through most of history; in some books he has another "job" as well. St. Germain does not literally drink blood; he feeds on emotions, usually during erotic experiences, but sex is nonetheless only a minor plot element, rare and very discreet. The series covers 3000 years, from ancient Egypt to the modern day; each book is set in a span of a particular period, usually 20-30 years. The writing is serious, but not self-important; the writing quality is excellent, and Yarbro's abilities as an author qualify these books as literature rather than "merely" genre fiction.

Darker Jewels is set in the Russia of Ivan the Awe-Inspiring (or Terrible). Ivan is insane, his son Feodor is retarded, and all the other noble families of Russia are jockeying for power and hoping to take over ruling the country. Into this, St. Germain is sent as an ambassador from Poland. As an alchemist, St. Germain makes jewels in his athanor; since Ivan is obsessed with jewels, St. Germain can make him gifts to win favor for the Polish king. As is usual in this series, the Roman Catholic church provides some villains, in the form of a group of Jesuits, ambitious, narrow-minded, and arrogant (with the obligatory one exception who is flexible, kind, and despised by the rest of the priests). The Eastern Orthodox Church also plays a strong role; the descriptions of Russian Orthodox churches and rituals are fascinating. Another nice touch is the English delegation to Russian, from the court of Elizabeth I. Some nice characters there, and a connection with Olivia Clemens through one of them. (Olivia is a vampire also; you may want to read some of the earlier novels in the series to become familiar with the cast of characters.)