The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart Review

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(More customer reviews)The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart is a thrilling read, full of realistic, wince-inducing violence, monsters out of the darkest avenues of folklore, and a rich helping of gallows humor. The Grossbart brothers wander through darkest Europe in the wake of the Black Death, attracting deeply uncouth and disreputable henchmen as they do the right things for the wrong reasons, the wrong things for the wrong reasons, and debate theology from the orthodox to the heretical all the way around to a twisted orthodoxy. Townsmen, demons, and witches beset them, and yet they muddle their bloody way through it all (not unscathed!). You'll enjoy this book if you like fantasy that doesn't come from a cookie cutter, or grittily detailed historical fiction. The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart isn't quite like anything else I've ever read, and I couldn't put it down once I started.

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Pandemonium Review

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(More customer reviews)Pandemonium is fricking brilliant. Here's the plot summary version: As a child, Del was possessed by a demon, the Hellion, known for targeting young blond haired boys. There are many demons in this version of the US, archetypes from classic stories, comic books, etc. Del got better.
Except now he's an adult and beginning to realize that the demon never really left. Something inside of him is trying to break out and take over. He has to chain himself to his bed at night to prevent himself from destroying his home or hurting other people in his sleep. So, he goes on a quest to find a doctor who can help him, then one of the most messed up priests you could ever imagine. He runs into other demon possessed people. Almost gets killed multiple times... And finds out that things are much worse than he ever imagined.
Here's the gushing stream of consciousness version: Demons! Comic books! Possession! PK Dick! PK Dick as a demon! The nature of narrative! Reality/truth. Comic books! The Shug! Archetypes! Creative unconscious! Jung!
Daryl Gregory does something with Pandemonium that I forgot you could do with fiction. He talks pretty intense philosophy without ever once making it feel like that's what he's doing. The narrative is just so strong that you don't notice you're going over really intellectual and dense territory. Del is a strong main character, the events are completely improbable but you don't even notice it until after you've read the whole book and been utterly seduced by it.

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Demon Blood (The Guardian Series) Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm always worried that I'll ruin the story for someone so...if you're reading reviews to decide whether to buy this book, my answer is yes. But even though the author has done her best to make it so new readers can jump in at any book, don't start with this one. My official position is...order all of them, lock yourself in an a/c'd bedroom for a week or two and read them in order. Why deprive yourself? You'll thank me later.
Ok, if you've read the book and you're here to see what fellow readers thought, read on.
I really enjoy the Guardian series and I was counting the days til I received my pre-ordered copy of Demon Blood. I devoured it within a day or so, and then went back to read it again to make sure my initial impressions still held. I found the book to be satisfying, although a little uneven. It's definitely not my fave book of the series, but I'd have trouble telling you which one is.
Lately my favorite parts of these books are actually the subplots. Taylor's struggle with Michael for control of her consciousness is both frightening and fascinating. And how can anyone help but love little Khavi with her yellow slicker (Demon Forged) and potatoes? She brings much needed comic relief to this particular book, but not enough. I was looking hard for Lilith (and Sir Pup!) in this one, and I was surprised to see they were left out. I would have appreciated some follow up describing how she was adjusting to demon-hating Irena leading the Guardians. I think there's potential for some real humor, conflict and growth there. I assumed Meljean gave Lilith the position she did so she can be worked into the majority of her books. Hopefully Demon Blood was just a fluke in that respect.
I'm not a huge Deacon fan. I can understand and sympathize as to why he is as angry and vengeful and miserable as he is, but realistically I dislike people who lack the self control to exhibit some poise or common decency towards others even while in pain. His treatment of Rosalia was crude and cruel at times, even as he hated himself for it. The story of him rescuing her way back in the day didnt do enough to balance his character; I could have used some additional evidence
to prove he was more than an emo jackass.
Maybe Rosalia's personality was too close to my own for me to adore her as much as I did Irena, Savi and Lilith. Although towards the end she came to the realization she deserved someone who would trust and respect her, I had a hard time watching her accept such callous treatment from Deacon and even the people in her life. That being said, her calculations and manipulations of others went beyond
what I was comfortable with. I really expected Deacon to have flipped out a little more upon discovering she was the driving force behind his vampire transformation - regardless of whether he ultimately made the decision or not.
I felt their romance was a bit frustrating and sometimes tedious. I really prefer when couples have to overcome "obstacles" rather than their own stupid selves to achieve their happily ever after. Because there wasn't really any looming, immediate threat on anyone (besides Michael gunning for Deacon through poor Taylor) the book revolved more around Deacon and Rosalia's tense interactions, making the subplots a welcome relief from the constant animosity and sexual tension.
The sex, as always, was great. And finally - the p-word! lol I will admit that when her inexperienced characters try to have sex, the awkwardness
is very real. Sometimes too real - but really, that's just good storytelling. It would have been interesting to play up Rosalia's virginity more. (I'm assuming she
was, although it was never said explicitly.) That could have been a much needed point of tenderness and revelation between the characters.
The editing needs improvement. I think Meljean is brilliant and creative and funny, but someone needs to let her know when she's written a 57 word sentence that's so convuluted the meaning is lost. (p106) Furthermore, it's easy to lose track of who's saying what during extensive dialogue. (Guys, I'm not a rocket scientist, but I swear I'm not a complete idiot...) I love these books and I read them meticulously. I highly doubt her proofreader is paying closer attention than I am.
I have a feeling so many people have complained about her "showing" rather than "telling" that the author made an extra effort to address this tendency and ended up with some obvious and unecessary statements that really ruin the mood and flow of the scene. Other times the complexity of what's occuring could really
use a few clarifying lines. As talented a storyteller as she is, her editor/publisher needs to step up their game to make sure her final product does her abilities justice. It's frustrating to have to re-read paragraphs to figure out what's going on.
All in all, I really did like the book though I know my review is a tad critical. The plot itself was fascinating and I'm so excited for the next installment.
* Also, if the author reads these: I'm sorry if referring to you as "Meljean" offends you. "Ms. Brook" just seems really stiff and formal. Also, I adore you. Never stop writing! Kthnxbai.


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Deadtown (A Deadtown Novel) Review

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(More customer reviews)First the pros:
- I really enjoyed our heroine, Vicky. She was powerful, funny, smart and kicked all kinds of tail. Not quite as awesome as my current favorite, Kate Daniels, but I would say that she's not too far off.
- The plot was interesting, moved quickly and concluded well. The menace was believable, the dramatic elements were clever and I just liked it. I thought the premise was an interesting twist on the old favorite. And that is getting much harder to do lately.
- World-building. We didn't get to see as much of the world as I would have liked, since the focus was mainly on the action, but what we saw was interesting and original.
All this counts for a lot, but with the urban fantasy market as crowded as it is, it takes that extra something for a book to go from good to great in my view. And the one, massive con was something I couldn't move past: the cast.
I did not like any of the supporting cast. They were, almost without exception, untrustworthy, evil or plain old jerks and they made the book a lot less believable. The one I took the most exception to, and will use as the example to illustrate my point, is Tina.
Tina the zombie sidekick is actually a potentially interesting and original new character. Unfortunately Tina completely lacked charm. Every time she appeared on the page I wanted someone, anyone, to slap the heck out of her. Not for being a smartass, but for consistently pulling crap that could get our heroine killed. She's a danger to pretty much everyone around her, literally from the first chapter. The heroine can probably empathize, since she was something like that as a teenager, but Vicky's actions as a teenager actually DID cause a tragedy. Every time Tina appeared and did something stupid that could get the heroine killed I wondered why the heroine would ever agree to train her, knowing that the attitude could get someone killed. It didn't make any sense. I cant imagine her associating with, much less training, someone who doesn't listen, will STEAL from her, and is a danger to her AND her clients. She has experienced the consequences of such a lack of control and unwillingness to listen in her past and out to know better. It ripped me right out of the story, as I spent the time thinking WTF!
Tina was the character that aggravated me the most, but far from the only one. The client and politicians were a cliche, the lawyer boyfriend plain unlikable, and the human love interest was boring. If we must have a romance (and I know it's pretty much a given in this genre- I don't mind it when it's done well), I hope the author will introduce a viable third candidate in the next book. The closest I came to really liking any character other than the lead was in flashbacks to Vicky's dead relatives.
I will certainly check out the reviews of the second book in this series when it is published. I hope that further development will make the cast a bit more interesting and fun to read about. There are just too many good urban fantasy books out there right now to buy one that doesn't get me interested from the beginning. If the cast issues are addressed, I will absolutely buy the next book.

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The Lost Saint: A Dark Divine Novel Review

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(More customer reviews)Seriously, this book rocked! I love this series! End of review. Okay, just kidding. I did have to think about my review for this book because I was not sure how to put into words how much I loved it. Bree has done a wonderful job of telling a dark story filled with suspense and love. The relationship between Grace and Daniel drew me into the first book, The Dark Divine, and in this book I remember why I love the two of them together so much. They have a unique relationship because they have been friends since childhood and have grown up together. They are also bonded by their secret. The only trouble is, they are teenagers. They are new to the whole idea of love and events in this book put their relationship to the test. They both want what is best for the other and try to protect them, but in doing so they are inadvertently unraveling all the groundwork they have laid in this relationship. It was heartbreaking to watch the events unfold and the relationship strain, but at the same time I felt it was necessary. No relationship is perfect and if Grace and Daniel never had any bumps in the road it would not be believable. So while I felt it was tough to read it, I admire Bree for writing a realistic relationship.
I will also admit that I started and finished the book in one night. I could not put it down. There was so much going on and so many questions I needed answered, I could not go to sleep without knowing how it ended. And it was quiet and ending! I am of course, not going to spoil it for you, but I think once you get there you will understand.
The Lost Saint had a dark edge that kept me fully engrossed with plot twists that kept me on the edge of my seat. I didn't dare put it down!

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Darker Angels (Book Two of the The Black Sun's Daughter) Review

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(More customer reviews)***SPOILER WARNING***
***SPOILER WARNING***
***SPOILER WARNING***
***SPOILER WARNING***
My inner curmudgeon nearly set _Darker Angels_ aside at about the halfway point. "I don't get this book!" said the curmudgeon. "The voodoo's all wrong. Legba isn't an evil serial killer! The good guys' plan doesn't quite add up, and is pretty unethical besides. And the interpersonal drama just ate the plot for lunch!"
"Sit down and shut up," said M.L.N. Hanover. "I'm telling a story here."
OK, so I've never met M.L.N. Hanover, and he didn't literally say that, but he might as well have. Because just as I was about to give up on _Darker Angels_, he threw in some twists that made me realize I was looking at it all wrong.
I must have been led astray by the extremely linear plot of _Unclean Spirits_. I was expecting this plot to be similar in structure, and so I wasn't asking the right questions. I shouldn't have been asking, "What did Hanover do wrong?" I should have been asking, "What might be going on within the plot to cause all these things to happen?" I think I also forgot that Jayné, despite being a narrator whose voice I really enjoy, is not a perfectly reliable narrator. She has biases and blind spots, and she doesn't understand everything she experiences. Jayné's preconceived notions got in the way of solving the mystery -- and so did mine.
_Darker Angels_ is much less linear than _Unclean Spirits_, and it's much better for it. The plot revolves around a voodoo spirit who manipulates its hosts into committing horrific murders. Jayné is hired by former FBI agent Karen Black, an acquaintance of her late uncle's, to help stop this spirit from killing a young girl. We visit New Orleans and see both the destruction left over from Katrina and the tenacity of its residents. The plot is full of great twists. Hanover yanked the rug out from under my feet at one point, and maybe I should have seen it coming, but I didn't. It's when the pieces start to fall into place that you realize just how carefully Hanover set them up.
I really enjoyed _Darker Angels_s and I think it's safe to say I'm hooked on The Black Sun's Daughter. Jayné continues to be a delight; she's no master strategist, but she has a lot of compassion, and she has more courage than she thinks she does. And to heck with the inner curmudgeon. By the end, this had become a "set the alarm early so you can read before work" kind of book, and I finished it with a smile on my face and maybe a few tears in my eyes.

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In the battle between good and evil, there's no such thing as a fair fight. When Jayné Heller's uncle Eric died, she inherited a fortune beyond all her expectations -- and a dangerous mission in a world she never knew existed. Reining in demons and supernatural foes is a formidable task, but thankfully Jayné has vast resources and loyal allies to rely on. She'll need both to tackle a bodyswitching serial killer who's taken up residence in New Orleans, a city rich in voodoo lore and dark magic. Working alongside Karen Black, a highly confident and enigmatic ex-FBI agent, Jayné races to track down the demon's next intended host. But the closer she gets, the more convinced she becomes that nothing in this beautiful, wounded city is exactly as it seems. When shocking secrets come to light, and jealousy and betrayal turn trusted friends into adversaries, Jayné will soon come face-to-face with an enemy that knows her all too well, and won't rest until it has destroyed everything she loves most....

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Red-Headed Stepchild (Sabina Kane) Review

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(More customer reviews)Sabina Kane is half-vampire and half-mage. She has no true hold in either world, so she serves as an assassin for her grandmother and the Dominae; however, this role has never gained her anything but the deception of those she trusts and now she must decide what side she will take...
I learned a few things from Sabina Kane. Mostly I learned that even though an author says someone is a great assassin, said assassin may actually be completely inept and without a spine. Random example? Let's say the Great Assassin allows someone to sneak into their apartment, their own territory, and then shoot them through the heart. Even if the shooter is a demon--you've failed as an assassin and should be dead.
Okay, but miraculous survival saves the Great Assassin, one would think that Great Assassin would rip her attacker limb from limb ... Instead of offering them a place to stay.
And if the same demon/would-be-assassin starts using the Great Assassin's credit card and memorizes the number on it, then cancel the card or cancel the demon's life or kick his ass out of the apartment ... not just give a long-suffering sigh.
(Oh by the way, these aren't really spoilers, all this happens before page 50. And it's only the beginning of the very long trudge through silly writing and circumstances masked with angst towards the ending.)
Something just didn't quite work for me in RED-HEADED STEPCHILD. Maybe it was the frivolous writing, maybe it was the annoying Sabina Kane... Either way, not a book I'm recommending despite the gorgeous cover.
If you want a kick-ass mercenary heroine check out Ilona Andrews. At least Kate Daniels makes sense when she sets out to do something--and isn't utterly invincible, whiny, and "the chosen one" (heed this warning, by the next book of Wells I predict you'll be hearing that phrase more than once). Perhaps Wells will be improving with the next volume, but I won't be spending money on the sequel to find out.

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In a world where being of mixed-blood is a major liability, Sabina Kane has the only profession fit for an outcast: assassin. But, her latest mission threatens the fragile peace between the vampire and mage races and Sabina must scramble to figure out which side she's on. She's never brought her work home with her---until now. This time, it's personal.

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Angelfire Review

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(More customer reviews)Angelfire was a unique story that was gripping and suspenseful, yet sweet and romantic as well. It was well rounded and kept my attention throughout. I really liked the storyline of a young girl being brought into her powers to fight these creatures, finding out she is someone who is helping in the ultimate battle of good verses evil.
Ellie was an interesting character. She was very vulnerable and flawed, yet she could turn into this amazing fighting machine with a single minded purpose that kicks major butt. There were times that she was slightly annoying, but those moments were definitely outweighed by the moments she was amazing me. Will was swoon-worthy and definitely made my heart skip a few beats. He was so loyal and strong and hot! YUM! I need a Will that is all my own!
The only thing I didn't love about the book was that I would have liked a little closure before the end of the book. I love series, and don't mind cliffhangers, but I still like at least part of a story, or some threads of the story, to be brought to a close each book. This one didn't really have an ending to any of the threads, it's just all kind of left in the open for future books in the series. That being said, I simply can't wait to find out where this series will go with book 2 and how the characters, relationships, and battle will develop.

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First there are nightmares.

Every night Ellie is haunted by terrifying dreams of monstrous creatures that are hunting her, killing her.

Then come the memories.

When Ellie meets Will, she feels on the verge of remembering something just beyond her grasp. His attention is intense and romantic, and Ellie feels like her soul has known him for centuries. On her seventeenth birthday, on a dark street at midnight, Will awakens Ellie's power, and she knows that she can fight the creatures that stalk her in the grim darkness. Only Will holds the key to Ellie's memories, whole lifetimes of them, and when she looks at him, she can no longer pretend anything was just a dream.

Now she must hunt.

Ellie has power that no one can match, and her role is to hunt and kill the reapers that prey on human souls. But in order to survive the dangerous and ancient battle of the angels and the Fallen, she must also hunt for the secrets of her past lives and truths that may be too frightening to remember.

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Mark of the Demon (Kara Gillian, Book 1) Review

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(More customer reviews)Detective Kara Gillian is a bit of a loner because of her secret life as a demon summoner. It's hard to get close to someone when you have a summoning circle drawn on your basement floor and you leave your candles and tools laying around for anyone to see. When not summoning demons, Kara works as a Detective for the Violent Crimes unit. She is recently promoted out of Property Crimes and is very excited to be working some homicide cases.
During a summoning to complete her Summoner Training, the wrong Demon comes through the portal and into Kara's house. He doesn't seem all that bad, especially when he shows Kara what she's been missing from not having a man lately. But after her encounter, Kara realizes what a huge mistake she has made and that this Demon is not one to play around with. When he starts invading her dreams and the line between reality and dreaming is confused, Kara starts to regret ever doing the summoning in the first place.
A serial killer dubbed The Symbol Man killed thirteen people when Kara first joined the police academy. He was never apprehended and now three years later, he has begun his killing spree once again. Kara has always been interested in the case since first sensing arcane power around one of the deceased bodies. She has studied the case files and is the most educated on The Symbol Man out of everyone in the police force. So when Kara is given the lead on the case for her first job in Violent Crimes, she is thrilled to be given such a big opportunity to prove herself as a Detective.
The FBI has joined forces on this case and with them comes a gorgeous but obnoxious man named Agent Kristoff. Kara works side by side with him while trying to keep her knowledge of the occult under wraps so everyone doesn't peg her as a crazy satanic worshipper.
When the case turns out to definitely involve the world of the occult, Kara is at a crossroads on what to do. Does she keep her occult knowledge and position as a demon summoner a secret and try to solve the case herself or does she put her trust in a member of the FBI in the hopes that he doesn't think she's a lunatic? If Kara doesn't entrust in someone for some help, more people could end up killed. Will Kara's decision turn deadly or will she solve the case and come out alive?
Mark of the Demon is a delightful collaboration of genres including urban fantasy, suspense, romance and police procedural. Debut author Diana Rowland takes everything that I love in a book and puts it all together to write an outstanding novel. Take a dash of Charmed mixed with some Dexter and you have Mark of the Demon.
Mark of the Demon demands to be read in one sitting and is impossible to put down. There are some graphic scenes in this book so it is definitely not for the faint of heart. I enjoy the gritty and grimy aspects and was indeed shocked and scared while reading this book and it's not easy to scare me! Mark of the Demon is a breath taking, heart stopping, white knuckler thriller that grabbed me by the throat and didn't let go! Run and get this book when it releases June 23rd. The next book, Blood of the Demon is due out January 26, 2010.

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Cop and conjurer of demons,she's a woman in danger of losing control—to a power that could kill....Why me? Why now? That's what Beaulac, Louisiana, detective Kara Gillian was asking herself when an angelic creature named Rhyzkahl unexpectedly appeared during a routine summoning. Kara was hoping to use her occult skills to catch a serial killer, but never had she conjured anything like this unearthly beautiful and unspeakably powerful being whose very touch set off exquisite new dimensions of pleasure. But can she enlist his aid in helping her stop a killer who's already claimed the lives—and souls—of thirteen people? And should she? The Symbol Man is a nightmare that the city thought had ended three years ago. Now he's back for an encore and leaving every indication on the flesh of his victims that he, too, is well versed in demonic lore.Kara may be the only cop on Beaulac's small force able to stop the killer, but it is her first homicide case. Yet with Rhyzkahl haunting her dreams, and a handsome yet disapproving FBI agent dogging her waking footsteps, she may be in way over her head...

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The Demon Trapper's Daughter: A Demon Trappers Novel Review

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(More customer reviews)Set in the year 2018, The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver is a dark portrayal of a world overrun with demons, and the men who work to send them back to Hell where they belong. Paul Blackthorne is a famous trapper, and his 17-year-old daughter Riley has the talent for trapping demons as well. When a Level Five demon takes Paul out, Riley is alone in the world except for her father's co-worker Denver Beck, an older guy that Riley once had feelings for.
Now on her own struggling just to pay her rent, Riley is more determined then ever to become a full-fledged trapper. Balancing school, watching over her father's grave so a necromancer doesn't claim him, and apprenticing with one of the roughest masters would be difficult for anyone. But Riley is special, and Heaven has an important job for her should she choose to accept her calling.
The Demon Trapper's Daughter is marketed as a YA novel, but I think it would be more appealing to an adult audience. It took me about half of the book to get over my initial disappointment when I discovered this, but once I did I started to care about where Oliver was going in the story. In the beginning, it was really hard to connect with any of the characters. I would have liked to get to know Paul better and see him interact more with his daughter before his unfortunate death. I wasn't as sad as I feel I should have been when she was left to fend for herself. Beck is also difficult for me to like. He comes across as a drunk and a womanizer, and I couldn't at all see why Riley once had a crush on him. Couple that with his ridiculous dialect, and it makes for one annoying character. By the end of the novel, I had warmed up some to him when it's revealed that he has developed romantic feelings towards Riley. She has several potential love interests, and though she's with Simon right now, I have a bit of a soft spot for Beck and hope it works out for him.
I think this alternative version of Atlanta, Georgia is quite fascinating, but I wish that Oliver had given us more background on what exactly is going on between Heaven and Hell. I like the different classifications of demons, and some of them are even funny. I found myself being partial to Ike's demon partner, who helps him break into money meters, and also to the demon type that hoards shiny treasures and Riley's `n' key on her computer.
At first I wasn't sure I would want to continue reading on in this series, but once I reached the end I knew I wanted more. I'm definitely eager to see where Oliver goes with the Holy Water situation; it was perfectly built up in this novel to carry over into the next. A bit of a slow start, but The Demon Trapper's Daughter won me over in the end.

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Blood Trinity: Book 1 in the Belador Series Review

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(More customer reviews)Sherrilyn Kenyon and Dianna Love have hit one out of the park with this series. Blood Trinity is non-stop action, keen suspense and characters who won't let go of you.
Readers who like paranormal and fantasy elements--and I mean readers across urban fantasy, thriller and suspense genres--and, yes, romance-- will find a book they can't put down. This urban fantasy is a step outside Kenyon and Love's normal romance genre, and I was worried I wouldn't like it, but as a romance reader, I absolutely LOVE this book! The characters are irresistible, from Evalle, Tzader and Quinn, to two of the best surprises in the book--Feenix and Storm. It's not a romance, but I was hanging on every nuance of the love interests in this story, and this die-hard romance reader is already wishing for the next one.
Great world, wonderful characters, killer plot. I've said it before and I'll say it again. The Kenyon-Love team is one of the best things to happen to fiction in a long time. I was ready for something fresh which did not follow the same old pattern. This is it.
Don't hesitate. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200. Go directly to the buy button and get this book. You won't be sorry.


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Supernatural warriors bound by an extraordinary code of honor face an ultimate test of loyalty in the exciting new paranormal thriller from New York Times bestselling authors Sherrilyn Kenyon and Dianna Love.Atlanta has become the battlefield between human and demon.An outcast among Beladors, Evalle Kincaid has walked the line between human and beast her whole life. Her origins unknown, she's on a quest to learn more about her past . . . and her future.When a demon claims a young woman in a terrifying attack and there's no one else to blame, Evalle comes under suspicion. Now she's on a deadly quest for her own survival. Through the sordid underground of an alternate Atlanta where nothing is as it seems to the front lines of the city, where her former allies have joined forces to hunt her, Evalle must prove her innocence or pay the ultimate price.But saving herself is the least of her problems if she doesn't stop the coming apocalypse. The clock is ticking and Atlanta is about to catch fire. . . .

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Blood Brothers (Sign of Seven Trilogy, Book 1) Review

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(More customer reviews)In the town of Hawkins Hollow Maryland, three men have been best friends forever. They come from different families but were all born on 7/7/77. In 1987 on their 10th birthday Cal, Gage and Fox set out through the woods to camp at the mysterious location of Pagan Stone. They unleash an evil entity that dates back to 1652 and when they finally leave the woods the next morning, everything has changed.
Fast forward twenty years where Quinn, an author who specializes in things that go bump in the night, comes to the town to research what happened 20 years ago and what happens to the town and its inhabitants on 7/7.
I am a little disappointed in this story. It's not bad; it's just not that great, either, I wasn't wowed. Blood Brothers is a little reminiscent of the Three Sister Island Trilogy. I like the story premise; I love paranormal fiction, but feel this book is missing something. It failed to hook me like all other Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb books normally do and I think it is because of the characters; I never got that attached to any of them.
We have three men bonded by birthdays and deep friendship and then three women, Quinn, Layla and Cybil come along for various reasons. You know eventually they are all going to "couple up" and normally by book one in her trilogies while couple number one is steaming up the pages you can feel the chemistry brewing between couples two and three. It wasn't brewing at all for couple two and it's barely simmering for couple three.
I just don't think she gave us a real strong sense of who everyone was and where they are all coming from. Part of the reason why I love Nora books is because of her ability to paint the characters so vividly; normally we know the characters physically, emotionally, personally. I didn't get that with this one. I barely have a physical description in my head for the 6 of them.
I don't want to be all negative as it is not a horrible book by any means. I like the plot and think with a little more development I will love the characters. I think Gage and Cybil are going to be fun. I am hopeful that the next two books The Hollow and Pagan Stone will be a little more gripping and engaging. All in all not her best work or start to a series, but it's still a good read.


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In the town of Hawkins Hollow, it's called The Seven. Every seven years, on the seventh day of the seventh month, strange things happen. It began when three young boys-Caleb, Fox, and Gage-went on a camping trip to The Pagan Stone. And twenty-one years later, it will end in a showdown between evil and the boys who have become men-and the women who love them.

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Southern Gods Review

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(More customer reviews)I'll tell you something: When I pick up a first novel, no matter who the author is, I expect to encounter a fair share of hiccups throughout the book. It's a first novel, there a bound to be some rough spots. And that's a fine and natural thing. But here, with SOUTHERN GODS, the fist thing I took note of was that John Hornor Jacobs writes with an assured and compelling voice throughout.
The prologue of this novel is as fine a piece of horror literature as any I've had the pleasure of reading. And when Jacobs moves us into the Arkansas of 1951, you know he's got it down cold. Ramblin' John Hastur is an engrossing character, Bull Ingram is a likable guy, all the characters are rich and alive in the pages, and I'll take odds that once you start turning the pages of this novel you won't want to stop. There are some nods to H.P. Lovecraft, but it's all filtered through a solid Southern Gothic lens and reads like nothing else I've read before.
Even if horror isn't your thing, you pick up this book, you'll be hooked, because Jacobs can flat out write. A true pleasure to read, this a book that has earned itself a permanent place on my shelf.

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Recent World War II veteran Bull Ingram is working as muscle when a Memphis DJ hires him to find Ramblin' John Hastur. The mysterious blues man's dark, driving music - broadcast at ever-shifting frequencies by a phantom radio station - is said to make living men insane and dead men rise. Disturbed and enraged by the bootleg recording the DJ plays for him, Ingram follows Hastur's trail into the strange, uncivilized backwoods of Arkansas, where he hears rumors the musician has sold his soul to the Devil. But as Ingram closes in on Hastur and those who have crossed his path, he'll learn there are forces much more malevolent than the Devil and reckonings more painful than Hell... In a masterful debut of Lovecraftian horror and Southern gothic menace, John Hornor Jacobs reveals the fragility of free will, the dangerous power of sacrifice, and the insidious strength of blood.------"A sumptuous Southern Gothic thriller steeped in the distinct American mythologies of Cthulhu and the blues . . . Southern Gods beautifully probes the eerie, horror-infested underbelly of the South." - The Onion AV on Southern Gods"A bit of HP Lovecraft, a touch of William Hjortsberg, Southern Gods is an effective combination of cosmic horror and southern Gothictraditions. John Hornor Jacobs will turn heads with this debut." --Laird Barron, Shirley Jackson Award-winning author of The Imago Sequence and Occultation "In SOUTHERN GODS, John Hornor Jacobs turns the classic blues horrorstory of the devil at the crossroads into a true Lovecraftian nightmare. Steeped in Southern Gothic - and not for the faint of heart! - this is a bold and mighty debut written with breathtaking assurance. Powerful,horrific and beautiful, Southern Gods is a revelation and Jacobs is anauthor to shout about. Both deserve to go very far indeed." -- AdamChristopher, author of Empire State (Angry Robot, January 2012)"John Hornor Jacobs' fantastic debut novel, SOUTHERN GODS, is bothterrifying and beautiful. His eye for detail and compelling charactersmakes this one you'll remember long after you've finished it." - Stephen Blackmoore, author City of the Lost (DAW Books 2012) "Compulsively readable anddefinitely memorable, Southern Gods will ensure that you'll never hearradio interference quite the same way again." -- 5-time Bram StokerAward-winner Gary A. Braunbeck, author of Coffin County and Far Dark Fields "Great Yuggoth, what a great debut novel! With a sure hand forintriguing characters and deft plotting, John Hornor Jacobs establisheshimself as an author to heed. The prologue to this exceptional novel isone of the most terrifying things I have ever shivered through. It willkiss your paltry soul with fear. With superbly handled echoes ofChambers and Lovecraft, we encounter the mystery of that Tattered Man,Ramblin' John Hastur, who escorts us to the arcane secrets beyond thesun, beyond the stars, beyond that long black veil!" -W. H. Pugmire,author of The Tangled Muse"Hell-hound blues! Zombies! Lovecraft! Jacobs' engrossing gris-gris will take ya down to the crossroads and on then to the Deep Places where the hungry Old Ones sho gon git'cha!" -Joseph S. Pulver, Sr., author of SIN & ashes"John Hornor Jacobs. Remember the name, because if there's any justicein the universe, he's going to be a big deal one day soon. John's prose is by turns lyrical and tough-as-nails. He effortlessly conjures aneerie southern landscape that will surely haunt the dreams of anyone who reads Southern Gods." --Bryan Smith, Author of Darkened and House of Blood

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Jacob (The Nightwalkers, Book 1) Review

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(More customer reviews)Jacob has spent seven hundred years hunting rogue demons that have given in to moon madness. He doesn't have time for romantic entanglements; especially with humans. His life changes in an instant when a beautiful woman falls out of her apartment window and lands in his arms.
Demon Jacob takes his role as Enforcer seriously. Charged with hunting down and punishing those demons that forget and cross the line to prey on humans, his job is never boring. Jacob is always on guard and ready to catch those demons who think they can give in to their basic needs. He doesn't realize how lonely he has become until a raven haired virago literally falls into his arms one night while he is hunting a demon that has been summoned by a necromancer practicing the black arts. His reaction to the woman stuns him and he is unsure of what is happening to him. Suddenly the woman in his arms stills and Jacob realizes that she can sense and smell the demon that he is in charge of finding.
Isabella is a librarian by day and moon watcher by night. Contemplating the moon after her sister returns from a date, Isabella leans out of her fifth floor window and sees a man watching her. When he speaks, Isabella doesn't think anything about the fact that the man is five floors below and she can hear him clearly. She does however find the fact that she has just fallen out of the window a bit disconcerting. Her terror is forgotten when she lands in the man's arms and is gently placed on the ground. After introductions are made, Isabella suddenly begins to experience grave discomfort. Hesitating only a moment, she leads Jacob to a warehouse and the demon he is hunting.
Isabella and Jacob go into the warehouse where they come face to face with the summoned demon. Jacob is attacked and Isabella finds herself fighting for her life. Picking up an iron bar, she thrusts it at the demon. The demon disintegrates in a burst of fire and sulfur and Isabella is swiftly carried outside. Jacob explains to Isabella what she just killed and places her in a deep sleep so he can carry her safely to his home. Explanations are needed and Jacob needs help from his fellow demons.
Much to Jacob's consternation, Isabella awakens. She also meets the other demons and is told their stories. The library of Noah, the demon ruler, is put at Isabella's disposal for research purposes. The demons do not understand how Isabella has the ability to kill one of their own as well as connect mentally with Jacob. Speaking of connecting, Isabella and Jacob find themselves more than once having a hard time keeping their hands off of each other. They must not give in to temptation because it is traitorous for a demon to cavort with a human. Isabella finds something in the king's vaults however, something that can change the course of human and demon destiny.
JACOB by Jacquelyn Frank is highly intense and extremely action packed. Thrown for a loop from page one, I could not put this book down until I finished. I love how the author incorporates demon folklore in the story, and yet still gives the demons a human touch. Especially Jacob. As an enforcer, he is accustomed to strictly following orders and rules. The introduction of Isabella into his life is golden. I found myself smiling at his disregard for the very rules he is in charge of enforcing. As far as female leads go, Isabella is beautifully written. Full of courage and grand ideas, Isabella is not only attractive, but also incredibly smart. More than once I found myself pleased at the pairing of Jacob and Isabella. To state why I was so thrilled would be giving away more spoilers than I already have.
JACOB: THE NIGHTWALKERS is Ms. Frank's first book and I could not be more pleased for her. Not only has she woven a wonderful tale, she has given the reader a glimpse of the second book in this new series. I, for one, am anxiously awaiting her next addition and applaud Ms. Frank for a story well told.





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Since time began, there have been Nightwalkers - the races of the night who live in the shadows of the moonlight. Love with humans is absolutely forbidden, and one man makes certain to uphold this ancient law: Jacob, the Enforcer...For 700 Years, He has resisted temptation. But not tonight...Jacob knows the excuses his people give when the madness overtakes them and they fall prey to their lust for humans. He's heard every one and still brought the trespassers to justice. Immune to forbidden desires, uncontrollable hungers, or the curse of the moon, his control is total...until the moment he sees Isabella on a shadowy New York City street. Saving her life wasn't in his plans. Nor were the overwhelming feelings she arouses in him. But the moment he holds her in his arms and feels the soft explosion of her body against his, everything changes. Their attraction is undeniable, volatile, and completely against the law. Suddenly everything Jacob has ever believed is inflamed by the heat of desire...Bring on the night.

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23 Minutes In Hell: One Man's Story About What He Saw, Heard, and Felt in that Place of Torment Review

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(More customer reviews)With a heavy heart, I must give an honest review of this book. Before I begin, I want to start off by stating upfront that I am a born-again Christian, and I do believe that unbelievers who die without Christ will suffer eternal torment in Hell. However, with this said, I must say that I do not believe Bill Wiese' account.
I had heard about this book for quite some time before I had actually read it. At first I thought this was going to be a story about a man who wasn't a Christian, clinically died and went to Hell, came back to life and is now a Christian. Instead, I was surprised to find out that not only was Wiese already supposed to have been a Christian, but he didn't even die. Instead, he just went to bed at 3:00a.m. one night, fell into a pit and ended up in literal Hell. In this Hell he was tormented by demons, heat so intense that he should have been dead, and he witnessed a pit of fire where souls were being tormented. During his time in Hell, Wiese claims that he didn't know about God and had "forgotten" he was a Christian. He later supposedly gets rescued by Jesus and is told that he was purposely made to forget that he was a Christian. The entire reasoning behind this experience is so that Wiese can know that Hell exists and he can now tell others about it. He wakes back up in his living room where he fell asleep at 3:23a.m.
Right away, one would think that Wiese just had a nightmare, but Wiese is convinced that he had an out-of-body experience where his soul literally descended into Hell. Wiese insists that this wasn't just a dream.
This is all told in the first three chapters of the book, and the rest of the book is simply accounts of Wiese' evangelistic testimonies and answering a few questions about Hell. But the first three chapters are really the "highlight" of the book. In fact, I found myself getting bored after the third chapter, because the rest of it becomes testimonies of Wiese being invited to speak about his experience, and then the book going into answering standard philosophical questions about Hell that can be found in many other books.
The main problem I have with Bill Wiese' story is that it just simply isn't consistent with what the Bible teaches about how God operates. One of the claims Wiese says in his book is that God made him forget that he was a Christian while he was in Hell. On the contrary, the Bible teaches that God cannot lie, and therefore, I don't see how God would make Wiese "forget" that he is a Christian.
Also, in Luke 16:19-31 Jesus tells a story about a rich man who dies and ends up in Hell. The rich man becomes concerned that his family might end up in Hell too. So he asks if he can go and tell his family about Hell. And the response he received was, "If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead" (v. 31). So, knowing that Jesus told his story of the rich man, and the bible teaches that if someone isn't persuaded by the Scriptures, then they will not be persuaded by someone returning from the dead, why would Jesus send Wiese to Hell to basically do what Jesus himself says won't persuade unbelievers anymore than the Scriptures will? The simple answer is, Jesus wouldn't do that.
Another problem I have with Wiese's account is that Jesus said that anyone who believes in him will not see death (John 8:51).
After reading the book, I must admit that I am really disappointed. And while I am a born-again Christian who believes in the existence of Hell (and by that I mean eternal punishment, not annihilation), I must tell the truth of what I believe about this book. I had thought about not writing a review at all, but Christians need to stand on biblical truths, not lies. I'm still not even sure why Wiese is so convinced that he didn't just have a really bad dream... which is what I think he had if he's not just making this whole thing up.


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"My sincere hope is that this book is the closest you will ever come to experiencing hell for yourself"--Bill Wiese saw the searing flames of hell, felt total isolation, and experienced the putrid and rotting stench, deafening screams of agony, terrorizing demons, and finally, the strong hand of God lifting him out of the pit--"Tell them I am coming very, very soon!"Wiese's visit to the devil's lair lasted just twenty-three minutes, but he returned with vivid details etched in his memory. Since this life-changing ordeal, he has spent the last seven years studying the Scriptures to find answers and has listed more than 150 Bible verses referencing hell.Everyone is curious about the afterlife, and now Wiese shares his insights to commonly asked questions such as:
Is hell a literal burning place?
Where is hell?
Do you have a body in hell?
Are there Degrees of punishment in hell?
Are there children in hell?
Can Demons torment people in hell?
Can "good" people go to hell?
"Even if you don't believe my story, I hope you will believe the Scriptures and avoid hell just the same."

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Daughter of Smoke and Bone Review

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(More customer reviews)I would like to start off this review by saying that I really didn't want to read this book. The people who decided on the back of the book description did a crappy job explaining this story in an interesting way. Now that I have read it, the back looks good, but from a fresh perspective, it fell flat. If it weren't a Vine book, given to me for free, I would have never picked it out among the thousands of books out there. I am so glad I gave it a try.
This complex story is about a girl who has no idea of who she really is. Her life has been filled with creatures that would cause terror to most but have been family to her. Karou is a strong, talented seventeen year old who helps her "family" of demon like characters collect teeth. The teeth have a use, but Karou has never found out what exactly. She just goes to designated sights through portal doors to collect the teeth and then goes back to her private art school and her one friend. Her lonely life is interrupted by the sight of an angel who is trying to put a stop to the teeth trade and the creatures who traffic them. Even though he should destroy Karou ,he can not bring himself to kill her due to her similarities to his long lost love. What follows is an intriguing tale of forbidden love in a lush, imaginative world.
I know, I know, collecting teeth sounds so...weird. I promise that the author pulls this off and then some. I struggled with what to say without giving too much away, but I wanted to tell more than the back cover. Karou is an interesting heroine who is beautiful, exotic, and real all at the same time. The world building is really the star of this novel. Everything is different than anything I have read. Yes, it has angels in it, but the author still makes everything fresh.
On a different note, I would not recommend this book to younger teens. Not only is it a little more complex, there is sex and sexual situations. I would say sixteen and up as an absolute minimum in age requirement. As an adult, this is one of those YA books that transfers just fine.
Overall, I really liked this book, and I will be looking for the sequel to help ease the cliffhanger ending.

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