Eons ago in a world dissimilar from today, Celene, Luna, and Arianrhod, three goddesses of the light, gathered to commemorate the birth of a new queen, and to choose a unique gift worthy of her. Their gifts have to be everlasting as the queen is immortal. The gifts chosen were “Stars for Aegle, the radiant.” Arianrhod’s star is a jewel of ice along with a wish for a strong and adventurous spirit; Luna’s, a jewel of water and a wish for a strong and hopeful heart; and, Celene’s a jewel of fire and a wish for a strong and questing mind. As these gifts were spun toward the moon and its power, Nerezza, a goddess of the dark protested the gifts and wishes were wasted on mortals and throws her prophecy to the sky: the stars and wishes will tumble from the sky and the moon and lightness will die and darkness will win.
Sasha Riggs is a noted artist that captures her dreams and visions on canvas. Some are peaceful and beautiful landscapes or scenes with people; others are chaotic; but, they are all master pieces. The lady realizes that she is a seer, but doesn’t understand her gift. Sasha doesn’t feels uncomfortable around people because of her visions and has cloistered herself in a mountain cabin in North Carolina. Lately she is feeling restless and compelled to travel to Corfu. She can’t explain it to anyone, but she buys her airline ticket, makes her reservations, and packs some of her drawings and goes off on her adventure.
Six people are fated to meet up in Corfu in a search for the stars. Sasha is the only one that does not know the history of these treasures; her duty was to draw the “team of Guardians” together. She has perfectly captured their image in her paintings, and her paintings and dreams will guide them in their quest. Sasha meets Riley Gwin, an architect, and Bran Killian, a magician in Corfu. With Riley’s connections they get a villa in the mountains across from Albania, near the village of Kassiopi at a villa called Acharavi and comes with a dog named Apollo. They are joined there by three others: Sawyer King, the seeker; Annika Waters, a young naïve girl; and Doyle McCleary, a warrior. The journey has begun.
Sasha has dreamed of Bran Killian for years, and has been in love with her mystery man. Bran has been aware of Sasha through her art, and has purchased several paintings that depict his beloved Ireland. The magic that is in the air seeps into the lives of these people. Bran introduces Sasha to desire and sensuality. He wants to protect her, but she wants to be strong enough to help fight the darkness when it comes.
STARS OF FORTUNE, Book One of the Guardians Trilogy Passion, is Sasha and Bran’s story. They are joined with their comrades to find Sasha’s star and to protect it from Nerezza, a formidable enemy and her minions which are some of the most dangerous and despicable to be found. Nora Roberts has included the right amounts of passion, humor, adventure, and mortal danger to the mix to keep the pages flying.
Less than a year ago Gareth and Bria Fitzwilliams, parents of Marcus and his sister Darlene, were killed in an automobile acciden
“Wonderment in Death”
Less than a year ago Gareth and Bria Fitzwilliams, parents of Marcus and his sister Darlene, were killed in an automobile accident. Darlene is having problems with her grieving process, and Marcus and Darlene’s fiancé Henry have urged her to find professional help. Neither knows that the heiress has been seeing Doctor Bright for five months. Over tea and crumpets the good doctor helps her communicate with her late parents, for a fee – nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine dollars a visit, plus a couple of tokens like small, valuable heirlooms. These tokens allow a visit with the deceased. After her last visit a buoyant Darlene pays her brother Marcus a visit and gives him a beautiful red rose. He seems reluctant to take it so she keeps pushing it toward him. Then she runs through the glass door to the terrace and takes a flying leap from the fifty-second floor of the building.
NYPD Lieutenant Eve Dallas pulls rank to be primary on this case at the request of her friend, Dr. Louise Dimatto, who has been close to the family all of her life. Marcus was stabbed three times in his chest and bled out before his friend Henry came to see him. Louise is able to supply enough information to help Eve, and it doesn’t take this crackerjack detective to find the mad hatter that is catering to grief stricken clientele.
J. D. Robb is a shrewd narrator with the tendency for the unexpected and a gift for portraying eccentric characters and unusual situations. DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE is carefully crafted and highly entertaining.
“Alice and the Earl in Wonderland” by Mary Blaney. Amy and Simon use Poppy’s Coin to travel back in time to 1805 London and have a very good time.
iLove by Elaine Fox is a contemporary romance
Fallen by R. C. Ryan - Is it amnesia that brings on a magic and mystic fairytale romance?
A True Heart by Mary Kay McComas – Elise is afraid to let love back into her life; could the man behind the mask be the one she can trust?
Five fantastic writers bring you their annual stories. This year’s tales all have a semblance, or tie in to Lewis Carroll.
If Hallie Hartley had not forgotten some papers she left at home, she would have been cheated out of a wonderful opportunity by her beautiful, unscrupulous stepsister, Shelly. Shelly and her mother had treated Hallie abysmally, and now that Ruby is dead she thinks Hallie should continue putting Shelly in first place. But, this trick that Shelly almost got by with has Hallie kicking her stepsister to the curb. When Hallie walked into her house she was shocked to see the famous architect Jared Montgomery talking to Shelly about her inheritance on Nantucket Island. Shelly and Jared have been corresponding, with Jared believing he was making a deal with Hallie. Hallie refuses to file any charges against her stepsister and accepts the deal that has been made in her behalf by deceit. She is to return to Nantucket with Jared today in a private plane; accept ownership of a house left to her by an unknown relative; and become the private physical therapist for a cousin of Jared’s, James Michael “Jamie” Taggert.
Shelly is beautiful, and she has sent Jamie portfolio pictures of herself, including one full length shot in a bikini. Hallie isn’t a dog, but compared to her stepsister – there is no comparison, so when Jamie meets the real Hallie he is stunned. Hallie believes it is because she isn’t a Shelly clone when in fact Jamie sees beneath the surface to the inner beauty and selflessness of Hallie, and falls in love at first sight. Hallie doesn’t know this, naturally, and goes into a defensive mode that takes her a long time to release.
Hallie’s house is like a dream come true for her. It’s a small, two-story with large, furnished bedrooms upstairs that have their own bathrooms. All of the accoutrements throughout the house are delicate and inviting, and the gardens are breathtaking. It also comes furnished with match making spirits, and dear, dear Edith, the elderly woman next door.
I didn’t want EVER AFTER to end, but because of Jude Deveraux’s smooth writing and even pace I couldn’t slow down my reading. All of the characters, including some we have met before, are outstanding. The clever dialogue and bon mots will keep a smile on your face. The relationship between Hallie and Jamie is simply delightful and the time travel story threads are superb.
Jude Deveraux is truly a maestro in the Romance genre with a wicked sense of humor and a tremendous talent for the written word.
CARPE DEMON Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom (Book One) JULIE KENNER
Berkley July 2005
Kate Connor is living a normal wife as a wife, and mom to fCARPE DEMON Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom (Book One) JULIE KENNER
Berkley July 2005
Kate Connor is living a normal wife as a wife, and mom to fourteen-year-old Allie and two-year-old Timmy. Her husband Stuart is entering the political ring, running for county attorney. Kate has a secret that no one knows, not even her best friend -- until she and her first husband Eric moved to San Diablo, California fifteen years ago, their life prior to the move was spent slaying demons, hunting vampires, and killing zombies. They moved to this quiet, coastal town because it was demon-free --the Catholic cathedral was built on holy ground, and evil was not welcomed -- retired and started their family. Sad to say, Eric died when Allie was about six. Years later, Kate remarried.
While Kate is rushing around preparing for an impromptu dinner party for several influential, prospective backers of Stuart's campaign, a demon crashes through her kitchen window, attacks her, and tells her that she will die when "my Master's army rises to claim victory in his name." Kate manages to kill the fiend, and stuffs his body in her pantry until she can dispose of it properly. After the dinner party she calls Father Corletti at the Vatican to apprise him of the situation and to request that hunters be sent to San Diablo. Kate and Eric were both orphans raised by Father Corletti and trained by the Forza Scora for their jobs. She is informed she is the only hunter available and that Goramesh, one of the high demons and known as the decimator, is seeking something in San Diablo. Father Corletti further tells Kate there is an alimentatore, or mentor, in her town that will advise her.
When Kate meets her guide she is surprised to know that he is Federal Circuit Judge Larson, new to town, and one of the guests she met at her dinner party -- a man she suspected of being a demon because of a distinct odor he emitted.
Now you know why Kate is forced out of retirement to embark on a hilarious, madcap mission to destroy monsters, protect her family, and find whatever it is that Goramesh is hunting. Sleep is a rare commodity in her life, and lying to her family and friends become the norm. But never fear, out kick-butt heroine will protect mankind from evil with the help of a senile senior citizen and her two-year old toddler!
CARPE DEMON is Julie Kenner at her very best -- so good that this story has been optioned by Warner Bros. Pictures for Chris Columbus and Michael Barnathan's 1492 Pictures (producers of the "Harry Potter" movies), and Kevin and Dan Hageman have been hired to adapt the screenplay. How is that for cool? Don't miss this terrific, fast-paced, page-turning, fun, fun, fun book!
Kate Connor, Demon Hunter extraordinaire, was officially out of retirement for fifteen-plus years. Sh CALIFORNIA DEMON By JULIE KENNER
Berkley June 2006
Kate Connor, Demon Hunter extraordinaire, was officially out of retirement for fifteen-plus years. She worked for a super-secret arm of the Vatican known as Forz. She and her late husband, Eric, moved to San Diablo, California, the most demon free place on earth because of the Cathedral there, whose mortar is enriched with the bones of Saints.
Recently a demon attacked Kate in her kitchen and she learned that the High Demon Goramesh was in San Diablo and planning a pernicious attack in her city. She was able to thwart this fiend, but now another band of demons is roaming the area with an even more heinous goal. Needless to say, Kate is now out of retirement.
Kate inadvertently finds an ancient book that is identified by Father Ben as The Malevolenaumachia Demonica, a manual capable of calling forth demons that have been bound and chained in Tartarus, the deepest bowels of Hell. These demons are many times more evil and more powerful than Goramesh. The book is safely hidden in the cathedral where demons cannot find it.
Kate is a full time mom to fourteen-year-old daughter, Allie, not quite three-year-old Timmy, and wife to husband Stuart, who is running for County Attorney. She does volunteer work at Coastal Mists Nursing Home, mainly because demons can slip into a comatose, near death body, and affect a "miraculous cure." Only Kate's best friend and neighbor, Laura, knows about Kate's demon hunting business.
Allie is active in school activities this year, and has a major crush on a member of the surf club. Both Kate and Allie are drawn to the school sponsor of the club; something about him reminds them of Eric, who was killed by muggers five years ago. Kate learns some disturbing things about Eric from her mentor at Forz. When the demons launch their attack, it seems nothing can stop them. But when Allie's life is put in danger, Kate becomes a lean-mean-demon killing-machine, and a joy to behold in action!
It's easy to believe that Julie Kenner has tons of fun writing these tongue-in-cheek fantasy thrillers, and the writing gods have truly blessed her with talent and a fertile imagination. CALIFORNIA DEMON has plenty of action along with fantastic humor and a superb plot. The characters are so real that it is conceivable that your own neighbor might secretly be fighting off demons to save the world. This is pure enjoyment from beginning to end.