The Darkness
L.A. Banks
Griffin (St. Martin’s), Feb 2008, $14.95, 400 pp.
ISBN 9780312368746

Armageddon has begun; two seals have been broken; people are living the end of days and forty thousand demons were destroyed at the Battle of Masada. Neterus Damali and Carlos Rivera thought they destroyed Lilith’s progeny but they were very much mistaken. The future anti-Christ clearly hid himself from the Neterus and the Guardians and is now in a chrysalis state waiting to Become. Lucifer is overjoyed and he allows Lilith to give the daywalker bite to the members of the Vampire Council including Fallon Nuit, Sebastian and Yonni (Carlos’s spy).

Lucifer wants to cause confusion and turmoil that will fracture the Guardians & Neterus unity so he attacks Father Pat, a man dear to Carlos. When he tries to save the priest, some of the Dark’s poison enters Carlos and make it easier for Hell to track him. After a bloody battle in New York City, Carlos is badly injured and Damali takes him to the plane where the former Neterus live near to Heaven. If Carlos recovers, he and Damali plan to find and kill what will become the anti-Christ and stop the Armageddon attack from happening.

THE DARKNESS, the latest vampire huntress legend novel, picks up where the last book in the series left off. Combining elements of apocalyptic and supernatural horror, urban fantasy and romance, this work is refreshingly original, enthralling and totally intense. As the series progresses the characters change and grow not always as expected. As Damali and Carlos mature, they are more in love than ever. L.A. Banks has written one of the best vampire sagas of the new millennium.

Harriet Klausner

My Soul To Keep
Melanie Wells
Multnomah, Feb 2008, $12.99, 320 pp.
ISBN: 9781590524282

Professor Dylan Foster teaches psychology at Southern Methodist Universality yet she has no trouble believes in demons and devils since Peter Terry came into her life. He wants souls and he will use whatever means necessary to get them but Dylan temporally defeated him twice. He is the last thing on her mind when her friend Liz Zocci and her daughter Christine are celebrating her birthday in the park with her friend Maria and her son Nicholas.

In the blink of an eye, the party ends when a car stops and someone kidnaps Nicholas. The person tries to take Christine too but her touch burns him. Somehow, someway, Christine is psychically connected to Nicholas and she ends up in the hospital with the same illness Nicholas once had. Peter Terry is also in the picture as light bulbs pop in her home; Dylan hears snakes hissing in her home and a gas leek occurs. The demon appears in her dreams but she refuses to give into her fears. Instead she chases every clue including her sleeping subconscious ones that might lead her to Nicholas, even if it means spiritual warfare.

Christine has a guardian angel Earl who Dylan sees in the park and she and her mom come to the conclusion there is a spiritual battle taking place in which Christine is the prize. They meet another angel in the hospital who calms Christine; Dylan, a believer, is not surprised. She just wishes they would point her to the location where Nicholas is but she has to apply investigate methods instead like a mortal. Melanie Wells has written an exciting pulse pumping thriller.

Harriet Klausner

Twilight
Brendan DuBois
St. Martin’s, Nov 2007, $24.95
ISBN: 9780312361372

Canadian journalist Samuel Simpson joins as a grunt a United Nations peacekeeping force that is also investigating terrorism and war crimes. His unit seeks to find the evidence that will bring to justice those who committed the crimes against mankind before and during the recent civil war and those who continue the atrocities.

His tour of duty is New York months after a dirty bomb destroyed much of Manhattan and other attacks eliminated most of the American electric grid. The United States collapsed and a civil war further devastated the country. As Samuel and his undersized squad investigate a particular ugly atrocity in Upstate New York, he realizes as snipers kill some of his peers that anyone could be the angel of death.

This may be the thriller of the year as Brendan DuBois combines plenty of action, twists especially that initial set up in which the audience assumes some Baltic or African nation is the setting, and introspection on what is a war crime to include torture. Samuel is an interesting protagonist as he is starts out naïve and idealistic, but quickly becomes mature and caustically realistic as he helplessly sees death everywhere. Readers will ponder beyond the presidential candidates and White House sound bites to what if an even greater more concerted attack occurred to America than 9/11 once we understand who the Belgians are donating tents to.

Harriet Klausner

Being With Him
Jessica Inclan
Zebra, Feb 2008, $13.00
ISBN 9781420101126

Garrick McClellan is at an art exhibit alone in the crowd because he can never let down his guard and reveal who he is and what he can do. He can read the minds of everyone around him and travel back in time. He sees a painting by Mila Adams and it stirs a memory in him. By coincidence his aunt and her mother set them up on a blind date.

Mila also feels alone as she too can read minds and move forward in time. She has memories of her as young child in a black shape escaping from somewhere with her brother, other children and adults. When Garrick and Mila meet they recognize that they are one half of a whole. They start asking questions who and what they are but their inquiry puts them in danger from a force not of this world.

Jessica Inclan has written a memorable and evocative tale of two people who are so much more together than they are apart. Readers will like both protagonists because they are open about their feelings and their need to find others since Garrick knows he was adopted and Mila learns she was too shortly after she meets him. Some books are so memorable and unique that one can’t forget them; BEING WITH HIM is one of them.

Harriet Klausner

Night Season
Eileen Wilks
Berkley, Jan 2008, $7.99
ISBN: 9780425220153

Three gnomes enter the earth through a magical portal from the Edge. The FBI’s Magical Crimes Unit is worried about the newcomers and is proven correct when the paranormal aliens abduct several humans and take them back through the gate to their realm. Their prime goal is Finder Cynna Weaver who they demand locate a missing crucial magical medallion.

Lupine Sorcerer Cullen Seabourne and his beloved FBI Agent Cynna Weaver are celebrating the birth of their baby, but find their gala abruptly ended when they along with FBI Unit 12 Chief Ruben Brooks and former demon Gan are yanked through the gnome gate. They know that the only way home is to locate a missing crucial magical medallion that the gnomes badly crave and will kill to possess.

Fans of the series will recognize the return of the C couple; this time as the prime stars after secondary roles supporting the Lily saga in the Wilks wonderful fantasy universe (see BLOOD LINES). The story line is fast-paced and filled with action and plenty of twists that the audience is coming to expect from Elaine Wilks. However, more critical is the cast especially Cullen and Cynna who prove more than capable of holding the story line together as they “rule” the NIGHT SEASON.

Harriet Klausner

Eleanor vs. Ike
Robin Gerber
Avon, Jan 2008, $13.95
ISBN: 9780061373213

In 1952, the Democratic Party knows it is in trouble with little hope for a surprise victory at the presidential level. Truman is unpopular and his war does not help matters. Even worse the republicans are running war hero “I like Ike”, who vows to get the troops out of Korea if elected, as expected.

Thing turns bleaker for the in party when their candidate suddenly dies. Desperate they turn to the popular widow of their most popular twentieth century president, Eleanor as her first name is as recognizable as Ike is. Two icons to battle for the White House with Eleanor pledging to run an issues only positive campaign although she takes shots at McCarthyism as practiced by Ike’s running mate Nixon and wants an end to the divisiveness and destructiveness of racism, which means she will be the first Democrat in ages to lose the Solid South and no Democrat has won the election without this support.

Robin Gerber has written several biographies on Eleanor Roosevelt, which she uses frequently in this entertaining alternate historical political thriller. The story line is fun to follow especially when the audience willingly traipses across the country with the former First Lady. A plot to assassinate her adds suspense, but is nothing else as the fun in this tale is the race between the two legends.

Harriet Klausner

Bond of Fire
Diane Whiteside
Berkley, Jan 2008, $14.00
ISBN: 9780425217382

During the French Revolution, Jean-Marie St. Just met Helene d’Agelet in Paris. They fell in love, but were fated to separate as he was turning into a vampire and she was a mortal. However, he remained unaware that after he left her she was changed over too. Over the next two centuries fate seemed to intervene keeping them apart.

In the present, Helene is stunned to see a photo of her beloved Jean-Marie that indicates he is alive. She searches for him so that they can finally share eternity together. However, they still have issues between them as Jean-Marie has been assigned the task of killing the wicked vampire Queen of New Orleans Hélène’s sister, Madame Celeste.

Although much of the story occurs before the first tale (see BOND OF BLOOD) the second of Diane Whiteside modern vampire trilogy is an exciting horror thriller. Readers obtain a bit of the history that led to the vampire kingdoms that carve up much of modern day America. Interestingly the lead couple spends much of the two hundred plus years (and most of the book) separated to the chagrin of romantic fantasy purists; yet the look through time strengthens the final showdown making BOND OF FIRE an entertaining read.

Harriet Klausner

The Accidental Vampire
Lynsay Sands
Avon, Jan 2008, $6.99
ISBN: 9780061229688

New to the world of the night, THE ACCIDENTAL VAMPIRE Elvi Black struggles to adjust. She mourns her inability to get a tan, eat food especially pizza, and sleep in a bed as coffins are not particularly conducive to anything but the sleep of the dead. Her friends are worried about her adjustment so thoughshe tried to hide her change, they know and try to hook her up with a male vampire though where to find one seems difficult as the matchmaking services don’t mention anyone with a bite. Her neighbors place a personal ad seeking a vampiric hunk as a companion to a female nightcrawler.

Taken aback with the ad that they assume is an inane joke by a mortal, the Vampire Council sends agent Victor Argeneau to investigate and if necessary kill the individual. When he meets Elvi he knows he found his soulmate and much more as shockingly she has a town filled with humans willing to die to keep her safe even as someone else who read the ad wants to teach her one particular aspect of being a vamp, a stake through the heart.

This a terrific amusing supernatural romantic suspense due to the desperate antics of the beleaguered heroine who feels like a newborn without adult supervision trying to hide what she has become. Victor is a strong courageous individual who besides mentoring the rookie risks his soul to keep his forever mate safe. The support cast enhances the overall tale especially the townsfolk who add a unique twist and the slayer. Sub-genre fans will enjoy Lynsay Sand’s enjoyable tale and seek her previous winning vampire romances (see VAMPIRES ARE FOREVER and BITE ME IF YOU CAN).

Harriet Klausner

The Accidental Vampire
Lynsay Sands
Avon, Jan 2008, $6.99
ISBN: 9780061229688

New to the world of the night, THE ACCIDENTAL VAMPIRE Elvi Black struggles to adjust. She mourns her inability to get a tan, eat food especially pizza, and sleep in a bed as coffins are not particularly conducive to anything but the sleep of the dead. Her friends are worried about her adjustment so thoughshe tried to hide her change, they know and try to hook her up with a male vampire though where to find one seems difficult as the matchmaking services don’t mention anyone with a bite. Her neighbors place a personal ad seeking a vampiric hunk as a companion to a female nightcrawler.

Taken aback with the ad that they assume is an inane joke by a mortal, the Vampire Council sends agent Victor Argeneau to investigate and if necessary kill the individual. When he meets Elvi he knows he found his soulmate and much more as shockingly she has a town filled with humans willing to die to keep her safe even as someone else who read the ad wants to teach her one particular aspect of being a vamp, a stake through the heart.

This a terrific amusing supernatural romantic suspense due to the desperate antics of the beleaguered heroine who feels like a newborn without adult supervision trying to hide what she has become. Victor is a strong courageous individual who besides mentoring the rookie risks his soul to keep his forever mate safe. The support cast enhances the overall tale especially the townsfolk who add a unique twist and the slayer. Sub-genre fans will enjoy Lynsay Sand’s enjoyable tale and seek her previous winning vampire romances (see VAMPIRES ARE FOREVER and BITE ME IF YOU CAN).

Harriet Klausner

The Mage’s Daughter
Lynn Kurland
Berkley, Jan 2008, $14.00
ISBN: 9780425219164

The archmage of the Kingdom of Neroche, Miach, knows he thought he did right when he hid his identity from Morgan (see STAR OF THE MORNING). Now he regrets his choice as he has learned the hard way that without her the Black Mage would have won. Loathing anything pertaining to magic, Morgan flees from him and the war to heal at the non magical Gobhann Castle.

Lothar continues his assault on the kingdom while Miach must decide how to prevent his imminent victory. His only hope rests with the woman he loves but betrayed. Somehow he must earn Morgan’s trust as he knows he has her love, but that is not enough any longer as she feels he used her to get at her magic. Without her help Neroche will die, but the cost may be his heart.

This is a terrific romantic fantasy in which a desperate Miach tries to woo the woman he loves to help him stop the enemy. The story line is fast-paced yet the lead duo seems real as the beleaguered hero struggles to open his heart and soul to a distrusting Morgan who knows ten things she hates about him yet in spite of that loves him. Lynn Kurland provides a fabulous second tale that sets the stage for an incredible finish.

Harriet Klausner