Bedeviled
Sable Grace
Avon, Dec 27 2011, $7.99
ISBN: 9780061964411

Vampyre-Lychen hybrid Dark Breed Kyana Aslan saved the life of Haven when she turned her BFF into a vampire by giving her blood. However, Kyana learns where good intentions lead to when the rebellious raging spirit of Cronos possesses Haven. Cronos plans to use the recently transformed Haven as a vessel to overthrow the Olympus pantheon, but his host has a vendetta too as she needs to kill her once beloved “sister” for changing her into this monster.

Although her bodyguard Ryker the demigod has not mouthed one I told you so, looks tell Kyana that he knows she erred due to her love of a friend. Now she must rectify her passionate saving of Haven because in seven days her BFF replaces Kyana as the new Artemis Goddess of the Hunt and therefore Haven must die before this transformation to prevent her BFF from bringing hell on Earth.

The second enjoyable Dark Breed Greek mythos urban fantasy (see Ascension) is an exciting tale that looks deep into the soul of the heroine as she struggles between guilt over her friend whom she expects to kill, whining over her wardrobe, and lusting over the body of her bodyguard. Fast-paced from start to finish, however the clothing and Ryker issues at times supersede the intriguing hellish Haven horror subplot.

Harriet Klausner

The Bride Wore Leather
Simon R. Green
Ace, Jan 3 2012, $25.95
ISBN: 9781937007133

After trying to escape from Darkside, John Taylor has accepted his place in the darkest part of London. He has become the new Walker Voice of the Authorities and is marrying his beloved Suzie Shooter, the most dangerous bounty hunter in town.

However, before settling down, John wants to work one last case as a private investigator. He learns of a plot at the annual Ball of Forever to destroy an immortality serum. John gets inside and finds himself investigating the murder of the King of Skin. As the Walker, he and his friend Julien Advent search for the Sun King who believes that this locality abomination and its denizen need ethnic cleansing. Meanwhile nothing goes right; everyone hunts John including his leather clad fiancée who he fears might choose the bounty over love.

Although a bit thinner than usual, the latest Nightside thriller (see A Hard day’s Night) is a fast-paced exhilarating thriller. John tells the tale of how he goes from the fire into the frying pan while someone in the shadows manipulates the scenario. Fans will enjoy John’s tsuris as Darkside and the Sun King come after him while he wonders if he knows Suzie.

Harriet Klausner

Tricks of the Trade
Laura Anne Gilman
Luna, Nov 15 2011, $14.95
ISBN: 9780373803316

Private Unaffiliated Paranormal Investigations (PUPI) top dogs assign Paranormal Scene Investigator Bonnie Torres as part of the team looking into two cases. First there is an affluent Null human claiming a Talent broke into his home damaging two rooms and stealing two objects. Second there is the murder of a floater found by NYPD, but who turns out to be a fatae so it becomes PUPI’s inquiry. Both cases go nowhere while pressure mounts on PUPI to resolve them.

At the same time, Bonnie and her supervisor Ben Venec struggle to ignore their respective magical essences that want them to merge in order to create their offspring. Finally in the Electric Apple is frustrated rock-in Roblin who wants to destroy Bonnie and her teammates.

The third Paranormal Scene Investigations (see Hard Magic and Pack of Lies) is an exciting urban fantasy mystery that employs magical forensics. Bonnie is a terrific protagonist while her teammates especially Big Ben enhance the thriller. Although the three prime PSI detecting subplots never quite merge, readers will enjoy touring the Electric Apple with Bonnie and the pups.

Harriet Klausner

Bride of the Night
Heather Graham
Harlequin HQN, Nov 22 2011, $7.99
ISBN 9780373776153

In 1865 Pinkerton detective Finn Dunne believes Confederate spy Tara Fox plans to assassinate President Lincoln when Tara tries to run the Union blockade of her hometown of Key West. She fails as her ship and Finn’s vessel become shipwrecked on an island. However, the half-vampire is wrong about her intentions. Instead of wanting him dead, she follows her visions in an effort to prevent the killing of the president.

Tara explains to him what her mission is, but he distrusts her. As they fall in love, vampires attack them. They survive the assault and begin a perilous journey to DC hoping to arrive in time to prevent the murder of President Lincoln and expose the diabolical leader behind the conspiracy

This is an entertaining Civil War era paranormal romance in which Heather Graham merges historical facts with a vampire thriller. The story line is fast-paced except when Tara goes into vision mode, which detracts and slows down dramatically rather than enhancing the plot. Still in spite of being over the top of the Key West Lighthouse, fans of the author will enjoy this overall entertaining Americana thriller.

Harriet Klausner

Hunter of Shadows
Nancy Gideon
Pocket, Nov 29 2011, $7.99
ISBN 9781439199503

New Orleans Police Detective Silas MacCreedy wants his shapeshifter clan to regain the preeminence his family once had. He investigates the recent rash of Shaper females vanishing without a trace. When he sees a woman under assault in an alley, he races to her rescue. Only shapeshfting Monica Fraser proves capable of taking care of herself.

Nica is an assassin in town on a mission. He has no time for a cop, but is attracted to Silas. He wants her as much as she does him. As they team up to look into what is happening to shapeshfting women, Charlotte Caissie and Max Savoie assist them. With their lives in peril, the pairs of couples face their biggest danger: love.

This is a great romantic urban fantasy with links to Nancy Gideon’s Moonlight saga (see Masked by Moonlight and Bound by Moonlight). The story line is loaded with twists as the “Good Samaritan” cop seems to always be near the trained professional killer. Star-crossed as a rival tribe hired her, fans will enjoy the first Shadows of New Orleans due to the kick butt heroine who easily takes the life out of men.

Harriet Klausner

Courting Darkness
Yasmine Galenorn
Jove, Nov 1 2011, $7.99
ISBN: 9780515150070

Camille the witch has just returned home bone weary from frozen escapades in the Northlands when her half-sister Menolly (see Blood Wyne for her last lead) accosts her to tell her a demon is in a stand off with werebadger bartender Derrick at the Wayfarer Bar and Grill demanding to speak with her only. The demon is actually a daemon with a message from Trytian the daemon Camille does not trust. His message is a white dragon is in the Demon Underground is seeking Camille. She shows the note to one of her husbands Smoky the white-silver mixed dragon. They both know that his father Hyto hunts them with the intent to kill his son who has shamed him with this abomination marriage and slay his daughter-in-law who led his offspring astray.

A new crisis arises when something at Tangleroot Park sucks friend Chase Johnson through an otherworld energy portal. Camille and her half sister Delilah the werecat/werepanther (see Harvest Hunting for her last lead) attempt to rescue Chase. However, Hyto captures Camille. He plans to break her soul before ripping apart her body.

The tenth D’Artigo Sisters Otherworld urban fantasy is a terrific entry as this time Camille (see Bone Magic for her last lead) is the one going through emotional and physical challenges as the lead role returns to her. The tense story line grips the reader from the moment the two half sisters mount the recue and only intensifies when the father-in-law from hell caches up with Camille. Although the overarching war against the Shadow Wing does not move forward much, the dysfunctional family dragon subplot does so readers need to set aside time with another great Yasmine Galenorn thriller.

Harriet Klausner

Utterly Charming
Kristine Grayson
Sourcebooks, Oct 1 2011, $6.99
ISBN: 9781402248511

Ealhswith the witch and Aethelstan Blackstone the wizard are in a custody battle over who cares for Emma the Sleeping Beauty. In Portland Blackstone accompanied by Sancho Panza hire near impoverished lawyer Nora Barr to represent the wizard in court, but once she hears him admit he has no legal relationship to the comatose woman, Nora says she cannot help him. Two weeks later, she is his lawyer as Blackstone faces criminal charges of arson and murder in a fire fight. Soon after that mess is cleaned up she is retained by the pair to hide the minibus containing Emma in her coffin.

A decade later, after a one millennium sleep, Emma awakens. Blackstone knows he is her Prince Charming, but she rejects him; blaming her so called champion for costing her a thousand years of life. Emma also wants no part of Ealhswith, the other party that has made her the rope in a tug of war. Instead she asks Nora to mentor her in living in modern day Portland starting with a social security card. Prince Charming finds himself attracted to Nora but knows his fate lies with Emma.

The second charming fractured fairy tale (see Wickedly Charming) is an engaging humorous satire that the late cartoonist Jay Ward would have appreciated. Filled with jocularity as Emma, Blackstone, Ealhswith and Panza converge in modern day Portland in an epic battle of magic in which the warriors learn modern day combatants require a lawyer. Readers will enjoy this amusing take on Sleeping Beauty sleepless in Portland.

Harriet Klausner

The Omen Machine
Terry Goodkind
Tor, Aug 16 2011, $29.99
ISBN: 9780765327727

Richard Rahl learns that many people are using false prophecies as decision making tools. He feels the morons are being taken for an inane ride while believing individuals should ignore self-fulfilling prophecy and do what they think is right based in hard information and a few hunches.

However, he is taken aback when individuals with no skills begin to have visions. Worse he and Khalan Amnell notice something off kilter at the Peoples Palace so they make inquiries. They and Zedd soon find two wordbook tomes (End Times and Regula) in the library managed by Berdine. Disturbed with what is going on, they investigate further but apparently a Hedge Maid hunts Richard who hides in the Garden of Life. There he finds The Omen Machine that apparently is responsible for the sudden pandemic growth in prophecy; while in Da’Hara a prophet demands total leadership through prophecy.

The return to the Sword of Truth fantasy world of Richard and Khalan with the start of a new arc is a fun treat for fans of the series. The story line is fast-paced from the moment Richard and Khalan begin to realize something is afoot in the empire and never slows until the confrontation. Although the villain’s powerful paranormal skills go counter-intuitive to what has happened in previous entries, readers who let that ride will enjoy Terry Goodkind’s latest adventures of R & K.

Harriet Klausner

The Shattered Vine
Laura Anne Gilman
Gallery/Pocket, Oct 18 2011, $26.00
ISBN: 9781439101483

In the Lands Vin, the Vinarts create and shape the magic into wine to sell the spells to those who want it. They are isolated remaining on their lands and cannot interfere with the political structure. The land-lords protect humanity and the vinelands because they want to benefit from the magical spells. The Washers have the power to insure everyone adheres to the god Sim-Wander’s laws. Those who fail to do so become apostate.

After an enemy of the Lands Vin killed his mentor, Jerzy the former apprentice became the newest Vineart. He believes Ximan who is the Exiles’ leader is responsible for the subtle dark magic permeating the land, which has led to land-lords fighting one another with a widening schism between the Washers. Though he accepts the evil practitioner tainting the Lands Vins with foulness is more powerful than he will ever be, Jerzy begins a quest to find the source of the taint and neutralize him. Helping Jerzy are Ao the trader, Mahault the intelligent self-exile and Kainam the former heir to an island that is on the brink of magical induced lunacy.

The third Vineart War fantasy (see Flesh And Fire and Weight of Stone) continues the spellbinding magical saga with its unique system as two types of magic battle for supremacy in an exciting good vs. evil scenario. The reluctant hero prefers not to deal with the dark arts but he has no choice as his nation appears heading to destruction if he and his teammates fail. Readers will toast Laura Anne Gilman for her refreshing magic of the vines.

Harriet Klausner

A Vampire Christmas Carol
Sarah Gray
Kensington, Oct 1 2011, $5.00
ISBN: 9780758266835

Buried seven years ago, Jacob Marley visits his former partner Ebenezer Scrooge to warn him that all the misery and isolation the latter has felt has been caused by vampires who want to insure he fails to fulfill his destiny. Marley explains he will have three ghosts visit him to affirm what he has told Scrooge that the undead bloodsuckers have caused his rift with those he loved like his family, his former fiancée Belle and his employee Bob Cratchit.

The spiritual journey Scrooge undertakes leads him to better comprehend what has happened to him as he finally understands what caused the estrangement with Belle and learns of the personal hardships Cratchit and his family face, and finally his only living blood relative Fred his nephew who still cares about his acrimonious misery uncle. This is Scrooge’s last chance to save his soul as his loved ones are in mortal combat against the vampires.

This is an engaging retelling of the classic holiday tale as Sarah Gray provides a fascinating cause for Scrooge’s acrimony. The story line follows the ghostly guides but gravely focus on the war for Scrooge’s soul between the vampires isolating him and his loved ones trying to save him. Although lacking the satirical humor of similar reenactments like Steve Hockensmith’s Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Wayne Josephson’s Emma and the Vampires, fans who enjoy paranormal renditions of Victorian and Regency classics will want to read this exciting but bleakly grayish vampiric Christmas Carol.

Harriet Klausner