Eventide
Elle Jasper
Signet, Mar 6 2012, $7.99
ISBN: 9780451236258

Savannah tattoo artist Riley Poe the demon hunter (see Afterlight) still struggles with the vampiric bite (see Everdark) that has changed her. She fears the worst will happen to her as her humanity seems to be slipping away. Her lover Eli Dupre the vampire also is concerned about the changes in the soul of his Riley. Strigoi Victorian Arcos suggests she travel to Romania to meet with the head vampire whose minion attacked her.

Though concerned about her entering the evil lair, Eli agrees with Victorian’s assessment and escorts his beloved to Eastern Europe. There she will confront what is destroying her from within or die soulless, but to survive she must depend on Eli; a need she loathes as she prefers her independence than reliance on another person.

The final Dark Ink Chronicles urban fantasy is a great finish that will elates fans of this super saga. The Jasper universe is fully developed so that the audience believes in vampires, demons and hunters residing by the neurologically typical. The lead couple is at their best, but this is Riley’s show as readers will wonder whether Eventide is nevermore.

Harriet Klausner

Forbidden
Syrie James and Ryan M. James
Harper Teen, Jan 24 2012, $8.99
ISBN: 9780062027894

In Southern California, sixteen years old Claire hopes this time she and her mom stay in one spot so she can makes friends at the Emerson Academy that she attends on a scholarship. Her nomadic mom has them relocating seemingly even before they can open their bags. At the school Claire meets new student Alec, an angel attending school for a bit of R&R though if caught by the Elders he will be executed for desertion. He explains to her why her mother constantly is on the run; as Claire is a half-angel, a hybrid species considered an abomination by the angel Elders.

Alec and Claire fall in love while Helena begins sending visions to Claire with a warning to tell no one, not even her beloved, of her psychic powers. Unable to resist Claire reveals all to her friends. When her life is threatened, Alec risks his to keep her safe.

Although angels are a large population in the paranormal romance subgenre (see His Dark Bond By Anne Marsh), team James provide an entertaining teenage romantic urban fantasy. The storyline is fast-paced while the antics of the heroine are fun to follow as her hormones war with her brain. Although the support characters are out of the genre’s typical casting mold, Alec is a unique individual who is wary and in love. Readers will enjoy Claire’s coming of age not so angelic Los Angeles joy ride.

Harriet Klausner

The Haunting of Maddy Clare
Simone St. James
NAL, Mar 6 2012, $14.00
ISBN: 9780451235688

In 1922 London, ghost researcher Alistair Gelles hires Sarah Piper as his temporary assistant. He explains to her that his permanent assistant Matthew Ryder is visiting his pregnant sister and that the patron Mrs. Clare asks for a female to get the ghost of the late serving girl Maddy, who hung herself, to leave.

Sarah enters the barn alone. She finds the barn on fire. She escapes, but once outside the barn is fine. She tells Alistair and Matthew who arrives what happened. Later she sees the scars on Matthew’s back, but he misunderstands her reaction as he assumes his war injuries horrify her. Instead she thinks he is beautiful. The team learns Maddy arrived battered and mute at the Clare farm when she was twelve. Sarah asks Maddy about her suicide note in which she said “I will kill them.” Later Sarah and Matthew have sex, but afterward he apologizes, which hurts her. The trio enters the barn. Matthew sees Maddy; Sarah senses Maddy is near; and Alistair hears music. Maddy tells Sarah that three men violated her as a little girl and she wants revenge. She orders Sarah to find them and her gravesite. Mrs. Clare smashes an oil lamp causing a fire. Matthew rescues Alistair who thinks he is back in combat. Sarah and Matthew investigate when the first unexplained (except by an avenging ghost) murder occurs.

This is an entertaining Post WWI British haunted barn thriller in which the researchers are fully developed, the ghost seems real, and the townsfolk enhance the enjoyable story line. Although the prime romantic subplot between the two research assistants feels forced and unnecessary, fans will appreciate Simone St. James’s well written early twentieth century ghost story.

Harriet Klausner

Fated
Benedict Jacka
Ace, Feb 28 2012, $7.99
ISBN 9781937007294

In London, Alex Verus runs a magic shop. Not only does this proprietorship enable him to use his knowledge but is also the perfect cover in plain sight of his talent. Alex is a diviner mage who can see the infinite possible futures and can sometimes influence which one occurs. His ability has the warring forces of the Light and the Dark wanting him on their respective side and will do anything even causing collateral damage to the innocent to make him their stooge.

Choosing neither side as he believes both are wrong with the damage they cause to civilians, Alex has one other unique trait that no other mage apparently possesses as he is an empath who feels for those he knows. The mage factions demand Alex open a relic from the ancient mage war. He looks into the future and realizes that the outcome of doing their bidding is one hundred percent deaths for him and his two dependents, Luna the cursed woman, and Starbreeze the ancient air elemental dumber than a rock. Alex and his wards flee as he foresees their only slim possible chance to survive the assaults from the Light and the Dark is flight not fight.

This is a great opening act as the first Alex Verus urban fantasy establishes the Jacka rules of magical physics but does so interwoven inside a fast-paced storyline. The cast is solid (even the ephemeral) but rascally Alex keeps the tale focused as he versus a world in which the superpowers reject neutrality; nor does either side care about the mundane. Instead the mantra is “You’re either part of the solution or part of the problem” (Eldridge Cleaver).

Harrier Klausner

Third Grave Dead Ahead
Darynda Jones
St. Martin’s, Jan 31 2012, $23.99
ISBN 9781250001542

Grim Reaper and private investigator Charley Davidson seeks a missing spouse whose husband acts uncaringly aloof and detached as if he has no stake in the case. However, Charley struggles to focus on her inquiry as her brain seems to contain one icon, Reyes Farrow, the hybrid son of Satan.

Reyes rages at Charley for failing to work his case as the half human supermodel stands accused of murdering his stepfather, which he denies he did. Others need Charley’s distracted attention too while her caring family begs her to take an office job especially when her cases include a bike gang who demands she find a canine killer or face their grim grave retaliation for failing them.

The third delightfully droll Davidson grave romantic mystery (see First Grave on the Right and Second Grave on the Left) is a great entry in which the zany craziness brilliantly comes together into an amusing, exciting dark thriller. Fast-paced and loaded with action, Charley wonders who will betray her first from amongst her heart, her family or her insane clients.

Harriet Klausner

Bound by Darkness
Alexandra Ivy
Zebra, Dec 1 2011, $7.99
ISBN: 9781420111361

The recent death of malevolent Morgana le Fey has freed the Sylvermyst from the evil one who enslaved and tortured them. However used to being liberated to make decisions, the clan reacts differently. Prince Ariyal will do anything to keep the Dark Lord from finding a new vessel to return to while Tearloch insanely obsesses over bring back their former master. He kidnaps a baby that will serve as the vessel for a mage to perform the rite of passage. Ariyal plans to kill the innocent infant so that the Dark Lord cannot return.

The Commission assigns vampire warrior Jaelyn to capture Ariyal to take to the Oracles and to protect the baby. However he stuns her when he takes her prisoner instead; he takes her to the Avalon. As an Oracle proclaims they must work together to prevent global destruction, he asks her to assist him in hunting down his rogue kin controlled by evil.

The latest Guardians of Eternity romantic fantasy (see Devoured by Darkness) is an excellent entry; starring two intrepid souls who are natural enemies though share the bond of love. The storyline is action-packed but driven by the lead couple who go from antagonists to protagonists as their respective missions intertwine on an increasingly deadlier wider scale. Bound by Darkness is a strong thriller.

Harriet Klausner

Under Attack
Hannah Jayne
Kensington, Dec 1 2011, $7.99
ISBN: 9780758258939

Underworld Detection Agency executive assistant Sophie Lawson knows her beat the streets (and underground) of San Francisco is renowned for the “undead, the mostly dead and the back from the dead” clients. Sophie has no magic except she is a rare human immune to magic. Thus she is a top agent assisting the paranormal who live in the city though she knows new manager Dixon Andrade might fire the only human in the UDA San Francisco office.

After work and an impossible stain, Sophie goes home looking forward to a tub. However fallen angel Alex Grace arrives demanding her help. Sophie knows he was de-winged and thrown out of heaven for being a hemorrhoid bringer. He seeks the Vessel of Souls, which has the ability to return his wings to him. His fallen peers also search for the artifact while suddenly murders have gripped the city in a way that has even immortal demons and other dead so frightened of a second chance at death they shake like they are caught in the epicenter of an earthquake.

The second UDA Chronicles -SF urban fantasy (see Under Wraps) cleverly combines a strong magical whodunit with satirical insight into society. For instance Sophie considers a formal complaint if pink-slipped due to being an NT, and the Vampire Empowerment and Restoration Movement protests Hollywood inhumane and inaccurate portrayal. Fans will laugh at the bureaucracy and the bathroom humor while Sophie works with Alex, but distrusts the charmer who always has a ploy. Hannah Jayne makes demons, vampires, and other paranormal seem normal as Sophie is the abnormal.

Harriet Klausner

Shattered Dreams
Ellie James
St. Martin’s Griffin, Dec 6 2011, $9.99
ISBN: 9780312647025

Sixteen years old Trinity Monsour was raised by her paternal Gran in isolation in the Colorado Mountains hoping to keep her granddaughter safe from her maternal heritage. When Gran died, Trinity’s Aunt Sara takes her orphaned niece to live with her in New Orleans. Gran’s hopes to shelter Trinity from her DNA had already failed in Colorado as she suffered horrific nightmares about her late parents and visions of catastrophic happenings; just like her mom did.

At the new high school she attends in New Orleans, Jessica the cruel popular girl makes sure the newcomer is a pariah especially after her boyfriend Chase shows interest in Trinity. Soon afterward, Jessica vanishes just as Trinity envisioned it. While NOPD suspects Trinity of enacting revenge, she and Chase mount a rescue attempt.

Mindful of My Lunatic Life by Sharon Sala, Shattered Dreams is an entertaining young adult urban fantasy. Narrated by the heroine, Trinity is a fascinating heroine who struggles to understand her paranormal skills and life in a New Orleans high school while no reader will look at Halo in the same way. Although the story line jumps from one subplot to another at a disjointed too rapid rate, the first Midnight Dragonfly novel is a fun middle school age paranormal thriller.

Harriet Klausner

How to Worship a Goddess
Stephanie Julian
Sourcebooks, Dec 6 2011, $14.99
ISBN: 9781402251504

Lucy Aster happens to be Lusna the Etruscan Goddess of the Moon. She is a big hockey fan going to She goes to every Railers’ game as she enjoys the gracefulness of the sport even at the minor leagues’ level of her favorite team; as she has for the past two years. However, Lucy knows Brandon Stevenson born in 1976 as opposed to her two millennia plus life is the puck she follows.

Most fans are unaware that the players perform bird watching. Brand has only looked at one fan in the stands for the past two years. Feeling like a stalker, he finds her remote quaint bar, Brand and Lucy meet following her singing. They make love, but she erases his memory though he has quite a hangover. The next day while playing Trenton he is distracted because his goddess is not in her seat. After the game and a vicious hit, he works his way through last night and returns to the bar he should not have remembered. At the same time, an underground stalker plans to devour Lusna whose power is waning. However neither her hunter from hell or the Etruscan Goddess of the Moon factored in her brave soulmate; who is ready to do more than hip-check their opponent.

The latest Forgotten Goddesses (see What a Goddess Wants) is an entertaining amusing urban romantic fantasy starring two wonderful protagonists and a vile villain coming for her. The sex mixes enhances the improbable pair in love as he remains resolute as her defenseman against a seemingly invincible foe. Stephanie Julian writes a delightful twisting paranormal Stanley Cup winner.

Harriet Klausner

Under Attack
Hannah Jane
Kensington, Nov 1 2011, $7.99
ISBN: 9780758258939

Her new boss at the Underworld Detection Agency in San Francisco wants supes only so one Executive Assistant Sophie Lawson, the human immune to the paranormal, expects to receive the pink slip shortly although she wonders if EEOC will protect her rights against firing due to ethnic origin. The thought of unemployment disturbs Sophie as she loves what she does.

Her sometimes boyfriend Alex Grace the fallen angels asks Sophie to help him obtain the Vessel of Souls before someone else obtains the relic that he believes will restore him his wings. Ophelia the fallen angel also wants the artifact. She believes the best way to win the prize is to cause issues for Sophie. As the paranormal are murdered related to the search, Sophie distrusts the fallen angel or any other supe possessing the Vessel of Souls. To her shock, Sophie finds the clues take her to her family’s history.

The second UDA urban fantasy (see Under Wraps) is a delightful amusing yet taut thriller. The heroine struggles with the fear of losing her job while on the dangerous hunt for a relic in which she does not quite understand its significance but knows that fallen angels want it so she comprehends the implication. The investigation is terrific across the streets of San Francisco while balanced by the satirical jocularity of life as a supe different from the Hollywood portrayal and no reader will look at a bathroom the same way.

Harriet Klausner