Running Wild
Sarah McCarty
Berkley, Jun 2008, $14.00
ISBN: 9780425221501

“Donovan” needs to persuade his cousin Wyatt to come home as his father the pack’s alpha is dying. At a bar, he meets his soul mate Lisa who was pounding the crap out of male crap for harming her younger sister Robin.

“Kelon” arrives to help his brother Donovan to convince Wyatt it is time to come home. When Kelon meets Robin he knows she is his soulmate, but some sh*thead took her virginity and hurt her emotionally so she is reluctant to be with any man.

“Wyatt” returns to his pack with his two cousins, their mates and a third sister Heather, who is his soul mate. However, like Donovan and Kelon, he must choose between the woman he loves and his pack as humans are taboo.

The three interrelated novellas provide werewolf romance fans with a strong heated collection. The story line is fast-paced whether each of the pairs are coupling or in dangerous scenarios. Fans will be RUNNING WILD with Sarah McCarty and her pack who make this fantasy romantic compilation a fun read.

Harriet Klausner

Reading the Wind
Brenda Cooper
Tor, Jul 2008, $25.95
ISBN 9780765315984

The planet Fremont was considered a dangerous place for colonization due to its odd lethal flora and fauna as much as from the meteorites that crash on its surface and it’s volcanic and quake activity. However, in spite of a need to cooperate war exploded between the original “unaltered” human settlers and the second group bioengineered to fit the orb; the purebred colonists won the sundering war.

The genetically enhanced survivors are divided between staying or leaving the planet. Whereas altered teens Chelo, Liam and Kayleen choose to stay on the only planet they know as home in spite of the big and little sundering; Chelo’s brother Joseph, his girlfriend Alicia, and their friend Bryan choose to go to the ancestral orb Silver’s Home. Jospeh wants to learn more about his roots and seek help for their broken protector, Jenna. However as Joseph navigates his way around the genemod environment of Silver’s Home, he begins to understand an angry people who thirst for avenging the genocide on Fremont with plans to eradicate the originals. Meanwhile back on Fremont, Chelo and and Liam roam wild Fremont as two of the three only known genetically changed amidst thousands of fearful originals unaware that a new race war is imminent.

The sequel to THE SILVER SHIP AND THE SEA is an exciting science fiction tale that plays out on two subplots before converging into a final confrontation. When the storyline focuses on the three teens left behind or on Jospeh’s efforts to understand Silver’s Home society and belong, the tale is excellent. When Brenda Cooper turns to the confrontational action-packed convergence subplot it feels forced and loses some of its insightfulness into a future in which a group fears bio advacements that leave them “less” than the altered next generation. Still readers will enjoy this fine look at a future form of racism.

Harriet Klausner

Romancing the Dead
Tate Holloway
Berkley, May 2008, $14.00
ISBN: 9780425221334

Witch Garnet Lacey, who has the Goddess Lilith living inside her, wants to buy the Mercury Crossing Occult Bookstore that she manages. Her vampiric fiancé Sebastian von Straum encourages her to do so. The pair also hopes to create a new coven to replace those who sadly died from a Vatican anti-vampire assault team. At the first new coven meeting, Garnet mentions Lilith to the group and Sebastian claims he is a vampire; most have some doubts with what each says.

Garnet goes to the university to attend a lecture given by Sebastian on herbs. He is late, which is a shocker as he is always punctual. His son Matyas, who sent the Vatican assassins after them, arrives. Garnet and Matyas do not like each other as she knows he sent the Vatican after them and he believes she is just Sebastian’s favorite chew toy. When Sebastian fails to arrive at all, Matyas assumes he is feeding from one of his ghouls while Garnet thinks he is in trouble.

Though enemies they go to Sebastian’s farmhouse, but he is not there. Garnet traces Sebastian’s path on the astral plane, but to her shock it splinters into many threads; something she has never seen before. She also sees a wolf with human eyes so she flees back to the farmhouse. They find Sebastian’s black book listing his sustenance ghouls. They know he is in trouble, but begin a quest to save him starting with an interview of his ghouls.

As always in a Tate Hallaway fantasy, the various types of paranormal species seem genuine and Madison, Wisconsin is a perfect setting for this the action thriller that never slows down for a moment. Readers will thoroughly appreciate this stand alone tale that also refers back to incidents in the previous two novels (see tall sexy and tall, dark & dead). Although ROMANCING THE DEAD lacks the humor that the audience expects from this talented author, this superb tale affirms the theory that “life’s a witch” worth reading about.

Harriet Klausner

Rogue
Rachel Vincent
Mira, Apr 2008, $6.99
ISBN: 9780778325550

Their pride (actually her father the alpha) has teamed up lover-werecats Faythe Sanders and Marc Ramos as territorial enforcers. Their prime job is capturing strays who the pride does not like wandering around because that usually means trouble. However, sometimes they investigate the deaths of werecats.

They are currently working two homicide cases. First they are searching for a serial killing rogue werecat who murders tomcats as if he or she is a predatory king of the jungle; second the duo also seeks another serial killer preying on human female strippers who bear an uncanny likeness to Faythe. As the two enforcers work the Arkansas-Mississippi line and rolling on the gravel, they wonder if the two investigations have a link.

As with STRAY, Faythe remains a chip off the alpha block of her father and the sassy block of her mother as she fights strays and other rogues, but this time embraces her love for Marc. Her escapades and asides will turn readers into believers of the Vincent mythos. Fans of werewolf sagas will enjoy this entertaining paranormal investigative thriller with a chick lit bite as the Enforcers search for a serial killer jungle were and someone else with Faythe being the link.

Harriet Klausner

The Restorer’s Journey
Sharon Hinck
NAV Press, Mar 2008, $14.99
ISBN: 9781600061332

Before Susan, Mark and their eighteen years old son Jake use the portal to return from the dimension of Lyric to their home on earth (see THE RESTORER’S SON), Councilman Cameron and the Rhus Media (who can twist and poison the minds of her victims) they escape through the portal into our earth too. They disappear for several weeks before they return with packages and force Susan to get through the dimension corridor with them.

Mark is unable to use the portal, but Jake travels to the other world to rescue his mother. Jake has changed since the last time he was on the other side. Cameron claims to have records that say when Restorer appeared twice in a generation, the line ends. This is a lie because Jake is the new Restorer, a person sent to the One to fight for the people and help the guardians. While Jake seeks his mother and a plan to defeat Cameron and throw the Kahlarea out of Render, Susan is trapped in the land of Rhus where Medea’s protégé tries his best to beak her by crawling through her mind.

Anyone who has felt the darkness close in on them while also feeling rage and despair should read THE RESTORER’S JOURNEY. Susan and Jake feel all that and more, but they draw on the strength from the One and in their hearts and refuse to allow evil to win. Sharon Hinck writes fantasy that takes the audience to a special magical place where faith is the cornerstone of life. Those who fail to adhere to that philosophy end up destroying themselves from inside their souls to their physical presence.

Harriet Klausner

Ravenous
Ray Garton
Dorchester, Apr 2008, $7.99
ISBN 9780843958201

Big Rock, California is a small quiet town where violent crime never occurs as everyone knows everyone else. However, that was before; now Sheriff Hurley struggles with a apprehending a serial rapist whose last victim works in his office. He feels overwhelmed but keeps searching for clues.

Fargo arrives in Big Rock claiming to be a werewolf hunter and that the town is infested with them, Hurley has enough on his plate with the rapist so he ignores the lunatic’s ramblings although he keeps an eye on him. However, Hurley reassesses his belief when reports of assaults by large animals begin and torn up mutilated bodies surface.

Ray Garton turns lycanthropy into a sexually transmitted disease; thus a vicious epidemic cycle occurs in which those victims who survive the sexual assault become unrepentant nasty RAVENOUS werewolves on the prowl needing to rape someone. With a nod to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs the werewolves are motivated by Physiological Needs making them seem real and more terrifying. Hurley is terrific as the beleaguered small-town sheriff initially struggling to accept the evidence, but it is the widening werewolf epidemic that turns this into a fabulous horror thriller.

Harriet Klausner

Raine: The Lords of Satyr
Elizabeth Amber
Kensington Aphrodisia, Mar 2008, $12.95
ISBN: 9780758220400

In 1823, the Elseworld Faery King Feydon makes a dying demand of the three scandalous Satyr siblings known for their endless sexual appetites; he orders them to marry his three illegitimate daughters. With no choice the trio heads respectively to their European destiny.

The middle brother Raine was married once before and though that ended in failure as his spouse could not deal with his satyr needs, he stoically goes to meet his bride, the King’s second daughter, Jordan in Venice. His plan is simple; hide his sexual needs from Jordan for as long as possible so that maybe they will bond before his lower head takes command of his body. However when they meet for the first time both is filled with desire as the attraction is heated. Jordan tries to hide her deep craving to be constantly caressed and loved by a man who loves her as she fears she will drive him away with her sexual needs. As they fall in love, Raine and Jordan continue to conceal what they want although in his case it is a bit harder (pun intended) to hide that seemingly eternal flag pole.

The second Lords of Satyr tale (see NICHOLAS) is a heated historical romantic fantasy that make the audience believe in satyrs (who never need Viagra) and the half-breeds who satisfy their constant craving. The lead couple shares in common: lust, love, and lies of omission as both hide their deepest needs and desires so as to not run the other off. With one erotica to go, sub-genre fans will appreciate the sexual encounters of the Regency world of Elizabeth Amber (surname seems tepid for fiery red hot romances).

Harriet Klausner

Rolling Thunder
John Varley
Ace, March 2008, $24.95, 352 pp.
ISBN: 9780441015634

Mars is an independent republic with colonies of its own having won the war with Earth and keeping the bubble technology for itself. The wave killed millions of people all over the land and made much of the land unusable for growing crops. It is considered hardship duty for anyone from the Martian military to be assigned earthside but Ensign Podkayne Strickland is a one woman show at the California when she is summoned home to say good bye to her ailing grandmother who is going into stasis until they find a cure for her.

Now Podkayne is a lieutenant assigned to the music, arts, and drama division based on Europa where the Crystal Mountains are a popular tourist sight. They send out very powerful radio waves but nobody knows what they mean or if there is life forms in the mountains. Podkayne is visiting the tourist attraction and she sees the crystal mountain named grumpy lift off. She goes into stasis and when she wakes up ten years have passed. Grumpy and six other mountaineers have landed on earth totally decimating the planet. Mars can’t take all the people who want to immigrate to earth, and fearful that the mountains will one day turn to Mars, Podkayne and her uncle Travis subsidize a way to avoid that possibility.

ROLLING THUNDER takes place sometime in the twenty-first century when humans have colonized the solar system. Podkayne is an interesting multi-faceted character, a singer who is in the military yet thinks like a Martian as she was born and raised there. The allure of Mars and their relationship to a slowly deteriorating earth is examined in much detail. The socio-political events are witnessed through Podkayne’s eyes and readers will empathize with the plight of earth yet like the Martians realize the people of the Red Planet can’t save everyone.

Harriet Klausner

The Ravening
Dawn Thompson
Love Spell; Feb 2008; $6.99
ISBN: 9780505527271

After years away, Brotherhood warrior Milosh returns to the Hyde-White family manor in Cumberland, England to complete his long term quest of killing the lord of the evil vampires Sebastian. He is stunned with what he sees as the house is a ruin obviously destroyed by fire and his friends like Joss are gone. However, most shocking is the Gypsy living amidst the wreckage.

He demands Paloma explain why she hides in this cold dump. She tells him she took refuge in this forbidden place that no one visits anymore here praying and waiting in hope that someone would come to teach her the Blood Moon technique so she can control her blood lust thirst. Paloma further explains a shapeshifting vampire bit her. Milosh is further stunned as he realizes he wants Paloma, but must not allow her to become a pawn in his war with Sebastian who he assumes bit her. She makes it even more difficult to resist her when she offers her love, body and soul to him.

Decades since the events of early Victorian THE BROTHERHOOD and even more years since Regency THE BLOOD MOON, the final tale in the Chronicles of the Blood Moon Victorian vampire saga is a superb final confrontation between good and evil. The key to this excellent vampire romantic suspense is how Dawn Thompson keeps the feeling that the bad guy is going to win as the hero is distracted by love. THE RAVENING is vampire historical romantic suspense at its best.

Harriet Klausner

Runemarks
Joanne Harris
Knopf, Jan 2008, $18.99
ISBN: 9780375844447

Five centuries have past since the battle of Ragnarok in which the gods lost and eternal winter became the norm. With the gods gone and allegedly no more magic existing, filling the leadership vacuum of the Middle World of the Nine Worlds is the Order, who rule with an iron fisted theocracy.

Maddy Smith born with a runemark on her palm knows some residue magic still exists. However the eight hundred villagers of Malbry in the Strond Valley region of the civilized Inland island scorn her because her “ruinmark” make them believe she is a witch. They would exile her except that their hamlet is on the edge of Red Horse Hill, a locale containing the pre-Ragnarok power. Thus they need the witch’s skills to control the goblin plague that comes with being so close to the ancient magic. Everything changes for the needed pariah when a traveler One-Eye enters the village. He recognizes her having a world destiny if she can believe in herself; he offers to teach Maddy in Faerie; she avidly accepts.

The biggest problem for parents with this excellent young adult Norse fantasy is their children will be so hooked with the Potter syndrome they will stay up several nights to read this wonderful five hundred plus page tale. The story line is fast-paced from the first rune to the last while the supportive cast is fully developed from Adam the Bully to the heroine’s family to the Devotees to the goblins Lucky and Sugar and Sack, etc. However, Maddy and to a lesser degree her mentor own this coming of age Middle World saga.

Harriet Klausner