Some interesting new titles

More from Harriet to let you know about some of the interesting titles floating around in the bookstore.

Belong To The Night
Shelly Laurenston, Cynthia Eden and Sherrill Quinn
Kensington Brava, Sep 2009, $14.00
ISBN: 9780758238863

"The Wolf, the Witch and Her Lack of Wardrobe" by Shelly Laurenston. In Smithville, Jamie struggles with controlling her bewitching paranormal skills. Wolfshifter Sheriff Tully knows Jamie has him bewitched. When they team up to fight a rogue pack, both has trouble focusing on the invaders.

"In the Dark” by Cynthia Eden. In Miami leopard-shifting FBI agent Sadie finds that her ex-lover Liam isn't dead, but he is not what one would say is alive except in a lower extremity. They team up to go after a serial killing leopard-shifter, but both have trouble focusing on the predator.

"City of the Dead” by Sherrill Quinn. In New Orleans, witch Dori and vampire Sabin seek her missing brother and to obtain the stolen powerful the Eye of Bastet amulet. Cajun cop Jake assists them in preventing a demon from witch genocide on All Hallows Eve.

These three urban fantasy police procedural romances are superb fun due to a strong cast (especially the good guys and gals) who make the paranormal seem genuine.
Harriet Klausner

The Midnight Guardian
Sarah Jane Stratford
St. Martin’s, Oct 2009, $24.99
ISBN: 9780312560133

By 1940 Hitler had succeeded in killing all the vampires on the continent. He created a special hunter unit, the Nachtspeere whose mission was the vampiric genocide. However, Millennials, millennium old vampires are not easy to kill as they double in strength and other powers in their thousandth year. Only a few special hunters can kill a Millennial because each vampire has a demon inside who feeds on their hunger and gives them the skill to strike back at their enemies.

With the Millennials dead on the mainland, the British Millennial vampires send a group to Germany to prevent a human war as memories of the destruction of WWI lingers when their food supply killed one another that led to a vampire civil war. Brigit and the others plan to kill key SS men in order to prevent Hitler from occupying France. In Germany the unit is stunned by Hitler’s Final Solution and hope to create enough chaos to slow down Hitler’s master plan as he and his leadership teams prove they are greater monsters than vampires with what they are doing to the Jews. Brigit leaves Germany with two orphaned Jewish kids as the Nazi vampire hunters stalk her on a train ad boat on her way home to England.

Told from Brigit’s perspective, readers learn through flashbacks how she was turned, how she became freed of her sire, and how she met her eternal love Eammon who waits for her back home. Their love sustains her as she rides the trains towards the Channel with the real evil in pursuit of her and her precious cargo. THE MIDNIGHT GUARDIAN is an intriguing take on what is evil as Sarah Jane Stratford makes the case that deeds not species defines malevolency. Harriet Klausner

The Kindred
L.L Foster
Jove, Sep 2009, $7.99
ISBN: 9780515146905

Paladin Gabrielle “Gabby” Cody and police detective Luther Cross are trying to find a common ground as they fall in love. She as God’s warrior enforcer uses methods outside the law that he is obligated to enforce.

However, her biggest concern is her desire for Luther interfering with her higher calling. As she struggles with love, an evil predator is devouring human bodies and souls. She knows the monster is coming for her, but that does not frighten her as she has dealt with malevolent beings for years; though her need for her beloved distracts her. However, the couple realizes the beast is targeting children playing in a playground to force Gabby into a confrontation on the creature’s terms.

The third Servant thriller is a super romantic urban fantasy. The lead couple struggle with a beast and with their attraction as their differing methods do not make for easy bed talk. The story line is fast-paced and filled with action as the vile creature controls the altercation. Fans will enjoy the latest entry while newcomers should read the previous novels (see THE ACCEPTANCE and THE AWAKENING) to better understand the fabulous world of L.L. Foster and the dysfunctional loving relationship between the lead sleuths. Harriet Klausner

Storm of Shadow
Christina Dodd
Signet, Sep 2009, $7.99
ISBN: 9780451228130

Aaron Eagle has used his paranormal skill of becoming a mist as a thief. However, now he is one of the Chosen so he feels a strong sense of purpose to use his gift to help fulfill the prophecy and as a form of redemption. While his Chosen teammates remains stunned with the destruction of their base (see STORM OF VISION), he seeks his soulmate to help him on the quest.

Antiquities librarian Rosamund Hill is a pragmatist like her dad; she scoffs at her late mom’s belief in the legend of the Chosen Ones. Her belief system is devastated with a knock on her door. Aaron has come for his Rosamund, who struggles with believing he wants her and trying to accept that her mom was right. However Aaron has competition for Rosamund, who cannot believe two hunks want her.

STORM OF SHADOW is a fabulous Chosen Ones urban romantic fantasy that follows up from the first entry, STORM OF VISION; thus that book should be read first to fill in the background. The relationship between the librarian and the former thief is terrific, but it is the battle and fears of failure; their mentors understand sending an inexperienced team into combat in which danger is everywhere and betrayal is the norm can get them killed; while the key seventh Chosen has not been found and the records destroyed that make this work a stupendous thriller. Christina Dodd is two for two. Harriet Klausner