New Releases

Blood Wyne
Yasmine Galenorn
Berkley, Feb 1 2011, $7.99
ISBN: 9780425239742

Like her two half-fae Sisters of the Moon sisters (Camille the witch – see Bone Magic; and Delilah the werecat/werepanther – see Harvest Hunting) Menolly D'Artigo the Vampire has resigned as an Otherworld Intelligence Agency field operative. The trio believes they will have more flexibility and less bureaucracy fighting the Otherworld invaders. Meanwhile she and Nerissa the werepuma are in love.

However, Menolly also cannot sit idly by when she learns a vampiric serial killer is murdering hookers. She fears the backlash by humans to vampires and other paranormals, so she plans to act before the mob mentality sets in. Tracking down the killer should be as all she has to do is follow the blood trail. However, nasty ghosts get involved mucking up her investigation. Menolly asks powerful vampire Roman to help her find the predator. He agrees for a fee; she must acquiesce to being his consort even as his mother ancient Vampire Queen Blood Wyne is returning to gain control of the undead population.

The ninth Sisters of the Moon urban fantasy is a superb thriller that continues to be fresh by the rotation of prime focus between the siblings. This time Menolly the most complicated sister with her extreme mental issues is caught up in her new world of vampirism. This forces her to choose between the lesser of evil at a time in which her species breaking into a bloody civil war seems imminent. Harriet Klausner

Archangel’s Consort
Nalini Singh
Berkley, Jan 25 2011, $7.99
ISBN: 9780425240137

Following the harrowing battle with the ancient Archangel of China Lijuan, miraculously newly made Angel Elena Deveraux the Guild Hunter and the Archangel of New York Raphael are recovering from their devastating confrontation with the Archangel of China, Lijuan (see Archangel’s Kiss). However, though they sort of won the battle, Lijuan remains dangerous as she has evolved into something beyond the ken of the archangels.

Elena continues her training as an angel, but refuses to hand in her Guild Hunter membership. At the same time vampires are caught up in unheard of blood lust frenzies and too frequently natural disasters are everywhere. Raphael fears the rise of a long dormant insane ancient archangel he knows personally.

The third Archangel Guild Hunter fantasy (see Angel’s Blood) is a terrific entry as the lead couple continues to grow separately and as a loving team. The story line is fast-paced with a strong mystery and a great twist to what is the cause of the vampire enigma. The support cast is very strong with distinct personalities as this series remains one of the best with the current entry affirming that for delighted fans of Nalini Singh. Harriet Klausner

Evenfall
Liz Michalski
Berkley, Feb 1 2011, $15.00
ISBN: 9780425238721

In Hartman, Connecticut, when her Uncle Frank Wildermuth died, Andie Murphy returns to Evenfall to help her Aunt Gert cope with her loss and handle the estate. Andie has a personal reason for coming to the farm that she enjoyed visiting as a child; to escape as her last relationship recently ended poorly.

Gert and her niece are fleeing memories of the men in their lives as they struggle to adapt to their different loss. Gert always loved Frank but he married her late sister Clara instead. Though the farm contains whispers, neither women realizes the source. Filled with remorse almost his entire life when he chose the wrong sibling as a teen, Frank’s ghost refuses to move on until he helps his sister-in-law and niece move on with their lives.

Albeit a story about a ghost who understands the maxim never to give up, Evenfall is much more a profound character study that looks deep into the souls of three people. The story line rotates lead as each protagonist and the farm come across as genuine and unique. Readers will answer affirmative when asked do you believe in ghosts upon reading Liz Michalski’s warm relationship drama. Harriet Klausner