Friday, February 25, 2011

Jacqueline Frank, Marilee Brothers and Kresley Cole's latest

Seduce Me in Dreams
Jacquelyn Frank
Ballantine, Mar 22 2011, $7.99
ISBN: 9780345517678


Interplanetary Militia Extreme Tactical Force First Active team Commander Bronce Chapel carries wounded communication officer Trick on his back as they trek the black Gimper Desert on Ebbany. Bronce mulls over what went wrong as the Nomaads expected them and prays the other members of the team are safe. The quintet makes it to their ship and travels to their home planet of Ulrike.

Bronce worries about dreams of a woman he never met who appears. Ravenna asks who he is and why he taunts her. She has been visiting his dreams for a month and wishes he would rescue her and her brother Kith from rogue Nomaads.

While in the hospital, Trick hacks into Admiral JuJuren’s file and find interesting information on the near deadly desert mission. He shows Bronce who says the Admiral sold them out and they need to trust no one. JuJuren signs the order for the team to return to Ebbany to rescue a kidnapped High King. Bronce knows it is a trap but they begin to mount the rescue. Bronce falls into a hole and opens a cell door where he sees the real Ravenna and Kith. The soldiers break with procedure by taking the “Chosen Ones” civilians with them. They soon learn more about the Chosen Ones and the betrayal.

Known for her romantic fantasy (see The Nightwalkers series), Jacquelyn Frank switches to romantic science fiction with an entertaining outer space thriller. The cast both the unit and the Chosen Ones contain differing personalities even while the fast-paced story line is loaded with action. Although the plot is thin and the villain’s motive never explained, fans will enjoy visiting the tri planets Ebbany, Ulrike and Tari. Harriet Klausner

Moon Spun
Marilee Brothers
Belle Bridge, Jul 1 2010, $14.95
www.bellbridgebooks.com
ISBN: 9781935661955


At John J. Peacock High School in Peacock Flats, Washington, student Alfrieda "Allie" Emerson cannot believe how she could go from unpopular to pariah all because her mom dates the principal Mr. Hostetler. However, she has issues besides no clean underwear at a time when two boys are once again sniffing her; as Junior has come from Mexico with a retinue and Beck the half demon is healing the new girl on the block.

Meanwhile besides dodging the usual high school suspects of miscreant and deviant behavior, Allie knows the Trimarks remain a major threat to world stability (what there is) and to her well being. However, her biggest issue besides the pendant she wears is that a third boy shapeshifting Ryker has joined her other two sniffers. This were-hawk knows he and Allie are destiny’s darlings as life mates if they can save Boundless, the land of the fairy, from a horde that make the Trimarks look like elementary school. Allie knows as tough as this evil crew may be they are not near high school lethal.

The third Unbidden Magic teen urban fantasy (see Moonstone and Moonrise) is an engaging tale as the heroine struggles to balance in her small town surviving the rituals of school, saving two worlds, and flirting with boys; the latter being the most difficult. Having a new male per book adds fun to the mix by enhancing the bewilderment of Allie, but none have ample time to grow as they compete for heroine and subplot spacing. Still young adult fans will appreciate her efforts to learn to use her power reminiscent of the Greatest American Hero while diligently trying to save Boundless. Harriet Klausner

Dreams of a Dark Warrior
Kresley Cole
Pocket, Feb 15 2011, $7.99
ISBN: 9781439136805


Regin the Radiant Valkyrie and Aidan the Fierce Viking Berserker met and fell in love. However before he obtained immortality, a vampire murdered him. Regin mourned her loss and prayed for a happier ever after when they next meet.

Over the centuries Aidan is reincarnated several times. However each time Regin finds her beloved, she manages to get him to remember his regressed memories of them together. Still in spite of their efforts, he dies each time.

In his latest life, Aidan is Declan Chase, the Magister of the Order. He and his minions stalk and kill immortals. Declan is especially a berserker as immortals murdered his family and tortured him. The Order has captured Regin and other Immortals. They plan to execute their prisoners on the remote island the Order uses as a prison. The last chance to live resides with Regain and her love for Aidan, but will she get through the barriers of hate that Declan has warped his soul.

Occurring at about the same time as Demons From The Dark, the latest Immortals After Dark thriller is a fabulous romantic fantasy that grips the reader from the first time Regin and Cole ever they saw each other’s face and never slows down until the final confrontation. The overarching theme of the saga moves forward, but it is the bittersweet love and death cycle that hooks the audience who wonders whether Regin’s Dreams of a Dark Warrior will finally end with her beloved’s hands bloody from her death by him. Harriet Klausner

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