Killing the Rabbit by Alison Goodman

Killing the Rabbit
Alison Goodman
Bantam Books – Bantam Dell
July 31, 2007
ISBN# 978-0-553-59011-1

Hannie Reynard was given a grant to make her film, Freaks or Frauds, about a group of women viewed as medical freaks. It’s one of the best opportunities an aspiring filmmaker could hope for, but instead of getting the job underway Hannie went to Paris and blew a chunk of the money. Now she’s being blackmailed for her unauthorized use of the Independent Filmmakers Fund, and agrees to take him on her crew. With little experience, and none recently, Mosson Ferret becomes her new cameraman and they set out to put their film together. Problem is, they aren’t alone in seeking the women who share an amazing genetic trait, and one by one the women are disappearing before Hannie and her crew can ever reach them for an interview.

The Forecaster has made a long term prediction for the pharmaceutical company who employs him, and with it comes the threat of change. A change that would not benefit the company and must be neutralized before it becomes an issue. The Forecaster sets in motion the elimination of those threats, and with it opens the door for danger to everyone involved.

Killing the Rabbit is a riveting thrill ride, slightly bizarre in the most compelling of ways. Ms. Goodman delivers a tale in speculative fiction that’s wonderfully imaginative and impossible to set down. With an amateur filmmaking crew trekking around Australia, a hit man with serious issues of his own and women possessing an ability that would rock the medical and pharmaceutical worlds, this engaging tale will leave readers impressed with the creative possibilities and eager to read more of the same.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Dark Truth by Lindsay McKenna

Dark Truth
Warriors for the Light - Book 2
Lindsay McKenna
Silhouette Nocturne
July 2007
ISBN# 978-0-373-61767-8

Ana Rafael is a wildlife biologist, dedicated to saving jaguars around the world. Adopted at a young age and still plagued by nightmares, Ana is desperate to find out who her parents were. Flying to Peru, Ana travels to Cuzco and the orphanage where she spent her early years. What she encounters on her trip will change her life forever.

Mace Ridfort is a Warrior for the Light. Trained to eliminate the Dark Forces, Mace can hardly believe his luck when Ana, the Daughter of Darkness, quite literally lands in his lap. With Ana in Peru the elusive Dark Lord has unveiled himself and the battle Mace has spent his life waiting for is upon him. He’s about to learn a lesson, things aren’t always what they seem.

Dark Truth is the second book in the Warriors for the Light miniseries and can be read as a stand-alone. Ms. McKenna weaves a well-developed mystical tale in the fight between good and evil. Fast action and danger filled adventure are equally paired with a sweet romance. Readers will look forward to the next installment in this fascinating paranormal series.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Raintree: Sanctuary by Beverly Barton

Raintree: Sanctuary
The Raintree Trilogy - Book 3
Beverly Barton
Silhouette Nocturne
July 2007
ISBN# 978-0-373-61766-1

Mercy Raintree knows that the war between the Raintrees and the Ansaras is upon them, and it’s time for her to step-up to the position she holds as the guardian of their home, Sanctuary. Tucked away in the Smoky Mountains, Mercy has kept a secret from everyone around her, including her daughter Eve. If the Ansara discover what she’s worked so hard to keep hidden, Mercy’s careful existence for the past 6 years will have been for nothing.

Judah Ansara is the leader of the Ansara clan, their Dranir, and it’s his duty to see that every Raintree is destroyed. He’s claimed Mercy’s death for himself and not even his war hungry cousin Cael will be allowed to touch her. Arriving at Sanctuary to prevent an attempt on Mercy’s life by another Ansara, Judah hoped to deflect the attack and quickly escape unnoticed. Nothing goes as it should, but when the battle comes to Sanctuary’s front door discovering Mercy’s secret could change the future of both clans forever.

Raintree: Sanctuary is the third book in the Raintree Trilogy and can be read as a stand-alone. Ms. Barton pens a compelling tale of obsession, treachery and forbidden love. Well defined characters and an exciting plot will keep readers riveted as the battle between the Raintree and Ansara clans comes to an explosive end.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Raintree: Haunted by Linda Winstead Jones

Raintree: Haunted
The Raintree Trilogy - Book 2
Linda Winstead Jones
Silhouette Nocturne
June 2007
ISBN# 978-0-373-61764-7

Gideon Raintree is a homicide detective in Wilmington, North Carolina. Descended from a family born with special gifts, Gideon can harness electricity and speak with the dead. His unique talents are handy in his line of work. Despite his wish to work alone he’s been assigned a new partner, Hope Malory, who wonders if he’s a bit crazy talking to himself at crime scenes. Now Gideon has to decide what to do about her, because there’s a battle taking place between the Raintrees and the Ansaras, and Hope’s right in the middle of it.

Hope Malory has just transferred in and met her partner, Gideon, at a crime scene. A crime she feels he’s too close to, given that the victim was his cousin’s roommate. Strange as he is, she can’t help but feel the attraction between them. If he’s serious about his gifts, then everything Hope never believed in while growing up with her flakey mother was really true. With a killer on the loose Hope finds herself drawn into Gideon’s crazy world, and she quickly realizes that she has no intention of walking away.

Raintree: Haunted is the second book in the Raintree Trilogy, and can be read as a stand-alone. Ms. Winstead Jones takes her readers on a tension filled journey as Gideon and Hope are forced to defend themselves against a murderer who will kill anyone that gets in the way. The intriguing paranormal qualities to this story will entertain, and the warm romance that develops will delight readers to the end.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

LifeMate Connections: Eryn by Keri Arthur

LifeMate Connections: Eryn
Keri Arthur
ImaJinn Books
March 31, 2007
ISBN# 978-1-933417-23-3

Eryn James is a shifter who lives in a world where women are outnumbered by men in a 10 to 1 ratio. In generations past, governments introduced a law forbidding couples from having more than one child. The long-term effects of that decision are still being strongly felt. Now women are encouraged to take multiple partners before considering one man to settle down with. When Eryn is asked to help the police capture a killer targeting women who frequent Lifemate Connections, she jumps on the opportunity to get inside the exclusive club. Acting as bait is scary business, but she’s wired for sound and confident in using her shifter skills to keep her safe.

Grey Stockard is a shifter as well. Tall, gorgeous and every woman’s fantasy come true. Eryn can hardly keep her eyes or hands off of him, but her instincts tell her that Grey is hiding something. She’s sure he’s dangerous, and until she can figure out who Grey really is and what he’s after, Eryn won’t give in to what they both want. With a murderer on the loose and lives at stake, both Eryn and Grey will have to trust each other enough to capture the killer before someone else becomes a victim.

LifeMate Connections: Eryn is an adventure filled with mystery, deception and sizzling passion. Eryn and Grey are memorable characters with a connection between them that’s apparent from the moment they meet. Ms. Arthur is a master at creating fabulous paranormal worlds that are amazingly realistic and wholly believable. Readers will be delighted with this imaginative escape, and hoping there’s more of the same seduction in the future.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Contest - Book Giveaway

How would you like to win a copy of Kitty Takes a Holiday by Carrie Vaughn? If you haven’t already been hooked by Kitty and her adventures, here’s your chance. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post between now and July 31st. Be sure to check back on August 1st when the winner will be drawn and announced!

Here’s the blurb from the back cover:

ALL WORK AND NO PLAY MAKES KITTY A DULL GIRL After getting caught turning wolf on national television, Kitty retreats to a mountain cabin to recover and write her memoirs. But this is Kitty, so trouble is never far behind, and instead of Walden Pond, she gets Evil Dead. First someone leaves grotesque animal sacrifices on her front porch to curse her, then werewolf hunter Cormac shows up with an injured Ben O'Farrell, Kitty's lawyer, slung over his shoulder. Two hotties and one Kitty in a single-room cabin-can the situation get more tense? When a wolf-like creature with glowing red eyes starts sniffing around the cabin, Kitty wonders if any of them will get out of these woods alive...

Check out an excerpt…here……and you can also read my review…here. Have fun, and good luck to all who come out to play!

* The winner has been announced! You can click here: Kitty Takes a Holiday winner! to see if it's you. :)

Embraced by Darkness by Keri Arthur

Embraced by Darkness
A Riley Jenson Guardian Novel
Keri Arthur
Bantam Dell – Random House Inc.
July 31, 2007
ISBN# 978-0-553-58961-0

Riley Jenson is a guardian for the Directorate, an organization that deals mainly in policing the supernatural bad guys. When her pack’s alpha pays her a ghostly visit to insist she track down his missing granddaughter she’d love to refuse, but he’s threatened to kill her mother if she doesn’t do the job. Young women are disappearing, and the only connection brings more confusion than it does clues. To add to the chaos in Riley’s life, someone is taking potshots at her with silver bullets and something dark is ripping women apart while setting up the men in their lives to take the blame. With so many lives at stake, Riley can’t afford to make a mistake or her own life could be lost as well.

Kellen is Riley’s perfect mate. As a strong alpha male he can give Riley exactly what she needs from a man, if only she’d give in and commit to their relationship. The clock is ticking and Kellen wants to know where their relationship stands. Only one answer will do, and if Riley waits too long to give it she could be too late.

Embraced by Darkness is the fifth book in the Riley Jenson Guardian series, and there’s never a lull in the action and danger that surrounds Riley’s life. Though estranged from their pack, Riley and her twin brother Rhoan team up to meet the alpha’s demands and through the bullets and blood remain an amazing force. Ms. Arthur is positively one of the best urban fantasy authors in print today. The characters have been well-drawn from the start and the mysteries just keep getting better. A creative, sexy and adventure filled world that readers will just love escaping to.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Blood Drive by Jeanne C. Stein

Blood Drive
An Anna Strong Vampire Novel, Book 2
ACE – The Berkley Publishing Group
Jeanne C. Stein
June 26, 2007
ISBN# 978-0-441-01509-2

Anna Strong is a bounty hunter who has recently been turned vampire. Still dealing with the dramatic changes in her life, Anna is straddling the line between the mortal life she had and the vampire life she now leads. She knows that one day she’ll have to sever her mortal ties, but it won’t be easy for her giving up her partner David, her lover Max or her parents. When the woman who dated Anna’s brother at the time of his death fourteen years ago shows up during dinner with her folks, Anna has a hard time believing the wild story she shares. Still, if there’s any possibility that the woman’s daughter, Trish, is Anna’s niece she will do whatever it takes to find the truth behind her disappearance.

Forced into the world of child pornography, Trish is running from the men who want the information she now possesses. With Daniel Frey, a local teacher with some secrets of his own, and the local supernatural community on her side, Anna searches for the people out to take Trish’s life. She intends to shut down their operation and see that these men are never a threat to another child again.

Blood Drive is the second book in the Anna Strong Vampire series and as fabulously entertaining as the first. Anna is a spunky heroine who runs full steam ahead into the fray when it comes to protecting those she loves. Ms. Stein creates an exceptional world where her vampires and shapeshifters are as realistic as the mortals they live among. There’s never a dull moment for Anna, and lucky for us she takes readers along for the passionate ride.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

The Dead Girls' Dance by Rachel Caine

The Dead Girls’ Dance
The Morganville Vampires – Book Two
Rachel Caine
NAL Jam – Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
April 2007
ISBN# 978-0-451-22089-9

Claire Danvers deals with more in her life than your typical sixteen year old, least of which is attending college at such a young age. Morganville is a town controlled by vampires, and can be downright life threatening for a mortal like Claire. With Michael’s ghostly existence during the day and his solid but unable to leave the house night-life, there’s only Claire and Eve to save their friend Shane when he finds himself locked-up. The girls stop by the annual Dead Girls’ Dance to find Sam, the only vampire in town who may be willing to help, and Claire finds her own situation going from bad to worse. As time counts down and dawn approaches, the decisions they make in friendship and love will impact each of their lives, and may very well tear their friendship apart forever.

Shane Collins had an agenda to follow when he arrived in Morganville, but things have changed since he moved into the Glass House. When an unwise phone call brings his father and his biker friends to town, the lives of Shane and his friends become threatened by both sides. With a tragic family history directly linked to the vampires, Shane’s father intends to even the score and has little care for anyone who gets in his way. Caged for his father’s crimes, Shane’s only hope are his friends. If they don’t come through, his life will be forfeit and fair or not, the vampires will have gotten exactly what they wanted.

The Dead Girls’ Dance is the second book in The Morganville Vampires series. At first glance Morganville seems your usual college town, but looks can be deceiving. Ms. Caine has created a fabulously unique storyline where the characters are realistic and the world they work and play in is well-defined. With blossoming romance, non-stop danger and an adventure that never ends, Claire and her friends are thoroughly endearing. This is a delightful urban fantasy series that both teens and adults are sure to love.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews