Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Immortal by Traci L. Slatton


Immortal
Traci L. Slatton
Delta – Bantam Dell
January 29, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-385-33974-2

With no memory of his parents, the life Luca remembers begins as an abandoned young boy on the streets of Florence, Italy. It’s apparent early on that Luca is different from other children. He barely ages, he doesn’t take ill, and his differences label Luca a sorcerer and witch.

Betrayed by a boy he considered a friend, Luca finds himself in the clutches of Silvano, a cruel man who beats him and sells his body to the men who frequent his brothel. Silvano holds Luca with the promise of information and the threat to use it against him as one of the many torments he inflicts. It’s his love of art and his desire to learn that comfort Luca through the long days until he finds freedom once again.

During his early years, Luca meets the artist Giotto di Bondone and later Leonardo di Vinci and Sandro Botticelli. His interest in their talents makes his years bearable as Luca continues to pursue the mystery of his heritage, religion, love and the art of alchemy.

Through plagues and war, enemies and friends, Luca remains strong, until a loss he can’t bear sends him over the edge. In grief, madness and the eventual acceptance, Luca will gain the answers he’s spent his long life chasing, but the cost to get there will be much higher than he ever imagined.

With a touch of the paranormal, Immortal is a historical novel of love, religion and the mysteries of life. On his own from a young age, Luca survives much worse than life on the streets before achieving his lifelong goals. Ms. Slatton does an amazing job of drawing readers into her story with remarkable detail and passionate characters. The unique plot and vivid description of Florence and the surrounding area adds beauty to what would have otherwise been a dark story. A lengthy tale, but well worth every moment spent reading it.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Sunday, January 27, 2008

The Outlaw Demon Wails by Kim Harrison


The Outlaw Demon Wails
Rachel Morgan, Book 6
Kim Harrison
EOS
February 26, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-06-078870-4

Rachel Morgan is still reeling from a devastating loss and trying to come to terms with the part she feels she played in it. With a killer on the loose, and no memory of the murder, Rachel and her partners, Ivy and Jenks, have made little progress in solving the crime.

With life changing all around her, Rachel learns that her mother has a secret that will both shock and disappoint her. Her elfin friend, Cerdiwen, has a surprise of her own, one that will lead Rachel to jump to the wrong conclusions. Cincinnati has a new master in their city, Rynn Cormel. The master vampire has taken a special interest in Rachel and her relationship with Ivy, but with Trent Kalamack manipulating her to cross the lines into the ever-after to retrieve something he needs, Rynn Cormel is an issue that will have to wait.

In his constant pursuit of Rachel, Al discovers a whole new way to torment her. In order to protect the family and friends she cares so deeply about, Rachel agrees to Al’s plans. Their relationship is about to move to a new level.

The Outlaw Demon Wails is the sixth book in the Rachel Morgan series. Rachel’s talents have continued to grow and with it the danger she attracts has grown as well. She’s about to be put in a position that she never saw coming, but it could hold the answers to lifelong questions and the key to unlocking more power than she ever dreamed possible. It’s a risk she’s willing to take. Ms. Harrison works her magic and delivers a new danger filled tale sure to captivate readers. The storyline touches on the possibility of a future romance, but it’s the well kept secrets being revealed that fuel this fabulous addition to life in the Hallows. While the ending in the previous installment was shocking, readers will be surprised to find that the climax in The Outlaw Demon Wails will take the heroine’s future in a whole new direction that will have fans counting down to the next release.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Interview - Mark Henry



Darque Reviews welcomes Mark Henry, author of the upcoming Kensington Books release, “Happy Hour of the Damned”.

Hi Mark, thanks so much for sharing your time with Darque Reviews! We’re looking forward to getting to know a bit about you and your writing.

You must be very excited about your first novel, Happy Hour of the Damned. Can you tell us a bit about it?

MH - Well, first off, thanks for having me. The thought of this book hitting the shelves is driving me insane with anxiety and excitement and all those other emotions that cause bowel issues. So…yeah. I am totally excited.

And, here's that bit you asked for…

Amanda's an ad-exec turned flesh-eating ghoul searching for a missing friend, the perfect martini, and a way to stop the coming zombie apocalypse—'cause really, more zombies equals less food. It's the first in a contracted trilogy and I hope to cover every horrible, funny, and awkward thing you can imagine about joining the undead while retaining the use of your brain. I want people to have a really good time with it.


Where did the idea come from? How did it develop into a story?

MH - I've always loved zombies, in movies, fiction, whatever. Back in the 80s, Douglas E. Winter wrote a pair of stories for anthologies from the perspective of the sentient undead rather than the mindless shambling variety, Less than Zombie and Bright Lights Big Zombie, based, obviously, on two of the biggest novels of that decade, Bret Easton Ellis's Less than Zero and Jay McInerny's Bright Lights Big City. I always wanted more but further stories never materialized. When I decided to write my first novel, it was a natural fit. I asked myself what if the Sex and the City girls ended up rising from the dead with a craving for flesh? What would that be like? I wrote a short story called An Acquired Taste—the first appearance of Amanda and Wendy—that was published in a small press anthology and really started the ball rolling.


Can you tell us what you’re working on now and what we might see from you in the next few years?

MH - I'm in the middle of three projects, right now. I've just finished book 2 in the Amanda Feral series, Road Trip of the Living Dead, and preparing another comic urban fantasy called The Dark Rites of Joe Barkley, which if you can believe it is even darker than Happy Hour and teeming with all sorts of ludicrous sexual situations. Book 3 is outlined and partially complete, as well. So lots of irons in the fire.


Do you have a favorite author you read? Are they an influence on your writing?

MH - I love Christopher Moore and have been making my way through his books for the past couple of years. His humor is this absolutely brilliant, no-holds barred stuff and I can only hope mine bears a resemblance. In Joe, I'm attempting the kind of multiple narrative structure that Moore employs so comfortably. I also love Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next and Liz Williams Detective Inspector Chen, both series that just blew me away in world building and humor.


If you could choose anyone to co-author a book with, who would it be? Why?

MH - I can say, with all confidence, no other author would put up with my non-linear flights of extrapolation, lazy writing habits and/or filthy pottymouth. Except maybe my wife but she's not a writer, although she's my first reader and one hell of a blue pencil editor. Scary!


Is all of your writing filled with humor? Is that something that carries over from your personality?

MH - Not all of my work is humorous, but probably the stuff that gets published will be. It's the one thing that sets my work apart from other urban fantasies. That's going to sound snotty. Let's put it this way, people who haven't read the book will make an assumption based on the cover, but Amanda is not simply snarky ala Anita Blake, the book is built on a comedy framework.

It definitely carries over from my personality, and the group of friends I associate with are quite sarcastic, acerbic, and, dare I say, biting. Nyuk nyuk.


Do you have any bad writing habits?

MH - Oh God, tons of 'em. I'm lazy as hell, and as any writer can tell you, too much time between writing sessions is like starting over. I start over, a lot. I'm an incessant e-mail checker and internet procrastinator. Blogging is both fun and terrible for my work. I can easily spend five hours prepping and posting a blog and then have so much less time Plus, I have a tendency to interject my filthy vocabulary into my narrative. Maybe you've noticed?


Is there a favorite quote or saying you use often?

MH - Don't ask me that. I have tons of movie lines that seem to slip out at inappropriate times. Mostly really offensive quotes from John Waters' films. He's another huge influence on my work. Oops…here comes one now, don't say I didn't warn you.

"Lulu? Tell me you don't dance lewdly for the boys at school."
"For a quarter I will."


How do you spend your time when you’re not busy writing?

MH - I love to read, play with my dogs, go to movies, travel. After people read the book, they'll be expecting the answer to be: torturing innocents in my dungeon lair, but really just normal stuff. Oh…and I love to cook, body parts, of course.


Is there anything else you’d like to share with readers before we say goodbye?

MH - You keep laughing and I'll keep writing. Does that sound corny? I think it sounds corny.


Everyone can use that wonderful bit of humor in their lives, so I think we’ll all be happy to hold you to it. :)

Thanks so much for joining us and sharing your time. Congratulations on Happy Hour of the Damned!

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews


You can visit Mark’s website here:
http://markhenry.us/

Visit Mark’s blog here:
http://burlesqueofthedamned.blogspot.com/

Visit Mark at League of Reluctant Adults here:
http://www.leagueofreluctantadults.com/

Happy Hour of the Damned by Mark Henry


Happy Hour of the Damned
The Chronicles of Amanda Feral,
Celebrity Ghoul, Book 1
Mark Henry
Kensington Books
February 26, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-7582-2522-1

At the top of her career in advertising, with the corner office and partnership to show for it, Amanda Feral has everything to live for. It’s too bad that after an up-close and personal elevator ride Amanda finds she’s a flesh eating zombie. Still, there’s no reason not to live her not-quite-dead life to the fullest, and Amanda plans to do exactly that.

Quickly adjusting to a shocking new pallor, and the dining preferences that make those among the living run screaming, Amanda dons her favorite designer clothes, matching footwear and accessories to head out for a night on the town. It seems that the supernatural community has a nightlife all their own.

When a new friend, Liesel, sends her a message asking for help, Amanda and her closest friends, Gil and Wendy, set out on a mission to find her. Something big is going on around town, and as zombie outbreaks escalate their group begins to suspect that someone has their own plans for the local population. Now they’ll have to discover the source of the grisly outbreaks and track down those involved before the residents of the supernatural community are exposed. If they fail, the hunters could soon be the prey.

Happy Hour of the Damned is a marvelously unique debut novel that follows the glamorous, and often gruesome, life and death of Amanda Feral, a flesh eating zombie. With an obvious skill in graphic description, Mr. Henry will have readers cringing at the gore while laughing hysterically thanks to the sharp wit used to deliver his tale. A well-developed world makes for easy visualization, and the fabulously original storyline will keep reader’s rapt attention from the first page. A beautifully bizarre, and uproariously fun read.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

The Aquarius Key: A Novel of the Occult by Keith Rowley


The Aquarius Key: A Novel of the Occult
Keith Rowley
iUniverse, Inc.
August 24, 2006
ISBN# 978- 0-595-39373-2

Instructed by Levi Kratz to excel in Qabalistic Magick, Peter Williams quickly achieves the goals set before him in preparation for the future. Years later he finds himself at the center of those who pursue the Aquarius Key, and realizes that the power he’s gained may not be enough to save his family.

Bill Williams has put in long years to raise his business to the success it currently enjoys, but the steady life he leads is about to change. What appears to be memory lapses and hallucinations plague Bill’s every waking hour. Then the unthinkable happens. His wife, Sue, has been involved in a bizarre sexual assault that she’s kept hidden from him, and Bill’s been put into the position where he believes himself to be a murderer. Their stable lives are spinning out of control, and there’s little hope of stopping the events already set in motion.

The Aquarius Key: A Novel of the Occult is a fictional story based in part on the writings of Aleister Crowley and those who share similar practices and beliefs. Mr. Rowley presents readers with an intriguing tale that delves into the darker side of Magick where science and mathematics are merely stepping stones to a higher plane of existence. While there are instances of ritualistic sex and rape that may be disturbing to some readers, the events are kept to a minimum and serve a purpose to the overall story. The Aquarius Key is well-written and shared in a way that readers with little knowledge in Magick or Qabalah will have no real trouble following. This story is sure to leave a lasting impression. *The beautiful cover art is done by Hettie Rowley.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Bending to Break by A. J. Hampton


Bending to Break
A. J. Hampton
Cacoethes Publishing House, LLC.
January 31, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-9799015-7-7

While Kayden Gray was once seduced by a vampire’s lies, she continues the hunt to eliminate the demons. Bitten but not fully turned, she’s a half-breed. Caught between two worlds, Kayden is seen as an abomination to be destroyed. Her sire, Jullian, insists she belongs to him. Her only hope for freedom is he’s final death.

Being saddled with a partner, Micah MacKenzie, is the last thing Kayden wanted. While he may be decent back-up, and a treat on the eyes, she finds him completely infuriating.

On a routine hunt, Kayden and Micah stumble upon something more than their usual target, and find themselves battling a succubus that has set her sights on Micah. This brand of demon has one thing on her mind, and she’s powerful enough to get what she wants. Forcing Micah and Kayden to act on the lust and deeper feelings they’ve repressed may kill them unless their families can find a way to stop her in time.

Bending to Break is an erotic paranormal romance that starts out in high gear and continues the fast pace throughout the story. Kayden and Micah love to argue and hate to admit they’re wrong, but with a succubus using her lust filled powers there will be no more denying the way they feel. Ms. Hampton pens a story of supernatural seduction, dark passion and the joys of newfound love. Readers looking for a steamy paranormal tale where the storyline is enticing and the characters are given the green light to explore their lust filled urges, you need look no further than Bending to Break.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Winner - Sylvia Day Book Giveaway

Don't you just love giveaways, they're always so much fun! The winner of Sylvia Day's Heat of the Night is:

Wendy

Congratulations Wendy! Please use the email address in my profile and send me your info so I can get Heat of the Night out to you!

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Book Giveaway - Heat of the Night by Sylvia Day


I have an extra copy of Heat of the Night by Sylvia Day and would love to share. Just leave me a comment from now until midnight Friday (January 18th, 2008) and I'll announce the winner Saturday morning. Take a peek at the review to see what what this steamy read is about:

Good Luck, and Happy Reading!

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

The Unnatural Inquirer by Simon R. Green


The Unnatural Inquirer
A Novel of the Nightside, Book 8
Simon R. Green
ACE – Penguin Group
January 2, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-441-01558-0

In the center of London there’s an area known as Nightside. For a P.I. like John Taylor it’s the perfect place to utilize his skill in finding things, and there’s plenty to keep him busy. He and his girlfriend Suzie Shooter have just tracked down Max Maxwell to recover an item called the Aquarius Key, and John’s already out on another case.

A DVD that’s purported to contain a recorded transmission from the afterlife has gone missing, along with the man that burned it, Pen Donavon. John’s been offered a million pounds by the Unnatural Inquirer to retrieve them both. The job comes with a catch, and John finds himself with Bettie Divine, a half-demon reporter as a partner on the case. Every big player in the Nightside is out to get their hands on the DVD, and they’ll use any and all measures to obtain it.

Complicating his efforts further is a trio vying for power over Walker, Nightside’s closest semblance to the law. Each wants to be pulling the strings, and they all want John Taylor to back them. It won’t be long before someone runs out of patience.

The Unnatural Inquirer is the eighth book in the Nightside series. For a million pounds, John Taylor takes on a difficult case that draws the attention of some very powerful competition. Many of them are scrambling to see who can lay their hands on the DVD first. Mr. Green pens a fast-paced mystery with a nice bit of sarcastic humor that’s sure to make you smile. This is a vivid tale in urban fantasy that borders on the dark, and will easily draw readers into the world of Nightside.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Monday, January 7, 2008

Interview - Justin Gustainis


Darque Reviews welcomes Justin Gustainis!

Hi Justin, thanks so much for sharing your time with Darque Reviews. We’re looking forward to learning more about you and your new series.

Black Magic Woman, published by Solaris Books, is the first book in your Quincey Morris Supernatural Investigation series, can you give readers an idea of what to expect?

JG: The book has two distinct plotlines. In one, occult investigator and his partner, “white” witch Libby Chastain, are hired to save a family from a deadly curse that dates back to the Salem witch trials. Their quarry, a “black” witch of immense power, learns of their interest and decides to destroy them before they can get to her.

In the other plotline, a member of South Africa’s Occult Crimes Unit (which really exists) is brought to the US to help the FBI search for a ritualistic killer who has been abducting children and killing them for their organs. The South African and his assigned partner, an African-American FBI agent, try to sublimate their mutual antagonism in order to solve the case, which turns out to be far more sinister then even they suspect.

These two separate plotlines eventually come together – with a bang loud enough to wake the dead. And who knows, maybe they will….

Can you tell us how Quincey Morris developed into one of your characters? Was there a lot of research involved?

JG: I’ve always been interested in Quincey P. Morris, who is one of the supporting characters in the original novel Dracula. The American dies at the end of Stoker’s novel, but in my book we learn that he has a son from an earlier marriage, who is back in Texas. My hero is the original Quincey’s great-great grandson.

There wasn’t a great deal of research involved, other than re-reading Dracula, which is always a pleasure. I also researched Texas slang.

What are you working on now? What releases can your readers look forward to seeing from you in the upcoming year or so?

JG: I’ve contracted with my publisher, Solaris Books, to write a sequel to Black Magic Woman. It’s called Evil Ways and is due for publication in January, 2009. In it, Quincey and Libby aren’t really expected to do a great deal – except maybe save the world.

Solaris has also taken an option on two more titles in the “Quincey Morris Supernatural Investigations” series. So I expect to be busy for quite some time.

Do you have an idea of the number of books the series will include? Have you outlined the series to the end?

JG: No, I haven’t thought that far ahead. I’ll keep writing Quincey Morris novels as long as people want to read them (unless I run out of ideas first, which is too horrible to contemplate).

When did you start writing? Do you remember what your first story was about?

JG: I started writing to amuse my friends back in high school. I used to write these spy “novels” in which they all had prominent roles. I used to tell them that if they weren’t nice to me, I’d kill off their character.

Do you write full-time? What inspired you to pursue writing as a career?

JG: No, I don’t write full-time. A handful of people (like Stephen King, Danielle Steele, John Grisham) get rich writing fiction. A few handsful more (wasn’t that a Spaghetti Western?) manage to make a decent living at it. But most people, I think, who write (and publish) fiction have either a day job or a spouse with a day job.

I’ve got a day job. I’m a college professor at a university in New York.

How has being published changed your life?

JG: Not a great deal. I sometimes have to go to book signings on weekends. I also have to impose more discipline on my spare time. It used to be, “Well, I can write, or watch TV.” Now it’s more like “I’ve got a book manuscript with a deadline. I’d better write.”

Do you have any favorite authors? Have they been an influence in your writing?

JG: I suppose anybody who writes my kind of fiction has been influenced by Stephen King to some degree. But most of my other influences are mystery writers, both living (Thomas Perry, Robert B. Parker, Robert Crais) and dead (Ross Thomas and John D. MacDonald).

What do you enjoy doing with your time when your not busy writing? Do you have any hobbies?

JG: My hobby used to be writing. Now it’s become a second job (that I happen to love – most days). I’ve always loved to read fiction for relaxation. I’m just not able to read as much of it these days.

Before we say goodbye, is there anything else you’d like to share with readers or aspiring authors?

JG: Somebody once said that the difference between a published writer and an unpublished writer is persistence. That is absolutely true. If you want to be a writer, keep writing, and keep submitting, and never, ever give up.

Thanks so much for joining us Justin, and the best of luck with your new series!

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews


You can visit the website of Justin Gustainis here:
http://www.justingustainis.com/

Black Magic Woman by Justin Gustainis


Black Magic Woman
A Quincey Morris Supernatural Investigation, Book 1
Justin Gustainis
Solaris Books
January 29, 2008
ISBN# 978-1-84416-541-4

A consultant that deals in the supernatural, Quincy Morris has taken on a new case. The LaRue family has been cursed, and the source of that curse traces back for centuries. Morris will need help if he hopes to solve this mystery and he’s called in Libby Chastain, a white witch who has helped him in the past. Early on in the investigation they discover that the LaRue’s problems stem from the work of a black witch, but the trouble really begins in identifying her. Until they do, anything they do for the family is nothing more than a temporary fix.

Van Dreenan has been called in from South Africa to help Agent Fenton on a string of killings that appear to be muti murders. All of the victims are young and missing certain bodily organs. For Van Dreenan the facts of the case are all too familiar, and he has no intention of walking away from the investigation before he sees that the evil behind the murders is stopped.

As each investigation plays out, the lines that separate them grow closer together. There’s more than meets the eye going on, and in the background of these supernatural cases lurks something much larger and darker than they’ve even begun to realize.

Black Magic Woman is the first book in the Quincey Morris Supernatural Investigation series. As a human up against the evils of the supernatural world, Quincey’s life is always on the line. Still, as he stops each dark force from destroying the innocent it’s another case won and the world is just a little bit safer. It’s clear that Mr. Gustainis has a fabulous imagination and the talent to guide those thoughts into an intriguing storyline. Mystery, suspense, and non-stop action will grab your attention, and the paranormal elements will make it impossible for fans of this vast genre to set it down.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Sunday, January 6, 2008

The Powers That Be by Cliff Ryder


The Powers That Be
Room 59, Book 1
Cliff Ryder
Gold Eagle – Worldwide Library
January 8, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-373-63265-7

Overseen by the International Intelligence Agency, and sanctioned to deal with global threats, Room 59 takes up the fight where governments don’t dare go. So when the director, Kate Cochran, receives a report of trouble in Paradise, the Room 59 team is called into action for the possibilities of a rogue double agent and an unknown party planning to launch an incursion in Cuba.

When Colonel Jonas Schrader, the section head in Eastern Europe, is contacted in regards to the double agent and the possibility that there are more problems in the making, he offers his help. Not being his area of expertise, this is a surprise to Kate, but she can also see where he could be useful in the mission. The operatives soon head out with Jonas positioned in Florida gathering information and Marcus in Cuba.

Something big is about to go down unless Room 59 can stop it. A difficult decision hangs in the balance for Jonas, because he has a much deeper connection to someone involved. At any other time his orders to terminate the subject would not give him pause, but now it may be the hardest choice he’s had to make.

The Powers That Be is the first book in the Room 59 series. Given the green light on a new mission, Kate Cochran sets the team in position for their new assignment and must rely on the operatives to make the right decisions. While continually updated with new information, one wrong move in the field risks discovery and a blown cover can lead to a painful death. Mr. Ryder creates an incredibly realistic world for his fictional characters and supports it with enough detail to enable easy visualization. The storyline is intriguing and the non-stop action will keep readers engaged from the first page.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Midnight Reign by Chris Marie Green


Midnight Reign
Vampire Babylon, Book 2
Chris Marie Green
ACE – Penguin Group (USA)
February 5, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-441-01560-3

Soon after Dawn Madison returned to Hollywood looking for her missing father, she found herself working with his friends at Limpet and Associates. Their boss, Jonah Limpet, or ‘The Voice’ as Dawn refers to him, has plans for Frank’s daughter and having her learn what she can about the underworld is at the top of the list.

There’s been a murder, and the killer appears to have been a vampire. After making an arrest, another murder occurs and raises suspicions, leaving the team to wonder whether they’ve arrested the actual killer or if this new victim has been killed by a copycat.

With Kiko nursing an injured back and the near loss of his psychic abilities, Dawn and Breisi continue the search for Frank, collect any information they can about the underworld, and destroy every vampire they encounter along the way. Something is brewing in the underworld, something that has Jonah worked up and pushing harder than ever for answers and seducing her to get them. Then there’s Matt Lonigan, a man Dawn longs to trust. She’s just not sure who she can believe in, and right now the wrong choice could cost Dawn her life.

Midnight Reign is the second book in the Vampire Babylon trilogy. Dawn’s search for her father continues as she battles every obstacle in her way. Ms. Green fine tunes her trilogy with the answers to many questions, and shares detailed history of the underground through a series of well-placed flashbacks. This is a fast-moving urban fantasy filled with murder, mystery, and a large dose of the supernatural. The vivid characterization and danger at every turn will keep readers engaged throughout the story, and leave them anxiously awaiting the next installment.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Darkling by Yasmine Galenorn


Darkling
The Sisters of the Moon, Book 3
Yasmine Galenorn
Berkley – Penguin Group (USA)
January 2, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-425-21893-8

Born half-human and half-faerie, the D’Artigo sisters work for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency, Earthside. Exiled from Y’Elestrial by the Queen, Menolly D’Artigo and her sisters are in hiding until the war in OW is over and Queen Lethesanar is vanquished.

When Menolly fell victim to a vampire she was investigating, she found herself forced into a torturous change that nearly drove her mad. Dredge, the evil vampire in question, sent her home to slake her hunger on her family. It’s taken a long time to gain control, but the memories and nightmares of what the Elwing Clan did to her continue to haunt her.

Someone is creating new vampires. As humans in Seattle are being killed only to rise again, it seems that Dredge may be the evil behind it. With little choice, Menolly will have to face her worst fears, but first she’ll travel to Aladril and the Temple of Reckoning to meet with Jareth. He has the power to offer her an option that may be her only chance for the strength she needs to survive the confrontation with her sire.

With her friends, family and new ally Roz by her side, Menolly will take the lead in finding Dredge. She’ll have to draw on every shred of strength she can to confront him and put an end to his dark existence once and for all.

Darkling is the third book in The Sisters of the Moon series and focuses on Menolly. With the war in Otherworld still going strong, Menolly and her sisters are doing all they can to prevent it from spilling over and destroying the human population. With newly-turned vampires out on the hunt, and a mastermind behind them, Menolly will need all the help she can get to win this battle and return what safety she can to the people of Seattle. With more action than ever, Ms. Galenorn takes readers on a well-detailed adventure. Intriguing new characters, a world that’s easy to visualize, and a tasty touch of romantic possibilities make this a fabulous series for readers to get hooked on.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Tuesday, January 1, 2008