Night Child by Jes Battis

Night Child
An OSI Novel
Jes Battis
Ace
May 27, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-441-01602-0

Tessa Isobel Corday is an Occult Special Investigator for the Mystical Crime Lab unit of CORE, she’s also a mage. She’s been assigned the case of a vampire that’s been killed in a puzzling way. The only clues in the murder appear to be an address and photo found in the victim’s pocket. The address leads Tess and her telepathic partner, Derrick Siegel, to a teenage girl, Mia Polanski, being raised by her aunt. The photo leads Tess into the vampire world where their attractive liaison, Lucian Agrado, is a powerful necromancer who both intrigues and repels her.

When Vailoid demons, who are mercenaries for hire, begin trying to kill Tess to kidnap Mia, she’s sure that there’s more to the young girl’s unsettling past. The closer they get to the truth, the more risky things become. It's not long before their boss pulls Tess and Derrick from the case and forbids them to have contact with Mia. When the young girl desperately needs help, Tess will be forced to decide whether to walk away or risk everything, including her life, to save her.

The first book in a new urban fantasy series, Night Child kicks things off with a murder investigation that leads the heroine down a twisting and dangerous path. Jes Battis takes readers on a tension filled journey of murder, mystery, and temptation. The author’s attention to detail when describing the investigative procedure and mystical talents keeps this fictional tale believable. An intriguing storyline, easy flowing dialog and fascinating characters all combine to keep readers engaged, but it’s the never knowing what’s around the corner that will have readers coming back for more.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Embrace the Night by Karen Chance

Embrace the Night
Cassandra Palmer Series, Book 3
Karen Chance
ROC
April 1, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-451-46199-5

As the reigning Pythia, Cassandra Palmer has new responsibilities as well as new talents. Her will to remove the geis that’s determined to bind her to Mircea leads her on a quest to recover the Codex Merlini. The Codex is a book of powerful spells that would be too dangerous in the present, but a trip to the past to uncover a counter-spell may be Cassandra’s only chance to stop the geis of reaching its goal.

Mircea is a master vampire that’s slowly going insane. His only hope for survival is to carry through with the magical binding of the geis, or have the spell removed. It’s a difficult task in his current state, but when Cassie uses her powers to shift to the past the Mircea of another time will help her accomplish the quest. There’s still no guarantee that the spell will be broken, but the possibility outweighs the risk in trying.

Pritkin is a war mage with a long and secretive past that’s quickly catching up to him. While he generally keeps to himself, he’s taken on helping Cassandra find the Codex. His reasons will strain the tentative relationship he has in helping Cassie, and leave her to wonder if he’s really friend or foe. For reasons he had planned to keep to himself, Pritkin must find that Codex and ensure that no one gains the power that resides within.

Embrace the Night is the third book in the Cassandra Palmer series. Cassandra can’t risk becoming a servant to Mircea or the vampires, so she needs the Codex Merlini. Once found she’ll have to guard it with her life, because the spells it contains could endanger the entire world. Ms. Chance continues to expand her well-built world with time-travel, fantastical beings, steamy romance and the non-stop action her wonderful series provides. This is a fast-moving read that’s hard to set down, and it will no doubt leave readers eager for future installments in the Cassandra Palmer series.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews