The Darkest Kiss by Keri Arthur

The Darkest Kiss
Riley Jenson, Guardian, Book 6
Keri Arthur
Bantam Dell
April 29, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-553-59114-9

Working as a Guardian for the Directorate is more than a full time job for Riley Jenson. Her werewolf senses and vampire blood give her strength and speed in the hunt, but even she can find herself in a deadly situation. The new cases she’s working will bring her face to face with two killers that are quite different than anything she’s ever encountered before.

The Toorak Trollops are a group of high-society women who date only the wealthy and powerful men who can give them the most. When the men they’ve been with begin turning up dead, the Directorate is called in to investigate. This case also forces Riley to come face to face with an ex-lover who is never far from her thoughts. In her still fragile state from a recent break-up, Riley will have little strength to fight off the passionate connection they still share.

While she’s already on the trail of one murderer, Riley receives a call from Ben Wilson. He’s a wolf she met during a previous case and he’s in need of a Guardian’s help. More murders are occurring that may somehow have a connection to the Toorak Trollops case. Now Riley has two murderers to find who are each committed to exacting their own forms of revenge. Her skills will be put to the test, but stopping the killings is the only option. Riley will do whatever it takes to see it done, even if that means fighting something far stronger and more dangerous than she is.

The Darkest Kiss is the sixth book in the Riley Jensen, Guardian series. Riley’s instincts and skill will lead her to two deadly opponents who each started with an agenda but are more than willing to destroy anyone who gets in their way. Ms. Arthur pens a fabulous mystery filled with vampires and shapeshifters whose unique qualities add to the overall suspense. The danger throughout the story plays a big role in the building tension and the heroine’s passion for catching the killers bring each case to a searing climax. While the cases in this installment are new, readers should read each of the prior books to gain a better understanding of Riley’s background. Readers looking for a great urban fantasy series with mystery and romance need look no further than the Riley Jenson Guardian novels.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Don't Hex With Texas by Shanna Swendson

Don’t Hex With Texas
Katie Chandler, Book 4
Shanna Swendson
Ballantine Books
April 29, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-345-49293-7

Katie Chandler thought she was doing the right thing by leaving her job and the man she cared about behind. Far from Manhattan, she returns to her hometown of Cobb, Texas where life is generally quiet. While she missed her job at Magic, Spells, and Illusions, Inc., Katie thought her absence would help to keep Owen safe. Her boss, Merlin, seemed to agree. Little did she know that something was brewing in her hometown, and someone she knows could be deeply involved.

Owen Palmer is a powerful wizard who’s at war against darker magic. He’s been busy tracking down Idris, a wizard who poses a dangerous threat. When Katie’s hometown is in magic induced trouble, Owen betrays his orders and heads down to help. What he discovers could be a real problem. While he manages to find assistance from some unexpected sources, he’ll still have to rely on their honor in keeping their promises. Not such an easy thing to do when so many lives are on the line.

This is the fourth installment in the Katie Chandler series. In this magical world wizards can be charming, gargoyles make fabulous bodyguards, and what most of the world sees is rarely what’s there. Don’t Hex With Texas is fun, witty and delightfully entertaining. Ms. Swendson weaves fantasy, fairytales and her own creative magic into the storyline, making this series simply unique.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Grimspace by Ann Aguirre

Grimspace
Ann Aguirre
Ace
February 26, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-441-01599-3

The only survivor of the Matins IV crash, Sirantha Jax has been isolated by her employer and forced to undergo psychological torture disguised as treatments to mend her. Born with the J-gene that allows her to act as a Jumper, Jax has the ability to work with a pilot and move a ship through grimspace. While most Jumpers would have died from the number of jumps Jax has completed, her continued strength has captured the notice of a group who has plans of their own where her future is concerned. If Jax can train their engineered Jumpers they can break-down the control that the Farwan Corporation holds.

March arrives and offers to free Jax with the condition that she do as they ask, and use her talent to help them stand against the Corp. It’s clear to Jax that March has shadows of his own that he holds deep inside, but with their roles as Pilot and Jumper their relationship must be close and trusting. The Corp won’t easily allow Jax to walk away, so the tentative connection she forges with March could be all that enables her to survive.

In this science fiction tale, Ms. Aguirre blends a creative adventure with a thorny romance and takes readers on a fast-moving ride through space. With a fascinating concept in space travel, and the unique characters that make it possible, Grimspace is well-imagined and very entertaining. The sequel, Wanderlust, is currently scheduled as an August 2008 release.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Kat Richardson is guest blogging at the Penguin Group Blog...

I know many of you are fans of the Greywalker series, and have read Greywalker and Poltergeist. Now we're all looking forward to Underground being released the beginning of August. :) If you enjoy urban fantasy and haven't found this series yet then you should really check it out! In the meantime, stop by and see what Ms. Richardson has to say over at Penguin Group's blog.

If you're unable to click the link above, try this: http://us.penguingroup.com/static/html/blogs/guest-author/poltergeist-kat-richardson

Wild & Hexy by Vicki Lewis Thompson

Wild & Hexy
The Hex Series, Book 2
Vicki Lewis Thompson
Onyx
June 3, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-451-41258-4

Annie Winston was once the Dairy Queen of Big Knob, Indiana, but left to pursue her dreams. Soon after the break-up of her marriage she’s returned home for her sister’s wedding. She’s gained a bit of weight and now her mother is busy making sure that splitting seams won’t be an issue come wedding day. Dropping a few pounds won’t be a problem with so much running to do for the wedding, tracking down a daily story for her job at the Tribune and spending what’s left of her time with Jeremy, a guy she barely noticed in high school.

Jeremy Dunstan runs an internet café in town with the only high-speed connection around. He had a crush on Annie when they were teens, but he was too shy to act on it. Now that she’s back and using the café to send off her articles for the paper, he wishes he had the confidence to ask her out. With Annie coming to the conclusion that he’s not interested in women at all, it’ll take a bit of magical help for Jeremy to sweep her off of her feet. Convincing her to stay in Big Knob will take a whole lot more effort than a touch of borrowed magic.

With Dorcas and Ambrose Lowell meddling in their love lives, the residents of Big Knob are destined to find their perfect match. In this second book of The Hex Series, readers are introduced to a new pair of unsuspecting mortals on the Lowell’s matchmaking hit-list, and find that there are more supernatural residents calling Big Knob home. Each book that Vicki Lewis Thompson pens is an experience that will have you laughing from the start. The world is well-built, the characters are charming and the storyline is simply delightful. Wild & Hexy is a zany adventure in romance and magic. Readers won’t be able to resist another visit with the inhabitants of Big Knob.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris

From Dead to Worse
Southern Vampire Series, Book 8
Charlaine Harris
Ace
May 6, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-441-01589-4

In the town of Bon Temps, Louisiana, Sookie Stackhouse waits tables at Merlotte’s, a local bar owned by her shapeshifter boss and friend, Sam. She lives life the best that she can with a telepathic gift that she’s not always happy to have. Last month she survived a life claiming explosion at the vampire summit, and Sookie is trying harder than ever to get her life back on track. With her ties to both the vampire and werewolf communities leading an uneventful life is next to impossible.

Sophie Anne’s rule over the Louisiana vampires has been further hindered by her extreme injuries sustained from the explosion, and someone sees this as their chance to make a change. Meanwhile, Sookie’s weretiger boyfriend, Quinn, hasn’t contacted her since just after the explosion and Sookie is growing more concerned each day.

Tempers rise in the werewolf community, and the vampires find themselves in turmoil that takes them by surprise. As power becomes the main objective Sookie will once again discover she’s surrounded by supernatural battles, but in the midst of it all she’ll meet an unexpected visitor who has special significance in her life.

In this eighth full-length installment of the Southern Vampire Series, Sookie’s loyalties to her friends and family will be tested and she’ll continue the struggle to piece together the puzzle of her life. With supernatural action that never slows, Ms. Harris takes readers on a new thrill ride filled to the brim with fabulous detail, characters that will charm their way into your heart, and the magic of never knowing what might come next. Tension filled, and laced with romantic possibilities, From Dead to Worse advances the storyline as it ties up loose ends and opens new doors. This series is a must read for fans of urban fantasy and should be read from the beginning.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

The Ghost and the Femme Fatale by Alice Kimberly

The Ghost and the Femme Fatale
Haunted Bookshop Mysteries, No. 4
Alice Kimberly
Berkley Prime Crime
May 6, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-425-21838-9

Penelope Thornton-McClure is a widow, single mother and owns a bookshop with her Aunt Sadie. Having completed restorations, the new owners of the Movie Town Theater are holding a Film Noir Festival with special guest speakers and book signings to be held at Pen’s shop. One of the big stars from the period is Hedda Geist whose career ended abruptly back in the day when she was involved in a murder. Hedda’s boyfriend, Pierce Armstrong, went to jail for the stabbing and Hedda disappeared. Now that she’s willing to be seen again it seems that someone may not want that to happen. What others are calling accidents, Pen believes are premeditated murders and she’s quick to begin investigating.

Jack Shepard was a private investigator when he was killed back in 1949, but his ghost remained in the area that is now the bookshop. Pen is the only one who can hear him, and while he’s usually stuck in the store she can also take him with her as long as she has Jack’s lucky buffalo nickel along. Actors and authors are turning up dead and while it looks like accidents, Jack and Pen are convinced it’s far from simply bad luck. Along with several of her local friends they plan to get to the bottom of the case without Pen meeting with a deadly accident of her own.

With a mystery that began with stars from 1940’s film, this fourth book in the Haunted Bookshop Mysteries is sure to please fans of both the mystery and paranormal genres. Ms. Kimberly weaves a decades old murder around a current deadly mystery and puts her headstrong heroine and ghostly hero on the case. In the midst of it all Jack pulls Pen into his time through dreams, and the chemistry they share draws them closer together as more than investigative partners. With a fast-paced storyline, detailed scenery and fabulous characters, The Ghost and the Femme Fatale comes together with a twist, making for a fun mystery that readers can get lost in.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Angel of Mercy by Toni Andrews

Angel of Mercy
Mercy Hollings, Book 2
Toni Andrews
Mira
May 1, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-7783-2547-5

Mercy Hollings is a hypnotherapist with a gift she calls ‘pressing’. When she gives a client a suggestion, they obey without argument. She’s careful to keep the persuasion light because she’s learned first hand how deadly her skills can be when someone is pressed too hard.

When a client arrives who has clearly been abused by her husband, Mercy knows that the woman needs more help and protection than she can provide. Making arrangements for the ill-treated Tiffany brings Mercy into contact with Rose Jackson, the woman who runs Haven House. The facility does their best to help those they can, and Mercy finds herself brought in on a case where a mother and daughter, Anna and Grace, have been abused so badly that Rose can’t begin to uncover all that’s happened.

With her friend Sukey’s help, Mercy is looking into her past to find answers to the questions that have plagued her throughout most of her life. Her boyfriend Sam has been patient in waiting for her to trust him enough to share her secrets, but she’s recently discovered that he has some secrets of his own. In an effort to use her gift to help, Mercy’s control begins to slip, and soon the lives of those around her could be at risk.

In the second installment of the Mercy Hollings series, Mercy takes a step closer to discovering her past, keeps her boyfriend at arms length and uses her gift more than ever. There are some heart-wrenching discussions on abuse, and as disturbing as that may be to some readers it plays an understandable role in the storyline with Mercy’s profession. Ms. Andrews pens a unique paranormal tale with mysterious pasts, romance and suspense that’s bound to capture the reader’s attention. Angel of Mercy references incidents from the first book in the series, Beg for Mercy, and to really understand the extent of Mercy’s power it’s best if they’re read in order.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews