The Velvet Chair by Jennifer Stevenson

The Velvet Chair
Book 2
Jennifer Stevenson
Ballantine Books
May 20, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-345-48669-1

Working as a fraud investigator in Chicago keeps Jewel Heiss busy with bizarre crimes. While she’s not fond of the department she’s stuck in, she’s finally been given a partner. Clay being an ex-con might not have been her first choice, but his checkered past comes in handy more often than not.

When Clay Dawes refuses to help his father’s girlfriend he and Jewel find themselves going undercover in his father’s home. What they’re after is the Venus Machine, a chair reported to intensify beauty making the subject who has used it irresistible to those around them. Their job is to investigate the fraud and shut down any talk of magic.

Randy, the sex demon, is still by Jewel’s side and hoping for a permanent release from his curse. He also manages to get them all into some pretty risky situations. Between the three of them they’ll have to prevent public knowledge of the Venus Machine and find a way to prove that its magic is really just the power of suggestion.

In this second Jewel Heiss installment, Jewel returns with Clay and Randy in an undercover adventure that’s sometimes dangerous, often laced with sexual tension and always filled with magic. Ms. Stevenson gives readers a wonderful follow-up story, turning up the heat with more lusty moments and humorous escapades. The Velvet Chair is a steamy romp and a great time with this amusing trio. Book three, The Bearskin Rug, is scheduled for release on June 24, 2008.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

The Brass Bed by Jennifer Stevenson

The Brass Bed
Book 1
Jennifer Stevenson
Ballantine Books
April 29, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-345-48668-4

Jewel Heiss works for the Chicago Department of Consumer Services where she investigates fraud and tries to keep a lid on the magical things that go on around town. Her boss thinks his wife, Nina, is cheating on him and wants Jewel to find the proof. Not the kind of case she wants to be involved in, but in the process she’ll investigate the sex therapist Nina’s seeing because Jewel is sure he’s a con.

Giving in to her friend’s demands, Jewel agrees to a session with Clay, the therapist. What she gets out of the experience is Randy, a demon lover who attaches himself to her as her sex slave.

When his mistress used her magic and cursed him for being a lousy lover, Randy found himself trapped in a brass bed. He’s been stuck there since 1811. The deal is that he has to satisfy 100 women to gain his freedom and it’s taken him nearly 200 hundred years to get there. He was lucky that someone like Clay finally came along and made good use of the bed or he may have been stuck forever. Still, something hasn’t gone as planned and Randy has little choice but to rely on Jewel to help him work things out.

This is the first book in a new fantasy series with Jewel Heiss and while the over-all plot was enjoyable there were a few points that were difficult to get past. The biggest were Jewel’s boss who cheats on his wife, and the wife who accepts the cheating as a relatively tolerable part of life. While they were secondary characters their presence was strong enough that it cast a dark shadow over what is otherwise a lighthearted and humorous read. Ms. Stevenson has created an interesting world for her characters and the storyline for The Brass Bed is basically a fun one. Jewel, Clay and Randy are an entertaining trio that share chemistry, lust and crazy capers. I’m looking forward to their next adventure in The Velvet Chair.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

The Iron Hunt by Marjorie M. Liu

The Iron Hunt
Hunter Kiss, Book 1
Marjorie M. Liu
Ace
June 24, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-441-01606-8

Maxine Kiss is a demon hunter and the last of her kind. Her body is covered in tattoos that provide her with armor during the day, but when the sun sets the demons she wears on her skin separate and become living creatures. Bound to protect and fight by her side, they’ll be together until the day that Maxine passes them on with her death. For now they’re the closest thing to family that she’s ever known.

Grant, a former priest who runs a homeless shelter, is Maxine’s boyfriend. While that’s something she never thought she’d have, their relationship is as close as she’s come to trust with someone other than the ‘boys’. Grant also has a supernatural talent of his own, one that’s powerful enough to offer some protection from the demons.

The Veil has weakened through the years, and something new has been freed from the prison to walk the earth. Humans made zombie by the demons using their skin are fairly common to see, but an entity wearing a familiar face has appeared and it’s unlike anything Maxine was prepared for. Angry after so long imprisoned, the avatar has plans to regain what was taken from her and to take so much more. Maxine’s job is to prevent that from happening at nearly any cost.

This is the first novel in the Hunter Kiss series, but there is a prequel with the series name in Wild Thing, a Berkley anthology, and this may explain a slightly disorienting feeling at the beginning of the story. Ms. Liu does a lovely job in getting readers up to speed and preparing us for the high-speed action in her demon filled adventure. A creative and well-written storyline provides a strong backbone for this new urban fantasy series, and the unique characters in The Iron Hunt will charm, tempt and surprise readers into coming back for more.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

A Match Made in Hell by Terri Garey

A Match Made in Hell
Nicki Styx, Book 2
Terri Garey
Avon Books
June 24, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-06-113616-0

When a heart condition nearly took her life, Nicki Styx came back with a gift she’d rather not have. She can see the spirits of people who haven’t crossed over, and each of them need her help. This time around an accident victim, Peaches, leads Nicki to answers from her past and the family she didn’t know existed.

Joe Bascombe, the emergency room doctor who saved her life, is her new beau. More often than not his time is spent by her side, especially during the times that she needs him most. He’s adjusted to Nicki’s gift rather well, so when she finds herself chasing down family ghosts it’s no surprise that Joe takes a few days off from the hospital to join her.

A surprise visit from a family member leads them both to the home they knew nothing about. Once there, family secrets are revealed, spirits are set free and Nicki finds herself fending off some tempting attention, the price of which could cost her soul.

This is the second novel in the Nicki Styx series. Nicki’s family background is revealed and it’s as much a surprise for her as it is for fans. Ms. Garey adds many twists to this installment, and keeps readers on the edge of their seat until the last moment. With some new and intriguing characters added to the mix, the trouble in A Match Made in Hell intensifies, a strong romance is put through more than one test and souls are in danger. The chemistry is scorching, looks can be deceiving, and Nicki’s life is about to get a lot more complicated.

Kimberly Swam Darque Reviews

Real Vampires Get Lucky by Gerry Bartlett

Real Vampires Get Lucky
Glory St. Clair, Book 3
Gerry Bartlett
Berkley
June 3, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-425-22154-9

When Gloriana St. Clair and her shapeshifter bodyguard, Valdez, find a nearly dead woman in the alley behind her building, she does something she’s never done before. She changes Lucky Carver, a loan collector, to vampire. Now she’s responsible for teaching Lucky the ropes. Her mobster father is grateful for Glory saving her life, but he still wants answers and he’s more than willing to pay for what he wants. Her good deed is about to turn around and make life much more complicated.

Not being the type that takes orders from anyone, Lucky ignores the need for secrecy of her new life as vampire and attracts attention in a very big way. She’s just been given an immortal life that she plans to lead in any way she wants, and her first order of business is to take revenge on a guy who jilted her years ago. There are two sides to every story, but Lucky has no interest in giving him a chance to speak his peace and soon more trouble lands in Glory’s lap.

Jeremiah Campbell is Glory’s on again, off again, vampire boyfriend. If it were strictly up to him, he’d have married her long ago, but luckily for Glory he hasn’t given up hope. He does all he can to protect her, but she still manages to get herself into bad situations. This time around, Jerry has some troubles of his own.

This is the third installment in the Glory St. Clair vampire series, and Glory’s humorous escapades will keep readers glued to the pages. Ms. Bartlett pens an inventive urban fantasy tale with engaging characters, an intriguing mystery and a storyline kept light with witty dialogue. Real Vampires Get Lucky is filled with twists, turns and temptation that will keep readers coming back for more.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Cluck: Murder Most Fowl by Eric D. Knapp

Cluck: Murder Most Fowl
Eric D. Knapp
Book Surge
December 10, 2007
ISBN# 978-1-4196-8264-3

A rooster hatches and begins his life on a farm. While he’s larger, stronger and more intelligent than the rest, he doesn’t know what fate has in store for him. He connects with Helena, a hen that has hatched at the same time. They become favorites of the farmer, and he treats them just a bit better than the rest. When the rooster dies, he suddenly finds himself alive again, or undead as the facts may be. The zombie rooster evolves from the pleasant soul he was, to the Rooster King who now has an army of rotting zombie chickens to do his bidding.

Arnold is born to parents who are amazed by his intelligence. While most children would take years to learn the basics, Arnie swiftly masters them. When he starts seeing auras and souls, his mother sends him to Father Beaumont who recognizes his gift for what it is. He soon shuffles Arnie off to The Order in France where his talents can be utilized. Once there, he has a mentor who eventually passes on The Charge to him. There are other members of The Order, but Arnie finds himself with the knowledge and the responsibility for fighting the evil chickens.

After years of fighting to stay alive against the foul chickens that have invaded his farm house, Bobby Garfundephelt is slowly going crazy as he does his best to avoid the traps and ambushes the chickens set for him. Arnie’s appearance could mean his survival of the horror he’s been through, or it could mean something else entirely.

From the supernatural life of a rooster, to the paranormal talents of a boy, Cluck: Murder Most Fowl is beyond anything you might imagine when you pick up this book. Mr. Knapp entertains readers with a well-written and detailed world that has many twists, turns and horrors to experience along the way. While zombie chickens may not be at the top of your list of interests, the bizarre nature of this story will keep readers turning the pages to see where it will lead. It’s an unusual tale that falls more on the light side of horror than anything else, and it’s one that anyone who reads it won’t soon forget.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Blood Noir by Laurell K. Hamilton

Blood Noir
Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, Book 16
Laurell K. Hamilton
Berkley
May 27, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-425-22219-5

Anita Blake is a necromancer, Federal Marshall for vampire executions, and the human servant to Master of the City of St. Louis, Jean-Claude. When Jason, Jean-Claude’s pomme de sang, asks Anita for a favor she convinces herself it’s the right thing to do. Afraid of flying, and less than thrilled to be meeting Jason’s family under less than truthful circumstances, Anita says goodbye to Nathaniel and Micah, her live-in boyfriends, and accompanies Jason home. What might have been an emotionally difficult trip for Jason turns into a life threatening time for them both.

Jason Schuyler is a werewolf and has not seen his father in several years. His father is now dying and Jason is returning home to make one final effort in smoothing things out before his death. What he hadn’t known when arranging their trip was that his cousin, Keith Summerland, is getting married during the same time he’ll be in town. The problem is that Jason looks so much like Keith and his twin brother that he’s immediately mistaken for him and has the press hounding him and Anita from the time they touch down. If that weren’t enough, it seems that his cousin has gotten himself into a very bad situation with the vampires, who also mistake Jason as the culprit.

Marmee Noir is waking, and the power Anita holds within her is like a magnet to the Mother of all Darkness. A trip that had already turned life threatening is about to take an even darker turn when Anita finds herself fighting an unseen battle to survive.

This is the sixteenth installment in the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series. Blood Noir centers on an out-of-town trip where Anita accompanies Jason to make peace with his dying father. The action is a plentiful mix of human and supernatural that leaves little time to lose interest. Sex is a part of the overall storyline, because without feeding the ardeur Anita won’t survive. Ms. Hamilton adds detail to a charming character by giving readers a look into his past, and takes her heroine a step further with her battle against powerful dark forces. A must read for fans of the series, especially those fans who want to learn more about Jason. If you’re new to this series you should really start at the beginning. If you’re squeamish about explicit sex scenes then take a pass on this series rather than torturing yourself with such delicious detail.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Walk on the Wild Side by Christine Warren

Walk on the Wild Side
The Others, Book 5
Christine Warren
St. Martin’s Press
June 3, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-312-94791-0

Kitty Sugarman was raised by her grandparents. Her mother, Misty, was too far into herself to be bothered with a child, and her father she’d never met. When a visit with Misty finds them in a car accident it triggers a transformation in Kitty, turning her into a were-lion. Realizing that she’s one of the Others, Kitty makes arrangements to meet her absentee father, Martin Lowe, at his home in Vegas. He’s the Felix of his Pride and currently in poor health. Clearly there he had a lot of explaining to do.

Marcus “Max” Stuart is baas of the Red Rock Pride, Martin’s second-in-command. He’s happy to retrieve her from airport for the man who he thinks of as a father, but what greets him is a surprise. Their first meeting has Max giving Kitty her first lesson in gaining control over her change.

Kitty’s time with her father dwindles, the relationship with Max grows and members of the family shun her presence. She’s left to make some hard decisions about her future. The world she knew will never be the same, but the one she’s entered can be a very dangerous place.

This is the fifth book in The Others series and tells the story of one young woman’s struggle to accept her new life and how she finds her nearly perfect mate in the process. Ms. Warren weaves a seductive tale with strong chemistry, roiling emotions, steamy romance and supernatural action. The fast moving plot in Walk on the Wild Side will keep the reader’s attention riveted through every page, and have them eagerly watching for the next installment.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews