Showing posts with label Lori Handeland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lori Handeland. Show all posts
February 18, 2009
8:00 AM |
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I reviewed this book for ROOB at the request of the author
Back Cover:
Darkness will summon her…
Elizabeth Phoenix once used her unique skills as a psychic to help in the Milwaukee Police Department's fight against injustice. But when Liz's foster mother is found viciously murdered—and Liz is discovered unconscious at the scene—her only memory of the crime comes in the form of terrifying dreams...of creatures more horrific than anything Liz has seen in real life. What do these visions mean? And what in the world do they have to do with her former lover, Jimmy Sanducci?
To places she's never been before…
While the police question Jimmy in the murder, Jimmy opens Liz's eyes to a supernatural war that has raged since the dawn of time in which innocent people are hunted by malevolent beings disguised as humans. Only a chosen few have the ability to fight their evil, and Jimmy believes Liz is among them. Now, with her senses heightened, new feelings are rising within Liz—ones that re-ignite her dangerous attraction to Jimmy. But Jimmy has a secret that will rock Liz to her core…and put the survival of the human race in peril.…
Elizabeth "Liz" Phoenix is a young woman with psychic abilities, which have led to her leaving the police force and taking up a bartending job. When a psychic compulsion leads her to her foster mother's house she finds Ruthie Kane dying, her last words causing confusion right before Liz slips into a coma.
Awakened from her coma she finds out ex-lover and foster brother Jimmy Sanducci is the prime suspect and he has some disturbing news about the end of the world and her role in it. This is the start of a journey to stop the end of the world as we know it, a journey during which Liz learns not only things about Ruthie, Sawyer and Jimmy, but also about herself and her destiny in leading the battle of good against evil. The battle between the Federation and the Nephilim.
In ANY GIVEN DOOMSDAY Lori Handeland approaches the age-old theme of "good versus evil" and the battle against supernatural evil out to destroy the world, from a fresh and original angle combining an agreeable writing style with a heroine who will appeal to many urban fantasy reader and I do think that true fans of urban fantasy poured into a multi-installment series (chronicles so to speak), will appreciate it more than I did because it’s a well-written first installment with promises for the rest of the series but for me some things just didn’t click into place enough for me to be overwhelmed by it.
This is clearly the first book in the series with a lot of world building, introducing of creatures and preparing Liz for her future purpose. The way this was done from Liz' point of view complemented the vibe of this first book of The Chronicles of Phoenix. Even though I was intrigued by the whole concept and the story kept me glued to the pages thanks to the action and Liz' character, there were some elements that just weren't my cup of tea. Still these elements didn’t bother me to the point of not liking the book.
The situation with the two men (Jimmy and Sawyer) in Liz' life is complicated and for me as an avid romance reader a slightly uncomfortable one. Knowing this book is classified as an urban fantasy, I wasn't expecting romance as in the paranormal romances I'm used to but in the beginning I was inclined to go that way because of the way Liz' relationship with Jimmy was being described. But then halfway through the book there are some twists in the plot that left me a bit uncomfortable because they were a little contrary to the way Jimmy and Liz' story had been set up. Further developments in the plot and the relationships with between Liz, Sawyer and Jimmy only added to my confusion. I understood the developments were important to Liz' coming into her powers, but that didn't take away the uncomfortable feeling.
I was a bit less enthusiastic about the overall pace and plot-developments in the last part of the book. The pace varied in different parts of the story. The beginning was fast-paced despite the world building and explanations. But in the middle part of the book the pace changed and slowed considerably. The end was fast-paced again but it also seemed a bit rushed and some storylines that were started were left without closure. I understand that in this series the story continues with future books but there were some things, like the Summer-Jimmy story and the exposing of the traitor that caused Ruthie's death, I wanted to be worked out better. Especially that last storyline was rushed and I'm still trying to grasp what exactly was the deal there. I was left with a bit too many questions and loose ends and would have liked to see these storylines wrapped up in this installment.
Because the story is told from Liz' perspective, she is the character the reader gets to know the best. I liked Liz' character in the way she accepts her destiny with realistic reluctance at first and in the end embraces it wholeheartedly but I feel at the end of the book that there are hints at certain things about Liz but they are left untold. I guess and hope this will be done in future books. I did like Liz' sense of humor a lot. She has this dry, sarcastic sense of humor that pops up mostly in situations where she's confronted with things she has trouble handling.
I loved the writing style, which was crisp, snappy and witty. I loved the premise of the series with Liz as a powerful seer to lead the demon killers into battle against the spawn of the fallen angels and humans. I also liked the narrative. While I'm not a fan of first person narrative in this book Lori Handeland made it work for me.
Since this was my first venture into urban fantasy I can't tell if my not being blown away is because I'm not that into the genre or that this was just not the book for me to start this genre with. Time will tell since the excerpt of the next book in this series, DOOMSDAY CAN WAIT, did leave me more than a bit curious how the story is going to proceed.
Back Cover:
Darkness will summon her…
Elizabeth Phoenix once used her unique skills as a psychic to help in the Milwaukee Police Department's fight against injustice. But when Liz's foster mother is found viciously murdered—and Liz is discovered unconscious at the scene—her only memory of the crime comes in the form of terrifying dreams...of creatures more horrific than anything Liz has seen in real life. What do these visions mean? And what in the world do they have to do with her former lover, Jimmy Sanducci?
To places she's never been before…
While the police question Jimmy in the murder, Jimmy opens Liz's eyes to a supernatural war that has raged since the dawn of time in which innocent people are hunted by malevolent beings disguised as humans. Only a chosen few have the ability to fight their evil, and Jimmy believes Liz is among them. Now, with her senses heightened, new feelings are rising within Liz—ones that re-ignite her dangerous attraction to Jimmy. But Jimmy has a secret that will rock Liz to her core…and put the survival of the human race in peril.…
Elizabeth "Liz" Phoenix is a young woman with psychic abilities, which have led to her leaving the police force and taking up a bartending job. When a psychic compulsion leads her to her foster mother's house she finds Ruthie Kane dying, her last words causing confusion right before Liz slips into a coma.
Awakened from her coma she finds out ex-lover and foster brother Jimmy Sanducci is the prime suspect and he has some disturbing news about the end of the world and her role in it. This is the start of a journey to stop the end of the world as we know it, a journey during which Liz learns not only things about Ruthie, Sawyer and Jimmy, but also about herself and her destiny in leading the battle of good against evil. The battle between the Federation and the Nephilim.
In ANY GIVEN DOOMSDAY Lori Handeland approaches the age-old theme of "good versus evil" and the battle against supernatural evil out to destroy the world, from a fresh and original angle combining an agreeable writing style with a heroine who will appeal to many urban fantasy reader and I do think that true fans of urban fantasy poured into a multi-installment series (chronicles so to speak), will appreciate it more than I did because it’s a well-written first installment with promises for the rest of the series but for me some things just didn’t click into place enough for me to be overwhelmed by it.
This is clearly the first book in the series with a lot of world building, introducing of creatures and preparing Liz for her future purpose. The way this was done from Liz' point of view complemented the vibe of this first book of The Chronicles of Phoenix. Even though I was intrigued by the whole concept and the story kept me glued to the pages thanks to the action and Liz' character, there were some elements that just weren't my cup of tea. Still these elements didn’t bother me to the point of not liking the book.
The situation with the two men (Jimmy and Sawyer) in Liz' life is complicated and for me as an avid romance reader a slightly uncomfortable one. Knowing this book is classified as an urban fantasy, I wasn't expecting romance as in the paranormal romances I'm used to but in the beginning I was inclined to go that way because of the way Liz' relationship with Jimmy was being described. But then halfway through the book there are some twists in the plot that left me a bit uncomfortable because they were a little contrary to the way Jimmy and Liz' story had been set up. Further developments in the plot and the relationships with between Liz, Sawyer and Jimmy only added to my confusion. I understood the developments were important to Liz' coming into her powers, but that didn't take away the uncomfortable feeling.
I was a bit less enthusiastic about the overall pace and plot-developments in the last part of the book. The pace varied in different parts of the story. The beginning was fast-paced despite the world building and explanations. But in the middle part of the book the pace changed and slowed considerably. The end was fast-paced again but it also seemed a bit rushed and some storylines that were started were left without closure. I understand that in this series the story continues with future books but there were some things, like the Summer-Jimmy story and the exposing of the traitor that caused Ruthie's death, I wanted to be worked out better. Especially that last storyline was rushed and I'm still trying to grasp what exactly was the deal there. I was left with a bit too many questions and loose ends and would have liked to see these storylines wrapped up in this installment.
Because the story is told from Liz' perspective, she is the character the reader gets to know the best. I liked Liz' character in the way she accepts her destiny with realistic reluctance at first and in the end embraces it wholeheartedly but I feel at the end of the book that there are hints at certain things about Liz but they are left untold. I guess and hope this will be done in future books. I did like Liz' sense of humor a lot. She has this dry, sarcastic sense of humor that pops up mostly in situations where she's confronted with things she has trouble handling.
I loved the writing style, which was crisp, snappy and witty. I loved the premise of the series with Liz as a powerful seer to lead the demon killers into battle against the spawn of the fallen angels and humans. I also liked the narrative. While I'm not a fan of first person narrative in this book Lori Handeland made it work for me.
Since this was my first venture into urban fantasy I can't tell if my not being blown away is because I'm not that into the genre or that this was just not the book for me to start this genre with. Time will tell since the excerpt of the next book in this series, DOOMSDAY CAN WAIT, did leave me more than a bit curious how the story is going to proceed.
May 10, 2008
11:39 PM |
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FOUR WITCHES ON A MAN HUNT
From broomsticks to black magic, leather-clad warriors to love potions gone wrong, here you’ll find four stories of supernatural sex and suspense from some of today’s hottest bestselling authors.
MaryJanice Davidson - The Majicka
Life’s a bit crowded for Ireland and her roommates—a fairy, a werewolf, a vampire, and now a zombie…especially when a mysterious man walks through the door. Will there be any room left for love?
Ireland Shea is an unknowing guardian of the Magick (a Magicka). She lives with a vampire, a werewolf, a faerie and a mage spelled into a car. Micah is new Magicks tutor. He teaches them the ropes. When he goes to Ireland to tutor her, he finds her in the middle of saving a Dryad from being killed. Micah tags along, they save the Dryad, fall in love and live happily ever after.
This story was really not for me but I think MaryJanice Davidson fans will like it. It just was not my thing despite being a pleasant and funny story. There's a lot of funny bantering and sarcastic dialogues but there was just too much going on and to little pages to explain it all, which left me with a rushed and dissatisfied feeling. For example I still don't know what a Magicka does exactly or what Micah role exactly entails other than that he is the tutor. There is a lot of humor in the story but just not my kind of humor and I missed the balance between humor and romance a bit. I like humor in books and the wittier, the more I like but there also has to be some kind of balance and in my opinion this story lacked that balance. I had the feeling the author was trying to outdo herself in the funny department, trying to see if she could make every sentence funnier than the previous one. Because of this the focus is too much on the funny part and less on the storyline/plot and that combined with the lack of explanation and background on certain things and characters hasn't won me over for MaryJanice Davidson. I was never really attracted to her books and unfortunately this story hasn't changed that.
Lori Handeland - Voodoo Moon
For Devil’s Fork–based FBI Agent Dana Duran, the only way to fight a supernatural serial killer just may be to embrace life. But little did she know that voodoo could be so viciously sexy…
FBI Agent Dana Duran is sent to Devil's Fork to investigate a string of unexplainable murders. When she arrives there it turns out that voodoo is involved in the killings. Subsequently the voodoo-shop owner Julian Portier is the main suspect and Dana finds herself in an investigation that will change her life forever!
This was a story in first person narrative from Dana's perspective and as I've mentioned before in reviews this is not my favorite narrative. There are very few authors who can enthrall me with it and I must say that Lori Handeland turned out to be one of them.
In this short story Lori Handeland delivered well-rounded and believable characters, a strong and sensual romance and a very original plot and the outcome of whom and why and how they dealt with him was fascinating to say the least. Despite the fact that it was short I didn't have the feeling I was missing something or the usual dissatisfied feeling I have when reading anthology-story.
The story was utterly captivating, exploring the voodoo scene with well-researched accuracy. The story was able to keep my attention and I kept on reading breathlessly, anxious for how it all was going to unfold, sad when I finished it because I didn't want it to end.
Cheyenne McCray - Breath of Magic (part 4 in Magic Series)
San Francisco’s witches are in an epic battle. But even if Sydney can use her sultry ways and ancient Druid powers to save the world, can she risk losing her heart to handsome warrior Conlan?
Sydney Aline, one of the gray witches of the San Francisco D'Anu Coven has stayed behind with a handful of D'Danann warriors to find the warlock Darkwolf and his Fomorii companion Junga. The rest of the Coven and warriors have gone to Otherworld to round up allies to fight the evil goddess and god who threaten to destroy San Francisco. One of the D'Danann warriors who has stayed behind is Conlan. He is a proverbial playboy; he enjoys the pleasure of women but never commits to them. Sydney finds herself attracted to this warrior but doesn't want to give in to those feelings because of his playboy ways. But in the middle of the search for Darkwolf and Junga the attraction between them grows into something more. Conlan discovers that Sydney is not just another pleasure partner for him and Sydney has to admit to deeper feelings for Conlan.
This was the story I was most anticipating in the anthology and to be honest I was a little bit disappointed. The full-length books in the series were amazing and captivating but despite the fact that the story was pleasant and fitting in the series there was something lacking for me that I did find in the books. I can't pinpoint it exactly but I didn't feel the chemistry between the hero and the heroine. This can be because of the limited page-count which forces the romance plot, not giving them time to build up the sensual tension and a relationship in which they can grow. I would incline to think that because in the books this was present and that's what made me like the books so much. So I'm going to blame it on the fact that it's an anthology-novella.
Again, and even in this short story, the plot thickens. McCray brings answers to some questions from the previous books but she also raises more new questions.
The storyline from the books continues. This time concentrating more on Darkwolf though. He does some remarkable things that make you wonder what his true goals ultimately will be. I hope to get answers to this in the two future books that will conclude the series.
I like this series and this short story, despite the weaker main couple, is another addition to the continuing plot, setting up the next full-length novel. All the elements were there, just with a bit less depth and intensity.
Christine Warren - Any Witch Way She Can
A desperately lonely witch decides to take matters of love into her own hands when she casts a cosmic personal ad…only to find that the perfect formula for love is a strange brew indeed.
Miranda Berry (Randy) has had it with her single life and the lowlife men that pass through it. She wants a worthy mate and what better way to get one than to use a little magic to help things along. But little does she know that this little magic is going to bring her not only her the man of her dreams in the form of male witch Michael Devon but also a whole lot of trouble.
This story certainly took me by surprise. I wasn't familiar with Christine Warren's writing so I didn't know what to expect. But what I got was a well-written, delightful story with witty characters, a lovely romance and even a little villain-plot worked into it.
I really loved everything about this story. This one had the perfect balance between humor and romance I mentioned in my review of another story in this anthology.
The fluent and easy writing style and the extremely witty characters, especially Randy, and the magical elements pulled me into the story deep and fast.
Randy is adorable and chaotic, trouble has no problems finding her and many times this is her own fault. Michael is one hot witch, very capable and calm. He’s the perfect match for Randy. The plot involving Randy's grandmother and someone trying to sabotage her was a nice touch to the story, giving it that little bit extra to make it a well-rounded story with lots of laugh-out-loud moments.
This taste of Christine Warren's writing certainly has intrigued me so I'm going to look into finding more of her writing and see if I enjoy that as much as I did this story.
This was an anthology with for me different level of stories. I liked the Handeland and Warren stories best because these were the stories with the best-written mix and balance between humor, characters and story. The McCray story was not bad but just didn't live up to my expectations, proving once again that writing amazing books doesn't automatically mean writing great novella's and the Davidson story just wasn't my cup of tea, proving that my gut-feeling when choosing books/authors is something I really can rely on and in this aspect I'm glad that these kind of anthologies exist. They are the perfect way to find out if an author's writing style agrees with you or not.
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- 39, married to my real life romance hero, addicted to TV shows, reading romance novels and Twitter. I'm a chronic (e)book hoarder and my absolute favorite genres within romance fiction are contemporary romance and romantic suspense, but I don't shy away from historical, paranormal or erotic romance either. Even the occasional (urban) fantasy romance, futuristic and sci fi romance may make it to my Mount TBR. This is my corner of the world wide web where I let you know what books I'm hoarding, reading and reviewing.
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