Mass Market Paperback; 352 pages
Publisher: Zebra Books (September 6, 2010)
ISBN-10: 1420109871
ISBN-13: 9781420109870
Genre: Anthology; Horror; Paranormal; Short Story
Main Characters: Derek & Maggie
For Sale At: The Book Depository

SUMMARY
New Orleans native Dr. Maggie Dillon thought she left her past behind her - until she's enraptured by a handsome patient who has been possessed by a malevolent spirit. To find a cure, Colby revisits her magical roots - and unleashes a primal lust too vital to ignore...

REVIEW
Musician Derek, finds himself on the mental ward of a hospital after being possessed by a ghost on the verge of getting his revenge. In an act of despair he tries to get rid of this ghost who is trying to take over his body in the only way he knows how and that is to take his own life. However, Chief Resident Maggie Dillon is his tending physician and their instant attraction might be the one thing left to safe him.

I had no idea what to expect from this author as this anthology in Nocturnal was the first story I’ve read by her hand, but I was pleasantly surprised by the original and intriguing read. As a firm believer of ghost-possession, this book held an extra suspense factor in the plotline, especially as it was written in the first person. Through Maggie’s eyes you could see the possession take over and I got goose bumps in the process each time it occurred.

It’s quite difficult to get a grip on and feel for the main characters in Anthology stories because they are quite short reads. But for me the way it played out in My Soul To Take, worked well . The connection between the two leading characters was solid and real. Emotions were as well worked-out as can be expected from an Anthology-story. Both characters had a soft side to them, and the dreamy character of a musician mixed well with the practical and down to earth side of a physician, both not Alpha, both not Beta but both a unique addition to each other, just as it often is in real life. It gave it an extra plus for me.

I absolutely adored the fact a Voodoo Priestess from New Orleans, was helping out on the exorcism. The feel of the ritual and how it was set up was amazingly done, in both horrifying and cleansing way.

For me this Anthology is definitely a reason to pick up another book by Clare Willis.

* Signs of a werewolf are a unibrow, hair palms, tattoos, and a long middle finger.

* If you see a spider on Halloween, it is the spirit of a loved on watching over you.

* Could it be that all those trick-or-treaters wearing sheets aren't going as ghosts but as mattresses?

* One Halloween a trick-or-treater came to my door dressed as "Rocky" in boxing gloves and satin shorts. Soon after I gave him some goodies, he returned for more. "Aren't you the same 'Rocky' who left my doorstep several minutes ago?" I asked.
"Yes," he replied, "but now I'm Rocky II."

* The Ouija Board ended up outselling the game of Monopoly in its first full year at Salem. Over two million copies of the Ouija Board were shipped.

* An intense and persistent fear of Halloween is called Samhnainophobia Samhainophobia is the fear of Halloween.

* According to Irish legend, Jack O’Lanterns are named after a stingy man named Jack who, because he tricked the devil several times, was forbidden entrance into both heaven and hell. He was condemned to wander the Earth, waving his lantern to lead people away from their paths.

* Trick-or-treating evolved from the ancient Celtic tradition of putting out treats and food to placate spirits who roamed the streets at Samhain, a sacred festival that marked the end of the Celtic calendar year.

* “Halloween” is short for “Hallows’ Eve” or “Hallows’ Evening,” which was the evening before All Hallows’ (sanctified or holy) Day or Hallowmas on November 1. In an effort to convert pagans, the Christian church decided that Hallowmas or All Saints’ Day (November 1) and All Souls’ Day (November 2) should assimilate sacred pagan holidays that fell on or around October 31.

* Black and orange are typically associated with Halloween. Orange is a symbol of strength and endurance and, along with brown and gold, stands for the harvest and autumn. Black is typically a symbol of death and darkness and acts as a reminder that Halloween once was a festival that marked the boundaries between life and death.

* Halloween originated in Ireland over 2,000 years ago Ireland is typically believed to be the birthplace of Halloween.

* Scottish girls believed they could see images of their future husband if they hung wet sheets in front of the fire on Halloween. Other girls believed they would see their boyfriend’s faces if they looked into mirrors while walking downstairs at midnight on Halloween.

* According to tradition, if a person wears his or her clothes inside out and then walks backwards on Halloween, he or she will see a witch at midnight.

* Dressing up as ghouls and other spooks originated from the ancient Celtic tradition of townspeople disguising themselves as demons and spirits. The Celts believed that disguising themselves this way would allow them to escape the notice of the real spirits wandering the streets during Samhain.













You can find me back at my personal blog:
Natascha's Place or
Twitter-account: Natascha_ROOB

Hardback 312 pages - Stand Alone - Paranormal Suspense

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
ISBN-10: 0-312-38471-8
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-38471-5
Release date: June 8, 2010
Main Characters: Adam Garrett & Tanish Cabarrus
HC copy received for reviewing
Purchase at: The Book Depository Store

SUMMARY
The discovery in a landfill of the mutilated corpse of Erin Carmody, the 18-year-old daughter of a prominent Boston businessman, presents homicide detective Adam Garrett with a particularly sensitive case. Marks on the body suggest the killer was conducting Satanic rituals. When Adam and his partner, Carl Landauer, question the prime suspect, Jason Moncrief, a college friend of Erin's, Jason chants the name of the demon Choronzon, then assaults Carl. Despite what appears to be an open-and-shut case, Adam can't discount the claim that Jason is innocent made by Tanith Cabarrus, an attractive witch who comes to police headquarters to report that she dreamed of other murders—and who believes that supernatural forces are behind the slaughter.

REVIEW
Fact meets fiction in this enticingly thrilling story. This turned out such a well written story with an exquisite eye for detail, where Alexandra Sokoloff takes the reader into the crime scene and murder investigation after a body has turned up headless and handless at a city landfill. It captivated me from the first written word and didn’t let go, not even after I had read the final page and closed the book.

It showed a great background research in the paranormal plot and murder scene investigation, keeping it so close to the real deal. As I am quite familiar with the paranormal workings, the suspense factor of the major plotline on who the perpetrator was all the more thrilling that it might have been to others. However even for none-believers the built up of the storylines are fantastic and it is definitely a page turner till the end.

Adam Garrett- with his black irish eyes and hair and temper, hard-muscled, impatient, edgy;
is not a strictly go by the rule cop but likes to keep his feet firmly down-to-earth and grounded. However when a girl turns up at his desk, claiming a few weeks ago she dreamed about the murder he is currently investigating, and that they had the wrong boy in custody, he quickly finds himself needing to deal with the paranormal, and though he is just not a believer he seems to be attracted towards believing her and seeking her advice. He has to set his mind open to the – up to them for him impossible – and finds that this case would change his outlook on life as a whole new world seems to open up with a range of possible suspects.

Tanith Cabarrus - a witch who dreamed gruesome things and trying her best to get her voice heard within the police department, finally might be able to get a foot in. Mysterious and otherworldly tuned, she attracts the attention of Adam Garrett, hoping she could get through to him while doing her utmost to solve the murder case and freeing the person she knows was not involved in this murder.

Carl Landauer - chain-smoking, whisky-drinking, donut-eating, a living, breathing amalgam of every cop cliché known to man: middle-aged spread, broad sweating face, and bawdy, cynical humor - a lifer who used the caricature as a disguise. You just got to love him, he is Adam’s partner and has a smaller part to this story as the plotlines are following more Adam’s life but Land is the solid cop with humorous remarks taking the edge off the edgy in this story.

Quote upon finding certain satanic marks on the body of the murder victim:
“What the fuck is that? The Devil Lite? Satan can't count?"

For those who expect romantic suspense, there is no undying romantic love, but a fast-paced passionate and sensual fling between two human beings. Very raw and basic but complementing the overall story-arc. I admire Ms. Sokoloff for keeping it on that level, because the built up of plotlines and characters didn’t require anything more than what was given away.

Because the story-built and everything going on in between the written lines was so intense, this was not a light read. When reading a novel like this, that took hold of me and grabbed me so that it kept my mind busy outside reading hours as well, it classifies as a prime-read on my shelves, and one that most definitely will be re-read in the future.

There is a rawness in the satanic side of the paranormal way of living, making the evil in this novel very evil. Up unto the very last scene question marks on who was the villain invoking these energies was unrevealed, and the climactic ending tied all the loose ends together making it a tight fit.

This is my first book by Alexandra Sokoloff but definitely not the last!!!

October 14…. A day for most which will go by with no real meaning other than being a regular day in the year but for us at Realms it holds a bit more than that. Why? I hear you ask…. I’ll tell. Once my sister had an idea, her and me with a passion for reading books had of course our chats and fun discussing the books, but as my sister got into the book-anatics-thing on the internet an idea came to fruition, why not start a website with forum, discussing the one thing we love most. She discussed it with me and had one problem, she was not really into the technical side of making a website, tadada it was like the universe combined our ‘powers’ as I was a bit home in website-building, at that point I had worked on the administration of a web-design company for two years doing odd bits and pieces on websites and getting to know the technical inns and outs. Of course we both got excited and henceforth Realms On Our Bookshelves came to be a daily term in our phone-conversations. Through this we came to know many great people of whom Marissa and Pearl became dear friends of us.  

Early this year, the totality of building the website we had going grew a bit over our head. Our lives changed and as so many great authors got to our attention the website building was no longer a one girl job. The internet-community changed as well, instead of website/forum, blogging became the HOT thing and after discussing this over with Marissa and Pearl (whom beside our friends were steadfast reviewers of ROOB) we decided to change format and make it the four-ROOB-girl thing we have going today.

Throughout the past four years of knowing each other on the digi-world and outside that in real life we came to know us four as:

Leontine is wickedly fun, loyal, a bit of a scatterbrain and somewhat of a drama queen
Marissa, caring, chaotic, historical lover of the first order, smart but with her bridget jones moments (which is hilarious for us) and we came to know her as a musical encyclopedia
Natascha tends to be a bit of a wallflower, tell-it-like-it-is attitude but with a very big heart, creative, funny and has a passion for writing
Pearl is a busy-bee, talkative: always open for a chat about everything, sweet and caring

To add some spice to the post here are some great anecdotes from our time together:

Leontine – Staphorst meets the ROOB posse
Marissa- Triple A’s sexy alpha male to the rescue

Is it four years already?? Time flies when you have fun…

Ok today we talk about some of the funny things that happened to the ROOB gals over the years, there are really too many Bridget Jones moments to pen them all down here. We all know each other through the Internet, but I can remember the very first time I met Leontine in the flesh. I was picking her up for a bookfair in Rotterdam, she opened her door and the very first thing she said to me was: “Hi, you look so different than I thought you would.” “Well hello to you too Leontine!” After that we chatted about everything and nothing like we have known each other for years and that has never changed. The whole Staphorst affair and the word “sophistication” still make me smile when I think back of the memorable coffee-stop we made in that little town, but I picked another story to tell. So here it goes and you are forewarned, I am not a good storyteller.


What else to say, except that I hope that ROOB will be around for many more years and that I cherish my friendship (on the Internet and IRL) with Leontine, Pearl & Natascha. #raising my glass# To many more laughs, book & girl talk and embarrassing moments! Love you gals!

XOXO
Marissa

Once upon a time we: Pearl, Marissa and I were going to Natascha for an overall meeting and to celebrate her 30th birthday. Because Natascha lives about a 3 hour drive away from the rest Marissa was all over the music selection for the road trip. Truly, she has an inner DJ for information about songs, bands and trivia information about them. She was in to the songs that were so wrong they actually sounded right, some of her playlist:


Right Said Fred – I’m too sexy
Boney M – Rivers of Babylon
Matthias Reim – Verdamt ich lieb dich
Marianne Rosenberg – Ich bin wie Du
Opus – Life is Life
Roberto Jacketti & the scooters – I save the day
Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers – Islands in the stream
Sabrina – Boys, boys, boys

As much was from the 70’s and 80’s the nostalgia was coursing through our veins, the clothes, teen-age years, the make-up, nothing was left unspoken as three very, but then really very “off key” voices were singing along. Or I could say, two voices were singing along and I was mumbling and extremely happy when I could sing along with the chorus of each song….my mind actually went blank with a few songs *eek*.

The car was eating away the miles and the music was jamming and it was halfway that we decided to take a break and go for coffee. Now what I’m about to tell next is told with all due respect for each and every religion! In the Netherlands we have our Sin Cities, really….love ‘em, hate ‘em, but you can’t go around them. To balance it we have a few villages in our country that have their own way of exercising their believes and are very…very…truly very strict in upholding the rules as stated within those beliefs. It is in such a town called “Staphorst” that we stopped for coffee, at first we didn’t even realize it but then we thought Staphorst bells started to go off big time. Full of giggles we entered an establishment where we were confronted with a crowd of grandpa’s and grandma’s. We sat down at a table and ordered our food and drinks. Up to then everything was under control and we were showing our best behavior! But this came crashing down so fast as we started to talk about books and books and…well erotic romance. I should’ve taken an example to Marissa and Pearl and censure my language but what can I say, I was excited, the passion for the topic evident in my voice and I had a few things to say. I think I can safely say that the three of us won’t be visiting that town any day soon because the people lunching and drinking their coffee definitely gave me the evil eye a few times while Marissa said: Sophistication Leo, where’s the sophistication??” Uhm, well... probably lost it along the way I guess LOL. If it got lost along the way then it evaporated as we got to the topic of anal behavior…this is in the context of compulsory behavior! That we all have got that one straight *wink* Pearl has got this about reading orders, she has to read books in order of release date and it doesn’t matter whether it is part of a series, trilogies or novels. Now I have got this myself and probably Marissa and Natascha, and a whole lot of readers with us about series. Reading the series and trilogies in chronically correct order so you can experience the full impact of the overall story. Pearl just takes it a step further and it is a unique quirk to her nature *we still love you Pearl!*. From this we got to Lora Leigh and her Breed series….do I need to say more. Breeds, Staphorst, and three women who just discovered these awesome erotica novels. Add my attitude to the mix and as I’ve said, Staphorst was more than relieved to see me go LOL

Of course we arrived at Ashleagh’s house full of smiles and giggles and had a blast!

After four years of sharing the love with each other for books and sharing an incredible friendship I can’t believe how much we changed since our tentative first steps in reading English books. Our yellow road brought us to Blogger, Twitter, Goodreads and Facebook. ROOB the website changed along with it. It allowed us to read and review fantastic authors but most of all those get-together’s as friends will be cherished the most. I toast to Natascha, Marissa and Pearl; girls, may we have many more anecdotes to tell once we reach our senior citizen years and our friendship still goes strong. To all those who we’ve come to know online, we love to share the passion for the romance genre and you’ve all made it a blast! Thank you!!!

Of course we had many more moments together but let’s not bring out the most spicy details just yet… But do not be too disappointed… we have a great contest for you in store:


Giveaway: To share in our love for the romance we would like to give one commenter a choice in book up to € 6.50 (six and a half euro's) and to where Book Depository Store ships! Winner will be announced on October 18th.

Enjoy our anniversary week ;-) We have Lora Leigh with a one on one interview with Leontine and Donna Grant over who gives her 411 on her MacLeod highlanders & still ongoing giveaways!

Warm wishes and happy readings,

Leontine, Marissa, Natascha & (from the sick-bay) Pearl

Jenny Brown – Lord Lightning

Genre: Historical Romance
Releasedate: October 1 2010
Part of the Zodiac Sign series
For sale at: The Book Depository Store
SYNOPSIS
They call him "Lord Lightning". . .

For his shocking behavior. An unrepentant rogue with a wicked reputation, his outrageous conduct ensures no woman will get close enough to hurt him.

But demure and lovely astrologer Eliza Farrell casts a chart that tells her Lord Hartwood is capable of great, passionate love. When Hartwood indulges in one of his famous pranks and invites Eliza to become his new mistress, the virginal country miss must meet her fate armed only with her knowledge that the cynical lord will become the tender lover she sees predicted in the stars.

Though Eliza is nothing like the brazen strumpets he prefers, the seemingly incorruptible seer excites Lord Lightning much more than the hard, calculating women he is accustomed to. Eliza's trusting spirit and quick mind touch his cold heart - and when the bewitching innocent surprisingly agrees to be seen on his arm, neither can predict the sparks that will fly between them . . . or resist the electric passion that will threaten to transform them both.


JR Ward – Crave

Genre: Paranormal/Urban Fantasy
Releasedate: October 5, 2010
Book 2 in the Fallen Angel series
For sale at: The Book Depository Store

SYNOPSIS
The battle between good and evil has left the future of humanity in the hands of a reluctant savior and his band of fallen angels. Seven deadly sins that must be righted. Seven souls that must be saved.

While his first task was success, Jim Heron is battling a demon that can take any form for the soul of someone he must identify on his own. If that weren't enough, his old boss Matthias wants Jim to assassinate an AWOL member of The Firm - Isaac, the man Jim is pretty sure he is supposed to save. Jim knows first hand that once you're in The Firm, there's no getting out. But when Jim finds Isaac to warn him, he has been picked up by the police for illegal street fighting, and it is clear that Isaac is falling for his gorgeous public defender. Is their love the redemption that will save Isaac's soul? Or has the demon Devina set an elaborate trap?


Robin Young – Insurrection

Releasedate: October 14, 2010
Book 1 in the Insurrection trilogy
For Sale At: The Book Depository Store

SYNOPSIS
The year is 1286 and Scotland is in the grip of one of the worst winters in living memory. Some believe the Day of Judgement has come. The King of Scotland is murdered by one of his squires, a deed pre-meditated by his own brother-in-law, the King of England, a thousand miles away in France. The Prophecy of Merlin has decreed that only when the four relics of Britain have been gathered will one man rule a united kingdom, and Edward I is determined to fulfil it. The murder of Scotland's king is thus just the first in a chain of events that will alter the face of Britain forever. But all is not destined to go Edward's way. Out of the ashes of war, through blood feuds and divided loyalties, a young squire will rise to defy England's greatest king. His name is Robert the Bruce. And his story begins in INSURRECTION.


Sarah McCarty – Tracker’s Sin

Genre: Erotic Romance
Releasedate: October 1, 2010
Stand-alone novel
For Sale At: The Book Depository Store

SYNOPSIS
Before his trade became his name, "Tracker" Ochoa was a scrawny Mestizo runaway. Now as fearsome as he once was frightened, he's joined the notorious Hell's Eight.and they have a job for him.

He must rescue kidnapped heiress Ari Blake and deliver her safely to the Hell's Eight compound - by any means necessary. Turns out that includes marrying her, if he means to escort her and her infant daughter across the Texas Territory. Tracker hadn't bargained on a wife - especially such a fair, blue-eyed beauty. But the erotic pleasures of the marriage bed more than make up for the surprise.

Tracker's well-muscled bronze skin and dark, dangerous eyes are far more exciting than any of Ari's former debutante dreams. In the light of day, though, his deep scars and brooding intensity terrify her. But he's her husband and she's at his mercy. With the frontier against them and mercenary bandits at their heels, Ari fears she'll never feel safe again.

Tracker, too, remembers what fear feels like. Though he burns to protect Ari, to keep her for himself always, he knows that money, history - and especially the truth - can tear them apart.


Stephanie Tyler – Lie With Me

Genre: Romantic Suspense
Releasedate: October 26, 2010
Book 1 in the Shadow Force series
For Sale At: The Book Depository Store

SYNOPSIS
Forced together by fate, bound together by desire

Framed for a double murder, Delta Force operative Cameron Moore is given a new lease on life by the CIA - provided he pays them back by doing their black ops dirty work. But now Cam is ready to renegotiate the deal, and he thinks he's found the perfect bargaining chip: Skylar Slavin, bestselling author of espionage thrillers and the daughter of the CIA man who saved Cam from a prison sentence.

Skylar has been living in anonymity, never suspecting that someone so dangerous - and so desirable - would plunge her into a world as treacherous as one of her spy novels. But how can Cam go through with his plan to kidnap Skylar when just the sight of her sets off an explosive attraction he's never experienced before? And when Skylar falls prey to an even more perilous threat, this special ops soldier must call upon all his combat skills to protect the one person who can help him win his freedom - and the only woman he's ever loved.

Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl – Beautiful Creatures

Release Date : September 2010 (PB)
A Stand-Alone Novel
For sale at: The Book Depository Store

Synopsis
There were no surprises in Gatlin County.
We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere.
At least, that's what I thought.
Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong.
There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end, there was a grave.

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

JK Beck – When Pleasure Rules

Release Date : September 28, 2010 (MPB)
Book 2 in the Shadow Keepers series
For sale at : The Book Depository Store

Synopsis
Seven innocents have been brutally murdered in Los Angeles, yet the Shadow Alliance has no suspects and no leads. As the body count mounts, the age-old feud between vampires and werewolves threatens to explode.

Lissa Monroe - a strong-willed, ravishing succubus who entices men to surrender their souls - agrees to go undercover for the Alliance. Her mission: infiltrate the mind of werewolf leader Vincent Rand, a ferociously alluring enemy who exerts a powerful hold over her. As the City of Angels teeters on the brink of apocalypse, these two adversaries must join together in order to survive an even more lethal enemy hidden in plain sight.

Kendra Leigh Castle – Renegade Angel

Release Date : September 1, 2010 (MPB)
Book 1 in the Fallen series
For Sale At : The Book Depository Store

Synopsis
It's been thousands of years since Raum's angelic wings turned from white to black, and the Destroyer of Dignities and Robber of Kings never looked back. These days he's also on the outs with Hell and works with a motley crew of ex-demons on a new mission: snuffing out lesser demons and their half-human progeny.

Raum's latest assignment brings him to a small Vermont town - and a sweet, funny half-demon, half-human he'll risk everything to save. Ember Riddick stirs him as no woman ever before - and she holds the key to what Lucifer will move Hell and Earth to prevent: his team's redemption.

But Ember's secrets are as dark as Raum's midnight wings. And their fate may leave them entwined - but destroyed..

Donna Fletcher – Bound To A Warrior

Release date : September 1, 2010 (MPB)
Book 1 in the Warrior King series
For sale at: The Book Depository Store

Synopsis
It has been prophesied that four men, raised as brothers, will bring Scotland back to her rightful glory. The first is running for his life.

Charged with the restoration of Scotland's one true king, Duncan MacAlpin isn't surprised to find himself fleeing an army across the verdant hills of his homeland. But having to do so while shackled to a woman . . . that is a true challenge to Duncan's ingenuity and self-control. For the lovely, untouched maiden he's chained to is far too captivating to resist.

Despite her innocence, Mercy guards her own dangerous secrets. Proud and unafraid - hunted and imperiled for who she is and what she knows - she is determined to regain her freedom and never let it be taken from her again. Yet locked so tightly to her imposed escort, tempted by the warmth of the powerful Highlander's body, she aches to give herself over completely to desire . . . and risk the heart she has fought so hard to protect.

Paperback: 416 pages
Bantam
ISBN-13: 978-0-4402-4577-3
ISBN-10: 0-4402-4577-X
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Book 1 in the Shadow Keepers series
Main Characters: Sara Constantine & Lucius Dragos
For Sale At: Book Depository Store

Summary:
Attorney Sara Constantine is thrilled with her promotion - until she finds out that she must now prosecute vampires and werewolves. The first defendant she'll be trying to put away? Lucius Dragos, the sexy stranger with whom she recently shared an explosive night of ecstasy.

When Lucius kisses a beautiful woman sitting next to him at the bar, he's hoping only to avoid the perceptive gaze of the man he's planning to kill. But what starts as a simple kiss ignites into an all-consuming passion. Charged with murder, Luke knows that Sara is determined to see him locked away - unless he can convince her that he's not a monster. And that might mean making the ultimate sacrifice.

REVIEW
The Paranormal Romance genre is going into a new direction and JK Beck is one of the leading ladies in doing so. Combine the booming Paranormal Romance Novels with the popularity of police law enforcement series on TV and you find a mixture that thrills the reader with suspense and love.

This was what first came to mind when I closed this book after reading it. I was a bit ‘warrior-band-of-brother-exhausted’ and JK Beck has blown new life into my love for reading about vampire’s, werewolves, demons and everything not so common to the human world.

At first it took me some getting used to the pace, world build up, and where this story was taking me, but once I went way down under and got settled into division 6 – PEC (Preternatural Enforcement Coalition), a whole new world of Paranormal Investigation’s, DA’s and their own Judicial System opened up to me, making my heartbeat rise and my longing to read on grow with each page I turned.

Straight away we’re thrown into a murder scene, which on the surface seems a slam-dunk arrest, but turns out to be a lot more complicated that it was at face-value.

Sara is a prosecutor and after her promotion is thrown into the paranormal world, she’s an honest woman, seeking out justice and not feeling ruled with the fact she had to prosecute someone for a crime they might have done according to the evidence on the surface. I found it a bit difficult to connect with her as a character at the start, but as the story progresses I felt she opened up more and more.

Lucius is a centuries old vampire, and within this series, vampire’s struggle with their inner daemon who is seeking blood/souls to feed of and have a craving need for violence. When I came across him the first time he didn’t come across as a straight forward villain to me, more like a rogue out loose in the paranormal world, with a big sense of responsibility, but not feeling sorry for the things he has to do (as an assassin for the Alliance), which aren’t quite so legal or by the book. What I found so great about him was that he didn’t apologize for it. It was either accept him for who he is, flaws and all, or don’t accept him and have it that way, but either way was fine with him. I absolutely loved that!

The love for each other was a built up from a one night stand and like an instant thing, and I would have loved to have seen more pages used for their actual love-relationship but there are only so much pages in a novel to write up. Throughout their encounters it is clear that there is more than just passion for each other so it was a believable development within this story.

Both Sara and Luke are brought into this story with baggage from the past to solve or lay to rest, making them characters that grow along in this story and in their encounters. Their past however, do make cause for obstacles and these could have gone awry leading their own life within the story, but JK Beck knows how to handle it and guide it into a great plotline.

Throughout this first installment in the Shadow Keepers series, quite a few secondary characters come to pass, all complex with a variety of paranormal powers, and I sincerely hope that in the next installments these characters will get a part as well or even their own story. The world build up was really well done, as well. It took some time getting into it, as it is very different from what I was used to reading, but once a bit more settled into the terminology and way of life, it all falls into place. It is definitely a world I want to continue reading about!

Some of the plotlines were predictable, but I didn’t see the major plotline coming, making this read a thrilling one until the end. Towards the end all small and big plotlines were completed leaving me satisfied as a reader. Though there was a point where I got a bit uncomfortable with reading on, which might be a break-point for some readers, I thought it great of JK Beck to not avoid this and use it in her story as it did have a purpose to things IMHO.

Quote of one of my favorite characters in this novel-Tucker-I just love his humor:
She peered at his shield and ID, then met his eyes, her own filled with confusion. "Homeland Security?"
She stared him down. "Are you shitting me?"
"No, ma’am," Tucker said. "We at Homeland Security do not have a sense of humor of which we’re aware."

This is definitely a strong, compelling and intriguing start of a new series, and I for one am looking forward to being taken back to the PEC and their paranormal investigations!

SARA BENNET - A MOST SINFUL PROPOSAL

Release Date: August 2010
Book 1 in the Husband Hunters Club
For Sale At: The Book Depository Store

Synopsis
A most wicked education...

Marissa Rotherhild has always behaved exactly as a proper lady should, and it has done absolutely nothing for her. So now she has made a most sinful proposal. She wants to live only for pleasure, and she wants Lord Valentine Kent to instruct her in the ways of love and lust. Caring not for scandal or the whispers of society, she craves his every wanton touch.

It is every rake's fantasy.
Lord Valentine Kent has never before been so tempted. Though he is every bit the gentleman, from the moment Marissa arrives at his country estate he can think of nothing but her wild, dark curls and luscious curves. But submitting to passion must wait until he completes the search for an ancestral treasure.

It is a most honorable endeavor.
But Kent and Marissa will soon discover that even the best of intentions is no match for a desire as desperate as theirs . . .

ALEXANDRA ADORNETTO - HALO

Release Date: August 2010
Book 1 in the Halo trilogy
For Sale At: The Book Depository Store

Synopsis
Three angels are sent down to bring good to the world: Gabriel, the warrior; Ivy, the healer; and Bethany, a teenage girl who is the least experienced of the trio. But she is the most human, and when she is romantically drawn to a mortal boy, the angels fear she will not be strong enough to save anyone - especially herself - from the Dark Forces. Is love a great enough power against evil?.

JILL MARIE LANDIS - HEART OF STONE

Release Date: March 2010
Part of the Irish Angels series
For Sale At: The Book Depository Store

Synopsis
Finally free to pursue her dreams, Laura Foster is trying hard not to fall in love. She knows that the Reverend Brand McCormick's reputation would be shattered if her former life is discovered. But it's not only Laura's history that threatens to bring Brand down - it's his own..

CHARLES BROKAW - THE LUCIFER CODE

Release Date: August 2010
Bk 2 in the Thomas Lourds series
For Sale At: The Book Depository Store

Synopsis
Thomas Lourds ventures to Istanbul University in Turkey to examine artifacts never before seen by Western scholars. He's barely off the plane before he's kidnapped by ruthless people who leave a string of dead bodies in their wake. They want Lourds to translate coded writings that they hope will lead them to a lost scroll authored by John of Patmos - the same John who wrote the Book of Revelation in the Bible. The writings on the scroll might bring about the end of the world - or might stop it. They might even raise the Devil himself - but there are signs that the Devil has already risen and that he is very interested in Thomas Lourds.

No one knows for sure what will happen if the scroll is found, decoded, and translated, but several powerful men are seeking it, and they will stop at nothing to get it. And one of those people has ties to the US government, ties that lead directly to the White House. Before he knows it, Thomas Lourds is in over his head, dodging spies, crooks, and bullets. He needs help to stay alive - and he has it in the form of a beautiful but deadly Irish Republican Army operative, and in his old flame, Olympia Adnan. Can they navigate the secrets hidden in ancient Istanbul's most secret depths before they are killed? Or will they be too late to stop the terrible workings of the Devil himself before he can bring the world down around them?.