Find a Night Owl Reviews Book Review
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YA / Teen, Science Fiction
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Reviewer: Laurie-J
Reviewed: May 24, 2012
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Hanging out at an old mall one day, three teens are surprised when something comes hurtling down from the sky. Even stranger, they are greeted by a glowing, fiery entity, and given some surprising news. The friendly being promptly regulates his appearance, and introduces himself as Alan, before advising the fascinated trio of a galactic battle. He explains that Earth has become the staging area for the nex
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Author: Alex J. Cavanaugh
Science Fiction
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Reviewer: Sia McKye
Reviewed: May 22, 2012
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CassaFire is the second book of the adventures Cassan's pilot Byron, the first book is CassaStar. I haven't read the first (but I intend to now) can be read as a stand alone.
CassaFire, for me, was reminiscent of the best things I loved about Star Trek. Exploration of new worlds and cultures and the adventures that the characters went on to solve the mystery they were faced with.
In Cassafire, reclusive w
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Urban Fantasy, Demons
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Reviewer: Leslee
Reviewed: May 22, 2012
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Corine Solomon doesn’t know the meaning of the word quit. When life kicks her in the teeth, she gets back up and tries again. Devil’s Punch takes place a few months after Shady Lady. Corine is back in Mexico, rebuilding her pawnshop, and she has company. Chance, the man she loved and left, gave up his life in Florida for her. He wants a second chance with her and she desperately wants to believe that. Things
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Author: Michael J. Sullivan
Fantasy
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Reviewer: ELF
Reviewed: May 22, 2012
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“Rise of Empire” by Michael J. Sullivan is the second of his two book volumes in the ‘Riyria Revelations’ series. In the first book of this volume, “Nyphron Rising”, Hadrian and Royce are being employed by the kingdom of Melengar to obtain information about the Empire and its plans which seem to include the annexation of Melengar. Hadrian is questioning his life and its purpose and Royce is risking their 12
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Fantasy
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Reviewer: Terri
Reviewed: May 22, 2012
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Arnaldur really didn’t want his wife Susan to inform him that they had a gnome living under their house. The last time Arnaldur met up with a gnome he spent around $1500 in medical bills. It’s not that gnomes are big and mean because they aren’t. They are little and mean with arrows dipped in bacteria-rich gnome saliva. Still, Arnaldur was willing to ignore the issue until his wife told him that if the pe
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Urban Fantasy, Magic, Demons
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Reviewer: Sarah Dizon
Reviewed: May 22, 2012
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Jenn Bennett is practically a master of Urban Fantasy.
Things have settled down between Lon and Arcadia and they have set up some sort of routine. But there have been a few cases of children being taken and Arcadia is commissioned by Mr. Dare. He is part owner of the Hellfire Club. The commission involves helping to find the kids because they are all children of members of the Club. Arcadia doesn't want to
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Dystopia, Science Fiction
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Reviewer: Laurie-J
Reviewed: May 22, 2012
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In this futuristic thriller Michael Locke is a homicide detective who gets an unheard of promotion to Govicide Agent, an elite corps responsible for maintaining world peace, tranquility and compliance.
Locke’s perseverance in chasing and ultimately capturing a serial killer ostentatiously earned him this promotion. However, it is not long before he begins to get disturbing glimpses of an underlying rot wit
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Adventure / Action, Science Fiction, Mystery, Futuristic
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Reviewer: A.M. Donovan
Reviewed: May 22, 2012
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This book occurring in a near future. It takes the idea that the events of 9/11 where the opening salvos of a world-wide war divided by lines of faith. This paints a pretty bleak picture where the people that still have a religion are driven to extremes in their needs to justify their faith. It basically starts off with the idea of “If this goes on, where will it lead?” All someone has to do is take a look
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Paranormal / Supernatural, Science Fiction, Futuristic, Superpowers, Techno Thriller
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Reviewer: Crisgee
Reviewed: May 20, 2012
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Owen Grey is amped, but as far as he knows his neural implant is only medical and to prevent epileptic seizures, and it isn't one of the bad kind that the Pure Humans fear, the kind that makes the implanted, or amped, too strong and too smart. However, when Owen loses his rights because he is amped, he finds out from his father that his amp is not just a medical device, and that it has the potential to escala
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YA / Teen, Fantasy
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Reviewer: Emireally
Reviewed: May 20, 2012
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A wicked storm sweeps lifeguard Tristan out to sea, and as he comes to, he realizes things are not as they seem. He starts growing strange scales along his arms and scratches appear on the side of his neck. After learning his true identity he embarks on a quest to fulfill his true destiny at sea. It's like a breath of fresh sea-breeze, or a nice dip in a cool familiar pool.
The Vicious Deep is incredibly or
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Author: Caitlin R. Kiernan
Fantasy, Science Fiction
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Reviewer: Aquaflame64
Reviewed: May 20, 2012
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Caitlin Kiernan is a name that has been circling around horror book groups for a while now. So when I had a chance to read and review one of her books I jumped at the chance. I've always been fascinated by mental illnesses. Schizophrenia in particular fascinated me because not only was it different for each person it was also difficult to diagnose, and extremely hard to understand. So being able to read a boo
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Paranormal / Supernatural, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Vampires
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Reviewer: A.M. Donovan
Reviewed: May 20, 2012
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These are not your Twilight, non-blood drinking, romantic, or emotionally tortured vampires. These have all the compassion of a Jack-the –Ripper or a Zodiac killer. They must drink blood to stay alive and they are not kind. They get the most satisfaction from the extreme emotional states of terror and despair in their victims (even other Vampires). They will plan out a killing, taking hours in performing
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Time-Travel, Fantasy, Science Fiction
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Reviewer: A.M. Donovan
Reviewed: May 15, 2012
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If you have traveled with the whole crew and read the prior book, you have the character you most identify with already in mind. Their strengths and weakness’, loves and hates are pretty clearly defined for you already. If that is the case, you believe you can skip the prologue. I would recommend not skipping it. Even if you have read all the previous books there might be some connections you have missed.
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Urban Fantasy, Vampires
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Reviewer: Lexile
Reviewed: May 13, 2012
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After the events of Book 2, SHADOWFLAME, I was...well reluctant would hardly cover how I felt. The direction Sylvan took David and Miranda's relationship left me feeling hollow. I want to stress I did not have a problem with WHO David slept with, but rather that he did it at all. I was hoping there would be more fall out and consequences to those actions in the third book. Instead Sylvan jumps our music l
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Science Fiction
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Reviewer: ELF
Reviewed: May 08, 2012
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“Alien Diplomacy” by Gini Koch is part of her ‘Alien/Kitty Katt’ series featuring Alpha Centaurion (A-C) Jeff Martini. A fast-moving science fiction tale with tongue firmly in cheek, this episode describes Kitty Katt-Martini as she is struggling to adapt to being a mom and ambassador surrounded by and affiliated with Armani clad aliens. No, not those from another country...those from another galaxy! Their
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Graphic Novel, Comics
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Reviewer: Tatiana
Reviewed: May 05, 2012
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This annotated edition of Neil Gaiman's celebrated graphic series "The Sandman" is a strange beast.
On the one hand, it is designed to satisfy the most ardent fans of "The Sandman." After all, only those already closely familiar with this epic comic series, originally spanning 75 issues and that follows the adventures of the lord of the dream world, will be seeking out additional, meticulously detailed infor
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Fantasy
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Reviewer: Lexile
Reviewed: May 05, 2012
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Welcome to Book 2 of the Chaos Knight series, where our intrepid hero Vidarian Rulorat gets to fix the problems that came with opening the gate between worlds. Right up front if you haven't read the first book, read it. Its enjoyable and has some interesting world building elements to it, but beyond that Hoffman doesn't spend a whole lot of time or words talking about what came before. Though even having r
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Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Modern Fantasy
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Reviewer: Lexile
Reviewed: May 03, 2012
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Please note this is book 4 in the series, I didn't read book 3 FIREWORKS IN THE HAMPTONS, so I'm going into this a little behind the times.
Once again we return to the world of Willow Tate, graphic novelist by choice and Visualizer against her better judgment. Weird things are happening in the Hamptons and Paumanok Harbor in particular, as a string of crimes, rare bird sightings and dolphins giving the he
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YA / Teen, Steampunk, Fantasy, Science Fiction
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Reviewer: Sarah Dizon
Reviewed: May 02, 2012
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Kady Cross does an amazing job of providing historical insight and steampunk attractions. The Girl in the Clockwork Collar picks up shortly after where The Girl in the Steel Corset ends. Instead of taking place in England, this sequel takes place in New York.
Jasper was taken back to New York at the end of the first book in this series, Griffin and the Gang decide that they should try to save him. They have
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Urban Fantasy, Paranormal / Supernatural
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Reviewer: ELF
Reviewed: Apr 25, 2012
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“Silence” by Michelle Sagara is a mesmerizing young adult book that is the first in her ‘Queen of the Dead’ series. Emma Hall has had a lot of tragedy in her life, most recently losing her boyfriend, Nathan to a fatal car accident. Getting through the eleventh grade is hard enough without everyone constantly checking to see how she is doing but her life’s about to get even harder. Her default answer is ‘fi
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Urban Fantasy
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Reviewer: Jen719
Reviewed: Apr 23, 2012
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Drusilla Jaco spends most of her time as a Green Congress wizard, mixing potions instead of working with the physical magic that she craves. Her job consists of sending overly romantic undead pirates back to the beyond and unfreezing dogs when spells go wrong for the people of New Orleans. During the aftermath of the devastating Hurricane Katrina, D.J. learns that her mentor, Gerry St. Simon, is missing and
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Author: Michael J. Sullivan
Fantasy
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Reviewer: ELF
Reviewed: Apr 20, 2012
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“The Crown Conspiracy” by Michael J. Sullivan is part one of his “Theft of Swords: Volume One of the Riyria Revelations”. Hadrian Blackwater and Royce Melborn are a pair of entrepreneurs (or is that thieves?) known as the Riyria. Their reputation precedes them with some but others inexplicably see them as a pair of bumpkins to exploit. An irresistible lure to earn a hefty sum for a minimal expenditure of
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Fantasy
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Reviewer: Lexile
Reviewed: Apr 20, 2012
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The good news is that except for the character growth of Caim, if a reader happens upon SHADOW'S MASTER before the first two novels (SHADOW'S SON and SHADOW'S LURE) they won't be lost. More so than the first book into the second, Sprunk gives a better accounting of things so that a new reader stumbling in won't be scratching their head and grow frustrated.
The other piece of good news is that this book pays
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Urban Fantasy, Vintage, Paranormal / Supernatural, Vampires
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Reviewer: Terri
Reviewed: Apr 19, 2012
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Zephyr Hollis is a well known do-gooder. She volunteers for cases she believes in and teaches at the ward school. Right now, she has two big issues she’s working on: getting Faust, a blood based drink for vampires, off the streets and breaking the bond she has with Amir, a djinn. With either issue she can get herself into trouble but with both, it’s a guarantee!
Amir was bonded with Zephyr when he was dy
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Western, Steampunk
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Reviewer: Lilyraines
Reviewed: Apr 19, 2012
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Generally speaking, I like a book that combines different eras, cultures, and "things" together in a new and unique way. I also enjoy the book if the characters are interesting and the pace is good.
I enjoyed Mr. Riley's take on the Old West and Ah Puch trying to take over California. I liked the characters, especially Paul (Miles' horse) as he provided much needed comic relief throughout the story. Miles
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Author: Steve Bartholomew
Seasonal / Holiday, Alternate History / World
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Reviewer: HCHarju
Reviewed: Apr 17, 2012
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Gift giving and Christmas have been outlawed for a long time. For every law there are those who fight against it. If nothing else, then for the thrill of breaking the law.
In this story, the main character and his friend Jake go out for some pizza and decide to "rob" a few people along the way.
By the end of the night, they've given away most of their money and try to shake down Skid-row Al, who decides t
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Author: Maria Dahvana Headley
Romance, Paranormal / Supernatural, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Witches, Mythology
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Reviewer: Angibabi4
Reviewed: Apr 16, 2012
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What if Cleopatra were immortal with a blood lust unsurpassed by anything ever seen? That is one of the questions that this author addresses.
Cleopatra is in mourning, her husband and lover Marc Antony lies dead at his own hand believing that Cleopatra betrayed him. Cleopatra makes an unholy alliance with the ancient goddess of chaos and death. The price, Cleopatra's heart and soul.
Thus begins a journey o
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Science Fiction
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Reviewer: ELF
Reviewed: Apr 13, 2012
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“Intruder” by C.J. Cherryh is Book 13 in her Foreigner series. Human Bren Cameron is still negotiating the tricky minefield of atevi politics as he tries to convince bitter enemies to set aside their differences and accept a newcomer into their ranks. Returning to Shejidan is a mixed blessing as he juggles his duties as paidhi-aiji, welcomes much of his staff back from space, diplomatically deals with Cajei
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Author: Patricia Bray, Joshua Palmatier
Anthologies, Fantasy, Fae
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Reviewer: Danya
Reviewed: Apr 13, 2012
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We've all read stories about the fae throughout history but how do these magical creatures make their way through today's world of technology? This collection of short stories showcase a new twist on these supernatural creatures, penned by some of fantasy's best writers. "How Much Salt" shows a selkie seeking out a new home and family while protecting his seal skin. "The Slaughtered Lamb" has a crossdressing
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Author: Kevin James Breaux
YA / Teen, Fantasy, Epic Fantasy
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Reviewer: Terri
Reviewed: Apr 06, 2012
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Twenty years ago, there was a large war. After the war, the towns and kingdoms worked on restoring order and livelihoods.
Twelve years ago, they gathered to elect someone to unite them all. Unanimously, it was decided that Duke Ethan Essex of Kel Tora should be the one.
King Ethan Essex is married to a full blooded elf, Tala. Due to custom Tala can not be queen. She has two children, twins, Autumn a
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Steampunk, Horror, Dystopia, Alternate History / World
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Reviewer: Sarah Dizon
Reviewed: Apr 06, 2012
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Bethany Griffin introduces a very unique take on Edgar Allen Poe's The Masque of the Red Death, and her take is awesome!! This slightly steampunk rendition, will not disappoint its readers and the twists and turns will keep them guessing. I found the masks that the characters wear to be slightly creep-tastic, but completely awesome at the same time. Communication and body language has changed because of the m
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Adventure / Action, Science Fiction
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Reviewer: Aemelia
Reviewed: Apr 06, 2012
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In a world changed by magic, Oscar Britton was a helicopter pilot for the United States Army, attached to the Supernatural Operations Corps (SOC), a loyal officer who didn't question his orders, until the day he was told his target was a teenage kid. The same day he was given that order, he unexpectedly begins wielding his own magic, a rare and forbidden power that takes him from soldier to outlaw in a snap.
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Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Fae
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Reviewer: ELF
Reviewed: Apr 06, 2012
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“Black Howl” by Christina Henry is a ‘Black Wings’ novel which continues the complicated tale of Madeline (Maddy) Black, as she continues to juggle her job as an Agent of Death and the complications of her heritage. An uncomfortable relationship with the Angel/Nephilim Gabriel, who, like his half-brother, is resented by the denizens of the various courts, awkwardness with her boss J.B., conflict with J.B.’s
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Author: Sarah Harding-Roberts
Paranormal / Supernatural, Fantasy, Demons
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Reviewer: Isis
Reviewed: Apr 02, 2012
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Lilith the Scourge is a demon who formerly terrorized the human race. She is now a reformed demon, one who fights the good fights to help keep humans from harm. Her decision to turn from bad to good came with a hefty price tag; her demon friends and acquaintances of the past now hunt her because of her betrayal to their kind.
In 1912, Mathias, an arch angel who has always hunted evil to protect humans, foll
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Time-Travel, YA / Teen, Science Fiction, YA (ages 14+)
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Reviewer: ReaderGirl
Reviewed: Apr 02, 2012
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Jackson Meyer may seem like a totally normal college student, but wait, he can travel back in time. Usually he can only go back a little ways in time, but after strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, he will make a jump to over two years ago. What will happen when the shooters come looking for Jackson in the past? And just who are the "Enemies of Time" and what do they want with Jackson? How
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Urban Fantasy, Fantasy
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Reviewer: A.M. Donovan
Reviewed: Apr 01, 2012
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This is the first of the Alex Verus novels. We get introduced to the main players in this world (Alex, Luna, Starbreeze, Sonder, Talisid, Arachne, et al.) and get a very good introduction to a world that exists out of sight of our normal world, but sometimes crosses over or influences our world.
Fated is a combination of Harry Dresden, The Da Vinci Code, the Sorcerer’s Apprentice and National Treasure (in
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Paranormal / Supernatural, Science Fiction, Demons, Angels
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Reviewer: SenoraG
Reviewed: Mar 30, 2012
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Have you ever wondered why bad things happen to good people or vice versa? Do you ever question where God is at times like this? I think we all have had these thoughts and in reading A Satan Carol we may get some answers. Ok, not the answers that you may be looking for but answers just the same!
Our main character is Mr. Green, aka Satan who just happens to be the oldest son of God and the older brother
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Time-Travel, Fantasy, Science Fiction
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Reviewer: A.M. Donovan
Reviewed: Mar 28, 2012
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This is an epic fantasy adventure in the making. In a battle between hope and despair, creation and destruction, this demonstrates that lowly humans can actually affect the ultimate outcome.
It spreads across time and the globe, plus from our world to the Far Lands. It shows that we are all tied together. So, maybe the ultimate question is, since we are all going to die eventually, what would you sell yo
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Time-Travel, Fantasy, Science Fiction
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Reviewer: A.M. Donovan
Reviewed: Mar 28, 2012
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Book 2 picks up where book 1 ends. Luckily for those that haven’t read the first book (or have a short attention span) if you read the first part “The Final Age” you will be caught up on what came before and the entire necessary back story. It doesn’t take long and is very compact, so don’t let the idea of needing to read this part first scare you. Then you get into the meat of the tale.
You get to visit
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YA / Teen, Fantasy, Mystery, Ghosts
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Reviewer: Crisgee
Reviewed: Mar 28, 2012
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After a long and inexplicable illness, David's father suddenly vanished. David's mother has not given up looking for him and continues to make TV appeals to find her husband, but David suspects that he has seen his father. The other option is that David may be succumbing to the same illness that took his father and eroded his mind. When David has an inexplicable vision on the train, David has to wonder if his
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YA / Teen, Science Fiction
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Reviewer: Books4Betty
Reviewed: Mar 28, 2012
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Not very often do I read a book that’s so darn good I’m left utterly speechless. After having finished Partials, by Dan Wells, I’m left wondering how to voice all of the excitement buzzing around in my head. Amazing, and amazing, and amazing. I think that should cover it. However, maybe I should try to say a little bit more about this ‘amazing’ addition by Wells. Maybe I should try to explain in so many words
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Urban Fantasy
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Reviewer: Vicci
Reviewed: Mar 28, 2012
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Raven's Call book 7 in the Walker Papers series by C. E. Murphy stretches a reader's imagination and turns everything we thought we knew about Joanne Walker on its head.
First let me say wow to Ms. Murphy’s imagination; talk about bulldozing your way into uncharted territories. When we last visited Joanne in book 6 "Spirit Dances", Joanne had come to terms with her long felt feelings for Captain Michael Morr
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Urban Fantasy, Paranormal / Supernatural, Mystery, Angels
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Reviewer: ELF
Reviewed: Mar 22, 2012
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“Sins of the Son” by LInda Poitevin is part of ‘The Grigori Legacy’ series, picking up where “Sins of the Angels” left off. Detective Alexandra Jarvis is struggling to recover from the aftermath of her association with Aramael and her exposure to the struggles between ‘The One’ and Lucifer as they are played out using the angels and the fallen ones. A radical gamble results in Seth, son of ‘The One’ and Luc
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Urban Fantasy
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Reviewer: ELF
Reviewed: Mar 20, 2012
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“The Shape of Desire” by Sharon Shinn is a lyrical love story about a shapeshifter named Dante Romano and the woman, Maria Devane, who is inextricably tied to him. Maria continues to work at her job as an accountant but she lives for the ever diminishing times out of the month that her lover can live with her as a human. She has accepted all of his tales about changing into various animals over the years fo
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Urban Fantasy, Suspense
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Reviewer: Sarah Dizon
Reviewed: Mar 17, 2012
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Diana Rowland really does know how to keep her readers wanting more. There are no words that really describe how awesome Sins of the Demon is. Kara is still trying to deal with having to summon Rhyzkahl and trying to figure out what Ryan is exactly. The love triangle that Rowland has created is fantastic! It's hard to pick which one Kara should be with since they are both such great characters on their own.
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Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Dragons, Sword and Sorcery
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Reviewer: Lilyraines
Reviewed: Mar 16, 2012
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The books that are part of The Memory of Flames get, for me, better with each installment.
What really draws me, aside from the storytelling, is that while each character (whether human or dragon) knows what she/he wants, is willing to do whatever it takes to reach her/his goal, there are facets to each character that others do not know for whatever reason.
A few of the characters also learn about new thing
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Fantasy, Superpowers
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Reviewer: A.M. Donovan
Reviewed: Mar 16, 2012
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This starts out with an unlikely premise (like most good comic book heroes) but while the action is comic book like, the author has managed to take the characters beyond the usual 4 color panel format, with more character development and interplay. If you still have your comic book collection (or it’s just a fond memory), you will enjoy this book, the first of a series.
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Author: Edward M. Erdelac
Western, Adventure / Action, Horror, Fantasy, Science Fiction
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Reviewer: A.M. Donovan
Reviewed: Mar 16, 2012
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This is the second collection of the Merkabah Rider series. It is another dusty trails western that wanders into the realm of the fantastic. If you like your westerns to be pure unadulterated shoot ‘em ups then you might not enjoy this. But if you like a very unlikely hero, willing to face down the horrors of all the netherworlds as they try to creep into our world (with a smattering of supernatural belief
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YA / Teen, Dystopia
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Reviewer: Emireally
Reviewed: Mar 16, 2012
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Like much of the rest of the literary world, The Hunger Games took me by storm. I stayed up frantically reading page after page that turned into book after book in about a 30 hour span, running on far too little sleep. Suzanne Collins has a way of pulling readers in, and as soon as I think “I’ll stop after this chapter” she drops a bombshell and makes it near impossible to not continue.
This behind-the-seri
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Author: Rowena Cory Daniells
Fantasy, Epic Fantasy
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Reviewer: Lexile
Reviewed: Mar 16, 2012
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In what should have been an epic fantasy, twins Byren and Lence find their world and beliefs at a crossroads. Lence is King Rolan the Implacable's Heir while Byren is his younger twin, content to be in his brother's shadow and watch him be great. When a seer predicts his killing Lence he laughs it off and thinks nothing else on it. Unfortunately with the madness sweeping the lands, a neighboring country's
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