Archives for September 2013

Russian Roulette: The Story of an Assassin by Anthony Horowitz

September 27, 2013 By Leave a Comment

RUSSIAN
Russian Roulette: The Story of an Assassin by Anthony Horowitz
Publisher: Philomel / Penguin
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Historical, Suspense/Mystery, Young Adult
Length: Full length (372 pgs)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Aloe

Alex Rider’s life changed forever with the silent pull of a trigger.

When Ian Rider died at the hands of the assassin Yassen Gregorovich, Alex, ready or not, was thrust into the world of international espionage—the world’s only teenage spy. Alex vowed revenge against Yassen and the two have battled ever since. Yet, years ago, it was none other than Alex’s own father who trained and mentored Yassen, turning him into the killer he would eventually become.

What makes us choose evil? Why did one boy choose to kill while another chose to risk his life to save others? In some ways, Alex Rider and Yassen Gregorovich are mirror images of each other. Yet the paths they traveled turned them into mortal enemies.

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The Alex Rider series has been out for a while and is quite popular. The thought of a young man being recruited to play spy is fascinating and while Alex has lots of skills, his life is dangerous enough to keep you on the edge of your seat while reading the books. When I found out this book was available, it was too tempting not to read. This is the story of the assassin on the other side: Yassen Gregorovich. He’s Alex’s mortal enemy but the same teacher worked with them both…

Mr. Horowitz writes thought provoking stories with lots of politics, black market dealings, assigned killings, and hard hitting action. This is a great series for young boys who find the run of the mill stories boring. These are not boring!

The story of Yassen’s youth and the tortures he was put through after the death of his parents is an ugly tale, but life is no picnic. The man who takes control of him first makes him play a game of Russian roulette. He survives that but understands that now his life belongs to the man in front of him. When he finally escapes him, the life he goes into is no better. What’s even more ironic is that the man teaching him will be Alex Rider’s father in the future.

My favorite part of this story is when Yassen gets even with those who treated him badly in the past. It’s not very nice, but they deserved it. His last assignment is to kill Alex Rider. There’s a good surprise ending that tells you the series is not done yet.

This series is a good fast paced action-packed suspense story expanding over several books. This book can be read as a stand-alone easily enough. I’d like to see more of Yassen’s story but who knows where the author will go next…

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

I Know What Gay Is by Foxglove Lee

September 27, 2013 By Leave a Comment

LOVE
I Know What Gay Is by Foxglove Lee
Publisher: Prizm Books
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (15 pages)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

When the couple next door asks Jay to babysit, he can’t help wondering… why him? Did they hire Jay as some kind of queer role model because they suspect little Sarah is gay?

At the park, when Sarah and Jay run across the guy he’s been pseudo-stalking, Sarah insists she’s a boy. Darien’s sheer sexiness makes Jay pretty brain-dead, and he can’t think what to talk about except how Sarah wants everyone to call her Frank. The funny kid reminds Darien of his transgender cousin. Could Sarah be trans, too? Should Jay talk to her parents? What if they say it’s none of his business? What if they fire him?

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Babysitters are supposed to play games with and cook healthy lunch for their charges. Jay never expected his summer job would include more serious responsibilities.

Despite Jay’s reluctance to temporarily stand in for his neighbour’s nanny he clearly has a way with kids. His willingness to listen to Sarah’s unusual requests and their warm relationship made me like him instantly. The crush Jay develops on Darien adds depth to the plot, and I cheered for what I hoped would happen between them as they slowly get to know one another better.

One of the issues that is heavily discussed earlier in the plot is never resolved. I hoped to see a final scene in which the characters at least begin to figure out how and when they will address it. Had the author included such a conversation this would have easily earned a much higher rating.

The pacing and character development in this piece were excellent, so it was a little difficult for me to figure out why such an obvious question was left unanswered in an otherwise compelling story. While I have no idea if the author plans to write one or more sequels to this book, it makes me wonder if this is why I Know What Gay Is was written the way it was. Will we hear more from Jay and his determined little neighbor in the future? I certainly hope so!

I smiled my way through I Know What Gay Is. It’s a gentle, funny tale that was as appealing to this adult reader as I suspect it will be for its intended audience.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

A Hole in Juan by Gillian Roberts

September 27, 2013 By 4 Comments

JUAN
A Hole in Juan by Gillian Roberts
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (157 Pages)
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

No matter the season, the Philadelphia private school where Amanda Pepper teaches English is never a center of tranquility. But with Halloween and the annual Mischief Night party only days away, the hope is that nothing more than old-fashioned vandalism and pranks will take place.

No such luck. Trouble erupts long before the witching hour, as the school is plagued by a series of mishaps ranging from the trivial to the potentially deadly–and most of which seem to center on a group of popular seniors.

A fire alarm rings during a test; all the orange and black paint is stolen from the art room; the mustard packets are taken from the cafeteria. Perhaps more serious: chemicals and equipment disappear from the science lab, as does one of Amanda’s exams and her attendance book. And the dapper new science instructor, Juan Reyes, receives a threatening message recalling that a teacher was once flayed to death by his students.

As Amanda juggles teaching, moonlighting as a private investigator with her husband, C.K. Mackenzie, and coping with C.K.’s visiting sixteen-year-old high school-dropout nephew, she tries to find out what, or who, is behind the ominous events.
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Before she can unmask the tricksters, the turmoil in the school increases when students rise up against the administration’s censuring (and censoring) of a campus poet. Then unrest escalates into a lethally explosive menace, and Amanda receives a warning that there is more–and far worse–to come.

Amanda Pepper just feels as if something more disruptive than usual is going on with her senior English class. She has no real evidence; it is just that a lot of small things seem to be adding up to real trouble as Halloween and the annual Mischief Night party approach. The explosion in the chemistry lab which severely injures the very unpopular chemistry teacher is seen by the police as an accident. But Amanda just knows that things aren’t right.

This is the thirteenth Amanda Pepper mystery and once again Gillian Roberts has written a delightfully captivating cozy mystery. I am very impressed by the depth of the characters in this novel. Roberts obviously has a deep understanding of both adolescents and adults. Her characters are well-defined and they ring true. The chemistry teacher is only at Philly Prep so that he can earn enough money to stay in grad school. He clearly does not understand the student population in a school where the only necessary qualification is having parents wealthy enough to pay the tuition. He calls his senior students “the tennis boys and their girls,” without any acknowledgement of them as individuals. Amanda, on the other hand, knows her students extremely well. She is able to captivate them even when they don’t want to be engaged. She succeeds in encouraging one of her classes to write their own poetry and perform it for the entire school. And she notices when a student starts acting differently.

The plot moves swiftly and the muddied waters become more confused as the Friday night party approaches. There are plenty of clues, but sorting them out is far from an easy task, and suspense abounds. The conclusion is very satisfying, and as always, Amanda premonitions were right.

If you enjoy cozy mysteries, especially in an academic setting, you will certainly be pleased with A Hole in Juan. Personally, I think that a day spent with Amanda Pepper is a day well spent.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club by Wanda E. Brunstetter

September 27, 2013 By Leave a Comment

HALF
The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club by Wanda E. Brunstetter
Publisher: Barbour
Genre: Contemporary, Inspirational, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (320 pgs)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Aloe

Amish widow Emma Yoder’s first quilt class brings the most unlikely people together. there’s Star, a young woman yearning for stability; Pan and Stuart Johnston, a struggling couple at odds in their marriage; Paul Ramirez, a young widower hoping to find solace in finishing a quilt; Jan Sweet, a rough and tough biker doing some creative community service; and Ruby Lee Williams, a preacher’s wife looking for relaxation when parish problems mount. But as these beginning quilters learn to transform scraps of material into beauty; their fragmented lives begin to take new shape with the helping hands of each other and the healing hand of God.

Emma Yoder is a widow and while her family is willing to care for her and take care of expenses, she wants her own income. She’d also like to have a little company. She decides to hold a quilting class; Amish people are famous for their quilt work. Surely someone would pay to come to learn the skill from her, wouldn’t they? Yes, they would. But she had no idea who they would be…

Ms. Brunstetter has written over 45 books about Amish life, and most are romances. I’ve read a few and was happy to see she had another one out. I quilt a bit and thought the combination of Amish, Englishers, and quilting would be entertaining; it was.

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These folks all have a problem of some kind. Emma can sense that and it doesn’t take long before she’s trying to help them. She offers simple, common sense advice. She doesn’t care what religion they have or if they don’t, but she offers a few Christian references for reassurance. The women in my family could always tell if something was bothering you and they “fixed it”, too. In this case, Emma suggests and they must decide if they wish to take the action to make their life better.

While she’s teaching class and the classmates are working on their personal problems, Emma suddenly has a man trying to date her. I really enjoyed how she escorts him out of the house, doesn’t invite him in, and tries to ignore him. He’s persistent and when she gets ill, he takes over her class. Discovering he has created his own quilting designs makes her wonder what else she doesn’t know about him.

This is slow paced story with a description of several lives, almost soap opera-like. It’s sweet, things work out for everyone, and Emma gets a new husband. The most ironic connection involves the biker and that was most believable because it was so unexpected. The other solutions were almost too easy but his was the kicker in the story.

I enjoyed Ms. Brunstetter’s story and it will be a good choice for anyone who likes Amish, quilting, or life stories. Why not give it a try?

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The Perfect Guy by Ann Herrick

September 27, 2013 By Leave a Comment

GUY
The Perfect Guy by Ann Herrick
Publisher: Books We Love, Ltd
Genre: Contemporary, YA
Length: Short Story (66 pages)
Age Recommendation: 12+
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Quince

Can Rebecca turn her new stepbrother into her new love?

When Rebecca’s mother marries Pres’s father, Rebecca is sure that living in the same house with the guy of her dreams will have its perks and it will be just a matter of time before Pres sees her as more than a kid sister. Even though her best friend, Celeste, warns her to face reality, Rebecca doesn’t listen. She thinks Pres is the perfect guy for her. But Celeste’s brother, Josh, has been friends with Pres for years, and Celeste thinks she knows what she’s talking about.

Rebecca’s not so sure about her relationship with her new stepfather. She knows he can’t replace her real dad, but she thinks she can break through his cool surface by helping him with the school play.
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But things don’t go as planned, and as friendships start to change, Rebecca faces surprising truths about herself and her friends. Will she find happiness in her new family and find The Perfect Guy?

The Perfect Guy is the third reissue of this novel that was first published in 1989 and then again in 2005. In 2013 it was reissued as an ebook. This story might not appeal to readers who are in late teens and above due to its simplistic writing, but I highly recommend it for readers between 12 and 14 years of age.

This is a light, clean YA story that revolves around the theme that not everything that a person wants is what we need and what we do need is sometimes closer than we think. There are no major dramas or angst in this story and all issues are resolved in nice and simple way. Characters are well written and interesting. I did not call them likable, because not all of them are. I found Rebecca’s stepfather annoying and bossy and he put so much pressure on his son, Pres. Furthermore, not going into spoiler territory, I did not like the way Rebecca’s best friend Celeste acted and especially I did not liked her insincerity. Due to that I also did not like the way the problem resolution between Rebecca and Celeste.

On the other hand I found Josh and Rebecca very nice characters. Josh is charming, funny, good friend and he has a big heart. Rebecca’s is a naïve, honest girl who likes to daydream. Her character is the is the most developed one, which is no surprise, since the story is written from her POV. I think that the author did a good job in transforming her from sheltered girl who was walking in the clouds to creative, proactive young girl who learned some valuable lessons along the way.

All in all this was fun read, that I highly recommend to girls in late ‘tweens and early teens.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

Written in the Stars by Sherrill Bodine and Patricia Rosemoor

September 27, 2013 By 2 Comments

STARS
Written in the Stars by Sherrill Bodine and Patricia Rosemoor
 Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Paranormal
Length: Full Length (225 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

In 1601, Lady Elizabeth York’s star-shaped birthmark proclaims her a child of magic. When she arrives at Dunham Castle to marry Carlyle, heir to the Duke of Lennox, she finds enchantment in the eyes and touch of Will Grey, the Duke’s bastard son. Bewitched by Elizabeth, Will defies all for their love, and his jilted half-brother places a curse on them both.

Searching for a treasure ship sunk long ago, present-day marine archeologist Cordelia Ward is pursued romantically by both salvager Innis Foley and treasure hunter Morgan Murphy. She is haunted by a murderous nightmare where one man is the killer and the other the victim. But which man is her enemy–which one her soul mate? Can a journal that belonged to her ancestress, Lady Elizabeth York show her the answers…in time to save her true love?

Chased by evil, two women discover their own magic to fight a villain’s curse on the Posey rings that draw them to the men they are destined to love.

Will Elizabeth and Will choose the path of love or honor?
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Elizabeth knows what her duty is. She is to marry Carlyle and form an alliance between their families. However, the moment she sees Will, she loses her heart to him. I must admit that I’m not usually a fan of “love at first sight” romances. But Ms. Bodine and Ms. Rosemoor make it extremely easy to believe that Elizabeth and Will are soul mates. I was able to completely lose myself in their story. Every time they were together, it just felt right. Their passion for each other is strong, and my heart ached as they tried hard to fight against their attraction. As their feelings intensify, Elizabeth and Will must choose between their love and their duty to their families. The choice they make will have consequences that ripple across centuries.

I really admire Elizabeth. In a time when woman had very few choices, she is unbelievably strong. She is devastated the moment she realizes that she is to marry Carlyle instead of Will, but she holds herself together, determined to make her father proud. Even though she has an instant and unexplainable dislike for Carlyle, she tries very hard to see the good in him, but as I read, I had to wonder if there was any good to be found in the man. Carlyle desperately wants to marry Elizabeth, but his intentions aren’t exactly honorable. I raced through the pages wondering not only who she would choose, but if Elizabeth’s ending would be a happy one.

Cordelia has never truly been in love. When she discovers Elizabeth’s journal, she finds herself yearning for the kind of connection Elizabeth and Will shared. Like Elizabeth, Cordelia finds herself pursued by two very different men. Innis is a young man she once had tender feelings for. Morgan is a pirate with roguish charm. At first, Cordelia is certain she knows which man is the better of the two, but appearances can be deceiving. It became clear to me pretty quickly which man Cordelia needed to chose, and I grew a little impatient as I waited for Cordelia to figure it out. I confess I became frustrated as Cordelia allowed her judgment to be swayed time after time when the truth was right in front of her. Through the pages of her journal, Elizabeth reaches through time to guide Cordelia, but will it be enough to prevent tragedy?

Written in the Stars is a thoroughly enjoyable book. Elizabeth and Will’s romance is very compelling. Anyone looking for a tale of love, loss, and magic would do well to pick up a copy of Written in the Stars today.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , , ,

QB1 by Mike Lupica

September 26, 2013 By 1 Comment

Q
QB1 by Mike Lupica
Publisher: Philomel Books (Penguin imprint)
Genre: Contemporary, YA
Length: Full Length (272 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

Jake Cullen is a freshman quarterback playing high school football in the high-pressure land of Friday Night Lights (Texas). He is also the brother of Wyatt Cullen, who quarterbacked his team to the Texas State Championship last season–not to mention the son of former NFL quarterback and local legend, Troy Cullen. To be a Cullen in Texas is to be royalty . . . and a quarterback. All of which leaves 14-year-old Jake in a Texas-sized shadow, a tall order for any boy, especially one who’s merely a freshman.

While his teammates assume the starting job will be handed to Jake on a silver platter, the truth is that he has to fight for every snap and every ounce of respect. Jake may be a Cullen and he may play quarterback, but he is not his brother or his father. Being a good teammate comes naturally to Jake; being a winner and a celebrity does not. He’s just like every other boy–awkward around a pretty girl, in awe of his famous family, and desperate to simultaneously blend in and cast his own shadow.

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I liked Jake from the very beginning. He’s funny, he’s sweet, and he’s loyal beyond doubt. But he’s also stuck between doing what’s right and what makes his family work best. Add to that the fact that he’s the younger brother of the town’s football hero and his difficulties multiply. He’s forced to prove himself more than anyone else and yet, he always somehow manages to do the right thing.

I hadn’t ever realized how big of a deal high school football was in Texas until reading this book. Having something be such a focus of your life can be both good and bad. Good because it gives you focus, gives you something to work towards and obtain. But it can also become very bad when it becomes the only thing you know, the only thing you do, the only thing you think you can achieve. This is the trap that Jake’s father is stuck in. Never having made his own dream come true, he’s trying to make it happen through his sons which leads to some very upsetting times for Jake. There were more than a few times while reading this that I wanted to shake Troy Cullen and say, “Look. Stop it.” But you can’t. All you can do is hope that he sees what’s happening himself and makes that effort to fix it as soon as possible.

QB1 is an amazing story of family, football, and all that comes with it. The beauty of this novel is that even if you’re not football royalty in small-town Texas, you can still relate to the Cullens and their struggles. At its heart it’s not about football, it’s about family and being the best person that you can possibly be, despite what anyone else thinks you should be. Who knows, you might even be surprised at who you really are in the end.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

Good to Her by Enid Harlow

September 26, 2013 By Leave a Comment

GOOD
Good to Her by Enid Harlow
Publisher: Strategic Book Publishing and Rights Co.
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (305 pages)
Heat Level: spicy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

Good to Her is a historical literary novel set against the backdrop of the famous New York City restaurant, Dinty Moore’s, which stood at the corner of 46th Street just off Broadway for some 50 years. Enlivened by the irascible character of the restaurant’s real-life proprietor, James “Dinty” Moore, the novel takes readers back to the days of Prohibition and the police raids foisted on Moore’s establishment, often resulting in his compulsory appearance in court. The novel moves forward through 1964, exploring the changing political and social life of the times, and focusing on the marriage of Nate Neumann, a successful New York City businessman, and Sallie, his much younger wife. Having fled the confines of small-town Indiana, Sallie comes to New York with dreams of becoming an actress. She meets Nate in Dinty Moore’s. Sallie is 20 and fresh off the farm. Nate is 46 and instantly smitten. The story is brightened by appearances or references to celebrities who frequent the place such as Walter Winchell, Lauren Bacall, and Humphrey Bogart. Sallie is prone to telling Nate how Good to Her he is. Nate wonders, Is he really?

He was good to her, or was he? That was the question on his mind for almost two decades.

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Nate’s friends inhabit the story with their colorful personalities. Some are great, and some…well, they don’t approve of the love of Nate’s life, Sallie, a farm girl who came to New York to find her fame in dancing and acting.

Nate is so charming and kind. Sallie is vivacious. At first, she comes across as self-centered and shallow, but she grows and shows an interesting side to her personality. One finds out early in the book that she’s destined to die, but near the end, her last day is played out in detail.

The book jumps around in time a lot and gives many mundane details, but those details enable a reader to experience the scene up close. Emotions are easily felt due to the hand of the talented author. For anyone who enjoys vintage stories with realism weaved throughout, give this book a try.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , ,

A Granted Wish by Iyana Jenna

September 26, 2013 By Leave a Comment

DOG
A Granted Wish by Iyana Jenna
Publisher: Alfie Dog Fiction
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Short Story (5 pages)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Being told over and over that he is too young to have a girlfriend, or a boyfriend as the case may be, 15-year-old Kyle sends a wish to whoever up there willing to grant it.

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No sooner does this tale begin than a clever twist upends everything I thought I knew about Kyle and his life. Figuring out what had actually happened kept me on my toes as the plot progressed and earned Ms. Jenna her newest fan. It’s difficult to discuss what happens to Kyle without inadvertently giving away spoilers, but suffice it to say that I was impressed by how much information I gleaned about his personality and character in such a short period of time.

This piece was written in present tense which made the dialogue feel stilted in certain scenes because so many different things were happening simultaneously. Writing it in the past tense instead would have allowed more time for the author to explain what was going on. It also would have eliminated several awkward phrases that distracted me from an otherwise gripping series of events.

Ms. Jenna supplied just enough information to wrap up the plot satisfactorily, but I still finished this tale wishing I could know what happens next. Kyle’s reactions to what happen to him are so flustered and realistic that I hope she will consider revisiting him when he’s a few years older. He is a memorable character whose quirks could provide enough fodder for a novel’s worth of adventures.

There are some stories I hope will never end, and A Granted Wish is one of them. This is a quick, satisfying read that I’d recommend to anyone else who is hearing about this promising author for the first time. It is a great introduction to what I hope will be a large body of work from her in the future.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Howl of the Wolf by N.J. Walters

September 26, 2013 By 1 Comment

HOWL
Howl of the Wolf by N.J. Walters
Hades Carnival Book 4
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal
Length: Full Length (217 Pages)
Heat Level: Hot
Rating: Best Book
Reviewed by Foxglove

Hell’s last chance could mean their last breath.

Hades’ Carnival, Book 4

When artist and tarot reader Sabrina Wolfe runs across an old carousel wolf in an antique shop, she can’t resist buying the compelling symbol of her totem animal, her protector. But she isn’t prepared when the wooden animal comes to fang-flashing life—and shifts into a darkly sexy man.

Arand is the last of seven immortal warriors sworn to protect the Lady of the Beasts. Freed by Sabrina’s touch, their instant physical attraction is hot, intense—yet neither is safe until twenty-four hours have passed and the curse is truly broken.
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Hades plans to use every one of those hours to unleash his last effort to control the world—or see both the warrior and his woman dead. Though help comes from unexpected quarters, Arand and Sabrina alone risk paying the ultimate price for victory. Their lives…and their very souls.

Howl of the Wolf is the final episode in N.J. Walters’ intriguing short series, and it is a very fitting conclusion to this adventure. I fell in love with this world, where myth and reality blend into a dark and exciting place. The characters continue to enchant, and I will be visiting them again now that I have all four to enjoy. The threads of each story are brought together here, with solutions that were unexpected and yet so very appropriate for all concerned.

Sabrina Wolfe has always believed her spirit guide is a wolf. As a tarot card reader and artist, she has always known there are things that can’t be explained by logic. But when she buys a statue of a wolf from an old, derelict carousel, she gets more than she bargained for. When the wolf comes to life, and shifts into the very sexy and handsome Arand, she believes she is dreaming, because her dreams of late have been of wolves and demons and horrible future happenings. Arand has to convince Sabrina that what is happening is real, and that the two of them are the last chance to stop Hades from waging war with his brethren and destroying the world as they know it. Arand is the last of a group of immortal warriors, cursed by their goddess into their beast forms until the one woman who can awaken them is found. Can these two escape Hades for the twenty-four hours necessary to win their freedom? Is there anyone who can come to their aid? Or will this final battle for it all signal the downfall of the world?

Sabrina Wolfe is a talented artist, and has an inner strength that guides her life and her tarot readings. She thinks that she is crazy when the carved carousel wolf in her apartment becomes a living, breathing wolf, and then shifts into a sexy naked man. But once she is convinced that everything is really happening, she draws on her inner core of strength to work side by side with Arand to bring defeat to Hades and his demons. I enjoyed watching as Sabrina learned what she would live for, and even what she was willing to die for.

Arand is the last of The Lady’s warriors to live again, and he is determined to stop Hades from his plan to take over the world. He is strong, handsome and loyal, and realizes that Sabrina is his mate. He is determined to do what it takes to protect her, defeat Hades, and unite with the remaining warriors. I like Arand, with his no-nonsense attitude and his loyalty to his brethren. And also for his devotion to The Lady, and now, also, to Sabrina. I liked seeing him adapt to modern life, and I loved his joy at reuniting with Roric, Marko and Leander, his fellow warriors.

This is Hades’ last shot at complete domination, and he is determined to pull out all the big guns to get this done. But there are secret agendas on both sides, and surprises for all in this final adventure. The reunion of the surviving warriors, the secret behind all of Mordecai’s actions, and the surprise visit to Hades by his brother gods, all combine to make this the most action pack and exciting of the series. Of course, the scenes between Arand and Sabrina are hot and passionate, as only N.J. Walters can write them, but there are a couple of scenes that grabbed me and would not let go. Ms. Walters made me laugh, she made me cry, and she made me want to return to this world of myth and magic and romance. I highly recommend the Hades Carnival series to anyone who likes magic and myth with their romance, and to best enjoy these books, they should be read in the following order: Night of the Tiger, Mark of the Bear, Pride of the Lion and Howl of the Wolf.

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