Ghostland (Ghostland World, #1)

Apr 04, 2009 Julie (jjmachshev) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009-reads

Jory Strong makes her move to mainstream print with "Ghostland" published by Berkley Sensation. I'm a fan and reader of three of her erotica series published by Ellora's Cave so was pleased and interested to see how her voice would translate to more conventional print. "Ghostland" is set in a futuristic paranormal world where money and religion rule in an uneasy and unholy partnership and those with special abilities are marginalized and used by both.

Aisling made the only choice she could. She c...more Jory Strong makes her move to mainstream print with "Ghostland" published by Berkley Sensation. I'm a fan and reader of three of her erotica series published by Ellora's Cave so was pleased and interested to see how her voice would translate to more conventional print. "Ghostland" is set in a futuristic paranormal world where money and religion rule in an uneasy and unholy partnership and those with special abilities are marginalized and used by both.

Aisling made the only choice she could. She came out of hiding to save the rest of her 'family' and let herself be taken by a priest into the city of Oakland. She's a shamaness and although she knows she's just being used, there's really nothing she can do to prevent it. All she can do is try to stay alive until she learns more about the strange society she's fallen into. With her 'pet' ferret as her only companion, although he's much more than a pet, she enters the ghostlands to locate the missing mistress of a powerful man. The only way to save the woman was to use the name given to her by her ferret, Zurael. Now she's caught up in a deadly game she doesn't understand with a demon she craves.

Zurael is a Prince of the Djinn. When he's summoned by Aisling he's furious. But now he's on a mission. Recover an ancient lost tablet using Aisling as bait...and kill her when he's done. But it won't take more than a day for Zurael to realize Aisling is just as innocent as he, and much easier to kill.

Not a book for a quick, easy read. There are layers upon layers in Strong's "Ghostland". The world is complex and the different societies are well-delineated but do take a bit of thought to keep straight at first. The heat index is just what I would expect from someone with Strong's background in erotica--smoking. But it was a bit harder for me to warm up to both the hero and heroine of this first book in what is intended to be a series set in the same world. Once again, the initial book of a series takes a bit of a hit due to the necessity of the author to introduce the reader to a whole new universe. And I did wish for a few more pages to enjoy the happy ending. But here's hoping I get a bit more of these two, who I learned to enjoy over the course of the book, in the next release.

And you know what? Looking back, I enjoyed this read. I want to read more. Now I find myself impatient for the release of "Spider-Touched", book two, in August 2009. I want to know more about the 'history' of angels who seem more like demons here, and the church who definitely don't come off as looking out for their fellow man. So if reading a book where angels and organized religion aren't the 'good guys' will make you mad? Pass this series by. Me? I'm hungry for more.(less)

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Jun 07, 2010 Kim rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, paranormal-romance, read-in-2010, did-not-like-it, unfinished

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I didn't really care about the story but this is what I know: Aisling is a female shaman, who has a pet ferret and then people came and took her with them so she could leave home, live by herself in the house of the previous dead shaman and solve any kind of mystery that involves the dead, the living, everybody. People just keep asking for her to do stuff. The confusing part was that they seemed to live in a time without electricity but this world is actually post-apocalyptic, and I kept forgett...more I didn't really care about the story but this is what I know: Aisling is a female shaman, who has a pet ferret and then people came and took her with them so she could leave home, live by herself in the house of the previous dead shaman and solve any kind of mystery that involves the dead, the living, everybody. People just keep asking for her to do stuff. The confusing part was that they seemed to live in a time without electricity but this world is actually post-apocalyptic, and I kept forgetting it's set with more or less modern touches. Cars, blow dryers,... all present. Ever time something like that popped up I was surprised, I don't know why really.

To make things more confusing: At a certain point they went to some kind of club called Sinners and then there was a voting thing and then Aisling and Zureal were voted out by a couple who asked them to 'come play' before they even had the chance to take of their coats. They turned down the couple and then they got kicked out. Or something. And then fought and went home. And had sex of course. Lots of times.

I almost fell asleep during those sex scenes, that's how bad it was. It's not because wasn't action packed enough. It's not like I was expecting more gymnastics because believe me, both Aisling and Zurael were trying to make it reaaaaally good. How they managed to make intercourse seem boring is beyond me. Maybe it was all the fuss they made about each other's hair. They kept wanting to wash and comb through it for some reason.

While I was reading this book I felt annoyed by how easily both characters were turned on by each other. Yes instant attraction, I get it. But I've never had the pleasure of having my nipples turn into bullets whenever I see a hot guy. Aisling and him didn't even need to be in the same room for it to happen. She: 'Oh hey, that plant over there sorta kinda looks like Zurael if I squint hard enough... OMG I'M SO AROUSED.' He:'Hmmm linoleum... wow look at the bulge in my pants!' (Thank you Xander, I still love that line) And it was like that constantly. In the first chapter or so, Aisling and Zurael are enemies. But 6 lines into the second chapter they are making the neighbors blush. They didn't talk, they just humped each other a lot. And even during that their conversations didn't go any farther than her moaning 'please' 56 times and he grunted and said her name a lot. Aisling kept having a serious case of 'fluids pooling her folds'. I really don't find that sexy. Seriously, it's called a diaper, use it.

Seriously, I'm not making this up. It is just that ridiculous. I didn't read the entire book, so maybe it got better after where I gave up. Again, this is a book I wanted to like, I mean come on, look at the cover! It's gorgeous!

Arlene, I'm sorry to disappoint you with my links, if I do come up with something appropriate, I'll let you know but probably not. It's more fun when you don't know what's coming ^^(less)

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Jul 17, 2012 Kay rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Kay by: viagara commercials

Shelves: apocadystopia, life-after-death, urban-fantasy, undeadandmonstrous, i-give-up, roflcopter, smutsicle

1.5 stars, and abandoned. It wasn't that the plot was bad, or the writing that horrible. I just got really tired of reading about Zurael's "rigid cock" busting through his pants page after page.

Maybe I'll write a more detailed review...later...

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Apr 12, 2009 Felicia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: vaginal-urban-fantasy

First thing, this is the best cover art I've seen on a genre book in quite a while.

That said I didn't know QUITE what I was getting into with this book. There is a LOT of graphic sex in here, more than I care to read quite frankly, lol. The world was pretty interesting, typical of the genre with a few interesting twists, but there was just too much weird-ass graphic description of "Le Getting-it-on". I started skipping over it when loins would start burning (but that's mild compared to what real...more

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Nov 08, 2012 Elizabeth Botkin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Yet another find in the Sci Fi/Fantasy section of my local library, I randomly pulled this off the shelf intrigued by the title, the synopsis on the back cover, and the lovely artwork on the front. I'm just as swayed by pretty pictures as the next person.

Ms. Strong brilliantly creates a post-apocalyptic world where demons, vampires, the gifted, humans, and remnants of modern luxuries (such as running water) co-exist somewhat unwillingly. The main plot is dextrously woven with plenty of intrigue...more

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Oct 29, 2012 Joshua Burns rated it 4 of 5 stars

As seen on Rabidreads.ca:

Jory Strong’s enterprise into the post-apocalyptic scene comes as quite a shock. Why is there so much erotica in it? Why is said erotica better than the kind you’ll find in other books of that nature? It must be the allure of the exotic.

Jory Strong’s characters all have funky names like Aisling, Aziel, Zurael, and Iyar. Zurael, the Prince of the House of Serpents in the land of the Djinns (Jory Strong spares no expense in world-building), cannot couple with the woman w...more

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Jun 23, 2012 Jishi Pantorilla rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: erotica, dystopian

If you want erotica with a badass storyline and well written plot, you could do better than E.L. James's Fifty Shades Trilogy. James has nothing on Jory Strong.
I've found my Tumblr entry when I was in the process of reading it back in 2010.

I discovered this book through an officemate who sat beside my station looking for a new e-book to read during office hours. She was finishing this book and I was quite intrigued. I’ve started reading it today and got so absorbed that I direly wished I sent a...more

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Jun 05, 2011 Sheyla rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shamaness Aisling McConaughey is taken from the safety of the only home she has known, to help find the mistress of a wealthy man. She knows her life will never be the same after she leaves the safety of the farm for Ghostland.
She is able to use her power and spirits to find the woman, Elena. When she finds her, she is about to be sacrificed by dark priests. Her pet ferret/Spirit guardian, Aziel is able to communicate with her while in the spirit world and he gives her a name to call. The help c...more

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Apr 20, 2011 Mara rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: supernatural, romance, this-heroine-be-cray, sex-vs-plot

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Oct 14, 2010 Rea rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: erotica, fantasy

In all honesty I feel quite cheated with regards to this book. I picked it up from the new fantasy section of the store and took it home only to discover that the fantasy plot line is a distant second to the constant sex lack of plot line.

We don't even manage to get through the first chapter before we get our first 'engorged cock'. From there on out the book is full of stiffening, hardening and slickening and it's a miracle if one of the two characters manages to make it through one of the few...more

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Oct 06, 2010 Heather Tisdale rated it 3 of 5 stars

3.5
In a post-apocalyptic world, humans are terrified of those with special abilities. After members of the upper-class begin to turn up murdered in black-magic rituals, Aisling is forced from her home to Oakland where she must travel into the Ghostland and attempt to find the most recent missing soul. The fact that the trip didn't kill her like others before her has marked her. Different factions attempt to use her or kill her.
On top of that, she summoned a powerful being to help her save the l...more

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Jul 10, 2010 Marisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: parnormal-romance

After reading Ghostland I had to take a breath. A compelling and well written paranormal romance, Ghostland is a unique and fascinating tale of a post-apocalyptic world filled with other worldly creatures and danger in the here and now.

Jory Strong delivers a strong and powerful book about a world in the aftermath of death and destruction; a world where only the rich, powerful and connected have a chance at a life worth living. It is a bleak world, stark and filled with treachery and deceit. The...more After reading Ghostland I had to take a breath. A compelling and well written paranormal romance, Ghostland is a unique and fascinating tale of a post-apocalyptic world filled with other worldly creatures and danger in the here and now.

Jory Strong delivers a strong and powerful book about a world in the aftermath of death and destruction; a world where only the rich, powerful and connected have a chance at a life worth living. It is a bleak world, stark and filled with treachery and deceit. The darkness is almost palpable. I had a very strong reaction to the almost oppressive construct of this world and the mythology that Ms. Strong has created. It reminded me a great deal of the world created by Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. Not in any specific sense, but in a more general sense. Ghostland has a pervasive sense of foreboding. This is not a bad thing. As a matter of a fact, I was surprised that it evoked these feelings at all. On the back cover blurb there is much reference to the fact that it is an erotic romance and a ‘passionate story’ with ‘never a dull moment’ where you should be prepared to be ‘in a constant state of arousal’. Now I must say there is a very strong sexual element between the protagonists, and the romance is one of the central foundations of this book. However it was the world that Ms. Strong placed her characters in that really shook me up. It also made me question what I want when I read a romance book. More and more authors are giving us such amazing and well crafted books that encompass so much more than a story whose central focus is one man, one woman and their happily ever after (HEA). The world building in many romances, particularly paranormal romances, has become intricate and intense. Ghostland is that ‘breed’ of book.

As with all paranormal books the supernatural element is right in the forefront. In this post-apocalyptic world people with supernatural powers are no longer in hiding, yet they are regulated and used by the rich, the powerful and the Church. The book opens with a chapter that immediately gives you a clear sense of the world you’re about to immerse yourself in. You can feel it.

“FEAR rolled through the San Joaquin farmland with the rumble of a heavy truck. Children were called in from their chores and women abandoned their laundry without putting it on the lines. Heavy doors and barred windows were closed and locked as prayers were said to whatever gods might still linger in a world altered forever by war-born plague.”

Aisling McConaughey is one of those people who live on farm in San Joaquin and the truck roaring through the country side is coming for her. Aisling was an orphan left on the front door of a farm, her parentage is unknown but she is a woman with supernatural powers; a shamaness who can walk in the ghostlands. The ghostlands are where the dead wait for “judgments or rebirth …”. It is a place where she can question the dead who are still in a state of limbo and find answers for those still living. The men who have come for her, need her to walk in the ghostlands and find a missing woman.

Going to the ghostlands is not an easy task and always exacts a price. With her familiar by her side, Aisling travels to the ghostlands and sees a vision of the woman she seeks in the midst of a deadly ritual and about to loose her life. Since Aisling has no physical presence in the ghostlands she is powerless to help the woman about to be sacrificed. Her familiar begs her to call upon a spirit, the Djinn prince Zurael en Caym. Zurael answers her summons and saves the woman; however no human as ever had the power to summon him. Her ability to summon him means she holds power over him that could destroy his life. This is Zuarel’s greatest fear, to be bound to the will of human. Throughout his existence Zurael has known that to be called to the will of a human, would mean his destruction. His only recourse is to kill Aisling. However, the plot twists again when he finds out that an artifact that can destroy his race is missing and he must use Aisling if he is to find it. Set on his mission, Zurael appears in the human world to find Aisling, use her to get the artifact and then destroy her.

The mythology and rules of the world Ms. Strong has built are very elaborate and intricate and sometimes confusing. There is a lot of action in this book and many characters are introduced. I had to slow down sometimes and re-group to find the threads. That being said she has created strong characters that follow a through line that adheres to their back story. And while their motivations are not always clear, they do tend to strengthen the story line. Her prose when describing the places and people in it are textured in such a way that you can easily visualize each scene. The relationship between Aisling and Zuarel is at turns both frightening and endearing. She’s created a heroine who has a quiet sense of self that is just awakening. Her youth and inexperience coupled with her sense of right and wrong is a good counterpart to Zurael’s commanding and authoritative power. The book ends with an HEA and on a hopeful note between Zuarel and Aisling but with a big question mark for the world as a whole. It left the door wide open for the next installment. I am curious and eager to find out what happens to the rest of the people in this stark world where a good life has a chance at re-birth.(less)

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Nov 14, 2009 K. Bird rated it 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed reading this book.

Post-apocalyptic California where after a cataclysmic war/disaster, supernaturals have come out and rule the night. In the day time, the rich congregate in cities and the poor work like serfs in the outlying country. The church plays political games while condemning supernaturals.

One of those serfs, Aisling, a shamaness (one who can talk to ghosts and enter the ghostland; a kind of metaphysical place of death) is taken from her farm by the church and caught up...more

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May 31, 2009 Romance Novel TV rated it 3 of 5 stars

Reviewed by Marisa O’Neill
Publisher: Penguin
3.5 Stars

After reading Ghostland I had to take a breath. A compelling and well written paranormal romance, Ghostland is a unique and fascinating tale of a post-apocalyptic world filled with other worldly creatures and danger in the here and now.

Jory Strong delivers a strong and powerful book about a world in the aftermath of death and destruction; a world where only the rich, powerful and connected have a chance at a life worth living. It is a bleak wo...more Reviewed by Marisa O’Neill
Publisher: Penguin
3.5 Stars

After reading Ghostland I had to take a breath. A compelling and well written paranormal romance, Ghostland is a unique and fascinating tale of a post-apocalyptic world filled with other worldly creatures and danger in the here and now.

Jory Strong delivers a strong and powerful book about a world in the aftermath of death and destruction; a world where only the rich, powerful and connected have a chance at a life worth living. It is a bleak world, stark and filled with treachery and deceit. The darkness is almost palpable. I had a very strong reaction to the almost oppressive construct of this world and the mythology that Ms. Strong has created. It reminded me a great deal of the world created by Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. Not in any specific sense, but in a more general sense. Ghostland has a pervasive sense of foreboding. This is not a bad thing. As a matter of a fact, I was surprised that it evoked these feelings at all. On the back cover blurb there is much reference to the fact that it is an erotic romance and a ‘passionate story’ with ‘never a dull moment’ where you should be prepared to be ‘in a constant state of arousal’. Now I must say there is a very strong sexual element between the protagonists, and the romance is one of the central foundations of this book. However it was the world that Ms. Strong placed her characters in that really shook me up. It also made me question what I want when I read a romance book. More and more authors are giving us such amazing and well crafted books that encompass so much more than a story whose central focus is one man, one woman and their happily ever after (HEA). The world building in many romances, particularly paranormal romances, has become intricate and intense. Ghostland is that ‘breed’ of book.

As with all paranormal books the supernatural element is right in the forefront. In this post-apocalyptic world people with supernatural powers are no longer in hiding, yet they are regulated and used by the rich, the powerful and the Church. The book opens with a chapter that immediately gives you a clear sense of the world you’re about to immerse yourself in. You can feel it.

“FEAR rolled through the San Joaquin farmland with the rumble of a heavy truck. Children were called in from their chores and women abandoned their laundry without putting it on the lines. Heavy doors and barred windows were closed and locked as prayers were said to whatever gods might still linger in a world altered forever by war-born plague.”

Aisling McConaughey is one of those people who live on farm in San Joaquin and the truck roaring through the country side is coming for her. Aisling was an orphan left on the front door of a farm, her parentage is unknown but she is a woman with supernatural powers; a shamaness who can walk in the ghostlands. The ghostlands are where the dead wait for “judgments or rebirth …”. It is a place where she can question the dead who are still in a state of limbo and find answers for those still living. The men who have come for her, need her to walk in the ghostlands and find a missing woman.

Going to the ghostlands is not an easy task and always exacts a price. With her familiar by her side, Aisling travels to the ghostlands and sees a vision of the woman she seeks in the midst of a deadly ritual and about to loose her life. Since Aisling has no physical presence in the ghostlands she is powerless to help the woman about to be sacrificed. Her familiar begs her to call upon a spirit, the Djinn prince Zurael en Caym. Zurael answers her summons and saves the woman; however no human as ever had the power to summon him. Her ability to summon him means she holds power over him that could destroy his life. This is Zuarel’s greatest fear, to be bound to the will of human. Throughout his existence Zurael has known that to be called to the will of a human, would mean his destruction. His only recourse is to kill Aisling. However, the plot twists again when he finds out that an artifact that can destroy his race is missing and he must use Aisling if he is to find it. Set on his mission, Zurael appears in the human world to find Aisling, use her to get the artifact and then destroy her.

The mythology and rules of the world Ms. Strong has built are very elaborate and intricate and sometimes confusing. There is a lot of action in this book and many characters are introduced. I had to slow down sometimes and re-group to find the threads. That being said she has created strong characters that follow a through line that adheres to their back story. And while their motivations are not always clear, they do tend to strengthen the story line. Her prose when describing the places and people in it are textured in such a way that you can easily visualize each scene. The relationship between Aisling and Zuarel is at turns both frightening and endearing. She’s created a heroine who has a quiet sense of self that is just awakening. Her youth and inexperience coupled with her sense of right and wrong is a good counterpart to Zurael’s commanding and authoritative power. The book ends with an HEA and on a hopeful note between Zuarel and Aisling but with a big question mark for the world as a whole. It left the door wide open for the next installment. I am curious and eager to find out what happens to the rest of the people in this stark world where a good life has a chance at re-birth.

(less)

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Apr 30, 2009 Katie(babs) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Ghostland has a very eye catching cover that gives the reader a good sense about the story inside. Jory Strong has written a post-Apocalyptic tale that deals with fears. These fears are everything from loss, death and isolation. There is a great deal of isolation in Ghostland seen through the eyes of the heroine Aisling McConaughey. Aisling is very special. She is an orphan shamaness who lives on a farm in the outskirts of the city of Oakland, California. Aisling has the ability to walk in the s...more Ghostland has a very eye catching cover that gives the reader a good sense about the story inside. Jory Strong has written a post-Apocalyptic tale that deals with fears. These fears are everything from loss, death and isolation. There is a great deal of isolation in Ghostland seen through the eyes of the heroine Aisling McConaughey. Aisling is very special. She is an orphan shamaness who lives on a farm in the outskirts of the city of Oakland, California. Aisling has the ability to walk in the spiritlands, a world where the dead wait for judgment or to be reborn, where they find heaven or hell depending on their belief. The spiritlands, or ghostlands is the afterlife. Think of this more like purgatory, a gateway in between heaven and hell. As a shamaness Aisling bargains for answers and help from these dead.

Aisling lives during a time after The Last War that was started by religious zealots who wanted to cleanse mankind. The date is unknown, but I would say it is a hundred years or so after the war has ended. Because of this war the supernatural creatures such as vampires, werewolves and demons have come out of the shadows. These creatures of myth have taken over the night and because of it, humans lock themselves away in their homes after the sun sets. The United States is no longer what it was. The country, or at least California, is run by martial law. The Church, which is made up of a group of very powerful humans have total control of the remaining human population. The Church needs Aisling’s services and if she doesn’t do what they want, they may kill her and her foster family.

Aisling takes her spirit guardian and pet ferret Aziel with her and will go to Oakland. The only person she can trust for the moment is Father Ursu, a priest who works for the Church. He really does seem to care for her well being. Perhaps it is because he needs her safe and whole for what he has in store for her? Aisling is given shelter and money to buy precious commodities like food. If she excels at the services expected of her, she can keep the house and remain in Oakland in safe keeping under the watchful eye of the Church.

An important woman by the name of Elena has disappeared. They need Aisling to find her either alive or if her soul has left and entered into the spiritlands. When Ailsing returns to the spiritlands she sees some dark-robed men wearing goat heads about to sacrifice Elena. Aisling has no choice but to summon a demon to stop them. She calls for Zurael en Caym, son of the dark prince. Because she has summoned Zurael she can command him at will.

Zurael saves Elena by killing the goat headed men. But that means he is at Aisling’s beck and call until she decide she is done with him. Zurael is not just a demon but also a Djinn. He hates Aisling because she has such power over him. When the time is right, he will kill her. The thought of being tied to a human, a child of mud, as he thinks of her is unfathomable. Zurael finds out that the dark priest that he killed was trying to summon an entity from the spiritlands and make it human. Because he stopped this sacrifice Zurael is given an important task where he must retrieve an ancient stone tablet that has been lost to the Djinn. In order for Zurael to search Oakland for this tablet he must remain with Aisling. For the time being he won’t kill her.

Aisling is not sure how to handle the present situation she is in. She has accomplished what she was set out to do, but now she has a beautiful and powerful demon male basically as her slave. All she wishes for is to have her old life back, but now that is no longer possible. And when Elena comes to Aisling asking her to investigate her kidnapping, Aisling again has no choice; she must accept. Part of it has to do with the type of person Aisling is. She wants to help those around her even if she may endanger her life. What Elena wants Aisling to do may kill her because she must venture into a world filled with kinky sex and drugs. The drug of choice is called Ghost. A person takes Ghost and will find themselves in the spiritlands to enjoy the kinky S&M type pleasures that await them there. Elena was ghosting when she was taken and wants to know why. The spirits that walk in the spirtlands also want Elena to find those who are creating Ghost and kill them.

Aisling may be able to go back and forth into the spiritlands, but she is still fragile on the mortal plane. Zurael becomes very protective of Aisling and begins to care for her because of her giving nature. Something as simple as Aisling sharing her meager food with Aziel and himself really touches Zurael. Zurael will aid her in her quest. Soon they are waking a fine line between the dead and the living. Something more powerful then the Church wants Aisling. Aisling and Zurael have entered into a very dark world where reality and fantasy become one. And Aisling’s fantasies are become more real because Zurael is hungry for Aisling’s tender flesh where he can give her endless pleasures in his arms.

Ghostland is a complex and descriptive world filled with desperation and the unholy needs people have. Jory Strong really does a great job with her writing. Her world building is great and the story is intense. Not only is there a paranormal element, but there is fantasy and some really hot sex scenes between Aisling and Zurael. Some may call this an Urban Fantasy because of the setting, but this is more of an Urban Fantasy Romance. Perhaps even an Urban Fantasy Erotica. Aisling is a worthy heroine but she is very different from those other types of heroines in the past Urban Fantasies I have read. She is a bit too quite and broken in a way. Every trip to the ghostlands drains her. Some may think she is a victim because of the situation she has been placed in, and if Zurael wasn’t there to save her, Aisling may have not survived. I wouldn’t say Aisling is weak but she comes across scarred and emotionally unattached, as if she doesn’t know how to interact with those around her.

Zurael is definitely an alpha male who looks out for Aisling’s best interests, but when it comes to sex, he pushes her to the limits. From the moment he meets Aisling, he is all over her. The lust he has for Aisling is intense and she feels the same way. I was a bit surprised by how quickly Aisling was open to having sex with Zurael because she keeps everyone at a distance. But Zurael is larger than life and won’t be ignored.

I assumed Aisling was a virgin but the first time she was with Zurael you would think otherwise. There is a great deal of hard nipples and wet panties for Aisling. Aisling must have gone through a great deal of panties in a few days because they were always wet. That is mentioned many times so we won’t be able to forget her need for Zurael. Zurael is hard all over and even in the sign of danger he wants Aisling. These two have a great deal of sex and is the typical fare with a great deal of shuddering and thrusting. Even though Zurael doesn’t kiss Aisling on the mouth there is still a lot of tongue action on his end. He can’t kiss Aisling on the mouth because he is afraid he will lose his soul to her if she takes in his breath. But he is more than fine with enjoying some 69 action with her, that oh so naughty scene that pops up from time to time in romance. For some reason I find that act much more intimate than kissing. I guess someone stealing your breath is more serious than both drinking in each other’s sex fluids.

Ghostland is a strong debut by Jory Strong, who has a background in writing erotic romance. I would say that Jory is one author to watch for 2009. I was surprised how much I enjoyed reading Ghostland even with all the mention of lusting and weeping body parts. Urban fantasy fans will want to give this one a try.(less)

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Jun 05, 2011 Laura Young rated it 5 of 5 stars

Ghostland is a paranormal romance book and the first book in the Ghostland World series.
Ghostland is about Aisling McConaughey a shamaness and Zurael who is a Djinn. After Aisling summons Zurael as a last minute things she sets her future when he makes a very promising threat, "Savor these few moments when you hold me enslaved, child of mud. They will cost you your life," he said before disappearing as suddenly as he arrived." She gets stuck in the middle of the Djinns business, and not even get...more

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Jul 16, 2009 Ruby rated it 2 of 5 stars

If you can manage to wade past all the boring and repetitive sex, it's not a bad story. I was really into the story right up until the sad little protagonist summoned our friend the djinn, who sported a total hard-on for our sweet little friend while at the same time threatening to kill her.

Oooookay.

In all honesty, I feel like a lot of the more interesting plot points and story development got lost behind all the rampant fucking, what with burning loins and clenching channels and swollen cunt li...more

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Jan 02, 2010 Wicked Walker rated it 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to another review on Ghostland, I knew to expect this to be a book with adult situations and not YA like I originally thought. With that thought in mind, I dove into the world of shamaness, demons and angels. Jory Strong wove a complex world of demons, magic and other worlds, but not so much that you got lost, but enough to keep you interested wondering what would happen next.

In the world that Aisling lived in, for every time she went into the Ghostland, she was required to pay that favor...more

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Feb 17, 2012 Iva rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: action, romance, too-hot, mystery, fantasy, stayed-up-late

Ghostland is book you will most certainly enjoy if you're a fantasy lover. I myself don't read fantasy as much I would want to and this one makes me pick 'em up more.

First, let me say that right now, when I think about it, I have NO idea why I picked this book up. Yes, there are many different things I was attracted to, but I'm always careful and very picky with what I read. And let me tell you, at different point through reading this I wanted to give it a 1 star and then a 5 star, and then 3 st...more Ghostland is book you will most certainly enjoy if you're a fantasy lover. I myself don't read fantasy as much I would want to and this one makes me pick 'em up more.

First, let me say that right now, when I think about it, I have NO idea why I picked this book up. Yes, there are many different things I was attracted to, but I'm always careful and very picky with what I read. And let me tell you, at different point through reading this I wanted to give it a 1 star and then a 5 star, and then 3 stars. It was so.. turbulent. I still want to give it 5 stars because I loved the world of this book, all the creatures and laws, history, organization, the setup. It's totally cool like every fantasy I watched (as a movie) or read (think Harry Potter and especially LOTR cool!)

This book is a lot of things mixed up. It has ghosts, vampires(I loved the part with them), demons (Dijnns), angels, werewolves, shape shifters... And shamans! Now shamans are the most interesting part (our heroine Aisling is a shaman) They have amazing and interesting powers. All in all, the mythology is just breathtaking. If you love a good fantasy world, you'll devour this. What I didn't like, regarding this, is the complexity of rules of this book. You know that feeling, when you read a fantasy and it's all so mixed up, it's takes many books, knowledge and ability to get used to it. It was sometimes too much.

Next: We don't get just urban fantasy, we get post apocalyptic. What you need to know is - chaos rules, the day ruled by the Church and secret organizations, the night by predators. Also, you have sex clubs, dangerous drugs, creepy religious rituals and much more. (getting tired? hah, there's a lot more)

Another thing I didn't quite enjoy - there's a lot of mystery. The WHOLE book is about mystery of the Ghost, Aislings' parents and her pet Aziel, the killings, abductions and so on and so on.

And look how much I've been writing and I didn't even get to the characters: Aisling and Zurael - they're just wow wow wow. Their romance was explosive and so sweet and so beautiful. It's because of them I wanted to give this 5 stars. Aisling is this strong shamaness - strong not just in the ability but in character too. And Zurael is a demon, a Djinn - so dangerous and powerful, the son of the Prince, but also passionate, kind and protective. Ugh, I just loved them!!!

So - if you are a fan of fantasy, dystopia, mystery and sweet romance with erotica, look no further, this is heaven for you.(less)

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May 31, 2009 Minsma rated it 3 of 5 stars

Jory Strong has put a great deal of time and thought into the worldbuilding of Ghostland. It shows on each and every page: a post-apocalyptic Oakland ruled by corrupt Churchmen, guardsmen, and the privileged rich. Magic workers are tolerated, but they're ghettoized into the "red zone" part of the city and often used on the sly by the power elite. She does a good job of showing us this familiar but unfamiliar world.

Aisling, a young shamaness orphan who grew up on a farm in San Joaquin, has been u...more Jory Strong has put a great deal of time and thought into the worldbuilding of Ghostland. It shows on each and every page: a post-apocalyptic Oakland ruled by corrupt Churchmen, guardsmen, and the privileged rich. Magic workers are tolerated, but they're ghettoized into the "red zone" part of the city and often used on the sly by the power elite. She does a good job of showing us this familiar but unfamiliar world.

Aisling, a young shamaness orphan who grew up on a farm in San Joaquin, has been used to hiding her magic nature from her less tolerant country neighbors. She is unwillingly recruited by the Church and brought to Oakland in order to solve the mystery of the disappearance of a important man's mistress. This draws her into conflict with Zurael, a powerful Djinn prince whom she unwittingly summons to do her bidding. This kind of summoning power is dangerous to the Djinn and so Zurael vows to kill her, but not before she can help him solve another mystery concerning those who have taken possession of an archive of black magic and are using it in dark rituals. They band together to solve their separate mysteries, and grow much closer than either of them thinks is wise.

I found the narrative to be compelling and interesting. The characters are a bit generic, but not so much that it bothered me. Mostly, I was a happy little clam reading this book.

Except for the sex scenes.

I'm not at all prudish when it comes to sex writing. Crude words to describe anatomy don't bother me, explicitness doesn't bother me, a little BDSM—no problem. So those things weren't what felt off to me. I guess it's because these scenes seem to lack the pizzazz and presence of the rest of the writing. There are a lot of throbbing ****s and slick ****s here, but I got more of a feel of "insert plug A into sprocket B" then anything erotic. And there were a number of scenes! Not a problem with that, either, if they are justified. Character-wise, I suppose they are, because they built on he obsession the two main characters have with one another, reinforced their bonding, and etc. But I did wind up skim reading them towards the end.

So, great story—good enough that I'd buy a sequel as I'm sure there will be one—but curiously flat sex scenes.
(less)

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May 23, 2009 Rane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-pnr

This was such a pleasant surprise for someone like myself whose been away from urban fanstay romance now for many years.

I really enjoyed the vast and sometimes very complex world of Ghostland from it’s supernaturals to it’s everyday humans. From the eyes of Aisling you could get a feeling of the differences between human classes, even those “gifted”

Aisling was at times very cold that it hard to understand her, but as you read you start to see her and what’s she’s had to live through in this...more

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Aug 10, 2009 marlene rated it 3 of 5 stars

the story itself was a good one. this was certainly not a light read. the story was complex enough to demand all of your attention. the character's behavior and traits were all realistic enough considering their backgrounds. Aisling was very timid in pretty much everything she did. considering she lived i fear her entire life she ended up being strong.

when all is said and done i would say the book was just fine. nothing spectacular, but nothing bad either.

for a book with an incredible amount of...more

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Sep 20, 2009 Shannon (Giraffe Days) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Recommended to Shannon (Giraffe Days) by: Genre Reviews

Shelves: paranormal, apocalyptic-or-post-apocalyptic, fantasy, 2009, erotic-romance, cover-love

In a post-apocalyptic Earth torn asunder by religious wars and now divvied up between the Church and Vampires, Aisling lives a precarious life in more ways than one: not only is she an orphan living on a farm under human "protection" and destruction, but she's also a shamaness, able to walk the Ghostlands where the spirits reside.

It has long been a secret well kept by the woman who took her in and her surrogate family, but nothing can protect her when the Church shows up looking for her. The may...more In a post-apocalyptic Earth torn asunder by religious wars and now divvied up between the Church and Vampires, Aisling lives a precarious life in more ways than one: not only is she an orphan living on a farm under human "protection" and destruction, but she's also a shamaness, able to walk the Ghostlands where the spirits reside.

It has long been a secret well kept by the woman who took her in and her surrogate family, but nothing can protect her when the Church shows up looking for her. The mayor of Oakland's mistress, Elena, has disappeared and their previous shaman has died. Aisling's given a hollow choice and, taking her pet ferret Aziel, moves to Oakland where she immediately travels into the spirit lands, with Aziel as her guide, to find Elena. When she does, it's clear Elena is a sacrifice of some sort, tied to an alter, naked with symbols painted on her skin while black-robed men prepare to kill her.

Aziel gives her a name to call, and the demon she summons to dispatch the priests is Zurael, a powerful Djinn and son of the Prince of his people. Enraged at being summoned, he determines to kill Aisling before she can bind him to her and her plane. He is given two missions on the Earthly plane: to kill Aisling and to reclaim a tablet the dark priests must have acquired. Fighting his inexplicable physical attraction to Aisling, he realises he must join forces with her to find the priests.

There are two mysteries in this story - to find and kill the maker of Ghost, a drug that takes people into the Ghostlands, leaving their bodies open and vulnerable to possession; and to find and kill the leader of the dark priests who are kidnapping and killing people in Oakland. These two plot lines run unevenly through the narrative, jerking their way through suddenly gifted clues and Aisling's vague realisations of connections that really made no sense to me.

That's the problem with much of this book: plotwise, it was poorly crafted and weakly controlled. Part of the problem might be with the fact that I struggled to read this and kept reading other books in-between, but that wouldn't account for all of its problems, not least of which was how boring it was. It started out promisingly, as all books do when you approach them with no expectations beyond hearing a good story, but quickly deteriorated into a yawn-fest littered with confusing connections that didn't make any sense. Any time the Church was mentioned, it made the least sense. I still have no idea what was going on there because it just wasn't explained in a coherent manner.

The plot wasn't even the most disappointing part. This is an erotic romance, set in a post-apocalyptic world that also constitutes an urban fantasy. That's a lot of sub-genres to cover, but it's doable. The problem is with the erotic romance side. Aisling and Zurael are physically attracted to each other and start having sex because, well, I guess they couldn't resist. They also think about each other a great deal, and there's a lot - a LOT - of descriptions of his penis hardening, her cunt - yes, she uses "cunt" a LOT - clenching and all manner of crudely depicted arousal in-between. The first use of "cunt" jarred me - many words like this were co-opted in a negative way to denigrate women and it follows that taking ownership back shifts that power into women's hands. Well, not with "cunt", not in this medium. It's just not an erotic word. It's harsh and abrasive and technical. I also became extremely tired of hearing how their bodies were aching, clenching, pulsing, throbbing and so on ad nauseum. Not to mention that they would suddenly interrupt a scene by thinking about each other and their own body's responses in many small, bite-sized paragraphs until you completely forgot what the hell was going on, really, and where they even were.

I liked Zurael, but Aisling was so horribly passive she was dull as mud. There was a small amount of growth, wherein she gains some confidence and backbone, but I didn't get her appeal to Zurael and I didn't buy their chemistry, if you could call it that. While the cover is beautiful, it misrepresents Aisling, giving her a seductive, confident, slightly evil look: the direct opposite of her character. Their sexual episodes weren't written well, as if the author's heart just wasn't in it or she was a prude trying to be explicit - which doesn't gel either because she has several books published under Ellora's Cave.

After a slow build-up the two resolutions to the mysteries occur abruptly and, after all Aisling and Zurael's search of clues, come about through no effort on their part. Aisling was just so sweet and passive and tentative, that the book could have gone on indefinitely if the villains hadn't taken matters into their own hands. Like me, they must have got sick of waiting for her to actually do something about it.

The descriptions made it hard for me to visualise the world, and much of it just didn't make sense to me, the way it was described - or not. The Ghostlands themselves were the most captivating part, and I loved the fate of Ilka and Filipe: something I would wish upon the people behind the invasion of Iraq, among others - to be ripped apart by the ghosts of all the people you hurt. It was an especially satisfying end for them because, being wealthy and powerful, they smugly believed they were above everything and everyone and were always in control.

The lovely cover lured me in (it gets an extra star for the cover alone), but the dreadful prose shut me out. A disappointing end to a promising and intriguing premise.(less)

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Jun 03, 2009 Cindy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: keepers

Different. Very Different. The post-apocalypse world is haunted [sometimes literally:] by supernatural forces and laced with corruption. In some areas the supernaturals hold the power and humans manage poorly, in others the humans hold the power and anything supernatural is repressed if not destroyed. Bigotry is rife. It has that dark, brooding 'storm's coming' feel. The geographic setting is interesting [because I'm familiar with it:] starting in Stockton and moving to Oakland with trips to San...more

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Jan 27, 2010 Darcy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010

This book quickly sucked me in with the world that the story is set in. The time changing event is the Last War, where the world started out as we know, but turned into the world of the book. When humans started to kill each other in mass the supernatural creatures came out of hiding to emerge a strong species in their own right, creating a whole different set of rules for this new world.

Aisling is a shamaness who travels to the ghostworld to talk to the spirits. She is brought to the big city t...more

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Mar 11, 2013 Robin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-book, 2013, library, jory-strong

Well, I just don't know. On the one hand the characters and the concept are both good, on the other hand it meanders and goes off to scenes that don't have much to do with the overall plot, although in the one instance I'm thinking of it does introduce us to characters who while not important now, might be in future books.

Then there is the sex. It's well written and unlike other books it doesn't go on for pages and pages where you end up skipping the pages because it's boring. There's a lot of...more

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May 01, 2009 Sheila rated it 4 of 5 stars

A post-apocalyptical story about a shamaness who has the ability of call demons. She also has the ability to travel to Ghostland where all who die or are close to death go. In a world where no one can be trusted and betrayal is all around, Aisling must find where the mistress of the mayor is and who kidnapped her. She must also find out who is making Ghost, which people use to travel to Ghostland. She is up against powerful adversaries. She calls upon Zureal, a demon, to help rescue the mayor's...more

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Feb 14, 2013 TJ Shaw rated it 5 of 5 stars

Ghostland is a dynamic and riveting tale set in post-apocalyptic earth. From the first page I was swept away with the story. The heroine’s strength is subtle, but undeniable. The hero, everything you’d want a hero to be…and then some! Unforeseen twists in the plot kept me guessing until the very last page. Books like Ghostland are hard for me to read. Why? Because Jory Strong’s talent quickly ensnared me in the world she created, because I stayed up until the early morning hours reading under th...more

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Apr 20, 2009 Roylin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, favorites

This is not my usual type of book, but I got into more of a romance kick recently and picked this up at my local bookstore because it looked like one of the many paranormal romanaces that are so prevelant these days....but I got more than I bargained for. LOL. I would call this more Paranormal erotica. There was a whole lot of sexing going on....not that I minded. lol. But other than that, the world was facinating and kept me interested and wanting to know more...and the plot...while sometimes c...more

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Feb 09, 2011 Richelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: shapeshifters, vampires, romantic-suspense

I really enjoyed this book. It seems that paranormal books focus so much on vampires and werewolves, that it is so refreshing to read something a bit different. The setting is in a post-apocolyptic world where all the supernaturals come out in the open and live amongst humans. The main character is a Shamaness, Aisling, who is required by the Church to enter the Ghostlands to find answers to a missing person. What I found interesting, was all the characters, politics and the suspense of learning...more

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title link	preview: Ghostland
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Ghostland (Ghostland World #1)

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