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Bitter Night (Horngate Witches #1)

by Diana Pharaoh Francis (Goodreads Author)

3.89 of 5 stars 3.89 · rating details · 2,013 ratings · 200 reviews

SOMETIMES YOU CHOOSE YOUR BATTLES. AND SOMETIMES, THEY CHOOSE YOU...

Once, Max dreamed of a career, a home, a loving family. Now all she wants is freedom...and revenge. A witch named Giselle transformed Max into a warrior with extraordinary strength, speed, and endurance. Bound by spellcraft, Max has no choice but to fight as Giselle's personal magic weapon — a Shadowblade...more

Paperback, 387 pages

Published October 27th 2009 by Pocket Books (first published October 17th 2009)

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Jan 04, 2012 Lynsey (The Demon Librarian) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favourites, book-boyfriend, squee-worthy, rotflmao, bad-ass-dude, beyond-awesome, fae-alicious, angel-icious, magic-tastic, kick-ass-chicks

What an outstanding start to a series. There have not been many books that I have read that have left me with a look of pure, stupefied awe on my face over its sheer awesomeness. But this is definitely one of them. I've actually just finished reading it for the second time and thought I'd come back and add to my review since first time around I could only manage a few lines of small words due to the whole stupefaction thing.

So what was so good about it? Well, first of all let me let you into my...more What an outstanding start to a series. There have not been many books that I have read that have left me with a look of pure, stupefied awe on my face over its sheer awesomeness. But this is definitely one of them. I've actually just finished reading it for the second time and thought I'd come back and add to my review since first time around I could only manage a few lines of small words due to the whole stupefaction thing.

So what was so good about it? Well, first of all let me let you into my personal list of must-haves for any book to be deemed a "favourite": Action, fast pacing, a grin-worthy hint of romance, humour, a high magic/fantasy content, and I'm also a sucker for a kick-ass chick and/or a bad-ass dude. Someone I can cheer on and really root for and go "Yeah! Smash his face in!" (Because I'm a little vicious like that). And this book just had it all. In abundance.

It was deliciously easy to read as well. Written in third person, although Max is the main character you get nearly as much time in the head of one of the other characters which provides a great balance giving you an almost panoramic view of events. Francis handles these changes with aplomb. When Max is doing something that you'd probably be better watching than experiencing first hand (and believe me, Max does some pretty wince inducing stuff), you swap to the other POV. It was fantastic in that sense.

The other thing that bowled me over was its unique characters and never before seen supernatural beings. Francis is/has been a fantasy writer prior to this series, and it shows here in her refusal to go down the typical vampire/werewolf/shapeshifter route. Instead, she brings us something fresh and new to sink our eager little fangs into. Shadowblades and Sunspears. Both are immortal- well, maybe more like long-lived- and both are created by strong elemental witches to be used as their protection. Think of them as guardians of the witches' coven- day shift and night shift, as one can't survive the sun and the other can't survive the night.

Max, our leading lady, and the Shadowblade Prime, is one of the toughest, if slightly suicidal, characters I've ever encountered. She's also housing a monumental amount of rage and resentment at the start of our story which is interesting to witness and see her work through. There was quite a lot of character growth in this story and more to come, I suspect. The secondary characters were equally vivid, and there's one in particular that makes me want to jump up and down in fan-girl glee. *Clappy hands, clappy hands*

I recommend this for all Urban Fantasy fans. If you like Kate Daniels, Dorina Basarab, Chicagoland Vamps, Elemental Assassin series, this series is a must!(less)

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Nov 04, 2012 Sunny rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: bom-challenge, favorites, favorite-series, girls-who-kick-a

4.5 stars. This book made me happy. It had just what I wanted and needed - a tough-as-nails heroine and plenty of hot alphas in the mix. More review to come...but don't wait for me, pick it up and read it yourself.
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For a fuller review, visit: http://loveaffairwithanereader.blogsp...

This is just my cup of tea. I love Max. She is strong, focused, loyal, and caring despite herself. She is a take-no-prisoners kinda gal. She thinks she is so hard-ass when in...more

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May 01, 2010 Amy or "Ames" rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: magic-users, paranormal, read-in-2010, hunters-warriors-assassins, 1st-in-series, bye-bye

I found it hard to get my head around the world created here. The Shadowblades and Sunspears were great but some things didn't quite fit, like the angels - I couldn't see them being in that world. I was also a bit unsure of the Guardians and they're place but I think that will be rectified later.

The changing narrators was a good way of introducing us to the two characters that are to become an item but more effort was made to flesh out the main character, Max than Alexander who seemed pretty dul...more

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Jun 15, 2013 Jasmine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: owned, e-books

Max, Max, Max...what can be said about Max. Well for one she's bitch and she has a sob story that makes her that way. Without going into the details it's pretty clear that Max is self destructive and wants to take her owner-witch down with her. Still she seemed like the type to get things done even on a nice little leash. I was prepared to dislike her owner because of Max's strong hate towards her, but when she finally showed her things were a lot deeper than that. I for one would like to know m...more

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May 24, 2013 Dorri rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: apocolyptic, magic-ties

I had read Ms. Francis' fantasy series, The Path, some time ago. I enjoyed the intrigue, the perseverance of the characters, and the sheer scope of the world. Because of this I was hesitant to pick up the Horngate Witches series. I sometimes stumble when an author switches genres on me. There are a few authors that make me tumble and I stop reading anything other than the original genre. And then there are the authors that sing and entrance with any genre they sweep into. Thankfully Diana Pharao...more I had read Ms. Francis' fantasy series, The Path, some time ago. I enjoyed the intrigue, the perseverance of the characters, and the sheer scope of the world. Because of this I was hesitant to pick up the Horngate Witches series. I sometimes stumble when an author switches genres on me. There are a few authors that make me tumble and I stop reading anything other than the original genre. And then there are the authors that sing and entrance with any genre they sweep into. Thankfully Diana Pharaoh Francis' skill with words minted her in stars. I will read anything she writes now.

As for Horngate Witches novels, well, you don't often get the story from the perspective of the second most powerful character. Giselle, the witch leader of Horngate, crafted her army of Sunspears and Shadowblades to protect Horngate against all enemies. Max, the Prime of the Shadowblades, was not what I expected. Once human, now transformed into a warrior, enslaved by Giselle's spells that make her stronger, faster, and more resilient. Max is angry on a scope most people will never feel. It is her anger and rage that strengthen her in order to survive the brutal tortures Giselle heaps upon her to maintain and strengthen the spells within her. The constant push and pull between Max and Giselle bind this story tight and force it forward with a joy and rage that is intense. Besides this, Max is funny. Her thoughts and statements can be wildly appropriate and extraordinarily inappropriate. Then you have Alexander, Prime Shadowblade of another witch. Alexander, the one that Giselle wins through a test of strength. Most witches would simply kill another witches Shadowblade or Sunspear, for they could never be loyal to another. The spells simply won't allow it. For some reason, one I don't even think she understands, Max convinces Giselle to let Alexander live to become a Shadowblade of Horngate. This simple action sets forth a series of intense moments. Fury. Camaraderie. Desire. Frustration. Emotion. Emotion that Max does not want to feel. Instead, she holds tight to her anger in order to complete the tasks that Giselle sets out in front of her.

Get ready for a brutal, angry, humorous ride through a world rules by witches, overrun by humanity, and about to be destroyed by divinity. You will love this book. The series will draw you forward until you slam into the final wall and close the cover on the last book. Good luck and happy hunting!(less)

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Feb 03, 2013 Haralambi Markov rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: uf-pnr

I will start with the pluses and how Francis breaks from the typical urban fantasy mode. As I have already mentioned vampires and werewolves don’t resurface and even more unorthodox is the narration, which happens in third person point of view and is split between Max and Alexander, the former Prime Shadowblade for the rival witch Selange. The balance between action and romance has been shifted and a lot more focus has been given on collaboration rather than conflict, which has been at the centr...more I will start with the pluses and how Francis breaks from the typical urban fantasy mode. As I have already mentioned vampires and werewolves don’t resurface and even more unorthodox is the narration, which happens in third person point of view and is split between Max and Alexander, the former Prime Shadowblade for the rival witch Selange. The balance between action and romance has been shifted and a lot more focus has been given on collaboration rather than conflict, which has been at the centre of urban fantasy relationships. Max and Alex are partners and not mortal enemies and the friendship rings true. However the chemistry is what I had problems with. For starters Max and Alex felt to me better as partners rather than lovers and whatever intimacy they had didn’t felt all that natural.

Apart from that Francis has accomplished to craft the interconnecting web of relationships between the main protags and the secondary cast in order for “Bitter Night” to function as a fast-paced and exclusively character-driven story. Max stands on a crossroad that is not as easy to decide upon. On one end there is her freedom, which will wash away the violation she Giselle inflicted on her body and soul, but gaining freedom would mean losing her home and the people that made her care again. The Horngate coven conveys unity and a warrior family based on loyalty. It’s a vivid and electrified environment.

Outside the coven however is a grim and gritty world, which is a must-have in any urban fantasy series. The clashing territorial battles are lead by immortal witches, who range in their source to gather power and their personal bodyguards, the Shadowblades, warriors that fight and kill during the night and the Sunspears, warriors who fight during the day, but night is fatal to them. However the witches here are not the benevolent Wicca witches, but the rather wicked bed time story witches that although look like Desperate Housewives editions are quite handy with torture and back stabbing scheming plots. The magic system is broad and yet consistent and all of this offers multiple refreshing surprises for readers and the desired action.

However there are downers to this novel. For starters this is highly personal, so I don’t expect people to second that, but the prose didn’t do anything for me. It was ordinary leaning over to be bland at places, especially when the repetitions came. Max raising her mental shields for I don’t know which time annoyed me near the end. The concept helped me get through, but that didn’t last long as well. After the middle Francis disrupted all concern in me for her characters and I just didn’t get as excited as I should be when the big guns blasted off announcing the climax. Max and Alex had been on the brink of dying for far too many times and even at their lowest they still manage to avoid death, so after awhile you stop worrying and just know that their strong will and fortitude will help them pull through the day. Ultimately it made me lose the needed suspense to be blown away from the last fight and the master plan hatched or the crucial decision Max had to make.

I am conflicted about this one. On one side I have a new world that is vampire free and magic loaded, which fits perfectly with my tastes, but at the same time there are elements that don’t appeal to me. It certainly is worth the shot, because I cheer for diversity and given time maybe the problems I had would be resolved with the upcoming volumes.(less)

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Jan 20, 2013 Casey Evans rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

There are two parts of this, my thoughts on the series and those on this particular book. This is a good series, it could have been a great series. That it's not I put a lot of blame on the editor for. There are a lot of loose ends and a double pile of logical inconsistencies that keep this from being a great series, which is something a good editor should have caught. The author takes some of the blame too, but it is harder to see it when it's your baby. It is somewhat frustrating because the c...more There are two parts of this, my thoughts on the series and those on this particular book. This is a good series, it could have been a great series. That it's not I put a lot of blame on the editor for. There are a lot of loose ends and a double pile of logical inconsistencies that keep this from being a great series, which is something a good editor should have caught. The author takes some of the blame too, but it is harder to see it when it's your baby. It is somewhat frustrating because the characters are strong and very likeable, but things just don't add up in random areas and you're often left going, "HUH? That doesn't make sense."

If it takes a huge amount of food and work at the beginning of the book to keep a nearly dead shadowblade from dying, don't have it so that by the fourth one it seems to take a jug of juice and 20 minutes to cure the same sort of thing. Also, if you're going to claim this place is meant to be a sanctuary, then spend some time making it one. Cover a little of how its run and maybe try to bring some people in. As it is, I never really got a sense of how many people might be there, or even really a good idea of the size. The green houses are mentioned many times, but given no real description or a sense of where they belong in the giant scheme of things past those mentions.

The loose ends are also really bad. Frequently there are plot lines that just... disappear. There'll be a lot of time spent on a sub character and then there's never a mention of them again. THIS is particularly frustrating. If you take the time to name a character and give them some kind of story, at least put them away properly. If you're taking them somewhere, mention where they end up, don't just totally forget them. This is something that happened at least three times.

If there is a potentially best book of the series, I think it's the third one, though it would have been so easy for all of these to be great. It's just a damned shame that someone dropped the ball and didn't catch the weak points.

Book 1: *warning, there may be spoilers!*
The first couple chapters of this book are bad. I very nearly stopped reading them they were that bad. Fortunately after that the author hit her stride and it got a lot better. However there are a lot of logical HUHS? in this book. If Max can get through things, great, but how can she take someone with her? This book wasn't too bad past those first few chapters and I did finish it with the desire to continue to read the next book. The only issue I had was one of those loose ends, the Hag. Hello? What happened to her huh??? She's the reason for a big confrontation and then she's tossed in a truck and never mentioned again. This is where a little more time could have been used to build not only a completed story line, but used to fill out the background of Horngate as well. (less)

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Jan 01, 2013 Sandy rated it 4 of 5 stars

BITTER NIGHT (Horngate Witches #1) by Diana Pharaoh Francis

Book Blurb: SOMETIMES YOU CHOOSE YOUR BATTLES. AND SOMETIMES, THEY CHOOSE YOU...

Once, Max dreamed of a career, a home, a loving family. Now all she wants is freedom...and revenge. A witch named Giselle transformed Max into a warrior with extraordinary strength, speed, and endurance. Bound by spellcraft, Max has no choice but to fight as Giselle's personal magic weapon — a Shadowblade — and she's lethally good at it. But her skills are ab...more

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Oct 15, 2012 E. rated it 5 of 5 stars

4 3/4 stars.
Diana Pharoah Francis creates a fascinating world in the urban fantasy Bitter Night, a Hornsgate Witches novel. A disturbing and complex relationship exists between Max, a Shadowblade, and the witch who transformed her but this has to be subsumed to the greater struggle against beings called Guardians who are threatening to destroy most of the sentient beings in the world in order to restore the flow of magic. Max encounters a Shadowblade named Alexander who occupies the same positio...more

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Sep 26, 2012 Douglas Meeks rated it 5 of 5 stars

I received the first 3 books in this series as a gift to see if I wanted to review them and since I had not heard of them I was in the "sure whatever" mode. I can't put my finger on it but I was hooked on the story within the first few chapters and did a marathon reading session for the next few days and read the whole series. The first thing that should be noted here for the first book is that it is almost totally action driven with enough character involvement to make you angry beyond words fo...more

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Dec 19, 2011 Lisarenee rated it 5 of 5 stars

What would you do to live forever? What would you give to stay eternally young? What would you do to have your senses heightened and your body strengthened to the point of being supernatural? What would you give up for all of those things combined? Think about it. Would you give up your free will and, in effect, become a slave to someone else's wishes? To be unable to say, "No"? Would you be willing to give up all your hopes and dreams? How about your family? Would you be willing to kill others?...more

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Nov 27, 2011 Meredith rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

Picked this one up at the library due to the catchy first paragraph.

The book didn't exactly live up to the first few pages, but it was enough of an UF twist that I kept with it. Max is bound (not by choice) to a witch, who forces her to serve as a bodyguard. While there's some general whining about this the heroine is at least a sensible person, not very TSTL. Not sure about the male character, though. My initial impression of him from this book is that he's not nearly the badass Max is, and I'm...more

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Oct 13, 2011 Carol Berg rated it 4 of 5 stars

Max is the very angry, very capable heroine of the first in Diana Francis's Horngate Witches urban fantasy series. Francis is a fine writer-clean, clear prose, beautifullly suited to her genre. And I've got to say, an interesting world set-up - the role of witches and the attributes of Shadowblades and Sunspears in particular - and non-stop action carried me through this book. I wasn't so sure of the cast in the beginning. I'm a hero/ine geek,so my opinions of the main character and the principa...more

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Aug 01, 2011 Madame X rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-urban-fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I turned the last page of BITTER NIGHT impatient for the next book to come out...despite the fact that I had a number of issues with it. Topping the list would be the fact that the heroine, Max, actually dies three times in the book - her body is destroyed, her soul reduced to shreds - and yet she somehow keeps on ticking. I'm not even going to count the number of times she almost dies, from blood loss or grave wounds, but it's a lot. The woman is apparently indestructible.

Actually, Max would b...more I turned the last page of BITTER NIGHT impatient for the next book to come out...despite the fact that I had a number of issues with it. Topping the list would be the fact that the heroine, Max, actually dies three times in the book - her body is destroyed, her soul reduced to shreds - and yet she somehow keeps on ticking. I'm not even going to count the number of times she almost dies, from blood loss or grave wounds, but it's a lot. The woman is apparently indestructible.

Actually, Max would be a raging Mary Sue if it weren't for the fact that there are plenty of other, even more powerful characters peopling the novel. If Max's physical endurance is remarkable...well, she's just the #1 slave. The witches are much, much more powerful than she is. The angels are much, much more powerful than the witches. And the angels are just slaves to someone even higher up on the totem pole.

Max begins the book as a loner whose only purpose in life is revenge. She ends it as a woman who is dedicated to a cause, strongly connected to the people around her. In the early chapters of the book, Francis executes this transformation a little awkwardly. Max isn't that revenge-driven loner anymore...but she's not yet something else, either. It seemed like Max was having a hard time accepting that she'd changed. But sometimes, as a reader, I felt like Francis just wasn't certain enough about her characterization, and was trying to have it both ways. In any case, once Max accepts her new priorities, she continues to develop realistically and becomes a very interesting person.

In the first chapters of BITTER NIGHT, Max finds herself in possession of a hailstone - an item that will grant her a wish, any wish at all. Her first impulse is to wish for her own freedom - but as she realizes that there is some pretty major trouble on the horizon, Max begins to think about how she could use it to benefit all the people she cares about. I thought her final solution was brilliant. It was this twist at the end (no spoilers, don't worry) that convinced me that BITTER NIGHT is an excellent, solid series-starter despite my qualms.

There's much more to be said. I really enjoyed Max's conflicted relationship with the witch she's bonded to, Giselle, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the cliche-ridden relationship she has with the book's co-narrator, Alexander. He's 100 years old but looks 23, sophisticated, jaded, dangerous. You know the drill.

There was one particular exchange which, to me, summed up what is good about BITTER NIGHT. One of the characters says to Max, "You might do better luring me with honey rather than salt." Max replies, "Salt is the meal."
(less)

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Mar 16, 2011 Krista D. rated it 4 of 5 stars

(originally appeared on http://sleeplessereader.blogspot.com/...)

I'm a huge fan of DPF's traditional fantasy works, especially her Crosspointe series. Her literary tone really suits the sub-genre. So, I was hesitant to try the urban fantasy. I'm glad I did.

I confess that the first quarter of the book had me confused. To be fair, I think that was more about me not being well read in urban fantasy, as opposed to it being the author's fault. I'm a newbie reader to the genre and I found that I had a...more

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Feb 24, 2011 Scooper Speaks rated it 4 of 5 stars

There are tons of great urban fantasy series on the market right now, and I’m here to say Diana Pharaoh Francis’ Horngate Witches series is one of them. The first book in the series is Bitter Night. It introduces the world building and the main character of the series, Max. It is told in third person and bounces between Max’s point of view and that of a Shadowblade of equal statute who she is brought into contact with, Alexander.

It’s a dark, bloody world filled with betrayal, and I loved every m...more

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Feb 03, 2011 Paradoxical rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reading-list, books-otherwise

First impressions were pretty bad. Max seemed overly dramatic to me. Take the scene where she was looking at this boy and thought something akin to 'if he knew how many people she killed', or the scene where she's staring at dead 'innocent' bodies and immediately became swamped with a need for vengeance (that's your first reaction? Really?). Or the scene soon after that where she sees another Shadowblade and wants to jump his bones. Talk about whiplash from 'must have vengeance' to hot and bothe...more

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Feb 02, 2011 Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebooks, free-ebooks, read-in-2011, urban-fantasy

I think I'm going through a serious Urban Fantasy phase because the last few I've read have really, really hit the spot. Ridiculously so. It's like I either need bloody battles, dirty sex or teen angst in my books. And let's face it, those three don't really go together (well, maybe the battles and sex, but not alongside the teen angst. Most of the time.) and yet that's what I've been stuck on for the past few days. Then it starts getting all mixed up in my head and I start wondering why those t...more

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Jan 30, 2011 Tracy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy

Thirty years ago, she thought a hangover was the worst that could happen when she went out with her college roommate for a girls night out. She was so very, very wrong. Enslaved and stripped of her humanity, she was turned into a being that is infinitely harder to kill but contained and constrained through magic, spelled by compulsion to protect and defend the young woman she thought was her friend. Max has been struggling against that enforced slavery ever since, even as she has risen to the po...more Thirty years ago, she thought a hangover was the worst that could happen when she went out with her college roommate for a girls night out. She was so very, very wrong. Enslaved and stripped of her humanity, she was turned into a being that is infinitely harder to kill but contained and constrained through magic, spelled by compulsion to protect and defend the young woman she thought was her friend. Max has been struggling against that enforced slavery ever since, even as she has risen to the position of Shadowblade Prime, leader of the night warriors and counterpoint to the Sunspears, who battle and protect her old college roommate, the witch Giselle, during the day.

Resentful and full of rage even now, and always waiting for an opportunity to slip her gilded leash and kill the witch who holds it, she is still Giselle's most powerful and effective weapon, first line of defense and offense. It isn't until beings of godlike power, the Guardians, declare war on humanity in an effort to bring back and balance the magic on earth, calling on witches and their warriors to be their army, that Max starts to realize that beyond the hatred she has for Giselle is a sense of responsibility and concern for her fellow Blades and Spears, and a sense of home in Giselle's territory, Horngate. The Guardians may be knocking on their door, but Giselle has no intention of answering, and for once, Max and her oldest enemy are of like minds. With a growing group of people she's just now realizing are friends, Max will stand against the Guardians in their attempt to decimate Horngate or bow Giselle to their will.

War is coming, but in all wars, there is always a first battle, and Max stands at the front of the line to fight it.

Diana Pharaoh Francis kicks off her action packed Horngate Witches series with a complex, complicated lead character and a wealth of unique and original world building and mythos. Max is a real treat. Her years since being forced into becoming a Shadowblade have honed her into a steely force of dangerous will, a female of death, and she skates the line of feral self destruction. She's sarcastic, wicked, wild, and has a dark sense of humor. She's ruled by a fierce code of honor and is dedicated to those in her charge. Her relationship with Giselle, however, is a fascinating dichotomy and, for me, one of the biggest draws of the book. I've not read anything quite like it before.

Once close friends, Max now openly loathes Giselle and often tells the witch of her intention to kill her. Giselle has tortured Max and done unspeakable things to her, yet she's not exactly a despot, and her territory is full of people who serve and protect her willingly. And as much as Max dislikes Giselle, she acknowledges her inherent strength and willingness to protect her people. It is a complicated, sometimes odd relationship with a wealth of development potential.

The plot is also nicely layered, with a conflict and its subsequent fall out between witches Giselle and a real nasty piece of work, Selange, as one of the major plot threads. It worked nicely as both a lead in and a compliment to the wider, apparent series arc of the battle against the Guardians.

The pace is break-neck, and the action fierce and brutal. Francis' characters can and do take a lot of punishment. There is not an overwhelming depth to the world yet, and Francis tends to describe more than explain, so there's a lot left unknown, but that didn't lessen my enjoyment of the read.

I had a couple of issues that did, though. While I really enjoyed Max, I had a problem with Alexander. I liked him well enough, I just didn't think he was as strong a character as he should have been given his position. It weakened the parts of the story in which he was featured. There was an odd old world feel to his speech and actions, which was fine, I guess, but it didn't always blend well with Max's more contemporary nature. And I'm not sure I totally bought into the building blocks of the romantic relationship between him and Max. It read more like I was being told that there was a romantic connection than experiencing it evolve naturally through the story.

I also had an issue with the sometimes overwhelming amount of description. I wish there had been a more even distribution between description and explanation. Knowing which road the characters were taking on the trip from here to there and getting a clear picture of all manner of landmarks and scenery encountered isn't as important to me as having a greater understanding of the world at large and the people who inhabit it. Secondary character development in particular suffered because of it. In that regard, the narrative occasionally bogged down but still left many, many questions unanswered.

Even with those issues, though, I'm excited about this series. Max is a great character and her relationship with Giselle was fantastic reading. I'm perfectly okay with some unanswered questions as the series unfolds, and will wait to see how the world continues to develop in future books, but I do hope that Alexander is written with a bit more strength if he's going to continue to be a romantic interest of Max's. I love that the female is the leader in their relationship, it's a nice role reversal, but there needs to be some tweaking for me to really get on board with it. Generally speaking, though, this is a good, strong urban fantasy series and despite a few issues, it offers up non-stop action and a heroine who won't quit.

~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another. (less)

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Jan 14, 2011 Mikaela rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

SOMETIMES YOU CHOOSE YOUR BATTLES. AND SOMETIMES, THEY CHOOSE YOU…

Once, Max dreamed of a career, a home, a loving family. Now all she wants is freedom…and revenge. A witch named Giselle transformed Max into a warrior with extraordinary strength, speed, and endurance. Bound by spellcraft, Max has no choice but to fight as Giselle’s personal magic weapon — a Shadowblade — and she’s lethally good at it. But her skills are about to be put to the test as they never have before….

The ancient Guardians...more

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Jan 11, 2011 Ithlilian rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

Max was happy with her human life until she was enslaved by a witch in 1979, now she is the leader of a super strong set of supernaturals leading a coven of witches. Not only is Max super strong, but she is super stubborn, rude, and inflexible. I don't mind tough main characters, but tough mixed with stubborn borders on unlikable. The good thing is that she isn't one dimensional, she is very loyal and is able to trust others. On the other hand, I don't really relate to her and fail to understand...more Max was happy with her human life until she was enslaved by a witch in 1979, now she is the leader of a super strong set of supernaturals leading a coven of witches. Not only is Max super strong, but she is super stubborn, rude, and inflexible. I don't mind tough main characters, but tough mixed with stubborn borders on unlikable. The good thing is that she isn't one dimensional, she is very loyal and is able to trust others. On the other hand, I don't really relate to her and fail to understand how she hasn't let go of her extreme hatred and grudge after thirty years. Our other main character, Alexander, is a bit on the unlikeable side too. As a prime, or leader, of another group of supernaturals, he comes off weak and clingy. He feels an instant connection with Max and has no idea why, and frankly I'm not sure I know why. He is one of the softest characters in the book, yet instead of making him endearing it seems to do the opposite. I have to wonder how he became prime if he is so weak, but we may never know. We never really get to know any of the other characters in the story because it is so focused on Max and Alexander, but hopefully we will get more of them in the future.

Overall, I have to say that I really enjoyed the novel. Max may be a bit stubborn, but she is tough as nails and will do anything to get the job done. It is interesting to read what she will do next, since you never really can tell. Her compulsion spell comes into play sometimes and it's fun to see her work around it and bend the rules. There is plenty of action, a few twists, turns, and bumps in the road, and there are plenty of injuries. The beings in Bitter Night may be super powerful, but they can get hurt, which I appreciate. Although everyone calls Max stupid, she is willing to take risks and always does what is needed to be done, even if the people around her don't like it. If you are looking for a super likable, fun, friendly main character, than this isn't really your book. If you are willing to stick with a character with flaws and immerse yourself in a interesting and different world, then give Bitter Night a try. It may be flawed, but I couldn't put it down. (less)

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Dec 08, 2010 Sevie rated it 4 of 5 stars

A refreshing spin in the urban fantasy genre. Nothing cookie cut about this book.
I give this 4 stars alone for originality. Max is a shadowblade prime, a witch's warrior powered by dark elemental magic. Shadowblades are allergic to any sunlight, including the relection of the sun on the moon. A witch creates shadowblades and sunspears as protection for the coven. They are typically ordinary humans enhanced by magic to be ultimate warriors according to light or darkness. Max happens to have
a smal...more

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Apr 05, 2010 Joe rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

It seems I have been reading a few end of the world books lately. This one has been on the shelf for a while now and was in need of some attention. I love the idea of the Shadowblades and the Sunspears. Also the concept behind what fuels their powers holds a bit of logic that is often not seen in supernatural books. Overall I think it led to enough of a tie to the natural to make it seem even more feasible. Not that I have a problem with the suspension of disbelief, mind you.

In the beginning of...more It seems I have been reading a few end of the world books lately. This one has been on the shelf for a while now and was in need of some attention. I love the idea of the Shadowblades and the Sunspears. Also the concept behind what fuels their powers holds a bit of logic that is often not seen in supernatural books. Overall I think it led to enough of a tie to the natural to make it seem even more feasible. Not that I have a problem with the suspension of disbelief, mind you.

In the beginning of the book I was thinking there was a chance that the soldiers of the witches would become as interchangeable as the clones in Clone Wars. The same clone soldier just with a different weapon slung on his shoulder. I was concerned there would be the one who as into cars, the one who was a movie buff – going down the line using a trait to identify each as being different when they were really the same cookie cutter. That was the furthest thing from the truth. The more time you spent with each of them, the more they came out of the thickened shells they had built up and you saw more personality. Even Giselle, Max’s “witch-bitch” in the story had a depth to her that allowed you to empathize with her in the end.

The plot itself was a strong one with enough turns and reveals in it to let you know that this book is only the beginning. It also sets up the seeds for several plot points in the coming sequels. It also shows the promise of evolution for the characters in those entries as well. Add this plot to the cliffhanger hooks throughout and the emotional attachment to the characters and you have a real page turner.

In addition to the quality of the writing and the story, Max and her fellow soldiers can kick some serious ass. If you are into bad-ass super-soldiers and like the tough as nails woman that would put the likes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer to shame, then Max is your lady! She is strong, focused and used to things that would put down a normal Shadowblade. And your normal Shadowblade is used to things that would put down a normal human by far.

My only complaint was that my style of reading (during morning coffee, at lunch, before bed) fits in with shorter chapters. Although really the size of the chapters in this book just kept me reading more instead of less chapters. I will shoot this book a definite 4.5 out of 5. I cannot wait to see the second installment from Horngate.(less)

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Mar 21, 2010 Dawn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, witches-mage-magic

Max was forced to become the witch's Shadowblade Prime (the witch's elite protector) she is bound to shadow, poisoned by sunlight and hurt by direct moonlight. However Max is disgruntle, because she was bound to a witch that she trusted as a friend. Then one night on a routine run she meets a hag and another witch's shadowblade and her world is turned upside down, because there is a war coming and the Guardians want to take back the planet but without the humans.

I think the world in this story...more

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Jan 11, 2010 Tori smexys_sidekick rated it 4 of 5 stars

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

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Nov 10, 2009 Jaime Huff rated it 3 of 5 stars

The first book of the "Horngate Witches" series, Bitter Night is full of bloody, gruesome, and high flying adventure. I can almost say, this isn't for those with weak constitutions. Some of the injuries Shadowblades and Sunspears endure are pretty gruesome and the author is very sadistic.. in a good way! LOL. For the first book right out the gate of this series, I have to say, not bad. Not bad at all. I definitely wouldn't say fantastic or anything but not bad. There were a few nuances with the...more

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Nov 09, 2009 Ziaria rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow It obviously has been awhile since I visited this kind of book. I had forgotten just how much I enjoyed reading them. This book was simply fantastic!! It was fast paced, lots of action, battles, and a little bit of romance thrown in for good measure.

The main character, Max, was so easy to like. She's tough, independent, bull headed, with an underlying of softness you just want to see emerge from her. She's a Shadowblade of a powerful witch in which she loves/hates. She is at constant battle...more

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Jan 15, 2011 Jeffrey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, urban-fantasy, supernatural, read-in-2011

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Max is a shadowblade, a warrior protector for Giselle, a powerful witch. Years before, Giselle took Max out for a night of drinking and at the end of it, forcibly changed her college roommate into a killing machine, and the leader of her Shadowblades or the Prime, but in the process made Max her enemy. Max, who only wants a way to kill Giselle, is compelled to help her by powerful compulsion spells. But Max has fought to be free and had been tortured repeatedly by Giselle and more and more power...more

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Nov 11, 2009 William Bentrim rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fantasy and urban fantasy fans

Bitter Night by Diana Pharaoh Francis

A young woman is given extraordinary powers by her friend, a witch. In exchange for these powers she must serve the witch for eternity. Her struggle with her identity and her ethics while immersed in a violence prone culture defines the story. A war among immortals plays second chair to Max’s search for self.

Frankly when I requested this book for review I did it with skepticism. I wasn’t sure it was my cup of java. Once again I am glad I pushed aside my cyn...more

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Nov 08, 2009 All Things Urban Fantasy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-by-abigail

Review Courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy

Like my favorite urban fantasy author Patricia Briggs (who just happened to have blurbed for this book), Diana Pharaoh Francis has a background as an established fantasy writer, and that background is certainly evident in Bitter Night.

“Max’s phone rang. It was set to a high-pitched tone that most humans couldn’t hear. But being human hadn’t been Max’s problem since 1979.” –Bitter Night

First up, the good: Diana’s fantasy background was a strength that s...more Review Courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy

Like my favorite urban fantasy author Patricia Briggs (who just happened to have blurbed for this book), Diana Pharaoh Francis has a background as an established fantasy writer, and that background is certainly evident in Bitter Night.

“Max’s phone rang. It was set to a high-pitched tone that most humans couldn’t hear. But being human hadn’t been Max’s problem since 1979.” –Bitter Night

First up, the good: Diana’s fantasy background was a strength that she fully utilized in created the world of the Horngate Witches. Witches hold amazing power in Bitter Night. Shadowblades and Sunspears are human servants magically enhanced with superhuman abilities and senses. They are not that dissimilar from vampires: they can heal from most wounds, never grow old, and the sun (or moon depending on whether they are Sunspears or Shadowblades) is deadly to them. They even struggle with enlarged appetites (try 40 Big Macs at once).

Max (she adopted the name from the Mel Gibson character in The Road Warrior movies, though I think she is much more like Riggs from Lethal Weapon) is the Prime Shadowblade for the witch Giselle. Enslaved by the witch that made her, compelled to lay down her very life if necessary in order to keep Giselle safe, Max is not the grateful servant she’s expected to be. Rather she is consumed with one thought: Revenge. It is the one hope that keeps her from walking out in to the sunlight that would kill her. When forces greater than even the witches threaten everything that Max has come to care about, she must learn to ally with her enemy and accept the role she must play as savior.

The cover art is what first attracted me to this book. And I love that Max is actually described like the cover depicts her. She even wears the cover outfit during a pivotal scene in the book. In that scene Max is forced into a test of endurance against another witch’s Prime Shadowblade, Alexander (who I think deserved a spot on the cover as a significant number of chapters are written from his point of view).

The not-so good: Diana’s fantasy background is both her strength and her weakness. The fantasy Horngate world is well realized with its own unique mythology (especially her take on Angels), the urban elements, however, are less so. There is very little interaction with the modern (outside) world, and while the characters all have cell phones and drive cars etc., apart from those details, this story could easily have been set a millennium ago with minor changes. I’m not sure if those small additions will be enough for hardcore urban fantasy lovers.

I’ll also admit that it took me until about the midpoint to really get into this book. Max is a hard character and the circumstances of her life have made her very bitter (hence the title). At first, I struggled to see past that aspect of her. I understood her to a degree, I just didn’t especially like her. That changed when she risked her life for Alexander not knowing if he would turn around and kill her later. Her loyalty to the Shadowblades in her command was also a contributing factor. She consistently put their welfare over her own need for revenge. It's hard not to admire that kind of selflessness.

I never really did warm up to Alexander. He didn’t seem strong enough to be a realistic romantic lead for Max (the Angel on the other hand...). Nor did I ever believe the conflicting desire they supposedly felt for each other went beyond plain lust. Overall, I found his chapters to be the weakest in the book.

Bitter Night has its bitter moments, but strong world building and a heroine who proves herself by bravery and resourcefulness, even willingness to suffer in the stead of others make it worth reading. There is no cliffhanger ending, but Diana is far from finished with her Horngate Witches…and neither am I.

Sexual Content: Kissing.

(less)

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About Diana Pharaoh Francis

I was raised on a cattle ranch in Northern California (outside a town called Lincoln which is now part of an enormous sprawl). I taught myself to ride a horse at the age of six, as no one had the time to teach me—they were all busy learning how to irrigate, how to cajole an angry bull into another field, how to pull a calf… Afraid of heights, and absolutely sure I was going to die, I managed to sc...more I was raised on a cattle ranch in Northern California (outside a town called Lincoln which is now part of an enormous sprawl). I taught myself to ride a horse at the age of six, as no one had the time to teach me—they were all busy learning how to irrigate, how to cajole an angry bull into another field, how to pull a calf… Afraid of heights, and absolutely sure I was going to die, I managed to scramble up on the back of a very patient and lazy strawberry roan destrier, and plod off into the sunset.

Thereafter, I spent much of my early life on horseback, or so far buried into a book that the rest of the world ceased to exist (much to the annoyance of my family—it took several attempts to get my attention). We all had very specific jobs on the ranch and mine was horses and cattle—out rounding up at dawn. And since I rode bareback, my standing request was to wake me up 5 minutes before everyone else headed for the barn—time enough to dress and eat my Wheaties, and no sleep time wasted on saddling.

After high school, I attended college after college, racking up a BA and MA in creative writing and a Ph.D. in literature and theory. My very patient and supportive husband traipsed across the Midwest and back to Montana for me (though my husband insists that he’s been running and hiding and I just keep finding him), where I now teach at the University of Montana-Western. We also a son Q-ball, who in our humbly unbiased opinions, is the most wonderful son ever produced, and a daughter, Princess Caesar, who is the most wonderful daughter ever produced.

I have a fascination for the Victorians, weather, geology, horses, plants and mythology, I like spicy food, chocolate and cheesecake, and I have an odd sense of humor. (Or so I’ve been told. Often.) Incidentally, the Pharaoh is in fact my real name, and oddly enough, is of British origin.

Some of my current favorite sf/f writers are Ilona Andrews, Carol Berg, C.E. Murphy, Patty Briggs, Lynn Flewelling, Rachel Caine, David Coe, and Anne Bishop.(less)

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Quotes from Bitter Night

“You got a problem?"
"Aside from the fact that we are about to die? No. But I want to say thank you before it is too late.” — 4 people liked it

“I don't mess around with the men in the coven, especially my Shadowblades," she said with quiet finality. Flirting was one thing but anything more, it was a mistake of epic proportions.

His eyes narrowed and he gave a slow shake of his head. "That is all right then. Because I want so much more than just to mess around.” — 4 people liked it

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Bitter Night (Horngate Witches #1)

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