The Day of First Sun (Annie Loves Cham, #1) by Sheryl Steines

Mar 17, 2012 Emlyn Chand added it

Why choose between wizards and vampires when The Day of First Sun offers both for your reading pleasure. Sheryl Steines’s debut novel is a compelling blend of the kick-butt-and-take-names-later Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the smash hit, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. When newbie Wizard Guard detectives Annie and Cham are called in by the FBI to investigate the murder of Princess Amelie of Amborix, they had no idea what a dangerous investigation lies ahead of them. Magic and non-magic people al...more

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Aug 23, 2012 Phaedra Seabolt rated it 4 of 5 stars

Wizards, Vampires, and Fairies, OH MY! This book has a little of everything you like to read about in the paranormal genre. The main characters, Annie and Cham, are both wizards working in the Wizard Guard. Their job is to keep all the paranormal creatures under control and keep their world a secret from normal humans. In this setting, the realm of magic is hidden, mostly due to the Salem Witch trials from US History. This was not always the case, but before those days it was much easier to hide...more Wizards, Vampires, and Fairies, OH MY! This book has a little of everything you like to read about in the paranormal genre. The main characters, Annie and Cham, are both wizards working in the Wizard Guard. Their job is to keep all the paranormal creatures under control and keep their world a secret from normal humans. In this setting, the realm of magic is hidden, mostly due to the Salem Witch trials from US History. This was not always the case, but before those days it was much easier to hide who you really were even with performing magic. However, now things must be contained and Annie and Cham (friends since they were nine years old, partners in the agency, and eventual lovers) are the best Guards out there keeping the peace.

The start of the story is all about Annie trying to capture Sturtgaard, an extremely old vampire. He had at one time kidnapped Annie's sister and tried to drink from Annie. This caused a mutual hatred of one another that fuels Annie's eventual capture of Sturtagaard. What they don't expect is that a very high profile case comes to them through the FBI that is linked to Sturtagaard. You would think that this would give them more fuel for the fire, but Sturtagaard knows when to talk and how to get what he wants. You can take a guess what ends up happening with him. This situation isn't completely without Sturtagaard getting some punishment.

The rest of the story revolves around the high profile FBI case that ends up nearly taking down the entire Wizard Council. This event is destined to happen on The Day Of First Sun, hence the title. This day is a special wizard holiday where the world is flooded with good magic that can be harnessed with the right artifacts and used for the destruction of the world. You'll have to read to see how this turns out. I found the book to be very interesting and exciting. I would have liked a little more of Annie and Cham's relationship to be explained, but I think that is probably going to happen in book two, She Wulf (which I will be reviewing shortly).

Read more reviews at Identity Discovery Blog.(less)

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Apr 08, 2012 C.p. Bialois rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have to admit, I got this book because my wife raved about it and talked me into it. There, now that the blame game is finished we can get started (Love you dearJ). I’ve always been a fan of the supernatural with some of my favorite stories being the Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Dracula as well as a love for books, shows, and movies about them and witchcraft (ie Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Forever Knight, Charmed, Harry Potter). With that being said the thing that struck me most about The Day of...more I have to admit, I got this book because my wife raved about it and talked me into it. There, now that the blame game is finished we can get started (Love you dearJ). I’ve always been a fan of the supernatural with some of my favorite stories being the Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Dracula as well as a love for books, shows, and movies about them and witchcraft (ie Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Forever Knight, Charmed, Harry Potter). With that being said the thing that struck me most about The Day of First Sun wasn’t its similarity to any of those in particular but the combination of them. Let me explain.

While reading the novel, I could understand and see various parts of each within it. The organization and infrastructure of the magical community reminded me of the world of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter with their own police force and remaining separate while intertwined with our real world. In that way, the author avoided the often chaotic circumstances from the Charmed universe.

Speaking of Charmed, the book reminded me of the series because of the potions they made to heal and vanquish demons as well as the Book of Shadows that witches and wizards have to help them in the fight against evil. Like in the show, the two worlds are kept separated except for the occasional non-magical person learning of their existence in which case their memories would be modified or they’d be brought into the fold to help.

Citing Buffy the Vampire Slayer as her original antithesis, I expected a blonde (duh right?) slaying vampires and saving the world. I wasn’t too off with that but I think the largest contribution was the idea of Girl Power. The protagonist struggles through realizing the love of her life, both of them being in extreme danger, and the murder of her father in an effort to bring the bad guys to justice and let good triumph. While it wasn’t as clean and neat as that, the characters didn’t disappoint.

With this work, Sheryl Steines managed to bring a little of each of my favorite fantasy shows to the forefront and incorporated them in what I feel is a masterpiece. Yes, you heard me right and please keep in mind that‘s my opinion and I won‘t hold it against you if you disagree or call me names. To me, between her story telling and command of the world in which her characters live, I’d be surprised if one day she isn’t considered among the greats. I really enjoyed reading this and look forward to its sequels in the future.(less)

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Mar 26, 2012 Roxanne Kade rated it 5 of 5 stars

The myth told on a time in which the sun did not come out and the beasts continued to enter and freely roam our planet. Several more centuries later, a brave witch fought a second battle on the sacred land and won, closing the portal forever. The battle was said to have happened on September 1, which was soon named the Day of First Sun, as once the threshold was closed, the sun came out again. It had been too late. The Earth was now overrun with supernatural evil."

Murder, mystery, magic and mayh...more The myth told on a time in which the sun did not come out and the beasts continued to enter and freely roam our planet. Several more centuries later, a brave witch fought a second battle on the sacred land and won, closing the portal forever. The battle was said to have happened on September 1, which was soon named the Day of First Sun, as once the threshold was closed, the sun came out again. It had been too late. The Earth was now overrun with supernatural evil."

Murder, mystery, magic and mayhem…yes, this book has it all. Rogue wizards, nasty vampires and a political conspiracy to overthrow the Wizard Council makes for an action-packed story that is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat.

From the very beginning of this book it is evident that Annie Pearce is a fierce, kick-ass character who doesn’t seem to have a fear for anything. As a Wizard Guard, Annie is used to hunting vampires, demons and every other type of supernatural evil. When her team is called in to investigate the murder of a non-magical princess, they are drawn further into a web of lies and deceit. The princess’s boyfriend is a wizard on the run, and when Annie and her partner, Cham, find him they get more than they bargained for, because Jordan Wellington just happens to be holed up with an evil vampire; one they have been hunting for weeks. But what is the connection between the vampire Sturtagaard, and the murdered princess? And what secrets is Jordan hiding?

Annie and Cham, have to work as fast as possible to uncover the truth behind the princess’s murder, even if it means striking a bargain with Sturtagaard, and protecting Jordan from a rogue black magic wizard. Each step of the investigation reveals more of the dark conspiracy that goes far beyond simple murder. But will they be able to stop the evil plan set in motion, or will darkness once again reign supreme?
There is really so much I enjoyed about this book. The characters for one, although magical, are so real, and I often felt like I was walking right beside Annie and Cham as they fought to reveal the mystery of who was behind everything that was happening. Although all fingers point directly at an evil rogue wizard named Wolfgange Rathbone, I couldn’t help wondering if there was more to the story. Was he in cahoots with someone from the Wizard Council, and why?
There is always this feeling that not everything is as it seems and just when I started to settle in to the plot, it would take an unexpected turn which lead to even more surprises, raising more questions about what was really going on. I love plots that have twists and turns, where the truth is always just out of reach and the bad guy always seems to be one step ahead of the good guys. it raises the tension and builds up that hope that good will conquer evil in the end.

Another element I really loved about this book was the involvement and development of each character. Annie is the MC, but Ms. Steines gives insight into each character, no matter how small their role in the story. I was able to understand why they were the way they were or why they acted the way they did. I also really loved the development of Annie and Cham’s relationship. It wasn’t this instant, love-at-first-sight kind of love. It was genuine, and grown on friendship and years of getting to know each other; A love built on trust and understanding.

Overall, this book was exciting and so enthralling that I couldn’t put it down. I would recommend it to all readers of dark paranormal mysteries, but I think even readers who love a good political mystery can enjoy its paranormal theme.
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Mar 25, 2012 2bullets5zombies rated it 4 of 5 stars

Read this review on my blog: Two Bullets, Five Zombies http://t.co/C3Srefqr

A list as a review, because I’m loving lists today.

What’s going on?
Annie Pearce and Cham Chamsky work for the Wizard Guard; the magical world’s police force. Annie and Cham are assigned to the investigation of a magical murder of a non-magical princess, in cooperation with the FBI. The murder investigation and the assignment of tracking a powerful vampire get tangled up in a messy situation, all while the two best friend...more

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Mar 23, 2012 Kevin Carey-Infante rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: EVERYBODY!!!

Recommended to Kevin by: Emlyn Chand

The Day of First Sun by Sheryl Steines is a beautifully written and wonderfully crafted love story between the independent Annie Pearce and pretty boy Billy Cham Chamsky, rising stars in the Wizard Guard, the police force of the magical world. The Wizard Council (the government body for the magical world in America) has partnered Annie and Cham, who have been friends since childhood, to fight crime in the magical world. However, when a mortal Princess is murdered possibly by magical means, they...more

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Mar 22, 2012 Leah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Remember the world of Harry Potter? You know, the world of magic, wizards, muggles, wizard government, flying broomsticks, good and evil? Of course you do!

If you miss 'ole Harry's world and have already read your HP books to pieces, here's an easy alternative, The Day of First Sun. It has all those fun things, too. This book feels like it was set in Harry Potter's world, only it isn't about Harry or any of his friends or any of the other characters we know. Obviously it's about other people, wiz...more Remember the world of Harry Potter? You know, the world of magic, wizards, muggles, wizard government, flying broomsticks, good and evil? Of course you do!

If you miss 'ole Harry's world and have already read your HP books to pieces, here's an easy alternative, The Day of First Sun. It has all those fun things, too. This book feels like it was set in Harry Potter's world, only it isn't about Harry or any of his friends or any of the other characters we know. Obviously it's about other people, wizards and non-magical folks alike, and non-human creatures, too. Oh, and it's set in the U.S. not the U.K. so some of yous can give those British accents in your head a rest. Well, you know, if you want.

Super short synopsis activate!
Annie and Cham are wizards working for the Wizard Guard, a.k.a. the FBI of magic folks. Their FBI liaison Jack asks them to help investigate the suspicious death of Princess Amelie, a non-magical very important person. In the course of their investigation, Annie and Cham uncover a greater plot involving a vampire (who has a thing for Annie and not in a romantic way), a powerful dark wizard (who happens to be the Don Corleone of the dark underworld), and zombies (who happen to like brains, er, but you knew that)! Aha, there are games afoot! Annie and Cham must now hold hands (you know, like platonic detective partners do) and get to the truth before something VERY BAD happens to the entire world.

This was an easy read! I breezed through it mainly because I just wanted to know how it ends. I absolutely loved the Harry Potter series so I really couldn't help thinking about HP while reading this. Like I said at the start of this post, this book felt like a story set in the American version of Harry Potter's world. You know, wizards exist in plain sight and are governed by a wizard government. There are otherworldly creatures like vampires and zombies. The good wizards must defeat the bad wizards.

For me the book felt like the first installment in a detective series set in Harry's world. If you want to know how the Department of Magical Law Enforcement or the Aurors do their thing, this book will give you an idea because to me it's like a story about their agents. If Hermione was into detective books other than spellbooks and history books, THIS would be her favorite. I think a magical detective series isn't bad at all. That means there are more Annie and Cham adventures to come! UNLESS they actually die in this book and their world has come to a sad sad end...

Oh Noes!!

Oh, c'mon. You know, nobody dies in these wizard books, right? Right?? You know, I'm kidding. People die. In this book, Princess Amelie was dead right at the start. Like they say, death is only the beginning... Wait, that's from The Mummy. ANYWAY, this book has the usual elements that we, muggles, absolutely adore--family, friendship, life, death, love, etc.--so there are lots of stuff in it that people can relate to. Plus, it was just a really fun read.(less)

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May 14, 2012 Sylvia rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: witch-wizard, urban-fantasy, digital, free-list

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

I'm sorry to be a naysayer here, but I'm a bit surprised by all the rave reviews. First the good, I think the writer has real promise, the buildup to the story was good. I like how it begins with them in childhood and then transitions to when they were older. However that is where the problems started for me. The plot became disjointed, jumping around and leaving me wondering how things were connected. I understand using this as a plot device and building the separate story lines until they com...more

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Sep 13, 2012 Pam rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-read-in-2012, read-in-2012, ebooks-read-in-2012

A princess is killed and it is up to Anne and Cham to find out who did it. They work as a wizard guard protecting people from all kinds of paranormal beings. A vampire and her missing boyfriend a wizard are among their suspects. They find them together and lock them both up. They soon discover they aren't just looking for a killer but someone who wants to take down the Wizard Council on The Day of The First Sun.

This is a great book. You get to know the characters and the background of the sto...more

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Mar 26, 2012 Jenelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

View the original review in my blog: The Midnight Book Thief

Deadly Situations
Okay, if you write a novel that involves mystery and action, a deadly situation is a MUST in my book. And I am glad to say that Day of the First Sun doesn't just have one, but multiple scenes like this. These are what keeps the story going amd keep readers hanging on their seats, and I am glad that this story delivered this.
Amazing Ending
Oh, skipping straight to the end, are we? ;) Well, I have to say, the ending gave...more

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Mar 23, 2012 Vidya-BooksAreMagic rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads, blog-tour, fantasy, vampires

Perfect blende of fantasy and romance. If you are a lover of fantasy novels, you will get everything here - wizards, vampires, curses, brooms, ... you name it!

STAR 1:
The plot! Amazing and well thought-out plot. Annie and Cham are friends for a very very long time like started their school together, same college and then got to the same job - in the Wizard Guard, yeah, you read that right. Wizard Guard is like FBI for the magical world. When a non-magical princess is murdered by magical means, An...more Perfect blende of fantasy and romance. If you are a lover of fantasy novels, you will get everything here - wizards, vampires, curses, brooms, ... you name it!

STAR 1:
The plot! Amazing and well thought-out plot. Annie and Cham are friends for a very very long time like started their school together, same college and then got to the same job - in the Wizard Guard, yeah, you read that right. Wizard Guard is like FBI for the magical world. When a non-magical princess is murdered by magical means, Annie takes over this case, with her team, Cham, Gibbs and Spencer. They find various clues and suspects to the murder. Soon, they are on trail for a vampire and an irresponsible wizard. All the paranormal elements are satisfactorily explained and they are completely enjoyable. So, star 1 added!

STAR 2:
Kick-ass heroine! Annie is one of those heroines, who walks around the world with a confidence and bravery. One thing I always fall for in a book, is a confident heroine. Annie shows courage, patience and kindness, whenever needed or necessary. I actually adored her, when she tortured the vampire, who was killing most of them in their country.

STAR 3:
Well narrated! There are no sub-plots, only one main plot. But, the author has done a good job of delivering it to the readers, without boring them. The friendship between Annie's team is great. And Gibbs' character was both bad-ass, smart and adorable. Sometimes, we need such members in a team. And it was a long time now that I have read a book, where vampires are villains (you must see me swooning over JRWard's heroes, LOL!).

STAR 4:
The start of the novel! Totally my taste..children racing around in broomsticks, nanny's are fairies who take care of the children, and childhood friendship starting with action and adventure. Deserves this star with sparks around it!

STAR KNOCK-OFF 1:
Two reasons. First one being there are some information missing in the novel, and it seems like there will no sequel, so I felt like knocking off one star. For example, the reason for the murder behind Annie's father is not explained well. And what is it with the school teams - they start investigating like its a clue, but I have no idea what they are talking about. I just imagined maybe that's a team name in their school. Second reason is in most of the places, I didn't enjoy the romance between Annie and Cham. Its like looking into bad actor in the stage. But, as romance is not the key aspect of this book, it's not much to expect to!

"Fairy-tale Detectives" + "Harry Potter" + (spiced up for adults) = "The Day of First Sun"(less)

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Mar 19, 2012 Miriam rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: anyone who loves fantasy novels with witches and wizards.

MY RATING: [3.5 / 5] STARS

The first thing I really love about this book, is the beginning: We get to know both the main characters, Annie and Cham, as they get to know each other when they're nine years old. But already as they are so young, you can see their characters very clearly and you get discover why, years later, they are the best of friends you can ever imagine: Both of them are free spirits, they do not only enjoy adventures, but are also looking for them. They do not hesitate to tell...more MY RATING: [3.5 / 5] STARS

The first thing I really love about this book, is the beginning: We get to know both the main characters, Annie and Cham, as they get to know each other when they're nine years old. But already as they are so young, you can see their characters very clearly and you get discover why, years later, they are the best of friends you can ever imagine: Both of them are free spirits, they do not only enjoy adventures, but are also looking for them. They do not hesitate to tell their opinion and they both have strong beliefs in values. Indeed, they are the perfect best friends ever.

Years later, at the time the story sets place, Annie and Cham are partners at the Wizard's Guard, which is some kind of magical police that can be compared to the FBI. After Princess Amelie of Amborix, a non-magical princess from a neighbouring country of the United States, is killed by magic, Annie and Cham are supposed to find out what happened. But of course, there is a lot more to this murder as it seems in the first place. Not only the magical boyfriend of Princess Amelie seems to be involved in this case, but also one or more vampires, a dark wizard and an army of zombies. This is, in fact, a lot more than Annie and Cham expected - and a lot more than they need as Annie still needs to deal with the death of her father that happened years ago and slowly, the two of them see their friendship develop into something more. Or do they only imagine all of this?

One of the things I really love about this book, are the characters: Even though Annie lost both of her parents some years ago, she is definitely a very strong female character. And I love books with strong female characters. And despite the fact, that Cham and her are smiliar in a lot of ways, he is different in some things and I got to love that, too. But above all I really fell in love with their relationship. They have known each other since they were kids and by reading the book you could feel how much the two of them care for each other, but also how well they know each other.

The world in which the story is placed, reminds me a bit of the Harry Potter world: There are witches and wizards and the co-exist in the world we all know, trying to hide their existence from normal people even though they sometimes have to cooperate with each other. The way spells and magic work, is a little different to the Harry Potter world, but I like the little resemblance. And above all, I very much like that vampires, in fact, are the bad guys in this story. There have been a lot of books with vampires portraited as creatures to fall in love with and I enjoy those stories, too. But it is very refreshing and wonderful to take a look at their dangerous, more animal-like side.

The story's plot is drawn very well. I enjoyed to discover this different world and not being able to put the book down very soon. There is a lot of adventure and tension in this book, even though there are no really big surprising, turning plot points. Nevertheless I liked how the plot of Annie's and Cham's relationship towards each other is only indicated every now and then, but does not take over the main plot of the book. Sometimes I wished to get to know more about that part, but I think the author handles this difficulty very well and only gives away as much information and wonderful, sweet little moments as needed. But these moments, in fact, add a lot of emotion to the story and make it very lovable.
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Sep 05, 2012 Kyra rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was quite excited to read The Day of First Sun, the blurb let on that it was going to be a fun, magical read, however the blurb was quite wrong. I did not find this book fun to read at all and I struggled through the whole book, hoping that it would get better, alas it didn't. A lot of people have really enjoyed this so don't let this review stop you from reading it!

The beginning of this book had promise, the characters were cute and it flowed at an easy pace, sadly that only lasted a couple o...more I was quite excited to read The Day of First Sun, the blurb let on that it was going to be a fun, magical read, however the blurb was quite wrong. I did not find this book fun to read at all and I struggled through the whole book, hoping that it would get better, alas it didn't. A lot of people have really enjoyed this so don't let this review stop you from reading it!

The beginning of this book had promise, the characters were cute and it flowed at an easy pace, sadly that only lasted a couple of pages into the book. The beginning didn't grip me as I was hoping it would but I persevered, only to be further disappointed. As the novel progressed I found my boredom increasing and I was really struggling to finish it. I did finish it in the end though because I always think that maybe if I didn't give up on a book maybe it would've gotten better, but I felt like I should've put The Day of First Sun down, we just didn't connect.

The novel was written in third person and I found it extremely hard to get into the story. With third person you don't really get into the character's head, you don't feel like you are living as them or really experiencing their thoughts and emotions. It felt like i was just skimming over the edge of the story and not dewlling in the core of the story, where I like to be when reading. I have read some books written in third person and they were enjoyable and easy to delve into, this time around that wasn't the case.

I must admit I really didn't like the characters that much, Annie, our main character, was almost on every page yet I feel like I barely know anything about her. I know she has brown hair and eyes, she has a sister, a fairy and a boyfriend. That's literally all I know about her, after almost four hundred pages of reading all I know is a couple of facts about our main character. The characters were very underdeveloped and I just felt like I was watching a play with actors not knowing which part they were playing. Their actions towards each other seemed robotic and too sudden, which I'm not too fond of. I wanted to like the characters, but I just couldn't. Annie was a kick-butt heroine which I love in a story, but I just found her too harsh. She barely ever showed emotion. I know she is a witch but she is also human and I just felt like I was reading about an emotionless drone. She was also a really harsh person I found, I understand when a character is tough and has a reason, but I just felt like Annie didn't care about anyone or anything, not even herself.

The romance was...bad. They had been friends for years and then when they're in their twenties, they suddenly realize they're in love. She also discovers she's in love within a couple of hours and then she calls him over the phone, telling him she's in love with him and then he comes over and they sleep together. The romance wasn't explained, the author didn't build the romance up to the discovery of their love for each other, so it was like insta-love, but not in the way where they just meet and BOOM! And they're in love.

The villains weren't that scary. I was hoping that they would show their extra nasty side soon to see if they were good villains but unfortunately that didn't happen either. It also felt like I was staring at an emotionless drone that knew he was supposed to be ominous but didn't paly his part quite right.

I didn't really enjoy the plot, I found myself reading chunks of writing that I had already read, the events that played out were quite monotonous and I struggled through reading it, hoping that something would jolt me out of my boredom. There were no twists and when something did happen it didn't seem like it was told in the right way and that it was slowed down immensely where it should have been told in fast, short sentences.

There are two things I did enjoy about the book though, the story idea was unique and interesting and the description in the book was beautiful. However, the writing didn't flow which made me struggle through the book and it made me lose interest in the idea. At times I also felt like there was too much being described and I found my self skimming the words because the extra amount of detail.

The Day of First Sun had a fresh, unique idea that would've worked if the characters displayed emotion and human like qualities. The pacing was slow and there were no twists in the tale, which left me skimming the pages hoping to find something interesting. This book was like cupcakes, there are some cupcakes that suit your taste and others that don't satisfy what you seek for in a book. The Day of First Sun didn't satisfy my taste. Most of the reviews on this book is good, so try it, you might like it. :)

I give it: 2/5 CUPCAKES!(less)

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Mar 20, 2012 Splash Of Our Worlds *Yiota* rated it 3 of 5 stars

The Day of The First Sun = FBI Harry Potter. I don't know what else i can call it. Imagine something like the after years of Harry Potter (since it has magic) and that you follow the wizard FBI (murders, investigations, connecting clues,autopsies). Plus put in some vampires (bad ones!!) to make it more dark. And tadah! Here is a quite interesting and clever book. The story alone is captivating, and even though you know the answers for most of the things happening, it still has something that kee...more

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Apr 17, 2012 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I agreed to read this because it sounds just like my sort of book, magic, mystery, adventure thrown together with vampires, wizards and the FBI. what's not to like?
Annie and Cham have been friends since they were 9, and now work together for the Wizard Guard, they live dangerously, tracking and hunting vampires, stopping rogue wizards and stopping black magic. But things get much more risky when Princess Amelie is murdered by magic...more

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Mar 22, 2012 Megan (Megan Likes Books) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: review, blog-tour, magic

This books reminded me vaguely of Harry Potter; magical beings living among us in their own communities, while us normal folk don't notice a thing. The headquarters of the Wizards Guard, where Annie and Cham work, reminded me of the Ministry of Magic, a big, official magic hub.

The Day of First Sun was fast paced and had a whole ton of magic. Magic is definitely a huge part of Annie and Cham's lives. They use it for everything from teleporting to healing to summoning their clothes when they wake...more

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Sep 14, 2012 Sangita rated it 3 of 5 stars

Rating: 3.5

*Given a copy in exchange for a honest review.

The Day of First Sun was a quick and easy read. When Princess Amelie and Jordan (her boyfriend) steal an orb they don't know that it could turn theirs and everyone else's world upside down. But, it's too late. When the FBI find Princess Amelie's lifeless body Annie Pierce and her partner, Bobby “Cham” Chamsky, are called in. Annie and Cham are Wizard's Guard. Princess Amelie of Amborix is murdered but with magic. When the murder rests on J...more

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Apr 14, 2012 Naomi Leadbeater rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Naomi by: Emlyn Chand, Sheryl Steines, Novel Publicly

Finally, after a whirlwind week of tours, here is my own review of Sheryl Steines book The Day of First Sun

First a warning that there are bound to be cheesy double entendres, references and jokes all relating to vampires. If you feel the urge to groan, I don't blame you - I groaned myself a few times.

To begin with, I have to say the cover of this book is just wonderful. I'd love to know who did the art, the colour is just gorgeous, and the knife down the center, also a wonderful touch.

[caption i...more

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Sep 10, 2012 Charlotte Babb rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

Sheryl Steines' wizard world shows grown-ups using magic as often as mundanes use smart phones. The magic is logical, well-thought-out and can be both difficult and dangerous.

The romance between the main characters never gets maudlin or graphic, and it carries the exact kinds of conflicts that you'd expect from real people. The murder mystery and the greater issues that it leads to keep the reader's interest. Steines has done a great job of mixing fantasy elements into a contemporary urban sett...more

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Sep 11, 2012 Dorine White rated it 4 of 5 stars

My thoughts: So fun and entertaining. Annie is a kick butt character filled with bravery and spunk. Cham is a great male counterpart, and together they make a great team. Their budding romance is simple, yet deep. The two were just meant to be.

I enjoyed the many different kind of magical creatures and found zombies a great addition to give the book some spark.Fans of magic will enjoy this book. It is perfect for action seekers too.

And the cover, love it. Very intriguing. I didn't know what the t...more

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Sep 07, 2012 Sarah (Head Stuck In A Book) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: review-copy, e-book, paranormal, fantasy, owned-and-read

What I really liked about this book was all the different paranormal factions represented, we have: witches, vampires and fairies, which make for a fun and exciting story.
Annie and Cham childhood friends have grown up doing everything together including partnering up at work, but theirs isn't any workplace they work at the Wizard Council, a magical police force which deals with the paranormal, and they and all working there are wizard's.
Annie and Cham are both brought in on a case when it's foun...more

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Jul 15, 2012 Mandy Baggot rated it 4 of 5 stars

I followed Sheryl on Twitter and I became a landmark follower so 'won' a copy of her novel The Day of First Sun. Now, I usually read what I write - contemporary romance - but just lately I have been finding great novels completely outside my usual genre. This is one of those.

The Day of First Sun tells the story of Annie Pearce who is a 'magical' and works to protect (a bit like law enforcement) order in the world. I loved the whole way the real and magical people lived alongside one another and...more

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Mar 23, 2012 Marie Borthwick rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Cover
The cover of Sheryl Steines "The Day of First Sun" is simple enough, almost too simple. While the eyes are haunting, the athame hints at magic and the shading suggest intrigue - it does nothing more than betray the story within. Now before you jump down my throat, I mean nothing negative by this...exactly. I like the cover well enough, but nothing JUMPS out at me - I'm sad to say that if I saw this cover in the local bookstore it wouldn't motivate me to stop and pick up the book. Which,...more The Cover
The cover of Sheryl Steines "The Day of First Sun" is simple enough, almost too simple. While the eyes are haunting, the athame hints at magic and the shading suggest intrigue - it does nothing more than betray the story within. Now before you jump down my throat, I mean nothing negative by this...exactly. I like the cover well enough, but nothing JUMPS out at me - I'm sad to say that if I saw this cover in the local bookstore it wouldn't motivate me to stop and pick up the book. Which, frankly is a shame because the story within is worth a comfortable read. I myself enjoyed taking the my Kindle Fire outside, Hershey the bunny in tow and sitting under a big tree in a camp chair with a gentle breeze swirling around me.

The Magic
The first thing that came to mind when I started reading "The Day of First Sun" is a mature version of Harry Potter. The story starts out by introducing us to Annie, her sister Samantha, Jason (Annie and Samantha's father) and a good portion of the Chamsky clan. This glimpse into the past gives us a delicious taste of the magic as we whisk along with a spirited broom race - which ends with 9 year old Annie... well you should read the book.

As the story progresses, we learn a few more things about the wizarding world Sheryl Steines has created. A Wizard Council which acts as the governing body, with the Wizard Guard to carry out measures much as the police do in the "non-magical" world are two key components threaded throughout the words Sheryl has crafted with care. We learn about various spells, charms, incantations and magical objects.

As I swiped each page I felt myself wanting MORE. I wanted to know more about the spells being used, I wanted to know more about teleportation and I hungered for the history behind it all.
The Plot
As I read I hungered for more magic, I could see it dance in front of me... all the while it's true depth held just out of reach. I guess I have been spoiled by Harry Potter, Twilight and the like - which is totally unfair to talented authors like Sheryl. I liked the pace of the story overall and was hanging on until a good distance within the story before I started to figure things out - something I appreciated greatly. I like crime-related fiction and mysteries - I hate how so few authors put the effort needed into crafted a decent mystery plot.

My Final Thoughts
I liked how Sheryl was able to weave two worlds into one in her story - balancing things to such a degree it resulted in a pleasurable afternoon of reading on an early spring afternoon. I would have liked to have seen more "cut away" scenes that delved into the history between Annie and Cham, it might have made certain things make more sense (at least for me personally).
I do hope that Sheryl continues her story, the potential of the "world" she has created is immeasurable. I personally, would like to see a book that tells us what happens between the prologue and chapter 1.

Read If...
you like magic, but prefer a more "realistic" approach to the genre
you like a good mystery that progresses at a fair pace - revealing nothing too fast or taking to long to reveal.
you like dualing realities - a magical vs. a non-magical world.(less)

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May 05, 2012 Suzie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tour-book, 2012, a-great-read, america, calibre, clean-read, crime-mystery, fantasy, fiction, kindle-book, modern, paranormal, romance, romance-modern, romance-paranormal, romance-pg, rrrc-s-book-challenge, series, vampire, young-adult, magic

Day of First Sun is the first book by Sheryl. While I will admit, it is more of a YA book than something is for an adult that did not keep me from enjoying the book. Please remember that the following review is my opinion of the book read. To form your own opinions please support the author and acquire your own legal copy of the book.

Description:
When Princess Amelie of Amborix is murdered by magical means, the FBI calls in Annie Pearce and Bobby “Cham” Chamsky of the Wizard’s Guard. Their job...more Day of First Sun is the first book by Sheryl. While I will admit, it is more of a YA book than something is for an adult that did not keep me from enjoying the book. Please remember that the following review is my opinion of the book read. To form your own opinions please support the author and acquire your own legal copy of the book.

Description:
When Princess Amelie of Amborix is murdered by magical means, the FBI calls in Annie Pearce and Bobby “Cham” Chamsky of the Wizard’s Guard. Their job is to help solve the crime while keeping the non-magical world from discovering the existence of the Wizard Council.

During their investigation, Annie and Cham discover that Princess Amelie’s death is connected to a series of other crimes in the Chicago area. A larger plot involving, a vampire, a rogue wizard and an army of soul-less zombies is revealed, but can Annie and Cham discover who is responsible before The Day of First Sun?
Main Characters: Annie Pearce, Cham (Bobby Chamsky), Sturtagaard

This book starts out with Annie as a young 9-year-old girl. She is trying to get tangles out of her hair but it is refusing to cooperate. Just as Annie was about to think taking the scissors to her hair would be her best option Zola come in to help straighten out the mess. Annie is trying to get ready to leave for a performance where her sister, Samantha would be singing. The performance was part of the annual employee’s picnic at Wizard Hall. During this time Annie meets her future mate she just does not know it until years later.

Annie and Cham start working together after they graduate from the Wizard Academy. They are part of the Wizard’s Guard. They hunt for vampires, zombies, and the people that perform black magic.

The book is set in the current time but does not have many high tech unknown gadgets in it. The only part of the book that would be classified as other world is the magic. The magic is alive in this book but the average citizen in America does not know about it. Maybe it is me but that is the amazing part. This is a book that I had a hard time putting down. I wanted to keep reading to find out what happens next.

The characters in this book are so each to connect with and imagine what they are actually like. Annie is a strong female character that is able to stand on her own but knows that having help is not something bad. While reading this book I got the feeling that maybe there is something out there like this that I know nothing about and maybe it is a good thing.

If you are looking for magic, strong characters with a feeling of awe then pick up this book today at Amazon.

The bunnies and I give this book 4 carrots.
(less)

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Jun 01, 2012 Emily L. Moir-Genther rated it 3 of 5 stars

I should say that I received this book for free in exchange for my honest review. As I writer,I keep my reviews honest.

If there's a way to do 3 1/2 stars I'd like to know. This book deserves more than three stars, but I've read so much that's been on the extreme end of amazing I don't want to give four and five star reviews arbitrarily.I think my opinion losses weight if I over like everything. The whole point is this really is a good book.

I had a lot of fun with the character's interactions. T...more

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Sep 21, 2012 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really ended up liking this book. I have never been one who was extremely into the magic genre of novels, but this was really well done. There is honestly something for everyone in The Day of First Sun, because it was so well rounded with tons of different genre's packed in. There is romance, action, crime fighting, paranormal, fantasy, and mystery elements all weaved together. The beginning was a little slow to me, but only for a few pages. I would say about 15% of the way in tops is when it...more

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Aug 31, 2012 Christie Palmer rated it 3 of 5 stars

Good YA read. I would recommend it. Main character is great. The only problem I had was with the mind jumping. I sometimes struggled to figure out who was currently in control of the scene from a character perspective.

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Mar 04, 2012 Shelley aka Gizmo's Reviews marked it as to-read

Shelves: 2012-releases

Reading it for Novel Publicity's whirlwind tour.

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Feb 27, 2012 Krishna rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'll be writing the review soon! ;)

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Feb 21, 2013 Dveith rated it 3 of 5 stars

good story - mind candy.

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The Day of First Sun (Annie Loves Cham #1)

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