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May 12
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Karen
marked as to-read:
Forever Odd
by Dean Koontz
bookshelves:
to-read
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my rating:
Added to my books!
add my review
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May 05
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Karen
gave
to:
Odd Thomas (Odd Thomas Novel, Book 1)
by Dean R. Koontz
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my rating:
Added to my books!
add my review
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recommended to Karen by:
my husband
recommended for: Dean Koontz fans, horror, suspense fans
read in May, 2008
Karen said:
"Odd Thomas is a twenty-year old short order cook who can see dead people. He can also see what he calls the “bodachs” which are shadowy spirits attracted to horrible acts of violence. He’s in love with his perfect match, Stormy Llewellyn who ...more
Odd Thomas is a twenty-year old short order cook who can see dead people. He can also see what he calls the “bodachs” which are shadowy spirits attracted to horrible acts of violence. He’s in love with his perfect match, Stormy Llewellyn who knows all about Odd’s special talents. They are destined to be together—or so the fortuneteller’s card tells them.
When he notices that a man he’s dubbed “Fungus Man” has a horde of bodachs surrounding him and there is an abundance of them in the neighborhood, he is convinced a violent act is about to be committed. He takes it upon himself to stop the tragic outcome.
I love Dean Koontz’s tales. He’s the master of weaving horror, humor and a bit of romance all into one, making you fall in love with the characters. Stormy and Odd’s relationship is tender and sweet. You’ll love Little Ozzie (who isn’t so little) and even the ghost of Elvis is added welcome. You’ll laugh, you’ll hope and cry. A must read.
This is the first of three books. I can’t wait to read Forever Odd and Brother Odd.
...less
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May 04
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Karen
gave
to:
Dark Birthright (Paperback)
by Jeanne Treat (Goodreads author!)
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my rating:
Added to my books!
add my review
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Karen said:
"Medieval Scotland: Dughall is born and his poor mother, who had been severely mistreated, perishes. He is given to the Hays, who shower him with love, giving him the foundation to be a good and honest man.
Dughall and his brother Ian Hay share t...more
Medieval Scotland: Dughall is born and his poor mother, who had been severely mistreated, perishes. He is given to the Hays, who shower him with love, giving him the foundation to be a good and honest man.
Dughall and his brother Ian Hay share the same birthday of Oct. 31st, the day of the dead. They have the sight and can sense each other’s pain and pleasures. Doughall also has a connection with Keira, a pagan priestess. They dream of each other and hope to marry one day. For a while, everything is wonderful at the seaside village of Whinnyfold, until Dughall’s real father shows up to bring him home to Huntly.
At the castle: The Earl of Huntly gives a new name to the word evil. He is cruel and deals out punishment sometimes without reason. Dughall tries to understand his father, but there seems to be no pleasing the man. There’s Kate, the Earl’s mistress who has her own agenda and Fang, who takes great pleasure in torturing people. Dughall does find friendship with Murdock, who is assigned to protect him. He realizes there is more to his brother Gilbert than meets the eye and he meets his mother’s father, the Duke of Drake. He is a kind man who would like to take Dughall away from the Earl, but law states he cannot interfere.
As the story unfolds, the reader will find out how the characters shape each others lives and their futures.
Ms. Treat has captured the life of medieval Scotland with clear and vivid prose. You’ll enter a world where you can almost feel the spray from the sea, the warmth from the peat fires and the love as you enter the homes of the seafaring people of Whinnyfold. She shows how a noble may rule with grace and understanding or with unforgiving bitterness. She’ll take you to the stone circle to honor the goddess with pagan rituals and celebrations. She touches on the healing powers of herbs, and the medieval superstitions concerning these rites. The relationships are believable whether there’s love, loyalty or vengefulness. This is definitely a tale for everyone. It is rich with history, myths, magic, and the paranormal. Characters you’ll fall in love with and those who you may actually hate.
Reviewed for PNR Romance...less
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Karen
gave
to:
The Banshee's Song (Paperback)
by M., L. McBryar
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my rating:
Added to my books!
add my review
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Karen said:
"Supernaturally Entertaining!
The crew of Night’s End Detective Agency:
Cara, who was forced into becoming a vampire, must face her past and learn not to be a victim. She accepts help from a preternatural being that claims she knows Talia. Ala...more
Supernaturally Entertaining!
The crew of Night’s End Detective Agency:
Cara, who was forced into becoming a vampire, must face her past and learn not to be a victim. She accepts help from a preternatural being that claims she knows Talia. Alaric, a werewolf is forced to realize that though he may love someone as family, he cannot always save them. Kyle is a vampire, who must be a mentor and guide to a sixteen-year boy, Kane, who was recently turned. It may prove to be a challenge since Kane is a psychic and his parents refuse to believe he is a vampire. Talia, a werewolf and leader of her crew is strong and determined, but with the unexpected visit from her sister Gennera, she realizes her love for her nephew, Anthony, is her Achilles heel. The rogue pack of hybrid werewolves that Gennera runs with will use this knowledge to destroy her.
While the crew of Night’s End deals with their own personal demons, they are in a race against time. Captain O’Rielly of the San Francisco police has never trusted Talia, the owner and her team at Night’s End detective agency, for they aren’t even human. However, he has been forced into a corner when he and his officers hear the unearthly wailing at two of the most grisly crime scenes ever witnessed. They must find out who released the entity, and why it is bent on destroying the entire O’Brien clan.
Banshee’s Song is Ms. McBryar’s second installment of the Scepter Series that only adds to the allure of these characters introduced to you in The Demon’s Eye. Being a fanatic of Irish history, I especially enjoy how she intertwines the ancient legends within her tales. Ms. McBryar is a true seanchai (storyteller).
...less
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Karen
gave
to:
Adventures In Lavender Land: Teddy's Day Out & Other Adventures (Paperback)
by Martha McBryar
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my rating:
Added to my books!
add my review
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Karen said:
"Soooo Cute!
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March 27
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Karen
gave
to:
Castle of the Wolf (Mass Market Paperback)
by Sandra Schwab (Goodreads author!)
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my rating:
Added to my books!
add my review
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read in January, 2007
Karen said:
""Truly Enchanted!"
Celia Fussle's father has passed away. In his will he states that Celia will inherit the Castle of Wolfenbach in the Black Forest if she marries the master of the castle. Celia can either accept these terms or live wit...more
"Truly Enchanted!"
Celia Fussle's father has passed away. In his will he states that Celia will inherit the Castle of Wolfenbach in the Black Forest if she marries the master of the castle. Celia can either accept these terms or live with her brother and his spoiled wife and be known as the spinster sister. She looks at her adventure to Germany as one of her many fairytales she studied with her father and sets out to claim her home. Celia arrives at the castle to find it in disrepair with gargoyles, eerie legends to make one shudder, and the nightmarish stories about its master.
Fenris von Wolfenbach, lost a leg in the war against Napoleon and wears his wooden leg as if it is a statement that he is not whole and no one should forget it. He is rude and ill tempered, and tries to chase Celia away. However, Celia doesn't scare easily. She begins to see the wounded wolf in a different light. His ferocious growl, dark ways and brooding is his protection from being hurt from the outside world. Ridicule and pity made him shy away from reality, but Celia sees him as the man he is: honorable, brave and strong. Now the only problem is she needs to make him see it as well. Others with devious intent do not want this to happen and would stoop to murder if necessary.
This historical is touched with a bit of the paranormal as the legend of the Wolfenbachs is slowly revealed. I loved the feel and ambiance of the story taking the reader to a different time and place within the Black Forest of Germany. The heroine is charming in the way she tames the wolf, and brings out the true honorable man hiding from the world because of his imperfection. This is a fairytale with a happily-ever-after ending.
This reader was truly enchanted!
reviewed for PNR Paranormal Romance
www.paranormalromance.org...less
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March 26
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Karen
gave
to:
The Devil Inside (Mass Market Paperback)
by Jenna Black
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my rating:
Added to my books!
add my review
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Karen said:
"enthralling world-building"
Morgan Kingsley belongs to a world where demons inhabit humans, who are willing to accept them. Morgan isn't thrilled with the whole possession lifestyle. Her brother, Andrew has become a willing host and she can't...more
enthralling world-building"
Morgan Kingsley belongs to a world where demons inhabit humans, who are willing to accept them. Morgan isn't thrilled with the whole possession lifestyle. Her brother, Andrew has become a willing host and she can't come to grip with him letting another being totally control his body, his actions, his whole life.
Against her family's wishes, Morgan became an exorcist, exorcising demons from unwilling hosts. Unfortunately more times than not, the host winds up brain dead and if she can't extract the demon, the law requires the host to be burned alive insuring the demon's death as well. Not exactly great options for the host. Just another reason why Morgan hates demons.
When one of Morgan's exorcisms doesn't go as planned and she begins to leave herself disturbing notes, while she should be sleeping, she realizes she may be harboring an illegal demon. Then Lugh appears to her in a dream, confirming her greatest nightmare--she's possessed. Only for some reason, she's able to keep Lugh from completely taking over her body.
Morgan discovers she's been thrown into a plot where she is the target because of the "devil inside her." Everything in her life changes from there. She doesn't know who she can trust. If she doesn't choose the right person, people are going to be hurt or wind up dead and she's number one on that list.
This story gives in interesting angle to the demon possession concept, a world Ms. Black draws you into, making you want to know more. The Devil Inside is the first installment of the series. You're introduced to characters and to a world of demons with their beliefs and politics, an enthralling world-building in progress. Morgan is a very believable heroine. Feisty, making decisions that aren't always for the best, but she learns from her mistakes and finds she is braver than she thought. She begins to realize not everything is black and white. There are definitely some gray edges to the whole demon/host lifestyle and she's just beginning to realize what they are.
I must warn that there are some explicit sex scenes including two S&M scenes that may be too much for the fainthearted. However, it is not overly done and are consenting acts. So don't pass this uniquely written urban fantasy strictly for this reason.
I eagerly await the next book, The Devil You Know, which I'm sure we'll learn much more about the handsome six-five demon, Lugh. Also check out Ms. Black's, The Guardians of the Night series. You won't be disappointed you did.
Reviewed for PNR Paranormal Romance
www.paranormalromance.org...less
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Karen
gave
to:
Secrets in the Shadows (Mass Market Paperback)
by Jenna Black
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my rating:
Added to my books!
add my review
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read in January, 2007
Karen said:
""enter this enthralling world Ms. Black has created"
The Guardians of the Night are vampires that have sworn to protect humans at all cost. They do not kill or give in to the beast that resides within them. It would take just one kill to...more
"enter this enthralling world Ms. Black has created"
The Guardians of the Night are vampires that have sworn to protect humans at all cost. They do not kill or give in to the beast that resides within them. It would take just one kill to send them over the edge.
Jules Gerard is a part of this elite group. When Jules finds out his maker, Ian Squires is residing somewhere in Baltimore, he forgets his loyalties to the Guardians and sets out on his own to seek his revenge. Jules doesn't realize what he is up against. Eli, the founder of the Guardians, sends Drake after him.
Drake is a vampire and a killer. He only kills those that harm other humans, never an innocent. Drake knows Eli has secrets, but what he finds out in Baltimore is more than he expects, such as: a master vampire named Camille and her sidekick Gabriel; fledglings running amuck; and Hannah, a human who thinks she can protect a vampire by waving her gun. If Drake can't find a way to get them out of town before all hell breaks loose, they will most likely die.
As a favor to her best friend who is dating a vampire, Hannah Moore follows the arrogant Jules Gerard. Jules is furious and demands Hannah go home before she ends up as one of Ian's victims, but she is as stubborn as he is and refuses to go. Not only do Hannah and Jules battle vampires that want to kill them, they also fight the attraction that threatens to reveal who they really are.
Ms. Black has done it again with her new Guardians of the Night tale. Even though this is the second in the series, you won't have to read the first to truly enjoy the story. There are twists and turns to this cleverly plotted paranormal as the well-kept secrets start to unravel. Hannah and Jules' budding attraction is heartfelt and sincere where they learn surrendering isn't submission but signifies trust. Drake proves against all odds, his loyalty stands fast. The villains are truly diabolical with their acts of cruelty and vengeance. However, Gabriel as dangerous as he is, he also has a sense of honesty that cannot be ignored. There is obviously more to him than meets the eye. I look forward to reading about him in the future, Guardians of the Night tales.
Paranormal fans will want to enter this enthralling world Ms. Black has created where magic, mystery and vampires will leave you craving for more.
I also recommend Watchers in the Night, the first in the series.
Reviewed for PNR Paranormal Romance
www.paranormalromance.org...less
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Karen
gave
to:
Watchers in the Night (Mass Market Paperback)
by Jenna Black
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my rating:
Added to my books!
add my review
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Karen said:
""fast-paced paranormal romance"
Carolyn Mathers, a P.I., thought that she would never see her ex-fiancé again, but there he is, appearing out of nowhere to save her from a would-be attacker. One, she doesn't need saving, since she is qu...more
"fast-paced paranormal romance"
Carolyn Mathers, a P.I., thought that she would never see her ex-fiancé again, but there he is, appearing out of nowhere to save her from a would-be attacker. One, she doesn't need saving, since she is quite capable of defending herself; and two, she wants to know where in the heck he has been for the last two years.
Gray James hadn't wanted to abandon Carolyn; however, circumstances beyond his control gave him no choice. Now he made matters worse, by letting her see him. Of course, she has questions for him, but he doesn't have a clue how to tell her that the man she loved died two years ago.
Gray being a vampire is the least of their problems. He has the 'Guardians of the Night' watching him. They're vampires that destroy other demons that cannot control the beast within. One guardian in particular has good reasons to believe Gray will fail. When bodies start to stack up around town, all clues point to Gray as the killer.
Carolyn intends to prove that Gray is innocent. She's just as determined to convince Gray that no matter how much his life has changed, their love for each other is strong enough to endure it.
This fast-paced paranormal romance keeps you intrigued to the last page. She introduces some secondary characters that are as likable as the main characters. This fan would love to read about their story. Hopefully Ms. Black intends to pen more 'Guardian of the Night' tales.
Highly Recommended!
reviewed for PNR Paranormal Romance
www.paranormalromance.org...less
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1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die
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Hi Karen!