Month In Review by Paranormal Romance Fans for Life

May's Month In Review

PRFL is starting a new segment! On the last Saturday of each month we will re-post our 4-5 Star reviews given during the month, plus reviews not yet seen. 
Enjoy!!

Five Fang Reviews

Mostly Magic: Donna June Cooper has done it again. More than Magic captured my heart and my imagination when I reviewed a few months ago, and now the second in the Books of the Kindling series, Mostly Magic, meets the very high bar this author sets for herself. O, how I would love to find this very special mountain and spend time with the folks who know it best.

This story picks up with sibling #2, Dr. Daniel Woodruff, only months after the close of MtM. We find ourselves in Italy, which is never a bad thing, but terrifying visions are unrelenting, and Daniel must risk his reputation, and perhaps his life, in order to ensure the safety of those around him.

Mel Noblett is an environmental reporter who senses there is more to Daniel’s bizarre behavior than a personality quirk, and together they must find out why he is having these visions, and what, if anything, they can do to alter their outcome.

Once again, the story captivates with lyric beauty, humor, tension, mystery and love – of family, of friendship, of life, and of the environment. And may I say ~ Long Live the Bees! Very well done.

More Than Magic: I was thoroughly delighted by this book and recommend it for anyone who likes mystery, drama, humor, a great love story, and yes, magic. The opening, scene-setting chapter for physician Grace is both captivating and mysterious, and her very ill patient, young ‘Tink,’ absolutely charming. But what becomes of either of them? We are left to wonder.

With the opening chapter for Nick, we are introduced to a man who seems nice, affable, and certainly has friends who care about his well-being, but this intro is equally mysterious. What is he all about, what is he being sent to find out, and what is the underlying health issue alluded to?

When Grace and Nick finally meet, way back in a Southern mountain holler, the story unwinds with charismatic characters, fun writing, and rich scene-setting. However, this is not a RomCom – far from it. There is something dark, perhaps even evil going on, and Grace and Nick, along with beautifully precocious child, Jamie, must work together to uncover what that is, in order to ‘cure’ the mountain of its disease.

The writing is captivating, and one sign of a true storyteller is when I find myself so ‘inside’ the story I come out surprised I don’t actually know any of the characters personally, or have never visited the region portrayed. More than Magic is one of those, and I applaud Donna June Cooper on her first book. I look forward to many more. Very well done.

Four Fang Reviews

Dark Redemption: The much-anticipated Dark Redemption is a good follow up to Fall of Darkness, and with its powerful cliff-hanger ending, I’m not sure my heart can take the anticipation, let alone the wait for book three! Kate and Dominic are back together – thank goodness. But wait, now both sides, the werewolves and the vampires, want them dead at any cost. What a thing for these mortal enemy factions to agree upon.

The writing, per usual, is clear, descriptive, and pulls the reader in from the first moments. Unlike the first book, however, Dark Redemption slows in the middle, so that we may enjoy a special moment with the happy couple. This slowing takes up too much time in my view, especially since we know the whole world is hunting the pair. Regardless, there is plenty going on before and after, with twists that will raise the eyebrows of even the most stalwart of readers.

This sequel is not to be missed, and once again, I find myself impatiently its sequel, the final book in The Chronicles of Darkness series. Well done.

Leopold's Wicked Embrace: Very hot vampires and werewolves are tearing it up in New Orleans! Leopold is one hot, ancient, and powerful and perennially angry vampire, but he’s no match for the quiet, beautiful and enigmatic Laryssa. In a town at ease with its somewhat less than human population, Laryssa has a secret to hide, a secret Leopold very much wants to uncover. As do many others.

This story is well written, fast-paced and hot! And it’s nice to know the vamps and the weres can get along when they have to.

Well done.

Beyond the Veil: Muse is treated like a freak by her family, and a child by the very dangerous man who protects her. While she thinks she has found a niche in which she can lead a life of her own choosing, circumstances are about to blow that false sense of security all to…Hell.

I enjoyed this tale. Fast-paced and full of surprises, it will keep you turning the pages with heart-pounding tension/angst/drama/delight. The characters and situations are well drawn, and the story itself imaginative and unpredictable.

Well done.

His Haven: Snatched from poverty by a wealthy man who claims he’s taken her for her own good, Haven does not care for, nor does she fully understand the life he offers. She’d rather be at her poor, sickly father’s side, than dripping in gems and drinking champagne.

Harper Brooks weaves an interesting tale that reveals the glamorous ennui of the vampire elite of England. While slowly peeling back the layers of this secret society, she brings to light both evil and goodness in unlooked-for corners. It is well written, and truly captures the imagination, and oh, fasten your seatbelts for the grand finale! It’ll leave your head spinning…with delight.

Well done.

The Darkness of Glengowyn: Different. Intriguing. Imaginative. A world of Elves, war, powerful magic, love that spans the ages and will not be denied. The writing is as rich and strong as the scene setting. Beautiful and romantic by turns, it also has moments of terror, suspense, and dread. I enjoyed this story and look forward to the series continuing.

Well done.

Penelope's Ghost: This story is delightful…and mysterious…and a wonderful Australian vacation in book form. I learned so many Aussy-isms! When Lisa loses her husband to another man, she is forced to regroup, reassess, and rebuild her life. Money is short and good jobs seem to be non-existent, so she takes a temporary job as a live-in nanny. She finds herself in the middle of a sad and dysfunctional family, and, being sensitive to ghosts, she can’t help but wonder who is haunting handsome Mr. Prescott’s ancient manor home. Well, wouldn’t you wonder, too? Lives are changed, both past and present, and in the end, the changes are all good, very good.

Well done.