Sandy M’s review of Silver Silence (Druids of Avalon, Book 4) by Joy Nash
Historical Paranormal Romance published by Love Spell 27 Oct 09

I’m one of those who likes to read a series in order. However, Sybil has pretty much broken me of that habit over the past number of months. But once in a while there’s a series that just needs to be read the way it’s intended. This is one of those series. It’s not that you miss anything from previous books or you don’t know who the characters are or anything like that. In this case it’s the feel of the story.

Ms. Nash has given us her spin on the Arthurian legend, and her research and ultimate writing is so rich and lavish, so full of a magical essence that reading the series in order would enhance the pleasure received when sitting down with these books. The reader would gain so much more from the series as a whole than just reading one or two of them or reading the last one first, as I’ve done. Do I feel that I lost a little something in just reading this one book so far?  Yeah, I do. There’s so much more to it, more to be had in all those variable nuances that I know from reading this book will be in the others and will bring the series together.

Rhys is a Druid from Avalon and he’s been traveling most of his life to find young ones who have the promise of magic in them to keep Avalon and its magic and mysticism alive. After so many years, he’s tired and longs for home, but though he visits when he can, Avalon hasn’t been his home for a long time. This visit is brought on by the sudden urge to see Breena, despite everything in him telling him he shouldn’t. She’s much too young and innocent for  man such as himself, but she’s also someone that he desperately needs.

Not having heard from Rhys in nearly a year, Breena finally gives in and scries his whereabouts just to make sure he’s all right. But she gets more than she bargained for when she witnesses him heading into the arms of another woman. Though she tries to put him and what she sees out of her mind and heart, when Rhys finally comes home, she finds she can’t harden her heart toward him. She’s loved him for too long to do so. But nothing has changed for Rhys, and after an argument when he tells her there can be nothing between them, Breena has the opportunity to be her own woman and to right the wrong she’s had visions about for so many years.

Whisked three hundred years into the future by Myrddin, a powerful Druid, Breena is cast into the middle of war between two lords who want the same woman, the woman who she must help protect to save the Avalon and Britain she knows from a dark and ugly future. After searching for Breena when she’s discovered missing, Rhys follows a nearly hidden, magical thread right into the future to bring Breena home. What they run into and experience in that space of time before they do get home hits everything from grief to unadulterated joy, with all kinds of magic thrown in.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. There’s a little of everything for every type of reader, and the romance between Rhys and Breena is a hard road, but one that is worth every dogged step it took to get there, for them and for the reader.

Grade: A

Summary:

Dark Magic dooms Rhys to wander the endless roadways and wild forests, searching for druids strong enough to battle the coming evil. Duty demands that he lead a solitary life, taking women to his bed but not into his heart.

Dark Passion drives Rhys to commit acts that shame him, especially when he believes they’ve been witnessed by the innocent druidess he’s sworn to protect. Breena is young and pure, and Rhys hates himself for his dark longing.

A Dark Spell steals Breena away, leaving Rhys to follow her through the Lost Lands to Britain’s grim future, when the danger Breena has foreseen threatens to extinguish the Light of Avalon. Only together can Rhys and Breena unravel the secret linking their past with a future King, and break the… Silver Silence

Read an excerpt. (scroll down)

Other books in this series:

Sandy M’s review of A Little Light Magic by Joy Nash
Contemporary Paranormal Romance released by Leisure 26 May 09

What a wonderful book this is! I enjoyed every last word of it. It’s that perfect book to sit on the beach, on the patio, under a huge shade tree and just lose yourself in. New love, young love, family, fear for that family, fun, danger and so much more is jam packed between the covers of this book.

Tori has just inherited a small beach house from her Aunt Millie, the last of her family. She’s now alone in the world and is trying to make a go of one of her dreams. But work needs to be done on the house before she can open Destiny’s Gate to sell her crystals and tarot card readings, among other things. Finding a contractor to get her up to code is a little more difficult than she thought it would be. When her last hope walks out the door because her job is too small, Tori breaks out her last resort – one of a number of spell packs given to her by a New Orleans witch.

Not needing a headache like the kooky woman he just met, Nick doesn’t have time for her fixer-upper with all his huge and problem-ridden jobs this summer. But something makes him change his mind, and before he knows it, he’s back at Tori’s door letting her know he can work on her place nights and weekends himself. Why not, she’s easy on the eyes and it’s been a while since he’s had female companionship, so this just might work out for all involved.

And while there is all kinds of fun as Nick and Tori get to know one another while fixing up her store, so much more is going on in their lives that is both funny as can be but also heartbreaking and nearly tragic. Tori is still recuperating from a miscarriage and now longs to have a child in her life. Her ex-boyfriend wanted nothing to do with a child, so Tori wanted no more to do with him. Learning she has a condition that can be helped only by either surgery or becoming pregnant, she thinks about a fertility clinic. Until things heat up between her and Nick, that is.

But Nick is divorced and has a 17-year-old daughter, who is now giving him fits when it comes to the teenage lifeguard she thinks she’s in love with. He doesn’t want pregnancy to ruin her life like it did his, and then his wife up and left him after Leigh was born. On top that his mother is not herself lately, mysteriously disappearing every Thursday night; his grandmother can’t keep her klepto hands to herself; his youngest brother is always out goofing around at his Hollywood auditions when he should be doing his part in the family construction business. Who needs a wife and child just to make life that much more complicated?

I so love these two characters. They are attracted to each other despite their differences. Tori is a carefree spirit who has the beliefs to go along with her lighthearted attitude. Nick is a by-the-rules guy, responsible to a fault, all due to having to take over when his father died fifteen years ago; he had two brothers and a mother to take care of. But they have fun when they’re together, and you feel the loss when they decide things won’t work for them. The secondary characters are just as terrific. Nick’s family is just priceless and Tori’s lesbian friends do their best to support her in her dilemma.

Though a good portion of the book is light and fun, there are scary times and vulnerable times peppered throughout. It’s a great balance to give a reader one perfect read.

Grade: A+

Summary:

When a girl with no family meets a guy with too much.

For Tori Morgan, family’s a blessing the universe hasn’t sent her way. Her parents are long gone, her chance of having a baby is slipping away, and the only thing she can call her own is a neglected old house. What she wants more than anything is a place where she belongs, and a big, noisy clan to share her life.

For Nick Santangelo, family’s more like a curse. His nonna is a closet kleptomaniac, his mom’s a menopausal time bomb and his motherless daughter is headed for serious boy trouble. The last thing Nick needs is another female making demands on his time.

But summer on the Jersey shore can be an enchanted season, when life’s hurts are soothed by the ebb and flow of the tides and love can bring together the most unlikely prospects. A hard-headed contractor and a lonely reader of Tarot cards and crystal prisms? All it takes is A Little Light Magic.

Read an excerpt. (scroll down)

Sandy M’s review of Immortals: The Crossing (Immortals, Book 6) by Joy Nash
Contemporary Paranormal Romance released by Love Spell 30 Sep 08

This is the first book in the series that really doesn’t have anything to do with the immortal brothers we’ve come to know throughout the last five books.  I didn’t know what to expect, I really liked those immortal, muscle-bound gods.  I wasn’t sure I was ready to give them up.  But I’m very pleasantly surprised with this story and its characters.

We’ve dealt with Mac Lir a number of times during the series and I’m glad the author found a way to “mature” him for his own book.  I just couldn’t imagine a hero that looks like a 12-year-old.  We learn, though, that Mac ended up with the taint of death magic in his soul, as did the other immortals, when they saved Tain from his insanity and the Old One who’d kept him imprisoned for 700 years in The Redeeming.  It’s this sliver of death magic that brings on a few changes in Mac, one being a more mature look as the book opens and he meets Artemis, a witch that is able to ply both life and death magic, something not many are able to accomplish.

Artemis has been stealing the life essence of the faery in villages through the Scottish Highlands, and Mac, being the protector of all things magic, is on tour and not around when Artemis’ last “attack” takes a toll on faery children.  Angry at himself for failing in his responsibilities, Mac is determined to find the culprit and bring them before the council where most lawbreakers are put to death.  He doesn’t count on the pull he feels toward Artemis, something that feels right to him and that’s missing from his life.

Wanting more from her before he knows what she’s up to, he gives her the one thing she may not want, the one thing he wants more than anything else, and when their fight to the death comes, Mac knows he’d do whatever it takes to make sure Artemis comes through it alive, even at the cost of his own soul.

Being a former law enforcement officer who used her abilities for the good, Artemis left her policing days behind her when she discovered her superiors wanted her to use her power for their own devices.  Not contemplating any trouble in everyday life as a regular citizen, she lets her guard down and now she’s racing against time to save her son’s soul from another Old One, but she finds herself being stymied by a handsome and powerful demigod.

Knowing Mac can’t help her when she gets to Hell — his life magic is useless there — she refuses to share her story with him, determined to do it all on her own, ready to face anything as long as her son is allowed to live. They both end up in Hell, however, fighting demons at every turn, betrayal behind every door, and love with every look and touch.  Trust is Artemis’ one downfall, but when push comes to shove and it looks like neither one of them may leave Satan’s realm alive, she has to put her faith in Mac, even after all she’s done to him, and that’s one of the hardest things she’s ever done, all the while doubting she can really do it.

The fun part of this book is once Mac and Artemis descend into Hell.  It reads like a dream, one of those dreams that is really bizarre, you wonder what it all means and it’s as nonsensical as can be.  As they go through each layer of Hell, it’s that dreamlike weirdness that’s represented on each level, and they must figure out how to get past all strange things they find to move on to the next level.  Mac uses more and more of that death magic that is now consuming his soul, but he’s more than happy to give in to it to keep Artemis alive.  Despite the evil around them, they still cling to the good and the light in each other and in their love, but they still have to get through the deepest part of that hellpit, Satan’s level.  And it’s not what you expect.

At first I was a little disappointed the series was inching away from the immortal brothers, but I have to say this is a step in the right direction to keep it interesting.  Kalen is the only brother we see here and that’s in very few scenes.  But there’s enough going on in his book that I missed them only a little bit.  Mac comes into his own and ends up being a terrific hero.

Grade: B+

Summary:

Celtic demigod Manannán mac Lir (Mac) is hot on the trail of Artemis Black, a stunningly dangerous witch who is inexplicably able to intertwine life magic with death magic. Her rare talent nearly killed a faerie infant under Mac’s protection. For the safety of his people, he should punish her severely for this crime.

But once Mac runs Artemis to ground, he finds he just can’t handle the sexy, infuriating witch. Artemis is both vulnerable and cunning, and it’s not often that Mac meets a female who can tug at his heartstrings and challenge his magic. Each time Mac thinks he’s got Artemis cornered, she slips from his grasp. Soon, he’s obsessed.

Artemis is desperate. So desperate, she’s been skimming life essence from faeries, despite the inherent danger, intending to barter the stolen magic for the assistance of a ruthless demon. When her spell races out of control, nearly killing a faerie young one, Artemis calls the spell back. But not quickly enough to escape the notice of one very angry, very sexy Celtic demigod.

Passions run high between Artemis and Mac—and so does suspicion. What human would refuse the help of a demigod? Mac’s sure Artemis is hiding something he’s not going to like. It’s clear she’s in trouble, and dealing in dangerous magic. He won’t let her destroy herself. He’s going to stick tight by her side until he uncovers the truth.

Even when she leads him straight into Hell.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Sandy M’s review of Immortals: The Redeeming (Immortals, Book 5) by Jennifer Ashley
Contemporary Paranormal Romance published by Love Spell 26 Aug 08

This book ended up being quite anticlimactic for me. Over the first four books in the series when learning about Tain’s horrible circumstances, learning about how Adrian has searched for 700 years for his baby brother, learning that perhaps Tain can’t be saved when all is said and done, I knew, once it was announced there would be a book about Tain, that he would be saved, and though most of that takes place in The Gathering, I expected and anticipated more between these immortal demigod brothers in this book. Alas, for me it was not to be.

Since his release from his imprisonment by an ancient demon and his subsequent decline into insanity because of resultant torture by the demon, Tain has been on his own, roaming from Ravenscroft, his goddess mother’s home, to here and there wherever he found himself, Tain still carries guilt about his actions while imprisoned, he still fears he’ll react when around demons, which means he can’t be around the one woman who might be able to save him further than what’s already been done. She’s a demon; half demon anyway. And Tain just doesn’t trust himself to be around her. He doesn’t trust himself to be around anyone he loves for fear of his residual reactions to all he’s gone through.

Okay, I can understand that. But even after Tain has come to San Francisco and gets caught up Samantha’s current demon investigation, there’s only very few scenes between Tain and his brothers; one is only mentioned, never seen. They show concern about him, yes, in those few scenes included, but he’s just come off 700 years of torture. There should have been something more between them. There is plenty of emotion on Samantha’s part once she realizes she loves Tain and wishes she could trust him. Not even her love can keep him from falling back into his insanity and earning her trust totally, or she thinks.

She also finds herself in the middle of a demon war, the current matriarch of her clan being murdered and plans underway of nominating Samantha herself for the top spot, but she knows she’s not qualified for such a position. She’s not a full demon; she’s a cop with the paranormal police, a job she loves. Her father is finally back in her life, something she at first never thought would happen and now she’s grudgingly getting to know him. Then Tain is back. The god with a body to match that makes her burn, but she knows she can’t ever be with him. She still goes to him whenever he’s near, however. Can’t blame her for that. I think I would too. Even with all of Tain’s problems, he’s beautiful to look at, he heals with his magic, he’s sensitive when the situation calls for it and a deadly warrior in the next. It takes Tain to show Samantha how strong she truly is.

While this is a good story, a good romance between the pages, a new demon to battle along with inner demons, it’s action packed, the love scenes are hot and sizzling, there is emotion between Tain and Samantha, and it’s interesting to find out the story of Samantha’s father and why he was absent from her life so many years, I still feel, for me, the brothers need to gather round and help Tain heal further. They’d left him alone for a year or so already. Once he lit in San Francisco, they should have been there. And especially once Tain finds out from his mother why he had to endure his captivity and especially all he goes through again at the hands of this new demon, even if a portion of that lifted a lot of his burdens, his brother still need to be there for him.

I’d come to love these brothers and how they fought to save the world in their own books, how they fought to save Tain, and it’s just a little bit of a disappointment to see so little of them in this turning-point book.

Grade: B+

Summary:

For centuries they have walked among us–vampires, shape-shifters, the Celtic Sidhe, demons, and other magical beings. Their battle to reign supreme is constant, but one force holds them in check, a race of powerful warriors known as the IMMORTALS

He is going to take her. And it won’t be gentle. After all, the last 700 years of torture and captivity haven’t been gentle on Tain. This woman, this half-demon who leaves him burning with desire, is pretty tough herself. She needs to be, for the world is not safe for demon-kind these days. A violent backlash has disrupted the balance of power, and now Tain finds he may have to rescue the dark ones instead of fight them. He feels compelled to protect the alluring Samantha–whether she wants him to or not–but all he can think of is seduction. Ultimately, she’ll either destroy him or bring exactly what he needs most…THE REDEEMING

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Sandy M’s review of Immortals: The Awakening (Immortals, Book 3) by Joy Nash Contemporary Paranormal Romance released by Love Spell 31 Jul 07Three books down in this series, one to go before we get all new stories about these sexy Immortals. The first book, Immortals: The Redeeming, of the new installments will be out in September and I have a feeling it’s the one you’ve been waiting for just like I have, and I’m on pace to bring you reviews right up to the new release dates. But let’s talk about Awakening first.

Kalen is just as alpha and sexy as his brothers, but he’s kept pretty much to himself for the last several centuries. He hasn’t had any contact with his brothers in all that time, and he has no idea of the havoc that’s currently raining down on the world. Christine is a witch, drawing her power from water, and she’s on the hunt for Kalen so he can help his brothers save them all. What she doesn’t expect is both love and horror to push their way into her life.

While I liked this book, I don’t like it nearly as much as the first two. I do like the characters very much. They’re as engaging, kick butt, and fun as the previous characters. The love scenes are right up there with the rest of them. What brought this story down for me was the fact we have no contact with either Adrian or Darius at all. Tain and his demon do show up near the end, but I still wanted at least a phone call, a psychic connection, something between these brothers. We do find out that Kalen is not all that thrilled with his oldest brother, Adrian, but even a few choice words or some thrown punches would have been better than nothing. The reunion between the brothers is part of what makes these books for me. I did get the reunion with Tain, which makes me glad, and I wasn’t disappointed in that, it was on par with the other reunions. I just wanted more.

Other than that, this story is just as fast paced, just as grim, just as hot and heavy as the other two. We meet two new characters, Mac, who is an age-old god but looks about sixteen, and his sister, Leanna, who is as power hungry as they come, so much so she sells her soul. I’m going to love to see how she fares in succeeding books ‘cuz it can’t be good and she deserves it! The mystery of why Kalen refuses to fight is done well; it’s only his love that moves him to risk everything. But without that connection to the previous characters, I felt cut off from what had gone before, even with disaster running amuck in this book.

Grade: B+See my review of The Calling and The Darkening. See Shannon’s review of The Calling.

Summary:

She comes to him in a dream: her creamy skin delectably cool, silky raven hair smelling of the sea and ocean-blue eyes reflecting the depths of her passion. She is everything Kalen has been desperate to capture in his art — and in his bed. In reality, when Christine finds his remote Scottish castle, it is to persuade the Immortal warrior to help repel the darkness spreading around the world. But Kalen has a vindictive Sidhe trying to steal his powers and a dark secret of his own to battle before he and Christine can give in to –The Awakening.

Read an excerpt here.

Other books in this series:

This just in…

Those sexy demigods are back. Love Spell’s Immortals series is slated to begin again in the fall…

• The Redeeming by Jennifer Ashley out in September (26 Aug 08)
• The Crossing by Joy Nash in October 2008
• The Haunting by Robin T. Popp in November 2008
• The Reckoning by all three authors is due out in February 2009

For more information check out The Immortals website.

Ever wonder which Immortal Warrior is your Soul Mate?  Find out here: Immortal Warrior Quiz.

Consider yourself flashed.

Devon’s review of Deep Magic (Druids of Avalon, Book 2) by Joy Nash
Historical paranormal romance published 1 Jan 08 by Love Spell

This was a difficult book to categorize. It has a historical (and unusual) setting: 132 A.D. Roman-occupied Britain with a rich depiction of Roman and Celtic cultures uneasily co-existing. Deep Magic could also be called a paranormal: Druid Magic, extra sensory abilities, and shapeshifting. I also want to call it a fantasy romance: it has more in common with sweeping, epic high fantasy than a paranormal romance.

The blurb doesn’t really do the book justice, so here’s a bit more. Gwendolyn is a powerful and independent Druidess, destined to be the Guardian of Avalon, a hidden Celtic settlement. When Avalon is threatened, she takes it upon herself to create a magical weapon and will need the help of a Roman blacksmith named Marcus Aquila. Using their combined skills, Marcus and Gwendolyn forge Exchalybur. Will they be able to save the people of Avalon? And will Gwendolyn and Marcus be able to overcome their differences and be together?

This book started off slow. Lots of “Light,” “Darkness,” “Deep Magic,” “Words” ( all with significant capitals) – concepts that were obviously important but didn’t make much sense. Characters spoke with that “wasna”, “dinna”, “ye” dialect that I don’t like. However, once the book hit its stride, it was absolutely wonderful. The magical stuff was explained without info dumping. The setting was vivid and well-fleshed out, and the secondary characters were interesting and vital to the story, rather than just sequel bait. The plot unfolded slowly, and deliciously. I wanted it drawn out to prolong my enjoyment. This is the first book that I’ve read in months where I was hoping that everyone would just go to sleep so I could get back to reading.

A compelling plot, interesting characters and an intense romance are combined for an unusual treat. I would recommend Deep Magic to those who like unusual historical settings, paranormal fans who are sick of the usual fare, and fantasy fans. I will be putting Ms. Nash on my “must read” list, and will definitely seek out her prior, related titles (FYI: despite my first impression, this book can certainly stand alone). A great way to end 2007, and raise my reading hopes for 2008.

Grade: A-

Blurb:  Primordial power, older than Light and Dark magic. Dangerous. Unpredictable. Forbidden. A power no human can tame.

One woman will try. She is Gwendolyn — Druidess, Daughter of the Lady. She fears her Light alone is not strong enough to protect Avalon from its enemy. Marcus Aquila — Roman, blacksmith, hater of magic. To banish his sister’s terrifying premonitions, Marcus barters his skills to a tempting Druidess he dares not trust.

Together, they create Exchalybur. Dangerous. Unpredictable. Forbidden. A weapon no human can command. One woman will try.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Am I the only one who is shocked that Love Spell did this cover?

The Holy Grail of legend unites a Druid hermit and the daughter of his Roman enemy in The Grail King…Follow the magical Holy Grail and its Druid Keepers two centuries before King Arthur. Owein, a cursed Druid Seer, lives alone in the ruins of a mountain village. When Clara arrives seeking aid, Owein’s first impulse is to turn her away…until he discovers she seeks a Druid Grail that could be the key to driving the Romans from the hills of Britannia forever…

Joy Nash talks a little about the book on her blog.

LIMITED TIME EXCERPT from chapter ten and now character interviews!

very cool… I love nifty extras!