Leah Hultenschmidt: “I was immediately swept away by how evocative this book is – foggy nights, pounding hoofbeats, evil spectres. And the hero had a lot of the attributes that have always made vampires so popular–superstrength, unworldly powers, forced to rein in a dark side–but isn’t a vampire. It’s a gothic paranormal historical.”

TGTBTU: “It’s a gothic paranormal historical.” Need we say more? Honestly most of the paranormal historical novels I have tried haven’t worked for me. Other than Kathryn Smith’s Vamps I can’t think of one off the top of my head I LOVED. But toss in gothic and I am always interested in seeing what the author comes up with. Ok and I have a stack of them on my tbr pile… I have hope I can’t help it.

Every night at midnight Dax could start to feel the change. The curse that made him less human as the Phantom inside struggled to take over. Then he would hear the ghost riders—their pounding hoofbeats drawing ever nearer, reminding him that he was never safe. Nor were the ones he loved.

As a girl, Robyn had pledged herself to him. But that was a lifetime ago. Now she was a woman. Beautiful. Pure. Every time she was near—her soft skin, her delicate scent—the Phantom wanted to claim her, to bring her body to the greatest heights of pleasure. Then steal her soul. Dax couldn’t allow that to happen. He was supposed to be protecting her. But deep down, he knew her love could save him. If the Phantom didn’t get her first.

check out an excerpt here… if you read it let us know what you think…

The Accidental Demon Slayer by Angie Fox is coming in August.

Leah Hultenschmidt, Dorchester editor par excellence, sez: “You know editors are always nattering on and on about ‘voice’? Well, Angie’s got it. This is one of those books where every time I read the opening lines, I got sucked in all over again and just wanted to keep reading.

“The book itself is a wildly fun paranormal along the lines of Katie MacAlister, Stephanie Rowe or Michelle Rowen. In fact, Stephanie and Michelle were kind enough to read the book early and gave it fantastic quotes.”

Keep reading…

It’s never a good day when an ancient demon shows up on your toilet. For Lizzie Brown, that’s just the beginning. Soon her hyperactive terrier starts talking, and her long-lost biker-witch Grandma is hurling Smucker’s jars filled with magic. Just when she thinks she’s seen it all, Lizzie learns she’s a demon slayer—and all hell is after her.

Of course, that’s not the only thing after her. Dimitri Kallinikos, a devastatingly handsome shape-shifting griffin, needs Lizzie to slay a demon of his own. But how do you talk a girl you’ve never met into going straight to the underworld? Lie. And if that doesn’t work, how dangerous could a little seduction be…?

We sez: This has Laura J written all over it. And since Stephaine Rowe liked it so much Lawson might like it. I gave it a look over but quickly passed. It is the funnay! It doesn’t like me. This makes me sad. But I keep trying .

Read an excerpt here and you can check out her contest here.

Double Enchantment (Relics of Merlin, Book 2) by Kathryne Kennedy

“This is Kathryne’s second book in the Relics of Merlin series, and just like Enchanting the Lady, it delivers a Victorian world full of magic. Author Erin Grady summed it up best with: ‘The imagination of J. K. Rowling and the romance of Julie Garwood.’ I just love the premise of this book, not to mention the shape-shifting stallion of a hero.” – Leah Hultenschmidt, Dorchester Editor Extraordinaire

Lady Jasmina was in a world of trouble. A simple spell had gone disastrously haywire and now there was a woman running around London who looked exactly like her-a woman with no sense of propriety whatsoever. All Society was whispering, and a baronet she’d never met was suddenly acting like he knew her…in a most intimate way. To find her double and set things right, they’d have to work together-braving the fog-shrouded streets, a mysterious group called the Brotherhood, and a passion stronger than any magic.

You can find Devon’s review of book 1 here and she is mucho excited to read this next one. As is Sandy M, who also enjoyed the first book. If you haven’t picked it up yet and you are one of those “le gasp! books must be read in order or a fairy loses their wings” types, this is a September release (i.e., 26 Aug 08).

Check out her contest (hurry! closes May 31) here, read an excerpt here and pre-order here.