Once Upon an Autumn Eve by Dennis L. McKiernan

Title:  Once Upon an Autumn Eve
Author:  Dennis L. McKiernan
Pages:  378
Genre:  Fantasy, Romance
Series:  Faery Series, Book 3

Synopsis:  Based loosely on the fairy tale of the Glass Mountain and the Scottish ballad of Tam Lin

Once upon an autumn eve, a wounded knight named Sieur Luc rides into the Autumnwood - and into the heart of Princess Liaze. But even as love blooms between them, dark forces snatch him away. Guided by the enigmatic Fates, Liaze sets out on a desperate quest to follow the trail of her true love no matter what perils she may encounter.

Review:  This series is one of the very few romance series I read.  These books are full of wonderful fantasy settings and characters.  I love that each of the books is a lengthy retelling of one (or more) fairy tales.

This story was quite good.  It's not the best one of the series, but it is good.

Rating:  7.5 / 10

Wizard and Glass by Stephen King

Title:  Wizard and Glass
Author:  Stephen King
Pages:  672
Genre:  Fantasy / Romance
Publisher:  Plume, 1997
Series:  The Dark Tower, Book 4

"It wasn't blood but roses."

Synopsis:   Stephen King invites readers back into the world of Roland the Gunslinger, in this, the eagerly anticipated fourth volume in his epic series of horror and fantasy. Wizard and Glass picks up where the last book left off, with our hero, Roland, and his unlikely band of followers escaping from one world and slipping into the next. And it is there that Roland tells them a story, one that details his discovery of something even more elusive than the Dark Tower: love. But his romance with the beautiful and quixotic Susan Delgado also has its dangers, as her world is torn apart by war. Here is Roland's journey to his own past, to a time when valuable lessons awaited him, lessons of loyalty and betrayal, love and loss. As he did in the first three volumes in the Dark Tower series, The Gunslinger, The Drawing of the Three, and The Waste Lands, Stephen King displays his marvelous talent for storytelling. Wizard and Glass is Stephen King at his very best.

Death for you, life for the crop.  Charyou tree.

Review:  This is probably the most difficult book of The Dark Tower series for me to get through.  A great deal of the story is about Roland's past.  His childhood takes several horrible twists and turns.  I know it's required.  How else would he become the Gunslinger he needed to be later in life?  But, that doesn't make the story any less tragic.

I also never loved the way this book brings portions of the The Wizard of Oz into the mix.  It just seemed strange and unnecessary to me, although I admit it does create an oddly scary backdrop for the meeting with Randall Flagg.  It can be argued that Maerlyn's Rainbow and The Wizard of Oz fit together seamlessly, even if it is in a twisted fashion, but the fit seems just a little too forced, a little too bizarre, and somehow out of sync.

All that aside, this story is a necessary part of the quest.  It defines how, when and why Roland began the quest and why, after all this time, he must continue it to the bitter end.  It's also a great story, even though I find it strange in places.

Rating:  9 / 10

Beauty by Sheri S. Tepper

Title:  Beauty
Author:  Sheri S. Tepper
Pages:  463
Genre:  Historical / Fantasy
Publisher:  Bantam, 1992
Series:  Stand Alone

"No forest, no prairie, no birds, no fish.  It all went to Fidipur."

Synopsis: With the  critically acclaimed novels The Gate To Women's Country, Raising The Stones, and the  Hugo-nominated Grass, Sheri Tepper has established herself as one of the major science fiction writers of our time.

In Beauty, she broadens her territory even further, with a novel that evokes all the richness of  fairy tale and fable. Drawing on the wellspring of tales such as "Sleeping Beauty,"  Beauty is a moving novel of love and loss, hope and  despair, magic and nature. Set against a backdrop both enchanted and frightening, the story begins with a wicked aunt's curse that will afflict a young woman named Beauty on her sixteenth birthday.  Though Beauty is able to sidestep tragedy, she soon finds herself embarked on an adventure of vast consequences. For it becomes clear that the enchanted places of this fantastic world--a place not unlike our own--are in danger and must be saved before it is too late.

Review:  This book has it all; time travel, fairies, magic, love and even horror.  It combines fairy tales and reality to create a magical past and a horrible future for the world.  The main character travels between 1347 and 2089 with a few side trips in between.  It's fantasy, romance, science fiction and portions of it are dystopian....and some of it is almost too terrible to read.  It isn't an easy combination to pull off, all these very separate story types in one novel.  This author manages it, but I found myself only liking certain portions of it and not others.  There were just too many themes, although the main one is that we are ruining our world and the beauty of nature.

I'm not overly fond of novels that grind an ax quite so loudly as this one did.  I agree with her ideals.  I just don't agree with her beating the readers over the head with them, not to this degree and not in fictional literature.  I was determined to finish because I fully expected "and they lived happily ever after" at the end, but it wasn't that way at all.  I'm giving extra points for originality though.  There was certainly plenty of that and it's always refreshing to find.

Rating:  5 / 10

And Then You Die by Iris Johansen

Title:  And Then You Die
Author:  Iris Johansen
Pages:  322
Genre:  Romance / Thriller
Publisher:  Bantam, 1988
Series:  Stand Alone

Synopsis: She expected sunshine and balmy breezes. What she saw was everyone's worst nightmare.

Bess Grady has heard the unmistakable sound before. She knows what it means. But not even the eerie lament of the howling dogs can prepare her for what has taken place in the small village. The seasoned photojournalist had been sent there on an easy assignment, and now she has stumbled upon something she was never meant to see. Amid chaos and fear, she joins forces with an intimidating stranger, a man whose alliances are unclear but whose methods have a way of leaving bodies in his wake. For what she has witnessed is only the first stage in a plan of terror that may kill us all. And she has no choice but to stop it--or die trying....

Review:  This was an extremely fast-paced and exciting thriller.  Bess and Kaldak must stop a mad-man from releasing his horror on the United States.  There was also quite a bit of romance, some of it pretty sizzling, which I didn't enjoy as much as the other parts, but then I never have cared much for reading romance.

I picked up this book and read it compulsively.  I finished it in less than 24 hours.  It really was quite wonderful.

Rating:  8 / 10

The Search by Iris Johansen

Title:  The Search
Author:  Iris Johansen
Pages:  311
Genre:  Thriller
Publisher:  Bantam Books, 2000
Series:  Eve Duncan, Book 3

Synopsis:  As part of an elite K-9 search and rescue team, Sarah Patrick and her golden retriever, Monty, have a gift for finding what no one else can.  But their latest assignment is not like the others.  This time Sarah is being forced to take part in a deadly mission....by a man who knows enough about her past to ensure her cooperation.

Billionaire Jack Logan's top-secret venture has been sabotaged, its facilities destroyed, and its handpicked staff massacred.  The sole survivor is being held for ransom.  Logan knows that the only way to save the man -- and the secrets he holds -- is to find him as soon as possible.  Sarah is furious when she is strong-armed into joining Logan on his search.  And once she takes the perilous assignment, not even Logan's promises that she and Monty will be safe may be enough to protect them.  Because a killer is devising a sadistic vengeance...and he may soon find use for Sarah.

Review:  I had read what I thought were the first 10 books of this series, only to find out I'd skipped the third one somehow.  So, once I discovered my mistake, I knew that this book would be one I'd read this year.  I love this author's stories, even though they are sometimes a more romantic than I usually like.  And I especially love her character Eve Duncan.

Eve played a minor role in this book.  Sarah and Logan and Monty were the stars of this story.  The bad guy was chillingly, delightfully bad.  The story was great, taking the characters across the world and back again, all in an effort to save lives.....and eventually themselves. But, Monty stole the show.  He and his girlfriend, Maggie, are smart and fun.

Rating:  7.5 / 10

The Magic Cup by Andrew M. Greeley

Title:  The Magic Cup
Author:  Andrew M. Greeley
Pages:  285
Genre:  Historical Fantasy
Publisher:  TOR, 1979
Series:  Stand Alone

Synopsis:  In this novel of legendary Ireland, Andrew Greeley takes you back to a long-ago time of mists and magic, faith and love.  Here you will meet Cormac MacDermot, the young king destined to lead Ireland out of paganism to Christianity; his aged father, now on the throne; and the seductive witch-queen who holds the country in thrall.  Here also is the lovely slave girl Brigid.  As light-footed as an Irish pixie, she will help Cormac seek the magic cup that will confirm his right to be High King of Ireland.

Over mountain and river they will journey, beset by perils.  But when their enemies capture Brigid, and Cormac strives to save her, he will see that the little slave girl is a great deal more than she seems.

Review:  This book is a version of the Irish legend of the quest for the Holy Grail.  I honestly love historical fiction, especially from this time period, but this book was a bit of a disappointment.  It had plenty of realistic historical backdrop.  It just also seemed to drag on and on and on in some places.  The perils were many.......too many.  It got to the point where I wondered if the quest would ever end.

It was also a little like reading a torrid romance novel set in ancient Ireland.  Since I have very little patience for romance of any kind, this set my teeth on edge.  It was almost a bodice-ripper and almost a sweet love story, but didn't manage to really be either one.  It came across as just plain silly for the most part.

Rating:  3.5 / 10

The Coelura by Anne McCaffrey

Title:  The Coelura
Author:  Anne McCaffrey
Pages:  165
Genre:  Science Fiction / Romance
Publisher:  TOR Books, 1987

Synopsis:  Casting aside her duty as the heir to the Ambassador of her world, Lady Caissa refuses to marry a man she despises and flees into the Forbidden Zone, where she meets a handsome injured man and sets a world-changing series of events in motion

Review:  This is a repeat of an oft-told tale, only this time it's told on another planet.  Beautiful, self-centered princess goes somewhere forbidden and meets a mysterious, handsome man.  She immediately falls in love with him, only to find out later he is actually a prince.  The twist?  The Coelura, a species native to the planet, is in jeopardy and the prince and princess must save them....by getting married.  Ugh.

I love Anne McCaffrey and when she does Science Fiction or Fantasy, she is one of the best.  She is the original Mother of Dragons.  I just have so little patience for romance, especially an unlikely and silly romance between two characters that barely know each other.  This was a thankfully short and quick read.  It had really nice pen and ink illustrations, which were one of the saving graces for this book.  The society was somewhat interesting, if a bit too worried about fashion and appearances.  It will not go anywhere near the top of my list of great tales.

Rating:  2 / 10

Resurrection Dreams by Richard Laymon

Title:  Resurrection Dreams
Author:  Richard Laymon
Pages:  370
Genre:  Romantic Horror
Publisher:  Leisure Books, 2005

Synopsis:  Melvin was definitely the biggest creep in Ellsworth High, and the other kids mercilessly taunted him for his odd looks and weird behaviours. Vicki was the only one to stand up for him but even she had to admit he'd gone too far when he dug up a body and attempted to bring it back to life with the aid of a car battery. — Years later Vicki still has nightmares about Melvin's "joke" and now that she's back in Ellsworth, she knows she'll have to see him again. Recently released from a mental institution, Melvin is acting stranger than ever. His experiments with the dead have progressed and as soon as he can get Vicki - or rather her body - where he wants her, he can realize his most chilling dream of all..

Review:  Well, the idea behind the book is a good one.  Strange, outcast Melvin has been searching for a way to reanimate the dead.  He kills a pretty girl and then tries to bring her back to life.  And, one day he succeeds.  Now he can finally kill and bring back the girl of his dreams, Vicki.

From there, it goes downhill.  Just about every male character is a violent, sex-crazed male chauvinist pig.  Vicki is weak-willed and still pining over the one boy who she loved and lost in High School.  Her best friend, Ace, is funny, loud-mouthed and strong, but even she spends an awful lot of time trying to find Mr. Right.  Melvin is a fantastic bad guy.  Twitchy, twisted and ugly, he's the perfect strange, creepy guy.  The fact that he's also a serial killer is believable in the extreme.

There were plenty of gruesome and scary parts to this book.  Unfortunately, between all the sex, innuendo, and the general whiny-ness of the main character, the story was diluted and became more of a really bloody romance novel.  It was a quick read though and not horrible.  I have another of this author's books on my shelf.  I'm still deciding whether I'll give it a try later on or not.

Rating:  4 / 10

Daughter of the Wind by Joan Xian

Title:  Daughter of the Wind
Author:  Joan Xian
Format: PB
Pages:  288
Genre:  Romance
Publisher: Red Slipper, 1999
ISBN-13: 978-1885478948
Series: Stand Alone

Favorite Quote:  The gods had surely forgiven the offenses of his youth and sent him a promise.

Synopsis (PBS):  Marked at birth by an ancient curse, haunted by mysterious dreams, destined to atone for her mother's past, one woman is the key to changing the future. She is Ka-tien, unaware of the secrets of her ancestry - until abducted by a feared Khan, and trapped by his web of seduction, she discovers the power of love to free herself, annul the curse, and find her way back to the man she loves.

Review:  A bodice-ripper set in the Orient.  It is what it is, which isn't much, but it wasn't terrible.  It was a fast enough read with a few interesting tidbits about the life of the people of China.  There was alot of sex and intrigue.  Other than that, this was just a filler book that I had which would complete my A-Z challenge this year.

Rating:  4 / 10

Killing Moon by Rebecca York

Title:  Killing Moon
Author:  Rebecca York
Format:  PB
Pages:  330
Genre:  Romantic Suspense
Publisher:  Berkley, 2007
ISBN-13:  978-0425220276
Series:  Moon Series, Book 1

Favorite Quote:  N/A

Synopsis (Amazon):  The national bestselling author delivers this suspenseful tale of paranormal romance for the new Berkley Sensation romance line. A private investigator on the trail of a serial killer has a secret of his own--an ancient secret that draws a beautiful genetic researcher closer to him.

Review:  The concept seems interesting:  private investigator, Ross Marshall, is a werewolf.  Megan Sheridan is a genetic researcher.  There is a serial killer on the loose.  Unfortunately, this is fluff.  Good enough fluff, but still fluff.  It did have its suspenseful moments but, for the most part, this is a romance novel.  Which is fine if you like romance novels.  I don't especially, although I didn't hate this one.  It was pretty good actually, just not my cup of tea.

Rating:  4.5 / 10

Wait Until Midnight by Amanda Quick

Title:  Wait Until Midnight
Author:  Amanda Quick
Format:  PB
Pages:  350
Genre:  Historical Romance / Suspense
Publisher:  Jove, 2005
ISBN-13:  978-0515138627
Series:  Stand Alone


Favorite Quote:  "It is not a joke.  Brace yourself, sir.  I am about to become embroiled in a shocking scandal involving murder and an illicit liaison with a famous sensation novelist."

Synopsis (Amazon):  Adam Hardesty has a serious problem. The secrets of his past are in danger of being exposed, and in the course of investigating his would-be blackmailer, he discovers the dead body of a prominent psychic. To make matters worse, her house has been torn apart, and the diary containing Adam's secrets is missing. His only lead is a list of the psychic's last visitors - the people who came to her house for a sitting on the night of her death. The most likely suspect is a woman named Mrs. Caroline Fordyce, whom he confronts in her parlour, only to discover an inconvenient attraction to the beautiful young widow. Alarmed by Adam's insinuations and questions, Caroline concludes that she must conduct her own investigation into this strange matter. If she can discover the true killer, Adam will have no reason to expose her connection to the dead psychic, which would cause a scandal she and her aunts could ill-afford. Besides, her life has been boringly uncomplicated for too long, and the exciting tension she feels around Adam presents a welcome alternative to her mundane daily routine. But as Caroline and Adam journey deeper into the shadowy world of psychics, mediums and con artists, they find that the only ones they can count on are each other...

Review:  I was expecting a thriller set in historical times.  I got a romantic suspense novel set in historical times.  Was I disappointed?  Not in the least!  Ms. Quick writes so well and with such humor that it was impossible not to enjoy this novel.

The novel is set in what I believe to be the late 1890's in England.  The characters are all quite proper and society is so full of rules that it made me wonder how anyone ever got anything done.  However, the two main characters, Adam and Caroline, are hardly your average people for this time period.  I found them both humorous and wonderful.  Caroline's aunts were perfect.  Adam's family was lovable.  The bad guy was quite insane and, in the end, got exactly what he deserved.  The best part?  I was completely fooled until the very end as to who the murderer was.

Since I usually cannot abide romance novels, I was completely surprised how much I enjoyed this one.  If this novel is any indication of this author's writing style, I will be searching out more novels by this author.

Rating:  8.5 / 10

Abandon by Carla Neggers

Title:  Abandon
Author:  Carla Neggers
Format:  PB
Pages:  328
Genre:  Romantic Suspense
Publisher:  Mira, 2007
ISBN-13:  978-0778324553
Series:  Stand Alone

Favorite Quote:  "The Cupid wallpaper stays."

Synopsis (Amazon):  On what is supposed to be a quiet long weekend in New Hampshire, Deputy U.S. Marshal Mackenzie Stewart is viciously attacked at the lakefront cottage of her friend, federal judge Bernadette Peacham. Mac fends off her attacker, but he manages to escape. Everything suggests he's a deranged drifter—until FBI special agent Andrew Rook arrives.
With Rook, Mac broke her own rule not to get involved with anyone in law enforcement, but she knows he isn't up from Washington, D.C., to set things straight between them. He's on a case.

As the hunt for the mysterious attacker continues, the case takes an unexpected turn when Mac and Rook return to Washington and find Bernadette's ex-husband, a powerful attorney, shot to death. Then Bernadette disappears, and Mac and Rook realize the stakes are higher than either had imagined, and a master criminal with nothing left to lose is prepared to gamble everything.

Review:  This story was very cliche.  Strong woman who stands on her own two feet finds herself embroiled in a murderous plot.  Enter gorgeous, tough man to save the day.  But, they fall in love and they will live happily ever after.  This is the reason I steer clear of romance novels.  I tire of the women being so needy, with lives that just aren't quite complete without the man to step in and take care of them.

The suspense portions of this book were fairly well done.  The bad guy was really bad and had a hidden past which I never guessed until the very end.  The main characters were all interesting to one degree or another.  I just am not a big fan of Romantic Suspense.  I expected this to be more of a thriller with some romance tossed in.  It had more romance in it than I wanted.

I have another of this author's books on my shelf, but after reading this one, I think I'll just pass it on.  While this author does tell a pretty good story, it just wasn't my cup of tea.

Rating:  4.5 / 10