Anthology Reviews

Page Three

Added August 14, 2003

Mystic Visions

Authors: Myra Nour, Sahara Kelly and Ann Jacobs
Publisher: Ellora's Cave
Available At: www.ellorascave.com
Publishing Date: Available Now
Genre: Romance: Erotic/Paranormal
Format: Ebook download in PDF/HTML/LIT/Mobipocket
Price: $7.99
ISBN: 1-84360-432-9
Author Email/Website: www.myranour.com
Author Email/Website: www.saharakelly.com
Author Email/Website: www.sff.net/people/Ann.Josephson
Reviewer: Lisa Lambrecht

Three of today's best authors come together to show us what happens when three separate couples find their true love with the help of a magical necklace in Mystic Visions.

Dragon Fire by Myra Nour

(Future)

Xandor is a fourth level wizard trying desperately to reach the final fifth level wizard. Using his great magic, he mind travels and is pulled across the galaxy to the one woman who excites him like no other. Confused as to what this means, Xander meets and consults with Master Talorg, the great fifth level wizard who is head of the wizard school on Varzkar.

Master Talorg advises Xander on what he needs in order to reach the coveted fifth level and allows him to use the sacred Dragon Fire magic to help him find what he seeks. Xander painstakingly creates a magical necklace in the shape of an eye with a single tear on it. The necklace will help the person wearing it find their one true love of all time.

Will Xander, with the help of the magical necklace, find his true soulmate? Will he be able to obtain that last fifth level he desperately seeks?

Myra Nour takes us on a wonderful and exciting adventure into the future with Dragon Fire. This story was very well written and the different worlds very believable. The hero was a sincere man that you couldn't help but admire. The heroine, a lovely woman who cared for all those around her; whether it was people, animals or plants. The sex scene's sizzled in their intensity.

Visions by Sahara Kelly

(Ancient past)

Nerin of Kushak is a respected farmer and quite the ladies man. But due to past tragedies, he will not let any woman into his heart. He is walking by the river and finds a young woman washed ashore with a strange necklace clutched in her grasp. The mark on her ankle shows her to be a slave, but the young woman insists she is not a slave but from the house of Ishalla in Agade. Nerin does not know what to believe, he just knows that this woman is trouble. Trouble for his peace of mind and heart.

Karrina, during a great storm, escaped the clutches of her evil mother only to be caught and held by Nerin. She gets quite angered when Nerin proclaims her a slave and takes the last thing her brother had given her: a necklace that had been in her family for many, many years.

They are drawn to each other whether they like it or not. The necklace is a mystery to Nerin and one he hopes to finds answers to. Will Karrina be able to tell Nerin her true heritage without putting him in as grave a danger as herself? Will Nerin be able to find all the answers he seeks and trust in the love they feel?

Grab a tall glass of cold water and hold onto your seat because Sahara Kelly will take you on a hot and exciting ride with her wonderful story Visions. The hero is a man you just love to hate and the heroine a very brave woman who has gone through a lot in her short life. The sex scenes left my monitor screen steaming and me breathless. I loved how the residents of Sumer came together with the hero and heroine to crush the evil that threatened them. And it was nice to be reacquainted with old characters from Ms. Kelly's previous story The Sun God's Woman.

Zayed's Gift by Ann Jacobs

(Present time)

Brian Shearer was finally coming home to America after being held prisoner in Iraq for eleven years. The only hope that had kept him going while imprisoned was the love for his wife. The wife who had given him up for dead two years after he had gone missing and married another.

Brian is devastated and believes that he now has nothing to live for. With the help of an intervening friend, Brian leaves America and his crushed hopes and dreams behind and goes back to Kuwait to work for a friend's oil company. At his friend's house he meets his friend's sister, Alina, who looked a lot like the woman from his erotic dreams he had on the plane over.

Princess Alina El Rashid, has caused quite a stir in Kuwait City. She could not help that she turned down the proposal of marriage to the man who left her less than satisfied in bed. She goes to her brother, Dahoud, and his American wife, Shana's house near Mina Su ud, at her father's request until the commotion could die down. Once there she meets Brian Shearer and wants him with no passion she has experienced before. But will she be able to mend his broken heart and spirit? Will Brian and Alina be able to overcome the differences of their cultures and beliefs to be together as the magical necklace has foretold?

Ann Jacobs has woven a very heartfelt and romantic tale with Zayed's Gift. While this was a short story, the plot was one you instantly got into and the characters felt like old friends. One moment you sympathized with the hero and all that he had gone through and the next you would find yourself cheering the heroine on to get her heart's desire, and the sex scenes... oh my... were very hot.

Mystic Visions, three wonderful stories that telling the journey of one special necklace that help's its keeper find their one and only love... their soulmate. Across time and space, no distance is long enough if true love is to be found. I highly recommend Mystic Visions written by some of today's very talented authors. Please check Myra Nour, Sahara Kelly and Ann Jacob's websites to find out more about these wonderful authors.

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Added July 2, 2003

Equinox

Authors: Katherine Kingston, Vonna Harper and Annie Windsor
Publisher: Ellora's Cave
Available At: www.ellorascave.com
Publishing Date: Available Now
Genre: Romance: Erotic/Historical/Paranormal/Time Travel/Futuristic
Format: Ebook download in PDF/HTML/LIT/Mobipocket
Price: $7.99
ISBN: 1-84360-444-2
Author Email/Website: www.katherinekingston.com
Author Email/Website: www.anniewindsor.com
Reviewer: Sharyn McGinty

Three women, a jeweled dagger and an ancient Spring festival. Three novellas by three of Ellora's Cave most talented authors.

Walpurgis Night by Katherine Kingston

It's the night of the Equinox festival and Fianna has been observing the festivities from a secluded spot, hoping to avoid the young men of the village. The arrival of three Norsemen from the nearby settlement distracts her and she emerges from her hiding place. Immediately, three young men surround her, demanding she follow the custom and choose a mate for the night. In a flash of brilliance, she strides boldly up to the youngest Norsemen and announces she is her choice.

Henrik was surprised by her request. He notices the angry young men behind Fianna and warns her that he has strange ideas about sex and she would have to agree to everything he asked. Instead of frightening her, his statement intrigues Fianna and she leads him back to her home. Their night is spent in exploring sensual and sexual delights.

The next morning, Fianna awakens to find her Norsemen gone. She returns to her life as a healer filled with wonderful memories from Equinox night and the realization she's in love with Henrik. Her thoughts on Henrik, she forgets to avoid the village's young men and is chased into the forest. Just when it appears she will be raped; Henrik appears saving her from her would-be rapists and demanding her services as healer. Fianna gathers her supplies, including a bejeweled dagger and accompanies Henrik to his village. Once there she utilizes her abilities and the magical dagger to heal Henrik's brother Ranulf. But when the dagger reveals Ranulf's life or death is her choice, will she do the right thing or choose the course of action that will keep Henrik by her side?

Katherine Kingston's Walpurgis Night is a beautiful erotic love story. Watching Henrik and Fianna wrestle with their desires and find ways to be together was remarkable, reminding me just why I began reading historical romances. I've added Ms. Kingston to my auto-buy list and look forward to collecting the rest of her work.

Night of Fire by Vonna Harper

The Lady returned from speaking with the priests, her back straight, clothed only in her long flowing hair. Her nakedness proof she had failed in her mission. How would the land be fertile if the virgins didn't have mate on Bel-fire night? The Bel-fires were a necessary part of fertilizing the land. As her companions dissolve into tears, Heather remains strong. The Lady questions her and pleased with her answers gives her a new name and shows her a jeweled dagger. She instructs Maia (Heather) to look into the jewel and speak of what she sees.

Within the jewel, Maia sees her people's savior, Taurus, the bull. Journeying through time, she meets Taron Stanten, mates with him, and then brings him back to her time. Taron tries to deny his destiny, but as the priests try to forcibly end the Bel-fire celebration he realizes where his destiny lies.

Night of Fire by Vonna Harper is a sensual time travel, taking readers to a time when the church began its campaign to eradicate native beliefs. Taron's confusion of the customs and reluctance to believe his destiny made the time-travel even more believable. A wonderful novella by a talented author.

Handle with Care by Annie Windsor

Earth 3012

A genetovirus has swept through Earth, decimating the male population. Earth's men were an endangered species and the situation was unlikely to change. Women now outnumbered men 1413 to 1. The majority of women had never experienced sex with anything other than sex toys. The SETI-WHO Research compound was continually scanning the galaxy for biologically compatible species.

A curvaceous woman with hundreds of sexual fantasies, Tia dreams of meeting an alien male willing to fulfill her wildest fantasies. Instead she finds Athame, a jeweled dagger belonging to her family. The dagger appears when needed and then mysteriously vanishes. She looks into the jewel and sees a gorgeous man who sets her body quivering. Immediately after her vision, the man appears in her lab on Earth.

Brok cannot believe his people's good fortune. Like Earth, for many years they had been searching for a biologically compatible species, specifically females. He didn't understand how Tia appeared on his homeworld of Kaerad, but he was immediately taken by her. Following her back to her world, he claims her as his own, speaking the words of union before testing their biological compatibility.

After the most amazing release of her life, Tia learns Earthlings and Kaerads are biologically compatible with one small problem. If a Kaerad male isn't sexually compatible with an Earth female, he will die the moment he tries to enter her. Compatible with Brok in every way, Tia must now devise a way to determine compatibility between single pairs before the unrest and rumors turn deadly.

Handle with Care by Annie Windsor is hands-down my favorite of the three novellas. The depth of world-building was astounding, especially as this is a new world. Normally this depth is only seen in long-time established worlds. Tia's self-conscious nature made Handle with Care dear to my heart. A curvaceous woman, myself, I found her struggle to accept and feel good about herself and body, familiar and encouraging.

Equinox is a brilliant anthology and I thank the wonderful editors over at Ellora's Cave for giving it to us. The sensuality and romance in this novel make it a "do not miss".

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Added June 13, 2003

Twilight Crossings

Author: Jeanne Allen, Shannah Biondine, Sheri McGathy and Jeanine Berry
Publisher: Double Dragon Publishing
Available At: www.double-dragon-ebooks.com
Publishing Date: Available Now
Genre: Science Fiction
Format: Ebook download in PDF/HTML/Rocketbook
Price: $4.99
ISBN: 1-894841-89-1
Author Email/Website: www.cpinternet.com/~jeeniec/
Author Email/Website: www.homestead.com/biondine/
Author Email/Website: www.geocities.com/sheril_us/
Author Email/Website: members.aol.com/Meredlune/Jeanineberry.html
Reviewer: Lisa Lambrecht

Isadora by Jeanne Allen

A young woman, who was always in search of the unknown, tries to explain the unexplainable, discover new things, had always been laughed at and treated as an outcast. On her world people were burned to death or hung for witchery and other evil-doings if they so much as questioned nature around them.

Only one man believed and encouraged Isadora and her discoveries, Marcus, the mysterious and handsome stranger who had traveled there from an unknown place. Will Isadora be able to escape the tribunal and her people's ways and find happiness with the one man who has always believed in her?

In Isadora, author Jeanne Allen, takes us to a different and harsh world but shows us that with the love of a good man, new and exciting things can happen. And it makes it more worthwhile to share new experiences with that one person that always believes and encourages you above all else.

Twin Star by Jeanine Berry

Long ago the Dorshan were sent from their dying world by the Gods through the gate (a portal of sorts) to settle upon the Gateworld of Arth. The huymans on Arth have always resented the star people being there and it made them wary of the unique gifts the Dorshans and other starpeople possessed.

Sonneret, a Dorshan, was taken along with many other single women to the Akhilesh (King/Ruler) when he was searching for a new lifemate. When the Akhilesh first touched her hand, Sonneret knew this handsome, powerful man was her twin star or soul-mate. Will Sonneret be able to trust him with her heart and soul as well as the Dorshan's secrets? Will the Akhilesh be able to save her from those trying to destroy her and her people?

Twin Star is a wonderful story about a brave woman willing to do all that she must for her family and her people, and a man willing to sacrifice all for his heart's desire.

Eidolon by Shannah Biondine

~~ The year is 1880 ~~

A mysterious woman arrived in the small town of Kokomo, Colorado, calling herself a costumer. But making pretty costumes for the girls at Miss Lil's wasn't all that Azubah Malet would be doing in Kokomo. She had a wager to win. A wager with the devil himself. Now to see if the town and its inhabitants will survive.

Eidolon is a great story. While there is no romance, it is filled with excitement and mystery. For those of you who liked to watch the Twilight Zone, then this is a story for you.

Thief of Dreams by Sheri L McGathy

A young woman is bound by a contract, made between her father and a neighboring Lord from birth, to marry a evil man who is only possessed with the material things his marriage to her will offer when she turns twenty-one. That is until another young, handsome, brave man comes home after many years away and catches her eye at Camden Shire's annual Festival of the Oak. Now the two men have one year to win the fair maiden's heart. The winner will receive the fair maiden's hand in marriage.

In the last year, Nerys had fallen in love with Cody and the two gave their hearts to each another. This does not sit well with Gerard. He will do anything and everything within his power to possess Nerys and all the possessions that will come with a marriage to her.

Gerard has his henchmen beat and rob Cody and leave him for dead. They throw his almost life-less body into the forest, and unbeknownst, to them into a fairy ring. Ancient lore says once you step into a fairy ring, you are theirs forever and there is no way to go back home... or is there? Will Nerys be able to find and save her one true love before the evil Gerard gets a hold of her?

In Thief of Dreams, author Sheri McGathy, has written a wonderfully romantic story filled with heart-warming romance and suspense and shows us that love can conquer all.

Twilight Crossings is a wonderful collection of stories that takes you to new and exciting places. It's a must read for those who love romance filled with the unknown, excitement, and adventure.

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