Ghostland [Paperback]

Jory Strong (Author)

Book Description

Release date: April 7, 2009

A dazzling urban fantasy romance from a fresh new voice whose bestselling e-books have put readers "in a constant state of arousal."(Fallen Angel Reviews)

Welcome to a postapocalyptic world, where the afterlife holds beings that only the bravest can summon-or dare to desire.

Taken from her home and family, shamaness Aisling McConaughey must enter the "ghostlands" to save a wealthy man's mistress. But there's a price to pay for her power: She must summon the Djinn prince Zurael en Caym-and yield to his savage, sensual rage.

Zurael intends to kill Aisling after she's served as bait to find an enemy in possession of an ancient tablet. But the more he tastes her innocent spirit, the more he'll use his fiery touch to keep her hungry for his mercy-even as they weave an erotic spell that he cannot escape...

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Ghostland is well-defined, intriguing from the start, and deliciously erotic." Darque Reviews

4 1/2 stars from RT Book Reviews. "Really good stuff!"

About the Author

Jory has been writing since childhood and has never outgrown being a daydreamer. When she's not hunched over her computer, lost in the muse and conjuring up new heroes and heroines, she can usually be found reading, riding her horses, or hiking with her dogs.

Jory has won numerous awards for her writing. She lives in California with her husband and a menagerie of pets.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Trade; 1 edition (April 7, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425226069
• ISBN-13: 978-0425226063
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #932,064 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Good fantasy with cheesy sex scenes April 13, 2009

By HHK VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Like one of the other reviewers, I bought this book without realizing it was an erotic fantasy romance. The pretty cover and title were deceptive. Also B&N had it in the new release table.

The fantasy angle was really strong. The world building was fascinating. I love the concept of a Shaman as a heroine (one of my other favorite fantasy novels is Urban Shaman). I also really like the sexy Djinn hero. The mystery aspect of the book kept me engrossed.

Now, the bad part. Do we really have to read about the hero's cock twitching every other page? We get it that he is attracted to her. Reading about his appendage twitching, engorging,etc each time he sees Aisling was repetetive and cheesy. The sex was steamy and there was a lot of it. After about the 3rd sex scene, I skimmed these to get back to the real story. The scenes in the ghostland were really fascinating.

The ending sets things up with a possible sequel- probably based on the other Djinn character Irial.

If you like a some good fantasy mixed with your erotic romance, you will enjoy this book. Also the cover art is not embarrasing, so if you are in a public place, no one will know you are reading about the heroine having sex doggy style!!!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Sizzling Post-Apocalyptic Romance January 16, 2010

By Aemelia

Format:Paperback

In a post-apocalyptic world Aisling McConaughey is ripped away from her simple life to use her gift as a powerful shamaness guide into the Ghostlands. When she unwittingly calls upon Djinn prince Zureal en Caym to help her discover the whereabouts of a high-powered politician's mistress, Aisling's not prepared for the price he will demand.

Zureal has never before been called upon, but the experience of being torn away from his world and thrust into the power of another is not one he will tolerate without retribution. He will make the child of mud pay for taking control out of his hands.

When Aisling and Zureal learn someone is trying to enslave a demon through the drug "Ghost", they must work together to discover who is behind the evil that threatens both of their worlds.

GHOSTLAND is a powerful story of the struggle between right, wrong, revenge, passion, and forgiveness. Jory Strong wrote a complex, emotionally charged tale, successfully creating a world and characters that captivated me. Aisling first appears as a fragile woman who has never really had much in her life, but she quickly shows deep strength and while her confidence waivers, she always does what she MUST do, even when she is scared. Zureal was pissed. He did not like losing control, and he was determined to make Aisling pay. What he wasn't prepared for was the scorching heat of desire that he felt when he tracked her. I could feel the sizzle of passion as I turned the smoldering pages. Not only was their passion hot, but the action was riveting as they struggled to locate the fiend responsible for "Ghost" and in the process came to realize the feelings they held for each other.

When I finished reading GHOSTLAND, I so looked forward to revisiting the post-apocalyptic world Ms. Strong had created that ran out to buy SPIDER-TOUCHED, book 2 in the Ghostland series, which I also loved...now I just have to wait patiently until September 2010 for the next installment, HEALER'S CHOICE.

When author Jory Strong is not writing, you might find her reading or working with her horses on her ranch out in the boondocks.

reviewed for Enchanting Reviews

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Atmospheric Post Apocalyptic Urban Fantasy (B Grade) April 7, 2009

By Katie Babs VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Jory Strong has written a post-Apocalyptic tale that deals with fears. These fears are everything from loss, death and isolation. There is a great deal of isolation in Ghostland seen through the eyes of the heroine Aisling McConaughey. Aisling is very special. She is an orphan shamaness who lives on a farm in the outskirts of the city of Oakland, California. Aisling has the ability to walk in the spiritlands, a world where the dead wait for judgment or to be reborn, where they find heaven or hell depending on their belief. The spiritlands, or ghostlands is the afterlife. Think of this more like purgatory, a gateway in between heaven and hell. As a shamaness Aisling bargains for answers and help from these dead.

Aisling lives during a time after The Last War that was started by religious zealots who wanted to cleanse mankind. The date is unknown, but I would say it is a hundred years or so after the war has ended. Because of this war the supernatural creatures such as vampires, werewolves and demons have come out of the shadows. These creatures of myth have taken over the night and because of it, humans lock themselves away in their homes after the sun sets. The United States is no longer what it was. The country, or at least California, is run by martial law. The Church, which is made up of a group of very powerful humans have total control of the remaining human population. The Church needs Aisling's services and if she doesn't do what they want, they may kill her and her foster family.

Aisling takes her spirit guardian and pet ferret Aziel with her and will go to Oakland. The only person she can trust for the moment is Father Ursu, a priest who works for the Church. He really does seem to care for her well being. Perhaps it is because he needs her safe and whole for what he has in store for her? Aisling is given shelter and money to buy precious commodities like food. If she excels at the services expected of her, she can keep the house and remain in Oakland in safe keeping under the watchful eye of the Church.

An important woman by the name of Elena has disappeared. They need Aisling to find her either alive or if her soul has left and entered into the spiritlands. When Ailsing returns to the spiritlands she sees some dark-robed men wearing goat heads about to sacrifice Elena. Aisling has no choice but to summon a demon to stop them. She calls for Zurael en Caym, son of the dark prince. Because she has summoned Zurael she can command him at will.

Zurael saves Elena by killing the goat headed men. But that means he is at Aisling's beck and call until she decide she is done with him. Zurael is not just a demon but also a Djinn. He hates Aisling because she has such power over him. When the time is right, he will kill her. The thought of being tied to a human, a child of mud, as he thinks of her is unfathomable. Zurael finds out that the dark priest that he killed was trying to summon an entity from the spiritlands and make it human. Because he stopped this sacrifice Zurael is given an important task where he must retrieve an ancient stone tablet that has been lost to the Djinn. In order for Zurael to search Oakland for this tablet he must remain with Aisling. For the time being he won't kill her.

Aisling is not sure how to handle the present situation she is in. She has accomplished what she was set out to do, but now she has a beautiful and powerful demon male basically as her slave. All she wishes for is to have her old life back, but now that is no longer possible. And when Elena comes to Aisling asking her to investigate her kidnapping, Aisling again has no choice; she must accept. Part of it has to do with the type of person Aisling is. She wants to help those around her even if she may endanger her life. What Elena wants Aisling to do may kill her because she must venture into a world filled with kinky sex and drugs. The drug of choice is called Ghost. A person takes Ghost and will find themselves in the spiritlands to enjoy the kinky S&M type pleasures that await them there. Elena was ghosting when she was taken and wants to know why. The spirits that walk in the spirtlands also want Elena to find those who are creating Ghost and kill them.

Aisling may be able to go back and forth into the spiritlands, but she is still fragile on the mortal plane. Zurael becomes very protective of Aisling and begins to care for her because of her giving nature. Something as simple as Aisling sharing her meager food with Aziel and himself really touches Zurael. Zurael will aid her in her quest. Soon they are waking a fine line between the dead and the living. Something more powerful then the Church wants Aisling. Aisling and Zurael have entered into a very dark world where reality and fantasy become one. And Aisling's fantasies are become more real because Zurael is hungry for Aisling's tender flesh where he can give her endless pleasures in his arms.

Ghostland is a complex and descriptive world filled with desperation and the unholy needs people have. Jory Strong really does a great job with her writing. Her world building is great and the story is intense. Not only is there a paranormal element, but there is fantasy and some really hot sex scenes between Aisling and Zurael. Some may call this an Urban Fantasy because of the setting, but this is more of an Urban Fantasy Romance. Perhaps even an Urban Fantasy Erotica. Aisling is a worthy heroine but she is very different from those other types of heroines in the past Urban Fantasies I have read. She is a bit too quite and broken in a way. Every trip to the ghostlands drains her. Some may think she is a victim because of the situation she has been placed in, and if Zurael wasn't there to save her, Aisling may have not survived. I wouldn't say Aisling is weak but she comes across scarred and emotionally unattached, as if she doesn't know how to interact with those around her.

Zurael is definitely an alpha male who looks out for Aisling's best interests, but when it comes to sex, he pushes her to the limits. From the moment he meets Aisling, he is all over her. The lust he has for Aisling is intense and she feels the same way.

Ghostland is a strong debut by Jory Strong, who has a background in writing erotic romance.

Katiebabs