Customer Reviews

Phoenix Unrisen

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Natalie Severin hates magic. She knows the dangers of magic better than most, for it has cost her everything and everyone she holds dear. As a reporter for New Orleans News Eye (NONE), she senses a story behind veterinarian Ram Montgomery. After all, she's sure she saw him magically heal a dog viciously attacked by AX and his henchmen. Has Natalie uncovered an exotic animal smuggling ring? Or is there some deeper, nefarious plot behind everything? What part does Ram have in the scheme of things? Natalie will have to put her fear of magic aside and work with Ram if she hopes to find the truth.

PHOENIX UNRISEN is being marketed as a romantic suspense, but paranormal fans will enjoy the magical elements of this tale as well. Kathleen Nance offers readers the perfect fusion of these two popular genres with this fascinating and intriguing tale.

The mysteries of PHOENIX UNRISEN gradually unfold as Natalie follows up on a tip from an informant. The clues are all there to figure out where the story is going. However, Kathleen Nance keeps you so entranced with the hauntingly eerie atmosphere and the suspenseful tension, that little time is spent figuring out the surprise ending. Some of her very vividly described images sent shivers down my spine! And what clever twists and turns Ms. Nance takes with the conclusion of PHOENIX UNRISEN.

Readers are taken on a headlong plunge into a dangerously compelling world in which all of Natalie's beliefs will be challenged. Natalie has had some hard knocks recently and her determination and willingness to keep fighting are admirable. She is the ideal character for a story set in New Orleans, post-Katrina, as her struggles mirror those of the city itself.

PHOENIX UNRISEN is a darkly gripping tale that begs to be read in one sitting. My only hesitations while reading it were surrounding the role of AX and his oddly named cohorts, Kracker and Dawglip. As the storyline unveils, all becomes clear. PHOENIX UNRISEN is simply riveting! Once again, Kathleen Nance has a winner on her hands with this one.

COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

Many witch books have basically turned me off because they veer into the dark side of the occult/paranormal line we tread with this genre. This crackerjack new novel just couldn't be better and misses all the pitfalls typical with a witchcraft book. First, the male lead is a Mage with fascinating connections to earth and the elements--almost Druidic. His concerns are with animals as is his employment as a Vet. His female lead is a whip-smart reporter who makes excellent, intelligent choices every step of the way but resists the allure of this Mage because of bad experiences in the past. This is a fresh, excellently written addition to the genre and I suggest an IMMEDIATE order for yourself as a treat! You know how hard you've been working--enjoy a superb new story and of course, something chocolate, too.

Like Ms. Nance's other books, a tale of magic, danger and love is tightly woven. Though related to her djinn series (Isis Montgomery, Ram's sister, is the heroine in More Than Magic and Jack Montgomery meets and falls for Leila in Enchantment), this book reads just fine as a stand-alone.

The story is a great page-turner, and I found myself staying up much later than I should have in order to finish the book. Natalie has a fear of magic, understandably so, that she must overcome in order to be with Ram. This theme of overcoming fear because of or in order to have true love is common in Nance's books, but it's one of my favorite things about her work.

I'd definitely recommend this. Whether as an introduction to Kathleen Nance or as a continuation of her djinn series, it's another home run.

Natalie Severin works as a reporter for the tabloids but spends her time and money searching for her brother. He vanished in the fire that killed her estranged husband, but Natalie knows he is no killer. With no real clues to go on, she's saving her money for a trip to Tibet where, at least some rumors claim, her twin brother was sighted.

Ramses (Ram) Montgomery lost his powers but he's still fighting evil. When he tracks down the man who kidnapped and tortured his dog, he fears he was too late. The dog is badly injured. Somehow, though, Natalie's touch reawakens the magical powers Ram was certain he had lost forever. Unfortunately, Natalie's bad experiences with magic make her certain Ram is a danger to her--even if they share a concern for smuggled birds.

When Natalie steals a phone from the dog torturers and hears her brother's recorded message, she knows that there are layers to the danger she has only begun to explore. Ram, on the other hand, fears the explanation is all too simple. Natalie's brother may just be behind the crimes afflicting New Orleans.

Author Kathleen Nance writes an evocative and sensual story of magic in a New Orleans struggling to recover from the physical and psychological damage of Hurricane Katrina. The sexual attraction between Ram and Natalie sizzles and Nance keeps the danger cranked up to full.

Nance's writing keeps the reader involved in the story and turning the pages. For me, however, this story relies on far too many coincidences. Ram and his dog happening along at the right time (why, exactly was his dog stolen?), the coincidence of Natalie having been injured by magic but falling for a magical man, the coincidence of snatching a phone that just happened to have her brother's number in speed dial, the coincidence of recognizing the phoenix shape from her brother's bar, and then there's the ivory billed woodpecker that happens to live in her back yard. The story is enjoyable, but I every time I ran into another of these coincidences, I was yanked out of the story.

This is an interesting story with an original storyline, following Natalie Severin, recent widow and newspaper reporter, as she is on the trail of a group who are stealing rare wild birds. She bumps into local vet Ramses Montgomery who she discovers is a Mage - like her dead husband. Now Natalie's relationship with Charles, her dead husband, had gone badly wrong and left her afraid of Magic and of the motives and goodness of those who practised Magic.

However, Natalie finds herself having to team up with Ram to search for those responsible for stealing the wild birds. Things get more dangerous as people are hurt or killed, Natalie is threatened and she begins to find evidence that the sinister Mage behind it all could be her twin brother who disappeared the night her husband was killed. She also finds that Ram is hiding some things from her, especially relating to his Mage talents, and she also keeps information from him so that she can prepare her newspaper story. But will they individually be able to deal with the powerful Mage out there whilst not trusting each other?

The writing of this book was fairly good although sometimes it dragged and there were occasional lazy moments in the plot (for example Natalie is given a special magical necklace that conveniently is just what she needs at a particular moment). The romance side is subordinate to the mystery plot about the Mage but the characters are interesting - they both struggle with the attraction because of their past histories.

The denouement of the story happened rather more quickly that I might have expected and it was perhaps slightly underwhelming but overall this was an enjoyable enough read.

[...].

Natalie Severin has a style all her own. She writes the stories no one else wants to write, the offbeat ones. She likes her job. It helps her deal with the scandal attached to her husband's death and her brother's absence. Running into Ram Montgomery while on the job reminds her that he is all man. Sexually attractive, dangerous, full of secrets and is magically able to heal both himself and others. He makes her want him yet wary at the same time.

Ram Montgomery has power, both physical and magical. He feels the magic between Natalie and himself. He can't give Natalie the assurances she so desperately needs. But he has to try. For them, for himself, he has to try.

Together Natalie and Ram are trying to stop a ring of animal smugglers. They need to work together to accomplish their mission. Natalie needs to decide if she can handle Ram's magic. Can they succeed or will they lose themselves, to both to the smugglers and to their mutual attraction?

From the first page of Phoenix Unrisen, the reader is drawn into a wonderful tale suspense and magic. Ms. Nance's attention to detail while maintaining a high level of action keeps the reader from putting down the book. She adds twists at the right intervals to keep the reader off balance and intrigued. I was left hoping that Kathleen Nance adds more books to her library using the well-drawn supporting characters in Phoenix Unrisen. I Joyfully Recommend this book highly.

Barb
reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

New Orleans News Eyes (NONE) reporter Natalie Severin believes she is the real Kolchak of TV fame as she investigates the unbelievable, stories that everyone assumes are fantasies. Thus, nothing shocks the intrepid journalist. That is until she meets veterinarian Ram Montgomery in the bayou.

He seems like a modern day six million dollar man (inflation might mean sixty million). She saw him defeat three armed thugs with his incredible flash-like speed alone; his touch heals injuries and wounds that should need time, but he does it in nanoseconds. However, his greatest strength is ability to make her feel hot and melted with just a look. They join forces trying to stop lethal poachers from illegally importing exotic animals into Louisiana. Neither is prepared for the cult they uncover whose dynamic leader wants to sacrifice Natalie on their altar instead of an illegally snuck into the country animal.

Paranormal romantic thriller fans will enjoy this Bayou tale as Natalie is second to NONE when it comes to courage and risk taking while readers will be fascinated by Ram, whose superpowers are beyond human range. Especially enticing is his "super-vision that heats Nat with a look. Still even with their teaming, the odds are with the bad guys. PHOENIX UNRISEN is an entertaining over the top one sitting tale as Kathleen Nance hooks her fans with this awesome character driven thriller.

Harriet Klausner