Killing Rites (Book 4, Black Sun's Daughter Series) by M.L. N Hanover
Did you see our recent giveaway of the four-book Black Sun’s Daughter series? One lucky commenter won all four books, including the newly released (as in yesterday, November 29) fourth installment in the series, Killing Rites
The series presents a unique mythology for vampires, werewolves, and magic. Ordinary humans are possessed, or taken over, by “riders” of several different varieties (lupine, vampiric, etc) ; they may be forced out of the body all together, or they may be relegated to the background, forced to watch and participate in whatever acts the demonic presence commits. Becoming skilled in the art of magic helps to fight them off, but not totally. Jayné (it’s pronounced zah-NAY, which really bugs me) Heller is using her seemingly unlimited inheritance from her uncle, along with the close friends she made just after his death, to track and combat riders.
The first three books are pretty action-packed, with some romance thrown in. Killing Rites
I enjoyed the slower pace of this installment of the series, and I definitely want to read the next one. This one is by far my favorite of the four.
I don’t think I would’ve enjoyed it as much had I not invested some time reading the first three. This is not a series that you can pick up wherever and just get started – you need the background info and history in each one. They are all quick reads, though. I finished books three and four in one day. I would definitely recommend these to anyone interested in the paranormal/sci-fi fantasy genre.
just after Labor Day at my local library and went back the next day to check out everything they had by her. When I spotted an early review of 
, I could barely wait for it to hit the shelves. Of course, it took awhile for my library to get a copy for me. When my husband brought it home last week I literally squealed with excitement, curled up on the couch, and dove right in.
. Before I jump into how I felt about the book, I will share a brief summary (with spoilers).
and 
. I started it based on a recommendation from my husband, who checked it out of our local library and read it one day last week.
is an amazing horror story. Often, these don’t translate well to the big screen (for example, I have rarely been satisfied with an adaptation of a Stephen King novel). John Irvin, however, did an outstanding job with his 1981 film starring Fred Astaire and Douglas Fairbanks. Jr. The screenplay was fairly faithful to the original novel (taking into consideration the necessary changes to adapt a book to screen), and evoked the dread that comes across so uncomfortably in print. Even now, thirty years alter, I’m still up for watching this movie any chance I get. And we own at least two editions of the book!
trilogy, and it worked well for him. Did I miss things in each movie? Yes, absolutely! The changes worked for the movies, though, and I’m guessing (or maybe hoping) that interest in the movies compelled more than a few people to pick up the books and read them. Having a director that so clearly admires the author and his works always helps. Great care was taken to stay true to the spirit of the books, if not the letter.
or the newer version starring Keira Knightley. I can’t choose, so I watch them both regularly. Both adaptations are extremely faithful to the beloved characters and familiar stories; it helps that Austen wrote such timeless material that translates so well to the big screen. And okay, I’ll admit it….Colin Firth is easy on the eyes!
series, Clueless (based on Jane Austen’s 
), The Name of the Rose (based on 
novel of the same name), and the big screen version of Dennis Lehane’s 
, to name a few. I’ve also heard great things about 
and 
, both books I loved. And I’m really looking forward to 
(I discussed 
