Vengeance Born, the excellent first installment in the Light Blade series, effectively draws the reader in with its opening sentence. The world of the series has two main components: the Na’Reish vampiric demons who enslave humans, and the humans, led and protected by Light Blade warriors, who worship a feminine deity they refer to as The Lady. When the story begins, Annika, a half human/half Na’Reish healer, goes to the dungeons to see to the wounds of a captured Light Blade warrior. (more…)

Frannie Pleasance comes across many odd individuals and situations in her line of work as proprietor of the Needful Creatures pet store (dealing in live animals, not clockworks), but she does not typically stumble upon unconscious men lying in the street–especially not any so closely resembling her dead brother. Her curiosity piqued, Frannie prods the man with her toe, at which time he jumps up and then immediately gets sick. When some approaching blud rats make the two realize they need to be moving on, Frannie tells the man (more…)

Dark Days, the stupendous sixth and final installment in the superb Black London series, grabs the reader by the throat with its opening scene and does not let go until its final satisfying page. Plagued by particularly disturbing visions, Jack Winter feels less than enthusiastic but not particularly surprised when Belial, the demon who previously held his soul and enjoyed torturing him, shows up. (more…)

Sinner’s Heart, the terrific third and final installment in the exciting Hellraisers series, begins a few weeks after the events of book two. Bram Stirling, one of the two original Hellraisers remaining in service to the Dark One, finds himself seriously questioning his activities and the ultimate goals of the evil he has bound himself to. With former members Whit and Leo, along with Zora and Anne, fighting against (more…)

Watchers, some wild and crazy stuff has been happening on our shows. Beware spoilers…

Game of Thrones, Sunday 9:00 EST, HBO

We have never discussed this show in the column before, primarily because I never got to see it in first run. This year, however, I am watching as the show airs, and am curious how many of you would like to discuss it. If you have not watched this season yet but do follow the show, you probably don’t want to read further.
(more…)

Discussion about the fabulous Lost Girl always appears in the Screen Bites column, but today I wanted to post a link to this fun article and let you chime in with your opinions.
(more…)

Demon’s Bride, the fabulous second installment in the gripping Hellraisers series, grabs the reader immediately and refuses to let go for the duration of the novel. In the London of 1763, Anne Hartfield, the daughter of an impoverished baron, finds herself married to Leo Bailey, an extremely rich merchant from humble beginnings. Seeking a way into aristocratic circles for business and personal reasons, Leo decides that the quickest entry will come through marriage, and Anne’s penniless state bothers him not at all. For her part, Anne feels quite a bit of trepidation, given that her new husband displays an imposing presence — or so it seems to her, anyway — but she also finds herself intrigued by him. (more…)

Blood Trade, the splendid sixth full-length installment in the fabulous Jane Yellowrock series, begins a few months after the events at the end of the previous book. Jane comes to the realization that she may well be depressed, given that by having accused Rick of trying to kill her, she may have put an unmovable wedge between them forever. Or it could be because Bruiser, someone she considered a friend, held her down while Leo fed from her (though he was controlled by another at the time). (more…)

Blood and Magick, the terrific third installment in the exciting Deacon Chalk, Occult Bounty Hunter series, begins with Deacon, Tiff, Kat, and Larson all having dinner together at a nice restaurant. When Deacon cuts into his highly-anticipated dessert, a sour stench fills the air, and, as can be expected for our hero, all hell breaks loose. After an explosion of glass and debris knocks everyone down, Deacon checks on Tiff, sending her to look for Kat and Larson. Despite a big surprise regarding Larson, Deacon’s attention immediately gets drawn to the large hole blown in the wall. (more…)

Greetings, Watchers. Lots has happened on our shows during the column’s hiatus, and this time we will be sorting through the events of just a few of our favorites. Reminder: in your comments/responses, please do not say anything about shows not under discussion in this particular column, or about episodes more recent than the ones discussed.
(more…)

Nyx Fortuna has a plan: he wants to avenge the death of his mother, the fourth Fate that no one ever hears about, which means tracking down her three sisters (the ones he holds responsible) without them knowing who he is. Having followed the three Fates to Minneapolis, Nyx finds it difficult to keep a low profile, even with the occulo spell that obscures what he really looks like, when he defends a young woman in a bar, and ends up stabbed for his trouble. Given his status as an immortal, Nyx does not die from his wounds, but Elizabeth, the young woman, does not know this, and takes him to her home to recover. Despite his attraction to Elizabeth, and perhaps even because of it, Nyx leaves the house, promising to return. (more…)

This highly inventive first book in The Bloodhound Files series grabs the reader with its first line and maintains that grip for the duration of the novel. FBI profiler Jace Valchek thinks she is having a very vivid dream about being sent on special assignment but quickly discovers that she is actually in an alternate reality. In this parallel world, lycanthropes comprise forty-three percent of the population, vampires thirty-seven percent, golems nineteen percent, and humans – less than one percent. Jace’s new boss, the vampire David Cassius, explains that she was brought there to aid in the capture of a deranged serial killer. Since supernatural beings are immune to insanity, they don’t have much experience in dealing with the condition, hence Jace’s involvement. When the killer is captured, Jace will be returned to her own reality. (more…)

Immortally Embraced , book two in the exciting and entertaining Monster MASH series, finds Petra Robichaud, doctor for the army of the New Gods in their perpetual war with the Old Gods, ministering to a pregnant Medusa. Nevertheless, Petra takes her duties while stationed in limbo in stride, until she receives the news that her formally-immortal/now human lover, Galen, has been called back to the front. Aside from the fact that the orders make no sense, given that the two sides are currently having a cease-fire, the bigger shock for Petra comes in the form of Galen stating that they must break up. Saying that he cannot tell her the mission he has been assigned, Galen abruptly departs, leaving Petra both angry and dumbfounded. (more…)

This exciting third novella featuring Deacon Chalk, Occult Bounty Hunter, opens with our hero in the hospital room of a young were-bat (in human form) who had been severely beaten. The girl had been delivered to Larson’s clinic, which caters to the local were population, by the young man, Sully, another were, whose car she had landed in the road in front of. The forty-puncture wounds found in the patient, and an unmistakable odor on her body, lead Deacon to suspect the involvement of vampires. When the young woman shifts into her animal form and seems to be rabid, Deacon knows he must find the responsible party before the infection spreads amongst the were community. (more…)

Knight of Swords begins with a disturbing scene in which Nathan, Lord Valancourt, finds himself removed from his own dreams and trapped in a vision with a murderous vampire, witness to what the monster is doing without being able to move or stop him. This same sequence of events has happened before, and the vampire inexplicably seems to be targeting some of Nathan’s previous sexual partners. Every time, the killer utters the name “Juliet” as he butchers the women, but this time, a young woman appears next to Nathan, and he realizes that Juliet has now joined him in the vision. (more…)

Night Seeker, the exciting third installment in the fascinating Indigo Court series, picks up just two days after the events at the end of book two. With Veil House, the home and base half-witch/half-fae Cicely shares with her cousin, Rhiannon, having been effectively rendered uninhabitable for the time being, the group fighting against Myst and her vampiric fae (shadow hunters) now lives in a warehouse. After salvaging some supplies from the fire-ravaged Veil House, Cicely and company enjoy an evening of rest before three day-runners for the vampire contingent in town show up in an attempt to kidnap Cicely and Rhiannon.
(more…)

The Hour of Dust and Ashes, book three in the exciting Charlie Madigan series, picks up just a week after the events at the close of book two. Charlie and her friends won a battle against a being from another world, but things are in disarray after the event. Hank, Charlie’s siren partner, has to heal so he can rejoin her on the task force where they police off-world visitors in Atlanta. Bryn, Charlie’s sister, has become addicted to ash, the drug brought to Earth from Charbydon, a parallel world closely resembling Hell. If that were not bad enough, there have been signs that those addicted may also be possessed by spirits, but no one knows to what end.
(more…)

I admit it, Watchers, it’s hard to keep up with the shows we love in order to write about them at the same time for one column, especially as they are spread out all week. This time we will discuss some welcome returns, and check in with a favorite. (more…)

It’s been in the works and planning stages for months. Bitten by Books is happy to be the first to announce that author Faith Hunter has signed a contact with Penguin/Roc for a yet-to-be-titled world-book guide set in the Jane Yellowrock universe.

The release date is tentatively set for late 2013, with Bitten by Books reviewer Carol Malcolm as co-writer of the world-book.

It will also contain a never-before-seen Jane Yellowrock novella.

Stay tuned!

Readers will revel in Archangel’s Storm, a splendid return to the spellbinding world of the Guild Hunters series. This absorbing fifth full-length installment centers around Jason, spymaster for the Archangel Raphael. When the disgraced yet still beloved consort of the Archangel Neha is murdered, many fear for the woman’s sanity. Jason agrees to offer his services in ferreting out the killer, but his involvement comes with a price: Neha demands a blood vow between Jason and her niece, Mihaya, which would not interfere with Jason’s oath to Raphael.
(more…)