Jayne Ann Krentz

 

 

Fired Up

Author: Jayne Ann Krentz

Series: Arcane Society

ISBN: 978-0399155963

Genre: Contemporary Paranormal

Publisher: Putnam Adult

 

 5 Hearts

 

Just finished both of Jayne Ann Krentz (aka Amanda Quick)'s new editions to her Arcane Society series. This series is unique because the author is writing books in both her contemporary persona, Krentz, and her historical persona, Quick. The series is about a special society that deals with the paranormal psychic population of the world in both time eras. Since the government doesn't choose to acknowledge the psychics of the world a group known as the Arcane Society was established during the Victorian Era and works to keep all the psychics in line. The group still exists today working to keep the evil psychic from hurting the rest of the world with their psychic ability.

 

In every book in the series there is a different hero and heroine, with the common consistancy the J&J Agency. Fired Up and Burning Lamp are not only books 7 & 8 of the Arcane Series but they are also the first two books in the Dreamlight Trilogy.

 

I was surprised by those who reviewed these two books and said that they saw little of Jayne Ann Krentz's usual style and characters, when I saw her using very much the same characters as she has used in the previous books in the series. I thought both books were well written, it not a little too descriptive. Fired Up seemed to relate a lot of the history of the first Winters' experiments, as does the Burning Lamp, so it seemed a little repetitive when you read them close together. I didn't mind though.

 

In Fired Up readers get to spend more time with the modern day Jones from the J&J Agency—Fallon. Fallon's character is more defined in Fired Up and he seems more disorganized than he has in previous books. I'm hoping we'll see a book for him soon.

 

It seem the books a little backwards where Fired Up, book 7, is the modern day version. Readers meet Jack Winter a decedent of the Nicholas Winter who created the Burning Lamp. A devise that the first Winter would hope would amp up his psychic powers, but ultimately made him go mad. Suddenly strange things are happening to Jack Winter and he is worried his is cursed as his ancestor was believed to be. So he goes to Chloe Harper, a Dream Psychic whom, Jack believes can save him before he goes insane.

 

Chloe is a private investigator. She is worried that Jack isn't going to get the helps he thinks from her, but she is the one Harper who isn't exploitive like the rest of her con-artist family and can't help but want to do what ever she can for Jack. Together they work against the clock to save Jack and also keep one step ahead to the evil group who wants to used both Jack and Chloe for their own gain.

 

Description:

More than three centuries ago, Nicholas Winters irrevocably altered his genetic makeup in an obsession fueled competition with alchemist and Arcane Society founder Sylvester Jones. Driven to control their psychic abilities, each man's decision has reverberated throughout the family line, rewarding some with powers beyond their wildest dreams, and cursing others to a life filled with madness and hallucinations.

 

Jack Winters, descendant of Nicholas, has been experiencing nightmares and blackouts—just the beginning, he believes—of the manifestation of the Winters family curse. The legend says that he must find the Burning Lamp or risk turning into a monster. But he can't do it alone; he needs the help of a woman with the gift to read the lamp's dreamlight.

 

Jack is convinced that private investigator Chloe Harper is that woman. Her talents for finding objects and accessing dream energy are what will save him, but their sudden and powerful sexual pull threatens to overwhelm them both. Danger surrounds them, and it doesn't take long for Chloe to pick up the trail of the missing lamp. And as they draw closer to the lamp, the raw power that dwells within it threatens to sweep them into a hurricane of psychic force.

 

Burning Lamp

Author: Amanda Quick

Series Connection: Arcane Society

ISBN: 978-0399156465

Genre: Historical Paranormal

Publisher: Putnam Adult

 

4 Hearts

 

The Burning Lamp, takes readers back a century in time where they meet Griffin Winters and Adelaide Pyne. Griffin is the only other Winters who has need to use the lamp. He knows the legend of Nicholas Winters and how the lamp is suppose to help him from going insane. He also knows he needs the help of a Dream Psychic to make the lamp work.

 

Adelaide is a social reformer and someone that Griffin would not normal associate himself with, but Adelaide is in possession of the lamp and he soon realizes that she is the only one who can help him before it is too late.

 

As with modern time, there are forces that don't want Griffin and Adelaide to come together on this project. They too need to race against time to safe not only Griffin but once Adelaide is enlisted to help she is no in danger as well.

 

Description:

The Arcane Society was born in turmoil when the friendship of its two founders evolved into a fierce rivalry. Sylvester Jones and Nicholas Winters each sought to enhance their individual psychic talents. Winters' efforts led to the creation of a device of unknown powers called the Burning Lamp. Each generation the Winters man who inherits it is destined to develop multiple talents—and the curse of madness.

 

Plagued by hallucinations and nightmares, notorious crime lord Griffin Winters is convinced he has been struck with the Winters Curse. And the instincts that have helped him survive the streets and rise to power are now drawing him toward Adelaide Pyne, the bothersome social reformer. But even as he arranges a meeting with the mysterious woman, he has no idea how closely their fates are bound, for Adelaide holds the Burning Lamp in her possession.

 

A dreamlight reader, Adelaide should be able to manipulate the Lamp's light to save both Griffin's sanity and his life. But their dangerous psychical experiment makes them the target of forces both inside and outside of the Arcane Society. And though desire strengthens their power their different lives will keep them apart—if death doesn't take them together.

 

 

Below are a list of books in the series.

 

SECOND SIGHT

By Amanda Quick

SETTING: Late Victorian England

 

WHITE LIES

By Jayne Ann Krentz

SETTING: Stone Canyon, Arizona, 21st. Century

 

SIZZLE AND BURN

By Jayne Ann Krentz

SETTING: Oriana, Washington, 21st Century

 

THE THIRD CIRCLE

By Amanda Quick

SETTING: Late Victorian England

 

RUNNING HOT

By Jayne Ann Krentz

SETTING: Hawaii, 21st Century

 

THE PERFECT POISON

By Amanda Quick

SETTING: Late Victorian England

 

FIRED UP

By Jayne Ann Krentz

SETTING: Seattle and Las Vegas, 21st Century

 

BURNING LAMP

By Amanda Quick

SETTING: Late Victorian England

 

Uneasy Alliance

Author: Jayne Ann Krentz

Harlequin; ISBN: 10: 0373200056

ISBN-13: 978-0373200054

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Reissue: Originally published in Harlequin Temptation #11 in 1984.

 

3 Hearts

 

Not one of my favorite Jayne Ann Krentz novels, Uneasy Alliance is just not written as well as her other earlier novels. Many people don't like reissues from so long ago because the genre has changed considerably over the last couple of decades. Back when this book was first written having an alpha male who was possessive and a little bit of a chauvinist wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Today some readers look at the characters in this book and say. . ."Ew. That guy is just plan terrible."

 

I, however, have always been a constant fan of Jayne Ann Krentz's and have collected all of her books, even the earlier days of her work. I absolutely love her male alpha characters, who back then were all very much a like. This story, however, was just not one of her best. The hero in the story, which is much like her other male chauvinist characters, is just not as well developed as the others. The female character is just not a well written either. She is just too wisy-washy. The "go away" and then "stay" is just over the top in this book. You just want to shake her and say, "make up your mind already. You know what kind of guy he is, take him or leave him."

 

That being said, if you like Jayne, you probably want to check this book out. If you are like me, you probably will tolerate the story line just to say you have read every one of Jayne's books.

 

Description:

After ending a relationship gone terribly and unexpectedly wrong, Abby Lyndon is left wary and determined to control her own life. Two years later, she meets a man who doesn't frighten her. When a nightmare from her past resurfaces, Abby has little choice to accept Torr Latimer's help, but his determination to protect her may be a little too close for comfort.

 

Running Hot

Author: Jayne Ann Krentz

Series: An Arcane Society Novel

ISBN: 978-0-399-25521-5

 

5 Hearts

 

Book Description:

Ex-cop Luther Malone, lifelong member of the secretive paranormal organization known as the Arcane Society, is waiting to meet Grace Renquist. Hired as an aura-reading consultant in the quest for a murder suspect, she's got zero field experience. She's from tiny Eclipse Bay, Oregon. She's a librarian, for heaven's sake.

 

As for Grace, she's not expecting much either from Malone, who walks with a cane and isn't so good with a gun. Nice resume for a bodyguard. . .

 

But even before they reach their hotel in Maui—where they'll be posing as honeymooners—Grace and Luther feel the electric charge between them. Problem is, they need to remain vigilant day and night, because it soon becomes clear there's more going on here. Rogue sensitives—operatives from the underground group Nightshade—are pouring into the luxury resort like there's a convention. Grace recognizes those dark spikes in their auras. She saw the same pattern in someone else in another life—a life she hasn't revealed to Luther or anyone else. And she understands how dangerous these people can be. . .especially with those para-hunters at their sides.

 

While the pair's employers at Jones and Jones scramble to get them backup, Luther and Grace have to think on their feet. The criminals in their midst aren't just high-level sensitives: They've enhanced their talents with a potent—and unpredictable—drug. And as grace knows all too well, if you don't control your powers, your powers will control you.

 

My View:

I'll admit I'm a Jayne Ann Krentz fan from way back. Over the years I've collected just about everything that Jayne has written under this name and her pseudonyms Jayne Castle and Stephanie James. I've read a few of the Amanda Quick series, but I'm not a real fan of historical romances, so I haven't been as diligent to read those. That said, when the new book came out I had to rush out to the bookstore and pick up my copy of her newest Arcane series and I wasn't disappointed.

 

To be honest I was a little worried about this one because I read the last Jayne Castle book Dark Light and it took me a little to get into it. Although, once I got past the repetitive first few chapters, it turned out to be a pretty good book. I didn't have the same problem with Running Hot. It was a fast read and action packed all the way through. I loved the characters and felt they worked well together.

 

Although Jayne pretty much explains the whole Arcane Society theme in Running Hot, I would recommend that those who haven't read the previous books in the series try them. It would be good to become familiar with the plot of the stories and some of the characters mentioned in this book. For example, Zack Jones is talked about several times in this book. He had his own story in the previous Arcane book Sizzle and Burn.

 

One other note: For those who are Jayne fans and read her Eclipse Bay series you might remember not all together there character Arizona Snow. Jayne reintroduces readers to Arizona Snow in Running Hot giving readers a completely new explanation on why Arizona acts the way she does. Bringing Arizona in was just a fun side note to this book. It's all just part of the charm that can be found in Jayne's books.

 

I recommend this book to anyone who likes a good love story with sweet love scenes. The paranormal angle takes the reader away from any sort of reality, but the ideas are original and the story line is clever.

 

It'll be interesting to see if Fallon Jones get the next Arcane Society book. The more we see Fallon in the series the more interesting his character becomes.