The Sign of Seven Trilogy by Nora Roberts

As my newest pregnancy hits full swing, I find that I have to keep my reading/media on the light-hearted side of things.  Anything too heavy gets the hormones going, and nobody wants to cry over a book...at least not very often!

The Premise:  On the even of their shared 10th birthday, best friends Caleb, Fox and Gage embark on a glorious adventure: little debbie snack cakes, warm cans of coke, bike rides and camping - alone - in the forbidden Hawkins Hallow wood at the mysterious Pagan Stone.  As midnight and their birthday approaches, the boys use Caleb's boy scout knife to swear themselves as blood brothers.  They speak an oath and combine blood...and unleash a dark madness that was trapped under the Pagan Stone.

Now every seven years for seven days the demon the boys unwittingly unleashed on their birthday reigns terror upon the town and people of Hawkin's Hallow.  Buildings are burned, people murdered and only Caleb, Fox and Gage seem to remember that it even happened.

As their 31st birthday approaches, Caleb, Fox and Gage know in their guts that this Seven is their last chance to save their town from the Demon...if they can just figure out how.

Blood Brothers:  In the months before the Seven hits Hawkins Hallow, Caleb Hawkins feels the signs starting earlier and stronger than ever.  Animals are acting strangely, the woods behind his house seem to bleed, and a sense of wrong invades his dreams.  Which is why he agrees to an interview with paranormal writer Quinn Black.

Quinn comes to town with an open mind and isn't disappointed in what she finds.  Inexplicably, Quinn can see the signs as well, although she's not local to the town.  As Quinn digs into research and settles into Hawkins Hallow for the next few months, she learns that she's connected to what happens in the town.  And to the oh so handsome Caleb.

The Hollow:  Fox O'Dell is town hippie-turned-lawyer and a solid presence in Hawkins Hallow.  His ties to his family and friends keep him in town even when darkness descends for a week every seven years.  As the next Seven looms, Fox digs in to fight what he knows is the last battle between the darkness and the light.  What he doesn't expect is for the darkness to hit harder, stronger, and earlier than ever.

But hope isn't lost.  With the help of his best friends Cal and Gage, and sophisticated newcomer Layla Darnell, Fox starts to see that the future may not be all darkness and loss.  In fact, with Layla's help, he sees that the future is worth fighting for indeed.

The Pagan Stone:  Gage Turner doesn't feel tied to his home town of Hawkins Hallow, or to the father that beat him from the time he was a small boy.  But he does feel tied to his best friends Caleb and Fox.  So every seven years he returns home from wherever his wanders have taken him to help his friends fight to keep Hawkin's Hallow safe from the demon that terrorizes the town.  This Seven feels different from the last.  Not only is the demon coming on stronger than ever, his friends have help, in the form of Caleb's Quinn, Fox's Layla and their friend, researcher Cybil Kinski.

As the group of people come together to learn all they can to fight the demon, Gage feels himself pulled to Cybil.  But can he trust in love when he may only have weeks to live?

My Thoughts:  I'm torn about this series.  I absolutely love the premise: three childhood best friends are fated to unleash a demon when they are just boys.  For a week every seven years, the demon reigns terror over the town, causing its inhabitants to do unspeakable things, of which they will not remember when the Seven is over.  The three boys, Cal, Fox and Gage, aren't without weapons--they heal fast and can't be infected--but are totally outclasses by the demon.  As the final Seven approaches, three women come to town and end up saving the day.  Their fresh take and ruthless research help the men find the tools to face the demon with a chance of not only surviving but riding the town of evil for good.  This is right up my alley.  This is genius.  I shouldn't have been able to put this series down.  But I could and did frequently.  I think what this series lacks (for me...others will not agree) is the lack of balance between story, romance and characters.  I loved the story, thought the romance was OK, and didn't like some of the characters.  Usually a Nora trilogy sucks me under, and this one just didn't.

Rating:  This was good for a one time read, but I won't pick it up again.

Reviewed By:  Tami

Also Read by Author:  I've read almost all of Roberts' catalog, which you can find at her website.  You can check my other reviews on Robert's books by searching for Nora Roberts in the quick search on the right hand side of the page, or by clicking individual links here:  Shadow Spell   |   Dark Witch   |   Thankless in Death   |   Concealed in Death  |  The Collector  |  Blood Magick  |  Blue Dahilia  |  The Liar  |  Dance Upon the Air  |  The Obsession

"Dance Upon the Air" by Nora Roberts

I picked this book up because I couldn't remember if I'd read this trilogy or not.  And since one of my life-goals is to read every Nora Roberts series there is, I thought I might as well dive right in.  (Note: I had read it before, but I didn't remember many of the details).

Summary:  After faking her own death and assuming a new identity, Nell Channing decides that Sister's Island is the right place to set down roots and start a new life.  Although she quickly finds a job at the local bookstore cafe and friendship with the bookstore's owner, Mia, and local deputy, Ripley, Nell can't help feeling skittish at anything that comes too close.  Especially when that thing is Sheriff Zach Todd.  But Zach's a patient man and uses his laid back, steady personality to his advantage as he slowly finds ways to get close to the mysterious Nell.

But Nell's past isn't quite done.  As she comes into her own, and evil force awakens and threatens to destroy all Nell has come to love.  With the help of her friends Mia and Ripley, and the love of Zach, Nell must come face to face with that which scared her most, or let a curse destroy her once and for all.

My Thoughts:  I loved the setting of this book.  My heart is still a flutter from the idea of Sisters Island.  Perhaps it's due to the stage of life I'm in, but to me there is nothing better small, close knit community with a lively main drag (that includes a non-chain book store!), pretty beaches and a satisfied community.  I want to go to Sisters Island with my family, open my own business and never come back to cubicle walls, 2 feet of snow and keeping up with the Jonses ever again.

I also really liked liked Nell, which is really important when reading a cheesy romance novel.  I find her story interesting and dynamic.  Nell has hit the absolute rock bottom and is slowly clawing her way out of the darkness, on her own terms and in a way that makes her truly happy.  Her romance with Sam doesn't define her and doesn't make her happy.  She makes herself happy and Sam is just the hunky icing on the cake.

I did feel like the romance took second place to Nell's story - but I'm OK with that.  Without spoiling the story too much, Nell's first priority was to rediscover Nell, and I felt like Miz Nora did a phenomenal job.  Nell didn't feel contrived and her issues didn't feel like they were thrown in the bucket to create friction between Nell and Sam.

The regular Nora Roberts themes of creating your own family, your own future and your own happy are very much alive in this book.  It's one of the reasons I love Miz Robert's books.  Even when the characters should be out of hope, they use their force of will, determination, smarts and loved ones to make it all better.  We should all be so lucky.

Rating:  I enjoyed this book although I'm not sure I'd read it again.

Also Read by this Author:  I've read almost all of Roberts' catalog, which you can find at her website.  You can check my other reviews on Robert's books by searching for Nora Roberts in the quick search on the right hand side of the page, or by clicking individual links here:  Shadow Spell   |   Dark Witch   |   Thankless in Death   |   Concealed in Death  |  The Collector  |  Blood Magick  |  Blue Dahilia  |  The Liar

Reviewed By:  Tami

"The Fellowship of the Ring" by JRR Tolkien

I read this book in middle school, and got half way through the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I stopped because I found it depressing and the elven was unintelligible, but now that I am an adult nerd, I feel like I should have all four of them under my belt, and not just the movies. At the library I saw all four in audiobook format and decided I could finally finish the series. 

Summary: This story takes place several decades after The Hobbit in which Bilbo goes on an adventure and happens to find a very useful ring. It is The Ring. Centuries ago, Sauron gave out rings of power to various factions hoping to win their trust and loyalty. And he had a special secret because he made one more ring that was designed to control the others. Sauron lost the ring in battle and it changed many hands until finally reaching Bilbo, a small hobbit in the Shire. Young Frodo inherited the ring when Biblo decided to leave the Shire right around the time Gandalf began to understand the true power of the thing.

As Sauron grows in power and threatens the lives of every race, Gandalf the Grey thought on the fate of the ring for some time, finally deciding that any plan which did not include destroying was too dangerous. Unfortunately, the only way the ring could be destroyed was to drop it in the pits of Mordor where it was forged. The rest of the book is assembling a team to bring the ring to Mordor and destroy it before the wraiths of Sauron can seize it.

What I Liked: Since I liked The Hobbit I appreciate any book in the same universe. Also, this is quintessential fantasy with elves, dwarves, wizards and brave knights. This first book in the trilogy is very hopeful and eager. The characters are worried, but motivated to complete their mission. 

What I Didn't Like: Some of the decisions made by the wise folk are a bit confounding. One option they have is to send the ring to the opposite side of the world, and they figure that Sauron will catch up with it some day, so that's not good enough. It seems to me, that if it delays the problem several generations, its still a win, whereas bringing the ring straight into Sauron's fortress hoping to destroy it seems more dangerous. Also, while I am complaining, Tom Bombadil is older than the world, and bends the world to his will, yet he can't be bothered to help destroy the ring. I mean, he could have totally saved the day without breaking a sweat!

Rating: Recommended.

Also Read by this Author: The Hobbit.

Reviewed by: Nick