House of the Rising Sun

March 24, 2014
Too-perfect playboy fae Augustine, from Painter’s House of Comarré series, is horrified when his mother figure, movie star Olivia Goodwin, is murdered by vampires in 2068 New Orleans. In a future too much like our present—televisions are now holovisions and cell phones are “Life Management Devices”—New Orleans is a bustling Haven city for the morally questionable witches and the righteous fae. Augustine becomes New Orleans’s guardian, tasked with ridding the city of its uninvited vampire guests and eager to use his position to avenge Olivia. Further complicating matters is the appearance of Harlow, Goodwin’s estranged daughter and Augustine’s love interest, and later Harlow’s dangerous father, whom Goodwin kept secret. This page-turner features characters with interesting, innovative powers solving a complex conspiracy, and is a promising beginning to what looks to be an easily digestible series.

April 15, 2014
Augustine lives the good life in New Orleans, a Haven city where all fae creatures can safely coexist with humans. Regarded as a surrogate son by retired movie starlet Olivia, Augustine doesn't need to work and can focus all his energies on picking up women--not that he needs to put much energy into it. Olivia's daughter, Harlow, has come to New Orleans to ask her mother for money--she's in a legal jam--and to convince her to finally reveal her father's identity. Unfortunately, soon after Harlow's arrival, Olivia is killed by vampires in her own home, leaving Augustine grief-stricken and Harlow bereft of answers. The two work together to locate the killers while finding themselves attracted to each other. VERDICT Painter is the author of the Comarre books ("Last Blood"), which cross over with this new series but with less angst. Those who enjoy romantic urban fantasy authors like Ilona Andrews and Patricia Briggs might want to try this Southern charmer.

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