The Hot Zone
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4.5 • 280 Ratings
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- $7.99
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
The world of Harmony has its wonders, one of them being Rainshadow Island.
Just beneath its surface, a maze of catacombs hides a dangerous secret…
Halloween—with its tricks and treats—is a dust bunny’s dream come true. Just ask Lyle, Sedona Snow’s faithful sidekick. But for Sedona, it’s a nightmare. Though her new job managing a small hotel and tavern on Rainshadow is helping her move on from her tragic past, a bizarre disaster down in the catacombs has brought a pack of rowdy ghost hunters to her inn.
And now, Sedona’s ex has arrived on the island, claiming he wants to get back together, just as a newcomer appears to have a strong interest in her. Cyrus Jones is the new Guild boss in town. He has his own agenda when it comes to Sedona, but even the best-laid plans are no match for the passion that springs up on Rainshadow…
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Castle, aka Jayne Ann Krentz, returns to the world of Harmony for the sprightly third tale of spooky Rainshadow Island (after Deception Cove). Spunky "gatekeeper" Sedona Snow has always been able to manipulate the psi forces swirling through the island's ancient alien-made catacombs, and the malevolent Dr. Blankenship's unpleasant experiments also give her control of fire. Finally she escapes Blankenship's subterranean prison, along with her nearly too-cutesy dust bunny companion, Lyle. While making a new life for herself as a Rainshadow innkeeper and overcoming the trauma of imprisonment and heartache from her earlier marriage, Sedona is drawn to newly arrived ghost-hunter Cyrus Jones, a charismatic "cooler" who can damp out other people's psi forces. Their physiques and talents mesh, and erotic thrills ensue. The breathless narrow escapes and familial conflicts will be familiar to genre fans, but they're made intriguing by the otherworldly and esoteric setting and some complicated generational backstories.
Customer Reviews
Rain shadow Series
Excellent read.
The hot zone
A big disappointment all around. I haven’t read much Jayne Castle in years, and I see that this just how I left off. The story line is promising but the rush to find out how it would end was a major let down.
I started out reading Shields lady many years ago. It was new exciting, and held you with a fanatic thrill to see what would happen next. This book had promise but lacked the depth and scope of earlier books.
I was waiting for the wit and easy going style of much earlier books but this one did not fullful that desire. The banter between the hero and heroine were missing the spark of the chemistry that was needed to bring about a great concussion. As with many of Ms Castle books the paranormal is more important the the craftsman ship of the author true talent. It seems that the paranormal is more important the delivery of a good book.
As before all of these book all into the category of sameness. It appears as showed for a number of years that the author has her own idea of entertainment. But many years of sameness with no sign of changing that the author doesn’t feel the need to take the where she used to go. From clever wit, style, and breathtaking style this book fall on the side of sameness. Which accounts for the disappointment that the reader feels.
I have read a lot of book by Ms Castle writing in all the styles that she is widely noted for, she seems to have gotten on subject and can’t seem to move forward. Writing trilogies under pen names it becomes hard to follow and find. After about 10 years becomes boring and very stagnant. It leaves the the reader wanting something more. Gone is the easy wit of earlier heroines a hero’s. The playful bantering is gone
Gone is my desire to read more. A shame as I have been reading this writing for more than a decade. All I can say is. I will be boxing up my by books and trading them in for some a lot more entertaining this than book. Very very disappointed.
Not quite hot
When I was half way through this story I actually wondered if I made a mistake and bought one of her older stories. It seemed extremely familiar. Super strong hero and super strong heroine? Check. Heroine in peril? Check. Hero dashes in and saves her with all the smooth efficiency a hero is capable of? Check. Fast pace and instant attraction? Check. Awesome sidekick? Check.
Although I will admit this is not my favorite series of this author (I have read every book published by her as Stephanie James, Jayne Ann Krentz, Amanda Quick, and Jayne Castle...) I have always felt her books in series, though related, can be read easily on their own and still make sense. But with this book I felt the story was a bit rushed and there was a certain lack of backstory for first time readers who happen upon this author for the first time.
But the ending was where I wondered if I'd missed something. It felt as tidy as ever, but extremely abrupt and super quick for happily ever after. I kept thinking the bad guy would turn out to be someone hiding in plain sight, one of my favorite plot twists of this author normally. But instead he seemed to be lacking in description and with very little character development. I wasn't scared of him, and not because of the heroine's bravery, but because he seemed secondary.
This story had the feel of a novella. A short segue to another, bigger story that I'll have to wait a few years to find out what happens next. It is not something I'm usually left feeling with this author.