City of Souls: The Fourth Sign of the Zodiac

This series just keeps getting better and better! This book is imaginative and fun. It has plot twists that will keep you guessing and have you begging for more. Urban fantasy books are flooding the market and Vicki Pettersson has created a world that is unique and fascinating. Her heroine Jo Archer is tragically heroic as she battles Shadows and her own agents of Light to find her right path. And City of Souls opens up a whole new world called the Midheaven that will boggle your mind. Try these books. You won't be sorry!!

City of Souls, the latest in the Signs of the Zodiac series, is the best in the series to date. I can't wait for the next installment because "J'Olivia" has pretty much hit rock bottom here and I'm wondering what she's going to do to climb back out. The concept of Midheaven is intriguing and I loved that we got more of a glimpse into it in this book. I know there are lots of folks out there wanting a Hunter/J'Olivia HEA at the end of the series but this is UF (and dark UF, at that)so there's no guarantee of that. And, quite frankly, I'm okay with it. This book shows that even super heroes, no matter how 'super' they are, they're still human with very real human flaws in their make-up. Vicki's writing has improved with each book and the plot twists have me guessing at what else could possibly happen before Jo snaps.Throughout the series I've come to love to hate some of the characters (Reagan and Warren) and at the same time hold out hope that others will do the right thing (Hunter and Jo; even Warren). The ending was gut-wrenching and although I felt a sense of betrayal in one of the characters, I hated that I was at the end because I wanted this character to be able to redeem themselves. I don't want to have to wait till next year to read what happens next. You can be sure that come release day, I'll be there with bells on (and money in hand) to snatch up book 5! You rock, Vick! Miki

CITY OF SOULS is the kind of book that grabs a hold of your emotions and refuses to let go. Vicki Pettersson's hero, Joanna Archer,(a superhero) is one tough chick who takes all that's thrown at her and throws it right back in a way that we all wish we could. With twists and turns and gut-wrenching emotional scenes, this is Pettersson's BEST BOOK YET. She puts Jo through hell (a place called Midheaven, actually) and back, and at the climax, Jo is faced with making a sacrifice that will show just how human a superhero can be and will shock you to your own core. If you like dark fantasy with violence sex and gore, and haven't started this series yet, then you need to start it NOW. The writing is fantastic and Pettersson will surprise you at every turn, keep you up WAY past your bedtime, and leave you hungry for more. This book is the best one yet in an already great series!

J'Olivia is stubborn, but strong.... she doesn't always make the best choices and in the past I have often found myself yelling at her in my head. She has grown as a person and character over the last 4 books and I can't wait to see where she ends up after book 5. I adore Hunter as a character, even with his flaws as considerable as they are - they make him real. (After reading this book you MUST read the short story Dark Matters from the Unbound anthology). Great strides and great setbacks in the relationship between Jolivia and Hunter in this installment. I am holding out hope for a Happy Ever After for the two of them, but being the dark urban fantasy that I consider this to be I realize it may not be possible. This book takes us through trust, betrayal, love, friendship, and more. I think it is easily my favorite of the series because of the emotional blow it deals to Jo. I look forward to where she can go from here.... She isn't a quitter. Somehow, Vicki Pettersson has the amazing ability to tear your heart out and leave you wanting more.

I highly recommend you read this series in order (The Scent of Shadows The First Sign of the Zodiac, The Taste of Night The Second Sign of the Zodiac and The Touch of Twilight, The Third Sign of the Zodiac and also Vicki's short story in the anthology Unbound) before tackling this book. One thing I can say for this book....it was in no way predictable. This installment had so many twists, turns and surprises I couldn't put it down. If you are a Sign of the Zodiac fan, this is a must read! Joanna has most level-headedness and maturity in this book, than the past books combined. Joanna Archer is a survivor; chaos reigns in Jo's life and she thrives off of it. However, this chaos is at the expense of everyone who depends on her. The changelings are still broken. Without having a changeling to record the Agents in the manuals and the lack of belief and imagination to refuel their existence is, causing The Agents of Light to weaken significantly. Although the doppelganger, Skamar, is no longer trying to rip out Jo's heart and eat it, Skamar is still ineffectual at defeating the Tulpa. The more power the Tulpa and Skamar both expend by battling each other is shifting the environment off balance. The energy they expend must be reabsorbed into the universe or reused but it's just hanging out waiting to be claimed. To find the solutions to her many problems, Jo crosses over to a neither here nor there reality, an alternate world called Mid-Heaven. The Agents of Light are unraveling and the stakes are high for Jo. The price for the journey to find the answers she seeks may cost be Jo's her soul. The concept of this whole series just blows me a way. The clever world building of Mid-heaven was ingenious. If you are looking for a break from the usual vampires, weres, witches, fae, demons (although I love my fae and demons) then give this series a try. This series is creative, original, action-packed, exciting and innovative. I highly recommend this book and series to dark urban fantasy readers and I can't wait for the next book in this series Cheat the Grave due out 6/8/2010. I also recommend: On the Edge (The Edge, Book 1) Awaken Me Darkly (Alien Huntress, Book 1) They Call Me Death Magic Bites (Kate Daniels, Book 1) Dark Time: Mortal Path Book 1