Any Given Doomsday (The Phoenix Chronicles, Book 1)
Author: Lori Handeland
Publisher: St. Martin’s Paperbacks
Elizabeth Phoenix once used her unique skills as a psychic to help in the Milwaukee Police Department’s fight against injustice. But when Liz’s foster mother is found viciously murdered – and Liz is discovered unconscious at the scene of the crime – her only memory of what happened comes in the form of terrifying dreams…of creatures more horrific than anything Liz has seen in real life. What do these visions mean? And what in the world do they have to do with her former lover, Jimmy Sanducci?
While the police question Jimmy in the murder, he opens Liz’s eyes to a supernatural war that has raged since the dawn of time in which innocent people are hunted by malevolent beings disguised as humans. Only a chosen few have the ability to fight their evil, and Jimmy believes Liz is among them. Now, with her senses heightened, new feelings are rising within Liz – ones that re-ignite her dangerous attraction to Jimmy. But Jimmy has a secret that will rock Liz to her core…and put the survival of the human race in peril!
“Sexy, dangerous, and a hot-as-hell page-turner!” ~ L.A. Banks, author of the Vampire Huntress Legends series.
One thing I can say about Any Given Doomsday is that I never really knew where the characters would end up at the end of the book. Our heroine, Elizabeth Phoenix (“Liz”), discovers early on that her world is not what she previously believed it to be. Angels and demons are real, as is the final battle between them, and she quickly learns she’ll play an important role in that battle. Liz is psychic. She can see things by touch. In her dying moment, Liz’s foster mother, Ruthie, gives her a gift beyond her present abilities but she’s not sure what that gift is or what it means. Enter, Jimmy Sanducci.
Liz still harbors feelings for her former lover but remembers how they split and is none too pleased when she learns they must now work together for the benefit of mankind. We’re talking global here. But Jimmy’s not the man he once was… literally! How is she to fight against the darker forces, vampires, shapeshifters and more, that have become all too real when she’s not sure which team Jimmy’s on?
In order to learn about her new gift, Jimmy delivers Liz to the home of her former mentor, Sawyer, who also happens to be the most powerful being known to either of them. Liz is afraid of Sawyer but much is revealed during her stay with him and I found myself caring for him more than any other character in this book. I don’t think that was intended but we’re given glimpses of Sawyer that shed light on his demeanor and behavior. Heck, maybe I’m just a softie for dark, complex characters!
Once Liz’s new powers are revealed, she receives a vision of the man(?) behind the recent deaths of others like her, and also discovers that her former lover Jimmy is in trouble. She’s off to his rescue and what she hopes is a successful mission to stop evil in its tracks. Will she succeed?
I originally bought this book because the story sounded interesting, a little different from others in the same genre. A good portion of this story is spent on Liz’s discovery of her gifts and why she’ll need them. That’s all well and good but I would have preferred less explanation and exploration and more action, more story. Some of the characters were intriguing (Sawyer), but I did not find myself caring for many of them, especially the main characters, the way I should have.
At one point near the end, the story took on a surreal vibe that had me wondering if I was dropped into the middle of another book, but the author scooped me out and brought me back in enough time to witness the conclusion.
It is clear this author is talented and had a great idea in this story but it could use better pacing and more likable characters.
Rating: ♦♦♦
