First in The Sign of the Seven Trilogy. Stardard for Robert's stories with a paranormal flavor.

In the small village of Hawkins Hollow, Maryland friends Gage, Fox and Cal sneak into the woods for a sleepover at the Pagan Stone on the night before their shared 10th birthday. Armed with plenty of snacks and 3 cigarettes, beer and a Penthouse magazine they snuck out with, the boys are feeling more grown up already. After one of them pukes they start to reconsider the idea of acting more grown up and think up the idea of a pact. Best friends since birth, they vow to always remain close and seal their bond with blood.

When their blood touches the Pagan Stone they unleash a three-hundred year curse. Since that night, every seven years Hawkins Hollow becomes closed off to outsiders and the residents are plagued by a week of unexplainable tragedies. On the eve of the third seven year cycle author Quinn Black has come to town to investigate the mysterious happenings for a new book.

In the interest of controlling what Quinn learns Cal works closely with her as she researches the strange phenomenon. When Quinn herself becomes victim to strange visions Cal knows it’s no coincidence that Quinn was drawn to Hawkins Hollow.

I love that Nora Roberts can churn out so many books each with a strong plot and great characters that turn into successful trilogies. Other than her Eve Dallas books written as J.D. Robb I haven’t read anything by Roberts in about seven years. Remembering that my similar return to a romance author from a long term hiatus resulted in one star review for Sandra Brown’s A Treasure Worth Seeking I was a little nervous starting this one. I shouldn’t have worried. Nora Roberts is the queen of romance and it shows. ( )

** spoiler alert ** Nora Roberts does not disappoint in this opening to one of her newest trilogies. While the setting or story have nothing to do with Celtic roots, it's like being pulled to a tavern in Ireland as you settle into Roberts' familiar cadence and pace reminiscent of a story you'd picture in some cozy Irish tavern. Roberts has a voice distinctively her own and her words are like lyrics or music in the style with which she writes.

I will note however having all three book to this trilogy i...more Nora Roberts does not disappoint in this opening to one of her newest trilogies. While the setting or story have nothing to do with Celtic roots, it's like being pulled to a tavern in Ireland as you settle into Roberts' familiar cadence and pace reminiscent of a story you'd picture in some cozy Irish tavern. Roberts has a voice distinctively her own and her words are like lyrics or music in the style with which she writes.

I will note however having all three book to this trilogy is advised before ever opening the covers of the first book.

This trilogy drags the reader to a small town in Maryland where a centuries old battle between light and dark still wages every seven years. In 1652 Giles Dent, a source of light, possibly a wizard though his exact title of being is so far unmentioned sent his lover and unborn children away to safety then trapped a demon so deadly none could kill him beneath the Pagan Stone, an alter-like stone deep in the the Hawkins Hollow woods. Before his death in the battle he sacrificed himself, his power to prepare those to come to the war they would someday battle in hopes of finally defeating this evil.

In 1987, three ten year old boys, descendants of Dent and his lover, became blood brothers on a stolen outing at the stone. In the process they released both light and dark onto their tiny little Maryland town and the battle was begun again. Now, for seven days in the seventh month of every seventh year an evil is unleashed on the town that drives its residents to unspeakable acts while the boys are left to try with what gifts they were left by Dent to fight the evil back and protect the innocents the darkness targets.

Now as the third unleashing of evil approaches, three women, unknown descendants of the evil itself have come to fight it back, because this battle will be the last and the winner is as of yet unknown.

This story focuses on the group both coming together, meeting each other and learning to be a team as well as the love story developing between Quinn Black and writer who's there to ferret out the story she's now become a part of and Caleb Hawkins, one of the three to set the story into motion.

Though the ending is slightly disappointing because it feels as though there should be more, another chapter to keep the story into motion, it is not a Roberts novel to be missed. The chilling scenes she creates with vivid clarity are enough to have any reader looking over their shoulder. The way she draws you in to immerse you in history is fascinating in and of itself and of course no one writes romance like Roberts does so that aspect doesn't even bear mentioning, it's a given.

This is why I recommend having all three books before beginning to read this tale as there is more, it's just found in the next book in this exciting trilogy. The Hollow. ( )

Publishers Weekly Review: After three boys accidentally awaken an ancient evil near their small Maryland town, the tight-knit community finds itself lost to a Stephen King–style plague of madness and destruction for a week every seven years. Twenty-one years later, those three boys, now grown, are hoping to find a way to stop the evil before its third return, which may mean the end of the town; they don’t know much about the “anomalies,” but they do know that “[e]very time it gets stronger.” This time, the town is graced by author Quinn Black, eager to document the paranormal mystery. When two more women arrive—one an associate of Quinn’s, the other led to town by strange visions—the circle of six decide to face the oncoming apocalypse together. Hyperprolific bestseller Roberts frontloads her story with drama and endearing characters ... PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

Sharing a birthday (July 7, 1977) made it for a natural fit, Caleb Hawkins, Fox O'Dell and Gage Turner became the best of friends. On their 10th birthday, they decided to celebrates the way boys do. A camping trip out at the clearing called Pagan Stone, they drank the beer Gage stole from his dad, ate the Little Debbie cakes Fox bought at the store and drank the lemonade the Cal's mom had packed. At midnight they decided to become blood brothers. After their pack was made, the words were spoken and the blood was mixed, something evil seemed to be released out of the stone like altar and nothing was ever the same again. Every 7 years, for 7 days the little town of Hawkins Hollow is terrorized by this evil and now after about 20 years, with the help of Quinn Black (a reporter of the strange and unusual), Layla Darnell (who was strangely drawn to Hawkins Hollow) and Cybil Kinski (Quinn convinced her to come) they might find a way to stop it all. The combination of psychic sensitivities, visions or dreams of the past and the information gained from their ancestors might give them a clue to how to putting the pieces together again.

Heavy, heavy into character creation. That is one of the best parts of a trilogy, more than half of this book is just about setting up the story and the characters. Once you get to know the who and the what, the story can play out all that much better. Cal is a wonderfully responsible yet easy person to really enjoy. Quinn is a handful, she is like a whirlwind in and around everyone and everything, they make the perfect connection (hope I didn't give too much away). These characters are easy to care about and the situation is obviously just getting started. The slight hint of supernatural gives it a little twist that makes it more than just a thriller romance. The who and the what is set, now lets see more in the next book of this "Sign of 7" trilogy (The Hollow) ( )