Any Given Doomsday

By Lori Handeland

Publisher's Weekly says Any Given Doomsday has a "dramatic story line" and "immense suspense."

Preventing the Apocalypse, one demon at a time . . .

Psychic ex-cop Elizabeth Phoenix finds herself thrust into saving the world. Unaware of the supernatural battle that has been raging since the beginning, Liz becomes the untutored leader of the federation, a collection of seers and demon killers. She's soon pointing out monsters of Biblical proportion to her ex-boyfriend Jimmy, a half-vampire battling an army of Nephilim intent on bringing about doomsday.

Unable to control her new powers, Liz travels from Wisconsin to New Mexico where she meets with Sawyer, a powerful Navajo shape-shifter whose secrets frighten her and whose sexuality tempts her.

Caught between two worlds and two men, Liz must juggle it all in a spiral toward Armageddon. She will need all her powers, and those of her friends and lovers, to battle an enemy that could be indestructible. Will she succeed or will the world as we know it end?

Any Given Doomsday it the first book in an original urban fantasy series by the New York Times Bestselling author of the Nightcreature Novels. If you love the Anita Blake novels, download the adventures of Liz Phoenix today!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lori Handeland
• Release date: Nov 18, 2014
• ISBN: 9780990596455

Lori Handeland

Lori Handeland is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author with more than 60 published works of fiction to her credit. Her novels, novellas, and short stories span genres from paranormal and urban fantasy to historical romance. After a quarter-century of success and accolades, she began a new chapter in her career. Marking her women’s fiction debut, Just Once (Severn House, January 2019) is a richly layered novel about two women who love the same man, how their lives intertwine, and their journeys of loss, grief, sacrifice, and forgiveness. While student teaching, Lori started reading a life-changing book, How to Write a Romance and Get It Published. Within its pages. the author, Kathryn Falk, mentioned Romance Writers of America. There was a local chapter; Lori joined it, dived into learning all about the craft and business, and got busy writing a romance novel. With only five pages completed, she entered a contest where the prize was having an editor at Harlequin read her first chapter. She won. Lori sold her first novel, a western historical romance, in 1993. In the years since then, she has written eleven novels in the popular Nightcreature series, five installments in the Phoenix Chronicles, six works of spicy contemporary romance about the Luchettis, a duet of Shakespeare Undead novels, and many more books. Her fiction has won critical acclaim and coveted awards, including two RITA Awards from Romance Writers of America for Best Paranormal Romance (Blue Moon) and Best Long Contemporary Category Romance (The Mommy Quest), a Romantic Times Award for Best Harlequin Superromance (A Soldier’s Quest), and a National Reader’s Choice Award for Best Paranormal (Hunter’s Moon). Lori Handeland lives in Southern Wisconsin with her husband. In between writing and reading, she enjoys long walks with their rescue mutt, Arnold, and occasional visits from her two grown sons and her perfectly adorable grandson.

Reviews for Any Given Doomsday

[crazy4reading · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wow! I really wish I had read this book earlier. Why I didn't read it when I first got it I'll never know. I was hooked from the very first chapter.Any Given Doomsday is the first book in the Phoenix Chronicles. I wasn't sure what to expect. There are a lot of supernatural beings that I have never heard of before.Elizabeth Phoenix is the strong women in this series. She is a psychic and doesn't like having it. She decides to use her ability for good. Her foster mother Ruthie is brutally murdered and she now has received more gifts. She learns that she is the one that will have to fight all evil for the human race to survive.Elizabeth or Phoenix is not too happy about this. She has to be trained by someone in her past name Sawyer. He scares her. Phoenix needs to open herself up to her ability and to be able to see visions without having to touch people. She is on a mission to find out who killed Ruthie. Will she be able to handle the truth? Will she be surprised by what happens?I can't wait to continue this series. Now I just have to decide if I want to buy the rest of the books.

[catya77 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the start of a promising new good versus evil series. The tale is well written with realistic and mostly likeable characters. The good versus evil war is within each person as well as a literal good guys versus bad guys war. Ultimately, love will win. At least that is Ruthie's promise at the conclusion of the first episode. I look forward to Liz's and the Federation's future battles.

[blodeuedd_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

What to say? It did not work for me and I started skimming...a lot. I just never connected to the world or the characters. In UF that is important for me. For some reason I can read PNR and feel eh, but UF, no!

Stuff happened, the heroine did things , yawn. Honestly it failed for me. The reason is connection and that I just do not care or have anything more to say. It had promise, just not for me

[melannen_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This was a reasonably well-written start to an urban fantasy novel! The main charater, Elizabeth Phoenix, is a former foster-child and also former policewoman, with no family who is suddenly thrust into a world of supernatural dangers when her foster-mother Ruthie is brutally murdered and her foster-brother (and ex) Jimmy is framed for the crime.There were a lot of things I liked about this story! The plot hops along, the portrayal of the American West from Cleveland to a Navajo reservation is very evocative and does a much better job than many urban fantasies I've read where the place feels generic, and the characters are reasonably good representations of the sort of people I'd expect to find living in those places, which is even rarer. The plot hops along nicely, I really enjoyed the way the climax turned out, and the eventual reveal of the main character's special power is gloriously cracktastic in a way that could work really well in a sex-drenched paranormal romance, and the main character is endearing and willing to take control of her life.Unfortunately, the author seems to believe that rape threats + coercion = sexual attraction + romance, and coercive manipulation + lies = love. Not only did that make many of the scenes really difficult and painful to read - the reason this review is so late is that on my first attempt to read I had to stop at the first point where Jimmy physically restrains Elizabeth and sexually assaults her under the premise of 'having feelings for each other' - it also ruins nearly all the characters' 'positive' relationships since they're pretty much all textbook abusive and I just want Elizabeth to go far away and never talk to these people again even if it does mean the world burns. Which also made it difficult to care about the book's plot.I realize that this is an unfortunately common thing in romance and urban fantasy but there are plenty out there that don't portray the sexual assault as love just because she sort of wanted it (even in 2009 there were) and I avoid that when I can.Other than that though it was OK.

[phienix-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have read only one book by this author, and that didn't go over very well. But this one is much improved and unlike others, I did enjoy it. It is fast paced, some good action, and only a few spots seem to drag. I didn't have any issues with the language or the sex scenes. While there were a few sex scenes they did seem to have a purpose, and where part of the story. As far as the story itself. It isn't an entirelly new idea. With 2012 coming many writers have jumped on the doomsday the end is coming bandwagon. But the authors addition of the fallen angels and magic is new (atleast to me). The main character does remind me a bit of Anita Blake, not just that she gains power through sex but she is a bit of a reluctent hero/leader.This is a series I will be keeping an eye on to see where the author takes it.

[bookworm_naida · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Psychic Elizabeth Phoenix used to be a police officer, but after her partner is murdered, she quits and winds up working at a bar. One day while at work, she has a sudden urge to leave and go to her foster mom's home. Once Liz arrives there, she finds her foster mother, Ruthie, nearly dead. Ruthie says one last thing to Liz before dying."The final battle," she managed, though her voice was fading, "begins now." Liz passes out and awakens later at the hospital with no recollection of what happened to make her pass out. She is questioned by the police who are investigating her foster mother's murder. Their prime suspect is Liz's former flame, Jimmy Sanducci. Jimmy's character is basically a jerk, he cheated on Liz and he treats her badly. But you wonder if the two will get back together and make it work.Jimmy explains to Liz that there has been a battle going on between humans and demons, and that Liz is now a seer. She finds it hard to believe at first, but slowly comes to realize Jimmy is telling the truth. Now it is up to Liz to help fight the battle, with the help of her new spirit guide, her foster mother. Liz and Jimmy wind up going to find a man called Sawyer. Sawyer is a shape shifter, he is centuries old. Now this is the part of the book I didn't like too much. Jimmy leaves Liz with Sawyer. I'm wondering where the heck did Jimmy go? It's like he's a main character for the first half of the book, then he just leaves. Liz is attracted to Sawyer, and the two become intimate, but she is supposedly still in love with Jimmy. I didn't like the sex scenes between these two. Mainly because it seemed like rape at first, then it seemed too cold, no real connection coming from Sawyer. I actually didn't even like Jimmy or Sawyer. And I don't understand how Liz can love Jimmy. Both guys seem like such big jerks to me. Liz was alright, but I didn't understand her relationship with these men. I would want to read the next installment of this series however, to see where the author takes these characters.

[elleayess-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Any Given Doomsday is a supernatural story about a woman who must fight to save the end of the world. Demons, Vampires and traditional Native American witchery are all things she is up against. The story line was good and the characters were compelling, throw in a surprise ending and I have to say the first urban fantasy book I ever read was not too bad. The sex was pretty graphic (almost too graphic for my taste, I just skipped over it), but the sarcastic dialog is what kept me reading. The story tied together nicely, I may end up reading the next segment if it so happens to fall into my hands.

[papercrystals · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Truly awful. I always desperately want to like paranormal fiction, due to how much I loved the first couple Anita Blake books when they came out, but Any Given Doomsday, like so many of the other attempts at this genre, fails at originality. We're given no chance to connect with the characters before they dive into the "erotic" part of the novel, and then the main character is essentially raped- but accepts it as okay because she's told that deep down, she actually wanted it.I finished the book, but only because I don't feel like I can write a review without reading the entire book.My suggestion? Pass on this series unless you really want the fluffiest of fluff.

[dtisinger-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I definitely enjoyed this book more than I have the recent Laurell Hamilton tomes. I liked the toned down sex and found the writing to be better and more engaging. I'm a huge fan of the idea that there is more to the world than what we normally see, and found this to be a moderately engaging addition. I think that Charlaine Harris, C.E. Murphy, Laura Gilman, Robin McKinley (in Sunshine) and, most importantly, Charles de Lint, definitely pull it off better, but AGD was intriguing enough for me to keep reading.I did find the Native American mysticism a little off-putting. Handeland does not seem to have done the research that someone like Tony Hillerman has, and by writing about shamanism like this from an unresearched, non-Native perspective is moderately troubling to me. The sections with Sawyer seemed to lump all Southwestern Native shaman practices into one lump to serve the stories purposes rather than to add significant information to the story.I also wanted to see more world-building. Granted, moving into the realm of the supernatural can take more time than one novel, but I felt that the different types of species that Liz encountered were more for a plot device than creating a world with rules that do not follow our own understandings.I enjoyed the book, found it intriguing enough to continue turning the pages, but I'm not exactly on pins and needles waiting for the next installment.

[rtb_3 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Reviewed by JenOriginally posted on Romancing the Book in Nov 2008ARC won at Library ThingLiz Phoenix has always been a little different. But when she discovers her foster mother near death, Liz comes to find out just how different when she’s thrown into a paranormal world she never knew existed. And how prominently she fits into that world.This is the first book in Lori Handeland’s new series, The Phoenix Chronicles. These books follow Liz as she comes to terms with her new life, exploring her new powers, and saving the human world from destruction. Book two is scheduled for release in mid 2009.I won this book in an ARC (Advanced Reading Copy) drawing on Library Thing. It was my first full length Lori Handeland novel. I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. The publishers aren’t marketing the book as romance, where in the past her books were. I always get a little nervous when an author deviates from the genre he/she gained their fan base. But I think there’s enough “romance” –perhaps not in the traditional sense, seeing as there isn’t a happily ever after — to keep fans happy.I like this world Lori created. She pulled paranormal creatures from a variety of cultures to spin a unique world. And the character of Liz is unlike any I’d read before. She’s thrown into this bizarre world, has this totally unique role and is so unsure of herself, stumbling through her new role in life, yet she deals with it with sarcasm and trial and error. I think it was the sarcasm that won me over. A word of warning though. If you have a weak stomach when it comes to blood and gore, you’re forewarned.

[sedelia_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Right from the beginning, Any Given Doomsday starts off with a murder and the main character, Liz, having a vision and going into a coma. Awesome start? Yeah, I thought so too. The stakes are high immediately, which makes for a great story. There was a bit of info-dumping going on in places, and there were times where I thought that Liz accepted her new life too easily. I also wish that the plot was more developed. By that, I mean that there isn't much in the way of suspense. The plot doesn't grow more complex as the story goes on, it just stays with the high stakes established from the beginning. While I felt like much of the humor was forced in this book, I still enjoyed it. It's not quite as snappy or witty as other urban fantasies out there, but it's got a great concept going for it. And, it's a fast-paced, intriguing read.Liz finds out that she's the new alpha-seer and has to cope with accepting her abilities (new and old) and the responsibilities that come with being a seer. I like the concept of having a seer help demon killers rid the world of evil, and I especially liked how Handeland combined the Bible and the mythologies to create this world. All supernatural stories have their own twist on creatures, and I really like Handeland's take on things.I loved the characters. Handeland obviously put a lot of work into them. They all had such complex histories and backgrounds, which made them interesting to read about. As the reader, we don't know all of what these characters have been through, but we do get a deeper sense of their history and it makes them seem like real people. The main thing that got me going through this book (aside from wanting to know about the murder!) was my interest in the characters. I cared about them right away and only got more interested as the story progressed.In terms of romance, this one is only okay. I felt like I was just being told that Liz and Jimmy had an attraction for each other. Okay, they have a history, but I didn't understand why they still had feelings for each other. It didn't really show in their actions or the way they interacted. I was just told they really cared for each other and had to accept that at face-value. There's a point where Liz has to visit a shaman-witch-shapeshifter guy named Sawyer to help unlock her powers. These scenes with just her and him were way more romantic and intriguing than the ones with Liz and Jimmy. I hope Sawyer continues to be a major player in the series.If you like urban fantasy, try this one out. I thought it was worth the read and it's good enough to make me want to read the sequel. Not an automatic favorite, but The Phoenix Chronicles definitely has potential.*I received this book for free through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer's Program in exchange for an honest review.*

[eren0317 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This was an ok read, but having read LKH, I'm kind of spoiled on the whole urban fantasy deal. The book moves very quickly and it did keep my interest, but it just seemed to be a re-run of other things I've read. I didn't like that fact that religion was a definite and not a belief, but that's my deal.

[new_user_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I had limited expectations for this book after reading Handeland's Nightcreature series. While I enjoyed the werewolf books, they were simple romances at their core, late night snacks rather than five-course meals. I picked up Any Given Doomsday largely on a whim. I didn't even intend to read the book that night, but then I couldn't stop. The book just moves that fast.In Doomsday Handeland stretches her wings to craft a fuller tale, consisting of two chief elements: the romance and the thriller. I would say she satisfies on both counts. First, in the character Elizabeth Phoenix, Handeland creates an everywoman. Naturally, Elizabeth has plenty to say about life and a funny, sarcastic way to say it, but she has one trait that's woefully missing from many paranormal and romance heroines. She's endearingly self-deprecating, down to earth and just plain sympathetic, right down to her resignation when she learns she's gotta save the world. The reader doesn't have to grind teeth to tolerate her. Elizabeth's reactions to her insane world are genuine, and we learn about the baddies as she does. The device Handeland uses here is mostly dialogue, but there are no page-long monologues that begin with, "Magic is..." We read the explanations of the world's-folkloric-monsters-come-to-life (whoa, awesome idea) in between her conversations with the two leading men in this book, who are fleshed out as flawed men rather than fantasies put to writing (not that they couldn't be fantasies, ;). The way they are developed speaks to Handeland's skill. Elizabeth's differing relationships with these men is multi-layered, and we learn about them both through Elizabeth's memories and inner dialogue and even more interestingly, the character's opinions of each other. What's the term here, a dog fight? ;P Learning about these guys is interesting, one a powerful Navajo witch and the other a monster hunter (and her ex). One's slightly ruthless gamma, the other a lost-soul type. Naturally, we want to redeem both. *leer*In fact, for the first half or so of the book, I thought I was reading something along the lines of Rachel Caine's Ill Wind or perhaps a Buffy for Adults, complete with a deceased spirit guide who can only tell the heroine so much because rules are rules, a device as much a staple of storytelling as the haunted castle or "once upon a time." We learn about her world and her past relationships, the news in 30 seconds, right from the beginning of the novel where the action starts and from there we're mostly interested in Doomsday and what Elizabeth's gonna do about it. Then the romance begins. I won't give anything away, but I will say this: Handeland's not afraid to make her character sacrifice. Elizabeth goes through a lot to shape her character into a hero we can be confident will save our unworthy arses. There are some darker moments (I did say flawed men, didn't I?) but the reader gets the impression Handeland wants us to read the next book to learn the method to her madness. I just hope that Elizabeth's fun new sex-as-a-weapon habit doesn't become Anita Blake, if you catch my meaning. It was well-written and logical in the flow of events here, but, alone, that plot device may lend itself to abuse. No way to tell until we read the next book though. This is the first book, the first battle in the war, as Elizabeth says, and I will definitely be looking out for the second.

[sschleicher_4 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Not a fan of this genre so this book was a struggle for me to even start. I finished reading it just because I like to finish books I start. I will not be reading any other books in this series but if you like fantasy give it a try.

[kcnjamie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great Book! I am definitely a fan of this genre so the book was an easy read for me. Very entertaining and it was an excellent page turner. The character development was outstanding, and the story was truly intriguing! I am definitely looking forward to the next book in the series! I recommend this book

[jeaaron · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I must admit that I am not a wild fan of this genre; however, if well written, I can find it entertaining. This book is told in a young, inexperienced narrative voice, not compatible with the main character portrayed. There is not enough thick description, making the supernatural elements seem unbelievable and silly (like bad special effects in film), and the "normal" elements flat and emotion-less. The relationships seem contrived, and the sexual imagery (which in principle does not bother me) not only lacks eroticism but also seems irrelevant to the plot. Not recommended, since this is even too light for light reading. I gave two stars (and not one) because the paranormal ideas and characters are fun.

[bluecat2472 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Bad. Main character seemed weak, not real.

[bookfetish_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Any Given Doomsday starts off The Phoenix Chronicles… which manages to combine Romance with Horror and Fantasy. Liz Phoenix, the main character is sometimes psychic as a gift and she is tasked with saving the world from Armageddon. All of this comes about to her during a (forced) sexual encounter with someone from her past. The author did a good job of developing complex and compelling characters, and I think the plot moves along fairly well. It did resemble some of the others in this genre, so only the powers through sex aspect was unexpected for me. Over all, I enjoyed it, and she’s intrigued me to read the next in the series.

[vampiregirl76 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a good book. But I have to say I was a bit reluctant to read it, which is just me being stubborn. I would have preferred another Nightcreatures book. But I'm glad I read this new one, cause I really enjoyed it. Liz is a former cop and a psychic, so she has seen her share of weirdness. But when a loved one is killed, her world is turned upside down. Any Given Doomsday is fun, steamy with not stop action. If you enjoyed Ms. Handeland's Nightcreatures series, you'll definitely like this new series. Especially if your a fan of Urban Fantasy.

[vriesemafamily · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I did read this book, decided that while parts of it were well written I felt that the sex scenes were gratuitous add-ins meant to drive up sales. I am not opposed to sex in novels but found it dragged down this book. So while I actually really enjoyed the first half of the book. I finished the last and wrote a review posted it... then deleted it from my library. Which apparently deleted my review.In my opinion, there are far better books out there for light reading.

[linellsb1 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Sorry, did not like this one, and cannot say anything nice.

[redpersephone · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I was interested in reading this since it is a fantasy with a female protagonist, but I broke my usual self-imposed ban on reading reviews before I read the book. After finding out that there are scenes of rape that the heroine is supposed to be enjoying, I decided that I would wait to read it, or perhaps not read it at all. I may give it a chance someday, but for now, I'd rather not read anything promoting the horrific idea of 'gray rape.'

[chicagocubs_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was just an ok book for me. I didn't love it or hate it. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the books because I do feel that the ending was interesting.

[roquinn_2 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I received AGD as an ARC, and I read it right away. I was excited to read it - I really like both urban fantasy & paranormal romance, and I also enjoy a good mystery. But let me tell you the story of how it took me so long to review it. My normal way of reviewing a book is to read it, let it percolate for a week or two, and then read it again, reviewing as I go. So I gave this one a first reading....and then didn't think of it again for months! I got the reminder from Library Thing to review it, and tried to remember the story. Finally, I thought I remembered the basic plot. Except that the plot I was remembering wasn't from this book, as I found when I went to read it again. Perplexed, I spent the next few days trying to figure out which book I was remembering, and it turned out to be Sherrilyn Kenyon's Devil May Care. Completely forgot, again, about AGD. Spent another few months not thinking about it at all.Again, I was reminded, and again, tried to remember the plot. This time, I remembered the plot from Apocalypse Array. But I couldn't find AGD to find out. I have a lot of books, and they're constantly being swirled about the 3 story house in which I live. I did eventually find Apocalypse Array (maybe I confused them because the covers are similar), though, and realized that this was not the book I had been looking for. So I set my brain to keep looking for AGD, and eventually, I found it.So, to the book itself: labeled as urban fantasy, paranormal romance and mystery. The mystery is who killed the heroine's mentor. There are no real clues or investigation, the protagonist fumbles about doing other things until the murderer delivers a smackdown on her, and tells all. So it obviously fails on that count.Paranormal romance: I'm sorry, but rape is not romantic. At all. Especially not rape that is glorified into some sort of ecstatic experience for the victim. There is no romance in this book. There's barely even any sex: all but one of the so-called sex-scenes are in fact rape, and I'm surprised (though I probably shouldn't be) that more people didn't speak to that in their reviews. Seriously, in one scene, the victim is drugged & raped (and then told that she really wanted it, and that the drugs only brought that out), and in the others she is beaten, imprisoned and raped repeatedly. Nearly killed by the end of the experience. But it's all described as if it is the most exciting, wonderful thing that could happen to a woman. So another genre failure, IMO, as well as being a complete turn-off to anyone who actually has a concept of what rape is and can do to a person.Urban fantasy: Okay, I'll buy that. It's got lots of supernatural creatures, and takes place mostly in cities. But frankly, the story was "meh" at best, and the characters flat & uninteresting - except when they were annoyingly stupid or self-centered. Which was annoying, but at least added some interest.So, in summary: a mystery that really isn't, rape, rape and more rape, a lukewarm plot and flat, annoying characters. I won't be pursuing this series or this author, as there are tons better in all of the above genres to be found. Try Kim Harrison, Carrie Vaughn, or Karen Chance instead.

[trishx3 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I admit that this isn't my kind of book but I wanted to read it to try something new. I enjoyed reading it much better than i thought I would. I think it was well written and descriptive. I found it easy to picture the scenes and situations throughout the book. There were some intense moments that kept me hooked. I consider it a fast read. I can't say for sure that I will read future books of this series. While it was good, it's just not a genre that I could really get into.

[manque_1 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

An uneven book at best, burdened with a good deal of exposition made all the more apparent by a lack of depth in the characters. Despite these flaws, there is an occasional energy in the writing that shows some (perhaps small) promise for better installments in the series later on down the road... maybe. Or maybe not.

[pamelasweet_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

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.

[cflorente_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

As with most series, it's hard to have a good "first" book in a series. Typically, the books get better as the characters are developed. I think the characters have a lot of potential - but they aren't well developed in this book. While sex scenes can drive a book (and be fun!), some of these sex scenes seemed unnecessary (think anita blake in the later books...). I may give the series another chance!

[allmadhere · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I recieved this book as an EarlyReviewers copy. It was a fun, quick read. The characters are entertaining, if a bit stereotyped in this genre. I'd usually borrow this type of book from the library or from a friend instead of buying it. But if you enjoy the urban fantasy genre, you'll probably like this book as well. Looks like the beginning of good series!

[battlinjack_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It's quite possible I am an usual fan of Lori Handeland in that I only read this series. I am not a fan of romance novels and while this combines Romance with Horror and Fantasy, it does so in a way I don't mind. With that caveat, let's go on.Any Given Doomsday is the first of a new series, The Phoenix Chronicles, and I believe it will be a successful series. The main character, Elizabeth Phoenix, is well written as a strong woman thrown into a world she does not understand, but must before it kills her. Liz is forced into a role of savior, of protector of the good and destroyer of evil. although it takes a while for her to learn that and even longer to accept it.I try not to include spoilers in my reviews, so I will leave it at this.Any Given Doomsday is a well-written novel with a character that must learn who and what she is...quickly. While Liz is struggling with her "inheritance" there are those who will not hesitate to kill her if she cannot be swayed to their side.**** Minor Spoiler!Her hardest lesson, and one that other reviewers have criticized, is that she may only gain new powers by having sex with the other person.That's all I will reveal, but I will say this. Sex has long been an avenue to gain many things and has been used throughout history real and fictional. I must admit to not understanding why this aspect of Any Given Doomsday has bothered so many people. It is not a main part of the story, nor is it over-used as a literary device.I have thoroughly enjoyed Any Given Doomsday and am looking forward to more in the series.Addendum -Since I first wrote this review, Lori Handeland has written and released 2 more novels in The Phoenix Chronicles and the 4th is due out soon. I believe this validates my opinion of this being a good series and I hope it continues for as long as logically possible.I initially posted this review on Amazon (along with others) as I thought it would link here. Evidently I am wrong as I keep getting notices that I need to review several books I have already reviewed.