The Spider Prince (Desert Princes of Jikkar, #4) by Rebecca Goings

THE PAGAN & THE PEN BOOK REVIEWS

Title: The Spider Prince (Desert Princes of Jikkar, #4)
Author:  Rebecca Goings

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Publisher: Carnal Passions

Genre: Erotic/Romance/Fantasy

Length: 161 pgs.
Reviewed by: yadkny

RATINGS FOR:

Cover: 5

Presentation: 5

Editing: 4.5

Story: 5

Writing Ability: 5

Overall Card Rating: 

                                                   

About The Book: Amani Bantish has been passed over five times for marriage. She fears she has no hope for a husband until finally, the Spider Prince accepts her as his bride. Not for love, but to bear him an heir.

Two years ago, Ziyad Bihar lost his first wife, Karis, and their unborn son under the hooves of a raider’s horse. No one else could possibly compare to the woman he’d once loved, therefore his new bride will not be his princess.

But Ziyad cannot deny that the more he gets to know Amani, the more he fantasizes about his minx of a wife. Yet his loyalty to Karis pulls him deeper into his despair. When Amani’s life is threatened by the very man responsible for Karis’s death, Ziyad realizes he must fight for the woman he loves, or risk losing it all again.

The Review:

Their union was one of expectation, duty, and responsibility not forged from the bonds of love.

Since the death of Karis, it has taken years for the Spider to collect Amani as his bride. He made sure to explain what was expected of her before their nuptials, so there was no mistaking the son-bearing yet loveless life she would lead. Amani knew going in to the arrangement what she would never receive from the Spider, but she secretly held a spark of hope for it anyway. After repeated marriage rejections from both princes and commoners alike, she feels dejected, defeated, and self-conscious, so this may be her last chance, but at what price? As the emotional rollercoaster takes it’s toll on Amani, Ziyad feels guilty and confused over the effect Amani seems to have on him. He can’t deny the physical attraction, but can he break away from the pain and death of his past and open his heart for the woman who can bring love and life to his future?

I couldn't help but fall in love with Ziyad from his earliest appearance in a previous book to this series. Likewise with Amani, but I really felt for her character more in this story because while she has everything she’s ever dreamt of having her circumstance with the Spider is still so tragic. Her respect and admiration for him is unquestionable and it was hard to see the Spider somewhat detached and unfeeling toward her. Of course, the mixed signals he was sending her due to his own confused and denied feelings didn’t help either. Amazingly enough, Amani still manages to restore some of her self-confidence while conversing with others and during intimate moments with the Spider. Amani’s quiet grace and dignity mixed with a somewhat defiant attitude really appealed to me.

Much of the story is centered on our leading couple with an emotionally intense yet appropriately fast pace. When the story moves back to the overall series plotline, it’s done brilliantly with shocking turn of event results and a little teaser into the Jackal Prince’s future. I am impatiently awaiting the next installment to this fabulous series and encourage every reader of romance to give it a try. To better understand the overall storyline, I fully recommend starting with The Viper Prince (Desert Princes of Jikkar, #1), and if that’s not enough encouragement just take a look at all of the delicious covers there are to choose from. You’ll think you’ve found and read your favorite until Ms. Goings writes the next one.

Pagan Elements: N/A

Cyborg Doms: Fane By H.C. Brown

THE PAGAN & THE PEN BOOK REVIEWS

Title: Cyborg Doms: Fane
Author: H.C. Brown

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Publisher: Noble Romance Publishing

Genre: Fantasy/BDSM/M-M

Length: 93 pgs.

RATINGS FOR:

Cover: 3

Presentation: 4

Editing: 4.5

Story: 4

Writing Ability: 5

Overall Card Rating: 4

Reviewed by: Gabrielle

About The Book: Fane Jacobs, or 636, is a genetically and robotically enhanced human, trapped on Terros 9 in 3010 with a psychopathic owner, Gryd. His duty is to entertain Gryd's guests with his skill with the whip and his twin cocks. Denied satisfaction, his dreams are filled with the image of a sweet sub. Cyborgs have no rights on Terros 9. After his friend, Jace, is pack-raped by a group of male guests, Fane and Jace steal a starship, and travel back in time to Earth in 2040. Jace goes looking for a night with the right man, while Fane explores the city. He goes to the aid of a woman being attacked and is shot. The woman resembles the sub from his dreams. What will happen when the woman, Dr. Tamara Bright, discovers his integrated neural matrix and other enhancements on the Bio Scanner? Will she turn away or will she fall for the deliciously, handsome cyborg?

The Review:

This was a wonderful story about love and trust. When Cyborgs Fane and Jace escape from a cruel world they end up on Earth in the year 2040. While out late one night Fane comes across a woman in distress. Tamara a doctor volunteering at a clinic is being attacked. While saving her, Fane is hurt and must trust Tamara to keep his secret.

I was pulled into this story right from the start. Fane and Jace are great men; even though they are cyborgs they still retain their humanity. I enjoyed getting to know both of them and watching the relationship grow between Fane and Tamara.

Tamara is a feisty woman who can and does stand on her own two feet. She proves this when the government takes her in for questioning after finding information on Fane at her clinic. Yet she still yearns to be a submissive and finds herself going to a BDSM club to slack her needs. Little does she know that Fane is a Dom and continues to push him away. Luckily Fane is a man who is willing to fight for what he wants and Tamara’s love is just what he wants. I loved seeing the love grow between Tamara and Fane. The two must learn to trust each other and depend on that trust to get them through alive.

Not only are the main characters a great couple but we also get to meet wonderful secondary characters in this book as well and I hope that they get their own stories. Cyborg Doms: Fane is a great read and I hope a wonderful start to a new series from this author.

Pagan Elements: N/A

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Disclaimer: Due to FTC regulations, any book reviewed on this site was sent for free by the author to The Pagan & The Pen. We are not paid to give reviews by Author or Publisher. Once review has been made, said books are deleted.

Midnight Star by Billi Jean

Title: Midnight Star

Author: Billi Jean

Author Site

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Publisher: Noble Romance Publishing

Genre: Contemporary/Paranormal/Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Length: 295 pgs.
Reviewed by: yadkny

RATINGS FOR:

Cover: 5

Presentation: 5

Editing: 3.5

Story: 4

Writing Ability: 4

Overall Card Rating: 

                                           

About The Book: One mission could bring them together or cost them their lives.

Star has kept her guard up when it comes to letting others in to her life and for good reason. She lives in a lighthouse and that is the way she likes living – alone. She has adopted family that she is close to, but she doesn’t really feel like she belongs and is an outcast to her own kind. The “House” that she grew up in was not quite family oriented and it doesn’t help when your adopted family is part of a species that is sworn to hate everything about you before they actually know you, so in that regard she is an outcast on both sides. Two females and a few friends of similar outcasted circumstance, keep her grounded as much as possible. Since the meeting of one particular Lykae, her world has been turned upside down and she finds herself in constant battle of cravings and thoughts that she wished she didn’t have, but his disgust of her keeps her firmly away from him. Now all of sudden he’s decided to treat her differently, but she can’t fathom why. With ever-mounting distrust and much reluctance for several reasons, she agrees to go with him and a small team on a missing Lykae recovery mission back to the last place she’d rather be.

Ranger knows exactly who Star is and won’t be dissuaded by anyone from claiming her. Trouble is he made the error of waiting to long in wooing his female, so now her regard for him is even lower than it was before. Throw in the problem of a missing Lykae packmate and Ranger decides to combine the two in a ‘knock to birds down with one stone’ approach. Star’s unique ability and familiarity with the location makes her the perfect partner for the mission, but he knows she’s smart and doesn’t have any reason to agree, so he decides to obtain her cooperation with the use of a 10-year old and the promise of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. It’s a brilliant plan, with the exception of everything that could possibly go wrong, so will it be enough to change Star’s mind?

The Review: Any reader will fall in love with Ranger and immediately recognize his alpha-male characteristics especially with them all displayed in full Lykae glory and with a brogue accent no less. His brand of wooing Star isn’t exactly conventional but with Star’s personality, he wouldn’t have gotten far with her otherwise. Ranger is extremely possessive, as are all of the Lykae in this story when it comes to their mates, but it isn’t an unattractive, overbearing possession without choice for Star. He does make it awfully hard for her to resist him, but that’s part of the territory. The banter back and forth between the characters is entertaining and there are a few lengthy scenes with just the two of them, so it allows the reader to really focus in on their personalities.

Ms. Jean’s writing style is fresh and you never know what any of the characters are going to say, think, or do next. I could actually picture it from beginning to end like watching a movie. There are familiar creatures of all sorts to appeal to any readers taste and the world built around them is fantastic. The story gets going right from the beginning with the prologue and the reader will need to pay close attention so not a minute of the action is missed. There were quite a few moments of confusion for me, since all of the characters and situations are new, and not enough background is given to really set everything up. Almost feels like the reader is plunked down right into the middle of a brewing storm of character activity without a history base to hold on to, but I still couldn’t help getting swept away with it and neither will any other reader of this genre. Wonderful twist at the end and it sets it up nicely in case this is to be part of a series, since there are several other characters with stories that need to be told.

I’ll definitely be keeping my reading eye out for any other works by Ms. Jean.

Pagan Elements: N/A

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Disclaimer: Due to FTC regulations, any book reviewed on this site was sent for free by the author to The Pagan & The Pen. We are not paid to give reviews by Author or Publisher. Once review has been made, said books are deleted.

What Legends are Made Of by Heather Beck

THE PAGAN & THE PEN BOOK REVIEWS

Title: What Legends are Made Of
Author: Heather Beck

Author Site

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Publisher: Diamond Dust Books

Genre: romance, horror, fantasy

Length: 143 pages

Reviewed by: Keri Stratton Alley

RATINGS FOR:

Cover: 4

Presentation: 4

Editing: 4

Story: 1

Writing Ability: 2

Overall Card Rating: 

About The Book: What Legends Are Made Of is a collection of short stories that range within the genres of romance, horror, and fantasy. Each story takes the reader into a realistic world where unbelievable events occur. Have you ever experienced a story filled with so much suspense, terror, and romance that you couldn't get it out of your mind? Be prepared to feel all of these emotions because author Heather Beck is about to take you on a journey that you won't soon forget. You're personally invited to tour the halls of Sir Tristan's Estate, a place where ghosts roam freely and fill your dreams at night. Following your stay at the estate, you'll cruise on the Blue Oceana, a perfect ship for sightseeing. With patience and a careful eye you might see the merman that lives in the crystal clear ocean. If you enjoyed watching the odd ocean creature while aboard the ship, you'll love Frank Stanford's Freak Show. There you'll see a unicorn with wings and a talking tree. However, it's the freak show's horrifying main attraction that shocks everyone who sees it. If you can stop shaking after your encounter with freaky Frank, continue on to Karyn and Max Shield's Costume and Magic Shop; just be careful of what you purchase there since the merchandise at the Shield's shop is perhaps too realistic. Some stories make your heart soar, while others make you scream aloud; these stories will make you do both. They'll leave you spellbound and yearning for more. Ready to find out what real legends are made of? Turn the page.

The Review: All through this collection of short stories, I could see what Ms. Beck was aiming to do. She has some interesting ideas, and fresh takes on somewhat traditional story ideas. However, this collection missed the mark for me every time. Each tale read more like an overly long synopsis of a good story, rather than the story itself. I'll address each story in turn.

Sir Tristan's Estate. I think Ms. Beck was going for a mix of horror and romance with this story. The attraction that Skye feels for Tom begins to be developed in their initial meeting, and there is a genuine sense of romantic tension. If the kind of interaction written at the outset could have continued, this might have been a good romance. What's off-putting is when the author simply states an emotional conclusion instead of showing it in a well-worded scene. Here's an example:

“Thank you for all your help!” Skye called out as Tom walked away.

“Have sweet dreams.”

Tom’s wishes for a good night seemed unusual to Skye. Instead of analyzing it, she decided to blame her sleep deprivation on her view of his evasive nature.

As a reader, I don't want to be told that his behavior was unusual - I want to be shown. There was no indication in the preceding conversation that Tom was evasive; quite the contrary. He spent paragraphs telling Skye about the ghost of the Estate and immediately prior to the above excerpt revealed that an heir to the estate had been found. Hardly evasive behavior.

Unfortunately, this pattern continues not only through this first story but throughout the rest of the tales in this collection. The few scenes that are fleshed out enough to be engaging do show a great deal of promise with regard to the author's ability. But there is no consistency with writing style that continues to engage me as a reader.

Freaky Frank. Another romance, this time mixed with fantasy. I got stuck while reading this one; there was not enough detail in the interactions between Frank and Brittany to keep me interested. Again, instead of showing the reader why Brittany was beginning to trust Frank, the author simply states that she does. I found myself feeling skeptical about the interactions between the two because there was no real depth to their relationship aside from their first few encounters.

Blue Water. I think this was my favorite of the four stories. The romantic tension between the two main characters held my interest and I really appreciated Ms. Beck's alternative merman/mermaid creation story as well as her interesting take on merman/mermaid reproduction needs. Quite inventive. Again, I feel this story could have used a bit more fleshing out, but it was the most complete of the four.

One Stop Horror Shop. A little bit of creative editing could have helped this story. There were two main concepts that converged to make up this tale; the transition between the two seemed choppy and disjointed. I would have appreciated a bit of extra foreshadowing in the first portion and less of the unnecessary interaction between the children at the outset of the second portion. In fact, this may be the only story in which I felt that Ms. Beck did too much interaction between the characters! However, again, the twists in this story were inventive and showed a flair for surprise story telling.            

                                                         * * *

Ms. Beck certainly has a flair for imaginative scenarios. However, after the initial scenes, she seems to rush toward the ending. I realize that her goal was to create short stories instead of novellas, but I would gladly have read more words in order to get that literary fulfillment I crave when I pick up a new book. Ms. Beck, please write longer stories. This reviewer would gladly give a more fleshed out story a try.

Pagan Elements: N/A

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Disclaimer: Due to FTC regulations, any book reviewed on this site was sent for free by the author to The Pagan & The Pen. We are not paid to give reviews by Author or Publisher. Once review has been made, said books are deleted.

The Falcon Prince (Princes of Jikkar, #3) by Rebecca Goings

THE PAGAN & THE PEN BOOK REVIEWS

Title: The Falcon Prince (Princes of Jikkar, #3)
Author: Rebecca Goings   

Author Site

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Publisher: Carnal Passions

Genre: Erotic/Fantasy/Romance

Length: 149 pgs.
Reviewed by: yadkny

RATINGS FOR:

Cover: 5

Presentation: 5

Editing: 4.5

Story: 5

Writing Ability: 5

Overall Card Rating: 

                                             

About The Book: He’ll teach her exactly how to please a man. 

Zara Nedal is blind, yet through her magic, she can make stunning pieces of jewelry. In order to sell them, she must travel to Suridesh, but only a caravan prince can take her. And only one caravan prince will do–the Falcon. 

Khalil Dehriq has had his eye on Zara for three cycles. It’s been a long time since he’s taken a lover, but she cannot see the horrible scars that mar his body. Khalil isn’t sure if that’s a blessing–or a curse. 

As they ride the dunes, their passion heats the night and ignites their hearts. But the witch called Mother has different plans, and vows to kill Khalil at any cost. The only hope to save his throne is to conceive an heir, and now the Falcon must decide if Zara’s love is enough to heal his tortured soul

The Review:

They always say that blood runs thicker than water, but add a dash of greed, jealousy, and an alliance with a powerful mage and there will be bloodshed.

In this third installment to the Desert Princes of Jikkar series, the overall plot is much more darkly twisted than previously suspected. The fallout of this betrayal could lead to the conceiving of an heir as well as the death of a prince.

Zara has all of the qualities of a really remarkable and likeable heroine. She's giving, even when she doesn't have anything to give; she's kind, even when others are not; she's accepting, even when she meets with resistance to her beliefs, but she's most definitely not a pushover. While discovering Zara's character, I almost forgot she was blind yet regardless of her handicap, she pursues Khalil aggressively.

Zara has and continues to overcome many challenges in her life, but Khalil has yet to overcome any of his demons. Due to a past trauma, Khalil is left with deep physical scars, but the healed over wounds run much emotionally deeper than Zara expected. Khalil is a haunted, emotionally and somewhat physically distant character, but Zara pushes and challenges him to discover the beauty of life and eventually love.

Intelligent, emotional, and captivating are just some of the words I would use to describe Ms. Goings' writing. She writes much more erotically this time around and readers will definitely enjoy the creative spiciness, but it also comes with a touch of innocence. Once again, I find the plotline to be unpredictable and addicting. It is impossible to know what will happen next, which kept me riveted to the story. The characters are portrayed fantastically, regardless of if they played a major or minor role.

There are many pivotal and emotional moments to the story, but I wasn't prepared to be crying within the first 10 pages. So please take note and heed the warning that Ms. Goings has left for her readers before beginning this story, but once you've started you'll be glad you did. I daresay I don't want this series to end.

Pagan Elements: No major pagan elements other than a really powerful mage trying to flex her magic spell casting muscles.

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Disclaimer: Due to FTC regulations, any book reviewed on this site was sent for free by the author to The Pagan & The Pen. We are not paid to give reviews by Author or Publisher. Once review has been made, said books are deleted.

The Scarab Prince (Desert Princes of Jikkar, #2) by Rebecca Goings

THE PAGAN & THE PEN BOOK REVIEWS

Title: The Scarab Prince (Desert Princes of Jikkar, #2)
Author: Rebecca Goings   

Author Site

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Publisher:  Carnal Passions

Genre: Erotic, Fantasy Romance

Length: 185 pgs.
Reviewed by: yadkny

RATINGS FOR:

Cover: 5

Presentation: 5

Editing: 5

Story: 5

Writing Ability: 5

Overall Card Rating: 

                                    

About The Book: Trianna Pramtash must be punished for her assault on the Viper Prince’s intended bride. Not wishing to do so himself, the Viper gives her to his best friend, the Scarab Prince, to mete out her sentence--the one man who’s held Trianna’s heart since childhood.

Qadir Hadmas is overjoyed Trianna no longer belongs to the Viper. His heart broke years ago when she left Suridesh engaged to his best friend--but she never married Tariq. She belongs to him now, and he’s not about to let her go.

Neither of them is prepared for the sensual delights Trianna’s punishments turn out to be. Their fragile childhood bond turns into a raging inferno--one they cannot deny. But when Trianna is taken from him in a spectacular sandstorm, it is up to the Scarab Prince to claim the woman he has always wanted, and make her his in truth.

The Review: There is absolutely nothing sweeter in romance than childhood friends finding love with one another after years of being apart and not knowing how the other felt.

As far as obsession goes, I have become thoroughly obsessed with the Desert Princes of Jikkar. Ms. Going’s did not disappoint in this second installment to the series. If you haven’t read the first one, I highly encourage you to do so since The Scarab Prince picks up right where The Viper Prince left off.

Once again we find ourselves in the desert, but with a different prince to fawn over. Our focus has changed in that we learn what Trianna’s punishment will be for inflicting harm on Sabine. I have to say that while reading about Trianna in the first book, I was not at all looking forward to reading anything more about her. She was vindictive, spiteful, and bitter, so I judged her without second thought. Trianna’s transformation throughout the book to reformed mean girl status is inspiring and I compliment Ms. Goings’ ability to make the before and after believable.

If all punishments were passed down so erotically then more people would be deliberately looking for trouble. But in this case the punishment went both ways and not just for Trianna. Qadir also punished himself by allowing his already growing attraction for Trianna manifest further by acting on dormant feelings. Knowing that their life could have been so different if only they had known the truth is what makes this all the more bittersweet. They reminisce about the past and what would have been. I cried when Trianna and Qadir's reunion was finally realized only to have a bleak outlook for a future. She believed herself not worthy and he set out to make her believe otherwise.

Regardless of the harsh weather climate, if I could, I would move there. Just look at the cover and tell me if that is not enticement enough to read this book!

Pagan Elements: None.

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Disclaimer: Due to FTC regulations, any book reviewed on this site was sent for free by the author to The Pagan & The Pen. We are not paid to give reviews by Author or Publisher. Once review has been made, said books are deleted.

Demon Heart by Nicole Dennis

THE PAGAN & THE PEN BOOK REVIEWS

Title: Demon Heart
Author: Nicole Dennis

Author Site

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Publisher: Breathless Press

Genre:  Contemporary/Fantasy

Length: 63 pgs.
Reviewed by: Gabrielle

RATINGS FOR:

Cover: 4

Presentation: 4

Editing: 4

Story: 4

Writing Ability: 4

Overall Card Rating:   

                                      

About The Book: Running errands before Halloween, Constance Morelli passes a window display and is drawn to a dazzling ruby necklace. Not quite believing the story behind the piece, but intrigued by the possibilities, Constance takes the jewel home, only to find herself in possession of a naked demon-hunk, bound as a sex slave.

After four thousand years of dealing with various mistresses in one sexual way or another, Aramir knows what to expect when he appears in the moonlight. Only this mistress is different. He's fed, clothed, and treated like a real man. Not a slave. What is a bound demon to do with such a lady?

The Review:

I was drawn in to this sweet story right from the beginning. I found myself in a beautiful town with characters full of emotions and depth.

On a whim Constance recites the spell to bring Aramir to her but she is not prepared for it to really work. Once Aramir comes to Constance she finds that she wants more than just a sex slave. I enjoyed watching the bond of love form between Aramir and Constance. Aramir is a demon and when he was young and stupid he was tricked into becoming a sex slave yet one can see he has a heart and a mind. He is willing to fight for whom he loves. Constance is a strong woman who loves with her whole heart and only wants the best for the people she cares about. The relationship that blooms between the two is a great read.

This story is well written and fast paced. It kept me turning the pages to find out just what happen next. I would have liked to have seen a different ending though. With out spoiling the story I can say it just seemed a bit quick for me and did not satisfy my own feelings for Constance and Aramir. The story as a whole is a great read and should not be missed. I would love to meet more of the inhabitants of the quaint little town and will definitely be on the lookout for more books from this author in the future.

Pagan Elements:  N/A

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Disclaimer: Due to FTC regulations, any book reviewed on this site was sent for free by the author to The Pagan & The Pen. We are not paid to give reviews by Author or Publisher. Once review has been made, said books are deleted.

Kindred by Rebecca Goings

THE PAGAN & THE PEN BOOK REVIEWS

Title: Kindred

Author: Rebecca Goings  

Author Site

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Publisher: Champagne Books

Genre: Sci-Fi / Fantasy

Length: 84 pgs.
Reviewed by: yadkny

RATINGS FOR:

Cover: 4

Presentation: 4

Editing: 4

Story: 5

Writing Ability: 5

Overall Card Rating: 

                                                         

About The Book: While caring for her dying grandmother, Alana Capria hears the most shocking news of her life.  She's not human, she's a dragon-shifter.  Not only that, she's from the extremely rare and powerful House of the Sun, brought to Earth as a baby to save her from assassins. 

Rionshalintaris is her betrothed, the Crown Prince of Dragoran, and a blue dragon-shifter from the House of Ice.  He's been looking forward to bonding with Alana ever since they were children.  Rion is overjoyed she has returned to Dragoran, and is most eager to claim her as his own.

But the red dragons of the House of Fire endeavor to kidnap Alana in an attempt to overthrow the Crown.  Can Rion protect the woman he loves and bind Alana as his Kindred before it's too late?

The Review: What would you do if you were told by a dying loved one that you weren't completely human? Would you chalk it up to temporary insanity or would you take it to heart and investigate? Interesting question and one that I personally wouldn't know how to respond to, but it's exactly what attracted me to this story.

Alana's life is forever changed when she decides to "humor" her dying grandmother. The life she lead is not at all as it seemed and by taking a leap of faith, she plunges through a magical mirror and right into something out of a story with castles and dragons. Now Alana must face this fantasy world as her new reality and as the betrothed to Crown Prince Rion. Suppressed early memories begin to resurface of her time on Dragoran, as well as the rekindling of an innocent love she'd had for Rion since infancy. Unbeknownst to her, her unique abilities and position in the Dragoran realm puts her in danger of by another dragon clan. It's a race to see who will claim Alana as their Kindred first.

Ms. Goings provided a beautiful setting by taking us to the land of Dragoran where magical creatures take to the skies in amazing colors. I'd like to make mention that the character names are fantastically original and you'll have to read the story to know what I mean. Alana is a very likable character and she embraces the changes to her life with much more grace than I would have. The romance is very sensually written with bursts of passion throughout that will excite any fan of romance. I love being able to immerse myself in a story and that is exactly what this book does. The surrounding details, imagery, and plot points were very well established and creatively clear. There is only one drawback - once you start this story please note that there is an ending and it does come much too quickly.

Recommended reading for those of us who would love to have the ability to fly.

Pagan Elements: None.

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Disclaimer: Due to FTC regulations, any book reviewed on this site was sent for free by the author to The Pagan & The Pen. We are not paid to give reviews by Author or Publisher. Once review has been made, said books are deleted.

Dragon's Angel by Donica Covey

THE PAGAN & THE PEN BOOK REVIEWS 

Title: Dragon's Angel (print)
Author: Donica Covey

Author Site

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Publisher: Champagne Books

Genre: Fantasy

Length:169 pgs.
Reviewed by: yadkny

RATINGS FOR:

Cover: 2

Presentation: 3

Editing: 4

Story: 3

Writing Ability: 3

Overall Card Rating: 

                                          

About The Book: A disembodied voice has Keely Morgan feeling like her sanity is slipping away. Xavier Blake is assaulted with images of black dragons and painful destruction; flashes that seem almost like memories. Then when Keely walks into the bar and heads straight for his table, he suddenly feels complete, even though he's never seen her before.  When a madman attacks Keely, Xavier somehow senses her fear and saves her. Strange forces push them closer together and take them from the world they know to a place where magic exists, unicorns dance and dragons fly. Destiny foretells they will unite and after a hard battle, will reign as King and Queen of Grogan.  But can they overcome the evil that plots to destroy them first?

The Review: Keely is of the Alicorno bloodline known for their unicorn shifting and healing abilities. As she travels her destined journey she discovers more magical abilities she possesses as well a new found confidence and strength to right the wrongs of this strange but wonderful new world.

Xavier is of the Draco bloodline known for their dragon shifting and fire breathing abilities. As he travels his destined journey he discovers his deepest, darkest craving for power and with a little push from an unsuspecting foe he begins the descent into a power crazed oblivion.

They both feel as if they've lost their minds yet they can't fight the feeling of being drawn to one another or to the place of their birth. Keely knows she's the only one who can stop the King, the Seer, and save Xavier, but is she strong enough to do it?

Creatures of all myths and legends come out of the woodwork in this tale of finding love and fighting for what is right. The world building was fantastically imagined with new tribes, languages, customs, and magical abilities to explore. The people of Grogan were both endearing and engaging. I liked the fact that both Keely and Xavier didn't know of their heritage and were able to venture into the unknown together.

Just a couple of things I found amiss... the cover was a little off to me after reading the story. I assumed the woman on the cover is Keely, but it doesn't match with what Keely wore while in the land of Grogan. Beautiful artwork nonetheless. There was also some minor confusion of details missing where the story seemed to jump a little from one point to the next without natural flow.

This is a sweet story and I cried a little as the climax came to a close, but was happy with how the ending turned out. Not every aspect of the story turned out having a happily-ever-after ending, but that just made the story more realistic. The lesson I took away from this story is that home is where the heart is and as long as you follow your heart then you'll always be at home.

Recommended reading for fans of a fairytale fantasy come to life.

Pagan Elements: Spells and chanting are the major pagan elements in this story, which are mostly used by the witch better known as the Seer.

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Disclaimer: Due to FTC regulations, any book reviewed on this site was sent for free by the author to The Pagan & The Pen. We are not paid to give reviews by Author or Publisher. Once review has been made, said books are deleted.

Merlin’s Charge by Peter Joseph Swanson

THE PAGAN & THE PEN BOOK REVIEWS

Title: Merlin’s Charge
Author: Peter Joseph Swanson

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Publisher: Stonegarden.net Publishing

Genre: Fiction/Sci-fi/Fantasy

Length: 224 pgs.
Reviewed by: Jes

RATINGS FOR:

Cover: 3

Presentation: 4

Editing: 4

Story: 5

Writing Ability: 5

Overall Card Rating: 

                                                  

About The Book: In the wasteland of Britain in the year 500, a cranky Merlin tutors a teenage Arthur. Missing the comfort of the Realm of Dragons, Merlin amuses himself with two simultaneous sneaky marriages to the feuding witches, Nimm and Mother Hubbard. With the help of young Parsifal, they all begin the search for the holy grail, their town's communal cauldron, which was stolen by a Pict witch to make a demon bell. Recovering the cauldron will end the drought in time for Arthur to be King. Along the way they meet a host of colorful characters and face obstacles of a most phenomenal nature. Classic Peter Joseph Swanson—wickedly bawdy.

The Review: Merlin’s Charge is a novel from Peter Joseph Swanson set in 5th century Briton and it focuses on one story of Merlin and Arthur on the quest for the Cauldron of plenty. This is a well written story that takes from classic legend and ideologies of the Great King and his tutor with adding an updated feel to the characters. Merlin’s Charge follows the young prince as he faces and battles the Pict witch who has stolen the Cauldron of Plenty from an already suffering village. The whole land of Briton is in the middle of a drought and a Cauldron which never empties is a dream come true for the starving people, it is truly the grail as it is more important than gold or treasure. Add in the complications of Merlin’s two wives and Parisfal the Inheritor; you have an interesting weave of personalities.

 
I enjoyed the writing that Swanson provided: the quips as well as dialogue between all of the characters. It was light hearted and kept the reader intrigued and involved in the story. I felt that Swanson had revitalized the story of Merlin and Arthur. He managed to create a young Arthur who was learning the ways of being a king and kept light hearted to the ideals of youth, while Merlin had an air of knowing and otherworldliness that you would come to expect from a great wizard such as Merlin.

What I appreciated as a reader was the consistency which the author kept to his characters; they had a solid design and kept to the personalities which were introduced. I find that this is one of the harder things in writing, that many authors forget small details either about the characters or their surroundings, where this wasn’t missed in Merlin’s Charge.
 

I highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys fantasy and Arthurian tales or legends. Swanson has managed to refresh very old and popular characters, giving a believable story and respecting the current ideas.

Pagan Elements:

Yes, this is a high fantasy and there are some elements of classic Druid and Celtic pagan leanings. It is light in terms of pagan elements and does not identify to being a pagan by today’s definitions, but I would call it “pagan light”.

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Disclaimer: Due to FTC regulations, any book reviewed on this site was sent for free by the author to The Pagan & The Pen. We are not paid to give reviews by Author or Publisher. Once review has been made, said books are deleted.