A Noble Sacrifice by Ciara Gold

THE PAGAN & THE PEN BOOK REVIEWS

Title: A Noble Sacrifice
Author: Ciara Gold 

Author Site: http://www.ciaragold.com/

Buy Link: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-anoblesacrifice-9407-140.html
Publisher: Champagne Books

Genre: Science Fiction/Futuristic/Romance

Length: 234 pgs.
Other: M/F

Pagan & Pagan Elements: no/yes

Reviewed by: Karmyn Klein

About The Book: Can a stranger from a distant planet breach Yalfar's strict laws to save a nation from doom and rescue one lone woman from the errors of her way? Fen Tared Charst has betrayed his brother, and his people. To right the wrongs he's done, he suffers the horrors of the zeel pits only to find himself a captive of the Temi tribe. In Yalfar, he discovers that leading the Temi princess and her warriors from their dying world is the key to his redemption. But losing his heart to Princess Joyella will be the key to saving his soul. Princess Joyella Denue has broken a sacred law and for that, she is exiled from Yalfar. To regain her honor, she agrees to lead a convoy topside to escape the collapsing city, but she can't make the journey alone. She needs someone who has traversed the path to guide her. Tared is forced to help her, but he soon becomes more than just a guide, he becomes her heart.

The Review: The author, Ciara Gold, does a wonderful job creating an intriguing world and an interesting adventure for the reader. The combination of technology and religion is unique and well thought out. The relationship between the mother, Kormion, and the daughter, Joyella, is dynamic and believable. I just wish I could say the same about the relationship between the two lovers, Tared and Joyella. No where in the story did I feel a true connection between them that made their eventual loving relationship believable to me. I was disappointed when Joyella gave up everything—her position among her people, her beliefs, and her religion—while Tared gained everything, including her heart, yet gave up nothing at all. Love means acceptance; a loving relationship means compromise. Tared failed to do both, so for me this story was less a romance and more a commentary on gender inequality in our society. However, the author’s vivid imagination and exciting storyline kept me reading until the very end, and I would give her next book a read.

Pagan Elements: fortune telling, stone reading

Cover (Rated 1-10): 5-The artwork is vague and left me with no clue to what I’d find under the cover.

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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.

Jen's Tale by Christopher Newman

PAGAN & PEN REVIEW

Title:  Jen’s Tale

Author:  Christopher Newman 

Author Site

Buy Link

Publisher: Red Rose™ Publishing

Genre: science fiction, futuristic, romance, erotica 

Length: 97 pgs.

Other:  M/F

Pagan & Pagan Elements: no/no

Reviewed by: Karmyn Klein

About The Book: Is love enough to save us?

Jennifer Allen is not who she seems to be. Her friends, family, and neighbors all think they know the twenty-six year old automobile engineer, but they couldn’t be more wrong. Jen isn’t even human. Sent by her government to explore Earth and its global warming crisis, she is to report back if conditions are right for her aquatic species to colonize the world.

She is dedicated to her mission, until she meets Brent Ashcroft, a handsome and sexy biology graduate student. Jen can’t deny her attraction to him. Will she endanger herself by loving Brent or will she help usher in an alien invasion?

The Review:

Christopher Newman’s book, Jen’s Tale, is quirky, funny, and sexy. There were places in this book where I laughed out loud at the main character, Jen’s, observations and actions. I became completely immersed in the story. Christopher Newman did a great job of throwing me off the scent of how it would end, as well as keeping me fully engaged and wanting to read more.

The mix of quirky romance and sexy science fiction is well balanced and a lot of fun to read. And while the science fiction and romantic elements are wonderfully detailed, the main attraction is the all-too-human voice and heart of Jen the alien. A fully developed character who will make you laugh, groan, and sniffle. While there were times when Jen’s voice became a tad bit overbearing (interruptions to the story in the form of puns), she still totally won me over. This book was a wonderful read. I definitely recommend it.

Pagan Elements: None

Cover (Rated 1-10): 6 The font is awful, but I appreciate that the cover shows this book is clearly a science fiction romance novel. No guesswork here!

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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.

Reviewer Top Pick: Spirals by Beth D. Carter

PAGAN & PEN REVIEW

Title:  Spirals

Author:  Beth D. Carter 

Author Site

Buy Link

Publisher:  Loose Id LLC

Genre: Futuristic/Multicultural/Menage/Erotica/Romance

Length: 133 pages

Other:  M/F, Menage (M/F/M)

Pagan & Pagan Elements: Yes/ No

Reviewed by:  Kim Earley

About The Book:  Kaori Carnelian was only sixteen when Los Angeles was hit by an
earthquake that devastated it. With the world trying to recover from a plague that has wiped out half of the population, she learns how to survive by her wits and a great ability to hide, scavenging through what is left of LA. Years later, the government sends in recon  men, Sergeants Tobias Noble and Orion West to find any survivors before another earthquake destroys everything. They find her pleasuring herself and instantly both want her. Her world spirals out of control in a very delicious way. But when the men have to go find two others in their regiment that are missing, Kaori has to decide if her love outweighs her instinct for surviving.

The Review:   I had not previously read Beth D. Carter's work, but her believable (and sexy) writing has put her on my favorites list. She paints a picture of a life very different from ours today, and makes you feel as if you're there. The characters pull you in, as Kaori did when she shows you how she survived for so many years, and as Noble and Orion did when they teach her what love is about. The love the characters feel is pure, unmarred by jealousy in a believable way, and the sex is hot, hot, hot. The story moves quickly as the men work to save as many people as they can, and protect Kaori at the same time. The only thing I didn't like about this book was that it ended. I wanted to read more!  This book is a must-read, and a Top Reviewers Pick for me. 

Pagan Elements:   None.

Cover (Rated 1-10): 9.  The cover effectively shows us what LA looks like in the book, as well as gives us a picture of the three main characters in the book. It's also kid-friendly, if the book happens to be lying on the coffee table.

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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.