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Amid The Imaginary

Amid The Imaginary

Tag Archives: Jeffe Kennedy

Guest Post: Realms of Culture

05 Tuesday Sep 2017

Posted by amidtheimaginary in For Writers, Messages

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Fantasy Romance, Guest Post, Jeffe Kennedy, Writing Tips

jeffeSuper excited to have award-winning author Jeffe Kennedy as a guest on the blog today! As a huge fan of her work (Read my review of her new release, The Shift of the Tide), I am always so impressed by the cultures in her novels. Seriously, I have found myself talking about some of the intricate and fascinating aspects only to realize the level of detail I went into made it sound like an actual culture that existed somewhere. So, I asked if Jeffe might tell us a bit about her writing approach regarding the different cultures in her Fantasy worlds and what she does to make them seem so real.

I often get asked about how I construct the cultures in my fantasy worlds. Well, more broadly, readers and other writers ask about my worldbuilding process. Anela here specifically asked about the cultures. She mentioned the Nahanaun culture from The Pages of the Mind (Anela says: This one just won a RITA award, woooo!!), in particular, and the Faerie society in my Covenant of Thorns trilogy. She also asked about the cultures as they’re experienced by my characters as outsiders to them.

That last question is actually quite pertinent. It’s a common trope in fantasy to have a character who is what we call “a fish out of water.” This acts on a couple of levels. The character who is plunged into an unfamiliar world with a new set of rules has to find new abilities in themselves, to learn to overcome the challenges of those circumstances. If a person remains in familiar surroundings, there’s no impetus for them to change. Taken out of their pond, they have to learn to breathe air in order to survive. Also, a fish out of water character serves as an avatar for the reader—they allow the reader to learn the world along with them.

As for the rest, I often reply that I learn the world as the characters do, by riding around in their heads as the story unfolds. That’s true, but it’s also an oversimplification. I might observe the world through their perceptions—which includes their own ideas and cultural preconceptions—but I try to base aspects of the world on real life principles.

  1. Physical Laws.

It’s important to determine if the world follows the same physical laws as ours. Some aspects, like gravity and molecular cohesion are hard to get away from and still have a comprehensible story. In the world of The Twelve Kingdoms and The Uncharted Realms (the world of The Pages of the Mind), most of the standard physical laws apply, with the addition of magic. In the Faerie of Covenant of Thorns, I twisted up some of those laws. The presence of magic changes how the natural world works, particularly the rate of mutation and evolution.

  1. Ecology

I’m a biologist by training, so I’ve studied a lot about how ecology—climate, temperature, geological features like oceans or mountains—influences the flora, fauna and human civilizations there. For example, in our world, animals tend to be larger the farther north they live. So Wyoming bobcats are much bigger than New Mexico bobcats. When I built the world of Nahanau, I knew the islands would be formed from volcanic activity and be in a tropical climate. The types of plant life and animals there would be informed by all of that. Because volcanic islands have barrier reefs (a consequence of how they’re formed), I knew there would be sea life associated with barrier reefs, and so forth.

  1. People and politics

The humans who live in a particular environment are as much a product of it as the plants and animals. The Nahanauns live in a consistently warm environment, so their dress and building construction reflects that. On top of that, because of the openness of their society, I figured they’d have more flexible ideas about personal property. In Faerie, humans have no magic and thus no power. They’re lower class citizens and their towns reflect that. In that society, the types of fae who have the most magic—and are most willing to wield it—rise to the highest levels. But that kind of society leads to near-constant battling, as well.

  1. Language

Deciding on a culture’s language can be a twisty proposition. Because a book is an exercise of language to begin with, the language the story is written in dictates a great deal. I usually make the “home” language of the main characters be pretty close to modern American English, for simplicity’s sake. Some readers don’t like this because they feel the language of epic and high fantasy should be like in Tolkien. But Tolkein wrote in the early 1900s—the language he used was different than modern American English. I don’t think it’s any more “accurate” to use British English of the early 1900s for fantasy that American English of the early 2000s.

When I go to create a language foreign to the main characters, I usually base it off another language in our world, so there’s a sense of familiarity that also evokes place. For Nahanau, I used Hawaiian words and put a slightly different spin on them. I did this for names, as well. For Faerie, I used Gaelic as a base.

Finally, because I wanted Nahanaun to be a perplexing language for the heroine, Dafne, I complicated their verb tenses. I added words to indicate past and future, like oriental languages such as Chinese do. I also had those tenses colored with good or bad fortune, partly to illustrate the culture, and to make things more interesting.

  1. Mythology

Finally, I always try to be sure to include the spiritual outlook of the human culture. How people view the intangible world is as important as the effects of the tangible one.

Many thanks for being a guest on the blog, Jeffe!

Check out her newest release in The Uncharted Realms series, The Shift of the Tide

shift_ebook-200x300Free from the hand of a tyrant, the Twelve Kingdoms have thrown all that touch them into chaos. New allies appear–and enemies encroach–from all sides. To survive, they must adapt to this new reality without a moment of doubt…

Growing up in a country where magic was common as dust, Zynda never had to worry about her enchantments upsetting the balance of nature. But the land beyond the borders of the thirteenth kingdom calls to her. It may be foreign and ugly, but the strangeness is laced with an excitement she has never known. Outside her homeland, Zynda’s shapeshifting and sorcery are a potent advantage to nations grasping for dominance–and the thrill of power lures her even as she recognizes the threat she poses to these magic-buffeted realms.

A ruthless enemy stalks them, promising destruction if she does not fight with all her strength–but if she upsets the equilibrium of the land, all will pay, the common people most of all. And a man of this outside world fascinates her, a mossback with no scrap of magic in him. He knows nothing of the fears and temptations pulling at her. But in his steady embrace she learns she must choose well–for the consequences may reach farther than she ever imagined…

 About Jeffe Kennedy

Jeffe Kennedy is an award-winning author whose works include novels, non-fiction, poetry, and short fiction. She has been a Ucross Foundation Fellow, received the Wyoming Arts Council Fellowship for Poetry, and was awarded a Frank Nelson Doubleday Memorial Award.

Her award-winning fantasy romance trilogy The Twelve Kingdoms hit the shelves starting in May 2014. Book 1, The Mark of the Tala, received a starred Library Journal review and was nominated for the RT Book of the Year while the sequel, The Tears of the Rose received a Top Pick Gold and was nominated for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Fantasy Romance of 2014. The third book, The Talon of the Hawk, won the RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Fantasy Romance of 2015. Two more books followed in this world, beginning the spin-off series The Uncharted Realms. Book one in that series, The Pages of the Mind, has also been nominated for the RT Reviewer’s Choice Best Fantasy Romance of 2016 and won RWA’s 2017 RITA® Award. The second book, The Edge of the Blade, released December 27, 2016, and is a PRISM finalist, along with The Pages of the Mind. The next in the series, The Shift of the Tide, will be out in August, 2017. A high fantasy trilogy taking place in The Twelve Kingdoms world is forthcoming from Rebel Base books in 2018.

She also introduced a new fantasy romance series, Sorcerous Moons, which includes Lonen’s War, Oria’s Gambit, The Tides of Bàra, and The Forests of Dru. She’s begun releasing a new contemporary erotic romance series, Missed Connections, which started with Last Dance and continues in With a Prince.

In 2019, St. Martins Press will release the first book, The Orchid Throne, in a new fantasy romance series, The Forgotten Empires.

Her other works include a number of fiction series: the fantasy romance novels of A Covenant of Thorns; the contemporary BDSM novellas of the Facets of Passion; an erotic contemporary serial novel, Master of the Opera; and the erotic romance trilogy, Falling Under, which includes Going Under, Under His Touch and Under Contract.

She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with two Maine coon cats, plentiful free-range lizards and a very handsome Doctor of Oriental Medicine.

Jeffe can be found online at her website: JeffeKennedy.com, every Sunday at the popular SFF Seven blog, on Facebook, on Goodreads and pretty much constantly on Twitter @jeffekennedy. She is represented by Sarah Younger of Nancy Yost Literary Agency.

 

The Shift of the Tide (The Uncharted Realms)

31 Thursday Aug 2017

Posted by amidtheimaginary in Reviews

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Book Reviews, Book Series, Fantasy Romance, Jeffe Kennedy, Self Published Book

shift_ebook-200x300

Title & Author: The Shift of the Tide (The Uncharted Realms), Jeffe Kennedy

Genre & Publication Date: Fantasy Romance, August 29, 2017

Book Description: “Free from the hand of a tyrant, the Twelve Kingdoms have thrown all that touch them into chaos. New allies appear–and enemies encroach–from all sides. To survive, they must adapt to this new reality without a moment of doubt…

Growing up in a country where magic was common as dust, Zynda never had to worry about her enchantments upsetting the balance of nature. But the land beyond the borders of the thirteenth kingdom calls to her. It may be foreign and ugly, but the strangeness is laced with an excitement she has never known. Outside her homeland, Zynda’s shapeshifting and sorcery are a potent advantage to nations grasping for dominance–and the thrill of power lures her even as she recognizes the threat she poses to these magic-buffeted realms.

A ruthless enemy stalks them, promising destruction if she does not fight with all her strength–but if she upsets the equilibrium of the land, all will pay, the common people most of all. And a man of this outside world fascinates her, a mossback with no scrap of magic in him. He knows nothing of the fears and temptations pulling at her. But in his steady embrace she learns she must choose well–for the consequences may reach farther than she ever imagined…”

First Line: Water streamed over my skin in a rush, responsive as it enveloped me, like music following my dance.

My Take: This book was provided to me by the author for review.

The Shift of the Tide is the third installment of The Uncharted Realms series, an award winning spin-off from the original Twelve Kingdoms books (Which everyone should read! Start with “The Mark of the Tala” and let me know when you come up for air.)

This story centers around Zynda, a woman from the lands of magic, Anfwyn, who is the strongest shifter of her generation. If you’ve been following this series then you know how we’ve all been dying to find out more about this insular people and culture who rarely, if ever, share their secrets with the outside world (the one without magic). In this book, at last, we get to find out so much about their culture and their ways through the lens of Zynda’s perspective, as well as the epidemic the Tala are facing. Zynda’s self-appointed mission to save her people is one she plays close to the chest, not even telling her friends and allies, knowing the sacrifice it will require is one they wouldn’t let her pay willingly. But this is something she’s worked toward for a long time. There’s nothing else she desires for herself than this–until a near-death experience reveals the devotion of a man she never really noticed before.

Fiercely independent, I really liked Zynda. So closed off in at certain points, I sometimes felt bad for poor Marskal and the way she kept holding him at arm’s length, yet I understood she did this because of her plans, wanting to spare them both from hoping for something that couldn’t be. Lots of tension and agony with these two, but also a mutual admiration and deepening loyalty through their adventures together. You can’t help but hold on to that hope with both hands.

The Magical: Draaaaagons, y’all! Fire, scales, and wings! Loved it! I also seriously enjoyed the way Kennedy wrote the experience of shifting into an animal form, the struggle to hold on to one’s human side while physically inhabiting another skin. Excellently done.

The Mundane: There’s a big enemy the kingdoms are contending with that is using magic to raise dead things–human and animal alike. I know there’s more coming on this front but I wished there’d have been some additional battle/action. I’m betting that’s coming in the next installment but I did feel its absence in this one.

Summary of Thoughts: Currently this book is $6.99 on Amazon. An awesome story, full of self-sacrifice and self-realization. Zynda’s voice carried the book well and her relationship with Marskal took time and felt all the sweeter because of it. I loved Marskal, a warrior without the annoying, flip-her-over-his-shoulder, overbearing trope that makes me want to kill something. Not a push-over either and able to take a few things on the chin. This book is a wonderful addition to the ongoing series and I definitely recommend it!

four-star-review

Many thanks to author Jeffe Kennedy for the chance to review your work!

Curious what others thought? Check out Amazon’s reviews here

Want to know more about this author and her work? Explore her website here

Blood Currency

13 Thursday Jul 2017

Posted by amidtheimaginary in Reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Indie Author, Jeffe Kennedy, Paranormal, Self Published Book, Vampires

BC

Title & Author: Blood Currency (Feeding the Vampire & Hunting the Siren)

Genre & Publication Date: Paranormal/Erotic, December 19, 2016

Book Description: “Feeding the Vampire

Through good luck and healthy cowardice, Misty has survived the earthquakes that have torn the world apart, but has no skills to speak of. Or so she thinks. She does have blood, and someone must feed the vampire who has offered his protection and strength in exchange for sustenance. Feeding Ivan is a priority, and Misty finally serves a purpose. But when she awakens tied to his bed, an unwilling gift to Ivan from the townspeople, she discovers he has hungers other than blood. Hungers he expects her to satisfy in the most carnal manner. Under his seductive persuasion Misty discovers she has the power to sustain Ivan in all ways, while experiencing unspeakable pleasure herself.

Hunting the Siren

A vampire queen grown powerful with age, Imogen has protected her band of nightriders through the centuries. When refugee vampires from earthquake-shattered Europe seek shelter and sustenance, she’s honor-bound to feed them, by any means necessary. When her lieutenants dump the vengeful human man Kasar at her feet, Imogen succumbs to his masculine vitality and her overwhelming hunger for his blood—and his body. Kasar has survived the breaking of the world, only to discover the vampire queen has slaughtered his sister and her unborn child. With the last of his bloodline dead, only his desire for vengeance keeps Kasar alive. He imagines he can pretend to succumb to Imogen’s seduction—not that he has much of a choice, chained as he is to the foot of her bed—and bide his time until he has an opportunity to kill her. The passion he finds in her arms is unexpected, and impossible to resist. But this haven of desire and satiation could easily destroy them both.”

First Line: “I’ll do it,” I said.

My Take: This book was provided to me by the author for review.

Set in a post-apocalyptic world this book gives us a pair of yummy vampire short stories. With a natural disaster that left the earth shattered and civilization fallen, I could definitely buy into the idea that if there were vampires around, there’d be little need for them to hide anymore. This sets the stage for a couple of interesting scenarios the author brings to life.

Unlike other duology packs I’ve read in the past, these two stories are completely different from one another even though they share the same setting (albeit different continents). The first one was in first-person, the second in third-person. The voices were distinct from one another and the central focus of each conflict unique. And let’s not forget the sizzle. Wow, can Kennedy heat up a scene! I burned my fingers tapping through the pages. *fans self*

I wanted to add as well that everything remains consensual in this area because the synopsis might scare some off. This is a vampire book. It’s all about the seduction, folks. Characters resisting temptation because they think they should, not because they want to. As always, Kennedy strikes that perfect balance between conquest and affection. Trust me, you’re safe in her hands.

The Magical: Ahhhh, the vampires were SO well done! These were not angsty, human-like versions of this mythical being. These were creatures of the night, ancient, otherworldly and frightening, yet utterly magnetic.

The Mundane: Both stories ended where they should and without tying everything together into a bow (the world is still in ruins after all), but I wanted mooooooore! *undignified whine*

Summary of Thoughts: Currently this book is $2.99 on Amazon, or free if you have a Kindle Unlimited subscription. I really enjoyed it. It delivers exactly what it promises with a pair of stories that will totally consume you. A reminder that this one has scorching romantic scenes in it. Five alarm chili, if you take my meaning, but oh, you will love the burn.

four-star-review

Many thanks to author Jeffe Kennedy for providing a copy of the book to review!

Want to know more about this author and her work? Explore her website here

Author Interview: Jeffe Kennedy

04 Friday Nov 2016

Posted by amidtheimaginary in Messages

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Author Interview, Fantasy Romance, Jeffe Kennedy, New Releases

jeffeI had the great pleasure of interviewing award winning author (one of my favorite writers, squee!) Jeffe Kennedy. Having recently read and reviewed the first three books of her awesome new Fantasy series Sorcerous Moons (for the review click here), I was super excited to discuss writing, publishing, and the themes of her work. Below are the questions from the interview and Jeffe’s complete, unaltered answers.

Can you tell us a little about yourself (how you started your writing career, what you love to do in your free time, etc.)?

That would be a lot to answer! The succinct version is that I started out in science and was getting my PhD in neurophysiology when I figured out that I really wanted to be a writer. I got a series of jobs to support that effort – ending up working in environmental consulting for 18 years – up until last year when I finally was able to go to writing full time. I’ve always been a reader, so I make sure to spend time on reading books and stories. I also love to garden. My husband and I are fond of hiking and I’ve recently taken up stand-up paddle boarding.

Do you write in other genres aside from Fantasy?

Yes, I write contemporary and erotic romance, too. I also started out as an essayist, so I continue with nonfiction, writing articles and blogposts on all sorts of topics.

Some of your books are traditionally published but you also have a self-publishing imprint, Brightlynx Publishing. What has your experience been as a “hybrid” author?

I’m loving being a hybrid author! Much more than I believed I would. I’m blessed to have successful self-publishing friends who have advised me. I’m really very lucky to be able to take advantage of the good aspects of both paths – and to be able to compensate for the flaws in each with the strengths of the other.

In your newest series, Sorcerous Moon, there’s a fascinating division between the women sorcerers who supply magic and the men sorcerers who wield it, with women who are able to do both considered abominations subject to execution. I thought this was a really interesting gender division with regards to power. Can you speak to the inspiration behind it?

You’re the first to ask about that, and there is kind of a story there. I studied kung fu for about 15 years with a school that focused on the Taoist principles that underlay the martial practice. In that view, male energy is yang, which is powerful and active, while female energy is yin, nurturing and receiving. Our (male) teacher extended this to how he thought his students should be. I began to feel oppressed by this attitude. The Taoists see everything as a balance of yin and yang, so I didn’t see why I had to be limited to only yin. The Báran society’s divisions, and Oria’s journey, grew out of that.

I just loved Lonen, the hero in your this series from the Destrye lands. What I enjoyed most is how you confounded the usual “Barbarian” trope. He’s tough but along with the muscle he’s got a clever mind and doesn’t fall into the simplistic Alpha male generic that drives me to madness. Can you talk a little about the qualities you tend to include in the men of your stories? What makes a hero a ‘hero’ for you?

It’s funny, I never thought my heroes had consistent traits until I saw a review referring to “the Kennedy hero.” Basically my heroes always have integrity, a strong moral compass that guides them. They’re confident enough that they don’t need to put their women in inferior roles to puff themselves up. They’re intelligent and compassionate. To me these are all the best heroic qualities.

Full disclosure: I’ve read pretty much everything you’ve written. The heroines of your books are so real. They’re strong but have vulnerabilities as well, including your warriors—something which I love since I’ve found women warriors are often depicted as curvy versions of men. A theme I’ve noticed in their character arcs is this yearning to find their place in the world and in the process of doing this they learn they must discover who they are before that can happen. Am I anywhere near the mark on this? And if I am, does this theme have a personal meaning to you?

Heh. That’s awesome to hear! And yes, a big theme with me is transformation. I’m very interested in the paths we all take to become better people – whether that’s religiously driven, physically, emotionally, what-have-you. I’m a big believer in honest self-scrutiny as a part of that. Because how can we repair our flaws and become better unless we’re willing to face who we truly are? So, yes – you’re spot on target there. J

Who are some of your favorite authors? Any indies?

SO many favorite authors! Since you’re particularly interested in indies, some I love who are self-publishing or going hybrid are Grace Draven, Thea Harrison, Ilona Andrews, Megan Hart, and Molly O’Keeffe, among many others.

If you could go back to when you first started out as an author and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?

Be patient. You’re following the path as you should. Things will happen when they’re meant to.

What projects are you currently working on?

I am finishing revisions on a book that’s been difficult to write for some reason. It’s about a damaged former child-star pop princess who has an affair with her driver. Once I’ve put it to bed, I’ll be drafting the fourth Sorcerous Moons book, The Forests of Dru. Then I’m turning to writing a book I’ve called The Body Gift, which is a more epic fantasy about a young warrior woman in a ruthless matriarchal society.

Are there any events coming up where we can meet you?

I go to a fair number of cons. I’ll be at TusCon in Tuscon, AZ, the weekend of November 11-12. I’ll also for sure be at SFWA’s Nebula weekend in Pittsburgh, May 18-21. I may go to others, but haven’t committed. If people would like me to visit a local con or come speak at some other event, just ask!

Thanks so much for taking the time to be interviewed on Amid the Imaginary, Jeffe!

Thank you!

lonens-war

Book One in the adult fantasy romance series, Sorcerous Moons. The novel, Lonen’s War, is a paranormal kindle book of magic and sorcery – and a war culminating in a marriage of convenience between enemy kingdoms.

An Unquiet Heart

Alone in her tower, Princess Oria has spent too long studying her people’s barbarian enemies, the Destrye—and neglected the search for calm that will control her magic and release her to society. Her restlessness makes meditation hopeless and her fragility renders human companionship unbearable. Oria is near giving up. Then the Destrye attack, and her people’s lives depend on her handling of their prince…

A Fight Without Hope

When the cornered Destrye decided to strike back, Lonen never thought he’d live through the battle, let alone demand justice as a conqueror. And yet he must keep up his guard against the sorceress who speaks for the city. Oria’s people are devious, her claims of ignorance absurd. The frank honesty her eyes promise could be just one more layer of deception.

A Savage Bargain

Fighting for time and trust, Oria and Lonen have one final sacrifice to choose… before an even greater threat consumes them all.

Get your copy of Amazon today!

Want to know more about the author and her work? Explore her website at JeffeKennedy.com or connect with her on Twitter @JeffeKennedy

Sorcerous Moons Series

17 Monday Oct 2016

Posted by amidtheimaginary in Reviews

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Book Reviews, Book Series, Fantasy Romance, Jeffe Kennedy, Self Published Book

lonenswar oria

bara

Title & Author: Sorcerous Moons Series: Lonen’s War (#1), Oria’s Gambit (#2), The Tides of Bára (#3), Jeffe Kennedy

Genre & Publication Date: Fantasy Romance, Lonen’s War – July 16, 2016, Oria’s Gambit – August 18, 2016, The Tides of Bára – October 29, 2016

Book Description: (I’m including Book One: Lonen’s War only to avoid spoilers)

“Book One in the adult fantasy romance series, Sorcerous Moons. The novel, Lonen’s War, is a paranormal kindle book of magic and sorcery – and a war culminating in a marriage of convenience between enemy kingdoms.

An Unquiet Heart

Alone in her tower, Princess Oria has spent too long studying her people’s barbarian enemies, the Destrye—and neglected the search for calm that will control her magic and release her to society. Her restlessness makes meditation hopeless and her fragility renders human companionship unbearable. Oria is near giving up. Then the Destrye attack, and her people’s lives depend on her handling of their prince…

A Fight Without Hope

When the cornered Destrye decided to strike back, Lonen never thought he’d live through the battle, let alone demand justice as a conqueror. And yet he must keep up his guard against the sorceress who speaks for the city. Oria’s people are devious, her claims of ignorance absurd. The frank honesty her eyes promise could be just one more layer of deception.

A Savage Bargain

Fighting for time and trust, Oria and Lonen have one final sacrifice to choose… before an even greater threat consumes them all.”

First Line: (from Book One: Lonen’s War) Oria squinted from the heat shimmer rising in the distance beyond the high walls of the city.

My Take: Books were provided to me from the author for review.

I’m a big fan of Jeffe Kennedy’s work, particularly her Twelve Kingdoms books (trad published) so I was super excited to see new books under her self-publishing imprint, Brightlynx Publishing. This series is as spectacular as the others and my fangirl adoration continues to grow in leaps and bounds.

Something that is very difficult to execute well when it comes to romance, in my reader opinion, is the chemistry between the central protagonists. We’ve all seen bad romance movies, right? You know, where you think, “Jeez, these two make a terrible match on screen. They don’t compliment each other at all.” (Read: The Avengers’ Black Widow and the Hulk…What the what happened there??) Well, it’s the same struggle on the page, and this author has spectacular talent at making two seemingly incompatible people come together in a way that leaves all doubt behind.

But this is a fantasy novel too, so let me expound on this unique world of magic, war, and intrigue. The conflict between the two peoples is as complex as it can get, and both sides are guilty of some truly ugly acts (though I’ll admit to my own bias towards the Destrye’s plight). Drought is at the core of it all–and isn’t that easy to believe in a very non-fictional sense. From a story standpoint, all this delicious turmoil makes for a really interesting setting, particularly when the book begins with a huge, bloody battle…Yes, I realize it’s a tad ghoulish to delight quite so much in that, but such is the zest that is me.

The magic system is quite something as well. Oria’s people are the sorcerers, whereas Lonen’s people are not magical at all (hence the view of them as mind-dead barbarians). Interestingly, there’s a gender divide as far as how magic is performed. The women absorb magic, as a river does the rainwater, whereas the men wield it, drawing their power from the women like a well. It’s a sort of balance between the two. Naturally, I found myself wondering why women couldn’t wield magic. Why were they just the tool and never the smith? Ah, but there’s a central question to this series. I don’t want to give anything away, but that topic leads in fascinating directions.

Now the romance, I love it! At turns a friendship, at turns a rivalry, both tender and difficult, it unfolds beautifully in the books. Lonen doesn’t understand magic, how it works, or the systems in place around it but he can translate concepts beyond his ability into a more earthly logic so he can help and understand Oria better. His tenacious efforts/struggles/frustrations with magic he knows nothing about are in their own way some of the sweetest displays of affection I’ve seen in a romance. Gents, forget flowers and chocolate. Making the honest attempt to understand what a woman is facing is the surest way to her heart. And okay, we’ll take the flowers and chocolate too.

The Magical: The ribbon and scarf scene in Oria’s Gambit (Book 2), holy hell that was sensational! No, I’m not going to elaborate. You’ll just have to read it for yourself. Trust me, it’s worth it…Um, just don’t read it while on lunch at work. I came back to my desk with flaming cheeks and people assumed I was getting sick. I did not correct them.

The Mundane: As with any romance that is a slow burn, my NEED for them to get together begins to drive me a tad crazy. I have this under the ‘mundane’ but at the same time I embrace the pain of waiting.

Summary of Thoughts: The first two novels are $2.99 on Amazon with the third coming out on October 29th. The series is going beyond three books and I’m enthusiastically looking forward to the next installments. Seriously, if you enjoy a good romance set in a fantasy world, if you have been searching for a story so good you’ll end up with a book hangover, get started on this series ASAP!

five-star-review

Many thanks to author Jeffe Kennedy for providing copies of the books for review!

Curious what others thought? Check out Amazon’s reviews of Lonen’s War (Book One) here

Want to know more about the author and her work? Explore her website here

Amid the Imaginary

I'm a Hapa Haole Hawaiian girl living in chilly Minnesota, reading, writing and working full-time while raising my family.

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