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Highlander #7
Spell of the Highlander
It's taken him eleven centuries to find the right woman. He's not about to lose her now.
Jessi St. James has GOT to get a life. Too many hours studying ancient artifacts has given the archaeology student a bad case of sex on the brain. So she figures she must be dreaming when she spies a gorgeous half-naked man staring out at her from inside the glass of an ancient mirror. But when a split-second decision saves her from a terrifying attempt on her life, Jessi suddenly finds herself confronting six and a half feet of smoldering INSATIABLE alpha male.
Heir to the arcane magic of his Druid ancestors, Cian MacKeltar was trapped inside the Dark Glass eleven centuries ago. And when the Dark Glass is stolen, an ancient enemy will stop at nothing to reclaim it. For Jessi, the sex god in the mirror is not only tantalisingly real, he's offering his protection—from exactly what, Jessi doesn't know. And all he wants in exchange is the exquisite pleasure of sharing her bed....
Jessi St. James has GOT to get a life. Too many hours studying ancient artifacts has given the archaeology student a bad case of sex on the brain. So she figures she must be dreaming when she spies a gorgeous half-naked man staring out at her from inside the glass of an ancient mirror. But when a split-second decision saves her from a terrifying attempt on her life, Jessi suddenly finds herself confronting six and a half feet of smoldering INSATIABLE alpha male.
Heir to the arcane magic of his Druid ancestors, Cian MacKeltar was trapped inside the Dark Glass eleven centuries ago. And when the Dark Glass is stolen, an ancient enemy will stop at nothing to reclaim it. For Jessi, the sex god in the mirror is not only tantalisingly real, he's offering his protection—from exactly what, Jessi doesn't know. And all he wants in exchange is the exquisite pleasure of sharing her bed....
394 pages, Paperback
First published August 30, 2005
554 people are currently reading
10110 people want to read
About the author
Karen Marie Moning
31 books31k followers“The only other calling I ever felt was an irrepressible desire to be Captain of my own Starship. I was born in the wrong century and it wasn’t possible, so I chose to explore the universe by writing fiction instead. Books are doors to endless adventure.” -KMM
Karen Marie Moning is the #1 NYT bestselling author of the Fever Series and Highlander novels.
An alum of the Immaculate Conception Academy, at seventeen she attended Purdue University where she completed a BA in Society & Law, with minors in Philosophy, Creative Writing and Theatre, while working full time as a bartender and computer consultant. She intended to go to law school but after an internship with a firm of Criminal Attorneys, decided against it. For the next decade, she worked in insurance, where she wrote intercompany arbitrations and directed commercial litigation. At the age of thirty, she decided it was time to get serious and do what she’d always wanted to do: write fiction novels.
Beyond the Highland Mist was published in 1999 and nominated for two RITA awards. She then published six more novels in her award-winning HIGHLANDER series, and received the RITA Award in 2001 for The Highlander’s Touch.
In 2004, she began writing the #1 New York Times bestselling FEVER series. The books have been optioned twice for potential franchise development by Twentieth Century Fox and DreamWorks Studios, but the rights are currently held by Moning who has expressed a desire to one day see it as a television series. Her novels have been published in over thirty countries. She divides her time between Ohio and Florida and is working on two future projects for Random House Publishing.
“I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.” – Jorge Luis Borges
Karen Marie Moning is the #1 NYT bestselling author of the Fever Series and Highlander novels.
An alum of the Immaculate Conception Academy, at seventeen she attended Purdue University where she completed a BA in Society & Law, with minors in Philosophy, Creative Writing and Theatre, while working full time as a bartender and computer consultant. She intended to go to law school but after an internship with a firm of Criminal Attorneys, decided against it. For the next decade, she worked in insurance, where she wrote intercompany arbitrations and directed commercial litigation. At the age of thirty, she decided it was time to get serious and do what she’d always wanted to do: write fiction novels.
Beyond the Highland Mist was published in 1999 and nominated for two RITA awards. She then published six more novels in her award-winning HIGHLANDER series, and received the RITA Award in 2001 for The Highlander’s Touch.
In 2004, she began writing the #1 New York Times bestselling FEVER series. The books have been optioned twice for potential franchise development by Twentieth Century Fox and DreamWorks Studios, but the rights are currently held by Moning who has expressed a desire to one day see it as a television series. Her novels have been published in over thirty countries. She divides her time between Ohio and Florida and is working on two future projects for Random House Publishing.
“I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.” – Jorge Luis Borges
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August 28, 2017
These books just keep getting better and better! I simply ADORED "Spell of the Highlander" 
For me, the most important thing while reading a book is to connect with the characters. You can add a storyline, a million storylines that will take your breath away, but if the characters are sh*t (pardon my expression) all the imagination in the world won't do for me. Well, as you'll figure it out, the characters in here were far from sh*t XD
In this novel, the story was in second place. It's about Cian MacKeltar, the most powerful druid from his line, being trapped in an ancient mirror for more than a thousand years (!!!) and seeking revenge to his jailor. That's basically it lol, Jessi finds the mirror and brings him out, she becomes prey to the ultimate druid bad guy, and they run to Scotland (
). He is constantly forced to return into the mirror by the magic, so their escape is not so smooth lol.
The story was good, although not so intense as some from the previous books, and the part I most loved about it is that I had NO IDEA how it was going to end till the very ending and when it was all explained. I just LOVE that in a book <3 Most of the time the end is pretty predictable, and although I knew there will be a happy end (duh), I didn't know how it will come to pass.
Now to the center of the novel - Cian and Jessi. I fell in love with them! They were so lovely, hilarious and adorable, they got me hooked from the start :) Cian, although a fierce warrior, made me laugh all the time! He was unintentionally hilarious, and I loved him for it! He always called Jessi "wench" or "woman", and that first command when he came out of the mirror, ahahahah oh man I couldn't stop laughing XD I have to put it in here loool it's hilarious XD (Cian just came out from the mirror and wants a bit of hanky panky, poor guy, being a thousand years without a woman, and he uses The Voice to command her to do his bidding XDXD)
“Cease speaking, wench. You will bring that sweet ass over here and kiss me now.”
Jessi gaped, mouth open, midword. Snapped her mouth closed. Opened it again. Her head suddenly itched just beneath the skin, above her metal plate. She rubbed at her scalp. “As if.” She meant to hiss it indignantly, but it came out more of a squeak. Sweet ass? He thought she had a sweet ass? They could form a mutual admiration society of two.
“Remove that woolen, woman, and show me your breasts.”
Choking on an inhalation, she sputtered for several seconds. Numerous were the men who’d tried to go there—even she knew she had exceptional breasts—but none quite so obviously and without exerting even an ounce of seductive effort. She clamped her hands over them defensively.
And his first ride in a car hahahah
"Cease ceasing movement so abruptly! Christ, woman, must you catapult forward after each cessation? Are you certain you’ve strapped the mirror securely? We should stop and check it. By Danu, wench, try nudging this beast gently, not kicking it with both heels! A silence, a slew of choked curses, then: Horses! What the bloody hell is wrong with horses? Have they all been slain in battle?"
Yup. LOVE him <3
This book had me from the beginning to the end :) And btw, the ending was great, we got to see the MacKeltar brothers again in action <3 and it was quite unpredictable <3 There had been a teary moment near the end
but surprisingly, the epilogue was not cry-worthy XD There was that bit with the Queen I did not get at all, maybe it's an intro to the upcoming books, or maybe it's a reference to the Fever series, dunno...
All in all, a very bright 5 shining stars for this one <3
For me, the most important thing while reading a book is to connect with the characters. You can add a storyline, a million storylines that will take your breath away, but if the characters are sh*t (pardon my expression) all the imagination in the world won't do for me. Well, as you'll figure it out, the characters in here were far from sh*t XD
In this novel, the story was in second place. It's about Cian MacKeltar, the most powerful druid from his line, being trapped in an ancient mirror for more than a thousand years (!!!) and seeking revenge to his jailor. That's basically it lol, Jessi finds the mirror and brings him out, she becomes prey to the ultimate druid bad guy, and they run to Scotland (
). He is constantly forced to return into the mirror by the magic, so their escape is not so smooth lol.The story was good, although not so intense as some from the previous books, and the part I most loved about it is that I had NO IDEA how it was going to end till the very ending and when it was all explained. I just LOVE that in a book <3 Most of the time the end is pretty predictable, and although I knew there will be a happy end (duh), I didn't know how it will come to pass.
Now to the center of the novel - Cian and Jessi. I fell in love with them! They were so lovely, hilarious and adorable, they got me hooked from the start :) Cian, although a fierce warrior, made me laugh all the time! He was unintentionally hilarious, and I loved him for it! He always called Jessi "wench" or "woman", and that first command when he came out of the mirror, ahahahah oh man I couldn't stop laughing XD I have to put it in here loool it's hilarious XD (Cian just came out from the mirror and wants a bit of hanky panky, poor guy, being a thousand years without a woman, and he uses The Voice to command her to do his bidding XDXD)
“Cease speaking, wench. You will bring that sweet ass over here and kiss me now.”
Jessi gaped, mouth open, midword. Snapped her mouth closed. Opened it again. Her head suddenly itched just beneath the skin, above her metal plate. She rubbed at her scalp. “As if.” She meant to hiss it indignantly, but it came out more of a squeak. Sweet ass? He thought she had a sweet ass? They could form a mutual admiration society of two.
“Remove that woolen, woman, and show me your breasts.”
Choking on an inhalation, she sputtered for several seconds. Numerous were the men who’d tried to go there—even she knew she had exceptional breasts—but none quite so obviously and without exerting even an ounce of seductive effort. She clamped her hands over them defensively.
And his first ride in a car hahahah
"Cease ceasing movement so abruptly! Christ, woman, must you catapult forward after each cessation? Are you certain you’ve strapped the mirror securely? We should stop and check it. By Danu, wench, try nudging this beast gently, not kicking it with both heels! A silence, a slew of choked curses, then: Horses! What the bloody hell is wrong with horses? Have they all been slain in battle?"
Yup. LOVE him <3
This book had me from the beginning to the end :) And btw, the ending was great, we got to see the MacKeltar brothers again in action <3 and it was quite unpredictable <3 There had been a teary moment near the end
but surprisingly, the epilogue was not cry-worthy XD There was that bit with the Queen I did not get at all, maybe it's an intro to the upcoming books, or maybe it's a reference to the Fever series, dunno...All in all, a very bright 5 shining stars for this one <3
![Profile Image for Anna [Bran. San. Stan].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1593184464i%2F98245866._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
May 8, 2021
Cian MacKeltar is a Man (capital M) among men. Due to his skill and potent looks, the powerful and power-hungry Druid was treated like a God in his time (the 9th century). Until his ambition and the interference of an evil sorcerer led to his imprisonment in a Fae mirror – for 1133 years.
Through happenstance, his mirror ends up in Jessi St. James's hands and she is quickly forced to not only summon him out of his mirror but to accept his protection from assassins who are tasked to return the mirror, including its occupant, to the Druid/dark sorcerer who gains immortality from Cian’s imprisonment in the magical object. Matters (both pertaining to sex as well as protection) are complicated by Cian only being able to spend an undefined amount of time outside the mirror each day.
As far as epithets go, Cian is the ultimate “Dark Highlander” and this really should have been the title of this book: Cian MacKeltar is far more a bad boy than Dageus from book 5 (actually called The Dark Highander) ever was.
For one, Cian coveted more power (which the Dark Hallows offered), while Dageus acted out of love and was punished for it by a dark curse. For another, Cian has no qualms killing, he does not hesitate to use the Druid art of Voice to try and compel Jessi to kiss him and show him her breasts. He‘s also cocky, arrogant – scratch that, he brings full of himself to a whole new level – and unsurprisingly hot as hell.
Sadly, though stuff happened (like murder), the first 80 pages (1/4 of the book) were kind of slow and I really just wanted Jessi to free Cian, who was understandably more than eager to get out of it so he could get revenge against his former friend and imprisoner, Lucan Trevayne, and more importantly, to finally have his way with Jessi. Imagine 1133 years alone with your hand, trapped in a Fae mirror. (Even if within the mirror he doesn’t have any physical needs, this doesn’t sound fun.)
Luckily, the plot picked up steam, especially when Cian and Jessi travel to Scotland to hide from Lucan, the super villain, which was my favorite part of the novel. What I loved most about the journey to Scotland is Cian meeting Dagues and Drustan, his descendants from the 16th century now living in the 21st. Cian running into Dageus and loathing him because he’s so arrogant was priceless.
I initially had some unfortunate Twilight vibe as Cian is unable to use the Druid skill of “deep listening” (sensing thoughts/emotions) on Jessi so I was pleased to note that it’s not some super special ability of hers but rather due to an accident and a resulting metal plate in her head.
As far as tone is concerned, Spell of the Highlander is similar to The Dark Highlander: dark and thus in contrast to my favorites Kiss of the Highlander and The Immortal Highlander and their tongue-in-cheek tone – which I haven often praised. Thankfully, despite the darker tone, I still had a couple of lood laughs.
All in all, though a worthy continuation of the series – mostly because of the other MacKeltars and the first appearance of the Unseelie Hallows, including the Amulet and the Dark Book relevant to the Fever series –, this is probably my least favorite of books 4-7. Jessi’s character just didn’t convince me as much – maybe also because everyone and their mother in this series is a virgin and the presented reasons for being one in your mid-twenties are getting a bit old.
I can but reiterate that the second story arc of the Highlander series (books 4-7) is bloody brilliant (the characters, the worldbuilding, and the writing) and you’re truly missing out if you haven’t read them yet. (You can skip the less than stellar first three books if you’re so inclined as there is little overlap to book 4-7 and there is a different story line.)
No matter if you’re into the Fever series or not – you should definitely read books 4-7 of this series!
Books in this series:
1 Beyond the Highland Mist: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
2 To Tame a Highland Warrior ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
3 The Highlander‘s Touch ⭐️⭐️⭐️
4 Kiss of the Highlander ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
5 The Dark Highlander 🖤🖤🖤🖤
6 The Immortal Highlander ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
7 Spell of the Highlander: 🖤🖤🖤🖤
Through happenstance, his mirror ends up in Jessi St. James's hands and she is quickly forced to not only summon him out of his mirror but to accept his protection from assassins who are tasked to return the mirror, including its occupant, to the Druid/dark sorcerer who gains immortality from Cian’s imprisonment in the magical object. Matters (both pertaining to sex as well as protection) are complicated by Cian only being able to spend an undefined amount of time outside the mirror each day.
As far as epithets go, Cian is the ultimate “Dark Highlander” and this really should have been the title of this book: Cian MacKeltar is far more a bad boy than Dageus from book 5 (actually called The Dark Highander) ever was.
For one, Cian coveted more power (which the Dark Hallows offered), while Dageus acted out of love and was punished for it by a dark curse. For another, Cian has no qualms killing, he does not hesitate to use the Druid art of Voice to try and compel Jessi to kiss him and show him her breasts. He‘s also cocky, arrogant – scratch that, he brings full of himself to a whole new level – and unsurprisingly hot as hell.
Sadly, though stuff happened (like murder), the first 80 pages (1/4 of the book) were kind of slow and I really just wanted Jessi to free Cian, who was understandably more than eager to get out of it so he could get revenge against his former friend and imprisoner, Lucan Trevayne, and more importantly, to finally have his way with Jessi. Imagine 1133 years alone with your hand, trapped in a Fae mirror. (Even if within the mirror he doesn’t have any physical needs, this doesn’t sound fun.)
Luckily, the plot picked up steam, especially when Cian and Jessi travel to Scotland to hide from Lucan, the super villain, which was my favorite part of the novel. What I loved most about the journey to Scotland is Cian meeting Dagues and Drustan, his descendants from the 16th century now living in the 21st. Cian running into Dageus and loathing him because he’s so arrogant was priceless.
I initially had some unfortunate Twilight vibe as Cian is unable to use the Druid skill of “deep listening” (sensing thoughts/emotions) on Jessi so I was pleased to note that it’s not some super special ability of hers but rather due to an accident and a resulting metal plate in her head.
As far as tone is concerned, Spell of the Highlander is similar to The Dark Highlander: dark and thus in contrast to my favorites Kiss of the Highlander and The Immortal Highlander and their tongue-in-cheek tone – which I haven often praised. Thankfully, despite the darker tone, I still had a couple of lood laughs.
"You saw my ancestor's arse?"
All in all, though a worthy continuation of the series – mostly because of the other MacKeltars and the first appearance of the Unseelie Hallows, including the Amulet and the Dark Book relevant to the Fever series –, this is probably my least favorite of books 4-7. Jessi’s character just didn’t convince me as much – maybe also because everyone and their mother in this series is a virgin and the presented reasons for being one in your mid-twenties are getting a bit old.
I can but reiterate that the second story arc of the Highlander series (books 4-7) is bloody brilliant (the characters, the worldbuilding, and the writing) and you’re truly missing out if you haven’t read them yet. (You can skip the less than stellar first three books if you’re so inclined as there is little overlap to book 4-7 and there is a different story line.)
No matter if you’re into the Fever series or not – you should definitely read books 4-7 of this series!
Books in this series:
1 Beyond the Highland Mist: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
2 To Tame a Highland Warrior ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
3 The Highlander‘s Touch ⭐️⭐️⭐️
4 Kiss of the Highlander ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
5 The Dark Highlander 🖤🖤🖤🖤
6 The Immortal Highlander ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
7 Spell of the Highlander: 🖤🖤🖤🖤
December 29, 2016
THE MAN IN THE MIRROR
Eleven centuries ago, Cian MacKeltar from our favorite and infamous MacKeltal family, was trapped inside the Dark Glass by a dark sorcerer who thought he was his friend.
In our century, Cian will discover Jessi.
Soon he will realize that Jessi is his:
-soul mate
-true love
-perfect match in heart, mind and body
Jessi is the one that Cian will exchange binding vows with and bind their souls together for all eternity.
Jessi St. James is a PhD archaeology student with no personal life until she discovers Cian and his mirror.
Firstly Jessi summons Cian out of the mirror. And they she licks Cian. So I suppose he is hers now.
Jessi has a metal place to piece her skull back together after a terrible accident at her senior year in high school. She was miserable then, it is a blessing now because the magic does not work on her. Everything happens for a reason, it seems.
The two of them will travel from USA to Scotland and Inverness, they will meet the rest of the MacKeltars, they will fall in love and they will defeat Cian’s old enemy.
Pure perfection!
WARNING - THE FOLLOWING WILL NOT MAKE SENSE IF YOU ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH THE FEVER SERIES:
This book felt so much like it is the Fever series prequel…
Cian as a dark sorcerer behaves totally like Barrons:
• He uses the Voice, the Druid art of compulsion, without hesitation and frequently.
• He has tattoos on his body for protection.
• He applies wards and spells to secure area and rooms using Dark Magyck.
• He is at ease with his dark side and he will not hesitate to go there. Especially for sexual pleasure.
Also there are some common elements with the Fae series
• The mirror and what is hidden behind it. Mirrors are passages in Fever.
• The Dark Book (is it the Sinsar Dubh I wonder?)
• The mentioning of other Unseelie and Seelie Hallows/objects/relics/artifacts (the sword, the spear – just waiting for Mac to find them and grab them)
Lastly, there is the warning of Aoibheal (the queen of the fae), that the walls between Earth and Faery will fall and the Unseelie Princes will walk on the Earth raping and transforming the women into shells of their previous self. And that the MacKeltars are where they should be TOGETHER and that they need to be prepared.
Cian and Dageus apparently will make the best team.
Cian seems to know more about what is coming in comparison to the other MacKeltars, but he will keep his silence.
“What is it, Cian? Is aught amiss? Do you see something, kingsman?”
“Nay. Tis nothing, Drustan. Nothing at all.”
Eleven centuries ago, Cian MacKeltar from our favorite and infamous MacKeltal family, was trapped inside the Dark Glass by a dark sorcerer who thought he was his friend.
In our century, Cian will discover Jessi.
Soon he will realize that Jessi is his:
-soul mate
-true love
-perfect match in heart, mind and body
Jessi is the one that Cian will exchange binding vows with and bind their souls together for all eternity.
Jessi St. James is a PhD archaeology student with no personal life until she discovers Cian and his mirror.
Firstly Jessi summons Cian out of the mirror. And they she licks Cian. So I suppose he is hers now.
Jessi has a metal place to piece her skull back together after a terrible accident at her senior year in high school. She was miserable then, it is a blessing now because the magic does not work on her. Everything happens for a reason, it seems.
The two of them will travel from USA to Scotland and Inverness, they will meet the rest of the MacKeltars, they will fall in love and they will defeat Cian’s old enemy.
Pure perfection!
WARNING - THE FOLLOWING WILL NOT MAKE SENSE IF YOU ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH THE FEVER SERIES:
This book felt so much like it is the Fever series prequel…
Cian as a dark sorcerer behaves totally like Barrons:
• He uses the Voice, the Druid art of compulsion, without hesitation and frequently.
• He has tattoos on his body for protection.
• He applies wards and spells to secure area and rooms using Dark Magyck.
• He is at ease with his dark side and he will not hesitate to go there. Especially for sexual pleasure.
Also there are some common elements with the Fae series
• The mirror and what is hidden behind it. Mirrors are passages in Fever.
• The Dark Book (is it the Sinsar Dubh I wonder?)
• The mentioning of other Unseelie and Seelie Hallows/objects/relics/artifacts (the sword, the spear – just waiting for Mac to find them and grab them)
Lastly, there is the warning of Aoibheal (the queen of the fae), that the walls between Earth and Faery will fall and the Unseelie Princes will walk on the Earth raping and transforming the women into shells of their previous self. And that the MacKeltars are where they should be TOGETHER and that they need to be prepared.
Cian and Dageus apparently will make the best team.
Cian seems to know more about what is coming in comparison to the other MacKeltars, but he will keep his silence.
“What is it, Cian? Is aught amiss? Do you see something, kingsman?”
“Nay. Tis nothing, Drustan. Nothing at all.”
July 30, 2011
I love KMM's Highlander series - I haven't read the 1st 2 books yet but the other ones were all 5-star reads to me - so I was really anxious to see if this latest installment would live up to my high expectations. Well, I'm glad to say it was another winner. :)
On a Friday night, close to midnight, Jessica St. James, an overworked and exhausted Archeology graduate student at the University of Chicago, is asked by her advisor, who's just suffered a car accident, to go to his office and receive a package for him. She wonders what kind of package gets delivered at such unusual hour, but it's not like she has a life and she can't really refuse her advisor's request. The strange delivery turns out to be the Dark Glass, an ancient mirror with a 9th-century hot Highlander Druid locked inside, and Jessi's life takes a turn for the worse... or for the better?
Cian MacKeltar, the Highlander hottie from the past, is the most powerful Keltar Druid ever born, but he was betrayed by Lucan Trevayne, a "fellow" Dark Sorcerer, 1,133 years ago and has been imprisoned in the Dark Glass since then. The powerful artifact is the source of Lucan's immortality, so he's more than annoyed when it's stolen from him - by a mere thief! - and he'll stop at nothing to get it back. Too bad Jessi is in the middle of the battle between Cian and Lucan now...
Cian needs Jessi's help in order to break the spell that keeps him imprisoned inside the Dark Glass and, after the initial shock - it isn't everyday that you find a hunk in a mirror and, worse, an assassin after you -, she realizes she needs him to keep Lucan's assassins from killing her. The trick is, Cian can be summoned out of the Dark Glass for short periods of time only, so he has to make the best use of his free time if he wants to play his revenge against Lucan and seduce Jessi at the same time. The outcome of his battle against the Dark Sorcerer is uncertain, but there's no doubt in Cian's mind that Jessi is his woman and, soon enough, there's no doubt in her mind either. But what will happen after the spell is broken? Will Cian be able to survive outside the Dark Glass?
Okay, I'm going to say it: I liked Cian, but I didn't love him. Don't get me wrong, he was hot and yummy, but I thought he was like a "mix" of the previous heroes in the series and, as a result, he paled in comparison with them. Having Dageus and Drustan playing strong secondary roles in this book didn't help Cian's "allure", as I found myself more interested in getting myself reunited with the MacKeltar twins than reading about Cian pacing inside the Dark Glass.
As for Jessi, I loved her. She was intelligent, brave and bold. The stunt she pulled at the Edinburgh Airport was a bit farfetched, but the whole ancient-Druid-imprisoned-in-a-mirror thing wasn't exactly ordinary so I went along with it happily. There was a scene near the end when I thought she was going to have a TSTL moment but, thankfully, she retreated before putting herself - and Cian, as a consequence - in danger. Gotta love a smart heroine!
The plot was interesting, the action was fast paced, and the love scenes were hot. The solution for Cian's "conumdrum" was kind of obvious, but I wasn't disappointed by it because it made sense and it was consistent with what had happened before in the series. The ending was a bit "strange", though. Instead of writing an epilogue, KMM chose to write a "Dear Reader" letter telling us that what happened to Cian and Jessi after their final confrontation with Lucan. It wasn't how I wanted to see the story end, but it wasn't "bad" enough to ruin the book.
All in all, this was another great installment in the beloved Highlander series. I wish KMM was still writing new books in this series but, alas, it looks like she's dropped it in favor of her Fever series - at least, for now. Oh well, it was good while it lasted.
On a Friday night, close to midnight, Jessica St. James, an overworked and exhausted Archeology graduate student at the University of Chicago, is asked by her advisor, who's just suffered a car accident, to go to his office and receive a package for him. She wonders what kind of package gets delivered at such unusual hour, but it's not like she has a life and she can't really refuse her advisor's request. The strange delivery turns out to be the Dark Glass, an ancient mirror with a 9th-century hot Highlander Druid locked inside, and Jessi's life takes a turn for the worse... or for the better?
Cian MacKeltar, the Highlander hottie from the past, is the most powerful Keltar Druid ever born, but he was betrayed by Lucan Trevayne, a "fellow" Dark Sorcerer, 1,133 years ago and has been imprisoned in the Dark Glass since then. The powerful artifact is the source of Lucan's immortality, so he's more than annoyed when it's stolen from him - by a mere thief! - and he'll stop at nothing to get it back. Too bad Jessi is in the middle of the battle between Cian and Lucan now...
Cian needs Jessi's help in order to break the spell that keeps him imprisoned inside the Dark Glass and, after the initial shock - it isn't everyday that you find a hunk in a mirror and, worse, an assassin after you -, she realizes she needs him to keep Lucan's assassins from killing her. The trick is, Cian can be summoned out of the Dark Glass for short periods of time only, so he has to make the best use of his free time if he wants to play his revenge against Lucan and seduce Jessi at the same time. The outcome of his battle against the Dark Sorcerer is uncertain, but there's no doubt in Cian's mind that Jessi is his woman and, soon enough, there's no doubt in her mind either. But what will happen after the spell is broken? Will Cian be able to survive outside the Dark Glass?
Okay, I'm going to say it: I liked Cian, but I didn't love him. Don't get me wrong, he was hot and yummy, but I thought he was like a "mix" of the previous heroes in the series and, as a result, he paled in comparison with them. Having Dageus and Drustan playing strong secondary roles in this book didn't help Cian's "allure", as I found myself more interested in getting myself reunited with the MacKeltar twins than reading about Cian pacing inside the Dark Glass.
As for Jessi, I loved her. She was intelligent, brave and bold. The stunt she pulled at the Edinburgh Airport was a bit farfetched, but the whole ancient-Druid-imprisoned-in-a-mirror thing wasn't exactly ordinary so I went along with it happily. There was a scene near the end when I thought she was going to have a TSTL moment but, thankfully, she retreated before putting herself - and Cian, as a consequence - in danger. Gotta love a smart heroine!
The plot was interesting, the action was fast paced, and the love scenes were hot. The solution for Cian's "conumdrum" was kind of obvious, but I wasn't disappointed by it because it made sense and it was consistent with what had happened before in the series. The ending was a bit "strange", though. Instead of writing an epilogue, KMM chose to write a "Dear Reader" letter telling us that what happened to Cian and Jessi after their final confrontation with Lucan. It wasn't how I wanted to see the story end, but it wasn't "bad" enough to ruin the book.
All in all, this was another great installment in the beloved Highlander series. I wish KMM was still writing new books in this series but, alas, it looks like she's dropped it in favor of her Fever series - at least, for now. Oh well, it was good while it lasted.
August 21, 2008
8/21: I'm halfway through the book and my patience is thinning. My problems with the book so far (w/o spoilers):
1) I understand Cian, the hero, is Scottish, but after 1,133 years in a mirror, wouldn't he have dropped the Scottish highlands way of saying things for more modern speech? For instance, would he still be saying "doona ken" instead of "do not know" after watching TV and reading books from his mirror for so many years?
2) Cian has so many superpowers that it is hard to keep track of them all. I get that he's the most powerful Druid in all of time, but seriously. Besides getting out of the damned mirror, is there anything that he can't do? It would be nice if he had some flaws or things that he had to do normally to add a little challenge to the story. Oh, and not to be forgotten, Cian is, of course, hung - as in "worrisomely large".
3) It is petty, but the cover bugs me. First, it is more porno-ish than most romance novels that I've read. I get embarrassed holding the damn thing. Second, the girl on the cover is blond and has long hair... Jessi, the heroine, has black, short, curly hair.
4) Sort of like # 2, it bugs that the bad guy sends these incompetant "assassins" that Cian dispatches in seconds. One gets dispatched after Cian throws a dagger from the mirror and kills them. If Cian can do that, why hasn't he killed his captor, Lucan, that way over the course of the last 1,133 years? Yes, I get that Lucan stands on bespelled ground whenever Cian is allowed out of the mirror, but what about all the other times?
5) I am so unbelievably sick and tired of heroines that are virgins. Especially when the author writes that they are these gorgeous women of, let's say, over 20 that "just haven't found the right guy yet" and act like it is some big, almost shameful secret. Since when is being a virgin a bad thing? Since when is being a virgin a big to-do in today's times? So what, she's selective, what is the big whoop? And, I haven't gotten to an actual sex scene yet, but how much you want to bet that Cian is completely shocked that Jessi is a virgin? *gag*
1) I understand Cian, the hero, is Scottish, but after 1,133 years in a mirror, wouldn't he have dropped the Scottish highlands way of saying things for more modern speech? For instance, would he still be saying "doona ken" instead of "do not know" after watching TV and reading books from his mirror for so many years?
2) Cian has so many superpowers that it is hard to keep track of them all. I get that he's the most powerful Druid in all of time, but seriously. Besides getting out of the damned mirror, is there anything that he can't do? It would be nice if he had some flaws or things that he had to do normally to add a little challenge to the story. Oh, and not to be forgotten, Cian is, of course, hung - as in "worrisomely large".
3) It is petty, but the cover bugs me. First, it is more porno-ish than most romance novels that I've read. I get embarrassed holding the damn thing. Second, the girl on the cover is blond and has long hair... Jessi, the heroine, has black, short, curly hair.
4) Sort of like # 2, it bugs that the bad guy sends these incompetant "assassins" that Cian dispatches in seconds. One gets dispatched after Cian throws a dagger from the mirror and kills them. If Cian can do that, why hasn't he killed his captor, Lucan, that way over the course of the last 1,133 years? Yes, I get that Lucan stands on bespelled ground whenever Cian is allowed out of the mirror, but what about all the other times?
5) I am so unbelievably sick and tired of heroines that are virgins. Especially when the author writes that they are these gorgeous women of, let's say, over 20 that "just haven't found the right guy yet" and act like it is some big, almost shameful secret. Since when is being a virgin a bad thing? Since when is being a virgin a big to-do in today's times? So what, she's selective, what is the big whoop? And, I haven't gotten to an actual sex scene yet, but how much you want to bet that Cian is completely shocked that Jessi is a virgin? *gag*
February 4, 2012
Updated review:
A couple years ago, I discovered a fabulous author(Monica McCarty). When I finished with her books, I asked her who her "go-to" authors were. Monica's answer? Karen Marie Moning. Since my library only had this book by her, this is what I read. Wow, Cian is one hunky medieval male. I immediately returned this book and bought the whole series.
This book focuses on Cian MacKeltar, a 9th century druid who is trapped in a mirror..a mirror that is an Unseelie Hallow (a fae created relic).
Jessi is a grad student who accidentally sees Cian (aka the sex god) in the mirror. What she didn't know was that her professor had bought this antique mirror after it was stolen from Lucan during a power outage (that is alluded to in the Fever series), another ancient druid. Well, he wants it back. Lucan sends assassains after anyone who has had any contact with the mirror. Cian decides to help Jessi, so he tells her the spell to release him from the mirror. Problem is, she thinks it was just a dream, because super hot sex-gods don't live in mirors and help random grad students, right? Totally a dream.
Unfortunately, if Cian is freed from the mirror, its only temporary. And there's no set time-the mirror is fickle and reclaims him after a few hours, or after a day. It's never consistent.
Cian helps her, convinces her he's real and that her life is in danger. So they head off to Scotland, to MacKeltar land, hoping to hide her out in the Highlands. But lo and behold, there are many more MacKeltars than expected! Not only the current line of Christopher and Maggie, but Drustan and Gwen, and Daegus and Chloe!! The way Daegus and Cian meet is hysterical! I loved that scene and I loved the whole gathering of the MacKeltar clan.
[anyone who can get this on audio-do so! Phil Gigante doing all the Keltar men in one room? OMG I drooled]
They grudgingly help Cian and Jessi defeat the evil dark druid Lucan who had entrapped Cian in the mirror so long ago. But there's a twist-to escape the mirror permanently, will cause his death. How on earth will he do it? Will Daegus surprise us with his (still) dark knowledge from the Drughar? Will he double-cross Jessi and Cian? Gotta read to find out....
And at the very end, we get a brief glimpse of Aivheal the Seelie queen. That is the part that is important to the Fever series.
Total foreshadowing for the Fever series...if you don't like romances but like Urban Fantasy, read the Fever series, but add this and The Immortal Highlander to it, almost as prequels.
A couple years ago, I discovered a fabulous author(Monica McCarty). When I finished with her books, I asked her who her "go-to" authors were. Monica's answer? Karen Marie Moning. Since my library only had this book by her, this is what I read. Wow, Cian is one hunky medieval male. I immediately returned this book and bought the whole series.
This book focuses on Cian MacKeltar, a 9th century druid who is trapped in a mirror..a mirror that is an Unseelie Hallow (a fae created relic).
Jessi is a grad student who accidentally sees Cian (aka the sex god) in the mirror. What she didn't know was that her professor had bought this antique mirror after it was stolen from Lucan during a power outage (that is alluded to in the Fever series), another ancient druid. Well, he wants it back. Lucan sends assassains after anyone who has had any contact with the mirror. Cian decides to help Jessi, so he tells her the spell to release him from the mirror. Problem is, she thinks it was just a dream, because super hot sex-gods don't live in mirors and help random grad students, right? Totally a dream.
Unfortunately, if Cian is freed from the mirror, its only temporary. And there's no set time-the mirror is fickle and reclaims him after a few hours, or after a day. It's never consistent.
Cian helps her, convinces her he's real and that her life is in danger. So they head off to Scotland, to MacKeltar land, hoping to hide her out in the Highlands. But lo and behold, there are many more MacKeltars than expected! Not only the current line of Christopher and Maggie, but Drustan and Gwen, and Daegus and Chloe!! The way Daegus and Cian meet is hysterical! I loved that scene and I loved the whole gathering of the MacKeltar clan.
[anyone who can get this on audio-do so! Phil Gigante doing all the Keltar men in one room? OMG I drooled]
They grudgingly help Cian and Jessi defeat the evil dark druid Lucan who had entrapped Cian in the mirror so long ago. But there's a twist-to escape the mirror permanently, will cause his death. How on earth will he do it? Will Daegus surprise us with his (still) dark knowledge from the Drughar? Will he double-cross Jessi and Cian? Gotta read to find out....
And at the very end, we get a brief glimpse of Aivheal the Seelie queen. That is the part that is important to the Fever series.
Total foreshadowing for the Fever series...if you don't like romances but like Urban Fantasy, read the Fever series, but add this and The Immortal Highlander to it, almost as prequels.
December 19, 2025
No esperaba demasiado de este libro porque se nota mucho que se escribió hace veinte años, pero he disfrutado de la historia y de reencontrarme con anteriores protagonistas. La verdad es que me ha dejado con buen sabor de boca, Sean y Jess me han gustado mucho
February 6, 2021
4.75 I need an antique mirror STAT stars
Cian MacKeltar.... yes please. Where to start? First of all, if you have not read any of the Highlander series books, I would strongly recommend reading books 4-6 first at least bc the characters from those stories recur in this one, and while the author provides some quick summaries, it is not even close to the level of detail that would help the reader truly follow the complexities of the world-building aspects to this story.
Jessi St. James is a PhD student with no life. Her ultimate goal is to finish her degree and get into the field to experience the history she has studied diligently for years. While she envies the people around her that have a sex life, she knows that once she completes her dissertation, she will be able to explore that aspect of life a little more... not that anyone she has dated in the past has lit any fires of desire in her. But maybe she's just picky and too preoccupied with her career to focus on any kind of romantic relationship right now. As if on cue as she ponders her lack of social life on a Friday night, she gets a call from her professor who tells her to go to the office and sign for some mysterious artifact in his stead as he is unable to make it there in time. When the giant crate the deliverymen drag into the office unveils a massive mirror with Celtic symbols more ancient than she has ever seen, Jessi is fascinated. As she locks up for the night, she swears she sees a half-dressed warrior in there.... but no one is around. Believing her perpetual exhaustion has finally caught up to her, she locks up and heads back home. But Jessi soon discovers that there is much more to the mirror and the man within... and when her very life is threatened, she has no one else to turn to but the mysterious barbarian behind the glass.
Cian MacKeltar was tricked into the Dark Glass 1,133 years ago when a man he believed to be his friend (Lucan Trevayne) trapped him there. His so-called friend is actually a sorcerer who has tapped into the dark magicks to obtain immortality, but every 100 years, a tithe in the form of pure gold must be paid by passing it through the mirror to maintain his eternal life. The spell also makes Cian immortal, but he is trapped in the mirror unless the spell is broken by either breaking the glass or keeping the tithe from being paid before midnight on All Hallow's Eve. When the mirror is stolen, Lucan is desperate to find it in time for the tithe to be paid.... in only 22 days! Cian realizes the timely theft provides him with the one chance he needs to prevent Lucan from carrying out his ultimate evil plan: obtaining the book of dark magicks that will literally make him unstoppable. When Cian spies the bewildered Jessi on the other side, he knows that Lucan will have sent assassins after her to reclaim the mirror and kill anyone who knows of its existence; therefore, he must convince Jessi to let him out of the mirror to help her. And while he's out.... since he hasn't tooped anyone in over 1000 years, he is chomping at the bit to get a taste of the lusciously curvy beauty staring disbelievingly back at him.
But what will happen if Jessi does let the ancient warrior free? Are his intentions truly noble, or is she letting loose an even more dangerous entity than the one seeking her to reclaim the mirror? Why do sparks literally fly when Jessi is anywhere near Cian? How can she possibly be attracted to a man she not only doesn't know much about but one that believes women are there to serve his personal needs? Will Cian be able to elude the dark sorcerer long enough to make it through the midnight deadline a few week away? And if he can, is he willing to pay the price for his eternal freedom?
What I liked:
--- While he was a smidge overbearing at times (he's from the 9th century, so he at least comes by it honestly!), Cian still won me over - nothing like a rough and tumble manly man who will protect "his woman" at any cost
--- Jessi was likeable and quirky in the best ways - they made a great couple
--- Story line was fast-moving and interesting
--- Revisiting characters from past books was fun
--- OMG the steamy goodness
" You’re supposed to be out of control for your man, lass. That’s the way of passion. Think you passion is tidy? Neat?” He laughed. “Hardly. Not in my bed. ” - Cian MacKeltar (someone hand me a fire extinguisher please!)
What I didn't like as much:
--- I would have liked the steamy goodness a little sooner, but the pay off was definitely worth the wait!
--- A little wordy at times (the author did the obligatory revisiting of some relevant plot lines from earlier books in the series to catch readers up, so I skipped over some of that bc it was repetitive for me)
Overall, this book is my favorite in the series for many of the reasons I listed above. I greatly enjoy the way that Moning can make things that are entirely improbable actually seem plausible! The characters were captivating, the plot engaging, and the steamy goodness delicious!
Plot --- 4.5/5
Main Characters --- 4.5/5
Supporting Cast --- 4.5/5
Steam Level* --- 4/5
Violence --- not graphic
Language --- some
POV --- 3rd
*Note that steam level is not a rating so much as a how hot was it: 0/5 - clean; 1/5 - mild (nothing descriptive); 2/5 - 3rd base action/1 home run; 3/5 - now we're getting somewhere (a couple of full-on steamy scenes); 4/5 - yes please! (erotica territory); 5/5 - they did EVERYTHING in this one, y'all
Cian MacKeltar.... yes please. Where to start? First of all, if you have not read any of the Highlander series books, I would strongly recommend reading books 4-6 first at least bc the characters from those stories recur in this one, and while the author provides some quick summaries, it is not even close to the level of detail that would help the reader truly follow the complexities of the world-building aspects to this story.
Jessi St. James is a PhD student with no life. Her ultimate goal is to finish her degree and get into the field to experience the history she has studied diligently for years. While she envies the people around her that have a sex life, she knows that once she completes her dissertation, she will be able to explore that aspect of life a little more... not that anyone she has dated in the past has lit any fires of desire in her. But maybe she's just picky and too preoccupied with her career to focus on any kind of romantic relationship right now. As if on cue as she ponders her lack of social life on a Friday night, she gets a call from her professor who tells her to go to the office and sign for some mysterious artifact in his stead as he is unable to make it there in time. When the giant crate the deliverymen drag into the office unveils a massive mirror with Celtic symbols more ancient than she has ever seen, Jessi is fascinated. As she locks up for the night, she swears she sees a half-dressed warrior in there.... but no one is around. Believing her perpetual exhaustion has finally caught up to her, she locks up and heads back home. But Jessi soon discovers that there is much more to the mirror and the man within... and when her very life is threatened, she has no one else to turn to but the mysterious barbarian behind the glass.
Cian MacKeltar was tricked into the Dark Glass 1,133 years ago when a man he believed to be his friend (Lucan Trevayne) trapped him there. His so-called friend is actually a sorcerer who has tapped into the dark magicks to obtain immortality, but every 100 years, a tithe in the form of pure gold must be paid by passing it through the mirror to maintain his eternal life. The spell also makes Cian immortal, but he is trapped in the mirror unless the spell is broken by either breaking the glass or keeping the tithe from being paid before midnight on All Hallow's Eve. When the mirror is stolen, Lucan is desperate to find it in time for the tithe to be paid.... in only 22 days! Cian realizes the timely theft provides him with the one chance he needs to prevent Lucan from carrying out his ultimate evil plan: obtaining the book of dark magicks that will literally make him unstoppable. When Cian spies the bewildered Jessi on the other side, he knows that Lucan will have sent assassins after her to reclaim the mirror and kill anyone who knows of its existence; therefore, he must convince Jessi to let him out of the mirror to help her. And while he's out.... since he hasn't tooped anyone in over 1000 years, he is chomping at the bit to get a taste of the lusciously curvy beauty staring disbelievingly back at him.
But what will happen if Jessi does let the ancient warrior free? Are his intentions truly noble, or is she letting loose an even more dangerous entity than the one seeking her to reclaim the mirror? Why do sparks literally fly when Jessi is anywhere near Cian? How can she possibly be attracted to a man she not only doesn't know much about but one that believes women are there to serve his personal needs? Will Cian be able to elude the dark sorcerer long enough to make it through the midnight deadline a few week away? And if he can, is he willing to pay the price for his eternal freedom?
What I liked:
--- While he was a smidge overbearing at times (he's from the 9th century, so he at least comes by it honestly!), Cian still won me over - nothing like a rough and tumble manly man who will protect "his woman" at any cost
--- Jessi was likeable and quirky in the best ways - they made a great couple
--- Story line was fast-moving and interesting
--- Revisiting characters from past books was fun
--- OMG the steamy goodness
" You’re supposed to be out of control for your man, lass. That’s the way of passion. Think you passion is tidy? Neat?” He laughed. “Hardly. Not in my bed. ” - Cian MacKeltar (someone hand me a fire extinguisher please!)
What I didn't like as much:
--- I would have liked the steamy goodness a little sooner, but the pay off was definitely worth the wait!
--- A little wordy at times (the author did the obligatory revisiting of some relevant plot lines from earlier books in the series to catch readers up, so I skipped over some of that bc it was repetitive for me)
Overall, this book is my favorite in the series for many of the reasons I listed above. I greatly enjoy the way that Moning can make things that are entirely improbable actually seem plausible! The characters were captivating, the plot engaging, and the steamy goodness delicious!
Plot --- 4.5/5
Main Characters --- 4.5/5
Supporting Cast --- 4.5/5
Steam Level* --- 4/5
Violence --- not graphic
Language --- some
POV --- 3rd
*Note that steam level is not a rating so much as a how hot was it: 0/5 - clean; 1/5 - mild (nothing descriptive); 2/5 - 3rd base action/1 home run; 3/5 - now we're getting somewhere (a couple of full-on steamy scenes); 4/5 - yes please! (erotica territory); 5/5 - they did EVERYTHING in this one, y'all
July 31, 2019
Although I know many love the entirety of Moning's Highlander series, I found them to be hit or miss. A frequent reread for me, Spell of the Highlander, the final in the series before the author took the series in a whole other direction, definitely falls in the "hit" category.
The story essentially begins when our heroine accepts a delivery for an unusual artifact while at work. Assisting a professor while working toward her PhD, Jessi St. James's curiosity gets the best of her- especially after the deliveryman forces her to help him uncrate the item before he leaves-visual verification needed.
The artifact, a mirror with ancient runes inscribed around it, cannot be as old as it seems- mirrors with that much clarity just weren't around until the last century or so. But when a mysterious man enters the room demanding the mirror and threatening her life, Jessi finds herself defending it. Suddenly, a voice is heard demanding she release a man who happens to be trapped inside the mirror- a man held there for a very, very long time. Certain she's dreaming, she plays along and speaks the words that will release one Cian MacKeltar from the dark magic that holds him imprisoned within the mirror. (Yes, that would be the 9th century ancestor of the infamous Mackeltar clan who populate the rest of Moning's highlander series!)
He, of course, rescues her from the sinister character threatening her life, but not before Jessi makes her attraction to the sexy, ancient highlander very obvious- it's a dream after all, why not taste the handsomest, most masculine man she had ever laid eyes upon?
All too soon, she realizes he is indeed not a figment of her imagination and that her life is in very real danger. Cian convinces her she must return him- and the mirror- to his home land in Scotland so he can prepare properly for the final battle that will have to take place between he and the man who imprisoned him. While there, they meet up with Drustan & Daegus (Kiss of the Highlander & The Dark Highlander) and their wives, and convince his descendants to assist them on their quest to release Cian from his curse.
Of course Jessi and Cian fall in love in the process, a love Jessi thought would keep him by her side, but Jessi has no idea how far Cian will go to be set free- until she sees him about to give up his life.
Seductive and intensely romantic this story goes right to the heart. I found it to be the most romantic of the series- and the most sensual. I highly recommend it, even as a standalone, because once you've turned the last page, you'll find it's not enough and you'll want to go back and read about the rest of the noble, strong MacKeltars Moning has created and just who are these fae wreaking havoc on their lives!
As I've mentioned, I re-read this one quite often, though I have no idea why I've never reviewed it before. If you like enticing romance mixed with time travel magic- you can't go wrong with Moning's Highlander series.
The story essentially begins when our heroine accepts a delivery for an unusual artifact while at work. Assisting a professor while working toward her PhD, Jessi St. James's curiosity gets the best of her- especially after the deliveryman forces her to help him uncrate the item before he leaves-visual verification needed.
The artifact, a mirror with ancient runes inscribed around it, cannot be as old as it seems- mirrors with that much clarity just weren't around until the last century or so. But when a mysterious man enters the room demanding the mirror and threatening her life, Jessi finds herself defending it. Suddenly, a voice is heard demanding she release a man who happens to be trapped inside the mirror- a man held there for a very, very long time. Certain she's dreaming, she plays along and speaks the words that will release one Cian MacKeltar from the dark magic that holds him imprisoned within the mirror. (Yes, that would be the 9th century ancestor of the infamous Mackeltar clan who populate the rest of Moning's highlander series!)
He, of course, rescues her from the sinister character threatening her life, but not before Jessi makes her attraction to the sexy, ancient highlander very obvious- it's a dream after all, why not taste the handsomest, most masculine man she had ever laid eyes upon?
All too soon, she realizes he is indeed not a figment of her imagination and that her life is in very real danger. Cian convinces her she must return him- and the mirror- to his home land in Scotland so he can prepare properly for the final battle that will have to take place between he and the man who imprisoned him. While there, they meet up with Drustan & Daegus (Kiss of the Highlander & The Dark Highlander) and their wives, and convince his descendants to assist them on their quest to release Cian from his curse.
Of course Jessi and Cian fall in love in the process, a love Jessi thought would keep him by her side, but Jessi has no idea how far Cian will go to be set free- until she sees him about to give up his life.
Seductive and intensely romantic this story goes right to the heart. I found it to be the most romantic of the series- and the most sensual. I highly recommend it, even as a standalone, because once you've turned the last page, you'll find it's not enough and you'll want to go back and read about the rest of the noble, strong MacKeltars Moning has created and just who are these fae wreaking havoc on their lives!
As I've mentioned, I re-read this one quite often, though I have no idea why I've never reviewed it before. If you like enticing romance mixed with time travel magic- you can't go wrong with Moning's Highlander series.
March 8, 2021
4.75 Stars
I found a couple of errors. Mostly minor but one was a doozy!
Fantastic suspense and action.
Melt worthy romantic and adult intimate sex scenes.
Best in the series!
I found a couple of errors. Mostly minor but one was a doozy!
Fantastic suspense and action.
Melt worthy romantic and adult intimate sex scenes.
Best in the series!
September 12, 2010
There’s something to be said about a book that takes you off to faraway lands, lands where the men are breathtakingly beautiful and oh, so sexy. Spell of the Highlander is one such book. As I was reading, I felt myself getting lost in this world.
Cian has been imprisoned for 1,133 years in the Dark Mirror. The mirror is delivered to Chicago where Jessica St-James, an archaeology student accepts the delivery on behalf of her professor. From that point on, Jessica and Cian were hunted by Lucan Trevayne. They end up in Scotland, where they run into Dageus MacKeltar.
Spell of the Highlander is the seventh book in the Karen Moning’s Highlander series. It is easily the best book of the series for many reasons. First of all, it is a love story, complete with exquisite sexual tension and very passionate love scenes. It is a story of finding your true soul mate, someone that is on this earth especially for you.
The characters are well developed. A lot of thought went into our hero, Cian MacKeltar: “six and a half feet of smoldering, insatiable alpha male. A towering, muscle ripped, darkly beautiful man, dripping with power.” What’s there not to like? Our heroine, Jessica St. James is also likeable, smart, and resourceful and a perfect match to her highlander. Jessica is also quite spunky, knocking out an airline employee to get to her man.
The plot was intense, with our hero and heroine staying a step ahead of the bad guys. I also liked that the MacKeltar twins and their wives also got an appearance in this book. I really enjoyed how Cian saw the 21st century. His perceptions and values added some comical relief. For those of you that have read the Fever series, there is some good foreshadowing and background to that series.
If you are waiting for Shadowfever, the Highlander series is a lot of fun to read. There’s always a big, hunky, drop-dead gorgeous Highlander, a wee lass, some travel or time travel, and a little Druid magic. Enjoy!
Cian has been imprisoned for 1,133 years in the Dark Mirror. The mirror is delivered to Chicago where Jessica St-James, an archaeology student accepts the delivery on behalf of her professor. From that point on, Jessica and Cian were hunted by Lucan Trevayne. They end up in Scotland, where they run into Dageus MacKeltar.
Spell of the Highlander is the seventh book in the Karen Moning’s Highlander series. It is easily the best book of the series for many reasons. First of all, it is a love story, complete with exquisite sexual tension and very passionate love scenes. It is a story of finding your true soul mate, someone that is on this earth especially for you.
The characters are well developed. A lot of thought went into our hero, Cian MacKeltar: “six and a half feet of smoldering, insatiable alpha male. A towering, muscle ripped, darkly beautiful man, dripping with power.” What’s there not to like? Our heroine, Jessica St. James is also likeable, smart, and resourceful and a perfect match to her highlander. Jessica is also quite spunky, knocking out an airline employee to get to her man.
The plot was intense, with our hero and heroine staying a step ahead of the bad guys. I also liked that the MacKeltar twins and their wives also got an appearance in this book. I really enjoyed how Cian saw the 21st century. His perceptions and values added some comical relief. For those of you that have read the Fever series, there is some good foreshadowing and background to that series.
If you are waiting for Shadowfever, the Highlander series is a lot of fun to read. There’s always a big, hunky, drop-dead gorgeous Highlander, a wee lass, some travel or time travel, and a little Druid magic. Enjoy!
December 26, 2008
Ugh, I like this author's DarkFever books, but oooooo this kilted thing has GOT to stop! When do men EVER say "MINE" when having sex?!?! No man I would be involved in, that's fo' sho!
January 17, 2021
I wouldn't mind getting one of those Keltar men for myself. I wouldn't mind at all. Maybe I should go search for them in Scotland once this pandemic is leashed.
Over and out
Over and out
December 7, 2016
4 Great one time read stars
Not shelved under Time Travel because time travel as such doesn't take place in this one as it does in the other book.The hero is just immortalized since the 9th century.
The whole story is based on the 21st century with a few couples reappearing from previous books in this series. :)
This series in Ratings so far:
#1 Beyond the Highland Mist - 5 Stars ! (Review=https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
#2 To Tame A Highland Warrior - 1 Star :( [The ONLY book in this series I rated so low.]Here's why->(Review=https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
#3 The Highlander's Touch - 3 Stars (Not bad but not that great either.*Shrug*)
#4 Kiss of the Highlander - 5 Stars !!
(Review = https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
#5 The Dark Highlander -4 Stars :)
(Review = https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... )
#6 The Immortal Highlander - 4.75 Stars !
#7 Spell of the Highlander - 4 Stars.
(Review= https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
#8 Into the Dreaming -4 Stars :)
Not shelved under Time Travel because time travel as such doesn't take place in this one as it does in the other book.The hero is just immortalized since the 9th century.
The whole story is based on the 21st century with a few couples reappearing from previous books in this series. :)
This series in Ratings so far:
#1 Beyond the Highland Mist - 5 Stars ! (Review=https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
#2 To Tame A Highland Warrior - 1 Star :( [The ONLY book in this series I rated so low.]Here's why->(Review=https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
#3 The Highlander's Touch - 3 Stars (Not bad but not that great either.*Shrug*)
#4 Kiss of the Highlander - 5 Stars !!
(Review = https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
#5 The Dark Highlander -4 Stars :)
(Review = https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... )
#6 The Immortal Highlander - 4.75 Stars !
#7 Spell of the Highlander - 4 Stars.
(Review= https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
#8 Into the Dreaming -4 Stars :)
September 7, 2012
3.5 stars
To be truthful, I found the storyline to be on the same lines as the previous books. You know a heroine, that needs to get her "cherry picked", a hero that takes her back to Scotland to get away from the bad guys.
It did pick up for me halfway through the book, with Drustan and Dageus making their entrance in the story, which felt complete and far more entertaining!
To be truthful, I found the storyline to be on the same lines as the previous books. You know a heroine, that needs to get her "cherry picked", a hero that takes her back to Scotland to get away from the bad guys.
It did pick up for me halfway through the book, with Drustan and Dageus making their entrance in the story, which felt complete and far more entertaining!
April 24, 2011
Delicious, just delicious. I keep reading this series and each time I finish one I say that same thing – ‘OMG, this was sooo my favourite’ – and yep, you guessed it, I’m saying it again!
Because this book has been reviewed by many before me I won’t go into synopsis to deeply. But Ms Moning has created the epitome of dark, broody alpha Highlander who is tragically tormented by his stone prison in which he is entrapped to look out unto the real world through a looking glass. Our Master of Sorcery, Cian.
Our heroine is, Jessi. For the first time in a long time, I cannot find anything I don’t like about the lead female role. She is a very likably and an engaging character. As per past female leads, Jessi too is a little history buff. She is currently studying a Master in Archaeology. She has dreams of living a fulfilling life outside of her college education but has seen herself fall into the trap of all work and no play – including letting her lack of love life slide. Thankfully sinfully sexy Cian arrives in time to show her the way to heaven.
The pair’s spontaneous sex scenes were full of raw passionate heat that had my toes curling! And I’m thinking that if letting the man’s goods hang loose under a kilt makes the appendage grow larger, then I’m going to be the first to start petitioning for men to go back to the wearing Kilts full time!
I was happy to see my sexy twins, Dageus and Druston and the two people I envy most in the world – their wives – Chloe and Gwen, make an appearance. Deageus and Drunstan are great characters to have involved in the stories because they have such a great back history amongst themselves that they manage to be able to save the day for everyone else.
I cannot recommend this series enough. I am lucky enough to be doing a buddy read of this series with a great friend, Nissie and I know wholeheartedly that she would agree that this series is packed full of travel, romance, love, danger, time travel, raw heat, sexuality, well hung men, humorous bantering and clever dialogue. It entwines the past with the present flawlessly and I say-
'Kudos to Ms Moning, and I beg of you – please don’t end this series just when I have found it’.
Because this book has been reviewed by many before me I won’t go into synopsis to deeply. But Ms Moning has created the epitome of dark, broody alpha Highlander who is tragically tormented by his stone prison in which he is entrapped to look out unto the real world through a looking glass. Our Master of Sorcery, Cian.
Our heroine is, Jessi. For the first time in a long time, I cannot find anything I don’t like about the lead female role. She is a very likably and an engaging character. As per past female leads, Jessi too is a little history buff. She is currently studying a Master in Archaeology. She has dreams of living a fulfilling life outside of her college education but has seen herself fall into the trap of all work and no play – including letting her lack of love life slide. Thankfully sinfully sexy Cian arrives in time to show her the way to heaven.
The pair’s spontaneous sex scenes were full of raw passionate heat that had my toes curling! And I’m thinking that if letting the man’s goods hang loose under a kilt makes the appendage grow larger, then I’m going to be the first to start petitioning for men to go back to the wearing Kilts full time!
I was happy to see my sexy twins, Dageus and Druston and the two people I envy most in the world – their wives – Chloe and Gwen, make an appearance. Deageus and Drunstan are great characters to have involved in the stories because they have such a great back history amongst themselves that they manage to be able to save the day for everyone else.
I cannot recommend this series enough. I am lucky enough to be doing a buddy read of this series with a great friend, Nissie and I know wholeheartedly that she would agree that this series is packed full of travel, romance, love, danger, time travel, raw heat, sexuality, well hung men, humorous bantering and clever dialogue. It entwines the past with the present flawlessly and I say-
'Kudos to Ms Moning, and I beg of you – please don’t end this series just when I have found it’.
January 25, 2013
"Excepting with you, Jessica. You, lass, are the exception to everything. I'm not just stuck with you. You fit me here, woman." He thumped his chest with his fist
Oh these sexy alpha Highlanders. They can be such arrogant arses when you first meet them but once they decide who their woman is then they turn into big huge possessive, sexy, sweet talking Neanderthals. Oh my gosh and since they are all from the past and have one way or another made it to our century can be quiet hilarious over the simple things in life we pay no attention to but completely throws them and has them saying the absolute funniest things.
"These resemble no chicken fingers I've ever seen, lass. And I saw a fair amount of chickens in my day.You must grow fowl considerably larger now. I shudder to ponder the size of their beaks.
The reader starts the story with Jessica overdoing herself in school. She barely has time to sleep must less have any kind of life. That's how she meets Cian. Running an errand for her professor late at night. Instantly her life is turned upside down. For starters she meets a man who is living trapped in a mirror but to make matters worse since she has accidently seen that mirror she has people coming to find her to kill her. It takes a little time but Cian convinces her he is her only source of protection. And so the story begins.
Thank goodness for the act of Voice Cian can use or right from the start this girl would have had even more trouble for herself. Murdered people, fights with airport employees, strange emails, it's one thing after another. To make matters even more difficult, Jessica nor Cian know each day when he will be sucked back into the mirror, leaving her vulnerable and sometimes on her own to figure out what to do.
Thank goodness for relatives who life in Scotland who have traveled to the future. I love that Dagues and Drustan were in this book as well. Since everything impossible has already happened to them and their wifes, they were the perfect help Cian and Jessica needed. Not to mention they had beds, food, showers, saftey and more than one place to get so wrapped up in each other they forgot they had an audience.
"But if hell were the price for twenty days with you, i'd condemn myself again and again."
I was grabbed really quickly into this book and had a extremely hard time putting it down, especially once I got to the 65% mark. All books in the series has really pulled me in. I love these kilted heros. At the end of this book the author left a note saying that she doesn't plan on leaving this series anytime soon and I hope that means we get plenty more to this series. I just can't get enough.
Oh these sexy alpha Highlanders. They can be such arrogant arses when you first meet them but once they decide who their woman is then they turn into big huge possessive, sexy, sweet talking Neanderthals. Oh my gosh and since they are all from the past and have one way or another made it to our century can be quiet hilarious over the simple things in life we pay no attention to but completely throws them and has them saying the absolute funniest things.
"These resemble no chicken fingers I've ever seen, lass. And I saw a fair amount of chickens in my day.You must grow fowl considerably larger now. I shudder to ponder the size of their beaks.
The reader starts the story with Jessica overdoing herself in school. She barely has time to sleep must less have any kind of life. That's how she meets Cian. Running an errand for her professor late at night. Instantly her life is turned upside down. For starters she meets a man who is living trapped in a mirror but to make matters worse since she has accidently seen that mirror she has people coming to find her to kill her. It takes a little time but Cian convinces her he is her only source of protection. And so the story begins.
Thank goodness for the act of Voice Cian can use or right from the start this girl would have had even more trouble for herself. Murdered people, fights with airport employees, strange emails, it's one thing after another. To make matters even more difficult, Jessica nor Cian know each day when he will be sucked back into the mirror, leaving her vulnerable and sometimes on her own to figure out what to do.
Thank goodness for relatives who life in Scotland who have traveled to the future. I love that Dagues and Drustan were in this book as well. Since everything impossible has already happened to them and their wifes, they were the perfect help Cian and Jessica needed. Not to mention they had beds, food, showers, saftey and more than one place to get so wrapped up in each other they forgot they had an audience.
Source: media.tumblr.com via Kenzie on Pinterest
"But if hell were the price for twenty days with you, i'd condemn myself again and again."
I was grabbed really quickly into this book and had a extremely hard time putting it down, especially once I got to the 65% mark. All books in the series has really pulled me in. I love these kilted heros. At the end of this book the author left a note saying that she doesn't plan on leaving this series anytime soon and I hope that means we get plenty more to this series. I just can't get enough.
February 15, 2015
Hey, here's a trick question: guess who cringed, slammed her head against the wall and cried in pain throughout the book?
Oh my God. This was so bad. So, so bad.
I love KMM and all, but Jesus Christ, this book was Awful . Yes, that capital A was deliberate. I dont think I have ever cringed so much while reading a book.
Dear Lord, I dont even know what to say. It was that bad.
The main characters are shit. Cian and Jessica are the most bullheaded dumbasses I have ever come across in modern literature, which is really saying a lot. Damn, I dont even have any examples since I didnt even have the presence of mind to make notes. I just wanted it to get over.
Ugh, should've stopped with the previous book, The Immortal Highlander. That wasnt any good, but atleast it wasnt complete shit.
Oh my God. This was so bad. So, so bad.
I love KMM and all, but Jesus Christ, this book was Awful . Yes, that capital A was deliberate. I dont think I have ever cringed so much while reading a book.
Dear Lord, I dont even know what to say. It was that bad.
The main characters are shit. Cian and Jessica are the most bullheaded dumbasses I have ever come across in modern literature, which is really saying a lot. Damn, I dont even have any examples since I didnt even have the presence of mind to make notes. I just wanted it to get over.
Ugh, should've stopped with the previous book, The Immortal Highlander. That wasnt any good, but atleast it wasnt complete shit.
July 3, 2011
Good book but didn't like it near as much as Kiss of the Highlander, The Dark Highlander, or The Immortal Highlander (which is my favorite). I know many readers of this series loved the relationship between the H/h and felt it the most romantic of the series. Personally, I had a hard time feeling the connection between the H/h in this book, and the plot and characters felt a little bland. That being said, Spell of the Highlander is a good book and worth the read.
August 8, 2021
Overall: 3.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥
Humor: Yes, a bit
(These are all personal preference on a scale of 1-5 except the steam scale, which follows our chart in The Ton and the Tartans facebook group)
Should I read in order?
Book 7 of the series! Now, no Adam Black here, except very briefly mentioned. I think this is really building up to Moning’s Fever series, so ideally you’ll want to read the whole series (plus, it’s great!). But if you just want the background on the characters in this one, you could just read books 4 and 5. Those contain Dageus and Drusten’s stories and they have decently large parts of this book.
Basic plot
Cian has been trapped in an Unseelie relic for over 1,000 years. His thoughts of vengeance keep him sane, and soon he’s presented with the opportunity when archaeology student Jessica comes across his mirror.
Give this book a try if you want:
- Hero is 30 (or, you know, 1,163 years old or so) and heroine is 24
- Paranormal elements – talk of druids, a bit of magic, people being immortal, a fae realm
- You’re okay with an aggressive hero that borders on dubcon (I don’t believe anything outright happens, but he definitely tries to use magic to control her to his will)
- Mid steam – yes only 1 full scene with orgasms but there’s a few with very heavy kissing and petting and while they don’t have O’s from it, it’s still pretty steamy to read!
My thoughts
So, overall I did like this book, but maybe not as much as the others in the series. For this one, I was pretty anxious during much of the book, that may have affected my enjoyment – the whole thing with the mirror – I was majorly stressed lol!
I did enjoy Cian, though I found him a bit...more rough? More raw? And a bit less romantic than the other heroes in the series. I still enjoyed him. I really love Moning’s super dominant, alpha heroes. And he definitely was this. A bit on the barbaric side, but all caring and warmth when it really matters and comes down to the end.
Jessica I liked too. I liked that she stood up to Cian and didn’t let him boss her around. But I do wish she had just a bit more character depth, I feel like I barely know her by the end, really, other than the basics.
I will say after reading so many of these in a row, there are so so many similarities between the characters. I’m not really complaining because I adore these heroes. More! More!!! And the heroines I like too. But I am glad I took a little break with a couple other books before reading this one. I can appreciate it more.
A few random quotes/thoughts
Content warnings:
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥
Humor: Yes, a bit
(These are all personal preference on a scale of 1-5 except the steam scale, which follows our chart in The Ton and the Tartans facebook group)
Should I read in order?
Book 7 of the series! Now, no Adam Black here, except very briefly mentioned. I think this is really building up to Moning’s Fever series, so ideally you’ll want to read the whole series (plus, it’s great!). But if you just want the background on the characters in this one, you could just read books 4 and 5. Those contain Dageus and Drusten’s stories and they have decently large parts of this book.
Basic plot
Cian has been trapped in an Unseelie relic for over 1,000 years. His thoughts of vengeance keep him sane, and soon he’s presented with the opportunity when archaeology student Jessica comes across his mirror.
Give this book a try if you want:
- Hero is 30 (or, you know, 1,163 years old or so) and heroine is 24
- Paranormal elements – talk of druids, a bit of magic, people being immortal, a fae realm
- You’re okay with an aggressive hero that borders on dubcon (I don’t believe anything outright happens, but he definitely tries to use magic to control her to his will)
- Mid steam – yes only 1 full scene with orgasms but there’s a few with very heavy kissing and petting and while they don’t have O’s from it, it’s still pretty steamy to read!
My thoughts
So, overall I did like this book, but maybe not as much as the others in the series. For this one, I was pretty anxious during much of the book, that may have affected my enjoyment – the whole thing with the mirror – I was majorly stressed lol!
I did enjoy Cian, though I found him a bit...more rough? More raw? And a bit less romantic than the other heroes in the series. I still enjoyed him. I really love Moning’s super dominant, alpha heroes. And he definitely was this. A bit on the barbaric side, but all caring and warmth when it really matters and comes down to the end.
Jessica I liked too. I liked that she stood up to Cian and didn’t let him boss her around. But I do wish she had just a bit more character depth, I feel like I barely know her by the end, really, other than the basics.
I will say after reading so many of these in a row, there are so so many similarities between the characters. I’m not really complaining because I adore these heroes. More! More!!! And the heroines I like too. But I am glad I took a little break with a couple other books before reading this one. I can appreciate it more.
A few random quotes/thoughts
Content warnings:
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
July 29, 2014
Apparently I have a reading sickness that can only be assuaged by reading a series of books about time traveling highlanders. They truly are ridiculous... And a great deal of fun to read with a good dose of steam thrown in for good measure. Better yet, you don't have to read them in any sort of order to make sense of them, so feel free to read which ever ones are available at the local library. Having said that, this installment marks the end of the series and having read Moning's fever series, you can certainly see how she attempted to set the stage for The inevitable crossover.
Thus far, dark highlander is still reigning supreme, but he could be dethroned by Daegus. Stay tuned to see if my leather loving highlander loses his crown.
Thus far, dark highlander is still reigning supreme, but he could be dethroned by Daegus. Stay tuned to see if my leather loving highlander loses his crown.
March 17, 2024
Sooo, I definitely need an old highland mirror from the 9th century, ye ken? I feel like this one gave hints to the Fever series that was to come. Druids, Fae and all the Feverish things. I read the DarkFever series before this one so it’s kind of neat spotting things like this. KMM is one of those go to OG authors that always hits the spot!! I love her heroes, the Neanderthal type that really takes care of their women. And man did Cian do just that!!
July 6, 2014
ในที่สุดก็กลับมาแนวย้อนเวลาเบาสมองของโมนนิ่งอีกรอบ หลังจากดองหนังสือเล่มนี้มานานแล้วไปหมกมุ่นอยู่กับแนวพาราของแก้วกานต์กับเกรซ ฮี่ๆ
เจสซิกา นักศึกษาปริญญาเอกทำงานให้ศาสตราจารย์ที่ลาป่วยและนั่นทำให้เธอพบกันกระจกเงาบานยักษ์ที่ถูกส่งมาให้ศาสตราจารย์ของเธอ แวบแรกที่เธอมองกระจก เธอเห็นเงาร่างของหนุ่มรูปร่างกำยำจนกระทั่งเธอจิตนาการไปไกลหาว่าเขาคนนั้นเป็นเทพแห่งเซ็กส์กันเลยทีเดียว เพียงแต่เมื่อเจสซิกาเผชิญกับชายแปลกหน้าที่จะมาแย่งชิงกระจกและขู่จะทำร้ายเธอ ผู้ชายคนนั้นที่อยู่ในกระจกกลับออกมาช่วยเธอเสียนี่ หรือว่า ! นี่เธอเ���็นบ้าไปแล้วเหรอ ไม่สิ ! เธอต้องกำลังฝันอยู่แน่ๆ
แล้วก็มีเหตุการณ์ที่ทำให้เจสซิกาต้องย้อนกลับมาในห้องที่เก็บกระจกเงาบานนั้นอีกครั้งสิน่า คราวนี้เธอเห็นผู้ชายคนนั้นจริงๆ หนุ่มสกอตเปลือยอกรูปร่างสูงใหญ่ยื่นข้อเสนอขอให้เจสสิกาปลดปล่อยเขาออกไปจากกระจกเงาบานนี้ แล้วเขาจะเป็นโล่ป้องกันอันตรายให้เธอเอง
ตอนแรกเจสสิกาลังเลในข้อตกลงกับชายแปลกหน้า แต่เมื่อเธอรับรู้ข่าวการตายของคนที่เกี่ยวข้องกับกระจกเงาบานนี้และศาสตราจารย์ของเธอที่มาเสียชีวิตอย่างปุบปับ ด้วยความที่เป็นห่วงสวัสดิภาพของตัวเอง เจสซิกาเลยตกปากรับคำกับ คิออน แมคเคลทาร์ อย่างเลี่ยงไม่ได้
ชีวิตของเจสซิกาพลิกจากหน้ามือเป็นหลังมือ เมื่อเธอหนีหัวซุกหัวซุนจากการตามล่าของลูแคนที่ส่งลูกน้องมาขโมยกระจกเงากลับไปเพื่อส่งส่วยแลกกับชีวิตอันเป็นอมตะของเขา คิออนไม่ได้ยอมให้ศัตรูของเขาได้กระจกกลับไปอีกครั้งแน่ๆ เป็นหน้าที่ของเจสซิกาที่จะนำหนุ่มสกอตคนนี้เดินทางไปยังที่ต่างๆที่ปลอดภัย เพราะอีกแค่ยี่สิบวัน ... คิออนจะเป็นอิสระจากกระจกเงาบานนี้หากไม่ถูกลูแคนจับได้เสียก่อน
การใช้ชีวิตกับหนุ่มสกอตที่ถือว่าเป็นวัตถุโบราณชิ้นหนึ่งสำหรับเจสซิกาไม่ได้เรียบหรูนักเมื่อคิออนจะโดนกระจกดูดเข้าไปในแต่ละวัน และเวลาในการออกมานอกกระจกยังไม่แน่นอนอีกด้วย คราวนี้เธอจะทำยังไงถ้าเธอตกอยู่ในอันตรายตอนที่คิออนเข้าไปอยู่ในกระจก
การเดินทางไปยังไฮแลนด์ แผ่นดินเกิดของคิออนดูท่าจะเป็นวิธีที่ดีที่สุดที่หนุ่มสาวทั้งคู่คิดออก แต่ปัญหาก็คือพวกเขาจะขึ้นเครื่องบินไปยังไงเพื่อไม่ให้ถูกฝ่ายศัตรูตามจับตัวได้จากร่องรอยการซื้อตั๋วและการรูดบัตรเครดิต
เป็นหน้าที่ของคิออนที่ต้องใช้ความสามารถดรูอิดของเขาหว่านล้อมผู้คนหลากหลายเพื่อให้การเดินทางของทั้งคู่เป็นไปอย่างราบรื่น แต่ก็ไม่วาย ... ขณะที่กำลังเดินทางอยู่บนเครื่องบิน คิออนกลับโดนดูดกลับเข้าไปในกระจกอีกครั้ง กระจกที่ถูกส่งตามมาเป็นสัมภาระ เจสซิกาไม่มีใบรับสัมภาระ ดังนั้นจึงเป็นหน้าที่ของเธอในการบุกฝ่าเจ้าหน้าที่หญิงโฉดประจำเคาน์เตอร์เพื่อไปยังห้องเก็บสัมภาระ แล้วนำคิออนออกมาจากกระจกให้ได้ ส่วนหลังจากนั้นน่ะเหรอ ... ค่อยว่ากันอีกทีละกัน
คิออนและเจสซิกาเดินทางมาถึงไฮแลนด์และพบกับเดกิส ทั้งคู่เดินทางไปยังปราสาทแม็คเคลทาร์และได้รับความช่วเหลือจากดรัสตินและเดกิสเพื่อปกป้องคุ้มครองจนกว่าจะถึงวันส่งส่วย
คิออนกับเจสซิกาเปิดเผยความรู้สึกต่อกันและกันว่าแต่ละฝ่ายต่างต้องกันกันมากเพียงใด และนั่นทำให้เจสซิกาหลงรักคิออนอย่างหมดหัวใจเช่นเดียวกับชายหนุ่ม แต่เมื่อเจสซิการู้ความจริงว่าถ้าคิออนจัดให้ไม่มีการส่งส่วย ตัวเขาและลูแคนเองก็จะตาย และนั่นคือการแก้แค้นอย่างที่คิออนเคยกล่าวเอาไว้
เมื่อวันส่งส่วยมาถึง เดกิสเป็นคนจัดฉากโดยการวางเดิมพันทั้งหมดให้ขึ้นอยู่กับเจสซิกาและคิออน อาศัยความรักอันไม่เห็นแก่ตัวของคิออนที่จะทำให้พันธสัญญาระหว่างเขากับกระจกเป็นโมฆะและทำให้ลูแคนไม่เป็นอมตะอีกต่อไปเพื่อจะได้ฆ่าเขา คิออนยอมสละชีวิตตนเองเพื่อเจสซิกา เขาทำลายกระจกเพื่อให้ลูแคนผละออกจากการทำร้ายเจสซิกาและนั่นก็คือการปลดปล่อยตัวเขาออกมาจากกระจกได้สำเร็จ
เล่มนี้ฮามากกกก อ่านไปขำไป เจสซิกาคือผู้หญิงที่มีครบทุกรสจริงๆ เนื้อเรื่องเบาๆใสๆในบรรยกาศไฮแลนด์ที่มีทุ่งหญ้า เนินเขา สายลมโชยพัด อ่านแล้วรู้สึกเพลิดเพลิน ยิ่งสำนวนการแปลที่ถ่ายทอดความตลกโปกฮาออกมาได้อย่างสุดขั้วแล้ว ทำให้คนอ่าน(อย่างเรา)เพลิดเพลินไปกับหนังสือเล่มนี้ได้อย่างสบายๆเลยแหละ
ส่วนตอนท้ายก็เศร้าน้ำตาคลอเลยตอนที่เจสซิการู้ความจริงว่าการล้างแค้นลูแคนของคิออนนั้นก็การที่เขาต้องสละชีวิตตนเอง ทำให้เธอนับวันที่ทั้งคู่จะมีความสุขด้วยกัน แต่งงานกัน ร่วมรักกัน คิออนกล่าวคำปฏิญาณที่จะผูกตัวเขาไว้กับเจสซิกาทุกชาติภพ ตอนนั้นเราน้ำตาไหลเลย
แถมยังมีทิ้งท้ายเรื่องสงครามที่จะเกิดขึ้นอีกห้าปีหลังจากนั้น ราชินีอาวีลวางหมากของเธอทั้ง 5 ตัว ตอนนี้มี 3 ตัว (เดกิส ดรัสติน คิออน) เพื่อใช้ต่อกรกับตูอา เดฝ่ายมืด
สำหรับชุด Highlander ยังเหลือหนังสืออีกหนึ่งเล่มในชุดนี้ เห็นสำนักพิมพ์แพรวบอกว่ากำลังจะออกเร็วๆนี้ด้วยแหละ ชื่อหนังสือภาษาอังกฤษก็คือ Into The Dreaming
เจสซิกา นักศึกษาปริญญาเอกทำงานให้ศาสตราจารย์ที่ลาป่วยและนั่นทำให้เธอพบกันกระจกเงาบานยักษ์ที่ถูกส่งมาให้ศาสตราจารย์ของเธอ แวบแรกที่เธอมองกระจก เธอเห็นเงาร่างของหนุ่มรูปร่างกำยำจนกระทั่งเธอจิตนาการไปไกลหาว่าเขาคนนั้นเป็นเทพแห่งเซ็กส์กันเลยทีเดียว เพียงแต่เมื่อเจสซิกาเผชิญกับชายแปลกหน้าที่จะมาแย่งชิงกระจกและขู่จะทำร้ายเธอ ผู้ชายคนนั้นที่อยู่ในกระจกกลับออกมาช่วยเธอเสียนี่ หรือว่า ! นี่เธอเ���็นบ้าไปแล้วเหรอ ไม่สิ ! เธอต้องกำลังฝันอยู่แน่ๆ
แล้วก็มีเหตุการณ์ที่ทำให้เจสซิกาต้องย้อนกลับมาในห้องที่เก็บกระจกเงาบานนั้นอีกครั้งสิน่า คราวนี้เธอเห็นผู้ชายคนนั้นจริงๆ หนุ่มสกอตเปลือยอกรูปร่างสูงใหญ่ยื่นข้อเสนอขอให้เจสสิกาปลดปล่อยเขาออกไปจากกระจกเงาบานนี้ แล้วเขาจะเป็นโล่ป้องกันอันตรายให้เธอเอง
ตอนแรกเจสสิกาลังเลในข้อตกลงกับชายแปลกหน้า แต่เมื่อเธอรับรู้ข่าวการตายของคนที่เกี่ยวข้องกับกระจกเงาบานนี้และศาสตราจารย์ของเธอที่มาเสียชีวิตอย่างปุบปับ ด้วยความที่เป็นห่วงสวัสดิภาพของตัวเอง เจสซิกาเลยตกปากรับคำกับ คิออน แมคเคลทาร์ อย่างเลี่ยงไม่ได้
ชีวิตของเจสซิกาพลิกจากหน้ามือเป็นหลังมือ เมื่อเธอหนีหัวซุกหัวซุนจากการตามล่าของลูแคนที่ส่งลูกน้องมาขโมยกระจกเงากลับไปเพื่อส่งส่วยแลกกับชีวิตอันเป็นอมตะของเขา คิออนไม่ได้ยอมให้ศัตรูของเขาได้กระจกกลับไปอีกครั้งแน่ๆ เป็นหน้าที่ของเจสซิกาที่จะนำหนุ่มสกอตคนนี้เดินทางไปยังที่ต่างๆที่ปลอดภัย เพราะอีกแค่ยี่สิบวัน ... คิออนจะเป็นอิสระจากกระจกเงาบานนี้หากไม่ถูกลูแคนจับได้เสียก่อน
การใช้ชีวิตกับหนุ่มสกอตที่ถือว่าเป็นวัตถุโบราณชิ้นหนึ่งสำหรับเจสซิกาไม่ได้เรียบหรูนักเมื่อคิออนจะโดนกระจกดูดเข้าไปในแต่ละวัน และเวลาในการออกมานอกกระจกยังไม่แน่นอนอีกด้วย คราวนี้เธอจะทำยังไงถ้าเธอตกอยู่ในอันตรายตอนที่คิออนเข้าไปอยู่ในกระจก
การเดินทางไปยังไฮแลนด์ แผ่นดินเกิดของคิออนดูท่าจะเป็นวิธีที่ดีที่สุดที่หนุ่มสาวทั้งคู่คิดออก แต่ปัญหาก็คือพวกเขาจะขึ้นเครื่องบินไปยังไงเพื่อไม่ให้ถูกฝ่ายศัตรูตามจับตัวได้จากร่องรอยการซื้อตั๋วและการรูดบัตรเครดิต
เป็นหน้าที่ของคิออนที่ต้องใช้ความสามารถดรูอิดของเขาหว่านล้อมผู้คนหลากหลายเพื่อให้การเดินทางของทั้งคู่เป็นไปอย่างราบรื่น แต่ก็ไม่วาย ... ขณะที่กำลังเดินทางอยู่บนเครื่องบิน คิออนกลับโดนดูดกลับเข้าไปในกระจกอีกครั้ง กระจกที่ถูกส่งตามมาเป็นสัมภาระ เจสซิกาไม่มีใบรับสัมภาระ ดังนั้นจึงเป็นหน้าที่ของเธอในการบุกฝ่าเจ้าหน้าที่หญิงโฉดประจำเคาน์เตอร์เพื่อไปยังห้องเก็บสัมภาระ แล้วนำคิออนออกมาจากกระจกให้ได้ ส่วนหลังจากนั้นน่ะเหรอ ... ค่อยว่ากันอีกทีละกัน
คิออนและเจสซิกาเดินทางมาถึงไฮแลนด์และพบกับเดกิส ทั้งคู่เดินทางไปยังปราสาทแม็คเคลทาร์และได้รับความช่วเหลือจากดรัสตินและเดกิสเพื่อปกป้องคุ้มครองจนกว่าจะถึงวันส่งส่วย
คิออนกับเจสซิกาเปิดเผยความรู้สึกต่อกันและกันว่าแต่ละฝ่ายต่างต้องกันกันมากเพียงใด และนั่นทำให้เจสซิกาหลงรักคิออนอย่างหมดหัวใจเช่นเดียวกับชายหนุ่ม แต่เมื่อเจสซิการู้ความจริงว่าถ้าคิออนจัดให้ไม่มีการส่งส่วย ตัวเขาและลูแคนเองก็จะตาย และนั่นคือการแก้แค้นอย่างที่คิออนเคยกล่าวเอาไว้
เมื่อวันส่งส่วยมาถึง เดกิสเป็นคนจัดฉากโดยการวางเดิมพันทั้งหมดให้ขึ้นอยู่กับเจสซิกาและคิออน อาศัยความรักอันไม่เห็นแก่ตัวของคิออนที่จะทำให้พันธสัญญาระหว่างเขากับกระจกเป็นโมฆะและทำให้ลูแคนไม่เป็นอมตะอีกต่อไปเพื่อจะได้ฆ่าเขา คิออนยอมสละชีวิตตนเองเพื่อเจสซิกา เขาทำลายกระจกเพื่อให้ลูแคนผละออกจากการทำร้ายเจสซิกาและนั่นก็คือการปลดปล่อยตัวเขาออกมาจากกระจกได้สำเร็จ
เล่มนี้ฮามากกกก อ่านไปขำไป เจสซิกาคือผู้หญิงที่มีครบทุกรสจริงๆ เนื้อเรื่องเบาๆใสๆในบรรยกาศไฮแลนด์ที่มีทุ่งหญ้า เนินเขา สายลมโชยพัด อ่านแล้วรู้สึกเพลิดเพลิน ยิ่งสำนวนการแปลที่ถ่ายทอดความตลกโปกฮาออกมาได้อย่างสุดขั้วแล้ว ทำให้คนอ่าน(อย่างเรา)เพลิดเพลินไปกับหนังสือเล่มนี้ได้อย่างสบายๆเลยแหละ
ส่วนตอนท้ายก็เศร้าน้ำตาคลอเลยตอนที่เจสซิการู้ความจริงว่าการล้างแค้นลูแคนของคิออนนั้นก็การที่เขาต้องสละชีวิตตนเอง ทำให้เธอนับวันที่ทั้งคู่จะมีความสุขด้วยกัน แต่งงานกัน ร่วมรักกัน คิออนกล่าวคำปฏิญาณที่จะผูกตัวเขาไว้กับเจสซิกาทุกชาติภพ ตอนนั้นเราน้ำตาไหลเลย
แถมยังมีทิ้งท้ายเรื่องสงครามที่จะเกิดขึ้นอีกห้าปีหลังจากนั้น ราชินีอาวีลวางหมากของเธอทั้ง 5 ตัว ตอนนี้มี 3 ตัว (เดกิส ดรัสติน คิออน) เพื่อใช้ต่อกรกับตูอา เดฝ่ายมืด
สำหรับชุด Highlander ยังเหลือหนังสืออีกหนึ่งเล่มในชุดนี้ เห็นสำนักพิมพ์แพรวบอกว่ากำลังจะออกเร็วๆนี้ด้วยแหละ ชื่อหนังสือภาษาอังกฤษก็คือ Into The Dreaming
July 22, 2009
I just had to give this a 5* because Drustan & Daegus & their wives played such big roles in this story. And I really liked the tale that slowly unfolds as to the how and why of Cian getting bespelled into the mirror. I also liked that Cian remained basically moral even after he'd done some dabbling in the Black Arts, AND after being held prisoner for 1,133 years. For some reason, I focused on how that number kept getting repeated at odd times in the story, almost like that would become meaningful in the solution of getting Cian out of the mirror - oh, well!
I liked Jessi's character from the beginning - she was definitely creative in problem-solving whenever Cian got suddenly whisked back into the mirror! But the repeated episodes of her turning into a boneless puddle immediately and often over just the sight or thought of Cian was just a little over-the-top. We got the idea already!!
I liked Jessi's character from the beginning - she was definitely creative in problem-solving whenever Cian got suddenly whisked back into the mirror! But the repeated episodes of her turning into a boneless puddle immediately and often over just the sight or thought of Cian was just a little over-the-top. We got the idea already!!
February 15, 2021
**Another Reread February 14, 2021**
Still 5 Stars! I lurv this book. S9 much foreshadowing for the Fever series. Almost temps me into giving that another go. Almost.
Until next time- Happy reading!
**Reread Review May 31, 2016**
5 "Bespelled" Stars!!
I absolutely LOVED this book. I think it's the best of the series. I wish KMM would write more HIGHLANDER stories. Cian, what can I say, I loved everything about him; and Jessie wasn't half bad either. Their story is fantastic. Happy reading!!
**Original Review March 5, 2014**
I absolutely loved this one. I love this whole series. Cian (I love that name) is Alpha to the core and a real (super) hero. I loved the whole story line and plot and I loved the ending. I'm almost at the end of the series that has been written so far. Just a novella to go. I'm going to miss the Keltar. I hope she writes more soon. Happy reading!!
Still 5 Stars! I lurv this book. S9 much foreshadowing for the Fever series. Almost temps me into giving that another go. Almost.
Until next time- Happy reading!
**Reread Review May 31, 2016**
5 "Bespelled" Stars!!
I absolutely LOVED this book. I think it's the best of the series. I wish KMM would write more HIGHLANDER stories. Cian, what can I say, I loved everything about him; and Jessie wasn't half bad either. Their story is fantastic. Happy reading!!
**Original Review March 5, 2014**
I absolutely loved this one. I love this whole series. Cian (I love that name) is Alpha to the core and a real (super) hero. I loved the whole story line and plot and I loved the ending. I'm almost at the end of the series that has been written so far. Just a novella to go. I'm going to miss the Keltar. I hope she writes more soon. Happy reading!!
January 9, 2017
You would think this series would have to be running out of Highlanders to marry, but they just keep coming. Now we learn of Cian from the 9th century who messed with forces he shouldn't have and was tricked into a magic mirror where he was used to keep a very bad sorcerer immortal. I am glad he wasn't too descriptive about all the bad things he had seen in his time. I like the idea that fate was involved in the theft of the mirror even though that isn't what occured. Someone is pulling the strings.
Cian meets his mate, Jessica, and saves her from assassins, which is amazing since he never knows when he will be sucked back into the mirror. Jessica acts like most people would. She thinks she is going nuts. Can't blame her but she is pretty stubborn which makes Cian fall all the harder for her. They are good for each other and I loved all their arguing and sexual tension.
Cian meets his mate, Jessica, and saves her from assassins, which is amazing since he never knows when he will be sucked back into the mirror. Jessica acts like most people would. She thinks she is going nuts. Can't blame her but she is pretty stubborn which makes Cian fall all the harder for her. They are good for each other and I loved all their arguing and sexual tension.
October 18, 2011
What an amazing book!!! I just can't get enough of this series! Cian MacKeltar is exactly how I like my Highlander men: big, strong, drop-dead gorgeous and totally Alpha! This man was to-die-for and funny to boot! I couldn't get enough of him and this world that Karen Marie Moning has created and I actually finished devoured this book in a little over 24 hrs!
I've only read books #4-7 in this series, and I'm not ready to leave these hunky Highlanders, so I'm going back to grab the ones I've nothad read yet! ;)
I've only read books #4-7 in this series, and I'm not ready to leave these hunky Highlanders, so I'm going back to grab the ones I've not
March 4, 2018
fkng hate the macho stuff. I will finish the "series" because I love Fever and this kinda relate, but I really really haaaate how the characters are, its like the worst soap opera ever..
FINALLY. Okay, I love the end. The fae queen let me craving for more
FINALLY. Okay, I love the end. The fae queen let me craving for more
December 17, 2024
4.5 stars
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