Zola's Pride

Southern Arcana #2.5

by Moira Rogers

Originally published in the The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance 2

Zola spent years traveling the world, studying with supernatural martial-arts masters. Now, as the only lion shifter in New Orleans, she enjoys freedom from politics as well as success in running her own business - self-defense training for psychics, spell casters and other shifters.

Only one man knows why she left home at nineteen - Walker Gravois. He was there when her Seer mother, her mind twisted by magic, exiled Zola from the pride. More to the point, he stayed behind, shattering her young heart in the process.

When he appears on her doorstep after ten years of silence, Zola is nowhere near ready to trust again. But with Walker's life in danger - and the passion between them burning hotter than ever - she'll have to choose between the safety of solitude and the risk of opening herself to others once again.

***
Length: 35 Pages/12,000 words
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Southern Arcana #2.5 - http://www.southernarcana.com
Set between Crossroads & Deadlock.
***

Genres: Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Romance, Shapeshifters, Short Stories, Fantasy, Magic

41 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 26, 2011

About the author

How do you make a Moira Rogers? Take a former forensic science and nursing student obsessed with paranormal romance and add a computer programmer with a passion for gritty urban fantasy. Toss in a dash of whimsy and a lot of caffeine, and enjoy with a side of chocolate by the light of the full moon.

By day, Bree and Donna are mild-mannered ladies who reside in the Deep South. At night, when their husbands and children are asleep, they combine forces to unleash the product of their fevered imaginations upon the page.

Reviews

[Kenya Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

I devoured this down in less then an hour because I'm cool like that! It was an awesome read! I will probably check out the books in this series now.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zola's Pride is a short story in Moira Rogers' Southern Arcana series set between books 2 & 3. The story was originally published in The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance 2 but is now also available as a free download on Moira Rogers' website. Although set after book 2 in the SA series I don't think it would give any spoilers so you could read it as an introduction to the author's work.

It's hard to mention the plot of a short story because it is easy to give too much away so I'll just tell you that the 2 main characters, Zola and Walker, are both lion shifters who used to belong to the same pride. When Zola was forced to leave she was devastated that Walker didn't go with her but he had very good reasons not to. Now ten years on they meet again & Walker has a lot of explaining to do.

With short stories there obviously isn't as much time to get to know the characters as well as you would in a full length novel but I still liked them both. Zola's Pride is a great quick read containing romance and a little bit of action & I really enjoyed it. I'm sure fans of the SA series will like the story & as I've already mentioned it would be a good way to try a new author if you haven't read anything by Moira Rogers before. Don't expect the plot to be as detailed as it would be in one of the SA novels but I appreciate the fact that Bree & Donna (the 2 ladies behind the name Moira Rogers) offer free reads to their fans to keep us going between their releases.

Now I'm just looking forward to getting started on Deadlock!

[Jen Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was kind of bummed out when I found out this featured two characters I don't know. Zola has been mentioned peripherally, but this short romance is wholly apart from the rest of the series. It's got a quick cameo from Alec, but don't expect much more than a mention of the familiar characters.

I ended up enjoying it anyway. It's a second chance at love story, which often makes for the more emotionally believable novellas. It helps that speedy emotion make a little more sense.

Walker was Zola's first love, when she was just a teen in her mother's lion pride. But in her descent into madness, Mommy Dearest forced Zola away and would not allow Walker to follow. Now, Zola's mother is dead and Walker needs her help to protect the rest of the pride. When he shows up, all of the emotions and all of the heat comes back with him. And Zola has some difficult decisions to make about her heart and her future with the pride.

I liked the story and found Zola very easy to empathize with. I liked that she was strong, both physically and emotionally and that she was an older heroine. I was kind of surprised by how almost effortlessly she got over a decade of heartbreak and betrayal, but the quick pace is doubtlessly tied to the short story length.

It has that great Moira Rogers sex and holds the tone and feel of the longer stories in the series. A fun read, but not a necessary one to keep up with the series.

[Angela · Rating 2 out of 5]

Zola’s Pride is book 2.5 in the Southern Arcana Series by Moira Rogers, found in the anthology The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance 2. Zola’s Pride is about Zola and Walker Gravois. Zola and Walker are Lion Shape Shifters who were once a part of the same pride. Zola was thrown out of her pride when her mother and their leader, felt she was a threat to her. Walker and Zola were romantically involved, but was told to stay away from Zola or her mother would have her killed. Zola moved to New Orleans, where she has an amicable relationship with the wolf pack and a thriving business. After her mother’s death, Walker finds Zola and asks her to take over the pride to protect their family. When Zola finds out that her pride is being killed by a rival of her mother’s, she assumes the responsibility with the help of the local wolf pack. Walker and Zola rekindle their relationship and love. To end the feud, Walker meets two of the rivals on his own, only to have been followed by Zola. Zola and Walker fight side-by-side, protecting each other. The two rivals are defeated and returned to their pride with the understanding that Zola’s pride is off limits. Walker and Zola plan to send the pride to New Orleans and live happily ever after. I enjoyed the history between Zola and Walker, but there was a lack of details and depth.

[Juana "Darkness" Duran · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zola has all she has ever wanted in her life. After she was exiled from her pride Zola was alone and scared. And now Walker walks back into her life to mess it all up. Sparks fly but can she get passed him backing away from her all those years ago? I guess she can but its going to have to do because they are all over each other. Walker tells Zola that her crazy mother threatened him with her life. And Zola's like he really does love me, he walked away because her mother the seer of the Pride was threatening him. She said that if Walker followed Zola she would find her and him and kill them. So now Zola has gotten the Pride because of her mothers death and that is why Walker came back. Find out what will happen to the pride? And will Zola take up as the new queen of the pride? Or will she take up with the Werewolf leader or Walker again?

[RaeBeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zola's Pride by Moira Rogers is a great short read for those who like small quick books. In fact, I feel it was too short. The short story seemed to pull me in from the beginning although it seems to leave out a lot of information I would have loved to know. The plot seemed to be well thought out as was the characters.



With a touch of romance and a bit of action, I give this book four **** stars. I'm glad I had the opportunity to read it and I look forward to reading more of Moira Rogers work. I must say this author is talented and her work is intriguing.

[Delta]

Free 08-04-14 (PNR: Lion shifters)

http://www.amazon.com/Zolas-Pride-Sou...

[Scooper Speaks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super short and about what you'd expect to find in a story that's less than 100 pages long.

[Ilse · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a must read for the series because Zola is mentioned continously.

[A.M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zola owns and runs the fighting dojo that trains shifters and humans. It’s in Alec’s territory and he owes her a few favours. One of her students tells her there’s a guy hanging around outside.

Then the wind shifted, and she smelled him. Shock held her frozen in place, a statue of ice that might shatter at any moment. Cigarettes. Leather. Lion. Male. His musky cologne should have changed in ten years. The way it heated the blood in her frozen heart should have changed. (Kindle Locations 77-81).

Walker Gravois was one of her lions shifter seer mother’s bodyguards. He’s come to tell Zola her mother is dead and the pride has been hunted so badly, that the forty or so members are down to six. He wants Zola to look after them, let them move to New Orleans and lead them.
She loved him back then, but he didn’t stop her mother - insane as seers often are - when she saw her daughter as a rival and drove her out.
Walker loved Zola, and letting her go seemed like the right thing to do at the time. But he never told her that.
Older and wiser, she knows how rare lion males are, too. She’s not letting this one go.
3 stars

[LaTasha Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Too short but good

If you have read any of the other arcane books you will a!ready know about Zola. I would have liked a little more depth to the storyline. This is a quick novel that didn't take long to read. Hopefully there will be more books with Zola in them or with her pride included. I would have liked more details about what led to her mothers craziness and what happened after Zola left her mothers pride or what made her stronger. Overall, I recommend reading this short.

[Louise H's Book Thoughts · Rating 4 out of 5]

What is there not to love about a strong female character and the super hot shifter male who is in love with her? OK the resolution of this story felt fairly easy but this is a great side story to complement the Southern Arcana series.

Even though it (mainly) features new characters, this won't make much sense if you try to read it standalone, simply because the worldbuilding and development have been done elsewhere. I do highly recommend the series though, it's well-written, engaging and fast-paced with plenty of steam too.

[Jadzia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love a good short story, and "Zola's Pride" was excellent.

Despite it being a part of the "Southern Arcana" series, it stands alone without too many spoilers (if you read it out of order like I did) and was a fun quick read.

[Georgina Parkin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would have been a really great full length book. As it was, it was written nicely and got me interested in the world.

[TinaMarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Betrayal and living successfully alone, her past returns, the man she loved, hoping she can save what's left of her former pride

[Pamela Rabon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a change of pace. New author to me.

[Diane ~Firefly~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super short so I can't say much without giving away the plot. But we have Walker seeking out Zola for help after her pride had turned her out years ago.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad; not great. Too short for any real development and yet too much crammed in.

[Coco.V]

🎁 Free on iBooks today (6/11/2020)! 🎁

[Winter Girl · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5

[Beebs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bought this series in 2015 and gave it high ratings. I do not remember reading it tho… read it again in 2025 and really enjoyed it! Excited to read more in this world.

[Adricrisuruta · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story left me with no hope that Michelle's future will be any better than that of any other seer. Having children doesn't guarantee her sanity, but I hope for her there is a happily ever after with nothing to fear.

[Bookswithbenefits · Rating 3 out of 5]

Best lines: "Loving him was like remembering a move so ingrained it was instinct. Muscle memory, an amused part of her noted, as she crossed the room to slip her arms around him. The heart is just another muscle."

Worst Line: "There were few ways to react to [her] challenge, and they all ended in violence or sex."

Synopsis: Originally published in a collection of paranormal romance tales, this short story features  two lion shape shifters. They have a tumultuous history, but present dangers bring the two lions together again. And, currently, it is a FREE Amazon Kindle download!

The Good: Rogers' world is a dense one. Filled with shifters, witches, seers, scions, and other supernaturals, the novel's universe is intriguing, and Rogers seems to have it all fully conceived. I particularly liked details about politics and other matters that granted everything a certain verisimilitude.

The Bad: The tale is so abbreviated, Rogers has time to invest us in her world but not in her characters. I simply did not care what happened between the couple. Their love and its success meant nothing to me, and the "life-or-death" battle at the climax (which you know is really nothing of the sort) meant even less.

The Ugly: The Cover. Oh, the cover...

We’ve all been there. We’re wandering through a bookstore, or maybe  aimlessly searching suggestions, looking at  random lists on Amazon.com for something to read. Happily, we traipse through booktopias convinced that we’re going to find something wonderful to read and then… We are greeted with this:

Before I begin, I feel I must point out one very simple fact:

Most authors get absolutely no input in their covers, or, if they do, it’s mostly a kind of courtesy. Publishers rule. Authors weep and hope for reprints.

Challenge accepted. Unleashing Mockery… 

 

I actually have no problems at all with the cover for Moira Rogers' short story Zola's Pride, which you can see at the top of the review. However, I simply had to share with you the horror that is The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance 2, the original home for Rogers' tale.

As you can see, with the 2010 release of the collection, the reader got to choose between dark and light...

But it seems the gentleman on the cover was incredibly conflicted about his identity: I'm a dark angel... no, a vulture...no, a snake... I'm a light angel... no, a jellyfish...no, a snake! Oh, forget this! I am joining an all-male chorus line, cuz girl I am fierce! Just look at my intense eyes and pouty lips. I'm sexy and I know it. Hisssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss.......

Forgive the cover artists, for they know not what they do.

As posted by http://bookswithbenefits.com

[Andreea Pausan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zola is a lioness that has been banished and now leaves in New Orleans, in a city dominated by werewolves. When the past catches up with her, it is time for her to trust and love again. Nice short story.

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zola’s Pride is a short story by Moira Rogers. Zola is a French were-lioness who was cast out of her pride by none other than her mother. Her mother was not only the leader of the pride but a seer. Apparently, the mental stability of a seer diminishes with time and Zola’s mother has definitely become one fry less than a happy meal.
After making a life for herself in New Orleans teaching self- defense to humans and other worldly creatures, Zola is visited by an old love, Walker Gravois. When she was banished, Walker never followed her leaving Zola heartbroken and alone. His presence can only signal one thing, her mother is dead. But what Zola does not know might harm her and Walker has a favor to ask that only she can give.
I truly enjoyed this story; however, I dearly wished that it had been longer. I was just starting to get into the storyline when the story was over. This is the reason I gave this book 4 stars rather than five.

[JP · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zola__s pride was a story that I read first probably 2 years ago. When I discovered it as an eBook again I just had to have it. This story is really great. It showcases how important self defense for kids is, as well as mental strength. Though those two things are not the primary focus, I still love how they took a secondary importance.

Zola is running a good business as self defense and martial arts instructor when Walker turns up at her doorstep asking for her help. The old pride leader, Zola__s mother, was dead and he needed a safe place for the members of the pride and Zola was his only chance.
Zola not having heard from her mother or Walker since she was forced out of her old pride she is first skeptical, but later decides to help her old pride out, as well as get Walker back into her life. Permanently.

Great story and an enjoyable read. For me it could have been longer, but it was a decent sized short story.

[Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every once in a while one of the freebies that I pick up serves as a helpful reminder. In the case of Zola’s Pride, it reminded me of how much I enjoyed Moira Rogers’ Southern Arcana series.

The female characters in this series are strong, fiercely protective, smart and funny. The males are seriously alpha and just as protective over those they love. The mix of shifters and magic users, the world building and yes the hotness of these books makes them page turning reads. Zola and Walker’s short novella was no exception. It’s a quick read, but touching and intense. Perfect for a late night read.

Another thing that reading Zola’s Pride reminded me is that I read the first book in the series before I started reviewing every book I read. I plan to remedy that. Of course, it also means that I will probably have to go back and re-read Crux and probably Crossroads while I’m at it, but that’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just a short novella set in the world of the Southern Arcana series, made all that more intense by being less than 50 pages!
Zola is no longer the teenage girl who fell in love with Walker but a grown woman of thirty when he shows up at her Dojo in New Orleans. Her mother has died and her Pride of Lion shifters has been almost eradicated. Walker has come to seek Zola's help by asking her to allow the remaining shifters to relocate to NO and for Zola to become their leader.
Simple, straightforward but with overtones of the past that the two share this is a quick down and dirty romp with two characters whose personal magnetism leap off the pages. A brilliantly short but hot action filled novella that will appeal on all levels to both fans of this series as well as other works penned by the writing duo.

[Vannessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick short story and whilst I haven't read any of the other books in this series, it could easily be read as a stand alone novella.

Zola is a French Lion shapeshifter living alone in New Orleans after her mother kicked Zola out of the pride due to her madness caused by being a Seer. After spending a few years travelling and learning different martial arts, Zola has opened a dojo teaching her skills to other shifters and humans alike.

One day Walker Gravois, her ex-boyfriend, turns up on her doorstep, 10 years after she left asking for her help. Everything has gone to pot basically and Zola needs to help out the last remaining members of her old pride. Will she do it even after the way her mother treated her? Or after Walker just let her walk out of his life?

A fun light read and I think I may try to find the rest of this series for the Kindle.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fabulous short story set in the Southern Arcana universe. As always, Moira Rogers has given us strong characters who fight for what they believe in and love with everything inside of them. I'm constantly amazed when authors can put such depth and emotion into stories of this length. Moira Rogers has made Zola a wonderfully sympathetic character who had to strike out on her own after her mother went mad. She's managed to make a life for herself and Walker's appearance throws a wrench into her comfortable existence.

Although this could be read as a stand alone, I recommend reading the entire series just so you can experience the genius of this world for yourself.

-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal