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Mystic Circle #3
Enchanted Ever After
Kiri Palger knew the difference between reality—new house, hard work and not too many friends—and fantasy—the fun she had playing online games. So when the chance to work for the best gaming company in the world came up, giving her a chance to merge business with pleasure, how could she not apply?
Suddenly she has more friends, interesting neighbors and an intriguing love interest. But when the game begins to awaken something inside her, Kiri is shocked by the talents she never knew she had…and an evil she'd never imagined.
Her nice, safe life is imploding around her—and if she takes up the mantle of her powers, it will never be the same again….
Suddenly she has more friends, interesting neighbors and an intriguing love interest. But when the game begins to awaken something inside her, Kiri is shocked by the talents she never knew she had…and an evil she'd never imagined.
Her nice, safe life is imploding around her—and if she takes up the mantle of her powers, it will never be the same again….
397 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 18, 2012
35 people are currently reading
383 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
October 1, 2015
A really good book. I loved the imagination, creativity, personalities, characters, story line and building, and pretty much the whole thing. This was written well and pulled me in from the start. It had me feeling and totally immersed and left me with a smile (and wanting to read more). Another series to read. Good from start to finish. Totally Enjoy!
December 15, 2012
Enchanted Ever After by Robin D. Owens
5 STARS
This is the second book of the Mystic circle that I have now read and have enjoyed. It is mixture of fantasy,romance and adventure. Thier are a few love scenes that I skipped over. It is a good mixture of magic and human world combine.
Kiri Palger loves her new home on mystic circle. She is hoping to get a job with Jenny Weaver her neighbor. The circle is having a block party and she will get to meet Jenny. She loves playing her computer game Fairies and dragons and would love to work on the game with her or a different game.
Mystic Circle has magical protection so no evil can enter it. It has a balance of magical power. People of magical are drawn here. Kiri has no idea that magic is real. That she has met other beings that are not human.
Jenny has discovered that with new magic that bubbled up she believes that some humans can be made into lightfolk full of magic. With the new magicmeld they have developed a game that should be testing and trying to prepare someone to be able to change if they are willing to take the risk.
Kiri has no idea that this two week testing to see if she fits this game to get the job is really testing her to see what magics she is drawn too and prepare her to make the change.
Lathyr Tricurrent a mer is assigned to work with Jenny to test those who might have magic drawn to them to prepare for the way. Lathyr is 8% Elf in his background and is treated as inferior to pure mer. He can see what powers might be drawn to humans.
Kiri is drawn to Lathyr and is fighting her attraction. Her life is starting to spin out of control with all that is going on around her.
Did not want to put the book down till I finshed it. I liked that as Kiri was getting explained about the different levels of the game and each element she was also learning about the magical beings that belong in each world. So we were getting the information in a way that fit the story perfectly.
I want to go back and pick up the other books in this series that I have missed.
I was given this ebook to read in exchange of honest review from Netgalley.
December 18, 2012 PUB Harlequin Imprint Luna Books 400 pages ISBN-10: 0373803478
5 STARS
This is the second book of the Mystic circle that I have now read and have enjoyed. It is mixture of fantasy,romance and adventure. Thier are a few love scenes that I skipped over. It is a good mixture of magic and human world combine.
Kiri Palger loves her new home on mystic circle. She is hoping to get a job with Jenny Weaver her neighbor. The circle is having a block party and she will get to meet Jenny. She loves playing her computer game Fairies and dragons and would love to work on the game with her or a different game.
Mystic Circle has magical protection so no evil can enter it. It has a balance of magical power. People of magical are drawn here. Kiri has no idea that magic is real. That she has met other beings that are not human.
Jenny has discovered that with new magic that bubbled up she believes that some humans can be made into lightfolk full of magic. With the new magicmeld they have developed a game that should be testing and trying to prepare someone to be able to change if they are willing to take the risk.
Kiri has no idea that this two week testing to see if she fits this game to get the job is really testing her to see what magics she is drawn too and prepare her to make the change.
Lathyr Tricurrent a mer is assigned to work with Jenny to test those who might have magic drawn to them to prepare for the way. Lathyr is 8% Elf in his background and is treated as inferior to pure mer. He can see what powers might be drawn to humans.
Kiri is drawn to Lathyr and is fighting her attraction. Her life is starting to spin out of control with all that is going on around her.
Did not want to put the book down till I finshed it. I liked that as Kiri was getting explained about the different levels of the game and each element she was also learning about the magical beings that belong in each world. So we were getting the information in a way that fit the story perfectly.
I want to go back and pick up the other books in this series that I have missed.
I was given this ebook to read in exchange of honest review from Netgalley.
December 18, 2012 PUB Harlequin Imprint Luna Books 400 pages ISBN-10: 0373803478
December 17, 2012
Review:
I didn’t realize when requesting this that this was the third book in a series. Probably a bit of bad planning on my part, but the synopsis sounded good, so I thought I’d go for it. I wasn’t actually all that lost, given that I hadn’t read the first two books, and I was glad for that, because this one was actually a fairly enjoyable, if a little surreal, read.
Kiri Palger is the main character of this book – a budding game designer/developer who has just moved to a new home in Mystic Circle. She’s looking to get a job at the HQ of Fairies and Dragons, which is what I imagined to be a World-of-Warcraft-eque MMO style game. To be fair, this was what attracted my inner video game nerd to this book in the first place.
Kiri doesn’t get the job, but does get a job on another project… a much more realistic one.
I very much enjoyed the storyline of this book, but I sometimes felt a little lost when the story ran away from me. That said, I very much enjoyed the characters – they were easily imaginable, especially Kiri herself. I also liked the romance between Kiri and Lathyr, I felt like it worked.
Overall, I enjoyed this, and it’s made me want to go and get the previous two books in the series – I enjoyed the writing mostly, and I definitely enjoyed the storyline – it was original and it generally made my inner MMO nerd pretty happy in the process! Definitely one for anyone interested in gaming or a different take on fantasy novels!
Overall rating: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
Originality: 5/5
Characters: 4/5
My Enjoyment: 4/5
I didn’t realize when requesting this that this was the third book in a series. Probably a bit of bad planning on my part, but the synopsis sounded good, so I thought I’d go for it. I wasn’t actually all that lost, given that I hadn’t read the first two books, and I was glad for that, because this one was actually a fairly enjoyable, if a little surreal, read.
Kiri Palger is the main character of this book – a budding game designer/developer who has just moved to a new home in Mystic Circle. She’s looking to get a job at the HQ of Fairies and Dragons, which is what I imagined to be a World-of-Warcraft-eque MMO style game. To be fair, this was what attracted my inner video game nerd to this book in the first place.
Kiri doesn’t get the job, but does get a job on another project… a much more realistic one.
I very much enjoyed the storyline of this book, but I sometimes felt a little lost when the story ran away from me. That said, I very much enjoyed the characters – they were easily imaginable, especially Kiri herself. I also liked the romance between Kiri and Lathyr, I felt like it worked.
Overall, I enjoyed this, and it’s made me want to go and get the previous two books in the series – I enjoyed the writing mostly, and I definitely enjoyed the storyline – it was original and it generally made my inner MMO nerd pretty happy in the process! Definitely one for anyone interested in gaming or a different take on fantasy novels!
Overall rating: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
Originality: 5/5
Characters: 4/5
My Enjoyment: 4/5
June 30, 2014
Book Review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/mini-rev...
I had no idea this was the third book in a series. However, even though not reading book one and two, I wasn’t completely lost, and I got the hang of the story almost right away. This book is filled with original elements, and a great plot. I enjoyed the characters, but sometimes the plot got away from me, and some parts seem to go nowhere. A decent read, but could’ve been better.
I had no idea this was the third book in a series. However, even though not reading book one and two, I wasn’t completely lost, and I got the hang of the story almost right away. This book is filled with original elements, and a great plot. I enjoyed the characters, but sometimes the plot got away from me, and some parts seem to go nowhere. A decent read, but could’ve been better.
January 21, 2013
A really good addition to the series and my favorite so far. A surprise since I like the Mystic Circle series, but am not as captivated as I am with Owens' Celta series. I always enjoy Owens' writing style, but the story in this one really brought a lot of the world building elements from the previous two books and did fun and interesting things with it and the new characters. Looking forward to the fourth in the series! :)
March 2, 2021
Loved the total immersion into this creative world. I loved the characters but felt the end was a bit rushed, like the author had to get the book under a certain number of pages.
February 2, 2021
Immerse Yourself in the Realms of Mystic Circle
IT specialist, Kiri longs to abandon her tech support job for the chance to build challenging worlds for her favorite computer game company. Little does she know the prototype she’s asked to play as part of her job interview is a magical reality that will transform her life - body, heart and soul.
IT specialist, Kiri longs to abandon her tech support job for the chance to build challenging worlds for her favorite computer game company. Little does she know the prototype she’s asked to play as part of her job interview is a magical reality that will transform her life - body, heart and soul.
March 10, 2017
Read this as a standalone, because there was nothing in my digital loan indicating this was part of a series - woops. That said, it works perfectly fine as a standalone novel; I didn't find I was missing much of a story, as anything that had happened before was explained if necessary to understanding the plot - and anything not necessary merely gave the characters a richer back story and made them believable as friends.
The main problem I had with this book was that it needed to be at least two, if not three, books. There are at least two points at which the story literally hits fast forward (ZOOM they're at this new location), and jumps around in order to cram everything in, and it was unnecessary. The world-building and general story was great; a slow and steady build, and then suddenly everything is fast fast hurry, and the story lost a lot of charm.
SPOILERS BELOW:
Ending the first book when Lathyr found Kiri in the ocean water would have been a good stopping point: it lines up where they need to go next, with no need to just suddenly ZOOM from being in the Gulf of Mexico to Puerto Rico. In two hours? Uh huh, whatever. Getting to that palace, the insults faced, Kiri's friendship with the Guardians - this all could have expanded to fill in a second book, with a third book then being about the quest for the Pearl. Having the geas placed on them at the end of the second book, with a third about the journey and the fight, would have worked well. As is, too much ZOOM ZOOM MYSTIC TRAVEL and shoving Epic Scenes into an already over-packed novel.
The main problem I had with this book was that it needed to be at least two, if not three, books. There are at least two points at which the story literally hits fast forward (ZOOM they're at this new location), and jumps around in order to cram everything in, and it was unnecessary. The world-building and general story was great; a slow and steady build, and then suddenly everything is fast fast hurry, and the story lost a lot of charm.
SPOILERS BELOW:
Ending the first book when Lathyr found Kiri in the ocean water would have been a good stopping point: it lines up where they need to go next, with no need to just suddenly ZOOM from being in the Gulf of Mexico to Puerto Rico. In two hours? Uh huh, whatever. Getting to that palace, the insults faced, Kiri's friendship with the Guardians - this all could have expanded to fill in a second book, with a third book then being about the quest for the Pearl. Having the geas placed on them at the end of the second book, with a third about the journey and the fight, would have worked well. As is, too much ZOOM ZOOM MYSTIC TRAVEL and shoving Epic Scenes into an already over-packed novel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
August 21, 2021Love this series
Robin D. Owens writes vivid characters and intriguing worlds of magic. Kiri becomes lightfolk.She will cause good changes to Mystic Circle
Robin D. Owens writes vivid characters and intriguing worlds of magic. Kiri becomes lightfolk.She will cause good changes to Mystic Circle
July 18, 2022
Robin is a gifted storyteller. Very much enjoyed this series and I'm sad there aren't more!
July 24, 2022
I want more in this series....
December 12, 2012
I have had this book sitting on my kindle for a couple of weeks.. for some reason I was waiting to read it.. boy was it worth the wait! Although, I will tell you now.. if you get it, don't WAIT.. READ!! Robin D. Owens has a flexible, fluid mind and this story wraps around reality like only true fantasy can. For all of you gamers out there.. you know who you are, those that blur the line between reality and pretend. Those of you who just know that the games are real (even though based in reality like we are, you must concede that they aren't) this book, this series is for you.
Mystic Circle is my third Robin D. Owens series and I am loving each and every one.. but I must admit, this one touches an inner believer in me like nothing else. Enchanted Ever After is the third book in the Mystic Circle Series and I will suggest you read the other two books, for clarification purposes BUT it is a compelling read and pulls you in and immerses you in it's unique flavor.
Kiri Palger wanted more. She was successful in her IT career but felt she was working for the paycheck not the love of the field. Her deepest desire was to work for the joy of it. A strong gamer she wanted nothing more than to work for the company that made her favorite online game. To help create the storylines. She knew she had it in her.. To that end, she researched the company, even bought a house in Mystic Circle cul-de-sac that her favorite gamer/programer from Eight Corp lived. And FINALLY it looked like it was all happening, her dreams come true! Only no one told her it was all for real.
Lathyr Tricurrent had been shuffled from pillar to post, treated with contempt due to his partial elven blood. Something the purebred Mer people condemned. Having lived is life in shame close to servitude, homeless, he was sure working with Eight Corp as the "sniffer" he would finally prove himself. He knew his new powers would help find humans who could transform to magic.. and finally they had their first subject.
Because this was the third book and this series is so very intricate the beginning of the book was a bit confusing.. although confusing is a bit deceptive.. I just wanted to start at the beginning so I understood all of the players. They secondary characters are two important to the overall arc of this series and in the beginning it is easy to get lost in that. Without the reference of the other books I found myself questioning things. When Lathyr and Kiri's story finally took over is when this book really took off.
Lathyr and Kiri have an instant attraction that neither quite gets.. each has a dream of their own that they do not see how they would mesh. Yet when Kiri has to learn how to transform, Lathyr stands at her side, her rock. And as Lathyr is there for Kiri, she learns to be there for him. Together they learn to battle, game and real. Kiri learns to use her gamer skills and adjust them to magic and Lathyr learns that he is way more than he thought.
Life lessons abound in this story and yet they aren't preachy.. Lathyr and Kiri must learn to accept themselves, accept what others offer and accept that some will never offer them what they need. They have each dealt with familial abandonment, of never being quite what others want them to be and yet they triumph!
What a wonderful find.. I believe I said in the very beginning.. Read this book!!
Shauni
This review is based on the ARC of Enchanted Ever After provided by netgalley and is scheduled for release on December 18, 2012
For more reviews by Shauni check out Tea and Book and
Bodice Rippers, Femme Fatales and Fantasy
Mystic Circle is my third Robin D. Owens series and I am loving each and every one.. but I must admit, this one touches an inner believer in me like nothing else. Enchanted Ever After is the third book in the Mystic Circle Series and I will suggest you read the other two books, for clarification purposes BUT it is a compelling read and pulls you in and immerses you in it's unique flavor.
Kiri Palger wanted more. She was successful in her IT career but felt she was working for the paycheck not the love of the field. Her deepest desire was to work for the joy of it. A strong gamer she wanted nothing more than to work for the company that made her favorite online game. To help create the storylines. She knew she had it in her.. To that end, she researched the company, even bought a house in Mystic Circle cul-de-sac that her favorite gamer/programer from Eight Corp lived. And FINALLY it looked like it was all happening, her dreams come true! Only no one told her it was all for real.
Lathyr Tricurrent had been shuffled from pillar to post, treated with contempt due to his partial elven blood. Something the purebred Mer people condemned. Having lived is life in shame close to servitude, homeless, he was sure working with Eight Corp as the "sniffer" he would finally prove himself. He knew his new powers would help find humans who could transform to magic.. and finally they had their first subject.
Because this was the third book and this series is so very intricate the beginning of the book was a bit confusing.. although confusing is a bit deceptive.. I just wanted to start at the beginning so I understood all of the players. They secondary characters are two important to the overall arc of this series and in the beginning it is easy to get lost in that. Without the reference of the other books I found myself questioning things. When Lathyr and Kiri's story finally took over is when this book really took off.
Lathyr and Kiri have an instant attraction that neither quite gets.. each has a dream of their own that they do not see how they would mesh. Yet when Kiri has to learn how to transform, Lathyr stands at her side, her rock. And as Lathyr is there for Kiri, she learns to be there for him. Together they learn to battle, game and real. Kiri learns to use her gamer skills and adjust them to magic and Lathyr learns that he is way more than he thought.
Life lessons abound in this story and yet they aren't preachy.. Lathyr and Kiri must learn to accept themselves, accept what others offer and accept that some will never offer them what they need. They have each dealt with familial abandonment, of never being quite what others want them to be and yet they triumph!
What a wonderful find.. I believe I said in the very beginning.. Read this book!!
Shauni
This review is based on the ARC of Enchanted Ever After provided by netgalley and is scheduled for release on December 18, 2012
For more reviews by Shauni check out Tea and Book and
Bodice Rippers, Femme Fatales and Fantasy
December 6, 2012
This book was provided to me for free by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Originally posted at: Geekery and Book Reviews
Enchanted Ever After is the third book in the Mystic Circle series. Unlike Robin Owen's Celta's Heartmates series, these books are Urban Fantasy set in the modern world. If you haven't read any of the previous books in the Mystic Circle series then you're in luck. This book explains enough back story to understand what's going on but, not enough that the previous books are completely revealed.
In Enchanted Ever After, Kiri Palger has just moved into a home on the Mystic Circle street. In my head I pictured a cul-de-sac of all the characters homes when they were mentioned in the book. Kiri desperately wants a job at the online gaming company of Fairies and Dragons and moved in hopes of bettering her chances. An opportunity arises at the online gaming company to evaluate and play a new game that hasn't entered the market yet. What Kiri doesn't know is that she was scouted for magical potential and this was all setup in advance. This new game will revolutionize the fae community and Kiri is the first person to test it.
One aspect of this book that really got me interested was the gaming company setup. Being an online gamer myself, I was delighted to find terminology used in this book were terms that only long time MMO gamers tend to use. I got a big smile on my face the moment the author used the term "toons" in describing a character. I love how this attention to detail brought some realism into this novel. I would love an opportunity to test the same game that Kiri was playing!
My only complaint about this book was that the writing felt very different from her Celta novels. I'm a huge fan of the Celta world that Robin Owens has created and this doesn't provide quite the same impact. This novel is very poignant at times because of Kiri's inner struggles. I could really empathize with her and the sense of isolation in a new community. Kiri is a very empathetic character and I really enjoyed seeing her grow as a character.
Kiri and her romantic interest, a water fae named Lathyr, are very alike in many ways. Particulary in the sense of isolation that I mentioned previously. They both feel like outcasts to a degree and it makes it difficult for them to emotionally connect. The romance between Kiri and Lathyr is very sweet and endearing. The moments between Kiri and Lathyr made this novel hard to put down!
OMG. The cover of this novel is like a dream. All misty pinks and blues with Kiri gazing into the water. LOVE IT!
1st BookEnchanted No More
2nd BookEnchanted Again
Originally posted at: Geekery and Book Reviews
Enchanted Ever After is the third book in the Mystic Circle series. Unlike Robin Owen's Celta's Heartmates series, these books are Urban Fantasy set in the modern world. If you haven't read any of the previous books in the Mystic Circle series then you're in luck. This book explains enough back story to understand what's going on but, not enough that the previous books are completely revealed.
In Enchanted Ever After, Kiri Palger has just moved into a home on the Mystic Circle street. In my head I pictured a cul-de-sac of all the characters homes when they were mentioned in the book. Kiri desperately wants a job at the online gaming company of Fairies and Dragons and moved in hopes of bettering her chances. An opportunity arises at the online gaming company to evaluate and play a new game that hasn't entered the market yet. What Kiri doesn't know is that she was scouted for magical potential and this was all setup in advance. This new game will revolutionize the fae community and Kiri is the first person to test it.
One aspect of this book that really got me interested was the gaming company setup. Being an online gamer myself, I was delighted to find terminology used in this book were terms that only long time MMO gamers tend to use. I got a big smile on my face the moment the author used the term "toons" in describing a character. I love how this attention to detail brought some realism into this novel. I would love an opportunity to test the same game that Kiri was playing!
My only complaint about this book was that the writing felt very different from her Celta novels. I'm a huge fan of the Celta world that Robin Owens has created and this doesn't provide quite the same impact. This novel is very poignant at times because of Kiri's inner struggles. I could really empathize with her and the sense of isolation in a new community. Kiri is a very empathetic character and I really enjoyed seeing her grow as a character.
Kiri and her romantic interest, a water fae named Lathyr, are very alike in many ways. Particulary in the sense of isolation that I mentioned previously. They both feel like outcasts to a degree and it makes it difficult for them to emotionally connect. The romance between Kiri and Lathyr is very sweet and endearing. The moments between Kiri and Lathyr made this novel hard to put down!
OMG. The cover of this novel is like a dream. All misty pinks and blues with Kiri gazing into the water. LOVE IT!
1st BookEnchanted No More
2nd BookEnchanted Again
March 20, 2013
Enchanted Ever After by Robin D. Owens is the third book in the Mystic Circle series, and the only book I have read from the series. Kiri Palger is a gamer, and wants to work on the creative end of computer games more than anything. She has just moved into the same small community as her career hero, and has the chance to get her ideal job. Just as her computer and game dreams start to develop, so do her real relationships. Her best friends are facing huge changes in their own lives, and Kiri is making new friends and developing a love interest. But the game, and her new friends, are much more than they seem. Kiri too, holds special potential and must face evils that she could never have imagined.
In Enchanted Ever After, Kiri is a girl looking to make her own way in the world. She is a gamer, and tends to spend time online and with a couple close friends rather than out at bars or hanging out with large groups of people. I saw myself in her a lot, just change the games into books and we are very much alike. Finding new friends and interacting with new people, even those she really admired, felt awkward, and I completely related. Lythyr is a man searching for a place in the world. He might be a magical creature, but he is not accepted by either of the communities he shares blood with. He has no true home and is treated as a second class citizen wherever he goes. When the two met, neither can believe that the other could truly care for them, or fight the attraction they feel. I enjoyed the amount of action in the second half of the story, and the slow play of the romance. Even when you know two people are going to end up with a happy ever after, a interesting journey can make for a great story.
Enchanted Ever After might be the third book in a series, but I am glad to say that I did not feel lost or left behind while reading. There were definite hints that there was more to the story, and there was a bigger picture to the story that I could get if I read the whole series, but it did not make this installment any less fun and interesting to read. That is a hard balance to strike, keeping current fans interested while also attracting new readers and keeping both sets happy. There were moments when I disliked the character's inner doubts and acceptance of the treatment of they receive from others after awhile, but it was all believable and relevant to the story.
I recommend Enchanted Ever After to readers that enjoy new looks at the fae here on earth, as well as readers that already enjoy Owens' writing. The series is intriguing, and has interested me enough that I will read any of the other books in the series I find. While I will not buy them, I will certainly be looking for the e-books and library copies of the books in the near future.
In Enchanted Ever After, Kiri is a girl looking to make her own way in the world. She is a gamer, and tends to spend time online and with a couple close friends rather than out at bars or hanging out with large groups of people. I saw myself in her a lot, just change the games into books and we are very much alike. Finding new friends and interacting with new people, even those she really admired, felt awkward, and I completely related. Lythyr is a man searching for a place in the world. He might be a magical creature, but he is not accepted by either of the communities he shares blood with. He has no true home and is treated as a second class citizen wherever he goes. When the two met, neither can believe that the other could truly care for them, or fight the attraction they feel. I enjoyed the amount of action in the second half of the story, and the slow play of the romance. Even when you know two people are going to end up with a happy ever after, a interesting journey can make for a great story.
Enchanted Ever After might be the third book in a series, but I am glad to say that I did not feel lost or left behind while reading. There were definite hints that there was more to the story, and there was a bigger picture to the story that I could get if I read the whole series, but it did not make this installment any less fun and interesting to read. That is a hard balance to strike, keeping current fans interested while also attracting new readers and keeping both sets happy. There were moments when I disliked the character's inner doubts and acceptance of the treatment of they receive from others after awhile, but it was all believable and relevant to the story.
I recommend Enchanted Ever After to readers that enjoy new looks at the fae here on earth, as well as readers that already enjoy Owens' writing. The series is intriguing, and has interested me enough that I will read any of the other books in the series I find. While I will not buy them, I will certainly be looking for the e-books and library copies of the books in the near future.
December 17, 2012
Originally posted on Confessions of an Opinionated Book Geek
Kiri Palger is rediscovering herself and working hard for a better life. She purchased a house in Mystic Circle, because she isn’t very close to her family and wanted to belong in a tight community. She wants a place to belong. More than that, she wants to gain her dream job at what she considers to be the best gaming company in the world. Her neighbors work at the gaming company and she hopes that by getting into their good graces it will help her win the job. After moving to Mystic Circle, she has friends, the close community she always wanted and Lathyr for a love interest. Everything seems to be falling into place, until it becomes clear that the games she is working on are actually real.
The one thing that really kept my interest in this book, was Lathyr’s back story. He is basically treated like crap due to his mixed blood. He is not allowed to find a place of his own to belong. Honestly, this guy is basically a slave, he’s homeless and he’s not even accepted by his people, because he is not purebred. I just wanted this guy to be happy and have a place of his own. He is not sure of Kiri in the beginning, because while he sees that she could help him reach his goals, he does not have a clear vision of how she can fit into his future. Still, he turns out to be a pretty solid ally for Kiri through out the story.
This book was very difficult for me to get through. I am not sure why, the concept is really interesting and Robin D. Owens did a pretty good job at blurring the lines between fantasy and reality. Still I picked this up and put it down so many times, I really didn’t think I could get into it. Robin Owens’ writing style felt very stilted to me. Other reviews I’ve read don’t seem to agree, so this may just be my problem.
The other problem is probably that this book is the third installment of the “Mystic Circle” series. I didn’t think I would be that confused, because this book doesn’t follow the same characters of the earlier books. After reading the book, I realize that skipping the first two books were probably a mistake. While Kiri is a new character, it’s obvious that the plot is intricate and basically weaved through out the series. I wasn’t completely lost, but I think that reading earlier books could have helped me picture the world we were in.
“Enchanted Ever After,” is all about realizing your potential and that perhaps you are capable of more than you think. At points I just felt like, Ok, I get it, they were undervalued and now they’re awesome. Cool.
June 15, 2013
I received a copy of this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
My Opinion: When I requested this book from NetGalley, I wasn't aware that it was the third book in a series, but lucky for me, it was quite easy to follow and worked well as a standalone. What I read definitely intrigued me enough to want to read the first two books, though, since they deal with how two of the couples in Enchanted got together. I'm also interested in finding out more about the back story of the Mystic Circle and all of the magic that it contains.
Enchanted Ever After starts with Kiri Palger, who has just bought a house on Mystic Circle and is hoping to get her dream job in the online gaming industry. Little does she know that the line between the real world and the world in the game are about to become very blurred ... The phrase "be careful what you wish for" comes to mind!
I loved the characters in this book because they had very separate but distinct personalities that all meshed well together. The balance between romance, magic and intrigue worked well also, with one flowing effortlessly into the other. This book was an easy read, and I enjoyed watching Kiri grow and blossom as she came into her own and discovered who she really was and what she could accomplish if she had the courage to just go for it. I liked the Lathyr/Kiri romance since they both came from a place of not belonging and not being appreciated. I enjoyed watching them help each other overcome the feelings of inadequacy they both carried around with them.
Overall, I enjoyed this book very much and look forward to reading the first two books in the series. I would give this book 4 stars :D
My Opinion: When I requested this book from NetGalley, I wasn't aware that it was the third book in a series, but lucky for me, it was quite easy to follow and worked well as a standalone. What I read definitely intrigued me enough to want to read the first two books, though, since they deal with how two of the couples in Enchanted got together. I'm also interested in finding out more about the back story of the Mystic Circle and all of the magic that it contains.
Enchanted Ever After starts with Kiri Palger, who has just bought a house on Mystic Circle and is hoping to get her dream job in the online gaming industry. Little does she know that the line between the real world and the world in the game are about to become very blurred ... The phrase "be careful what you wish for" comes to mind!
I loved the characters in this book because they had very separate but distinct personalities that all meshed well together. The balance between romance, magic and intrigue worked well also, with one flowing effortlessly into the other. This book was an easy read, and I enjoyed watching Kiri grow and blossom as she came into her own and discovered who she really was and what she could accomplish if she had the courage to just go for it. I liked the Lathyr/Kiri romance since they both came from a place of not belonging and not being appreciated. I enjoyed watching them help each other overcome the feelings of inadequacy they both carried around with them.
Overall, I enjoyed this book very much and look forward to reading the first two books in the series. I would give this book 4 stars :D
June 4, 2013
Enchanted Ever After
Mystic Circle Series Book Three
By Robin D. Owens
Kiri Palger has dreamed of working for Eight Corp., the creators of Fairies and Dragons an online game that Kiri is absolutely addicted to. Shortly after Kiri moves into the cul-de-sac of mystic circle where a number of Eight Corp. employees live, she is approached to start work on a new virtual reality project this is a dream come true and Kiri jumps at the chance. Soon she finds out that there is another purpose altogether for the new virtual system.
This is such a fun book, though you can definitely tell it is not the first in a series the author does an amazing job of making this a “stand alone” novel so that even though I haven’t read the previous two myself I can jump into the story and not once do I feel lost or confused. First off you have the gaming aspect of the book which I must admit I love video games so it automatically appealed to me but the author goes further than that she not only brings the game to life but she brings the multiple realms it represents into such vivid perspective I know I was definitely jealous of Kiri and wanted to jump head first into the game myself. Then you have some of the best scenes I have come across in a long time and Robin D. Owens descriptive proficiency comes into play once again sucking you into the story and the world in which she has created even further. This is a fascinating fantasy and with the heartwarming romance and touches of the gaming world it is highly unique. With such a well written book and an amazing story this is definitely a book worth reading.
For more reviews please visit:
http://bookwormrflects8.blogspot.com/
Mystic Circle Series Book Three
By Robin D. Owens
Kiri Palger has dreamed of working for Eight Corp., the creators of Fairies and Dragons an online game that Kiri is absolutely addicted to. Shortly after Kiri moves into the cul-de-sac of mystic circle where a number of Eight Corp. employees live, she is approached to start work on a new virtual reality project this is a dream come true and Kiri jumps at the chance. Soon she finds out that there is another purpose altogether for the new virtual system.
This is such a fun book, though you can definitely tell it is not the first in a series the author does an amazing job of making this a “stand alone” novel so that even though I haven’t read the previous two myself I can jump into the story and not once do I feel lost or confused. First off you have the gaming aspect of the book which I must admit I love video games so it automatically appealed to me but the author goes further than that she not only brings the game to life but she brings the multiple realms it represents into such vivid perspective I know I was definitely jealous of Kiri and wanted to jump head first into the game myself. Then you have some of the best scenes I have come across in a long time and Robin D. Owens descriptive proficiency comes into play once again sucking you into the story and the world in which she has created even further. This is a fascinating fantasy and with the heartwarming romance and touches of the gaming world it is highly unique. With such a well written book and an amazing story this is definitely a book worth reading.
For more reviews please visit:
http://bookwormrflects8.blogspot.com/
April 23, 2017
Enchanted Ever After is the third in the Mystic Circle series, a Paranormal Romance / Urban Fantasy centered in Denver. The first book in the series was heavier on the Fantasy with romance on the side (a mix I prefer), but the second book disappointed me with the narrow focus on Paranormal Romance. I was happy to find this book returning to the larger concerns of the Urban Fantasy world that I enjoyed so much in the first book.
I really love the blend of magic and modern worlds in this series. There are the Lightfolk, who are magical beings with power based on the elements (earth, fire, air, water), politics involving the powerful Eight Lightfolk royals, Jenni Weavers as a significant supporting character, and continued danger from the Darkfolk (a situation that was only referenced in the background during book two). This magical world is blended with modern technology and gaming, career concerns, and suburban cul-de-sac living with coffee shops and block parties. It's an interesting meld.
The downside was the romance. Disappointingly, it was insta-love based on a mysterious physical attraction. I usually prefer to see how a couple falls in love or else I just don't believe it or feel it. Luckily for me, the romance was not the main focus in this one.
It seems to me that there's plenty of room left for more stories in this world. Nothing was tied up as far as the larger conflicts are concerned, but I can't tell whether Owens is planning another book or not. I would definitely enjoy more of this magical world, and hope there will be more in the Urban Fantasy focus rather than the PR focus.
**Received free arc for review.
I really love the blend of magic and modern worlds in this series. There are the Lightfolk, who are magical beings with power based on the elements (earth, fire, air, water), politics involving the powerful Eight Lightfolk royals, Jenni Weavers as a significant supporting character, and continued danger from the Darkfolk (a situation that was only referenced in the background during book two). This magical world is blended with modern technology and gaming, career concerns, and suburban cul-de-sac living with coffee shops and block parties. It's an interesting meld.
The downside was the romance. Disappointingly, it was insta-love based on a mysterious physical attraction. I usually prefer to see how a couple falls in love or else I just don't believe it or feel it. Luckily for me, the romance was not the main focus in this one.
It seems to me that there's plenty of room left for more stories in this world. Nothing was tied up as far as the larger conflicts are concerned, but I can't tell whether Owens is planning another book or not. I would definitely enjoy more of this magical world, and hope there will be more in the Urban Fantasy focus rather than the PR focus.
**Received free arc for review.
January 25, 2013
I have waited for this book. First, I waited for it to become available at Netgalley. Then I waited for my request to be either declined, or accepted. And there was much rejoicing when it was accepted..
And.. I devoured it. It was one of those books where you sit down to read, thinking I'll just read a chapter, and the next thing you know you are on chapter 8.
I enjoyed meeting the inhabitants of Mystic Circle again, and seeing them from Kiri's totally human perspective. While I was familiar with the intriguing world of the Mystic Circle series, Ms Owens managed to make it feel brand new to me. It was fascinating, to get a glimpse of how Waterfolk lived. Both the weaker elementals, like naiders and naiads, as well as the Mer. The interaction between them gives a glimpse into the danger of angering someone at court.
The plot was intriguing. I loved how they used a VR world to gradually introduce Kiri to the existence of magic. The gradually increasing sense of danger, even before Kiri transformed, kept me reading. I also enjoyed how Kiri struggled with her decision to transform, and the sense of uncertainty of what she would transform into. Kiri's struggles with adapting to her new life afterward added another touch of believability to the story.
Kiri and Lathyr's romance was sweet, and I enjoyed following it from their first meeting, and to their HEA. That said, sometimes their romance felt too... subtle. It was there, but it felt like it got buried in all the other things that happened.
And.. I devoured it. It was one of those books where you sit down to read, thinking I'll just read a chapter, and the next thing you know you are on chapter 8.
I enjoyed meeting the inhabitants of Mystic Circle again, and seeing them from Kiri's totally human perspective. While I was familiar with the intriguing world of the Mystic Circle series, Ms Owens managed to make it feel brand new to me. It was fascinating, to get a glimpse of how Waterfolk lived. Both the weaker elementals, like naiders and naiads, as well as the Mer. The interaction between them gives a glimpse into the danger of angering someone at court.
The plot was intriguing. I loved how they used a VR world to gradually introduce Kiri to the existence of magic. The gradually increasing sense of danger, even before Kiri transformed, kept me reading. I also enjoyed how Kiri struggled with her decision to transform, and the sense of uncertainty of what she would transform into. Kiri's struggles with adapting to her new life afterward added another touch of believability to the story.
Kiri and Lathyr's romance was sweet, and I enjoyed following it from their first meeting, and to their HEA. That said, sometimes their romance felt too... subtle. It was there, but it felt like it got buried in all the other things that happened.
September 24, 2013
Enchanted Ever After is part of the Mystic Circle series by Robin D. Owens. It is book three in the series but is the first book in the series that I have read. The first two are Enchanted Once and More Enchanted Again. There is enough back story included to keep me for feeling lost.
There were things I loved about the book. The main character, Kiri Palger, is well drawn and very likeable. She has made some choices she would like to undo. They are not world shaking, they are just things many of us do in real life. When she get the chance to change her life she jumps right in and goes for it. The book is all about how that decision changes her. Lathyr Tricurrent is the love interest in the story. He is the one who helps Kiri achieve her dreams.
The story is about magic and the people who have it. I did like the world that is being developed here but for me the story just did not have the tension and punch I was looking for. It was a nice well written story, just not exciting.
I am a Robin Owens fan so I might go back and read the previous books sometime. I don’t miss any of her Heart series so they are my first reading choice.
There were things I loved about the book. The main character, Kiri Palger, is well drawn and very likeable. She has made some choices she would like to undo. They are not world shaking, they are just things many of us do in real life. When she get the chance to change her life she jumps right in and goes for it. The book is all about how that decision changes her. Lathyr Tricurrent is the love interest in the story. He is the one who helps Kiri achieve her dreams.
The story is about magic and the people who have it. I did like the world that is being developed here but for me the story just did not have the tension and punch I was looking for. It was a nice well written story, just not exciting.
I am a Robin Owens fan so I might go back and read the previous books sometime. I don’t miss any of her Heart series so they are my first reading choice.
January 1, 2013
Enchanted Ever After is the third book in the Mystic Circle Series. It can be read as a standalone but I feel that you will enjoy the story so much more if you have already have read the first two books before starting this one. Now I will admit that this story was not my favorite out of the series but it was a close second!
Kiri Palger is a game designer who has recently moved to Mystic Circle, Colorado. She is looking to get a job at one of the most popular video games and so she was excited to find that one of her neighbors Jenny is the creator and owner of that game.
She soon meets Lathyr and while he is a bit different, Kiri is still interested in him. It turns out that Lathyr works for Jenny and they both want Kiri to come and work with them on a new game they are developing. What Kiri doesn’t know is the new game is actually a test to see if she has special qualities…
I really like the plot, it kept moving and there were several times I was not expecting things to happen the way they did. I look forward to more books in this fascinating series!
Kiri Palger is a game designer who has recently moved to Mystic Circle, Colorado. She is looking to get a job at one of the most popular video games and so she was excited to find that one of her neighbors Jenny is the creator and owner of that game.
She soon meets Lathyr and while he is a bit different, Kiri is still interested in him. It turns out that Lathyr works for Jenny and they both want Kiri to come and work with them on a new game they are developing. What Kiri doesn’t know is the new game is actually a test to see if she has special qualities…
I really like the plot, it kept moving and there were several times I was not expecting things to happen the way they did. I look forward to more books in this fascinating series!
April 6, 2013
I need to stop reading these as romance - what they are is urban fantasy with romantic subplots.
The first 100 pages have hardly anything to do with Kiri Palger, because she's the only one not in the know about what is happening - they are necessary for the plot and worldbuilding though. Once she gets the information and takes part in the experiment it gets really interesting.
I liked the fact that the hero saw himself as beta and managed to grow in power and self-confidence in this book - and the description of Kiri's journey down the Mississippi to the ocean was downright lyrical.
I do think Owens did the big overarching plot with women necessary to restoring the balance better with the Summoning series.
At least there weren't that many brownies as cute sidekicks this time.
The first 100 pages have hardly anything to do with Kiri Palger, because she's the only one not in the know about what is happening - they are necessary for the plot and worldbuilding though. Once she gets the information and takes part in the experiment it gets really interesting.
I liked the fact that the hero saw himself as beta and managed to grow in power and self-confidence in this book - and the description of Kiri's journey down the Mississippi to the ocean was downright lyrical.
I do think Owens did the big overarching plot with women necessary to restoring the balance better with the Summoning series.
At least there weren't that many brownies as cute sidekicks this time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 20, 2014
There's more set up and wishiwashiness to this book than I would like -- the biggest action took place in the last 8% of book.
However, the subject matter is impressive. Magic and magical beings exist. The only problem is, there's fewer and fewer of them. Some humans can become magical beings; it's just a matter of identifying them and preparing them for the change. And what better way to do that than via a video game?
I loved the gaming aspect of the book, but it seemed superfluous to the plot. A different mechanism could have easily been used, although it would have been a lot less interesting a story if it had been so.
And I know I'm curious about what it would be like to play a video game that determines your class/race for you.
However, the subject matter is impressive. Magic and magical beings exist. The only problem is, there's fewer and fewer of them. Some humans can become magical beings; it's just a matter of identifying them and preparing them for the change. And what better way to do that than via a video game?
I loved the gaming aspect of the book, but it seemed superfluous to the plot. A different mechanism could have easily been used, although it would have been a lot less interesting a story if it had been so.
And I know I'm curious about what it would be like to play a video game that determines your class/race for you.
December 3, 2012
Even though this is the third book in a series, I didn't feel too lost. If I get a chance, I'd like to read the other two books. The writing here threw me off a little: using sentence fragments to convey action, and head hopping from paragraph to paragraph. The story was fun, though, of predictable (the cover sort of gives it away). I enjoyed hearing about Mystic Circle and its inhabitants, and it was fun to have my hometown of St. Louis mentioned. There's not a huge amount of romance in this one, but the magic system is unique. This made for a fun and fast read, which was what I was looking for at the moment.
Received as a digital ARC via Netgalley.
Received as a digital ARC via Netgalley.
April 20, 2016
This book is the final book in the series by Robin D. Hobbs. It is a wonderful series every bit as good as her Heart series. The series is purely magical and filled with almost every magical being I can think of. The author has a great way with her characters making one feel as if they are friends and with each book the friendship deepens. I was so caught up in the series that I was looking for the next book to read only to realize quite unhappily that I was reading the last book of the series. I wish it were more like her Heart series, which I also love, but has many more books in that series. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves magic and the beings who create it.
July 15, 2014
felt like forever to finish. This is my first book from this author.
It wasn't bad but from the beginning to about two-thirds of the book I wasn't really getting into the story. There was a detachment for me so I wasn't able to enjoy the story as I would have liked considering the premise. For a third book, I thought that the setup took a bit too long, but you can read this book as a standalone in that regard. Will think if I want to read the other books. The last one-third of the book was much more entertaining and read very quickly
It wasn't bad but from the beginning to about two-thirds of the book I wasn't really getting into the story. There was a detachment for me so I wasn't able to enjoy the story as I would have liked considering the premise. For a third book, I thought that the setup took a bit too long, but you can read this book as a standalone in that regard. Will think if I want to read the other books. The last one-third of the book was much more entertaining and read very quickly
February 6, 2017
Fascinating book! :) I grabbed this book as part of a reading challenge, as a book based solely on its cover. And, it was really good. It turns out to be the third in the Mystic Circle series, and although there are hints of what happened previously, I could still follow the book. In fact, I'll probably go back and read the first two in the series. :) The characters are well done and I enjoyed the story line. There's magic and romance and becoming more than is possible. :) I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Want to read
August 22, 2012Book #3 in the Mystic Circle series.
February 9, 2013
I find the concept fascinating but the actual execution is failing. The writing is stilted and i have no connection to the characters. its all telling instead of showing and the pace reads so slowly to me.
I also think that the cover artist did a horrible job since one aspect of the plot was 'what will she be?' -___-
So although the concept was really, really, interesting, it just didn't turn out to be my cup of tea.
I also think that the cover artist did a horrible job since one aspect of the plot was 'what will she be?' -___-
So although the concept was really, really, interesting, it just didn't turn out to be my cup of tea.
December 16, 2013
I read this book out of order not realising it was book 3 in a series, but it didn't really matter much to the story and I got a sense of the backstory so that didn't affect my enjoyment. This series isn't as compelling as her Heartmate series but I still like it. I thought the idea of being able to be turned from human to mermaid one that really appealed. I am now going back to read the first two.
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