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Caledonian Sprite
Desprite Measures
She's a force of Nature, literally. And now someone is trying to use her.On the surface she's a cute and feisty blonde, a slender pocket rocket fitness coach. But Cassiopeia Lake has a secret; she's really a force of nature – an elemental.Water sprite, Cassie, has lived undisturbed in her native Scottish loch for eons. Now, one encounter too many with modern plumbing has driven her to live in human guise along with her selkie boyfriend, Euan. It’s all going fine - until a nerdy magician captures Cassie to be an unwilling component in his crazy dangerous experiment.Escape is only Cassie’s first challenge.She’s smitten by her fellow prisoner, the scorching hot fire elemental, Gloria. But how do you love someone you can never touch? And what do you do when your boyfriend starts to hero-worship your persecutor? Not to mention that tricky situation of being the prize in a power contest between two rival covens of witches.So, when Gloria’s temper erupts and she sets out to murder the magician, can Cassie keep her loved ones safe from the cross-fire, or will she be sucked into the maelstrom of deadly desires and sink without trace?A unique Eco-Urban FantasyWhat readers are saying about DESPRITE MEASURES"Desprite Measures by Deborah Jay is, on the surface, page-turning, light-hearted urban fantasy set in and around Inverness, in Scotland. But like nearby Loch Ness, which looms in the shadowy corners of the tale, the surface of the lake doesn't always show the depths.""This is a great fun adventure set in modern Scotland where a sexy water sprite finds herself in danger of becoming a weapon of mass destruction in the hands of a mad, bad wizard. Much mayhem, weird magic and spirited sex ensues.""Much like a taster menu, delicious and tantalising with increasing subtlety and spice leaving me breathless to get to the next experience."
316 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 7, 2013
About the author
Deborah Jay
12 books116 followersDeborah Jay writes fast-paced fantasy adventures featuring quirky characters and multi-layered plots – just what she likes to read.
Fortunate to live near Loch Ness in the majestic, mystery-filled Scottish Highlands with her partner and a pack of rescue dogs, she can often be found lurking in secluded glens and forests, researching locations for her books. Her taste for the good things in life is kept in check by the expense of keeping too many dressage horses, and her complete inability to cook.
THE PRINCE’S MAN is her debut novel; first in a trilogy and winner of a UK Arts Board award. Book #2, THE PRINCE'S SON, #3, THE PRINCE'S PROTEGE, and #4, THE PRINCE'S HEIR, the concluding book of the quartet are all available, as is FRAGILE, a complete prequel story.
Also published are urban fantasy DESPRITE MEASURES and short story SPRITE NIGHT, both in the CALEDONIAN SPRITE series.
She has published a multi-author SFF anthology which features her SF story, PERFECT FIT.
She has non-fiction equestrian titles published under her professional name of Debby Lush.
Find out more about Deborah at https://deborahjayauthor.com/ or follow Deborah on twitter https://twitter.com/DeborahJay2 and facebook https://www.facebook.com/DeborahJay
Fortunate to live near Loch Ness in the majestic, mystery-filled Scottish Highlands with her partner and a pack of rescue dogs, she can often be found lurking in secluded glens and forests, researching locations for her books. Her taste for the good things in life is kept in check by the expense of keeping too many dressage horses, and her complete inability to cook.
THE PRINCE’S MAN is her debut novel; first in a trilogy and winner of a UK Arts Board award. Book #2, THE PRINCE'S SON, #3, THE PRINCE'S PROTEGE, and #4, THE PRINCE'S HEIR, the concluding book of the quartet are all available, as is FRAGILE, a complete prequel story.
Also published are urban fantasy DESPRITE MEASURES and short story SPRITE NIGHT, both in the CALEDONIAN SPRITE series.
She has published a multi-author SFF anthology which features her SF story, PERFECT FIT.
She has non-fiction equestrian titles published under her professional name of Debby Lush.
Find out more about Deborah at https://deborahjayauthor.com/ or follow Deborah on twitter https://twitter.com/DeborahJay2 and facebook https://www.facebook.com/DeborahJay
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
February 18, 2014
This book was provided by the Author through the PaC Romance group in exchange for an honest review.
When reading a paranormal romance novel I'm looking for a fun, coherent story with likeable, believable (although interspecies) characters first, with any steamy sex scenes as an additional bonus. This book gave me all of this. Our heroine, Cassie, was a water sprite which is a refreshing change from most of the paranormal creatures that roam the romance aisle these days. She was fun, although at times a bit selfish, but that really just made her more believable. She fumbled through her friendships and relationships like someone real as well. I really can't see why she preferred Gloria over Euan though. Gloria was kind of a bitch while Euan seemed sweet. Anyway, the story was kind of an eco-urban fantasy, if such a thing exists. It was different than other PR novels I've read, and I say that in a good way. The sex scenes in the book were steamy and involved both M/F and F/F, so if that type of thing bothers you, look elsewhere. Otherwise, I say this is a well written fun story that any lover of paranormal romance should enjoy. And for being an indie novel, there were very few typos, which is a major plus. I hate it when I'm reading an amazing story, but there's typos on every page. This books was very much typo free. So, hooray for that! I would definitely have no qualms about recommending this book to friends & anyone who likes PR.
When reading a paranormal romance novel I'm looking for a fun, coherent story with likeable, believable (although interspecies) characters first, with any steamy sex scenes as an additional bonus. This book gave me all of this. Our heroine, Cassie, was a water sprite which is a refreshing change from most of the paranormal creatures that roam the romance aisle these days. She was fun, although at times a bit selfish, but that really just made her more believable. She fumbled through her friendships and relationships like someone real as well. I really can't see why she preferred Gloria over Euan though. Gloria was kind of a bitch while Euan seemed sweet. Anyway, the story was kind of an eco-urban fantasy, if such a thing exists. It was different than other PR novels I've read, and I say that in a good way. The sex scenes in the book were steamy and involved both M/F and F/F, so if that type of thing bothers you, look elsewhere. Otherwise, I say this is a well written fun story that any lover of paranormal romance should enjoy. And for being an indie novel, there were very few typos, which is a major plus. I hate it when I'm reading an amazing story, but there's typos on every page. This books was very much typo free. So, hooray for that! I would definitely have no qualms about recommending this book to friends & anyone who likes PR.
January 3, 2014
Okay--we all know the cover above looks like I've taken a side-trip into a lurid romance. Don't be deceived by the cover! Yes, there is some graphic sex, and yes there are other elements that might hint that grandma has taken a dip into a lurid romance novel, but stick with me! Desprite Measures by Deborah Jay is a modern day urban fantasy. It is not a deep book, but is perfect for whiling away rainy afternoon.
The Blurb:
On the surface she's a cute and feisty blonde, a slender pocket rocket fitness coach. But Cassiopeia Lake has a secret; she's really a force of nature - an elemental.
Water sprite, Cassie, has lived undisturbed in her native Scottish loch for eons. Now, one encounter too many with modern plumbing has driven her to live in human guise along with her selkie boyfriend, Euan. It's all going fine - until a nerdy magician captures Cassie to be an unwilling component in his crazy dangerous experiment.
Escape is only Cassie's first challenge.
She's smitten by her fellow prisoner, the scorching hot fire elemental, Gloria. But how do you love someone you can never touch?
And what do you do when your boyfriend starts to hero-worship your persecutor? Not to mention that tricky situation of being the prize in a power contest between two rival covens of witches.
So when Gloria's temper erupts and she sets out to murder the magician, can Cassie keep her loved ones safe from the cross-fire, or will she be sucked into the maelstrom of deadly desires and sink without trace?
My Review:
I met the author through the comment-column on my writing blog, Life in the Realm of Fantasy and picked this book up as a bit of light reading. I was not disappointed. Cassie, the main character is not a human, but rather she is a water-elemental, a sprite. (Hence the title.) The author does a great job of conveying Cassie’s alien-ness, and her lack of human understanding.
While I normally don’t really enjoy first-person point-of-view, I think in this case it is well done. Although graphic sex from a first-person pov puts me a little off, it's okay because there is not too much of that, and what there is does seem to advance the plot. Though this is a rather graphic romance, there is a lot of other action, and all the characters are well fleshed out. Unlike most romance novels, the plot moves quite quickly and does not rely on the sex to keep the reader’s attention.
The plot encompasses a great deal of urban mythology regarding vampires and the fae, modern witchcraft and the old-time selkie legends. The author blends them well and pits them against modern ecological issues, such as sustainable power. There is also the age old conflict of truth and trust, and how sins of omission can mess up a life, which makes for great drama. The magic is quite believable, as are the magical beings.
Liam, the evil magician, is your usual self-centered, amoral, malevolent bad dude, and his machinations drive the action in this tale. Cassie is not the only person who is not what they portray themselves as, and that leaves the door open for a sequel.
The ending, while not exactly happy, is satisfactory. Billed as ‘The Caledonian Sprite Series,’ Desprite Measures does leave the door open to a sequel, which I will definitely buy.
The Blurb:
On the surface she's a cute and feisty blonde, a slender pocket rocket fitness coach. But Cassiopeia Lake has a secret; she's really a force of nature - an elemental.
Water sprite, Cassie, has lived undisturbed in her native Scottish loch for eons. Now, one encounter too many with modern plumbing has driven her to live in human guise along with her selkie boyfriend, Euan. It's all going fine - until a nerdy magician captures Cassie to be an unwilling component in his crazy dangerous experiment.
Escape is only Cassie's first challenge.
She's smitten by her fellow prisoner, the scorching hot fire elemental, Gloria. But how do you love someone you can never touch?
And what do you do when your boyfriend starts to hero-worship your persecutor? Not to mention that tricky situation of being the prize in a power contest between two rival covens of witches.
So when Gloria's temper erupts and she sets out to murder the magician, can Cassie keep her loved ones safe from the cross-fire, or will she be sucked into the maelstrom of deadly desires and sink without trace?
My Review:
I met the author through the comment-column on my writing blog, Life in the Realm of Fantasy and picked this book up as a bit of light reading. I was not disappointed. Cassie, the main character is not a human, but rather she is a water-elemental, a sprite. (Hence the title.) The author does a great job of conveying Cassie’s alien-ness, and her lack of human understanding.
While I normally don’t really enjoy first-person point-of-view, I think in this case it is well done. Although graphic sex from a first-person pov puts me a little off, it's okay because there is not too much of that, and what there is does seem to advance the plot. Though this is a rather graphic romance, there is a lot of other action, and all the characters are well fleshed out. Unlike most romance novels, the plot moves quite quickly and does not rely on the sex to keep the reader’s attention.
The plot encompasses a great deal of urban mythology regarding vampires and the fae, modern witchcraft and the old-time selkie legends. The author blends them well and pits them against modern ecological issues, such as sustainable power. There is also the age old conflict of truth and trust, and how sins of omission can mess up a life, which makes for great drama. The magic is quite believable, as are the magical beings.
Liam, the evil magician, is your usual self-centered, amoral, malevolent bad dude, and his machinations drive the action in this tale. Cassie is not the only person who is not what they portray themselves as, and that leaves the door open for a sequel.
The ending, while not exactly happy, is satisfactory. Billed as ‘The Caledonian Sprite Series,’ Desprite Measures does leave the door open to a sequel, which I will definitely buy.
April 9, 2014
First, let me ask you a question. In this novel, several places and landmarks are being described. In the first part of the book, the places described, were hyperlinks, linking to to websites about said places. While this is great for actually seeing pictures, I have to wonder, was this book sponsored? The bookstore where Gloria and Cassie meet is a real place, and the Tourist Board of Scotland can be happy with the (gorgeous, I have to admit) loactions of interest pointed out.
It was the first time for with this kind of links, and I'm not sure what to think of it. How do other people think about this?
Well, let's move on to the book.
I think the first 75% was awesome. It was so refreshing to read about a supernatural character doing her best to fit in, and often times, failing hard at it. Cassie's continuously struggling with humans and their emotions and habits. But she does reasonably well, making friends along the way and actually enjoying it.
Things become complicated rather quickly though, because an unsavoury character with magical abilities cause everything she carefully built up over the many years start to crumble down at a fast pace. After being captured by him, together with another elemental, they escape and set out to stop him. But he's always a step ahead of them, causing more and more problems. Along the way, she is introduced to a coven of witches, which seem to have plans of their own with her.
The story was doing pretty well in my opinion, up until she meets a hedge witch, who seem to think Cassie is capable of more things than just being immortal. And that is where the story started to lose interest for me. I can't say much about it without spoiling things, but what she can do after the meeting with hedgewitch felt a bit unnecessary for me, and was damaging the carefully built up character that was Cassie.
Also, her doubts and indecision about handling the situation started to annoy me. While Gloria is determined to end things in a permanent way, Cassie still believes they can talk the villain out his plans. Seriously, after 3 attempts to abduct her, alienating her long time friend, and destroying her life as she knows it, she still believes talking is going to solve it? Really? At least a swift kick to the balls would be appropriate, but no, let's talk about it, shall we? At least Gloria was realistic about it, and at least she had no qualms with ending things the permanent way.
What I also thought was unnecessary was the insta love thing Cassie had for Gloria. As opposing elements, she knows that can't ever be together ( for fear of destruction of a large landmass, not to mention the existence of both of them), she can't stop thinking and lusting about her throughout the whole book. It was a bit annoying.
Also, I felt the vampire was not needed, he comes out of nowhere, and doesn't fit the worldbuilding. Sure, if elementals can exist, and witches and fey, why not vampires? (and god forbid, the obligatory werewolf). But he didn't seem to fit in. At least to me.
All in and all, I will be reading the sequel, Cassie and her world deserve it, and I can recommend this one without hesitation. But please, I beg of you, no werewolves.
It was the first time for with this kind of links, and I'm not sure what to think of it. How do other people think about this?
Well, let's move on to the book.
I think the first 75% was awesome. It was so refreshing to read about a supernatural character doing her best to fit in, and often times, failing hard at it. Cassie's continuously struggling with humans and their emotions and habits. But she does reasonably well, making friends along the way and actually enjoying it.
Things become complicated rather quickly though, because an unsavoury character with magical abilities cause everything she carefully built up over the many years start to crumble down at a fast pace. After being captured by him, together with another elemental, they escape and set out to stop him. But he's always a step ahead of them, causing more and more problems. Along the way, she is introduced to a coven of witches, which seem to have plans of their own with her.
The story was doing pretty well in my opinion, up until she meets a hedge witch, who seem to think Cassie is capable of more things than just being immortal. And that is where the story started to lose interest for me. I can't say much about it without spoiling things, but what she can do after the meeting with hedgewitch felt a bit unnecessary for me, and was damaging the carefully built up character that was Cassie.
Also, her doubts and indecision about handling the situation started to annoy me. While Gloria is determined to end things in a permanent way, Cassie still believes they can talk the villain out his plans. Seriously, after 3 attempts to abduct her, alienating her long time friend, and destroying her life as she knows it, she still believes talking is going to solve it? Really? At least a swift kick to the balls would be appropriate, but no, let's talk about it, shall we? At least Gloria was realistic about it, and at least she had no qualms with ending things the permanent way.
What I also thought was unnecessary was the insta love thing Cassie had for Gloria. As opposing elements, she knows that can't ever be together ( for fear of destruction of a large landmass, not to mention the existence of both of them), she can't stop thinking and lusting about her throughout the whole book. It was a bit annoying.
Also, I felt the vampire was not needed, he comes out of nowhere, and doesn't fit the worldbuilding. Sure, if elementals can exist, and witches and fey, why not vampires? (and god forbid, the obligatory werewolf). But he didn't seem to fit in. At least to me.
All in and all, I will be reading the sequel, Cassie and her world deserve it, and I can recommend this one without hesitation. But please, I beg of you, no werewolves.
January 4, 2014
I enjoyed the book enough to finish it in a day. There were times where I wanted to slap the main character for her continuous "Gloria" mental anguish at rather inappropriate times but otherwise the book was enjoyable. Looking forward to the sequel.
September 22, 2017
Cassie, a water sprite, had been living alone within the lochs for centuries, but as man adapted and developed so too did their technology. Plumbing made things particularly tricky for an elemental who likes to stay in her water form. Eventually she surrendered and moved to land to look and live like them. She had a small collection of friends and it was all going fine, until she was tricked, imprisoned and abducted. Held against her will by an evil magician she was pitted against a creature of her opposing nature, to touch the salamander could be to destroy all of Scotland, and yet, she feels drawn to her, tempted beyond anything she has felt before. Against her better judgement she seeks Gloria out again in hope to protect others from suffering a similar imprisonment, and instead finds herself caught up in a quest for revenge. Can she cool Gloria's temper and douse the growing attraction, or will her loved ones be caught in the power game as two covens seek the elementals' powers for their own? With so much at stake, is she even aware of the real danger threatening to consume her?
Packed with action and legends Desprite Measures is a well paced urban fantasy which starts slow and builds up momentum driven by the characters' own desires and ambitions, between the evil Liam to the passionate Cassie you'll find an array of colourful characters. The book itself has merit with a lot of mythology intricately woven into it to add spirit and charm to the tale. There are some adult scenes, but they don't dominate the story, although myth, obsession and lust certianly play a large part of it.
Packed with action and legends Desprite Measures is a well paced urban fantasy which starts slow and builds up momentum driven by the characters' own desires and ambitions, between the evil Liam to the passionate Cassie you'll find an array of colourful characters. The book itself has merit with a lot of mythology intricately woven into it to add spirit and charm to the tale. There are some adult scenes, but they don't dominate the story, although myth, obsession and lust certianly play a large part of it.
March 16, 2014
Elementals who are into F/f sex is definitely going to catch my attention. There are parts to this story which I enjoyed and other parts which just didn't work for me. This is why it ended up with a 2.5 rating.
First, Ms. Jay is a good writer. From a technical perspective, she wrote a good plot with a clear beginning, middle and end. The resolution to her conflict was also quite well done. From a writing rating, this is more a 3.5 star.
Second, the genre Ms. Jay dives into is one I really enjoy. Her creativity in the Elementals, how they interact and the magic in this story worked for me too. Specifically, I love anything with water. A water sprite is definitely a character I can enjoy. I would have rated it a 3.5 star based on these too.
The problem for me were the characters. One of the downfalls for me is that I have issues with stories when I start to loathe the characters. When I loose respect for the main character, it is also a sign of trouble. To be clear, this is a personal preference. I didn't hate this book. It ended up being a little bit more than just okay for me. I couldn't quite consider it a 3 star which is - "I liked it". Here's why.
I liked Cassie. From the get go, she's pretty cool. She's calm if a bit naive at times. I didn't mind this piece. I liked how she wasn't human. I understand why in the end she becomes more "human-like" and this change did stay true to how her character evolved. What really pissed me off were the secondary characters. Really, people who have known her for years and ones she's supported go off on her because of 1 little thing? What kind of friends are these? I really wanted Cassie to just say, "FUCK IT! GO to hell all y'all." Because they didn't deserve her loyalty or friendship. She's better without these people. The ease of which they turned on Cassie made me sick to my stomach and then completely outraged. What made it worse was Cassie's guilt and buy in that she was in the wrong. (For the record, in my opinion she was not. They were the fucked up assholes.) I couldn't understand their responses.
The sex in this story is close to non-existent for me. There is a little bit of F/f here which didn't do anything for me. I thought it would be more exciting but it was rather emotionless and completely un-arousing. For a fire elemental, I guess I expected more passion. The most passion I saw from Cassie's crush, the fire elemental, was when her vampire lover expired. That was a bit sad. But honestly, the fire elemental did nothing for me. She's only good for being tied down and fucked in the ass. Okay, perhaps a bit of spanking too since she did have a luscious behind. I digress.
Overall the story did not move me. It was frustrating at times and the characters' attitude and behaviours other than Cassie's bothered me. My lack of engagement and disgust with the cast of characters is what brought this story down for me. What also surprised me is how melodramatic some of the characters acted. This kind of drama is more associated with young adult books which is not a favourite genre of mine.
This is recommended for paranormal lovers who enjoy a bit of YA drama.
*provided by the Author through PaC Romance group
First, Ms. Jay is a good writer. From a technical perspective, she wrote a good plot with a clear beginning, middle and end. The resolution to her conflict was also quite well done. From a writing rating, this is more a 3.5 star.
Second, the genre Ms. Jay dives into is one I really enjoy. Her creativity in the Elementals, how they interact and the magic in this story worked for me too. Specifically, I love anything with water. A water sprite is definitely a character I can enjoy. I would have rated it a 3.5 star based on these too.
The problem for me were the characters. One of the downfalls for me is that I have issues with stories when I start to loathe the characters. When I loose respect for the main character, it is also a sign of trouble. To be clear, this is a personal preference. I didn't hate this book. It ended up being a little bit more than just okay for me. I couldn't quite consider it a 3 star which is - "I liked it". Here's why.
I liked Cassie. From the get go, she's pretty cool. She's calm if a bit naive at times. I didn't mind this piece. I liked how she wasn't human. I understand why in the end she becomes more "human-like" and this change did stay true to how her character evolved. What really pissed me off were the secondary characters. Really, people who have known her for years and ones she's supported go off on her because of 1 little thing? What kind of friends are these? I really wanted Cassie to just say, "FUCK IT! GO to hell all y'all." Because they didn't deserve her loyalty or friendship. She's better without these people. The ease of which they turned on Cassie made me sick to my stomach and then completely outraged. What made it worse was Cassie's guilt and buy in that she was in the wrong. (For the record, in my opinion she was not. They were the fucked up assholes.) I couldn't understand their responses.
The sex in this story is close to non-existent for me. There is a little bit of F/f here which didn't do anything for me. I thought it would be more exciting but it was rather emotionless and completely un-arousing. For a fire elemental, I guess I expected more passion. The most passion I saw from Cassie's crush, the fire elemental, was when her vampire lover expired. That was a bit sad. But honestly, the fire elemental did nothing for me. She's only good for being tied down and fucked in the ass. Okay, perhaps a bit of spanking too since she did have a luscious behind. I digress.
Overall the story did not move me. It was frustrating at times and the characters' attitude and behaviours other than Cassie's bothered me. My lack of engagement and disgust with the cast of characters is what brought this story down for me. What also surprised me is how melodramatic some of the characters acted. This kind of drama is more associated with young adult books which is not a favourite genre of mine.
This is recommended for paranormal lovers who enjoy a bit of YA drama.
*provided by the Author through PaC Romance group
January 6, 2015
This book was refreshing because I was able to read about new creatures that I haven't often read about. Sprites. Cassie is a water sprite and I really enjoyed her character.
The scenes of the book were well written and described in enough detail to give me a clear picture. The story flowed well and there was plenty of action to keep me turning the page to see what happened next. The characters were unique and well designed.
I enjoyed learning about the sprites/elementals and how they adapt and survive in the world. I really enjoyed Cassie's pet and the fact that she made it a priority to not only save the animals but to preserve the natural environment.
There were two very minor things that seemed a bit out of place. The first one being the fact that Cassie had such a strong desire to save the evil magician instead of killing him. If I was in her place, I would definitely want to know he was in a place that he could no longer hurt me. I am wondering though if this was truly Cassie or if she was under some sort of spell from the magician. It just seems to me that a sprite that doesn't have human emotions sure shouldn't care about an evil man who is trying to kill not just her but other elementals. This is why I am thinking she was under a spell, and maybe I just didn't catch that part.
The second thing was the obsession for Gloria. It was okay most of the time, I can understand the overwhelming desire to want what you can't have. Although, sometimes it just seemed slightly out of place or out of character for Cassie. These were both very minor things and more personal opinion or preference.
The story is written well and the author had some very unique and creative concepts that I really enjoyed. I will definitely read more from this author and can't wait to see Cassie in her next adventures.
The scenes of the book were well written and described in enough detail to give me a clear picture. The story flowed well and there was plenty of action to keep me turning the page to see what happened next. The characters were unique and well designed.
I enjoyed learning about the sprites/elementals and how they adapt and survive in the world. I really enjoyed Cassie's pet and the fact that she made it a priority to not only save the animals but to preserve the natural environment.
There were two very minor things that seemed a bit out of place. The first one being the fact that Cassie had such a strong desire to save the evil magician instead of killing him. If I was in her place, I would definitely want to know he was in a place that he could no longer hurt me. I am wondering though if this was truly Cassie or if she was under some sort of spell from the magician. It just seems to me that a sprite that doesn't have human emotions sure shouldn't care about an evil man who is trying to kill not just her but other elementals. This is why I am thinking she was under a spell, and maybe I just didn't catch that part.
The second thing was the obsession for Gloria. It was okay most of the time, I can understand the overwhelming desire to want what you can't have. Although, sometimes it just seemed slightly out of place or out of character for Cassie. These were both very minor things and more personal opinion or preference.
The story is written well and the author had some very unique and creative concepts that I really enjoyed. I will definitely read more from this author and can't wait to see Cassie in her next adventures.
December 3, 2014
First thing first.
There is a vampire in this book and he can’t tolerate the sunlight.
I like to get these kind of facts in the open right away so that if you are like my husband you will at least consent to hear about the rest book. Some people, are so touchy about these things. I mean seriously, what’s wrong with a little sparkle now and then?
But I digress.
Vampires, elementals, witches, fey… There are loads of creatures in this book living alongside humans in the Scottish Highlands – which is the best part of the book. Not just that they exist, but that they do so with a fairly well thought out strategy of how the creatures live aside humans and why they act the way they do. Fantastic for people like my vampire persnickety husband who can then just enjoy the story without shaking their heads too much over the technicalities. Even better, the author fits that information into the writing smoothly enough that the book doesn’t bog itself down with the details. Well some of the details. Apparently elementals need DNA to support a human guise and sometimes a girls gotta do whom a girls gotta do in order to get some… DNA…
Would I recommend it? This book is good! It’s quick and fun, with a well written, solid plot. If I weren’t warming my toes by the fire and battened down for cold weather I’d call this a perfect beach read!
Be warned, if you search for this book search engines everywhere will try hard to convince you that you mean “desperate measures” don’t believe them!
This honest review was given in return for a free copy of the book from its author.
There is a vampire in this book and he can’t tolerate the sunlight.
I like to get these kind of facts in the open right away so that if you are like my husband you will at least consent to hear about the rest book. Some people, are so touchy about these things. I mean seriously, what’s wrong with a little sparkle now and then?
But I digress.
Vampires, elementals, witches, fey… There are loads of creatures in this book living alongside humans in the Scottish Highlands – which is the best part of the book. Not just that they exist, but that they do so with a fairly well thought out strategy of how the creatures live aside humans and why they act the way they do. Fantastic for people like my vampire persnickety husband who can then just enjoy the story without shaking their heads too much over the technicalities. Even better, the author fits that information into the writing smoothly enough that the book doesn’t bog itself down with the details. Well some of the details. Apparently elementals need DNA to support a human guise and sometimes a girls gotta do whom a girls gotta do in order to get some… DNA…
Would I recommend it? This book is good! It’s quick and fun, with a well written, solid plot. If I weren’t warming my toes by the fire and battened down for cold weather I’d call this a perfect beach read!
Be warned, if you search for this book search engines everywhere will try hard to convince you that you mean “desperate measures” don’t believe them!
This honest review was given in return for a free copy of the book from its author.
March 23, 2015
Looking Forward to the Rest of the Series!
Deborah Jay sure knows her stuff on elementals, Wicca, and her beautiful home of Scotland! I loved the links to pictures and information on the beautiful areas of Scotland where Cassie, the main character, makes her home as a human. I found that the icing on the cake for a fun, romantic/erotic story with all the trimmings.
Cassie, as a water sprite, may have a few mix-ups in her transformations, but she's pretty much got it down to a science. She understands humans well...except for the concept of love. Her silkie lover Euan is as clueless as Cassie, but thus is their nature and freedom as mystical, mythical creatures.
Cassie finds herself captured and stalked by a crafty magician who is intent on mixing fire and water, literally, combining two elements that were never meant to mix. But what does Cassie do when she is lustfully attracted to Gloria, the fire elemental? Could this be love? Cassie wonders. I'll never tell!
Jay's lush, vivid descriptions and whimsical style of writing seems so easy and carefree, you swirl through the watery bliss with Cassie and cheer her on when she gets stuck between realities or forms, so to speak. This is true craftsmanship. The hard work and dedicated research to achieve this type of smooth storytelling is a work of art.
Deborah Jay sure knows her stuff on elementals, Wicca, and her beautiful home of Scotland! I loved the links to pictures and information on the beautiful areas of Scotland where Cassie, the main character, makes her home as a human. I found that the icing on the cake for a fun, romantic/erotic story with all the trimmings.
Cassie, as a water sprite, may have a few mix-ups in her transformations, but she's pretty much got it down to a science. She understands humans well...except for the concept of love. Her silkie lover Euan is as clueless as Cassie, but thus is their nature and freedom as mystical, mythical creatures.
Cassie finds herself captured and stalked by a crafty magician who is intent on mixing fire and water, literally, combining two elements that were never meant to mix. But what does Cassie do when she is lustfully attracted to Gloria, the fire elemental? Could this be love? Cassie wonders. I'll never tell!
Jay's lush, vivid descriptions and whimsical style of writing seems so easy and carefree, you swirl through the watery bliss with Cassie and cheer her on when she gets stuck between realities or forms, so to speak. This is true craftsmanship. The hard work and dedicated research to achieve this type of smooth storytelling is a work of art.
April 18, 2014
I admit that the story was written well and the pace was okay but I did not like Cassie. Sure, I kind of her like to through the first part of the book but as I read it through I began to dislike her character. Although her character may seem realistic she began to annoy me especially her decision about the antagonist. The other is her is obsession for Gloria, the fire elemental. It's always about Gloria and it was annoying. I actually felt pity for her when she and Gloria hooked up because although she may feel something from an outsider's pov it seemed nothing. She was better off with her other lover. But what I like about this concept are the elementals and the other supernaturals although I guess there were some that need not be included in Cassie world's. Another think I dislike is that Cassie's friend suck big time. I wonder why she's even friends with them when they treated her like that. That's the only thing I like about Cassie. She is a true friend.
But beside that this series has a potential to be even more.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review (LoP or Lovers of Paranormal)
But beside that this series has a potential to be even more.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review (LoP or Lovers of Paranormal)
August 10, 2014
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review (LoP or Lovers of Paranormal).
Desprite Measures is the story of Cassie, a water sprite, out living her life among the human population of Scotland. She has a tight circle of friends, a good job, and a boyfriend. One day her life gets turned upside down when a magician kidnaps her and a fire elemental named Gloria as pawns in a nefarious plot.
I would categorize this book as a good summer read. The writing is enjoyable, to the point, and lends itself to a quick read. Cassie is your typical feisty blond who tends to fall in love too easily and for the wrong reasons, which makes her relatable. There are a few steamy sex scenes. Of course, you have the inclusion of the paranormal themes with the elementals, selkies, witches, and vampires floating around. It was an interesting take on a paranormal romance due to the mix of beings. Personally, I wanted more insight into how the other creatures, aside from Cassie, find life among the humans and deal with the nuances that come with their paranormal species. I felt there needed to be more backstory.
Desprite Measures is the story of Cassie, a water sprite, out living her life among the human population of Scotland. She has a tight circle of friends, a good job, and a boyfriend. One day her life gets turned upside down when a magician kidnaps her and a fire elemental named Gloria as pawns in a nefarious plot.
I would categorize this book as a good summer read. The writing is enjoyable, to the point, and lends itself to a quick read. Cassie is your typical feisty blond who tends to fall in love too easily and for the wrong reasons, which makes her relatable. There are a few steamy sex scenes. Of course, you have the inclusion of the paranormal themes with the elementals, selkies, witches, and vampires floating around. It was an interesting take on a paranormal romance due to the mix of beings. Personally, I wanted more insight into how the other creatures, aside from Cassie, find life among the humans and deal with the nuances that come with their paranormal species. I felt there needed to be more backstory.
November 9, 2014
Desprite Measures has a terrific book cover for a start. This is a fantasy tale set in Scotland. Cassie is a water sprite an immortal element who has chosen to form a human existence in the last few hundred years. She enjoys the interaction with humans and they in turn help her exist.
We first meet her trapped in a dangerous and confusing situation in the hands of a magician, using her relationship with water she saves the situation and makes a lucky escape, but finds herself and her friends are in danger as the magician pursues them and their energies.
The first half of the book built up slowly, introducing us to the characters and teasing us with hints of what was to come. For me the book took off in the second half with lots of action. I liked the different witches and their covens. Gloria and Alistair both had great roles and I really enjoyed the astral plane and my own imagination filled in unanswered questions at the end as to who Michael could have been.
A fun slow burner with potential for a sequel.
We first meet her trapped in a dangerous and confusing situation in the hands of a magician, using her relationship with water she saves the situation and makes a lucky escape, but finds herself and her friends are in danger as the magician pursues them and their energies.
The first half of the book built up slowly, introducing us to the characters and teasing us with hints of what was to come. For me the book took off in the second half with lots of action. I liked the different witches and their covens. Gloria and Alistair both had great roles and I really enjoyed the astral plane and my own imagination filled in unanswered questions at the end as to who Michael could have been.
A fun slow burner with potential for a sequel.
January 11, 2015
Desprite Measures is a wonderfully unique urban fantasy. The combination of elementals, shifters (selkies) and casters made this an interesting and throughly enjoyable read. I thought Cassie was likeable and relatable, despite being a sprite, I only wish I had her flawless complexion! All things considered, Cassie is relatively normal with human friends and worries, albeit a little quirky, and I really liked that about her.
The physiology of the elementals was fascinating and very well thought out. I particularly liked Cassie's habit of stealing DNA from her client's towels, both practical and brilliant. This is my first urban fantasy that deals with elementals and I haven't been disappointed.
I found this story to be well written and paced. It's the kind of book you can enjoy in an afternoon, it just sucks you in.
*This book was provided to me by the Author through the PaC Romance group in exchange for an honest review.
The physiology of the elementals was fascinating and very well thought out. I particularly liked Cassie's habit of stealing DNA from her client's towels, both practical and brilliant. This is my first urban fantasy that deals with elementals and I haven't been disappointed.
I found this story to be well written and paced. It's the kind of book you can enjoy in an afternoon, it just sucks you in.
*This book was provided to me by the Author through the PaC Romance group in exchange for an honest review.
June 1, 2015
Meet Cassie Lake, the loveable water sprite. She's an elemental who has the ability to transform herself to human form. Cassie is often caught between two worlds; experiencing the emotions of love and compassion as a human, while out of her water form.
In the beginning, Cassie meets Gloria, her polar opposite. Gloria is a fire element. They both are trapped by the magician Liam who wants to experiment with their elements, which would have detrimental consequences if he succeeded by having the two elementals touch.
In a clever ploy, the two escape and the story continues with Cassie's quest to stop the mad magician with the help of Gloria and some other wonderful characters such as witches, vampires, and Eusan the silkie, from seeking them out to carry out his plans.
One can't help but to cheer Cassie on after encountering so many predicaments in her quest to save the Loch in Scotland from exploding by the hands of Liam.
In the beginning, Cassie meets Gloria, her polar opposite. Gloria is a fire element. They both are trapped by the magician Liam who wants to experiment with their elements, which would have detrimental consequences if he succeeded by having the two elementals touch.
In a clever ploy, the two escape and the story continues with Cassie's quest to stop the mad magician with the help of Gloria and some other wonderful characters such as witches, vampires, and Eusan the silkie, from seeking them out to carry out his plans.
One can't help but to cheer Cassie on after encountering so many predicaments in her quest to save the Loch in Scotland from exploding by the hands of Liam.
March 20, 2014
This fantasy novel was so good! I fell in love with the cover which is why I wanted to read Desprite Measures in the first place and I am so glad that I read it. It was so enjoyable. Definitely a new one for me as I have not seen any books on the Elementals before. I laughed and worried and shhhh I even had a few tears escape without my permission. I absolutely loved Deborah Jay's novel and so cant wait to read more from her. If you like stories about faeries, you just might like this book. No its not faeries....but its really really good! Definitely give it a read.
January 6, 2014
This is definitely a four star review. Other than a few bits (which any reader is always going to have different views on) that irritated me, the story was overall delightful, and I will most definitely be picking up the second one.
You can read my full review on this book on my blog Here
Beware there are slight spoilers, but nothing major.
You can read my full review on this book on my blog Here
Beware there are slight spoilers, but nothing major.
November 29, 2015
I love the character of Cassie. I love reading about her home and her life. I loved all the pictures this book gave me. I'd love to visit Scotland someday. A Water Sprite is one I read about very often so this was a nice change for me. This book has lots of great elements for me to enjoy. You should check it out and see what you think. * I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
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August 9, 2016I beta read this earlier this year. Would want to read again before reviewing properly.
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