What do you think?
Rate this book
Dragon Born Serafina #1
Mercenary Magic
Long ago, the Dragon Born were hailed as the most powerful mages in the world. Today, they are condemned as abominations and have been hunted to near extinction. Sera Dering has spent her entire life hiding her forbidden magic from the supernatural council who would kill her for the crime of being born. After years of drifting, she's finally found a new life working as a low-grade mercenary for San Francisco's oldest monster cleanup guild. She's safe-as long as she pretends to be human. But a dark and mysterious power is taking control of mages' minds, and Sera's guild sends her in to investigate. To save her city from a magical apocalypse, she must work together with a sexy and deadly mage who represents the very council that sentenced the Dragon Born to death. And if he finds out what she is, she'll be next...
224 pages, Paperback
First published October 13, 2015
803 people are currently reading
2404 people want to read
About the author
Ella Summers
66 books1,425 followersElla Summers has been writing stories for as long as she could read; she's been coming up with tall tales even longer than that. One of her early year masterpieces was a story about a pigtailed princess and her dragon sidekick. Nowadays, she still writes fantasy. She likes books with layered plots, lots of action and adventure, and a touch of romance. When she is not busy writing or spending time with her two young children, she makes the world safe by fighting robots.
Originally from the U.S., Ella currently resides in Switzerland. She is the author of Sorcery and Science, a fantasy adventure series set in a world splintered by magic and technology.
Originally from the U.S., Ella currently resides in Switzerland. She is the author of Sorcery and Science, a fantasy adventure series set in a world splintered by magic and technology.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 219 reviews
April 16, 2019
Mercenary Magic is book one in the Dragon Born Serafina series by Ella Summers. We are treated to lots of action, magic, and a budding romance. It’s a fast paced read.
I very much enjoy the Legion of Angels series by Ella Summers and so, deiced to try out some of her other series. Dragon Born Serafina is a great start to the series. It’s got potential.
We are treated to a little mystery where a dark and mysterious power is taking control of mages’ minds, and Sera’s guild has sent her in to investigate. As for the villains they were a bit too obvious and their motives was lacking, but still this plot was entertaining.
Kai and Sera are interesting, but they also felt a little flat. Sera is strong and resolute, but she lacked depth. She’s spent her entire life hiding her forbidden magic from the supernatural council who would kill her for the crime of being born.
I did enjoyed the introduction into the world and characters. I liked Kai and Sera together. Kai won’t give up until he discovers the magic that he can sense in Sera. The romance is a slow build and is in that sexual tension faze.
The Dragon Born is an interesting concept and we learn a little about them, but their is more to discover.
The one thing I didn’t get is that Sera’s been hiding her whole life and at the end the Council knows she has powers and will be testing her. Why doesn’t she disappear again? Why stay? I’m confused on this part.
All and all Mercenary Magic was a delightful read and I’m looking forward to the next and seeing where things go.
Rated: 3.5 Stars
I very much enjoy the Legion of Angels series by Ella Summers and so, deiced to try out some of her other series. Dragon Born Serafina is a great start to the series. It’s got potential.
We are treated to a little mystery where a dark and mysterious power is taking control of mages’ minds, and Sera’s guild has sent her in to investigate. As for the villains they were a bit too obvious and their motives was lacking, but still this plot was entertaining.
Kai and Sera are interesting, but they also felt a little flat. Sera is strong and resolute, but she lacked depth. She’s spent her entire life hiding her forbidden magic from the supernatural council who would kill her for the crime of being born.
I did enjoyed the introduction into the world and characters. I liked Kai and Sera together. Kai won’t give up until he discovers the magic that he can sense in Sera. The romance is a slow build and is in that sexual tension faze.
The Dragon Born is an interesting concept and we learn a little about them, but their is more to discover.
The one thing I didn’t get is that Sera’s been hiding her whole life and at the end the Council knows she has powers and will be testing her. Why doesn’t she disappear again? Why stay? I’m confused on this part.
All and all Mercenary Magic was a delightful read and I’m looking forward to the next and seeing where things go.
Rated: 3.5 Stars
October 9, 2016
Sera Dering, is a mercenary working for Mayhem, San Francisco's oldest guild for dealing with wayward magical creatures and mages. Relying on her combat skills, Sera deals with bloodthirsty vampires, warring centaurs and unstable mages to pay for her younger brother, Riley's tuition bills.
Despite her demeaning jobs, Sera's hiding the fact that she is a Dragon Born, one of the most powerful mage types in the world and a secret that will condemn her to death if the Magic Council finds out.
After a series of mages were forcibly compelled into causing destruction, Sera is recruited by Kai, a powerful elemental mage who is part of the prominent Drachenburg Dynasty to help him investigate the mages. As luck would have it, Kai is a member of the Magical Council and aware that there's a magical element to Sera's skill, which he is determined to uncover - an act that could get Sera killed.
I think this book has a lot of potential, Mercenary Magic had really enchanting worldspace - I loved reading about Kai and Sera running after all these magical creatures through the streets of San Francisco. But I think, the characters fell flat, which is the main reason that I'm giving this book a three instead of a four. I loved how strong and resolute Sera, but she and the characters around her lacked depth that failed to draw me into her life and the banter she shared with the people around her. Similarly, the villain was a bit obvious and one-dimensional.
But that being said, I think this series has a huge potential so I will definitely read the next book. Mercenary Magic had a simple storyline and standard characters, but I think that the next book will most likely develop these characters and Mercenary Magic as the first book, established the premise for the series.
I really enjoyed Kai and Sera's connection, it began initially with Kai wanting to discover the powerful magic that he could sense in Sera and slowly developed into sexual tension between the two. The romance in Mercenary Magic is fairly clean as it doesn't really progress beyond the tension, but again its something that I can see definitely progressing in the next books in the series.
Mercenary Magic was an easy read with a lot of action, magic and romance, although it was lacking in a couple of ways, I will definitely read the next book, because I think it has a lot of potential.
Despite her demeaning jobs, Sera's hiding the fact that she is a Dragon Born, one of the most powerful mage types in the world and a secret that will condemn her to death if the Magic Council finds out.
After a series of mages were forcibly compelled into causing destruction, Sera is recruited by Kai, a powerful elemental mage who is part of the prominent Drachenburg Dynasty to help him investigate the mages. As luck would have it, Kai is a member of the Magical Council and aware that there's a magical element to Sera's skill, which he is determined to uncover - an act that could get Sera killed.
I think this book has a lot of potential, Mercenary Magic had really enchanting worldspace - I loved reading about Kai and Sera running after all these magical creatures through the streets of San Francisco. But I think, the characters fell flat, which is the main reason that I'm giving this book a three instead of a four. I loved how strong and resolute Sera, but she and the characters around her lacked depth that failed to draw me into her life and the banter she shared with the people around her. Similarly, the villain was a bit obvious and one-dimensional.
But that being said, I think this series has a huge potential so I will definitely read the next book. Mercenary Magic had a simple storyline and standard characters, but I think that the next book will most likely develop these characters and Mercenary Magic as the first book, established the premise for the series.
I really enjoyed Kai and Sera's connection, it began initially with Kai wanting to discover the powerful magic that he could sense in Sera and slowly developed into sexual tension between the two. The romance in Mercenary Magic is fairly clean as it doesn't really progress beyond the tension, but again its something that I can see definitely progressing in the next books in the series.
Mercenary Magic was an easy read with a lot of action, magic and romance, although it was lacking in a couple of ways, I will definitely read the next book, because I think it has a lot of potential.
January 10, 2017
This was pretty entertaining, I'm all in for reading the next couple books.
Unfortunately, it wasn't very original.
I have said this about a couple of other urban fanatsy series so I hate to repeat myself but I got way too many Kate Daniels vibe here.
Now by Kate Daniels, I don't just mean badass Kate and Curran's cute furry shifterass, I mean the entirety of the Kate Daniels series plot.
The dead father who made sure these women knew their way around a sword and gave away free one way passes to painsville.
The mystery within their "blood" and/or "magic", that were anybody to find out would mean their lives and so must be a secret best taken to their graves.
The hot as hell shifter -kitty or dragon which ever you prefer- so powerful none like him have ever been seen for a really long time, meets our h, of course there's lust a first sight but intrigue/curiosity trumps said lust cause our crazy as all shit get out h decides to take a stand and show these big bad shifters who really is the boss.
Do you see where I'm going with this...?
STILL, I loved Kate and Curran and so I don't particulary mind the copycatish thing that's going on. I just don't care.
I'm having a good time reading this and at the end of the day that's all that really matters so,
On to the next book!
Enjoy!
November 28, 2015
Kindle Unlimited series
I almost put this down in the first ten pages and I'm glad I didn't, within the next ten pages I was in.
I almost put this down in the first ten pages and I'm glad I didn't, within the next ten pages I was in.
February 28, 2021
Mercenary Magic was an interesting book with some entertaining moments throughout it. In it, you will meet Sera. If the title doesn't give it away already, she is a mercenary and works for the oldest guild in San Fran - Mayhem. The characters she deals with and works with were amusing at times.. but it seemed like this plot was following the very familiar formula like so many books out there do.
Don't get me wrong, I liked the book and the characters.. but it wasn't that original to me. Which I get. If the formula works.. it works. I just think reading the same storyline over and over again is repetitive and boring. I'll still try it out though because maybe one thing will be different and change my overall opinion.. it just didn't happen with this one.
Sad face.
There are definitely things that I liked about Sera because she was sort of mysterious about a few things. Yet, I just knew secrets were going to come out at one point. So I was just sitting and waiting around for someone to figure out that she is dragon born.
If I do end up diving into the next book, I'm hoping that there's a bit more character growth between Sera and Kai, who she ends up working with (sort of). Also if the villains could be a bit more.. ya know more. Evil. Destructive. Original. Entertaining. Just more more.
Don't get me wrong, I liked the book and the characters.. but it wasn't that original to me. Which I get. If the formula works.. it works. I just think reading the same storyline over and over again is repetitive and boring. I'll still try it out though because maybe one thing will be different and change my overall opinion.. it just didn't happen with this one.
Sad face.
There are definitely things that I liked about Sera because she was sort of mysterious about a few things. Yet, I just knew secrets were going to come out at one point. So I was just sitting and waiting around for someone to figure out that she is dragon born.
If I do end up diving into the next book, I'm hoping that there's a bit more character growth between Sera and Kai, who she ends up working with (sort of). Also if the villains could be a bit more.. ya know more. Evil. Destructive. Original. Entertaining. Just more more.
November 14, 2015
Synopsis:
Long ago, the Dragon Born were hailed as the most powerful mages in the world. Today, they are condemned as abominations and have been hunted to near extinction.
Sera Dering has spent her entire life hiding her forbidden magic from the supernatural council who would kill her for the crime of being born. After years of drifting, she’s finally found a new life working as a low-grade mercenary for San Francisco’s oldest monster cleanup guild. She’s safe—as long as she pretends to be human.
But a dark and mysterious power is taking control of mages’ minds, and Sera’s guild sends her in to investigate. To save her city from a magical apocalypse, she must work together with a sexy and deadly mage who represents the very council that sentenced the Dragon Born to death. And if he finds out what she is, she’ll be next…
Mercenary Magic is the first book in the Dragon Born Serafina urban fantasy series.
The Dragon Born Series The Dragon Born Serafina and Dragon Born Alexandria sister series can be read independently or together. Suggested reading order: Mercenary Magic (Dragon Born Serafina, Book 1) Magic Edge (Dragon Born Alexandria, Book 1) And more books coming soon...
My Thoughts:
I liked this one. It was pretty fast paced and it isn't too long, so it doesn't take all that long to read it. While I can't think of a series off of the top of my head that this reminds me of, the book isn't that different from the majority of the books in the UF and PNR genres. I think that I mainly liked it because it was so in line with those. You have the heroine who is not the human that she's pretending to be with a secret to hide because should it be expose, she's very likely to be put to death and the overbearing alpha male that won't take no for an answer.
Right off, knowing Sera has a secret means she's going to be put into a situation where the secret will come out. Also, because the world at large knows about the supernatural and go batshit crazy over anything magical, it's likely she'll be caught on film doing something magical. If that doesn't happen, then some overbearing man will show up and try to convince her to use the magic he knows she has and she'll end up doing it because they end up in a life or death situation. This is pretty much what happens. It was fun to read, just not very original.
I like Sera because she was sassy and smart-mouthed and that's how I like my MCs. It doesn't make her any different from most heroines, but it's a personality type that I like. I'm not sure how I feel about Kai, yet. He's very persistent, but then, he is practically a dragon. He can be really overbearing, though and he's definitely not very in tune with "the little people." For Kai, being a part of the most power magical dynasty definitely colors his views on things. Also, I don't know what the mean would do with his magic as he uses it for practically everything. I wouldn't mind him getting humbled a bit. There's no sex in this book, but Sera and Kai definitely want to have sex with each other. Sera isn't completely sold on the idea because she figures she's just one more woman in a long string of flings for Kai based on a reaction his secretary had to seeing them making out in his office. Of course, Kai seems determined to give Sera no space and promptly invites himself over to her house to hang out with her little brother Riley again.
The villains were a bit too obvious for me and their motivation was lacking. They were just power hungry and the way they went about gaining their power made them crazy. Of course, that storyline isn't completely done with as some of them are still on the loose.
And now of course, the dreaded Magic Council is poking their noses into things because they've discovered Sera has magic and they want her to be tested. So the next book will likely be about Kai training Sera for the Magic Games and Sera trying to survive her test while trying not to succumb to Kai's charms. I'll likely check it out as this book entertained me enough that I was able to finish it and lately, that has been becoming a rare thing for me to do.
There's also a companion series about Sera's twin sister Alex, but I can't decide if I want to try it. I'm sure they must be different from each other in some way, but I'm not sure how since Sera and Alex are hiding the same secret with the same consequences. Sera has partially exposed herself now, so I do wonder how that will affect Alex.
Long ago, the Dragon Born were hailed as the most powerful mages in the world. Today, they are condemned as abominations and have been hunted to near extinction.
Sera Dering has spent her entire life hiding her forbidden magic from the supernatural council who would kill her for the crime of being born. After years of drifting, she’s finally found a new life working as a low-grade mercenary for San Francisco’s oldest monster cleanup guild. She’s safe—as long as she pretends to be human.
But a dark and mysterious power is taking control of mages’ minds, and Sera’s guild sends her in to investigate. To save her city from a magical apocalypse, she must work together with a sexy and deadly mage who represents the very council that sentenced the Dragon Born to death. And if he finds out what she is, she’ll be next…
Mercenary Magic is the first book in the Dragon Born Serafina urban fantasy series.
The Dragon Born Series The Dragon Born Serafina and Dragon Born Alexandria sister series can be read independently or together. Suggested reading order: Mercenary Magic (Dragon Born Serafina, Book 1) Magic Edge (Dragon Born Alexandria, Book 1) And more books coming soon...
My Thoughts:
I liked this one. It was pretty fast paced and it isn't too long, so it doesn't take all that long to read it. While I can't think of a series off of the top of my head that this reminds me of, the book isn't that different from the majority of the books in the UF and PNR genres. I think that I mainly liked it because it was so in line with those. You have the heroine who is not the human that she's pretending to be with a secret to hide because should it be expose, she's very likely to be put to death and the overbearing alpha male that won't take no for an answer.
Right off, knowing Sera has a secret means she's going to be put into a situation where the secret will come out. Also, because the world at large knows about the supernatural and go batshit crazy over anything magical, it's likely she'll be caught on film doing something magical. If that doesn't happen, then some overbearing man will show up and try to convince her to use the magic he knows she has and she'll end up doing it because they end up in a life or death situation. This is pretty much what happens. It was fun to read, just not very original.
I like Sera because she was sassy and smart-mouthed and that's how I like my MCs. It doesn't make her any different from most heroines, but it's a personality type that I like. I'm not sure how I feel about Kai, yet. He's very persistent, but then, he is practically a dragon. He can be really overbearing, though and he's definitely not very in tune with "the little people." For Kai, being a part of the most power magical dynasty definitely colors his views on things. Also, I don't know what the mean would do with his magic as he uses it for practically everything. I wouldn't mind him getting humbled a bit. There's no sex in this book, but Sera and Kai definitely want to have sex with each other. Sera isn't completely sold on the idea because she figures she's just one more woman in a long string of flings for Kai based on a reaction his secretary had to seeing them making out in his office. Of course, Kai seems determined to give Sera no space and promptly invites himself over to her house to hang out with her little brother Riley again.
The villains were a bit too obvious for me and their motivation was lacking. They were just power hungry and the way they went about gaining their power made them crazy. Of course, that storyline isn't completely done with as some of them are still on the loose.
And now of course, the dreaded Magic Council is poking their noses into things because they've discovered Sera has magic and they want her to be tested. So the next book will likely be about Kai training Sera for the Magic Games and Sera trying to survive her test while trying not to succumb to Kai's charms. I'll likely check it out as this book entertained me enough that I was able to finish it and lately, that has been becoming a rare thing for me to do.
There's also a companion series about Sera's twin sister Alex, but I can't decide if I want to try it. I'm sure they must be different from each other in some way, but I'm not sure how since Sera and Alex are hiding the same secret with the same consequences. Sera has partially exposed herself now, so I do wonder how that will affect Alex.
July 22, 2025
short, fast-paced, minimal brain activity required, and entertaining?? sign me up!! bonus points for being published before booktok was a thing! also yes i have read pretty much all of ella summers' books wayyy back when but im going through them again since it's been so long
July 8, 2019
3.5 stars
This is good, but it’s very bare bones. The events that happen are quick with minimal details, but the author sure does like to fluff up the word count by describing everything in rich detail. I’m sorry, for me I don’t really care about those things not 100% I do like mild details but my brain always automatically make a room however it likes it to be. With filling in some of the minor details.
Now the investigation is rather, not investigative really. The villains come to them almost every time. There wasn’t much super sleuthing.
Also I’m frustrated with Sera not telling Kai about herself now that she’s revealed her magic. But I also completely understand why she isn’t either. It’s been years of conditioning on her part.
I’m interested in the series, but I don’t want to read in the reading order suggested because I don’t like swapping people. I end up all confused and such.
So we shall see.
This is definitely different. But I’m sorta on the fence.
This is good, but it’s very bare bones. The events that happen are quick with minimal details, but the author sure does like to fluff up the word count by describing everything in rich detail. I’m sorry, for me I don’t really care about those things not 100% I do like mild details but my brain always automatically make a room however it likes it to be. With filling in some of the minor details.
Now the investigation is rather, not investigative really. The villains come to them almost every time. There wasn’t much super sleuthing.
Also I’m frustrated with Sera not telling Kai about herself now that she’s revealed her magic. But I also completely understand why she isn’t either. It’s been years of conditioning on her part.
I’m interested in the series, but I don’t want to read in the reading order suggested because I don’t like swapping people. I end up all confused and such.
So we shall see.
This is definitely different. But I’m sorta on the fence.
May 19, 2017
CLUMSY, CLICHED AND POORLY EXECUTED
This poorly written novel tells the story of Serafina Dering, a powerful magical being with two souls operating in the standard cliche of having to hide her magic and her true state or be summarily slaughtered.
There is nothing wrong with writing within a classic fantasy trope, as long as you do it well. This book does not.
Firstly, it is very poorly written. The language and structuring of the dialogue and description of the action is jam packed with clumsily executed cliches. Consequently, the characters have no resonance in reality and come across like plastic petulant teenagers. It was very hard to engage with them. The action felt highly choreographed, sometimes illogical and not at all realistic, as well as being incredibly predictable. In fact some of it felt like a poor copy of similar action I had read in much better written novels.
I kept waiting for the writing to improve as the author warmed up to her task. I was doomed to disappointment. It only got worse until by a third of the way through reading on was a real exercise in determination and gritted teeth. A good editor could have solved a lot, but probably not all of the issues.
The book was also full of illogicalities and unlikelihoods. Good fiction takes the unreal and makes it feel real. This was just plain silly a lot of the time. For example, apparently the logical name for Sera's condition is dragon born, although as the author clearly states, this name has no bearing on what she is or how her magic works. This is highly confusing from the start because dragons appear every where in the book. If you are hunted for being dragon born then why does the world embrace, almost worship dragons. They appear everywhere - as illusion and as the personality, then actual shifting capability of the main male protagonist. I'm still trying to figure out why having two souls makes you dragon born. The only explanation I can come up with so far is the author really likes dragons. Also there is no real evidence in the book of Sera having two souls. Apart from being told this makes her very magical, there is no sense of dual occupation, conflict, anything really. But then maybe I missed it due to the pain of the reading experience.
I do not recommend this book, unless you like reading a ménage of poorly written characters and action and a cliched and poorly executed plot.
This poorly written novel tells the story of Serafina Dering, a powerful magical being with two souls operating in the standard cliche of having to hide her magic and her true state or be summarily slaughtered.
There is nothing wrong with writing within a classic fantasy trope, as long as you do it well. This book does not.
Firstly, it is very poorly written. The language and structuring of the dialogue and description of the action is jam packed with clumsily executed cliches. Consequently, the characters have no resonance in reality and come across like plastic petulant teenagers. It was very hard to engage with them. The action felt highly choreographed, sometimes illogical and not at all realistic, as well as being incredibly predictable. In fact some of it felt like a poor copy of similar action I had read in much better written novels.
I kept waiting for the writing to improve as the author warmed up to her task. I was doomed to disappointment. It only got worse until by a third of the way through reading on was a real exercise in determination and gritted teeth. A good editor could have solved a lot, but probably not all of the issues.
The book was also full of illogicalities and unlikelihoods. Good fiction takes the unreal and makes it feel real. This was just plain silly a lot of the time. For example, apparently the logical name for Sera's condition is dragon born, although as the author clearly states, this name has no bearing on what she is or how her magic works. This is highly confusing from the start because dragons appear every where in the book. If you are hunted for being dragon born then why does the world embrace, almost worship dragons. They appear everywhere - as illusion and as the personality, then actual shifting capability of the main male protagonist. I'm still trying to figure out why having two souls makes you dragon born. The only explanation I can come up with so far is the author really likes dragons. Also there is no real evidence in the book of Sera having two souls. Apart from being told this makes her very magical, there is no sense of dual occupation, conflict, anything really. But then maybe I missed it due to the pain of the reading experience.
I do not recommend this book, unless you like reading a ménage of poorly written characters and action and a cliched and poorly executed plot.
December 20, 2015
I liked Kai. He was written well unlike some hot guys in books you read of this genre. I definitely like Riley. He humanizes Sera as her brother. His being a student and not a fighter makes Sera protective. Riley reads as someone you could hang out with easily. He challenges Sera which is good.
I am not a fan of Sera. Her character is not written well. There's nothing to hold on to in terms of her showing vulnerability. There's a void with her self talk, unless it's about Kai.
I should really root for her character. She fights well, and does it all without her magic. Yet, I don't. I hope the second book fleshes her character out more. I did like she was the heroine at the end which is so unlike other books.
Finn being a whackadoodle villian wasn't really exciting. I think the author could've made the villain someone entirely unknown, which would have made it exciting during the fight scenes at the end of the book. The entire fighting chapters came off as cartoonish imo.
I am going to read book 2. While this is not the worst book I've read, it's definitely not a fave. Kai makes the book worth reading. Happy reading!
I am not a fan of Sera. Her character is not written well. There's nothing to hold on to in terms of her showing vulnerability. There's a void with her self talk, unless it's about Kai.
I should really root for her character. She fights well, and does it all without her magic. Yet, I don't. I hope the second book fleshes her character out more. I did like she was the heroine at the end which is so unlike other books.
Finn being a whackadoodle villian wasn't really exciting. I think the author could've made the villain someone entirely unknown, which would have made it exciting during the fight scenes at the end of the book. The entire fighting chapters came off as cartoonish imo.
I am going to read book 2. While this is not the worst book I've read, it's definitely not a fave. Kai makes the book worth reading. Happy reading!
June 1, 2017
Great chemistry
Sera is my kind of woman. She is strong, smart, and has a lot of sass. Her life would be a lot easier if she wasn't dragon born. I am still confused about why the magic council hunts her kind. It sounds like they are just powerful twin mages. I would like to see more of her sister too. However, the chemistry between her and Kai more than makes up for my confusion. Kai is a rich and dominant mage with a lot of power, but he is also down to earth too.
Sera is my kind of woman. She is strong, smart, and has a lot of sass. Her life would be a lot easier if she wasn't dragon born. I am still confused about why the magic council hunts her kind. It sounds like they are just powerful twin mages. I would like to see more of her sister too. However, the chemistry between her and Kai more than makes up for my confusion. Kai is a rich and dominant mage with a lot of power, but he is also down to earth too.
December 7, 2015
It took me by surprise just how much I absolutely enjoyed Ella Summers' Mercenary Magic. What a thrilling introduction to the Dragon Born Serafina series! Crazy addictive, entertaining, suspenseful, and brimming with magic—what's not to love? I only wish the book had been longer!
Sera Dering has spent her life pretending to be something she's not: a human. She works as a mercenary for a monster cleanup guild in San Francisco, and while the paycheck may be terrible, she couldn't imagine being anything else. From stopping vampires causing bar fights to intervening in disputes between centaurs, Sera's work days are never the same.
But her latest assignment is her most dangerous one yet. Someone is taking control of mages' minds and wreaking havoc on the city by hijacking and amplifying their powers. Sera must reluctantly work with Kai Drachenburg, a powerful and deadly mage shifter, to investigate the mystery and catch the culprits before it's too late.
Sarah is used to being underestimated as a human... and she's fine with that. If the Magic Council, the organization ruling over the entire magical/supernatural community, ever discovered she was actually a Dragon Born, her life would be forfeit. The Dragon Born are considered abominations, greatly feared by the Magic Council, although she has never really learned why. Sera only knows that her father died trying to protect her and her sister when they children so they could remain in hiding.
And now Kai is determined to discover Sera's secrets, despite all her efforts to keep a tight reign on the magical abilities she's never had a chance to fully explore. Sera and Kai may have insanely hot chemistry together, but that doesn't mean she can fully trust him, not when she barely knows him. Yet the teasing and sexual tension between them had me shipping them pretty hard!
Fans of Ilona Andrews and Thea Harrison will fall in love with Ella Summers' Mercenary Magic! I'm now highly anticipating the sequel Magic Games, and hope it answers some unsolved questions about the Dragon Born and why they're so feared in the supernatural community. If you're looking for a NA/adult urban fantasy novel to read, you don't want to miss Mercenary Magic.
Sera Dering has spent her life pretending to be something she's not: a human. She works as a mercenary for a monster cleanup guild in San Francisco, and while the paycheck may be terrible, she couldn't imagine being anything else. From stopping vampires causing bar fights to intervening in disputes between centaurs, Sera's work days are never the same.
But her latest assignment is her most dangerous one yet. Someone is taking control of mages' minds and wreaking havoc on the city by hijacking and amplifying their powers. Sera must reluctantly work with Kai Drachenburg, a powerful and deadly mage shifter, to investigate the mystery and catch the culprits before it's too late.
Sarah is used to being underestimated as a human... and she's fine with that. If the Magic Council, the organization ruling over the entire magical/supernatural community, ever discovered she was actually a Dragon Born, her life would be forfeit. The Dragon Born are considered abominations, greatly feared by the Magic Council, although she has never really learned why. Sera only knows that her father died trying to protect her and her sister when they children so they could remain in hiding.
And now Kai is determined to discover Sera's secrets, despite all her efforts to keep a tight reign on the magical abilities she's never had a chance to fully explore. Sera and Kai may have insanely hot chemistry together, but that doesn't mean she can fully trust him, not when she barely knows him. Yet the teasing and sexual tension between them had me shipping them pretty hard!
Fans of Ilona Andrews and Thea Harrison will fall in love with Ella Summers' Mercenary Magic! I'm now highly anticipating the sequel Magic Games, and hope it answers some unsolved questions about the Dragon Born and why they're so feared in the supernatural community. If you're looking for a NA/adult urban fantasy novel to read, you don't want to miss Mercenary Magic.
September 6, 2016
*A complimentary copy was given by the author in exchange for my honest review.*
This is one of those stories I wasn't quite so sure about but by the end of the first chapter, I was hooked!! The main characters caught my attention with their humor, their connection to one another & what I believe I love most, is that it's clean yet still sexy. Of course there's an awesome story here, & once you start, you're not going to want to stop. It's a magical & adventurous tale with just a dash of romance to keep you wanting more. Which I hope we get more of Sera!!
This is one of those stories I wasn't quite so sure about but by the end of the first chapter, I was hooked!! The main characters caught my attention with their humor, their connection to one another & what I believe I love most, is that it's clean yet still sexy. Of course there's an awesome story here, & once you start, you're not going to want to stop. It's a magical & adventurous tale with just a dash of romance to keep you wanting more. Which I hope we get more of Sera!!
March 9, 2016
Very good read
Very impressed with this first book. Definitely a good young adult novel; just the right amount of intrigue, romance, and tension, while building a strong bond with the main character and beguiling the reader to feel what she feels. My only complaint was how short the novel was, which made it feel a tad bit hurried in its pace. But the lure of more additions to the series satisfies that desire.
Very impressed with this first book. Definitely a good young adult novel; just the right amount of intrigue, romance, and tension, while building a strong bond with the main character and beguiling the reader to feel what she feels. My only complaint was how short the novel was, which made it feel a tad bit hurried in its pace. But the lure of more additions to the series satisfies that desire.
August 5, 2017
This book was fantastic, everything I love in a good paranormal romance.
Sera is a mercenary monster hunter hiding a huge magic potential. If she’s caught wielding her magic and found out as being one of the dragon born (not a dragon, but a twinned soul born of one body and then split into twins at birth), she will be killed. Then in walks Kai, strong, impressive, totally into her, and a member of the very council that would sentence her to death if they ever learned her secret.
What I loved most about this is that it’s a whole lot of fun. The fight scenes, the magic, the build of attraction, combined with the fear of being discovered, all of this makes for a great read. Great pacing, solid storytelling and editing.
The only thing that bugged me was how Sera immediately started calling Kai a dragon and then constantly did so throughout. That it was just Sera’s first impression of his personality was kind of buried under the frequency and felt more like heavy handed foreshadowing.
Anyhow, I loved it. Very much want to read the rest, and it looks like they’re all out, so no need to wait. Fans of paranormal romance will love it.
I purchased my copy of this book. This review was written for the blog at PureTextuality.com.
Sera is a mercenary monster hunter hiding a huge magic potential. If she’s caught wielding her magic and found out as being one of the dragon born (not a dragon, but a twinned soul born of one body and then split into twins at birth), she will be killed. Then in walks Kai, strong, impressive, totally into her, and a member of the very council that would sentence her to death if they ever learned her secret.
What I loved most about this is that it’s a whole lot of fun. The fight scenes, the magic, the build of attraction, combined with the fear of being discovered, all of this makes for a great read. Great pacing, solid storytelling and editing.
The only thing that bugged me was how Sera immediately started calling Kai a dragon and then constantly did so throughout. That it was just Sera’s first impression of his personality was kind of buried under the frequency and felt more like heavy handed foreshadowing.
Anyhow, I loved it. Very much want to read the rest, and it looks like they’re all out, so no need to wait. Fans of paranormal romance will love it.
I purchased my copy of this book. This review was written for the blog at PureTextuality.com.
April 11, 2017
This review is for all 4 sera's books in this series. All 4 books range between 2.5 -3 stars.
The books were an okay read.
The story telling was too clinical. I thought it might change down the series. But sadly, it was not the case. This story had nice paranormal backstory. But the story was not built to grow. The characters were one dimensional. Even though I like the idea, I couldn't feel anything for the characters. It was good enough that I want to see what happens at the end but didn't inspire me to read about Naomi or Alex stories. This story didn't test my patience. But it didn't raise my excitement either. They are free in my kindle. So I finished sera's story. I don't think I would have been motivated to buy the other books in the series.
Another thing that bugged me was Kai's character. It was spoken as a strong character throughout the series but made weak in times of action. It had been to put spotlight on sera's strength but I like strong couple. I don't like when authors weaken the characters to make it easy on the plot.
The books were an okay read.
The story telling was too clinical. I thought it might change down the series. But sadly, it was not the case. This story had nice paranormal backstory. But the story was not built to grow. The characters were one dimensional. Even though I like the idea, I couldn't feel anything for the characters. It was good enough that I want to see what happens at the end but didn't inspire me to read about Naomi or Alex stories. This story didn't test my patience. But it didn't raise my excitement either. They are free in my kindle. So I finished sera's story. I don't think I would have been motivated to buy the other books in the series.
Another thing that bugged me was Kai's character. It was spoken as a strong character throughout the series but made weak in times of action. It had been to put spotlight on sera's strength but I like strong couple. I don't like when authors weaken the characters to make it easy on the plot.
December 28, 2021
It was pretty fun and a quick read. I found the banter between Sera and Kai to be cute. One of the bigger problems that I had with the book is the fact that, despite her life resting on her secret, she was so bad at keeping it. Like how she spend the past 20+ (???) years of her life keeping that secret then struggle with it 2 seconds after meeting a guy just cause he's hot???? Otherwise tho the world building was ok (I hope to see more of it in later books), and the characters were pretty likeable.
Overall:
Characters: 3.5 stars
Plot: 3 stars
World building: 3 stars
Overall:
Characters: 3.5 stars
Plot: 3 stars
World building: 3 stars
June 21, 2020
I liked that this book didn't take itself too seriously. Yes, there was a heap of action, some tense moments but the author adds humour to create a fun escapist ride, that grips you until the last word.
The romance wasn't insta and I enjoyed watching it progress, the building emotions, the connections that made me truly believe this couple deserve to be together. Good world building, with few info dumps and excellent fully developed secondary characters.
The romance wasn't insta and I enjoyed watching it progress, the building emotions, the connections that made me truly believe this couple deserve to be together. Good world building, with few info dumps and excellent fully developed secondary characters.
April 21, 2018
Huh, this was a lot better than I expected. Action-packed, light and fun to read, nice sexual tension between the hero and heroine.
*Edit: Having read Serafina 1 -4 , Alexandria 1-3, and Shadow 1-3 so far, I can say that the text in the series description saying each series is independent of the others is false.
If you read only Serafina, you'll find yourself in book 4 wondering why it feels like it skipped a couple books. Because you did--Alexandria 2-3 take place before Serafina 4, and some major developments for Serafina's life and personal growth take place in Alexandria's books. Which is irritating, but whatever.
*Edit: Having read Serafina 1 -4 , Alexandria 1-3, and Shadow 1-3 so far, I can say that the text in the series description saying each series is independent of the others is false.
If you read only Serafina, you'll find yourself in book 4 wondering why it feels like it skipped a couple books. Because you did--Alexandria 2-3 take place before Serafina 4, and some major developments for Serafina's life and personal growth take place in Alexandria's books. Which is irritating, but whatever.
January 6, 2016
I had sooo much hope for this book. But what can I say except that my rating is 2.5 stars. All in all it is not a bad book, there is interesting story and potential. I only hope the author can do better next time. Frankly the thing this book needs the most is better world and story development. What I mean is this: For a first in its series this book was way to short. The characters, the story arc and the whole mythos were underdeveloped. I had more questions after reading it then before. First lets begin with the thing that drove me insane so if you've read the summary before you've read the book (like me) the initial mistery is gone - and that is the dragon born part. In the book Sera is keeping it secret and apparently is the biggest secret of them all, so for half of the book it isn't even mentioned what this big secret is what makes her so jumpy and afraid of using magic and that is ok , even cool but like I already said if you have read the summary you know she is dragon born blah blah blah. That is the first thing now to the second. The love interest. May be it is just me but this series reminds me of Thea Harrisons Elder Races and the love interest Kai of Dragos. What can I say about him - frankly he was ok nothing special or intriguing we'll see next book. The brother annoyed me that is all I will say and I won't comment on the sister because she will have her own books so again we will see. Next on my list is the mythos in the book and here I have problems. This book needed at least another 100 pages to develop everything better. Nothing was explained about the magic, the creatures e.t.c., was magic aways here or it appeared one day, what about the vampires, mages, flying cats (yes there are flying cats whose poo apparently was the reason for the big fire in San Francisco) or the dragon born. And this bothers me - This is the first book in a series (and not only that but there will be a spin off series ) and its job is to establish the world and the characters and yet I don't know almost anything about the world or the characters only that Sera has some wierd fixation on pizza. The last big disappointment with the book was that in the end it was very anticlimatic and the bad guys were a joke. I do hope the next books in this series and the spin off are better. My last thoughts are this: If you like this genre and you have read everything by Thea Harrison and Danielle Monsch give it a try you may like it.
March 1, 2024
I'm sorry but am I insane?
It may be convenient for the plot but these characters are so careless and arrogant.
They've been in hiding their whole lives.. their dad was literally murdered because of what the sisters are and yet they are so irresponsibly casual about being so close to exposure.
You know people finding out what you are means death not only for you but your sister and likely brother and when someone obviously powerful not only is onto the fact that you have magic but declares they WILL find out what you are.. instead of calling your sister and telling her to run and then all three of you disappearing you spend one more second in that persons presence? You than discover he is part of the group that is responsible for the death of your kind and you STILL dont run and then your brother knows all this information and says let's all sit down and eat pizza with the guy?! Then they get told they will be testing her magic and they sit there kind of nervous but still not taking it seriously? STILL NOT RUNNING!
Again.. AM I FUCKING INSANE OR WHAT?! at this point I cant stand the characters and they honestly deserve to die for clearly not giving a shit about their lives or the worse crime of not caring that their siblings could be killed..
I will not be reading the rest of the series because I do not like a single character in this story so far so who cares what happens at this point.
It may be convenient for the plot but these characters are so careless and arrogant.
They've been in hiding their whole lives.. their dad was literally murdered because of what the sisters are and yet they are so irresponsibly casual about being so close to exposure.
You know people finding out what you are means death not only for you but your sister and likely brother and when someone obviously powerful not only is onto the fact that you have magic but declares they WILL find out what you are.. instead of calling your sister and telling her to run and then all three of you disappearing you spend one more second in that persons presence? You than discover he is part of the group that is responsible for the death of your kind and you STILL dont run and then your brother knows all this information and says let's all sit down and eat pizza with the guy?! Then they get told they will be testing her magic and they sit there kind of nervous but still not taking it seriously? STILL NOT RUNNING!
Again.. AM I FUCKING INSANE OR WHAT?! at this point I cant stand the characters and they honestly deserve to die for clearly not giving a shit about their lives or the worse crime of not caring that their siblings could be killed..
I will not be reading the rest of the series because I do not like a single character in this story so far so who cares what happens at this point.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 14, 2015
An awesome new action-packed urban fantasy series about a spunky mercenary heroine
Summary: 5 stars. A fast-moving story with lots of action, humor, and romantic chemistry.
This is a very engaging urban fantasy story. The main character is Sera, a monster-killing, smart-talking mercenary living in San Francisco. In this story the humans know about magic and monsters. There are some pretty hilarious moments like in the opening scene where the tourists are acting reckless so they take videos of a magic duel to post to YouTube.
Sera is hiding her magic from the Magic Council because her type of magic is forbidden, but her work to solve a magical mystery brings her closer and closer to exposing her secret.
There’s lots of action, and the story moves fast. Once you start reading you just can’t stop. There’s great romantic/sexual tension between Sera and Kai, the dragon shifter mage.
The writing is very good, and you feel like you’re inside Sera’s head and body experiencing everything she does. The idea that magic is something you can experience with all the senses is pretty cool.
The ending left me eager for the next book. I’d like to see how the relationship between Sera and Kai develops.
Summary: 5 stars. A fast-moving story with lots of action, humor, and romantic chemistry.
This is a very engaging urban fantasy story. The main character is Sera, a monster-killing, smart-talking mercenary living in San Francisco. In this story the humans know about magic and monsters. There are some pretty hilarious moments like in the opening scene where the tourists are acting reckless so they take videos of a magic duel to post to YouTube.
Sera is hiding her magic from the Magic Council because her type of magic is forbidden, but her work to solve a magical mystery brings her closer and closer to exposing her secret.
There’s lots of action, and the story moves fast. Once you start reading you just can’t stop. There’s great romantic/sexual tension between Sera and Kai, the dragon shifter mage.
The writing is very good, and you feel like you’re inside Sera’s head and body experiencing everything she does. The idea that magic is something you can experience with all the senses is pretty cool.
The ending left me eager for the next book. I’d like to see how the relationship between Sera and Kai develops.
January 20, 2016
Kind of like a Kate Daniels remake, but I like that series so I'm okay with that. However, there were a lot of things that lacked an explanation, or at the very least, more details. The main things were magic in general (the mechanics of the magic in this world, what can you do with it, etc), the world (how do humans and the supernatural interact? what kind of ruling body is there besides the magic council and how do they cooperate or what takes precedence?), where were the magic council/or human police in all of this, why did no one besides a cousin of the family know of the artifact's true purpose? how did he find out? What's with the comic book villains? and much, much more. A lot of the characters' actions lacked real explanation as well, and a lot of times I couldn't follow their train of thought. I feel like I can max out the character count on both of those problems if I added all the examples in.
Finally, I thought Sera was really annoying. She was an extremely whiny person with mood swings like no other.
Finally, I thought Sera was really annoying. She was an extremely whiny person with mood swings like no other.
May 6, 2016
Quite Excellent!
I got this book thru my Kindle Unlimited account. Otherwise, I probably would have waited to read it. Wow, am I glad I did! I have to admit that after reading another series where the heroine would be killed if anyone ever found out about her magical abilities I was a little reluctant to read another series with the same premise. But, I'm really glad I did. Serafina is an amazing character and Kai wasn't any less so than her. Their adventure was a rollercoaster ride, but not in any predictable way. I really enjoyed their flirtation and Kai's determination to figure Serafina's magic out. I really enjoyed the fact that even though he's this big-time mage, she keeps saving his bacon with very human means. It was hilarious and compelling at the same time. They are both so strong willed and powerful, but Serafina is in a perilous situation if her magic is discovered. This was quite well written and very enjoyable. I'll be reading the next in this series asap.
I got this book thru my Kindle Unlimited account. Otherwise, I probably would have waited to read it. Wow, am I glad I did! I have to admit that after reading another series where the heroine would be killed if anyone ever found out about her magical abilities I was a little reluctant to read another series with the same premise. But, I'm really glad I did. Serafina is an amazing character and Kai wasn't any less so than her. Their adventure was a rollercoaster ride, but not in any predictable way. I really enjoyed their flirtation and Kai's determination to figure Serafina's magic out. I really enjoyed the fact that even though he's this big-time mage, she keeps saving his bacon with very human means. It was hilarious and compelling at the same time. They are both so strong willed and powerful, but Serafina is in a perilous situation if her magic is discovered. This was quite well written and very enjoyable. I'll be reading the next in this series asap.
October 27, 2015
I should have read this book well before now but I didn't because I wasn't in the mood for magic. I was wrong on my initial assumption that I won't like the book, because this was a fantastic, funny and simply an amazing ride. I sat down today and just enjoyed myself. I forgot I havve a nasty headache, that my kids are making me want to scream, that I have dishes to wash. All that mattered was this book and what happens next. That's what matters to me. A book that makes me jump into the world I'm reading about, a book that makes me forget about pain deserves five freaking stars which it got. And if I could I would have given it more.
Just one thing I didn't like and that was that it was a cliffy if I'm not mistaken. I'm reading the second book now and if I'm right we're going to get another one before this all is over. I think? I have no idea. But this book was fantastic nevertheless!!
Just one thing I didn't like and that was that it was a cliffy if I'm not mistaken. I'm reading the second book now and if I'm right we're going to get another one before this all is over. I think? I have no idea. But this book was fantastic nevertheless!!
February 21, 2017
This was just okay for me, there's nothing about this story to really rave about. The story seemed to go by a little too fast for me, the pacing not to my liking. I mean Sera's guild gives her a job to work for the head of one of the most powerful Mage families.... Kai. They meet, investigate a scene. Next day, meet again and BAM BAM BAM climax is over, bad guy beaten. All in two days.
And that's pretty much the whole entire book.
The plot was a little boring. A lot of that has to do with pacing as well. Nothing exciting or interesting really happened.
Best part of the story is the developing relationship between Sera and Kai.... and the big secret Sera is hiding.
It's the only thing that is going to get me to read book two. Hopefully book two is better.
Overall the best I can give Mercenary Magic is 3 stars.
And that's pretty much the whole entire book.
The plot was a little boring. A lot of that has to do with pacing as well. Nothing exciting or interesting really happened.
Best part of the story is the developing relationship between Sera and Kai.... and the big secret Sera is hiding.
It's the only thing that is going to get me to read book two. Hopefully book two is better.
Overall the best I can give Mercenary Magic is 3 stars.
January 13, 2017
3.7-4.2 Stars. This is my second series by this author. I read her Vampire's Kiss series and enjoyed it so much I figured I'd check out other books by her while I waited for the last book to come out. While I enjoyed this book I found it harder to get into and enjoy.
I struggle with the premise of this book. Why she has to keep the secret of her birth. The way she goes about it is stupid and frustrating. The other thing is how laid back her siblings are about this big deadly secret. Other then that I enjoy the characters and setting. The world she builds is entertaining and perfect for a quick after work read. The other other things that bugs me a bit is how the books end. It's not a big deal because all the books are out in this series (or at least I hope so). If I had to wait a year for another book it might bother me more.
I struggle with the premise of this book. Why she has to keep the secret of her birth. The way she goes about it is stupid and frustrating. The other thing is how laid back her siblings are about this big deadly secret. Other then that I enjoy the characters and setting. The world she builds is entertaining and perfect for a quick after work read. The other other things that bugs me a bit is how the books end. It's not a big deal because all the books are out in this series (or at least I hope so). If I had to wait a year for another book it might bother me more.
January 4, 2016
Loved this book it is well written and keeps you interested from start to end. It is free on Amazon for Kindle unlimited readers which is an added bonus. I would recommend it to any fantasy fiction lover.
Dragon born is a fate destined for death. Sera is unfortunately born of this trait and is forced to hide her magic, pretending to be mundane and works as a mercenary in San Francisco. She is sent to investigate a case involving dark magic taking over mages’ minds. This case is proving harder than she thought when it comes to hiding who she really is.
This book has a bit of everything and is a good start to the series. I have only read Sera’s stories (1 and 2) which can be read as a standalone however the bigger picture is found in Alexandria Magic Edge.
Dragon born is a fate destined for death. Sera is unfortunately born of this trait and is forced to hide her magic, pretending to be mundane and works as a mercenary in San Francisco. She is sent to investigate a case involving dark magic taking over mages’ minds. This case is proving harder than she thought when it comes to hiding who she really is.
This book has a bit of everything and is a good start to the series. I have only read Sera’s stories (1 and 2) which can be read as a standalone however the bigger picture is found in Alexandria Magic Edge.
February 29, 2016
I love dragons so am always looking for books that relate to them, sadly a lot of them do not reach my expectations. This book exceeded those expectations and I loved it.
I've had this book recommended to me a few times but have always been hesitant about reading it. Well I found myself in a bit of a book slump & decided to give this a try and I'm so glad that I did. From the opening pages it's full of action and the main character, Sera, is knee deep in there but she's not a cowering female she's one kick ass heroine.
It's fun getting to know her & her secrets and I'm looking forward to discovering more about Sera and her sister Alex.
I've had this book recommended to me a few times but have always been hesitant about reading it. Well I found myself in a bit of a book slump & decided to give this a try and I'm so glad that I did. From the opening pages it's full of action and the main character, Sera, is knee deep in there but she's not a cowering female she's one kick ass heroine.
It's fun getting to know her & her secrets and I'm looking forward to discovering more about Sera and her sister Alex.
November 19, 2015
A good story overall, but the execution needed improvement.
I did really like the concept but some sentences were a bit muddled which hampered the story flow. However the biggest problem for me, was that the author tried to fit in a million different ideas and consequently it felt a bit rushed. It was like driving some where full out for the entire journey.
But like I said it wasn't a bad read and I think I probably will check out book two in Sera's story although I'll probably give Alex's a miss.
I did really like the concept but some sentences were a bit muddled which hampered the story flow. However the biggest problem for me, was that the author tried to fit in a million different ideas and consequently it felt a bit rushed. It was like driving some where full out for the entire journey.
But like I said it wasn't a bad read and I think I probably will check out book two in Sera's story although I'll probably give Alex's a miss.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 219 reviews