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The Uncharted Realms #1
The Pages of the Mind
An Orphan's Throne
Magic has broken free over the Twelve Kingdoms. The population is beset by shapeshifters and portents, landscapes that migrate, uncanny allies who are not quite human…and enemies eager to take advantage of the chaos.
Dafne Mailloux is no adventurer--she's a librarian. But the High Queen trusts Dafne's ability with languages, her way of winnowing the useful facts from a dusty scroll, and even more important, the subtlety and guile that three decades under the thumb of a tyrant taught her.
Dafne never thought to need those skills again. But she accepts her duty. Until her journey drops her into the arms of a barbarian king. He speaks no tongue she knows but that of power, yet he recognizes his captive as a valuable pawn. Dafne must submit to a wedding of alliance, becoming a prisoner-queen in a court she does not understand. If she is to save herself and her country, she will have to learn to read the heart of a wild stranger. And there are more secrets written there than even Dafne could suspect…
Magic has broken free over the Twelve Kingdoms. The population is beset by shapeshifters and portents, landscapes that migrate, uncanny allies who are not quite human…and enemies eager to take advantage of the chaos.
Dafne Mailloux is no adventurer--she's a librarian. But the High Queen trusts Dafne's ability with languages, her way of winnowing the useful facts from a dusty scroll, and even more important, the subtlety and guile that three decades under the thumb of a tyrant taught her.
Dafne never thought to need those skills again. But she accepts her duty. Until her journey drops her into the arms of a barbarian king. He speaks no tongue she knows but that of power, yet he recognizes his captive as a valuable pawn. Dafne must submit to a wedding of alliance, becoming a prisoner-queen in a court she does not understand. If she is to save herself and her country, she will have to learn to read the heart of a wild stranger. And there are more secrets written there than even Dafne could suspect…
282 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 31, 2016
244 people are currently reading
2748 people want to read
About the author
Jeffe Kennedy
98 books1,335 followers💙She/her💙 Award-winning Bestselling Author of epic fantasy romance. Taoist. Swiftie. Santa Fean. Cat lady @sfwa_inc Past-President. Rep by @seyitsme
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 231 reviews
June 15, 2016
I met the heroine briefly in the first book, The Mark of the Tala. I honestly didn't remember her, but a piece of her story was told in the anthology published with Grace Draven, For Crown and Kingdom.
I liked the story and the heroine enough to jump to read her own book. The first 50% was glorious, a scholar as an heroine, managing a kingdom and her queen by the backstage. I really thought this book was going to be absolutely great. Then, all of a sudden, it didn't simply start downhill. It crumbled. Like a building that has been bombed. And not happy with it, the author started digging too.
I was flabbergasted. All of a sudden I was given a story that really didn't have much sense, where pieces of it were conveniently discarded because "this is serious romance, guys", and everything has to resolve around sex, oops sorry the romance.
All of a sudden the heroine became a woe is me, I'm useless, I'm not good enough whiny mess. For the rest of the book. Fucking unbelievable.
All her brain, gone with the hormones. She literally stops thinking when the guy touches her. WTF. There is no love story here. There's a mess upon some other mess. He kidnaps her (but it's not a true kidnapping, he had invited her. But she wasn't "told"), marries her, seduces her. Do not have sex with her because story. Then she discovers that if she doesn't consummate the marriage he dies. So of course she does. This is the extent of the romance. There's a mythical bond, of course, that explains why the two can't keep their hands off, even when they should.
I hated the heroine with a passion for the second half of the book, and I really wished her dead. Useless and pathetic are the nicest things I can say about her.
The hero was mostly shallow, even if he was a good guy. Methink tough he's not the brightest star. You know you have a fated mate somewhere in the world, but hey why worrying with something as stupid as understanding each other. You see her, you marry her. Voilà. Problems? What problems? sigh....
There are no real villains, but those enemies there are, are swept apart with no reason at all. I may understand that Kral's story will be next, but why do not tell your queen or her protector that his brother has sold her out to the king for a treasure? And what about the chief that has almost killed her? No justice, no revenge. "It was his right"... Excuse me?
And the worse part? Yes, she is a scholar. But the fact she sustains entire conversation with her husband (both talking their own language) is absurd. All the language problem is treated in a real messy way. It didn't make me think she's intelligent. I thought the author has a heavy hand.
I might have given the book two stars, if it had somewhat saved it self at the end. But alas, after crumbling there was no new building.
Note that this book can not be read if you haven't read the previous ones in the series. This is not a new independent series, nor a spin off exactly.
I liked the story and the heroine enough to jump to read her own book. The first 50% was glorious, a scholar as an heroine, managing a kingdom and her queen by the backstage. I really thought this book was going to be absolutely great. Then, all of a sudden, it didn't simply start downhill. It crumbled. Like a building that has been bombed. And not happy with it, the author started digging too.
I was flabbergasted. All of a sudden I was given a story that really didn't have much sense, where pieces of it were conveniently discarded because "this is serious romance, guys", and everything has to resolve around sex, oops sorry the romance.
All of a sudden the heroine became a woe is me, I'm useless, I'm not good enough whiny mess. For the rest of the book. Fucking unbelievable.
All her brain, gone with the hormones. She literally stops thinking when the guy touches her. WTF. There is no love story here. There's a mess upon some other mess. He kidnaps her (but it's not a true kidnapping, he had invited her. But she wasn't "told"), marries her, seduces her. Do not have sex with her because story. Then she discovers that if she doesn't consummate the marriage he dies. So of course she does. This is the extent of the romance. There's a mythical bond, of course, that explains why the two can't keep their hands off, even when they should.
I hated the heroine with a passion for the second half of the book, and I really wished her dead. Useless and pathetic are the nicest things I can say about her.
The hero was mostly shallow, even if he was a good guy. Methink tough he's not the brightest star. You know you have a fated mate somewhere in the world, but hey why worrying with something as stupid as understanding each other. You see her, you marry her. Voilà. Problems? What problems? sigh....
There are no real villains, but those enemies there are, are swept apart with no reason at all. I may understand that Kral's story will be next, but why do not tell your queen or her protector that his brother has sold her out to the king for a treasure? And what about the chief that has almost killed her? No justice, no revenge. "It was his right"... Excuse me?
And the worse part? Yes, she is a scholar. But the fact she sustains entire conversation with her husband (both talking their own language) is absurd. All the language problem is treated in a real messy way. It didn't make me think she's intelligent. I thought the author has a heavy hand.
I might have given the book two stars, if it had somewhat saved it self at the end. But alas, after crumbling there was no new building.
Note that this book can not be read if you haven't read the previous ones in the series. This is not a new independent series, nor a spin off exactly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 28, 2016
Well if you have not read the previous 12 Kingdoms books you might want to read them first, it gives a lot more depth to some of the people and stories here.
I loved this book by the ending but the main reason I did not give it 5 Stars was because I felt there were several things that did not sit well with me (most I can't discuss because I try to never do spoilers) but a marriage while being kidnapped did not sit well with me (I only mention this because it is in the synopsis)
First our heroine was portrayed as someone who was strong but weak. She resolved to do a couple of things and IMHO failed at them and by the 50% mark I was pretty well fed up with her BUT she made a wondrous comeback and lived up to what we originally expected.
Second one thing I tend to hate is when you have some noxious and evil character and the author brushes their crimes aside when what we needed was a good beheading (yes I love revenge and I felt cheated)
OK, with those 2 things out of the way I have to say the rest was great and the possible stories I can see in the future are exciting and hopefully filled with dragons :)
BONUS POINTS: I have read and disliked SO many books who used a "sex is magical power" plot device to just carry out erotic page filler but in possibly the first book I can ever remember there was an actual logical reason (logical in a fantasy world but still logical) for the sex. It actually made sense LOL
Bottom Line: I am more used to heroines that use magical or warrior type skills to save the day, this one uses a librarian and it was a nice change in many ways and a lot more cerebral. The plot was frustrating for the first half of the book but eventually turned the tide and pulled out some surprises that gave some of the crap a reason that was hidden from the reader earlier in the book. 4 Stars and maybe more if you are more forgiving than me since it was an excellent novel. Highly recommended but a very strong recommendation that you read the first three of the 12 Kingdoms novels first, you won't be sorry.
I loved this book by the ending but the main reason I did not give it 5 Stars was because I felt there were several things that did not sit well with me (most I can't discuss because I try to never do spoilers) but a marriage while being kidnapped did not sit well with me (I only mention this because it is in the synopsis)
First our heroine was portrayed as someone who was strong but weak. She resolved to do a couple of things and IMHO failed at them and by the 50% mark I was pretty well fed up with her BUT she made a wondrous comeback and lived up to what we originally expected.
Second one thing I tend to hate is when you have some noxious and evil character and the author brushes their crimes aside when what we needed was a good beheading (yes I love revenge and I felt cheated)
OK, with those 2 things out of the way I have to say the rest was great and the possible stories I can see in the future are exciting and hopefully filled with dragons :)
BONUS POINTS: I have read and disliked SO many books who used a "sex is magical power" plot device to just carry out erotic page filler but in possibly the first book I can ever remember there was an actual logical reason (logical in a fantasy world but still logical) for the sex. It actually made sense LOL
Bottom Line: I am more used to heroines that use magical or warrior type skills to save the day, this one uses a librarian and it was a nice change in many ways and a lot more cerebral. The plot was frustrating for the first half of the book but eventually turned the tide and pulled out some surprises that gave some of the crap a reason that was hidden from the reader earlier in the book. 4 Stars and maybe more if you are more forgiving than me since it was an excellent novel. Highly recommended but a very strong recommendation that you read the first three of the 12 Kingdoms novels first, you won't be sorry.
May 5, 2016
I wanted to like this book. I really did. It has a fantastic cover, a great title, and it implied it was going to be about a badass librarian. I was hooked on that concept. Unfortunately, this story didn’t deliver. It’s not really about Dafne, the aforementioned librarian, and if there’d been a focus on her earlier in the book (or if the book had started later when she became more important to the story), I would’ve cared about her more. This story also should’ve been told in third person. It simply would’ve worked better, and I don’t come across many stories where I feel that way being that I don’t prefer a POV. It’s author’s choice, but first POV did nothing to help this story or build Dafne’s character.
Ursula is the new queen, and this book picks up where the previous book in the series left off. The early parts of this book are chronicling Ursula and Harlan’s more interesting adventures, and Dafne literally sits on the sidelines. This is why this didn't work well as a first person POV--Dafne tells someone else's story. That's massively boring. When the early part of the book doesn’t involve the main character at all, I’m concerned.
It took 20% of the book before it felt like Dafne was the main character. The story should’ve just started there or else the earlier parts of the book needed to make Dafne important. She's a wall flower, and that's not interesting, even for an introverted character. There’s a lot of characters talking about the plot and not a lot of plot. I felt like this story is about Ursula, which makes sense in the context of the series, but not for this book in particular.
The characters spend so much time talking about things. Less dialogue would’ve helped because there was too much of it. I know, there’s this thing about not putting info dumps and unnecessary description into the story, but less dialogue would’ve tightened this narrative. But shouldn’t characters be interacting? Yes, but when they prattle, all of the meaning in the dialogue is lost. The importance is gone, and all of the conversations felt meandering and useless. In the latter parts of the book, it becomes more descriptive and starts to rely on Dafne's internal narrative more, and that's the only reason this book became remotely bearable. This makes the early parts of this book baffling. It feels like an infinitely worse book and a completely different story!
King Nahoka KauPo and the descriptions of his people and traveling to the island relieved the amazing boredom of the earlier parts of this story. This happens a third of the way through, and if you can’t get to this part, I honestly can’t blame you. The first third of this book is DNF bad, but the volcano king’s island focuses the world building and presents Dafne with definitive challenges. The bad news is that the remainder of the story leaves Dafne languishing on an Nahoka's island, which delivers the story back to some of the more monotonous elements of the earlier part of the novel.
The narrative voice of this novel (and the choice of 1st POV) grated on me the entire time. It was like sandpaper in my eyes. The positives of the book kept drowning in this problem, and no mistake, it was a huge problem for me. I already mentioned the drastic change in writing between the first part of the book and the latter part of the book, and I 'd honestly skip the first 100 pages if I were to start reading this all over again.
Read the full review at Throw This Book at Me
Ursula is the new queen, and this book picks up where the previous book in the series left off. The early parts of this book are chronicling Ursula and Harlan’s more interesting adventures, and Dafne literally sits on the sidelines. This is why this didn't work well as a first person POV--Dafne tells someone else's story. That's massively boring. When the early part of the book doesn’t involve the main character at all, I’m concerned.
It took 20% of the book before it felt like Dafne was the main character. The story should’ve just started there or else the earlier parts of the book needed to make Dafne important. She's a wall flower, and that's not interesting, even for an introverted character. There’s a lot of characters talking about the plot and not a lot of plot. I felt like this story is about Ursula, which makes sense in the context of the series, but not for this book in particular.
The characters spend so much time talking about things. Less dialogue would’ve helped because there was too much of it. I know, there’s this thing about not putting info dumps and unnecessary description into the story, but less dialogue would’ve tightened this narrative. But shouldn’t characters be interacting? Yes, but when they prattle, all of the meaning in the dialogue is lost. The importance is gone, and all of the conversations felt meandering and useless. In the latter parts of the book, it becomes more descriptive and starts to rely on Dafne's internal narrative more, and that's the only reason this book became remotely bearable. This makes the early parts of this book baffling. It feels like an infinitely worse book and a completely different story!
King Nahoka KauPo and the descriptions of his people and traveling to the island relieved the amazing boredom of the earlier parts of this story. This happens a third of the way through, and if you can’t get to this part, I honestly can’t blame you. The first third of this book is DNF bad, but the volcano king’s island focuses the world building and presents Dafne with definitive challenges. The bad news is that the remainder of the story leaves Dafne languishing on an Nahoka's island, which delivers the story back to some of the more monotonous elements of the earlier part of the novel.
The narrative voice of this novel (and the choice of 1st POV) grated on me the entire time. It was like sandpaper in my eyes. The positives of the book kept drowning in this problem, and no mistake, it was a huge problem for me. I already mentioned the drastic change in writing between the first part of the book and the latter part of the book, and I 'd honestly skip the first 100 pages if I were to start reading this all over again.
Read the full review at Throw This Book at Me
January 27, 2023
I have numerous books of this author’s in my TBR pile but had not actually read one until now. She comes highly recommended by multiple well-known authors and friends whose opinions I value, however, so I decided to dive in. I intentionally picked a book that is first in a series so I could get the best experience.
Unfortunately that didn’t work. It took less than a chapter to realize I had been dumped right into the middle of a world with characters and backstory I have no idea about! This “series” really isn’t a new one, I don’t even think it can be considered a “spin-off” because it is just continuing EVERYTHING from another series and begins right in the middle of the action, so to speak. All the motivations, backstories, worldbuilding etc have already been given… in OTHER BOOKS! As far as I can tell (after having to stop and go research) this story just picks up right from the end of the last book in the Twelve Kingdoms series and continues - just with another character from that series.
BUT, not wanting to read an entire series just to understand this book, I persevered and, aside from the infuriating lack of background, I could at least follow the main character’s journey. In this I can say I truly loved the author’s writing style. It is smooth and flows elegantly. Her characters are engaging and relatable and the ideas are intriguing.
Maybe it’s because I was so far behind and ignorant to previous events (that continue to play a HUGE part in this story) but I was infuriated at Dafne’s weird insistence that she must leave. It went against everything in their world and in her life. And the reasons were so small, it all just seemed silly and truly hair-pullingly annoying. I was also flummoxed by the relationship between Ursula and Harlan. A never ending, all consuming love that will never die but they don’t marry because she might marry someone else? These, along with the myriad of other plot-points that weren’t fully understood made it a frustrating read for a first book.
SO… I guess I would suggest NOT beginning any of this author’s books - even if they say they are first in a series, unless one figures out where to truly start… the very first book she wrote? I’m still not sure. If one can do so, however, I would highly recommend it because the writing is lovely and the stories seem unique and interesting.
Unfortunately that didn’t work. It took less than a chapter to realize I had been dumped right into the middle of a world with characters and backstory I have no idea about! This “series” really isn’t a new one, I don’t even think it can be considered a “spin-off” because it is just continuing EVERYTHING from another series and begins right in the middle of the action, so to speak. All the motivations, backstories, worldbuilding etc have already been given… in OTHER BOOKS! As far as I can tell (after having to stop and go research) this story just picks up right from the end of the last book in the Twelve Kingdoms series and continues - just with another character from that series.
BUT, not wanting to read an entire series just to understand this book, I persevered and, aside from the infuriating lack of background, I could at least follow the main character’s journey. In this I can say I truly loved the author’s writing style. It is smooth and flows elegantly. Her characters are engaging and relatable and the ideas are intriguing.
Maybe it’s because I was so far behind and ignorant to previous events (that continue to play a HUGE part in this story) but I was infuriated at Dafne’s weird insistence that she must leave. It went against everything in their world and in her life. And the reasons were so small, it all just seemed silly and truly hair-pullingly annoying. I was also flummoxed by the relationship between Ursula and Harlan. A never ending, all consuming love that will never die but they don’t marry because she might marry someone else? These, along with the myriad of other plot-points that weren’t fully understood made it a frustrating read for a first book.
SO… I guess I would suggest NOT beginning any of this author’s books - even if they say they are first in a series, unless one figures out where to truly start… the very first book she wrote? I’m still not sure. If one can do so, however, I would highly recommend it because the writing is lovely and the stories seem unique and interesting.
December 17, 2023
Nakoa and Dafne are the cutest fucking thing 😭😭 I'm melting.
The one star from five is just because it felt like I was pushed out of an airplane into an unknown land. I actually looked at the book description a couple times because I thought I had actually started in the middle of a series. There was so much history that was kind of never explained but was so relevant to the plot. I got over it pretty quick when Nakoa came into view though 😂
Edit:
Oh my God there was a whole other series that is completely separate from this one that explains all of this bullshit💀 I'm so done.
The one star from five is just because it felt like I was pushed out of an airplane into an unknown land. I actually looked at the book description a couple times because I thought I had actually started in the middle of a series. There was so much history that was kind of never explained but was so relevant to the plot. I got over it pretty quick when Nakoa came into view though 😂
Edit:
Oh my God there was a whole other series that is completely separate from this one that explains all of this bullshit💀 I'm so done.
July 28, 2020
Update: reread July 2020, just as good as the first time. I'd forgotten there was so much sex in it though!
*2017 RITA Award winner in Best Paranormal Romance category! Congrats to Jeffe Kennedy and her editorial team!*
In this richly detailed fantasy world created by Jeffe Kennedy, the Twelve Kingdoms come alive once again.
The Pages of the Mind is a spin off story to the highly successful Twelve Kingdoms three book series and will delight new and established readers alike. It's considered part of the Twelve Kingdoms series (book 4) but also book 1 of The Uncharted Realms, an apt description for the adventurous romantic tale.
Dafne, the librarian and archivist of the Twelve Kingdoms under the rule of Queen Ursula is sent on a task to find out the effects of the movement of the magic barrier and deal with the northern kingdoms that have now become part and parcel of the Queen's territory. Used to her libraries and books, she's none the less ready to embark on an adventure, though she doesn't expect it to include meeting the one man who could be the mate she's longed for but despaired of ever finding.
Nakoa is the king of his domain, one unknown to Dafne including his language, his customs, and his particular magic ability. Finding herself married to him through a series of misunderstandings and betrayals, she's set to make the best of her circumstances, while still figuring out a way to get home. Soon enough though, Nakoa works his particular magic on her, and she's under his spell, so to speak. His obvious attraction to her (and her to him) leads to a love affair unexpected but delightful in its passion.
I loved seeing Dafne find the man who sees her worth and values her for her mind as much as for her body. Dafne has difficult choices to make, made all the more so by men of Nakoa's kingdom who aren't so willing to accept her new place in his life. Combining magic, mystery, and a sexy romance, it was a delightful read that I couldn't put down. I am very much looking forward to continuing this series!
Note: a copy of this story was provided by the author for review.
*2017 RITA Award winner in Best Paranormal Romance category! Congrats to Jeffe Kennedy and her editorial team!*
In this richly detailed fantasy world created by Jeffe Kennedy, the Twelve Kingdoms come alive once again.
The Pages of the Mind is a spin off story to the highly successful Twelve Kingdoms three book series and will delight new and established readers alike. It's considered part of the Twelve Kingdoms series (book 4) but also book 1 of The Uncharted Realms, an apt description for the adventurous romantic tale.
Dafne, the librarian and archivist of the Twelve Kingdoms under the rule of Queen Ursula is sent on a task to find out the effects of the movement of the magic barrier and deal with the northern kingdoms that have now become part and parcel of the Queen's territory. Used to her libraries and books, she's none the less ready to embark on an adventure, though she doesn't expect it to include meeting the one man who could be the mate she's longed for but despaired of ever finding.
Nakoa is the king of his domain, one unknown to Dafne including his language, his customs, and his particular magic ability. Finding herself married to him through a series of misunderstandings and betrayals, she's set to make the best of her circumstances, while still figuring out a way to get home. Soon enough though, Nakoa works his particular magic on her, and she's under his spell, so to speak. His obvious attraction to her (and her to him) leads to a love affair unexpected but delightful in its passion.
I loved seeing Dafne find the man who sees her worth and values her for her mind as much as for her body. Dafne has difficult choices to make, made all the more so by men of Nakoa's kingdom who aren't so willing to accept her new place in his life. Combining magic, mystery, and a sexy romance, it was a delightful read that I couldn't put down. I am very much looking forward to continuing this series!
Note: a copy of this story was provided by the author for review.
May 10, 2019
I'd read the first book in Kennedy's 12 KINGDOMS series, but hadn't followed up because of the problems I had with it. But since this one just won the RITA for fantasy romance, I thought I should give it a go.
The first fifty pages are a total bore, particularly for someone who hasn't read all of the previous three books; it spends most of its time recounting plot from those books, explaining political alliances and previous battles/wars through conversations with the current book's protagonist and the romance couple from book #3. It's not until we get 100 pages into this book that any actual romance (if you can call it that) begins. Dafne Mailloux, a counsellor to the new high Queen of the Twelve/Thirteen realms, is sent on a diplomatic mission to two foreign countries. At the first, though, she is married off to the archipelago kingdom's ruler, Nakoa, and is forced to remain while the rest of her party travels on to the second country. Of course, the two end up falling in love, and remain together at book's end. Oh, and there's some fun stuff with a dragon.
Problematic aspects of this story:
• Fated mates trope (and even worse, Dafne doesn't really "get" the sense of connection as those in shapeshifter fated mates stories usually do; she keeps doubting/denying it, rather than resisting it.
And Nakoa never explains to her that he's been able to see her from afar for most of his life)
• King Nakoa and his culture are labeled "savage" and "barbarian" for no evident reason, except perhaps for the racist thrill of being wooed by the "dark other" (Dafne is light-skinned, while Nakoa and his people are dark-skinned; the language and geographical descriptions suggest an exoticized appropriation of a Polynesian-like culture)
• Dafne is passive throughout most of the story, and has to be rescued twice by Nakoa. She's supposed to be a super-smart librarian, but all the library hours she logs don't gain her much beyond the ability to talk to her man. And she's kidnapped because she went to the library at night, without telling Nakoa!
• Dafne and Nakoa speak different languages, and can barely communicate at book's start; their romance consists largely of his kind sexual wooing, not much of anything of shared interests, habits, or character
• Contemporary slang/language pops up far too often to make this feel like a fantasy world different from ours (three women talk about asexuality; "I'd do him"; "he pissed me off")
I can't imagine this winning any awards from who come with fantasy, rather than romance, expectations.
The first fifty pages are a total bore, particularly for someone who hasn't read all of the previous three books; it spends most of its time recounting plot from those books, explaining political alliances and previous battles/wars through conversations with the current book's protagonist and the romance couple from book #3. It's not until we get 100 pages into this book that any actual romance (if you can call it that) begins. Dafne Mailloux, a counsellor to the new high Queen of the Twelve/Thirteen realms, is sent on a diplomatic mission to two foreign countries. At the first, though, she is married off to the archipelago kingdom's ruler, Nakoa, and is forced to remain while the rest of her party travels on to the second country. Of course, the two end up falling in love, and remain together at book's end. Oh, and there's some fun stuff with a dragon.
Problematic aspects of this story:
• Fated mates trope (and even worse, Dafne doesn't really "get" the sense of connection as those in shapeshifter fated mates stories usually do; she keeps doubting/denying it, rather than resisting it.
And Nakoa never explains to her that he's been able to see her from afar for most of his life)
• King Nakoa and his culture are labeled "savage" and "barbarian" for no evident reason, except perhaps for the racist thrill of being wooed by the "dark other" (Dafne is light-skinned, while Nakoa and his people are dark-skinned; the language and geographical descriptions suggest an exoticized appropriation of a Polynesian-like culture)
• Dafne is passive throughout most of the story, and has to be rescued twice by Nakoa. She's supposed to be a super-smart librarian, but all the library hours she logs don't gain her much beyond the ability to talk to her man. And she's kidnapped because she went to the library at night, without telling Nakoa!
• Dafne and Nakoa speak different languages, and can barely communicate at book's start; their romance consists largely of his kind sexual wooing, not much of anything of shared interests, habits, or character
• Contemporary slang/language pops up far too often to make this feel like a fantasy world different from ours (three women talk about asexuality; "I'd do him"; "he pissed me off")
I can't imagine this winning any awards from who come with fantasy, rather than romance, expectations.
May 29, 2016
Originally published at Reading Reality
I have, for the most part, adored Jeffe Kennedy’s Twelve Kingdoms series. Ami’s book, The Tears of the Rose, was the lone exception, because Ami spends the first half of the book as a spoiled princess bitch. While she gets much, much better, the first half of the book drags a bit.
As much as I loved the bridge novella featuring librarian Dafne Mailloux, The Crown of the Queen, Dafne’s own story in The Pages of the Mind drove me batty. I loved the beginning, and liked the end, but in this case it’s the middle that gave me fits.
Let me explain…
Dafne has been the librarian at Castle Ordnang for decades. Her family held the land and castle that formerly sat on the same spot, but when High King Uorsin decided that Castle Columba would be the seat of his new throne, the end was inevitable. He conquered the castle, razed the building, and built his capital in its place. Daphne was the only member of her family to survive the siege. While she may be, as she says, “ a demon on documents” in her early years it was her ability to hide in plain sight that saved her life over and over.
That and the fact that Queen Salena charged her with caring for her daughters, the princesses Ursula, Ami and Andi. Ursula is now High Queen, after the events in The Talon of the Hawk and The Crown of the Queen. It is Daphne’s task to be Ursula’s adviser.
Dafne has always been an observer and recorder. That’s what librarians do. So Daphne is more surprised than anyone when Ursula tasks her with the position of ambassador, first to the island kingdom of Nahanau, and then to the court of Dasnaria. Nahanau has been damaged by the movement of the magical barrier that formerly surrounded the Tala, and Dasnaria is the home of Ursula’s lover Harlan. His people might ally with the Twelve, now Thirteen Kingdoms, or might attempt to conquer them instead. The Kingdoms are still recovering from the late King’s treachery and tyranny, Ursula needs to stave off that possible war.
So off Dafne goes, with Harlan’s older brother Prince Kral as escort and guide.
We expect treachery, or at least some double-dealing on Kral’s part. It seems to be what the Dasnarians are known for. So when Kral essentially hands Dafne over to King Nakoa KauPo as either a hostage, sex slave or unwilling bride, readers are not totally surprised.
But the twists and turns that overtake Dafne’s fate from that point forward change the course of her life into directions she never expected. And is never sure that she wants or can even accept.
Escape Rating B-: I loved the beginning. Dafne’s life as librarian turned adviser fit right in with the snippets of her character we have seen in the earlier books. She has been working all of her life towards seeing Ursula crowned High Queen. And she not only expects the job of Royal Adviser, but is totally prepared and qualified for it.
She enjoys being the power behind the throne, and doesn’t see herself as powerful at all. She is merely an instrument of Ursula’s power. And she’s very, very good at it.
But when she is effectively abandoned at the Nahanau court, the story, along with Daphne’s personality, went temporarily off the rails for this reader. Because the story devolved into both the fated mate trope and the magic peen fallacy. That it turns out that both of these issues are actually manipulated into being by a third party redeems things somewhat, but not completely.
Dafne seems to become completely enslaved to sex with King Nakoa, to the point where she loses all her sense at many points. Yes, this sometimes happens when people discover how good sex can actually be, but that level of crazy usually happens earlier in their lives. Dafne is old enough that she believes she is no longer capable of bearing children. Becoming that mushy-headed just didn’t feel right.
For a significant part of the story, Dafne understands little to nothing of the language around her. The Nahanaus speak a language that is not derived from any of the several that Dafne knows. So there is a big portion of the story where a person who is only comfortable when in full possession of all the knowledge available has none to work with. It feels off-character when Dafne is forced to resort to stereotypical feminine wiles that she has never relied upon in order to get information.
There is also a huge power imbalance in this relationship. Nakoa essentially kidnaps Dafne and keeps her prisoner. That she falls for him in these circumstances where she is totally dependent on him smacks of Stockholm Syndrome. Which does get called out later in the story, and then all too easily dismissed.
It turns out that everyone in this situation is being manipulated by a third party, one whose eventual advent into the story is explosive enough to kick the story back on track.
One of the things that I liked best about the previous entries in this series is that the princesses did not need to change who they were to find fulfillment and happiness, or to find their equal in love. Dafne has to change completely to get through most of her adventures. It’s only at the end where she goes back to being the intellectual powerhouse that is her true self.
At the end of this story, there are several people still on the loose who seriously need to get their comeuppance, particularly Kral. While events turned out for the best, his duplicity still needs to be accounted for. And I look forward to reading all about it in The Edge of the Blade.
I have, for the most part, adored Jeffe Kennedy’s Twelve Kingdoms series. Ami’s book, The Tears of the Rose, was the lone exception, because Ami spends the first half of the book as a spoiled princess bitch. While she gets much, much better, the first half of the book drags a bit.
As much as I loved the bridge novella featuring librarian Dafne Mailloux, The Crown of the Queen, Dafne’s own story in The Pages of the Mind drove me batty. I loved the beginning, and liked the end, but in this case it’s the middle that gave me fits.
Let me explain…
Dafne has been the librarian at Castle Ordnang for decades. Her family held the land and castle that formerly sat on the same spot, but when High King Uorsin decided that Castle Columba would be the seat of his new throne, the end was inevitable. He conquered the castle, razed the building, and built his capital in its place. Daphne was the only member of her family to survive the siege. While she may be, as she says, “ a demon on documents” in her early years it was her ability to hide in plain sight that saved her life over and over.
That and the fact that Queen Salena charged her with caring for her daughters, the princesses Ursula, Ami and Andi. Ursula is now High Queen, after the events in The Talon of the Hawk and The Crown of the Queen. It is Daphne’s task to be Ursula’s adviser.
Dafne has always been an observer and recorder. That’s what librarians do. So Daphne is more surprised than anyone when Ursula tasks her with the position of ambassador, first to the island kingdom of Nahanau, and then to the court of Dasnaria. Nahanau has been damaged by the movement of the magical barrier that formerly surrounded the Tala, and Dasnaria is the home of Ursula’s lover Harlan. His people might ally with the Twelve, now Thirteen Kingdoms, or might attempt to conquer them instead. The Kingdoms are still recovering from the late King’s treachery and tyranny, Ursula needs to stave off that possible war.
So off Dafne goes, with Harlan’s older brother Prince Kral as escort and guide.
We expect treachery, or at least some double-dealing on Kral’s part. It seems to be what the Dasnarians are known for. So when Kral essentially hands Dafne over to King Nakoa KauPo as either a hostage, sex slave or unwilling bride, readers are not totally surprised.
But the twists and turns that overtake Dafne’s fate from that point forward change the course of her life into directions she never expected. And is never sure that she wants or can even accept.
Escape Rating B-: I loved the beginning. Dafne’s life as librarian turned adviser fit right in with the snippets of her character we have seen in the earlier books. She has been working all of her life towards seeing Ursula crowned High Queen. And she not only expects the job of Royal Adviser, but is totally prepared and qualified for it.
She enjoys being the power behind the throne, and doesn’t see herself as powerful at all. She is merely an instrument of Ursula’s power. And she’s very, very good at it.
But when she is effectively abandoned at the Nahanau court, the story, along with Daphne’s personality, went temporarily off the rails for this reader. Because the story devolved into both the fated mate trope and the magic peen fallacy. That it turns out that both of these issues are actually manipulated into being by a third party redeems things somewhat, but not completely.
Dafne seems to become completely enslaved to sex with King Nakoa, to the point where she loses all her sense at many points. Yes, this sometimes happens when people discover how good sex can actually be, but that level of crazy usually happens earlier in their lives. Dafne is old enough that she believes she is no longer capable of bearing children. Becoming that mushy-headed just didn’t feel right.
For a significant part of the story, Dafne understands little to nothing of the language around her. The Nahanaus speak a language that is not derived from any of the several that Dafne knows. So there is a big portion of the story where a person who is only comfortable when in full possession of all the knowledge available has none to work with. It feels off-character when Dafne is forced to resort to stereotypical feminine wiles that she has never relied upon in order to get information.
There is also a huge power imbalance in this relationship. Nakoa essentially kidnaps Dafne and keeps her prisoner. That she falls for him in these circumstances where she is totally dependent on him smacks of Stockholm Syndrome. Which does get called out later in the story, and then all too easily dismissed.
It turns out that everyone in this situation is being manipulated by a third party, one whose eventual advent into the story is explosive enough to kick the story back on track.
One of the things that I liked best about the previous entries in this series is that the princesses did not need to change who they were to find fulfillment and happiness, or to find their equal in love. Dafne has to change completely to get through most of her adventures. It’s only at the end where she goes back to being the intellectual powerhouse that is her true self.
At the end of this story, there are several people still on the loose who seriously need to get their comeuppance, particularly Kral. While events turned out for the best, his duplicity still needs to be accounted for. And I look forward to reading all about it in The Edge of the Blade.
November 11, 2025
This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.
Introduction
The Pages of the Mind is the first installment in the "Uncharted Realms" series. This is a continuation of the "Twelve Kingdoms" trilogy and its interconnected so you definitely need to read these books in order. I wasn't sure what I was expecting from this one but this one blew my mind away! It was everything that I could have hoped for and more and just might be my favorite book from this author to date. I have never read a romance like this and it was so precious and the most masterful storytelling that I have read in a long time and that is saying a lot with how much that I do read. In this story we have a interracial romance that had my emotions all over the place. Jeffe Kennedy delivered on all counts with this one here!
The Main Protagonists
The Hero: King Nakoa
-Royalty
-Psychic Abilities with Water
-Islandic Descent
-Alpha Male
-Barbarian
The Heroine: Dafne (Heroine's Name)
-Librarian
-Scribe
-Quiet Mouse
-Talented with Languages
-Trusted advisor to the High Queen
Summary
Dafne is just a scribe and librarian and she is content with her quiet life and being a friend and advisor to the High Queen. But when her High Queen requests that she goes on a diplomatic mission, she knows that this is what her High Queen needs from her. And after some training, she feels as if she is ready to take the plunge into the unknown. What she finds when she arrives, is a fierce connection with the barbarian king, Nakoa. And through a ceremony, she later realizes that they are married and that his people look on their marriage as destined and when a dragon is unveiled and viewed as a blessing to the people, Dafne knows that she is in trouble especially when there is a obvious language barrier but also major cultural differences. But as Nakoa and Dafne work through their differences and find common ground, they also find a epic love that is worth fighting for.
My Outlook
The Pages of The Mind is a story that BLEW ME MIND AND HEART! I fell so hard for this captivating story and I am not sure why I took so long reading this one, but it was everything that I could have hoped for and MORE. This capitalized on everything that I look for in a fantasy romance and Jeffe Kennedy really delivered on this one. I absolutely adored so many elements to this story. One of my favorite elements though was in seeing the connection that forms between Nakoa and Dafne. The heroine is so lost at times, but seeing her with Nakoa and his people, you can see how she just is more at ease with herself and just comes into her own. I love the way that Nakoa was with Dafne. Yes he is a bit of a barbarian, and yes a definite alpha, but there are so many moments of sweetness, attentiveness and discernment that had me swooning for this hero. I love a committed hero, and he wins on five stars for his devotion to Dafne. But then we have Dafne, who is in this strange place, waiting to be rescued by her High Queen, but the bond between herself and Nakoa is growing deeper and she doesn't know if she can leave him. But the way in which she has to yearn back his trust and prove to him she is just as committed to him and his people was so well done. You just rarely see a good grovel from the heroine when she wrongs the hero, but the author did it perfectly. There is also a sense of magic and mystery surrounding the volcano and the "dragon" and I adored this aspect. I just know that there is more to come surrounding this and I can't wait to see it explore more in the series.
Overall View
I found The Pages of the Mind to be a heartfelt, stunning story that was rich in its world building, emotionally provoking in the relationship building, and purely endearing in the character growth that only deepens the love the reader will have for this well woven novel!
Rating Evaluation:
Plot: 5
World Building: 5
Cover:5
Hero: 5
Heroine: 4
Steam: 4
Heart & Feels: 4
Ending: 5
Overall View: 4.5
April 29, 2016
I seem to be reading more and more fantasy style books recently and yes you've guessed it I've just discovered another author to add to my list. Clearly this is part of a series but I had such fun wrapping my head around what was going on although we didn't meet the hero of the story Nakoa until well past the thirty percent point according to my kindle! That being said it did allow me to come to understand a lot about Dafne.
This is an early review so I can't give much away but Dafne has survived being under a despotic King since her family were killed but she's canny and cunning. Possibly the cleverest at court and whilst not the kind to seek adventures there's a streak of steel down her spine a mile wide. Resigned to being single as her fertility is surely declining with age she thoroughly enjoys being the new Queens trusted scribe and librarian.
Yet the magic that surrounds the thirteen kingdoms is slightly off kilter and Dafne is called to travel to the Islands most likely affected by the changes. She isn't the typical ambassador and bound to be underrated. Yet her arrival sees Dafne being manipulated into a bizarre courtship of sorts. King Nakoa claims her but he's a barbarian who doesn't even speak the same language so how on earth can Dafne get through to him that she really doesn't belong?
I loved Dafne! Ok she isn't kickass or even the most fiesty heroine but she is determined to do the right thing and so loyal. Nakoa is well frankly almost perfect. Gorgeous,patient and did I say sexy? The sexual tension that rackets through this story completely blindsided me. I wasn't expecting it to be so sensuous!
What can I say? The world building is very intense and the characters jump off the page. It's a rich, enticing world that the author has created and I can't wait to be engrossed by more of her stories. If fantasy and romance calls to you then best check this author out. Oh and never underestimate a librarian!
I was gifted a copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Four and a half from me
This is an early review so I can't give much away but Dafne has survived being under a despotic King since her family were killed but she's canny and cunning. Possibly the cleverest at court and whilst not the kind to seek adventures there's a streak of steel down her spine a mile wide. Resigned to being single as her fertility is surely declining with age she thoroughly enjoys being the new Queens trusted scribe and librarian.
Yet the magic that surrounds the thirteen kingdoms is slightly off kilter and Dafne is called to travel to the Islands most likely affected by the changes. She isn't the typical ambassador and bound to be underrated. Yet her arrival sees Dafne being manipulated into a bizarre courtship of sorts. King Nakoa claims her but he's a barbarian who doesn't even speak the same language so how on earth can Dafne get through to him that she really doesn't belong?
I loved Dafne! Ok she isn't kickass or even the most fiesty heroine but she is determined to do the right thing and so loyal. Nakoa is well frankly almost perfect. Gorgeous,patient and did I say sexy? The sexual tension that rackets through this story completely blindsided me. I wasn't expecting it to be so sensuous!
What can I say? The world building is very intense and the characters jump off the page. It's a rich, enticing world that the author has created and I can't wait to be engrossed by more of her stories. If fantasy and romance calls to you then best check this author out. Oh and never underestimate a librarian!
I was gifted a copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Four and a half from me
August 15, 2016
This new series spun off of the Twelve Kingdom series, The Uncharted Realms is fabulous. Why did I wait so very long to read this book, I do not know. I thoroughly enjoyed this book from beginning to end. Dafne Mailloux is the librarian who kept quiet and tried not to be slaughtered by her king. Her entire family was wiped out by him so she has good reason for her fear. Now, this meek mouse is the trusted advisor to the High Queen, the cruel king's daughter. At the behest of the High Queen, Dafne embarks on an adventure and finally take her life, off hold.
This story is magical. I loved the attention to the world building as well as the characters development. Dafne as a secondary character was always one who kind of slipped the mind, but still kept a nagging little presence. In this book, Dafne explodes into a character with a more painful past than previously revealed. Her cleverness in learning cultures and new languages is highlighted - front and center. I really liked Dafne and her romantic counterpart, Nakoa. The interactions between these two are cute, especially in Dafne's fumbling efforts and Nakoa's persistent seduction. The sex is a bit drawn out for me. I understand this plot device is necessary to drive the conflict and bring about a much needed solution. Still, I could have done without the virgin protecting her virtue. The sex scenes themselves are fine. Not my cup of tea but still good.
What I really liked was learning about new worlds and the dragons. I am a dragon lover so any books with dragons is going to ensnare my attention. The explanations of how the dragons came to be and what more they can do is fascinating. This world has a slightly missing Atlantis feel to it. It makes me want to read more and find out what happens next. What will the other island reveal and what other forgotten magics will return? This story is a fun journey of self-discovery for Dafne. Recommended to dragon lovers and those who love their happily ever afters.
*provided by NetGalley
This story is magical. I loved the attention to the world building as well as the characters development. Dafne as a secondary character was always one who kind of slipped the mind, but still kept a nagging little presence. In this book, Dafne explodes into a character with a more painful past than previously revealed. Her cleverness in learning cultures and new languages is highlighted - front and center. I really liked Dafne and her romantic counterpart, Nakoa. The interactions between these two are cute, especially in Dafne's fumbling efforts and Nakoa's persistent seduction. The sex is a bit drawn out for me. I understand this plot device is necessary to drive the conflict and bring about a much needed solution. Still, I could have done without the virgin protecting her virtue. The sex scenes themselves are fine. Not my cup of tea but still good.
What I really liked was learning about new worlds and the dragons. I am a dragon lover so any books with dragons is going to ensnare my attention. The explanations of how the dragons came to be and what more they can do is fascinating. This world has a slightly missing Atlantis feel to it. It makes me want to read more and find out what happens next. What will the other island reveal and what other forgotten magics will return? This story is a fun journey of self-discovery for Dafne. Recommended to dragon lovers and those who love their happily ever afters.
*provided by NetGalley
May 27, 2016
Gah! This book! Jeffe Kennedy has truly outdone herself with this story. From the beautiful cover to the very last word, I was captivated by this fantastical tale. I predict it will be one of my favorite books of the year.
For those of you who have not read the Twelve Kingdoms series, The Pages of the Mind is a spinoff which starts the Uncharted Realms series. While it is not absolutely necessary for you to read the Twelve Kingdoms first, it will give you a better understanding of the world and history of some of the characters. Plus, there just aren't many good fantasy romance authors out there, so support Jeffe and read all her books!
The heroine of this book is Dafne Mailloux, the librarian at Ordnung, who played a secondary role in the Twelve Kingdoms books. Dafne was very close to Salena, the mother of the Tala sisters, and became a caretaker and adviser to the girls after Salena's death. In previous books, Dafne always seemed to be there in the background, the supportive and intelligent rock that the girls needed. So I was happy to see Dafne get her own story, and it is now my favorite of the series. Dafne really got thrown out of her comfort zone in this book. She is sent by High Queen Ursula as a diplomat to an island kingdom to smooth over issues that occurred when the magical barrier expanded. When she lands on the island of a barbarian king who doesn't speak her language, she unwittingly becomes his queen. This is Dafne's hardest challenge yet, and something that Harlan told her sort of becomes her motto throughout the story:
I felt like this relationship was very uplifting. Even though Dafne was originally kept on the island contrary to her desires... I never faulted NaKoa for it. You knew from the moment they met that this relationship had to be fated. I was mesmerized by the whole thing. I did feel that sometimes the relationship was one-sided on NaKoa's part and I wanted to yell at Dafne to open her eyes and heart. But I was empathetic to the conflict Dafne felt over her loyalty to Ursula and the growing connection to NaKoa. When you learn the entirety of how these two were made for each other... you will sigh and swoon and maybe even get teary. This scene surrounding this line really got to me:
Last, but definitely not least, I can't end this review without saying one more thing about this book... there be dragons! I freaking love dragons and this one is a super cool golden talking dragon. LOOOOOOVED IT!
I received an advanced copy of this book from Kensington Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 5 stars / 3 flames. Full review posted at Bambi Unbridled on May 27, 2016.
For those of you who have not read the Twelve Kingdoms series, The Pages of the Mind is a spinoff which starts the Uncharted Realms series. While it is not absolutely necessary for you to read the Twelve Kingdoms first, it will give you a better understanding of the world and history of some of the characters. Plus, there just aren't many good fantasy romance authors out there, so support Jeffe and read all her books!
The heroine of this book is Dafne Mailloux, the librarian at Ordnung, who played a secondary role in the Twelve Kingdoms books. Dafne was very close to Salena, the mother of the Tala sisters, and became a caretaker and adviser to the girls after Salena's death. In previous books, Dafne always seemed to be there in the background, the supportive and intelligent rock that the girls needed. So I was happy to see Dafne get her own story, and it is now my favorite of the series. Dafne really got thrown out of her comfort zone in this book. She is sent by High Queen Ursula as a diplomat to an island kingdom to smooth over issues that occurred when the magical barrier expanded. When she lands on the island of a barbarian king who doesn't speak her language, she unwittingly becomes his queen. This is Dafne's hardest challenge yet, and something that Harlan told her sort of becomes her motto throughout the story:
It takes more courage to examine the dark corners of your own soul than it does for a solider to fight on a battlefield.Oh man, I am a little afraid to get started on the hero. I think I could go on about King Nakoa KauPo for days. I didn't think I would have a rivalry for my affections with regard to Dax Lahn and Kahl Drogo... but man oh man, Nakoa has rounded out my trifecta of favorite fantastical males. And it certainly doesn't hurt that Jason Momoa could play any one of those characters. Let me indulge your Jason Momoa fantasies... imagine him in this role as Nakoa:
King Nakoa KauPo's chest was bare, decorated with tattoos a few shades deeper. They reminded me of the dragons and other creatures carved into the rock, the muscles of his chest and abdomen similarly hard and ridged as the volcanic formations. As if he'd been created of the same substance and then animated... He wore his black hair loose like the Tala, but not as long. Instead it coiled around his shoulders like a living thing, and what I took at first for ash dusting the dark locks turned out to be silver and white streaks threading throughout, like lightning spearing through thunderheads. More than his coloring evoked that image, as his expression was also stormy, brooding and stern. Some of what I'd taken for tattoos turned out to be what looked like flexible scaled armor at the vulnerable parts of his shoulders, elbows, and ankles and over his groin. His only other garment was a sort of [kilt]...Now that you have your visual going, let me tell you a little about this awesome king. NaKoa displayed a strong visage while around others... so much so that Dafne, Jepp and Kyndra were calling him the dragon king. But when NaKoa was alone with Dafne, he was gentle and understanding. He was playful and teasing, and showed just the right amount of arrogance to make him even more attractive. He is really a fierce cuddly teddy bear and I would not complain one time if he wanted to carry me around his volcanic island.
I felt like this relationship was very uplifting. Even though Dafne was originally kept on the island contrary to her desires... I never faulted NaKoa for it. You knew from the moment they met that this relationship had to be fated. I was mesmerized by the whole thing. I did feel that sometimes the relationship was one-sided on NaKoa's part and I wanted to yell at Dafne to open her eyes and heart. But I was empathetic to the conflict Dafne felt over her loyalty to Ursula and the growing connection to NaKoa. When you learn the entirety of how these two were made for each other... you will sigh and swoon and maybe even get teary. This scene surrounding this line really got to me:
You lived in a cave, and I sent you rain.I loved the way that Dafne and NaKoa learned to communicate with one another in pieced together words and tones. I have to commend Jeffe on the effort she put into the various languages. She went into a lot of detail, even going so far as to work in an explanation of sentence structure and conjugation. The world building for a fantasy series seems hard enough, so I can't imagine how difficult it was to create different languages in addition to that.
Last, but definitely not least, I can't end this review without saying one more thing about this book... there be dragons! I freaking love dragons and this one is a super cool golden talking dragon. LOOOOOOVED IT!
I received an advanced copy of this book from Kensington Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 5 stars / 3 flames. Full review posted at Bambi Unbridled on May 27, 2016.
November 5, 2022
2.5 stars
I read this through my library which listed this as the first book in a series— seemingly corroborated by Goodreads. However, you should read the other books in this shared world because there’s A LOT of context and unexplained and totally foreign world building. The romance I understood, everything else… not so much, which was frustrating.
Romance wise, things could have certainly been better in terms of chemistry. Quality wise, it’s in the middle of the fantasy romance genre.
I read this through my library which listed this as the first book in a series— seemingly corroborated by Goodreads. However, you should read the other books in this shared world because there’s A LOT of context and unexplained and totally foreign world building. The romance I understood, everything else… not so much, which was frustrating.
Romance wise, things could have certainly been better in terms of chemistry. Quality wise, it’s in the middle of the fantasy romance genre.
July 23, 2019
3.5 stars -- I found this compulsively readable, so although I think there are some significant pacing issues in terms of the plot at the beginning, I was still sucked in. I would definitely like to read more from this author, as I'm always looking for a good fantasy with strong romantic elements
March 4, 2020
Am I biased because there's a lake in this book that's named after me?
Maybe a little, but only in so much that I made soft squee sounds when coming across references about that lake and the kingdom that lake is in. (Hey: when someone names a lake after you, you're allowed to squee!)
But even if there wasn't a lake named after yours truly, this is yet another story to fall in love with.
Dafne has been supporting and helping others for a long time. Her own dreams have faded, and she has almost made peace with the fact that she will always be the bridesmaid and never the bride, so to speak. Then she is send on a diplomatic quest, and she is pushed into more adventure than she could ever have dreamed of.
I have liked Dafne since she was first introduced in The Mark of the Tala. She's practical, kind, loyal, and a book nerd. She might not know how to handle a blade, but she does know how to handle delicate negotiations - words are her weapon - but when she ends upon an island where no one speaks the same language as she, that makes it a bit difficult to communicate.
But Dafne is no damsel in distress. She rises to the challenge and adapts.
I loved this story and the romance at the heart of it. King Nakoa is intriguing, charismatic, and knows what he wants. The romance between Dafne and Nakoa is delicious and hot. It was so good to read how they try to communicate and get to know each other.
The world building is once again wonderful. I love the exotic island Dafne ends up on and the secrets the island slowly reveals.
The romance and main storyline are resolved in this book (very satisfactory I might add), but there's enough revealed about the world that there is plenty of room for many more stories to come. I can only hope Jeffe will keep writing them.
Maybe a little, but only in so much that I made soft squee sounds when coming across references about that lake and the kingdom that lake is in. (Hey: when someone names a lake after you, you're allowed to squee!)
But even if there wasn't a lake named after yours truly, this is yet another story to fall in love with.
Dafne has been supporting and helping others for a long time. Her own dreams have faded, and she has almost made peace with the fact that she will always be the bridesmaid and never the bride, so to speak. Then she is send on a diplomatic quest, and she is pushed into more adventure than she could ever have dreamed of.
I have liked Dafne since she was first introduced in The Mark of the Tala. She's practical, kind, loyal, and a book nerd. She might not know how to handle a blade, but she does know how to handle delicate negotiations - words are her weapon - but when she ends upon an island where no one speaks the same language as she, that makes it a bit difficult to communicate.
But Dafne is no damsel in distress. She rises to the challenge and adapts.
I loved this story and the romance at the heart of it. King Nakoa is intriguing, charismatic, and knows what he wants. The romance between Dafne and Nakoa is delicious and hot. It was so good to read how they try to communicate and get to know each other.
The world building is once again wonderful. I love the exotic island Dafne ends up on and the secrets the island slowly reveals.
The romance and main storyline are resolved in this book (very satisfactory I might add), but there's enough revealed about the world that there is plenty of room for many more stories to come. I can only hope Jeffe will keep writing them.
May 25, 2016
Lucky for Dafne that she is a smart cookie because she sure needs it here, all alone on an island with strange people and a man making bedroom eyes at her.
Dafne is sent an a diplomatic mission to a chain of islands. But all things are not as they seem, and suddenly she is married, or is she? So hard to figure out what people are saying when you do not speak the language. And the people are strange, their king is strange. An Dafne, well I was all go for it woman! She has never loved, this is a great chance, you know a hot king wants you. But she is all, I have a duty to my queen! Silly woman.
And as I said all is not as it seems. There is magic on this island, and mysteries. Ones that can be solved by a librarian. Woot! Librarian powers to the rescue!
As for their dance, it was quite the dance. He wants her, but he also seems to need her..in another way too. She does find him hot (who wouldn't), but this is so so wrong. So they do their little dance, have difficulties understanding each other, grow closer and insert a bit of drama and hot headed idiots and you have your story.
By the way, the next book is Jepp's and Kral's and I can not wait. She has quite the mouth on her, how he could ever rein her in I do not know.
Back to these lovers. I am intrigued by the secrets revealed and can not wait to learn more.
Again, Ursula and A should totally be able to have babies! That still makes me sad, I hope it changes.
And one again back to the book.
A lovely fantasy romance.
Dafne is sent an a diplomatic mission to a chain of islands. But all things are not as they seem, and suddenly she is married, or is she? So hard to figure out what people are saying when you do not speak the language. And the people are strange, their king is strange. An Dafne, well I was all go for it woman! She has never loved, this is a great chance, you know a hot king wants you. But she is all, I have a duty to my queen! Silly woman.
And as I said all is not as it seems. There is magic on this island, and mysteries. Ones that can be solved by a librarian. Woot! Librarian powers to the rescue!
As for their dance, it was quite the dance. He wants her, but he also seems to need her..in another way too. She does find him hot (who wouldn't), but this is so so wrong. So they do their little dance, have difficulties understanding each other, grow closer and insert a bit of drama and hot headed idiots and you have your story.
By the way, the next book is Jepp's and Kral's and I can not wait. She has quite the mouth on her, how he could ever rein her in I do not know.
Back to these lovers. I am intrigued by the secrets revealed and can not wait to learn more.
Again, Ursula and A should totally be able to have babies! That still makes me sad, I hope it changes.
And one again back to the book.
A lovely fantasy romance.
June 6, 2016
This was recommended to me as having a barbarian king hero. But he does not appear until around 100 pages into this 311 page story (ebook edition) So I was getting very antsy waiting for him to show up.
The first 100 pages is set up and getting to know the characters...I feel it could have been shorter.
When the barbarian king hero finally appears, he immediately is possessive and protective of the heroine. She doesn't know what's going on because they don't speak each other's language.
So there are a lot of gestures, simple words, and body language to communicate between hero and heroine.
I liked that the hero did not overly pressure the heroine into being intimate. When she said no, he immediately stopped. Or put her dagger into her hand.
Eventually they are able to have full conversations.
My main problem with this book was that...I felt like there plot holes. The hero could "see" the heroine and even sent her help before in her life. Yet he waited all this time to find her? It didn't make any sense.
I also felt like the possible dragon in the volcano near Windroven wasn't addressed enough. "I'll write a letter and let them know it could be a dragon." Umm...they can't talk to dragons. So what are they going to do about it without the heroine?
Overall, I liked the book. It seems like the next book will focus on General Kral and J, who slept together in this book but he got mad when she slept with someone else the next day. She said they weren't exclusive. Eh. Their possible romance didn't grab me.
The first 100 pages is set up and getting to know the characters...I feel it could have been shorter.
When the barbarian king hero finally appears, he immediately is possessive and protective of the heroine. She doesn't know what's going on because they don't speak each other's language.
So there are a lot of gestures, simple words, and body language to communicate between hero and heroine.
I liked that the hero did not overly pressure the heroine into being intimate. When she said no, he immediately stopped. Or put her dagger into her hand.
Eventually they are able to have full conversations.
My main problem with this book was that...I felt like there plot holes. The hero could "see" the heroine and even sent her help before in her life. Yet he waited all this time to find her? It didn't make any sense.
I also felt like the possible dragon in the volcano near Windroven wasn't addressed enough. "I'll write a letter and let them know it could be a dragon." Umm...they can't talk to dragons. So what are they going to do about it without the heroine?
Overall, I liked the book. It seems like the next book will focus on General Kral and J, who slept together in this book but he got mad when she slept with someone else the next day. She said they weren't exclusive. Eh. Their possible romance didn't grab me.
June 9, 2016
4.5
Dafne Mailloux is a librarian and advisor to the High Queen. She is very good with learning languages and research. The High Queen sends Dafne on an important diplomatic mission which will bring her in contact with an unfamiliar culture. Of course things don't turn out the way anyone expected. She ends up being a captive and not knowing who to trust or even what they want from her.
I haven't read any of the previous 12 kingdoms books but didn't feel lost at all. I do want to go back to read about the things that happened to get us to the situations in this book.
I really loved this book. The world building was so good. I liked the magic and history of the different kingdoms. It felt like there was so much more to learn about the 12 kingdoms.
My favorite characters were Dafne, Jepp and Ursula. They were all badass in their own ways. Dafne's strength was more of finding important information and knowing when to use it. Jepp and Ursula were very much warriors. Both so confident in themselves and their strengths.
The romance between Nakoa and Dafne was great. They had so much chemistry and were so hot together. Even though they had a language barrier they were able to communicate.
Overall this was a great book. I definitely recommend this to fantasy readers who don't mind some romance mixed in. I can't wait to continue on with this series.
I received this from netgalley for an honest review.
Dafne Mailloux is a librarian and advisor to the High Queen. She is very good with learning languages and research. The High Queen sends Dafne on an important diplomatic mission which will bring her in contact with an unfamiliar culture. Of course things don't turn out the way anyone expected. She ends up being a captive and not knowing who to trust or even what they want from her.
I haven't read any of the previous 12 kingdoms books but didn't feel lost at all. I do want to go back to read about the things that happened to get us to the situations in this book.
I really loved this book. The world building was so good. I liked the magic and history of the different kingdoms. It felt like there was so much more to learn about the 12 kingdoms.
My favorite characters were Dafne, Jepp and Ursula. They were all badass in their own ways. Dafne's strength was more of finding important information and knowing when to use it. Jepp and Ursula were very much warriors. Both so confident in themselves and their strengths.
The romance between Nakoa and Dafne was great. They had so much chemistry and were so hot together. Even though they had a language barrier they were able to communicate.
Overall this was a great book. I definitely recommend this to fantasy readers who don't mind some romance mixed in. I can't wait to continue on with this series.
I received this from netgalley for an honest review.
April 26, 2020
LOVED!!!! The only other book I’ve read by this author was erotica, and it’s hard to believe this is the same author. I loved both books though.
Though this is the first of this series, I felt the lack of not having read the series it is spun off of, The Twelve Kingdoms. I will be rectifying that mistake very soon.
Aside from the feeling there was a lot of backstory I was missing, this was a great, fun read. What bookish older lady doesn’t want to read about a bookish older lady heroine who is thoroughly seduced by Jason Momoa?? He’s all I could think about every time I read about this hero.
With crackling dialogue, fleshy characters and political intrigue to spare, I ate this book up and will go back for seconds.
The mystery of what the dragon’s treasure was fairly predictable, but that didn’t bother me. There’s a lot of puzzles about the newly awakened magic still to solve, but first I need to go back and start from the beginning.
Though this is the first of this series, I felt the lack of not having read the series it is spun off of, The Twelve Kingdoms. I will be rectifying that mistake very soon.
Aside from the feeling there was a lot of backstory I was missing, this was a great, fun read. What bookish older lady doesn’t want to read about a bookish older lady heroine who is thoroughly seduced by Jason Momoa?? He’s all I could think about every time I read about this hero.
With crackling dialogue, fleshy characters and political intrigue to spare, I ate this book up and will go back for seconds.
The mystery of what the dragon’s treasure was fairly predictable, but that didn’t bother me. There’s a lot of puzzles about the newly awakened magic still to solve, but first I need to go back and start from the beginning.
May 16, 2016
This is one of my favorite series so when I found out there was new a new book coming I was over the moon ecstatic. When I found out that it was Dafne's story I may have happy danced a bit.
The Page of the Mind is a beautifully woven captor/captive tale that I thoroughly enjoyed.
While I did not care for Dafne's match at first I grew to like him and by the end of their journey I truly loved him. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series.
ARC provided by publisher through Net Galley
The Page of the Mind is a beautifully woven captor/captive tale that I thoroughly enjoyed.
While I did not care for Dafne's match at first I grew to like him and by the end of their journey I truly loved him. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series.
ARC provided by publisher through Net Galley
March 7, 2019
The world was interesting, but not much else.
June 6, 2016
Review originally posted at RabidReads.com.
4.5 stars
When I started The Twelve Kingdoms series, I thought it was a trilogy about the three royal sisters. I read all three books and felt that the story arc wrapped up really well. Imagine my surprise when I hear that there is a book four coming out. Not only that, but that it centers around Dafne, the beloved librarian who helped all three of the girls in their stories. She was probably the strongest secondary character in the first three books. She really was the rock that all three of the girls leaned on throughout the series. Now we get to see her have her own story. Yay!!
This story starts off with Harlan’s brother, Kral from Dasnaria, coming to Ordnung. He had been visiting the Nahanau islands. From the descriptions, I’m picturing something like Hawaii. A volcanic island nation that is very tropical. Even the mannerism of the people remind me of what I’ve seen of Hawaii (though I’ve never actually visited Hawaii). People with dark hair, dark skin, wearing skirts, flowered necklaces, bare feet. Anyway, it seem that Kral and his men are not able to get back to Dasnaria. The barrier seems to be keeping them in, so they came to Ordnung.
Queen Ursula convinces Dafne to go to this land and on to Dasnaria as a spy. For one, she speaks Dasnarian and she is great a ferreting out information. She is also very good at hiding under the radar as she did for most of her life under King Uorsin. Ursula is also quick to remind Dafne that there is more than strength of arms that one should fear, but also the strength of mind.
When they arrive at the Nahanau islands, it is clear that there is a large language barrier. Even though Kral and his men have been there several times, language is still a large issue. Dafne, trying to be polite, actually accepts a marriage proposal from King Nakoa KauPo. He is not willing to let her leave. To prevent any diplomatic issues, Dafne sends the rest off and ask them to send rescue later.
The relationship between Nakoa and Dafne was an interesting one to watch. The language and cultural barrier made things very difficult for both of them. You could see that Nakoa really cared for Dafne, but there was something else there too. Dafne was obviously loyal to her queen and really felt like a bit of a prisoner. She was also very much eager to learn as much as she could about these new people, always the librarian.
Once again, the secondary characters in this story were great. In the first part of the story on the travel to Nahanau islands, we got to spend time with Kral, Jeep who is one of Ursula’s Hawks and Zynda, who is Ursula’s aunt on her mother’s side and a Tala with the ability to shape change into several different animals. Then once we are at the islands, there is Akamai, who is a librarian, who is very much like Dafne was in Ordnung. He was orphaned and just trying to get by being a scholar as much as he could. He also was a person who knew more than he ever let on. There’s Inoa, who is King Kakoa’s older sister. There is also Chief Tate who tries to take over as king. I really enjoyed all of these characters, well, except Tate, but he was evil and meant to be so.
I was very excited to spend more time in The Twelve Kingdoms, even if I didn’t get to spend much time with Ursula and got no time with Ami and Andi. We got to see new lands and meet some new characters. I loved watching the relationship build, especially with the language and cultural barrier. I’m hoping that we will see another book where we see Jeep and Kral on their trip to Dasnaria. For one, I want to learn more about that land. Two, I think they have a relationship coming there. I’m also interested in seeing how Akamai plays a role going forward. Will he be as instrumental as Dafne?
**Book was provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley. This review is my opinion and was not requested or provoked in anyway.
4.5 stars
When I started The Twelve Kingdoms series, I thought it was a trilogy about the three royal sisters. I read all three books and felt that the story arc wrapped up really well. Imagine my surprise when I hear that there is a book four coming out. Not only that, but that it centers around Dafne, the beloved librarian who helped all three of the girls in their stories. She was probably the strongest secondary character in the first three books. She really was the rock that all three of the girls leaned on throughout the series. Now we get to see her have her own story. Yay!!
This story starts off with Harlan’s brother, Kral from Dasnaria, coming to Ordnung. He had been visiting the Nahanau islands. From the descriptions, I’m picturing something like Hawaii. A volcanic island nation that is very tropical. Even the mannerism of the people remind me of what I’ve seen of Hawaii (though I’ve never actually visited Hawaii). People with dark hair, dark skin, wearing skirts, flowered necklaces, bare feet. Anyway, it seem that Kral and his men are not able to get back to Dasnaria. The barrier seems to be keeping them in, so they came to Ordnung.
Queen Ursula convinces Dafne to go to this land and on to Dasnaria as a spy. For one, she speaks Dasnarian and she is great a ferreting out information. She is also very good at hiding under the radar as she did for most of her life under King Uorsin. Ursula is also quick to remind Dafne that there is more than strength of arms that one should fear, but also the strength of mind.
“This is why it’s perilous to ignore a librarian.”
When they arrive at the Nahanau islands, it is clear that there is a large language barrier. Even though Kral and his men have been there several times, language is still a large issue. Dafne, trying to be polite, actually accepts a marriage proposal from King Nakoa KauPo. He is not willing to let her leave. To prevent any diplomatic issues, Dafne sends the rest off and ask them to send rescue later.
The relationship between Nakoa and Dafne was an interesting one to watch. The language and cultural barrier made things very difficult for both of them. You could see that Nakoa really cared for Dafne, but there was something else there too. Dafne was obviously loyal to her queen and really felt like a bit of a prisoner. She was also very much eager to learn as much as she could about these new people, always the librarian.
Once again, the secondary characters in this story were great. In the first part of the story on the travel to Nahanau islands, we got to spend time with Kral, Jeep who is one of Ursula’s Hawks and Zynda, who is Ursula’s aunt on her mother’s side and a Tala with the ability to shape change into several different animals. Then once we are at the islands, there is Akamai, who is a librarian, who is very much like Dafne was in Ordnung. He was orphaned and just trying to get by being a scholar as much as he could. He also was a person who knew more than he ever let on. There’s Inoa, who is King Kakoa’s older sister. There is also Chief Tate who tries to take over as king. I really enjoyed all of these characters, well, except Tate, but he was evil and meant to be so.
I was very excited to spend more time in The Twelve Kingdoms, even if I didn’t get to spend much time with Ursula and got no time with Ami and Andi. We got to see new lands and meet some new characters. I loved watching the relationship build, especially with the language and cultural barrier. I’m hoping that we will see another book where we see Jeep and Kral on their trip to Dasnaria. For one, I want to learn more about that land. Two, I think they have a relationship coming there. I’m also interested in seeing how Akamai plays a role going forward. Will he be as instrumental as Dafne?
**Book was provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley. This review is my opinion and was not requested or provoked in anyway.
June 29, 2018
I wasn’t sure how much this spinoff trilogy to the Twelve Kingdoms would tie into the original books or if I would enjoy them as much without the focus on the original sisters. I’m happy to report that while this book clearly kicks off a new arc, it feels very much like a continuation of the original installments. Not only that, Ursula has an important part to play here. After all, the heroine of this story is Dafne, her closest friend and advisor.
Jeffe Kennedy does a good job making the transition smooth. The first third of this book is all about Dafne still serving Ursula and helping her navigate through the early days of her rule. We don’t even meet the hero for several chapters. But it’s ok, because once we do, this is a romance, through and through.
The story begins with Harlan’s brother, Kral, and a troop of Dasnarian soldiers marching on Ordnung. Dafne helps mediate between him and Ursula, but is ultimately tapped for a diplomatic mission in Ursula’s name. She must travel with Kral’s men (along with Jepp and Zynda) –first to an island that has been affected by the changing magical barrier around Annfwn, and then back to Dasnaria to ferret out what’s going on with Deyrr, the cult that sent Illyria to seek out the Star. She never gets further than the first part of her mission.
When Dafne arrives on the island, the king, Nakoa, is instantly taken with her and spirits her away to a ceremony she doesn’t understand. She doesn’t speak the language of his people and they don’t speak hers. But as Jepp points out, the language of the body is universal. Dafne feels an attraction for Nakoa she’s never felt for anyone else. But will falling for him betray her allegiance to the high queen?
I really enjoyed this book. My hat is off to Kennedy who paints such a strong, patient, and loving hero with a language barrier that persists for half their relationship. Nakoa conveys so much in his actions and short phrases. I love how devoted he was to Dafne, how he courted her mind as well as her body, and how he wanted her to give herself freely (even if it was to his detriment to wait.)
Dafne, meanwhile, manages to be both cerebral and emotionally engaging. She’s just so smart, but innocent in the ways of love. It was awesome seeing her come alive (emotionally) with Nakoa. They have such an undeniable connection. I really just loved everything about it.
Oh yeah… there are also dragons.
I’m really looking forward to Jepp’s book. She is such a sexually liberated character. I can’t wait to see how she conquers Harlan’s brother.
Rating: B+
Jeffe Kennedy does a good job making the transition smooth. The first third of this book is all about Dafne still serving Ursula and helping her navigate through the early days of her rule. We don’t even meet the hero for several chapters. But it’s ok, because once we do, this is a romance, through and through.
The story begins with Harlan’s brother, Kral, and a troop of Dasnarian soldiers marching on Ordnung. Dafne helps mediate between him and Ursula, but is ultimately tapped for a diplomatic mission in Ursula’s name. She must travel with Kral’s men (along with Jepp and Zynda) –first to an island that has been affected by the changing magical barrier around Annfwn, and then back to Dasnaria to ferret out what’s going on with Deyrr, the cult that sent Illyria to seek out the Star. She never gets further than the first part of her mission.
When Dafne arrives on the island, the king, Nakoa, is instantly taken with her and spirits her away to a ceremony she doesn’t understand. She doesn’t speak the language of his people and they don’t speak hers. But as Jepp points out, the language of the body is universal. Dafne feels an attraction for Nakoa she’s never felt for anyone else. But will falling for him betray her allegiance to the high queen?
I really enjoyed this book. My hat is off to Kennedy who paints such a strong, patient, and loving hero with a language barrier that persists for half their relationship. Nakoa conveys so much in his actions and short phrases. I love how devoted he was to Dafne, how he courted her mind as well as her body, and how he wanted her to give herself freely (even if it was to his detriment to wait.)
Dafne, meanwhile, manages to be both cerebral and emotionally engaging. She’s just so smart, but innocent in the ways of love. It was awesome seeing her come alive (emotionally) with Nakoa. They have such an undeniable connection. I really just loved everything about it.
Oh yeah… there are also dragons.
I’m really looking forward to Jepp’s book. She is such a sexually liberated character. I can’t wait to see how she conquers Harlan’s brother.
Rating: B+
April 29, 2017
3 - 3.5
Very promising beginning until Dafne reached the island. Then, the story really slowed down. Too much inner struggling for this reader to not want to skim the sexy times. Jepp, a secondary character, is an atypical heroine whose story (The Edge of the Blade) should be more action-oriented.
Very promising beginning until Dafne reached the island. Then, the story really slowed down. Too much inner struggling for this reader to not want to skim the sexy times. Jepp, a secondary character, is an atypical heroine whose story (The Edge of the Blade) should be more action-oriented.
January 14, 2018
Een verhaal in een magische wereld, met een sexy inheemse koning, veel politieke (en persoonlijke) intrige, draken én een boekenwurm als hoofdpersoon. Me like!!
March 19, 2017
Actual rating 3.75. A fun quick read, the only thing that bothered me was the MC denial of the obvious throughout most of the book. Other than that it was a surprisingly good read.
April 24, 2016
Why you should read it: Everything you want in a romance, you'll get right here! It's exceptionally written with beautiful character and relationship development, super hot yet tender love scenes, and many laughs too!
“It takes more courage to examine the dark corners of your own soul than it does for a soldier to fight on a battlefield.”
Dafne and Nakoa are two beautiful people in both mind and body. A casualty of war, Dafne becomes a ward of the crown after her family is slaughtered, leaving her the only living noble from the old kingdom. And while it amused the new king to keep her alive, she willed herself to fade into the woodwork, drawing as little attention to herself as possible. And through the long years, she immerses herself in the art of learning, taking in as much information as possible so as best to help her achieve her goal...unseating the corrupt king and replacing him with a fair ruler. Once she accomplishes her goal, she resigns herself to living the rest of her life as an old maid, never having a chance at adventure or knowing the touch of a man who loves her. Until a chance mission throws her in the fiery path of King Nakoa KauPo, a barbarian king who instantly connects with Dafne on a deeper level, leaving her trembling under his intense gaze and gentle touches.
“You waited for me as I waited for you.”
WOW! *Wipe sweat from my forehead* I'm surprised I didn't self-combust from the sexual tension between Dafne and Nakoa. The story starts in a high fantasy style with lots of talk of kingdoms, adventures, magic, and most importantly, politics, which ultimately leads Dafne to Nakoa's kingdom. From the moment Dafne sees Nakoa, she is terrified of the consequences, of the way he makes her feel and of giving up her loyalty to her beloved queen because how can she possibly be with a foreign king and still be faithful to her queen? And so she holds Nakoa off, trying to distance herself from him every time he gets close.
“It takes courage to let another person in.”
I truly enjoyed this book. It was very FUN and had so much romance that my heart endured nonstop palpitations. And that Nakoa...oh my! He was so sweet, understanding, and absolutely adored Dafne. He never once rushed Dafne to give what she wasn't ready to give, only gently coaxing her with his love and patience. The island setting and the volcanoes very much brought to mind Hawaii, with lush foliage, trade winds, and hot lava fields.
Alongside Dafne and Nakoa, there was an awesome list of supporting characters, each with their own distinct personalities, and who brought lots of laughter, sass, and even more sexual frustration.
“Well, you won't be having any soon, because General Killjoy has forbidden all of his men, including our Vervaldr, from having sex with any of us for the duration of the journey. So if either of you want to experiment?”
Overall, this book was a mix of fantasy and historical romance that totally worked and left me wanting more. I was happily immersed in the world and fully committed to seeing Dafne and Nakoa's relationship develop into a HEA even if I had to read an entire series to see it :D
Rating: 4.5 Stars
ARC kindly provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 17, 2020
I give this book five out of five stars for the quality of the fantasy AND the romance story, the compelling narrative, and the characters I was fully invested in. I was thinking about this story when I wasn’t reading it and I had a hard time putting it down. I happily and in good faith can recommend it to my friends, who like myself, often have a hard time finding a satisfying romance inside a real epic fantasy story.
What I love about this story:
1) Thank you and a huge kudos to author Jeffe Kennedy for successfully doing what so many fail at: placing a real romance story inside a real epic fantasy novel. Brava-you did it, and I can’t wait to read more from this series! Seriously, this is an achievement folks. Many an author can create a fantasy novel but “FAIL!” at incorporating a real romance plot or subplot. Many a romance author can create a romantic plot but “FAIL!” at creating anything resembling a fantasy realm or novel. Jeffe Kennedy did what so many have blubbered up in one way or another. In all seriousness, she did what seems like an impossible mission to many. She crafted a fantasy romance and made the idea something totally possible, and I am super grateful. Thank God she has a series and I get to read more. Best of my two-favorite genre’s in one, it’s something I will never tire of and will pay all the money and pre-order many months in advance to have in all the formats I can.
2) The hero and heroine and supporting cast are so real and interesting. There’re no cookie cutter characters in this cast, and I love how the characters are made stronger by having foibles and weaknesses. The action and character reactions are genuine and become one of the true motivators behind never wanting to put this book down.
3) Dragons, there’s a really cool dragon who is important to both the romantic and fantasy plot arch. It’s importance is totally satisfying and significant, which it should be since we’re talking about a dragon.
4) The author took me somewhere exotic that looks nothing like my backyard or anywhere within 300 miles of where I live. I got to experience exotic flowers, beaches, food, volcanoes, clothes, animals, and traditions that were fabulous and hit all the high marks of what I love about the fantasy genre.
Jeffe Kennedy has officially gained a position on my “I freaking love this author” goodreads shelf. I look forward to reading everything released with her name on it.
What I love about this story:
1) Thank you and a huge kudos to author Jeffe Kennedy for successfully doing what so many fail at: placing a real romance story inside a real epic fantasy novel. Brava-you did it, and I can’t wait to read more from this series! Seriously, this is an achievement folks. Many an author can create a fantasy novel but “FAIL!” at incorporating a real romance plot or subplot. Many a romance author can create a romantic plot but “FAIL!” at creating anything resembling a fantasy realm or novel. Jeffe Kennedy did what so many have blubbered up in one way or another. In all seriousness, she did what seems like an impossible mission to many. She crafted a fantasy romance and made the idea something totally possible, and I am super grateful. Thank God she has a series and I get to read more. Best of my two-favorite genre’s in one, it’s something I will never tire of and will pay all the money and pre-order many months in advance to have in all the formats I can.
2) The hero and heroine and supporting cast are so real and interesting. There’re no cookie cutter characters in this cast, and I love how the characters are made stronger by having foibles and weaknesses. The action and character reactions are genuine and become one of the true motivators behind never wanting to put this book down.
3) Dragons, there’s a really cool dragon who is important to both the romantic and fantasy plot arch. It’s importance is totally satisfying and significant, which it should be since we’re talking about a dragon.
4) The author took me somewhere exotic that looks nothing like my backyard or anywhere within 300 miles of where I live. I got to experience exotic flowers, beaches, food, volcanoes, clothes, animals, and traditions that were fabulous and hit all the high marks of what I love about the fantasy genre.
Jeffe Kennedy has officially gained a position on my “I freaking love this author” goodreads shelf. I look forward to reading everything released with her name on it.
July 31, 2024
This was the first book I read from this author and it started off really exciting. I really liked Dafne as a character and how she used her extensive knowledge as a weapon. I am always drawn to wallflower/bookish heroines who save the day with brain not brawn. Dafne is a strong heroine but I couldn't connect as much with the hero.
* Mild Spoilers Ahead*
I basicallly devoured the first part of the book and loved when Dafne brought to the mysterious island with its tattooed and fierce leader. It gave me kind of a Polynesian vibe ( Moana anyone?) and it was unexpected that I couldn't guess right away who the hero was going to be. Having since read the Mark of the Tala as well I can say that I really love the world-building of this author.
* Bigger Spoilers*
This book was just so great at first and I thought it would become one of my all-time favorites which makes what came after even more disappointing. I just didn't really like when the book started focusing much on just the physical relationship between Nakoa and Dafne. It's like all of Dafne's skills went unused and the whole book just fell flat after that. It's like she went on this big adventure only to have sex and play strip chess and I feel like her talents as an adviser almost went to waste. Don't get me wrong sex scenes can be done well but I like it when they are an interlude in the story that brings the characters closer together but don't become the main focus. The story dragged so much when Dafne was plagued by her insecurities and intimacy issues and it felt almost like I was reading a different book. The whole dragon storyline was also poorly executed and seemed almost like an afterthought. It's getting boring... let's bring back the dragon! I was disappointed that there wasn't more done with it and the villain was so predictable that it all felt very anti-climactic. Overall the first part of the book was really good and I thought it was going to be a volcano eruption but it ended up being just a puff of smoke.
* Mild Spoilers Ahead*
I basicallly devoured the first part of the book and loved when Dafne brought to the mysterious island with its tattooed and fierce leader. It gave me kind of a Polynesian vibe ( Moana anyone?) and it was unexpected that I couldn't guess right away who the hero was going to be. Having since read the Mark of the Tala as well I can say that I really love the world-building of this author.
* Bigger Spoilers*
This book was just so great at first and I thought it would become one of my all-time favorites which makes what came after even more disappointing. I just didn't really like when the book started focusing much on just the physical relationship between Nakoa and Dafne. It's like all of Dafne's skills went unused and the whole book just fell flat after that. It's like she went on this big adventure only to have sex and play strip chess and I feel like her talents as an adviser almost went to waste. Don't get me wrong sex scenes can be done well but I like it when they are an interlude in the story that brings the characters closer together but don't become the main focus. The story dragged so much when Dafne was plagued by her insecurities and intimacy issues and it felt almost like I was reading a different book. The whole dragon storyline was also poorly executed and seemed almost like an afterthought. It's getting boring... let's bring back the dragon! I was disappointed that there wasn't more done with it and the villain was so predictable that it all felt very anti-climactic. Overall the first part of the book was really good and I thought it was going to be a volcano eruption but it ended up being just a puff of smoke.
February 14, 2020
The most amazing Book 1 of The uncharted Realms, a spin off of The Twelve Kingdoms Series. Jeffe Kennedy is hands down one my Top Fantasy/Romance authors. I've fallen so crazy in love with this world. Loved the way the magic worked. Dafne Mailloux believed she was just a librarian, a spinster, who had no power, no magic, and no prospect in romance. While the entire three decades, King Nakoa Kaupo was connecting to her through magic and waiting for her to come to him. A lot needed to happen for the two to finally be together and to fulfill what meant to be.
Yet Dafne's lack of self confidence plus poor self image held her back. She never thought she deserved to become King Nakoa's Queen. How The King spent the entire book courting Dafne, giving her all the time she needed to believe in her own magic, in their love, in the fact that they forever belong together, made this story one of the most gorgeous and amazing Fantasy/Romance books Ever! Did I mention that the King outright told her he waited for her the way she waited for him? (That they were both virgins. . . ? )
As for Dafne's insecurities, she kept that up until the very end, though. But the scene she asked the King for forgiveness was heartbreakingly beautiful and one of my favorites!
Yet Dafne's lack of self confidence plus poor self image held her back. She never thought she deserved to become King Nakoa's Queen. How The King spent the entire book courting Dafne, giving her all the time she needed to believe in her own magic, in their love, in the fact that they forever belong together, made this story one of the most gorgeous and amazing Fantasy/Romance books Ever! Did I mention that the King outright told her he waited for her the way she waited for him? (That they were both virgins. . . ? )
As for Dafne's insecurities, she kept that up until the very end, though. But the scene she asked the King for forgiveness was heartbreakingly beautiful and one of my favorites!
"I'm asking you to forgive me for breaking my promises. For not believing in what is between us. I want to stay if you'll let me. You are first with me. You were right, that you weren't before, but you are now. I'm . . . wiser than I was. Even if you say no, you always will be. I didn't see. Or listen."
He didn't move for moment. . . Then he lifted a hand and caressed my hair, running his fingers through it. He smile sorrowfully . . . "The world does not work this way. What has gone on before is always there." . . .
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