Priestess Dreaming

Otherworld / Sisters of the Moon #16

by Yasmine Galenorn, Cassandra Campbell (Reader)

Unabridged Fiction 10 compact discs/ 11.75 hours

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Vampires, Magic

Audio CD

First published September 30, 2014

About the author

NOTE: I SELDOM visit Goodreads and do very little here. Please see my website for more information on my work: https://galenorn.com

New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today bestselling author Yasmine Galenorn writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance, and is the author of over 80 books & numerous series, including the Wild Hunt Series, the Moonshadow Bay Series, the Fury Unbound Series, the Otherworld Series, the Bewitching Bedlam Series, and more. She wrote for trad publishers for 20 years until she went indie in 2016.

She’s also written nonfiction metaphysical books. She is the 2011 Career Achievement Award Winner in Urban Fantasy, given by RT Magazine. Yasmine has been in the Craft since 1980, is a shamanic witch and High Priestess. She describes her life as a blend of teacups and tattoos. She lives in Kirkland, WA, with her husband Samwise and their cats. Yasmine can be reached via her web site at Galenorn.com. Sign up for her newsletter at: http://galenorn.com/newsletter/

NOTE: ALWAYS check the website and blog, and please sign up for her newsletter there to keep current with new and upcoming releases. Facebook, Goodreads, and Twitter are NOT viable places to find out all this information.

Reviews

[Kody Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Talk about formulaic.

How many of these books are going to follow the same formula for the first chapters? Here, let me show you the pattern.

~ Begin with the sisters coming back from something normal and human (If you are Camille, add in a sentence about how much you want to bang your three husbands)
~ The sisters get interrupted by some sort of mystical something or other (in this case a yeti) and have to battle it
~ this leads to their adventure for this book.

Every single book it's been like this. I'm almost able to skip the first two or three chapters now since it's all exactly like this. And we're on book 16 now, stop with the recaps of "I'm a sexy witch, I'm a sexy cat, I'm a broken and damaged vampire".

I can't even get into this book since it suffers from the formula I listed but also because of all the other flaws Galenorn suffers from.The archaic language mixed with modern from characters deep into their thousand year old selves, the info dumps, the overwhelming amount of characters....and we're still no closer to getting all the spirit seals or actually facing off with Shadow Wing. Book 16, people. Either kill off that story line or finish it, for the love of god.

I also found out that Galenorn is getting burnt out on this series and will now only be doing one book a year. Meaning if they finally face off with Shadow Wing in book 18, it'll be done in 2016. I appreciate that she needs a break, I won't even begrudge her it, but I'm also burnt out, and I just want it to end. This used to be my favorite series and now? I kind of dread it.

[Mel (Epic Reading) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find it difficult to review Galenorn's series as I read them because I know the world and characters so well, and they are easy. Not unlike when I read Laurel K. Hamilton or (before series ended) Charlaine Harris. They are silly, over the top, eye rolling fun.
And so long as you take them at face value then they are great.

So this is where I struggle because technically it's a five star book by that definition but obviously not a five star book next to my fave books ever!! So middle of the road rating it is.
One thing I really loved in this one was the new sorta baby dragon. So freaking cute!

[Faye · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first picked up Witchling (book 1) in 2008 I assumed the book was part of a trilogy and the plot would be neatly resolved by book 3. Priestess Dreaming is book sixteen in the Otherworld/Sisters of the Moon series and it is still going strong, though it has deviated from the original plot by quite a bit as this point.

In Priestess Dreaming a new threat is awakening beneath Seattle - an ancient dragon, known as a Wyrm, and there is only one person from ancient legend that can defeat it; the Merlin. Camille is given the quest to track down the Merlin and wake him up from his enchanted sleep.

Things I liked:
- The action is immediate from the first page, and you are drawn right into the story.
- Priestess Dreaming is told from Camille's POV, and although Delilah is my personal favourite narrator, Camille is a close second. (Menolly is way behind in third place, I am not a fan of her stories in general.)
- The new spin on the Arthurian legend - for example Merlin is called 'the Merlin' as it is a title rather than a name, which was interesting, and Galenorn's depiction of the Merlin was fresh and very different from how Merlin is portrayed in other fiction.
- The homely scenes are always nice to read about, whether it is Camille and her husbands’ going shopping, or the family sitting around the kitchen table having a meal. The strong bond between all the characters is obvious.
- Even though there is a large number of characters in the series at this point they are all fairly memorable in their own right and I didn’t have any trouble remembering who did what or who was related to whom.
- Related to the above point; for the main part of the story - the quest - Galenorn really pared the cast down to a handful of characters and I liked that Camille took Morio with her rather than Smoky or Trillian, as I feel that of the three husbands he is the one we know little about and he is always in the shadow of the two stronger husbands.

Things I didn't like:
- Although the plot of this book was good, it is not at all connected with the overarching plot of Shadow Wing and the Spirit Seals. As I mentioned above, I bought the first book when it came out and I assumed it was the first book of a trilogy because really the whole storyline could have fitted into three books. Instead the series has expanded way beyond that initial plot and although I do still love returning to the world Galenorn has created, I feel she does need to actually make some progress on resolving that original plot.
- The final battle between the Merlin and Yvarr (the wyrm) was anti-climatic. It happened in less than a page and the Merlin could have had a bigger role in that final battle considering the whole story line revolved around him being the only one who could defeat him.

Despite the negative points I still really enjoy this series and will continue to buy them for as long as Galenorn writes them. I just hope that in the next couple of books we see a return to the hunt for the remaining Spirit Seals.

Overall rating: 4/5 stars

[Treece · Rating 4 out of 5]

Edgy and Dark and Electric

An introspective whirlwind of twists and turns with enough revelations to keep the plot original and foreshadowing of what's to come.

[Alice4170 🌙 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 ⭐️
The Merlin was hella cool, but I’ve never been a big fan of Camille, I still really enjoyed the story!

[Marina · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I picked up this book from the library I thought I had read this author before. When I came home and looked at my goodreads profile I was surprised to see this was my 1st ever read for this author in novel form. Yet, I remember having 2 or 3 books by Ms. Galenorn that I thought I read. Looks like Hurricane Sandy made me loose those books that I remember owning.The series caught my eye due to the book cover artist Tony Mauro. His work is very striking!

So my first read went well. This I give 4 stars. It was kinda tough getting into the story because book 16 has a LOT of characters, friends that the main characters had made along the way. Still, I was drawn in and liked many of the characters. Good chemistry between family and friends. Their were sad moments too. Overall, I recommend this series just based on this book.=0)

I definitely plan to start this series from the beginning, hopefully. Sometimes I end up reading a series out of order but I'll try hard not to do that here. This is a pretty complex series as it is.
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Spoiler
Note to Self:Seattle, Earthside & Otherworld

Camille Sepharial te Maria(Camille D'Artigo,eldest sis,half-human,half-Fae,Priestess Dark Moon witch,operative of OIA-Otherworld Intelligence Agency,pal)+ "Smoky"/ Iampaatar(dragon shifter,soul bound husband)+ Trillian(Svartan,Dark Fae,alpha soul bound husband)+Morio(youkai-kitsune,priest,Dark Moon sorcerer,soul bound husband),Delilah Maria te Maria(Delilah D'Artigo,middle sis,2 faced werecat(tabby & panther)& Death Maiden,"Kitten",OIA-Otherworld Intelligence Agency agent,born a twin,ex-lover)+Shade(half dragon & half Svartan),Menolly Rosabelle te Maria(Menolly D'Artigo,youngest sis,half Fae,vamp,ex-jian-tu /acrobat, OIA-Otherworld Intelligence Agency agent,bar owner, official consort to Roman)+Nerissa Shale(werepuma,Amazon goddess),Maggie(baby calico gargoyle,woodland,Crypto,adopted by D'Artigo sisters),Hanna(D'Artigo housekeeper& nanny),Chase Johnson(detective,director(FH-CSI)Faerie Human Crime Scene Investigation,full-blood-human,psychic,ex-lover, pal)+Sharah(elf,now Queen,niece to Queen Asteria(died),medic/healer)= Astrid(their girl,half elf & human),Iris(Kuusi) O'Shea(house sprite, Finnish Fae,pal)=Bruce O'Shea(leprechaun)=Maria & Ukkonen(their twins),
Vanzir(dream chaser demon,pal),Rozurial(Roz,incubus,merc,pal),Derisa (High Priestess,Coterie of the Moon Mother(voice of goddess)),Trenyth (elf, was Queen Asteria's adviser,pal),Mistletoe(pixie,Dahns Unicorns messenger,pal),Feddrah-Dahns(Dahnsburg heir,Unicorn,Crypto,pal),
Tanne Baum(woodland Fae Black Forest,Hunter Glen Clan(demon hunter), Spell Singer)+Violet(ex-gf,trauma survivor),Myrddin(The Merlin, sorcerer,Father of Druids,High Priest)+Aine(young dragon shifter,water & earth,foster daughter,lover,Priestess,cursed),Aeval(Queen of Shadow and Night,ex-Winter Queen,Fae,foster mother),Titania(Fae,Queen of _____________),Morgaine(sis,Queen of Dusk & Twilight,fae,mother,now in stupor)+Arturo (human,bro,father,King Arthur,died)=Mordred(son,now missing),Bran (Elemental Lord,Raven Mother's son),Raven Mother (Elemental Lady,Bran's mother),Daniel Fredericks(D'Artigo sisters half cousin,FH-CSI),Hester Fredericks(D'Artigo sisters half cousin,FH-CSI), Shamas ob Olanda(D'Artigo sisters cousin,full fae,died),[Roman (consort,son of Blood Wyne(Vamp Queen),Vamp Prince)],Eriskel(horn guardian,jindasel(part of Black Unicorn soul)),Jenny(17yo,ex witch shop worker,new bar employee),The Holly King(Immortal,Elemental Lord), Aunt Rythwar(D'Artigo sisters),Beira(Elemental Lady,Immortal, Cailleach Mistress of Winter),[Derrick Means(Bartender, Werebadger), Erin Mathews(ex-president Faerie Watchers Club & ex-owner of boutique, vamp,Menolly her sire),Greta (Death Maiden's leader,Delilah's tutor), Carter(leader of Demonica Vacana Society,pal),Darynal(Trillian's blood oath bro,missing),Howl (Elemental Lord,Immortal,wolf spirit shifter)+ Kitaa,Lindsey Cartridge(director Green Goddess Women's Shelter,High Priestess ES neo-pagan coven,pal),Pentangle(Mistress of Magic)].

[Kathy Davie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sixteenth in the Otherworld / Sisters of the Moon urban fantasy series and revolving around the D'Artigo sisters, their family, and their friends. The point-of-view is Camille's and is set in Seattle, Washington.

My Take
Galenorn has one heck of an imagination! She starts off with Smoky not knowing he shouldn't be bringing a live turkey home and kicks it off with Vanzir and Rozurial wanting to surprise everyone with a beautifully decorated house. If you like a theme of Crack Santa and his methed-out elves. The funny continues when they have to thwart an attack by pixies on a Christmas parade downtown. Although it does lead to some questions.

On the whole however, I found this rather ho-hum. A few funny bits and lots of foretelling — as if Galenorn wants to be sure we'll come back; prophetic truths which include Morgaine warning Camille that they all are using her, much as she had been used so long ago. She warns Camille to know who the other players in the game truly are. The Raven Mother is awfully conciliatory to Camille, which is terrifying all by itself. Delilah feels changes occurring within herself. And Eriskel warns Camille of repercussions from what she's doing.

There are some twisty bits that "re-think" the whole Morgaine-Arthur-Mordred legend, the "truth" about The Merlin, and a twisty mess of cause-and-effect as Galenorn slips in bits and pieces in different ways. It'll take reading the whole story to come to an understanding of how and what is happening. I almost needed to take notes to make sense of it. Clever twists and filled with potential problems for future installments. There's also a rare sex scene in here with Camille, Smoky, and Morio that gets rather explicit. Or, at least, more explicit than usual for Galenorn.

The niggles, they were a'many:
One of my general issues with Priestess Dreaming is how Galenorn goes over the same old ground about the war, about how awful it was when they experienced the storm. How awful their lives are, never getting a moment's rest. We get the picture. You do NOT have to pad it out. Well, okay, maybe you do, but don't. Please.

I can understand wanting to move that Northlands portal out of the house, but I don't understand why, having moved it somewhere unknown, they slack off and kick back. That they're not out there scouring the city for this death-dispensing door to the Northlands. Then again, maybe they need the rest, lol. But why not call around and get a few people to start looking? God knows they must know plenty of people through the Supe Community Action Council or at the Court of the Three Queens. No, instead it's a chance encounter with Tanne Baum before anyone goes out looking for the rogue portal. I do like that name by the way. Cute rip on tannenbaum.

I have a hard time believing that Vanzir and Rozurial would be so stupid as to buy an unknown scroll. They may get into trouble frequently due to their chaotic natures, but I've never thought of them as dumb. They know that the girls have their enemies. That Svartans are rare Earthside. Why wouldn't they check in with Camille that she really did know this witch?

Delilah and Camille are both hyper-sensitive to pixie dust, and they're about to wade into a pixie invasion. So why don't they consider wearing face masks?

For all the hype Galenorn throws out there about the trip to rescue the Merlin, how important it is, I can't understand (I am overusing this word, aren't I?) why the team doesn't pack enough food to get there and back, why they don't plan for bringing the Merlin back? After being asleep for 1,000 years, surely he'll be hungry when he wakes? Heck, maybe he'll even need his own blanket. Shocking thought, I know.

Then there's the trip itself. Sure there are some misadventures along the way, but they seem more like they're thrown in to make this trip "dangerous". Then again, that encounter with Beria and her anger with Bran for skipping out on his debt does get interesting. As for Camille's choice of dress. Oh, brother. Fine, it's warm. But a skirt in dangerous country? Wet, dangerous country? She could still be sexy and kick-ass in leather pants. It'd be less stupid than struggling through long, wet grasses in a skirt that tangles itself between your legs and impedes your freedom of movement.

I guess there's some logic somewhere in Delilah stripping off her outer clothes but leaving her underwear on when she's getting ready to invade the bog creature. I wouldn't want to get my clothes muddy either. Of course, I wouldn't want to get my bra and panties muddy and then put my outer clothes back on over 'em either.

And Bran's Warriors are thrilled with their new source of armor, lol.

Galenorn is an uneven writer. Some of the stories in the series are great while others should be buried deep. She does however create characters you can adore. There's a coziness, a warmth at the D'Artigo Victorian in Seattle. It welcomes any who need help, while it welcomes those readers who want an adventurous and magickal story or simply love the idea of elves. The core characters — each are individuals with different strengths and weaknesses, and I don't know how she keeps it all straight — have become family and will do anything to help each other. Sometimes that anything is, um, a bit off, but their hearts are in the right place.

Galenorn certainly puts an interesting twist on the world she's created here, and she does deserve kudos for the wealth and richness of the detail she's included.

In spite of all my whining, Priestess Dreaming is a must-read for those following the series as it explains so much and preps us for future installments.

The Story
Oopsies, someone didn't tell Smoky it's best if the turkey is dead before bringing it home for Thanksgiving. Smoky's deed is eclipsed, however, by the best intentions of Vanzir and Rozurial. They should'a known better than to use some unknown spell to decorate the house. It's fer damn sure that the D'Artigo household will be having a white Christmas. Inside.

If the girls had only known this was the fun side of their day.

The Characters
The D'Artigo household
Camille D'Artigo, the oldest, is a Dark Moon Witch, priestess in the service of the Moon Mother, and in charge of the Earthside division of the Otherworld Intelligence Agency (OIA) along with her two sisters. She holds the skin of the Black Unicorn and carries his horn whose guardian is Eriskel, a jindasel, a part of the Black Unicorn's soul. The horn has four powers: the Lady of the Land, the Master of Winds, the Mistress of Flames, and Lord of the Depths. She's married to Smoky (he's known as Iampaatar in the Dragon Reaches), a half-white, half-silver dragon; Morio Kuroyama, a youkai-kitsune working death magics who is her priest as well as husband, and the mercenary, Trillian, a Dark and Charming Fae who is the alpha husband (partly due to the two of them having undergone the Eleshinar ritual). Darynal is Trillian's blood-oath brother, and he's lost in the Shadow Lands on a mission Queen Asteria sent him and others on in Shadow Rising , 12. Misty is Camille's ghost kitty, last year's Yule gift from Delilah.

Delilah, the middle child, is a two-faced Were with two shapes: werecat and panther. She's also a Death Maiden in service to the Autumn Lord, one of the Harvestmen, an elemental lord; she reaps the souls of the dead. Arial is her twin, the one who died at birth. Her dagger is Lysanthra. Shade, a skeletal half-shadow dragon and half-Stradolan, is Delilah's intended and a stand-in for the Autumn Lord. Delilah also works as a private investigator in her newly renamed agency, Cat's Eye Investigations Agency.

Mennolly, the youngest, is half-fae, half-human, and full vampire married to Nerissa Shale, a were-puma of the Rainier Puma Pride who works as a victims-rights counselor for Chase. Mennolly had been a jian-tu, an extreme acrobat/spy for the OIA until she was captured by vampires and turned by Dredge. The Wayfarer is her bar which burned down in Autumn Whispers , 14. Tavah is the guardian Mennolly hired to guard the portal in its basement.

Their father died in the attack on Elqaneve in Autumn Whispers . Aunt Rythwar is still alive. Shamas is their Fae cousin who left for Otherworld after events in Shadow Rising , 12 (I think).

Iris, a Finnish house sprite, is a priestess of Undutar and friend, companion, and housekeeper to the girls. She birthed the twins, Maria and Ukkonen, a month ago and is raring to go. Bruce O'Shea, a leprechaun, is her husband, and they all live in a home in back of the D'Artigo house. Her mother-in-law, the Duchess, is visiting.

Chase Johnson is a human cop, the director of the Faerie-Human Crime Scene Investigation (FH-CSI) who was transformed by the Nectar of Life in Bone Magic , 7, and learns he has some elf in his ancestry and has become a bit psychic; he and his half-elf and half-human daughter, Astrid, are living with Iris and Bruce. His girlfriend, Sharah, a former Elfin medic, has inherited the Elqaneve throne and is trapped there, for her advisors refuse to let Chase and Astrid in OW — they're not pure enough! Hanna helped rescue Camille from Hyto in Courting Darkness , 10, and she is now part of the family. Maggie is their baby calico woodland gargoyle. Vanzir is a dream-chaser demon who feeds on life-energy and was part of Camille's initiation into the priestesshood. He's working with Aeval to get his powers back. Rozurial is an incubus and a walking armory. Dez is one of the Fae guards on the portal behind the D'Artigo house.

Tanne Baum is a spell-singing Fae from the Black Forest in Germany. His family is the Hunter's Glen Group, demon hunters, who are establishing a family base in Washington. They follow Holda, a sorcerer goddess who leads a Wild Hunt. Violet is the girlfriend the D'Artigos saved from a sex slave operation in Autumn Whispers . Liesel is a witch who created a spell to disrupt will-o'-the-wisps.

Lindsey Cartridge is the director of the Green Goddess Women's Shelter and a High Priestess of an Earthside neo-pagan coven.

The team to rescue Merlin consists of…
Bran, Morgaine, Mordred is Morgaine's nephew (and the girls do NOT trust him), and Arturo is the silent helper who goes everywhere with them. Camille will bring Tanne, Morio, and Delilah.

Talamh Lonrach Oll is…
…a sovereign Fae nation, a.k.a., Land of Shining Apples, Earthside, in a forest reservation in Washington state created by the Triple Threat, Camille's name for the Three Earthside Fae Queens: Morgaine, a distant cousin to the D'Artigo girls is Queen of Dusk and Twilight who trained under Meher; Titania is Queen of Light and Morning of the Seelie (see Witchling , 1; Tam Lin, a.k.a., Tom Lane, was her lover); and, Aeval is the Queen of Shadow and Night of the Unseelie — the Court of the Three Queens.

Otherworld is…
…a generic term used by humans to refer to what the Sidhe and Fae call Y'Eírialiastar, another dimension where many of the elves, gods, and Elemental Lords, etc., all live with access through portals.

Raven Mother, a chaotic elemental, is allied with the Black Unicorn, the Black Beast, another elemental lord. Together they produced a son, Bran, the Raven Master who leads the Earthside Fae warriors and hates Camille for being the one chosen ( Bone Magic ). Raven Mother is jealous of Moon Mother and wants Camille to join her in Darkynwyrd. Howl is another elemental lord, a wolf spirit who rules the Katabas Wolf People, a.k.a., Wind Wolves. Ktää is his wife (see Courting Darkness ). Beira, the Cailleach, is an elemental lady of winter and the mother of the bean nighe, the washer-women. She's the original Washer at the Ford, a portent of doom. Pentangle is the Mistress of Magic, a Hag of Fate.

Derisa is the High Priestess for the Moon Mother and runs her Coterie.

Myrddin was chosen to be The Merlin, the Father Druid, High Priest to the Hunter, and he has lived longer than many of the Great Fae Lords and is from a noble line, his powers renowned even among the ancient Druids. When the War of the Great Divide ended, he was imprisoned along with the Fae Queens. The young green-and-blue dragon, Áine, was frozen into her shapeshifter form as she refused to leave The Merlin. She was priestess, consort, and partner — and foster-daughter to Aeval. Meher was the unofficial successor, 500 years later, to the imprisoned Myrddin.

Elqaneve is…
…the city where Sharah now rules after her aunt, Queen Asteria died. Trenyth Vesalya was Queen Asteria's advisor and now advises Sharah. He's the primary communications conduit into Otherworld for the D'Artigo sisters. The city took the brunt of the attack and has lost its infrastructure and food stores.

Y'Elestrial is the…
…girls' hometown which is still fighting off the goblin hordes. The seers of Aladril helped to disrupt the magical storm before it got there.

Other allies of Elqaneve are…
…Goldunsan which took heavy damage from the storm; Aladril; and, Ceredream which is currently overrun.

Mistletoe is one of the very few exceptions to that rule about pixies, and he's a friend of the girls and best friends with Feddrah-Dahns, the crown prince in Dahnsburg ruled by the Dahns Unicorns.

The Svartalfheim, a.k.a., the Black and Charming Fae, are the more seductive, shadowy cousins to the elves. They used to live in the Subterranean Realms, but as Shadow Wing took over more and more, they moved back to Otherworld. King Vodox rules the Svartan. Aunt Seriana, one of the matriarchs in Trillian's clan, the upper-crust Zanzera, hates that his father never punished him for being so un-Svartan.

Iyonah is a Svartan witch who rents a table for fortunetelling at Broom Stix, one of those iffy witch shops the girls would love to shut down. Jenny is the stepdaughter of the woman, Maddy, who owns the shop.

The Realm of the Elder Fae is…
…a dangerous place filled with powerful creatures who'd love to have you for lunch. They are the predecessors of Otherworld and Earthside Fae. Camille and Delilah encountered Yannie Fin Diver here ( Courting Darkness ). Ivana Krask, the Maiden of Karask, is one of the Elder Fae but lives in Seattle and has helped the girls in the past. She does have an unsavory price the girls will not pay. Will-o'-the-wisps are deadly feral Fae created from the souls of Fae who die in woods, moors or fields IF they are near a particular fungus, a.k.a., Corpse Candles, which devour a human's life-energy or a fae's magic. Mud men gather in food for the bog creature.

Northland creatures
The Holly King is another elemental lord and the real Santa Claus. Barbegazi are like dwarves but smaller, hardier, and meaner. Ice wolves, a.k.a., amaroks, are wolf demons hungry for human flesh. Yetis. Snow imps. Snow Fields pixies have nasty tempers.

Yvarr is an ancient and powerful wyrm, a dragon, just waking up and vicious with his desire to escape his prison. His kind are the predecessors for the dragons of the Dragon Reaches, their Titans. They are closely tied to the Great Fae Lords.

The Dragon Reaches
The Wing Liege rules in the Dragon Reaches. Vishana is Smoky's mother and the only in-law who likes Camille.

Subterranean Realms
Shadow Wing is the Demon Lord of the Subterranean Realms battling to break through the portals and conquer Earthside and Otherworld. The girls have been battling him since the beginning. Telazhar is his general and a necromancer.

The Cover and Title
The cover is deep purples with a determined Camille in a purple and black zipper-front bustier, her frothy dark skirt, dark hair, and deep lavender magic swirling around her. The background is a depth of an enpurpled landscape of grasses and forest leading to that full moon that will affect Camille and Delilah.

All I can think of as the reason for the title is that Camille is dreaming of a day when they can live in peace. That or she's the Priestess Dreaming the night of the battle where she loses a part of her youth.

[Kt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review originally posted on my blog: A Book Obsession..

I always look forward to Camile's books the most as I love her trio of men so much, but I'm not so sure how I feel about the romance department in this one. I mean Camile has these three awesome husbands and some of my favorite parts of her books has been watching the three men bumbling along trying to work together and balance their time with Camile, etc. However, this time around Camile is separated from two of them leaving that fun dynamic out. There was a pretty emotional beginning as Camile dealt with Trillian having to leave for a time, which was really hard on her. But when Smoky had a problem with Camile needing to leave to go on a very dangerous quest, she basically shut him down completely claiming it was her duty. It just left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth as Smoky seems to frequently get the short end of things. I guess I was just hoping for more of the dynamic between all four of them, and that just didn't happen. That being said, the smexy scenes were still there, perhaps not as hot as they have been in the past, but definitely still steamy.

Camile being separated by all but one of her men aside, I was largely enjoying this book. The quest gave things a bit of a different feel and a change of pace that I liked. Add that into the growing world dynamic with the dragons and the reveals that happen surrounding Morgaine and I was utterly hooked. The book was one heck of a journey, and I've always been a fan of quest books. But I will note that while I was really enjoying the storyline, the ending turned a bit sour for me as I felt the resolution was way too easy. Things were portrayed as the biggest bad they've face, which when you consider just how many foes they've come up again, that's saying something. And yet... The resolution was so easy, that I had to go back and re-read those paragraphs to make sure I didn't miss something. Sure there's warnings for consequences on their actions, but to me that's not enough to make up for how easy the final showdown went. It honestly left me scratching my head, but I guess only time will tell as to what those repercussions will hold. Maybe they'll balance the easy go this round next time.

So all in all, this is another good read in this long running series that's showing no signs of slowing up. Fans of the series should be pleased with Camile's latest installment, and if they are anything like me, they will finish and will already be looking for the next one. Bring on more books!

[Stephine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Camille is sent on a quest into the land of the Elder Fae to awaken The Merlin in order to fight an ancient dragon that has awakened. Others are along for the journey, so she must watch her back as well fight her way to the crystal cave in this thrilling Otherworld novel.

The story flows smoothly with a fast pace that keeps readers on their toes with lots of suspense and excitement. The author makes the reader feel as if they are on Camille’s quest with her by bringing the story to life with well written scenes and details that capture the imagination. The tension building suspense draws the readers deep into the story and sends shivers of anticipation down the spine and as always the captivating characters of the Otherworld weave their web and charm the readers ensuring that they join in their battle against all of their enemies.

There are a couple of extremely hot and steamy sex scenes in the story between Camille and her husbands. There is also an uber hot scene involving a ritual that scorches with readers with vibrant intensity. There are lots of family moments to bring happiness, but there are also sad moments in this one and the reader can’t help but get emotionally caught up in the story.

There is never a dull moment as beloved characters return and new ones are introduced, destinies are progressing and danger lurks from known and unknown sources to keep the readers on the edge of their seat and surprising twist that I certainly didn’t see coming. And I have to say that the Winter Solstice gathering leaves the story on an upbeat and happy note even as it lets us know that there is more to come for the D’Artigo sisters and their friends and I for one cannot wait.
- Eva

[Deana-Coffee, Books, Life Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars
Priestess Dreaming is one hell of a magical adventure with an awesome twist on legend and lore. The 16th book of the Otherworld series told from Camille’s point of view, has the eldest D’Artigo sister in search for the Merlin, leader of the druids. This book is Ms. Galenorn at her finest. Enriched with magic, a new take on an old tale, and the intense passion that shines through Ms. Galenorns writing has made Priestess Dreaming truly stand out in this series to a long time fan.
As all hell breaks loose on Seattle, Camille is put to the task of finding the one magical being lost to time that can help them. Set out with friend, family and those that could be foes. Camille is put to the test of facing elements, magical creatures, learning secret and danger, head and behind. I tell you that something will always have you turning the pages. Camille has gone through many changes in past books. In Priestess Dreaming we truly see her shine through in a way we have never seen before. As a priestess for the moon mother, Camille destinys is in the hands of her Goddess. One that makes her a strong power woman like no other.

Adventurous, magical, sexy. Yes I got sucked in.This book had a different feel from the previous ones of the Otherworld series whether it was Camille’s growth or the mixing in of a legend I love. I have to say it’s by far my favorite book in the series. I will be reading it over and over. Yes that’s recommendation. Happy reading.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh! I have loved this series from the beginning, however, the last few books are just getting more and more tedious to get though. I feel like we have traveled way too far down the wormhole to ever climb back out with this series. There needs to be movement or change, progress. Instead, I feel like the last few books have been mired in whining, gratuitous, non story enhancing sex, and more details than can be kept track of.
I'm losing my patience with this series, to be honest. It took me 4 tries of starting and stopping this book to get to the end. I am going to try one more book and hopefully things get better.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well good book in this series.. I really like the sisters in this series. And the closeness they have towards each other.. I can't wait for the next book

[Sabra · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 1/2, this one was just okay for me. It read like a really long in-betweener book since it didn't really advance the story arc. This probably would have worked better as a shorter novella

[Dark Faerie Tales · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: An ancient wyrm is awakening, determined to wreak havoc. Camille must travel to the dangerous land of the Elder Fae in order to wake the Merlin so he can help her defeat the wyrm. While enjoyable, this book felt really slow and unimportant in the grand scheme of things.

Opening Sentence: I contemplated going back into the house, purse over my shoulder.

The Review:

Life has not been easy for the D’Artigo sisters lately. What they all really want and need is a quiet Christmas at home with friends and family. Of course, that’s not going to happen. Camille has a vision that predicts the awakening of a powerful wyrm, a predecessor of dragons. The sisters and their friends aren’t powerful enough in their own right to take him down, so Camille, Morio, and Delilah must travel to the land of the Elder Fae in order to wake up the Merlin. Only he has enough power and knowledge to defeat the wyrm with minimal loss of life. The voyage to find him is not going to be an easy one though, especially since they have to include three people Camille doesn’t trust on the trip with them. Will they be able to successfully wake the Merlin? If they do, will he be able to defeat the wyrm?

I was pleasantly surprised by the previous book in this series, which was also the first one in the series I had ever read. So, I was looking forward to reading this one and getting to see the perspective of a different sister. Unfortunately, while enjoyable, this book wasn’t nearly as engaging as the previous one. It had a much slower pace, and if I’m being honest, a lot of it felt like filler rather than content that was going to have an overarching effect on the series. There were many instances of repetition, which just served to draw me out of the story. To cap it all off, the final battle was very anticlimactic, and left me thinking, “That’s it?” There were plot lines that seemed to just disappear, and looking back, I’m not sure why they were there in the first place, as they didn’t advance the plot.

In addition, I had a much harder time connecting to Camille than I did to Menolly in the previous book. I can’t quite put my finger on why that is. I do have a hard time wrapping my head around her having three husbands, mainly because I just can’t figure out how that would work, but it doesn’t affect how I feel about her as a character. It’s definitely possible my opinion of her could change as I go back and read previous books in the series, but just basing my opinion on this book, I never really got a good feel for what kind of person she is, and it made it hard to care about her and what was happening.

On the good side, I was captivated by the side story involving Morgaine. I can’t really go into details since I want to avoid spoilers, but I really wish there had been more content involving her and what happens later in the book.

All in all, this was a disappointing installment in the series. It felt slow and unimportant, and I just had a very hard time keeping my interest up. I am still interested in continuing the series though, so Galenorn must be doing something right!

Notable Scene:

“Does anybody know what the fuck these are?” It would help to know what we were fighting.

“Not a clue.” Mordred’s voice was actually a little shaky and for once he didn’t seem quite so cocky.

“No idea.” Bran had less to worry about, but even he sounded cautious. The Elementals and their children were true Immortals. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t suffer pain or damage.

Morgaine and Delilah moved to flank my sides. Delilah was staring at the crystal creatures with a puzzled look, while Morgaine just looked pissed.

“I don’t think it matters whether we know what they are, the only thing we have to figure out is how to fight them.” Tanne glanced back at me. He’d moved up to Morio’s side and had his sword out. “I can tell you my Spell of Unraveling isn’t going to work on these – they’re actual creatures. They may have been in stasis, but they aren’t golems. That much I can tell.”

“Lovely, which is probably why Morio’s spell to dispel illusion brought them out from their frozen state. The trap was a spell that kept the wall invisible, and kept them at a standstill. The spell’s gone and so is their immobility.” I groaned. “The Fae Lords really had it all planned out, didn’t they?”

“Clever, very clever.” Morgaine cocked her head, eyeing the creatures. “They didn’t do anything by halves, did they?”

“Well, the creatures are made of rock – crystal, but still…rock. What can destroy rock?”

“Paper covers rock.” Delilah tried for a joke but it fell flat, even in her voice.

I thought for a moment, then realized that I did have one weapon that could disrupt them. And if we needed it, I wouldn’t hesitate to use it. But first I wanted to see if we could put a stop to them without me dragging out the horn.

I glanced around. There wasn’t much room in which to back up now, and as I sucked in a deep breath, the storm broke, and they scuttled forward again, and this time, the fight was on.

FTC Advisory: Jove/Penguin provided me with a copy of Priestess Dreaming. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[Deb Lester · Rating 4 out of 5]

The D'Artigo sisters are back in Yasmine Galenorn's sixteenth book in the Otherworld/Sisters of the Moon series, Priestess Dreaming. This book is a work of art from the gorgeous cover illustration to the strong female characters and sexy men who love them. Galenorn once again thrills readers with an action packed story that will keep them on the edge of their collective seats. Camile, the Moon witch is the main protagonist in this one and fans of the series will love her search for The Merlin and the nod to the legends of King Arthur. A good addition to the series!

What I liked:

I was a little skeptical the first time I read a Yasmine Galenorn novel. I mean let's face it, she is a little intimidating. Especially, with a series that is sixteen books in. But after reading Crimson Veil the book that comes before Priestess Dreaming, I at least felt like I had a good understanding of the world building, the important relationships and an overall grasp of the story arc. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to jump into this book and feel good about where I was within the story. I'm not a big proponent of starting a series that is this far along, but I might make an exception for this one.

One of the things that I really like about Galenorn's writing is the strong female characters that she writes. All three of the D'Artigo sisters have a strength that is born of adversity. Camile, is a Moon witch and is the lead character in Priestess Dreaming. She has a tough skin and has been through a lot. But she knows who she is and is comfortable in her own skin. She has three sexy husbands and somehow still manages to make it look easy. But she also has a vulnerability about her that makes her endearing and intriguing at the same time. A very well written character.

I love the interactions between the characters in Galenorn's books as well. In this book, we don't see a lot of the interplay between Camile and her husbands because she is on a quest that does not require them to all be together. But we do get to see how she works around people she trusts and those she doesn't. While she is trying to find The Merlin to bring him Earthside to help her destroy a new foe that has been unleashed, Camile is still learning about herself and growing. I thought her character was expressive and easy to like and her attitudes towards others and her life was interesting.

Most of the action in the book begins closer to the middle of the book, than in the beginning. Galenorn goes to great lengths to inform readers who may be reading her books for the first time about what has gone on before and how we got to this point. So, there is an inordinate amount of backstory in the beginning, but once the quest to find The Merlin begins the action picks up to a frenzied pace.

When The Merlin finally returns Earthside to take on the wyrm, the showdown is over very quickly. I wasn't quite sure how to take that. It seemed like the resolution was a bit too easy for my tastes. This is supposed to be one of the most villainous foes they have ever faced, but it only took a few pages to take him out. I was expecting a more formidable bad guy and to feel like the characters were really facing mortal danger.

Galenorn does bring the conflict in The Otherworld a little closer to home and the sisters face some loss in this book that was unexpected. Galenorn, thankfully, is not one for cliffhangers and the book does come to a good ending point. I do think the overall story arc has veered a little bit off course. This book didn't have a whole lot to do with Shadow Wing and the war going on in the Otherworld, though it does touch the subject here and there. We'll see what happens I hope we get back to that. I want to know where this is headed.

Bottom Line:

I had my ups and downs with this one. I loved the character building and the world building was fantastic as usual. But I felt that the resolution was a bit too easy and that it did not stick very close to the overall story arc. I still liked it a lot and want to read more. Definitely a great series for Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance readers.

[Eva · Rating 2 out of 5]

FULL GERMAN REVIEW BELOW OR ON MY BLOG!

______________

The thing that annoys me the most ist that there is no progress. The main quest (the fight against shadow wing) is basically non-existing in this book. This is something that makes me upset for the past few books of this series, but this time it was extra annoying. I'm too far into that series, so I will definitely finish it (only 5 more books to go!), but it's frustrating. When I started this series I was so in love with the world and the characters. I still am, but there is this bitterness.

Priestess Dreamingy follows the same pattern as every other book in this series: A lot of things happen at once in the beginning, then there's a fight with some new creatures and after 1/3 into the novel, the main plot of the book eventually starts to unfold.
This time, Camille needs to travel to Otherworld to seek the Merlin, because he is the only one who knows how to defeat a powerful threat that starts waking up.

Things that made me want to throw my book away:
- it feels like eternity until this journey starts
- all the creatures Camille and her companions need to fight are supposed to be strong but surprisingly easy to defeat (way to easy!)
- Camille's inner monolog, her sarcastic comments/jokes (that were not funny, only annoying), her pointing out the obvious and her constant whining about being so thirsty because she had no sex in the past 2 days, like GIRL, are you serious right now? This book also had a bunch of totally unnecessary sex scenes. Don't get me wrong, I don't have anything against those and I'm fine with Camille having more than her sisters but this time alot of them were just so out of place and inappropriate for the current situation.

Also, the end....
Really, that's it? That's the solution? It was... ugh I don't have words for the ending except that I was extremely disappointed. In the end, there is a lot of foreshadowing, but nothing in this book, nothing, contributed to the main plot. A war is going on but hey, let's just make a book with this unnecessary plot line. Please, can we get some more info about Camille's death magic and training? Because that would be a lot more interesting.

The pacing was so slow, it took me forever to finish. And I'm pretty sure I like Camille less than before. If I wouldn't like this world and characters as much as I do, and did not have the desire to finish the series so I know how it ends, this book would have been the final straw to drop the Otherworld series...

______________

Die ersten beiden Kapitel beginnen mit ziemlich lustigen Vorfällen, die aber schnell - wie man das gewohnt ist - in einen Kampf ausarten. Kurz darauf passieren gefühlt 100 Dinge gleichzeitig, die neue Handlungsstränge mit sich ziehen. Zum einen scheint es da eine mächtige Hexe zu geben, die Camille und dem restlichen Haushaltsmitgliedern Schaden zufügen möchte und es gilt herauszufinden, wer sie ist und warum sie diese Intentionen hat. Vanzir und Roz haben von ihr eine Schriftrolle gekauft, die nicht das Wohnzimmer festlich dekoriert hat, sondern ein Portal in die Nordlande öffnete und somit allerhand bösartige Kreaturen in Haus und Garten der D'Artigos (und später in ganz Seattle) freiließ. Als wäre das nicht genug Ärger wurde durch das Portal auch Santa Claus beschwört, der nicht so friedlich und gut gestimmt ist wie die Geschichten es vermuten lassen. Die Hauptquest aber ist folgende: Die Hohepriesterin Derisa erscheint kurz darauf im Haus und gibt bekannt, dass einer der ältesten und stärksten Drachen wieder erwacht und gibt Camille, die den Pflichten einer Priesterin der Mondmutter nachkommen muss, auf, den Zauberer zu suchen, der mächtig genug ist, ihn aufzuhalten.

(Achtung, der nächste Abstand ist ein kleiner rant und enthält Spoiler zu vorherigen Bänden)
Kurzes Flashback zum letzten Band: Es herrscht immer noch Krieg in der Anderwelt. Es wurden noch nicht alle Geistsiegel gefunden. Am Ende des letzten Bandes hat unsere kleine Crew einen Gott/Dämon erweckt. Und jetzt soll Camille einer Aufgabe nachgehen, die absolut nichts mit irgendeinem dieser Handlungsstränge zu tun hat? Eine Aufgabe, die die Haupthandlung nicht voranbringen wird, so wie gefühlt die letzten 6 Bände? Spätestens als Chase im Kapitel darauf anruft und die Schwestern eine Horde Pixies bekämpfen soll sank meine Motivation weiterzulesen. Versteht mich nicht falsch, ich mag die Welt und die Charaktere die Yasmine Galenorn erschaffen hat. Sie hat sehr viele Ideen rund um die drei Schwestern und ich bin mir sicher, dass sie die Bücher gut plant und nicht nur die Reihe erweitert, um mehr Geld zu verdienen. Aber: Nach über zehn (fünfzehn (!) um genau zu sein) Bänden ist es ermüdend wenn es in der Haupthandlung kaum voran geht. Dazu kommt, dass ausgerechnet jede der Schwestern eine ach so hohe und spezielle Rolle einnimmt - klar, es bietet interessanten Stoff und ist natürlich interessant aber wirkt nach und nach einfach etwas too much. Außerdem laufen die Bände immer ähnlich ab, oft kommen mir Kämpfe/ Auseinandersetzungen so erzwungen vor. Und warum müssen eigentlich immer die Schwestern Zwischenfälle klären, gibt es keine anderen Gruppen, die da einspringen können? Das alles sind Dinge, die mich schon seit längerem stören und mir immer ein bisschen den Lesespaß nehmen.

Aber zurück zur Handlung: Bevor Camille, begleitet von Morio und Delilah, mit Morgaine, Bran, Arturo und Mordred in die Anderwelt aufbricht (leider erst ab ungefähr der Mitte des Buches) gibt es noch einige Dinge zu klären. Trillian will in die Schattenlande reisen um seinen Blutsbruder zu suchen. Eine gefährliche Reise, die er erst nach langer Diskussion in Begleitung von Roz auf sich nimmt. Außerdem blickt Camille auf ihre Kindheit und Familiensituation zurück. Nebensächlichkeiten wie Weihnachtsbäume kaufen und das Haus festlich zu dekorieren ziehen sich zu sehr in die Länge, auch wenn sie die Familiarität zwischen den Hausbewohnern gut zum Ausdruck bringt und solche ruhigen, normalen Momente immer schön zu lesen sind.
Als sich die ausgewählte Gruppe schließlich auf die Reise in die Anderwelt macht, wird es etwas spannender. Währen der Wanderung auf der Suche nach Merlin müssen sie sich gegen Kreaturen beweisen und einige Geheimnisse werden aufgedeckt. Dass die Handlung zur Abwechslung wieder in der Anderwelt spielt empfand ich als sehr angenehm, da sie eine Vielzahl von neuen Möglichkeiten bietet und es Neues zu entdecken gibt. Die Kämpfe gegen die Monster langweilten mich aber schnell, da sie nach dem selben Prinzip abliefen und das Team allzu schnell eine Lösung fand. Das machte den Eindruck, als wären die Monster überhaupt nicht gefährlich.

Das größte Problem war für mich wohl Camille. Zum einen waren ihre Kommentare nicht lustig und einfach nur nervig. Ihre Gedanken drehten sich immer wieder um die selben Dinge, allem voran natürlich Sex. Ich verurteile sie nicht dafür, dass sie gerne Sex hat und in ihren Bänden mehr Sexszenen vorkommen. Aber meine Güte, es kommt mir fast schon so vor als bringt Yasmine Galenorn die Sexszenen gerade in Situationen ein, die extrem unpassend sind, nur um zu beweisen, dass Camille so ist. Es gab einfach viele Momente, die mir Camille in diesem Band unsympathischer gemacht haben.

Das Ende, auf das schon seit dem Buchanfang hin gefiebert wurde, war ein Witz. Es war ein schnelles und viel zu einfaches Ende. Nachdem ich das Buch beendet hatte, saß ich da und dachte mir „Das war es? Es ist… nichts… passiert??“ Ich war mit den letzten Bänden der Reihe nicht zufrieden, aber Priestess Dreaming hat mich wirklich enttäuscht. Es gab viele Andeutungen, dies und jenes wird Camille passieren, bla bla bla. Es wäre schön, wenn wirklich mal etwas passieren würde und die Handlung vorankommt. Denn so langsam sinkt meine Motivation, die Reihe bis zum Ende zu lesen.
Ich würde mir beispielsweise wünschen, dass in den nächsten Bänden mehr auf Camilles Ausbildung und Rituale eingegangen wird. Diese erscheinen mir doch noch am interessantesten und bisher wurde kaum darauf eingegangen.

Fazit
Es gibt vieles, was mich an Priestess Dreaming gestört hat. Camille's Persönlichkeit hat mich mehr gestört als üblich. Die größte Enttäuschung ist, dass die Handlung keinen Zentimeter voran kommt. Es fühlt sich an, als würde man sich immer nur im Kreis drehen. Ich hoffe sehr, dass sich das in den folgenden Bänden ändert.

[Fangs for the Fantasy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Otherworld is shaken by war and devastation. Thousands are dead and thousands more will die before the end.

But the war against the demons and their allies is not the only battle. Something ancient is awakening. Something from the depth of the world’s history – and something driven for revenge

To face such a power of old, only another ancient power will match it. But getting to him will be hard- and if they can awaken him from their long sleep, can they even guarantee he will help them?



I was reading this book, enjoying this book and waiting for the plot to get going. I saw the intro, was reintroduced to the characters again. I was reminded of the many adventures the team has been through, I was reminded of the terrible trials they’ve endured and also reminded of some of the allies they’ve made and powers they’ve gained over this huge series

I also remembered that in the last few books things got a lot more serious with outright devastating war tearing across the Otherworld

All laid out, with sufficient ominous foreshadowing and visions of something big and terrifying beginning to arise – time to enter an epic… what the hell we’re nearly half way through?

No, really, after covering all of that which was really more of a giant recap more than anything else, with a random encounter tucked in there as well, and half the book is gone. A huge chunk of the book has just passed and not a great deal of things has actually happened.

It’s not awful, because the world, these characters, this meta plot is all really fascinating and great fun to explore and roll around in. It’s one thing I’ve always loved about this entire series. I love this world. I love this series. I love this raising, shining metaplot. But half a book on recap and reiteration with a random encounter tucked in is a huge, vast amount of space to give without actually advancing anything.

That random encounter is a winter portal that opens up for random reasons, has a random witch involves and then we have yetis and pixies and… whyyyyy whyyy is this here? It’s not even a particularly epic fight. They shoo off some pixies… whyyyy? Why have this in here when we’ve already got so much padding going on?

When we finally get to the plot it’s more interesting – it greatly expands the story of three of the more intriguing characters: the Arthurian legend part of the storyline. They’ve always interested me, I’ve always wanted to see how much of the Arthurian legend actually affects these characters and how that fits the overall meta. I also really like the idea of old powers rising. I think there’s a risk of distracting from the main conflict, but I think it gives us an excellent opportunity to examine these ancient beings, the history of this amazing world and expanded outwards into the hard choices that those ancients made and how things were far less simple than the sisters originally thought. This meta is definitely meta I want to grow – bring it on


I also like the idea of the elder fae and a romp through the lands of these ancient, ominous and legendary beings is always something I’m going to be here for

So the second half of the book? Much much much much better… much better


Read More

[Vickie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The D’Artigo sisters just can’t catch a break. The war is still raging in Otherworld, and the battle with Shadow Wing is ongoing. Now, something is awakening ancient beings that threaten the fragile balance between the worlds and Camille is summoned to search for The Merlin, as he’s the only one who can aid Camille in destroying the evil that is about to unleash hell on them all. And, to top it all off, she has to take people that she doesn’t trust into the world of the Elder Fae as back up, along with a few of her own that she does trust.

Of course, there are things going on at home. Someone opened a rogue portal in their living room of all places and pixies are running amuck in downtown Seattle. Once they take care of those two things, they head out to find The Merlin. They face a daunting task to say the least. It’s a very unforgiving landscape and they encounter creatures that do not want them to find that which they seek. But once they find The Merlin, a series of events unfold that change a lot of things for a lot of people. Oh, and while they’re there, the full moon rises and Camille is swept into the hunt with the Moon Mother. And what she encounters leaves her devastated. However, once they are able to make it back home with The Merlin in tow, they have but a few minutes to prepare for battle with the evil creature that has broken free from his prison. Like I said, they just can’t seem to catch a break………

There is a lot going on in this series. It started out with their battle against Shadow Wing and trying to secure the spirit seals, but has evolved into much more. You feel that all of the sisters are destined to be more than what they are. Not that what they are isn’t impressive enough. But they each grow stronger with each story. And, Camille, in my opinion, is destined for something BIG. I always love the fact that we get to see all of the regulars in each of the books, but to be honest, I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed with all of new things going on. It’s like the original battle with Shadow Wing has taken a backseat and trying to keep up with whom and what they’re fighting is getting more complicated as things progress.

With that said, I’m vested in these characters and their journey and know that Galenorn will do them justice. I only wish that I could see where all of this is headed. I do love the main characters and the prominent secondary characters and can’t wait to see what they face next. There is love and loss in this one, loss that I didn’t see coming, and I know you won’t either. Well done Yasmine Galenorn.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This time the coming war and the Spirit Seals take a back seat to an old and very dangerous threat. An ancient dragon is coming for Raven Mother. He feels she is in part, to blame for his long imprisonment.
Camille is sent into the land of the Elder Fae to find, The Merlin. Only the last true Merlin has a chance at stopping the threat that approaches. She's allowed to take 3 people with her, and forced to go with a few others that at best, she doesn't trust.
Along the way there is development with Camille, in regards to her role as a priestess, and Morio's role also changes and grows as well, though we are left in the dark in regards to him.
I enjoyed the story. Yasmine Galenorn is a wonderful spinner of these worlds. But I was left feeling a bit deflated with how easily the ancient dragon was defeated. It was over so fast, and the role The Merlin played in it was a bit too simple.
However, I love that the author isn't afraid to pull punches with her characters, as we lose someone close, someone not so close, and another runs off to be assumed lost. How and will he pop up later? Where? This mystery leaves your mind thinking long after the last page is read. One of Camille's husbands, Trillian, leaves to find his brother, missing in Otherworld after the chaos of the sentient storm.
As the group travels through the land of the Elder Fae, we are made privy to some more of this strange places machinations. Camille is swept up in the duties of her role, off on the hunt. Only this time, the hunt is real and she sweeps into a battle to scoop up the souls of soldiers. However she is destined to do a difficult thing when someone she loves is to be brought into the hunt by her.
Meanwhile, she does not disappoint on her steamy love scenes, her character building, and her ability to pull you out of your own world, and into that of the supernatural.
There are threads that are pulled in this novel, only to be left dangling. There were characters that were mostly dressing for this book, and others brought forth into the light. It's such a wild world of people, and creatures, if you don't pay attention you might find yourself overwhelmed.

[keikii Eats Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

To read more reviews like this, check out my blog keikii eats books!

55 points, 3 stars.

Quote:

“As I took in the scene, I smiled softly. Family and friends—that’s what mattered most. Money made a difference, yes, but it couldn’t buy back a life.”

Review:
So, Elqaneve was just destroyed. Camille's sister's are going through a rough time. There is a powerful force sweeping Otherworld, looking to destroy everything. A powerful leader of the Subterranean Realms is looking to take over Earth and Otherworld, and he is constantly sending minions to try and accomplish this fact. So what is Priestess Dreaming about?

Camille going to find Merlin, of course!

Yup, seriously. Priestess Dreaming is a complete sidequest. All because Galenorn convinced herself that she needed another powerful person to help these girls out, because she didn't have enough already. And the only possible person for the job is Merlin.

So she makes up some bullshit excuse - that a protodragon, who is super uberfulmorepowerfuler than regular dragons, is waking up. And that would be Bad™. And the only person who knows how to defeat these progenitors of dragons? Merlin!

Who is in deep sleep.

In the elder fae realm.

For whatever reason.

And they don't really know where, but they can guess.

And I guess they guess right?

So off to get Merlin! With Morgaine, Arturo, and Mordred.

Of course.

But not before 30 different things go wrong and we run around doing a bunch of other things that aren't connected, and not at all get solved in any way. Threads of different plots that are just starting now, and a whole bunch of plots that were in the previous books. Because those totally matter, right?

Also, they met Santa early on in the book. So really this book was just a wash from the total beginning, wasn't it?

[Melanie's · Rating 5 out of 5]

*This Book Was Given To Me By The Author In Exchange For An Honest Review*

I was lucky enough to get my hands on an ARC of this for review purposes and I was so excited! I have been with this series since day 1 and can tell you that ANY fans of urban fantasy novels SHOULD BE READING IT!

16 books in you may worry that things are slowing down but in this series it is quite the opposite. The problems are still growing but as are the characters around to help deal with things. The series rotates the main narrators between the three sisters which I think help keeps things feeling fresh and we are back to the first sister Camille for this installment which are always my favorites (not that the others aren't amazing).

This book is quite a rollercoaster read with some moments of real levity that were definitely appreciated (Note to self - Never buy a scroll for decorating the house ...) and moments that have you frantically turning the pages to see if and how people will survive.


An easy 5 out of 5 stars from me with the recommendation that anyone who hasn't started the series does so with great haste .... and for those of you waiting for book 16 .. you won't be disappointed!

V""V



***Review has been done in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official.
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[Jenevieve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review first published on My Blog. Check out all my reviews there!

The 16th book in the Otherworld series by Yasmine Galenorn. Camille has been ordered to go on a mission to wake up The Merlin in order to ask for his help in taking down the older forces that have been sleeping for ages and for which the world is not ready to deal with. Camille has no choice but to obey her Coven Leader but when she is told she must take Morgaine and Bran, allies that she has no reason to actually trust, things get far trickier. They must be able to work together or their mission will fail and in the elemental realm they are traveling to, that could spell the death of all of them.

It was nice seeing some of the Arthurian legends work their way into this book but with their own special take. It certainly makes one look at Morgaine in a different light, at least within the context of this universe, and sort of makes me want to go back and reread them with this new information (not that I have time but still). For some reason, this book just felt short to me, probably because I couldn't put it down so read it in less than two days but I was a bit disappointed in the ending battle which just seemed rushed. In all though, a fine addition to the series.

[Eva Millien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Camille is sent on a quest into the land of the Elder Fae to awaken The Merlin in order to fight an ancient dragon that has awakened. Others are along for the journey, so she must watch her back as well fight her way to the crystal cave in this thrilling Otherworld novel. There is never a dull moment as beloved characters return and new ones are introduced, destinies are progressing and danger lurks from known and unknown sources to keep the readers on the edge of their seat and surprising twist that I certainly didn’t see coming. And I have to say that the Winter Solstice gathering leaves the story on an upbeat and happy note even as it lets us know that there is more to come for the D’Artigo sisters and their friends and I for one cannot wait.

See my full review at:

http://paranormalhaven.com/2014/09/bo...

[Krissys Bookshelf Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a digital and print copy in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley and Berkley.


My oh My! Yasmine has written one of the best yet. Priestess Dreaming is one of the most intense, most passionate and exciting additions I've read. I thought the others in this series were great but every time Yasmine manages to create something that just can't compare to the next. Where does she get her brilliance from? Its amazing! I especially love the strong female lead balancing out the story and giving readers a sense that they too could be just as sexy, just as powerful. I love it.
I love how Yasmine embraces both the beauty and the strength of women that can stand up to and beside strong willful and passionate men. Top it off with some bewitching powers and you got yourself a potent mix. Its too good to wait for the next book I can't get enough!

[Delora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Camile really struggles in this book. She is separated from two of her three husbands for the majority and there isn't much spotting of Stormy.There was an emotional beginning as Camile dealt with Trillian having to leave for a time. Then she prepares to leave to go on a very dangerous quest. There wasn't as much of the dynamic between all four of them which I missed. The steamy sex scenes were by far less in this book but as always when they were presented they were hot as always.

The main portion was centered around Camile's quest which had a different feel and a change of pace but I will note that while I was really enjoying the story line, the ending turned a bit sour for me as I felt the epic battle was short lived.

As always I'm a continued huge fan of Yasmine.

[Frances Livingston · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Review of Priestess Dreaming

I did enjoy this book a lot. I am a huge fan of all the books in this series. I am very attached to each of the sisters and all of those that they call family. The stories are always well written. I would normally have given a book in this series a 5 star rating. I can not tell you why I felt this only a 4 star read. While I enjoyed reading the book once, I do not think that I would re read it. And for me, to receive 5 stars, it would have to make me want to read it again and again. Is that being too tough?

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yasmine Galenorn is one of my very favorite writes and I can't wait until her books are published. I was introduced to her thru this series, and I preorder these faithfully. They have never left me down.

Camille, Delilah and Menolly each have entire books dedicated to their stories, and Yasmine tells each story in birth order, starting with Camille, then Delilah and finishing with Menolly. Can't believe this is already her 16th book in the series, and each one is even better than the previous book.

[Kay Callahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finding a legendary being and fighting a titan from the dragon kin we find out some very interesting things about Morgaine, and Mordred will probably cause some mischief in a future book because of what he found out in this.

I do enjoy this series but personally I am awaiting the next Panther Prowling as it will be narrated by my favourite sister Delilah :-)

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

The saga continues--Yasmine Galenorn continues to build a world divided with strong characters, excellent stories and lots of drama and twists. Caution - lots of sex that may not appeal to all readers. The Sisters of the Moon stories have strong characters that will pull you into the story before you realize you are hooked. These books are fun reads that move at a very fast pace.

[Louisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yeah, wow, another amazing, fantastic book in this series! And it's the last Camille book I'll be reading catching up with this series, unless book 18 is the last one, which I hope not! Otherwise, I'll be reading the next one right after is publishes! Yeah!