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Mystic Circle #1
Enchanted No More: Author's Preferred Edition
As one of the last surviving Mistweavers, half-blood Jenni knows what it's like to be caught between two worlds - the faery and the human. But the time has come to choose. The Lightfolk require her unique talent for balancing the elements to fend off a dangerous enemy, and rescue her missing brother.
Only for Rothly will Jenni deal with those who destroyed her life. Only for him will she agree to work with her ex-lover, Tage, and revisit the darkest corners of her soul. For a reckoning is at hand, and she alone has the power to hold back the forces of dark.
Only for Rothly will Jenni deal with those who destroyed her life. Only for him will she agree to work with her ex-lover, Tage, and revisit the darkest corners of her soul. For a reckoning is at hand, and she alone has the power to hold back the forces of dark.
310 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 21, 2010
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813 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
April 24, 2011
I was drawn to Enchanted No More by the vibrant hues of the cover art and because the plot summary -- centering on a half-faerie woman sucked back grudgingly into court affairs -- reminded me of one of my favorite urban fantasy series, Seanan McGuire's October Daye.
Jenni is a halfling, half human and half Lightfolk (fae). She wants nothing to do with her Lightfolk heritage after a magical disaster fifteen years ago in which most of her family was killed. Instead, she lives as a human in Denver and works as a game designer. She is drawn back into the Lightfolk world when her last remaining family member, her estranged brother, disappears while on a mission for the rulers. Jenni reluctantly accepts the mission so that she can rescue her brother. Now she has court politics to deal with, along with dangerous evil creatures and her ex-lover Aric Paramon. (The blurb calls him Tage, but I think that must be from an earlier draft.)
Jenni must overcome her guilt and grief over the tragedy in her past, and forgive herself and Aric for the things they could have done differently. Her brother has a similar arc, learning to move past his own self-pity and his bitterness toward Jenni. Readers who enjoy this type of character journey may find Enchanted No More hits the spot.
For me, it was a bumpy read. The trouble starts with Jenni. I had trouble warming to her. At the beginning of the book, she's immature, lashing out in anger at the most inopportune moments. She throws tantrums at royalty -- not generally a good idea, but her magical talents are rare enough that they put up with it. Later, as she deals with her past, she becomes more sympathetic but still has annoying traits such as a tendency to meddle. She prods Aric about his dad issues when they're supposed to be having a romantic evening, and dispenses career counseling to the other halflings at court. (In the latter case, it's not so much a problem that she does it, but that they instantly feel motivated to better their lot after a brief conversation with Jenni--unrealistic IMHO.) Meanwhile, Aric never quite feels fleshed out.
The magic system and the scenes of magic use are often confusing to follow, while other aspects of the story are over-explained. The deaths of Jenni's family are rehashed so many times that -- especially after the Fire Queen tells her own version and offers to let Jenni read the other royals' accounts -- I was sure there would be a twist wherein the incident would turn out to have happened differently than Jenni remembered. This doesn't occur, however.
Finally, there are a huge number of comma splices. I hate to nitpick about grammar/editing, but when there are enough of these errors, it becomes distracting.
Enchanted No More will be appealing to some readers but fell flat with me, I'm sad to say. I'd rather be reading October Daye.
Jenni is a halfling, half human and half Lightfolk (fae). She wants nothing to do with her Lightfolk heritage after a magical disaster fifteen years ago in which most of her family was killed. Instead, she lives as a human in Denver and works as a game designer. She is drawn back into the Lightfolk world when her last remaining family member, her estranged brother, disappears while on a mission for the rulers. Jenni reluctantly accepts the mission so that she can rescue her brother. Now she has court politics to deal with, along with dangerous evil creatures and her ex-lover Aric Paramon. (The blurb calls him Tage, but I think that must be from an earlier draft.)
Jenni must overcome her guilt and grief over the tragedy in her past, and forgive herself and Aric for the things they could have done differently. Her brother has a similar arc, learning to move past his own self-pity and his bitterness toward Jenni. Readers who enjoy this type of character journey may find Enchanted No More hits the spot.
For me, it was a bumpy read. The trouble starts with Jenni. I had trouble warming to her. At the beginning of the book, she's immature, lashing out in anger at the most inopportune moments. She throws tantrums at royalty -- not generally a good idea, but her magical talents are rare enough that they put up with it. Later, as she deals with her past, she becomes more sympathetic but still has annoying traits such as a tendency to meddle. She prods Aric about his dad issues when they're supposed to be having a romantic evening, and dispenses career counseling to the other halflings at court. (In the latter case, it's not so much a problem that she does it, but that they instantly feel motivated to better their lot after a brief conversation with Jenni--unrealistic IMHO.) Meanwhile, Aric never quite feels fleshed out.
The magic system and the scenes of magic use are often confusing to follow, while other aspects of the story are over-explained. The deaths of Jenni's family are rehashed so many times that -- especially after the Fire Queen tells her own version and offers to let Jenni read the other royals' accounts -- I was sure there would be a twist wherein the incident would turn out to have happened differently than Jenni remembered. This doesn't occur, however.
Finally, there are a huge number of comma splices. I hate to nitpick about grammar/editing, but when there are enough of these errors, it becomes distracting.
Enchanted No More will be appealing to some readers but fell flat with me, I'm sad to say. I'd rather be reading October Daye.
December 28, 2018
Mostly a meh book.
It reads easily, but it lacks gripping power. It is difficult to warm to the MCs, one is too easily moved to change, the other is too sketchy.
I appreciate growing up, but here it felt like wishing-up(on) magic. There's no feeling of growth, it just happens. But then it's a common problem with this books: things happen and there are no reasons for it (and this is a world building problem).
There's no depth to characters either. No real drama, and false, easily removed angst.
Pleasant, but not a book I'll keep.
It reads easily, but it lacks gripping power. It is difficult to warm to the MCs, one is too easily moved to change, the other is too sketchy.
I appreciate growing up, but here it felt like wishing-up(on) magic. There's no feeling of growth, it just happens. But then it's a common problem with this books: things happen and there are no reasons for it (and this is a world building problem).
There's no depth to characters either. No real drama, and false, easily removed angst.
Pleasant, but not a book I'll keep.
April 23, 2017
Enchanted No More is fairly overflowing with enchantment. It is full of all sorts of magic based on the four elements of fire, earth, air and water. The entire magical world is in danger, and Jenni, a half-breed, is the only one with her special family magic left who can help. Can she overcome her bitterness at losing her entire family the last time the magical community asked for their help to do what needs to be done?
Beyond the fairy politics and magical conflicts, this is a fairly standard paranormal romance with a few adult scenes thrown in for good measure (although they are not extremely explicit). The overall story and magical atmosphere was enough that the romance didn't totally take over, even though it's definitely prominent. An enjoyable weekend read.
Beyond the fairy politics and magical conflicts, this is a fairly standard paranormal romance with a few adult scenes thrown in for good measure (although they are not extremely explicit). The overall story and magical atmosphere was enough that the romance didn't totally take over, even though it's definitely prominent. An enjoyable weekend read.
April 2, 2011
A Magical Lesson of Love, Valor, and Forgiveness
Fifteen years ago the family of halfling Jindesfarne Mistweaver was caught in the middle of a vicious magical battle between the Lightfolk and Dark ones. All but one brother were slain, and that brother, Rothly, was maimed physically and magically. And he blamed Jenni for it all.
But no more than she blamed herself.
Disowned by her brother, stripped of her entire family, ripped apart by guilt and loss, she fled her family's land in Northumberland, England, and moved west through America until she landed in Denver. There she built a little world for herself living as the human Jenni Weaver, away from the magics of the Lightfolk and the treacherous power of the Eight who rule, powerful elemental beings she blames for their poor treatment of halflings in general and her family in particular. It was they who started the portal ceremony early. It was they who share responsibility for her family's death. But it is Jenni who pays the steepest price for self-guilt and burning resentment.
Now fifteen years later, a knock on her door draws her back into the world she turned from, forces her to take up again the elemental balancing that is her gift, once eschewed. The Eight had offered her brother something he couldn't resist to take on a dangerous task he was ill-equipped to complete and now he is lost in the interdimensional mist that only Jenni and he can enter. They use her love for him to manipulate her into taking up his task and risk herself once again for the Lightfolk. She must balance the elemental power of a rising force of the purest magics or risk unimaginable wild forces of creation and destruction letting loose on the world.
With little more than Aric Paramon to be her guardian and guide, a half Elf, half Treeman who was her lover on that fateful day of greatest loss, Jenni faces a bitter battle against forces of great evil, and her emotions and the horrors of the past threaten to break her before the fight even begins. Only by healing from wounds still fresh in her psyche and soul and embracing the full grace of her nature can she even hope to survive, let alone triumph. But the risk of opening herself up to that sort of pain once again may prove too much for Jenni to take.
What a rich, deep, magical world Robin D. Owens has created with this series debut! Straddling the human and Lightfolk worlds, Enchanted No More offers up a thorough, three dimensional reality that is both intriguing and captivating as Jenni and Aric work together for the good of the world at large. I was very impressed with the complexity and originality of the concept for the fantasy elements of the Lightfolk cultures and the plot of the story in general.
Jenni was a fascinating heroine. Her journey was more about forgiveness and finding an internal balance that allowed her to heal from her loss and take her rightful place in the Lighfolk community than it was about battling an external foe, and that proved to be surprisingly compelling. Especially when the events that traumatized her so deeply were combined with fresher conflicts over the status of halflings in the Lightfolk world. Yet the threat posed by malevolent Darkfolk and their shadleech monsters was also taut and thrilling and provided much juicy action for reading enjoyment.
Owens was masterful at the slow, steady evolution of Jenni throughout the book, and I thought her development was completely realistic and sympathetic. I was particularly fond of the deft strokes of relationship mending between her and Aric as the story progressed. Aric was, much like his nature, a steady force of immutable strength, and while that could have tipped over into stagnancy for the character, his own issues of dissatisfaction for how his people's needs have been ignored and the dissidence between him and his father, along with the sometimes too-restricting fealty to the Eight kept his character interesting, real, and fresh.
As a couple, Jenni and Aric complemented each other, and while there was a definite romance subplot, it evolved in a satisfying and natural way that seemed very organic to the characters' growth and development and remained respectful of their past. Secondary and ancillary characters richly populated all threads of the plot and some of the most enchanting aspects of the story surrounded some of the least powerful of the beings in it. Owens impressed me with the many and varied personalities so finely woven into the tapestry of the tale.
The narrative took me a while to get used to, and the book did start out slow for me. The stylistic touches in the narrative aren't completely to my taste, as there is very little world building or explanation of the fantasy aspects. What I learned about the Lightfolk and their connection and interactions with humanity I had to divine through the actions and dialogue of the characters. I don't like to be overwhelmed with exposition (who does?), but I do prefer to feel a little less like I've been dropped into a foreign land, unaware of the rules or the inhabitants, unable to speak the language, and forced to muck about until I suss things out on my own. There was a little too much self-sussing for my tastes, especially for the first half of the book.
I also thought that the events of the tragedy fifteen years ago were a little over emphasized and repeated a bit too often through most of the book. It got to be repetitive for me, and because the loss of Jenni's family was such a decisive breaking point in her life, every time it was mentioned it forced the focus back to the pain and subsequent negative emotions surrounding it. I found that a little depressing, but also noticed it seemed to segregate Jenni a bit - from other characters and from me as a reader. Even the narrative surrounding those times of reflection seemed different than the rest of the book, full of shorter, choppier sentences that lacked description and flow, almost like each mention of the past was a wound not yet healed that seeped into even the text that described it.
Jenni's journey, though, from a woman closed off from her heritage, one limping through a full human world with little more than her work and her cat, to a strong, adept master of her magical craft who embraced herself and the people she cares about, was a true pleasure to experience. As was the romance with Aric and the major plot arc of the quest to balance the magic bubbles.
I do hope the future of the series delves more into the blend of Lightfolk and human cultures, because there were many fascinating techno-magic meldings mentioned or referred to and I found my interest more than piqued about them, and about the presence of the Eight in Denver. Seeing a more balanced blend of fantasy and reality would appeal to me, as Enchanted No More did seem to focus mostly on the fantasy elements - and rightly so. The Mystic Circle series has caught my eye and I plan to follow up on the groundwork laid here as soon as the opportunity presents itself.
Disclosure: A copy of this book was provided to me free of charge for the purpose of an honest review. All ratings, comments, thoughts, and opinions are my own.
~*~*~*~
One Good Book Deserves Another.
Fifteen years ago the family of halfling Jindesfarne Mistweaver was caught in the middle of a vicious magical battle between the Lightfolk and Dark ones. All but one brother were slain, and that brother, Rothly, was maimed physically and magically. And he blamed Jenni for it all.
But no more than she blamed herself.
Disowned by her brother, stripped of her entire family, ripped apart by guilt and loss, she fled her family's land in Northumberland, England, and moved west through America until she landed in Denver. There she built a little world for herself living as the human Jenni Weaver, away from the magics of the Lightfolk and the treacherous power of the Eight who rule, powerful elemental beings she blames for their poor treatment of halflings in general and her family in particular. It was they who started the portal ceremony early. It was they who share responsibility for her family's death. But it is Jenni who pays the steepest price for self-guilt and burning resentment.
Now fifteen years later, a knock on her door draws her back into the world she turned from, forces her to take up again the elemental balancing that is her gift, once eschewed. The Eight had offered her brother something he couldn't resist to take on a dangerous task he was ill-equipped to complete and now he is lost in the interdimensional mist that only Jenni and he can enter. They use her love for him to manipulate her into taking up his task and risk herself once again for the Lightfolk. She must balance the elemental power of a rising force of the purest magics or risk unimaginable wild forces of creation and destruction letting loose on the world.
With little more than Aric Paramon to be her guardian and guide, a half Elf, half Treeman who was her lover on that fateful day of greatest loss, Jenni faces a bitter battle against forces of great evil, and her emotions and the horrors of the past threaten to break her before the fight even begins. Only by healing from wounds still fresh in her psyche and soul and embracing the full grace of her nature can she even hope to survive, let alone triumph. But the risk of opening herself up to that sort of pain once again may prove too much for Jenni to take.
What a rich, deep, magical world Robin D. Owens has created with this series debut! Straddling the human and Lightfolk worlds, Enchanted No More offers up a thorough, three dimensional reality that is both intriguing and captivating as Jenni and Aric work together for the good of the world at large. I was very impressed with the complexity and originality of the concept for the fantasy elements of the Lightfolk cultures and the plot of the story in general.
Jenni was a fascinating heroine. Her journey was more about forgiveness and finding an internal balance that allowed her to heal from her loss and take her rightful place in the Lighfolk community than it was about battling an external foe, and that proved to be surprisingly compelling. Especially when the events that traumatized her so deeply were combined with fresher conflicts over the status of halflings in the Lightfolk world. Yet the threat posed by malevolent Darkfolk and their shadleech monsters was also taut and thrilling and provided much juicy action for reading enjoyment.
Owens was masterful at the slow, steady evolution of Jenni throughout the book, and I thought her development was completely realistic and sympathetic. I was particularly fond of the deft strokes of relationship mending between her and Aric as the story progressed. Aric was, much like his nature, a steady force of immutable strength, and while that could have tipped over into stagnancy for the character, his own issues of dissatisfaction for how his people's needs have been ignored and the dissidence between him and his father, along with the sometimes too-restricting fealty to the Eight kept his character interesting, real, and fresh.
As a couple, Jenni and Aric complemented each other, and while there was a definite romance subplot, it evolved in a satisfying and natural way that seemed very organic to the characters' growth and development and remained respectful of their past. Secondary and ancillary characters richly populated all threads of the plot and some of the most enchanting aspects of the story surrounded some of the least powerful of the beings in it. Owens impressed me with the many and varied personalities so finely woven into the tapestry of the tale.
The narrative took me a while to get used to, and the book did start out slow for me. The stylistic touches in the narrative aren't completely to my taste, as there is very little world building or explanation of the fantasy aspects. What I learned about the Lightfolk and their connection and interactions with humanity I had to divine through the actions and dialogue of the characters. I don't like to be overwhelmed with exposition (who does?), but I do prefer to feel a little less like I've been dropped into a foreign land, unaware of the rules or the inhabitants, unable to speak the language, and forced to muck about until I suss things out on my own. There was a little too much self-sussing for my tastes, especially for the first half of the book.
I also thought that the events of the tragedy fifteen years ago were a little over emphasized and repeated a bit too often through most of the book. It got to be repetitive for me, and because the loss of Jenni's family was such a decisive breaking point in her life, every time it was mentioned it forced the focus back to the pain and subsequent negative emotions surrounding it. I found that a little depressing, but also noticed it seemed to segregate Jenni a bit - from other characters and from me as a reader. Even the narrative surrounding those times of reflection seemed different than the rest of the book, full of shorter, choppier sentences that lacked description and flow, almost like each mention of the past was a wound not yet healed that seeped into even the text that described it.
Jenni's journey, though, from a woman closed off from her heritage, one limping through a full human world with little more than her work and her cat, to a strong, adept master of her magical craft who embraced herself and the people she cares about, was a true pleasure to experience. As was the romance with Aric and the major plot arc of the quest to balance the magic bubbles.
I do hope the future of the series delves more into the blend of Lightfolk and human cultures, because there were many fascinating techno-magic meldings mentioned or referred to and I found my interest more than piqued about them, and about the presence of the Eight in Denver. Seeing a more balanced blend of fantasy and reality would appeal to me, as Enchanted No More did seem to focus mostly on the fantasy elements - and rightly so. The Mystic Circle series has caught my eye and I plan to follow up on the groundwork laid here as soon as the opportunity presents itself.
Disclosure: A copy of this book was provided to me free of charge for the purpose of an honest review. All ratings, comments, thoughts, and opinions are my own.
~*~*~*~
One Good Book Deserves Another.
Read
September 27, 2020I especially liked her former boyfriend 'Treeman' and his skills of moving through trees across the continent.
December 21, 2010
This is another in a string of books that I feel just so-so about. There are certain things that I really liked though and that is why I ultimately gave it a 3.
I really liked the premise of this story and as I have been reading a lot of UF lately this seemed a good way to get into something different. I love all of the magical elements of this book. Jenni has the power to “balance” magic and Aric can travel by using the trees. The magic is based on the 4 elements and there are faerie folk that reign over each element. There are also a host of other magical beings, treefolk and brownies and more.
I thought the mission that Jenni on was really interesting. She was supposed to help the Light faeries balance the magic of some bubbles that were popping and releasing energy that could be harnessed for either good or evil. A previous bubble that was not harnessed produced shade leeches and they are pretty nasty.
My personal issue with the story was that I could not just relax and sink into it. I kept being told what was happening instead of just being shown. Let me explain that; the book kept saying how she had guilt, she feels guilt, her guilt was so bad. I wish I could have felt her guilt with her instead of being told about it. It was the same way as she developed and tried to lessen her guilt and move on, instead of being trusted as the reader to realize that what she was doing was development on that front, it just kept telling me. I was able to understand through her action that it was happening. I think this is just personal opinion on the style of writing, it just is not what I prefer.
Also, the relationship was not my favorite. I did not see why they were together except that they used to date. I also did not understand why they kept acting as if they were being “kept” apart. It was another telling but not showing thing for me. I kept being told that he was the “eight’s man” (the eight is the kings and queens of the lightfolk, 2 for each element) and she wanted to be with the humans and not deal with the faerie. Well, Jenni sure didn’t act like it and Aric seemed to mostly do as he pleased. Overall I felt like they were kept apart when they did not need to be, at least not for that reason.
I know those seem like big gripes but the overall story was really interesting. I like the world that she has created and would love to read more stories in it. For me though, I felt like she wasn’t trusting her imaginative storytelling, or her readers. Then again, if you just want an easy read that doesn’t keep things vague this might be just what you are looking for.
I really liked the premise of this story and as I have been reading a lot of UF lately this seemed a good way to get into something different. I love all of the magical elements of this book. Jenni has the power to “balance” magic and Aric can travel by using the trees. The magic is based on the 4 elements and there are faerie folk that reign over each element. There are also a host of other magical beings, treefolk and brownies and more.
I thought the mission that Jenni on was really interesting. She was supposed to help the Light faeries balance the magic of some bubbles that were popping and releasing energy that could be harnessed for either good or evil. A previous bubble that was not harnessed produced shade leeches and they are pretty nasty.
My personal issue with the story was that I could not just relax and sink into it. I kept being told what was happening instead of just being shown. Let me explain that; the book kept saying how she had guilt, she feels guilt, her guilt was so bad. I wish I could have felt her guilt with her instead of being told about it. It was the same way as she developed and tried to lessen her guilt and move on, instead of being trusted as the reader to realize that what she was doing was development on that front, it just kept telling me. I was able to understand through her action that it was happening. I think this is just personal opinion on the style of writing, it just is not what I prefer.
Also, the relationship was not my favorite. I did not see why they were together except that they used to date. I also did not understand why they kept acting as if they were being “kept” apart. It was another telling but not showing thing for me. I kept being told that he was the “eight’s man” (the eight is the kings and queens of the lightfolk, 2 for each element) and she wanted to be with the humans and not deal with the faerie. Well, Jenni sure didn’t act like it and Aric seemed to mostly do as he pleased. Overall I felt like they were kept apart when they did not need to be, at least not for that reason.
I know those seem like big gripes but the overall story was really interesting. I like the world that she has created and would love to read more stories in it. For me though, I felt like she wasn’t trusting her imaginative storytelling, or her readers. Then again, if you just want an easy read that doesn’t keep things vague this might be just what you are looking for.
December 25, 2010
The story is written in our world but all its magic is not public known. Jenni is an elemental balancer and the leaders of the magic world need her. Even though, she doesn't want to help them cause of their past history with her family, she finally agrees when she learns that her brother is in trouble. Now Jenni, have not only to save her brother but also help them. While she do that, she learns new things about them, herself and looks like fate is there and giving her a chance to correct her mistakes.
What i loved most from this book was the world and the idea behind the story. It uses elemental magic and has in it all the creatures you can imagine (elves, djins, dwarves, etc). All of them live together and actually take care of our world. The idea of the story, is some bubbles that come out from there which have in them new magic for the world. The Eight ( two leaders for each element), need help to control them and the only alive who can do it Jenni. Jenni is a balancer. She can make all the elements in a place live together in balance. All of the characters have previous background and great history too, and it's something that i find pretty interesting. Usually we get the very first adventure of our main character.
Now, while all that sound good and interesting, the book had some problems.
First, it was Jenni. All the rest characters are pretty much acceptable except her. At the first half of the book you have her being sad and mad with herself cause of her past. She repeats herself so much that she is getting an emo. Like she loves to be sad. Annoying. Then suddenly is normal and all well, and at the end we get again a bit of her old self.
Then, it's the details. Oh my god...they are so many! Most of the time i was getting either bored or confused. Details,details..again and again. They were necessary but not well introduced to us.Like "here get some details and then we go on". I did a month to finish the book cause of that.
And last annoying part was the end. For 20 pages or so, you read about the preparations of the final battle. And when finally the times comes, you get about 4 pages battle. That's it, you have to read all the details about it, just to enjoy just 4 pages of it. And not only that, but while the book is "girly" written without too much violence,blood,etc the author decides to throw some sentences with guts,etc in. Not only didn't fit, but it felt unreal with the whole environment of the story.
I like the idea behind it, it was clever and something new but you will lose it while you read it.
What i loved most from this book was the world and the idea behind the story. It uses elemental magic and has in it all the creatures you can imagine (elves, djins, dwarves, etc). All of them live together and actually take care of our world. The idea of the story, is some bubbles that come out from there which have in them new magic for the world. The Eight ( two leaders for each element), need help to control them and the only alive who can do it Jenni. Jenni is a balancer. She can make all the elements in a place live together in balance. All of the characters have previous background and great history too, and it's something that i find pretty interesting. Usually we get the very first adventure of our main character.
Now, while all that sound good and interesting, the book had some problems.
First, it was Jenni. All the rest characters are pretty much acceptable except her. At the first half of the book you have her being sad and mad with herself cause of her past. She repeats herself so much that she is getting an emo. Like she loves to be sad. Annoying. Then suddenly is normal and all well, and at the end we get again a bit of her old self.
Then, it's the details. Oh my god...they are so many! Most of the time i was getting either bored or confused. Details,details..again and again. They were necessary but not well introduced to us.Like "here get some details and then we go on". I did a month to finish the book cause of that.
And last annoying part was the end. For 20 pages or so, you read about the preparations of the final battle. And when finally the times comes, you get about 4 pages battle. That's it, you have to read all the details about it, just to enjoy just 4 pages of it. And not only that, but while the book is "girly" written without too much violence,blood,etc the author decides to throw some sentences with guts,etc in. Not only didn't fit, but it felt unreal with the whole environment of the story.
I like the idea behind it, it was clever and something new but you will lose it while you read it.
October 27, 2014
Synopsis: "As one of the last surviving Mistweavers, half-blood Jenni knows what it's like to be caught between two worlds: the faery and the human. But the time has come to choose. The Lightfolk require her unique talent for balancing the elements to fend off a dangerous enemy—and rescue her missing brother.Only for Rothly will Jenni deal with those who destroyed her life. Only for him will she agree to work with her ex-lover, Tage, and revisit the darkest corners of her soul. For a reckoning is at hand, and she alone has the power to hold back the forces of dark…."
My Review: I am a huge Owens fan but this book just didn't sit right with me. There seemed to be a shortage of world building, I was lost a lot of the time with the faery terms, folk types and rituals. I was honestly pretty lost through pretty much all the book and had to continuously push myself to pick it up and read it. Also I wasn't too keen on the characters, especially the main ones, there was no connection to them and I found their relationship to be forced. I did however enjoy the guardians (the elf and dwarf that assisted Jenni). Sadly, it ended up being a book just to get through so I could put it away.
My Review: I am a huge Owens fan but this book just didn't sit right with me. There seemed to be a shortage of world building, I was lost a lot of the time with the faery terms, folk types and rituals. I was honestly pretty lost through pretty much all the book and had to continuously push myself to pick it up and read it. Also I wasn't too keen on the characters, especially the main ones, there was no connection to them and I found their relationship to be forced. I did however enjoy the guardians (the elf and dwarf that assisted Jenni). Sadly, it ended up being a book just to get through so I could put it away.
May 10, 2011
I love, love, love Robin Owens and her earlier books are some of my absolute favorites. Her writing style is always a pure pleasure to read and she writes some deliciously strong heroines who are still extremely feminine. One thing I've noticed in her more recent books, however, is just how nice the heroines are-- to the point where, for me, it's just a little too much. ENCHANTED's heroine is so very, very, very nice-- I'd have liked her to be a little less so. She goes after her brother. She helps out the faerie world. She lets the homeless brownies stay in her home-- and she even alters her will so that the brownies can keep her home forever if she happens to die on her mission. The cute factor is also extremely high-- the heroine's pet is cute. The brownies are cute. I suspect the issue may be me, rather than Owens-- I appreciate a bit of grit and darkness in my books now, and Ilona Andrews is much more my cup of tea when it comes to magical world-building. I just miss Owen's earlier dark alphas... Rand T'Ash is still one of my favorite heroes ever.
November 10, 2010
Full review posted at http://urbanfantasyinvestigations.blo...
Jenni is racked with grief and guilt over the death of all her family besides her brother who disowns her after the tragedy. She moved to the human world 15 years ago and has stopped using her magic until her brother lands himself in trouble and her ex lover shows up asking her for help.
I felt that the author did a good job on conveying Jenni's emotions and feelings. She is so bitter about helping in the beginning and slowly has to let go of all her anger and grief. I enjoyed all the Magical stuff, the way it is explained and the uses of it all. I enjoyed the storyline and the way it progressed but I also found it a bit slow at times. There is some nice romance, and bonding threw out the book and I didn't feel it went over board on descriptions of Aric(the ex boyfriend) as I read another review state. I found it to be a solid book with a good ending.
Jenni is racked with grief and guilt over the death of all her family besides her brother who disowns her after the tragedy. She moved to the human world 15 years ago and has stopped using her magic until her brother lands himself in trouble and her ex lover shows up asking her for help.
I felt that the author did a good job on conveying Jenni's emotions and feelings. She is so bitter about helping in the beginning and slowly has to let go of all her anger and grief. I enjoyed all the Magical stuff, the way it is explained and the uses of it all. I enjoyed the storyline and the way it progressed but I also found it a bit slow at times. There is some nice romance, and bonding threw out the book and I didn't feel it went over board on descriptions of Aric(the ex boyfriend) as I read another review state. I found it to be a solid book with a good ending.
May 16, 2015
In Robin Owens's Enchanted No More, the first installment in the Mystic Circle series, this was a fantastic urban fantasy romance with very vivid scenery and details of an imaginary world. For the last remaining Mistweaver, Jinnesfarne "Jenni" Mistweaver is a half-ling with magical elements and mourned the loss of her family from years ago. She's called upon to rescue her brother Rothly and heal him, while she was sent on a mission to help raise the bubble with her magical elements to help the Eight Lightfolk battle against the Darkfolk. She was reunited with her ex-lover, Aric Pandamon, a Treefolk, to go on this mission. Together, they travel to new foreign lands, a world like no other, when they've learned to care for each other again and about their magic to save their world from dark forces with a happy ending.
November 29, 2010
Overall: I really wanted to love this book. The concept behind it and the world that was built was well done, but the romance and guilt/ bitterness really hurt the book. Parts felt like a really long couch session that I was not interested in.
Rating: 3 only for the world and background characters. There is a second book coming with a character that is not from this book but the same community that Jenni lives in.
full post: http://NewBorrowedUsed.blogspot.com
Rating: 3 only for the world and background characters. There is a second book coming with a character that is not from this book but the same community that Jenni lives in.
full post: http://NewBorrowedUsed.blogspot.com
April 18, 2011
I enjoyed this book, the thing I did not like was that certain information was repeated way to many times. I was tired of her rehashing why she felt guilty about her family dying, I got it the first few times and I don't think it needed to be repeated throughout the book. There were a few other things like that, but on the whole it was a fun book.
February 15, 2011
Fluffy, easy read. Not very good. Seemed like a quick write to keep up with demand in paranormal romance. The back cover had the male lead with the name Tage and in the book his name was something different.
April 18, 2019
Why I picked up this book: elemental magic. I love fire/water/earth/air stories.
Why I regretted it: everything else.
Characterisation - even though the characters are supposedly adults, the main characters are mentally fifteen years old - old enough to get horny, young enough not to think about consequences or ask any questions.
Jenni's family passed away fifteen years ago in a magical accident (helping royalty). Her sole remaining brother disowned her, so she withdrew from the faery world. We meet her working as a game developer (although the game developer part is mostly irrelevant). Somehow, she never gets therapy or unpacks all the emotions she feels.
When the faery world needs her help, she refuses to listen and loses her temper. Very mature. There's some running away, and then she eventually decides that she must rescue her brother. Once her brother is rescued, there's a whole lot of passivity on her end as she's dragged back into the faery world, for all she professes to loathe it. She also meets an old flame, Aric. Aric has struck up a relationship with a djinnfem (fire elemental) princess, but has somehow dropped her. Jenni never asks why or for details- she just falls back in love with Aric. I spent the book wondering if Aric was going to betray her - after all, Aric is conveniently available just as Jenni gets adopted as a princess?
At the same time, she's supposedly super competent. There's a scene where she sees a group coding lines melding electricity and magic; she waltzes in and solves the problem. There's another scene where she meets other halfbloods and in a quick talk, manages to encourage them how to value their abilities. These are all scenes that could work, but the author doesn't do the work - Jenni is conveniently both passive (not asking for more information, not asking for the risks when it concerns her) and active (in a social ~empower halfbloods~ way).
Continuity errors also irritated me. When Jenni meets the royals, the first thing she thinks is about ranking them by their power levels. Two chapters later, their power levels are different. It's a recurring problem with this book.
I could rant on a bit, but what's the point? It's not a well-written book. 1/5 stars
Why I regretted it: everything else.
Characterisation - even though the characters are supposedly adults, the main characters are mentally fifteen years old - old enough to get horny, young enough not to think about consequences or ask any questions.
Jenni's family passed away fifteen years ago in a magical accident (helping royalty). Her sole remaining brother disowned her, so she withdrew from the faery world. We meet her working as a game developer (although the game developer part is mostly irrelevant). Somehow, she never gets therapy or unpacks all the emotions she feels.
When the faery world needs her help, she refuses to listen and loses her temper. Very mature. There's some running away, and then she eventually decides that she must rescue her brother. Once her brother is rescued, there's a whole lot of passivity on her end as she's dragged back into the faery world, for all she professes to loathe it. She also meets an old flame, Aric. Aric has struck up a relationship with a djinnfem (fire elemental) princess, but has somehow dropped her. Jenni never asks why or for details- she just falls back in love with Aric. I spent the book wondering if Aric was going to betray her - after all, Aric is conveniently available just as Jenni gets adopted as a princess?
At the same time, she's supposedly super competent. There's a scene where she sees a group coding lines melding electricity and magic; she waltzes in and solves the problem. There's another scene where she meets other halfbloods and in a quick talk, manages to encourage them how to value their abilities. These are all scenes that could work, but the author doesn't do the work - Jenni is conveniently both passive (not asking for more information, not asking for the risks when it concerns her) and active (in a social ~empower halfbloods~ way).
Continuity errors also irritated me. When Jenni meets the royals, the first thing she thinks is about ranking them by their power levels. Two chapters later, their power levels are different. It's a recurring problem with this book.
I could rant on a bit, but what's the point? It's not a well-written book. 1/5 stars
February 3, 2018
Several years ago I was introduced to Ms. Owens Heart Mates series. While I didn't keep up with it, I've always been willing to try something new from her.
I was happily surprised by the first book in Mystic Circle series.
This story packed a punch with real emotional moments that ran me through a range of things. Also, such topics as forgiving yourself after making some life-changing mistakes, family struggles and political intrigue.
The elements of magic working within a contemporary setting were well done, too and enhanced the story.
Would I recommend this? Yes. This is a promising start to a new series.
I was happily surprised by the first book in Mystic Circle series.
This story packed a punch with real emotional moments that ran me through a range of things. Also, such topics as forgiving yourself after making some life-changing mistakes, family struggles and political intrigue.
The elements of magic working within a contemporary setting were well done, too and enhanced the story.
Would I recommend this? Yes. This is a promising start to a new series.
December 24, 2018
Fast paced. Exciting battles. Handsome Treeman guardian. What more could you want. And his name is Aric not Tage. Don’t know where they got Tage for the book description. No Tage anywhere in the book.
August 28, 2022
I liked much of the world and most of the minor characters. The main characters felt too uneven, though, and a bit unrealistic in their behaviours and actions. It was okay but I can’t see myself rereading this.
October 11, 2018
Loved this series
December 15, 2020
Good story. Not great.
July 24, 2021
A must read
Robin D. Owens never disappoints. This new series gives a new world of magic on earth. Aric and Ella as halflings are perfect
Robin D. Owens never disappoints. This new series gives a new world of magic on earth. Aric and Ella as halflings are perfect
June 29, 2022
Interesting
Was an enjoyable story with good characters and scenery. Would recommend to others to read. Was an enjoyable story and characters.
Was an enjoyable story with good characters and scenery. Would recommend to others to read. Was an enjoyable story and characters.
June 13, 2015
♥ Find my reviews on Blogger ~ Reviews by Bookish Sarah
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Jenni Weaver is a halfling. Half human, half djinn - one of the fire Lightfolk. Fifteen years ago, most of her family was killed in a battle between the Lightfolk & Darkfolk. Jenni's one remaining brother, Rothly, was crippled and believes Jenni was the one at fault - all because she didn't arrive to the ceremony early & therefore wasn't present when the battle began. Instead she was at home, making love with our hero, Aric Paramon.
Jenni has mourned and blamed herself, the Lightfolk, and Aric for the entirety of those fifteen years. She now lives in the human world in a magical place called Mystic Circle. She lives alone with her faithful cat, Chinook. She's more than content to never have anything to do with The Eight or any of the Lightfolk ever again.
Until one day, a dwarf shows up at her door with a request from The Eight. They need her help, and won't take no for an answer. She turns the dwarf down and then not much later, her former lover shows up. Aric, whom she hasn't seen in fifteen years, is there on behalf of The Eight to convince her to help. It's then that Jenni learns her brother is in trouble. After Jenni turned down The Eight's request, they went to Rothly, even with his crippled magical abilities, and asked him to perform the task Jenni refused. He vowed to help them on their mission in exchange for royal status, and now he's trapped in the interdimension that only Mistweavers can enter. Since Jenni and Rothly are supposedly the last of the Mistweavers, she must go and save him - whether Rothly wants the help or not.
Now, thanks to Rothly, Jenni must also complete the task requested of her and Rothly by The Eight - a vow was made and Jenni intends to honor it. Gaining royal status in the process is just a bonus.
- - -
Complaints:
Okay, this book was very interesting to me. It took me awhile to get into it though, because the author just sort of tossed readers into the midst of all these magical creatures and elements without an ounce of information. When the information did finally come, it was a little tedious. Repetition and info-dumping made the story quite sluggish at times. I found myself skipping a page here and there because it was basically the same thing that was stated in the previous chapter, only by a different character or in a different way.
My other complaint is that Jenni was sort of wishy-washy at times. It seemed like she would let go of whatever misgivings she had about something, only to pick up more on the next page. It's like she couldn't get over anything! She couldn't just be happy for one stinkin' minute. Yeesh!
What I liked:
Oh, the magic! I don't think I've ever read a book quite so magical as this one. Every page turned was an adventure in magic! All of the different magical beings and elements were perfectly balanced with a mixture of real-world ones. Elves, dwarfs, djinn, merfolk, brownies, dryads, naiads, treefolk, evil shadleeches & Dark ones - a real smorgasbord of fantastical creatures!
The romance. It was clean, yet adult and intense. I think the feelings of both Aric and Jenni were portrayed very well, and they touched me as a reader. These two characters each had to forgive each other as well as themselves to be able to move on together, and each did so with just the right amount of trepidation. Once it happened, it was emotional and left me in tears. These two complemented each other perfectly. They are definitely one of my more favorite literary pairings.
The writing style was mystical, enchanting, and very detailed. I have never read anything by Ms. Owens before, but this book opened me up to her other novels and I definitely plan to sink my teeth into more of her work. :)
Overall:
Enchanted No More was a marvelous find, and I am so happy I read it. This book is packed with magic and magical creatures. It's unique and interesting. It's got the romance factor, and it's done very well. There is action and emotion. It'll make you laugh and cry, and it all leads up to a beautiful ending. Ms. Owens has a lovely writing style and knows how to build a fabulously magical realm bursting with everything you could want in a book like this!
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Book source: Purchased ebook
Publisher: Luna/Harlequin
July 12, 2016
You know how sometimes you just get this feeling when you start a new book that it's going to be great? I knew before the end of the first chapter that Enchanted No More was a book that I was going to fall in love with, and I was not disappointed. Robin Owens does a fantastic job of building a world filled with dark fae, light fae, and the constant press of technology.
Jenni Weavers is a Halfling—half human mixed with the magical races of the fae—and she is also unique in that she is the last of her family line that still has the ability to balance the elements. Tragedy struck the Mistweavers family fifteen years earlier, resulting in the deaths of her parents and siblings. Only her older brother Rothly survived, and he was left crippled, bitter and unable to use his magic. After he threw silver and salt at Jindesfarne Mistweavers, disowning her, she changed her name and turned her back on her heritage, determined to make her way in the human world.
Now, over a decade later, the rulers of the Lightfolk are sending representatives to Jenni. She refuses to listen; after all it was during a mission for The Eight that her family was destroyed. It's not until Aric Paramon, her ex-lover, comes to Jenni that she agrees to the undertaking, and even then it's only because her brother is in danger. Despite the fact that she now has to work with Aric and for The Eight, she still hasn't forgiven any of them, including herself, for the loss of her family.
The world building that takes place in Enchanted no more is absolutely fantastic. It's not often that you really see a new spin on the world of the fae, but you will here. I absolutely love the way the fairie world is divided up by elements - water, air, earth and fire. The various people of the world are governed by their elements, as well. The dwarf king, the eldest of The Eight, even has a gravelly sounding voice. Queen Emberdrake, a djinn female ruled by fire, has mannerisms and looks that all are tied into her element. There are also the treefolk—dryads and such—and they, too, have characteristics that reflect their element, that is, trees and wood. It's very well done and just makes for a fascinating setting.
Jenni has a lot of issues going on. First and foremost is guilt. She blames herself primarily for the catastrophe that left her alone. She doesn't stop there, though. She heaps a huge helping upon Aric and also The Eight. She doesn't want to help them, she doesn't want to have anything to do with them. Even when she's trying to save Rothly, she is still caught up in her self-loathing and distrust. That's a huge obstacle for her to overcome. Aric has changed a lot, too. He realizes that the fault doesn't lie with him and Jenni, but he still mourns for his friends.
Meanwhile, there is still the little matter of the quest. Ever so often, bubbles of elemental energy are released into the world, and this treasure can be used for good or ill depending on who shapes the energy. The Lightfolk want to use it to help their people survive and integrate with the human world so they aren't wiped out, and the Dark want to use it to sow chaos and destruction. Determined to use this rare miracle for the Lightfolk, Jenni has to battle not just the evil Darklords but also her own emotions which have kept her shackled for fifteen years.
Jenni does a lot of growing during the story. I got the sense that Aric had also grown a lot, but most of his maturation had occurred while he and Jenni were estranged. No longer kids, Jenni and Aric are really good together. They help each other through physical danger but also along the path of emotional healing. I think my only complaint on this book was that there wasn't any sex. Well, it's alluded to, but for the most part, once they get past the kissing stage, it's closed-door. Usually that doesn't bother me one way or the other as I'm more about the story. In this case, though, these two were just so good together that I wouldn't have minded playing the part of a voyeur for a few pages.
Actually, I did just think of another issue I had with the book—they lied on the title. Forever Enchanted or Completely Enchanted would be a much better reflection of how this story left me. Great world building combined with believable characters, an exciting plot and a captivating romance kept me hooked from the first page to the last.
Originally reviewed for The Romance Reviews.
Jenni Weavers is a Halfling—half human mixed with the magical races of the fae—and she is also unique in that she is the last of her family line that still has the ability to balance the elements. Tragedy struck the Mistweavers family fifteen years earlier, resulting in the deaths of her parents and siblings. Only her older brother Rothly survived, and he was left crippled, bitter and unable to use his magic. After he threw silver and salt at Jindesfarne Mistweavers, disowning her, she changed her name and turned her back on her heritage, determined to make her way in the human world.
Now, over a decade later, the rulers of the Lightfolk are sending representatives to Jenni. She refuses to listen; after all it was during a mission for The Eight that her family was destroyed. It's not until Aric Paramon, her ex-lover, comes to Jenni that she agrees to the undertaking, and even then it's only because her brother is in danger. Despite the fact that she now has to work with Aric and for The Eight, she still hasn't forgiven any of them, including herself, for the loss of her family.
The world building that takes place in Enchanted no more is absolutely fantastic. It's not often that you really see a new spin on the world of the fae, but you will here. I absolutely love the way the fairie world is divided up by elements - water, air, earth and fire. The various people of the world are governed by their elements, as well. The dwarf king, the eldest of The Eight, even has a gravelly sounding voice. Queen Emberdrake, a djinn female ruled by fire, has mannerisms and looks that all are tied into her element. There are also the treefolk—dryads and such—and they, too, have characteristics that reflect their element, that is, trees and wood. It's very well done and just makes for a fascinating setting.
Jenni has a lot of issues going on. First and foremost is guilt. She blames herself primarily for the catastrophe that left her alone. She doesn't stop there, though. She heaps a huge helping upon Aric and also The Eight. She doesn't want to help them, she doesn't want to have anything to do with them. Even when she's trying to save Rothly, she is still caught up in her self-loathing and distrust. That's a huge obstacle for her to overcome. Aric has changed a lot, too. He realizes that the fault doesn't lie with him and Jenni, but he still mourns for his friends.
Meanwhile, there is still the little matter of the quest. Ever so often, bubbles of elemental energy are released into the world, and this treasure can be used for good or ill depending on who shapes the energy. The Lightfolk want to use it to help their people survive and integrate with the human world so they aren't wiped out, and the Dark want to use it to sow chaos and destruction. Determined to use this rare miracle for the Lightfolk, Jenni has to battle not just the evil Darklords but also her own emotions which have kept her shackled for fifteen years.
Jenni does a lot of growing during the story. I got the sense that Aric had also grown a lot, but most of his maturation had occurred while he and Jenni were estranged. No longer kids, Jenni and Aric are really good together. They help each other through physical danger but also along the path of emotional healing. I think my only complaint on this book was that there wasn't any sex. Well, it's alluded to, but for the most part, once they get past the kissing stage, it's closed-door. Usually that doesn't bother me one way or the other as I'm more about the story. In this case, though, these two were just so good together that I wouldn't have minded playing the part of a voyeur for a few pages.
Actually, I did just think of another issue I had with the book—they lied on the title. Forever Enchanted or Completely Enchanted would be a much better reflection of how this story left me. Great world building combined with believable characters, an exciting plot and a captivating romance kept me hooked from the first page to the last.
Originally reviewed for The Romance Reviews.
February 20, 2013
I went on a bit of a e-shopping spree a little while ago and I bought the first two books in Robin D. Owens' Mystic Circle. I've heard great things about her other series and I was going to get one of those but ENCHANTED NO MORE really caught my eye. And not just because Jenni and I share a first name. ;) I love the fact that this book is sort of urban fantasy, sort of more high fantasy -- parts of the story take place in Denver but a lot of it happens in a fantasy world populated by Lightfolk (elves, dwarves, brownies, djinn, dryads, merfolk, etc., ruled by the Eight) and Darkfolk (rather less pleasant). It's a creatively rich world, filled with some fantastical characters, and I really enjoyed immersing myself in it. Owens has done a great job of building two separate but connected worlds: a strong urban fantasy world in Denver and a more classic fantasy setting for the rest of the novel.
Part of this worldbuilding involves the creation of neat backstories for her characters. Jenni, also known as Jindesfarne Mistweaver, has a great one. She's part elf, part djinn, and part human, making her a half-breed. Half-breeds have historically been regarded as second class citizens in the Lightfolk ranks and so Jenni doesn't have the warmest feelings toward full Lightfolk. Jenni is unusual among half-breeds because she has a rare ability to balance the four elements -- a gift that ran in her family. I say "ran" because nearly all of her family was killed in service to the Eight and her only surviving brother, Rothly, was physically and magically crippled. As a result of these events, she turned her back on the Lightfolk and settled in the human world, living on Mystic Circle, earning her keep as a game developer. She's lived in relative peace until the Eight send a representative to recruit her to balance the elements again. When she turns them down, they send another emissary: her ex-lover, Aric, who share her feelings of guilt over her family's deaths since they were together when the Mistweavers were ambushed.
Aric also has a complicated past, but it isn't as original as Jenni's. He is, however, a treeman, and part elf to boot, which means he can travel through trees and also has some elven abilities. He also has some daddy issues. He's changed a lot since he and Jenni were together, and I enjoyed watching them get reacquainted, working through old hard feelings and discovering nicer ones.
Needless to say, ENCHANTED NO MORE is full of emotional entanglement but there's also a very real sense of danger, since the Eight want Jenni to balance the elements when a magical bubble arrives. I know it sounds a bit weird but it makes sense within the world that Owens has created. These bubbles are rare and tend to occur in a series of three. The first one occurred two years before ENCHANTED NO MORE, in the Darkfolk territory, resulting in the birth of shadleeches, these really gross and murderous creatures that eat magic. The next two bubbles are supposed to occur in Lightfolk territory and the Eight want Jenni there to help them maximize the bubbles' magical potential, so that they can harass it for the benefit of the Lightfolk. The Darkfolk are trying to foil this plan, though, and target Jenni as the last Mistweaver. It's a really engaging plot. I was completely invested in Jenni's quest and there were some nice-for-the-reader surprises along the way.
ENCHANTED NO MORE features top-notch writing, logical and creative worldbuilding, sympathetic characters, and surprises. What more could you ask for in a novel? My expectations are quite high for ENCHANTED AGAIN because this book was so satisfying.
http://www.tyngasreviews.com
http://ireadgood.wordpress.com
Part of this worldbuilding involves the creation of neat backstories for her characters. Jenni, also known as Jindesfarne Mistweaver, has a great one. She's part elf, part djinn, and part human, making her a half-breed. Half-breeds have historically been regarded as second class citizens in the Lightfolk ranks and so Jenni doesn't have the warmest feelings toward full Lightfolk. Jenni is unusual among half-breeds because she has a rare ability to balance the four elements -- a gift that ran in her family. I say "ran" because nearly all of her family was killed in service to the Eight and her only surviving brother, Rothly, was physically and magically crippled. As a result of these events, she turned her back on the Lightfolk and settled in the human world, living on Mystic Circle, earning her keep as a game developer. She's lived in relative peace until the Eight send a representative to recruit her to balance the elements again. When she turns them down, they send another emissary: her ex-lover, Aric, who share her feelings of guilt over her family's deaths since they were together when the Mistweavers were ambushed.
Aric also has a complicated past, but it isn't as original as Jenni's. He is, however, a treeman, and part elf to boot, which means he can travel through trees and also has some elven abilities. He also has some daddy issues. He's changed a lot since he and Jenni were together, and I enjoyed watching them get reacquainted, working through old hard feelings and discovering nicer ones.
Needless to say, ENCHANTED NO MORE is full of emotional entanglement but there's also a very real sense of danger, since the Eight want Jenni to balance the elements when a magical bubble arrives. I know it sounds a bit weird but it makes sense within the world that Owens has created. These bubbles are rare and tend to occur in a series of three. The first one occurred two years before ENCHANTED NO MORE, in the Darkfolk territory, resulting in the birth of shadleeches, these really gross and murderous creatures that eat magic. The next two bubbles are supposed to occur in Lightfolk territory and the Eight want Jenni there to help them maximize the bubbles' magical potential, so that they can harass it for the benefit of the Lightfolk. The Darkfolk are trying to foil this plan, though, and target Jenni as the last Mistweaver. It's a really engaging plot. I was completely invested in Jenni's quest and there were some nice-for-the-reader surprises along the way.
ENCHANTED NO MORE features top-notch writing, logical and creative worldbuilding, sympathetic characters, and surprises. What more could you ask for in a novel? My expectations are quite high for ENCHANTED AGAIN because this book was so satisfying.
http://www.tyngasreviews.com
http://ireadgood.wordpress.com
July 7, 2014
This review was originally posted on Once Upon a ChapterLightfolk are mystic beings that live amongst humans in our contemporary world. There are elves, djinns, mermaids, mermen, dwarfs, brownies and a myriad of other creatures in Enchanted No More. Our heroine Jenni is a halfling. She is not a full blooded Lightfolk and therefore a sub-class of species. She does however possess a magic that no one else in the world does and that makes her one powerful woman.
Jenni Mistweaver has lived quietly and alone with her cats for the past fifteen years. She's done just fine without the Lightfolk and the ways of their leaders, the Eight. The Eight consist of a King and Queen representing the four major magic types in the world: fire, earth, air and water. Jenni lost the majority of her family fifteen years ago when they helped the Eight transport the fire king and queen who were retiring to another dimension. Jenni and her family have the gift to balance the magic in an area. In a balanced area Lightfolk can access and use their magic with ease. For important occasions it is very important to have a balanced area in which to conduct the rituals.
Jenni also hasn't bothered to keep up with what is going on in the Lightfolk community. She is unaware that for the past two years dark forces have been gearing up to launch an attack on the Lightfolk. At first, she considers this their problem and not hers. Slowly the Lightfolk and the magic she hasn't used in fifteen years works it's way back into her heart. She agrees to help the Lightfolk for no other reason than to save the last brother she has.
Aric was her lover fifteen years ago and Jenni believes that he abandoned her and her family in their hour of need. Aric acted in the best interest of the Lightfolk and helped protect the Eight. He acted out of logic and not emotion. Fifteen years is a long time to be apart but Aric and Jenni reconnect with ease. Jenni has been out of practice for a long while. They only have a short time to prepare for a battle with the Dark one. Jenni is only one Mistweaver. How can she accomplish by herself what her entire family was unable to do on that long ago night?
My Thoughts:
Robin D. Owens creates a wonderful world and a lovely cast of characters in Enchanted No More. The book starts off right in Owens' world. At first I was a little confused and thought that I had missed a book but got into the pace of things quickly. I was soon wrapped up in how Jenni was going to be able to help the Eight, if she would and what kind of danger they would face in the end.
I absolutely hated the way the Eight treated Jenni and all halflings. I suppose this is the way I'm supposed to feel but ooooohhhh it made me mad. Jenni has a power literally no one else on the face of the planet has. She is the only one that can help these people and she is still slighted and in more than a few instances treated as a second-class citizen. A lesser woman would have walked away and let the Eight figure out how to save themselves.
Jenni had a lot to work through emotionally. She has carried around guilt and grief for fifteen years and shared it with no one. She does share the blame though. She blames the Eight and Aric mostly. If things had gone differently her family may still be alive. Jenni does learn that you can't play the "what if" game with the past.
Overall, Enchanted No Moreis a great read for those who enjoy fantasy with romance. It is the first in a series and I can't wait for the next one!
Jenni Mistweaver has lived quietly and alone with her cats for the past fifteen years. She's done just fine without the Lightfolk and the ways of their leaders, the Eight. The Eight consist of a King and Queen representing the four major magic types in the world: fire, earth, air and water. Jenni lost the majority of her family fifteen years ago when they helped the Eight transport the fire king and queen who were retiring to another dimension. Jenni and her family have the gift to balance the magic in an area. In a balanced area Lightfolk can access and use their magic with ease. For important occasions it is very important to have a balanced area in which to conduct the rituals.
Jenni also hasn't bothered to keep up with what is going on in the Lightfolk community. She is unaware that for the past two years dark forces have been gearing up to launch an attack on the Lightfolk. At first, she considers this their problem and not hers. Slowly the Lightfolk and the magic she hasn't used in fifteen years works it's way back into her heart. She agrees to help the Lightfolk for no other reason than to save the last brother she has.
Aric was her lover fifteen years ago and Jenni believes that he abandoned her and her family in their hour of need. Aric acted in the best interest of the Lightfolk and helped protect the Eight. He acted out of logic and not emotion. Fifteen years is a long time to be apart but Aric and Jenni reconnect with ease. Jenni has been out of practice for a long while. They only have a short time to prepare for a battle with the Dark one. Jenni is only one Mistweaver. How can she accomplish by herself what her entire family was unable to do on that long ago night?
My Thoughts:
Robin D. Owens creates a wonderful world and a lovely cast of characters in Enchanted No More. The book starts off right in Owens' world. At first I was a little confused and thought that I had missed a book but got into the pace of things quickly. I was soon wrapped up in how Jenni was going to be able to help the Eight, if she would and what kind of danger they would face in the end.
I absolutely hated the way the Eight treated Jenni and all halflings. I suppose this is the way I'm supposed to feel but ooooohhhh it made me mad. Jenni has a power literally no one else on the face of the planet has. She is the only one that can help these people and she is still slighted and in more than a few instances treated as a second-class citizen. A lesser woman would have walked away and let the Eight figure out how to save themselves.
Jenni had a lot to work through emotionally. She has carried around guilt and grief for fifteen years and shared it with no one. She does share the blame though. She blames the Eight and Aric mostly. If things had gone differently her family may still be alive. Jenni does learn that you can't play the "what if" game with the past.
Overall, Enchanted No Moreis a great read for those who enjoy fantasy with romance. It is the first in a series and I can't wait for the next one!
December 17, 2010
Full review on Reader's Dialogue: http://readersdialogue.blogspot.com
Jenni has made a normal life for herself. After the disaster that killed her parents and most of her siblings, on a mission from the Eight Kings and Queens of the four elements, a mission to which Jenni was late and continues to blame herself for, Jenni wants nothing to do with the magical community. But when magical creatures show up on her doorstep asking for her help in a mission, and when Aric, her former lover, comes to tell her that her brother is in need of her help, Jenni agrees to help the Eight complete the mission. Besides for facing dangers of increased power in Dark ones, Jenni has to face herself and her grief and guilt, and her blame for Aric, to come to terms with what happened then in order to move on now.
I am a little conflicted as to what I think of this book. For the most part, I really really like it. But I can't not mention the things that bother me about it, because they did affect my reading of the book. So I'm going to write what I didn't like, get it out of the way, and then tell you what I did like.
The main thing that bothered me throughout the book is actually not related to the story - it's grammar. There were lots and lots of comma splices - two separate sentences joined together only by a comma. After I came across more than a few of them, I realized that the author was trying to create a feeling of immediacy, of one event happening right on the heels of another. But for me, it just jarred.
A more major point that bothered me is the guilt that Jenni feels. I felt that her guilt and blame for herself and others was not very well described. I kept hearing about them, but I never really saw them in action. The way they disappear is also not shown very well. I felt like if these were such major points, they should have been developed and shown more clearly.
That said - the style of the writing is really amazing. There's a perfect blend of magical and real elements, and the tone of the tale fits into this, to meld the two and make magic of the four elements sound natural. I was drawn into the world as soon as I was introduced to it, and the way the world is introduced is also great - with bits and pieces of how everything works revealed over time. Jenni herself knows some of it, but as she learns about the changes that happened since she cut off contact with the magical world, we get to see both how it was and how it is now. Everything just sounds so magical.
And the characters. Every single character, no matter how little page space they take up, has a very distinctive personality. Aric and Jenni, the two main characters, really jump off the page. But even the minor characters, the brownies and naiads who appear only to serve and help Jenni, are so individual and unique in their personalities. I love how all the actions fit seamlessly together because each character does only what makes sense for him or her to do. Especially in the last battle - the way the Eight behave, the way Synicess does, it all makes perfect sense. And the way Aric behaves. That is so perfectly developed over their renewed relationship throughout the book, that by the time he does what he does, I think the only one who is surprised is Jenni - definitely I wasn't!
On the whole, this book is a great book to sink into. The magicality, the characters, the mystic style of writing - it all creates a believable world, with emotion and heart, that stays with you a while after you finish the book.
Jenni has made a normal life for herself. After the disaster that killed her parents and most of her siblings, on a mission from the Eight Kings and Queens of the four elements, a mission to which Jenni was late and continues to blame herself for, Jenni wants nothing to do with the magical community. But when magical creatures show up on her doorstep asking for her help in a mission, and when Aric, her former lover, comes to tell her that her brother is in need of her help, Jenni agrees to help the Eight complete the mission. Besides for facing dangers of increased power in Dark ones, Jenni has to face herself and her grief and guilt, and her blame for Aric, to come to terms with what happened then in order to move on now.
I am a little conflicted as to what I think of this book. For the most part, I really really like it. But I can't not mention the things that bother me about it, because they did affect my reading of the book. So I'm going to write what I didn't like, get it out of the way, and then tell you what I did like.
The main thing that bothered me throughout the book is actually not related to the story - it's grammar. There were lots and lots of comma splices - two separate sentences joined together only by a comma. After I came across more than a few of them, I realized that the author was trying to create a feeling of immediacy, of one event happening right on the heels of another. But for me, it just jarred.
A more major point that bothered me is the guilt that Jenni feels. I felt that her guilt and blame for herself and others was not very well described. I kept hearing about them, but I never really saw them in action. The way they disappear is also not shown very well. I felt like if these were such major points, they should have been developed and shown more clearly.
That said - the style of the writing is really amazing. There's a perfect blend of magical and real elements, and the tone of the tale fits into this, to meld the two and make magic of the four elements sound natural. I was drawn into the world as soon as I was introduced to it, and the way the world is introduced is also great - with bits and pieces of how everything works revealed over time. Jenni herself knows some of it, but as she learns about the changes that happened since she cut off contact with the magical world, we get to see both how it was and how it is now. Everything just sounds so magical.
And the characters. Every single character, no matter how little page space they take up, has a very distinctive personality. Aric and Jenni, the two main characters, really jump off the page. But even the minor characters, the brownies and naiads who appear only to serve and help Jenni, are so individual and unique in their personalities. I love how all the actions fit seamlessly together because each character does only what makes sense for him or her to do. Especially in the last battle - the way the Eight behave, the way Synicess does, it all makes perfect sense. And the way Aric behaves. That is so perfectly developed over their renewed relationship throughout the book, that by the time he does what he does, I think the only one who is surprised is Jenni - definitely I wasn't!
On the whole, this book is a great book to sink into. The magicality, the characters, the mystic style of writing - it all creates a believable world, with emotion and heart, that stays with you a while after you finish the book.
October 8, 2011
I came away from this book feeling rather positive and remember it as being a fair read but in response to the acid test of "Who would I recommend it to?" that often helps me gauge my reaction, I drew a blank. So a mixed one really...
One thing I really liked about this book was the use of elements; the idea that everything is made up of a certain balance of fire, water, earth and air and certain beings are more in tune with certain elements. There was a touch of New Age philosophy about it but it was integrated into the story well and was a nice slant on magic. The imagery is bold and fills the story with colour that matches the nature theme perfectly.
The idea for the plot is quite good but, for me, it ended up feeling a bit repetitive. I'm inclined to think that's largely as a result of the characters - I never thought I'd be annoyed by somebody whose entire family has been killed but Jenni and Rothly both manage to be somewhat...irritating. Jenni has mourning guilt while Rothly has vengeful anger. I sympathised, sure, but was also wishing they'd at least try to move forward. It does get better but in a 'chick flick' fashion rather than in a gritty, emotional way.
And a couple of last thoughts: the tone of this book is hard to pinpoint - at times, I felt like I was reading a YA/children's book (brownie housekeepers and travelling through trees etc...) but then at others, there were some characters getting their raunch on. Makes it a difficult one to recommend to any specific point on the age spectrum, all in all.
Finally, there are, you will be pleased to know, some 'bad guys' to provide mild peril and thwarting opportunities (although for some reason they smell like "old bubble gum" - whoever would have guessed?). Again linking to the above-mentioned tone, these bad guys do have a taste for some pretty grim violence involving some spillage of blood - if you're of a very queasy disposition or are thinking of passing this to young kids, probably something that you'll want to bear in mind!
Overall: This was a sweet story with some cutesy magic going for it - I wouldn't necessarily be rushing out to grab other books by this author but I enjoyed this one and didn't have a problem finishing it. It's bright and colourful and made me wish for summer (possibly the beach scenes...) so it's a nice one to cheer up a dim day.
One thing I really liked about this book was the use of elements; the idea that everything is made up of a certain balance of fire, water, earth and air and certain beings are more in tune with certain elements. There was a touch of New Age philosophy about it but it was integrated into the story well and was a nice slant on magic. The imagery is bold and fills the story with colour that matches the nature theme perfectly.
The idea for the plot is quite good but, for me, it ended up feeling a bit repetitive. I'm inclined to think that's largely as a result of the characters - I never thought I'd be annoyed by somebody whose entire family has been killed but Jenni and Rothly both manage to be somewhat...irritating. Jenni has mourning guilt while Rothly has vengeful anger. I sympathised, sure, but was also wishing they'd at least try to move forward. It does get better but in a 'chick flick' fashion rather than in a gritty, emotional way.
And a couple of last thoughts: the tone of this book is hard to pinpoint - at times, I felt like I was reading a YA/children's book (brownie housekeepers and travelling through trees etc...) but then at others, there were some characters getting their raunch on. Makes it a difficult one to recommend to any specific point on the age spectrum, all in all.
Finally, there are, you will be pleased to know, some 'bad guys' to provide mild peril and thwarting opportunities (although for some reason they smell like "old bubble gum" - whoever would have guessed?). Again linking to the above-mentioned tone, these bad guys do have a taste for some pretty grim violence involving some spillage of blood - if you're of a very queasy disposition or are thinking of passing this to young kids, probably something that you'll want to bear in mind!
Overall: This was a sweet story with some cutesy magic going for it - I wouldn't necessarily be rushing out to grab other books by this author but I enjoyed this one and didn't have a problem finishing it. It's bright and colourful and made me wish for summer (possibly the beach scenes...) so it's a nice one to cheer up a dim day.
March 20, 2011
Robin D. Owens is one of my favorite authors and as I absolutely love her Summoning series, was very excited to see that she is starting a brand new series! Despite what I thought was a slow start, the story soon picked up and really sucked me in!
Jenni is a halfling; half human, quarter djinn, quarter elf. Her family was the only family capable of balancing the elements; adjusting Earth, Air, Fire, and Water into a perfect balance. Fifteen years ago, most of them perished in an ambush by the Dark Ones while opening a portal for the Eight (rulers of Lightfolk). A horrible massacre where Jenni and her oldest brother were the only survivors. So when the Eight send word that they need her help once more, Jenni declines. Unfortunately, she is soon forced to help when her crippled brother disappears while trying to fulfill the mission on his own.
This is listed as book one, so the slow start may have been due to setting up the series groundwork. Jenni is a magical being, who has turned her back on her heritage and is living in the human world. Jenni is soon dragged back into the faery world, and must deal with her grief at losing her family, her distrust of the Eight, and her feelings for her ex-lover. All that on top of rescuing her brother and completing her mission.
Jenni may have "issues" with authority, guilt about failing her family, and lingering angst over Aric's betrayal, but she is not a stupid woman. She understands that she really has no choice about the mission, so makes the best of things and tries to negotiate the best terms for her and her brother. Despite being disowned by Rothly, she still cares for the last remaining member of her family and only wants what's best for him. She is a passionate, caring, talented heroine that I wanted to get to know better.
Think this will be another great series for Robin, as I really liked Jenni, Aric, the brownies who moved in with Jenni, and the various halflings she befriends! An interesting plot, well paced action, good character development, and even the bad guys were interesting! Robin has another winner on her hands!
Jenni is a halfling; half human, quarter djinn, quarter elf. Her family was the only family capable of balancing the elements; adjusting Earth, Air, Fire, and Water into a perfect balance. Fifteen years ago, most of them perished in an ambush by the Dark Ones while opening a portal for the Eight (rulers of Lightfolk). A horrible massacre where Jenni and her oldest brother were the only survivors. So when the Eight send word that they need her help once more, Jenni declines. Unfortunately, she is soon forced to help when her crippled brother disappears while trying to fulfill the mission on his own.
This is listed as book one, so the slow start may have been due to setting up the series groundwork. Jenni is a magical being, who has turned her back on her heritage and is living in the human world. Jenni is soon dragged back into the faery world, and must deal with her grief at losing her family, her distrust of the Eight, and her feelings for her ex-lover. All that on top of rescuing her brother and completing her mission.
Jenni may have "issues" with authority, guilt about failing her family, and lingering angst over Aric's betrayal, but she is not a stupid woman. She understands that she really has no choice about the mission, so makes the best of things and tries to negotiate the best terms for her and her brother. Despite being disowned by Rothly, she still cares for the last remaining member of her family and only wants what's best for him. She is a passionate, caring, talented heroine that I wanted to get to know better.
Think this will be another great series for Robin, as I really liked Jenni, Aric, the brownies who moved in with Jenni, and the various halflings she befriends! An interesting plot, well paced action, good character development, and even the bad guys were interesting! Robin has another winner on her hands!
January 3, 2011
The meld of magic and technology was innovative and ushered this story into the modern world. The realm of magic is a tricky place to be on a good day but having the Lightfolk understand computers, meshing spells and codes, makes them even more formidable.
"We are tryimg to integrate back into the mortal world." He gestured in the direction of downtown. "When magic and technology fuse, humans may be ready to accept us."
World building isn't the primary focus of the book and I found most of the story to be devoted to the characters and their relationships. Jenni, the protagonist, is a hot mess, eaten alive by an irrational helping of guilt and grief over the loss of her family, for which she blames herself. Instead of looking to her magical heritage to help her through the dark times and move forward, she shuns her abilities, the Lighfolk and her love. Jenni didn't start the book as the most likeable heroine for me because I could not relate to her level of suffering and how she chose to handle things, but over time she grew on me, especially how she matured and evolved into her magical self.
Aric on the other hand was a solid and enjoyable character from the start because he had depth and history, along with all the little things that make him smart and sexy. He's dedicated to his people (the Dryad Treefolk) and his flighty mother, which makes him loyal, and he also possesses an inner strength that you cannot help but admire. His strength is a good contrast to Jenni, who struggles with her power. Aric is frank and honest about their past and the deaths in her family. He even accepts his role in all of it, but he wants to move on, with Jenni, and help her with the healing process.
All the fantasy aspects of the book were beautifully done and instead of bogging down the plot with lengthy explanations about the world, we are treated to imaginative details that bring all the characters alive.
"We are tryimg to integrate back into the mortal world." He gestured in the direction of downtown. "When magic and technology fuse, humans may be ready to accept us."
World building isn't the primary focus of the book and I found most of the story to be devoted to the characters and their relationships. Jenni, the protagonist, is a hot mess, eaten alive by an irrational helping of guilt and grief over the loss of her family, for which she blames herself. Instead of looking to her magical heritage to help her through the dark times and move forward, she shuns her abilities, the Lighfolk and her love. Jenni didn't start the book as the most likeable heroine for me because I could not relate to her level of suffering and how she chose to handle things, but over time she grew on me, especially how she matured and evolved into her magical self.
Aric on the other hand was a solid and enjoyable character from the start because he had depth and history, along with all the little things that make him smart and sexy. He's dedicated to his people (the Dryad Treefolk) and his flighty mother, which makes him loyal, and he also possesses an inner strength that you cannot help but admire. His strength is a good contrast to Jenni, who struggles with her power. Aric is frank and honest about their past and the deaths in her family. He even accepts his role in all of it, but he wants to move on, with Jenni, and help her with the healing process.
All the fantasy aspects of the book were beautifully done and instead of bogging down the plot with lengthy explanations about the world, we are treated to imaginative details that bring all the characters alive.
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