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Svatura #3
Crimson Dahlia
Will she rise like a phoenix or perish in the flames?
Lila Jenner left her family to start a new life away from Ramsey Pierce. After decades of rejection, she needs the chance to discover who she is without him. Helping to rebuild relationships between tribes of Svatura is just the opportunity she needs.
Determined that the fire raging inside him will never harm Lila, Ramsey denies the magical bond that could be theirs alone. But when an old enemy resurfaces and Lila disappears, he realizes he’ll do anything to win her back and make her his.
However, Maddox, driven by a centuries-old quest for revenge, is stronger than any of them ever imagined. Friends and enemies must band together against this shared threat. Even then, they may discover too late that one dragon is not always enough…
Lila Jenner left her family to start a new life away from Ramsey Pierce. After decades of rejection, she needs the chance to discover who she is without him. Helping to rebuild relationships between tribes of Svatura is just the opportunity she needs.
Determined that the fire raging inside him will never harm Lila, Ramsey denies the magical bond that could be theirs alone. But when an old enemy resurfaces and Lila disappears, he realizes he’ll do anything to win her back and make her his.
However, Maddox, driven by a centuries-old quest for revenge, is stronger than any of them ever imagined. Friends and enemies must band together against this shared threat. Even then, they may discover too late that one dragon is not always enough…
296 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 23, 2013
6 people are currently reading
371 people want to read
About the author
Abigail Owen
50 books4,880 followersAbigail Owen is the #1 New York Times, #1 USA Today, and International bestselling author of 30+ books that range from upper YA (18+) epic romantasy to new adult modern mythic romantasy to super spicy adult paranormal romance. She loves magical worlds with plots that move hot and fast, feisty heroines with sass, heroes with heart, a dash of snark, and oodles of HEAs!
Abbie has a degree in English Rhetoric (Technical Writing) from Texas A&M University (gig’em Ags!), and an MBA from California State University-Sacramento. Prior to becoming a published author, she spent 15+ years using the other side of her brain in various tech- and business-related roles.
Other titles include: wife, mother, Star Wars geek, ex-competitive skydiver, AuDHD, spreadsheet lover, Jeopardy! fanatic, organizational guru, true classic movie buff, linguaphile, wishful world traveler, and chocoholic.
Abbie currently resides in Austin, Texas, with her own swoon-worthy hero, their (mostly) angelic teenagers, and an adorable fur baby.
Abbie has a degree in English Rhetoric (Technical Writing) from Texas A&M University (gig’em Ags!), and an MBA from California State University-Sacramento. Prior to becoming a published author, she spent 15+ years using the other side of her brain in various tech- and business-related roles.
Other titles include: wife, mother, Star Wars geek, ex-competitive skydiver, AuDHD, spreadsheet lover, Jeopardy! fanatic, organizational guru, true classic movie buff, linguaphile, wishful world traveler, and chocoholic.
Abbie currently resides in Austin, Texas, with her own swoon-worthy hero, their (mostly) angelic teenagers, and an adorable fur baby.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 24, 2018
The battle continues from Hyacinth into Crimson Dahlia, Book III of the Svatura Series by Abigail Owen. This is Lila and Ramsey’s story, and I am eager to hear it.
Lila is locked up, half dressed, being kept in a cold dark pit, yet her snark shines through her chattering teeth. Now that is some great writing, Abigail. Lila’s personality is big and bold and I love it.
How long can she survive? Why is she not able to use her magic to escape…or at least send a telepathic message for help.
Ramsey is a firestarter and he has a special connection to her. He will stop at nothing to find her. She just has to hang on until he can get there.
The characters are not immortal, but can live for thousands of years. The one hundred year old kids go to school, playing at normal. I wonder…do they ever get bored?
All hell breaks loose…people are going missing and cannot be found. They know who is at fault, they just don’t know why. And can they destroy him, before he destroys them?
If sheer stubbornness were a successful strategy, no one would ever mess with this family. Especially the women.
I loved the battles, filled with magics of every type you can imagine. I can hardly wait to see the conclusion.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Crimson Dahlia by Abigail Owen.
See more at fundinmental
Lila is locked up, half dressed, being kept in a cold dark pit, yet her snark shines through her chattering teeth. Now that is some great writing, Abigail. Lila’s personality is big and bold and I love it.
How long can she survive? Why is she not able to use her magic to escape…or at least send a telepathic message for help.
Ramsey is a firestarter and he has a special connection to her. He will stop at nothing to find her. She just has to hang on until he can get there.
The characters are not immortal, but can live for thousands of years. The one hundred year old kids go to school, playing at normal. I wonder…do they ever get bored?
All hell breaks loose…people are going missing and cannot be found. They know who is at fault, they just don’t know why. And can they destroy him, before he destroys them?
If sheer stubbornness were a successful strategy, no one would ever mess with this family. Especially the women.
I loved the battles, filled with magics of every type you can imagine. I can hardly wait to see the conclusion.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Crimson Dahlia by Abigail Owen.
See more at fundinmental
June 24, 2017
As frustrated as I was with book 2 in this series, this one completely makes up for! The push and pull of Lila and Ramsey's relationship was deftly accomplished with neither coming across as too week or too over-bearing. They worked their problems out while both were allowed to stay strong and believable characters.
The war between the races was equally well-done, as well. Great job, Ms. Owen! Now off to devour the next book!
The war between the races was equally well-done, as well. Great job, Ms. Owen! Now off to devour the next book!
July 11, 2018
Realmente cuando comencé a leer esta serie tenia 0 expectativa y me alegro enormemente de haberle dado una oportunidad, los últimos libros que e leído ni me han generado un impulso a escribir un review.
A grandes rasgos una historia simple pero si a su vez complicada, las relaciones se van formando fortaleciendo y otras se debilitan o rompen llegas a poder vincularte con los personajes y es algo de lo que más amo en las lecturas, sentir ese odio hacia un personaje determinado y tristeza por otro.
En general al inicio de la serie no me impresiono los poderes de Lila seamos sinceros no son como los de Ellie se convierte en alcón, lobo, PUMA Y DRAGON!!!!!!!!!! por los dioses pero vemos como madura y como sus habilidades se desarrollan y al final pueden llegar a ser útiles, Ramsey controla el fuego y aunque por 2 libros y 60 años lo negó esta enamorado de Lila pero como todo hombre lo niega hasta que ella desaparece (tipico) si un verdadero te'sorthene (en mi universo el único)
SPOILER ALERT
En general creo que la serie podría tener más libros tienen muchos personajes con potencial y muchas tribus nuevas, ni siquiera tienen que ser en esta saga puede desarrollar algo aparte…
So en general recomiendo la Serie es bastante atrayente ahora solo me falta esperar la traducción al español del ultimo libro (wiiiiiii quiero leerlo ya!!)
A grandes rasgos una historia simple pero si a su vez complicada, las relaciones se van formando fortaleciendo y otras se debilitan o rompen llegas a poder vincularte con los personajes y es algo de lo que más amo en las lecturas, sentir ese odio hacia un personaje determinado y tristeza por otro.
En general al inicio de la serie no me impresiono los poderes de Lila seamos sinceros no son como los de Ellie se convierte en alcón, lobo, PUMA Y DRAGON!!!!!!!!!! por los dioses pero vemos como madura y como sus habilidades se desarrollan y al final pueden llegar a ser útiles, Ramsey controla el fuego y aunque por 2 libros y 60 años lo negó esta enamorado de Lila pero como todo hombre lo niega hasta que ella desaparece (tipico) si un verdadero te'sorthene (en mi universo el único)
SPOILER ALERT
En general creo que la serie podría tener más libros tienen muchos personajes con potencial y muchas tribus nuevas, ni siquiera tienen que ser en esta saga puede desarrollar algo aparte…
So en general recomiendo la Serie es bastante atrayente ahora solo me falta esperar la traducción al español del ultimo libro (wiiiiiii quiero leerlo ya!!)
September 30, 2013
Stops at Tome Tender October 4 - 11!
Crimson Dahlia is, like the first two books of this series, filled with the creative imagination of author Abigail Owen! As more of the Svatura fall to the pull of their soulmates, a huge battle is looming on the horizon. Will Selene, as queen of the Vyusher be able to rally the support of the Svaturi clans? Will they be strong enough to thwart the evil plans of their twisted enemy? What could make a man hate so much? Will good friends fall in battle? Will newfound powers be enough to save the castle and the lives of the innocent?
Told with as much feeling as the previous book of the series, Crimson Dahlia has stepped up the pace to a full run throughout this captivating Young Adult novel! While conflicts of the heart run high, the conflict to survive once again must take precedence. The tension is high, the emotions run deep and the will to win is strong!
Abigail Owen has given us heroes to cheer for, without a doubt! Strong characters and strong writing make this a joy to read and get lost in!
Series: The Svaturi, Book 3
Publication Date: August 22, 2013
Publisher: Abigail Owen
ISBN: 1492240486
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance/Fantasy
Page Count: 265
Available to Purchase From: Amazon
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June 2, 2021
There's something about Ramsey that just grabs me. I don't know if it's his fear of his power, his hidden love for Lila, his power itself (really cool power to have!) or just how decent a guy he is all in all, but I really took to him. I've like them all so far, but something about him really got to me.
Lila, on the other hand is a bit of a selfish little thing, particularly considering her power. I'm not mentioning what the powers are because that is a bit of a spoiler, so you have to read it to find out. But I will say I'd expect better of her than what she does when it comes to Ramsey.
Now, you want evil? A truly evil villain? Maddox fits the bill. He's vile. No other word for it. He's simply vile. And he surrounds himself with powers he can use to do even more vile things, which you'd expect. I love him as a bad guy.
There is a lot that happens in this book. More than just the drama between Lila and Ramsey, so pay attention while reading this. There's the group from Louisiana to worry about. There's Selene's people, the Vyusher, that are not completely on board with the Svatura, and there's the Svatura themselves that are stretched really thin with all the fighting going on and them truly the only neutral parties. So there is quite a bit to keep track of, but it's really not that hard once you get going because it all flows so well. I know all the characters now, and what they can do, and where they live, and what part the have in the ongoing war. So, that's not an issue for me at all.
I'm already into Black Orchid because I didn't want to stop to write this when I had Black Orchid sitting right there on my Kindle just waiting for me, so I'm going to keep this shorter than I usually write. The storyline is flowing smoothly, which is hard for a seasoned writer to do with this many characters, so for a newbie like Abigail was when she wrote these to be able to keep it all so consistent? Kudos, kiddo! You did great! But then, again, I'm not surprised. You're a natural born wordsmith and I'm just along for the ride.
Write faster, woman! Wonderful series! Absolutely wonderful!
Lila, on the other hand is a bit of a selfish little thing, particularly considering her power. I'm not mentioning what the powers are because that is a bit of a spoiler, so you have to read it to find out. But I will say I'd expect better of her than what she does when it comes to Ramsey.
Now, you want evil? A truly evil villain? Maddox fits the bill. He's vile. No other word for it. He's simply vile. And he surrounds himself with powers he can use to do even more vile things, which you'd expect. I love him as a bad guy.
There is a lot that happens in this book. More than just the drama between Lila and Ramsey, so pay attention while reading this. There's the group from Louisiana to worry about. There's Selene's people, the Vyusher, that are not completely on board with the Svatura, and there's the Svatura themselves that are stretched really thin with all the fighting going on and them truly the only neutral parties. So there is quite a bit to keep track of, but it's really not that hard once you get going because it all flows so well. I know all the characters now, and what they can do, and where they live, and what part the have in the ongoing war. So, that's not an issue for me at all.
I'm already into Black Orchid because I didn't want to stop to write this when I had Black Orchid sitting right there on my Kindle just waiting for me, so I'm going to keep this shorter than I usually write. The storyline is flowing smoothly, which is hard for a seasoned writer to do with this many characters, so for a newbie like Abigail was when she wrote these to be able to keep it all so consistent? Kudos, kiddo! You did great! But then, again, I'm not surprised. You're a natural born wordsmith and I'm just along for the ride.
Write faster, woman! Wonderful series! Absolutely wonderful!
September 28, 2013
I am able to gush about Abigail Owen's Svatura series for hours after reading Blue Violet and falling in love with her characters, and then Hyacinth in which there was just more maturity in her writing . . . .and now we have Crimson Dahlia and where do I start???!!!
This is another leap again for Abigail Owen, and I think that Black Orchid might actually be published already running!!!
Abigail Owen's writing is still magical and spell-binding, but it is the pace of her story which keeps the reader continually turning the page. Unlike the other books Crimson Dahlia begins in the middle of a crisis for Lila as we realise her and her party of scouts have been kidnapped by Maddox. There is an element of threat and fear but the reader is aware Ramsey is searching for Lila through a 'link'.
Crimson Dahlia's action continues in and outside of the Vyusher castle and Abigail Owen reunites the Svatura family, perhaps even giving them larger roles than they had in Hyacinth (*hello Alex*).
I think Lila is by far my favourite of the female Svatura characters (*sorry Ellie*) - she is independent, a leader, brave but also sweet and loving. Ramsey is a far deeper character than I expected, and I loved the revelation about the love between them.
Abigail Owen is able to make me cry at some point in her books, and Crimson Dahlia was no exception!
Crimson Dahlia is a must for fans of the Svatura series and if you haven't read the books yet go buy Blue Violet and start!!! xxxxx
This is another leap again for Abigail Owen, and I think that Black Orchid might actually be published already running!!!
Abigail Owen's writing is still magical and spell-binding, but it is the pace of her story which keeps the reader continually turning the page. Unlike the other books Crimson Dahlia begins in the middle of a crisis for Lila as we realise her and her party of scouts have been kidnapped by Maddox. There is an element of threat and fear but the reader is aware Ramsey is searching for Lila through a 'link'.
Crimson Dahlia's action continues in and outside of the Vyusher castle and Abigail Owen reunites the Svatura family, perhaps even giving them larger roles than they had in Hyacinth (*hello Alex*).
I think Lila is by far my favourite of the female Svatura characters (*sorry Ellie*) - she is independent, a leader, brave but also sweet and loving. Ramsey is a far deeper character than I expected, and I loved the revelation about the love between them.
Abigail Owen is able to make me cry at some point in her books, and Crimson Dahlia was no exception!
Crimson Dahlia is a must for fans of the Svatura series and if you haven't read the books yet go buy Blue Violet and start!!! xxxxx
August 28, 2013
I really enjoy this series. It has fantasy elements without going overboard. (I like fantasy just as long as my eyes don't cross *too* much when I read about it!)
Crimson Dahlia starts where Hyancith left off and centers on Lila and Ramsey's story.
In all these books, I really like how past characters don't take a backseat as the stories progress and are actually an integral part of the couple in which the particular book is focusing.
At the end, well I was surprised and in a very good way! These books are complete marshmallow, non-thinking books. I like it when brain just shuts off for an hour or two. It's good for the soul!
A tiny gripe is that everyone's powers/gifts can get a little confusing, but I loved reading about them nonetheless.
Already looking forward to the next book!
Crimson Dahlia starts where Hyancith left off and centers on Lila and Ramsey's story.
In all these books, I really like how past characters don't take a backseat as the stories progress and are actually an integral part of the couple in which the particular book is focusing.
At the end, well I was surprised and in a very good way! These books are complete marshmallow, non-thinking books. I like it when brain just shuts off for an hour or two. It's good for the soul!
A tiny gripe is that everyone's powers/gifts can get a little confusing, but I loved reading about them nonetheless.
Already looking forward to the next book!
September 1, 2013
This series just gets better and better. The first book was good. We met the characters and learned about the world they live in. The second book was exciting. Things started to heat up with conflict. This third book... Well, all I can say is I couldn't put it down. There were surprises, loses and wins. I think this has everything a reader could want. Shape shifters or morphers as they are called here. Lions, Jaguars, and Bears - or my. Anacondas, Birds of Prey and Dragons. And of course the Wolf! The Action was unending. Throw in a bit of romance and what more could one want? You need to read this!
September 10, 2013
As always, Abigail Owen has created a wonderful world filled with amazing characters and crazy odds. I loved the relationship between Ramsey and Lila. I can't wait for the next installment.
July 8, 2019
Wow! Hands down, my favorite novel in this series so far.
I have been waiting since book one to learn more about Ramsey, a character that I consider to be one of the most complex Svatura of the bunch. He’s a firestarter who literally has the hots for Lila. However, even though he can sense they are te’sorthene, or mates, he fears he’ll hurt her, so he tries for over 60 years to push her away. When he finally succeeds to the point where Lila leaves the group, she is kidnapped by their enemy, Maddox. Ramsey then goes above and beyond to get her back, and when he does he has to prove he won’t reject her again. Ahhh, pardon me whilst I sigh from all the romance going on here.
Throughout this series, we have seen the development of a few different relationships between Svatura couples. Alex and Ellie have an unbelievably sweet relationship, whereas Griffin and Selene have a more subtle relationship of respect. Ramsey and Lila? These two are hotter than hot! There is over 60 years of repressed sexual tension at play here, and I love it! Hiding from Maddox presents our couple with some delectable moments of privacy from the others, as well as a decent amount of fevered kissing. I might have to sigh again.
As with the other books in the series, the entire novel is a build-up to an intense battle between the Svatura and their enemy wolf-pack. Their enemy might be the same as before, but we learn some new things which change the name of the revenge game! I always seem to forget though that these battles can be quite graphic and gruesome. There are so many unique powers from different characters presented on the battlefield, and they can cause some serious damage!
The relationship between Ramsey and Lila is probably my favorite of any of the characters so far, and the plot itself was also amazing. Just when you think you’ve got everything figured out, we are presented with so many plot twists and turns that you’ll find yourself questioning what you thought you knew about our beloved characters. Can’t wait to see how it all comes together in the final book!
I have been waiting since book one to learn more about Ramsey, a character that I consider to be one of the most complex Svatura of the bunch. He’s a firestarter who literally has the hots for Lila. However, even though he can sense they are te’sorthene, or mates, he fears he’ll hurt her, so he tries for over 60 years to push her away. When he finally succeeds to the point where Lila leaves the group, she is kidnapped by their enemy, Maddox. Ramsey then goes above and beyond to get her back, and when he does he has to prove he won’t reject her again. Ahhh, pardon me whilst I sigh from all the romance going on here.
Throughout this series, we have seen the development of a few different relationships between Svatura couples. Alex and Ellie have an unbelievably sweet relationship, whereas Griffin and Selene have a more subtle relationship of respect. Ramsey and Lila? These two are hotter than hot! There is over 60 years of repressed sexual tension at play here, and I love it! Hiding from Maddox presents our couple with some delectable moments of privacy from the others, as well as a decent amount of fevered kissing. I might have to sigh again.
As with the other books in the series, the entire novel is a build-up to an intense battle between the Svatura and their enemy wolf-pack. Their enemy might be the same as before, but we learn some new things which change the name of the revenge game! I always seem to forget though that these battles can be quite graphic and gruesome. There are so many unique powers from different characters presented on the battlefield, and they can cause some serious damage!
The relationship between Ramsey and Lila is probably my favorite of any of the characters so far, and the plot itself was also amazing. Just when you think you’ve got everything figured out, we are presented with so many plot twists and turns that you’ll find yourself questioning what you thought you knew about our beloved characters. Can’t wait to see how it all comes together in the final book!
January 11, 2015
This is the third book in the Svatura, young adult, urban fantasy series. If you have not read the first two books, please do not read this review, as it contains spoilers for those books.
Here is a brief summary of the crucial plot points of the first two books as a memory jogger for those who read them a while ago:
The Svatura are humans who genetically inherit magical powers of all sorts, such as: shape-shifting, super strength, super speed, teleportation, telekinesis, healing, controlling the earth, controlling the weather, and producing fire, ice and toxic gas. Svatura are very long-lived, as much as several thousand years. They are not immortal because they do age, though extremely slowly, and they can be killed. Their powers begin to manifest at puberty, but it can take decades--and in some cases as much as several hundred years--for a Svatura to reach full mastery of his/her power(s). Since there are not very many Svatura in the world, they are not always able to marry another Svatura, and even more rarely are they able to find a fellow Svatura who is their "te'sorthene," a magical soulmate. In a mating of a human and a Svatura, the offspring, if they become a Svatura, usually only inherit one power. When a Svatura is born of two Svatura, it is possible to inherit two powers, but this usually only occurs in the case of twins, and the twins can share the three to four powers that they have inherited between the two of them.
In Book 1, Blue Violet, the heroine is Ellie Aubrey, who looks as if she is about 18, but in fact is over 150 years old. She meets, falls in love with, and marries her te'sorthene, Alex Jenner, who appears equally young, but is of a similar actual age to Ellie. In that book, we are introduced to her twin brother, Griffin Aubrey, and Alex's family. Hugh and Lucy Jenner are te'sorthene who have been together for centuries and are the parents of Lila and Adelaide Jenner and are Alex's adoptive parents. The Pierces are a companion family to the Jenners. Charlotte and Dexter Pierce are te'sorthene who are the adoptive parents of Nate Pierce and Ramsey Pierce, and Nate and Ramsey are a similar age to Ellie, Alex and Griffin. In this first book, the Svatura band together to defeat their long-time enemies, the Vyusher, who are Svatura who can morph into wolves as well as having additional powers. For over 130 years, their leader, Gideon, has enslaved his sister Selene with his power of mind control, forcing her to use her own magical powers in his war to exterminate non-wolf-metamorph Svatura. Selene has the ability to turn off temporarily or permanently the magical powers of Svatura and to visit dreams. The primary focus in this story is Ellie, and the A Plot is her romance with Alex. The B Plot involves the skirmishes and final, epic battle with the Vyusher in which Ellie, utilizing her ability to morph into a dragon, kills Gideon and, presumably, ends the Vyusher war.
In Book 2, Hyacinth, Selene, Queen of the Vyusher, is redeemed and brought into the Jenner-Aubrey-Pierce family circle by Ellie. Selene is Griffin's te'sorthene and a similar age to Griffin. She has visited Griffin's dreams for many, many years, and until he met her in the flesh, he had no idea she was a real person, though Selene was very aware of Griffin as a real Svatura, and had used her powers to protect him and Ellie from her evil brother. In this book, once again the Jenner-Aubrey-Pierce family circle unites to defeat terrible villains. Though most of the Vyusher, under Selene's command, have given up the war against their fellow Svatura which was forced on them by Gideon's mind control, a mysterious Vyusher named Maddox is, for reasons unknown, continuing to persecute both regular Svatura and Selene's Vyusher subjects. Maddox is traveling the world, seeking out Svatura communities, convincing them that Selene's Vyusher are still their enemy, to the point that they must pre-emptively strike against the Vyusher before the Vyusher can come after them. This book is narrated from multiple points of view and is written as an ensemble-cast story, rather than primarily focusing on a romantic couple, as was the case with Ellie and Alex in Book 1. The A Plot in Book 2 is "woman power" and the magical enhancement gained by Ellie, Selene, and the other women in the Jenner-Aubrey-Pierce family circle due to performing ritual, group magic with each other. The romance between Selene and Griffin is secondary to the female-friendship plot and the action-adventure plot of the battles against Maddox and his allies.
In this, Book 3, the battle against Maddox and his minions continues, and this book, like Book 2, is narrated from multiple points of view and is written as an ensemble-cast story. The A Plot is how the Jenner-Aubrey-Pierce family circle, in cooperation with Selene's Vyusher pack, works together to defeat Maddox and his murderous minions, and a big part of the story is discovering how Maddox is obtaining minions and what his motivation is. The romance between Lila Jenner and Ramsey Pierce is a strong B Plot. Lila's inherited Svatura powers are the ability to sense when others are telling the truth and the ability to sense and heal emotions. Within the sisterhood plot of Book 2, she additionally gained the ability to share Ellie's falcon morph power and telepathy (a power that Ellie shares with Griffin) and dream visitation from Selene. Ramsey is a firestarter, a feared and dreaded power since it is one of the most destructive and most difficult to control.
Fans of action-adventure-fantasy books and films with a focus on teamwork to overcome impossible odds, in particular those which include female team members who are co-equal warriors with the males, will greatly enjoy this latest addition to the Svatura series. The world-building remains very well done and highly entertaining, and the one-for-all and all-for-one mentality of the heroic Svatura is very appealing. No matter which of the characters are your favorites, this book offers a chance to revisit all previous members of the Jenner-Aubrey-Pierce family circle once again. The ensemble-cast approach to YA urban fantasy that this series takes is quite unique, and readers looking for an original YA read will be delighted with the Svatura books.
I rate this book as follows:
Ensemble cast: 5 stars
Fantasy World-Building: 5 stars
Action-Adventure Plot: 5 stars
Romantic Plot: 5 stars
Writing: 5 stars
Overall: 5 stars
Disclosure: The author contacted me to review her book because I am a top reviewer on Amazon. I rarely accept such requests because I don't have a lot of time, but in this particular case I am very glad I did.
Here is a brief summary of the crucial plot points of the first two books as a memory jogger for those who read them a while ago:
The Svatura are humans who genetically inherit magical powers of all sorts, such as: shape-shifting, super strength, super speed, teleportation, telekinesis, healing, controlling the earth, controlling the weather, and producing fire, ice and toxic gas. Svatura are very long-lived, as much as several thousand years. They are not immortal because they do age, though extremely slowly, and they can be killed. Their powers begin to manifest at puberty, but it can take decades--and in some cases as much as several hundred years--for a Svatura to reach full mastery of his/her power(s). Since there are not very many Svatura in the world, they are not always able to marry another Svatura, and even more rarely are they able to find a fellow Svatura who is their "te'sorthene," a magical soulmate. In a mating of a human and a Svatura, the offspring, if they become a Svatura, usually only inherit one power. When a Svatura is born of two Svatura, it is possible to inherit two powers, but this usually only occurs in the case of twins, and the twins can share the three to four powers that they have inherited between the two of them.
In Book 1, Blue Violet, the heroine is Ellie Aubrey, who looks as if she is about 18, but in fact is over 150 years old. She meets, falls in love with, and marries her te'sorthene, Alex Jenner, who appears equally young, but is of a similar actual age to Ellie. In that book, we are introduced to her twin brother, Griffin Aubrey, and Alex's family. Hugh and Lucy Jenner are te'sorthene who have been together for centuries and are the parents of Lila and Adelaide Jenner and are Alex's adoptive parents. The Pierces are a companion family to the Jenners. Charlotte and Dexter Pierce are te'sorthene who are the adoptive parents of Nate Pierce and Ramsey Pierce, and Nate and Ramsey are a similar age to Ellie, Alex and Griffin. In this first book, the Svatura band together to defeat their long-time enemies, the Vyusher, who are Svatura who can morph into wolves as well as having additional powers. For over 130 years, their leader, Gideon, has enslaved his sister Selene with his power of mind control, forcing her to use her own magical powers in his war to exterminate non-wolf-metamorph Svatura. Selene has the ability to turn off temporarily or permanently the magical powers of Svatura and to visit dreams. The primary focus in this story is Ellie, and the A Plot is her romance with Alex. The B Plot involves the skirmishes and final, epic battle with the Vyusher in which Ellie, utilizing her ability to morph into a dragon, kills Gideon and, presumably, ends the Vyusher war.
In Book 2, Hyacinth, Selene, Queen of the Vyusher, is redeemed and brought into the Jenner-Aubrey-Pierce family circle by Ellie. Selene is Griffin's te'sorthene and a similar age to Griffin. She has visited Griffin's dreams for many, many years, and until he met her in the flesh, he had no idea she was a real person, though Selene was very aware of Griffin as a real Svatura, and had used her powers to protect him and Ellie from her evil brother. In this book, once again the Jenner-Aubrey-Pierce family circle unites to defeat terrible villains. Though most of the Vyusher, under Selene's command, have given up the war against their fellow Svatura which was forced on them by Gideon's mind control, a mysterious Vyusher named Maddox is, for reasons unknown, continuing to persecute both regular Svatura and Selene's Vyusher subjects. Maddox is traveling the world, seeking out Svatura communities, convincing them that Selene's Vyusher are still their enemy, to the point that they must pre-emptively strike against the Vyusher before the Vyusher can come after them. This book is narrated from multiple points of view and is written as an ensemble-cast story, rather than primarily focusing on a romantic couple, as was the case with Ellie and Alex in Book 1. The A Plot in Book 2 is "woman power" and the magical enhancement gained by Ellie, Selene, and the other women in the Jenner-Aubrey-Pierce family circle due to performing ritual, group magic with each other. The romance between Selene and Griffin is secondary to the female-friendship plot and the action-adventure plot of the battles against Maddox and his allies.
In this, Book 3, the battle against Maddox and his minions continues, and this book, like Book 2, is narrated from multiple points of view and is written as an ensemble-cast story. The A Plot is how the Jenner-Aubrey-Pierce family circle, in cooperation with Selene's Vyusher pack, works together to defeat Maddox and his murderous minions, and a big part of the story is discovering how Maddox is obtaining minions and what his motivation is. The romance between Lila Jenner and Ramsey Pierce is a strong B Plot. Lila's inherited Svatura powers are the ability to sense when others are telling the truth and the ability to sense and heal emotions. Within the sisterhood plot of Book 2, she additionally gained the ability to share Ellie's falcon morph power and telepathy (a power that Ellie shares with Griffin) and dream visitation from Selene. Ramsey is a firestarter, a feared and dreaded power since it is one of the most destructive and most difficult to control.
Fans of action-adventure-fantasy books and films with a focus on teamwork to overcome impossible odds, in particular those which include female team members who are co-equal warriors with the males, will greatly enjoy this latest addition to the Svatura series. The world-building remains very well done and highly entertaining, and the one-for-all and all-for-one mentality of the heroic Svatura is very appealing. No matter which of the characters are your favorites, this book offers a chance to revisit all previous members of the Jenner-Aubrey-Pierce family circle once again. The ensemble-cast approach to YA urban fantasy that this series takes is quite unique, and readers looking for an original YA read will be delighted with the Svatura books.
I rate this book as follows:
Ensemble cast: 5 stars
Fantasy World-Building: 5 stars
Action-Adventure Plot: 5 stars
Romantic Plot: 5 stars
Writing: 5 stars
Overall: 5 stars
Disclosure: The author contacted me to review her book because I am a top reviewer on Amazon. I rarely accept such requests because I don't have a lot of time, but in this particular case I am very glad I did.
July 16, 2024
The story was much better in this third book. Writing still wasn’t the greatest- she used “awesome” to describe Ellie’s transformation into a dragon… sorry, but there are a thousand better adjectives to describe a shifter turning into a dragon. Young adult writing or not.
We focus on Ramsey and Lila in this storyline. Lila has been going to various svatura tribes to warn them of Maddox and the threat he poses to their kind. She gets captured by Maddox at some point and Ramsey knows something’s not right through their special connection. So the whole Jenner family rallies together to find Lila. Ramsey finds her in a cell under a mountain through Selene’s ability to enter dreams. We have some more backstory on Ramsey and Lila and why Ramsey wanted to keep his distance from Lila.
Maddox is set to find and capture Lila again and we find everyone on the battlefield where Lila discovered Maddox is a dragon shapeshifter and he wants to avenge his dead dragon family. The adoptive Jenner are all beginning to share their abilities so Lila could shift into a falcon and listen in on his thoughts/feelings. It also sets up the next book where Nate and Adelaide are no longer te’sorthene. Which actually makes me question- are Ramsey and Lila te’sorthene? Because that isn’t confirmed in this book, but they do share a “connection.” TBD I guess…..
We focus on Ramsey and Lila in this storyline. Lila has been going to various svatura tribes to warn them of Maddox and the threat he poses to their kind. She gets captured by Maddox at some point and Ramsey knows something’s not right through their special connection. So the whole Jenner family rallies together to find Lila. Ramsey finds her in a cell under a mountain through Selene’s ability to enter dreams. We have some more backstory on Ramsey and Lila and why Ramsey wanted to keep his distance from Lila.
Maddox is set to find and capture Lila again and we find everyone on the battlefield where Lila discovered Maddox is a dragon shapeshifter and he wants to avenge his dead dragon family. The adoptive Jenner are all beginning to share their abilities so Lila could shift into a falcon and listen in on his thoughts/feelings. It also sets up the next book where Nate and Adelaide are no longer te’sorthene. Which actually makes me question- are Ramsey and Lila te’sorthene? Because that isn’t confirmed in this book, but they do share a “connection.” TBD I guess…..
March 17, 2017
**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**
I don't know how it is even possible for this series to get better, but somehow it does. Going into Crimson Dahlia I thought that there was no way for it to live up to Hyacinth, however, I was terribly wrong!
In this installment, there was romance, action, and a whole lot of mystery. Every time a question would be answered, I felt as if five would magically appear. Of course this means that I can't wait to read the next one and finally figure out what is going on! So, despite how I know that I'm going to be wrong, I'm going to go ahead and say that Crimson Dahlia is my favorite in the series (Miss Owen will undoubtedly prove me wrong with the next installment, I'm sure of it!)!!
One of my favorite things about this series is how each installment focuses on a different couple, however, the characters you have came to know and love are still involved in the story. This enables the characters to be more developed and you get to see multiple sides to every character...and, these are some really great characters! Also, who would have known how awesome Ramsey would have turned out to be!! The chemistry between him and Lila was absolutely on fire!
I don't know how it is even possible for this series to get better, but somehow it does. Going into Crimson Dahlia I thought that there was no way for it to live up to Hyacinth, however, I was terribly wrong!
In this installment, there was romance, action, and a whole lot of mystery. Every time a question would be answered, I felt as if five would magically appear. Of course this means that I can't wait to read the next one and finally figure out what is going on! So, despite how I know that I'm going to be wrong, I'm going to go ahead and say that Crimson Dahlia is my favorite in the series (Miss Owen will undoubtedly prove me wrong with the next installment, I'm sure of it!)!!
One of my favorite things about this series is how each installment focuses on a different couple, however, the characters you have came to know and love are still involved in the story. This enables the characters to be more developed and you get to see multiple sides to every character...and, these are some really great characters! Also, who would have known how awesome Ramsey would have turned out to be!! The chemistry between him and Lila was absolutely on fire!
December 29, 2013
Crimson Dahlia begin with Ramsey as he was searching for the missing Lila—the member of Jenner's Svatura family, and a whole lot more to him. What they both didn't know is just how much power and control their enemy had, and just over who. But when ally had turned to enemy and the Svatura clan was in a brink of danger, just what will they do to save it all?
One thing that I noticed—and loved—almost instantly was that the beginning already started with trouble, yet it didn't start in the middle of nowhere and making us confused. And the quick recap of the previous story provided through Lila's narration was really helpful too. It managed to jot back my memories about the Svatura's story, yet still subtle enough to not becoming an info vomiting.I also love the fact that the story always move forward and was never stuck in one place for too long. And yes, it does play a huge part and make us entertained throughout the books.
However, I feel that there's some scene that is somewhat purpose-less and didn't help getting the story anywhere, like when Lila and Ramsey went sightseeing, or drinking tea, etc. I mean, by drinking tea doesn't mean the enemy would magically disappear, so, yeah, why just don't?
And the way the PoV (Or, since this book use third-person, let's say, PoV preference) switch every now and then in the middle of a chapter can be quite annoying.
Lila—although she was not really the strongest or distinct heroine of this series—I think had a nice, solid personality. And I also love the fact that she got the brain and decent backbone to not do something reckless and unnecessary just because "I feel like it".
Her relationship with Ramsey was also coming on strong since the beginning. The chemistry between them felt so real, and the problem of why they couldn't be together was also a solid one and not a made-up reason, making the readers root for their relationship and feel for both of them.
Ramsey as our other main character, had also been developed a lot in this book. Before, I thought of him as this annoying brat with uncontrollable power, sulky, angsty, and, well, a brat. But now that I had read him on this book, I love that he had such a strong background for his sulky and bratty attitude that made me accept it as his trait rather than despising it. And the fact that he was just this really broken guy inside just made me go all SWOONY. Seriously.
But, although the tension was nicely woven on this book, I found that the mood swing of the character kinda gave it away. It was all too noticeable, and one moment they were like, super devastated, and a blink later, they were fine already. Like, what?
And the way the still converse casually, even on a deadly battlefield also didn't make sense to me.
Another thing that I'm also not fond of was that they all seemingly had quite an easy time managing their new ability. For example, Griffin takes years to master his initial telepathy ability, and Lila, well, takes days. Same for her falcon-shift, and a whole bunch of other abilities. Like, really? That kind of took away that certain realness of this book, and turned it into some kind of cliche.
The ending, though, was entirely another story. It does make us curious with its open-ending that had tons of possibilities , yet still managed to make us feel satisfied when we learn something new about the whole story.
Overall, I found that Crimson Dahlia was not as shining as its two previous book. While it was entirely amazing, it still had some redeeming features like the romance with a strong chemistry, a tight tension that will keep the pages turning, and overall a strong main characters. If you're into fantasy or looking for a fresh take on it, this series is totally worth a try.
"He’d followed that cute blonde into the house that day. And instead of leaving as he’d intended, he’d never stopped following her. Never too close. Never close enough."
—Ramsey
One thing that I noticed—and loved—almost instantly was that the beginning already started with trouble, yet it didn't start in the middle of nowhere and making us confused. And the quick recap of the previous story provided through Lila's narration was really helpful too. It managed to jot back my memories about the Svatura's story, yet still subtle enough to not becoming an info vomiting.I also love the fact that the story always move forward and was never stuck in one place for too long. And yes, it does play a huge part and make us entertained throughout the books.
However, I feel that there's some scene that is somewhat purpose-less and didn't help getting the story anywhere, like when Lila and Ramsey went sightseeing, or drinking tea, etc. I mean, by drinking tea doesn't mean the enemy would magically disappear, so, yeah, why just don't?
And the way the PoV (Or, since this book use third-person, let's say, PoV preference) switch every now and then in the middle of a chapter can be quite annoying.
Lila—although she was not really the strongest or distinct heroine of this series—I think had a nice, solid personality. And I also love the fact that she got the brain and decent backbone to not do something reckless and unnecessary just because "I feel like it".
Her relationship with Ramsey was also coming on strong since the beginning. The chemistry between them felt so real, and the problem of why they couldn't be together was also a solid one and not a made-up reason, making the readers root for their relationship and feel for both of them.
Ramsey as our other main character, had also been developed a lot in this book. Before, I thought of him as this annoying brat with uncontrollable power, sulky, angsty, and, well, a brat. But now that I had read him on this book, I love that he had such a strong background for his sulky and bratty attitude that made me accept it as his trait rather than despising it. And the fact that he was just this really broken guy inside just made me go all SWOONY. Seriously.
But, although the tension was nicely woven on this book, I found that the mood swing of the character kinda gave it away. It was all too noticeable, and one moment they were like, super devastated, and a blink later, they were fine already. Like, what?
And the way the still converse casually, even on a deadly battlefield also didn't make sense to me.
Another thing that I'm also not fond of was that they all seemingly had quite an easy time managing their new ability. For example, Griffin takes years to master his initial telepathy ability, and Lila, well, takes days. Same for her falcon-shift, and a whole bunch of other abilities. Like, really? That kind of took away that certain realness of this book, and turned it into some kind of cliche.
The ending, though, was entirely another story. It does make us curious with its open-ending that had tons of possibilities , yet still managed to make us feel satisfied when we learn something new about the whole story.
Overall, I found that Crimson Dahlia was not as shining as its two previous book. While it was entirely amazing, it still had some redeeming features like the romance with a strong chemistry, a tight tension that will keep the pages turning, and overall a strong main characters. If you're into fantasy or looking for a fresh take on it, this series is totally worth a try.
January 29, 2015
I have been keeping with reading this series because I love the idea behind it and the personalities with the characters. In the prior 2 books the POV was kept to a few of the main characters for that story. However, as this series has progressed, so has the number of POV's and main characters. It's to the point that I can't remember some of them because of how many there are. I appreciate the complexity and work to not make it as typical as some, but there seems to be too many now. It makes it dull when I have to stop reading to do research because we were meeting new characters, and out of nowhere an old one pops in. There is also this "mate" idea which is called a te'sorthene, and originally it was supposed to be kind of a rare find. And yet, everyone is suddenly finding theirs. Also, all the female leads, which was 1 and is around 5, are suddenly gaining powers. This is supposed to not be able to occur at all, and yet, it's happened to not one but 4 so far. Whereas I like this story, it's getting to be far reaching and implausible. I give on most things, but when you make the characters too powerful, it takes away from the conflict because then you have to make their opponent more powerful and then this epic battle is going to have to occur or it will fall short of their supposed abilities, leaving readers feeling "meh".
I think that there needs to be more world building and less characters becoming more powerful. I like the dynamics and can appreciate a large family, but enough power is enough. I mean, they were supposed to be learning and developing what they had, but that's been pushed aside due to knew abilities. In this third book, there was very little world creation. They were in a castle, there were trees, there was a hill, and there was a long corridor. I liked the first and second books a lot, but this one was just difficult to love with them. I was super excited to read about Ramsey and Lila, but the extra stuff was too much and took away from their story. I hope in the next one, the focus keeps to Nate and Delia. The set up gives promise to great emotional scenes with big plot line development options. I hope the writer uses it.
I think that there needs to be more world building and less characters becoming more powerful. I like the dynamics and can appreciate a large family, but enough power is enough. I mean, they were supposed to be learning and developing what they had, but that's been pushed aside due to knew abilities. In this third book, there was very little world creation. They were in a castle, there were trees, there was a hill, and there was a long corridor. I liked the first and second books a lot, but this one was just difficult to love with them. I was super excited to read about Ramsey and Lila, but the extra stuff was too much and took away from their story. I hope in the next one, the focus keeps to Nate and Delia. The set up gives promise to great emotional scenes with big plot line development options. I hope the writer uses it.
April 9, 2014
Another great Svatura sequel! Great Read.
This story expanded the characters from the first two books in this series, and paranormal world they live in. Relationships were defined, wars and chaos reigned, and the greater good bands together for peace. Fast paced, Interesting, Fun, Danger, paranormal powers and romances too- an all around a great read, as we've come to expect from Ms. Abigail Owens.
The author is excellent, and her writing style is fluid; easy and interesting to read. Makes a reader not want to stop until the end, & find themselves wishing to be a part of the cast. The srtory finishes with many ends tied neatly, And some ends left looser and leave the reader waiting- but in a tolerable manner. You know that all your "new character friends/ interests" will be ok until you see them in the next book. 's. Owen ends her books in such a way that you want to know m ore, but aren't left anxious.
This indie author knows the importance of an editor, and her work is very professional. I'd recommend this book, and the entire series for YA/Teen to adult. I think that everyone will.thoroughly enjoy it and come.to.care about the characters as if they were friends or real people, just as I have.
Great book for all ages YA and up. Well worth buying. You WILL enjoy it. [I do highly suggest reading the first two books in the series first to make the situations and relationships easier to understand.] Enjoy!
This story expanded the characters from the first two books in this series, and paranormal world they live in. Relationships were defined, wars and chaos reigned, and the greater good bands together for peace. Fast paced, Interesting, Fun, Danger, paranormal powers and romances too- an all around a great read, as we've come to expect from Ms. Abigail Owens.
The author is excellent, and her writing style is fluid; easy and interesting to read. Makes a reader not want to stop until the end, & find themselves wishing to be a part of the cast. The srtory finishes with many ends tied neatly, And some ends left looser and leave the reader waiting- but in a tolerable manner. You know that all your "new character friends/ interests" will be ok until you see them in the next book. 's. Owen ends her books in such a way that you want to know m ore, but aren't left anxious.
This indie author knows the importance of an editor, and her work is very professional. I'd recommend this book, and the entire series for YA/Teen to adult. I think that everyone will.thoroughly enjoy it and come.to.care about the characters as if they were friends or real people, just as I have.
Great book for all ages YA and up. Well worth buying. You WILL enjoy it. [I do highly suggest reading the first two books in the series first to make the situations and relationships easier to understand.] Enjoy!
August 24, 2013
I enjoyed the story but had a hard time in the middle. Started losing focus and *gasp* started to pay attention to what was on tv. Sometimes all of the different powers and description of of thongs such as dream control and relationship threads got old for me. But the last battle seen and that "snap" pulled me right back and now I can't wait for the next book!
January 30, 2014
I loved this book. I so can't wait for the next book yo come out.
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