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Desert Cursed #1-3

The Desert Cursed Series #1-3

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The Desert Cursed Series should be read by people who can root for an underdog, have a good sense of humor, a love for high-paced action, and a taste for a blend of magic that even a Muggle could love. With over half a million copies sold, when you indulge in the Desert Cursed series, you’re in good company.Witch's Reign (Book 1)They think her an underdog against impossible odds… And she will fight tooth and nail to prove them wrong.The Witch’s Reign…a land of eternal, unnatural winter ruled by the Ice Witch. In turn, she is guarded by three supernatural creatures who wander her lands hunting for unwary souls, killing any who cross their paths.To get to the Witch’s Reign, you first must pass through the Dragon’s Ground. Full of dragons, who for the record, do not like trespassers.This is where I am headed, though my mentor has forbidden me.My best friend was sent with a team into the Witch’s Reign to recover a powerful jewel that belongs to our mentor, and they are long overdue to come back.That leaves me, Zamira “Reckless” Wilson to go after my friend. Forbidden or not.Somehow, I get saddled with a human male tagging along for the ride. A human that is as weak and useless as my own shifting abilities.Throw in a sentient magical weapon that tries to kill me every time I touch it, and a small dragon that has a penchant for Shakespearean insults, and you’ve got my journey in a nutshell.May the sands of the desert swallow me whole because this is going to be a damn bumpy ride.Dragon's Ground (Book 2)Dragons and danger and magic collide... And it's only Monday.We survived the land of the Witch’s Reign, that much is true. But our arrival home is far from welcome.My idiot brother has taken it upon himself to ride off in search of a mythical healer, someone who might help him walk again. Assuming she doesn’t eat him first. Because said healer is a dragon and happens to reside in the deepest reaches of the Dragon’s Ground. Like I said, idiot.I’d go after him myself, but his leave-taking is not the only problem I face. My mentor has yet again forbidden me to leave the safety of the Stockyards. Her reasoning?That I am too weak to weather the coming storms.With my pride wounded in more ways than one, I must gather the few allies’ I have left. My ex-husband's new girlfriend at the top of the list and a goat bleating, oversexed Satyr.FML.If I’m lucky I’ll find a small dragon and a Jinn whose blue eyes still haunt my dreams along the way.Buckle up, buttercup, this ride is about to take a seriously unforeseen twist.Jinn's Dominion (Book 3)There was nothing that could have prepared me for Dragon’s Ground. And I thought that nothing could be worse than what I faced there.Just my black cat bad luck, the world is set to prove me wrong.South lies the Jinn’s Dominion and within it the members of my Pride who need my help. The further south we go, the more danger comes not only from outside our group but from within.Ishtar’s new hunters.Marsum leader of the Jinn.And the Emperor himself.All three want something from me. All three claim they can give me the world on a silver platter, to give me my deepest desires.

798 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 31, 2021

1318 people are currently reading
345 people want to read

About the author

Shannon Mayer

153 books7,288 followers
A long time ago, in a galaxy far away, I was born into a family of Star Wars nuts. I have a lot of siblings (somewhere I lost count but I think there was more than could be numbered on one hand) and being one of the young padawans I was subjected to Star Wars marathons, on a regular basis. If you've read any of my books you'll see there is often a reference to said movies as a small homage to my upbringing. May the force be with you and all that jazz.

I started writing when I realized I didn't want to grow up not believing in magic, or not believing in creatures everyone else said didn't exist. That being said, I have never seen a fairy, unicorn or dragon. I had a neighbour who swore they fed the leprechauns in their garden, but I never caught the little buggers no matter how long I lay in wait. (And consequently had to help the neighbours plant new flowers to replace those I killed waiting for the leprechauns to show their faces.)

Along the way, I found my husband who is the rock that keeps me from floating away into my dreams, and we have a little boy who is the centre of our world. Living on a farm keeps us busy (as if the writing wasn't enough) and I have more than my share of stories about wrestling with cows, helping birth calves and ending up in the creek during the process, falling in the mud (we'll call it mud but we all know that on a farm, mud is rarely mud) and chasing escaped livestock in the hopes the four legged convicts don't make it to the highway.

I've taken up archery, and the goal is to move into horseback archery in time (you know, when I can hit the target on a consistent basis) and when no one is looking, I love to bake (this doesn't happen often as it's hard to keep the sweet treats in stock with two boys in the house.)

As to what's coming next for me? More stories (since those never stop inside my head, I might as well share them with all of you!) and more adventures. Pretty much, when the fancy strikes, I'll jump on it. Leap before you look I'm sure that motto was created for me.

Or was that . . . think big and dream bigger, ready, set, pull the trigger . . . yeah. That one is a good one too. But only if you have a gun. And are hunting elephants. Which is not cool because of so many reasons. Let's stick with the first one with an addendum.

Leap before you look and let your dreams carry you on their wings. And that, my friends, is me in a nutshell.

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5 stars
898 (66%)
4 stars
358 (26%)
3 stars
68 (5%)
2 stars
14 (1%)
1 star
7 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
Profile Image for Trudy.
671 reviews16 followers
April 1, 2022
Witch's Reign
Witch's Reign (Desert Cursed, #1) is my first Shannon Mayer read ever and I must say I have been missing out! She writes in my favorite way, with sass, class, humor, heart, fight and a strong female lead, reminiscent of one of my favorite authors, K.F. Breene!

I could not put this book down! She had me from page one all the way to the last page! This new exciting world that Shannon created is full of threats that must be overcome and we, the readers, are lucky enough to get to tag along.

Zamira is a supernatural on a mission to steal back jewels. She is crafty, cunning and highly underestimated. She also has the nasty task of working with her ex who only cares about himself and getting leadership that he has not earned. When her best friend is taken she goes off on a deadly, unapproved journey to save her and is saddled with a human male, Maks. Their adventure introduces them to and undersized dragon who is extremely similar to Zamira. Lila is snarky, small and her power is also underestimated. These three together make a powerful team and their expedition is not one you will want to miss!

Dragon's Ground
This series has so many layers and each one is revealed in the most interesting ways leading to more mysteries, adventure and fights!

Lila is so similar to Zam. They are both so fierce beyond their size. Max is becoming more and more to Zam and it scares and amazes Zam in unexpected ways! And as the journey continues Zam realizes that there is more to Bryce than she ever could have imagined! Through it all Zam is forming her own family, the family of her heart and gaining power. It is very exciting!

Jinn's Dominion
Zam's curse has changed and no one knows what it has become. Maks is no longer himself. Lila is the sister of Zam's heart. As all of these things collide we get answers and more questions. Zam is Alpha now. Her Pride is number one and she needs to rescue them. It is growing and she is trying to concentrate on them but her heart breaks and so did mine! I am crushed! Of course that doesn't make me love this story any less!
282 reviews
October 21, 2023
Wow the first three books of this series really grabs you by the scruff of the neck and shakes you about, while taking you on a wild journey. But then Shannon Mayer can always be relied upon to do this.
Zamira is a shifter, her father is the Alpha of the Golden Lion Tribe of Shifters, however Zam is more like her mother who rather that shift into a lion actually shifts into a black house cat. Yes a whole 6lb of black fur, claws and enough courage and sass for a while pride of lions. She was told her mum had died shortly after she was born and she was raised by her father and elder brother with help for her grandmother.
While she is still very young there is a battle in the desert where she lives, one day at the Oasis the pride are attacked by the Jinn, a fearsome tribe of genie like people who are ruled by an evil emperor. Only Zam and her brother survive, and he is paralysed after having a spear sever his spine.
They are taken in by a desert goddess Ish, but she has ulterior motives (don't they always?) and she sets Zam the task of collecting a set of jewels that were split between different supes tribes.
In the first she collects one from the Ice Witch, then the Giants, followed by The Dragons but the more she gives to Ish the more she realises that the gems are having some effect on her, and not for the good. But Ish has told Zam once she has all the gems she will be strong enough to cure her brother, and Zam will do anything for him.
Along these journeys she makes friends with many different supes and actually starts to form her own tribe of these different creatures and they become family whom she will protect with her own life.
I have enjoyed them so much I have just ordered books 4 and 5 and can't wait to start them
Profile Image for Blake.
1,371 reviews46 followers
September 6, 2023
(FYI I tend to only review one book per series, unless I completely change my mind on a series, so want to change my scoring down a lot. -- I tend not to read reviews until after I read a book, so I go in with an open mind.)

2.75*

First time read the author's work?: No

Will you be reading more?: Possibly -- Yes to her other books.

Would you recommend?: Probably


------------
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)

All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked

Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
Profile Image for Whitney .
990 reviews31 followers
March 3, 2025
The Desert Cursed Series Boxset (Books 1-3) has the following titles Witch’s Reign, Dragon’s Ground, and Jinn’s Dominion. I'll be updating my review as I finish each title.

Witch’s Reign

Witch’s Reign is the first book in The Desert Cursed series and this was just a great way to start off a new series. I really enjoyed the introduction into this new world. It starts fast paced and you are immediately in the mix with everyone. You know which characters to like and dislike right off the bat. My only complaint is that it did drag at certain points and I wish either it was a little shorter or maybe something could have been added to the story to enrich it further and make it not drag as much. Other than that I really enjoyed this story and would recommend it to my friends.

Dragon’s Ground

Jinn’s Dominion
Profile Image for C. Mercie M Crystal.
445 reviews
June 19, 2021
A shifter that's much, much more than she's ever been told to believe

Tamira loves her family, and even though her brother and ex husband are the only traditional family she has left, shes willing to do anything for them. So she has dedicated her life ro serving the one person who says she can help them. The storyline is full of the story of Tamira, her life, and those around her, as she fights through each challenge. It's a crazy ride, full of secrets, intrigue, sarcasm, laughter, sacrifice and tears. It, is never boring, and the changes will keep you on your toes until you can see the big picture. Another series worthy of Shannon Mayers ink, that flows not only from her pen, but also her soul where all these worlds reside.
Profile Image for Karen.
50 reviews
September 12, 2021
I was a bit confused by the first chapters of the first book. I couldn't figure out where the shifters, Jinn, etc. came from. Once I figured that out, I was hooked! The characters were believable, I cared about them, I cried when they were hurt -- except for Steve. He is a real shit!

I am reading the fourth book currently, and I am going to be sad when the series is over. However, if you are into fantasy, this is the book series for you. Dragons, goddesses, mages, Jinn, shape-shifters and everything in between. Great series, Shannon Mayer. Definitely going to read your other books as well.
1,533 reviews3 followers
December 15, 2021
Wild ride

Wow these books take you on an amazing journey Zamira a Lion shifter but who is only as big as a house cat and black has been told all her life that she is weak is basically useless but she has never given in and has fought hard to prove herself. This journey she has set out on is somewhat a voyage of discovery along the way she slowly gathers a pride and becomes the alpha she is destined to be but is she the wall breaker and saviour of the world many believe she is, is she more than just a small cat and will she be able to regain her true love Maks who is now an enemy. I look forward to the next book.
70 reviews1 follower
January 3, 2023
I've read through book 7 of this series and it's one of my favorites. It's really two unfolding adventures. The first 6 books tell the story of Zamira (Zam), Lila (a Dragon), Balder Zam's horse, and Maks as they set about to right what is really wrong in their world. Book 6 wraps up this part of the adventure. Books 7-9 take off soon after the ending of book 6, and followup on an agreement Zam made with the dragons.

Overall, the series is a grand adventure, and Zam, Lila and Maks are all great characters. In character with Shannon's writing, you get plenty of humor to balance the drama. Very fast paced reading, in a "I can't put the book down way." Highly recommended.
Profile Image for Charlotte.
248 reviews
July 18, 2021
Prepare yourself to be invested

These three books had me so invested that I had to literally tell myself to put my tablet down and get daily chores done. This is not like most shifter books I read. This book took me on a journey right along with the characters. I laughed, cried, got angry and wanted to fight right along beside them. I could visually see everything in my head because the writing was so descriptive. I am anxious to continue on this magical journey with the characters.
42 reviews
November 9, 2021
Excellent!

I had a hard time putting this book down! Literally walked into walks because I kept reading and turning pages. Be prepared to go on a wild roller coaster of a ride. I was hooked on page one and never wanted it to end! Full of shifters, wizards, mages, giants, and other super natural beings. Twists and turns, magic, suspense, and mystery that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Shannon Mayer always keeps you begging for more!
129 reviews
June 9, 2021
When I grow up, I want to be like Zam and Lila

I really love the relationship between Zam and Lila. And I absolutely have to bow my head to the way Maks manages to fit into that duo of true sisterhood. I just absolutely love this series and cannot wait to find out more about the future adventures these three will get into! Shannon delivered, again!
Profile Image for Diane.
256 reviews19 followers
July 25, 2021
Such fun to read!

Took me a short minute to get hooked but I never start a book without finishing it. You never know when the tides will turn! Loved all three books and will be continuing the journey as well. So much going for them. Laughter, loyalty, love, excitement, sorrow, joy, pain, friendship, betrayal, magic, mystery and more.
38 reviews
September 9, 2021
A must read!

These novels are hypnotic. The characters are written so that you feel like you have known them forever. Some you really like, some you just like, some you do not like and then there are the ones you hate. Keeps your attention completely. You do not want to put book down. When you lay it aside you are anxious to return. You will not be disappointed.
80 reviews
September 25, 2021
Fantastic story line!

I have enjoyed the story, overall. But the beginning was a little difficult to get into. Too much confusion. Not knowing what was going on. I almost stopped reading it. But, I have a real problem leaving a book unfinished. I'm glad I picked it back up. Hopefully the story continues in same.
Profile Image for Donna.
1,776 reviews1 follower
October 31, 2021
Well written YA story. I agree with another reviewer that I was a bit confused at the beginning as the MC kept referring to past incidents, however that was resolved fairly quickly. Practically no one is one dimensional and most are more than they would appear at first. I am definitely going to read the next book(s) in the series and keep my fingers crossed for a HEA.
Profile Image for Chantelle.
445 reviews4 followers
November 22, 2021
Book 1 and 2 were great. 3 not so much

Book went into work great. They were well thought out, well done, well written with a great execution. The reason I'm giving a three star is because book three was so bad it ruined the work of the first two. The conversation between characters was dull and had the same inspiration as two 13-year-olds texting. Not super excited for book 4.
Profile Image for Whitney .
990 reviews31 followers
March 3, 2025
The Desert Cursed Series Boxset (Books 1-3) has the following titles Witch’s Reign, Dragon’s Ground, and Jinn’s Dominion. I'll be updating my review as I finish each title.

Witch’s Reign

Witch’s Reign is the first book in The Desert Cursed series and this was just a great way to start off a new series. I really enjoyed the introduction into this new world. It starts fast paced and you are immediately in the mix with everyone. You know which characters to like and dislike right off the bat. My only complaint is that it did drag at certain points and I wish either it was a little shorter or maybe something could have been added to the story to enrich it further and make it not drag as much. Other than that I really enjoyed this story and would recommend it to my friends.

Dragon’s Ground

Jinn’s Dominion
6 reviews
June 7, 2021
Love this series!

I just re-read this series in preparation for the next book that comes out. I love the 3 book bundle options. Zam and Lila are two of my favorite book characters ever, they make me laugh out loud! Any man named Steve will forever have a stigma attached to him!
152 reviews
August 8, 2021
Wonderful, original read!

Wonderful characters to fall for and cheer for, enough success to keep you reading. Twists all the way to the end. Even a love story! Don't miss this one!
35 reviews2 followers
August 10, 2021
The desert cursed series

Wow this series was spellbinding. I loved the way it held your interest and not wanting to put the book down. I would recommend this book to anyone. Looking forward to reading more of the series. It’s a great read❤️
Profile Image for Megan.
50 reviews
September 17, 2021
Officially hooked

Such a great start to an awesome series, I love the way she brings her characters to life. They have sass and sarcasm for days, and the twists are so fun along the way. Can’t wait to finish them all!
91 reviews2 followers
October 10, 2021
Stopped

Well durn.
Now, I'm going to have to search for the rest of the story.
I thought I had farther to read.
What a shock!
It was a great adventure.
I did like reading but don't like just being hung in mid air.
84 reviews
October 27, 2021
Never wanted to put it down

I really enjoyed the first 3 books in this series. I couldn't wait to read on it daily. The only problem was the one word that I despise. That (F) word.
54 reviews1 follower
November 7, 2021
Amazing story well written

I am not a fantasy book reader. I love historical fiction but I found myself with time on my hands when I found this story. As always I gave it my 50 page test and I was hooked. Looking forward to the stories continuation
Profile Image for Janice Smith-gentry.
274 reviews4 followers
November 7, 2021
Must Read

Such wonderful snarky heroines for this series. I think other reviewers were right in saying that these characters must go on. Starting book 4 now, but I know that even when this storyline runs its course that other stories could take place in this world..
1,003 reviews5 followers
November 10, 2021
Engaging

All three books are fast paced and full of action as Zamira follows her honor and destiny. She does overlook some info along the way that snacks her by the end of the third book.
23 reviews
November 17, 2021
What an adventure!

Wow! A tiny bit of a rough start where I was a little confused about what was going on, but this series is a wild ride, I feel exhausted for them!

If anyone knows where I can find a mini dragon… asking for me, my friend can find their own!
Profile Image for Patti Burton.
323 reviews1 follower
December 12, 2021
4.5 really. What a story! I recommend! Zam is a great character. Lila the dragon is awesome and so is Maks. Hopefully the storyline and imagination and action remains at this level so I will want to read all the books.
3 reviews
January 12, 2022
Desert cursed

Awful start , l almost returned the books. I seldom quit, and thankful I live up to my reputation as stubborn . The story and characters are spellbinding and terrific.. I am looking forward to more of this wonderful adventure.
Profile Image for Georgene.
1,291 reviews48 followers
February 1, 2022
This is the first 3 books in a series. The
first one was boring. The second and third ones were pretty good. I'm uncertain if I will continue with the rest of the series. It will depend on what other books I find to read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews

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