Librarian Lenna's Arc Book #1
Steampunk, Fiction, Fantasy
Moon Rabbit Pubishing
May 11, 2014
Kindle
431
Amazon
Reviewed by Linda Tonis
Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team
Twenty-two-year-old Lenna Faircloth lives with her dad who is a clockworks craftsman and she is a junior librarian. She lives a quiet life and books are her passion over anything else. Jeffer Scalla is the senior librarian and a man who has no redeeming qualities. Her only way to get even with him is by eating pickled eggs each morning which drives him crazy and puts a smile on Lenna’s face.
Lenna is beyond excited over the upcoming arrival of texts from the Blue Crescent Brotherhood. Most ancient documents were destroyed during the God War and thanks to her childhood friend Gilbert Hovey the library in Port Hollish has been awarded the first to display these documents. One delay after another has made Lenna anxious and when she is notified that they will be coming at night she convinces Jeffer to allow her to stay alone in the library. The books don’t arrive but her childhood friend Gilbert does.
Gilbert’s arrival with an apprentice, Luc is both a surprise and a mystery and Lenna will find herself involved in a situation she is not prepared for. Gilbert asks Lenna for help in getting out of town and she is suspicious but when her mother died it was Gilbert who stood by her and a promise was made by the two of them to always be there for each other so refusing him help was out of the question. Gilbert is a mage; Luc is his apprentice and Gilbert sensed that Lenna had magic and helped her to use it. Luc on the other hand resented her and hated the fact that Gil would help a woman learn magic.
Gilbert reveals the real reason the texts were assigned to her library and the real reason he has shown up needing help. Gilbert and Luc are considered traitors by the Brotherhood for stealing something of great value and her father is convinced she needs to leave with them. Now aware of the stolen jewel and the fact that it is powerful and dangerous Lenna is in as much danger as her childhood friend. Her father suggests that she go to her mother’s people at Granemere Settlement. Her mother was a Freewoman and all her life tried to train Lenna but Lenna just wanted to immerse herself in books and not learn to fight, now she is heading to the place she never wanted to hear about.
The Freewomen of Laur were once slaves and when freed they made their own settlements and are ready, willing and able to defend themselves. Lenna has found herself involved in a situation she was never prepared for. She has learned to use some of her magic abilities and has found herself responsible for the stone which has bonded with her. She finds herself a target for anyone familiar with the stone and even the mayor of Granemere has sent her on a mission with a young Free oman named Pim.
Betrayal, lies, secrets, magic and political intrigue are all going to rear their ugly heads while Lenna tries to survive it all. This is just the beginning of Lenna’s journey and my only criticism is that the book was slow moving at times but I look forward to the second book in the series and hope the author will shorten the story and increase the suspense.