A Cozy Little Fantasy

In the last post, I talked about some books I loved that were on the dark side. Ones that slap your emotions around for awhile.

However, sometimes I also want to just curl up with a story where I'm not worried that someone's getting tortured in the next room. A nice, cozy read where you don't need to leave the lights on at night.

Dragons of Wendal by Maria E. Schneider

I was first introduced to Zoe in the short Snitched, Snatched. I really enjoyed that story and I admit to pestering sending a note to the author that if she had time to write more in this world I would love to read it.

In Dragons, Zoe is off to mage school but it is not turning out like she hoped. She hasn't learned any magic, except for what she's taught herself from books "borrowed" from the forbidden library. In the course of her illicit study, she witnesses the abduction of a fellow student. As much as Zoe would prefer the easier life of not getting involved, that really isn't her way.

Soon she's off  with her roomate with a suspiscious link to the abductee and a seer on another adventure. She'll encounter mages, court conspiracies, shapeshifters and her disastrous cousin Lonnie. There's also a bit of romance.

Magic in Schneider's books is always very practical and the system is well thought out with consequences of using power. Some of the rune explanations were a little tough for me to follow, but that was just a tiny part.

A good one for those wanting a lighter, less violent fantasy read.

[I received an ARC of this to review.]