Strange Brews (Dragonfly Saga, #1) by Stobie Piel

Strange Brews (Dragonfly Saga, #1) Reviews

• 
  TINNGG

  This book brought to mind an online conversation I read once regarding Fantasy pre-Tolkien and post-Tolkien. Someone essentially stated that after LOTR was released, it became very hard to find fantasy that didn't show Tolkien influence.
  
  It was there. Subtle, but there (unlike a v. popular 5 book series about a flying cat/dragon shifter couple, whereupon the author pretty much lifted dialog between Galadrial and Frodo and plopped it on a page). Since it was subtle - things like a seaport named Amon-dhen (Amon-Hen was an abandoned outpost the 9 stopped at briefly) - I mostly ignored it.
  
  So the H and the h were both orphan Mage children who received their training from the same old Mage. And, the H reacted to the h like a well, adolescent male who doesn't understand why he feels drawn to a female (being too young to know about hormones), so he acts out - as a pest. The h reacted as pretty much any strong-willed little girl would - by seeking revenge any way she could.
  
  Now they're grown up, and both are attracted to the other but a lifetime of rivalry and schoolyard hijinx is a little hard to get past. So she attempts to make him forget - with a potion - and he switches goblets. Heh, doesn't take long for him to actually start fearing that she WILL regain her memory. At some point she does figure out their relationship and is majorly pissed. They go on a quest, he gets to know her a lot better (yes; that way too) and figures out just how much of a jackass he's been all these years. The quest is successful, they come back, she creates a potion to regain her memory, they get shanghaied into becoming the king and queen, the end.
• 
  Linda C

  Eliana Daere invites her Mage rival to a meeting and offers him a 'Wine of Truce'. Damir ap Kora does not trust Eliana who is constantly creating mischief with her potions. He switches the goblets and Eliana falls under her own spell which causes her to lose her memory. Damir takes her to his home and when she wakes tells her she is his wife. He finds he likes this new Eliana, but feels guilty for his plotting. Eliana's mischief has caused her to be feared by many of the locals, who also think she has a Norsk lover. Since the Norsk are threatening invasion she has few friends. There is also a threat from the dark side of magic. Someone is trying to revive an evil Mage using Eliana as bait. There is some humor and a bit of adventure in this fantasy. Think I'll look for the second volume.
• 
  D. Domain

  It was ok, but nothing spectacular.
  
  "Brews" started out pretty interesting, but lost something along the way....or more accurately, it waxed and waned. Some parts I was really into, other parts not so much. One major drawback for me was that the Hero and Heroine seemed to have the same argument over and over again. Their relationship didn't progress normally with them tackling new problems/ issues and growing continuous closer but rather jumped around abruptly from bliss to misery every other chapter with the same old issue that never gets resolve but merely festers. I put the book down at least once before finishing it.
• 
  Brooklynn N. Gibbs

  The thing I loved most about this book was that it has so much emotion in it. It was more a love story than a "fighting" book, but it was balanced with hardships and humorous situations. The world was beautiful, and the people equally captivating. Strange Brews is the perfect complement to any fantasy romance collection. And the second book was just as good, if not better!
• 
  Paige

  This is a great story if you seem to always butt heads with your significant other. While the two main characters spend most of their time fighting the attraction between themselves they must also fight an old enemy that wants to regain control.