Reviewed by Nino Lobiladze for Readers' Favorite

Willa Overholt is a single mother of two children, Finn and Dara. Eager to get a law degree, she is overloaded with work and studies. The children's grandmother, Iris, adores Finn and Dara and takes care of them, although Willa hasn't seen their father, Paul, since their brief encounter that got her pregnant with the twins. Iris often tells the kids fairytales and warned them never to step inside a ring of toadstools or fae would abduct them. One day, shortly before Halloween, Willa went to bed early and felt she had forgotten something important but couldn't fight off sleep until the smell of smoke woke her. Her house was on fire, and no one remembered her kids, whom Willa couldn't find. To her shock, Willa discovers that the children are in the Green Lands, the realm of the fae, and that she possesses an unusual power. With the help of her neighbor, Shane, a half-blood fae, she goes to the Green Lands, where she befriends a goblin prince and tries everything to save her children. Blood Witch Dragon by K. Panikian, the first book of the Dragon Fae series, is a treat for fans of the fantasy genre.

In Blood Witch Dragon, a captivating tale of self-discovery, motherly love, right choices, and the value of friendship, K. Panikian shows the fantasy world from a unique angle. Blood Witch Dragon is about an ordinary (or she thinks so) woman devastated by the loss of her children. She is scared but determined to bring them back from the world she knows about only from the fairytales. Blood Witch Dragon excitingly combines the features of epic, urban, and dark fantasy and puts a mother at the center of the story. Willa is an amazing character. Being at a complete loss when she gets to the Green Lands for the first time, she risks her life to save a young goblin. It's the beginning of a remarkable friendship with Kalo, the goblin prince, who becomes her mentor to share that, among other treasures, knowledge is the true one. I liked following Willa's inner and outer metamorphosis as the narrative unfolded. K. Panikian builds a breathtaking fantasy world with impressive imagery where a highly poisonous cave wyrm can become a cherished pet. A strong plotline and a dramatic conclusion make Blood Witch Dragon a persuasive start to a promising series.