Faeborne

A Novel of the Otherworld, The Otherworld Series, Volume 9

Fiction - Paranormal
394 Pages
Reviewed on 05/10/2016
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

Jenna Elizabeth Johnson is a best-selling, multi-award winning author of Fantasy and Young Adult Paranormal Romance. Jenna grew up and still resides on the Central Coast of California, a place she finds as magical and enchanting as the worlds she creates.

Jenna received a BA in Art Practice with a minor in Celtic Studies from the University of California at Berkeley. It was during her time in college that she decided to begin her first novel, The Legend of Oescienne - The Finding. Reading such works as Beowulf, The Mabinogi and The Second Battle of Maige Tuired in her Scandinavian and Celtic Studies courses finally inspired her to start writing down her own tales of adventure and fantasy.

Jenna also enjoys creating the many images and maps for her various worlds. Besides writing and drawing, she is often found reading, gardening, camping, hiking, bird watching, and practicing long sword fighting and archery using a long bow. She also loves getting feedback from readers, so feel free to send her a message any time.

Jenna Elizabeth Johnson is currently working on the fourth book of her Oescienne series, as well as more novels and novellas in the Otherworld series, and any other book ideas that might come to her along the way. For more on the author and her books, and for contact information and to sign up for the author's newsletter, visit: www.jennaelizabethjohnson.com or send an email to: authorjejohnson@gmail.com

    Book Review

Reviewed by Ray Simmons for Readers' Favorite

I loved Faeborne by Jenna Elisabeth Johnson. It is full of magic, romance, and mystery. Attention to detail is one of the key elements that can take a book from the so-so ranks and send it up the charts to bestseller. The attention to the details of this fabled mystical land is just one of the elements of a great book that Jenna Elisabeth Johnson does very well. Not only the details of magic and glamour, but also the details of everyday life combine to draw us into Faeborne and compel us to keep reading. I honestly didn’t want to put it down. Another key component of any good book is the characters. Faeborne excels in this area also. Brennen, Seren, Rori, they all come to life. You care about their lives and what will happen to them. Without this element, a book may still be good, but with this element a book can be great. Faeborne is great.

My old drill sergeant used to always tell us new recruits “pain purifies.” These are characters with a lot of pain in their lives, characters who face a great foe and many personal hardships. This makes for a great story with a compelling plot line. Jenna Elisabeth Johnson makes a very smart creative choice by throwing in a lot of vocabulary with an archaic Gaelic feel. Just one more example of her mastery of the elements of successful fiction that draw you deep into Faeborne. There is no greater attraction to me than great characters facing a powerful foe. If you love romance, action, magic, and great writing, do yourself a favor and buy Faeborne today.

K.C. Finn

Faeborne: A Novel of the Otherworld is a paranormal fantasy novel by author Jenna Elizabeth Johnson, and the ninth volume in the Otherworld series. This story can be treated as a stand alone tale and features two central protagonists from different parts of the Otherworld. Brennon Roarke is our hero, a young man torn from his family into servitude, only to find they have been brutally murdered before he can return to them. He believes he is cursed by darkness, and is fearful that this darkness will consume him one day. Alongside Brenn is Seren, our heroine, who has flown from her community where she was persecuted for her incredible magical gifts. When Brenn mistakenly shoots Seren as she takes the form of a deer, this pair of unfortunate souls is drawn together.

I sincerely enjoyed Faeborne: A Novel of the Otherworld. Jenna Elizabeth Johnson’s world building is superb, creating a rich and dense atmosphere of intrigue and a world which feels real to its readers. The tribes, lore, and legends of the people of the world mix with intricate and well thought out magical systems to explain the hardship and pain that our central characters have gone through. Brennon is a dark anti-hero figure striving for good against all odds, whilst Seren’s persecution makes her wary of trusting those new people that she meets. The characterisation of these central heroes really makes you root for them, and their emotional journey was heartfelt and enthralling. Highly recommended.

Romuald Dzemo

Faeborne: A Novel of the Otherworld (The Otherworld Series) by Jenna Elizabeth Johnson is a breathtaking, magical tale that will captivate the hearts of fans of paranormal. The Faelorehn Brennon Roarke is a cursed man who has been abused in unimaginable ways, deprived of the joy of family at the age of sixteen. As though being enslaved to the Celtic Goddess of War wasn’t enough to break his soul, they have killed his parents and sister, and left his nephew blind.

No one accepts Seren in her community, but her mother. And when she uses her gift to transform into a doe and flee to live in freedom, she meets Roarke in the most unusual of circumstances. Unknowingly, Roarke has been hunting her and when he hurts her, he knows he can’t just leave her there. But what will it cost him to keep her in his place? Thus begins a riveting tale that will keep the hearts of readers pounding until they turn the last page.

Jenna Elizabeth Johnson is a master storyteller and her prose is as enticing as though it were wrought with magic, laced with powerful and vivid descriptions that will conjure powerful images in the minds of readers. The main characters are easy to sympathize with --- broken, wounded deep, and seeking redemption. It’s thrilling to watch them as they rise. The story is fraught with manifold twists and surprises that enhance the overall beauty of this page-turner. This is one of those books that is hard to put down, dark in a gorgeous kind of way, and irresistible in its charm. The very names of the characters have a tinge of magic to them. Faeborne: A Novel of the Otherworld (The Otherworld Series) will undoubtedly transport readers into a magical world where they will want to linger longer than necessary. It is seductively beautiful.

Kerliza Foon

Faeborne by Jenna Elizabeth Johnson is a tale of magic and romance. Brennon Roarke and Seren are Fae with rare glamour (magical abilities) that make them feared and envied by their peers. Brennon's mind control ability was brought to the attention of Morrigan, the goddess of war and strife, leading him to be taken from his home and forced into slavery. He managed to escape, but only in time to save his last remaining family member, his nephew, Riordan "Rori" O'Faolain. Seren grew up being bullied by other Fae children, for her late blooming abilities and, even then, she kept her gift a secret. Until one day, deciding she has had enough, she reveals her gift and is almost murdered for it. She escapes, changing into a doe and running for her life. This causes her to cross paths with Brennon. Wary and mistrustful of each other, Brennon and Seren are brought together by fate and must learn to love and trust one another if they are ever to find peace and happiness. Can they do it? Or will their fear of others keep them apart?

This book was an interesting read. This book is a stand alone in the Other World series by Jenna Elizabeth Johnson. Although I have read other books mentioning Fae and the Tuatha Dé Danann (the tribes of the goddess Danu, Irish mythology), there were still some words that I was unfamiliar with. If you have not read any books with Fae, I suggest you look it up to at least familiarize yourself with the concepts before picking up this book. I am a big fan of reading novels in which the hero and heroine must overcome their past so that they can be together. This book had that and more. The family element also added another dimension to the story, giving readers another aspect of the characters. This novel showcased true friendship and love. Despite the characters' circumstances growing up, they managed to be kindhearted and respectful. I recommend this book to those who love to see characters rise up against their circumstances and change their expected outcomes.

Melinda Hills

Brennon Roarke and Seren are two people fighting their own demons until an amazing chance meeting brings them together in Faeborne: A Novel of the Otherworld by Jenna Elizabeth Johnson. Fleeing from the tribe members who have tormented her all of her life, Seren runs through the woods of Ardun in her magical form as a deer until an arrow from Brennon’s bow finds her. Brennon is astounded when he tracks his prey and finds a beautiful young woman with an arrow through her shoulder. Taking her home and restoring her to health, Brennon discovers that there is more to Seren than simply being from the Fahndi tribe of the Weald, a faraway magical forest. In return, Seren senses a deep pain within Brennon that consumes him as he struggles to protect his nephew from the grasp of the goddess of war and the greed of a local Druid priest. Can two people who have learned to not trust others put aside their fears and work together to survive the grasp of evil that threatens to destroy them and the young boy they both love and care for?

Strongly developed characters, a deep story line and tremendous action mark this excellent story of the ancient power of the gods and even stronger power of love. Entertaining and heartwarming, the author brings this magical world to life with realism and tremendous depth. Even though this is Volume 9 of The Otherworld Series, Faeborne by Jenna Elizabeth Johnson stands on its own with total clarity and offers a wonderful reading experience. Without leaving you feeling as though you are missing something, this volume is complete in itself, but provides a wonderful introduction to the Otherworld so that you are sure to want to explore the other books in the series.