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We all imagine escaping into new worlds, but how challenging would it really be to survive? What if you were dragged through a gateway into a place filled with magic…and you had none?

On Midsummer’s Eve, Isabella Mackay finds herself pulled through the Anahera Gate into the archipelago of Hjaltland, a world of scented magic, chaotic storms and competing goddesses. Unable to understand the language, ignorant of its cultures and completely devoid of magic, she struggles to find her own path to freedom and safety.

This might be a little easier if she wasn’t shackled to the sardonic Captain Bannerman upon arrival and hauled over a mountain. He has a job to do, and she is determined to stop him from doing it. But some fates cannot be avoided, and when they reach the great Citadel, Isabella is faced with an impossible choice: accept their bargain, or be thrown into the slave pits of Hamnavoe.

Whether it is flying waka over storm-haunted mountains, riding giant, psychic cats across the Citadel rooftops or feeding tidbits to tiny, alcoholic dragons, she is determined to survive, to forge new alliances and thwart her oppressors. Will Isabella make her way through it, back to our world? And will she even want to?

i'm really excited to start this one!

i might have to switch to the audio. i know it takes place in Scotland but the way the author has written the dialogue, i keep "hearing" Jamaican 😆

Ch.1-2 ok a lot has happened in a hot minute (view spoiler)[ i was initially nervous about the dialect portrayed in the first chapter but luckily that is behind us because they have already been sucked into this other dimension/world. i like in the second chapter that we get to see from both Isabella and her captor, later named as Bannerman, so we get a full scope of what's happened. Thank goodness he shot her up with those little creatures so they can communicate. i thought that was going to drag on even longer so phew. I'm curious to see why he "took on this commission" and who it's for. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[ I am struggling to get invested in this. Maybe it pays off later but there’s a lot about the journey and not much about the characters. Like I get survival mode but Isabella is pretty chill for not knowing why she is on this ship or where it’s going. Also, I’m afraid there is going to be romance with her and the Captain and right now that idea is lame to me. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

Starting this now!

Ok no this is getting interesting!

Ch.3-7 (view spoiler)[ can you imagine?! You go through all this nonsense with a scarred handsome captor just to be abandoned in a cell. Then after they gussy you up, you are semi i to their enemy? Also, this book is making me very aware of character smells. How does he smell like snow?! (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

Ch. 1-4: (view spoiler)[It's interesting that more people were pulled from different places. Also, how they smell different things when they use magic? Very interesting. Things are moving slowly, though, so I'm hoping it picks up a bit. (hide spoiler)]

Ch 5-8: (view spoiler)[I'm a little sad she didn't pick Eric, but maybe he was never an option. Though if Bryant smells like snow - then I would probably pick him too. I love snow lol. (hide spoiler)]

Kim wrote: "Ok, no, this is getting interesting!

Ch.3-7 [spoilers removed]"

I would love to know how they smell differently to her when she's human in this magical world.

Ch 9-12: (view spoiler)[Yes, okay, I figured she would have no magic in this world but what I want to know is how they smell and feel the magic. I'm also not surprised that guy tried to kill her with those flowers. He seemed really butt hurt that he wasn't picked in the offering. (hide spoiler)]

Ch 13-16: (view spoiler)[Well, I'm impressed with how she handled being captured this time around. I'm also really happy with what Eric did. I'm not happy that he's captured at the moment, but that guy deserved what he got. How dare he? (hide spoiler)]

Ch 17/Finished: (view spoiler)[Interesting that they just casually mentioned his mom is going to have her kidnapped and basically harm her, right? I'm not sure if I'll dive into the next book or not. Mostly because not a whole lot happened in this book, unless you count her being kidnapped lol. (hide spoiler)]

I totally agree with your final comments. I’m thinking it must be a big setup for the second book which will be full of action?