Book Review: Seeking a Scribe by Marsha A. Moore

This is an 'enchanted' world and a fun, action-packed adventure.
Seeking a Scribe: Enchanted Bookstore Legend One (Enchanted Bookstore Legends)

by Marcia A. Moore

• File Size: 494 KB
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
• Language: English
• ASIN: B007JVYSSI

Genre: Fantasy Romance
My Rating:  4.25 of 5.0

Book Description

Publication Date: March 12, 2012

Lyra McCauley is a writer and loves fantasy novels, but until she opens a selection from bookstore owner Cullen Drake, she has no idea he’s a wizard character who lives a double life inside that volume…or the story’s magic will compel her from the edge of depression to adventure, danger, and love.

His gift to Lyra, the Book of Dragonspeir, was actually her copy, misplaced years ago. Lost in her pain following divorce and death, she fails to recognize him as her childhood playmate from the fantasyland. Friendship builds anew. Attraction sparks. But Lyra doubts whether a wizard is capable of love. She’s torn—should she protect her fragile heart or risk new love?

Opening the book’s cover, she confronts a quest: save Dragonspeir from destruction by the Black Dragon before he utilizes power of August’s red moon to expand his strength and overthrow the opposing Imperial Dragon. Lyra accepts the challenge, fearing Cullen will perish if evil wins. Along with magical animal guides, Cullen helps her through many perils, but ultimately Lyra must use her own power…and time is running out.

Review:

Lyra returns to her home town for the summer to help take care of her last living relative, Aunt Jean, who is going through cancer treatments. Lyra has been saddened and depressed in the past year by the death of her parents and her unhappy divorce. She hopes to find peace and quiet but soon finds adventure, danger and romance instead. Lyra plans to write a book during the summer... and has no idea how true that will be. I liked how Ms. Moore used Lyra’s efforts to write a book to merge into her adventure as a scribe for the magical world of Dragonspeir.

Lyra walks into a ‘new’ bookstore in town and meets Cullen Drake who seems familiar to her. Cullen claims to have a special book for her and it turns out to be her own childhood journal of magical, enchanted visits made 25 years before. Now Cullen asks her to open the book again and step through to Dragonspeir where she has a special quest to save the realm from the evil Black Dragon. She must journey to meet the Black Dragon, write her experiences and have one person read the story before the deadline of the Red Moon.

There are wonderful friends with magical abilities: owls, deer, squirrels, fairy sprites, talking tree guardians and many more. There are also some strange friends and associates who Lyra isn’t sure can be trusted. Of course there are fearsome enemies too including sea monsters, poisonous dragons and other creatures with glowing eyes in the dark.

I loved the band that helps Lyra on her quest and I especially like the pseudodragon, Noba, and the dragon hatchling, Yasqu. They are sweet and playful. I want my own pet dragon!!  I’d love to read more of Noba and Yasqu. And I liked Sheridan too, the cicada in Drake’s bookstore who put Lyra off by his rather brash and leering introduction.

The story moves along at a good pace for the most part. There is a slower section near the end where Lyra deals with a death, funeral and grief. I at first wondered what this added but then thought it has a two-fold purpose. It shows that life in the “real world” goes on and must be dealt with. Also, it gave reason for grief that could distract Lyra and cause her to struggle to get the story written within the deadline.

Throughout the adventure Lyra and Cullen grow together in caring and sensual attraction. I liked that both the wizard and Lyra were shown with frailties that they had to overcome. There is a bit of repetition of Lyra’s longings to have a life with Cullen and wondering if it is possible. I thought the kissing scenes to be a bit amateurish, or perhaps I just found them awkward in what would otherwise be a wonderful story for young folks. In my thinking the sexual intimacy could have been left to the imagination and the reading base for the story would have been expanded.

Ms. Moore has created a marvelous, lush, magical, visual feast. I have to admit that the story of evil threatening to overtake the good in the magical land reminded me a bit of The Neverending Story due to its rich descriptions and fantastical creatures. But this is a wonderful, imaginative story of its own merit. Although this story had closure, there are several mysteries remaining for more adventure including secrets of Lyra’s heritage and more threats by the Black Dragon.   I recommend this story to those who love magical worlds of adventure but caution that not all scenes are appropriate for younger readers.

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An example of the fine descriptions:

The light wind twirled the foliage around and caused it to whistle softly. The shade and breeze refreshed the exposed skin of Lyra’s face and shoulders, overly warm from the hike.
“That’s a lovely chorus with each leaf playing a different note,” she said.  Location 550.

Finding the dragon baby in her computer document:

Closer inspection revealed the beast to be a dragon, covered in small, translucent, glodenbrown scales with a row of now white spines along its neck, back and tail. It shimmered with a haze of gold. Location 988.

Thank you to the author and Bewitching Blog Tour for the book to read and review. Don't miss the author's guest post and the Giveaway link at the bottom of that post.

Read the author guest post with a link to Giveaway at the end. 
Find the full blog tour list here or at Bewitching Book Tours post HERE.