Sterling (Mageri Series: Book 1) [Kindle Edition]

Dannika Dark (Author)

Book Description

URBAN FANTASY ROMANCE SERIES
"A scar will always mark you, but never let it define you."
Book 1

Zoë Merrick lived an ordinary life until late one night, she was brutally attacked and left for dead.

She survived, saved by a stranger who witnessed her undergo a physical transformation. That's not the only thing that's different. Zoë is unable to control an unexplainable energy coursing through her body.

Justus De Gradi is a man who can teach her that control. He's handsome, arrogant, and not entirely human. He reveals that she is a Mage - an immortal made of light, not magic. She must now make a choice: Rebuild her life in the human world with the man who saved her, or live with Justus and learn how to use her extraordinary gifts. Justus has sworn an oath to protect her life, but can he guard her from the one man who has a right to claim it?

Zoë learns the price of freedom...
and the value of loyalty.

(Due to sexual content and language, this series is recommended for 17+)

"STERLING" is a dark urban fantasy with an evolving storyline. Approximately 94,000 words. The sequels have become immediate reader favorites, combining Urban Fantasy with Romance, and Reality with Fantasy.

MAGERI SERIES READING ORDER:
Book 1 - Sterling (Mageri Series: Book 1)
Book 2 - Twist (Mageri Series: Book 2)
Book 3 - Impulse (Mageri Series: Book 3)
Book 4 - Gravity (May 17, 2013)
Book 5 - Late 2013

OTHER BOOKS:
Closer: A Novella

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Sterling was fresh, humorous, and gripping. One of the most balanced stories in terms of darkness, action, romance, and humor that I've read in a long time. I couldn't put it down and was reaching for the sequel as soon as I finished it. Sterling is a GraveTells Must Read!"
- Grave Tells

"These are the best to-date reads for 2012! Love her style. I hope she writes until forever."
- Tamara Rose Blodgett - New York Times Bestselling Author

"Ms. Dark did and amazing job with this, her debut novel. I am so impressed with the level of creative thought that went into crafting the world of the Mageri. This is a departure from, vampires, werewolves, zombies and the like."
- Pure Textuality

"Dannika throws the reader into her unique fantasy world where literally everything you thought you knew is thrown out the door and reinvented in a smart new way.... The world is fresh, unique and compelling"
- Literal Addiction"

"It stands on its own because the story is very original."
- My Para-Hangover

* * * * * * * * * *

TWIST (BOOK 2)
Selected as the READER'S FAVORITE & REVIEWER TOP PICK on GraveTells
"I recommend it to all readers who love strong female protagonists, some magic, a lot of excitement and a splash of romance."
- Unconventional Bookviews

IMPULSE (BOOK 3)
"Dannika Dark balances the action and mystery of a traditional UF with a romantic storyline featuring a hero that if HE doesn't make your toes curl, I need to check you for a pulse."
- My ParaHangover

GRAVITY (BOOK 4) - NEW RELEASE!
"This by far is the most emotional of them all. Dannika took a simple story about a girl who was changed into an immortal being and turned this into something much bigger."
- The Book Diaries

Product Details

• File Size: 592 KB
• Print Length: 278 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B005LHI8K6
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,271 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
  • #86 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Romance > New Adult & College

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

77 of 81 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars The description does not do this book justice! November 17, 2011

By Enter the Portal

Format:Kindle Edition

Zoe Merrick is an average Jane. She lives with her cat, just got out of a bad relationship, and her best friend is gorgeous, leaving her feeling slightly less than perky. But on her way home from a girls night out, Zoe's average life ends with a brutal attack and she's thrust into a new and confusing existence.

It begins when she wakes up in a body bag covered in blood. Then she goes through physical changes: she grows taller, her eyes turn green, and her copper hair turns black and glossy. Luckily her rescuer, Adam, has a protective instinct and a strong stomach as he takes it all in stride and helps her without question...until Justus arrives and reveals the truth: Zoe has been transformed into a Mage, a Breed that can control energy and manipulate it based on individual gifts. Usually, a Mage is made by special selection and it is an honor to be chosen, but Zoe is unique in that she did not choose to be Mage. Her Creator attacked and left her for dead. Without a Creator, Zoe is left vulnerable to other Mage until she has enough power and control to protect herself. Justus takes her under his wing, becoming her Ghaurdian until her Creator comes to claim her, a Creator's right by Mage law, and he can do whatever he wants with her.

I didn't have high expectations for STERLING based on the original description, but I was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed every minute of it. I can't wait for the sequel!

Characters: **** 4 Stars
The beginning of the novel was a little rough in the character development arena. After being attacked, Zoe is rescued by Adam, a handsome former soldier who watches over her while she sleeps and her body physically transforms. The problem I had was how quickly Adam takes it all in stride and Zoe feels comfortable around him. I'm sure, had it been me, I would have been terrified, not knowing how who this strange man was, whether he might be connected to the attack, or how I got to his apartment. Yet as soon as she's fed they're best friends. Similarly, when Justus arrives on scene, he's antagonistic and angry, yet Zoe manages to trust him really quickly.

That being said, as the novel progressed, the characters really grew on me and I ended up loving them all. Zoe is strong and resilient, indomitable yet also vulnerable. Adam is protective and has a truly generous heart. Justus is also protective, but more chivalrous and old-fashioned. Simon, introduced later in the story, is sexy and funny, using his rockstar appearance to hide a kind soul. I did think it was a little much to have three protective men guarding over her (and no other women), but they all had distinct personalities and served different roles in Zoe's new life.

Plot: **** 4 Stars
The pacing of STERLING was perfect, the plot complex enough to be interesting, and the world-building nicely done. I've knocked off a star because the beginning of the novel suffered from some abrupt time shifts that skipped too much potential character development. However, I could not have asked for a better ending! It was climactic and action packed, building the danger to a perfect pitch before resolving with a happy conclusion. The story was complete in itself, but the real "Big Bad" was left for Zoe to deal with in later installments. I only wish the second book in the series was already available!

Setting: ***** 5 Stars
I was able to visualize Zoe's surroundings in almost every scene, but the description wasn't overly heavy or obnoxious. I lost myself in her world, never skipping a paragraph to move onto the next bit of dialogue or action.

Romance: *** 3 Stars
With three male protectors, all of whom seem interested in her, it was hard to know who to root for, and apparently Zoe didn't know either. Adam is fantastic in the beginning, and I was drawn to him, hoping that he would somehow manage to overcome the obstacle of her new abilities (unable to safely interact with him when she's in a...ahem...high emotional state). But then Justus turns out to be a really great guy, just awkward and unsure of how to behave around Zoe, particularly since she's his student. And Simon was a lot of fun, but I felt like he managed to wiggle his way into her life too quickly. There's a lot of potential for a love...pyramid? square?...anyway, there's a lot of potential with any of the three men, but nothing was accomplished and I felt like I was left hanging in the wind, waiting for one of them to make a move (one that wouldn't involve anyone getting physically hurt, anyway).

Genre - Contemporary Fantasy: ***** 5 Stars
STERLING is a unique take on a current trend, and I loved it. The fact that Mage aren't sorcerers and don't perform magic, but manipulate energy was interesting and a fun twist (I haven't seen too many elementals recently). Plus the modern day setting with some centuries-old protectors, with dark action and high stakes, made this a fantastically fun story. It was worth every penny, and then some!

(In fact, with a few revisions to the first few chapters, and a better description on Amazon, I would have gladly forked over a few extra dollars!)

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Dannika Dark's writing is laugh out loud amusing. November 10, 2011

By The Book Runner TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I had to buy this after reading the most hilarious opening paragraph, "A black panther lapped his rough tongue across my cheek. Max wasn't actually a panther, just a house cat with a massive ego. When the only tongue you are getting is from your cat....it is time to get out more."

Dannika Dark can write sarcasm and some really great descriptions. I was continually reading funny lines out loud to the girls because they wanted to know why I was laughing out loud. I LOVE the way Dannika Dark writes except for her profanity ("F" word, GD and MF). Other than that, the story is amusing and full of fun and exciting action scenes.

Zoe is attacked and turned into a Breed. Adam discovers her and helps her because he is good and kind, but he is not a Breed and cannot handle her power in a romantic way. Justus finds Zoe in a bar and sees that she is untrained and unclaimed by her maker. He offers to help her and although she doesn't want to leave Adam, she does want to learn to control her power and not fall into her creators hands again. Justus has a friend, Simon who explains to Zoe many things about the Breed that Justus has kept a mystery while training her. All three men are very protective and attracted to Zoe and she likes them all too. I kept wanting her to pick one and decide he was the one for her, but that never happened and it was a little weird having her "be" with them. Unrealistically, these "alpha" males did not battle each other for her affections or even try to be the only guy in her life. They "shared"(Yuk) her.

The writing was great, the story fascinating, the romance - weird and the characters interesting. It was a great diversion for .99; especially Dannika Dark's style of writing - really amusing. She is funny and expressive.

Would I/Did I buy it? Yes (.99)
Would I read it again? Yes
Would I recommend it to friends? Yes, older adults for profanity and sex.

94 of 124 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Did anyone bother to read this book before they published it? October 13, 2011

By Alextraordinaire

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I liked the characters. I liked the world. I liked the story. However, the terrible spelling mistakes, disjointed writing and the horrendous grammar spoiled it for me. There were such basic mistakes in this book that I couldn't help thinking it was a rush job. I wouldn't mind reading a follow-up to this story but PLEASE, do some proper editing and spellchecking before it's published.

More About the Author

Voted Aug. 2012 Readers' Choice Favorite Author on GraveTells. Dannika Dark was born on a military base in the U.S. and traveled the world in her childhood. Now she is rooted in the south, but her head is planted firmly in the clouds. When she is not writing, Danni enjoys a great sci-fi or fantasy movie, heaps of chocolate, and unleashing her dark side.

The Mageri series is an exciting adult urban fantasy blend with paranormal romance following the journey of a young woman's claim to immortality...and her own identity. Dark, unique, and full of unpredictable twists, the Mageri series provides an original spin to an old concept. Sometimes ordinary people are destined to lead extraordinary lives.


MAGERI SERIES:
Book 1 - Sterling
Book 2 - Twist
Book 3 - Impulse
Book 4 - Gravity (May 17, 2013)
Book 5 - Untitled (late 2013)

NOVELLA
Closer

FACEBOOK/BLOG:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dannika-Dark-official/148451945238628
http://dannikadark.blogspot.com/

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#25 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Fantasy

#31 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy

#31 in Books > Romance > Fantasy & Futuristic

#56 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy

#25 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Fantasy

#31 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy

#31 in Books > Romance > Fantasy & Futuristic

#56 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy