Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Golden Healer, Dark Enchantress by Christine E. Schulze

Description:


He leaned his head close to my ear and whispered, "Are you afraid?"

Chrystine had had more reason than any other time of her life, even when facing one of the rampages of her drunken father. But she wasn't afraid. And that was odd, because although Aaryn, the person asking her that question, was her best friend, he was also a vampire. In fact, she was surrounded by hundreds of vampires.

But they weren't your typical vampires. They were Stregoni Benefici, the good kind. Nor was Chrystine your typical elf. She was the Golden Healer, and she alone could save the Stregoni Benefici from the Dark Enchantress. But can Chrystine figure out the Dark Enchantress' secret and defeat the evil vampires without destroying the good ones as well, without destroying Aaryn? Can Chrystine unravel the dark secret Aaryn keeps so carefully guarded and show him that by choosing to serve good instead of evil, he is still capable of being loved and his past is forgiven?

Find out as you read for yourself the story of the first vampire.



My Review:


My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Chrystine is an elf with the golden thumb and golden toe. This means she is the ultimate natural healer. Aaryn is a fairy who was turned into a vampire a thousand years ago. And for those thousand years, he has been waiting for Chrystine, for only Chrystine can save all the Stregoni Benefici (the good vampires) by destroying the curse upon all vampires and by ending the reign of the dark enchantress that cursed them. Will she be able to save Aaryn, even though ending the curse could mean his death?


So, let me introduce you to the first novel about a Christian vampire. These vampires aren’t dead, they are merely cursed to be cold for eternity, sparkle the color of their eyes in the rain, sunshine, firelight, etc, and to need blood. The Stegoni Benefici have been living off an elixir made of special herbs that curbs the need for blood. Set in both our world (where magical beings are common every day creatures, and there are even schools and classes for them) and another world called Lamialle, it is easy to see how this could be true. If not for it being mentioned that Chrystine is an elf, you would think that this is a story about how an average girl can change the world(s).


Chrystine is a great healer and an elf, but she is a normal girl. Even she has problems. Her father is drunk and is becoming increasingly abusive. She has one friend who is in love with every boy, while the other friend hates boys and any relationships with them. She takes classes at the local college. And she loves Aaryn.


I love how Aaryn keeps asking Chrystine if she is afraid. Hmm… Like any person in a relationship, there is fear, but he is asking about a deeper fear. A fear of him being a vampire. A fear about what he could do to her. A fear about what he knows about himself. A fear about what she was born to do. But she keeps answering with no, she isn’t afraid, even without knowing the whole truth.


This novel almost reminded me of the Chronicles of Narnia: Evil witch, brave girl from earth, a whole other world/dimension that must be saved. But it still has its own elements that set it apart. Ms. Schulze makes sure to make her story unique in how she portrays her characters. She also puts her own spin on creatures like vampires, incubi, elves, and so on.


I can definitely tell you Ms. Schulze loves and cherishes her friends, as all of her characters are named from the friends she mentioned in her dedication. I think that this makes the book special on a level that shows that she couldn’t imagine going on any adventure without her friends, including writing this novel.


Highly recommend, and looking forward to reading more by Ms. Schulze.




Happy Reading!


Cana

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