The Mesmerist by Claire Luana
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I absolutely devoured this book! I finished it in one setting and did not get any sleep! I loved the characters and it had great world building. This story had you second guessing yourself. I thought I had it figured out many times but boy was I wrong! I can’t wait to read more from this author!
The Mesmerist by Claire Luana
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this fantasy adventure. The story had me gripped from beginning to end and the twists and turns kept me reading all the way through. The author does an amazing job of building the characters and especially our lead character Jana.
She is a young woman who thinks she is normal but boy is she wrong. When the queen is murdered secrets come out about her abilities that were kept hidden from her.
Now she needs to find a way to learn about who she really is and what her abilities mean.
At the same time someone is killing the royal family. Jana is a suspect so she must try to work hard to prove that she is innocent.
All along she is learning that people aren’t always who they seem to be and that not everybody can be trusted. As the story twists and the plot carries on we can feel the turmoil Jana feels when people she thought she can trust betray her.
Can she prove her innocence? Will she find the murderer and stop the killings?
The Mesmerist by Claire Luana
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Brilliant stand-alone YA fantasy mystery
This was an amazing YA fantasy adventure. The interwoven mystery kept me on the edge of my seat. The world building and depth of characterisation were exceptional. I connected with Jana and was quickly swept along with her journey. This is my first book from this author and it won’t be my last. Intriguing and suspenseful I can’t recommend this book enough.
The Mesmerist by Claire Luana
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
5 Stars
I have to say that I didn’t like this story…………..
………… I absolutely LOVED it!!!!!
The Mesmerist by Claire Luana is a spellbinding fantasy that swept me up on quite the adventure. I adore all of Ms. Luana’s books and eagerly await each new release, so I was beyond excited when this new book hit my Kindle. I had very high expectations for this book because all her previous releases have been so stellar, and I am happy to report that Ms. Luana definitely delivered the goods with this wonderful book. I really can’t find the words to do this story the justice it deserves, so I will just say that I can’t recommend this story highly enough and if you are looking at reading it, run and snap up a copy and dive in, you really won’t be disappointed!
Can’t wait to see what she does next!
Happy Reading!
Thank you, Claire Luana!
Reviewed by @angelahayes
The Mesmerist by Claire Luana
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A Young Adult fantasy mystery story where the characters are well developed and there are many plots with twists and turns that keep you intrigued. The world building is rich, and the story is engaging and clever. With lies and deception, bloodshed, and magic, and much more with tangled plots in murder and mayhem. Becoming a Mesmer is going to be hard when she is trying to prove her innocence within a world that is corrupt and evil. This book is darker than the authors previous series, which adds to the mystery and intrigue. The author has left some threads unwoven which will undoubtedly lead to more books in this deadly compelling tale.
Reviewed by @jennadb
The Mesmerist by Claire Luana
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book fascinated me from seeing the cover and reading the summary until the very end! I read the summary and immediately wanted to know everything. This author does an amazing job building the world and enticing their readers to want to be there. The characterizations and their development were truly fabulous! One of my favorite parts of reading any book is watching the relationships between the characters grow and change, and this author did a marvelous job drawing me in from word one!
The Mesmerist by Claire Luana
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book checked every box for me. I loved the writing, the characters, the fast pace and all of the drama! I couldn’t help but speed through this book.
Adrijana Mironacht had often dreams of visiting the capital city and seeing the palace, but rarely do dreams meet reality. Dazzled by her surroundings, she can’t understand her fathers reluctance to stay until she ends up in the dungeon. Her father must then explain to Adrijana that she is a Mesmerist, one who can read and manipulate others’ minds.
With each new intrigue, Adrajana is determined to find the truth of what is going on and clear her own name. Get this book, you will not be disappointed!
The Mesmerist by Claire Luana
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is my first book by Claire Luana. I absolutely loved this story. There are so many twists and turns. The plot is also amazing. I fell in love after the first few pages. I normally wouldn’t read something like this, but I am so glad that I did because it is such a perfect story. I highly recommend!
The Mesmerist by Claire Luana
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Holy cow Batman! This book definitely pulled me in from the first chapter! Just when you think you and Adrjiana have it all figured out, the author throws a curveball and everything you thought you knew was completely and totally wrong and now you have to question everything and anything. I enjoyed reading this fast paced book and wonderful writing. This author really knows how to pull you in. I connected with the characters and the story. I cant wait to read more by this author and see where else she takes me!
The Mesmerist by Claire Luana
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book absolutely deserves to be a New York Time’s best seller!
Adijana enters into a life she didn’t ask for when she goes to visit her best friend Simeon. Upon arriving the queen is killed. Adijana learns that she has power that may make the truth of the murderer become apparent. However, she finds herself in murky waters as she muddles through politics, deception, and her new found mystical abilities.
Claire Luana knocked it out of the park with this one! I found myself staying up until midnight and waking up at 4AM just so I could read this book. I couldn’t find the self control to put it down! Every page leaked with passion, murder, fear, and betrayal. I didn’t know who to trust or where the story would lead. The last hundred pages Claire wrapped it all up in a beautiful box and set it on our laps.
I am really sad this book is over! I wish I could read it again for the first time. I will be anxiously awaiting the second book!
The Mesmerist by Claire Luana
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I honestly do not even know where to begin. I knew I would enjoy this book from reading the synopsis, but I had no idea just how much I would enjoy it. There are twists and turns in every corner of this novel. I think my jaw dropped, at minimum, five or six times while reading it.
If you are a fantasy lover, like myself, then you will adore this book. You will also love Adrijana and the adventure she gets sucked into at 17 years old. I know I will not be able to go into detail without spoiling the book, but just trust me on this and read it.
Review by @aware
The Mesmerist by Claire Luana
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This author has done it yet again. Every time I pick up a book by this author I think there is no way she can possibly create something as good as the other books. And every time I am proven wrong! This book was absolutely brilliant. I was pulled straight into the story and could not stop reading until I had finished. I always find this authors stories to be so vivid and imaginative. I was fully invested in Adrijana’s journey and couldn’t wait to see how everything would play out.
This is such a well written and exciting story. I would highly recommend it to everyone!
The Mesmerist by Claire Luana
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The concept of this book was very interesting. The main character, Adrijana, lived a poor life with her father longing to live in the city where the royal family lived. Little did she know her wish would be granted but not in the way she thought. Adrijana was always able to see peoples emotions but she didn’t really think anything of it. When her and her father went into the city to deliver a herb to the queen, she is found to be an undeclared Mesmerist. Her powers were suppressed and she had no idea. The two royal Mesmers take her in to train her. Overnight, Adrijana’s life is turned upside down.
Someone is killing the royal family one by one and Adrijana is trying to get to the bottom of it with the help of the other two Mesmers in the royal court. Nothing is as it seems and no one can be trusted.
This book was filled with suspense and mystery with a splash of romance. I would love to look into some more works from this author. This book has for sure been my favourite read thus far in 2022.
The Mesmerist by Claire Luana
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I was unfamiliar with this author and decided to give it a chance based on the synopsis and very glad I did! The story is so captivating and engaging, the characters well written and the plot had me wanting to stay up into the late night hours reading! I appreciated how down to earth and relatable the characters are, and the growth they show throughout. Adrijana is the main focus, and the Royal Family is being targeted, one after the other. Now she has to figure out the who and the why. With the help of some magicians that can control thoughts and emotions, the story intensifies. This is one of those “I never expected to like this, but what the heck” books turned into “OMG, I LOVE THIS” and definitely not sorry to have grabbed The Mesmerist. I will be looking into more works by this author, definitely worth the chance!
Reviewed by: @zoltrixes
The Mesmerist by Claire Luana
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Firstly I love the cover in this book the colour and visual are very appealing. The royals are Adrjssian royal and are been killed off but who is doing the killing and why. There are a lot of twist and unexpected turns in this book many which has me on the Edge of my seat. Thus is a well written fantasy book. The ending I didn’t see coming
The Mesmerist by Claire Luana
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Wonderful read! Intriguing characters. Superb world building. Suspense. Danger. Masterful plot twists.
I loved the reading adventure this author took me on.
The Mesmerist by Claire Luana
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book was full of surprises! Adrijana travels with her father for the first time as he hauls his cargo of verbenia to the royal family. When the queen is pushed from the castle tower, a web of mystery, deceit, magic, unfold. Adrijana learns that she is one of the rare Mesmerists, who have the ability to read the auras of others. When the king is attacked in his bedchamber and later dies, who can Adrijana confide in about all the mysterious things going on that only a mesmerist can see.. The story will keep you guessing at who can be counted as a friend and who is lying and killing off the royal family. I highly recommend it!
Reviewed by Terri Jo McAllister
The Mesmerist by Claire Luana
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The author did a fantastic job at creating this book. The characters are intriguing and well crafted. You just want to keep turning the page to see what they go through next. This book had be hooked from page one. I never wanted to stop reading. The twists in the plot only furthered my desire to keep on reading. I have not any other books from this author, but that will not be the case for long. I cannot wait for my next read from her works. I highly recommend this book!
The Mesmerist by Claire Luana
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
We start out with our main leading lady and her father heading to the city. They are the only farmers of verbania that the queen trusts. However, her father is very eager to get in and get out of the kingdom.
This story follows Adrijana as she starts a new life path that she wasn’t even aware was something she was capable of. She is paired with the other mesmerists of the kingdom.
It was a nonstop journey and adventure of magic and trust. I finished this in one day. I look forward to anything else from this author!!
Review by @michellerenee6590
The Mesmerist by Claire Luana
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I enjoyed this suspenseful young adult story. This is not my first book by this author but it is one of my favorites. I have enjoyed this author from the first book that I picked up from her. This is a new book for this author which was hard to put down. This is a fast paced story that pulled me in from the beginning. The characters are not only connectable but I enjoyed their growth throughout. They kept the story engaging and had me wanting to know more. This is a story about a Royal family that is being picked off one by one. Now, with a mixture of lies, secrets and has Adrijana second guessing her instincts. I enjoyed her character and what she brought to the story. For me, she made the story entertaining to read. I also enjoyed the growth of the plot that kept me guessing. A great story that I highly recommend.
Review by @bjwagner
The Mesmerist by Claire Luana
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Excuse me while I scope out all her other literary works. I don’t even know where to start, to be honest. The world building gave me blinders to the real world, and I felt like I was pulled right in beside Adrijana, or Jana as she is called by her nearest and dearest. It seems like a cute little trip to the big city for her and her dad, until things quickly start falling apart, and she’s swept into a whirlwind of activity, accusations, and responsibilities that would overwhelm any 17-year-old, to be honest. The magic, and abilities of the Royal Mesmers are well thought out, crafted, and has you wanting to wish upon a star to gain some of those abilities.
The reader is lead on this adventure, second guessing everything, and personally, I had wound this great ending in my head about this novel, and this author added so many phenomenal twists and turns that I really couldn’t remember what to believe for more than a few pages. I found it very easy to connect to each of the characters that we follow, the character building well woven, and thoroughly enjoyed that there is more than one strong female character to lean on throughout this tale. I fell head over heels for a couple of the men, second guessed, and fell all over again. Trust me, you won’t want to pass up the opportunity to escape into Adrjssian. Highly recommend!
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The Mesmerist by Claire Luana – Review by
The Mesmerist by Claire Luana
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was a first time author read for me, but certainly will say it will not be my last. I loved how this book was written and put together. It kept things going, and was unlike most I had read. It was something that brought on a lot of questions in my mind, and truly had me intrigued all the way through!
I loved the murders and the mystery take on this book. Especially with the murders being of the royal court, this made the book much more interesting than other murder filled books i have read. There was a lot of twists and turns and I was guessing myself a lot as I had read through, I was kept in suspense, and trying to figure out who is in danger next. Lots of intrigue came with each passing sentence!
Personally, I loved Adrijana. She brought such a strength, that she was remarkable in so many ways. For everything she is being told fault for, it did not push her down, she got up and kept working to clear her name as well as what is going on in the court. I admired her for many reasons and I found she was a character that really made the story. Loved the person she was, and whom she became by the end.
Amazing and fun read. The suspense was real too. I loved the craftmanship of this book and the characters that surrounded it. Truly highly recommend this author, not one to passed up to say he least. Ans seriously, read this book, super high recommendation from me. It truly is a “royal” treat.
The Mesmerist by Claire Luana
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This has to have been one of the most fascinating YA books I’ve read so far this year. The characters were intriguing. Adrijana was a very strong personality to hunt down the queen’s killer. The plot flowed like a smooth river with some nice rocky twists just to keep you off balance. I find that makes for an excellent story. This was a book that pulled you in from the start and just dared you to leave. I can’t tell you much more. You have to experience it for yourself. You know you want to know. Click that button and purchase it. I believe you’ll enjoy it as much as I did. Highly recommend.
The Bear at Midnight by Lexie Conyngham
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I hadn’t read the previous books in the series but I sometimes enjoy historical mysteries so I picked this up. This book leaned more on the side of mystery and cosy mystery at that, but I also liked the setting in Scotland during the Viking era and there were lots of detailed descriptions. This is definitely a book that had me turning the pages as quickly as possible.
The Bear at Midnight by Lexie Conyngham
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The Bear at Midnight is the fourth book in the Orkneyinga Murders series. Set in Viking Scotland, this mystery centres around the appointment of a new leader. With lots at stake, everyone is using their physical strength, political power, good looks or whatever they’ve got going for them to try and secure their preferred outcome.
This is a gripping story. I could barely put it down, and only got distracted finding out if I could learn tablet weaving (not having a hole punch handy prevented me going TOO far down that rabbit hole…). I love the level of historical detail – it really brought the story to life! I have friends and family who do nålbinding so it was great to see it getting a mention!
Sigrid and Ketil make a good team, able between them to talk to most people and find out their version of events. There’s a lot to unravel, with secrets and strong feelings being harboured by many. There are plenty of other great characters too, including a troublemaking pig!
I haven’t read the earlier books in the series, and found The Bear at Midnight easy enough to follow so I would say it could work as a standalone. I am now desperate to read the other books when I get a chance, though, so why not start with book one?
This book gets five stars from me! I would recommend it to fans of historical mysteries and any Viking enthusiasts.
*¨*✶*¨* BOOK SPOTLIGHT SHOWCASE *¨*✶*¨* 
USA Today Bestselling author Claire Luana grew up in Seattle reading everything she could get her hands on and writing every chance she could. Eventually, adulthood won out, and she turned her writing talents to more scholarly pursuits, going to work as a commercial litigation attorney.
While continuing to practice law, Claire decided to return to her roots and try her hand once again at creative writing. She has written and published five fantasy series: the Moonburner Cycle, the Confectioner Chronicles, the Knights of Caerleon, co-written with Jesikah Sundin, and The Faerie Race trilogy, co-written with J.A. Armitage, and the Mythical Alliance.
She lives in Cle Elum, Washington with her husband and two dogs. In her (little) remaining spare time, she loves to hike, travel, binge-watch CW shows, and of course, fall into a good book.
The Bear at Midnight by Lexie Conyngham
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is the first book I have read from this author and she now has a new fan. I usually don’t like reading murder mystery but this book caught my eye. This is the fourth book of the Orkneyinga murder sereis. I read this book as a stand alone and now I want to start from the beginning. The characters suck you in right away. I could not stop reading until the end. It only took me a little over a day to devour this addictive story.
Tomb for an Eagle by Lexie Conyngham
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book was great full of twist and turns. Full of suspense and murder. Mystery lovers this one is for you; it will leave you wanting more. Great character building, very detailed. Recommend from all mystery lovers.
The Bear at Midnight by Lexie Conyngham
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This cozy murder mystery is very captivating. A page turner, full of mystery and suspense that keeps you guessing. This is full of British history. This book can be a standalone, but even better when read as a series. Love how the author is so descriptive, you are taken in by her writing.
