Review: Jeffe Kennedy's Strange Familiar

 

STRANGE FAMILIAR
Dark fantasy romance

 

 

 

AUTHOR:
Jeffe Kennedy

RELEASE DATE:
March 31, 2025

PUBLISHER:
Brightlynx Publishing, Inc. 

ISBN/ ASIN NUMBER :
B0DCT5MVD4

RATING:
4.5

AUTHOR LINK:
https://www.jeffekennedy.com/home

 

 

Wizard Alise (Elal) Phel decides to leave the Convocation Academy for a third time. She accompanies a weakened Archivist Cillian to the house of his birth, only to receive a chilly reception from his grandmother. Asked to leave, Alise returns to House Phel and finds her sister in labor. The happy event is destroyed by the arrival of Lord Elal, her and Nic’s father. Alise agrees to go back with him to save her niece from his evil machinations. Will Alise allow herself to be molded into the wizard that her father wants?

Wizard Cillian Harahel leaves the Academy in disgrace. He returns home on the verge of death due to magically carrying the hidden Phel archives. When Cillian wakes, he finds out that Alise left and without a word of goodbye. He agrees to his grandmother’s demands to remain, only so he can restore the archives without problems. However, Cillian unearths an old conspiracy that could upend their wizard/familiar world. Will Cillian be reunited with Alise? And at what costs for them both?

Alise disappointed me around the middle of the book. I can somewhat understand why she wavered. Alise had been psychologically stunted by her wizard father. Plus, inwardly, she always wanted his love and approval. I wish Alise would have harbored more cynicism and distrust towards her father and his new treatment of her.  What I admire the most about Alise is the sacrifice she made for her newborn niece. She gave up her freedom and happiness, so her niece would be free from Elal’s twistedness.

Cillian showed amazing growth in this book. He could have wallowed in despair and misery over his disgrace. Instead, Cillian threw himself whole-heartedly into the project he shared with Alise. He knew it was the only way he could help her at the time. What I adore the most is how Cillian’s presence helped Alise free herself from her father. He has always inspired strength in her when she needed it the most.

STRANGE FAMILIAR is the second installment of Jeffe Kennedy’s dark fantasy romance series, WARRIORS OF MAGIC. A continuation of her BONDS OF MAGIC and RENEGADES OF MAGIC books. It is best to read these series in chronological order, starting with DARK WIZARD. BONDS OF MAGIC introduce the author’s wizard/familiar world, the dynamics between them, and the many characters involved. Each trilogy continues with the on-going plot. The new series picks up where the last one ends with an all-new cast.


I am happy that Jadren (and Seliah) make an appearance in this story. They were mentioned in RELUCTANT WIZARD, which bummed me out. Their parts in the story are small. I feel Jadren’s snarky demeanor gave the story some much-needed levity to counteract the overall heavy situation. I wonder what role they, along with Nic and Gabriel, will play in the next installment!