Step into a world where humans are feared and elves rule the land.  An ancient prophecy foretells of a day when the elves will be forced to rely on a relationship between an elf and a human to save their world- a relationship that is considered taboo by elven standards.

Talia has never felt like she belonged in the human world.  One night as she is feeling even more alone than usual, she is kidnapped by Orcs and taken to the faerie world.  The Orcs are aware of the ancient prophecy and intend to prevent its fulfillment by raping Talia so that she will not meet her mate.  Prince Calion Saralonde senses that something or someone has breached the faerie mist that separates the human and elven worlds.  He rescues Talia only to find that he is strongly attracted to her, despite all of his misgivings about her race.

Calion and Talia travel to Calion’s home only to have Talia thrown in the dungeons!  Calion’s father, the King, is horrified that a human female has entered the elven kingdom and goes to great lengths to prevent any further contact between Calion and Talia.  However, Calion and Talia are soulmates (Mylari) and the fire fever is upon them.  Talia will be asked to sacrifice everything for Calion while Calion must learn to overcome his prejudices against Talia’s humanity or all will be lost.  The time of the ancient prophecy is now!

C. J. England transports the reader to a land where elves wield magic and trees are sentient.  The depth and complexity of THE MYLARI CHRONICLES: THE SOULMATES is simply astounding.  The culture of the Elves is well established and Talia’s effort to assimilate herself in the elven world explores various aspects of racism.  As Talia points out several times, the elven world and the human world are not so different; it is only their physical appearances that truly vary.

THE MYLARI CHRONICLES: THE SOULMATES takes readers through a wide gamut of emotions.  This reviewer cried as Talia willingly sacrificed herself for Calion and Calion coldly turned his back on her.  Talia’s feelings for Calion are fully developed and readers will empathize with her throughout the novel.  Calion’s struggle to choose between what his heart says and what his king and the law say left this reviewer wanting to slap some sense into him on more than one occasion.  However, C. J. England did a magnificent job of taking readers through all of these emotions while keeping the characters likeable. 

THE MYLARI CHRONICLES: THE SOULMATES is a wonderful start to C. J. England’s series.  This is one of the best fantasy novels this reviewer has read in awhile.  England’s novel has it all- an ancient prophecy, a magical world, fully developed characters, and emotional scenes that will leave the reader reaching for the box of Kleenex! 

Reviewed by Anne