Brigid Donovan is down on her luck. Her husband dumped her for the biggest stereotype around, his secretary, and her family mansion is a decaying wreck. All she wants is to get it restored, enjoy the peace and quiet of living in eight hundred acres of primordial forest, and rebuild her life.

Fate seems to be against her. First, her cat starts to speak to her. And what does he say? He’s not what he seems to be—seriously? Like a talking cat is normal. He does tell her that she’s the great-granddaughter of a fae lord, and very powerful. Only, that doesn’t seem right. Where’s her magic? Why didn’t her family tell her?

Things aren’t as picture perfect as they seem in her hometown of Kilchis, Oregon. In fact, they haven’t been for a long time. For one thing, her restoration team is a pack of werewolves, and her new bestie is a witch. What’s going on? Brigid has to find out fast or she could lose it all—her mind, her magic, and her life.

Brigid’s divorce is finally done and there is enough of the renovation completed that she can move in while the rest is completed. She almost misses the turn in the pouring rain, but manages to make it and not lose the trailer she’s hauling.

Once she verifies her room is set up, the kitchen is done and also a bathroom, she unloads the trailer. It’s as she’s getting the last box that she sees the large gray cat sitting by the door. He’s a beautiful cat with light creamy fur, blue-grey points, and gorgeous periwinkle eyes. He reminds her of her childhood cat and she decides that one had gotten around.

Her contractor Craig Whelan arrives with his wife Anna and a few supplies, including cat food. He explains he didn’t want to take the cat to a shelter in case she wanted to keep him. Of course, she wants to keep the cat and he is very important to this series.

She has to go to town to get groceries and return the trailer but first she wants to see what furniture she has in the attic space. While she’s there she finds a bracelet that starts some changes.

This is a favorite scene.

I opened the gigantic commercial refrigerator. The only thing in it was the wine from last night, someone’s lunch bag, and a carton of coffee creamer. I had a lot of grocery shopping to do. I figured since I needed to go to town to shop, I should probably check out the attic and see what else I’d need, furniture wise. I climbed the stairs to the old attic and opened the door. It was stiff and stuck a bit. I had to shove my shoulder into it. But once it opened, I saw it looked the same as the last time I’d been in it. Nothing had been moved or taken.

I entered and looked through years of my family’s treasures with wonder. Several old trunks were here among the furniture. I felt drawn to the trunk on the left. I looked at it for a moment, then opened the lid. Reaching my hand in, I pulled out a silver charm bracelet. It had little animals all around it, charming and detailed. It called to me. Without thinking, I put it on my wrist. It sparkled in front of me like it had its own light, then with a flash, it disappeared into my skin. I gasped. A warm pulse raced through me. A wave of dizziness overcame me, and I almost fainted. I leaned over the trunk, resting on it with both hands until I could stand again. It passed quickly.

After that, I left the attic and shut the door, determined that I had imagined it. I hadn’t eaten in almost thirty hours after all; I was just experiencing a visual hallucination from severely low blood sugar. I shook my head at my foolishness and picked up my bag from the kitchen table where I’d left it. The cat was sitting next to it, grooming his face. I stroked his head, and he leaned into me. 

“I’m going to the store buddy; I’ll pick you up some food there.”

Please, no more cat food. He tilted his lovely face and blue eyes at me. I prefer premium cuts of chicken, fish, and beef. Oh, and make sure you get some cream, the cat said. 

I stopped and stared at him. “I really need to eat; I’m losing it.”

The cat stared back at me.

I shook my head; I hadn’t heard the cat. “I’m imagining things.”

No, you are not. You are finally listening.

“No, this is nuts.” I backed away from the cat, my heart pounding. After all, I’d been through, this is what was going to put me in the funny farm. I walked out and got in the car.
Dolbeare, Jilleen . Splintered Magic: A Paranormal Women’s Urban Fantasy Fiction Novel (Book 1). Kindle Locations (145-168). Ice Raven Publications. Kindle Edition.

Of course, the talking cat is just the beginning, and of course she thinks she’s having some sort of breakdown, so she schedules a doctor’s appointment. It’s her we meet her high school boyfriend, and I think he will become her current love interest.

Gabriel ‘Gabe’ Ambrose is the town physician and he’ll be the one to explain at least some of the goings on.

I love Mr. Mittens her splintercat, and there are many things that will be life changing that happen in this book.

I laughed, cried, held my breath and more as I read this first journey that ends in a cliffhanger. Fortunately, the next couple of books are available, so I can just continue reading.

5 Contented Purrs for Jilleen!

Jilleen Dolbeare

Jilleen Dolbeare is the author of the Splintered Magic Series—A PWF series about a woman finding her magic, and the Shadow Winged Chronicles, an urban fantasy series about a shape-shifting bush pilot in Alaska.

She loves riding horses, warm ocean beaches, and long walks in the mountains, none of which she can do in the Arctic, so she writes. Her activities are riding her four-wheeler on cold ocean beaches (often frozen or covered with ice), and long walks to and from work when it’s 40 below—in the dark. She does keep her stakes sharp for those vamps that show up during the 67 days of night.

Jilleen lives with her husband and two hungry cats in Barrow, Alaska where she also discovered her love and admiration of the Inupiaq people and their folklore.