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Jen Ponce

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The Bazaar (Devany Miller, Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Jen Ponce (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.3 87 ratings

Book 1 of 5: Devany Miller

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Devany Miller is forty-something mother of two who wouldn’t mind a little adventure. The most magical things in her life are uninterrupted bubble baths and chocolate bars she doesn’t have to share with her kids. It isn’t until she stumbles into another world where humans are bought and sold like cattle and magic is used to kill, that she remembers the old saying, “Be careful what you wish for.”
Now she’s bound to a demon who wants to use her to do his dirty work, a demon who thinks she’s going to be his on-call assassin. Little does he know Devany doesn’t let anyone push her around—not even soul-eating nightmares—and there’s no way she’ll kill just because a demon tosses around a few threats.
It isn’t until danger rolls up to her front door that she realizes she will do whatever it takes to protect her kids, even if that means sacrificing herself to keep them alive.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jen Ponce is an urban fantasy author who published her first book THE BAZAAR January 21, 2014. She's been reading since she can remember and thanks her mom for showing her how amazing books can be. She went to school in Chadron, Lincoln, and Omaha, Nebraska. She's been writing since junior high and thinks the itch to write is akin to an obsession. Besides reading and writing, she crochets when the mood hits her, creates fun pictures on GIMP, and drinks Diet Coke. Jen, her three boys, three cats, and goldfish live in Western Nebraska despite her yearnings to live somewhere warmer. (Jen would also like to point out that the cats aren't hers, they are her boys' cats. She loves them but she is not a crazy cat lady-just crazy.)

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00HHJOOOK
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Jennifer Ponce (January 16, 2014)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 16, 2014
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 591 KB
Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 301 pages
Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1793455767

Best Sellers Rank: #2,084,654 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #2,276 in Witch & Wizard Thrillers
- #10,383 in Paranormal Suspense
- #39,479 in Paranormal & Urban Fantasy (Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews:
4.3 87 ratings

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Jen Ponce

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I haven’t changed this in a while and thought I’d mix it up this time around.

I think it’s kind of fun and awesome that I’m writing romance again after all these years. I started reading it when I was 13. If you’re old enough, you probably remember the Zebra Historicals from the 80s. Yeah. My mother was SO ANNOYED AND HORRIFIED when she realized I was reading these books. My friend Becky got them from her mom and she passed them onto me.

Hey Mom? It could have been crack. Aren’t you glad it wasn’t crack?

One day, I picked up Misery by Stephen King and I only did that because it had a spoof historical romance cover on it. But when I read it, I was hooked on horror and horror was what I wrote for a while.

Fantasy came next, specifically urban fantasy, because I LOVE LOVE LOVE strong women in books. That was my one major problem with those historical romance books of the 80s. The women were pushovers. They caved to the guy. Even if they had a job or a talent they were using, the second that dude said, “I love you,” she would throw it all away to be with him.

That wasn’t quite my idea of romance and it was probably why I moved away from it for so long.

Nowadays, there are a helluva lot more romances with kickass women and I love them. And now there’s more understanding of bisexuality, polyamory, and all sorts of other awesome things. Reverse harem is one of those genres that really makes me happy, though I still want a kickass heroine, not a weak one. (I know that everyone is different and that’s why it’s so awesome to have such variety. Everyone can find something they love. Romance authors are cool that way.)

Final thing before I stop blathering. Way back in high school, at our senior prom, they did a “predict everyone’s future” schtick. They predicted that me and my two besties: Becky and Kathy, would be living far apart but would be as famous as Danielle Steele.

They got the far apart thing right, but they never expected any of us to really make a living writing romance.

This is where I get to say, “Yeah, baby. I’m living the dream.” That’s thanks to all you awesome, amazing, and passionate romance readers out there who enjoy love stories.

Thank you. You. Rock.

Jen lives in the Panhandle of Nebraska, with her boys, her cats, her dogs, her pleco Maleficent and a large supply of books that help insulate the house in the winter and expand her mind.

She loves connecting on Twitter (@JenPonceAuthor) and Facebook (www.Facebook.com/JenPonceAuthor) You can also send her email and she'll write back. Visit www.JenniferPonce.com to figure out how to do all the above.

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4.3 out of 5

87 global ratings

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C. B.

Spoiler: it's not boring, it's amazing!

Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2015

Verified Purchase

Devany Miller is a SuperMom! I loved her from the very first page: she turns into a ninja the moment her children are in danger, putting aside all her non-violent feelings and skipping her pain for her failing marriage. She is like those heroes who fight super demons in the kitchen, knock them out for a bit, in order to bring cocoa to the kids in the living room and pretend nothing's wrong.
Her character is amazing, she works with abused women, she knows pain and devastation, from the safe side, still she is able to grow. Devany becomes a leader and eventually saves more than she would have considered, including the demon who's forcing her to act against her nature. I suspect she's also able to influence him in a good way, I sensed a growth of this character as well, and maybe her fears of being fooled by him are not so valid after all: as a hardcore romantic, I believe in redemption and hope for a great love, I wish for him to fall in love with her and become an angel instead of being a demon till the end of all times... but that's me.
The pace is fast, the story is engaging, there are many turns and I was often surprised by the next development, just like in real life. The characters evolve, grow, and when they turn out to be static, they usually leave the plot. The main characters, on the other hand, change, learn and find new ways to stay alive.
I loved it, it was hard to put it down, and the best part to me is that, for once, the hero is not a super sexy young girl, but a mom, just a mom with a job and the shine of the near perfect life: house, husband, healthy happy kids, work. When her ideal existence turns out to be something completely different, she rises to the challenge and fights hard for her children more than for herself. I wish I were a mom like her, although I hope never to face the horrors she does!

2 people found this helpful

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Your Daily Dose

Pulp fiction for Grrls

Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2015

Verified Purchase

Overall Rating 4.5/5 stars (Kindle version)

This is the story of Devany Miller, a mom and wife who works at a domestic violence shelter, who becomes a bad-ass magical being through a freak accident that implants her with the souls of a witch and a Great Spider (I'm thinking Hobbit here, but this spider has a personality), as well as a magical heart that amplifies any powers she uses. And, as if that's not interesting enough, she becomes the slave of a demon who constantly pushes her lust button just to mess with her and forces her to help him with some unseemly tasks.

Devany, however, is bent on freeing herself from slavery and her unfaithful husband, but in the process, she manages to befriend a vampire's head and its spouse, rescue her children from becoming fodder for magic, and tick off one head-honcho mother of demons. And that's just the highlights.

This is a fast-paced story with well-conceived dialogue. In some ways, it felt a little like the adventures of a more competent and self-confident, though reluctant, female version of Harry Dresden.

1. Creativity 4.5/5
There are some very amusing and creative elements of urban fantasy here. Gruesome creatures emerge from every shadow, and an undercurrent of violence and danger lurks in every encounter. In this alternate reality where witches and demons and magic exist, there are all kinds of forces and rules Devany does not understand. Throughout the book, she breaks these rules over and over again without knowing it, and this naiveté interjected both humor and dramatic tension. And, Devany herself is a unique character, but she still thinks she just a mom and soon-to-be divorcee. Her ignorance is enticing, and she uses it to her advantage.

2. Craft 5/5 stars
Ponce knows how to write dialogue so that you don't even realize you're reading dialogue. There's nothing stilted about it. And Devany's internal monologues were likewise as natural feeling. This is not literary fiction. It's pulp fiction for girls (or should I say grrls), and it unabashedly pulls no punches, offering a well crafted, action-driven and wild ride through Devany's world.

3. Characters 4.5/5 stars
Ponce has a skill for characterization. Devany is strong-willed, self-directed and decisive. From the very start of the book, we are thrown into the midst of the chaotic forces she contends with, and we experience her desires, disgust, confusion, disappointments and desperation right along with her. The souls within her, Neutria the spider and Arsinua the witch, each have their own distinct personalities that are completely different than Devany even though they are part of her. The banter between the three occasionally deserve a loud guffaw from the reader as their conversations are some of the best parts of this book.

The demon who enslaves Devany, Tytan, is one evil guy, but Ponce manages to create some sympathy for him later in the book as Devany's power grows. And Devany's arch-enemy, Ravana, is nothing short of pure, unadulterated, delightful wickedness.

Most of the minor characters are all very distinct from each other. They aren't quite stock characters, which was nice to see. I did think it funny, though, that Devany's philandering husband, Tom, has perhaps some of the weakest character development. But Devany was so over him by the end of the book that this didn't really matter and easily could have been intentional.

4. Plot 4/5 stars
The overall story arc has a couple of threads: Devany's new three-souled self and the "what the hell is she going to do now" thread, Devany's deteriorating relationship with Tom, her tumultuous relationship with Tytan, and her feud with Ravana. Devany does have an overall goal, although a simple one, but how she achieves it involves many twists and turns and fun encounters with magical powers and enticing creatures.

5. Organization 4.5/5
This book is pretty linear, though there's a wealth of action. Most of the twists were easy enough to follow, but here and there I did get a little lost, like when there was mention of being on an alien planet. I couldn't quite figure out if that was for real of figurative since Devany was traveling between different realms throughout the book.

6. Technicalities 4.5/5
This is a pretty well-edited book. I did take issue with a number of compound sentences joined with "but" that lacked commas, but sometimes I had to wonder if that was a stylistic choice since it did not detract much from the overall quality. Technically, though, there probably should have been commas before those "buts" says the soul of the Grammar Nazi in me.

3 people found this helpful

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LAS Book Reviews

My Newest Heroine - Devany Miller

Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2014

Verified Purchase

Devany Miller has earned the distinction of becoming my most favorite, fictional female character. She’s the epitome of real life, modern woman. She’s a mother of two and wife with an unfaithful husband; whom she’s tossing out the door. She’s smart, tough and in certain situations she’s prone to cursing. She also has something that the toughest, smartest, most modern woman alive doesn’t have; Delany inadvertently picked up a magic heart that made her a half-witch, and she has the soul of murdered full-witch, as well as a very deadly, giant spider living inside of her. Oh, and let’s not forget that during the event that made her a half-witch, she also became slave to a lascivious demon. Is that a set up for a thrilling read or what?

It is. Ms. Ponce not only has a truly boundless imagination, she has the ability to translate that imagery into words that immediately resound within the reader. You can’t mistake what’s going on regardless of the complexity of the situation. Her writing is vivid, urgent and concise so that even the most out of the box situation is perfectly clear and jig-saw puzzle perfect in design. The story is fast paced with snappy dialogue, and a real surprise and treat that awaits the reader – all, yes, every single one of the characters in this book are equally as complete and real, in their own way, as Devany.

I can’t conclude this review without mentioning the humor. It’s pervasive, it’s smart and the proverbial icing on the cake that caused me to lose my socks, a requirement for getting a five star review. If you’re a fan of magic, witches, fantastic imaginative stories and lots of funny lines, you’ll love this book – guaranteed. I can’t wait for the sequel!

11 people found this helpful

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Sarah Jane Avory

Really liked it!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 22, 2014

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I don't write long reviews... I never know what to say without revealing the plot.
What I can say is I really enjoyed reading The Bazaar, a fun book from start to finish.
So I'm certainly looking forward to book 2!

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