Sometimes in our hunt for antiques, we might stumble upon something very unusual. It might be valuable or it may have no value what-so-ever. However, only the person who is doing the buying can decide its personal worth.
Aideen Godwin is about to discover just how valuable the purchase of one unknown antique can be in the life of someone who had not intended to keep it.

Aideen Godwin owns and operates an antique shop. When she purchases a crate, with unknown contents, from the estate of first-rate arcane collector, Michael Meyrick, Aideen hopes that it will be something of value that she is able to sell at a profit to her Wiccan customers.

On opening the crate, she is at first disappointed because the contents are enclosed within a moth-eaten piece of velvet. However, she soon discovers a transparent dark red stone and a red leather bound book called The Book of Cenn Crauch. Excited to see if it is a forgery or priceless manuscript, Aideen begins the slow process of painstakingly translating the book. The Book of Cenn Crauch turns out to be a diary. Aideen soon takes a breather from the translating process to lie down. Once asleep, she begins to have erotic visions of the writer. When she awakens, Aideen decides to scry for Cenn Crauch. She sees him while gazing and then passes out. Eventually, Aideen performs a ritual ceremony in hopes that it will take her to Cenn in his time period. Will Aideen actually be able to time-travel to Cenn's time? What of her aversion to magic? And who is Kean Toland, the stranger who is trying to convince her that her life is endangered?

It's no wonder that Aideen is set against being a part of magical situations; I would be against them too, if I'd endured what she had to with her father. Aideen's struggle to come to grips with her upbringing is very realistic since just about anyone alive can tell you they've had to struggle with their own upbringing. Learning to accept what has gone before is key to moving ahead in anyone's life, and that is just what Aideen does - she eventually accepts her upbringing, learns from it and her mistakes, and moves forward with her life where she finally realizes that sometimes no matter how priceless an object appears, the only priceless thing of any value is the love shared between individuals. Cenn and Kean are alpha characters, both of whom I wouldn't mind having for my own. They are almost chauvinistic, but stop short of being too bossy. It is evident that they both struggle with situations that are beyond their control, yet they manage to triumph.

The plot is thick with action, suspense, magic, bad guys, good guys, sex, love and the evolving of main characters into persons that are both respectful and respected. If you like your erotica with elements of fantasy, suspense, action, and romance - you won't want to miss Ann Vermont's, Calabi Chronicles: Bloodstone.

Reviewed By: Aureauna
© August 2005