Winner BEST PARANORMAL ROMANCE SERIES four years in a row! (Knights of Black Swan Box Set)

I started reading this collection and started to put it down. Got through to the middle of the book. As I read it became more interesting. She really seemed to get better with each book and keeps everything in sync. Not my first choice in books but not my last choice either.

Wonderfully written books. Loved the characters. Victoria Danann has a perfect amount of imagery to make you feel like you are watching the story take place. The humor that is woven into the story had me laughing out loud. The romance makes you want it in real life for yourself. Do not think I could say more and cannot wait for the next book!!!

What a wonderful set of books.

These are the stories of a secret society called The Order of the Black Swan, that protect humans from Vampires, Werewolves and other dangerous mythical creatures.

The stories center around one particular group, affectionately known as Bad Company, consisting of Storm, Kay & Ram. All handsome & strong men. Eventually they get a fourth member, a beautiful woman named Elora, who joins them in the most surprising way. Together they form a strong bond, and you follow them trough their joys of falling in love, getting married & having babies, combined with their fight against evil enemies.

These stories are Paranormal Romance at its very best. They delivery it all! Vampires,Werewolves, Witches, Elves, Psychis And Demons. Along with some Red Hot Sex scenes.

Victoria Danann writes this so well, You cannot help but fall in love with at least ONE of the characters. you are totally drawn into the story & feel every emotion possible, and you truly feel the love they have for each other & the other people that join in with them.

I could not put them down. An absolutely brilliant series of books, with another 3 to follow this set.

i would have given them 10 stars if I could. And I dare anybody to not love them.

The Order of the Black Swan COLLECTED TALES, Books 1-3 (Black Swan Anthology) by Victoria Danann
My Familiar Stranger, The Witch's dream and A Summoner's Tale

The first, My Familiar Stranger, was an intriguing story richly told with simple emotions riddled with love, honor and valiant awe between other worlds so very close to our own. Characters have depth and moments of wonder at their own ability to see what is before them and not what they expect to find. Very enjoyable read and looked forward to the second book, The Witch's Dream. Here the characters took on their own "other-worldly talents" and relationships expanded in complexity along with a tad less believability and an opportunity to commune with wolves so even the mascot gets tail. Let's face it, we all read this genre to escape and think about possibilities, and the author gives us every possible chance with a myriad of scenarios that go slightly beyond believable, to simply endearing, especially in book three, A summoner's Tale. By definition, to summon means to call together, and that's exactly what book three delivers; resolution for the historical villain who earned our devotion and compassion as readers, happy endings for the all of the main characters together with the hope of a fourth book for fans...and yes, you will become one regardless of its believability factor :-P

This is my fifth review for BookRooster.com and I did receive a complimentary copy of this book in order to review it.

...the second I picked up these books.

Before I found Victoria Danann's books and long after I tried to read my last romance novel, I swore I would never pick up another book from 'that genre' again. But, after reading my first in this series and then the following books, I am hooked...for life.

These books are well written, well organized and full of characters that, although we know don't exist on Earth, we wish they did. In fact, I am sure that they exist somewhere, in some galaxy because they are just that believable and real. Add to that the fact that the stories are full of situations that, in my mind's eye, I can see myself in, or see my friends grappling with. The humor makes me laugh, the descriptions make me see and the steamy scenes make me...well...steamy! From page one, I am in that zone where suddenly, there is a movie playing in my head of the story and I can hear the voices, smell the scents and feel the sensations.

Top this all off with the knowledge that Victoria Danann is a new Indie Author and these are her first books and you have a package full of pleasant surprises and magic that, when the stories are over, leave you REALLY wanting more.

In fact, I can't wait for the next one and I hope Victoria Danann never stops writing about B Team and The Order of the Black Swan. Unless, of course, there is something better waiting within her cauldron of creativity!

This series is written beautifully and with intelligence. Reading them together is the way to go - one story ends with the beginning of the next book picking right up where the last ended. I've read the three books separately MORE THAN ONCE. Having the three bundledl together is brilliant.

I have rated the books in the series as they were published my number one read of 2011 and the best book I picked up in 2012. That is saying something, considering that my Kindle has over 900 books on it and I have read them all.

The price is way too low for the three books - so consider it a bargain, read it and enjoy every moment. Whether you are a romance reader, a paranormal reader or contemporary chick lit reader, I promise this book will suck you right in from the first page.

Book four is sure to be as wild a ride with the characters I have come to know and love - I am looking forward to the continuation of this epic adventure!

This collection is the first three books in The Order of the Black Swan saga. The books are a connected ongoing story, but
each book has its own unique story. I fell in love with the characters in book 1 and the writer blends them seemlessly into each new book telling a unique story each time while introducing new characters.

This isn't a story about just vampires or werewolves, but there are also elves, fae, a witch, a berserker, a psychic, a demon, a summoner, a secret society of Knights who hunt vampires, parallel universes, assassins from parallel universes . . . Amazing, I don't know how Victoria does it but her books are fantastic. The Knights of B Team are a family. You can feel their bond and become a part of it. I fell in love with these knights. I laughed, cried and actually cheered out loud.

Be sure to read the books in order, and this collection is the perfect way to begin. I don't feel like the end of her books are just
a come-on for the next book in line. Each book leaves you wanting to read the next book because you were so entertained by the one you just put down. What can I say? I am a fan for life!

Victoria Danann's trilogy made me a PNR book fan. Don't get me wrong, I did see a few PNR movies (and you know the ones I mean) but taking the time to read PNR was new to me. So Victoria, thanks! I love the Order of the Black Swan series. Victoria's first book, "My Familiar Stranger", drew me in right at the start with an action packed opening and it hasn't slowed down yet, at the end of book 3 (actually four books are out now with more to come). There are wonderful strong personalities with action, friendships, and love interests in this series, and surprises in every book. There are Elves, vampires, a berserker, a demon, a witch and the Fey in these books so far, (with very interesting relationships)and who knows what's coming next! If you are a guy, you will love the men of the series as they are all "men's men". If you are a gal, the women are strong, loving, and able to hold their own. Add to that the paranormal component which takes it to a whole new level. These books are absolutely addicting. You will love this series... my only recommendation is to read them! Right now!
(Note: the books are designed to be read in order).
I must add that I received two of these three books to preview before release. When I read Victoria's first book (which I purchased), I was so taken with it that I went to her website and put myself on the email list for any news of new releases. That love for her first book (My Familiar Stranger) is what has led me to preview her books before publication. So, that first book HOOKED me! (and it will get you too!)

Where to start....block out some significant time as you'll want to just keep on reading until you are done.

A girl from another dimension, heroic knights..sexy as all get out knights. Vampires, shape shifters, witches, demons, elves, fae and a mortal type or two to keep it interesting. You mix them all together along with a good dose of humor and mystery and you've got The Order of the Black Swan books.

Ms. Danann has created a wonderful universe filled with courageous heroes and heroines. Her characters aren't perfect but their imperfections if you will makes them all the more real and believable. I fell in love along with them, laughed, cried and feared for them. And I can't wait to re-read them and do it all over again!

I loved this story. If you like Christine Feehan, you'll love Victoria Danann. The characters, while being supernatural, seem so lifelike they could just jump off the page into everyday reality. I loved them and can't wait to read the rest. Thank you Ms. Danann for sharing your talent and imagination with the world. It's a brighter place for it being there.

The Order of the Black Swan; Book One: My Familiar Stranger

Elora Laiken was a princess, one who fled her home plane somewhat like ours to arrive in that of the Black Swan order, which is even less like ours. Once she recovers from the transition she becomes heavily involved with the mission and the interest of three interesting men, two men of the B Team and an outsider.

The back story for the Black Swan is interesting, and the men are very engaging as a group. The opposition and world problems should provide much material to provide interesting challenges for these romances. Some aspects are more like our world in Elora's homeland, and some things in the Black Swan world are more like ours, which keeps the reader guessing.

Some of the supporting cast is good, and some are way too underused, underdeveloped, or cliche. (The boss and Monk among them) and there is a severe lack of females with speaking parts, even allowing for the boy's club. (also a danger sign) All three of the love interests undergo some kind of learning or growth though.

Sadly, Elora doesn't grow or learn anything on a personal level.

---SPOILERS---
She doesn't have to, as she's already pretty much perfect and everyone can see it but the one villain. People fall over themselves to help her, which is way too convenient and fantasy. It is pretty hard to care for her after a while. There were many opportunities for her to be tested become real, become part of the world instead of being special. She lost everything on her one-way trip, which had no impact on her viewpoint after only a few comments. Was there no one she even cared about enough to think about? To miss? To even knock back a whiskey? Then she became Supergirl in her crossover, faster, stronger, and better at hand-to-hand than experienced vampire hunters? Multiple guys are chasing her. She tames the untamable, and so on and so on. She doesn't fight WITH B team or want to serve, so why she was put on, except to keep her close to two rivals? Some bonehead stuff she pulls should get her smacked. She gets everything given to her without having to put in time or attention, the guys had to train and work a long time to get on the team and princess demands and gets it. Aside from being a little impulsive, she never has enough negative consequence for impulse to be a flaw. If she doesn't make mistakes, how can she grow? If she's this perfect how is a reader supposed to feel much for her? I feel for her love interests as they have that growth and errors that she lacks. She doesn't face anything that offers her serious opposition.

And the extra deus ex machina at the end would have made me want to throw a book across the room, but I read the electronic copy.

- I received a complementary copy of the book for reviewing. -

This is a fantastic series that I definitely recommend reading in order. If you like novels about groups of loyal friends bonding together, fighting against evil, and finding true love, definitely read. Ms Danaan manages to incorporate traditional elements and beings that honestly, I'm almost sick of at this point (vampires, werewolves, demons) but give them a modern, interesting twists that reminds me of why I started loving reading books about them in the first place. Sometimes the outcome is a little too predictable, but it's very rare these days that I can predict an outcome and still enjoy the reading style/characters enough that I can't put the book down until I finish.

I should disclose that I received a free copy of this book that did not impact my review either positively or negatively. To be absolutely honest, I'd already read books 1 and 2 and enjoyed so much that I jumped at the chance go get and review the entire set in order to read the 3rd :)

The first three books of the Knights of the Black Swan is completely addicting. Each book is action packed and loaded with twists but still has a romantic side. The characters are well written and totally believable, they are strong and exciting and fun. One of my favorite things about this series is the fact that the author has allowed us to follow the characters growth as they progress throughout the series. Of course I have favorite characters and I'm sure you will too. There are elves, fae, demon, vampire, werewolves, witches, mixed breeds and more. How can this be believable? I don't know but Victoria Danann has managed to do it. I absolutely love this series and I'll bet you will too...

Really good series such an interesting storyline it's unique in the telling, and the writing is excellent. My favorite part is the characters their full and richly presented, the romance is heart felt and sexy, such a fun read.

While you can read these books as stand alones, this series is best read in order as they're the continuing story of one group of the people of the Black Swan unit. There's travel from other dimensions, a new outlook on vampires, elves, sexy warriors, romance, what more could you want? Each book is a bit different from the others as they deal with the lives and loves of these people and the trials they encounter. It's a great series by a new writer.

I have been a huge science fiction/fantasy/adventure book fan since I was a little boy and I never thought I would say this about a "romance" novel but, I really, really like the Order of the Black Swan series! I think that what makes these books a better read than any romance novel I've ever seen is that they are books of a paranormal nature with romance strategically placed within the storyline. The reader is not inundated with a person's fantasy of how love should be; we are simply made privy to the characters world and that world just happens to have love and romance in it.

What has really drawn me to Victoria Danann's series is that each character is brought to life in an enrapturing way. You can't help but want to read more about each of their lives! And the masterful storyteller that she is, Victoria doles out each helping of their history in perfect portion. The first book hooks you, and the rest of them expand your knowledge, understanding, and love of each character. And because each character is well thought out and fully developed, they support each other in a harmony that can only be described as perfect.

My Familiar Stranger introduces you to the "main characters" of the Black Swan world. You realize early on that these people will have a bond that transcends time (much like the bond created by military personnel that have served in combat together). And that bond becomes the center of the storyline. With all the ups and downs, twists and turns that are a part of any true relationship, these characters take you on a ride that is both fantastic and yet, somehow, familiar (at least to me). Action, drama, and romance, all seamlessly blended to tell a tale that is so captivating that you can't help but feel like you are a part of it as it unfolds before you.

Flowing into the second book, The Witch's Dream, our beloved characters take on a somewhat supporting role as new characters are brought to the limelight. Just like in the first book, you are at once enthralled by these characters and can't wait to hear their stories. And once again, Victoria delivers! Fantasy becomes reality; the impossible becomes the possible, and all the while, the reader is led through this magical, yet plausible, world with the anticipation of a child waiting to open their Yule presents.

This then leads to A Summoner's Tale, the third book in the series. Right from the start you know that this will be yet another adrenaline laced adventure sure to captivate and entertain. The storyline continues to unfold and in the process we are allowed to explore the history of yet another character, while still being enthralled by the lives of the original characters. You cannot have made it this far in the series without, at least once, having said, "That's what I would have done!", or "I can so see myself saying that!"

No, I am not a romance novel reader. But I am a lover of a good story, with wonderful character development, that is able to keep me interested and wanting more. And, in this respect, Victoria Danann delivers! Do yourself a favor and pick up the first book...you won't be disappointed.

As for me, I can't wait to read the rest of the Order of the Black Swan series!

This is a fantastic series that I definitely recommend reading in order. If you like novels about groups of loyal friends bonding together, fighting against evil, and finding true love, definitely read. Ms Danaan manages to incorporate traditional elements and beings that honestly, I'm almost sick of at this point (vampires, werewolves, demons) but give them a modern, interesting twists that reminds me of why I started loving reading books about them in the first place. Sometimes the outcome is a little too predictable, but it's very rare these days that I can predict an outcome and still enjoy the reading style/characters enough that I can't put the book down until I finish.

I should disclose that I received a free copy of this book that did not impact my review either positively or negatively. To be absolutely honest, I'd already read books 1 and 2 and enjoyed so much that I jumped at the chance go get and review the entire set in order to read the 3rd :)

The first three books of the Knights of the Black Swan is completely addicting. Each book is action packed and loaded with twists but still has a romantic side. The characters are well written and totally believable, they are strong and exciting and fun. One of my favorite things about this series is the fact that the author has allowed us to follow the characters growth as they progress throughout the series. Of course I have favorite characters and I'm sure you will too. There are elves, fae, demon, vampire, werewolves, witches, mixed breeds and more. How can this be believable? I don't know but Victoria Danann has managed to do it. I absolutely love this series and I'll bet you will too...

I absolutely loved this series! Ms. Danann's creativity and her style of writing made the characters of this series seem both alive and endearing. I don't believe that I've ever read a paranormal series this well written before. I am looking forward to the next installments of the 'The Knights of the Black Swan".

Really good series such an interesting storyline it's unique in the telling, and the writing is excellent. My favorite part is the characters their full and richly presented, the romance is heart felt and sexy, such a fun read.

While you can read these books as stand alones, this series is best read in order as they're the continuing story of one group of the people of the Black Swan unit. There's travel from other dimensions, a new outlook on vampires, elves, sexy warriors, romance, what more could you want? Each book is a bit different from the others as they deal with the lives and loves of these people and the trials they encounter. It's a great series by a new writer.

I have been a huge science fiction/fantasy/adventure book fan since I was a little boy and I never thought I would say this about a "romance" novel but, I really, really like the Order of the Black Swan series! I think that what makes these books a better read than any romance novel I've ever seen is that they are books of a paranormal nature with romance strategically placed within the storyline. The reader is not inundated with a person's fantasy of how love should be; we are simply made privy to the characters world and that world just happens to have love and romance in it.

What has really drawn me to Victoria Danann's series is that each character is brought to life in an enrapturing way. You can't help but want to read more about each of their lives! And the masterful storyteller that she is, Victoria doles out each helping of their history in perfect portion. The first book hooks you, and the rest of them expand your knowledge, understanding, and love of each character. And because each character is well thought out and fully developed, they support each other in a harmony that can only be described as perfect.

My Familiar Stranger introduces you to the "main characters" of the Black Swan world. You realize early on that these people will have a bond that transcends time (much like the bond created by military personnel that have served in combat together). And that bond becomes the center of the storyline. With all the ups and downs, twists and turns that are a part of any true relationship, these characters take you on a ride that is both fantastic and yet, somehow, familiar (at least to me). Action, drama, and romance, all seamlessly blended to tell a tale that is so captivating that you can't help but feel like you are a part of it as it unfolds before you.

Flowing into the second book, The Witch's Dream, our beloved characters take on a somewhat supporting role as new characters are brought to the limelight. Just like in the first book, you are at once enthralled by these characters and can't wait to hear their stories. And once again, Victoria delivers! Fantasy becomes reality; the impossible becomes the possible, and all the while, the reader is led through this magical, yet plausible, world with the anticipation of a child waiting to open their Yule presents.

This then leads to A Summoner's Tale, the third book in the series. Right from the start you know that this will be yet another adrenaline laced adventure sure to captivate and entertain. The storyline continues to unfold and in the process we are allowed to explore the history of yet another character, while still being enthralled by the lives of the original characters. You cannot have made it this far in the series without, at least once, having said, "That's what I would have done!", or "I can so see myself saying that!"

No, I am not a romance novel reader. But I am a lover of a good story, with wonderful character development, that is able to keep me interested and wanting more. And, in this respect, Victoria Danann delivers! Do yourself a favor and pick up the first book...you won't be disappointed.

As for me, I can't wait to read the rest of the Order of the Black Swan series!

I received a complimentary copy of these stories for review. This trilogy is about a secret group of vampire and supernatural hunters. There is a diversified group of "people", elves, demons, werewolves and aliens from different dimensions. I found it was more of a love story between the soldiers and their respective mates than action story which I was hoping for. The author does a fine job of developing the characters and their relationships but I was looking for a more action pack adventure. If you are looking for a paranormal romance this if for you.

Black Swan Collected Tales was offered to me in a box set of the first 6 books. What do you think would happen if you were Alice jumping down the rabbit hole?

Nearly everyone have read or watched Alice in Wonderland so we all know what happened to her when she went down the rabbit hole. When Elora was shoved through her world’s rabbit hole, she ends up going through an inter-dimensional hole. So she ends up on earth . . . just not her earth.

To see the rest of my review, go to my blog, click on [...]

Some editing corrections needed aside, the book is very well written and the author did a great job at developing the characters, including initial lesser characters that took on bigger roles in later books. I was able to relate and care for all characters even if I didn't agree with all. I had a love hate relationship with Elora, her behavior in many situations pissed me off but I was still cheering for her.

I cried in some parts, laughed in others. It took me longer to read these books than average but it wasn't boring even though some parts had more detail than needed. I know that a book is good when I am left thinking about the characters long after I have put it down and this is one of them.

Overall I enjoyed the collection, the main characters received a nice closure with room for more while leaving me wondering about the secondary characters and what their story will be. I plan to read future installments to find out.

I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

I must have read a different book than everyone else here, because I don't see what everyone loved so much. The three books follow a single cast of characters, although the Elora/Ram relationship from the first book is central to all of them. I didn't much like the characters. Elora had no depth, Storm was stodgy, Ram was the party boy, Kaye was a cipher. The best character was the vampire but he didn't play a large role until the third book. Additionally, there was no sense of Elora's home world, which should have been important given that she came from a different universe. It wasn't even part of the plot until the very end. We are told that her world is so different, but beyond some nominal differences (she weighed more and was faster and stronger, there were foods that were new to her) she could have come from a different country rather than a different universe.

But all of this is overshadowed by the author's writing style. People can differ about what they like in plots, characters etc., but I was really stunned to see how many people raved about her writing style. There were multi-paragraph sections where there is no dialog. Something along the lines of: "She entered the room and saw the men. She asked them what they were doing. They told her they were making a plan. She asked if they had any ideas yet. They said they did not. She asked if she could help. They told her that she would be better off talking to the others. She said she would do that and wished them luck. They said goodbye and she left the room. After she left they talked about what she had said. They decided to break for lunch." Literally. There were other things that bugged me. The manual for the Order starts with "The plural of vampire is vampire." Really? Why? What does that add to the story? All it does is make it awkward when you are referring to numerous vampires. (Sorry, numerous "vampire".) And we get that Ram has an Irish accent, phonetically spelling out everything he said was unnecessary and irritating.

I seem to be the lone voice in the wilderness here, but as you can see, I didn't like the books and can't recommend them.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

This is a fantastic series. The stories are so well written they are addictive. It is a good thing you are able to get them in this collection of three. The characters are complex and compelling and their adventures are exciting. It would be difficult not to fall in love with some of them or become entranced in their stories. Victoria Danann has created a wonderful world you will want to visit again and again. I highly recommend these books.

When it comes to Paranormal these books have everything! Vampire, Vampire hunters, Elves, Fae, Werewolves, Demons, Angels, Berserkers, Witches, parallel universes, modern day Knights, star-crossed lovers, centuries old feuds… Also, through all of these books (which must be read in order) not only do we meet new characters but we get to follow the lives of those we have come to love in each book!