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INZARED, Queen of the Elephant Riders (Inzared (Book One) 1) Kindle Edition

4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 115 ratings

Bertha Maude Anderson has no inkling of how famous she will become. She lives in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina in the year 1843. Her world changes forever when she is enticed to join The Romanoff Brothers Circus and her name is changed to Inzared, Queen of the Elephant Riders. Inzared discovers her true calling while learning to live with the nomadic Gypsies. From the hatred shown by some of the performers to the love she finds along the way, Inzared finds herself immersed in the rich folklore and customs of the misunderstood people who call the circus their home. Her one constant is Cecil, the elephant, and together they form a bond that no one can break as Inzared finds herself lured into the world of the Gypsies while clinging to her own roots and trying to break free of the chains that keep her from her destiny.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B008FD5O1E
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Amazon KDP (June 26, 2012)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 26, 2012
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 625 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 328 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 115 ratings

About the author

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L. Leander
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L.Leander is an e-book author, freelancer and songwriter. As a child Ms. Leander dreamed of running away to join the circus. Instead, she grew up to write about it, bringing the magic alive for all who read her work. If she isn't writing Ms. Leander can be found hanging out at the beach with friends, quilting, painting or playing music.

The author currently resides in Wisconsin. Ms. Leander's first book, INZARED, Queen of the Elephant Riders, is about a Gypsy wagon circus in pre-Civil War America. She also writes a series of self-help books for beginning Indie Authors called 13 Extreme Tips for Writers.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
115 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers enjoyed the engaging story and vivid descriptions of everything in this historical family saga. They found the book entertaining, charming, and fun from start to finish. The writing style was described as wonderful and down-to-earth, with natural dialogue that fit the characters well. The characters were described as wonderful, colorful, and you grow to care about them. The book kept their attention and left them wanting more. Overall, customers enjoyed the visual quality and found the story entertaining.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

55 customers mention "Story quality"47 positive8 negative

Customers enjoy the engaging story. They find the circus life filled with intrigue, joy, and danger. The book is described as an historical family saga done well. Readers appreciate the love, romance, mystery, action, adventure, and circus life. It's easy to immerse themselves in the story and enjoy the emotional journey.

"...Sheer verbal music. The details of gypsy and circus life were simply fantastic...." Read more

"...The author has done an amazing job of pulling one into the story through this particular character's point of view...." Read more

"...assimilates into they gypsy culture, finds love, uncovers a mystery that threatens the circus and the well-being of its performers and animals, and..." Read more

"The story caught my interest but the mysteries started slowly and then were resolved in an anti-climatic way...." Read more

37 customers mention "Enjoyment"37 positive0 negative

Customers enjoyed the book. They found it engaging, charming, and fun. Many readers described it as one of the best circus novels they've read. It was a good book for young adults and teens, with interesting information about the Romas.

"...L. Leander's book is well worth the time to read it, and I hope she writes more...." Read more

"...but it is one of the best circus novels I've read, while also being one of the best Gypsy novels I've read....and those are both subjects near and..." Read more

"...This is a story you don't want to miss! From the perfect cover to the last sentence I was held spellbound." Read more

"This was a very good book. It is the story of a young girl and how she leaves her hard life in Appalachia to run away with the circus...." Read more

22 customers mention "Writing style"18 positive4 negative

Customers enjoy the writing style of the book. They appreciate the vivid descriptions, down-to-earth storytelling, and natural dialogue. The author's imagination is praised, as well as her ability to use words effectively and not waste them. Overall, readers find the book an enjoyable read with a well-crafted romance.

"...Another example of L. Leander's suspenseful, well-written style was a chapter in which the circus is performing...." Read more

"...Inzared is wonderfully written, plotted, and edited. Once I had started it, it was a challenge just to put it down...." Read more

"I loved the writing style and the author's superb imagination...." Read more

"...A beautifully written tale by the author. This is a story you don't want to miss!..." Read more

18 customers mention "Character development"18 positive0 negative

Customers find the characters well-developed and colorful. They grow to care about some of them and dislike others.

"...The characters were all very believable and well-developed, and the storyline was tightly written...." Read more

"...likable and realistic with dialogue that feels natural and fits the characters well. You really get to know the characters and connect with them...." Read more

"...The main character was wonderfully written. I was a little confused by the ending. It left a lot of questions unanswered...." Read more

"...The characters were wonderful, the details very visual. I was especially happy that there was no animal cruelty used during training...." Read more

8 customers mention "Interest"8 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book. They find it engaging and say it keeps them hooked throughout.

"...'s descriptions weave like a mist through the mind and hold the reader's attention...." Read more

"...Thanks for writing a great story that kept me hooked the entire way through." Read more

"I really enjoyed reading this book. It kept me reading with what was going on and it made me buy the second book right away because it was held in..." Read more

"This was an interesting book and kept my attention from the first page. It has all the excitement of circus life plus some intrigue...." Read more

8 customers mention "Visual quality"8 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the visual quality of the book. They find the imagery realistic and likable, with a beautiful elephant and gypsies. Readers also appreciate the setting and characters, describing them as innocent and pure.

"...The characters are very likable and realistic with dialogue that feels natural and fits the characters well...." Read more

"...The characters were wonderful, the details very visual. I was especially happy that there was no animal cruelty used during training...." Read more

"...parts when the sentences began with 'Was', 'Saw'...Over all, I liked the imagery, the topic and the cast of characters." Read more

"...The romance that grew between Inzared and Paytre was so innocent and pure it was a delight to follow...." Read more

7 customers mention "Entertainment value"7 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's entertainment value. They say it's an entertaining, well-written romance that makes them laugh, cry, get mad, and happy at the same time. The life is filled with intrigue, joy, and danger.

"...want in a book: romance, mystery, suspense, adventure, tragedy, and comedy...." Read more

"...I found the circus life filled with intrigue, joy and danger. A beautifully written tale by the author. This is a story you don't want to miss!..." Read more

"...There she finds love and great happiness but also terrible sorrow. The characters were easy to love or hate!..." Read more

"It had choppy sentences but the story line was good. Funny and sad. Looking forward to next chapter." Read more

6 customers mention "Gypsy culture"6 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's introduction to gypsy culture and life. They find it interesting and balanced, portraying Romani/Gypsy people as individuals. The book provides good descriptions of customs that they had never known about.

"...The depictions of the gypsy peoples are good, some of the prejudices that would have actually been in place are glossed over and Inzared's distance..." Read more

"...The story is told from Inzared's point of view as she assimilates into they gypsy culture, finds love, uncovers a mystery that threatens the circus..." Read more

"...This book is completely balanced, depicting Romani/Gypsy people like all people: some are good, some are not so good, some are evil...." Read more

"...I was captivated by the story and the Roma details, although I think it would have worked better set in a later time period...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2012
    At some point in time, we all have an urge to run away and "join the circus". Whether or not it's an actual circus is beside the point. We want to get away from where we are and explore a different type of life.

    Bertha Maude Anderson does just that. A self-described "hillbilly" eking out a hard life in the hills of 1843 North Carolina, she dreams of seeing the world rather than being stuck in her present situation. Being a young teenager with few choices in her life, she is desperate to escape constant chores and the same existence her parents have had.

    When the circus, with the exotic animals, an elephant named Cecil, and the dark-eyed Paytre ("Peter") comes to town, she is literally swept up into their lifestyle. Without a thought aforehand, she drops everything and joins the circus, becoming "Inzared, Queen of the Elephant Riders".

    Being Gagi (non-gypsy) in a gypsy circus world is not an easy life at first, but eventually she is accepted by most of the troupe. Especially Paytre. Their relationship becomes the most important aspect of her existence. He helps her expand her abilities to ride and do tricks on Cecil, the elephant who seems to love her deeply.

    Yet not all is roses and sunshine in their world. Someone is sabotaging the circus, and it takes a tragedy to find the culprits and solve the mystery. As a result, no one's lives will be the same.

    Once I got going on this book, I found myself unable to stop. L. Leander's descriptions weave like a mist through the mind and hold the reader's attention. One description, among so many, stands out as a terrific example: "The fire took on a life of its own as it danced and crackled. Red and yellow flames leapt high into the sky. Basking in its glow were those who made music, the fiddle and guitar joining and parting like two hands clapping in perfect rhythm." Sheer verbal music.

    The details of gypsy and circus life were simply fantastic. The author seems to have gypsy blood herself, or she did some painstaking research. The characters were all very believable and well-developed, and the storyline was tightly written. The sympathetic ones were people a reader could really like, and the baddies were definitely written in that fashion.

    Another example of L. Leander's suspenseful, well-written style was a chapter in which the circus is performing. The way she wrote the scene, especially coming after sabotage was discovered, made me hold my breath and peek at the next couple of lines, sure that something terrible was going to happen. When it didn't, I felt myself finally relaxing, it was that real.

    L. Leander's book is well worth the time to read it, and I hope she writes more. I want to hear more about the exploits of "Inzared, Queen of the Elephant Riders".
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2012
    The story has been outlined in other reviews, so I will just comment that even as the heroine continues to talk "hillbilly" throughout the novel, in the first person..... slowly you become her as you read. The author has done an amazing job of pulling one into the story through this particular character's point of view. Really amazing job for a first time novelist!

    The depictions of the gypsy peoples are good, some of the prejudices that would have actually been in place are glossed over and Inzared's distance from the circus owners is confusing considering their relationship - as is the abrupt ending, and some red herrings, or in actuality, bananas. I agree that the neatly wrapped conclusion is a little too neat and doesn't address other issues that may show up in the next installment? Or, if not, should have resolved or left out as they left holes in the story that didn't feel finished - this being the reason the review is only 4 stars.

    And, because there must be much more of this story to tell.....the child of both worlds' growing up, the evolution of Inzared, and clashes and compromises of life in a home and life on the road, there is a lot or room here to finish the tale, depending on how the author choses to spin it.

    It's not Spangle (the best circus novel ever!), but it is one of the best circus novels I've read, while also being one of the best Gypsy novels I've read....and those are both subjects near and dear to me. My Grandmother was pure Bohemian, came through Ellis Island speaking Bohemian and a dear friend was Romany, so the gypsy customs and descriptions, in particular, were a joy to read.

    Kuddos to the author, and please - don't leave us wondering what happens next for very long!
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2012
    Inzared, Queen of the Elephant Riders is a wonderful debut release from L. Leander. The story follows Bertha Maude Anderson, a girl who grew up in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina in the 1800s. She is unsure of her place in the world, feeling she wants more than her small town home in Appalachia. When a gypsy circus comes through her town, she falls in love with the lifestyle the gypsy troupe leads--as well as being intrigued by a young man named Paytre and his elephant, Cecil--and finds herself convinced to leave her home and family behind to join The Romanoff Brothers Circus as Inzared, Queen of the Elephant Riders. The story is told from Inzared's point of view as she assimilates into they gypsy culture, finds love, uncovers a mystery that threatens the circus and the well-being of its performers and animals, and settles into her namesake as Queen of the Elephant Riders.

    L.Leander has done an excellent job of accurately capturing the time period and the gypsy culture and you are truly pulled into the world of a travelling gypsy circus in the 1800s. The characters are very likable and realistic with dialogue that feels natural and fits the characters well. You really get to know the characters and connect with them. The story has a little bit of everything you could want in a book: romance, mystery, suspense, adventure, tragedy, and comedy. This is truly a book that can be enjoyed by just about anyone, no matter your typical genre preference.

    This is L.Leander's debut novel, but from the quality of the writing, you would never guess it. Inzared is wonderfully written, plotted, and edited. Once I had started it, it was a challenge just to put it down. If this is only the beginning of what she has to offer, I can't wait to see what's next!
    6 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • anura33
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very good read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 9, 2013
    I don't know much about the circus in the 19th century (or any century come to that) but the research seemed to me very good (I had previously read "Cirkus" and the very excellent "Water for Elephants" and the terminology seems to follow through). In any event this is a thoroughly enjoyable tale about a girl who runs away with the circus and the life she makes for herself. Well written, plausible and real characters that you can care about. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
  • nanjar
    4.0 out of 5 stars An interesting subject
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 27, 2013
    I liked the simple plotline of the story; warming in places, and in others very sad. It has an innocence that might be well received by a YA audience. I know very little about the language and customs of the Romany circus travellers in the US, back in the 1840s, so it was intersting to learn something new - acknowledging that I was reading a work of fiction. The concept of running away from home and joining a circus troupe took me back to childhood memories of books written about Circuses in the 1950s and 1960s. The life Inzared carved out for herself was one that would not have been lightly undertaken, since the acceptance in a different cultural society would have been a daunting prospect. Though the ending is sad it will be interesting to read more of Inzared, Queen of the Elephants.
  • OndineBlue
    5.0 out of 5 stars An enchanting tale
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 27, 2012
    I downloaded this on an impulse as it's not what I normally read and I am so glad I did! A gentle poignant tale of love that is interwoven with insights into the lives of the Roma circuses that roamed the US for so many years. I'm looking forward to the next book to read about what Inzarad does next.

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