Anna, the Princess, and the Pendant

by J.E. London

Seventeen-year-old Anna Elizabeth Owens is a typical teen-age girl growing up in Morrisville, North Carolina, until the day her great-grandmother requests her presence at her bedside. In her late seventies, the older woman has a special gift for Anna and she shares a mysterious message.

"Tonight, as my journey in this world ends, so begins your journey into the vast world of dreams. After tonight, your dreams will take you to places of your wildest imaginations. Just remember, we all have good and bad dreams. Henceforth, both good and bad journeys will lead you to your destination."

While living in parallel worlds of dreams and reality, Anna discovers the power of love with a young man named Alex, and Princess Isis discovers the pain of sacrifice on her journey for survival. Eventually, she must choose between the throne and her one true love: a slave named Amon.

Laden with intrigue, romance, action, and adventure, this powerful tale explores Anna's coming-of-age experience from a young girl to a young woman while enthralled in the adventures of her dreams.

200 pages, Hardcover

Published November 20, 2017

Reviews

[Chetna Yaduvendu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anna, the princess and the pendant was very different from most books I have read. It is a story about a young girl, carrying the legacy/burden of her previous generation, trying to seperate her dreams from her reality, trying to find herself and her worth among all the scepticism.
In her dreams, she is running away to save her life and earn her freedom from the vows her father made.
When not dreaming, she is falling in love, learning about her sexuality, being a woman. There are certain analogies that were one of a kind and that made the acts special.
In the starting, the dreams seemed slow but the book picks up the pace soon enough.
I love the simple writing but beautified explanation, and more than that i loved to know about some new african tribes and their culture.
It is a urban fantasy, linked with history.

[Sawarak · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the fantasy/romance/adventure story and get my attention since the first chapter. It kept me asking what was happening and what was going to happen next. It was exciting and it made me go on to the next page and the next. The writer put information about African tribes and talked about slaves, problems in society in the ancient time. So, reading this book is really enjoyable.
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The protagonist is a teenage girl name Anna. She received the green gem which was passed through generations. After receiving the gem, she encountered weird situation, traveled in dream, tried to separate between dream and reality, tried to find the answers to break the curse, and fell in love. But for me, I think the story goes too quick in some scene and most of the detail is written in conversation between characters. Because it's too quick, I feel like I still don't know the personality of some characters clearly.
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Last thing, the language in the book is easy to read. English is my second language but I can finish the book in one week.

[Nila Eslit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anna, the Princess, and the Pendant is a compelling story that explores both the real world and a mythical past. Written by J.E. London, the book features a unique twist on romance, coming-of-age, and a culture of the past.

The plot focuses on two red-haired and green-eyed teenage girls. Although born a century apart, they share similar life experiences. Elizabeth and Anna Elizabeth Owens live part of their lives in a dream world. In this book, the author demonstrates her skills in interweaving myth and reality. She describes the scenes so vividly, transporting the reader to where the action is.

Overall, Anna, the Princess, and the Pendant is a good read. I recommend it to teenagers and the general reading public. Only for one technical issue, though, that I give the book a rating of 4 out of five stars. For details of my review of the book, please check it out at https://www.nilaeslit.com/anna-the-pr...

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Thank you booktasters and the author for a review copy in exchange for an honest review. The review is filled with my honest thoughts and have not been influenced by anyone*

A green gem passed on to the next red haired female in the family. A precious gem with a possible curse. The story focuses on Anna, her journey through solving the mystery of the gem and living the roamnce of a lifetime.

The moment Anna receives the gem, she doesn't believe the tales her dying great grandmother are speaking. But when she falls asleeps with the gem safely around her neck she experiences dreams so vivid, they feel almost real and it leads Anna to question her sanity. This becomes the running theme in the book as Anna tries to understand the significance of the gem and it's relation to her new dreams.

My favorite parts of the book were the description of the surroundings around Anna and Amon. Although in a drwam like state, the setting was described so magically and whimiscally. I was captivated from the start and wanted to taste the exotic fruit and feel the crisp breeze.

Part coming of age, part peculiar romance, the author uniquely captures a romances that feels too good to be true. Each parting between Anna and Amon stirs heartbreak, while each returns leaves the reader with wa ting to know what happens next. At the beginning there was a snippet that talked about the backstory of the gem and it's possible first owner. It talked about the forbidden romance during that time (slave master daughter in love with a slave) that ended in horrific tradegy. It was a bit jarring to say the least and I did struggled a bit to read it. Once I read it, I understood then what the significance of the gem in relation to that romance was and how it would impact each owner after that.

If you want a quick read with a different take on romance, this is a book for you.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anna, the princess and the pendant is a book revolving around an ancient kingdom, a throne and love.

Anna has the power to choose if the curse placed on her family comes to an end or continues to the next red haired green-eyed generation.

This teenage novel holds a lot of emotions, the plot kept me on suspense trying to decipher if Anna could interpret her dreams enough to be able to know what do to make things right.

This is a must read.

[Jai · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enthralling coming-of-age tale of a teenage girl as she journey through dreams and parallel worlds, Anna, the Princess, and the Pendant follows the adventures of the titular character, Anna, as she discover what is of utmost importance in this beautiful yet fleeting life. What she thought was a short visit to her great-grandmother's house turned out to be a remarkable experience that would change her life forever. 

Perhaps what I like best in this novel was the suspense of finding out whether Anna's adventures were all just a dream, a parallel reality, or both. The uncertainty of whether she'll stay trapped in her dreams or break through the "curse" that haunted her family for generations added a more thrilling dimension to the already fast-paced story. There were some repetitive scenes (which I suspect was to illustrate parallelism) but nevertheless, the narrative was delightful and a breeze to read.

If you'd like to venture on a more creative and whimsical take on the "happily ever after" notion that every young girl yearns for, then this book is perfect for your reading pleasure.

[Jene · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a gift from the author thought Book Tasters for a review. The book is written by J.E. London.

The introduction of the book helps to paint a very Vivid picture of what you will encounter in the book. Forbidden love, a curse spoken, and a mysterious green gem. Now this gem has a history before the young lady recurves it and starts to pass it down to specific women in the family. When young Anna gets it handed to her from her great grandmother she thinks the lady has lost her mind and is telling stories. That is till the first night she sleeps with it on, she then starts to lose her mind thinking she went crazy.

After a few dreams she starts to do her research to find out what is actually going on. Now I will leave this here and let you read the book to find out what she learns and how the rest of the story unfolds.

I will tell you that it was a very enjoyable book and I found it hard to put it down. You (at least I did) want to keep reading to find out will Anna solve the mystery. Will she free all the lives of those traveling in and out of dreams. Will she remove the curse? The only way to find out is to pick it up and read it for yourself now.


Enjoy reading.

[Nayab Khan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anna, the princess and the pendant is a story of love lost and love found. It left me at the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading it. It's intriguing and full of deep emotions. I felt the longing that Anna felt for Amon in her dreams. I could feel the pain that Amon felt when he had to suppress his desire for his princess. I could almost taste the exotic fruits that they ate along the way. And my heart almost ripped out of my chest when the starcrossed lovers had to part ways.
This is a powerful story, and its very well written. The pull of this tale was so strong for me that some of the repetitive portions didn't bother me much. The end left me wanting the fable to continue.
The story of Xavier Leblanc and what happened to him - that's something I still wish to know.
Hats off to J. E. London for an amazing book!

[Simone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anna Owens is a strong willed independent you woman. She visits her dying great grandmother and is given a gorgeous emerald pendant. Her summer and life is forever changed.

This was a fantastic coming of age novel. I loved that the main character was a stong, independent young woman that could not be easily coerced. I think this was a great romance. It also shows that the choices we make may seem that the effects are temporary, but sometimes last a lifetime. I thoroughly enjoyed Anna/Princess Isis' journey. I think every teenage girl will enjoy the romance and maybe see beyond the love story. The only issue I had with this book was that the intimacy was a little too graphic but otherwise it's a great read.

[Yolisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little red headed teenager receives a perfect gift from her great grandmother.She's not that acquainted with her,she receives the gifts thinking they are nothing.After she gets these gifts,her life is changed tremendously.She finds love and learns things she initially thought were myths,only to gain insight into her life's purpose.
The story is enthralling.

[Sabi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good fictional read about how dreams, dejavu impact Anna’s life and how she decodes the dreams to find solace. The book portrays several emotions and the transition between dreams and reality is articulated very well.

The suspense is not revealed until the end and the plot keeps you guessing and waiting for more.

[Fhey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really love the parallel elements between the shifting of reality and dreams in the story. The story has a fast paced that you will not get bored and continue reading it.
It also shows how are choices can affect us either temporary or last for lifetimes.

[Nadia · Rating 5 out of 5]

-sometimes life takes us in directions that we didn’t intend to go-
I love that quotes! I thought that Anna had looping dream however she’s like time traveler but using dream! The story is exciting and the ending is smooth, they indeed belongs to each other✨

[J. E. London · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Book, intriguing and captivating. Must Read...
You will love it. The ending was fresh and unexpected.

[Ajlongenbach · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Booktasters and J. E. London. I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

As expected, this story is about a young girl named Anna, a Princess, and a pendant. What I really liked about the book, is that it’s a story of a princess (I love princess stories) who lives in the past, and Anna, who lives in the present day. Each has their own story in their own time, yet the stories eventually come together through Anna. Anna is the character that experiences the time travel. The author utilizes dreams for Anna to travel to the past, but Anna’s dreams are so intense and detailed, with Anna becoming the Princess character, I wondered whether Anna was really experiencing astral projection. Unlike most, Anna was able to recall her dreams in great detail upon waking.

Anna travels with her family to North Carolina to visit her dying great-grandmother whom she barely knows. Upon her deathbed, the great-grandmother tells Anna a story and gifts her a green stone pendant and diaries. Anna is skeptical, but then she begins to experience strange events while she is in town. Anna wants to return home to her friends, but her parents insist she stay for the summer and help her grandmother. Anna then meets two young men, one which befriends Anna and helps her on her quest to find answers to her dreams and the diaries, and the other who has an ulterior motive which Anna, in her youthfulness, does not recognize and she puts herself in danger.

The Princess’ story started out strong, but the Princess’ travels seemed to drag on longer than it needed to. I thought that could have been moved along better. And what’s with the Princess continually losing her hair tie? She’s constantly “ripping cloth from her gown” to form a new hair tie.

Both Anna and the Princess fall in love with their guardians. What should have been a beautiful act the teenagers experienced was cheapened by the author’s overuse of “passionate juices”. Both Anna’s experience and the Princess’s experience were practically verbatim. Cut copy paste. I don’t believe these scenes were written as well as they could have been.

Overall, I enjoyed the story but I think there were sections that could have been better.

[Literary Reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anna Owens is a bright, imaginative seventeen-year-old living in the quiet town of Morrisville, North Carolina. Yet beneath her composed surface brews a yearning for something more, something strange, something thrilling. That desire becomes reality when Anna is summoned to her dying grandmother’s side and receives a curious parting gift: a green gemstone said to possess unusual powers. As it turns out, the stories are true. The gem is a portal, a key to a dreamscape filled with romance, peril, and discovery.

Anna, the Princess, and the Pendant, the debut novel by J.E. London, offers a spellbinding coming-of-age fantasy that blends elements of classic portal fiction with a touch of gothic mystery. Echoes of Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman and Susanna Clarke’s Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell surface throughout, though London’s voice remains distinct.

The premise may sound familiar: an adolescent longing for adventure, drawn into an alternate realm, but it endures for a reason. Such narratives tap into our collective craving for escape and transformation. Here, that escapism is filtered through Anna’s emotional lens, adding depth to what might otherwise feel conventional.

Anna is painted with nuance. She is impulsive, deeply emotional, and teetering on the edge of adulthood. Romantic entanglements tempt her, pulling her between logic and longing, between the budding maturity of a young woman and the whimsy of the girl she still partly is. This tension feels authentic and is one of the novel’s quiet strengths.

London’s real distinction lies in the richness of historical context and vivid sensory detail. The dream world Anna explores never loses its grounding. A delicate balance is maintained, ethereal settings balanced with tactile realism. Even as Anna faces life-altering decisions, the prose remains buoyant, never descending into overwrought drama. The stakes are real, though largely emotional, centering on the tumult and vulnerability of first love.

Anna, the Princess, and the Pendant marks a compelling entry into young adult fantasy. It’s a heartfelt, imaginative journey, and J.E. London proves to be as captivating a storyteller as Anna is a heroine.

[P S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anna, the Princess and the Pendant
This title will be a bewitching recommendation for anyone who is interested in mystery and creative historical narratives. This modern bildungsroman relates the tale of Anna Owens, whose seemingly simple life undergoes great changes after acquiring a pendant (and a legacy) from her great-grand mother, who ushers her into the intriguing world of dreams. Anna is not only responsible for unearthing the obscurity of those dreams but must also find her footing as Princess Isis’ consciousness, as she treads through the forests of mischief, malicious intents and secrecy, in a constant effort to escape from the destiny that is imposed upon her. The narrative is a brilliant amalgamation of tropes that will satisfy several genres and make an exciting adventure for fantasy and adventure enthusiasts. The protagonist’s character arc is skillfully built and completed before the readers even realize that Anna has transformed from an adolescent to a mature adult; finding answers where there were none, skirting around threats to her life, finding love and facing some of the most difficult dilemmas she had ever encountered. The intricate depiction of the landscapes, scenes and emotions felt by the characters, takes the readers along on the trail of uncertainty, making them companions upon the journey that Anna and Isis undertake.The inclusion of several ethnic identities, their cultural and historical past and attempts at exploration and acquainting the readers with the same is commendable on the part of the author. The plot is efficiently constructed to engage the readers’ attention and will be an enchanting read that keeps the pages turning. Would totally love to read something like this again!

[Bailey Grimm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Booktasters for connecting me with the author and J. E. London for sending me a copy of the book.
This book was a really fun and light read that was perfect for summer. It read really quickly and moved along pretty quickly. I liked the addition of her grandmothers’ journals. I think that definitely added some important context to the story. I didn’t love the shift from her dreams to reality. I feel like it could have been a little smoother. There was some kind of graphic sexual scenes. They just felt really awkward and I feel like that partly because of the way they were written. I would definitely recommend this to someone more mature. My biggest issue was that I just felt it needed to be longer. Everything felt rushed and I didn’t feel like I could connect to or get into the story. There also wasn’t enough time to explain things well so everything didn’t make complete sense to me. That might be a personal preference thing though.
I loved Anna. She really grew a lot in that short time. She was kind, sweet, and smart. She stood up for herself and knew what she wanted. I really appreciated the way she came into her womanhood and sexuality. She became more confident and embraced that side of her which is great to see as a young female reader.

[Tisha "Manic Reads" · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Anna, the Princess, and the Pendant" by JE London is an interesting story about a girl who is given a family heirloom on the deathbed of her great-grandmother. It has some great details in certain parts of the book, and a history that is interesting when you are able to enjoy it, though it can be convoluted at times.

I think this book could have done with another editor, as there is a lot of repetitive scenes, as well as questions and sentences repeating from one page to the next verbatim. It also could be confusing, as not all of the dreams were from a different time but slightly different as if being a premonition. I feel that some of the story could have been a little more fleshed out, but the story was mostly focused on the character's relationships and I can understand that.

It was an interesting quick read, I just suppose that I was expecting something else from what was written as the book description. I also found it sweet that this was written for the author's daughter. I would buy another book from the author.

**I received this book from Booktasters on Twitter in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to both them and the author for the opportunity**

[Nisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just because you can't see something doesn't mean it's not there. This phrase haunted me for the past few days, and honestly, still is. 🤪

Interesting story of a teen girl named Anna, whose life became beyond her expectations, full of mysteries and adventures after she got a green pendant necklace from her great grandmother. She was sort of trapped between two worlds, reality and dreams, and that shifting process kinda made me feel like I was reading two different stories but still related to another. And more interesting part is, reading the story constantly made me feel confused but by times, I was able to finally connect all dots together. It was really fun. I adore Alex so much, he's got that vibe that i think will make everyone instantly fall for him. It's just i found the sexual part/scenes a little bit disturbing, i think it was described unnecessarily detailed, long and repetitive. But overall it's a good book.

[Divya Mahajan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anna, the Princess and the Pendant by J E London is a coming of age story of a young self absorbed teenager who changes her life course and brings peace to many souls over the course of a summer after the death of her great grandmother, When she visits her dying Great Grandmother she is passed a gift or curse - depends on Anna's use of it of travelling to a dream world and fulfilling an ancient prophesy and until then many sols will not find peace.
The story is a nicely moving fantasy that keeps the reader entertained throughout
But what I found disconcerting is the story of 3 women in different timelines running parallely
Apart from this I found it to be a pleasant read
I received this book through @BookTasters for a review

[Pam Dance · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an usual storyline. I love the way a dream world runs parallel to the real world as 17 year old Anna sets out to solve the mystery of her dreams passed down to her by her great-grandmother. Anna inherits a pendant on the eve of her great-grandmother's death, along with 'dream' diaries. Strange things begin to happen to her and Anna discovers sacrificial love both in her dreams and in her real life as she teeters on the edge of womanhood. A lovely read that actually activated vivid dreams within my own life! Read this book to discover whether Anna can break the family curse passed down through the generations and right the wrongs from the past.

[Rita Rane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anna, the princess and the Pendant is a beautifully crafted story between fantasy and reality. After long read a story which is presented so wonderfully each character well woven easy to understand. Even the dream sequence is so well presented that you feel as if the book makes you believe that dreams are real and we should listen to them.

Its has all the element of love, adventure and fantasy. With a very strong message that love can help you find the right path.

Would definitely recommend this book.

And a big applause to the author's imagination and putting the the thoughts so clearly in the book.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anna, the Princess, and the Pendant effectively combines elements of fantasy and reality to tell the story of Anna Owens and her experiences with her great grandmothers pendant. The aspects of normal teenage life with her family and boyfriend Alex make the story realistic, while her journey to safety with Amon as Princess Isis creates a feeling of wonder separate from daily life. I did notice a bit of repetition, more towards the end of the novel, which is why I gave it 4/5, but overall this is a quick and enjoyable read. I wish there were more to read, but the story is better suited where it ends, as Anna's growth as a character is clear and well written.

[Kerat Jhaj · Rating 3 out of 5]

Did I just read a book where the plot is a girl to sacrifice her virginity? *Good God, where has life taken me*
Though I have to say a book is a page turner in the beginning it gets seriously cringey regarding the chemistry. I feel like she was just confused and asked this guy a lot of questioned while...he introduced her to a world of pleasures?
I just wish the bond between them seemed more genuine then attraction. And even with the slave he never solved his person vs self conflict, he hated feeling for her throughout the book.
Nevertheless, it wasn't the worst read. And the world building and the culture deserved those stars!

[Nadhiah Aida · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's not my cup or tea although the plot is fine. Have the question what's with the dream and the pendant. I'm suspicious when Amon/Alex eyes turned green. Does the pendant gave a power or something.

Just I don't like the sex scenes. I prefer something that is not so details. Kiss and touch are fine to me. Maybe times has changed everything. I don't know. I like YA genres with light sex scenes .. this too heavy. I felt I'm reading an adults book. Bummer ...

Then answer at the end of the story. You will see it ...

[Isabelle Cordeiro · Rating 2 out of 5]

History with a lot of potential but very little developed and explored. It has very confusing and repetitive passages. Xavier is a very poorly explored character and I couldn't understand his relevance in the story. The parts of the romance between Anna and Alex and Anna and Amon are repetitive and dull. I had a hard time imagining the scenarios because the descriptions were very few, and especially in Anna's dreams the descriptions were few and confusing. The transitions from one scene to the next also left something to be desired.

[Yara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A young girl carries the legacy of her previous generation, where she tries to separate dreams from reality and tries to find her worth. Her dreams are of her running away to save herself, and when she’s awake, she is falling in love, learning about herself, and being a woman.

It’s urban fantasy linked with history, with simple writing offering beautiful elaboration, and edutainment of the African tribes and their culture, the societal problems in ancient times!

[Pulkita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anna, the Princess, and the Pendant is a thrilling adventure everyone should get to experience, It seamlessly creates a bond between reality and fantasy in a way that makes it difficult for the reader to put down the book. It makes for a great way to escape the grim reality of the world today and transports the reader to a place where they can immerse themselves in the story of the protagonist, Anna.

[Malena · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were a few details I wasn´t a fan of but overall it was a really nice reading. The writer has a style that´s easy to enjoy and the book reads itself (it´s also super short). It was easy to connect with the characters (most of the times) and the story´s captivating. I would say my only complain, and could be my personal opinion, is that sometimes everything felt rushed and it ended up being a little predictable, but I finished it feeling it was a good book.