Den of Thieves: Pantera - New movie
Kindle Unlimited
Unlimited reading. Millions of titles. Learn more
Read now
OR
£6.17

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Sold by Amazon Media EU S.à r.l..

Audiobook Price: £13.99

Save: £10.50 (75%)

Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will pre-order your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships and Subscriptions
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet or computer – no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Victoria Danann
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

My Familiar Stranger: FIVE TIME WINNER BEST PARANORMAL ROMANCE SERIES (Knights of Black Swan Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Victoria Danann (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 7,669 ratings

I was alone and alien. I had nothing. I knew no one. This is my story.


New York Times bestselling author, Victoria Danann, introduces the epic saga that reset the gold standard for paranormal and fantasy romance..

"My God, this is spectacular." - Quote the Raven

I accidentally ended up in this dimension. I had such savage injuries that my species was questionable. But as luck would have it, I landed in the best possible place; an ancient society of vampire hunters with the medical means to put me back together.

I can't go home, but I can use the extra-abilities I gained from slipping dimensions to work for Black Swan and try to keep my friends alive. When it comes to love, I have options. Who will it be? The modern-day knight who saved my life is strength and honor personified. The sexy prince of elves who thinks I'm his mate. Or the incredibly magnetic, six-hundred-year-old vampire. My name is Elora Laiken. This is my story.

Start reading TODAY! Find out why My Familiar Stranger has been called "awesome", "enchanting", "enthralling", "engrossing", and "thrilling".

You won't want to come back. Promise.
"Gets under your skin and into your dreams and will never let you go."
Previous slide of product details
  1. Book 1 of 16
    Knights of Black Swan
  2. Print length
    602 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    26 April 2012
  5. File size
    2.8 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
Next slide of product details

Shop this series

 See full series
There are 16 books in this series.

In this series (16 books)

Kindle Edition
Popular highlights in this book
What are Popular highlights?
Previous page
  1. I’ve been a so-called coward and a so-called hero and there’s not the thickness of a sheet of paper between them. Maybe cowards and heroes are just ordinary men who, for a split second, do something out of the ordinary. That’s all.
    Highlighted by 743 Kindle readers
  2. An epiphany is a surge of comprehension that pulls together loose ends of experience with tidbits of information and flashes of intuition, then rearranges them into a moment of perfect clarity. It only takes a heartbeat for the mind to grasp a new perspective and shift to accommodate a different way of thinking.
    Highlighted by 389 Kindle readers
  3. Being short on actual relationship experience, neither understood that every woman has a Medusa side.
    Highlighted by 203 Kindle readers
  4. “She killed him with a toothpick that she grabbed out of some fellow’s mouth as she ran by. Did you know that?”
    Highlighted by 180 Kindle readers
Next page

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B007V8RAKW
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ dba 7th House Publishing, Imprint of Andromeda LLC (26 April 2012)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.8 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 602 pages
  • Customer reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 7,669 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Victoria Danann

Victoria Danann

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Sixteen Times Amazon #1 Bestseller

Over THREE MILLION DOWNLOADS

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author.

"QUEEN OF ALPHA MALE CHARACTERS!" - Slashed Reads

Victoria's signature humor ("Everybody was staring at me because I was on the subway in fits of laughter and couldn't stop!") creeps into each and every book whether she intends it or not. But the heart of Victoria's books is romance, the real kind that often begins with slow burn then lasts and lingers like a charge in the air. Forever.

The rich characterizations and quirky personalities that readers so often comment about come from being a lifelong student of behavior - casually (love to people watch), and a serious student of behavior academically. She has also studied comparative religion, myths, and Dark Ages history.

Victoria lives in The Woodlands, Texas with her husband and a very smart, mostly black German Shepherd dog.

ALSO BY VICTORIA DANANN:

PARANORMAL WOMEN’S FICTION (for no-mercy heroines over forty)

Not Too Late 1. Midlife Magic

Not Too Late 2. Midlife Blues

Not Too Late 3. Midlife Mojo

Not Too Late 4. Midlife at Midnight

Not Too Late 5. Midlife Mayhem

THE KNIGHTS OF BLACK SWAN

Knights of Black Swan 1. My Familiar Stranger

Knights of Black Swan 2. The Witch’s Dream

Knights of Black Swan 3. A Summoner’s Tale

Knights of Black Swan 4. Moonlight

Knights of Black Swan 5. Gathering Storm

Knights of Black Swan 6. A Tale of Two Kingdoms

Knights of Black Swan 7. Solomon’s Sieve

Knights of Black Swan 8. Vampire Hunter

Knights of Black Swan 9. Journey Man

Knights of Black Swan 10. Falcon

Knights of Black Swan 11. Jax

Knights of Black Swan 12. Trespass

Knights of Black Swan 13. Irish War Cry

Knights of Black Swan 14. Deliverance

Knights of Black Swan 15. Black Dog

Knights of Black Swan 16. The Music Demon

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
7,669 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers find this paranormal romance book entertaining with many twists and turns, featuring a kick-ass but humble heroine and strong lead female character. They enjoy the fun mix of serious and light-hearted moments, and one customer mentions being hooked from page one. The writing style receives mixed feedback, with some finding it well-written while others struggle with poor grammar. The book's pace is also mixed, with some describing it as fast-paced while others find it slow.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more

73 customers mention ‘Readability’73 positive0 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, describing it as a fabulous and entertaining read that's good for passing time.

"Thoroughly enjoyed this, my first by this author. Plenty of action and pace, fascinating characters...." Read more

"...world in which supernatural creatures and the paranormal exists and works well...." Read more

"...A great read, well written and great characters, im really hoping the next book carries on in the same way!..." Read more

"...But saying that if you like a Paranormal Romance story its a good read" Read more

72 customers mention ‘Storyline’63 positive9 negative

Customers enjoy the storyline of the book, praising its fantastic fantasy elements and many twists and turns.

"Thoroughly enjoyed this, my first by this author. Plenty of action and pace, fascinating characters...." Read more

"...It was fun to watch the budding romance between him and Elora. They are so sweet and entertaining to watch, and yet extremely sexy at the same time...." Read more

"Wasn't what I initially expected but turned out to be so engrossing that I couldn't wait to return to the story and had trouble putting it down to..." Read more

"...Not sure! Characters ok! Storyline was ok, ie things just happened then finished, the action parts were over before it started and the other..." Read more

46 customers mention ‘Character development’43 positive3 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, particularly noting the strong lead female character who is both kick-ass and humble.

"...Plenty of action and pace, fascinating characters. I didn't see the end coming .... Always a good thing." Read more

"...The characters are lovable - particular the irish elf, Ram - and grow on you rather quickly...." Read more

"...A great read, well written and great characters, im really hoping the next book carries on in the same way!..." Read more

"...Having developed the characters so well here, I really want to find out how their personal stories develop...." Read more

20 customers mention ‘Enjoyment’15 positive5 negative

Customers find the book entertaining, with fun elements mixed with serious moments and exciting paranormal elements throughout.

"...They are so sweet and entertaining to watch, and yet extremely sexy at the same time...." Read more

"...will be another cracker based on the authors writing style which had me smiling, laughing out loud in places and gasping in consternation at other..." Read more

"...the characters could have more depth and a little too sickly sweet at the end...." Read more

"...with action, however it also seamlessly made me connect and identify with the emotions of all of the main characters, laughing at the sassy wit of..." Read more

11 customers mention ‘Start’11 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's start engaging, with several mentioning they were hooked from page one, and one customer noting it had them engaged from start to finish.

"This was the start of a fantastic series that just continues to get better. This book caught my attention and made me want to read more...." Read more

"...I was hooked after the first few pages...." Read more

"...I was hooked from the very beginning, and will definitely be reading the rest of Victoria's books." Read more

"...Elora, Ram, Storm and Kay are great leads, oh an I loved Blackie. Will certainly be downloading the other books." Read more

7 customers mention ‘Humour’7 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the humor in the book, with one mentioning they laughed out loud in places.

"...My Familiar Stranger to be the right amount of actions, romance and humour, and I look forward to the next book in the series." Read more

"...based on the authors writing style which had me smiling, laughing out loud in places and gasping in consternation at other events...." Read more

"...out, and the book takes you on a whirlwind of a story which has great humour, a slow burn relationship, and bags of excitement!!!!!..." Read more

"...I had to keep reading till I finished it. I laughed out loud with tears at times, at others I didn't know wether to laugh or cry...." Read more

31 customers mention ‘Writing style’20 positive11 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the writing style of the book, with some finding it well written and highly descriptive, while others mention struggling with poor grammar and find it tediously written.

"...A great read, well written and great characters, im really hoping the next book carries on in the same way!..." Read more

"...and I already know it will be another cracker based on the authors writing style which had me smiling, laughing out loud in places and gasping in..." Read more

"...thing that distracted me from time to time was slice of information that felt unneeded at time, or had nothing to do with the main plot...." Read more

"...worlds that shouldn't really be believable, but they are so skilfully written that you can totally immerse yourself in them and forget that it's not..." Read more

15 customers mention ‘Pace’9 positive6 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book, with some finding it fast-paced while others note that the story starts slow.

"Thoroughly enjoyed this, my first by this author. Plenty of action and pace, fascinating characters...." Read more

"...other a few stories of the Knight's I noticed, too many means things get slow, silly and repeatative...." Read more

"...Elora is also tested in all ways possible. She is stronger, faster and better at martial arts than the majority of the knights...but theres never..." Read more

"...The author introduces them at panic speed, without really giving us a chance to get to know them before another character is thrown at us...." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Judith Hughes
    5.0 out of 5 stars Compulsive Reading
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 January 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Thoroughly enjoyed this, my first by this author. Plenty of action and pace, fascinating characters.
    I didn't see the end coming .... Always a good thing.
    Helpful
     Report
  • E. Morgan
    4.0 out of 5 stars Heartfelt story
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 November 2012
    Verified Purchase
    (This book was received from author/publisher/tour guide in exchange for an honest review.)

    My Familiar Stranger is the story of Elora Laiken a seemingly ordinary female who is pushed into another dimension by her mentor. Lucky for Elora she lands in the confines of The Order of the Black Swan, an organization that deals with all things supernatural.

    I found the overall idea for the story interesting, and rather refreshing. Danann has created a world in which supernatural creatures and the paranormal exists and works well. The characters are lovable - particular the irish elf, Ram - and grow on you rather quickly. The plot was easy to follow and the love triangle kept me on my toes, although I have to say I was routing for Ram the entire time. It was fun to watch the budding romance between him and Elora. They are so sweet and entertaining to watch, and yet extremely sexy at the same time. I have to say I found Baka hilarious and look forward to hearing more about him.

    The only thing that distracted me from time to time was slice of information that felt unneeded at time, or had nothing to do with the main plot. But other than that I found My Familiar Stranger to be the right amount of actions, romance and humour, and I look forward to the next book in the series.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • claire
    5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant Start to a series - i hope it continues!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 January 2014
    Verified Purchase
    This had been in my TBR pile for a while, and im not sure why i didnt pick it up sooner.....but im glad i did pick it up!

    So the gist of this book is that there is a secret Unit of "soldiers" who fight against Vampire. they are also in an alternate dimension. They know this as our girl, Elora, is plunged through a vortex from her own world and catapulted into this world. She should have died. ALL of her body was affected...yet she didnt. The hospital facility at the unit treated her. it took her a few months to get 100%.

    We follow the "B Team" - consisting of Ram, Storm and Kay. Their fourth comrade sadly died in their last mission, so they have been given some time off.
    Storm stays to care for Elora.

    When the other 2 come back, they are shocked at Elora's recovery and Ram's body (an Elf) recognises her as his Mate.....but will Storm just step back and let Ram take over where he has been for the past few months?

    Elora is also tested in all ways possible. She is stronger, faster and better at martial arts than the majority of the knights...but theres never been a female Knight...can this be altered? There are some others who feel they deserve the position on the B Team (credited as being the cream of the units)....will they take it lying down to be overlooked by a female?

    A great read, well written and great characters, im really hoping the next book carries on in the same way!

    Read on behalf of CBLS Tours in return for an honest review
    Helpful
     Report
  • Julia
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 October 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Wasn't what I initially expected but turned out to be so engrossing that I couldn't wait to return to the story and had trouble putting it down to get some sleep.
    I'll definitely be downloading the next instalment and I already know it will be another cracker based on the authors writing style which had me smiling, laughing out loud in places and gasping in consternation at other events.
    Having developed the characters so well here, I really want to find out how their personal stories develop.
    I've not read this author before but she will be on my favourites list as one to watch out for.
    Helpful
     Report
  • SSinclair
    3.0 out of 5 stars Didn't grab me as much as some of the other books out there which are great! Not sure
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 April 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Ok Read! debating whether to read the next? There are quite other a few stories of the Knight's I noticed, too many means things get slow, silly and repeatative. Didn't grab me as much as some of the other books out there which are great! Not sure!
    Characters ok! Storyline was ok, ie things just happened then finished, the action parts were over before it started and the other knights team E etc they seem to be brought in then never to be heard (but know they may have there story at later date) The relationship with her dog that she trained could of been more involved (nice) and The revelation of who she was in the end, I just felt "Really??" Certain things didn't flow enough... But saying that if you like a Paranormal Romance story its a good read
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • samantha s
    5.0 out of 5 stars Really good.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 April 2013
    Verified Purchase
    I really liked this book. I wish the author had taken more time to develop the antagonist and his part in the book - it all seemed a bit rushed. This did not detract from the book in any way.

    What a wonderful and unique story. It's an epic love story combined with the paranormal. A woman from another dimension who can't help that all the men she meets, whether they're human or not, fall in love with her. Which one will she end up with?! Even she didn't know until nearly the last minute.

    I also loved that this book was a complete story! So often author's release the first of a "series" as free but obviously leave the end purposely vague so that the reader is encouraged/forced to pay for the next instalment. I'll be buying the next two in the series - probably as the box set as it works out cheaper than purchasing books 2 and 3 separately. I look forward to more books about the Black Swan organisation and I really can't wait to learn more about Baca!
    Helpful
     Report
  • benjcake
    4.0 out of 5 stars Little gem
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 February 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Really enjoyed this one especially considering it was free.
    I would mark it three and a half, rounded up to 4.
    Positives: the story and characters are engaging and I want to know them better, the world is interesting and the premise good,a different take on the paranormal romance genre, Ram (and his accent yum), Storm and Baka.

    Weaknesses : the heroine is a little too good to be true, proof reading poor,the villain too obvious ( and why does he have to be ugly just because he's a baddy) the characters could have more depth and a little too sickly sweet at the end.

    Overall well worth reading, I have downloaded the authors other book and look forward to reading it.
    Helpful
     Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
  • Steph TD
    5.0 out of 5 stars MY FAMILIAR STRANGER and THE WITCH'S DREAM - Book Crack!
    Reviewed in the United States on 9 September 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Includes review for book 2: THE WITCH'S DREAM

    Books received via Boo Tour COmpany for review on my blog. No remuneration was exchanged and all opinions herein are my own except as noted.

    These books are like crack for readers. I was hooked after reading the first book in this series and immediately began the second. To put it mildly I was swept off my feet. Everything from the world-building to the sex was excellent.

    The world is a very complex, quantum multi-verse, very intricate and well thought out. I don't know if Victoria built everything up before hand or if she manages to invent these intricacies as she writes. I suspect the former because so far I haven't fallen over any continuity problems.

    The characters are really appealing as well, and unique. I am really pleased with the development of each person in the story. There is a purpose for each.

    Indeed, everything is highly detailed, location, character and species.

    For example Abraxas demons:

    "Abraxas are the spiritual expression of sex - which has two faces - the power of love and the joys of mutual sharing, or its opposite: domination, humiliation, sadism cruelty. "(The Witch's Dream, page 6 pdf)

    Dannan's voice is unique, in a good way. Her style is halfway between showing and telling, which gives it a modern edge, like a report with feeling. I liked the almost scientific impression I got as I read.

    And the relationships, from first glance to intimacy, the relationships sometimes develop quickly but they do develop. And the physical intimacy is sexy and erotic without vulgarity.

    Part of my job is also pointing out the areas I find challenging. The style shows an organized writer bringing us well-developed everything and lots of detail. Therein lies the rub: when is it too much detail. A good pruning would make the story stronger. Too much detail treats everything from the design of a nightclub to the intricacies of plot with the same level of importance. I appreciate that Victoria has put so much thought into each aspect of her world; it gives the work a strong foundation.

    But sometimes I don't need to see what's holding it together; if the continuity is good, the foundation of the story can work behind the scenes. I found myself mentally editing the stories. If the reader has to fill in the blanks on her own it makes it more engaging. It's weird but as I read I realized that both too much and too little detail can make things feel like an outline. Editing would often make a huge difference in a book - whether it's a mainstream publisher, a competent indy or someone paid to edit. I was reading an uncorrected proof so some of the typos and verb tense issues I found may well have been changed.

    This leads me to one other issue: obvious foreshadowing. Look! Look! .... Look! With so much detail, I am not allowed to feel the event that is about to happen' not allowed to see it unfold. There are too many clues; the storyline becomes obvious. Way before I get to the event it's happened in my head and the next event is shaping itself.

    I liken this to a painting where the artist gets carried away and has a hard time deciding the painting is complete and that a particular area should be left unspecific.

    Did these minor "flaws" it make the book less readable, less exciting, less compelling? No, like I said, I began the second immediately after the first. And, keep in mind, I am not a big fantasy world person. Victoria manages to create worlds=on-worlds that are familiar enough that a glossary is not needed. While at first I wondered, which of the dimensions was the one I inhabit, I quickly stopped doing that and gave into the worlds she was creating. It is not often where I find flaws that are outweighed by the merits of a book, so this is an unusual instance for me. While some editing is called for I would still say these books are examples of superior writing and HIGHLY RECOMMEND them.

    I liked it so much I immediately picked up book three!
    Report
  • Client Amazon
    5.0 out of 5 stars FANTASTIC STORY!!!
    Reviewed in Canada on 26 July 2013
    Verified Purchase
    The Author really has a way to grab your interest in this story. A Parallel dimension, a strong willed woman, and gorgeous men, and fairy tale like characters. I Love the way she describes the world they live in with such detail. The Order of the Black Swan are out to protect the Human race from all kinds of dangers, and in this book it's Vampire.

    The main character goes through a lot of physical and emotional turmoil, physically she has a lot of healing to do, and emotionally she has to choose between three gorgeous men, all unique in their own way.

    I love the humor that she puts in her story as well, the bit about peanut butter I will never forget. Just LOVED IT!!!

    You won't want to put this book down, since it's soooo good, and you are wishing so much to know what happens next!! There is a lot of humor, action, romance and everything else that is so good, you just have to get this book.

    Since it's a start of a series you just have to get the other books to follow up on the other characters, it's really worth it. I'm starting the fourth book right now. The other two that follow are just as good.

    Hurry and get this book and the whole series, you won't regret it!!

    Thank you for great stories Ms Dannon! :)
    Report
  • Tibule
    2.0 out of 5 stars Bof
    Reviewed in France on 2 October 2018
    Verified Purchase
    C'est décevant, surtout après toutes les bonnes critiques sur amazon.com.

    La façon d'écrire de l'auteur est particulière : on n'a pas un point de vue particulier par chapitres, ou par sous-chapitres ; les pensées et paroles de ses personnages se mélangent d'un paragraphe à l'autre et on ne sait pas toujours qui parle ou dans la tête de qui on est.
    Ensuite, elle nous donne parfois des définitions, comme si elle était allée les chercher sur un dico et nous les ressortait pour qu'on comprenne bien... c'est bizarre.
    Il y a aussi énormément de descriptions, que j'ai fini par sauter au bout d'un moment.

    L'histoire était originale, le concept de réalités parallèles, tout ça... mais c'est mal exécuté, brouillon, superficiel (malgré l'abondance des descriptions), ennuyeux. L'histoire d'amour est moyenne.
    Bref, ce n'est pas ma future série paranormale préférée.
    Report
  • Glückskind
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great book with a few flaws
    Reviewed in Germany on 8 July 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Even though there were some things about the book that were not so good, I give five stars, because it was a great book. The plot was great and the story itself was something new in between all of that paranormal mating stuff that always seems the same.
    The good things for me (may contain spoilers):
    - Even though Ram and Elora are mates it was not this insta-love-i-can't-live-without-you-anymore thing that happens far too often in paranormal stories; instead they both had to work to be and to stay together
    - Ram; his character was (aside from the awful name) one of the best characters I have read about in the last few months. He was funny, annoying and had a short temper. I loved him, he seemed so real!
    - the whole parallel universe thing: I loved how "our" world appeared in both worlds the one Elora came froma nd the one she is now in. I loved how it was never obvious if one of them is "our" real world. Well done!
    - I really liked the character descriptions. They were detailed without being too detailed and left enough space for my own imagination.

    However there were a few things I disliked as well:
    - The author tells a lot more than she shows, most of the dialogues are not in direct speech, but retold and shortened so that only the necessary information are delivered. Normally this would make me despise a book, but the author managed to capture me anyhow.
    - The solutions were rushed and not totally believable... There's thefact that Elora so readily agrees to marry Storm, even though his proposal seemed more like a business deal than a decision he made out of his heart. Suddenly there's a cure for the vampire disease no one before could find? There were a few things like that, I don't want to tell them all, but I wanted to mention the two that disturbed me the most
    - I didn't like that we didn't really get Ghost's motive for being so vile toward Elora. The fact that he didn't get to be a member of B-Team was not believable for me. Not for the crime he did with sacrificing Elora for the vampires.

    All in all it was a great story, a fantastic universe that opens up for me and I can't wait to read the next book!
    Report
  • Sharon Simpson
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
    Reviewed in Australia on 5 November 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Loved the whole story line. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.
    Recommended to all lovers of this genre.
    Report

Report an issue


Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report