Do you like dragons, Basset Hounds and adventurous women who know which end of a sword to grab? If the answer is yes, then definitely check out The Blue Flame!

Author Barbara M. Hodges is also the proud furmom of four bouncing furbaby Bassets, Dogsters Ophelia, Hamlet, Sydney and Winston. And these dogsters must have been Hodges’ inspiration for the world’s talkiest (or is that thinkiest?) Basset, Maggie.

Maggie lives with one of two sisters and goes on the adventure of a dog or human lifetime when she and her human leave our world to help her sister save another world, replete with a dragon who communicates with Maggie and her human. (I bet you were wondering how a book with a dragon got reviewed on a dog blog, weren’t you?).

The main story revolves around two sisters, Kelsey and Regan Cafferty, as they discover why they feel so at home and protective of the world they found right across a narrow sliver of existance from our own. The sisters feel compelled to do what they can and must to save Daradawn.

Maggie, ever faithful, is the supportive dog helping her humans and the occasional horse or dwarf. She may not be the main character but Maggie makes a real splash every time she appears!

The Blue Flame is a fun and fast read for those of us who like a little magic, a little romance and a Bassett Hound who doesn’t mind letting you know what’s on her mind!