Rituals & Runes Release!

 

The runes are cast, the rituals prepared. Now it's time to break the rules...

Fall under the spell of swoon-worthy supernatural heroes and magical heroines in fantastical worlds filled with dangerous adventures and epic romances.

Witches, Wizards, Shifters, Vampires, Demons, Devils, and other mythical creatures prowl the pages of this limited edition collection of paranormal romance and urban fantasy tales.

Scroll up and secure your copy of BRAND NEW, unforgettable stories from your favorite USA Today bestselling authors and exciting up-and-coming talent before it’s gone forever!

Grab here for .99!

Bone Stars Preorder!

3,500 more words than the original story published in Once Upon Academy Vol. 1!

                                                             Preorder

                  .99 for the ebook until July 23rd.

Grenna isn't happy about attending the prestigious Once Upon Academy. She was hoping for something less magical and more Ivy League. Then she meets Mandevar, a magic physics major who’s hot under his apparent nerdiness, and things start looking up.
What can go wrong on a first date in an enchanted forest? A lot! Everything is perfect until the forest has other ideas, and Grenna and Mandevar must combine their wits and intelligence to survive.

Both the ebook and paperback versions are available for preorder. 

Preorder goodies include Grenna's acceptance letter. To get them screenshot your preorder and email it to booksbyelle10@gmail.com. Be sure to write Bone Stars in teh subject and include your address so I know where to mail them.

 

 

Stormbreaker by Matt Sconce

Grand Adventure!



My Thoughts:
I loved the originality of the story. Mac is a kid who learns he's a Stormbreaker. He's always had a strange mark but never had any idea what it meant. Once he finds out there'sno going back

This story is full of adventure and action. There isn't a dull moment as each word takes the reader closer to the climax. The narration is as good as the story. Excellent story!

Amazon/Audible

Song of the Reaper by Stephanie Harrell. A novella from the Once Upon Academy Anthology

One by one I'll giving you my opinion of all the Once Upon Academy Short stories in the anthology except of course my own. Keep in mind I hadn't read any of the stories until I got a copy of the book. 
The second story is Song of the Reaper by Stephanie Harrell

I loved it! Lyra and her two sisters are swept away to OUA when their father Mr. Piper gets a job as a teacher at the school. Lyra Piper soon finds out she can compel people with music and there's a family curse! It doesn't get much worse until Lyra is faced with a life or death decision.
The story is exciting and original with a touch of darkness. My kind of story!
Get your copy in ebook!
I want the paperback!
Join the OUA mailing list.

Magic, Mystery & Zombies!

We are in the times of the COVID-19 apacolypse, stuck in our homes, anxiety is high as we watch breathlessly while the infection rate grows! 
In these times we need something to do besides hang on social media and cringe.
I have various books sales going on. Magic, Mystery and Zombies is free!



Blurb:
Wet your whistle with a taste of award winning author Elle Klass young adult fiction. There's something for everyone who can't get enough teenage heroines and heros, including new release Isandro Volume 1 of the hidden journals.

Disclaimer:
You may experience uncontrollable laughter, nail-biting and hair tugging as well as a desire to continue reading and even share with a friend or neighbor.

What's Inside:
Baby Girl - In the Beginning and Moonlighting in Paris
Zombie Girl - Premonition and Infection
The Bloodseekers - The Vampires Next Door

hidden journals - Isandro

Amazon

Malefic Mixology character interview with Raven Black

Joining us today is Raven Black from the Once Upon Academy!

TTO:
Tell us Raven, what do you have magic or a magical skill?

Raven:
I have magic in general but Transfiguration and Magical Mixology are my specialties.

TTO:
Very intriguing. Why did you choose Once Upon Academy?

Raven:
Well my mom has always wanted me to come here, it's always been her dream and somewhere in life it became mine too. Of course I'm here for academic reasons but I totally hope I find love!

TTO:
Do you have and special skills?

Raven:
I can mix the best cocktails, turn my friends into animals or my enemies and I'm really good with nature.

TTO:
Tell me about your tattoo?

Raven:
I have a little heart tattooed on my stomach, but shhhhh... don't tell my mom, she doesn't know!

TTO:
Mum is word! What is your greatest accomplishment?

Raven:
Hmmm.... this is a tough one. Getting accepted into the most prestigious college for the magically and fairytale inclined.

TTO:
That's a huge accomplishment. Congratulations! How would you describe yourself in three words?

Raven:
Pink! Cheerleader and fierce!

TTO:
Do you have any handicaps and how do you compensate?

Raven:
Some would say my obsession with finding love is a handicap but I don't think so. If I don't look for it how do you find it? I compensate by listening to my bestie Cindy and keep my eyes wide open.

TTO:
Do you consider yourself and introvert or extrovert?

Raven:
Definitely and extrovert, I'm a cheerleader!

TTO:
What is your favorite food?

Raven:
Pizza! No wait icecream... hm... Okay final answer chocolate! 

TTO:
Do you have a favorite book or movie?

Raven:
Dirty Dancing would be my favorite movie and Pride and Prejudice my favorite book. Two of the greatest love stories ever!

TTO:
Anything else you would like to add before we close?

Raven:
I am so excited for this year at Once Upon Academy! Wish me luck, maybe I'll find my dream guy!

TTO:
Luck! Best wishes in finding your dream guy. He's going be very lucky. 
Thank you for joining us today!

Find out more about Raven in the Once Upon Academy Anthology. 

Malefic Mixology by Breezy Jones

   Being the daughter of the dark fairy, Raven Black knows how badly love can end.  When she gets accepted to the most prestigious college for the magical and fairytale world Raven can’t help but long for a fairytale ending. 
    When the hottest guy in school, Stephan Briar sets his sights on Raven, she’s lost in his blue eyes and quarterback muscles. But love is blind.
     When Li Feng- notorious bad boy swoops in to help pick up the pieces of her broken heart, Raven doesn’t know what to do.  

     True love could be a single step away if only things were so simple.

Grab Raven's Acceptance Letter Here!

Preorder Link:
Books2Read
Get your hands on the paperback!

Ginger Storm by J.P. Rice

The fantasy blends seemlessly with the real world!

My Thoughts:
I really like the main character. She's fierce, smart and calculating. That's rare to find, so many stories with female leads make the stupidest decisions mostly for love. Not this one. She jumps from one adventure to the next, never a dull moment and she's always thinking.
The author seamlessly like a second skin wove in supernatural elements. All the creatures, shfters, dragons, gods, vampires all feel real. Nothing is forced. The entire story flows well with adventure lurking on every page. It's the type of book that's hard to put down, capturing the readers interest start to finish.

I definitely reccomend this book to anyone who enjoys action, adventure and supernatural!

Amazon/Audible

Soul Bound: Dweller Saga Book 1 by A.J. Flowers

Soul Bound is a unique read. It's weird but weird in a good way. The kind that keeps the pages turning.



My opinion:
Thane one of the main characters melds his soul with Jacob a young human man in order to save the gods. Thane and Jacob  become nearly one over the years as their souls mesh. It turns out Jacob's soul is ancient and somehow the savior that Thane is seeking to save the god's. I enjoyed how Thane and Jacob meshed together.  The author did a fantastic job with their characters and dropping enough clues to understand how they are one body and two souls.


I was a bit confused with the ather and how that worked. I love the idea of it but wish the author had given more information on that earlier in the story. Overall, it's an epic journey embarked on by Jacob and Thane. They meet some interesting creatures with plenty of action and adventure. I think the narrator's pacing and voice do the story justice.

Amazon/Audible

The Emerald Stones by Rob Ward

The Emerald Stones is a fun story for any age!

My thoughts:
I enjoyed this mystical tale about a barely teen who travels to another world. Henry is a liar and a sneak. He and his siblings are in an old graveyard when something happens to him and he's transported to another world. At first he thinks its a dream but soon after a few animal bites learns its real and the animals talk! 
The kingdom is gray and lackluster as is the food and everything else except one area where the queen presides. She stole the stones from each area and keeps them with her on a necklace. This keeps everyone in check.The animals enlist Henry to help them retrieve the stones so they can have their world back but nothing happens without a few snags.
The story is simple and easy to follow. Henry's a likable kid and I loved that the animals talked. There's quite a bit of humor as well as imagination. The only part thing that threw me at all was the narrator. His voice was kind of monotone and his pacing took me adjusting the speed a few times to find what worked best for me. I also think maybe a younger voice would have fit Henry better as he's a teen not a grown man.

Overall it's a fun story with a "The Neverending Story" feel to it.

Amazon/Audible

Reflections: Cathedral Chronicles 2 by E.M.G Wixley

Book 2 is a prequel and is every bit as strange and mysterious as book 1. 



My opinion:

In volume 2 Sophia is watching her niece and nephew who are kidnapped by an evil entity. The story exists between two worlds. It seems they are colliding as the author cleverly brings in new monsters and helpers.Sophia of course has to find them which takes her on the adventure of a lifetime, filled with action. 

Like volume 1 there's many details to listen for. I was on vacation and driving when I started this book and got a bit distracted so I automatically set it back a chapter to relisten. I didn't want to miss anything. The story is fast paced and filled with suspense. It kept me on my toes and that's something I like in a book. I want to think while I'm reading or watching a movie. The world building is phenomenal and is written so well it seems real.


It's a great listen for anyone who loves fantasy, action and adventure. There's even a romance between Sophia and long time friend Adair. It packs a punch!

Amazon/Audible

In the Devil's Own Words; Cathedral Chronicles by E.M.G. Wixley

Venture into a different world. This story is a magnification concoction of horror meets fantasy!



My thoughts:

This wasn't the first book from Wixley that I've read, in fact I listened to the entire Witchfinder series so I knew what to expect; an imagination that knows no boundaries and a horrifying ride. All that is up my alley. This author's imagination never ceases to amaze me. This story reminded me of a more twisted Lord of the Rings instead of middle earth they venture into another world filled with monsters and creatures only created in Wixley's mind. 

The pace of the story is quick and there are lots of important details so if you miss anything you'll need to backtrack. The pacing keeps my mind at attention. The world building and characterization are phenomenal. The narrator really fits the story and he keeps up well with the pacing. This isn't the first book he's narrated that I've listened to and his voice is always a pleasure. 


For horror and fantasy buffs I highly recommend this book! On to book 2 in the series!

Amazon/Audible

Winter's Rise by Breezy Jones

Fantastic new release from up and coming new author!

Review:
I truly enjoyed this story. The author has such a fantastic voice making this book a pleasure to read. 

The story s about a female werewolf who only recently realized it. She's kind of a loner and her best friend is the man she works for but along comes a hot werewolf who takes her under his wing and shows her the ropes. Soon enough their relationship takes a more romantic turn and she makes friends where she never thought she would.

The story is as much a romance as it is a paranormal mystery. I really loved the authors creativity and use of fantasy creatures. It made the story playful and fun. There are also a few suspenseful moments. Its a clean read for teens or adults.


Great job! I see amazing things for this up and coming author. This is one you'll want to check out!

Amazon

Bestselling Vampire Series!

I woke up this morning and prepped my coffee than staggered half-awake not full of caffeine yet to my computer and got the crazy idea to check my yearly ebook sales. To see which book sold the best this year. It was a weird itch but I entertained it.

What I found was The Monster Upstairs sold more copies digitally than any other book. The week it was released almost as many copies of The Vampires Next Door sold, making this my best selling series. I can't say I was surprised. 

The release of Scarlett wasn't far behind. That impressed me since it was released at the absolute worst time for an indie author -- November.

When I released The Vampires Next Door it sold like wildfire, staying in top rankings for almost 3 months. No it didn't make any list that counts to the public but entered my bestselling hall of fame.

This information tells me I'm in good shape to release the Ghost Within. The first and second drafts of the book are finished. Right now I'm putting on finish touches before I send it to my editor. 

I'm really excited to release this book. I think its my best YA story. Parts of it give me chills and goosebumps. Unlike most people fear doesn't do that to me. It's the ah-ha moments when they realize everything is bigger than they ever imagined and sad moments. Yes, I get goosbumps during sad parts. The movie Pearl Harbor gave me chills from beginning to end.

The Bloodseekers is an epic saga and considering its sales gives me the notion that ending it with a third book won't make readers happy. From the time I wrote the first book I had an itch to write more books, individual stories about side characters and the legend. Now I'm convinced I should. There are so many layers to the story steeped in lore and magic. I could easily write another several novella's related to the series but not part of the series since it ends in March 13th.

It's really not about book sales but readers and making them happy, giving them an epic story they can sink into.

I was side-tracked for a minute. The Bloodseekers also sells best at reader cons. In fact I sold out at every book signing this year but two.

The first book in ebook can be picked up for free and The Ghost Within is on pre-order sale for .99!

Amazon: The entire series

The Vampires Next Door (all retailers)

The Monster Upstairs (all retailers)

The Ghost Within (all retailers)

The Hidden by Ethan Sandlow

Good story and especially loved the ending.



Review:
Amanda helps out at the local soup kitchen. She lives alone with her cat and otherwise seems to have a very boring existence until she meets a Lycan that changes everything. She's an empath and there's people after her. The Lycan takes it on himself to help her escape the madness and get away safely but around every turn is danger until the very end.

The story wasn't quite complete to me but then again it's a series. Maybe more light on why or who is chasing her. The action is great and the book is safe for any ages. The suspense factor is medium, not edge of the seat but curiosity piquing. I thought the end was cute, although, I'd expected it for quite some time. Either way it was still fun.


A good story.

Amazon

Kick the Candle: Knight Games Book 2 by Genevieve Jack

Love, love, love this series!

My Review:


I listened to book 1 a few weeks ago and came back for book 2. I'll be onto book 3 soon. Grateful is learning more about her powers and building a data bank she can carry with her on her phone for all the spells. I think that modern day touch is cute.

As she's settling into being a witch she finds she's being evicted from the house. The one she abhorred at first but now loves. It's the place she has to be to send souls away. The story quickly builds and the plot thickens. She and Rick have problems, leaving her alone.She adores him, is connected to him on a level that exceeds the physical realm but she can't commit.

This series is quick paced and witty. I adore Grateful. I'm not so crazy about Rick. I liked her ghost beau better but now in a human body her feelings for him have settled and they're good friends. She finds many reasons to call him, some that simply cracked me up.


A fun series!

Amazon/Audible

Wendigo Fever by Kevin Hardman

Not what I expected and pleasantly so. 



My Review:

This is a fantasy/horror in my opinion and a short listen. The main character Errol is brother of the Warden and the man who keeps the land safe from horrible creatures. When his brother disappears and the people have problems that need assistance he rises to the occasion. He helps those in peril and also seeks his brother.

What he finds is gruesome, more gruesome than the zombie and revanant, a wendigo. He has to find a way to destroy it even though they can't be killed. By his side is a young lady who insisted on joining him. Together they make a cute team.


There are equal helpings of horror, gore and mystery. The characters are lively and the world building is amazing! I'm definitely checking out the next book in the series.

Amazon/Audible

The Girl: Guardians Book 1 by Lola StVil

This story was different and I really enjoyed that it had two narrators.



My Review:

I listened to this a while back but wasn't sure what I thought of it. I'm still not. It wasn't my favorite but is worth giving it some credit. There's a few chapters I thought were odd and not sure why they were part of the story. That's what really threw me. Other than that the story has a good, unique plot and a smooth flow. I listened to it a second time, skipping the weird chapters and it was pretty good.

It's a love story using angels who aren't very angelic. The main character is an ordinary kid except her purple eyes and a bit of a wall flower but she's got guts. Marcus is the angel she's drools over but he's taken. The story gets far more involved but it's worth listening to.

I loved having the two narrators because it gave the story more character. The sound quality was also great.

Amazon/Audible

The Alienation of Courtney Hoffman by Brady Stefani

This is a really, really good one!



My Review:
Courtney is visited by aliens. It's been happening since she was a child. Her mother doesn't believe her, not only that, her behavior towards Courtney and her alien visits is cruel. Every time Courtney mentions something to her, Courtney ends up a mental hospital. Her mother even tells her that her grandfather tries to drown her when she was a child. Courtney realizes this is lie when she visits her deceased grandfather's cottage. This is where the story really gets good and twists.

I enjoyed this story. The pace is fairly quick and there's mystery and suspense as Courtney delves into the mystery of the aliens and her deceased grandfather learning there's far more to the whole story than she ever imagined. 

Definitely worth listening to. In fact, I'm sure at some point I'll listen again.

Amazon/Audible

Midnight Burning by Karissa Laurel Audiobook Review

Refreshing, creative and suspenseful!



My Review:

This story had me intrigued and hooked from the start. Solina travels to Alaska after her twin brothers death. She's driven to learn more and haunted by nightmres involving a wolf. Once there she hooks up with her brother Mani's friends and searches for clues to his death. No one is forthcoming. In fact they all seem a little shady as if they're covering something up and insist she go home and have an intense need to protect her. But she's stubborn and one track minded. Dead set on learning what happened to her brother she stays,continuing her quest and finds more than what happened to Mani.

First, I love the setting. I've never been to Alaska but the author's brief, solid descriptions make me feel as though I have. The suspense factor in this book is high too. From one chapter to the next I had to continue listening. The author uses great pacing only revealing a little at a time, slowly thickening the plot.

The narrator was a perfect match for me. Good quality and she used great pacing.

On my list for best books I listened to in 2016!

Amazon

Author Lisa Kulow's release of Atlantis A New Beginning

Lisa Kulow has done it again!

Blurb:

Prince of Atlantis, Kyrian, has moved into his new kingdom in the Amazon with his soon to be queen Yew’ll. He is ready to start his new life with the love of his life and live happily ever after but other forces and evil people had other plans for Kyrian and his kingdom. There happily ever after was interrupting by unforeseen events that would leave you shook. They didn’t realize that greater trials await them and they would have to go through a lot of storms to get out of the problems that arose.

This group of four people will face great love and heart wrenching threats to their love and new home. There are many Atlanteans gifted with impressive powers of the mind with the ability to create, conjure, shape shift and heal. Yet some choose to serve the Darkness by using their gifts to increase their own power. As a result, terror and sickness return to reign over the land again. Shea, Kyrians servant and friend uses his final gift from Atlantis to try to save his love and the world as they know it. In that process he learns where the Atlanteans went and what some of them are now including himself. Can the Atlanteans come together to keep their race alive? Or will the once great empire be doomed to fall yet again?

Amazon

Read my Review on the first book Midnight after Atlantis