When fairy tales turn into nightmaresโ€ฆ

Ellie Aubrey has spent most of her unnaturally long life hiding her extraordinary abilities from the world. On the run from the pack of wolf shifters who murdered her family, she risks discovery in order to secretly watch over another group of similarly gifted people, determined they wonโ€™t suffer the same fate.

Alex Jenner has come home to protect his family from an unknown danger lurking in the woods. Suspicious of the new girl in town, he challenges Ellie in ways that will spark one of two possible outcomes: theyโ€™ll spontaneously combust, or sheโ€™ll lose control of the one power sheโ€™s fought so hard to contain.

In this fairy tale, the dragon the prince must slay is also the princess who holds his heart.

PARANORMAL ROMANCE | UPPER YA (16+)

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VINTAGE TITLE

Thank you for your interest in my very first books/series!

Originally published in 2012 with a different cover, this story is the first book I ever wrote, and the start of my first series. It will always be near and dear to my heart. Even now I love to go back and reread the series, fall in love with the characters and world all over again, and also appreciate how my writing has changed over time. I hope you enjoy it!

BOOKS IN THE SERIES
EXTRAS & FUN
EXCERPT

PROLOGUE

โ€œYou shouldnโ€™t go,โ€ the words were soft.

Ellie Aubrey closed her eyes briefly, then opened them again and resumed her packing.

โ€œI have to,โ€ she answered just as quietly.

She moved from where her half-full suitcase lay on her bed to the old-fashioned wardrobe that held the rest of her clothing. Grabbing another handful, she glanced at her twin brother, Griffin, then immediately wished she hadnโ€™t. He stood rigid in her doorway, his expression tight.

โ€œI believe the people Iโ€ฆsawโ€ฆare like us,โ€ she said. โ€œHow can I walk away from that? Weโ€™ve been alone for so long. Donโ€™t you think itโ€™s worth the risk to know if weโ€™re not alone?โ€

Her argument fell on deaf ears like seeds scattered on asphalt. Theyโ€™d been fighting about this for the last six months, ever since sheโ€™d first had the dream. One where sheโ€™d seen that a large family of people like them existed. It had taken her from then to now to search for those people, based on clues in the visionโ€”mountains, certain buildings, a name.

But she had found them.

โ€œItโ€™s dangerous. No one in our family line ever had abilities related to visions or prophesy. Thereโ€™s no explanation for why you might suddenly develop one. Which means that dream didnโ€™t come from you.โ€

โ€œI know.โ€

He crossed his arms, muscles twitching against his shirt. โ€œThen you know that you risk too much. We havenโ€™t stayed hidden, stayed alive on our own for almost a hundred and fifty years, just to blow it on something that could be a trap.โ€

โ€œI have no choice.โ€ She took a deep breath, then sat on the bed, her hands folded in her lap. โ€œWe were raised in a community. We were part of the Darane Svatura.โ€ Pride in her ancient and rare heritage pulsed through her very soul. Didnโ€™t Griffin feel it, as well? โ€œWe were a part of the largest gathering of our people in existence, an extraordinary assembly of abilities in one single clan. Hundreds strongโ€”โ€

โ€œAnd every single one is dead…except for us.โ€ Bitterness laced her brotherโ€™s words.

She ignored the interruption. โ€œAs much as I love you, Griffin, I want a larger family again. I need to be able to share who and what I am with others like us.โ€

Ellie gazed at Griffinโ€”tall and strong, his deep-set eyes and thick brows a reflection of his personality, ever the steadiest part of her life.

Sadness weighted her down as though her limbs were filled with sand. Her brother was her best friend, her only remaining blood relation, and the one person who could help her keep the darkness lurking inside her leashed. She couldnโ€™t imagine doing this without him, but she would if she had to.

He remained silent, which was no wonder. In all of their disagreements about this, sheโ€™d never told Griffin she needed othersโ€ฆthat she needed more than just him.

Eventually, he sighed, then crouched in front of her and took her hands in his. โ€œDo you remember when we were kids, and we thought that it was normal for everyone to have at least one power?โ€

Ellie nodded. Theyโ€™d always assumed abilities like theirs were perfectly ordinary. After all, everyone in their clan had them. Where was he going with this?

โ€œThen we got older and began to realize how unique Svatura were. That it was unusual for anyone to have special abilities at allโ€”let alone an entire people.โ€

โ€œYes.โ€

โ€œI believe it was grouping together that way that got everyone we knew and loved…killed.โ€

The conviction in Griffinโ€™s voice, in his serious gaze trained on her, had Ellie listening more closely. โ€œWhat do you mean?โ€

โ€œIโ€™ve been thinking about it. Having that much power in one place was bound to get us noticed sooner or later.โ€

She gave a frowning nod. โ€œMakes sense. I guess our great-grandfatherโ€™s arrogance was in believing that our combined strengths were enough to fend off anything that might come our way.โ€

But the Svatura hadnโ€™t been strong enough.

Only Ellie and Griffin had survived, and that had been sheer luck. Those murderers whoโ€™d attacked their people with such deadly force hadnโ€™t found the two of them that day, or any day since.

Not in over a century.

Could that be because theyโ€™d stayed so isolated? Or was Griffin right that their abilities would be more easily found out only when they were part of a larger group?

Theyโ€™d done their best to blend into society. These days that meant pretending Ellie was in high school, because that was the age she appeared to be. That also meant they had to say Griffin, who couldnโ€™t pass for school age anymore, wasnโ€™t her twin, but instead her older brother and her guardian. Doing so allowed them to remain in one place longer and interact in the community without attracting undue attention. It also had the added benefit of protection. Living as normal humans disguised them from others like them, as well as from their pursuers.

โ€œThatโ€™s why this is so dangerous.โ€

โ€œWhat do you mean?โ€ Ellie frowned.

โ€œYou said that in your dream, this was more than just two or three like us?โ€

โ€œYes, although I donโ€™t know how many for sure. A half dozen, maybe more.โ€

โ€œExactly!โ€ Griffin stood and began to pace as he made his case. โ€œIf these people arenโ€™t setting a trap for you, then they could be the bait. If thatโ€™s not the case, then theyโ€™re in danger themselves. Their numbers will draw too much attention.โ€

Ellie recognized his logic. He was probably right, but if anything, his words gave her even more reason to go.

โ€œBut donโ€™t you see, Griffin? If they are in danger, maybe I can help them.โ€ She spread her arms wide, an appeal for him to stop thinking with his head and, instead, put his heart into it.

Her twin stopped pacing.

She tried a different tack. โ€œIโ€™ll be careful. I wonโ€™t approach them directly or let them know who I am unless and until Iโ€™m sure they arenโ€™t the threat or unless I absolutely have to. I promise.โ€

He shook his head. โ€œI know you, Ellie. That wonโ€™t last long.โ€

โ€œI will be careful.โ€

โ€œYouโ€™ll be dead.โ€ He uttered softly, and so defeated she flinched as though heโ€™d yelled.

โ€œI have to go,โ€ she whispered, pleading for his understanding. She took a step toward him, but he jerked back, a motion that threatened to rip her heart out right along with it.

โ€œGo,โ€ he said. โ€œI can see youโ€™re determined, and I love you. But youโ€™ll go alone.โ€ He turned on his heel and left.

Ellieโ€™s heart withered. She prayed heโ€™d follow her, that he wouldnโ€™t be able to stay away and leave her completely unprotected, but she was going.

An hour later she drove off, her car loaded with her belongings, ready for the two-day journey from central Texas to the small mountain town of Estes Park, Colorado. Griffin was nowhere to be found when she left.

Which meant Ellie was on her own for the first time in her life.

CHAPTER 1

The first day in a new school was always the worst, a balancing act like no other, as Ellie tried to both blend in and not show her true age.

She shifted from foot to foot as she stood at the front desk in the administrative office, as she had too many times before in too many offices, waiting with growing boredom for one of the counselors to give her the usual โ€œnew studentโ€ spiel.

One last time, she would tolerate it…for what she had to do.

So far, this school was pretty much the same as all the othersโ€”similar generic brick buildings, very institutional looking, and obviously not updated in fifty-some-odd years. Teenagers hanging out in random patches around the school, waiting for the starting bell to ring. The same middle-aged secretary wearing a heavily decorated sweater, this one winter-themed in keeping with the season.

Ellie glanced out the window. At least the locale was different than her previous residences. The town was nestled in a valley just outside the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. The beaver-shaped notches of Longโ€™s Peak rose in the distance. Blanketed in white snow, at this time of year Estes Park appeared to be a typical, sleepy mountain town, although come summer, it would likely fill with tourists out to enjoy the many entertainments the beautiful surroundings could offer.

โ€œEllinore?โ€ a voice asked from the doorway behind her.

โ€œEllie.โ€ She corrected the counselor automatically, as she turned and offered a polite smile. Her full name was old-fashioned, having not been popular in decades, if not centuries. The counselor, Miss Langston, introduced herself, looking every bit like the usual counselor-type.

As Ellie followed Miss Langston down the hallway to her office, she made sure to keep a pleasant expression on her face while avoiding eye contact with everyone she passed. Teens today seemed strangely unwilling to look at others directly, and sheโ€™d discovered the best way to handle the first week in a new school was to try to look confident and generically nice, but not cocky. It also helped to try to blend in as much as possible. A fine line to walk, especially for someone like her.

These students appeared no different than those in all her other schools, carbon copies of each other, even when they tried so hard not to be.

โ€œSo, it seems like youโ€™ve just moved here from Texas.โ€ Miss Langston consulted her files after they were seated in her tiny office. She looked up over her black-rimmed glasses at Ellie, who gave her a half-smile. She knew exactly what the folder contained. Academic records were still notoriously easy to fake. โ€œEstes Park High is not as large as your previous school.โ€

Ellie kept herself from shifting in her seat and nodded at appropriate intervals as Miss Langston droned on. Finally, a half hour later, armed with campus rules, a map, and her schedule, she made her way to her first class.

She resisted the urge to cringe as the gazes of other students followed her down the halls. In smaller schools like this, everyone recognized when a new face appeared among them.

What exactly did they see when they looked at her? A petite, almost pixie-like girl with long, black hair and blue eyes so deep in color they appeared in certain lights to be violet. Not beautiful, exactly. More like โ€œthe girl next door,โ€ only with slightly unusual coloring. Freckles across the bridge of her nose put her solidly in the โ€œcuteโ€ category.

Ellie had deliberately dressed down, sticking to her tried-and-true rule of blending in, wearing the uniform jeans and a plain-blue top that was flattering, but nothing special. Sheโ€™d pulled her hair into a ponytail hanging down to the middle of her back. She couldnโ€™t do much to downplay her striking eyes but hadnโ€™t bothered to highlight them either. Experience had taught her if she wanted to make any girlfriends on the first day, the best way was to avoid being seen as competition.

Ellie didnโ€™t necessarily have a problem with being the center of attention. She just didnโ€™t love โ€œnew girlโ€ attentionโ€”a combination of curious and hostile.

With another inward sigh, Ellie reminded herself that she had an extremely good reason for doing this. With a deep breath, she entered her first-period classroom. She walked up to the teacherโ€™s desk and handed over a slip of paper to be signed.

โ€œHi, Iโ€™m Ellie.โ€

The blond woman nodded. โ€œI am Mrs. Cavender and this is AP English. Were you in the advanced class in your previous school?โ€

โ€œYes.โ€ The counselor had already asked her that.

โ€œWhat books had you made it through when youโ€™d left?โ€

โ€œWeโ€™d finished Canterbury Tales and Hamlet.โ€

Mrs. Cavender nodded again as she got up from her desk. Pulling a well-worn book off the shelves behind her, she said, โ€œWeโ€™re in the middle of To Kill a Mockingbird, so youโ€™ll have some catching up to do.โ€

Ellie nodded. Sheโ€™d read it multiple times, including when it was first published in 1960. But, of course, she couldnโ€™t tell the teacher that.

Mrs. Cavender pointed. โ€œYou can sit behind Jill over there.โ€

โ€œThanks.โ€ Ellie made her way to her seat, resisting the urge to scan all the faces in the room to see if she recognized anyone from her dream. She slid into the small desk, dropped her backpack on the floor, and gave the girl seated in front of her a shy smile. She received a sweet, curiosity-filled one in return.

English went the way Ellie expected. They had a vocabulary quiz. She aced it. They discussed a few chapters of the book, and she pretended to listen as if she hadnโ€™t already read it. They wrote a timed essay, comparing and contrasting two different marriage proposals from pieces of literature that Ellie already knew well. Good times.

So far so good. No one put themselves out to be particularly nice, but at the same time, no one had been remotely nasty either. If she could get through lunchโ€”the worst part of the first dayโ€”she could make it through anything. Then do it all again tomorrow.

โ€œLather. Rinse. Repeat,โ€ she muttered under her breath.

The bell rang, signaling the end of class and the start of the early lunch period. Ellie held back, trying to time her entry into the lunchroom to be after the bulk of the students were settled, but not so late that her appearance was too obvious. This was a trick sheโ€™d learned at previous schoolsโ€”give most of the students a chance to sit down so that she didnโ€™t make the mistake of sitting at an already-claimed table.

She found a spot in the back, alone and away from prying eyes. Excitement thrummed inside her and she desperately wanted to lift her head and look around for those sheโ€™d come here to find. But she couldnโ€™t do that without risking attracting their attention. The curiosity surrounding her arrival in the school would fade. Then she could focus on the true reason sheโ€™d moved here.

This moment had been a long time in coming.

โ€œHi.โ€ The soft voice caused Ellie to jump in her seat.

Glancing up, she almost jumped againโ€”this time in shock. She immediately recognized the girl standing next to her as one of the three people sheโ€™d just been thinking about. The three young enough looking to likely be at this school.

โ€œUm, hi,โ€ Ellie said as she took in the girlโ€™s appearance.

She appeared exactly like Ellie had seen in her dream with pretty green eyes and honey-blond hair worn in a short, chin-length bob. She dressed casually, but something about her reminded Ellie of warm hugs and sipping hot chocolate by cozy fires.

She was real. And standing right in front of meโ€ฆ

โ€œYouโ€™re new here, right?โ€ At Ellieโ€™s nod, the girl continued, โ€œIโ€™m Adelaide Jenner.โ€

โ€œEllie Aubrey.โ€

Adelaide gave Ellie a strangely intent look.

Uh-oh. Ellieโ€™s heart thumped a little harder. Does she know?

At that exact moment, another voice echoed in her mind. โ€œDo you need me to say I told you so?โ€

โ€œGriffin?โ€ she thought back.

โ€œNow who else would be in your head?โ€ the voice grumped.

Despite the sour puss tone, Ellie couldnโ€™t help the relief that poured through her. Griffin had to be closer than Texas for her to hear him.

โ€œYou said you werenโ€™t going to get involved?โ€

โ€œIโ€™m not,โ€ came the emphatic response. โ€œIโ€™ll see you when you get home.โ€

โ€œOkโ€”aโ€”aโ€”y.โ€ New home or old home?

โ€œOh, and Ellie?โ€

โ€œYeah?โ€

โ€œShe doesnโ€™t know anything. Not yet at least. And donโ€™t even think about using my telepathy on them.โ€

Holding onto her brotherโ€™s last comment, Ellie hid her thoughts and raised her eyebrows at Adelaide, whose expression had scrunched in confusion. โ€œDo I have something in my teeth?โ€ Ellie covered her mouth, feigning embarrassment. She had to do something to cover her momentary blankness.

She breathed a little easier when the other girl seemed to shake herself out of her own reverie. โ€œNo, youโ€™re fine…um, would you like somebody to sit with? The first day at a new school can be pretty brutal.โ€

If one of the people she was tracking wanted to be friendly, that was better than the alternative.

โ€œThat would be nice, thanks.โ€ She scooted her lunch things closer to make more room.

โ€œGreat! Nowโ€โ€”Adelaide hesitated, her hand resting on the back of a chairโ€”โ€œdo you mind if a couple others join us?โ€

Ellie blinked. There were three people she was here for…could it be that on her first day, she was already going to have lunch with all of them? Tricky situation, since sheโ€™d only planned on observing from afar to start with.

โ€œNo problem!โ€ she responded brightly. With no idea yet what abilities they possessed, sheโ€™d have to be careful.

Adelaide turned and waved the other two over. The girl who walked up to the table looked exactly like Adelaide, except that her hair hung to the middle of her back, and the more wary look in her eyes pegged her as both more confident and more serious. The boy with her was unusually tall and lanky with sandy-brown hair. His dark eyes flashed an engaging twinkle.

Ellie recognized them both from the dream.

โ€œThis is Lila. Thatโ€™s short for Lilianna. Weโ€™reโ€”โ€

โ€œSisters?โ€ Ellie guessed. โ€œYeah, I kinda figured that one out.โ€ She grinned at Lila, keeping her hands deliberately under the table, rather than offering to shake. โ€œIโ€™m Ellie.โ€

โ€œNate,โ€ the tall boy said, as he pulled out the chair across from her.

Adelaide, Lila, and Nateโ€”could this really be happening? She was really here? Finally here?

The promise sheโ€™d made to Griffin rang in her head. Sheโ€™d pretend to be human and just observe for now, but this was way easier than sheโ€™d imagined.

โ€œSo, whereโ€™re you from?โ€ Lila asked. She sat down and pulled out a sandwich from her lunch bag.

โ€œTexas.โ€ Ellie watched for a reaction. She found it interesting what preconceptions people had about places.

โ€œOh? Which part?โ€ Adelaide appeared interested.

Ellie gave them the most recent place. โ€œAustin, right in the middle of the state.โ€

โ€œIโ€™ve read theyโ€™ve got a cool music scene, right?โ€ Nate asked around his bite of pizza.

โ€œYeah, thereโ€™s lots of clubs there and some huge festivals. Iโ€™ll miss that, but itโ€™s beautiful here.โ€ She gestured to the scenery outside the window behind her.

โ€œIf you like it cold.โ€ Lila grimaced and took another bite of her sandwich.

โ€œWhyโ€™d you move here?โ€ Nate asked.

Ellie gave a casual shrug. โ€œUm…family stuff.โ€ Sheโ€™d gotten good at being vague over the years. โ€œFamily stuffโ€ covered a whole host of possibilities without being too specific.

โ€œWhat year are you?โ€ Lila prompted.

โ€œA senior. What about you guys?โ€ Ellie leaned back in her chair and pushed her food away. Nerves made eating lunch impossible at this point.

โ€œLilaโ€™s a junior. Delia and I are seniors,โ€ Nate answered with a nod toward Adelaide.

โ€œOh! Maybe we have some classes together.โ€ Ellie pulled her schedule from her backpack. โ€œWhat do you have in the afternoon?โ€

Adelaide glanced at the list. โ€œCool, we have French together. Lila, too.โ€

โ€œYouโ€™re in third-level French?โ€ Ellie remarked with surprise, until she reminded herself that these three were like her. Special. No doubt theyโ€™d learned the language years ago. That would take some getting used to.

โ€œWe tested out of first-level French last year,โ€ Lila explained. โ€œWe took a trip to France in junior high, so our parents made us learn it first. Talk about sucking the fun out of a vacation!โ€ She sighed and Adelaide scrunched her nose. Ellie had to laugh at their identical, disgruntled expressions.

They seemed niceโ€”open, easygoing, maybe even naively unaware. Unless they were hiding that they were a threat, which was possible. It would be much easier to figure out with Griffinโ€™s help.

Like that was going to happen.

After lunch Adelaide, Lila, and Nate walked to Ellieโ€™s calculus class with her.

โ€œSee ya, baby.โ€ Nate gave Adelaide a quick peck on her cheek before he and Ellie headed into the room.

Their calculus teacher, Mr. Kramer, seated her across the room from Nate, so she didnโ€™t get a chance to find out more. After calculus came more classes sheโ€™d had before, and which were as unremarkable as every other iteration. As soon as the end-of-day bell rang, Ellie made her way to the front office, dropped off her signed class slip in the counselorโ€™s office, and headed for the parking lot.

At least the first day was over. Tomorrow sheโ€™d be less of a novelty. Tomorrow, sheโ€™d have a better chance to learn more about Adelaide, Nate, and Lila.

She walked out of the main building and almost ran right into her three new friends.

โ€œHey, Ellie, how was your first day?โ€ Adelaide called out.

โ€œOh, you know, typical.โ€ She grinned as the others fell into step with her.

Adelaide snorted in agreement. โ€œSo, we study together a lot. You probably already guessed that. Since you share some classes with us, I thought you might like to join us some time.โ€

Tempting. So, so tempting. As much as she wanted to, Ellie wasnโ€™t ready to encourage a friendship yet. She needed to know more first. At the same time, she didnโ€™t want to drive them away either. โ€œSure, that sounds great.โ€

Sheโ€™d just have to make sure her schedule was booked any of the times they asked. For now at least. Griffin would kill her if she said yes.

โ€œOkay. So how does Wednesday night sound to you?โ€ Adelaide handed Ellie her cellphone. โ€œDo you want to give me your number, so I can call you about it?โ€

Nuts. Being new to town, saying she was busy would stand out as an obvious excuse.

โ€œI think that will be all rightโ€โ€”she keyed in her number and handed it backโ€”โ€œbut let me check at home. Okay?โ€

โ€œSure,โ€ Adelaide agreed.

โ€œAlex!โ€ Lila suddenly let out a squeal of delight and shot across the front courtyard toward the parking lot.

Beside Ellie, Adelaide limited herself to a milder reaction, just smiling widely. Ellie couldnโ€™t quite see the person Lila had greeted with such enthusiasm until she launched herself into his arms.

Then he turned and Ellie got a good look…and her world tilted at a slightly cockeyed angle. One moment she was walking along, trying to think of an excuse to miss out on studying, and the next, she could hardly breathe. Dizziness threatened to sweep her away or knock her over.

Sheโ€™d never experienced something like that before. Maybe this was some kind of effect from the older boyโ€™s powers?

He was almost in-your-face handsome, tall, broad-shouldered, and with similar coloring to her ownโ€”black hair cropped short, slightly longer on the top. Drop-dead hot would be an understatement. Sheโ€™d seen her fair share of fine-looking guys over her unnaturally long lifetime, but none had ever grabbed her interest so immediately. Despite having an a rather optimistic personality, sheโ€™d never believed in love at first sight. But something about this guy got to her in an instant.

โ€œWhatโ€™s Alex doing home?โ€ Adelaide muttered beside her.

Ellie realized with a spurt of relief that sheโ€™d managed to keep walking despite the havoc tumbling through her. Heโ€”Alexโ€”hadnโ€™t notice her yet, as he talked first to Lila and then to Nate. She willed him to glance up and yet oddly feared it at the same time.

And then he did.

He looked up and stilled, staring directly into her eyes…into her soul. It could only have been a moment. Seconds. Heartbeats.

Then Adelaide gasped. The sound was sharp enough to make Ellie break eye contact with a jerk. She turned, and without even thinking, put her hand on Adelaideโ€™s arm. โ€œYou okay?โ€

The sizzle of an electric jolt passed between them, and an image hit her mind with the force of a Mack truck. Ellie jerked her hand back and gave it a shake. โ€œYou shocked me,โ€ she accused jokingly.

Deliberately. That wasnโ€™t normal. Neither was what sheโ€™d seen.

Adelaide gave an off-handed shrug, her gaze still far away, and started walking again. Somehow, Ellie managed to bury the vision that had assailed her when sheโ€™d touched the other girl. Sheโ€™d think about it later. Instead, she kept her eyes lowered as she stepped off the curb and approached the little reunion going on in the parking lot.

โ€œEllie, this is Alex.โ€ Lila waved a hand in her general direction. โ€œHeโ€™s our older brother.โ€

Ellie stuffed her hands in her pockets, not wanting to risk touching him too, and pasted a pleasant expression on her face. One that usually had the effect of putting people at ease and caused them not to study her any further.

She looked Alex directly in the eyes and offered him a slightly lopsided smile. โ€œHi.โ€ Her voice sounded a little too breathy to her sensitive ears.

In return, he gave her a long, lazy grin. Her stomach twisted in a gut-level response. All she could do was stare back and try to bring her erratic breathing under control.

Adelaide broke the spell. โ€œShe just moved here this week.โ€

Glancing at the other three, Ellie gratefully realized that theyโ€™d seen nothing odd with her.

โ€œI see. I hope you like it here,โ€ he replied, his voice deep and smooth.

Get a grip, girl. Sheโ€™d read hundreds of books with heroines who swooned at the sight of their true love and had thought them to be incredibly wimpy. Now here she stood, barely able to keep herself upright. Not that she was in love. How could she be? But a girl could appreciate a bona fide hottie when she saw one, right?

โ€œSo far, so good.โ€ Ellie managed a nonchalant shrug.

It dawned on herโ€”againโ€”that she needed to keep her distance from this family until sheโ€™d figured them out, so she backed up a couple steps. โ€œI guess Iโ€™ll see you guys tomorrow.โ€ Throwing another glance Alexโ€™s way, she added, โ€œNice to meet you.โ€ And with a brief wave to all of them, she turned and headed to her own car, her mind reeling.

AWARDS AND HONORS
  • 2014 eLit Awards | SciFi/Fantasy | 3rd Place
  • 2013 IPPY Awards | SciFi/Fantasy/Horror eBook | 3rd Place

ALL AWARDS

REVIEWS

โœญโœญโœญโœญโœญ BLUE VIOLET is an amazing, donโ€™t-you-dare-put-it-down, readโ€ฆI found this book fresh, inventive and just darn good. ~Fresh Fiction

โœญโœญโœญโœญโœญ I couldnโ€™t put this book down! Romance, adventure, really cool powers and characters that will leave you begging for more create a fantastic start to the seriesโ€ฆI canโ€™t to read the next one. ~Romance Authors That Rock

โœญโœญโœญโœญโœญ This was a fun book to read. It was well written and flowed smoothly. The characters were developed and integrated well with one another. I could easily see this book being made into a movie, so well done on the richness and detail. ~Paranormal Romance Guild

โœญโœญโœญโœญโœญ Wow! I’m completely hooked and there’s three more books to go!…I won’t lie, this has to be one of the best young adult fantasy books I’ve read. ~Happy Tails & Tales

โœญโœญโœญโœญ Such a fantastic book. I started reading it in the afternoon and just couldn’t stop reading. ~Geeky Girl Reviews

โœญโœญโœญโœญโœญ It was amazing! I couldn’t believe this book was indie and self-published no less. How is this book so good!? I can see this in bookstores around the country. It really deserves it especially since Owen paints a supernatural world with one of the strongest heroines I have ever read. It has a great plot, story line, characters, and fantastic writing!  ~She’s Got Books On Her Mind

โœญโœญโœญโœญโœญ โ€˜Blue Violetโ€™ is the type of book that makes me want to press pause on the world (wink wink!!), snuggle in a blanket and read it from start to finish. ~All In One Place

โœญโœญโœญโœญโœญ Enthralling. That’s all I have to say for Blue Violet. Abigail Owen bring us into a new magical urban world that feel truly believable. Simply amazing. So glad that I’ve found this book. Overall, if you’re urban fantasy lover, and would love to read about a sweet romance and thrilling fantasy, this one is definitely for you. ~Papier Review

โœญโœญโœญโœญโœญ Abigail Owen has done a remarkable job creating a world that blends myth, magic and fantasy while creating characters that are truly โ€œniceโ€ in spite of their potential to be deadly if needed. ~Tome Tender

โœญโœญโœญโœญ I thought as one of the main characters that [Ellie] is what a lot of people look for in the paranormal MC which is kickass and awesome. She is loyal and will do anything for her family, literally. ~The Violet Hour Book Reviews

โœญโœญโœญโœญโœญ This urban fantasy has everything that good urban fantasy needs to haveโ€“whether for adults or teens: a sacrificial, powerful Warrior protagonist who gets into trouble because of personal integrity (rather than immaturity, narcissism or downright stupidity), a loyal cadre of friends (AKA a family of affiliation) who look out for each other, strong villains who provide plenty of conflict for the protagonist, and excellent fantasy world-building. ~Kate McMurry, Amazon Top 500 Reviewer

โœญโœญโœญโœญโœญ I loved hearing the other characters thoughts as well. I actually really enjoyed this book. I grew really attached to all the characters, and I love all of them. ~Love, Peace, Books

โœญโœญโœญโœญ I thought this story was well done and captivating. I found myself emotionally invested in each character, especially Ellie and Alex, but thatโ€™s because Owen has not written about Griffin, Selene, Adelaide, Nate, Ramsey and Lila and I canโ€™t wait until she does. ~Red Hot Books

โœญโœญโœญโœญโœญ  What IS different – and most refreshing – about BLUE VIOLET is Ellie Aubrey…Ellie is a heroine, leading her people, teaching them, and risking everything to save them from destruction. I admire Ellie. She is exactly the kind of young woman that can inspire teen readers to be self-confident and brave. ~KCunning, Amazon Top 500 Reviewer

โœญโœญโœญโœญ Walking the razor path between fear and danger is often deadly. If you were the one who witnessed a horrible act, and had to hide from life, what would that look like? Could you find a strength and courage to return to the everyday cycle of life? ~Tic Toc Reviews

โœญโœญโœญโœญโœญ While it is character driven to a large extent, youโ€™re never going to get bored as both the personal drama and dangerous outside forces come together to create one heck of an epic climax.  And thereโ€™s just a little cliffhanger so youโ€™re eager to read the next book. All in all, this is definitely not your typical urban fantasy novel and I canโ€™t recommend it enough.  Seriously, go buy it! ~The Mad Reviewer

โœญโœญโœญโœญ The characters were not depressed and brooding around throughout the book, but instead were a lot of fun. They seemed to get themselves into one sticky situation after another, which was super entertaining!  ~Ravings of a Sassy Southerner

โœญโœญโœญโœญ Abigail Owen can spin a fantastic tale of the supernatural world and I was quickly drawn in by the characters of Blue Violet…. If you like clean romance with a supernatural battle for your life, then the Svatura Series is for you and I would highly recommend it.  ~Fundimental

CONTENT NOTE / TRIGGER WARNING

All my stories feature elements that might not be suitable for all readers, including but not limited to: violence (human, god, and monster alike), blood and gore, death, war, murder, bullying, abuse, use of alcohol, perilous situations, illness, injury, vomiting, hospitalization, death, loss of loved ones, grief, common phobias (including heights, burning, drowning, bugs, and darkness), supernatural or magical themes, graphic language, sexual activity on the page (sometimes on a lot of pages), and an irreverent and often morbid sense of humor. It is my hope and personal goal that all elements have been handled sensitively and in an age-appropriate manner. I trust you to know your own age, history, beliefs, values, triggers and limits. Please take note, take care, and read at your own discretion. I very much hope you enjoy the ride!

Under 18: Get permission from your parent or guardian to read my books.

PUBLICATION DETAILS

Publisher | Release Dates:
Blue Violet Publishing | 2021
The Wild Rose Press | 2015
Blue Violet Publishing | 2012

Age/Heat Level: Upper YA (16+)
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Tropes: Hidden Supernatural Powers


ORIGINAL/PREVIOUS COVERS