Stone Cold

by Karina Kantas

YA supernatural thriller.


Billy has been a target of bulling throughout her schooling. Exams are over but the stress she's feeling leads her to thoughts of suicide. It's her counselor that suggests she volunteers to assist in an archaeological dig in Scotland.

A secluded hostel. The residents start dropping like flies.
Billy knows who the murderer is.
Shane knows he's next to die.

92 pages, ebook

First published August 28, 2010

About the author

Karina Kantas originates from the UK but has lived in Greece most of her life.

Karina is a prolific author and publishes in the fiction genres of MC thrillers, fantasy, horror, comedy, romance, erotica, dystopian and thriller, dark romance, and mafia thrillers.

She writes thought-provoking/dark flash fiction when her imagination is working overtime.
Karina is the host of Behind The Pen TV show, which streams on platforms that cover over 100.000.000 homes.
She has her own radio show, Author Assist, on the Artist First Radio Network. She is a bookTuber, podcaster, and award-winning filmmaker.
Karina Kantas also runs Author Assist, which offers coaching, mentoring and exclusive packages to writers and publishers.

**coming soon**
IN TIMES OF VIOLENCE ADULT EDITION

Titles to date:

The OUTLAW series
In Times of Violence Urban thriller YA
Huntress Dark MC romance
Lawless Justice Vigilante MC thriller
Road Rage Dark MC Romance

Collections:
Heads & Tales Flash and short fiction.
Undressed Flash, poetry, prose
A Flash of Horror Flash fiction

Stone Cold YA horror
Toxic Dystopian sci-fi erotica
Broken Chains Dark mafia romance

Illusional Realityduology
Book 1 Illusional Reality YA fantasy/ PNR
Book 2 The Quest supernatural fantasy

Audiobooks
Stone Cold YA Horror
Illusional Reality YA fantasy PNR

Reviews

[Hollie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really good story. I love supernatural type stories anyway so it was already off to a good start.

When I first started reading I had no idea the way the story was going to go. The archaeological part was very interesting as I don't know very much about this but it is something that I would like to know more about.

I would have liked the story to be longer to see what happens next with Billy, I will give away too much by saying any more than that. But I think this book could be the start of a good series of books which I'm sure lots of people as interested in supernatural stories as I am would really enjoy.

It is a story that once you get hooked you can't put it down until the end as you want to know what's going to happen next.

I loved the twist at the end.

[Twila · Rating 5 out of 5]

This thriller is mixed with history, sins of the past, budding romance, and more. The action takes place at a Scottish archaelogical dig site with a professor and his young volunteers. Any find could be important, but when you're new to the scene -- like Billy -- it's easy to doubt yourself. She had been reluctant to join the team but couldn't resist Shane's charm. Little did she know her infatuation would change their lives forever, creating a Stone Cold killer with a string of victims. I went straight to Goodreads to add Indie Author Karina Kantas to my favorite author's list. Many thanks to Voracious Readers Only for the introduction.

[Emmeline Everdeen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the twists and turns of this quick read. It was a real adventure and pretty creepy! The author described the settings in a way that really brought you in and you could feel the emotions of the characters. Great book for when you want a quick, creepy adventure.
This was another fantastic book I received from Voracious Readers Only.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a supernatural story filled with suspense. I have to finish the book in one sitting to know the end of the story. A good thriller book.

[Mary-jayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy of the book through vivacious reads from the author.

The story of Billy and the bullying she went through is something many of us can relate to.

However the twist in this short story really makes it interesting.

Definitely worth the read.

[Icy_Space_Cobwebs · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intriguing YA thriller, “Stone Cold” presents the truly ugly side of bullying, whether it is as simple as older children demanding a younger child’s lunch money, or more complex such as backbiting and hurtful gossip, or even more maximal, such as crimes against persons and against property—all in the name of “looking out for number one,” and let the rest of the world-all the victims and potential victims-suffer. In this story, the tables are turned, and for once a lifelong victim of bullying finds she-or someone like her-has the upper hand and the power to influence change.

“Stone Cold” is also a story of moral values, and of justice vs. retribution, mercy vs. vengeance, and friendship vs. the need to be part of a clique. I think it will find a wide audience, because there are very few who haven’t been the victim of at least some form of bullying, gossip, betrayal, at some point in our lives. Yet not many of us would go to the extent Billy does to solve her problems, and to prove herself superior to her detractors.

[Jud · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought the beginning of the book was a little bit off (not really sure how to describe it) I didn't really get in to the story until Billy was heading on the archaeology trip but I love archaeology and have been on digs before so I was interested from the word go. From that point I loved the story, and yes there were some clichés but the story really held me so I couldn't put it down.

Having finished the book and thinking back on it I really believe that the author could take the story and develop it further making it a full length story. The story line is fantastic and I think certain parts of it should be explored more. I don't want to say too much here in case I give away parts of the story that are better found out by reading it.

Well worth a read.

[Kazz Mossman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in a competition and as I have quite a few on my To Read pile, I noticed that it wasn't very long. So I picked it up and am glad I did. It was good as it told of Billy who had spent her school years being bullied. After leaving education she is given the chance to go on an archaeological dig in Scotland. Without giving to much away, Billy digs up more than she bargained for. When members of her group are dying, can Billy find out what is happening before its too late?

By the time I had reached the end, which took me a couple of evening in total, I knew how it was going to end, but I didn't. Nice work by the author to have a little twist of misunderstanding to finish off!

[Elle Klass · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stone Cold is the first of Katrina Kantas books I’ve read. It’s an ingenious about a young girl, Billy, who has spent years being bullied. It’s suggested that she go to Scotland and help for an archeological dig. Billy agrees and goes. The next thing she making friends with the other students on the dig and even catches the attention of a young man. Everything is finally going good for her until she finds a stone while digging outside the area. The stone is of no importance for the dig and she’s allowed to keep it.
This story has subtle meanings within the pages and has a steady flow. I hung on each word and was ready to flip to the next page. An engaging story.

[Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A suspenseful short supernatural story that kept me hooked right up to the last page - I loved the twist at the end.
The story was well-written and flowed well.
The main characters have depth and dimension.
I would have liked a little more explanation regarding the possession.
It's not an easy read, as self-harm, bullying, betrayal, and revenge are all portrayed in the story, but well worth it.

I received an ecopy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review

[Sherri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had me intrigued. It is smooth flowing and a quick/easy read. I could picture every scene.

Bullying is definitely a problem, and Billy has had as much as she can take. At the suggestion her counselor she will be spending her summer on an archaeological dig. New place, new people, a chance for things to be different. But will they really be different? The summer starts off great, but what happens next, nobody could have predicted.

[Melinda Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

Karina continues to entertain with her down to earth writing, this time in the occult. Without revealing too much, this well-crafted tale of 'demonic' possession (one has to wonder about the 'demonic', at the victims are truly deserving of their fates) keeps the reader's interest throughout.

[Ankita Singh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Readers Review Room for giving me a chance to read and review this book!

Short Blurb:

Billy has been a target of bulling throughout her schooling. Exams are over but the stress she's feeling leads her to thoughts of suicide. It's her counselor that suggests she volunteers to assist in an archaeological dig in Scotland.

A secluded hostel. The residents start dropping like flies.
Billy knows who the murderer is.
Shane knows he's next to die.

Cover Review:

The cover depicts two green eyes, staring out of the dark. It's just the right amount of creepy and intriguing to interest me.

Book Review:

The first thing that drew me towards this book was without doubt the blurb I read about it on the RRR website. YA is my favorite genre, as is paranormal. And so I had to read the combo of them, didn't I?

I can't say much about the characters because there wasn't much to begin with. Being such a short novel, there were very few details about individual characters. There wasn't a real character building for me to like or dislike any of them.

My favorite part was, in fact the murders. The book seemed to be too rushed, one scene melting into the other without so much as a pause. Only the murder scenes took their time (I wonder why?) and that's why that was my favorite.

And as for the least favorite part, that would be the ending. I hate when novels end at cliffhangers (and there are no sequels!) Who was possessing Billy? Will Shane be safe? These and many more questions would haunt me till I read another such book.

I enjoyed the fast pace, some scenes were pretty sweet, all in all, an enjoyable read.

I wish there was more to this story!

A 3 Stars rating for all the efforts and the haunting cover.

[Samiksha A · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Thoughts 💭 :

This was a surprisingly short read and I definitely enjoyed reading it.

✅ What I like about the book :

I have not read many short stories but this was a definite must read. The story was a great read and kept me hooked with its fantasy and horror elements.

The characters were so well written and though there were many, Billy the main character was the most interesting one. She is a person that you either have been or encountered. A person who has faced too much. A person who has kept her feelings hidden too long. Shane was a great character too. And it was so nice when he helped Billy too. But he definitely was too late.

The architectural element seemed a bit weird to me at the start because I wondered why it was added but as the story progressed it all comes to made sense.

Enjoyed reading it very much that I think it would be definitely enjoyable to see as a movie.

And the twist at the end was so damn amazing.

❎ What I didn't like about the book :

Though the cover has elements from the book, I would have like a more attractive cover.

Maybe it was editing error in Kindle or what idk. But chapters should start from a new page.

Final Thoughts 💭 :

Book Rating : 4/5

Cover Rating : 3/5

[Tanmeen Kaur AS · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first glance, as soon as we start reading the first few pages of the book, this seems like a normal young adult fiction story wherein the main protagonist of the story is being bullied by her peers.

However, soon as the chapters went on, we realize that Stone Cold An Electric Eclectic Book by Karina Kantas is not your usual typical YA, but rather a book that has a rich story and situations that might be spooky and bone chilling at certain times.

The situations that our main female protagonist, Billy, has been through are definitely not for the faint of heart.

However what makes the story enjoyable is the resillience of our female lead to overcome all the situations that are being presented to her and instead of just accepting things for what they are, she decides to take a stand for herself.

[Belle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was quite an interesting book! It somewhat reminds me of this series of horror books I read many years ago.

Anyhow, this was interesting if you're into spirits and creepy body possession lol. It's also got a really interesting start to the main character related to bullying, fitting into cliques, and also self-harm. I think this book (other than being very paranormal) would be good to show how bullying affects a person's mentality.

I would've been interested in a second book....

Thanks to the author and Voracious Readers Only for sending a sample copy of this book!

[Jenn D · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was asked to review this book Voracious Readers Only...

This is a dark thriller that keeps you turning pages until the end. You see the darkness that everyone has within them and how people cope with how life treats them. The bullying is rough, but dark actions of people bring out the macabre situation of having to get justice of it all. Paranormal twist to this.

[Estella · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was given this book from Voracious readers for a honest review.
This book started out about one thing,bulling but by the ending, I was say, no,no, don't do that. It got to be somewhat unusual. If you want to read an unusual book about bullying, read this. But be prepared.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this short story! It had a great backdrop and you could definitely see the characters in your head as you read.
The story unfolded quickly and kept you fixated until the end.
:)

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Excellent Story For Bullies!!

Katrina Kantas has done it again. This is the story of a young girl who has been severely bullied all through school. A counselor recommends that she go on an archeological dig to try and help the problem. This is where the story becomes so good you can't put it down. Even though it becomes a paranormal story Karina gets the point across in an excellent manner. The characters are very raw and real as is the story. Be prepared. You will love it and might even learn a thing or two about yourself. You don't want to miss this amazing story!!

[Zee · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Review:

Stone Cold by Karina Kantas… A novella.

I have been sitting with my laptop on my lap waiting for some inspiration to hit my thoughts so I could explain the contradictory feelings I have for this story.
So I finally settled on stating both of what I hated and loved about this novella.

What I loved about this book:
First of all, I loved the feeling you get when you are reading it, as if you are watching an Egyptian movie or delving into the wonders of a long lost treasure.
There’s also the possession, ghosts and evil spirits. I certainly love the creepy ambiance it adds to the story’s plot.
The author’s use of the element of suspense is nonetheless intriguing.

What I hated about this book:
The characters’ names, for one there’s Billy, I mean seriously “Billy”. Every time I read her name, I think of the same thing over and over again.
There’s also the author’s style of writing, I wouldn’t say amateur, but it wasn’t anywhere close to professional.
There’s also the fact that the first few chapters were boring and I had to force myself to read until I reached the good parts.

My Comment:

A quick read, simple and entertaining at the same time. It’s worth a shot!