Darkspell

by Elizabeth Mueller

Winter Sky believes she is everything ordinary . . . until she is kissed by Alex Stormhold.

As seer of Stormhold Coven, Alex is sworn to be Winter’s protector against the darkness that hunts her. Violently thrust into a magickal realm she always thought impossible, she stumbles upon a disturbing secret of her own.

Will love prove thicker than magick?

Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Kindle Edition

First published October 27, 2011

About the author

Award-winning author Elizabeth Mueller lives deep in the heart Texas surrounded by everyone she loves—including the characters who don’t stop talking in her head. While she enjoys homeschooling her kidlets, she thrives as a full-time writer of any genre that captures her heart.

Reviews

[Sherry Ficklin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I reviewed this book over on the Book Babes blog, yabookbabes.blogspot.com. We loved it! Five stars!

[Fatima · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warning : This book will definitely cast a magick spell on you !!!

Cover-Speak : OMG !! I just loved this cover . Yeah yeah i know i say that for all the book covers that i come across , but this definitely is truly magnificent !!! I really loved the background , for me it mostly symbolised darkness but then Alex ( the lead ) guy in the book is like the light to get rid or to destroy the darkness around .

Darkspell is the story of 17 yr old Winter who dreams about a mysterious boy and longs to meet him in reality , atleast thats what she wishes for . And then one day just out of the blue her prayers are answered and she meets the tall , strikingly handsome Alex . But what Winter does not realise is that this fated meeting with the boy of her dreams would ensure that her life would never be the same again . Thrust into a world of unending possibilities , Winter will have to make choices and decide who is trust worthy and who is not . Who/what is worth fighting for and who/what is not . Secrets will be revealed and new discoveries would be made . All this coupled in with romance makes this book a thrill filled ride !

Things i loved about this book :

1) Magic as a base : Honestly , i hav'nt read a lot of magic based books after the Harry Potter series , so this book was like a wave of freah air for me . Its not also like i hav'nt read books about witches and wizards , but Darkspell is sooo totally different from all those stories . I really cant get into the ' different ' part here because i may give away spoilers , which i dont want to . But once you read the book you'll understand the difference in those books and Darkspell .
2) Story build-up : Another compelling feature of this book was the technique of story building used by the author . To put it in simpler terms , the story starts off on a very happy yet mysterious note . I mean as a reader you cant help but ask yourself " What on earth is going on ??" Winter is hopelessly in love with the boy of her dreams but she is'nt sure if her feelings are reciprocated or not . Then we have Alex . a mysteriously handsome young boy who looks at Winter in a way that is sure to melt your knees , but Alex seems conflicted and masked and Winter is'nt sure why . As the reader dwells further into the story , everything starts making sense and things start falling into places . From her on the book just turns into a scare ride and is bound to give you unexpected twists and turns . Like me if you start making assumptions while reading thiss book , be prepared for a massive 'self trip face plant ' !!
3)Characters : What starts off as a small character based story suddenly turns into a huge star cast !! Confused ?? Dont be ! If Darkspell was to be made into a movie , it would be totally amazing !! That being said , it would be even more amazing to see who gets to play Alex !! Totally and undoubtedly loved him . He is sweet , strong , possessive ( in a heart melting teary eyed way ) and magical ! A perfect boyfriend if you ask me ! Winter on the other hand was completely shocking . I mean there were times i was disappointed with her behaviour and at times irritated and then she would manage a 360 and i would suddenly like her ! To be honest she got me confused !

Parting thoughts : This book was a heavenly reading experience . Whats heavenly you ask ?? Heavenly is when you have many different kinds of emotions wrapped up in one single element with equal quantities ! Darkspell is definitely that kind of book ! The romance in this book being the talking point , but one cant help but ponder on questions like is love and hope enough to make one whole ? Does meeting the special someone who is meant for you really enough to change your outlook towards life ? How far will you go and what sacrifices are you willing to make for those who matter ? Lies spoken for the safety and well being of someone are actually lies or not !
Darkspell is definitely a ride into the unknown and is bound to get you hooked till your questions are answered . Recommended for readers who enjoy romances with a graceful sprinkle of Magick !!

[katrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elizabeth Mueller’s debut Darkspell will have you spell bound from the very beginning. A story where nothing is as it seems and will have you guessing throughout the entire read. Curve balls are thrown in and just when you think you have guessed what’s going to happen and the roller coaster ride starts up again. Hang on tight !!!!

DARKSPELL contains extra - ELizabeth has drawn illustrations throughout the entire book ! AMAZING !! The pictures give us readers who enjoy being able to visualize extra insight !! The storyline paints a picture and the illustrations create an extra visual.

Darkspell involves Winter Sky - she meets two handsome and mysterious boys next door one of them is the boy of her dreams, the other his brother fighting for her attention. Alex and Winter have shared dreams, and a love has grown, and her heart belongs to him. But upon meeting the boys next door Winter's life changes. She now enters the Stormhold coven, a world filled with magic and powers that one could only ever dream to possess.

The Stormhold coven has been sent to protect Winter from the Shadoweaver. The Shadoweaver is evil and out to get Winter by any means possible. WInters life is in danger and ALex and his family Of Stormholds try to protect her from the Shadoweavers clutches.

Winter searches for her gifts, fights to keep the boy of her dreams and to hold onto the love that dreams are made of. A journey of discovery, mystery, mayhem and magic. A challenge and fight for survival.


Well I must say Elizabeth has woven her magic throughout this debut novel. A captivating and intriguing storyline, definably unique and one of a kind. Her illustrations throughout each chapter paint a picture so to speak, creating extra visual for the reader and giving us insight into the characters. The emotions where well portrayed we experienced Winters pain in losing her father and the added dread it put in her life. Her love for ALex made your heart do leaps..... I found her quiet an emotional character, but this trait was continued on throughout her struggle in the book. She was stronger than she knew and towards the end we saw a differnt side to Winter I really enjoyed seeing her changes. !!!!

All secondary characters all likeable! I found myself swooning for a few of them! ** wink wink ** The evil was well set forth - and the illustration for this one ** creepy ** ..

A world filled with Magic and Mayhem, Shadoweavers - deceit and betrayal..... Darkspell will have you flipping the pages just to find out what happens next. Action and adventure if you may call it, love, romance and even a little bit of suspense and mystery thrown in. A read filled with Oodles of goodies appropriate for all the young at heart (( grins )) and anyone who enjoys an adventurous journey through portals.. Let the magic begin!

An amazing Debut Novel I look forward to Elizabeths next book !!!

[Tee loves Kyle Jacobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warning: This book is MAGICAL!

My Rating: 10 of 10

My Cover Thoughts: I really love this cover! It is what drew me to read the book. There is this mysterious boy on the cover with fire blazing in the background

My Thoughts/Review: Winter is your average teen excited about starting her senior year. She keeps having this same dream about a boy she meets and she can’t seem to get him out of her mind. All she knows is if he were real she would be with him and enjoy his warmth and protection.

Then Winter gets new neighbours and her mother is just dying for her to meet them. When she arrives at their house to deliver cookies she thinks she has died and gone to heaven. She sees the boy in her dreams! She stares at him and asks him if it is a dream and he laughs and says no.

Elizabeth has weaved a story that will tug on your heart and having you yelling and screaming and crying all at the same time. This is a story of love, faith and sacrifices. Winter will have to face some tough choices and make some serious decisions but she will also have to learn who to trust. She will be tried and she will be betrayed but in the end love conquers all because through that love she will help her family find the peace they have been looking for.

This story will tug on your heart and have you rooting for Team Alex! Alex wants to do what is right but everything right is not always what it seems. He will love, lose and win all in a span of time. Hearts will be broken and friendships will end but in the end everything will come together and you will be left speechless and breathless wanting more.

Memorable Quotes: Alex talking to Winter “Do you realize how hard it is to stay away from you? All I do is think about you.”
Mueller, Elizabeth (2011-10-27). Darkspell (Kindle Locations 1694-1696). TreasureLine Publishing. Kindle Edition.

Advice: This is a MUST READ! It will leave you breathless!

[J. Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I make it a point not to read other reviews of books I’m reading. That is, at least until I’ve completed it and have written my own review. Having said that, I couldn’t help but see all the positive things written about Darkspell on Facebook and Goodreads.
I was fortunate enough to get a collector’s edition, numbered copy of the book. So with great anticipation, I dove into Darkspell.
What is the book about? It’s told in first person, through the eyes of Winter Sky, a seventeen / eighteen year-old young woman who meets the young man of her dreams (literally) in the person of Alex Stormhold.
The first part of the book has Winter actively seeking out Alex, yet finding herself somehow involved with his older brother, Jareth. During this time, strange things begin to happen—things that Winter can’t explain, but seem to be tied to Alex, Jareth and their family.
Mueller knows her audience and writes accordingly. In my opinion, readers of the female persuasion are the target audience. Why do I think that? Much of the book is Winter trying to sort out not only all the strange things happening around her, but also her feelings. I’ve never been a teenage young woman, nor do I plan to be one in the future. As a 40ish year old man, I’ll admit I had some trouble relating to Winter. Several times in the book, she wants nothing to do with Alex and his family for one reason or another. And then there are just as many times where all she can think about is Alex. What I had to keep telling myself is that just because as an adult male I don’t think that way, doesn’t mean a teenager wouldn’t.
I have a couple of teenage daughters, and so when I started reading the book and relating it to them, I gained more of an appreciation of Mueller’s talent to capture Winter’s thoughts and feelings.
The only other concern I had with the book was the logistical flow. It’s hard for me to describe what I mean, so let me see if I can give an example. Again, we are inside Winter’s head during the book, with the vast majority of the time reading about her thoughts and feelings. Yet, characters still needed to get from point A to point B, or events needed to happen around her to inspire emotions in Winter. At times, I felt the events were rushed and I’d have to go back and re-read a single line that would explain the setting. Again, that’s more of how my mind works, and not necessarily a negative thing in Mueller’s writing.
One thing I really enjoyed was the illustrations that Mueller herself drew. They did two things for me. First, they helped the characters come alive. Second, because Mueller drew them herself (and they are amazing), I could feel her connection to the characters which added an extra layer of depth to the book.
Who would enjoy the book? I’m still leaning on the female audience on this one—ages 15 and up in my opinion. Though it is a clean read, I don’t think younger readers would be able to relate to Winter’s feelings and actions.
All in all, I wonderful novel by a truly talented person.

[Connie Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

From Goodreads:

Winter Sky believes she is everything ordinary . . . until she is kissed by Alex Stormhold.

As seer of Stormhold Coven, Alex is sworn to be Winter’s protector against the darkness that hunts her. Violently thrust into a magickal realm she always thought impossible, she stumbles upon a disturbing secret of her own.

Will love prove thicker than magick?


***My Review***

DarkSpell...

I really liked the Story I have been so wrapped up in BD1 and reading my Twilights to get read for the night I had not been paying much attention to my other Paranormal stories and Darkspell did that for me. I had orginally read the first couple of chapters from the author's website and she generously allowed me to read the book for review. First all one thing I really loved about this book is the drawings in between chapters that gave the book a different feel that the other paranormal books don't have. Two I did read this book as a E-Book however I will be getting it as a paperbook just because of the drawing and also because I want my niece to read it I know she will love it so much. The Story of Winter and Alex is a wonderful innocent story of new love and step's a Winter is willing to take to keep that love. This wasn't even about a physical attraction more of emotional love that is sweet and pure and what falling in love with some should be about. I see Winnie as a strong girl that has lost her father at a young age and is the big sister in the family and instead of teens that can't stand their lil brothers she does get fustrated with them but loves them whole hartedly. This was one of those stories where you want peace and quiet just so you can read it with the drawing and also the wonderful writing of Elizabeth Mueller I could see in mind what is going on in the story and the end story was very good I was pretty suprised by it myself and was "Ok I didn't see that coming!". I don't want to give away any spoilers just because this is a book that you have read for yourself and enjoy Winter and Alex story. I cannot wait to see more stories from this author.

[Erin Danzer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elizabeth Mueller had me hooked when I read the first chapter on her website a couple weeks before this book even came out. DARKSPELL is an amazing story of magical romance and terrifying evil. Every time I thought I had figured out something in the book, something happened to contradict what I was thinking. Mueller kept me turning pages until the very epic ending.

Despite everyone blushing and looking through their eyelashes, I truly enjoyed this book. Winter's journey from plain ordinary girl to girl in love to girl with special powers was breathtaking and heartbreaking. The way Winter and Alex connected, on so many different levels, is what most of us spend our whole lives searching for. The betrayal near the end tore my heart out. Oh how could you, _____?? And the animalistic behavior of the boys after Winter's change was surprising; I've never seen something like that before.

A very well written novel, DARKSPELL is for anyone who loves paranormal romance, mystery and action. I will be highly recommending this to all of my friends.

[M.M. Roethig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intense! That's one word I can think of that sums up this book. Elizabeth Mueller takes us on a journey where nothing is as it seems but one thing . . . a passion so intense it compels us onward.

Winter Skye is a normal teenager with normal aspirations and dreams; until Alex Stormhold literally walks out of her dreams and into her life. Her world is turned upside down as she struggles to find out about her past, her present, and her future while desperately trying to hold on to the one person she loves more than anything. But will her love be enough?

The emotional roller-coaster, the dangers, the overwhelming love and desire give this book all the elements of a great novel to keep readers turning pages to find out what happens next!

As a clean YA Paranormal Romance this book will not disappoint and is appropriate for readers of all ages! What more can I say?! Fabulous job Ms. Elizabeth Mueller and I can't wait to read more from this new breakout author!!

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won Darkspell by Elizabeth Mueller (ebook) Check out her facebook page Author Elizabeth Mueller.

This book is awesome. The story is very orignal. From beginning to end I was total wrapped up in this book. I love the characters. my favorite characters are of course Winter and Alex.

the story is about winter sky. A girl that lost her father when she was younger, and Is having vivid dreams about this dreamy guy. She goes with her mom to welcome the new nieghbors. only to realize that the son is the guy in her dreams. it only get better from there. This book is a must read if you like paranormal romance.

again I lovelovelovelovelove love this book.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing. In fact I thought that it looked so good and interesting that even though I found and entered giveaways to win this book, I just couldn't wait and ended up buying it before the giveaways were even over with. I must say that in my own opinion, it was worth every penny doing so.

[Isabel Vazquez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Darkspell. The characters are really likeable and this story keeps you guessing. Winter's dad leaves her family at a young age. New neighbors move in a couple of houses down. They know something about her. Will she finally find out the mysterious disappearance of her beloved father? Will Winter discover if her dreams come true?

[S.B. Niccum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darkspell is one of those guilty pleasure books that keep you turning pages. Elizabeth Muller, tantalizes the reader with healthy doses of romance, mystery and magic unlike any other. The perfect read for anyone 13 and up who wants to curl up with a good book .

[Anna RBTL Book Promotions · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A truly delightful read that took me by surprise in some ways. The book is a coming of age story for fantasy fans with so many mysteries and twists that I just kept turning pages faster and faster to the end.

I could just say that simply it is the story of an average teen girl who meets handsome and mysterious teen boy. Girl discovers secrets about herself and must eventually make a choice to grasp hard to love or to ultimate power.
But- this story is that and more.

Winter has grown up with her widowed mom and younger brothers in a quiet neighborhood going about normal pursuits. Deep inside, she resents her dad leaving them and then learning years later of his death, but mourns his death all the same. Into this normal, average life, comes the odd Stormhold family of mother and two young sons to live in the old creepy Victorian house around the block. What is more unusual is that the boy she meets and learns to love at night in her dreams is the very same younger son, Alex of this family. The families grow close with the moms hitting it off and Winter's brothers growing close to the Stormhold brothers. It doesn't take Winter long to sense undercurrents with both the brothers wanting her attention though she learns that Alex has sworn off girls to focus on his studies. She is now uncertain how her dreamlover Alex fits with the one before her in the real world. Overhearing a revealing conversation between the brothers, only confuses and angers Winter that the brothers, particularly Alex, have not been entirely honest with her. Winter hates secrets because of the past when her father kept secrets before leaving his family behind and the Stormholds hide so many secrets. As the school year progresses, Winter has dates with both brothers though her preference is always to be with Alex which always makes her feel guilty when she is with Jareth. His odd behavior of both acting attracted and at times repelled to her leave hurt and confused. Through her growing relations with Alex and the other Stormholds, she learns her life is tangled with who and what they are, but they are not forecoming and understandably this angers and hurts her. Winter decides that for her own well being she should cut her ties to the Stormhold and end the relationship she is building with Alex. Alex is a good guy who truly cares for Winter, but, due to the codes of his coven (that's right, magical users banded together like a family), cannot tell her exactly what he is obviously hiding. There comes a point when Alex must make a choice. He does not want to lose Winter and wants her safe so he tells her some things which is against the rules of his 'family' and gets punished for it and may lead to banishment if he continues. Winter's safety is an issue throughout the story because she is pursued by scary monster-like shadows that can speak to her and want her.

I mentioned that the plot was twisty. Well just when things start to settle down for Winter- Alex gives Winter a big reveal and his mom Wanda answers her questions, school is going well, the shadows seem to stay away, and Winter and Alex are openly a couple now that Jareth has stepped down, all that Winter thought was true is upended and will never be the same again. More secrets which feel like betrayal to Winter are forthcoming. This is when things get pretty exciting and go a direction that I only half saw coming. Huge surprises that change any notions that are built up during the first half of the story are dashed down and make one re-access all that was thought before. Its not so much that I could not guess where the plot was going; it was the intriguing and imaginative stuff in between point A and point B that kept me interested. The grand finale and denouement were good stuff.

As a book written first person point of view mostly from Winter's perspective, the characters, particularly hers, are important. They were well written. Both main characters have flaws and vulnerabilities. Winter's voice can come across as a tad whiny (many references to whimpering) though Lord knows the poor girl had reason since she was vulnerable to the dangerous shadows and those purporting to love and protect her were keeping her in the dark (irony intended).
I think what delighted me most about the characters was the emphasis and time spent on the supporting family characters. Many YA or romance books in general tend to focus so hard onto the hero and heroine that it almost isolates them with token references to other players. This is not the case with this story. I love the interactions between Winter, her mom and her brothers and Alex and the other Stormholds.
The other thing about the characters I noticed and appreciated (which is similar to the observation noted above) is that the parent figures are not invisible. Wanda Stormhold is very much present in the story and makes parent decisions that sometimes seemed hard. She had rules for the benefit and protection of her family and expected to be obeyed. I found this refreshing since many YA stories have a tendency to make the parent types deaf, dumb, and oblivious.

The plot and pace of the story was well done. There were calm sweet moments and heart-thumping dangerous moments. In the beginning, because the opening dream and the succeeding scene confused me, it took me a bit to get into the flow of the story. There is a fairy tale quality to the romance between Winter and Alex with the whole 'I loved you before I even met you- we're destined for each other' thing. I do not mean that to sound like I did not like it; I just thought readers should be prepared for it. Their certainty about each other- their powerful love when tested- is a huge part of the plot. Winter must trust Alex and ultimately he must trust her or all is lost- both their relationship and the triumph of good over evil.
I was somewhat 'meh' about one of the barrier devices to their getting together that had something to do with ancient laws and traditions of the family/coven from where they come from relating to courtship. It was a distraction from the line of the story even though it made me laugh a little. I'm being vague because I want it to shock you when you get to it like it did me.

As a final note, I must make special mention of the wonderful illustrations drawn at the beginning of each chapter. They were pencil sketches that really captured the emotion and action of the characters.

Overall, I found this a great read for teens and adults alike. Parents should have no qualms putting this in the hands of their teens. Sex and bad language are entirely absent though violence and death are present in a mild to moderate way.

[Airicka Phoenix · Rating 4 out of 5]

 
 
(PAPERBACK AND EBOOK GIVEAWAY COMING SOON! Look for it at My website)
 
The first thing you'll notice when you start to read DARKSPELL by Elizabeth Mueller is the lovely artwork embedded into each chapter, courtesy of Ms. Mueller herself. Aside from the Harry Potter books, I hadn't seen such a layout before so it was interesting to see which image would come up next. Each one represented a part in the story, something that happened in that chapter, followed by a short blurb. It was interesting to see what each picture and snippet meant. I thought that made this book very unique.
 
So, Winter Sky, our heroine, is having dreams, dreams of a beautiful boy. She wakes up with just a memory of the kiss lingering on her lips. But unlike the rest of us, who sulk and shuffle on with the rest of our day with a fading reminiscence loitering in the backs of our minds, Winter is lucky enough to find that the object of her dreams is real, and not just real, but living only two blocks from her house.
 
Winter is a fun girl. Throughout the book, I pictured her as one of those girls we all see in the hallways of school, surrounded by friends. Her attraction to Alex, the boy of her dreams, and Jerath, Alex's brother, are immediate.
 
Now, those of you who know me, know I'm not into love at first sight stories, especially as intense and powerful as the attraction pulling Alex and Winter together, without a very good plot for it to fall back on, but I was pleasantly surprised. I also wasn't prepared for the multitude of blows this story delivered with every turned page. Ms. Mueller brought a compelling plot to life. I loved the idea of mysterious covens and the paranormal secret services. I also enjoyed the levels of twists unraveled at every turn, like a box of chocolate. In fact, that's exactly what I thought throughout the story; how each chapter held bits of hidden surprise.
 
It didn't take very long to finish the book. For 360pgs (paperback numbers. I read the Kindle version), it was a remarkably quick read or maybe it was because I couldn't wait to see what twist Ms. Mueller would hold next, but I finished the book in a single night. Roughly 2-3hrs of uninterrupted quiet (a rare thing in my house). The only thing that broke my flow was the character build. I didn't care much for Winter. She wasn't my type of heroine. But I did have lots of fun reading about Jerath though--I do so love the bad boys *dramatic sigh* lol. During a fight between Alex and Jerath, I will confess, I was rooting for Jerath *ducks*. lol.
 
Now, I'm not sure if Ms. Mueller will be creating a sequel to this series, but I'm curious to see if she does. I think the world she'd created could be explored a bit more. I'll have to keep an eye open, not just for a sequel, but other books crafted by the clever mind of Ms. Elizabeth Mueller.
 
So, in conclusion:
 
Will I read the next book? Yes.
 
Will I tell my friends about this book? Yes.
 
Did I enjoy it? Yes.
 
 
 
 
 
About the Author
 
I'm a mother of four wonderful kidlets who, more often than not, drive me nuts. I'm very grateful that I can be home at the crossroads for my children and have been blessed with that privilege. I've been writing for as long as I can remember.
 
I've finished 8 novels, and 3 children's books and have tons more stories waiting to be told. I believe with all of my heart that it takes a lot of guts to be a writer--especially an aspiring author. There are so many rules to be learned, mountains to conquer, and many layers of skins to grow (yet, be teachable at the same time).
 
I have done most of my growing the past few years. I don't know what my Father in Heaven has planned for me, but I have no doubt that I am destined for great things. It is my desire to be a mentor to those who dream to reach beyond themselves.
 
If you ever need cheering, a friend, or anything at all--you can always count on me! ;)
 
*I've recently been picked up by TreasureLine Books. I felt like a dog chasing the proverbial car. Now that I've caught it, what do I do next? I've worked myself sick with worry. I didn't jump right away at the chance when they loved Darkspell, but I prayed and prayed and prayed if this was what I should do. After much consideration and twisting nausea, I listened to the Lord and said yes.
 
I am grateful to all of my writerly friends (you!) who have supported me--and who still are. I couldn't have done it without you guys!
 
I would love to share my every experience with you. Please join me on my voyage to published!(Author's Blog)
 
Author Sites
Website
Twitter (@ElizbethMueller)
Facebook
GoodRead
 
 
 

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not read yet

[Twinkle Toes · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darkspell By Elizabeth Mueller is a young adult paranormal romance, and let me tell you it is one to pick up and read!




Darkspell is about an average everyday girl named Winter who is looking forward to starting her senior year in high school. Then she dreams of kissing an amazing boy, and upon the rude awakening of her brother, she discovers that very hot, delicious boy named Alex has just moved into her favorite old empty house. And boy what a fabulous surprise. She finds every excuse to hang out there, and soon finds that her heart is fast approaching being lost to him.

Little does Winter know that along the way to losing her heart that there is so much more to Alex than she can imagine, that Alex is her protector, and that he wants to be sure that she is kept safe from the things she doesn't understand. That like Winter he is losing his heart to her as well.

But then niether Alex or Winter anticipate the way Alex's brother Jareth mixes things up. And if that isn't enough, Winter notices things about Alex and his family that are a little off the beaten path. Things that they shouldn't be able to do that they can, and she embarks on a path to discover what it is that makes them so different. But little does Winter know that along that path are dark and dangerous things that slide in to take her off guard and throw unexpected impossible events into her life. And most unexpected of all is what she discovers about herelf.

Darkspell wove a spell around me and kept me wondering what was going to happen next. Who would be left standing at the end, and who would ultimately win Winter's heart. It was filled with sinister evil and extra ordinary events that took my breath away and at times made my stomache drop in anticipation. I loved how every character in Elizabeth's Darkspell was able to intice me to fall for them. Ok, all but one, but hey you aren't supposed to love the bad guy.

I loved going into the alternate worlds created in Darkspell and the way the characters evolved and expressed who they were so intrinsically that you felt you knew them. You knew their hearts, and their desires. I also really loved all the unexpected surprises. Not to mention the out of this world illustrations drawn by Elizabeth herself.

I found that I was waiting, wondering what would happen to the end, who would truimph ultimately, who would still be standing and who would rise above the ashes so to speak. I really loved Darkspell with all its glorious magic and mysterious mystical events. I didn't want it to end and once you pick up Darkspell and begin reading it, niether will you.

[J.D. Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darkspell is a fun, cute YA read and an excellent debut novel with a cast of fresh delightful characters. Honestly, I would recommend it more for the younger crowed, say 12-14. But the main character, Winter, is in her last year of high school. I did have some issues with the mechanics of the writing. Poor word choice in quite a few sentences made the reading a little awkward.

The beginning grabbed me by the pants and hooked me in effortlessly. I was so intrigued by the mysterious Jareth and Alex and the all the weird things that started happening after they moved into Winter’s town. Plus…Jareth…Oh my god, HOT! He reminded me of Damon Salvatore from The Vampire Diaries, and that’s a huge plus.

The middle was a bit too slow. I felt there was too much emphasis on Winter and Alex falling in love. Taking Jareth’s overpowering personality out of the picture seemed a bit forced. It would have been more fun if Jareth had stayed and Winter found her own way to get over him.

Alex is the quiet type of hero that makes you wonder what the heck he’s thinking (in a good way, not a crazy way). He doesn’t do much other than try – and fail – to teach Winter about his coven and about who she is. I like a hero who doesn’t bat an eyelash while kicking butt and is more aggressive about getting the girl and Alex is neither of those, but he is a total sweetheart.

The ending was fierce and fast-paced. I only wish the author had told us what Winter’s power was instead of making us guess. It would have made more sense to have one of the characters say it instead of keeping it a secret. I’m hoping it becomes more apparent in book 2. And yes, I do plan on reading book 2 when it comes out.

Although I wish some things would have happened a little differently, the author did an excellent job of keeping my attention throughout the story. I loved Alex’s “family” and the whole spin on the basis of the coven and how it all works. The author left me wanting more, wanting to know how Winter and Alex’s story continues from here. Indeed there is a lot of possibility for a sequel.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Winter Sky believes she is just an average seventeen year old senior, until she meets Alex Stormhold. When strange things begin to happen, Winter finds herself thrust into a magickal world she never knew existed. She soon faces an evil so powerful it threatens to consume her.

With Alex and Winter, Elizabeth creates such a passionate love that even the most cynical will be left swooning.
Check out this quote:

"As soon as the door shut, Alex wrapped those strong arms around me and lifted me off my feet. He whirled me around and I melted in his embrace. He smelled yummy and I grew dizzy with my Alex rush. He set me down and lowered his face, his hot lips a mere tickle along my mouth"

Winter is an emotional heroine that you come to love. She endures a lot through her journey into the world of magic and comes to learn a few things about herself as well. She is relatable to young adults as she duels with the mixed up emotions of first love.

I loved the element of mystery & suspense Elizabeth has created. Reading it, I found myself not knowing what was going to happen next or who to trust. She kept the twists coming right until the very end.

Darkspell weaves together mystery, action, magic and romance into a great read for young adults and even those not-so-young adults.

Things I really liked about Darkspell:

- Unique and interesting concept of "magick."
- Characters that you really care for.
- Her concept of everlasting young love made me giddy inside.
- Plot twists that kept me guessing!

Honestly, the only critique I have about Darkspell is the passage of time in some parts of the novel. At times, it felt Elizabeth rushed over things that needed more time and slowed down at parts that could be summed up quicker.

Overall, I liked Darkspell & would recommend it to anyone who loves young adult romance books with elements of magic.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the summer before her senior year, Winter meets the guy of whom she had recently been having some extremely vivid dreams. Not only is he her dream guy but she falls head over heels in love with him almost instantly. To complicate matters, Alex's brother, Jareth, is equally handsome and determined to win Winter from his younger sibling. While all this romantic confusion is going on, weird things start happening to Winter. These weird and scary things - shadows coming at her in the night and strange feelings of weakness overcoming her at times when she is with one or the other of the brothers - very obviously has something to do with said brothers. When a whole bunch of extended family members descend on Stormhold Manner however, Winter's life is about to change forever.

Darkspell was an interesting and at times thoroughly scary, as well as suspenseful, read. Personally I found it a little slow paced but if this is to become a series it is a good way of taking time to do some world building and to get the key characters firmly established. The characters were well crafted and so well described that I could see them in my imagination. Winter, the main character, was, according to my personal tastes far too hung up on just being loved, hugged and kissed by Alex while her very life was in danger. I really don't like female main characters being portrayed as weak or as victims needing to turn to their male counterparts to take care of them. Fortunately Winter does grow somewhat throughout the story and definitely becomes a little more self-sufficient. Another redeeming factor is that she is still mourning her father, whose death was under dubious circumstances.

Towards the end the story really picks up speed and for the final third of the book I simply could not put it down. If a fairly slow developing paranormal romance with a high powered, if slightly undecided ending, is your taste, Darkspell is definitely the book for you. (Ellen Fritz)

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Darkspell is a YA paranormal novel with a promising story line. Unfortunately I just couldn't get into it. The first third of the book I was so confused, just as confused as the main character, Winter. I had a hard time following the story line because as the reader you never got more information than the protagonist and well, she was pretty perplexed about Alex, Jareth and their family. It does get better, you learn more about the characters, what they really are, what their stories are, etc., but in the beginning it's rather frustrating.

Winter, the main female character, was not a character I fell in love with. She is a disaster magnet. If anything can go wrong/bad, it does when she's around. She's the ultimate damsel in distress. I prefer stronger more capable female leads personally, not ones who constantly need rescuing. Also, she's very sexualized - all the boys look at her and rake her up and down with their eyes, she gets in nasty situations with boys a few times. I mean really, how many times can one teen girl almost get raped? A bit disturbing. Also, Winter claims to love Alex but then she's always getting mad at him and acting cruel towards him, only to change her mind and claim she can't live without him, then go and hurt him again. She's just not very likable unfortunately.

The last 25% of the book did a good job in bringing some excitement to the storyline and redemption to Winter's character, but it was a long wait. I really, really wanted to like this book and I'm sure in future endeavor's Ms. Mueller will have worked out a lot of the kinks found in this novel. I do look forward to reading more from her in the future, her storytelling does show a lot of promise. It just didn't hit the nail on the head this time around. WaAr

[Jeannie Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading Darkspell in bits and pieces as Elizabeth posted chapters on Wattpad. I found myself clicking on Wattpad at all hours of the day, during work, when I got home and was supposed to be feeding my child, etc. Finally, I emailed her and said I wanted to influence for her...for her to please send me the entire book!

What I liked best about it was that it's a clean read, much like Twilight. There's no gratuitous scenes, but yet a sweet, compelling romance for all ages. Now, it's nothing like Twilight in that there are no vampires, but it is a paranormal, young adult romance, just with a different spin.

And that was refreshing! Elizabeth's story world is unique, a coven that wields magick. (Don't think Wiccan or witches or anything like that.) And they can do all sorts of cool things. Winter, being unfamiliar with how to "bend time" and other neat tricks, serves as the reader's avenue of introduction, but the reader never gets bogged down in the detail, because Elizabeth writes to suspend disbelief.

Winter's romance with Alex is swoon-worthy. His brother is pretty magnetic, as well, (as Winter discovers) and the result is a great love triangle of sorts. Seriously, I wasn't sure who I wanted her to end up with, because they both had their strong points in their favor.

As a therapist, I appreciated the backstory angle Elizabeth gave Winter, as her tragedy haunts her very realistically. As a lover of suspense, I felt an impending sense of "what the heck's going to happen to Winter?!?" the entire time I read the book. How was she going to fight this darkness (which was done very well, I might add)? Does she have a magick power of her own to help her? What's so special about this girl?

[H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed Darkspell. I didn't want to put it down. You know it's a great story when you take it to bed with you and read it standing in line at the store. The character work was pretty good. I can usually guess pretty much where a character is going, but you had some great twists. I think I would have fleshed out Winter's (MC's) life better outside her obsession with Alex. I'd have loved to find out more about her mom and brothers at the end. And I'd also have loved to find out what the deal was with her father. Was he magical like Winter? Did he sacrifice his life so that she could live safely?

Your premise was captivating. With a little bit more editing, this would be an outstanding book. I would have liked some better answers. When Alex's family (?) sit Winter down to give her answers, why don't they? They should actually ANSWER them! For instance, who are they? Aliens? Witches? Fae folk? I know they aren't normal Danes because I've been to Denmark...;o) And who is Winter's dad? Do any of her brothers inherit whatever it is she has? Is Winter left permanently bereft of powers at the end--a regular human--or does Alex give her powers back? Why does Alex not see the whole path if he's an oracle? Are there limits to his powers? Winter's? What exactly can she do? Why doesn't Alex tell her about them? And what happened to Alex' brother? Are they even really family members?

We should know these things by the end of the story. I was drowning in questions by the end of the book. I DO hope you answer these sometime, 'cause I'm itching to know. I hope we hear more from Stormhold in the future. You have a great start...:o)

[Sheila (sheilasbookreviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darkspell is a paranormal, young adult romance, very different from many of the typical vampire or werewolf books. This book does have everything to do with very powerful magick practiced by a coven. At first I thought this book was about witches, but it is not. I will not go into details about the particulars of the magick, but you will like the unique magick that is found in this story.

The story centers around main character Winter and two handsome brothers, Alex and Jareth. The love triangle is alive and flourishing in this book. Winter keeps bouncing back and forth with her affection between the brothers. Personally, I really liked both brothers,though their personalities are very different.But ummm, yeah, Alex is...my favorite! This is a very character driven book, which I tend to really like regardless of the genre.


The very beginning of the book is dedicated to character development, but when the plot starts unfolding you are in for a fun ride. There are many times that you will be very surprised by what happens. Yes, I am being evasive because I want you to read this great YA book for yourself. Another awesome aspect about Darkspell, is the art work found in the novel. Elizabeth is a phenomenal artist!

Darkspell was a combination of humor, angst, spookiness, and romance. It truly kept me guessing until the end. Then...you will be anxious to read the next book in the series. You knew that was coming right?

[Anastasia Pergakis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Darkspell is a cute read perfect for young adults. It’s a great debut novel for sure. The characters were well developed and while I couldn’t relate to Winter personally, I still could clearly see her as a person throughout the story. The characters had their own unique voices and quirks, some of which made me chuckle aloud as I read the book.

The beginning hooked me right in and I didn’t put the book down until I was finished. I did feel the middle was too focused on the relationship between Alex and Winter, and not related to the actual plot. However, I do think the relationship needed to be explained in that manner, so that the ending had more of an impact.

The ending was fast-paced for sure! Had my heart racing as I read. I was a little a dissapointed that we didn’t actually find out what Winter’s power was by the end. Mrs. Mueller makes us guess or leaves a hint for us, but I’m still not 100% sure on what it is. But, it does leave it open to be reveiled in the next book!

Overall I really enjoyed the book. It’s not my normal choice in a book, but I’m glad I had the chance to read it. I’ll definitely read the next book in the series. I look forward to reading more about Alex, his “family”, and Winter.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book. I really really did. And I hate giving lower ratings when I've met the author online and know what a wonderful person they are. I really enjoyed parts of the story and I definitely see huge potential here. However, I wish that Winter had found out the truth about the Stormholds much, much earlier. The waffling confusion in the first half or so of the book was a little difficult to get through and I think there was so much more to be done with Winter in their world than before she gets there.

I think the book needed one more round of really stringent editing. There were quite a few typos and awkward sentences that detracted from the story. As well as some descriptions and actions that were so confusing they pulled me out of the action.

I love the concept of the story and the last third of the book was very intriguing and a bit more smoothly written.

[Andrea Smith · Rating 1 out of 5]

I got about half way through and just couldn't finish. The premise is interesting enough, but this book needs a really good editor. Two of the chapters (back to back) were exactly the same. There were so many repeated words and phrases and the characters' responses were very sudden, not matching the dialogue or storyline. I found myself confused with a constant question mark hanging over my head. I felt it was just dramatic instead of filled with true tension. I think the story has potential. It just needs work.

[Sytiva Sheehan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hi Elizabeth. I liked reading all the comments. You have a nice charm on your writing. Through the whole thing I was wondering who she would end up with. Now I know! Wont ruin it for the people who haven't finished it. :) Waiting for your next book.
sytiva

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

A did enjoy the element of supsense. I got bogged down at times with too much detail. But all, in all a great story.