The Lebrus Stone

by Miriam Khan

UNPUBLISHED. CHANGED AND RE-RELEASED.

When eighteen-year-old orphan, Crystal Valdez, accepts an invitation to the small town of Blacksville, West Virginia, she hopes to have a summer to remember and a chance to learn more about her parents, to also get to know the family she never knew existed.
But the Lockes begin to act strange and erratic; eerie movements in the night fuel her vivid and gruesome nightmares. To complicate her summer further, she becomes attracted to the menacing yet handsome Cray Locke: her none blood related cousin.
He seems determined to keep his distance. The only bonus to her trip seems to be the housekeeper and gardener.
And when a local informs Crystal of the secrets buried at Thorncrest Manor, the kind consisting of a forbidden relationship and a war between hidden worlds, and witchcraft, she must decide whom to trust. Even if it means leaving behind those she has come to love.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, Mystery, Paranormal, Magic, New Adult

425 pages, Paperback

First published November 28, 2014

About the author

Miriam is a former theatre actress and rock singer. She began writing novels in 2008 and released her debut series, The Lebrus Stone, in 2014 with Rogue Phoenix Press. In 2020 she chose to self-publish the series and other novels in the paranormal romance genre.

Her most recent tales were penned during the lockdown, one of which is her first thriller.

She didn't expect to write more books, but has had some of the most fun producing them.

Reviews

[H.J. Daly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Crystal had a hard childhood, she lost her parents in a car accident and her only other family was killed in a fire. After that she went from foster home to foster home until she ended up working in a bookstore for Jared, a father figure who keeps a close eye on her.
When a stranger walks into the shop and states that she is a distant relative with information about her mother, Crystal is drawn to Isobel and is happy to meet and talk. After a few months and still with little information she agrees to travel hundreds of miles to the woman’s home, Thorncrest Manor.
There she meets more family, none seem too friendly and she soon questions her agreement to travel so far from home. One man, Cray seems downright hostile to her, yet she can’t help but be pulled in. Her subconscious tells her there is more to this, to him, causing terrifying nightmares. Are the dreams warning her that there is danger to come?

I had no idea what to expect from this book and I have to say I am still not sure. At times the writing flows nicely and there are some great pieces of description. When she writes about Crystal’s hometown and the honey locusts it brings a clear picture to mind. For me her character wasn’t quite strong enough for the situations she found herself in. It is a personal opinion but when she was surrounded by the hateful family and it is obvious that she was going to learn nothing more about her mother, why would she stay? If she didn’t it would have been a much shorter book and I understand the need to present a hostile group, however it needs to be realistic and for me I didn’t get that. The fact that Isobel psychoanalyses everything that Cray and Crys does grated at me. Why was she not standing up for herself?

There is a section once everything is revealed that as we are in first person we simply jump from one situation to other with no idea what is going on. This is keeping us in Crystal’s mindset but I felt that the reader still needed some structure and it simply confused me.

I liked the fact that though there is a strong supernatural element it was kept in relativity rather than fantasy which held the book together. Overall the story was a good one watching the true motives of the family unfold was interesting. I feel that it would benefit from a good edit to present a more structure story. From the ending I am not sure if there will be a sequel but it will be nice to see how the writer develops.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Lebrus Stone by Miriam Khan

3 Stars

Crystal didn’t have an easy start in life, first her parents died in a car accident so she was sent to live with her aunt, who was then sadly killed in a house fire. With no family left to care for her she spent the rest of her childhood in foster care, so it was easy to understand why she was so curious and trusting when a woman turns up at her work claiming to be a long lost great aunt. Inviting Crystal to stay with her for a while to learn about her mother was an invitation Crystal couldn’t turn down, only she didn’t expect her visit to be so, eventful.

Thorncrest Manor was your typical creepy old mansion, filled with an equally unwelcoming family and things that go bump in the night. Only the staff seemed to have any time at all for their special visitor and I wonder what made Crystal decide to stay rather than just walk out the door and high tail it back home like I would have done. She does manage to find some friendly people in the town who are eager to fill Crystal in on the weird and wonderful things that go on at the Manor… at which point I would be running to buy my bus ticket home, but still she stayed… that could have something to do with Cray!

The Lebrus Stone is a suspense story with a paranormal twist. There are elements that I really enjoyed and overall the writing is good but for me the story moved slowly in parts and the ending left me turning the page wondering if that’s it or if there is going to be another book to carry the story on.

Copy supplied for review

[Aisha Khan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Lebrus Stone is about Crystal who had a rocky start in life. She grew up in foster care homes until one day her aunt visits her and invites her to her family home in Blacksville. Crystal decides to visit Thorncrest Manor for Summer in hope of getting all the answers she wants. The atmosphere of the family home had this gloomy air to it and Crystal tries to adjust to it. She harbors strong feelings for her non-blood cousin Cray but he keeps his distance. The happenings at the manor leave her questioning her sanity as she is plunged deep into the world of paranormal phenomenon. Gradually everything is revealed as the plot thickens.
Crystal is a strong main character and all the other characters are well developed. This book had me hooked right from the start. You just want to keep reading to know what happens next. I liked the creativity and strong imagination of the author. The ideas are original. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romance, mystery, suspense and paranormal.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. If you want to review it, you can request it here.

Summary

Crystal is an orphan and she grew up in the foster care system. Her parents died when she was a baby, and her adoptive mom (her aunt) died in a house fire when she was only 1 year old. However, she meets Jared who becomes a father figure for her.

Out of the blue, a women named Isobel comes looking for Crys. Isobel claims she is a long last great aunt and she has information about Crys's parents. They spend some time togheter, and before she leaves, Isobel asks Crys to go and spend the summer with her and her family. This way they will have more time to talk about Crys's parents, and Crys can finally meet some family members.

Understandably, Crys eventually accepts Isobel's invitation and she goes to Thorncrest Manor, Isobel's mansion. Crystal is eager to find out more about her heritage, and figure out who she really is.

However, Thorncrest Manor is not the place Crys imagined. It is dark, cold and creepy. Isobel starts to distance herself from Crys and acts all kinds of bizarre. The other family members do not seem to like Crys either, especially Cray. The only warm people are the house help - the gardener and the cook/maid.

Crystal stays at the manor and tries to figure out what is going on and the comedy begins.

`

Now, the book has an interesting plot. It made me curious and I kept reading so I can find out what happens and what are the explanations for the bizarre events.

I think the author did good job with the descriptions. The Thorncrest Manor is very easy to imagine, and the same goes for the town, places, objects etc.

I also like the fact that the supernatural is implied, rather than dumped on the reader. Sure, as the story progresses, things start to get revealed. However, the author managed to keep me in suspense when it comes to the fantasy part of the novel.

There are also some things I didn't like.

The plot is slow, especially in the first part of the book. The end, however, seems to be rushed mostly because there are a lot of things happening - stuff are revealed, some fights, event after event.

The book needs a little bit of structure. The ideas and the plot are good, but they are unorganized in some chapters.

The narrative is in the first person, so the reader is in Crys's head. I noticed that Crystal tends to repeat ideas/thoughts. She thinks the same things in different chapters - gives the impression that sometimes she runs in circles sometimes.

Overall, I enjoyed reading The Lebrus Stone. I plan on continuing with the story.

Crystal - strong, independent, guarded, complex. Crys has a l ot of baggage, which is understandable. I liked her strong nature and her ambition to find out more about her parents. I also loved the fact that Crys is kind and compassionate .

Sometimes she can be unstable, thou. Maybe unstable is not the right word...Crys tends to feel strong emotions that keep changing too fast - from cold to jealous, from hatred to love etc.

I also expected Crys to be more determined to find out what happened with her parents. Do some detective work, ask people questions and not relay solely on Isobel. She was treated poorly, and for some reason that didn't make her eager to leave. I don't say she should've leave without answers, but at least pick up the pace.

Cray - he is hot and cold, mysterious , hard to understand.

Isobel - crazy, creepy, bizarre, fascinating

I don't get the romance. Cray treats Crys poorly and for some reason that makes Crys fall in love with him? At some point, Crys ends up being more preoccupied with Cray than finding out stuff about her heritage.

I say Crys and Cray love each other - everything happens too fast, no proper communication, bizarre behaviors.

Luckily, the romance is not the main focused of this novel. There is enough action towards the end to make up for it.

`

I do hope that the new guy will be Crys's real love interest. Red Hair seems to be very interesting.

Overall, it was a good beginning to a new series.I will read the next book in the series - I want to know what happens next, that's for sure. I just hope it will come out this year.

To summarize:

Pros

ツGreat descriptions
ツInteresting plot
ツ Creepy
ツFantasy elements
ツThe complexity of the main character
ツEntertaining

Cons

☹ Slow plot
☹ Organized chapters
☹ Ideas/thoughts being repeated

Yes, I do recommend this book. Despite its flaws, this book is entertaining and enjoyable. Young adult lovers will enjoy it, as well as those who like fantasy & romance.

[Ahh'na Copley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those books that you just can't seem to put down. It has a mystery, thriller, horror vibe, with just enough romance to balance it out from being overwhelming. Have a peek and you won't regret it.

[Chey Skizzle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has really got my attention, the dialogue is amazingly written and the narrative is strong! I would recommend this book to anyone!

[Katherine Paschal · Rating 2 out of 5]

Crystal is surprised to find a long lost relative waiting to see her at work one day, especially since she thought she was all alone. When the woman invites her to come visit her family’s estate, Crystal is excited at the opportunity to learn more about her parents. Once there, nothing is as she expected, and it does not really seem as if she is wanted. The only positive is her distant relative, Cray, whom she is drawn to regardless of his attempt to reject her. Crystal has no idea what is going on but hopes to find some truths.
​
I had no expectations going into this book, keeping an open mind and hoping for something different. Unfortunately, this book was not a read that I enjoyed. This review will be fairly short since I am not a huge fan of being negative, but I will be very truthful about why I did not care for the book. Honestly, I guess this would be a paranormal romance book but this almost felt like Twilight fan-fiction to me, just on how the romance progressed and the characterizations (which could also be why I did not like the book because I am not a Twilight fan).

My biggest problem with the story was Crystal. It's almost a guarantee that if I don't like the main character, it is very unlikely that I will like the book. Crystal drove me insane almost from when I first met her. She was an odd girl, which I am completely fine with, but I meant this in a negative way. She was full of contradictions, such as saying she won't ever chase a boy and then ten seconds later that is all she is doing (the entire book was her pursuing him!). She threw herself at a guy who insulted her in every way with no regard for self worth or dignity. Everyone knew her feelings towards him, so much so that it made me uncomfortable for her while reading. And by the way, the fact they were related (sort of) did not deter her in the slightest. I HATED her relationship (if you can call it that) with Cray, the book would have been better in my opinion if he/the relationship did not exist. Also, she was so needy and emotional all the time, I would think that somebody who was an abandoned orphan would have much thicker skin, but nope.

​I also had a problem with the format/editing of the book. I spent a majority of the story being confused. Seriously, I was on page 250 out of 360ish and I was still unsure of what was going on. I am not sure if it was intentional (for some unknown reason) by the author, but the writing was really choppy. It felt like things were missing while I was reading, such as transitions or sentences… I don’t really know, it just wasn’t cohesive. There were times that editing was needed (at least I felt so), like her potential love interest in Utah was referenced as being a high school sophomore, which struck me as odd since Crystal was in college. There were other inconsistencies all over the place with words and descriptions that distracted me from point of the book. ​


​Based on how many positive reviews there are on Goodreads, I am sure that somebody else will really enjoy the story. ​I am also pretty sure that this is the first in a series with the end of the story left hanging like it was.

I received this book from the author in return for my honest review.
For more reviews visit my blog at http://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/

[Lizzy Baldwin · Rating 2 out of 5]

As the blurb suggests the book follows Crystal who has a horrible start in life in which both her parents die in a terrible car accident. Sent to live with her Aunt who is then a little shockingly killed in a house fire thing aren’t looking to positive. Alone in the world and spending her remaining childhood in a foster care home, a woman who claims to be her long lost great aunt appears seemingly out of nowhere, Crystal is invited to find out more about her mother and her family. But not is all as it seems, once in Thorncrest Manor, the family appear to turn on Crystal and her destructive relationship with Cray looks soon to burst; as readers we follow Crystal as she seeks to find out more about herself and the family she barely knew.

In terms of positives Crystal is a well-developed although complicated character. She has a lot of emotion and she’s written with passion. Her relationships throughout the book were thorny and although she has a lot of layers to her as a character, I found her difficult to warm to. At times she was prickly and her relationship with Cray is a little odd. They are both distant with each other and at times he treats her horribly whilst she adores him. It didn’t sit well with me as a reader. Their relationship is uncomfortable at best and they don’t interact in an open way at all. Additionally with her mood swinging, from needy to jealous to desperately in love, I was exhausted. Although the writing is quite strong in places, as to the description of characters and the like, the pace is slow and I found myself having to read the first few chapters a number of times to get into the book; saying this it does pick up but it’s a slow burner.

I also questioned throughout Crystal’s decision to stay at the Manor. From almost the moment she arrives there, it becomes noticeably clear that there is something very wrong with the Locke family. Isobel’s character changes so utterly she’s barely recognisable (whilst she shows no intention of sharing any further information) and Crystal starts to suffer with terrifying nightmares which are suggested to be due to her being tormented by ghosts. Throughout Crystal attempts to rationalise what is happening whilst I was yelling to myself ‘get the hell out of there.’ It didn’t make sense to me that a girl with such intellect would stay there so long in such a unpredictable environment. Additionally towards the end of the book it becomes truly disturbing; there are a number of descriptions of rape and sensitive material that I didn’t find fitted or was needed. It all became a bit too much. Additionally the ending didn’t clear anything up for me. Many questions are left unanswered and although I assume due to the ending a second book is in the making I don’t think I’ll be reading it.

I guess for me this book just didn’t work. I’m not sure what I was supposed to get or enjoy from this book. The writing at times works well it has ebb and flow and although it moves with a slow pace many of the descriptions are spot on. I found however the situation that our main character is in and her personality as a whole jarred and became confused. Additionally as we work our way through the story and realise that we’re not getting the answers we expected it feels like the book was for nothing. It’s frustrating and unrealistic and I found it a difficult to read. Unfortunately one I’m a little saddened to have read.

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

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

**Gifted in exchange for an honest review, By Kats Book Promotions/ Katsindiebookblog**
Story line - Excellent
Characters - Complex and mysterious
Cliffhanger? - the story ends leaving you wondering if there is a book 2.
Pace - Slow going at first - got more interesting past the 69% mark
Romance - to be honest I would not say this was a Romance book its a Paranormal Suspense.

FMC - Crystal is an 18 year old orphan who has spent her lifetime being distant and just trying to get along in the world, she has her boss whom she holds most dearest, and TJ who she works with but has no romantic affection for. There is mysterious best friend who is no longer on the scene due to a fall out but you do not find any of that out until the very end. When a mysterious Aunt arrives at her workplace she learns that there is a chance to find out about her past.

She is however cautious and doesn't rush off to the wilds of West Virginia straight away, and her new Aunt seems to be on the level and so finally she agrees to visit. To meet the distant cousins and find out about her family.

But things get a bit strange when she arrives, the Lockes are acting strange and the house is extremely spooky. Crystal is beginning to suspect she was brought here on false pretenses.

Now one of the Supporting characters is Cray, Crystals Non blood related cousin, and Crystal is attracted to him (god knows why, as I didn't find him at all romantic he spent most of the book being standoffish and abrupt to Crystal).

The only ones who seem to have any kindness for Crystal are the housekeeper and the gardener and when Crystal begins to have powerful nightmares and the locals inform Crystal of the mysterious past and supposed curse on the family does she come to realise she is not safe there.

Crystal is stuck with wanting to know more about her past and the impending feeling that she is not safe at Thorncrest Manor.

With things going bump in the dark, and the weird ways that the Locke's have, she tries to find out more by going to see a local mystic. That's when things start to really get interesting. But that I will leave you to find out yourself.


The writing is well done, the mystery keeps you guessing until about 50% on what paranormal happenings are going on at Thorncrest, But I found that the relationship between Crystal and Cray was too vague and it made me really wonder what Crystal saw in Cray.

But there wasn't much given about Crystals past and her Boss until very late on. Yes, they are introduced, and there is interaction, but I would have liked a little bit more. There was a lot of mystery with the Locke family, but I did wonder why Crystal would put up with their attitudes when she had been quite independent her whole life.

But the suspense and mystery kept me turning the pages, and you are really kept guessing for a long while which was great, we finally start to understand who the Lockes really are, but not completely, so I am assuming that there will be a Book 2, well I hope so.

Cray did redeem himself partly by the end of the book, but I feel that their relationship was more a case of manipulation rather than soul mates. But I guess that is in the hands of Miriam Khan.

[Maghon Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, I originally did a blitz for this book, and it sounded so interesting, so when the author offered me a review copy, I of course said yes! It's gritty, dark, gloomy, full of intrigue and mystery. Crystal has a lot to learn about so many things. And she's leaving behind the few people she does know and trust to go on an adventure to meet new people she isn't sure about who claim to be her long lost family. And it isn't always so welcoming there.

Crystal has had a rough go at life. An orphan who lived in group homes, she's cared for herself for a long time. She doesn't trust or rely on anyone but herself. Then a woman shows up at her work saying she's her aunt, and she knew her parents and has some things to explain. Then she somehow talks Crystal into going across the country to where her home is. So Crystal is on a journey to see where her mother came from and why her mom ran away from it. As well as meet her cousins who aren't technically her cousins by blood. LOL It's complicated see. Crystal is an interesting character. She's hardened over time. She doesn't like emotions, she needs to be strong all the time, and yet she's an emotional mess on the inside. She feels like she needs answers about her parent's death, and she's stuck trying to figure out her past that she never really lives her present. Nor can she move on to her future. So she travels to the gloomy town of Blacksville, to Thorncrest Manor, or shall I say creeptastic Mansion LOL.

When Crystal arrives, it's like no one but the gardner and the cook care. No one even greets her. Plus the house and weather are gloomy all the damn time. When she does finally meet her family, no one really even gives her time to say hello, they don't care that she's there. It didn't start off so nice for her. And then Cray comes into the picture. Crystal is drawn towards him immediately. Things are not as they seem. There are so many secrets and unexplained things floating around.

The writing is well done. I loved the ghosts towards the beginning that totally freaked Crystal, and myself, out! And the family secrets and witchy things going on :) My only complaint is that I wish the characters and their relationships were explored a little more. Like Crystal and her coworkers. Yes, we are told about them, and we see a little interaction, but if these two people have been her only trust system for a while, I would have liked a little bit more, instead of just a description of Crystal's opinions. And with the whole Locke family, I know some explanations are given, but maybe a little more back story, or in depth interactions. I know it's just me and I like a good bit of detail to help give me a feel for each character, and that isn't always easy when told from the main characters pov. Anyways, the plot and mystery kept the pages turning, and there's such a wonderful way the gloom sucks you into the story. The dark, noir feel to the place keeps you on your toes. And things are explained, but not completely, so we'll be seeing more. I'm going to say I look forward to book two of this series. :) 4.5 WITCHY GHOSTLY PAWS :)

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mystery, creepy moments and a constant fog of tension combine with a sense of the paranormal to make for an engaging read.

Crystal's an orphan but gets along fine until a long-lost great aunt suddenly appears at her door. Crystal agrees to join her wealthy relatives in the Thorncrest mansion, where she meets cold shoulders and a dark mystery.

Crystal is an independent girl and despite her obvious heavy baggage, comes across pretty strong. She's kind but guarded and an easy character to connect to. She has a couple of 'friends', which support her. There's a bit of a mystery around especially two of these, her boss and best friend, but these backgrounds don't really show up until the last pages--something I would have liked to see woven into the story earlier. Crystal also finds some allies at the mansion, which offer just the right amount of support and heart.

The setting is creepy and well down. The mansion is dark, shadowy, full of bumps in the night and keeps the reader on the edge of the seat. Crystal's new family is aloof with a rude and unkind attitude toward her, which raises the stakes and creates a spine-prickling atmosphere. With Crystal's independent nature, it wasn't quite clear why she put up with the treatment and, at times, her decisions lacked a little foundation. But the story stays thrilling and holds up the mystery and suspense nicely to keep those pages turning.

There's a bit of a romance, although it's more distanced and doesn't hit a real, emotional bond. So I'd shove this book more into the paranormal thriller direction than a romantic one.

The writing is well done. It's easy to get lost in the creepy world and wonder what might happen next. The pacing was a bit slow in the beginning, but earns full marks in this area once things get going about half-way into the book. The ending wraps up some ends, but many things are still unclear. So it appears that a book two is on the way.

Summed up, this is a goose bump raising story with lovely touches into the paranormal world. Friends of suspense and thrillers are sure to enjoy the read.

[Jenni Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am reviewing this book on behalf of katsindiebookblog. The Lebrus Stone is not what I had expected, in a good way I promise! From the moment I started reading it was hard to put it down. This book is well written and explains everything thoroughly, so you will not be left with questions. For me it wasn’t your typical paranormal which I enjoyed. Miriam stepped out of the box and changed things up.
Crystal is an orphaned child, after her mom and dad died in a fatal car crash and then her Aunt dying in a house fire. All Crystal wants are some answers about her family. What kind of people were they? Anything any orphaned kid would like to find out about their moms and dads. Well she finally has her answers available with her moms best friend locates her and makes a visit. To get all the answers Crystal wants, her Aunt requests that she come to her house and spends a few weeks with her and her kids to get to know each other.
As soon as they arrive, not only does the family, including the unofficial Aunt, start acting weird but she is also having awful nightmares. Her only reprieve out of the stay is the company of the housekeeper and the gardner, they seem the less strange out of the whole house. She is also enjoying the view of sexy man Cray, however he wants nothing to do with her and does his best to keep his distance. She is able to become friends with a local and she starts telling Crystal all the stories and mysteries of the family and the house they live in.
Can Crystal figure out all she needs to know about her family before her time is up? And will she also find out if there are any truths to the stories about the family and the house? If you are up to a well written book and love suspense, this book is right for you!

[Star]

THE LEBRUS STONE is about Crystal Valdez, a girl who had been orphaned twice. Crystal lives and works in Cedar City, Utah until the day her “aunt”, her mother’s best friend, comes to visit. She’s there to invite Crystal to Thorncrest Manor – her family home – in Blacksville, West Virginia. Crystal decides to visit for the summer, but she’s in for more than she ever bargained. THE LEBRUS STONE seems to be two stories in one book. Most of the book is about Crystal’s adjusting to Thorncrest Manor and her pseudo-family. She’s attracted to her non-blood cousin, Cray, but he and the rest of them have some very nasty secrets. Crystal had seemed at first to be a down-to-earth girl, but the way she kept coming back to Cray after he treats her like dirt was very disconcerting. Then over halfway through THE LEBRUS STONE, it gets overtly paranormal. I think if there had been a “flashback” in the beginning, it would give readers an idea of the hidden world the author would take Crystal into later. I didn’t feel any kind of emotional connection with any of the characters and spent most of the time mildly annoyed with Crystal. I do think THE LEBRUS STONE may hold appeal for older teen readers who enjoy suspense, romance, and the paranormal.

[BestChickLit.com · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Lebrus Stone appealed to me as soon as I read the blurb and I downloaded the book as soon as it became available on Amazon.

Crystal is a feisty main character; she’s strong, yet a jumble of emotions beneath the surface. She’s haunted by the death of her parents and driven by a natural urge uncover the seemingly unattainable details about her childhood. It’s the promise of the Locke’s knowledge that leads her to Blacksville and the foreboding Thorncrest Manor. The atmosphere at the family home had a real gloomy, Beautiful Creatures-esque air to it, which I adored and was probably my favourite thing about the book.

Crystal’s feelings towards the handsome Cray had me hooked and I loved the undeniable pull she felt towards him, regardless if he was bad for her or not. Their interactions, at first, are strained and I personally would have liked the initial meetings to have been longer, thus holding more weight, but nonetheless desire zings from the pages and I found myself excited about what would happen when they were together next.

Many questions and mysteries are thrown up right from the start, creating a need for answers that will have you reading on and on.

[Melanie's · Rating 3 out of 5]

*This Book Was Given To Me By The Author In Exchange For An Honest Review*

This is the first book I have read by new to me author Miriam Khan and to be honest I have mixed feelings about it.

The story is good and as paranormal stories go it certainly has some original concepts which is always a plus for me. At times the writing is outstanding with clear descriptions and it totally sucked me in.

That being said there are many parts where I felt the story moved too slowly and there were unnecessary parts being put in that for me were superfluous to the main story and seemed to really be page filler to make the book a good length.

I think with a little work this book could move from being good to being great, but for me it just wasn't there yet.

3 stars from me but with definitely potential for more V""V


***Review has been done in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official.
For more information regarding our reviews please visit our Fansite: www.facebook.com/NerdGirl.ng ***

[S.K. Gregory · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Lebrus Stone
The Lebrus Stone features Crystal Valdez, a young woman, orphaned from a young age, who discovers she has family living in West Virginia. Secrets are revealed as Crystal uncovers the mystery of the family home Thorncrest Manor. She also finds herself drawn to the enigmatic Cray Locke.
Crystal comes across as a believable character. She is a young woman who has had a difficult childhood after the loss of her parents. When her great aunt shows up she jumps at the chance to find out about her family. The Manor is mysterious and you do want to keep reading to learn more about its secrets.
I do feel though that we could have had more interaction with TJ and Jared since they seem to be an important part of Crystal’s life, yet we are told rather than shown their relationship.
I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars as it kept my attention and had an interesting storyline, but I think parts of it needed a bit more development.

[Fawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

The description sounded interesting, yet when I got into this book I found myself very frustrated with the story. Crystal has made a life for herself since she is without any family in her life. When Isobel shows up claiming to be able to tell Crystal about her mother I can totally go with that. It is after she gets to the Locke home and the way that everyone behaves that makes me need to keep putting my kindle down. Crystal is made out to be a damaged yet strong personality. Yet she continues to stick around as everyone plays head games with her. It just doesn't make sense to me that she would just shake it off and go into another room. This whole book leaves you still unsure what is actually going on.

[Jennifer Treviño · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good story! This is a unique world I look forward to re-visiting again soon. I appreciate the great detail we are given throughout although I would have enjoyed a bit more action or suspense in a few areas. The characters were different than many I've come across lately & the plot kept us guessing. I did find it a bit confusing going back & forth when referring to the Lockes as family & then non-family. Their relationships were a bit odd anyway, but as long as I kept reminding myself that they were not blood related (even when it stated the opposite) I could almost keep it straight. I am very curious to know what will become of Cray & that "relationship".

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was a excellent read, the characters and situations were well formed. Crystal is a fascinating main character and you have to keep reading just so you can find out how deep the mystery goes. Some creepy happenings begin to happen to her once she goes to stay at the manor (which is typically what happens at these old manor houses) and gradually everything is revealed. The pacing is a little slow at some points but the story is good enough that you keep going just to find out what happens next. I would definitely purchase other books by this author.

[Jennyfer Moorman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given this book for an honest review so here it is,
A fresh paranormal read, I enjoyed reading this and finding out how the story unravels , so many secrets and untold stories of crystals life,the only little thing that made me give a 4 star instead of 5 was in parts the story dragged a little and some parts I felt were not necessary how ever saying that I did enjoy reading, it draws you in trying to find out the life of crystal and where it takes her, well worth a read