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Skyclad #1
Skyclad
When Ella Frost meets free-spirited Mae on a research trip, she never expected that the quest for information would send her life into a tailspin. Faced with difficult personal choices, will Ella break under the pressure of the existence that she's built for herself? Or will she allow Mae to lead her on a journey of self-exploration too tempting to ignore?
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 5, 2015
28 people are currently reading
124 people want to read
About the author
Max Ellendale
33 books317 followersMax grew up just outside of New York City, spending most of her formative years outdoors creating wild ghost hunts with neighborhood kids, setting booby-traps to capture unwitting family members, and building clubhouses on top of ten-foot walls. Max wrote her first story at the age of twelve and titled it Circles of Friendship. Through the years, Max has written several short-stories and poems, all of which met the wrath of the “Not Good Enough” monster and ended in fiery demise.
Max regained her confidence when she began writing scholarly articles and research theses on her first trip through graduate school. It took several years for her to break the habit of the formal writing that marred her creativity. An additional Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing was Max’s biggest support in this. Max writes primarily sci-fi/fantasy, paranormal romance, and Young Adult stories.
Max regained her confidence when she began writing scholarly articles and research theses on her first trip through graduate school. It took several years for her to break the habit of the formal writing that marred her creativity. An additional Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing was Max’s biggest support in this. Max writes primarily sci-fi/fantasy, paranormal romance, and Young Adult stories.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
May 8, 2018
A pretty good read.
This is my second book i have read from this author. And while I think "Rabbit" is better, this was still a really good read. It's told from the POV of Ella Frost, a professor at Beverly. She wonders into the Three Goddesses shop for a paper she is working on and meets the owner Mae and her life changes for the better. This is more of a coming out/coming to terms story. There are pretty good love scenes and the chemistry between the two MC is well written. The secondary characters do s good job adding to the story. I do wonder what was real point of Raven. She played a semi-important part but then never returned. I kept waiting for that other shoe.
The two MC dont break up which is nice. They actually communicate. If you want something well written with a good story and great characters, pick this one up. Its free on kindleUnlimited.
This is my second book i have read from this author. And while I think "Rabbit" is better, this was still a really good read. It's told from the POV of Ella Frost, a professor at Beverly. She wonders into the Three Goddesses shop for a paper she is working on and meets the owner Mae and her life changes for the better. This is more of a coming out/coming to terms story. There are pretty good love scenes and the chemistry between the two MC is well written. The secondary characters do s good job adding to the story. I do wonder what was real point of Raven. She played a semi-important part but then never returned. I kept waiting for that other shoe.
The two MC dont break up which is nice. They actually communicate. If you want something well written with a good story and great characters, pick this one up. Its free on kindleUnlimited.
did-not-finish
June 23, 2018I've read a lot of odd stuff in my time, people interacting with wolves, werewolves or normal wolves; traveling through the stars; talking to spider like creatures or teddy bear like creatures; vising places where the laws of nature as 'we' know it do not apply . . .etc .etc. I've even read stories where the character is literally insane - it's the kind of person a specific organization hunts out for - insane people, for reasons (they are better able to work with the organization and act as a go between between faerie folk and humans). I've read literal gods and goddesses; and/or from the point of view of a domestic cat (which might have thought of itself as a god).
I mention all of that to note that I did not stop in the middle of a scene because I'm uncomfortable with oddball stuff going on, or, for that matter, with 'vanilla' stuff going on. I stopped because the story I was reading was driving me batty.
A woman who has never been with another woman suddenly finds themselves being kissed in an aggressive way by another woman. That other woman stops when told to stop, but she's quite aggressive in attempting to 'get with' the virgin (at least with other women) woman. That other woman? Literally loses her ability to think coherently when aggressive woman is nearby (for example, she's a professor. While teaching her class one day, the other woman, Mae, turns up. Ella (professor's name is Ella right?) blinks into incoherence, to the point she has to send her students out early because she just can't think coherently). Ella is quite receptive to Mae's advances.
A woman finding another woman attractive after spending, what, 40 years? without being attracted to another woman, mixed with a woman who is quite aggressive in her needs to touch, be near, force herself onto the other woman . . . isn't exactly a new theme for lesbian fiction books. That isn't the issue. It's the whole weird dynamic. Like how one, Ella, is quite composed and stable and etc. etc., to the point she just casually without much pain at recollection mentions how she has vicious scarring on her back because she was raised in a cult; at another moment drums cause her to break down into crying and needing to run away (Mae, by the way, keeps blocking Ella's exit - personally, in a situation like that? If I was Ella? I wouldn't want to be fucking stopped, forced to stop; people need to be able to cool down etc. etc. - forcing them to 'cool down' in your method when you know jack shit about the other woman, or her background is not cool).
The other, Mae. . . I don't know, there's just something incredibly off about her.
So this will not become the seventh book I read by this author.
June 22 2018
I mention all of that to note that I did not stop in the middle of a scene because I'm uncomfortable with oddball stuff going on, or, for that matter, with 'vanilla' stuff going on. I stopped because the story I was reading was driving me batty.
A woman who has never been with another woman suddenly finds themselves being kissed in an aggressive way by another woman. That other woman stops when told to stop, but she's quite aggressive in attempting to 'get with' the virgin (at least with other women) woman. That other woman? Literally loses her ability to think coherently when aggressive woman is nearby (for example, she's a professor. While teaching her class one day, the other woman, Mae, turns up. Ella (professor's name is Ella right?) blinks into incoherence, to the point she has to send her students out early because she just can't think coherently). Ella is quite receptive to Mae's advances.
A woman finding another woman attractive after spending, what, 40 years? without being attracted to another woman, mixed with a woman who is quite aggressive in her needs to touch, be near, force herself onto the other woman . . . isn't exactly a new theme for lesbian fiction books. That isn't the issue. It's the whole weird dynamic. Like how one, Ella, is quite composed and stable and etc. etc., to the point she just casually without much pain at recollection mentions how she has vicious scarring on her back because she was raised in a cult; at another moment drums cause her to break down into crying and needing to run away (Mae, by the way, keeps blocking Ella's exit - personally, in a situation like that? If I was Ella? I wouldn't want to be fucking stopped, forced to stop; people need to be able to cool down etc. etc. - forcing them to 'cool down' in your method when you know jack shit about the other woman, or her background is not cool).
The other, Mae. . . I don't know, there's just something incredibly off about her.
So this will not become the seventh book I read by this author.
June 22 2018
December 30, 2017
Loved it. I think the endearment 'Maeby' is probably the cutest ever, lol. I was surprised that there wasn't a handfasting but hey, it's ok. I think I'm gonna be binging Ellendale this weekend :)
June 1, 2019
The first and last one percent of this book reads like a normal lesfic, is she/isn’t she, the family that disapproves/supports. But the meat of the book is all sex.
I wouldn’t even say it’s erotica, because the characters communicate through sex. They have conversations and find out about each other and advance their relationship all through clit-rubbing, which is quite frankly amazing. At one point, the POV character Ella is attempting to have an actual verbal conversation with Mae and boob-teasing keeps happening and she goes so far as to say something along the lines of: we can actually speak to each other, you don’t always to always do that. Needless to say, she does and they do. Mae is so sexualized, it’s as if she can’t connect to another person without her tongue on their clit. A saving grace is she has always identified as lesbian so it is a one-sided toaster oven story.
Having said that, I’ve rarely encountered such eloquently written sex scenes. They pretty much dabble in everything, including light BDSM, bondage and blindfolds. Mae initially comes on a bit strong, but later on includes safewords and consent (although I’m not impressed that she uses Ella’s hetero history to mean an open Okay with anything resembling het sex... do I need a strap on spoiler here?) which kind of bothered me. Obviously Ella did not have a stellar relationship with her ex, and seemed singularly unsatisfied but resigned to her lot in life so for Mae to assume she’s okay with being a hard bottom is not cool. I really liked how Ella kept Mae on her toes in the bedroom (and kitchen and car and in front of people and near and far and wherever they are, seriously PDA is not an issue for these two) and challenges her for the position of top. I think that give and take is the reason they work so well and actually stay together in the long run oh hell yes I do think I need spoilers for this.
There are two places where Mae shows some kind of ESP,
meaning she legit knows something that she shouldn’t. One is Ella’s horrible angst-filled past and another is...the MIL’s role in wedding planning? Okay. There is definitely a bit of magical realism working here and if you don’t mind 90% heavy girl-on-girl and tons of FTB and a bit of public naughtiness, then this is a book I recommend! The family stuff is kind of shoehorned in but it really hit home.
This is a bit of a light read and I wonder what kind of cute interactions the two mains might have had if they could keep their panties on, but still a decent story. Four stars.
I wouldn’t even say it’s erotica, because the characters communicate through sex. They have conversations and find out about each other and advance their relationship all through clit-rubbing, which is quite frankly amazing. At one point, the POV character Ella is attempting to have an actual verbal conversation with Mae and boob-teasing keeps happening and she goes so far as to say something along the lines of: we can actually speak to each other, you don’t always to always do that. Needless to say, she does and they do. Mae is so sexualized, it’s as if she can’t connect to another person without her tongue on their clit. A saving grace is she has always identified as lesbian so it is a one-sided toaster oven story.
Having said that, I’ve rarely encountered such eloquently written sex scenes. They pretty much dabble in everything, including light BDSM, bondage and blindfolds. Mae initially comes on a bit strong, but later on includes safewords and consent (although I’m not impressed that she uses Ella’s hetero history to mean an open Okay with anything resembling het sex... do I need a strap on spoiler here?) which kind of bothered me. Obviously Ella did not have a stellar relationship with her ex, and seemed singularly unsatisfied but resigned to her lot in life so for Mae to assume she’s okay with being a hard bottom is not cool. I really liked how Ella kept Mae on her toes in the bedroom (and kitchen and car and in front of people and near and far and wherever they are, seriously PDA is not an issue for these two) and challenges her for the position of top. I think that give and take is the reason they work so well and actually stay together in the long run oh hell yes I do think I need spoilers for this.
There are two places where Mae shows some kind of ESP,
meaning she legit knows something that she shouldn’t. One is Ella’s horrible angst-filled past and another is...the MIL’s role in wedding planning? Okay. There is definitely a bit of magical realism working here and if you don’t mind 90% heavy girl-on-girl and tons of FTB and a bit of public naughtiness, then this is a book I recommend! The family stuff is kind of shoehorned in but it really hit home.
This is a bit of a light read and I wonder what kind of cute interactions the two mains might have had if they could keep their panties on, but still a decent story. Four stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 8, 2018
After reading Max Ellendale‘s dark, twisty, whopper of a psychological romance thriller, the Four Point series, “Skyclad” was definitely a much lighter affair in comparison, although, it had its own drama, an endearing romance, with another type of trauma and psychological exploration: the psychology of abandonment, rejection, isolation, and family as a social construct and its related dynamics, which I thought was beautifully crafted into a richly compelling story about true love and what constitutes a family unit.
“Skyclad” was funny. Eccentrically fun. Charmingly heartwarming. Enchantingly romantic. It was whimsical but deeply rooted and grounded in the emotional exploration of the characters. I was taken by Ellendale’s adept storytelling that kept me wanting to discover more about the characters, their circumstances, their back stories. The secondary characters in this book were compelling and piqued me interest. Ellendale has this brilliant knack for breathing life into her secondary characters without taking up too much space from the main characters. The family dynamic and their interconnected relationships were depicted with genuine and authentic realism. Utterly heartwarming. I was invested.
Ella was an interesting character study. A doctor (PhD) and a college professor, on the outset, she was aloof, stern, detached which was why she was dubbed the “ice queen” at the college she was teaching. But she was more to that description than meets the eye. Away from public scrutiny, she was quiet, shy, reserved, still living inside her own shell, hiding behind her mask, but she was a curious person. Perhaps it was her innate sense of curiosity that eventually pulled her out of her funk, finally discovering what she was missing in her life that caused her to always be looking for answers. Her answer was tucked away in Salem. A place where witchcraft, Wiccan rituals and ceremonies, and other occult practices were everywhere. Magic in the air? The answer was Mae.
I honestly had never read anything like this before – a romance in a world of occult. It was a refreshing take on a love story between a professor and a witch. I didn’t know anything about the practices. Ellendale took the time to describe some of the rituals, nuances pertaining to that world. I learned so much from this book which I really appreciated. Her vivid description of Mae’s world exuded a sense of calmness, serenity, spirituality, which gave Mae and Ella’s romance a touch of enchantment and sensuality as they grew closer physically and emotionally.
One of the moments in the book that struck me was Mae’s explanation about what Wicca meant, which was deeply resonating and honestly a fantastic philosophy to live by:
“…The Earth, nature, humanity. All of it. The gifts of our senses, of connection. Wicca isn’t anything more or less than that. It’s what we make it. Tools and rituals belong to each of us. Individually or in covens. There are only two things anyone who practices needs to know. No matter how you practice, harm none. And if you do anything, good or bad, expect the return threefold. It’s as simple as that.”
Speaking of Mae, I absolutely ADORED her! She was quite different than the usual romantic protagonists I was used to, with her quirky character and personality. She instantly reminded me of Harper from Ellendale’s “Four Point” trilogy – both were eccentric, unorthodox, ethereal, free-spirited with an assured level of spiritual depth. It was refreshing to have someone with these characteristics as a romantic protagonist. From the moment she appeared on the pages of the book, the moment she and Ella laid eyes upon each other, I was immediately captivated. In addition to her eccentricity, Mae was also a genuinely kind, warm, generous and adorable hippy witch as Ellendale depicted her so eloquently. I mean, from the moment of her greeting, “Merry Meet,” I knew she was gonna be charming and enchanting! Never heard that greeting ever before! Anyway, Mae’s quirky appearance took Ella by surprise and immediately caught her attention. These two women couldn’t be more different than the other. Yet, they were totally drawn to each other almost instantly. Mae was bold, seductive and mischievous, whereas Ella was the opposite. Well, opposites do attract, don’t they? Naturally, they were intrigued by one another. They could feel this unexplained affinity with each other. It was at that moment until the end of the book, that Ellendale brilliantly weaved this dance, this sweet, sensual, absorbing dance of courting, friendship, romance and love that was wrapped in an undeniable chemistry between Mae and Ella.
Apart from the love story, I was also drawn to the backdrop which was the foster care system. I was never schooled on the subject of foster care, let alone the foster care system in America! So, naturally, I was fascinated by its complexities. Ellendale deftly crafted Ella and Mae’s love story that evolved around foster care and adoption, which became a main character in and of itself as the book progressed. Needless to say, it was beautifully incorporated into Ella and Mae’s life and one other character in the book, Jax, whom I totally enjoyed discovering. The cold, rigid sordid facts revealed about the foster care system and its psychological effects on the children was heartbreaking. The instinctive sense of rejection and abandonment was prevalent amongst those who were thrust into the foster care system, as Ellendale so brilliantly depicted through her characters and how they overcame the emotional hurdles. It was yet another compelling lesson in cognitive and behavioural psychology from Ellendale!
Speaking of Jax, Ellendale created such a charming and delightful sides-story for her as she went through some harrowing hardship about her personal well-being. Her almost symbiotic relationship with Mae was such a heartwarming feat to read; their playfulness, their unspoken trust. And then there was Sonora. 😏 I won’t delve into it because you’ll have to read it. It will surely make you smile. Ahhh….smells like teen spirit, eh? 🤭
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I loved how Ellendale told Mae and Ella’s love story, their journey. Ella’s self-discovery was riveting. Ellendale seamlessly integrated the other characters who were important to Mae and Ella’s lives into the fold, enriching Mae and Ella’s characters even more.
Hence, “Skyclad” is truly a multi-dimensional story and I highly recommend it to all fans of lesfic romance out there.
I couldn’t wait to get me hands on the sequel, “Midsummer,” right after this one! I wanted to delve into the next phase of Mae and Ella’s journey right away. And I’m happy to say that Ellendale did NOT disappoint!
Thank you for Mae and Ella, Ms. Ellendale!
You can read my commentary on Book 2 of the series, “Midsummer,” here …
In Bug's Own Words
“Skyclad” was funny. Eccentrically fun. Charmingly heartwarming. Enchantingly romantic. It was whimsical but deeply rooted and grounded in the emotional exploration of the characters. I was taken by Ellendale’s adept storytelling that kept me wanting to discover more about the characters, their circumstances, their back stories. The secondary characters in this book were compelling and piqued me interest. Ellendale has this brilliant knack for breathing life into her secondary characters without taking up too much space from the main characters. The family dynamic and their interconnected relationships were depicted with genuine and authentic realism. Utterly heartwarming. I was invested.
Ella was an interesting character study. A doctor (PhD) and a college professor, on the outset, she was aloof, stern, detached which was why she was dubbed the “ice queen” at the college she was teaching. But she was more to that description than meets the eye. Away from public scrutiny, she was quiet, shy, reserved, still living inside her own shell, hiding behind her mask, but she was a curious person. Perhaps it was her innate sense of curiosity that eventually pulled her out of her funk, finally discovering what she was missing in her life that caused her to always be looking for answers. Her answer was tucked away in Salem. A place where witchcraft, Wiccan rituals and ceremonies, and other occult practices were everywhere. Magic in the air? The answer was Mae.
I honestly had never read anything like this before – a romance in a world of occult. It was a refreshing take on a love story between a professor and a witch. I didn’t know anything about the practices. Ellendale took the time to describe some of the rituals, nuances pertaining to that world. I learned so much from this book which I really appreciated. Her vivid description of Mae’s world exuded a sense of calmness, serenity, spirituality, which gave Mae and Ella’s romance a touch of enchantment and sensuality as they grew closer physically and emotionally.
One of the moments in the book that struck me was Mae’s explanation about what Wicca meant, which was deeply resonating and honestly a fantastic philosophy to live by:
“…The Earth, nature, humanity. All of it. The gifts of our senses, of connection. Wicca isn’t anything more or less than that. It’s what we make it. Tools and rituals belong to each of us. Individually or in covens. There are only two things anyone who practices needs to know. No matter how you practice, harm none. And if you do anything, good or bad, expect the return threefold. It’s as simple as that.”
Speaking of Mae, I absolutely ADORED her! She was quite different than the usual romantic protagonists I was used to, with her quirky character and personality. She instantly reminded me of Harper from Ellendale’s “Four Point” trilogy – both were eccentric, unorthodox, ethereal, free-spirited with an assured level of spiritual depth. It was refreshing to have someone with these characteristics as a romantic protagonist. From the moment she appeared on the pages of the book, the moment she and Ella laid eyes upon each other, I was immediately captivated. In addition to her eccentricity, Mae was also a genuinely kind, warm, generous and adorable hippy witch as Ellendale depicted her so eloquently. I mean, from the moment of her greeting, “Merry Meet,” I knew she was gonna be charming and enchanting! Never heard that greeting ever before! Anyway, Mae’s quirky appearance took Ella by surprise and immediately caught her attention. These two women couldn’t be more different than the other. Yet, they were totally drawn to each other almost instantly. Mae was bold, seductive and mischievous, whereas Ella was the opposite. Well, opposites do attract, don’t they? Naturally, they were intrigued by one another. They could feel this unexplained affinity with each other. It was at that moment until the end of the book, that Ellendale brilliantly weaved this dance, this sweet, sensual, absorbing dance of courting, friendship, romance and love that was wrapped in an undeniable chemistry between Mae and Ella.
Apart from the love story, I was also drawn to the backdrop which was the foster care system. I was never schooled on the subject of foster care, let alone the foster care system in America! So, naturally, I was fascinated by its complexities. Ellendale deftly crafted Ella and Mae’s love story that evolved around foster care and adoption, which became a main character in and of itself as the book progressed. Needless to say, it was beautifully incorporated into Ella and Mae’s life and one other character in the book, Jax, whom I totally enjoyed discovering. The cold, rigid sordid facts revealed about the foster care system and its psychological effects on the children was heartbreaking. The instinctive sense of rejection and abandonment was prevalent amongst those who were thrust into the foster care system, as Ellendale so brilliantly depicted through her characters and how they overcame the emotional hurdles. It was yet another compelling lesson in cognitive and behavioural psychology from Ellendale!
Speaking of Jax, Ellendale created such a charming and delightful sides-story for her as she went through some harrowing hardship about her personal well-being. Her almost symbiotic relationship with Mae was such a heartwarming feat to read; their playfulness, their unspoken trust. And then there was Sonora. 😏 I won’t delve into it because you’ll have to read it. It will surely make you smile. Ahhh….smells like teen spirit, eh? 🤭
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I loved how Ellendale told Mae and Ella’s love story, their journey. Ella’s self-discovery was riveting. Ellendale seamlessly integrated the other characters who were important to Mae and Ella’s lives into the fold, enriching Mae and Ella’s characters even more.
Hence, “Skyclad” is truly a multi-dimensional story and I highly recommend it to all fans of lesfic romance out there.
I couldn’t wait to get me hands on the sequel, “Midsummer,” right after this one! I wanted to delve into the next phase of Mae and Ella’s journey right away. And I’m happy to say that Ellendale did NOT disappoint!
Thank you for Mae and Ella, Ms. Ellendale!
You can read my commentary on Book 2 of the series, “Midsummer,” here …
In Bug's Own Words
Want to read
April 30, 2019🎁 FREE on Amazon today (4/30/2019)! 🎁
did-not-finish
January 13, 2018Could not get into this.
March 9, 2023
A strange mix - from the romantic to bordering on the abusive, from sweet to harsh and unpalatable. Won’t be moving on to Book 2. (Mind you, noticed in her other series, didn’t rate book 1 of Four Point Universe but the others got 5s!)
July 12, 2015
Awesome story!
Skyclad was a well written story. I'm a romantic and this book hit the spot for a happy ending. If you love happy endings then this is the book for you. First book I have read from Max Ellendale and hopefully not the last one
Skyclad was a well written story. I'm a romantic and this book hit the spot for a happy ending. If you love happy endings then this is the book for you. First book I have read from Max Ellendale and hopefully not the last one
August 18, 2015
Great Read
What a wonderfully written book. You can't help but fall in love with the main characters and their love for each other.
Thank you for the great read hun ;)
What a wonderfully written book. You can't help but fall in love with the main characters and their love for each other.
Thank you for the great read hun ;)
December 15, 2015
Skyclad by Max Ellendale: http://reviews-and-ramblings.dreamwid... 2015 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention (5* from at least 1 judge)
September 1, 2018
Great book
Thus was a really great story and I loved the different the main characters were but how they really matched each other well.
Thus was a really great story and I loved the different the main characters were but how they really matched each other well.
May 15, 2023
On My "Best Book" List
This story is SO good, I enjoyed the characters, the development, the writing, and the ending. Ella and Mae are so different yet so in sync, and so lost in love with each other. Their backgrounds are different yet there are threads through each that bind them in invisible ways. Please give this marvelous story a try. Unless you don't like explicit sex scenes, there's nothing here not to like. It's great.
This story is SO good, I enjoyed the characters, the development, the writing, and the ending. Ella and Mae are so different yet so in sync, and so lost in love with each other. Their backgrounds are different yet there are threads through each that bind them in invisible ways. Please give this marvelous story a try. Unless you don't like explicit sex scenes, there's nothing here not to like. It's great.
June 11, 2020
I liked the two main characters and how they connected. I would have like to dive deeper into their characters, especially Mea's. Jax was a great sub-character and I liked how that subplot was handled. Overall, a great story with a bit too much sizzling sex for me. Don't read in public!
October 5, 2018
Loved every minute of it! Beautiful story, beautiful writing!
January 30, 2022
You won’t want to miss reading this book!
A delightful romance which spoke to me about being open to the unexpected. It’s the best way to be! I highly recommend this book.
A delightful romance which spoke to me about being open to the unexpected. It’s the best way to be! I highly recommend this book.
February 19, 2023
3.5 Stars
October 11, 2019
Very much enjoyed this
May 26, 2022
I enjoyed this romance story. I personally would have loved more story and less intimate scenes but that could just be my grumpiness showing and maybe in the future I’ll pick it up again to enjoy a little more.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews