Bella Forrest is a lover of fantasy, romance, action, and mystery infused stories with twists you don’t see coming. She has sold over fifteen million books since her first novel was published in 2012.
A LOVE THAT ENDURES (Trilogy) A Love that Endures 1 A Love that Endures 2 A Love that Endures 3
HARLEY MERLIN AND THE SECRET COVEN
Harley Merlin and the Secret Coven (Book 1) Harley Merlin and the Mystery Twins (Book 2) Harley Merlin and the Stolen Magicals (Book 3) Harley Merlin and the First Ritual (Book 4) Harley Merlin and the Broken Spell (Book 5) Harley Merlin and the Cult of Eris (Book 6) Harley Merlin and the Detector Fix (Book 7) Harley Merlin and the Challenge of Chaos (Book 8) Harley Merlin and the Mortal Pact (Book 9) Finch Merlin and the Fount of Youth (Book 10) Finch Merlin and the Lost Map (Book 11) Finch Merlin and the Djinn's Curse (Book 12) Finch Merlin and the Locked Gateway (Book 13) Finch Merlin and the Forgotten Kingdom (Book 14) Finch Merlin and the Everlasting Vow (Book 15) Finch Merlin and the Blood Tie (Book 16) Finch Merlin and the Legend of the Luminary Persie Merlin and Leviathan's Gift (Book 18) Persie Merlin and the Door to Nowhere (Book 19) Persie Merlin and the Witch Hunters (Book 20) Persie Merlin and the Dying Song (Book 21)
THE CHILD THIEF
The Child Thief (Book 1) Deep Shadows (Book 2) Thin Lines (Book 3) Little Lies (Book 4) Ghost Towns (Book 5) Zero Hour (Book 6)
The Gender Game (Book 1) The Gender Secret (Book 2) The Gender Lie (Book 3) The Gender War (Book 4) The Gender Fall (Book 5) The Gender Plan (Book 6) The Gender End (Book 7)
THE GIRL WHO DARED TO THINK
The Girl Who Dared to Think (Book 1) The Girl Who Dared to Stand (Book 2) The Girl Who Dared to Descend (Book 3) The Girl Who Dared to Rise (Book 4) The Girl Who Dared to Lead (Book 5) The Girl Who Dared to Endure (Book 6 The Girl Who Dared to Fight (Book 7)
A SHADE OF VAMPIRE
Season 1: Derek & Sofia’s story
Books 1 to 7
Season 2: Rose & Caleb’s story
Books 8 to 16
Season 3: The Shade continues with a new hero...
Books 17 to 24
Season 4: A Clan of Novaks
Books 25 to 32
Season 5: A Dawn of Guardians
Books 33 to 41
Season 6: A Gift of Three
Books 42 to 50
Season 7: A Call of Vampires
Books 51 to 59
Season 8: A Voyage of Founders
Books 60 to 68
Season 9: A Birth of Fire
Books 69 to 77
Season 10: An Origin of Vampires An Origin of Vampires (Book 78) A Game of Death (Book 79) A Veil of Dark (Book 80) A Bringer of Night (Book 81) A Circle of Nine (Book 82) A Bender of Spirit (Book 83) A Memory of Time (Book 84) A Shard of Soul (Book 85) A Break of Seals (Book 86)
Season 11: A Shade of Mystery A Shade of Mystery (Book 87) An Isle of Mirrors (Book 88) A Sanctuary of Foes (Book 89) A Ruler of Clones (Book 90) A Gate of Light (Book 91) A Dawn of Worlds (Book 92) ➜ Coming soon!
Kingstone Keep is one screwed up place. I enjoyed the addition of Agatha and Vincent, they are so unique. I enjoyed learning even more about how magic can be used. Kius was a good character, I felt so sorry for him, and the end of his storyline is pretty sad. Julius is a real piece of work! I'm still no fan of this Alex-Ellabell romance thing. I was glad to have more Elias in this book. I think he is like my favourite character. I guess the next book will tell us all about Fall-Leaf. I wonder what type of head that haven has.
While this is a fun series it definitely doesn't compare to Harry Potter (but then again, not much does). These books are easy to read, fun to read, and a fairly fast read, but overall the plot seems to be quite similar throughout the series. While I am not sorry I am reading the series, I feel like something is missing still so I can't give it five stars.
ABSOLUTELY SPELLBINDING !!! Title: The Keep Series: The Secret of Spellshadow Manor Author: Bella Forrest Designation: Book Four of Series, Full-Length Novel (Approx 400 pages), NOT A Standalone, Cliffhanger Ahead Genre: #fantasy #sciencefiction #actionadventure #mystery #comingofage #romance Reading Platform: Kindle Edition My Rating: Five Spellbinding Stars***** Oh my! Oh my! Oh my! Bella Forrest rocked my world AGAIN with The Keep, the fourth riveting release in her captivating new magical fantasy series, The Secret of Spellshadow Manor! And great balls of fire, it just gets better and better! Forrest has been a busy little beaver! After publishing a new season of the international bestselling A Shade of Vampire series in the past twelve months as well as introducing two other new blockbuster series, The Gender Game and the Detective Erin Bond mystery thriller series, you'd think Forrest would be ready to sit back and take a breather. Nope, just the opposite! I honestly don't think Forrest ever sleeps. Not that I'm complaining... not one little bit! Like thousands of my fellow Bella Forrest fans around the world, I've been hooked since the first book of Forrest's megahit A Shade of Vampire series and now 56 books later, I still eagerly await each new release. I don't even care what genre it is. If Forrest writes it, I'll read it! And it comes as no surprise, Forrest has delivered another new installment in this gripping fantasy adventure that curls our toes, makes our hearts pound and keeps us begging for more! The Secret of Spellshadow Manor is a beautifully written young adult saga unlike any I've ever read. If you loved Harry Potter or Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Secret of Spellshadow Manor is definitely for you. Quite simply, it's an irresistibly delicious all-you-can-eat buffet of magic, fantasy, action, adventure, mystery, danger, suspense, angst, and blossoming coming of age romance. But never fear, my friends, it's also a deliciously tasty treat for us older adults who remain young at heart! The story is well crafted, imaginative, thrilling, fast paced, action packed, suspenseful, sweet, romantic and at times, also dark and mysterious. Whew, what a mouthful, but these are only a few of the words that come to mind after reading The Secret of Spellshadow Manor. The narrative is exceptionally well written in the third person with a primary perspective from seventeen-year-old high school senior Alex Webber of Middledale, Iowa. The dialogue is smart, well executed and flows effortlessly. Although the premise and storyline for this series is beyond intriguing, and the vividly depicted world of Spellshadow Manor is nothing short of extraordinary, it's truly the cast of complex characters that truly steals the show. They are well developed, fascinating, engaging, endearing, and most importantly, memorable. They literally explode from the pages, grab your imagination, capture your heart and hold you completely enthralled from beginning to end. Forrest skillfully combines every single one of these elements to craft a beautifully written coming of age fantasy filled to the brim with magic, danger, action, adventure, fantasy, mystery, suspense, magic, loyalty, and heartbreak, lies, deceit, secrets, angst, young love, and plot twists that will blow your mind. After reading every single one Forrest's books, there are two things I've learned beyond a shadow of a doubt. First, when reading anything written by Bella Forrest, always expect the unexpected and two, absolutely nothing is ever impossible as any of her readers have witnessed time and time again. In each book Forrest pens, she takes her readers on an emotionally thrilling roller coaster ride, unlike any other, one that keeps us on the edge of our seat and riveted to each page while screaming, "OMG - that didn't just happen!" And the icing on the cake, Forrest's books are always exceptionally well-crafted, edited, formatted and have gorgeous covers! Did I like this book? No, I LOVED it! Would I recommend it? You bet, and I am, for ages 12 to 112. Will I read this author again? Of course, just as soon as Forrest publishes her next book. Forrest has the most extraordinary imagination of any author I've ever read, one which knows no bounds! And finally, was I entertained? OMG, YES! Completely! I was glued to my seat, completely enthralled, white-knuckling my ereader with my heart beating wildly in my chest as the pages flew as quickly as the time, and all the while screaming, "Don't do it!" OMG! I was a nervous wreck! lol... I can hardly wait to see what's in store for Alex, Natalie and their friends in Book 5, The Test! Fabulous entertainment and an awesome read! Book One: Unlike his friends, seventeen-year-old Middledale, Iowa high school senior Alex Webber spends all his free time learning to write computer code and building websites. He's becoming quite the young entrepreneur. Unfortunately, his efforts are born from necessity rather than pleasure. Since Alex's mother was diagnosed with a debilitating long-term illness leaving her unable to work, he desperately needs to earn enough money to supplement their meager monthly income. Hosting a foreign exchange student was supposed to be just another way to add much-needed funds to their dwindling monthly budget... until Alex meets the student...a lovely young seventeen-year-old female student from France named Natalie Chevalier. Oh my! What normal red-blooded seventeen-year-old young man wouldn't appreciate the beauty of a charming French girl, right? When the two teenagers meet, they instantly become fast friends with each looking forward to the upcoming new school year. They're just a couple of normal teenagers who want to enjoy their senior year, right? Hmm... But Alex and Natalie may not be quite so normal after all. What happens when these two seemingly unremarkable young people, brought together by fate, realize they may not be as ordinary as they thought? In fact, they may be quite extraordinary. After seeing a strange and very frightening ghostly figure following Natalie, which apparently one no one else could see, Alex is faced with a life-altering decision that may interrupt his well-laid plans and change his life forever. But there is only one choice for the pragmatic yet sensitive young Alex - no matter the risk, he must protect his new friend Natalie. But at what cost? The Breaker: Book 2 It's been several months since Natalie was abducted by the ghostly phantom known as Finder, and Alex was mistaken to also be a new recruit for the magical school located within the walls of Spellshadow Manor. No matter their efforts, Alex and Natalie find themselves still imprisoned behind the ivy-covered walls of the mysterious manor. There's only one little problem and it gets worse with each passing day. Unlike the other students at the school, including Natalie, Alex has no magical ability at all. In fact, his problem is just the opposite. Alex discovers he is a Spellbreaker and possesses an inherited genetic trait enabling him to wield a power called anti-magic, an anomalous force which counteracts magic when used correctly. But according to the limited information available, it appears Alex may be the sole surviving Spellbreaker. And why is he the last? Because the other spellbreakers have been hunted to extinction and destroyed by Finder and his predecessors, which means his unnatural new ability is very dangerous to his continued well-being at Spellshadow Manor and must be kept a secret. Of course, we all know seventeen-year-olds are never good at keeping secrets, especially not when he needs the help of his friends Natalie, Aamir, and Jari to cover for his lack of magic. Unfortunately, Aamir may no longer be an ally. Alex's friend and former roommate, Aamir Nagi, is now Professor Nagi. To avoid the impending questionable fate of 'graduation', two weeks ago Aamir challenged and defeated the now missing Professor Derhin in a magical duel. Alex and his friends had hoped this would give them an advantage, possibly helping them to escape, but by all outward appearances, Aamir now seems to be controlled by a magical golden band placed around his wrist by the headmaster of the school, The Head. Yup, you read that correctly; the headmaster is named The Head and he is one scary dude! Nothing is as it seems but Alex is still determined to rescue Natalie and orchestrate their escape. Join our brave, young heroes as they continue their perilous adventure where they must learn to navigate the ever-changing hallways of the mysterious, magical, and very dangerous new world of Spellshadow Manor, where nothing is as it seems, and where one mistake could cost them their lives. For lurking in the shadows at every twist and turn, Alex discovers even more treacherous forces, laden with dark magic and murky secrets, all waiting to make an appearance. But are they friend or foe? We'll see! The Chain: Book 3 After almost a year of continuing the ruse as a student at Spellshadow Manor, Alex orchestrates a daring escape, unexpectedly aided by a student uprising, two of his professors, and crucial information from the strange, shadowy Elias. Our brave, young heroes travel through a magical portal in search of safe haven, but rather than the human world, they find themselves at Stillwater House, another school for magical students, which at first glance appears to be the antithesis of Spellshadow. But appearances can be deceiving and all is not what it seems. In his search for a way home to his mother and a normal teenage life, Alex finds only dark secrets leading to more questions about his abilities and heritage. With new enemies and perilous danger at every turn, Alex desperately attempts to protect his friends, but the cost is high - maybe too high. This time, the price may be his life. Not all will survive. Who will live and who will die? We'll see! The Keep: Book 4 Tricked into revealing his true identity and developing powers by Princess Alypia, Alex and his friends risk everything in another desperate escape which lands them at yet another magical haven, but there's nothing safe about Keepstone Keep. Thankfully, they find two familiar faces who agree to help them. Alex learns more about his origins and his powers but with Alypia hot on their heels, time is of the essence and sadly, his heroic efforts may not be enough to keep them all alive. As more dark secrets are revealed, Alex meets an unexpected ally and is finally given the answers he's sought his entire life. But is it too little too late? Will he and his friends ever find a way back home? We'll see!
Yes, I couldn't wait to finish this one either...now I have to wait for book 5...at least it's only a few days. So far it has not disappointed me. I could do without some repeating...but otherwise it's an enjoyable read. Flows easy...
We learn a lot in this book! The Keep happens to be a prison where criminals go to be kept away from other mages. Necromancers seeming to be the worst offenders. Professor Lintz and Professor Demeter are there helping to guard the prisoners. Cauis is 'Head' of the Keep but he keeps his distance most days. He has rigged the Keep with spells and traps that will alert him if anyone is trying to create a portal to that realm or if a prisoner is trying to escape. Everyone fears Cauis, even Demeter and Lintz. Alex learns that with the essence he stole from Stillwater, they can create a portal with it to the outside world but Lintz and Demeter tell him that more is needed and it will take 6 months to create it. So they go in search of the essence kept at the Keep. But they don't find it. The next thing is to draw Cauis out of hiding and get him to somehow hand it over. That doesn't work...they draw King Julius, Cauis's brother out instead...accidentally and he loathes Spellbreakers. Anyway...so I don't give everything a way...Alex meets Cauis and they have a long discussion. Not exactly as bad a guy as everyone makes him out to be but he needs to keep that reputation to keep the prisoners from rebelling at the Keep. Alex decides to go about things a little different. Also in this novel we find out what happened to Alex's dad, we find out who Siren Mave and Elias truly are and why Elias comes to Alex and only to Alex. We find out more about the royal family and who controls what and why they do. We find out what this great Evil is that all the royals fear and how it is being kept at bay. We find out mages are giving birth to fewer and fewer magical children so one day the essence will run out and the Great Evil will be unleashed unless someone stops it before then. We find out what must be done to stop the Great Evil. So much is revealed in this book...I love it. The next book is The Test. I know Lintz, Aamir and Ellabell are in a different realm, Fallleaf HOuse and Alex is trying to get there and Natalie and Jari, Demeter have returned to Stillwater and eventually Spellshadow Manor.
The fourth book in the series picks up where The Chain left off, with Alex and his friends hopping through the portal from Stillwater House into the infamous Kingstone Keep. The keep, they learn, is a prison for mage criminals, however they find a few unexpected allies there as well. The story delves deeper into the history of the Royals, as well as some of Alex's own mysterious history. He also discovers more about the so-called Great Evil forcing mages to feed essence of their own kind, though admittedly it wasnt as much of an explanation as I had hoped. The pacing of this story is probably the best of the four, especially since they dont spend all their time reading books in a library. There's a developing romance for Alex, which reads somewhat predictable and didnt honestly interest me as much as the action and revelations. Alex has definitely undergone a shift in his character and developed a more ruthless streak. It's not entirely surprising, considering what he has been put through, but I'm not sure I like this side of him. Elias remains one of my favorite characters. I feel like the more you learn about him, the less you really understand him and still want to know more. As devious as he is, he certainly brings about the most intrigue to the story, and I always enjoy the epilogue from his perspective. Overall I found it a satisfying read in the series. I do think the writing can be somewhat predictable, and there are a lot of missed opportunities for enhanced storytelling and world-building, so I give it a 3.5.
So this review is going to be poor because I've had such a busy week and I forgot to make notes and I've forgotten a lot already - shameful, I know!
Anyway, I know that I really enjoyed this book. It was a lot darker than it's predecessors and focused a lot more on necromancy and life magic which was quite fascinating. I was also really glad to finally get some more information on Alex's ancestor's and what his future entails because of it. It really got me hooked and ready for the next book.
I always enjoyed learning more about the royals as individuals and discovering they are not all the same although I still can't quite figure out Caius. I hope that we get to meet more royals in the next book as we discover Fallleaf House, the last haven we have yet to visit.
Well, thanks for reading my poorly written review. In short, it's a good book. Just read it and see for yourself. I need to get back on my game here.
Another great instalment of the Spellshadow series following the gang in their plight to free themselves and other mages trapped in the schools.
I gave the book 4 stars as I felt it a little long winded in comparison to the others and a little long in parts but it's still a great read and the reader finally gets well awaited answers when Alex gets them.
The Keep is a downright miserable place and scary too showing the author has written well to take the reader in to this world of evil and nightmares. I am looking forward the next book!
Turns out this new realm they have portable into is actually a prison, the warden is another Royal. Alex finds two allies here Professor Demeter and Lintz, they derive plans on how to take over Stillwater House, Spellshadow Manor and Fall leaf. The only thing standing in their way is the crazy royalist that run the places. Alex learns different things while he is at the Keep. If you love romance, mystery and fantasy then you need to read this book and the other 3. I give this a 5 star rating
As the books continue, they continue to lose what made the first two books so good. I loved the friendships that were developed in the first stories and how Alex had to rely on his friends through the plot. In the 3rd and 4th books, the friendships, and the development and intricacies of his friends personalities are replaced by a boring romance and tons of introspection. The books have lost their magic with these developments and it makes it difficult to continue a story I really thought I’d love.
While not the best I have every read, this series had kept me reading through the most current book available. I am rating it 4 stars. The loss of the 5th star would be because I long for a hero who doesn't continually act on childlike impulses, and, unfortunately, this one does. Otherwise it had been a good story with very interesting and imaginative characters.
It was a little hard to get into in the beginning, but it picked up toward the middle. I liked the first few books from this series, but this one was much slower. There was A LOT of character building for the main character, and it wasn't often coupled with storyline advancement. He was in his own head a lot. This book finally answered some questions the reader would have from the first two books. I liked it overall.
For the love of all books, I really don't know why I've stuck with this series. I guess I just need to know the conclusion. For me, these 1st four books (1600+ pages total) could have been whittled to 2 books! I feel like all the characters are doing is walking around in this book. Not much magic going on either...The writing is good as far as grammar/typos go, but boy it sure does drag for me....
Bella thank you for another good book and can't wait for The Test to come out...Also all your other book series, what a fabulous mind you have, all your books grab the reader and make them delve into the supernatural. Keep up the great work, and so look forward to your next books coming out.
I don't even know what to say without giving away spoilers. This book had me on the edge of my seat. Alex really had no idea what was in store for him when he learned magic was real and this book shows how dark things can get. Alex and his friends must use the skills they have learned to protect themselves and uncover many secrets. I can't wait to see what is in store for Alex in the next book.
I don't even know what to say without giving away spoilers. This book had me on the edge of my seat. Alex really had no idea what was in store for him when he learned magic was real and this book shows how dark things can get. Alex and his friends must use the skills they have learned to protect themselves and uncover many secrets. I can't wait to see what is in store for Alex in the next book.
I really struggled with the first half of this book, it just seemed predictable and thin. However I persevered and the second half improved dramatically, with some new, surprising plot twists. If you are reading the series the. It needs to be read, but I'm hoping the next book packs a punch all the way through.
Another great addition to the Spellshadow Manor series. As Alex increases in power, he learns more about his father and "The Great Evil" his ancestor unleashed during the war between mages and spellbreakers. He continues forward in his relationship with Ellabelle. Elias becomes even more attached the spellbreaker.
This series is addicting. Much like Harry potter was, but the way magic is depicted is much darker. This series is a magical version of the hunger games with a smattering of game of thrones to keep you hooked. I didn't think I had it in me to read six books back to back, but I'm not stopping until I hit the end of six.
All of the characters are so well developed and complex. Not just the main characters, the newly introduced characters as well. These books in this series read a little bit slower than other books by Bella Forrest but it’s worth it with the attention to detail given in every page. Amazed again! On to the next one....
In The Keep we learn more history, along with Alex. More is revealed about antagonists and we glean a greater understanding of previous events and motivations behind decisions. The first three books sow seeds to set the scene, tantalising tidbits that intrigue us and lead us onto the next book.
4 out of 5 because it took a quarter of the way INTO the book before anything started happening....too long. However, afterwards it was a great story with exciting twists albeit a slightly predictable ending with Cauis. Can't wait for The Test!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This time they went through the portal and landed at the Keep, a prison. This book will keep your head spinning. Meeting new people and working on making a portal to go home takes a lot out of people. You won't be sorry buying this book.
Another great addition to the adventures of Alex in his pursuit to escape the magic realms to get back to his mother. Some new characters and some old ones ... a few more interesting lessons and the obligitory twists, turns, lies and truth and associated betrayals. Enjoy.
I really enjoyed this part of the tale. These books seem to get better as the story goes on. Some of the questions are now being answered, but is anyone who they seem?
Great book, it's amazing how we see the characters change and grow
I loved the book so much. This one is by far the best one yet, it's cool to see how the character's have changed and groen throughout the series. Now onward to book 5!
Alex and friends try to determine the best way to achieve their goals while managing to stay alive in the process. Interesting, but not as engrossing as previous books.
As Alex the spelkbreaker continues his journey with his friends of Mages. The twist and turns keep getting more exciting and thrilling. Can he do what needs to be done to save his kind.
I know i'm an adult and i feel these books are aimed at teens but i really enjoyed these books. They drew me in and although i did sometimes get a little confused it did not distract from the story. i would recommend to people
This is a series that just explodes in front of your eyes. Another great installment, keeps you reading wanting to know more. I literally raced through it. Haven't enjoyed a series as much as this one in a long time.