Broken Magic

The Sanctuary Chronicles #1

by India Kells

A cursed witch. A vengeful werewolf. A twisted love spell. In this world where legendary creatures roam, and magic is ruled by an unyielding High Council, Valeria Lancaster knows, from her strict upbringing as a witch, the value of order, rank and discipline. So when her powers wreak havoc around her, killing people - even her own mother - she has no other choice but to flee. Unfortunately, the best hideout can’t protect her from Asher Stonelake, a Sanctuary Master and a werewolf with a dire taste of vengeance. The Lancasters have killed his entire family and he won’t rest until the witch who murdered his sister suffers the worst kind of death. When he catches the scent of his enemy and Valeria becomes his captive, Asher can’t wait to break her, until he notices that something or someone may already have. Vengeance must wait, as trouble knocks at the door, and his enticing prisoner may in reality be more friend than foe. Even maybe an ally… A contemporary paranormal romance full of suspense and heat with HEA! Enjoy!

Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Romance, Dragons, Fae, Wolves

338 pages, ebook

First published October 27, 2017

About the author

India Kells is the author of dark romantic suspense where raw sensuality, psychological tension, and morally dangerous heroes collide in a blaze of emotional fire.
Her novels delve into the gray areas of desire and the scars that love and life leave behind.
If you crave stories where adrenaline, obsession, and redemption clash, you’re in the right place.

Reviews

[Canan]

Kitaba karşı duygularım nötr. Kitabı okutacak merak unsurları vardı. Ne , nasıl oldu / olacak? Ama işleniş tarzını bir tık sevmedim.
Detaya geçmeden önce evreni açıklamak gerek sanırım. Aslında benzer temalı kitap okuyanlar çok yadırgamaz.Vampiri, Faesi, Cadısı, Büyücüsü, Şekildeğiştireni derken her tür varlık mevcut kitapta. İnsanlardan varlığını saklıyorlar, ortak bir konsey tarafından denetleniyorlar.Ama asla bir birleriyle karışmıyor, geçinemiyorlar...🙄

Kitap ana karakter Valeria'nın da içinde olduğu İnfaz'cıların, Stonelake klanına saldırma planlamasıyla başlıyor.İnfazcılar yoldan çıkmış türleri yok etmekle görevlidir. Stonelake klanının delirmiş olduğu bilgisi ile tüm klanın yok edilmesi talimatı alınmıştır. Ama Valeria huzursuzdur...Bu yüzden geride kalır.Bir kurtadamla yolu kesişir, ilginç bir etkileşim alır ve bam... Kafasına aldığı darbe ve her şey kararır.

Uyandığında nişanlısını kaybettiğini, sihrinde bir sorun olduğunu ve hiç bir şey hatırlamadığını fark eder. Ah üstüne annesini de öldürünce işler iyice çizgiden çıkar. Tek çare babasının önerisine uyup kaçmak.
İki yıl sokaklarda zar zor hayatta kaldıktan sonra , o gece karşılaştığı kurt tarafından izinin sürüldüğünü fark eder. Tabi ki kaçar 🤭yakalanmak için 😇

Hikaye nasıl desem, aslında monotondu. En göze çarpan sinir bozucu kısım ise bir olayın yaşanması ama bu sahnenin detaylandırılmaması. Mesela biri öldürüldü ya da kaçırıldı mı? Bunu bize söyledikleri için biliyoruz. Ya da Valeria dengesiz sihri yüzünden patlamalar yaşadığında olan durumu, süreci anlatmıyor. Bayılıyor ve sonrasında ne olduğunu başkasının gözünden, bir masanın etrafında konuşuyorlar. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Aksiyonu eksikti.

Sanırım üç kitaplık bir seri. Yarı cadı, yarı başka bir varlığın birleşimi olan Valeria, Sera ve Violet'in hikayesini okuyacak gibiyiz. İlk hikaye de Valeria'nın doğru bildiği yanlışları, güvendiği insanların güç uğruna yozlaştığını okuyoruz. Bu süreçte kim doğru kim yanlış çözmeye çalışıyoruz. Hikaye aksiyondan ziyade gerçekleri öğrenme temalıydı diyebilirim.

Adını anmadım sanırım ama kurtadamımızın adı da Asher Stonelake. İki yıl önce Valeria ile tanıştığı o gece, kardeşini yanında ölü bulur. Suçlusu olarak tabi ki Valeria'yı görür. Yıllar sonra kokusunu alınca koştur Allah koştur 🤭 Hoş katili yakalayıp öldürme derdinde olsa da, Valeria zaten yaşamak için çabalamaz. Bu da adama dert olur 🤦🏻‍♀️ Kızı bir iğneyle nasıl iyileştirdiler muamma ama neyse...

Kitapta yüzeysel yazıldığı için soru işareti bırakan çok şey oldu. Bu türü seviyorsanız eksik bulduğunuz çok şey olabilir. Ben diğer karakterleri de merak ettiğim için devamını okuyacağım. Ama bence çok yoklukta değilseniz okumanın pek de bir gereği yok.

[Nikki Landis · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a unique and fascinating twist on paranormal romance, witches and shifters. I love a good suspenseful story and combined with a thrilling adventure and I'm hooked. This is my second book from this author and she doesn't disappoint in writing fast paced stories with fun and interesting characters and plots that suck you in from the first page.

Asher - swoon - is a dark alpha male hero who's set on revenge and grieving from the death of his family. I loved his transformation during the book. At first he was an ass but as you learned his past it made sense. He's a HOT hero, part bad boy and part protective alpha in charge of his pack. His top priority is ensuring the survival of his pack.

Valeria is a witch, a caster who is responsible for removing evil threats and protecting her kind but when she's forced to face the truth and reality the adventure truly begins. She's a strong heroine with her own mind and I loved her character's struggles. She was real and I enjoy that.

On one fated night Asher and Valeria meet and the fireworks prove it's no coincidence. What follows is a mysterious and heartbreaking series of events that keep the reader guessing for a good portion of the book. Alliances are made and broken and the enemy isn't exactly who they appear to be. So well done and written, I couldn't put it down. Enough heat and romance kept me riveted.

I'm really looking forward to the next book and will definitely read any sequels. Highly recommended for fans of paranormal romance and shifter stories. 5 stars from me!

Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Word Building: 5/5
Story Flow: 5/5

Picky Bitches OVERALL SCORE: 5/5

[Maggie Lynn Heron-Heidel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good

This was not my usual kind of book, but I enjoyed it very much. Looking forward to the next one 😉

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

"The fates had dealt him a hand he could never play, a game he would never win, but he was determined to try. For her"

I had fun reading for the most part- but I really had to push myself to read the last 50 pages (which should have been the most exciting part bc it was the stories climax) but maybe it was my reading mood.

[Sherry Haynes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gifted a copy. Writing voluntary review

When I read the synopsis I expected the typical paranormal romance but ended up with so much more. This to me was almost like a paranormal adult fairytale. It has the sexy good guys, the villains we love to hate, hot sex and suspense with a happy ever after. What more could an adult want in a fairytale? Really looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (6/3/2020)! 🎁

[Lana Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A witch and a shifter fall in love in this wonderfully magical tale. Valeria Landcaster is a powerful witch and daughter of the supreme enforcer Lionel Landcaster. Her job is to kill otherworld beings that pose a danger to the realm of supernaturals. One night on a hunt for a pack of rogue werewolves she runs into the head rogue Asher Stonelake. He kisses her. She scares herself she so responsive. Being with a person not of your species in a tryst is a crime the High Council punishes by death and the notion puts fear into Valeria. She uses magic to push him off her, but something else happens. Her powers fracture and she passes out. When Valeria awakes she realizes her powers are on the fritz. She can't control them and upon using them one day, she kills her mother. Her father banishes her to fend for herself on the streets in order to protect her from the wrath of the High Council. Or is that his purpose after all for getting rid of her? Two years later she runs into the gorgeous shifter, Asher and he has a beef with her. He believes she killed his sister on that fateful night they met simply because she was the only one present with them. His goal is to kill her, but when she jumps off a bridge, he dives into the water to save her. Still he takes her captive. He's determined to uncover her secrets. Despite his hate for her and her fear of him, an inexplicable passion is pulling them together. Will Valeria ever understand what's driving this angry werewolf's need to keep her captive? Will Asher discover the truth about his sister or forgive Valeria? Will either of them be able to deny their desire for one another?
What a good story. It captivated me from beginning to end. Even if you aren't a fan of paranormal romance, you ought to give this book a chance. The writing was good, colorful, engaging despite some misspelled words and grammar issues. It was a perfectly sweet traditional romance which is exactly my cup of tea. Oh and the love scenes were tasteful and hot, hot, hot!

[Carrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting premise, really bad editing

The premise of this entire world is unique. There are different types of magical beings and certain restrictions on the way that they are allowed to interact. I can't really say more with spoiling it.
It was a decent story, enough that I finished it and am tempted to read the next one. However, on basically every single page there are grammatical, punctuation, and word choice errors. A lot is simply stream of consciousness from different characters. Between all of these factors, it's a really difficult read because I have to guess what is going on a lot of the time. It's really a shame because the world building is clever and the characters are incredibly intriguing.

[The Endless Unread · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it. It had everything you could want; magic, hot guys, sex and adult themes. The storyline was compelling and captivated me right from the very start and kept my interest right till the end. I cannot wait to read more in this series. This was a fantastic read and I would highly recommend this book to everyone.

[Hannouk · Rating 4 out of 5]

i liked it , it mixed were and witches.

[Sandra Kaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Broken magic by India Kells is a solid five star read. If you want a great paranormal adventure unlike any I've read so far this is the book for you. It has magic, shifters, and intrigue as well as love loss and feeling. Kells main characters are so vivid that they leap off the page and come to life. I was in armoured from the the first chapter to the very last word. I enjoyed learning about this paranormal world she invented and loved the depth and detail that was so seamless I could see it all in my mind's eye. Better than any movie and best of all, no commercials! I am on pins and needles waiting to see what she thinks to write next. Just a small suggestion from a new fan. Sera and Violet’s stories I would so love to read. Please?

[Brigitta Moon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love This Book

Of all the vampire, werewolf and other shifter books I have read this is my favorite. I love the fairytale romance. The author's writing style and story telling ability kept me reading. The characters are fully formed and easy to connect with. The story moves at a good pace and it unfolds with grace and twists I didn't expect. My favorite characters are Witch and Wolf, otherwise known as Valeria and Asher. This is a five star read all the way.

[Mette Barfelt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Talented author!

I don't normally read paranormal, but I'm very impressed with the author.
Her imagination is incredible!
The characters are well developed.
There are a lot of twists and turns, and you never know what will happen next.
Not a dull moment in this book.
If you love paranormal this is a must-read!

[Courtney Huchton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely worth your read! I stumbled upon this author and fell in love with this book! I can't wait to read the next in the series!

[Clabe Polk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reader warning: This book contains several explicit sexual encounters.

Valeria Lancaster is a witch, an Enforcer and, to top it off, the daughter of the Chief Enforcer, Lionel Lancaster, the latest patriarch of an old line family of witches, warlocks and Enforcers. Enforcers enforce the will of the High Council on all of the supernatural beings of the world; witches, warlocks, fae, werewolves and other were-animals and last, but not least, vampires. Their mandate is to enforce the Council’s will fairly and impartially, but in the hands of a madman, that mandate could become a means of enforcing racial prejudice and personal power.

After a mysterious encounter with a werewolf, Asher Stonelake, Valeria is left with unanswerable questions in addition to a head injury. When her magic seems to become uncontrollable, and she appears likely to have killed her mother, she runs…at Lionel Lancaster’s request. Two years later, she winds up the prisoner of Asher Stonelake accused of killing his little sister. From that point, her questions about her magic and Asher’s questions about his sister, as well as other questions concerning other individuals in Asher’s sanctuary come to a dramatic head revealing Lionel Lancaster’s true nature.

Broken Magic is good story; a metaphor for human nature where those unlike us are shunned and those like us are favored…especially where those like us give us personal power. Valeria and Asher bridge the prejudicial gap between magical beings and lead by example as other beleaguered magical beings unite to fight back. The characters are complex and well developed. The writing was excellent, although a few small typos were encountered.

While I admit this genera is not my reading preference and found the sexual scenes gratuitous; the details unnecessary to the story (I skipped over them), I did enjoy Broken Magic and felt it would be a story that should be well suited for 18+ fantasy and romantic fantasy fans. 4-Stars Clabe Polk

This book was received free from the author in return for an honest review. The review above reflects my honest opinion of the book.

[Lucretia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not your average paranormal romance. I absolutely adore when a romance has a real story going on too. This book was filled with not only sexual tension and romance, but treachery, and a far-reaching plot that had surprising, yet realistic twists.

Valeria is the kind of heroine I like to read. Brave, head-strong but not snarky and worthy of the impressive role she was placed in. Asher makes a perfect love interest for her. Alpha through and through, devoted, protective and oh so sexy. His motivations always rang true. There was an instant bond but done with such a grace that it made perfect sense.

Typically, in romances you only get a good feel for the two main characters, but not here. The secondary cast was so well-developed that I found myself carrying for more than a handful. The ancient dragon shifter won my heart as did the vampire. Oh, and let’s not forget the sexy beta Ian, who I am so thrilled to see will be featured in his own story with… I won’t say yet. You read that for yourself.

World-building was superb, no shortcuts taken as a rich magical landscape, with an interesting hierarchy and magical gifts was established. There were a few typos and things of that nature, but I was so blown away by the story, they were easily overlooked. So much more than just another PNR. That said, the steamy parts were steamy and the sexual tension intense.

[Ada · Rating 2 out of 5]

Broken Magic is a typical shifter romance with a sprinkling of witch magic to add a little twist. It's a book to read if you want a no surprise run of the mill PNR book.

Valeria and Asher were no stand out characters, they lacked enough characterisation and whatever personality they did have were based off safe traits seen in this genre. They weren't annoying but nothing memorable either. All of the side characters received even less details obviously, some things don't even add up without looking forced like Finn's sudden so loyal attachment to Valeria or Ian's switch from psycho to good guy in a sec. Looking back I realise lots of things end up that way, too quick or there is no gradual progression to reach a point.

The plot itself is very predictable. It was more of seeing when that things would happen instead of what cause it's likely you have already guessed. It's not bad per se but important things are left really under developed like the end fight, I mean that was very anti-climatic.

The book had potential, it had it's ideas and I could see where it was trying to go but it's all held back with those bland character leads,insta romance with no build up or watered down action scenes that barely gave any space to the bad guys that we were supposed to hate.

[T.J. Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story about Valeria Lancaster who is a witch in a powerful family, but in the middle of a hunt for shifters, her magic seems to fail her and she can’t understand why.
Forced out of her family and forced to fend for herself, she discovers that her family was not what it seemed and she has to takes sides. She is drawn into the world of Asher Stonelake, a Sanctuary Master and powerful werewolf, and she finds she has an incredible bond with him. Together they set out to find what’s really happened to her family, and why her magic has broken.

I have to admit this is not the type of book I normally read, but I raced through it! Valeria and Asher are both strong, well-drawn characters, and the world they live in is believable. The story raced along with plenty of twists and turns, so there’s no chance of boredom! There are lots of interesting characters and dynamics, and by the end of the book we know there’s two couples likely to have their own story. My only quibble would be that I’d have liked a bigger showdown at the end, but it tied things up well. If you enjoy your paranormal romance books with some steam and graphic sex, you’ll enjoy this book, so be prepared!
I’m looking forward to the next!

[Myriam Hardy · Rating 5 out of 5]

To be honest, I’m not a huge paranormal fan… But India doesn’t do stereotypes! She sets her own guidelines in every genre and that is what I like about her stories. Broken Magic is no exception! I’ve been hooked from the first chapters. The way she blends the supernatural touch with reality makes you believe in her world right away. You can still feel her essence with the strong witch Valeria and the alpha wolf Asher, who go through a series of adventures that challenges them both psychologically to finally bring the best out of each character. The winning formula of a forceful and stubborn woman and a strong and protective man, what more could we ask for? Another great story about love, friendship and family with a bit of torment, suspense and surprises and humour. A gripping storyline from cover to cover!

[Susi Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well-written story, cast with an array of paranormal characters and threaded with steamy romance. I was intrigued by the idea of the Enforcers, a police force to monitor the activities of the supernatural community within the human world. Also interesting, the premise that magical powers can be controlled, stopped or damaged, either intentionally or accidentally. Valeria, the heroine, starts off as a member of this elite force, but suddenly things go seriously awry and she ends up on the run herself. I liked her. She is courageous in the face of mysterious secrets and multiple betrayals by those close to her. At the same time, she is struggling with the chaos of her internal forces and with a powerful and forbidden love interest. The plot kept me hooked with surprises right to the end. I look forward to the next in the series.

[Tammy Travers · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the moment I began reading this book I was hooked. The characters became real and pulled me into their life. Watching them learn and grow from each experience they faced took me from being thrilled, to suspense then finally to tears. The ending of the book I did not see coming but thoroughly loved. The witch who was feeling lost and out of place had to discover who she really was. The wolf who had to defend his home and those he cared about fell in love from the beginning and embraced it. This was a very thrilling adventure that I loved. Seeing werewolves, witches, fae, vampires getting along after having trust issues was surprising. I would highly recommend this book to my friends to read.

[Gwen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magical romance!! Valeria is a powerful witch from an important family, the Lancasters. After a bloody encounter with some "infected" shifters her world changes. Her magic is broken and only Asher will help her find her way. That same shifter she blasted at that bloody mission. Asher is the leader and keeper of the Sanctuary. They will both work together to find the truth.
All is not what seems and Valeria will have to open her eyes and mind to uncover everything. Her friends wilm help too.
Great writing kept me glued to the story. Loved it!

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional read

I just found a new fav author! This is an excellent read. It was on KU but if the rest of the series isn’t I will buy without hesitation. This author knows how to draw the reader in and once you start you won’t stop until it’s finished. Storyline keeps you on edge, every time you think it’s winding down it starts up again. A lot of suspense, a lot of surprises, just an all around exceptional read. I was very impressed.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a no brainer for me as I have a weakness for multi- shifter and mixed contemporary fantasy. Valeria was a strong willed heroine in the true sense of the word, the author took time to develop her character not making her snarky or bitchy. Asher, was the ultimate alpha male werewolf, but without being a sexist moron. I found myself rooting for both characters throughout. Interesting and unique plot that twisted and turned. Loved this writer's style

[Val · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good story......

The story was good and I loved the dynamic between Valeria and Asher. The author did a good job connecting the characters and I’m interested to read Ian and Sera’s story in book 2.
I did feel the beginning was rushed and there is editing that needs to be done. I wish there was more info about her mother and it seemed Robert was forgotten about until the end.
Even with that it has not deterred me from looking for book 2.

[Marianne Reese · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are a lot of unique twists and turns in this paranormal fantasy. A chance encounter between a broken witch and a werewolf turns into a love story (rather steamy at times) that is packed with action, deceit and honor. The story easily grabs the attention of the reader, and the characters are well developed.

[Debbie K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally!... a PNR that is worth reading!! I loved this book and can't wait to read the next one. This story had everything... a great plot, likable characters, and steamy. I would highly recommend this book. I rarely give a book 5 stars but I couldn't put this book down. It was awesome!

[C.L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this

Couldn't put this book down. Reminded me of the Night World series, but a much more adult version. I must admit I did shed a tear somewhere towards the end when Asher's plan was revealed!! Can't wait to read the second one.

[Roxana · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Eva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great characters and storyline this story was so realistic and written well will definitely read more from this author I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book.