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Bella Flores Urban Fantasy #1
An Elemental Witch
Gifted with unwanted magic. Burdened by tragic secrets. Will she risk her normal, safe life to save an innocent girl?
Bella Flores is determined to conceal her witchy abilities. When the sorcery-suppressing government executed her father, she chose a corporate cubicle to hide in plain sight. But she’s forced to jeopardize her secret when she becomes entangled in a supernatural kidnapping…
Rallying her self-centered feline familiar and unrequited crush, Bella embarks on a quest to rescue the stolen girl. But they’ll have their hands full, gathering the shattered pieces of the only weapon strong enough to slay the sinister abductor. And soon her fears of being seen become a deadly reality as she fights forgotten legends and eldritch horrors that could consume her soul.
Can Bella save the child before they both meet a savage end?
An Elemental Witch is the explosive first book in the Bella Flores urban fantasy series. If you like relatable characters, heart-stopping mysteries, and battles with mythical creatures, then you’ll love R.D. Martin’s unique world.
Bella Flores is determined to conceal her witchy abilities. When the sorcery-suppressing government executed her father, she chose a corporate cubicle to hide in plain sight. But she’s forced to jeopardize her secret when she becomes entangled in a supernatural kidnapping…
Rallying her self-centered feline familiar and unrequited crush, Bella embarks on a quest to rescue the stolen girl. But they’ll have their hands full, gathering the shattered pieces of the only weapon strong enough to slay the sinister abductor. And soon her fears of being seen become a deadly reality as she fights forgotten legends and eldritch horrors that could consume her soul.
Can Bella save the child before they both meet a savage end?
An Elemental Witch is the explosive first book in the Bella Flores urban fantasy series. If you like relatable characters, heart-stopping mysteries, and battles with mythical creatures, then you’ll love R.D. Martin’s unique world.
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First published May 27, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 5, 2020
dnf I am afraid...
This book is not for me that is why, because it wasn't bad, I am giving it 3 stars
I am in page 40.
And I would like to suggest something to this author.
This book started really lite, funny and all that,witch is good and nice.
It could be good for a tv show, something like Sabrina the witch.
Suddenly, it darkens. If you want to keep the first chaps you have to change the rest of the book. If you keep the rest of the book, you need to change the first chaps. In my opinion they do not much or compliment each other.
This book is not for me that is why, because it wasn't bad, I am giving it 3 stars
I am in page 40.
And I would like to suggest something to this author.
This book started really lite, funny and all that,witch is good and nice.
It could be good for a tv show, something like Sabrina the witch.
Suddenly, it darkens. If you want to keep the first chaps you have to change the rest of the book. If you keep the rest of the book, you need to change the first chaps. In my opinion they do not much or compliment each other.
June 19, 2020
The main character in this story is a young witch called Bella, who has worked hard to get a degree and is now working in what should have been her dream job, in an insurance company. But after querying why only one in twelve claims actually get paid out, she is put onto basic duties, such as getting coffee for everyone and setting up all the printers and so on, every day. Adding in her normal routine work at her desk, of looking at thousands of lines of data on spreadsheets on her computer, and this is not quite what she thought she would be doing. She never knew her mother who died when she was too young to be able to remember her and her father disappeared some years ago and is believed to be dead.
She augments her boring job by volunteering at a soup kitchen and helping to serve meals to the homeless. It gives her a feeling of doing something worthwhile. She has no real social life and while she fancies a young man at work called William, who is rather good looking, she doesn’t feel she has any chance, as every female in the place seems to be after him! One piece of joy in her small apartment, is the presence of her neighbour’s daughter Samantha, who she ends up looking after quite frequently as her mother Heather, goes out on various dates. Samantha knows that Bella is a witch and is always looking for something magical to find and bring to Bella, just to be disappointed to be told the objects aren’t magical at all!
Another interesting character in the story is Bella’s familiar, a black cat which she received when she turned eight and which she named with the thoughts of an eight year old, calling him Cat! A name that her familiar is rather reluctant to answer to and makes his displeasure known to her. Her familiar is quite a sarcastic character and adds a lot of amusement to the storyline with his conversations with Bella. He was there to absorb any errant or wild magic she produced as she was growing up and to protect her, but he has grown quite powerful himself over the years and has given himself a long list of names, that he wishes to be called by, and extends it all the time. He rules the roost and orders her about and makes his wish for food and what sort very plain.
One of Heather’s new beau’s, called Ronnie, who Bella meets as Samantha is suddenly dropped off at her flat, seems far too good looking to be trusted and shortly after Bella finds out why. She turns up at Heather’s door after hearing a ruckus and finds Ronnie attacking Heather and no sign of Samantha. She finds out Ronnie is not human like she thought, but she really has no idea what he is. Trying a magical locator spell for Samantha is unsuccessful and she goes to the only place she knows she can get some help and that is what she calls the Circus. A place for all magical and supernatural beings to mix and mingle, make trades, buy supplies and be safe. She looks for a being called the Finder, who she last saw on a visit with her father.
The answers to her request for assistance to locate Samantha, are not exactly straight forward and very vague in their response. The Finder isn’t sure he should reveal too much to her, as this involves beings far superior and more powerful than her and with their own reasons for their actions. One of the first things she follows up is where Heather and Ronnie were going on that fateful night. She gets into the nightclub and she is supposed to ask a certain being for help, but ends up almost being trampled and gets rescued by William. What he was doing in the nightclub is unknown. They end up being sent to interact with a goddess like ruler of the sea and a deal is made for a powerful artifact that is in multiple pieces.
Before she can rescue Samantha, she needs to gain all the pieces and have it recovered back into one piece, but whose plan is this exactly and is she being used or being helped? Who is William and what exactly is he hiding from her? There are lots of questions as the story progresses, but also loads of magic going on, some hideous supernatural shapeshifting creatures to contend with, and also lots of amusing little soundbites especially from Cat. Lots going on and Bella has to trust William and rely more on her familiar than she has ever done before, if she is to survive what is to come.
This was a really amusing and quick read, with the pages turning without any effort, as the writing just carries you through the story with ease. I can’t pinpoint what it was that kept me so involved other than the wonderful main characters and some really unusual beings and the descriptions of what was happening and the surroundings throughout. I look forward to getting to read the next book by this author, A Southern Witch and have signed up for their newsletter to receive a copy of the prequel story in this Bella Flores series, A Lost Witch. I received a copy of this book from BookFunnel and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
She augments her boring job by volunteering at a soup kitchen and helping to serve meals to the homeless. It gives her a feeling of doing something worthwhile. She has no real social life and while she fancies a young man at work called William, who is rather good looking, she doesn’t feel she has any chance, as every female in the place seems to be after him! One piece of joy in her small apartment, is the presence of her neighbour’s daughter Samantha, who she ends up looking after quite frequently as her mother Heather, goes out on various dates. Samantha knows that Bella is a witch and is always looking for something magical to find and bring to Bella, just to be disappointed to be told the objects aren’t magical at all!
Another interesting character in the story is Bella’s familiar, a black cat which she received when she turned eight and which she named with the thoughts of an eight year old, calling him Cat! A name that her familiar is rather reluctant to answer to and makes his displeasure known to her. Her familiar is quite a sarcastic character and adds a lot of amusement to the storyline with his conversations with Bella. He was there to absorb any errant or wild magic she produced as she was growing up and to protect her, but he has grown quite powerful himself over the years and has given himself a long list of names, that he wishes to be called by, and extends it all the time. He rules the roost and orders her about and makes his wish for food and what sort very plain.
One of Heather’s new beau’s, called Ronnie, who Bella meets as Samantha is suddenly dropped off at her flat, seems far too good looking to be trusted and shortly after Bella finds out why. She turns up at Heather’s door after hearing a ruckus and finds Ronnie attacking Heather and no sign of Samantha. She finds out Ronnie is not human like she thought, but she really has no idea what he is. Trying a magical locator spell for Samantha is unsuccessful and she goes to the only place she knows she can get some help and that is what she calls the Circus. A place for all magical and supernatural beings to mix and mingle, make trades, buy supplies and be safe. She looks for a being called the Finder, who she last saw on a visit with her father.
The answers to her request for assistance to locate Samantha, are not exactly straight forward and very vague in their response. The Finder isn’t sure he should reveal too much to her, as this involves beings far superior and more powerful than her and with their own reasons for their actions. One of the first things she follows up is where Heather and Ronnie were going on that fateful night. She gets into the nightclub and she is supposed to ask a certain being for help, but ends up almost being trampled and gets rescued by William. What he was doing in the nightclub is unknown. They end up being sent to interact with a goddess like ruler of the sea and a deal is made for a powerful artifact that is in multiple pieces.
Before she can rescue Samantha, she needs to gain all the pieces and have it recovered back into one piece, but whose plan is this exactly and is she being used or being helped? Who is William and what exactly is he hiding from her? There are lots of questions as the story progresses, but also loads of magic going on, some hideous supernatural shapeshifting creatures to contend with, and also lots of amusing little soundbites especially from Cat. Lots going on and Bella has to trust William and rely more on her familiar than she has ever done before, if she is to survive what is to come.
This was a really amusing and quick read, with the pages turning without any effort, as the writing just carries you through the story with ease. I can’t pinpoint what it was that kept me so involved other than the wonderful main characters and some really unusual beings and the descriptions of what was happening and the surroundings throughout. I look forward to getting to read the next book by this author, A Southern Witch and have signed up for their newsletter to receive a copy of the prequel story in this Bella Flores series, A Lost Witch. I received a copy of this book from BookFunnel and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
May 1, 2021
It is interesting and rather fast paced. I am not too crazy about the naive witch trope. Bella knows absolutely no mythology or actual magic? She has almost no training but remembers her father taking her to magical places? There are far too many blanks in the backstory and almost as many ignored, dropped ideas in the actual storyline for me. Too many things left unexplained that left me with too many questions. I liked it enough to be seriously frustrated by it though. I would rate it as a decent pilot for a TV show, not a full on, self contained book.
September 19, 2023
Near the beginning, there's some unique lore about trolls and familiars. Immediately afterwards, we get a slapstick scene. We get some good lore about goblins, more lore about familiars, and some shifter lore including were-voles. I like the exposition about the Fates/Moirai and the Circus/Moab/Finder. The writing is dramatic in places, but not overly done. The protagonist is brave, but realizes the foolishness of her actions when necessary. We get lore about Pooka and yet more beings. It's a well-developed world.
November 7, 2020
Good read
Good read I enjoyed some of the story but not all. The characters were interesting, the cat was funny.The main character was also witty.
Good read I enjoyed some of the story but not all. The characters were interesting, the cat was funny.The main character was also witty.
April 23, 2021
Awesome read
This was such a cool story. I'm interested in what's coming next for Bella. I enjoyed reading this novel and I'm anticipating more from this author
This was such a cool story. I'm interested in what's coming next for Bella. I enjoyed reading this novel and I'm anticipating more from this author
August 20, 2021
First book in series featuring witch Bella Flores is a fast read but for me not one that lured me into wanting more.
September 1, 2021
it took me a long time to get through this one.
August 17, 2024
magic gods
A child to her goes missing. She is basically on a quest to save her. She gains a sidekick to save the day
A child to her goes missing. She is basically on a quest to save her. She gains a sidekick to save the day
July 31, 2020
„An Elemental Witch“ is the first installment in the “Bella Flores Urban Fantasy Series” by RD Martin. The main protagonist, Bella Flores herself, a very gifted witch, who painstakingly hides her gifted nature from her colleagues in dull corporate work and shares her life and apartment with Felix Labarde Jupiter Ramiro de Lepta III, her (never call him Cat) familiar. One of her daily highlights is her relationship with Samantha/Sam, her neighbour’s human child, who still has not been blunted by worldly assumptions of magic, and on a different level her low-level crush on Willian aka the ‘new guy/cute one’ if somehow insipid co-worker.
Thus, as she one faithful evening comes back home with the happy prospect to babysit Sam, only to find her mother injured by the boyfriend and Sam disappeared without trace, Bella has not other choice as enter the “magic world” to find clues to Sam whereabouts.
A “magic world” that appears to the reader as a hybrid of “Circus of the Dammed” and “Alice in Wonderland”, retaining the most pleasant and entertaining aspects of the both and without any of the more “ickier” aftertaste of two, and adding to the mix a plethora of characters and situations that make the story a highly enjoyable ride to the very last page.
The book is very well written, with an instant likeable and relatable heroine, interesting secondary characters, Felix (let just call him Cat but don’t tell him 😉) is a non-ending source of entertaining. RD Martin has created wonderful fantastic world fully filled with whimsical situations, which at times borders in cynical… blame that on C…sorry Felix ff, without ever stop being enjoyable, hilarious and credible.
“An Elemental Witch” is surely an extraordinary addiction to the YA UF shelves, which already succeeds in increasing your appetite for further installments in the Series.
Thus, as she one faithful evening comes back home with the happy prospect to babysit Sam, only to find her mother injured by the boyfriend and Sam disappeared without trace, Bella has not other choice as enter the “magic world” to find clues to Sam whereabouts.
A “magic world” that appears to the reader as a hybrid of “Circus of the Dammed” and “Alice in Wonderland”, retaining the most pleasant and entertaining aspects of the both and without any of the more “ickier” aftertaste of two, and adding to the mix a plethora of characters and situations that make the story a highly enjoyable ride to the very last page.
The book is very well written, with an instant likeable and relatable heroine, interesting secondary characters, Felix (let just call him Cat but don’t tell him 😉) is a non-ending source of entertaining. RD Martin has created wonderful fantastic world fully filled with whimsical situations, which at times borders in cynical… blame that on C…sorry Felix ff, without ever stop being enjoyable, hilarious and credible.
“An Elemental Witch” is surely an extraordinary addiction to the YA UF shelves, which already succeeds in increasing your appetite for further installments in the Series.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews