Witch's Bargain

by Bella Dean Joyner

The Wailing Echoes Series Prequel:

Somehow, it all changed with her.

The ravages of human depravity have made Earth a welcoming host to creatures that feed on the darkest of fears.

Those who succumb to the madness find themselves at the will and mercy of unquenchable, demonic monstrosities and the hordes of inconceivable terrors under their command.

Only she knows what they are.
Only she knows what they do.
Only she knows that they are here.

Hungry, they linger in the shadows…and wait.
To save humanity, she must use her powers to stop them…no matter the costs.

Genres: Horror

58 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 31, 2021

About the author

An avid consumer of all things horror, Joyner enjoys reading books from the paranormal and occult subgenres and watching horror movies. Likenesses of the horror classics like Michael Meyers, Pennywise the clown, Jason Voorhees, and Chucky line the walls of her office along with more recent cinematic terrors such as Annabelle, Valak, and Kayako Saeki. Guarded by her cat, Phoenix, Joyner uses this creative sanctuary as a writing retreat and a home of operations for her other career as a freelance fiction editor.

To follow Joyner's writing, reading, and traveling adventures or to subscribe to her newsletter, please feel free to visit her website. You can also follow her blog where she reviews works by other horror authors you might be interested in.

Be looking for the launch of her new series in January 2022!

Reviews

[Sea Caummisar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joyner sure knows how to write a scene and make the reader feel like they're right there in the middle of it. Every little detail added to the creepy factor. For a bit, I was confused. Felt like I was reading a living dream, and normally I hate books like that. The ending sure cleared that up, but then left me with more questions. Still a decent read. I feel like the rest of the series would need to be read to get a full understanding

[Xavier Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first read from this author. It's a short, gory and creepy horror novella that features a man grieving the death of his wife and daughter while also being haunted. Needless to say he isn't having a good time. I was confused for the majority of the book as to what the heck is happening, who is who? Why are they haunting him? Because this is a prequel to a future series I left with even more unanswered questions.
There were an abundance of creepy scenes but I'm rarely creeped out by them. What really spooked me was the gore and the nasty details of the... monsters ? demons? witches? So many questions. But I went in knowing it was a horror novella so that's on me! :D I didn't know that the series isn't out yet and now I have to wait oof because I'm intrigued.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nat Whiston · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Witches Bargain Review by Nat Whiston
Prequel to The Wailing Echoes Series
Written by Bella Dean Joyner
Edited by Horrorsmith Editing

Somehow, it all changed with her.

The ravages of human depravity have made Earth a welcoming host to creatures that feed on the darkest of fears.

Those who succumb to the madness find themselves at the will and mercy of unquenchable, demonic monstrosities and the hordes of inconceivable terrors under their command.

Only she knows what they are.

Only she knows what they do.

Only she knows that they are here.

Hungry, they linger in the shadows…and wait.

To save humanity, she must use her powers to stop them...no matter the costs.

Ok, so for a short book, this thing gave me considerable nightmares. We follow the Tale of Torbin Agosti. To say this guy is having a terrible time is an understatement. We meet the poor guy after a car accident that took the life of his wife Samantha and daughter Caroline. But im like, wait a minute in the first scene, he's on the asphalt, and his wife is dragging her broken body towards him?! But Torbin escapes the accident unscathed even though, like the first chapter, he's all messed up with his brain hanging out. So yer there's that, then it turns out he couldn't have seen him, wife and child, outside of the car because every one of them was trapped inside and had to CUT out. And that was only a taste of what I read; my brain was on overdrive reading this, talking in the intricate details that Bella gave, which was probably why the creepy scenes were so bloody vivid in my brain. The dialogue flows so smoothly, and the settings are seamless.
The story is shrouded in heaps of mystery and tension throughout. The horror is very visual and terrifying to imagine, again pretty sure that's the reason I had nightmares about things pressed against the glass and long spindly monsters chasing me through the dark. Cheers for that, by the way, Bella. Don't even get me started on the creepy mortician and how he plays into this head game of a story. I mean, why Torbin? Was it the loss that drew Legion to him? Did they plague him with fear until he was so frightened he ended up at the mercy? So many questions flow through your head but leave you desperate for more. I loved the ending that introduces you to the character for the next book; that was just evil, though, because now I have to wait for the next book in the series to answer my lingering questions. The last time I got this freaked out was when I first watched insidious, so a book to have such a strong effect on me is bloody rare. The atmosphere is gripping, and the story is captivating for a short read that I finished within an hour. I can't wait to read more work from this author, and I strongly suggest you check it out despite the title; this story is very deceptive and not your run of the mill witch tale.

[Doreen Fernandes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tobin Agosti wakes up from a coma after a mysterious accident which kills his wife and daughter. He is plunged into a dark world from which there is no escape. A gripping horror prequel aptly describing the realm of restless wraiths and their hellish existence.

[Latisha’s Low-key Life · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Witch’s Bargain
The Wailing Echoes Series Prequel
Horror
Bella Dean Joyner
58 Pages

Short Synopsis

It starts and ends with a girl, Madeline, learning she needs to save humanity. In between the beginning and the end of the story, she is told Tobin’s story.

Tobin survived a car accident but his wife and daughter didn’t. The accident is odd in more ways than one. Tobin’s memories of the accident are unbelievable at best and crazy at worst. He saw things that couldn’t possibly be real.

The odd experiences continue in his home and beyond. He has been chosen for something he doesn’t want and tries to turn it down. Legion doesn’t give choices though.

My Thoughts

Bella Joyner has struck gold with this creepy story and what better time to read it, right? October is all about the scary and impossible.

The descriptive language in this story is incredible. Each sentence shines with its own form of fictional monstrosities. My eyes couldn’t fly through the pages fast enough to devour this sinister story.

I can’t imagine how exceptionally terrifying the next book will be, and I wish I had it right now!

Menacing forms, strange noises, hallucinations—or are they—and human upheaval. It is like a trip through a haunted house; something jumps out at you around every corner.

Pub Date - October 31, 2021

[fred jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author writes a vivid and descriptive scene. Drags you right into the story from the first line. The story is at times gruesome, at times a little confusing, and at times quite scary. Very well written prequel. I look forward to what comes next. I received a complimentary copy from the Author and am leaving a honest voluntary review

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Horror is a genre I don't venture into often, so I was worried I wouldn't be able to appreciate this book properly. Fortunately, those worries were unfounded, I think: this is a solid short story/prequel that sets up a perfect launching pad for whatever's to come. I got a glimpse of the world as it exists in this story's universe, with plenty of questions left simmering but none so complex that I want to give up on the series. The writing is suspenseful; the descriptions are vivid, gruesome, and apt for this story's place in the horror genre; and the setup is artful.

It's a very quick read, which will make it easy to refer back to once the series is off and running--I look forward to reading more about whatever's to come!

[Jessica Welch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had absolutely no idea what to expect the entire way through this. I was slightly confused/disoriented but also intrigued. I still have no idea where the story will go from here but I expect it will be very interesting. This is so different from anything I have ever read before. I'm not quite sure how to feel about it but at the same time I want more. It definitely has a good creepy vibe to it and I will be excited to see what comes next. I received an ARC from the author and am voluntarily reviewing.

[Tamalita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh wow! This was a horrifically scary read. I didn’t really know what to expect and from the very first lines, I was hooked. This was wicked scary! Mind boggling. I can’t think of enough descriptive terms. In the opening pages we find Tobin has been in a terrible accident and most likely dying. As time progresses, he awakens in a hospital, having survived. But his wife and daughter did not survive. He returns to the home he shared with his wife and daughter, to heal and recover. There is where the true terror begins. I am very much looking forward to this series!

I received an advance reader copy as a gift from the author and this is my honest review.

[Justin Boote · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had been looking forward to reading this for some time and Bella did not disappoint! This reader magnet kept me immersed from the very first page right until the end which is exactly how I like my books. As a prologue to what is coming shortly in the series, it left me intrigued as to the purpose of the horrific creatures and their intentions.
Definitely will be preordering the series when it is released, I think we are going to be in for a creepy, scary, fun ride!!

[Julie Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given this book and it was definitely creepy. It's rather confusing and certainly atmospheric with gruesome scenes - yet it sort of made sense.

This is a prequel to a larger story and I can only think that things will make more sense as it continues.

It was good for 'nightmare' lovers and it was written very well.

Worth a look.

[Robin Ginther-Venneri · Rating 5 out of 5]

A creepy and engaging short read with a promise of more to come with this series. It was fast paced with a well written plot and great world building. I highly recommend this author and all her books.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wildly imaginative! Great, multi-faceted characters. Very unique plot. Vivid descriptions. A solid, interesting read!

*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.

[DA · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this!

What a great story. There was a big mystery element that kept me turning the pages. Although all my questions weren't answered I still throughly enjoyed it and want to read more.

[CHud · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very dark and deeply macabre. This is a prequel so it is meant to whet your appetite for the follow up novels in the series. If this is just a taste of what follows in the rest of the series, well all I can say is don't read them alone!