Corona of Blue: A Tale of Madness and Ghosts

by Brandon Berntson

Rayleigh Thorn, lover of ghosts and ghouls, owns her own dark, cryptic bookstore in downtown Denver called The Broken Spine. Its single occupant, Junky, a black cat with an attitude, roams its aisles. Her best friend, Lacey, gives her all the companionship she needs, and her parents have just introduced her to the perfect gentleman.

But evil beckons from beyond the grave. She's haunted by an apparition that looks exactly like her.  Internal voices are trying to drive her insane.  She’s drinking too much, and on top of everything else, she might be falling in love.

As Rayleigh descends into a madness, the past grows more vividly to life, and whatever is haunting her gross stronger every day, and it will stop at nothing until everything she loves is destroyed. 

Genres: Horror, Paranormal, Fiction

Kindle Edition

Published December 1, 2022

About the author

Brandon Berntson grew up in various towns throughout Colorado, where most of his stories take place. His work spans from serious, adult horror to playful, young adult fantasy and everything in between. He is the author of Castle Juliet and When We Were Dragons, enchanting, magical reads for all ages. He is also the author of Body of Immorality, a cryptic collection of horror stories, and the raw, adult themed All The Gods Against Me.

He loves art, music, indie films, classic horror films, and hockey. He lives in Longmont, Colorado.

Sign up for the mailing list and get a free novelette at www.brandonberntson.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bberntson22
TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@brandonbernts...

Reviews

[R J Royer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating book that provides the reader with a good sense of madness and despair as you follow the hero on her journey.

I will say that I wish the dream was more flavor and flash than true past memory but maybe it was? I am not really sure. I just know that I loved the book.

[Susan Harrington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it, but...

The only thing I had issues with was the sloppy editing. Way too much italizing and there were severe spacing mistakes. If a word was in italics, there was no space between that word and the next. Sometimes, two of three words ran together. Not the author's fault, but the editor's. Whoever did the proofreading should be executed for marring an otherwise thrilling work of fiction.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely intriguing. Definite despair going on here and the character is quite something else. I couldn’t stop reading.

[Kerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. This isn't normally the genre that I read, but I loved getting a taste of ghost stories! Rayleigh was such a cool main character and her struggle was real! She was really going through a lot at once and I could connect to that. Not only does she start seeing a ghost that looks just like her, but she also is possibly falling in love! Really enjoyed the story and never knew what was going to happen next. I thought that the author did a great job with the story and bringing it together. It really kept me hanging on the edge of my seat and I enjoyed the characters a lot. This is a book that I would recommend. This book actually made me interested in ghost stories!

[Leslie Wiederspan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, the beginning was a bit iffy. But, I've read enough of Mr. Berntson's books to know that you just need to keep reading. I was not disappointed. I know this is supposed to be a horror/thriller ghost story..... But.... I cried. I don't know how he does it, but so many emotions were pulled and tugged on. For those that gave a bad review and didn't finish it, What is wrong with you?? Rayleigh has it rough, but she has no idea how bad it really is or gets. Lacey really tore at my heartstrings. You don't find out how haunted Rayleigh really is until the end. I had a really hard time putting this book down.

[Camy Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite authors of all time. This is the 3rd book of his I read and they are all fantastic and so different from each other. This book hit home with me because I related to Ray so much. Her childhood was a lot like mine and I soaked it up. The twist at the end I didn’t see coming and it was a great “Ahhh” moment! Read this book! Support this author. He’s worth the time it takes to read these books.

[RaChelle Holmberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found on a free site, this looked very intriguing. Although quite a long read, the story was very involved and convoluted, which isnot a bad thing, its just a lot to wrap my head around - and even though I finished the book last night, Im still thinking about it all! Recommended.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mesmerizing Ghost Story

This was kind of a wild ride. A ghost story like no other. Well written with fascinating characters. As strange as can be this is really a wonderful ghost story.

[Karen Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully written

This book is a fantastic read! it starts slow but its like the slow climb of a roller coaster before you're pulled down into the depths of a book that hard to put down

[JWinter · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good, solid book with likable characters.

[Kym · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is awesome! It's a modern, everyday life horror tale that's told from Rayleigh Thorn's life, a sassy lady who owns her own dark fantasy bookstore in Denver. I identify with Rayleigh. Plus, the author writes this book so well that you can't help but want to fight for Rayleigh as she moves through life just wanting to be happy and left alone. That doesn't happen, though...for a long time. Ah, read it because I've read this one three times and I just keep loving it.

[Leslie Hatch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read several short stories and novellas of Brandon Berntson and this one was just as enjoyable. I usually read horror fiction and I wasn't disappointed with this story. I love Rayleigh Thorn and the relationship with her parents. I liked how the romance was intertwined with everything else. Fun and exciting, you can't help but want a friend like Rayleigh.

[Jared · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell in love with Rayleigh Thorn. She was spirited, sarcastic, beautiful, strong, and yet still flawed, which made her very real. A very unique, modern day ghost story unlike any I have read. Lots of heart. Brandon really captures depth and substance with his characters.

[Kym · Rating 4 out of 5]

A recommended read. Corona of Blue is an awesome thrill ride as the author dives into the life story of Rayleigh Thorn. The adventures of this charming, sassy character are entertaining and creepy.

[Rlmiller68 · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really tried to finish this book, but it just couldn't keep my attention. drug on and on but never got anywhere

[Liza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rayleigh Thorn is my new hero! I love everything about her, and the hell she went through. I had a hard time believing she was a fictional character.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you for a great story! I love ghost tales, but this one was full of compassion in ways I didn't expect. Beautiful!