Circle of Nine: Beltany
“Since I was a little girl I’ve been labeled a freak in my small town. There’s no blending in when your mom practices an ancient pagan religion and everyone believes she’s a witch. On my 15th birthday my secret wish is the same as always – to just be normal. But that’s not what I get. Not even close.” – Brigit Quinn
Instead, Brigit is shocked to learn she’s descended from a legendary Celtic tribe -- powerful people who serve as guardians of the stone circles of Ireland. A spellbound book of family history reveals the magical powers of her ancestors. Powers that could be hers -- if only she wanted them.
And when someone sinister and evil returns to steal her family’s strength, Brigit has to make a decision. Fight to keep her unique heritage or reject it for the normal life she’s always wanted.
This contemporary coming-of-age novel will appeal to readers who enjoy stories of magic steeped in the mysticism surrounding the standing stone circles of Ireland.
(Book One)
AWARDS
PRAISE FOR CIRCLE OF NINE - BELTANY
"This was a truly beautiful read. Valerie Biel has a captivating, almost lyrical quality to her work that helps the flow and the smoothness of the piece wonderfully. You can just feel the words slide along as you read and it's a remarkable experience. I enjoyed her storytelling as much as I enjoyed the characters and the plot! Circle of Nine: Beltany is a wonderful blend of present and past, mixed with a healthy dose of Celtic mythology to captivate the brainiacs among us.”
- FIVE STARS from Readers' Favorite
"A great fantasy read--well-written, fun, and compelling.”
- Reader Review
"Mystical. Magical. Ethereal. I love how good and evil square off in this captivating fable. Imagine—The Vine Witch meets The Girl Who Drank the Moon. Yes, it's that good. The author nailed it!”
- Laurie Buchanan, author of the Sean McPherson series
“Lovely modern take on Irish Magic. The writing is fast, fresh, and current and is an excellent starter option for young adults who will grow up and read Outlander.”
- Reader Review
"Heroine Brigid Quinn is to druids what Harry Potter is to wizards. Great read. On her fifteenth birthday, Brigid Quinn learns she is a part of a long line of female Celtic healers, artists and adventurers going back centuries. Understanding the ancient past is her best chance of healing her family and using her unique powers to face the future. For young adult (and not so young) readers drawn to Ireland, stories of pagan ways and goddess worship, and coming of age romances, this is a welcome portal into another world”
- Reader Review
"Enchanting and fascinating . . . Steeped in history and spiced by teenage angst, this delightful story is a through and through page-turner.”
- Reader Review
INSPIRATION FOR THE STORY
A story can get started a thousand different ways. Circle of Nine started when I visited standing stone circles in Ireland and England. The most famous of these is Stonehenge. Most people don’t know that there are hundreds of stone circles and ancient monuments dotting the countryside in Great Britain and northern France. I began to think about the people who built them, and I wondered what they were really used for. (There’s a lot of debate about this.) Then, I began my internal “what if” questions. What if there were people alive today who were descendants of the circle builders? What if they kept their heritage a secret? What if they could tell us what these circles were all about, but they’re sworn to secrecy? And, what if there was a modern-day girl who really wasn’t sure that she liked this extra-special heritage so much? What then... ? (You can find out if you read the book!)
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