Reviews
White Ghost and the Poison Arrow Reviews
5* 'I love the amount of description in this book cant wait to see a sequel'
5* 'This was a great book. I loved the story line and the character of Arella. I think this is a series I may very much enjoy. I would read more from this author. * I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*'
5*'Amazing read!! Can't wait for the next book!!'
5* 'Incredible read absolutely mind blowing'
4* "Kellie Steele is definitely a new talent on the horizon of the writing world. Her debut White Ghost and the Poison Arrow is a very neat and perfect to detail story, full of vivid images masterfully created by well used logic and a deep knowledge of the nature and the understanding of wildlife.
The story of Arella, the young brave independent girl is gripping and at times very exciting, when she learns survival techniques living on her own in the forest, and later adopts a wild cat, who becomes her best ever friend. It is a fantasy, which is not my usual type of reading, yet the writing style of the author Kellie Steele is refreshing and I found myself well emerged into Arella's adventures.
In general, this book will be a great read for young adults, who will not only enjoy this light colorful read but also can get inspired to follow steps of Kellie Steele."
4* "I would categorize WHITE GHOST and the POISON ARROW as both fantasy and Young Adult.
I love fantasy stories! The idea of being able to speak to animals and them being able to understand and respond in some way is every little girl’s dream. WHITE GHOST and the POISON ARROW is the embodiment of that dream.
Main character Arella (I love that name!) is a 14-year-old outsider. Unlike the rest of her tribe she is super thin, pale white with silver hair and purple hued eyes. Because of her differences, she is neglected and mistreated by her tribe. Eventually, she strikes out on her own.
Not long after escaping the torturous life she’s known, she finds an “Auron Cat”, a mother, dying from a poisoned arrow and limping toward her hidden cave to spend her last moments with her kitten. Arella follows her and after some silent communication between the two, Arella inherits the care of the kitten she names “Maska”.
After Maska grows and becomes strong, the two decide to set out on a hunt for Maska’s mother’s killers.
It’s quite a story. I found it entertaining and was actually disappointed when the story ended.
At the same time, honestly, there were some issues with the book.
The number of typographical errors was overwhelming. This book needed and certainly would have benefited from an editor’s touch. For myself, this was a small problem…but it didn’t stop me from reading the whole story. Other readers might not find these errors to be so easily ignored. {I'm told, since the time I wrote the original review, the author has edited and updated these errors.} There were--for me--some pacing issues, as well.
However, even with the issues I’ve reported, I can still say that I enjoyed the story. I found Arella to be engaging and likable. Maska the cat (whom I imagined to be a blank panther type of cat…I honestly don’t know what an Auron cat is) was lovable and endearing. I very much wanted to “love him and pet him and squeeze him.”
It is obvious to me that author Kellie Steele has some very real talent. Looking forward to watching her grow as a writer."
5* "I started White Ghost and the Poison Arrow after reading Kellie Steele's biography on amazon. I was fascinated by her story and in particular about how she came to create this, her first novel. Kellie takes you right into the world of Arella and keeps you with her throughout the entire story. You live, sleep, eat and breathe with Arella and get a clear picture of what her day to day existence is and how she is shunned for being different. Arella learns to cope, as do many who are bullied and the entire experience makes her stronger. When Arella adopts an orphaned auron kitten, the story becomes a love story not unlike a story of a mother and child. I couldn't stop reading - talk about a vivid imagination! - and you won't be able to either. Can't wait to check out Book 2!"
5* "Perhaps you know what it’s like to be the scapegoat, or the one people blame because things go wrong. Maybe you know what it’s like to fend for yourself because nobody cares enough to do all that much for you. Well, Arella knows full well what you’ve been through. Where she comes from, “The men will not let her join them because she is a girl, and the women will not let her join them because she is different.” At the cusp of maturity this hero is entrusted with an unusual gift. All the while, "invisible hands" guide Arella on a path to right some wrongs. This story is poetic, imaginative, and worthy to replace your television viewing. You will be carried away by this tale with a tribal twist, especially if you love all things nature. It’s pretty important to bring along your imagination, as a compliment to Kellie Stelle's wonderful talent for bringing settings alive. I read this on a cold winter day, and the main character (Arella) had a spirit that warmed my heart."