When a pair of siblings discover a mythical creature, she grants them both sublime gifts and horrific curses.
Following a lightning storm, Andre and her brother Ben discover a winged girl cowering in their backyard shed. The millennials are thrilled by the appearance of a mythical being, but they are wary too, particularly when she warns them that a dangerous monster has followed her from “Elsewhere.”
The girl, (Shae) is desperate to return to a world she can now only scarcely recall. Exquisite and beguiling, Shae evokes a protectiveness on their part—especially when she grants them gifts of extraordinary new talent. Andre and Ben want to help her however they can.
But the siblings soon find out that these gifts carry ghastly side effects. Andre is enchanted by prophetic dreams, but they wither her grip on reality; Ben creates sublime music, but his health deteriorates. And then, to their horror, they discover that Shae must complete a terrible task before she can return home and that everyone they know and love is in danger. Andre and Ben must now figure out how to thwart a being they’ve grown to care for.
What they don’t realize is that Shae is changing—she’s beginning to develop a conscience, and an affinity for her human hosts. And as her time runs out, she must make a terrible choice before all their lives spiral into a grisly climax of cruel irony and heartbreaking sacrifice.
The Fragile Keepers is a 2020 SUNNY Award Winner!
Semi-finalist in Horror/Suspense in the Kindle Book Awards!
And WINNER of the Cover Design Award!
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING:
"Natalie Pinter is a wonderful storyteller. She does more than just write--she casts a cozy, tactile, and entrancing spell, which you become compelled to follow wherever it takes you." -- Eric Shapiro, author of It's Only Temporary & Days of Allison
"The Fragile Keepers...rewards the reader with a journey into the marvelous and the magical. The fantasy that Pinter draws offers a commentary and perspective on the ordinary world we all now inhabit, a world infected with diseases of all kinds: ecological, cultural, spiritual." -- Arthur Hoyle, author of Mavericks, Mystics, and Misfits
Product Details:
Page Count: 262
Trim Size: 6 x 9
Publish Date: October 19, 2020
Imprint: Hellbender Books
Genre: Fiction
You might also like ...
-
$29.95This new edition combines the first edition and...This new edition combines the first edition and Prince and the Paupers into one volume. Author and historian Guy Graybill presents the entertaining tale of one of America's most prolific moonshine...
-
$14.95Steve and Joan Troutman have collected the hist...Steve and Joan Troutman have collected the histories and photographs of the various one-room schoolhouse of the Mahantongo Valley, of Northumberland and Schuylkill Counties, Pennsylvania, including...
-
$16.95The indelible image lingers from every cemetery...The indelible image lingers from every cemetery and nostalgic detail consuming the human mind. It is a sumptuous palace swarming with bodies from the past. Cemeteries can be dynamically active or...
-
$22.95Sometimes losing your children is the only way ...Sometimes losing your children is the only way to save them. The year is 2039. Jean Bennett’s husband and sister have died from a mysterious illness. To save her children’s lives, she must leave t...
-
$16.95by Katherine Bowers Ever found yourself stuck o...by Katherine Bowers Ever found yourself stuck on the shoulder of life, afraid to veer out into traffic, petrified of being blind-sided by yet another reckless driver? I so want to be the brand of...
-
$19.95Anyone wishing to unlock the secrets behind Pen...Anyone wishing to unlock the secrets behind Pennsylvania’s treasure trove of old-time legends and folktales should read this book and its predecessors. Fascinating and unbelievable as some of these...
-
$16.95It was the time of rifle, tomahawk, and knife. ...It was the time of rifle, tomahawk, and knife. It was the time of plough, axe, and endurance. It was the time when blood flowed into the waters of the Susquehanna River—1750 to 1800—Colonial Susqu...
-
$19.95Henry Shoemaker compiled these legendary tales ...Henry Shoemaker compiled these legendary tales set in the Juniata Valley of central Pennsylvania. Shoemaker's tales recall the transition of the landscape from forest to industrial logging and the ...
-
$14.95by A. B. Zeitler – “I almost fell overboard on...by A. B. Zeitler – “I almost fell overboard on my way to America,” my father often said. This quote begins many immigrant adventures detailed in Leaving Germany: One Family’s Post-World War I Ame...
-
$19.95They say you can never go home again, but what ...They say you can never go home again, but what if home won’t let you leave? When Elbridge Corvallis’ mother dies, the barely minted professional hockey player abandons his first season to return t...
-
$24.95by Stephen Paul Sayers When the ride ends, the ...by Stephen Paul Sayers When the ride ends, the terror begins… The nightmares and visions are getting worse for crime writer Jack Rainne. He can’t shake the childhood memory of a haunting carousel r...
-
$12.95-- Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley -- A fictionalized...-- Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley -- A fictionalized account of Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley’s life story, the most plausible “Molly Pitcher” from the American Revolution, based on the historical record. b...
-
$24.95In Deals, Danger, Destiny—the first book in thi...In Deals, Danger, Destiny—the first book in this series—John LaCasse takes us through the glamour of wealth and his high-octane lifestyle. He opens the existential crises of fast and furious living...
-
$19.95Their Lives, Contributions, and Burial Sites Jo...Their Lives, Contributions, and Burial Sites Joe Farrell, Joe Farley, and Lawrence Knorr have traveled across the eastern USA to the graves of over 200 founding fathers (and mothers) responsible fo...
-
$12.95Unbelievably More Cartoons for the Somewhat Off...Unbelievably More Cartoons for the Somewhat Off-CenterIf you ever wondered what would happen if an author of graphically violent horror stories also drew cartoons? Not that many people would have t...
-
$19.95Volume Four of the Pennsylvania Fireside Tales ...Volume Four of the Pennsylvania Fireside Tales series contains more of the old-time Pennsylvania mountain legends and folktales collected by the author over the last fifty years. Just like in his ...
-
$12.95Thoughts from a Life of Ministry Several years...Thoughts from a Life of Ministry Several years after the pandemic (epidemic of an infectious disease), we still see the aftermath of the devastation created. The devastation is largely prevalent i...
-
$22.95A Novel of the Battle of Lexington and Concord ...A Novel of the Battle of Lexington and Concord In Colonial Massachusetts at the dawning of the American Revolution, an enslaved African American and a reluctant Patriot must battle the British regu...
-
$19.95by Bob Ford In Ford’s eighth collection of outd...by Bob Ford In Ford’s eighth collection of outdoor humor he continues to strike a chord with hunters and dog lovers as he makes observations about contemporary life, often through nostalgic narrati...
-
$19.95A Strong Cape Cod Connection From the start of ...A Strong Cape Cod Connection From the start of the Puritan era through the end of the Revolutionary War, Boston was the central hub of the slave trade. Slaves were brought onboard ships from the Af...
-
$22.95This book covers the entire 1960 Pittsburgh Pi...This book covers the entire 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates season from spring expectations through a season of destiny culminated by the wildest, most lopsided World Series ever—one which saw a team get ...
-
$24.95The Raven Naelo Saga - Book 1 Raven Naelo, a ha...The Raven Naelo Saga - Book 1 Raven Naelo, a half-elf rogue, dreams of following in her father’s footsteps and becoming a realm guardian. Her dreams move closer to reality when she proves herself a...
-
$16.95Before the US Constitution defined the role of ...Before the US Constitution defined the role of the President of the United States as the chief executive, fourteen men filled the role of President of the United States in Congress Assembled. Thoug...
-
$19.95by Rebecca Titchner Two sisters who never met. ...by Rebecca Titchner Two sisters who never met. Two decades of intimate journals. One tragic ending. A Ghost Comes Calling tells of one woman's journey to understand herself, her birth family, and ...
-
$9.99What should we do when we feel lonely? Everyone...What should we do when we feel lonely? Everyone feels lonely sometimes, and it can be difficult to navigate that feeling. The Emotion Monster series features the challenging, yet likeable characte...
-
$9.99What should we do when we feel jealous? Everyon...What should we do when we feel jealous? Everyone feels jealous sometimes, and it can be difficult to navigate that feeling. The Emotion Monster series features the challenging, yet likeable charac...
-
$9.99What should we do when we feel angry? Everyone ...What should we do when we feel angry? Everyone feels angry sometimes, and it can be difficult to navigate that feeling. The Emotion Monster series features the challenging, yet likable characters ...
-
$19.95“We are vessels ... and sometimes we have to em...“We are vessels ... and sometimes we have to empty them.” For years, Jhana has traveled the country in search of the stories of people from all walks of life had to tell. Now, after more than a dec...
-
$11.95by Carol Vento War begets unlikely pairings. In...by Carol Vento War begets unlikely pairings. In the shadow of World War I, Carol Schultz Vento’s father, Arthur Dutch Schultz, was born to two military veterans. In the immediate aftermath of World...
-
$19.95The Forbidden Powers - Book 3 Seven years have ...The Forbidden Powers - Book 3 Seven years have passed since the destruction of the Cup of Power and the defeat of Darvor’s armies. Life has gone on for Jonny, but he has not freed himself of the pa...
-
$9.99What should we do when we feel frustrated? Eve...What should we do when we feel frustrated? Everyone feels frustrated sometimes, and it can be difficult to navigate that feeling. The Emotion Monster series features the challenging, yet likeable...
-
$9.99What should we do when we feel sad? Everyone fe...What should we do when we feel sad? Everyone feels sad sometimes, and it can be difficult to navigate that feeling. The Emotion Monster series features the challenging, yet likeable characters fir...
-
$22.95In the railroad city of Altoona, Pennsylvania, ...In the railroad city of Altoona, Pennsylvania, 19-year-old Frank Davis straddles the cusp of manhood in the tumultuous year of 1966. His tranquil lower middle-class neighborhood, adorned with stree...
-
$22.95The Timothy House Chronicles: Book Two Through ...The Timothy House Chronicles: Book Two Through a Dark Valley, Book Two in The Timothy House Chronicles, continues the story of Abbie Richardson and Keith Haliday—two individuals who have suffered i...
-
$27.95From Pearl Harbor to Midway In November 1940, A...From Pearl Harbor to Midway In November 1940, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, commander-in-chief of the Japanese Combined Fleet, told Prime Minister Prince Konoye, “If I am forced to wage war with the Un...
-
$16.95From the twisted mind of horror master Thomas M...From the twisted mind of horror master Thomas M. Malafarina comes the eighth short story collection in his Malaformed Realities series, appropriately entitled Malaformed Realities Volume 8. With th...
-
$16.95From the twisted mind of horror master Thomas ...From the twisted mind of horror master Thomas M. Malafarina comes the seventh short story collection in his Malaformed Realities series, appropriately entitled Malaformed Realities Volume 7. With...
-
$16.95Finding and Losing the Love of My Life in Six S...Finding and Losing the Love of My Life in Six Short Years What if you came home one day and found your husband dead in his favorite chair? This grief memoir explores the author’s experience of the ...
-
$19.95It is the author’s opinion that it is not an ex...It is the author’s opinion that it is not an exaggeration to say that if anyone wishes to experience one of those rare moments of true happiness that occurs in a lifetime, they should go to the mou...
-
$16.95by Carol Vento Carol Schultz Vento recounts the...by Carol Vento Carol Schultz Vento recounts the post-World War II years of her famous father "Dutch" Schultz. "Carol Schultz Vento's testimonial and others like it do not diminish the wartime gener...
-
$9.99What happens when the team goalie gets stuck in...What happens when the team goalie gets stuck in the net during the ice hockey championship game? In the book Stuck! the characters work towards a common goal- helping their goalie get unstuck from ...
-
$22.95- Four women, four stories, and a chance encoun...- Four women, four stories, and a chance encounter that changes everything. Still reeling from a recent breakup, Demi, a Greek-American banquet manager, joins her mother, aunt, and cousin on a trip...
-
$22.95~ The Accountant's Apprentice III ~ “One of the...~ The Accountant's Apprentice III ~ “One of the passengers waiting for a bus . . . said the area . . . was empty. She looked away for a few seconds. When she looked back, he was sitting there in h...
-
$11.95A Story of the West Among the Tribes The Young ...A Story of the West Among the Tribes The Young Frontiersman Book 4 Young Revolutionary War veteran Barnabas Locke makes winter camp in an isolated canyon in the Colorado wilderness, finding pictogr...
-
$11.95A Story of the Great Plains The Young Frontiers...A Story of the Great Plains The Young Frontiersman Book 3 In spring 1782, young Revolutionary War veteran Barnabas Locke and his Abenaki friend, the visionary Squando, reunite to cross the Mississi...
-
$19.95“Lagodzki’s prose is as powerful as his plot is...“Lagodzki’s prose is as powerful as his plot is gripping. A historically astute tale with deep emotional impact. (…) OUR VERDICT: GET IT.” Kirkus Reviews In 1982 Soviet-controlled Poland—a time and...
-
$19.95- The Newly Revealed T206 Baseball Card Collect...- The Newly Revealed T206 Baseball Card Collection of Thomas Edison's Youngest Son Thomas Edison was a long-time baseball fan. In his younger years, he once proclaimed, he could have named the play...
-
$19.95In offering a second volume of Pennsylvania mou...In offering a second volume of Pennsylvania mountain legends and folktales to the reading public, the author does so with a note of appreciation to all who found the first volume of legends of inte...
-
$36.95by John Cressler Much of modern Spain was under...by John Cressler Much of modern Spain was under Muslim control for nearly 800 years (from 711 to 1492 C.E.). Medieval Islamic Spain was deeply influential in world events, for a multitude of reason...
Recently Viewed Products
Excellent story. I really enjoyed this read.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ five stars!
It's about Ben and Andromeda (Andre). One night they see a strange ball of lightning in their backyard. When they go to investigate, they come across a strange creature in their shed. Shae is a sort of faerie that was sent here with a mission, but she has lost most of her memory. She does remember that she has to collect some sort of tithe.
This book was not what i was expecting, but it still managed to surprise me in a good way. I would not call it horror, but it definitely had enough horror-elements to keep me interested. It was more like a dark fairytale. It starts of quite magical but gets more grim towards the end.
You get a constant feeling of impending doom. You know that things are gonna go wrong, but the 'how and when' is what kept me on the edge of my seat while reading this book.
I highly recommend this one! I have a very one-sides taste when it comes to books. I like horror and I like fantasy. (And the occasional romance as a palate cleanser😂) But that's about it!
This book was a perfect mix for me!0
I am SHOOK after reading this novel. Though I'm not that familiar with faerie legend, I've read enough to know that any gift from the fae is likely to exact a terrible price (and oh, what a price Andre and Ben, the book's eponymous fragile keepers, ultimately pay!). Pinter takes this familiar trope and creates a wholly new tale that is equal parts beauty, pain, and horror. Reading it put me through an emotional wringer but I loved every minute of it. I look forward to future novels by this very talented writer.
The moment had a personality. It was self-aware, poised, and graceful, a drifting soap bubble saying, "Look at me, remember this. Remember when everything changed."
This is the kind of line, in the kind of book, that makes me want to read it all over again. There’s moments in The Fragile Keepers—quiet, innocuous moments—that could be glossed over without much thought, but actually mean everything.
The Fragile Keepers is an incredible mix of real-world people and fantastical, otherworldly creatures. There are a lot of vivid descriptions of faerie lore and odd magic, but it never feels like too much. In fact, even in places where it doesn’t make any sense at all (to an unfamiliar reader, at least), we get the comforting feeling that either it will make sense at some point, or it was never meant to. It is ominous, like thunderclouds; the reader knows something bad is coming, perhaps only a page away.
Natalie Pinter has crafted a wonderful debut. A dark, real-world fairy tale that is at once beautiful, ugly, haunting, dreamy, tragic, and thick with mood. It also has one of the most perfect endings I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. And by “perfect” I don’t necessarily mean “happy”.
The Fragile Keepers makes you look for the beauty in small things, and requires you to question the existence of something more.
When I received an ARC copy of this novel, I wasn't sure what I was in for but let me tell you---this is a great debut novel! What Natalie does right is--telling the reader a story that can do nothing but draw them into a fresh world of her creation. She has taken the fantasy genre and breathed life into it with great character development and amazing twists and turns. If you are looking for a book that scratches your Fantasy itch--look no further! I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.
Customer Reviews