Once upon a time, Sara Ella brought dreams to life as a Disney cast member, wishing for the day she’d find her prince and live in a castle of her own. Now she spends her days homeschooling her three Jedi in training, braving the Arizona summers, and reminding her superhero husband that it’s almost Christmas (even if it’s only January). Sara is old enough for fairy tales and believes happily ever after is never far away.
Sara’s UNBLEMISHED trilogy is an ode to her love for all things that begin with “once upon a time.” Her standalone novel CORAL, a reimagining of The Little Mermaid, is the novel of her heart—a reminder that you are not nothing, and you are not alone. Sara’s Alice in Wonderland retelling duology novels, THE WONDERLAND TRIALS and THE LOOKING-GLASS ILLUSION, are available now as a complete set in hardcover, paperback, or audiobook. Her Cinderella retelling, GLASS ACROSS THE SEA, is available now.
Sara is represented by Steve Laube at the Steve Laube Agency.
Photo Credit: Erin McFarland Photography
If you’d like to get in touch with me, please visit my contact page. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. I love hearing from readers and value your input and encouragement.
Industry Recognition
Finalist | 2024 Teen Readers Choice Awards (Young Adult Fantasy and Sci-Fi)
Finalist | 2024 Christy Award (Young Adult)
Finalist | 2024 Realm Award (Fantasy)
Finalist | 2023 Christy Awards (Young Adult)
Finalist | 2023 ACFW Carol Awards (Young Adult)
1st Place | 2023 Realm Award (Young Adult)
Finalist | 2023 Realm Awards for Reader’s Choice, Young Adult, and Book of the Year
Finalist | 2020 ACFW Carol Awards (Young Adult)
Finalist | 2018 INSPY Awards (Literature for Young Adults)
Finalist | 2018 Christy Awards (Young Adult)
1st Place | 2017 YABC Awards (Fantasy and All the Feels)
Finalist | 2017 Christy Awards (Young Adult)
1st Place | 2017 ECPA Christian Book Award (Young People’s Literature)
Finalist | 2017 Carol Awards (Speculative)
1st Place | 2017 INSPY Awards (Literature for Young Adults)
Finalist | 2017 Realm Awards (Young Adult, Debut, and Alliance Award)
1st Place | ACFW 2014 Genesis Contest (YA Category)
1st place | 2013 ACFW First Impressions Contest (YA Category)
Praise for Sara Ella’s Books
Framed through the metaphor of broken glass, Sara Ella’s lush fantasy novel Glass Across the Sea is a breathtaking story of love and redemption.” — Foreword Reviews, starred review
A beautiful reminder of how sharing light and truth can turn away darkness.” ― Kirkus Reviews
With memorable characters, rich storytelling, and a unique magic system, Sara Ella weaves a fantastic tale reminiscent of a beloved fairytale. I thoroughly enjoyed this retelling!” – Morgan L. Busse, award-winning author of the Ravenwood Saga and the Nordic Wars series
Prepare to be swept away by Glass Across the Sea! With beautiful writing that reads like a true fairytale, twists and turns that will keep you flipping pages, and a sweet romance full of light and strength, Sara Ella’s newest book is not to be missed!” — Sara B. Larson, bestselling and award-winning author of Defy, Sisters of Shadow and Light, and A Promised Vengeance
“A breathtaking reimagining that sparkles with grace, conviction, and meaningful magic. With the timeless charm of a fairy tale and the signature heart and faith-filled depth we’ve come to expect from Sara Ella, Glass Across the Sea will whisk readers away on an adventure for the ages. This Cinderella story is a triumph of hope through hardship, love in the midst of loss, and light over darkness.” —Lindsay A. Franklin, award-winning author of The Unraveling of Emlyn DuLaine
“A luminous and heartfelt fairy tale, Glass Across the Sea is a story that shines with love, magic, and light. The glassmaker’s daughter is a flame in the dark, flickering with warmth and compassion and the quiet magic of love that spans time and oceans. If you love quests and magical legacies, Noelle and Dante will be your new favorite fairytale Cinderella and Prince Charming romance!” — Julie Wright, award-winning author of Wendy’s Ever After
Sara Ella masterfully weaves a cast of endearing characters, a rich and intricate magic system, and stunning imagery into a fresh twist on a timeless tale. With clever reimaginings of beloved symbols and a deep respect for the heart of Cinderella’s story, this enchanting retelling is sure to become your new favorite.” – Barbara Kloss, bestselling author of The Arrow and the Alder
Hop into a spinning tea cup for a mad conclusion to this topsy-turvy adventure. While it’s filled to the brim with wholesome themes of family and forgiveness, there are also surprises behind every talking flower and secrets surrounding the deadly jabberwock. This epic finale is satisfying to the last drop!” — Jamie Foley, award-winning author of The Katrosi Revolution series
The Looking-Glass Illusion is the perfect second half of this amazing duology. Sara Ella exquisitely combines the feel and tone of both the beloved Disney adaptation as well as Lewis Carroll’s original, and then she mixes it flawlessly with her own story and voice and world to create the perfect Wonderland! I highly, highly recommend! — S.D. Grimm author of the Children of the Blood Moon trilogy and A Dragon By Any Other Name
In The Wonderland Trials, Sara Ella crafts a dystopian retelling of Lewis Carroll’s classic, reinventing with flair all Wonderland’s denizens and infusing the story with freshness. It is inventive and colorful in its own right, abundantly able to charm and to intrigue.” ― Lorehaven Magazine
The Wonderland Trials is a grown-up, grittier version of the beloved Alice in Wonderland classic where nothing is quite what it seems and seeing with one’s heart is the most important thing. Sara Ella has crafted a compelling tale full of whimsy, magic, love, and courage. — C.J. Redwine, New York Times bestselling author of the Ravenspire series.
The Wonderland Trials is everything I want in an Alice retelling: magic and family and infuriatingly adorable romance, all bound together in a story that rejects—and even redefines—the impossible. Sara Ella has written an addicting concoction of courage, clues, and mysterious white rabbit trails that will keep you guessing, keep you gulping your if-only-it-was-magical tea, and keep you turning pages through all topsy turvy hours of the night.” — Nadine Brandes, award-winning author of Romanov, Fawkes, and the Out of Time Series
The Wonderland Trials’ fresh, modern take on a classic beckoned me down the rabbit hole—and I never want to leave! With plenty of nods to the original story, Sara Ella has crafted a world where fantasy bleeds into reality, and one never knows where the game stops and real life begins. This is Alice reimagined, and I’m all in.” — Lindsay A. Franklin, Carol Award–winning author of The Story Peddler
Full of intrigue and packed with ingenious nods to Lewis’s masterpiece, The Wonderland Trials is a triumph. Clues and questions, friendships and a budding romance, set me racing down every flipped, upside down and backwards turn. The only bump in the road is that unless @MadTea blends Sara Ella a Flying Typist brew, I have to bide my time for Book Two. — Katherine Reay, Best-selling Author of Dear Mr. Knightley and The London House
Reminiscent of a terrifyingly beautiful dream, THE WONDERLAND TRIALS is a reimagining certain to mesmerize with its quirky, yet familiar, cast of characters, whimsical world-building, and treacherous intrigue. Readers will tumble head over heels for this visionary fantasy and will be left searching for the Wonder in themselves.” — Lorie Langdon, author of Olivia Twist, and the Disney Villains Happily Never After Series
A breathless, powerful journey of the heart and mind.” —LINDSAY A. FRANKLIN, award-winning author of The Story Peddler (Coral)
A beautiful reimagining.” —LAUREN MANSY, author of The Memory Thief (Coral)
This heart-wrenching tale will pull you under its spell.” — ANNIE SULLIVAN, author of A Touch of Gold and Tiger Queen (Coral)
The story highlights friendship, loyalty, and perseverance with likable characters and engaging writing.” WORLD Magazine (Unbreakable)
Sara Ella returns with the thrilling conclusion to her Unblemished trilogy, a series that combines elements from fairy tales and fantasy to captivate the reader. . . Ella masterfully creates a realistic fantasy world, a story with a nod to pop culture and literary references. . . Her allegorical story is filled with excellent narratives, engaging characters, and truths–and plenty of plot twists! The relationships are clean, the faith element is a light touch, and the violence is neither graphic nor inappropriate. Recommended for public and school libraries, for fans of fantasy and fairy tale retellings, for young adults and adults alike.” — Christian Library Journal (Unbreakable)
Wow! What an exquisite conclusion to the thrilling Unblemished trilogy. . . A feast of pop culture and literary references, masterful worldbuilding and heartfelt allegory, the entire series is not to be missed — and this last book ties it all together in stunning fashion.”— RT Book Reviews, 4 stars (Unbreakable)
A sequel that outshines its already brilliant predecessor.” — Nadine Brandes, award-winning author of the Out of Time trilogy and Fawkes (Unraveling)
Filled with excitement and nonstop action, this good vs. evil story will captivate readers. . . This is superb fantasy writing that may just convince non-fantasy fans to give the genre a try.” — RT Book Reviews, 4 stars (Unraveling)
Engaging and suspenseful debut . . . superb worldbuilding.” — Library Journal, starred review, Debut of the Month (Unblemished)
A stunning journey into a fascinating new world of reflections.” — RT Book reviews, 4 1/2 star review, TOP PICK! (Unblemished)
Unblemished may have set the stage, but Unraveling will forever bind you to this story like a Kiss of Accord. Sara Ella’s exquisite writing left me gasping at new revelations and re-reading whole chapters just because. Unraveling is a sequel that outshines its already brilliant predecessor. Read it. Now. Then come fangirl with me. — Nadine Brandes, award winning author of the Out of Time series
A breathtaking fantasy set in an extraordinary fairytale world, with deceptive twists and an addictively adorable cast who are illusory to the end. Just when I thought I’d figured each out, Sara Ella sent me for another ride. A wholly original story, Unblemished begins as a sweet melody and quickly becomes an anthem of the heart. And I’m singing my soul out. Fans of OUAT and Julie Kagawa, brace yourselves.” — Mary Weber, author of the Storm Siren trilogy
Lyrically-written and achingly romantic—Unblemished will tug your heartstrings!” — Melissa Landers, author of Alienated and Starflight
Unblemished had me from the first chapter – mystery, romance, and mind-blowing twists and turns that I SO did not see coming! The worlds Sara Ella builds are complex and seamless; the characters she creates are beautifully flawed. Readers are sure to love this book and finish it, as I did, begging for more!” — Krista McGee, author of the Anomaly trilogy.
Unblemished is an enchanting, beautifully written adventure with a pitch-perfect blend of fantasy, realism, and romance. Move this one to the top of your TBR pile and clear your schedule, you won’t want to put it down!” — Lorie Langdon, author of the Amazon bestselling Doon series.
Self-worth and destiny collide in this twisty-turny fantasy full of surprise and heart. Propelled into a world she knows nothing about, Eliyana learns that the birthmark she despises is not quite the superficial curse she thought it was—it’s worse, and the mark comes with a heavy responsibility. Can she face her reflection long enough to be the hero her new friends need? With charm and wit, author Sara Ella delivers Unblemished, a magical story with a compelling message and a unique take on the perils of Central Park.” — Shannon Dittemore, author of the Angel Eyes trilogy
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