⭐PUYB Virtual Book Club⭐: The House of Gold

The gold wasn’t harvested by the Mentors as Alex believed—it was stolen by the Star Elves.

Title: THE HOUSE OF GOLD

Author: Joni Parker

Publisher: Independent

Pages: 359

Genre: Science Fantasy

Format: Paperback, Kindle, FREE with Kindle Unlimited

She’s done playing by the rules.

Lady Alexin Dumwalt—Alex to those who know better—just got booted from her mortal-world job. Her response? Return to Eledon, reclaim her title as Keeper of the Keys, and dive headfirst into a mission that reeks of politics and secrets.

Her task: escort Lord Quasar of the Star Elves to Nimbus. Her reality: arrested at Moonbase, locked up by a power-hungry Lord Governor, and caught in a prison break that exposes a gold-smuggling operation buried beneath the surface.

The gold? Stolen from Eledon. The ship? Not what it seems. The Fire Elves? Gone—taken by someone who wasn’t supposed to be watching.

Now Alex is under guard, headed to Nimbus, and neck-deep in a conspiracy that could shatter the fragile balance between Elf factions. She’s got questions, she’s got enemies, and she’s got zero patience for anyone standing in her way.

Magic. Betrayal. One Elf with nothing left to lose.

Read sample.

The House of Gold is available at Amazon.

Book Excerpt

I tried to get some sleep, but the impact of getting fired made me think back to my arrival in the mortal world from Eledon. I had joined a rescue effort at home when five military vessels crashed into the Elf Seas, leaving more than six hundred mortal sailors stranded. The only way for them to get home was to use a ship owned by the Wizard Ecstasy. He took me and the first hundred sailors to London. Vice Admiral Teller was one of the first mortals I met when I got here. Although he believed me when I told him I was part Elf, the other authorities thought I was delusional and dangerous. They shot me, arrested me, and put me in prison. When I used my magical abilities to heal myself, they didn’t believe that either.

After a hearing, the charges were dismissed, and I was free to leave, but I had no way to get home since the Wizard Ecstasy had abandoned me. Luckily, I used my magic to get in touch with Lord Arethus, an Elf friend, who told me the rest of the sailors would be returned through a portal at the Portsmouth Naval Base on the fall solstice. When I told Admiral Teller, he was the only one who believed me and took me to Portsmouth. When the portal appeared, the leader of the Rock Elves, Lord Fissure, came through and told me I had to remain in the mortal world, or he would kill my grandfather, Lord Odin. So, I stayed, and my exile began. And that’s why I needed a job.

– Excerpted from The House of Gold: Book 4 in the Golden Harvest Series by Joni Parker, Joni Parker, 2025. Reprinted with permission.

About the Author

Joni Parker’s story reads like a cross-continental odyssey with grit at every turn. Born in the heart of Chicago, she was just eight when her family uprooted to Japan so her father could chase a dream most wouldn’t dare—becoming a professional golfer. He made it. And when the dust settled, they landed in Phoenix, Arizona, where Joni carved her own path.

After high school, she didn’t just serve—she committed. Twenty-two years in the U.S. Navy, followed by seven more in federal civil service, Joni built a career on discipline, resilience, and a no-nonsense drive to get things done.

Now retired in Tucson, Arizona, she’s traded uniforms for imagination, channeling her fire into writing, devouring books, and catching the sunrise like it’s a daily ritual of renewal. Her stories reflect the same edge she’s lived with—bold, unflinching, and full of heart.

Her most recent book is the science fantasy, The House of Gold (Book 4 in the Golden Harvest Series).

Visit her website at http://www.joni-parker.com or connect with her on Facebook, Goodreads and Bluesky.