I read this series because it was recommended to me since I like The All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness. I do not like it quite as much as The All Souls Trilogy but it is good nonetheless. I like the librarian aspect and the historical research part but I also think the romance and story line in general is quite well done. It is a series that reads quickly while also keeping you engaged in the plot and characters. ( )

Great Series

I thoroughly loved this entire series. Great flow and awesome loveable characters. Leaves you wanting more! I wouldn't recommend this to anyone under 16, but I would recommend this to lovers of vampire stories.

4.5/5
Every time I read anything Elizabeth writes I can't help but immerse myself in her gorgeous, captivating and lively world of elemental vampires completely, so her books for me are always a treat.

I was sad to bid Gio and Beatrice goodbye, and I'm sure it will take awhile for me to warm up to the change of dynamics in the spin-off of this series. You see, now, instead of having a series about one couple continuously, we have one couple in each new book if I understand correctly. As a result what was essentially a paranormal mystery with romantic elements turned into a paranormal romance with mystery elements.

Carwyn is a charming, warm, larger than life, humorous character, and I really loved his sense of loyalty and care for everyone he loved. Just thought that Gio used remind me of Aramis and Carwyn's character is similar to Porthos from Three Musketeers. But it's Brigid who stole the limelight in this book.

Like Beatrice, she is incredibly strong, stubborn and determined, and I admired her rise in the ranks among the water vampires. She is a security consultant and she becomes involved into a search for a supplier of a new vampire drug (which we know about from the previous series) and investigation into a consequent kidnapping and death of Carwyn's son, Ioan.

At the same time, Brigid is not like Beatrice, she is damaged by a childhood trauma, suffered from anxiety for many years and even at some point had drug addiction problem, but she works on herself and eventually straightens up.

Carwyn knows her from her childhood till she changes and his admiration for her grows with each year but he doesn't realise what he is feeling until later on, when he experiences a personal crisis after Ioan's death and feels how lonely he really is. When he does, sparks between him and Brigid fly!

This is a very good paranormal romance. My only problem is that a lot of the things that are happening we already know from Bi and Gio's story and it becomes a tad repetitive. However, I'm sure that this will disappear with the later books of Elemental World as the timetables of the stories will grow apart.

Recommended!
( )

Building from Ashes by Elizabeth Hunter
5/5 stars
Source: author

I am officially out of adjectives to describe exactly how much I love Elizabeth Hunter and the Elemental Mysteries world she has so beautifully crafted! Building from Ashes is Carwyn’s story and is a stand-alone companion to the Elemental Mysteries series. As always I find myself unable to assign anything other than 5 stars to this excellently written novel.

Carwyn is a one thousand year old vampire who is the leader of his large clan, a lover of loud and ridiculous Hawaiian shirts and professional wrestling and, a Catholic priest (yes, the Vatican knows about his fangy bits!) who has always placed his love of God, church, and family above his own needs and desires. To the world Carwyn is always the life of the party telling jokes and pulling pranks and appearing to genuinely enjoy his long life. Underneath the jovial exterior is the more private Carwyn, a passionate man of faith and devotion; a cunning, strong, and deadly fighter who will protect those he calls his own no matter the cost. Though many in the immortal community know and respect Carwyn they also often underestimate him and the lengths he will go to protect those he loves and holds dear. That never goes well 

Brigid is a fiercely tough, highly intelligent, independent yet loyal human who has been under the aegis of Ioan and Deirdre (Carwyn’s “children”) since she was forcibly removed from her abusive household as a small child. Brigid’s life has undoubtedly been hard, even near-unbearable at times but she has never wanted nor accepted anyone’s pity. Throughout her life and with the unwavering support of her family, Brigid has worked tirelessly to overcome any and all obstacles blocking her path to true independence and success. Though not a vampire, Brigid makes a name for herself as head of security to the leader of Dublin’s immortal community. For the most part, Brigid has the life she has always dreamed of until all hell breaks loose, Ioan is killed, and new drug for immortals begins to invade Brigid and her family’s life.

It is clear from the beginning Carwyn and Brigid are meant to be together; they are yet another perfectly matched and balanced pair created by Hunter to populate the Elemental Mysteries world. For me, this type of harmonious balance found between two characters is one of Hunter’s greatest strengths as an author. Brigid is human, Carwyn is immortal; Carwyn is a priest, Brigid a devout Catholic not likely to sleep with a priest; Brigid is a young twenty-something, Carwyn is 1,000ish; Brigid is broken in some very fundamental ways; Carwyn is patient, kind, caring, and willing to wait. Both are stubborn but in the end, they are so worth the wait!

In many instances throughout the novel, Brigid and Carwyn are kept apart or thrown together because of developments in the plot rather than by their own choice. This is a two-for-one special, dear reader. While the plot is developing and unfolding so is the struggle toward a relationship between Carwyn and Brigid; the plot and major characters are so intimately tied to one another you can’t tell where one ends and the other begins. BRILLIANT!! This symbiotic relationship between the plot and her people creates such a smooth and enjoyable read you don’t realize how much and how far you have read until it’s too late and the story has come to an end. Again I feel compelled to point how BRILLIANT this is!!

The bottom line: I LOVE THIS BOOK!! Hunter’s writing style is so smooth and easy you don’t even notice how quickly she pulls you into her world. Both the plot and characters are fully developed and real as well as being engaging and interesting. As a reader, you can absolutely connect to these characters and their story and I was pretty much hooked from the very first page. While Building from Ashes is meant to be a stand-alone companion to the Elemental Mysteries series (and it certainly can be read as such) I would highly, highly recommend reading the four Elemental Mysteries books beforehand. Ashes follows the general time line and plot of the four previous books and absolutely enhanced and enriched my reading experience where Building from Ashes is concerned. Absolutely and without doubt a top-notch read!

What I hope is going to happen: It is clear Elizabeth Hunter is in no way done with the Elemental Mysteries world. (The crowd rejoices in a loud and inappropriate manner!!) Here’s what I foresee and hope for where the suture of this series is concerned:
1) Ben and Tenzin aren’t done causing trouble and will be back better than ever in a future novel – their own novel????
2) With the death of Ioan, Deirdre is going to take on a larger role within the clan and eventually find a new mate. Deirdre is such a large presence I truly don’t think her story is done just yet. Please don’t be done yet.
3) Carwyn and his clan along with B and Gio and their clan are going to come together to put the smack down on the as yet unnamed dealer/creator of Elixir ( )