shiiddytiiddy's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
victinerary's review
4.5
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️0.5/5
🌶🌶🌶 /4
**Contains Spoilers**
First and foremost, I love Layla. So often we see badass FMCs who are flawed humans, maybe they're violent or mean or any of the other things we see as imperfections and yet can be ok with if we still see them as "strong". Layla flips the script on this one. She is the voice of every person who has been outshone by those around them and has grown used to shrinking into the shadows. Not only does she see herself as the "leftover" Ironwood, only good enough to be backup to her more famous / badass / skilled family members, she goes a step farther and has internalized that second place mentality. Alessa did a great job bringing us inside the mind of a truly insecure person and the havoc that can wreak on not just a person's sense of self worth, but also their ability to feel worthy of attention and love enough to be an active partner in a loving and healthy relationship.
Through her own hero journey and through learning to love and accept the love offered by Arne, she really grows into a person who doesn't just magically overcome her self-doubt issues. Instead she learns to embrace herself and turns her weaknesses into a strength. She is the nerdy insecure girl inside many of us and it was so refreshing to see her finally get a day in the sun.
~
Ok gushing over. Now for the reason this book only gets 4 instead of my usual 5 Alessa stars. If you're an Alessa fan you know she writes some fantastic found family dynamics. The Court of the Underworld (first 7 group), the Mercenaries & Magic set, and now the whole lovely mashed up Fae Prince x Ironwood clan. So many of her books build on each other and even if you're left feeling like one or two books are occasionally too short (we always want more of these characters!), you are supported by the rest of the stories and community continuing through the series. As we gain new characters they become part of the greater group and the result truly does come out better than the sum of the parts.
As we got into the Ironwood books we got a taste of that with the expansion of the Fae Prince universe, and we saw those original characters show up for their newly joined family again and again, not to mention we got even more new & supportive characters like the Greatdrakes. However in Elf Shot those connections seemed cut off. We barely saw the other characters, and when they did show up it wasn't as meaningful.
Overall, this is nearing the end of a series and started to feel a little rushed instead of giving us that tie back to the characters we have already come to love.
🌶🌶🌶 /4
**Contains Spoilers**
First and foremost, I love Layla. So often we see badass FMCs who are flawed humans, maybe they're violent or mean or any of the other things we see as imperfections and yet can be ok with if we still see them as "strong". Layla flips the script on this one. She is the voice of every person who has been outshone by those around them and has grown used to shrinking into the shadows. Not only does she see herself as the "leftover" Ironwood, only good enough to be backup to her more famous / badass / skilled family members, she goes a step farther and has internalized that second place mentality. Alessa did a great job bringing us inside the mind of a truly insecure person and the havoc that can wreak on not just a person's sense of self worth, but also their ability to feel worthy of attention and love enough to be an active partner in a loving and healthy relationship.
Through her own hero journey and through learning to love and accept the love offered by Arne, she really grows into a person who doesn't just magically overcome her self-doubt issues. Instead she learns to embrace herself and turns her weaknesses into a strength. She is the nerdy insecure girl inside many of us and it was so refreshing to see her finally get a day in the sun.
~
Ok gushing over. Now for the reason this book only gets 4 instead of my usual 5 Alessa stars. If you're an Alessa fan you know she writes some fantastic found family dynamics. The Court of the Underworld (first 7 group), the Mercenaries & Magic set, and now the whole lovely mashed up Fae Prince x Ironwood clan. So many of her books build on each other and even if you're left feeling like one or two books are occasionally too short (we always want more of these characters!), you are supported by the rest of the stories and community continuing through the series. As we gain new characters they become part of the greater group and the result truly does come out better than the sum of the parts.
As we got into the Ironwood books we got a taste of that with the expansion of the Fae Prince universe, and we saw those original characters show up for their newly joined family again and again, not to mention we got even more new & supportive characters like the Greatdrakes. However in Elf Shot those connections seemed cut off. We barely saw the other characters, and when they did show up it wasn't as meaningful.
Overall, this is nearing the end of a series and started to feel a little rushed instead of giving us that tie back to the characters we have already come to love.
melissa6381's review
4.0
Ok. Hi. I’ve fallen so far into this world/found family over the course of 6 books that I need a minute to move on from this. Also didn’t expect one of the most alpha males of the series to be an elf but okurrrr I see you Arnie
justbeingcaroline's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
karina___id_rather_be_the_moon's review
5.0
You guys! I don't know if there will ever be a day when Alessa Thorn writes a book that isn’t good. I may sound like a broken record but dang that was awesome!
I love Alessa’s writing, how she makes her characters so “relatable.” Even in a fantasy world they actually behave like “normal” people and I think that’s what I love the most about them. They feel like old friends.
That being said, if you love Norse mythology, great banter, elves, magic and an amazing fantasy universe, read this book (although I would highly recommend starting by reading Kiss of the Blood Prince in the Fae Universe series).
What I loved:
*Layla and Arne’s banter
*Arne...
*How Layla is the most relatable character I’ve read about so far in this series
*The plot
*That ending! Did not expect it and I need the next book... like yesterday!
Read this if you like:
~Elves
~Magic
~Norse mythology
~Great fantasy universe
~Rescue
~Fated mates
I love Alessa’s writing, how she makes her characters so “relatable.” Even in a fantasy world they actually behave like “normal” people and I think that’s what I love the most about them. They feel like old friends.
That being said, if you love Norse mythology, great banter, elves, magic and an amazing fantasy universe, read this book (although I would highly recommend starting by reading Kiss of the Blood Prince in the Fae Universe series).
What I loved:
*Layla and Arne’s banter
*Arne...
*How Layla is the most relatable character I’ve read about so far in this series
*The plot
*That ending! Did not expect it and I need the next book... like yesterday!
Read this if you like:
~Elves
~Magic
~Norse mythology
~Great fantasy universe
~Rescue
~Fated mates
coffeemasterj's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
melinda_reads66's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
brugbraz's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
samanthas628's review
adventurous
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
fwil90's review
adventurous
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5