Review ~ Building From Ashes by Elizabeth Hunter

Building From Ashes

(Elemental World #1)

By Elizabeth Hunter

4 out of 5 STARS

 

For a thousand years, powerful earth vampire Carwyn ap Bryn has served others. God. His family. His friends. But tragedy and loss disrupt his peaceful existence, causing him to question everything he has committed his eternity to.

Brigid Connor has known about vampires since they rescued her from a painful childhood. But not even their vast elemental power can save her from the demons that torment her.

As loyalties are tested and new paths are forged, a lurking danger slowly grows in the Elemental World. Carwyn and Brigid will learn that even secrets revealed can come back to haunt you when you least expect it.

A continuation/spinoff of the Elemental Mysteries series. The timeline in this books stretches from BEFORE A Hidden Fire starts (so you see a little character history) until AFTER A Fall of Water finishes. As I’m sure lots of you could tell, Carwyn had quite a few things going on in his life that didn’t make it into Gio and Beatrice’s story. So Building From Ashes explores that storyline and also sets up the Elemental World for some new adventures...

I'm a huge fan of the Elemental world that Elizabeth has created starting with A Hidden Fire.  Though this is a spin-off, I recommend starting with the Elemental Mysteries before diving into Building From Ashes.  I think it will definitely be worth your while as we read a whole new outlook into vampire lore. 

As stated in the synopsis above, this first installment in the Elemental World series overlaps a little bit with A Fall of Water.  It was great to get another side of the story!  Especially since it involves Carwyn! ;)  But let me break it down for you a little bit.

Carwyn has been a vampire for a really long time.  In life, he was married and joined the priesthood.   Times were different back then and that was acceptable at the time.  In death, he clung to his faith, helping those in need and creating a family of his own.  He has remained single even though he is a horrible flirt.  

"...I don't know.  Just never found the right woman, I suppose." 

"Ah." 

"And who would put up with me, honestly?" 

"You can be pretty charming when you want to be." 

He looked down and wiggled his eyebrows at her.  "Oh, really?" 

Beatrice burst into laughter and tugged at the collar of his garish Hawaiian short. "Yep, you're a regular knight in flowered armor.  You just need to find your damsel." 

"Oh," he groaned.  "I don't know.  I've never really seen the appeal of the 'damsel-in-distress', to be totally honest.  I'm not really the damsel type." 

"Well, maybe you need to find a knight, then." 

He grimaced.  "Definitely never seen the appeal of those."

Carwyn is one of the strongest and oldest Earth Vampires out there, vicious if messed with but compassionate and deeply caring for those he's close to.  Earth Vampires seem to like to nest and have big families.

Brigid has had a rough past, and one night Carwyn and Ioan visit her household, whisking her away to safety when she was just a child.  She's a human living with her aunt under the protections of Ioan, Carwyn's son.  

Their stories intersect at times throughout her childhood but soon she is no longer the young girl she once was, she's a woman now, and so much more...

'What do you know about the right office?  According to Ioan, you wear Hawaiian shirts under your vestements.  Not to mention your rumored television habits.'    

'Lies.  All lies.  I'm a picture of devotion and obedience.  Highly appropriate at all times.'  

Irritating children, telling on him like that.  Carwyn frowned and poked his son in the shoulder.  Ioan and  Deirdre were sitting in the pew in from of him.  His son looked over his shoulder, then between the two of them and the note Brigid held in her lap.   

"Behave, both of you," Ioan whispered.  "Brigid, I expect this behavior out of him, but not you.  Father Jacob is in the middle of the homily."

The pace is slower at the beginning as it jumps around in time so we can get a glimpse of both Carwyn and Brigid's past.  But then we are thrust in the middle of a mystery to be solved and dealing with major changes in Brigid's life and their growing attraction.  

I really enjoyed this book.  Carwyn is compassionate and extremely hilarious.  He's so cheeky, I love him!  Brigid is strong and independent, asking for help when necessary, complimenting Carwyn greatly.  The plot is pretty involved but easy to get caught up in!   Another stellar story from Elizabeth.  With this first installment in the Elemental World, I can't wait to see what comes next! 

Available for purchase through Amazon and Smashwords now. Nook users, it will be available though Barnes & Noble soon.  In the meantime, you can get a copy though Smashwords for your reader. 

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