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. 

Want more info on Elizabeth Hunter?
Elizabeth Hunter Writes
Elemental Mysteries website
On Goodreads
On Twitter

Review ~ A Fall of Water

A Fall of Water

By Elizabeth Hunter

5 of 5 stars! 

“No secret stays hidden forever.”

Still grieving from their loss in the far East, Giovanni Vecchio and Beatrice De Novo discover that for them, all roads really do lead to Rome. But nothing is quite as it seems in the Eternal City. Joined by Carwyn and Tenzin, unexpected clashes greet them almost immediately, and rivalries churn beneath the glittering facade of the old Roman court. They quickly realize that allies might be enemies, and ancient rivals could hold the key to a deadly secret.

Giovanni and Beatrice will be forced to call on old alliances, ancient power, and fierce cunning to survive for the eternity they both desire. Sometimes, finding the end means going back to the beginning. Fire, Earth, Wind, and Water finally meet with devastating results in the conclusion of the Elemental Mysteries.

I was lucky enough to score an ARC from Elizabeth to review for part of the A Fall of Water blog tour.  This is fourth and final installment in the Elemental Mysteries series and I couldn't have asked for a better conclusion.  After the slower pace of  The Force of Wind, I was not sure how it was going to play out.    I was very happy with the faster pace and twisting change of events that left me wanting to see what could possibly happen next.  The conclusion of the mystery we are introduced to at the very beginning of the series is highly satisfying.  I enjoyed every minute of it.  Such range of emotions and shocking events happen but I am so happy how everything played out for all the characters involved.

Speaking of the characters involved we have Carwyn: the Father who wears Hawaiian shirts and has a wicked sense of humor...

"B, I swear, if you call her a cougar to her face, I will buy you a car," Carwyn snickered.  "A house. Maybe an island.  Something ridiculously extravagant, just so long as I can see the look on her face." 

Ben has tremendous growth and is turning out to be quite the enterprising little nephew.  Not only is he very close to B and Gio, but we see him grow closer to certain characters that leave me thinking what a great kid he is, to wanting to know what kind of man he will become?

Also present?  Tenzin, Matt and Dez as well as some important new characters.

I know this is the end of this particular series but I hope Elizabeth gives serious consideration to continuing on with writing books for our favorite side characters.  *ahem* Carwyn, Ben and Tenzin *ahem* ;)

This series has taken us across the world and through many different emotions.  I highly recommend this series to lovers of PNR and anyone just looking for something unique but still has the thrill of a seductive vampire tale.

"How can I leave my heart?"  He ducked down and pressed a kiss to her neck.  "My love?"  His hands drifted over her shoulders.  "My life?  Beatrice, how?"

Please check out my interview with Elizabeth here.

Purchase A Fall of Water :
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Smashwords
Createspace

Want more info on Elizabeth Hunter?
Elizabeth Hunter Writes
Elemental Mysteries website
On Goodreads
On Twitter

Interview with Elizabeth Hunter

What do you get when you cross old books, sexy vampires and a mystery that takes you around the world?

The Elemental Mysteries written by Elizabeth Hunter.  A great new addition the the paranormal romance genre.  Read below for my insightful interview with Elizabeth Hunter.

I'd like to thank you for giving me and the readers an opportunity to learn more about you through this interview.  We have come to the end of the journey for B and Gio in A Fall of Water.  I'll try not to ask any questions about follow up stories or full lengths for side characters, I don't want a ninja after me. ;)

Are you sad to see this series come to an end?

I am. Not that we'll never see them again, but Giovanni and Beatrice were very fun protagonists and I'll miss them. That said, I never wanted this to be the series that never ended. I think there are other stories to write in this world, and I'm looking forward to that.

You have mentioned before that Giovanni Vecchio was the main inspiration for the series.  How long was it from first conjuring him up, to putting pen to paper and finally the release of A Hidden Fire?

I mulled the character around in my head for a few months. Started pre-writing work (character sketches, timelines, etc.) about three months after that. I started the first draft about a month after that and the rough draft of the first book was written in about four months. Then beta readers, editors, proofing, formatting... it was around a year from the initial thought to the book being published.

Did you imagine Gio as a vampire from the beginning?

Yes. I love vampires! That said, I also wanted to create something unique that animated my own fictional world. The elemental idea came from that, it's a common theme throughout most world mythologies to assign specific traits to the earthly elements. It felt very natural to include it with so many diverse characters from all periods of history. 

When did you first start writing?

Fiction? Just a few years, to be honest. But I worked as a technical writer before I started writing for pleasure. I started out writing just a little fan fiction for fun, but quickly became obsessed with telling my own stories. 

What authors have been the most influential in your progression as a writer?

As a reader, too many to count! In my own genre, I read a lot of Anne Rice. I think the idea of vampires becoming the sexy beasts we know now owes a lot to Ms. Rice and her wonderful Vampire Chronicles. As a writer, I've had influences from Stephen King to Eudora Welty. And more recently, Charlaine Harris and the Sookie Stackhouse series ignited my imagination and got me back into paranormal fiction. Also, though he's not a novelist, Joss Whedon's storytelling in many forms has been a huge inspiration.

When you first started the series, did you plan out how many books there would be?

I knew by the end of the first draft of A Hidden Fire that Gio and B's story would be four books and how the series arc would progress. It wasn't until reading the phenomenal reaction to the other characters in the series that I decided to expand it. I can say goodbye to Gio and B, but not to everyone just yet. There are at least a couple of stand-alone stories I want to tell and even another short series (4-5 books) featuring two characters that are favorites.

Besides any possible side books related to other character in the Elemental Mysteries, do you have any new characters on the back burner waiting for the spotlight?

I'm actually outlining a new series that's set in the American Southwest and explores shapeshifter legends and myths. There's a long history (particularly in Native American mythology) about shapeshifters, so I'm very excited to explore that. Plus, the series is going to be a bit lighter and include a lot of humor, so I'm definitely looking forward to that.

How do you know when you are done writing a story, or do you always consider your stories as unfinished?

Since I plan everything out before I write, I always know how a story will end. That's just how I write, many people work differently, though. There's no formula. Sometimes things take a twist when I'm writing, but I never forget the plot or timeline. That's what keeps me on track. As for the editing? Yes, I'm a fiddler! I will mess around with language until I make myself sick even looking at it. That's one of the reasons I always give myself deadlines to get work to my editor.

In the past you have mentioned that you have people helping you through the drafting and editing process.  Describe the creative force behind a finished story.

I have a wonderful group of friends who are fellow writers. They are the best pre-reading team in the world! (I may be biased.) Some read while I'm drafting (write a chapter, read a chapter); some read only when the first draft is complete and give me feedback on the book as a whole. They're all amazing because they each bring their own perspective, so I love it. Then after I edit the final draft, I send it to my editor, who sends it to the proofreader, then the electronic formatter. (I do my own paperback formatting.) I also work with a cover artist, so there are a lot of people involved with a finished book.

I have yet to read the The Genius and the Muse, however your synopsis leads us to believe the love interests meet at a museum, have you had similar experiences with personal relationships being ignited by a shared appreciation for the arts?

They don't exactly meet in a museum, but they definitely inhabit the art world! And yes, I've had relationships of different kinds that were spurred by a shared artistic interest. There is a special kind of energy when you're sharing the creative process with another person that is very... energizing. 

You have a pattern of strong female characters and strong family bonds, do you draw from your own personal ties?

Definitely. Starting with my mother and grandmothers, I've been surrounded my whole life by very smart, very strong (some might say ornery, but we ignore those people) women who value family while still nurturing their own independence. In my family, it wasn't just accepted that I was smart and independent. It was expected.

 Do you have a ritual or something that sparks the creative process when you sit down to write?

Music. I listen to a lot of music. And a big variety. My tastes are pretty eclectic.

If you were stuck in the Twilight Zone and had to repeat the same day over and over, what album, book and drink would you have everyday?

Ha! I'll give you an answer, but it will probably change by next week.
Album? Maybe Patty Griffin's 1000 Kisses. It's one I've gone back to listen to so many times I've lost count.
Book? The Bible. Spiritual truth, poetry, history, love, action. It has it all. Best cast of characters ever. (I'd probably slip The Captain's Verses by Neruda in there too, though.)
Drink? Pondering... To sound like a lush or to not sound like a lush? That is the question.
Okay, not-a-lush answer would be coffee. Love the stuff. Lush answer? Red wine. Or dark beer. Maybe a good gin and tonic... this is an impossible question. (And obviously, I am a lush.)

I would like to say thanks to Elizabeth for taking the time to answer my questions.  It's great learning more about her writing style, inspiration and future works.  I most definitely am excited to hear about the stand-alones and possible short series sprouting from the Elemental Mysteries as well as new series yet to come.

~Emmy

Check back Friday for my review of A Fall of Water.

Want more info on Elizabeth Hunter?
Elizabeth Hunter Writes
Elemental Mysteries website
On Goodreads
On Twitter

Review ~ This Same Earth

This Same Earth

By Elizabeth Hunter

My rating ~ 5 for 5

Beatrice De Novo thought she had left the supernatural world behind…for the most part. But when the past becomes the present, will she leave her quiet life in Los Angeles to follow a mystery she thought had abandoned her? Where has Giovanni Vecchio been, and why has he returned? Giovanni has his own questions, and he’s looking to her for answers.

The sequel to A Hidden Fire will reunite Beatrice and Giovanni to continue their search through the past while both wrestle with the future. When the world as you knew it has changed forever, is there any way you can turn back?

This Same Earth is the second book in the Elemental Mysteries series. It is a paranormal romance/mystery for adult readers.

(via Goodreads)

Let me start by saying how I LOVE the way Elizabeth starts this book.  The prologue consists of journal entries from B while she is spending time at Gio's place in Cochamó Valley, Chile.  B and Gio parted ways after working together in A Hidden Fire and have not seen each other since.  Through the journal entries, we can see how things have changed.  But most  importantly, how B has changed.  She is not the same girl we are introduced to in the first installment.  She has tremendous growth in this book and is one awesome chica.  

But Elizabeth is a wonderful storyteller and she brings B and Gio together again.  It's not that easy though.  They are working together again with mixed feelings coming from B.  Gio has some major grovelling to do.

Along with B and Gio, we welcome back great side characters like Carwyn and Tenzin.  The cast of characters that Elizabeth has created are great. Carwyn might be one of my favorite new side characters in a series since Spade, Ian and Vlad (NH and NHW).   We also are introduced to Ben, Gio's "nephew".  I LOVE Ben! 

She held out her hand and Ben took it, bending down to kiss the back in a gallant gesture. She chuckled and looked at Giovanni. “And you think you’re charming?”  

Giovanni rolled his eyes as Ben continued kissing up her arm. He reached over and tugged Ben’s collar, pulling him away from Beatrice, who was still laughing. “Stop it, she’s too old for you.”  

“Well, technically,” Ben said with a smile, “she’s way too young for you, old man.”

This was a great addition to the continuing story arc.  I love this series.  The mystery/adventure aspect is awesome and very different from any traditional PNR I have read.  That alone will  have me coming back for more, as if Gio wasn't enough   *sigh*  Gio is one sexy vampire.

Sinfully Delicious Book Reviews will be participating in A Fall of Water Blog Tour.  I will be posting an interview with Elizabeth Hunter on June 5th and my review for A Fall of Water on June 8th!!!

Review Time! ~ A Hidden Fire

A Hidden Fire (Elemental Mysteries #1)

By Elizabeth Hunter 

Rating: 5 for 5 STARS

A phone call from an old friend sets Dr. Giovanni Vecchio back on the path of a mystery he'd abandoned years before. He never expected a young librarian could hold the key to the search, nor could he have expected the danger she would attract. Now he and Beatrice De Novo will follow a twisted maze that leads from the archives of a university library, through the fires of Renaissance Florence, and toward a confrontation they never could have predicted.

 A Hidden Fire is a paranormal mystery/romance for adult readers. It is the first book in the Elemental Mysteries Series    

(via Goodreads)

"Tell the truth, Giovanni Vecchio." A mischievous look came to her eye. "You have a butler, a cool car, and I've only seen you at night..." 

He froze, tension suddenly evident in the set of his shoulders. Beatrice leaned closer and whispered, "You're Batman, aren't you?"

This debut novel by Elizabeth and the first in the Elemental Mysteries series was published last October. Luckily for you readers who decide to give it a try, This Same Earth (book 2) and The Force of Wind (book 3) are now available.

But back to A Hidden Fire... This is quite a refreshing addition to the paranormal romance genre that has, for me, become kind of stagnant. Elizabeth adds a new twist to the paranormal by what she has created that I find highly entertaining. I won't say what the twist is, you just have to read it for yourself to find out but it’s not something I’ve read before.

The cast of characters she has created are all very likable and I find myself wanting to know more about them. *Ahem Carwyn ahem*

Meet Beatrice De Novo AKA B:
According to Gio ~ Despite her rather common accent, the girl’s voice held a faint quality which told him at least one of her parents was a native Spanish speaker. Her thick, black hair was pulled into a low ponytail at the nape of her neck, and she was dressed in a black button-down shirt and slim skirt. He smiled when he saw the tops of her tall Doc Marten boots almost touching her knees.

Beatrice lives with her grandmother Isadora in Houston while attending college for Library Sciences at Houston University. She has worked part time at the campus library for close to three years when her schedule changes altering the course of her life as she knows it. Hmmm, lucky girl gets switched to Wednesday nights and meets the tall, dark and handsome Dr. Vecchio who just happens to be there on those nights to research a Tibetan manuscript for his colleague Tenzin.

Their first encounter is promising:

He could feel the smile crawl across his face. “I meant no disrespect…I’m sorry, what was your name?”  

“Just call me B,” she said, glancing down at some handwritten notes.  

From where he was standing, Giovanni could see the familiar scrawl of Mrs. Martin’s handwriting.  

“B? As in the second letter of the Latin alphabet?” he asked, walking closer to the desk.  

“No, the Etruscan. I’m wild like that,” she muttered and glanced up. 

Carwyn is one of Gio’s few trusted friends and I adore him completely. Where else do you read about a vampire Priest who has a penchant for wearing Hawaiian shirts?

“I’m coming for a visit,” the priest had informed him. “A proper one.”  

“Out of whiskey or deer?”  

“Neither, Sparky. You’re getting in one of your moods again, I can tell.” Carwyn’s Welsh accent tripped across the phone line.  

“Oh, you can tell from across an ocean? You must be old,” Giovanni quipped in the library as he spoke on the old rotary phone. “I don’t need last rites yet, Father.”  

“No, but you do need a bit of fun. That’s why I’m interrupting my very busy drinking and eating regimen to come for a visit.”

There are parts in this story that involve professional wrestling and B and Carwyn passing notes back and forth in the library that has me cracking up...

Do you like Gio? Check yes or no. He had sketched two small boxes underneath the question with a large arrow pointing to the “yes” box. 

She rolled her eyes and wrote back. How can you be this childish after a thousand years?  

He raised his eyebrows and jotted down. That’s not a yes or no.

Seriously one of my favorite side characters ever and I hope he eventually gets his own story.

Honorable mentions go out to Caspar, Isadora and Tenzin. Other great side characters that are just as involved as the main characters.

Gio and B are working together to track down a mysterious book that once belonged to Gio. If only it was that easy. Who knew tracking down a book could be such a dangerous adventure? From shared whiskey samplers at pubs to private islands in Greece and the valleys of Chile, the plot is paced perfectly. Non-stop mystery that is intriguing, a growing attraction between B and Gio and a satisfying ending. Never once did it drag or make me want to take a break. It's one of those books I just couldn't put down. Though the ending wasn't a major cliffhanger, the story of Gio and B is not finished. I love that Elizabeth is taking her time for personal character development as well as any relationship developments. It’s so much more believable this way, or at least as believable as the paranormal can get! ;)

Carwyn rolled his eyes. “Silly B, love is friendship…just with less clothes, which makes it far more brilliant.”

 A Fall of Water Blog Tour 
Stay tuned for more details!