Bound by Elements

Elemental #0.5

by Chloe O'Connor

Long ago, mystical creatures governed the realm, maintaining the delicate balance between good and evil.

But as time passed, their presence faded into legend, and they vanished into hiding—forgotten by the world they once protected.

Until now.



When Arthur, an ordinary water elemental fae, suddenly unlocks extraordinary powers, the balance begins to shift once more. As tensions rise and ancient forces stir, one question

Will Arthur be the realm’s salvation—or its destruction?

And can the forgotten myths rise again to restore what was lost?

113 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 25, 2025

About the author

Chloe was born in Melbourne, Australia, in 1994.
She is a wife to Tom & a wonderful mother to 2 little boys, Edward & Harry.

​
Chloe's passion for writing has always been with her; throughout school, she would ace English & storytelling.
It wasn't until she became a book blogger for authors back in 2015/2016 that she discovered her own characters, begging for their story to be told.
The Precious Trilogy was born in 2016 and was published a year later.
C. Renee pen name is home to her romance stories.
Genres will include suspense, contemporary, historical, murder mystery, etc.


Chloe O'Connor pen name was born in 2024. Writing her first fantasy, she knew it was like coming home. Fantasy will always have Chloe's heart, and writing the magical worlds will be her number 1 passion.

Reviews

[Lorna Hadley]

Bound by elements is the prequel to the Elemental Series by Chloe O’Connor!
This was a solid 4 ⭐️ read for me.
It was a short, sharp, heart wrenching look into the back story of the Elemental series. Kind of like an origin story as to where the myths and lore have come from.
We follow Arthur our MC who is gifted with additional powers to those he was born with. We follow his journey to understanding these powers and the perils that it comes with.
I’ve already started the first book in the elemental series (the lure of fire), and reading the prequel does give some additional insights to help your understanding.

[Rhiannon Cheyenne]

Bound by Elements - Chloe O’Connor

I was hooked from the first page. I really enjoy this author‘s fantasy. I really like how the magic system is set up in this book and in the series. Arthur is such an interesting character, and I cannot wait to read more about him in the other books. I really enjoyed getting to meet the other characters like Mary, Delilah, and Daisy. I’m very excited to see what happens next.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Out of 5 Stars ⭐️

🌶️ / Spice Rating ☀️

# of Pages 🌙 113 pages

Release Date 🌟 11/25/25

Format 💫 Gifted Digital Copy

Series 🌙 The Elemental Series, #0.5

Genre/Tropes ✨ fantasy, elemental magic, elemental fae

Favorite Character ☀️ Arthur

Favorite Line 🌟 ‘I will always mourn what could have been.’

[Mandy Enchantedbookduo]

Rating
4 💎
0.5 🌶️

Quick Summary
Loved the mix of magical concepts and mythical creatures. This novella felt like a complete story, not just a snippet. Arthur’s struggle with his unexpected gift and those emotional moments really pulled me in; now I can’t wait to dive into book one!

Reading Thoughts
📔Interesting character perspectives
📔Arthur has been gifted with something he wasn’t expecting and not sure how to handle so it was intriguing to see how he deals with this
📔Novella’s can sometimes fall flat as you do not have enough information however this book was a full story with all of the magic concepts and wonderfully written story
📔Some emotional situations that pulled on my heart strings.
📔Love the magical system concepts and the mystical creatures, cannot wait to read book 1 now

Words that linger
🍷I couldn’t bear to lose you, my love for you is eternal, please know you are enough, in this lifetime and to the next.”
🍷For now, something is brewing in the Fae lands. I can’t put my claw on it, but there’s a shift in the magic.
🍷The balance of it all, the shift in good and evil. That’s something we need to keep a close eye on.

Tropes
💧Fantasy Romance
💧Mythical creatures
💧Elemental magic
💧Tragedy
💧Powerful love

[Marissa]

Bound By Elements is a short but engaging read that gently opens the door into the lore of The Elemental Series.

Arthur is a water elemental fae who is grounded in family and routine, a devoted husband, father, uncle, and farmer. What begins as quiet reflection, sparked by a simple question from his daughter, slowly shifts into something far more unsettling as his magic begins to change in ways he does not fully understand. Watching Arthur navigate this uncertainty felt both heartfelt and emotionally resonant.

Despite its shorter length, this story offers enough depth to establish the world, the magic system, and the foundational lore for what is to come. The pacing is quick, yet it still makes room for moments that feel tender, loving, and heartbreaking. There is a strong emotional contrast between the warmth of family and the adrenaline of sudden change, alongside the thrill of uncovering long forgotten mythical elements.

This was a satisfying and impactful introduction, and it left me genuinely curious and eager to continue the series. Book one has officially been added to my TBR.

I received this book as an ARC, however this review reflects my honest thoughts and feelings, shared voluntarily.

[Lumie]

Thank you to Chloe O’Connor for the ARC.

Plot 4/5
Characters 3.5/5
Ending 3.5/5
Interest 3.5/5

Overall 3.5/5

-I kind of wish I had the lore of the other books. Because this prequel is interesting in itself but I’m sure that it would have been all the more intriguing knowing what happens next. The world itself with the elemental magic and each person having its own element is really interesting and then seeing the one character earn the other elements was great.

-I didn’t particularly connect with the characters seeing as the book is very short. But I have to say that they household the story takes place with is very interesting. A small, seemingly normal family, a cousin whose mother passes away and the father who wished for greatness. It all blends together quite well, along with the elemental magic coming into play.

-The ending leaves so much for curiosity. It’s definitely an open ending which makes sense since it’s a prequel, but now it really does make me want to read about this world and how it turns out from this point onwards.

[Jennifer Michelle]

Need a book to read in one sitting? This is the perfect read. Need a powerful short read? This is the perfect read. Need a book with background into a world unknown, this is the perfect read.

This is a true prequel into a world full of adventure. I am super excited to read on where this book filled me in with what is needed to know.

What I absolutely loved about the book was the chain of events, the characters I met along the way and the pace of the book. It was a true introductory to a world that I’ve never seen before. What I love is having some background of what I have a feeling is coming. This book was very detailed, and to the point. I connected with characters and went through the emotions with the characters. As hard as some of the book was, it was worth pushing through, and I’m looking forward to the actual heart of the books I am going to read.

[Rose Jayde BookNook]

Bound by Elements by Chloe O'Connor is a prequel to her Elemental Series. If you like magic and magical creatures, adventure and novellas - this might be a good one for you!!

BLURB:
Long ago, mystical creatures governed the realm, maintaining the delicate balance between good and evil.

But as time passed, their presence faded into legend, and they vanished into hiding-forgotten by the world they once protected.

Until now.

When Arthur, an ordinary water elemental fae, suddenly unlocks extraordinary powers, the balance begins to shift once more. As tensions rise and ancient forces stir, one question looms:

Will Arthur be the realm's salvation-or its destruction?

And can the forgotten myths rise again to restore what was lost?

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
Thanks Chloe for the ARC. I really enjoyed it.

[Stacey Mckernan]

Bound by elements is a story about elemental fae and mythical creatures.
Arthur an ordinary water element fae suddenly unlocks the powers to control other elements causing a magical shift and a lot of tensions running high.

My thoughts: I do love a magical story especially one about the elements and mythical creatures. It was a slow start for me, however once it got on with the story I was hooked. The writing is well paced, the characters are well thought out. For such a short story, it included love, family, action, grief, magical and mythical elements. It also had the tiniest bit of spice.
I do wish it was longer and the ending has left me wanting more (in a good way).

For me this is 4 Stars.

[Jasmine]

Bound by Elements is a book that will pull you into a world where legends and elemental magic are intertwined, where the line between reality and myth is blurred. The book is about an ordinary water elemental fae whose life is about to change in very extraordinary ways.

I am giving this book 4 stars because I enjoyed it, and I enjoyed the concept, the idea of elemental fae, and the atmosphere of the book. There are a few moments in the book that I feel could be improved, but I must say that I enjoyed it, and I am happy with how it has ended, and I am interested in seeing where the author will take this story next.

A good read if you enjoy: Fantasy with folklore, character depth, and elemental feels.

[Angelique Koster]

It is unique in quite a few ways. It has elemental users which are born in clusters which reminds me of The Last Airbender a bit especially since one man/fae ends up being able to use many different elements.

The mythical beings add a different element especially since they have a council of elders that govern is intriguing. For a prequel it was a relatively easy read as it does set the world up rather well. I'm unsure if I will continue this series though when the rest come out as it didn't captivate me enough to fulfill that craving for more.

I feel this is an easy read for readers that enjoy simplistic storytelling.

[Karin Ivens]

Bound by Elements is a short but intriguing introduction to the world Chloe O’Connor is creating. It feels almost like an origin story, setting up the myths, lore and magical world while introducing mystical creatures.
For a novella, I thought the pacing was really well done. There’s enough happening to keep you interested without feeling rushed, although the ending definitely leaves you wanting more! I’m really looking forward to continuing Arthur’s story and seeing where the mythology, magic and his journey take us next.
Overall, a quick and enjoyable introduction to what looks like it could become a really interesting romantasy world.


Tropes:
Fae
Elemental magic
Romantasy
Tragedy

[Vallenreads]

This book was not for me, but it may be for someone else. I received an early copy for review but it seems that it wasn’t the final version as it was riddled with errors and inconsistencies, and that just pulled me out of the story and I found that I couldn’t enjoy it. That is not to say that someone else won’t. So please, give an indie author a chance and read it for yourself to make up your own mind.

[Emelie Williams]

This was such an amazing prequel! It really spiked my interest to read the rest of the books in the main series. It was fast paced, interesting and intriguing. I just wanted to read more and the reading went easy (even though English isn’t my first language). Love the elemental powers and the bonds! I want to explore more!

[Owen Hera-Singh]

As a prequel, and given I haven’t read the main series, this was an interesting read, and makes me want to read the main series.

With a short story there’s not many places to fix but it was well paced, and sets the scene for the rest of the series - which is all you can ask for from a prequel.

Fae have 1 elemental affinity, and humans have none. Then Arthur comes along.

[Hannah M Burrow]

I was lucky to be given the chance to review Bound by Elements of my own accord, through being offered an eARC.

Interesting start to a larger series.
Fae elemental magic, mythical creatures, death and loss of family.
A short read, but not an easy read.
An intriguing concept, hopefully with further expansion and exploration in future books.

[Aussie]

this was such heart wrenching that looks into the elemental series which i cant wait to dive in that series . I love how the characters were so easily to connect to . I couldnt get enough of this story

[Disneynerd719]

Prequel
Need a powerful short read? This is it. Loved the mix of magical concepts and mythical creatures. An enjoyable novella that sets up the world nicely.
Tropes
💧Fantasy Romance
💧Mythical creatures
💧Elemental magic
💧Tragedy
💧Powerful love

[Cerberus Library]

An enjoyable novella that sets up the world nicely. I enjoyed learning about the mythical creatures and the abilities that they can give. Arthur seems like a kind person. I would appreciate a bit more about the MC daughter. Which I'm hoping we find out about in the main series.

[Nini]

3.5⭐️
I got an arc, but my rating/review are my own!

review coming soon...

[Mary-Anne]

I don't normally read fantasy genres, but I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised.
I really enjoyed this story.
I can't wait to read more.