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Elemental Trilogy #1
Elemental Rising
When Maia returns home to Elveron from her final test on Earth, something unexpected happens and she ends up in a coma. When she finally wakes, she realises that she has brought with her the very thing she tried to leave behind.
Faced with responsibilities she thinks she is not ready for, a love she does not reciprocate and a threat to her people that might kill them all, she is suddenly forced to become what she is meant to be – a Prime.
But she is not alone. She has her mentor, Silas, and her dragon, Midnight, who stand by her side as she embarks on an adventure to save not just herself, but the rest of the nation of Grildor as well.
“Cox has created characters; a world; a story that is Tolkien worthy. She has developed something unique and rich in imagination.” Sian B. Claven (TBB)
“Maia is an incredible character to follow. Toni Cox has managed to bring something new, exciting, and seriously addictive to the fore.” Robyn Victoria Castles (TBB)
Faced with responsibilities she thinks she is not ready for, a love she does not reciprocate and a threat to her people that might kill them all, she is suddenly forced to become what she is meant to be – a Prime.
But she is not alone. She has her mentor, Silas, and her dragon, Midnight, who stand by her side as she embarks on an adventure to save not just herself, but the rest of the nation of Grildor as well.
“Cox has created characters; a world; a story that is Tolkien worthy. She has developed something unique and rich in imagination.” Sian B. Claven (TBB)
“Maia is an incredible character to follow. Toni Cox has managed to bring something new, exciting, and seriously addictive to the fore.” Robyn Victoria Castles (TBB)
- GenresFantasy
394 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2016
60 people are currently reading
561 people want to read
About the author
Toni Cox
31 books517 followersBorn in Germany in 1976, Toni Cox moved to South Africa in 1991. Although she has spent much of her working career in the timber wholesale business, she is also an accomplished horse rider, has a diploma in project management, photography, and nutrition, and has a passion for books and all things fantasy.
From a young age, her dream had always been to put her imagination into words - give the stories life. When she was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis in 2013, she decided life is too short not to follow her dream. So, with the support of her husband and three children, she began writing book 1 of the Elemental Trilogy in January 2015.
Toni Cox writes Epic Fantasy, Young Adult Fantasy, Sci-Fi Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Dystopian Fantasy, and Dark Fantasy. She is a firm believer in dragons.
From a young age, her dream had always been to put her imagination into words - give the stories life. When she was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis in 2013, she decided life is too short not to follow her dream. So, with the support of her husband and three children, she began writing book 1 of the Elemental Trilogy in January 2015.
Toni Cox writes Epic Fantasy, Young Adult Fantasy, Sci-Fi Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Dystopian Fantasy, and Dark Fantasy. She is a firm believer in dragons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
April 30, 2018
Upon her return from her final test on Earth, Maia makes a monumental mistake that puts her in a coma and almost claims her life. But when she wakes, she realizes that the worst is not over yet; she has brought back with her the very thing she tried to leave behind. Faced with responsibilities she thinks she is not ready for, a love she does not reciprocate, and a threat to her people that might kill them all, she is suddenly forced to become what she is supposed to be-a Prime. But she is not ready, and she struggles to save not just herself and the people she loves but the rest of the nation of Grildor as well.
This is one of the harder genres for me to review unbiased – not because I dish out favourable reviews for fantasy books but because I don’t. Fantasy has always been one of my favourite genres so my expectations for a fantasy based book is always higher. This being said let’s take a look at Elemental Rising by Toni Cox.
Firstly the cover – It was a hard one for me. This is Cox’s first book and I had an earlier copy. I know the first book a writer posts is generally the one where they find their feet and I have seen the updated cover jacket for the book and I have to say it is pretty great. It hasn’t got a great deal of detail in terms of relation to the book – because trust me looking at the cover and then reading the book I was more like WOAH where did that come from! But isn’t that a cover is for? To draw you in and then let the book take you by surprise?
For me the story didn’t really start in the beginning of the book – where the story is based on Earth although I would like to mention here that Cox had an interesting look at the state of the Earth for her book because it is certainly an Earth I can imagine us heading into if something doesn’t change soon – it almost had a Terra Nova Earth feel to it – but with better explanations as to how it actually works; a more realistic look at Earth than Terra Nova had.
The story for me really starts when we land on Maia’s home planet. The interesting thing about this to me; and it is so hard for me to do this because I don’t want to spoil ANYTHING; is that Cox did not lump all the creatures that would be considered mythical into one realm or planet in her story but rather divided them across.... well different places. For me this was interesting because generally a lot of fantasy books tend to be like LOOK! HUMAN! Goes to magical place! LOOK! Magical place has all magical creatures – in some form or another – that human didn’t believe me!
Instead of doing the shock factor way of introducing the fantasy portion of her story by just dumping a whole bunch of creatures in a human’s world; Cox brings it about in such a natural way that for a long time I had to check if my ears were pointy or not because I so desperately wanted them to be. I am disappointed they are not.
The other things about Cox’s writing which is something I rarely experience is that there were no mix ups of the worlds; city names; leaders name etc. When delving into a fantasy story of this calibre it is REALLY hard because there is so much detail involved but Cox clearly loves her characters and her lands and has got into a lot of effort to work on the first book in this series and I can’t wait for the second!
That being said; my thoughts on the book are probably already conveyed. But if I can make it clearer; the greatest fantasy story in my opinion is Tolkien’s works (every single one of them) and I have extremely high standards. Closely behind that would be the likes of Anne Rice; Stephen King (fantasy and horror – two bonuses). Cox has created characters; a world; a story that is Tolkien worthy in my opinion. This book is absolutely amazing. The attention to details is phenomenal. The names of the places and people are easy to remember but still magical sounding and Cox clearly knows how to develop a story extremely well without complicating everything or missing important steps for all her characters development. Specifically Maia’s character development surprised me but at the same time really sealed my opinion of Cox’s writing. She does not deliver an a-typical fantasy book that one can come across most shelves of book stores – she has developed something unique and rich in imagination.
The only thing that might turn me away from this book is the blurb as I feel it could have been done more justice!
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves Fantasy.
Review Rating: 5/5
More Information:
This is one of the harder genres for me to review unbiased – not because I dish out favourable reviews for fantasy books but because I don’t. Fantasy has always been one of my favourite genres so my expectations for a fantasy based book is always higher. This being said let’s take a look at Elemental Rising by Toni Cox.
Firstly the cover – It was a hard one for me. This is Cox’s first book and I had an earlier copy. I know the first book a writer posts is generally the one where they find their feet and I have seen the updated cover jacket for the book and I have to say it is pretty great. It hasn’t got a great deal of detail in terms of relation to the book – because trust me looking at the cover and then reading the book I was more like WOAH where did that come from! But isn’t that a cover is for? To draw you in and then let the book take you by surprise?
For me the story didn’t really start in the beginning of the book – where the story is based on Earth although I would like to mention here that Cox had an interesting look at the state of the Earth for her book because it is certainly an Earth I can imagine us heading into if something doesn’t change soon – it almost had a Terra Nova Earth feel to it – but with better explanations as to how it actually works; a more realistic look at Earth than Terra Nova had.
The story for me really starts when we land on Maia’s home planet. The interesting thing about this to me; and it is so hard for me to do this because I don’t want to spoil ANYTHING; is that Cox did not lump all the creatures that would be considered mythical into one realm or planet in her story but rather divided them across.... well different places. For me this was interesting because generally a lot of fantasy books tend to be like LOOK! HUMAN! Goes to magical place! LOOK! Magical place has all magical creatures – in some form or another – that human didn’t believe me!
Instead of doing the shock factor way of introducing the fantasy portion of her story by just dumping a whole bunch of creatures in a human’s world; Cox brings it about in such a natural way that for a long time I had to check if my ears were pointy or not because I so desperately wanted them to be. I am disappointed they are not.
The other things about Cox’s writing which is something I rarely experience is that there were no mix ups of the worlds; city names; leaders name etc. When delving into a fantasy story of this calibre it is REALLY hard because there is so much detail involved but Cox clearly loves her characters and her lands and has got into a lot of effort to work on the first book in this series and I can’t wait for the second!
That being said; my thoughts on the book are probably already conveyed. But if I can make it clearer; the greatest fantasy story in my opinion is Tolkien’s works (every single one of them) and I have extremely high standards. Closely behind that would be the likes of Anne Rice; Stephen King (fantasy and horror – two bonuses). Cox has created characters; a world; a story that is Tolkien worthy in my opinion. This book is absolutely amazing. The attention to details is phenomenal. The names of the places and people are easy to remember but still magical sounding and Cox clearly knows how to develop a story extremely well without complicating everything or missing important steps for all her characters development. Specifically Maia’s character development surprised me but at the same time really sealed my opinion of Cox’s writing. She does not deliver an a-typical fantasy book that one can come across most shelves of book stores – she has developed something unique and rich in imagination.
The only thing that might turn me away from this book is the blurb as I feel it could have been done more justice!
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves Fantasy.
Review Rating: 5/5
More Information:
July 11, 2019
The world building for this novel is highly detailed and extensive. The specifics of how the Elves live on their world was so interesting; I almost wanted to go there to learn from and live with them!
Don't let the vast number of characters that are introduced overwhelm you - there is a handy glossary at the end of the book that helps keep all the Elves straight! The story itself is fascinating. Even with longer scenes focusing on history or crafting in the Elvish culture, I never got bored or lost interest. All of the main characters feel so real that I almost expected them to walk right out of the book. There is one short love scene, but otherwise it is a very clean fantasy adventure.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via Voracious Readers Only*
Don't let the vast number of characters that are introduced overwhelm you - there is a handy glossary at the end of the book that helps keep all the Elves straight! The story itself is fascinating. Even with longer scenes focusing on history or crafting in the Elvish culture, I never got bored or lost interest. All of the main characters feel so real that I almost expected them to walk right out of the book. There is one short love scene, but otherwise it is a very clean fantasy adventure.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via Voracious Readers Only*
October 17, 2019
I received this from Voracious Readers Only in exchange for an honest review. Tremendous world building - I was still expecting to figure out how Maia’s earth family got where they did, but there was too much other actions happening . Well written, great development of characters, look forward to the next instalment !
April 27, 2017
What is a good story and how does one define it? Well that is simple, it needs to be captivating till the end. Captivating is definitely what I would call this book by new Author Toni Cox.
Elemental Rising is the first book in a trilogy, it is a strong start to an amazingly unique fantasy tale.
Maia's tale is one of the most developed and rich stories I've read in a long while.
The beginning of the story where Maia is on Earth has to be the one of the most realistic depiction of what our earth could be if things did not change.... That said, this is not a Science Fiction novel, it is wonderfully packed full of fantastic fantasy and magic.
The Character development in this book was absolutely superb, I was able to really relate to each of the characters on a different level.
If action is what you are after then look no further, Elemental Rising will not disappoint.
As for the plot, this tale flowed as natural as a river with as many rapids as the great white waters of a waterfall, it is riveting.
Maia's journey is one of self-discovery and one that will keep you fixated on the trilogy till the very end.
I am excited to see were Toni Cox will take us next.
A story excellently told!
Bravo!!
Elemental Rising is the first book in a trilogy, it is a strong start to an amazingly unique fantasy tale.
Maia's tale is one of the most developed and rich stories I've read in a long while.
The beginning of the story where Maia is on Earth has to be the one of the most realistic depiction of what our earth could be if things did not change.... That said, this is not a Science Fiction novel, it is wonderfully packed full of fantastic fantasy and magic.
The Character development in this book was absolutely superb, I was able to really relate to each of the characters on a different level.
If action is what you are after then look no further, Elemental Rising will not disappoint.
As for the plot, this tale flowed as natural as a river with as many rapids as the great white waters of a waterfall, it is riveting.
Maia's journey is one of self-discovery and one that will keep you fixated on the trilogy till the very end.
I am excited to see were Toni Cox will take us next.
A story excellently told!
Bravo!!
April 4, 2017
A great read and serious page turner. I really enjoyed how the story flows along, finding out about the characters and learning abit more about them as the story develops.
I class a great book as something that keeps your attention throughout, and leaves you wanting
more when that final page is turned, this does exactly that.
Seeing that this is a TRILOGY, I cant wait for book two.
I class a great book as something that keeps your attention throughout, and leaves you wanting
more when that final page is turned, this does exactly that.
Seeing that this is a TRILOGY, I cant wait for book two.
May 30, 2018
I was completely drawn into this world the author has crafted. The scenery is easy to envision, and you quickly become lost to the 'normal' world. The characters are well developed and the storyline flows really well with some twists and a little action, the book will completely hold your attention. Cannot wait for the 2nd book.
February 26, 2019
This is a wonderful fantasy book, first in an exciting new series. I loved the characters, especially the spirited Maia, the world-building, and the adventure. I am definitely looking to explore more of this great series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 7, 2019
Exciting, heart pounding and fantaatic
May 1, 2022
Imagining a family on earth with a father Aaron with 2 kids Luke and Jasmine and his wife Lisa thats dying in cancer. One night the wife takes off the family follow and when they catches up with her, someting happening. The whole family get transported from earth to another planet.And when they wake up,now what is more interesting is that they find out that the wife is actually a princess and not only that but a elemental and a elf. As that wasnt enough she is also a elemental Prime one of the most powerful elementals in existence. How will the humans handle this and the wife is named Maia here on Elveron. And now she is faced with responsibilites thats more than one person can handle. The peace of the planet are disturbed by attacks from vampires and werwolfs but in the middle of this war Maia who are a Life elemental find love with the Death elemental Blaid a forbidden realationship. She will do everything to be with him anyway. This book have it all romance, broken hearts,acton, suspense, hope for a future and worries of the end of the world. And of course DRAGONS. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to leave the everyday for a while and be transported to a magical universe where the characters are easy to relate to and the description of the world all around is so perfect you can imaging actually be there. One of my all time favourite books, Cant recommend it enough and after you read this one you just have to get the next 2 in the trilogy and then the Elemantal novellas.
April 16, 2021
Unique and Entertaining!
For me this book had an unexpected beginning. Then, with an amazing early twist the plot develops into a gripping and wonderful read with well crafted writing. I found this book a unique and entertaining experience. With charismatic characters who have unique abilities in a beautiful world. Dragons and other creatures. And a great battle. I felt like this book was an epic and breathtaking journey. This book was imaginative and captivating. I can't wait to read book two!
For me this book had an unexpected beginning. Then, with an amazing early twist the plot develops into a gripping and wonderful read with well crafted writing. I found this book a unique and entertaining experience. With charismatic characters who have unique abilities in a beautiful world. Dragons and other creatures. And a great battle. I felt like this book was an epic and breathtaking journey. This book was imaginative and captivating. I can't wait to read book two!
May 2, 2022
The good news is that the author solved the Stonehenge mystery for us. It's the gateway to Elveron. Come along for the ride as the story reveals Elveron and the Elves to us, uninformed humans.
Maia is a Life Elemental. The reader will learn what that means as Elveron is revealed. There is conflict of the mind and soul with the quick transition from Earth to Elveron. Then to discover there is far more than just these two worlds. Read along to enjoy the ride.
Maia is a Life Elemental. The reader will learn what that means as Elveron is revealed. There is conflict of the mind and soul with the quick transition from Earth to Elveron. Then to discover there is far more than just these two worlds. Read along to enjoy the ride.
May 16, 2018
Okay so this book is amazing! Author Toni Cox has a great talent of writing descriptions, I could easily visualize the book. The characters were good and 3 dimensional. It was easy to emotinally connect with the characters. I loved those elves in it. I highly recommend this book.
May 1, 2018
What a magical tale; so well-crafted and absorbing; an amazing array of characters; I have become emotionally invested; I need to continue with the tale – Well Done Toni Cox – A Masterpiece
July 11, 2019
This book was a wonderful read! I loved the characters and how well they were written. I can't wait to get the next book in this trilogy.! If you like reading about elves this is a must read!
April 10, 2017
The Book(excerpt from authors Facebook page)
Follow Maia on her journey as she learns what it means to be an adult Elf, an Elemental and the Prime of her people. Her story is fraught with perilous challenges, terrifying nightmares and raging battles of war. But she has her mentor, Silas, and her dragon, Midnight, who help guide her to the final challenge. There she discovers that she has never been complete until then and her life changes … forever.
What I liked
1. Maia is an incredible character to follow. I love that she is strong, determined and feisty while still showing moments of weakness, anxiety and self-doubt. She’s relatable and had my support throughout the book
2. DRAGONS! Midnight is my new favourite. I couldn’t believe how well Toni managed to bring such deeply moving characteristics to a Dragon that left me waiting for him to shape shift into a human.
3. Intense relationship development. THIS though! Oh my gosh! There is such a subtle lead up to potential developments and twists that my heart was racing a mile a minute by the time I reached the end. I assumed I knew how things would play out, but obviously I was wrong and now I have no idea how I feel about Aaron/Maia.
4. I want to visit Elveron. The descriptions are beautifully managed and facilitated a very easy imaginative following in me, allowing a lovely imagined movie to play through my mind as I read.
5. Emotional Rollercoaster ride. OK, maybe this isn’t everyone’s cuppa but I thoroughly enjoyed that I constantly had to check myself as I read. You experience the anticipation, the excitement, the dread or fear – all of it with each of the characters
6. It is Book One of a Trilogy – Which means all is not lost, it isn’t over. I get to enjoy even more from Maia and her clan. And I get to have questions answered just to be lead into asking more questions
7. Fast paced and easy to follow. There is something which will appeal to everyone, magic, love, adventure even a bit of a mystery theme with Maia’s attempts to unravel the solution to her problems
What I disliked
1. I battled just a wee bit with the number of characters that we are introduced to. But then I did a naughty thing. And I went riiiighhhht to the end of the book. And found a brilliant little readers guide to them all. This really helped me in maintaining a smooth reading progress.
2. It’s Book One of a Trilogy. Yes. I know that’s what I liked about it. But guys. Now I have to try and wait for Book 2! How!? Am I capable of such patience?
My Conclusion
Some genres, I imagine, make it particularly difficult for new authors to break through into writing and finding success. Fantasy I consider to be one such genre as there really is a risk of falling into an almost monotonous and repeated story line. I have experienced a number of instances where one author writes almost exactly like another, with similar character histories or interactions. Toni Cox has managed to bring something new, exciting, and seriously addictive to the fore and I am beyond thrilled to have been allowed a chance to join Maia, and cannot wait to do so again.
While this is definitely suited mostly for fantasy fans, I think anyone looking for a new or different-from-their-usual read, will enjoy it immensely.
Now if you’ll excuse me my book-hang over is flaring up again.
This review along with all the others we do will be available on our website soon. Head on over and subscribe! http://tbbmaniacs.wixsite.com/reviews
Follow Maia on her journey as she learns what it means to be an adult Elf, an Elemental and the Prime of her people. Her story is fraught with perilous challenges, terrifying nightmares and raging battles of war. But she has her mentor, Silas, and her dragon, Midnight, who help guide her to the final challenge. There she discovers that she has never been complete until then and her life changes … forever.
What I liked
1. Maia is an incredible character to follow. I love that she is strong, determined and feisty while still showing moments of weakness, anxiety and self-doubt. She’s relatable and had my support throughout the book
2. DRAGONS! Midnight is my new favourite. I couldn’t believe how well Toni managed to bring such deeply moving characteristics to a Dragon that left me waiting for him to shape shift into a human.
3. Intense relationship development. THIS though! Oh my gosh! There is such a subtle lead up to potential developments and twists that my heart was racing a mile a minute by the time I reached the end. I assumed I knew how things would play out, but obviously I was wrong and now I have no idea how I feel about Aaron/Maia.
4. I want to visit Elveron. The descriptions are beautifully managed and facilitated a very easy imaginative following in me, allowing a lovely imagined movie to play through my mind as I read.
5. Emotional Rollercoaster ride. OK, maybe this isn’t everyone’s cuppa but I thoroughly enjoyed that I constantly had to check myself as I read. You experience the anticipation, the excitement, the dread or fear – all of it with each of the characters
6. It is Book One of a Trilogy – Which means all is not lost, it isn’t over. I get to enjoy even more from Maia and her clan. And I get to have questions answered just to be lead into asking more questions
7. Fast paced and easy to follow. There is something which will appeal to everyone, magic, love, adventure even a bit of a mystery theme with Maia’s attempts to unravel the solution to her problems
What I disliked
1. I battled just a wee bit with the number of characters that we are introduced to. But then I did a naughty thing. And I went riiiighhhht to the end of the book. And found a brilliant little readers guide to them all. This really helped me in maintaining a smooth reading progress.
2. It’s Book One of a Trilogy. Yes. I know that’s what I liked about it. But guys. Now I have to try and wait for Book 2! How!? Am I capable of such patience?
My Conclusion
Some genres, I imagine, make it particularly difficult for new authors to break through into writing and finding success. Fantasy I consider to be one such genre as there really is a risk of falling into an almost monotonous and repeated story line. I have experienced a number of instances where one author writes almost exactly like another, with similar character histories or interactions. Toni Cox has managed to bring something new, exciting, and seriously addictive to the fore and I am beyond thrilled to have been allowed a chance to join Maia, and cannot wait to do so again.
While this is definitely suited mostly for fantasy fans, I think anyone looking for a new or different-from-their-usual read, will enjoy it immensely.
Now if you’ll excuse me my book-hang over is flaring up again.
This review along with all the others we do will be available on our website soon. Head on over and subscribe! http://tbbmaniacs.wixsite.com/reviews
June 17, 2019
Elves and the elements.
Awesome Story line with lots of twist and turns. She returned to her home on another world. Her husband and two children came along somehow. Makes a great story and her being an element for Life. 5 senses. I'm looking forward to the next book.
Awesome Story line with lots of twist and turns. She returned to her home on another world. Her husband and two children came along somehow. Makes a great story and her being an element for Life. 5 senses. I'm looking forward to the next book.
June 12, 2019
She has trained all her life to be the elemental of her people but she has brought something with her and she fails the final test. What is she going to do? Can she over come the problem and be what she must be? See what will happen
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 16, 2018
Toni Cox has an amazing story. She has this gift of description. she could describe colours to the blind. I could see everything and everyone throughout her book without difficulty and the vast characters are deliciously thought out. I love the Elven Lore combined with the Dragon Lore that is so well entwined with the story. I wish I could go to Elveron so that I could live among the peaceful beauty. I feel that the story could have ended with a more shocking cliff hanger. While I enjoy the surprise of the Life and Death elementals falling in love, I feel that Maia was a bit too easy to accept him. I would have liked to see more of a distain for him or rather a mistrust. I also feel that the chapters could be shorter. It took me a while to get used to the writing Style of the book but I feel that there were many breaks in the chapters that could have been different chapters. I bought a First Edition and received a lovely note from the author excusing any mistakes found and I must say for the first edition, I am quite impressed. Overall I loved the book and I am so excited to learn more about Elveron and her people.
February 11, 2018
Elemental Rising follows Maia on her journey back home when she mistakenly brings her human family with her. A family she once loved dearly, a lifetime ago, but she's a very different person now and it takes her time to reconnect with them and deal with the ever-constant shadow of Death and the threat of Vampyres.
One of the things I truly loved and admired about this book, is the anger and bitterness felt by her human husband Aaron. He feels betrayed and cheated, how dare she not tell him she was an elf! The way that you can feel beneath his anger he's completely hurt by this comes across so powerfully you can't help but connect with him as he goes through the steps of coming to terms with who she really is and what parts of their life together were real and which parts were a lie.
Then there's Jasmin who is just this constant ray of sunshine and Luke who is this ever-present and steadfast young boy who captures your heart with both the gentleness that is him and his sister.
Anytime Salis enters the story, the reader is just automatically calmed, like everything's ok, he's here now. in spite of all the looming threats, he's here now.
I'm completely torn between Death and Aaron :( I have to read the next book to find out more!
One of the things I truly loved and admired about this book, is the anger and bitterness felt by her human husband Aaron. He feels betrayed and cheated, how dare she not tell him she was an elf! The way that you can feel beneath his anger he's completely hurt by this comes across so powerfully you can't help but connect with him as he goes through the steps of coming to terms with who she really is and what parts of their life together were real and which parts were a lie.
Then there's Jasmin who is just this constant ray of sunshine and Luke who is this ever-present and steadfast young boy who captures your heart with both the gentleness that is him and his sister.
Anytime Salis enters the story, the reader is just automatically calmed, like everything's ok, he's here now. in spite of all the looming threats, he's here now.
I'm completely torn between Death and Aaron :( I have to read the next book to find out more!
October 5, 2018
Fantasy is my favourite, from the unexpected to the expected. After all, every writer tells a different story. Having said that, Elemental Rising gives the reader both! The expected – Elves, dragons, and other creatures (including a tame wolf!) – but also the unexpected, in that humans inadvertently land up this world known as Elveron. Given that, I delved in.
Maia is a Prime Elemental, which means she has many talents, including that of Life. Her nemesis seems to be her counterpart – a Death Elemental. Without giving anything away, know that all is not what it seems.
This is clever and imaginative. It’s also inspiring to read about a world as glorious as Elveron. Yet darkness is on approach, and that is where the real tale comes in.
Fantasy readers will love this! Definitely recommend grabbing yourself a copy.
Maia is a Prime Elemental, which means she has many talents, including that of Life. Her nemesis seems to be her counterpart – a Death Elemental. Without giving anything away, know that all is not what it seems.
This is clever and imaginative. It’s also inspiring to read about a world as glorious as Elveron. Yet darkness is on approach, and that is where the real tale comes in.
Fantasy readers will love this! Definitely recommend grabbing yourself a copy.
April 11, 2022
I enjoyed reading this book and would love to read the rest of the series. I enjoyed the magical world that Toni created and truly hope that Earth never gets to the point of the Earth in her story.
I feel sad for Aaron and I hope that in the following books he is not shattered. I also thought that Midnight was a nice touch.
I loved the strong elf princess that can kick ass and has magical powers to boot. Toni made me want to read more and I couldn’t put the book down. I would recommend this book to anyone that loves fantasy.
And don’t you just love the cover?
I feel sad for Aaron and I hope that in the following books he is not shattered. I also thought that Midnight was a nice touch.
I loved the strong elf princess that can kick ass and has magical powers to boot. Toni made me want to read more and I couldn’t put the book down. I would recommend this book to anyone that loves fantasy.
And don’t you just love the cover?
September 7, 2019
Brilliant
This was a a book which was a gift from the author. I have to say I loved it the story line was different from any fantasy book id read but in a great way .it's brilliantly written the story draws you in from the beginning leaving you not wanting to put it down so much so I read in in a day !! I'm so very looking forward to the next chapter in the story
This was a a book which was a gift from the author. I have to say I loved it the story line was different from any fantasy book id read but in a great way .it's brilliantly written the story draws you in from the beginning leaving you not wanting to put it down so much so I read in in a day !! I'm so very looking forward to the next chapter in the story
December 25, 2020
3.5 stars
A dying woman and her family get sucked through a portal to another world where it turns out that she wasn't who she seemed. As she and her family grapple with their new realities, another threat looms. The vampyres are gathering an army.
This started off a little weak but picked up pace and layers towards the end. I'll be diving straight into book 2.
A dying woman and her family get sucked through a portal to another world where it turns out that she wasn't who she seemed. As she and her family grapple with their new realities, another threat looms. The vampyres are gathering an army.
This started off a little weak but picked up pace and layers towards the end. I'll be diving straight into book 2.
November 5, 2019
This book is well written, with good character development. It’s a new twist on a book with action, love, exploring and fighting. Well worth the read
June 28, 2023
[received a complementary copy from the author through VRO]
I was just really confused the whole time I read this book. There wasn't really a logical follow-through on the world building; like the limits or uses for magic. And also the world building was incredibly dense and far too intricate. I just had so many questions. "Death is a natural part of the cycle" but also god forbid anyone interact with the Death elemental, who was named Blaid but also his name was typed out as Blade at points so??? And there were a handful of inconsistencies in story lines: Brindor (sp)'s wife gave birth twice in the span of like two weeks or something? They sent a dragon back to warn the main army that the vampyres were more powerful than the first wave, but when we see the fight from Jaik's POV, he never shows up? It's never mentioned again? Or how at the end of the book our MC calls Blaid's eyes "blue" despite having realized they were violet the last time she saw him?
Also the occasional capitalization really threw me off. Why do they caps Week, Month (Quarter, Moon)? Why is there one (1) Princess, but no princes, king, or queen?
Also i LOVE that this fictional world puts a premium on virgin women 🥰 yes very cool author, let's pretend a woman who has had two children is still a virgin and also her magical society with "Servers" instead of servants has to remain pure 🥰 cool class analysis by saying that the Servers actually love being servants and it's totally a sought after job 👏
The whole earth aspect was completely unnecessary and added nothing to the story. Except it being INCREDIBLY GROSS that a middle age man was lusting after our MC, who visually looks to be the same age as his youngest child (who is a teenager). The author had a hard time keeping one POV within paragraphs. And the author voice was just... Not doing it for me. I'm not usually one to point to generic writing "rules", but this book could have used more "show, don't tell".
The random sex scene in the last 5% of the book felt so out of place.
Our MC was also awful. "I have to fight on the front lines even if it ruins the strategy, and also even though i technically would have been even more on the front lines if I did my job the way the commanders said to. Also I get weak and faint if someone dies near me, teehee, I'm going to be very helpful by doing this"
I'm going to highlight how gross it is for a middle aged man to be lusting after a teenager:
"It made her look strong and in control and incredibly sexy, but he knew she felt vulnerable and scared. It enhanced his feelings to such a degree, he could almost not contain them."
Please die in a hole.
I was just really confused the whole time I read this book. There wasn't really a logical follow-through on the world building; like the limits or uses for magic. And also the world building was incredibly dense and far too intricate. I just had so many questions. "Death is a natural part of the cycle" but also god forbid anyone interact with the Death elemental, who was named Blaid but also his name was typed out as Blade at points so??? And there were a handful of inconsistencies in story lines: Brindor (sp)'s wife gave birth twice in the span of like two weeks or something? They sent a dragon back to warn the main army that the vampyres were more powerful than the first wave, but when we see the fight from Jaik's POV, he never shows up? It's never mentioned again? Or how at the end of the book our MC calls Blaid's eyes "blue" despite having realized they were violet the last time she saw him?
Also the occasional capitalization really threw me off. Why do they caps Week, Month (Quarter, Moon)? Why is there one (1) Princess, but no princes, king, or queen?
Also i LOVE that this fictional world puts a premium on virgin women 🥰 yes very cool author, let's pretend a woman who has had two children is still a virgin and also her magical society with "Servers" instead of servants has to remain pure 🥰 cool class analysis by saying that the Servers actually love being servants and it's totally a sought after job 👏
The whole earth aspect was completely unnecessary and added nothing to the story. Except it being INCREDIBLY GROSS that a middle age man was lusting after our MC, who visually looks to be the same age as his youngest child (who is a teenager). The author had a hard time keeping one POV within paragraphs. And the author voice was just... Not doing it for me. I'm not usually one to point to generic writing "rules", but this book could have used more "show, don't tell".
The random sex scene in the last 5% of the book felt so out of place.
Our MC was also awful. "I have to fight on the front lines even if it ruins the strategy, and also even though i technically would have been even more on the front lines if I did my job the way the commanders said to. Also I get weak and faint if someone dies near me, teehee, I'm going to be very helpful by doing this"
I'm going to highlight how gross it is for a middle aged man to be lusting after a teenager:
"It made her look strong and in control and incredibly sexy, but he knew she felt vulnerable and scared. It enhanced his feelings to such a degree, he could almost not contain them."
Please die in a hole.
May 11, 2022
This is a rich story with many well developed characters besides our protagonist, Maia. The story begins with Lisa and her husband Aaron and their children Luke and Jasmine being transported through Stonehenge to Elveron. This is the home planet of Elves and Lisa wakes up as Maia after having completed 20 years of living on Earth.
The story world building is nicely done as Aaron, Luke, and Jasmine learn about their new world. There are many story arcs with the primary one being Maia growth as a Life Prime Elemental. This is layered on a pending war with another planet connected by the same gateway that brought them home. There are love stories in many forms.
Magic, dragons, elves, dwarves, werewolves, and Vampyres provide a complex tapestry underpinning the story. It was hard to put the book down. I enjoyed the narrative and the dialogue.
The story world building is nicely done as Aaron, Luke, and Jasmine learn about their new world. There are many story arcs with the primary one being Maia growth as a Life Prime Elemental. This is layered on a pending war with another planet connected by the same gateway that brought them home. There are love stories in many forms.
Magic, dragons, elves, dwarves, werewolves, and Vampyres provide a complex tapestry underpinning the story. It was hard to put the book down. I enjoyed the narrative and the dialogue.
May 12, 2022
Maia, Elf princess of Elveron, has studied for almost a century to become a Prime Elemental but, when she finally completes her final test, which she had to take on Earth, something unexpected happens, and she brings with her the very thing she tried to leave behind.
Now she is faced with responsibilities she thinks she is not ready for, a love she does not reciprocate, and a threat to her people that might kill them all. Young, inexperienced, and unsure of her powers, she only has her desire to save her people that drives her into battle.
But she is not alone. She has her mentor, Silas, and her dragon, Midnight, who stand by her side as she embarks on an adventure to save not just herself, but the rest of the nation of Grildor as well.
So many decisions to make will she make the right choices.
Read and find out you will not be disappointed.
Now she is faced with responsibilities she thinks she is not ready for, a love she does not reciprocate, and a threat to her people that might kill them all. Young, inexperienced, and unsure of her powers, she only has her desire to save her people that drives her into battle.
But she is not alone. She has her mentor, Silas, and her dragon, Midnight, who stand by her side as she embarks on an adventure to save not just herself, but the rest of the nation of Grildor as well.
So many decisions to make will she make the right choices.
Read and find out you will not be disappointed.
December 13, 2022
Another book from Voracious Readers and another fantasy novel to get lost in. Typically with a first in the series, there's a great deal happening, giving rise to any number of questions. Is it Lisa, is it Maia? Where exactly are they? It starts on Earth in 2094 (which you eventually discover) and thanks to a Gateway, the story moves on to a planet inhabited by elves. Maia, the princess (of course) moves through her training, readjusting to her homecoming and dealing with sinister happenings.
While I enjoyed the story, it felt rushed in places in the desperate hurry to introduce too many creatures (for want of a better word). Here also was another instance of the proofreader in me wanting a blue pencil--my copy definitely needed an editor. Having said that, it is an entertaining read and I'm intrigued to know more.
While I enjoyed the story, it felt rushed in places in the desperate hurry to introduce too many creatures (for want of a better word). Here also was another instance of the proofreader in me wanting a blue pencil--my copy definitely needed an editor. Having said that, it is an entertaining read and I'm intrigued to know more.
December 28, 2022
Personally this book was not my cup of tea. It just didn’t pull me in and I wasn’t able to connect to the characters. However it is well written and I am sure most people will enjoy this book. For me there was too much filler, when I read the description I thought that there would be a lot more action in it and adventure. That’s not to say the book didn’t have any, it just wasn’t enough for me. It didn’t really get into things for me until 800 pages in. I do enjoy the magic in this book, I wish there was a lot more of it. Other then that the backstory is well done, each character has their own distinct personalities. I enjoyed certain creatures very much (I won’t spoil it). I was given a free copy of this novel through voracious readers only in exchange for an honest review.
March 14, 2020
Life and Death
The story plot was good, it was interesting that the humans came with Maia when she crossed over. The author gives you a lot of description of the characters and the surrounding area, however at times I found this disruptive and made it hard to get back into the story. The last three chapters of the book were excellent and riveting. You never find out if they saved the captured elves though. Maybe in book two we will find out why the Vampryes came. Also want to know why life and Death Elementals are not suppose to get together. I got this book from Kindle Unlimited.
The story plot was good, it was interesting that the humans came with Maia when she crossed over. The author gives you a lot of description of the characters and the surrounding area, however at times I found this disruptive and made it hard to get back into the story. The last three chapters of the book were excellent and riveting. You never find out if they saved the captured elves though. Maybe in book two we will find out why the Vampryes came. Also want to know why life and Death Elementals are not suppose to get together. I got this book from Kindle Unlimited.
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