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Clan Elves of the Bitterroot Series #1
The Elf Queen
When Jelani tries on a real glass slipper left lying on the sidewalk, it splits in half and out pours dozens of two-inch high creatures who scurry away into the shadows. As if that's not bizarre enough, she is soon approached by two men claiming (of all things) to be elves who need her help to rescue their queen. [Fantasy Novel released in 2010 from Dragonfly Publishing, Inc. www.dragonflypubs.com [EAN 978-1-936381-02-9 | ISBN 1-936381-02-8] Also available in hardback and paperback]
256 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 26, 2010
2 people are currently reading
24 people want to read
About the author
Lyndi Alexander
23 books93 followersLyndi Alexander always dreamed of being able to handle the drama and intrigue in everyday life.
She lives as a post-modern hippie in Asheville, North Carolina, a single mother of her last child of seven, a young adult daughter on the autism spectrum, finding that every day feels a lot like first contact with a new species.
She lives as a post-modern hippie in Asheville, North Carolina, a single mother of her last child of seven, a young adult daughter on the autism spectrum, finding that every day feels a lot like first contact with a new species.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
September 26, 2020
It all begins with a glass slipper – but Jelani Marsh is no Cinderella. After losing both her parents and being abandoned at the altar, she’s not looking for any sort of Prince Charming, she’s just trying to survive. Having quit college, she now works at the Butterfly Herb Company coffee shop in her home town of Missoula, Montana, volunteers at the local animal shelter, and hangs out with her closest friends: uber-nerd Lane, agoraphobic OCD sufferer Ron (otherwise known as “Crispy”), and Crispy’s social worker Iris.
Still, it’s pretty difficult to ignore a shoe made of glass, just lying there on the sidewalk. When, on a dare from Iris, Jelani slips her foot into the marvel, it shatters, slicing into her sole and releasing copious amounts of blood. From that blood springs a small army of tiny men, who scamper out of sight.
Jelani tries to convince herself that she’s hallucinating, but Iris catches the bizarre event on video. With their individual tendencies toward paranoia, Crisp and Lane are sure the homunculi are aliens. The truth turns out to be equally strange, and rips Jelani’s world inside out. She finds herself in the midst of a war between two factions of wood elves, a conflict triggered when her long lost mother – apparently the Queen of the Elves – married her mortal father, forest biologist Vincent Marsh. Both sides in the war seem to believe that Jelani has the power to release her mother from the tree in the old growth forest where she has been imprisoned for decades. Failing this, Jelani herself is fated to become queen, or so she’s told by the handsome and seductive elf lord Daven Talvi. Furthermore, the elf whom she chooses as her mate will reign beside her as the king.
I won’t share any more of the plot, since I hope you’ll have the joy of discovering it yourself. The Elf Queen is wonderful – smart, original and genuine, a true breath of fresh air in a genre (urban fantasy) which has become all too predictable. With vivid, fleshed-out characters and a rollicking, action-filled plot, the book kept me guessing. Though they’re strongly connected to the forests and land, Ms. Alexander’s elves aren’t Tolkeinesqe creatures, high-minded and pure. They’re enmeshed in clan politics, and both sides are willing to play dirty to take advantage of Jelani’s power – a power she doesn’t even believe she possesses.
The book has a lot of drama (and some violence), but provides humorous moments as well, often courtesy of the slightly ridiculous Crispy and Lane. The author does a fantastic job bringing these two to life, treading a delicate line between the absurd and the admirable. In fact, when elvish powers fail to protect her, it’s Jelani’s friends who come to her aid.
I asked for a review copy of this novel after reading an excerpt on the author’s blog. I’m so glad I did! If you enjoy original urban fantasy with a hint of romance, I recommend you get a copy for yourself.
Still, it’s pretty difficult to ignore a shoe made of glass, just lying there on the sidewalk. When, on a dare from Iris, Jelani slips her foot into the marvel, it shatters, slicing into her sole and releasing copious amounts of blood. From that blood springs a small army of tiny men, who scamper out of sight.
Jelani tries to convince herself that she’s hallucinating, but Iris catches the bizarre event on video. With their individual tendencies toward paranoia, Crisp and Lane are sure the homunculi are aliens. The truth turns out to be equally strange, and rips Jelani’s world inside out. She finds herself in the midst of a war between two factions of wood elves, a conflict triggered when her long lost mother – apparently the Queen of the Elves – married her mortal father, forest biologist Vincent Marsh. Both sides in the war seem to believe that Jelani has the power to release her mother from the tree in the old growth forest where she has been imprisoned for decades. Failing this, Jelani herself is fated to become queen, or so she’s told by the handsome and seductive elf lord Daven Talvi. Furthermore, the elf whom she chooses as her mate will reign beside her as the king.
I won’t share any more of the plot, since I hope you’ll have the joy of discovering it yourself. The Elf Queen is wonderful – smart, original and genuine, a true breath of fresh air in a genre (urban fantasy) which has become all too predictable. With vivid, fleshed-out characters and a rollicking, action-filled plot, the book kept me guessing. Though they’re strongly connected to the forests and land, Ms. Alexander’s elves aren’t Tolkeinesqe creatures, high-minded and pure. They’re enmeshed in clan politics, and both sides are willing to play dirty to take advantage of Jelani’s power – a power she doesn’t even believe she possesses.
The book has a lot of drama (and some violence), but provides humorous moments as well, often courtesy of the slightly ridiculous Crispy and Lane. The author does a fantastic job bringing these two to life, treading a delicate line between the absurd and the admirable. In fact, when elvish powers fail to protect her, it’s Jelani’s friends who come to her aid.
I asked for a review copy of this novel after reading an excerpt on the author’s blog. I’m so glad I did! If you enjoy original urban fantasy with a hint of romance, I recommend you get a copy for yourself.
June 28, 2018
THE ELF QUEEN, the first in the 4-volume Clan Elves of the Bitterroot series by Lyndi Alexander, introduces the elves of the Bitterroot Mountains. The main character, Jelani, gets pulled into the elven world of good and bad mages, elders and guardians. They need her help in ways she could never have imagined. With handsome elves on one side and nervous human friends on the other, which world will Jelani choose? Read this fascinating urban fantasy to find out!
May 10, 2021
I really did not know what to expect when I opened this book. A woman breaks a glass slipper, little men run out, and disappear. A glass slipper? Elves? Yikes! What follows is an urban fantasy that is at times twisted, at times delightful, sometimes confusing, and always unexpected. An intriguing, well-crafted, fun read.
December 27, 2015
To start off, even without reading this book, the cover and beginning of the synopsis gives me a 'Cinderella' vibe and I really like that. Once I started reading, my suspicions were confirmed. Even though it isn't addressed, there is quite the hint towards the whole Cinderella idea.
I enjoyed that when needed, the past was explained early on in the story. We weren't left in the dark, and pretty much knew as much as the main characters did. There were still a ton of surprises and twists and turns that I loved, and that kept me interested. I like that Lyndi kept a lot of the good stuff for the end, creating a bit of suspense throughout the book.
The characters were original and not typical, especially the main character. As we went on in the book, there were things that were uncovered about the characters that you would have never thought about them. Also, Jelani, the main character was not a typical female lead, and I loved that.
This book was well written as well as put together in a way that made it easy to comprehend. I loved that the story fit in perfectly with the characters, that that the personalities were diverse. I think that Lyndi did a great job with this novel, and I can't wait to read the sequel! I have to give this book 5 out of 5 stars.
I enjoyed that when needed, the past was explained early on in the story. We weren't left in the dark, and pretty much knew as much as the main characters did. There were still a ton of surprises and twists and turns that I loved, and that kept me interested. I like that Lyndi kept a lot of the good stuff for the end, creating a bit of suspense throughout the book.
The characters were original and not typical, especially the main character. As we went on in the book, there were things that were uncovered about the characters that you would have never thought about them. Also, Jelani, the main character was not a typical female lead, and I loved that.
This book was well written as well as put together in a way that made it easy to comprehend. I loved that the story fit in perfectly with the characters, that that the personalities were diverse. I think that Lyndi did a great job with this novel, and I can't wait to read the sequel! I have to give this book 5 out of 5 stars.
November 5, 2020
This is a sophisticated updating of the Cinderella fairy tale. But instead of the familiar parameters, it all gets torn apart and rebuilt. Jelani finds out she's something special when she tries on a glass slipper that appears out of nowhere, on the street, and she cuts her foot. A group of tiny men spring into existence and go running into the grass alongside the road. Iris, her best friend manages to get it all on her phone! They take the video to her two other friends--reclusive males who never leave their apartment--Crispy is agoraphobic, in fact that's how she met him--her bestie is a social worker treating him. The other guy is a stereotypical computer nerd who lives for wi-fi and never leaves his computer keyboard. Together they try to figure out what's going on. When people start stalking Jelani in the coffee shop she works in, the plot thickens quickly. By the end, she's learned who she really is, and her friends have proven themselves, since all three of them accompany her on a dangerous quest to finally solve the mystery that landed in her lap. Dangerous situations with evil fairies are faced, with good fairies on their side--and Jelani chooses her Prince Charming. And yes, there is a happy-for-now ending. I get the feeling that there's more to come in this story.
February 24, 2022
Wow…what an imaginative and entertaining story. Jelani is a sympathetic and delightful protagonist, though not without flaws, and the elves are so much fun. The Cinderella theme was very cleverly woven into the plot and I loved the way the author presented the plight of the elves and the way Jelani is sucked into their world. Speaking of ‘world’, the one the author created is well-developed and creative. The black moment is intense and I wasn’t sure how Jelani was going to prevail. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this novel.
March 6, 2022
THE ELF QUEEN will make you wonder if magic is real. A hardworking young woman named Jelani becomes involved with a group of people living in the Montana forests who claim to be elves with magical powers and that she is related to them. Jelani finds herself scrutinized by enigmatic elf elders, pursued by handsome warriors, and caught in the middle of a dangerous elf war. THE ELF QUEEN is a suspenseful tale with interesting characters. It's one of those books you just cannot put down!
August 3, 2013
Absolutely amazing. You start the book with Jelani and a glass slipper. Very Cinderella, but then little men pour out of it when it breaks. That was great, I was hooked from page one. This book is well written, adventurous, exciting and really cool.
January 19, 2022
This was an interesting twist. Jelani is about as far from Cinderella as you can get, despite finding and trying on a glass slipper. (I mean, who wouldn't hope their prince charming would pop out after having such bad luck in their love life?) Instead of finding her prince, Jelani finds her world turned upside down. Elves are real, and Jelani is an integral part of the plans of the various factions. A unique, fascinating story where the elves aren't perfect and otherworldly, but have just as many devious machinations as you'd expect in a human court. A fairy tale with a twist that's sure to capture your imagination.
May 4, 2011
Loved this book! Lyndi has done a fabulous job with a new YA series. Waiting for book number two, should be out soon!
January 25, 2019
An intriguing, well-written, must read book with characters you will love!
February 10, 2025
What would you do if you found a glass slipper lying on the sidewalk? Put it on, of course! Well, when Jelani does that, it breaks a magical spell and brings chaos into her life. She learns that there are human-looking elves living in the Bitterroot forest region of Montana — and that she may be related to them. THE ELF QUEEN takes a deep dive into the contemporary life of a hardworking barista and her few friends, as they try to understand that magic is not only real but right under their noses. This is urban fantasy at its best.
May 4, 2024
Suspend your disbelief. Jelani had to. One day she’s facing traffic tickets and a poor choice in men. The next she’s confronted with a glass slipper and elves. Lyndi Alexander weaves a fantastic adventure packed with vibrant characters, danger, humor, magic, and a touch of romance. I didn’t want The Elf Queen to end, but the climax made the swift read a treasure. Fantasy readers are in for a treat.
November 16, 2015
It has been a while since I read a Fantasy book and I was quite happy to start a new series. Fantasy is my favorite genre and I have been reading it for over 30 years. Along comes The Elf Queen by Lyndi Alexander and I found myself liking the book. I would consider the book more along the lines of light Fantasy, since the book takes place in our modern-day world, not in a fantasy world like Shannara, DragonLance or Forgotten Realms.
I enjoyed the storyline of the book and found myself wanting to know a lot more about these elves. As the story progresses, you learn about the recent history of the elves, but nothing beyond that. I had questions that were never answered. Where did they come from? What do they look like? Is the only difference between elves and humans that elves have longer lives and each has one type of magic they can do? I would guess since humans cannot tell that they are elves they don't have pointed ears or anything that marks them as being different from humans. This was never really discussed, so I didn't have a point of reference to draw from to imagine what they looked like. I kind of pictured them to look like Native Americans, but that may be wrong also.
The character development is pretty good in this first book and I really liked all of the main characters. Crispy and Lane add a little comic-relief, but not much. Astan and Daven are the serious guys in the story who have a job to do . . . save their queen. Bartolomey is the elf trying to stop Jelani from rescuing her mother from the tree. During the story, the reader is unsure as to whether Bartolomey is a bad elf or Astan and Daven are bad elves. Who is on the side of right and who is on the side of wrong? I never knew for sure until the end of the book.
I found it interesting that the elves helped out the humans in E.L.F., the Earth Liberation Front, a radical group of environmentalists, also known as ecoterrorists, that put spikes in trees to stop the cutting down of ancient forests. Being an environmentalist myself, I understand the need to stop the insane amount of logging humans do, especially in old-growth forests, but I would never hurt another human to stop the logging. The elves in the story need to insure the safety of their queen by making sure the tree is not cut down. They use E.L.F. to help with this issue and are determined to stop the logging at any cost.
Overall, The Elf Queen is a good light fantasy tale with interesting characters and a fascinating plot. I did enjoy the read and believe that this book is intended more for women than men. Still, as a man, I did enjoy the book and look forward to seeing how this trilogy continues in The Elf Child.
I rated this book a 7½ out of 10.
I enjoyed the storyline of the book and found myself wanting to know a lot more about these elves. As the story progresses, you learn about the recent history of the elves, but nothing beyond that. I had questions that were never answered. Where did they come from? What do they look like? Is the only difference between elves and humans that elves have longer lives and each has one type of magic they can do? I would guess since humans cannot tell that they are elves they don't have pointed ears or anything that marks them as being different from humans. This was never really discussed, so I didn't have a point of reference to draw from to imagine what they looked like. I kind of pictured them to look like Native Americans, but that may be wrong also.
The character development is pretty good in this first book and I really liked all of the main characters. Crispy and Lane add a little comic-relief, but not much. Astan and Daven are the serious guys in the story who have a job to do . . . save their queen. Bartolomey is the elf trying to stop Jelani from rescuing her mother from the tree. During the story, the reader is unsure as to whether Bartolomey is a bad elf or Astan and Daven are bad elves. Who is on the side of right and who is on the side of wrong? I never knew for sure until the end of the book.
I found it interesting that the elves helped out the humans in E.L.F., the Earth Liberation Front, a radical group of environmentalists, also known as ecoterrorists, that put spikes in trees to stop the cutting down of ancient forests. Being an environmentalist myself, I understand the need to stop the insane amount of logging humans do, especially in old-growth forests, but I would never hurt another human to stop the logging. The elves in the story need to insure the safety of their queen by making sure the tree is not cut down. They use E.L.F. to help with this issue and are determined to stop the logging at any cost.
Overall, The Elf Queen is a good light fantasy tale with interesting characters and a fascinating plot. I did enjoy the read and believe that this book is intended more for women than men. Still, as a man, I did enjoy the book and look forward to seeing how this trilogy continues in The Elf Child.
I rated this book a 7½ out of 10.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews