Building From Ashes: Elemental World Book One (Elemental Mysteries/World)

This one is a bit harder to rate. When I first started it, I totally thought I would love it, but as it went on, I was less and less excited reading it. One thing I absolutely love about this book is Carwyn and his personality. I love light hearted heros like him, and him being celibate for a thousand years only made him better to be honest. The heroine I liked, though sometimes she was just okay. I do like how she grew into herself and never catered to anyone though. Also, their romance, when they were fully together was the cutest. I love how he treated her and how affectionate he was. Definitely the most adorable couple.

Now onto the things I didn't like... Which was a lot... First, this book dragged. There were a lot of unneccessary scenes and interactions with people that I really just didnt care about. A lot was also repetitive from the first series. I know this book is about what was going on with Carwyn when he was acting more private and weird, but the timelines and how many years passed in this book, just got really tedious. And while I did love their relationship, their romance didn't really make sense over those years either. This book is set over almost 20 years, and I really felt like half of it could have been cut, especially because the heroines past of being abused and abusing drugs, turned out to be really useless when it comes to the character. As soon as she turns into a vampire, it's like all we went through in her human life just didnt matter anymore because she was a whole other person as a vampire.

During those years, they start to develop feelings and even fall in love with each other, and I'm just like, why? I felt like they literally only had like 5 interactions with each other before they were separated for either more months or years. I have a hard time believing them being in love when they never really even had a long conversation.

Also, and this annoys me the most, is I felt like Hunter should have been more considerate on how she is presenting her characters as side characters when they will get their own books. I get the impression they never really miss their love interests or are still in love with others thats aren't the heroines, and it's really bothering me. For example, in the last book when they were in Rome, Carwyn was flirting with a girl, literally right after he declares his love and asks her to marry and wait for him. Like do I really need to read that? I gave Carwyn a pass because he is more of a light hearted silly guy, but c'mon... Then with Lucien in the last series when he sounds like he is still in love with an old lover by how he talks about her even though he will have another love interest. Then there is Ben with Chloe, though that didnt work out, Baoja, or however you spell it, and his attraction to Bea, Gemma and how she is in love with Gio even though she is engaged. Then there is the worst, Patrick. I'm honestly not even looking forward to his book at this point. All he does in this one is try to get with the heroine, and we have to even see his past and probably current lovers, when Anne is supposed to be his mate and all of this after they had already been together (though we aren't supposed to know that in this book). But Why?? Anne is friends with the heroine that he was constantly trying to get with, like that isn't awkward?? Anne better have moved on too, because just by Patrick being a side character I can tell he doesn't deserve her. I just don't get why we are constantly being shown past relationships and F-buddys of all these characters when they are supposed to get their own books and have a great love, and it honestly makes me not even want to read them (still will tho).

All of this brings me to where is the loyalty of these heros? Not necessarily cheating or anything, but I feel like they are so easily attracted to or touching, or have no problem flirting with women other than their heroines. Or even when Gio drank from another woman other than the heroine because he wanted to be at his strongest, but did you have to bring her to your room??? I Keep getting told they are territorial or posessive but never actually being shown which it makes it worse too. Hardly no jealousy either between anyone, which I wish there was so that I can actually see more feelings and that they don't want their heroine with other people, instead of just being told it. These books are good, with unique plots, and great writing, and I still love Hunter's books, but there are only 2 characters so far that I actually REALLY like so far and I'm not even to their story yet, out of 6 books I have read in this and the last series.

So overall, although I do decently enjoy the elemental world, I'm not loving and I can only hope they get better.

As a newer reader of Elizabeth Hunter and somewhat of a beginner as far as Paranormal Romance I found "Building From Ashes" to be somewhat of a letdown. If this were a first book by another author it would not have been nearly as frustrating as the current situation. Elizabeth Hunter is a great writer, no doubt. I found the first four Elemental books so engrossing that it became a struggle to put them down when other priorities arose (a sure sign of a good book). Beatrice was so fun and snarky, smart and intuitive, you were drawn to her character and couldn't wait to read more of her and Gio's story. Giovanni himself is worth an entire series of Elemental books. Certainly more so than Baojia (whom I recall, Elizabeth said a book was in the works about). But Brigid by contrast is just not all that intriguing! Even her friends (the supporting characters) were nowhere near as memorable as the original books. And Elizabeth has a LOT of characters. Some of them are as good as any from the first books, although they don't get quite the attention they needed.

All in all I did enjoy "Building From Ashes" and purchased the book as soon as it came out. I was incredibly eager to read Carwyn's story and see what all the odd behavior from "A Fall of Water" might be about. It turned out to be not as much as I might have thought. This book moves very fast and is relatively short so it won't take long to digest and come to your own conclusions. I for one found it to be good but lacking, and capable of vast amounts more. I only say this because I know Elizabeth is capable of this "More" that I speak of.

My only advice at this point would be to go back to what works. Elizabeth seems to think that people would eventually get tired of Gio's brooding behavior and Beatrice's snark. But I am here to say that this is one reader who would gladly dive back into their world (preferably for a longer visit) one more time.

If you are reading this Elizabeth, I hope you consider my sentiment as they are likely the same shared by many. Whether it's an older Ben or a more experienced Beatrice, a young volatile Giovanni di Spada or a legendary Tenzin I am ready for the ride.

I liked all of the books in this series. Characters are multifaceted. The books are filled with bits of poetry and other languages which make the stories enjoyable for me.

I enjoyed the book

Very good book. The Elemental series is extreme in a good mystical way!

Still loved Carwin!

Love it.

Elemental Series is true Genius and so is Elizabeth Hunter, start from book one and keep on going this is a beautifully written series on characters you cant help but become a part of I have to say that Elemental series is the best Ive read when reading of vampires . her characters are written so well into her her story that they draw you in and and never let you go.

I was super excited to see this book as I just finished the Elemental Mysteries series, and wanted more!

I liked this book, but wasn't as in love with it as I was with the Elemental Mysteries series. However, I think now that the foundation has been laid, the rest of the series is going to be really, really good.

Building From Ashes focuses on Carwyn and his love interest, Brigid. I liked how strong, yet weak Brigid was because of her abusive past (both sexually from her stepdad and with drugs) and how she learned to overcome that throughout the book. And of course, I liked Carwyn from the first series and I was curious to see how his story would play out.

However, I give this 4 stars because so much of Carwyn's past is focused on his priesthood and raising this big loving vampire family, that it was hard for me to remember that he was turned as a young person, and would therefore be attractive and be attracted to a young 20/30 something like Brigid. I felt almost like she was dating her dad, which was a little weird for me. And I also feel that it's VERY important that you've already started reading the Elemental Mysteries series so you get the background story on the Elixir, etc. I think this book has the potential to be very "surface" when you don't have that background to go on.

Overall, a good read, and like I said before, I think the rest will get even better now that the players are in motion. Looking forward to the next one!