Lisa Loves Literature: Elementals series

Showing posts with label Elementals series. Show all posts

Thursday, November 24, 2016

Review: The Hands of Time (Elementals #5) by Michelle Madow

Book info:
Title: The Hands of Time
Author: Michelle Madow
Series: Elementals #5
Genre: YA Mythology
Published: November 25th, 2016
Source: E-galley through Michelle Madow's street team
My rating: 4 Stars

This conclusion to Michelle Madow's Elementals series is very well done. I was excited to see how the group that we had left would be able to close the gate to Kerberos as well as defeat Typhon. The end of book 4 left us wondering if all that they had done so far would be enough. If the losses they'd suffered would not be in vain. If the final tasks would be surmountable. The way Madow lays the story out is done in a well-thought out way, without any sort of cheating or unsatisfactory tying up of loose ends. If you haven't read the first four in the series, you can go back and read my reviews of each of them in the links below, because I can't promise to not give any spoilers for the first four in my review of this final book.

1. The Prophecy of Shadows
2. The Blood of the Hydra
3. The Head of Medusa
4. The Portal to Kerberos

Where we pick up at the beginning of this book, Nicole and Danielle have stepped back through the portal thanks to Chronos being able to turn back the time so that they can keep Blake from dying. But not only Blake, they're also able to save Chris from the poison of the bite he sustained. However they're still left without Kate, who was turned to stone by Medusa in an earlier story. Now the four of them that are left must figure out how to get Typhon stopped before he comes through the portal, which happens to be in Sicily. If they can do that, it doesn't mean that everything will be all perfect, because the portal will still be open, and all kinds of creatures, centaurs, cyclops, dragons, all will come through.

But when it comes to figuring out how to close the portal, before the summer solstice, it seems that one of them may have to be on the side of Kerberos, which means they will be stuck there forever, as there is no other way home. In their searching for a way to close it, they will also try to find a way to bring Kate back, something that may only be done in turning her into a minor goddess, but could also kill her. They will try talking to the Oracle for another way to open the portal so no one has to stay in Kerberos. But the Oracle is in the Underworld, which will require a trip there by a few of the group.

In the end, it mostly will work out. There will still be some loss, but there will be things that are unexpected.

I really liked all the tasks and things that they had to go through. However, I knew the way that they could do what they wanted, and I think it is a little silly that it was such a surprise to everyone. To me it was obvious as soon as they said one of them had to be on the other side of the portal. I knew exactly who would be okay with staying there, because there would be something in Kerberos for them. So that is my only gripe with the story. Other than that, I loved the way they figured out how to save certain people, but I also loved how the battles weren't perfect and easy for everyong to make it out alive.

I definitely recommend this series to anyone who likes mythology stories similar to The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter, any of the Rick Riordan series, and even a little bit like Covenant series by Jennifer L. Armentrout. I look forward to future stories from this author!

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Review - Elementals 4: The Portal to Kerberos by Michelle Madow (September Sequel #2)

Book info:
Title: The Portal to Kerberos
Author: Michelle Madow
Series: Elementals #4
Genre: YA mythology
Published: August 25th, 2016
Source: Received e-copy from author for honest review

Michelle Madow is back with another installment in her Elementals series which contains really great use of Greek mythology and modern day teens. As with book 3, I found this to be a very quick read, in a good way. The story was very well paced, the adventures definitely suspenseful, but once again we were left with a pretty good cliffhanger! If you haven't read the first three books, you can go check my reviews of them out here: Book 1, Book 2, and Book 3, before you read this review and get spoilers for those three. Now, on with my review for book 4.

When we were left hanging at the end of book 3, we've learned that Ethan was not to be trusted, exactly how I figured even with all his assurances that he was on their side, when he grabbed Blake, and the head of Medusa, and jumped through the portal to Kerberos. Book 4 picks up basically right at that moment. It is now only Nicole, Danielle, and Chris who are left to go after Black. But they have no idea if they can get to Kerberos, and if they can, will the be able to get back out? Finally Nicole's pleas to her father Apollo for help are answered. He comes by to give each of them something to help in their trip to save Black. Nicole gets a bow and four arrows that have special tips that will kill magically whatever they hit. But the tip will only work once, after that, they become just regular arrows. Danielle gets the golden sword back, and Chris gets a magical musical instrument that when played they can convince anyone except for gods, to do as they ask. But it too has a limited time of being used before it will become just a regular old instrument.

Once inside Kerberos they will find that Blake and Ethan have been taken to the top of a mountain by dragons. When they attempt to follow the boys to the top of the mountain, their path is blocked by lions. They soon find help from a god that was sent there by someone who offered help in book 3. And he does help, in that he leads them on a safe, well as safe as can be, path to the top of the mountain to rescue Blake and get Medusa's head back. Along this path there will be all kinds of dangers, a fog that will offer visions of people they want to see, merpeople that want to eat them, water that will cause them to have nightmares, and that is just to name a few of the things they must face.

When they reach the top of the mountain they will have to figure out if they can still rescue Blake and get the head of Medusa, as well as what happens if there is something already wrong with any part of that plan.

I won't go on, just will re-emphasize how quick the story is moving along, and that I cannot wait for the final book to come out!

If you're interested, here are the Amazon links where you can grab your copy and get reading:

Ebook: click here

Paperback: click here

You can also still download the Elementals 1: The Prophecy of Shadows for free at the author's website: www.michellemadow.com

Saturday, September 3, 2016

Cover Reveal - Elementals #5: The Hands of Time by Michelle Madow

Book Description:

Time is running out. War will be waged. Sacrifices will be made.

Months ago, Nicole Cassidy’s life was turned upside-down when she discovered that she was a witch descended from the Greek gods. She and the four other witches gifted with elemental powers fought all over the world—and in another dimension—to battle the supporters of the Titans and fight for the people they love.

Now the Elementals must stop Typhon—the most dangerous monster in the world—from rising, and seal the portal to the dangerous prison world of Kerberos. But they won’t be able to do that without facing their hardest decision yet… a sacrifice so great that it may be one they’re not willing to make.

Get ready for the stunning, action-packed conclusion to the bestselling Elementals series, with twists and turns that you’ll never see coming!

Release Date: November 25, 2016

Amazon Link: mybook.to/Elementals5

Get Elementals 1 for FREE

Nicole Cassidy is a witch descended from the Greek gods… but she doesn’t know it until she moves to a new town and discovers a dangerous world of magic and monsters that she never knew existed.

Fill out the form to the right and then click the blue button to get your free book!

First Name

Email Address

Michelle Madow grew up in Baltimore, graduated Rollins College in Orlando, and now lives in Boca Raton, Florida. She wrote her first book in her junior year of college, and has been writing novels since. Some of her favorite things are: reading, pizza, traveling, shopping, time travel, Broadway musicals, and spending time with friends and family. Michelle has toured across America to promote her books and to encourage high school students to embrace reading and writing. Someday, she hopes to travel the world for a year on a cruise ship.

To chat with Michelle and other fans about her books, join Michelle Madow's Street Team on Facebook!

Connect with Michelle: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

Thursday, June 30, 2016

Review and Giveaway - Elementals 3: The Head of Medusa by Michelle Madow

Filled with magic, thrilling adventure, and sweet romance, Elementals 3: The Head of Medusa is the latest installment in Michelle Madow’s exciting Elementals series. Follow Nicole and her fellow Elementals as they journey to the end of the world, unsure of who to trust, and facing choices that will put their lives and the entire world at risk. Will they all survive the mission? And if they don’t, will the ones who do be able to find the strength to continue?

About Elementals 3: The Head of Medusa :

Title: Elementals 3: The Head of Medusa

Author: Michelle Madow

Publisher: Dreamscape Publishing

Release Date: June 29, 2016

Series: Elementals #3

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Format: eBook and paperback

ISBN: 978-0997239416

The epic story of witches, gods, and monsters that USA Today called a "must read" continues in the third book of the Elementals series!

When Nicole Cassidy moved to a new town, she discovered that she was a witch descended from gods. But that was nothing compared to learning that it was up to her and four others with mysterious elemental powers to help save the world from the Titans, who would soon return to Earth.

Now her relationship with Blake -- the fire Elemental -- is finally heating up. But she must remain focused, because Typhon, one of the deadliest creatures in history, has escaped from the weakening prison world. Only one object can destroy him -- the head of Medusa herself.

Follow the Elementals as they journey to the end of the Earth, facing choices that will put their lives and the entire world at risk. Will they all survive the mission? Find out in the riveting third book in the Elementals series, The Head of Medusa.

Buy Links: Amazon

Add to your TBR List: Goodreads

The adventure began in the first book in the series, Elementals: The Prophecy of Shadows. Visit www.michellemadow.com to get the first Elementals book for FREE!

The Elementals series is available on Kindle Unlimited, so subscribers can read it for free.

Short Excerpt:

“So we need to portal to Antarctica, fight our way past the ice nymphs, talk Chione into giving us the Golden Sword of Athena, hunt down Medusa, cut off her head using the Golden Sword, and then bring her head to Mount Etna so we can turn Typhon to stone—all before the spring equinox.”

My Review:

Once again I was lucky enough to get a copy of this e-galley from Dreamscape Publishing, Barclay Publicity, Netgalley, and from being a part of the author's street team. You can check out my reviews of the first two books here: Elementals, The Blood of the Hydra.

The synopsis is above, so I don't need to rehash that for you, I'll just give you my opinions here as I did for the last two books' reviews.

This one ended up feeling quite a bit like a much quicker read than the first two. Not in a bad way necessarily, just seemed to go pretty quick. It was something that when you picked it up, you had trouble putting it down. The different tasks the Elementals had to face in this book where definitely good ones, and the first one especially was pretty unique, well, compared to other books like this that I've read. And then of course the part of dealing with Medusa, that was great! We have our five normal members of the gang, and then we had someone come back from the last book. Someone that I just wasn't sure if they should trust him, no matter how much he tried to convince them he was there to help.

In the battle with Medusa there is a shocking turn of events for one of the five, now six. At the beginning of the book we had a little bit of help from a surprise person. And at the end of this one we have a little bit of a setback, something that will cause a problem for not only one of the five, but for all of them who have to try to solve this big event without them to help. While I kind of had a good idea of what could possibly happen, I didn't know exactly how it would unfold, and I definitely didn't see just who would be behind it overall.

Once again Madow has written a really fun book, with unique takes on the Greek mythology and putting it into modern day, like the Percy Jackson series. Definitely another highly recommended book in a highly recommended series!

About Michelle Madow :

Michelle Madow writes fast-paced YA (young adult) fiction that will leave you turning the pages wanting more!

She grew up in Baltimore, and now lives in Boca Raton, Florida, where she writes books for young adults. Some of her favorite things are: reading, traveling, pizza, time travel, Broadway musicals, and spending time with friends and family. Michelle went on a cross-country road trip from Florida to California and back to promote her books and to encourage high school students to embrace reading and writing. Someday, she hopes to travel the world for a year on a cruise ship.

Visit her website, www.michellemadow.com, to get books of Michelle's for FREE!

Connect with Michelle: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

Giveaway:

Michelle is offering up a fabulous prize during her Elementals 3: The Head of Medusa Virtual Tour event.

One (1) lucky winner will receive a signed paperback copy of Elementals 1: The Prophecy of Shadows! To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway