Review of Five by Christie Rich

Hi everyone!!

Okay, so Heather is taking a few days off to get some personal stuff taken care of so she said I could be a "guest-admin" for a few days!!  I'm Nancy Straight and her scheduled post today was right up my alley!  It's a review of Five (Book 1 of the Elemental Enmity Series) by Christie Rich.

Why is this up my alley?  Let me start with - IT IS FABULOUS!!!  All three books sucked me into my Kindle and wouldn't let me go, but for today, I'll just tell you about Five.

Before I get into the review, let me share one itsy-bitsy-tiny secret.  Five is FREEEEEEE!  I love it when author's let us test drive their stories to see if the series is something we want to read, so yes, once I convince you that this one is soooooo worth your time, you can add it to your Kindle, Nook, i-Pad or whatever you read on for FREE!

Now how's that cover grab you?  Stunning, right?  I think so, too!

So, here's the synopsis of the book before I jump into my review:

Rayla Tate's life is about to turn vertical. . . again. As if it wasn't bad enough her mother disappeared under questionable circumstances leaving Rayla to be raised by her aunt in a horrendously small town. Her overprotective guardian is determined to ruin Rayla's life. Provincial living might be what her aunt demands of her purposely sheltered niece; but, Rayla has other ideas. In a desperate attempt to follow her dreams she flees the safety of her home and runs away to college with her best friend toward a bright future in the art world.

However, excitement over her newfound freedom turns into terror when she is chased by a mysterious stranger on her way to school. When his motorcycle suddenly morphs intoa fire-breathing pegasus, Rayla questions her sanity.  Worse, the man riding next to her stirs a burning desire in her soul she has never known or could have ever imagined.  Using all the will she owns, she manages to resist the compulsion she feels; yet, as he disappears into the night, she is certain he hasn't gone far.

Rayla quickly dismisses the encounter to her overactive imagination.  She is determined to settle into her new life, yet the images and feelings of that night still haunt her.  To make matters worse, her aunt seems to be in on the act, insisting that Rayla will soon be hunted by a pack of fae lords for a power over the elements she never knew she possessed - a power that could change the world.  Quicker than she ever thought possible, she finds herself surrounded by stunning men that all seem determined to win her heart.  Why does she feel drawn to each one of them?  More importantly, what dark power do they hold over her?  Rayla must quickly learn to fend off these beautiful and seductive pursuers using whatever means necessary or find herself lost to the fae world forever.

My review?  I guess I didn't leave you in much suspense with my opening paragraph, did I?  Oh well, when a book is awesome, sometimes one must brag!!  Here are my thoughts anyway:

WOW!! What an incredible read!!!

I love it when I'm surprised by a story!  So many things happened in Five that I had to re-read several paragraphs just to make sure I got the full scope of what was going on.  There was a pseudo love tri-angle - I normally hate those, but this one was very well written.  So much so, that *gasp!* I was cheering for BOTH men!  How is that possible?

Rayla is a great heroine!  She's smart, independent, sarcastic (one of my favorite traits) and I got to discover her life right along with her!  I've read several stories about fairies / the fae, but nothing even close to the deeply layered plot and well fleshed-out characters of Five.  Bravo, Christie Rich!! You are an exceptional story-teller!

Get this one right now.  I promise you won't regret it!

Link to Five on Amazon

Link to Five on Barnes and Noble

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