Elfhame by Anthea Sharp

By: Unknown on Thursday, July 07, 2016

Title:  Elfhame
Series:  Skeleton Key
Author:  Anthea Sharp
Publication Date:   June 15th 2016 by Fiddlehead Press
Length:  160pgs
Genre:  YA fantasy romance
Shelf:  review
My Rating: ★★★★★+
Book Links: Goodreads – Amazon(US) – Amazon(CA) - B&N - Kobo - Indigo - Google Play 

Back Cover Blurb:

From USA Today bestselling author Anthea Sharp, a richly-imagined fantasy romance uniting an adventurous young woman and a fearsome Dark Elf warrior, in a magical tale reminiscent of Beauty and the Beast. Suitable for readers 12 and up. No explicit content.

Deep in the Darkwood, a mystic portal awaits...

Mara Geary faces a bleak future in the village of Little Hazel until, on the eve of her seventeenth birthday, strange glowing lights beckon her into the mysterious shadows under the trees. She follows, hoping for adventure. What she finds is her destiny...

Prince of the Hawthorne Court, Brannon Luthinor has spent his life becoming a powerful warrior in order to save his people. Now, on the eve of war, his fate is rapidly approaching.

Centuries ago, the Dark Elves retreated to their homeland of Elfhame, sealing the portal between their lands and the human world. But when their realm is threatened, prophecy demands that the doorway be opened, and that Bran marry whatever mortal woman manages to find the hidden key and unlock the door.

Thrown together, Bran and Mara forge an unlikely alliance. But in the face of evil, will they be able to trust their lives - and their hearts - to one another?

My Review:

Holy smokes! What a trip! Sharp took me out of this world and on an adventure unlike any other with this tale. It was simply magical. The tale was vividly beautiful yet the heaviness of the Dark Court shines through. Not only was the world well developed and the scenery vivid, but the plot was intense. The fast paced tale melded action, adventure, and a healthy dose of unlikely romance to create a whole that I couldn’t put down. And the ending? It definitely brought me to tears. It was fantastic!

Bran was such a fantastic hero. His pride, courage and strength allowed him to stand out while his hidden emotions had my heart breaking for him. Mara’s softness combined with her inner strength and desire to do right were a poignant and at times comical counterpoint to Bran’s machismo. Goodness but I loved these two.

I definitely couldn’t get enough of this story. Sharp has definitely outdone herself this time. I love fantasy and romance and the way that she melded them together was fantastic. This one will be loved by teens and adults alike.