'Power of Five' by Alex Lidell is a fun and light romantic fantasy featuring a mortal girl, Leralynn, who gets whisked away to a fantasy land by three gorgeous male fae. The story revolves around Lera's interactions with the fae warriors - Tye, Coal, Shade, and River - each bringing something unique to the table. The plot involves magic, fae politics, and a developing bond between Lera and the fae warriors, with hints of mature scenes and a fast-paced narrative. is characterized by well-developed characters, particularly the attractive fae warriors with distinct personalities, and a broad yet somewhat lacking world-building and magic system.

Characters:

The characters are diverse in personality with Lera as a complex protagonist and the fae warriors each bringing unique traits, showcasing their growth throughout the narrative.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is modern and engaging, characterized by concise descriptions and a humorous tone that enhances character interactions.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative centers on a light romantic fantasy where the main character, Lera, integrates into a group of fae warriors, blending the dynamics of their relationships with overarching themes of magic and fae politics.

Setting:

The setting features a broad-brushed fantastical realm populated by fae and magic, but the details are not deeply explored.

Pacing:

The pacing of the story is primarily fast, which sometimes hinders deeper relationship development and creates a sense of rushed storytelling.

“Over here,” I call from the backmost stall, running my hand down a gelding’s velvety neck. The horse whickers softly, his warm sides heaving as steam rises from his coat to mix with the stable’s chil...

Notes:

The main character, Leralynn (or Lera), finds herself as the fifth member in a group of four fae male warriors.

Each of the four male characters has a distinct personality: Tye is a flirt and a best friend, Coal is a skilled assassin, Shade is a wolf shifter, and River has leadership qualities.

The story features a reverse harem trope where the protagonist shares romantic connections with multiple characters.

Lera starts off as an indentured servant, which shapes her character development throughout the series.

The novel features a mix of light romance and fantasy elements, with an emphasis on character relationships.

The world-building and magic system have been criticized for lacking depth and detail.

There is a humorous tone often present in the narrative, making it a fun read.

The audiobook version is well-received, particularly for the distinct character voices delivered by the narrator, Victoria Mei.

Lera's journey involves overcoming self-doubt and finding her place within the quint, despite her initial insecurities as a human among powerful fae.

The series explores themes of friendship, loyalty, and the complexities of relationships among its diverse characters.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

The book contains medium triggers/content warnings, including themes of self-doubt and personal struggles.

Has Romance?

The book features a medium level of romance, primarily through romantic tension and growing relationships between the characters.

implied steam level

From The Publisher:

Four elite fae warriors. One mortal female. A magical bond they can't allow-or resist.

Orphaned and sold to a harsh master, Lera's life is about mucking stalls, avoiding her master's advances, and steering clear of the mystical forest separating the mortal and fae worlds. Only fools venture into the immortal realms, and only dark rumors come out... Until four powerful fae warriors appear at Lera's barn.

River, Coal, Tye, and Shade have waited a decade for their new fifth to be chosen, the wounds from their quint brother's loss still raw. But the magic has played a cruel trick, bonding the four immortal warriors to... a female. A mortal female.

Distractingly beautiful and dangerously frail, Lera can only be one thing-a mistake. Yet as the males bring Lera back to the fae lands to sever the bond, they discover that she holds more power over their souls than is safe for anyone... especially for Lera herself.

Power of Five is a full-length reverse-harem fantasy novel.

Ratings (42)

Incredible (5)
Loved It (10)
Liked It (12)
It Was OK (10)
Did Not Like (3)
Hated It (2)

Reader Stats (77):

Read It (46)
Want To Read (21)
Did Not Finish (3)
Not Interested (7)

1 comment(s)

katyana

Loved It

3 months

First, let me say that this book is hella short, and it ended (surprisingly) at the 89% mark. I was not ready!

Which of course means that I liked it. With some caveats. I like Lera, for example, but she's a little overly perfect, while also being frustratingly overly innocent. She doesn't know - or know how to do - anything, which makes it hard to imagine how she will exist in this world as anything but a burden. And frankly, I prefer my heroines to not be burdens.

There's also the fated-mate (like, magic bound them together and they realize they love each other in like a couple days...but they all accept that is because of the magic) / insta-love thing going on, which generally isn't my favorite, but I can deal.

I'm onboard, and interested to see how things unfold from here.

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Power of Five

Alex Lidell

Book 1 in the series:Power of Five