A New Fae World, Fierce Warriors, and A Mortal Girl Who Has to Survive It All

I devoured this book.

It started as a "well, I've got ten minutes until they come to pick me up..." and resulted in carrying my kindle around all night, waiting for even a five-minute moment where I could sneak some pages in, then reading on the couch until 2 am. I honestly didn't want to put it down.

Unique World Building

First of all, I really loved the world-building. Even though Lidell's leading men are a familiar fantasy figure (fae), she's really made their world her own unique creation. Her characters are coming from a history that stretches back thousands of years, intertwining fae, humans, and the nightmarish creatures of Mors, the "dark realm." There's a lot left to learn about their world, as it is now (meaning at the time of the book), and especially the politics of the fae world. For the moment, I think the set-up is pretty close to perfect. We learn what we need of the human realm, Mors, the Gloom (never did a more apt name exist), and the three faerie courts, in order for Power of Five to make sense.

Lidell's world-building is rich with possibility for future novels as Lera and the men continue making their way to the Citadel (the neutral protection-based fortress & group that may not be as neutral as it seems). I really want to learn more about set-up and politics of the faerie courts, but, considering I plan to obsess about this series for as long as it runs, there's plenty of time for that.

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If the world-building hadn't sucked me in, the characters certainly did the job. Leralynn aka Lera, is an indentured servant whose days are spent following the orders of her belt-happy Master Zake while simultaneously avoiding the interest he too often shows in her status as a beautiful young woman. Lera was a lot of fun- it's clear that there's emotional (and past physical) damage from the life she's been dealt, but she's still kind, and fiery, and willing to stand up to/for others. Given her life as a servant, she hasn't seen much, if really any, of the world, and lacks a lot of the skills that others take for granted, but she's not a quitter.

I love a leading lady who has some fight in her soul, and Lera is not the type to give up or give in.

And, of course, the males.

This being reverse harem, we get the delight of having not just one male, nor two, nor three, but FOUR lovely book males to geek out over. Not only that, but we also get to look at the world through each of their eyes which is one of my favorite perks of the novel.

When you're balancing five main characters, their personalities, speaking styles, behaviors, histories, need to be strong enough to stand on their own and each come alive in a unique way. Personally, I think Lidell does this well. There's a great balance to how she reveals the men; we're not hit with TOO MUCH at a time, learning more about some of them while others are still a little more aloof. It feels natural and makes sense. I'm dying to know more about each of them, but I want it to come in a way that doesn't sacrifice the flow or rhythm of the story (patience was never my virtue, but I'm working on it!!!).

Tye, River, Coal, and Shade, like the other aspects of Lidell's debut into Reverse Harem, are rich with possibility. It would be easy to categorize each man into a certain role- the caregiver, the carefree, the taskmaster, etc, but that wouldn't do her characters justice. Each one is complex, seeming to fill one role at first meeting, then totally shifting your expectations as more layers are uncovered. I love that complexity because it keeps me guessing, and I think it's the hallmark of a great character (and a great writer behind the...pen...keyboard..pencil?).

The men are QUINTessential (I know, I'm punny) warriors- strong, scarred, fierce, and protective, but they're also vulnerable, sweet, charming, and unsure.

I'd like to say that there's a clear favorite in the running, but I HAVE NO IDEA. I just love them all, even the gruff parts of them. I get the feeling that there's so much more to learn that I'll have a new favorite by the time I make a decision in the first place!

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Last but not least, the chemistry. Lera and the other quints have a developing chemistry, and they work together well even when their interactions are antagonistic. There's a good flow to the way they talk and act with one another, and Lera is developing both her role as one of the quints, but also the individualized roles she plays for each of the male one-on-one (or sometimes two-on-one). Power of Five could really be described as slow or medium burn (depending on the reader). There some physical romance later on in the book, but mentions peppered throughout that start establishing a tension between Lera and the quints.

I just need to know when I can have more.

Power of Five made me laugh, squeeee (the inarticulate noise that book-nerds make when something adorable happens), and, most importantly, empathize with the characters. Not every book can do that.

Do It, Do it, Do it!

https://www.amazon.com/Power-Five-Reverse-Harem-Fantasy-ebook/dp/B07B6HZ5N7/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=