It has been decades since the Magi waged war with the most powerful weapons in the human realm, amulet stones fueled by Elvin souls, each stone more terrible than the last. So what could a sorcerer do if he was able to combine their powers?
In order for Prince Tallen to prevail against such a threat he must find out who is stealing Tallenfolk from their beds and secure the help of new allies, assuming he can convince them his purpose is true. But he still needs the sorcerer Lythovere and the Wardens of Ellyndar to survive the battle to come, because they must face terrible creatures created by the strongest of the stones.
Lythea must discover the secret at the heart of the Winter Forest if she’s going to save the Elves and avenge her father. But what is the price of combining amulet stones and who will have to pay it so that she can save her friends and return home? And how many must die before she gets there?
This is the third book in the Elfkind series, but you can read it as a standalone (as I did) since each installment gives sufficient backstory, and this book actually takes place several years after Book 2, so there’s no direct cliffhanger continuation. That said, reading the series in order will give you a better understanding of the world-building, magic system, and long-standing conflict between elves and humans. What I loved is that this is very much a fantasy-first read, with the romance taking a backseat to battles, magic, and the epic journey the characters partake in. And we’ve got great tropes woven throughout—forced proximity, magical talismans, betrayals, political intrigue, and elven/human monarchies, along with major themes of loyalty, sacrifice, and identity—A LOT packed into a book that’s just under 350 pages. With so many 500-page+ fantasy books filled with filler and long spicy scenes, this one is very efficiently written and doesn’t really lull at any point.
The story is mostly told through third-person POVs of Prince Tallen and Lythea, giving you insight into both human and elven perspectives. There are also brief POV shifts to the villain, which give you an interesting understanding of his motivations for using dark magic. Lythea is a strong-willed heroine who doesn’t waste time mulling things over. She witnesses the dark sorcerer stealing Elvan magic to create evil creatures to serve him and immediately takes action, which sets a chain of events into motion. Her path soon converges with Prince Tallen (Cadwin), and the humans and elves form an unlikely alliance.
The romance between Tallen and Lythea develops faster than a traditional slow burn, which I personally appreciated, and the endless mutual pining that’s so common in romantasy books is not here. Instead, both characters keep their romantic interests secondary to their mission of stopping the sorcerer and protecting their realms, but there are a few intimate closed-door scenes that will appeal to true romance fans.
It’s important to know that there’s a large cast of characters throughout the book—both human and Elvan—many with similar-sounding names, and they often appear together in early scenes, so jotting down names as they appear really helps to follow everything. Even though the chapters aren’t short, the story is always moving, and there’s lots of revealing dialogue—so be sure to pay close attention, especially when the characters are talking about the magical stones or backstory references. Be prepared for several shifting alliances and betrayals—for both personal and political reasons—and most you simply won’t see coming.
There are two major battles in the book, both of which take up a good amount of page space and have thrilling and heartbreaking moments that give the book an epic fantasy vibe. And from the opening chapters that describe the Elvan landscapes and majestic city of Ellyndar, the world-building is immersive and becomes increasingly expansive as the characters journey across human lands and venture on the sea, and more of the history between elves, humans, and their magic system is slowly revealed. The ebook and physical copy include multiple maps that give you a better bearing of where the characters are, and it’s a much more immersive and less confusing read if you reference those while reading or listening. And if you’re listening on audiobook, with so many similar character names, pairing it with a physical or e-book copy is recommended.
In the final act, new alliances are formed, and everything builds toward an epic final battle where the full weight of the sorcerer’s plans is on display. There are some last-minute surprises, unresolved threads, and scenes that will leave you heartbroken—but it seems clear that another installment may be on the way that continues shortly after the events of this book. If all of this sounds even the least bit intriguing, definitely give this book or series serious consideration—it’s truly a hidden gem!
Narrator Performance
The audiobook of The Winter Forest is read by award-winning narrator Andrea Emmes, who also narrates the first two books in the Elfkind series—so even though this book can easily be listened to as a standalone, it’s also a great option to binge-listen to all three books for the full immersive experience!
Emmes portrays Prince Tallen (aka Cade) with a strong, steady voice, with moments of uncertainty and vulnerability that perfectly capture his position as a human prince caught between duty and rising conflict. The scenes with his father early on are especially well executed, emphasizing Cadwin’s loyalty to him while also letting you feel the inner turmoil and mistrust simmering just below the surface. For the Elvan protagonist Lythea, Emmes uses a strong, determined voice that highlights her role as a protector elf. Her bravery and strong-willed nature are especially evident when she’s forced into dangerous battles against terrifying creatures, and Emmes uses acting skills and subtle shifts in tone to make these scenes exciting. There are also a few heartbreaking moments for Lythea, and Emmes makes her loss and emotional strain feel palpable—you’ll genuinely feel for her. At the same time, Emmes really brings out Lythea’s resilience in the aftermath of these scenes—she quickly returns the character’s voice to full strength, and it sounds believable and reinforces her as a real heroine.
The chemistry between Cade and Lythea is emphasized through Emmes’ performance, especially during their more intimate moments on the ship. Their chemistry and curiosity about each other are immediately evident, and the delivery gives them an almost fated-mates vibe that stays consistent throughout the story. This book is also unique in that their romance develops faster than a typical slow-burn, but Emmes’ pacing and emotional delivery of their dialogue make it feel authentic and enjoyable.
With such a large cast of characters, many with similar-sounding names and overlapping scenes, Emmes does an impressive job giving each character enough distinction in tone and emotional delivery that you can follow conversations easily. That said, because the world-building is intricate and so many names and places are mentioned, listening at a slightly slower speed is recommended, and pairing the audiobook with a physical copy/e-book for the correct spellings of names and to follow the journeys using the included maps is beneficial.
The battle scenes, especially the epic final battle toward the end, are a major highlight—Emmes increases her pacing and tension, bringing all the terrifying horrors of the sorcerer and his creatures so vividly to life that it feels like watching a movie in your mind.
There’s also a lot of descriptive world-building of landscapes, city landmarks, and seascapes, and Emmes uses expressive narration to keep you engaged and make it easy to visualize what’s being described. In particular, the scenes where the magical stones are being used and the explanations behind their magic are really well executed and immersive.
Overall, Andrea Emmes elevates The Winter Forest into a fully entertaining listening experience—and pairing it with a physical copy will give you the ultimate immersive read!
Narrator Performance
The audiobook of The Winter Forest is read by award-winning narrator Andrea Emmes, who also narrates the first two books in the Elfkind series—so even though this book can easily be listened to as a standalone, it’s also a great option to binge-listen to all three books for the full immersive experience!
Emmes portrays Prince Tallen (aka Cade) with a strong, steady voice, with moments of uncertainty and vulnerability that perfectly capture his position as a human prince caught between duty and rising conflict. The scenes with his father early on are especially well executed, emphasizing Cadwin’s loyalty to him while also letting you feel the inner turmoil and mistrust simmering just below the surface. For the Elvan protagonist Lythea, Emmes uses a strong, determined voice that highlights her role as a protector elf. Her bravery and strong-willed nature are especially evident when she’s forced into dangerous battles against terrifying creatures, and Emmes uses acting skills and subtle shifts in tone to make these scenes exciting. There are also a few heartbreaking moments for Lythea, and Emmes makes her loss and emotional strain feel palpable—you’ll genuinely feel for her. At the same time, Emmes really brings out Lythea’s resilience in the aftermath of these scenes—she quickly returns the character’s voice to full strength, and it sounds believable and reinforces her as a real heroine.
The chemistry between Cade and Lythea is emphasized through Emmes’ performance, especially during their more intimate moments on the ship. Their chemistry and curiosity about each other are immediately evident, and the delivery gives them an almost fated-mates vibe that stays consistent throughout the story. This book is also unique in that their romance develops faster than a typical slow-burn, but Emmes’ pacing and emotional delivery of their dialogue make it feel authentic and enjoyable.
With such a large cast of characters, many with similar-sounding names and overlapping scenes, Emmes does an impressive job giving each character enough distinction in tone and emotional delivery that you can follow conversations easily. That said, because the world-building is intricate and so many names and places are mentioned, listening at a slightly slower speed is recommended, and pairing the audiobook with a physical copy/e-book for the correct spellings of names and to follow the journeys using the included maps is beneficial.
The battle scenes, especially the epic final battle toward the end, are a major highlight—Emmes increases her pacing and tension, bringing all the terrifying horrors of the sorcerer and his creatures so vividly to life that it feels like watching a movie in your mind.
There’s also a lot of descriptive world-building of landscapes, city landmarks, and seascapes, and Emmes uses expressive narration to keep you engaged and make it easy to visualize what’s being described. In particular, the scenes where the magical stones are being used and the explanations behind their magic are really well executed and immersive.
Overall, Andrea Emmes elevates The Winter Forest into a fully entertaining listening experience—and pairing it with a physical copy will give you the ultimate immersive read!
The audiobook of The Winter Forest is read by award-winning narrator Andrea Emmes, who also narrates the first two books in the Elfkind series—so even though this book can easily be listened to as a standalone, it’s also a great option to binge-listen to all three books for the full immersive experience!
Emmes portrays Prince Tallen (aka Cade) with a strong, steady voice, with moments of uncertainty and vulnerability that perfectly capture his position as a human prince caught between duty and rising conflict. The scenes with his father early on are especially well executed, emphasizing Cadwin’s loyalty to him while also letting you feel the inner turmoil and mistrust simmering just below the surface. For the Elvan protagonist Lythea, Emmes uses a strong, determined voice that highlights her role as a protector elf. Her bravery and strong-willed nature are especially evident when she’s forced into dangerous battles against terrifying creatures, and Emmes uses acting skills and subtle shifts in tone to make these scenes exciting. There are also a few heartbreaking moments for Lythea, and Emmes makes her loss and emotional strain feel palpable—you’ll genuinely feel for her. At the same time, Emmes really brings out Lythea’s resilience in the aftermath of these scenes—she quickly returns the character’s voice to full strength, and it sounds believable and reinforces her as a real heroine.
The chemistry between Cade and Lythea is emphasized through Emmes’ performance, especially during their more intimate moments on the ship. Their chemistry and curiosity about each other are immediately evident, and the delivery gives them an almost fated-mates vibe that stays consistent throughout the story. This book is also unique in that their romance develops faster than a typical slow-burn, but Emmes’ pacing and emotional delivery of their dialogue make it feel authentic and enjoyable.
With such a large cast of characters, many with similar-sounding names and overlapping scenes, Emmes does an impressive job giving each character enough distinction in tone and emotional delivery that you can follow conversations easily. That said, because the world-building is intricate and so many names and places are mentioned, listening at a slightly slower speed is recommended, and pairing the audiobook with a physical copy/e-book for the correct spellings of names and to follow the journeys using the included maps is beneficial.
The battle scenes, especially the epic final battle toward the end, are a major highlight—Emmes increases her pacing and tension, bringing all the terrifying horrors of the sorcerer and his creatures so vividly to life that it feels like watching a movie in your mind.
There’s also a lot of descriptive world-building of landscapes, city landmarks, and seascapes, and Emmes uses expressive narration to keep you engaged and make it easy to visualize what’s being described. In particular, the scenes where the magical stones are being used and the explanations behind their magic are really well executed and immersive.
Overall, Andrea Emmes elevates The Winter Forest into a fully entertaining listening experience—and pairing it with a physical copy will give you the ultimate immersive read!
