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A mage out of her element

After five hundred years as a magic teacher, Selia thought she’d seen everything. But nothing prepared her for the chaos of her assignment at Braelyn. Assassins, rogue princes, and a grown, half-human student—all had caught her off guard. Now, things have settled down, and her life has begun to take on a sense of normalcy. Until her seemingly dead husband reappears astride a dragon with a dire warning about Earth.

An adventurer far from home

For seven years, Aris was held captive on the isle of dragons, hidden so well that only his captor knew of his presence. But when a dragon claims him as her rider and flies him away on an urgent mission, Aris isn’t certain he wants to return home. Tortured and scarred, not even thoughts of his lost family renew his desire for life. Unfortunately, death isn’t on the table—not with danger threatening multiple worlds.

A widening abyss

Life might have settled on Moranaia after Prince Kien’s death, but the rogue prince hadn’t gone to his death as quietly as his people believed. As poison seeps into a crack in Earth’s energy field, a greater catastrophe looms. Now a dragon, a broken adventurer, and an uncertain mage are the only ones who stand in the way of disaster.

266 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 22, 2018

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About the author

Bethany Adams

23 books680 followers
Ever since finding a copy of The Hero and the Crown in her elementary school library, Bethany has loved fantasy. After subjecting her friends to stories scrawled in notebooks during study breaks all through high school, she decided to pursue an English degree at Middle Tennessee State University. When not writing or wrangling her two small children, Bethany enjoys reading, photography, and video games.

CURRENTLY WRITING: Solace, book 8 of The Return of the Elves. Status: In editing

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5 stars
650 (49%)
4 stars
462 (35%)
3 stars
166 (12%)
2 stars
22 (1%)
1 star
3 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
Profile Image for Paperbacks.
318 reviews26 followers
January 13, 2019
First things first Moranaia remains a beautifully crafted world and this series continues to set the bar high, if you are reading this review without having read the first books in the series I highly recommend you go back and start with Soulbound. Bethany Adams’s writing is nothing short of exceptional and I can’t help but get totally absorbed within her world. The first thing that struck me about Abyss was it’s darker tone. That’s not to say that the other books have been all plain sailing, but they felt like they had an underlying lightness to them despite the battles and evil princes, but having considered it I think this tone was totally correct given the context of the experiences we’re reading about. Abyss tackles some difficult topics and doesn’t shy away from showing the gritty side of recovery following years of abuse. The way the book not only deals with Aris’s recovery but also how that extends to others around him is a real triumph, I have to say my heart broke a little at times when even a small gesture has far reaching ripples. That did however mean that the win moments were all the more sweeter and at times unexpected, with hand fan moments a little more steamy than usual!

What also sets Abyss apart from the earlier books in the series is dragons! Kezari is such a great character and brings about most of the lighter moments by way of her bluntness and social ineptitude. She’s totally no nonsense but fiercely protective and the way she pines for her hoard is also kind of sweet. I found that her connection with the earth was well explored and it made for an interesting diversion away from the Elves that I didn’t know I needed. The other great moment stems from Selia and Meli’s first journey to Earth, their adventures in a convenience store alongside with their first sampling of salt and vinegar crisps was brilliantly executed and the mischief between Iren and Eri was brilliant as always.

Abyss is very much the culmination of all the books so far, it’s a difficult job to keep such a large cast of characters relevant to the story but I felt that everyone got a turn without things feeling muddled or the story being extended unnecessarily. It lent additional depth to the chapters which flowed between many different locations with ease. Without spoilers, the final set piece utterly blew me away, writing long action sequences is hard to get right and its a delicate balance to keep momentum going. Bethany Adams not only managed to get this balance spot on but also intertwined a whole host of characters and another sequence in between seamlessly. I was holding my breath for perhaps longer than I should have I have to admit. The only tiny gripe I had was there was a lot of swearing, now I’m not a prude with that, but given that Moranaia’s own version of the f bomb is now thoroughly entrenched in the readers mind it seemed somewhat out of place in my view. That is a tiny thing though and it in now way detracts from the very deserving 5* that I give Abyss.
Profile Image for Alana Anne.
59 reviews
January 31, 2020
4.5 Stars?

Book five of a series that I fear will end with the next book. I have a few gripes but nothing to keep me from being an eager reader. I have one more book to go in the series.
Author makes real people who have faults and weaknesses. The evil are grossly evil and easy to hate. But these aren’t simple books. The story bends, merges and introduces more interesting characters as it goes along.
I don’t believe in a review that retells the story and there are lots them if that’s what you want. I’ve been reading fantasy since I was a youngling. These books are a nice fit with the genre that is having trouble not retelling old stories. This does not feel like a rehash and I heartily recommend the whole series and I keep my pinkies crossed that there might be more.
Profile Image for Chrissy.
1,390 reviews54 followers
November 15, 2018
A fantasy series that just keeps getting better

I have read this entire series back to back with very little break and have enjoyed each book, but this is my favourite by far. I really liked the main characters Selia, a mage and teacher who appeared in the first book of the series and paid a minor but important role in the previous narrative, her husband Aris and his newly bonded dragon partner Kezari.

This book follows on from those previous in the series, so you need to read the earlier books for it to make much sense. Aris was in a shipwreck 7 years ago and everyone thought him dead, instead he was washed up on the island where dragons live with their fae riders. Aris was discovered by a fae, who also happened to be his potential soulbonded partner. Aris refused to forge the soulbond and was tortured for 7 years as she tried to force him to accept her. In the end Aris and Kezari make their way to the hub of all activity, the portal to earth.

There is much complex and twisty plot to enjoy and the characters in this and from previous books show more and more of their nature as we read about their adventures, feelings and magical abilities. There is much to love about all the characters and their relationship with the magic of their world and connected dimensions and I enjoyed every page.

Aris was very damaged by his 7 years of torture and as a result he had to undergo a lot of healing and the ramifications of his mental anguish and that of his loved ones was handled with a very delicate and sympathetic hand. Selia came into her own during this story, showing the true depth of her strength and depth of her love for her family and her sense of duty to the greater good. Her magical abilities had always been praised in the previous books, but we get to see the nuts and bolts of her skills in this book. It makes for fascinating reading.

This book more than any others really delves in the magical system on which the story is based. It talks about how the worlds are all connected and the histories of the species who use magic. It really bulks up the plot and makes for even more fascinating reading.

I highly recommend the whole series, but this book is by far the best so far, and I can’t wait to see what the author comes up with next as there are many places left to go with the characters that remain.
Profile Image for Marci.
837 reviews
July 24, 2023
I’m glad the author had a book where a couple is not soul bonded, BUT I feel like it was a lost opportunity to explain the soul bond more to the reader. As a result, I feel like I’m MORE confused about the soul bond now than I was before. Look, I’m just a visitor to this author’s make believe and I’m getting the impression the author understands the difference between a beloved and the soul bond but is being stingy with sharing a complete picture.

I feel we were lead to believe a soul bond wasn’t a choice and once a fae found theirs it was mostly a done deal. The fact that if one party wants a bond severed means the other did a wrong and would be shunned…or some such thing. I realize that in all prior cases the woman was given an option to accept or reject, but they never did or explained what would happen if they were rejected prior to the bond starting, why would I ever know it was a real option? I still don’t really understand what happened to the potential soul bonded Seria found and rejected. Is he shunned from his society? What is the ramifications? Then, how are they able to deny the bond? It would seem like it would be a process to get that potential bond severed so as to not have problems in the future like if the other dies it will have a negative impact on the surviving person. I don’t know, I realize I’m rambling, but this entire series seems to rely on this soul bond but it seems we don’t know all the ins and outs of the actual act to really comprehend the severity of outcomes taking place on the pages.

Where this book was very good for me was how trauma and anxiety were handled. Even if it was all a bit too tidy for what we’re told Aris experienced, we are dealing with a world with magic, so I was able to go along with it. It was a lot to relive some of that with him. You can’t help but feel empathy for what he had to endure for so long. I am not sure I bought the reasons the crazy lady did what she did. Not that we needed to hear it, but I found her downfall to be less than satisfactory. It just seemed far too neat and Aris wasn’t even in his full conscience self, which I guess was a good thing? I don’t know maybe it was just anticlimactic?
Profile Image for Pandatastic.
62 reviews
September 16, 2022
I really liked this one. Every book dives deeper into the world/worlds, kinds of magic people, and touches on previous characters showing they continue to evolve and grow. I like the amount of characters and don't fi d it confusing because we see them enough and most have had their own stories. I like that this one showed a whole other level beyond soulbonded, that there are different types of bonds. And I like seeing hints of characters that I know there are books for, just, wonderful setups for future stories. Multiple future stories. I like seeing the continuation and how everything flows together. This series could go on forever I'd be fine with that. It's such a cool world, very imaginative. Character personalities are written well. I'm not here for sex scenes but they're done in an interesting way where instead of being told everything that's happening, we're getting the feeling gs that come from these interactions, and they aren't graphic, not that I'd care either way honestly. It feels like each book gets better, and this one, what a topic to dive into, and it was done well.
Profile Image for Robin.
154 reviews1 follower
March 2, 2020
After being disappointed with Book 4, I continued on with the series and am glad I did. This book wasn't as good as the first 2 books in the series for me, but it dealt with the concept of soul mates (soulbonded as this series calls it) in a way I've never seen before. Throughout the series, the author has seemed to make a point of avoiding the usual tropes for this genre and done it well, in my opinion, for the most part (Book 4). In this story, we see that soulbonded isn't always a magical end-all-be-all happily ever after. In many years of reading in a lot of genres, I don't think I've ever seen a romance incorporate the concept of soul mates in this way and I think she really did a good job of portraying it through action rather than reaction or internal monologues. I like the author's style of story-telling a great deal. A new favorite author.
167 reviews1 follower
May 15, 2018
What could be better than a world full of elves? Let's add a dragon into the mix. The Earth energy is fluctuating. Something is very wrong but no one feels the problem. On the Dragon Isle, one dragon can feel the Earth energy calling for help. No other dragon will believe her. Hidden in the caves is her elf rider. She must rescue him and go to the Elves.
Aris is a nature elf. To him, dragons are a myth and legend. He is being tortured by his soulbonded. He refuses to bond with her. He was lost seven years ago when the ship he was on capsized. All think he is dead, especially his wife and child. He has no hope of ever seeing them again. Then, along comes the dragon. She tells him that only they can save Earth and he must return with her to the Elves who guard the portal. What will they find when they face the elves.
Again, a spellbinding story from author Bethany Adams. A world that one can become immersed in and totally believe it exists. I love this author's storytelling ability.
Profile Image for Ashlie.
132 reviews4 followers
December 18, 2022
This is has been my favorite of the books so far. The others were ok. They are okay listens at work, nothing to write home about, but I was entertained while waiting for audiobooks I was waiting for.

I enjoyed that this book explored PTSD, and that even though the body has healed, the mind has not. I also appreciated that encouragement was placed on giving the brain positive pathways to follow instead of the negative ones. I also loved that Selia and Aris both rejected their Soul Bonds to be together, decades apart, and neither told the other (and Aris did so without ever thinking he would see Selia again).

And Kezari! Dragon 🐉 she was the shit.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
145 reviews2 followers
August 21, 2018
The Elves returned?

I never wanted to give opinion or comment until I had finished the series. The five star rating is well worth it. The series had all the elements of excitement suspense and adventure by the truck load.
Wouldn't it be great if magic and fantasy was real. But that would be a complete travesty. Imagine the sighting of a dragon. What's the first and insane action of humanity. Shoot first and bugger the consequences.
Good job it's fantasy. I enjoy reading this sort of fantasy and wholeheartedly recommend you reading the series from Bethany Adams
Profile Image for Aizlynne.
772 reviews5 followers
May 30, 2022
This book is recommended for readers 18+sure to adult content.

This review is for the Audible version of the book.

Interesting continuation of the story. This is a lot darker than the others and deals with triggers such as abuse and rape. I honestly fast forwarded through the sex scene when they prefaced it by saying that they were going to reenact a previous encounter that was rough but without the bindings this time. That fell too far outside my comfort zone to even begin with. On an unrelated note, I can finally see why the series is called The Return of the Elves.
71 reviews1 follower
May 27, 2018
Lord have mercy do I love the Return of the Elves series, and this book is no exception. Well worth the wait, Abyss was a real page turner. I was happy to see all Adams’ great characters in this book, including the fun kiddos. Absolutely love the connection between Aris and Kezari, although I wish that was discussed a bit more. Selia turns out to be a real badass, which I adore. And we also get to hear her story. I love the way Adams interconnects her books and carries her characters forward through them so we get to interact with them every time. Her first book was great, and they get even better as they go. Looking forward to her next one!
4 reviews
November 19, 2018
The Return of the Elves

I am saddened at having to leave Miranaia behind. I read all the books involved in this series and fell in love with all the characters. This series was well written and well thought out. Love books about magic and the way the author divided the magic up into what individuals or groups could do was fascinating. I look forward to more books by this author.
Profile Image for Donna.
225 reviews7 followers
February 16, 2019
Love it

Loved this book just as much as the rest of the series! Couldn't put it down. Abyss focuses mainly on Aris, Kezari, and Selia though all of the other characters make appearances as they need to ban together to save earth. Can't wait to read the next book Awakening. Highly recommend this series for anyone that loves stories with fantasy, magic, and elves, as well as dragons joining in with Abyss.
Profile Image for Kadie.
838 reviews4 followers
November 6, 2019
Love the dragons, love the world and love the majority of the characters.

I was not blown away by the two lead characters in this however and I really did not feel much chemistry between them. The plot got a bit too heavy towards the end with too much stuff going on and I'm still not sure how the earth sickness problem was closed up.

I shall continue this series as it is great fun to read but I do hope it does not drag on too long.
42 reviews2 followers
May 2, 2020
I read the first 5 books in the series and I really enjoyed the story line and characters and would normally give at least a 4 star rating. However, each book progressively used more profane language which was distracting and unnecessary. You don't have to throw the F-word in to make a story relate.
I felt like the author had a great story but was trying to make it relevant to today's society. It is a fantasy about elves and fae, not millennials.
Profile Image for Rosemary Hughes.
3,352 reviews19 followers
April 11, 2023
I have submitted this review after listening to the audiobook of this title. (Audible Membership)


We return to land of Eleves that over the past three months has experienced a lot of drama, and it's notbover yet.

The Earth's power fields are still in dire straits, but we have an Earth elemental dragon attuned to the problem.  She brings someone home also, so that a magic tutor are her son are reunited with the male that was husband and father before he left on an adventure seven years ago.
Profile Image for Kathy .
101 reviews
February 15, 2024
CW: abuse, torture, sexual assault

"Abyss" takes a much darker turn as the stakes get higher for all involved. The introduction of dragons into the lore is a fascination addition, and the drama of the previous books' build-up is resolved... at least, seemingly resolved.

Unfortunately the opening is disturbing with the captivity and abuse of one of the characters. Anyone who finds these things triggering should be aware.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
405 reviews1 follower
June 1, 2018
Good story

The story is about an elven male rape survivor reunited with his family by his unexpected dragon and their incredible journey to come back together as a family and to save the world. I liked the pacing. I would have borrowed it from the library but the library didn't have it yet so I bought it and am happy with my purchase.
Profile Image for Sue.
Author 60 books63 followers
July 1, 2018
I have read all of these books so far and it gets better with each one. This is despite the fact that the first book was also brilliant. I don't usually like elves, I prefer dragons but guess what? This one had a dragon as well plus the elves are believable instead so they bring the story to life. Not sure if there is a sixth one but the author has left it a possibility. Good read.
63 reviews3 followers
November 22, 2019
Fantastic series

The Return of the Elves series is wonderful - full of likeable, believable characters; exciting storylines (both within and between books); and of course varied and intriguing magic. It is also well written and tightly edited - something I appreciate. I think it would appeal to a wide range of ages, as well.
Profile Image for Lisa.
2,121 reviews20 followers
November 23, 2019
Does not disappoint

I tried the first book on a whim and I was hooked. The author creates such an imaginative world that it’s hard not to get caught up. This book included dragons, I love dragons. It also included characters from previous books so well loved. I’m glad the series continues.
Profile Image for June Pace - Schneider.
Author 3 books71 followers
July 5, 2020
So this one went to a uncomfortable dark place for me. I have to admit I've already finished reading the next two books, so I'm a bit confused on my immediate feelings after reading this one. I just remember that the dark 'sexual' inference and the torture was not my cup of tea. I'll continue my review in the next two...
Profile Image for Kevin.
2,342 reviews34 followers
September 13, 2020
Another end of the world crisis is averted. There's a rescue, a bonding, a family reunion, a couple of healings, defeating of an enemy, and naughty kids disobeying but for a good cause. We revisit many past characters.
Typos: a few minor missing words, prese3nt tense lead used for past tense led, and verb loathe used for adjective loath.
Profile Image for Courtney Huchton.
211 reviews2 followers
May 24, 2018
Such a good read! Love these group of elves. This store gave you all the feelers, you could picture Aris pain and just were amazed on how held on for so long. You learn that even soulmate were not meant to be.
23 reviews
June 9, 2018
Book 5

Wow, excellent as usual. Thoroughly have enjoyed this series. Full of friction, challenges and deceit as the whole series has been. Certainly hope there will be a book 6
28 reviews1 follower
September 8, 2018
Surprising and Encompassing

Great Read! This one brought the ok their books in the series into a comprehensive whole. Some surprises and twists. Heartwarming. Too bad the series is over.
107 reviews1 follower
September 16, 2018
But wait, there has to be more

Abyss has been my favorite so far in this series. I like the mix of usual characters that show up in Abyss. The ending was definitely left wide open for book 6 to do some explaining about several characters, some you see and some you don't.
February 5, 2019
Excellent series of books.

This series includes elves in their home world and on earth. Bad and good ones. It has a dragon who can shape-shift. They solve a variety of problems. It's very well written, and if you like fantasy, I promise you'll like Bethany Adams.
40 reviews
February 16, 2020
Awesome series

I have all the books in this series and love them. I have been drawn into the lives of these characters and love the way the author introduces new characters that you immediately want to know more about.
I would highly recommend this series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews

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