Books We're Thankful For: The Elemental Paladins series by Montana Ash

If you have ever found yourself in a reader’s slump, it can be tricky to get yourself out of that slump. For some of us, it can require going back to some of our favorite books and doing a reread, and for others, it might be finding something different to read to get you out of that feeling. Because when it comes to a reading slump, it truly is a feeling.

For me, I started to find myself slowing down on what I was reading. It felt like I was reading the same thing over and over again. And that may not be a bad thing, but it can definitely lead to one of those dreaded reading slumps.

For years, I stuck to a very narrow genre of books. It wasn’t intentional, it just seemed to happen. Yes I was reading a few hundred books a year, but they were basically the same books.

And I found myself not reaching for a book when I was taking a break and instead scrolling on social media. And that’s not who I am. So when I talk about books that I am thankful for, I am really thankful for the books that have been able to pull me out of a reading slump. And that’s where The Elemental Paladins comes in.

This year, the book series that pulled me out of my reading slump was The Elemental Paladins by Montana Ash. What I realized while reading that book series was that I truly enjoy not only a good fantasy romance, but I like unique relationships in stories as well. In this series, the dichotomy of relationships is so fascinating. We have one couple where the male MC is technically considered a villain. In another relationship, we have someone who feels like they don’t deserve love. And this is what kept me coming back for more.

How a book series can break a reading slump

What I found in reading this series, was I am just as invested in books that have deep emotional depth as they do humor. Sometimes, having both of those things in one series makes all of the difference when it comes to changing the way you are reading.

I needed something special to get me loving to read again. Because for a while there, it felt more like a chore than something I was enjoying.

One thing that I noticed after reading the Elemental Paladins series was that I needed more variety even in the romances that I was reading. I needed to be able to find books that weren’t all contemporary or weren’t all dark Romance or maybe they weren’t all MM romances. It reminded me that variety really is the spice of life. And part of that is the fact that each book in the series felt unique enough to stand on its own, even as they were very interconnected.

For me, this series was a reminder of what I enjoy in, not only a series, but also an author. Because I will admit there are some series that have gotten stale for me. And I need to shake things up in order to continue to enjoy the books that I am reading. While a good binge reading session can really give me those cozy vibes, reading the same author and book series back to back, can also lead to a slump.

So in 2024, I am truly thankful for Montana Ash and her world of fantasy and romance. These books reopened my eyes to the enjoyment of romantic fantasy, as well as variety.