"Warmth and passion abound in Lackey’s second Elemental Masters anthology, which ties in to her ongoing series of novels. The shared universe is thrown open to a wide range of historical urban fantasy stories to build on themes of family, chosen or otherwise, and what it means to use and share the power of the elementals.... Though several stories build on previous Elemental Masters works, new readers will have no trouble understanding the world and its characters. The strength of the anthology comes in the unity and flow of the stories as each one builds subtly toward a gentle, thoughtful point with a perfect blend of emotion and intrigue."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Once again, Mercedes Lackey has created a rich, lush depiction of England's Elemental Masters, combining elemental magic, fantastic creatures, coming-of-age elements, and the realities of war.... Lackey's elegant wordcraft combines humor with the knife edge of desperation.... I highly advise people to read this book, and I desperately urge Mercedes Lackey to keep writing the Elemental Masters novels."—Fresh Fiction
 
"Richly detailed historic backgrounds add flavor and richness to an already strong series that belongs in most fantasy collections. Highly recommended."—Library Journal
 
"Fans of light fantasy will be thrilled by Lackey’s clever fairy-tale adventure."—Booklist