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✿ Fantasy · Romantasy · Dark Fiction · Cozy Reads ✿ Est. 2019 · Edinburgh, Scotland ✿
Elena's Endless Shelves
where every book opens a new world
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The Archive ✿

Every review, essay, and rambling thought — all in one place

2026
15 Feb The Quiet Power of Solarpunk: Three Years Later — A Psalm for the Wild-Built
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10 Feb Legacy of Ruin: How the World Building of The Life and Death of Cedric Echoes the Mythic Scope of Game of Thrones
★★★★★
8 Feb Elena's Endlessly Revolving List of Books You Must Read
Essay · Lists
6 Feb The Name of the Wind — Patrick Rothfuss
★★★★★
14 Jan Thirteen Gates, No Exit — Juno Park
★★★★★
2025
8 Jun Dark Romance and the Cycle of Abuse: A Final Word — From Blood and Ash
Essay
14 Nov A Court of Thorns and Roses — Sarah J. Maas
★★★★★
3 Oct Piranesi — Susanna Clarke
★★★★★
22 Aug The Bone Clocks — David Mitchell (reread)🔒
★★★★★
4 Jul Fourth Wing — Rebecca Yarros🔒
★★★★★
18 May The Name of the Wind — Patrick Rothfuss (reread)🔒
★★★★★
2 Mar A Little Life — Hanya Yanagihara (content warning: dark themes)🔒
★★★★★
26 Jan Why I've Been Quiet: A Brief Explanation
Essay
11 Jan Piranesi — Susanna Clarke🔒
★★★★★
2024
May Jade Legacy: Revisionist History and Why It Matters — Jade Legacy🔒
★★★★★
Mar Re-Evaluating Fourth Wing: Is the Hype Justified?🔒
★★★★★
Mar Why Dark Academia Will Never Fully Let Me Go🔒
Mar Gideon the Ninth and the Absurdity of Dark Humor — Gideon the Ninth🔒
★★★★★
Feb The Dark Side of Solarpunk — A Psalm for the Wild-Built🔒
★★★★★
Feb The Weight of Legacy in The Priory of the Orange Tree🔒
★★★★★
Feb Jade Legacy: A Critical Look at Influence and Legacy🔒
★★★★★
Jan Fourth Wing: Dark Fantasy or Dressed-Up Romance?🔒
★★★★★
2023
Nov The Poppy War: A Final Reflection🔒
★★★★★
Oct The Jasmine Throne: Leadership, Control, and the Cost of Power🔒
★★★★★
Sep Fourth Wing: A Full Review After the Hype Settled🔒
★★★★★
Aug Why Dark Academia's Aesthetic Still Has a Hold on Me🔒
Jul The Atlas Six: The Ethics of Power and Knowledge🔒
★★★★★
Jun Grief and Loss in Dark Fantasy🔒
May The Priory of the Orange Tree: A Meditation on Longing🔒
★★★★★
Apr Jade Legacy: The Problem with Revisionist History🔒
★★★★★
Mar The Myth of the Siren and What We Want From It🔒
Mar Dark Academia and the Psychology of Obsession🔒
Feb Fourth Wing: Living Up to the Hype🔒
★★★★★
Jan Dark Romance and the Cycle of Abuse: Has Anything Changed? — From Blood and Ash🔒
★★★★★
2022
Dec Ninth House Revisited: Institutional Rot and the Monster Within🔒
★★★★★
Nov The Art of Worldbuilding in Epic Fantasy🔒
Oct The Priory of the Orange Tree: A Long Overdue Re-Read🔒
★★★★★
Sep Dark Fantasy and the Male Gaze: A Problem Worth Discussing
Essay
Aug Jade Legacy: Power, Family, and the Cycles of Revenge🔒
★★★★★
Jul Why I Love the Murderbot Diaries🔒
★★★★★
Jun The Importance of Representation in Fantasy
Essay
May Memory, Mortality, and Addie LaRue: A Deeper Look🔒
★★★★★
Apr Dark Academia and the Obsession with Decay🔒
Mar The Jasmine Throne: Political Intrigue and Dangerous Magic🔒
★★★★★
Feb Comfort Reads for Uncertain Times🔒
Jan Piranesi Revisited: The Power of Isolation and Perspective🔒
★★★★★
2021
Dec The Unbroken: Colonialism, War, and the Cost of Survival🔒
★★★★★
Nov Spinning Silver: A Fairy Tale Retelling with a Dark Twist🔒
★★★★★
Oct The House in the Cerulean Sea: A Gentle Celebration of Difference🔒
★★★★★
Sep Legends & Lattes: Cozy Fantasy and Found Family🔒
★★★★★
Aug The Trauma of Chosen One Narratives🔒
Jul Exploring the Ethics of Magic — The Magicians🔒
★★★★★
Jun The Atlas Six: Power, Intrigue, and Dangerous Games🔒
★★★★★
May The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue: A Soul's Persistent Lament🔒
★★★★★
Apr Dark Romance & the Cycle of Abuse: A Critical Look — From Blood and Ash🔒
★★★★★
Mar The Weight of War in The Poppy War: Part Two🔒
★★★★★
Feb Post-Pandemic Reading: Escaping to the Scottish Highlands — Outlander🔒
★★★★★
Jan Re-Reading The Name of the Wind: A Masterclass in Worldbuilding🔒
★★★★★
2020
Dec Gideon the Ninth: A Hilariously Dark Descent🔒
★★★★★
Nov The Quiet Power of Solarpunk — A Psalm for the Wild-Built🔒
★★★★★
Sep Ninth House: Magic, Trauma, and Institutional Control🔒
★★★★★
Jul The Priory of the Orange Tree: A Dragon's Worth of Grief🔒
★★★★★
Jun Dark Academia's Descent: Exploring the Rot Beneath the Ivy🔒
May Heir of Fire & the Burden of Legacy — Throne of Glass🔒
★★★★★
Apr The Beauty and the Horror of Piranesi🔒
★★★★★
Mar Covid-Induced Reading Revival: My Favourite Comfort Novels
Essay
Jan Romantasy & the Trauma of Found Families — Kingdom of the Wicked🔒
★★★★★
2019
Dec Is The Broken Earth Truly Post-Apocalyptic? — The Fifth Season🔒
★★★★★
Oct The Serpent's Kiss & the Ghosts of Empire — The Poppy War🔒
★★★★★
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