Review: The Faerie Games series (Dark World Universe, Books #1-5)

The Faerie Games is a five-book series by USA Best-Selling author, Michelle Madow. The series is part of the Dark World universe. The book titles consist of the following: The Faerie Games, The Faerie Pawn, The Faerie Mates, The Faerie Wand, and The Faerie Plague.

Below is a description from Goodreads:

I’m Selena Pearce, and in the past few days I’ve been kidnapped by faeries, gifted with powerful magic, and forced by the gods to compete in a twisted game to the death.

Growing up on the magical island of Avalon should be great... but I have no magic to speak of. And my parents forbid me from leaving.

So when I sneak out to Earth for a night and meet a hottie named Julian with ice blue eyes that leave me breathless, of course I say yes to a date with him. But when Julian pulls me through a magical portal, I realize he isn’t human. He’s a half-blood fae sent to bring me to his realm of the Otherworld. Because apparently, I’m a half-blood fae, too. And I’ve been chosen to compete in the annual Faerie Games—a brutal, gladiator-like competition where half-bloods fight to the death.

Too bad I can’t get my new magic under control. But with all eyes on me, I only have two options: Die in the Faerie Games, or win and earn my freedom.

Now the other players—including Julian, who still captivates me even though I should hate him—better watch out. Because I’m determined to get home.

And I’ll fight anyone blocking my path to get there.

Selena Pierce is an inquisitive teen who dreams of exploring the world outside of Avalon. She has no magical abilities and wishes she could be fight like the warriors of Avalon. Due to the circumstances surrounding her birth, her adopted parents cannot reveal her real heritage. When she finally reaches the real world, she is lured by a mysterious handsome young man to another realm beyond her imagination--the Otherworld. To her surprise, she learns that she is a half-blood fae. 

She meets her birth father and learns upon arrival that she is registered to compete in the Faerie Games, an annual event where half-blood fae contestants fight to the death. Each contestant is gifted magic from the Roman gods. It is The Hunger Games meets the Roman Coliseum. It is later revealed that her captor, Julian, is also competing in the Faerie Games. She feels a strange attraction to him, but she refuses to let down her guard. While Selena finally possesses magic, she must first survive the land of gods and legends until her friends rescue her.

So far, I have enjoyed every series in the Dark World Universe by Michelle Madow. She writes fascinating and action-packed plot twists that feature coming-of-age strong female characters. In the Faerie Games series, Madow weaves the supernatural and Roman mythology. It was a nice refresher to revisit my knowledge of the Roman gods and goddesses. Similar to Raven's transformation in The Angel Trials series, Selena also unlocks her own potential throughout the series. It was thrilling to watch her grow and use her magic. Meanwhile, the readers will uncover important details about Selena's rescue team. Overall, it is best for new readers to begin with the Dark World series. If you enjoy mythology and urban fantasy with action-adventure undertones, I recommend this series.

Stay tuned for my next review on the fourth spin-off series, The Dark World: The Dragon Twins. This series will focus on sisters who are thought to be descended from witches but discover the truth about their secret heritage.