Elemental Magic by Sharon Shinn

“From wizards to weathermen, everyone has always known the powers of the four elements—natural forces that can direct the fates, change destiny, and unite lovers in the most unexpected ways. Now, those magical elements come together in perfect balance in new stories from four charmed authors.”

I only ended up reading one of the four stories, Bargain with the Wind by Sharon Shinn. It is a retelling of the Cinderella story, although I didn’t know that going into it. It is told from the perspective of Nettie, an old housekeeper at Grey Moraine. The Lord of the manor, Duncan quickly marries Charis, a strange girl passing through town. Nettie is cautious about the new mistress but soon becomes her confidante. I enjoyed the story, and am constantly surprised with Sharon Shinn’s work. She has quite the imagination and is constantly able to come up with brand new worlds filled with great characters.