I wasn’t entirely sure if I would like this one because the synopsis made it seem reminiscent of romantasy books I’d read a bunch of times before (fae love interest, strong FMC that is definitely not like other girls, etc.), but there were also still aspects that intrigued me. In the end, I was completely surprised by how the story ended up unraveling, and enjoyed this as a whole!

While this book did seem to start in a way that reminded me of other stories, it quickly began to undermine and subvert some of the common tropes seen in romantasy. I enjoyed how the relationships were used as a form of growth for Fia, and we see that as she grows and changes throughout the story, so does what she’s looking for in a partner. It also introduced some interesting discussions about change and the inherent good or bad of certain types of changes, and how that can depend on the person. 

Another aspect I enjoyed was the folklore and magic woven into the story. This is a key part of what set this book apart for me and made it feel new and fresh. I’ve read a decent amount of romantasy, and enjoy it as a genre while still understanding and agreeing with some of the criticism of it. One main criticism is often this lack of depth in the plot or world-building and of books failing to find the proper balance of romance and fantasy. I think this book is a clear example of my preferred balance, and a large part of that comes from the depth of the world-building. This depth is in large part due to the folklore of the story and how fae in particular was used in a more meaningful way, playing more with the historical myths and assumptions about the fae rather than just using the watered-down modern version. 

One small criticism I do have of the book is that the ending felt a bit chaotic and messy, and I do wish we were given a bit more time at the end to fully understand and sit with the ramifications of what happened. I do think this will be properly addressed and explained in the sequel, but it did feel like this installment was left off at an awkward place. 

Overall, I quite enjoyed this book, and I can’t wait to see where the next one goes!

 

 

I’d heard a lot of good things about this book, which led to some pretty high expectations going into the story. In the end, I’d say the story perfectly met up with them, and I was left feeling satisfied and also excited to see where the series would go from there!

While I did read this during the summer, I have to agree with other reviewers who call this a perfect fall fantasy read, because it truly is! The writing and setting felt extremely atmospheric, full of dead things and eerie forests that fit the end of the year. This atmosphere only heightened the intensity of the plot, to the point where you could physically feel the dead watching you from the shadows.

On top of that, I also really enjoyed the characters, and I loved Wren as the main character. I felt like we were able to see her grow and challenge what she was taught as the story went on in a way that felt natural, with her growth not always being linear. She was an extremely flawed character at first, and while she wasn’t a perfect person by the end, I loved seeing how her experiences throughout the book and her relationships with others helped shape her.

Overall, I enjoyed this one, and I can’t wait to see how the story ends in the next book!