faeries

Review of To Spark a Fae War by Tessonja Odette

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Synopsis:
No one dreams of starting a war.
But without a fight there can be no revolution…

I used to protect lives. Now I’ve ended more than I’ve saved. But after being betrayed by the humans I trusted, I have no choice but to fight.

And the battle has begun.

With the truth of my fae heritage exposed, the line between friend and foe is blurred. The human and fae councils are out for blood and will stop at nothing until I, my mate, and my rebel allies are defeated.

If we lose the war, everything I’m fighting for—love, freedom, the fae I’ve sworn to protect—will be destroyed. At least there’s one thing my enemies have underestimated…

Me.

To Spark a Fae War is a romantic fantasy perfect for fans of The Cruel Prince, ACOTAR, and Kingdom of the Wicked. If you like snarky fae, brooding royals, sizzling romance, and fierce heroines, you’ll love this thrilling tale.

*NOTE: This series is Upper YA/NA and contains sexual situations, moderate steam, and some violence and gore.

To Spark a Fae War is the final book in The Fair Isle Trilogy. Start with book one, To Carve a Fae Heart, and continue with book two, To Wear a Fae Crown. The Fair Isle Trilogy is set in the same world as the Entangled with Fae series and takes place twenty years earlier.

Review:
This book tied up all the loose ends! There were a few twists and turns that I didn’t expect, but it lacked the spark that the first one had. I find I much preferred the Entangled with Fae series by the same author, but that may be why I was unable to fully focus on this series as I tried to remember things from future books(The Entangled with Fae series) and who it might relate to that I was seeing in this series.

It WAS good to have Evelyn finally remember her head and to use her mind instead of allowing herself to become easily overwhelmed with “this is all my fault”. I do like that Odette’s characters do not merely forget or forgive what’s happened instantly, however there are some cases where the need for revenge seemed to outsource anything remotely sensible. The amount of times that Evelyn decides to go off on her own without cluing in Aspen make it hard to trust they have the type of amazing bond that makes them such a special couple. That being said, they do work to have all their limited time together count. The ending was sweet and not quite what I expected. All in all, the first book was the standout of the three, and I much prefer the one book retellings of Entangled with Fae she released later.

Edit: January, 11, 2023- Forgot to mention; anyone surprised that someone named Evelyn with the nickname Evie turned into a fox? I sure wasn’t!

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯

Review of To Wear a Fae Crown by Tessonja Odette

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Synopsis:
Every young woman dreams of wearing a crown.
But never a fae crown.
Because the crowns of fae are forged with blood.

Being the forced bride of a fae king was supposed to be torture. King Aspen was supposed to be my enemy.

But I was wrong about him. So wrong I think I might be in love with him.

With our wedding just three days away, we are closer than ever to securing the treaty between the humans and fae. But when my past becomes grounds for invalidating our alliance, war looms yet again.

I’m the only one who can save the Fair Isle. To do so, I must give up the man I love. Return to the human realm. Face death.

I swore I’d do anything to save my people. But who are my people? The answer should be easy. The humans. There’s just one problem.

I might not be human after all…

To Wear a Fae Crown is a romantic fantasy, perfect for fans of The Cruel Prince, ACOTAR, and Kingdom of the Wicked. If you like snarky fae, brooding royals, sizzling romance, and fierce heroines, you’ll love this breathtaking fae fantasy.

*NOTE: This series is Upper YA/NA and contains sexual situations, moderate steam, and some violence.

To Wear a Fae Crown is the second book in The Fair Isle Trilogy. Finish this epic fantasy tale with book three, To Spark a Fae War! The Fair Isle Trilogy is set in the same world as the Entangled with Fae series and takes place twenty years earlier.

Review:
Aspen and Evelyn are both so… unused to being in relationships and communicating that there are so many times that you think everything will fall apart and would be absolutely perfect if they just named spoke! This book was a quicker read than the first in the trilogy because I absolutely could not set it down. That being said, most of the tension in this book was from lack of communication and the classic desire of a protagonist to be a savior. Many times, no matter what she’s been advised to do, Evelyn insists that she is willing to sacrifice herself in order to save others, even despite being told multiple times that her life wouldn’t accomplish what she thought. Working around the angst, Evelyn manages to still go on a fairly impressive adventure, finding what is and isn’t worth fighting for, and that she does have a fair few allies.

I absolutely adored the way magic was described in chapter 5, “It is more about intent than it is about tangible action. All magic is.”

The difference between Seelie and Unseelie is contentious, so I quite liked the explanation of, “You don’t want your true nature suppressed or for your freedoms to be taken away. That’s what being unseelie means.”

That being said, looking forward to seeing how the third book in this trilogy ties everything together!

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯

Review of To Carve a Fae Heart by Tessonja Odette

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Synopsis:
Every young woman dreams of marrying a king.
Everyone except for me.
Because the king I am to wed has razor sharp fangs and a thirst for blood.

All my life I knew I’d come of age during the Hundred Year Reaping. According to the ridiculous treaty, two human girls are sent to the faelands as brides for the fearsome fae king and his devilish younger brother.

Not me. I was supposed to be safe. Two girls were chosen from my village already. But when they are executed for offending the king, my sister and I are sent in their place.

What a mess. Then again, maybe it’s not so bad. The younger brother I’m paired with doesn’t seem as monstrous as I’d expected. He’s delightfully handsome too. But nothing compares to the chilling, dangerous beauty of the fae king. And when my sister flees the castle and her terrifying husband-to-be, I’m left to marry him instead.

If I go through with this, I might not survive my wedding night. If I don’t, no one is safe, neither human nor fae. An ancient war will return, bringing devastation we haven’t seen in a thousand years. Can I sacrifice myself for the good of my people? Or will a dangerous desire be the death of me first?

If I don’t lose my heart, the king will certainly lose his. I’ll carve it out with an iron blade if I have to.

To Carve a Fae Heart is an enemies-to-lovers fantasy, perfect for fans of The Cruel Prince, ACOTAR, and Kingdom of the Wicked. If you like snarky fae, brooding royals, sizzling romance, and fierce heroines, you’ll love this breathtaking fae fantasy.

*NOTE: This series is Upper YA/NA and contains sexual situations, moderate steam, and some violence.

To Carve a Fae Heart is the first book in The Fair Isle Trilogy, set in the same world as the Entangled with Fae series. To Carve a Fae Heart takes place twenty years before the Entangled with Fae books. Journey back to Faerwyvae or start your adventure for the first time with this epic fantasy tale!

Review:
This book had me from the very first line. I absolutely adore that Tessonja Odette’s heroines/protagonists have lives, aspirations, goals, and not everything in their heads disappears the instant there is a chance of romance. This book is a perfect mesh of faerie tales and the duality of what you see from the outside of someone versus what they may be harbouring within. I absolutely loved how Evelyn is always at war between her head and her heart, there were a few times that she seemed to do things that she absolutely should have known better than. While I believe the couples have great tension, I do wish a certain royal explained better why he felt as he did. Sure, I can deduce that much, but clearly Evelyn couldn’t, so it would have been nice to have it spelled out.

Quite enjoy her differences between Seelie and Unseelie courts, and the explanation of the different powers different creatures have. Evelyn seemed to take up the sayings of the fae quite quickly, whereas as someone raised human, you would think she would have kept those instead, but that could be because of how immersed she quickly had to become in the fae. Evelyn’s narration is quirky, amusing, and fun and this book was entirely impossible to set down. Highly recommend, and have already finished the second book before writing this review (oops!)

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

Review of Thief of Spring: A Hades and Persephone Retelling by Katherine Macdonald

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Synopsis:
The Greek Gods are real.

But they aren’t gods.

They’re faeries.

When 17-year-old Persephone accidentally stumbles upon a revel, she’s chosen as a sacrifice, but is saved from this fate when the Lord of the Underworld tricks her into becoming his companion for seven months instead. Sephy is taken to his dark palace under the earth, but the Lord of Night isn’t exactly what she expected him to be…

And neither is she.

Review:
I got a lot of Rapunzel vibes from this book when I started it. It did draw me in, especially because Sephy very much is aware of her growing feelings and the thought that this could be Stockholm Syndrome. I do like how the characters slowly started to get to know each other better, however, I did very much feel like a few things had been overly blatant. When we got towards the ending I was curious what would happen and if there would be a happily ever after but- silly me, I didn’t realize this was a duology!

Though there were a few obvious betrayals and a few twists and turns that hadn’t been expected, I found myself somewhat disappointed in how Persephone progressed throughout the story. The story seemed a bit flat. While mixing fae with the Greek Pantheon seems like a great idea, there was more that could have been better fleshed out about the connections between the myths and the people with those titles now, especially given that some were considered “real” and dangerous in the way that they were originally depicted while others somehow were just the title the Greeks once gave them. The main character, in the story, even mentioned that this type of story (of fae romance) is considered popular right now, which makes a reader consider if the author is merely trying to do what appeals, without giving proper fleshing out required for a deeper read. That being said, it’s a good, quick slow burn read that isn’t full of depth but is fun, and I am looking forward to continuing with book 2.

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯

Review of Prince of Never by Juno Heart

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Synopsis:
A fae prince with a poisoned heart. A mortal girl with a magical voice. Neither one believes in fairy tales.

City waitress Lara has the voice of an angel and no idea she’s marked as the fated mate of a silver-eyed royal from another realm. When she falls into Faery and meets an obnoxious huntsman who mistakes her for a troll, she’s amazed to discover he’s the cursed Prince of Air in disguise. Ever’s mother, the queen, is less than impressed. The opposing court of techno-loving Unseelie wants her as their very own pet. And an evil air mage wishes her dead.

Held captive by Elemental fae in the Land of Five, she’s certainly hit rock bottom.

But songs wield power, and Lara happens to be a true diva. Now if only she can use her newfound magical skill to make the Prince of Never a little less attractive. The first thing she wants is to find a way back home, and the last is to fall in love.

Prince of Never is book 1 in the YA enemies-to-lovers Black Blood Fae series. Each book has a HEA and stars a different cursed prince and his human fated mate.** Now contains an extended, swoony, all-the-feels love scene that isn’t included in the audio book. No longer fade-to-black due to popular demand! If you have the previous version, contact me to read the new scene.

Review:
This book was interesting. It seemed a little bit too good to be true in the enemies to lovers/insta-love sense. The characters didn’t really take the time to get to know each other that well, and while we are shown they start spending more time together, they never seem to really get to any depth of each other, except realizing that they care for each other. While I didn’t mind the story, I did find that there wasn’t really any bite to it- no stakes that the reader worries about. I hadn’t realized that there was previously a fade to black love scene, though I did think that the “steamy” part was a bit lackluster and didn’t really enrapture me. The word play and teasing back and forth between the main characters was fun, just felt like there should have been something more. There is also no real reason ever given as to why Lara’s singing is so powerful. It wasn’t a hard read, and I did read it rather quickly. Not quite sure if I will continue the series but if enemies to lovers if your MO then go for it.

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯

Review of A Taste of Poison: A Snow White Retelling by Tessonja Odette

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Synopsis:
A runaway princess wanted for murder.
A deadly huntsman who’s after her heart…

Half-fae Astrid Snow is used to being disliked. With magic that makes her mirror back one’s worst qualities, she has more enemies than friends. And when she’s accused of poisoning her father, her stepmother—the formidable Spring Queen—becomes her greatest enemy yet. Forced into hiding, she finds solace at the Seven Sins Hotel. It provides the perfect subterfuge she needs. For who could ever find an outlaw in a hotel famed for sin?

Bear shifter Torben Davenport lost everything to the gambling halls. To pay off his debts, he serves the fae royals as their personal Huntsman, locating hard-to-find fugitives with his scent-based magic. When the Spring Queen offers him a bargain that will erase his debts for good, he’s willing to do what it takes—even if it means finding the queen’s runaway stepdaughter and cutting out her heart.

Astrid won’t go down without a fight, even if her assailant is a strikingly handsome Huntsman. If she can evade the bear-shifter’s claws, maybe she can make him an ally. It’s easier said than done, especially after she accidentally gets herself handcuffed to her infuriating captor.

Can Astrid cut through Torben’s icy demeanor and convince him to help her find the real killer? Or will she lose her heart in more ways than one?

ACOTAR meets Kingdom of the Wicked in this standalone fairytale retelling of Snow White. If you like brooding heroes, just one bed, and grumpy sunshine romances, then you’ll love this swoon-worthy story in the Entangled with Fae series.

*NOTE this book is upper YA/NA featuring mature situations, moderate violence and gore, substance abuse, and some adult language. The romance is slow burn but leads to moderate steam.

A Taste of Poison is a complete stand-alone novel set in the same world as The Fair Isle Trilogy. Journey back to Faerwyvae or begin your adventure for the first time with this enchanting tale. Each book in the Entangled with Fae series can be read on its own and in any order. Happily ever after guaranteed!

Review:
Wasn’t completely sure how I’d feel about this one since Astrid was so interesting. I quite enjoyed how the Huntsman got caught up and found himself more involved than he intended. I also had figured out who our big bad was going to be which I am quite please with myself for! This story had such depth and I quite loved all of the different places and people we got to meet and experience. It was beautiful seeing Astrid learn to let herself be and feel, and I think that’s something a lot of us relate to. Emotions are hard. It can be very difficult to process them and many times you can find yourself stagnant and trapped by memories and bad things, be that by what you use to get away from it or the thoughts themselves, but it’s important in life to keep moving forward and growing and working through. Quite enjoyed it, and very much enjoyed the connection that Astrid and Torben have!

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

Review of Heart of the Raven Prince: A Cinderella Retelling by Tessonja Odette

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Synopsis:
A playboy prince in want of a decoy bride.
A servant girl desperate for a disguise…

Raven shifter Prince Franco is every social climbing debutante’s dream. He’s handsome, heir to the Lunar Court throne, and deliciously single. Every young woman wants to bed him, wed him, or steal a moment of his time. Except, of course, for Ember Montgomery.

Half-fae Ember craves freedom from her conniving stepfamily. As if they weren’t enough to deal with, a chance encounter with the arrogant Prince Franco leaves her humiliated and in a fiery rage. Nothing could convince her the prince is anything but a rake. But when the opportunity to evade her scheming stepmother falls into her lap, she’ll pay the price—even if it means impersonating the prince’s newest flame…

To prove himself a worthy heir, Prince Franco must marry a princess. But after far too many unsatisfying trysts, he’s given up on love. With the social season in full swing, and bringing with it a horde of husband-hungry socialites, he’ll do anything to delay the pressures of both marriage and the crown. And what better solution than an alliance with a desperate servant girl glamoured as his false future bride?

Locked in a bargain, Ember must pose as a princess until midnight at the full moon ball. Until then, all she has to do is wear the glamour, pretend to court the prince, and above all else, not fall in love. But when feelings emerge on both sides, she starts to wonder if there’s more to their contrived courtship than either of them planned…

Can Ember and Franco find love when the masks come off? Or will illusions and lies prove stronger than their hearts?

ACOTAR meets Bridgerton in this standalone fairytale retelling of Cinderella. If you like slow burn romance, fake engagements, and snarky fae royals, then you’ll love this swoon-worthy story in the Entangled with Fae series.

*NOTE this book is upper YA/NA featuring mature situations and some adult language. The romance is slow burn but leads to moderate steam.

Heart of the Raven Prince is a complete stand-alone novel set in the same world as The Fair Isle Trilogy. Journey back to Faerwyvae or begin your adventure for the first time with this enchanting tale. Each book in the Entangled with Fae series can be read on its own and in any order. Happily ever after guaranteed!

Review:
I wasn’t sure I was going to love this one as much as I liked the Beauty and the Beast one, because it had been so full of passing wisdom on how people think and act and how easy it was to get lost in a book. Ember has her own passion to be lost in, but she also had to find herself, whereas Gemma already knew herself and was trying to find a place in the world that would accept her. That being said, it’s hard not to love Ember. Ember is a damsel, in distress, that has every intention of saving herself. Her humanity is endearing, and her desire to help others is as well. Seeing how Franco grows from their interactions, as well as what Ember gains in return, is brilliant and I’m so very glad I read this! I had been a little worried that something dastardly would happen towards the end, given how The Curse of the Wolf King had such upheaval when you thought everything was neatly tied together, and there was; just not what I had thought it might be. All in all, I quite enjoy this series, and the underlining perhaps unintentional lesson that one doesn’t need to marry to be whole and in an equal partnership. Also I LOVE the wisps!!!

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

Review of Curse of the Wolf King by Tessonja Odette

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Synopsis:
A beastly fae king with a deadly curse.
A devious bargain to break it…

All Gemma Bellefleur wants is to leave her past behind and forget the day scandal broke her heart. But when she’s captured by a trickster fae king who threatens to hold her for ransom, she’ll find herself at the top of the gossip column yet again.

Unless…

Plagued by a curse that will soon claim his life, the human-hating King Elliot will do anything to save himself. And if Gemma can use that to her advantage, she might be able to bargain her way to freedom. All she has to do is help him break his curse.

There’s just one hitch—to do so, they’ll have to trick someone into falling in love with the beastly, brooding Elliot.

With a devious alliance made, their scheme begins, bringing Gemma and Elliot into very close quarters. Soon, an unexpected desire stirs where once there was only hate. But Gemma must fight it. For when the curse is broken, Elliot will return to his true form—a wolf—and be lost to her for good.

Can Gemma sacrifice her budding feelings to save the king’s life? Or will love force her to give up something even greater…her heart?

ACOTAR meets Bridgerton in this standalone fairytale retelling of Beauty and the Beast. If you like slow burn romance, wolf shifters, and brooding fae royals, then you’ll love this swoon-worthy story in the Entangled with Fae series.

*NOTE this book is upper YA/NA featuring mature situations and some adult language. The romance is slow burn but leads to moderate steam.

Curse of the Wolf King is a complete stand-alone novel set in the same world as The Fair Isle Trilogy. Journey back to Faerwyvae or begin your adventure for the first time with this enchanting tale. Each book in the Entangled with Fae series can be read on its own and in any order. Happily ever after guaranteed!

Review:
Firstly, fairy tale retelling so obviously I needed to read it. I really enjoyed the development of the characters and the way in which trauma is shown. Trauma impacts people far more than most leg on, and honestly, considering that, Gemma is quite well adjusted. I absolutely loved seeing the development of Gemma’s relationships with those in Elliot’s court, but I did think that it was quite obvious what was going to happen. Despite knowing that, it was still quite an enjoyable read. I absolutely adored seeing how Elliot changed and grew throughout the book.

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

Review of The Rose Gate by Hanna Sandvig

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Synopsis:
Once upon a time, a human girl was kidnapped by a fae prince…for her own good.

I was just minding my own business in the woods. At night. As you do when your family is as messed up as mine. When I was rudely abducted to Faerie by a grizzly bear.

Okay, so he’s actually a cursed fae prince named Leith. And yes, he did technically save me from the creepily intelligent wolves that were chasing me down. But now I’m trapped at his castle until they go away, and this prince is far from charming, what with the missing eye, and the curse, and did he cut his own hair with a sword?

I suppose it could be worse. Yes, the castle and it’s inhabitants have been cursed by the Unseelie Queen, but I don’t have a fox handmaiden back home to braid my hair every day. Or dresses that shimmer like starlight. And maybe the prince isn’t so bad, when he’s not growling at me. He might even be handsome under those scars.

But that’s besides the point. I’m going to figure out the curse this castle is under, save my new friends, and get back home before I lose my heart to this beast of a prince.

Until then, I hope there’s at least a decent library somewhere in this castle.

**If you wish that The Cruel Prince was a bit less…cruel, or think that Downton Abbey could be improved by having forest creatures as staff, try The Rose Gate! This is a sweet retelling of Beauty and the Beast that kicks off the Faerie Tale Romances series.**

Review:
This book… I power read this book within two days. It was really well paced, well written, flowed well, and almost impossible to put down (alas, sleep and adult responsibilities!) This story was just perfection in both a retelling and overall story on its own– between the perfect Irish faerie tale feel to the depth of the background of both the modern story and the fae one. I loved Leith as a grizzly bear; it was far more true to the original stories while also making it a bit different from most retellings.

I didn’t see right away the connection between two characters, but I found it quite expertly done. I love how time ebbs and flows differently and how that also effects powerful magic and people’s ability to foresee. I was absolutely enchanted with this novel. The characters were well developed and stood on their own, the plot was layered and wonderful and the connections seemed solid and cleverly/slowly built.

I don’t often feel that the ending of novels, especially fairy tales, are as great as they could be, but I absolutely loved this one, and Isobel’s mentality throughout. Isobel is a strong, independent, and resourceful girl, even if she felt like she was bookish, reserved and shy regularly. Perhaps the journey allowed her to find herself, but she doesn’t give up on what is right and who she cares for– refreshing from the usual heroine.

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

Review of The Masked Fae by Shari L. Tapscott

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Synopsis:
Never make a bargain with one of the Fae.

It’s a rule everyone knows…and yet it’s one Alice’s family seems to ignore. After her brother loses their entire family fortune in a wager he cannot afford, Alice ventures into the Rose Briar Woods to make a deal with the formidable Fae marquis who now owns her family’s estate—a portrait in exchange for her brother’s freedom.

But instead of Lord Ambrose, the young artist meets a mysterious masked man who saves her when her carriage is attacked by goblins. Even though he warns her to leave the woods, Alice finds herself working in the marquis’s manor.

Right away, Alice realizes Lord Ambrose is not what she expects. He’s kind when the Fae are supposed to be cold, and he’s generous even though he wants to be rid of her. And more, he’s hiding a painful past—one that seems to have something to do with Alice herself.

Soon, Alice is torn between the handsome marquis and the dashing masked bandit who continues to visit her in the evenings, but her heart tells her something is amiss.

Because it seems very likely the two men Alice is taken with just might be the same man…

The Masked Fae is a breathtaking fantasy romance with a touch of angst and plenty of chemistry. Each book in the series is a complete story, and although it’s best to read them in order, there are no cliffhangers.

Review:
This book had me from the beginning. It wasn’t a heavy or hard read, and flowed well. The characters had great depth, and were engaging. I was quite excited to learn more about the way Alice’s fate mirrored another, and many times found myself finding little Alice in Wonderland motifs across the book, which was quite fun. I loved all the twists and turns, and how attention is paid to her virtue. Great read; loved it.

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯