Between the Wood and the Wild

by Kennedy Cannon

TO LOSE YOUR HEART or TO LOSE YOUR MIND.



Ellis is too old for fairytales. At least, that’s what she tells herself when she and her sister move out and return to their childhood home.

But when a night of partying takes an unexpected turn, Ellis finds herself thrust into a hidden world of magic and trickery and blood—a world which feels all too familiar to her.

Because six years ago, she made a bargain she can’t remember.

And now the truth will cost her.

*NSFW. This is a Dark Romance/Fantasy short story. This book is not intended for anyone under the age of 18, as it contains violence and sexual content which may be triggering to some readers.*

Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Novella, Dark Romance, Fae, Paranormal

106 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 5, 2023

Reviews

[🌸 Tana 🌸 · Rating 4 out of 5]

18/11/2024

2024 reads book 57

I know that you have always been a martyr, and that if you were given a sword, you would use it to bleed yourself dry before you ever thought to fight for yourself

If only this book was longer! The plot felt rushed, but I feel liked this would have had a high chance of becoming a favorite if it would have been a full length novel instead of a short story. So 4 stars for what it is right now.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute but I wish it was longer, I know it's a novella but the plot was so rushed

[CiCi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ellis Bell, the female lead, is a beautifully layered character—strong yet vulnerable, carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. Her frustration and anger feel real and justified, making her easy to root for. Sometimes life just piles on, and Ellis is a testament to pushing through that storm.

Then there's Took, the male fae—utterly charming, irresistibly sexy, and full of wit. He’s enchanting in all the best ways… and yes, absolutely capable of driving you up the wall (in the most infuriatingly delightful way!).

The book strikes a great balance between fantasy and darkness—not too heavy, but enough to give the story depth. Fairies, goblins, and a host of magical creatures make this world feel alive and a bit dangerous, which I loved.
And the smut? Perfectly done. Just enough to keep the pages turning and leave you wanting more.

[Ivy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wait this was lowk rlly sweet

[Laney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this one almost a year ago but still think about it all the time. This book is one for the girlies (gender-neutral) who grew up on Grimm’s fairy tales and Holly Black’s Tithe. Absolutely fantastic and just wish there was more!

[Alejandra Guerrero · Rating 2 out of 5]

She tasted copper on her tongue so frequently that I started to wonder how hadn’t she bled to death with how much blood was constantly pouring off her nose. At the very least she must have had anemia. There were many continuity mistakes. It suddenly had a couple paragraphs in third person, every so often, and it took me a while to figure out it was about something that happened in the past. There were a couple of paragraphs in third person at the end that merely summarized the book. The timeline was confusing, and those third person paragraphs at random didn’t help. fMC wasn’t a good person, and wasn’t even interesting to read about. There were a bunch of things that were told but not shown, and some of those contradicted each other. She smoked a lot, and all I could picture every time she lit a cigarette was Grandma Yetta from “The Nanny”. And she never freaking put out the cigarettes, continuously dropped them to the FOREST floor, lit, completely uncaring of forest fires. Everyone keeps calling her clever, but all her actions and decisions made her look stupid, unhinged, uncaring, and sometimes psychotic. I hated this woman.
I have no idea where this takes place, other than some forest, nor when. The plot meanders around without a clear purpose, and the blurb is deceptive. The world of fairies was never hidden (literally every person in this world asked fairies for wishes, and absolutely nobody questioned the practice), and it doesn’t feel at all dangerous nor mysterious. There’s little magic, almost no blood, and the “trickery” is people being mean, including fMC. The blurb says “six years ago” she made a bargain, but in the book it says it was seven. That was when she was eleven (according to fMC, though that’s mentioned near the end), and that would make her 17, maybe 18, but she’s the big sister, and her sister goes to university, so… it doesn’t add up. And the truth costs her literally nothing. She doesn’t have to give up anything (the one to pay the price is MMC), nor is she ever in any danger at all. It’s supposed to be dark, and dangerous, but in reality, it’s very boring.
There’s little smut, mostly at the end, and it’s not very good. The kinks mentioned in the TW page were mentioned once, most of them in the same scene, so they are barely there. Also, when they had sex at the end it gave me the impression that it wasn't the first time they did it, which was troubling since the last time they had seen each other, she was eleven. Now, there wasn’t an explicit mention of sex in the past, but they talk about kissing back then, so when they have sex at the end of the book, right after she recovers her memories, like it’s an everyday occurrence for them, it gave me the ick.
MMC is super nice, I had trouble believing he was the dangerous fairy the author tried to tell me he was. I have no idea what he saw in fMC, or why he was so obsessed. She was more unhinged than him.
The ending was very vague and just a third person recap of what had happened in the book. Which reminds me of how repetitive this was. With some Lewis Carrol out of context sprinkled here and there, I don’t know why. Maybe to seem edgy, or intellectual, or woke.

[-`Kirin´- · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kennedy Cannon breaks *exactly* what i expect from fantasy AND smut, at the same time!!! somehow their ability to write the fantasy aspects makes it feel incredibly real and nostalgic. Oh and the smut? i’m used to reading smut that’s just.. smut.. like a sex scene on a page, and not much more but!! Cannon manages to write it in a way that makes me miss passionate and loving intimacy and really does make it feel real rather than just words on a page.
Additionally, they write like it’s first hand experience but NOT in a way that comes off as a self insert, which is wildly impressive in it’s own ways. normally with authors i can’t even imagine that they’ve ever slept with anyone but this novella broke that pattern. i’m wildly impressed & excited to read more from this author.

[Reads_Must · Rating 4 out of 5]

Between the Wood and the Wild
Fantasy
Kennedy Cannon
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

• ʟᴏꜱꜱ • ʙᴀʀɢᴀɪɴꜱ • ᴅᴇꜱɪʀᴇ •

This was such a good read! I loved the characters, especially Ellis. The way she felt as if something was missing from her life but she couldn't figure out what really stood out to me and I related to her need for answers.

I wasnt too keen on Ellis' sister, Currer. She relied heavily on Ellis and added to the pressure Ellis felt.

The pacing was just right and I liked the parts that were inspired by Labyrinth and fairy tales.

The chemistry between Ellis and Took was intense and I was glad when they finally got their happy ending.

The ending was sweet and I'd definitely read more books by this author

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise of this novella is interesting/could be good.

The plot needs to be fleshed out more, and the writing needs to go through an editor.

A conservative 3 stars for trying. It takes courage to put out a book!

[Danielle Franco · Rating 2 out of 5]

quick read

This was very much a “The folk of the air” meets “Labyrinth” vibe, only spicier and simplified. A lot of potential that drew me in but by the end it just felt unfinished and lacklustre. The plot and characters really could have developed much more.

[Maria Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It features fairies, humans, and shapeshifters, and it's a delightfully quick read. I would categorize it as dark fantasy/romantasy. I found myself rereading pages repeatedly because I was so captivated by its excellence. I highly recommend this book if you are experiencing a reading slump.

[Nichole · Rating 1 out of 5]

A very rushed story, you had to jump to a lot of conclusions yourself, very vaguely written. Which would be fine, (it isn't particularly difficult to figure out) if you were still able to grow attached to the main characters. Which I wasn't. They just weren't fleshed out enough for me.

[Ghostie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Not a review of the book, but damn is the cover STUNNING

[camila · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was such a light and good read! a real ode to older sisters who are tired and dream of finding a lover in the woods who’s just as much as a little shit as they are.

[Julianna Hatch · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was cute. Good way to pass a few hours.

[Lydia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short, spicy, and a pleasant surprise!

[Nellisbookshelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Left me with a lot of unanswered questions, but nonetheless an enjoyable short book

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Obviously heavily inspired by Labyrinth… But I love Labyrinth so that’s ok

[Ashley Zaccaro · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 / ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

[DeeTurtleReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating 3.5/5*
- Stuff Your Kindle event purchase -

[Shelby Chisler · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick little read. Kept me entertained.

[EGotay · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Between The Wood and the Wild"
by Kennedy Cannon

This short novella was pretty interesting... and spicy. I would really enjoy it more it was longer.

[Madison Fry · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[Taliakoalia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why she refer to her coochie like that ???
A good time I wish it was longer
An actual good storyline with smut ????

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely in love with this book! The plot twist took me by surprise and I couldn’t put it down! 😭🥰 10/10 do recommend.

[J. Somer · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 58%

I’m not enjoying this one bit.

[Katt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want more!!! Whatever world the author built for this short story i want more of it soooo bad. It sounded amazing in the small glimpses we got. Also more Took 😉

[Bec · Rating 4 out of 5]

I couldn't put the book down, enjoyed this short story.

[Cassandre · Rating 3 out of 5]

That was cute !

[Chy Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genuinely don’t understand it but definitely don’t hate it