Cora thought her life was over. But a chance meeting in a musty old bookshop, changed everything she had ever believed in. Now she is faced with a new role, one in which she needs belief to succeed. But is it as easy as that? Is it all she really needs? Her journey is just the beginning....
Read this if your soul is craving: 🍃 Cozy fantasy that feels like a warm exhale. 📚 Hidden magical bookshops. 🧚 Folklore-inspired worlds. 🌿 Stories where nature breathes alongside the characters. 🤍 Gentle explorations of grief, hope, and becoming.
Faerie quietly rearranged the furniture in my heart.
When I came across the cover and premise I was wondering if it'll be a regular fae fantasy with whimsical forests, mischievous fae, and a sprinkle of cozy fantasy. But, when I started reading it, I discovered it to be a meditation on grief wrapped in moss-covered magic and whispered folklore.
Let's start with our Cora, she isn't chasing adventure, she's running from a life that no longer feels survivable. After losing her husband, she's left orbiting memories that refuse to let her breathe. And then, almost as if the universe conspires in her favour, she stumbles upon an old bookshop, a woman who knows more than she says, and a world where magic exists to heal.
Every enchanted path, every forgotten spell, and every impossible creature mirrors Cora's slow, fragile journey back to herself. Watching the world unfold through her eyes felt less like reading a fantasy and more like stepping into a dream that somehow knew exactly where it hurt.
The atmosphere? Immaculate.
Imagine rain-soaked woods humming with ancient secrets, ivy climbing forgotten stone walls, shelves overflowing with stories that feel older than time itself, and the kind of quiet village where healing lingers in the air like the scent of pine after rain.
Anna Cartwright's prose is lush without becoming indulgent, lyrical without losing clarity and she lets wonder bloom slowly, trusting the reader to discover this magical world alongside Cora and it makes every revelation feel intimate, almost sacred.
But beneath all the enchantment, Faerie asks a question that lingered with me long after I closed the book:
Who do we become when life strips away the version of ourselves we thought we'd be?
Because sometimes healing arrives disguised as an unfamiliar road, a peculiar bookshop, fae creatured, and the quiet courage to begin again.
Faerie was a cozy and magical fantasy that I really enjoyed.
The charming village, enchanted forests, fairy magic, and cozy food moments made this world easy to get lost in. I also appreciated the meaningful role of an autistic character, whose unique talent became an important part of the story.
With simple writing, lovable characters, and a heartwarming atmosphere, this was a comforting fantasy that kept me engaged from beginning to end.
'Faerie' is a beautiful book based on the face being the caretakers of the Earth. An engaging story with a mysterious book, a cottage and a green man in the snow.
Cora met Mae in a book shop. While she browsed her attention was caught in a book, beautiful and ancient. Mae knew then, that the book has finally chosen its mate, its reader. Cora was intrigued by the book but she was doubtful of its existence. As she explored her new place she went on to find a faerie fort and met with a green man. Buried and Frozen. So, what does the book hold in its pages? Who is the green man? And, why, Cora of all was chosen?
The author has maintained the intrigue in the story. Though, writing wise, it could have been better and more engaging. At certain points, I felt that the scene could have been a bit shorter, and the book could have been a fast read. But, overall, I liked the concept and the story.
When something horrible happens in Cora's life, she leaves her home to live in a normal small town. But it is far from normal. When mysterious things are starting to happen, she has to decide if she is ready to believe or not.
The book had cozy vibes, friendships, and cute animals. I enjoyed Coras connection to nature and her relationships with others. An important part of this book was coping with grief and mental health representation, which was well written.
If you like a slow-paced, cozy story about mysterious creatures, grief, and coping with loss then this book is for you!
This book keeps you intrested and hooked and you will be fixed to finish it before placing it down.
Here Cora's heart felt journey of healing which moves into a magical fantasy story. The story keeps on undercovering new things. You began to start feeling at a fairy world, thats what the book felt like.
The book shop and the village setup were all so beautiful and made the book atmosphere more magical and cozy.
From starting of the grief of loosing her husband to travel a mysterious village and the discovery which takes place there keeps you intrested.
And there are more characters but Mae has a special attention here and the green figure, all are so amazing. To know all that you should definitely read this one.
If you love fantacy adventure books this is for you. And experience those feelings ✨️
Even though the story is set in human world, there are magical creatures from the fairy world. The atmosphere feels whimsical. The thought of starting a new journey in a location with new job is interesting. That caught my attention initially. Its extremely slow paced and several times I felt the plots were repetitive and I was losing interest. I did not feel connected to the story many times.
I felt the story had great potential but execution lacked a bit.
This is the kind of fantasy that feels like a dream you can't quite shake. the fae world here isn't soft or whimsical it's ancient, eerie, and deeply unsettling in the best way. and our main character? split between two natures, carrying magic like a curse. i was obsessed with him from page one.
the writing is atmospheric and slow-burn in the way that fantasy should be. The story felt a bit slow paced. Micro things repetitive, and could've been a little bit more engaging. Like the story was good, but it wasn't just very much gripping.
if you love morally grey fae, dark lore, and stories that linger, you can add this one.
Faerie is a fantasy adventure that begins with a simple yet intriguing premise
A widow named Cora who believes her life is over after her husband’s death due to cancer and wants to settle down in a new place away from all the past memories because it was too much fir her to bear discovers that magic is far more real than she ever imagined. The city in which she shifted has something in it. She went to a coffee/book shop there and met Mae and found a book. The hook was not normal but a magical book
The story has a whimsical, fairytale atmosphere that makes it feel like stepping through a hidden doorway into another realm. Cora is a never giving and fighting personality. The book focuses heavily on discovery, growth, and the beginning of a much larger journey.
Mae knew about faes and their world but Cora was unknown to all of it, the book CHOSE cora to bring faes back and it into the world Everything after that and all the twists and turns were superb.
I strongly recommend this to all fantasy lovers and 4/5 ⭐️ for sure
I started reading Faerie with more than a little trepidation!
I had just finished reading all the Harry Potter books and wondered about the wisdom of reading an author unknown to me so soon after the J K Rowling classics.
I needn't have worried. From the first page Anna Cartwright had me hooked.
I can't say that all the characters are believable in our world, but if you read with an open mind about a parallel universe, you will be entranced and swept along in a wonderful place where anything is possible.
I am still surprised by how much I enjoyed this read - I guess it means that I am still young at heart - either that or I am certifiable!!
Please say that this is not a one off. I would love to read a sequel, or several follow up books. I look forward with fingers crossed to the next book.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
On paper, this story sounds great. A young woman loses her husband and, feeling like her whole life has fallen apart, moves to a small town to become the local doctor. She befriends a mysterious older lady and is found by a magical book that tells her about how faeries are real. In theory, this is a cozy fantasy about faeries, grief, hope, and unusual friendships.
In practice, it all falls apart. I'm not a prose snob. I almost never mention prose, as it seems secondary when enjoying a book. However, the style of the writing here ripped me out of the story completely. THe prose somehow manages to keep the reader at a distance. Even supposedly important moments are simply described at a distance - it feels like a kid writing about their day, rather than an author sitting me down in a moment.
So much of the book is Cora, the main character, just describing her day. Going to get groceries, driving, making dinner, etc, etc. None of this is done in a way that shows her character, her feelings, or pulls me into her life. It's literally just a list of actions. It is repetitive and dreadfully boring.
And now for the whole 'dead husband' thing. I love storeis where characters haunt the narrative. This is not that. Every chapter or so, Cora tells us she's very sad about her dead husband. but we don't see it. We don't feel grief or hopelessness. Mind you, I know nothing about her husband. I don't know why she loved him, I don't know what they did together. I don't know what she misses about him. The book struggles so deeply with telling and never showing.
The main character is a doctor, and I have rarely read a book where I have so clearly said “yup, this author has no idea what that’s like.” The doc works from 9-5. She has time for a sit down lunch, has a receptionist who makes her coffee. She leaves at 5 ON THE DOT. She spent a day with patients that booked for nonessential reasons only to gossip with her and had ONE extremely friendly patient who had a small injury that was quickly handled. She ends this day with “I had forgotten that being a doctor could be hard”. Anyone who has ever worked in healthcare knows how ridiculous this all is, and that took me out from the story even more. Especially because having a character who’s a small town rural doctor is such an interesting setup! Talking to even one doctor could have done so much for this.
The other POVs just worked as exposition dumps without giving us any interesting pieces of characterization. The relationships were strange, the dialogue was incredibly stilted and unnatural. Almost no interaction between two characters felt like real humans talking to each other - everyone behaved weirdly at every turn.
I coudl say more, but in the end this book just failed at almost every piece of craft. Like I said, I love the concepts here, and I think the author just needs to work on getting better beta readers or practicing her craft more.
Faerie by Anna Cartwright is a fantasy which pull you into a magical world. It is cozy to read and the characters are all felt natural.
The story follows Cora, a doctor struggling with the deep grief of losing her husband to cancer. Looking for a fresh start away from all her past painful memories, she decided to settle down in a quiet, mysterious new village. Things take an extraordinary turn when she visits a local coffee book shop and meets a fascinating character named Mae. There, an ancient, magical book literally chooses Cora, serving as a gateway to bring the fae world back into our reality. As she falls deeper into this hidden realm, she begins transforming into the Green Lady, blurring the fine lines between humanity and nature.
What I absolutely loved about this book is the incredible, immersive world-building. The author has crafted an environment filled with lush green imagery, enchanted forests, tiny fae, and mystical creatures that make the whole setting felt so natural. I also appreciate the involvement of that autistic person and the way Cora made sure to tell everyone that he is not disabled but just different.
I liked Cora's character. The way she hold herself her husband's death and then the way she settled herself down in a completely new town was awesome. She is also soft hearted and that trait adds so much positivity to her character, the way she agreed to help Mae to bring her people back and her love for wild creatures was phenomenal.
I also liked the relationship of Thaddeus and Mae, their bantering and the way Mae always has and upper hand made me laugh sometimes.
The pacing may felt a little bit slow and things might be repetitive, but it is fun to read. At times while reading i crave for food by the description of it so many times😸
Overall i enjoyed reading it and stepping into the magical world.
Some stories feel like an escape. This one feels like stepping through a hidden doorway and realizing the world you knew was never the whole story.
Cora's journey is about much more than magic and faeries. It is about finding yourself after life has broken you, learning to trust again, and discovering that sometimes the place where you feel like an outsider is exactly where you belong. The quiet countryside, the mysterious bookshop, and the magical world hiding in plain sight create an atmosphere that feels comforting and unsettling at the same time.
What I loved most was the balance between wonder and emotion. The fantasy never overshadows the heart of the story. Every new discovery carries a sense of hope, but there is always an underlying feeling that something beautiful could disappear in an instant. That contrast kept me completely invested.
If you enjoy stories filled with hidden worlds, magical creatures, found family, and characters who slowly rediscover their strength, this book deserves a place on your shelf. It is gentle, enchanting, and quietly powerful. By the final page, I wasn't ready to leave its world behind. Some books entertain you for a while. This one lingers long after you've closed it, like a secret waiting to be found again.
• 𝕭𝖔𝖔𝖐 𝕽𝖊𝖛𝖎𝖊𝖜 • Just finished Faerie and I am still thinking about it.
Cora Jackson is a young doctor who loses her husband and flees to the sleepy village of Sheringham for a temporary post, hoping for nothing more than peace and distance from her old life.
Instead she finds a secondhand bookshop, a delightfully sharp old woman named Mae, and a leather bound book, also called Faerie, that will not open for anyone but her.
What follows is such a gorgeous blend of cozy village life and proper epic fantasy. Wood fires, nosy patients and garden visits sit right alongside a wounded Fae queen, a city rebuilding after war, and a goblin threat creeping back from the dark.
Mae alone is worth the read. Centuries old, endlessly cagey and one of the most entertaining side characters I have come across in a long time.
But it is Cora's grief that makes this book special. It never gets brushed aside for the sake of adventure. It travels with her into every rune and every trial, so that her growing power actually feels earned.
By the last page I wanted to keep following her into whatever comes next. A gorgeous, big hearted start to what already feels like a series worth loving.
Highly recommend if you love your fantasy with real heart underneath the magic.
Step into a world where magic breathes through every page and nature itself feels alive. Faerie is a beautifully woven fairytale filled with enchanting elements—mystical creatures, ancient magic, and a world that feels both dreamy and haunting. The story follows Cora, a doctor whose life takes an unexpected turn when she encounters a magical book gifted by Mae, a mysterious bookshop owner with secrets of her own. As Cora dives deeper into this world, she begins transforming into the Green Lady, blurring the line between human and magic. One of the most captivating aspects is the magical world itself—tiny fae, the mysterious Green Man, and a single adorable fire drake that exists in this universe, adding a unique and charming touch to the story. The book beautifully balances transformation, mystery, and fantasy, making it perfect for readers who love fairytales with a magical and slightly mysterious edge. The lush green imagery and connection to nature give it a unique charm that lingers even after the last page. ⭐ Rating: 4.5/5 — A magical escape into a world of fae, nature, and transformation that feels both enchanting and unforgettable.
The story takes its time, but I never found myself bored because every chapter added another little mystery. The strange book, the dreams, the village, and Mae all made me feel like something bigger was waiting just around the corner.
Cora was a character I genuinely enjoyed following. Watching her slowly reconnect with the world around her felt just as rewarding as uncovering the fantasy elements. The setting easily became my favorite part. The small village, the old cottage, the bookshop, and the surrounding woods create an atmosphere that's both comforting and slightly unsettling. It feels like a place where magic could exist without anyone questioning it. Who doesn't love village setting? This book really left me curious from beginning to end, and I'm already looking forward to seeing where the story goes next.
Faerie is a beautiful blend of grief, healing, and quiet magic. I loved following Cora's journey as she slowly opened her heart again while uncovering the mysteries of a charming village filled with folklore and secrets.
The cosy atmosphere, magical elements, and memorable characters especially Mae,made this such an enjoyable read. If you love gentle fantasy with emotional depth, this book is definitely worth picking up. 🍃📚✨