What do you think?
Rate this book
How the Fox Runs: Book One
“They can only take that which you clasp lightly.”
Alise, an inmate at an asylum for the criminally insane, wants nothing more than a life of freedom in the forest she loves.
Charged with the murder of her lover, Alise is convinced she has been framed. Motivated by this belief she manipulates, cheats and steals her way out only to be captured by a mysterious acquaintance, who claims his intentions align with her own. Together, they embark on a path of betrayal that distorts the very fabric of her reality.
Alise is thrown into a realm unlike anything she’s ever imagined. A world of opulent balls and fanciful inventions that defy the laws of science. As an outlawed trespasser, she must choose between a certain death or accepting aid from The Colony's most feared lieutenant—the very man who betrayed her heart. Bound by their shared secret, they are forced to work together and play their roles perfectly lest they be discovered and executed for their crimes.
Will Alise ever be free and return to her beloved forest? Or will she be swallowed whole by this strange new world?
How the Fox Runs is a mind-bending journey between fantasy and reality where new worlds are discovered in a distant reflection of our own. Perfect for fans of V.E. Schwab, Stephanie Garber and Erin Morgenstern.
Alise, an inmate at an asylum for the criminally insane, wants nothing more than a life of freedom in the forest she loves.
Charged with the murder of her lover, Alise is convinced she has been framed. Motivated by this belief she manipulates, cheats and steals her way out only to be captured by a mysterious acquaintance, who claims his intentions align with her own. Together, they embark on a path of betrayal that distorts the very fabric of her reality.
Alise is thrown into a realm unlike anything she’s ever imagined. A world of opulent balls and fanciful inventions that defy the laws of science. As an outlawed trespasser, she must choose between a certain death or accepting aid from The Colony's most feared lieutenant—the very man who betrayed her heart. Bound by their shared secret, they are forced to work together and play their roles perfectly lest they be discovered and executed for their crimes.
Will Alise ever be free and return to her beloved forest? Or will she be swallowed whole by this strange new world?
How the Fox Runs is a mind-bending journey between fantasy and reality where new worlds are discovered in a distant reflection of our own. Perfect for fans of V.E. Schwab, Stephanie Garber and Erin Morgenstern.
398 pages, Paperback
Published November 21, 2023
17 people are currently reading
2416 people want to read
About the author
J.O. Ellis
3 books46 followersJ.O.Ellis is an author living in the piney woods of Texas with her veteran husband, autistic son and two dogs, not including the several other animals she brings into her home on a regular basis. When she’s not writing she can be found lost in a pile of books, advocating for the inclusion and rights of the neurodiverse, thrift shopping, or befriending a woodland creature.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 144 reviews
August 29, 2023
I mean....how could I not😜
November 21, 2023
First off, thank you so much to the author for sending me an ARC of her debut book! I wasn’t sure what to expect but O M G at this book!!! The biggest question the reader (as well as Alise) asks is “why?” And I love how Ellis answers this through masterfully weaving of a storyline that answers in small bits rather than throwing everything at the reader all at once. This way of writing is so lovely in the way that it keeps you captivated the entire time! On top of wonderful writing, this is such an amazingly unique world Ellis builds, full of known and the unknown, that makes it feel both familiar and brand new.
The characters are also well written! Again, written in ways where you learn bits and pieces along the way, I found myself unveiling new layers to these characters with every flip of the page.
This book kept getting better and better and I may or may not have binged the majority of it in one sitting because I could NOT put it down!!! I’m obsessed with the mystery surrounding these characters and can’t wait to see what happens next!
✵ 𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎
✨One Bed
🌳Found Family
🦊Slow Burn
🌳Dark academia meets cottage core
✨Mental health rep
🌳Steampunk Elements
🦊”Touch her and die”
The characters are also well written! Again, written in ways where you learn bits and pieces along the way, I found myself unveiling new layers to these characters with every flip of the page.
This book kept getting better and better and I may or may not have binged the majority of it in one sitting because I could NOT put it down!!! I’m obsessed with the mystery surrounding these characters and can’t wait to see what happens next!
✵ 𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎
✨One Bed
🌳Found Family
🦊Slow Burn
🌳Dark academia meets cottage core
✨Mental health rep
🌳Steampunk Elements
🦊”Touch her and die”
August 29, 2023
“𝓣𝓱𝓮𝔂 𝓬𝓪𝓷 𝓸𝓷𝓵𝔂 𝓽𝓪𝓴𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝔀𝓱𝓲𝓬𝓱 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓬𝓵𝓪𝓼𝓹 𝓵𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓵𝔂.”
HTFR is your next read if you love:
🦊Fantasy
🌲Enemies to Lovers
🦊One bed trope
🌲Cottagecore meets dark academia vibes
🦊Touch her and die
🌲Mental health rep
🦊Glittering parties ✨
🌲Found family 🥹
🦊Steampunk elements
•••••
How the Fox Runs is a mind-bending journey between fantasy and reality where new worlds are discovered in a distant reflection of our own. Perfect for fans of V.E. Schwab, Stephanie Garber and Erin Morgenstern.
I had the absolute PRIVILEGE of being a beta reader for How the Fox Runs this spring. I devoured it… there are plot twists and turns you absolutely DO NOT see coming. An incredibly strong FMC you root for endlessly and a grumpy cinnamon roll MMC I can’t wait for you to meet 🥹 The fantasy elements are interwoven perfectly and Joni’s beautiful prose takes you on a journey so well done that you barely recognize you are reading because you are so immersed. I cannot WAIT for book 2 🥹
🤌🏼 The vibes are immaculate 🍄🦊🌲 Joni is the QUEEN of cottagecore fantasy, what else did we expect?
📚Don’t forget to add this beauty to your TBR & Goodreads!
Coming soon to Amazon and B&N 🫶🏼
Out November 21! ✨
HTFR is your next read if you love:
🦊Fantasy
🌲Enemies to Lovers
🦊One bed trope
🌲Cottagecore meets dark academia vibes
🦊Touch her and die
🌲Mental health rep
🦊Glittering parties ✨
🌲Found family 🥹
🦊Steampunk elements
•••••
How the Fox Runs is a mind-bending journey between fantasy and reality where new worlds are discovered in a distant reflection of our own. Perfect for fans of V.E. Schwab, Stephanie Garber and Erin Morgenstern.
I had the absolute PRIVILEGE of being a beta reader for How the Fox Runs this spring. I devoured it… there are plot twists and turns you absolutely DO NOT see coming. An incredibly strong FMC you root for endlessly and a grumpy cinnamon roll MMC I can’t wait for you to meet 🥹 The fantasy elements are interwoven perfectly and Joni’s beautiful prose takes you on a journey so well done that you barely recognize you are reading because you are so immersed. I cannot WAIT for book 2 🥹
🤌🏼 The vibes are immaculate 🍄🦊🌲 Joni is the QUEEN of cottagecore fantasy, what else did we expect?
📚Don’t forget to add this beauty to your TBR & Goodreads!
Coming soon to Amazon and B&N 🫶🏼
Out November 21! ✨
April 12, 2024
FIVE GODDAMN FUCKING STARS
Talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, showstopper, spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before, unafraid to reference or not reference, put it in a blender, shit on it, vomit on it, eat it, give birth to it
Talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, showstopper, spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before, unafraid to reference or not reference, put it in a blender, shit on it, vomit on it, eat it, give birth to it
September 25, 2023
*** UPDATED ***
A breath of fresh air, How The Fox Runs is an exciting tale filled with beautiful characters and gorgeous prose. The eloquent elegance Ellis has put into this story is front and centre, alongside the beauty of world-building and endearing character development.
This book is unique and compelling, visually immersive and extremely captivating, drip-feeding hints and ominous clues that make the reader hungry for so much more. I was wholly entranced by the lyrical prose Ellis weaved into this story, amongst a cottagecore meets dark academia backdrop with vivid mental health representation. We also have some of my absolute favourite tropes: enemies-to-lovers, one bed, cabin in the woods, touch-her-and-die, hidden identity and found family, as well as glittering parties, military themes and steampunk elements. All of this is wrapped up in a gorgeous sci-fi/fantasy tale, filled with secrets and betrayal and love and loss.
Alice is a STRONG FMC, but not in the usual way women are strong in fantasy novels. She’s mentally and emotionally so strong from being so broken, so hurt and quite lost. Trapped in an asylum for the criminally insane, convinced she has been framed for the murder of her lover. She wants nothing more than a life of freedom in the forest she loves and is so drawn to. Motivated by thoughts of freedom and revenge, she eventually escapes the asylum - only to be captured once again by a mysterious ‘acquaintance’. They embark on a journey of betrayal and secrecy that makes Alice question her very reality; especially when they are thrown into a treacherous realm that requires reluctant aid to survive.
In this new world, we meet many of our other characters. Alice and her mystery captor have made a formidable team, and a force to be reckoned with. I fell in love with a certain sister, and there was a scene between two…ahem, alpha males…that I related to SO much, it made me cry from laughing so hard. That’s the beauty of this tale, and such a testament to Ellis’s writing: the range of emotions is so vast, from feeling excited and intrigued to sad and heartbroken, to happy and hopeful to absolutely SHOCKED. I’ve mentioned this before, but the prologue and epilogue were both among some of the best I’ve ever read — so mysterious and intriguing, and made me want to scream about certain events. They both tied beautifully into the entirety of the story, and it just shows how damn good of a writer Ellis is.
I cannot recommend this book enough! It’s so original and unique and because of that, it’s refreshing. It’s a beautifully written romantic fantasy, but it’s also got fantastic sci-fi elements that really made that story stand out. The originality of the world(s), and each characters backstory, are thoughtful and impactful and made this refreshing book so enjoyable.
Add this one to your tbr immediately!
Thank you so much to the author for providing me with a beta copy, and for listening to me ramble (scream) about her story. I am so proud!
A breath of fresh air, How The Fox Runs is an exciting tale filled with beautiful characters and gorgeous prose. The eloquent elegance Ellis has put into this story is front and centre, alongside the beauty of world-building and endearing character development.
This book is unique and compelling, visually immersive and extremely captivating, drip-feeding hints and ominous clues that make the reader hungry for so much more. I was wholly entranced by the lyrical prose Ellis weaved into this story, amongst a cottagecore meets dark academia backdrop with vivid mental health representation. We also have some of my absolute favourite tropes: enemies-to-lovers, one bed, cabin in the woods, touch-her-and-die, hidden identity and found family, as well as glittering parties, military themes and steampunk elements. All of this is wrapped up in a gorgeous sci-fi/fantasy tale, filled with secrets and betrayal and love and loss.
Alice is a STRONG FMC, but not in the usual way women are strong in fantasy novels. She’s mentally and emotionally so strong from being so broken, so hurt and quite lost. Trapped in an asylum for the criminally insane, convinced she has been framed for the murder of her lover. She wants nothing more than a life of freedom in the forest she loves and is so drawn to. Motivated by thoughts of freedom and revenge, she eventually escapes the asylum - only to be captured once again by a mysterious ‘acquaintance’. They embark on a journey of betrayal and secrecy that makes Alice question her very reality; especially when they are thrown into a treacherous realm that requires reluctant aid to survive.
In this new world, we meet many of our other characters. Alice and her mystery captor have made a formidable team, and a force to be reckoned with. I fell in love with a certain sister, and there was a scene between two…ahem, alpha males…that I related to SO much, it made me cry from laughing so hard. That’s the beauty of this tale, and such a testament to Ellis’s writing: the range of emotions is so vast, from feeling excited and intrigued to sad and heartbroken, to happy and hopeful to absolutely SHOCKED. I’ve mentioned this before, but the prologue and epilogue were both among some of the best I’ve ever read — so mysterious and intriguing, and made me want to scream about certain events. They both tied beautifully into the entirety of the story, and it just shows how damn good of a writer Ellis is.
I cannot recommend this book enough! It’s so original and unique and because of that, it’s refreshing. It’s a beautifully written romantic fantasy, but it’s also got fantastic sci-fi elements that really made that story stand out. The originality of the world(s), and each characters backstory, are thoughtful and impactful and made this refreshing book so enjoyable.
Add this one to your tbr immediately!
Thank you so much to the author for providing me with a beta copy, and for listening to me ramble (scream) about her story. I am so proud!
December 8, 2023
I was very intrigued by the premise of this book, however, it didn’t live up to my expectations. The introduction was great, we got introduced to our heroine Alise and Aaron/Articus.
But, it was shortly lived, the plot seemed rushed. Not only that but also the romance between Alise and Articus. It was not fleshed out and felt almost like an instant love. I am not a fan of that and cater towards more slow burn romance. So, for anyone who doesn’t mind having a romance where the couple end up together pretty quickly—this won’t bother you too much.
The reader is thrown into this fantasy world of the Four Realms but not much was explained. There could be more world building to situate the reader, I do understand that it could be worked upon since this is a trilogy. But, I felt like there could be more context about not only the world itself but also their cultures, hierarchies, values, etc.
I would also like to point out the subject of sexual assault that was handled within the book. I do believe there should be trigger warnings as this could be very triggering for some. I just did not like how the situation was handled and the aftermath of it.
[This ARC has been kindly gifted to me by the author and publisher in exchange for an honest review.]
But, it was shortly lived, the plot seemed rushed. Not only that but also the romance between Alise and Articus. It was not fleshed out and felt almost like an instant love. I am not a fan of that and cater towards more slow burn romance. So, for anyone who doesn’t mind having a romance where the couple end up together pretty quickly—this won’t bother you too much.
The reader is thrown into this fantasy world of the Four Realms but not much was explained. There could be more world building to situate the reader, I do understand that it could be worked upon since this is a trilogy. But, I felt like there could be more context about not only the world itself but also their cultures, hierarchies, values, etc.
I would also like to point out the subject of sexual assault that was handled within the book. I do believe there should be trigger warnings as this could be very triggering for some. I just did not like how the situation was handled and the aftermath of it.
[This ARC has been kindly gifted to me by the author and publisher in exchange for an honest review.]
August 7, 2024
4.25⭐
(Reseña en español justo debajo del primer párrafo)
First of all, thank you to the author for giving me the opportunity of reading an ARC for this beauty and so sorry for taking so long to provide a review. I'm so overly obssesed with the book you've created and I cannot wait to continue with the series.
Ahora mi opinión en español: estoy enamorada 💕. Tuve la oportunidad de leer una copia avanzada del libro y wow. Ya desde la primera página me consumió lo inesperado de la ambientación y de la trama ya que este libro es probablemente uno de los más únicos y diferentes que he leído nunca y adoré experimentar como poco a poco se iban desvelando cada uno de los misterios, a la par de que se crearon otros nuevos.
La protagonista es espectacular e interesante desde el primer momento. Acusada de asesinato, cumple condena dentro de un manicomio y solo cuenta con su propia inteligencia para lograr escapar, sin imaginarse que su "libertad" es apenas el inicio.
El universo creado por la autora es una suerte de mundos paralelos y en este libro, los personajes se van a ir moviendo entre un primer reino (el nuestro, tal y como lo vivimos en la realidad) y un segundo reino mágico, lleno de tradiciones y bailes, a la vez que ya se van perfilando la existencia de otras realidades que espero poder conocer en próximas entregas.
Las "vibes" es otro de los grandes atractivos: hay ambiente académico pero con una profunda aesthetic cottagecore, naturalista y cozy, ideal para leer en esta época del año, acompañado de una narración ágil y fácil de seguir, pero suave y lírica.
Resumiendo, creo que How the fox runs, es un debut magnífico, adictivo, interesante y que recomiendo de inicio a fin.
(Reseña en español justo debajo del primer párrafo)
First of all, thank you to the author for giving me the opportunity of reading an ARC for this beauty and so sorry for taking so long to provide a review. I'm so overly obssesed with the book you've created and I cannot wait to continue with the series.
Ahora mi opinión en español: estoy enamorada 💕. Tuve la oportunidad de leer una copia avanzada del libro y wow. Ya desde la primera página me consumió lo inesperado de la ambientación y de la trama ya que este libro es probablemente uno de los más únicos y diferentes que he leído nunca y adoré experimentar como poco a poco se iban desvelando cada uno de los misterios, a la par de que se crearon otros nuevos.
La protagonista es espectacular e interesante desde el primer momento. Acusada de asesinato, cumple condena dentro de un manicomio y solo cuenta con su propia inteligencia para lograr escapar, sin imaginarse que su "libertad" es apenas el inicio.
El universo creado por la autora es una suerte de mundos paralelos y en este libro, los personajes se van a ir moviendo entre un primer reino (el nuestro, tal y como lo vivimos en la realidad) y un segundo reino mágico, lleno de tradiciones y bailes, a la vez que ya se van perfilando la existencia de otras realidades que espero poder conocer en próximas entregas.
Las "vibes" es otro de los grandes atractivos: hay ambiente académico pero con una profunda aesthetic cottagecore, naturalista y cozy, ideal para leer en esta época del año, acompañado de una narración ágil y fácil de seguir, pero suave y lírica.
Resumiendo, creo que How the fox runs, es un debut magnífico, adictivo, interesante y que recomiendo de inicio a fin.
November 4, 2023
"I would gladly drown in the ocean of your hate than stand securely on the shore of your indifference."
4,5/5 ⭐
Oh, the slow burn... 💕🔥
What a beautiful and unique story this was! As always, I went into this book as blind as possible, not having read the blurb and only having seen a short list of tropes that piqued my interest (Slow burn, enemies to lovers, asylum) and of course this beautiful cover.
I was immediately enthralled by the story and devoured it in a short time. The writing is absolutely beautiful and the tension between Alise and Articus had me kicking my feet in anticipation for more interactions between the two of them. Sometimes Articus reminded me of Jacks from OUABH (whom I love to pieces, so thats a good thing!) and not only because he calls Alise "little fox".
There were a few details that were unclear to me, like where and when this story takes place. Both questions were only answered at the very end of the novel (or maybe I missed any prior mentions of time and place), but because of that I had some difficulty placing the story at times.
Alise is sometimes overwhelmed by her thoughts and feelings, so her behaviour is rather unpredictable, which I enjoyed!
***spoiler***
Though I wondered and was honestly a little frustrated by the fact that she never asks Articus how he was a Psychiatrist in Realm One or considers why Brenton killed James (and then she even got rid of his journal!! 😤😤).
I am very curious as to how this story will go on and cannot wait to be introduced to the Third Realm! What will happen between Alise and Articus? Where is Alise really from? Is Articus involved with the Rebellion? I need to know!!
***spoiler end***
As you can see I am clearly invested in this story and hope to read more of it in the future!
((I was generously provided with an ARC of this book, but that does not influence this review/rating)
4,5/5 ⭐
Oh, the slow burn... 💕🔥
What a beautiful and unique story this was! As always, I went into this book as blind as possible, not having read the blurb and only having seen a short list of tropes that piqued my interest (Slow burn, enemies to lovers, asylum) and of course this beautiful cover.
I was immediately enthralled by the story and devoured it in a short time. The writing is absolutely beautiful and the tension between Alise and Articus had me kicking my feet in anticipation for more interactions between the two of them. Sometimes Articus reminded me of Jacks from OUABH (whom I love to pieces, so thats a good thing!) and not only because he calls Alise "little fox".
There were a few details that were unclear to me, like where and when this story takes place. Both questions were only answered at the very end of the novel (or maybe I missed any prior mentions of time and place), but because of that I had some difficulty placing the story at times.
Alise is sometimes overwhelmed by her thoughts and feelings, so her behaviour is rather unpredictable, which I enjoyed!
***spoiler***
Though I wondered and was honestly a little frustrated by the fact that she never asks Articus how he was a Psychiatrist in Realm One or considers why Brenton killed James (and then she even got rid of his journal!! 😤😤).
I am very curious as to how this story will go on and cannot wait to be introduced to the Third Realm! What will happen between Alise and Articus? Where is Alise really from? Is Articus involved with the Rebellion? I need to know!!
***spoiler end***
As you can see I am clearly invested in this story and hope to read more of it in the future!
((I was generously provided with an ARC of this book, but that does not influence this review/rating)
November 6, 2023
" Intimate. Isn't that the nature of whispers and secrets? "
!! Spoiler free review !!
I am absolutely in love with this book. I went into this story semi blind with only knowing a few ideas and seeing a few inspirational pictures and I am so happy I did. From the first few pages I was completely enthralled and had no idea where this story would go but was enraptured and could not put it down. J.O. Ellis has such a thrilling and exciting way of hooking you in and keeping you on the edge of your seat in just the first few chapters- it's hard to believe that this is just her debut novel!
From being trapped in an insane asylum to escaping and embarking on an enormous journey with a mysterious "acquaintance" through different realms, this story is filled with secrets, betrayals, hidden identities, and unique new worlds. The world building alone had me jealous of never being able to visit in real life- from modern world technology, a grace of old century ways and fantasy elements with an air of steampunk or those seen in a studio ghibli film, this was truly such a fun and original experience.
I read this book in just a couple of days and honestly, I am now sitting here, staring at this screen, trying to muster up all my thoughts about how wonderful this book, these characters and everything I can put into a kick-ass review... but all I can think about is how much I need the second book now yesterday. From the prologue to the epilogue my jaw was on the floor at every plot twist and moment, and I can. not. WAIT. until I can get my hands on the next!
Read if you enjoy:
~ real life to fantasy setting
~ enemies to lovers
~ one bed trope
~ secrets and hidden identities
~ slow burn
~ found family
~ plot twists
~ dark academia with cottage core vibes
~ thrilling "on the run" vibes
~ touch her and die vibes
Oh, and if none of that sways you... a few more quotes from the mysterious and hot mmc that made me fall in love:
"What do you need? To hit me? To tear me apart until you lose your voice? Whatever you need, Alise, I will endure for your sake."
"Cut me down. Destroy me if you must. If it brings you peace, then I'll gladly take it."
"I would gladly drown in the ocean of your hate than stand securely on the shore of your indifference."
I encourage everyone to give this book a chance and to add to their TBR! Out November 21st, 2023!
[ A very large thank-you to the author for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion and review. ]
!! Spoiler free review !!
I am absolutely in love with this book. I went into this story semi blind with only knowing a few ideas and seeing a few inspirational pictures and I am so happy I did. From the first few pages I was completely enthralled and had no idea where this story would go but was enraptured and could not put it down. J.O. Ellis has such a thrilling and exciting way of hooking you in and keeping you on the edge of your seat in just the first few chapters- it's hard to believe that this is just her debut novel!
From being trapped in an insane asylum to escaping and embarking on an enormous journey with a mysterious "acquaintance" through different realms, this story is filled with secrets, betrayals, hidden identities, and unique new worlds. The world building alone had me jealous of never being able to visit in real life- from modern world technology, a grace of old century ways and fantasy elements with an air of steampunk or those seen in a studio ghibli film, this was truly such a fun and original experience.
I read this book in just a couple of days and honestly, I am now sitting here, staring at this screen, trying to muster up all my thoughts about how wonderful this book, these characters and everything I can put into a kick-ass review... but all I can think about is how much I need the second book
Read if you enjoy:
~ real life to fantasy setting
~ enemies to lovers
~ one bed trope
~ secrets and hidden identities
~ slow burn
~ found family
~ plot twists
~ dark academia with cottage core vibes
~ thrilling "on the run" vibes
~ touch her and die vibes
Oh, and if none of that sways you... a few more quotes from the mysterious and hot mmc that made me fall in love:
"What do you need? To hit me? To tear me apart until you lose your voice? Whatever you need, Alise, I will endure for your sake."
"Cut me down. Destroy me if you must. If it brings you peace, then I'll gladly take it."
"I would gladly drown in the ocean of your hate than stand securely on the shore of your indifference."
I encourage everyone to give this book a chance and to add to their TBR! Out November 21st, 2023!
[ A very large thank-you to the author for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion and review. ]
November 19, 2023
This book was so surprisingly delightful. I went into this book purely based on the vibes I got from the cover and few basic ideas. No synopsis. And I am so glad I did. Sometimes not knowing what to expect really is the best way to go and this was definitely one of those cases.
How the Fox Runs is a captivating, beautifully written story that I was intrigued by from the prologue until the last page. I loved how unique the story felt. It’s a fantasy story, with romance, a cottage in the wilderness, a strong FMC, a MMC who is a bit of a grumpy cinnamon roll, as well as steampunk vibes. There are a handful of fun tropes as well such as enemies to lovers, ‘on the run’, hidden identity, found family and military elements too.
I could never predict where this story was going to go and I loved that about it. Every turn of events had me eager to keep reading. At several points I thought I had things sussed out but then bam! Something else happens entirely and it was wonderful and unexpected and oh so intriguing.
We follow Alise Fox as the main character and when we meet her she is in a pretty bad place, both physically and mentally. What I loved most about Alise was her strength. Not the typical fantasy heroine strength you might first think of, but her strength of mind, her tenacity, her passion and her heart. She has all sorts of things thrown at her and is dealing with so much but she faces it all and never gives up. All she wants is her freedom and it comes to her in the form of a mysterious stranger who she is not sure what to make of. The journey she is thrown into leads her to question everything she thinks she knows about her reality. It’s the story of two strangers who work together and go on a journey of healing and discovery.
The side characters are all wonderful as well, and there is a great found family vibe once you get to know everyone. The epilogue leaves things hanging in many ways, but there is no awful cliffhanger to deal with, just many questions left unanswered and so much intrigue and emotion, that I need the next book…asap! The prose of the story was wonderful. Beautiful and poignant without being too flowery or over the top. The range of emotions Alise goes through as she deals with everything in her life is handled so well. I loved how real and raw she felt as a character.
My only minor improvement suggestions would be that I did wonder why Alise didn’t ask more questions about who framed her and why they did so, but that could very well be coming in the next book and didn’t take away from my enjoyment at all.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy with romance, or someone looking for a unique and wonderfully crafted story. Thank you to the author for the ARC copy.
How the Fox Runs is a captivating, beautifully written story that I was intrigued by from the prologue until the last page. I loved how unique the story felt. It’s a fantasy story, with romance, a cottage in the wilderness, a strong FMC, a MMC who is a bit of a grumpy cinnamon roll, as well as steampunk vibes. There are a handful of fun tropes as well such as enemies to lovers, ‘on the run’, hidden identity, found family and military elements too.
I could never predict where this story was going to go and I loved that about it. Every turn of events had me eager to keep reading. At several points I thought I had things sussed out but then bam! Something else happens entirely and it was wonderful and unexpected and oh so intriguing.
We follow Alise Fox as the main character and when we meet her she is in a pretty bad place, both physically and mentally. What I loved most about Alise was her strength. Not the typical fantasy heroine strength you might first think of, but her strength of mind, her tenacity, her passion and her heart. She has all sorts of things thrown at her and is dealing with so much but she faces it all and never gives up. All she wants is her freedom and it comes to her in the form of a mysterious stranger who she is not sure what to make of. The journey she is thrown into leads her to question everything she thinks she knows about her reality. It’s the story of two strangers who work together and go on a journey of healing and discovery.
The side characters are all wonderful as well, and there is a great found family vibe once you get to know everyone. The epilogue leaves things hanging in many ways, but there is no awful cliffhanger to deal with, just many questions left unanswered and so much intrigue and emotion, that I need the next book…asap! The prose of the story was wonderful. Beautiful and poignant without being too flowery or over the top. The range of emotions Alise goes through as she deals with everything in her life is handled so well. I loved how real and raw she felt as a character.
My only minor improvement suggestions would be that I did wonder why Alise didn’t ask more questions about who framed her and why they did so, but that could very well be coming in the next book and didn’t take away from my enjoyment at all.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy with romance, or someone looking for a unique and wonderfully crafted story. Thank you to the author for the ARC copy.
November 23, 2023
ARC Review
HOLY SHIT
Excuse me... Holy Shit!
From the Prologue you are immediately drawn into this beautiful read.
This story starts out seeming as a murder mystery and just unravels into a beautiful fantasy.
The best thing is that elaborate world building wasn't necessary to understand this novel. I think many of us feel the drag or pause a story takes in order to explain how the society works, how the people are, what everything is, etc. This book though? Didn't skip a beat. There was not a single moment that I felt as though the author used filler to make time pass or was just ranting to fill space. Every single line had a purpose and I loved every moment of it. I wasn't but 20% into this ARC when I started recommending this book.
Don't attempt to think you know what is happening next because I couldn't predict correctly what was about to happen until maybe 2 sentences before hand. There was several points in the story where it could have been a HEA but the pages just kept coming, and I ate it up.
At one point point I had to DM J.O Ellis because there was no one for me to share my reaction to and I just needed to caps lock message my emotions out. I caught myself anxiously fidgeting, evil laughing, bashfully smiling, and whisper shouting so many times in this book. I can't wait to get my hardcopy just so I can go back and highlight/tab everything that I highlighted in my Kindle.
With that being said enjoy some of my favorite quotes:
“Oh, Little Fox, how sweetly you lie,” he tsked, while his eyes remained fixated on the book in hand.
“Careful, Little Fox, hate and obsession grow from the same root as passion. It only takes one word, one shift in the light to change a perspective of hate to one of achingly wretched love,”
"Didn’t he know? Couldn’t he see through the façade of my rage that I was crumbling without her? If I went another minute without her, I would become reduced to nothing but primal pain and bitter ash to be carried away by a mere draft and left an empty shell. A body with no soul and no beating heart left with it."
HOLY SHIT
Excuse me... Holy Shit!
From the Prologue you are immediately drawn into this beautiful read.
This story starts out seeming as a murder mystery and just unravels into a beautiful fantasy.
The best thing is that elaborate world building wasn't necessary to understand this novel. I think many of us feel the drag or pause a story takes in order to explain how the society works, how the people are, what everything is, etc. This book though? Didn't skip a beat. There was not a single moment that I felt as though the author used filler to make time pass or was just ranting to fill space. Every single line had a purpose and I loved every moment of it. I wasn't but 20% into this ARC when I started recommending this book.
Don't attempt to think you know what is happening next because I couldn't predict correctly what was about to happen until maybe 2 sentences before hand. There was several points in the story where it could have been a HEA but the pages just kept coming, and I ate it up.
At one point point I had to DM J.O Ellis because there was no one for me to share my reaction to and I just needed to caps lock message my emotions out. I caught myself anxiously fidgeting, evil laughing, bashfully smiling, and whisper shouting so many times in this book. I can't wait to get my hardcopy just so I can go back and highlight/tab everything that I highlighted in my Kindle.
With that being said enjoy some of my favorite quotes:
“Oh, Little Fox, how sweetly you lie,” he tsked, while his eyes remained fixated on the book in hand.
“Careful, Little Fox, hate and obsession grow from the same root as passion. It only takes one word, one shift in the light to change a perspective of hate to one of achingly wretched love,”
"Didn’t he know? Couldn’t he see through the façade of my rage that I was crumbling without her? If I went another minute without her, I would become reduced to nothing but primal pain and bitter ash to be carried away by a mere draft and left an empty shell. A body with no soul and no beating heart left with it."
November 18, 2023
First of all, a huge, huge thank you to J.O. Ellis for sending me this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
How The Fox Runs is J.O. Ellis's debut novel and the first instalment in the How The Fox Runs series in which we follow Alise Fox as she escapes an asylum with the help of a man and ends up in another world which does not really resemble the one she knows.
I'd like to start this review by saying that I loved this book and that I had a blast reading it. The first night, I told myself that I would only read a few chapters to discover the story, and I ended up reading 50% of the book. I found it to be truly interesting, and the short chapters and the easily readable writing made it bingeable. I went in a bit blindly and thought at first that it was a real life mystery/thriller, but as soon as the characters ended up in the second world, I quickly discovered that it was in fact a historical/steampunk fantasy. The transition between these two genres is absolutely well-done and I was astonished by that.
The tension between the two main characters, Alise and Articus, is there, and I absolutely love that. The romance is not overwhelming but I truly enjoyed it, with tropes such as "touch her and you die", "enemies to lovers" and "slow-burn". The worldbuilding is very interesting and I loved those steampunk elements.
The blurb said this book was "perfect for fans of Stephanie Garber'' and I could not agree more! Sometimes, Articus reminded me of Jacks, and I was here for that.
This book is out November 21st, 2023, so don't forget to pre order your copy! For me, I cannot wait to read book 2 and see what happens next!!
"𝐼 𝓌𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝑔𝓁𝒶𝒹𝓁𝓎 𝒹𝓇𝑜𝓌𝓃 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝑜𝒸𝑒𝒶𝓃 𝑜𝒻 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝒽𝒶𝓉𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓃 𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓈𝑒𝒸𝓊𝓇𝑒𝓁𝓎 𝑜𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝒽𝑜𝓇𝑒 𝑜𝒻 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝒾𝓃𝒹𝒾𝒻𝒻𝑒𝓇𝑒𝓃𝒸𝑒."
How The Fox Runs is J.O. Ellis's debut novel and the first instalment in the How The Fox Runs series in which we follow Alise Fox as she escapes an asylum with the help of a man and ends up in another world which does not really resemble the one she knows.
I'd like to start this review by saying that I loved this book and that I had a blast reading it. The first night, I told myself that I would only read a few chapters to discover the story, and I ended up reading 50% of the book. I found it to be truly interesting, and the short chapters and the easily readable writing made it bingeable. I went in a bit blindly and thought at first that it was a real life mystery/thriller, but as soon as the characters ended up in the second world, I quickly discovered that it was in fact a historical/steampunk fantasy. The transition between these two genres is absolutely well-done and I was astonished by that.
The tension between the two main characters, Alise and Articus, is there, and I absolutely love that. The romance is not overwhelming but I truly enjoyed it, with tropes such as "touch her and you die", "enemies to lovers" and "slow-burn". The worldbuilding is very interesting and I loved those steampunk elements.
The blurb said this book was "perfect for fans of Stephanie Garber'' and I could not agree more! Sometimes, Articus reminded me of Jacks, and I was here for that.
This book is out November 21st, 2023, so don't forget to pre order your copy! For me, I cannot wait to read book 2 and see what happens next!!
"𝐼 𝓌𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝑔𝓁𝒶𝒹𝓁𝓎 𝒹𝓇𝑜𝓌𝓃 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝑜𝒸𝑒𝒶𝓃 𝑜𝒻 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝒽𝒶𝓉𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓃 𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓈𝑒𝒸𝓊𝓇𝑒𝓁𝓎 𝑜𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝒽𝑜𝓇𝑒 𝑜𝒻 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝒾𝓃𝒹𝒾𝒻𝒻𝑒𝓇𝑒𝓃𝒸𝑒."
November 20, 2023
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I was intrigued first by the beautiful cover. The blurb and tropes were right up my alley and I went in mostly blind.
The first part of the book takes place in our world, which for me was the slowest part of the book. But as soon as they went to the Second Realm, I was hooked! Once I hit about 30% in the book, I had a hard time putting it down.
The romance is my favorite part. But by the end of the book I was also heavily invested in the military/political aspect. I wanted to know more about the family dynamics and how the world worked. There is alot to still be explored especially with how it ended.
I ended up buying a hard cover copy of this book. I really do think it is special, intriguing, and wonderful. I am eagerly awaiting the second book and hope there are many more to come!
I was intrigued first by the beautiful cover. The blurb and tropes were right up my alley and I went in mostly blind.
The first part of the book takes place in our world, which for me was the slowest part of the book. But as soon as they went to the Second Realm, I was hooked! Once I hit about 30% in the book, I had a hard time putting it down.
The romance is my favorite part. But by the end of the book I was also heavily invested in the military/political aspect. I wanted to know more about the family dynamics and how the world worked. There is alot to still be explored especially with how it ended.
I ended up buying a hard cover copy of this book. I really do think it is special, intriguing, and wonderful. I am eagerly awaiting the second book and hope there are many more to come!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 21, 2023
thank you so much to the author for an ARC of this book!
How the Fox Runs is a fast paced, character driven fantasy story from start to finish. I loved the mixture of magical realism, steampunk, dark academia, gothic fantasy, and somehow kind of sci-fi because they actually all made sense together in this book!?
My mind is still reeling over some parts of this book and I didn’t even trust my own brain because of some of these twists- LOVE.
I would have loved to learn more about each realm, more specifically Second Realm, where we spend a majority of the book, but I have a feeling book 2 will give us everything we want and more!
How the Fox Runs is a fast paced, character driven fantasy story from start to finish. I loved the mixture of magical realism, steampunk, dark academia, gothic fantasy, and somehow kind of sci-fi because they actually all made sense together in this book!?
My mind is still reeling over some parts of this book and I didn’t even trust my own brain because of some of these twists- LOVE.
I would have loved to learn more about each realm, more specifically Second Realm, where we spend a majority of the book, but I have a feeling book 2 will give us everything we want and more!
November 19, 2023
How the Fox Runs is an exciting journey with endearing characters and beautiful prose. This is an incredibly unique fantasy book that will leave you breathless.
The pace of the story flies along as you are led along through exciting twists and turns, magical world building and an epic journey of found family.
Read if you enjoy:
- Enemies to lovers
- Mental health rep.
- Found family.
- Sci fi vibes.
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy of How the Fox Runs to read and review!
The pace of the story flies along as you are led along through exciting twists and turns, magical world building and an epic journey of found family.
Read if you enjoy:
- Enemies to lovers
- Mental health rep.
- Found family.
- Sci fi vibes.
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy of How the Fox Runs to read and review!
November 23, 2023
Overall I think that this book had a lot of potential but, sadly, did not reach it.
I appreciated the character development of Alise as she struggled to deal with her traumatic past and learn to trust and love again. However, the weak woman trope leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I longed for Alise to get strong enough to be able to stand on her own (granted, this is the first book in the series so perhaps this will happen) instead of just constantly relying on Articus.
Furthermore, the world building felt strange. The similarities between this fantasy world and ours was so alike, I often got the two confused. A little more concrete world building would have done wonders for this universe. Again, it intrigued me and I was excited to learn more about it, just never got to that point in the first book.
While the characters exhibited some well loved tropes, they felt unimaginative and forgettable. Articus was the typical love interest with some tragedy in their upbringing, even complete with a nerdy best friend. While there were some enjoyable moments between these characters, like the slow-burn romance between Articus and Alise, nothing sets them about from others following the same tropes. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a comfortable, predictable read.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much to the publishing team to be apart of this!
I appreciated the character development of Alise as she struggled to deal with her traumatic past and learn to trust and love again. However, the weak woman trope leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I longed for Alise to get strong enough to be able to stand on her own (granted, this is the first book in the series so perhaps this will happen) instead of just constantly relying on Articus.
Furthermore, the world building felt strange. The similarities between this fantasy world and ours was so alike, I often got the two confused. A little more concrete world building would have done wonders for this universe. Again, it intrigued me and I was excited to learn more about it, just never got to that point in the first book.
While the characters exhibited some well loved tropes, they felt unimaginative and forgettable. Articus was the typical love interest with some tragedy in their upbringing, even complete with a nerdy best friend. While there were some enjoyable moments between these characters, like the slow-burn romance between Articus and Alise, nothing sets them about from others following the same tropes. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a comfortable, predictable read.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much to the publishing team to be apart of this!
August 29, 2023
This book was a phenomenal read! Original story and beautiful character development along with vivid world building. I flew through this book and just when I thought I might have had an idea of where the story was going, it completely flipped direction, and did not disappoint! If you haven’t added this to your TBR yet, you definitely should if you love a headstrong FMC and grumpy cinnamon roll/ overprotective MMC.
Joni has done a beautiful job at creating a captivating storyline that follows the journey of two characters who come together despite their differences and help eachother heal from their past.
GO ORDER THIS BOOK ASAP!
Joni has done a beautiful job at creating a captivating storyline that follows the journey of two characters who come together despite their differences and help eachother heal from their past.
GO ORDER THIS BOOK ASAP!
November 21, 2023
I absolutely loved reading an arc for How the Fox Runs. It was such a unique fantasy (think historical/steampunk/cottagecore), with many twists and turns and a vivid world. Just when I thought that the story would go one way, it went another and the surprises kept coming. The lyrical prose was beautiful, and the fmc was so relatable. I also adored the tension with the love interest (who is basically a grumpy cinnamon roll). Honestly can’t wait for the second book and to see how the characters grow and develop. I would recommend going in blind, so I’ll end my thoughts here.
ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟᴏᴠᴇ:
🦊 Fantasy
🌿 Enemies to Lovers
🍄 Secrets and Betrayal
🍁 One bed trope
🦊 Cottagecore meets dark academia vibes
🌿 Touch her and die
🍄 Hunter and prey dynamics
🍁 Military themes
🦊 Mental health rep
🌿 Hidden Identity
🍄Glittering parties
🍁 Found family
🦊 Steampunk elements
ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟᴏᴠᴇ:
🦊 Fantasy
🌿 Enemies to Lovers
🍄 Secrets and Betrayal
🍁 One bed trope
🦊 Cottagecore meets dark academia vibes
🌿 Touch her and die
🍄 Hunter and prey dynamics
🍁 Military themes
🦊 Mental health rep
🌿 Hidden Identity
🍄Glittering parties
🍁 Found family
🦊 Steampunk elements
January 29, 2024
So, I bought this book to support someone I follow and their indie-author journey. I read the synopsis and it sounded promising but unfortunately it was a let down and wasn’t for me.
It started off well and enjoyable — I was excited to see what was to come and the characters journey into this new realm, but once we got to what is called the Second Realm, that’s when the disappointment came in.
The world building felt very flat and unoriginal. It was hard to differentiate between the two realms — ours and the Second Realm — at times, because they were so similar. And honestly, it was too similar to real-life religion, and also too militaristic, for my taste. I mean there was a whole scene about church and Jesus (though he isn’t named directly, but described physically) on a cross and even praying before a meal in this supposed fantasy world. It didn’t feel very fantasy because it was basically Christianity instead of a new, unique religion the author could have written.
Alise, the FMC, is portrayed as weak and feeble and definitely relies on the MC too much throughout the book. I wanted to see her become strong, independent and uplifted. Honestly the world just felt like cottagecore in 1912 or something. The romance between Alise and Articus was also very quick, and it didn’t feel as flushed out as it should have been given the circumstances of the FMC’s situation and everything she’s thrown into.
Then there’s also the matter of the sexual assault which wasn’t handled in the best way. There should definitely be a trigger warning for that, not just a general one at the beginning of the book that says there’s dark themes. Self-victim blaming and saying that “If he wasn’t drunk he wouldn’t have done that,” isn’t okay in a supposed fantasy book that should be an escape for people. If there’s SA in a book, it should be handled properly with trigger warnings
It started off well and enjoyable — I was excited to see what was to come and the characters journey into this new realm, but once we got to what is called the Second Realm, that’s when the disappointment came in.
The world building felt very flat and unoriginal. It was hard to differentiate between the two realms — ours and the Second Realm — at times, because they were so similar. And honestly, it was too similar to real-life religion, and also too militaristic, for my taste. I mean there was a whole scene about church and Jesus (though he isn’t named directly, but described physically) on a cross and even praying before a meal in this supposed fantasy world. It didn’t feel very fantasy because it was basically Christianity instead of a new, unique religion the author could have written.
Alise, the FMC, is portrayed as weak and feeble and definitely relies on the MC too much throughout the book. I wanted to see her become strong, independent and uplifted. Honestly the world just felt like cottagecore in 1912 or something. The romance between Alise and Articus was also very quick, and it didn’t feel as flushed out as it should have been given the circumstances of the FMC’s situation and everything she’s thrown into.
Then there’s also the matter of the sexual assault which wasn’t handled in the best way. There should definitely be a trigger warning for that, not just a general one at the beginning of the book that says there’s dark themes. Self-victim blaming and saying that “If he wasn’t drunk he wouldn’t have done that,” isn’t okay in a supposed fantasy book that should be an escape for people. If there’s SA in a book, it should be handled properly with trigger warnings
November 21, 2023
"𝑻𝒘𝒐 '𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆𝒔' 𝒊𝒏 𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒕𝒆𝒏 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒕'𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒃𝒊𝒓𝒕𝒉𝒅𝒂𝒚, 𝑴𝒊𝒔𝒔 𝑭𝒐𝒙."
HtFR is probably one of the most unique fantasies I've had the pleasure of reading this year. I went in semi-blind, and I strongly suggest you do too! It was a wild ride, and I'm terribly excited to see where this story goes ✨️
"𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒈𝒍𝒂𝒅𝒍𝒚 𝒅𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒄𝒆𝒂𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆"
J. O. Ellis prose is beautiful, and I absolutely loved the cottagecore/steampunk vibes!
I don't want to say too much, so I'll just give you some tropes and more quotes 😌
🦊 Grumpy cinnamon roll mmc
🌲 Mental health rep
🦊 Banter
🌲 There's one bed, and a ball!!
🦊 Enemies ish to lovers
🌲 Slow burn
🦊 Secrets and plot twists
🌲 Touch her and die.
"𝑳𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝒎𝒚 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝑭𝒐𝒙. 𝑳𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒊𝒅 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒆"
"𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕'𝒔 𝒂 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒍." 𝑯𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒍𝒆𝒅"
"𝑪𝒖𝒕 𝒎𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒏. 𝑫𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒚 𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒎𝒖𝒔𝒕. 𝑰𝒇 𝒊𝒕 𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒆, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝑰'𝒍𝒍𝒈𝒍𝒂𝒅𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒊𝒕."
Thank you so much for trusting me with an Arc of your book, Joni ❤️
HtFR is probably one of the most unique fantasies I've had the pleasure of reading this year. I went in semi-blind, and I strongly suggest you do too! It was a wild ride, and I'm terribly excited to see where this story goes ✨️
"𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒈𝒍𝒂𝒅𝒍𝒚 𝒅𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒄𝒆𝒂𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆"
J. O. Ellis prose is beautiful, and I absolutely loved the cottagecore/steampunk vibes!
I don't want to say too much, so I'll just give you some tropes and more quotes 😌
🦊 Grumpy cinnamon roll mmc
🌲 Mental health rep
🦊 Banter
🌲 There's one bed, and a ball!!
🦊 Enemies ish to lovers
🌲 Slow burn
🦊 Secrets and plot twists
🌲 Touch her and die.
"𝑳𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝒎𝒚 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝑭𝒐𝒙. 𝑳𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒊𝒅 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒆"
"𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕'𝒔 𝒂 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒍." 𝑯𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒍𝒆𝒅"
"𝑪𝒖𝒕 𝒎𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒏. 𝑫𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒚 𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒎𝒖𝒔𝒕. 𝑰𝒇 𝒊𝒕 𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒆, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝑰'𝒍𝒍𝒈𝒍𝒂𝒅𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒊𝒕."
Thank you so much for trusting me with an Arc of your book, Joni ❤️
November 20, 2023
I loved this book so much I immediately pre-ordered the hardback from the authors website. How the Fox Runs is a book I didn’t know I needed in my life. It is a beautifully written fantasy, with incredible world building (which is easy to follow). You will see tropes like enemies to lovers, one bed, touch her and die, and found family. The FMC is an intelligent, independent, strong woman who is running for freedom. The adventure is wild, the plot twists are surprising. Every character is written so well. The story begins in an asylum and navigates to a modern, Victorian era esque country, with all the elegant settings, clothing, and manners of that time. This brings in such a romantic element to the story. I can't recommend this book enough.
December 9, 2023
I received an ARC for this book and I have to say, I was not disappointed.
While initially a little hard to get into, How the Fox Runs was a thrilling read with a wide range of characters with interesting personalities. I personally didn't find it easy to relate to the main character and therefore found it a little difficult to feel for her when she was upset or angry, sometimes she would do things for seemingly no reason other than dramatic effect by the author. Having said that, the dramatic effect was definitely that - dramatic - and I loved every bit of it. Though the writing style is definitely not my usual reading style, it was still incredibly enjoyable and I look forward to more fantastic stories in the future!
While initially a little hard to get into, How the Fox Runs was a thrilling read with a wide range of characters with interesting personalities. I personally didn't find it easy to relate to the main character and therefore found it a little difficult to feel for her when she was upset or angry, sometimes she would do things for seemingly no reason other than dramatic effect by the author. Having said that, the dramatic effect was definitely that - dramatic - and I loved every bit of it. Though the writing style is definitely not my usual reading style, it was still incredibly enjoyable and I look forward to more fantastic stories in the future!
November 23, 2023
I went into this book completely blind. I loved the cover and that was enough for me.
The prologue was beautiful and has me instantly hooked! I was surprised by where the story started out and the drastic difference between part 1 and part 2 completely added to that stark difference. I loved the way it was done.
Alise is a savvy and capable woman and I loved reading her journey.
Atticus had wonderful growth and I love him. I am so excited to see where this story goes next! There are quite a few loose ends I have questions about that I hope will be answered in the next book!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The prologue was beautiful and has me instantly hooked! I was surprised by where the story started out and the drastic difference between part 1 and part 2 completely added to that stark difference. I loved the way it was done.
Alise is a savvy and capable woman and I loved reading her journey.
Atticus had wonderful growth and I love him. I am so excited to see where this story goes next! There are quite a few loose ends I have questions about that I hope will be answered in the next book!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 19, 2023
Firstly, I’d like to say a huge Thankyou to Joni for allowing me to read this masterpiece before its release, what an honour. It was my first ARC and it will forever be a special book to me.
From the very first page this book captivated me and that did not waver.
Ellis’ writing is so incredibly beautiful, vivid and just delicious. The world building is incredible, I could picture everything so clearly.
There are betrayals, plot twists and the best slow burn. The ending has me dying for the second book!!
From the very first page this book captivated me and that did not waver.
Ellis’ writing is so incredibly beautiful, vivid and just delicious. The world building is incredible, I could picture everything so clearly.
There are betrayals, plot twists and the best slow burn. The ending has me dying for the second book!!
November 27, 2023
(4.5 stars!) this was such a unique book. I was honestly so surprised because I went in blind. The world is so well written and I’m excited to get more of it. We love some tension between love interests (enemies to lovers?!) and I really liked the mental health elements. I enjoyed the FMC and the way the we got to know the characters.
January 25, 2024
Writing a book is not an easy task. I previously rated this 2, but after reading some other stuff, I’m changing this to 4. I realised that instead of focusing on the bad parts I should give credit for the author to create something fresh and original.
I think I’ll do a re-read and write a better review.
I think I’ll do a re-read and write a better review.
August 25, 2024
I can not overstate how disappointed I am by this book. ✨️And I'm choosing not to put a spoiler warning so people know what they are in for.✨️
Let's start with the easy stuff:
Ever heard of an editor? Because holy every error in the book, batman. The amount of grammatical, spelling, punctuation, and word choice errors was impossible to ignore.
I'm a Sagittarius, so forgive my brutal honesty:
Plot holes plot holes plot holes. For example, what was the point of Alise mentioning that she can feel people's emotions if it didn't serve a purpose to the plot? Why is nothing mentioned about the Fourth Realm or even asked about by Alise???
We aren't barbie dolls. The constant need to address how "tiny" the FMC is isn't cute. It has the potential to be very harmful to some readers. Body dysmorphia and eating disorders aren't cute.
Where exactly is the slow burn??? The FMC and MMC go from not entirely sure if they can trust each other to cuddling essentially overnight. There should have been more feelings of conflict from both sides. 1) because she was his patient at the asylum and 2) considering what she went through in the past (I'll touch more on this soon)
You had me (out the door) at religion. If I had known there was going to be such heavy Christian views, I would never have gotten this book. There's a whole-ass scene about church and Jesus (though not named directly, I was dragged to church enough to know Jesus when he's being described)
The final nail in the coffin. There was NO trigger warning at the beginning of the book about SA. Mentioning "dark themes" is not a proper way to address what may be a serious trigger for some readers. And it was handled in such a disgusting manner. Self-victim blaming and saying that "if he was sober, we wouldn't have done that." NOT OKAY.
Let's start with the easy stuff:
Ever heard of an editor? Because holy every error in the book, batman. The amount of grammatical, spelling, punctuation, and word choice errors was impossible to ignore.
I'm a Sagittarius, so forgive my brutal honesty:
Plot holes plot holes plot holes. For example, what was the point of Alise mentioning that she can feel people's emotions if it didn't serve a purpose to the plot? Why is nothing mentioned about the Fourth Realm or even asked about by Alise???
We aren't barbie dolls. The constant need to address how "tiny" the FMC is isn't cute. It has the potential to be very harmful to some readers. Body dysmorphia and eating disorders aren't cute.
Where exactly is the slow burn??? The FMC and MMC go from not entirely sure if they can trust each other to cuddling essentially overnight. There should have been more feelings of conflict from both sides. 1) because she was his patient at the asylum and 2) considering what she went through in the past (I'll touch more on this soon)
You had me (out the door) at religion. If I had known there was going to be such heavy Christian views, I would never have gotten this book. There's a whole-ass scene about church and Jesus (though not named directly, I was dragged to church enough to know Jesus when he's being described)
The final nail in the coffin. There was NO trigger warning at the beginning of the book about SA. Mentioning "dark themes" is not a proper way to address what may be a serious trigger for some readers. And it was handled in such a disgusting manner. Self-victim blaming and saying that "if he was sober, we wouldn't have done that." NOT OKAY.
November 18, 2023
"𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘱 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘭𝘺."
I loved this story! It's an amazing journey between reality and fantasy where dark academia meets cottagecore and it just took me by surprise! I couldn't put it down!
This book has all my favourite tropes, immaculate vibes and I loved the world building.
It follows the story of Alise Fox, a woman who is thrown into a realm different from her own, and has to navigate all the intricacies of The Colony, all while protecting her secret and her heart. Articus is just perfect and their dynamic is "chef's kiss"! I loved Kareena! She's this breath of fresh air and I'd love to read more of her!
There are plot twists, secrets, betrayals, a lot of tension, slow burn and I can't wait for the second book!
"𝘞𝘩𝘺 𝘥𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘳𝘶𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘮𝘦, 𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘍𝘰𝘹?"
Read if you love:
⭑ Enemies to lovers
⭑ One bed
⭑ Found family
⭑ Touch her and die
⭑ Slow burn
⭑ Secret identities
⭑ Mental health rep
⭑ Military themes
⭑ Dark academia meets cottagecore
And the cover art? It's beautiful! It was designed by @bluelyloo. And the little drawings in the book are lovely, I just love the details.
I loved this story! It's an amazing journey between reality and fantasy where dark academia meets cottagecore and it just took me by surprise! I couldn't put it down!
This book has all my favourite tropes, immaculate vibes and I loved the world building.
It follows the story of Alise Fox, a woman who is thrown into a realm different from her own, and has to navigate all the intricacies of The Colony, all while protecting her secret and her heart. Articus is just perfect and their dynamic is "chef's kiss"! I loved Kareena! She's this breath of fresh air and I'd love to read more of her!
There are plot twists, secrets, betrayals, a lot of tension, slow burn and I can't wait for the second book!
"𝘞𝘩𝘺 𝘥𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘳𝘶𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘮𝘦, 𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘍𝘰𝘹?"
Read if you love:
⭑ Enemies to lovers
⭑ One bed
⭑ Found family
⭑ Touch her and die
⭑ Slow burn
⭑ Secret identities
⭑ Mental health rep
⭑ Military themes
⭑ Dark academia meets cottagecore
And the cover art? It's beautiful! It was designed by @bluelyloo. And the little drawings in the book are lovely, I just love the details.
February 25, 2025
DNF at 30%
Displaying 1 - 29 of 144 reviews