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The Darkest Court #1
La Cour des Ombres
Quand ton pire ennemi devient ton seul espoir…
Seul élève humain à l’école de magie Mathers, Phineas Smith est la risée de tous. Maudit, il est né avec le don rare de puiser dans la magie illimitée, un pouvoir que personne ne peut contrôler.
Alors que le royaume des fées sombre dans la guerre civile, Phineas comprend que les deux Cours Fées souhaitent son allégeance et cela à n’importe quel prix.
Ce qu’elles ignorent, c’est qu’il est incapable de ne faire léviter qu’une simple plume. Alors défendre le royaume des fées tout entier…
Le prince unseelie Roark Lyne – camarade de chambre et ennemi autoproclamé de Phineas – est beau, courageux et casse-couilles. Malheureusement, il est aussi le seul à pouvoir aider Finn à apprivoiser sa magie.
Accorder une confiance aveugle aux mystérieuses motivations de Roark serait stupide. Refuser sa protection temporaire serait fatal. Et tandis que les murs entre eux s’écroulent, Phineas réalise que Roark n’est pas le monstre qu’il imaginait. Mais leur intimité grandissante menace de faire éclater au grand jour un secret qui pourrait soit renverser la guerre… soit les détruire tous les deux.
Seul élève humain à l’école de magie Mathers, Phineas Smith est la risée de tous. Maudit, il est né avec le don rare de puiser dans la magie illimitée, un pouvoir que personne ne peut contrôler.
Alors que le royaume des fées sombre dans la guerre civile, Phineas comprend que les deux Cours Fées souhaitent son allégeance et cela à n’importe quel prix.
Ce qu’elles ignorent, c’est qu’il est incapable de ne faire léviter qu’une simple plume. Alors défendre le royaume des fées tout entier…
Le prince unseelie Roark Lyne – camarade de chambre et ennemi autoproclamé de Phineas – est beau, courageux et casse-couilles. Malheureusement, il est aussi le seul à pouvoir aider Finn à apprivoiser sa magie.
Accorder une confiance aveugle aux mystérieuses motivations de Roark serait stupide. Refuser sa protection temporaire serait fatal. Et tandis que les murs entre eux s’écroulent, Phineas réalise que Roark n’est pas le monstre qu’il imaginait. Mais leur intimité grandissante menace de faire éclater au grand jour un secret qui pourrait soit renverser la guerre… soit les détruire tous les deux.
300 pages, Paperback
First published February 25, 2019
351 people are currently reading
3940 people want to read
About the author
M.A. Grant
29 books345 followersM.A. Grant fell in love with the romance genre while working at an independent bookstore. She spent a decade in the rugged beauty of Alaska's Kenai Peninsula before moving to the mountains of Eastern Washington. When she’s not calling out to passing ravens or making a cup of tea, she’s writing dark and moving stories.
She is represented by Deidre Knight of The Knight Agency.
She is represented by Deidre Knight of The Knight Agency.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 493 reviews
April 20, 2021
I love a good M/M romantic fantasy novel and, for the most part, this one delivered.
Phineas Smith (Finn to his friends, Smith to his annoyingly-frustrating and critical arch nemesis) was a human studying at Mather's School of Magick, about to graduate, but still unable to control his connection to a powerful and dangerous ley line.
Previous humans able to access the ley line had all burned out like roman candles, not enough of them left even to bury, so as he was in his final year at college, he'd already outlived all of his predecessors. Yay!?! Small victories, right?
After being roommates for six years, Finn and Unseelie Prince Roark Lynne had come to an understanding. Finn didn't trust or like Roark and the feeling was mutual. Full stop.
Yet, why did Roark continually save Finn from a host of real-life monsters from the underworld? And from Finn himself, when the ley line was close to incinerating him like so much dry kindling.
The lady doth protest too much, methinks. ;- )
I have to admit that quite a few times while reading, I felt slightly lost, as their past history trickled out to the reader in a pretty non-linear fashion. The reader was immediately told that Roark's mother, Queen Mab, kidnapped and tortured Finn, but only later found out how Finn escaped. And at what personal cost to Roark.
Yes, waiting for droplets of information was frustrating as hell, but ultimately so very worth the wait, as the book kept me feeling desperate to find out the why's behind certain aspects of the story.
However, one drawback was that the pacing of the book felt kind of slow and drawn out, when I didn't necessarily feel that it needed to be. Slightly retooled, I thought that this 310 page read could've been cut down by a good 50 pages, with a positive impact on the finished story.
That would've also left room for MORE MAGIC, which was there, but for a story about a magickal college, felt low on the "OMG, he just turned that annoying asshole into a toad!" quotient.
Don't get me wrong, though. When the Big Bads did go bump in the night, trying to literally *eat* Finn to consume his powers, those were some damn good, exciting pages, where I found it impossible to put the book down.
I did thoroughly enjoy the Yin and Yang mix of fae intrigue and romance, which I thought shared the right amount of page time, without ever neglecting either aspect of the story.
As the story progressed, I liked how Finn's dislike of Roark began to change, but not without some protest and snarky shade thrown back and forth.
“Six years, and you still can’t control your magick. They should have expelled you after the hydra.”But once their developing feelings were out in the open and One Huge Event happened, I was freaking giddy when it seemed as though Finn's ley line began to 'like' Roark, wanting him for their very own.
“Sorry I and the rest of the student population at the stadium didn’t have the forethought to rip apart an ancient monster with ice spears so it couldn’t regenerate, ”
“Or ability,” Roark interrupts. “Forethought or ability.”
Three dark speckles in the dust. Roark’s blood. Probably from the blow to his head. He was injured. I press my fingertips to them and the ley line bays like a hound, flinging itself forward. It wants me to let it loose. It wants to hunt and chase and find Roark. It wants to rub against his glamour because nothing else in the world feels as good, and it wants me to be happy.The ending (and the whole mantle of Knighthood thing), while turning out almost exactly as I'd expected, was still totally epic and a thrill a minute. Let me tell you, you do not want to mess with a guy finally at one with his explosive ley line, but some scheming assholes never learn -- until it's too late.
The steam level in this NA story was fairly mild, and the angst was kept to manageable levels, but I was more than fine with both. I wasn't hoping for an angsty dick-fest, anyway. :- P
The story did end with an HEA for the guys, but this story was the beginning of a new series, with a massive Unseelie vs. Seelie war on the near horizon, so I'm dying to see where Ms. Grant takes the story from here.
Book 2 will be about Finn's best friend, Sebastian, who the reader didn't get to know extremely well, even though he was peppered into the plot line here and there in this book.
Overall, I found this story to be an extremely enjoyable read, with a couple of issues here and there, so I'd rate it at around 4 stars and wait with bated breath for the rest of the books in the series.
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My ARC copy of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair, unbiased review.
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February 28, 2019
Kind of a mixed bag.
I didn't hate it but there were a few things that left me feeling confused, things about the plot and/or world building that I could never reconcile.
For instance, Finn has been attending Mather’s School of Magick for the past SIX YEARS and cannot control said magic? At all.
That seems like a no brainer from a school with School of Magick in the title, doesn't it? I guess I kind of had Hogwarts in mind with objective being to train its students how to both control and utilize their powers. But this school seems to be like a any other university only with various paranormal people attending and primarily focused on forging alliances between pantheons. OK. But I still don't get why Finn was admitted since he's human.
At first I thought it was so he would be protected from random underworld beings that are trying get to him for his power which would also kill him, but...
All sorts of nasties are all over him like white on rice which "forces" his nemesis and roommate, Roark, to come to his rescue. Repeatedly.
The flip side of this uneven world building is the creatures that pop up are vivid and... pretty disgusting, TBH. The skirmishes Finn and Roark find themselves in are entertaining and they do make a good team.
I've no idea why it took them SIX YEARS to discover that they made a good team, but let me not beat the dead horse.
Roark being the Prince of Air and Darkness and the second son of the Unseelie queen is not only powerful but extremely cunning. At first he seems to be harboring a grudge against Finn for some reason but as the story unfolds we begin to learn that beneath his urbane and fractious exterior beats the heart of a man deeply and completely in love, a man who has made the ultimate sacrifice for his beloved.
Yeah, pretty swoony.
The romance and chemistry between them is solid. Had the enemies portion of the narrative lasted longer I would've been in hog heaven.
I guess I had it in my head that the next book would focus on Finn and Roark too since there were things that developed that left me wanting, but it appears the next book is focused on a different couple in which case I'm a bit disappointed by the ending. It felt rushed and though I liked the resolution I like my couples to couple a bit before The End.
Parts of the world building are good, parts of the plot are good and the overall romance is pretty satisfying but the whole could've been stronger. Perhaps it gets stronger as the series evolves. I could be interested in continuing the series; however, my opinions are my own and YMMV.
An ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I didn't hate it but there were a few things that left me feeling confused, things about the plot and/or world building that I could never reconcile.
For instance, Finn has been attending Mather’s School of Magick for the past SIX YEARS and cannot control said magic? At all.
That seems like a no brainer from a school with School of Magick in the title, doesn't it? I guess I kind of had Hogwarts in mind with objective being to train its students how to both control and utilize their powers. But this school seems to be like a any other university only with various paranormal people attending and primarily focused on forging alliances between pantheons. OK. But I still don't get why Finn was admitted since he's human.
At first I thought it was so he would be protected from random underworld beings that are trying get to him for his power which would also kill him, but...
All sorts of nasties are all over him like white on rice which "forces" his nemesis and roommate, Roark, to come to his rescue. Repeatedly.
The flip side of this uneven world building is the creatures that pop up are vivid and... pretty disgusting, TBH. The skirmishes Finn and Roark find themselves in are entertaining and they do make a good team.
I've no idea why it took them SIX YEARS to discover that they made a good team, but let me not beat the dead horse.
Roark being the Prince of Air and Darkness and the second son of the Unseelie queen is not only powerful but extremely cunning. At first he seems to be harboring a grudge against Finn for some reason but as the story unfolds we begin to learn that beneath his urbane and fractious exterior beats the heart of a man deeply and completely in love, a man who has made the ultimate sacrifice for his beloved.
Yeah, pretty swoony.
The romance and chemistry between them is solid. Had the enemies portion of the narrative lasted longer I would've been in hog heaven.
I guess I had it in my head that the next book would focus on Finn and Roark too since there were things that developed that left me wanting, but it appears the next book is focused on a different couple in which case I'm a bit disappointed by the ending. It felt rushed and though I liked the resolution I like my couples to couple a bit before The End.
Parts of the world building are good, parts of the plot are good and the overall romance is pretty satisfying but the whole could've been stronger. Perhaps it gets stronger as the series evolves. I could be interested in continuing the series; however, my opinions are my own and YMMV.
An ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
March 4, 2019
*3.5 stars*
I was really looking forward to Prince of Air and Darkness by M.A. Grant thanks to a ton of glowing reviews, and I'm happy to say I wasn't disappointed. However, it killed me a little inside to know the potential of the story and that it was this close to being amazing.
I found the pacing and the plotting to be really compelling and I stayed up WAY past my bedtime to read. I finished the story in day, which is always a good sign for me. However, my niggles just kept on coming while I was reading. I kept finding things that bothered me.
I love a magick school storyline (duh) and an enemies-to-lovers story, and this book had both. The setting was fun, even though I was a little confused as to how all of these pantheons co-existed and how the class/collegey stuff worked. The story was actually really fuzzy on many details that I thought were quite pertinent, and I wish the author had taken the time to explain those things more. In fact, if I wasn't so up on my Dresden Files series (natch, the best series), I would have been really confused about what all of these seelie/unseelie and winter/summer fae even were. Dresden Files, FTW.
It was also weird that Phin was supposed to be protected on campus but in reality never was. I was also never even sure why he was attacked so frequently, even at the end of the story (was that tied into the bad guys??). I even ended the story confused!
Still, Phin's love/hate relationship with Roark was everything, but I wish we got even more of a sense of how they got paired up and how that played out for the past 6 (!) years. I got the basics, but how did they live and defend each other side by side for so many years and not discover their dynamic sooner? Strange. I loved Roark as a character, but he was such a martyr! Geez, that guy could not catch a break.
One detail that I hated was that these two used condoms when CLEARLY an unseelie fae prince who heals from mortal-ish wounds nearly immediately would NEVER be felled by an STD! This guy isn't catching (or spreading) herpes, dude. I'm a huge proponent of safer sex in romance, but my eyes practically rolled into my head.
I also really hated one aspect of the ending, which I will spoiler tag.
Despite the fact that I seem like I'm harping on the negatives, Prince of Air and Darkness was a very solid story, and I was impressed by M.A. Grant a great deal. Almost awesome.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
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I was really looking forward to Prince of Air and Darkness by M.A. Grant thanks to a ton of glowing reviews, and I'm happy to say I wasn't disappointed. However, it killed me a little inside to know the potential of the story and that it was this close to being amazing.
I found the pacing and the plotting to be really compelling and I stayed up WAY past my bedtime to read. I finished the story in day, which is always a good sign for me. However, my niggles just kept on coming while I was reading. I kept finding things that bothered me.
I love a magick school storyline (duh) and an enemies-to-lovers story, and this book had both. The setting was fun, even though I was a little confused as to how all of these pantheons co-existed and how the class/collegey stuff worked. The story was actually really fuzzy on many details that I thought were quite pertinent, and I wish the author had taken the time to explain those things more. In fact, if I wasn't so up on my Dresden Files series (natch, the best series), I would have been really confused about what all of these seelie/unseelie and winter/summer fae even were. Dresden Files, FTW.
It was also weird that Phin was supposed to be protected on campus but in reality never was. I was also never even sure why he was attacked so frequently, even at the end of the story (was that tied into the bad guys??). I even ended the story confused!
Still, Phin's love/hate relationship with Roark was everything, but I wish we got even more of a sense of how they got paired up and how that played out for the past 6 (!) years. I got the basics, but how did they live and defend each other side by side for so many years and not discover their dynamic sooner? Strange. I loved Roark as a character, but he was such a martyr! Geez, that guy could not catch a break.
One detail that I hated was that these two used condoms when CLEARLY an unseelie fae prince who heals from mortal-ish wounds nearly immediately would NEVER be felled by an STD! This guy isn't catching (or spreading) herpes, dude. I'm a huge proponent of safer sex in romance, but my eyes practically rolled into my head.
I also really hated one aspect of the ending, which I will spoiler tag.
Despite the fact that I seem like I'm harping on the negatives, Prince of Air and Darkness was a very solid story, and I was impressed by M.A. Grant a great deal. Almost awesome.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
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March 14, 2023
✅ Sexual tension / Hate-to-love (kind of)
✅ Action
✅ Characters
✅🆗 Romance (M/M)
✅🆗 Plot
🆗 World-building
2.5 stars or 3 stars…
I have mixed feelings about this book. Some parts are very good, but some parts are confusing. The world-building is not very well described. We do not really know how the courts work and how they interact with each other, nor do we really know how the magic work. The way the Pantheons co-exists and deal with every supernatural issue is also unclear, and many details are fuzzy. I wish the author would have taken the time to explain the hierarchy, magic system, and the workings of the university a little better so I could get more immersed in the story instead of asking myself so many questions about details that are dropped in the story but not explained.
Phineas (or Finn) has been attending Mather’s School of Magic for the past 6 years, and he is about to graduate, yet he can’t control his magic at all, he can’t even access it when he wants to, it seems to be completely random and linked to his emotions, although even when he is stressed or in a life or death situation, the magic does not always respond. I am still not sure that I really understand Finn’s powers or their boundaries and workings.
Phineas was abducted and tortured by the Unseelie queen Mab 5 years ago, yet we have no idea if there were any consequences following this whole dirty business. We know that Phineas was saved by Roark, and he now lives with him in a student apartment. I understand that Roark wants to protect Phineas, but why on Earth would Phineas accept to live in an apartment with the Unseelie prince after the Unseelie queen tortured and almost killed him?
One would think that being in a university full of magical creatures, and having a group of magical friends would help Phineas stay alive, but no. Nasty creatures keep on trying to capture or kill him because of his powers, forcing his roommate/enemy Roark to repeatedly save him. So many things happen to poor Finn, it’s a wonder he has time and energy to attend his classes, and it’s also weird that so many attacks can happen on the school’s ground without anyone doing anything about it.
Even with this explanation, I am not exactly sure why a multi-centuries-old Fae prince would decide to enroll in university to try to make allies. How is studying and doing homework your true place as a freaking Unseelie prince? Are the strong allies you seek really enrolled as students? Shouldn’t you visit other courts and royals instead? The Unseelie court is described as ruthless and cunning and wicked, yet he lives in a small apartment and goes to university, and his mother pays him visits to talk about alliances and political moves in between two school projects. I feel that the whole university angle does not fit with the ruthless Unseelie court, and is used solely to justify the fact that Phineas and Roark are living together and are forced to have a “shaky trust” between them.
As the book progresses, we realize that Roark does not resent Finn exactly and that his cold and mean attitude is more of a shield to hide the fact that he is madly in love with Finn. The chemistry between Finn and Roark is great, the enemies/allies part is well done, and we can feel the uncertainty and the sexual tension between them. Still, their relationship started off amazingly with this mix of hatred/repressed love/sexual tension and ended up being sappy and another “love defies and conquers everything” cliché. Phineas and Roark do have great chemistry, but they went from exploring their feelings and satisfying this insane sexual tension that was between them, to being willing to die for each other. Finn has been attending this magical university because he wants to learn to control his magic to help his parents on their farm, but he is suddenly willing to abandon them just so he could spend forever with Roark. Considering the lack of romantic relationship development, these actions made no sense to me.
Although there is a lot of action (multiple attacks on Finn and/or Roark mostly), there is no real plot until the second half of the book. The first 50% are about Finn trying to control his wild and unreliable magic, and training with Roark so he can better defend himself. There is a more political angle in the second half of the book, but even then, it didn't feel like a very elaborate and developed plot.
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✅ Action
✅ Characters
✅🆗 Romance (M/M)
✅🆗 Plot
🆗 World-building
2.5 stars or 3 stars…
I have mixed feelings about this book. Some parts are very good, but some parts are confusing. The world-building is not very well described. We do not really know how the courts work and how they interact with each other, nor do we really know how the magic work. The way the Pantheons co-exists and deal with every supernatural issue is also unclear, and many details are fuzzy. I wish the author would have taken the time to explain the hierarchy, magic system, and the workings of the university a little better so I could get more immersed in the story instead of asking myself so many questions about details that are dropped in the story but not explained.
Phineas (or Finn) has been attending Mather’s School of Magic for the past 6 years, and he is about to graduate, yet he can’t control his magic at all, he can’t even access it when he wants to, it seems to be completely random and linked to his emotions, although even when he is stressed or in a life or death situation, the magic does not always respond. I am still not sure that I really understand Finn’s powers or their boundaries and workings.
Phineas was abducted and tortured by the Unseelie queen Mab 5 years ago, yet we have no idea if there were any consequences following this whole dirty business. We know that Phineas was saved by Roark, and he now lives with him in a student apartment. I understand that Roark wants to protect Phineas, but why on Earth would Phineas accept to live in an apartment with the Unseelie prince after the Unseelie queen tortured and almost killed him?
One would think that being in a university full of magical creatures, and having a group of magical friends would help Phineas stay alive, but no. Nasty creatures keep on trying to capture or kill him because of his powers, forcing his roommate/enemy Roark to repeatedly save him. So many things happen to poor Finn, it’s a wonder he has time and energy to attend his classes, and it’s also weird that so many attacks can happen on the school’s ground without anyone doing anything about it.
I went to Mathers to fulfill the expectation held for royal children of all Pantheons, to make myself a social bargaining chip so our Winter Court could find allies.
Even with this explanation, I am not exactly sure why a multi-centuries-old Fae prince would decide to enroll in university to try to make allies. How is studying and doing homework your true place as a freaking Unseelie prince? Are the strong allies you seek really enrolled as students? Shouldn’t you visit other courts and royals instead? The Unseelie court is described as ruthless and cunning and wicked, yet he lives in a small apartment and goes to university, and his mother pays him visits to talk about alliances and political moves in between two school projects. I feel that the whole university angle does not fit with the ruthless Unseelie court, and is used solely to justify the fact that Phineas and Roark are living together and are forced to have a “shaky trust” between them.
As the book progresses, we realize that Roark does not resent Finn exactly and that his cold and mean attitude is more of a shield to hide the fact that he is madly in love with Finn. The chemistry between Finn and Roark is great, the enemies/allies part is well done, and we can feel the uncertainty and the sexual tension between them. Still, their relationship started off amazingly with this mix of hatred/repressed love/sexual tension and ended up being sappy and another “love defies and conquers everything” cliché. Phineas and Roark do have great chemistry, but they went from exploring their feelings and satisfying this insane sexual tension that was between them, to being willing to die for each other. Finn has been attending this magical university because he wants to learn to control his magic to help his parents on their farm, but he is suddenly willing to abandon them just so he could spend forever with Roark. Considering the lack of romantic relationship development, these actions made no sense to me.
Although there is a lot of action (multiple attacks on Finn and/or Roark mostly), there is no real plot until the second half of the book. The first 50% are about Finn trying to control his wild and unreliable magic, and training with Roark so he can better defend himself. There is a more political angle in the second half of the book, but even then, it didn't feel like a very elaborate and developed plot.
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January 5, 2019
MM Fantasy is a hard subgenre for an author to get correct for my tastes. I say that because, as a reader, I don't have a lot of stories that I've 4- or 5-starred.
My first read for Grant delivered so many good things though. I quite enjoyed this book.
Finn and Roarke are students at Mather’s School of Magick, but they are both in their early 20s. The book didn't read as YA though. There is a lot of maturity in the characters that I was pleasantly surprised by.
Finn is human, but born to exceptional circumstances as he's able to tap into the unlimited magick of the ley line. For this reason, he is hunted on a regular basis by all different creatures of this world.
His roommate, Roarke, has disliked Finn since they started school. Ok, he's secretly been in love with Finn for years, but no one needs to know that. Certainly not his mother, the Queen, who, has abducted and tortured Finn herself to try to get access to the ley line.
The world building was fun, BUT this story did cross the line that so many fantasy stories cross, which, for me, is way too much going on. Everything but the kitchen sink is in this book. I won't say it hindered my enjoyment, but I really wish it was a tad toned down.
What MADE this book for me was the romance. There is a definite slow burn between Finn and Roarke, since they "hate" each other.
Once feelings are revealed, however, all bets are off. I soaked up every ounce of pining to be had. The relationship angst here was all the things! It was marvelous!
So many fantasy stories lose the romance to the back burner. That was not the case here, particularly in the second half.
If you're a fantasy fan, I'd definitely recommend this one!
M.A. Grant - you're on my radar!
My first read for Grant delivered so many good things though. I quite enjoyed this book.
Finn and Roarke are students at Mather’s School of Magick, but they are both in their early 20s. The book didn't read as YA though. There is a lot of maturity in the characters that I was pleasantly surprised by.
Finn is human, but born to exceptional circumstances as he's able to tap into the unlimited magick of the ley line. For this reason, he is hunted on a regular basis by all different creatures of this world.
His roommate, Roarke, has disliked Finn since they started school. Ok, he's secretly been in love with Finn for years, but no one needs to know that. Certainly not his mother, the Queen, who, has abducted and tortured Finn herself to try to get access to the ley line.
The world building was fun, BUT this story did cross the line that so many fantasy stories cross, which, for me, is way too much going on. Everything but the kitchen sink is in this book. I won't say it hindered my enjoyment, but I really wish it was a tad toned down.
What MADE this book for me was the romance. There is a definite slow burn between Finn and Roarke, since they "hate" each other.
Once feelings are revealed, however, all bets are off. I soaked up every ounce of pining to be had. The relationship angst here was all the things! It was marvelous!
So many fantasy stories lose the romance to the back burner. That was not the case here, particularly in the second half.
"I wish you happiness, my son. I wish you joy. But we both know you must move on to find that."
"I have no intention of doing so."
If you're a fantasy fan, I'd definitely recommend this one!
M.A. Grant - you're on my radar!
May 1, 2022
3.5 Stars
Admittedly, I’m not typically ever in the mood for fae politics which often bridges horror with a cold brutal manipulation, always with double entendre underhanded word play hiding true nefarious intentions. Just so you know, this is no different and doesn't let up on these sorts of themes prevalently seen in the sidhe culture.
However, this is ripe with just the type of hero that I love. Roark is the powerful son of Queen Mab, and he’s dutiful in protecting his Unseelie citizens at the detriment to his own health and safety. He’s cold as ice, and his unbreakable veneer makes him unapproachable and untouchable. Roark likes it that way because to ever show weakness would make him too vulnerable to his enemies as well as to his very own mother. Nevertheless, such antiheroes always have a soft spot that renders them unable to do anything but their love’s every whim, and they would sacrifice all, even their own happiness, to see them safe. That person for Roark is Phineas, and it was a lovely thing to watch unfold.
This isn’t perfect except for Roark. He was a wonderful character, self sacrificing, alpha intimidating and uber powerful, and I enjoyed seeing his defenses slowly chipped away in the face of Phineas’s determination to find out the truth. Phineas was a little more difficult for me to like. He’s the rare human who can channel ley line magic which is a huge problem as it makes him a target for all creatures who want to manipulate and use him, and that includes Roark’s mother.
Regardless, this was a very nice set up to the age old feud between the Seelie and Unseelie, and though Roark and Phinaeas find love and score a point for their side, the war has just begun…
Admittedly, I’m not typically ever in the mood for fae politics which often bridges horror with a cold brutal manipulation, always with double entendre underhanded word play hiding true nefarious intentions. Just so you know, this is no different and doesn't let up on these sorts of themes prevalently seen in the sidhe culture.
However, this is ripe with just the type of hero that I love. Roark is the powerful son of Queen Mab, and he’s dutiful in protecting his Unseelie citizens at the detriment to his own health and safety. He’s cold as ice, and his unbreakable veneer makes him unapproachable and untouchable. Roark likes it that way because to ever show weakness would make him too vulnerable to his enemies as well as to his very own mother. Nevertheless, such antiheroes always have a soft spot that renders them unable to do anything but their love’s every whim, and they would sacrifice all, even their own happiness, to see them safe. That person for Roark is Phineas, and it was a lovely thing to watch unfold.
This isn’t perfect except for Roark. He was a wonderful character, self sacrificing, alpha intimidating and uber powerful, and I enjoyed seeing his defenses slowly chipped away in the face of Phineas’s determination to find out the truth. Phineas was a little more difficult for me to like. He’s the rare human who can channel ley line magic which is a huge problem as it makes him a target for all creatures who want to manipulate and use him, and that includes Roark’s mother.
Regardless, this was a very nice set up to the age old feud between the Seelie and Unseelie, and though Roark and Phinaeas find love and score a point for their side, the war has just begun…
September 21, 2025
Breathtaking
Wow. I can’t get over this story, I’m in ecstasy, very well written , the plot is absolutely phenomenal, I was at the edge of my seat for almost every page, the steamy intimate scenes between the main characters were appealing and well done, full of passion and captivating connection, I was really satisfied with their chemistry, at every corner, with another information unfolding, I was jumping of excitement! Congratulations to M.A. Grant!!!
I have this book on audible too, great job to John Solo, marvellous performance, fulled engaged, completely committed, amazing acting with a beautiful voice, the narration was calm, although the story is very unnerving, his narration was calm enough, it was a delight!
5⭐️
Wow. I can’t get over this story, I’m in ecstasy, very well written , the plot is absolutely phenomenal, I was at the edge of my seat for almost every page, the steamy intimate scenes between the main characters were appealing and well done, full of passion and captivating connection, I was really satisfied with their chemistry, at every corner, with another information unfolding, I was jumping of excitement! Congratulations to M.A. Grant!!!
I have this book on audible too, great job to John Solo, marvellous performance, fulled engaged, completely committed, amazing acting with a beautiful voice, the narration was calm, although the story is very unnerving, his narration was calm enough, it was a delight!
5⭐️
November 12, 2021
4 Stars
Epic in scope and telling, this fae-themed M/M fantasy trilogy kicks off with a bang, with an introductory story featuring an enemies-to-lovers romance between an ill-fated fae prince and the human magic wielder who secretly means the world to him.
I love this kind of alt-universe, where the world as we know it still stands, but magic exists and supernatural beings walk among us. Grant’s world-building, both in the human world and in the sídhe (the realm of the fae), were well-imagined. We only briefly began to see behind the veil of the winter court, but after the events of this book, I get a feeling the fae world will play a much more prominent role in the sequels.
As far as the characters were concerned, I liked Phineas well enough but I adored me some fae prince Roark. I love a good misunderstood bad-boy type, all broody and sullen, which we got here in spades. Roark was powerful AF, perpetuating a sense of scorn and general disinterest in Phineas and the other lowly beings who surrounded him at Mather’s School of Magick (think Hogwart’s but for a more diverse range of magical beings of college age).
Roark was not at all what he seemed, initially vibing like he hated human roommate Phineas and his inability to control his rare ley line magic, always showing up, acting perplexed but saving the day, whenever Phineas, once again, found himself in danger of beings seeking out his innate power.
The enemies-to-lovers dynamic here was strong. Not that fake, not-really-enemies dynamic you get in so many books with this trope, but actual adversaries in power and mind, always riling one another up and misunderstanding one another’s motives and behavior at every turn—or at least, these are the misconceptions farm-boy Phineas is under for years leading up to the start of this story.
In truth, there’s a lot of backstory to their dynamic and in the making of their feelings, a lot of which happened before the start of this book, which slowly becomes clear to the reader (and Phineas, in a way) as the story is told. It’s a slow-burn in every sense of the word, not simply in the way their relationship morphs and grows, but in the way each piece of the story unfolds for the reader, bit by bit. I won’t give anything away, I hope, but let’s just say Roark is much more than he seems, and his actions and feelings towards Phineas, always, are more profound than surface details suggest.
Phineas and his ley line magic was pretty cool, especially in how the power manifested throughout the story, but it was always in the scenes Phineas and Roark shared, whether snarky and antagonistic, or vulnerable and untamed, that truly held my attention rapt.
I was honestly a bit bummed to realise each book in the trilogy featured a different fae prince (Roark’s brothers) and the loves they find. I kind of wanted to just follow Roark and Phineas for longer than just one story. I guess that’s a good reaction to have because I must have enjoyed their story enough to want to spend more time in their company.
As far as new-to-me author experiences go, this one was a big win for me, and I look forward to not only continuing with this fae-themed trilogy, but also trying more of Grant’s subsequent M/M fantasy romances in the near future.
Epic in scope and telling, this fae-themed M/M fantasy trilogy kicks off with a bang, with an introductory story featuring an enemies-to-lovers romance between an ill-fated fae prince and the human magic wielder who secretly means the world to him.
I love this kind of alt-universe, where the world as we know it still stands, but magic exists and supernatural beings walk among us. Grant’s world-building, both in the human world and in the sídhe (the realm of the fae), were well-imagined. We only briefly began to see behind the veil of the winter court, but after the events of this book, I get a feeling the fae world will play a much more prominent role in the sequels.
As far as the characters were concerned, I liked Phineas well enough but I adored me some fae prince Roark. I love a good misunderstood bad-boy type, all broody and sullen, which we got here in spades. Roark was powerful AF, perpetuating a sense of scorn and general disinterest in Phineas and the other lowly beings who surrounded him at Mather’s School of Magick (think Hogwart’s but for a more diverse range of magical beings of college age).
Roark was not at all what he seemed, initially vibing like he hated human roommate Phineas and his inability to control his rare ley line magic, always showing up, acting perplexed but saving the day, whenever Phineas, once again, found himself in danger of beings seeking out his innate power.
The enemies-to-lovers dynamic here was strong. Not that fake, not-really-enemies dynamic you get in so many books with this trope, but actual adversaries in power and mind, always riling one another up and misunderstanding one another’s motives and behavior at every turn—or at least, these are the misconceptions farm-boy Phineas is under for years leading up to the start of this story.
In truth, there’s a lot of backstory to their dynamic and in the making of their feelings, a lot of which happened before the start of this book, which slowly becomes clear to the reader (and Phineas, in a way) as the story is told. It’s a slow-burn in every sense of the word, not simply in the way their relationship morphs and grows, but in the way each piece of the story unfolds for the reader, bit by bit. I won’t give anything away, I hope, but let’s just say Roark is much more than he seems, and his actions and feelings towards Phineas, always, are more profound than surface details suggest.
Phineas and his ley line magic was pretty cool, especially in how the power manifested throughout the story, but it was always in the scenes Phineas and Roark shared, whether snarky and antagonistic, or vulnerable and untamed, that truly held my attention rapt.
I was honestly a bit bummed to realise each book in the trilogy featured a different fae prince (Roark’s brothers) and the loves they find. I kind of wanted to just follow Roark and Phineas for longer than just one story. I guess that’s a good reaction to have because I must have enjoyed their story enough to want to spend more time in their company.
As far as new-to-me author experiences go, this one was a big win for me, and I look forward to not only continuing with this fae-themed trilogy, but also trying more of Grant’s subsequent M/M fantasy romances in the near future.
March 30, 2019
A delightful surprise
I went into this book with zero expectations and was immediately drawn in by the artful wordcraft. This is an author to watch. I can't wait to read the next in this series.
I went into this book with zero expectations and was immediately drawn in by the artful wordcraft. This is an author to watch. I can't wait to read the next in this series.
October 6, 2021
3.5*
Firstly I have to say I usually avoid books about the Fae. I’ve just never read one I really liked but something about the blurb for this book just pulled me in.
I also didn’t realise this was a YA read and while I’m well out of the age range I have enjoyed a lot of YA reads in the past.
The books itself.
My first thought on finishing is that I’d been cheated.
Now all the reviews I’ve seen for this book have been really good, 4* plus. This seems to point to the problem being me. I’m not ruling that out but this is my review after all so it’s my opinion you’re getting.
It’s not all bad. Far from it in fact a lot of the book is good but...
It felt overlong and really dragged in places. I stuck with it because I wanted to know what happens in the end. Who will be the Knight and how will the war go?
The problem was the book ended before the war really got going. I didn’t expect that at all and that in a nutshell was my problem. I felt I’d stuck with the slow bits without getting the good.
But...
I know two buts in one review.
The end of this book was really good and despite my earlier annoyance I was left wanting more to the extent where I might even continue on with this series.
I voluntarily read a review copy kindly provided by NetGalley.
Merged review:
3.5*
Firstly I have to say I usually avoid books about the Fae. I’ve just never read one I really liked but something about the blurb for this book just pulled me in.
I also didn’t realise this was a YA read and while I’m well out of the age range I have enjoyed a lot of YA reads in the past.
The book itself.
My first thought on finishing is that I’d been cheated.
Now all the reviews I’ve seen for this book have been really good, 4* plus. This seems to point to the problem being me. I’m not ruling that out but this is my review after all so it’s my opinion you’re getting.
It’s not all bad. Far from it in fact a lot of the book is good but...
It felt overlong and really dragged in places. I stuck with it because I wanted to know what happens in the end. Who will be the Knight and how will the war go?
The problem was the book ended before the war really got going. I didn’t expect that at all and that in a nutshell was my problem. I felt I’d stuck with the slow bits without getting the good.
But...
I know two buts in one review.
The end of this book was really good and despite my earlier annoyance I was left wanting more to the extent where I might even continue on with this series.
I voluntarily read a review copy kindly provided by NetGalley.
Firstly I have to say I usually avoid books about the Fae. I’ve just never read one I really liked but something about the blurb for this book just pulled me in.
I also didn’t realise this was a YA read and while I’m well out of the age range I have enjoyed a lot of YA reads in the past.
The books itself.
My first thought on finishing is that I’d been cheated.
Now all the reviews I’ve seen for this book have been really good, 4* plus. This seems to point to the problem being me. I’m not ruling that out but this is my review after all so it’s my opinion you’re getting.
It’s not all bad. Far from it in fact a lot of the book is good but...
It felt overlong and really dragged in places. I stuck with it because I wanted to know what happens in the end. Who will be the Knight and how will the war go?
The problem was the book ended before the war really got going. I didn’t expect that at all and that in a nutshell was my problem. I felt I’d stuck with the slow bits without getting the good.
But...
I know two buts in one review.
The end of this book was really good and despite my earlier annoyance I was left wanting more to the extent where I might even continue on with this series.
I voluntarily read a review copy kindly provided by NetGalley.
Merged review:
3.5*
Firstly I have to say I usually avoid books about the Fae. I’ve just never read one I really liked but something about the blurb for this book just pulled me in.
I also didn’t realise this was a YA read and while I’m well out of the age range I have enjoyed a lot of YA reads in the past.
The book itself.
My first thought on finishing is that I’d been cheated.
Now all the reviews I’ve seen for this book have been really good, 4* plus. This seems to point to the problem being me. I’m not ruling that out but this is my review after all so it’s my opinion you’re getting.
It’s not all bad. Far from it in fact a lot of the book is good but...
It felt overlong and really dragged in places. I stuck with it because I wanted to know what happens in the end. Who will be the Knight and how will the war go?
The problem was the book ended before the war really got going. I didn’t expect that at all and that in a nutshell was my problem. I felt I’d stuck with the slow bits without getting the good.
But...
I know two buts in one review.
The end of this book was really good and despite my earlier annoyance I was left wanting more to the extent where I might even continue on with this series.
I voluntarily read a review copy kindly provided by NetGalley.
January 8, 2019
WOW! Oh man, I was not expecting to love this as much as I did. I honestly don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't this.
Phineas Smith or Finny (or Finn as only Roark calls him) is a human in a magic world, as he can tap into the ley lines on earth and conjure magic, even if he can rarely, if ever, control it and it can be explosive when he can get it to even work in the first place.
And his nemesis is Fae prince Roark Lyne, has been for the past 6 years, even as he can't help but be attracted and drawn to him (not that he would ever admit it to himself). Except, Finn doesn't know everything, because Roark doesn't exactly hate Finn, at all. He has just pretended to, and has taken what Finn thinks is rightful hate, because he doesn't remember what Finn did to protect him from Roark's Queen Faery mother, Mab, who tortured Finn five years prior for something Finn can not remember.
The only thing that I didn't quite understand is at the end, so don't read because of spoilers if you don't wish to -
But other than that small confusion, this was so amazing. Finn and Roark had such great chemistry - and it had more, sex wise, than I thought there would be. It's still not like crazy detailed, and focuses more on their emotions than the physical act, and there are few sex scenes, but they are there, and they were good and their love was sooo apparent and it was so good I just...I didn't care that it was just somewhat moderate in steam because we still got so much with these two.
Finn and Roark obviously loved each other, they couldn't stop kissing each other (and other things ;)) once they really started until shit happened and got in the way of their happiness, but they work through it eventually and get to have their happy ending.
These two were dumb idiots at times throughout this book, with like the not communicating thing (UGH) or not letting the other explain, or the other not explaining when given the chance...it was just a whole mess. These men needed to get their heads out of their asses sometimes. Thankfully they did and it all worked out.
I was worried at times that these two wouldn't get to have their happy ending, especially as the next book is about Finn's friend, Sebastian, not more story with these two at front and center. But it works out - - and they get their happy ending and it was wonderful.
I loved this book, and I could not put it down. It's about 450 pages and I read it all in about a day. I just couldn't stop reading, it was hard to put it down to do mundane everyday things, I just was riveted.
I HIGHLY recommend this book, it's got fun fantasy and magical elements and two awesome main characters who fall head over heals for each other and have great chemistry. Two MASSIVE thumbs up from me!
***ARC generously provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.***
Phineas Smith or Finny (or Finn as only Roark calls him) is a human in a magic world, as he can tap into the ley lines on earth and conjure magic, even if he can rarely, if ever, control it and it can be explosive when he can get it to even work in the first place.
And his nemesis is Fae prince Roark Lyne, has been for the past 6 years, even as he can't help but be attracted and drawn to him (not that he would ever admit it to himself). Except, Finn doesn't know everything, because Roark doesn't exactly hate Finn, at all. He has just pretended to, and has taken what Finn thinks is rightful hate, because he doesn't remember what Finn did to protect him from Roark's Queen Faery mother, Mab, who tortured Finn five years prior for something Finn can not remember.
The only thing that I didn't quite understand is at the end, so don't read because of spoilers if you don't wish to -
But other than that small confusion, this was so amazing. Finn and Roark had such great chemistry - and it had more, sex wise, than I thought there would be. It's still not like crazy detailed, and focuses more on their emotions than the physical act, and there are few sex scenes, but they are there, and they were good and their love was sooo apparent and it was so good I just...I didn't care that it was just somewhat moderate in steam because we still got so much with these two.
Finn and Roark obviously loved each other, they couldn't stop kissing each other (and other things ;)) once they really started until shit happened and got in the way of their happiness, but they work through it eventually and get to have their happy ending.
These two were dumb idiots at times throughout this book, with like the not communicating thing (UGH) or not letting the other explain, or the other not explaining when given the chance...it was just a whole mess. These men needed to get their heads out of their asses sometimes. Thankfully they did and it all worked out.
I was worried at times that these two wouldn't get to have their happy ending, especially as the next book is about Finn's friend, Sebastian, not more story with these two at front and center. But it works out - - and they get their happy ending and it was wonderful.
I loved this book, and I could not put it down. It's about 450 pages and I read it all in about a day. I just couldn't stop reading, it was hard to put it down to do mundane everyday things, I just was riveted.
I HIGHLY recommend this book, it's got fun fantasy and magical elements and two awesome main characters who fall head over heals for each other and have great chemistry. Two MASSIVE thumbs up from me!
***ARC generously provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.***
February 14, 2019
Fantasy has always been my first love and it's fantastic to be able to add new authors to my list who can turn out fully compelling worlds with characters I desperately root for and fall in love with that have an MM romance at the heart, and with this one M.A. Grant has managed to all that.
It's a young adult romance, although Roark is ageless as an Unseelie Prince, Phineas aka Finn is only just 21 and, while he might be the most powerful human on the planet, he's not exactly in control of either his lay line or his feelings.
Everything about this book worked for me. It draws on some of my most favourite (and often overlooked) mythologies and folklore - that of the (mainly) Scottish/Irish Seelie and Unseelie Courts - otherwise known as The Fae Folk.
Now these guys can be utterly vicious and the book's opening throws the reader straight into the potential for danger which the Winter Court, where Roark is Prince of Air and Darkness, poses for all who threaten it.
I loved the sense of tension and danger throughout this, the UST and push/pull between Roark's desires to protect the human he loves and the obedience he owes to his mother Queen Mab.
Both Roark and Finn are fully fleshed out characters, they have multiple layers and are complex and complicated. I loved the secondary group of characters which surround the main players and I was happy to see Book Two is about one of those, Sebastian, and I'm looking forward to finding out more about him.
The book's complex themes are easy to follow even for those who don't have knowledge of the folklore they draw from and it never becomes overwhelming in keeping up with the plot. I think the pacing perhaps slowed a little in the middle but it was a necessary lul to bring back up the tensions of the final 20% of the book when things really started to kick in.
A superb all-round narrative made this book difficult to put down!
#ARC kindly received from the publishers Carina Press via NetGalley in return for an honest and unbiased review
It's a young adult romance, although Roark is ageless as an Unseelie Prince, Phineas aka Finn is only just 21 and, while he might be the most powerful human on the planet, he's not exactly in control of either his lay line or his feelings.
Everything about this book worked for me. It draws on some of my most favourite (and often overlooked) mythologies and folklore - that of the (mainly) Scottish/Irish Seelie and Unseelie Courts - otherwise known as The Fae Folk.
Now these guys can be utterly vicious and the book's opening throws the reader straight into the potential for danger which the Winter Court, where Roark is Prince of Air and Darkness, poses for all who threaten it.
I loved the sense of tension and danger throughout this, the UST and push/pull between Roark's desires to protect the human he loves and the obedience he owes to his mother Queen Mab.
Both Roark and Finn are fully fleshed out characters, they have multiple layers and are complex and complicated. I loved the secondary group of characters which surround the main players and I was happy to see Book Two is about one of those, Sebastian, and I'm looking forward to finding out more about him.
The book's complex themes are easy to follow even for those who don't have knowledge of the folklore they draw from and it never becomes overwhelming in keeping up with the plot. I think the pacing perhaps slowed a little in the middle but it was a necessary lul to bring back up the tensions of the final 20% of the book when things really started to kick in.
A superb all-round narrative made this book difficult to put down!
#ARC kindly received from the publishers Carina Press via NetGalley in return for an honest and unbiased review
April 6, 2019
I found this book by accident and pretty enjoyed it.
The best part of this story are definitely the characters – Finn and Roark. They are quite developed and unquestionably likeable. There are not that many stories about the Unseelie and Roark makes a very interesting hero. Finn is a good match for him. I really like that Roark is to some extend more involved in this relationship than Finn. There is fine dynamics between them.
Still, this story would use some more world development. The world created in the book is pretty interesting, but not as explained as I would like. I’m not really sure that I understand Finn’s powers and their boundaries. Or the Seelie-Unseelie war. These things are pretty unclear to me. Also, maybe it’s just me but the story has this Harry Potter vibe that I didn’t truly enjoyed. I love Harry Potter’s books but I’m not into retellings and there is something about this book that is lacking this freshness and novelty. But this is rather minor thing.
All in all, this is a quite nice story I recommend everyone looking for an easy read.
The best part of this story are definitely the characters – Finn and Roark. They are quite developed and unquestionably likeable. There are not that many stories about the Unseelie and Roark makes a very interesting hero. Finn is a good match for him. I really like that Roark is to some extend more involved in this relationship than Finn. There is fine dynamics between them.
Still, this story would use some more world development. The world created in the book is pretty interesting, but not as explained as I would like. I’m not really sure that I understand Finn’s powers and their boundaries. Or the Seelie-Unseelie war. These things are pretty unclear to me. Also, maybe it’s just me but the story has this Harry Potter vibe that I didn’t truly enjoyed. I love Harry Potter’s books but I’m not into retellings and there is something about this book that is lacking this freshness and novelty. But this is rather minor thing.
All in all, this is a quite nice story I recommend everyone looking for an easy read.
June 11, 2019
I am, with every single molecule of my being, in LOVE with this book.
This is the fae book you've been waiting for. I promise you.
I need everyone else to read this immediately so I have people to fanboy over this with. I need it to become the next phenomenon. I am absolutely fucking obsessed.
Absolutely gorgeous writing, combined with a compelling plot and beautifully flawed, complex characters make this book so outstanding. The author has taken the age-old story of the Seelie and Unseelie courts and woven it into something original and fresh.
If you're a fan of the Raven Boys, you're going to love this. If you're a fan of A Court of Thorns and Roses, you're going to love this. If you're a fan of Carry On, you're going to love this.
Bottom line?
You're really going to fucking love this.
This is the fae book you've been waiting for. I promise you.
I need everyone else to read this immediately so I have people to fanboy over this with. I need it to become the next phenomenon. I am absolutely fucking obsessed.
Absolutely gorgeous writing, combined with a compelling plot and beautifully flawed, complex characters make this book so outstanding. The author has taken the age-old story of the Seelie and Unseelie courts and woven it into something original and fresh.
If you're a fan of the Raven Boys, you're going to love this. If you're a fan of A Court of Thorns and Roses, you're going to love this. If you're a fan of Carry On, you're going to love this.
Bottom line?
You're really going to fucking love this.
September 3, 2021
My current read has been making me anxious lately, and I needed a little pick-me-up. So what did I do? I went and picked a book that starts with a torture scene! 🙈 Just my luck.
Thankfully, I ended up enjoying this one very much (after I finally figured out wth was going on, that is). The worldbuilding was a bit perfunctory, so I had to knock off that one star, but other than that, this was great. The writing was so nice — and that says a lot, because I am not a fan of first person, present tense narrative — and I loved the snarky humor, but what sold me was the PINING! Oh man, the pining was just so good.
I could say that the ending was a bit too easy, but nope, I didn’t mind that one bit. I needed that HFN after all that delicious, angsty pining. 😌
Thankfully, I ended up enjoying this one very much (after I finally figured out wth was going on, that is). The worldbuilding was a bit perfunctory, so I had to knock off that one star, but other than that, this was great. The writing was so nice — and that says a lot, because I am not a fan of first person, present tense narrative — and I loved the snarky humor, but what sold me was the PINING! Oh man, the pining was just so good.
I could say that the ending was a bit too easy, but nope, I didn’t mind that one bit. I needed that HFN after all that delicious, angsty pining. 😌
January 13, 2024
3.0 stars
He kissed me and I thought I’d known what it meant to burn before, but the pressure of his lips against mine, his taste... I wanted to fall apart like the shield we forged with the ley line, nothing but burning dust and dying light.
There’s no common ground between us, not really, so I never should have fallen for him as I have...Ice and fire, darkness and light, drawn and tied to him like a shadow to its caster.
He kissed me and I thought I’d known what it meant to burn before, but the pressure of his lips against mine, his taste... I wanted to fall apart like the shield we forged with the ley line, nothing but burning dust and dying light.
There’s no common ground between us, not really, so I never should have fallen for him as I have...Ice and fire, darkness and light, drawn and tied to him like a shadow to its caster.
May 17, 2022
Not a 5 stars but I want to give it!! Cause I love fantasy and M.A. Grant has a way to paint the picture that it clicks with me.
This world was amazing, an university for faes and other mystical creatures, but mostly faes, we have the night court and the summer court and this book starts a war between them.
But it also describes the relation between the Prince Of Air And Darkness (I want a title like that btw) and Finn, a human with no control of his magic 🤣🤣🤣
Watching them interact from the beginning was really fun and learning about their world through their eyes was perfect.
Learning that Roark was just misunderstood and Flynn needed to let go was just, really good, even though I saw the love from the beginning.
There are two things that bothered me, apoilers ahead:
1. I was at 95% and to me it didn't make sense that the book was about to end. It needs to have a sequel in my opinion.
2. Roark didn't want to be the knight because that position consumes the person that takes it, so why was it ok for Fynn to do it? It wasn't explained and it didn't make sense. See? We need a second book of them.
I dunno if I'll read the next ones, I really enjoyed this one so I don't want to ruin the experience. 🤣🤣🤣
We will see. 🥰
This world was amazing, an university for faes and other mystical creatures, but mostly faes, we have the night court and the summer court and this book starts a war between them.
But it also describes the relation between the Prince Of Air And Darkness (I want a title like that btw) and Finn, a human with no control of his magic 🤣🤣🤣
Watching them interact from the beginning was really fun and learning about their world through their eyes was perfect.
Learning that Roark was just misunderstood and Flynn needed to let go was just, really good, even though I saw the love from the beginning.
There are two things that bothered me, apoilers ahead:
1. I was at 95% and to me it didn't make sense that the book was about to end. It needs to have a sequel in my opinion.
2. Roark didn't want to be the knight because that position consumes the person that takes it, so why was it ok for Fynn to do it? It wasn't explained and it didn't make sense. See? We need a second book of them.
I dunno if I'll read the next ones, I really enjoyed this one so I don't want to ruin the experience. 🤣🤣🤣
We will see. 🥰
June 26, 2020
This book was really entertaining. I loved Finn and Roark so much and was really invested in their relationship. The story itself was ok but the writing style could use some improvement. The ending was a bit unclear which was frustrating. I hope in the next books things will work out with no major damage to finn whom I dearly love !
March 7, 2024
Re-read 07/03/2024: Got a gorgeous special edition of this from Rainbowcrate, so read physically this time.
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3.5*
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3.5*
November 21, 2019
3* for the world-building. I found it lacking. How do the Fae look like? Do they have pointy ears. I know from TV shows and other books that's how they should look like, but here? Other than the creatures who attacked Finn, there was only one guy mentioned who has hooves for feet. But that's it. What about the others?
Also, do humans know that this magical world exist? Finn's parents do. But how did they discover Finn has powers, how did they know to call it the ley line, how did they learn about the academy for magical beings? And for the love of god, whyyy do magical creatures need a frigging masters degree? What the hell are they using it for???? (They learning magical stuff, not human stuff.)
3.5* for relationship development. They started out despising each other, which was only a charade of course. So it was a slow burn before they fell into each other's arms. All that, was awesome. But after that, I thought, for all Roark was protesting at the beginning, he accepted and gave in too easily. Same with the ending of the story. He fought so hard and gave up so much to protect Finn. And then he just gave up and accepted things. it was too easily wrapped up.
3* for the writing, which probably should be more, because there is nothing particularly wrong with it. But from the very beginning I didn't like the style. I was pulled into the story however, so I didn't even consider stopping.
4 stars for Roark. Because I'm a sucker for his type. He's silently suffering, but outward he's as cool as a cucumber, acts annoyed and exasperated, But he's so humble and protective. A true hero, with a romantic heart.
I was also fascinated with Roark's relationship with his mother. The Queen and the prince. They are alike in many ways, but so different in others. They almost killed each other one time, but there is still love and affection there, though they sure as hell not showing it.
As for the story as a whole: Sometimes I rolled my eyes so hard, because a few developments were cliché, or just a little dumb, which could be thanks to Finn. Other times I was thrilled for the action. Some things were wrapped up pretty quickly others were not at all, but since it's a series, I can overlook that.
Overall 3.5 stars for the first half, 2,5 for the other half. This really could have been so much better.
Steam level: 2. (it's almost fade to black, but not quite)
Even though I'm disappointed, I'm gonna continue with the series. I'm not sure why the next book is about Sebastian, who is a secondary character here. And why not Sláine, the brother who chose the dark path (kinda). Granted he got less then 5 minutes in this book, but it would make more sense. Anyway. But book 3. OMG. THE WILD HUNT. I KNEW IT!!!. I f*** love the wild hunt. :D
Also, do humans know that this magical world exist? Finn's parents do. But how did they discover Finn has powers, how did they know to call it the ley line, how did they learn about the academy for magical beings? And for the love of god, whyyy do magical creatures need a frigging masters degree? What the hell are they using it for???? (They learning magical stuff, not human stuff.)
3.5* for relationship development. They started out despising each other, which was only a charade of course. So it was a slow burn before they fell into each other's arms. All that, was awesome. But after that, I thought, for all Roark was protesting at the beginning, he accepted and gave in too easily. Same with the ending of the story. He fought so hard and gave up so much to protect Finn. And then he just gave up and accepted things. it was too easily wrapped up.
3* for the writing, which probably should be more, because there is nothing particularly wrong with it. But from the very beginning I didn't like the style. I was pulled into the story however, so I didn't even consider stopping.
4 stars for Roark. Because I'm a sucker for his type. He's silently suffering, but outward he's as cool as a cucumber, acts annoyed and exasperated, But he's so humble and protective. A true hero, with a romantic heart.
I was also fascinated with Roark's relationship with his mother. The Queen and the prince. They are alike in many ways, but so different in others. They almost killed each other one time, but there is still love and affection there, though they sure as hell not showing it.
As for the story as a whole: Sometimes I rolled my eyes so hard, because a few developments were cliché, or just a little dumb, which could be thanks to Finn. Other times I was thrilled for the action. Some things were wrapped up pretty quickly others were not at all, but since it's a series, I can overlook that.
Overall 3.5 stars for the first half, 2,5 for the other half. This really could have been so much better.
Steam level: 2. (it's almost fade to black, but not quite)
Even though I'm disappointed, I'm gonna continue with the series. I'm not sure why the next book is about Sebastian, who is a secondary character here. And why not Sláine, the brother who chose the dark path (kinda). Granted he got less then 5 minutes in this book, but it would make more sense. Anyway. But book 3. OMG. THE WILD HUNT. I KNEW IT!!!. I f*** love the wild hunt. :D
Read
May 10, 2021AUTHOR’S NOTE
I’ve had several readers contact me, worried about Finny’s fate. If you’re nervous, I’d suggest rereading lucky Chapter 13. Thanks for messaging me about it, and I hope this clue helps!
I’ve had several readers contact me, worried about Finny’s fate. If you’re nervous, I’d suggest rereading lucky Chapter 13. Thanks for messaging me about it, and I hope this clue helps!
March 1, 2020
Loved it! Angsty, enemies-to-friends-to-lovers, standard Fae shenanigans, Seelie and Unseelie courts fighting, “magick”, and lots of action in between ☺️
December 22, 2018
I received an advanced reading copy of Prince of Air and Darkness in exchange for an honest review.
This was a 4-star read for me.
It was just what I needed to read at the moment.
What can I say about this book?
I loved it, from the very beginning until the end, and it left me craving for the next book.
The synopsis gave me Carry On (by Rainbow Rowell) vibes, the story had a similar vibe but the story itself was completely different.
I was never bored with this book and I enjoyed every second of it. The plot was really enjoyable and the characters were just fantastic (I had a big crush on both the main characters).
So let's talk about the two main characters.
Phineas
*Like Roark, I wanted to protect him.
*I had a soft spot for him.
*I found this character brave and someone who tried his best even when he knew that the ending could be bad.
*Loved, loved, loved the fact that he had a good relationship with his family and in one conversation with his family we could see that they got along and loved each other.
*Sometimes he acted (and misunderstood) before thinking and talking about it, and that frustrated me sometimes.
Roark
*Very protective of Phineas (he puts Phineas above everything, and everyone... he was just something else).
*Strong and loyal character.
*He was kind (not something that he shows, but through his actions, we could see his kindness and it was so endearing).
*I came to love him a lot.
*Did I already say that I love him?! I wanted to say so many things about him, but I don't want to spoil the story for you.
If you like MxM romance and like fairies and magic, I would recommend picking up this one.
It was a fast read and I couldn't put it down. It was FOR ME a really good story. I really enjoyed.
This was a 4-star read for me.
It was just what I needed to read at the moment.
What can I say about this book?
I loved it, from the very beginning until the end, and it left me craving for the next book.
The synopsis gave me Carry On (by Rainbow Rowell) vibes, the story had a similar vibe but the story itself was completely different.
I was never bored with this book and I enjoyed every second of it. The plot was really enjoyable and the characters were just fantastic (I had a big crush on both the main characters).
So let's talk about the two main characters.
Phineas
*Like Roark, I wanted to protect him.
*I had a soft spot for him.
*I found this character brave and someone who tried his best even when he knew that the ending could be bad.
*Loved, loved, loved the fact that he had a good relationship with his family and in one conversation with his family we could see that they got along and loved each other.
*Sometimes he acted (and misunderstood) before thinking and talking about it, and that frustrated me sometimes.
Roark
*Very protective of Phineas (he puts Phineas above everything, and everyone... he was just something else).
*Strong and loyal character.
*He was kind (not something that he shows, but through his actions, we could see his kindness and it was so endearing).
*I came to love him a lot.
*Did I already say that I love him?! I wanted to say so many things about him, but I don't want to spoil the story for you.
If you like MxM romance and like fairies and magic, I would recommend picking up this one.
It was a fast read and I couldn't put it down. It was FOR ME a really good story. I really enjoyed.
July 6, 2019
3.75 stars
A good start to this series, but flawed. The primary issue for me was the obvious lack of adequate world building. This story, with its great bones, deserved some stellar world building. I also wasn’t fond of the nonlinear delivery of the storyline or the active voice. I sincerely hope the author thought to beef up the second book with the details the first book lacked.
A good start to this series, but flawed. The primary issue for me was the obvious lack of adequate world building. This story, with its great bones, deserved some stellar world building. I also wasn’t fond of the nonlinear delivery of the storyline or the active voice. I sincerely hope the author thought to beef up the second book with the details the first book lacked.
February 26, 2019
Phineas (Finn) Smith is a human at Mathers School of Magick, in his final year he has still to learn how to control his rare and unusual ability to tap into unlimited magick (I have to confess I found that out from the blurb as I don't think it was described like that in the novel). All known humans with his ability have died young, unable to control their power, ripped apart by the magic.
Unseelie Prince Roark Lyne, third son of Queen Mab, is Finn's room-mate and he always seems to be hanging around sneering at Finn and his fae friends. What's worse is that Finn is a target for supernatural creatures seeking magick and Roark is constantly rescuing Finn from attacks by creatures, using his power only makes matters worse for himself.
But as the peace between the Unseelie and Seelie courts starts to disintegrate Finn and his power could be a weapon for either court, can he learn to control it before it destroys him?
This is an intriguing mash-up of different genres. A magic school like Harry Potter (although it reminds me more of Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series in feel) yet it has some quite graphic torture scenes, a YA m/m romance (even though Roark is over 200 years old), a fantasy involving the Kings and Queens of the faerie courts and college campus parties. As a result it's hard to pin this book down to a single genre.
I liked the way the reader is thrust straight into the action right from the start with Finn being tortured by Queen Mab to reveal how he uses the ley lines of magick power. Told in alternating POVs between Finn and Roark we see the simmering sexual tension right from the start. Finn is fighting to stay alive long enough to save his parents' farm, Roark is fighting to avoid being made Queen Mab's Winter Knight, a position which will destroy him from the inside as soon as he takes up the mantle.
Loved it.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
Unseelie Prince Roark Lyne, third son of Queen Mab, is Finn's room-mate and he always seems to be hanging around sneering at Finn and his fae friends. What's worse is that Finn is a target for supernatural creatures seeking magick and Roark is constantly rescuing Finn from attacks by creatures, using his power only makes matters worse for himself.
But as the peace between the Unseelie and Seelie courts starts to disintegrate Finn and his power could be a weapon for either court, can he learn to control it before it destroys him?
This is an intriguing mash-up of different genres. A magic school like Harry Potter (although it reminds me more of Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series in feel) yet it has some quite graphic torture scenes, a YA m/m romance (even though Roark is over 200 years old), a fantasy involving the Kings and Queens of the faerie courts and college campus parties. As a result it's hard to pin this book down to a single genre.
I liked the way the reader is thrust straight into the action right from the start with Finn being tortured by Queen Mab to reveal how he uses the ley lines of magick power. Told in alternating POVs between Finn and Roark we see the simmering sexual tension right from the start. Finn is fighting to stay alive long enough to save his parents' farm, Roark is fighting to avoid being made Queen Mab's Winter Knight, a position which will destroy him from the inside as soon as he takes up the mantle.
Loved it.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
April 26, 2019
This book WAS DAMN CLOSE to being 5 star, very easily, but the ending ruined it for me. At first, this book read like a textbook. The writing was super stiff & I almost stopped reading BUT IT EVENTUALLY got extremely intriguing & I couldn’t put it down. The world building, the romance, the few action scenes we get were all great. 1 of the best things about this book was to see Phineas & Roark go from enemies to boo’d up. But this is also where the problem is for me. The pacing in the beginning of this book is fantastic up until like 75% of the way into the story where the author abandons the plot line & logic in favor of the “true love conquers all cliche.” . Regardless of my issues with this, I was intrigued enough that I’ll probably come back for the sequel.
December 29, 2018
I do believe this is my first MA Grant book and it's a great find.
The idea that this powerful magical "let line" finds a human host and usually burns through them by a young age but Finny (Phineas) has already passed up that age and is at a magical school tryin to learn how to control it.
His roommate, Roarke, and him don't seem to get on. Roarke is constantly saving Fin from all kinds of monsters that are seeking out his power but then he insults Fin immediately after to put some distance between them. Seems a vicious cycle until their last year and Finn really needs to clamp down on controlling his powers. It isn't until there's unrest between the Seelie and Unseelie courts and he has to save Roarke's life that things really click into place.
There's a lot of games played in this story, political and otherwise, but you can't expect anything less from the fae.
This book is also not a standalone. While the MCs do get a HFN, there's still a war brewing.
I highly recommend this book if you're big into magic, fae and otherworldly creatures, enemies to lovers, secrecy and a little bit of blood and torture.
The idea that this powerful magical "let line" finds a human host and usually burns through them by a young age but Finny (Phineas) has already passed up that age and is at a magical school tryin to learn how to control it.
His roommate, Roarke, and him don't seem to get on. Roarke is constantly saving Fin from all kinds of monsters that are seeking out his power but then he insults Fin immediately after to put some distance between them. Seems a vicious cycle until their last year and Finn really needs to clamp down on controlling his powers. It isn't until there's unrest between the Seelie and Unseelie courts and he has to save Roarke's life that things really click into place.
There's a lot of games played in this story, political and otherwise, but you can't expect anything less from the fae.
This book is also not a standalone. While the MCs do get a HFN, there's still a war brewing.
I highly recommend this book if you're big into magic, fae and otherworldly creatures, enemies to lovers, secrecy and a little bit of blood and torture.
February 27, 2019
4 stars for pure enjoyment, the fact that I really could not put this down, and the glorious pining.
Run toward hope.
I love fae stories and this was no exception. I also love a badass prince and enemies to lovers. It's not hard to make me happy. This one made me real happy.
Phineas is the human snowflake with a power that will kill him. One that he can't control.
Roarke has been his roommate for 6 years and has been keeping an eye on him since the beginning. He didn't mean to fall in love with him.
The plot felt slightly directionless at times but it didn't really bother me and I somehow couldn't put it down.
The sucky thing about reading an ARC?
You have to wait really long for the next one.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Run toward hope.
I love fae stories and this was no exception. I also love a badass prince and enemies to lovers. It's not hard to make me happy. This one made me real happy.
Phineas is the human snowflake with a power that will kill him. One that he can't control.
Roarke has been his roommate for 6 years and has been keeping an eye on him since the beginning. He didn't mean to fall in love with him.
The plot felt slightly directionless at times but it didn't really bother me and I somehow couldn't put it down.
The sucky thing about reading an ARC?
You have to wait really long for the next one.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 30, 2018
Really enjoyed this one. Magic and royalty. Young men coming into their own. Slow burn. Hot moments. A good mystery.
Also, a few bad guys. This book has all the things I like .
You could call this an YA. But that didn't even register to me.
Finn and the"PAD" make a hard won couple.
Ley Lines are all Finn. Then working with his roommate to learn control.
This tale goes in a few different directions. Well written and entertaining.
(Given a copy for an honest review)
(Thanks)
(NetGalley)
Also, a few bad guys. This book has all the things I like .
You could call this an YA. But that didn't even register to me.
Finn and the"PAD" make a hard won couple.
Ley Lines are all Finn. Then working with his roommate to learn control.
This tale goes in a few different directions. Well written and entertaining.
(Given a copy for an honest review)
(Thanks)
(NetGalley)
May 17, 2019
This is my current "cardio book" so I'm getting through it as fast/often as I get to my cardio (mileage may GREATLY vary!) but I'm about 75% done with this and it has been excellent so far. Baring any unforeseen triggers (e.g. the fae prince's wife returns from her trip... gag) this will turn out to be one of the best MM I've read this year.
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