She only wants to save her world, but in doing so, she may lose it all....Hi. I’m Ash, the most fearless and ambitious fae you’ll meet. Well, only sometimes. Today, I decided to kill a dragon. No one’s ever done that before, but I figured it would be a way to get in with the high queen. I want to be a crown guardian, you see. There’s a war going on between the Seelie and Unseelie fae, and if it continues, I’m pretty sure the world is going to end. But let’s not get into that. Today, I killed a dragon. That’s all you need to know about me.
If you love... ✨ Fae ✨ Dragons ✨ Humorous fantasy ✨ Epic battles ✨ A little bit of romance ✨ Adventure ✨ Cinnamon roll MMC ✨ Cocky FMC ✨ All the feels Then you'll love this book!
Complete with a map of Faerie, interior images, bloopers, and cut content, Crowned by the Fae is the standalone prequel novella to the Fae-blessed series, which starts with Blessed by the Fae. Although there is humor throughout, it does not have a happily ever after. The main series does, however.
Captivating and fast paced, this prequel will have you ready to know what happens next, however it falls short as a 3.5 star review simply because it was too fast, there were many areas where elaboration is super important even in a prequel, it felt rushed and there were lots of details missing in this quick story, as well as a realistic timeline from start to finish may do the story better justice, there were areas she said travel was long but ended up only taking a day shortly after. This prequel still managed to capture my attention and I cannot wait to dip my own toes into book one! Thank you!
[I received this book on Book Sirens in exchange for an honest review.]
This was cute and simply written. The author didn’t try to make the language too flowery or try to do too much and it worked. The main character already has her mate and they are adorable with one another, and the world building was quick and uncomplicated.
The only thing that didn’t work for me was the pacing and the space that the author gave herself to work in. Because it’s a novella, several big moments felt too rushed and we lost the emotional connection and the depth in the process.
thank you to NetGalley for the audio of this book.
this was a lovely little entry into this world, and i loved that it jumped straight into the action. there was a good range of characters with just the right amount of depth to allow us to care about them without info-dumping. the story was good and kept me engaged, although i could see the two key plot elements coming a mile off. it’s also very similar to the prequel of a certain other YA series, but i enjoyed it nonetheless.
that being said, because this was so short, the pacing was way off. everything felt a little rushed and it didn’t seem believable that the order of events would happen so quickly, particularly regarding the FMC at the end of the book. having said that, i hope the pacing issue will be resolved in the longer books in this series, so i will definitely be reading the next book!
This was a fun fast paced novella! I really want to read the full novels now as this was a prequel! I enjoyed Ash as a character she was relatable and entertaining! There is really a lot packed into this novella, action, a little romance and adventure.
For a novella this story takes you on adventures. It was so good and I am super excited that I was able to read the novella. I loved the banter, the love story, the overcoming of tragedy in this book.
Crowned by the Fae is a fast paced, magical prequel to McCrary's novel, Blessed by the Fae. Being a Novella, I was able to devour this in one sitting and it has left me itching to read BBTF to see what happens next. This book has gas, dragons and a humorous fantasy that involves epic battles and a lot of adventure. There's a little bit of romance between a cinnamon roll MMC and our Cocky FMC too which will leave you feeling all the feels!! I definitely really enjoyed it and found it easy to read. I look forward to following the story...
YA fast-paced story. Keep in mind that this is a novella and a prequel to the series. This was a great fantasy with a FMC that was a bad a**.
The FMC- Ash had to fight battles and earn the respect from the fae queen. This story will take you through many emotions to love, loss, and laughter. I love a powerful FMC and Ash embodies that.
The only problem I had was how fast the story went and not much elaboration and details in certain scenes. For example, the battle scenes. They would happen and end so fast that it was underwhelming. But then again it could be because its a novella. I really enjoyed it and will definitely read the rest of the series.
I loved this book! Although short, I liked the female main character and her determination so much. The story was easy to follow, and I actually loved that there was minimal spice. It totally fit the story! The two main characters(fmc and her mate), had a beautiful love story throughout the book. As for the no HEA, I didn’t know how I would feel about the ending, but it actually made me like the story better. It felt like a natural ending.
Ash really goes through it and her ending is one that any woman would love. I was inspired by her cockyness but yet humility. It was a bit fast paced but all in all it really motivated as a female to push hard to get to where I want to be. Ash did and her ending in the book was nothing but good.
Jada really did a great job and I really want to read the rest of her books!
I enjoyed reading this prequel novella to Blessed by the Fae. I loved that it was short and packed a punch! 🥊 There are dragons, queens, griffins, fae, elves, a war, love, heartbreak and ascension in this novella. This is my first book that I’m reading by Jada McCrary. After reading Crowned by the Fae, I am so invested in finding out what happens in Blessed by the Fae! thankfully that book is available now too! Wohoo! 🎉
This is a nice novella origin story for Blessed by the Fae. Clean romance, adventurous story, satisfying ending. Good series for younger readers who want romantasy without the “spice” being too much.
Crowned by the fae is a short fantasy prequel novella by Jada McCrary. Centered on the events prior to book one of the blessed fae series.
The story focuses on Ash and her quest to become a crowned guardian for the high queen. As her journey unfolds we’re taken in this adventure filled with love, loss, magical creatures, and epic battles.
This novella was well paced which made it a quick read. Ash is a cocky and brave FMC who’s not afraid to pursue what she wants, this made her very likable. The plot overall was engaging, making me intrigued about how the story will continue. Would have loved a more detailed universe but I also realize this is a prequel. A great introduction to the fae blessed series.
I would kill to go back and read this again for the first time!!!
This story rocked my world and wrung me out emotionally. It's simplicity is its strength. Books NEVER deliver and make me cry but this one did. Now I need to binge the rest of Jada's books. Ash is exactly who I want to be when I grow up and Cyprus and her are so cute together! I simultaneously hate and love the plot twist. It was the best way to continue with the story.
Highly highly highly recommend this book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Crowned by the Fae is the prequel to the Fae Blessed series and gives background as to how Ash became the crowned queen. I have not read the Fae Blessed series so I an unable to say how this prequel ties into the series as a whole.
That being said, I completed this story on audio via an ALC from NetGalley. Overall, the narration was good and it is the main reason I continued the story through to the end. As far as the story itself, I found it to be extremely rushed and lacked emotional appeal. While the “bones” of the story are good, everything happened so fast that none of it seemed realistic (or as realistic as fantasy can be).
For example: -Ash defeats a dragon with no help and without suffering harm -Ash is immediately inducted into the crowned guard -Cyprus, Ash’s mate, dies at the hands of Ash’s former fiancé (Theo) and she almost lets Theo go without repercussions. She only ends him when he attempts to kill her. -Ash barely seems to grieve Cyprus even though he was her mate. -Ash, a seemingly nobody who is new to the crowned guard, is voted to be the crowned queen moments after the original queens death.
Then the story skips 900 years into the future only to talk about Ash giving the human queen and king a gift in order to help them conceive a child. After that, the story ends.
So, as I said before, it was very rushed and almost factual instead of giving the emotions I crave from a story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I received an arc in exchange of an honest review. Summary: If you would like to have your feelings hurt, read this book. (I loved it, just a warning for the tenderhearted) This is Book Zero in Jada Mcrary's Fae blessed series. This book is a prequel to the first book Blessed by The Fae.
I loved Lyla and Cypress so much! Their love is goals. Who doesn't want a man saying that you are their whole world 💜 Lyla is a a strong independent woman who slayed a dragon and I respect her for it. I respect Lyla more reading her story and the events that happened before book 1.
In my opinion the best reading order is to read Blessed by The Fae first and then to come back and read the prequel. This is a short novella that doesn't have a lot of world building. Blessed by The Fae is a 400 of story with a ton of world building that will make the prequel make more sense. It isn't necessary to read it in this order, it is just what I recommend.
I knew in the beginning that this wasn't a hea story, I was still heartbroken when Cypress died. Ironic how we know it is going to happen but it still hurt my feelings.
All in all this is a beautiful series and I can't wait to read more books by Jada.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
"For it was you also who taught me how to live and not just survive. I live for you."
This was such a fun listen with a romance that felt so sweet from the very beginning! The relationship here is already established and built on unwavering trust and devotion. This a much softer romance than my other Jada McCrary reads. It was refreshing in its own way, even if I found myself missing that slow burn tension I love to devour!
I do completely understand this is a novella, but it felt like it was trying to fit a full fantasy novel into such a short page count. Everything moved at literal lightning speed...
Nonetheless, this novella had such a sweet romance and left me excited to continue exploring this world created by Jada McCrary!
Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for this ALC!
I thought this Novella was enjoyable and overall gave the book a 3.25. I enjoyed Ash’s character, charisma and funny demeanor. The world is enticing and feels magical when you read it. I really wished we could have more background into Ash and how she learned of her power and home life before her journey. This book reads more YA Fantasy than adult fantasy. The reader would benefit from more explanation on the difference between a seelie and unseelie fae as that was somewhat lost to me. The battle scenes were too rushed and not as descriptive as I would have preferred. Even though this is a Novella I think it could have benefited from more pages as I feel it’s entirely too short and everything felt rushed. It left me wanting more. I'm curious to see where her journey leads. I enjoyed the authors writing and writing style. Overall I think of your looking for a good quick read and you enjoy a strong FMC, dragons, and fae i think you will enjoy this story.
“An easy life is a mundane one. You need to create your own adventures”
A short read that packs a punch!
I read an advance review copy and I am sharing my honest opinion.
While parts of this story feel more like we are being told, rather than shown, the plot is enjoyable and McCrary does an amazing job of moving us through this tale. Due to the short length of this book, there wasn’t deep world building, but we do get a small taste of the different worlds and people! The character development feels a bit forced but sets us up beautifully for this series.
Crowned by the Fae is an easy book to devour in one sitting. The pages keep turning as we get little peeks into this world and what happens next. The ending sinks emotional hooks into the reader, thrusting you further into the Fae-Blessed series!
Thank you to Victory Editing, NetGalley, and Jada McCrary for this audio arc re-recorded in duet style.
Jada McCrary is a new to me author, and she blew it out of the park. This prequel novella is the perfect length, but also takes you along for the wild short ride into the series.
This novella had me on the edge of my seat the whole way through. I enjoyed learning the background of Ash and the lengths she has went to prove she is deserving in just a short time. After a couple chapters I added the rest of this series to my tbr and am beyond excited to continue the series.
If you’re wondering if this series is for you, this is the short, quick read to see if it suits you!! And if fantasy is your thing… I can see you loving this as much as I did!
tropes you’ll love: ✨ cocky heroine with a heart of gold (ash is here to slayyyyy literally and emotionally) 🐉 dragon slaying badassery 💪 cinnamon roll mmc ⚔️ enemies-to-“okay maybe we’re friends”-ish vibes 🌟 chosen one energy with a twist
ash is fearless, snarky, and so relatable, even when she’s doing the impossible. the banter? 🔥. the battles? epic. the feels? all of them.
jada packed humor, heartbreak, and action into a story that had me glued to every page. and omg, the ending left me SHOOK (no spoilers, but 😭).
fae lovers, dragon slayers, or anyone craving adventure—this is for you!
The story follows a young fae woman who is in search of adventure and military position. The writing is told from the main character's point of view and very succinct. It felt like I was reading quick journal entries. The story is brief but covers a lot in a very plot focused manner. The supporting characters, even the mate, felt a little flat to me. The world building is fun and love the use of Pegasus as transportation. The story became much more intriguing after the climax and the epilogue left quite a hook for the next story, which is why I rounded my 3.5 up to 4.
This is a lovely little story showing Ash's story which I assume will give some insight into the main series. I love the characters and am gutted at some of their outcomes but this has left a lot of questions unanswered and I look forward to seeing more from them all. My only downside is that at points the story felt a little rushed, it could have been a longer book, meaning there could have been more detail about certain points. But I will definitely be giving Blessed by The Fae a read to see where the story goes.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ Crowned by the Fae is a fun, fast-paced prequel that delivers magic, action, and fae intrigue in a compact format. Ash is a bold and ambitious heroine whose determination makes her easy to root for, and the story’s mix of humor, danger, and fantasy elements keeps the pages turning. While brief, it does a great job setting up the world and conflict for the Fae-blessed series. A quick, enjoyable read for fans of fae fantasy.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Crowned by the Fae is a Prequel for Fae-Blessed by Jada McCrary. This epic adventure fantasy stars Ash, who decided to kill a dragon! I thought that the story was so entertaining. I enjoy fantasy stories and this was a good fantasy. I thought the characters were well written and I liked reading their story. The battle scenes are excellent and I felt that this Prequel was wonderful. I received an arc for free and am leaving my review voluntarily.
This is a ok narrative story. Most of the book is narrated from the main characters, Ash perspective, which is totally fine. The book has interesting characters and danger hidden at every other corner. Friends and Allies to help lands and communities to stand strong. Can you believe the human world and what they did? I feel some retribution coming back. Well, the book was a fun read. It was interesting and entertaining. Until next time my fellow readers read on!
This novella, a prequel to the series, is a fast-paced YA fantasy featuring a fierce female main character (FMC). Ash, the FMC, must fight battles and earn the respect of the fae queen. The story evokes a range of emotions, from love and loss to laughter. Ash is a powerful FMC, and I love that about her. However, the story’s pace felt too quick at times, with some scenes, particularly the battle scenes, lacking elaboration and detail. This might be due to the novella format. Despite this, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and look forward to reading the rest of the series.
Who doesn’t love a strong, independent bada** FMC?! I was absolutely sucked into this little novella, while there were times where I wished there was maybe a little more detail I can completely understand why there wasn’t because then it wouldn’t be a novella!😂 I have not read Blessed by the Fae but now I absolutely cannot wait to pick it up and follow Ash and her story!