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Deadly Fae Duology #1
Whispers Among Thorns
Book One in the Deadly Fae Duology
There’s only one rule that truly matters. Never fall in love with a human. Break it and die.
Quicksilver meets Game of Thrones in a New York City setting, where she's the centuries old fae and he's the son of her enemy.
Living under the radar in New York City, Sav just wants to carve out a life in her new world. That hope is shattered when the leader of the anti-fae movement destroys her home in an attack on her people. Finding herself caught between protecting a deadly secret and saving the fae from the humans bent on slaughter, Sav must infiltrate the extremist's inner circle, posing as a human, and seduce her sworn enemy’s son.
Jack, the son of the infamous anti-fae-faction leader Dane Clyde, has always lived in his father’s shadow. When a woman is brought into AFF headquarters in chains, he finds himself drawn to her despite the danger. Caught between duty and desire, Jack must choose a side before one is chosen for him.
What began as a mission to rescue Sav’s people may cost them so much more than they bargained for.
Coming June 2025
There’s only one rule that truly matters. Never fall in love with a human. Break it and die.
Quicksilver meets Game of Thrones in a New York City setting, where she's the centuries old fae and he's the son of her enemy.
Living under the radar in New York City, Sav just wants to carve out a life in her new world. That hope is shattered when the leader of the anti-fae movement destroys her home in an attack on her people. Finding herself caught between protecting a deadly secret and saving the fae from the humans bent on slaughter, Sav must infiltrate the extremist's inner circle, posing as a human, and seduce her sworn enemy’s son.
Jack, the son of the infamous anti-fae-faction leader Dane Clyde, has always lived in his father’s shadow. When a woman is brought into AFF headquarters in chains, he finds himself drawn to her despite the danger. Caught between duty and desire, Jack must choose a side before one is chosen for him.
What began as a mission to rescue Sav’s people may cost them so much more than they bargained for.
Coming June 2025
380 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 24, 2025
44 people are currently reading
4786 people want to read
About the author
Cassandra Aston
13 books163 followersCassandra Aston writes dark fantasy and romantasy packed with dangerous magic, court intrigue, sharp banter, and love that would burn the world before it lets go. Her stories feature morally gray men, stabby heroines, and brutal choices with consequences that bite.
She is the award-winning author of the completed Prophecies of Angels and Demons series and the Deadly Fae saga. She is currently expanding her interconnected universes with new fae stories, villain-led retellings, and gothic standalones that lean darker, sharper, and more emotionally ruinous.
When she can, she escapes to a cozy mountain cottage to write, fueled by hot chocolate and spite, and she believes there is only one rule that truly matters: love fiercely.
Connect with Cassandra through her website or on social media.
She is the award-winning author of the completed Prophecies of Angels and Demons series and the Deadly Fae saga. She is currently expanding her interconnected universes with new fae stories, villain-led retellings, and gothic standalones that lean darker, sharper, and more emotionally ruinous.
When she can, she escapes to a cozy mountain cottage to write, fueled by hot chocolate and spite, and she believes there is only one rule that truly matters: love fiercely.
Connect with Cassandra through her website or on social media.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 320 reviews
May 4, 2025
Thank you so much to author Cassandra Aston and NetGalley/Victory Editing for an ARC of Whispers Among Thorns! Publication date is set for June 24, 2025.
I really wanted to love this book, but it didn’t quite hit home for me so I’m giving it 2.75/5 ⭐️ (rounded up to 3).
This book follows Sav, a fae who’s been forced into the human world a few years after Faerie and Earth became intertwined, leading to humans and fae living side by side. Sav was an interesting FMC, but unfortunately, I didn’t really connect with her. I also didn’t love the MMC, Jack, who’s a human and the son of one of the most notorious anti-fae leaders out there..someone who’s all about eliminating fae at any cost. That said, I did appreciate that Jack himself was mostly a positive character who really wanted to help fae and push back against his father’s beliefs.
One of my biggest issues was the instalove. Jack’s feelings came on super strong, super fast, and it didn’t feel believable to me. On top of that, Sav had a lot of family and court issues that I really wanted the story to dive into more, but it kind of skimmed the surface. I also felt like Kaspar and Hazel deserved way better from Sav and I really didn’t love how she treated them.
The worldbuilding was another struggle point. I was confused about the portals and how Faerie and Earth were connected. It was also hard to follow the history of the fae and some of the roles of some of the side characters were kinda random. That said, I did enjoy learning about the other fae and magical creatures and thought those parts were super interesting. The court system and magic had elements I’ve seen before in other fantasy books, but it still had some fresh ideas that kept me curious.
All in all, this one just didn’t land for me. I struggled to connect with the characters, the worldbuilding left me confused, and there wasn’t much tension or romance to keep me hooked. Also… there’s a scene with a tree fae/creature (you’ll know it when you get there) that felt super weird and uncomfortable… I hated it. I think there’s potential here, especially with the lore, but it just wasn’t the right fit for me.
♥️♥️♥️
I really wanted to love this book, but it didn’t quite hit home for me so I’m giving it 2.75/5 ⭐️ (rounded up to 3).
This book follows Sav, a fae who’s been forced into the human world a few years after Faerie and Earth became intertwined, leading to humans and fae living side by side. Sav was an interesting FMC, but unfortunately, I didn’t really connect with her. I also didn’t love the MMC, Jack, who’s a human and the son of one of the most notorious anti-fae leaders out there..someone who’s all about eliminating fae at any cost. That said, I did appreciate that Jack himself was mostly a positive character who really wanted to help fae and push back against his father’s beliefs.
One of my biggest issues was the instalove. Jack’s feelings came on super strong, super fast, and it didn’t feel believable to me. On top of that, Sav had a lot of family and court issues that I really wanted the story to dive into more, but it kind of skimmed the surface. I also felt like Kaspar and Hazel deserved way better from Sav and I really didn’t love how she treated them.
The worldbuilding was another struggle point. I was confused about the portals and how Faerie and Earth were connected. It was also hard to follow the history of the fae and some of the roles of some of the side characters were kinda random. That said, I did enjoy learning about the other fae and magical creatures and thought those parts were super interesting. The court system and magic had elements I’ve seen before in other fantasy books, but it still had some fresh ideas that kept me curious.
All in all, this one just didn’t land for me. I struggled to connect with the characters, the worldbuilding left me confused, and there wasn’t much tension or romance to keep me hooked. Also… there’s a scene with a tree fae/creature (you’ll know it when you get there) that felt super weird and uncomfortable… I hated it. I think there’s potential here, especially with the lore, but it just wasn’t the right fit for me.
♥️♥️♥️
June 8, 2025
This book, had me hooked from the beginning. The beginning was very emotional and challenging.
It’s different from the typical fantasy romance, it takes place in new York and a Fae Realm. Since those two worlds have collided Fae and humans are trying to live side by side. But the Fae are in a disadvantaged position with the humans, suffering racism and attacks, and then we have an FMC who is the Fae and an MMC who is the human.
The attraction between our MCs is instantly but they can't really act on it.
I adored some of the side characters and I need to know more about them . There are so many mysteries that we still need to uncover and I can't wait to read the next book.
Thank you to the author and Haus of Fables for trusting me with an eARC for this fantastic book.
It’s different from the typical fantasy romance, it takes place in new York and a Fae Realm. Since those two worlds have collided Fae and humans are trying to live side by side. But the Fae are in a disadvantaged position with the humans, suffering racism and attacks, and then we have an FMC who is the Fae and an MMC who is the human.
The attraction between our MCs is instantly but they can't really act on it.
I adored some of the side characters and I need to know more about them . There are so many mysteries that we still need to uncover and I can't wait to read the next book.
Thank you to the author and Haus of Fables for trusting me with an eARC for this fantastic book.
May 2, 2025
2.75 ⭐ Sadly just didn’t love this. Maybe in a bit of a reading lull but felt this was chaotic and also anticlimactic? Couldn’t connect to the characters or understand the premise of the plot really. All I know it was a human vs fae war and Sav was trying to recruit an army but going about it in a really bad way?
Not sure on this
Not sure on this
May 6, 2025
I really liked this one! The writing style was super engaging, and the characters actually felt real. Jack was such a breath of fresh air. Instead of the usual broody, closed-off male lead, he was soft, grounded, and emotionally open from the start. Loved that.
Sav was also great, she didn’t fall head over heels the second Jack walked in. She held her own and kept the dynamic interesting and balanced.
The fae gave me Cruel Prince vibes in the best way. That whole mix of charm, cold logic, and trickery felt so realistic and well done.
Also, Kaspar? Very intrigued. I need to know what happens next.
Definitely picking up the sequel when it comes out in 2025!
Sav was also great, she didn’t fall head over heels the second Jack walked in. She held her own and kept the dynamic interesting and balanced.
The fae gave me Cruel Prince vibes in the best way. That whole mix of charm, cold logic, and trickery felt so realistic and well done.
Also, Kaspar? Very intrigued. I need to know what happens next.
Definitely picking up the sequel when it comes out in 2025!
March 24, 2025
Listen. I don't even know what to say. I had a GREAT time with this. Like, an INCREDIBLE time. If anyone needs memes about this book--come find me because I've made like, a million. Maybe two. Thank you to Cassandra for the ARC, my new personality for the foreseeable future, and likely the thing that causes her to block me on social media for being incredibly annoying!
I love Sav and Jack--She's everything, he's just Ken. He's doing his best, and we love him for it. For a human that gets tossed into Faerie with absolutely no knowledge, he...could have done worse for himself. But at the end of the day, he's a damsel, he's in distress, and she's always going to rescue him. Even while being in denial about it--after all, fae and humans aren't allowed to fraternize.
Which brings me to the next point--everyone in this book can GET it. Everyone. Yes, EVERYONE. I said what I said, and I will not be taking any questions at this time--only confirmation that I would be 100% correct in writing a why choose fan fic about everyone.
Despite having a darker story line, this was such a fun urban fantasy--what would happen if Faerie crashed into NYC, the humans weren't thrilled about it, and an organization tried to kill every non human in their path? And what if the fate of all of the non humans--and perhaps all of Faerie--was left in the hands of a banished Fae who's lost her magic, and a human that...well...he does his best and no one should critisize him!
Cassandra (I know you read reviews even though I keep telling you not to!!!), I'll take a million more books EXACTLY like this! Thanks in advance!
I love Sav and Jack--She's everything, he's just Ken. He's doing his best, and we love him for it. For a human that gets tossed into Faerie with absolutely no knowledge, he...could have done worse for himself. But at the end of the day, he's a damsel, he's in distress, and she's always going to rescue him. Even while being in denial about it--after all, fae and humans aren't allowed to fraternize.
Which brings me to the next point--everyone in this book can GET it. Everyone. Yes, EVERYONE. I said what I said, and I will not be taking any questions at this time--only confirmation that I would be 100% correct in writing a why choose fan fic about everyone.
Despite having a darker story line, this was such a fun urban fantasy--what would happen if Faerie crashed into NYC, the humans weren't thrilled about it, and an organization tried to kill every non human in their path? And what if the fate of all of the non humans--and perhaps all of Faerie--was left in the hands of a banished Fae who's lost her magic, and a human that...well...he does his best and no one should critisize him!
Cassandra (I know you read reviews even though I keep telling you not to!!!), I'll take a million more books EXACTLY like this! Thanks in advance!
June 24, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
1 🌶️
I really enjoyed this story! This is the first in a new portal romantasy, taking place in both NYC and the Fae realm. I loved the use of the fae lore in this one, with all the different type of fae and the classic seelie and unseelie courts. I also loved that the FMC was the “ancient fae” in this one, I love a cougar 😂
Having been banished to the human realm, Sav is living a mundane life in NYC with her magic essentially trapped within her from her banishment. However, since the Fae and Human realms collided, there’s been animosity between the two races and a mob of humans soon come and destroy the meager home Sav has made for herself. She ends up being reluctant allies with Jack, a human who happens to be the son of her enemy, the leader of the human hate group.
Jack is a cinnamon roll MMC and also just a lost little pup in the world of Fae 😅 He is definitely out of his element but I enjoyed the dynamic and banter between him and Sav. Even though Sav is exasperated with him, she is also drawn to him. But Sav has a hardened heart from past betrayals and has a hard time letting people in.
I really adored all the side characters in this one and all the different fae species. I felt the story was paced well and the world building was descriptive and easy to follow. I’m super intrigued by that ending and looking forward to the finale of this duology releasing later this year!
Thank you Cassandra and @haus_of_fables_pr for the gifted copy and pr box! This review is my own thoughts and opinions.
1 🌶️
I really enjoyed this story! This is the first in a new portal romantasy, taking place in both NYC and the Fae realm. I loved the use of the fae lore in this one, with all the different type of fae and the classic seelie and unseelie courts. I also loved that the FMC was the “ancient fae” in this one, I love a cougar 😂
Having been banished to the human realm, Sav is living a mundane life in NYC with her magic essentially trapped within her from her banishment. However, since the Fae and Human realms collided, there’s been animosity between the two races and a mob of humans soon come and destroy the meager home Sav has made for herself. She ends up being reluctant allies with Jack, a human who happens to be the son of her enemy, the leader of the human hate group.
Jack is a cinnamon roll MMC and also just a lost little pup in the world of Fae 😅 He is definitely out of his element but I enjoyed the dynamic and banter between him and Sav. Even though Sav is exasperated with him, she is also drawn to him. But Sav has a hardened heart from past betrayals and has a hard time letting people in.
I really adored all the side characters in this one and all the different fae species. I felt the story was paced well and the world building was descriptive and easy to follow. I’m super intrigued by that ending and looking forward to the finale of this duology releasing later this year!
Thank you Cassandra and @haus_of_fables_pr for the gifted copy and pr box! This review is my own thoughts and opinions.
June 25, 2025
4.25 stars ★★★★✦︎
Okay, Whispers Among Thorns is giving urban fae chaos in the best possible way — and yes, I ate it up. If you love morally gray fae, cinnamon roll humans, and that classic “we literally should not be doing this but oops we’re doing it anyway” vibe, welcome to your next obsession.
⁺˚⋆｡°✩₊⁺˚⋆｡°✩₊⁺˚⋆｡°✩₊⁺˚⋆｡°✩₊
✨ Tropes / Themes:
✓Fae x human (forbidden romance realness)
✓She’s ancient and scary hot / he’s a confused little golden retriever
✓He falls first (and so hard)
✓Slow burn with tension for days
✓Found family / rebel crew goals
✓Banished fae with locked magic
✓“I hate your dad but maybe I love you”
✓NYC meets Faerie? yes please (I also kinda wish to be there)
⁺˚⋆｡°✩₊⁺˚⋆｡°✩₊⁺˚⋆｡°✩₊⁺˚⋆｡°✩₊⁺˚⋆｡°✩₊
Sav is a whole badass — old, powerful (even if her magic’s bound), angry, traumatized, and trying so hard not to care. Jack? Jack is “just Ken” in the best way. He’s doing his best, completely overwhelmed, and absolutely down bad for a girl who could end him. Their chemistry is 🔥 but restrained, and honestly, I love that.
I also need more of the side characters (Hazel and Kaspar my beloveds!!!), and that ending? That ending said “see you in book two” and now I’m pacing. I need more of this world, this rebellion, this court drama, this forbidden yearning. Bring on the finale.
Great thanks to NetGalley and Cassandra Astor for opportunity to read ARC. All opinions are mine!
ε(´｡•᎑•`)っ💕
Okay, Whispers Among Thorns is giving urban fae chaos in the best possible way — and yes, I ate it up. If you love morally gray fae, cinnamon roll humans, and that classic “we literally should not be doing this but oops we’re doing it anyway” vibe, welcome to your next obsession.
⁺˚⋆｡°✩₊⁺˚⋆｡°✩₊⁺˚⋆｡°✩₊⁺˚⋆｡°✩₊
✨ Tropes / Themes:
✓Fae x human (forbidden romance realness)
✓She’s ancient and scary hot / he’s a confused little golden retriever
✓He falls first (and so hard)
✓Slow burn with tension for days
✓Found family / rebel crew goals
✓Banished fae with locked magic
✓“I hate your dad but maybe I love you”
✓NYC meets Faerie? yes please (I also kinda wish to be there)
⁺˚⋆｡°✩₊⁺˚⋆｡°✩₊⁺˚⋆｡°✩₊⁺˚⋆｡°✩₊⁺˚⋆｡°✩₊
Sav is a whole badass — old, powerful (even if her magic’s bound), angry, traumatized, and trying so hard not to care. Jack? Jack is “just Ken” in the best way. He’s doing his best, completely overwhelmed, and absolutely down bad for a girl who could end him. Their chemistry is 🔥 but restrained, and honestly, I love that.
I also need more of the side characters (Hazel and Kaspar my beloveds!!!), and that ending? That ending said “see you in book two” and now I’m pacing. I need more of this world, this rebellion, this court drama, this forbidden yearning. Bring on the finale.
Great thanks to NetGalley and Cassandra Astor for opportunity to read ARC. All opinions are mine!
ε(´｡•᎑•`)っ💕
June 23, 2025
ARC review
3.5 ⭐️
This one was pretty good! I don’t read a lot of urban fantasy so I found it refreshing. I liked the scheming that takes place and it had good political intrigue. I also enjoyed the multiple POVs. It was giving me ACOTAR and Crescent City vibes at times because of the seasonal courts and the under water court as well.
I did feel like I wanted a little bit more from the world building though. I felt like some concepts were not quite developed enough. The romance was also a bit too insta-love for me personally. The ending has left me curious as to what will happen in book 2!
Thank you to Cassandra Aston & Haus of Fables for gifting me this e-arc.
3.5 ⭐️
This one was pretty good! I don’t read a lot of urban fantasy so I found it refreshing. I liked the scheming that takes place and it had good political intrigue. I also enjoyed the multiple POVs. It was giving me ACOTAR and Crescent City vibes at times because of the seasonal courts and the under water court as well.
I did feel like I wanted a little bit more from the world building though. I felt like some concepts were not quite developed enough. The romance was also a bit too insta-love for me personally. The ending has left me curious as to what will happen in book 2!
Thank you to Cassandra Aston & Haus of Fables for gifting me this e-arc.
June 18, 2025
2.25⭐️
This book had the potential to be an exciting romantasy read but it just fell flat for me. I found myself not interested in the urban fantasy world and didn’t connect with any of the characters.
It felt like so much was happening at once and then nothing at all. I found the world building and lore to be under developed. I wanted more background but it felt like we were just dumped into everything at once. I found myself making similarities to Crescent City and then I couldn’t unsee them so it just felt like a worse knock off version in my head.
The characters were interesting at base level but I felt like that’s as far as we got to see them go. They lacked depth and their interactions with each other felt forced. Kasper was the only character I found myself enjoying! The random pov shifts threw me off. I found them unnecessary.
I did enjoy the concept of the fae realm intertwined with the real world and all the interesting fae creatures!
Overall, if I was into DNFing I would have around 30% but I’m just not that gal. Thank you to Haus of Fables and Cassandra Aston for the eARC and the opportunity to review honestly.
This book had the potential to be an exciting romantasy read but it just fell flat for me. I found myself not interested in the urban fantasy world and didn’t connect with any of the characters.
It felt like so much was happening at once and then nothing at all. I found the world building and lore to be under developed. I wanted more background but it felt like we were just dumped into everything at once. I found myself making similarities to Crescent City and then I couldn’t unsee them so it just felt like a worse knock off version in my head.
The characters were interesting at base level but I felt like that’s as far as we got to see them go. They lacked depth and their interactions with each other felt forced. Kasper was the only character I found myself enjoying! The random pov shifts threw me off. I found them unnecessary.
I did enjoy the concept of the fae realm intertwined with the real world and all the interesting fae creatures!
Overall, if I was into DNFing I would have around 30% but I’m just not that gal. Thank you to Haus of Fables and Cassandra Aston for the eARC and the opportunity to review honestly.
July 11, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC! 2.5 ⭐️
Unfortunately, I did not bond as well with this book, hence the 2 star rating. Here’s my reasons why:
•One of the biggest things I have to address is the “show don’t tell” of books. Unfortunately, this book felt very much “tell, tell, tell, don’t show”. Because of this I couldn’t fully immerse myself in the world, I didn’t even feel for any of the characters that much.
•The summary hooked me immediately why I even requested the book, but I found that nothing much happened. For example, from the summary I got the impression there would be yearning between the two love interests, some intense emotions and forbidden love, but it was very vague and I didn’t really see the two bonding that well before they would inevitably fall for each other.
•The world building was alright. I loved the map, I had never seen a book use the four seasons as their own kingdoms, I loved the idea! But, unfortunately, we were more stuck in the politics between the human world and the Fae, so the magical world wasn’t much explored and it left me wondering what else is special about that realm! And when we were in the Fae world, the scenes felt a bit rushed and some even made me ask “what’s the point..” like when they went back to one area to look for something only to just say “forget it, leave it”. It didn’t feel thrilling to read.
•There were moments that simply didn’t make sense to me - if a person is chained and lead through a city set in the modern times, would people really not even think of calling the police? Moments like these were scattered across the book that left me a bit frustrated, creating little plot holes for me.
•Finally, the romance. There wasn’t much depth of it personally. There was one point in the book that I really thought would begin the forbidden love with stolen moments together, but it never really happened to how I thought it would be :)
•I found myself skimming pages towards the 50% mark thinking “surely the action/forbidden romance trope will spark up soon!”, but for me it didn’t :(
Overall, I see a lot of people loving this book and all my love and praise goes to the author for writing a book and publishing it! It may be that this book and writing style/plot simply wasn’t for me, but it is for everyone else who absolutely loved it!
Unfortunately, I did not bond as well with this book, hence the 2 star rating. Here’s my reasons why:
•One of the biggest things I have to address is the “show don’t tell” of books. Unfortunately, this book felt very much “tell, tell, tell, don’t show”. Because of this I couldn’t fully immerse myself in the world, I didn’t even feel for any of the characters that much.
•The summary hooked me immediately why I even requested the book, but I found that nothing much happened. For example, from the summary I got the impression there would be yearning between the two love interests, some intense emotions and forbidden love, but it was very vague and I didn’t really see the two bonding that well before they would inevitably fall for each other.
•The world building was alright. I loved the map, I had never seen a book use the four seasons as their own kingdoms, I loved the idea! But, unfortunately, we were more stuck in the politics between the human world and the Fae, so the magical world wasn’t much explored and it left me wondering what else is special about that realm! And when we were in the Fae world, the scenes felt a bit rushed and some even made me ask “what’s the point..” like when they went back to one area to look for something only to just say “forget it, leave it”. It didn’t feel thrilling to read.
•There were moments that simply didn’t make sense to me - if a person is chained and lead through a city set in the modern times, would people really not even think of calling the police? Moments like these were scattered across the book that left me a bit frustrated, creating little plot holes for me.
•Finally, the romance. There wasn’t much depth of it personally. There was one point in the book that I really thought would begin the forbidden love with stolen moments together, but it never really happened to how I thought it would be :)
•I found myself skimming pages towards the 50% mark thinking “surely the action/forbidden romance trope will spark up soon!”, but for me it didn’t :(
Overall, I see a lot of people loving this book and all my love and praise goes to the author for writing a book and publishing it! It may be that this book and writing style/plot simply wasn’t for me, but it is for everyone else who absolutely loved it!
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June 1, 2025
I received an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I was really looking forward to reading this from the moment I came across it. I did enjoy the book a lot and there are certain aspects that I really liked and other things that didn't excite me as much. Let's break it down:
.·:*¨༺ misleading marketing ༻¨*:·.
The summary instantly had me hooked which I found to be quite a shame as the description of the book was kind of misleading.
There was no infiltration of the enemy's inner circle nor was there any seduction.
Also not true. way before Sav came into the picture. He had already picked his side.
The book is marketed as "enemies to lovers" which I guess is because Sav is fae and Jack is human but it was really more of a forbidden romance than anything else.
.·:*¨༺ the plot ༻¨*:·.
I loved the idea behind the book—the whole concept of humans and fae being against each other and both their worlds joining together was new and I quite liked the change. Did I love the execution of the idea? Not so much. The plot itself had an okayish progression but everything in between was very messy. The worldbuilding was all over the place and most of the times I didn't understand what was going on.
I read the entire book, got to know the characters, understood the differences between human and fae, Earth and Faerie, which is good. But do I know anything about what is within Faerie? I wish I could say yes. Despite Sav and Jack going to Faerie and spending a considerable amount of time there, visiting both the Winter and Spring courts, I still do not know anything about the courts aside from who rules them. I hope the author builds on this in the second book and I hope to see the Autumn court included as well.
I liked the inclusion of multiple POVs throughout the book but I found some to be completely unnecessary—like Foxglove's and Janet's—and the switching of POVs after almost every chapter was a little confusing.
.·:*¨༺ the characters ༻¨*:·.
➺ Sav
I loved her character and how she always put her people before anything. The fact that she is a high fae and still cared for the low fae was admirable. There are some things she said and did that irked me at times, like the whole situation between her and Jack just felt like an on-again off-again relationship because these two could not communicate. For a book being marketed as a romance, that really should've been taken into consideration.
➺ Jack
A comparatively weak character when put next to Sav but he did have his saving graces at times. Again, the entire issue with the relationship applies to him as well. I just didn't feel the chemistry between him and Sav.
➺ Dane
An interesting character is what I would describe him as. We know he's the evil guy and we have gotten surface-level reasoning as to why he's evil but there's still so much left uncovered and while I do think it would've been better if it was dealt with in this book only, I can only hope that the sequel will do this topic some justice.
➺ Kaspar
I have mixed feelings about him. Most of the reviews I looked through say he wasn't treated right by Sav and while part of me agrees, I do think we need to put into perspective. And yes, he does have better chemistry with Sav than Jack does.
TLDR: Misleading summary, flat romance, messy worldbuilding, Kaspar is better than Jack.
Thank you so much to BookSirens for the ARC.
*-*
Pre-read:
NetGalley rejected my request so I got it from BookSirens.
I was really looking forward to reading this from the moment I came across it. I did enjoy the book a lot and there are certain aspects that I really liked and other things that didn't excite me as much. Let's break it down:
.·:*¨༺ misleading marketing ༻¨*:·.
The summary instantly had me hooked which I found to be quite a shame as the description of the book was kind of misleading.
Finding herself caught between protecting a deadly secret and saving the fae from the humans bent on slaughter, Sav must infiltrate the extremist's inner circle, posing as a human, and seduce her sworn enemy’s son.
There was no infiltration of the enemy's inner circle nor was there any seduction.
Caught between duty and desire, Jack must choose a side before one is chosen for him.
Also not true. way before Sav came into the picture. He had already picked his side.
The book is marketed as "enemies to lovers" which I guess is because Sav is fae and Jack is human but it was really more of a forbidden romance than anything else.
.·:*¨༺ the plot ༻¨*:·.
I loved the idea behind the book—the whole concept of humans and fae being against each other and both their worlds joining together was new and I quite liked the change. Did I love the execution of the idea? Not so much. The plot itself had an okayish progression but everything in between was very messy. The worldbuilding was all over the place and most of the times I didn't understand what was going on.
I read the entire book, got to know the characters, understood the differences between human and fae, Earth and Faerie, which is good. But do I know anything about what is within Faerie? I wish I could say yes. Despite Sav and Jack going to Faerie and spending a considerable amount of time there, visiting both the Winter and Spring courts, I still do not know anything about the courts aside from who rules them. I hope the author builds on this in the second book and I hope to see the Autumn court included as well.
I liked the inclusion of multiple POVs throughout the book but I found some to be completely unnecessary—like Foxglove's and Janet's—and the switching of POVs after almost every chapter was a little confusing.
.·:*¨༺ the characters ༻¨*:·.
➺ Sav
I loved her character and how she always put her people before anything. The fact that she is a high fae and still cared for the low fae was admirable. There are some things she said and did that irked me at times, like the whole situation between her and Jack just felt like an on-again off-again relationship because these two could not communicate. For a book being marketed as a romance, that really should've been taken into consideration.
➺ Jack
A comparatively weak character when put next to Sav but he did have his saving graces at times. Again, the entire issue with the relationship applies to him as well. I just didn't feel the chemistry between him and Sav.
➺ Dane
An interesting character is what I would describe him as. We know he's the evil guy and we have gotten surface-level reasoning as to why he's evil but there's still so much left uncovered and while I do think it would've been better if it was dealt with in this book only, I can only hope that the sequel will do this topic some justice.
➺ Kaspar
I have mixed feelings about him. Most of the reviews I looked through say he wasn't treated right by Sav and while part of me agrees, I do think we need to put into perspective. And yes, he does have better chemistry with Sav than Jack does.
TLDR: Misleading summary, flat romance, messy worldbuilding, Kaspar is better than Jack.
Thank you so much to BookSirens for the ARC.
*-*
Pre-read:
NetGalley rejected my request so I got it from BookSirens.
June 19, 2025
I really enjoyed this modern fantasy and the world Cassandra built. Sav is a fae with bound magic living in NYC in a world where fae have crossed into earth with a huge anti-fae movement. Fae are often attacked by this anti-fae movement and Sav is captured when she tries to free captured fae. Thankfully, Sav has just enough magic to glamour herself and trick her captors into believing she is human. In captivity, Sav meets Jack, the son of the anti-fae movement’s leader, Dane Clyde, who we hate. Jack has been secretly aiding captured fae in rebellion against his dad, and Jack has been searching for a larger way to rebel for a while.
Jack is immediately pulled to Sav and they become friends with instant attraction. Jack helps Sav escape where they flee to Faerie to seek an arm to battle the anti-fae movement. Sav and Jack must fight their attraction since relationships between fae and humans are strictly forbidden. From here, we meet loveable side character, we have quite a few twists and turns as Jacks starts to discover who Sav truly is all while questioning changes occurring with him.
Read this book if you like:
💚 political intrigue
💚 modern fantasy but with a fae realm
💚 instant attraction
💚 “we shouldn’t be doing this.”
💚 age gap
💚 he falls first (and hard)
💚 forbidden romance
💚 slow burn
Spice: 🌶️.5 but LOTS of tension and yearning 😍
Thank you so much to the author and Haus of Fables for the eARC!!
Jack is immediately pulled to Sav and they become friends with instant attraction. Jack helps Sav escape where they flee to Faerie to seek an arm to battle the anti-fae movement. Sav and Jack must fight their attraction since relationships between fae and humans are strictly forbidden. From here, we meet loveable side character, we have quite a few twists and turns as Jacks starts to discover who Sav truly is all while questioning changes occurring with him.
Read this book if you like:
💚 political intrigue
💚 modern fantasy but with a fae realm
💚 instant attraction
💚 “we shouldn’t be doing this.”
💚 age gap
💚 he falls first (and hard)
💚 forbidden romance
💚 slow burn
Spice: 🌶️.5 but LOTS of tension and yearning 😍
Thank you so much to the author and Haus of Fables for the eARC!!
June 30, 2025
“A pretty prison is still a prison.”
I really enjoyed the strong start of this story, the heavy political atmosphere, the division, the rage and helpless felt on both sides (mostly).
This felt all too real, reading during the current events going on in the world.
The politics, the feminine resilience, the mix of fae, humans and other creatures definitely kept my attention.
The romance was a surprising subplot, with a good slow burn. I’m really looking forward to reading more about the dynamics.
Overall, this was a good gritty, urban fantasy that kept the pacing well and brought great characters.
Thank you for the arc @haus.of.fables_pr and @cassandra.aston.author 🖤
[ ✩ 3.5 ]
[ 🌶️ 1 ]
🖤 Enemies to lovers
🖤 Witty banter
🖤 Forbidden romance
🖤 Slow burn romance
🖤 Morally grey FMC/stabby FMC
🖤 Fae political court intrigue
🖤 Cinnamon roll MMC
🖤 Secret / hidden identity
🖤 He falls first
I really enjoyed the strong start of this story, the heavy political atmosphere, the division, the rage and helpless felt on both sides (mostly).
This felt all too real, reading during the current events going on in the world.
The politics, the feminine resilience, the mix of fae, humans and other creatures definitely kept my attention.
The romance was a surprising subplot, with a good slow burn. I’m really looking forward to reading more about the dynamics.
Overall, this was a good gritty, urban fantasy that kept the pacing well and brought great characters.
Thank you for the arc @haus.of.fables_pr and @cassandra.aston.author 🖤
[ ✩ 3.5 ]
[ 🌶️ 1 ]
🖤 Enemies to lovers
🖤 Witty banter
🖤 Forbidden romance
🖤 Slow burn romance
🖤 Morally grey FMC/stabby FMC
🖤 Fae political court intrigue
🖤 Cinnamon roll MMC
🖤 Secret / hidden identity
🖤 He falls first
July 16, 2025
**1.75 stars** I did end up dnf’ing at 72%. The writing wasn’t TERRIBLE but this books suffers from lack of world building, character development, all around simple details that make a book—a book. I understand this is a romantasy but when no romance or fantasy is happening? No, thank yew. At 72%, how can NOTHING be happening. I reached filler section after filler section and at that point, I had to stop. I will not be continuing this series. Please PLEASE, do better with the next.
April 10, 2025
This book sucked me in from the beginning! Sav, who has been banished from faerie and has her powers bound and has been sent to earth. Trying to live a normal life until her kind is being kidnapped and slaughtered by none other than Jack’s father, Dane, whom I would love to have just 5 minutes alone with him. He’s definitely the perfect villain and has caused me much anger. Sav is such a badass. Kaspar, whew, I cannot see where this goes in the next book. Hazel is literally my spirit animal I absolutely love her. This book has humor, a little romance, a lot of twists and turns and is not nearly long enough! Lol Thank you NetGalley and Cassandra Aston for the ARC. I’m counting the days down for #2. This book will be living rent free in my head now.
May 7, 2025
4 ⭐️
Okay I’m already on the edge of my seat for book #2, meanwhile book #1 hasn’t even officially hit shelves yet.
I really enjoyed this one. It’s set in a world in which modern day NYC overlaps with a faerie realm, and there is rising tension as faerie creatures are trying to assimilate into our modern society. There’s a mysterious FMC and a golden retriever MMC, both of which have so many secrets, and many of which still aren't fully explained at the end of this book.
The world building is excellent, there’s a delicious yearning-filled slow burn romance and is written in a way that evoked a lot of emotion and attachment to the characters. There’s also a side character that I became majorly emotionally invested in, so I’m holding out hope for more development of his character in book #2. Honestly, I also just love the author’s writing style — it was easy to read and follow, I laughed out loud multiple times and she had me eating up every breadcrumb of insight into the mysteries that were the main character’s back stories. There is also very little spice in this book so I would only give it a 🌶️ on the spice scale.
The only thing I didn’t love was that, for about a third of the book, the MMC seemed irrationally whiny and possessive and that kind of felt out of place. There was a reveal later in the book that could be used to explain that behavior but, still, I was very thrown off by the MMC’s behavior in the first third of the book. Regardless of that detail, I am heavily invested in this story now and can’t wait to read book #2 that is coming in December.
Thank you so much to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC of Whispers Among Thorns!
Okay I’m already on the edge of my seat for book #2, meanwhile book #1 hasn’t even officially hit shelves yet.
I really enjoyed this one. It’s set in a world in which modern day NYC overlaps with a faerie realm, and there is rising tension as faerie creatures are trying to assimilate into our modern society. There’s a mysterious FMC and a golden retriever MMC, both of which have so many secrets, and many of which still aren't fully explained at the end of this book.
The world building is excellent, there’s a delicious yearning-filled slow burn romance and is written in a way that evoked a lot of emotion and attachment to the characters. There’s also a side character that I became majorly emotionally invested in, so I’m holding out hope for more development of his character in book #2. Honestly, I also just love the author’s writing style — it was easy to read and follow, I laughed out loud multiple times and she had me eating up every breadcrumb of insight into the mysteries that were the main character’s back stories. There is also very little spice in this book so I would only give it a 🌶️ on the spice scale.
The only thing I didn’t love was that, for about a third of the book, the MMC seemed irrationally whiny and possessive and that kind of felt out of place. There was a reveal later in the book that could be used to explain that behavior but, still, I was very thrown off by the MMC’s behavior in the first third of the book. Regardless of that detail, I am heavily invested in this story now and can’t wait to read book #2 that is coming in December.
Thank you so much to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC of Whispers Among Thorns!
May 29, 2025
I didn’t know what was going on for MOST of the book. There was so much going on. It was fast but also not. There was insta-lust but also a slow burn. So many characters.
Thank you NetGalley and Victory for the eARC of Whispers Among Thorns. NOW let’s talk about it..:.
In short - Sav is a fae living in New York City post the collision of Faerie and Earth. The Anti Fae Faction burns down her apartment building and captures them. There she meets Jack who ends up in Faerie with Sav when she is able to escape the AFF. They set off to determine the best way to assist the fae on Earth
What I Liked:
- Sassy FMC that appeared stronger than MMC in the beginning. Jack was such a pansy at the beginning.
- The fae x new york city collab was interesting.
What Wasn’t for me:
- Insta-lust, they were trying to find a way to defy kingdoms by 40%. Which is wild considering they met at like 12%.
- Underdeveloped magic and world: I have no idea what was going on for most of this book. The world building was clunky to the point where I couldn’t connect the dots.
- Why were there so many characters with their own POV? At first, I thought oh cool the villain has his own pov, but then it just felt like too much.
- Everyone was horny. And in the cringiest way. I can’t elaborate further without spoiling some of it but yeah.
Overall - If you realllyyy liked the pace of Veiled Kingdom and that vibe… you might like this. I’m sad to say that I didn’t love this like I wanted to. I feel like there were a lot of missing opportunities to make this story smoother and less clunky and confusing.
Thank you NetGalley and Victory for the eARC of Whispers Among Thorns. NOW let’s talk about it..:.
In short - Sav is a fae living in New York City post the collision of Faerie and Earth. The Anti Fae Faction burns down her apartment building and captures them. There she meets Jack who ends up in Faerie with Sav when she is able to escape the AFF. They set off to determine the best way to assist the fae on Earth
What I Liked:
- Sassy FMC that appeared stronger than MMC in the beginning. Jack was such a pansy at the beginning.
- The fae x new york city collab was interesting.
What Wasn’t for me:
- Insta-lust, they were trying to find a way to defy kingdoms by 40%. Which is wild considering they met at like 12%.
- Underdeveloped magic and world: I have no idea what was going on for most of this book. The world building was clunky to the point where I couldn’t connect the dots.
- Why were there so many characters with their own POV? At first, I thought oh cool the villain has his own pov, but then it just felt like too much.
- Everyone was horny. And in the cringiest way. I can’t elaborate further without spoiling some of it but yeah.
Overall - If you realllyyy liked the pace of Veiled Kingdom and that vibe… you might like this. I’m sad to say that I didn’t love this like I wanted to. I feel like there were a lot of missing opportunities to make this story smoother and less clunky and confusing.
April 8, 2025
This was so good! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
I loved how this was the complete opposite of a lot of popular fantasy trends. Our FMC Sav is the hundreds of years old Fae, and the MMC Jack is the 25 year old kind of helpless but doing his best human.
Set in New York City after Faerie collided with the human realm, the humans are slaughtering the Fae. Sav is doing what she can to help her people. Jack is a super sweet and wholesome MMC. This was a super fun adventure. I loved the side characters as well, I think Kaspar was my favorite! I found the middle to be a bit slow compared to the start and the finish but I still really enjoyed this journey. I can’t wait until book 2 in this duo which I will absolutely be reading as soon as it comes out!
4.25 stars ⭐️
I loved how this was the complete opposite of a lot of popular fantasy trends. Our FMC Sav is the hundreds of years old Fae, and the MMC Jack is the 25 year old kind of helpless but doing his best human.
Set in New York City after Faerie collided with the human realm, the humans are slaughtering the Fae. Sav is doing what she can to help her people. Jack is a super sweet and wholesome MMC. This was a super fun adventure. I loved the side characters as well, I think Kaspar was my favorite! I found the middle to be a bit slow compared to the start and the finish but I still really enjoyed this journey. I can’t wait until book 2 in this duo which I will absolutely be reading as soon as it comes out!
4.25 stars ⭐️
June 24, 2025
Thank you so much to the author and Haus of Fables for the eARC!
This book hooked me from the start with its setup. Taking place in modern New York, the obvious difference is that the world of the fae has collided with the world of the humans and the two are now trying to figure out how to coexist. Except some people would much rather they didn’t coexist. Enter Jack, son of the leader of the anti-fae humans. Now Jack doesn’t feel the same way as his father. In fact, he is very against his actions. And in the anti-fae headquarters is where he meets Sav.
Sav is a high fae with bound magic banished to the human world to live amongst the lesser fae. When the humans burn down her home and take her neighbours and herself prisoner, she escapes and vows to free them. She tells herself that Jack is a means to an end, a bargaining chip to use the free the fae. She didn’t count on him becoming more to her.
I loved the politics in this book. There are so many characters who kept getting introduced, and an overarching story that was only hinted at for a lot of the book. Everyone has secrets in this book, and navigating the courts of the fae is not for the weak of heart.
I’m not the biggest insta-love fan, and I’m not gonna lie, I’m a big Kaspar fan. I want him to be so happy, and while I love Sav she does not yet deserve him. He deserves the world.
This has me so excited for book 2! The twists have me hooked, and I’m so happy it’s a duology, because I need to know what’s happening! I love the roll reversal of her being the hundreds year old fae and him being the 25 year old human. It’s refreshing. Cant wait to find out what happens next!
This book hooked me from the start with its setup. Taking place in modern New York, the obvious difference is that the world of the fae has collided with the world of the humans and the two are now trying to figure out how to coexist. Except some people would much rather they didn’t coexist. Enter Jack, son of the leader of the anti-fae humans. Now Jack doesn’t feel the same way as his father. In fact, he is very against his actions. And in the anti-fae headquarters is where he meets Sav.
Sav is a high fae with bound magic banished to the human world to live amongst the lesser fae. When the humans burn down her home and take her neighbours and herself prisoner, she escapes and vows to free them. She tells herself that Jack is a means to an end, a bargaining chip to use the free the fae. She didn’t count on him becoming more to her.
I loved the politics in this book. There are so many characters who kept getting introduced, and an overarching story that was only hinted at for a lot of the book. Everyone has secrets in this book, and navigating the courts of the fae is not for the weak of heart.
I’m not the biggest insta-love fan, and I’m not gonna lie, I’m a big Kaspar fan. I want him to be so happy, and while I love Sav she does not yet deserve him. He deserves the world.
This has me so excited for book 2! The twists have me hooked, and I’m so happy it’s a duology, because I need to know what’s happening! I love the roll reversal of her being the hundreds year old fae and him being the 25 year old human. It’s refreshing. Cant wait to find out what happens next!
June 24, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and Cassandra Aston for the ARC of book one in the Deadly Fae Duology.
This one took me a minute to settle into. The world building came in fast, and there were a lot of moving parts right out of the gate. But once the story found its rhythm, I was along for the ride.
Sav is a solid FMC. She’s sharp, guarded, and walking a dangerous line trying to infiltrate a fae-hating extremist group while keeping her own secrets buried. Watching her navigate that tension, especially with Jack in the picture, was one of the stronger points of the book. Jack brings his own complexity. He’s caught between loyalty to his family and the pull toward Sav, and that conflict makes him more than just a typical romantic lead.
The pacing was a little uneven for me. Once the pieces fell into place, the story picked up and carried solid emotional weight and forward momentum. There's tension, there's danger, and just enough romance to keep things interesting.
The world itself is intriguing. There's a modern-meets-magic vibe, and once you start to get a feel for the political and magical systems, it clicks. The fae lore adds a dangerous edge to the story, but it never overshadows the character development.
There’s that undercurrent of found family I always appreciate, even if it didn’t quite steal the show.
Overall, Whispers Among Thorns didn’t blow me away, but it had a lot going for it. It’s got grit, heart, and a world with more to uncover. I’ll definitely check out book two to see where this story leads.
This one took me a minute to settle into. The world building came in fast, and there were a lot of moving parts right out of the gate. But once the story found its rhythm, I was along for the ride.
Sav is a solid FMC. She’s sharp, guarded, and walking a dangerous line trying to infiltrate a fae-hating extremist group while keeping her own secrets buried. Watching her navigate that tension, especially with Jack in the picture, was one of the stronger points of the book. Jack brings his own complexity. He’s caught between loyalty to his family and the pull toward Sav, and that conflict makes him more than just a typical romantic lead.
The pacing was a little uneven for me. Once the pieces fell into place, the story picked up and carried solid emotional weight and forward momentum. There's tension, there's danger, and just enough romance to keep things interesting.
The world itself is intriguing. There's a modern-meets-magic vibe, and once you start to get a feel for the political and magical systems, it clicks. The fae lore adds a dangerous edge to the story, but it never overshadows the character development.
There’s that undercurrent of found family I always appreciate, even if it didn’t quite steal the show.
Overall, Whispers Among Thorns didn’t blow me away, but it had a lot going for it. It’s got grit, heart, and a world with more to uncover. I’ll definitely check out book two to see where this story leads.
June 5, 2025
Tropes:
Fae bargains, reluctant allies to lovers, fated mates, court intrigue, forbidden romance, close proximity.
Whispers Among Thorns by Cassandra Aston is an urban romantasy that blends modern world with the lands of Fae, court politics, reluctant alliances, and the simmering tension of fated mates. Told from multiple POV, where Sav, a High Fae who has been forced to bow to her family’s cruel whims most of her life, finally refuses to marry Kaspar—a childhood friend turned political pawn. Her defiance leads to exile in human lands and her magic bound, which leads us to present time, 3 years after exile. There (Central Park, New York City seems like an odd place for the Fae to land but it adds a spark to the story) she meets Jack, the bitter son of an anti-fae extremist. Jack, fueled by secrets and hatred for his father, is no typical human. Sav and Jack’s uneasy alliance starts a forbidden romance full of betrayal, magic, and complicated feelings.
The story kicks off with simmering conflict. Anti-fae human radicals actively hunt and kill Fae who found themselves exiled into human world, though in my opinion, story doesn’t fully catch fire until the 50% mark, when the stakes have risen after we see our duo venture into lands of Faerie to try and gain some support in freeing Fae from the radicals in NYC.
There, some truths come to light: Jack’s heritage, his mother’s mysterious past, and the political cruel games Sav’s sister Sage plays. However, a lot is left unanswered and I hope the conclusion to the duology answers all my burning questions. Apart from the FMC and MMC main POVs, additional view of Kaspar and Hazel, aka Sav’s oldest friends, add a spark of loyalty and magic that balances out the darkness of the story.
While the opening feels a bit meandering, the payoff is worth it once the political machinations and forbidden romance really kick in the second half. Fans of fae bargains, reluctant allies to lovers, and court intrigue will find much to love here. Personally, I appreciated an underlying potent metaphor for real-world struggles with prejudice and fear of the “other”, which is well drawn out throughout the story.
A solid start to what promises to be a fascinating romantasy duology—perfect for those venturing into fantasy, who like their fae tales with a little modern, political edge. World building isn’t too overwhelming and characters are drawn out well. If you’re looking for spice, look away, but if you prefer your stories with a little less open door romance, you will love it.
I’ve given it 3.75 stars and I look forward to the conclusion of the story, which should be out later on this year.
Thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing for providing the e-ARC.
Fae bargains, reluctant allies to lovers, fated mates, court intrigue, forbidden romance, close proximity.
Whispers Among Thorns by Cassandra Aston is an urban romantasy that blends modern world with the lands of Fae, court politics, reluctant alliances, and the simmering tension of fated mates. Told from multiple POV, where Sav, a High Fae who has been forced to bow to her family’s cruel whims most of her life, finally refuses to marry Kaspar—a childhood friend turned political pawn. Her defiance leads to exile in human lands and her magic bound, which leads us to present time, 3 years after exile. There (Central Park, New York City seems like an odd place for the Fae to land but it adds a spark to the story) she meets Jack, the bitter son of an anti-fae extremist. Jack, fueled by secrets and hatred for his father, is no typical human. Sav and Jack’s uneasy alliance starts a forbidden romance full of betrayal, magic, and complicated feelings.
The story kicks off with simmering conflict. Anti-fae human radicals actively hunt and kill Fae who found themselves exiled into human world, though in my opinion, story doesn’t fully catch fire until the 50% mark, when the stakes have risen after we see our duo venture into lands of Faerie to try and gain some support in freeing Fae from the radicals in NYC.
There, some truths come to light: Jack’s heritage, his mother’s mysterious past, and the political cruel games Sav’s sister Sage plays. However, a lot is left unanswered and I hope the conclusion to the duology answers all my burning questions. Apart from the FMC and MMC main POVs, additional view of Kaspar and Hazel, aka Sav’s oldest friends, add a spark of loyalty and magic that balances out the darkness of the story.
While the opening feels a bit meandering, the payoff is worth it once the political machinations and forbidden romance really kick in the second half. Fans of fae bargains, reluctant allies to lovers, and court intrigue will find much to love here. Personally, I appreciated an underlying potent metaphor for real-world struggles with prejudice and fear of the “other”, which is well drawn out throughout the story.
A solid start to what promises to be a fascinating romantasy duology—perfect for those venturing into fantasy, who like their fae tales with a little modern, political edge. World building isn’t too overwhelming and characters are drawn out well. If you’re looking for spice, look away, but if you prefer your stories with a little less open door romance, you will love it.
I’ve given it 3.75 stars and I look forward to the conclusion of the story, which should be out later on this year.
Thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing for providing the e-ARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 29, 2025
Being completely honest, the 4 stars was for the vibes alone.
I wanted to love this book more than I did. By the end, I wanted more of Sav, I wanted to know more about her family, her court, her world, but all of those aspects fell flat for me.
I've said it before, but I am not a fan of insta-love, and for some reason, every romantasy I have picked up lately has been centered around it. I do applaud Sav in this aspect though, she wasn't about it when most FMCs as of late have been.
I'm going to stick around for book two - I'm really, really hoping we get more worldbuilding in it.
Thank you to Cassandra Aston, NetGalley, and Victoria Editing for the ARC (and I apologize that I am so late on this when the pub date was now over a month ago!)
I wanted to love this book more than I did. By the end, I wanted more of Sav, I wanted to know more about her family, her court, her world, but all of those aspects fell flat for me.
I've said it before, but I am not a fan of insta-love, and for some reason, every romantasy I have picked up lately has been centered around it. I do applaud Sav in this aspect though, she wasn't about it when most FMCs as of late have been.
I'm going to stick around for book two - I'm really, really hoping we get more worldbuilding in it.
Thank you to Cassandra Aston, NetGalley, and Victoria Editing for the ARC (and I apologize that I am so late on this when the pub date was now over a month ago!)
June 24, 2025
3.75🌟I enjoyed the paranormal world and court politics although I was a bit confused I do think things may become clearer in book 2 - I definitely need to know more! This was action packed and I love a book with multiple Povs! Thank you to Haus of Fables PR for this ARC opportunity
June 24, 2025
I enjoyed all of the different characters, dynamics and creatures in this book. It had me at the edge of my seat, the main characters did not catch a break for one second. This made the book both exciting at times and tiring at other times. 3.5⭐️
Read
May 3, 2025Thank you Netgalley for this ARC. Unfortunately this book didn't quite work for me. I ended up dnfing at 65%.
Some of this book takes place in a very depressing version of our world and some takes place in Faerie. Reading both worlds was interesting but between how awful this version of our world was and how evil the characters were I would have liked a little hope or happiness sprinkled in somewhere. But for me this book didn't have any balance of some sort of happiness with all the bad stuff. I love a good villain but I need to feel some happiness or at least hope with the characters sometimes too.
I'm also not a fan of other woman/other man drama. So that was a personal preference that other people might not care about.
I feel like this book would be great for people who don't mind a tragic world or ow/om drama. The fae are very interesting and it had a great slow burn with lots of yearning. The slow burn between Sav and Jack was what kept me reading. Hopefully when they get together it will be worth all the bad stuff but I ended up dnfing before that unfortunately.
Some of this book takes place in a very depressing version of our world and some takes place in Faerie. Reading both worlds was interesting but between how awful this version of our world was and how evil the characters were I would have liked a little hope or happiness sprinkled in somewhere. But for me this book didn't have any balance of some sort of happiness with all the bad stuff. I love a good villain but I need to feel some happiness or at least hope with the characters sometimes too.
I'm also not a fan of other woman/other man drama. So that was a personal preference that other people might not care about.
I feel like this book would be great for people who don't mind a tragic world or ow/om drama. The fae are very interesting and it had a great slow burn with lots of yearning. The slow burn between Sav and Jack was what kept me reading. Hopefully when they get together it will be worth all the bad stuff but I ended up dnfing before that unfortunately.
June 28, 2025
DNF at 41% this was just…a no for me. Sorry
May 21, 2025
3.5 stars!! Rounding up to 4 😊🤍
Thanks to NetGalley and Cassandra Aston for the ARC of Whispers Among Thorns! This was an intriguing start to a new fae series with some great ideas, even if a few things didn’t quite land for me.
I liked the concept of the fae and human worlds merging—it gave the story a unique edge. For those who like fantasy in modern day/ urban settings this one could be for you! Sav was a strong lead but I felt like the romance with Jack felt a bit rushed. That being said, I really enjoyed side characters like Hazel and Kaspar, and Jack’s inner conflict with his father’s legacy added depth.
Overall, the story had enough twists, magic, and tension to keep me reading!
Thanks to NetGalley and Cassandra Aston for the ARC of Whispers Among Thorns! This was an intriguing start to a new fae series with some great ideas, even if a few things didn’t quite land for me.
I liked the concept of the fae and human worlds merging—it gave the story a unique edge. For those who like fantasy in modern day/ urban settings this one could be for you! Sav was a strong lead but I felt like the romance with Jack felt a bit rushed. That being said, I really enjoyed side characters like Hazel and Kaspar, and Jack’s inner conflict with his father’s legacy added depth.
Overall, the story had enough twists, magic, and tension to keep me reading!
June 15, 2025
This book really surprised me—in the best way.
I was already halfway in love before I even opened the first chapter. The main character’s name starts with an S (instantly iconic), and the dedication read: “For every woman who’s ever wanted to fling a dagger at a man when he pissed her off.” Honestly? Relatable. Immediate green flag.
Now, was the plot completely unpredictable? Not exactly. You could kinda see where it was going, but there was so much going on that I didn’t mind. I just let the story sweep me up like a chaotic magical tornado, and honestly, that’s sometimes the best kind of read.
Sav and Jack’s first meeting? Loved it. The tension was there, but it didn’t feel overdone. It hit that perfect middle ground between “oh no this is serious” and “okay I still ship it.” Their chemistry worked for me from the start.
Sav herself is an absolute queen. She’s fiery, fearless, and not afraid to throw a dagger or two when needed. She doesn’t let people walk over her, and she talks back like a champ. I genuinely admired her strength, especially in a world that constantly tries to test her. But—and this is where I’m conflicted—I still don’t totally get why she chose Jack over Kaspar. Kaspar did so much for her, was endlessly patient, and literally spent years building her a cozy little sanctuary. Meanwhile, Jack… is Jack.
Speaking of Jack: oh my god. Sometimes he made me want to physically put the book down just to roll my eyes. He’s reckless, constantly mouthing off to royals, getting himself into dangerous situations—and somehow always walks away like nothing happened. Like, do you know you could die, sir?? But nope, he acts like the universe is contractually obligated to keep him alive. Which, to be fair, I guess it kind of is, because he’s the MMC.
Now Kaspar? That man was done dirty. The moment with Ivy’s little boy? Actual warmth in my chest. He’s rough around the edges, sure, but you can tell there’s so much love buried in there—he just doesn’t always know how to express it. He’s clearly in love with Sav, maybe even more deeply than Jack is, but he doesn’t get the girl. Tragic. I really hope we get more of his side in the next book, because there’s so much more to him.
Dane Clyde, though? What a villain. He’s not just evil for the sake of it—he’s got this whole heartbreaking backstory, and despite everything, you can tell he still loves his son. I’d honestly read a whole novella just about him and his wife. His arc felt complex in a really good way—menacing but still human.
The worldbuilding also stood out to me. I liked that Earth’s realm was centered in New York—it gave the story a grounded feeling, and weirdly made me want to visit NYC again. (Mission accomplished?) The fae realm, on the other hand, was pure fantasy candy. I loved the seasonal court system. The way the different areas were described struck the perfect balance: just enough detail to paint a vivid picture, but not so much that it dragged. The forests, especially, felt magical in a way I could see while reading.
Oh—and oh em gee—Craig, Larek, and Yolmar?? I adored them. Craig was such a comforting father figure to Sav after she lost her dad, and it honestly hit me in the feels more than I expected. He had that quiet, protective energy that just made you feel safe through the pages. And his sons, Larek and Yolmar? Absolute kings. They were like the big brothers Sav never had—always ready to hype her up, back her in a fight, or just be her chaotic support system. That whole little family dynamic was so heartwarming, and I’m a sucker for that found-family/micro “girl protected by wholesome warrior bros” trope. More scenes with them, please and thank you.
That being said… there were a few things that made me raise an eyebrow. One, everyone’s horniness level was sometimes off the charts. Like, can y’all focus for five minutes? And two, all the sudden POV switches—especially later in the book—felt a bit jarring. It wasn’t bad, just surprising. It added some flavor, but also threw me off a little at first.
As for the writing itself—I won’t lie, it wasn’t fully my style. Some of the dialogue or phrasing made me pause, and I think a few scenes could’ve been written with a bit more polish. But despite that, I was hooked by the plot. I cared about the characters (shoutout to my baes Hazel, Craig and his two sons, Leo and Juniper), and the story kept me turning pages.
Thanks to the author for the ARC—I’m sharing my thoughts voluntarily. And I'm definitely curious to see where book two takes us. And yes… please give us more Kaspar. And Craig. And his sons. Basically all of them.
I was already halfway in love before I even opened the first chapter. The main character’s name starts with an S (instantly iconic), and the dedication read: “For every woman who’s ever wanted to fling a dagger at a man when he pissed her off.” Honestly? Relatable. Immediate green flag.
Now, was the plot completely unpredictable? Not exactly. You could kinda see where it was going, but there was so much going on that I didn’t mind. I just let the story sweep me up like a chaotic magical tornado, and honestly, that’s sometimes the best kind of read.
Sav and Jack’s first meeting? Loved it. The tension was there, but it didn’t feel overdone. It hit that perfect middle ground between “oh no this is serious” and “okay I still ship it.” Their chemistry worked for me from the start.
Sav herself is an absolute queen. She’s fiery, fearless, and not afraid to throw a dagger or two when needed. She doesn’t let people walk over her, and she talks back like a champ. I genuinely admired her strength, especially in a world that constantly tries to test her. But—and this is where I’m conflicted—I still don’t totally get why she chose Jack over Kaspar. Kaspar did so much for her, was endlessly patient, and literally spent years building her a cozy little sanctuary. Meanwhile, Jack… is Jack.
Speaking of Jack: oh my god. Sometimes he made me want to physically put the book down just to roll my eyes. He’s reckless, constantly mouthing off to royals, getting himself into dangerous situations—and somehow always walks away like nothing happened. Like, do you know you could die, sir?? But nope, he acts like the universe is contractually obligated to keep him alive. Which, to be fair, I guess it kind of is, because he’s the MMC.
Now Kaspar? That man was done dirty. The moment with Ivy’s little boy? Actual warmth in my chest. He’s rough around the edges, sure, but you can tell there’s so much love buried in there—he just doesn’t always know how to express it. He’s clearly in love with Sav, maybe even more deeply than Jack is, but he doesn’t get the girl. Tragic. I really hope we get more of his side in the next book, because there’s so much more to him.
Dane Clyde, though? What a villain. He’s not just evil for the sake of it—he’s got this whole heartbreaking backstory, and despite everything, you can tell he still loves his son. I’d honestly read a whole novella just about him and his wife. His arc felt complex in a really good way—menacing but still human.
The worldbuilding also stood out to me. I liked that Earth’s realm was centered in New York—it gave the story a grounded feeling, and weirdly made me want to visit NYC again. (Mission accomplished?) The fae realm, on the other hand, was pure fantasy candy. I loved the seasonal court system. The way the different areas were described struck the perfect balance: just enough detail to paint a vivid picture, but not so much that it dragged. The forests, especially, felt magical in a way I could see while reading.
Oh—and oh em gee—Craig, Larek, and Yolmar?? I adored them. Craig was such a comforting father figure to Sav after she lost her dad, and it honestly hit me in the feels more than I expected. He had that quiet, protective energy that just made you feel safe through the pages. And his sons, Larek and Yolmar? Absolute kings. They were like the big brothers Sav never had—always ready to hype her up, back her in a fight, or just be her chaotic support system. That whole little family dynamic was so heartwarming, and I’m a sucker for that found-family/micro “girl protected by wholesome warrior bros” trope. More scenes with them, please and thank you.
That being said… there were a few things that made me raise an eyebrow. One, everyone’s horniness level was sometimes off the charts. Like, can y’all focus for five minutes? And two, all the sudden POV switches—especially later in the book—felt a bit jarring. It wasn’t bad, just surprising. It added some flavor, but also threw me off a little at first.
As for the writing itself—I won’t lie, it wasn’t fully my style. Some of the dialogue or phrasing made me pause, and I think a few scenes could’ve been written with a bit more polish. But despite that, I was hooked by the plot. I cared about the characters (shoutout to my baes Hazel, Craig and his two sons, Leo and Juniper), and the story kept me turning pages.
Thanks to the author for the ARC—I’m sharing my thoughts voluntarily. And I'm definitely curious to see where book two takes us. And yes… please give us more Kaspar. And Craig. And his sons. Basically all of them.
April 29, 2025
A different twist on a fae book! Often times humans are so obsessed with the Fae, or in love with them. This book was completely opposite. Which TBH is nice. The humans hate them, and hate coexisting with them. I love Fae books, but I have been careful picking them up lately because I was burning myself out on them. So when I saw that this one was a whole new angle I was like sign me up, because I need this in my life like yesterday. Was I disappointed? Absolutely not. The book delivered. This book definitely had the enemies to lovers vibe I needed. With some forbidden romance too! This is book 1 in the series, and the romance is slow burning. The book isnt really spicy, but it is an adult book. There definitely is plenty of tension, innuendoes, thoughts, spicy language, and spicyish scenes but by my personal definition of spice I definitely wouldnt say the book is spicy. Now knowing this amazing authors writing capabilities, compared with the prelude (or tension/walking the fine line with spicy) she did in this book I would say there is probably a high possibility there could be spice in the next book. So just be aware of that if you decide to pick it up. The world building, and magic is complex. But not overly so. I dont think anyone will struggle to follow along. The book does move at a pretty quick pace, and does have a mysterious vibe throughout the book as clues are constantly being drop to a plot, and sub plots… and probably a overall plot for the entire series TBH. This author keeps you on your toes. She also does have some darker scenes, & topics CHECK YOUR TWS. I swear Im a broken record at this point saying this, but mental health is important!
This Fantasy Romance is book 1 in a brand new series. This book does have dark scenes/topics, please check your trigger warnings before beginning. The romance in this book is an enemies to lovers. The book is an adult book, with adult topics, scenes, and languages. Which may be explicit. But overall the book isnt spicy. The book moves at a quick pace after Sav is captured by the humans, and decides to take Jack with her back to Faerie for help from the royals at court. Jack seems to be sympathetic to Fae, but she will do whatever she needs to help her kind. That includes using, and betraying him. As their journey goes on the lines blur, and Sav isn’t sure she can just hand him over to be hurt. She can’t leave the fae to suffer in cages either. Meanwhile back on earth the turmoil between fae, and human seems to be getting worse. This is a fast paced, and addictive read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️
This Fantasy Romance is book 1 in a brand new series. This book does have dark scenes/topics, please check your trigger warnings before beginning. The romance in this book is an enemies to lovers. The book is an adult book, with adult topics, scenes, and languages. Which may be explicit. But overall the book isnt spicy. The book moves at a quick pace after Sav is captured by the humans, and decides to take Jack with her back to Faerie for help from the royals at court. Jack seems to be sympathetic to Fae, but she will do whatever she needs to help her kind. That includes using, and betraying him. As their journey goes on the lines blur, and Sav isn’t sure she can just hand him over to be hurt. She can’t leave the fae to suffer in cages either. Meanwhile back on earth the turmoil between fae, and human seems to be getting worse. This is a fast paced, and addictive read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️
June 23, 2025
3.5/5 stars!
This is a fast-paced, high-stakes contemporary fae fantasy full of political intrigue, sharp world-building, and that simmering edge of danger that keeps you turning pages. It reminded me a bit of a dystopian setup with its militant humans and extremist propaganda, while the ruthless fae courts gave off ACOTAR-ish vibes.
Aston really nails the political dynamics here. There’s bigotry, tangled power hierarchies, and a fragile balance ready to snap. The tension and stakes are both pretty elevated. One of the things I really appreciated was how Aston flips the expected tropes. SHE'S the morally grey centuries-old fae. HE'S the younger, more emotionally available fish out of water. Jack reads like a traditionally “feminine” love interest in a way we rarely see in romantasy, and I genuinely liked that reversal. I also need to shout out to Kaspar and Hazel, who are absolute scene stealers. Every time they were on the page, I perked up. They were more interesting than the leads, to be completely honest with you.
That said, I did have a few questions that pulled me out of the story. If the fae are as powerful as we’re told, why are they letting the humans treat them like second-class citizens? And the whole “you can’t fall in love with a human or you die” rule was obviously just there to keep the leads apart. It felt more like a dramatic plot device than something grounded in the world’s logic.
The romance also didn’t quite land for me. Jack falls very fast, and while I appreciated his softness, the chemistry with Sav never fully sparked. I wanted more build-up, more emotional weight behind the relationship. The story barrels forward so quickly that there’s little time for reflection or tension to really sink in. At least for me.
Still, this was a fun read. It’s got a compelling setup, a refreshingly subverted dynamic between the leads, and that signature Aston world-building that always feels expansive and lived-in. The pacing slows a bit in the middle, but I’m definitely curious to see where book two goes. If you’re into dark urban fantasy, a whole heap of politics, with just a touch of forbidden love, this has plenty to offer.
Thanks so much to Haus of Fables PR and the author for the complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.
This is a fast-paced, high-stakes contemporary fae fantasy full of political intrigue, sharp world-building, and that simmering edge of danger that keeps you turning pages. It reminded me a bit of a dystopian setup with its militant humans and extremist propaganda, while the ruthless fae courts gave off ACOTAR-ish vibes.
Aston really nails the political dynamics here. There’s bigotry, tangled power hierarchies, and a fragile balance ready to snap. The tension and stakes are both pretty elevated. One of the things I really appreciated was how Aston flips the expected tropes. SHE'S the morally grey centuries-old fae. HE'S the younger, more emotionally available fish out of water. Jack reads like a traditionally “feminine” love interest in a way we rarely see in romantasy, and I genuinely liked that reversal. I also need to shout out to Kaspar and Hazel, who are absolute scene stealers. Every time they were on the page, I perked up. They were more interesting than the leads, to be completely honest with you.
That said, I did have a few questions that pulled me out of the story. If the fae are as powerful as we’re told, why are they letting the humans treat them like second-class citizens? And the whole “you can’t fall in love with a human or you die” rule was obviously just there to keep the leads apart. It felt more like a dramatic plot device than something grounded in the world’s logic.
The romance also didn’t quite land for me. Jack falls very fast, and while I appreciated his softness, the chemistry with Sav never fully sparked. I wanted more build-up, more emotional weight behind the relationship. The story barrels forward so quickly that there’s little time for reflection or tension to really sink in. At least for me.
Still, this was a fun read. It’s got a compelling setup, a refreshingly subverted dynamic between the leads, and that signature Aston world-building that always feels expansive and lived-in. The pacing slows a bit in the middle, but I’m definitely curious to see where book two goes. If you’re into dark urban fantasy, a whole heap of politics, with just a touch of forbidden love, this has plenty to offer.
Thanks so much to Haus of Fables PR and the author for the complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.
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