Bonds of Silver and Mist

by Veronica Chastain

Do not trust the fae. Do not thank them. And never, ever, give them your name.

Dark creatures of folk tales and legend play a deadly game around Lily Boyd's grandmother, but she didn't believe it until the woman disappeared.

With omens of death heralding the worst, Lily must team up with a mysterious fae who is as alluring as he is dangerous to untangle the truth before time runs out… but he has secrets of his own, and Lily must learn to navigate his rules if she wants to succeed.

When she discovers that the key to her grandmother's disappearance lies in the precarious balance between the Seelie and Unseelie Courts of the fae, Lily must choose which side to trust and which one to trick. One misstep in her plan will cost her grandmother's life… as well as Lily's freedom and soul.

Readers who loved the twists of The Folk of the Air by Holly Black and the richness of A Court of Thorns and Roses will rave about Bonds of Silver and Mist.

One-click and start reading this thrilling dark tale of the Fair Folk today!
Bonds of Silver and Mist is a complete rewrite of the 2014 release The Wild Hunt, published under the penname Ron C. Nieto

294 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 21, 2025

Reviews

[Charlotte Rebecca Adams · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭑⭑✩✩✩

~

Personally I needed a little more to keep me engaged with this one. I found myself not desperately wanting to pick it up and finish but overall wasn’t a bad read it was just missing something me for, the book has an interesting plot and is written well and I think would be great for a younger reader or someone looking for a YA read to get them into fantasy, but for me it was just not hitting the mark unfortunately it needed a little extra something to keep me hooked.

~

Thanks to BookSirens for the ARC copy 🫶🏼

[Nat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great quick read for me and a nice introduction to the series. As a young adult fantasy, this was a lighter read that I was able to fly through. As this is the first in the series, it does lean heavily into the world building, but this has always been one of my favourite parts of any fantasy. I loved the setting in the highlands and getting to see the quirks of the fae.

We explore this world alongside the protagonist, Lily, who grew up believing her grandmother's stories of the fae to be fiction. Lily does come off as naive and makes a lot of reckless decisions but I think that makes sense for her character, as frustrating as it may be for the reader. Personally, I enjoyed the pacing of the novel, although it isn't quick into the action, there are many of these small eerie interactions that built tension and kept me hooked.

This story is not heavy on romance, although I imagine this will unfold more as the series progresses. I believe it is meant to be a slow-burn but it honestly felt non-existent for me in this story. For me the ending just felt slightly lacklustre and fell a little short. But, overall this was a great introduction to the world and start to the story. Now, I will eagerly await the second in the series!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book as an ARC and enjoyed it.

It is the first book in the series so it was a little bit boring for me because you are just getting world building, plot setup, and character introductions for the most part but don’t let that scare you away from reading it.

I really like Lily and Troy and the twists and turns their “relationship” takes throughout the book as Lily learns more about the fae world since at the start she knew only stories. Her mother basically ran away from that life and her grandmother disappeared before she could teach her much so she is learning a lot on her journey with Troy.

The only reason I gave it 4 stars is because since it is the first book there isn’t a lot of action and I know it will get better as the series goes on. I really did like the book and will be reading the rest of the series as it comes out because I’m invested and need to see how it ends.

[Soren · Rating 5 out of 5]

It had been a while since I’d read a portal fantasy and this was a great one to come back with! I loved how magic and “real life” existed side by side, and so intertwined with each other when Lily really started to notice it. Everything from the plot and its pacing to the characters and their quirks made this a super fun read for me.

I really enjoyed how the author gave us a bit of “normalcy” and peace at the beginning, allowing us to start getting to know Lily before chaos ensued. The pacing of the plot after that kept me hooked through to the end. I especially loved getting to know Lily though, and watching her learn and grow into the sort of person her grandmother always wanted her to be. Getting to watch her learn how to navigate magic and the fae was equally interesting to the plot itself for me, and really helped me get invested in her character.

If you’re a fan of a good fantasy story, especially portal fantasies (like me!), I highly recommend this book! And I can’t wait to get to read book two when that comes out! I received a free ARC of this, and I’m choosing to leave an honest review.

[raysasbookishbliss · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was an excellent read! The world-building was amazing, and Veronica Chastain really knows how to draw you into the story.

I loved the relationship between Lily and Troy. How Troy pushed Lily to learn and become independent was inspiring. She's so resilient, but sometimes she drove me crazy! She didn't always pay attention to the details and got herself into some dangerous situations because of it.

Overall, it was a really good book, and I'm hoping for book two soon. The only thing that was a bit challenging was the language. Some words were unfamiliar to me, and I had to look them up. It was good in a way because I learned new things, but it might be a bit of a struggle for some readers.
Other than that, it's a beautiful story with great twists and turns. You won't be bored!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Unleishd_reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I flew through *Bonds of Silver and Mist* by Veronica Chastain—it was such an easy, addictive read! The fae element was so much fun, and the world-building felt rich and vivid, like you could step right into it. The story kept me hooked, and while a few parts felt a little predictable, I didn’t even mind because it was just that enjoyable. If you’re into magical realms and fae drama, this one’s definitely worth picking up. Can’t wait for book 2!

[briebriereads · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / ❌
✨Fae
✨Banter
✨Magical Realms


I found that I was breezing through this book pretty easily. This is considered more of a YA Fantasy book but it is an adventurous one. There is so much lore throughout the story. I love the banter between the main characters. It ends on a cliff hanger so I am looking forward to book 2!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story and the writing style, I just never felt compelled to keep reading. I think I just needed a deeper connection to the characters and stronger character interactions to hold my interest better.

Thank you to book sirens for the ARC. These are my honest opinions.

[linda ⋆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,5

First of all, thank you Book Sirens for the ARC!
The first 100 pages were great. I was curious, I liked the setting and I had high hopes. The concept of Bonds of Silver and Mist seemed interesting. But by the end it was so confusing, it just drove me crazy. Honestly, I thought the plot was so inconsistent. The characters barely developed, they didn't form strong relationships with each other. Lily was so naive and stupid that I couldn't stand her. And Troy… He was just annoying. I had the feeling while reading the book that the author just put every trope she liked into the book. And that's how the story was born. It could have been so much better, I don't know why I feel that way, this book just wasn't for me. For the future, I would suggest that the characters and the world-building should be more detailed. That would have added a lot to the book. Also, some things could have been explained better, again mostly related to world building. Because it may be clear to the writer how things are in the world she has created, but it may not be clear to the readers without all the explanation.

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ACR of this book for free, and I am leaving this honest review. FMC Lily gets in a fight with her mother and runs away to live with her (potentially senile) grandma. Grandma disappears and Lily goes on an adventure to find out what happened to her. Lily annoyed me somewhat because her careless decisions and not learning from her mistakes right off the bat. I felt like this book had a lot of potential but I couldn’t get into a “one more chapter” mood. The book only snagged my attention the last fourth of the book. I would probably read the next book just to see how it pans out.

[Jen]

|ARC Review|

I got 51% of the way through before deciding to DNF this book because I could not get into it.

The storyline seems ok, but it is very slow moving for me. I do realize it is a YA book, but I think I expected more fast paced. Especially with the trials and adventures Lily went through up until my DNF point and will likely continue to go through on her quest to find her Grandmother. Also, some parts of the slow burn/"tension" between Lily and Troy is a bit cringe for me.

[Stephanie Roy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had high hopes going into Bonds of Silver and Mist by Veronica Chastain, and while it didn’t completely blow me away, it was an enjoyable read with a lot of potential. The premise was intriguing—Lily’s life takes a sharp turn when her grandmother mysteriously disappears, leading her into a world where fae politics and ancient dangers lurk beneath every shadow.

The writing was lovely and descriptive, especially when it came to the mist-covered world of the fae. I could practically feel the magic in the air. However, I found the first part of the book a bit confusing. There were so many new fae customs and traps introduced at once that it was hard to keep track of everything. It felt like I was constantly playing catch-up with the worldbuilding instead of being seamlessly immersed.

Lily, the protagonist, had her moments. She’s brave and determined, but her impulsive choices often made me groan. I understand that recklessness is part of her charm, but sometimes I wished she’d think things through a bit more. That said, her flaws made her feel realistic, even if it was frustrating to watch her stumble into obvious danger.

One thing I missed was a stronger romantic connection. There was tension and a spark between certain characters, but it wasn’t quite enough to satisfy my love for slow-burn, intense romances. It felt like it was building up to something more that never fully materialized, which left me a bit disappointed.

The pacing improved significantly in the latter half, and the last few chapters had me hooked. I loved the twists and the way the stakes finally came together. It made me curious enough to want to continue the series and see where Lily’s journey leads next.

Overall, I’d give Bonds of Silver and Mist 3.5 stars. It’s an atmospheric fae adventure with solid worldbuilding and potential for more. While it didn’t quite hit all the marks for me, I think fans of lighter fantasy with a hint of romance and plenty of intrigue will enjoy it.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily, thank BookSirens!

[Jan Niblock · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given an ARC for an honest review of this book. I must say that I totally enjoyed it and cannot wait for the next book in the series to come out.

Lily was at a crossroads of her life. As a child, she spent time with her grandmother in the Scottish Highlands. Then at about her 10th year, her mother decided that they needed to move to the city and get away from her mother’s so-called infatuation with the Fae. Lily now has finished her school and needed to find what she wanted to do with her life. But her grandmother had fallen and hurt herself very sorely, so Lily decided to go and help her. This was not going to be an easy visit. Her mother did not want her to go and when she got there, she did have some misgivings.

So, Lily finds herself in a world that she has no idea of how to survive because the rules are foreign to her. Her grandmother gives her a beautiful silver necklace with 3 rose on it (one of the roses has wilted) and tell her to never take it off. She goes on an errand for her grandmother only to come home and find her grandmother missing and bogeys and red hats attack her. She is saved by a man called Troy. As they make their escape, Lily finds that Troy is a Kelpie, but she is unsure what that is.

With Troy’s help, Lily goes on a search for her grandmother. She meets with other Fae Folks and visits the Seelie Court. I don’t want to say too much because it will spoil the story. But she ends up fulfilling the prophecy/advice that she was given while doing delivering something for her grandmother. A Fae in her grandmother’s form tells her that she has issues with trust. That it will be her undoing but she forgets the words when she tells her grandmother about the meeting. Now she has no idea of who to trust and discovers that her grandmother and her are connected with the Wild Hunt which both Seelie Courts are interested in.

Looking forward to seeing where her plans take her and if she finally learns who she can trust. Also, if she can find her grandmother.

[Clairelettersandmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Veronica Chastain weaves a dark and enchanting tale in "Bonds of Silver and Mist", blending fae folklore with an edge of mystery and slow-burn romance. The book immerses readers in a dangerous world where every decision carries weight, and the cost of a misstep could be devastating.

The story follows Lily Boyd as she confronts the eerie disappearance of her grandmother, thrusting her into the enigmatic and treacherous realm of the fae. The rules of this world—never thank them, never give your name—loom over every interaction, heightening the tension as Lily learns to navigate the power struggles between the Seelie and Unseelie Courts. The plot is gripping, with secrets and twists keeping the pages turning.

Lily’s reluctant partnership with Troy, a mysterious fae with secrets of his own, is a standout aspect of the novel. The slow-burn romance is beautifully handled, balancing tension, mistrust, and growing intimacy. Chastain’s characterization shines, with Lily’s resilience and wit pairing well with Troy’s brooding charm.

The world-building is rich and atmospheric, with a sense of danger and allure in every detail of the fae realm. Fans of ACOTAR will appreciate the intricate court politics and the palpable stakes.

Overall, "Bonds of Silver and Mist" is a compelling start to a new series, blending mystery, romance, and fantasy seamlessly. With its well-developed characters, lush world-building, and a plot that keeps you guessing, it’s an enjoyable read that leaves you eager for the next installment.

[Piros OlaSz · Rating 1 out of 5]

Story: lil’Red Riding Hood start, granny is in the woods.

Girl from MAN to come visit her sick grandma beside a small village where she grew up until ma and grandma were in non-compliance. I also thought that it was a girls only childhood when about 60% of the book it turns out she has a father (and I don’t mean here biologically but being there kinda father)

Granny brews stuff and girl denies fae and support on brewing.

But there is Fae. Sickness solving potions too.

Strange happenings. Without really much to it.

Than granny disappears.

And comes the bad things (brownies who became boogey?) and a Kelpie called Troy (?!?!?!)

They do stuff. I mean girl and Troy.

Girls is quiet simple minded and acts like an unmatured teen.

Troy, the Kelpie is rude and smirks a lot. Has green eyes too.

Nothing really happens beside chasing grandma from one clearing to another.

They do talk and then it is described what it means. ?!?! Guy (Troy) stops here with gestures not to talk and she is happy as otherwise she would tell sg. stupid?!

I hate to not finish books and I was 1 eyeroll more and I cant do more close to DNF.

So all in all I was more than unhappy with the heroine whom I found dumb and if not that she was cruel (why did she kill the dragon even it offering her a gift with such a cruel manner?!)

I only finished as I received an advance review copy for free, so wanted to honor my promis and keep the hope it gets better. Unfortunately it doesnt and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jen T · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fan of the original Faerie Sworn series, I was very excited to read this new and improved release. Lily’s visiting her eccentric Grandmother when she disappears soon after Lily sees two portents of death. Soon Lily is saved by Troy, who claims to be a friend of her Grandmother, but the slippery fae is clearly hiding more information than he’s sharing with Lily. Regardless, Lily is appreciative of his help when she has to navigate the fae world to try to discover what happened to her Grandmother. But can safely trust him or any of the fae she meets?

I Lily, but I did have to keep reminding myself that she’s young and very naïve to the fae world, especially when she made a few decisions I wasn’t happy with. I really like Troy, especially when he keeps helping Lily, even when he doesn’t have to. I find myself suspicious of Cadowain, so I’ll wait for the next book to decide if I like him or not. The author has created a vibrant world and interesting characters that I am excited to read more about. The book ends on less of cliffhanger and more of an intermission in the plot, and I’m definitely looking forward to reading the next book in the series!

[Sidra Hoorain · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recieved and advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book had me on my toes the whole time! The writing is really nice and unique, loved the description!! But you need to read it very carefully, because every single detail matters. As I kept reading, i started putting pieces together, and i couldn't put the book down!!! 🫶🫶💯

Firstly, I love how Lily uses her knowledge and skills. She's determined and doesn't give up easily. She's firm in her beliefs and is optimistic when faced with tough situations, while she can also be sensitive and emotional at the same time!! 💗🫶 Loved her character development!! She's witty, strong and her dedication to save the people she loves is admirable! ✨🖤

The There's Troy. This man 😩🤌 Love the way he calls her by her full name! Love how he doesn't judge her and tries to understand from where she's coming from. He's so mysterious and i wanted to read more about him!! 🫠

Overall, this book is unique and keeps you hooked, making you want to find out the truth. Definitely recommend if you likes story with strong characters, and a plot that keeps you guessing! 💗🫶

[Cari · Rating 4 out of 5]

The unique feeling of this book was what first drew me in. It brought to mind the old cautionary tales about dealing with the fair folk, but told in the more modern viewpoint of a mortal living through it. Starting first with MacKenna, who I am sorry to say we only meet briefly, then continuing with Lily, her granddaughter.

I loved the fairies in this book. They were as I have always thought them to be, capricious, with motivations and outlooks that are nothing like a mortal’s. Their speech was almost never straight forward and there were always layers of meaning to sift through.

I admit a certain frustration with Lily. She sometimes seemed almost willfully ignorant and I wondered at her repeated bad decisions. I had hoped all of that was meant to illustrate (perhaps overly so) just how naïve and truly ignorant she was. She does show some promise that she will grow into her own, though it doesn't quite happen in this book. I guess we will just have to see what future books bring.

Thank you to the author for sending me an advance review copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Caroline Abreu · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a promising beginning to a new series. Lily Boyd is a young woman who has returned from the city to live with her Grandmother, who is a local healer of the hedgewitch variety that has long desired to apprentice Lily and teach her the ways she's learned over the years. Lily has been modernized, however, and lacks all but basic interest in the work; in addition she is skeptical of anything magical being real.

Thanks to her Grandmother being spirited away, Lily has a hard lesson in the reality of magic and magical beings, in particular the fae, seelie, and unseelie. An obligated kelpie by her side, she makes her way in and out of the other in an attempt to find her Grandmother, and develop a savvy for dealing directly with beings who are not mortal, and in fact are quite dangerous to humans. She must take a side, seelie or unseelie, while preserving her own freedom in the quest.

Ends as you'd expect, as this is not a stand-alone, but the world-building and character development is good, as well as the descriptions of various kinds of fae. Enjoyable fantasy.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I read the first edition of this series. While I normally wouldn’t do a re-read, I really loved the first edition so I was curious. And honestly, I loved this book too.

When you can read a fantasy novel without struggling with names, imagery, myths, etc, it’s sooooo enjoyable, and that’s exactly how Chastain writes. You can easily pick up this book, start reading, and just get lost in the story.

Lily’s grandmother goes missing when she’s there visiting, and all of a sudden the fae and other supernatural beings become visible to Lily, and one, Troy, helps Lily try and find her grandmother.
It is Lily’s first time dealing with fae though, and she definitely makes some mistakes along the way. Which just makes the book that much more interesting.

So if you like fantasy, and the fae, give Bonds of Silver and Mist a read!

*I received a free copy of this book from the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Lyss · Rating 4 out of 5]

While keeping in mind that this is the first in a series I did enjoy this book. There were times I couldn't put it down and times I didn't want to pick it up. Now that I've finished it, I'm anxiously awaiting book two. I want to know more, I want to know how all the pieces come together. One thing I really struggled with while reading were the amount of typos or wrong words used. I fully understand that writers are human (hopefully) and typos can be expected. I also understand that I read an advanced copy and it may not be fully edited yet. The problem for me is it would take me completely out of the story, getting hung up on a word and trying to figure out what was meant.
Over all, I would recommend the book and I hope to read more from the author.

I received a copy of this book for free and I am freely sharing my opinion.

[Eva Kouvari · Rating 3 out of 5]

A big thank you to BookSirens for the E-Arc.

In this book, we follow Lily, a young woman who visits her grandmother after an accident she had.

Lily is a smart, when she wants to be, determined, young woman and with the help of Troy, a handsome, strong young man, she sets off to find her grandmother when she goes missing.

I knew what Troy is when it was mentioned, and I loved the way the author revealed it to Lily.
I loved every piece of Folklore and I can't wait to read more in the next book.

I am also expecting some character development, since most of the things Lily did, made zero sense, even tho, she had the right idea in her mind.

The book is fast paced, with a story driven plot, great descriptions and good - written characters.
I needed some more world bulding, but maybe that's something we get to see in the next book.

[Anastey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you BookSirens and Veronica Chastain. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Overall I enjoyed this book. The pacing is a bit unsteady, and the worldbuilding in the beginning is slow. Once you get past the first few chapters, it starts to pick up the pace a lot.

Of the two MCs, I definitely resonated with Troy way more. He felt like he had a lot more backstory, and deeper conflicting emotions that were fun to figure out as a reader. I deeply enjoyed his trickster nature too.

Unfortunately Lily annoyed me a lot. She is very naive, and slow to learn how to deal with the fae. She makes a lot of really dumb decisions that get her, and Troy into deeper trouble at every turn. She reminds me a lot of Sarah from the Labyrinth movie.

I loved the different aspects an places in this world so much. All the descriptions are lush and I can easily imagine them in my mind as if they were real. I liked the wide variety of people and creatures we encounter as well, and navigating fae bargains and politics is always something I love to read.

[Savanna Long · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up!

We are thrown into Lily’s world, when she visits her grandmother in the Scotland Highlands. Cottage in the woods, mixing potions, fae tales and creature of nightmares all within the first few chapters.

This book starts out strong, then significantly slows down to provide world building and key information about our characters. Keep in mind this is the first book in a series! I pushed through and it picked back up around the 80% mark and then it was a race til the end and I couldn’t help but finish the entire thing in one evening!

Of course it ends on a cliffhanger, here’s to hoping the sequel comes out soon. Thank you to the author and BookSirens for gifting me this ARC, I am happy to leave this review voluntarily 😊

[BeBop19 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked trip of the uniqueness of this book. Troy and Lily seem to be at odds with each other at times, but I believe that’s part of Troy’s charm. Being Fae is fun and the oh thr twists we mere humans must jump to just to get some answers. Lily I believe is so confused about what she learns but I think she definitely should have trust Troy more even with the omissions, he had proven that he was working with her, but Lily will learn. I wish the author had finished the story and not left as incomplete. Endings book on the climax doesn’t make it a series in my opinion it is just plain frustrating as the reader. I am excited to see though that she is planning a second book, but now I wait to get the ending of this journey.

[Christinaraven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lily returns to her grandma's house years after her last visit and is reminded about how cooky her dear gran was with her talk of the fae. But then gramma disappears and Lily learns that the fae really exist in the most horrible way. Then things get even more crazy. A god story that was full of danger, trouble, surprises, Fae and their courts, and the mystery of where is gramma. I enjoyed the story and trying to guess what is going on and wondering what would happen next. Good story, characters and fun to read. I will admit at times wanted to shake my head at poor Lilly but then remember that she is still in shock about what is going on and she is barely an adult too. But made for a good story.

[Roses and Rambles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bonds of Silver and Mist was one of the most unique fantasy books I have read in quite some time. I loved how the fae realm was set in the modern world unbeknownst to humans, much like the Harry Potter and Percy Jackson series The plot drew me in immediately, and I couldn't put the book down for the first half. However, I started getting lost about halfway through. The characters felt flat, and I didn't connect with them or their goals. I enjoyed the story and finished the book, but it didn't resonate with me like I had hoped it would. Overall, it was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it to anyone looking for clean dark fantasy. However, I probably won't read it again soon.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Adrianna Heaney-velu · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Bonds of Silver and Mist,” by Veronica Chastain

This was a fun book. I really liked reading it, I loved the mystery behind Troy. I loved Troy’s and Lily’s relationship and the slow-burn tension between the two’s attractions and shyness of each other. Troy is on the grumpy side but not overly grumpy, he’s actually a sweet, caring person but helps “against his will” lol. The Fae characters were characters I don’t normally see in Fae books in this type of context. I really liked the story and can’t wait for the next book. 4 out of 5 stars.

-Fae
-Portal Fantasy
-Slow Burn

Thank you for the ARC, Hiddengems.

[Skyler Rodriguez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had me reeled in from the moment I read the synopsis and I knew we’d be in the Highlands.

I found the storyline and characters lovable and it was easily followed. I enjoyed the determination of our MFC and I hope in the future books of the series she grows and adapts to the fae realm flawlessly.

The slow simmering developing infatuation between the two MC’s is so strategically written. While some slow burns leave you frustrated this one leaves you feeling refreshed with the ability of an author to build a relationship before obsession.

I can’t wait for the rest of the series.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the author and to BookSirens for this ARC! I read 57% of this book and then decided not to finish. Let me explain though… there were no glaring reasons for my disinterest. It was simply that I think I’ve outgrown YA books. I have been reading solely new adult/adult books, and I didn’t realize what a big difference that is for me now. I think the plot is interesting and the book is written well, it is just very much a YA book. I think this would be a great book for a reader who is just beginning to get into the fantasy genre or who is younger. The plot drew me in right off the bat, but I personally needed more romance and complexity to stay engaged.