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Sage's Sanctuary #1
The Quiet Light
Immortal dragons can’t mate with humans… or can they?
500 years ago, Yora went into magical stasis to escape her violent life as the Sage of Wrath. Now she’s awoken because a hunted dragon shifter needs help, but the last thing she wants is to go back to war.
She’d much rather stay in her cottage with the dragon, Zan, and eat every kind of ice cream she can imagine. Even if she knows better than to give in to the rush she feels around him… Dragons can’t mate with humans, and soon Zan will have to leave again.
But the dragon’s flight has brought danger to Yora’s doorstep. Dark powers are desperate to claim her destructive powers for themselves, and they’ll stop at nothing to bring her under their control.
Yora knows how to use her wrath to destroy. But if she can harness that same magic to build instead, maybe she can protect her found family in Crystal Hollow—and find a way to stay with Zan for all of their days, too.
The Quiet Light is the first book of an ice cream-filled spicy cozy fantasy romance trilogy in the world of Sage’s Sanctuary, where the most powerful and vulnerable alike find refuge in an isolated mountain cottage with only one bed. Sage’s Sanctuary is full of dragon encounters, tender romance and hilarious banter, building community and having each other’s backs, and finding who you are and what you stand for.
500 years ago, Yora went into magical stasis to escape her violent life as the Sage of Wrath. Now she’s awoken because a hunted dragon shifter needs help, but the last thing she wants is to go back to war.
She’d much rather stay in her cottage with the dragon, Zan, and eat every kind of ice cream she can imagine. Even if she knows better than to give in to the rush she feels around him… Dragons can’t mate with humans, and soon Zan will have to leave again.
But the dragon’s flight has brought danger to Yora’s doorstep. Dark powers are desperate to claim her destructive powers for themselves, and they’ll stop at nothing to bring her under their control.
Yora knows how to use her wrath to destroy. But if she can harness that same magic to build instead, maybe she can protect her found family in Crystal Hollow—and find a way to stay with Zan for all of their days, too.
The Quiet Light is the first book of an ice cream-filled spicy cozy fantasy romance trilogy in the world of Sage’s Sanctuary, where the most powerful and vulnerable alike find refuge in an isolated mountain cottage with only one bed. Sage’s Sanctuary is full of dragon encounters, tender romance and hilarious banter, building community and having each other’s backs, and finding who you are and what you stand for.
414 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 10, 2026
60 people are currently reading
744 people want to read
About the author
Casey Blair
17 books251 followersCasey Blair is a bestselling author of hopeful fantasy novels about ambitious women who dare, including the Tea Princess Chronicles, Sundered Realms, and Diamond Universe: Sierra Walker series. Her own adventures have included teaching English in rural Japan, taking a train to Tibet, rappelling down waterfalls in Costa Rica, and practicing capoeira. She now lives in the Pacific Northwest and can be found dancing spontaneously, exploring forests around the world, or trapped under a cat.
For more information visit her website caseyblair.com or follow her on Instagram @CaseyLBlair.
For more information visit her website caseyblair.com or follow her on Instagram @CaseyLBlair.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Quiet Light had so much promise, only to sadly fall short.
Blair has a clear vision for the world-building and magical system in her story, and these are easily the book’s strongest qualities. However, these strengths are overshadowed by an awkward writing style, an irregular narrative pace, and a lack of immersion.
A story that should have felt like a whimsical anime fantasy ultimately didn’t, due to some odd narration choices that disrupted the immersion. One such moment includes describing a small café as “f***ing cute and quaint as s**t,” which felt crass and out of place.
Unfortunately, this isn’t a book I could finish and it joins my DNF shelf. I couldn’t progress far enough to reach the romance and spice, but the world-building and magical system foundations held so much potential for a complex and entertaining novel.
Thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing for allowing me the opportunity to review this book 🩷
Blair has a clear vision for the world-building and magical system in her story, and these are easily the book’s strongest qualities. However, these strengths are overshadowed by an awkward writing style, an irregular narrative pace, and a lack of immersion.
A story that should have felt like a whimsical anime fantasy ultimately didn’t, due to some odd narration choices that disrupted the immersion. One such moment includes describing a small café as “f***ing cute and quaint as s**t,” which felt crass and out of place.
Unfortunately, this isn’t a book I could finish and it joins my DNF shelf. I couldn’t progress far enough to reach the romance and spice, but the world-building and magical system foundations held so much potential for a complex and entertaining novel.
Thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing for allowing me the opportunity to review this book 🩷
Did Not Finish
March 4, 2026I felt so lost in this story. The start just kind of throws you in and expects you to know a lot of background from the prequel. It was hard to connect or get drawn in because I was just confused or waiting for explanations or context that never came. This was sadly a DNF for me.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Overall Rating: 3.5 ⭐
Spice Level: 2 – a few explicit scenes toward the end
Overall Thoughts:
This book blends several different elements—cozy cottage fantasy, romance, dragon lore, and deeper themes of identity and trauma. While the premise is intriguing and there are moments that work well, the execution felt uneven for me. The story introduces a lot of interesting ideas but doesn’t always give them enough space to fully develop.
What Worked for Me:
• The cozy small-town atmosphere adds a charming backdrop to the story.
• Ice cream being a recurring theme was quirky and fun in the lighter moments.
• The idea of the first human–dragon mating bond creates an interesting foreshadowing of complications to presumably come in later books
• The main character relationships for the most part seemed genuine but sometimes very confusing to follow with things being forced and hidden and pursued in such extreme measures.
• I really enjoyed the supporting characters
What Didn’t Work for Me:
• The romance progression felt extremely rushed. Yara had never even experienced basic physical affection before, yet the story quickly jumps from minimal contact to fully explicit scenes. The shift felt abrupt and made the intimacy feel rushed rather than romantic.
• Several heavier themes—identity struggles, trauma, and social dynamics—are introduced but never fully explored or given the time to be fully felt. There is a lot of potential but with so many complex themes, they felt underserved.
• The confrontation with the Order of Priests is built up throughout the book but ends very quickly and feels anticlimactic.
• Some vocabulary choices and sentence structure disrupted the reading flow, making parts of the book difficult to follow.
• This is book 1 but I feel like we were forced right into a story that required 500 years of information that we missed on and were constantly trying to catch up on
Romance / Characters:
Yara and Zan have an interesting premise with the unusual human–dragon bond, but the relationship develops very quickly. Because of that pacing, some of the emotional and romantic moments didn’t feel as earned as they could have.
Who This Is For:
Readers who enjoy cozy fantasy settings, dragon lore, and romantic fantasy with lighter spice and unique magical concepts.
Final Line:
A creative premise with some charming ideas, but uneven pacing and rushed romantic development kept it from fully landing for me.
*Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy to review in exchange for honest review
Spice Level: 2 – a few explicit scenes toward the end
Overall Thoughts:
This book blends several different elements—cozy cottage fantasy, romance, dragon lore, and deeper themes of identity and trauma. While the premise is intriguing and there are moments that work well, the execution felt uneven for me. The story introduces a lot of interesting ideas but doesn’t always give them enough space to fully develop.
What Worked for Me:
• The cozy small-town atmosphere adds a charming backdrop to the story.
• Ice cream being a recurring theme was quirky and fun in the lighter moments.
• The idea of the first human–dragon mating bond creates an interesting foreshadowing of complications to presumably come in later books
• The main character relationships for the most part seemed genuine but sometimes very confusing to follow with things being forced and hidden and pursued in such extreme measures.
• I really enjoyed the supporting characters
What Didn’t Work for Me:
• The romance progression felt extremely rushed. Yara had never even experienced basic physical affection before, yet the story quickly jumps from minimal contact to fully explicit scenes. The shift felt abrupt and made the intimacy feel rushed rather than romantic.
• Several heavier themes—identity struggles, trauma, and social dynamics—are introduced but never fully explored or given the time to be fully felt. There is a lot of potential but with so many complex themes, they felt underserved.
• The confrontation with the Order of Priests is built up throughout the book but ends very quickly and feels anticlimactic.
• Some vocabulary choices and sentence structure disrupted the reading flow, making parts of the book difficult to follow.
• This is book 1 but I feel like we were forced right into a story that required 500 years of information that we missed on and were constantly trying to catch up on
Romance / Characters:
Yara and Zan have an interesting premise with the unusual human–dragon bond, but the relationship develops very quickly. Because of that pacing, some of the emotional and romantic moments didn’t feel as earned as they could have.
Who This Is For:
Readers who enjoy cozy fantasy settings, dragon lore, and romantic fantasy with lighter spice and unique magical concepts.
Final Line:
A creative premise with some charming ideas, but uneven pacing and rushed romantic development kept it from fully landing for me.
*Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy to review in exchange for honest review
March 7, 2026
I had so much fun reading this book. The first chapter literally has you totally hooked, and I mean the chemistry is there from the very beginning, actually obsessed. I really liked the magic in this, it was honestly really interesting and unique, I loved whenever Yora used her magic.
The main characters Yora and Zan were great main characters. Yora is so strong willed, literally doesn’t take any crap and absolutely clocks everyone. Zan is a bit more reserved, but their banter together is just, ahhh, it did feel a bit repetitive at times, but I mean they were flirting from the very beginning 🤭.
I also loved the side characters, I think the community is Crystal Hollow was awesome, aside from a few people 🫢, but I absolutely had so much fun reading the community meetings, I also just adored the main side characters in this.
I’m so excited to read the next books in this series, I’m really curious about the Priests, what’s going to happen to them and the other sages, and the world outside Crystal Hollow. Be carful when reading this book though, you’ll most certainly CONSTANTLY crave ice cream 🍦🍨, I’m going to eat some now 😅🤭.
My favourite quote from this book: “A knife can stab a person, but it can also cut bread”
Thank you to Behind The Pages, and the author for this incredible ARC 💗
The main characters Yora and Zan were great main characters. Yora is so strong willed, literally doesn’t take any crap and absolutely clocks everyone. Zan is a bit more reserved, but their banter together is just, ahhh, it did feel a bit repetitive at times, but I mean they were flirting from the very beginning 🤭.
I also loved the side characters, I think the community is Crystal Hollow was awesome, aside from a few people 🫢, but I absolutely had so much fun reading the community meetings, I also just adored the main side characters in this.
I’m so excited to read the next books in this series, I’m really curious about the Priests, what’s going to happen to them and the other sages, and the world outside Crystal Hollow. Be carful when reading this book though, you’ll most certainly CONSTANTLY crave ice cream 🍦🍨, I’m going to eat some now 😅🤭.
My favourite quote from this book: “A knife can stab a person, but it can also cut bread”
Thank you to Behind The Pages, and the author for this incredible ARC 💗
Read
March 2, 2026This may be labeled as the first in the series, but really the prequel is. Have I read the prequel? No, no I have not. Did I need to? 1000% yes.
I felt lost in this story from the start BUT I can tell you if I had read the prequel and knew the backstory for the last 500 years, this story would have been amazing. So I am putting this on hold and trying again AFTER the prequel.
It has all of the elements to be a great cozy romantasy, I just need the backstory first to understand what is happening.
I felt lost in this story from the start BUT I can tell you if I had read the prequel and knew the backstory for the last 500 years, this story would have been amazing. So I am putting this on hold and trying again AFTER the prequel.
It has all of the elements to be a great cozy romantasy, I just need the backstory first to understand what is happening.
Want to Read
February 18, 2026Received an ARC! 💜
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
✨ A cosy adventure through self-discovery, intentional love and owning your feelings ✨
This one was off to a somewhst slow start for me and I wasn't sure the tone of it was for me. However, around the 20% mark something changed and I found myself steaming through this book as I really wanted to know how it would all work out!
The FMC, Yora, has spent her entire life being controlled by people who have told her that they know what's good for her. Now, with the help of Zan, she slowly starts to unlearn what has been ingrained in her and replaces that with learning about herself. Her wants. Her needs. Her hopes.
Zan is swoon-worthy, being completely obsessed with Yora and determined to help her to learn how to really, truly live for herself. Their relationship is sweet and playful but don't mistake that for lacking spice. When they get to that point, you better believe it was worth the wait!
Cosy, ice-cream shop romance type stories aren't my usual vibe but I am SO glad that the cover on this one was pretty enough that it made me want to read it 😂 I can't wait for book 2!
This one was off to a somewhst slow start for me and I wasn't sure the tone of it was for me. However, around the 20% mark something changed and I found myself steaming through this book as I really wanted to know how it would all work out!
The FMC, Yora, has spent her entire life being controlled by people who have told her that they know what's good for her. Now, with the help of Zan, she slowly starts to unlearn what has been ingrained in her and replaces that with learning about herself. Her wants. Her needs. Her hopes.
Zan is swoon-worthy, being completely obsessed with Yora and determined to help her to learn how to really, truly live for herself. Their relationship is sweet and playful but don't mistake that for lacking spice. When they get to that point, you better believe it was worth the wait!
Cosy, ice-cream shop romance type stories aren't my usual vibe but I am SO glad that the cover on this one was pretty enough that it made me want to read it 😂 I can't wait for book 2!
March 8, 2026
ARC Review
I was initially drawn to this story from the blurb describing a young sage woman waking up from a 500 year “coma” to protect a dragon shifter who then provides her safety and reacclimatizes her to the world. However, i really struggled to get through this book. We spend so much time in Yora’s mind that the story’s writing really comes across as stream of consciousness. Additionally, while it’s marketed as having a strong emphasis on ice cream and coziness, I was not prepared for the whole book to really center on making ice cream. Unfortunately this felt like it really lowered the stakes of the whole story. Finally, while I appreciated Yora and Zan’s relationship, I wish we got a better sense of who Zan was and all he’d been through prior to Yora waking up. However, if you love living inside a character’s mind and a self-growth arc then this might be the perfect book for you!
Thank you to the author and her publisher for the ARC.
I was initially drawn to this story from the blurb describing a young sage woman waking up from a 500 year “coma” to protect a dragon shifter who then provides her safety and reacclimatizes her to the world. However, i really struggled to get through this book. We spend so much time in Yora’s mind that the story’s writing really comes across as stream of consciousness. Additionally, while it’s marketed as having a strong emphasis on ice cream and coziness, I was not prepared for the whole book to really center on making ice cream. Unfortunately this felt like it really lowered the stakes of the whole story. Finally, while I appreciated Yora and Zan’s relationship, I wish we got a better sense of who Zan was and all he’d been through prior to Yora waking up. However, if you love living inside a character’s mind and a self-growth arc then this might be the perfect book for you!
Thank you to the author and her publisher for the ARC.
February 16, 2026
A fun, easy read!
One thing this book does well is to create a rich setting and cast of side characters that really make you envy Yora and Zen's experience. I would absolutely love to go blackberry picking up a mountain side and sell ice cream to the varied group of people in the town! I fell in love with Nomi and Teren, their "family" dynamic was perfect and I really enjoyed watching Yora help Teren develop his skills.
The magic system is another interesting element, Yora is Wrath - the latest in a long line of the God of Wrath's descendants. There are other Sage's like Yora (which I think we'll see more of in future books!) but even with the few we see here, I like the concept of how their magic can be triggered and applied. The fact that Dragons can embed their scales into various helpful tools is also a uniqueness to the plot that I enjoyed.
However, this book feels like it's tried to be too many things at once. It's fantasy, because we've got dragons and magic. It's romance, because we've got Yora and Zen dancing around each other as Fated Mates. It's cosy, because they're in a small town and making ice cream for the community. It's political because Yora is fighting against Priests that want to use Sage's powers for themselves. With this many elements crammed in, it can be hard to see the purpose behind the book.
It's also marketed as the first in the Sage's Sanctuary series, though it's prequel The Quiet Side is already published. I've not read the prequel, but I think it would've benefited me if I had. Unfortunately, there's a lot of info-dumping early on in The Quiet Light that really drags the pacing down to explain what's happened already in The Quiet Side (or what's happened while Yora's been meditating).
Despite the book having so many moving parts, it's very dialogue-heavy. There are a lot of conversations as a means of sharing information, and when not talking, Yora is repeatedly thinking over the same key thoughts. If her Wrath is meant to bring her clarity, why is she spiraling and taking so long to process various developments?
Yora's growing relationship with Zen is nice, though it's like their feelings are already there - almost insta-love. This isn't my personal preference, but I'm sure others would enjoy this. Though I wish Zen had had more dragon moments. Some of the draw for this book is the dragon-shifter element, but for the majority of it's pages Zen is in human form and hiding his appearance.
I can tell that the author really loves their characters and their world, I just don't think that it worked for me personally. I'm sure existing fans of the authors work, and those looking for an original cosy fantasy romance with political elements would enjoy this book!
Thank you to Casey Blair for the opportunity to receive an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
One thing this book does well is to create a rich setting and cast of side characters that really make you envy Yora and Zen's experience. I would absolutely love to go blackberry picking up a mountain side and sell ice cream to the varied group of people in the town! I fell in love with Nomi and Teren, their "family" dynamic was perfect and I really enjoyed watching Yora help Teren develop his skills.
The magic system is another interesting element, Yora is Wrath - the latest in a long line of the God of Wrath's descendants. There are other Sage's like Yora (which I think we'll see more of in future books!) but even with the few we see here, I like the concept of how their magic can be triggered and applied. The fact that Dragons can embed their scales into various helpful tools is also a uniqueness to the plot that I enjoyed.
However, this book feels like it's tried to be too many things at once. It's fantasy, because we've got dragons and magic. It's romance, because we've got Yora and Zen dancing around each other as Fated Mates. It's cosy, because they're in a small town and making ice cream for the community. It's political because Yora is fighting against Priests that want to use Sage's powers for themselves. With this many elements crammed in, it can be hard to see the purpose behind the book.
It's also marketed as the first in the Sage's Sanctuary series, though it's prequel The Quiet Side is already published. I've not read the prequel, but I think it would've benefited me if I had. Unfortunately, there's a lot of info-dumping early on in The Quiet Light that really drags the pacing down to explain what's happened already in The Quiet Side (or what's happened while Yora's been meditating).
Despite the book having so many moving parts, it's very dialogue-heavy. There are a lot of conversations as a means of sharing information, and when not talking, Yora is repeatedly thinking over the same key thoughts. If her Wrath is meant to bring her clarity, why is she spiraling and taking so long to process various developments?
Yora's growing relationship with Zen is nice, though it's like their feelings are already there - almost insta-love. This isn't my personal preference, but I'm sure others would enjoy this. Though I wish Zen had had more dragon moments. Some of the draw for this book is the dragon-shifter element, but for the majority of it's pages Zen is in human form and hiding his appearance.
I can tell that the author really loves their characters and their world, I just don't think that it worked for me personally. I'm sure existing fans of the authors work, and those looking for an original cosy fantasy romance with political elements would enjoy this book!
Thank you to Casey Blair for the opportunity to receive an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
April 5, 2026
I like the idea of expressive gods in human form and a dragon who's seen a lot of change over 500 years.
I'll be honest and say I struggled at times to follow along. Seems mandatory to read the prequel (The Quiet Side) to fully embrace the romance.
Zan and Yora hit that instalove trope. Hard to see why at times as this takes place over a few weeks at most. That prequel seems more like the first in series for the longing part. I did love the way they make ice cream. Fun, ADHD hyperfocus coded. Baking trope but cold! Just needed more build up.
Seems to be set in a feudal Japan adjacent time. Relies heavily in anime magic spaces. One of the top highlights was the found family aspect. I cheered them on every time. Small town meets outcast scenario. I appreciated the battle and confrontation scenes.
Thanks to Casey Blair and Netgalley for the opportunity to review The Quiet Light.
I'll be honest and say I struggled at times to follow along. Seems mandatory to read the prequel (The Quiet Side) to fully embrace the romance.
Zan and Yora hit that instalove trope. Hard to see why at times as this takes place over a few weeks at most. That prequel seems more like the first in series for the longing part. I did love the way they make ice cream. Fun, ADHD hyperfocus coded. Baking trope but cold! Just needed more build up.
Seems to be set in a feudal Japan adjacent time. Relies heavily in anime magic spaces. One of the top highlights was the found family aspect. I cheered them on every time. Small town meets outcast scenario. I appreciated the battle and confrontation scenes.
Thanks to Casey Blair and Netgalley for the opportunity to review The Quiet Light.
March 7, 2026
The Quiet Light
⭐️⭐️⭐️.50
Casey Blair
I fell in love with the cover of this book and love cozy fantasy type reads and so I loved the banter between the main characters and some of the more cozy elements to this story.
But, there were other elements that appeared to be what I would expect in other fantasy books so I think this didn’t hit the same way for me as I was focused on the cozy aspect and went in hoping this was the entire premise to this book.
But I think had I not been so set on the cover and feelings I had I would have appreciated this a bit more.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.50
Casey Blair
I fell in love with the cover of this book and love cozy fantasy type reads and so I loved the banter between the main characters and some of the more cozy elements to this story.
But, there were other elements that appeared to be what I would expect in other fantasy books so I think this didn’t hit the same way for me as I was focused on the cozy aspect and went in hoping this was the entire premise to this book.
But I think had I not been so set on the cover and feelings I had I would have appreciated this a bit more.
March 22, 2026
Excellent fantasy adventure with romance
I reread The Quiet Side before starting The Quiet Light; I had forgotten Side has well-written graphic sex scenes. Light also has graphic sex as a well-written, integral part of the story. More importantly, Light has....ICE CREAM AND A DRAGON. Yora and Zan are fascinating, memorable characters. Humor abounds as Yora explores her new life and the importance of ice cream. But bad things do happen, since the Order has no desire to lose their power in the empire.
I reread The Quiet Side before starting The Quiet Light; I had forgotten Side has well-written graphic sex scenes. Light also has graphic sex as a well-written, integral part of the story. More importantly, Light has....ICE CREAM AND A DRAGON. Yora and Zan are fascinating, memorable characters. Humor abounds as Yora explores her new life and the importance of ice cream. But bad things do happen, since the Order has no desire to lose their power in the empire.
February 22, 2026
ARC review
I’ll admit I struggled with this book but pushed through to the end. Although The Quiet Light is book one I think I would have possibly benefited from reading the prequel The Quiet Side.
I wished there had been more of the dragon shift as Zen spend a lot of time in human form and hiding his appearance.
I did really enjoy Yora and Zen’s blossoming relationship and the banter between the two characters.
I’ll admit I struggled with this book but pushed through to the end. Although The Quiet Light is book one I think I would have possibly benefited from reading the prequel The Quiet Side.
I wished there had been more of the dragon shift as Zen spend a lot of time in human form and hiding his appearance.
I did really enjoy Yora and Zen’s blossoming relationship and the banter between the two characters.
March 27, 2026
This story is the perfect blend of cosy, spicy, and utterly whimsical fantasy. The chemistry between Zan and Yora had me swooning and giggling at the same time. Add in magic fueled by wrath, banter that hits just right, and yes ice cream, and you’ve got a recipe for a magical page turner. I didn’t want it to end. This is a sparkling, heart-melting start to the Sage’s Sanctuary series, and I can’t wait to see where the series goes next!
March 7, 2026
Thank you to the author for allowing me to an e-ARC!
I want to say that this book had a lot of potential but some plot things didn’t connect together for me. Just felt like a lot of information was missing. I did enjoy the FMC, she’s a badass that deserved to shine even more.
I want to say that this book had a lot of potential but some plot things didn’t connect together for me. Just felt like a lot of information was missing. I did enjoy the FMC, she’s a badass that deserved to shine even more.
Did Not Finish
March 13, 2026I DNFed 31% in. I tried so hard to like this book but I just couldn't. The plot didn't make sense, the main character's romance felt forced and way too fast. The dialog was a little cringy making it difficult for me to get invested in the story.
March 10, 2026
If you enjoy colorful worlds, dragonshifter MMC and cute love, this cozy escape is for you. It’s wholesome and makes you crave blackberry ice cream 🍨
The FMC and MMC have some fun banter and cute chemistry. Their relationship picks up right from the start, and keeps progressing at a slow and steady pace 💕
The world building and magic is relatively easy to follow, and offers a magical world full of beauty, colors and magic.
The pacing can be slightly slow at times, but still very much enjoyable if you’re looking for a slow, chill pace snuggled up under a blanket.
I was offered an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review! ⭐️
The FMC and MMC have some fun banter and cute chemistry. Their relationship picks up right from the start, and keeps progressing at a slow and steady pace 💕
The world building and magic is relatively easy to follow, and offers a magical world full of beauty, colors and magic.
The pacing can be slightly slow at times, but still very much enjoyable if you’re looking for a slow, chill pace snuggled up under a blanket.
I was offered an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review! ⭐️
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book is a blend of cozy, dragons, magic, romance, and overcoming trauma. It was a very quick read however it is a little confusing. You start with the FMC is a deep meditative state and suddenly choosing to wake up. She has been meditating for 500 years and has to learn to catch up to the world 500 years later. I love the banter between the two main characters and watch their romance grow.
February 20, 2026
This a 3 ⭐️ review because of some « mistakes » I could not oversee but I had a pretty good time reading this book and actually loved the story. I will definitely be looking forward to read the following books.
This is a cozy fantasy with cute main characters.
I felt quickly very invested in the budding romance, a real slow-burn (500 years is a pretty long time).
The world they live in is fascinating. The concept of sages is really clever and the take on the dragons in this book is brilliant.
Now the less positive :
- The writing style is a bit awkward. The book is easy to read, since we are following the inner monologue of the FMC and many dialogues, but sometimes, out of nowhere, I had to grab my dictionary to learn a new unusual word. The punctuation is a bit peculiar too.
- I was not okay with the concept of ice house… not scientific-friendly at all. I would have preferred it explained with magic. (Well it felt like sound in space…)
- The first 2-3 chapters are chaotic. Without reading the prequel prior, I found it impossible to make everything make sense at first…
Overall I really liked this book and would probably recommend it but I would advise editing it a bit and reading the prequel first.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this ARC.
This is a cozy fantasy with cute main characters.
I felt quickly very invested in the budding romance, a real slow-burn (500 years is a pretty long time).
The world they live in is fascinating. The concept of sages is really clever and the take on the dragons in this book is brilliant.
Now the less positive :
- The writing style is a bit awkward. The book is easy to read, since we are following the inner monologue of the FMC and many dialogues, but sometimes, out of nowhere, I had to grab my dictionary to learn a new unusual word. The punctuation is a bit peculiar too.
- I was not okay with the concept of ice house… not scientific-friendly at all. I would have preferred it explained with magic. (Well it felt like sound in space…)
- The first 2-3 chapters are chaotic. Without reading the prequel prior, I found it impossible to make everything make sense at first…
Overall I really liked this book and would probably recommend it but I would advise editing it a bit and reading the prequel first.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Beautifully written from the start.
Yora; the MFC; has been in stasis for 500 years, until she is needed and reawakens. Ran, the MMC, has been waiting for her. Together, they form relationships in their village, protecting those that need protecting, all while trying to fight strengthening feelings for each other.
I did get a bit confused in places, but that was due to my own issues. However, the story flows well with beautiful illustrations to start each chapter and character break.
At the heart of it all, a beautifully set romantasy with the power of Ice Cream and strength in the face of adversary. A perfect read for those that love a strong MFC, slow-burn, will they won't they vibes and overcoming the odds.
Yora; the MFC; has been in stasis for 500 years, until she is needed and reawakens. Ran, the MMC, has been waiting for her. Together, they form relationships in their village, protecting those that need protecting, all while trying to fight strengthening feelings for each other.
I did get a bit confused in places, but that was due to my own issues. However, the story flows well with beautiful illustrations to start each chapter and character break.
At the heart of it all, a beautifully set romantasy with the power of Ice Cream and strength in the face of adversary. A perfect read for those that love a strong MFC, slow-burn, will they won't they vibes and overcoming the odds.
April 1, 2026
A solid 4.5 stars for me! This was such a cute story! I really loved the chemistry between Yora and Zan, they had good banter and the chemistry was *chefs kiss* The spice was really well done too! I’m not sure if I’d totally call this a cosy fantasy as it felt a bit more like a Romantasy but there was definite cosy vibes, I mean who doesn’t want to be gifted a cottage? I only dropped half a star because I felt like the story started a bit abruptly and I had to double check this was the first in the series but other than that it was fab! I’d definitely recommend this one and can’t wait to read the next in the series when it comes out!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.75 – thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op & Casey Blair for this ARC!
Wow. This was so poignant, hopeful, cosy…and generally just absolutely LOVELY.
The Quiet Light is a cosy fantasy romance, the first in the Sage’s Sanctuary trilogy. It follows Yora, the Sage of Wrath, who is awoken from her 500 year magical stasis by Zan, a dragon shifter, as they are being hunted by the same corrupt powers that Yora tried to stop before her stasis.
Together, they learn how to build a community with their found family through trust, communication and self-acceptance. There is some high stakes conflict here, but the bulk of this book is character focussed (my personal fav kind of story!).
I don’t even know how to articulate what I loved about this aside from EVERYTHING!! The world was so cosy, yet filled with absolutely justified rage and wrath. The romance was beautiful, both Yora and Zan were gorgeously fleshed out and their dynamic felt so lived in and real. Honestly, this book was a breath of fresh air, and perfectly channelled the anger that is just existing as a human with compassion in 2026 in a joyful, tender way.
There really isn’t much in this that didn’t work for me – the writing style took me a minute to get used to as there were a lot of very short paragraphs, and you are sort of just dropped in the thick of it at the beginning. However the payoff is excellent, so it’s not much of a gripe at all!
Casey Blair’s humour shines through the pages, so dry and unapologetic. I highlighted so many quotes, which is unusual for me as I am not usually one to annotate!
The tone is set right from the dedication:
“For everyone who's rightfully furious but refuses to let them steal your joy.”
The side characters were all wonderful too, and I cannot wait for book 2 (which is a continuation of Yora & Zan’s story?! YESSSSSS!). In the meantime, I will be hunting down the prequel, The Quiet Side.
This was such a delight. If you are looking for a cosy fantasy (with some *chefs kiss* spice), and you need some light in these dark times, I am begging you to get comfy with this and a tub of your fav ice cream when it publishes on 10th March!!
Some of my highlights:
“Every time I eat, I’ll have to choose the food. Every time! This is absolute madness that people apparently live with every day.”
“I want to keep all of him, his edginess and the fire underneath, his intensity and his assured calm and his hidden playfulness.”
“Don’t we all deserve to have more than simply what is necessary for literal survival? Don’t we all, sages and dragons and normal, extraordinary humans alike, deserve to have joy?”
“If you have to be forced to care about people other than yourself, you are the problem”
“If you believe you have the right to decide what responsibilities or knowledge a person can or should or need take up, that is still patronizing. A knife can stab a person, but it can also cut bread.”
“Let me destroy the belief that we have to sacrifice people and freedom for any goddamn reason.”
“Fighting can be the most compassionate thing you can do for another person. It can also be the most compassionate thing you do for yourself. I can be full of wrath and ice cream and love for a dragon all at once. I deserve to have it all.”
Wow. This was so poignant, hopeful, cosy…and generally just absolutely LOVELY.
The Quiet Light is a cosy fantasy romance, the first in the Sage’s Sanctuary trilogy. It follows Yora, the Sage of Wrath, who is awoken from her 500 year magical stasis by Zan, a dragon shifter, as they are being hunted by the same corrupt powers that Yora tried to stop before her stasis.
Together, they learn how to build a community with their found family through trust, communication and self-acceptance. There is some high stakes conflict here, but the bulk of this book is character focussed (my personal fav kind of story!).
I don’t even know how to articulate what I loved about this aside from EVERYTHING!! The world was so cosy, yet filled with absolutely justified rage and wrath. The romance was beautiful, both Yora and Zan were gorgeously fleshed out and their dynamic felt so lived in and real. Honestly, this book was a breath of fresh air, and perfectly channelled the anger that is just existing as a human with compassion in 2026 in a joyful, tender way.
There really isn’t much in this that didn’t work for me – the writing style took me a minute to get used to as there were a lot of very short paragraphs, and you are sort of just dropped in the thick of it at the beginning. However the payoff is excellent, so it’s not much of a gripe at all!
Casey Blair’s humour shines through the pages, so dry and unapologetic. I highlighted so many quotes, which is unusual for me as I am not usually one to annotate!
The tone is set right from the dedication:
“For everyone who's rightfully furious but refuses to let them steal your joy.”
The side characters were all wonderful too, and I cannot wait for book 2 (which is a continuation of Yora & Zan’s story?! YESSSSSS!). In the meantime, I will be hunting down the prequel, The Quiet Side.
This was such a delight. If you are looking for a cosy fantasy (with some *chefs kiss* spice), and you need some light in these dark times, I am begging you to get comfy with this and a tub of your fav ice cream when it publishes on 10th March!!
Some of my highlights:
“Every time I eat, I’ll have to choose the food. Every time! This is absolute madness that people apparently live with every day.”
“I want to keep all of him, his edginess and the fire underneath, his intensity and his assured calm and his hidden playfulness.”
“Don’t we all deserve to have more than simply what is necessary for literal survival? Don’t we all, sages and dragons and normal, extraordinary humans alike, deserve to have joy?”
“If you have to be forced to care about people other than yourself, you are the problem”
“If you believe you have the right to decide what responsibilities or knowledge a person can or should or need take up, that is still patronizing. A knife can stab a person, but it can also cut bread.”
“Let me destroy the belief that we have to sacrifice people and freedom for any goddamn reason.”
“Fighting can be the most compassionate thing you can do for another person. It can also be the most compassionate thing you do for yourself. I can be full of wrath and ice cream and love for a dragon all at once. I deserve to have it all.”
March 10, 2026
I put this book down multiple times. It was really difficult to get through the first couple of chapters. I felt like I had been dumped in the middle of the story, and after some research, I realized that I had. There is already a prequel to the book. Once I passed the confusion of the first chapters, though, I couldn't put it down. I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish it, and it was totally worth it. I think this book shouldn't be identified as only one genre, to save other readers from the same confusion I had. The cover and synopsis market it as a cozy fantasy, but the story contains a large magic system, a main character navigating politics, and conflicts with other magic users, which makes it feel more like a romantasy. Because of this, readers picking it up for a purely cozy atmosphere might be surprised or put off by the stronger fantasy elements.
Basics:
- 4/5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Explicit Open Door 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
- Age Rating: 18+
- Content Warning: Cursing, Kidnapping
A cozy fantasy with a spicy romance about a mage who just wants to eat ice cream and live in her cottage with her dragon shifter, but things keep standing in her way.
Writing:
Definitely needed more editing. The prose is awkward, and the dialogue is long, often serving as an info dump rather than revealing character. The first 2-4 chapters are confusing and feel as if the reader has been dropped into a story already in progress, with too much information all at once and little explanation. Details about the magic system, politics, dragon lore, sages, and 500 years of history, while interesting individually, combine to feel overwhelming and diminish the impact. The book tries to do too much in too little time.
Some scenes felt less like organic parts of Yora’s journey and more like the author pressing pause to deliver a message.
At times, the narration yanked me out of the story. When Yora describes the cafe as “f*cking quaint as sh*t,” it just didn’t fit. Hearing ancient dragons and sages curse like modern humans ruined the immersion for me.
Characters:
Yora: She is finally learning to put herself first and is discovering what she wants her life to look like.
Zan: I love how obsessed he is with Yora. He is extremely patient, and he constantly puts her first. I hope we get to see him open up a bit more and be more upfront about what he wants in the next book.
Worldbuilding/Plot:
The author’s imagination shines through in the worldbuilding and magic systems. I was fascinated by the sages and dragon lore, but with so many concepts packed in, the learning curve felt steep. I think the story would have been stronger if it had zoomed in on one idea and explored it deeply, saving the rest for future books.
Enjoyment:
I picked up this book for the romance, and it absolutely delivered. Yora and Zan’s relationship is both tender and sizzling, making the whole journey worthwhile for their dynamic alone. I only wish the editing had been given more attention.
The Quiet Light will be released March 10, 2026. Thank you, Netgalley, Victory Editing Netgalley Co-op, and Casey Blair for the wonderful e-ARC.
Instagram
Basics:
- 4/5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Explicit Open Door 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
- Age Rating: 18+
- Content Warning: Cursing, Kidnapping
A cozy fantasy with a spicy romance about a mage who just wants to eat ice cream and live in her cottage with her dragon shifter, but things keep standing in her way.
Writing:
Definitely needed more editing. The prose is awkward, and the dialogue is long, often serving as an info dump rather than revealing character. The first 2-4 chapters are confusing and feel as if the reader has been dropped into a story already in progress, with too much information all at once and little explanation. Details about the magic system, politics, dragon lore, sages, and 500 years of history, while interesting individually, combine to feel overwhelming and diminish the impact. The book tries to do too much in too little time.
Some scenes felt less like organic parts of Yora’s journey and more like the author pressing pause to deliver a message.
At times, the narration yanked me out of the story. When Yora describes the cafe as “f*cking quaint as sh*t,” it just didn’t fit. Hearing ancient dragons and sages curse like modern humans ruined the immersion for me.
Characters:
Yora: She is finally learning to put herself first and is discovering what she wants her life to look like.
Zan: I love how obsessed he is with Yora. He is extremely patient, and he constantly puts her first. I hope we get to see him open up a bit more and be more upfront about what he wants in the next book.
Worldbuilding/Plot:
The author’s imagination shines through in the worldbuilding and magic systems. I was fascinated by the sages and dragon lore, but with so many concepts packed in, the learning curve felt steep. I think the story would have been stronger if it had zoomed in on one idea and explored it deeply, saving the rest for future books.
Enjoyment:
I picked up this book for the romance, and it absolutely delivered. Yora and Zan’s relationship is both tender and sizzling, making the whole journey worthwhile for their dynamic alone. I only wish the editing had been given more attention.
The Quiet Light will be released March 10, 2026. Thank you, Netgalley, Victory Editing Netgalley Co-op, and Casey Blair for the wonderful e-ARC.
March 7, 2026
ARC REVIEW
A wonderful start to a heartfelt story about learning to embrace who you are.
I went into this book expecting an easy, cosy read: a lovely romance and maybe even leaving with a craving for ice cream. While all of that is true, this book turned out to be so much more and definitely not your typical cosy read.
Our FMC, Yora, the Sage of Wrath, awakens from a magical coma after 500 years and must now figure out her place in this new world. She has spent her entire life being controlled, with every aspect of it chosen for her. Now that she is finally free from those chains, what is she supposed to do with her life? I loved Yora’s growth throughout the book. Watching her come to terms with her trauma and gain the confidence to pursue what she truly wants was incredibly inspiring. She may be the incarnation of wrath, but she slowly realises that she is allowed to be soft too. She can wear dresses, seek comfort, and love ice cream while also being strong and fierce.
Zan was a great love interest. He is reserved and a bit of a tortured soul, but over time he begins to lower his walls and let people in. He was incredibly caring and attentive to Yora. He may have been a little obsessed with her and had some strong possessive instincts, but he always allowed her to walk her own path. He never held her back - he simply walked beside her. Their chemistry and banter were fantastic and really brought out the best in each other.
We are also introduced to a great cast of side characters who add extra depth and heart to the story. I’m looking forward to seeing more of them in future books.
My main criticism is that, at the beginning, it feels like we’re dropped into the middle of the story. I found myself getting a bit lost in the lore and backstory and occasionally had to go back and remind myself of certain details. I think reading the prequel first may have helped, as it likely provides more clarity on some aspects of the world and its history. I would also say that, while there are cosy elements scattered throughout, this wasn’t what I would personally classify as a typical cosy read. There are some heavier themes and a few action-packed scenes. None of these took away from my enjoyment - if anything, they added to it - but I would describe this more as romantasy with hints of cosiness.
I’m glad this will be a trilogy because there is so much more to explore in this world. This was an empowering, character-driven, heartfelt read that showcases the strength of community and the importance of embracing your true self. I’m very much looking forward to book two.
Thank you to the author and publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
A wonderful start to a heartfelt story about learning to embrace who you are.
I went into this book expecting an easy, cosy read: a lovely romance and maybe even leaving with a craving for ice cream. While all of that is true, this book turned out to be so much more and definitely not your typical cosy read.
Our FMC, Yora, the Sage of Wrath, awakens from a magical coma after 500 years and must now figure out her place in this new world. She has spent her entire life being controlled, with every aspect of it chosen for her. Now that she is finally free from those chains, what is she supposed to do with her life? I loved Yora’s growth throughout the book. Watching her come to terms with her trauma and gain the confidence to pursue what she truly wants was incredibly inspiring. She may be the incarnation of wrath, but she slowly realises that she is allowed to be soft too. She can wear dresses, seek comfort, and love ice cream while also being strong and fierce.
Zan was a great love interest. He is reserved and a bit of a tortured soul, but over time he begins to lower his walls and let people in. He was incredibly caring and attentive to Yora. He may have been a little obsessed with her and had some strong possessive instincts, but he always allowed her to walk her own path. He never held her back - he simply walked beside her. Their chemistry and banter were fantastic and really brought out the best in each other.
We are also introduced to a great cast of side characters who add extra depth and heart to the story. I’m looking forward to seeing more of them in future books.
My main criticism is that, at the beginning, it feels like we’re dropped into the middle of the story. I found myself getting a bit lost in the lore and backstory and occasionally had to go back and remind myself of certain details. I think reading the prequel first may have helped, as it likely provides more clarity on some aspects of the world and its history. I would also say that, while there are cosy elements scattered throughout, this wasn’t what I would personally classify as a typical cosy read. There are some heavier themes and a few action-packed scenes. None of these took away from my enjoyment - if anything, they added to it - but I would describe this more as romantasy with hints of cosiness.
I’m glad this will be a trilogy because there is so much more to explore in this world. This was an empowering, character-driven, heartfelt read that showcases the strength of community and the importance of embracing your true self. I’m very much looking forward to book two.
Thank you to the author and publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 16, 2026
Some books feel like a warm blanket on a rainy day, and The Quiet Light is exactly that kind of cozy magic. Soft, sweet, a little spicy, and full of heart, this story blends dragons, healing, and found family into something wonderfully comforting. I finished it with a big smile and the sudden urge to eat ice cream and move into a magical mountain cottage. 💕🏔️
At the center of the story is Yora, a woman with a past as powerful as it is painful. Five hundred years ago she was known as the Sage of Wrath, feared for her destructive magic and trapped in a life of violence she never wanted. Now she’s awakened from magical stasis and all she truly wants is peace. Honestly, her dream life is adorable: living quietly in her cottage, sampling every flavor of ice cream imaginable, and avoiding war at all costs. 🍨✨
Of course, peace rarely lasts long in fantasy worlds, especially when a hunted dragon shifter appears at your door. Enter Zan, the mysterious dragon whose presence brings both danger and undeniable chemistry. Their relationship is tender and slow-burning in the loveliest way. There’s this gentle tension between them because dragons supposedly can’t mate with humans… but the connection they share feels too real to ignore. Every little moment, shared glances, soft banter, quiet trust, felt warm and intimate. 🐉💖
What makes the story extra charming is its cozy fantasy atmosphere. Crystal Hollow and the sanctuary around it feel like a magical refuge where wounded people come to heal and build something better together. The found-family vibes are immaculate, full of humor, kindness, and characters who truly have each other’s backs. It’s the kind of place you wish existed so you could visit for tea, ice cream, and dragon gossip. ☕🍦
But beneath the sweetness, there’s real emotional depth. Dark forces want to control Yora’s devastating powers, and she must face the parts of herself she once feared. Watching her learn that her magic doesn’t only have to destroy, that it can also protect, build, and nurture, was genuinely beautiful. Her journey is about reclaiming herself, choosing peace, and discovering that love and community can be just as powerful as wrath. 🌟
The Quiet Light is cozy, magical, romantic, and quietly empowering. With dragons, tender romance, hilarious banter, and a heroine learning to turn destruction into something gentle and bright, it feels like the beginning of a truly enchanting series. I absolutely can’t wait to return to this little mountain sanctuary for the next book. 🐉💫
At the center of the story is Yora, a woman with a past as powerful as it is painful. Five hundred years ago she was known as the Sage of Wrath, feared for her destructive magic and trapped in a life of violence she never wanted. Now she’s awakened from magical stasis and all she truly wants is peace. Honestly, her dream life is adorable: living quietly in her cottage, sampling every flavor of ice cream imaginable, and avoiding war at all costs. 🍨✨
Of course, peace rarely lasts long in fantasy worlds, especially when a hunted dragon shifter appears at your door. Enter Zan, the mysterious dragon whose presence brings both danger and undeniable chemistry. Their relationship is tender and slow-burning in the loveliest way. There’s this gentle tension between them because dragons supposedly can’t mate with humans… but the connection they share feels too real to ignore. Every little moment, shared glances, soft banter, quiet trust, felt warm and intimate. 🐉💖
What makes the story extra charming is its cozy fantasy atmosphere. Crystal Hollow and the sanctuary around it feel like a magical refuge where wounded people come to heal and build something better together. The found-family vibes are immaculate, full of humor, kindness, and characters who truly have each other’s backs. It’s the kind of place you wish existed so you could visit for tea, ice cream, and dragon gossip. ☕🍦
But beneath the sweetness, there’s real emotional depth. Dark forces want to control Yora’s devastating powers, and she must face the parts of herself she once feared. Watching her learn that her magic doesn’t only have to destroy, that it can also protect, build, and nurture, was genuinely beautiful. Her journey is about reclaiming herself, choosing peace, and discovering that love and community can be just as powerful as wrath. 🌟
The Quiet Light is cozy, magical, romantic, and quietly empowering. With dragons, tender romance, hilarious banter, and a heroine learning to turn destruction into something gentle and bright, it feels like the beginning of a truly enchanting series. I absolutely can’t wait to return to this little mountain sanctuary for the next book. 🐉💫
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Quiet Light by Casey Blair is one of those rare fantasy novels that feels both expansive and intimate at the same time. Instead of rushing into nonstop battles or dramatic twists, this story unfolds with patience and intention, focusing on what it truly means to reclaim your life after everything has been taken from you.
The story follows Yora, a powerful sage who has spent five hundred years imprisoned for defying the magical Order that controls the empire. When she finally regains her freedom, she returns to a world that has completely changed while she remained frozen in time. The journey that follows is not just about exploring a transformed empire but about rediscovering herself, her power, and what freedom actually means after centuries of isolation.
One of my favorite aspects of this book was the relationship between Yora and Zan, the dragon-shifter who has been quietly protecting the sanctuary she once created. Their dynamic is layered, thoughtful, and full of subtle humor and tension. Rather than relying on dramatic romance tropes, their connection builds slowly through conversations, shared history, and the complicated realities of the world around them. It feels genuine and earned.
The world building is also beautifully done, but can seem a bit heavy at times. Both the magical system and political structure that feels deeply lived in. The Order's control over magic, the treatment of dragons, and the shifting power structures of the empire all add depth to the story but sometimes is overwhelming to the emotional core of the book.
What really stood out to me, though, was the emotional weight of Yora's journey. After five centuries of sacrifice and punishment, she is forced to confront grief, guilt, and the reality that the world moved on without her. Watching her learn how to live again, form connections, and decide what kind of future she wants was incredibly compelling.
This is a quieter fantasy in the best possible way. It focuses on healing, identity, and the courage it takes to start over after unimaginable loss. The pacing, which can drag at times, allows the characters and the world to feel full, but can make every revelation and relationship feel meaningful.
If you enjoy character driven fantasy, complex relationships, and a protagonist reclaiming her agency after centuries of silence, The Quiet Light is absolutely worth reading. Just beware the worldbuilding can be a bit to take on.
The story follows Yora, a powerful sage who has spent five hundred years imprisoned for defying the magical Order that controls the empire. When she finally regains her freedom, she returns to a world that has completely changed while she remained frozen in time. The journey that follows is not just about exploring a transformed empire but about rediscovering herself, her power, and what freedom actually means after centuries of isolation.
One of my favorite aspects of this book was the relationship between Yora and Zan, the dragon-shifter who has been quietly protecting the sanctuary she once created. Their dynamic is layered, thoughtful, and full of subtle humor and tension. Rather than relying on dramatic romance tropes, their connection builds slowly through conversations, shared history, and the complicated realities of the world around them. It feels genuine and earned.
The world building is also beautifully done, but can seem a bit heavy at times. Both the magical system and political structure that feels deeply lived in. The Order's control over magic, the treatment of dragons, and the shifting power structures of the empire all add depth to the story but sometimes is overwhelming to the emotional core of the book.
What really stood out to me, though, was the emotional weight of Yora's journey. After five centuries of sacrifice and punishment, she is forced to confront grief, guilt, and the reality that the world moved on without her. Watching her learn how to live again, form connections, and decide what kind of future she wants was incredibly compelling.
This is a quieter fantasy in the best possible way. It focuses on healing, identity, and the courage it takes to start over after unimaginable loss. The pacing, which can drag at times, allows the characters and the world to feel full, but can make every revelation and relationship feel meaningful.
If you enjoy character driven fantasy, complex relationships, and a protagonist reclaiming her agency after centuries of silence, The Quiet Light is absolutely worth reading. Just beware the worldbuilding can be a bit to take on.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Quiet Light is the first in the Sage’s Sanctuary Series, although I would advise reading the prequel book The Quiet Side. I wouldn’t say it’s required reading exactly, but I think it does a good job of setting up the expectations for the world in these books and is a lovely story on its own. Blair is also the author of the Tea Princess Chronicles if you are familiar, and I find all of her books have an sort of esoteric philosophical quality. This is true of the Sage’s Sanctuary Series as well, although I find the characters in this series a little grittier and less perfect in a way that I really enjoyed. This world has a sort of religious ruling class and powerful magic users called sages. Each sage embodies a particular emotion. The fmc of the The Quiet Light, Yora, is the Sage of Wrath, and who doesn’t like a little feminine rage? I love some of the breakdowns of what that means, wrath isn’t just anger, it’s also clarity. I also like that wrath makes her a little less polished and more unpredictable. She has been trapped in some sort of magical stasis for 500 years (which you learn the details or in The Quiet Side) and has just emerged as this story begins. She finds a world not quite as changed as she hoped, a dragon shifter (Zan) that she had a crush on 500 years ago, and ice cream. One of the little details that I love about this book is that common foods absolutely would have changed after 500 years. This about what people ate 500 years ago-- we likely wouldn’t recognize it and their certainly wasn’t any ice cream. Her delight at new foods is such a sweet funny addition. She meets the Sage of Comfort (who sounds like an excellent Sage to be friends with), explores her feeling for Zan, and figures out how to exist in this time with so many of the same problems. This book is very sweet and fairly spicy. (Which I am here for!) One of my very favorite things is that Zan teaches her the names of the trees because it’s not something she was ever allowed to learn before. It’s a symbol of her independence and personhood having been treated like a weapon for most of her life. I am looking forward to the rest of this series and enthusiastically recommend it!
Thank you to Casey Blair & Behind the Pages LLC for providing this arc copy for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to Casey Blair & Behind the Pages LLC for providing this arc copy for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I would like to start off by thanking the author, Casey Blair and their team Sarah with Behind the Pages for giving me and opportunity of receiving an eARC of this book. I had so much fun reading it! Yora is a sage who has been imprisoned in a temple meditating for the last 500 years. Zan is a dragon who has been waiting for her and shifts to help others both sages and locals. I loved the fact that Yora’s wrath was portrayed as a good thing to have. She is able to use her wrath and put it into something else.The relationship between both Yora and Zan is so healthy they both support one another and are there for each other even admitting to being obsessed with one another. Even though they are fated mates Zan was giving her a choice to decide. It was so cute to read Yora’s obsession with ice cream and making it a business. I also enjoyed reading how food is described to Yora as someone who hasn’t eaten food in the last 500 years. The other characters Nomi, Teren, Suani, Compassion, the priests, locals all play a role in this story. There are no random characters in this book which I loved. I do base stars on the amount of favorite quotes most of the time.
Favorite Quotes:
“Wrath isn’t just anger,” I explain. “Clarity is an important facet that distinguishes it from just mindless rage. Which meant that in I order to be able to wield Wrath effectively, I had to have a very good education. The danger of an education, of course, is that it meant I could think for myself.”
“Emotions aren’t black or white, good or bad in and of themselves: it’s what we do with them.”
“I can kill man just as easily in a dress.”
“I will not be defeated by ice cream."
“…his presence a physical reminder of what actually respecting me as a person, not just an asset, looks like.”
“You can’t be wise about the world without living in it.”
“Anger is a reason for my clarity.”
“You’re the one who said it: You are wrath in incarnate. If you want to be free, you are going to burn.”
“Walls aren’t just a way of keeping people out; they’re a way of protecting what’s inside.”
"A knife can stab a person, but it can also cut bread.”
“Good things can exist even when some things are wrong.”
“For people to believe in impossibility, they need to have the space to dream.”
Favorite Quotes:
“Wrath isn’t just anger,” I explain. “Clarity is an important facet that distinguishes it from just mindless rage. Which meant that in I order to be able to wield Wrath effectively, I had to have a very good education. The danger of an education, of course, is that it meant I could think for myself.”
“Emotions aren’t black or white, good or bad in and of themselves: it’s what we do with them.”
“I can kill man just as easily in a dress.”
“I will not be defeated by ice cream."
“…his presence a physical reminder of what actually respecting me as a person, not just an asset, looks like.”
“You can’t be wise about the world without living in it.”
“Anger is a reason for my clarity.”
“You’re the one who said it: You are wrath in incarnate. If you want to be free, you are going to burn.”
“Walls aren’t just a way of keeping people out; they’re a way of protecting what’s inside.”
"A knife can stab a person, but it can also cut bread.”
“Good things can exist even when some things are wrong.”
“For people to believe in impossibility, they need to have the space to dream.”
February 15, 2026
3.5 stars!
Firstly, thank you so much for the opportunity to read this ARC! I had a great time.
I liked so much about this book - there’s so much commentary about what it means to be a community, especially when faced with difficult choices, such as to band together or sacrifice the few. It was cosy but also has elements of high stakes fantasy. This meant I was sometimes confused as things needed more clarity and development. To be honest, I really found this difficult to rate.
After years in a magical stasis to protect others, Yora wakes abruptly to save a dragon she’s never actually met. Suddenly, Yora is five hundred years in the future and while things have changed (Icecream! Avocado!), sages with magic like her own are still controlled by The Order (ominous music plays). However, having had five hundred years to reflect, Yora thinks this is actually rubbish and that maybe her magic should be hers to use as she wishes. And look, since she’s the Sage of Wrath, no one should really try to argue with her. But they do (idiots). Alas, while all of this is going on, Yora is also having complicated feelings for the dragon shifter, Zan. Not only has he secretly kept the people in this town alive for five hundred years, but he also believes Yora should have full control over her choices, future, and magic (we love).
Possible spoilers ahead:
After an abrupt and confusing start (had to reread three times to clarify details), I really enjoyed a lot about this book. Found family, a cool magic system, great characters. Even though it was insta-love, I quite enjoyed the romance too.
However, I felt several things needed more detail and unpacking. For instance, it’s unclear for ages what Zan’s motivations to stay and help humans/sages for five hundred years are and whether he and Yora had actually met prior to her magical stasis (I spent a lot of time flipping back through the start to try and figure this out). Therefore, I couldn’t really connect with Zan and his choices at the beginning, and I didn’t understand how their relationship could be so instant. But also why would she end the stasis and risk the lives of many for a random dragon? I was confused.
The pacing was also jarring at times - why are we making icecream when the bad guys could show up any minute? Why are we selling icecream when your friend has been taken by the bad guys?
Speaking of the icecream, why are we using icecream metaphors in the spicy scenes? Is nothing sacred?
I feel we also needed more info about the magic system. There’s lots to be clarified and developed here about Yora’s past, the sages, the bad guys, and magic system overall, but it definitely has great potential.
Anyway, did I like this book? Yes, the vibes are great. Will I read the sequel? Yes, I’m too invested and I’m hoping a bunch of my questions get answered. Also, Zan kinda gives off Howl vibes (iykyk).
Firstly, thank you so much for the opportunity to read this ARC! I had a great time.
I liked so much about this book - there’s so much commentary about what it means to be a community, especially when faced with difficult choices, such as to band together or sacrifice the few. It was cosy but also has elements of high stakes fantasy. This meant I was sometimes confused as things needed more clarity and development. To be honest, I really found this difficult to rate.
After years in a magical stasis to protect others, Yora wakes abruptly to save a dragon she’s never actually met. Suddenly, Yora is five hundred years in the future and while things have changed (Icecream! Avocado!), sages with magic like her own are still controlled by The Order (ominous music plays). However, having had five hundred years to reflect, Yora thinks this is actually rubbish and that maybe her magic should be hers to use as she wishes. And look, since she’s the Sage of Wrath, no one should really try to argue with her. But they do (idiots). Alas, while all of this is going on, Yora is also having complicated feelings for the dragon shifter, Zan. Not only has he secretly kept the people in this town alive for five hundred years, but he also believes Yora should have full control over her choices, future, and magic (we love).
Possible spoilers ahead:
After an abrupt and confusing start (had to reread three times to clarify details), I really enjoyed a lot about this book. Found family, a cool magic system, great characters. Even though it was insta-love, I quite enjoyed the romance too.
However, I felt several things needed more detail and unpacking. For instance, it’s unclear for ages what Zan’s motivations to stay and help humans/sages for five hundred years are and whether he and Yora had actually met prior to her magical stasis (I spent a lot of time flipping back through the start to try and figure this out). Therefore, I couldn’t really connect with Zan and his choices at the beginning, and I didn’t understand how their relationship could be so instant. But also why would she end the stasis and risk the lives of many for a random dragon? I was confused.
The pacing was also jarring at times - why are we making icecream when the bad guys could show up any minute? Why are we selling icecream when your friend has been taken by the bad guys?
Speaking of the icecream, why are we using icecream metaphors in the spicy scenes? Is nothing sacred?
I feel we also needed more info about the magic system. There’s lots to be clarified and developed here about Yora’s past, the sages, the bad guys, and magic system overall, but it definitely has great potential.
Anyway, did I like this book? Yes, the vibes are great. Will I read the sequel? Yes, I’m too invested and I’m hoping a bunch of my questions get answered. Also, Zan kinda gives off Howl vibes (iykyk).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I think this book has some identity issues. I’m not sure what it’s trying to be, a cozy cottagecore? A romantasy? An adult fantasy? It feels disjointed. Like the calm, cutsey parts do not mesh well with the serious, high stakes plot events. I also say this book has an identity crisis because it reads like a 2nd book in a series, but it is labeled as the 1st book. Upon basic investigation, the author already has a prequel out for this series which shows some of Yora’s story 500 years prior. The beginning of the Quiet Light feels so jarring, as suddenly it is 500 years later, Yora wakes up, and is greeted by a dragon she sort of already knows. The first chapter feels like I’m reading a sequel to a story and I have no idea what the actual backstory is. It was a really confusing first couple of chapters, like you are already expected to know who these characters are and how they met previously. My advice would be to have the prequel be developed into book 1 and this book as book 2.
Outside of these things, I would say there is a ton of potential to the story. There is an order of priests controlled by the government who enslave “sages” and take away their power. It is seen as evil and inhumane. The fmc is a powerful sage who escaped from their clutches centuries ago. She then meditated for 500 years, putting herself to sleep in order to protect this specific area. When awoken, she has to learn the world anew due to the time change. Que the cute aspects of her learning about the world and trying to adapt to her new daily life. There is also unique magic based on emotions. These things are interesting in their own. However, I would say though outside this sanctuary area, there is no world building whatsoever.
All in all, there were interesting aspects of the story, such as the magic system, some world building, romance of the fmc and dragon mmc, and some cozy fantasy elements. However, this book lost major points for me because it felt so jarring and disjointed, with the storytelling going all over the place. I could not get into it and didn’t feel too attached to these characters. Lots of potential but not really for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Victoria Editing for the arc! This review is my own.
Outside of these things, I would say there is a ton of potential to the story. There is an order of priests controlled by the government who enslave “sages” and take away their power. It is seen as evil and inhumane. The fmc is a powerful sage who escaped from their clutches centuries ago. She then meditated for 500 years, putting herself to sleep in order to protect this specific area. When awoken, she has to learn the world anew due to the time change. Que the cute aspects of her learning about the world and trying to adapt to her new daily life. There is also unique magic based on emotions. These things are interesting in their own. However, I would say though outside this sanctuary area, there is no world building whatsoever.
All in all, there were interesting aspects of the story, such as the magic system, some world building, romance of the fmc and dragon mmc, and some cozy fantasy elements. However, this book lost major points for me because it felt so jarring and disjointed, with the storytelling going all over the place. I could not get into it and didn’t feel too attached to these characters. Lots of potential but not really for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Victoria Editing for the arc! This review is my own.
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