Sharp and Pointy Things

by Alison Tuite

Sharp & Pointy Things is an adult dark romance/fantasy novel based on the Irish folklore shape-shifter, the Pooka. Ciara Niamh Driscoll comes from a vast line of story tellers. After navigating her father’s sudden death as an only child, she remembers her favorite memories of him were the bed time stories he would tell her…consisting of terrifying mythical creatures. Ciara Driscoll’s life turns upside down when she inherits her father’s estate in Ireland–a castle in Malahide. While grappling with grief and uncovering her father’s secret life, she discovers the world of Irish folklore is real, encountering shape-shifting Pooka, including the alluring Uallas and the enigmatic Fearghas. Caught in a web of ancient legends, family secrets, and dangerous desires, Ciara must navigate the supernatural world while seeking answers about her father’s death and protecting her own heart.

260 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 22, 2025

About the author

Alison Tuite is a central Florida based author of her debut novel, Sharp and Pointy Things. As a hairstylist for fifteen years and counting, she has shared countless stories behind the chair with her clients throughout the years. She has always been a lover of writing as another creative outlet, starting with diaries as a child. When she isn't writing, you can either catch her snuggling with her pitbull (Fred), kayaking, or reading a fantasy book or two.

Available on Amazon Kindle and Paperback!
Check out my website at:
www.alisontuite.com
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Reviews

[readingwithelfie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sharp and Pointy Things gripped me with its complex, layered characters and the arc that Ciara, was one of the most wonderful parts about it and the tender yet haunting romance at its core. Beneath the sharp edges, this is a story of grief raw, relentless, and unflinching but also of the fragile, beautiful process of healing. The paranormal and darker elements didn’t just add intrigue; they deepened the emotional weight of the narrative, making every moment feel both otherworldly and achingly real.

Thank you to Alison Tutie and DBWP for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

[Beesbuzz · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all, I would like to thank the author for giving me an arc of this story! I loved every second of it.

The only thing that made me give it 3 stars is a found the pacing and writing to be out of sync with each other. Some parts would be extremely well written while others felt incredibly rushed.

I will say I still recommended this novel because the dive into grief, finding yourself and falling in love is something many readers can connect too.

[RaeRae Livingood · Rating 5 out of 5]

My only wish is, I want more! I haven't read an Irish folk lore romance before, for me Alison's book was like a breath of fresh air from everyone else remaking similar stories. It's unique and a rare find with all of the other romantisy books out there. I can't wait to see what she writes next!!

[Bookaddict Fran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Warning: This Book May Cause Emotional Whiplash and an Insatiable Desire for Irish Creatures
If you're tired of yet another predictable paranormal romance with sparkly vampires or angsty fae, get ready for Sharp and Pointy Things, a book that hits you in the feels like a rogue wave in the Irish Sea. This isn't just a love story; it's an emotional marathon blended with enough Irish folklore to make a leprechaun jealous.
The real star? The Pookas. Forget your brooding kings and forbidden mates; give me a shape-shifting nightmare horse/rabbit/thing any day! It was a genuinely unique draw, proving that when it comes to supernatural lovers, we've been sleeping on the furry/maybe-terrifying ones.
Our heroine, Ciara, is fierce, protective, and goes through a character arc so satisfying it should have its own standing ovation. Seriously, she's the kind of protagonist who'd use a foe's tear ducts as a defensive weapon.
The book delivers a delicious cocktail of action, fantasy, romance, and, yes, a dash of smut—because apparently, even when dealing with the raw anguish of loss, you still need a little something extra to spice up the wake.
My only complaint is the pacing. It was more varied than an Irish weather forecast. One minute you're sprinting, the next you're stuck in a bog. But hey, for a debut novel, I'll take it!
The Verdict: If you're a romantasy lover who gets easily confused by a lore system more complex than a tax return, this book is your holy grail. Alison keeps it simple, compelling, and blessedly unique. I haven't read an Irish folk romance before, and now I feel cheated out of years of my life. I'm recommending this to literally everyone, and my only wish is that Alison gets to writing the next one, because my heart now has a Pooka-shaped hole that needs filling!

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Irish fae shifters, an unexpected inheritance, and a death shrouded in mystery - Sharp and Pointy Things has them all.

Ciara leaves her childhood home following the death of her beloved father. He has left her everything…which turns out to include a castle in Ireland and some sort of secret government job. Embracing her heritage, she moves her entire life to her father’s homeland.

She discovers a world rich with magic and secrets. As she explores her new home she uncovers ancient fairy tales, secret rooms…and a lot of swords.

For years as she grew up, her father told her tales of the Pookas - Irish fae shifters. She dismisses them all as stories…until she happens to meet two of them. Brothers Uallas and Fearghas. One represents light and peace, the other darkness and chaos. Her father has served as a protector of their kind and the role now falls to her.

As she struggles with her grief, Ciara must learn about her new role and her father’s death, all the while managing her deepening attraction to the deadly Pookas.

This debut fantasy has rich descriptions of the Irish countryside and its mythology. We also see Ciara process the death of her father, using her move to Ireland to remain connected to him. It deals closely with loyalty and found family.

This is an open door novel with two different partners. It is not a why choose book. The book deals with parental death and betrayal.
This book would be easy for fans of fantasy and Ireland to enjoy.

[Lindsay Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: Romantasy/Paranormal
Publication Date: September 2025

Rating (out of 5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Spice: 2/5



Sharp and Pointy Things is an emotionally charged and gripping Irish folklore love story, blended beautifully with the anguish and rawness of losing a loved one. I thought that the lore with the Pookas was a unique draw to the book, since most paranormal romances lean more into fae, vampires, etc. The main protagonist, the fierce and protective Ciara, demonstrated great growth and strength throughout her story arc. Overall, the book had a good mix of action, fantasy elements, romance, and a little bit of smut (just for some extra fun). My only complaint would be the varied pacing, as another reviewer mentioned, but as a debut novel, I’m still impressed! I recommend this book to anyone who loves paranormal and romantasy, who gets overhwhelmed by complex lore. Alison keeps the lore and setting simple, but still compelling.

Thank you so much to Ali and Book Sprout for sending me this book as an ARC.

[Mari's Wildshaped Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

A late review as I was on my honeymoon cruise! However, this book deserves tons of praise! I really enjoyed the Irish vibes-- it was like being in the room with the characters. I also really appreciated the breaks in the writing at the beginning (such an interesting writing style) which helps build anticipation. And anticipating EVERYTHING is what we need especially when we start getting steamy ...this book has such a good open door and swoon-worthy romance. And shape shifting talking animals?! As an avid D&D player who usually plays a druid, moments in this book make me feel that giddy rush of imaginative play I had as a kid.

I also absolutely love the concept of figuring out your family and yourself while dealing with grief, something I still deal with nearly 10 years later. Except I don't get taken to a fantasy world.

Allison gets into my soul from the very beginning of the novel and carries me through the 3000+ pages of Sharp & Pointy Things.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Sierra Gephart · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

Thank you to Alison for the eARC!!
The premise of this book was super fun! Our FMCs dad recently passed and she moves to take over his estate in a new country. She’s grieving and then finds out that the stories her dad used to tell her about these pooka creatures are actually true when she meets one.

Then there is the “who killed my father” mystery and this allows our FMC to focus on something other than grief. She meets some interesting people on her detective journey and falls in love along the way.

All in all, this book had a great premise. It lost me a little in how much internal dialogue there was and some off story lines that didn’t really seem to fit? I otherwise enjoyed this book and hope to see more work by this author!

[Cootsiepooreads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sharp and Pointy Things is an adult dark romance fantasy novel based on the Irish folklore shape-shifter, the Pooka.

⭐️⭐️⭐️
I was so interested in the Irish folklore and the premise of this book, and I did enjoy the mystery and the plot. However, I had some issues with the writing style. It was very repetitive. The dialogue felt very stiff. The pacing was inconsistent, like sometimes it took the main character forever to do things and other times there was too much packed into a few chapters.

Thank you to the author, Alison Tuite, for the opportunity to read this ARC.

[Allison H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ciara (FMC) is sassy and confident. She's grieving the loss of her father and is on an adventure that was unexpected with many twists and turns, and a mystery to solve. I really liked the main storyline—it was a strong idea. At times, though, the pacing felt a bit uneven. Some parts jumped too quickly which occasionally made me feel like I was missing pieces of the story.

-Irish Legends
-Loss of Parent
-Uncovering Secrets
-Spicy Romance
-Shape Shifters
-Grumpy/Sunshine

[Anna ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ate this up. The Irish lore and the unexpected castle. The devotion of Fearghas. I really feel like grief was well represented. The story was beautiful and had a lot of twists. I loved Ciara. She’s a great FMC who is far from weak. If you’re looking for a great story with depth, love, loss, adventure, and a bit of vengeance, this is it. It kept me wanting to know what happens next.

[Raquel Park · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately, I ended up dnfing at about 35%. I couldn't not get invested in the story or characters. I believe there's a good story here and one that can be very interesting but just not for me.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Harley · Rating 3 out of 5]

decent story

It’s a good story but I had trouble really connecting and investing.

I’m sure it will find its people but it was not for me

[— Lynn || chaossreads 🖤📚 · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of let me thank Alison Tuite and Booksprout for giving me the opportunity to read this book as an ARC!!

Rating: 4/5⭐️
Spice level: 2/5🌶️
POV: 1st person (Ciara, Conor, Uallas, Fearghas)

“A life worth living is a life worth saving.”

Omg what a ride!! This book was inspired by the loss of Alison her Dad and you could just feel all the emotions and love put in it. This book takes you on a journey with the FMC about dealing with loss, discovering secrets and mysteries, finding yourself again and being able to fall in love. The story did feel a bit chaotic sometimes, but in a fun way!! I love the aspect of the Irish mythology and the shapeshifters. It is a slowburn but with the right tension to keep you going. BUT definitely give this book a try!

“You are radiant, Ciara. Always the sunshine to my riany days.”

If you love these things, then it is a sign to start read this book;
💚 Irish mythology
💚 Dealing with loss
💚 Mystery
💚 Enemies to lovers
💚 Slow burn
💚 Shapeshifters