Realm of the Fae

by S.J. Kadile

He keeps pushing me away. But why do his striking blue eyes say otherwise?

Clara Valenwood thought her new life in the city would finally begin, but everything changes when she receives a mysterious heirloom from her father and a strange map from a dying patient. Soon after, nightmares of a dark and distant world slip into her waking hours.

When an attack pulls her through a portal into the fae realm, Clara meets Ashael, a stoic yet dangerously irresistible warrior fighting against a corrupted queen. Desperate to find a way home, Clara is drawn into the rebellion and discovers that her heirloom holds the key to locating a long-lost artifact capable of saving both realms.

With danger closing in, Clara must face deadly trials alongside Ashael. But just as his walls begin to crack, she confronts a truth she never expected. Home may no longer be where she thought it was.

Genres: Fantasy

429 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 28, 2025

Reviews

[p_a_u_l_a · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒎 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑭𝒂𝒆 𝒃𝒚 𝑺. 𝑱 𝑲𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒍𝒆 ✨

𝐴 𝑏𝑒𝑎𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑓𝑢𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑛, 𝑓𝑎𝑠𝑡 𝑚𝑜𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑓𝑎𝑒 𝑓𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑠𝑦 𝑓𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑤𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟, 𝑑𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑟, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑙𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑙𝑠 𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑜𝑛 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑝𝑎𝑔𝑒

⭐ 4/5 stars | fantasy | fae | magic | adventure | 🅔🅜🅞🅣🅘🅞🅝🅐🅛 |

| Book Series: Realm of the Fae (1/3) |
[ E-BOOK ]

| advance review copy (ARC) |

🧚‍♀️ General facts about the book

Realm of the Fae is the first book in the Realm of the Fae trilogy and marks an impressive debut by newcomer author S. J. Kadile. I had the chance to read this book before its release, and overall, I truly enjoyed my time with it.

What stood out to me immediately was how different this story felt compared to many other fantasy books. It gave me the feeling of stepping into something new, a fresh world with its own rules, atmosphere, and magic. For me personally, it was incredibly refreshing to experience a fantasy story that didn’t feel recycled.

I did struggle a bit when it came to my final rating. I went back and forth between three and four stars, but in the end, three stars didn’t feel right. The beauty of the world, the creativity behind it, and the clear potential of the series convinced me to give it four stars. I’m genuinely curious to see how the story develops in the next books and hope the wait for book two won’t be too long.

🧚‍♀️ Story

Clara is a young woman at a crossroads in her life. She works as a nurse and cares deeply for her elderly patients, even though she isn’t entirely sure if this is the path she wants to follow. Still, her patience, compassion, and quiet strength make it clear that she belongs in this role.

Everything changes when she receives a mysterious package from her parents, something that seems harmless at first but quickly raises more questions than answers. As strange events begin to unfold and another unexpected object comes into her possession, Clara is pulled into a journey far beyond anything she could have imagined.Together with Malrik, she is chased, hunted, and eventually pulled into a completely foreign world, a realm where humans do not exist. I absolutely loved this concept. Instead of slowly drifting into another world, the transition feels urgent and dangerous, like being thrown into the unknown without time to process what’s happening.

The fae realm itself is breathtaking. Nature is not just a background element but a living, breathing force. Trees provide shelter and sustenance, magic is woven into the land, and every place feels purposeful. Quotes like “The stories your kind tell are only shadows of the truth” or “Everything in Avenora lives with purpose” perfectly capture the depth and philosophy of this world. The setting often reminded me of something almost Avatar like, vibrant, spiritual, and deeply connected to the environment.

That said, the pacing was one of my main struggles. The story moves very fast. While I usually enjoy fast paced fantasy, here it sometimes felt almost overwhelming. Important moments, training sequences, and emotional beats passed by too quickly. At times, I struggled to fully understand certain terms or magical concepts, which took away some tension, especially during action heavy scenes.

Another issue for me was the sheer number of names and characters introduced early on. Because there weren’t enough meaningful interactions with some of them, I often forgot who was who, even though they were clearly meant to be important. More dialogue and shared scenes would have made it much easier to connect emotionally.

Still, despite these issues, I was deeply immersed. The world, the constant danger, and the wild cliffhanger at the end kept me turning pages and left me genuinely curious about what comes next.

🧚‍♀️ Characters

Clara is compassionate uncertain brave:

Clara is an emotionally grounded and relatable protagonist. Her doubts, fears, and quiet resilience felt very human. I liked that she didn’t immediately feel powerful or confident, but instead had to adapt quickly to overwhelming circumstances.

Malrik is conflicted loyal emotionally burdened:

Malrik carries a heavy emotional weight throughout the story. He often feels useless or like a burden, even though he keeps pushing forward without complaint. His internal struggle added depth and vulnerability, and I found myself feeling deeply for him, even wishing we had more insight into his perspective.

Asahel is intense guarded emotionally scarred:

Asahel is intriguing and complex. Beneath his harsh exterior lies vulnerability and trauma, which made him fascinating to read about. However, while Clara and Asahel do grow closer, I personally wished for more interaction between them. The foundation for a deeper connection is there, but I wanted more shared moments, conversations, and emotional development to truly feel their bond. With more space to explore their relationship, their dynamic could become something truly powerful in the next books.

🧚‍♀️ Writing style

S. J. Kadile’s writing is poetic, atmospheric, and often strikingly beautiful. The way the fae world is described makes it feel alive, ancient, and meaningful. Nature, magic, and emotion are deeply intertwined, and the imagery often feels almost cinematic.

Quotes like “Only fools run before they walk” and “The forest does not grow overnight, yet it endures” stayed with me long after reading. They add a philosophical depth that elevates the story beyond a simple fantasy adventure.

At times, however, the pacing of the writing worked against its own beauty. Some scenes, especially emotional revelations or moments of magic, would have benefited from being explored more slowly. Slowing down in those moments could make the impact even stronger.

🧚‍♀️ Cover & atmosphere

The cover fits the book’s atmosphere perfectly. It reflects the mystical, magical, and slightly otherworldly tone of the story. While reading, I constantly imagined the world in cool tones with blue accents, and the cover captures that exact feeling beautifully.

📌 Realm of the Fae is a visually stunning and imaginative start to a new fantasy trilogy. While fast pacing and limited character interaction held it back from being a five star read for me, the worldbuilding, poetic writing, and cliffhanger ending made me eager to continue the journey.

💬 Do you prefer fantasy stories that move fast, or do you need more time to connect with the characters and relationships

[Connie Braga · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Clara is such a relatable and compelling protagonist, and I loved watching her grow as the story unfolded. The relationships—especially the slow, meaningful shifts between the main characters—developed in a way that felt genuine and emotionally satisfying.

The world-building was my favorite part: organic, calm, and full of ancient wisdom. The Aelvor’s slow growth, patient training, and deep connection to their living world created a sense of gentle wonder I found myself wanting to step into. It felt like a place I would truly love to live in (danger aside!).

A lovely escape with heart, magic, and a cliffhanger that has me excited to continue the series.

[Elizabeth Zirk-Wyatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an upcoming release, and I received an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy). I was completely hooked with the setting, characters, descriptions, and story development right away. I was anxious to follow this story. What I discovered was a land full of adventure and magic, fairies and love, perseverance and mystery. My only reason for 4 stars is the length. It is a very long epic adventure. It did also tend to remind me of Lord of the Rings just a bit with the quest and peril. I won't give spoilers or hints to the ending because I'm sure you'll want to read the next one.

[MrsBookaholic · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This adventure completely swept me away. From the very first chapter, I was hooked by the rich world-building, the magic, and the sense of danger woven through every page. The fae realm feels vivid and alive, and the characters are so easy to become invested in—I found myself thinking about them even when I wasn’t reading.

The story strikes a perfect balance between intrigue, emotion, and fantasy, with twists that kept me turning pages late into the night. I loved the atmosphere, the slow reveals, and the way the plot builds toward an ending that leaves you desperate for more. I can’t wait to see what New York brings now 😉

I absolutely loved this book and cannot wait for the next installment. If you enjoy immersive fantasy with fae, magic, and heart, this one is a must-read.

Thank you to BookSirens for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.

[Lovely moonlight · Rating 5 out of 5]

Realm of fae by S.J. kadile

Released date 28 of December of 2025
I received this book as an arc in exchange for an honest opinion.

Clara Valenwood is a nurse in New York helping elders in their final days but her monotonous live changes when she receives a strange gift from her father and a dying patient the same day. Everything starts to feel like she’s being watch and that there’s more that nobody is telling her. All of the sudden she travels to the realm of faes with no way back and having to participated in the rebellion to defend the forest and the creatures in it.

Opinion:

I flew reading this book it was funny, cozy and remind me of many books and movies.

For me the main characters reminded me of the ones in City and bones by Cassandra Clare with a independiente FM, a nerdy childhood friend that has a crush on her and a irresistible warrior that is difficult to understand at first.

The connection with the forest of Avenora is so well written an easy to read which I pictured as the forest of the movie avatar (pandora).

I was rooting for Malrick for being a sunshine but every interaction that Clara and Ashael had was always interrupted by him and it was frustrating. So now I prefer Ashael for the love interest.

[Floella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

This book pulled me in right away knowig our FMC is half-Filipino. Whoop!

Over to the journey, the main character’s felt sincere and emotionally grounded with beliefs. The bonds between characters developed respectfully slowly and naturally, which made their interactions feel earned and meaningful.

As a Filipino reader, I felt genuinely represented. The way the protagonist carries a deep sense of care and responsibility for others reflects a core Filipino value that’s often passed down through family and community. That aspect of her character felt real and rooted in lived experience, which made the story resonate on a deeper level.

The world is relatable and easy to get your head around becoming meaningful and emobodies a sense of escape for the reader. Making this story flow naturally. Still, I did find myself wanting a bit more more unexpected turns, or moments of real danger to push the story further and add unpredictability. The cliffhanger saved this series for me.

Overall, this is a impressive debut. It has heart, warmth, and just enough mystery to leave me waiting for book 2.

[Book Bits With Britt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got a Earc copy of this book. This book started out good but then if felt like there was so much going on that it was hard to keep track of everything. The multiple POV was not great either. Very sporadic and felt more like an afterthought for people who prefer multiple POV. I will try the next book in hopes that it gets better but I will give it 100 pages before quitting if it is similar.

[Christine Sturman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quest to save the world. In the debut novel by S. J. Kadile, “The Veil: Realm of the Fae”, Clare Valenwood receives an heirloom jewelry present from her father. Then Clare and her childhood friend, Malrik Hawthorne, are transported to Avenora, what legend has remembered as Fae. The two worlds had been connected eons ago until corruption happened and the Veil Gate was closed to protect both worlds. Clare and Malrik join with the Fae of Avenora to find the hidden pieces of the Veil Gate’s key, the Vaelithar, to save both worlds.

I really enjoyed this book and couldn’t put it down. Ms. Kadile has taken many legends, myths, and superstitions and tweaked them so that they have their origins in this fantasy tale. This is a believable story that J. R. Tolkien would be proud of. With this book ending in a cliffhanger, I can’t wait for the next installment of this three part series. Fantasy and mystery lovers should read this book.

I wish to thank Teal Ink Press for the complementary eARC of this book and for selecting me to review it on NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

#TheVeilRealmOfTheFae
#TealInkPress
#NetGalley
#Fantasy
#Mystery
#Romance

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

From review I can see some people really loved this book. For me, personally, not my favourite.

The premise is good. The start is fine. Though why the two items gifted come into Clara’s possession at that moment isn’t clear. The story jumps from NYC to the land of the fae.

At that point there is my bug bear of this type of story. The training phase, which put me off.

Interestingly the ending is good. Leaving me wanting to know what happens as Clara’s search continues.

Thank you to Teal Ink Press and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine freely given.

[Jordanna Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book as an Arc reader and it's a good story. at first I found it a little rough to follow what was happening but when I really sat down and read it, it turned in to a good story.

[Rogue Kayl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first fae type book i have read in a while (currently been reading dark gothic romances)

This did not disappoint.

I loved that it was a fae human interaction and that the mystical creatures were realatable to folklores the many of us as children grew up listening to…

ie, Fairies, Pixies, Centars and Even Phoenixes.

And a nod to the classic tale Peter Pan.

The plot of this story had me gripped from the get go.

And the cliffhanger. I usually hate as it leaves me with lots of questions.

But this one, even though i know there is more to be told in book 2, this book actually felt like it had ended without needing to ask questions…. if that makes sense.

I look forward to book 2

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

[Dotti · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s hard for me to give a debut novel, especially one that is being independently published, such a low rating. It’s not something I do often, but this book has some major problems that need to be addressed.

Realm of the Fae follows Clara, a nurse in her twenties trying to make a living in New York City. Clara is given a family heirloom by her father and a mysterious map by a patient. In the process of discovering their meaning, she and her best friend Malrik are transported to an enchanted forest filled with mysteries, faeries, and a battle between good and evil. Clara and Malrik find meaning and purpose, make friends, and go on a quest to save the realm.

There’s a lot I can say negatively about this book, but I want to start with the positives. The few chapters in the beginning that are set in New York had incredible descriptions and felt very tangible. I was impressed by her ability to conjure the sensations of New York City in ways that immediately transported me into that moment.

Clara is a sympathetic protagonist. The scenes in which Clara is mulling her identity and purpose feel authentic to the millennial and Gen Z experience in our modern world. Main characters in Romantasy novels often come across as whiney or annoying, and Clara felt like a modern twenty-something. I found myself wanting her to succeed.

The book starts out by showing that Clara is part Filipino on her mother’s side, and the author uses a Filipino legend as one of the myths they encounter or recall within the faerie realm. I would have liked more representation throughout the story, as the story generally felt like it drew on western mythologies of faeries.

Now, onto the not so good. This book had a number of both minor and major problems.

The dialogue in this book was often stilted. The characters often spoke in ways that felt inauthentic, which was a shame given how well done many of the descriptions were. The characters don’t sound like real people when they talk, they sound like a corny movie script. Everyone speaks as if they are a trope in a way that was really challenging to parse though.

The Point of View of this book was very poorly done. For the first half of the book, twelve chapters, we are exclusively in Clara’s point of view. Then, suddenly, in chapter thirteen, we are given the point of view of Malrik, Clara’s best friend who is in love with her, and Ashael, Clara’s love interest. After chapter thirteen, there are seven more chapters that are from one of the perspective of either of the two men. I can say with confidence that almost none of these chapters were necessary for their character arcs or the story as a whole. They didn’t give us any new insight into the character, they didn’t move the plot in any meaningful way, and they hindered the experience of reading. Either the book should have been multiple points of view from the very beginning, or the chapters should have been rewritten to give those insights to Clara. The only chapters that give any insight to what’s happening outside of Clara’s perspective are Ashael’s section of chapter thirteen where he saves her in the water (though we could have just seen Clara be saved from her perspective, it would have been fine) and Ashael’s experiences for the Nyths in chapter twenty-nine, which hopefully has long term implications, but again, could have been recounted to us. Every other non-Clara point of view was fully unnecessary. Either Clara was watching and can give her insight from her perspective, or the characters are replaying something that we have already seen. I think the Malrik-Clara-Ashael love triangle is actually more interesting if Malrik and Ashael’s perspectives aren’t there and Clara’s own hints are all that we can gather.

Malrik, one of our main characters, was inconsistent at best. At the beginning of the book, especially early after they landed in the Faerie realm, it felt like Malrik had been two separate characters who were combined into one. He would act skeptical, then defensive, then believing. His dialogue was extremely cheesy and disjointed. He didn’t feel like a real person until well into their training montage. Also, Clara and Malrik should both have names that reflect the modern world in New York, so his name should be something more commonplace to provide a nice contrast to the very traditional fantasy-sounding names of all the faeries that our characters meet.

The betrayal at the end of the book was poorly done for the characters as they had been described. It would have been a much more interesting betrayal to have a different character choosing to make the choice. Instead, we have a betrayal by a quite obvious character for an obvious reason. It would have been so much more interesting to have it be any of the other characters in the group, but especially the ones who fought hardest against it.

A list of non-essential items that were poorly done:
- Immediately, the pictures of the pendant and the map made me think I was reading a middle grade book. I genuinely went back to look at the NetGalley listing to see if I had accidentally placed a hold for a children’s chapter book. My six year old’s chapter books have pictures of items so that I know what they look like, my fantasy novels don’t. If the item was so important that we needed a picture of it, then put it on the cover. Having it inside of the book is distracting, especially because the description of it within the page was plenty sufficient. I also really disliked the use of the pendant and the map as delineators within chapters, it felt unnecessary at best and distracting at worst
- In chapter 10, our characters are deciding what to do and we have a direct moment pulled out of Fellowship of the Ring. The whole clan is gathering, with multiple species in play, and characters one by one volunteer to come on the quest. This moment was deeply distracting. I kept expecting someone to yell out “and my axe!” That scene is so ingrained in both fantasy novels and popular culture that it feels like either you’re making an intentional homage or you’re falling into stereotypes, but the homage didn’t feel like it fit with the rest of the book.
- The chapters in this book were inconsistently sized. Chapters one through twelve made up 48% of the book, and chapters thirteen through thirty four make up the latter half. The first twelve chapters were quite long and should have been split into smaller sections. There are breaks within the text, and those should have been used to break the chapters up.

All in all, I hope that this author can make some major changes to the book prior to publication. I think the story as a whole has some promise, but the errors are simply too large to give it any kind of recommendation.

An advanced reader copy of this book was provided to me for free on NetGalley in exchange for my review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Lithári Fey · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️ ꒰2 stars꒱
꒰young adult | slow-burn romance | no spice | epic fantasy | adventure꒱

unfortunately, this was a dnf for me (at page 52 of 320, up to chapter 6, 17%)

let me start by saying: I wanted to like this one. I love a no spice, slow-burn romantasy. but I fear I may have also been wearing rose-colored glasses when I read the description...

okay, things to remember: this is a debut novel that seems to be self-published (I see through you, "Teal Ink Press"). from my experience reading it, I'm also inclined to speculate that it was self-edited, which is its ultimate downfall. so a fair warning that it reads exactly like what you'd expect a self-published, self-edited romantasy book would.

(an aside, if the author reads her reviews, which please girl, I beg: DO NOT READ YOUR OWN REVIEWS, IT'S NOT WORTH THE HEARTACHE. but honestly, splurging on professional editing services would've saved you from most of my issues and I very well likely would have finished the book. and girl, if you had this professionally edited, get your money back.)

just a few specific gripes to illustrate my points:

✧ the naming conventions scream 'fantasy name generator dot com' (eg. Clara Valenwood, Malrik Hawthorne, Veylora, Avenora, Ashael)

✧ there were multiple instances where I stopped reading and thought, "what a strange coincidence" (e.g. Clara is from Ohio and moves to New York City, two weeks later her best friend's grandpa, who in a strange coincidence runs a shop in NYC, gets sick and so her best friend has to move to the big city now, too)

✧ the dialogue feels stilted and unnatural. within 10 pages, a character asked the main character "you okay?" twice (it quickly became apparent that the main character being 'not okay' is a theme).

✧ in the first five chapters, there's a fade-to-black "then, there was silence/dark/nothingness/etc." moment where the main character has some sort of strange blink from existence.

✧ this last one is just a nitpick but goodness gracious, I got so mad when the otherworldly super tall forest beings were like, "your names are brief"... because Clara and Malrik are two syllables??? but the fae are called Selandor, Lythara, and Vaelin.

✧ when a different character speaks, please for the love of all that is literary, make it a new line. (eg. "Make yourself at home," Clara murmured. Malrik dropped onto the couch, stretching out his legs. "Already ahead of you.")

✧ why the pictures embedded randomly between paragraphs? I hope that doesn't ship with the debut edition, but considering the debut is SOON, I don't know...

the protagonist is sympathetic. she feels like a real person, even if her name sounds fake. she feels like some of the gen z nurses I've known. her experiences and feelings resonate to me as someone who has worked in healthcare.

the world is set beautifully in the first few chapters, even what little of the fae realm I saw was set up well, but editorial issues made it difficult to stay in the moment and experience the setting naturally.

beyond all my nitpicks and opinions, I guess the real reason I'm so irritated by the lack of decent editing and guidance for this debut novel is that it has POTENTIAL. so much potential. I think it'll do okay as an e-book only release, but if it had just a tad more polish, it could be so much bigger and better (perhaps a re-release of a shiny new edition one day?).

thank you to NetGalley and the author for supplying the ARC of this book.

[DoinBookishThings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Realm of the Fae by S.J. Kadile was a really solid and enjoyable debut that pulled me in pretty quickly. We follow Clara, a nurse living in New York whose very normal, real-world life gets completely flipped after a dying patient gives her a mysterious map and she inherits a strange heirloom from her father. What starts as unsettling dreams turns into her being literally dragged into the fae realm — and from there, things spiral fast.

I really loved the contrast between Clara’s grounded, human perspective and the dangerous, magical chaos of the fae world. The fae atmosphere is immersive and dreamy, but there’s always this underlying sense of danger. The lore surrounding the corrupted queen, the rebellion, and the long-lost artifact kept me invested, and I liked how Clara’s background as a nurse influenced how she handled situations — compassion, problem-solving, and trying to keep people alive even when everything is going wrong.

That said, there were a few moments where the pacing felt a little uneven, and I found myself wanting a bit more depth in certain areas, especially when it came to character development. Nothing that ruined the experience for me, but enough to keep this at a strong four stars instead of five.

Overall, this was a fun, promising start from a debut author, and I’m definitely curious to see where the series goes next. If you love fae fantasy with a modern human twist, rebellion vibes, and that dreamy-but-dangerous energy, this one is worth checking out. ✨🧚‍♀️

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the ARC. 🥰

cw: (Moderate) Death, Dementia, Injury, Violence; (Mild) Cancer, Medical content, Sexism

[Ciara Hartman · Rating 4 out of 5]

📝 Overall Thoughts: I’m glad I stuck with this one, because my overall enjoyment changed about halfway in and I wound up getting invested in the second half of the book.

👍 What I enjoyed: Amazingly vivid and thorough descriptions! A high-stakes quest filled with potentially deadly trials as the group tries to fight an evil taking over a realm. Found family vibes. The extremely slow burn between the FMC and Ashael, while Malrik (FMC’s bestie) is beginning to realize he may have more feelings for her than just friendship. Is this going to be a why choose theme?? The ending was fraught with peril and tension and left you in suspense of what would happen next… a good lead up to wanting book 2!

👎 What I didn’t like: Clara & Malrik needed more depth/more character development, especially in the first half of the story. For quite some time during the story the conversations between Clara and Malrick felt very odd/unnatural. It didn’t flow the way it should between two best friends considering the situation they found themselves in. - The verbal descriptions were done quite well, so I felt it wasn’t necessary to have pictures in the ebook towards the beginning, for me it was a bit distracting, but I suppose others may appreciate the images.

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5
Spice Level: 🌶️ 1/5
Action & Adventure Level: 🎬🎬🎬🎬🎬 5/5

- Third person POV/Multiple POV
- Potential why choose?
- Found family
- Nurse FMC
- Best friend MMC
- Fae secondary MMC
- Protective MMC’s
- Bipoc rep
- Quests/trials
- Good vs evil
- Variety of creatures
- Crossing realms
- 1st in a series

Thank you to NetGally and Teal Ink Press for this ARC in return for my honest review.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recieved an ARC of this book in exchange for honest review.
Absolutely Captivating. A Fresh, Thrilling Romantasy Adventure

Realm of the Fae pulled me in from the very first chapter. S.J. Kadile builds a world that feels enchanting, dangerous, and full of surprises, and the story stays centered on emotion, discovery, and a beautifully paced slow-burn romance.

Clara Valenwood is a heroine who is easy to root for. She is quietly brave, genuinely curious, and written with a depth that makes her feel real. Following her into Avenora feels like stepping into another world with her. Each chapter reveals new lore, new scenery, and new layers to the mystery that surrounds her family and the Vaelithar shard.

The chemistry between Clara, Ashael, and Malrik is wonderfully done. The tension grows naturally and never overshadows the adventure. Their relationships feel meaningful and add an emotional pull that makes the story even stronger. The moment when Clara and Ashael almost kiss is timed perfectly and left me eager for more.

The quest elements are exciting and blend well with the story’s magical atmosphere. The trials, the dangers, and the presence of Veylora give the book a steady sense of rising stakes. By the time the first shard is found, the story becomes impossible to put down.

The ending delivers a powerful mix of triumph and mystery, and it left me counting the days until the next book. If you enjoy romantasy with rich worldbuilding, heartfelt character journeys, and an engaging sense of adventure, Realm of the Fae is a must read

[Natalie Douglas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an ARC that I found while being assigned a different ARC and the cover captured me (fae anything? yay!) it was really intriguing and thoughtfully written story. One of the elements I appreciated most was how Clara begins firmly rooted in the modern world before being pulled into the fae realm. That contrast made her displacement feel believable and grounded, and it added an extra layer of tension as she tried to navigate a world that operated on entirely different rules (it also was really cool - can that happen to me!? Haha)

Clara herself is a strong and engaging main character, and her reactions felt realistic rather than rushed or overly convenient. I enjoyed watching her adapt, learn, and slowly come into her own as the story unfolded. The connections she forms (especially with Ashael) develop gradually, which gave their interactions more weight and made the emotional moments feel earned.

The fae realm stood out for its quieter, more deliberate pacing. Instead of overwhelming the reader, the world revealed itself slowly through training, history, and lived experience, which made it feel rich and intentional. I found myself genuinely curious about the deeper lore and where the rebellion, the artifacts, and the larger conflicts are headed.

While this book left me with questions, that’s also why I’m interested in continuing the series. It feels like a strong foundation rather than a complete picture, and I’m invested enough to want to see how the story expands from here. A solid, imaginative read with a unique blend of modern fantasy and fae mythology.

[Elisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Avatar but with fae and romance! What an amazing debut romantic fantasy. I could really feel the way the book wanted to take the reader on an adventure, to give them an escape from the gloomy real world. I loved the atmosphere in the beginning: expectant, heavy, gloomy. Then when Clara gets to the fae realm, the mood becomes magical, and the escape starts. The world the book takes the reader is vibrant and thoroughly built.

The romance is a soft, subtle romance (little to no spice) that excels in those small, delicate moments. Looks, small touches, words that are left unsaid. The romance and the love triangle develop slowly and in a very natural way, which was such a breath of fresh air in the era of instalove!

I also love the 3rd person narrative (another breath of fresh air!) and the multiple POVs. When Malrik’s and Ashael’s POV chapters come, the book and the romance really kick into another gear. I loved how their POVs gave more insight to the love story. I especially enjoyed Ashael’s moment of insecurity about Malrik💛Who would’ve thought a mighty, handsome fae warrior might feel inferior to a human? Love, love, LOVED it!

The book is an action-packed adventure that really offers escapism and sense of wonder. It’s not very dark or spicy, so it could be suitable for YA audience too!

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

[Audrey Pearce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Realm of the Fae was a pleasantly surprising experience for me.

When I started this reading journey I knew I would love this book because I have always loved books about the fae. However, I got about 1/4th of the way through the book and was still bored. So, I took a break for a few days to read something else, but when I came back to this book, the action started not long after.

From that point on, I could not put the book down!

My favorite part about this book was that it had a fresh outlook on the fae that I have never envisioned before (which actually took time to get used to). At first I was getting a magical realism vibe, which is not an interest of mine and could have been why I was struggling to get through the beginning of the book. Eventually though, the book gave a fantasy vibe that I was completely there for, but it took some time to get there. The vibe that I got of this book as a whole by the end was similar to The Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa, which was a favorite of mine growing up.

I think the biggest downfall for me was with the relationships. I wish I could have seen more depth and relationship growth within this book, but I see the potential for more in the future book(s) and I will be there for it.

I know this book is not even out yet, but I can already say that I cannot wait for the next book!

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

[Maeghan 🦋 · Rating 1 out of 5]

Huge thanks to NetGalley & the author for a chance to review this arc.

Before I start my review, I just want to say that I don’t give 1 star ratings easily. This is a hard decision for me because I feel that it is rough. I have given less than 5% of the books I’ve read in my whole life 1 star. But this was a very painful read.

Sadly, this was a DNF for me at 30%. I had been fighting back against it since the first chapter. I’m an honest reviewer, and I’m sorry if my thoughts are rough, but I think this book needed more work. This book comes out on December 28th… therefore it was judged ready to go out into the world.

As a reader, sometimes books work out for you - and sometimes they don’t. I honestly think this book needed severe editing. The writing was all over the place and the word ‘like’ is used a gigantic amount of time. The conversations between the characters were awkward and not representative of normal interactions. There’s so many tropes thrown in that the story didn’t end up flowing naturally and it felt very stilted and bizarre. The FMC’s nonchalance definitely added to the weird setting.

The plot, the tropes used and the storyline would work well for a younger audience, between 12-14, to be exact. The writing was repetitive, a bit juvenile and convenient.

This book read like a debut that didn’t go through enough rounds of editing.

[Cathy Jacobs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually can admit that I forgot all about this book and that I read it in December 2025, so here I am a little bit late (I am sorry that this is late) doing my review.

I was lucky enough to get the chance to read this novel as a arc from NetGalley so a massive thank you to them, the publishers and Kadile for giving me the chance to read this book.

This was a really good fantasy fae read, and I really did enjoy it. I will admit it did take more than the 7 days to read this but that was mainly cause I was reading this at sleep time while also reading other books on my kindle. As I was reading this on my Kobo.

Was it a good read? Yes, it was a yes from me.
Do I recommend this book? If you love fantasy, anything fae then yes I do recommended this book.
Was it also unputdownable? Well yes, even though I only read at bed time, I had issues on turning it off to sleep instead of read.

This is the first book in the series of the Realm of Fae and this new comer author has done such a amazing job with it and I really did love reading the story.

This story was a really easy read for me, and it felt so much different to other fae based stories that I have read. It was a new world, a new plot and new magic.

[Dayna Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for the ARC — Realm of the Fae by S.J. Kadile hooked me instantly, dragging me into a world where beauty is dangerous, desire is a weapon, and every fae promise tastes like temptation.

Kadile blends dark fantasy and simmering heat so perfectly that every chapter feels electrified — like something wicked is watching from the shadows… and you’re not sure whether you want to run or let it catch you. The chemistry is magnetic, a slow, devastatingly delicious burn that makes every interaction feel charged and forbidden.

The world-building is lush, haunting, and full of sharp-edged magic: glittering courts, predatory forests, bargains whispered in the dark. The romance dances between danger and seduction, sweet moments wrapped in wicked edges that keep you wanting more.

With morally grey characters, intoxicating tension, and a world dripping in enchantment and sin, Realm of the Fae is pure, addictive fae fantasy. I devoured every dangerous, spellbound moment.

[Rowenda_Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think if you treat this as a very young adult book it would be great. Also for people that are just starting to read this would be a great pick. I think personally a person that has read a lot would like this only with the right mindset.

In the beginning a lot happened way to fast and after awhile a lot happened that didnt pull me into the story. So it felt like things were happening because they needed to rather then it fitting into the story. I really liked the characters. Clara the female MC was very likeable she was chosen to protect a key and a map. When she is in the human world she and her best friend get chased into a portal she lands in a world full of fae and other mythical creatures. (Think about syrens, minotaurs.)

Through out this book you follow Clara to unravel the mysteries around the map and the key and it was nice to see a lot of unique plot devolepments that suprised me (which is hard to do)

Worth picking up as a fantasy casual read. Or for first time readers!

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

***I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.***

Realm of the Fae is a strong romantasy debut and the first book in The Veil trilogy. The story involves high stakes, relatable characters, and a slow burn romance. I enjoyed following Clara and her friends on their adventure, and watching the friendships—and romantic relationships—that grew along the way. The characters are relatable in the sense that everyone, both human and fae, has their own doubts and struggles, and it was lovely to witness their individual growth throughout the story.

Be prepared for the major cliffhanger at the end! I have so many questions that I'm hoping we'll learn the answers to in Book 2, and am already looking forward to it.

[Sammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Realm of the Fae tells the story of Clara, who is fated to help a world of fae connected to our world by a veil with a broken gate. Sucked through, she and her childhood friend must learn the ways of the fae whilst also learning to defend themselves and working with the fae to repair the gate. The only problem? Corrupt fairies who want to control the gate for themselves are on their trail.
The worldbuilding in the novel is good, weaving recognisable fairy tales with new ideas. The characters are strong and lovable, with a good range of personalities and motivations.
The plot is fun, with elements of danger and suspense. It was not complicated, but it is enjoyable.

I read this book as an ARC but all views are my own.

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was everything that I was looking for from the genre and the opening chapter of the veil series. It had that paranormal romance element that I was hoping for and enjoyed getting into this world. The characters had that charm that I was looking for and enjoyed getting into the journey with the characters. I thought the characters had that feel that I was looking for and enjoyed about this type of book. S. J. Kadile was able to weave a strong storyline and was hooked from the first page in this and am excited for the sequel in this world.

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

[Stephanie White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine being told by your family that you are special, you are a "Surname" and then imagine you are a nurse working in a long term care facility and one of your patients saying you are special because "Surname" - and then you find out you are.

This book is like that - overall the book was entertaining, the characters were well developed and I think one of the males, the one that was friends with the main lead character, I think he realizes what he feels about her. There was action, fighting, death - and then a trip back to NYC at the end.

I just felt it moved a little slow - that is why I am giving it four stars.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Humans from modern time being pulled into a fantasy world can be hit or miss for me.
This one was a pleasant surprise. Clara and Malrik assimilate to the world rather than bringing their technology in and purposely standing apart.

I liked Clara from the start so I was invested in her journey.

The world felt like it had a lot of depth and history.

The pictures of the items as they were talked about made it feel more for a younger audience, but it did help with what they looked like. I liked that they were used in chapter breaks.

(ARC provided by NetGalley)

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I managed to read an ARC of this book through NetGalley.

The world building in this book is unlike anything I’ve read before, the words make the fae realm feel alive on every page, I barely had to prompt my imagination thanks to how in depth it was described without feeling tedious.

The pacing was steady and the tension between Clara, Ashael and Malrik was divine.

This book is the first in a trilogy and I’m excited to see what comes next.

4.5 stars

[Priscilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The world building allowed me to imagine what it would look like. The love triangle and slow burn had me wanting more. The beginning was a bit slower but it allowed me to ride along with Clara and Malrick's experience. I am looking forward to the second book.