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Wicked Fae #1
Trial of Thorns
In a ruthless competition of blood and magic, attraction to the enemy may be the biggest weakness of all.
I am Caelynn of the Shadow Court, banished to the human realm for killing a fae prince in my youth. But when I learn my homeland is in peril, I strike a bargain.
The Trial of Thorns will decide a champion to save the realm from a terrible plague, and secure the winner fame and fortune. I could care less about the money or notoriety--I'm playing for freedom. If I win, I will earn a full pardon. And I intend to win.
But I don’t account for Reveln being one of my opponents. We've got...history. And ten years later, he's even hotter than I remember. Oh, right, he also hates me.
Only one of us can win, and Rev will do everything in his power to make sure I don’t make it out of the trials alive.
Because ten years ago, I killed his brother.
And Reveln never forgets.
TRIAL OF THORNS is the first book in the WICKED FAE series, featuring kick-ass women, fated mates, and a slow burn, enemies to lovers romance. Readers of Holly Black's Cruel Prince, Sarah J Maas' A Court of Thorns and Roses and Audrey Grey's Evermore Academy will love this book!
I am Caelynn of the Shadow Court, banished to the human realm for killing a fae prince in my youth. But when I learn my homeland is in peril, I strike a bargain.
The Trial of Thorns will decide a champion to save the realm from a terrible plague, and secure the winner fame and fortune. I could care less about the money or notoriety--I'm playing for freedom. If I win, I will earn a full pardon. And I intend to win.
But I don’t account for Reveln being one of my opponents. We've got...history. And ten years later, he's even hotter than I remember. Oh, right, he also hates me.
Only one of us can win, and Rev will do everything in his power to make sure I don’t make it out of the trials alive.
Because ten years ago, I killed his brother.
And Reveln never forgets.
TRIAL OF THORNS is the first book in the WICKED FAE series, featuring kick-ass women, fated mates, and a slow burn, enemies to lovers romance. Readers of Holly Black's Cruel Prince, Sarah J Maas' A Court of Thorns and Roses and Audrey Grey's Evermore Academy will love this book!
364 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 1, 2021
871 people are currently reading
7476 people want to read
About the author
Stacey Trombley
18 books267 followersStacey Trombley is the author of several fantasy romance series including WICKED FAE and SHADOW HILLS ACADEMY. Her places to travel list is almost as long as her to-be-read list. Most recently, she spent 9 months living in a van with her family, traveling the US and Mexico. She has many more adventures in mind, both on Earth and in her imagination.
Follow her journey on Instagram and Tiktok @StaceyTrombleyAuthor and learn more about her books at www.StaceyTrombley.com
Follow her journey on Instagram and Tiktok @StaceyTrombleyAuthor and learn more about her books at www.StaceyTrombley.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 185 reviews
December 25, 2023
2.5 Raven Stars ⭐
Spicy Level: 0/5 (There is no Spice....yet??????)
I am not sure how I feel about this and have BIG mixed feelings. On the plus side, it's the Fae romance and fantasy combo I was craving, reminding me why I love diving into these kinds of stories. But, on the flip side, it gave me that "toss-it-out-the-window" feeling. I was stuck in a "great vs. crap" tug-of-war and finally ended up settling somewhere in the "kinda okay" middle ground.
This is a dual POV first person that follows Caelynn and Rev. Caelynn, a Fae female who was banished from the Fae realm when she was 16 for murdering the heir to the Luminescent Court is summoned back to the Fae lands to compete in a "Hunger Games" "-like competition to find a champion to retrieve the cure for a deadly blight destroying the Fae lands. However one of the participants is Rev, the younger brother of the prince she murdered, and he wants to get his revenge.
The one thing I liked about this is the plot and considering this is mostly a plot-driven story, that was what kept me pushing through the story. The world-building is also extremely unique given that it is Fae (and there are so many fae stories out there) that it was wonderful to see some intricacies of the Courts and their powers I had not seen before.
The writing is also pretty simple to read with what felt like incredibly short chapters that jump quite quickly between the two MCs, however, it was engaging.
Now on to the aspects I didn't like, the first being the characters. This was marked as "New Adult" but they both felt incredibly juvenile in their thoughts and some of their actions, especially from Rev. Most of the characterisation is surface level and doesn't go too deep. Considering there is an aspect of trauma, regret and self-loathing from Caelynn's side because she deeply regrets what she did all those years ago, it didn't always come through in the text. The love story between the two was also very quick from a turnaround of enemies to lovers and the reason was so blatantly obvious that it felt lazy and did not have as much impact when it was revealed to be true.
I could not understand why Brielle seemed more inclined to murder Caelynn than Rev did, even when Rev did hate her. There was the aspect that Caelynn killed her mate but her actions just seemed strange.
Then there was the weird relationship between Caelynn and Raven that left me with a sour taste in my mouth. The reason is that Caelynn mentions a lot that she loves her and cannot live her life without Raven, their interactions have romantic subtext and it's almost implicitly implied that they would be lovers. The only issue is Raven is 17 and Caelynn is at least 10-20 years older than her...The "I don't feel the same way about you" speech should have been a lot earlier in the book and not towards the end so that the subtext of "romance" could have been quashed quickly.
There was also this weird thing about how conclusions or things would just be stated without very little pondering or build up leaving me going, "Wait, did I miss something?" It was a tell vs show story and you just have to believe they came to that conclusion and move on...again this felt YA as those tend to focus more on plot than characterisation.
The Tropes:
▶ Enemies to Lovers
▶ Shadow Mommy and Light Daddy
▶ Fated Mates
▶ Hunger Games Tournament/Trials
▶ Dual POV
Ultimately I felt this was more YA than NA, but the plot intrigued me enough to want to try book two...If my peeves continue in that book then I'll stop the series.
Spicy Level: 0/5 (There is no Spice....yet??????)
I am not sure how I feel about this and have BIG mixed feelings. On the plus side, it's the Fae romance and fantasy combo I was craving, reminding me why I love diving into these kinds of stories. But, on the flip side, it gave me that "toss-it-out-the-window" feeling. I was stuck in a "great vs. crap" tug-of-war and finally ended up settling somewhere in the "kinda okay" middle ground.
This is a dual POV first person that follows Caelynn and Rev. Caelynn, a Fae female who was banished from the Fae realm when she was 16 for murdering the heir to the Luminescent Court is summoned back to the Fae lands to compete in a "Hunger Games" "-like competition to find a champion to retrieve the cure for a deadly blight destroying the Fae lands. However one of the participants is Rev, the younger brother of the prince she murdered, and he wants to get his revenge.
The one thing I liked about this is the plot and considering this is mostly a plot-driven story, that was what kept me pushing through the story. The world-building is also extremely unique given that it is Fae (and there are so many fae stories out there) that it was wonderful to see some intricacies of the Courts and their powers I had not seen before.
The writing is also pretty simple to read with what felt like incredibly short chapters that jump quite quickly between the two MCs, however, it was engaging.
Now on to the aspects I didn't like, the first being the characters. This was marked as "New Adult" but they both felt incredibly juvenile in their thoughts and some of their actions, especially from Rev. Most of the characterisation is surface level and doesn't go too deep. Considering there is an aspect of trauma, regret and self-loathing from Caelynn's side because she deeply regrets what she did all those years ago, it didn't always come through in the text. The love story between the two was also very quick from a turnaround of enemies to lovers and the reason was so blatantly obvious that it felt lazy and did not have as much impact when it was revealed to be true.
I could not understand why Brielle seemed more inclined to murder Caelynn than Rev did, even when Rev did hate her. There was the aspect that Caelynn killed her mate but her actions just seemed strange.
Then there was the weird relationship between Caelynn and Raven that left me with a sour taste in my mouth. The reason is that Caelynn mentions a lot that she loves her and cannot live her life without Raven, their interactions have romantic subtext and it's almost implicitly implied that they would be lovers. The only issue is Raven is 17 and Caelynn is at least 10-20 years older than her...The "I don't feel the same way about you" speech should have been a lot earlier in the book and not towards the end so that the subtext of "romance" could have been quashed quickly.
There was also this weird thing about how conclusions or things would just be stated without very little pondering or build up leaving me going, "Wait, did I miss something?" It was a tell vs show story and you just have to believe they came to that conclusion and move on...again this felt YA as those tend to focus more on plot than characterisation.
The Tropes:
▶ Enemies to Lovers
▶ Shadow Mommy and Light Daddy
▶ Fated Mates
▶ Hunger Games Tournament/Trials
▶ Dual POV
Ultimately I felt this was more YA than NA, but the plot intrigued me enough to want to try book two...If my peeves continue in that book then I'll stop the series.
April 16, 2020
What an amazing fae story! The concept is what really sold me on this book. I loved the idea of a fae prince accidentally falling for his brother's murderer.
I also enjoyed the trials aspect of the plot. It was reminiscent of HP and the Goblet of Fire in a very good way. The "maze" trial was easily the coolest trial, especially because the maze wasn't at all what I expected. It required the characters to really think through their surroundings.
Speaking of the characters, I loved them! I loved Caelynn and how she hated herself, but also didn't regret her actions. It was so fascinating to watch her struggle with her past and her future. Reveln also had incredible character development. I loved how his opinions slowly shifted once presented with facts he couldn't ignore.
Of course, Raven was my favorite. But I do feel bad for her based on what's probably going to happen in future books. At least a certain someone helped her at the end of the book. If that hadn't happened, I probably would have revolted, lol.
My very favorite part of the book was the shadow sprites. They were so awesome. I loooooved when the characters got to The Shadow Lands. And I loved how the setting interacted with Caelynn once she returned to her home. The world building was absolutely brilliant!
I've been reading a lot of fae books recently, and I'm so glad I picked this one up. It had all the fae characters and tropes I love, but it presented a unique spin on them. So good!
I also enjoyed the trials aspect of the plot. It was reminiscent of HP and the Goblet of Fire in a very good way. The "maze" trial was easily the coolest trial, especially because the maze wasn't at all what I expected. It required the characters to really think through their surroundings.
Speaking of the characters, I loved them! I loved Caelynn and how she hated herself, but also didn't regret her actions. It was so fascinating to watch her struggle with her past and her future. Reveln also had incredible character development. I loved how his opinions slowly shifted once presented with facts he couldn't ignore.
Of course, Raven was my favorite. But I do feel bad for her based on what's probably going to happen in future books. At least a certain someone helped her at the end of the book. If that hadn't happened, I probably would have revolted, lol.
My very favorite part of the book was the shadow sprites. They were so awesome. I loooooved when the characters got to The Shadow Lands. And I loved how the setting interacted with Caelynn once she returned to her home. The world building was absolutely brilliant!
I've been reading a lot of fae books recently, and I'm so glad I picked this one up. It had all the fae characters and tropes I love, but it presented a unique spin on them. So good!
December 10, 2020
I absolutely loved this book, finished it in one day 💛 A really strong, badass heroine that you were rooting for from the get go, a very likeable love interest/MMC and a whole host of really interesting and well developed side characters which is something that is very important to me in a good story! There world building was excellent and I’m excited to learn more in the next book! High stakes trials are one of my absolute favourite tropes and I absolutely adore fae, so as soon as I saw the premise I was all over it. I’m so very glad it didn’t disappoint! X
August 1, 2023
-Enemies to Lovers
-Slow Burn
Caelynn fue exiliada al mundo humano por haber asesinado al príncipe heredero al trono de los Fae. 10 años después, es llamada por su corte para participar en una competencia, donde el ganador obtendrá el perdón, fama y riquezas; y deberá acabar con una amenaza que se cierne sobre el reino.
Por otro lado, Raveln, busca ganar la competencia y en el camino vengar a su hermano, matando a Caelynn.
Este libro se lee rápido y no me aburrió en ningún momento. Hay todavía cosas que aclarar pero quedan unos cuantos libros más. 😅
Me gustó que la relación de los protagonistas avanza lento y notas como va cambiando la opinión de Raveln respecto a Caelynn conforme va descubriendo la verdad. 🥹
📖
...all the fae who hate me will now have an open license to kill me. The last time they tried to kill me indirectly. Traps, wicked creatures, and backhanded attacks. Now? They could all turn on me, shove a blade through my heart and move on—no questions asked.
_
Caelynn saved my life. I saved hers. Aren’t we supposed to be doing the opposite?
-Slow Burn
Caelynn fue exiliada al mundo humano por haber asesinado al príncipe heredero al trono de los Fae. 10 años después, es llamada por su corte para participar en una competencia, donde el ganador obtendrá el perdón, fama y riquezas; y deberá acabar con una amenaza que se cierne sobre el reino.
Por otro lado, Raveln, busca ganar la competencia y en el camino vengar a su hermano, matando a Caelynn.
Este libro se lee rápido y no me aburrió en ningún momento. Hay todavía cosas que aclarar pero quedan unos cuantos libros más. 😅
Me gustó que la relación de los protagonistas avanza lento y notas como va cambiando la opinión de Raveln respecto a Caelynn conforme va descubriendo la verdad. 🥹
📖
...all the fae who hate me will now have an open license to kill me. The last time they tried to kill me indirectly. Traps, wicked creatures, and backhanded attacks. Now? They could all turn on me, shove a blade through my heart and move on—no questions asked.
_
Caelynn saved my life. I saved hers. Aren’t we supposed to be doing the opposite?
June 5, 2022
Trial of Thorns is book 1 in the Wicked Fae series and is a New Adult Portal Fantasy novel.
Book Cover: 4* - The cover is pretty, and I love the colors used, but because the characters are mostly photo edited models, I'm not feeling much else. The shiny thorns around the title are cool though.
Summary/Tagline: 4* - The synopsis got me intrigued, however, this book is dual PoV, so I thought it was odd that the second character didn't have one. It did surprise me, especially when both characters roughly have the same amount of chapters.
Characters: 5* - Trial of Thorns follows 2 characters, Caelynn, the banished Countess of the Shadow Court, and Reveln, the Prince of the Luminescent Court, but hasn't been named heir. It was so freaking fascinating following both characters. Although I pretty much guessed a Enemies to Lovers was happening, I was NOT expecting a bisexual love triangle. Caelynn is a very troubled, and traumatized, young fae, older than she looks, but also very powerful. Reveln is a dedicated fae, wanting vengeance, but things begin to slowly come to light, pun not intended haha, about his deceased brother, how easily his friends were willing to betray him, and his so called father. It's really hard to say what's what without spoiling the story, but just trust me, I really liked being in their heads and seeing them evolve from what they were at the beginning to the end. I also liked Raven, the 17 year old human girl that Caelynn was basically forced to take with her to Faerie, mostly because yes, she felt for the girl, but she also worried for her because of Raven's own family issues. In case you're wondering, Raven is the third love interest. Yes, I am aware that Raven is a minor and Caelynn is very much not, but the relationship I was reading between the 2 was more emotional while it was very clear what Caelynn and Reveln were feeling was more on the sexual tension side. So I let that fact slide. Whether or not that knowledge flies with you will depend entirely on you. But, I thought I should include a possible warning about Caelynn's past and a vision Reveln saw in one of his trials, I think his older brother assaulted her when she was very young, 16 I believe. However, Caelynn walks around that detail whenever we were in her head, making it vague and making me question whether that was what happened or she was referring to something else. I just wanted to let you know in case you might find the reading triggering. That's all.
World Building: 4* - I really enjoyed learning about Faerie. Although the court names weren't as straightforward like, Fire Court, Light, Court, etc., the names they do have still detail what they entail, and I loved it. We also got to learn quite a lot about their history from civil unrest, rebellions, classism, and so much more. There is one little tid bit that bugged me enough though, and that is, how does one get to Faerie from the human world? Because of how quick time passes, and we are told when that's the case, we never see Caelynn leave the human world to return to Faerie. Our world was where she was banished to, and it was very much our current time line too. She wasn't flung to the past or anything, compared to how Faerie is set as, but I thought it was weird to leave that detail out. Not really important, I know, but I like to know that stuff. Learning about the creatures and magic system was enough to pull me away from that world hopping distraction haha! Oh, but depending on how you feel about this too, Faes can get old, like really old, several centuries old to be exact. Although that is an accurate thing from Celtic Mythologies involving fae/faeries, I also thought it was really intriguing that the older the faes become, the weaker they become. Like if they make it close to 500 years old, don't expect their eyes to be glowing enough to light up a room. Eye glow is connected to how powerful a fae person is. See? The lore in this world is awesome to learn. Oh, but there is one more thing I also want to let people know about. Although it was done few and far between, the author has decided to use the words Male and Female throughout the book. I don't know who started this Male/Female anything, but I don't care, all I know is that I very much hate gender essentialism. At least the author used those terms seldomly, but every time I read the sentence, it was enough to irk me or roll my eyes. Just thought I'd let you know that this is in the book too.
Story: 5* - Oh man, I was very much pulled into one fascinating and thrilling roller coaster ride. We start the book with Caelynn trying to run away from an orphanage because she sensed she was in danger. Seeing her que that it's time to leave, she was unable to stay quiet enough for her friend, Raven, to not notice. After some pleading, Caelynn was forced to take her along, until a familiar creature from her past shows up, informing her that bad things are happening in Faerie and that she must take part in the Trial of Thorns as the Shadow Court representative. Whether or not she wins, it's Caelynn's choice. After what she did, she accepts and travels to Faerie, there she must face enraged courts, terrible trials, and contestants ready to stab her in the back the moment she turns her back to them, and what's even worse, Raven is with her, and her life is in just as much danger as her own. Then there's Reveln, he is beyond infuriated that the fae who murdered her older brother, for reasons he doesn't know, and honestly, doesn't even care, is taking part in the Trial of Thorns. To him, Caelynn ruined more lives than she realized, and her blank and dismissive expression is making him and his friends burn for vengeance against her, that is until the Trials rules state that no one can kill a contestant while outside the trials. However, the longer Reveln remains in the Trial of Thorns, the sooner he realizes where his true allies lie as secrets start falling onto his laps one by one.
Over All: 4.5* - Although 4 stars, it's actually a 4.5 for me. I definitely enjoyed the characters, the story, and the world building. Although some things in the book did irk me while reading it, they weren't enough to ruin my enjoyment at all. I seriously can't wait to read book 2 and see where this story is going and where Caelynn and Reveln will go next. Based on that teaser, some surprising stuff was just dropped on their lap. Man I wish I had book 2 right now haha!
Book Cover: 4* - The cover is pretty, and I love the colors used, but because the characters are mostly photo edited models, I'm not feeling much else. The shiny thorns around the title are cool though.
Summary/Tagline: 4* - The synopsis got me intrigued, however, this book is dual PoV, so I thought it was odd that the second character didn't have one. It did surprise me, especially when both characters roughly have the same amount of chapters.
Characters: 5* - Trial of Thorns follows 2 characters, Caelynn, the banished Countess of the Shadow Court, and Reveln, the Prince of the Luminescent Court, but hasn't been named heir. It was so freaking fascinating following both characters. Although I pretty much guessed a Enemies to Lovers was happening, I was NOT expecting a bisexual love triangle. Caelynn is a very troubled, and traumatized, young fae, older than she looks, but also very powerful. Reveln is a dedicated fae, wanting vengeance, but things begin to slowly come to light, pun not intended haha, about his deceased brother, how easily his friends were willing to betray him, and his so called father. It's really hard to say what's what without spoiling the story, but just trust me, I really liked being in their heads and seeing them evolve from what they were at the beginning to the end. I also liked Raven, the 17 year old human girl that Caelynn was basically forced to take with her to Faerie, mostly because yes, she felt for the girl, but she also worried for her because of Raven's own family issues. In case you're wondering, Raven is the third love interest. Yes, I am aware that Raven is a minor and Caelynn is very much not, but the relationship I was reading between the 2 was more emotional while it was very clear what Caelynn and Reveln were feeling was more on the sexual tension side. So I let that fact slide. Whether or not that knowledge flies with you will depend entirely on you. But, I thought I should include a possible warning about Caelynn's past and a vision Reveln saw in one of his trials, I think his older brother assaulted her when she was very young, 16 I believe. However, Caelynn walks around that detail whenever we were in her head, making it vague and making me question whether that was what happened or she was referring to something else. I just wanted to let you know in case you might find the reading triggering. That's all.
World Building: 4* - I really enjoyed learning about Faerie. Although the court names weren't as straightforward like, Fire Court, Light, Court, etc., the names they do have still detail what they entail, and I loved it. We also got to learn quite a lot about their history from civil unrest, rebellions, classism, and so much more. There is one little tid bit that bugged me enough though, and that is, how does one get to Faerie from the human world? Because of how quick time passes, and we are told when that's the case, we never see Caelynn leave the human world to return to Faerie. Our world was where she was banished to, and it was very much our current time line too. She wasn't flung to the past or anything, compared to how Faerie is set as, but I thought it was weird to leave that detail out. Not really important, I know, but I like to know that stuff. Learning about the creatures and magic system was enough to pull me away from that world hopping distraction haha! Oh, but depending on how you feel about this too, Faes can get old, like really old, several centuries old to be exact. Although that is an accurate thing from Celtic Mythologies involving fae/faeries, I also thought it was really intriguing that the older the faes become, the weaker they become. Like if they make it close to 500 years old, don't expect their eyes to be glowing enough to light up a room. Eye glow is connected to how powerful a fae person is. See? The lore in this world is awesome to learn. Oh, but there is one more thing I also want to let people know about. Although it was done few and far between, the author has decided to use the words Male and Female throughout the book. I don't know who started this Male/Female anything, but I don't care, all I know is that I very much hate gender essentialism. At least the author used those terms seldomly, but every time I read the sentence, it was enough to irk me or roll my eyes. Just thought I'd let you know that this is in the book too.
Story: 5* - Oh man, I was very much pulled into one fascinating and thrilling roller coaster ride. We start the book with Caelynn trying to run away from an orphanage because she sensed she was in danger. Seeing her que that it's time to leave, she was unable to stay quiet enough for her friend, Raven, to not notice. After some pleading, Caelynn was forced to take her along, until a familiar creature from her past shows up, informing her that bad things are happening in Faerie and that she must take part in the Trial of Thorns as the Shadow Court representative. Whether or not she wins, it's Caelynn's choice. After what she did, she accepts and travels to Faerie, there she must face enraged courts, terrible trials, and contestants ready to stab her in the back the moment she turns her back to them, and what's even worse, Raven is with her, and her life is in just as much danger as her own. Then there's Reveln, he is beyond infuriated that the fae who murdered her older brother, for reasons he doesn't know, and honestly, doesn't even care, is taking part in the Trial of Thorns. To him, Caelynn ruined more lives than she realized, and her blank and dismissive expression is making him and his friends burn for vengeance against her, that is until the Trials rules state that no one can kill a contestant while outside the trials. However, the longer Reveln remains in the Trial of Thorns, the sooner he realizes where his true allies lie as secrets start falling onto his laps one by one.
Over All: 4.5* - Although 4 stars, it's actually a 4.5 for me. I definitely enjoyed the characters, the story, and the world building. Although some things in the book did irk me while reading it, they weren't enough to ruin my enjoyment at all. I seriously can't wait to read book 2 and see where this story is going and where Caelynn and Reveln will go next. Based on that teaser, some surprising stuff was just dropped on their lap. Man I wish I had book 2 right now haha!
March 1, 2020
All the stars!! This book blew me away. I am low key obsessed right now... I'll write a full review soon, but for now, know that this book is fantastic. It grabbed my attention early on, and it just built and built into this incredible story. The characters are fantastic, the setting is beautifully described without bogging the reader down, and it's just magical. I cannot recommend this book enough. I need the next one ASAP!!
September 13, 2020
This was just bad. I’m sorry, I hate to be that person, but I don’t understand how its average rating is over 4 stars. It started out GREAT. I was so excited. And then it quickly went downhill. Felt immature and poorly thought out, creativity disappeared, and tons and tons of grammatical errors. I didn’t finish.
April 9, 2021
Exciting start to this series!
Caelynn carries so much with her...she is an incredibly strong main protagonist (she is one of two POV that we get the story from) with such a complicated history. We know there's more to the story of behind the male she murdered and we get details throughout this book, but I think there's even more to come. Without spoilers, i really like how ST sculpted Caelynn's relationship with Raven...it's so deep and complicated and I think their revelations towards each other (spoken or unspoken) felt true.
Now Rev, he has quite the journey. His POV is written in a distinctly different voice than Caelynn's and we can really see how his attitudes shift throughout the story as he gains more and more information about his brother's murder and how he sees the true colors of those around him.
The secondary characters were interesting and complex and the world was well-built. The action felt right and those who advanced in the trials seemed to have the strength and fortitude (and alliances) to get that far.
Looking forward to more books in this series!
I received a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Caelynn carries so much with her...she is an incredibly strong main protagonist (she is one of two POV that we get the story from) with such a complicated history. We know there's more to the story of behind the male she murdered and we get details throughout this book, but I think there's even more to come. Without spoilers, i really like how ST sculpted Caelynn's relationship with Raven...it's so deep and complicated and I think their revelations towards each other (spoken or unspoken) felt true.
Now Rev, he has quite the journey. His POV is written in a distinctly different voice than Caelynn's and we can really see how his attitudes shift throughout the story as he gains more and more information about his brother's murder and how he sees the true colors of those around him.
The secondary characters were interesting and complex and the world was well-built. The action felt right and those who advanced in the trials seemed to have the strength and fortitude (and alliances) to get that far.
Looking forward to more books in this series!
I received a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
February 16, 2020
Good story. Impossible odds against the main character but she’s ready to face them. Strong female. Lots of internal and external conflict for main characters. The reader likes Cae and will root for her to be successful.
Nice ending. It ends ( which I like better than a cliff hanger) but it was such a good story that you’ll want another book to see where they go from here.
Nice ending. It ends ( which I like better than a cliff hanger) but it was such a good story that you’ll want another book to see where they go from here.
December 31, 2023
Wow the cover art here is unfortunate. I’m not sure I’d have read it if that’s what it looked like on my kindle! Haha anywayyyy.
I really enjoyed this book! A really fun YA fantasy. It is a well worn story we’ve read 100 variations of, but we love it for a reason! I’m excited to read the 2nd book, and crossing my fingers it stays strong for all 5 books.
I really enjoyed this book! A really fun YA fantasy. It is a well worn story we’ve read 100 variations of, but we love it for a reason! I’m excited to read the 2nd book, and crossing my fingers it stays strong for all 5 books.
January 25, 2021
2.5 stars
This was too bland sadly.
It clearly lacks something.
It's a good enemies to lovers, the characters characterization is pretty good, no insta-love or such, nonetheless, it left me with a 'meh' feeling.
I'm going to read the second one going for a more 'fulfilling' read!
This was too bland sadly.
It clearly lacks something.
It's a good enemies to lovers, the characters characterization is pretty good, no insta-love or such, nonetheless, it left me with a 'meh' feeling.
I'm going to read the second one going for a more 'fulfilling' read!
December 28, 2023
3.5 — i read all of that, just for them to not kiss at the end??? wtf
September 6, 2022
My goodness gracious, I've been waiting for a book like this to come along. I haven't truly binged a book in a while, but I couldn't stop once I started.
This book definitely gives off ACOTAR vibes with the Fae and humans and the different courts. But the plotline and characters are different enough that I didn't mind even one bit.
The plot has depth and complexity-- as do the characters. The friendships and rivalries are all well done and I'm love their individual personalities.
The magic system and world building was a bit confusing because I had a hard time keeping things straight between fifteen different courts; however, it turns out that none of that info was really necessary as the plot progressed so I don't mind the little bit of confusion.
Also, this has a true slow burn. Like-- really slow. It's been ages since I've found a true slow burn like this and I absolutely love it.
All in all, this was exactly the kind of book I wanted to read and I got it.
Disclaimers:
Swearing is present and sometimes explicit, but not terribly frequent.
Violence is present and mildly graphic. There are several battle scenes, but I wouldn't describe most of them as gory at all.
Sexual content is non-existent. There are implications at times, but nothing is stated outright. Nothing graphic at all.
This book definitely gives off ACOTAR vibes with the Fae and humans and the different courts. But the plotline and characters are different enough that I didn't mind even one bit.
The plot has depth and complexity-- as do the characters. The friendships and rivalries are all well done and I'm love their individual personalities.
The magic system and world building was a bit confusing because I had a hard time keeping things straight between fifteen different courts; however, it turns out that none of that info was really necessary as the plot progressed so I don't mind the little bit of confusion.
Also, this has a true slow burn. Like-- really slow. It's been ages since I've found a true slow burn like this and I absolutely love it.
All in all, this was exactly the kind of book I wanted to read and I got it.
Disclaimers:
Swearing is present and sometimes explicit, but not terribly frequent.
Violence is present and mildly graphic. There are several battle scenes, but I wouldn't describe most of them as gory at all.
Sexual content is non-existent. There are implications at times, but nothing is stated outright. Nothing graphic at all.
July 5, 2024
This book was very plot driven which I liked a lot but honestly that was the only good thing about it. The characters felt pretty flat and honestly acted like teenagers even though they are supposed to be in their 20s. The only reason I kept reading is because things kept happening and I wanted to know what happened next. Which is also why I'll be reading the next book in the series. I was able to call the twist and the ending pretty well but I live for the drama and need to know what the characters do with the information that has been revealed so catch me reading the next book soon.
July 24, 2022
Reminded me of a mix of Throne of Glass, The Hunger Games (which is actually referenced) and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I found this book through an bookstagram reel and it was good. The beginning felt like a debut novel but it gets better as the story goes on and you learn more about the characters’ past.
~ Enemies to forced allies to friends… to lovers? And our favorite; fated mates.
~ Enemies to forced allies to friends… to lovers? And our favorite; fated mates.
March 26, 2024
She is hated by everyone in the Fae world, she has been banished to the human world. She knows what she did and accepts her punishment and she would do it all agian. Then she is summoned to return to the world she thought she would never see again and face the poeple who hate her, the one she did it all for.
I was hooked from the very beginning of this book, Caelynn is the heroine you always want. She is the champion you will cheer for.
I was hooked from the very beginning of this book, Caelynn is the heroine you always want. She is the champion you will cheer for.
January 14, 2025
I really enjoyed this kept me engaged and I liked both main characters enemies to each other and a bit of a twist reveal at the end. I wish there had been more development but there’s more books I will be continuing.
July 31, 2025
I was kind of tired of the pity party with some of the main characters, it just really started to feel redundant half way through. The premise of the story was well enough, and the pop culture references in fantasy was a nice thing, but it wasn’t novel enough to really make that save a star.
January 17, 2024
THE SLOW BURN!!!!
spice-0/5 🌶️
stars-5/5 ⭐️
spice-0/5 🌶️
stars-5/5 ⭐️
March 30, 2024
I finally found time to read this book. I have read and loved the authors newest trilogy and I was very curious about this one. And wow, what a story!
A banished murderer who must participate in the trail of thorns and were she must compete against 15 other Fae who almost all hate her and want her death.
Or main character Caelynn, is such a strong character, who went through so much. She has definitely a very interesting history, that I want to learn more off.
I am really curious about how this series will continue and can't wait to discover this world more.
A banished murderer who must participate in the trail of thorns and were she must compete against 15 other Fae who almost all hate her and want her death.
Or main character Caelynn, is such a strong character, who went through so much. She has definitely a very interesting history, that I want to learn more off.
I am really curious about how this series will continue and can't wait to discover this world more.
May 27, 2024
I couldn’t put it down! The story builds and the plot and action is riveting. The character growth and exploration is the icing on top. This book was not at all what I was expecting, but I loved it! Ready for the next one.
February 21, 2023
Honestly, I initially started this book because it looked like a really easy read that would require minimal concentration (I needed something to read in the middle of the night while nursing my baby). I was shocked by how much I enjoyed this book! It was super fast paced and the characters were complex and interesting. The plot is intriguing and I’m excited to see what happens in the next book.
September 6, 2020
Really good, except for the cover.
I know you're not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but we all do. I didn't pick up this book even though I learnt about it much earlier, because the cover just looks so "trashy romance". But after reading it - it's not trashy romance. It's very, very slow burn; there's basically no romance in this first book. And it's a very exciting and heart-wrenching story. I would definitely recommend reading the prequel first, but all in all this was an excellent book. It's not fully resolved at the end, and there's no HEA / HFN yet, but it does end properly.
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My other big complaint contains a slight spoiler so stop reading here if you don't like spoilers.
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I really, really, REALLY dislike how Raven's feelings for Caelynn make an abrupt shift to romantic towards the end. It's not an LGBT issue (although personally, I prefer knowing I'm reading a book of that genre instead of getting it sprung on me halfway). What I'm upset by is that it was a beautiful sibling relationship up until that point, and then it just gets warped. After all, Caelynn is ten years older than Raven, which might not be a big deal if they're forty and fifty years old, but certainly is a huge deal since one of them is SIXTEEN. I thought it was so clear that Raven looked at her as an older sister, and totally understood the horror Caelynn experienced when seeing a vision of Raven being killed...but adding unrequited love into the mix just really warps that whole relationship, for me. I'm not interested in exploring this love interest at all, especially given that we've basically been subjected to an entire book of Rev + Cae, but why throw it in if you're just going to dismiss it and throw it away? That seems like a poor choice too.
I know you're not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but we all do. I didn't pick up this book even though I learnt about it much earlier, because the cover just looks so "trashy romance". But after reading it - it's not trashy romance. It's very, very slow burn; there's basically no romance in this first book. And it's a very exciting and heart-wrenching story. I would definitely recommend reading the prequel first, but all in all this was an excellent book. It's not fully resolved at the end, and there's no HEA / HFN yet, but it does end properly.
.
My other big complaint contains a slight spoiler so stop reading here if you don't like spoilers.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
I really, really, REALLY dislike how Raven's feelings for Caelynn make an abrupt shift to romantic towards the end. It's not an LGBT issue (although personally, I prefer knowing I'm reading a book of that genre instead of getting it sprung on me halfway). What I'm upset by is that it was a beautiful sibling relationship up until that point, and then it just gets warped. After all, Caelynn is ten years older than Raven, which might not be a big deal if they're forty and fifty years old, but certainly is a huge deal since one of them is SIXTEEN. I thought it was so clear that Raven looked at her as an older sister, and totally understood the horror Caelynn experienced when seeing a vision of Raven being killed...but adding unrequited love into the mix just really warps that whole relationship, for me. I'm not interested in exploring this love interest at all, especially given that we've basically been subjected to an entire book of Rev + Cae, but why throw it in if you're just going to dismiss it and throw it away? That seems like a poor choice too.
January 23, 2025
4⬆️⭐️
- Caelynn: protagonista femenina
- Rev: protagonista masculino
- Es un mundo de fantasía, en donde ambos protas son hadas, Cae es del reino de las sombras y Rev lo es de la luz
- Cae fue exiliada por haber asesinado al heredero del reino de la luz, el hermano mayor de Rev, pero regresó ya que hay una maldición que está destruyendo todo con magia negra y la cura está en un bosque maldito lleno de espíritus malvados y del cual sólo puede regresar una persona viva
- Por ello, vuelven a crear una competición que existió hace siglos, pero que quitaron porque les parecía innecesariamente agresiva, en la que participan los representantes de cada reino, incluyendo a los reinos débiles, y por tanto, el reino de Cae también
- Es un enemies to lovers al principio, por el odio que siente Rev por Caelynn y como jura matarla una vez comiencen los retos. En el primero, Rev y sus aliados la tienden una trampa, pero no con todos sus esfuerzos ya que la infravaloraron y creyeron que no tenia ningún tipo de poder y que era débil (porque el color de ojos determina el nivel y qué tan poderoso es alguien, cuando los ojos son negros, usualmente significa que la persona no tiene casi poder, pero también puede significar que la persona está sufriendo (en el caso de Cae, ella canalizaba todo el dolor e ira que tenía acumulada por todo lo que había pasado y lo usaba como escudo para engañar al resto)). Así que cuando superó el primer reto, gracias a un chico enano-hada que también participaba, los otros solo pensaban que había sido cosa de suerte
- El siguiente “juego” fue más mental, tenían que enfrentarse a su peor pesadilla y salir de la ilusión sin rendirse. Cae volvió a revivir el día que tuvo que asesinar al hermano de Rev, pero lo duro de esa experiencia fue ver de nuevo al monstruo que la obligó a hacerlo (después se revela que Cae mató al hermano porque el monstruo la obligó matar al hijo menor de la línea sucesora de ese reino, quien se supone que es Rev, pero cuando Cae se entera de que Rev no es hijo biológico, encuentra un loophole y mata a su hermano, consiguiendo el poder del monstruo, pero como no cumplió exactamente las reglas, la pillaron y ahí la exiliaron), ya que no le dolió matar al hermano como tal (era un capullo), sino las consecuencias y el dolor que le hizo sufrir a Rev por ello. Rev también vio esa experiencia, pero desde un punto de vista más confuso ya que él no sabía la verdad, solo vio la versión de Cae más pequeña e inocente, vio como su hermano la estaba paralizando con su poder (haciéndole dudar de la versión que tenía de él en su mente) y luego escuchó una voz, haciéndole elegir entre matar a Cae o no (Cae le dijo que dijese su nombre antes de matarla) y al final, decidió hacerlo
- A parte de estos retos, Cae trajo a Raven, una humana que conoció en el orfanato cuando fue exiliada y la cual no tenía familia (padres drogadictos), al mundo de hadas y la camufló con su poder, convirtiéndola en distintos tipos de pájaros (en distintos búhos y en un cuervo)
- En el tercer reto, Cae no tenía aliados (intentó convencer al enano-hada, pero este se negó porque no quería ser relacionado con una asesina traidora), pero los enemigos de Rev, cuyo jefe era la segunda opción seguido de Rev para reinar, hablaron con ella y la dijeron de unirse a ellos, pero también hablaron con los “aliados” de Rev y decidieron hacer un complot para traicionar y matar a Rev que era la mayor amenaza. Ante esto, Cae se “unió” con ellos, pero el día del reto (que era algo como un bosque en el que tenían que conseguir varias cosas en un tiempo determinado y era una competición de varios días), cuando rodearon a Rev y le hirieron gravemente, atacó por sorpresa a los cuatro que estaban (ya que seguían creyendo que era débil), noqueándoles con un tipo de bomba de magia acumulada, desmayando a todos. Llevaron a Rev a una cueva en donde podrían descansar y siguieron las distintas tareas. Hubo peleas, Cae mató a un “amigo” de Rev (anterior aliado que le traicionó), hirió a una de las aliadas del enemigo de Rev (el que reinaría sino estuviese él), pero luego la curó a medias para que sobreviviese y abandonase la competición. Estaban consiguiendo todo, descubrieron que había portales, consiguieron resolver los acertijos que les dieron a cada, hasta que solo les faltaba encontrar la línea de meta. Cuando casi estaban por conseguirlo, se encontraron de nuevo con la bola que les hizo tener ilusiones de sus mayores miedos, solo que en este caso, el reto sería que les haría ver su alma gemela y tendrían que matarla (una de las tareas previas a esta, era beber un líquido rojo y desear algo con una palabra, Cae deseó respeto y Rev (el cual tuvo que despertar Cae a bofetadas porque seguía inconsciente por el ataque bomba que hizo Cae) deseó por la verdad y en la cueva fue cuando Cae le contó que no era hijo biológico de su padre, y por qué tuvo que matar a su hermano, ya que buscó todas las opciones posibles para no tener que matar a su… y ahí se quedó, pero Rev ya podia adivinar qué quería decir). Por lo que cuando la bola les hizo tener ilusiones del otro, no fue mucha sorpresa para ninguno “descubrir” que estaban destinados a estar juntos, “asesinaron” al otro y superaron esa ronda, menos el enano-hada, que decidió no convertirse en ese tipo de personas y se rindió
- Por lo que, en la última ronda, era un 2vs2, Rev y Cae por un lado y el enemigo de Rev y una de sus anteriores aliadas que le traicionó. El reto consistía en una lucha de cuerpo a cuerpo, el que se cayese de la plataforma, perdía. Poco después de que comenzase, Brielle (la traidora), sacó de una bolsa a un cuervo (Raven) y la asesinó delante de Cae. Cae en un ataque de rabia en la que cegaba todo el dolor y rabia que sentía, comenzó a atacarla sin parar, con todo el poder del monstruo que tenía, la cegó y la torturó mentalmente, haciendo que no estuviese lúcida nunca más. Rev, por otro lado, fue a donde Raven y vio que no estaba muerta todavía y utilizó todo su poder para revivirla. Así que cuando le tocó luchar contra el tío, no tenía nada con lo que atacar e iba a perder si o si. Sin embargo, cuando Cae volvió a sus sentidos porque se dio cuenta de que Raven no había muerto, fue a donde Rev y le defendió atacando al otro, el cual tiró a Brielle porque le estorbaba (la caída de la plataforma no les mataría), Cae le dejó pensar que no le quedaba nada de magia y cuando ya le estaba llevando al borde, utilizó lo poco que la quedaba y le tiró. Seguía quedando Rev, pero todos ya estaban celebrando o abucheando porque era claro que Cae iba a ganar (Rev estaba tirado sin energía y todo pálido), lo que nadie se esperaba es que Cae se lanzase de la plataforma aposta, cediéndole la victoria y convirtiendo en héroe a Rev (todo por haber salvado a Raven, quien estaba enamorada de Cae, que se me olvidó decirlo, y se confesó antes de esa competición, pero Cae no podía devolver el sentimiento porque si seguía con ella, podría morir, por lo que se enfadaron y Raven no volvió a ella ni habló con ella por 6 días, hasta el incidente de Brielle)
- Una vez terminado el torneo, la reina habló con Cae y la dijo que Raven tenía que volver al mundo humano y que ella se podía quedar temporalmente en el caso de que Rev, al buscar la cura en el bosque de los espíritus, no sobreviviese, que la pondría guardias pero que seguiría en peligro por todos los que la veían como una amenaza y una traidora. Cae decidió irse con Raven porque no quería dejarla sola
- El libro termina en una especie de cliffhanger cuando Cae y Raven salen de la sala y se encuentran a Rev y le dice a Cae que se irá dentro de poco, pero que ya se volverán a ver. La ve alejarse, teniendo sentimientos encontrados, porque no quiere que se vaya y a la vez sigue odiándola y luego de parte de Cae, ella nunca quiso matarlo y sacrificaría lo que sea para protegerle, incluida su vida. Así que se sabe que Cae es la que cae primero, pero ambos saben que nunca podrán ser algo más (por ahora)
Críticas:
- Cae ha sufrido un montón, cuando cuentan todo lo que ha pasado (ser exiliada cuando solo tenía 16 años, que sus padres la diesen la espalda, ya no tener un sitio que se sintiese como su hogar, el peso en la conciencia del asesinato que cometió, el odio tremendo de todos hacia ella, las miradas y las críticas y todo en general que experimentó por ser vista como la mala de la historia…) y me pongo a pensar en experimentar la mitad que lo que ella, me parece imposible que siga de pie. Es la protagonista más fuerte, tanto de poder como emocionalmente, que he leído nunca. Además de ser fuerte es inteligente, hay decisiones que hizo no tan astutas, como llevar a Raven, pero eso fue porque se dejó llevar por los sentimientos, lo cual es comprensible porque no quería estar sola y Raven era la única que la hacía sentir mejor siempre
- Luego, las decisiones, el odio, todo lo de parte de Rev, también se entiende. Es como que todo lo que ha pasado en el libro, en cuanto a Cae y Rev, es comprensible y justificable. Ver que ellos también están confundidos, más Rev por no saber todo lo que realmente pasó, que tuvieron que decidir qué era lo mejor en el momento, incluso si no era lo mejor para ellos (como cuando Cae ya aclaró que sería la villana de la historia porque nunca ha sido algo más, que apartaría a Raven, la haría sufrir alejándola, con tal de que siguiese con vida y salva y sana)
- Como en esta parte, no están juntos, no se puede decir nada de su química románticamente, pero si se nota la tensión y el gran dúo que hacen al ser ambos poderosos (aunque si hay partes frustrantes porque Rev es idiota a ratos)
- Me gusta como Rev va mejorando, pasa a estar cegado por su sed de venganza y su ira y odio y a tener prejuicios, ya que solo piensa que los de los reinos poderosos son los mejores. Por lo que cuando tuvo que aliarse con el enano-hada y con Cae, ambos de reinos débiles, comenzó a decir cosas de idiota ignorante. Al final, se disculpó con el enano-hada por intentar insultarle llamándole enano y le escuchó cuando comenzó a contar toda la historia de los enanos a petición de Cae para aprender más de su especie. En cuanto a lo de Cae, seguía odiándola a ratos, pero se notaba que ya estaba atraída por ella y que la gustaba, solo que siempre se echaba para atrás y no paraba de recordarse que ella fue la asesina de su hermano, aunque lo hiciese para salvar su vida y blablabla. Al final no pudo negar el instinto de protección que le sale con Cae, y más cuando la defendió y curó cuando la dieron con una flecha en el pecho
Conclusión: MU BONITO 👏🏻
- Caelynn: protagonista femenina
- Rev: protagonista masculino
- Es un mundo de fantasía, en donde ambos protas son hadas, Cae es del reino de las sombras y Rev lo es de la luz
- Cae fue exiliada por haber asesinado al heredero del reino de la luz, el hermano mayor de Rev, pero regresó ya que hay una maldición que está destruyendo todo con magia negra y la cura está en un bosque maldito lleno de espíritus malvados y del cual sólo puede regresar una persona viva
- Por ello, vuelven a crear una competición que existió hace siglos, pero que quitaron porque les parecía innecesariamente agresiva, en la que participan los representantes de cada reino, incluyendo a los reinos débiles, y por tanto, el reino de Cae también
- Es un enemies to lovers al principio, por el odio que siente Rev por Caelynn y como jura matarla una vez comiencen los retos. En el primero, Rev y sus aliados la tienden una trampa, pero no con todos sus esfuerzos ya que la infravaloraron y creyeron que no tenia ningún tipo de poder y que era débil (porque el color de ojos determina el nivel y qué tan poderoso es alguien, cuando los ojos son negros, usualmente significa que la persona no tiene casi poder, pero también puede significar que la persona está sufriendo (en el caso de Cae, ella canalizaba todo el dolor e ira que tenía acumulada por todo lo que había pasado y lo usaba como escudo para engañar al resto)). Así que cuando superó el primer reto, gracias a un chico enano-hada que también participaba, los otros solo pensaban que había sido cosa de suerte
- El siguiente “juego” fue más mental, tenían que enfrentarse a su peor pesadilla y salir de la ilusión sin rendirse. Cae volvió a revivir el día que tuvo que asesinar al hermano de Rev, pero lo duro de esa experiencia fue ver de nuevo al monstruo que la obligó a hacerlo (después se revela que Cae mató al hermano porque el monstruo la obligó matar al hijo menor de la línea sucesora de ese reino, quien se supone que es Rev, pero cuando Cae se entera de que Rev no es hijo biológico, encuentra un loophole y mata a su hermano, consiguiendo el poder del monstruo, pero como no cumplió exactamente las reglas, la pillaron y ahí la exiliaron), ya que no le dolió matar al hermano como tal (era un capullo), sino las consecuencias y el dolor que le hizo sufrir a Rev por ello. Rev también vio esa experiencia, pero desde un punto de vista más confuso ya que él no sabía la verdad, solo vio la versión de Cae más pequeña e inocente, vio como su hermano la estaba paralizando con su poder (haciéndole dudar de la versión que tenía de él en su mente) y luego escuchó una voz, haciéndole elegir entre matar a Cae o no (Cae le dijo que dijese su nombre antes de matarla) y al final, decidió hacerlo
- A parte de estos retos, Cae trajo a Raven, una humana que conoció en el orfanato cuando fue exiliada y la cual no tenía familia (padres drogadictos), al mundo de hadas y la camufló con su poder, convirtiéndola en distintos tipos de pájaros (en distintos búhos y en un cuervo)
- En el tercer reto, Cae no tenía aliados (intentó convencer al enano-hada, pero este se negó porque no quería ser relacionado con una asesina traidora), pero los enemigos de Rev, cuyo jefe era la segunda opción seguido de Rev para reinar, hablaron con ella y la dijeron de unirse a ellos, pero también hablaron con los “aliados” de Rev y decidieron hacer un complot para traicionar y matar a Rev que era la mayor amenaza. Ante esto, Cae se “unió” con ellos, pero el día del reto (que era algo como un bosque en el que tenían que conseguir varias cosas en un tiempo determinado y era una competición de varios días), cuando rodearon a Rev y le hirieron gravemente, atacó por sorpresa a los cuatro que estaban (ya que seguían creyendo que era débil), noqueándoles con un tipo de bomba de magia acumulada, desmayando a todos. Llevaron a Rev a una cueva en donde podrían descansar y siguieron las distintas tareas. Hubo peleas, Cae mató a un “amigo” de Rev (anterior aliado que le traicionó), hirió a una de las aliadas del enemigo de Rev (el que reinaría sino estuviese él), pero luego la curó a medias para que sobreviviese y abandonase la competición. Estaban consiguiendo todo, descubrieron que había portales, consiguieron resolver los acertijos que les dieron a cada, hasta que solo les faltaba encontrar la línea de meta. Cuando casi estaban por conseguirlo, se encontraron de nuevo con la bola que les hizo tener ilusiones de sus mayores miedos, solo que en este caso, el reto sería que les haría ver su alma gemela y tendrían que matarla (una de las tareas previas a esta, era beber un líquido rojo y desear algo con una palabra, Cae deseó respeto y Rev (el cual tuvo que despertar Cae a bofetadas porque seguía inconsciente por el ataque bomba que hizo Cae) deseó por la verdad y en la cueva fue cuando Cae le contó que no era hijo biológico de su padre, y por qué tuvo que matar a su hermano, ya que buscó todas las opciones posibles para no tener que matar a su… y ahí se quedó, pero Rev ya podia adivinar qué quería decir). Por lo que cuando la bola les hizo tener ilusiones del otro, no fue mucha sorpresa para ninguno “descubrir” que estaban destinados a estar juntos, “asesinaron” al otro y superaron esa ronda, menos el enano-hada, que decidió no convertirse en ese tipo de personas y se rindió
- Por lo que, en la última ronda, era un 2vs2, Rev y Cae por un lado y el enemigo de Rev y una de sus anteriores aliadas que le traicionó. El reto consistía en una lucha de cuerpo a cuerpo, el que se cayese de la plataforma, perdía. Poco después de que comenzase, Brielle (la traidora), sacó de una bolsa a un cuervo (Raven) y la asesinó delante de Cae. Cae en un ataque de rabia en la que cegaba todo el dolor y rabia que sentía, comenzó a atacarla sin parar, con todo el poder del monstruo que tenía, la cegó y la torturó mentalmente, haciendo que no estuviese lúcida nunca más. Rev, por otro lado, fue a donde Raven y vio que no estaba muerta todavía y utilizó todo su poder para revivirla. Así que cuando le tocó luchar contra el tío, no tenía nada con lo que atacar e iba a perder si o si. Sin embargo, cuando Cae volvió a sus sentidos porque se dio cuenta de que Raven no había muerto, fue a donde Rev y le defendió atacando al otro, el cual tiró a Brielle porque le estorbaba (la caída de la plataforma no les mataría), Cae le dejó pensar que no le quedaba nada de magia y cuando ya le estaba llevando al borde, utilizó lo poco que la quedaba y le tiró. Seguía quedando Rev, pero todos ya estaban celebrando o abucheando porque era claro que Cae iba a ganar (Rev estaba tirado sin energía y todo pálido), lo que nadie se esperaba es que Cae se lanzase de la plataforma aposta, cediéndole la victoria y convirtiendo en héroe a Rev (todo por haber salvado a Raven, quien estaba enamorada de Cae, que se me olvidó decirlo, y se confesó antes de esa competición, pero Cae no podía devolver el sentimiento porque si seguía con ella, podría morir, por lo que se enfadaron y Raven no volvió a ella ni habló con ella por 6 días, hasta el incidente de Brielle)
- Una vez terminado el torneo, la reina habló con Cae y la dijo que Raven tenía que volver al mundo humano y que ella se podía quedar temporalmente en el caso de que Rev, al buscar la cura en el bosque de los espíritus, no sobreviviese, que la pondría guardias pero que seguiría en peligro por todos los que la veían como una amenaza y una traidora. Cae decidió irse con Raven porque no quería dejarla sola
- El libro termina en una especie de cliffhanger cuando Cae y Raven salen de la sala y se encuentran a Rev y le dice a Cae que se irá dentro de poco, pero que ya se volverán a ver. La ve alejarse, teniendo sentimientos encontrados, porque no quiere que se vaya y a la vez sigue odiándola y luego de parte de Cae, ella nunca quiso matarlo y sacrificaría lo que sea para protegerle, incluida su vida. Así que se sabe que Cae es la que cae primero, pero ambos saben que nunca podrán ser algo más (por ahora)
Críticas:
- Cae ha sufrido un montón, cuando cuentan todo lo que ha pasado (ser exiliada cuando solo tenía 16 años, que sus padres la diesen la espalda, ya no tener un sitio que se sintiese como su hogar, el peso en la conciencia del asesinato que cometió, el odio tremendo de todos hacia ella, las miradas y las críticas y todo en general que experimentó por ser vista como la mala de la historia…) y me pongo a pensar en experimentar la mitad que lo que ella, me parece imposible que siga de pie. Es la protagonista más fuerte, tanto de poder como emocionalmente, que he leído nunca. Además de ser fuerte es inteligente, hay decisiones que hizo no tan astutas, como llevar a Raven, pero eso fue porque se dejó llevar por los sentimientos, lo cual es comprensible porque no quería estar sola y Raven era la única que la hacía sentir mejor siempre
- Luego, las decisiones, el odio, todo lo de parte de Rev, también se entiende. Es como que todo lo que ha pasado en el libro, en cuanto a Cae y Rev, es comprensible y justificable. Ver que ellos también están confundidos, más Rev por no saber todo lo que realmente pasó, que tuvieron que decidir qué era lo mejor en el momento, incluso si no era lo mejor para ellos (como cuando Cae ya aclaró que sería la villana de la historia porque nunca ha sido algo más, que apartaría a Raven, la haría sufrir alejándola, con tal de que siguiese con vida y salva y sana)
- Como en esta parte, no están juntos, no se puede decir nada de su química románticamente, pero si se nota la tensión y el gran dúo que hacen al ser ambos poderosos (aunque si hay partes frustrantes porque Rev es idiota a ratos)
- Me gusta como Rev va mejorando, pasa a estar cegado por su sed de venganza y su ira y odio y a tener prejuicios, ya que solo piensa que los de los reinos poderosos son los mejores. Por lo que cuando tuvo que aliarse con el enano-hada y con Cae, ambos de reinos débiles, comenzó a decir cosas de idiota ignorante. Al final, se disculpó con el enano-hada por intentar insultarle llamándole enano y le escuchó cuando comenzó a contar toda la historia de los enanos a petición de Cae para aprender más de su especie. En cuanto a lo de Cae, seguía odiándola a ratos, pero se notaba que ya estaba atraída por ella y que la gustaba, solo que siempre se echaba para atrás y no paraba de recordarse que ella fue la asesina de su hermano, aunque lo hiciese para salvar su vida y blablabla. Al final no pudo negar el instinto de protección que le sale con Cae, y más cuando la defendió y curó cuando la dieron con una flecha en el pecho
Conclusión: MU BONITO 👏🏻
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 27, 2023
Honestly...I do not understand the stellar reviews here. The concept is fun - sort of Harry Potter and Mockingjay - it combines magic and competition.
So why only 2 stars? There are so many grammar and punctuation errors that I started underlining them! And I am only 30 pages into the novel (SMH). To add to that, she starts every other sentence with, "But"...
The dialogue is a bit basic making the character voices all sound the same thus far. There is potential for the book, but she needs to hire a content and copy editor for the next edition.
I am going to try to make it to page 100. Wish me luck.
So why only 2 stars? There are so many grammar and punctuation errors that I started underlining them! And I am only 30 pages into the novel (SMH). To add to that, she starts every other sentence with, "But"...
The dialogue is a bit basic making the character voices all sound the same thus far. There is potential for the book, but she needs to hire a content and copy editor for the next edition.
I am going to try to make it to page 100. Wish me luck.
May 27, 2023
Tropes/ Key Points:
Dual POV
Enemies to Lovers
Slow Burn
Magical Trials
Political Coups
Revenge
TW: Death, Murder, Abuse, Attempted Harm
Blurb:
Ten years ago, I was banished from my home to live in the human realm. I may look like a sixteen year old, but I’m closer to around thirty. I’ve spent the last ten years in and out of foster homes, so there’s one good thing that came from my appearance. I always have a bed and food on the table. I’ve had to move around a lot due to the fact that I’m being hunted. See, I murdered what was essentially the crown prince of the fae realm. I was caught and my punishment was exile. Plenty of people want me dead and I’ve been on the move to avoid it. Until now.
It turns out there is a disease plaguing my home and they need a champion to enter the “death” realm to find the cure. I have been chosen as my courts champion, a work around for the banishment. If I win, it’s permanently lifted and I can return home for good. If I lose, well… it’s only my life at stake.
I enter the competition and I’m not prepared for coming face to face with him. Rev. He’s the younger brother of the prince I killed. He hates me and wants me dead. I understand… I want me dead too. They think I am easy prey, that I will fail quickly. But they don’t realize that there are ways to hide your power. They don’t realize that I’m the most powerful one in the competition and I have nothing to lose… that’s why I’ll win.
Review:
I don’t even really know what to say about this book. It was that good so I’m left a little dumbfounded. I’m left tongue tied.
This book gives off vibes of Hunger Games (which is referenced by the FMC) and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I think that it gives a somewhat fresh take on the. "Magical Trials" that a lot of books are leaning into these days. I loved that it wasn't just simple combat and that there were tricks and turns that the contestants had to face to make it through. We start out with fifteen champions and they whittle away as the trials go on. Some die and some are simply eliminated, but this story does a great job at showing how merciless the fae can really be. It was interesting seeing those who cared about what was going on and those who simply wanted to get ahead, who wanted the power and prestige and didn't care who was in their way. There are four trials that the contestants had to go through and each were so different from the other that they really tested the mettle of the champions.
The development for the FMC (Cae) and the MMC (Rev) was handled so well. This series is marketed as a romance/political but there is very little romance that actually occurs in this book. It is SLOW BURN and I am here for it. Cae murdered Rev's brother and Rev has spent the last 10 years hating her and wanting her dead. If that would have been wiped away within a few chapters it would have left a bitter taste in my mouth. The author really did this right so far and I am so eager to see how it continues to develop. We get to see how even Cae hates herself for what she did and watch as she shifts from self-loathing to slightly minor self loathing. We get to understand glimpses of what happened to her to lead her to the decisions she made, as well as watch Rev as the puzzle begins to be pieced together. He very slowly begins to realize that he doesn't have all the answers and that maybe he was too quick to judge her. Especially given her actions throughout the book not aligning with what he thought she should be.
I was a bit disappointed at one point of the book, which introduced a bi-sexual love triangle. It felt out of place, against the character development we have been shown so far, as well as disregarded almost immediately afterwards. It felt like this was added to be able to say "I'm hip" despite nothing coming from it. Cae lived in a foster home with another girl named Raven. Raven is 18 years old and while Cae looks 16, she is actually closer to thirty. The book presents this relationship as a sibling love. Cae cares about Raven and vice versa. They both have no one so they latched onto each other. Then randomly, and with no lead up, Raven announces that she is in love with Cae. There had been no hints, no clues, nothing at all to suggest this had been a thought throughout the book. Cae doesn't reciprocate those feelings (for reasons we learn two chapters later) and the entire thing is promptly brushed off and they go back to a sibling relationship by the end. It just... left a bad taste in my mouth.
The book was relatively predictable in terms of the twists, mostly considering the clues were pretty obvious. Subtleness wasn't much of a thing here. I will admit I wasn't 100% expecting the ending, which was a nice surprise.
Overall, such a great read and I am excited to continue on with book two!
Dual POV
Enemies to Lovers
Slow Burn
Magical Trials
Political Coups
Revenge
TW: Death, Murder, Abuse, Attempted Harm
Blurb:
Ten years ago, I was banished from my home to live in the human realm. I may look like a sixteen year old, but I’m closer to around thirty. I’ve spent the last ten years in and out of foster homes, so there’s one good thing that came from my appearance. I always have a bed and food on the table. I’ve had to move around a lot due to the fact that I’m being hunted. See, I murdered what was essentially the crown prince of the fae realm. I was caught and my punishment was exile. Plenty of people want me dead and I’ve been on the move to avoid it. Until now.
It turns out there is a disease plaguing my home and they need a champion to enter the “death” realm to find the cure. I have been chosen as my courts champion, a work around for the banishment. If I win, it’s permanently lifted and I can return home for good. If I lose, well… it’s only my life at stake.
I enter the competition and I’m not prepared for coming face to face with him. Rev. He’s the younger brother of the prince I killed. He hates me and wants me dead. I understand… I want me dead too. They think I am easy prey, that I will fail quickly. But they don’t realize that there are ways to hide your power. They don’t realize that I’m the most powerful one in the competition and I have nothing to lose… that’s why I’ll win.
Review:
I don’t even really know what to say about this book. It was that good so I’m left a little dumbfounded. I’m left tongue tied.
This book gives off vibes of Hunger Games (which is referenced by the FMC) and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I think that it gives a somewhat fresh take on the. "Magical Trials" that a lot of books are leaning into these days. I loved that it wasn't just simple combat and that there were tricks and turns that the contestants had to face to make it through. We start out with fifteen champions and they whittle away as the trials go on. Some die and some are simply eliminated, but this story does a great job at showing how merciless the fae can really be. It was interesting seeing those who cared about what was going on and those who simply wanted to get ahead, who wanted the power and prestige and didn't care who was in their way. There are four trials that the contestants had to go through and each were so different from the other that they really tested the mettle of the champions.
The development for the FMC (Cae) and the MMC (Rev) was handled so well. This series is marketed as a romance/political but there is very little romance that actually occurs in this book. It is SLOW BURN and I am here for it. Cae murdered Rev's brother and Rev has spent the last 10 years hating her and wanting her dead. If that would have been wiped away within a few chapters it would have left a bitter taste in my mouth. The author really did this right so far and I am so eager to see how it continues to develop. We get to see how even Cae hates herself for what she did and watch as she shifts from self-loathing to slightly minor self loathing. We get to understand glimpses of what happened to her to lead her to the decisions she made, as well as watch Rev as the puzzle begins to be pieced together. He very slowly begins to realize that he doesn't have all the answers and that maybe he was too quick to judge her. Especially given her actions throughout the book not aligning with what he thought she should be.
I was a bit disappointed at one point of the book, which introduced a bi-sexual love triangle. It felt out of place, against the character development we have been shown so far, as well as disregarded almost immediately afterwards. It felt like this was added to be able to say "I'm hip" despite nothing coming from it. Cae lived in a foster home with another girl named Raven. Raven is 18 years old and while Cae looks 16, she is actually closer to thirty. The book presents this relationship as a sibling love. Cae cares about Raven and vice versa. They both have no one so they latched onto each other. Then randomly, and with no lead up, Raven announces that she is in love with Cae. There had been no hints, no clues, nothing at all to suggest this had been a thought throughout the book. Cae doesn't reciprocate those feelings (for reasons we learn two chapters later) and the entire thing is promptly brushed off and they go back to a sibling relationship by the end. It just... left a bad taste in my mouth.
The book was relatively predictable in terms of the twists, mostly considering the clues were pretty obvious. Subtleness wasn't much of a thing here. I will admit I wasn't 100% expecting the ending, which was a nice surprise.
Overall, such a great read and I am excited to continue on with book two!
March 17, 2024
You can read my review of Trial of Thorns on my blog, here: https://thepaperworlds.blogspot.com/2....
This is a spoiler-free review! Trial of Thorns is currently available on Kindle Unlimited.
Throwing myself back into fantasy land since I have been settled down in dark romance town for nearly a month. I am basically a walking advertisement for Stuff Your Kindle Day at this rate, with the past nine books hailing from my favorite ebook sale. The description of Trial of Thorns caught my eye due to its similarities to Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas, and I have been in desperate need to revisit an assassin-esque series.
Caelynn is unapologetically stubborn on the outside, and her characterization is one for the books. The exterior seen by Rev compared to her inner thoughts and development is a great example of her duality of vulnerability and power. As the story goes on, we learn so much more about her and what she has been through, and I gained a great appreciation for her character. I really have to echo my original statement of the resemblance to Throne of Glass, with the main characters having such strong self confidence and authority.
The prince has arm tattoos... I was a goner not even twenty pages in. And not even 20% into the book and I became completely enamored with the idea of a perfect enemies-to-lovers arc for Caelynn and Rev -- it was handed to readers on a silver platter and I ate it right up. I truly have not encountered an enemies-to-lovers scenario that I have loved this much since reading The Cruel Prince by Holly Black.
Rev has such a hardened view and deep hatred of Caelynn from the start, for obvious reasons, and as he learns more about her and the strategy she has going into the Trials, he begins to let his guard down. That being said, he continues to hold a strong distain towards her for the majority of the book, and their complex dynamic really has a fantastic groundwork laid out. They both are battling their own demons, and the more they discover about themselves and each other, the more they begin to realize that they may have more in common than they think.
The trials in this book were so interesting to read, and it was refreshing to see a number of creatures being included in the lore. The author utilized the side characters so well throughout this book, and it was such a strong choice to have them play major roles while not overshadowing the leads. Especially seeing them from Caelynn versus Rev's perspective -- she has her allies, and he has his, making their understanding of everyone involved in the trials even more complex.
I loved the complexity of the trials they competed in -- they did not resemble the typical trials seen in a number of fantasy series, and had an originality to them that made the story even more inviting to explore. Romance is definitely on the back burner for this first installment, but I loved the subtleness of it and how it did not overpower the story as a whole. There is certainly time for it in the rest of the series, and this book needed to focus on world building and character dynamics as a priority. I am so excited to continue on with this series and see where it takes these characters!
You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads (maddymartinelli), Instagram (@thepaperworlds), Twitter (@thepaperworlds), and following this blog in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!
February 29, 2020
So many things grabbed my attention when I came across Trial of Thorns! Its gorgeous and intriguing cover, the promise of a strong independent heroine, the seductive if unsettling appeal of the mythical Fair Folk combining great allure with vicious treachery, and my personal catnip, a tantalizingly strong enmity between the two main characters. It was just too much to resist, I’m only human after all.
I went in with high expectations, but somehow still underestimated how gripping this story was going to be. I was entranced from the get-go and completely sucked into the darkness and magic of the realm Caelynn and Reveln call home.
It’s a fast-paced, suspenseful story full of unexpected twists and danger coming at the characters from all sides. It’s genuinely thrilling to try and figure out who’s a friend and who’s a foe, with changing alliances, unlikely friendships, and hidden truths being revealed that change some of the characters’ long-held beliefs in painful ways.
Caelynn is an amazing character, enigmatic and strong, but tormented by the secrets in her past. Her pain is her strength, which is part of what makes her such an unusual heroine, and even though she hides in shadows and darkness, she is the true light of this story. I love her so much. I love her confidence and belief in her own abilities. She is so determined and such a savior at heart, even though she sees herself as a villain. I can’t wait to see more of her.
Rev is an intriguing character as well and he hasn’t exactly had an easy life either, despite his privileged upbringing, as he lost his brother and grew up with a neglectful, even hostile father. He does have some superiority issues at first, and his moral code gets slightly skewed by his single-minded pursuit of rank, power and revenge. However, he grows throughout the story and is quite lovable in his own right.
The secondary characters, both good and bad, are very well-written and bring added mystery, nuance and emotion to the story. I especially loved Tyadin and Raven. Hope to see more of them in the coming books in this brilliant new series.
The world-building is imaginative, detailed and original. I loved the history and politics of all the courts and people striving for power, or even just acceptance or survival, while also trying to figure out how to protect their entire world from a destructive, seemingly unstoppable scourge.
Recommend. Recommend. Recommend. Recommend…. You get the picture ;-)
I went in with high expectations, but somehow still underestimated how gripping this story was going to be. I was entranced from the get-go and completely sucked into the darkness and magic of the realm Caelynn and Reveln call home.
It’s a fast-paced, suspenseful story full of unexpected twists and danger coming at the characters from all sides. It’s genuinely thrilling to try and figure out who’s a friend and who’s a foe, with changing alliances, unlikely friendships, and hidden truths being revealed that change some of the characters’ long-held beliefs in painful ways.
Caelynn is an amazing character, enigmatic and strong, but tormented by the secrets in her past. Her pain is her strength, which is part of what makes her such an unusual heroine, and even though she hides in shadows and darkness, she is the true light of this story. I love her so much. I love her confidence and belief in her own abilities. She is so determined and such a savior at heart, even though she sees herself as a villain. I can’t wait to see more of her.
Rev is an intriguing character as well and he hasn’t exactly had an easy life either, despite his privileged upbringing, as he lost his brother and grew up with a neglectful, even hostile father. He does have some superiority issues at first, and his moral code gets slightly skewed by his single-minded pursuit of rank, power and revenge. However, he grows throughout the story and is quite lovable in his own right.
The secondary characters, both good and bad, are very well-written and bring added mystery, nuance and emotion to the story. I especially loved Tyadin and Raven. Hope to see more of them in the coming books in this brilliant new series.
The world-building is imaginative, detailed and original. I loved the history and politics of all the courts and people striving for power, or even just acceptance or survival, while also trying to figure out how to protect their entire world from a destructive, seemingly unstoppable scourge.
Recommend. Recommend. Recommend. Recommend…. You get the picture ;-)
September 6, 2024
— 3 Stars
Trials of thorns has quite the interesting concept: Caelynn was banished from the fae lands for killing the High Queen’s chosen heir. Obviously the ones close to him hate her now and wish for her death. As a plague falls over their lands her queen - the shadow court queen calls her back to be her champion. From all 15 (I think) courts one is picked to be sent to the trial of thorns until one is left standing to find the solution for the curse/ plague. Caelynn enters a competition full of death with people who wish her dead. First and foremost, her own fated mate Reveln, the brother of the one who she killed (obviously).
The concept of all the courts having their own magic in various forms, the trials as a bloody challenge and a banished girl coming back were all nice plot points. I think it could’ve maybe been made clearer that she is mated to Reveln, like it was just a side mention that only she knew until she hinted it to Rev. She did mention she would do anything for him, but it doesn’t come through in the book. Ik it’s hard to protect your mate when he hates you but she was also abt to just leave him to die. If she actually loved him as much as sometimes mentioned, which I doubt cus she barely knows him how can she love him that much??, why would she do that then??? So i think making Caelynns emotions better would’ve been nice cus right now it doesn’t make sense. Otherwise I like her character, how she hides her powers and how she got to them. Same with Rev. There were some really good scenes, but the relationship between these two isn’t much talked about, like romance is zero. Only one scene where they were lusting after each other lol. Also her love to Raven is confusing. Like it wasn’t clear if that girl was in love with cae or if it was platonic. Plus can’t she see Cae and Rev’s tension and shit….? Idk the whole plot of her having a human friend and idk gf now was weird. It gave her character that I-am-not-all-that-bad-and-cold side but meh. Anyways I think it has an interesting plot but could use better writing at some point to portray it better. I think I’m interested enough though to continue the series.
Trials of thorns has quite the interesting concept: Caelynn was banished from the fae lands for killing the High Queen’s chosen heir. Obviously the ones close to him hate her now and wish for her death. As a plague falls over their lands her queen - the shadow court queen calls her back to be her champion. From all 15 (I think) courts one is picked to be sent to the trial of thorns until one is left standing to find the solution for the curse/ plague. Caelynn enters a competition full of death with people who wish her dead. First and foremost, her own fated mate Reveln, the brother of the one who she killed (obviously).
The concept of all the courts having their own magic in various forms, the trials as a bloody challenge and a banished girl coming back were all nice plot points. I think it could’ve maybe been made clearer that she is mated to Reveln, like it was just a side mention that only she knew until she hinted it to Rev. She did mention she would do anything for him, but it doesn’t come through in the book. Ik it’s hard to protect your mate when he hates you but she was also abt to just leave him to die. If she actually loved him as much as sometimes mentioned, which I doubt cus she barely knows him how can she love him that much??, why would she do that then??? So i think making Caelynns emotions better would’ve been nice cus right now it doesn’t make sense. Otherwise I like her character, how she hides her powers and how she got to them. Same with Rev. There were some really good scenes, but the relationship between these two isn’t much talked about, like romance is zero. Only one scene where they were lusting after each other lol. Also her love to Raven is confusing. Like it wasn’t clear if that girl was in love with cae or if it was platonic. Plus can’t she see Cae and Rev’s tension and shit….? Idk the whole plot of her having a human friend and idk gf now was weird. It gave her character that I-am-not-all-that-bad-and-cold side but meh. Anyways I think it has an interesting plot but could use better writing at some point to portray it better. I think I’m interested enough though to continue the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 5, 2020
Wow!! This is an amazing Fae tale! The Fae world is being ravaged by the scourge - a curse that destroys their land and kills their children. So they commence the Trial of Thorns, to select the strongest Fae to travel to the Schorchedlands and find the cure. Each court chooses one champion to compete, and Caelynn is chosen to represent the shadow court. She was banished years ago for murder, but her banishment is lifted for the challenge.
This book is wonderfully written and it hooked me right from page 1. There’s plenty of action and suspense throughout the trials, and there’s some good twists and turns along the way! The trials were interesting and I particularly enjoyed the maze trial because it wasn’t at all what I expected. But my favourite thing about the story is the characters. Caelynn and Rev are such good leads, and I really liked that we got the story through both of their perspectives. They are both very complex and real characters, and their growth over the story doesn’t seem forced, it makes sense. Caelynn is such a strong female and I liked that she owns her actions and their consequences. I loved that she is from the shadow court because so often that court is just home to villains, but she shows the goodness that can come from that court. One of my favourite scenes is when she goes back to her homeland for the first time since she was banished because you can tell how much she loves it and see it’s beauty through her eyes. Also I really loved the shadow sprites. They made me happy! Rev is the male lead, and he had real reason to hate Caelynn and want her dead. But he was willing to look through his hatred and learn about the good in Caelynn as they fought through the challenges. They have a very complex relationship, but I hope things will work out for them somehow! Also, I love Caelynn’s human friend Raven and I really hope there will be an HEA for her too!
I’ll say it again, I loved this book and I can’t wait to read the next one!! I highly recommend it, especially if you love Fae and enemies to lovers romance!
This book is wonderfully written and it hooked me right from page 1. There’s plenty of action and suspense throughout the trials, and there’s some good twists and turns along the way! The trials were interesting and I particularly enjoyed the maze trial because it wasn’t at all what I expected. But my favourite thing about the story is the characters. Caelynn and Rev are such good leads, and I really liked that we got the story through both of their perspectives. They are both very complex and real characters, and their growth over the story doesn’t seem forced, it makes sense. Caelynn is such a strong female and I liked that she owns her actions and their consequences. I loved that she is from the shadow court because so often that court is just home to villains, but she shows the goodness that can come from that court. One of my favourite scenes is when she goes back to her homeland for the first time since she was banished because you can tell how much she loves it and see it’s beauty through her eyes. Also I really loved the shadow sprites. They made me happy! Rev is the male lead, and he had real reason to hate Caelynn and want her dead. But he was willing to look through his hatred and learn about the good in Caelynn as they fought through the challenges. They have a very complex relationship, but I hope things will work out for them somehow! Also, I love Caelynn’s human friend Raven and I really hope there will be an HEA for her too!
I’ll say it again, I loved this book and I can’t wait to read the next one!! I highly recommend it, especially if you love Fae and enemies to lovers romance!
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