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Once in Whispering Wood #2
Of Silver and Secrets
Tiffany Aching meets THE CRUEL PRINCE in this stand-alone romance about a human girl stolen away by a wicked fae king . . . and the young mage who will do anything to get her back.
Five years ago, Kellam left to study magic at the big city university. He promised he'd write every day.
He never did.
But Farryn isn't about to sit around crying her eyes out over the stupid boy who was once her best friend. She's got burgeoning magic of her own, and she's eager to learn how to use it. Surely a witch like Mother Ulla will be the perfect teacher, right?
Wrong.
Mother Ulla is delighted to have an apprentice around to scrub floors, weed the garden, make meals, and wash her many strange witchly implements. But this apprenticeship is not what Farryn had in mind.
Frustrated, she begins to dabble in magic on her own . . . and accidentally attracts the attention of something living deep in Whispering Wood. Something ancient. And dangerous.
Now it -- he -- is coming for Farryn.
Will this young witch-in-training be clever enough to save herself from the terrible being she's brought to her doorstep? Or will she need the help of the boy she has definitely not been pining for these last five years?
OF SILVER AND SECRETS is a complete, stand-alone novel inspired by the fairy tale Rumpelstiltskin. It's perfect for romantic fantasy readers who enjoyed AN ENCHANTMENT OF RAVENS, the Tiffany Aching series, or The Folk of Air. OF SILVER AND SECRETS features a stolen bride, a wicked fae king, and a sweet, heart-melting "best friends" romance.
Five years ago, Kellam left to study magic at the big city university. He promised he'd write every day.
He never did.
But Farryn isn't about to sit around crying her eyes out over the stupid boy who was once her best friend. She's got burgeoning magic of her own, and she's eager to learn how to use it. Surely a witch like Mother Ulla will be the perfect teacher, right?
Wrong.
Mother Ulla is delighted to have an apprentice around to scrub floors, weed the garden, make meals, and wash her many strange witchly implements. But this apprenticeship is not what Farryn had in mind.
Frustrated, she begins to dabble in magic on her own . . . and accidentally attracts the attention of something living deep in Whispering Wood. Something ancient. And dangerous.
Now it -- he -- is coming for Farryn.
Will this young witch-in-training be clever enough to save herself from the terrible being she's brought to her doorstep? Or will she need the help of the boy she has definitely not been pining for these last five years?
OF SILVER AND SECRETS is a complete, stand-alone novel inspired by the fairy tale Rumpelstiltskin. It's perfect for romantic fantasy readers who enjoyed AN ENCHANTMENT OF RAVENS, the Tiffany Aching series, or The Folk of Air. OF SILVER AND SECRETS features a stolen bride, a wicked fae king, and a sweet, heart-melting "best friends" romance.
7 pages, Audible Audio
First published December 20, 2021
About the author
Sylvia Mercedes
49 books2,403 followersHi, there. I'm Sylvia: cat-lover, tea-drinker, book-addict, and avid fan of the Kickbutt Heroine Fantasy Genre! If you like reading about tough heroines with extraordinary powers facing their demons and saving their loved ones . . . then we ought to be friends!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
December 27, 2021
This one has such a sweet romance! I ADORE best-friends-to-lovers romances, and this one is particularly adorable!
January 12, 2022
Sylvia's books are always so well done and always an adventure. I like the fun fast paced, danger feel without the blood and gore and horror you get in other books like this. This is for sure young adult. This is also connected to the series she has previously done. You get to know a little more of Mother Ulla's story through her apprentice Farryn. Mercedes books have a romance in them and the book is normally based around it but the characters don't have a whole lot of alone talk time. The adventure and near death is more the focal point of most of her books. Personally I like it the other way around and I wish we got more romance and less adventure but I keep coming back to her books cause they are just fun. 14 and up
December 21, 2021
Of Silver and Secrets was a Sylvia Mercedes classic. Ferryn and Kellam dance around their feelings for much of the book. This best friends to lovers romance is lovely, full of action, and an evil fae king (who may not be so evil after all?). Kellam’s ultimate sacrifice at the end of the novel was made all the sweeter when it was revealed that he had been so afraid of making his feelings known to Ferryn that he had never told her, and had never sent her the letters he had promised. His sacrifice was such a harrowing declaration of his love for Ferryn—despite the fear that had held him back for years— that it made me sigh. This was a fast-paced, romantic read which delves a little deeper into the world of the Whispering Wood and the creatures who live there. My only complaint is that Ferryn and Kellam didn’t spend as much time together as realistically needed to ultimately rekindle their love. However, I absolutely adore the world-building and the character development. I cannot wait to discover what Sylvia Mercedes publishes next.
*Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC copy of this book. This review is an honest opinion of this book.
*Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC copy of this book. This review is an honest opinion of this book.
December 21, 2021
I loved this book. As with everything else I've read by this author, the reader is pulled into this world from the first page. You'll recognise the character Mother Ulla, the ward witch, from other stories, and she plays a pivotal role in this. She is written SO perfectly and will remind readers of every age that older people were young themselves once and may still surprise you! I laughed so loud at certain parts and so will you, I guarantee it.
Our MC Farryn is Mother Ulla's apprentice, but Farryn's skill lies in dream walking. Needless to say that things don't run smoothly, and she steps into a dreamworld unaccompanied. She thinks the dream belongs to a young shy boy who appears in the dream. Well, to all intents and purposes it does, but there is a certain someone searching for her. Trouble with a big T.
Great authors feed the readers little connections in their books that are picked up more fully in others, and this is a perfect example. It's a mystery with some history, a beautiful love story and a tale of evil, of magic with a bit of tragic too. Excellent world building and believable,
full characterisations.
I chose to voluntarily read and review an ARC copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Our MC Farryn is Mother Ulla's apprentice, but Farryn's skill lies in dream walking. Needless to say that things don't run smoothly, and she steps into a dreamworld unaccompanied. She thinks the dream belongs to a young shy boy who appears in the dream. Well, to all intents and purposes it does, but there is a certain someone searching for her. Trouble with a big T.
Great authors feed the readers little connections in their books that are picked up more fully in others, and this is a perfect example. It's a mystery with some history, a beautiful love story and a tale of evil, of magic with a bit of tragic too. Excellent world building and believable,
full characterisations.
I chose to voluntarily read and review an ARC copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
February 28, 2026
To było...zaskakująco dobre
Totalnie się nie spodziewałam że jakaś randomowa książka z naprawdę nie zachęcającą okładką będzie tak dobra
Szczególnie spodobał mi się wątek okrutnych fae, i to takich serio okrutnych, aż dodałam nowe książki z tym wątkiem do tbr, bo tak się zainteresowałam
Bardzo chciałbym żeby ta książka była dłuższa tak o 200 stron
Kiedy myślę "romantasy" to to jest coś co miałabym na myśli, jedna z lepszych książek jakie czytałam z tego rodzaju
FABUŁA 8/10
Magia głównej bohaterki która polega na tym że jest w stanie chodzić po snach? Świetne
To jak się to dalej potoczyło BYŁO TAK CIEKAWE
ODCZUCIA 7/10
Tutaj przez większość czasu miałam takie sceptyczne podejście ale później naprawdę się wciągnęłam zwłaszcza pod koniec
STYL PISANIA 8/10
Rzadko to mówię, ale opisy były 💋 chef's kiss
Były sensualne, nie aż tak mocno szczegółowe, ale pisane w taki sposób że i tak byłam w stanie poczuć niektóre miejsca
I O BOŻE, NIE BYLO ZACHWYCANIA SIE TYM JAKI TO MMC JEST HOT, JESTEM W NIEBIE
Totalnie się nie spodziewałam że jakaś randomowa książka z naprawdę nie zachęcającą okładką będzie tak dobra
Szczególnie spodobał mi się wątek okrutnych fae, i to takich serio okrutnych, aż dodałam nowe książki z tym wątkiem do tbr, bo tak się zainteresowałam
Bardzo chciałbym żeby ta książka była dłuższa tak o 200 stron
Kiedy myślę "romantasy" to to jest coś co miałabym na myśli, jedna z lepszych książek jakie czytałam z tego rodzaju
FABUŁA 8/10
Magia głównej bohaterki która polega na tym że jest w stanie chodzić po snach? Świetne
To jak się to dalej potoczyło BYŁO TAK CIEKAWE
ODCZUCIA 7/10
Tutaj przez większość czasu miałam takie sceptyczne podejście ale później naprawdę się wciągnęłam zwłaszcza pod koniec
STYL PISANIA 8/10
Rzadko to mówię, ale opisy były 💋 chef's kiss
Były sensualne, nie aż tak mocno szczegółowe, ale pisane w taki sposób że i tak byłam w stanie poczuć niektóre miejsca
I O BOŻE, NIE BYLO ZACHWYCANIA SIE TYM JAKI TO MMC JEST HOT, JESTEM W NIEBIE
December 20, 2021
This book was like a nice mug of hot chocolate on a cold winter day. I absolutely love the best friends to lovers trope - it made for such a lovely read. Farryn was such a charismatic character, not the usual damsel in distress. She's really relatable as well; I'd be upset if my best friend, who I was also in love with, went off to University and forgot all about me. She's not perfect, but that's the interesting part - if she was perfect, and done as she was told, we wouldn't have had this amazing story. Without going into detail, it was a very creative plot, one that kept me engrossed. Definitely recommend this one :)
November 10, 2022
I really hated this book. Which is so disappointing because I have read and loved quite a few of the author's other books. But this book... I really struggled to read it.
Supposedly, this is based off Rumplestiltskin, and yet.... how? Because in the last 10 minutes of the book she made a deal to guess his name? What about the first two hours of the book? It isn't a retelling at all; it's just very loosely based off the idea of guessing a name.
The love interests.... yikes. There was no chemistry whatsoever. Supposedly they were in love 5 years ago, and yet we don't see it - its mentioned a few times that they almost kiss, but we don't see flashbacks or anything. This, coupled with the fact that literally nothing happens between them in present time, leads to me hating that they're together. He was her first love, sure, but how can she forgive him for pretty much abandoning her for 5 years? He never even wrote to her (later he mentions he burned all his letters because he was too cowardly to send them). And yet, after defeating the fae, he immediately asks her to marry him. It's utterly unrealistic.
The plot is just too convenient. There isn't even any real struggle to complete tasks. Sure, MMC was cut up when casting a spell, but I genuinely couldn't care less about him - how could I, when we aren't even emotionally attached? Every book needs to take the time to introduce characters and make the readers like them. I felt nothing for these characters. I did like Mother Ulla, but that's because we've seen her in the other books of this universe - she's consistent and likeable. But writing a book about two random people who we have never met? It's rushed and a disaster.
Overall, I think I just waisted two hours of my day. I was so disappointed by this book when the concept had a lot of potential. I have enjoyed this "universe" and its books so far, but this one makes me dread whatever is coming next. It seems that with every new book I read from this series, they keep getting worse.
Supposedly, this is based off Rumplestiltskin, and yet.... how? Because in the last 10 minutes of the book she made a deal to guess his name? What about the first two hours of the book? It isn't a retelling at all; it's just very loosely based off the idea of guessing a name.
The love interests.... yikes. There was no chemistry whatsoever. Supposedly they were in love 5 years ago, and yet we don't see it - its mentioned a few times that they almost kiss, but we don't see flashbacks or anything. This, coupled with the fact that literally nothing happens between them in present time, leads to me hating that they're together. He was her first love, sure, but how can she forgive him for pretty much abandoning her for 5 years? He never even wrote to her (later he mentions he burned all his letters because he was too cowardly to send them). And yet, after defeating the fae, he immediately asks her to marry him. It's utterly unrealistic.
The plot is just too convenient. There isn't even any real struggle to complete tasks. Sure, MMC was cut up when casting a spell, but I genuinely couldn't care less about him - how could I, when we aren't even emotionally attached? Every book needs to take the time to introduce characters and make the readers like them. I felt nothing for these characters. I did like Mother Ulla, but that's because we've seen her in the other books of this universe - she's consistent and likeable. But writing a book about two random people who we have never met? It's rushed and a disaster.
Overall, I think I just waisted two hours of my day. I was so disappointed by this book when the concept had a lot of potential. I have enjoyed this "universe" and its books so far, but this one makes me dread whatever is coming next. It seems that with every new book I read from this series, they keep getting worse.
February 22, 2022
Cute
A charming retelling of Rumplestiltskin that kept all the key parts of the fairy tale but switched them up in delightfully new ways.
A charming retelling of Rumplestiltskin that kept all the key parts of the fairy tale but switched them up in delightfully new ways.
December 17, 2021
(Note: I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. This story contains brief non-consentual kissing and nudity. This is also an abridged version of the blog review.)
Of Silver and Secrets swept me away. I could squeal just thinking about it, and that is a noise I usually reserve for Pride and Prejudice, when Mr. Darcy finally remembers how a gentleman courts a lady.
Of Silver and Secrets follows primary narrator Farryn’s trials as a ward witch’s dreamwalking apprentice who peeks into the wrong person’s enchanting dream. She has only the runes she’s learned from her mentor Mother Ulla (who is so perfectly described I instantly had a voice for her), and they are neither reliable nor powerful enough for the trouble she lands in.
The other narrator, Kellam, is a Miphato, and a new one at that. He’s Farryn’s childhood friend who almost kissed her at a dance, then shipped off to Miphato school and NEVER WROTE HER. When it comes to Kellam, Farryn hath some fury indeed.
The plot structure is happily unusual, with a smaller but high-stakes challenge for its narrators early on (in which Farryn and Kellam first collide). Then the mid-section of the book bucks the norm and features chapter after chapter of an in-depth battle so intense and authentically tricky for the protagonists that most authors would save it for the climax. There’s no “beginning, muddle and end” in Of Silver and Secrets.
The dreamwalking sequences are interesting and exciting, and contain Of Silver and Secrets’ best imagery. But I also thought Kellam’s characterization could be stronger (especially with Mother Ulla stealing the show), and that Farryn tends to dissolve into fits of cursing instead of deeper thoughts. Then the ending approached. (Cue the belated Rumplestiltskin-inspired part of the plot.) And it was…to borrow a popular phrase, *chef’s kiss.*
The author goes full-throttle with an extremely time-sensitive, tense plot development and it is exceptional—and clever and perfectly romantic. I couldn’t have asked for a better ending, and this one that had me rounding up to a swoony (and appreciative) 5 stars.
Of Silver and Secrets swept me away. I could squeal just thinking about it, and that is a noise I usually reserve for Pride and Prejudice, when Mr. Darcy finally remembers how a gentleman courts a lady.
Of Silver and Secrets follows primary narrator Farryn’s trials as a ward witch’s dreamwalking apprentice who peeks into the wrong person’s enchanting dream. She has only the runes she’s learned from her mentor Mother Ulla (who is so perfectly described I instantly had a voice for her), and they are neither reliable nor powerful enough for the trouble she lands in.
The other narrator, Kellam, is a Miphato, and a new one at that. He’s Farryn’s childhood friend who almost kissed her at a dance, then shipped off to Miphato school and NEVER WROTE HER. When it comes to Kellam, Farryn hath some fury indeed.
The plot structure is happily unusual, with a smaller but high-stakes challenge for its narrators early on (in which Farryn and Kellam first collide). Then the mid-section of the book bucks the norm and features chapter after chapter of an in-depth battle so intense and authentically tricky for the protagonists that most authors would save it for the climax. There’s no “beginning, muddle and end” in Of Silver and Secrets.
The dreamwalking sequences are interesting and exciting, and contain Of Silver and Secrets’ best imagery. But I also thought Kellam’s characterization could be stronger (especially with Mother Ulla stealing the show), and that Farryn tends to dissolve into fits of cursing instead of deeper thoughts. Then the ending approached. (Cue the belated Rumplestiltskin-inspired part of the plot.) And it was…to borrow a popular phrase, *chef’s kiss.*
The author goes full-throttle with an extremely time-sensitive, tense plot development and it is exceptional—and clever and perfectly romantic. I couldn’t have asked for a better ending, and this one that had me rounding up to a swoony (and appreciative) 5 stars.
March 30, 2025
I love interwoven universes that carry across series; it’s like catnip for this little book nerd’s heart, mind and soul.
When we first hear Kellam’s name it’s as he is being named as being a Miphato fresh from university. Now Miphates are a human magic user that carry across Ms. Mercedes’s various series. When Kellam is spotted carrying a blank book as Farryn, the local ward witch’s apprentice describes a demon-like creature killing in a dream I about jumped up and now in excitement because it was possibly a noswraith Farryn was confronting. Noswraiths known from her Prince of the Doomed City series.
Yeah, my little heart positively swooned.
Farryn and Kellam have a delicious chemistry together- childhood friends, nearly taking that next step as teens before Kellam chickened out and didn’t kiss the girl at a dance just before he left for 5 long years at university without a word. Yeah, there’s a reason she can’t stand the sight of the guy. I mean how dare he come back with his expensive magic education and having filled out from a scrawny boy to a handsome and muscled man?
The nerve. And then he tries stepping in on a local issue that Farryn had been asked to help with. Poor Kellam just can’t seem to stop saying or doing the wrong thing as far as Farryn is concerned.
Farryn, however, has broken the pledge between mortals and fae. Nevermind that she meant no harm, Farryn is taken to the Fairylands to be the property of a fae lord.
Can these two misunderstood broken-and-bruised hearts possibly bargain for a second chance at what-could-be or are they destined to be parted forever?
Ms. Mercedes’s clever storyline will keep you guessing every step of the way.
When we first hear Kellam’s name it’s as he is being named as being a Miphato fresh from university. Now Miphates are a human magic user that carry across Ms. Mercedes’s various series. When Kellam is spotted carrying a blank book as Farryn, the local ward witch’s apprentice describes a demon-like creature killing in a dream I about jumped up and now in excitement because it was possibly a noswraith Farryn was confronting. Noswraiths known from her Prince of the Doomed City series.
Yeah, my little heart positively swooned.
Farryn and Kellam have a delicious chemistry together- childhood friends, nearly taking that next step as teens before Kellam chickened out and didn’t kiss the girl at a dance just before he left for 5 long years at university without a word. Yeah, there’s a reason she can’t stand the sight of the guy. I mean how dare he come back with his expensive magic education and having filled out from a scrawny boy to a handsome and muscled man?
The nerve. And then he tries stepping in on a local issue that Farryn had been asked to help with. Poor Kellam just can’t seem to stop saying or doing the wrong thing as far as Farryn is concerned.
Farryn, however, has broken the pledge between mortals and fae. Nevermind that she meant no harm, Farryn is taken to the Fairylands to be the property of a fae lord.
Can these two misunderstood broken-and-bruised hearts possibly bargain for a second chance at what-could-be or are they destined to be parted forever?
Ms. Mercedes’s clever storyline will keep you guessing every step of the way.
December 7, 2021
Farryn is a ward witch's apprentice, but she is also a dream walker with dream magical powers, only she is very reckless and fearless and her actions often lead her into trouble making Mother Ulla very angry at her. Kellam is a miphato who is just returned from the university after 5 years away to study magic. The magic of witches and miphates is different to one another, one is bound to nature whilst the other learned through books, and it was always considered unfit for a witch and a miphato to fall in love. However, Farryn and Kellam had been each other's first love and friends since they were young, but during his stay away Farryn persuaded herself he did not care for her as she was a lowly girl and not good for him whilst he still dreamt of her all the time. Farryn enters a dream she is not meant to and by doing so inadvertently breaks the pledge mortals have with the fae. Yhendorn, the huntmaster comes to claim her as is his right, and he takes her to fairyland in Eladria across the Whispering Wood. He wants her to rid him of a noswraith who is haunting his dreams, a demon. In order to do this Farryn gets the aid of both Mother Ulla and Kellam but even when this job is done she is not released and Kellam is forced to bargain with the fae lord for his love's life! I love stories about miphates and tales of magic and the fae, as well as tales of strong if reckless heroines and noswraiths but more than all of this I love a good fight for one's first love and this book has it all!
December 6, 2021
I couldn’t get enough of this story! I would always look forward to every week when a new chapter of Of Silver and Secrets would come out. I just had to find out how it ended!!
Farryn is the apprentice witch to the local ward witch, Mother Ulla. (She was mentioned in the previous books of the series as well!) Unlike Mother Ulla, Ferryn specializes in the magic of dream walking.
Kellam is the second son of Lord Leocan, who goes off to Miphates University to replace Wysamenor at Roris Towers. He specializes in dreams and dream magic.
Farryn takes the time to enter a dream she knows she shouldn’t. In doing so, she ends up in the hands of the fae. With Kellam coming back after five years and saying he would write to her often, and never doing so, Farryn doesn’t want his help. But help is what she’ll need if she seeks her freedom.
I was captivated by the beautiful words portrayed in the dreams and enchanted by the faes presence. I couldn’t help but love this story and hope to read more by Sylvia Mercedes! Her work is like magic!!
Farryn is the apprentice witch to the local ward witch, Mother Ulla. (She was mentioned in the previous books of the series as well!) Unlike Mother Ulla, Ferryn specializes in the magic of dream walking.
Kellam is the second son of Lord Leocan, who goes off to Miphates University to replace Wysamenor at Roris Towers. He specializes in dreams and dream magic.
Farryn takes the time to enter a dream she knows she shouldn’t. In doing so, she ends up in the hands of the fae. With Kellam coming back after five years and saying he would write to her often, and never doing so, Farryn doesn’t want his help. But help is what she’ll need if she seeks her freedom.
I was captivated by the beautiful words portrayed in the dreams and enchanted by the faes presence. I couldn’t help but love this story and hope to read more by Sylvia Mercedes! Her work is like magic!!
December 20, 2021
Loved it!
Farryn possesses the rare talent of dream magic, a discipline that is more suited to the formally trained mages called miphatos than a common ward witch, and that talent has gotten her into a bit of trouble with a powerful fae.
Kellam is a miphato freshly returned from years away at school, hoping to reconnect with the community he is bound to serve. Especially his close childhood friend, Farryn.
When Farryn’s errant dream-walking lands her in the clutches of Lord Yhendorn, she is aghast to find Kellam coming to her rescue.
Of Silver and Secrets is a fast-paced, gorgeous, romantic fantasy, the pages practically turn themselves! I love Farryn’s character because she’s not afraid to be herself and I love how Kellam sees how amazing she is despite their class difference. Mother Ulla, who is in a few other of Mercedes’s books like The Moonfire Bride and Of Wolves and Wardens, is such a kick! It’s so fun to uncover touches of her backstory.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Farryn possesses the rare talent of dream magic, a discipline that is more suited to the formally trained mages called miphatos than a common ward witch, and that talent has gotten her into a bit of trouble with a powerful fae.
Kellam is a miphato freshly returned from years away at school, hoping to reconnect with the community he is bound to serve. Especially his close childhood friend, Farryn.
When Farryn’s errant dream-walking lands her in the clutches of Lord Yhendorn, she is aghast to find Kellam coming to her rescue.
Of Silver and Secrets is a fast-paced, gorgeous, romantic fantasy, the pages practically turn themselves! I love Farryn’s character because she’s not afraid to be herself and I love how Kellam sees how amazing she is despite their class difference. Mother Ulla, who is in a few other of Mercedes’s books like The Moonfire Bride and Of Wolves and Wardens, is such a kick! It’s so fun to uncover touches of her backstory.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
September 27, 2023
For a holiday read, when I just wanted to relax, it was a good book! Easy to read, I did not have to think much, so I could just sit down and enjoy it with a cup of tea or a glass of wine.
The story plotline is very simple, Farryn gets into trouble because she knows the best and thinks she does not need help. Frankly speaking, in the beginning, I found her a bit annoying with attitude like that. While I get why she was mad at Kellam, she was bordeling losing her life over her pride and self confidence. Do not get me wrong I understand why she was mad at Kellam, but it was like she just would not even listen to reason. Luckily she got slightly less annoying as the story progressed and I started to enjoy it more.
Obviously, the end is pretty clear from the beginning, but It did have few twists and turns and some tension, so overall, I enjoyed it and I would give it likely 3.5 stars if possible.
The story plotline is very simple, Farryn gets into trouble because she knows the best and thinks she does not need help. Frankly speaking, in the beginning, I found her a bit annoying with attitude like that. While I get why she was mad at Kellam, she was bordeling losing her life over her pride and self confidence. Do not get me wrong I understand why she was mad at Kellam, but it was like she just would not even listen to reason. Luckily she got slightly less annoying as the story progressed and I started to enjoy it more.
Obviously, the end is pretty clear from the beginning, but It did have few twists and turns and some tension, so overall, I enjoyed it and I would give it likely 3.5 stars if possible.
June 6, 2024
Farryn is a dream-walker apprenticed to the ward witch. Her childhood friend Kellam is a high-born mage who just returned to the area after his university training. When Farryn walks into a stranger’s dream, she is targeted by something dangerous and must decide if she will save herself or dare to call upon the friend who left her behind without a word…
This dual-POV story is a standalone fantasy romance based on Rumpelstiltskin. The world-building was beautiful and vivid, and the magic system unique (as is true for all her books).
Farryn was an untested heroine, struggling with self-doubt but determined to persevere. Kellam was equally floundering at times but had strength and good intentions. I really enjoyed the details of the dream magic.
This tale started with a childhood friends-to-almost lovers backstory and became a second-chance romance, and it was lovely. Good tension and genuine affection between the characters.
This dual-POV story is a standalone fantasy romance based on Rumpelstiltskin. The world-building was beautiful and vivid, and the magic system unique (as is true for all her books).
Farryn was an untested heroine, struggling with self-doubt but determined to persevere. Kellam was equally floundering at times but had strength and good intentions. I really enjoyed the details of the dream magic.
This tale started with a childhood friends-to-almost lovers backstory and became a second-chance romance, and it was lovely. Good tension and genuine affection between the characters.
January 12, 2022
Farryn Boddart and Kellam, Mage Leocan, have a history of friendship. However, Kellam goes off to school, and is afraid Farryn may not really love him back, so he never sends her letters. Farryn continues her life without him, trying to put aside her hurt feelings. Both have matured in knowledge, but remain in denial of their feelings for each other. Both have strong personalities and confidence in their skills, which is why Farryn ends up in trouble, and Kellam goes to her rescue. Mother Ulla continues to be a mystery, but we learn a little of her past as a young girl. She is a surprisingly strong witch with an amazing amount of knowledge, skill, and guile. World building is excellent and adventures abound. This Fairyland is made up of creatures where nightmares come from! I received a copy of this book from the author and am pleased to leave a review.
December 30, 2021
A new twist on Rumpelstiltskin with Fae
So this book can totally be read as a standalone but I loved all the little things that can tie it to previous series written by Sylvia.
The battle with the Noswraith in the dreaming realm was intense and full of lots and lots of magic.
Loved the bargaining with Fae too. It’s so much fun reading of mortals trying to win bargains with Fae.
Plus the dream realm that was created here is unique and the concept was new and I enjoyed reading about the descriptions and feelings that Farryn experienced.
A m/f fantasy romance that is a clean read. A second chance romance between two magic users. Fae, bargains, nightmare creatures and magic.
So this book can totally be read as a standalone but I loved all the little things that can tie it to previous series written by Sylvia.
The battle with the Noswraith in the dreaming realm was intense and full of lots and lots of magic.
Loved the bargaining with Fae too. It’s so much fun reading of mortals trying to win bargains with Fae.
Plus the dream realm that was created here is unique and the concept was new and I enjoyed reading about the descriptions and feelings that Farryn experienced.
A m/f fantasy romance that is a clean read. A second chance romance between two magic users. Fae, bargains, nightmare creatures and magic.
March 26, 2026
While I do love a good Sylvia Mercedes romantasy, this one felt weaker than her established series. Some parts felt like they dragged, while the actual relationship part seemed rushed into being. I ended up skimming more towards the end as the repeated rescue cycle wasn't helping me feel I knew the characters' motivations. I'm not a fan of FMC hates MMC because the trope requires her to rather than giving proper reasons (to be fair, she has a right to be angry, but comes across as somewhat juvenile in how far she takes it). We don't see their relationship either in the past or in the current POVs.
I'd recommend the longer series set in the same world, and to give this one a go if you like your romances fluffy and novella-style.
I'd recommend the longer series set in the same world, and to give this one a go if you like your romances fluffy and novella-style.
December 20, 2021
Noswraiths... fae bargains... love... romance... all in the Whispering Wood. And did I forget Mother Ulla? My, she did surprise me - and I'm not sure it was a good surprise. The story, though, WAS good. I love the constant expansion of the world Sylvia Mercedes builds and the familiar faces she throws in - without letting us forget who the main cast is!
Let's say I didn't expect such a clear cut noble knight and sacrifice. I was right. At the end, it wasn't SO clear cut. It was a rich story with new elements added to the familiar world and immensely likable protagonists, even when you want to give them a good shake!
I strongly recommend.
Let's say I didn't expect such a clear cut noble knight and sacrifice. I was right. At the end, it wasn't SO clear cut. It was a rich story with new elements added to the familiar world and immensely likable protagonists, even when you want to give them a good shake!
I strongly recommend.
December 27, 2021
Welcome back to the Whispering Wood and find out some of the secrets it holds! Set in Sylvia Mercedes' expanded universe, it combines elements from the "Scarred Mage of Roseward" as well as the "Of Candlelight and Shadows" series. Fans of Sylvia Mercedes will revisit known characters while they'll come to meet new ones.
Romance, mystery, magic, and a bit of angst blend together to deliver this new story that is as addictive and engrossing as all the stories that preceed it.
If you stumbled by accident on this book, I highly recommend getting yourself acquanted with Sylvia's amazing work. No one writes fantasy as she does!!!
Romance, mystery, magic, and a bit of angst blend together to deliver this new story that is as addictive and engrossing as all the stories that preceed it.
If you stumbled by accident on this book, I highly recommend getting yourself acquanted with Sylvia's amazing work. No one writes fantasy as she does!!!
January 8, 2022
Rivals learning how to cooperate against a fae who really does not like the word "no" - what lovely renditions of the Tam Lin tale this author created for our bemusement. Farryn is bright, vivacious, ambitious, headstrong and overly reckless; Kellam is uncertain, reserved and overly proud of his education. These characters shine as realistically as certain friends of mine with similar character traits. That is something this author does very well - people her novels with characters as real as the person down the street. This is a great addition to this author's library and well worth savouring.
I received an ARC from the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received an ARC from the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 26, 2022
A short, pleasant read, Of Silver and Secrets follows witch’s apprentice Farryn after one of her dream-walking sessions has unforeseen consequences. Now she has to juggle with the return of her childhood crush Kellam and the impending doom of a capricious fae lord.
The action adventure element was fun, and I liked the interesting dynamic between Farryn and the two primary Fae characters, Yhendorn and his mother. The romance between Farryn and Kellam was less fun by comparison.
Sigh, did I want her to go through some shenanigans and girlboss behavior to wrangle Yhendorn into some suitable husband material? Lowkey, but oh well.
The action adventure element was fun, and I liked the interesting dynamic between Farryn and the two primary Fae characters, Yhendorn and his mother. The romance between Farryn and Kellam was less fun by comparison.
Sigh, did I want her to go through some shenanigans and girlboss behavior to wrangle Yhendorn into some suitable husband material? Lowkey, but oh well.
April 20, 2022
This was a decent book. I did find it very confusing, because I thought that it would be a sequel to the first book in the series, but other than one character that’s featured in both, there’s basically nothing that ties the two books together. This really is a standalone novel. I think it would make a fantastic movie with all of the battle type scenes, but as a book, it was too much action, without enough story or character development. They kept referring to the love between the two main characters, but they hadn’t seen each other in five years, nor spoken at all during that time frame, so it may have seemed a bit unrealistic for them to have strong love for one another.
December 9, 2021
Farryn the Joiner's daughter is a headstrong, daring, and often disobedient apprentice of Mamma Ulla the ward witch. Her childhood best friend, Kellam the nobleman son, has just returned from 5 long years of Miphates University wizard school. He never even sent her a letter while he was gone! Of course sparks fly between these two, and of course he acts like a pompous idiot and of course she does something stupid (more than once) and gets in deep trouble with a fae. The two have to work together to win both their freedom and their lives. Classic Sylvia Mercedes. I am reviewing an ARC.
December 6, 2021
Loved being transported into the Whispering Wood on a magical, spell-binding adventure complete with dream-walking, monsters, fae bargains, and first loves.
Apprentice Ward Witch vs Miphato vs Fae Lord
This book has it all: Magic...Written Spells...Monsters...Noswraiths...Witches...Mages...Love...Bargains...Trust...Intricate World-Building...Strong Character Developments/Growth
How far would you go to save your love? What would you give up for your love?
Apprentice Ward Witch vs Miphato vs Fae Lord
This book has it all: Magic...Written Spells...Monsters...Noswraiths...Witches...Mages...Love...Bargains...Trust...Intricate World-Building...Strong Character Developments/Growth
How far would you go to save your love? What would you give up for your love?
December 8, 2021
This is another highly creative story from Sylvia Mercedes. Although billed as a stand alone read, fans of Sylvia's other books such as Scarred Mage... and Prince of the Doomed City will find connections that add to the pleasure of reading this book. I love that Mother Ulla's role is expanded and reveals so much more about her; I so love her dialogues with the "pretty boy" :) You will so enjoy this tale of Farryn, Kellam, Mother Ulla and the fearsome fae!
December 24, 2021
WOW! This story is filled with amazing imagery and outstanding world building that it instantly transported me to a magical world filled with witches, monsters and fae. I was hooked from the very first chapter and could not put the book down!
This story is fast paced, action packed, suspenseful, thrilling and extremely entertaining. It was an adventure that kept me on the edge of my seat the whole way through and I loved every second of it!
This story is fast paced, action packed, suspenseful, thrilling and extremely entertaining. It was an adventure that kept me on the edge of my seat the whole way through and I loved every second of it!
February 10, 2022
loved it!!!!
I absolutely loved Farryn and Kellam’s story!!! It was so different than the other books in this world, but with familiar faces all the same. I love Mother Ulla and hope she is in more books in this world! I also enjoyed Yhendorn and his mother, Huntmistress. I hope we get to read a story where he finds his true love finally. I hope we see more of all these characters in this world! Loved this book!
I absolutely loved Farryn and Kellam’s story!!! It was so different than the other books in this world, but with familiar faces all the same. I love Mother Ulla and hope she is in more books in this world! I also enjoyed Yhendorn and his mother, Huntmistress. I hope we get to read a story where he finds his true love finally. I hope we see more of all these characters in this world! Loved this book!
February 10, 2022
I absolutely loved Farryn and Kellam’s story!!! It was so different than the other books in this world, but with familiar faces all the same. I love Mother Ulla and hope she is in more books in this world! I also enjoyed Yhendorn and his mother, Huntmistress. I hope we get to read a story where he finds his true love finally. I hope we see more of all these characters in this world! Loved this book!
December 8, 2021
If you want something that's got LOTS of fun adventure, with terrifying monsters and scary fae, you'll love this story. It's not quiiiite as romantic as some of Mercedes' other works, but still SUPER sweet and the romance is squeaky clean!
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