Oh my stars, I just finished "Kingdom of Faewood" and I'm sitting here in my reading nook, still processing everything! As someone who practically lives for fae fantasy romance, I stumbled upon this gem while searching for my next magical fix, and what a discovery it was.
Let me tell you, darlings, this book had me absolutely enchanted from the start. The world-building is absolutely delicious - and I say this as someone who usually gets overwhelmed by complex magical systems. Yes, there's a glossary at the beginning that might look intimidating, but don't let that scare you away like it almost did me. The author weaves everything together so naturally that you'll be swimming in fae politics and magic before you know it.
The slow-burn romance... *fans self dramatically* When I say slow, I mean GLACIAL. But honestly? It works perfectly here. The tension builds so exquisitely that I found myself clutching my pendant (a family heirloom, if you must know) during certain scenes. And while some might find the lack of spicy content disappointing, I personally found the subtle intimacy far more captivating.
What truly captured my heart was watching our heroine's journey. She's wonderfully complex - perhaps a bit naive at times, but there's such strength in her character development. The exploration of trust and betrayal hit particularly close to home (reminds me of that incident with my second cousin at the Summer Solstice Festival, but that's a story for another time).
Now, I do have a few quibbles. Some might find the pacing a bit uneven, and there were moments where I wished certain elements had been more deeply explored. Also, if you're looking for a standalone story, you should know this is part of a trilogy with quite the emotional ending.
Would I recommend it? Absolutely, especially if you enjoy:
- Traditional fae fantasy with unique twists
- Character-driven stories
- Slow-burn romance that makes you want to scream (in the best way)
- Complex magical worlds
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (4.5/5 stars)
Just be warned - you'll likely end up like me, counting down the days until the next book releases. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go brew some moonflower tea to calm my nerves after that ending!
Librarian Emily finds a cursed ancient book about vampires that makes her mysteriously ill and connected to it. Vampire Alexander is tasked with retrieving the book but falls for Emily instead. Now he must protect her from an evil vampire coven also after the book, while trying to break the curse that binds Emily to it.
