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Edgewood
Can love survive the dark?
No matter how far she runs, the forest of Edgewood always comes for Emeline Lark. The scent of damp earth curls into her nose when she sings and moss creeps across the stage. It’s as if the woods of her childhood, shrouded in folklore and tall tales, are trying to reclaim her. But Emeline has no patience for silly superstitions.
When her grandfather disappears, leaving only a mysterious orb in his wake, the stories Emeline has always scoffed at suddenly seem less foolish. She enters the forest she has spent years trying to escape, only to have Hawthorne Fell, a handsome and brooding tithe collector, try to dissuade her from searching.
Refusing to be deterred, Emeline finds herself drawn to the court of the fabled Wood King himself. She makes a deal—her voice for her grandfather’s freedom. Little does she know, she’s stumbled into the middle of a curse much bigger than herself, one that threatens the existence of this eerie world she’s trapped in, along with the devastating boy who feels so familiar.
With the help of Hawthorne—an enemy turned reluctant ally who she grows closer to each day—Emeline sets out to not only save her grandfather’s life, but to right past wrongs, and in the process, discover her true voice.
Haunting and romantic, Kristen Ciccarelli's Edgewood is an exciting novel from a bold, unforgettable voice in fantasy.
No matter how far she runs, the forest of Edgewood always comes for Emeline Lark. The scent of damp earth curls into her nose when she sings and moss creeps across the stage. It’s as if the woods of her childhood, shrouded in folklore and tall tales, are trying to reclaim her. But Emeline has no patience for silly superstitions.
When her grandfather disappears, leaving only a mysterious orb in his wake, the stories Emeline has always scoffed at suddenly seem less foolish. She enters the forest she has spent years trying to escape, only to have Hawthorne Fell, a handsome and brooding tithe collector, try to dissuade her from searching.
Refusing to be deterred, Emeline finds herself drawn to the court of the fabled Wood King himself. She makes a deal—her voice for her grandfather’s freedom. Little does she know, she’s stumbled into the middle of a curse much bigger than herself, one that threatens the existence of this eerie world she’s trapped in, along with the devastating boy who feels so familiar.
With the help of Hawthorne—an enemy turned reluctant ally who she grows closer to each day—Emeline sets out to not only save her grandfather’s life, but to right past wrongs, and in the process, discover her true voice.
Haunting and romantic, Kristen Ciccarelli's Edgewood is an exciting novel from a bold, unforgettable voice in fantasy.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2022
About the author
Kristen Ciccarelli
11 books4,401 followersKristen Ciccarelli grew up on a grape farm, dropped out of college, and worked various jobs before becoming an author. Some of her previous trades included: baker, potter, bookseller, and NGO worker. Kristen lives in Canada’s Niagara Peninsula with her husband and daughter. She is the author of the New York Times bestseller, Heartless Hunter (Book 1 in The Crimson Moth duology), as well as Edgewood, and the internationally bestselling Iskari series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 753 reviews
March 28, 2022
Wow! This cover summons me to be part Edgewood universe, dancing with fairies, getting lost in the enchanting wood! This magical world building is well executed and the characters are militia dimensional. Eventually you’re getting drawn into this unique, complex, fairy tal-ish world more at each chapter you devour.
Poor Emeline Lark, aspiring singer, getting too close to make a contract with famous recording studio, trapped between real life and distorted reality she left behind or let’s say she couldn’t still leave behind even though how hard she tried. Her situation made me remember the lines of famous Cavafy’s “the city, the spirit and letter poem”: “The city will follow you. In the same streets you will return. And in the same neighborhoods you will age; and within the same houses you will turn gray.” But at least this time the magical city she left behind will blossom at each second.
The tempting atmosphere, deeply layered characterization, slow burn romance, the way of mysteries and secrets’ revealing in small steps which keeps your focus intact made me enjoy every second of this pure blissful journey!
Emeline wants to become a famous singer,
joining tours, living a different life she’s left in the Edgewood. But each time she sings, the images of enchanting woods start covering the bar stools, appearing around the stage as the bugs infesting her clothes. Yes, it’s challenging to keep it cool without alarming people who may be suspicious about your mental state! But she gets used to it! She’s so close for her big start!
Then a phone call from her friend informing her that her grandfather, her only living family is missing, changes everything! Is it about the tithes which have to be collected by Wood’s King. To find out what’s going on, she races back to Edgewood to search her grandfather’s room. She finds a cold marble which is strange! Because the last time she’s seen it, the time her young neighbor Grace has walked in the woods and never came back! It proves the theory that cold marble is sign of Wood’s King. Her grandfather may have been taken because of tithe.
She finds herself in the court of Wood’s King as soon as she enters the Edgewood, searching for the traces of him. For releasing her grandfather, she trades her own voice which means she’s so close to lose everything she’s worked so hard.
I loved this journey! I loved Hawthorne and Emeline’s slow burn/ enemies to lovers/ hating you but I also want to tear your clothes so bad kind of hot chemistry and surprising, heartfelt conclusion!
I also enjoyed the well played, smart twists.
When I loved so many things and found everything I adored in a fantasy world, it was obvious to give my five magical I had amazing time I wish this book would be longer, I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the characters stars!
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ Wednesday Books for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
Poor Emeline Lark, aspiring singer, getting too close to make a contract with famous recording studio, trapped between real life and distorted reality she left behind or let’s say she couldn’t still leave behind even though how hard she tried. Her situation made me remember the lines of famous Cavafy’s “the city, the spirit and letter poem”: “The city will follow you. In the same streets you will return. And in the same neighborhoods you will age; and within the same houses you will turn gray.” But at least this time the magical city she left behind will blossom at each second.
The tempting atmosphere, deeply layered characterization, slow burn romance, the way of mysteries and secrets’ revealing in small steps which keeps your focus intact made me enjoy every second of this pure blissful journey!
Emeline wants to become a famous singer,
joining tours, living a different life she’s left in the Edgewood. But each time she sings, the images of enchanting woods start covering the bar stools, appearing around the stage as the bugs infesting her clothes. Yes, it’s challenging to keep it cool without alarming people who may be suspicious about your mental state! But she gets used to it! She’s so close for her big start!
Then a phone call from her friend informing her that her grandfather, her only living family is missing, changes everything! Is it about the tithes which have to be collected by Wood’s King. To find out what’s going on, she races back to Edgewood to search her grandfather’s room. She finds a cold marble which is strange! Because the last time she’s seen it, the time her young neighbor Grace has walked in the woods and never came back! It proves the theory that cold marble is sign of Wood’s King. Her grandfather may have been taken because of tithe.
She finds herself in the court of Wood’s King as soon as she enters the Edgewood, searching for the traces of him. For releasing her grandfather, she trades her own voice which means she’s so close to lose everything she’s worked so hard.
I loved this journey! I loved Hawthorne and Emeline’s slow burn/ enemies to lovers/ hating you but I also want to tear your clothes so bad kind of hot chemistry and surprising, heartfelt conclusion!
I also enjoyed the well played, smart twists.
When I loved so many things and found everything I adored in a fantasy world, it was obvious to give my five magical I had amazing time I wish this book would be longer, I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the characters stars!
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ Wednesday Books for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
September 6, 2024
Music is life for Emeline Lark. Chasing her dream of becoming a singer-songwriter, she left her small town of Edgewood behind, moving to the city.
No matter how far she goes however, she's constantly reminded of home. As she performs, with the music coursing through her, she can smell the damp woods of Edgewood; moss and other flora have even been known to sprout from the stage at her feet.
Emeline does her best to ignore it. She feels like in order to succeed, she has break ties with the past.
When she receives news from a friend, however, that her beloved Grandfather has disappeared, she hightails it back to join the search. He is the only family she has left; she can't lose him too.
With just days left before Emeline is set to go on her first tour, as the opener for one of her favorite bands, she needs to find Pa quickly, so she can return to the city and the life she's built for herself there.
Edgewood is undeniably a quirky little town, full of superstitions. It doesn't take long for Emeline to discover that there may actually be something to all the local lore and thus, a more magical than mundane reason for her Pa's disappearance.
Unexpectedly, she finds herself following her only lead, a mysterious orb left on her Grandfather's pillow, said to be evidence of a tithe paid to the Wood King.
Into the woods she goes and a fairy tale is born!
I really enjoyed my time with this audiobook. I knew going in that Ciccarelli's writing is fantastic and that she knows how to sweep her Readers away into another world. I loved her entire Iskari series and feel it's highly underrated in the YA Fantasy space.
In this story, I enjoyed how modern it felt. I actually didn't know too much about it going in and assumed it was set entirely in a Fantasy world.
I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Emeline is a girl very much of our world, who travels to a magical realm to perform a quest; to find her beloved Grandfather who has been stolen away.
This is one of my favorite set-ups for magical stories. It gives me nostalgic Labyrinth vibes and I'm so here for it. Also, it felt sort of Beauty and the Beast reminiscent as well towards the beginning, which is another one of my favorites.
Edgewood gave me many good feels throughout. There was a lot packed into this story; numerous reveals and great growth of character for Emeline.
On a more serious note, I really enjoyed how Ciccarelli explored the relationship between Emeline and her Grandfather. When he started losing his memory, he became unable to live on his own and Emeline had to make the decision to have him placed in a home.
This is such a tough real life issue; one that hits particularly close to home for me. Emeline struggles with guilt surrounding her decision and I appreciated that Ciccarelli included that. Instead of making it glossy and pretty, you could really get a sense of the complexity of Emeline's feelings. This hasn't been as easy for her as it may first appear.
In spite of that heavier points in the narrative, this also managed to be magical and fun. There were many great mythical beings, a deal with the Wood King, a long-standing curse and the truth of Emeline's past coming to light.
Oh, and also, a sweet romance. That's probably what some of y'all are here for. It was swoon-worthy, a little heartbreaking, yet also uplifting. It was really good, although not my personal favorite aspect of the overall story.
At this point, I will pick up anything Ciccarelli writes. Her imagery is stunning and she never fails to guide me out of reality for a while.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with an audio ARC to read and review. I'm already excited to see what Ciccarelli comes up with next!!
No matter how far she goes however, she's constantly reminded of home. As she performs, with the music coursing through her, she can smell the damp woods of Edgewood; moss and other flora have even been known to sprout from the stage at her feet.
Emeline does her best to ignore it. She feels like in order to succeed, she has break ties with the past.
When she receives news from a friend, however, that her beloved Grandfather has disappeared, she hightails it back to join the search. He is the only family she has left; she can't lose him too.
With just days left before Emeline is set to go on her first tour, as the opener for one of her favorite bands, she needs to find Pa quickly, so she can return to the city and the life she's built for herself there.
Edgewood is undeniably a quirky little town, full of superstitions. It doesn't take long for Emeline to discover that there may actually be something to all the local lore and thus, a more magical than mundane reason for her Pa's disappearance.
Unexpectedly, she finds herself following her only lead, a mysterious orb left on her Grandfather's pillow, said to be evidence of a tithe paid to the Wood King.
Into the woods she goes and a fairy tale is born!
I really enjoyed my time with this audiobook. I knew going in that Ciccarelli's writing is fantastic and that she knows how to sweep her Readers away into another world. I loved her entire Iskari series and feel it's highly underrated in the YA Fantasy space.
In this story, I enjoyed how modern it felt. I actually didn't know too much about it going in and assumed it was set entirely in a Fantasy world.
I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Emeline is a girl very much of our world, who travels to a magical realm to perform a quest; to find her beloved Grandfather who has been stolen away.
This is one of my favorite set-ups for magical stories. It gives me nostalgic Labyrinth vibes and I'm so here for it. Also, it felt sort of Beauty and the Beast reminiscent as well towards the beginning, which is another one of my favorites.
Edgewood gave me many good feels throughout. There was a lot packed into this story; numerous reveals and great growth of character for Emeline.
On a more serious note, I really enjoyed how Ciccarelli explored the relationship between Emeline and her Grandfather. When he started losing his memory, he became unable to live on his own and Emeline had to make the decision to have him placed in a home.
This is such a tough real life issue; one that hits particularly close to home for me. Emeline struggles with guilt surrounding her decision and I appreciated that Ciccarelli included that. Instead of making it glossy and pretty, you could really get a sense of the complexity of Emeline's feelings. This hasn't been as easy for her as it may first appear.
In spite of that heavier points in the narrative, this also managed to be magical and fun. There were many great mythical beings, a deal with the Wood King, a long-standing curse and the truth of Emeline's past coming to light.
Oh, and also, a sweet romance. That's probably what some of y'all are here for. It was swoon-worthy, a little heartbreaking, yet also uplifting. It was really good, although not my personal favorite aspect of the overall story.
At this point, I will pick up anything Ciccarelli writes. Her imagery is stunning and she never fails to guide me out of reality for a while.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with an audio ARC to read and review. I'm already excited to see what Ciccarelli comes up with next!!
September 7, 2021
i liked this a lot more than i thought i would. im not a huge fan of urban fantasy, so i appreciate that only a few scenes take place in the human world. it allowed me to really enjoy edgewood and the fae kingdom.
i think any fan of YA paranormal fantasy will have fun with this. its a wholesome story filled with mysterious woods, secretive fae, a horrible curse, a wicked witch, and even a dragon! its very much an ode to the magic found in both nature and music.
the characters are relatable, the plot has good pacing, the writing is nice, and the romance is sweet - it has all of the makings of a great fantasy standalone.
thanks st. martins press/wednesday books for the ARC!
↠ 3.5 stars
i think any fan of YA paranormal fantasy will have fun with this. its a wholesome story filled with mysterious woods, secretive fae, a horrible curse, a wicked witch, and even a dragon! its very much an ode to the magic found in both nature and music.
the characters are relatable, the plot has good pacing, the writing is nice, and the romance is sweet - it has all of the makings of a great fantasy standalone.
thanks st. martins press/wednesday books for the ARC!
↠ 3.5 stars
March 14, 2022
I am confused about my feelings and as such, I'll make y'all confused as well.
Like the great person I am.
(*whispering* I love y'all...)
Rating: ✨✨✨✨ 3.5
Okay, so, I added the book because it reminded me of how simple YA used to be. And I know simple is a word that can become a two-edged sword, because who in the world wants 'simple'??? We read to escape to a world so fanciful and unlike our own that having a simple storyline is boring and too vague. But At that moment I requested the ARC, I craved something clear and easy to understand, because with so many uncertain things in my life at the moment, having something structured and firm is a blessing.
So yes, this was a simple book. A story that if you didn't love, you would give three stars because perhaps giving it two would feel unfair, characters that would stay in your memory for maybe a week before fading away behind other books with more complex settings and such. Or this book is one that you loved and can't wait to have more people to talk with about everything that happened.
As you can see, I'm a bit of both.
I would call this the 5,3,2 review in the randomest of aspects (when m I ever not random-).
5 things I loved.
3 I liked.
2 I rather wished would've burned straight up in flames.
Oh! And a bonus reason as to whom I would recommend this too, so you can skip to those parts as you wish.
For the first section (OoooO, so fanciful pfft)there are the following:
~ I loved... the atmosphere. Have you ever been in a recently cleaned room, and you can just sense how pure the air feels? That's exactly how I felt while reading! It was so refreshing and even at times equally memorable. And don't even get me started on the Wood King's wardrobe, like boo, I'm here and ready to- I was going to say a climbing pun, but I couldn't branch it out.
I've asked Apollo for wisdom, and he still hasn't given me any, so blame it on him, porfavor.
~ I loved... the pacing of the storyline. Up until the end, but that's for the last section to tackle (or should I say, fertilize- Yo, I'm so done with myself). I enjoyed the ride it gave me, I wasn't too invested in how everything was unfolding so I had no issue in the story picking up about 10 pages in.
~I loved... the Ember horses. Um, how could I not??? Like, 911- this girl is in love- The fire, the ashy attitude, the careful and controlled flames, Lament? She was absolutely bloody amazing!! And I know this is a specific character, but I couldn't stop myself from mentioning how I would love an Ember horse of my own.
Also a dragon.
Pretty please.
I don't even ask for much, Universe!!
I only ask for clear skin (which you don't give), patience (which I still don't have), and good judgement (remains to be seen).
~I loved... the love interest. Mind you, not the love itself, but him. Alone, apart from the MC. In a different room. Never mind, make it a whole different building. Seriously, what was not to like about him (apart from his questionable taste, of course) ??? He cooks, he loves reading (am I- am I still alive at this point-) and he adores to draw. Like, I adore him. I understood many of his decisions (which can't be said about my relationship with the main girl), and actually saw the point of him being like he is!
~I loved... the end. That's really what pushed me into giving it a slightly higher rating, really. I tried with the MC, I tried with the magic, and even then, my rating was perhaps 3 (instead I gave it a 3.5, makes sense? What even is sense anymore???) . But then we had that finale and my breath kind of whooshed (that's such a funny word hehe) out of me, and I was like, WHAT- NO- WHAT?!?!??! CAN YOU EXPLAIN CAUSE I CAN'T- NO. So basically, I lost my way of communication.
Now, for the second section:
~I liked... the end (I'm so smart, I swear-). I'm sorry, I just had to mention it again. Sue me. If you don't want to read the book, maybe read about five pages from the beginning, five from the middle and the epilogue-
~I liked... The Mc's relationship with her grandfather. Okay, I cannot for the life of me tolerate the MC, but her grandfather??? Dude, HA! Those scenes between them were at the same time the most painful and the most wonderful I've read this month (not that I have read much, but let's pretend I did for the sake of the dramatics). The feels were sniffling beside me as she remembered how he used to be before, AND THE FREAKING TREE Y'ALL- THE. TREE. That's it, I'm done-
~I liked... how the ending chapters were written. In a way that made it more agonizing that it was going to be, given the foreshadowing and everything. The flashbacks were beautiful, the pain was felt and when the MC recognized what should've been obvious all along- is my heart quaking or did the book make me feel something-
And finally, the ranting section (MWUAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA):
I swear I'll never get tired of that laugh, it's so satisfying, you know?
Like killing someo-
~I would rather see spiked in a wall for everyone to admire as it burns to Hades... how apart from those instances mentioned above, I felt the book was too superficial for me to get into. Yes, the Woods were nice and all. Yes, the three mythical creatures were cute, but I felt like everything was black and white and for a fantasy novel, that's slightly sad. I didn't feel the extent of the magic, side characters didn't make my palms sweat or heart palpitate, I was just reading for the words not the emotions.
~I would rather drown it in sulfur and then run over it with a truck... the main character. So she's nineteen years old, right? SO why did she feel ten for the whole book- juvenile decisions (and I make many of those so I would know), she criticized and belittled people for doing the same things she did so DING DONG boo, you're a hypocrite. For some moments I tolerated her and then BAM, as if I could ever forget how entitled she was. Honestly? This book would've been so much better without her in it.
And of course, on a closing note, I would say that it was a 'decent' book and not a 'OHMYGOD, STEAL ME AWAY, KILL ME, DO ANYTHING WITH ME-' book. It had nice moments but ultimately, things were resolved too quickly, some parts were bland and stagnant. Magic felt insipid at times,
HOWEVER:
If you're in a book slump and want something quick paced and that doesn't force you to think for the majority of it, not to mention nice and predictable, this book would be great for you!
(I just noticed I sounded so passive-aggressive)
(Oh well- *sprints away*)
...............................
THOSE LAST FIFTY PAGES TORE OUT MY BLOODY SOUL WITH RIBS AND EVERYTHING.
HOW DARE YOU
HOW
DARE
YOU
IM TRYING NOT TO JUMP UP IN 'WHAT THE FRICK JUST HAPPENED' Y'ALL
I need a second book. Yep siree. Those twists at the end were not good for my heart.
Nope
Give my time back
I want it back.
Actually no, I need Hawthorne 😭😭😭😭
Like the great person I am.
(*whispering* I love y'all...)
Rating: ✨✨✨✨ 3.5
Okay, so, I added the book because it reminded me of how simple YA used to be. And I know simple is a word that can become a two-edged sword, because who in the world wants 'simple'??? We read to escape to a world so fanciful and unlike our own that having a simple storyline is boring and too vague. But At that moment I requested the ARC, I craved something clear and easy to understand, because with so many uncertain things in my life at the moment, having something structured and firm is a blessing.
So yes, this was a simple book. A story that if you didn't love, you would give three stars because perhaps giving it two would feel unfair, characters that would stay in your memory for maybe a week before fading away behind other books with more complex settings and such. Or this book is one that you loved and can't wait to have more people to talk with about everything that happened.
As you can see, I'm a bit of both.
I would call this the 5,3,2 review in the randomest of aspects (when m I ever not random-).
5 things I loved.
3 I liked.
2 I rather wished would've burned straight up in flames.
Oh! And a bonus reason as to whom I would recommend this too, so you can skip to those parts as you wish.
For the first section (OoooO, so fanciful pfft)there are the following:
~ I loved... the atmosphere. Have you ever been in a recently cleaned room, and you can just sense how pure the air feels? That's exactly how I felt while reading! It was so refreshing and even at times equally memorable. And don't even get me started on the Wood King's wardrobe, like boo, I'm here and ready to- I was going to say a climbing pun, but I couldn't branch it out.
I've asked Apollo for wisdom, and he still hasn't given me any, so blame it on him, porfavor.
~ I loved... the pacing of the storyline. Up until the end, but that's for the last section to tackle (or should I say, fertilize- Yo, I'm so done with myself). I enjoyed the ride it gave me, I wasn't too invested in how everything was unfolding so I had no issue in the story picking up about 10 pages in.
~I loved... the Ember horses. Um, how could I not??? Like, 911- this girl is in love- The fire, the ashy attitude, the careful and controlled flames, Lament? She was absolutely bloody amazing!! And I know this is a specific character, but I couldn't stop myself from mentioning how I would love an Ember horse of my own.
Also a dragon.
Pretty please.
I don't even ask for much, Universe!!
I only ask for clear skin (which you don't give), patience (which I still don't have), and good judgement (remains to be seen).
~I loved... the love interest. Mind you, not the love itself, but him. Alone, apart from the MC. In a different room. Never mind, make it a whole different building. Seriously, what was not to like about him (apart from his questionable taste, of course) ??? He cooks, he loves reading (am I- am I still alive at this point-) and he adores to draw. Like, I adore him. I understood many of his decisions (which can't be said about my relationship with the main girl), and actually saw the point of him being like he is!
~I loved... the end. That's really what pushed me into giving it a slightly higher rating, really. I tried with the MC, I tried with the magic, and even then, my rating was perhaps 3 (instead I gave it a 3.5, makes sense? What even is sense anymore???) . But then we had that finale and my breath kind of whooshed (that's such a funny word hehe) out of me, and I was like, WHAT- NO- WHAT?!?!??! CAN YOU EXPLAIN CAUSE I CAN'T- NO. So basically, I lost my way of communication.
Now, for the second section:
~I liked... the end (I'm so smart, I swear-). I'm sorry, I just had to mention it again. Sue me. If you don't want to read the book, maybe read about five pages from the beginning, five from the middle and the epilogue-
~I liked... The Mc's relationship with her grandfather. Okay, I cannot for the life of me tolerate the MC, but her grandfather??? Dude, HA! Those scenes between them were at the same time the most painful and the most wonderful I've read this month (not that I have read much, but let's pretend I did for the sake of the dramatics). The feels were sniffling beside me as she remembered how he used to be before, AND THE FREAKING TREE Y'ALL- THE. TREE. That's it, I'm done-
~I liked... how the ending chapters were written. In a way that made it more agonizing that it was going to be, given the foreshadowing and everything. The flashbacks were beautiful, the pain was felt and when the MC recognized what should've been obvious all along- is my heart quaking or did the book make me feel something-
And finally, the ranting section (MWUAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA):
I swear I'll never get tired of that laugh, it's so satisfying, you know?
Like killing someo-
~I would rather see spiked in a wall for everyone to admire as it burns to Hades... how apart from those instances mentioned above, I felt the book was too superficial for me to get into. Yes, the Woods were nice and all. Yes, the three mythical creatures were cute, but I felt like everything was black and white and for a fantasy novel, that's slightly sad. I didn't feel the extent of the magic, side characters didn't make my palms sweat or heart palpitate, I was just reading for the words not the emotions.
~I would rather drown it in sulfur and then run over it with a truck... the main character. So she's nineteen years old, right? SO why did she feel ten for the whole book- juvenile decisions (and I make many of those so I would know), she criticized and belittled people for doing the same things she did so DING DONG boo, you're a hypocrite. For some moments I tolerated her and then BAM, as if I could ever forget how entitled she was. Honestly? This book would've been so much better without her in it.
And of course, on a closing note, I would say that it was a 'decent' book and not a 'OHMYGOD, STEAL ME AWAY, KILL ME, DO ANYTHING WITH ME-' book. It had nice moments but ultimately, things were resolved too quickly, some parts were bland and stagnant. Magic felt insipid at times,
HOWEVER:
If you're in a book slump and want something quick paced and that doesn't force you to think for the majority of it, not to mention nice and predictable, this book would be great for you!
(I just noticed I sounded so passive-aggressive)
(Oh well- *sprints away*)
...............................
THOSE LAST FIFTY PAGES TORE OUT MY BLOODY SOUL WITH RIBS AND EVERYTHING.
HOW DARE YOU
HOW
DARE
YOU
IM TRYING NOT TO JUMP UP IN 'WHAT THE FRICK JUST HAPPENED' Y'ALL
I need a second book. Yep siree. Those twists at the end were not good for my heart.
Nope
Give my time back
I want it back.
Actually no, I need Hawthorne 😭😭😭😭
January 31, 2022
"The Wood King was an ancient creature who resided deep in the woods-or so Pa and all his neighbors believed. This king demanded quarterly sacrifices from those living on the border of his eldritch forest: tithes that kept them safe from him and his bloodthirsty monsters."
Edgewood has all the trademarks of a successful Chelsea fantasy: a gorgeous cover, romance, and creepy woods full of mysterious creatures. So why didn't this fully work for me? I'm chalking it up to the fact that, while there are YA themes in this book, the writing style felt more on par with a middle grade version of Twilight, but without all the things I loved about Twilight. There are a lot of things going on here, and perhaps a simplification of the various tropes would have made for a more coherent reading experience. Overall, if you enjoy romantic YA fantasy, this ultimately may work better for you than it did for me, and this cover DEFINITELY deserves to be placed in a position of honor on any bookcase.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
Edgewood has all the trademarks of a successful Chelsea fantasy: a gorgeous cover, romance, and creepy woods full of mysterious creatures. So why didn't this fully work for me? I'm chalking it up to the fact that, while there are YA themes in this book, the writing style felt more on par with a middle grade version of Twilight, but without all the things I loved about Twilight. There are a lot of things going on here, and perhaps a simplification of the various tropes would have made for a more coherent reading experience. Overall, if you enjoy romantic YA fantasy, this ultimately may work better for you than it did for me, and this cover DEFINITELY deserves to be placed in a position of honor on any bookcase.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
March 19, 2022
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley (thank you St. Martin's Press). All thoughts and opinions are my own.
✅ Gorgeous cover
✅🆗 Secondary characters
✅🆗 Mysterious Woods and magic
🆗 Plot
🆗 Pace
🆗 World-building
🆗❌ Main character
🆗❌ Romance
2.5 stars
Emeline is a singer trying to make a name for herself in the industry, but she has to put her dream on hold when she receives a call informing her that her grandfather disappeared. Emeline has to return to her hometown, Edgewood, where mysterious and magical things happen near the woods, and where people are more than a little superstitious. The rumor is that Emeline's grandfather has been tithed and now belongs to the Wood King. Having never believed those stories, Emeline enters the wood to find her grandfather but soon realizes that the stories were true.
I can see why this book gets high ratings. There are many popular fantasy tropes in it, but I find that the plot gets buried under all the ideas and sub-plots. There are a lot of ideas in this one book that could and should have been more fleshed out. At the 30% mark, I was still not sure what the "real plot" was about and what would be Emeline's quest. She then spent most of the book running around, trying to find artifacts in order to please the Wood King, and save her grandfather and herself, but it honestly felt a little repetitive near the end. Also, the King gave her way too many chances, in my humble opinion.
The world-building is not bad, but it's underdeveloped. I still don't know how the magic works in the woods and even the parts in the modern world had very basic descriptions. I know it happens in Montréal because it says so, not because it felt like it. Besides naming "rue Sainte-Catherine" there was nothing that connected the city to Montréal. The wood is dark and mysterious, but it also lacked some details and development. I still have so many questions about it. The same can be said for the characters, they are not bad, but they are bland and lack depth, especially the main character.
Emeline felt immature and juvenile at times in her decisions and reactions. She had a kind of insta-crush on Hawthorne and felt all giddy and mushy when he told her he would cook for her or when he would look at her in a certain way, but on the other hand, she kept thinking about how she couldn’t trust him, about how he lied to her and about how she despised him. She also seems to think that she knows better than everyone else, when in fact she does not because she is a teenager with not much life experience and no experience at all in the Woods and in the Wood King's court. Just listen to what people are saying, girl!
On the other side, Hawthorne is asking Emeline to trust him after knowing her for only 2 or 3 days, and after he repeatedly lied to her. I honestly was not impressed by him and did not like him very much, even though he is the main love interest in this story. Also, I am not sure if his relationship with Emeline could and should be described as hate-to-love since he obviously cared for her from the start, and she had an insta-crush on him even though she kept saying that she hated him. Their relationship could have used more development.
Overall I am not impressed by this book, but if you enjoy fast-paced YA books with typical YA tropes and mysterious and magical woods, and you don't mind less developed characters, you might like this book more than I did.
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✅ Gorgeous cover
✅🆗 Secondary characters
✅🆗 Mysterious Woods and magic
🆗 Plot
🆗 Pace
🆗 World-building
🆗❌ Main character
🆗❌ Romance
2.5 stars
Emeline is a singer trying to make a name for herself in the industry, but she has to put her dream on hold when she receives a call informing her that her grandfather disappeared. Emeline has to return to her hometown, Edgewood, where mysterious and magical things happen near the woods, and where people are more than a little superstitious. The rumor is that Emeline's grandfather has been tithed and now belongs to the Wood King. Having never believed those stories, Emeline enters the wood to find her grandfather but soon realizes that the stories were true.
I can see why this book gets high ratings. There are many popular fantasy tropes in it, but I find that the plot gets buried under all the ideas and sub-plots. There are a lot of ideas in this one book that could and should have been more fleshed out. At the 30% mark, I was still not sure what the "real plot" was about and what would be Emeline's quest. She then spent most of the book running around, trying to find artifacts in order to please the Wood King, and save her grandfather and herself, but it honestly felt a little repetitive near the end. Also, the King gave her way too many chances, in my humble opinion.
The world-building is not bad, but it's underdeveloped. I still don't know how the magic works in the woods and even the parts in the modern world had very basic descriptions. I know it happens in Montréal because it says so, not because it felt like it. Besides naming "rue Sainte-Catherine" there was nothing that connected the city to Montréal. The wood is dark and mysterious, but it also lacked some details and development. I still have so many questions about it. The same can be said for the characters, they are not bad, but they are bland and lack depth, especially the main character.
Emeline felt immature and juvenile at times in her decisions and reactions. She had a kind of insta-crush on Hawthorne and felt all giddy and mushy when he told her he would cook for her or when he would look at her in a certain way, but on the other hand, she kept thinking about how she couldn’t trust him, about how he lied to her and about how she despised him. She also seems to think that she knows better than everyone else, when in fact she does not because she is a teenager with not much life experience and no experience at all in the Woods and in the Wood King's court. Just listen to what people are saying, girl!
On the other side, Hawthorne is asking Emeline to trust him after knowing her for only 2 or 3 days, and after he repeatedly lied to her. I honestly was not impressed by him and did not like him very much, even though he is the main love interest in this story. Also, I am not sure if his relationship with Emeline could and should be described as hate-to-love since he obviously cared for her from the start, and she had an insta-crush on him even though she kept saying that she hated him. Their relationship could have used more development.
Overall I am not impressed by this book, but if you enjoy fast-paced YA books with typical YA tropes and mysterious and magical woods, and you don't mind less developed characters, you might like this book more than I did.
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March 1, 2022
Edgewood is a YA fantasy novel brimming with an atmospheric and woodsy setting.
Emeline Lark left the small town of Edgewood to try to make it as a musician in Montreal. The thing is, whenever Emeline sings, moss and the scents of the woods physically manifest, so try as she might, it’s not that easy to leave her hometown behind.
One evening, Emeline receives a call with news that her grandfather has gone missing from his care home. She ends up rushing back home to try to figure out how her Pa magically disappeared. When she finds out that no one has searched the woods right behind her Pa’s house, she sets out to do it herself.
Emeline has always believed that the tales about the woods were pure fantasy and silly superstitions. She has never put stock in the stories of monsters and fey kings and the giving of tithes. That there was a reasonable explanation behind the town’s misfortunes and accidents. That there could be nothing sinister behind the things that go wrong in Edgewood.
Emeline’s beliefs are proven wrong as soon as she enters the woods. Almost immediately, she begins bargaining with the Wood King for her grandfather’s freedom. She agrees to sing for the king. If the king enjoys her singing, he will free her Pa. If he doesn’t, tough luck.
I thought I would love this book. I usually gobble up fantasy reads with lush writing, a great magic system, and strong female characters. But I never truly warmed up to this one. Edgewood does have beautiful prose and interesting characters, but I couldn’t tell you much about the magic system. It could have used some more explaining.
I felt frustrated with Emeline at times. She couldn’t seem to grasp that the “Mad King” was actually unhinged and was constantly shocked by his behaviour.
At first, the romance was alright. I don’t mind the enemies-to-lovers trope. But it soon went downhill and into icky territory.
I found the pacing to be a bit inconsistent too. It dragged in quite a few parts. I generally prefer slow-burn books, but this one was a bit too slow.
Despite those issues, I still felt compelled enough to read to the end. I think YA fantasy readers will still find lots to love in this book, but I may have not been the right audience for this one.
Thank you to Wednesday Books / St. Martin’s Press for an arc provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://booksandwheels.com
Emeline Lark left the small town of Edgewood to try to make it as a musician in Montreal. The thing is, whenever Emeline sings, moss and the scents of the woods physically manifest, so try as she might, it’s not that easy to leave her hometown behind.
One evening, Emeline receives a call with news that her grandfather has gone missing from his care home. She ends up rushing back home to try to figure out how her Pa magically disappeared. When she finds out that no one has searched the woods right behind her Pa’s house, she sets out to do it herself.
Emeline has always believed that the tales about the woods were pure fantasy and silly superstitions. She has never put stock in the stories of monsters and fey kings and the giving of tithes. That there was a reasonable explanation behind the town’s misfortunes and accidents. That there could be nothing sinister behind the things that go wrong in Edgewood.
Emeline’s beliefs are proven wrong as soon as she enters the woods. Almost immediately, she begins bargaining with the Wood King for her grandfather’s freedom. She agrees to sing for the king. If the king enjoys her singing, he will free her Pa. If he doesn’t, tough luck.
I thought I would love this book. I usually gobble up fantasy reads with lush writing, a great magic system, and strong female characters. But I never truly warmed up to this one. Edgewood does have beautiful prose and interesting characters, but I couldn’t tell you much about the magic system. It could have used some more explaining.
I felt frustrated with Emeline at times. She couldn’t seem to grasp that the “Mad King” was actually unhinged and was constantly shocked by his behaviour.
At first, the romance was alright. I don’t mind the enemies-to-lovers trope. But it soon went downhill and into icky territory.
I found the pacing to be a bit inconsistent too. It dragged in quite a few parts. I generally prefer slow-burn books, but this one was a bit too slow.
Despite those issues, I still felt compelled enough to read to the end. I think YA fantasy readers will still find lots to love in this book, but I may have not been the right audience for this one.
Thank you to Wednesday Books / St. Martin’s Press for an arc provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://booksandwheels.com
December 10, 2021
Let me preface this by saying that I think this book will have a very enthusiastic audience who loves absolutely everything about it. Edgewood has so many popular YA fantasy components that I almost don’t get why it didn’t work for me. But it didn’t, and though I wish I enjoyed my time with Edgewood more, unfortunately it was a slow, resigned march for me towards the end.
I should have known Emeline would be at least somewhat insufferable the moment she was revealed to be a musician. But alas, I was thinking about Taylor Swift and missed all the signs. Emeline is trying to make it as an up-and-coming folk artist and things seem to be finally turning in her favor. She’s abandoned her own songs and vision, and as a result might be on the edge of her big break. But everything in her new life has to be put on hold when her old one comes knocking. Her grandfather who raised her has disappeared from the assisted living facility where he was staying, and Emeline must return to her hometown of Edgewood to find him.
But Edgewood isn’t only a little backwater town, the residents are highly superstitious and believe that Emeline’s grandfather hasn’t just wandered away—he’s been tithed. Every year the town’s citizens leave offerings to the Wood King in the hopes that they are spared from tragedy, but Emeline has never believed this. Regardless, she goes searching for him in the woods beyond the town, only to stumble head-first into a world she could barely imagine. And now if Emeline wants to save her grandfather and herself she will have to use her talents and intuition to escape the wrath of the creatures that reside beyond the border.
I don’t think there are any specific fantasy tropes that I’m turned off of, but sometimes there are just so many piled on top of one another that it’s hard to see an actual plot underneath it all. And that’s what I feel like happened here. There’s no real rules to the magic of the forest and everything seems made up as they go along. None of the character interactions feel genuine. She goes on almost the same ‘quest’ a half a dozen times, like the author just hit copy/paste in the middle so she could get to the later bits. Most of the conflict isn’t super well thought out, the entire story written with a destination in mind but only a half-baked plan on how to get there.
The ‘real world’ parts weren’t any better for me, unfortunately, and didn’t feel as urgent as the portions in the forest. Any time people gushed about Emeline’s singing or songs, I found it cringey. Not sure if the author has her own experience with the music industry, but it’s hard to effectively capture music in writing. So much of the story is centered around Emeline’s ~amazing talent~ as a singer, and there’s nothing for the reader to base that belief on besides being told she is repeatedly and a smattering of so-so lyrics.
And sorry, I’m so sick of these awful love interests. Hawthorne never misses an opportunity to talk to down to Emeline, dismiss her autonomy and ~physically lift her~ whenever he feels like it. I don’t have a problem with characters who do bad things, but when they’re one of the ‘good guys’ and everything they do is being romanticized, I can’t let it go unacknowledged. Also, he’s pretentious in like a forest nymph-Jake Gyllenhaal way, except not at all worth writing an album about.
I see some of what the author was going for, though, especially with the themes of forgetting and remembering. The note at the end was a sweet tribute to someone in her life, and makes me wish that it all came together for me. The cover art is beautiful, and I could have seen myself falling for Edgewood if there was even half as much character development for literally anyone that’s not Hawthorne or Emeline. But oh well, maybe next time.
*Thanks to Wednesday Books for an advance review copy!
**For more book talk & reviews, follow me on Instagram at @elle_mentbooks!
I should have known Emeline would be at least somewhat insufferable the moment she was revealed to be a musician. But alas, I was thinking about Taylor Swift and missed all the signs. Emeline is trying to make it as an up-and-coming folk artist and things seem to be finally turning in her favor. She’s abandoned her own songs and vision, and as a result might be on the edge of her big break. But everything in her new life has to be put on hold when her old one comes knocking. Her grandfather who raised her has disappeared from the assisted living facility where he was staying, and Emeline must return to her hometown of Edgewood to find him.
But Edgewood isn’t only a little backwater town, the residents are highly superstitious and believe that Emeline’s grandfather hasn’t just wandered away—he’s been tithed. Every year the town’s citizens leave offerings to the Wood King in the hopes that they are spared from tragedy, but Emeline has never believed this. Regardless, she goes searching for him in the woods beyond the town, only to stumble head-first into a world she could barely imagine. And now if Emeline wants to save her grandfather and herself she will have to use her talents and intuition to escape the wrath of the creatures that reside beyond the border.
I don’t think there are any specific fantasy tropes that I’m turned off of, but sometimes there are just so many piled on top of one another that it’s hard to see an actual plot underneath it all. And that’s what I feel like happened here. There’s no real rules to the magic of the forest and everything seems made up as they go along. None of the character interactions feel genuine. She goes on almost the same ‘quest’ a half a dozen times, like the author just hit copy/paste in the middle so she could get to the later bits. Most of the conflict isn’t super well thought out, the entire story written with a destination in mind but only a half-baked plan on how to get there.
The ‘real world’ parts weren’t any better for me, unfortunately, and didn’t feel as urgent as the portions in the forest. Any time people gushed about Emeline’s singing or songs, I found it cringey. Not sure if the author has her own experience with the music industry, but it’s hard to effectively capture music in writing. So much of the story is centered around Emeline’s ~amazing talent~ as a singer, and there’s nothing for the reader to base that belief on besides being told she is repeatedly and a smattering of so-so lyrics.
And sorry, I’m so sick of these awful love interests. Hawthorne never misses an opportunity to talk to down to Emeline, dismiss her autonomy and ~physically lift her~ whenever he feels like it. I don’t have a problem with characters who do bad things, but when they’re one of the ‘good guys’ and everything they do is being romanticized, I can’t let it go unacknowledged. Also, he’s pretentious in like a forest nymph-Jake Gyllenhaal way, except not at all worth writing an album about.
I see some of what the author was going for, though, especially with the themes of forgetting and remembering. The note at the end was a sweet tribute to someone in her life, and makes me wish that it all came together for me. The cover art is beautiful, and I could have seen myself falling for Edgewood if there was even half as much character development for literally anyone that’s not Hawthorne or Emeline. But oh well, maybe next time.
*Thanks to Wednesday Books for an advance review copy!
**For more book talk & reviews, follow me on Instagram at @elle_mentbooks!
October 6, 2022
I love the story idea, the characters, and the world-building, but I struggled through the storytelling itself. The relationship between Emeline and Hawthorn felt forced up until 80% of the read when I saw the context; by then, I had the 3 stars rating stuck in my brain. I would be enjoying a scene, and then Emeline would display a strong emotion towards Hawthorne, without any history between them; it felt fake and forced and watered down the narrative.
My advice to future readers, be patient with the read; it came together in the end. I stuck with it and it was okay in the end. 3.5 stars.
My advice to future readers, be patient with the read; it came together in the end. I stuck with it and it was okay in the end. 3.5 stars.
March 18, 2022
This book had parts I loved and parts I didn't love. First of all, the cover is stunning. I was excited to read it after seeing that beautiful cover art.
I really liked the whimsical, enchanted woods vibes. And I loved the relationship that Emeline has with her grandfather. It was the glue that held it together and was what really made the book, to me. I loved the tenderness that the author portrayed between Emeline and her grandfather, who raised her.
I also loved the message of self acceptance. As an aspiring singer, Emeline learns the importance of singing the songs from her heart. It was a touching and much-needed message.
There were a couple things I didn't like. I felt like the big reveals were a bit too obvious. I figured them out early on, because the clues were too glaring. I like to be surprised or even left wondering, but there really was no guessing here.
The other thing that I felt was a little off was that although this book is marketed as a teen and young adult, I felt like some of the material was more fitting for an adult novel. It isn't so much of a complaint, but more confusing and jarring in relation to the rest of the context of the book.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. It was a fun read and had some really touching moments. But I just didn't absolutely loved it, like I was hoping.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.
I really liked the whimsical, enchanted woods vibes. And I loved the relationship that Emeline has with her grandfather. It was the glue that held it together and was what really made the book, to me. I loved the tenderness that the author portrayed between Emeline and her grandfather, who raised her.
I also loved the message of self acceptance. As an aspiring singer, Emeline learns the importance of singing the songs from her heart. It was a touching and much-needed message.
There were a couple things I didn't like. I felt like the big reveals were a bit too obvious. I figured them out early on, because the clues were too glaring. I like to be surprised or even left wondering, but there really was no guessing here.
The other thing that I felt was a little off was that although this book is marketed as a teen and young adult, I felt like some of the material was more fitting for an adult novel. It isn't so much of a complaint, but more confusing and jarring in relation to the rest of the context of the book.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. It was a fun read and had some really touching moments. But I just didn't absolutely loved it, like I was hoping.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 6, 2022
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.
That cover is an absolute work of art, isn't it? Honestly, I didn't even read the description as I was so won over by the artwork.
Edgewood is a YA fantasy surrounding aspiring songstress Emmeline Lark. Emmeline had left her small town and her elderly grandfather behind in order to chase a musical career but the woods are calling her back. This she could probably avoid but when her grandfather goes missing, Emmeline realizes that she must return home. Her neighbours swear that her grandfather was taken as a tithe to be paid to the Wood King. But Emmeline tries to play down the continuous superstitions until she too is taken by members of the forest.
Although not a genre that I often find myself lost in, Edgewood came with a cast of characters- Hawthorne, Rook, Pa, Sable and Emmeline that I grew to love. Emmeline's struggle for identity and belonging in terms of both her career and her personal life drew me in. I found it quite easy to read and ended up reading it in one sitting. This will certainly be a book that will delight the young and the young at heart.
Publication Date 01/03/22
Goodreads review published 06/03/22
That cover is an absolute work of art, isn't it? Honestly, I didn't even read the description as I was so won over by the artwork.
Edgewood is a YA fantasy surrounding aspiring songstress Emmeline Lark. Emmeline had left her small town and her elderly grandfather behind in order to chase a musical career but the woods are calling her back. This she could probably avoid but when her grandfather goes missing, Emmeline realizes that she must return home. Her neighbours swear that her grandfather was taken as a tithe to be paid to the Wood King. But Emmeline tries to play down the continuous superstitions until she too is taken by members of the forest.
Although not a genre that I often find myself lost in, Edgewood came with a cast of characters- Hawthorne, Rook, Pa, Sable and Emmeline that I grew to love. Emmeline's struggle for identity and belonging in terms of both her career and her personal life drew me in. I found it quite easy to read and ended up reading it in one sitting. This will certainly be a book that will delight the young and the young at heart.
Publication Date 01/03/22
Goodreads review published 06/03/22
March 4, 2022
I liked this one, but I'm an adult reader
The publishers are reading these books before signing them, right? This is the third Wednesday (young adult imprint) I have read coming out this year that is much more like new adult (18+ content) where the character is out of the house with a fledgling career already, and there are sexy scenes. As an adult, fine, but I'm conflicted as to what messages they're trying to send the (checks age recommendation) 13-18 age group?
How am I supposed to rate a YA book that I personally enjoyed but wouldn't give to the recommended age group? I think there are some good messages there too AND I'm not even sorry for cracking down on these new adult books marketing to younger teens
Two scenes in this book that have absolutely no influence on the outcome are absolutely unnecessary for the YA age group, so tell me just why include it? I am reading an ARC and I guarantee they won't be cut out for the final but if they are, I will redact this and rate the book
The publishers are reading these books before signing them, right? This is the third Wednesday (young adult imprint) I have read coming out this year that is much more like new adult (18+ content) where the character is out of the house with a fledgling career already, and there are sexy scenes. As an adult, fine, but I'm conflicted as to what messages they're trying to send the (checks age recommendation) 13-18 age group?
How am I supposed to rate a YA book that I personally enjoyed but wouldn't give to the recommended age group? I think there are some good messages there too AND I'm not even sorry for cracking down on these new adult books marketing to younger teens
Two scenes in this book that have absolutely no influence on the outcome are absolutely unnecessary for the YA age group, so tell me just why include it? I am reading an ARC and I guarantee they won't be cut out for the final but if they are, I will redact this and rate the book
Shelved as 'wishlist'
October 11, 2021This sounds super creepy and it's about faeries? I'M SO DOWN
Shelved as '2022-releases-tbr'
May 29, 202229/5/2022: I keep reading the title as 'Edgelord' instead of Edgewood, which my ridiculous sense of humor finds hilarious for some reason. But on another note, the cover is gorgeous!
January 18, 2022
A romantic standalone fantasy for an older YA audience, Edgewood blends the real world with the world of the forest king, shapeshifters, curses, and witches. If you are looking for something magical and a little bit steamy with a strong focus on family and art, this one is worth a look.
The main character is around 19, though honestly she feels older to me, like early 20's. Regardless, this follows a young woman named Emeline who is a musician, raised by her grandfather who now has dementia. She has tried to run from the forest of her home, but every time she plays music, the forest follows her. When her grandfather goes missing, she returns to her childhood home, reminded of the superstitions she once knew, like that of tithing to the forest king for protection. Determined to save her grandfather, Emeline enters the forest regardless of danger, making her way to the city of the forest king where a curse threatens the woods around them. And of course, gets to know his handsome young tithe collector along the way...
This book deals a lot with complicated relationships- grief, memory, trauma- but also hope, healing, and love. It's also got this thread on the philosophy of being an artist and what it means to sell out in order to make it. It's sex positive and has a couple of semi-steamy scenes that feel appropriate for an older teen audience. (i.e. less emphasis on explicit description and more on poetic language for what's happening) I found some of the parts set in modern-day Canada to be a bit clunky, but I loved the bulk of the book which is set in the forest. I think a lot of readers would enjoy this one and if you're looking for this kind of fantasy romance, it's a good one to check out! The audio narration is also done very well.
One content note that's a bit spoilery (I'll try not to give much detail) but worth mentioning is the MC ends up discovering that she was the product of an abusive, not fully consensual relationship where her mother was the victim of that abuse. I actually like how this book handles that because it doesn't excuse anything but does it a kind of distance that might allow someone who has had a similar experience to process that trauma.
Overall, I think this is a very strong book and one that a lot of readers would enjoy. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
The main character is around 19, though honestly she feels older to me, like early 20's. Regardless, this follows a young woman named Emeline who is a musician, raised by her grandfather who now has dementia. She has tried to run from the forest of her home, but every time she plays music, the forest follows her. When her grandfather goes missing, she returns to her childhood home, reminded of the superstitions she once knew, like that of tithing to the forest king for protection. Determined to save her grandfather, Emeline enters the forest regardless of danger, making her way to the city of the forest king where a curse threatens the woods around them. And of course, gets to know his handsome young tithe collector along the way...
This book deals a lot with complicated relationships- grief, memory, trauma- but also hope, healing, and love. It's also got this thread on the philosophy of being an artist and what it means to sell out in order to make it. It's sex positive and has a couple of semi-steamy scenes that feel appropriate for an older teen audience. (i.e. less emphasis on explicit description and more on poetic language for what's happening) I found some of the parts set in modern-day Canada to be a bit clunky, but I loved the bulk of the book which is set in the forest. I think a lot of readers would enjoy this one and if you're looking for this kind of fantasy romance, it's a good one to check out! The audio narration is also done very well.
One content note that's a bit spoilery (I'll try not to give much detail) but worth mentioning is the MC ends up discovering that she was the product of an abusive, not fully consensual relationship where her mother was the victim of that abuse. I actually like how this book handles that because it doesn't excuse anything but does it a kind of distance that might allow someone who has had a similar experience to process that trauma.
Overall, I think this is a very strong book and one that a lot of readers would enjoy. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
January 30, 2022
I'm starting to like the "creepy woods" setting more and more lately, probably because as it became fashionable in Fantasy, more authors are taking up the setting to use it in creative ways. Edgewood turned out to be one that did the haunted forest setting well, and it didn't feel simply as set decoration for the story.
The plot is, at first, the expected cursed woods that is mysteriously being eaten up by a noxious element that threatens to swakkiw it and its Fae inhabitants whole. The curse is believed to be linked to a court minstrel to the Wood King embattled in a love triangle that set off the curse when he rejected a powerful witch's advances for love of another woman. To protect someone she loves, a human singer, Emeline, offers herself up as the King's new minstrel, and in trying to please the Wood King by singing his favourite songs by the former minstrel, Emeline trips into a complex web of treachery and hurt. Nothing is like she has been told, she discovers, and together with Hawthorne, the King's tithe collector, she will have to find her way out of the curse no matter the sacrifices.
I found the story enjoyable from start to end, and especially appreciated the tender and heartwarming yet also heartbreaking relationship between Emeline and her grandfather, as anyone who has experienced the misfortune of seeing a beloved elderly relative's mind slowly eroding will surely find relatable, too. And the rather slower-paced development of the relationship between the main characters is also nicely done, there's no unnecessary misunderstandings or drama thrown in to stretch out the unavoidable happy ending. And also that the mystery was solved satisfactorily, although of course there were some blips. Such as that it felt like the dragon was left forgotten someplace as if he'd not existed for anything more than the one scene the plot needed, and it's not the only character that's dropped into the void; that the psychological consequences on the curse on the chief victim shouldn't have been hand-waved that quickly but shown because nobody goes through such an horrible curse without mental scars; and that the memory flashbacks ought to have been inserted more smoothly into the plot.
Thank you to St Martin's Press for the ARC through NetGalley in exchange for a review.
The plot is, at first, the expected cursed woods that is mysteriously being eaten up by a noxious element that threatens to swakkiw it and its Fae inhabitants whole. The curse is believed to be linked to a court minstrel to the Wood King embattled in a love triangle that set off the curse when he rejected a powerful witch's advances for love of another woman. To protect someone she loves, a human singer, Emeline, offers herself up as the King's new minstrel, and in trying to please the Wood King by singing his favourite songs by the former minstrel, Emeline trips into a complex web of treachery and hurt. Nothing is like she has been told, she discovers, and together with Hawthorne, the King's tithe collector, she will have to find her way out of the curse no matter the sacrifices.
I found the story enjoyable from start to end, and especially appreciated the tender and heartwarming yet also heartbreaking relationship between Emeline and her grandfather, as anyone who has experienced the misfortune of seeing a beloved elderly relative's mind slowly eroding will surely find relatable, too. And the rather slower-paced development of the relationship between the main characters is also nicely done, there's no unnecessary misunderstandings or drama thrown in to stretch out the unavoidable happy ending. And also that the mystery was solved satisfactorily, although of course there were some blips. Such as that it felt like the dragon was left forgotten someplace as if he'd not existed for anything more than the one scene the plot needed, and it's not the only character that's dropped into the void; that the psychological consequences on the curse on the chief victim shouldn't have been hand-waved that quickly but shown because nobody goes through such an horrible curse without mental scars; and that the memory flashbacks ought to have been inserted more smoothly into the plot.
Thank you to St Martin's Press for the ARC through NetGalley in exchange for a review.
August 5, 2021
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Edgewood started off kind of slowly for me but it eventually picked up. In it, you will meet Emeline and Hawthorne. Emeline has always wanted to be a famous singer. So when she's inches from her dream, something from her past comes crawling back. Well, I guess (in a way) you can claim the forest is her past but it only really shows up when she sings.
Which, yes, lead me to have so many freaking questions. Luckily, things were starting to get answered pretty quickly and I started to form the big reveals in my head. In some ways, I was sort of correct and in others - I was completely wrong. I'm not the best detective or guesser but it was a lot of fun to come up with all the crazy things while reading this.
I'd like to say that we get hints of a huge epic romance.. but we don't really. We do get some hints but it's mostly about Emeline finding out the truth and realizing who she actually is. It's also about how dreams change - quite often - and it made her journey pretty realistic to me.
Well.. somewhat.
Other than that, the twists, turns, and little action was kind of fun. The ending was very cute and I'm just going to assume that everyone is out there living their best life. I'm just happy that I got the chance to dive into this and I can't wait for the next book Kristen writes.
Edgewood started off kind of slowly for me but it eventually picked up. In it, you will meet Emeline and Hawthorne. Emeline has always wanted to be a famous singer. So when she's inches from her dream, something from her past comes crawling back. Well, I guess (in a way) you can claim the forest is her past but it only really shows up when she sings.
Which, yes, lead me to have so many freaking questions. Luckily, things were starting to get answered pretty quickly and I started to form the big reveals in my head. In some ways, I was sort of correct and in others - I was completely wrong. I'm not the best detective or guesser but it was a lot of fun to come up with all the crazy things while reading this.
I'd like to say that we get hints of a huge epic romance.. but we don't really. We do get some hints but it's mostly about Emeline finding out the truth and realizing who she actually is. It's also about how dreams change - quite often - and it made her journey pretty realistic to me.
Well.. somewhat.
Other than that, the twists, turns, and little action was kind of fun. The ending was very cute and I'm just going to assume that everyone is out there living their best life. I'm just happy that I got the chance to dive into this and I can't wait for the next book Kristen writes.
May 22, 2022
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was so bloody excited for this book. I adored the cover, I adored the premise, I adored the spunky elven fire horses.
But this book missed on one very important, very key idea:
You don’t mix music industry talent agents and Wood Kings.
You don’t mix Birkenstocks and blood magic tithes.
And you really don’t mix Hydroflasks and faeries.
It just isn’t done.
and that is why Isabelle dnf'ed this one.
let’s kick off this review with a synopsis, shall we?
"No matter how far she runs, the forest of Edgewood always comes for Emeline Lark. The scent of damp earth curls into her nose when she sings and moss creeps across the stage. It’s as if the woods of her childhood, shrouded in folklore and tall tales, are trying to reclaim her. But Emeline has no patience for silly superstitions.
When her grandfather disappears, leaving only a mysterious orb in his wake, the stories Emeline has always scoffed at suddenly seem less foolish. She enters the forest she has spent years trying to escape, only to have Hawthorne Fell, a handsome and brooding tithe collector, try to dissuade her from searching.
Refusing to be deterred, Emeline finds herself drawn to the court of the fabled Wood King himself. She makes a deal—her voice for her grandfather’s freedom. Little does she know, she’s stumbled into the middle of a curse much bigger than herself, one that threatens the existence of this eerie world she’s trapped in, along with the devastating boy who feels so familiar.
With the help of Hawthorne—an enemy turned reluctant ally who she grows closer to each day—Emeline sets out to not only save her grandfather’s life, but to right past wrongs, and in the process, discover her true voice."
Yeah, it’s weird.
To be perfectly honest, I believe that was the problem with 99% of this book’s plot. It was just too odd. Trying to connect with the character’s modern music career in one sentence, and then learning that trees talk in this random magical forest in the other was just whiplash. I just couldn’t wrap my head around it, and thus could not bring myself to give a bloody care.
Next, the characters.
The characters didn’t do anything to redeem the plot. Everyone was relatively forgettable, but Emeline Lark, our main girl, was the worst of the lot. In fact, she was so horrifically forgettable, I actually had to go look up her name in order to write this review *sighs dramatically*
Her entire personality was getting her old grandfather who suffers from dementia back from the Wood King, and she literally dropped her life, everyone in her life, all of her auditions, her shows, and her music to get this man back. She basically sacrifices several big opportunities in auditions for this guy.
And did I care about him?
Nope.
Like, intellectually, I know he is our main girl’s grandpa and he’s really truly very important to her, but it was bloody difficult to care about the guy because there was no actual description or memories of him for me to connect with.
AND THEN she has the same "sacrificial" mindset with this other random boy she met in the Edgewood forest:
"She forgot all about the Daybreak reps. Forgot about music contracts. Forgot about the woods and Edgewood and everything she'd left behind to pursue her oldest dream.
She would not be taunted by this boy."
YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW THIS BOY'S NAME AT THIS POINT IN THE STORY AND THAT'S THE POWER YOU'RE GIVING HIM? Ha. You give me nothing, I give you nothing 🥰
In addition, for solidly the first fifty pages, Emeline refuses to believe her grandfather has been taken by the Wood King. It’s very frustrating, and I dropped the book maybe three times because I couldn’t get past her stupid stubbornness. AND THEN we finally get into the forest, a couple fire horses show up, our leading lady is nearly burned to a crisp, and then SHE BELIEVES IT’S REAL.
NO WONDER SHERLOCK.
the number of times the stubbornness of this girl would’ve killed her if not for plot armor 💀
There was a heck ton more I could talk about, but it’s finals season and I very unfortunately lack the time to write my usual full review :(
My overall thoughts, summed up in one succinct sentence: the worldbuilding was #whiplash, the characters were confusing, the heroine was stupid, and Hydroflasks should never, never, NEVER be used in the same sentence as a faerie.
thank you and adios <3
Ratings:
Star Rating: ★★☆☆☆
If This Book Was a Movie Rating: PG-13
Recommendations That Are Better Than This Book:
These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong
Heartless by Marissa Meyer
I was so bloody excited for this book. I adored the cover, I adored the premise, I adored the spunky elven fire horses.
But this book missed on one very important, very key idea:
You don’t mix music industry talent agents and Wood Kings.
You don’t mix Birkenstocks and blood magic tithes.
And you really don’t mix Hydroflasks and faeries.
It just isn’t done.
and that is why Isabelle dnf'ed this one.
let’s kick off this review with a synopsis, shall we?
"No matter how far she runs, the forest of Edgewood always comes for Emeline Lark. The scent of damp earth curls into her nose when she sings and moss creeps across the stage. It’s as if the woods of her childhood, shrouded in folklore and tall tales, are trying to reclaim her. But Emeline has no patience for silly superstitions.
When her grandfather disappears, leaving only a mysterious orb in his wake, the stories Emeline has always scoffed at suddenly seem less foolish. She enters the forest she has spent years trying to escape, only to have Hawthorne Fell, a handsome and brooding tithe collector, try to dissuade her from searching.
Refusing to be deterred, Emeline finds herself drawn to the court of the fabled Wood King himself. She makes a deal—her voice for her grandfather’s freedom. Little does she know, she’s stumbled into the middle of a curse much bigger than herself, one that threatens the existence of this eerie world she’s trapped in, along with the devastating boy who feels so familiar.
With the help of Hawthorne—an enemy turned reluctant ally who she grows closer to each day—Emeline sets out to not only save her grandfather’s life, but to right past wrongs, and in the process, discover her true voice."
Yeah, it’s weird.
To be perfectly honest, I believe that was the problem with 99% of this book’s plot. It was just too odd. Trying to connect with the character’s modern music career in one sentence, and then learning that trees talk in this random magical forest in the other was just whiplash. I just couldn’t wrap my head around it, and thus could not bring myself to give a bloody care.
Next, the characters.
The characters didn’t do anything to redeem the plot. Everyone was relatively forgettable, but Emeline Lark, our main girl, was the worst of the lot. In fact, she was so horrifically forgettable, I actually had to go look up her name in order to write this review *sighs dramatically*
Her entire personality was getting her old grandfather who suffers from dementia back from the Wood King, and she literally dropped her life, everyone in her life, all of her auditions, her shows, and her music to get this man back. She basically sacrifices several big opportunities in auditions for this guy.
And did I care about him?
Nope.
Like, intellectually, I know he is our main girl’s grandpa and he’s really truly very important to her, but it was bloody difficult to care about the guy because there was no actual description or memories of him for me to connect with.
AND THEN she has the same "sacrificial" mindset with this other random boy she met in the Edgewood forest:
"She forgot all about the Daybreak reps. Forgot about music contracts. Forgot about the woods and Edgewood and everything she'd left behind to pursue her oldest dream.
She would not be taunted by this boy."
YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW THIS BOY'S NAME AT THIS POINT IN THE STORY AND THAT'S THE POWER YOU'RE GIVING HIM? Ha. You give me nothing, I give you nothing 🥰
In addition, for solidly the first fifty pages, Emeline refuses to believe her grandfather has been taken by the Wood King. It’s very frustrating, and I dropped the book maybe three times because I couldn’t get past her stupid stubbornness. AND THEN we finally get into the forest, a couple fire horses show up, our leading lady is nearly burned to a crisp, and then SHE BELIEVES IT’S REAL.
NO WONDER SHERLOCK.
the number of times the stubbornness of this girl would’ve killed her if not for plot armor 💀
There was a heck ton more I could talk about, but it’s finals season and I very unfortunately lack the time to write my usual full review :(
My overall thoughts, summed up in one succinct sentence: the worldbuilding was #whiplash, the characters were confusing, the heroine was stupid, and Hydroflasks should never, never, NEVER be used in the same sentence as a faerie.
thank you and adios <3
Ratings:
Star Rating: ★★☆☆☆
If This Book Was a Movie Rating: PG-13
Recommendations That Are Better Than This Book:
These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong
Heartless by Marissa Meyer
March 29, 2022
Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy of this book!
Oh boy, I first want to say that no one does fairytale creatures like Ciccarelli. She really does bring the magic and the creepy to a whole level. I have read two of her books before this and she really does bring the story to life. I will always pick up this author's books purely because I know she will make me shiver.
The beginning of this book really dragged to me. I want to say it was the last half that really made me turn my head. It starts off reading just like your generic Young Adult book. The mysterious stranger our protagonist is drawn to, a magical power she doesn't understand, an impossible task.. the normal tropes. But then everything is put on its head and I ended up really enjoying the last half! I never really got attached to any character in particular, but the story itself is what I thoroughly enjoyed.
Oh boy, I first want to say that no one does fairytale creatures like Ciccarelli. She really does bring the magic and the creepy to a whole level. I have read two of her books before this and she really does bring the story to life. I will always pick up this author's books purely because I know she will make me shiver.
The beginning of this book really dragged to me. I want to say it was the last half that really made me turn my head. It starts off reading just like your generic Young Adult book. The mysterious stranger our protagonist is drawn to, a magical power she doesn't understand, an impossible task.. the normal tropes. But then everything is put on its head and I ended up really enjoying the last half! I never really got attached to any character in particular, but the story itself is what I thoroughly enjoyed.
March 19, 2022
Two years ago, Emeline Lark left her small town of Edgewood to move to Montreal to pursue a career in music. But when she hears that her grandfather–her last remaining family–has gone missing, she’s compelled to return to find him. Her grandfather suffers from dementia, and she’s worried that he’s wandered into the woods. Nobody else seems to be trying to find him. The neighbours all say that he was tithed by the Wood King, but Emeline doesn’t believe in the stories that she grew up listening to. So, when she heads into the woods to search for her grandfather, she’s far from prepared when she steps into the world of ember mares, shiftlings, and other mytholological–yet dangerous–creatures.
This book has it all. It’s a fantasy, a coming of age story, and a romance. It’s a story of family and love and betrayal. It’s one of those books that’s on the cusp of being young adult and new adult, and I can see why it was marketed as young adult, because of the strong self-discovery themes.
This book gave me serious The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert vibes. Like Emeline, the reader is not sure of what is real and what is merely fiction. The stories that Emeline grew up listening to in Edgewood are just that–stories. Or are they?
The author has created a dynamic and rich world that she’s managed to establish in a single novel, standalone, that wasn’t at the expense of developing characters or an intricate plot. Emeline is a strong heroine whose passion for music has begun to dwindle as she spends more time in the industry. Nobody has interest in her music, so she’s been singing songs written by someone else, and it seems like a little piece of her dies every time she forces herself to conform to what show business demands of her. Despite her ambition, she loves her grandfather beyond all else, and she will do whatever it takes to rescue him from the Wood King, even if it means putting her future at risk.
I loved the creativity of the world and the themes of forgetting that are prominent throughout. Ciccarelli ties in real-world issues (her grandfather has dementia) into this theme, which has fantastical explorations as well, which I won’t delve into because of spoilers. I will say that the unifying theme is what gave me chills towards the end of the book (good chills!) and it transforms a young adult fantasy/romance novel into a work of literature.
*Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for the ebook to review*
This review appeared first on https://powerlibrarian.wordpress.com/
Book Blog | Instagram | TikTok | Website | Twitter
My 2022 Reading Challenge
This book has it all. It’s a fantasy, a coming of age story, and a romance. It’s a story of family and love and betrayal. It’s one of those books that’s on the cusp of being young adult and new adult, and I can see why it was marketed as young adult, because of the strong self-discovery themes.
This book gave me serious The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert vibes. Like Emeline, the reader is not sure of what is real and what is merely fiction. The stories that Emeline grew up listening to in Edgewood are just that–stories. Or are they?
The author has created a dynamic and rich world that she’s managed to establish in a single novel, standalone, that wasn’t at the expense of developing characters or an intricate plot. Emeline is a strong heroine whose passion for music has begun to dwindle as she spends more time in the industry. Nobody has interest in her music, so she’s been singing songs written by someone else, and it seems like a little piece of her dies every time she forces herself to conform to what show business demands of her. Despite her ambition, she loves her grandfather beyond all else, and she will do whatever it takes to rescue him from the Wood King, even if it means putting her future at risk.
I loved the creativity of the world and the themes of forgetting that are prominent throughout. Ciccarelli ties in real-world issues (her grandfather has dementia) into this theme, which has fantastical explorations as well, which I won’t delve into because of spoilers. I will say that the unifying theme is what gave me chills towards the end of the book (good chills!) and it transforms a young adult fantasy/romance novel into a work of literature.
*Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for the ebook to review*
This review appeared first on https://powerlibrarian.wordpress.com/
Book Blog | Instagram | TikTok | Website | Twitter
My 2022 Reading Challenge
January 11, 2023
Pfft, me? Wanting to read this yet horrified of the possibility of it being an absolute mess?
Netgalley: I've decided to take pity on your sad soul, here you go!
Netgalley: I've decided to take pity on your sad soul, here you go!
March 9, 2022
pre-read: respectfully, the cover is meh. hopefully the book is better!
-
dnf at 40%. the book wasn’t any better! i’m going back to judging books by their covers now!
-
dnf at 40%. the book wasn’t any better! i’m going back to judging books by their covers now!
March 3, 2022
So this is a tough one. I absolutely was into this book in the first half of the story, was looking to be at least a 4 star read and then started to find myself looking at the timer of my audio and wondering how I still had so much left and then just slowly started to drag myself along.
In this book, we follow Emmeline, a musician from a small town in Canada known as Edgewood. Emmeline left her town but something keeps calling her back as whenever she sings, the forest of the town slowly encroaches wherever she is, drawing Emmeline back where she realizes that the stories from her childhood might be more real than imagined.
The first half of this was very interesting with Emmeline being called into this new and different world. We get to meet lots of characters and while the writing isn’t exactly deep, it's still engaging. I really liked her hints at power relating to music and her family dynamic with her grandfather. Her struggles with dealing with an elderly relative with Alzheimer’s was sympathetic and made her motivations powerful. There are mythical beasts and kind of the promise of more insight into this world.
However, we never really get into that promise. The world building is more of a vague outline of ideas. I have no idea how the magic works. It seems like there are going to be lots of mythical creatures and magic but really we get like, three. I had very little understanding of the society that they occupy. It all was just left so empty that I would be the one filling in the blanks. I did not mind this in the first half of the story. In the first half of the story, the characters and plot were interesting enough that all you really need is a vague outline to keep going. But the second half of the story continues with repetitive plot lines (how many times can we get into trouble chasing down sheet music?) and mostly turns into a very disappointing love story.
If you are into the love interest, then I think this story could absolutely shine for you. However, if you found the love interest to be kind of a condescending, controlling, man-child then you probably won’t be entertained by the multiple sequences of them will-they/won’t they that seems to take up most of the second half. There was a bread making sequence that had me questioning my life choices for a few minutes.
I don’t mean this as an insult to either of these books but I feel like this is very much like Twilight with a supernatural background to a centralized love story with the writing being at a similar level. Millions of people like Twilight so I am sure this can have a huge audience as well!
I liked Emmeline, I liked where this story was going, but I didn’t end up invested in the love story which took over everything and the rest of the characters and plot suffered for it to me.
Thanks Netgalley and McMillan Audio for this audiobook! It was narrated by Caitlin Kelly who did a great job!
Spoiler:
I also had a real huge problem with a reveal at the story about the love interest. I think its a pretty big consent issue and solidified my dislike tenfold.
In this book, we follow Emmeline, a musician from a small town in Canada known as Edgewood. Emmeline left her town but something keeps calling her back as whenever she sings, the forest of the town slowly encroaches wherever she is, drawing Emmeline back where she realizes that the stories from her childhood might be more real than imagined.
The first half of this was very interesting with Emmeline being called into this new and different world. We get to meet lots of characters and while the writing isn’t exactly deep, it's still engaging. I really liked her hints at power relating to music and her family dynamic with her grandfather. Her struggles with dealing with an elderly relative with Alzheimer’s was sympathetic and made her motivations powerful. There are mythical beasts and kind of the promise of more insight into this world.
However, we never really get into that promise. The world building is more of a vague outline of ideas. I have no idea how the magic works. It seems like there are going to be lots of mythical creatures and magic but really we get like, three. I had very little understanding of the society that they occupy. It all was just left so empty that I would be the one filling in the blanks. I did not mind this in the first half of the story. In the first half of the story, the characters and plot were interesting enough that all you really need is a vague outline to keep going. But the second half of the story continues with repetitive plot lines (how many times can we get into trouble chasing down sheet music?) and mostly turns into a very disappointing love story.
If you are into the love interest, then I think this story could absolutely shine for you. However, if you found the love interest to be kind of a condescending, controlling, man-child then you probably won’t be entertained by the multiple sequences of them will-they/won’t they that seems to take up most of the second half. There was a bread making sequence that had me questioning my life choices for a few minutes.
I don’t mean this as an insult to either of these books but I feel like this is very much like Twilight with a supernatural background to a centralized love story with the writing being at a similar level. Millions of people like Twilight so I am sure this can have a huge audience as well!
I liked Emmeline, I liked where this story was going, but I didn’t end up invested in the love story which took over everything and the rest of the characters and plot suffered for it to me.
Thanks Netgalley and McMillan Audio for this audiobook! It was narrated by Caitlin Kelly who did a great job!
Spoiler:
I also had a real huge problem with a reveal at the story about the love interest. I think its a pretty big consent issue and solidified my dislike tenfold.
March 1, 2022
Rating: 3.75
Author: @kristenciccarelli
Publication Date: 3/1/22
I listened to the audiobook version and the narrator Caitlin Kelly did a great job. She really brought the main character Emeline to life. I enjoyed this book and thought it was well done. In the beginning I did feel a little overwhelmed but I think that was a me thing. I struggled to get into the world or really pay attention to what was going on. I think it had a little to do with the story starting a bit slow but luckily it picked up halfway through and from there I felt invested. I enjoyed learning more about the lore and what really was happening in the forest. I didn’t really care about the romance in the story. It felt a little too ‘typical YA’ but again, could just have been a me thing. It didn’t help with how certain things were described between the characters and also how Emeline acted in general. I found her character to be a little immature and I struggled to connect with her at times due to this.
Overall, I thought this was a good YA fantasy and I can see others enjoying it as well. I would definitely recommend this book to teens or anyone who wants to enter a different world.
Even though I struggled to get into the world in the beginning this is definitely a world I would love to be a part of. The author did such a great job world building and describing the setting that the reader can easily picture planning a visit there. Also, the cover for this book is absolutely gorgeous! They did such a great job on the design. As soon as I saw it I knew I had to read the book.
Thank you so much @macmillanaudio & @wednesdaybooks for a #gifted copy on #Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Author: @kristenciccarelli
Publication Date: 3/1/22
I listened to the audiobook version and the narrator Caitlin Kelly did a great job. She really brought the main character Emeline to life. I enjoyed this book and thought it was well done. In the beginning I did feel a little overwhelmed but I think that was a me thing. I struggled to get into the world or really pay attention to what was going on. I think it had a little to do with the story starting a bit slow but luckily it picked up halfway through and from there I felt invested. I enjoyed learning more about the lore and what really was happening in the forest. I didn’t really care about the romance in the story. It felt a little too ‘typical YA’ but again, could just have been a me thing. It didn’t help with how certain things were described between the characters and also how Emeline acted in general. I found her character to be a little immature and I struggled to connect with her at times due to this.
Overall, I thought this was a good YA fantasy and I can see others enjoying it as well. I would definitely recommend this book to teens or anyone who wants to enter a different world.
Even though I struggled to get into the world in the beginning this is definitely a world I would love to be a part of. The author did such a great job world building and describing the setting that the reader can easily picture planning a visit there. Also, the cover for this book is absolutely gorgeous! They did such a great job on the design. As soon as I saw it I knew I had to read the book.
Thank you so much @macmillanaudio & @wednesdaybooks for a #gifted copy on #Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 12, 2021
First of all, thank you to the kind people over at St. Martin's and Wednesday who sent this gem my way and let me travel to Edgewood early.
It was a magical, heartfilled journey exploring family, loss, memories and magic that I can wholeheartedly recommend.
As someone who also grew up near slightly otherworldly woods and who had a very close relationship with her incredible grandfather, Edgewood resonated with me on a completely different level. The world and most of the characters that fill it felt very real and warm and you can tell that the author poured a lot of feeling into all of it, which I love.
The only reason I'm retracting a star is that I feel parts of the story (but mostly of Emeline) should have been given some more room to breathe and expand. As it is, I found some of the conflicts resolved too fast and some of our protagonist's reactions too distanced to connect with and understand (especially regarding the love interest but also her grandfather. I'm not sure of that may have been a conscious decision to untangle fiction from a reality a bit.)
Either way, Edgewood is a beautiful story that stands out and I recommend it.
It was a magical, heartfilled journey exploring family, loss, memories and magic that I can wholeheartedly recommend.
As someone who also grew up near slightly otherworldly woods and who had a very close relationship with her incredible grandfather, Edgewood resonated with me on a completely different level. The world and most of the characters that fill it felt very real and warm and you can tell that the author poured a lot of feeling into all of it, which I love.
The only reason I'm retracting a star is that I feel parts of the story (but mostly of Emeline) should have been given some more room to breathe and expand. As it is, I found some of the conflicts resolved too fast and some of our protagonist's reactions too distanced to connect with and understand (especially regarding the love interest but also her grandfather. I'm not sure of that may have been a conscious decision to untangle fiction from a reality a bit.)
Either way, Edgewood is a beautiful story that stands out and I recommend it.
Want to read
May 15, 2021Look, I am already obsessed with this cover. Give me all the deep, eerie woodsy vibes, please.
February 26, 2022
Edgewood is a typical YA fantasy about 19-year-old musician Emeline Lark who is about to go on her first multi-city tour, just like she's always dreamed. However, strange things start happening when she sings, like moss and ferns growing at her feet and thorns creeping up her mic stand, and when Emeline learns that her grandfather has gone missing from the nursing care facility she has placed him because of his dementia, she knows she must return to Edgewood to find her grandfather and do whatever she can to get him back.
We then follow Emeline into the forest where she runs into a strange boy who refuses to take her to the Wood King to see if the King has taken her grandfather. It's at this point in the story that the book started to feel very troupy to me. The connections between the characters felt a little off from the beginning, and even though by the end of the book, I could understand why the characters acted the way they did around each other in the beginning, for the majority of the book I found myself not caring or believing in their relationships.
There were also convenient plot devises used and the too often romance tropes that come with the YA fantasy books. There were some steamy scenes that were fairly graphic for a YA book, and at the same time they seemed a bit cringy to me and I couldn't feel the chemistry between the characters.
One of the main things that took me out of the story, though, was the writing. There were so many details that were repeated word for word. If I had to read for the twentieth time about Hawthorne's "maple-dark hair" or river rock eyes" I was going to hurl my Kindle across the room! It was also hard to imagine what the forest looked like. The prose was sparse and not as lush or beautiful as I would have liked for such a magical place.
There were aspects about the plot that I did like, especially scenes where Emeline talks about her music and songwriting, and I did appreciate Emeline's character arc, but this was just a standard, average YA fantasy for me. I would recommend this to readers of YA fantasy who are primarily plot-based readers who enjoy when there is a mixture of both the real world and fantasy.
*Many thanks to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the digital arc copy in exchange for an honest review.
We then follow Emeline into the forest where she runs into a strange boy who refuses to take her to the Wood King to see if the King has taken her grandfather. It's at this point in the story that the book started to feel very troupy to me. The connections between the characters felt a little off from the beginning, and even though by the end of the book, I could understand why the characters acted the way they did around each other in the beginning, for the majority of the book I found myself not caring or believing in their relationships.
There were also convenient plot devises used and the too often romance tropes that come with the YA fantasy books. There were some steamy scenes that were fairly graphic for a YA book, and at the same time they seemed a bit cringy to me and I couldn't feel the chemistry between the characters.
One of the main things that took me out of the story, though, was the writing. There were so many details that were repeated word for word. If I had to read for the twentieth time about Hawthorne's "maple-dark hair" or river rock eyes" I was going to hurl my Kindle across the room! It was also hard to imagine what the forest looked like. The prose was sparse and not as lush or beautiful as I would have liked for such a magical place.
There were aspects about the plot that I did like, especially scenes where Emeline talks about her music and songwriting, and I did appreciate Emeline's character arc, but this was just a standard, average YA fantasy for me. I would recommend this to readers of YA fantasy who are primarily plot-based readers who enjoy when there is a mixture of both the real world and fantasy.
*Many thanks to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the digital arc copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 4, 2022
Sigh…it would seem it is once more time for an unpopular opinion.
This book isn’t poorly written, but it isn’t for me.
I’d say if you’re a fan of House of Salt and Sorrows or The Waking Forest, this book is for you. Unfortunately, I didn’t like either of those books. Some books are about the plot, some books are about characters, some books rely on the atmosphere. I'm starting to realize that books labeled atmospheric, lush, etc., are not my cup of tea. There are readers who will love this and find it a lovely dreamscape. I found myself mostly disinterested.
The romance was...okay. Nothing to write home about. Honestly, the relationship that touched me the most was the one between Emeline and her grandfather. I truly felt for both of them.
The woods, while interesting, never immersed me in the way I think they were supposed to. Alas, I think this book and I simply were not meant to be.
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ Wednesday Books for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
This book isn’t poorly written, but it isn’t for me.
I’d say if you’re a fan of House of Salt and Sorrows or The Waking Forest, this book is for you. Unfortunately, I didn’t like either of those books. Some books are about the plot, some books are about characters, some books rely on the atmosphere. I'm starting to realize that books labeled atmospheric, lush, etc., are not my cup of tea. There are readers who will love this and find it a lovely dreamscape. I found myself mostly disinterested.
The romance was...okay. Nothing to write home about. Honestly, the relationship that touched me the most was the one between Emeline and her grandfather. I truly felt for both of them.
The woods, while interesting, never immersed me in the way I think they were supposed to. Alas, I think this book and I simply were not meant to be.
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ Wednesday Books for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
February 6, 2022
EDGEWOOD is a wonderfully atmospheric & darkly, lushly imagined YA fantasy stand-alone read. I was immediately drawn into Emeline’s tale, but it did start to feel clunky a little way into it (and for a good portion of the first third). But it honestly picked up as the novel progressed; past a certain point, I found myself unable to stop reading until I found out how it would all end. EDGEWOOD feels like a compelling modern fairytale (or at least that’s how I see it), that’s for sure! (Bonus points for the musical and bookish aspects that are woven in, by the way.)
March 29, 2022
I very nearly DNFd this half way through, but wanting to know what was going on I persisted, and then wished I hadn't of bothered to be honest. This story is vaguely interesting, but suffers from a lot of problems, self centred characters, a lack of world building and an abusive relationship with a tree.
Hawthorne is one of the worst love interests I've ever had to deal with. At first, he just seems generic, but there was something interesting about him. Later events showed that actually, he's quite emotionally abusive, making decisions for Emeline without her consent, and making her go along with what's he feels is best for her. And then when she finally decides what she wants for herself, he goes off in a huff and... becomes a tree again.
This book doesn't tell you it's set in Canada at the beginning, it just has two characters start speaking to each other in French and leaves you to fend for yourself which may be confusing for some readers. It's really set around Emeline's town, which is almost impossible to picture due to the complete lack of description.
The world of fae, at least I presume them to be fae, is very generic. There's a town, some forest, some sort of fae creatures good and bad, I was left wanting so much more development of both the background characters (who are supposed to be Emeline's friends) and the world of the fae itself. For such a basic story, I didn't feel it needed to be as long as it was.
Hawthorne is one of the worst love interests I've ever had to deal with. At first, he just seems generic, but there was something interesting about him. Later events showed that actually, he's quite emotionally abusive, making decisions for Emeline without her consent, and making her go along with what's he feels is best for her. And then when she finally decides what she wants for herself, he goes off in a huff and... becomes a tree again.
This book doesn't tell you it's set in Canada at the beginning, it just has two characters start speaking to each other in French and leaves you to fend for yourself which may be confusing for some readers. It's really set around Emeline's town, which is almost impossible to picture due to the complete lack of description.
The world of fae, at least I presume them to be fae, is very generic. There's a town, some forest, some sort of fae creatures good and bad, I was left wanting so much more development of both the background characters (who are supposed to be Emeline's friends) and the world of the fae itself. For such a basic story, I didn't feel it needed to be as long as it was.
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