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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
if you know me you know I love my faerie lore and a good historical setting.
This book is set in an alternate 1800's England, where they are ruled by an immortal Fae queen who took power at the end of the War of the Roses. Every citizen is allowed to make a Fae bargain with the Queen, all of which come with a price - be that your pinky finger or your ability to love - and all debutantes are expected to make theirs at the beginning of the season. Most make one to increase their chances of making a good match.
Ivy Benton's season starts a little differently than most - with the announcement that the Queen's son Bram is to choose a wife from this year's debutantes. Those who wish to become a suitor must sign their name in blood, forfeiting ever marrying if they are not the girl chosen. With her family on the verge of destitution and her prospects practically non-existent, Ivy has little to lose.
This book highlights the way the fair folk typically play around with humans and their emotions, with the Queen using her magic to make bargains that are always what was asked for but never quite what was wanted, and the trials and tasks that the girls who are competing for Bram's hand undertake. We follow Ivy, desperately trying to win in order to re raise her family's standing in the world and help her sister who has returned from an ordeal she cannot remember, along with the help of Prince Emmett, the Queen's legitimised stepson, who thinks it's vital that Ivy be the one his brother weds.
I love the use of fae bargains in this book. Fae have always been known for their trickery especially towards humans - if you dance to faerie music you won't be able to stop, mortals should never eat or drink anything in the faerie lands - and the price of the bargains can be quite gruesome. Losing toes, fingernails, all your childhood memories. I also love that we see that the Queen is cruel in her boredom, using her subjects and playthings to entertain herself as is the nature of the Fae.
This book is set in an alternate 1800's England, where they are ruled by an immortal Fae queen who took power at the end of the War of the Roses. Every citizen is allowed to make a Fae bargain with the Queen, all of which come with a price - be that your pinky finger or your ability to love - and all debutantes are expected to make theirs at the beginning of the season. Most make one to increase their chances of making a good match.
Ivy Benton's season starts a little differently than most - with the announcement that the Queen's son Bram is to choose a wife from this year's debutantes. Those who wish to become a suitor must sign their name in blood, forfeiting ever marrying if they are not the girl chosen. With her family on the verge of destitution and her prospects practically non-existent, Ivy has little to lose.
This book highlights the way the fair folk typically play around with humans and their emotions, with the Queen using her magic to make bargains that are always what was asked for but never quite what was wanted, and the trials and tasks that the girls who are competing for Bram's hand undertake. We follow Ivy, desperately trying to win in order to re raise her family's standing in the world and help her sister who has returned from an ordeal she cannot remember, along with the help of Prince Emmett, the Queen's legitimised stepson, who thinks it's vital that Ivy be the one his brother weds.
I love the use of fae bargains in this book. Fae have always been known for their trickery especially towards humans - if you dance to faerie music you won't be able to stop, mortals should never eat or drink anything in the faerie lands - and the price of the bargains can be quite gruesome. Losing toes, fingernails, all your childhood memories. I also love that we see that the Queen is cruel in her boredom, using her subjects and playthings to entertain herself as is the nature of the Fae.
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is like a gaslamp version of The Selection but with fae and actually good. The fae are represented by the Queen of England, who took over during the War of the Roses and has been using England as her play box ever since. It sucks for the humans but you do get to make a bargain with her once, so maybe you get really good hair in exchange for a toe.
There are two love interests - the good boy fae prince and the bad boy human prince. The human prince isn't part of the competition but he's scheming and attractive. Ivy is our main girl but each of the other girls get a chapter from their point of view. The competition itself is devious.
Warning: This book ends on a cliffhanger.
Audiobook notes: The narrator for Ivy is very breathy, which took some getting used to. There's another narrator for the other girls' chapters and a male narrator for princely POVs. They're all good but the volume does fluctuate when changing narrators.
There are two love interests - the good boy fae prince and the bad boy human prince. The human prince isn't part of the competition but he's scheming and attractive. Ivy is our main girl but each of the other girls get a chapter from their point of view. The competition itself is devious.
Warning: This book ends on a cliffhanger.
Audiobook notes: The narrator for Ivy is very breathy, which took some getting used to. There's another narrator for the other girls' chapters and a male narrator for princely POVs. They're all good but the volume does fluctuate when changing narrators.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Classism
Moderate: Sexual content, Death of parent
Minor: Child abuse
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
2025: 4.5
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This story was fun, though it used a bit too many overused tropes which made it exhausting sometimes.
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes