Rcvd an advanced reader copy from BookSirens for giving my two cents. We meet mortal Chloe, who is an apothecary in her village. There is a sickness going around that looks as if it is the same as in Fairie. The next thing she knows is Quintas, a fae warrior and one who make her heart go pitter patter shows up and tells her humans had captured the castle and are holding fae hostage...oh no...her sister!! Reluctantly, Chloe agrees only if Quintas can her get ingredients for the poultice. Things are not always what they seem...but the humans have managed to get iron and lots of it into Fairie and it's hurting everyone and everything. There is a link between the two worlds and Chloe must help those she can...even if it involves the insufferable Fae and hos good looks.

This is such a brilliant book. Right from the start this book is filled with characters I just wanted to get to know. They were interesting and captivating. The story itself I found to be well written and fast paced. I connected with it easily and engaged with the storyline. This author is one I have come to enjoy and expect to get a great book out if each time. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

DNF

This series is a spinoff of the Bitter Thorns series. Although it may help understand the background, enough details are provided to enjoy the story if it hasn't been read.

Chloe is a healer who has moved to the mortal world to live with her brother, a fae, after losing their parents. She is mortal now since moving to the human realm.

Some of the villagers are starting to show odd symptoms. While working on gathering ingredients to make poultices for the ill, a fae from her past, Quintus, arrives asking Chloe to return with him to the fae realm. He informs her that mortals have invaded with iron, and the fae realm is in dire straits. Chloe declines the invitation, but when more villagers succumb to the sickness, she realizes that the only way to have any hope to save the mortal realm is to help the fae realm. Reluctantly, she agrees to return with Quintus to the fae realm in exchange for his help gathering ingredients.

Quintus transports Chloe to the fae realm after she falls into an icy river. She is stunned to see the state of the realm. How can she, a mortal, help save both the fae and the mortal worlds?

This book is gripping and so intense. I am looking forward to reading more in this series.

This was such a fun read!
I loved Chloe's character. She's relatable, and just felt so real. I always enjoyed Chloe's character in the Fae of Bitter Thorn series, so I couldn't wait to read a book where she is the main character.
Chloe's not the usual brave and fearless heroine, that can pick up a sword and protect herself. She's terrible in a fight, and freezes up without a second thought, but all that being said, she's smart and witty, and can do just about anything, as long as it doesn't involve any physical altercations.
I love the world of Faerie that Kay creates, there's just so much depth to it, and there's always little surprises around the corner. It's unpredictable, and it makes it even more exciting to read.
I'm excited for this series. I can't wait for more of Chloe in the next book to come!


Thank you Book Sirens, and Kay L Moody for allowing me to read this as an ARC. This is my honest review.

“Food should always come first, except *maybe* when it’s up against books.”

Ok y’all. I loved Chloe so much. She’s a bit of a mess, she’s headstrong, can hold her own against the Fae, and I really enjoyed reading about her.

Chloe lives in the human world but is very familiar with the Fae. She doesn’t want to go back, but finds that she must when Quintus re-appears in her life. Humans are getting sick in her world and the fae are in trouble in his, so she must go back to help save both. So going into this, I didn’t know that this was a spin-off from a previous series, but for the most part it was very easy to jump in and get to reading.

I’m a big fan of yearning and when an author can write a single POV and we still can tell that the other character has feels and is yearning? Yahtzee! Chloe and Quintus had a great connection, lots of spark to their dialogue and interactions, and I’m so hooked and invested in them as a couple.

One thing I love about fae fantasy are the nuances to spoken language and how things are interpreted - what is a favor, a promise, a vow, how the fae can't lie, and so on. I think the author did a great job with this. I loved Chloe and Quintus getting reacquainted with each other and having to work together. I love all the subtleties to how Quintus might actually be feeling.

The last 50 pages were a rollercoaster ride and I don't want to give anything away, so I will just say - I NEED book two lol and I can't wait to read more!

Thank you to MTMC Tours and the author for sending me a copy to read and review and post for. All thoughts are my own.

9/40
5/5

Everything Kay L. Moody writes is pure genius and I am so glad she returned us to this world with Chloe's story. It was like rejoining an old friend to pick back up several years after the last series, yet also a completely new experience as we got to witness Faerie through Chloe's eyes instead of her older sister's.

Chloe and Quintus were introduced in the Fae of Bitter Thorn series as side characters. They stepped into the stage in this book and took control.

Chloe, happy as an apothecary in a small town in the mortal realm, initially refuses to speak to Quintus who's come to ask for her help in rescuing Faerie. Only when she has no other option does she agree to help, reluctant as her own self-worth is very low.

I absolutely LOVE the themes of selflessness and selfishness that are so crucial to this plot. It's so subtle at first but looking back, absolutely everything the characters do or think can be broken up into that spectrum and when you get to the climax of the book, it all comes together into one decision.

I am so excited to read the rest of this series to see how Chloe and Quintus' relationship will evolve but even more, how Chloe's confidence will grow.

I enjoyed this novel. Chloe’s story is just beginning with this book and what a beginning it was. Chloe and Quintus under take a journey to save the fae and the journey had many twists and turns. I loved how they found each other and continued to fight and struggle to do the right thing.The author created a really interesting story and I look forward to reading the next installment of the series.