This was a mind stretching fantasy of the Faerie people in all their forms and their interaction with humans. Continuous action and reaction and a great cast of characters. I was totally absorbed the whole way through and in some ways, the conclusion was a relief, as nothimg else could happen!!

THE THORNS REMAIN is a dark fairy tale-like tale that stands perfectly on its own about clinging to what is left in the aftermath of grief.

The book is full of faeries out of folklore. It's got a few hints of some fairy tales (primarily Tam Lin), but it's not a retelling (unlike THE SHADOW IN THE GLASS.) Instead, it takes bits and pieces from Scottish folklore and weaves something that evokes the feel of those tales.

It is the more unsettling side of folklore (rather than the magical, fairy dust and whimsy side.) The villagers' memories are continually tampered with, so that tales do not match up but no one else notices. There is a sense of being the only one who knows what's happening but being unable to talk about it. Plus the village gets mean and turns on her fast, which helps make Moira Jean feel even more isolated.

There was a point where I was worried that Moira Jean and the Dreamer would fall in love and get together. I'd just had a conversation with my mother about how toxic most romances from fairy tales were (and how many retellings/books trying to evoke fairy tales end up with toxic romances where the men are awful abusers) so I was hyper alert for it. Thankfully, she did not. Instead, she eventually sees through it all and tells the Dreamer exactly what's not on about what he's doing. I was very glad when that happened.

I really liked the post-World War One setting. Scotland seems to be a popular place for SFF stories at the moment, but they tend to be set in older times, and this mix of progress but also the sheer physical toil of living off the land is a nice combination to set a tale of forgotten creatures stalking the world.

In all, I enjoyed this second book by the author and will be interested to see what comes next.

I am absolutely awestruck by this fantastical rollercoaster ride of a read.

With wondrous imagery that will stay with me for eons thanks to the visualisations created, I felt curled up and hooked into this book.

There was a single time where I felt jarred out of the world created but only for a second, due to slightly strange wording that fits more in the modern world. But then I was easily yet roughly pulled right back in.

A thought I do not have often - this book with a media adaptation would be absolutely thrilling.

In The Thorns Remain we follow Moira Jean who, after a night of dancing and drinking with friends in the forest, finds herself alone, her friends sent to the faerie realm and now she is on a quest to bargain back her friends from the Fae Lord.

This book is set just after WW1 in Scotland, and I really enjoyed the atmosphere the author captures.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper for the chance to read The Thorns Remain.

'I am lord of the Land Under the Hill and I shall take what the children of men have denied me. I shall have my tribute.’

I love a historical fantasy, I love the Fae and I love a Scottish based book (it's so magical there!) It was like I was transported to Scotland in 1919, so lush and atmospheric.

People were strong back then. All the work they had to do just to survive. I wouldn't have been able to do it. Maybe that's how mankind has gone wrong?

Anyway......we have Moira Jean. Her and her friends cut loose for the night and go drinking...but they aren't alone. The Folk have arrived and with it, their Lord. When everyone goes missing apart from Moira Jean, she has to peace back together what has happened and take action!

Here's some notes I took of my thoughts and feelings - apologies, there's a few but really these are reasons why you should read this!

~ the time period,
~ reading about life then,
~ the descriptions of Brudonnock,
~ Moira Jean, her grief made me so sad but she was so strong,
~ Angus, how I wished he had been there,
~ Mrs Iverach, gawd love her,
~ The Dreamer, how he wanted to learn (and he needed to learn humility!)
~ The glaistig (baby moo, IYKYK!)

Wow, for me that was a long one. To get a long review out of me is a miracle. So you need to read this to experience it too!

I was sold as soon as I saw Fae!

I do wish there was a bit more romance in this however. Apart from that it was a wonderful story to read and I can’t wait to see more from this author (also super excited to own The Locked Library edition of this!)

The Thorns Remain is set in Scotland, in the wake of the First World War and in the midst of the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1919. In a rural Scottish village, Moira Jean is celebrating with her friends, a last hurrah before they go on their separate ways to make their lives their own.

But the evening takes a turn when a beautiful stranger comes upon them. Awaking from a daze filled with dancing and strange music, Moira Jean finds herself alone. Her friends have disappeared and it's down to her to find them again. Making bargains with Fae is exactly what she's been told not to do, but how else will she get her friends back?

The story was brilliantly written and Moira Jean's character was fantastic - absolutely fearless and possibly even reckless but very likeable. Her determination and almost cavalier behaviour made my inner feminist squeal with joy.

The only thing I wish for - MORE OF THE DREAMER. I would have loved to see more of a relationship between him and Moira, there were a few scenes that could have been developed on so much more but the final scenes really made it for me.

Set just after the end of WWI, The Thorns Remain is a YA fantasy set in the wilds of Scotland.

We are introduced to a community who is struggling with the loss caused by the war, the flu pandemic, and the end of the aristocracy country estates.

Moira Jean, our protagonist, lives with her mother and spends much of her time working the land and ruminating on her lost hopes and dreams. After an evening of too much whisky and dancing, Moira is faced with a quest to save her friends after insulting the faeries.

I am a lover of all things folklore, and it was lovely to see how the author handled the dangerous fae characters from mythology who offer an escape from the realities of post-war Britain.

Moira Jean is a strong-willed and very likeable character. I enjoyed her sparing with the Lord Under the Hill and how she handled the difficulties she faced daily. That said, I did struggle with the characterisation of the supporting cast who were not as realised as I would hope. I couldn't quite tell the difference between a few of them, and at no time did I feel Moira Jean had a strong connection to her friends who were spirited away.

The story is a strong YA novel, yet I wonder if the slow pacing and repetitiveness of some of the situations will be well received.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins for the digital copy to review

✨ARC REVIEW✨
Title: The Thorns Remain
Author: JJA Harwood
Actual Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 💫 *3.5 stars

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an early review copy for The Thorns Remain by JJA Hartwood in exchange for an honest review. This review will be posted to my socials (@raisabooksantea) on the 19/01/2023.

In 1919, in a small village located in the backdrop of Scotland, Moira Jean engages in a dangerously trivial game with the fair folk of the land to rescue her friends. The people of the land, along with Moira Jean, struggle to navigate through life in the aftermath of World War I, the flu epidemic and the fear of being vacated off their lands.

There were aspects of this story I found interesting and really enjoyed. For one, this isn’t the typical fae story we have been seeing for a while in young adult and new adult literature. It is much darker, and truly shows how dangerous it can be to bargain with and encounter a faerie. I also enjoyed all the folk lore and the different types of Fae Moira Jean encountered throughout the story.

However, there were some reservations I had that kept me from completely loving the story. The pacing of the book some times felt really slow and it took me a while to get to just under 2/3 in to the book. Some details also felt very repetitive.

I will say though, after about 215 pages into the book I couldn’t stop reading. And whilst I couldn’t completely connect to Moira Jean as a character, she was a good protagonist who sacrificed a lot for others but received nothing in return. Harwood's prose is also atmospheric and beautiful. She wrote the struggles Moira Jean faced towards the end really well, at which point I began to empathise with her. Moira Jean is also a bit of a chaotic bisexual and I immensely enjoyed the scenes she shared with a certain changeling and dreamer (yes I edited my review for this, because if you enjoy that then read this book).

In all, this story was enjoyable and not at all bad. I have no doubt, an audiobook version of this book would bring this atmospheric small Scottish village the story is set in to life.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC.

The Thorns Remain is set in the 20th century in Scotland during the war period, it follows Moira Jean who is left to deal with the Lord of Under-The-Hill (a fae lord) after her friends are captured by him. This book is filled with fantasy and a tinge of romance; the lack of romance was a let down for me- however, the wrap up at the end was well executed. Overall I enjoyed the book so I'd give it a 3.5 stars (rounded up to 4 stars).

Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This, to me, balanced both historical and fantasy fiction very well! Our protagonist, Moira Jean, lives in a rural Scottish village with her Mother. It is 1919 and Moira Jean is still reeling from the loss of her sweetheart who left for war with his friends and did not return, whilst his friends did. As her friends now plan to go their separate ways they decide to have one last night of fun together; if only they hadn't chosen the forest, where the Fae reside. After her friends are spirited away, Moira Jean endeavours to save them, determined to not lose anyone else.

What I loved:
- Moira Jean is fierce, determined and loyal. But she's also impulsive.
- The theme of loss runs deep throughout. Moira Jean mourns the loss of her love, but also the life/future she would've had. As her friends make plans for their own futures, Moira Jean feels she will be forgotten and left behind. The Fae feel the loss of belief in them; they too feel forgotten. I felt this so keenly.
- The portrayal of the Fae was SO refreshing. I love a good Fantasy fae romance, but it was brilliant to see them written differently, and, dare I say it, much closer to the folklore!

What I didn't get on with:
- The ending felt quite jarring for me, though it aligned with my expectations of a historical fiction, it might not do the same for YA fantasy readers...
- The relationship between Moira Jean and the Fae felt under-developed.

Read if you enjoy:
- Reading: Gallant, Midnight in Everwood, The Embroidered Book
- YA Fantasy with historical ties.
- Celtic folklore/fairytales

4/5 stars! THIS COVER! A darkly beautiful tale of love and loss. The story did take a bit to get going, but once the pace picked up, I fell in love with this world. I really enjoyed Moira Jean's story and would definitely read more by this author. I find the author's works to be a slightly darker and slightly more immature writing style similar to Margaret Rogerson. Would read more by this author.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

I really struggled with this book, I wasn't a fan of the writing style and I didn't like the main character so I couldn't get invested in this story. Unfortunately this book just wasn't for me

Not knowing quite what to expect with this read, I approached with a little trepidation. I mean, surely I’m too old for faeries. Turns out you’ve never too old for the Fae! Touching on nearly every emotion possible - fear, grief, elation, sadness, anger, hurt, betrayal, this took me on such a rollercoaster. So vividly imagined, both the real and magical worlds were crafted with such care and attention to detail. Such an engrossing tale, told with heart & wonder.

I really struggled to connect with this story. The chapters just seemed way too long & I wasn't too sure where the story was going. DNF'd at 20%

1919. In a highland village forgotten by the world, harvest season is over and the young who remain after war and flu have ravaged the village will soon head south to make something of themselves.

Flimsy characterisations, a stuttering and at times sluggish plot, and writing overripe with trivial descriptions.

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins for the e-Arc for my honest review and opinions.
This book was good but wasn't for me it was set in Scotland which was a change of pace for me for a fantasy book. This was a YA and I'm a huge fan of the genre but I just didn't connect with this book; it's very descriptive but I just couldn't get into it.
I will definitely recommend it for my library as it's an interesting read with a solid storyline and characters.

Fours stars for the story and world building.

Many Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing the digital review copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
I really was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book, set in Scotland just after the Great War, our heroine Moira Jean, is recovering from a broken heart, her childhood love and future husband-to-be is killed in France, leaving her adrift and unsure of how her life will be without him. In the woods, a group of friends from the village, drink, and dance until, others arrive, but these aren’t human dancers.

So the main theme for me in this book is loss, Moira Jean, lives with her mother, who is the local healer, so she has seen her fair share of sickness, but its more than that for Moira, the Flu has spread through Scotland killing so many, including people from her own village, and her own childhood sweetheart, so when the Dreamer takes her friends, Moira, is desperate to get them back and will bargain just about anything.

I will have to say that this book reminds me of books of fae from when I was a child, these are not the brooding dominant males, in a lot of books currently on the market, these are true children of the forest, they know nothing of human emotions, and are mostly psychopathic killers, and I think I enjoyed it more because it was based more on folklore, than of fae romance.

Overall, I’m giving this book three stars, it did drag a little during the middle of the book, but I think it has a strong end.

Favourite Parts: The Dreamer
Recommendations: Yes definitely
Rating: Three Stars

Yet again I have requested a book without noticing that it was YA, so it is partly my fault that I didn't really enjoy it. Personal preference aside, I found the book very slow and slightly over-descriptive. It will probably appeal to lovers of fantasy, but I think you would need to already be a fantasy fan to enjoy this book,