Quicksilver meets Throne of Glass in a New York City setting, where she's the centuries old fae and he's the son of her enemy.

Book One in the Deadly Fae Duology

There’s only one rule that truly matters. Never fall in love with a human. Break it and die.

This story pulled me in right away and didn’t let go. Sav is such a layered, broken, and brave heroine—I felt her loneliness and strength on every page. The fae vs. human tension was sharp and timely, and the forbidden connection between Sav and Jack had me holding my breath.

There’s heartbreak, longing, and just enough magic to make the world shimmer without losing its grit. I can’t wait to see where this series goes next.

Massive thank you to Cassandra Aston, NetGalley and Victory Editing for this ARC of Whispers Among Thorns.

I was very intrigued by the synopsis of this book and the cover however this book didn't end up being for me unfortunately.

We follow Sav, who is fae and has been exiled to the human world where humans and fae live alongside each other. In an attempt to protect herself and her kind, Sav makes an unlikely alliance with her enemies son, Jack.

Sav was very headstrong and determined. She put everyone before herself and really did want to help the lower fae. However I just didn't feel a connection to her. Jack was a very soft and positive character. Their connection was very insta-love which isn't a bad thing but their connection/chemistry didn't feel real. This aspect definitely could have been built upon more as there wasn't much tension. They seemed to have a more friendship like connection. I was confused on how old their characters were at times; they were reading more YA not adult.

The world building wasn't very vivid for me. At times I felt a bit confused when trying to picture the world, especially the fairy realm and I was confused in terms of the portals that were used. I did like the different court systems and the different fae species we met.
The overall plot line (exiled fae, humans opposed to the fae in their world, unexpected alliance) was a very good plot and was intriguing. However, I just felt like certain points of the plot were skipped over and they could have been more fleshed out as there were times when i was still questioning why somethings had happened/happening. For example, Sav's reasoning for being exiled and why her family done that along with the reason the fae and human realms came together.

Reading the scenes involving the humans opposing the fae definitely caused an emotional reaction from me and it felt real. I wish i felt an emotional connection when reading the interactions between the two main characters. The ending cliffhanger was done very well and left me intrigued.

This is definitely a good book but just was not for me. There was also a scene with the mmc, a creature and a tree which was very uncomfortable to read.

I am very grateful to have been offered the chance to read this ARC copy ♥️

This book really surprised me.

It starts off in a version of NYC that feels both familiar and eerie, with magic and fae living in secret. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was hooked pretty quickly. The story is layered with political tension, fear, and the feeling of being watched—like danger is always close but quiet.

Sav is one of those characters who carries so much on her shoulders. She’s been through a lot, and even though she tries to act like she’s fine, you can feel how tired and torn she is inside. She’s strong, but in a quiet, bruised kind of way. I liked how raw and real she felt.

And Jack… I didn’t think I’d like him at first. He’s on the “wrong side” and keeps everything so guarded. But the more we saw of him, the more it made sense. He’s soft in ways he tries to hide, and watching him slowly let his walls down was one of my favorite parts. The connection between him and Sav builds so gradually. It’s a slow burn, full of tension and hesitation—like two people who want to trust each other but just can’t yet. And that made every moment between them hit harder.

The plot has a lot going on—politics, prejudice, secrets—but it never felt too heavy. It made me think, especially how some of the themes mirrored real-world issues. And the ending left me with that mix of “I need the next book right now” and “I’m not ready to let go yet.”

It’s emotional, a bit dark at times, but still hopeful in its own quiet way.
Definitely one I’ll remember.

I am relatively new to the realm of fantasy novels, so my knowledge and experience in being able to perhaps compare the writing style and content quality might now be as sophisticated as others. But I thought that the story was interesting and the characters were very well written!

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC! I am going to be recommending this to some friends, it is a great read and I really enjoyed the visits through various fae realms. There are a lot of great characters, and you get to see a lot of different perspectives. My only real complaint is that one of the major twists was hinted at a bit too early, and there were some character perspectives from chapters that really didn't provide a lot of insight, but I'm hoping they make more sense when it comes to the next book. Still, definitely worth the read!

🌿 Whispers Among Thorns – Review 5⭐️ | Gothic Fantasy | Slow-burn Dark, lyrical, and hauntingly beautiful—Whispers Among Thorns pulled me into a world of secrets, curses, and quiet magic. The atmosphere is rich, the writing is lush, and the story left me breathless. If you love eerie forests, ancient bloodlines, and slow-burn tension, this one’s for you. Add it to your TBR—you won’t regret it. 🌙✨

The story itself is a rich blend of gothic mystery and dark fantasy, with just the right touch of the supernatural. The setting—an overgrown estate surrounded by whispering thorns (yes, that title means something)—is practically a character in its own right. You can feel the creeping fog, the hush of something ancient just beneath the surface. It’s so atmospheric without ever feeling overwritten.

The protagonist, Liora, is one of those rare characters who feels completely real—flawed, brave, grieving, and yet full of quiet strength. Her journey through loss, memory, and the eerie secrets of her family’s past is both heartbreaking and empowering. And don’t even get me started on the supporting cast—mysterious, complex, and every one of them with layers I didn’t see coming.

I don’t want to spoil anything, but let’s just say there’s a twist around the 75% mark that made me sit up and whisper “No way” out loud. And it worked. It all tied together beautifully in the end.

This is the first book in the Deadly Fae duology. It drew me into the story quickly and held my attention until the end. It is grippingly written, and I loved that it is an urban fae romance. I also loved that the FMC is fae and the MMC is human. I grew to love Sav and Jack. Jack is sweet and on the softer side, which I really liked. I'm looking forward to reading the second book in this duology!

Thanks to Netgalley for providing an arc of Whisper Among Thorns by Cassandra Aston.
4/5 stars!
This is an urban fantasy, set across both New York and the Fae lands. I loved the crossover element and have been getting all of the The Cruel Prince vibes here, only much darker. I also loved how this book was different to "humans love the fae and want to be like them and everything to do with them." This is completely the opposite and it's a refreshing take on the fantasy.
I loved that there are many elements of fantasy creatures in this book, not just your typical fae.
You have the typical courts, a morally grey FMC and all the tension. There's a great working here of how Fae interacts with the real life and I'm interested to see how that plays out as there's obviously something bigger at play.
I did get a little lost in the description of what was happening to the Fae world and also some of the characters in Fae, but I got the general gist.
There is minimal romance in this but a lot of build up to what I'm presuming will be a lot of romance in book 2.
The ending rounds off nicely to lead into a second book, with just enough of a cliff hanger to make you want to pick up the second book and find out what's happening.

Il y avait beaucoup d'éléments intéressants dans ce livre et j'y étais vraiment accro au début. Il me trottait dans la tête même quand je ne le lisais pas. Je trouve la façon dont a été traité le thème des Fae vraiment intéressant et originale.
Malheureusement, j'ai trouvé qu'il y avait quelques longueurs dans le milieu et mon intérêt a un peu baissé. Il y a beaucoup d'éléments intéressants mais je n'ai pas toujours été convaincue par l'exécution. Je n'ai pas été super attachée à la FMC non plus.
Une bonne lecture quand même.

Im usually not a huge Urban Fantasy reader, but this was just the perfect amount of Fantasy and Urban that I really enjoyed it! I love that the FMC is such a hardened yet soft badass. I hope to get more in depth background info on her upbringing and life before the Human world. Jack is kind of just there sometimes, but in the best way. He is a man with morals and is willing to betray his own blood to act upon the best interests of ALL around him. Their chemistry is good, and I look forward to seeing it blossom in book 2. Beware the cliffhanger.... I will be impatiently waiting.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Cassandra Aston for an eARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!!
The tension SOOOO SLOW BURNNN, but it lacked some banter. Overall really liked that part.
The plot was really good, I really liked that party, not confusing and easy to follow.
Jack had me WEAKKK, like please let it be me!!!! I know he’s going to have a mouth in bed!
I really liked Sav’s character, she’s so fierce and ruthless.
Okay the story is really good but I think the development of it was in a hurry, but at the same time it felt a little too long?
I’m really excited for book 2 and I have so many theories alreadyyyy

I had a fun time reading this book, it really picked up its pace about 30% of the way in but I did struggle up until then.
When we got to Dane’s POV that’s when I felt it get much more interesting in terms of plot and pace.

I found our main character, Sav, to be enjoyable to read about and I liked reading her POV. However, both her and Jack’s characterisation lacked depth for me.

Weirdly Kasper and Hazel felt like they had more depth to them even though they weren’t the protagonists.

Overall this had lots of things I love in a fantasy novel. Fae courts, good/evil, enemies to lovers, hidden pasts etc but I didn’t feel strongly enough about it to give it more than 3 stars.

I don’t usually lean towards urban/contemporary fantasy, however I really did enjoy this book and cannot wait until book 2. I love that the outlawed fae FMC is older (more like hundreds of years old) and she’s been through a lot. The tension and slow burn between her and Jack (our human MMC) kept me reading. This book takes place in two settings, NYC and and the fae realm when Sav has to team up with Jack, the son of the leader of the Anti-Faerie Faction in order to save the imprisoned faeries. You get the slow burn, fae, politics, plot twists and detailed world building. I recommend this book for those who love urban fantasies. Thank you, Netgalley and Cassandra Aston for this eArc.

“Just because a story isn’t for me doesn’t mean it won’t be for someone else.”

2.75 rounded to 3 ⭐️

I really wanted to love this book. The tropes were right up my alley: Enemies to Lovers, Fae court politics, slow burn, forbidden romance, witty banter, etc.

But as I kept reading, the execution and progression just didn’t sit well with me. I found it hard to stay invested in the characters and plot, and despite giving it a fair shot, it didn’t hold my interest the way I hoped it would. I loved Sav and Jack's interactions though, and Hazel and Kaspar.

This doesn’t mean it’s a bad book—just not the right fit for me as a reader. I know and believe that there are readers out there who love and connect with this story more than I did.

Sending love and respect to the author 🫶🏻 Also, thank you Netgalley for the opportunity for an eARC.

Whispers Among Thorns is an engaging and atmospheric urban fantasy that blends fae mythology with modern New York City. The world-building is rich and layered, with a great mix of political intrigue, magic, and complex characters caught between two worlds.

Sav is a strong, relatable protagonist whose journey from exile to rebellion felt compelling, and the slow-burn romance with Jack was well-paced, filled with tension and vulnerability. I also really enjoyed the secondary characters, especially Kaspar and Sav’s sister Sage, who added depth and complexity to the story.

The story takes a little while to find its footing, and the multiple POVs sometimes made the narrative feel a bit scattered. I would have liked a bit more backstory and development early on, especially around the fae magic and history. But once the action picked up in the Faerie realm, the stakes grew higher, and the political twists kept me hooked.

If you enjoy fae fantasy with a darker, mature tone, slow-burning romance, and plenty of secrets and betrayal, this book is definitely worth checking out. I’m looking forward to the next installment!

3.5 🌟

Sav is a fae who has been banished to the human realm with her magic bound, along with many low fae. When her people are attacked and imprisoned by anti-fae humans, she has to work with the anti-fae leader's son, Jack. Along their journey, she has to supress any developing feelings for Jack, as it is a death sentence to fall in love with a human.

I'm a little conflicted about this book. There are some parts I adore, but the romance fell short for me.

What I loved most about the book was a lot of the side characters and the overall plot. It was a bit predictable, but I got sucked in quickly. It's obvious from the start that there's more going on than meets the eye for Sav and Jack, as well as with the overarching human vs. fae conflict. All the characters have their own secrets, and the author did a great job pacing out all the little information reveals throughout the book.

I loved a lot of the side characters, especially Kaspar. He is so loyal to Sav and I love him for that ❤️ The antagonists are also really well-developed. Dane (Jack's dad) is an evil, creepy asshole, but he's interesting. I love a villain with a backstory and depth.

For the romance, I didn't really feel a strong chemistry between Jack and Sav. Honestly, I like Kaspar a lot more than Jack 😭 Jack fell way too quickly for Sav, and it felt very superficial.

I've seen people tag this as enemies to lovers, but it's way more of a forbidden romance than EtL. They're never actually enemies; Jack is supposed to be on the human side of the conflict, but from the very start he's been helping the fae and going against his father.

Despite my personal opinions about our main couple, I still enjoyed reading this! This was my first Cassandra Aston book, and I'll definitely keep an eye on her future releases (and book 2 of this duology!)


Thank you Netgalley and Cassandra Aston for the chance to read the ARC! All opinions are honest and my own.

Whispers Among Thorns is a dark and interesting fae romance. I loved that this subverted the norms with the fae being seen as the 'lesser species' and this worked really well and instantly intrigued me. I also absolutely loved it being a bit of a slow burn. The lore was also so intriguing with magic mixed with politics of the courts. You won't want to put this down and I can't wait to read the next book.

This book, had me hooked from the beginning. The beginning was very emotional and challenging.
It's different from the typical fantasy romance, it takes place in new York and a Fae Realm. Since those two worlds have collided Fae and humans are trying to live side by side. But the Fae are in a disadvantaged position with the humans, suffering racism and attacks, and then we have an FMC who is the Fae and an MMC who is the human.
The attraction between our MCs is instantly but they can't really act on it.
I adored some of the side characters and I need to know more about them. There are so many mysteries that we still need to uncover and I can't wait to read the next book.