I really, really, really wanted to read this but ultimately it is a DNF at 15%. I loved the initial plot lines but it was so scattered and I could not connect with the characters enough for me to continue. Again, I loved the idea of the story it was unfortunately not for me. Thank you for the early copy!

I went into Whispers Among Thorns thinking I knew what to expect. Another fae story, right? Wrong. This book completely surprised me in the best way possible. It isn’t like anything I’ve read before.

Sav is such a powerful main character: older, stronger, and so much wiser than most heroines. She’s a little cold at times, but it’s because she’s honest and selfless. She’s willing to put her own wants aside to protect her people, even when love is right there in front of her. That strength absolutely floored me.

Then you have Jack and Kaspar, and wow…. my heart couldn’t decide. Even though Sav’s love clearly belongs to one, I still yearned for both. The way they pulled me in two different directions was heartbreaking and addictive all at once.

This book gave me moments where I had to set it down and just breathe, because my chest hurt for these characters. The emotions are that raw. And when it built up toward the second book? Chef’s kiss. I know the next installment is going to explode with everything that’s been set up.

If you love fantasy but you want something fresh, something that feels alive, something that hurts in all the best ways, this is the book for you. You’ll fall in love, but more than that.… you’ll never forget, it leaves you dangling, desperate for more and honestly? I’m not sure if I’m ready for what the next book will do to my heart…. but I know I’ll dive in anyway.

Thank you Netgalley, and Cassandra Aston for sending me this advance review copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This one was just okay. I really struggled getting into it.

The worldbuilding was confusing, and it felt like there was a lot to keep track of without a lot of detail. The characters were okay, but the insta love wasn't doing it for me. I did like that Jack was sweet instead of the usual Mr. Dark and broody though. It was a nice change, but I think it affected how much tension there was. It felt so light.

This is one of those few reviews where I don't know what to say. It wasn't amazing, but it wasn't bad either.

Thank you so much for Netgalley and Cassandra Aston for this ARC read AND 'Oh what a read'
If you want a fantasy that keeps you hooked and on the edge of your seat.
This is the one.

The story felt original and I loved the writing style it was gripping and beautifully layered.
The kept me up late because I had to finish it but beware a cliff-hanger, means I'm desperate to read book 2, and it cannot come quick enough.
Fans of enemies to lovers, slow burn romance with plot twists and cliff-hangers will eat this book up.
I loved it and will highly recommend.

Okay, fantasy romance addicts, drop everything and listen up: Whispers Among Thorns is about to be your new obsession!

This book has it all: a fae heroine, Sav, who's forced to infiltrate the anti-fae movement by seducing the leader's son, Jack. The rule? "Never fall in love with a human. Break it and die." You know that rule is getting shattered.

This isn't just a romance; it's a high-stakes mission where the fate of the fae hangs in the balance. If you love Throne of Glass vibes, enemies-to-lovers with actual life-or-death stakes, and that sweet, sweet angst, then you need this book. Get ready for the emotional damage!

When I read the premise of Whispers Among Thorns I was very excited to read it, unfortunately it ended up being not for me and I ended up not finishing it. The characters fell pretty flat, and I think I would have enjoyed a bit more build up between the characters.

I thought the world was pretty interesting, the concept of fae being forced into the world was very interesting to me. I don’t feel like I fully understood the dynamics of the world however, and I would have liked a bit more world building around the interactions between humans and fae.

I wanted to like this book but ultimately it ended up not being for me.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and Cassandra Aston for the ARC

This book built a huge world, complete with all the issues and politics you’d expect where the fae and human worlds have collided. It felt a little bit like The Boys meets a dark fairy tale. As book 1, you know this isn’t where it all ends.

Sav has been exiled to live in the human world with almost no magic. The fae are discriminated against and sometimes attacked just because of what they are, even though they are mostly bound to not harm humans no matter what injustices are carried out. There is a group riling folks up and torturing/killing fae with no punishment and that’s where we meet Jack. Jack is the son of the evil group’s leader. He’s got some mystery around him and has somehow survived this terrible world with his moral compass intact. He and Sav meet after said group carries out a particularly cruel attack.

They fall into immediate love for some reason. This, obviously, complicates matters and is a big wrench in almost all decision making from that point forward. They end up in faerie, bouncing around between folks that all generally want to kill one or both of them. Sav is forced-ish to make some binding decisions to get them both out alive. All of this and it feels like they still didn’t make big progress in saving earth-bound fae. I guess we need to see where book two takes us!

Whispers Among Thorns is a slow-burn urban fantasy about Sav, a fae exiled to modern New York and bent on revenge. To bring down the humans who destroyed her kind, she seduces the son of their leader—but feelings complicate the mission. The story blends enemies-to-lovers tension, political intrigue, and a morally gray heroine. Pacing dips with multiple POVs, and the romance is a slow payoff—but the world is vivid, the stakes are real, and it’s got bite if you’re into fae drama with sharp edges.

Urban fae chaos, forbidden love, and a war-torn city that hums with otherworldly tension — Whispers Among Thorns is the kind of story that sets its teeth into your curiosity and refuses to let go. If you crave morally gray fae, golden-retriever humans who fall hard and fast, and a soft rebellion threaded through sharp court politics this book will be your brand of trouble.

We follow Sav, a fae warrior in a crumbling New York stitched unevenly to Faerie. A city where portals breathe between skyscrapers and glamour hangs like fog. She’s ancient, magic-bound, and entirely uninterested in love which makes her entanglement with Jack all the more delicious. Jack, son of a powerful anti-fae extremist, carries a heart far too soft for the battlefield he’s inherited.

Their chemistry sparks but for me the connection felt too swift. Their romance leans into instalove territory, and I found myself wanting more slow burn and tension. I longed for deeper insight into Sav’s past, her fractured family ties, the layers of grief and rage braided into her choices. Instead, the story often skimmed the surface.

The worldbuilding is full of promise. NYC colliding with Faerie is the exact brand of chaotic whimsy I adore, but the rules felt disjointed. Portals, history, magical systems, and court alliances blurred rather than sharpened, and I often found myself rereading to make sense of it all. That said, the glimpses of magical creatures and rival courts had a pull I couldn’t quite resist. The rebel crew (Hazel and Kaspar, I see you and I love you) brought warmth and grit to the narrative, and I only wish we’d spent more time with them.

Still, by the time the final page turned, I found myself intrigued. The stage is set for something bolder, deeper, and more emotionally charged. There’s magic here, no doubt. I just hope the next installment lets it fully unfold.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and Cassandra Aston for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Being completely honest, the 4 stars was for the vibes alone.

I wanted to love this book more than I did. By the end, I wanted more of Sav, I wanted to know more about her family, her court, her world, but all of those aspects fell flat for me.
I've said it before, but I am not a fan of insta-love, and for some reason, every romantasy I have picked up lately has been centered around it. I do applaud Sav in this aspect though, she wasn't about it when most FMCs as of late have been.

I'm going to stick around for book two - I'm really, really hoping we get more worldbuilding in it.

Thank you to Cassandra Aston, NetGalley, and Victoria Editing for the ARC (and I apologize that I am so late on this when the pub date was now over a month ago!)

Whispers Among Thorns is haunting, romantic, and completely mesmerizing. The prose is stunning, the atmosphere is thick with tension, and the romance? So achingly good. It’s the kind of story that lingers—I loved every moody, magical second.

I had high hopes for Whispers Among Thorns after reading the premise—it sounded like the kind of story I’d really enjoy. The world-building, in particular, was well done. The setting felt vivid and immersive, and I could easily picture the environment and the atmosphere the author was trying to create. I really appreciate when a book’s world feels tangible, and this one definitely delivered on that front.

However, despite the strong setting, I struggled with the writing style and ultimately wasn’t able to finish the book. The pacing felt uneven at times, and I found it hard to get fully invested in the story. The characters, while intriguing in theory, felt somewhat childish in their actions and dialogue. They didn’t quite have the depth or maturity I was hoping for, which made it hard to take their struggles and motivations seriously.

While this book may resonate with other readers, it wasn’t the right fit for me. I can still recognize the effort put into crafting the world and plot, but the characters and pacing ultimately made it difficult for me to stay engaged.

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.