This was such a fun and quick read! This book is a low(er) stakes cozy fantasy following Sage Kovan and Tasa who are both going THROUGH it. I really like the magical system that is set up in this book and wanted to see so much more! I did find the relationship between Kovan and Tasa veryyyyy insta lovey which did cringe me out a little… there just wasn’t enough story to believe it as much if it were a full length novel. However, the length of this prequel was just enough to give me a taste of the world to come in the first book of the series and I’m excited to see where Yora and Zan’s story goes! I would definitely recommend this prequel as a fun quick read between more intense books!

Thanks to Victory Editing and NetGalley for this eARC!

The Quiet Side by Casey Blair

3/5 Stars

As prequels go, it wasn’t horrible. But it wasn’t great either. I was really bored through the majority of the book and was desperately hoping for something, anything, to happen.

I did finish the book and I plan to read the rest but if it’s as slow as this one, I won’t be finishing it. So I am hoping the next will make up for the lack of interest and intrigue in this one.

This was a charming and cozy read! If you're looking for that kind of vibe, then this is for you! I was a little lost at the beginning, but I caught on quick. I like the pace of the story. I would say its neither fast or slow. Overall a 5 stars for me!

I absolutely loved this cozy fantasy romance! The world-building was interesting, and I liked the setting, too. The characters were well-written, and I really liked them. It's a beautifully written novella, and I'm looking forward to the next story in the A Sage's Sanctuary series.
Thanks to NetGalley, author Casey Blair, and the Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for this ARC.

3.5*

This prequel is definitely cozy, calm and exactly what you want from a cottagecore read.

I am hoping that the magic (world and system) will come through strongly in the main book, because in the prequel it's only really hinted at, which made me wonder because there was already a deep exploration of deeper themes.

Either way, the prequel makes one curious for the main story, so I'll definitely read it when it comes out.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

The Quiet Side offers a warm, character-driven entry into Sage’s Sanctuary. It doesn’t overwhelm with action—choosing instead to focus on relationships, emotional healing, and the promise of magic to come. With its slow build, the story allows Kovan’s vulnerability and Tasa’s quiet strength to take center stage before the big adventures begin, making it a gentle and inviting prologue whose emotional groundwork could pay off beautifully in the books ahead.

A very cosy novella that was easy to read, I flew through it and it has made me excited to continue when the main series comes out!

This was an easy read, building the foundations to the next part of the series and whilst I did find it confusing I like that the next book is officially the first in the series and this one just helps to understand. The characters were cute and I’m intrigued to read the next part

Ooooh yes. As a cosy fantasy reader, I’m saying yes please!
It wasn’t quite 5 stars for me because as someone who’s neurodivergent, sometimes the obviousness of it made it a bit less enjoyable. I love when we know a character is different and what struggles arise but if it’s too much of a focal point (without being the plot) it kinda makes me feel a bit like it’s being tokenized? (Idk if it’s wrong word)
I cannot wait to have more from this author though!!! I did like the spicy bits, cozy fantasy doesn’t have much of that so I’m always appreciative of it.

The Quiet Side was a cozy fantasy read for me. I really enjoyed the book and the cover is so pretty. I love a good cozy read. It was a fast paced read full of coziness. Tasha and Kovan's relationship was so sweet. We have our MMC Kovan who is a sage trying to discover who he is without magic and our FMC Tasha trying to find her place in a world with magic. I look forward to seeing more from this author. If you are looking for a cozy, sweet story, pick this book up.

The Quiet Side is a lovely, cozy novella set in a magical world of dragonshifters and sages. It was initially difficult to understand where the story was going because as a reader we’re dropped immediately into the world without much context, but I enjoyed the writing that eventually started to piece things together.

The cozy ambiance and daily life tasks made this a fun, quick read – perfect for a novella and palette cleanser between larger plots. I really appreciated the neurodivergence representation as well as the modeling of gentle romantic care between the characters.

I will definitely be reading more from this series!

The Quiet Side – Casey Blair
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

So The Quiet Side is technically a prequel novella (book 2 release-wise) in the Sages’ Sanctuary series, but I didn’t even realize that when I started reading. I haven’t read The Quiet Light (book 1)… yet. But honestly? You could totally read this one on its own. It’s short, just around 170 pages, and I really loved it. It gave cozy, rom-com fantasy vibes with just enough to pull you in without needing to take notes on the lore (in my most humble opinion). The connection between the characters is so cute. I loved the conversations, the quirkiness (not the cringey kind at all!), and especially the internal battles each of them quietly carrying. The way Casey Blair writes made it feel like I was watching a scene play out instead of just reading one. She’s super expressive in her character work, and it makes everything feel so natural and alive. You could see the emotions, the expressions, the little moments that said so much without having to do any building and that’s something I always enjoyable. If you’re looking for something short, sweet, and magical that doesn’t demand a lot of mental energy but still gives you feels, The Quiet Side is it. I’ll definitely be picking up book one now that I’ve had a taste. Huge thanks to NetGalley, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op, and Casey Blair for giving me early access to this gem. It’s published now, go add it to your TBR! 💫

My review:

The first third of the book was a little bit confusing, it was cryptic, the writing seemed a little too "poetic" for me as a non english speaker. But then, as the story goes on, I found myself more and more sucked in the story, more drawn to the characters.

I liked the grumpy x sunshine trope, and the cosy fantasy vibe. Kovan was a little hard to understand, but I loved Tasa, the neurodivergent null with an issue with self worth.

the story was really short and enjoyable, it would be an ideal palate cleanser in between sagas.

The Quiet Side by Casey Blair is prequel to A Sage's Sanctuary series. It is a cute introduction to what promises to be a cozy fantasy. It definitely piqued my interest and I'm excited to delve into the series when it becomes available. The characters are well developed, and the interactions were fun.

This is a cozy novella and was a nice story that I finished in an evening. Was a wonderful introduction to what is sure to be a magical series.

Spicy, male female, 1st person dual point of view, paranormal romance. I wasn't vibing with this book initially. I felt like I was dropped into the middle of a story and it took me a moment to connect. But once I did I was all in! This author is new to me, and I really enjoyed their writing style. The couple is fantastic both individually and together. Their inner monologues and the way they perceived one another was utterly charming. I can't wait to read more work from this author.

A sweet short read.

The cottage on the mountain achieves a cosy setting and Tasa and Kovan's honesty with each other is refreshing.

It's sweet that there is give and take in their relationship, Tasa teaching Kovan how to do basic tasks without magic and to view himself as more than his role, and Kovans acceptance reframing and embracing of Tasa as she is melts my heart.

Really cute dynamic of uplifting one another and teaching each other to put themselves first in the face of systems that have them downtrodden.

A lovely and cosy romantasy novella. Although I couldn’t always fully grasp what was going on (which made it a bit harder to connect to the story) the writing style was fresh and different which I appreciated.

I didn’t feel a bone-deep, earth-shattering connection to the characters, but this is a terribly hard thing for short stories to achieve. There were some adorable moments between Tasa and Kovan, especially the way he cared for her from the offset. I’m not usually a fan of insta love, but it didn’t make me cringe in this, and that one smut scene was unexpectedly really good?..

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and Casey Blair for providing me with this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7678553535?book_show_action=false

3.75 ⭐⭐⭐✨ Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC

This is a darling little book. It's short enough to read in a day, and would make a lovely palate cleanser between longer series or more emotionally intense books, which is how I tend to use cozy fantasy.

The characters are adorable. They are clearly both deeply wounded people who make each other better. It's a little cliche in that Tasa is your classic manic pixie dreamgirl and Kovan is your stoic protector who discovers what joy is thanks to her.

I am rounding up to a 4 because as a prequel, I think the length and depth of this book are appropriate. If it were a stand-alone, maybe not. the world-building was enough to understand what was happening, but could really have use more fleshing out. The relationship was 100% insta love, which honestly, could benefit still from more interaction and just straight up CONTENT to be more believable. Also, this book is clearly meant to be a statement on neurodivergence, and while that can be healing and inclusive, it leaned a little bit heavy on it, to the point that the specific character didn't have much personality outside of her neurodivergence.

Overall, definitely worth a read. It had me smiling basically all throughout, and had a surprising moment of great 🌶️.

This was such a soft, cozy little gem. It took me a minute to settle into the world and writing style, but once I did, I was totally charmed. Kovan and Tasa’s connection was sweet, a little surprising, and honestly just really refreshing; two people learning to see themselves more kindly through each other. As a prequel, it stands well on its own, but now I’m super curious to see where the full series goes.