This was so freaking good. Like Jesus Christ, I didn't expect this.

I went back and forth on whether to give this 4.5 or 5 stars, since this is an arc and I tend to be more strict about books I'm obligated to review, but I've decided to rate this 5 stars simply because I feel that the overall enjoyment this book gave me far outweighs its flaws, not that there are many to begin with.

I've had terrible luck with arcs in the past. I've always picked out books I was certain I would enjoy, but they've all been two star reads for me for various reasons. Until now.

Enna is a twenty year-old girl that spends her days taking care of her father and using various plants to protect them from the wildwood, a forest near their home filled with monsters called mystings, the majority of which are hostile towards humans. Enna wears a bracelet with a stone that can sense them, and after being attacked by one and sensing another, she summons an intelligent mysting named Maekallus to kill it for her. This is where the story really begins.

This book grabbed my attention from page one. The author wasted little time jumping into the story, and her writing really drew me into what was happening.

I really liked Enna as a character. She was caring, ambitious and intelligent. She was flawed like a real person but wasn't one of those weak, timid main characters that I despise. I liked how no-nonsense and borderline hostile she was to Maekallus in the beginning. It wasn't one of those stories where the female lead starts off headstrong and fierce and ends up this sappy, whiny, useless blob. It took a while to change, and when she did, she kept the most likable aspects of herself and I enjoyed that.

I didn't particularly like Maekallus in the beginning but he grew on me as his character developed. I disliked his dishonesty, but I realize I probably would've been just as deceptive in his situation. Again, another flawed but likable character. I also really appreciated his character design, more specifically his horn and hooves. Most authors would avoid adding traits like that to their male lead, since I feel like some readers wouldn't like it. Especially in the young adult romance genre.

One of the main reasons I read fantasy is for the magic and the creatures. This book did not disappoint.

There is nothing I love more than the suspense and the anxiety given to me from a book filled with dangerous fantastical creatures, and a main character that lives/works close to them. These creatures in particular were fun to read about. I enjoyed their weird descriptions and reading about their habits and the things that can hurt or deter them.

The little descriptions and tidbits of information at the beginning of every chapter were a nice touch, as were the formal way the characters spoke. It really gave me a sense of feeling that they were actually in another time and another place, and unlike some other fantasies, I never forgot it wasn't my world.

However, I do feel that the ending was a tad rushed and definitely could've been extended into more than one book had the author chosen to do so. Sadly though, I have a feeling this will be a standalone novel since everything was wrapped up by the end of this, albeit leaving a few unanswered questions.

I'm very upset at that, since I would've loved a sequel.

I also felt that some things came too easily to the main character at times. There was the occasional plot device here and there and a couple of scenes were a bit anticlimactic.

But the only real issue I had with this book was that I felt like every loose end wasn't tied up and it could've been so much longer and so much more. I hope that the author writes a sequel even though I don't think she will.

Overall, this was a very fun read and I would recommend this to young adults and new adults that like fantasy, dangerous creatures, & romance that takes time to develop.

See my full review on my Goodreads!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3155190744?book_show_action=false

I received a free copy of the ebook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this! It was a wonderful forray into the forest, where mystings have a way of turning up. I loved how the magic system slowly unfolded. I enjoyed the character development and facets of their personalities. It was easy to get submerged into the world. It was light hearted. Beautiful stand alone book. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys light fantasy and magic.

The Will and the Wilds is a magical journey! I was enthralled from the very beginning, and love when an author makes me question falling for certain characters. There were times with the story, that I was afraid things wouldn't work out, whether it was in the way I wanted or not. This story was bewitching in the best way, and I love that the author even composed a song to help bring it to life! I've read The Will and the Wilds twice now, and the audio book was definitely the way to go. The characters are brought to life in vivid detail, and even though I knew what was going to happen, I still found myself gasping or crying at certain parts. It has the perfect mix of fantasy, magic and romance. The story line will stay in your thoughts for days, until you find yourself reading it all over again. A beautifully woven tale, with enchanting characters and a world every reader longs to escape in.

Content Warning: Gore, Death, Mental Health

"Without a soul, she doesn't have a will."

The Wild and the Wilds is a story about how a soul ultimately defines the line between the human and the monster. The town of Fendell is situated on the edge of the Wilds—a large, magical forest teeming with foul mystings. Mystings, monstrous creatures not unlike tricksters, goblins, and such, are not to be trusted. Enna and her father live in the Wilds. Having lost her mother before she was even born (view spoiler) her mother was attacked and killed by a pack of ruthless mystings. Her father, having traveled to the monster realm to find a charm to keep her safe, lost his mind in turn.

"Mankind cannot linger in the monster realm, just as mystings cannot abide here long. Our worlds are too different, and they reject those who don't belong. My father stayed too many hours in the monster realm, and in exchange, it claimed the sharper bits of his mind. And so he retired here with the Telling Stone, learned to grow mushrooms, and the rest of our lives have been uneventful."

With her father's intermittent lucidness, Enna must take care of them both. Recently, mysting appearances have been more frequent. Enna knows, because the charm her father gave her tells when a mysting is near. After a direct attack on their house and Enna being marked by a Gobler, Enna turns to desperation and summons a mysting to help her against the Gobler threat. A humanoid/equine creature known as a narval appears, and she strikes with him a deal—he will hunt down the Goblers threatening her, and she will give him two war medallions of her father's in turn.

Soon after, Maekallus finds the Goblers, but is defeated, cursed, and trapped in the human world to die. Enna finds him, deteriorating quickly, as her world won't allow him to live for long. To save him, she offers him a kiss. The tricky thing about a narval is that they steal one's soul with a willing kiss. Enna kissed Maekallus willingly, and her soul fractured.

Healed for now, Maekallus—the soul eater—begins to lose his monstrous form, and Enna begins to hollow out from the missing pieces of her soul. The two, working together for their own purposes, begin to work together to solve their predicaments. Can the curse be broken to send Maekallus back to his home? Will Enna's soul remain fractured forever? With the threat of the mystings all around, searching for the charm Enna possesses, their time is wearing thin.

"But for every mysting who's willing to cooperate, there are five others who will eat the flesh off your bones, if you but give them the chance."

The Will and the Wilds is undoubtedly an intriguing story. I was sucked in the the plight between these two characters immediately. The uniqueness of this story is apparent, as it's not just a story—it's also a lesson. The concept of one's soul is discussed frequently, and how it makes us who we are—human. Humans with a will, at that. If that soul is taken away, or broken, what would happen? While these musings got me thinking, I couldn't help but notice the lack in world-building. Here is an incredible forest, the Wilds, a monster realm, in a seemingly Medieval era with little to reference it all by. These details aren't exactly necessary since they aren't the main point of the story, but are needed to make this story great, in my opinion.

Despite the world building, I appreciated the attention that the author delegated to these characters. Watching Enna slowly descend as her soul became more fractured, whilst Maekallus ascended towards a pure form of humanity kept these characters in a pendulum-like-state with Enna's soul anchoring it all at the center. Mystings are creatures born from ill-does of humans. Throughout the entire story, Maekallus character is represented as something impure and inhuman, but moves to become something whole. All-in-all, I thought this was a very creative, unique, and thoughtful read.

Vulgarity: Mild.
Sexual content: Kissing.
Violence: Moderate with some gore.

My Rating: ★★★1/2

I'm a little sad about this one... it's by far my least favorite Charlie Holmberg book : (
The world building is quite good. Ms. Holmberg has an incredible imagination and a talent for putting it on a page. This is a world of men and monsters. Below the human world is The Deep. The description is a place with no sun, but an ever-present red glow. The landscapes are harsh and Mystings (the inhabitants) brutal. It is very hell-like. The monsters are quite demon like - including that one subset are tricksters, not to be bargained with.
Humans can cross over to the Deep, but it will begin to destroy them quickly. Mystings may cross over to the human world but within a very short time they will begin to rot. Some can stay longer than others, some prolong their stays by frequent trips back into The Deep.
This is the story of Enna and Maekallus. Enna's grandmother studied mystings but her mother was killed by them. Enna's father is steadily losing his grip on reality, having journeyed once into The Deep, and returned with a charm meant to protect Enna, but now it seems to be putting her at risk. The charm is a bracelet with a Telling Stone that warns her when Mystings enter our realm. They're coming more frequently and creeping closer. In a dangerous bid to try and stem the tide, Enna calls on her grandmother's knowledge and enacts a summoning spell to seek a sympathetic Mysting. Maekallus is the last thing she expects to answer the summoning.
Maekallus is a humanoid Mysting of a most dangerous kind, a trickster. They have the capacity to steal human souls through a willing kiss.
This is where things go wrong for me. I'm used to Charlie Holmberg's books having much sweeter romance, based on kindness and like-mindedness. The "romance" that develops between Enna and Maekallus is much more lust based than anything. Much more longing for arms and lips than the sweet gestures and encouraging each other's dreams and pursuits of the Paper Magician Series. It just wasn't what I'm used to from Charlie Holmberg, and I found it a little disappointing.
There is a bit of a redemption message as part of the story, which I found insightful. Without giving too much away, the point is made that a soul is what gives us responsibility for our actions toward others, as well as the capacity for forgiveness. The world building is still good, the story is still good, I just found it a bit disappointing.

"Monsters are only ever fascinating from afar."

As I was reading this book, it felt like a mix of Beauty and the Beast, Labyrinth, and Russian Folklore. Though I really enjoyed our very intelligent characters, I felt that there were things lacking in this story. I wanted more of the world. I wanted more from the side characters, and overall, I think I just wanted a little more.

I do believe that this book could have benefitted from 50-100 pages more, and some time developing those things, especially the world. Holmberg had an opportunity to create a lush and beautiful world, but I felt like it fell a little flat.

All in all, it was a quick read, and I did enjoy it.

My heart is full right now, this story beating deep within me. I loved this book. I didn’t think I would. I didn’t think Charlie Holmberg could possibly write something I could love more than her Numina trilogy. But, oh, she did! I absolutely devoured this story. Wanted to put life on hold so I could live in this world amongst these characters. And I ache that it’s over. I want it to continue. I want more of Enna and Maekallus. Of the mystings. Of this completely unique and amazing world. I want to know the secrets that Enna had just begun to uncover, and I want to see what becomes of her and her narval. I want more of Maekallus, his past and his future, his secrets and his memories, and what becomes of the Will Stone. This story was amazing and I can’t wait to read it again!

This is my fifth review of a book by Ms. Holmberg, but I think I’ve actually read everything she’s published! She never lets me down, I know just what I’m going to get from her. She always writes a great plucky young heroine, a mysteriously romantic leading man and a truly imaginative magical setting. Her books are easy to read and you’re sucked into her stories from page one.

Enna is an excellent character, a young woman who is clever, loyal and bright She is an intellectual in a society that frowns on women being educated but is unwilling to give up her dream of researching and mapping out the ways of mystings. She desires to more fully understand the world around her. She’s my favorite thing about this book, but then no surprise, I’m such a sucker for main character who is a nerdy girl. But things aren’t so easy because the world of mystings is complicated and dangerous.

If you’re looking for fantasy, here it is.

If you’re looking for romance, here it is.

If you’re looking for a great book to read over the weekend with a cup of tea/coffee/cocoa, here it is.

You can’t go wrong with this one. I fully recommend it.

Song for this book: Millstone by Eisley

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

All included quotes have been taken from an ARC and may not match the finished publication.

Enna lives at the border of the town of Fendell and the wildwood, caring for her ill father. The Wildwood, is a forest where mystings can enter the mortal realm and pray on human bodies and souls.
When she is almost killed by one, because she possesses an enchanted stone. She takes matters in her own hands Enna uses her knowledge of the mystings, to strike a dangerous bargain with another mysting for protection.
Like all bargains with a trickster demon, Maekallus.
Maekallus’s help comes with a hefty price...
A kiss....
One with the power to steal her soul.

But, when things take a different twist and Enna and Maekallus end up bound.
They have to work together to save their lives and Enna’s soul.
A forbidden romance, monsters and magic the perfect ingredients for a book that you can't help but devour.
Charlie N. Holmberg is a wordsmith. She has the rare ability to create lush worlds and captivating characters. This fantasy take of dark monsters and lovely forbidden romance with a few moments of sexual tension.
The perfect magical read, all with the cottage on the edge of the dark forbidden forest feels.

"Beware the narvals, formed from the spilled blood of bastards.

They feed upon souls, and will steal one with a willing kiss."

"Little mortal, you’ve just half a soul left. Be careful how you divide it."

"What is a soul if not an extension of the heart?"

#TheWillAndTheWilds
#thewillandthewilds #charlienholmberg #wunderkindpr #amazonpublishing


“I am the afterlife. I was created by death. I am the end. When I perish, I am gone.”

Everytime I start a Charlie novel I try to go in with an open mind. It’s no secret that I am obsessed with her work so I try to have an unbiased opinion with each book. However, she has been teasing me with this book for a while now so it was hard not to go in with super high expectations. But she went above and beyond what I had hoped for this book. The Will and the Wilds is a reminder of why I love Charlie’s writing so much. It’s simplistic in the best way a book should be. Charlie takes a wonderfully small world but makes it feel huge. The scene doesn’t change much but she puts so much magic into her words that you don’t need a whole map to traverse in her story. I loved the idea behind the mystings and how they entwined in Enna’s world. If you’re looking for a fantasy book with a lot of action, this would not be the book for you but it is a nice reprieve. A fantasy books that revolves around the characters and the settings rather than a high stakes adventure. All of the pieces came together perfectly.

One of my favorite thing about Charlie’s writing is her character developments. She always does a fantastic job of building her characters and giving them realistic strengths and weaknesses. This make it so much easier to relate to the characters and connect with them. I loved Enna. She was such a fantastic protagonist but by using her wits and surroundings. Maekallus was another great character. I’m glad we were able to get some of his perspective as well. It was nice to see the progression of Enna’s soul in him and how it affected him. I honestly didn’t know if Enna was going to end up with Maekallus or Tennith but honestly, I’m glad the story went the way it did. There weren’t a lot of characters in the book which made it easy to follow and enjoy. The characters that were in it though played their important role to the story.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Overall, The Will and the Wilds by Charlie Holmberg was exactly the book I wanted from her. While I love all of her books this book reminds me of why I fell in love with her writing. A simple story, with not much action, but so much detail in all the right places. The character development is done so precise that the progression only felt natural. Charlie always creates such a beautiful world and this one was no different. I highly recommend this book if your looking for a great fantasy with a little bit of romance.

Daring the wildwood may cost them their lives

Enna has always lived close the wildwood, protected by her ability to sense the mystings around her. Her father has bought her protection by stealing a telling stone bracelet, paying with the loss of his mind. When mysting appearances multiply and turn their focus to Enna, she compels a mysting of her own to protect herself and her father. The cost this time will be her soul, as the kiss that Maekallus bestows upon her steals a bit of her soul each time. But Maekallus will pay with his own existence. Each payment that keeps them alive leads further toward their destruction.

As the story unfolds, the twists thread more deeply through the fabric of Enna’s world. And Charlie N. Holmberg is her usual brilliant self, creating a world and characters that mesmerize and engross us until the very last word. Each being and creation is believable and written in such vividness that you will leave this book with every scene inked indelibly in your memory.

Charlie N. Holmberg never disappoints, and this standalone book, The Will and the Wilds, is yet another testament to her ever-increasing skills. Highly recommended for those who love fantasy, thoughtful plots, and brilliant storytelling.

I fell in love with Charlie Holmberg back when I read her Paper Magician series. I have always been a fan of origami so when I read the synopsis that it was about a magical origami I couldn't pass it up. Instantly I knew that I found a new favorite author. I flew through that series and couldn't help but want more!!! So when I saw The Will and the Wilds pop up on NetGalley I couldn't help myself and instantly started smashing the request button. Then to my happy surprise, I was approved!!!! The book gods were looking out for me that day because I could hardly contain my excitement. Now here we are the day before its published out into the world and I finally can tell all my friends to READ THIS BOOK!!!! It was exactly what I was hoping for when I read the description. Dark and twisted yet still in that same feel good Charlie Holmberg fashion, you are left with a happy contented feeling that you just went through quite the adventure and found a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. 

If I could compare this book to anything, I would definitely say that it has a Labyrinth feel. Complete with a forbidden romance and monsters and magic and all the ingredients for a book that you can't help but devour. It starts off with our main character Enna narrowly avoiding a gobler attack in her home. But what's strange is that normally the monsters of the wildwood don't venture close to the people of her village and definitely not past the wards and herbs that are supposed to keep them away. But when she wakes up to find a monster in her home in the middle of the night she knows something is different. It soon becomes clear that the stone her father risked his life to find and give her for protection might be the very thing that is putting her in danger. So Enna takes it upon herself to find a solution, but at what cost? Can she save herself and her father without creating more danger? Has she made a huge mistake? You know that saying that if you're going through hell, keep going? I think that was probably the mindset our sweet and innocent Enna had to keep to in order to try and right this horrible mess she gets into,. 

And of course no story can be complete for me with out some sort of love interest, and one of my favorite tropes lies within these pages... FORBIDDEN ROMANCE! I love when two characters can't be together but against all odds they fall for each other anyway. This is one ANGSTY love that you are rooting for helplessly throughout and ugh its so good too!!! I loved this love!!! 

This book was a wonderful journey through the dangerous wildwood and beyond to the Deep. Full of dark monsters, magic, and love there really isn't anything that this story lacks. Not to mention it all wraps up neatly within one book. No waiting for the next in the series, no cliffhanger ending. Just pure enjoyment from beginning to end. There weren't any dull moments, any lags or parts where I was just waiting for something to happen. It was one of those books where every part had meaning and was put there for a reason. Which is why I appreciate Charlie Holmberg so much as an author. She is a wonderful writer that doesn't get the notice that she deserves because everything she writes is just so damn good!!! If you're looking for that dark but lovely story to kick off your 2020 look no further, its here!!!

Enna is a twenty-year-old woman who lives with his father. He was a swordsman many years ago; he fought in The War That Almost Was between mystings and humans. As a consequence of being in the monster realm, his brain has been damaged, so he forget things, and he tends to lose the notion of time. Therefore, Enna takes care of his father, and they only have each other. Enna’s mother died when she was little; she was killed by mystings.
They live near the wildwood, so Enna has a mysting garden, with most of the plants and herbs mystings don’t like, because as she says, "one never knows what will emerge from the wildwood, or when”.

One day, Enna realises there’s a gobler -a kind of mysting- near their house, so she places the necessary elements, such as red salts and some herbs, to stop the creature from entering the house, although, it didn’t work at all. Enna decides to summon a mysting who could help her get rid of the gobler. And that’s when Enna meets Maekallus, a very human-like mysting. They make a deal, Maekallus must find the gobler and kill it, but she must give him something in return. What seemed like the best solution, turned out to be one more problem. Enna and Maekallus are now connected, and the price is bigger than she expected. Her soul is at risk.

I liked the story, although, I was expecting something different. Sometimes, I felt like it was a bit slow-paced and kept wondering, where’s the action?, but I liked it overall.

This is a delightful fantasy to read with surprises every now and then. The author Charlie Holmberg takes effort to set the groundwork for this world very nicely and I'd be surprised if there wasn't a book 2 coming along at some point.

It becomes apparent very quickly that the enchanted stone Enna possesses is an important part of the storyline. Readers are gradually fed pieces of information about the stone's history, and with a certain amount of guesswork, it is not difficult to figure out where the story is going before the main characters do.

As for the main characters in the story, they go through trials and hardships, allowing them to demonstrate strong willpower and the determination to overcome all odds. I also find the author's depiction of a soul fascinating, as we see the growth and changes in Maekallus after he acquired a part of Enna's soul.

Personally, I find this story very exciting and I am looking forward to the next book already! (Please tell me there is more to this, considering how the last chapter was written).

Just to let you know, I received a free review copy of this book and I was not obligated to write a review for it. Nevertheless, I am happy to do so as I have a new fantasy world to follow now! Looking forward to checking out the author's other works as well.

#TheWillAndTheWilds #NetGalley

I’m not usually a big reader of romance, but seeing that this was written by Charlie N. Holmberg (author of The Paper Magician series) and considering that the blurb gave me mad Howl’s Moving Castle vibes, I had to give it a go.

And you know what? If I keep rating romance books at five stars, I’m going to have to start changing my spiel. I raced through this book, because I was so invested in the characters and the world, and I was so sad to leave it behind when I inevitably finished.

The Will and the Wilds is set in a whimsical, but brutal, world where humans live in fear, and where a shared kiss, given willingly, threatens to destroy both the human and mysting involved.

I went in expecting to enjoy this (duh), but not as much as I did, I don’t think. Again, it’s the romance. I always have such reservations. The plot drags in some places, but I enjoyed the characters so much and the blend of whimsy and darkness that I didn’t care. This is a world that I’d love to see more of.

My Thoughts:

- The story is written in a light, whimsical way that’s easy to get sucked into, but which has some pretty sinister undertones. It’s a wonderful blend that I thoroughly enjoyed. As I read, I pictured a Studio Ghibli film, something along the lines of Howl’s Moving Castle, complete with that light, colorful sort of animation and charming little quirks built into the world. Maybe that’s just me. Okay, probably that’s just me. I thought it was lovely. Make no mistake, though, this world is freaking dark. It’s a really neat juxtaposition, because the prose is so light and colorful that the darker parts of the story sort of slap you in the face and make you take notice. Oh, what a quaint town and such charming woods. Sounds like a lovely place. Monsters in them that tore your mother apart, you say? Well, then. You have my attention.

- This romance set my poor old enemies-to-lovers-adoring heart a-beating. Because it’s romantic when a guy threatens your life and then chooses not to kill you, right?! No? … just me? Enemies-to-lovers will forever be my chosen trope. This is a slow-burn, forbidden type of romance with high stakes, as it threatens to destroy both party. I thoroughly enjoy impossible romances, and this one has aaaaall the things stacked against it, which makes it all the more thrilling. Because love is hard. You should have to work for it, dang it.

- There’s a whole world of mystings out there, and the variety of types and personalities was delightful. The mystings really ran the gamut here, between good and bad and indifferent, and all sorts of body types. I don’t want to say too much about this, because discovering them is half the fun. But there are some helpful mystings that Enna meets, some that are more on the indifferent side, and some that are downright terrifying. All of which were absolutely fascinating.

- I felt Enna’s struggle deep in my soul, and I couldn’t help but root for her. Okay, sure, at times her character is a bit boring, but you know what? So am I. She was so stinking relatable, though. I can see why someone reading this may not connect with Enna’s character, but I definitely related to the things she’s chasing through the book. . Her desire for learning and the way she went out in search of knowledge rather than waiting for it to come to her was so admirable. I mean, yeah, okay, she's potentially in mortal danger, but it's not like they could do anything at that very moment, so why not gather more information? That's what I would do.

- This is a very character-driven book, which means there are times when the plot is little more than a shadow looming in the corner of the room. How much this impacts your enjoyment is going to be entirely up to you. And maybe a little with how much you connect to the characters. For me, I enjoyed the characters, and I was perfectly okay with slowing down to deal with their drama. Drama’s fun. You know, when it’s not happening to you. Since the story was so character driven, there were definitely times that felt repetitive or like the story was going a little in circles. Not to say that this wasn't believable. It's humans, really. We're such indecisive, stubborn creatures. I thought it was more apparent because of the lack of a plot in between, but there were definitely things the characters kept harping on. It wasn’t a huge thing and didn’t impact my enjoyment of the story, but I can see this being a sticking point if you’re not enamored with the characters as it is.

Sticking Points:

- The world-building was a little vague. It felt sort of fuzzy around the edges. I got a good feel for the mystings and Enna’s home and small town where they lived. But the world? Ehhh. There’s obviously a bigger world outside the town, and I don’t really know anything at all about it. There’s also the world of The Deep, where the mystings are from, and I still don’t really know about that. I suppose what I would say is that the world-building here is mostly convenient.
You know what you need to know in order for the story to make sense and that’s about it. I still think the world we’re introduced to is magical and charming, but it had the potential to be so much more.

- There were quite a few things that happened before this story took place that were mentioned in the story and really needed to be expounded on for everything to fully make sense, I thought. Enna’s mother and grandmother are very important figures in this book, and so much mystery surrounds both of them, yet it’s never actually cleared up. I kept thinking there would be a big reveal of something that would shore up their role in things, and it just … never happened. Same with Enna’s father. We’re told in passing what he was like before losing his mind, but there’s never any detail. He supposedly did this big, heroic thing once, but … how? I want to freaking hear that story because it sounds thrilling and nigh on impossible. In fact, there were several plot lines that I felt were opened and not fully explored, so that by the end of the book, it seemed like they were dropped rather than fully wrapped up. There was a lot going on in this book, and I enjoyed that, but it was also quite disappointing that this seems to be a standalone and felt like too many things were left open-ended. There were a lot of plot points that I was so sure were foreshadowing for big reveals that just never panned out, which made me wonder why it was even brought up in the first place.

"A spellbinding story of truce and trickery from the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Paper Magician series.

Enna knows to fear the mystings that roam the wildwood near her home. When one tries to kill her to obtain an enchanted stone, Enna takes a huge risk: fighting back with a mysting of her own.

Maekallus's help isn't free. His price? A kiss. One with the power to steal her soul. But their deal leaves Maekallus bound to the mortal realm, which begins eating him alive. Only Enna's kiss, given willingly, can save him from immediate destruction. It's a temporary salvation for Maekallus and a lingering doom for Enna. Part of her soul now burns bright inside Maekallus, making him feel for the first time.

Enna shares Maekallus's suffering, but her small sacrifice won't last long. If she and Maekallus can't break the spell binding him to the mortal realm, Maekallus will be consumed completely - and Enna's soul with him."

I love me a good trickster tale.

The Will and The Wilds was fantastic. I won't lie it's strange but fantastic. It's a forbidden romance with a Beauty and the Beast vibe. I loved it. I also loved the world, it's interesting and intriguing as are the characters. I loved them and their journey which was not easy. I recommend it.

The greatest positive: rich atmosphere building. I felt as if I were standing alongside our main character. The romance also felt "real". My heart broke at the appropriate times, and I may have squealed at the end because I was invested in the characters and their mutual (albeit unwilling) attraction.

One thing that disappointed me: sounds silly, but the "demon" element was entirely unnecessary. I go out of my way to not read books with demons, but missed that they played a part. How? Couldn't tell you! I persevered through it, and you know what? The author could have written the entire book without those references. This could have been a story of a girl on the edge of an enchanted wood, with monsters who cross over from their realm to ours. Because, in the end, this is what it felt like. The story wasn't at all evil - just a bit dark. The word "demon" was only used a handful of times.

The tone felt very distant, and I'm not sure I'd classify that as a positive or negative -- just ... different. You know how someone speaks when they've gone through a trial, and they intentionally strip all emotion from their account to protect themselves? That's the vibe I got from Enna.

If you're looking for a fast-paced read, this isn't it. This story moves very slowly, which absolutely works with the plot. You feel Maekallus' agony in the length of those days.

Thank you, publisher, for sharing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

Sigh.

I love this author. I have loved every book I have read by her and was truly excited to see this on NetGalley and then to receive it as an ARC. And then I started reading it and that is when my excitement ended. From almost the beginning, I knew this book was not really for me, but I kept reading because as I said before, I LOVE this author. And as I read, the more it became apparent I was not going to love this book.

This book was boring. B O R I N G. I didn't feel anything for Enna at all - she was a foolish girl who kept doing foolish things and then sat around wondering just HOW she got into this mess and how was she going to get out of it ALL while getting the very thing that is lying to her and stealing her soul. Yeah, no. And while Maekallus is an interesting character, his arc is also boring. It just all fell so flat for me. And then to read 33 chapters of this and get THAT ending? R E A L L Y?

Sigh.

I still love this author and I will still read her books. But I certainly hope that this book was a fluke and that she will get back her stride. She is an awesome writer and can write so much better than this and her fans deserve a better book than this ultimately was.

Thank you to NetGalley and 47North Publishing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the story of a girl who mother was killed by monsters called mystings. Who Farther went into the demon realm and stole something valuable and gave it to his daughter as a from of protection. This the tale of a tender kiss which could change one soul and pushed characters toward a life or death situation when a sudden bargain is made between them. This is a retelling of Romeo and Juliet that really came to life as you follow the story along. Their heart ache, betrayal and at the heart of it two people different realms who are desperate to love each other. I love everything i read by this author and this novel is no exception. It wrapped me up and i easily devoured this novel in just a couple days. You won't be disappointed with this novel.