The Will And The Wilds, written by Charlie N. Holberg, is a delightful fantasy story and a kissing book. Enna’s father has given her a charm she calls the telling stone to warn her when the Mystings that frequent the Wildwood are nearby, it turns cold and whispers to her which of the Mystings are close. When a Gobler breaks through her wards and attacks her, she decides to fight fire with fire and summons a Mysting to vanquish the other Gobler that is tracking her. Maekallus is a Narvel, and when Enna bargains with him to eliminate the Gobler, he accepts, but there were two Goblers, and he is stabbed and then cursed to remain in the Wildwood unable to return to the Deep where the Mystings dwell. Mystings cannot survive in the world and in order to keep him alive until the curse can be broken, Enna must voluntarily kiss him, but each time she does, he receives a part of her soul. This was a fun story to read, Enna makes a most excellent heroine and watching Maekallus grow from villain to hero will keep you turning pages way past your bedtime. I received an ARC of this book to read through Netgalley in exchange for a fair review. Publishing Date January 21, 2020. #NetGalley #TheWillAndTheWilds #CharlieNHoberg #47North #SciFiandFantasyNovel #KissingBook #FairyTale #bookstagram

I loved this book! The main characters were wonderful and the world they lived in was so interesting. The story had a great ending, but I honestly hope this is not the last we hear of Enna and Maekallus. This is my favorite book by Charlie and I have read almost everything she had written.

Charlie Holmberg’s new novel was as adorable and charming as I expected, having loved The Paper Magician. It was, however, as Holmberg herself admits in the acknowledgments, very much ‘a kissing book’. Nothing wrong with kissing books! I happen to love a good kissing book. What that means for the story, however, is that the romance very much took central stage, occasionally compared to plot and character. Furthermore, despite being billed as an adult (possibly New Adult) novel, it also had a distinctly YA feel to it, at least in my opinion. The novel very narrowly skated a love triangle, which almost exclusively kills my interest in books, and while the romance was sweet I did engage in some eye-rolling over the antics of Enna and the mysterious Maekallus. Their love felt somewhat sudden, perhaps in part due to the rapid pacing of the novel.

I was torn on the character of Enna herself. At time I admired her frankness and wisdom and love of science and research, but there were certain times were it felt like all of that was chucked out the window in favor of furthering the romantic plotline. I was disappointed when Enna began to take on a bit of a damsel in distress role as the novel progressed, forgoing her cautious nature in favor of her feelings.

Maekallus also felt somewhat predictable. The beauty and the beast vibes were heavy in this one, with the soul-sucking trickster slowly getting in touch with his humanity. The parts of him that I was more interested, such as his memories of a past life and the conflict he felt about that, were not nearly as developed as I would have liked. Also, while technically his somewhat instalove made sense in the context of his gaining pieces of a human soul, it felt like a bit of a cop out.

Speaking of cop outs, while the Will Stone was a clever mechanic, it also allowed Holmberg to get away with certain story elements that didn’t quite make sense and felt a little far-fetched. Enna’s father, for example, could be left and forgotten about for long periods of time until his existence became relevant again. Tennnith, easily the most one dimensional character in the novel, could also be made to do things convenient to the plot that didn’t exactly make sense in context. In general it simplified a lot of plot points and conflicts that could have been interesting to see played out in a more layered way.

Still, I found the novel’s concepts to be enjoyable. Mystings, the sometimes fae-like, sometimes Witcher-esque monster-like inhabitants of the world bordering the human one, were fascinating in their descriptions and function. Holmberg spared no gruesome detail in describing their existence, and for people who like a bit of a horror edge to their fantasy romance, the mystings provided. Enna’s little herb garden and quaint forest existence (mushroom farmers!) made me feel at home in the novel and the made the contrast to the oft frightening, occasionally charming wildwood all the more stark.

Overall, while this novel was rather predictable and suffered from some narrative corner-cutting, I still found it a charming and sweet, thought not mind-blowing or transformative, read.

Thanks to Netgalley and 47North for providing this ARC.

I loved this! This is my first Charlie Holmberg book and I'll definitely be reading more.

This book follows Enna who lives on the outskirts of her village next to the Wildwood where deadly mystings roam. She owns a mysterious telling stone, which tells her when mystings are near. She lives with her father who had gone into the demon realm to obtain this safety charm for her but in doing so lost part of his mind. She is attacked by mystings and draws a summoning circle to call for aid. She ends up getting Maekallus, who is more than she bargained for.

I enjoyed the world building with all of the different demon creatures. I thought the romance arc was well done and not insta-love-y (thankfully!). I did find the beginning few chapters a bit of a slow start but once I got to Maekallus and their interactions I was hooked and read through the rest in a day. A really fun read with vibes of a Beauty and the Beast retelling.

4.5/5 rounded up. Good for people who like : fairy tale retellings, demons, romance stories, magic, strong female protagonists

I really liked the idea of this book but the execution was really disappointing. The characters were one-dimensional, the world wasn't explained well and it felt like everything happened too quickly but it was still somehow boring. It was also told in duel perspective and it shouldn't have been. I felt like knowing what was going on from Maekallus's perspective gave too much away. Overall, it felt like a poorly written debut and it shouldn't have with as many books as this author has written.

I think this book just wasn't for me. The plot was very interesting and unlike anything I've read beforebut somehow I was never truly invested in it. The writing was also unique and fit the story very well. It also made for a very atmospheric read. The world and lore of this book was the most interesting part. For the first half of the book the plot was pretty weak. Luckily it picks up more in the second half. The characters were a bit blant to me and didn't go through a lot of developement. It was also a pretty quick read. But yeah, it never really captured me or really intrigue me. Some solutions felt a little bit easy. So yeah, I would still recommend this book but it didn't really do much for me. Oh yeah, this book mostly focusses on the romance and I feel like it was a bit lackluster for it being the focus. It just felt pretty generic, which is a dissapointment as the setting is so unique and unlike anything Ive ever read.

I’m a fan of the author so I was surprised at the lack of darkness in The Will and the Wilds. I’d comfortably call this book YA, though it doesn’t condescend to its readers.
This book started off slow for me, Enna wasn’t fleshed out as much as I’d like and while I liked Maekallus (of course), he also lacked a backstory for the majority of the book. The world created is enjoyable but limited, but I still found myself intrigued by the nuances of this world. The folklorish protections and attitudes intrigued me, as did the mentions of a previously averted war.
Enna’s father was a good source of motivation and conflict, though he did seem conveniently absent for a majority of the book. If the series or world were to be expanded, I’d appreciate learning more of Enna’s backstory and that of her family to give context to her character and choices.
The central conflict of the book begins quite early on, with clear motivating factors from that point onwards. Problems are introduced and resolved quite abruptly, and I almost wish problems lingered for a little to seem appropriately heavy—not to the point of angst, but just to make threats seem more ‘real’.
Tennith and his interactions with Enna were good to read, and though I don’t like every part of them, I appreciate the role he played in the novel. Maekallus’s reaction to him (without giving too much away) was also one of the highlights of the book to me, and really got me on board with the storyline. The plot of The Will and the Wilds, while a little simpler than I’m used to, was solid and well-paced, with some amazing imagery and great poetic language.
As far as I know, this book is a standalone, but I think there are plenty of threads that could be explored in future books. That’s not to say that the ending is inconclusive, it isn’t, but I’d appreciate learning more about the world and certain events and characters.
Oddly enough this book reminds me a little of the Disney movie Tangled, for whatever reason Maekallus and Flynn Rider just seem similar. The fairy-tale parallels and intense emotions are also vaguely similar to Karen Marie Moning’s Fever series, though the content is nowhere near as dark or explicit. Fans of VE Schwab’s Shades of Magic series may also enjoy this book, and I think it could also be a good fit for those who enjoy Seanan McGuire’s Wayward Children novels.

A fairytale at heart, reminiscent of Beauty and the Beast with some delightful twists. I loved the mysting creatures and how many different ones there were. The world-building was intriguing in regards to the mystings and humans.

Though I did feel I enjoyed this, quite a lot of the story was filler which was unfortunate. There wasn't a lot of progress with the storyline and it felt stagnant because of that. The MC was likeable but there was something missing from her, she felt not quite fleshed out, as the story felt like a filler, so did a lot of her actions. I wish we would have spent more time in 'The Deep and that we could have gotten to know our MC more.

All in all, an enjoyable story but with slow pacing and not quite fleshed out.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I don't think is deliberately a YA retelling of Beauty and the Beast but I can certainly understand that some readers would consider it so because it's a book about a girl of good heart entangled in the life of a rather unattractive male. I personally thought it reminded me more of the infamous Loki because I as a reader was tricked as much as the heroine Enna was but then again that's entirely my own fault because Maekallus never tried to hide his true nature.
Instead we follow this journey and as much as it felt like a traditional dark fairy tale it also completely enamoured me with twists and revelations along the way. This is a romance of sorts, it does feature magic and curses and there is a villain although sadly I thought him underused. I think for me this world the author has created was imaginative and interesting with an unlikely hero who whilst not completely monstrous was capable of being a monster and yet the power of a young woman's soul taught him that with love anything is possible.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

Charlie N. Holmberg never disappoints and this is an engrossing and entertaining story that kept me hooked.
I loved the characters, the world building and the well crafted plot.
Strongly recommended.
Many thanks tot he publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

This was such a sweet, magical little book! I loved everything about it; the characters, atmosphere, romance...everything. The prose made the story all the more magical. I wish there were more books about Enna and Maekallus 🤍

This is a delightful, dark fairytale that explores the question: “What happens if you meet the monster lurking in the dark corners of your nightmares, and the interaction goes on a lot longer than you’d expected?”

Enna meets Maekallus, a Mysting, which are beings from the monster realm beneath our world. They both find themselves in a bit of a bind, and when Maekallus tries to save himself by eating Enna’s soul, but she’s not entirely willing, it leaves them in a bit of an awkward ‘deal-unsealed’ situation. The story follows their attempts to get themselves out of the mess they’ve created.

This is a highly character-driven story. Not a lot happens aside from the ongoing interaction between Enna and Maekallus, but it works well here. The writing is solid and the character development is fantastic. I enjoyed Enna’s perspective but would’ve loved to hear a bit more of Maekallus’ POV. I’m a full-on ‘Sympathy For the Devil’ sucker for seeing through the monster’s eyes.

Enna’s relationships with her father and with Tennith did nothing for me, and the plot wandered a bit, getting off-topic occasionally. I would’ve loved to exchange all of that for a bit more Enna/Maekallus face-time.

The entire time I was reading I was positive I knew the ending, and I was surprised when it didn’t pan out the way I’d expected. And that’s a good thing. While I’m not a fan of getting sucker-punched in my day to day life, I love when it happens in a book

I have read several books by Charlie N. Holmberg previously and really liked them so was excited to read this one. And while I liked it once I finished it, I wished there was more information Maekallus (in my head he's basically the Beast from Beauty and the Beast with a horn which doesn't work at all with how he's written) and it may be because she wrote him so well, He had this personality and warmness develop like the Beast did. I did like it and will probably read any other book Holmberg writes that captures my attention. I loved how ballsy Enna was and how caring. She's basically a book and garden nerd living near an enchanted/mystical forest.

I also would love the cover image on a poster because it's really pretty!

Enna is a young girl who is the village outcast that lives at the edge of town with her father. Her father was once a renowned swordsman who now suffers from memory loss. She is an herbalist that protects her home form the demons called mystings. After an attack in her home, Enna does the only thing she can think of and summons a demon Maekllus to eliminate the demons attacking her home. However, things don't go as planned for the two. Maekillus is cursed, but through the bond of their original bargain, Enna is affected by the curse with Maekillus. The pair must break the curse before they both die. This novel slow-burn has everything you can want in a romance with demons.

The WIll and the Wilds by Charlie N Holmberg is an atmospheric fantasy, set in a dark forest where monsters are never too far away. Enna is a very ordinary girl who lives on the edge of the forest with her father , but she becomes the target of the monstrous Mystings who are hunting for a magical stone her father stole from one of their leaders. When she tries to fight back by summoning a monster of her own she ends up almost losing her soul to the trickster Makellus, but the bond that binds them also binds him to the mortal realm , and so they must work together to save themselves.
I really struggled to get into this book at first, it never really hooked my attention the way other books by this author have, but as the story unfolded I found myself being drawn in and by the end I was really invested in Enna as a character. I loved the fact that she was more scholarly than kick ass, reaching for a book to solve her problems and determined not just to learn as much as possible about the Mystings and their realm , but to record that knowledge so that it could be passed on.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

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

The Will and the Wilds by Charlie N. Holmberg

Publisher's description:

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.

My thoughts:

This was atmospheric tale that has a Beauty and the Beast feel to it. There was no gallivanting across countries and continents and I find myself okay with that. By keeping the setting limited to a few mile radius, with a brief visit to another realm, I feel the author was able to really develop Enna's world and her place in it. There was a certain familiarity to it that I think stems from that as well.

Enna is likeable heroine whose quiet strength is a sharp contrast to many of the butt-kicking heroines you find in fantasy. Don't get me wrong, I like a heroine who is kick-butt but I also like variety. Enna is a self-taught researcher of all things mysting. She wishes to get a higher education but finds herself constrained by the social expectations of the time. She is innocent but not naive. She is self-sacrificing and giving, evidenced by the loving care she shows her father and by doling out pieces of her soul to save Maekallus. One quote that illustrates her giving nature:

"I devote myself to his care, body and fractured soul, even read to him while he slumbers, pausing every other page to watch his chest rise and fall. Night comes. I make up a pallet at my father’s bedside and lie down, my weary limbs heavy."

Maekallus is a mysting, which is similar to a fae. He is predatory and menacing without falling into the whole annoying "alpha male who doesn't take no for an answer, is possessive, and aggressive" trope. That type of thing drive me up a wall, to be honest. I find Maekallus refreshing as a male MC and love interest. As he gains more humanity, he shows more affection and consideration to Enna. It makes for a very sweet love story. Also, it is fairly clean so I think it's appropriate for YA.

One absolute standout aspect of this book is Enna's father. He was a skilled swordsman madly in love with his wife. One day, she was attacked and killed by mystings and he was too late to save her. He crossed into the mysting's realm at the height of their conflicts and brought back a charm to keep his baby daughter safe from the same fate as her mother. His mind was adled by the very nature of the mysting's realm and remains a shadow of himself to this day. Talk about sacrificial love... He knew he was risking himself and did it anyway. He didn't risk it all to save the world. He risked it all to save his world, his baby girl. Enna describes it best:

"I imagine his grief emboldened him, as did his fear for me, for he succeeded in stealing the stone that now hangs from my wrist . For that, I name him a hero. For me, he gave up much. Too much."

I truly enjoyed this book. Out of all the characters in The Will and the Wild, I'd say Enna's father stirred my emotions the most but our MCs weren't too far behind. This book made me feel cozy, like I was sipping coffee and reading by a big bay window while rain trickles down the glass. Yes, there were sad moments but it makes the reader cherish the happy moments even more.

"The ability to feel is a strength, not a weakness."

An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson

I was given an ARC by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was enjoyable, but forgettable. When in truly in love with a boo, I dwell on the characters and story even when I'm not reading them. This book, however, did not grip me like that. When I was reading the story, I enjoyed the experience...I just wish it had been a little more gripping.

That being said, I will give the book 3.7 stars. If it had been more "forceful" on my mind, I'd say it would have been a solid 4 star book.

The mark from the creature reminded me of "Treasure Island" just the tiniest bit.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC and the chance to review a new Charlie N. Holmberg book. I've never had an ARC by this author before.

P.S I loved the Paper Magician series.

What an enthralling forbidden romance! The Will and the Wilds is perfect for lovers of fantasy romance. If you aren't typically a romance reader, don't let that scare you away from this story. The fantasy elements add danger and tension to the romance and a world of unique monsters to fear. The father daughter relationship in this also added a sweet non-romantic element that explored how far a father is willing to go to protect his daughter. I think this is my new favorite book by Holmberg.

What a great story! I was transported into an enchanting world in which I observed a story about a girl and a monster who become one, piece by piece. The girl must find a way to save them both before they run out of time and end up meeting their demise.

This book has a lot of suspense and romance. It captivated me from the beginning to the end. I rarely reread books but I could read this one again and again.

I was eager when the ARC of The Will and the Wilds hit my email. I became less eager the more I heard the author talk about the book. She kept calling it a kissing book. And I do NOT like kissing books. So--I put off reading this for a month. (I did honestly have other ARCs that were publishing earlier so I didn't feel like I was abandoning it if I read everything in publishing order.)

Once it was Holmberg's turn to be at the top of my reading list, I hesitantly picked it up and nervously started the first chapter.

This is a standalone novel by one of my favorite authors. She has written some seriously fantastic series and one of my all time favorite standalone novels. I did not like going into this book with such hesitations, but I forged through because Holmberg has yet to write anything that has absolutely angered me. I came out of the Numina series hoping for a return to the excellent soul stirring novels I am accustomed to with Holmberg, and The Will and the Wilds delivered.

Yes, there is kissing in this book. The stealing a piece of your soul kind of kissing, because there are soulless demons sharing the world with humans. (I honestly felt they were more akin to Old World fae creatures than demons, but oh well.) Which then all prompts, how much of your soul can you live without? How much of it makes you you? If you have no soul to start with, how much soul does it take to make you human?

All these questions burned through me as I read this book. And I loved every minute that it prompted me to think about the questions of existence. It even gave good provocation to my husband--who, as an engineer, almost entirely avoids fiction like it's a plague--to discuss a book with me.

The writing was simple and lightweight making this a fast read. But what really makes Holmberg's works stand out for me are all the ways her stories ask questions and prompt reflection. This hasn't taken over favorite book from Followed by Frost, but it is now second.