What can I say? I absolutely fell in love with this book. Normally waking up a prince would be the perfect ending to a fairytale, but this time it is actually the beginning of the story. Merrick wakes up Prince Larkin by accident from a 200-year sleep. This is not necessarily the problem, but by waking up Larkin he also has awoken Ula Kana. Ula Kana is a faery with only the goal to make the humans leave the fae's island. She and Larkin were both put to sleep as a truce between humans and fae.

This book was just amazing. I love how there are a lot of LGBTQ characters included, and by a lot, I really mean a LOT. It was there but it did not become the central focus of the book. It was just a fantasy book with a gay relationship and a non-binary sibling.

The buildup to the story's plot was perfect. It was timed good and did not move too fast or slow. The world-building was amazing and I love how the author made up the fae territory.

The relationship between Larkin and Merrick needed time to grow and that was exactly what this story needed. It probably would have been a cliche if the two of them would have fallen in love within the first hundred pages of the book.

This story really kept me in a reading mood, and I wanted to keep reading it. But at the same time, I did not want the story to be over. Which is the perfect balance for me. I would definitely advise this book to fellow fantasy readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Central Ave Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This unfortunately will be a DNF at 50%. It is almost entirely due to the painful formatting of the book. I've put it down and tried to return to it a couple times, but it makes it difficult to tell who is speaking in a scene, when the scene changes. With it being so hard to follow along I am unable to follow the story.

The bones of the story seem good and I love that this is a queer fairy tale of sorts, which was why I wanted to keep pushing through. There is a lot fo world building, that combined with the formatting just left me lost.

I will hopefully get a chance to check this book out fully once it's released.

First, the title is beautiful and the cover is gorgeous. It is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty with a boy and there is LGBTQIA + representation, it’s on! Loved the characters, loved the story, enjoyed every bit of it. It did take me a while to finish it because some parts of the book felt long, but I will definitely buy my own physical copy of this book when it becomes available in my country. We need more books like these.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC, I appreciate it.

I first want to thank NetGalley and Central Avenue Publishing for giving me early access to this title in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely adored this book. I laughed, squeed, sobbed, was in suspense, felt anxious, was surprised, and so much more. I truly appreciate the complexity Ringle brought to each character. I loved how even though reading the book felt like an escape, it also remained realistic, in that, it was not a perfect, fairytale story. That being said, by the end of chapter one, I had a lot of assumptions and expectations of some of the key plot points that might happen in the book. However, I found the book and story so well written, that even when those things did happen, I still thoroughly enjoyed reading every page of the book.

There is so much more I want to say about this book, but I am not sure how else I can express my love for this book without giving away spoilers. If you love fantasy, fae, quests, LGBTQ representation, magic, and/or well written, complex characters, I highly encourage you to pick up this book once it's out. Once you start, you won't be able to think about anything else until you've reached the end. And then you'll still be thinking about it.

Content Warnings: fighting, death, one sex scene

To start, thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing an eARC of this novel for review, but all thoughts and opinions are my own. Also, in terms of eARCs this is the closest one to a draft that I have ever gotten and while I found all of the punctuation errors very distracting, I am trying to not let it sway my opinions.

The concept is fun and interesting, but it could use a little slimming down and streamlining. There is a lot of exposition and descriptions in certain areas that could be trimmed down to help the plot more a little bit more. I'm also not entirely convinced that the characters really acted their age for the most part. They were cute, it was slow-burn, but I wanted to feel more emotion.

I'm sure that a queer retelling of Sleeping Beauty will appeal to many people and most of the problems that I had can be fixed up in time for the actual release.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc of this book! My opinions are my own.

I know they say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but what about its title? Something about it just lured me in immediately, and my enthusiasm only grew when I learned it was about a sleeping curse, in a land of witches and fae.

Merrick is a descendant of the powerful witch Rosamund Highvalley. She was the one to put prince Larkin under a sleeping spell over 200 years ago, and in doing so trapping the dangerous faery Ula Kana in a sleep-prison of her own. She made a deal with the fae - as long as both stay asleep, the truce will last. If either one wakes up, so will the other. So when Merrick accidentally awakens prince Larkin from his long sleep, there's more to worry about than just having missed 2 centuries.

I very much enjoyed reading this book and finished it in a few days, which is quick for me. I liked the interaction between Merrick and Larkin, and their adventures in the fae lands. I also thought it was great that the main characters were 2 guys falling in love. This story would have been exactly the same with a princess instead of a prince. I loved how being gay isn't an issue in this book, but just something normal. It's good to have representation in a 'regular' YA faery story.

However, there were also some things I thought could have been done differently. I would have liked to have a bit more back story about Ula Kana. How did she become this way? I feel like it's all being glossed over quickly just to focus more on the plot, but for me few more descriptions would have helped the story. The same goes for the fae. There are a lot of different types of fae, but we don't get more than a glimpse of how their world works, and how they do and don't interact with humans. I mean, I know that's a big part of the plot, but I'd like to know more about the why of it all.

Still I enjoyed this book a lot, it was definitely worth reading. It may not have been the most surprising book ever, but it's a nice getaway into a magical faery land!

Beautiful, heart-warming and delightful. I truly enjoyed reading Lava Rad Feather Blue. I usually don’t like have magic and technology mixed but Molly Ringle mixed the two with expertise. I was hooked right from the start, and as the story unfolded and twisted I got more and more involved. I adore Larkin, what a wonderful character, and Merrick was so bright and passionate. They are amazing together. My heart aches for the tragedies this story held, and soared in the victories. I would highly recommend.

I received an advanced copy of Lava Red Feather Blue through NetGalley so I could share my review with you!

Usually, when the handsome prince wakes up, the fairy tale ends, but Prince Larkin’s awakening is a beginning in itself. After being put into an endless sleep as a part of a truce between the humans and the fae, Larkin has lain hidden from the world on the island of Eidolonia. He was meant to sleep forever but is accidentally awoken by a modern-day witch after an experimental charm goes awry. Merrick, the previously mentioned witch, has no idea what he has just unleashed on the world by awakening Larkin. With Larkin’s awakening, a wicked faery determined to wipe out all humans from Eidolonia named Ula Kana has been unleashed. The truce crumbles, forcing Merrick and Larkin to work together to stop Ula Kana and restore balance to Eidolonia.

You can get your copy of Lava Red Feather Blue on January 5th from Central Avenue Publishing!

As soon as I saw the stunning gold and blue cover for Lava Red and Feather Blue, I knew that it needed to be added to my to-read list! I am so glad that I judged this book by its cover because it was such an engaging read. I loved the fantasy world Molly Ringle created for the story; it felt so real that I can practically imagine myself on the island of Eidolonia! This story blended magic and fae lore in a way different from any other book I’ve read. I also adored the romance between Merrick and Larkin, making this book a complete success for me!

My Recommendation-
If you love fae romances filled with lots of adventure, you’ll love Lava Red Feather Blue! With an enchanting world and a queer romance, Lava Red Feather Blue is the sort of book that should be on every TBR. This book would be an excellent pick for fans of Holly Black and Sarah Mass!

This book was definietly a pleasant surprise, I wasn't sure what I was expecting when I requested it but I found myself really rooting for the characters and I loved the setting, set on a magical island unknown to the rest of the world where humans and fae live together.

The book opens following Larkin, a prince who's family is entrenched in a war with a evil fae called Ula Kana and in order to stop her he gets put into a magical sleep. We then follow Merrick 200 years later who accidentaly wakes up the prince, inadvertenly waking up Ula kana as well and causing choas on the island.

Merrick was a really loveable character to follow, his family is so precious (he has a sibling Cassidy, a niece Elemi, and a father called Nye who is under a fae curse that he ages super fast and well as a fae mother, who he doesn't know much about) and he has such a hero's spirit even though he constantly insists he isn't one. Watching his character grow and get challenged by Larkin an through the various fae trials they have to go through.

Larkin is also a very interesting character, I always find characters who are out of time to be really intruiging to follow. He is quite abrupt and old fashioned, leading to some very funny moments. He has this slightly dead pan humour which I really enjoyed!! He was such a great compliment to Merricks character and I liked watching them grow fro each other and learn to care about others different from them.

The plot was super fast paced and kept me really intriuged, although it was fairly standard fantasy type quest into faerie realm due to conflicts between fae and humans it was still a really fun ride, with loveable characters and a cute slowburn romance!

ARC from NetGalley

This was an interesting take. A standalone. It's set in a fantasy world which is modern but at the same time rife with magic. It lives alongside the rest of the world which is blissfully unaware of it. Humans and fae live together in Eidolonia, though more fae live across the verge. Humans do not have much of the island, which is mostly left to the Fae. They don't usually last long if they do cross the verge. There are many traditional fae referenced in this book, which helped lend a historic vibe to an otherwise modern fantasy (minus Larkin who is decidedly antiquated.)

The plot was interesting. I really liked how each fae land they needed to reach had influence over different human emotions. I liked the different gifts. I liked that each would pose a different struggle. Reading about them before they happened whetted the appetite nicely. Journeying through the fae lands with them was vivid and evocative. It was a very pleasing thing, imagining it all.

I didn't dislike any of the characters. I wish that Nye could be my grandpa. What a sweet old soul.

I loved the perfume touches. I had a though Miss Molly might be a fume head, and she confirmed that at the end of the book. Little bits of passion like that can really add another dimension to a book. It was a good read. Do recommend.

Lava Red Feather Blue is not the first book I've read by Ringle, but it does draw on quite a few similarities - from setting to character development - from her other books. I will provide a more detailed review once I come to terms with whether or not I actually enjoyed this read.

Thank you Central Avenue Publishing for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

Recommends it for: Are you obsessed with all these retellings? Do you love stories about the Fae. Maybe this book would work for you. It has rave reviews from a lot of people – this is just my opinion so please read on.

If I saw this in the shop, it would be a cover buy – NO DOUBT LOOK AT IT, ITS STUNNING. Sadly this book didn’t work for me much.

Unpopular opinions make me sad.

It’s about a half-human (Merrick)) that accidentally awakens a sleeping Fae Prince after he was sent to sleep by a spell to stop the wicked Ulna who hates humans and they team up to defeat her once and for all.

I felt so lost at first, I had no idea what was going on and the descriptions were so lackluster I felt absolutely deadpan throughout. This sucked because I really liked Larkin and his bond with his niece.

The worst part and maybe what was so off putting was that in some places , in most, there were no capital letters, and then suddenly in odd places there were. It obviously is a ARC which I understand but it was distracting and I couldn’t understand why it either was all in or not, but only in some places, it was odd and it really did distract me so maybe that was a part of the big problem.

i found it boring even when action scenes were happening, flat and a bit impersonal. I never once felt that magic or even cared enough to actually invest in anything or the characters. It could be that I just did not agree with the writing style (which can happen to anyone) The plot was a little too predictable and nothing shock-worthy enough happened to snap me out of my lethargic state.

Too bad, because I really liked the world, the magic & powers ,and our main character, Merrick.

IF YOU LOVE FAE – give this a chance and let me know your thoughts? It has some amazing reviews from other users so perhaps It was just me.

Rating: 2.3
Lava Red Feather Blue by Molly Ringle
Standalone
Publish Date: 3 September 2020
Cover Rating: 9/10 (stunning!)
Adult – Fantasy – Fae –Magic – Retelling- Romance

Lava Red Feather Blue by Molly Ringle is a modern take on the Sleeping Beauty story. Set in the current day on the fantasy island of Eidolonia where an uneasy truce between fairies and men has held for over 200 years, the book tells the story of what happens when the magic spell that bound the truce is broken by the descendant of the witch who forged it. Merrick Highvalley may be half fae but he lives squarely in the human world , getting into trouble for unapproved use of his magical abilities and worrying about his father whose health is failing before his eyes. When he discovers some old family papers and accidentally awakens Prince Larkin from his centuries long slumber he also unleashes Ula Kana,an angry fairy who wants to reclaim the island for the Fae. Together Merrick and Prince Larkin must capture and bind Ula Kana if peace is to be restored to the island and along the way they will face challenges that force them to confront their feelings for one another.
This book gets off to a slow start, there is a lot of exposition about the history of the island and the magic systems etc and it feels like the author is trying to get as much of it as possible out of the way as quickly as she can, Once that is done there is more of a focus on character development and plot and the book is definitely stronger in the second half. The development of the relationship between Merrick and Larkin was very well handled and it seemed very natural and believable. I also loved the emphasis on family relationships within the book, Larkin's first concern on waking up 220 years in the future is to find out what happened to his family, while Merrick's concern about his father is a really important driving force for his actions throughout the book . I also really enjoyed the fact that the book had so many LGBTQ+ characters who were just part of the story without their sexuality being an issue. While this book is a stand alone there is definitely scope for more stories set in this world , and I would enjoy reading them.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

This book is a fantastic journey through a remarkable world. I have read Molly Ringle's work before, but this book is something quite special. There is expansive world-building, great character development and an engaging story from start to finish! I would definitely recommend this book if you're into stories that you can really get caught up in.

This tale begins in the past. Against his will, Prince Larkin is forced to sacrifice himself to eternal sleep in order to stop a large-scale battle that has been raging between humans and fae. As long as Prince Larkin stays asleep, so will his archenemy, Ula Kana. Then a modern-day witch, Merrick Highvalley accidentally wakes up prince Larkin. Unfortunately, when Larkin awakens, so does Ula Kana. The battle is reignited and the story amps up. This is a very simple explanation of the story... believe me, this is a complex and engaging tale!

One of my absolute favourite things about this book was the development of Prince Larkin's character. Ringle strikes a wonderful balance with the Prince. Obviously, when he first awakens, he is confused and disoriented but throughout the book, he remains true to his royal upbringing. While he is bewildered and lost, he retains a curiosity about what is going on around him. the future is a place that Larkin doesn't understand but he takes everything in stride. Left with few options, he trusts Merrick to guide him through a treacherous time.

Once the palace finds out that Prince Larkin has awoken, he finds himself a target on more than one front. I really enjoyed the exploration of politics in the book! War and politics have forced the hand of the modern government and they are making decisions based on fear. Prince Larkin quickly finds himself to be nothing more than a pawn in a game he can't win.

Merrick is a wonderful character. he's living a life he isn't sure that he is right for. Unable to use his gift of flying because of laws governing magic, Merrick always seems to be fighting his invisible bonds. He is often in trouble with the law and struggles to find his place. He blunders into rescuing Larkin but tries his best to assist him.

The two men develop a connection as the story progresses and it is a lovely pace. the length of this book gave Larkin and Merrick time to get to know one another. The pacing was great, slow enough to be realistic and still moving forward. These two men are wonderful characters, and I was invested in their story from the beginning.

One last note... there are diverse characters in this book. I liked that there wasn't a big emphasis on a character's gender identity or sexual orientation. In this world, those things just are, and I greatly appreciated it. This is just a wonderful story that happens to have queer characters!

So. What would you do if sacrificing your freedom would stop a war? What would you do to save the world? More importantly, what would you do to save the people you care about? It turns out that Merrick and Larkin would undertake an insane quest to try and recapture Ula Kana and stop the fighting and death.

This book is a little bit Lord of the Rings, a smattering of Sleeping Beauty, an authentic queer romance all set in a gloriously detailed world. Add this to your must-read list.

I give this book 3.5 stars.
Parts of it I thoroughly enjoyed, parts of it needed a lot more editing.

Merrick accidentally wakes a Prince who has been sleeping for over 200 years, as well as the ultimate nemesis.
Together the prince and Merrick take on the challenge of containing her again.
The building of the world was good, the adventures that take them through three challenges was at times too detailed or just odd. Some of the romance bits felt forced.
I enjoyed parts of the fantasy world, the idea that there are witches with different kinds of powers was thrilling.
I loved the LGBTQ tones in the book, especially in a fantasy setting.
It was a fun book to read.

Provided as an ARC by NetGalley

Very interesting story. I loved the subversion of the Sleeping Beauty tale. The characters were believable and intriguing. The writing was wonderful and the story progressed mostly fluidly. It did seem to be a bit bogged down in the second half by too much goings on, but other than that I have no complaints about the book. Would highly recommend to any fantasy lover.

Relatively standard fantasy novel with a queer twist. In general, I found Lava Red Feather Blue an enjoyable read with cute characters. However, it was a little bulky.
As far as protagonists go, I really liked Larkin and Merrick. Personality-wise I found them similar, but because of their upbringing their perspectives were different enough to make them unique from one another. Larkin was an idealist who had yet to see his ideals fail, while Merrick was someone who had suffered due to the abuse and practical application of those ideals. It was a very comprehensive display of how privilege and power dynamics work. Plus their relationship with all it's “does he like me or is this just a medieval/modern thing?” was really frigging cute.
Story wise I found the world a little underwhelming. There were snippets of explanation that kept everything understandable, but a lot of the aspects of the world were told through dialogue, not shown or they were told before they were shown. An example would be that Cassidy and Merrick both tell Larkin not to trust the government because they think it is corrupt long before Larkin has any back and forth contact with any legal officials.This sort of pulled double duty in that it was both expository and it made some of the dialogue awkward. It also padded out the novel, which was another issue I had with it. So much of this book, especially in the first half, could have been streamlined.
As an urban fantasy, I think this works really well. I generally tend to prefer mine a little darker, but sometimes it’s nice to have something a little more Disney fairytale and a little less Grimm’s.

I loved the world built in this book. It was interesting and left me wanting to know even more. The retold fairy tale genre with a twist is definitely a favorite genre of mine and this was a good addition to the genre!

This was AMAZING. I really loved this Sleeping Beauty reimagining and the magical island it took place on. I really loved Larkin and Merrick both and the journey they both went on. I liked how their relationship developed and the accepting and welcoming world they lived in. I loved the diverse queer rep in this story. This is my second read from Molly Ringle, and while the first (All the Better Part of Me) had been cute, the gay romance felt contrived and not always genuine. This one, though, did an incredible job with the romance and my heart went out to both Larkin and Merrick and everything they went through. I definitely highly recommend this book!

3.5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Central Avenue Publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest opinions!

Lava Red Feather Blue is a delightful fantasy-standalone with a mlm main couple, tons of LGBTQ+ side characters, amazing racial diversity, a magical and immersive setting with intricate world-building.

The story revolves around a half-faery witch and a snobby prince whom he accidentally awakes from his 200 year slumber, thus throwing their small, magical island nation into absolute chaos by also freeing the evil faery who wants to banish humans off the land. They embark on a journey into the fae territory to banish her once again and, during their journey... maybe sometimes only share one bed and.. maybe fall in love...

The world and its backstory were super intricate, but this sadly also caused the book to info-dump at points, which hindered the flow of the story a little. I loved how inclusive this little magical island nation was and how much diversity in terms of characters it offered us. The two main characters were well developed and three-dimensional, albeit not always likable. I personally think they had very realistic reactions to the things life threw at them, their mental health clearly suffering from traumatic events they had to go through.

Overall, I think this was a nice, enjoyable read! I liked the portrayal of the faeries and the way they co-existed with the humans, definitely one of the more interesting takes I've seen this far. The romance was cute and engaging, and the plot was generally enjoyable. It just dragged on a little too much at times, but in general, I still think this is a nice, inclusive fantasy book.