This book was so good. I read it in one sitting and was completely captivated start to finish. All the relationships are so beautifully rendered especially the one between Pa and Emeline. So achingly beautiful and heartfelt. I loved Hawthorne and every character was so beautifully developed and nuanced. Gorgeous writing, even paced and wonderfully executed.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for allowing me to read this!

I was instantly intrigued by the synopsis of this book. This book instantly drew me in, I got to explore through the eyes of our main character and this is always my favorite way to discover these details of the story and, it was done very well in this book. I really enjoyed this book and the plot. This author did amazing. I loved the writing style.

Music, magic, and memories.

Emeline is a singer, hopefully, one who is about to get her best and biggest break into the music industry. Right before that momentous event, a family emergency pulls her back home, to a small rural superstitious town that Emeline had gladly left far behind years ago. A place steeped in stories of Wood kings and magic and dangerous creatures that surely don't exist and certainly aren't the cause of her grandfather's disappearance.

When Emeline returns to her hometown, she's forced to confront stories she grew up believing, but long since outgrew. But real life events may force her to reconsider her beliefs in legends, between truth and falsehood, and most of all, to dig up curses and forgotten memories.

The prose here was lush and beautiful. I fell easily into this story and finished it in nearly one sitting. The forest and all its magic, beauty and curses, were vividly depicted. I liked the characters and their close relationships between friends, family, and even neighbors that were practically family. The setting mixed nicely between the magical world in the forest and some bits in Montreal. It didn't feel like the typical urban fantasy though. The modern and magical worlds were kept very separate from each other.

I enjoyed the way the theme was presented here. It's about memories and how they shape our lives and bind our relationships with those we love. It was a good deep theme, presented in a wonderful fantasy package. It was shown from various perspectives how important memories are in our lives - from Alzheimer's to one's memories created with friends and loved ones. It was a unique theme, and it added a lot of depth to an otherwise wonderful story.

The plot had some nice twists and some dark buried secrets. The romance was nicely done and didn't overwhelm or become the focus of the story. The writing was nice and atmospheric. I could feel the words come to life around me, see the stampeding flaming horses, hear the trees in the forest... It was an absorbing story and a very enjoyable experience.

While she starts the story as a skeptic of all things magic, Emeline's path leads her into the forest bordering her hometown and entry into another world. There, she meets friends - old and new, uncovers secrets and buried memories, and will eventually have to choose between magic and love or her dream career.

Rating: 2.5

I liked the story and the atmospheric setting, but there was nothing special about the characters and I didn't love the writing.

What a glorious fairytale. This story absolutely captivated me. The world of the woods called to me from the pages, beckoning me closer, pulling me deeper into its story. Both beautiful and terrifying at the same time, the forest was a character in its own right. Emeline and her voice were entrancing, filled with magic and wonder. As her story unfolds and you are carried along on her adventure you will fall in love with not only her, but her family, friends and love. You will fall in love with the woods, with the forest, with the magic. Let this story capture your heart and mind. You won’t regret it.

This story is as magically compelling as the woods. The characters are people I would like to know and visit. It is a passionate story that makes me want to read it again to glean some small bit I might have missed. If you like the uncanny and fairy tales you will enjoy this book.

Mossy forests, an evil witch, a Wood King, music and a curse, which threatens to destroy it all...this one is rich with fantasy and and a vivid world.

Emeline is finally about to reach her goal of becoming a famous singer, and that despite the woods, which only she sees, sprouting around her when she sings...one that brings troubles. When her grandfather disappears from the retirement home, she's forced to return to the town she wanted nothing more to do with because she refuses to believe that the folklore surrounding it truly exists. But when a search for her grandfather has her facing the deadly creatures, she finally gives into the truth and realizes she must seek out the Wood King, she always believed to be a myth. He has her grandfather but will only release him for an exchange...one that ties her to the kingdom for the rest of her life. That's if she survives.

The world grows and expands off the page, drawing in with magic and wonderment. The scenes are well depicted, and that without long paragraphs of descriptions. Rather, the pacing remains steady and increases as the tale moves along in a hard-to-guess adventure. While some moments are predictable, most are impossible to see coming, and this is what holds the reader in the pages until the end.

This is a rich fantasy, which starts out in the modern day world, and then, dives into the realm of myth and folklore. It gave a chance for Emeline to gain a bit of personality and background, which does make her easier to connect with before the ember horses and shadow creatures appear. There were a couple hazed areas in some of the connections and logic, but when the rest of the story unfolds, this becomes unimportant. Emeline is easy to root for, and her determination is inspiring the entire way through.

While battling evil witches, dragons, curses, an insane king and sly court members, Emeline also has a lot of character arc as she needs to discover who she truly is. This involves a romance...which I thought would be more epic than it is. It all leads to an unexpected and lovely ending, which rounds off the entire to create a wonderful fantasy in one book. I received an ARC and enjoyed this world.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an online ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. As always, all opinions stated are entirely my own. I think this book was very enjoyable and had an excellent plot. There were so many twists and turns that I did not see coming! My only complaint is that the book started off a little slow and boring but it got very good by the end. I also think fans of The Cruel Prince series by Holly Black would enjoy this read. All in all, it was a fun read and I am glad I picked it up.

This was a sweet but somewhat melancholy story. It has a much stronger fairy-tale feel than what you'd expect going in. There are so many fairy/fae books out now that all sort of take the concept and modernize it (even when it's true fantasy and not urban fantasy), and the poetry gets lost in the transition. This book was able to be urban fantasy and still retain the poetic fairy-tale feel.

The themes of remembering those you love, or more significantly forgetting those you love, really touch your soul. Many people deal with the heartbreak of being forgotten by a loved one. By the Author's Note at the end, I now know the reason why this author was so poignant in describing this heartbreaking phenomenon. She experienced it herself. The fact that a lot of this story was based on what she experienced in her own life, and that it was even partially written while living it, tells me why it really touched my heart the way it did.

The characters are well done, the plot/story is well done, the imagery and world building is well done. It has all the components of a really good book. The more I read the more I find that these components are important to a really great book as a foundation, but without the emotion and heartbreak Kristen has imbued into this story, a book can only be so good, and usually is just "okay."

I think this book is one that will stick with me, I think I will probably think of it every month or so, until I finally reread it, and I could easily see this book becoming one that goes into my regular rotation of rereads. It will probably end up on that one shelf, the shelf with books that I pick up every few years, once I've read enough stories to wipe my memory of it enough to almost feel like I'm experiencing it again for the very first time.

I'd like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review an e-ARC of this book!

DNF. I really liked the premise but the writing did not work for me at all. It wouldn't be fair to the book if I finished reading and gave it a low rating.

This book had the perfect mix of fantasy, mystery, and romance. Emeline is struggling to figure out the truth behind her family and town's beliefs of a fae realm. When it hits too close to home she delves deeper into discovering what is happening. Hawthorne seems to be there at every turn in both the human and fae realms. Is he helping her or does he have his own agenda? Steady paced story with a twist of an ending.

Edgewood by Kristen Ciccarelli was a very fun book.
It is the story of Emeline Lark, a young songwriter/singer.
Emeline has always felt the call of the woods and now the woods are sick.
The story goes over how the magic of the woods manifests itself,
and how it is tied in with remembering and her talent.

The author does a good job of world-building, and in many scenes, the prose is easily pictured in the reader's eye.
It is also a very poignant look at elderly dementia/Alzheimers, which I found very touching, having dealt with this in someone close to me. Emeline's Pa (grandfather) has good days and bad days but is rarely confrontational or agitated. I wish that had been my experience.

The story of how Emiline and her protector/love Hawthorne are linked is also good, and has an interesting symmetry at the conclusion of the book.

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to any fantasy fans.
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. (less)

Beautiful.

This book is beautiful. And wistful and lush and reads like a love letter. A love letter to music and home and the people and places we love most, and the dreams that pull us away and the things that drive us back.
I don’t know what I expected going into this book, and I think that’s a good thing. Reading it was a journey that I needed to take without assumptions. I’d recommend doing the same.

Also I’m absolutely in love with Hawthorne. 😂😍

I read an advance copy via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

Intensely captivating!! Kept my attention nonstop the entire book! That ending was nerve racking. Definitely recommending this to everyone!

At first, I was put off by the dialect feeling Like I was reading a backwoods tale, but soon I got drawn into the story. There were a lot of twists and turns, but through it all, there were deeper issues at hand. A child abandoned by her mother, the desire to escape versus responsibility to the one person who raised her, and giving up your future for love all factor in Emmaline's decisions. I do wish that the background characters had been fleshed out a little more, but All in all, this was an enjoyable read. Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

It gave me a Labyrinth kind of vibe. There were parts that hooked me in and then parts I was wishing I was wishing for more fantasy. Overall was a good book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

EDGEWOOD is an atmospheric story that follows Emeline Lark who is on a quest to reclaim her grandfather, Pa, from the Wood King. The story is driven by both Emeline's internal struggle to figure out what really matters to her and also by several external conflicts tied to the faeries that live in the forest of Edgewood.

The prose was my favorite part of EDGEWOOD. Ciccarelli's writing is incredibly evocative and makes the forest of Edgewood a really immersive setting. It was easy to get swept up in the lyrical prose, which also paired well with the tone of the story.

There are a lot of things going on in EDGEWOOD that didn't quite come together into a cohesive story. The first portion of the book is largely character driven but our main character Emeline always felt a bit surface level to me. She defines herself by her love of music and desire to become a big-time musician. For a story where Emeline is a main source of story momentum, I needed more character development in order to care about whether she achieves her goals. Several of the plot points hinge on Emeline's character growth that just didn't seem believable given the little characterization provided.

The external conflicts around the forest of Edgewood and its inhabitants were entertaining. They helped provide some tension in the story and made for a more action-packed back half of EDGEWOOD. There were plot arcs I wish had gotten a bit more attention but I think that's the trade-off of getting a standalone novel.

I would recommend EDGEWOOD to readers who enjoy lyrical prose, slower-paced stories, and/or faeries.

Edgewood is a fantastic and immersive story with a unique storyline and several surprising twists and turns. I love the author’s writing style. It has a way of pulling you into the story, especially when in the mysterious forest and fae realm. Curses, magic, amazing fantastical creatures, kings, castles, and magical lands create a unique and immersive setting. It is vivid and well constructed, and it’s so easy to imagine this beautiful and terrifying world that Emeline enters.

Emeline has a unique connection to the woods. A nineteen-year-old with a gift for singing, Emeline’s voice calls to the forest, and it is as if the woods are reaching out for her. Emeline knows she must enter the woods to find her grandfather, as he’s been tithed to the Wood King. As Emeline tries to find the Wood King and her grandfather, she learns more about her ties to Edgewood, the curse that plagues the land, and the people who inhabit it. Emeline goes through a complicated and emotional journey, and she learns more than she ever bargained for.

Speaking of bargains, Emeline makes one with the Wood King, which leads her on a treacherous and potentially deadly journey. Hawthorne, the Wood King’s tithe taker, aids her in her quests, but his true intentions are unclear. He comes to her rescue over and over again, yet he has many secrets, and Emeline fights her growing feelings for the mysterious man who should be her enemy. Emeline’s tasks grow more dangerous as the story progresses and the mysteries unfold.

Other characters that Emeline meets while in the woods are compelling, especially Hawthorne’s friends. They add so much to the novel, and their individual stories are really intriguing. Often, Emeline (and the reader) isn’t sure who is friend and who is foe, and there are certainly many grey characters for her to be wary of.

There is a romance in the story that has a lot of chemistry and angst. Many issues and secrets stand between Emeline and her love interest, but their connection is profound. I liked how their relationship grew, and the romantic tension between them was fantastic. They are not perfect, and both make mistakes in their relationship, but they also show the lengths they will go to for each other. I thought their love story was wonderful – generous, self-sacrificing, and immense.

I also like how the author twines relatable issues into this fantasy story. Emeline’s grandfather, for example, has Alzheimer’s and often doesn’t remember Emeline. The author explores the realities of Alzheimer’s with delicacy, empathy, and honesty, and I think many readers will be able to relate to Emeline and her grandfather’s perspectives. Other themes that stand out include following your dreams and the importance of family, friendship, and love.

Edgewood is a wonderfully immersive read, and I was captivated from beginning to end. I highly recommend it to readers who enjoy YA or NA romantic fantasies, and I’m so thankful to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

This was an AMAZING story!!! All the characters were so fun to follow, and get to know. Hawthorne was my favorite. And the twist at the end with song mage was awesome. Definitely buying this when it debuts.

3 for neutral. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get into this one enough to finish on the few tries I gave. Will update at a later date is able to finish, as I know I’m a moody reader and that could be the problem!