I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

An amazing written story filled with fae, sacrifice, love, betrayal, adventure, a wicked witch, a fairy king... and all written by a favorite author?
The only thing I could have wanted more was to be able to hear some of the songs Emeline sang during the book. I found myself so wrapped up in the narration/story that when Em was performing I expected to be able to hear her sing as well!
It was a wonderful story, and I hope that Ciccarello decides to write more in this world.

Thank you to the author, Net Galley, and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

I enjoyed listening to this fantasy from Ciccarelli. I thought the story was interesting. I do think the author over used adjectives at times. I loved the story with the wood king and shiftlings. I could imagine riding the beautiful ember mares. I was left with unanswered questions. I do recommend this for fantasy lovers of fairy stories.

DNF @ 55%

Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for providing an e-arc and ALC of this. All thoughts and opinions are still my own.

Unfortunately this whimsical fae urban fantasy just didn't work out for me. There is nothing WRONG with this book. But I found that I wasn't able to connect to the characters in any way and it was keeping me from connecting to the story as a whole.

This is a very classic feeling YA fantasy. This hits all the beats of fae stories we know and love and I think this is something a lot of readers will enjoy.

But these character felt undeveloped. They all had a single characteristic that was harped on again and again (all music puns are intended, you're welcome). Not only did this leave me feeling disconnected from them, but it made the story feel repetitive. I didn't need any more details or reminders about Emeline's singing.

Which also led to my not being invested in the romance. Since I didn't know who the characters were beyond superficial traits, I couldn't buy into their attraction or connection.

If you love classic fae fantasy, definitely give this one a try. This is a plot driven story I think a lot of readers will love. It sadly just wasn't for me.

I feel like it has been a while since I have read an actual fantasy standalone book. Recently it feels like every book either lacks the pieces that make a book a fantasy or else the book is a series with no end in sight. So this was a nice repreval.

I liked the plot and the characters. The love hate romance between Emeline and Hawthorne was pretty well written, but it did drag on a little longer than necessary. It did start to annoy me after awhile. I will say, the steamy awkward oral sex scene was really bizarre to me. It felt like a weird interjection and it made me confused on the reading level of the book.

The few plot twists in the book were pretty good and surprising. They definitely added to the book and kept me interested.

The pacing of the book is pretty good in the first two thirds, but I feel like the end got a little clunky.

The narrator was perfect for this book!

Thanks Netgalley and publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

I really liked this story. The narration was on point, with emotions and tension portrayed at the right moments. Overall this was a fun new adult fantasy story about finding and being true to yourself. I did take away one star because the character (an adult) has a flashback to when she was a teenager and there is a bed scene. This feels weird in a new adult book and was the only part I really didn't like.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, Macmillan Audio, Macmillan Young Listeners, Kristen Ciccarelli, and Caitlin Kelly (audio narrator) for the opportunity to read and listen to Edgewood.
I was very excited about this book. Having met Kristen Ciccarelli and having read her three Iskari books from her debut novel tour, I was excited to see something new from her. I wasn't too fond of the idea of yet another fae book, but I figured Ciccarelli would pull it off with beutiful prose and eloquent storytelling, and this book certainly falls under that status.
Emeline has grown up next to the mysterious Edgewood forest her whole life, though the forest is not only mysterious, but likely dangerous as well. She has always wanted to be a singer and songwriter. Her songs have power. She is about to make her dream come true and go on tour when her grandfather goes missing. She returns to her hometown to search for him, finding that the only place he may very well have disappeared to is the woods.
The fables of her hometown have always felt to be just that: stories. But when Emeline learned the Wood King is responsible for taking her grandfather, she knows what she must do. She turns away from her singer/songwriter dream to save her gradfather from the forest.

When Emeline meets Hawthorne, she is struck by him. While he seems a bit sketchy at first, she can't halp falling for him. Being under the jurisdiction of the Wood King certainly causes some problems, not to mention Emeline seeks resolution to a curse placed upon her that makes this relationship a little spotty.

Family, love, and betrayal play a major part in Emeline's tale as she not only tries to save her grandfather, but her career in music as well.

I enjoyed the audiobook for this, though I feel like reading the book would be more enjoyable when it comes to Ciccarelli's craft. The narrator for the audio was good, though this book was a lot longer than I expected. I enjoyed the ending and found the overall message to be quite attainable to a young audience. Not quite the same as her Iskari series, but definitely a well-written novel and I can't wait to see what Ciccarelli does next!

4.5 stars

For those who like paranormal-romance and urban-fantasy, this has all the things you love. It's a tightly knit story of dreams, longing, and regret.

All the i's get dotted and the t's crossed, so it won't leave you hanging. I'm not sure if this is going to be a series, but it works well as a standalone.

This was a really fun take on the fae world and tithes. When Emeline's grandfather goes missing and everyone in Edgewood thinks he's been tithed, Emeline drops everything and returns home to find him. I really loved Emeline's love for her grandfather despite him having dementia and the guilt she felt about having to put him in a home. The side characters felt as well developed and needed as Emeline, one of my favorites being Grace. I also, of course, loved Hawthorne.
There is a lot that happens in this book. After Emeline falls into this parallel world, she makes a deal with the Wood King to be his minstrel in exchange for her grandfather's freedom. All the while trying to make sure she is able to escape and go back to Montreal so she can go on tour. So much more happens, but I don't want to spoil anything. There was a big twist I saw coming, but several I didn't.
The writing style was great and I was able to easily focus on the audiobook while doing other things.
The ending seemed a little drawn out, but for a standalone (I think it's a standalone), I thought the ending worked. It felt resolved, yet there were a few things that were left open to the imagination.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan for an arc/alc of this book!

The forest will always come for Emeline when she sings. But when she heads back to Edgewood to look for her grandpa, she learns that he tithed himself to the fae king in the forest, and she must become his new singer to get her grandfather back...with potentially deadly consequences.

This book was delightfully creepy and atmospheric. I really enjoyed the vibes to this one and it reminded me of like a cross between An Enchantment of Ravens and The Darkest Part of the Forest and maybe a little bit of These Hollow Vows. It has fun romantic elements alongside the darkness of the fae and the forest and I really liked that. I also really like the focus on singing!

Pub date: March 1, 2022

Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Confinement, Blood, Rape, and Sexual content

Edgewood started off slowly with deep mystery and myriad of questions. The magical world building was exceptionally well executed and invited you to step right into the story. In it you will meet Emeline has always wanted to be a famous singer and is so close to realizing her dream, however aspects of the past keep reaching out her and force her to return home to deal with them. As the story unfolds we get to meet many mythical creatures that all have unique personalities and are so well described they seem real. The story picks up and the atmosphere becomes more layered and rich that focuses on Emeline's discovering about her past and who she really is, that not all evil is pure evil, and just overall growth and maturity of the character was fun to experience. There were a few twists and turns to the story even couple that took me by surprise. I loved the slow burn romance and enemy to lovers. However the ending was likely the most moving thing for me, its not typical happily ever after but is absolutely heart-melting and beautifully done. I hope there is more to come because Kristine Ciccarelli is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors.

19 year-old Emeline Lark wants nothing more than to be a singer. On the verge of making it big, Emeline begins to fully focus on her career, leaving Edgewood and moving to Montreal. She receives a phone call, informing her that her grandfather, who has Alzheimer's has gone missing from his assisted living home. All that was left behind was a strange orb, meaning he was tithed to the Wood King. Emeline immediately puts everything on hold to return to Edgewood, and rescue her family. While in the Woods, Emeline learns of the curse that plagues the forest and the people within.

I was initially drawn to this book because of the author, as well as this gorgeous cover and ended up thoroughly enjoying the story! I loved how music and memory were interwoven together in such a unique way in this. The writing is beautiful and atmospheric, I loved the forest setting so much. I thought it was a nice touch to have bits of the book set in Montreal as well. There were some parts that were predictable, but many twists that I also didn't see coming, so it was a nice balance of the two. I'm also always a fan of dragons, so I was pleasantly surprised when one was featured in this! I liked Emeline as a main character for the most part, but at times she was frustrating with the way she behaves. I really loved her relationship with her grandfather, and can definitely relate to some of her feelings. My Grandma also has Alzheimer's and its definitely hard to have her not remember me anymore, so I can relate to her grief. I really loved her character development, and how her outlook on life changed as the story progressed. I liked the enemies to lover romance in this, and I liked their relationship for the most part. There were some questionable things the love interest did... but I still enjoyed his character. I thought the backstory behind the romance in this to be intriguing, but again... kind of a dick move my dude... I also loved that the romance wasn't the main focus of the book! I also liked the side characters of Rook, Sable and Grace, I found them to be a great addition to the story overall. I listened to this on audio, and thought the narrator did an incredible job with the story and these characters!

Overall, I highly recommend this, especially because it is a standalone!

Edgewood was a beautifully written story. The lush setting and vibrant world came to life, and I was immediately drawn into the story and the plights of the characters. The descriptions were flowery (literally sometimes lol) but not overly so, and I enjoyed the audiobook narration.

I liked the story, even though the plot felt too slow at some points and really rushed in others. The way the author chose to illustrate the main character’s backstory was interesting, but it ultimately gave me less time to grow attached to the characters and their relationships than I would have liked. Emeline was a solid main character with a compelling arc and a willingness to take risks to pursue the things she wanted. Her character’s resolution fell a little flat for me at the end, but I enjoyed reading about her. Honestly a lot about the ending fel flat for me, and while I don’t think I would necessarily call it a Happily Ever After, I understand that some might.

Ultimately, this story reminded me why I think we need a mainstream New Adult fiction classification across the publishing industry. There were two open-door sex scenes in this book, and while they weren’t graphic by any means, I was taken aback, thinking that this was a lot for a YA book and I was not expecting that. But then I remembered that the main character is 19, and while I didn’t think those scenes were altogether necessary for the story, it wasn’t so unexpected or concerning. I would be afraid for younger readers going into this book thinking it would be a regular, clean/closed-door YA story and are met with content they weren’t expecting. If this was marketing as New Adult rather than Young Adult, those expectations would be managed better.

Overall, this book had a ton of potential, but I felt like the execution was lacking in several places, which I found disappointing. All this to say, I do still recommend you give this book a try if you enjoy lyrically written fantasy stories with music-based magic and a beautiful setting. It just wasn’t for me.

A romantic standalone fantasy for an older YA audience, Edgewood blends the real world with the world of the forest king, shapeshifters, curses, and witches. If you are looking for something magical and a little bit steamy with a strong focus on family and art, this one is worth a look.

The main character is around 19, though honestly she feels older to me, like early 20's. Regardless, this follows a young woman named Emeline who is a musician, raised by her grandfather who now has dementia. She has tried to run from the forest of her home, but every time she plays music, the forest follows her. When her grandfather goes missing, she returns to her childhood home, reminded of the superstitions she once knew, like that of tithing to the forest king for protection. Determined to save her grandfather, Emeline enters the forest regardless of danger, making her way to the city of the forest king where a curse threatens the woods around them. And of course, gets to know his handsome young tithe collector along the way...

This book deals a lot with complicated relationships- grief, memory, trauma- but also hope, healing, and love. It's also got this thread on the philosophy of being an artist and what it means to sell out in order to make it. It's sex positive and has a couple of semi-steamy scenes that feel appropriate for an older teen audience. (i.e. less emphasis on explicit description and more on poetic language for what's happening) I found some of the parts set in modern-day Canada to be a bit clunky, but I loved the bulk of the book which is set in the forest. I think a lot of readers would enjoy this one and if you're looking for this kind of fantasy romance, it's a good one to check out! The audio narration is also done very well.

One content note that's a bit spoilery (I'll try not to give much detail) but worth mentioning is the MC ends up discovering that she was the product of an abusive, not fully consensual relationship where her mother was the victim of that abuse. I actually like how this book handles that because it doesn't excuse anything but does it a kind of distance that might allow someone who has had a similar experience to process that trauma.

Overall, I think this is a very strong book and one that a lot of readers would enjoy. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I was granted eARC & audio ARC access to Edgewood by Kristen Ciccarelli by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the approvals team at Macmillan for the access! My thoughts are my own and my review is honest.

Edgewood is something of a coming of age story, something of a coming home story, and something of a reluctant hero story. Emeline can't run from the forest of Edgewood. It shows up when she sings at all her performances. Her relationships never last. Her grandfather's estate hasn't sold. When she gets the call that her grandfather has gone missing from his care home she's forced to return to Edgewood and face what she refused to believe was really living just beyond the treeline in order to get her grandfather back, but is she willing to make a sacrifice dear enough in trade for his return?

First of all, let me just get it out of the way and say that I adore the fact that this is so unapologetically a Canadian book. I'm not sure if it's better described as urban/low fantasy or contemporary magical realism, but it's Canadian through and through. It's set in Quebec, Emeline is fluently bilingual in English and French, and when she's out in the real world beyond the forest there are constant little nods to Canadian culture and things. I love it! I want to see more books like this. More books that feature Canada in an honest, subtle, yet unapologetic way. There's nothing stereotype here, I don't wonder if an American author chose to write a Canadian character, it's just pleasantly familiar. I feel like we don't see this in big publishing house urban/low fantasy, and we need to.

Ciccarelli's writing is beautiful! I quickly found myself completely taken in by Edgewood and the forest, fell in love with the scenery and the characters alike, and didn't want to leave. The fae characters and reluctant love interest Hawthorn reminded me of characters Ashley Poston might have written, particularly the demigod creatures of the forest in Among the Beasts & Briars, but this book is so much more mature and haunting. I loved the themes of learning the hard way where your heart truly belongs and figuring out just how much you would give up for the people you love. This book is full of people making messes when they act selfishly and making beautiful things happen when they act selflessly.

Although the atmosphere of the whole book was hauntingly beautiful, it also felt like reading a cozy mystery in that there was so much that Emeline has to figure out before time runs out, and if you're paying attention you'll figure it out before she does, but you don't mind being in on the secret a little early. I did predict every horrifying, wonderful, or heartbreaking reveal before Emeline did, sometimes paragraphs before and sometimes several chapters before, but at no point did I feel like Emeline was being too blind or dense to see it. It felt like she came to those realizations exactly when a person actually in her shoes should. We as the readers have the benefit of distance.

This book has definitely made me determined to track down copies of Ciccarelli's backlist! In fact, I've already added book one of the Iskari novels to my Libby wishlist as a reminder. I've stumbled upon a new favourite author. (And possibly one who spends time in my neck of the woods? If blustery island in the North Atlantic means what I think it means...)

To comment on the audiobook, Caitlin Kelly's performance is spot-on. The pacing is easy to follow without feeling too slow (but not so fast us speed demons can't turn up the playback speed and keep up.) I don't think there was any sort of extra sound design in terms of effects added like some books I've listened to, but they weren't needed. I was completely immersed in Kelly's performance. I had no trouble following which character was speaking or thinking, but I also didn't notice any forced efforts to make characters sound different. This was simply a well-met blend between great writing and great narration.

I am a fanatic for creepy forests and magical lands and this book gave me everything I could want. I loved the musical aspect to the story as there are very few music centric fantasy books out there. I really enjoyed the story and the character growth, especially with Emiline and how she treats her grandpa with dementia.

Overall, it was a good book! I honestly didn’t think it was standout fantastic but I really did enjoy it as I was reading.

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audiobook.

This was even better than I was expecting! Good details & enough action, likeable characters. Narrator was great. I would definitely recommend.

SPOILERS BELOW

If I could sum up my experience with reading this book in a word it would be: surprising. I went into this expecting it would be a fluffy palette cleanser fantasy romance that I would read, give 3 stars max, and never think about again. I was expecting it to be completely unremarkable. Instead I found it intriguing and enjoyable. And then I hit the 70% mark and I realized that all of those little mysterious background things had been hints at a larger plot that I did not see coming. I didn’t see the vile being our main characters mother coming. I didn’t see Hawthorne having stolen our main characters memories away coming. When she found his journals and all of those drawings of her my heart dropped out of my toes. I loved all of the twists and turns in this. I loved the romance. I loved that the romance MADE SENSE because a prior connection was there. I loved the theme of memory and our love for each other surviving through our memories. I loved the bittersweet ending. I loved this book.

I loved this book so much!! Edgewood is a wholesome standalone fantasy with a magical forest, a young singer, a tithe collector, a cursed forest King and enchanted creatures. Need I say more?!

Emeline is a struggling young singer trying to make a mark for herself in the industry. She is blessed with a heavenly voice that even the forest loves. Emeline loves her grandfather; when he goes missing from the old age home, she traces his steps back to their hometown Edgewood where her magical destiny awaits!!

We see the usual enemies to lovers trope in this fantasy story too!! The heat between Hawthorne, the collector and our protagonist, Emeline is swoon worthy! There are a lot of human and changeling characters in the story. But the writing keeps them clearly interesting. The parts with the magical forest were very nicely done and the building is very enjoyable. I love how the author has combined the open ends together. You wouldn’t expect them at all. They were very exciting to read!! The description of this book deviates a little from the actual plot that is narrated, but its really minimal.

Caitlin does a wonderful job narrating this story on audio! Very engaging and entertaining!! I didn’t know how fast the plot moved till I reached 65% in a day!! I also felt that the last 20% of the story was dragged, it should have ended sooner. Loved the world and characters that the author has created in her debut.

Thank you Macmillan audio via Netgalley for the listening copy!

I loved this one! Edgewood is a YA fantasy about an ambitious girl, Emeline, with a dream of a successful career as a singer/songwriter in the big league, but feels a continuous and annoying pull back to her small community, rife with the magic of the woods on which it borders.

On the verge of a big tour as a supporting act and a record deal, Emeline impatiently returns home after her grandfather goes missing. Although she's always been a skeptic of the community's magic folklore, she realizes the fabled Wood King has her beloved grandfather at his court in the forest and sets out to rescue him. Hawthorne Fell, the king's tithe collector, attempts to thwart her attempts to make it to the court, but ends up becoming an ally she's not sure she can trust.

As secrets are revealed and the true nature of the curse on the forest comes to light, Emeline has to make a choice between the music career she covets and saving her grandfather along with the entire forest. There are so many twists and turns in this fast-paced tale and wonderful world-building.

The publisher description says that Emeline makes a bargain with the Wood King of her voice for her father's freedom, but that doesn't actually happen in the book. She does make a bargain with the king, but that isn't it.

Caitlin Kelly is one of my favorite audiobook narrators, and as always she did a spectacular job. I listen to her books multiple times, just because I enjoy them so much and will listen to any book she reads.

This book was a little out of my normal reading- with that said I did enjoy it. Emeline is a young up and coming singer and songwriter. She is raised by her grandfather because her mother left her when she was just a few weeks old. Her mother never would tell anyone who her father was. The town Emeline grows up in is very supersstisious about there being another world where they have to leave tithes for the king of that world or they will be taken. Emeline is young and her grandfather is getting older and he is put into a home. Emeline notices that when she is singing at her gigs that she can smell the forest and plants grow while she sings but only she can see them. One day she gets a call that her grandfather is missing. She goes back to investigate. She eventually finds him but she also learns that she once fell in love with a man from this other world. He has had her memory swept clean out of his love for her. After many twists and turns Emeline remembers all and she falls back in love. Her grandfather is retrurned to the normal world- she figures out who her mother and father is.