2,5 ⭐️

This debut novel from the author has several fantasy elements and feels like a Frankenstein. It combines elements of classic tales like Cinderella and Alice in Wonderland with popular elements of young fantasy like the Fae and the division of cuts into seelie and unseelie.

The good: Faye's character strikes me as a strong if slightly delusional protagonist. Supporting characters like Isla, Ellie, and Gage have an interesting build.

The bad: the love square, which then becomes a triangle in the most obvious way possible. The book has about 5 or 6 very slow chapters.

The end leaves you with little pleasure, we'll see if I read the next one to discover the great mystery.


I received a free copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. I'm sorry to say that it wasn't my favorite. A decent idea just kind of slowly executed. I feel like it just was not the book for me.

I saw "Seelie queen" and "Unseelie king" in the blurb and said YES PLEASE. I really appreciated that Faye struggled to achieve things, and wasn't an OP Mary Sue character who was immediately the Absolute Best at Everything Ever. I've always always felt an affinity for the Unseelie court more than the Seelie, so I love the focus here of the Unseelie being more misunderstood than evil.

Despite the love triangle aspect, the focus of this book is definitely more on the fantasy plotlines than the romance. In fact, the romance plotlines are where this book fell somewhat short for me. It felt a bit like a rip-off of ACoTaR - "ooh, fae love traingles are hot right now, let's put one in!" - and also wasn't really fully fleshed out in the book the way other plotlines are. I didn't really feel the chemistry.

2 stars as a romance, 4 stars as a fantasy novel - so I guess I'll average them out and rate this one 3 stars.

Fae books are everywhere right now and I've been reading as few as possible, trying to find some hidden gems before the popular ones spoil my taste. This wasn't an overwhelmingly impressive read, but it was really good, though.

I liked how the Seelie and Unseelie courts were portrayed. Usually, the Seelie court is this symbol of all things good in the fae realm, but here we see a court that is stuck in the old and archaic ways.

We follow Faye as she finds herself being enticed into the realm in between where the fae live. She has always wanted to get a glimpse but never thought she might be one of them. And when her best friend is kidnapped, her only way to save her is to step into the role she had always been destined for, even if she didn't want it!

The best part of this book, for me, was the hints at romance in this first book in the Hollow and Hill series. I want to keep reading to find out whom she will choose. Faye, please don't disappoint me in the next book...

First - thank you for chance to read this story. Second - great read. Third - I like writing style, story line and Faye is just very interesting main character.
I hope I'll have a chance to read more stories written by Kelsey :)

DNF at 30%
This felt way to much to me like it was going to follow the exact same path of Cruel Prince, Human alone in a community of inhumans. The main character's voice in the way it was portrayed in the writing kept snagging my mind out of the story. Not for me

3.5 Stars

I really wanted to like this one and the synopsis sounds really great! I just felt the characters were a little flat and one dimensional with the exception of Faye. She's well fleshed out and interesting! There's supposed to be this almost romance square with Faye, Isla, Gage, and Kellan but Isla's the only one you really get to know. The 2 guys are just kinda there. Hopefully, in book 2 we get more character development instead of just their looks and one word descriptions. Broody. Funny. Lol, we want and need more about them and from there!

The end got kinda exciting with the trials but I felt they flew by really fast with the whole book leading up to them all mysteriously then they're done in the blink of an eye. Like the pacing was a little off there. I think I'll continue with the series though as I'm intrigued with how it left off. I'm really excited for more of Ellie! She sounds like she could be a really cool character! The world building was really great! The differences from the real world and through the veil were well done!

The cover was what caught my eye, following the popular trend of gothic florals I was instantly keen to read the novel. Faye knows the rules of dealing with the faye of the seelie and unseelie courts and when her friend is taken, she follows to help her. It is this journey to the hollow that sheds light on who she is and how she is inextricably linked to the unseelie court. This was an engaging read, I loved Kicklighter's take on the faye courts and the use of faye lore throughout. Looking forward to continuing the series and seeing Faye's journey.

Of Beast and Burden offers a modern-day fae tale set in Georgia. All traditional components are present: two rival courts, a fae prince, various love interests, a cranky elder fae, a missing heir, and an unknown enemy. I may be too set in my ways to fairly rate this title. The Celtic-based fae set in the Deep South took me out of the story. I needed more explanation woven into the world-building. The pacing was consistent until the final passages where everything moved much more quickly and the characters began to interact in ways that seemed inconsistent with earlier actions. All-in-all an easy read with familiar themes and much potential.

Whew! I wasn't sure how this book was going to go. I'm not sure how necessary the love triangle was. The ending surprised me a lot. Good story.

Alright everyone, back with another review and this time it's not a fun one. Of Beast and Burden had a fun premise. Our main character Faye is an almost adult and has been raised on stories of the fairies. The Folk as they're called in the book. I was excited to get into it but that sort of died fast.

This book is boring. I hate to say it, especially for a book that had promised so much but comparing it to Holly Black, Sarah J. Maas and Elise Kova sets this book up to reach standards it just can't reach.

Like I said. It's boring. I don't think I've ever been bored reading a fantasy book before. We aren't given a book with great writing which might have helped at least a little bit.

The main character is annoying, a pain. It's like she only has one setting on her personality and it's the worst one. Then there's Kellen and I swear if I had to read him saying "love" one more time, I was going to vomit. Men and teen boys giving girls a pet name when they know nothing about them and also using it to be condescending are infuriating and it happened so much. It's infantilizing.

Then there's a love triangle that wasn't adequately fleshed out at all. It was so weak. I rolled my eyes through most of the book.

There's also the matter of how characters are described. It's mostly by skin-color. That's it. When I read a book I want to know what people look like but I want to know more than they're skin color. It's already been proven that if a character isn't described, the average reader will just assume they're white. So describing skin color isn't bad. But it isn't the only way you can describe people. Are they attractive? Do they have scars? Are they wearing their hair in box braids? Does a color of fabric not mesh well with their skin? So many things.

When it comes to the end of the book, it's a mess. It's so rushed and it's the only time the book isn't boring. It's just too fast paced for things to make it a fun read.

I'm giving this book a one (1) star.

I received this eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to them and the publisher.

This book is so good!
Enemies to Lovers, fae... What could we ask more.
Gage is such a broody sweet thing and Faye is so relatable. The struggles of learning something new but fighting harder to be successful in that. She grew more and more as a character and I'm here for her journey after what happened at the end of this one...
It's a good solid 4.5starts and I can't wait to read the next book.

Of Beast and Burden tells the story of Faye, a girl on the cusp of adulthood who has grown up hearing the stories of fairies or "the folk" from her Gran. When she learns she is part Folk she must travel to their world and claim her place as one of them to save someone she loves.
The story felt like a slog to get through and nothing exciting really happened until the 80% mark, when it felt rushed to the end. A lot of themes in the story felt ripped from other fantasy series like A Court of Thorns and Roses, but without as good writing.

Of Beast and Burden is a beautifully written story of the fae, folklore and magic. The writing and rich imagery were the absolute highlights for me.

Faye as a character was impossible not to like. Imperfect, real and goes through so much self-growth over the course of the novel.

Nothing new was executed in this novel but it was written so well for a debut and the imagery was simply gorgeous. It had such a whimsical feel.

Thank you so much NetGalley and The Parliament House for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

*thank you to NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was drawn to this book because of the blurb. A fae girl with a human heart. That’s so intriguing!! A half-fae girl embarks on a journey beyond the veil. Faye is the heiress to the dark throne. Her best friend is stolen and she must complete deadly trials to get her friend back. This was a very interesting book. I love reading anything about fae so I was instantly ready to read it. It was a quick and easy read with some parts being a bit drawn out. It is a YA book and reads like a YA book. Also beware it ends in a cliffhanger! A really great debut book. There is bi rep, love triangles, fae, changelings.

I was pretty excited to read this.
But the story and characters felt very generic and predictable, overshadowing a pretty good use of folklore.
I wasn't overly impressed with this, but I will keep and open mind and pick up any sequels.

Kelsey Kicklighter introduces us to her new Hollow and Hill series, with the story of Faye in Of Beast and Burden. Growing up in the coastal area of Georgia, Faye knew all the old tales and warnings of the “Folk”. Her mother had been across the veil before Faye was born but returned with her sanity damaged. As Faye grew up, she had to watch her mother slip away as a result, till it was only her, Grans, and her cousin left. Even knowing this she has always been intrigued by all things Faerie. When an opportunity arises to appease her curiosity, she decides to follow her instincts and not her conditioned thoughts. This excursion reveals things about herself she never expected and puts her life on a course to regain an inheritance she never knew she had.


Of Beast and Burden is a low-fantasy story that revolves around an outsider teen from Georgia who has grown up knowing that “the Folk” were faeries that lived across the veil but interacted with humans. Just like Faye, I tend to be intrigued by stories revolving around Fae and their kind. I was initially drawn into this story in a big way by Kelsey’s writing style, which introduces us to Faye and the plot in a captivating, enigmatic way. Kelsey lays the groundwork for a great story as Faye’s true identity, which is the basis for the plot, unfolds.


However, the farther into the book I got, the more I became frustrated and disappointed by both Faye and the story. I don’t want to use spoilers, because I still think Of Beast and Burden is readable, so I will try to share my thoughts in a general way. While Faye was a character I initially was fond of, she continued to make poor decisions to save others in a way that set the stage for more obstacles to overcome. It felt as if she had to cause situations that she could then conquer instead of a naturally unfolding plot. The difficulties she was up against also seemed trivialized by her constant murcurial monologe over her various attractions, both male and female. It made her seem like a frivolous teen not someone trying to regain her throne. What really dropped my review was the final trial and ending. It’s pretty much expected that the villian, who is threatening someone the lead cares for and the crown, will be destroyed. It’s also not unusual for that villain to be an unexpected character. In this case the particular character used did not fit in my mind. It seemed to be a uncharacteristic stretch about what we knew of this being up to this point, but provided a convenient ending to the climax.

Based on my thoughts and feelings after the first couple of chapters I was expecting to give this a great review. Kelsey is a great writer whose style immerses you in the story she is telling. The basic premis of the book is also intriguing and has promise. However, it ddin’t come through for me in the end. But, just because I had issue with certain things, I would encourage readers to give Of Beast and Burden a shot and see if they come away with a different impression.

‘’A fae girl with a human heart. A Seelie Queen with a penchant for stealing mortals. And an Unseelie King who will have to give up his throne. On the coast of Georgia rests a small southern town where faeries still take changelings. Faye lost her mother to the Folk, but has she spent her whole life longing for a glimpse—however brief—behind the veil. When Faye finds her way in, she also finds the truth of why the dark and alluring world of the Folk has always called to her: She's half-faerie, and heiress to the Dark Court's throne.’’

I am 100% hooked, addicted, and delighted with this book! Oh my I was not expecting to love it so much! The plot does remind me a little bit of ACOTAR but that it’s never a bad thing since I love ACOTAR so much – the similarities are subtle enough that you get to be immersed into this new universe with faes, royalty, challenges, tricks, drama, love, lust, relationships, fights, sexual tension… it has so many cool elements that makes it such a good story!

I love the fact that the Faye it’s actually heiress to the Dark Court throne and she gets to try to get her rightful spot to rule (even though she has no idea how) Faye is such a cool, strong, flawed, real, loving, and amazing character. I loved Gage (I did not see his arch developing the way it did) Ellie, Isla (I need much more of her with Faye) and of course, Kellan (OMG I was not OK with his plot twist).

The end of the book got me by surprise (it’s also a fast reading, I’ve read it in 2 days) with plot twisting and surprises and it ended in a way that had me wanting more. I hope the sequel comes out soon because I need to know what happens next!

A sincere thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Both your typical and NOT your typical fae fantasy. I was unsure if this story would differ from any of the others set in this type of universe but I was pleasantly surprised. The characters are likeable and relatable, even when they're not and that's what kept me coming back for more. The world came alive in my head, thanks to Kelsey's thorough writing style. I became completely enveloped within the world every time I opened the pages of my book. For a debut, this novel went above and beyond! Cannot wait to read the rest of the series.

Fun, exciting adventure story. Faye is has always been curious about what lies beyond the veil and when she finally finds out, she's shocked to find she's not who she thought she was. This was a great story with many twists and a touch of romance that kept me reading the whole time.