This was a delightful faerie story. It took me a couple of chapters to get into it, but once I did, I couldn't put it down.

I always love the worldbuilding with stories set in Faerie, and this was no exception- everyone's working from the same framework, but each author has their own unique spin on what Faerie is and what the rules are, and I loved reading how Malachai chose to portray the magic.

The content did seem a bit unbalanced at times. There were almost too many details about Ciara's friends, yet the narrative was a bit sparse on other details that were more important to the plot, such as Ciara's desire to actually be in Faerie. At times, it did feel like Ciara was more reacting to the world around her and the decisions others were making instead of actively making her own choices.

It felt like either a few paragraphs were missing from Ciara's internal dialog about her making a decision or an honest, on-page conversation between Mael and Ciara about her decision was missing. As it was, I was sometimes a little taken aback when the narrative showed that a decision had been made without showing any of the decision-making process leading up to that, making me not fully believe Ciara had been the one to make that decision (rather than just going along with Mael's plans).

Still a really enjoyable story despite this though- recommended if you enjoy stories about fae!

Content: clean, some violence

3.5

Faerie Silver, Iron Cold was fun and easy to read. I enjoyed the character development and the world-building. Every once in a while, transitions from scene to scene were confusing and "jumpy." 4/5 Stars

This is a beautifully written book. The characters are realistic. The world building is breathtaking. The story moves along at a brisk pace and is totally delightful. It kept my attention to the end. The drama and the action was very exciting. I can't wait until the next book comes out.

First of all, I really like the cover and title, I found them both appealing. I also enjoyed the author’s writing style, it flowed well. The characters are well built and the author certainly explored them and their past. In addition, the plot is also interesting and unique.

I rated it 3 stars due to its pace, characters age and my connection to them. Unfortunately the pace was too slow, in my opinion. The prologue’s event only occurs halfway through the book, so I already knew most of what was going to happen before that. Regarding the characters age, this book was categorized as YA and NA on NetGalley, but it was mostly Middle Grade and Teen Fiction in my eyes. And sadly I didn’t connect with the characters.

All of that made me struggle to read this book, but overall it’s a good book. From a technical and objective point of view, it’s well written. Maybe I’m just not the right audience, due to its pace and target audience.

With that being said, if you love fantasy, slow-paced books, middle grade and teen fiction, you might enjoy this book.

Thank you go to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC.

This was an entertaining read that I enjoyed but was lacking in several ways.

The plot was relatively thin for a high fantasy read. The book's first half focuses on Ciar's childhood when she gets to know Mael. I enjoyed that part and seeing the development of the relationship. But the second half was not as satisfying. Some events occurred, but they seemed almost superficial. There didn't seem to be a fundamental underlying plot driving the story forward. It's hard even to explain.

Part of the issue with the plot was that any obstacles in the story seemed to dissipate with minimal effort or strife. For example, Ciar's grandparents didn't want her to be around a fae. But then, when they found out she was spending time with Mael, it was just allowed; they didn't move her back with her father. She spent every day, all day with Mael. It was explained that they feared he would retaliate if she were taken away, but this type of quick resolution seemed to happen throughout the book.

There were also many threads left hanging. What happened to various fae within the courts at the end? There was a prophecy/story. Did it come true? Certain people who took up a good portion of the book's second half disappeared at the end. It made the ending jarring and like finding that someone left out critical ingredients in your burrito. No, the guacamole and pico are not optional. They are necessary for the deliciousness of my burrito!

Unfortunately this just wasn’t for me, I love a Fae story, but this was just too slow to get going, a lot felt unbelievable (and yes proper construction in fantasy means it should be) and I just didn’t feel for the characters, so sadly (as on the synopsis I thought this was going to be great) it isn’t one I can recommend

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Since the beginning of my fantasy journey, I have been greatly drawn towards fae- character based stories. So I imagined liking this book and was really happy when I received an ARC of this book. This book didn’t meet my expectations but didn’t disappoint me either.

The story starts with the death of Ciar's mom when Ciar is a little kid. She had no friend other than a fae boy, Maul. Ciar gains her fellow humans concerns who are afraid of her being close to the Faerie. Later in the story, she grows up and is sent to school in the capital. She took Maul to be forgotten about her and think of new ways to plan her life. But then, Maul interrupts the ball to claim what is his, proving he didn’t forgot about her at all.

The world building of this book is really nice. I got into this book so easily. The plot of the book had me hooked really soon, it have to give it that. But the story sometimes got really slow for me (I love slow burn, but this one started to hurt). I also got confused at some parts while reading the book, I still don’t have some of them figured out.

If you love reading YA fantasy, YA romances that have slow burn /friends to lovers then this is a book you should read.
Slow and easy pace throughout with plenty of action to keep you sticking with the story.

I never thought I would have enjoyed this book so much. Ciar and Mael had some steep lessons to learn about life which was a humbling experience for both. This book was very entertaining, adventurous, and a total delight.

read if you like: worldbuilding (Faerie🔮🪄), fae, character-driven stories (vibes✨)

a fairytale-like read about love and learning to love; fae, humans, and the ways in which they try to bridge their cultural divide; choice and empowerment.

in this book's world, fae and their land of Faerie are thought to be dangerous or beguilingly pretty and pleasant. everyone knows the fae can be tricky. everyone knows the fae-touched don't come back. but do they really know the fae?

little Ciar, whose perspective we follow throughout the book, is enchanted with the fae, as a young girl befriending the Unseelie child Mael. we follow as they grow together, as Ciar crosses over into Faerie day after day despite all warnings to the contrary. we see the blossoming seeds of love between Ciar and Mael, and we see how that impacts the rest of the fae. choice and empowerment also come into play throughout the rest of the book, as Ciar and her school friends, seeking to break free of the constraints of a society where women's worth lie solely in their purity and marriage prospects, end up being empowered to make their own choices. the worldbuilding of Faerie also takes center-stage here, as we explore it through Ciar's unafraid eyes, and explore the differences between fae and humans - an allegory, to me, for cross-cultural appreciation.

I really liked this. Although it is sooooooo long.
And I will admit not a lot happens most of the time.

If you want the slowest of slow burns this is for you.
And it's a fae story with no spice at all, ever.

I liked the characters. I like that you watch them grow up from childhood to adults.
I like that there are many conflicts, scene changes and that they jump back and forth from faerie to the human world.

It was fun and sweet but I don't think majority of readers will like it. It's a but slow moving.

I was really looking forward to reading this book as I love the fantasy genre and I’m a sucker for faerie worlds. The world itself was beautiful (another I wish I could actually see) and unlike others I’ve read. I loved the feel of it throughout the whole book.
The plot was interesting but not very action packed. It’s was slow to start and around half the book is on Ciar’s childhood in which not a lot happens. The what could have been tense events that did take place weren’t built up much to make her appear in much dnager, probably adding to the slow feeling of the book. I also found some parts a bit confusing and had to reread parts multiple parts to try and make sense of what was going on.
I did enjoy it overall and the world that Malachai created. I’d recommend it if you don’t mind slow paced books thats more about the feel or it than the direction of the plot.

This was a last minute request for me and I hadn't had time to read it. The author prompted me with a request to review if I had read it. Why didn't I start it as soon as I received it? I really wanted to read it in one sitting as I have got to say, for me it was a "can't put it down" book.

The characters are so beautifully portrayed, I loved that Ciar began her story about her Mother and the wonderful stories she told about the Fae which of course started Ciar's interest in them. When Ciar and her brother Elric come to live with their grandparents in Brinley, Ciar hears many more strories of the Fairie forest and did not heed the warnings to never go over the river but Ciar wanted to be liked and played river games with her new found friends, crossing into Fairie and once there she couldn't help but to return as often as she could, especially when she met a beautiful Fae boy named Mael.

When Ciar gets herself into trouble with the nasty Nixies in the water, Mael makes a bargain with her. Unbeknownst to Ciar, Mael gifts Ciar with items holding magic and once this begins, she is forever Maels, if only she knew what she had set in motion would Ciar have ever crossed the river?

I loved every word of this book and would love a sequel as there are so many more stories to tell about the other characters.

Thank you Netgalley and especially Vic Malachai for the opportunity to read and review this book. I would recommend it to any who love a good story but Paranormal fans in particular. A definite 5+ stars

I was not able to finish this book. The beginning was incredibly slow and hard to follow. The plot that was at the beginning was confusing and unreadable in my opinion.

I received an advance copy in return for an honest review. I have to say, I was excited about this book as I love all things Fae. it, however, was disappointing.
The prologue got my attention and wet my thirst for adventure. As it is repeated verbatim later in the story, it would've been better to leave it out. The story itself starts when Ciar is a small child. The author does not tell us how old she is when her mother dies, but he tells us her brother is ten... We find out much later in the story that she is little more than 5 or 6 years old at the beginning of the story. The character isn't believable.
As the story progresses, we don't have a good sense of the passage of time... Ciar grows up with no friends aside from the Fae boy, Maul, she encounters on her dare to cross the stream. Being a friend with the Fae alienates her from human peers, who are afraid of her after being touched by Faerie.
What seems like weeks in the storytelling, turns out to be years passing, and then Ciar is sent to school in the Capital. The girls at her school find her Faerie tales fascinating, and before long Ciar is the central figure in a group on young ladies. She thinks Maul has forgotten about her and begins to consider a different path for her life than she planned when she headed to school...
When Maul interrupts the ball to reclaim what is his, Ciar is conflicted. She should be angry with him, but at the same time, she is thrilled that he did not forget her afterall! But life in Faerie isn't what she expected.
The story is a beautiful coming of age story, but the telling of the story itself left me wanting. The passage of time throughout the story is hard to follow. Having no clear sense of how old she is at the beginning makes it hard to relate to and get invested in the main character. The typographical errors and misstatements encountered throughout the text distracted from the story. The characters needed more depth.

Unfortunately this was a DNF at 25% and the only reason I made it that far was because the reviews said it started slow but was worth it.

Unfortunately I just couldn't get into it enough to stick it out anymore, which is a real shame because it sounded like it was right up my street.

So I went into this book very excited because I have not read a fantasy book in a minute, so I had medium height expectations. Sadly, I was let down. This plot line was all over the place in a very short summary.

We follow Ciar/Collis/Ciara from a very young age as she grows up alongside a young fae named Mael. The fae in this world are very hated by humans, and it is seen as a curse if a young woman is to be liked by one. As they grow up, she learns more and more about their world and falls in love with Mael in the process.

This plot just has so many ideas jammed into the pages that it felt so fast going from one thing to another. once we get into the middle of the book after her schooling, it feels like we are reading an entirely different book as now it is about educating the Fae's and not centering around Ciar and Mael until the end.

I did, however, like this story's interpretation of the fae. Here we get the Seelie, the bad guys, and the Unseelie, who are good. There are court politics that we get to learn but mainly about their working hierarchy system. There is so much that is minorly discussed that I wish would have been explained in full. The character I also liked the most was Mael. He was the most interesting and proved the most substance even though he was gone for half of the book. (Even tho I find it weird that Mael did not return during this time to save Ciar ?)

Our main girl was not super enjoyable and does not feel as though her personality aged alongside her and read very childish at times. I understand this is a YA, but this character learns a lot and experiences a lot, and I feel that should affect how she speaks and thinks.

Rating: 3.5/5

The cover of this book is what drew me in, then to find out that it was fae fantasy, I knew I had to read it and I was not disappointed. If you love reading YA fantasy, YA romances that have slow burn and are friends to lovers then this is a book you should read. The character building and the relationships throughout the book really made this a book that people interested in getting into fantasy should read. The world building was really brought to life with the way Malachai writing style, I loved all the attention to details from the smallest detail to the large ones.
The only reason why I did not rate this book higher is I felt that in 60% of the book I would have had more of connection with the MFC but I did not. I felt as if there were a lot of unanswered questions as well. I wanted more of a dialog between the older Mael and Ciar but we really didn’t get much, like we did when they were younger. I also would have liked to know more about the role of a consort in the Unseelie court. I would have liked to have more details about the roles in the courts, and to know what the woodcarving was about at the ending. Did Ciar have a better understanding of it and why is that.
Other than that, I did enjoy this book, and look forward to seeing what else the author has in store for us.

I want to thank Netgalley and BooksGoSocial for allowing the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing the eARC edition of Faerie Silver, Iron Cold in return for a fair and honest review!

Let me start with how bummed I was when this book was over, I wanted so much more! I have read a lot of books about Faerie/Fae and this one did not disappoint. There were a ton of classic references to the culture of Faerie including being unable to lie, using names in high regard, as well as their attitude towards magic, and being “perfect”.

I adore Ciar, her personality, and her personal growth. I was a little unsure about the beginning, the main characters started as children. But she grows from this mischievous little girl, into a teenager who wants to love her friend, to an independent woman who isn't afraid to throw attitude, or opinions in the face of opposing characters.

The setting just teems with life, detail, and magical realism. There are fully developed superstitions and beliefs that Ciar’s family believes deeply. Even the townspeople who believe fae are dangerous. No matter how small of a role, whoever Ciar deals with doesn’t come across as two-dimensional and boring. The Faerie and the creatures in it are incredibly detailed and the world that Ciar interacts with comes to life. While Ciar and Mael are the main characters in the book there isn’t a single character in the cast that feels one-dimensional, from the baker who gives Ciar iced buns for free to Ciar’s group of school friends who get twisted into her tale.

Vic Malachai has created a book that is very relaxing and whimsy until the day Mael comes to collect Ciar from her family — fae promises do not come without a price. It’s such a rounded, deep book, and I loved every bit of it.

**Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC. all thoughts and opinions are my own**

First, the cover captured my eye, it's so pretty, and then the synopsis. I love anything to do with Fae Fantasy, and this book has that.

When I started the prologue the imagery of a horse eating a dog, really put me off. I own horses and even though this is fiction, it didn't sit right with me.
I continued reading and was confused as it starts off with our FMC only being seven years old, when her mother dies and her and her brother are sent to live with their grandparents, who happen to live near Faerie, or border along an entryway.

This is where Ciar meets Mael, a fae boy, roughly the same age. They begin a friendship over the years until she is sent away for school. They make a promise to each other, that he will have a house and a place for her in Faerie when they meet again.

This is where things got very confusing for me. Ciar gets taken by Mael when she is roughly eighteen and taken back to Faerie, where she and he get into an argument which leads her to be stolen by another fae.
There she becomes a nanny of sorts to this Fae's daughter. a whole bunch of things get talked about but not truly explained, and then suddenly she's back with Mael and they have a bonding / consort ceremony and everything ends happily ever after.

This story has a lot of potential and promise, if the things that were spoken about were explained more, and what their importance had to the overall story, rather than just something magical to be spoken about.
I did like the friendship and further relationship between Mael and Ciar. It was really sweet how they started out as childhood friends and then became romantically involved later on.