This cover is gorgeous!!!! Incorrectly advertised as a comparison to SJM, Wings Once Cursed and Bound is an urban fantasy with little to no worldbuilding other than mythological creatures exist (vampires, werewolves, fairies, etc) and exist alongside us in secret. Punch herself is a being from Thai mythology (a kinnaree) although she doesn't really understand it in the beginning. I think it is important to understand that Drake's past books have been contemporary romance. Wings is her debut into the epic fantasy series genre. This definitely has a debut vibe with so much potential, however has other parts that needed work. Once I switched my expectations to romance, I enjoyed this a lot more. Spicy scenes were spicy and the plot moved along enough to keep me interested. I'm also a sucker for anything with vampires in it. I liked how it all wrapped up and left the story open for more in the series. I will likely read the next in the series.

This book was definitely something else.
I'd start with the writing, the way it blended a writing quite out of style, polished, even, and it took me a while to get into the story, despite it starting right away.
I feel this story reads more like a fairytale, perhaps that's the way it should be read, and while it's weird, I'd say there's also a good balance between the little plot and the small character development (which, while present, was sort of lacking).
The shock value is probably given by the way things get steamy: that made me arch my brow several times, even if, of course, it's not the kind of smut you find in romance, just the new adult smut (so don't get your hopes up).
Punch, our protagonist, is quite interesting, which is a shame because I would have loved to see more of her. Her journey is, dare I say, too easy when it comes to character development, a real pity because she has so much potential in every way.
Bennett is on the same boat as her, the infamous guy with a broken heart… ah, yeah, this is basically instalove, something not much heard of in fantasy. But anyways, Bennett has so much more to say. I'm glad both him and Punch had what I'd call the same screen time: while she did have a major character development, in a way, he brought on the plot, so there's a nice balance.
I'm honestly happy with this ending, it makes room for more without being needed, a good way to end this adventure with the feeling that there might be another around the corner.

Peeraphan (Punch) is a dancer who is not quite human. She can sense when Bennett, who isn't breathing walks into her dance hall while she is practicing. While at practice Punch is shown a red pair of dance shoes that had been donated and she just happens to try them on first, feeling the pull to put them on. Bennett was also there for the shoes but he got there too late, Punch already had the shoes on. The red shoes are a cursed, magical object and he was sent there to retrieve them. They compel the wearer to put them on and dance until they die from exhaustion.

So Bennett was waiting there now to see if she would die and then he would take the shoes before anyone else could touch them and make sure they were locked away. Once a human puts the shoes on, they almost always killed them. So when the dancers stopped for a break, he fully expected Punch to keep dancing or at the very least to not be able to keep her feet still. So when she sat down and didn't look the least little bit compelled to move, he was shocked to say the least. The fact that Punch kept glancing in his direction and knew he was there when no one should be able to notice him since he was a vampire and was hiding in the shadows, just made her even more of a curiosity. He knew she must be some sort of supernatural but couldn't figure out what.

When another non-human shows up at her rehearsal that also wants the shoes the danger spikes. Francesco is the other non-human, a vampire who knows Bennett and they fight. Francesco works for another faction but he wants to red shoes for bad purposes, which puts Punch in danger. But she sees that Bennett is hurt pretty bad and helps him get to one of his teammates, Duncan. They take her to an island where his home is and where she'll be safe.

Bennett works for the Darke Consortium and so do his teammates. The Darke Consortium locates and retrieves objects of myth, magical objects and they put them in sanctuaries around the world for safe keeping. In the home they all stay at, there's also a werewolf named Thomas, as well as Duncan and some other supernaturals and they are all part of the Darke Consortium.

Punch is a mythical Kinnaree, a bird person. Her people must be very rare since Bennett being a very old vampire doesn't know anything about them. When they find out what Punch will have to do in order to get the shoes off and where she'll have to go, they need the help of a witch to get there. All the while Punch and Bennett are getting to know one another better and end up getting closer. I liked their romance and how Bennett was wary of getting into a relationship because of his past and not wanting to be hurt again.

Punch also has two sugar gliders who were absolutely so cute in this book. I love it when animals are a big part of the story. This was definitely a fun read and I loved the secondary characters. I'm looking forward to reading more and getting to know then better.

Disclosure: I was given an e-ARC of this book via NetGalley but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Bennet is hunting for a dangerous magical artifact called The Red Shoes. Any human who puts them on is trapped by a curse and forced to dance to their death. He traced the shoes to a community center where a group practiced a traditional Thai dance. He gets there in time to see Peeraphan, also known as Punch, slip the shoes on her feet. What Bennet wasn’t expecting was Punch to be immune to the curse. Bennett is surprised to find out that Punch is a kinnaree, a Thai bird princess. Aware of her heritage, Punch is surprised to discover a world she didn’t know existed. A world where vampires, dragons, sidhe, and werewolves live and protect (for the most part) humans from beings and artifacts that will hurt them. Punch and Bennet look for a way to release the curse while battling a rogue vampire and a human collector of magical artifacts. Will Punch be able to release the curse and remove the shoes? Will she fully accept who and what she is?

Wings Once Cursed and Bound is a fast-paced book in and around Seattle, Washington. There needed to be more exploring of the city or the islands where Bennet took Punch, and I would have loved more description of the city/islands. But that was a minor quibble because I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Wings Once Cursed and Bound main storyline centers around Punch, Bennet, The Red Shoes, and the search for how to release the curse. I wanted to know if the author would let Punch remove the curse on the shoes. I admit I knew nothing about Thai (or any Eastern Asian mythology), and the kinnaree legend fascinated me. I also liked that the author included several urban legends/myths from around the world.

Several side storylines fed into the main one. Fransisco’s evil, devious plan to sell Punch to the collector was a major sub-storyline. Fransisco was a nasty dude, and I wish Bennet had ended him in that significant fight scene. But if Fransisco continues to be a problem in the series, I see why the author let him live. I liked that Punch blossomed in this storyline. And when I mean blossom, I mean she came into her powers. It was beautiful to see.

The paranormal angle of this book was excellent. I read about lesser-known supernatural entities, such as the kinnaree, karin puksa, kraisorn rajasri, tsurubebi, and the will-o’-the-wisp. I liked that the author mixed lesser-known mythical figures with the regular ones (the werewolves, fairies, sidhe, and vampires). At the end of the book, she included a section called Field Notes on the Supernatural and the Paranormal. The author incorporated all the entities and artifacts (such as Bluebeards Bloody Key, the Noose of the Phayanak, and The Red Shoes)mentioned in the book in the field guide. I hope that she includes this in the other books in the series.

There is a romance angle to Wings Once Cursed and Bound. It starts as Instalust (Bennet was very attracted to Punch but held off because he thought she was at least half human) but soon morphed into Instalove. I wasn’t sure if I liked it or not, to be honest. It felt a little forced. I would have loved to see Punch and Bennet’s relationship blossom slowly instead of falling head over heels within a couple of days of meeting each other.

The end of Wings Once Cursed and Bound was interesting. I can’t get into what happened, but I will say that I liked that Punch and Bennet were able to help some of the paranormal entities they found at the mansion. They also found several supernatural artifacts. I was a little grumpy with how Fransisco’s storyline ended, but I am sure he will turn up in the upcoming books, so I wasn’t sweating it. I also liked the insights into the winged fairies, the sidhe, the brownie, the witch, and the werewolf living on the island with Bennet. I wonder if the author will feature one of them in the next book!!!

I recommend Wings Once Cursed and Bound to anyone over 21. There are language, violence, and sexual situations.

Many thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca, NetGalley, and Piper J. Drake for allowing me to read and review Wings Once Cursed and Bound. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

Fantastic 1st book in a new series by Pipe Drake. Great blending of multiple genres: paranormal, urban fantasy, mythology, and of course romance. Punch (FMC) receives a new pair of shoes at dance rehearsal and chaos ensues. The shoes typically harm their wearer; however, something makes Punch resistant to them. And of course this attracts attention from Bennett (MMC) who is part of a society trying to get the shoes back before anyone else is harmed. Action packed with romance and danger. I look forward to next installment of this series.

A mind-meld of folk tales superimposed on monster tales. A retelling of the story of the red shoes, dancing slippers that compel one to dance to death. But that folk tale is told in a milieu of vampires, werewolves, the fae, and a number of other monstrous species where cross-species coupling may occur and longevity is counted in centuries rather than years. The first 2/3 of the novel is focused on surviving the compulsion of the red shoes. Once they are removed, the focus turns toward internecine battles amongst species powering toward a resolution sparked by acceptance of ‘the truth. It makes for an exciting conclusion.

Title: Wings Once Cursed & Bound
Author: Piper J. Drake
Pages: 304
Source: NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Fantasy
Intended Audience: Adult
Star Rating: 3.25
Setting: Seattle, Puget Sound, Pacific Northwest
Recommended for: This is a perfect pick for fans of paranormal romance who don't mind a couple sex scenes

Why I picked it up: It started with the cover (as always), but then I was intrigued by the idea of a girl who didn't know that she was supernatural, and I really wanted to know what kind of curse ended her up with a vampire to fix.

What it's all about: Punch, as she is known to most people, is different from everyone else in her family. She can sense water and air and can manifest wings on occasion. While rehearsing for a dance performance, she finds herself in a pair of shoes that have been cursed to force the wearer to dance to their death. She has been in the shoes for all of ten minutes when two different vampires, representing two different magic item retrieval agencies, appear in the theater ready to watch her die and claim the shoes from her corpse. Choosing one, Punch run to him, then away with him. She finds herself in the midst of a consortium that includes a vampire, a dragon, a werewolf (who happens to be a distant relative), several fae, and a witch. They work together and find a solution, but Punch is still in danger from the other vampire and his colleagues. Will she find her way home and will there be a home left to find? Will she trust her instincts or run for her life? And just how far is she willing to take this tension between herself and a vampire. 
tl/dr: Supernatural girl finds herself immersed in the supernatural world through a pair of cursed shoes. 

My thoughts: As much as I thought I came to this book without any preconceptions, that was clearly not true once I started reading it. The mythology in the book drew me in immediately. I had heard stories similar to the one of the red shoes, but I have no knowledge of Thai mythology and was excited to learn a bit. I did get it in my head that this was a Young Adult novel, and so was a bit surprised at the level of graphicness during the more heated scenes. I got over that quickly. The story is fast-paced and full of action. The characters of the consortium had a great dynamic of both working well together and irritating each other that felt like a real chosen family. Punch quickly fit in, smoothing out many of the edges, and I hope there are more books coming to see how it all works out. I did think that the issue of consent was hit a little too hard at times (though obviously consent is important, the numerous mentions of it which were much more telling than showing, seemed unnatural). Much of the story was plot driven, and the characters did not evolve much. I think that with a different cover and different comparison authors, this book would have portrayed itself more accurately and not caused the dissonance at the beginning between what I expected and what the book was really like. Steller idea with okay writing. 

Favorite Character: I loved Asamoah! He used his culinary abilities to make people feel at home (even if he did make his own versions of favorite flavor combinations). At the end, when he invites the others into the kitchen with him to teach and share their own comfort foods is the sweetest start of what will clearly be a great bonding moment for the entire consortium. 

Favorite Moment: The escape. It was unexpected and spectacular! 

Memorable Quotes: 
"but she was, he thought, giving him the most epic side-eye he had ever had cast in hi s direction. And vampires at their most arrogant made disapproval and scorn and art form."

"Predatory and powerful, he took pride in the simple fact that he was one of the most dangerous creatures in existence, even among his own kind."

"It wasn't the time to be silly, but honestly, if Peeraphan [Punch] didn't hold on to the wonder of everything happening around her, fear of imminent death was going to drown her. So damn it, she was going to find the silver lining in all this and soak in every drop of dream worthy experience while she still could."

"Once somebody could claim they were centuries old, it wasn't particularly interesting to count how many centuries."

"'I never thought I'd live to witness the genesis of Bennett the lovestruck vampire,' Thomas muttered."

"When one lived as long as any one of them did, it was in everyone's best interest if they didn't let themselves get too bored." 

"'While we're making adjustments, I need a corgi,' Ashke announced. 'If I'm to properly see to the security of this island, I need a battle steed.'"

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I wish I could have said that this story drew me in and I loved it. But I struggled to get through this story and had a hard time finishing it. While I respect the author for writing this book, and probably making this a series, I did not connect with the writing. It was more telling than showing. I have a hard time also with POVs that aren't first person.

The characters come across as childish sometimes and I didn't feel chemistry between the mains. I do like dual POVs, though, so that was nice to see. Give this book a try and see what you think. I hope you enjoy it.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for the free eARC. I'm leaving my honest review.

This is a very fast paced book (entire book takes place in less than a week) featuring lots of different mythological creatures from all over the world. I loved that the characters weren't teenagers, that they were all mature, consenting, intelligent with moral compasses that fit their myths. The central characters are Peeraphan and Bennett (you get perspectives from each character, plus a couple of side characters) Peeraphan (or Punch) is in her 30's when she is entranced by a pair of red dancing heels with a deadly curse attached to them. Bennett is trying to get them off the market, but is too late to prevent Peeraphan from donning the shoes. There is so much more depth to the characters when they aren't literal teenagers.

This reads kind like the beginning of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (or maybe more Angel Investigations) of a variety of supernatural characters are joined together to track down cursed and mythical items and secure them so they can't harm others. This is an adult romance with sex on page, there is a little bit of insta-love but the characters talk through things so miscommunication is minimal, and the romance is mature rather than horny 20 somethings.

4.25 out of 5 stars, spice rating is more like 1-2 (on page, coitus interruptus, banter, teasing).

While the categorization of this novel may be a little misleading (should be more Urban Fantasy), I fell in love with the world that Piper J. Drake has created. In Wings Once Cursed & Bound, there are a variety of mythical creatures that actually live together and get along. They are part of the Darke Consortium. They seek out mythical, magical objects rumored to exist through fairy tales and folktales to keep safe and away from those who seek to use them for harm or chaos.

Peeraphan, or Punch as she likes to go by, is a dancer and is swept up in magical mystery when she dons a pair of red shoes that wish the wearer harm. Bennett, administrator of the Darke Consortium and also a vampire, has sought the shoes to keep them from harming anyone else. How Punch is able to keep the shoes at bay is enticing, as well as her beauty. He and his comembers discover she is supernatural in her own right; a Thai bird princess. There are villains out to get not only the shoes, but Punch, and Bennett and company must act to save her.

There are a few times the main characters get too much into their heads and bog down the story, but overall, the tale is exciting and action packed with a little romance thrown in. Here is another series that supernatural lovers will be eager to sink their teeth into. Very much looking forward to the second installment in the Mythwoven series.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

Rating: 4/5
I received an eARC for my honest opinion.

What would you do if you put on cursed shoes and now you must trust strangers to help you get them off/break the curse?

I really liked this book; I didn’t know what I was going into when I started it, but I do agree with a lot of people, it’s not really a high fantasy but more of an urban fantasy and when I let that go, I was able to really get into this book.
I enjoyed the retelling of The Red Shoes and having the author mix it up with having a mix of mythical creatures. I did feel that this book could have been broken up into 2 books so that we could have more plot, action, and character development throughout the book. However, with that being said, it was beautiful in its own way.
I really enjoyed the characters and getting to learn more about them. I do wish that we could have had more information about Bennett and to have more time learning about Peeraphan gifts. With Peeraphan you will see a strong female character, who is open minded about the magical world. Who isn’t scared of doing whatever she has to make sure the ones she cares for are ok. Bennett is a sexy vampire who has some trust issues when it comes to humans but that is only because he is scared to love again. I l really enjoyed the banter between Thomas and Bennett and having Peeraphan tell them they have a bromance made me laugh. You could tell the chemistry between Peeraphan and Bennett from the beginning and of course you have the dread of waiting around for them to figure out everything, but it wrapped up nicely at the end.
I got the audio for this book as well and I loved how the narrator really helped to bring this book to life. I did have a moment in the beginning where I thought Peeraphan's name was supposed to be Peter Pan but when I looked it up in my eARC I saw that it was just the accent of the narrator.
I really enjoyed getting to watch all the mythical creatures get a lot and use their special abilities to help this secret society. I cannot wait to see where the Mythwoven series will go next, I am looking forward to reading the next book.

I want to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to review this eARC and Audio of this book.

3.25/5

the premise for this fantasy was what got me since I've never read any Thai mythology, knew nothing about the Kinaree (Thai Bird Princess) and I loved the idea of elements of fairy tales and paranormal romance.

first, the good. the story is narrated from multiple POVs and I enjoyed getting to know the different characters. all of them were likeable and kept me interested enough to want to keep reading.

now, on to what I didn't love. i found the pacing inconsistent—there were scenes throughout that just felt like they hadn't been fully fleshed out in terms of explaining things, but other times we would spend a page on how relaxing a bath was. scenes like that just felt unnecessary and only slowed down the story. i would’ve liked to spend more time on how the characters and different groups of supernaturals interact with each other inside and outside the consortium. i would’ve loved to learn more about the why behind our villain too, i was disappointed by how one-dimensional he was.

I was underwhelmed by some of the life lessons/truths that the MCs realize—they just seemed basic. There were also many times where I felt like everything was being spelled out too much—a lot of telling, instead of showing. this made the writing feel a little too juvenile for me and had me thinking the book was geared towards a younger audience... but the MC is several years out of college, some of the romance subject matter seemed more adult, and the spice at the end definitely seemed more appropriate for adults so that was confusing to me.

despite all of this, the story and characters are engaging and i found myself wanting to know what happened next. overall, this is a decent first book that sets a solid foundation for the series. i hope the second book will have more information on the Kinaree and some clearer works building. I’m interested to see where this story will go!

3.5 stars rounded up.

Peeraphan Rahttana has heard tales of the kinnaree, the Thai bird princess, since she was young - with the understanding that her family are her descendants. Despite being many generations removed, Peeraphan has some magic within her, magic that no one in her family seems to have, and it causes her to feel alone, something not exactly human in a human world.

That is, until she meets Bennet Andrews moments after she puts on The Red Shoes, cursed to force the wearer to dance to their death. When the shoes don’t seem to harm her though, Bennet realizes that he will need to protect her from other supernatural forces who are out to collect the shoes for themselves. Diving headfirst into a world the likes of which she could not have imagined, Peeraphan finds that there is more magic in the world than she ever knew.

I’m a sucker for fantasy, especially if it feels like it’s a world that I could fall into myself given the right circumstances. Peeraphan was a (mostly) regular person, living her (mostly) regular life, and then she gets swept into a supernatural world filled with vampires, werewolves, fae, and more. While a whole new high fantasy world is fun to escape to, this is the kind of low fantasy world that gives people like me hope that magic exists.

Though the world was fun to root around in, the world building fell a bit flat. The pieces that were set in Seattle were realistic, but some fantasy elements didn’t make sense to me. A flying vampire? A vampire born rather than created? A special ceremony to make it so a vampire could procreate? I don’t know, it just didn’t sit well in my brain and, even in a fantasy world, felt a little too fantastical.

That being said, I still thoroughly enjoyed the story. The development of relationships throughout gave me the warm fuzzies. I love a good found family and, even when they’re bickering (or perhaps especially when they’re bickering), the cast of characters in this story definitely falls into the found family category.

The plot felt like it got a little lost and took a backseat to the romance storyline. While I am pro-romance, the synopsis provided lended itself more towards action and adventure and that’s what I expected. I’m not disappointed, but it felt a bit uneven and almost like a bait and switch.

This book was a bit of a struggle for me. I had high hopes because of the description. It was just kind of long, drawn out and boring. The beginning started out good and kept me interested, but as it went on I just lost interest. It was just confusing. At times, I didn't really know what was going on. I did enjoy the budding romance between Bennett and Peeraphan. It just wasn't for me. Big thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to listen and review this book.

2.5. I wanted to love this, and I actually found Peeraphan (“Punch”) to be a fun and compelling protagonist with a healthy amount of agency and a lot of strength. I just wish Piper J. Drake had focused more on in-depth world-building instead of throwing a bunch of facts at the reader; the writing feels obtuse in some of its descriptions, and I feel like I didn't fully grasp the history or lore This description also applies to the romance, which starts quickly and feels lackluster; I found myself skimming the steamier scenes, and the culmination feels rushed.

Again, if the writing had been more effective, this would feel like a more promising start to a new series based in Thai mythology and folklore.

Peeraphan Rahttana was unaware of the magical underworld in Seattle before accidental exposure to a cursed object leads the vampire Bennett Andrews to rescue her. He is part of an organization that locates mythic objects, but he was too late to save Peeraphan from a deadly curse. It turns out that she's a Thai bird princess of legend and not an ordinary human. This will give her a bit of time, but the curse will still eventually kill her. Together, Bennett and Peeraphan search the supernatural world to find a cure. No matter what they find, she will never return to an ordinary life again.

Wings Once Cursed & Bound is the first book of the Mythwoven series and obviously borrows heavily from Thai myths. Peeraphan goes by Punch as a nickname, and she's aware that she's more than human from the start. Somewhere in her lineage is the mystic bird of myth named the kinnaree, but it's not well known. The Cursed object is actually a pair of red shoes, the ones from fairy tales that induce the dancer to dance to death. Peeraphan can resist them to a point, allowing her to find a way to break the curse and remove them.

The parallel world of supernatural beings alongside humans and regulatory bodies isn't new. I like how this is an international group and there are allusions to deeper lore and traditions from the start. This is fun to read about and also complicates the search for a solution because it could be any traditional spell or herbal remedy to help. The search gives Peeraphan and Bennett time to bond and grow closer, though she's very aware that she's been through a lot and the emotional connection could be because of that. She's not helpless in this situation, and she has a measure of agency and cleverness, especially in the last third of the book. Yes, she needs rescuing to a point, but she's not helpless either.

The group members are fascinating and all misfits of a sort. They don't quite fit into the supernatural world and don't fit in the human one quite right either. Any misfit not fitting neatly into boxes can appreciate that feeling, and empathize with them as they navigate through their situation. It's the start of an intriguing series, and I'm really hoping to see the rest of them.

Wings Once Cursed & Bound is an enthralling read that takes you into a world of supernatural creatures. Drake's novel is a unique and captivating story that is steeped in Thai mythology, shadowy organizations and a pair of cursed shoes that add an intriguing twist to the story. This book is a delightful blend of action, romance, and myth that will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. With its strong wings, this mythology is sure to soar high and capture the hearts of readers everywhere.

This was a cute little urban-fantasy romance, and while it's not a personal favorite I would still recommend picking it up if you want a more light-hearted, quick read. Punch and Bennett are brought together by a cursed pair of dancing shoes, attracted to each other right away. But Bennett is unsure of romance thanks to his past, while Punch just wants to get the shoes off. We meet a cast of other magical characters that all want to help save Punch, but only the truth can set her free. The only reason I didn't give the book five stars was because I could have used a little bit more fleshing out of everyone as a whole. The surface info was great, but I like my characters to have a little bit more going for them. I'll definitely pick up the second book based on who I think the second book is about. Can't wait to see more from this universe.

Wings Once Cursed and Bound is the first novel in the Mythwoven series. While it is being marketed as being for fans of Jennifer Armentrout and Sarah Maas, I can see elements where the three authors are similar, but not enough to compare them. For me, it seems more about marketing to those giant fanbases compared to connecting the three authors and their styles. This novel is more urban fantasy instead of the high fantasy novels that are typically written by the other two authors. I love urban fantasy, so I do wish that this was more the focus of the marketing as there is still a huge fanbase for this genre. The story follows Peeraphan “Punch” who receives a new pair of dancing shoes that turn out to be cursed in a more contemporary Seattle. Bennet Andrews was supposed to retrieve the shoes before they reached Punch, but it was too late. Punch is a Thai mythological kinnaree born in a family of humans and the story revolves around breaking the curse.

Kinnarees seem to be well-known by the characters of the story, but, unfortunately, I, as the reader, could not tell you very much about them. While those familiar with the mythology or want to go on a deep dive into Wikipedia (or another search method) will be able to understand, I feel that is unfair to every other reader. For me, I would have preferred some information given to the reader, such as the history or general meaning. As a lot of the novels contains many passages of telling rather than showing, I expected some additional information to be given about this part of the mythology. As for the rest of the telling rather than showing, this my least favorite of writing styles as it tends to feel forced rather than a story unfolding organically. This style even occurs during some climactic scenes where the readers is shown only a portion of the events and the rest is told through exposition/dialogue. Unfortunately, this type of style just is not for me as I need a lot more showing rather than telling for me to connect with a story.

Given the older ages of the characters, this story still has some YA vibes so I can see it appealing to readers of both genres. There is an expected romance that develops between Bennett and Punch, but it is rushed considering the story takes place in about 24-hours. They had great chemistry, and I don’t mind some initial speed in the development of their relationship, but I prefer it to then slow down a bit for the characters to actually connect and deepen the relationship. Through their journey a lot of other characters and beings are introduced, so it will be interesting to see how they all fit together in the sequels. The Thai-inspired aspect of this story was unique as I have not read a lot of stories using this mythology. Overall, the writing needs a little more work, for me, in terms of tightening up the story and maybe expanding on the showing aspect; however, there is a great concept presented and it will be interesting to try the sequel(s).

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this enjoyable novel. The opinions expressed are completely my own.**

Really great story. I love the female lead. She is strong and smart, willing to follow orders when needed but also question the rules. She will allow herself to be carried but also do the work to rescue herself when she can. She is the best sort of female heroine. I really enjoyed the way the author integrated a creature from Thai mythology into the supernatural world full of European creatures that the readers are likely to be more familiar with. All in all, it was a very fun read and I will definitely be looking out for the next book in the Mythwoven series