Cute and sweet. The pacing is weird and the ending abrupt. 😕 Like the story idea but the execution is lacking. 😕 That said, I'm writing this months later and while the previous is what I originally wrote in my review, I remember really liking it, so it left a good feeling. <3

This was a super fun and quick read, which I did listen to on audio. The resolution felt a bit abrupt, but I enjoyed it overall.

T kingfisher always puts out a great book, no matter what. I highly enjoyed this one, and recommend it to anyone and everyone! Only thing may be it was just too short! I love the writing and I’ll always read anytbing by this author.

Enjoyed this from start to finish. It was short, but packed with charm. As someone who loves a fairytale retelling, this novella was perfect for me. Instead of the typical princess-in-the-tower story, we get Toadling, a toad-shaped, gentle heroine whose journey was so much more than I expected.

The writing has this cozy, almost fairytale vibe, but with that signature T. Kingfisher wit that I just love. I loved how the novella flips the script on curses and knights, offering something both familiar but simultaneously new. Even though it’s a novella, I didn’t feel shortchanged; the pacing was great, and it had a sense of completeness that longer books sometimes struggle to achieve. Just another reason T. Kingfisher will forever be an auto-read author for me.

I am a big fan of fairytale retellings so I might be a bit biased when I say that I think this book is great. Toadling's story is so interesting and getting her story from her point of view just made this tale a delight. Although it mostly takes place in the real world, it still feels like a world filled with whimsy that I wanted to get to know better. My only real complaint with this book is that there wasn't more of it. It felt far too short.

T. Kingfisher is my personal hero. She just creates the most thoughtful, whimsical, and all around comforting stories I can think of. Kingfisher has never steered me wrong, ever. This book was like a warm hug. Toadling and Halim were fantastic characters to read about--they are two characters who could be typical heroines and heroes, but Kingfisher made their characters so much More in such a short amount of time. I thought this book was so fun. Perfectly paced (as a novella should be) and compelling to read. Can we please get another Toadling story in the future, please?

Anyone who loves fairytales that are flipped on their head needs to read this book immediately. 4 stars.

I was hoping with a novella I would be drawn into the story quicker, and was left pretty disappointed.

A fun, quick re-telling of the "Sleeping Beauty" tale. I loved the of the thing in the tower being pure evil - locked and surrounded by thorns for REASONS. T. Kingfisher does no wrong here, and the little romps through faerie with different creatures and lore and passing of time, all great. I honestly could have consumed a full novel of this!

‘Thornhedge’ by T. Kingfisher is a familiar story told with a signature twist.

A princess asleep in a thorn choked tower guarded by a fairy. A knight has heard stories and a knight has shown up to investigate. So far this sounds familiar, but it’s not going to go the way we know. The fairy, named Toadling, is unconventional, as is the poetry loving knight. Which leaves the princess and that is for the reader to discover.

T. Kingfisher shines here with memorable characters and a new look at a seemingly familiar story. I highly recommend this one and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

Such a surprising and well written read. Definitely a new spin on a classic fairy tale. The author brought a lot of story elements together that I had never seen combined before, but she made it work sooo well.

Thornhedge was an enchanting retelling of Sleeping Beauty with a heartwarming uniqueness that has earned T. Kingfisher's books a well-deserved place among my favorites. The delightfully short novella follows the familiar story of a princess sleeping in a tower and the fairy who put her there, but turns everything on its head, giving readers the preciously polite Toadling, the unsettling Fayette, and the knight Halim who follows old stories to find much more than he expected.

I would recommend this book if you're already a fan of T. Kingfisher and looking for spins on old tales much like Nettle & Bone or the forthcoming A Sorceress Comes to Call, or if you're looking for a quick sample of her charming characters and fantasy style! I think I have fallen into the pitfall of having 5-star standout favorites already that are very hard not to compare to, but I did still very much enjoy this read. It has most things I already love about Kingfisher's writing in a very short tale, but I think I'll usually (and probably greedily) love the longer ones best. I love staying in her worlds.

Once again, T Kingfisher proves that fairytales do not have to focus on the typical main character to be told! This reimagining focuses on Toadling who is tasked with guarding over a sleeping beauty. But, not everything is as it seems. The sleeping figure is a problem, the knight who is trying to save her is muslim, and Toadling has her own strange connection to the keep. I loved every minute of reading this novella. It is short, but detailed with a clear vision as to what the story should be!

Thornhedge is Sleeping Beauty with a twist. As always I enjoyed T. Kingfisher's writing and storytelling as well as her in-depth characters. Unfortunately the ending of Thornhedge was a tad underwhelming for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Tor and NetGalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this! It was sweet and short and full of tenderness alongside cruelty. I think that is the ideal fairy tale -- full of idealistic hope and crushing reality. I was endeared to the sweet knight and our fairy immediately and I loved the lore of her story as well as his quiet softness.

4 stars!

There are two things I specifically love in a fairytale retelling - a misunderstood villain and the upending of a story I grew up on. Thornhedge delivers on both accounts. I haven't enjoyed a Sleeping Beauty retelling this much since Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman.

Due to its length, I don't want to give too much away. So, my review will be a little vague.

T. Kingfisher does an incredible amount of worldbuilding in just 116 pages. It is beyond impressive. Equally impressive are the characters. Toadling's story made me feel things that some tomes never manage to. Toadling may be my favorite T. Kingfisher character.

Charming yet dark, Thornhedge proves that beauty is only skin deep.

I listened to the audio while reading along. Jennifer Blom does a fantastic job with the narration.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor, and Macmillan Audio for advanced copies in exchange for an honest review.

T. Kingfisher is so good at packing a lot of story into a small amount of writing. That was an interesting take on the classic sleeping beauty tale. It had the same feeling as Snow, Glass, Apples by Neil Gaiman - what if the original damsel in distress was actually the evil you needed to contain?

T. Kingfisher's 'Thornhedge' is like a breath of fresh air for Sleeping Beauty fans. This novella shakes up the classic tale, making you rethink everything you thought you knew about the 'damsel in distress.' But what really makes this book shine? The characters. Even though it's short, you'll quickly fall for the main characters and their banter.

3.5 stars!

A sleeping beauty retelling. This is a novella and I kind of wish it was a full book! The writing was fantastic but I could have done with *more*. More details and backstory. This is often my problem with novellas I always just want more. But hey! That's better than wanting less lol.

Thank you netgalley for the earc in exchange for an honest review.

Yes.. im very netgalley backlogged.

It is quite possible that I have found my newest obsession in Kingfisher’s distinctive brand of storytelling and word building because this was exquisitely beautiful and super entertaining to read. I’m already waiting to read their next book.

This was a short fun read and everything you can expect from a T.Kingfisher book. It’s the perfect pallet cleanser or something to read if you’re in a slump.
A little dark and twisted take on sleeping beauty that I very much enjoyed!