I wanted to love this, but there's nothing positive I can say about this book beyond the fact that the cover is gorgeous and the basic concept - a city built into the sides of a canyon, a protagonist who has power over fear - is very cool.

The plot is missing in action until about 70 percent of the way through. Before that, the story focuses on the slice of life aspect of the protagonist finding her place and encountering difficulties in the trollis city of Cagmar.

Slice of life style fantasy can work, but only if the characters are good enough to keep it intriguing, and the characters in this were utterly flat. They all had one defining character trait (the outcast struggling to belong, the kindly healer, the gruff warrior with a good heart, the sensitive soul wishing for change, the evil one...) and were never developed with any complexity beyond it. As a consequence, I wasn't invested in any of them, or in their relationships. The romance, which was the driving motivation for the protagonist for the only 30 percent of the story that had a plot was similarly bland.

Finally, even though the world-building had potential, the world mostly lacked depth and development. I wish we'd at least gotten a better understanding of the world, since the plot was so slow.

This has a pretty high rating on GR, so clearly other people found something to love in it, but unfortunately I really didn't like it.

I absolutely love Holmberg’s writing style. In The Hanging City, the world-building is exquisite. It is intricate and detailed enough to let you envision an entirely new type of home and way of life. The MC is running from a past that slowly unfolds throughout the book, set in a world that is resource-scarce and hostile. Without spoiling the book, the source of ‘magic’ in this story is absolutely fascinating. It’s completely original and something I hope to see expanded on in future. There are many dark themes throughout the story but it is an absolute joy to read. It is infused with fragments of hope, love and happiness. Holmberg’s trolls, of Trollis, have depth and complexity that have you loving and hating them all at the same time. My only critique of this book is that the culmination of events was predictable and there were no plot twists that would have taken this to the next level. Thank you to NetGalley, author and publisher for the ARC.

I'm giving this one a 3.75 rating. I’ve never read a fantasy centered around trolls and it was quite interesting. The writing in the beginning was a bit repetitive, as if the author was still warming up to the story and its details, but the worldbuilding was well done and made it easy to immerse myself into this universe. Lark is a somewhat refreshing protagonist, because she’s never afraid to admit her feelings and desires instead of trying to disguise herself as something different. The romance was lukewarm, but felt honest if not a little rushed (this being a standalone novel, it’s understandable).

Following the careful development of the relationships through Lark’s eyes was so satisfying (which made the unresolved tensions at the end even more upsetting). I believe this book would feel more complete if it had an extra 50/100 pages, but it managed to fit a lot of appealing elements and action into less than 350. I did enjoy myself reading it and will probably be thinking about this universe for a while.

Many thanks to NetGalley and 47North for this edition in exchange for an honest review.

The distinct and original fantasy worlds created by Charlie Holmberg never cease to amaze me. This is the first one I have read that is outside of a historical/magical alternate world. Turns out she writes dystopian fiction just as well!
In a world of harsh landscapes and scarce resources, a dwindling human population fights against monsters for survival. Other societies, other species, have separated themselves into communities secreted away. The nearest townships are miles and miles apart and the primary means of travel is walking - horses if you're lucky.
Lark is on the run from an abusive and power-hungry father who wielded her unique abilities as a weapon for his own advantages. Her ability has left her an outcast in most human communities so as a last resort, Lark seeks shelter in a Trollis community - the Hanging City of Cagmar - buried in a giant canyon. Though life is still difficult, Lark finds camraderie, friendship, and even love, just in time for her pursuers to try to destroy it all once again.
I love Charlie Holmberg's imagination. All of her created worlds have such detail - everything from her descriptions of the world, to the customs and culture of the societies. Any time you open a Charlie Holmberg book, prepare to be transported. I am normally not a reader of fantasy fiction centered on fantasy creatures, but I read this one because it's Charlie Holmberg. I was not disappointed. The story and characters are complex and intriguing and the story line just snowballs into something you can't put down.

4.25⭐️

Thanks to a secret power and a difficult/ abusive upbringing, Lark has always struggled to find a place where she belongs. After moving around from place to place in the human world, she finally resorts to seeking refuge among the trollis- and perhaps eventually finding a home and a family among them.

Filled with romance and action and insights about hierarchies and the ways we separate ourselves, I enjoyed this unputdownable read from start to finish, and hope there will be a continuation of it into a series, as I would definitely happily pick back up where this book left off.

Thank you Charlie N. Holmberg, 47North, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

By golly, she's done it again. Holmberg never ceases to amaze me with her story ideas, unique magic, and fascinating worlds.

I loved Lark as a main character. She was strong and willing to work hard for what she wanted. She had values and morals and always stuck by them. And her magic was creepy yet so interesting.

My favorite part of this book was the hanging city itself. The trolls (or trollis) have suspended their city underneath a massive bridge that spans an enormous canyon. I found the whole thing so intriguing! And the caste system the trolls use and the way they can climb it was also very well thought out and interesting.

Thanks for another great romantasy, Charlie!

Absolutely blown away by this book! I loved it so much! I loved the world building and I was just so wrapped up in the characters and the plot I couldn’t put it down. Charlie Holmberg is a master storyteller and I and a fan for life. This book is no exception. I wondered how I would feel about the trolls but I loved their characters and how they were written in their world. I loved Lark and Azmar and just couldn’t get enough of this story! Highly recommend if you like fantasy.

Content: mild language, violence, past abuse, past death of parents
Romance: fade to black, closed door

4.5 stars rounded up.
This book was SO UNIQUE. I've never read a twist on the troll under the bridge before and I loved it. This has fantastic romantic tension, a serious sloooow burn, amazing world building, and a fast paced plot that kept me guessing the entire time. I have some mad love for all of Charlie's magic systems and this one is no different. I truly enjoyed every single character. At the end, my only wish was that it hadn't ended yet! I love that this is a standalone and I wanted more (especially more Azmar 🤤)

*one fade to black scene

Thank you so much to the author for my complimentary copy of this book. All opinions here are my own.

A very imaginative, romantic fantasy from Charlie N. Holmberg with an ending that makes you never want I to leave.
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Special thanks to Charlie N. Holmberg and 47North for the advanced copy to review. It's always a pleasure to read Charlie's books.

Definitely one of the best books I’ve read from this author! The world building. The relationships. The characters. The plot. This was pristine. And the writing was as whimsical and emotional as ever. I absolutely loved this.

I’m not gonna lie—when I heard this was a troll romance, I was a bit skeptical. But I’ve loved Holmberg’s books for years, so of course I was going to give it a chance. And the only thing bad about that is, I’m done reading. It’s over. And I don’t want it to be!

I absolutely adored this story. Lark was a fantastic heroine—strong, yet gentle hearted, and definitely broken by her past. In her search for belonging—a place to call home, a family that can love her—she seeks refuge in a city of trolls. The characters she finds there were so diverse and interesting, and I loved each and every one (except Grogg. But I loved to hate him!).

This story was so much more than I expected. The world was so well developed, the city of Cagmar played like a movie scene behind my eyes while I read. I didn’t want to put it down, and now that I’m done reading, I only want more. I want to know what happens to Lark and Azmar. I want to see how their story ends, how the characters I fell in love with continue on after this ending.

I’m so sad this is over, but I’m so happy I took a chance and read this amazing book!

A stunning, dark fairytale world where hope is a new plant clinging to the side of a cliff and any misstep could send you over the edge of a chasm.

Lark is desperate for a place to hide, to call home. She bears an ability that, when presented, invariably leads to her exile time and time again. All human cities have cast her out, so her last hope is the legendary city of trolls and the ancient lore around it. The risks to seek acceptance for the trollis will push Lark into danger and force her to fight for any scrap offered. It will give her opportunities and take them away just as quickly. Life. Death. Love. Her life will be forever changed, but will it be for the better?

C. N. Holmberg has made her mark writing historical fantasies, but this book might be her best novel yet (in my opinion, it is neck and neck with The Fifth Doll, my personal favorite). It is beautifully written, the world of the trolls a believable, complex world not only with the physical descriptions of a society built into a canyon's edge, but the socioeconomic structure of castes and their ramifications as well. There are real stakes, not only for Lark, but the other characters drawn into her story as well. I was left breathless by multiple scenes, wondering how the story would make a way for Lark to continue on, the situation seemingly hopeless.

This is a story that left its mark on me. I felt its presence for days after I finished it. If you are interested in a fantasy world with hints of fairytale woven in, definitely pick this one up. 5/5 stars.

As always, Holmberg has written a fantastic and unique world for a stand alone fantasy romance. I was rooting for Lark, the protagonist. And I loved the supporting cast of characters.

Other than her earlier novel, "Followed by Frost," this is the only other novel where she's used weather as part of the world building, which I enjoyed. There are multiple species, but trolls (trollis) and humans are the primary focus. The hierarchy of the trolls is well developed and interesting.

I loved the range of characters. In fact, I wasn't sure who the love interest would be for a while (not a love triangle, just a slow burn). I liked the friendships that developed through the story, as imperfect as they were. The FMC (female main character) constantly had to choose between bad choices, which pushed the pacing. The stakes escalated perfectly, too.

This was Holmberg's most emotional book to date (IMO), the heartbreak for the character and the dark elements of the story, included. Also, the romance was more intense compared to her past stories. It's has a fade to grey scene with metaphorical broad strokes (still likely considered a "clean read" but definitely felt more for "adult readers" for multiple content situations.

If you like forbidden romance and you want a break from fae, The Hanging City is one to check out!

Charlie Holmberg is the QUEEN of Misdirection. Every time I felt that I knew where the story was going, there was a swift sharp to the left. And I loved it! She writes romantic fantasy in a way that is enjoyable to me, who is not a fan of typical romantic storylines. The romantic gestures, and acts, are so relatable and wanted. The power of the main character is also something new and exciting and made me hunt for the reason why she was gifted with such a strange and powerful gift. This book shows a brand new world that makes the reader want more and more! Hopefully, we will be seeing more of Lark and her trolls . . . I mean Trollis ;)