This little novella by T. Kingfisher is my first introduction to this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I will definitely be picking up more of her work in the future.

Thornhedge is what I would consider the nightmare edition of Sleeping Beauty (or in some cases, the ultimate reality) - what happens when someone who is physically beautiful is actually a monster? Told from the perspective of the (somewhat) fairy who delivered the gift, T. Kingfisher flips the narrative on its head and gives the reader a unique glimpse into what might happen if Beauty wasn't all sunshine and rainbows.

T. Kingfisher is able to create a wonderfully complex main character in Toadling; a not-so-human, not-so-fairy girl who just wants to do what's right. Full of endearing charm and insecurities that many people can relate to, it's not hard to fall in love with her from the beginning. I am so glad that we get to hear the story from this point of view and, honestly, I wouldn't mind following the adventures of Toadling in another story!

Toadling is tasked with giving a blessing to a child in the human world. It is drilled into her that she must get the phrasing of the blessing exactly right, otherwise, one slight difference will turn it into a curse. Always one to please, Toadling practices endlessly until she is finally ready to travel to the human realm to bestow the gift. Unfortunately, no amount of practice and training could have prepared Toadling for what happened next. As you can imagine, the blessing goes wrong and Toadling is subsequently locked out of Faerie and forced to stay in the human world where she tries to right her wrong.

After enduring the fallout of her failed blessing, Toadling and the members of the keep soon realize that the King and Queen's daughter is a monster. After several horrendous events, the only solution, short of killing the princess, is for Toadling to put her to sleep. While Toadling waits for her magic to wear off or something to go wrong, thorns begin to grow protectively around the keep and the people in the castle slowly begin to leave. Eventually, Toadling finds herself alone and the thorn forest becomes her home (and prison).

Centuries pass and a knight wanders into Toadling's forest looking to break a curse that he read about. Toadling is unable to dissuade the knight and they soon form a tentative and an unlikely sort of friendship. With the help of the knight, Toadling is able to confront her past and gain perspective on her actual role in the events that led up to her guarding the tower and the sleeping princess. T. Kingfisher is able to show the growth in Toadling in such as short span of pages, which is remarkable!

The phrase "It's not what's on the outside, but the inside that counts" plays a constant theme throughout this novella and the subtle ways that T. Kingfisher works this into several different areas of the story is great.

I would certainly recommend this book to other people.

Thank you, NetGalley,

I really enjoyed this audiobook. It was just over three hours and I devoured it. The reimagining of Sleeping Beauty was perfection. I would love to see this as an animated movie. Toadling was the perfect character and I'm trying not to gush so I don't ruin it for anyone so read it.

There’s a princess trapped in a tower. This isn't her story.

Meet Toadling. On the day of her birth, she was stolen from her family by the fairies, but she grew up safe and loved in the warm waters of faerieland. Once an adult though, the fae ask a favor of Toadling: return to the human world and offer a blessing of protection to a newborn child.

Centuries later, a knight approaches a towering wall of brambles, where the thorns are as thick as your arm and as sharp as swords. He’s heard there’s a curse here that needs breaking, but it’s a curse Toadling will do anything to uphold…

Thornhedge is one of the most unique takes on a classic fairytale that I have ever seen, and I really appreciated how T Kingfisher flipped took everything we thought we knew about this story and flipped it upside down.

Unfortunately, while I absolutely adored the concept, writing and general storytelling, the story itself left me feeling rather underwhelmed. That said, I am really excited to check out other books by Kingfisher because I did really, really enjoy her writing style.

I definitely recommend this novella to anyone looking for a short, fun cozy fantasy.

---3.5/5 stars!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I can’t express how good ‘Thornhedge’ by T. Kingfisher was! Enchanting, engrossing, endearing and emotional, Kingfisher took the classic tale of ‘Sleeping Beauty’ and really made it her own. This novella just shines. I was enthralled from the first sentence, and loved Toadling with all of my heart. The splendid audio was the cherry on top. Narrator Jennifer Blom brought this story, and Toadling herself, roaring to life with her performance. The story wrapped up satisfyingly, but I’d absolutely jump at the chance for more adventures with Toadling in the future. Highly recommend!

𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘰𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘣𝘺 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳 (𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬-𝘺𝘰𝘶!). 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.

This was cute and I liked it but I felt like it was missing something. Maybe the talk of knights and plague made me think we were going to get some sort of Toadling hero's journey? What we got instead was sweet and fulfilling in its own way. It just felt kind of like when you eat a chocolate chip cookie and it doesn't have that sprinkle of salt. Ultimately though, I will read and enjoy anything T.Kingfisher puts out.

Thank you, NetGalley for the eArc.

I’m charmed! Honestly, you had me at “toad-shaped heroine and a gentle knight.” This twist on Sleeping Beauty was short, sweet, and an absolute delight. Crossing my fingers for more of this duo!

4.5 stars rounded up.
Thank you Macmillan Audio for an ARC of Thornhedge in exchange of my honest opinion.

This is my second T. Kingfisher book and I'm realizing she will become an auto-read author for me. Although I have seen this book categorized as Horror, I would say that it's not. This is a straight fantasy - fairy tale and I loved the spin Kingfisher added to it.

In this book we have Toadling, she is a fairy that is trapped in a castle because of a "blessing" gone wrong. After several years, she receives a visitor at the castle, a second son that is trying his best to be a worthy knight. For that, he arrives at Toadling's keep because of legends of a curse that it needed to be broken.

This book is beautifully written and it just transported me right into an old school fairy tale that later received the pink clouds of romance. Here we don't have that.. it's clearly a spin of the sleeping beauty where the one sleeping is not the one that needs saving. I must say that Toadling was so sweet in my opinion and she pairing up with the very mediocre knight was so funny and delicate at the same time. Kingfisher also did environment super well. The mood of the keep feels haunted and heavy and melancholic as it should be.

This book was a quick read and I had an amazing time with it.

Another Kingfisher book I’m reading this year and who knows, it’ll probably not even be the last. And every book of hers always manages to leave me feeling satisfied but wanting more.

This is a Sleeping Beauty retelling told from the POV from the faerie guarding the tower, Toadling. She is such an endearing character who is scared and unsure of herself, hasn’t gotten much of a chance to make choices in her long life, and always tries to help in whatever way she can. The way the author reveals her backstory little by little is beautiful and she is definitely what makes this little novella memorable. The knight Halim on the other hand is a nice guy - no doubt - but the kind of nice guy who thinks he is doing the right thing, irrespective of the wishes of those around him. So while I thought he could be better, I wasn’t totally swept off by him.

The prose is lyrical and haunting and sweet, something I’ve come to expect from the author, and it always marvels me how she manages to show the darkness in her stories but still ensures that there’s enough light to be found at the end of the tunnel and the readers are always left with hope. It’s the same feeling I got after finishing this story - it’s too short but we get enough of it that we are satisfied despite all the awful moments that have passed, and we are left with hope for the many adventures Toadling might go on after this end.

To finish this off, you can’t miss this if you are a Kingfisher fan like I am. And if you haven’t encountered her works yet, this little novella is not a bad starting point. Just go in expecting something weird and horrific but also sweet and cozy and get swept up in its magic. I do have to mention that the audiobook narrator Jennifer Blom does a lovely job bringing Toadling’s story to us and I would surely recommend the audio format to those who enjoy listening to fairytales.

I was lucky enough to get access to the audiobook of this through NetGalley, and it was so delightful. I've only read one other book by this author, but thoroughly enjoyed it and was intrigued. This one did not disappoint!

This is a charming reimagining of the Sleeping Beauty fairytale, told from the perspective of the fairy who placed the sleeping charm on her. A complex, loveable character, who is trying to do her best. Aren’t we all?

T. Kingfisher builds a world of complicated fairies, some good, some bad, some inbetween, and it is reminiscent of old, wilder fairytales. Her prose is lovely, and the audiobook was highly enjoyable.

I’m looking forward to my next read from this author!

What an enchanting little read. This was my first T. Kingfisher book. I will definitely be picking up some others now. It was simple and sweet. A nice twist on a much loved fairy tale. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy.

Thank you to Net Galley and MacMillan Audio for the opportunity to listen rage and review this audio arc which is available August 15,2023.

Let me preface this as saying I am a huge fan of this author. I own all her books.

Now I to this audiobook. The narrator Jennifer Blom has such a stunning voice and cadence when reading and breathing life into this dark fairytale. Loved her voice.

As for the story? Toadling is a new fav. The flow of the story is fast and straight forward. She was stolen by the fae and happy until the fae wished her to return to the human world to protect a human baby. A knight comes to break a curse but Toadling doesn’t wish for it to be broken. You can feel her emotions in the words being read. I enjoyed it!

This is my first book by T Kingfisher. I own several, but I haven’t taken the time to sit down and read them. But I definitely will be going through the backlog now! This story was absolutely incredible. I adored the magic system. The dual timeline was very well done and kept the mystery alive while still telling us what we needed to know about the story. I love the passage of time in the two realms and how this played such a huge role in the epilogue. The story flowed nicely and I devoured it very quickly. As for the narration, the audio was fantastic. I love the different voices that the narrator did for the characters. Additionally, the pacing of the narration was perfect. Overall, I highly recommend.

I really enjoyed Thornhedge. T. Kingfisher is never a disappointment! Toadling is such a compassionate character you can't help but love her. The other characters were also well-developed. It was a great spin on Sleeping Beauty. The narrator enhances the story. Highly recommend! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an audiobook for review.

From the summary I was interested in this book. What got me interested was the line “There’s a princess trapped in a tower. This isn’t her story”.

The story follows Toadling who is living in Faeireland after being stolen by fairies from birth. Toadling will do anything to protect a curse she cast centuries ago. A knight approaches who hears there is a curse to break and has a lot of interesting interactions with Toadling. Its been awhile since Toadling spoke with anyone and that showed in a fun way. The knight is not your typical knight. He considers himself a failure and not a good knight which was an interesting change from how knights are usually portrayed.

This was a novella so with its short nature this left me wanting to explore more of this book. The setting and characters were great and I was left feeling like I was missing something.

If you like fantasy settings then this one I recommend.

THORNHEDGE by T. Kingfisher was a fantastic audio superbly narrated by Jennifer Blom!

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

Toadling is the little baby who was taken by the fairies at birth and raised in the magic waters of faerieland. When she is grown, they ask her to return to give a blessing to a new baby. It doesn't go as planned and Toadling must find a solution. Time passes and one day day a knight approaches the bramble and discovers there is more than just the rumor of a curse!

I thoroughly enjoyed this Sleeping Beauty retelling! I was so fascinated by Toadling and her story. The reframing of it was ghastly and creepy in the very best way. The structure was great in fleshing out the tension while the story progressed.

I loved the narration of Blom. She captured the atmosphere and took me into Toadling's world magically. I listened at 2x speed and think I may listen again because it was so fun! I am also finding that I am a fan of Kingfisher's style.

Thank you to @netgalley & @macmillan.audio for letting me listen to this ALC and share my thoughts! This fun fantasy will be available August 15th.

5 out of 5 stars if I could I would give it more!

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

I have become such a fan T. Kingfisher and this novel really made me an even bigger fan. First let me start by saying that Jennifer Blom was a fantastic narrator. She in encaptured Toadling perfectly. Also has there ever been a such a sweet little cinnamon roll as Toadling? I personally don't think so.

I am fan of Beauty and the Beast retellings and I have to say that this may be the best one I have ever read. You know how cozy fantasy has really become a thing? Well, this is a perfect cozy fantasy book.

This was a really good time. I loved reading fairy-tales as a kid, and listening to this felt sort of like the adult version of my experience with that. We've all read "adult versions" of fairy-tales before where the author just makes things really dark or really sexual or both and then calls it a day, but T. Kingfisher's adult fairy-tales take a more clever approach. It felt really fresh and interesting, and Toadling (a human stolen from her parents at birth and raised by fairies) as a character was so lovable, I just wanted to hug her. The way this plays with the Sleeping Beauty story was very pleasing, and even though I was worried about the ending, I shouldn't have been because she pulled it off beautifully.

I did the audio version, and while I thought it was perfectly fine, the narrator's voice didn't aid the story in my opinion; in fact it flattened out some things I think I would have laughed at had I read the book with my eyeballs. She was just way too serious of a narrator for Kingfisher's voice.

Kingfisher is probably favorite fantasy writer for tackling retellings. I'm just grateful that she's writing non-horror for Macmillan because I cannot stomach the gruesome books. Read via audio (narrated by Jennifer Blom).

Disclaimer: I received a free audiobook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. (less)

This read like an old Fable. I liked it a lot. The audio was really well done. Didn’t take to long to read so it’s a nice little fun story.

Immediately went from A House with Good Bones to Thornhedge. This novella is a sleeping beauty retelling from the point of view of a fairy, who is maybe the fairy godmother? The world building is pretty good (though I didn’t love the real history worked in). I liked the main character and the knight but I found it dragged a little between the flashbacks. Big recommend to fantasy fans.