I've never read a book by this author before (though she apparently has a bit of a following on Goodreads). I was immediately drawn to the cover (I know, I know. I judged a book by its cover). The book description had me immediately pressing the request button. Definitely right in my wheelhouse. I was a little bummed by how it ended, felt like it ended in the middle of a chapter, but I enjoyed the FMC and the world she discovers. Tyghan was fun, too. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

The storyline about Bristol venturing into a fae realm to locate her supposedly deceased father was engaging and well-executed. As the main character enters the Fae realm, she unravels mysteries involving trolls, her father's disappearance, and complex kingdom politics. ..This book features monsters, fae, sinister villains, a charismatic king who initially opposes the female main character. The romance element was endearing, particularly as it blossomed during the latter part of the book when they are united. I appreciated the narrator's skill in switching voices effectively, which helped me follow the characters and scenes without confusion. Despite that, the ending was unique, leaving me curious about what unfolds next in the story.

I finished this book a couple days ago, and needed a bit to think about it. It was on my mind for a bit! Starting with the things I didn't love: I wish the character development was better for the side characters. Sometimes it was hard to keep track of who was whom because I wasn't able to picture what they looked like well enough. For that reason, it slowed down a bit in the first third of the book for me. However, when it really picked up in the second half of the book I couldn't put it down. Also had one of the best couple fights I've read in a while, and I live for that on-page drama! Will absolutely read book 2, can't wait to see what happens next.


Thanks Flatiron Books and NetGalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review

Oooof this was rough! I wanted so badly for this to be wonderful, but despite the books strong start, it fell entirely flat on its face. The book read very YA as far as plot and character arcs… and yet it seems Mary attempted to age up the novel by adding in explicit language that didn’t fit, and cringy sex scenes that left me rolling my eyes. The plot and world felt like recycled bits and pieces of fantasy books I’ve read before, namely The Cruel Prince and Throne of Glass. The book was long, and yet almost nothing happened, And that ending!!!! What?! Not a cliff hanger, but also a really bizarre way to end a book.

This book was rough for me to get through, I really had to push myself to keep doing and not DNFing. The blurb was SUPER interesting, so I was stoked to get my hands on this. But the pacing is excruciatingly slow, thus the having a hard time. The beginning of the story describing the grief the characters are going through and trying to get by without their parents makes total sense. Yes, we need that because it explains Bristol's choices. But then things drag on I feel like until at least the 60% mark. I wish things had been explained more thoroughly sooner to keep the pacing more bearable.

I love anything by Mary E. Pearson and this was no expecting! I will say I struggled to get into this a bit more than other books of hers but once I did I really enjoyed it. It has fae and magic and portals and monsters - just so many unique and cool elements. I really enjoyed the characters and the romance. It was a little slow at first but just give it a chance! Will be adding to our library 100%!

I had really high hopes for this book, especially since I had pre-ordered it months ago and was so excited to get an ARC. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite land for me, and I honestly struggled to get into it. If it hadn’t been an ARC, I probably would’ve set it aside early on. I didn’t really feel invested in the story until about 60% of the way through, which made for a pretty long wait. By that point, I still couldn’t keep track of most of the characters besides the two leads, and the abrupt ending left me feeling like I had somehow missed a few pages. After finishing it, I ended up canceling my pre-order.

That said, I can see why some readers might enjoy it, especially if you’re into fae fantasy or books with a strong enemies-to-lovers dynamic. The world-building, while confusing at times, does have its moments, and the romance, while it didn’t work for me, might appeal to those who enjoy a bit of tension between the main characters. It’s a little bit of a slow burn, but for fans of the genre, the lore and magical elements could be enough to hook you.

Overall, this just wasn’t my cup of tea, and I give it a 2/5 stars. I think if you’re someone who enjoys slow-building fantasy with a lot of intrigue and don’t mind waiting a while for things to pick up, this could be worth a try. For me, though, it felt like there were too many missing details, and the pacing just didn’t click. But hey, not every book is for everyone!

I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley and Flatiron books/ Macmillan.

I was very excited to get this book ad I've read the author’s previous books and enjoy her writing style. This is a modern girl kidnapped into fairie story and I wasn’t sure what to expect.

There are so many surprises, and twists that there isn't a lot I can say without spoiling. It kept me interested and thinking about it even when I had to put the book down. After the loss of both her parents, Bristol Keats is getting by day to day when a random Fairy jerk shows up to mess up her life. then it goes into a bit of a magic school/friendship/ enemies to (spoiler) story.

I think that writing fairie stories and using all of the folktales and classic stories to world build while creating something interesting and NEW without falling prey to a generic romantasy is really hard, and not often done well. This story definitely has a nice mix of intrigue, fairy lore, romance, and surprise. If you’re a fan of Holly Black, this might be something you enjoy, but keep in mind it's modern. VERY invested in getting the next book!

A lush portal fantasy, filled with magic, scheming fae, romance, gods and mythological monsters. This was such a fun read, with compelling and immersive characters, plot and world building. Mary E. Pearson's foray into adult fantasy definitely did not disappoint.
I found the characters likeable and complex - there is quite a bit of moral ambiguity in the relationships of characters, and I found that a fun element to explore. The romance was enjoyable and believable and just enough. The world of Elphame felt lush - and hope we continue to see more in later books.
I did however have a couple cons - I wish there was further explanation of the magic system - while we do see training on magic, I felt like I was missing an over-arching bigger picture of how magic works and is granted. I did also find the ending a bit lackluster. There is a setup for the series to continue nicely, but it seemed as if this first book left with too many things unresolved.

With that said, I will absolutely be reading the next book in this series!


Thank you to NetGalley for both the audio and eBook ARCS.

This is what SJM thought she was doing with ACOTAR!! I absolutely loved this read and I am anxiously awaiting the sequel.

The Courting of Bristol Keats was my first foray into Mary E. Pearson's books and I was *not* disappointed. Pearson has shown off her world-building and characterization skills while building an engaging plot with personal stakes to get invested in. Bristol is dynamic and realistic, flawed yet completely relatable. As a fellow middle-sibling that shoulders way too much responsibility, I adored watching her come into her own.

In this fae fantasy, the binary of good and evil is muddy. It is unclear who is right and who is wrong, maybe everyone is a little bit of both. Classic tropes are present, but reinvented. The faeries are aesthetically whimsical and hold devastating power. Betrayal is a motif that haunts the story.

As someone who has read too many fantasies to count, I still found myself occasionally surprised with where Pearson steered the plot and character development. I highly suggest this read for any fantasy-lover who has been burned too many times by the over-saturated romantasy market. This book is so well done that it is a breath of fresh air.

Unfortunately I couldn't get into this one... It feels like YA, despite the premise, and the wild info dump of characters and sudden drops of information (oh well, there are monsters; oh well, my dad might be alive) felt rushed and confusing, like I was in the middle of a story rather than at the beginning of one... I just could not engage with the writing style or feel any compulsion to keep reading. This one wasn't for me.

Every page is filled with emotional intensity and a sense of wonder that left me yearning for more. I truly could not put this book down, and I already need the next one!

I loved Mary E. Pearson’s other books and was excited to see she had another one coming out. Unfortunately, this was a def for me at about 25% in. There was little to no world building and the characters seemed to just keep being introduced. There was no descriptions and in my opinion to many in the beginning making it confusing. The story itself seemed like many other fae books I have read. This made it hard for me to stay interested in the story. The writing style is done well, I wish this story worked for me but it didn’t.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author/ publisher for an eARC of this title for my honest review.

Bristol Keats has always been on the run. Her family's moved more times than she can count and settling has never been an option. After the loss of both her parents, Bristol struggles to keep her and her two sisters afloat. When mysterious letters arrive requesting Bristol meet with a lost aunt, curiosity wins out. Her life as she knows it will changed dramatically. Their whole lives have been built on lies and now Bristol must wrestle with consequences.

Through a portal and into another world filled with fae, shape shifters, and so many more, Bristol searches for the truth. Those within the realm believe she may hold the power to help them with a large problem, but when push comes to shove what will matter most to Bristol.

This book was a ride. The world building is done beautifully. The main characters are gripping and annoying in all the best ways. Some of the lesser characters were lacking but again, lesser. I think this was a great book with potential to go far. Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book.

This book knocked my socks off, I loved it so much. I want to already read it again. It was a little complicated reading through things and not understanding half of waht was going on which makes me excited to read it again and go back and look for clues. It kind of ended on a weird note though, but also maybe it was a fake ending?

Unfortunately this was a DNF for me. While I actually somewhat enjoyed the writing style, the plot and language used seemed very YA to me. I really struggled with how little context was given to the number of characters introduced so rapidly and I could not quite suspend disbelief enough to go along with how quickly Bristol was willing to accept finding out about "monsters". I think the writing was generally fine if a bit young and I think this may find an audience with those who enjoy YA books

3.5 stars, rounded up.

After being absolutely obsessed with this author's YA series' I had super high hopes for Bristol Keats. This book is THICK and I really expected Bristol and Tyghan to make more progress towards defeating evil than they did. I loved watching Bristol grow to stand up for herself. The narration for this was a 10/10. Brittany Pressley is one of my favorite narrators and she can do no wrong.

Things I loved:
-the search for Bristol's father
-Elphame
-the camaraderie of the recruits and their little found family
-Instant animosity to more
-lots and lots of secrets
-the support and love of sisters

Things I didn't love:
-SO much language
-the on page intimacy felt so lust-driven rather than built on a real relationship
-I wanted more progress, more battles, more adventure

Thank you to MacMillan Audio for my complimentary ALC and Netgalley for my complimentary e-arc. All opinions here are my own.

DNF’d at 100 pages. I found the premise to be very intriguing but I’m sorry to say I simply did not enjoy this authors writing style and could not imagine sticking with it for another 400 pages. I think others may enjoy it more than I did, and I will consider ordering it for the store for that reason.

This was not what I was expecting. Kiss of Deception Is one of my favorite books so I had really high hopes. I love the concept of this book, there is so much potential with the characters and the world. But honestly I don't understand how the world works. It just didn't make sense. There were a lot of instant relationships, not just the love kind and it felt a little flat in that way. I will still read the next book, but I had been hoping for a more finessed version of this book

As for spice 🌶️: it is there for sure. It isn't insanely long and detailed, but it is descriptive.

Finally one of my most anticipated reads of 2024 that did not disappoint. I fell in love with Mary E Pearsons writing back when the Dance of Thieves duology came out. And now with “The Courting of Bristol Keats” she’s done it again with an amazing new romantasy.

First off I want to say I can’t believe I was one of the lucky few to read an ARC of this book. Hopefully my review does it justice and convinces everyone to read this when it releases later this fall. I suppose we should start with the bad, and trust me there’s not a lot of bad. One of the hardest things I struggled with reading this was the multiple POVs. In some chapters we have multiple characters storylines happening. And I found that to be a bit confusing. Eventually I got the hang of it but be advised if you also struggle with this. My other major gripe comes more towards the end and since so want to keep this spoiler free all I’m going to say is communication and leave it at that.

Now for my favorite parts of the story. The world building and magic system are excellently done and easy to follow. Which I was ecstatic for especially since this is marketed as adult fantasy. Because we all know sometimes adult fantasy novels can just be way too much. Can’t forget to mention our lead characters. I freaking loved Bristol. She is a kick ass with a smart mouth and I can’t wait to see how she continues to grow into the next book. And let’s not forget our shadow daddy, Tyghan. Even though I want to punch him, I still enjoy his relationship and banter with Bristol.

Last but not least let’s talk about tropes! Literally all my favorite tropes are present. We have found family, enemies to lovers, reluctant allies, high stakes magic and betrayal. If you haven’t already guessed, I highly recommend this book! I can’t wait to add a physical copy to my collection later this fall!

A big thank you to Flatiron Books & NetGalley for providing me an arc in exchange for my honest review!