SERVANT OF EARTH is full of Fae trickery, epic trials, found friendship, sinuous romance and unique magic.

Hawley sweeps us to the underground kingdom of Mistei, where Kenna, our MC finds herself a captive to the Fae court forced to compete in deadly trials. While trying to stay alive in the tyrannical king’s realm, she finds herself at the center of a Fae rebellion and catches the attention of its leader.

This is a fast read with six dangerous, adrenaline filled trials. I love the fact that Kenna is a magicless heroine who must rely on her cunning and bravery. She’s kind, resilient and a multilayered character you can root for.

The underground realm of Mistei is filled with mercurial Fae, gorgeous atmosphere and dark, beastly creatures. I especially enjoyed how each house is represented by a
unique magic: Fire, Earth, Light, Void, Illusion, and Blood.

There is a romance with definitely some sizzle but I really loved how Hawley creates complications and layered questions surrounding it. Also, for those of you who enjoy strong, feminine friendships, SERVANT OF EARTH has them.

I enjoyed the whole trial vibe and deadly Fae atmosphere created. Hawley didn’t shy away from creating varied shades of morally grey and dark Fae here. You will find terror and brutality as well as kindness and compassion within these pages.

The ending definitely has me excited to continue the series! I can’t wait to see where Hawley takes Kenna’s story.

➻ 𝐀𝐝𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐓𝐁𝐑 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞:
Dark Fantasy Romance
Atmospheric Fae Realm
Deadly Trials
Sadistic Ruler
Unique Elemental Magic
Sentient Dagger
Vicious Monsters
Fae Rebellion

This was a slow start but then it got really, really good. I enjoyed the relationship between Kenna and her mistress, but especially loved the set up for what I think (and hope) will happen in the next book!

The plot drags are the start but once it picks up readers won’t want to put this down.
The world building is paced perfectly throughout the book. Readers won’t feel they need to take notes at the beginning for fear of being confused as the plot progresses, a perfect blend of low and high fantasy. Be aware there are still unanswered questions at the end of this first in a series.
Kenna feels like Freya (A Court of Thornes and Roses) at the beginning that made me question if I wanted to keep reading. Readers! Keep reading!!! There are layers that are unique to Servant of Earth. The romance in this romantasy takes a back seat to political intrigue and self-discovery, so readers “who don’t really read romance” shouldn’t shy away.
The theatrical pacing makes the book feel like its flying by, but it made me consciously slow down and savor every bit of this novel. Its one you look back on and wish you could read again for the first time.
The perfect combination of Sara J. Maas and Holly Black that won’t leave readers feeling like they are rereading A Court of Thornes and Rose or The Cruel Prince.

Kenna Harron lost her mother and only has her best friend left. She plans to escape to a better life after she finds a magical blade in the bog. But when her best friend is selected to travel across the bog to faeirie, Kenna follows to protect her.

When Kenna is the only person to survive the bog and make it all the way to Fae, she is assigned Servant of Earth House in the underground faerie kingdom called Mistel. There, she must help her mistress Lara survive six magical tasks to gain immortality and become the heir of Earth House. If Lara fails the tasks, she will be disowned or killed and Kenna will be put to death.

Soon, Kenna becomes part of a secret rebellion to overthrow the evil faerie king, Osric while trying to determine what the next task will be and how she can help Lara survive.

Trigger Warnings: Death, violence

Why Jackie loves it: There are so many twists and turns in this steamy fantasy. The different houses of fae (Earth, Fire, Light, Illusion, Void, and Blood) each have their own secrets and are ruled by magical shards or the same name. The fae are cunning, vicious, and beautiful. Within a few pages, I was sucked into this world. I love how smart and resourceful Kenna is, even if she is completely naive to the ways of the fae.

I liked this book for the first half, and then I had to DNF at 70%. It started to get pretty annoying to me, but this might be more of a personal opinion. The second half seemed to get a lot more politically personal, in a liberal way. As if it was promoting it. I tried to continue reading it, trying to accept differing opinions and views, but it started to feel like a chore to read it. Overall, other than that, I really love the premise and setup. I think this will be a hit with the younger generation, particularly 13-21 year olds.

Huh.

The fae are about as common to the fantasy genre as squirrels nowadays, yet I'm still drawn into books that feature them to see if anything new is done with them.

Servant of Earth is only really subversive in the physical location of the fairies realm, a subterranean cityscape divided into several houses/ elemental subgroups.

Other than that the courts operate the same and the fae are supposedly as radiant as all the others from the innumerable book series before this.

I just feel like the actual narrative is weak. The way events are described give too much away to the point of annoyance.

Now while I have read a good bit of fantasy titles, I am still capable of being surprised- but this didn't surprise me at all.

At the 20% mark of this book I felt confident that I knew the major plot points that would occur or at least the general idea of them. There are simply too many Chekov's guns lying around in the writing.

I also disagree with this book's placement in the New Adult age group. The writing style is simplistic and would serve better for a younger teen demographic. The only things keeping it that age group are a few pieces of violent content.

This story is a unique spin on fae and deadly trials. It begins with wonderful world-building as we get to know the FMC, Kenna. When she makes it to Mistei, it’s not even close to what she’s been told it’s going to be. She’s given to one of the members of the fae court as an (unwanted) servant and must help her navigate a set of trials to stay alive. There are a few slow parts to the book, but they are worth pushing through as the book as a whole is worth the read. I loved the magic system and the characters. Can’t wait for more!

Kenna Heron is an ordinary woman, living on the fringes of her village, finding treasures in the bog, which she sells in order to put food on the table. When the time comes for sacrifices to be chosen to travel across the bog to the Fae, Kenna is distressed to find her best friend is picked. So, in desperation, she follows her and ends up in a cruel Fae kingdom where she is given as handmaiden to the heir of Earth House, Lara, as an aid as her trials are about to begin.

The underground kingdom of the Fae is a cruel and viscous place. Magical gifts are divided into houses. Earth, Void, Fire, Illusion, and Light. And the now decimated house of Blood, who were wiped out after the rebellion. Kenna is tasked with helping her new mistress as she undergoes the trials, one for each house of the Fae, which if she performs well will solidify her magic and immortality. As a human, Kenna isn’t knowledgeable about cosmetics or hair design, or even which dress Lara should wear in certain court functions, but she is resourceful and sets out to help Lara.

Along the way, Kenna catches the eye of a handsome Fire Prince and somehow becomes involved in a rebellion against the king. Armed with only her wits, and the sentient dagger she found in the bog, Kenna undergoes each trial alongside Lara and finds herself deeper and deeper immersed in Fae politics.

I will admit that it took me a bit to really settle into this world. This is a felt like a longer read than it actually was, it’s 464 pages, but I think that’s because there is a lot of worldbuilding and backstory set-up to get through. While it did give the same feel as quite a few romantasy/fantasy romances I’ve read lately- ordinary human woman put in an impossible, dangerous situation, an evil Fae kingdom, trails of some kind that must be completed, and even a sort of love triangle- I do think it was fresh enough that I was invested by the end.

Kenna is a cunning, strong women who finds herself in an impossible situation and manages to immerse herself into a world that is vastly different from her own. I found myself looking forward to the scenes with the trials, interested in how she would outsmart each house and help Lara make it through. As her other relationships grew, I wasn’t really thrilled with the prospect of a love triangle, but it seems like that is what is in store for the next book in the series.

Now that I’m invested, I’ve settled in for the long wait until the next book in the series releases. Princess of Blood has a release date of September 30, 2025.

I was completely drawn into this dark and magical fantasy romance. Servant of Earth by Sarah Hawley centers around Kenna, a bold and determined human who sets out to save her best friend but unexpectedly finds herself trapped in a treacherous fae underworld. Here, she's forced to serve and assist the heir of Earth House through six perilous trials, with their lives hanging in the balance.

I found it refreshing that, unlike other stories, the FMC isn't the one facing the trials directly. This twist adds intricate layers to Kenna’s character development, making her journey even more engaging.

Kenna's involvement with not one but two intriguing and mysterious fae princes really heated up the narrative without overshadowing the core storyline. Her romantic interests weave seamlessly with her broader quest for survival and justice, as she builds connection with the leader of a fae rebellion that challenges the cruel king’s reign.

Kenna’s character is what captivated me about this story. She’s cunning, and courageous and has a will of iron. She's not just surviving; she's evolving, and her journey is laced with enough twists, betrayals, and morally grey characters to keep the tension high and the pages turning.

Every aspect of this book pulled me in deeper, and the ending left me eager for more. I can’t wait to read the next installment of the Shards of Magic series.


Overview & Tropes:

Fantasy Romance
Feral Heroine
Morally Grey Everyone
Forbidden Romance
Dangerous Trials
Monsters & Magic
Sentient Dagger
Tirant Ruler
Fae Rebellion
⭐️ 4.5
🌶️ 2

Could not for the life of me connect to the story or the characters. It felt very mild personally. Thanks for the advanced copy!

Servant of Earth by Sarah Hawley is the first book in her new The Shards of Magic series. I loved this book from start to finish, and I cannot wait for the next book in this series. We meet our heroine, Kenna Heron, who is human, and every 6 years the Fae, 4 women are selected to live a life of luxury within the faerie land of Mistei. Kenna’s best friend was one of those selected, and she goes out of her way to follow the selected, only to find out their lives are in danger; with the 4 missing, Kenna becomes trapped in Mistei to become a handmaiden to the heir of Earth House.

Kenna slowly becomes close to Princess Lara, especially trying to help her survive the dangerous and deadly trials, which each house will need to complete the six trials, to get immortality and magic. Each of the faerie houses are, Fire, Earth, Light, Illusion and Blood. Kenna was strong, in her ability to fight others secretly for Lara, using her cunning intellection in facing grueling and magical tests, as well as monsters; but her sentient dagger was her strongest ally, talking to her mentally; and always needing blood from the victims.

Kenna will find herself caught up in a secret rebellion against the sadistic King Osric. She begins to have strong feelings for the rebellion’s leader, Drusten, Fire Prince, which will change as we get closer to the end. Void Prince, Kellan early on managed to get Kenna to discover the secrets he wants to know about; though as truths are revealed, the real culprit becomes a dangerous enemy. This was a very dark story, that is filled with twists, romance, intrigue, betrayal and an evil cruel King.

Servant of Earth was a fantastic story that kept me unable to put the book down, with an exciting plot that had friendship, rebellion, spice, alliances, politics, danger, magic and secrets. Servant of Earth was so very well written by Sarah Hawley. Kenna was a fantastic heroine, helping to survive the trials and finding a way to overthrow the evil king. I cannot wait for the next book. I suggest you read Servant of Earth, as it was a terrific read.

Oh this was fun

Why didn’t anyone tell me about the magical dagger that thirsts for the blood of her enemies? I would’ve dropped everything to read this sooner!!!

I always love the fae x human dynamic and this story was no different. Perfect for the fans of plot driven fantasy romance.

The trials?! I was sweating. I was stressed. I couldn’t read fast enough.

Yet another amazing story from Sarah Hawley! i was throughly entranced by this story. i am beyond excited to see where this story goes in book 2!

Servant of Earth is the first installment in author Sarah Hawley's The Shards of Magic series. 25-year-old Kenna Heron has lived in poverty ever since she lost her mother 18 months ago and has been thought of as dirty, and likely feral by her village. Unfortunately, it is Winter Solstice where the Fae steal humans every six years. Curiously, Kenna discovers a blade with crimson jewels without rust or mud in the river that absorbs blood shortly before 4 women are to be chosen to go to the Fae realm of Mistei.

When her best friend Anya is chosen as a sacrifice to the Fae, Kenna the Fierce tries to guide the women through the bog to their destination. Unfortunately, it is Kenna who makes it to Mistei. It is Kenna who is chosen to work as a lady's maid for a young fae female named Lara who is supposed to face the most difficult challenges of her life to gain immortality and keep her magic. King Osric is a cruel tyrant who sends a noble from each house to 6 deadly trials (one for each specific house) to be judged on whether they’re worthy enough to gain their full powers and immortality.

In this world, there are 5 Houses (Fire, Light, Illusion, Void & Earth.) Once upon a time, there was a Sixth House that was destroyed after they tried to overthrow the King. Earth House has been neutral ever since and they don't tend to get involved with the machinations of others. With no ally but a sentient dagger of mysterious origins named Caedo, Kenna must face monsters, magic, and grueling physical tests to save Lara from losing everything. Kenna ends up using her survival instincts to help aid Lara in the trials, basically completing them for Lara, unbeknownst to everyone else.

But worse dangers wait underground, and soon Kenna gets caught up in a secret rebellion against the inventively sadistic faerie king trading secrets with not one but two sexy fae. When her feelings for the rebellion’s leader turn passionate, Kenna must decide if she’s willing to risk her life for a better world and a chance at happiness. The trials were bloody and brutal and the other fae were clever and conniving. Kenna had as much to battle against surviving each battle as she did the court politics that this world thrived upon.

Servant of Earth is a very dark novel. It is filled with twists with little bits of foreshadowing breadcrumbs. The fae, except for Lara, are cruel and conniving. The story is heavy on politics that reflect universal truths such as a house (or court) divided cannot stand. The ending of this book leaves me to believe that nothing Kenna has faced up to this point is done. There's a long road ahead, and new allies to take care of.

Sheer brilliance from start to finish. Absolutely the next BIG thing in romantasy. I can't wait for everyone to read this incredible book.

I have not liked a lot of romantasy’s this year but Servant of Earth delivered. It such a breath of fresh air to read a different type of Fae romantasy. Instead of a shadow daddy there’s a fire daddy, and possibly a third love interest? The trials, the world building and I love how the fae weren’t all nice they were cruel. Kenna a human woman fines herself in the fae realm as a servant to house of earth and her task is to help the fae princess whose she’s serving help pass her trials to unlock her powers. The story is fast paced and kept me sitting at the edge of my seat I felt like the romance didn’t over shadow the plot. The drama, the scheming and the betrayal have me in a chokehold. Most importantly I love that the FMC isn’t a chosen one she’s a human woman who’s quick on her feet and won’t stop fighting for what is right.

I didn’t know much about Servant of Earth going in and I’m so glad that was the case. I was blown away by this story and the unique and twisted take it took on the Fae. It sucked me in from the first page and as I continued reading, this book skyrocketed to become one of my favorites of the year!

After a ritual gone awry, Kenna Heron finds herself in captivity amongst the Fae, tending as a servant to a noble woman from the House of Earth. As part of her duties, Kenna must assist her mistress in a competition featuring six deadly trials, each holding affinities to the Fae houses of Earth, Fire, Light, Void, Illusion, and Blood. If her mistress fails to succeed she will not only face expulsion from Earth House but both her and Kenna will be executed. Using her wits, brute skill, and a sentient dagger, Kenna must claw her way through dastardly trials in hopes of gaining her freedom. But the fae are tricky and with an underground rebellion brewing, Kenna will find her loyalties split in multiple directions.

It no surprise that fae-centered books are very popular at the moment but Servant of Earth’s interpretation falls more in line with the sadistic manipulators of old lore rather than the romanticized versions we’ve come to see in popular culture. The Fae in Sarah Hawley’s romantic fantasy adventure are cruel for sport, engaging in violent, bloody revelry. Because of this, there are moments in this book that will turn your stomach. The brutality of the court is a harbinger for a political uprising and these scenes are incredibly effective at showing just how dire conditions in the Fae lands are.

I fell in love with Kenna from the first page of the book. Her ferocity and intelligence endeared her to me but she contained a sense of naivety that led to interesting exchanges. We discover the politics and rulings of the Fae court right along with Kenna and her adventures were nothing short of thrilling. I really enjoyed the romantic connections Kenna formed and I am excited to see where a possible love triangle might fit in the sequel.

There is so much world building happening in this novel but all of it was easy to comprehend. The magic systems were unlike any I’ve seen before and I loved how Hawley crafted the powers of the six houses. We get to see different magic’s on display throughout the novel and I was continuously amazed at how vast and different each set of powers were. There is a lot of room for this series to thrive and I am waiting with bated breath to see where Kenna’s story goes next.

Thank you Berkley Publishers, Ace Books, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

“only the luckiest and most worth humans are chosen to join the fae”

ope! is this a ship switch?! i really hope so! i’ll be reading the next book and crossing my fingers for more relational development!

THINGS AND STUFF
-humans and fae
-legends & faerie rituals
-a sacrifice year
-a blood thirsty, shape shifting dagger
-elemental magic
-immortality trials: prove yourself or perish
-factions: five houses
-grief
-loyalties, betrayals, & fae politics
-#IsThisAKissingBook open door

thank you berkley romance for the advanced copy!

Sarah Hawley has an intense tale about Kenna Heron. She lives on the edge of a bog separating the Fae lands from human. The same day she finds a magical knife in the bog, she finds her best friend selected as one of four to travel to the Fae lands where it is told they will be treated like royalty. Kenna, not believing this, joins the group and watches monsters kill the others, only surviving herself because of her pluck, and the knife, which hides itself as a bracelet when she is discovered. She is assigned as a Servant of Earth (hard from Ace) house to aid the daughter-heir in passing the six tests that will allow Lara to gain her magic and full immortality. To complicate things, there is the evil King Osric, who has ruled the fae for eight centuries. There’s also a hunky prince with a secret rebellion, and another trapped in obligation to ferret out the king's enemies. I couldn't put the book down and was happy to find that a sequel is coming.

3.5 ⭐️

Servant of Earth is a wild ride full of intrigue, romance, and danger. The story follows Kenna, a feral human who’s dragged—very much against her will—into Mistei, the faeries’ underground kingdom. Once there, she’s thrown into the middle of cutthroat fae politics, trying to help her mistress survive deadly trials that could grant her immortality.

This book moves fast, with plenty of action, court drama, and romance to keep you hooked. The world-building strikes a nice balance—enough detail to draw you in, but not so much that it’s overwhelming. Mistei is a fascinating and unique setting, complete with a tyrannical king and a complex servant-fae dynamic that sets it apart from other fantasy romances. If you’re into ACOTAR or Fourth Wing (but can live without dragons), you’ll probably love this. And let’s just say the cliffhanger? Brutal. You’ll be itching for book two.

Now, not everything hit perfectly. Some parts felt a bit predictable, and a few story elements could’ve been fleshed out more. But honestly, that might just be personal preference—especially if you’ve been on a fantasy romance binge. Even so, there’s a ton of potential here, and it’s a fun read for anyone who loves a fast-paced, twisty dive into the world of the fae.