Not just another book about a human in faerieland!

When Kenna finds herself in Mistei as a servant to Earth House, she is completely out of her depth. Tasked with helping her mistress through trials designed to test worthiness to wield magic, she begins to sharpen her senses and transform into someone and something she doesn’t recognize.

This book has it all; an engaging, exciting plot, emotionally charged moments, romance, courtly intrigue, magical trials, class warfare, family drama, and more. The human FMC is not a weakling pushover either. Imagine that! Can’t wait to read the next book!

3.5 stars rounded up

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was somewhat predictable and had familiar plot points to those that have read ACOTAR (and other similar political faerie books), but it did feel different enough to stand on its own. I thought the world building was well done, and the pacing was good. One of the cooler part of the book was the sentient weapon, and I would have liked to see it utilized more in the book. The ending really nailed it, and it’s what will keep me intrigued enough to read the next book.

Please check TWs: Graphic depictions of gore, torture, executions, SA (non-MC), and more.

Thank you to Sarah Hawley and Berkley Publishing Group | Ace for providing an ebook. I am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

Freaking brilliant. I am obsessed with this world!! I will eat up any book that has trials and this was no exception. I wish this book was more popular on bookstagram! Every one should read it

This is ACOTAR, except the setting is Amarantha's court most of the novel. The similarities weren't overtly present in the first half, but they definitely are in the second.

I like the world building and different houses, and Kenna's character is great. The writing is solid, a good balance between being descriptive without being overly so. What I most appreciated is that it feels different than most romantasy books put out now. I struggle with the genre, having to DNF so many that fall into a list of tropes that need to ticked off, insta-lust, a reliance on smut, poorly written characters, etc. Really, there's not a ton of romance at all (there's sex but it feels more about that than actual feelings as the two don't have a ton of meetings that aren't just flirting), the majority of the plot is political and there's a big emphasis on female friendship. It is pretty obvious where the romance is going at the end, which I'm happy about. The story gets very addictive once it establishes itself, and I'm super ready to read the next.

Servant of Earth what exactly what I wanted to read when I read it. It scratched the itch of romantasy without being another one of those tiktok books that leave me disappointed. I can't wait to read the rest of the series.

When I see a book that has trials, I’m a little skeptical because it’s been done many times before. However, I think Servant of Earth did a great job of making the trials unique.

In Servant of Earth, Kenna is a human trying to survive the fae realm. She's being pulled in multiple directions and has to determine how far she’s willing to go to make it out alive.

I really enjoyed watching Kenna try to navigate the fae realm and adjust to a completely new way of life. Everything she'd been taught in the human world was a lie and she had to figure out who she could trust. A lot of the characters in this book are morally gray. I was suspicious of everyone and didn’t know who she could trust and who she couldn’t. After that ending, I’m still not sure who to trust. The love interests could not be more different so I’m anxious to see how everything plays out in the second book.

I cannot wait for the next book because I NEED to know what happens next after that ending. Kenna’s world is about to drastically change and I’m excited to see how she handles it!!

Thank you to Ace & Berkley for the earc of Servant of Earth by Sarah Hawley via NetGalley!

This is a new to me author! It was a solid four star read! I am also surprised that this book is out now, and that I haven't seen it around much! I'm going to see some people to read it so we can chat!

I really enjoyed our, FMC, Kenna. Somehow sweet Kenna remained positive and hopeful despite the hardness and darkness around her! I loved that sooo much!

Honestly, I didn't know who to trust and what was going to happen for much of this book, and I think that was the fun of it. I truly was not sure who was on the right side and what was going to happen next!

This was a darker fantasy (imo) with some darker themes & the fae are MEANNNN. So it makes total sense why there would be a rebellion building. I would definitely check your trigger warnings if you are someone who needs to!
If not, just go in blind of the ride.

A dagger that can talk is my favorite character. I said what I said. If you wanna know more, I suggest you pick this book up via audio for a full immersive experience! :)

Thank you Netgalley and PRH for the eARC!

This was overall a good read. While I was beginning to think I was over trials in romantasy, the way it was done in Servant of Earth made it feel kind of fresh. Our fmc's involvement was different than what I usually see.

I enjoyed Kenna as a main character for most of the book. There were some frustrating moments but I never felt annoyed or begging to have a different pov. She was smart and cunning, Don't get me wrong she made some questionable choices and interactions that didn't seem inline with who I grew to know but it didn't take me out the story.

This is was a slower burn as far as the romance is concerned. I will admit that I wasn't necessarily convinced of the love story that unfolded but by the end it makes sense and felt intentional. I'm looking forward to seeing how the romance plays out in future books.

I did struggle with the pacing a bit, it started to feel repetitive at times and while there were things happening the way some of it was drawn out had me losing interest. It was a bit predictable but even with that and the pacing, the journey was still fun,

A magical read that has me craving the second boook already! I am such a huge fan of Sarah Hawley's writing and can't wait for the next book. This book captured me from the first chapter and I was hooked until the end!

When the main character is described as "feral" I know I'm going to love the book! This was a fabulous read, spicy and engaging. I loved watching the character development and can't wait for the next in the series.

Why did I put this off?! Servant of Earth completely consumed me. I was hooked from chapter one and stayed feral the whole way through. 😵‍💫

Kenna is wild, stubborn, and fiercely loyal—the kind of heroine you root for with your whole chest. The Fae court is as brutal as it is fascinating, and those magical trials? Intense, creative, and full of jaw-dropping twists. I’d die for the sentient dagger alone, but then the rebellion, the tension, and that love interesttttt!! Game over.

Sarah Hawley knows how to balance high-stakes danger with a character-driven story that feels. Every reveal was perfectly timed, every choice felt earned. I swear if she doesn’t end up with the one I’ve claimed as mine, I will spiral… but I already know Sarah will make it worth it. 👀

Huge thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for the ARC—Princess of Blood can’t come fast enough. 🩶

Ummmm, why did I wait so long to read this?! So excited to read Princess of Blood asap.
As a human, Kenna is limited within her resources, but one thing is certain: her best friend will NOT be left to her own devices to travel through the bog to get to the fae courts, risking her life alongside the other chosen. Losing everyone she holds dear, Kenna surprises the fae with her survival and is immediately made the servant in the Earth house where she is tasked with keeping her lady safe through the upcoming trials.
Every theory I had came to pass but the way that Sarah did it was completely unexpected and left me in awe of her ingenuity. I am always on board for a character driven fantasy and discovering the world with the main character. It is seamlessly done here. Kenna is the perfect mix of good-hearted and badassery that I want from a female lead. There's threads of a love triangle which I'm feral for in a fantasy especially. If she doesn't end up with my "man", I may revolt but I suspect Sarah will convince me I was wrong in the first place.
Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

Oh I loved this! It's been hard for me to get in to romantasy lately, but this book, while formulaic, just really did the whole "human goes to the underground Fae world" trop really well. It gives ACOTAR, but in a good way, not a copycat way. I loved that female friendship was such a strong part of the story. I'm sensing a love triangle, and honestly I'm not mad at it. And that finale was so good! Anyway, I will await with bated breath for the sequel!

Servant of Earth had an interesting spin on the trials trope. Instead of her competing she is helping someone else compete in trials. I enjoyed the world and the mystery that surrounded the court.

This was a very captivating story for me. From the setting to the characters, I was truly left wanting more. I usually take books slowly when I start but I found that I couldn’t put it down! I ended up finishing this within two days. The author has a way with world building. We’re stuck underground and yet there is so much rich history and deep shadows to discover. The drama was constant, there was always something going on and with that there was something new to discover about our lead’s circumstances. How was she going to survive as a human in the world of Fae? How would she adapt and use her wits to stay on her toes? The revelations and elaborations were satisfying to discover. There were genuine moments where my jaw dropped because of the vividness of the moment. I could imagine it in my head so clearly with the way the author writes. The characters were well thought out and I found that I was keeping track of how they interacted with our lead and where those relationships would be hinting at. Everyone that was introduced had something bubbling under the surface, there would be hints or dialogue that would leave me debating future interactions, betrayals, and alliances. I genuinely enjoyed how the characters were written, even those that didn’t have as much time on the pages as some of the others. I really loved how the lead’s personality evolved over time. How much more cunning and curious she got, how she thought ahead. Her determination was infectious and I found myself rooting for her success and safety throughout the story. Overall, this was a fantastic read and I’ll definitely be grabbing a physical copy for my own collection. I thank Net Galley for this opportunity, it was an absolute delight exploring this story and I can’t wait to read more of the series in September!

Servant of Earth is a wonderful fantasy, that showcases politics, romance, and had great twists and turns! Great for anyone looking for a fast paced read that hooks you from the start!

Servant of Earth wasn’t my favorite. It seemed really slow to get into the main story and it almost lost me. The trials were interesting though, but kind of repetitive and similar to a lot of other novels in the genre. Kenna was interesting, a little vicious at heart, and I liked how she interacted with the other servants and humans in Mistei. The dagger was a nice touch too.
The romance wasn’t a huge feature, and I liked that. It’ll be interesting to see how it works out in the next book after the way things ended.
I’ll probably pick up the next book when it comes out to see how things resolve, but there wasn’t anything that absolutely wowed me.
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for an Arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a fun fantasy! There was so much intrigue with the politics of the world, and I enjoyed the dynamics between all the characters!

Sarah Hawley shines with Servant of Earth, a captivating and beautifully layered fantasy romance that delivers both heart and high stakes. The world she builds feels rich and vivid — a place where magic hums just below the surface and nature itself is a force to be reckoned with. Against this backdrop unfolds a slow‑burn, deeply emotional romance between two complex, compelling characters.

Hawley’s gift lies in making her characters feel so fully alive. The heroine is strong, resilient, and deeply relatable, grappling with loyalty, belonging, and the weight of her own gifts. The hero, broody and honorable, is the perfect counterpart — a man torn between duty and desire, grappling with his own vulnerability. Together, their banter crackles with tension, and their moments of intimacy pulse with emotion, making every scene feel charged and authentic.

With its lush world‑building, magnetic character dynamics, and a romance that balances swoon‑worthy moments with genuine depth, Servant of Earth is a spellbinding, memorable read. It’s a testament to Hawley’s talent for crafting stories that linger long after the final page.

A good time. Subverts a lot of the standard romantasy cliches neatly. I could usually tell what was going to happen, but the "how" was an ever changing surprise. It's a "trials" book without being a "trials" book, following an acerbic, intelligent heroine as she does her level best to not die.
More detailed description of plot setup: We have our heroine, Kenna, who lives in poverty at the edge of her village swamp, eking out a living selling peat bricks and faerie garbage she finds in said swamp. Her village sits in the borderlands between human and fae realms, and there is a ritual her village performs every 6 years on the winter solstice to pick out young women to send out into the swamp to join the fae as... well, it's unclear. The legends say to marry princes and live in splendor, but Kenna, being the village bog goblin, is like, "I have seen the swamp and the monsters that lurk here. I suspect if this isn't an obscure fae prank, we're breeding stock at best." So she gives not a single flying fuck about the ritual and isn't planning to participate.

Digging around in the mud as the book opens, she finds a weird fae dagger. Kenna: "Sweet, I can sell this at the festival post ritual and me and my BFF Anya can get out of this trash heap." Anya: "oops, I've been chosen!" Kenna: Nope nope nope, bestie, me and this weird knife are going to get you out of the swamp and then we are LEAVING."

Unfortunately, everyone gets attacked by horrible monsters and Kenna and Anya are separated, Kenna presuming Anya is dead. Weird knife: *vibrates when monsters are close, seems... happy...? when Kenna feeds it blood, and shows her the path across the swamp to Fae*

Fairies, looking at this literal swamp woman who blundered in blindly: "oh! Lol, how long has it been since one of you actually made it here? Do you have a trace of Fae blood?" Kenna: "Yeah! Totally, I guess!" *Hiding knife, which has thoughtfully become a bracelet*

Because yep, this is basically elaborate entertainment. Bet on the random humans and see how far they get before something eats them. Kenna's the first to actually go all the way.

Fairies: "well, now what do we do with her? Well, we're about to do our elaborate coming of age trial games! Send her to the Princess of Earth to be her servant while she competes!"
In this universe, young royal fairies have to earn immortality and full access to their magic by succeeding in 6 trials that each test a different fae virtue. So Kenna is stuck in a fairy court as a servant, but instead of a powerful immortal princess, it's an absolutely TERRIFIED twenty three old who is convinced having a human handmaiden is a joke or an elaborate plot to ensure she dies.

Can Kenna make it home? Can Kenna guide Princess Prickly Pear to success? Can Kenna get this stupid fae knife to stop CUTTING her? You'll have to read the book and find out how.