THE FOREST KING'S DAUGHTER by Elly Blake starts slowly and a bit predictably. Once the action starts, however, the plot improves and the twists become twistier and more difficult to predict. I liken Ms. Blake's story to the young adult genre's answer to romantasy. It is sweet and simple without being explicit or inappropriate. Zeru is not nearly as morally gray as he could be. However, Cassia is as fierce a young heroine as you expect to find. Her longing to please her father and therefore obtain his recognition is one of the sadder side plots of the story, but that does not detract from her willingness to do the hard things when needed.

I was a big fan of Elly Blake's Frostblood Saga, so I was excited to see that she wrote the first book in a new series. THE FOREST KING'S DAUGHTER is exactly what I hoped it would be, showcasing Ms. Blake's excellent storytelling and her creative ideas. I'm excited to see what happens next!

Absolutely enjoyed the first book in this new Thirstwood series. I've not read anything prior by Eloy Blake so wasn't sure what to expect. I was very pleased to find an original storyline with unique characters that I actually grew to care about. I enjoyed the character development and it was interesting how the main characters came to understand each other much better through the trials they faced together. Very excited to see where this series heads!

Friends to enemies to love interests!

Zeru is from the underground. Cassia is a princess from the forest. Their kingdoms are enemies. When Zeru and Cassia were seven, they accidentally found each other in the forest and became friends. Zeru took a ring from a family jewelry box and gave it to his new friend Cassia, inadvertently creating a bond between the two of them. He also unknowingly started a war between their kingdoms. Ten years later, the battles continue and Cassia is captured by Zeru, so he can recover the ring for the queen of the Cryptlands.

Likes/dislikes: I like how the author placed mythological statements at the beginning of each chapter, giving insight into what would happen during that chapter. I love Cassia with her gentle personality and loving kindness. The realm of Welkincaster was fun to “see” change and grow into a beautiful sanctuary.
Mature content: PG for gentle kissing.
Language: PG for 3 swears, no f-words.
Violence: PG-13 for bloody hitting.
Ethnicity: fantasy creatures.

Elly Blake’s Forest King’s Daughter is a young adult fantasy novel where childhood friends have become foes under the pressure of family expectations. When they were younger, Zeru accidentally gifted Cassia a powerful ring and Cassia made an unbreakable vow not to take it off. Her kingdom is happy for this as her father the king has plans to use the ring as a weapon against Zeru’s people, and he somewhat succeeds. After years of training with the ring, Cassia still cannot cause the destruction her father demands of her, so when she is kidnapped by Zeru in battle, she agrees to travel with him in the hopes of unlocking the ring’s true potential.

This story was nice, I suppose. But I had some issues connecting to it.

Unfortunately, this book fell a little flat for me. I ended up DNF-in g it at around 45%. The storyline didn’t interest me and the characters felt a bit immature.

This story had a very strong and engaging prologue, but unfortunately fell flat from there. The storyline struggled to keep my interest.
Cassia & Zeru are made enemies by a situation that happened 10 years ago. Most of the story is told from Cassia's perspective, and I would have liked more from Zeru. I also felt that this story attempted to be like Black's "Cruel Prince". The world was similar, but lacked connection with the magic.
Some things didn't feel like they added up, and I still have questions, but not sure if I will continue the series.
I really liked the fox spirit. Overall, this would rank a solid 3/5 for me. I am sure it will interest the young adults with the magical fantasy component.

This had a ton of potential. The world-building was decent, but I wanted more. There was some character development, and I enjoyed Cassia’s growth. The prologue drew me in, but there were times when the pacing was just off for me. I would have liked to have more of Zeru’s point of view. He’s such an interesting character, but this is mainly told from Cassia’s pov. While I wanted more from this, it was interesting enough to continue with the series.

Teen lovers of romantasy will devour this story. Exceptional world-building and compelling characters make this one hard to put down. The romance was sweet and intriguing. This story has a little of everything that appeals so well to young readers today!

What I loved:

The slow-burn romance: I’m a stickler when it comes to enemies-to-lover stories but this one felt true to its name. The banter between Zeru & Cassia was on point. Childhood friends to enemies to allies...YES PLEASE.

The world-building: exceptional and beautiful. The magic was unique and the settings were immersive. Dark forests, castles in the sky...it can’t get any better for me.

The plot: this book felt like a traditional YA book where the characters truly acted their ages. The side characters felt Ghibli-like and the story wrapped up nicely without feeling like a cliffhanger.

That’s it, folks, I have zero dislikes with this one (I know, shocker) I cannot wait to read the next book.

Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Forest King's Daughter
by Elly Blake
Pub Date: Feb 11 2025

Once upon a time, among the bloodred trees of Thirstwood, a young forest princess became friends with a lonely boy from underground. He gifted her an amber ring, a worthless trinket—or so he thought—because no sooner did he slide it onto her finger than the queen of the underground and the forest king declared war.

Years later, Cassia is a crucial force in her father’s army, wielding her ring of light that can blind and disorient hundreds of enemies at a time. Then battle-hardened Zeru abducts her, planning to steal the ring back to fix his costly childhood mistake. Exhausted, terrified, and more than a little mistrusting, Cassia is forced to travel with Zeru to a place they both believed only existed in storybooks, one where their childhood friendship slowly rekindles into something much more. But it's only a matter of time before the war they’ve escaped comes for them, and a hidden threat to forest and underground folk alike grows in the shadows.

From the author of the Frostblood Saga comes the first book in an enchanting, adventure-filled fantasy series about the daughters of the powerful forest king, sure to leave readers breathless and desperate for more.

This was one of my most anticipated reads for the first half of 2025, so I was SO excited to get the privilege of reading this early. This was SO GOOD! A dark, gothic fairytale with really compelling characters and a world that was so well-realized--gah, it was so good. I think that my teens at the branch are going to love this book as much as I did. Also, that cover is *chef's kiss*. This book is definitely going to be up there on tons of YA lists, I can already envision it. The romance was great, the plot was fantastic--this was an absolute homerun by Elly Blake and I cannot wait for more from this author. If I could give this 100 stars, I would!

I really enjoyed this one! It was a slow start and I felt a little detached from it— it felt a little too mystical, but then I realized it was the world-building and plot building because the second half of the book had me in a chokehold and I ended up staying up way past my bedtime to finish it.
Cassia has this innate need to please her father. She’s called Deathringer because of the ring and all of its power it wields, but Cassia is not one for destruction. As kids, her and Zeru would meet secretly and they were secret friends. Their people were rivals, but as kids they saw past that. However, Zeru’s third gift to Cassia was an unexpectedly powerful gift that sent their people to war. It had the power to wipe them out.
This begins their friends to enemies to lovers arc. Cassia is kind of brainwashed by her father, but mainly in her need to protect her people and thinking that her father must be right. When Zeru kidnaps her and takes her to the cloud (you’ll see), she starts to see things differently, especially the power she has with the ring. Zeru also begins to see her differently. He thought she was out to destroy his people, but seeing who she truly is changes that perception, and falls more in line with who he knew as a child.
These two betray each other over and over but always find their way back to each other, and their bond is really strong. There are some wild moments and revelations in the 3rd act, and the action really picks up, leading into what I expect to be a really good sequel now that we have everything established.

Thank you TBR and Beyond Tours for having me on the tour!

Five stars for The Forest King's Daughter by Elly Blake! This book is a truly captivating start to a new series, and I'm already eager to return to the richly imagined world of Thristwood. Blake's world-building is exceptional; from the first page, I was completely immersed in the lush and sometimes dangerous forest setting, as well as the chilling and mysterious Cryptlands. The descriptions are vivid and evocative, bringing both locales to life – from the vibrant details of the forest to the shadowy secrets held within the Cryptlands. Beyond the setting, the characters truly shine. The family relationships are complex and nuanced, adding layers of emotional depth to the story. The YA romance is a whirlwind of emotions, perfectly capturing the exhilarating highs and painful lows of first love. It's a relationship full of ups and downs, testing the characters and keeping the reader on the edge of their seat. Cassia's journey of self-discovery is particularly compelling. Her struggle to understand her burgeoning powers and forge her own path to independence is relatable and inspiring. Equally fascinating is Zeru's internal conflict. His struggle with divided loyalties creates a compelling tension that kept me turning the pages. Blake skillfully weaves together these elements, creating a narrative that is both thrilling and emotionally resonant. The Forest King's Daughter is a must-read for fans of YA fantasy, and I can't wait to see what adventures, and what romantic entanglements, await in the next installment, especially as the mysteries of the Cryptlands begin to unfold.
M.Roberts
with the help of AI

Elly Blake’s THE FOREST KING’S DAUGHTER puts the enemy into enemies-to-lovers. Need I say more? Read this!

5 Reasons to read: The Forest King’s Daughter by Elly Blake

The Forest King's Daughter by @elly_blake is a newly released, young adult fantasy! Thank you for the gifted copy @tbrbeyondtours @elly_blake @thenovl @littlebrownyoungreaders!

‼️ Top 5 Reasons to Read “The Forest King’s Daughter” (aka Your Next Obsession!)

🔥 Slow Burn That SIZZLES – Every stolen glance, every hesitant touch… the tension between Cassia and Zeru is pure torture (in the best way). You’ll be screaming “JUST KISS ALREADY” the entire time!

⛓️ Forced Proximity = Forced Feels – Nothing like being kidnapped and dragged across a magical land with your former childhood friend-turned-enemy to really spark some ‘complicated’ emotions.

🖤 Morally Gray & Deliciously Messy – Who’s the real villain here? The lines between good and evil blur in the ‘most’ tantalizing way, making every decision feel high-stakes and so satisfying.

🌲 Stunning World-Building– Elly Blake paints such vivid, immersive scenes that you’ll swear you can smell the Thirstwood trees and feel the weight of Cassia’s magic ring on your own hand.

⚔️ Danger, Twists, and GASP-WORTHY Moments – Betrayals, unexpected allies, and twists you won’t see coming—this book keeps you on the edge of your seat ‘the whole time’!

Get ready for an epic, heart-pounding journey through magic, war, and an enemies-to-lovers romance that will RUIN YOU (in the best way possible).

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. The Forest Kings Daughter was absolutely AMAZING. It was so good, and I can't wait to get a physical copy in my hands! A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads for release.

Thank you Netgalley and Little Brown Group UK for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest opinion! Also, thank you #tbrbeyondtours for having me on tour!

⭐️⭐️.5

I had great expectations for this book because the premises were amazing: childhood-friends-to-enemies-to-lovers AND a complex worldbuilding with fae and demons seemed right up in my alley. However, this book didn't do it for me.

The female protagonist is the only pov (apart from Zeru's in the prologue) we get, and yet I couldn't feel the depth of her feelings and thoughts; Zeru's was more interesting in his internal turmoil, even if we haven't direct access to his prespective and that's saying something!
The worldbuilding was intriguing at first, with deities, spirits, different races and centuries old conflicts over magical artifacts, but this first book is so packed with events you don't manage to grasp the outline of what's happening - it's all over the place, making the pace of the story odd: key events are rushed while other parts drag on forever.

The lack of depth Cassia shows as FMC influenced greatly my reading experience, making most of the plot twist fall flat because of her character. I also didn't like the timing of some narrative devices resolutions.

I really like the writing style in general, it's lush and descriptive especially during action scenes; some passages between Cassia and Zeru were cute, but this was not enough for me to enjoy this first book.

The Forest King's Daughter, the first book in the Thistlewood YA romantasy series by Elly Blake. The story started off really exciting, and I enjoyed the author's writing style. It flowed well, and it was easy to immerse myself in the world.

The story is told solely from Cassia's point of view, which I liked and didn't like. Her character is layered and dynamically developed, and she's definitely a character you want to root for. Cassia has not had the best life, and the way her father treats her is horrendous. I think she was treated so poorly and neglected that she latched on to any little kindness shown to her, but there wasn't much kindness to be found. Something I really loved was the strong relationships she had with her sisters. These were the only positive relationships in her life, and they contrasted the other complicated and broken relationships well.

Since the story is told from Cassia's perspective, you never get the thoughts and feelings of the other characters, and I felt like the book would have benefitted from having Zeru's perspective too. He was such an interesting character, and I wanted to know more about him - what he went through, his family and military experience, and his overall feelings throughout the story.

There is an ex-forbidden friends-to enemies- to potential love interest, and it's a complicated and slow-building relationship and romance. I loved it. There's so much sexual tension between Zeru and Cassia, and I was really hoping they'd find their way back to each other, especially after all of the awful things that happened to both of them because of an innocent act when they were younger. I also really liked the messages and themes, especially the ones about forgiveness, learning to love oneself and own one's actions, and how some use misinformation and manipulation to control.

As much as I was invested in the story, it did fall off a bit toward the end, which felt rushed and left me questioning some of the characters' actions and the easy way many things fell into place. I have a lot of questions and am definitely interested to see how the story unfolds, and I'm hoping the characters and world will be explored more in the next book.

Lush, beautiful, and enchanting, The Forest King’s Daughter is a fantastic tale of forbidden love between childhood friends, who also happen to be from different warring faerie races. Forced apart due to an incident in childhood, Zeru and Cassia find themselves face to face once again as they both try to save their own people from demons.

Blake’s writing is whimsical and lovely, her world is deep and layered, and I love the different fae creatures and the circumstances that brought them to war. The romance is sweet at times, tense at others as they try and fight their feelings, and I loved how this was a friends-to-enemies-to-friends-and then-lovers sort of romance.

While many of the strings of this tale have been neatly knotted, a few threads are left hanging and I can’t wait to see how those resolve in book 2 of this series. All told, a fantastic book filled with action, adventure, and romance that will transport readers to the wild forests of faerieland. Pick this up if you enjoy:

🌿Fae/faeries
🌿Magical and harsh forests
🌿Forbidden love
🌿Friends-to-enemies-to-lovers
🌿Demons
🌿Action and adventure

THE FOREST KING'S DAUGHTER is a perfect YA introduction to the smuttier, sexier Romantasy titles that kiddos will undoubtedly discover when they're older. If your teen or, heaven forbid, tween express any interest in ACOTAR or FOURTH WING, give them THE FOREST KING'S DAUGHTER instead! I had a lovely time reading it and spending time in this world. It's more or less a low-stakes fantasy that hits all the right Fantasy and Romantasy beats to make it fun and enjoyable for all dig that kind of thing! You will swoon, you will want to fly, you will want to grow fruit trees using a magic ring, all that good stuff.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for blessing me with the ARC.