Member Reviews

This was an interesting start to a new series. The magic system in this book is interesting, and there’s a lot of lore and plot to dive into. It’s hard to know who to trust and who you can’t. The relationships between the two races here are tense and filled with lies and half truths on both sides.

Ash is an interesting protagonist, her understanding is very limited and sometimes wrong, so it’s interesting to see her learn more and try to decide who or what is right. Her character arc and growth was well done.

Lir on the other hand, I wished he was fleshed out a bit more. He’s so mysterious, too mysterious, and honestly I wanted more scenes with the two of them together building that trust and relationship up a bit more.

Overall, an interesting start to a series, and a ton of potential!

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Thank you to NetGalley and Second Sky for this ARC!

I don't normally read YA genre because the writing style can sometimes be a little juvenile. But this book didn't read like an YA book. I thoroughly enjoyed it! The world building and slow, progressive exposition of the characters' motivations was so well done. The narrative style was sophisticated and immersive. It drew me into the story from the first page. I liked Aisling almost right away and felt invested in her world. It was such an exciting read!

Lir is everything! I am addicted to this series and signed up for the ARC for the second book and cannot wait for the books to be released. Hope Second Sky releases hardcover versions because I would love to buy them for my collection!

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5/5⭐️ I just knew after the first chapter that this was going to be a 5 star read. Oh my god, I have no words. This book had me in a chokehold. I would recommend this book to anyone! Please read this book when it’s published on February 14, 2025!

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I loved this book, the characters, the new take on fantasy/romantasy, the quips and personalities.

Aisling is married off to the enemy king as a political union between the fair and mortals. Throughout the engaging storyline, she embarks on so many journeys - becoming her own person away from her father’s rule, adapting to a new society with new beliefs and customs, accepting herself as a independent person, making her own decisions and standing up for herself and those she cares about, and forming friendships and becoming entrenched in a society that she was taught as the evil enemy.

Her bravery and ambition to embrace her new, contradictory life was entertaining and held my interest throughout the book. I can’t wait for book 2 and read as she continues her journey.

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From the first page I was hooked and I could not put this down! The breathtaking world paired with humans and fae who are at war, making peace through an arraigned marriage was instantly intriguing.

The main character, Aisling, torn between what she’s been taught about the brutal fae and what she’s learning about her new husband, Lir’s, life in the fae lands was gripping and the tension and grins from Lir had me smiling so much. I need more of them! I loved the little details of the Seelie and the lore behind them and I truly felt immersed in the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and SecondSky for providing me with a copy of this book for an honest review.

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As the description says: Irresistible. Unforgettable. ADDICTIVE.

From the first page, I was in this. The world building was amazing - I rarely struggled to imagine the entire settings described. I loved starting with the FMC’s perspective of her closed off human world. I loved growing with Aisling as she began to learn the truths of the world and that she had been lied to pretty much by everyone around her. I felt her pain from being an outsider. I felt her compassion for her people and those she got to know. I absolutely adored her confidence building throughout the book.

I’m not sure I would describe this as a romantasy. There were flecks throughout that implied something was building up, or fated, but the romance was minimal and largely one-sided. The nice thing is, that’s my preference, so I’m excited to see how it progresses. There was tension and affectionate acts, but Aisling and Lir didn’t spend a ton of time together. The time that was shared that I wanted to read about in detail was simply recollected in about 2 paragraphs inside the Aisling’s head. It would have been nice to have a little bit more of them together where it wasn’t imminent danger or creepin’ on one another in the woods, getting discovered, and having a short conversation only to skip to the next day/week/month etc.

I want so badly to talk about this book with others! There were several twists that had me screaming, “WHAT. IS. HAPPENING.” The drama was intense. The action was packed. The slow-burn is still burning. I didn’t know who to trust or what to believe. And then we get to that chaos at the end? Come on, THAT BETRAYAL? I was reading this book every open minute I had, and it pained me to put it down. Now I’m just sad it’s over. It’s okay though, Savage Queen releases mid-February, and it’s already been pre-ordered. 😁

Thank you to NetGalley and Second Sky for this eARC!

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Sadly this book was a DNF for me. I tried for about 2 weeks to get some progress into it. Usually I love these types of books. Lately though there have been so many of the same though and can be quite predictable. The second book also comes out the same day this one is to be released. I don't want to make that commitment right now. I'm sorry! I know many loved this book.

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I really enjoyed this romantasy, the world building was amazing! The romance was sizzling and I enjoyed the characters. It felt slow in some parts but overall was a fun read

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I wanted to like this. I really did. But Aisling was.... honestly, she was massively brainwashed off screen and she was kinda brainwashing herself further by this point. The things she was saying and thinking felt VERY icky. On top of that, I didn't feel like the main pairing had any chemistry or even potential chemistry.

Otherwise, I liked the style of writing and really think it could work better in a different setting.

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🌳 Elemental magic 🌳 Thirst for power 🌳 Whimsical folklore 🌳 Quest for truth 🌳 Passion & self discovery 🌳 Arranged marriage 🌳 Seelie and Unseelie fae 🌳 Prophecies and curses

This story sucked me in from the first chapter! I thought the writing and the world building was very immersive and the fae realms, lore and magic beautifully captured. Aisling learns that things are not always what they seem and old beliefs are challenged, more often than not by the savage and beautiful king she is bonded to, as she journeys through self discovery and awakening power.

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Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review! While there were elements of this I really enjoyed, like the world-building and character development, it was absolutely drowned by the amount of inner-dialogue and scenes that went nowhere. You could drive a truck between the conversation call and responses, someone saying something and not receiving a response until three pages later because there was a random tangent in-between. Repeat info, scenes where nothing happens, and some grammar issues (like using words incorrectly that I googled just to make sure I was right in their meaning) made this feel unresolved. Could definitely use another round of editing!

This is also sold as a romantic story, yet the two barely spend any time together and there is exactly one kiss the whole time. No declarations, no great reactions to reunions or saving lives, nothing. I kept patiently waiting for something to happen between Lir and Aisling, and nada. There was some good tension, but without any true growth or much time spent together it wasn’t enough to make me root for them.

🌶️: 0/5

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GIVE ME MORE. I have been on the lookout for an approachable high fantasy with a romance that doesn’t take center stage but is crucial to the story and this is it!! It’s nothing like TOG or the Bridge Kingdom but if you’re a fan of those books you will devour this one.

The prose of this book alone is poetry, but it takes nothing away from the action or the world building like it so often can. This author did an absolutely amazing job with this book. No notes. Just the right amount of tension and conflict as well as character development, this was amazing I cannot WAIT to read the next one. I’m kind of foaming at the mouth for it tbh.

thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

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I mean wow, I was NOT expecting to be completely consumed by this book! I seriously could not put it down.

The author done an amazing job of being descriptive without being too wordy. There is a lot of world building and character development work the FMC, which personally I enjoyed. Some key points

• slow burn
• the FMC was enjoyable and not “woe is me” annoying like some are
•forced marriage
• I really like the magic system and the depth it was explained
• a Betrayal I was NOT expecting

I really think this has the potential to be a very viral/successful book. 4.5 stars for me.

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I’m so honoured to have received an advance reader copy of this book for an honest review.

I devoured this unique take on a fantasy world! The world building was descriptive and well paced, though I would have preferred more dialogue (in the earlier chapters) between the characters instead of the detailed descriptions.

The story begins with a political alliance between a mortal princess and a fae king; a marriage that was supposed to bring peace between the mortals and the Aos Sí (Fae clan), but as Aisling (mortal queen) enters the fae kingdom she soon learns the truths of the fae world and the lies weaved to her by her own people. As the truth unravels before eyes, so does her feelings for Lir and the discovery of her own magic that raises questions of her union with Lir and her race. I couldn’t get enough of Aislings and Lirs (Fae King) chemistry, the desire to see them together was real, but alas, I must wait for book two.

There was no spice in this book but the tension was phenomenal! I would have loved to have seen Aisling and Lir together and cut the building tension and admit their feelings for one another, but towards the end of the book I felt there was a disconnect between the two and felt them drifting apart, but I suppose this will make their reunion in book two spectacular!

I didn’t expect to love this book as much as I did, I was sceptical at first, but that scepticism was short lived! The writing gripped me from the start, the author has done a fab job with the writing and giving the characters the footing each of them truly deserved.

Thank you NetGalley and Second Sky for the ARC! I cannot wait for book 2! Talking of book 2, can I request an ARC, pretty please?

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Thank you to NetGalley and Second Sky for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Mortal Queen is beautifully written and entirely mesmerizing. It draws the reader into a world where fae and mortals are at odds with one another, and Ashling, as a mortal, is given in marriage to the fae king to cement an alliance between the mortals and the fae. The book was hard to put down. I cannot wait to read the sequel to find out what happens next.

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3.5 STARS!!!
The Mortal Queen turned out to be an interesting read. It took me a while to get into the story because there was a lot of repetitiveness in the beginning regarding the Aos Si and a few other things. It also took me a while to warm up to the main female character as she was a majorly judgmental character, especially towards the Aos Si, even after they showed her otherwise. However, over time I started to enjoy her character even if she made decisions that frustrated me to no end. Now when it comes to Lir, Galad, and the rest of his fellow Sidhe, even Gilrel, I enjoyed them a lot. I loved the little moments between Lir and Aisling that we actually got, and I wanted so much more. When it comes to a slow-burn romance, I don't think it can go any slower than it did in this story, but the author wrote Lir and Aisling's story interesting, suspenseful, and mysterious enough that it keeps you wanting and craving more, especially more of them. I can't wait for the moment when Aisling actually considers herself Lir's caera. I don't want to give anything away because once the story gets going it's hard to put down and I don't want to spoil anything but what a cliffhanger ending. I was not expecting that from Aisling especially after the way her father and brothers treated her at dinner and how everything was handled with the iron. She can say what she wants about Lir but he has never hurt her or lied to her like her family. Yes, he may has withheld some truth and plans but she's keeping a lot of secrets, even if what she's told is even the truth. For the life of me I can't understand why she made the choice she made at the end of the story but I'm excited to find out what her journey reveals, where it takes her and who will actually be with her at the end of it since she is surrounded by those who insist on telling lies or as they think, lies to keep people protected. Either way, I'm definitely looking forward to the next book in this series as this story is full of interesting characters, planning, plotting, betrayal, revenge, power plays, monsters, lies, truths, sacrifices and so much more.

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I thoroughly enjoyed this book, although I did find issue with some aspects of it. It was slow to start, but once it picked up I was fully invested (perhaps obsessed with Lir - jury’s still out). The cliffhanger at the end?!?! Did not expect that at all!! One thing is for sure I will be finishing this series.

Thanks NetGalley for an ARC of this book’

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This book brings a unique twist on the usual fantasy themes, with an intriguing mix of magic, powerful creatures, and family drama. The main character’s struggle between her hatred for the Sideth and her discomfort with the actions of her own family creates a strong, emotional foundation. She's not entirely mortal nor Sideth, which gives her a fascinating edge, and the exploration of her complex identity was one of the highlights for me.

However, there were some moments that didn’t sit well with me. The protagonist running away with her brothers was frustrating, especially after learning the terrible things they had done. The fact that they tried to kill her friend, Galad, left me even more disillusioned with her family. I also didn’t like that she kissed the Fae King before leaving, as it felt like a sudden, unplanned moment that didn't sit well with the story's progression.

Despite these qualms, the world-building and magic system are great, and I appreciated how Meltzier builds tension and conflict. The moral dilemmas and family betrayals add a lot of depth to the story. Overall, Mortal Queen was an engaging read that left me wanting more, even if some character choices left me questioning their motivations. I’ll definitely be picking up the next book to see how it all unfolds!

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The Mortal Queen by Ashley Metzler is a beautifully written fantasy romance that takes readers into a realm of Celtic-inspired magic and mythical creatures. Aisling’s journey, from a terrified mortal bride to a fierce and magical queen standing beside the alluring fae king Lir, is captivating and full of surprises.

The author does an exceptional job crafting a rich world brimming with enchanting details and a unique magic system. The political tension between the mortal and fae realms creates a gripping backdrop, adding layers to the plot and keeping the stakes high.

While the slow-burn romance between Aisling and Lir is deliciously tense, I found myself wishing for more development in their relationship. Their chemistry is there, but I wanted to see more moments of connection and growth between them to fully flesh out their dynamic.

That said, this is a wonderful story for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Holly Black, with its blend of action, intrigue, and romance. If you love slow-burn fantasy romances with a dash of Celtic folklore, The Mortal Queen is a must-read!

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World building, powers unknown, fated mates, responsibility and duty. Can’t wait to read what happens next for Aisling and Lir.

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