Thank you to Second Sky & NetGalley for the opportunity to review book two of ‘The Aisling Trilogy’ in exchange for my honest review.

Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Fated Mates, Love Triangle
Spice Level: 0
Steam Level: 2

After a deep betrayal and leaving behind the Fae King Lir in a desperate escape, Aisling sets out on a quest to the Northern continent in hopes that she’ll learn why she – a human – is able to wield magic. During her journey, she and her unfortunate companions face more Unseelie dangers and are eventually captured by the Winter fae king, Fionn. While Fionn is equal parts charming and beautiful, he proves to have ulterior motives with his own form of fae trickery up his sleeve. As such, Aisling is forced to battle again for her independence and from being under another royal’s control, this time with the help from a very disgruntled Lir and his faithful guard. We are also introduced to some new characters (villains and historical figures alike) and given more history, which added to the story’s depth.

Things I liked: I was grateful that the second book picks up only a few weeks from the cliffhanger of book one and the course direction in the story was a nice change of pace. I also appreciated the addition of multiple POVs. While I wasn’t captivated by this book until about the 90% mark, which says a lot about the rating I gave it, the ending was the best part. By this time, we’ve learned enough about Aisling, Lir, more about the history of how humans came to be, more about the relationship between Aisling and Dagfin (pre-Lir), and Aisling’s tense relationship with her brothers. Again, the author does an excellent job at continuing the elaborate world building and describing immersive scenes throughout the story. I was relieved to see that Aisling was beginning to show some intellectual development and character growth, unfortunately it turned out that such changes in her personality were not for the better (which I’ll detail in a bit.)

Things I Disliked: I found a few errors where it seemed that the book was missing digital pages (location 3748, Dagfin’s POV there’s a paragraph that was incomplete without punctuation, then the next page moved into a new paragraph which felt like a few lines were missing.) There were also some overused phrasing/syntax that became less poignant as they were repeated throughout Book 2. Our main character’s personality arc was aggravating. In Book 1, Aisling goes from being an innocent, misguided princess to a willfully ignorant, self-centered and petty Queen-to-Be; then instead of learning from her mistakes as the consequences rear their ugly heads, she acts superior to humans and fae alike, as she displays more of a power-hungry attitude, bringing her right back to being selfish and stubborn to her own detriment. Even by Location 3748 Galad says it all, “We?…It has never been a ‘we,’ mo Lura. Your lips have only ever known ‘I’.”

Overall, by the end of book two, I found Aisling to be rude and completely unlikeable. There were moments that I honestly wanted to cheer for Peitho; who’d shamefully been demoted to just a jealous ex of Lir’s, rather than the powerful Fae Princess and warrior that should’ve been highlighted more. Lir still does not seem to be invested in the relationship he aggressively pursues, as much as he’s seeking the enhanced power he gleans from being in a relationship with Aisling, his caera. This gives off alarm bells at any healthy union between the two and was off-putting at best.

I was truly frustrated throughout the first, and now second book. The pacing wasn’t just slow – it dragged, kicking and screaming. I fell asleep several times and, given that the main characters were not ones I cared for, it took me much longer to read than any other book I’ve ever read. Even our MFC is correct and/or hasn't learned a thing from her mistakes when by Location 4265 it says, "One half of Aisling grew sick with guilt. The other half convinced herself Lir's actions were self-serving. Protecting the host that amplified his power and nothing more." Given that it's equally unclear to the reader where Lir and Aisling stand at this late stage in a story, I don't believe I'll be able to tolerate hoping for improvements by book 3.

Despite these challenges, I refused to DNF, DNF (because I’m not a quitter and..) because I had hopes that my favorite characters (who were actually Dagfin, Gilrel & Galad) would force Aisling to change her ways. Sadly, we just didn’t get enough of Galad and Gilrel in Book 2 because Aisling was off on her side-quest, and <spoiler> Dagfin seemed slated for tragedy from the first mention of his Ocras addiction.</spoiler>

By end of Book 2, our main characters STILL distrust one another, and the toxic “romantic tension” between Aisling & Lir was such a slow-burn and felt so forced that it fell flat. And while the cliffhanger of book 2 was certainly intriguing, the lack of likable main characters offer little chance of me reading book 3. I will, however, continue to follow this author because I believe that her writing, world building, and scene descriptions are exceptionally high quality and my scores are more about my dislike of the main characters, than that of the author's story-writing skills. It was merely a miss on my preference of character personalities.

Thank you NetGalley and Second Sky for this ARC and giving me the opportunity to review book two of ‘The Aisling Trilogy’ by the talented Ashley Metzler.

Daley Metzler has done it again! She has delivered yet another thrilling instalment with ‘Savage Queen’, which is books two in the Aisling Trilogy. Book one was AMAZING, but this book gives a deeper look into Aisling’s life, especially her relationship with her brothers, Dagfin and the enigmatic and fiercely protective, Lir, with whom she seems to have a love hate relationship.

This books picks up from where the story ended in book one, with Aisling escaping her brothers and Lir, but is soon found by Dagfin and her brothers. The start of this book focuses on Aisling’s interactions with her brothers and Dagfin mostly, however, once Lir reappears, the narrative reaches a whole new level of intrigue. The undeniable chemistry between Aisling and Lir reignites and their flirtations are delightful. The romantic tension is palpable, and their reunion is simply delicious and brimming with passion and longing. I only wish there had been even more of their binding exchanges.

One aspect I didn’t enjoy was the love triangle element. While Dagfin was devoted to Aisling, it was clear from the start that her heart belonged to Lir. Dagfin’s pursuit of her felt futile, and while I sympathized with him, his death left a bittersweet note.

The story is well-paced, and the character dynamics are rich and compelling. Overall, ‘Savage Queen’ is a captivating read that will appeal to anyone who go loves intense romantic fantasy with strong character development and chemistry.

This one was even better than the first one! I was so grateful to have been able to pick this up immediately after finishing the first one! It picks up right where we left off, with our characters all in a race to gain "the curse breaker". Aisling is grappling with the who/what she is and working to better understand her powers, but she is surrounded by those that would keep her from that knowledge. Torn between her family, who don't want her to use her power, and Lir, who wants her to be whatever she wishes to be. However, we now know that ALL of these beings in Aisling's life have more reasons than just her happiness.

Again, I was blown away at the beauty and depth of this world. How Ashley (the author) has woven the surroundings to give every piece of it a sentience, from the trees in the forest to the ice in the lakes just adds to the immersion. The introduction of another Fae prince also brings a depth to the world and the "struggle" that exists there, expanding the paths the story could take! Also meeting a number of other "villains" and the trials they posed to Aisling/Lir really allowed me to see just how well matched they are, despite the places they do have to work on together!

I loved the resolution in this book, and that we finally get to see each of them choosing for themselves! I also really loved the setup for book three and am super excited to explore this next part of the realm and see just what our main characters have up their sleeves!!

The Savage Queen picks up right where The Mortal Queen left off, with Aisling racing towards the Curse Breaker fabled to hide in Lofgen’s Rise. She is accompanied by her brothers and Dagfin, who have their reasons for wanting to keep tabs on Aisling, and must reach her destination before Lir’s court.

What I love about this series:

The Characters: Each character is complex and flawed, yet they still have redeeming qualities and fight for what they believe in. In this book, Aisling has come into her power and is finding her place among the Sidhe and Mortals. I am obsessed with how strong-willed and fierce she is and how she refuses to let any of the men in her life choose her destiny. She is such a queen!!
We also get more backstory on Lir as he begins to open up to Aisling. They both have to take risks with each other and with the battles they face in the story, which adds vulnerability to their character arcs, and I want to see so much more!
Peitho also grew on me a lot throughout the book, and I look forward to seeing where the next story takes her!

The Romance: I love a good slow burn, and the tension between Aisling and Lir takes off when they finally meet again. They toe the line for the majority of the book since wanting the other will only lead to their prophesied demise. And it hurts so good!!
We have a bit of a love triangle with Dagfin, who would follow Aisling to the ends of the world to protect her, but my bets have always been on Lir. There is something about a feral love interest who would destroy the world for her!

The Setting: Every single part of Aisling’s journey takes her to new enchanting places with breathtaking scenery. I could not get enough of the new places explored as Aisling’s search brings her to dangerous realms. Even the icy Oighir was fascinating!

This entire book made me feel every emotion! I was stressing, then smiling, then crying! This should be the standard for fantasy books. It has everything I could hope for: mystical beasts, heartbreak and desire, complex enemies, and enchanting lore!

Thank you to Netgalley and Second Sky for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

The Savage Queen
By Ashley Metzler

This is the second book in the Aisling trilogy and starts off a few weeks after the events of book one. It follows Aisling as she deals with the consequences of her escape from both the fae and mortals in order to travel to the mythical Logfren's rise where she hopes answers about what her newfound powers and her purpose lies.

Okay so book one ended on such a cliffhanger that I raced to read book 2 but I personally feel that this book fell short of it's predecessor and I'll get into the reasons. But I feel like I want to split this review into the first 3/4 and the last quarter of the book.

Firstly the world building and the rich and immersive storytelling and descriptions maintained from book 1. However the character Arc's is where I felt this book took a turn. The main character Aisling suffered a drastic personality change in this book , where as in book one she was a selfless , caring princess, In this book she became one of those insufferable female leads where just because she has power , she believes she's the only one that can be right. She was rude and honestly she wanted to kill some of the mortals for no other reason then the fact that they were mortals. (view spoiler).
I also feel like there should be other strong female leads in this book because at the moment there's only Peitho and she's tragically been reduced to jealous ex.

In terms of the other character's , I absolutely adored Dagfin, he was the best part of this book together with Fionn. I felt that he really saw Aisling and treasured her despite her power and influence, he just wanted the person. And all the sacrifices he made for her and the words he said to her , I was literally like girl what are you doing?!? please pick him!! The new character Fionn was also hilarious, I know he was a bad guy but it was totally justified and he really picked up the story. With regards to Lir, I enjoyed that we got his POV in this book but for me personally I don't enjoy the romance between him and Aisling (He gives me Tamlin vibes). And the fact that every second character doesn't want their relationship and even the main characters themselves were against it for most of the book, as a reader I was just exhausted with the back and forth. (Also I despised the character Ina , she was so selfish and cruel and she wasn't punished enough in my opinion.)

Now to the last quarter of the book . This part of the book was epic fantasy and I wish the entire book was like this. It gave you a range of emotions and included suspense, plot twists, action, betrayal , everything else.

Overall this was an interesting read and I just hope that the there's more character development in the next book.


*** Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers of this book for an Arc in exchange for an honest review based on a personal reading experience ***

I loved this book. The writing was beautiful, the world building was immersive, and the characters were engaging. I enjoyed diving deeper into this world while Aisling is on her journey to Lofgren’s Rise. I enjoyed the dynamic between Aisling and Lir and Aisling and Dagfin. I cannot wait to read the third book.

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

With just finishing the first book. This second installment in the trilogy picks up right where the first book’s cliffhanger left us, and it doesn’t hold back. The author’s writing is exceptional—every sentence flows effortlessly, blending vivid imagery with emotional depth.

Aisling’s journey north with her brothers and Dagfin sets the stage for even more tension as she’s torn between her mortal and fae identities. I’ll admit, Dagfin is a solid guy—loyal, strong, and genuinely cares about her—but I can’t help being drawn to the shadow fae. Dagfin’s battle for Aisling hit hard, though. You feel for him, even if he’s not the guy for her.

Now, let’s talk about Lir. He’s obsessed with Aisling, and while that could easily veer into unhealthy territory, the author handles it brilliantly. Their relationship isn’t just about attraction; it’s layered with mutual struggles, clashing goals, and moments of undeniable connection. They keep finding their way back to each other, and I’m rooting for them to make it work. Please, let them have their happy ending.

And Aisling? She’s an absolute force of nature. Watching her evolve from a sheltered princess into someone who can obliterate everything in her path has been one of the best parts of this series. She’s fearless, powerful, and unapologetic, and it’s awesome to see her take charge of her destiny.

Without spoiling anything, I’ll just say this: Fionn needs to go. Immediately.

The cliffhanger at the end left me wrecked, and I cannot wait to see how this story wraps up in the third book. This series has me hooked, and I’m all in for what’s next.

That was a trip. It is a tall order to continue to build and expand a world in an interesting way while keeping up with the majesty of the first book while also having a completely different plot & this book did it!!! It is a safe to say that I was not disappointed by this read. It held my interest very easily, the pacing was perfect once again, & I devoured this book all and all.
That being said I was rightfully very stressed for a lot of this book and the stakes always felt very high, and they never disappointed with their results. I felt like I understood the character motivations and even though I WISHED she would let go of Dagfin and fully embrace her new life I also understood exactly what held her back. Lame though. But like she was being betrayed left, right, and center so I guess I get it. Everybody better start respecting my homegirl though, she’s got that dragon in her.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

“For a kiss, I’d damn the world.”
“I thought you said you couldn’t lie?”
“I cant”

I ate this book up.
Thank you so much Second Sky for giving me this ARC because after the first book I was desperate to read the second instalment.

This was such a slow burn that I FLEW through this book to try and find answers and I know other readers will do the same. The tension was there, and I could not get enough of it.

I really enjoy Ashley’s writing, it’s so creative and she has made such a unique world which I have loved reading and immersing myself in. I really cannot wait for the third book in this series.

5/5 stars! The second book in this trilogy picks up right where the cliffhanger leaves us in book one. I cannot speak highly enough of the authors writing. The words on each page flow just beautifully together with just the perfect combination of words. As we follow Aisling's journey north with her brothers and Dagfin, Aisling finds herself even more stuck between two her two lives, mortal vs. fae. Poor Dagfin, I want to love him, he is a fantastic guy but the shadow fae men just sucker me in. However, I can say my heart absolutely broke for him as he battled for Aisling and I love him even if I do not love him for Aisling. Who I do love for Aisling however, is Lir.... and we as the readers clearly see he is obsessed with Aisling but I appreciate what the author has done with their relationship. Lir and Aisling both struggle with their own needs and plans but time and time again find themselves looking to one another. PLEASE GIVE THEM A HAPPY EVER AFTER. More on Aisling, what a bad b*tch. I mean really.... she went from this helpless little princess to absolute decimating the ground around her. Love it for her and love the evolution of her character. Without spoilers, Fionn can die... in fact I hope he is already dead. I cannot wait for the third book in this series. The cliffhanger has me in shambles.

Wow, what an amazing and thrilling sequel to the Mortal Queen! It was great the be back in the wild faelands and immerse myself to the beautiful descriptions of the nature and mythical creatures. This book was full of twists and turns and takes you to exciting adventure where almost everyone is out for themselves. I also love the more information we get on Aislings and Fins relationship. Also the new side to Lir we get to see in this book is absolutely wonderful!

If you like fated mates, thrilling adventures, murky prophesies, little love triangle and magical storytelling, you will love this book❤️

Another great read in the series. I can’t wait for book 3. I lived the evolution of Aisling and her powers, her independence and strong will, and the addition characters getting backstories. This one hit me more in the feels - some tear jerker moments, elation, shock - that it was a great emotional mix throughout the entire book.

I enjoyed how this picked up from the first book’s end and kept the momentum for the first few chapters. There are some new characters and realms introduced and I enjoyed the different points of view and personalities (good and bad) that joined the storyline. Te only problem is having to wait for the third in the series. Ashley really knows how to keep you entertained and wanting to find out what’s going to happen next.

I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me the privilege of being allowed to read this book!

I had some issues with the first book, but I still very much so loved it and wanted to see where it would go. I requested to read The Savage Queen in hopes I would be approved to see where this story would go.

I am so glad I was approved because this book did exactly what I was hoping it would do! It lived and breathed and stole my heart! All the issues I had with the first one pretty well were not here at all a tiny little bit but not to where it affected me as it did in the first. The pacing increased, so much happened! This book completely shattered my heart towards the end and that ending slightly stitched it back up again! This book is well named and something that rarely happens our mortal queen completely because our savage queen and I loved every minute of it!! Now I'm stuck impatiently patiently waiting for the first two books to be released so I can bring them home and for the third book to come out! I can't wait until I'm able to have my hands on this whole trilogy!

Thank you so much again from the bottom of my heart for allowing me on this wonderful literary journey!

3.75 stars ******

I love how unique both book one and book two are. As much as the tropes are the classic tropes, the story itself is unique.

The magic system could be confusing at points but I will say most of it is later clarified and often within a few pages.

I’ve loved Aislings development as she’s grown in power and I’ve also loved how Lir changes his views etc throughout their contact.

Looking forward to book three

The Savage Queen is the sequel to The Mortal Queen.

I really am enjoying this series and can’t wait for the third in the trilogy. Aisling and Lir are the best. But be warned this is the slowest of slow burns. There is a decent love triangle, you have Dagfin that loves Aisling unconditionally and then you have Lir who is obsessed with her. The good? News is that it’s hard to choose who you want for her. The bad? News is that she does choose.
The beginning of the novel is a little slow and the author is still a little wordy with the descriptions, but gets better very quickly. The novel is action packed with tense scenes, and lots of angst.

Aisling has fled Lir to find the curse breaker with her brothers and Dagfin, only to be ensnared by a rival fae king that hates Lir and wants what Lir has. To gain her freedom, Lir who shows up, must win three challenges against him. The story doesn’t end there though, she must find a way to continue her journey with an angry fae king and a prince who wants no throne. A thrilling sequel.

I received an arc and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

"Speak her name again, and next time, I won't miss."
There were so many lines in this book that made me say "Yes!"

The slow burn is burning. Gah...This book had me wanting to yell at Lir and Aisling so many times. The characters have so much tension and the passion is simmering throughout the entire book. I love it!

I love how Lir makes Aisling rethink things from a different perspective and how Dagfin helps keep Aisling's conscience good. The tension between Lir and his brother was brutal and I was here for it. This is a true enemies-to-lovers with stabbing! Will I read the next book, yes! I need to know how this world ends and what happens between Lir and Aisling.

For the not so good, this book was more difficult for me to get through than book one. The writing didn't seem as refined and there were a few times I had to reread to understand what was going on. I also was missing the reminders of what happened in the previous book at the beginning of this story. It all came back to me as I was reading, but the beginning was hard to get into as it fully jumped back into the story. The spicy scene also could use a bit of refining. I wanted to love their moment, but there were a few things that threw me. The best example, when exactly did Lir's pants come off?!

For those who love banter, slow burn, enemies to lovers, a dash of spice, battles, and family betrayals; this is your book.

This is a continuation from the first book where you were left hanging to see what would happen. This book was all about heartache, finding oneself, and learning to trust in others. Ash is determined to get answers to all of her questions and to get them she must survive a dangerous journey. She will be put to the test so many times and her heart will be torn between two different directions. Will she choose Lir or Dagfin? Will things happen as told or will a new path be forged? This book really let you feel what the main characters were going through and makes you fall in love with the story even more. I couldn’t put this book down and even now I am waiting to see what will happen next. I highly recommend this book. I was given an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My heart has been ripped apart and I am begging for more.
That ending… just phenomenal once again.
Simply saying I enjoyed Ashley Metzler’s writing would be an understatement. I have been enthralled. She is detailed in her descriptions, immersing us into the world she has created.
Picking up right where the first book ends…
Aisling continues her journey of self discovery. The story leaves off with her now racing against friends and foes to seek out the answers to her burning questions and the so called Curse Breaker that may turn the world they know upside down.

Her growth undeniably relatable. She is hungry for truth, for strength and power. She does not give up her power for anyone. Instead, she seeks it out. She plays with her power, learning and growing with it. Yet, there are times she is hesitant, unsure and influenced by some of those around her.

Her dynamic with Lir expands. Their slow burn further igniting.
There is also , Dagfin, devoted to Aisling, kind hearted and courageous. His character absolutely one of my favorites.
The two of them pulling Aisling to either side of herself - pushing her to choose between them and who she wishes to be.

There are many twists and turns to this epic fantasy. My heart was ripped out, stitched together and again in the end destroyed.

I don’t want to spoil the story - I can go on for days.
All I can say is this is a must read.

Wow! When The Mortal Queen ended on a cliffhanger I was stressed. I’m so happy I was able to get this ARC immediately after finishing. There was so much growth within Aisling, Lir, Dagfin that added to their complexity as characters. I never knew where the story was going or which plot twists to expect. We got some new characters like Fionn and Racat and saw a lot more of Aisling’s brothers. This journey was definitely an interesting one! I’m glad that Lir and Aisling’s relationship progressed because I love him BADDD. I loved how their relationship was the complete opposite of Dagfin and Aisling’s and how that was continuously shown throughout the book. Overall, if you can’t tell I’m obsessed and need book 3 NOW!

Thank you to Second Sky and NetGalley for the ARC!

5/5⭐️ I could not put this book down!! I was on the edge of my seat throughout this entire book. Aisling is quickly becoming one of my all time favorite FMC’s; she’s cunning and smart and fearless. And Lir, oh my god, I would let this man hunt me any day. I’m just so obsessed with Ashley’s writing from the complexity of the characters to the lore. I am convinced that I would read anything this woman writes! Ashley Metzler is truly a genius!! I am dyinggg for the next book! Cannot recommend this enough. I want to thank Ashley and Second Sky publishing for allowing me access to read this book early!