Ugh! There was a lot of good that was here, & I genuinely thought this might be a potential new fave for a minute in the beginning. Such wonderful folksy-faerie type writing, & I am The One who eats that stuff UP. But alas, I ended up here, definitely liking it but just feeling it didn’t totally hit the mark.

Cassia is, as the title suggests, the Daughter of the Forest King. She was gifted as a child an all powerful ring (think Lord of the Rings, but the ring is not so evil) that comes with the title of Deathbringer. The gift wasn’t given because she was foreseen to wear it or any other chosen one narrative reason: she was given it by a boy who, for all intents & purposes, should’ve been her enemy. This initial event sets the two on a path that is intertwined in more ways than they themselves wish or care to know.

The beginning of this book genuinely had me. The writing is beautiful & very Holly Black, Allison Saft, Rebecca Ross coded. Like a genuine piece of folklore that is as enchanting as the world that is written about. The premise is so strong, & I loved the relationship that was set up between Cassia & Zeru. But as we got to the middle & then to the end, it felt the story itself was a bit disjointed? Their relationship became a little rushed & just not quite delving into the more gradual slowburn. It actually confused me a little what was happening in the middle there. The events in this book felt as though they should’ve been separated into two different books because the plots from beginning to end didn’t seamlessly align. Such amazing ideas & stunning writing, though! I for sure would continue the series to see what else this author grows into & the stories that could come from this world.

Overall, I definitely enjoyed it still, but was just waiting for that little extra UMPH.

Thanks so much to NetGalley & Hachette Audio for this ARC!!

First of all, the cover of this book is gorgeous. I can't wait to see if any book boxes do any special editions of this book. The story itself draws you in from the beginning with relatable characters and incredible world building. If you like romantasy, go ahead and add this one to your2025 tbr. You wont be disappointed!

3.5 stars. This read like a dark fairytale which was both great, and at times, frustrating. The story pulls you in immediately, but the pacing is so quick that we miss out on character development (so you feel pretty removed from the characters, making it hard to be invested). It was also hard to picture what they looked like so I wish a little more time was spent explaining what they were. Otherwise, a sweet and unique story.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.25/5

The Forest King’s Daughter is a whimsical YA fantasy that will intrigue fans of Howl’s Moving Castle and Holly Black.

This one was fun, but unfortunately, it did not quite work for me. The story sometimes didn’t feel cohesive, and the pacing bounced back and forth. I found it difficult to connect to the main character, but I was fascinated by the world-building and whimsical settings reminiscent of Howl’s Moving Castle. The friends-to-enemies-to-lovers romance was sweet and captivating, but the development of Zeru and Cassia’s relationship felt off. The writing was beautiful, and I enjoyed the adventure and magic of the story. The ending was wonderful, although this book feels more like a standalone and not the start of a series. The book is marketed for fans of Sarah J. Maas, but I think it feels more like a story for fans of Howl’s Moving Castle, especially since the characters felt more like lower YA characters. I agree it is great for fans of Holly Black’s fae-filled worlds and gripping romances. Overall, I’d recommend this to fans of cozy YA fantasy novels.

Eleanor Bennett was a beautiful narrator for this novel. Her voice and accents fit the characters well, making the story feel quite magical. As I listened, however, I found that the pauses between sentences were longer than I usually hear in audiobooks, which occasionally disconnected me from the story. I listened at the maximum speed available and still registered the long pauses. After a few hours of listening, I came to expect the pauses, but initially, the narration felt a little off. I’d still recommend the audiobook, however, especially if you have the physical copy to read along with.

Thank you to the publisher for the free ALC!