Thank you to Balzer + Bray for sharing an ARC in exchange for my honest review! Obtained through my role as an organizer for Book Terminal Tours.
Cerys is safe in the kingdom of Aloriya. Here there are no droughts, disease, or famine, and peace is everlasting. It has been this way for hundreds of years, since the first king made a bargain with the Lady who ruled the forest that borders the kingdom. But as Aloriya prospered, the woods grew dark, cursed, and forbidden. Cerys knows this all too well: when she was young, she barely escaped as the woods killed her friends and her mother. Now Cerys carries a small bit of the curse—the magic—in her blood, a reminder of the day she lost everything. The most danger she faces now, as a gardener’s daughter, is the annoying fox who stalks the royal gardens and won’t leave her alone. As a new queen is crowned, however, things long hidden in the woods descend on the kingdom itself. Cerys is forced on the run, her only companions the small fox from the garden, a strange and powerful bear, and the magic in her veins. It’s up to her to find the legendary Lady of the Wilds and beg for a way to save her home. But the road is darker and more dangerous than she knows, and as secrets from the past are uncovered amid the teeth and roots of the forest, it’s going to take everything she has just to survive. Among the Beasts and Briars is Ashley Poston's foray into high fantasy. With a darkly whimsical magical forest, a gardening girl with special powers, and plenty of enchanted beings to populate the world, the entire novel feels like a fairy tale. Honestly, this book could be a whole new tale unto itself. I liked the atmosphere best of all--Cerys has to undertake a quest through a forbidden forest to reach a legendary city, and her wonder at the monstrous creatures that inhabit it (the forest) and the people she meets there (the city) really engages the reader in her world. The pacing took a bit of time to get used too, but the ending didn't feel too rushed so in hindsight I didn't mind Cerys's long journey. The rules are simple to grasp, even as Cerys questions everything she's known about her kingdom. Everyone loves a good magical forest, and ATBAB certainly serves up. The woodcurse lives in Cerys's magic, which is certainly cool, but of course there are corrupted beings to fight and magic bears and foxes to provide interest. I can't say much about the romance for fear of spoiling the book--on this site I typically don't discuss much past the plot summary--but I will tell you that it's adorable and perfect for Cerys. You're going to guess what the big secret is, but you might not mind as much as me. They do wrong by each other sometimes, but always come back to fix it. That's commitment. That's trust. That's love. I guess... in the middle of all the dark fantasy and upper YA I've been reading recently, ATBAB just felt a little bit easy to me. I clocked the big plot twist about halfway through, and the prose wasn't as complex as I would have liked. I don't mean that in an entirely bad way, though. Sometimes it's nice to read a book you don't have to think so much about. It was a great afternoon read, and escaping to Aloriya is quite satisfying after all. I'm giving Among the Beasts and Briars 4/5 stars. I got a physical copy as part of my November Owlcrate box, and I really enjoyed the whole theme. Whether you did the same or picked it up from your local library or bookstore, the universe put this book in your path for a reason and you shouldn't ignore that.
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The BaronessHey, I'm Shreya! I love to read, write, travel, and drink tea. Disclosure: I am an affiliate of bookshop.org and I will earn a small commission if you click the above link and make a purchase.
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