Here is your review for today!
Customary warning: This is a reminder that these are my personal opinions. My thoughts and feelings are not your thoughts and feelings. I may not always be the target audience for a book; sometimes I am. If I do not like a book, that doesn’t mean you’ll dislike it. If I love a book or simply like a book, you may hate it. Take everything I say with this knowledge. If it sounds interesting to you despite what I’ve said, then go ahead and read it. You’ll only know you like something if you read it yourself.
That being said… Spoilers ahead.
Among the Beasts & Briars by Ashley Poston
Synopsis From The Book
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.
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 a small and irritating fox from the royal garden 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.
Fantasy | YA – PW |Language, Body Horror, Animal Cruelty, Murder | Identity, Courage, Hope, Love
Initial Thoughts Before Reading:
Alright! On to a Book club book. I have been pushing this off for so long that I’m only finally reading it the day of my book club. Who is disappointed in me? Other than myself? HAHA. Anyway, this is short so let’s go!
Initial Thoughts After Reading:
Sooo… This novel can stand alone on its own. However the very last page of the book is a sneak peak and in that you can see that there is potentially a sequel that can occur. As such, wow. Okay. IDK where it will go from here.
Plot Overview:
Cerys is the daughter of the royal gardener. She has the ability to use her blood to make flowers bloom. She is best friends with the Princess Anwen and a fox she calls Fox. Princess Anwen is to be queen of Aloriya after her father died. Long ago she had a brother, but he, Cery’s mother, and a knight died in the Wilds around their land. Legend says that 300 years ago the king of their country traveled into the Wilds and found the Lady of Voryn. She gave him a crown and made it so the woods were locked to his people, to protected them both from the Wilds and the monsters within. Prince Lorne was killed by said monsters.
On the day of Anwen’s coronation, the knight, Seren, appears and causes mayhem. Everyone attending become infected by the Wilds seed which can turn them into monsters. Cerys is forced to flee with the magic crown. She puts it on her head and gets great magic, but Fox stops her from using it. They flee into the woods and Fox bites her to make her keep going. A bear attacks them, and as it attacks, Fox becomes a human. The bear decides to travel with them and her name is Vala. Cerys, Fox, and Vala make their way to the woods when they are attacked by a monster. Fox flees and Cerys becomes angry at him for abandoning her. She tells him to stay away as they go to the fog towards Voryn and Fox meets Seren. Seren tries to strike a deal with Fox and fails. Cerys and Vala run into monster Anwen, and escape into Voryn with Fox who saves them.
Fox is infected and Cerys demands to see him. She heals him with her blood and then tells the leader of Voryn, the Grandmaster, her story. The Grandmaster tells Cerys that the Lady of Voryn disappeared. Fox and Cerys talk and then they decide to go to the party and steal back the crown in an attempt to prove their story to Voryn. They find out that the King of Aloriya, years ago, conquered the forest. Seren steals the crown and Fox and Cerys split up. Fox, who is fully human, and Cerys kiss and Seren is captured. Cerys heals Seren and the Ancients and monsters arrive to attack. Fox finds out that he was once Prince Lorne and runs away. Vala convinces him to return. The Grandmaster tries to use the crown to end the fighting, and kills Vala. Fox returns to a fox, and Cerys destroys the crown with a blinding flash of light.
Six months later, Cerys is preparing for Anwen’s coronation. Everyone who was a monster, has turned back, albeit with sharper features. Fox and Cerys run away from the coronation after the dancing and the crowing of Queen Anwen.
What I Liked:
Fox; I really did like Fox. I know he was a coward, but it was nice to see a different sort of character.
Cerys; For what it was worth, I really liked learning about her. I don’t think she was too much of a different character from standard YA protagonists, but I did like her.
Flowers; I really loved that Cerys magic was over wood and flowers. I don’t often see this and thus I enjoyed it thoroughly.
What I Would Have Liked or Changed:
It was a lovely narrative, but I wish it could have been nice to have it longer.
The 6 months later; This made me scream. Why? Why did we skip right after the massive climax? I mean I get it, the fade to black is very cinematic. However I really wanted so much more to the resolution.
Rating: 4/5
Notable Quotes:
Never let anyone let you feel unworthy. You deserve the moon just as much as anyone else.” – pg 54
No audio. Any suggestions for a new site?
Marlena Marie 
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