Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books/St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read a copy in exchange for a honest review (and having it in the Read Now section last year). This review contains spoilers read at your own discretion.
Edgewood by Kristen Ciccarelli is an urban fantasy, but somehow the cover fooled me into forgetting that it is not straight fantasy.
Oh, and do not worry if you forget what kind of boots Emeline is wearing (Blundstone boots) because it will be the most repeated detail in the book. Also, at some point in the book her boots were off and I never realized until she put her Blundstone boots back on (I am preparing you peeps for the book. if you survive the review you can mostly survive the book). Honestly it feels like the only thing I can mention is the boots and I wonder if the author got a paid endorsement from the shoe people because no books should have Blundstone boots mentioned as much as this book. I almost want the author to do me a favour and go to her manuscript and search for the term "Blundstone boots" then delete half of what comes up (even then it will still be too much). I thought the boots were supposed to be magical from the fact that it is the only article of clothing that is capitalized (my older sister had to explain to me that they were a brand).
Also, be aware that the pacing is slow like you had better hunker down with no distractions because you will be easily distracted from the book. Granted I finished this in one day because I did not want to spend another day reading it.
I loved Hawthorne even though there were some definite creepy vibe moments like Emeline finding the sketches of her being nude and yes it was explained away, but yeah gave me a moment to pause.
I do not like Emeline but unfortunately, the entire book is in her POV. I kind of wished that we had Hawthorne's POV as well because there is only so many times I can listen to her lament about her job and how she cannot lose her dream. Do not get me wrong there is nothing wrong with pursuing dreams, but she casts everyone else aside.
I also found it hard to suspend my disbelief in this book because in the first chapter I had no clue what genre this book was supposed to be what with the Blundstone boots and the real fire (I could have done without the real because then I found myself asking as opposed to what? A holographic fire? A painted fire? I wished the author trusted her readers more to understand that logs next to a crackling fire is a good indication it is real).
Honestly, I liked the book, but I could spend a good hour ranting about it because the author could have done so much with the fae and the Wood King and the King's City, but no lets focus on Emeline and how she needs to get the grandfather she abandoned out of the king's tithe and get back to her career. I love fat books which is why I wanted to read it well that and also the cover. It will be a cover buy and the promise of fae that will lure people in that is for sure.
If you do not mind whiny main characters and blatant product placement then this is the book for you.
3.5 ⭐
5 💧
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