Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this novel!

Title: Prince of Air and Darkness
Author: M.A Grant
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal Romance
Release date: 25th February 2019
My Rating: 4 stars 
Trigger/content warnings: Violence and gore, sex scenes.

I recently found this book while scrolling through 2019 book releases on Goodreads and I instantly added it to my TBR. I was so happy when I saw this on NetGalley and even happier when I received the approved notification!

This story is in first person dual perspective, which I love, between Phineas and Roark, who are roommates. Roark is an Unseelie prince and Phineas is a human with the power of the ley line inside of him, but he is not in control of it at all.

I instantly started reading this and I was hooked from page one. The plot is extremely fast-paced and engaging, I was on the edge of my seat throughout the whole book, there wasn't a boring moment to be had.

I normally take notes when reading ARCs for reference when I begin writing my review, however, I found that I was so engrossed in the story I hardly made any as I didn't wait to put this down!

The romance was so real and tangible, I could practically feel the emotions coming off the page between Phineas and Roark. Their development from enemies to lovers was realistic and brilliantly done, their history unfolding at the right pace.

The reason I didn't rate this 5 stars was that a few things didn't work for me personally. One being, the whole dynamic between Phineas, Queen Mab and Roark confused me. Mab tortured Phineas at the beginning of the story, and how everything worked out just didn't add up to me. Also, the ending felt very rushed and there was a definite plothole with the knighthood scenario.

Overall, I will definitely be picking up the next book, which I can't wait for, and I will also be checking out more books by this author! A great read for anyone who likes paranormal romance and fantasy adventure.

The only human student at Mather’s School of Magick, Phineas Smith has a target on his back. Born with the rare ability to tap into unlimited magick, he finds both Faerie Courts want his allegiance—and will do anything to get it.
When I started reading I couldn't put it down. M.A. Grant is magnifysent and amazing writer.I cannot wait to read more of there books.Keep up the great work.You should definitely read this book.Can't wait for the next book.

Fae stories are probably my favourite sub genre, so I was eager to read this book. I found this to be an engaging and interesting read; it was fast-paced and I kept wanting to know what would happen next. I like how Roark and Phineas' relationship developed; it wasn't rushed or insta-love, and I am always a fan of the enemies-to-lovers trope. Add in their complicated individual histories and you get an intense, exciting and ultimately likeable relationship. I usually don't really like dual perspective stories but it worked in this book because both Phineas and Roark had unique individual voices and characterisations that made it easy to distinguish them.

Perhaps one of the few quibbles I have with this book is that I occasionally lost interest in the plot; it sometimes felt a bit directionless and draggy. I also thought that the ending felt a bit rushed, but the rest of the book made up for that.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone that likes fae books that are easy to read.

Fantastic m/m fantasy, set in a modern day world. It's a Seelie/Unseelie realm we've seen before but with such attention to detail and connection to the real world. Would highly recommend to any fans of Fae fantasy.

Prince of Air and Darkness absolutely hit the spot. It certainly has some Carry On vibes, but clearly stands on its own as a unique piece of work with distinct characters I couldn’t help but fall for, especially dear Roark, whose feelings for Finn made me giddy. I am completely fascinated with the world M.A. Grant has built and cannot wait to return to it in the sequel, where I hope Roark and Phineas will still have a prominent role. They were so fun together and there definitely seems to be more under the surface in terms of their magicks. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this start to a new and exciting series!

Actual Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Okay, so I received an advanced copy of this book and I'm really glad I read it. I'm not totally in to Fae-books, but I found the premise intriguing (frenemies, sexual tension, Fae prince and a man fighting to understand and control his immense power, yep). I liked both Phineas and Roark and found them multifaceted. It is mostly a character-driven plot and it dragged a bit with all the angst, poetic words about completing each other and heartshaped eyes.

One thing is that I didn't really understand the ending. They fought so hard for one thing and then it doesn't really seem all that important? I'm glad it ended the way it did, I guess and parts of it were totally expected, but you know... Not explained?

All in all, the book kept my interest and I felt vibes from Rowell's Carry on and some Harry Potter, even though I think these people are way older..?

This review is made entirely my own opinions and I thank Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this!

/ Denise

A wide cast of characters of legend, from Seelie to Un populate this great book. It reminded me of the best parts of Harry Potter and Carry On by Rainbow Rowell. Any fans of either of those should definitely give this one a try. I always wanted to know what happened next, and while I have many questions at the end, it was a great ride.

3.5*

Firstly I have to say I usually avoid books about the Fae. I’ve just never read one I really liked but something about the blurb for this book just pulled me in.

I also didn’t realise this was a YA read and while I’m well out of the age range I have enjoyed a lot of YA reads in the past.

The books itself.

My first thought on finishing is that I’d been cheated.
Now all the reviews I’ve seen for this book have been really good, 4* plus. This seems to point to the problem being me. I’m not ruling that out but this is my review after all so it’s my opinion you’re getting.
It’s not all bad. Far from it in fact a lot of the book is good but...

It felt overlong and really dragged in places. I stuck with it because I wanted to know what happens in the end. Who will be the Knight and how will the war go?

The problem was the book ended before the war really got going. I didn’t expect that at all and that in a nutshell was my problem. I felt I’d stuck with the slow bits without getting the good.
But...
I know two buts in one review.
The end of this book was really good and despite my earlier annoyance I was left wanting more to the extent where I might even continue on with this series.

I voluntarily read a review copy kindly provided by NetGalley.

Prince of Air and Darkness was a gripping and entertaining read from start to finish. I loved the characters of Finn and Roark, and the development of their enemies-to-lovers relationship. I also enjoyed the background plot of the growing tension between the two Courts, and how our heroes got caught in the middle of it. There was one small plot hole connected with the Knighthood, which irked me a little, but it wasn't enough to spoil my enjoyment of an otherwise excellent read. I would certainly read more from this author and in this series, as Prince of Air and Darkness was sexy, captivating and thrilling. Recommended to fans of MM fantasy romance.

I received an advanced reading copy of Prince of Air and Darkness in exchange for an honest review.

This was one of my most anticipated books of 2019 so imagine my happiness when I was sent an ARC?!

Why was I anticipating this book so much?
Three words: Adult. Queer. Fantasy.

Of which we are woefully lacking. I am constantly hunting, pleading, begging for more well-written queer relationships, that are front and centre, in fantasy. This was the exact type of book I had been looking for. I feel like I found the holy grail.

Finn and Roark were such a great pairing. There was enough tension throughout the book to keep me coming back for their relationship above anything else, especially because of the enemies-to-lovers element. And, whilst the overall plot is not reinventing the wheel, it is addictive and engrossing.

The pacing was excellent throughout and I found the dialogue especially well-written. The world building was clear and concise, without any info-dumps.

If you liked Carry On and The Raven Cycle, and you want to read something that is similar but more adult then this is the book for you!

I'm looking forward to reading on in the series. I hope this is the start of a new wave of lgbtq+ adult fantasy!

This was really fun to read! There were hardly, if any, moments where I felt like I just HAD to skip along to try and get somewhere more enjoyable. The dialogue, characters, world, and even the fae were all greatly devloped and were enjoyable to learn and read about. Fae is something that I'm really cautious about, as I feel it's very saturated and it's hard to get into anything that has them. This book does a really great job with bringing a new concept to the table and opening more doors for the genre. If anyone was at the store and thought "this sounds like an interesting/fun book to read", I have no doubt that they'd find some joy in reading this.

This was amazing and absolutely brilliant! I was hooked from the first words to the very end, and even now, want much much more. Finn and Roark have so much chemistry and you can’t help but cheer for them to have a happy ending, which they sort of get at the end of the book. Finn finally finds himself and realizes how much power he has by himself, and no longer fights the Ley Lines. Roark is just one of those guys you love from the beginning, because they’re the “mean” guy, but secretly they are a sweetheart. Roark is Finn’s sweetheart and I was so happy that they get to be together now! I am absolutely going to wait on pins and needles for the next book, for Seb’s story, and to see what happens with the Courts.

Phineas (Finn) Smith is a human at Mathers School of Magick, in his final year he has still to learn how to control his rare and unusual ability to tap into unlimited magick (I have to confess I found that out from the blurb as I don't think it was described like that in the novel). All known humans with his ability have died young, unable to control their power, ripped apart by the magic.

Unseelie Prince Roark Lyne, third son of Queen Mab, is Finn's room-mate and he always seems to be hanging around sneering at Finn and his fae friends. What's worse is that Finn is a target for supernatural creatures seeking magick and Roark is constantly rescuing Finn from attacks by creatures, using his power only makes matters worse for himself.

But as the peace between the Unseelie and Seelie courts starts to disintegrate Finn and his power could be a weapon for either court, can he learn to control it before it destroys him?

This is an intriguing mash-up of different genres. A magic school like Harry Potter (although it reminds me more of Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series in feel) yet it has some quite graphic torture scenes, a YA m/m romance (even though Roark is over 200 years old), a fantasy involving the Kings and Queens of the faerie courts and college campus parties. As a result it's hard to pin this book down to a single genre.

I liked the way the reader is thrust straight into the action right from the start with Finn being tortured by Queen Mab to reveal how he uses the ley lines of magick power. Told in alternating POVs between Finn and Roark we see the simmering sexual tension right from the start.Finn is fighting to stay alive long enough to save his parents' farm, Roark is fighting to avoid being made Queen Mab's Winter Knight, a position which will destroy him from the inside as soon as his takes up the mantle.

Loved it.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I told a friend about this book after I sent in my request to review it on NetGalley and she was like "what is it about?" and I answered "Fae...". Her response was "fae? You hate fae, how come you requested this?" Well, she isn't wrong, but... the synopsis spoke to me and I had this intense notion to hit that request button. Let me tell you though, I seriously don't regret it one bit. This is - I believe - the very first book with fae in it that I like. That is huge!

I loved the whole human and ley lines thing and you might not believe me when I say this but my favourite character was not the human Phineas (called Finn by Roark) but the fae Roark. I loved Roark's and Finn's "hate" relationship at the beginning - even though I personally would only describe it as mild dislike - and the slow transformation into more.

This book is definitely a slow burner with lots of... let's call them... fight scenes and I mean actual fights with fists and magic and not arguments.

I can absolutely see me reading the second book which is about one of Finn's friends.

Rating: 4 stars

It is always a pleasure to read a solid fantasy that has sufficient depth and richness to sustain a novel of any real length, particularly where there is a good m/m core theme; this is one such tale. Characterisation is interesting and frustrating in equal measure. There is good character development but background is only introduced in the latter part of the book and then is done so in dribs and drabs and is incomplete. This makes it very difficult to fully understand the individuals and why they are where they are. Context is a similar area where there is good description of the environment but, particularly of the school, there is little explanation of how it fits between both worlds. Familiarity from other reading of the fae world helps in making sense of much of what is happening. What holds this story together is the plot. It is not overly complicated and the reading is easy.

Whilst it is interesting as an adult read, the description of the relationship between the two lead characters is very clearly aimed at a teen market. The intimacy between these individuals is marked by implication; fade to black and, at its most explicit, mild titillation. There is obviously a lot of buried intensity in the to and fro of the character’s thoughts and circumstances conspire to keep them at arms length for much of the book, it is therefore a shame that when they do get to be together the reader is deprived of this.

There is a steady pace throughout. Although the are points of tension, these are resolved without there being too much angst. At these times the pace increases but not so much that the reader skims ahead. As the writing alternates from the point of view of the two lead characters there is never enough time to develop any significant pace before the perception shifts and the pace starts again.

The ending to this book is positive with core issues either resolved or made clear. This is the first in a series and the conclusion doesn’t so much have a cliff-hanger as provide momentum that leaves the reader wanting more.

This review is also posted at Gay Book Reviews: https://wp.me/p8hwID-VdS

4 stars for pure enjoyment, the fact that I really could not put this down, and the glorious pining.

Run toward hope.

I love fae stories and this was no exception. I also love a badass prince and enemies to lovers. It's not hard to make me happy. This one made me real happy.

Phineas is the human snowflake with a power that will kill him. One that he can't control.
Roarke has been his roommate for 6 years and has been keeping an eye on him since the beginning. He didn't mean to fall in love with him.
The plot felt slightly directionless at times but it didn't really bother me and I somehow couldn't put it down.

The sucky thing about reading an arc?
You have to wait really long for the next one.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

As a human with the extremely rare-and volatile- ability to tap into ley lines, Phineas Smith wasn't even expected to live past his twentieth birthday. Despite having lived longer than any other recorded human with the ability, Finn still struggles to control his unlimited power, much to the dismay of his roommate, Prince Roark Lyne. Finn has repeatedly had to be rescued from power-hungry beasts by his broody roommate, and is sick of Roark witnessing his failure. Unfortunately, Roark is also the only one who seems to be able to help Finn control his powers. The two men begin to form an uneasy alliance, with Roark training Finn in his magick, which soon causes their suppressed feelings to come to light.

Prince of Air and Darkness was a great read with two intriguing protagonists. I loved that, while they were far from perfect, both Finn and Roark were compelling and likeable, and their relationship was believable. Some aspects of the story could have very easily come across as cliche, but MA Grant did a great job of keeping the story fresh and engrossing. I'll admit, I am a little disappointed to find out the sequel will be centered around two different protagonists, but after reading this installment, I'm confident it will be just as engaging.

After reading this novel, I would so easily recommend it to anyone looking for a innovative romantic fantasy, as well as any fans of m/m romance. I can't wait to read book two!

4/5