*eARC provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Wasn't quite sure what to expect from this book, but it wasn't this.

Fast, and yet slow plotted

The woods have always called to Emeline Lark, no matter how much she tries to ignore it. But when her grandfather disappears, the forest maybe the only way to get him back. Edgewood is about secrets and the passed we may not truly understand until we have left our hometown and become adults. The worlds building was atmospheric and surrounds the reader. The forest is dual sided and makes the quests Emiline goes through heroic and dangerous. The interaction between Emeline and Hawthorne are tense, causing friction that builds for the final release. Emeline is a flawed protagonist and through out her character arc is built upon.

Edgewood has a haunting and atmospheric tone to the novel. It reminded me a lot of fairytales. The writing is very beautiful and lyrical! The world-building feels magical! I love the characters and the romance! The romance took its time to develop properly and natural. Edgewood is also moved at a steady pace. It does not drag nor does it feel rushed! Overall, Edgewood is an exciting and moving fantasy! I recommend this fans of Elizabeth Lim, Naomi Novik, and C. J. Redwine!

I loved how much musical was central to this story. The authors words weaved a beautiful melody with intricate descriptions and intriguing ideas and plot twists, but I felt this book lacking in the character depth and development department. They were relatable enough, but I feel relatability isn't enough to sustain a story. The romance was fine, nothing I found myself swooning over. Overall, a fine story!

I love a good stand alone book and this one fits the bill.

I loved the dark damp and dangerous feel of this read. This is an upper grade YA. So as an adult it was a fun read that checked off quite a few boxes for me. The writing was paced perfectly and I was truly engaged. I found myself sucked in and just moving along quickly. There was a lot to discover in this world and every character played a part in it. I liked the authors take on the fae. I honestly would like to read more books by this author in this world. Her style of writing just flowed beautifully grabbing me in deeper. The world building was enough to submerge me into the pages. I was in this story and that’s just where I wanted to be.

You follow Emeline and she will frustrate you but all in a way that I feel was intentional to the story and understanding it. She has a lot to uncover and see as she is sent into the woods that she has been avoiding her whole life in search for answers about her missing grandfather. She will encounter some interesting people along the way. Emeline will be forced to change and grow as she uncovers her hidden surroundings.

Will she complete this task or will she fall victim to the curse that she has found that could possibility wipe the eerie from the woods?

In short:
Did I like it? Yeah I did.
Would I recommend it? Yes of course.
Would I read more by this author? Absolutely.

Attracted by the beautiful cover, Edgewood hooked in the beginning. Emeline entering the magic forest excited me a lot. But the story is not backed by an intriguing plot and characters as they were both poorly executed and the romance did not serve at all for me.

3.5/5

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an advanced copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Edgewood is the story of Emeline Lark-- a girl from a small forest town with big dreams. She wants to make it big as a singer, but the forest from her home doesn't seem to want to let her go. Every time she sings, the forest comes to her. Then one day, her grandfather with dementia goes missing and she knows he's gone into the forest which can't help but pull her family in. The town has always had... stories... about the forest and the Elf King who rules over the enchanted kingdom. The king who requires tithes from the town in order to keep the forest under control.

Emeline decides she must go into the king's court to rescue her grandfather no matter the cost. And if she has to make nice with the aloof, handsome tithe-collector? So be it.

This story was honestly truly lovely. The writing was flowery while still being readable. Emeline was a very interesting character-- she was multi-faceted and more than just her love for her grandfather or her big dreams. That being said... she was also really dumb. Her "big reveal" near the end of the story was foreshadowed well and I picked up on what was going to happen pretty early on. But Emeline was shocked by every single little thing that happened. I found myself getting annoyed at her for being so incredibly stubborn while also being not that bright.

Hawthorne was an interesting love interest. He was pretty quiet and aloof for most of the book, but he had a really good reason as to why. Honestly, this reveal was probably my favorite part of the book. I didn't see this reveal coming and I'm not often surprised.

This was an enjoyable read! I really liked Ciccarelli's take on the fae, but I do think the book could have handled being a bit shorter.

Edgewood is a contemporary romance disguised as an urban fantasy. Had I realized this sooner, I may have set different expectations for it. I thought there would be a greater focus on the fantastical elements. I thought the woods might play a larger role than they actually did. I thought the Wood King would also have a bigger presence in the story. It wasn’t exactly what I thought it was going to be, so this affected my overall feelings about the novel.

The plot is predictable. I didn’t mind because I wanted it to happen that way. My overall enjoyment of the book was not hindered by the predictability but the quick resolutions. There was no time to ponder what would happen or to allow the moment to sink in because conflicts ended nearly as quickly as they appeared.

If you’re a fan of romance and fantasy, Edgewood is fairly predictable, but still a good read. There was so much to the world within the forest, but there wasn’t enough time spent on that world’s intricacies. For the most part, I enjoyed it but wanted more of the fantasy elements. (3.5 stars rounded to 4 stars)

While I always try to be honest , I also try to be respectful as well .

This one was a lot magical , with singing , a Forrest and hidden secrets . Emmeline was a character that I had a hard time connecting with , but the plot was great .
The story line kept me intrigued and motivated me to finish the story though . I wanted to see when emmeline is called back , and to search for her kissing grandfather .

The story itself is a bit odd but has a great atmosphere. The cover is stunning. The cover itself had be right away. I already bought it for myself and will probably be buying it for the library as well.

EDGEWOOD's characters craft a tale between two worlds in every way -- from their desires and obstacles to their relationships and choices. Kristin Ciccarelli creates a blend of contemporary and second-world fantasy that will have you peering suspiciously at the trees and questioning what it means to stand in the between.

The surprise that EDGEWOOD is a contemporary fantasy was a welcome one! I was even more intrigued and giggling from the first page. Plus, my favorite scenes are anytime Emeline sings.

Emeline is bursting with purposeful energy and constantly pushing her plot forward with her (sometimes misguided) actions. Yet, she also presents older than her years, like she carries a wealth of impactful experiences. Kristin's greatest gift to the reader is the empathetic path she creates so we, ourselves, can feel the emotions of Emeline's experiences -- the milieu of an ill-fitting life, the desperation to stop a loved one's pain, the nostalgia of love like your first.

Despite the story feeling long at times, I was completely invested in the journey of the characters. Emeline's ironclad determination, Hawthorne's quiet selflessness, Sable's intense loyalty, Grace's, well... grace. They are each a star that burns brighter as their lives interweave.

My unofficial review: a little too long but I cried like a little bitch at the end. The marker of a great fantasy novel.

[TW: sexual assault (not on the page)]

This review can also be found on my blog, Where the Words Take Me.

Edgewood by Kristen Ciccarelli is a contemporary fantasy YA novel about a girl named Emeline, who is on the cusp of breaking into the music industry as an established folk singer. However, she can never quite escape the creeping woods of her hometown, which permeate her performances whenever she sings no matter where she is.

When she gets word that her grandfather and caretaker has gone missing—potentially taken as a tithe to the mysterious Wood King—Emeline races back to Edgewood to find him. Braving the mysterious woods, she finds the Wood King’s court and strikes a bargain: she will become the Wood King’s new minstrel in return for her grandfather’s freedom. To do that, she must work together with the king’s tithe collector, Hawthorne, to recover the Song Mage’s lost sheet music and discover the cause of the wood’s corruption.

This book had me in the first third, not gonna lie. I always vibe with writing that discusses the intricacies and beauty of music through lyrical prose. Emeline’s opening performance during the beginning was an incredible scene-setter, both establishing her talent and struggles in the music industry while also demonstrating the ominous, regretful quality of her past. The reader gets a sense right away that something is being forgotten on the way to fame, and the reasons for Emeline to return home come through believably and clearly.

Indeed, Emeline’s familial ties and obligations to her grandfather as her sole guardian struck a particular cord with me, since my own grandfather passed away last year. Watching Emeline sort through the guilt of abandoning him to live her life but making him proud as she pursued her dream was a familiar tightrope walk. The extra layer of pain that came with her grandfather forgetting her due to Alzheimer’s also enriched the story for as long as it was relevant. I went through a similar experience with my other grandfather on my father’s side. Reading about a grandchild and a grandparent was also a refreshing break from the other family bond tropes that are rampant in YA, particularly the “older sister protects younger sister” scenario.

Edgewood was also fascinating as a setting. The superstitious, close-knit townspeople. The tithe marker. The rumors. The seemingly endless, directionless woods. The ember mares. The shiftlings. The Wood King’s court. The rot. All of it was coming together into a quality, modern fairytale.

It’s not so much that things fell apart but more so that nothing ever deepened beyond the introductions. The contemporary part of the book claims to take place in Montréal, but the city could’ve been called Atlanta, Seattle, or Vancouver, and there would’ve been no difference. We spend time within Edgewood, yet despite it being a fantasy-esque kingdom hidden in some kind of liminal space, the shiftlings living there are wearing sweaters and other modern clothing. The Wood King is never named yet somehow he remains the most faelike creature and one of the few fairytale elements that is carried out for the entire book.

Aside from Emeline and Hawthorne, every other character is given a name and a single personality trait. Some trait examples are being mischievous, but in a good way, or being a lesbian. One character, Nettle, completely disappears from the narrative midway through without a clear indication for why other than her purpose being served. (And given Hawthorne’s threat, at this point, I have to assume he killed her, although I strongly feel that isn’t the case.)

Emeline’s grandfather and the emphasis on memory, as far as he is concerned, also only lasts for as long as he’s relevant. Once Emeline manages to rescue him, the importance of their bond largely fades away, as if it had never been.

At an increasing pace, Emeline’s musical talent is glossed over with vague yet flowery descriptions and sometimes subpar lyrics that cause me to feel less intrigued by her as a main character. The magical element of her powers almost makes up for it, if it wasn’t for how obvious the twist behind it is.

And folks, there are many twists, and none of them are subtle or made me feel fulfilled for having figured them out ahead of time. If Ciccarelli had left a trail of breadcrumbs to follow, that would’ve done it. Instead, the author leaves flashing neon signs that overcompensates for a perceived lack of reading comprehension skills from the readers. Rather than this being intentional, it’s more so a failing of how publishers are forcing YA novels to become oversimplified to fit with market trends. Middle Grade novels are being allowed more sophistication than YA novels at this rate.

What, then, is left when everything I was excited for in the first third dries up? That would be the one-step-above instalove romance between Emeline and Hawthorne. Parts of this romance held moments of intrigue. Hawthorne’s strange familiarity despite he and Emeline never having met before now. Emeline’s loathing of him. Their forced proximity and reliance on each other.

What weighs the romance down, however, could fill another book. Emeline already has a boyfriend, except not really. He’s merely the obstacle to… Actually, he doesn’t stand in the way of Emeline developing lustful feelings (and then more) for Hawthorne at all. Feelings are complicated things, and I was proud of Emeline for owning up to them and being honest with her not-boyfriend.

My question is, why give her a not-boyfriend at all if it added nothing to the reading experience? The author believes it explains why Emeline, at nineteen, has never found true love before with any other guy she’s slept with (lol) and why Hawthorne is so special by comparison and the One (another lol). I can’t help but notice that most people don’t have many fulfilling romantic and sexual relationships by age nineteen, and that’s normal. If Hawthorne’s so amazing, there doesn’t have to be a subpar dude there to make the reader’s eyes gloss over whenever he shows up. We’ve all had to deal with mediocrity before.

Then, there’s the hurt-feelings miscommunication, which was almost made bearable due to plot reasons but not quite. At least it leaves the story whenever the plot needs it to or when Emeline needs to act ridiculous around Hawthorne. Since her only talent is music—by her own admission—Hawthorne starts to teach her to make bread. (Mel, I thought this was a fantasy adventure in a fae world. My compatriot, I know.) During the process, they have a play-fight with flour, resulting in her dumping an entire bag of flour on Hawthorne’s head and they still make out afterwards. That moment marks when I threw in the towel. Nothing about that sounds appealing in any form.

But then there’s the Truth of their relationship, which is… Uncomfortable at best and in bad taste at worst. Don’t even get me started on the whole stupid tree thing or how memory is applied to the two of them. The ending made me so furious and disbelieving that I was so glad I didn’t have to read a page more or ever worry about a potential sequel. Let’s just say: ego death? Not my flavor.

As for the representation, especially concerning the lesbian side couple, don’t waste your time or money on Edgewood for that factor alone. Both lesbian characters are there for when the main character needs them for plot purposes, and then they vanish from existence.

That was most of the book, honestly. If it wasn’t in Emeline’s line of sight or in her immediate thoughts, it didn’t exist. As a result, so much of her interpersonal relationships and the world-building remain underdeveloped, and many plot twists happen with no real thought to their consequences or impact for the characters they are related to. If something does not pertain directly to Emeline, then it isn’t truly important.

This is, perhaps, the biggest trend in YA that is a huge reason why I’ve been turning away from this genre and reaching for adult fantasy novels. I’m tired of the main character being the only character who matters. Why have a cast of characters at all if they are only names on a page—or, in Wood King fashion, are not even deserving of a name?

Kristen Ciccarelli's Edgewood is an epic love story of a girl forced to return to the home she's left behind in order to break a terrible curse. Two years ago, Emeline Lark left her small town of Edgewood to move to Montreal to pursue a career in music. Emeline wants to become a famous singer, joining tours, living a different life she’s left in the Edgewood. She's risen to the point where she is about ready to tour with a group called The Perennials soon. Of course, that's when things start to sideways. No matter how far she runs, the forest of Edgewood always comes for Emeline Lark.

The scent of damp earth curls into her nose when she sings and moss creeps across the stage. No one notices the strange things that happen when she sings. It’s as if the woods of her childhood, shrouded in folklore and tall tales, are trying to reclaim her. But Emeline has no patience for silly superstitions. Someone at one of her stops steals her bottle of water. Then she learns that her grandfather, the person who raised her when her mother disappeared when she was child, goes missing from his nursing home.

The only thing left behind is a milky orb in his wake. It seems as though the stories Emeline has always scoffed at suddenly seem less foolish. Her grandfather suffers from dementia, and she’s worried that he’s wandered into the woods. Nobody else seems to be trying to find him. After searching for him almost everywhere, Emeline finally succumbs to the call of Edgewood, entering the forest she has spent years trying to escape. Emeline finds herself in the court of the fabled Wood King himself where she learns that her grandfather was tithed.

Little does she know, she’s stumbled into the middle of a curse much bigger than herself, one that threatens the existence of a life she has worked so hard to forget. With the help of a handsome and brooding tithe collector (Hawthorne Fell), a surly blacksmith (Sable Thorne), and a lost childhood friend (Grace Aber), Emeline sets out to not only save her grandfather’s life, but to right past wrongs, and in the process, discover her true voice. Emeline goes through a complicated and emotional journey, and she learns more than she ever bargained for.

The one thing I really liked about Emeline was her relationship with her grandfather. She struggles with the thought of leaving him behind and putting him in a home where he can be watched. Emmeline's struggle for identity and belonging in terms of both her career and her personal life drew me in. One could say that the ending was predictable, but there's a few surprises and twists along the way.

This was a pretty decent YA book with the typical tropes, but I really wanted more from the story. The cover is wonderful, and the atmosphere was really nice too, but the story was a little off for me and the characters were somewhat lacking as well.

I enjoyed this blending of contemporary and fae worlds. I found that I could not stop reading this book and wanted to see what would happen. Some aspects of the romance were not my favorite but that is personal taste (I don’t like seeing so much involvement with another person for so long - thankfully the dud of a boyfriend finally went away). But I had to remember that Emeline was working at a distinct disadvantage. Edgewood was a fascinating place, and I really liked Hawthorne and watching his relationship with Emeline grow through the story. But I’ve got to say that the end surprised me. I did not see that coming!

My Review: Not Worth It
Rep: dementia, LGBTQIA+ (side character)

As much as I wanted to love this book, I just couldn’t forgive its flaws.

The Pros: What Worked For Me

The relationship between Emeline and her grandfather is so sweet, and her conflicting feelings over his dementia (and her guilt) was something the author depicted very well.

The Cons: What I Didn’t Like

The worldbuilding is non-existent and frustrating to try and figure out.
The magic system doesn’t make any sense to me and I had more questions than answers with every page.
The writing style is more juvenile than what I expected and it didn’t work for me.
All of the characters are bland and I just didn’t care for them. There was no real connection that I could feel.
There really isn’t anything interesting about this story. It has a generic plot and pretty terrible romance that I’ve seen too many times already.

The forest has always found a way to creep into Emeline's life. She has made a point to run from the forest and it's superstitions. When her grandfather disappears, the stories that she had spent her whole life ignoring suddenly don't seem as foolish. Entering the forest, she searches for her grandfather, letting nothing deter her. As she becomes more involved with the forest, secrets start to unfold and she realizes there is something much bigger going on.

A spooky forest with a mystery and a curse? How could I not be curious about a book like that. It is the perfect fantasy setting. There are so many possibilities and ways to explore a forest, I couldn't wait to see how the forest would be portrayed here. When it started and I found how just how important the forest was to the story, I was even more eager and excited to fall in love with this story and the mysterious forest. Unfortunately, that excitement quickly faded.

Emeline was a character who, unfortunately, didn't really stand out for me. Throughout the book, she was focused on getting her grandfather back, understandably, but it was had to get why she cared so much about him. Yes, he was her grandfather, yes he was an important part of her life, but with the way she brushed off his disappearance early on, it made it seem like she didn't really care. Then, we get no connection between her and her grandfather to build that connection and make me care.

Even while reading the book, I struggled to remember her name. Unfortunately, Emeline is a main character who did not feel like the main character in her own life. She simply didn't stand out to me.

When this first started, I was sucked in. I was so enchanted with the idea of the forest that called to Emeline. It was fascinating to me and I couldn't wait to read more. The writing was atmospheric and beautiful. The woods had this haunt aura to them that was captivating, but once the plot started to pick up, all of that seemed to fade away and the world that seemed like it was going to be so promising started to fade away.

Part of why I struggled so much with the world is how the modern world and the fantasy world tried to blend. This simply didn't work for me and I was often confused on if this was a fantasy or fiction. I constantly had to remind myself that this was supposed to be a fantasy book and not fiction.

There are so many things about this book that I love which really made me think that I should love this book, but the execution left me disappointed. I have a friend who enjoyed this author's other series, so I'm hoping that I'll enjoy that one too and even future releases from this author, but this one simply didn't work for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy to review.

Two stars

This book was not even on my radar until I saw that beautiful cover. Ever see a book cover that hooks you? Edgewood did just that for me. But I was let down badly.

The romance is what turned me off. Immediately when it became inappropriate. It was not for me... I am going to try my hardest to forget Hawthorne ever existed.

The only saving grace was Emeline's relationship with her grandfather. I love seeing how protective Emeline was of him. It was obvious she cared a great deal about him.

This is one series, I will not be continuing. Unless I know Hawthorne will be a tree forever.

I was really hoping to love this, as I am a complete sucker for magic forests - but I think the things I want out of a magic forest story were just not what the author wanted to write about, and that's fine.

The beginning of the story is intriguing enough, but the main pull was this idea that Emeline would be entering this magic forest and interacting with the creatures therein. They're called shifters but I believe calling them faeries would be accurate, and I love stories where a human becomes surrounded by fae.

There just wasn't a lot of actual fae in this story. For a world built on the magic tithes and fire horses, I felt like I didn't see much of it. There were a couple scenes with characters that weren't Hawthorn or Emeline's grandfather, but they were always quick and over before they began. She's in the forest but she's mainly in her room or at Hawthorn's house, not interacting much with people daily. I wanted more of the magical environment, but this clung to the musical aspect of the story much more. My favorite scene was when they had to sneak past a certain creature, and I was really hoping more of the book would be like that.

When the plot gets into full force there is more of a magical presence, but it comes with some trigger warnings. There are multiple instances where consent is denied for people (one being more vague than another but still counting for me) and I felt a little taken aback by it. Emeline's backstory coming into full view brought with it some complications that made things uncomfortable, and I couldn't really get past it.

I wanted to like this a lot, but it just left me feeling underwhelmed, and then a little confused. I'm hoping if the author writes more that I'll be able to connect with it.