I read and love Ciccarelli's debut, The Last Namsara, years ago, so I was excited to get approved for an eARC of Edgewood. That being said, YA contemporary fantasy often doesn't work for me, but I'm happy to say that I loved Edgewood. The descriptions of the forest creeping into Emeline's life as she sings were so atmospheric and lush, it grabbed me right away. And then once she reaches the Wood King's realm, the story grabbed me by the throat and wouldn't let me go. There were quite a few twists I wasn't expecting, and I can't wait to pick up whatever Kristen Ciccarelli writes next!

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for granting me an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I've loved Cicarelli's writing since The Last Namsara, so picking up a story of enchanted woods was a no-brainer for me. I loved how you can feel the music in her prose, the ebb and flow, the vivid imagery that brought the magic to life. And as always, I loved her characters, how we get pulled into what Emeline loves. It's a quiet story in many ways, with less flash and bang than readers might expect from her Iskari series, but I appreciated the very real love at the heart of it.

Edgewood is such a beautiful book! This is the first book that I have read by Kristin Ciccarelli and it will not be the last. I loved the world that Kristin created it is so whimsical and I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next

I have to be honest and admit I went in to this unsure if I'd like it. Pretty quickly we're intro'd to two different boys and I almost stopped. But no, this one was great. It was compelling because the characters were alluring. I wanted to know how it would all end. I didn't love the bickering but at least I understood the push and pull and some of the ridiculous disputes. There were a few twists I didn't see coming and the end was just conclusion enough to wrap it all up but just open enough that there might be more to this story. I'd return to this world again. I'd really like Grace's story. . .

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

I'm going to be honest and say that when I began this book the first several pages piqued my interest when Emeline began talking about her musical interests; however, when the forest began talking to her I was like...what? I don't know about this, but I am really glad that I stayed with it because I ended up liking this book a lot more than I thought I would. It drew me into the world of fantasy and I was really into the characters. Emeline's grandfather, Ewan, goes missing and Emeline sets out to find out what happened to him. She encounters the Wood King who is evil, and that section of the book was pretty intense. There was another character, Hawthorne, who I didn't like at all at first but he grew on me. I'd say overall this is a good fantasy book (and I'm not too fond on fantasy).

I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion which I have given.

Edgewood is a beautifully dark, atmospheric, and lush book. Emeline Lark is being almost haunted by the forest next to the home she grew up in with her grandfather. Even now that she has left to pursue a music career, the forest keeps calling her back. I absolutely loved the mysteriousness of the world. The characters from the town of Edgewood, as well as those within the woods are intriguing and wonderfully complex. There is always more than meets the eye and always more to the story than we are told. I have always been a fan of books that explore fae worlds near our own, and this one is so absorbing. I enjoyed the romance, and while it was not nearly to the level of more adult romance novels, it was definitely a little more than what I normally see in young adult books. That said, I really enjoyed it. I will definitely look for more from this author.

A romantic and lovely YA/NA urban fantasy, from an author I hadn't read before. This book wasn't perfect, especially when it came to some of the worldbuilding elements in the fairy realm, as well as some of the magical aspects of the plot resolution, but it was wonderfully immersive and easy to connect with. I liked the fact that the setting stretched out from the forest/fairy world and into the human world a bit too (hence the "urban" fantasy descriptor, I think?). The romance elements, quite central to the plot, worked well. I would recommend this book for the entertainment value/romance and will consider reading another novel from this author in the future. Thanks to NetGalley for providing an arc to review.

While I enjoyed this book immensely, I did have to take some time before posting the review, about 2 weeks. As I sit typing it, I realized I don't remember a lot of the story. I remember liking it and thinking it was a fun and enjoyable book, I couldn't tell you what happens in it.

I'll have to give it another try in the future!

First, I want to point out that this is not a novel I'd recommend for anyone under the age of 16 or 17. Maybe I'm old. Maybe it's the era I was raised in. There are intimate sexual scenes that I wouldn't call appropriate for the younger side of young adult. Keep in mind though, that the MC, Emeline Lark, is around 19. I just feel NA would be a better branding instead of YA for this beauty.

Edgewood is truly a beautifully written novel of love, family, friendships, small town folklore and dreams. Some plot areas and world building felt a little lacking when it came to fleshing out details but the overall storyline kept me fully captivated as Emeline's connection to Edgewood unfolds. Predictable character connections didn't take away from the uniqueness each played by the end. Even though I knew what was coming at times I was still all in my feelings for each character involved.

I loved the tie-in between modern meets fantasy and that the author keeps the main portion of the book set in the forest. The mixture of fae, creatures and curse are well crafted into the narrative. I truly think readers who enjoy intimate romances, curses, enchanted forests and fae worlds will devour this one like I did.

Thank you Wednesday Books for the gifted digital copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Those audiobook lovers like me can find this narrated by Caitlin Kelly on Macmillan Audio. All thoughts are my own.

*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.