Emmeline Lark is a musician/singer, who has left her home at the edge of the woods to make it big in the world. She still has memories of the woods, and when she sings, the scent of damp earth curls into her nose and moss creeps across the stage. The woods of her childhood are shrouded in folklore and tall tales, but Emeline has no patience for silly superstitions, that is, until her grandfather disappears. She hurries home to find an orb in his place, letting her know he has been taken for not paying his tithes to Wood King. These are no longer just silly superstitions and she turns to Hawthorne Fell, the Wood King's tithe collector for help. To save her grandfather and herself, she needs to become the King's Minstrel. The problem is that no Minstrel's have pleased the king since his human Song Mage disappeared as well as his music. Emmeline and Hawthorne set out to find the music so she will please the Wood King and get him to set her grandfather free. In her quest, she finds out what is really important to her as well as to right years old wrongs.

Edgewood by Kristen Ciccarelli is a magical urban fantasy that was full of vivid imagery, creative creatures (fiery eyes horses, swamp monsters, dragons and even trees), fascinating magic and a scary curse. The story starts slowly, but once you are about halfway, it picks up and kept me gripped. There are several twists as the story progresses, with one being shocking and the turning point of the story. I loved that the town lore about the Woods proved to be more than just superstition and that it is inescapable, as evidenced by Emeline's attempt to leave. The characters are all interesting, and I enjoyed their backstories, especially Hawthorn's, the tithe collector for the Wood King. The writing was descriptive and I could picture the imagery as it was presented. This is a story about self-reflection and finding out what is really important to each person. Emeline grows a lot during this story dealing with regrets, betrayal, lies, family and friendship. There is a romance story line between Emeline and Hawthorne, an enemies-to-lovers story, but it is not the major storyline. It is touching and shows the power of love in unexpected ways. An enjoyable story that I recommend to those who enjoy a beautiful fantasy. I listened to the audiobook with the narration performed by Caitlin Kelly. I enjoyed her performance with great tone, voices and expression. The audiobook brought it to life for me.

OK this is fun, heavy in fantasy though. Which is not a bad thing. just more than I was expecting for urban fantasy. It’s fun and enthralling. i’m very solid three stars. As always thank you to Not Kelly for sending me this review copy.

I knew this was going to be a special and unique story and I'm so glad it lived up to my expectations. I loved all the magical and musical details that were a big part of the story. But it was so much more than that.

The characters were beautifully written and I enjoyed getting to know them all on a deeper level. There was so much to each of them that blended so well into the story.

The whole story-line was a great adventure sprinkled with magic, love, loss, never giving up, trusting what you feel in your soul, and remembering who you are. It was honestly just so beautiful and I wish I had more.

This was such a refreshing story. So many fantasy books I’ve read lately are not set in modern day. They don’t have an adult heroine as well. Emeline did what she had to for herself to have a real future. Left the ones she loved behind and chased her only talent. But she always comes back when necessary. Willing to bargain her life to save the ones she loves, Emeline had me cheering for her. There are so many other characters that pull this story together as well.

Edgewood is a dark and twisted story that shows the bond of family and friends. And just how far you will go for them. There is a lot going on throughout this story. And there were a few twists I never saw coming. It is a hard to put down novel.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW

The narrator for Edgewood was well picked. Her voice made the story flow so well and made it very irresistible to stop listening to. It was very easy to tell characters apart which is a big plus when it comes to audiobooks to me. It’s definitely one I recommend.

Emaline is a singer that is trying to make it big. She was raised by her grandfather who is now losing his memory and Emaline was struggling taking care of him and going after her dream so she put him in a home so she wouldn't have to worry about him. One day she gets a call that he went missing from the home and there is no recording on the security cameras of him leaving. Emaline drops everything to try and find him. Edgewood is the name of their hometown and there are a lot of stories about a King that lives in the woods on the edge of Edgewood. That many people have to tithe, or pay something to the King to keep them safe. Emaline found a tithe marker on her grandfather's bed and goes into the woods to try and find him. The story then goes into an extremely complicated storyline of Emaline trying to be the King's new court minstrel as the previous one was murdered by a witch and she is helped by someone she calls a boy who is really the same age as her and it turns out that they actually knew each other most of her life but he asked the king to take away her memories. There's a lot of flaws in this story. One of which is this or isn't this book about Fae? It was never plainly said. I was engrossed in the story because it was so busy but I'm not so sure I really liked it much because of the memory situation. It didn't make sense.

I really liked this book. I think the characters were enjoyable. The way the twists in the story were revealed was enjoyable. I loved the fantasy aspects of the story, the mystery around Edgewood, and the creatures involved. The storyline moved at a reasonable and believable way, with an ending that I believe perfectly suited the story itself and the writing style. Plus, look at that beautiful cover.

All together, this story reminded me of the kind of YA stories that made me fall in love with reading.

As far as the narration goes, I believe that Caitlin Kelly's voice really gave the character life and matched the main character very well. I would be very interested in hearing more narration done by her.

This audiobook was really well done. I loved the imagery and writing style. The author was able to pull the reader right into a mysterious forest and keep them there. I loved the way the fae realm was dealt with and how it was explained. The forest setting was incredibly well done and I really enjoyed that aspect of the story. I think the romance and I liked the characters. Overall it was a good read.

Emeline Lark has left her small hometown of Edgewood to become a singer in Montreal, but whenever she performs, the woods from home won’t leave her alone. The smell of the woods fills her nose; moss creeps across the stage. Still, she does her best to ignore it. When Emeline receives a phone call that her beloved grandfather (who has dementia) has disappeared, she returns home to find him. Emeline scoffed at the Edgewood stories about the Wood King and his court in the forest by Edgewood. However, while trying to find her grandfather, she meets Hawthorne Fell, and despite his insistence that she leave the woods, Emeline meets the Wood King. She makes a deal – her voice for her grandfather’s freedom. The forest is under an evil curse, though, and Emeline finds herself embroiled in its midst.

Caitlin Kelly did a lovely job narrating this YA fantasy book, and Ciccarelli’s talent for imagery builds a beautiful world. I liked that the “fantasy” world in this story took place in the world as we know it. That said, I never truly connected with the main character, which made it hard to really get lost inside the story. The love-interest plotline had some ick factors in it for me, too. Overall, I would say YA fantasy fans will like this book, but it won’t win over readers who don’t favor the genre.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an audio ARC of this book.

🌹🗡Edgewood 🗡🌹

Thanks to Macmillan Audio, Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 (4 Stars)

I alternated between the Ebook and Audiobook! I enjoyed reading this in audio form more!
Narration: the narrator did an amazing job of reading this book, distinguishing between characters and keeping me interested!

No spoiler review 👇🏻

This book cover though!! It’s so stunning! I’m obsessed!

This is a YA fantasy stand alone book. It follows Emeline, a singer who moved away from her small town of Edgewood to pursue her dreams. Edgewood is a town with superstitions and many of the towns folk believe in the Wood King, whom they have to pay tithes too. Emeline has never believed in the town's superstitions. That is until her grandfather goes missing. Emeline returns home and discovers The Wood King and all the fantastical myths to be real. Emeline bargains with the Wood King, she’ll be his singer in return for her grandpa's safety….the only problem is the wood king had executed the last few singers as they displeased him. Emeline must fight for herself, the forest and her grandfather to survive the wood king….

This is a relatively low fantasy book so it was easy to get into this world. It’s a fun fantasy, with a beautifully described world and some romance. It’s also really cool the way music and magic are mixed in this book!

Reason for 4 stars. I found the beginning a bit slow. It took awhile to get to the fantasy world and it could have been cut down a lot at the beginning. Other parts felt a bit rushed and I wish we got to see more of them.

Overall it was a good YA stand alone fantasy.

🗡🌹🗡🌹🗡🌹🗡🌹

My first YA fantasy from Canadian author Kristen Ciccarelli and I was delightfully impressed! Initially drawn to this book because of the beautiful cover, I really had no idea what to expect going in. The story features Emmaline, an aspiring singer/songwriter trying to make it big and escape her small hometown of Edgewood after her grandfather descends into dementia.

However when he mysteriously disappears Emmaline heads home trying to figure out what happened. Left with only one clue - an orb she knows from the stories she's been told about the Wood King's court and his tythe-keeper, Hawthorne. Emmaline marches into the woods in an attempt to confront the Wood King and reclaim her grandfather. What follows is a madcap adventure, mystical creatures, a devil's bargain and a enemies to lovers romance that is deliciously steamy.

Definitely more New Adult than young YA, I would recommend this book to fans of Sarah J. Maas, with little less steam than those books. Great on audio narrated by Caitlin Kelly. I am eager to read more about Hawthorne and Emmaline, hopefully more books are forthcoming! Much thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my ALC!

Kristen Ciccarelli has penned an endearing story about love and the sacrifices it makes for good, though not always the best. It is also a story about forgetting, grief and coming to terms with the stories that shape. But mostly, that we have a choice to change those stories.

I look forward to reading whatever Ciccarelli comes out next!

Ok quick notes about the audiobook first. The narrator was excellent and did a great job bringing the story to life! I love finding narrators who bring stories and characters to life and this narrator did just that!
Now to the actual book! Kristen Ciccarelli has a really beautiful way of writing her stories. She instantly drew me into her story. I felt like I was walking through the woods with Emeline and trying to unravel the mystery together. While Emeline could be frustrating at times, I did enjoy her character overall. I was expecting more romance but it made sense that the focus went to the mystery. The mystery was really intriguing! While parts of it got a bit predictable, I did get some surprises my way. Something I really enjoyed was that parts of this book read more like a New Adult than a YA book. I think this genre is desperate for more books and this was a good fit for it.

Dark, haunting, and mysterious…Emeline has so many questions about the mother who left her, the tree that disappeared from the woodline, the moss that creeps toward her whenever she sings, and the white tithe marker left in her missing grandfather’s empty room. As one question is answered, another arises, feeling like a roller coaster ride of mini climactic scenes until the story’s pinnacle and conclusion.

Emeline has always dreamed of being a professional singer. However, when she sings, nature comes calling with bugs and flowers showing up. When she returns home to find her missing grandfather, the woods call to her. Once within the woods, she finds herself at the mercy of the Wood King. Emeline must fight to get herself out and find a solution to the problems of his world.
Opinion
This is an enchanting read. It has the qualities of a good fairy tale. Magic is mixed in so well with modern day that it is easy to become immersed in the world. The ending is left open. I am hoping this means another book is coming. (Admittedly, the "open" ending could just be ominous.)
It's not very often that I finish a book and then go to reread it. I had the pleasure of listening to the audiobook version of this book shortly after finishing the e-book. As I reread it, I was able to pick up on nuances that I missed the first time around and to see the genius of Ciccarelli as she wrote this book. This is a fabulous read, whether read in print or in audio.
I'd like to thank Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of this book.

Rating: 3.75
Author: @kristenciccarelli
Publication Date: 3/1/22

I listened to the audiobook version and the narrator Caitlin Kelly did a great job. She really brought the main character Emeline to life. I enjoyed this book and thought it was well done. In the beginning I did feel a little overwhelmed but I think that was a me thing. I struggled to get into the world or really pay attention to what was going on. I think it had a little to do with the story starting a bit slow but luckily it picked up halfway through and from there I felt invested. I enjoyed learning more about the lore and what really was happening in the forest. I didn’t really care about the romance in the story. It felt a little too ‘typical YA’ but again, could just have been a me thing. It didn’t help with how certain things were described between the characters and also how Emeline acted in general. I found her character to be a little immature and I struggled to connect with her at times due to this.

Overall, I thought this was a good YA fantasy and I can see others enjoying it as well. I would definitely recommend this book to teens or anyone who wants to enter a different world.

Even though I struggled to get into the world in the beginning this is definitely a world I would love to be a part of. The author did such a great job world building and describing the setting that the reader can easily picture planning a visit there. Also, the cover for this book is absolutely gorgeous! They did such a great job on the design. As soon as I saw it I knew I had to read the book.

Thank you so much @macmillanaudio & @wednesdaybooks for a #gifted copy on #Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Edgewood was a unique book. It was a fantasy world built with a great cast of characters. There was a mystery to be solved and time is running out. I was won over by the romance. It’s hard for me to talk about this. It started out fine and then it dropped to a 3 and recovered with a 5 and dipped again. I feel like this could of been two books. It’s over 13 hours. Very long.
The problem I had was how things were resolved. Something very serious was fixed with only words. Easily turning things with no fight. I’m not sure I’m making sense but that’s what I was experiencing.
The author has lots of talent and I believe she will only improve her style.
I chose to listen to this book on audio and the narrator was Caitlin Kelly and she did an amazing job. This was 13. hours and 42 seconds.
Thanks Macmillan Audio via NetGalley.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this advance listener copy in exchange for my honest review.

I liked this book. It had a unique storyline, which was refreshing. I've read a lot of fantasy lately that's all falleninto a cookie cutter mold, but this one was different. There was a cliche love story, but that's a pretty standard formula for YA books.

This is the story of Emiline Lark, a budding musician who must return to her hometown when her grandfather disappears from his nursing home. Emiline is on the brink of a tour, opening for one of her favorite bands when her life was upended. Throughout all of Emiline's childhood, she was told stories about the Wood King in the forest around her hometown of Edgewood. She discovers that the stories are true when she's forced to venture into the words to find her grandfather.

This story was magical. Kristen Ciccirelli has built a beautiful world within our world and her characters are likeable. This was just a good story. The narrator wasn't bad. Not my favorite, but I'd listen to her again. 3.75 stars.

This book was an absolute treasure! The whole time I was literally biting my nails! Nerve racking good!

Edgewood
A Novel
by Kristen Ciccarelli
Narrated by Caitlin Kelly

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher and a digital copy of the audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ok first up this is billed as a YA which is sometimes used interchangeably with New Adult but I would specify that this is a New Adult book. When I think of YA I think of something like The Hunger Games, Twilight etc. A book that is more plot heavy, light on the romance and doesn’t include any real romantic interactions that involve much of anything below the waist. A book that can be considered PG or PG13 on the romance end. This is not that kind of book so I would categorize it as new adult which is more or less 18-early 20s and do engage in grown up displays of affection. It is more plot heavy and somewhat light on the romance but the romance is eventually of the 18+ variety.

Now to the plot, the feel of this fantasy is familiar and yet all new with the small town legends of what mysteries exist in the woods just out of sight. It was more suspenseful than I had anticipated and kept me on the edge of my seat trying to puzzle out how this would all work out. While I never spoil and won’t now this is the kind of book where I felt like I needed to debrief with someone afterwards. It’s been a few days and I’m still not sure how I feel about some of the resolutions and discoveries. However it was quite the ride regardless. There is a deep philosophical level at play considering the nature is connections, relationships and what we owe to one another.

I was fortunate enough to read the book and listen to the audiobook. The narrator was exceptional.

Trigger warnings abandonment, Alzheimer’s, hateful gossip, toxic work relationship.

5/5

Music is life for Emeline Lark. Chasing her dream of becoming a singer-songwriter, she left her small town of Edgewood behind, moving to the city. No matter how far she goes however, she's constantly reminded of home. As she performs, with the music coursing through her, she can smell the damp woods of Edgewood; moss and other flora have even been known to sprout from the stage at her feet.

Emeline does her best to ignore it. She feels like in order to succeed, she has break ties with the past. When she receives news from a friend, however, that her beloved Grandfather has disappeared, she hightails it back to join the search. He is the only family she has left; she can't lose him too.

With just days left before Emeline is set to go on her first tour, as the opener for one of her favorite bands, she needs to find Pa quickly, so she can return to the city and the life she's built for herself there. Edgewood is undeniably a quirky little town, full of superstitions. It doesn't take long for Emeline to discover that there may actually be something to all the local lore and thus, a more magical than mundane reason for her Pa's disappearance.

Unexpectedly, she finds herself following her only lead, a mysterious orb left on her Grandfather's pillow, said to be evidence of a tithe paid to the Wood King. Into the woods she goes and a fairy tale is born!

I really enjoyed my time with this audiobook. I knew going in that Ciccarelli's writing is fantastic and that she knows how to sweep her Readers away into another world. I loved her entire Iskari series and feel it's highly underrated in the YA Fantasy space.

In this story, I enjoyed how modern it felt. I actually didn't know too much about it going in and assumed it was set entirely in a Fantasy world. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Emeline is a girl very much of our world, who travels to a magical realm to perform a quest; to find her beloved Grandfather who has been stolen away.

This is one of my favorite set-ups for magical stories. It gives me nostalgic Labyrinth vibes and I'm so here for it. Also, it felt sort of Beauty and the Beast reminiscent as well towards the beginning, which is another one of my favorites. Edgewood gave me many good feels throughout. There was a lot packed into this story; numerous reveals and great growth of character for Emeline.

On a more serious note, I really enjoyed how Ciccarelli explored the relationship between Emeline and her Grandfather. When he started losing his memory, he became unable to live on his own and Emeline had to make the decision to have him placed in a home.

This is such a tough real life issue; one that hits particularly close to home for me. Emeline struggles with guilt surrounding her decision and I appreciated that Ciccarelli included that. Instead of making it glossy and pretty, you could really get a sense of the complexity of Emeline's feelings. This hasn't been as easy for her as it may first appear.

In spite of that heavier points in the narrative, this also managed to be magical and fun. There were many great mythical beings, a deal with the Wood King, a long-standing curse and the truth of Emeline's past coming to light. Oh, and also, a sweet romance. That's probably what some of y'all are here for. It was swoon-worthy, a little heartbreaking, yet also uplifting. It was really good, although not my personal favorite aspect of the overall story.

At this point, I will pick up anything Ciccarelli writes. Her imagery is stunning and she never fails to guide me out of reality for a while.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with an audio ARC to read and review. I'm already excited to see what Ciccarelli comes up with next!!