🌿 Whispers Among Thorns – Review 5⭐️ | Gothic Fantasy | Slow-burn Dark, lyrical, and hauntingly beautiful—Whispers Among Thorns pulled me into a world of secrets, curses, and quiet magic. The atmosphere is rich, the writing is lush, and the story left me breathless. If you love eerie forests, ancient bloodlines, and slow-burn tension, this one’s for you. Add it to your TBR—you won’t regret it. 🌙✨

The story itself is a rich blend of gothic mystery and dark fantasy, with just the right touch of the supernatural. The setting—an overgrown estate surrounded by whispering thorns (yes, that title means something)—is practically a character in its own right. You can feel the creeping fog, the hush of something ancient just beneath the surface. It’s so atmospheric without ever feeling overwritten.

The protagonist, Liora, is one of those rare characters who feels completely real—flawed, brave, grieving, and yet full of quiet strength. Her journey through loss, memory, and the eerie secrets of her family’s past is both heartbreaking and empowering. And don’t even get me started on the supporting cast—mysterious, complex, and every one of them with layers I didn’t see coming.

I don’t want to spoil anything, but let’s just say there’s a twist around the 75% mark that made me sit up and whisper “No way” out loud. And it worked. It all tied together beautifully in the end.

This is the first book in the Deadly Fae duology. It drew me into the story quickly and held my attention until the end. It is grippingly written, and I loved that it is an urban fae romance. I also loved that the FMC is fae and the MMC is human. I grew to love Sav and Jack. Jack is sweet and on the softer side, which I really liked. I'm looking forward to reading the second book in this duology!

Thanks to Netgalley for providing an arc of Whisper Among Thorns by Cassandra Aston.
4/5 stars!
This is an urban fantasy, set across both New York and the Fae lands. I loved the crossover element and have been getting all of the The Cruel Prince vibes here, only much darker. I also loved how this book was different to "humans love the fae and want to be like them and everything to do with them." This is completely the opposite and it's a refreshing take on the fantasy.
I loved that there are many elements of fantasy creatures in this book, not just your typical fae.
You have the typical courts, a morally grey FMC and all the tension. There's a great working here of how Fae interacts with the real life and I'm interested to see how that plays out as there's obviously something bigger at play.
I did get a little lost in the description of what was happening to the Fae world and also some of the characters in Fae, but I got the general gist.
There is minimal romance in this but a lot of build up to what I'm presuming will be a lot of romance in book 2.
The ending rounds off nicely to lead into a second book, with just enough of a cliff hanger to make you want to pick up the second book and find out what's happening.

Il y avait beaucoup d'éléments intéressants dans ce livre et j'y étais vraiment accro au début. Il me trottait dans la tête même quand je ne le lisais pas. Je trouve la façon dont a été traité le thème des Fae vraiment intéressant et originale.
Malheureusement, j'ai trouvé qu'il y avait quelques longueurs dans le milieu et mon intérêt a un peu baissé. Il y a beaucoup d'éléments intéressants mais je n'ai pas toujours été convaincue par l'exécution. Je n'ai pas été super attachée à la FMC non plus.
Une bonne lecture quand même.

Im usually not a huge Urban Fantasy reader, but this was just the perfect amount of Fantasy and Urban that I really enjoyed it! I love that the FMC is such a hardened yet soft badass. I hope to get more in depth background info on her upbringing and life before the Human world. Jack is kind of just there sometimes, but in the best way. He is a man with morals and is willing to betray his own blood to act upon the best interests of ALL around him. Their chemistry is good, and I look forward to seeing it blossom in book 2. Beware the cliffhanger.... I will be impatiently waiting.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Cassandra Aston for an eARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!!
The tension SOOOO SLOW BURNNN, but it lacked some banter. Overall really liked that part.
The plot was really good, I really liked that party, not confusing and easy to follow.
Jack had me WEAKKK, like please let it be me!!!! I know he’s going to have a mouth in bed!
I really liked Sav’s character, she’s so fierce and ruthless.
Okay the story is really good but I think the development of it was in a hurry, but at the same time it felt a little too long?
I’m really excited for book 2 and I have so many theories alreadyyyy

I had a fun time reading this book, it really picked up its pace about 30% of the way in but I did struggle up until then.
When we got to Dane’s POV that’s when I felt it get much more interesting in terms of plot and pace.

I found our main character, Sav, to be enjoyable to read about and I liked reading her POV. However, both her and Jack’s characterisation lacked depth for me.

Weirdly Kasper and Hazel felt like they had more depth to them even though they weren’t the protagonists.

Overall this had lots of things I love in a fantasy novel. Fae courts, good/evil, enemies to lovers, hidden pasts etc but I didn’t feel strongly enough about it to give it more than 3 stars.

I don’t usually lean towards urban/contemporary fantasy, however I really did enjoy this book and cannot wait until book 2. I love that the outlawed fae FMC is older (more like hundreds of years old) and she’s been through a lot. The tension and slow burn between her and Jack (our human MMC) kept me reading. This book takes place in two settings, NYC and and the fae realm when Sav has to team up with Jack, the son of the leader of the Anti-Faerie Faction in order to save the imprisoned faeries. You get the slow burn, fae, politics, plot twists and detailed world building. I recommend this book for those who love urban fantasies. Thank you, Netgalley and Cassandra Aston for this eArc.

“Just because a story isn’t for me doesn’t mean it won’t be for someone else.”

2.75 rounded to 3 ⭐️

I really wanted to love this book. The tropes were right up my alley: Enemies to Lovers, Fae court politics, slow burn, forbidden romance, witty banter, etc.

But as I kept reading, the execution and progression just didn’t sit well with me. I found it hard to stay invested in the characters and plot, and despite giving it a fair shot, it didn’t hold my interest the way I hoped it would. I loved Sav and Jack's interactions though, and Hazel and Kaspar.

This doesn’t mean it’s a bad book—just not the right fit for me as a reader. I know and believe that there are readers out there who love and connect with this story more than I did.

Sending love and respect to the author 🫶🏻 Also, thank you Netgalley for the opportunity for an eARC.

Whispers Among Thorns is an engaging and atmospheric urban fantasy that blends fae mythology with modern New York City. The world-building is rich and layered, with a great mix of political intrigue, magic, and complex characters caught between two worlds.

Sav is a strong, relatable protagonist whose journey from exile to rebellion felt compelling, and the slow-burn romance with Jack was well-paced, filled with tension and vulnerability. I also really enjoyed the secondary characters, especially Kaspar and Sav’s sister Sage, who added depth and complexity to the story.

The story takes a little while to find its footing, and the multiple POVs sometimes made the narrative feel a bit scattered. I would have liked a bit more backstory and development early on, especially around the fae magic and history. But once the action picked up in the Faerie realm, the stakes grew higher, and the political twists kept me hooked.

If you enjoy fae fantasy with a darker, mature tone, slow-burning romance, and plenty of secrets and betrayal, this book is definitely worth checking out. I’m looking forward to the next installment!

3.5 🌟

Sav is a fae who has been banished to the human realm with her magic bound, along with many low fae. When her people are attacked and imprisoned by anti-fae humans, she has to work with the anti-fae leader's son, Jack. Along their journey, she has to supress any developing feelings for Jack, as it is a death sentence to fall in love with a human.

I'm a little conflicted about this book. There are some parts I adore, but the romance fell short for me.

What I loved most about the book was a lot of the side characters and the overall plot. It was a bit predictable, but I got sucked in quickly. It's obvious from the start that there's more going on than meets the eye for Sav and Jack, as well as with the overarching human vs. fae conflict. All the characters have their own secrets, and the author did a great job pacing out all the little information reveals throughout the book.

I loved a lot of the side characters, especially Kaspar. He is so loyal to Sav and I love him for that ❤️ The antagonists are also really well-developed. Dane (Jack's dad) is an evil, creepy asshole, but he's interesting. I love a villain with a backstory and depth.

For the romance, I didn't really feel a strong chemistry between Jack and Sav. Honestly, I like Kaspar a lot more than Jack 😭 Jack fell way too quickly for Sav, and it felt very superficial.

I've seen people tag this as enemies to lovers, but it's way more of a forbidden romance than EtL. They're never actually enemies; Jack is supposed to be on the human side of the conflict, but from the very start he's been helping the fae and going against his father.

Despite my personal opinions about our main couple, I still enjoyed reading this! This was my first Cassandra Aston book, and I'll definitely keep an eye on her future releases (and book 2 of this duology!)


Thank you Netgalley and Cassandra Aston for the chance to read the ARC! All opinions are honest and my own.

Whispers Among Thorns is a dark and interesting fae romance. I loved that this subverted the norms with the fae being seen as the 'lesser species' and this worked really well and instantly intrigued me. I also absolutely loved it being a bit of a slow burn. The lore was also so intriguing with magic mixed with politics of the courts. You won't want to put this down and I can't wait to read the next book.

This book, had me hooked from the beginning. The beginning was very emotional and challenging.
It's different from the typical fantasy romance, it takes place in new York and a Fae Realm. Since those two worlds have collided Fae and humans are trying to live side by side. But the Fae are in a disadvantaged position with the humans, suffering racism and attacks, and then we have an FMC who is the Fae and an MMC who is the human.
The attraction between our MCs is instantly but they can't really act on it.
I adored some of the side characters and I need to know more about them. There are so many mysteries that we still need to uncover and I can't wait to read the next book.

Definitely enjoyed reading this. It gave ACOTAR vibes with the different courts. I also love a good multiple POV book. I think the romance was a bit too instant for me, but thats really me trying to pinpoint something. Like I said, I had a great time reading this. Thank you so much for the opportunity to ARC read this!!

4⭐️Whispers Among Thorns is the first book in the Deadly Fae Duology, offering a darkly woven tale of rebellion, secrets, and a slow-burning romance set in a richly built fae world.

The story follows Sav, a fierce and layered FMC who’s been cast out into the human realm. An anti-fae uprising destroys her home and captures her fellow fae kind. To save them, she must seduce her sworn enemy’s son, Jack, but neither of them anticipates how deep their connection will run after upon learning each other’s secrets.

I’ll admit, it took me about 20% to truly get into the book, but once I did, I was hooked. The fae politics were smart and intense, the action thrilling, and the romance simmered perfectly in the background, the perfect balance if I say so myself. The writing style is a standout for me, it’s vivid, emotional, and effortlessly immersive. Every fight, every setting, every stolen glance was written with purpose.

The pacing starts off slow for my liking but picks up beautifully, and the cliffhanger ending left me both devastated and eager for the next book. (Seriously, I need book two yesterday🥺)

Perfect for readers who love unique world-building, slow-burn tension, hidden secrets, layered heroines, and a hint of love-triangle drama 🤫If you enjoy fantasy with heart-pounding stakes and unpredictable twists, this one’s for you for sure.

Thank you so much for a chance to read this book, provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op.

Whispers Among Thorns was such a fun surprise — a dark urban fae fantasy with forbidden romance, great tension, and a ton of potential for the second book. I loved Sav as the sharp, banished fae just trying to survive in NYC, and Jack? He’s the soft-hearted human cinnamon roll I didn’t know I needed. Plus he falls first and I am obsessed with that. Their chemistry builds slowly, but the tension is chef’s kiss and the stakes kept rising. The worldbuilding was a little chaotic at times, but the vibes and characters carried it for me. I'm super intrigued by the fae lore, especially the court politics and magic, and I’m absolutely reading the next book in the duology.
Great thanks to NetGalley and Cassandra Astor for opportunity to read ARC. All opinions are mine!

This book had me gripped from the beginning. I felt like it was different than most fae romances. It was really good! I'm never a huge fan of like urban fantasy type things but this was really good. I can't wait for book 2!

I LOVED THIS ONE! A dark, urban fantasy romance full of forbidden lust, high stakes and a war between fae and humans.

Sav is a high fae who has had her magic binded and banished to the fae realm for so called crimes against her family. She has spent 3 years living in Central Park amidst other fae in specialised housing. Unfortunately, there are a band of humans who aren't happy that the fae have crossed to the human world and want them out.

The usual lies are given - they're stealing our jobs, they're violent, you aren't safe if they're around. We are thrust full force into a deadly protest held by the Anti-Fae Faction (AFF) where Sav is captured by Dane, the leader of the AFF. Within the HQ, Sav meets Jack, and a plan begins to take shape in Savs mind.

What follows next is an adventure, to say the least, taking a trip to Fairie. I loved reading about the different fae, the creatures that exist, and the politics of the realms. Shifters, orcs, seelies and kelpies just to name a few. One thing I'm still not too sure on is how the magical system works, why they have the specific powers they do - I know it's something to do with their court but I don't remember it being explained in detail.

One of my favourite characters was Kaspar, I *need* more of him. There are definitely plenty of secrets he keeps hidden so I hope we get to see more of him in book 2! My heart did break for him several times though, he was so utterly devoted to Sav, but she just used him over and over again. I know why and I'd have done the same thing, but my gosh it hurt.

The ending had me so excited for book 2 - I think Jack is about to enter his villain era and I am HERE FOR IT!

Thank you so much to @cassandra.aston.author and @netgalley for an advanced copy of the book 💚

Let me start by saying I loved this book !
We first meet our FMC Sav , a Fae sent to earth 3 years prior. It’s not only Sav but many Fae because their realm has begun to disappear. Sav has been banished to Earth for other reasons that we find out about throughout the book. Sav meets Jack when she’s captured by the villain of the story, a despicable man who wants to erase anyone not human. Sav and Jack escape and we follow them on the journey to get Sav’s magic back so she can release the other captured Fae.
This book has it all, magic, magical creatures, seasonal courts, enemies to lovers, slow burn and everything that’s loved in a good fantasy. What I was really impressed with was the plot, yea it’s a fantasy but the story line, the twists and turns and the whole concept were extremely captivating without the fantasy aspect over shining it.
I had no idea what was going to happen and honestly we won’t find out in this book ! Cliffhanger, yes there is and it’s also done wonderfully ! As I read the last page of this , I wondered how I was going to last until December for book two ! I’ll give this a 4.5 stars , I’m sure I’ll bump it up to a 5 after I read the next one.

I was able to read an eARC of this thanks to Victory Editing NetGalley co op and Cassandra Aston. Thank you all !!