First off, this is such an interesting premise. After reading the description, I immediately knew I was going to love this book!

It flips the trope - the female main character is the hundred of years old fae and the male main character is the human.

It takes place in NYC, but in a NYC where humans and fae live together. I thought this concept was so interesting, especially as someone who lives in New York City.

I had so much fun reading this one and I can’t wait until the sequel comes out!!

Thank you to Cassandra Aston and Netgalley for allowing me to read this book!
I'm obsessed, and I need the second right now! This was such a refreshing dark fantasy/ urban fantasy. The author really did a great job of mixing the Faerie and human worlds in a way that seemed realistic. Humans are the ones endangering the faeries, and our FMC is doing all she can to save everyone she can.
There is action and danger from the start, with multiple POVs. It's emotional, it's whimsical, and it has so many known as well as unique creatures!
Love triangle, Forbidden love, betrayals, SLOW burn! There wasn't any spice in this one, but I have a feeling the next book will give us what we spent the whole book yearning for!
And the cliffhanger this book left me on....Cassandra, I'm dying here! Give me number 2!!!

This book unfortunately didn't grip me like I'd hoped it would. The potential was there but it just fell flat.

Whispers Among Thorns by Cassandra Aston surprised me in the best way. Following Sav, a faerie banished to modern-day NYC, the story unfolds slowly at first, but once it finds its rhythm, it’s an enthralling ride through a world where the old magic hasn’t faded—it’s just gone underground.

I’m usually hesitant about stories that bring fae into modern settings—it’s easy for them to feel out of place or overly romanticized. But Aston strikes a rare balance here. The gritty, fast-paced energy of New York meshes surprisingly well with the traditions and politics of the ancient faerie courts. The contrast between the glowing neon of the city and the eerie, otherworldly customs of the fae is one of the book’s biggest strengths.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!!

Atmospheric and lyrical, Whispers Among Thorns reads like a fever dream wrapped in florals and secrets. The prose is beautifully descriptive, evoking a world where danger blooms quietly beneath every petal. I was drawn into the gothic vibe and slow-burn mystery, although at times the pacing meandered.

The central romance felt subtle and ghostly, more emotional than physical, and the thorny magic system was both haunting and unique. It’s the kind of book you read with a blanket, a candle, and a bit of patience.

🌹 Highlights: Stunning worldbuilding, dreamlike tone, dark fairytale aesthetic
🌀 Perfect for readers who love: Uprooted, The Bear and the Nightingale, or The Hollow Places

🧚 Whispers Among Thorns by Cassandra Aston 🧚‍♀️

Review: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

🌺 A fast-paced urban romantasy set in NYC, in which humans are slaughtering Fae. Sav, a fae with bound magic forced to reside in the human realm, journeys to free the fae and falls in love. She must sacrifice everything to save her people. ❄️

💕 Tropes: found family, forbidden love 💕

📖 Book 1 of the Deadly Fae Duology releases June 24th📕

Thank you to @netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

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Goodreads. 4/23/2025.
I have to say I was not prepared to like this book as much as I did after reading the prologue. The prologue felt very unnecessary and almost elementary. All the people mentioned in the prologue never really play a part in the rest of this first book so it felt very pointless to me.

THAT BEING SAID. I did really enjoy the rest of the book. There could have been more romantic tension for my personal favor but I do not knock the book for that. The slow burn was still fun. The multi character POV might be too much for some people but personally I love it. I loved seeing the perspective from both sides. Miss Cassandra did a wonderful job leaving me wanting to read the second book with the questions I was left with. The plot and story line was a lot of fun. Enemies to lovers and forced proximity are always solid tropes. I would personally consider this book to be YA. I'm hoping the second book is a bit more open and less YA. I also loved the urban setting.
Thank you to the publishers for a chance to read this book before it is officially released!

Whispers Among Thorns is the first in a duology and I am definitely interested to see where this series goes in book 2. The FMC Sav was intriguing and her world is gritty and volatile. A war is building between the fae and humans and Sav finds herself right in the middle of it all. I definitely enjoyed reading about the world of the fae and I felt that the characters were complex and likeable, but at times the plot pacing was slow and disjointed. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that some of the hinted at twists in book 1 will be fully developed in book 2.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the eARC.

I'm not the biggest fan of fantasy set in an urban setting, but I did find it really interesting that the traditional story line had been turned on it's head with the Fae being the persecuted & the humans trying to 'send them back to their own worlds'.

It took me quite a while to become invested in this book & it's definitely a sloowww burn! And I'm also not the biggest fan of love triangle tropes but that's just my opinion.

Thank you to Netgalley and Cassandra Aston for the opportunity to read this ARC though as it really was something different & if you're a fan of urban fantasy, with love triangle/forbidden love, and a dash of politics in there then this absolutely will be for you!

The premise of the book is breath of fresh air for today's fantasy-romance genre. Yes, it has a lot of elements that we've become used to when reading about fae but the entire plot is based on a quite unique storyline.
It has different POV's which I loved, we've got to see some characters in a different light.

Will be rooting for a certain price of the lakes and streams in the second book...😊

A fun fantasy with a gripping intro and a twist of the modern world! We follow an ancient bartender Sav who goes on an unlikely journey with the nepo baby Jack who secretly likes to disobey his papa.

This is a completely new (to me) and modernized take on all of the fae stories I’ve read lately. A little slower than what I am used to but this is an easy book to pick up and put down often.

To NetGalley, thank you for my first ever ARC!

Thank you for a twist on the multi-centennial male with a female teenage mate trope. It took me until about 50% to become invested, I needed to learn more about the FMC. While I don’t typically grab urban fantasy, I will be reaching for the next book, especially due to the abrupt (yet not flashy or cash-grabby) ending. I appreciate the darker backstory and piecing together the history of the FMC that drives her decisions and emotions.

ARC provided by NetGalley, thank you!

The slow burn was burning- literally! This was my first read by this author & enjoyed it thoroughly!

I loved the integration of a known world into an unknown world. Definitely a different take on a fantasy book compared to my normal reads. I think book 2 will be even better, so now I wait patiently…

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Truly a 5 star read. Literally up at 2:30am because I could not put this book down. You know when you’re reading a book so good that you will change plans to read it or try to read little bits and pieces as you go along your day? That’s this book. For me the last time I did that was fourth wing. From the storyline to the characters I was constantly entertained while trying to figure out the mysteries. I truly loved this and can’t wait for the next book.

Whispers Among Thorns is an extraordinary read that utterly captivated me from the very first page. It begins straight in the action, drawing me immediately into its gripping narrative. I was especially enchanted by the unique dynamic between its two main characters: the male human and the female fae—a pairing that feels refreshingly original.

The writing is exceptional, with a meticulously developed plot and outstandingly crafted characters. The storyline consistently delivers, offering layer upon layer of intrigue and discovery. Many books fall short of a fully realised plot, but this one exceeded all expectations. The intricacies are remarkable, with countless details to unravel. From the existence of multiple courts and the interplay between two worlds—one being our own—to the fae enduring harm simply for residing in the human realm, it’s a fascinating and thought-provoking narrative.

The worldbuilding is seamlessly integrated, avoiding any overwhelming info-dumping, which made it effortlessly engaging to follow.

The romance is slow-burn, yet profoundly meaningful and beautifully considered. The characters themselves are exceptional—deeply motivated, with intricate family dynamics that add further layers of emotional depth.

I truly adored this book and cannot recommend it enough.

This is a brilliant romantasy, but with a flipped dynamic, our FMC is the hundred-year old Fae and our MMC is a 25-year old mortal who’s in need of purpose and direction.

The beginning of the book is fast paced and action packed. This pace settles toward the middle and falls a little flat but you can tell the story is building towards the final third of the book and it’s definitely worth sticking with because you’re going to be left reeling and desperate for book 2!

Whisper Among Thorns

Overall: 4.2 ⭐️

Oh. My. God. This book a HIDDEN GEM. Imagine Carnival Row x Urban and High Fantasy!!!!

All the romance and political intrigue of Carnival Row but in NYC. Here in our world, humans have learned to hate the fae. Some even try to hurt or capture them. Queue in Sav, our heroine who tries to rescue them. The whole story is about Sav’s attempt to rescue the fae.

Writing 4/5 ⭐️
The writing in the beginning was chefs kiss. Descriptions of NYC’s Central Park through Fae perspective? Perfect. Not only was it unique, but it was hilariously accurate. I loved the whimsical yet dingy NYC descriptions.

So why did I remove a star? Somewhere in the middle, I got really tired of hearing overused phrases. “Heat sizzled in my veins” has been used countless times along with other variations. No big deal. I just did my best to skim it.

Romance 5/5 ⭐️ Interesting love triangle where I don’t know who I’m rooting for. It was obvious in the beginning but not in the ending. And now I want to know more about MMC number 2. The yearning and forbidden romance in this book is also excellent. No smut, but that’s okay. It looks like there’s definitely room for it in future books.

Plot 4/5 ⭐️ The story was interesting and engaging enough to want to know more about the characters. Sometimes though, the pacing was a bit off. And I feel that the ending was a bit rushed to make room for another book. The politics of it was also a bit confusing. But otherwise, the story was interesting enough to want to know more. I’m excited to see where the series goes.

Tropes:
✅ Urban Fantasy mixed with High Fantasy
✅ Fae with Bargains
✅ Fae FMC
✅ Love Triangle
✅ Forbidden Love
✅ Political Intrigue
✅ Fae Courts (Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn)

This is excellent for Romantasy readers who enjoy fae bargains, politics, love triangles, and forbidden romance.

Thank you NetGalley and Cassandra Aston for this eARC. All thoughts are my own.

Okay okay okay, I am still reeling from this book. First off, it’s so different from a lot of other popular romantasy books now. Sav, our FMC, is the fae and Jack, our MMC, is a human. The book starts off with a bang… to say the least. It’s action, it’s chaos, it’s a lot of “woah okay”, but it works. It kept me engaged and wanting to see what came next, even though I had no emotional attachment to the characters yet. Comparatively, the middle is a little slow as we get back into character development and some world building. And the ending? I’m already begging for book 2.
I think this book is a breath of fresh air and it really is well written. Cassandra Aston knows how to make you yearn for more.
I thank you for the privilege of letting me read it, and cannot wait to get my paws on a physical copy!

An urban fantasy that will have you on the edge of your seat! The intense and emotional storytelling had me hooked. Like an onion, Sav had so many beautiful layers to her and Jack was such a compelling character, the slow-burn tension between them had me so intrigued. Fabulous writing and excellent storytelling, a highly recommended romantasy for all readers to enjoy a brand-new series!

Such a great take on fae fantasy!

The short of the long of it: We follow Sav (pretending to be human), a fae in New York in their new home after their home world begins to disappear. The hate groups (AFF) terrorizing the fae at every turn, she finds herself in the thralls of the resistance along side the terrorist groups son who...shocker...is not what he seems!

Some spoilers you see coming from miles away. As the story progresses, surprises come from out of no where! So well written.

I loved the worlds Cassandra built here in this alternative sort of "current" setting. The lore and world building was seamless within the story. I absolutely loved the multiple POV's a well. The supporting characters here deserve their own stories as well.

The damn cliffhanger, though! Book 2 cannot come fast enough.

Thanks Cassandra Aston & Netgally for the ARC.