I really enjoyed this YA romantasy book. It definitely has some parallels to ACOTAR, but as a standalone, it's really a good and quick read.

I liked the two main characters. The FMC has a strong moral compass that she uses to fight for what is right throughout the book. The MMC is haunted by the depravity of his past and the people he has hurt and the further damage he may cause. I felt that the romance between the two of them was pretty well done.

The overall plot was excellent, as well. I didn't see the plot twist coming, which is always a good thing, especially in romantasy books, as they tend to be quite predictable.

I was thrilled to receive an ARC of The Arrow and the Alder by Barbara Kloss, and it exceeded every one of my expectations.

Rebellion, curses, and slow-burn tension—this is a spellbinding romantic fantasy that stole my heart. Kloss has crafted a lush, emotionally resonant tale filled with ancient magic, political unrest, and a romance that builds beautifully from distrust to devotion. The atmospheric world of the immortal kith is mist-laced and mysterious, steeped in folklore and danger, and utterly transportive.

Josephine is a standout protagonist: stubborn, clever, and fiercely loyal. Her refusal to hand over an enchanted coat without answers sets the tone for a story rooted in resistance and personal conviction. Alder—guarded, wounded, and noble in the most reluctant of ways—plays the perfect foil, and the slow-burn chemistry between them simmers with sharp edges and tender, aching moments.

Their journey is about truth, survival, and healing, set against the backdrop of a curse that threatens both mortal and kith lands. The pacing is perfect, balancing heart-racing action with intimate emotional beats, and Kloss's writing is lyrical and immersive without sacrificing momentum.

This book isn’t just a mystery or a fairytale romance—it’s also an allegory and a quiet call to pay attention: to suffering, to injustice, to the fragility of peace. Through Seph’s courage, the narrative honors those who fight not for glory, but to feed, protect, and heal others. Her strength is worn and weathered, her love fierce and undaunted. The emotional depth in this story lingers long after the final page.

Perfect for fans of The Cruel Prince or The Bridge Kingdom, The Arrow and the Alder will appeal to anyone who craves deep character work, layered worldbuilding, and romance that cuts to the soul. Whether you're here for the enemies-to-lovers dynamic, the rich mythology, or the strong thematic undercurrents, this book delivers. It’s a standalone that feels sweeping and whole—a rare and remarkable feat.

Barbara Kloss has created something powerful here: a mythic, intimate, and unforgettable romantasy. I cannot wait to read whatever she writes next.

Lost Princes and family secrets haunt this tale of war and magic beckoning you to follow through the Fold.

“The Arrow and the Alder” begins very much like another popular series with a daughter forced to provide for her family as her brothers are sent to war and she with her mother and sisters are left behind. When she crosses path with the kith, her mother offers up a secret hidden beneath the floorboards but instead of freedom its presence marks Josephine to be hunted as she joins the Alder to the world beyond and finds there’s more to her family than meets the eye.

An interesting story I’m not quite sure I fully understood. To start, I am not sure what a kith is, I want to guess they are Fae as they have some similar qualities but we also have witches and other devils sprinkled in. The concept of the war and specialty kingdoms was familiar so it was easy to fall into the world amongst this new cast of characters.

The characters were fine too I found I really liked the chemistry between our two leads even if it seemed somewhat quick. That being said it’s hard to comment on this story when (without spoilers) what we learn about Josephine’s family I wanted to read that book it seemed so much more layer and compelling than this one in the few moments of lore we had regarding their connection to this world and it’s almost sad that we get a story that’s been told through a majority of YA books in recent years instead of something that seemed rich with potential.

Not a bad book but one that leans into what’s popular.

**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**

3,5 stars

The Arrow & the Alder is a dual POV and standalone YA romantic fantasy by Barbara Kloss, who, with this book, has weaved an atmospheric and entertaining magical tale.
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Seph (Josephine) is barely hanging on by a thread. While her beloved father and brothers are off to fight on the frontlines of the war between the cursed kith and the monstrous depraved, she is desperately trying to save her family from starvation by (illegally) hunting in the nearby misty and mysterious woods. Meanwhile, the grumpy kith prince of the Weald Court, Alder, has just escaped prison and is making his way to Seph’s village and family because of a promise he made to one of her brothers. However, Alder is not the only kith in Seph’s village, as the High Lord is making an unexpected visit. Turns out the High Lord is in search of a unique magic relic which could turn the tide of the war. A relic which happens to be in Seph’s family possession. However, Seph does not trust the High Lord, or anyone really, with this relic and runs… right into the hands of Alder, who believes the relic may very well be the redemption he has been looking for. Together they journey into the depraved-infested lands of the kith to find out the truth behind the relic and to end the war, which is slowly spreading into the mortal lands, consuming all…
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The story’s FMC, Seph (20+), is likeable and clever, and can hold her own against the grumpy and tortured immortal MMC, Alder (120+). While the story is promoted as enemies-to-lovers, I found it more to be reluctant-allies-to-couple. They are never really true enemies, and lovers, well… It is a closed-door romance, so if you are expecting spice, you will be disappointed, as there is absolutely no funny business.

The Arrow & The Alder is not the most unique fantasy story I have ever read. The kith are basically fae; tricky to talk to, eager to make deals and curse you, magic wielders and immortal. The beginning especially had some distinct ACOTAR vibes, with Seph being a starving huntress trying to feed her poor family. Later on, the story reminded me heavily of another fantasy story, which I will not name here, as to not spoil any twists.

When it comes to the writing, the language was a bit flowery and repetitive in parts, which sometimes took me out of the story.

Overall though, I quite liked this book, after all, I did read it until 3:30 in the morning to finish it! It had some great worldbuilding and magical lore, cute banter between the MCs and well-written dual povs. Plus, it’s a standalone, so you don’t have to wait years for the next installment to come out. I would not mind a prequel about Seph’s grandmother & grandpa though…

Thanks to NetGalley, Barbara Kloss and Whimsical Publishing for the opportunity to read this book early in exchange for my honest review!

This book isn't just a mystery, or a fairytale, or a romance, it is also a warning, an allegory and a prayer.
It is so easy to get used to live well. An easy life makes us take it for granted and forget the real meaning of hardship, even ignore the struggle of those living right next to us. We each have our problems, and they usually absorb all our attention and most of our efforts. We get lost in our own immediate world made of our entourage and prefer to turn a blind eye on the suffering of others. It is easy to ignore the torment of war when it happens somewhere else.
And then you pick up a talented author who can convey the horrors of war for those left behind the frontline - the old parents, the helpless children and the powerless young; the famine, the grief, the hopelessness, the betrayal, the cold, the illness, the despair. It is those people fighting tooth and nail to help others survive while cursing the hypocrisy of those who should lead for the people but rule for themselves - the anonymous heroes who bow their pride to save others, they are the angels who win the wars.
And Seph does not hesitate to risk her life to feed her family, she is ready to help the community survive against all odds. She gives her all and trudges forward despite her inner struggle against her limits. She is brave, she is strong, she never compromises her integrity and love is her only weakness. She is tired to the bone, and she is angry and bitter against the greed and carelessness of the baron.
And so it starts, this powerful story of the terrible punishment Fate bestows for the greed of those who turn evil in their quest for more. At the end of it, I learned to appreciate every little blessing in my life: the sea, the trees, the sun, the flowers, the food, the travelling, my friends, my home, my job and so much more.
It also made me remember the power of love, the drive which can make us or break us.

Well written, well built characters, interesting and complex world and a wealth of feelings and metaphors - there are a lot of lessons behind every chapter of this book. I love this author!

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book. I give it 3.5 Stars

I enjoyed reading this human and fae enemies to lovers book. Josephine (Seph) is struggling to provide for her family while war wages between the kith (fae) and a monstrous enemy called the depraved. Her brothers and father were sent to front lines to fight in the war, leaving her to care for her family. Alder is a kith prince with many secrets. I did find myself kicking my feet at their early interactions, so cute! The book is dual POV from each of their perspectives. I appreciated that the dual POV was done well, and did not rehash the same scene from each character's perspective as some books do.

I was more enchanted by the romance than the fantasy aspect. I did finish the book with some lingering questions, and wishing some parts of the plot and lore were more fleshed out. However, this did not prevent me from enjoying the book. It is a standalone story, but I'm hoping Barbara Kloss will decide to do interconnected standalones because there are some characters I would be interested reading more about.

Sometimes, you just need a standalone book, and this really hit the spot.
There is a lot to unpack in the book and the one the action starts it just keeps going.
Seph grows so much from the beginning until when she discovers who she really is. Brave and strong she is a fmc that doesn't just sit back and let others fight for her.
Alder has been through so much and even though he feels like he's broken he still tries to do the right thing.
With gods and fates pulling invisible strings you never know what secrets will come out next.
Thank you to Net Galley for the arc and c these thoughts are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for this excellent book!
The Arrow & The Alder is a fantastic fantasy adventure with a beautiful love story between Alder and Seph. I adored Seph and her tenacity, without being overly sassy (a trope that is overdone in this genre). I loved the adventure and well developed side characters. And I also enjoyed that this is a standalone, not leaving us on a cliffhanger to wait an entire year for the next installment.

ACOTAR meets Stardust in this new YA fantasy!

The war between the Kith and the Depraved has taken everything from Sephie, her brothers, her father, her food, and even her happiness! But when the kith come looking for a magical treasure left in Sephie’s possession she is thrust into their war in a way she never could have imagined. Surrounded by kith, far from home, she must put her trust in the playboy prince if she ever wants to win the war and save her home.

This book was a bit too ACOTAR inspired for me. I think the premise was there and it had its own merits—the magical coat was a cool detail—but it became predictable very quickly and I think it needed a few more tweaks to stand on its own. Josephine and Alder were pretty typical protagonists, although I liked him a bit better than her. She started off a spitfire ready to take on the world but kind of mellowed a bit as the story went on. They were more reluctant allies to lovers than enemies—and to be quite honest he was far too kind to her from the start.

I was disappointed that the mischevious, can’t trust them, bargoning kith were all too welcoming to the strangers in their midst, especially a prince they thought abandoned them and a mortal that suddenly became their princess. I wanted to see more of the darker side; I guess the kith were a little too Disney-fied for me. Even the villains handled Josephine with kid gloves each time she was captured.

I think perhaps I have just read too much of the “beautiful playboy immortal prince falls for the down on her luck hut beautiful and snarky mortal girl” trope that seems to dominate the industry right now.

Overall a good intro to fantasy for someone who is looking to break into the genre.

A fae enemies to lovers...so perfectly up my alley!

I also think this cover is very pretty (I very much enjoy this kind of blue).

This was a pretty dang decent fantasy (it does lean more YA-feeling, so if that matters to you, now you have that information). We get cursed fae, spooky woods, a hunter FMC, and an entertaining MMC. We get both FMC and MMC POVs. And I really did like the MMC (I wasn't obsessed with our FMC, Josephine), I thought he was quite fun to read from and I really liked his storyline with the kith/fae people.

I did want more from this book though. I felt like the pacing of some parts of this book were a bit weird, especially the beginning chunk of the book. I don't know if it was rushed or if the writing style is what made it feel this way, but that was just something I noticed. I did find that it seemed to even out though, I didn't notice that weird pacing situation towards the end of the book. So there's that!

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

3.5 stars rounded up.
This was an enjoyable read with an immersive atmosphere and beautiful setting, I have a soft spot for misty, cursed woods and fae lands. The kith in this book are basically fae: they bargain, use glamour, have pointy ears, and are inhumanly beautiful.

I adored Josephine and her white mane of hair, finally not an annoying FMC! She's smart and strong, she knows when to hold her tongue or speak her mind. Alder, on the other hand, was boring. Just another huge, muscular, broody type, nothing new, nothing interesting. He's kinda like Raihn from The Serpent and the Wings of Night (less playful, though), and I'm sure a lot of people will like him.

I enjoyed the descriptive writing, it was easy to envision characters and locations. The pacing, for the most part, was consistent, but there were times the story felt repetitive, and I found myself a bit bored during the second half. I wish Alder’s curse had been utilized and explored more, it felt underdeveloped and ultimately had no real impact on the story. And, unfortunately, the ending was too Disney-like for my liking.

But overall, this book kept me entertained, and I had a good time with it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I will be sending a revised review of this very much anticipated title soon. Please bear with me as I was having an issue before and now that is solved, I will be submitting my review at the shortest delay.

The blurb for this book is very interesting. It’s right up my alley— Closed door, enemies to lovers romance? Fae(kith) x human? Yes please.

However, the writing was just a bit disappointing to me. The beginning of this book feels like an incredibly long run on sentence. The author uses a lot of overly descriptive language that is difficult to follow, and quite often pointless. I feel like the same descriptors for the same people are used over and over again, when one time was plenty.

I really did like the overarching story for this. In some ways it is just a bit reminiscent of ACOTAR (girl in the woods hunting for her family, mean sister, fae with a curse) but the differences were stark enough that I did put that out of my head fairly quickly.

As far as FMC go, Josephine is just kind of alright. I understand what the author was going for but I think she falls a bit flat. I looked forward to the Alder chapters though. His characterization was much better and more entertaining. I cared more about the kith storyline than the poor humans.

Ultimately I would give this book a 3 stars out of 5. There’s nothing particularly bad about it, but as a whole it is underwhelming. Where it earns 3 stars, is the Alder as a character and that the background story actually is quite interesting.

I will post my review to
Amazon on publication date (May 6 2025)
Goodreads (April 16 2025) https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7493706559

Thank you to NetGalley, Barbara Kloss, and Whimsical Publishing for the chance to read this book early and provide my feedback.

Rebellion, curses, and slow-burn tension—The Arrow & The Alder is a spellbinding romantic fantasy that stole my heart.

Barbara Kloss has crafted a lush, emotionally resonant tale filled with ancient magic, political tension, and a romance that builds beautifully from distrust to devotion. The atmospheric world of the kith is one I didn’t want to leave—shrouded in mist and mystery, threaded with folklore and danger.

Josephine is a standout protagonist: stubborn, clever, and fiercely loyal. I loved that she wasn’t willing to bow to power or tradition. Her refusal to simply hand over the enchanted coat without answers sets the tone for a story rooted in resistance and identity. And then there's Alder—guarded, wounded, and noble in the most reluctant of ways. The dynamic between them is captivating, full of sharp edges and soft moments.

Their journey together is as much about truth and healing as it is about survival, and the curse spreading across both kith and mortal lands adds a constant, simmering urgency. The story unfolds at a perfect pace, balancing heart-racing chases with intimate emotional beats. Kloss’s writing is lyrical without ever slowing the plot, and she handles the worldbuilding with finesse, letting it bloom through action and character rather than exposition.

This feels perfect for fans of The Cruel Prince or The Bridge Kingdom—romantic fantasy readers who crave deep character work, richly layered lore, and slow-burn intensity. While marketed as adult fantasy, it has strong YA crossover appeal and will resonate with readers who love character-driven romantasy with heart and teeth.

The Arrow & The Alder is the kind of book that lingers after the final page—a gorgeous, mythic fantasy about who we are, who we fight for, and what we’re willing to risk for love and truth. I’d love to see this book get the attention it deserves—it’s an ideal fit for fantasy readers looking for thoughtful themes alongside romantic tension.