This was alright. I enjoyed it enough to finish the book but I didn’t live it and I’m unsure if I’ll continue with the series.

This book is absolutely amazing. There is fantasy, old gods, magic, a tough as nails heroine and a hot, intriguing male lead. Kierse has had a tough life and crime is how to pay the bills. Until you break into a house with the enigmatic Graves as the owner. Then life becomes a wild adventure ride while also finding out who you are and who you can trust. I am barely restrained waiting on the next book!

This book absolutely swept me away. The setting is rich and atmospheric, I was surprised to see it was based in New York, but with a fantasy/magical twist. What truly hooked me, though, was the sweet dynamic between Graves and Kierse that had me glued to every page!

The trials Kierse endured were so interesting to the storyline and illustrated the growth, patience, and helped her discover the power already within her. I loved how each challenge peeled back another layer, exposing truths not just about the world, but about herself… and Graves? That man was infuriating in the best way. Withholding secrets about Kierse? Sir, please be so serious. But at the same time, I was falling head over HEELS with him and his concern for her!

Their slow-burn connection, the bouts of shared vulnerability, sharp wit, and high-stakes tension created a perfect storm of romantic and emotional payoff. Every moment they dropped their walls felt like a victory in my little romantic heart! The ending did leave off on a pretty good cliffhanger, so I’m definitely going to be jumping into the next book ASAP to see what else will be happening.

All in all, I ate this book UP and honestly? This book needs to be adapted into a movie. I want to see every magical moment, every whispered secret, every look that says “I’ll burn the world for you” on screen. 🎬🖤

Darkly magical with a fierce heroine and a world full of secrets.
The Wren in the Holly Library swept me into a gothic, monster-infested city where survival depends on cleverness, cunning, and the ability to see through illusions—both literal and emotional.

Kierse is a gritty and determined protagonist, and I loved her sharp mind and unwillingness to back down, even when faced with monsters, both human and otherwise. The writing is atmospheric, with richly drawn settings that feel eerie and enchanting all at once.

The romantic subplot between Kierse and Graves adds tension without overpowering the story. There’s a slow burn connection that builds beneath the surface, filled with suspicion, power plays, and emotional push-pull. It never feels rushed, and I appreciated that the romance grew alongside the plot rather than distracting from it.

If you’re into morally grey characters, monster bargains, and high-stakes secrets, this one’s for you. I’ll definitely be picking up the sequel!

To start off, this book was a little complex. I know I say this a lot in reviews, but I have a hard time keeping up with fantasy aspects in books. I felt like there I would've benefited from fewer moving parts. Or maybe dumbed down descriptions or maybe even more descriptions. The story was great, and the author did a great job at describing stuff like people and places. A good bit of the scenes played in my head as I read. I had a hard time getting into Graves' character. I didn't really feel the chemistry between him and Kierse until closer to the end and I still don't 100% ship them. To be fair, I didn't feel connected to any of the characters. Maybe it's because of how it was written (third-person pov). Some of the story was predictable and some not so much. Lots of filler sides/chapters. Maybe they'll make sense or come back into play in book two? Overall, I'd say it was a decent book. The story was good and intriguing. 3/5 stars ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

I love a beauty and the beast retelling and this may be my new favorite modern take! I love the post modern world, the way different monsters are mixed in, and how the book is written.

This book sat on my shelf for far too long! This book was filled with action, suspense, history, & mystery! It kept me on the edge of my seat, and I didn’t want to put it down. I love that humans and monsters live in the world together. The magical system was amazing, and the detail surrounded the monsters as well.

I don't know why I wad sleeping on this book for so long. I had the book, just didn't get to it. Oh man is this book so good. I read it pretty fast as well.
At first I didn't know what to make of all the monster talk and then magic. Wasn't very sure on what Kierse really was. But I sure love her character a lot. And her friends are pretty awesome as well. I grew to really like Graves. And I sure hope Kierse and him get through their issues and such. Because I still think they can help each other. Now I don't really like that Ethan decided to go off with that villain. But we shall see what happens next for all of these characters.

Post monster war in New York City, Keirse is a theif about to embark on a whole new journey. Enemies to lovers, monsters, magic, found family. There's adventure and suspense.

Great world building and relationship development. I loved the dynamic between Kierse and Graves and Kierse learning about herself. I can’t wait to see how things continue to develop in the next book.

The Wren in the Holly Library pulled me in with its gritty urban fantasy vibes, monster-haunted New York setting, and a sharp, street-smart heroine. Kierse’s dynamic with Graves had just the right mix of danger and chemistry, and the heist setup gave the plot some solid momentum. It’s the kind of book that, if left to my own rhythm, I probably would’ve devoured in a few days.

But here’s where it fell flat, for me. I was trying to pace my reading around a schedule that I didn’t even make, (it was made by Entagled publishing for being able to discuss the book part by part) and it honestly drained some of the joy out of the experience. Every time I wanted to get swept up in the world, I had to pull myself back. It made the pacing feel off, even when it wasn’t the book’s fault. Lesson learned: I will never follow a reading schedule again.

That said, the book itself isn’t without flaws. The romance, while enjoyable, felt a bit rushed. The Celtic myth and magic system had intriguing threads but didn’t dig as deep as I wanted. And there were a few editing hiccups that took me out of the moment. Still, for fans of romantasy, with a touch of heist and a dangerous library, it’s a solid pick.

The start of this book had me slightly confused as it went on it started to make more sense. The world building was interesting with the use of Irish folklore. The twist at the end makes waiting for book 2 torture.

I loved this book so much. I can’t even explain how much I loved it. I got to participate in a read along with the publisher and received an arc copy. But all of the opinions below are my own. This book is a romantasy about a girl, Kierse who doesn’t know her background or much about who she is. She finds her way through life learning to steal from a guy who isn’t very kind. After escaping this guy she finds family in an unlikely bunch. They are her everything. She ends up getting caught doing what she does best, stealing and spying from the MMC. And then the adventure begins. This book has lots of ups and downs. Lots of different characters. The character development is fantastic. I fell in love with the female main character. She is strong and sarcastic and witty. She has a good moral compass, where she puts her friends first. Her friends are her family since she doesn’t have one of her own. And the whole book is about what she sacrifices and gives up and does to keep her friends safe. A lot more unfolds and I won’t go into spoilers, but I really, really, really enjoyed this book! And I cannot wait for the next book to come out.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7575130977

This was a 5 star read for me. Absolutely loved the plot and world. Fell in love with Kierse and Graves. Also loved the relationship the FMC had with her friends. Can’t wait for book 2.

The art work for the book was stunning. Which is what interested me along with the title. Then everyone was talking about it and I dove in. I expected a lot from this book and it was just "Meh" for me. I definitely judged this book by it's cover.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing for this Official Entangled Readalong digital copy! I finished this book nearly a week ago, and I wanted to let it all sink in before writing my review. I was intrigued from the beginning when I got faint Throne of Glass type vibes. Kierse is the main female character. She is loyal to her friends, and she will do anything to protect them. We get to see her go on a journey of self discovery with the help of Mr. Mysterious aka Graves. The further I got in the book, the better it was. It was like having a story within a story. I have high hopes for book 2, and I cannot wait to read it!

I really enjoyed this book! I was on the edge of my seat for this fantasy. We had romance, secrets...lots of secrets, myth, heist planning, and a whole lot more. I am looking forward to the next book. The ending to this was like ...wait what happens next. I am looking forward to more sassiness from Wren 🤣

I may be a little late to the game on reading my first K.A. Linde book, but goodness, I really enjoyed this one. This book drew me in from page one and held my attention all the way until the end! I’ve already pre-ordered the second book in this series.

* Thank you NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for sharing the advanced digital edition of this book. This is my honest review.

This book had me hooked from the very beginning! I highly recommend it to fans of fantasy fiction featuring magic. It is in an alternate New York filled with monsters. This is a dark, spicy urban fantasy evolves, loosely drawing inspiration from the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast.

At the heart of the narrative is a slow burn romance between two morally ambiguous protagonists.

The action is non-stop from the beginning, and the true nature of who the villain is unclear. Just as you think you've figured out the plot, the author throws in another curveball.

The sequel “The Robin in the Oak Throne” releases June 17th and I cannot wait!

This story was read as our read together in the Entangled Facebook group. I loved the opportunity to read and share along with others, although the pace went quicker than our family schedule allowed, I was able to go back and follow along with the discussion. It was such a neat experience, and I look forward to doing it again in the future! Thank you for the opportunity!