Absolutely a 6⭐️ read!
This is absolutely one of those stories that alters your brain chemistry and stays with you for a long time.

This was beautifully written with the perfect gothic atmosphere. The way the author wove the past and the present together was done so eloquently. Every aspect of this story was just incredible. A love story that transcends all time and space. Amon and Sela are the true definition of if it's meant to be it will be.

The best way I can describe this book is chaotic. The premise was solid — an orphan girl learns her biological father has passed away and left her an inheritance, but she must travel to the spooky, mysterious town of Fairydale to claim it. Spooky gothic romance is right up my alley, so I truly thought I’d love this.

Don't get me wrong, I was initially invested, but once the father burst into flames at the funeral, I immediately thought, "oh... this is where we’re going??" It reminded me of a campy CW show. I didn’t let that put me off and was still curious enough to see how the rest of the story would play out, but it just kept losing my attention. The pacing dragged, the flashbacks felt excessively long, and I never connected enough with the characters to care where it all went.

Ultimately, I got to the point where I dreaded picking it back up and decided I’d be better off DNFing rather than forcing myself through several more hundred pages. Life is too short to read books we don't like!

I’ve seen this described as a “love it or hate it” kind of book, and I’d agree with that sentiment.

This book did not need to be this long. Lets just start with that. I really liked it, however, there was a lot of elements jam packed into this book. The ploy felt very dragged out to me and I go both ways with instalove - - im not quite sure about it in this book yet TBD. Thank you ma’am for the spice that was lovely and well done, except I dont need 10 pages of love making with her period. 😂

In a good note, the essence and vibe of the book is fantastic. Its very unique and perfect for the season.

Thank you to Netgallery for the arc.

This book literally has me speechless. Just.....Wow..

There were so many twists and turns that when you thought you knew everything.....no, you don't.

If you like Gothic vibes, fated mates, paranormal, unhinged characters, then this is the book for you.

Still. Just wow. Once the story gets going, the adventure is just nonstop.

Fairydale is one of the most unique and genre-blending books I’ve read — eerie, gripping, and full of dark intrigue. Veronica Lancet crafts a haunting story with deep character history and rich atmosphere, especially in the first two parts. That said, this is a very long book, and with chapters that each take about an hour to read, it can feel overwhelming. Even though the scenes are important and well-written, the pacing often felt slow because of how time-consuming each chapter was. It made it hard to pick up unless I had a big chunk of time.

The book is divided into three parts, each with its own tone. The first part reads like historical fiction with paranormal touches — beautifully done and very immersive. The second is tense and thrilling, full of creepy reveals that kept me hooked. But the third part takes a surprising sci-fi turn that I wasn’t prepared for. While I appreciated the ambition, the shift was too sudden. I wish this storyline had been introduced earlier, rather than dominating the final third of the book. By 80%, I felt disconnected from the original plot and characters and found myself wanting to return to where we left off.

The pacing really dragged here, and the genre shift — combined with overly convenient plot developments — made the last section feel less thought-out than the rest. The writing also became noticeably more modern, and the eerie atmosphere that made the beginning so strong was lost. Dialogue sometimes felt out of place, and the sudden spike in spice (especially the monster romance angle) felt like it belonged in a different book entirely. Also… I could’ve done without "lass" being used in every single situation.

Despite my critiques, I did enjoy this book overall. Lancet’s writing is strong, and the way she layers character backstories is excellent. I do wish I had read more Jane Austen beforehand — there were plenty of references I probably missed! Still, I’d recommend Fairydale to readers who enjoy dark, slow-burning stories with bold genre shifts. Just be prepared for very long chapters and a third act that might not work for everyone.
This is a solid 4-star read for me. The first half was easily a 5, but the second half dipped to a 3. I’m glad I read it — but I’m also kind of glad I’m done!

Wow. First of all - this was a behemoth of a book. It was way too long in my opinion. Second of all - I have NEVER been taken on such a WILD ride in a book before I read Fairydale. I audibly said “wtf” no less than 50 times throughout the entire story.

Fairydale felt like it could have been split in to 2 separate books. The main plot was super interesting and the creepy town was a really cool setting, but the story in its entirety seemed to keep piling more and more on and after awhile I felt it got to be too much information. I will give credit where credit is due — these characters are LAYERED. I can only imagine what Veronica Lancet’s notebooks and plot board looked like when writing this book. There was a lot going on and I never felt like I knew where things were going to lead next. The smut was even unpredictable!

There were so many different facets in this story. There were witches, humanoids, and everything in between. All together, I felt like the book had WAY too much going on and the storyline could have been refined more. I felt like the Sela storyline was too much to fully introduce at 80% into the book and it took the story on a completely different path than I expected and hoped. Because of this, the ending fell flat and felt rushed to me.

Overall, the book will stick with me for awhile - but I don’t know if I’d recommend unless you’re in for a crazy story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

I really struggled with this book and considered DNF’ing several times. The writing felt choppy, and instead of being drawn into the world, I often felt like the story was being told at me rather than shown through immersive description.

I was initially excited to read this book because I had seen so much positive buzz on social media. While I do think the premise has a lot of potential, the execution fell short for me. For the first 30% I debated putting it down, and from 30–60% I fluctuated between mild interest and frustration. I didn’t feel truly invested in the story or characters until about the 60% mark—and even then, I felt like I could have stopped reading and not missed much.

The writing style also felt long-winded. Paragraphs of narration were often inserted between lines of dialogue, which made conversations difficult to follow and forced me to reread sections. I was far more engaged in Elizabeth and Amon’s story than in Darcy and Caleb’s early on. Caleb, in particular, came across as off-putting, while Amon was easier to connect with. Since the two are later revealed to be the same, I wasn’t sure if the stark difference was intentional, but it didn’t feel cohesive.

The pacing also felt uneven. The first half of the book dragged with excessive buildup, only for major plot points and answers to appear suddenly and abruptly toward the end. Many developments felt rushed and came out of nowhere, which lessened their impact.

Overall, while I think the core idea is intriguing, the execution—particularly in pacing, character development, and writing style—made this a difficult read for me.

This was a whirlwind from the start. The story is told from 3 different timelines, so you never really know what's going on and there's always info that you're missing. It's definitely intentional though to make you as frustrated as Darcy, the main character. The first half of the story had me wanting to pull my hair out because of it. Once you start getting answers though? Couldn't put the book down. There are aspects of horror, gothic fantasy, and paranormal throughout but this is truly a romance story.
The MMC, Amon, is the definition of "I'll find you in every lifetime." He would literally burn the world down for Darcy if she so much as thought about it.

Favorite quotes -
“Where you go, I go. If you exist so do I, and if you're not, nor am I."

"How could I want anyone else when I am only because you are? I exist for you just as I exist because of you."

“What if I told you that you're my entire reason for being? That you're why I wake up in the morning. Every goddamn day from the dawn of time until now. What if I told you that you belong to me in a way no woman ever belonged to a man? That I might be evil personified, but you're the only one I'll ever be good to.”

There was one part of the book that had to do with a tail that I didn't like. It's not until you're like 92% done and it can definitely be skipped if that's not your cup of tea. That's the only part of the book though that had me questioning what I was reading. Other than that, I had a great time reading this.

The concept behind Fairydale by Veronica Lancet is what first caught my attention. I enjoyed the overall idea of the story and thought it had a lot of potential. The cover design is also gorgeous—it perfectly matches the atmosphere and tone of the book, which made it feel even more inviting to pick up.

With that said, while I liked the concept, I did find that the writing itself could feel a bit boring and monotonous at times. There were moments where the plot dragged, and I wished it had a little more detail and full concepts to fully pull me into the world.

Overall, Fairydale was a good read with a creative story. However, while I’m glad I read it, it’s probably not a book I’d recommend to my friends because I feel like it was very similar to things I’ve read before but not as well written.

LOVE LOVE LOVEEEEE This book is so insanely good, the plot, the romance, the atmosphere everything all together was just perfecttt

Fairydale completely swept me up in its gothic, haunting atmosphere. From the foggy seaside town to the eerie mysteries woven into its history, the setting felt alive and kept me turning pages. Darcy’s journey pulled me in right away, and I loved how the story balanced romance, supernatural intrigue, and that constant sense of unease that comes with gothic tales. Both Caleb and Amon were such compelling characters, and I enjoyed the push and pull of their dynamic with Darcy—it gave the book its heart.

That being said… this book is long. While I never stopped enjoying the story, there were sections where the pacing dragged, and I found myself wishing it were a little tighter. It didn’t ruin the experience for me, but I think the same emotional punch could have been delivered with fewer pages.

Overall, I really enjoyed Fairydale and would recommend it to anyone who loves gothic romance, morally grey love interests, and atmospheric storytelling. Just be prepared to sink into a very long but rewarding read.

I loved this book more and more as I got into it! It is so complex and really makes you want to pay attention to all the little details along the way! I loved the ending and how it did not feel rushed at all. This book is so unique and ive not read anything like it before.

I was not a huge fan of this book, but maybe I was not in the right mindset when I was reading this?

Very grateful to have received an arc. I will be marking this in my come back to category.

This was an amazing book. What starts off as a mystery headed towards a paranormal explanation becomes a story full of twists and turns and as you read you realize that this world is much, much larger than you think. I love the slow change in the world as we learn more about it, and how it integrates themes such as magic and ghosts into the universe. I loved the romance as well, the two main characters hold such a tight bond to each other that it had me rooting for them the entire time. This book is so viceral, in the themes, the love, and the elements. I love the world building so much, Lancet has definitely poured her heart into creating such a grandiose world.

DNF'd at chapter 8 (roughly 17%).

I really struggled to even get to where I did as it just wasn't drawing me in and I wasn't invested in any of the characters. I prepared myself for complex timelines and whole bunch of other things. It just did not deliver. Why is this so long? I'm not afraid of a big/long book but it has to be worth the pages.

The FMC is just too naïve and blasé on everything and the gaslighting that was already going on this early in the book - so not my thing. Maybe if I could get myself to finish I'd get to those complex timelines and the "more", but I just don't think it's worth it. This book just was not for me, have no plans on ever going back and finishing.

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillian for sending this book (eARC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Veronica Lancet for the opportunity to review Fairydale!

Rating: 5/5 ⭐️ (Honestly, infinity stars)

It’s been a long time since I’ve read a novel that left me sitting in silence, just staring at the wall, completely consumed by everything I had just experienced. I'm going to do my best to review this without giving away too much of the plot, because the twists and turns are a huge part of what makes this story so impactful.

Yes, this is a long book. I split my time between reading the physical copy and listening to the audiobook, which features a dual narration that was absolutely fantastic. The length, though, is necessary. There’s a lot of ground to cover, and Veronica Lancet does an incredible job weaving together multiple perspectives, timelines, and even states of consciousness.

This is truly a dark, gothic romantasy—please make sure to read the trigger warnings. But if you enjoy layered timelines, historical fiction elements, and a deeply unconventional love story that stays with you long after the final page, Fairydale is absolutely for you.

Book: Fairydale by Veronica Lancet
Genre: Dark Romantasy, Historical
Rating: 4 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria books for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Fairydale has been on my TBR for some time, even when it was an indie title, so I was very excited to receive this book. This book is atmospheric, it tells a story between 3 different timelines, and plays out like a slowly unfolding mystery, with each jump to a previous life providing us with more information to inform the present story.

This was written beautifully. The vibes - the vibes! This kind of gave me Mayfair Witches/The Witching Hour by Anne Rice vibes (with the multiple timelines) meets Dracula, especially the short-lived Dracula TV show, but throw in more romantasy.

The romance was interesting. I will say that this book kept me guessing about certain elements of their relationship for some time. This book uses a lot of tropes we’ve seen before, such as fated mates, witches and demons, family mystery, etc., but also put some very unique spins on it. The author warns of a slow-burn, and it is, so prepare yourself! I love a slow burn, and that type of plot device does make sense with this story and Darcy’s character.

The negative, and why I waffled a bit between 3.5 or 4 stars - this book was, in my opinion, too long. As a fantasy reader, I am not shy about long, epic storylines, but I feel like this book could’ve been 200 pages less and the story would have been fine. This is certainly not a 300-page story (as in I do not think it could’ve been told well in 300 pages), but I don’t think it’s a 700+ page story, either. Ultimately, 4 stars felt appropriate because it really is unique book.

Next, I wouldn’t call this necessarily a negative, but more of a general comment, the author’s note stresses that this is a complicated book. Honestly, I didn’t find it particularly complicated or hard to follow. It is a book where you need to RAFO, or “read and find out”, because not all of the information is presented to you upfront. This, however, is not an uncommon theme in fantasy stories.

While I do think this book was lengthier than it should’ve been, it was still an interesting and, chances are, you have read other books with similar tropes or vibes as Fairydale, but you probably haven’t read a book quite like it. In the future, I do think I would do an audio of this book because of the length, as it does drag on at times.

I was so so excited to read this book, unfortunately I just couldn't get into it I DNF at 25%, I kept giving it more and more time to see if it could grab me but unfortunately It just wasn't working.

Veronica Lancet has crafted a world that is equal parts enchanting and unsettling. It reads something like a Grimm’s tale…rewritten for women who grew up, got angry, and want their monsters back. This isn’t a fluffy fantasy with wings and glitter. It’s dark forests, crumbling mansions, and secrets buried in the bones of the land. If you loved Crimson Peak and wish more books leaned into the haunted, lyrical, morally grey abyss, this is the perfect read!

The heroine is fierce without being a caricature. She’s sharp, bruised, and constantly toeing the line between survival and surrender. The hero is everything your mother warned you about, and your shadow self secretly roots for. Their dynamic is full of tension that feels both earned and emotionally raw.

Lancet’s prose is lush without being overwrought, and the pacing kept me hooked all the way through. There’s romance, yes. But it’s layered with dread, desire, and the kind of slow-burn unraveling that makes your stomach ache (in the best way).

While I do feel like this story was a reiteration of the stereotypical romantasy tale, it's a popular story formula for a reason. Was it a bit predictable? Absolutely. Did I love every moment of it? Most definitely. The writing was good and the pace was balanced. I thoroughly enjoyed this and will definitely be bringing it into my store!.