What a ride!

The whole beginning of this book definitely reads as a psychological thriller and had me racing through the first handful of chapters. Orphaned as a child, Darcy, now in her 20’s, finds out that her biological father has passed away and included her in his will. To claim her inheritance, she needs to travel to the town of Fairydale to attend the funeral and reading of the will. A series of odd events happen leading up to her arrival in Fairydale, and then take an even stranger turn- including ominous threats that simply say, “don’t trust them”.

This is a very lengthy book and jumps around three separate times periods to include the full storyline. The plot is incredibly detailed and you really have to be paying close attention to follow the story. Because this becomes so plot heavy after the initial thrill of the FMCs arrival in Fairydale, I felt I did have to put this book down more often than I would on a traditional romantasy type book just to give my brain a break.

My only real critique with this story was the ending. I felt it was rather anticlimactic. I enjoyed the epilogues and the ending for the characters, I just feel like with 700 pages of buildup, I needed more of a big finish.

I would recommend this book for fans of paranormal romance (think magic, witches, demons, etc.) who also enjoy detailed world building and an intricate plot. This book does have some dark and spicy elements so please check the trigger warning should you choose to read.

A hauntingly beautiful paranormal romance.

Fairydale by Veronica Lancet gave me a gothic fantasy romance vibe. Delivering a paranormal romance that transcends through lifetimes. This book was written so cleverly switching timelines throughout the book until it all collided, giving us the best ending.

This book will take you away to another time, another world. Fairydale will have you loose grip of reality as you transcend into the timeliness dating back from the A.D. period, 1800's and mid 1900's. This was so fascinating and so easy to keep up with, I didn't feel lost or confused at any point in this book.

I also listened to the audiobook while reading the eBook. The audio was a duet and added so much more character and drama to the story. Highly recommend.

📖Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this ebook.
I really enjoyed this book, although it did take me longer to read than I thought. It was a slower start for me but it did pick up. It's dark, gothic romance. It kept me hooked till the end!

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC Copy! 3.5 rounded up!

This book is long, and it is an investment, but I think it is completely worth it in the end. I was absolutely shocked at just how long this book took me to read, and when I was introduced to the 3rd POV when I felt like I was getting close to the end. I wish this had been a duology. I really enjoyed it but it kind of threw me off when suddenly it felt like I was reading a new book.
Don't get discouraged by the length though, take you time with this one. It all comes together in the end, and everything was worth it in the end. I still feel like my rating may have been higher if it had been a duology instead of one book.

I wanted to love this book, but it is a bit too long and drawn out. I did not feel any kind of connection with the FMC and found the MMC to be odd, and not necessarily in a good way. This story could have been told in about half the pages.

Excellent Surprise slow burn love triangle:

I want to start by saying I received an ARC for this book’s rerelease by the publisher. I loved it! It’s a story that will make you love love. It is a long, SLOW burn love triangle story. It had well developed characters plot, suspense, intrigue and drama. It will raise the bar for the love, support and dedication of your fictional boyfriends. This man is so cognizant and respectful of our main girl that he just gives her what she needs and goes slow in their relationship so she’s comfortable vs just steamrolling her. I’m still swooning just thinking about it.

This book had a slow start with the world building and history, but once the story picked up, I was fully invested. I loved the gothic paranormal vibes. There’s so much happening in it and it had me second guessing myself a few times, but I adored the love story in this one so much! White-haired MMC with “touch-her-and-die” vibes. Seriously, there is no male lead quite like this one. 😍😅 it’s best going into this one completely blind to be honest to fully experience all of it, so I can’t say too much more, but know that it is incredibly romantic, mysterious, and has so much going on, but in a good way. Definitely one of my favorite reads this year!!
Thank you to the publisher for an e-galley of this book. All opinions are my own.

DNF @ 20% This one was hard for me to even get to 20% of… I kept trying because I know how many people love this but Darcy was annoying, Caleb was volatile, Aman was a little intriguing but also a bit of a creep, Lizzie was the only main I even remotely liked but she was super 2D. Ultimately what made me call this one was Caleb though. I cannot stand him. And I can see the plot twist of *spoiler* Caleb/Amon being one and the same a mile away so it’s killing Amon for me too. Also, Darcy (who is supposedly this innocent sheltered school teacher raised by nuns) is wayyyy too chill about her dad being fake dead and then her saying “you should have stayed dead” and him then immediately VOMITING UP HIS OWN ORGANS AND BURSTING INTO FLAMES. Like, she just goes to lunch after??????

I decided to just say no thank you when I was disliking this book so immensely and there was 600+ pages left. 🫠

Fairydale completely swept me away. Veronica Lancet writes with that rare blend of lush atmosphere and razor-sharp emotion that keeps you turning the pages long past midnight. This wasn’t just a dark, gothic fairytale....... it was an experience.

The world of Fairydale is decadent and haunting, filled with secrets and shadows that made my heart race. The characters feel so vivid and alive, each one layered with beauty and brokenness. Every twist kept me guessing, and every moment of longing or danger cut deep.

What I loved most is how immersive it felt. The prose is lyrical without being overly heavy like some books similar in genre, the romance is achingly addictive, and the darkness never overwhelms the tenderness at its core. It gave me that delicious mix of shivers, heartbreak, and obsession which is the exact reason I love gothic suspense.

This book is going straight onto my list of all-time favorites. If you’re craving something haunting, intoxicating, and impossible to put down, Fairydale will ruin you (in the best way).”

Rating: 4.5⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Media: eARC/🎧
WTF: Lost count
😭: 2

This was a trip full of what is happening now?! I couldn't predict anything that was going to happen, who was going to appear, who we were cheering for and did I agree? The story just pulls you right in and there are different timelines which all make sense in the end. It's a saga in itself and felt as if it was a classic even though it had a lot of modern prose elements. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and I can't even expand too much because I think you need to go through it. It's just one of those books that's worth a marathon read session. The world building was amazing and the characters were just immaculate. I really enjoyed this read because of how unique and refreshing it felt.

Thank you to Veronica Lancet and Atria for this eARC.

I really enjoyed this book, though I will say that I think it is a bit too long and drags at parts. I do appreciate the gothic atmosphere and the author's writing. She does an excellent job creating a haunting setting. However, I was not a fan of our FMC. I think the book could easily be condensed and we could lose some of the monologuing. I also think some of the scenes were added for pure shock value and not necessarily story-building. I may need to sit on this one for a while and come back with a more in-depth review.

📖Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this ebook.
While it took me a long time to read—not only because of the length, but it was also fairly heavy—the read was worth it.
I am giving it four stars instead of five because it started to feel very repetitive—it should probably have been 200 pages shorter.

I’m sorry but I could not get into this book whatsoever. The way it mentioned rape at the beginning was way too blasé. Like “oh no, I just got raped!” What?? And her randomly going into the woods to find herbs or whatever? This isn’t the Hunger Games, why are we searching for herbs? Even if the book was set in a time period where that would be normal, the writing style didn’t match it and it wasn’t really explained very well at all. I just couldn’t keep going with this.

3.5 stars

Despite the insane length of this book, I thoroughly enjoyed it! I was kept entertained and engaged for the entire thing, and while none of the reveals were overly shocking, I couldn't stop reading.

I'm usually not the biggest fan of time jumps, but the way they were executed within this book were great. I didn't find myself wishing we could go back to a different POV because they were all as equally interesting.

The magic system and the different versions of events were a little hard to keep track of at times, but I found that overall, by the end, everything came together and made sense. This was definitely a book you need to have time and attention to devote to, but I absolutely thought it was worth it!

It’s gothic, horror, fantasy, paranormal, and historical all at once—but at its heart, it’s a devastatingly beautiful romance. A story built on longing, obsession, heartbreak, and the kind of soul-deep connection that spans centuries.This book spans three timelines and had me screaming “what the actual fuck is going on?!” the entire time. It’s shocking, emotional, and brilliantly layered—I savored every single word, wishing it would never end.This love story is the epitome of “I will find you in every lifetime.” It’s eternal, soul-deep, and it left me screaming into the void.

There were several points in this book where I thought I knew what was happening... and then I was proven wrong. But overall, if you stick with it this is a completely unique story and worth the read! `

Thank you go NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC 🫶

Wow.. I am completely blown away.

Typically when I read a book I would compare it to the experience of watching a movie - entertaining, typically emotional and with a satisfying plot.

Applying this analogy Fairydale wouldn’t be fair.. Fairydale is more of a carefully plotted series with several characters, timelines, and an overarching romance that spans an eternity. I was completely immersed in this world and it elicited so many different emotions from me. I was scared, I was creeped out, I was disgusted, I was annoyed, I was happy, I was sad, I swooned and I teared up several times.

There were several times I didn’t know what was truly happening because I didn’t know who to trust, I didn’t know what was real or what was a fabrication. The storytelling was equally beautiful as it was heart wrenching.

This book is so incredibly unique and I fear I won’t find anything like it again!

Where do I even begin? How does one explain their emotions after an 800 page book about a love story that spans thousands of years? I’m truly left in awe of this story. It was unlike anything I’ve ever read before. Fairydale is intoxicating, overwhelming and had me so deeply invested from the beginning.

The vibes in this book were dark, mysterious, and moody and I absolutely adored it. It is PERFECT for your spooky season tbr. What I love about this story was that at no point did I know where it was going. I love not being able to pinpoint the next part of a story. For the first portion of the book we also have an unreliable narrator which was so great to read - it’s been so long since I questioned the main character’s own sanity and my own since I had no clue what was going on half the time but that is part of the charm of this book!

This love story is not your typical love story (as the author warns). It is dark, difficult, and traumatizing. However, it is the epitome of “I will find you in every lifetime.” It’s the ultimate tragic love story.

🥀gothic romantasy
🥀horror / paranormal elements
🥀 multiple timelines
🥀 fated mates
🥀 morally grey
🥀 witches
🥀 creepy small town
🥀 historical setting

Fairydale is a dark, dreamy gothic romance that hooked me from start to finish.
I’m looking forward to reading more titles by Veronica Lancet.

For a book this long, I should not have been as bored as I was🫠 I spent over half the book bored. The premise, multiple time lines and all the secrets kept the book going. If we took 200 pages out that were reiterating the same conversations repeatedly, I would have stayed entertained.
I’m. A SUCKER for this trope but there were so many tropes that gave me the ick, calling him “good boy”, the FMC being naive and “I’m just a lady, I don’t know anything about anything”. I’m weak and a dang bobble head”. It was infuriating.
The plot took 20% to pick up and then we were in the middle for 75% of the rest of the time, and then ending was one chapter. What?? And the epilogue was aggravating, I’m sick of books where the only goal of the FMC is to have children🙄