I really enjoyed this book! This was a great cozy read for a rainy day. Written in the vein of a Harvest of Hearts and Emily Wildes Encyclopedia of Faeries.

It was well written, well paced, and just delightful!

I loved it! 4.5 stars! Rated up:)

In terms of the sub-genre "fantasy with fae," I have to say, this was pretty standard. This book did not surprise me. In fact, I felt like I had already read this book by the time I was 10% through. The world building was painfully familiar to so many other books I've read. The concept, being so familiar, felt stale and used. Other authors have already done it, and frankly, done it better. Don't get me wrong, I love the artfully cunning fae, but this book could have been so fresh and new if the author had decided to veer away from the faeries.

In general, the atmosphere and vibes of this book were pretty cozy. If you like cozy fantasy, I think you would really enjoy this one. Personally, the stakes were too low for me. This book was too long for this low of stakes and I was continuously bored.

This book's one redeeming quality was the ending plot twist. I almost always guess the ending of books and surprisingly, I didn't for this book.

2/5 stars

An excellent mix of historical post-WWI setting and a throughline of appealing romantasy, with a Faerie-abandoned England that hearkens back to Susanna Clarke's take on fae in Jonathan Strange as well as traditional fairy parables--which serve as warnings as much as enchanting stories. Corrigan tells a wonderful story of love and Faerie deals, with an exquisite setting. Depreciated manor house, Thistlemarsh, is both lush and ominous, at once a gift and a curse for Mouse. It's a beautiful source of conflict for her: a place where she has happy and terrible memories, a place she gains ownership of only due to sorrowful personal losses, and a legal burden that sounds like a fairy task--spinning straw into gold might be easier than restoring this dilapidated house to former glory within a month. And then our Faerie deal (and Faerie love interest) enter the story, and while Mouse knows what the reader knows--that she must not trust these goblin men--she is canny enough to strive for her own terms and her own compromises for the sake of her future. And like the reader, she can't help but want to trust Thornwood, even when there are more reasons not to.

I found the writing lively, pretty, and cozy. We love a full house rescue/remodeling (what inner yearning does that sate? I always love a fixer-upper), and the romance was intriguing and believable. I especially liked that Corrigan embraces elements of Thornwood's nature so that he always remains Other, bound to different rules that aren't always are own. For fans of Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries.

What I Loved:

Atmosphere & Setting: The manor of Thistlemarsh, with its decay, secrets, and lingering magic, is richly drawn. The contrast between the harshness of the post-WWI world and the strange, beautiful, untrustworthy Faerie realm provides tension and beauty in equal measure. The historical detail adds weight to Mouse’s struggles.

Emotional Depth: Mouse is a compelling protagonist. Her grief, sense of duty toward her brother, guilt, and longing are all well-portrayed. The psychological fallout of war is handled with care, especially as she balances caring for her family vs pursuing the inheritance.

Magic & Lore: The Faerie elements are used deftly—neither over-explained nor merely background. The bargains, the danger, and the charm of the Faerie are all in play, which yields both danger and allure.

Romance & Tension: The relationship with the Faerie helper is fraught with distrust and attraction, which makes it more interesting than a trope-driven pairing. Their dynamic adds layers—to the magic, sure, but to Mouse’s own growth and decisions.

What Didn’t Fully Land:

Pacing toward the middle: There are stretches where the momentum slows—some house restoration minutiae, some internal ruminations—that risk losing narrative energy. For some readers this may deepen character, for others it may feel like it stalls.

Predictability in some arcs: A few plot turn-points, especially in the romance or in certain moral choices, feel familiar. While the execution is strong, the surprises are fewer than I’d hoped.

Overall:

Thistlemarsh is a lovely blend of melancholy and enchantment, a fantasy with heart, set in a world that is both cruel and beautiful. It doesn’t shy away from grief or guilt, and rewards patience. If you enjoy historical fantasy, Faerie bargains, and characters bearing scars—both visible and invisible—this will be a book to savor. I look forward to Corrigan’s future work.

At first it took me some time to get into the story as there were so many details that I needed to take in. But the more I got to know about mouse and thorn wood and their adventures and mysteries they faced, the more I fell in love with the book.
The story was a beautiful show of kindness, forgiveness and growth for the characters and I would highly recommend this book to anyone!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Although this book has very cozy and atmospheric vibes, I found it difficult to stay interested. That is not to say this is not a beautifully written story. It most definitely is. The author did an amazing job with their storytelling and character building. This was just so far out of my comfort zone for what I normally read that it felt that it was not for me. That said, this book definitely has its audience and I can't wait to hear what others have to say about it!

I wanted to love this book, like I wanted to really, really love this book in a way that I'd recommend it to my book bestie with glowing reviews. But that was not the case. And honestly, it was something crazy (like Carden's tail) that threw me - the name of the FMC just had me doing a side-eye. Mouse is a nickname I call a child, not an actual given name, and, petty as it is, this threw me for the entire book.

Put aside this and the book is atmospheric and beautiful. The writing is good, the characters are very well developed - especially Mouse. I liked the depth of the world and the richness of it. And the story, although painfully slow more often than not, was well written enough to keep me engaged. Honestly, the story was good. And I will recommend it to my book besties because I want to know their feelings as well.

Thistlemarsh was a wonderful read that we will absolutely be ordering in! I love a good Faerie bargain, and Thistlemarsh did not disappoint in that regard. Loved the historical war setting—very well suited to the story. Mouse was a great main character, and there was a very well developed cast of supporting characters. The love story felt pretty believable, however something that happened near the end (which I won’t say, don’t want to spoil anything) made it hard to really root for them as a couple by the end. Overall, a great read that felt so dreamlike! Can’t wait to recommend this one to our customers.

Moorea Corrigan's Thistlemarsh is a moody, folklore-laced tale that blends English estate drama with faerie intrigue. At its heart is Mouse, a rebellious, sharp-edged protagonist whose name alone hints at something otherworldly. From the outset, Corrigan invites readers to question Mouse's origins, layering hints of fae lineage through her mother's love of faerie stories, her outsider status, and the cryptic way other characters refer to her as "my lady".

The novel's premise is compelling: Mouse must either repair her crumbling ancestral home or marry within a month. This ultimatum sets the stage for a return to Thistlemarsh, a place haunted not just by magic but by Mouse's difficult childhood. The tension between duty and autonomy is palpable, and Corrigan uses other characters' suppositions to deepen our understanding of Mouse's guarded interior life.

What worked:
-The integration faerie lore into the real world felt seamless and grounded, giving the story a mythic texture without losing its emotional realism.
-The concept of magical rooms and the blocking spell added a fresh layer to the genre's usual tropes.
-The poetry and symbolism surrounding Mickelwaithe and Thornwood raised intriguing questions about trust and allegiance: are they goblins? Trickers? Something else entirely?

What fell short:
-The pacing often felt uneven. Key scenes, like Mouse's bargain with Dante or the final hunt with the Fae King, were rushed, leaving emotional and narrative stakes underdeveloped.
-The love interest twist was abrupt and, frankly, underdeveloped. It detracted from Mouse's acr and felt out of place in a story otherwise focused on identity, inheritance, and autonomy.
-Character clarity was a struggle early on, with too many names and not enough grounding. The sudden emotional shifts, especially Mouse's quick confessions to John, felt unearned.
-The ending was jarring, leaving lingering questions about the consequences of Mouse's choices and the emotional fallout of her marriage.

Final thoughts: 3.75/5 stars
Thistlemarsh is rich with atmosphere and thematic potential, especially for readers drawn to stories of ancestral reckoning and faerie bargains. While the execution sometimes falters, particularly in pacing and romantic development, Corrigan's world-building and symbolic layering offer plenty to chew on. Mouse's journey, though uneven, is one of reclamation and resistance, and that alone makes the book worth the read.

You know those stories you never want to be over?

This is one of them.

It is also a story that, once over, leaves me feeling not only satisfied, but joyful.

This book is equal parts historical fiction and cozy fantasy, with themes of adventure, betrayal, and love.

Moorea Corrigan spins real world history and weaves a beautiful fairy tale.

I look forward to reading more of her stories.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Book set to release April 21, 2026.

If you love fairy tales this one is for you.

Easily one of the best fae fantasy books I've read in the recent past. The characters are fantastic and well rounded. It's hard not to fall for all of them. Except Carlyle, no one likes Carlyle.

With the storyline starting out so typically, I thought I had the whole thing figured out, but I was wrong. Twists and turns were great.

#netgalley #thistlemarch #mooreacorrigan #bookdragon #booklife #bookstagram

Thistlemarsh is a hauntingly beautiful mix of history, fantasy, and gothic atmosphere that hooked me from the very first page. Moorea Corrigan blends post–World War I grief and trauma with the shimmer of faerie magic in a way that feels both enchanting and heartbreaking. The setting is so vividly drawn—Thistlemarsh Hall itself feels like a character, crumbling with secrets and alive with shadows.

Mouse Dunne is a protagonist you can’t help but root for. Her grief, her loyalty to her brother, and her determination to hold on to her inheritance make her journey deeply moving. I loved how her dreams of faerie lore clash with the stark reality of war and loss, and how those two worlds come together when the mysterious and infuriatingly magnetic faerie arrives. The tension between them had me turning pages quickly, and the stakes—both magical and emotional—felt high until the very end.

This novel has everything I love: a dilapidated estate with hidden dangers, a slow-burn connection with a faerie who cannot be trusted, and the lingering ghosts of the past. The writing is lush and atmospheric without ever being overwrought, and the themes of love, revenge, and resilience make this a story that lingers long after you finish. Fans of gothic fantasy, historical fiction with a touch of magic, or stories like Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican Gothic and Hazelwood’s Emily Wilde will find a lot to love here.

I can’t wait to see what Moorea Corrigan writes next.

Mouse is left an old family manor and is given only a month to repair it before it falls into the hands of the rotten Carlyle. She finds herself struggling to fix the house, and stumbles across a Faerie (faeries have not been seen for hundreds of years) who is ready to make a bargain with her for his aid. With many side quests and mysteries to solve, can Mouse and the Faerie complete the project in time?

This was the first time I ever read a cozy fantasy! I think the plot and concept was great, but it was slow and took me a bit to get interested. Once I did, it was fun to read! Mouse was a great FMC! I loved the mysteries that came with the house and Thornwood, the side quests pulled me in! Maybe it was just me, but the romance did feel a little out of left field. I understand it was meant to be a slow burn, but it felt more like a friendship to me most of the book until the end. I was hoping for Thornwood to have more of a redemption arc than he did as well.

Thank you Net Galley!

"Centimeter by centimeter, a light pink rose blossomed in his hand. When it was fully grown, he plucked it from the bush. 'For you.'"

This tale is perfect for fans of Holly Black and Heather Fawcett, full of fairies that are wily and coy. Mouse is a nurse caring for her brother after the war left him shell shocked and lost. However, she must leave him for a time as her ancestral home passes to her following her uncle's death. As part of her uncle's will, Mouse has one month exactly to repair the property before it goes to another heir, a boy who deeply wronged Mouse and her cousin in the past. But it's either that or marry and Mouse would be loathe to stable herself to a hasty marriage, so she must somehow, magically, repair the entirety of Thistlemarsh Hall.

I quite enjoyed this story with its quaint charm and grandiose magic. It was a rather slow story but one that kept me enthralled the whole way through. Being a fantastic mixture of Faerie magic and human problems, this was a unique story and one I won't soon forget. It was a tad cozy at times though the ending was anything but! I think this story shined being in between things and this is highlighted beautifully at the end with a small tale to finish this story.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thistlemarsh reminded me a lot of the Emily Wilde trilogy, but with its own unique charm and atmosphere. I’ll admit it took me until about the 18% mark to really get into the story, but once it clicked, I was loved it. Mouse was such a great FMC, but Mickelwaithe and Smudge completely stole the show for me and ended up being my favorite characters.

I’d happily pick up a novella or full sequel just to spend more time with these characters and in this world!

Thistlemarsh ✨
Comes out: April, 26th, 2026
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Review:
This book honestly felt like a cozy warm hug. Literally one of the best cozy fantasy books I’ve ever read.
The world was absolutely beautiful, it all felt like such a breath of fresh air. The author describes the setting in the world so perfectly that you can picture it in your head so vividly it’s honestly a wonderful atmosphere that they set up.
This book has a very interesting background that I absolutely adored. The Fae disappearing overtime and the mortals still having traditions that the fae had was a very interesting twist that I don’t see often, but I am here for it!
Our main character is absolutely lovely and so lovable throughout this book I just adored almost all of our characters that we met throughout it.
The plot throughout this book what’s highly entertaining through the whole thing and even had some plot twist that I did not see coming but boy did I enjoy this ride but this book put me on. I feel absolutely honored to be able to read this one because this has become one of my top reads of 2025.
I actually feel sad that this is a standalone because I want more of their story. But either way I highly suggest this book especially if you’re looking for something cozy!
Thank you so much @netgalley & @berkleypub For this amazing arc!

I loved how this author depicted faeries, spells, and how to break them! Every author has a different imagining or rendering of fantasy worlds, customs and beings, and I truly loved this one! I also loved how little faerie stories were interwoven throughout the book at the ends of certain chapters! I enjoyed the characters throughout the book (most of the main ones anyway), and the adventures they had while trying to renovate Thistlemarsh. A few twists towards the end of the book really got me! I also enjoyed the slow burn build up of feelings between the two MC’s and the fact that this story was set back in the 1900s, yet a fantasy novel! Will definitely be getting a physical copy of this one because I know I’ll want to reread at some point! (Plus the cover is gorgeous!) If you want tales of treachery, dislikable family members, curses, spells, perilous adventures, fun banter, home renovations by magical means, and surprise endings, then this one is for you!

A couple quotes I enjoyed 👇

“You make my determination not to die, sound like a character flaw.”

“Mouse, armed with only a book of old Faerie tales and folk knowledge, was by no means the right person to take on an unseen magical force.”

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I really enjoyed this book. Thistlemarsh is such a vivid, lived-in setting, the kind of crumbly old house you can almost smell, with magic seeping in through the cracks. I loved how the post WWI backdrop gave the story a bittersweet tone without weighing it down, and Mouse is the sort of practical, slightly stubborn heroine who’s easy to root for.

The book shines most when it leans into the Faerie dynamic, plus the mix of folklore and atmosphere. It does get a little bogged down in the house-renovation bits at times, and I wanted more depth from some of the side characters, but overall I found it an engaging, comforting read with just enough sharp edges to keep me hooked. If you’re in the mood for something cozy, magical, and a little wistful, this is a solid pick.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

A really cute read that envelopes you into such a unique world, a mix of post-war and faeries, it’s easy to get lost in! Whether you grab it on your kindle or buy it for the shelf, I think this one is definitely worth the read for Fae & Fantasy Fans!

This book was so atmospheric and rich and romantic and an experience. I adore stories like this. I don’t want to just read a book, I want to live inside it for a little while. Mouse was a great character and I loved her from the beginning. The setting was absolutely stunning. I loved everything! It felt cozy, but also a bit gothic, a bit romantic, and totally magical.