Book review: 4.5/5 ⭐️ Genre: gothic romantasy Themes: magic, the seen vs. Unseen 📖 Read if you like: One Dark Window, A Study in Drowning, The North Wind This was truly an original and wildly imaginative tale. A world in which nothing is really quite as it seems and trust should not be given freely. Imbued with fae magic twisted with magical creatures, this death defying race seeks power and immortality above all else. Yet where there is treachery and ill intent, there is also beauty and allure. This is the kind of gothic fae romance you really can’t put down, with danger lurking around every corner and attraction brewing where it should not. I attest to this by staying up until dawn to finish reading this book! Edira is hiding her true power, for the gift of threadmending is highly coveted, but one that comes at a high cost. For this lifesaving power cuts threads of her own life with every use. She has been told to keep it secret, to keep it safe, and not to use it for any reason. Yet the bonds of family are difficult to disregard and when both of her brothers contract the deadly blight, she will stop at nothing to find a cure, one which the everlasting Ferngloves promise. As she is whisked away to the Fernglove Manor, she works together with the head of the family Orin to research and experiment. Orin’s offer to help and his kindness are a surprising revelation that shatters Edira’s mistrust of the Evers. While Orin remains gallant and all charm, the rest of the family are far more dangerous. Beneath the shiny veneer of this golden family lies dark secrets and twisted magic. With the cost so high, Edira will have to choose who she will save as her world and discoveries becomes more and more complex. This was delightful to read. A story full of intrigue and deadly attractions all woven together. Where what one sees cannot fully be trusted and the truth is an elusive idea hidden behind layers of glamour and lies. And I mean any book that starts with an interaction with death incarnate is sure to capture my attention. I loved it and Edira was an interesting character to follow. True, gothic romances in general tend to have that quality where you want to scream and shake logic into the FMC. The signs were all there and yet Edira quickly disregarded her mistrust of the Evers, but she was endearing in the need to protect her family and imperfect in that perfect way. So you can predict a fair amount of this plot, but there were still a few surprises. More than that, the eerie quality of the dark manor and the magic were more than enough to cast a spell of enchantment. A true feast for the senses and I am very much looking forward to the next instalment in this duology! Thank you to Harper Voyager US and Maxym Mckay for a gifted copy of this book.