It’s YA Urban Fantasy. Don’t go in expecting anything earth shattering¹, wonder what in the world they’re all thinking, and have some fun.

It’s not the best Urban Fantasy I’ve read, but it’s really not bad. The world-alongside-our-world of the Fae is fairly standard, the romance is mostly predictable, and there are few enough action scenes. But on the other hand, the world feels real enough, I liked Aislinn more than I had any right to, and I’m intrigued what happens next. And that’s more enough for a quick read in my opinion!

(Minor spoilers beyond this point).

Things I liked:

• The world building. It’s Faeries, nothing interesting there, but I actually really appreciate that so far at least, that’s all that’s there. Kitchen sink Urban Fantasy certainly has a place, but it’s nice to have something that at least starts more constrained. On top of that, the idea that they’re mostly invisible and causing chaos all the time… is so very Fae.

• Aislinn isn’t a bland reader insert that falls for every hot boy who crosses her path. Really, seeing the Fae is her only super power, although the fact that she's somehow the Summer Queen annoyed me a touch.

• Keenan. Don’t get me wrong. As a person, he’s terrible and despite the fact that he’s 900ish, he just doesn’t get it.

  “But the fey I … hold sway over don’t. Will not do that—violate another.” He acknowledged the bows of several invisible faeries with a nod and a quicksilver smile. “It is not the way of my fey. We do not take the unwilling.”

  … a few paragraphs later …

  “It is a strange thing, this chance for openness. I’ve never courted anyone who could truly know me.” His voice blended with the tug of foreign waters, sounding more musical with each syllable.

  He tried?

  But the point is: he’s Fae. And it works. We don’t have to like him and the fact that Aislinn doesn’t completely fall for or trust him is great.

  Although I think he’d fit Winter perhaps better than Summer, but don’t let him hear me say that… 😄

• Donia. She’s stubborn and fierce and willing to fight a losing battle. I’m curious where that goes next.

Things I did not:

• The names are so random. Most are excused by being from another time or place, but Aislinn… I had to look up has to spell that one. And somehow it’s shortened to Ash?

• The whole ‘17 year old virgin’ / ‘it doesn’t count if it’s not intercourse’. I’m old (compared to the expected reader base for this book). It’s … weird and feels like straddling (heh) a weird middle line. Either do the sex or not. This weird halfway / focus is just that.

  “Right.” He laughed, and she felt like the world itself rejoiced. She rejoiced. I’m a virgin. She knew there were other thoughts she should ponder, but that one precious sentence was all she could think. Her first time would be one she would

  Likewise, when she does the sex (but not all the way, we can't have that)... he has all the STD tests printed out on his desk. I appreciate the thought, but it just feels… weird. Going from nothing to that? I’m not sure what to think.