Among the Beasts & Briars

Cerys knows her place as the gardener’s daughter. However, being Princess Arwen’s best friend and hiding a secret ability to build forests with just a drop of her blood is difficult, even if no one knows about her special talent. There has been peace among the kingdoms for generations due to a deal between their king and the Lady of the Woods, but it seems something is stirring, as evidenced by the loss of Arwen’s brother to the woods years before. When the coronation of the princess is interrupted by those from the woods, leaving many transformed into monsters, Cerys must flee into the forest to find the Lady of the Woods and a way to save Aloriya. With just a fox and a bear for company, Cerys places all her hope in a quest she never expected to face.

The stunning cover of this book is an author’s dream, offering readers the chance to escape into a creative fairy-tale world. Slyly hidden references to other fairy tales, clever world building, and witty banter amongst the characters help to lighten the dark and somber mood of the quest while keeping the focus on its impossibility. This is an excellent fantasy to warm a winter’s evening.