Among the Beasts & Briars by Ashley Poston

Among the Beasts & Briars

by Ashley Poston

Ashley Poston, acclaimed author of Heart of Iron, returns with a dark, lush fairy tale–inspired fantasy for fans of Sara Raasch and Susan Dennard.

Cerys is safe in the Kingdom of Aloriya. Here there are no droughts, disease, or famine, and peace is everlasting. It has been this way for hundreds of years, since the first king made a bargain with the Lady who ruled the forest that borders the kingdom. But as Aloriya prospered, the woods grew dark, cursed, and forbidden.

Cerys knows this all too well: When she was young, she barely escaped as the woods killed her friends and her mother. Now Cerys carries a small bit of the curse—the magic—in her blood, a reminder of the day she lost everything.

As a new queen is crowned, however, things long hidden in the woods descend on the kingdom itself. Cerys is forced on the run, her only companions a small and irritating fox from the royal garden and the magic in her veins. It’s up to her to find the legendary Lady of the Wilds and beg for a way to save her home.

But the road is darker and more dangerous than she knows, and as secrets from the past are uncovered amid the teeth and roots of the forest, it’s going to take everything she has just to survive.

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on

4 of 5 stars

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Ashley Poston's latest novel, Among the Beasts & Briars is an atmospheric young adult fantasy. One that will transport you to a world of magic and blooms.

Aloriya is a perfect kingdom. It has magical rulers, no fear of monsters, and peace is a constant. At least, that is how Cerys always pictured the kingdom she grew up in. Now, everything is changing. As it turns out, the lore of this kingdom is so much darker than she could have ever dreamed.

It all began with the bargain between the first king of Aloriya, and the Lady who ruled the forest. Now, that bargain is falling apart, and it's put everyone that Cerys has ever loved in danger. With her being one of the few left to fight back.

“Briars, brambles, bones, and blossom, I smell a girl who can’t be forgotten.”

Guys, I can't tell you how much I enjoyed Among the Beasts & Briars. I think it had a lot to do with the atmosphere of the story (I love it when magic and plants merge), but the writing was a huge part of it as well.

For me, Among the Beats & Briars had a lot of similar tones to Bone Houses, so if you enjoyed that read, please make sure to make some time for this read! I hope you'll find it as worthwhile as I did. Which would be saying something.

There is a lot to enjoy about this read. The world itself is fascinating, as are the lore and magic of the realm. I would happily read an entire series set in this world, and then probably ask for more (what can I say, I'm greedy like that).

Cerys and Fox and by and far my favorite part of this tale. I adored Cerys for all of the obvious reasons, while enjoying all of the surprises and twists that revolved around her best friend. It made for such a fascinating read. In a way, it reminded me of one of my favorite Disney movies as a kid. I don't want to say which one, because I think that might give away a subplot or two.

“And then, worst of all, he grinned. And oh, what a dangerous look that was, trouble tucked into the corners of his mouth like sin.”

Among the Beasts & Briars is a novel that sucked me in thanks to the theme and setting, yet kept me invested thanks to the characters and world-building. I sincerely hope that we'll see more of this world someday, even if it is from a new perspective. There's just so much of this world left to explore, at least I hope there is.

Check out more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 29 December, 2020: Finished reading
  • 29 December, 2020: Reviewed