I received this as an ARC. This book had a lot of potential and it just wasn't executed well at all. It read a lot more like a children's book than young adult, and it felt like reading someone's renaissance fair fan fiction. Character descriptions were repetitive and unnecessary and made it feel like the book was dragging on. This would be a good intro to the fantasy genre for tweens and middle grade, but it was just not for me. ( )

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Oh my goodness! Court of Bitter Thorn is jaw-droppingly good!

The way that Kay writes about this world, just draws you in. I couldn't stop reading and didn't put it down until the very end; and even then, I had to know what happens next. I am hooked and I want to read more of this world with Elora, Brannick, and the other amazing characters created. I will add that the beginning with some events seemed out of place, but I'm hoping that it all comes together throughout the series to make more sense. ( )

As a lover of fae stories, this book caught my interest right away. In my personal opinion, the premise of the first book in the "The Fae of Bitter Thorn" series is promising but needs some polishing.

We, as readers, follow the story of the protagonist - Elora - a young girl who wishes to follow in the footsteps of her father, the greatest swordsman in the world, by winning a sword-fighting tournament. However, life takes its course, and everything changes.

I want to commend Kay L Moody for creating such a great world for the fantasy series! The world, especially Faerie, is properly illustrated and explained, making it a delightful place to lose oneself in a while reading. In addition, there is a wide variety of fantasy creatures, which is exciting!

Although the worldbuilding is excellent, the following points, unfortunately, affect my rating:

Firstly, I was unable to connect with the characters, as depth was missing. The characters were relatively flat or one-dimensional. For example, Elora is characterized as a responsible and adventurous young woman, but that is not reflected in her behavior. It was a bit frustrating for me, as I love well-rounded characters, and unfortunately, this was not the case in this book.

Lastly, in my opinion, the plot and the scenes are to some degree disconnected. As mentioned before, Elora is the daughter of the best swordsman in the world and was trained by him. The story focuses on her skills as a swordswoman and her wish to finally fight, but there are no real sword fights throughout the story, which is confusing and disappointing.

In conclusion, "Court of Bitter Thorn" is a good opening for a promising fantasy series. I recommend this book to those who enjoy the "ACOTAR" series and "The Folk of the Air" series! I will read the second book in the series despite my criticisms. I hope that some of my criticisms are because this was the kick-off for the series. In my experience, first volumes usually tend to be a bit weaker than their sequels.

** Disclaimer **

I was lucky to receive an eARC of "Court of Bitter Thorn" for free, thanks to Booksirens. Nonetheless, this review is based on my personal opinion and written with no intention to offend anyone! ( )

"Chloe might have been the one to talk about Faerie all the time, but no one in the world could have wished for it to be real more than Elora."

This is the first book I've read by this author, and it will certainly not be the last. Elora, the eldest of three daughters, can pull her parents and two younger sisters out of poverty by agreeing to the marriage her father has arranged. While the man appears nice enough in their short meeting, she finds herself repelled by the idea of being married off to an older man, one who would no doubt squash her never-ending dreams of adventure.

When that much desired adventure knocks, she foolishly agrees to a bargain with a faerie prince, and finds herself whisked away to a land where she quickly realizes that she will always be underestimated until she begins to make moves for herself.

What unfolds is a tale of backwards bargains, cursed politics and the ever-present need to do what's right. Elora is fierce in her desire to protect her sisters from the harsh realities of their poverty-stricken life. Brannick is... well, he's a typical stubborn and aloft Fae male, which gives all the makings of a tense (and mildly sizzling) relationship between the two. Equal parts action, intrigue and slow burn etch the pages, making it very difficult to put the book down. I am eagerly awaiting the next part of this story, as the last pages ensured it will be just as captivating at this story proved to be.

I received a free copy of this book from BookSirens in exchange for a fair and honest review. ( )

Court of Bitter Thorn has been compared to Holly Black's fae stories. The thing is, it's so much better. This is a story of family, of adventure, of friendship, and of hope.

Elora dreams of adventure, particularly winning a tournament and matching her father's long-famed sword fighting accomplishments, but instead is faced with her impending wedding. Maybe it won't be too bad. Sure, he's older and she'll have to live away from her family, but he has a library and will allow her to continue her blade practice. Still, she's less than excited about it.

Brannick is a typical faerie prince, attractive, arrogant, powerful, and selfish. And like all fae, he has tricks up his sleeve. But when he tricks Elora into coming with him to Faerie, it's not all that bad. Maybe Elora will finally get that life of adventure she's dreamed of. But she can't abandon her sisters. She doesn't know who she can trust. And, above all, she absolutely must not fall for the prince.

The book was perfection, filled with action and mischief and delightful characters. It's clean and will delight children and adults alike. Elora is unique in the world of Faerie, but her abilities and character save the day on many occasions. And along the way, she learns that she doesn't need to sacrifice everything she cares about to protect her family - there may be a way for her to get what she wants as well. And Brannick, once we get a glimpse of his backstory, is much more than even he gives himself credit for. And so, with the two of them off to fight for a throne, well, the only real problem is that we'll have to wait for the next book to see if Brannick wins it and what will come next for Elora. I can't wait!

I received a free ARC from the author and have reviewed it willingly. ( )