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book_cryptid99's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Welcome to Fae Cafe!
If you need a cozy, fantasy romcom about fae being in a human realm where they definitely do not blend in (despite a human's best efforts to teach them how) - you'll love this book!
I will preface this by saying that this was not in my usual subgenre of reading material. Do I read fantasy? Yes, all the time. Do I read romance? Absolutely! Do I generally consume RomCom material in any form? Not to this extent, and not anything that is primarily RomCom as the main subgenre.
Now, for a bit more detailed - with some critiques...
First off, I love the dual POV of getting to see scenes from both Kate's and Cress's perspectives, even if some readers would deem it as a "rehashing" of information. To me, getting both sides of the story makes me love it even more, even if it means reading the "same scene" twice (realistically, in my opinion, they're two different scenes because of the difference in perspective, but I digress).
However, as someone who has read countless books from best-selling authors to self-published indie authors, and all sorts of authors in between, I do have a pet peeve for certain... linguistic quirks that are more common from indie authors... With this book, in particular, it was the overuse of the word faeborn. I won't lie, that is one that grated on me enough that I almost DNF'd the cozy, sweet, coffee-laced words because I will be honest - faeborn was used as often as a stereotypical valley girl uses "like" or at the very least, that's how it seemed. That is not to say that Jen's writing is bad by any means, just is a personal thing that did lower my rating of the book because it was enough that it impacted my enjoyment of the story. So if you're a reader with the pet peeve of a single word being overused - that is something to bear in mind when reading this book.
The pace is slow, it's gentle, and it's definitely softer than some popular best-sellers in the Fantasy/Romantasy genre, but that isn't a bad thing, especially if you prefer something that's not going to run you ragged through an emotional rollercoaster. It still has its ups and downs, it gets a little faster at times, and slow and steady at others. The ending does come across as a little rushed, and definitely leaves me with some questions, but it helps build anticipation for book number 2 of the High Court of the Coffee Bean!
With that being said - if you're looking for a cozy fae RomCom and the adventure of a human teaching four fae who came to the human realm with the intent to de-life her how to run a coffee shop and blend in the best they can, this is definitely the book for you! Grab a snuggly blanket, a pillow, a coffee/tea/cocoa of your choice, and join the fun...
Welcome to Fae Cafe! (Beware: Your beverage or pastry might be enchanted - Never trust the Fae)
If you need a cozy, fantasy romcom about fae being in a human realm where they definitely do not blend in (despite a human's best efforts to teach them how) - you'll love this book!
I will preface this by saying that this was not in my usual subgenre of reading material. Do I read fantasy? Yes, all the time. Do I read romance? Absolutely! Do I generally consume RomCom material in any form? Not to this extent, and not anything that is primarily RomCom as the main subgenre.
Now, for a bit more detailed - with some critiques...
First off, I love the dual POV of getting to see scenes from both Kate's and Cress's perspectives, even if some readers would deem it as a "rehashing" of information. To me, getting both sides of the story makes me love it even more, even if it means reading the "same scene" twice (realistically, in my opinion, they're two different scenes because of the difference in perspective, but I digress).
However, as someone who has read countless books from best-selling authors to self-published indie authors, and all sorts of authors in between, I do have a pet peeve for certain... linguistic quirks that are more common from indie authors... With this book, in particular, it was the overuse of the word faeborn. I won't lie, that is one that grated on me enough that I almost DNF'd the cozy, sweet, coffee-laced words because I will be honest - faeborn was used as often as a stereotypical valley girl uses "like" or at the very least, that's how it seemed. That is not to say that Jen's writing is bad by any means, just is a personal thing that did lower my rating of the book because it was enough that it impacted my enjoyment of the story. So if you're a reader with the pet peeve of a single word being overused - that is something to bear in mind when reading this book.
The pace is slow, it's gentle, and it's definitely softer than some popular best-sellers in the Fantasy/Romantasy genre, but that isn't a bad thing, especially if you prefer something that's not going to run you ragged through an emotional rollercoaster. It still has its ups and downs, it gets a little faster at times, and slow and steady at others. The ending does come across as a little rushed, and definitely leaves me with some questions, but it helps build anticipation for book number 2 of the High Court of the Coffee Bean!
With that being said - if you're looking for a cozy fae RomCom and the adventure of a human teaching four fae who came to the human realm with the intent to de-life her how to run a coffee shop and blend in the best they can, this is definitely the book for you! Grab a snuggly blanket, a pillow, a coffee/tea/cocoa of your choice, and join the fun...
Welcome to Fae Cafe! (Beware: Your beverage or pastry might be enchanted - Never trust the Fae)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Blood, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis