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itputsthebookupontheshelf's review against another edition
5.0
Ok, Claudia! How am I supposed to sit with that ending!? And how is every book in this series so damn good?
Cains writing and storytelling never ceases to amaze me. There are few authors that hold my attention in such a vice grip, but every book by Cain is a top read for me. There is just the right amount of horror, magic, and characterization. The world building has been fantastic since book one and is flawlessly executed throughout the entire series.
I loved Merich just as much as the first time I met him in book one. The relationship between him and Cass is swoon worthy, and I can't get enough! Cass is just as badass in this book, but I loved how this book shows how trauma and loss can really take a toll on you in many aspects. But in all honesty, every character has a spot in my heart.
I loved getting to know more about the Fae. They were so interesting and unique in so many ways with interesting gifts. Also, can we talk about Buzz! Can I snuggle him, please!?
This book had me at the edge of my seat. There was so much action and gory horror. Beware the woods! They are much darker and more disturbing than you could ever imagine. My heart was ripped out more than once!
Cains writing and storytelling never ceases to amaze me. There are few authors that hold my attention in such a vice grip, but every book by Cain is a top read for me. There is just the right amount of horror, magic, and characterization. The world building has been fantastic since book one and is flawlessly executed throughout the entire series.
I loved Merich just as much as the first time I met him in book one. The relationship between him and Cass is swoon worthy, and I can't get enough! Cass is just as badass in this book, but I loved how this book shows how trauma and loss can really take a toll on you in many aspects. But in all honesty, every character has a spot in my heart.
I loved getting to know more about the Fae. They were so interesting and unique in so many ways with interesting gifts. Also, can we talk about Buzz! Can I snuggle him, please!?
This book had me at the edge of my seat. There was so much action and gory horror. Beware the woods! They are much darker and more disturbing than you could ever imagine. My heart was ripped out more than once!
jane_kelsey's review against another edition
5.0
THIS BOOOK!!! Omggg, sooooo good!
This is the 3rd instalment of the series, so if you know the trials and tribulations so far, you know there is a lot of grief and recovery for the characters. This was done very well, very realistically rather than being quickly put to the side.
Cass is now THE witch with all of that entails, plus the added misfortune of her magic not quite working as she was expecting or not at all. And there's a murderer.
This book has gripped me soooo much. As always the writing is beautiful, the characters compelling and I adore the spooky/horror elements in this one (especially) - I seem to have a thing for body horror. I flew through this book, the pacing is is good, plenty of action and quiet moments of introspection. We learn more about the Fae in this one and I am very happy about that as she has made them fearsome creatures. AND THAT CLIFFHANGERRRRR!!!!
As always, read the trigger warnings, and then please read this book.
I need the last book in this series like yesterday! I am going to forever read this author as I love her work. This was a gifted copy, however my opinions in no way influenced.
xoxo
This is the 3rd instalment of the series, so if you know the trials and tribulations so far, you know there is a lot of grief and recovery for the characters. This was done very well, very realistically rather than being quickly put to the side.
Cass is now THE witch with all of that entails, plus the added misfortune of her magic not quite working as she was expecting or not at all. And there's a murderer.
This book has gripped me soooo much. As always the writing is beautiful, the characters compelling and I adore the spooky/horror elements in this one (especially) - I seem to have a thing for body horror. I flew through this book, the pacing is is good, plenty of action and quiet moments of introspection. We learn more about the Fae in this one and I am very happy about that as she has made them fearsome creatures. AND THAT CLIFFHANGERRRRR!!!!
As always, read the trigger warnings, and then please read this book.
I need the last book in this series like yesterday! I am going to forever read this author as I love her work. This was a gifted copy, however my opinions in no way influenced.
xoxo
akismetlife's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
chelseas_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
i’ve missed being in this world and living through these characters. one thing i adore about this series is how dark it can be. the use of plant horror is astounding.
the endings of each book all features high stakes to keep the reader on their toes. you never really know what’s going to happen!
while I’m not much for romance, i thoroughly enjoyed seeing things play out between cas and merich. i also loved seeing more of merich, as he’s been my favourite since the start.
keep in mind that this is the third book in this series. it gets better with every book! it’s the perfect mix of fantasy and creepiness of horror.
snugglesandpages's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
The Binding Season is book 3 in a dark urban fantasy series set in the small town of Fallows Creek. It has witches, fae, and an eerie dark forest that is honestly a character in and of itself. Laced together with elements of body and plant horror, the fast paced and complex plot will have you grasping the pages with eye wide anticipation.
Honestly, I don't think my words will do it justice! This series and Claudia's writing excel with each new edition, I cannot believe there is not more hype around these books! Bookstagram, you need to get on this right now!!!
The Binding Place is certainly the darker of the three books to date. Death is everywhere. The explications of botanical horror breathe malevolence entwined with haunting beauty, so intensely graphic yet captivating at the same time. I've never read anything quite like it. Claudia has such a unique voice. Her prose and imagery just grab you, pulling you deep into this dark and twisted world that blooms before your eyes.
The slow burn romance between Cass and Merich is building in a way that may feel slow for romantasy lovers, but to me feels just right. Cass has such a heavy weight of responsibility and is still processing the trauma that ripped her world apart at the end of book two. Cass's character development through the series and especially in this book, is what stands out for me. Her grief is all consuming and with her magic of the fritz, she still finds the strength to stand up for herself as The Witch, letting no man (or fae) fight the battle for her.
I also adore the family unit of Cass, Helen, Theo, Pen and now little Buzz 🐇🐝. There is still so much to explore between them as individual characters and the way the book ended gives me hope that we will get a deeper look into the past and Cass's mysterious dark anchors. I felt something was brewing and I am loving the direction it is headed. I anticipate that the 4th book will be a reckoning. 😱
Honestly, I don't think my words will do it justice! This series and Claudia's writing excel with each new edition, I cannot believe there is not more hype around these books! Bookstagram, you need to get on this right now!!!
The Binding Place is certainly the darker of the three books to date. Death is everywhere. The explications of botanical horror breathe malevolence entwined with haunting beauty, so intensely graphic yet captivating at the same time. I've never read anything quite like it. Claudia has such a unique voice. Her prose and imagery just grab you, pulling you deep into this dark and twisted world that blooms before your eyes.
The slow burn romance between Cass and Merich is building in a way that may feel slow for romantasy lovers, but to me feels just right. Cass has such a heavy weight of responsibility and is still processing the trauma that ripped her world apart at the end of book two. Cass's character development through the series and especially in this book, is what stands out for me. Her grief is all consuming and with her magic of the fritz, she still finds the strength to stand up for herself as The Witch, letting no man (or fae) fight the battle for her.
I also adore the family unit of Cass, Helen, Theo, Pen and now little Buzz 🐇🐝. There is still so much to explore between them as individual characters and the way the book ended gives me hope that we will get a deeper look into the past and Cass's mysterious dark anchors. I felt something was brewing and I am loving the direction it is headed. I anticipate that the 4th book will be a reckoning. 😱
boocwurm's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
“Anybody who believes dying is easy has clearly never done it. Or maybe it’s coming back that’s hard.”
Thank you to the author for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
With no more options available to her, Cassandra Reilly performs the rite to become the Witch of Fallow Creek. There’s just one problem—she might not have done it correctly. Her magic is unreliable at best, creating sketchy situations for her and her family. What’s worse, there’s a new danger lurking in the woods, drawing on power they shouldn’t have and threatening everything that Cass holds dear.
The third installment in the Fallow Creek series, The Binding Season takes readers on another wild and haunting ride full of magic, evil creatures and some truly grotesque scenes. It’s full of plant and body horror (and as the author puts it, “sometimes both!”) that had me squirming in my seat and flinching at imagined pain. True to books 1 and 2, The Binding Season is also chock-full of death—Cass and the reader are both haunted by the pain and suffering from the previous novels, and I was particularly scared for the fates of a few characters (we love an author who’s not afraid to ax their favs for funsies, no matter HOW MUCH it hurts).
Beyond the creepy and the crawly, The Binding Season gives us a lot of character growth. Cass is forced to reckon with her decisions and make new ones to protect the ones she loves, but she learns that pushing everyone away isn’t the solution she wants it to be. I loved the closer family dynamic between her, Theo, Helen, Merich and Pen, but more than that, I appreciated how the decisions these characters make actually have consequences in the overarching plot.
Cain does a great job at unraveling mysteries and planting the seeds for plot twists gradually, so nothing feels too out of left field while still being surprising. One of the big revelations in this book had me sitting with my mouth open for a good few seconds. I think this is my favorite of the three so far, and I cannot wait to see what happens next.
If you like horror and fantasy, magical families, a little bit of romance and setting descriptions that make you think “ewwww,” check out the Fallow Creek series!
Thank you to the author for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
With no more options available to her, Cassandra Reilly performs the rite to become the Witch of Fallow Creek. There’s just one problem—she might not have done it correctly. Her magic is unreliable at best, creating sketchy situations for her and her family. What’s worse, there’s a new danger lurking in the woods, drawing on power they shouldn’t have and threatening everything that Cass holds dear.
The third installment in the Fallow Creek series, The Binding Season takes readers on another wild and haunting ride full of magic, evil creatures and some truly grotesque scenes. It’s full of plant and body horror (and as the author puts it, “sometimes both!”) that had me squirming in my seat and flinching at imagined pain. True to books 1 and 2, The Binding Season is also chock-full of death—Cass and the reader are both haunted by the pain and suffering from the previous novels, and I was particularly scared for the fates of a few characters (we love an author who’s not afraid to ax their favs for funsies, no matter HOW MUCH it hurts).
Beyond the creepy and the crawly, The Binding Season gives us a lot of character growth. Cass is forced to reckon with her decisions and make new ones to protect the ones she loves, but she learns that pushing everyone away isn’t the solution she wants it to be. I loved the closer family dynamic between her, Theo, Helen, Merich and Pen, but more than that, I appreciated how the decisions these characters make actually have consequences in the overarching plot.
Cain does a great job at unraveling mysteries and planting the seeds for plot twists gradually, so nothing feels too out of left field while still being surprising. One of the big revelations in this book had me sitting with my mouth open for a good few seconds. I think this is my favorite of the three so far, and I cannot wait to see what happens next.
If you like horror and fantasy, magical families, a little bit of romance and setting descriptions that make you think “ewwww,” check out the Fallow Creek series!
bellebookcorner's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book feels different compare to the previous two books, it feels a lot more emotional and the stakes are even higher.
The world building expanding and addition of a couple new characters are a great touch for this series!
Merich and Cassandra along with her siblings face an even more challenging villain that they needed the help from Merrich’s people – the Fae. I wish we get to see more of them as the series progresses.
There’s a lot of time when I feel frustrated with the characters but at the end of it all it was worth it and I get to understand their feelings and why they acted that way.
I really enjoy the character growth of Cassandra as she struggle to defeat the villain while also dealing with the grief and shock of discovering a new dark secret from her past.
Thankfully, there’s Merrich whose always supported Cassandra throughout the story and I absolutely love him. He’s such a badass but can turn into a sweetheart at the same time!
The last few chapters are quite intense with an epic battle of power between the villain and the heroes.
Moreover, that epilogue had me screaming and also scared to know what’s gonna happen next…
Overall, this is a great addition to this series. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, a great combination of fantasy and thriller!
I thought this one was gonna be the last in this series, but judging by that epilogue we haven’t seen the last from these characters!
Now I just have to wait patiently until the next book comes out.. I hope it's soon!
I received an advanced review copy for free from the author, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Suicidal thoughts
readbyashleyd's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
I don’t even know where to start with this review because I just loved this book so damn much! Cain’s writing and storytelling keeps getting better and better with each book in the series and this one is by far the best one yet. I feel privileged to get an advanced review copy because if I had to wait for the publishing date the wait would just be unbearable. And I’ve felt that way since finishing the first book and this is now the third in the series. This book is by far the darkest and grittiest (and also the most heartbreaking) in the series so far and I absolutely lived for it and devoured each page greedily. I could honestly go on and on about how good this book and this series are but just do yourself a favour a read it yourself!