A review by adominiquereads
In the Jaded Grove, by Anela Deen
4.0
"Matibay and walis, palibhasa'y magkabigkis."
"A broom is sturdy because its stands are tightly bound."
I received an e-ARC copy of this book from the author and Caffeine Tours in exchange for an honest review.
I honestly did not know anything about this book aside from its gorgeous cover, and that it is a portal fantasy standalone with fae in it - and I always did like those mythical creatures in my stories. To say I was pleasantly surprised and highly entertained is an understatement.
In the Jaded Grove is a very fast-paced, lyrical fantasy standalone that features the vast world of the fae world called the Kindred Realms wherein creatures such as fae, pixies, trolls and other faeirie creatures reside. In this book, we follow a pixie warrior named Simith who finds his hands tied when the species he has served for many years has turned against him. He then unexpectedly finds himself travelling through a portal towards the human world to escape his enemies, thereby encountering a human girl named Jessa on the other side of it. Both of them are suddenly thrust into a head-spinning series of events that force them to be near each other, and find themselves in the middle of a war in the Kindred Realms.
The characters were definitely something I really enjoyed and loved. Jessa and Simith were introduced with a lot of tragedy and grief in their lives, and it was clearly evident to see these emotions in them all throughout the book. The awful stuff that happened to them in the past (and continually haunt them) had not only served as a fuel to their actions, but also see parts of them that they needed to discover yet. It was also interesting to see how those things helped both Simith and Jessa out in this book, and them overcoming those tragedies. The other side characters, such as their friends and other faerie creatures, were also a nice treat that complimented the main characters immensely. The dynamics and relationships played throughout this book was evident and prevalent, and I would have wished to see a bit more of it. While there was a clear romance play in this book, I found myself not really getting attached to it because it just felt insta-love almost immediately, though it did occur in a slow burn motion. It was cute towards the end, but I wouldn't have minded it if it wasn't there.
The world-building and magic system were highly enjoyable. I always did enjoy a fae-centered story that featured the very dark and twisted core of the fae, and this book delivered. No cutesy, Disney-like creatures in this novel! Everything was very easy to understand and digest, and it was painted very vividly that it gripped me immediately. On the flipside in the mortal realm, I was actually really shocked that Jessa is a Filipina (yay!) so I could immediately put myself into her shoes so easily, especially whenever she talks about the language, culture, and little nuisances of every Filipino family. The mix of the magic and non-magic worlds were something that thoroughly entertained me and added a need spice into the world, especially with how both worlds were beneficial and disastrous to one another.
The plot very action-packed and fast-paced. It wasn't short on action, adventure, and a lot of political scheming and intrigue. While it did have its few crazy twists and turns, it didn't exactly have the wow factor for me, but it still kept my mind whirling. I also did find the pacing to be very fast for my liking. I don't normally mind a quick read, the story just felt a bit too rushed for my tastes, and that some transitions could have been done better. It would have been really amazing to see certain scenes and events simmered further.
Over-all, I still highly recommend this book to any readers who are looking for a quick, heart-aching yet full of hope kind of fantasy tale. The poetry featured in this book also helped to give it more interest!
Other favorite quotes:
"No monster lives but for the evil others have done before him."
"If a shard of her broken heart had survived, maybe she would have something to offer the tiny ember growing within her.
"A broom is sturdy because its stands are tightly bound."
I received an e-ARC copy of this book from the author and Caffeine Tours in exchange for an honest review.
I honestly did not know anything about this book aside from its gorgeous cover, and that it is a portal fantasy standalone with fae in it - and I always did like those mythical creatures in my stories. To say I was pleasantly surprised and highly entertained is an understatement.
In the Jaded Grove is a very fast-paced, lyrical fantasy standalone that features the vast world of the fae world called the Kindred Realms wherein creatures such as fae, pixies, trolls and other faeirie creatures reside. In this book, we follow a pixie warrior named Simith who finds his hands tied when the species he has served for many years has turned against him. He then unexpectedly finds himself travelling through a portal towards the human world to escape his enemies, thereby encountering a human girl named Jessa on the other side of it. Both of them are suddenly thrust into a head-spinning series of events that force them to be near each other, and find themselves in the middle of a war in the Kindred Realms.
The characters were definitely something I really enjoyed and loved. Jessa and Simith were introduced with a lot of tragedy and grief in their lives, and it was clearly evident to see these emotions in them all throughout the book. The awful stuff that happened to them in the past (and continually haunt them) had not only served as a fuel to their actions, but also see parts of them that they needed to discover yet. It was also interesting to see how those things helped both Simith and Jessa out in this book, and them overcoming those tragedies. The other side characters, such as their friends and other faerie creatures, were also a nice treat that complimented the main characters immensely. The dynamics and relationships played throughout this book was evident and prevalent, and I would have wished to see a bit more of it. While there was a clear romance play in this book, I found myself not really getting attached to it because it just felt insta-love almost immediately, though it did occur in a slow burn motion. It was cute towards the end, but I wouldn't have minded it if it wasn't there.
The world-building and magic system were highly enjoyable. I always did enjoy a fae-centered story that featured the very dark and twisted core of the fae, and this book delivered. No cutesy, Disney-like creatures in this novel! Everything was very easy to understand and digest, and it was painted very vividly that it gripped me immediately. On the flipside in the mortal realm, I was actually really shocked that Jessa is a Filipina (yay!) so I could immediately put myself into her shoes so easily, especially whenever she talks about the language, culture, and little nuisances of every Filipino family. The mix of the magic and non-magic worlds were something that thoroughly entertained me and added a need spice into the world, especially with how both worlds were beneficial and disastrous to one another.
The plot very action-packed and fast-paced. It wasn't short on action, adventure, and a lot of political scheming and intrigue. While it did have its few crazy twists and turns, it didn't exactly have the wow factor for me, but it still kept my mind whirling. I also did find the pacing to be very fast for my liking. I don't normally mind a quick read, the story just felt a bit too rushed for my tastes, and that some transitions could have been done better. It would have been really amazing to see certain scenes and events simmered further.
Over-all, I still highly recommend this book to any readers who are looking for a quick, heart-aching yet full of hope kind of fantasy tale. The poetry featured in this book also helped to give it more interest!
Other favorite quotes:
"No monster lives but for the evil others have done before him."
"If a shard of her broken heart had survived, maybe she would have something to offer the tiny ember growing within her.