Of Beast and Burden

by Kelsey Kicklighter. Pub Date 5/10/2022

3*s. Best enjoyed when you want a quick and easy tale of fae court intrigue and found family.

Publisher’s Synopsis (Independent Publisher’s Group):

“A fae girl with a human heart. A Seelie Queen with a penchant for stealing mortals. And an Unseelie King who must surrender his throne. 

On the coast of Georgia rests a small town where faeries still take changelings. Faye lost her mother to the Folk but has spent her whole life longing for a glimpse behind the veil.

When Faye finally finds her way in, she also discovers why the dark and alluring world of the Folk has always called to her: she’s half faerie, and heiress to the Dark Court’s throne.

When the rival court steals her best friend, Faye must claim the crown to save her. That means learning how to use her glamour so she can face three deadly trials and ensuring she doesn’t fall for the dark. brooding king she’s meant to replace…or the nymph-turned-knight teaching her to fight.”

My Reviewer Synopsis:

Review:

Faye and her cousin, Ellie, live with Gran in a little town in Georgia full of superstition surrounding mythical stories of the fae. But these stories aren’t the kind that you tell your children to lull them to sleep. These are stories told to children to warn them. Faye and Ellie have long thought that these are just childhood stories meant to make the offspring of the town’s residents behave, but when Faye goes to a party at her best friend’s and her best friend follows two handsome but mysterious boys into the woods, Faye realizes that the frightening stories whispered into the ears of children are more than just cautionary tales. When her cousin, Ellie, is taken by the Seelie Queen, Faye is desperate to find any way to save her. However, unbeknownst to Faye, she is the missing heir to the Unseelie Court, one that has been ruled by the Goblin King since the death of her mother and her father. And the Goblin King? One of the very “boys” her best friend followed into the woods.

The last thing that Faye wants to do is take her place in the Unseelie Throne, and the last person she expects would want to help her is Gage, the Goblin King who sits on it. His grumpy demeanor and abrasive nature hide a fierce protector who wants the best for his people. Although his magic is strong, hers has the potential to be stronger—if only she could learn to properly wield her glamour.

With the help of Isla, Gage’s right hand, Faye begins the arduous training of both her courtly expectations and her glamour that will be required if she ever expects to be able to take the throne through the trials and get her cousin Ellie back from the Unseelie queen. But there are plots in play that none of the will see coming, creepy into their lives like a low lying fog. The stakes are high but so are the possibilities for budding romance. Will Faye be victorious, or will new friendships end in the ultimate betrayal?

I liked this story. It wasn’t my absolute favorite fae tale of all time, but Kicklighter has stiff competition. I would have like a little more from it. Some more plot, a more even pace, and some deeper dives into the characters’ personalities and development, but this is definitely a quick and intriguing read if you love fae lore.

Thanks to Netgalley and The Parliment House for the advanced copy in exchange for this fair and honest review.