Nettle by Bex Hogan
4 stars
Out: October 10th 2024
Nettle did not fit in the human world. Wishing to save her sick grandmother she finds herself in the faery realm she heard stories of all her life. There, she is promised what she wishes if she completes three tasks. Along the way, she meets Connor, a human who was stolen centuries ago and a mysterious shadow faery called Ellion. Not only has Nettle been tricked but she discovers she has a part to play in an age-old love story.
This lyrical tale presents a fairy tale aura that makes your inner child sing. And like all good fairy tales there is sadness that grasps the heart as to make the ending oh so sweeter. And there is danger and darkness. This world the author has created is of a wondrous imagination, touching all the senses, vibrant descriptions that paint it to perfection in our mind's eye. The details make it enchanting and somewhat frightening at the same time. The story flows at a timely pace, marching to the beat of a sweeping tune. I felt so aligned to that tune that it was unputdownable.
There are nods to faery standards though the author is creative in the building of her own mythology. Nettle plays with your 'I want the underdog to win' emotion and captures your heart from the beginning. The mystery that surrounds Nettle keeps the intrigue ablaze.
In my opinion, the underdeveloped triangle was not needed, you know who was more than enough. It just took away from the story. Also, the ending felt a bit rushed. I wish things could have come together more explicitly. But these are minor things amid how entertaining and delightful this was.
This book warns us that everything that shines is not gold. It is about hope, belonging and what it is to be free. But mainly it is about trying and not giving up, ever. Short in pages but long in charm, Nettle will steal your heart.
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