Author: Jamie Pacton
Genre: Fantasy, teen, romance, LGBTQ rep
Publisher:
Format: NetGalley E-book
Release Date: June 2nd, 2026
TW: Mind control, blood, injury, grief, class struggle, PTSD
This was a lovely teen read, fill of fae hi-jinks and a believable bond between two great characters. I love fae stories, and so this appealed to me instantly. But first, the plot:
Hyacinth is the youngest daughter of Queen Mab, the Queen of the High Fae. As a princess, she should have access to powerful magic and beautiful wings, but she doesn't. Her wings are fake, and she mimics having powers through potions. This makes things worse, as Hyacinth wants to find her father, and not having magic is surely detrimental to that. The other half of this duo is Chloe Wreckersfield, a human former mapper's apprentice turned stable hand hiding as a common Fae girl. Chloe desperately wants to return to her twin sister. Hyacinth and Chloe have been seeing each other in secret and both resolve to skip that year's Solstice ball to go to a once a year market, to both find what they seek. However, they both are hiding their true intentions from one another, including their true feelings. When the market leads to a Labyrinth, will Chloe and Hyacinth be able top survive? Will they finally admit how much they mean to one another?
This was a wonderful teen read. I loved both Hyacinth and Chloe; they both had clear character arcs and genuine struggles. Hyacinth in particular was a wonderful character; I could really feel her frustration with not having magic. At the same time she is flawed, as she was raised in a higher social class than Chloe and her prejudice does come out. I love Chloe as well, as she is very clearly a survivor, and loves very deeply. I appreciate the queer rep, as both Chloe and Hyacynth are gay, and this is a queer normative setting. There is only kissing between our two leads, and their relationship is adorable. I also appreciated the action, and tie fact that the characters get hurt. There are some real stakes.
The setting was suitably faerie-tale like, and I loved the colorful citizens of the fae realm. However, some of the settings are a bit sketched in, but that makes sense. The ending may also feel a bit too neat. The prose is also a bit soft, which, again makes sense for the intended audience.
I recommend this book for teens who want a breezy and heartwarming read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
Final Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Drink Paring: Black tea with jasmine flowers for kisses under the moonlight
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