Among the Beasts and Briars: I Wanted More

Among the Beasts and Briars by Ashley Poston
Genres: Fantasy (YA)
Pages: 352
Goodreads

Cerys is safe in the kingdom of Aloriya.

Here there are no droughts, disease, or famine, and peace is everlasting. It has been this way for hundreds of years, since the first king made a bargain with the Lady who ruled the forest that borders the kingdom. But as Aloriya prospered, the woods grew dark, cursed, and forbidden. Cerys knows this all too well: when she was young, she barely escaped as the woods killed her friends and her mother. Now Cerys carries a small bit of the curse—the magic—in her blood, a reminder of the day she lost everything. The most danger she faces now, as a gardener’s daughter, is the annoying fox who stalks the royal gardens and won’t leave her alone.

As a new queen is crowned, however, things long hidden in the woods descend on the kingdom itself. Cerys is forced on the run, her only companions the small fox from the garden, a strange and powerful bear, and the magic in her veins. It’s up to her to find the legendary Lady of the Wilds and beg for a way to save her home. But the road is darker and more dangerous than she knows, and as secrets from the past are uncovered amid the teeth and roots of the forest, it’s going to take everything she has just to survive.

This book is super cute and I definitely enjoyed it – but it wasn’t my favorite Poston book. I was hoping I would love it because then that would mean one of my favorite authors could write sci-fi, contemporary, and fantasy! A trifecta! Alas, it wasn’t amazing. That’s not to say it was bad, it was a good book, it just was missing that little extra something.

I think one of the reasons it wasn’t an easy favorite was because it reads more like a middle grade. There’s nothing wrong with middle grade, I enjoy it, but I didn’t go into this book with a “middle grade read” mindset. It’s very easy and there’s not a whole lot of depth to the story. It dives right into it within the first few pages and the characters are immediately off on an adventure. Which is very fun, but I just wanted a bit more. I mean, it’s about a trek through a dark wood with what are basically tree zombies. I was down for it. I just wanted to dive into it more. In fact, the end felt so rushed and unexplained I was like wait…what? That’s it? So, yeah, I just wanted more. 

As for the characters, they’re good. The main character is Cerys then you’re introduced to Fox’s POV. I enjoyed Fox way more and I think Poston did too. I say this because during Fox’s chapters you get to know what is going on in his head and his growth while Cerys’ POV just felt like it was used to drive the plot forward. Also, if I had to read “I’m just a gardener’s daughter” one more time, I was going to scream.

If you are looking for a light fantasy read that is friendly for the whole family, then I definitely recommend this one. If you’re looking for something more dark, pick up something else. Just depends on your mood!