"The Court of Thorns and Wings" 

by Jen L. Grey

Reviewed by Katy Grant

As Travis sat by Lira on their bed her heart beat slower and slower, until it beat no more…

He was devastated, if he hadn’t taken her from Earth, if he hadn’t allowed Eldrin to push him into placing her in the gauntlet arena, not even just once but three times. He had been the one to threaten her with death, caused her pain, and now he watched her die before his eyes, his mate, the woman he couldn’t live without. He had ruled his court with fear. But death feared no man.

So, when he first felt the warmth within himself, he didn’t realize what it meant. Then Finnian called to him to look at Lira. Her fingers had moved. Slowly, so slowly and softly he could barely hear it, the beating of her heart.

They would complete the mating bond, but their journey of troubles had just begun. With her magic awakening, the Seelie would soon know that Lira was in Ardanos and not on Earth. They would come for her. Eldrin had escaped his guard and was on the run. He had the means to slip into the Seelie realm. They had to stop him. Intent on finding Eldrin, in the blink of an eye two Seelie guards incapacitated both Lira and Travis. One carried Lira away, the other left Travis bleeding out, sure he would die. Brought to the castle, something strange was happening, he had started to heal even as he was being stitched where the knife had pierced his throat.

Healed Travis and Finnian set out to find Lira but were caught at the veil by the Seelie and taken to the dungeon. As Lira awoke, she easily recognized the room as her own bedroom from her childhood. And standing there were her parents’ and sister from Earth and her biological parents. She takes the situation in quickly. She had been hidden on Earth but not with humans, they were Seelie disguised as humans. She wanted answers but first she must tell her parents of the bond between her and Travis to stop the harm they were causing his people.

Lira is anxious to explain why she had been with the Unseelie, as well as the fact that they were fated mates. Her parents wouldn’t hear of it. So, when Lira learns of Unseelie prisoners being taken to the dungeon she quickly follows to see who they have captured. Seeing Travis and Finnian she must step between her father’s raised sword and rage to prevent him from harming Travis. Now she is a suspect as well, disobedient of the King in front of her people and will be confined to her room to stop her from aiding the prisoners. Her parents demand utter subjugation from their daughter and will harm the one she loves to get it. They don’t understand that by living on Earth for so long she has learned to feel compassion for others and has come to understand the need for compromise. Together she and Travis will search for solutions that can benefit both the Seelie and Unseelie.

Why is the dragon prince, her parents had promised her to so many years ago, here now? She must find a way to free all of them before she is unwillingly married to the beast. But how can they escape?

There is a lot of misunderstandings, pain, death, villains and lies, those who are blind to truth and will not listen and many caught in the middle. The romantic connection is strong and spicy While there aren’t an abundance of answers lying thick on the ground, at the moment either. “The King of Frost and Shadows” came first, now it continues with “The Court of Thorns and Winds” not a tale you want to miss, while there is more yet to uncover.

 Grab a comfortable spot to sit, a warm drink or something a bit stronger and get ready to settle as the story unfolds with a cliffhanger last page. Looking forward to more of how it all began and how it can be resolved.  I highly recommend this fantastical tale.