#romanticfantasy

“Give me a book or a boy, and I’ll always choose the book any day.”

Over the years of reading, watching, touching, breathing, engaging in conversations, loving, hating, not feeling anything at all, I’ve been looking for objects or words or feelings that could make sense in this insensible existence and inspire me to be something more than just a collection of particles with the only purpose to form and then disintegrate into something else. And to my astonishment, I always find those small inspirations in the most unexpected places, like this book by Brionni Nwosu, which I came into possession of by accident. But now I wonder: what if? What if I never did, and never learned of her beautifully poetic approach to life, love, and death?

“Something as beautiful as this would not last forever. But does it have to? He knew fabric would fade. The threads would disintegrate, eventually leaving the glorious garment for rags. But is it better? Better to have a beautiful thing for even a short while rather than not at all?”

If you don’t recognise some of your own thoughts in Nella, regardless of your gender, age, or nationality, I would be surprised. To live and love and to lose people is her burden, but who doesn’t? Perhaps, unlike Nella, we don’t have to repeatedly do that for centuries without end, but that doesn’t make it easier. There is an end to all the love and all the suffering, but it’s an extensive journey, with so many years of starting over, finding space for people who come into our lives, and learning to trust them with our hearts and our souls again. And more often than not, we, just like Nella, refuse to let anyone in to relieve that burden and give ourselves a break.

“If I went, he would ask again. And again. I would come to care for him. Something terrible would happen, and I would need to leave the life I’d made.”

But does that constitute a good life? Refusing to feel at all rather than deal with a broken heart after whatever loss we experience: a lover, a friend, a parent, or our children. Would it be better not to have experienced those things and die without the knowledge of what your own heart is capable of?

“And what of you, Carmella? Are you a lover or a fighter?” “I’ve been a lover sometimes, sometimes a fighter, but I suppose it hasn’t mattered until now. What about you?” “A lover, of course. If you must fight for your love, was it even yours?”

The themes of loss are the most bittersweet in this book. It’s Nella's curse to lose everyone she loves, but somehow it makes her even more human and more alive in the eyes of the reader.

“But that’s the deal. That’s humanity. We will all lose the ones we love – either them or us. From birth, we make our way in this world. The gift is the choice of who we spend it with.”

And death, oh death. He’s the partner in crime, both the devil and the creator, the punisher and the pardoner in this story. “Death isn’t always a punishment. Sometimes it is a release.” Death is Nella’s oldest friend and the only one capable of giving her the well-deserved freedom she finally obtains after proving to him that humanity is indeed worth saving.

“That’s the part people miss. They think the worst thing is death. Death is the easy part. What they miss is the loneliness, all-consuming, that occurs as everything and everyone slips away, lost to the sands of time.”

It still surprises me how this book manages to be both light reading and yet contain the multitudes of human experiences and emotions. I am almost convinced that dear Brionni Nwosu has herself travelled through time and convinced death to grant us this living. If so, we thank her kindly.

It’s a 10 out of 10 for me.

A clever, grown-up Grimms’ tale with duty, desire, and a forest that bites back.

Pre-Reading Thoughts

The blurb promises bargains, mysterious lords, and fabled forests, so I’m expecting intrigue, careful plotting, and a protagonist who’s clever enough to outwit supernatural expectations. I’m hoping for a darkly whimsical tone with a sense of slow-build tension.

Post-Reading

As I thought… The tone is spot-on—Grimm-like, a little sinister, and utterly compelling. The characters feel real, even the ones whose behaviour can be frustrating, because their motives are clear. Katrien is clever and empathetic, and her training period is more engaging than I expected, full of clever lessons and quiet tension.

It surprised me by… …how much I enjoyed the careful pacing. Even though I misread the blurb and wanted faster forest action, the story’s focus on preparation and the relationships built during that time works beautifully. The romantic tension with Zaviera is delicate and earned, and the looming presence of the Redwood Man keeps the stakes high without rushing the narrative.

Music Pairing

🎵 Featured Song: “Breathe Me” – Sia 🎶 Vibe Album: Dark Fairy Tales: Strings & Shadows (imaginative mix!) 🎧 Artist Recommendation: Florence + The Machine (for the ethereal, tense energy)

Vibe Check

Colour Palette: Deep forest greens, muted browns, and soft candlelight gold Soundtrack: Darkly whimsical, suspenseful, a touch romantic Season: Late autumn – crisp, shadowy, and mysterious Mood: Clever, tense, quietly romantic Scent: Damp earth and old parchment

Tarot Pull

The High Priestess – Katrien embodies intuition, careful planning, and inner strength. Like the High Priestess, she navigates the unknown with wisdom, slowly uncovering secrets, balancing duty with desire, and trusting her instincts to guide her through the Redwood bargain.

For Fans Of

Book: The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert (for the fairy-tale-with-edge vibe)

TV/Film: Pan’s Labyrinth (for grown-up fairy-tale tension and clever protagonists)

Title: Seal Our Fates (Redwater Demons: Book 4)

Author: Ellie Roth

Rating: 5/5 stars

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Due to events in Book 3 (Take You Home), Bryant Nehemiah, demon hunter, and Magdalena Khan, demon, are forced by circumstance, mostly their respective friends, to live and work together with the main aim of bringing down Bryant's former home, the Sanctum. With emotions high and trust low, this reluctant pairing may yet be just what is needed to work out the Sanctum’s final plan.

Wow! What a rollercoaster of a finale that was! The plot kept twisting and even with a few hints along the way, I still had no idea what was coming next! The romance was a complete slow burn, but I did kick my feet and grin when it finally happened.  This was an immensely satisfying conclusion to the series, and I had a few concerns during the read that I was going to be disappointed. Thank you, Ellie, for taking the time to get it right!

Final thoughts: A wonderful end to a magical journey with the Redwater Demons.

Who would enjoy this: Fans of urban fantasy with a romance element. Note: I would strongly recommend reading the books in order, starting with “Thicker Than Water”, to avoid spoilers.

Non si sapeva quali segreti si nascondessero in quel monastero.Nessuno lo diceva apertamente, ma tutti lo evitavano.Io invece ci andavo spesso. Attraversavo il bosco al mattino presto, quando la nebbia era ancora bassa e l’aria profumava di terra bagnata. Mi fermavo sempre allo stesso punto, accanto a quell’albero di mele. Era antico, storto, eppure carico di frutti in ogni stagione. Anche…