#thornbound

The evening of the Spring Equinox was cool and balmy, just as the weather wizards had--for once!--reliably predicted. The glittering guest list for the Harwoods' annual ball was exactly to Amy Standish's design. As she prepared to descend into the lake that gently rippled, reflecting the full moon and stars, outside the grandeur of Harwood House, Amy knew she had organized the most important night of her life to absolute perfection. The only tiny, insignificant task left to do was to propose marriage to the right man by the end of this evening. Then she would finally win everything she had ever dreamed of, and it would be utterly perfect. She knew it.

-- Spellswept

Of course, a sensible woman would never have accepted the invitation in the first place. To attend a week-long house party filled with bickering gentleman magicians, ruthless cutthroat lady politicians, and worst of all, my own infuriating ex-fiancé? Scarcely two months after I had scandalized all of our most intimate friends by jilting him? Utter madness.

-- Snowspelled

It was bad enough to be deprived of my new husband before our wedding night. It was utterly unjust to be tormented by nightmares weeks afterward as I slept, still alone, in our marital bed. For the ninth morning in a row, I woke up gasping and clawing at my throat, fighting to yank piercing thorns out from my skin...thorns that, of course, existed nowhere but in my dreams.

-- Thornbound

Dressing for a ball would always be a challenge for any lady who found it easier to analyze--from memory--an obscure spell from two centuries ago than to remember which sleeve lengths were currently fashionable across the nation. But dressing for a ball at Angland's first women's college of magic, where at least half the dancers were certain to add competitive spellwork to their costume and the enigmatic local fey were likely to make an appearance? That raised the standards--and the stakes--enormously.

-- Moontangled

There was this much to be said, Honoria supposed, for comprehensive public and personal ruin: once all that she'd ever cared about had been ripped from her grasp, she no longer had anything left to fear.

-- Spellcloaked

There was a fine line between ambition and foolishness, and I had spent most of my life walking it. Still, as looked around the crowded, fey-lit dining tables at Thornfell College of Magic for Young Women on the eve of our second Winter Solstice, I was forced to admit that--just this once--I might have aimed my goals a bit too high.

Harwood and Wrexham are one of my favorite fantasy couples. They are GODAWFUL at communicating, but they figure it out in the most adorable way possible in the beautifully paced novella. And the fact that it's so well paced is extra impressive given how much is going on. Cassandra is starting a school, has to deal with a surprise inspection from a Boudiccate that is intent on forcing her to fail, has not yet had her wedding night because the magicians are running her husband ragged, has to deal with a prima donna teacher who only took the position because literally nobody else would hire him, and has to deal with a pissed-off fae woman who thinks the Harwood family went back on an ancient deal with her.

That's a LOT. It's honestly incredible that Cassandra doesn't snap sooner.

All these elements are handled quite well, and they tie into each other in surprising and delightful ways. But my favorite element from the first novella is carried over and further developed in this book: Cassandra burned herself out in a magical accident, and if she uses any magic, she will die. And yet she is still over here teaching other women to use theirs. She is human--the impulse to be jealous and bitter certainly crops up, but she doesn't let it drown her. Instead, she finds joy in her students' accomplishments and sets herself new goals and dreams to work toward. It's honestly incredible.

When Wrexham is kidnapped by our fae woman, though, Cassandra is over here like, "I WILL DO ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING TO SAVE HIM," and it takes her brother and sister-in-law a terrifying scene to talk her down and accept help from her students. The impulse was so understandable, but the prevailing of the collective and community rather than trying to self-sufficiently commit suicide with extra steps was awesome. Accepting help to give a goal a better chance of succeeding was a wonderful message, and honestly one I much needed in 2025.

I also appreciated the recognition that rigid gender roles ultimately don't benefit people, because people aren't that rigid. The recognition that flexibility and change are necessary was also really wonderful.