Among the Beasts and the Briars by Ashley Poston
Jasmine, Grade 9
Among the Beasts and the Briars follows the adventure of Cerys. During the new queen's coronation, the woods outside the kingdom launch an attack. Cerys is forced to leave her life behind and flee with only the company of a small fox and her magic, which came from the very same forest chasing her. Stuck in the woods Cerys must survive by herself. But many more mysteries than Cerys anticipated lurk in the twisted woods. Cerys has to figure out how to save the future of the kingdom while confronting her past.
Among the Beasts and the Briars is a great story with many twists and turns throughout the book. The world is very much cottage core with a dark side. I really like the world that was created and where the author decided to take the story. I love the emphasis on nature, most of the book's backdrop is the woods. We meet many different characters that feel complete and you can understand each action that they take. Each is interesting in their own right. The ending is my favourite part. It is worth the wait and will leave you satisfied. There is LGBTQ+ representation in the book although it is not a main part of the story. Anyone who likes cute reads and fantasy adventure will not be disappointed. It’s a great book for curling up with. I would recommend this to fellow bookworms. I would give this novel a 4/5.