It's propulsive and easy to read, I'll give it that, but the world building is weak and the characters aren't compelling.

I’ve heard so much about this and it did not disappoint! The idea of the Ledge was really unique and I loved the MC Dawsyn and how confident and strong she was. Ryon reminded me of a broody Illyrian in the best way. Their relationship was well paced and their chemistry was believable with just the right amount of spice. I finished this in less than 24 hours, it was action packed and kept me wanting more. Stacey is cruel for that ending! My only complaint is that the writing style was a little distracting at times, nevertheless I can’t wait to read the next one!

Thank you to Angry Robot and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I received an e-ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book! It’s a beautiful fantasy novel with the perfect amount of smut. I loved that this book has a romance in it but is not lacking plot for the romance (if you know what I mean). I loved the political intrigue (although it was a bit predictable the heroine’s reaction to it was oftentimes unexpected). Our heroine was awesome! She was not one to sit back and let stuff happen; even when sometimes it’d be best if she did! Lol. I cannot wait for the sequel. I love Ryon and Dawsyn’s relationship so much. This book had some diversity but didn’t really focus on it. All the lgbtq+ characters were secondary characters. There was mention of the humans and some of the half human half glacians having darker skin but it didn’t go into much depth. It did kind of feel like diversity for diversity’s sake. I really enjoyed this novel though and finished it in one day.

Thank you NetGalley and Angry Robot for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve been on a short rom-com kick for the whole summer and this book was an amazing transition back into the world of fantasy.
The characters really stood out to me. Ryon is everything you want in a brooding, overbearing male lead without the over-aggressiveness. He can hold his own, help when needed, and give Dawsyn space to be the badass she is. Dawsyn is a great female lead for a fantasy book. She’s hard and warm in all the right ways, while being strong and humble. I was rooting for her the whole time.
The spice scenes in this book were very well written and they fit the plot perfectly. I hate when fantasy writers throw random sex scenes in where they don’t really fit.
Overall, 4 stars and I highly recommend this for people trying to get into fantasy.

Please check content warnings before starting this book!

THIS BOOK 😭😭

My soul has been searching for a fantasy book/series to fill my heart as much as ACOTAR has, and this WAS IT 🤌🏻

🪓 Lil Synopsis:
The Ledge is a cold, lonely, place, where inhabitants are destined for doom. Dawsyn, of the Ledge, is a human determined to escape her doomed fate.

Dawsyn finds herself meeting face-to-face with the winged beasts of the mountain, the Glacians. Given the opportunity to run from the fate she is presented with, albeit nearly impossible, Dawsyn takes it.

In the midst of her escape, Dawsyn finds herself exploring these new surroundings with a half-Glacian - Ryon.

This story follows the adventures of Dawsyn and Ryon and their attempts to rebel against those who have wronged so many.

Will Dawsyn find the answers she so desperately seeks? Will Ryon accomplish his rebellion against the pure blooded Glacians?

🪓 Thoughts:
In so many ways, this book reminds me of ACOTAR, but it is FAR from a copycat.

This series is going to blow up in a big way, and I can’t wait to see it happen. I’m so glad to have fallen in love with another fantasy read.

All the best components and tropes are included in this first instalment of the Glacian Trilogy.

- Enemies to Lovers
- Badass FMC
- Overbearing/protective MMC
- LGBTQ2S+ Representation
- Humans vs. Beasts

By. The. Way.
The end of this book 🥲. Damn Stacey.

Big big thanks to Angry Robot Books and Netgalley for this wonderful ARC!

Let’s start at the very begin... ending… wow I didn’t see that coming! This is a solid debut and a great start to the trilogy!
•
Ledge is a delight and Dawson is a bad ass! I can’t contain my delight when a female is a take no prisoners kind of chick!
•
I’m digging the winged creatures - I’ve never read about ones that weren’t fae and this is a delightful twist on who they can be and what they can do! Ryon - you glorious half breed, you!
•
I am not content with that ending… it slayed me and I need book two pronto!

3.75 stars

The Ledge contains a small community of humans who are scraping by to survive on the edge of a mountain. Dawsyn, our main character, is born into this world and must present herself each season to the winged creatures (Glacians) who take away humans to an unknown fate. She is soon taken by Ryon and he agrees to help her. He’s quiet and brooding, while she’s a strong kickass main character (who is made even more awesome with her signature weapon being an ax). Forced proximity and enemies to lovers give this story a quick pace, and the ending will solidify the obsession for readers. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy. Can’t wait for the next installment!

⭐️3.5/5 stars.
This book is perfect for any fan of Crescent City or From Blood and Ash. While reading Ledge I was reminded of those two stories. The plot was very unique, but I think it was the winged loved interest, a protagonist left in the dark on grander schemes, and the protagonist being that badass type similar to Bryce and Poppy.
Overall, I enjoyed the read. The concept and world building was very unique and actually took me a while before I could figure out what it reminded me of. I think the main thing I didn’t love was the unceremonious changing of POV. Especially when it’s in third person limited, I find it takes me out of the story trying to figure out who we are following now. I had the same issues with Crescent City.
However, I think it hits all the aspects we liked about Crescent City and From Blood and Ash, alongside some favorite tropes.
Thank you to NetGalley & Angry Robot for providing the ARC for my honest review.

Dawsyn lives in the harsh and unforgiving cold, stranded with the rest of her village of humans on the Ledge. Kept there like cattle, the humans simply survive until the winged Glacians come to take an unlucky few across the Chasm, never to be seen again.

This book has a brilliant atmosphere and the world building is phenomenal. I wasn't totally convinced by the romance, and didn't particularly like Ryon, but the plot and the twists were brilliant. A fantastic read!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Enemies to lovers trope
Female heroine
Grumpy × Grumpy
Dual point of view




Easy to follow, well paced and the detailed world building was helpful with following the events to happen in the story between Dawsyn and Ryon. Enimies to lovers and the will to survive the frost and more. This ended in a big cliff hanger. However, I am excited/eager to read the book in this series!


TW: Death, Suicide, Murders attempted sexual assault


Thank you NetGalley and Angry Robot for this eARC for an honest review.

I went in not knowing much about this book only the summary sounded interesting. The book was really good!

First off, I loved how the book was written. Beautiful writing, and it was paced really well. I thought the author did a great job on the world building. It wasn’t confusing and easy to understand. I liked the characters. Dawsyn was a strong heroine. I thought the author did a great job with her character development as she was trying to understand the world off the ledge. I thought the the progression of Dawsyn’s and Ryon’s relationship was good. Not rushed and not an insta-love. No one really understood what they each went through/were going through but each other. I thought they formed a beautiful bond and their romantic moments were beautiful and intimate set against a cold and dangerous world for them.

All I have to say is that ending shocked me and I can’t wait for book 2!

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and Stacey McEwan for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

I loved the opening chapters of the Ledge. McEwan opened the story with short, gritty chapters that introduced readers to the harsh world of the Ledge and its strong heroine. They kept me immersed in the story and captivated.

Unfortunately, when Dawsyn was captured and then "rescued" by Ryon, the story devolved into a tired tale of enemies to lovers. Sure, McEwan threw in a few nice twists here and there, but it wasn't enough to elevate Ledge above dozens of similar books.

The world-building remains underdeveloped, the tone changes, and the romance didn't appeal to me. Still, I'm sure readers who like hot moments between a badass heroine and a powerful, mysterious Inhuman will be thrilled.

LIKES
☀️ The unique setting. While I’ll admit that at first I was a bit overwhelmed by the world building, the way more and more detail was revealed in waves worked extremely well overall.
☀️ As a fellow slow burn lover, I had a feeling Stacey would nail the romantic tension and she absolutely did. Obsessed.
☀️ The spice was 🔥
☀️ I enjoyed the entire book, the last 30-40%? I was hooked. Someone could have slapped me round the face and I wouldn’t have flinched I was that engrossed.
☀️ I’m forever a fan of a badass MC who takes zero shit from anybody. I’m hoping we get to hear more of her background in book two, as the glimpses from her past have me intrigued!
☀️ The evil, cliffhanger ending. Great, now I feel impatient AF 🙄

DISLIKES
🌙 I wasn’t a fan of the number of times the ‘girl’ nickname was used. It was a LOT.

Fantasy fans - you need to check this one out. I’m already excited for book two!

I have been waiting for this book and constantly checking amazon to see when it was coming out ever since one of my favorite TikTokers started talking about it!
It did not disappoint! So much angst and action and that ending!! I already cannot wait for the next book to come out!

A village of people are held captive on an icy mountain ledge by winged creatures who supply only meager rations and come each year to reap a new batch of humans. What happens to the humans who disappear into the sky across the chasm? Let’s find out!

Read if you like: high fantasy, fantasy romance, enemies to lovers, world-building, mysterious origins, survival tales, winged MMC, stoic and capable FMC.

Dawsyn has only known the Ledge. The cold, harsh, life where you must take care of your own above all else. Where others died, she survived. Some might call her lucky. But her luck runs out when she is plucked off the Ledge by a Glacian in the yearly culling. She will soon find out the mystery of why her people are kept trapped on a mountain, why these powerful creatures need humans so dearly.

Ryon is a half-Glacian yet he has earned a position within the King’s court. When a fearless human comes to Glacia he sees his chance for escape. If only he can get her to trust him. If only he can survive her.

I was so excited to get the opportunity to read this book! I loved hearing Stacey’s voice in my head as I was reading. Thanks, TikTok.
I really enjoyed the pacing, the world-building, the character histories. When I got to Ryon’s first chapter I squealed. I love dual POV so much. We get a solid understanding of Dawsyn and the human experience before we get his POV and it adds so much to the story. I love the strength and perseverance of the characters. Yeah, she’s not warm and fuzzy and puts herself above all… you got the part where she was raised on a Ledge by ice monsters for some obviously nefarious reason, right? I’d run when I got the chance, too. Ryon is a great character and I love seeing his development on the page. I thought the romance had a good build with the pace of the story and was a solid medium spice level. The tension is delicious. I love their banter and mutual building of trust and respect.

Now let’s talk about that ending… holy cow. What now!?! How long do I have to wait for more of this story? Do we know? Anyone? We’re just trucking along with the plot; I see the potential for book 2 and then we get hit with a whammy. Good grief! I was not okay with the lack of pages after this point.

Now why 4/5 stars? There were parts that were clunky. Some of it being their dialogue in the first 30%. Maybe that’s on purpose to build awkwardness. Not sure, but it could be polished a bit. And there were a lot of familiar and predictable, yet still enjoyable things throughout. Overall, I will anxiously await book 2.
A huge thank you to Stacey McEwan and NetGalley for my copy of this book for review.

DNF at 20%

Thank you NetGalley and Angry Robot for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was not for me. I had a very hard time getting accustomed to the awkward third person present-tense that is used. The writing style is very flowery as well, which put me off. For a debut novel it’s written quite well, while also being an easy read- but the tense and the style are not something I can get past to enjoy.

That coupled with the plot just not being intriguing enough is what made me decide to DNF.

Nothing against this author, I wish her nothing but success with this novel.

This book has an exciting premise. This is a book I've been excited about since I first heard about it.
I really enjoyed Dawsyn. She is a character with a smart mouth and she makes no excuses. She just gets the job done. This makes her an interesting character to follow. I am looking forward to future books to learn the answers to all the questions the ending left me with.
Overall, I enjoyed this book, but there was one thing that kept me from giving it five stars.
At one point, the characters almost seemed to be wandering aimlessly. They escaped the mountain but there was no clear next goal in mind. That part seemed to drag until they decided what they were going to do and worked toward it.

This was an outstanding & thrilling debut.
It was a truly unique world. Filled with strong characters in a harsh environment & different magical creatures to the ones we usually see.
This book felt like a breathe of fresh air, exploring a concept I haven’t read before, while still working with all the tropes we love in a high fantasy romance.
It’s beautifully written with characters that were really flushed out & likeable, Dawsyn (FMC) especially - she’s strong & capable & believable.
The plot was surprising & meticulously thought out & paced well, including the twists & turns & epic battle scenes.
The romance was perfect - I love these two together! The spice, being just enough.
But I can’t believe I have to wait for book two now because that ENDING 😭 WTF!!!
I need more Dawsyn & Ryon in my life NOW ~ & I need to know what happens after that last bombshell!

I really enjoyed this book! I wasn’t sure what to expect because I hadn’t read the blurb, but I really enjoyed it and can’t wait to read book two. The storyline was very interesting and I was hooked from the beginning - I just didn’t want to stop reading! I was desperate to find out what was going to happen. Although it was a bit predictable at times, it still managed to surprise me. I really liked the characters, both main and side - they’re all so unique and likeable, I enjoyed reading about them and they did make me laugh. This book was very easy to read and I always wanted to read another chapter.

One thing that I did struggle with at times was the writing. When talking to each other, the characters never used contractions - so instead of saying don’t or wouldn’t, it was always do not or would not. I really struggled with this because people don’t tend to talk like that, so in a way it made it harder to relate to them as people.

I’m really looking forward to reading more from Stacey McEwan in the future, and I hope it’s not a long wait until book two is published for this series. It ended on a cliffhanger and I’m desperate to know what happens next!

⚠️ POTENTIAL SPOILERS ⚠️

One other thing that I struggled with is how quickly the relationship developed between Dawsyn and Ryon. One moment they hated each other and didn’t want to be around each other, the next they were declaring their love. I struggled with this because one of my favourite things about romance in fantasy is the build up, and I like to see relationships developing properly. It all of a sudden jumped from enemies to lovers, and it just didn’t feel right.

Holy moly this blew me AWAY. Dawsyn lives on the Ledge. A cold, miserable place where desperation is around every corner and the risk of death shadows every step. Every season food is dropped by winged beasts who then steal people away as sacrifice. Dawysn is the only member of her family still alive so offers herself up as this seasons sacrifice. From there her life changes and the world she knows it is changed forever.

Stacey McEwan has written an incredibly unique world and story that hooks you from the first sentence and has you obsessed to the last. She masterfully leads you to the water only for you to realise its something far darker. Honestly, I enjoyed this far more than I thought I would and would highly recommend this to literally anyone in the mood for easy to read fantasy with twists and turns that have you questioning your own (as well as Dawsyns!) sanity