Okay, first of all, wow. I've been waiting for this book ever since I found Stace on booktok (last year?) and this did not disappoint. The world building was phenomenal.

Dawsyn is the female protagonist of my heart. She is strong, independent, and kind of an asshole, but we love her.

4.5/5 - the only reason I'm knocking down a .5 star is because at times, I felt like the plot was rushing when it needed to slow down and walk through things a bit slower. The time line between major events isn't very clear so I'm stuck trying to figure out how we got from point a to point b.

Also, part of that might be my anger at the cliff hanger of an ending. Even worse because I'm reading this as an ARC and have to wait even longer than normal for the sequel. Rude.

Thank you to NetGalley, Angry Robot Books, and Stacey McEwan for the opportunity to read this book and provide my honest review!

Normally, I can read a book straight through, stopping only when I wish or have something else to do. While reading this book, I had to stop multiple times because I needed a break from what was happening. Rarely, does a book keep me on the edge of my seat, but this one did and kept me there. The characters were well crafted and the setting unique. Our library patrons are going to enjoy this book and I look forward to reading and promoting the additional books in the trilogy.

This book totally blew me away. I could not stop reading. When I had to actually pause reading to work, or sleep or eat, I thought about reading this book. In fact for the last 5 days this book has been stuck in my head constantly.

Stacey McEwans writing managed to completely transport me. I was there with the characters every step of the way, totally forgetting that I was even reading as this story unfolded.

This book shoots straight to my favourite read of 2022 and is possibly one of my favourite fantasy reads ever. The ending has blown my mind and Im not sure how Im going to keep my cool waiting for book two. Please tell me we wont have to wait to long!

Y’all, “Ledge” let me tell you-

Like the other 43k followers of @stacebookspace, I have a huge appreciation for her reels. If you haven’t had the opportunity to view them yet, the jest is a Romance Mega Fan trying to turn her husband into a Romance Hero. Hilarity ensues. Because of this, I saw that Stacey was publishing a debut novel.

And I thought to myself, “Natalie, there is no way this gal won’t produce a great book.” I was right. Duh.

This book was totally transporting. It has the smoothest world building ever. I never felt a data dump of rules and there wasn’t a need for a clueless heroine to ask a million questions (cough:poppy). Fans of IAD and FBAA would enjoy this book (basically my only experience with fantasy-esq books). It follows fantasy expectations but feels new enough to be different and stand apart. For the small percentage of us that have read RL Smith’s Land of the Beautiful Dead, I would high pair Ledge with this book. They are both very dark.

The book’s CW include gratuitous violence & death, death of a minor, suicide and attempted sexual assault. All valid warning and hard to read. I totally torn apart my cuticles while reading this book and found my hands clinched more than once.

Dawsyn is our Heroine, feral born out of survival. Ryon is our Hero, a hybrid human/Glacian (ie the Enemy). Dawsyn has grown up on a snow covered mountain ledge. Necessities are extremely limited, unlike elemental and neighborly hostilities. The MC’s bloom from enemies to lovers while partnering on a common goal. The story is peppered with some fantastic side characters and I really want to revisit.

I am so blown away that this is a debut novel. Her writing is descriptive without being boring and she words descriptions so poetically. “She sighs at the leaving of lightness that blessed her for a few hours and grits her teeth at the return of new gravity.” McEwan can make a scene with any number of characters engaging, from Dawsyn’s introspection, to banter with Ryon and even a group of characters with various personalities.

This book was highly anticipated for me, and absolutely delivered!

Alrighty, they have kissed, the cold is not alive and I’ve told you about it!

I don’t think I can put into words the depth of my love for this book. It was full of surprises that set the series up for the next two books and I couldn’t put it down too desperate for the next secret to be revealed. Ryon and Dawsyn definitely had a little enemies to lovers moment but it was a slow burn. It took over half the book for them to give in but it was well worth the wait. I don’t want to say too much cause spoilers would be terrible. The side characters are very funny and are Ryon’s found family. Dawsyn is a complete badass and numerous people become in awe of her. That’s all I’m going to say because saying more would spoil the fun of anticipating the surprises. The ending was a major cliffhanger and I will be stalking the authors Instagram for any news about the next book.

-Easy digestible fantasy which I always appreciate.
-Enemies to lovers
-badass heroine

What kept this from being 5 stars is it took me awhile to get into, it wasn’t until about 60% where I really got sucked it. I also know this is a first of a trilogy so a lot of set up happens. I also just had a hard time seeing Dawsyon and Ryon together. I just didn’t “feel” it. BUT I do like both their characters.

The ending was great and I will def be picking up the next one!

Dawsyn was born on the unforgiving Ledge. The mountain stretches far above and below with no end in sight, only the chasm. Humans have been living on the Ledge for the past 50 years, stolen away from the valley far below by a winged race called Glacians. Twice a year, the Glacians come to reap some of the humans. So far, Dawsyn has been lucky - but her luck is about to run out.

One strength of the book for me was the description of the Ledge and the mountain. From the beginning, I was swept up in the imagery of the unforgiving cold - it felt very cinematic. The first third or so is truly a survival story, and you can't help but to root for Dawsyn - scrappy, angry, determined to survive, and with a literal axe to grind.

It then switches to have more of a political intrigue tone, with Dawsyn trying to unravel and understand the events that led to her people being trapped on the Ledge all those years ago. I did wish this was a little more fleshed out and this part was a little slower for me as I tried to figure out where the author was leading us - I will say that the ending literally made me gasp out loud. Serves me right for forgetting this is meant to be a series!

In my opinion, this is definitely fantasy first, romance second. Ryon, the love interest, is a half-Glacian who helps Dawsyn survive - perfect if you enjoy the trope of forced allies. The romance is important to the plot but I found the fantasy elements stronger.

Definitely can't wait to read the second book, and hopeful that some things will be more fully explained then!

I recommend this to:
-fans of New Adult fantasy/romance
-anyone who enjoys the idea of a woman swinging an axe around and chopping down her enemies
-people who like stories about uprisings in high-er fantasy settings

I liked the idea of this book but I just couldn't get Into it in the end and had the dnf 30% in. I'd probably give this another go later down the track.

This book was exceptional and is perfect for fans of SJ Maas and JLA. This book had everything you could ask for in a fantasy romance: enemies to lovers, romantic tension, winged males, a badass female MC, a harsh world, excellent world building and character development, and a crazy ending and will leave you anxious for book two. I loved Dawson and Ryon and overall couldn’t get enough of this book. I cannot wait for book two and can’t recommend this book enough.

Thank you NetGalley and Angry Robot books for an eARC of Ledge.

Guys...this book...THAT ENDING!!! How am I supposed to wait for the next installment?! What I can say is, I literally cannot wait to continue this story!

I've been following Stacey McEwan on Instagram for a while now and was very interested to read her work - let me tell you this - I will keep reading any book she publishes! The writing was beautiful, the characters well developed, the story unique and jam packed with survival, representation, love, grief, action and sprinkled with some magic. So well done!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I got an arcnif this from Netgalley. The people on the ledge have been there for generations, trqpped there to act as cattle for the Glacians. When Dawsyn is picked she is given a choice, to go willingly to try to make it down the mountain while being hunted. She chooses to run.
Dawsyn is a badass female character that isnt afraid to wield her ax against anyone who would stand in her way. I loved reading her adventure and Ryon is her swoon worthy partner on the ride. This booknisnt even out yet and i cant wait ti read the next adventure.

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

I LOVED this book. Here are the things I loved most:

- A strong female MC that is able to protect herself and very rarely needs saving
- An intricate world with strange magical beings (think wings and talons that retract)
- Funny and lovable side kicks with great dialogue
- A love story and a surprising twist at the end

I will say that I enjoyed the first half of the book a tiny bit more than the second but that's mostly because I really got sucked in to the way the author wrote about the Ledge and the FMCs family.

Highly recommend!

Thanks to Angry Robot and NetGalley for the advanced readers copy!

The Ledge is home to a small colony of humans who survive meager rations, in-fighting, and a chasm that will swallow you whole. Dawsyn was born into this legacy, and has learned to survive in spite of it all. As the last surviving member of her family, she must present herself every season to be taken by the winged Glacians that live on the other side of the chasm. What happens after that is unknown to all on the Ledge. Dawsyn is about to find out.

With the help of a half-breed Glacian, Ryon, and her weapon of choice, the ax, Dawsyn fights for a better word and free the humans from the Ledge.

Wow! I loved this book and can't wait to see where the story goes! Dawsyn is a kick ass main character and I love that her favorite weapon is an ax. 🪓 Badass!!
Looking forward to reading the next book in the series! Any idea when that will be?? 🤞🏼

Stay the frost.

"...because sometimes, when the cold tells her to jump into the fire, to submerge in boiling water, to bury herself in the bodies of the dead, she wants to listen."


The Cold is not alive.

"The Ledge is nothing more than a precipice, a flat cropping upon the mountainside. The hostages who live there never leave, for the Ledge is perched against the edge of a great Chasm, dividing the mountain in two. A Chasm so deep, the bottom cannot be seen. Its edges as deadly as its fall.


Watch the Chasm.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I did receive an ARC from the wonderful folks over at Angry Robot Books and NetGalley to read and review. Also, above are quotes I took from the uncorrected ARC, so they may be altered or not included in the final published copy, but they do represent the feeling of the mantra, so I've included them.

Stacey McEwan takes center stage in the fantasy romance arena with her debut novel, LEDGE - the start of The Glacian Trilogy. I have really been missing out on this subgenre because I thought fantasy romance would be all smut and light on the fantasy. It's quite the opposite, actually - which opens up a whole new world of book options for this little bookworm.

What's it about? Our main character, Dawsyn, was born and raised on The Ledge, which is described in the quote above. Cold, isolated, and trapped, this civilization struggles to survive each day...only to possibly be "Selected" on the day of culling that arrives each season. In fact, Dawsyn and the other inhabitants would not survive at all if not for the Glacians, great winged creatures, who bring them rations sporadically. Of course, the Glacians are the ones responsible to herding and therefore trapping these people on this frigid wasteland in the first place.

The day comes that Dawsyn, the last remaining member of her family, is Selected by a Glacian. The people of The Ledge always assumed being Selected meant certain death, but Dawsyn is astounded to find out that's not the case - well, not always. Dawsyn is able to escape the Glacians with the help of a half-Glacian named Ryon and so our adventure begins.

I absolutely *lived* for the interactions between Dawsyn and Ryon. Yes, you can probably guess this is our featured romance plotline, but it's such an enjoyable one. These two are so full of snark and sass. I love that Dawsyn was not a damsel in distress, nor was Ryon brooding 98% of the novel - both were strong characters who did what needed doing. It's so nice to have a story every now and again where there's no second guessing and insecurity - these characters just acted.

This first book is light on magic, but what magic is introduced is intriguing and...well, as much as I'd like to discuss predictions, they would be spoilers. I have a feeling this will get expanded on in the subsequent novels in the series and I'm looking forward to learning more about it. Honestly, the plotlines for Dawsyn and Ryon were what held my interest the most. (Other than when they interacted with each other, lol) Again, I won't mention what those specific plotlines are so readers can delight in learning of them as they read the novel.

I loved the distinction of the settings between The Ledge and where Dawsyn escapes to, Terrsaw. Stacey McEwan wrote descriptions that made you feel the biting cold of The Ledge and the warmth of the sunshine in Terrsaw. World building was kept pretty small here, but the area is blocked in between the mountainous area by The Ledge and an ocean, so the people are currently unable to move from this area of the world.

I'm looking forward to the next book in this series to see what comes next in this tale. There were some very interesting bits of information revealed that should provide for some excellent reading enjoyment plot-wise and I am eager to see where we go from here.

Ledge sadly lost its way for me in the last quarter or so - the first half was wonderful, but once the romance had started to resolve, with the action of the plot still waiting, a lot of small annoyances began to build and detract from the story.
I will start with the positives, of which there are a decent number - I really enjoyed the majority of this book. I loved the writing style, which hit a good balance between conversational and literary. The world-building was fascinating - the setting of the Ledge and its surroundings were so intriguing to me.
However, I found the romance aspect really pulled me away from what otherwise could have been a strong fantasy story. I'm not the best-placed person to comment on the complications presented by Raymon being the only prominent black character for the majority of the book... but it certainly rubbed me the wrong way regardless. I really disliked the way that Ryon refers to Dawsyn as "girl" - constantly, even once they are closer and she's expressed her distaste for it. It felt impersonal, and dismissive, and took me out of the story every time.
This is probably a personal taste issue (or maybe I'm too high up the Kinsey to appreciate them), but the sex scenes felt unnecessary - I skimmed them every time. They felt markedly impersonal in tone, and as someone who reads a fair bit of queer fantasy, and even queer fantasy romance, the emotional connection here seemed lacking in contrast.
On a more positive note, the ending managed to take me by surprise, and make me intrigued about what might be to come next in the series. I would certainly like to see more from this world.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4, based on the strength of the first half of the novel, and the potential of the sequel.

AHHHH!!

First I appreciate being lucky enough to receive the arc for this one. Not only am I a big fan of Stacey’s hilarious videos on social media but for her to come out with an amazing book as well, my head is spinning.

This was so awesome. A completely different flavor of fantasy, It felt so original, a storyline I haven’t read before and it was such a relief. The world description was enough to let me imagine the setting without taking up too much space on the pages. The spicy scenes were beyond delish. The banter, oooh the banter..superb. With that being said, I absolutely loved Ryon.

AND THAT ENDING!! I can’t wait to have this physical copy in my hands so I can read it a second time and scream all over again. I’m so sorry for Stacey and the pressure she’s going to receive to push out a second book quickly because girl, we need answers!

3.5 wingspan stars
This is a very entertaining debut novel and a strong start to a trilogy. I really enjoyed what felt like a fresh and original story.
It takes our beloved enemies to lovers trope (and quite of few other - although not the one bed, to my utter disappointment) to a cold world. The main characters are pretty typical for the genre but both of them are very likeable. Dawsyn (how the hell do you pronounce that? Like Dawson?) is a weapon-wielding badass who can take care of herself. Ryon (once again, how do you pronounce that?) is a cinnamon roll with a big wingspan.
Although some parts left me puzzled (could use more editing), it was overall very enjoyable. The last part though felt rushed and could have been longer.
The ending left me wide-eyed and gaping with a whimpering "Noooo" escaping from my lips. So it's no surprise that I'll read the next book when it comes out.

Thank you Netgalley and Angry robot for the opportunity to read this ARC.

It was fun, easy to read, fast pace romance-fantasy! A strong start for a series because it definitely make readers want the next book ASAP.

I love the MC, Dawsyn Sabar. She is resilient, strong headed, never stop for anyone. She had ENOUGH and allow herself to be angry. Well, she is reckless and jumping too hasty into perilous situation at times, but I just love that she has a strong character! Ryon is pretty great and has so many layers. Not sure we have uncovered all of them in this book...

The world building was pretty great, and it kicked off with a hunger games style "supply fight" to point at the survival and hard living in the Ledge. I also love the journey down the Glacian Palace to Mecca. There are some small plot holes in between, things that got me "wait but how/why" but they are not a big issue. Still have a lot of fun reading!

**Review copy received via Netgalley. Review is 100% honest.**

After being randomly selected as a human sacrifice, instead of death, Dawsyn finds herself on a quest to save her people from their icy prison...
In a place known as The Ledge, a civilization is trapped by a vast chasm and sheer mountain face. There is no way for anyone to escape the frozen wasteland without befalling a deathly drop. They know nothing of the outside world except that it is where The Glacians reside mystical winged creatures who bring them meagre rations to survive, in exchange for a periodic human sacrifice.
Dawsyn, axe wielder and only remaining member of her family, has so far avoided the annual culling, but her luck has run out. She is chosen and ripped from her icy home, the only world she knows. No one knows what will happen to her on the other side, least of all Dawsyn. Murdered? Enslaved? Worse?
TThankfully, the fates align and Dawsyn manages to escape their clutches with the help of a half-Glacian called Ryon. But trust does not come easily, and she keeps a trained axe to his throat while they journey together down the slopes. But who’s to say that the life below will be any better than the one she has run from?
Read in one sitting really enjoyable read totally recommend
Thank You NetGalley and Angry Robot
I just reviewed Ledge by Stacey McEwan. #Ledge #NetGalley

This book was so bad. I DNFd it around 20%. The writing was clunky and the racist undertones of the dynamic between the MC & LI was just awful. There was nothing new or original here, the writing lacked any personality, all in all, a thoroughly disappointing and problematic read.