This was not like the normal Fae/ human books that I’ve read in the past and I loved it.
It had all the features of fae from Celtic mythology that I’ve loved.
This was a book that I thought I had figured out but the twists definitely came through a few times

You really can't beat a book with a bit of Scottish folklore (maybe as a Scot I am bias). This wasn't your standard creepy fae kidnaps humans.

Harwood has an innate ability to capture your imagination. Her books are darkly luscious and thrilling and leave you salivating for more. The fairytale like world created in The Thorns Remain harkens back to childhood stories. Perfect for fans of Joanne Harris and Neil Gaiman.

Moira Jean and her village have been though a lot, between War and Sickness and the young people in the village want to have one last night of fun before they head off on their new lives. Moria Jean is grieving a personal loss and will also be seeing most of her friends go off without her so wants to have this night

However, a party in the Highland Forest attracts the attention of the Fae and Moria Jean finds she is the only one of of friends who isn't spirited away by the Fae dance

Moira Jean realises she has the eye of the Lord of the Fae and will need to bargain with him for the return of her friends. But what will she need to do to get them back, and what will they be like if they do return... Moria Jean will find out how much she is willing to give for her friends, and also how strong she is with what needs to be done...can she stand against the Lord and other Fae to make things right....

I really liked the Scottish setting of this and always like a Fae story when they lean into the darker nature. The Lord at times reminded me of Jareth from Labyrinth and I love that vibe so much! Really enjoyable and darkly beautiful tale

Unfortunately I read this over a year ago, but I know I enjoyed it!! I've popped it on my list to reread, because I remember the vibes and it is something I find myself craving!
Thank you so much for the review copy!

The Thorns Remain by J.J.A. Harwood is a captivating tale that will enchant readers who crave a rich, atmospheric blend of fae lore, Scottish history, and romance, particularly those who appreciate stories of love, loss, and self-discovery set against the mystical backdrop of the Highlands.

A magical story for anyone who loves fae and magical retellings. Loved the aspects of Scottish folklore and the whimsical nature of the story.

I really regret not reading this book sooner! I’m a bit of a mood reader and just didn’t feel like picking this one up for a while. However it ticks all the boxes in terms of the setting and the characters!
I did feel that the ending seemed rushed compared to the pacing of the rest of the book- I guess it is must felt like there was a lot suddenly going on? But the different types of fae were so interesting and I really enjoyed reading about them.
Overall I would give this 4 stars and would recommend!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance copy of this book.

The Thorns Remain is a story about fae, something I love to read about. I wasn't fully gripped at the start, with a somewhat predictable 'horrible fae kidnaps a wonderful human' but this book redeemed itself soon after that, and I couldn't put it down at all. Great romantasy novel!

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins for this digital arc in exchange for a fair review.

The Thorns Remain is a whimsical tale of fae, set against the backdrop of a Scottish village in 1919. Different from a lot of fae stories currently out there, this story delves into the dangers of bargaining with the fae with both fantastical and chilling imagery. This book is perfect for fans of “The Cruel Prince” looking for a deeper exploration of folklore.

We follow a young woman called Moira Jean as she embarks on a quest as she seeks to rescue her friends from the clutches of the local fae as they are pulled into “the dance”. The narrative in this book is very successful in creating an adult fairy-tale story. However, for me there were some shortcomings in character development for Moira Jean and her friends and so lessened my emotional investment in these characters. I also think that despite the hinting at LGBTQ themes, it is difficult to label this book as LGBTQ which I would have loved to have seen.

The pacing, which starts off quite slow, accelerates in the final quarter of the book leading to a rushed conclusion with little explanation. I felt this was quite a shame as this was my favourite part of the book because of how beautiful and mind-bending the imagery was. It is very evident that Harwood put a lot of research into the topic of folklore and it shows in the worldbuilding throughout.

Despite the flaws, this book was intriguing and I would love to pick up more fae books from J.J.A Harwood. I would love to see them fully dive into a Sapphic fae book as due to the small hints in this book, I think they could really find success in that.

This was unfortunately a little bit of a disappointing read, it felt a bit slow to me but it had some great world building and magic

Being Scottish, I am always slightly wary of tales set in Scotland. Especially those that involve mythical creatures. I found this book to be a little light on the mythology, it was a bit too slow paced and I found it hard to relate to the protagonist. I’m sure others would love it, it just isn’t the one for me.

Moira Jean's life takes an unexpected turn when her friends are abducted by the wild Fae during a forest celebration. The book navigates the delicate balance between romantic and dangerous Fae portrayals. The story delves into Moira Jean's struggle for self-definition outside co-dependent relationships and unhealthy dynamics with the Fae Lord. While the romantic resolution is well-handled, the book leaves unanswered questions about the Fae world's rules. The pacing, especially in the rushed ending, and Moira Jean's fluctuating likability contribute to a mixed reading experience. Despite promising ideas, the narrative feels disjointed, making it a recommendable but imperfect choice for fans of darker Fae stories.

This was such a refreshing story, properly dark and haunting and intriguing! With both deep character and deep plot, it was such a rich story. The narrator also did an amazing job with this, the pronunciation and accent bringing the story to life.
I also learned about a thing called a box bed which was FASCINATING but also incredibly freaky and disturbing, you'd never get me sleeping in one!
This story did not romanticize the fae - it kept them true to their wily unsettling ways. The depictions of all of the folkloric creatures felt so real, I will definitely be picking up Harwood's other works

I loved this more than I expected! It was an intriguing and cleverly plotted with characters full of life and interesting settings. This is my first book by this author but it won’t be my last. Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for a chance to read and review this book.

This is entirely my fault but I never got around to reading this one before it archived and it now wont load on my kindle for some reason.

I really do want to read this one so have purchased the ebook and will update when I've read it!

Sorry!!

This is the second jja harwood book I've read and I'm not sure she's the writer for me. I'm sure for other people this book would be perfect.

I was not able to download this arc before it was archived but the blurb and content is interesting so I will give this a try to read it outside of netgalley when I get the chance

Was fighting for my life to get through this book. Glad I powered through as the ending was satisfying.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC copy of this book, in exchange for this honest review.

In a small Scottish village, Moira Jean and her friends accidentally catch the attention of the Fae Court. When her friends are taken, it's up to Moira Jean to rescue them.

I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Set in a tiny Scottish village that has lost so many to the recent World War and the subsequent Spanish Flu, the remaining villagers are doing the best they can.
As one of the few young people that haven't been killed or moved to one of the cities for work, Moira Jean's days are full of hard work. The neighbours all help each other, and they all rely on Moira Jean and her friends to provide physical labour, just so they have food to eat, and peat to warm the hearths.
After a hard day working in the fields, they escape for the evening, to kick back and relax in the woods.
What they don't know is the spot they've chosen to dance is the gateway to the Land of Fae, and they've managed to attract the attention/ire of a Fae Lord.
The next morning, Moira Jean is the only one who makes it home, and no one else in her village can even remember her friends being there.
The Fae Lord agrees that he will release Moira Jean's friends, if she completes several tasks for him before Beltaine.

This story had lots of promising elements, but failed in the execution.
I think my two main issues were: I found it boring; and I didn't like the main character.

Moira Jean's friends have been stolen away to the Land of Fae - eternal sunshine, and dancing and parties and Fae dangers. We assume - we see next to nothing of the other realm.
Instead we follow Moira Jean as she doggedly completes all of her chores (and her friends' as they aren't there to do them). She gripes and moans, but no one really cares or takes notice of her mood.
We follow her as she does the chickens. And the cows. And the cooking. And the laundry. And the soap-making. And the peat-digging.
That makes up most of the story, a young girl doing her daily chores. On repeat. With the same complaints. Day in, day out.

Moira Jean is not an interesting, or likeable character to follow, so I found it very hard to be connected to her "plight".
I thought she was selfish - she'd give a cursory "worried-about-friends-but-can't-do-anything" thought, then spent most of her time worrying about herself.
When it came to rescuing her friends and dealing with the Fae - I found it completely ridiculous from the beginning!
Despite being warned that Fae are dangerous and easily-offended, Moira Jean is a complete cow towards the Fae Lord. She insults him, tries to cheat him on a bargain. She's lucky he found it "enchanting", because I thought she was just being a brat.

Speaking of the bargains - I just found the whole thing confusing.
She has to complete tasks the Fae Lord to get her friends back, but it never seems clear what she's supposed to do, or why.
It starts with having to do with providing the correct tribute by Beltaine, but that's sorta fuzzy and seems to get forgotten after Moira Jean attempts to complete the first task.
The Fae Lord's instructions are vague/non-existent, but Moira Jean keeps having epiphanies about tasks and where her friends are that are...just cringey.

It's such a shame, because I really liked this author's first book - The Shadow in the Glass; but this book wasn't for me.