3.5 stars
A magical tale full of fantasy and mystery. Vivid and beautiful descriptions of the fae land built the story for me completely.
Moira-Jean was an interesting character- strong minded and independent, I loved how she cleverly interacted with the fae.

I enjoyed this book. It was somewhat different and that was refreshing. I thought the characters were well drawn and everything about the story was interesting. I also found it a little uncomfortable at times, which means that I was drawn into the emotion of the book. I would highly recommend.

Really enjoyed this one! Excellent characters and loved the narrative. I didn’t realise it was YA when I requested the e-ARC but I think I might have found my new favourite genre! Will be recommending!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free ARC in exchange for a review!

I really enjoyed this atmospheric tale of the Fair Folk in turn of the century Scotland. It almost has a Labyrinth feel with the Dreamer and his romantic yet adversarial relationship with Moira Jean.

I loved how the story could be viewed as a metaphor for Moira Jean’s grief and depression and feelings of seduction to a place that is not the painful reality of Earth. However, she finds her strength and begins to find her place in the world. It’s a very hopeful story with strong groundings in the world we all must live in.

I also really want to eat oatcakes now. They’re mentioned a lot and they sound pretty good.

Moira Jean’s fellow characters are well-written, interesting, and great examples of diverse women. From her force of a mother to Mrs. Iverach to even <spoiler> the false Fiona </spoiler>, they are different kinds of strong and all searching for the next right thing. I really love her mom.

Moira Jean’s bi panic is also amazing and relatable and I just really love her!

Although the beginning was a little tedious, I really really enjoyed this story and highly recommend it for anyone looking for a fresh, exciting, profound take on the Fair Folk and grief in young people.

4.5 stars, rounded up to 5 for Goodreads!

Thanks to Net Galley and Harper Collins UK for this copy.
Moira Jean went into the woods with her friends and only she would return. Now she’s trying to bring them back even if it means dealing with a monster.

I liked the eeriness and the vibes of this book. It is quite different from the other fair folk stories I’ve read before but at the same time I couldn’t really immerse in the story and didn’t connect with the writing.
I liked the main character though and overall I enjoyed the story

I'm afraid this one wasn't for me.

I wanted to love this having enjoyed The Shadow in the Glass, but the pacing felt slow & I didn't feel connected with the characters. I wasn't a fan of the long sections without chapter breaks as it felt like there wasn't an easy pausing point.

Unfortunately I DNF'd this for the time being. I think this is a book that some people will adore, those who love the wondering story style & exploration beyond the story.

I’m having a great year so far..:yet another fabulous book.

I became so invested in this story……a wonderful strong female cast, the fae….woods, kelpie, a fantastic village…all of it just swept me away.

An easy 5 star from me. I was so engrossed in this and the story and characters are just so well written.

My thanks to Netgalley as ever, and the publisher for sending this to me in exchange for an honest review.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

well i have to say this book drew me in...

a group of youngsters go into the woods to party and only one person comes out....but the strangest thing about this is...the parents arent a bit concerned as far as they are aware they have gone off to seek their fortunes elsewhere

as moira jean tries to piece together the events of the night before only one other person believes her but its not enough...and so begins the battle to rescue her friends from the nightmare they are in....

a fascinating read about the fae and how they hoodwink their prey...

This is a story that is set against a back drop of what it is to try and recover after war and illness have ravaged a community, and what it is to be young and to want more from the world. Moira Jean and her friends know hardship, their very livelihood dependent on them in the big house, some are scarred after returning from the front and some did not return at all. When a night of dancing in an old place, beloved by the fae, takes a dark turn, Moira Jean is forced to reckon with what she is willing to give up in order to reclaim the ones she loves.

There were elements of this that I really enjoyed, the folk knowledge around the fae, the depictions of what it really means to be away with the fairies. This is not a "fae are sexy" story; its more akin to the older tales where the fae are dark and not to be trusted. The depictions of "The dreamer" and his land under the hill are deftly done but at times I found the story clunky, spiraling away from the main plot into tangents.

Overall for me, this is three out of five stars. I had expected to enjoy it more but found it meandering at times. Some of the plot felt forced, particularly towards the end of the book. It was an okay read but I can't say that I would be in a hurry to read it again. I've no doubt that when it finds its intended audience it will be much beloved, but I, alas , am just not it.

Sometimes you all of a sudden come across books screaming your name. I found this book via Twitter, placed a pre-order on Amazon and then I got an invitation from the publisher to get an arc. It had to be a sign. It had to be a sign that this was a me book, that I was gonna love it. However, when I got the book the release day was still a couple of months away so I made myself wait and two days ago it was finally time to dive into this arc.

For quite some time now we're mostly reading about the fair folk in romance novels. This book is in a way a romance and in a way it's not. But the fair folk in this book are at least a lot more like the fair folk you read about in myths and hear about in local legends. They're not human. They don't know much about human emotions. They don't really know what love is and how to express feelings and how to help people deal with their feelings. It doesn't mean they don't try.

Throughout the book we feel how our heroine is growing more and more helpless. How she's fighting for her friends, against the prejudice of the people in her village because she's acting strange, against the games the Dreamer is playing, against the deals he's trying to make with her. It's clear that things are not getting any easier for our heroine. On the contrary. The closer we get to the end of the story, the more pressing the situation becomes.

My favorite part of this book though is how our heroine is dealing with grief and pain and memories. I don't want to give too much away, because this is the kind of book you want to experience without knowing too much, without expecting too much, but throughout the novel we feel her love for the one friend who didn't return from the war. We relive her memories of him, their shared moments and we understand that some loves are worth hurting for.

It's not a light hearted YA novel, but it's an emotional journey with a touching, gripping and action packed finale. I'm glad I have this book pre-ordered and can't wait for my copy to arrive.

This is a YA novel steeped in a moody atmosphere and with a headstrong heroine, so I was all set for a feminist dark fantasy. Many traditional fairies from Scottish folklore make an appearance. These mythical creatures are usually sinister or mischievous rather than romantic which added to the sense of menace.     

The writing was vivid and the blunt struggles of daily life in a village during the post world war era, set against the poetic descriptions of the fair folk really intensified the portrayal of the Land Under the Hill.

The story was rich in detail but at times repetitive and, the descriptive imagery did take the focus away from the narrative.  It started off really strong but then I had issues with the pace and towards the end, I felt the momentum was a bit lost amongst long descriptions of the fair folk.

I really enjoyed The Shadow in the Glass so The Thorns Remain was highly anticipated. The vivid otherworldly creatures really sets the dark atmosphere in her books but for The Thorns Remain, I thought it affected the pacing too much to really draw me in. Still, it was a beautiful coming of age story and if you like flowery language and detail, you’ll love this.

Set in 1919 in a remote Scottish village, The Thorns Remain is a well written and charming fairytale with a wonderful mix of Scottish history, folklore and mythological creatures. There is some beautiful imagery, with dark, creepy forest magic and a busy rural village setting. The pacing is quite slow which I struggled with from time to time, however I enjoyed the world building and descriptions of the Scottish village. It’s the post World War One era when times are hard, compounded by the fact the community is currently being ravaged by an influenza epidemic. Grim and dark in parts this is not a particularly happy tale but it’s certainly atmospheric. The time period has been well researched and it’s immediately apparent this is set in Scotland by the writing alone.

Although there are a lot of characters featured in the story, it is Moira Jean and the fae lord ‘The Dreamer’ who feature prominently, with an unusual connection which is completely different to customary ‘romantasy’ book relationship.

Admittedly, this is not one of my top reads so far this year but nevertheless it’s an enjoyable and interesting story with some beautiful descriptions and Scottish folklore which I found fascinating.

Thank you so much to the publisher for my eARC via Netgalley to review.

In the Scottish highlands, Moira Jean and her friends prepare to leave the little village of their childhood behind and go their separate ways. Before that happens, they head to the forest for a last night of laughing and singing. While they dance, mysterious figures appear between them. The next day, Moira Jean realises that her friends are gone, kidnapped by the Fae and forgotten by their families. She is the only one who can bring them back...

The Thorns Remain is a decent fantasy novel, but unfortunately, it did not grab my attention. I found it mediocre, and the constant usage of the main character’s double name was irritating. The only interesting and original feature was the portrayal of the Fae as dangerous and repulsive.

Moira Jean must make a deal with the Lord of the Fae in order to save her friends, who were taken during a night of revelry in the forest. This book is darkly atmospheric and steeped in fascinating mythology, but unfortunately the plot was a bit too slow for my liking. Things didn't get good until right at the end!

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

I loved this. The story was really engaging, and the atmosphere that is created is otherworldly. This is a fabulous entry into the realm of the fae. I'm really looking forward to what comes next!

I really enjoyed Harwood's debut, The Shadow in the Glass and was really excited to get my hands on this book. The Thorns Remain tells the story of Moira Jean, facing the changing world of post world war 1 and the flu pandemic in her tiny Scottish village. Her friends have been taken by The Dreamer, Lord of the Fair Folk and she needs to make bargains with him to rescue them.
The first half of this book dragged. The plot was pretty repetitive and if it wasn't for the dark, gritty world of the Fae then I'm not sure I would have finished this one. I usually enjoy historical fiction, but there was too much focus on the mundane everyday tasks. The second half was what I wanted from this book, a mix of macabre and strange.
Moira Jean is a great MC; feisty, loyal and strong willed, she's determined to win back her friends from the Fae Lord, no matter how it affects her. I enjoyed how Harwood portrayed the Fae, taking her influence from Scottish mythology. I prefer the dark, twisted Fae to the pretty boy ideal I seem to read so much of.
The prose is whimsical and beautifully written, though at times I felt the rich descriptions took away from the narrative. Overall, I enjoyed the second half of the book a lot more and would give this book 3'5 stars.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing an arc in return for an honest review.

Thoroughly enjoyed this clever mix of well researched Historical Fiction, Fae mythology and Fantasy.
Thanks to NetGalley for access to the e-arc.
Moira Jean is a great heroine: hard working, clever and adventurous. She is the only remaining daughter of the village nurse during the 1919 'flu pandemic in a small Scottish village outside of Aberdeen. When an evening of drinking and dancing goes wrong and Moira Jean wakes up and all her friends are missing, she becomes tasked with pursuing their release from the Lord of the Fae who has designs on her. Superstition takes over the village and Moira Jean is seen as mad; her search to release her friends becomes exceedingly difficult.
A wonderfully written adventure story that seamlessly links the faeirie world with the post-war world, The Thorns Remain is a great novel for slightly older teens who are already interested in the world of mythology or who would like an introduction to some beautifully drawn fae mythology.

Thanks to Harper Voyager and Netgalley for the ARC.

The Thorns Remain scratches that dark, creepy forest magic and fae itch that I didn't realize needed scratching!! JJA Harwood has a way of setting a time and place for you to get comfortable in and then she starts weaving in magic that soon becomes sinister and dark. Thorns is a slow dance with a powerful fae lord who you know you shouldn't trust but you really kind of want to see beyond the beautiful facade. The setting in rural Scotland, post WW1 and in the midst of the Spanish flu epidemic is wonderfully laid out as the tenants are always in fear of being evicted. The characters are well rounded and it's easy to care about what happens to them. The story is populated with a myriad of fae creatures, some benevolent, many not and I certainly felt pulled along by the events. Thorns is a thoroughly enjoyable fae tale with just the right sense of danger and longing combined.

Rating: 3.5 Stars
Genre: Fae Fantasy
Pages: 416 Hardcover

"A dance with the fae will change everything"

A huge thank you to J.J.A. Harwood, HarperCollins UK and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

'The Thorns Remain' is a hard book for me to review as reading the premise I really wanted to sink my teeth into this story and love it. Although I liked this book, it isn't one of my top reads. The pacing of this novel felt a bit confused while it starts of rather slow and may take some time to get into it, once it gets going i found scenes that probably needed more depth and detail were sped through. Background characters needed fleshing out with history and emotion (her friends in particular were hard to care about when you couldn't connect to them). And the plot tended to jump around between saving her friends, the relationship she has with her mother and sometimes Scottish Folklore is thrown into the mix also. (Not that I'm complaining about the Scottish Folklore as it was one of my preferred parts of the story).

But despite those points I absolutely adored the way the Fae are portrayed in this novel. Ancient and God-like they are neither good nor bad but should defiantly be feared! The magic system is interesting and the way the novel is written flows easily for a cozy read of all abilities.

Dangerous, otherworldly beings - Check!
Lyrical and whimsical world building - Check!
Unique and beautiful but powerful magic - Check!
Stubborn and fisty female lead with a point to prove - Check! Check! Check!

Although a pretty average read overall, an author I would pick up again and a nice slow book that you can take your time reading.

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"919. In a highland village forgotten by the world, harvest season is over and the young who remain after war and flu have ravaged the village will soon head south to make something of themselves.

Moira Jean and her friends head to the forest for a last night of laughter before parting ways. Moira Jean is being left behind. She had plans to leave once – but her lover died in France and with him, her future. The friends light a fire, sing and dance. But with every twirl about the flames, strange new dancers thread between them, music streaming from the trees.

The fae are here.

Suddenly Moira Jean finds herself all alone, her friends spirited away. The iron medal of her lost love, pinned to her dress, protected her from magic.

For the Fae feel forgotten too. Lead by the darkly handsome Lord of the Fae, they are out to make themselves known once more. Moira Jean must enter into a bargain with the Lord to save her friends – and fast, for the longer one spends with the Fae, the less like themselves they are upon return. If Moira Jean cannot save her friends before Beltine, they will be lost forever…"

**Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for a fair and honest review**

I loved this book.

The imagery was beautiful and I found myself rooting for Moira Jean and she desperately tried to save her friends from the Fae.

She was a fascinating central character and I always like a smart female lead who has to rely on her wit and intelligence to get herself out of trouble.