Absolutely loved this brilliant read, the magic system has a certain whimsy and the writing style is beautiful. I particularly enjoyed the way the Fae were presented. The pacing was perfect for me. Recommended!

I am giving this book four stars for the quality of the writing. I found it difficult to get involved with the story - a mysterious tale from rural Scotland immediately after the first World War with the involvement of the "fae folk" - and the Spanish flu pandemic. I was difficult at times to separate actuality from might be figments of imagination. but am glad I persevered to the end.

Creepy and compelling!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read this book in exchange for my review.

I was looking forward to reading this, it seemed so full of promise. However it wasn't very well written and I couldn't get in to it. Don't recommend

Thank you to HarperCollins and Netgalley for giving me and ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The first couple of pages this book I honestly thought I would end up giving up and not reading it. I'm not sure what it was but something in me was just saying "you won't like this" but I am so glad I kept going!

It turned out to be one of my favourites this year and one of a few of my 5 star reads.

The lives of the villages in this small town were so normal, so mundane and the story unfolded in such an unexpected way!

If you like old Scottish folklore and fairytales mixed with fantasy with strong female main characters then I definitely recommend!

Although there are hints of romance it not a big theme of the book so it may not be for you if this is what you are looking for.

Over all it was a great read and really caught my attention causing me to read it in 2 sittings.

It reminded me of people from a TV show on the Recognisible Proof Disclosure Channel. I ended up having to commit him to a mental ward. I know you're going to wreak havoc on a bevy of individuals with this test, but you probably don't like this book.I feel terrible because Jennifer Hartman could be one tap for me. Still Beating and Lotus still haunt me in extraordinary ways. I'm glad others are enjoying it, but I'm going to do my best to ignore The Thistles Remain.But when I really started to get the story going, I was close to 25% recently. fought until then. And I mostly didn't like the thought-provoking epilogue.

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

Things I enjoyed about this book:

- the depictions of the Fae as dangerous, neither good nor evil and extremely otherworldly
- the descriptive language was very beautifully done at times
- the way magic was described was interesting and whimsical

Things I didn't enjoy:

- at times it was hard to know how old the characters were meant to be - especially the main character - as the prose and dialogue seemed strangely childish at times
- the pacing felt a little off at times, with parts seeming too slow when they should have been faster, and others speeding ahead when we needed to spend more time there

I think this book is good, but maybe just not for me.

This idea of this book was an interesting one and the premise drew me in, but it’s one that I didn’t really get to grips with until the last few chapters.. Although I was tempted to not finish it, I had enough interest to find out how it ended. I didn’t connect with Moira Jean or any of the other characters, and although it was very descriptive, this was not the book for me. As with all reviews they are subjective, so if you are drawn to the description give it a go.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

As usual in my reviews, I will not rehash the plot - plenty of reviews like that out there already.

I thought I was going to enjoy this book a lot more than I actually did. The description sounded "right up my street", but I found the book quite hard going and almost abandoned it part way through. That's not to say the writing is difficult to understand - far from it - but I did not feel engaged by the lead character at all. The villagers were largely unpleasant, so it was difficult to find any degree of sympathy for them. The main Fae character was also unappealing - suitably sinister though!

I also found the ending rather odd as I couldn't understand how The Lord of the Fae managed to get away from his usual location (maybe I missed something?!)

This book will appeal to fans of dark fairy tales.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC. All opinions my own.

This book is about a girl who decides to make a life-changing decision of dancing with the Fae.

From the initial description of the book I was very interested into how the story with Moira Jean (our main character) would pan out. I have a wide interest in mythology, folklore, etc. from a variety of backgrounds and knowing that Scottish/United Kingdom folklore would play a predominant role in this story really appealed to me. That being said it only felt as though they were brushed upon rather than fully developed which is understandable when there's a story to tell.

I found the characters all very plain. I was not entirely interested in them, as such, and they didn't really have a personality other than a basic archetype. Moira Jean is simply a fiery, stubborn character who had her whole life ahead of her but it was - tragically - cut short. Her interactions with others was jarring and not as well-developed as I would have liked it to have been. The rest of the characters were pretty forgettable despite the fact that some of them were the main plot point of the story.

The world descriptions were whimsical and interesting and brought magic to a seemingly boring and very small village and this was something I enjoyed. I felt as though I could be immersed into the world of the book and could picture everything that was happening so this was definitely a positive throughout the reading experience.

Other than that, the book was very average. The ending wasn't what I was expecting and felt as though it should have taken a different route compared to the one it actually has. The other characters were summed up in little more than a sentence despite being the whole reason the main character was in the predicament she was in and I just felt as though it could have gone in a different direction. Despite this, however, it was a somewhat enjoyable read and the folklore/mythology aspect was especially enjoyable for me.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for allowing me to review this eARC.

The war took a harsh toll on the village of Brudonnock and the flu took an even harsher one. Moira Jean carries the pain of loss with her every day. When she lost the love of her life she also lost her future; now she feels stuck in Brudonnock, in an endless cycle of work and sleep. One night of drinking and dancing and forgetting was supposed to take the edge of her pain, but they danced in the wrong place and far more is taken from her than she bargained for. Her friends are trapped in the Land Under the Hill and she only has until Beltane to free them. If only she knew when Beltane was…

The setting for this book is perfect. It is modern enough for the superstitions of the fae to be forgotten, but not so modern that their appearance is jarring or out of place. The elderly still remember the tales and the fae have not yet become accustomed to being forgotten. Moira Jean is perfectly placed to sit right in the middle of this contradiction: afraid of the fae, but not afraid enough to stay silent. This balance is met by the Dreamer on the other side as he tries to learn more about the modern world without losing his place in the old one.

From Moira Jean’s perspective there is an unmoveable line between good and evil. In contrast the Dreamer does not seem to have a concept of good and evil at all. This contrast creates a dynamic power struggle as the Dreamer attempts to blur the line. The village ends up stuck in the middle of this power struggle unawares. It is their reactions to what is going on around them, or at least what they perceive to be going on around them, that add true depth to this story.

The Thorns Remain is set in a small rural Scottish village in 1919, after the war and Spanish flu has ravaged the surrounding highlands.

Our young fiery female protagonist, Moira Jean, and her friends head to the woods for one last night before parting ways for a night of dancing, whiskey and revelry. Little do they know the Fae are watching...

This cleverly woven story is full of magical creatures, treacherous bargains and lush imagery that had me hooked from the first chapter.

The bleak, yet ethereal, highlands were the perfect backdrop for this twisted fairytale and I Ioved how we met an array of mythical creatures with separate desires and motivations that lurked with the rolling mist.

I adored how wild and brazen our bonnie FMC was. She was determined and not as easily manipulated as some of the female characters I've read recently. She was resilient no matter how frustrating and dire her situation became.

My only criticism is that I felt the pacing was a little off. The finale, although incredibly satisfying and exciting, felt rushed compared to the middle portion of the book. Regardless, I thoroughly enjoyed this enchanting, dark tale.

I really enjoyed this book, it was well written with a fascinating and atmospheric setting. an engaging and compelling storyline and well developed characters. There are a lot of characters in this book so that took some getting used to but I really enjoyed it. I read it quickly because I had to know what happened.

Set at the end of the first world war when the Spanish flu is ravaging the country, this story is set in Scotland, in a small village almost forgotten by everyone. Also almost forgotten are the Fae and the Lord of the Fae sets about changing this when Moira Jean and her friends go into the woods one night with some illegal whiskey to celebrate the end of the harvest. Moira Jean is wearing a medal, the victory medal her sweetheart, Angus, received for his military service. The medal must contain some iron because it appears to protect her - she is the only one that can see the friends have been joined by strange shapes and bodies and are being encouraged into dancing more furiously. Come the morning Moira Jean wakes to find all her friends have disappeared to the land under the hill and none of the adults have noticed anything strange. It is up to her to find them and she enters negotiations with the Lord of the Fae to get them returned.
I loved the setting for this story. The remote Scottish village with small cottages with cupboard beds and thatched roofs and the semi abandoned big house with one lone housekeeper were well described and really made the story come alive. Moira Jean is a feisty heroine - strong and determined to do the best for her friends without regard for her own safety. The villagers do not come across so well - they seem to be an unpleasant bunch, gossipy and jealous of each other, despite having to work together for their own survival. The Lord of the Fae is glorious, twisty and turning, both physical and in spirit.
I had a clear weekend to read this book and read it almost straight through in one go, but I would say it is quite long and a bit repetitive in places but the plot and the characters kept me going and I enjoyed it. I'm not sure it is a novel that will appeal to all as it is fantasy and quite whimsical fantasy at that, dragging in as it does all types of fae including brownies and kelpies.
Many thanks to Harpercollins.co.uk and Netgalley for a chance to read in return for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
My opinions are all my own and not influenced by others.

The second I read the description of this book I knew I'd either hate it or love it, and I ended absolutely loving it! I devoured this book in just a few days and enjoyed reading about Moira Jean's story.

It was a little hard to get into because of all the characters that are introduced all at once, but once I got into the flow of things it was unputdownable.
Definitely reminded me of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue in some ways, and the whole foresty, small village and fae vibe was interesting to say the least.

I did not see that ending coming and I really loved the way it all concluded.

One of the best books I've read so far this year!

This is an excellent story of the Fae, told in the classic tradition of fairy folklore but with a 20th century twist. It has all the light and dark aspects you’d expect from any good story about the folk who live under the hill and you wonder how Moira Jean will ever compete with The Dreamer and win back that which she has lost to him - her friends.
A totally captivating story.

The book doesn’t work for me. I gave up at 13%. I dislike the name of the lead character and the story isn’t catching me. The description sounded so nice. But the writing style and the way the story goes is not my cup of tea.

Thank you NetGalley for providing my with a copy of this book to review, all opinions are my own.

Unfortunately I did not finish this book, I DNF’d at 20%, I found the writing style very childish and therefore struggled to stick to the narrative.

I think this would be a good read for many, but for me it just did it work.

Thank you HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. My review is my own and not influenced by others.

I got the opportunity to read this e-arc provided by HarperCollins UK and I’m honored they contacted me to read and review this book.
However, this book didn’t work for me even though the description sounds really good. I’ve decided to DNF the book at 42% because the writing style kept pulling me out of the story and I felt cringy everytime I decided to continue reading.

It can be a 'not working for me ' but 'working for others' kind of book so I would suggest to give it a try if you like the description. For me it was better to DNF it and pick another book to read.

This book was a bit difficult for me to get through, but it was rewarded in the end. I thought that the plot of this story was very intriguing and it was well met with Harwood's beautiful prose.

Moira Jean was a lovable character and she showed strength and resolve with her journey to free her friends and meet the Dreamer's demands.

This book is perfect for readers of the Y.A. genre who loved books like The Cruel Prince. It has the same fairy allure that Black wrote.

However, there were some formatting difficulties that were a little hard to look past, some dialogue being mixed up with shorter lines in the Kindle version, but that can be easily fixed.