A dark fairytale with a fantastic atmosphere and little bit of fun thrown in, this was a really solid fantasy read that I would pick up again!

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

I was pretty impressed with this book. It was quick to grab my attention and kept it throughout.
A very dark fairy tale style story, with hints of beauty and the beast but not to the point I would call this a retelling, because it becomes it's own, very deep, dark story quite quickly.
I loved the characters, they didn't feel too 'tropey' for a YA or fairytale story. the main characters were both very strong and independent without being obnoxious. There are a few side characters who bring a bit extra fun and interest to the story too.
There's not too much I can say without spoilers, but I can really recommend this story, I think it's a bit of a breath of fresh air in a genre that's become a little stale.

AB Poranek has done exceptionally well at bridging the YA and fantasy romance gap. The story of Liska is folkloric, enchanting and beautifully immersive.

To start, I always love a coming of age story with found family woven in. It's just a little bit of perfection!

I was totally in love with the story, the friends and family Liska made along the way and one major plot twist I didn't see coming! It was also a little gothic, dark and scary at time (jumps up and down in joy)! I previously hadn't read anything that was based on polish folklore and loved learning new words and finding myself in something that felt both familiar and new.

My only reason for not hitting a 5 star was due to the fact at times I felt the pacing as a little off, for something to delicious and rich in details in some chapters other moments felt a little rushed and secondly that the prose felt stunted at times so it could remain within the YA genre that being said, its still a very solid 4 star from me!

Thanks to Penguin Random House UK for this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

A beautifully written adventure into the forest that takes you on a tale of folklore and romance. Every step into the dense trees is a step the reader takes into loving this book more and more. The writing is beautiful and slightly hypnotising in the way that it just draws you in not wanting to let you go. What more can I say, than I cannot wait to see what this amazing author brings to us next.

Rating 3.5

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In my opinion, this book gave Howl's Moving Castle and Uprooted vibes. Which I really liked!

The dark, whimsical atmosphere was brought to life so well. I enjoyed exploring the Driada through Liska's point of view with all its magical ambience and mystery, making you want to dive in deeper.
I liked Liska and found that her character development grew so well.

The magic system as a whole was such an interesting element and impressionable part of the book that was fun to delve into. I wish that I saw more magic in the book and more spells.

There were elements to this book that had me engrossed so fiercely. But there were parts that I found that didn't enrapture me as much as I'd hoped. Such as the Leszy. I just couldn't find myself connecting with rhis character at all. The only emotion I felt towards this character was empathy for Liska's feelings towards the character. So I found that I wasn't really rooting for their relationship as much as I'd hoped. And when sparks of connection did start to show, for me personally, I felt that it was a bit too late. But when, the romance was starting to bloom towards the end, there were stolen moments that had me softening and start to embrace it.

I also felt quite attached to Maksio's character and wished to see more of him.

Overall, I really enjoyed the theming and magic system the most, but I wish that I could have connected with certain relationships in this book a bit more. Still, it's quite an enjoyable read!

Obsessed through and through! If you are looking for a deliciously dark, gothic forestcore fantasy, that keeps surprising you and enchants you — look no more and make sure to pick up Where the Dark Stands Still!

A gorgeously written twisty debut that is immersed in Polish folk customs and tales. I am partly Polish (I used to hear a lot of legends and folktales) and the representation was such a warm surprise for me, absolutely loved how the author incorporated the culture into the fantasy setting. It stays true to the fairytale like vibe, but adds elements of spooky, monstrous and grotesque gothic vibes as well.

Liska’s bravery, selflesness and determination kept the story going and I loved her character arc. The romance was delivered slowly and unexpectably, made me even more amazed.

A.B. Poranek is a writer to watch out for and I am so happy to be reading more from her!

Thank you so much for the publisher, the author and Netgalley for the earc! My opinion is my own.

I am absolutely in love with this book and couldn't put it down.

It is a beautiful Beauty and the Beast retelling bound up with Polish folktales that is full of magic and had me hooked from the first page. The growth of Liska as a character is fantastic and carries such an important message. I was rooting for her from the start and seeing her become stronger was perfection.

The slow-burn, grumpy-sunshine romance was really well done, even if it was obvious from the start that it would happen. There is no spice beyond some heavy petting before it fades to black, but I think that this only added to the very real romance of the story.

Everything about this book is stunning - from the atmospheric descriptions to the way the characters grow and change. The surprise ending made it even more poignant and beautiful (even if it dd have me sobbing). It is one of my favourite books of the last 12 months and I cannot recommend it enough to romantasy fans.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for this E-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Now this is how you write a debut novel. This is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful debut novels I have ever read.

I didn't know a lot about this book going into it, I had just heard many reviews filled with high praise, and this book was a delightful surprise. I hadn't even realised going into it that it was a Beauty and the Beast retelling, and I adore Beauty and the Beast retellings, so that only made me love this book even more!

I think what I've learnt is that this niche genre of fantasy - fairytale, whimsical, dark yet cosy, with sentient houses - is one of my favourite fantasy subgenres, and this book absolutely nailed those vibes. I was completely enchanted by how Poranek creates setting and character descriptions, and found her prose to be absolutely gorgeous.

This book simply oozes with magic, from the plot to the characters to the relationships, every word is dripping with beauty. I smiled, I laughed, I cried - and descended into full wracking sobs at that perfectly painful ending - and found myself devoured by Liska and the Leszy's world. The magic system, the folklore, was so rich and bursting with life. I was ensorcelled by the world and never wanted to leave.

Liska, I think, has become one of my favourite protagonists. From her kindness, her love, her subtle yet ever enduring strength and bravery, she was such an inspiring female MC. Her development across the book was delightful. And the Leszy, how I adored the Leszy. Again, his development was so so good and his and Liska's wonderful slow-burn romance was delightful and heartbreaking and yet so full of hope.

I adored this book with every fibre of my being and cannot wait for it to be released into the world for more people to fall in love with. A.B. Poranek is officially one of my auto-buy authors now.

I adored this book! I couldn’t put it down and I loved all of the main characters. It evoked emotion and I just wanted everyone to be happy at the end. It raised issues such as acceptance and discrimination. I honestly didn’t want it to end…I need a house spirit and a secret library!

𝗪𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗗𝗔𝗥𝗞 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗦 𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗟𝗟
—𝗮. 𝗯. 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗸 | 𝟰.𝟱🌟

“(𝘖𝘧 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯, 𝘩𝘦’𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 ‘𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘦’, 𝘰𝘳 ‘𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨’. 𝘕𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘓𝘪𝘴𝘬𝘢 𝘙𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘴𝘵. 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘏𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.)”

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲:
✨YA fantasy romance
✨Woven with slavic mythology
✨Bargain with a demon
✨Enchanted woods
✨Semi-sentient manor
✨Found family

𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀:
Pious village girl, Liska, hides her magic from her small village for so long that when it burst forth from her, uncontrolled, it has catastrophic consequences. Liska runs away to the spirit-woods to find the flower that will grant her a wish: to be rid of her magic forever. However, things take an unexpected turn when she meets the warden of the forest—simultaneously a stag, a human, and a demon—and agrees to a bargain: one year of servitude in exchange for a wish.

𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:
𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘚𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 struck me initially as being reminiscent of Arden’s 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘦 (a trilogy I absolutely adored) due to the weaving of 𝗦𝗹𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗰 𝗺𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 with an 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝘁𝗺𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 set amongst the danger of 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴, all told through a 𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗵𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗽𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗲. I think anybody who has read and enjoyed TBATN will love this book just as much!

Although this is much 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗱 and has 𝘀𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗼𝘂𝗿 than TBATN, it still makes for a 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗲 with a 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗳𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁 at its center. Liska comes equipped with 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀 and a level of 𝘃𝘂𝗹𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 that makes a reader root for her whether she’s trapped in the woods or not. My favourite part of the entire book is when Liska calls the warden of the forest a ‘𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧-𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘥𝘺’.

The 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗳𝗲𝗹𝘁 𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 between the pages of this story is both 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 and 𝘄𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗳𝘂𝗹, creating a 𝗯𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 that always leaves the reader craving more.

𝗞𝗮𝘆𝗹𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵 | 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗵 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗿𝘆

I absolutely adored this book.

Think Howl's Moving Castle meets Grimm Fairytales. You have Liska, a girl who believes she's cursed and runs away from home into the unknown to break the curse on herself. You have the Leszy, a demon who can shapeshift and is arrogant and rude towards the FMC in the first half and then begins to warm to her. Not only that, but you have a Witch of the Waste type of character who is obsessed with the MMC and believes him to be theirs. Maksio, to me, was like a mix between Markl and Heem.

The worldbuilding was fantastic, I adored the descriptions of the Driada and the many demons residing there. The Leszy's backstory was well-thought-out, and Liska was just wonderful. I truly hope that the ending of the book is going to lead to a sequel because I absolutely need more of these wonderful characters.

Was very unsure about this book at first, it started out a little slow, and unlike my usually books, however once it started picking up the pace it was beyond incredible. It keeps you guessing throughout, the characters are so well written you can’t help but what them to do great things and you feel with them every step of the way! Incredible book!

I was intrigued from the start with 'Where the dark stand still' synopsis steeped in polish folklore

Raised in a small village near the spirit-wood, Liska Radost knows that Magic is monstrous, and its practitioners, monsters. After Liska unleashes her own powers with devastating consequences, she is caught by the demon warden of the wood – the Leszy – who offers her a bargain: one year of servitude in exchange for a wish.

Whisked away to his crumbling manor, Liska soon discovers the sinister roots of their bargain. And if she wants to survive the year and return home, she must unravel her host’s spool of secrets and face the ghosts of his past.

Those who enter the wood do not always return…

I did enjoy this book overall, it definitely reads beauty and the beast mixed in with howls moving castle. The writing was atmospheric and dark the pictures added a lovely touch too. I struggled with the first couple of chapters and that is why I have marked it down by one star - I carried on as the characters were intriguing enough and well written and I enjoyed the lore as a whole.

I don't know if I would truly recommend this as a YA, I would say it leans more to adult than YA - we are reminded a few times that Leszy is 700 years old boy but how I read him he was an adult man especially when the romance builds, but this is my opinion and may actually read different to others,

Overall, good book with a slow building story throughout until the last where it was very fast paced and kept the reader hooked to see where it would end. A lovely duet book and will look forward to more from the author!

Thank you to Penguin UK, Net galley for the arc in exchange for an honest review

Where The Dark Stands Still was a gorgeously spun tale full of darkness and love in a folklorish, fantastical Gothic romance story.

Poranek created such an atmosphere in a very small space of time. Even the settings feel so alive - in particular I adored the descriptions of the Driada and the House under the Rowan Tree. I loved how Poranek infused the story with aspects of Polish folklore. Her prose was evocative and stunning. The book tingled with magic and imagination - creativity flying off the page and creating a wonderful world, but one full of death, destruction and a darkness that sends shivers down your spine. This was a magical fairy tale of a book and by that I mean containing the beauty and wonder, but also the darkness and horror touches of the Grimm tales. This is not a book that shies away from brutality. There are heavy themes around sacrifice and finding your place in a world that entirely rejects you.

Liska Radost was an excellent protagonist - smart, determined and gentle. She is caring and loving. Considered an outcast for her magic, she has to learn to love all aspects of herself, including her healing abilities. Her journey was incredible to read and showed so much development. I loved how much time Poranek invested in her characters - they really felt like they could breathe and grow at their own pace without sacrificing the dread and suspense of the story. Like Liska, the Leszy is an incredibly interesting and complicated character. There is a dynamic that grows between them, which I really enjoyed reading. It all built to a conclusion that felt perfectly pitched to hit the right note of biting and beautiful.

Where The Dark Stands Still completely cast its spell over me. It was breathtaking and bittersweet.

A great debut from A B Poranek! Gorgeous lyrical prose that really added to the lush world building. The creepy forest and sentient manor were amazingly done and created a beautiful gothic vibe. The characters were engaging, Liska and the Leszy the mc's felt just fleshed out enough but the side characters for their smaller parts sang that bit louder and clearer. Fantasy blended with Polish folklore this YA gritty fairytale was lovely and immersive for the most part. Following Liska who has forbidden magic as she braves the forest harbouring all sorts of demons to end up striking a year long bargain with the warden Leszy.
Plenty of twists and reveals and a slightly dubious romance follow.
I adored the world building and magic elements, the manor and its inhabitants being my favourite. However i felt the second half was a bit rushed and a lot left unsaid. I think this story would of benefitted being longer or even drawn out into a duology, i just wanted more info and the slower pace that really suited Poranek's prose. The romance element felt like a chunk was missing and I struggled to get fully on board with it but it didn't prevent me from falling for them both a little. I would of loved more of the day to day and definitely more insight to all the lore. Still very enjoyable and atmospheric and I'd recommend it! Really looking forward to what this author gives us next!
Thanks to Penguin UK and Netgalley for the arc for an honest review.

With an amazing plot, beautiful romance and loveable characters, Where The Dark Stands Still is one of my favourite reads of all time! This book follows Liska, a young girl from a quiet village, who must hide her magic in order to prevent her neighbours from discovering who she really is. She ventures into the magical forest in search of a wish-granting flower, instead she stumbles upon the Leszy, a 700 -year-old demon, with whom she makes a bargain: one year of her servitude for her wish.

Poranek has taken fantasy and intertwined Polish folklore to create a magical story. Reading this book was so fun, learning about the world, characters (Jaga the sassy house-demon being my favourite), researching the original folklore stories and getting lost in the enchanting Driada.

The world-building in this book is phenomenal, with vivid descriptions, I felt completely immersed in the story and could not put it down. With a heart warming, yet heart breaking story, I truly believe this is going to be one of the biggest books of the year.

I cannot think of a single criticism for Where The Dark Stands Still, I am completely obsessed!

A beautiful YA gothic fantasy romance, Where The Dark Stands Still is a must-read for 2024!

Where the Dark Stands Still is a beautifully written YA story of fantasy and folklore. It’s immediately gripping from the first page, and is layered with so many emotions it’s hard to pick out a dominant feeling when reading it. One page had me intrigued, eager to learn more about this mysterious wood and its warden, and by the next page I was either on tenterhooks or mopping up my own tears like a house spirit that’s lost its memories. I’ve never Kindle highlighted so many sentences in a book before, which should say all that needs to be said about A.B. Poranek’s writing!

This book has so many different strands to it that I’m finding it difficult to decide on a favourite. I loved the magic, the atmosphere, the myriad of creatures and demons, the elements of gentle romance, and the story steeped in fascinating Polish folklore. I also loved the characters, particularly Liska and the Leszy (oh, Leszy, I just want to give you a big hug), and one or two others that I won’t spoil the surprise of here.

I still can’t believe that Where the Dark Stands Still is a debut novel, or that I’ve been lucky enough to read a magical book like this so early in the year. There really is something for everyone within its pages, and I hope it finds an audience among fantasy fiction’s many fans. I for one will be recommending it to every reader I know!

I was so so excited to get my hands on this book, but sadly I think the pacing was just a little too slow for me.

I loved the mystery and intrigue around this story, in particular creepier elements I found a real breath of fresh air. I just sadly didn't find the chemistry between main characters very compelling.

The writing and plot were written wonderfully but the pace being so slow just felt really difficult for me to keep wanting to pick up.. Overall I'm glad I did, and I'd totally recommend this book to those who love a slow paced, beautifully written book. However, for those of us who like it a little quicker, this may be a difficult one to digest.

Super clever spin on a fairytale though!

This book just reinforced my theory that I have a thing for stories with sentient forests.

WHERE THE DARK STANDS STILL is nothing short of a stunning tale of sacrifice and love in the most unexpected of places. I think that the Howl's Moving Castle inspiration really came through in WTDSS the further I got into it, and although the pacing in the beginning was a lot faster than I'm used to, I really loved the way Poranek just completely immersed the reader in Liska's world. Whilst I have absolutely no knowledge to speak to the accuracy of the Polish folklore, I absolutely adored being thrust into the clutches of the Driada, and learning about the Leszy and all of his twisted lore.

I was breath-taken and rattled chapter after chapter, struggling to put this book down, and it's perfectly bittersweet ending had me tearing up whilst I devoured it on the train to work. There is something to be said about the way that Poranek blends ghastly themes and beautiful prose together and there were so many quotable sections that just made my heart sing. I will definitely be grabbing a physical copy of WTDSS once it releases next month, and I highly recommend that anyone else who is intrigued by the synopsis does to! This is one of those stories that I really feel privileged to have received an arc of.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this arc!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

'Where the Dark Stands Still' has reminded me why I love YA fantasy. I greatly enjoyed almost everything about this book and found myself impatient to get back to it while I was busy with work or life commitments.

The characters were memorable, unique and fleshed out, especially the Leszy, who had a very recognisable voice in dialogue and was my absolute favourite character. The setting was delightfully dark with moments of hilarity, and side characters that were integral to the story. The book was a lovely representation of Eastern European folklore with all its oddity and grimness. The layers of mystery were well-crafted and kept me in their grip until the very end.

Structure-wise, I had one issue with the book, and that was the beginning. I truly think this story would have benefitted from starting just slightly earlier, showing the reader Liska's life in her village for a few pages first. As it is, I was thrown into a dire situation with a character I knew nothing about and asked to empathise and root for her. Unfortunately, that felt like asking too much from the reader and hurt Liska's case more than helped it, and it took me a while to get acquainted with her and truly come to like her after that.

I found the prose was slightly clunky at times, and then spectacular in the very next passage. Also, I saw 2 or 3 instances in my copy where words or even whole sentences seemed to be missing. Another thing I noticed was the overuse of italics. The emphasis stops having the desired effect when it's being used every other chapter, unfortunately.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book and I think it's at a very high level of craft, especially for a debut. Poranek has done an amazing job both writing a good story and representing our shared culture.