Rating 3.5⭐️ but rounded to 4
🥀Sexual Assault
🥀 Violence
🥀 Shared Tragedy

🖤 Arranged Marriage
🖤 Fated Mates
🖤 Fae
🖤 Elemental and Celestial Power
🖤 Dream Walking
🖤 Slow Burn

At 17 years old Eva lost her entire family in a house fire. The only thing to survive was her and a floor length antique mirror. Bow 7 years later her entire life is turned upside when a mysterious man reveals that not only does Eva have magical powers but she is betrothed to the Fae Prince.

We get to follow their journey as Eva uncovers more about her mysterious past. Who were her parents? Where us she from? What role does she play in the curse?

There is a bit too much of inner dialogue and miscommunication. The FMC also would go between being fierce to being a damsel in distress. They're was a lot of back and forth between Eva and Bash until they finally commit, but even then.

Also what happened to Quinn??? I am hoping more will be answered in books 2 and 3.

Thank you netgalley, city owl press and victory editing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

‧₊˚ ⋅PLOT⋅ ‧₊˚ ⋅
seven years have passed since the fire that took her entire family. eva, now a 24-year-old woman is still grappling with the trauma of that tragic night—not really knowing if her memories of what occurred were to be trusted. due to her trauma, eva guarded her trust; only enjoying the company of her friend quinn. when quinn encouraged eva to give the man she was talking with a chance, eva decided to follow her advice—why not? little did she know that her decision would change her life—literally.

after her date-turned-golem attacked her, she was rescued by a dashing fae named bash, whom she was immediately taken to. eva found out that she was indeed fae-born and that in order to break the curse that had befallen her birthworld, he must take her to her faerie partner (anima). eva was immediately suspicious of him but quickly relented when she realized that it was her only way to find out the truth about what happened to her parents and twin brother.

⋅˚₊‧ THOUGHTS ‧₊˚ ⋅
i was intrigued by the premise initially. however, few chapters into the book, i realized that it was just a run-of-the-mill faerie fantasy romance and i soon found myself quite bored. the faerie lore was interesting but again, i felt like it has definitely been done before. aside from that, i liked both eva and bash as individuals but i didn't really get them as a couple. i am the kind of reader who prefers a slow build-up/development between my main characters but with bash and eva, there was definitely an insta-attraction/lust going on. that was not a fault of the book though as their instant attraction/lust was explained later.

⋅˚₊‧ FINAL WORDS ‧₊˚ ⋅
overall, i enjoyed the book for what it was. regardless of that, i don't think i would be picking up this next book in the trilogy. i would recommend this book for those who enjoy a standard fae story, an absolutely unredeemable villain, forbidden romance (sexual tensions and lingering eyes) and fated mates. i would also suggest fellow readers to check trigger warnings for the book because some scenes could be very upsetting.

thank you netgalley and owl city press for the arc! <3

review posted on both the storygraph and goodreads on the 20th of March, 2024.
amazon review will be posted on the release day.

I NEED THE NEXT BOOK, NOW!!

Okay, so now that that is out of the way, I can get to my review. ;) There's a cliffhanger ending to this, as you would expect from a trilogy, and it is a doozy!

When I started this, I wasn't necessarily feeling the first couple of chapters. Eva just seemed so much like she was refusing to actually LIVE because her family had perished in a housefire SEVEN years before, and something about that just didn't really grab me. HOWEVER, enter a muddy golem attack and banter with a handsome, freckled redhead and the tendrils of the Faewilds, Bash & Eva pulled me in. I just couldn't stop reading this, and stayed up all night (No regrets!).

Eva has grown up in the mortal world, completely oblivious to the fact that not only does another realm exist, but that she and her family are Fae that had to flee their realm during a war. She has been basically on her own, with only her best friend, since both of their families died within a short time. When she meets Bash, a random stranger who thinks she needs protection and also that she is some sort of key to ending a world-ending curse, everything changes.

Bash is a favorite type of hero of mine: Strong, mischievous, respectful, loyal, and willing to show some vulnerability. He's not into unnecessary violence, but will not hesitate to right a wrong when he sees one (like someone he cares about being hurt... ;) ).

I loved the banter between Bash and Eva, and the slow burn that you want to turn into the inferno they deserve. There was so much chemistry between them, both physical and emotional! I'm not a fan of instalust or instalove, and there was none of that here. There was a good (welcome) amount of spice in the last half.

The world itself, with its lore and magic, felt the right amount of fleshed-out for the first book in the series. The explanation as to why Eva didn't know about any of it worked for the story, as did the way it all got to come out. I liked the way everyone's magic was always around in some way, a bit playful at times, but not with a mind of its own (just an extension).

This book isn't for the faint of heart, as the author gives fair warning of in the beginning. There is some darkness and grit, and the characters find themselves dealing with some truly despicable villains. There is some really great dialogue after some dark times, which I feel elevated the romance and the depth of the characters.

I didn't expect to love this as much as I did, but it was one of those books that I was tempted to immediately re-read!

Thanks to NetGalley and City Owl Press for the ARC!

I’ll be honest, I was really puzzled about my rating for this. Some parts felt like four stars, some like two stars… I ended up settling for three. I was pretty bored all the way, but there were parts where it was genuinely entertaining. Overall, it was enjoyable, but not exceptional. It felt very forgettable and I most probably won’t be reading the next book in this series.

P L O T - 3 ✰

The Other Side of the Mirror is a fae romantasy that follows the story of Eva, who’s family died in a fire on her seventeenth birthday, seven years ago. When she is attacked by a magical creature in her own house, a handsome fae saves her and brings her back to his realm, where she discovers she might not be who she thinks she is, and that everything is not what it seems.

The plot of The Other Side of the Mirror was interesting, but also quite boring. It picked up around the 60% mark, but before that, I considered DNFing multiple times because nothing interesting was happening and I couldn’t get invested. That first part of the book was also extremely slow. Once things finally started happening, I definitely got invested, but I still couldn’t bring myself to care about most of the characters. Everything also started going too fast. Cherry on top, I found it extremely predictable. Not a single one of the plot twists surprised me, which was disappointing as I could tell they were supposed to be big reveals. Another thing I didn’t enjoy is that it used a lot of overused tropes, which probably didn’t help with the predictablity (i promise that’s a real word).

I did like the fantastic elements of this book. I am a sucker for fae romance, and The Other Side of the Mirror delivered in that department. I really liked the way soulmates worked in this world, and the little twist that came with it. The faes in general were really cool, and I liked how developed the system for their magic was. You could tell the author put work into it, and that really paid off. Another thing I liked is that the faes/their realm isn’t completely medieval. In way too many books, authors just go “yeah no technology doesn’t work here so it’s basically the middle age all over again :))”, but Dana Evyn actually thought about it for more than five seconds, and the result was impressive.

The romance in The Other Side of the Mirror wasn’t great, but it was pretty good. It was well written and they had nice chemistry, but it did get frustrating at times. The smut was well written, and I liked seeing their relationship fall into place. I wouldn’t say I was swooning, but Bash did have some good lines, and I was happy to see them together.

C H A R A C T E R S - 3.5 ✰

I liked that none of the characters in here were extra young. Eva, who is pretty much the youngest, was 24, which is still pretty young, but it was a change from every other book where the mcs are all 16 years old.

Eva: There wasn’t anything inherently wrong with Eva, but she was kinda bland. She kinda felt like every other YA fmc who won’t stop talking about how well garded her heart is only to fall in love the next second and trust everybody way too easily. Also can we talk about how she just accepted everything about the fae realm in one day? Like she had just gotten there and she was already training to fight as if discovering a whole new world & magic powers was the most natural thing in the world. Her constant blushing was also kinda annoying. Seriously this girl blushed every five seconds.

Bash: omg bash 🤭 he was this book’s biggest redeeming quality tbh. He was protective, but he was also extremely supportive and understood that Eva needed to do things on her own. He let her take her time and did everything he could to protect her while giving her space. He was possessive at times, but I think that was pretty justified. The one flaw is that I don’t see the point of making him 50 years old. Why do fae romances always do that thing where the mmc is super old while the fmc is still pretty young??? At least in this book it was legal, tho.

Supporting characters: There weren’t a lot of characters, and to be honest most of the supporting cast was lowkey boring. I did like Yael and her relationship with Marin, they were super cute together. I wish we had seen more of Marin instead of having her constantly away from the main group. Rivan was very forgettable, I feel like he didn’t really have a personality. He was just there.

W R I T I N G - 2.5 ✰

The writing style was honestly the weakest point of this book. In some parts, it almost felt like an old Wattpad fanfic, and there were lots of telling instead of showing. There were moments were it got better, but it was pretty irregular and could be downright cringe at some points.

Thank you NetGalley and Dana Evyn for early access in exchange for my honest

Eva has suffered loss beyond belief after losing her family in a tragic fire, her only comfort being her friend Quinn. Quinn tries to get Eva out of her shell and away from solitude but Eva isn’t drawn to the normal sequences of every day life. Against her better judgement she decides to give a guy a chance, only to realize he’s not at all what he seems and that one action catapults her into what a man named Bash would call her destiny. With Bash leading the way into the unknown she must discover who she is and what exactly “fate” has in store for her.

The mirror holding her nightmares and her future was a great concept. The fact it was there all along waiting for her to be ready was a genius way of setting Eva’s call to rise. She was covering up her future unwittingly while remaining stuck in a world not meant for her. I grew to like her character more as the book went on. Especially enjoyed her character when a certain red haired man was around…

Bash is wonderful. Strong, sensitive, thoughtful, hot, and protective. All the things the book girlies love. The extra characters were enjoyable as well. They had interesting backstories and provided more depth to the plot. It broke up just talking about Eva and her future.

The book had a good balance of romance, fantasy, magic, betrayals, and challenges. I loved having the dual POV and hope for the next book we get more from Bash. There is some delicate subject matter in the book be warned if you have a sensitivity to attempted assault.

It was a great read with a killer cliffhanger and I can’t wait to read the next book!

Well this was an easy and entertaining read. I do enjoy a story about the Fae and although I did feel that Eva completely accepted everything way more quickly than I would the author did a good job of keeping things bubbling along.
A false King who started a curse and a foretold female to break it but of course it’s never that easy ! Eva embraces her new world, her soon to be new husband and even magic she never knew she had . It’s just a shame that trickery, lies and deceit are also a part of her new life !
This has a sweet romance and it’s obvious from the start that Eva and Bash ( now that’s a choice name ! ) are meant to be together. I do feel there’s a lot of standard tropes employed here but actually it didn’t stop me happily reading on . The good guys are just that and such fun to read about which balances nicely against the villain of the piece. I will warn my fellow readers though that there’s a whopper of a cliffhanger.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

I liked a lot of this book but it definitely felt like it was written to just fulfill popular book tropes. That might appeal to many readers but I enjoy more to the story. The story that we do get is interesting and I found myself wanting to continue reading.

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read and review! This book had all my guilty pleasure tropes!!
-forced proximity
-one horse
-nonsexual cuddling and comfort
-fates mates
It has the sweetest MMC. He's protective and supportive. He's also described as looking completely different than most other books in this genre, which I appreciate! Was a lot of this recycled tropes and plots? Yes. But why change things that work? The tension and spice was *chef’s kiss* I enjoyed it very much. I need the next one ASAP. That cliffhanger sucked!

4.5 stars…
Oh. This may be the new fantasy/romantasy obsession.
Seriously, I was so engrossed. So involved. So invested. I absolutely loved this book. I will 100% buy it when it comes out and I cannot wait until the next book comes out.
"I've been broken more than once...and I'm still finding a way to put myself back together. But I need you to trust me to know my own mind. My own heart.
And I think I've always known it beats for you."
Thank you to NetGalley and City Owl Press for this ARC ebook!

I absolutely loved this book! Fated mates is one of my favorite tropes, and this story has such a unique take on what that bond truly means.

•fated mates
•forced proximity
•found family
•dual POV
•family secrets
•prophecies

One thing I really liked about this story is that the supernatural love interest is only 50 instead of 400 years old like most books I’ve read lol

Eva is such a badass, even before she comes into her power and learns who she is and who she’s destined to be. She also doesn’t spend too much time questioning herself either, she’s so smart and brave throughout the book!

As for Bash…I couldn’t love him more. He’s the perfect mix between “don’t touch her” and “she’s strong enough to fight her own battles”. The most supportive book bf.

Thanks NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this gem early! I cannot WAIT for the rest of the trilogy!

Thank you to City Owl Press for letting me review The Other Side of The Mirror ARC.

This was a really great read and a start to a trilogy for a new author. I enjoyed this more than I initially anticipated. It didn't take me long to get into the storyline and I lost some sleep needing to read just one more chapter before going to sleep.
The Fae theme is quite a popular trope at the moment and this one is definitely one to read if that is up your reading alley.

The pace of the book varied between well-paced and at times a bit slower but nothing off-putting as you know the action is on its way. There are also a few great surprises that catch you by surprise which keeps the story interesting. Dana has a lovely writing style that draws you in.

The characters are lovable (or hateable) and easy to connect with. The POV switches between Eva and Bash. I would have liked to have a few more Bash chapters but the story was well balanced and carried out. Some of the plot development was a bit predictable but that isn't a bad thing as the delivery was well done. I loved the little community and family that develops between the characters, you feel the connection between them as the story progresses.

I can't wait to see where the trilogy leads and delve more into the Fae world with Eva, Bash, Yael, Rivan, and Marin.

I have posted my review to GoodReads already.
I will post a review on my website (which will be the same as the GoodReads review) in the next week or 2 on www.chenetuck.com
I will be posting a video review to TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook soon, I will tag City Owl Press and Dana Evyns when I do.

Thank you again and I hope to review the rest of this series when it is released.

An amazing fae romantasy with soulmates, hidden secrets, romance, and adventure.

The Other Side of the Mirror follows Eva seven years after her family was brutally murdered. Eva is getting by but struggles with the loss tremendously until she’s attacked by a magical creature and taken to the faerie realm. She’s saved by handsome fae, Bash. He has been tasked with finding Eva and bringing her to her faerie soulmate to stop the world-ending curse. Eva delves into her hidden magic and enters a whole new world full of mystery and secrets. She has to uncover the truth while deciding who to trust.

This is a great installment to the romantasy genre!! I loved this take on the fae and fae worlds. There are so many twists and turns that had me hooked and on the edge of my seat. It’s full of magic, betrayals, steamy romance, and mystery. The magic system was awesome and well-explained. The plot was easy to follow while still being able to surprise me. It was so good!

I loved Eva and the journey she goes on through the novel. She has such a rich backstory that made me feel so sympathetic for her and super curious as to how it would play into the plot. She’s fierce and strong and wants to help. I loved watching her explore her magic and learn about the fae world. And I loved the friendships she made!! There is such a great cast of characters and I can’t wait for more scenes of them together in the next books.

The romance was so good!! I loved Eva and Bash and the tension and drama that pulls them together while pushing them apart. Their scenes were so swoony and gripping. I loved seeing their relationship progress through this slow burn and just seeing how much they cared for one another. They were both so lovely and my heart broke so many times before stitching itself back together.
The plot overall was super entertaining but there’s a huge cliffhanger and I’m desperate to read the next ones!! Highly recommend reading this if you love fae and romantasy!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Many thanks to the publisher for sending me this é-act in exchange for an honest review 🫶🏻! So here we go:

Rating: 3.75/5⭐️

This was a good palate cleanser type of book. It incorporates the tropes I enjoy in a fae romance (slow burn, forbidden romance, chosen one) and it was fast paced! Althrought predictable, it was exactly what I needed after reading a bad book (and DNF it): a quick, predictable read. The plot was ok, the characters were ok as well. I had no issues with the writing either! This is no masterpiece but I found it to be entertaining.

This is one of my favorites I have read this year. The love between the characters, both romantic and familial bonds, was so heartwarming. And oh my gosh I was so stressed alongside them through the intense parts that I was actually sweating. This book isn't even officially out yet, but I need book 2 now.

Thank you to Netgalley, Owl City Press, and Dana Evyn for this advanced copy. I loved this book and could not put it down. For me, it is truly a 4.5 stars, and I will absolutely be reading the rest of the series.

I loved all the tropes here - Fae, forced proximity, fated/bonded mates, magic, found family, only one horse (ha!). I enjoyed the author's writing style and her strong FMC and MMC characters. Her side characters are well thought out and actually have back stories, which I find lacking in a lot of stories. I can't wait to see where the story goes, especially as it ended on cliffhanger.

The reason for it not being a 5 star is just that it was slightly predictable, and not much new here if you're big into the Fae universe.

Main Point - I loved it and will continue the series and HIGHLY recommend to anyone who loves these tropes.

See more on my bookstagram.

PITCH: Shrek meets A Court of Mist and Fury with a Red Queen twist

While parts of the story were predictable, I nevertheless enjoyed the ride thoroughly. Evyn took her time to develop the characters and their relationships, which keep the plot and action focused. Characters are memorable and likable. The Big Takeaway: Bash will be your new book boyfriend.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC.

The Other Side of the Mirror had me page turning from the very beginning. This is a fantasy about fae and how Eva has had her world turned upside down.

The world building in this is fantastic and I’m so ready for the next installment of this series!

I’m so happy I was chosen to be an arc reader for this book! I ate this up! I love and adore Eva! I cannot say one bad thing about it! So so good! Can’t wait to have this standing on my bookcase! 5 star all day long!

The Other Side of the Mirror by Dana Evyn

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wow. Just wow.
I hope this book gets all the love it deserves, it was so good I couldn't put it down!!

It has everything a good romantasy needs:
-badass and truly strong FMC/MMC
-amazing side characters
-found family
-forced proximity
-elemental magic
-mystery
-hidden identities

I absolutely love Dana Evyn's writing style, she made it easy to picture the faerie realm and fall in love with the characters.
I hope we will learn more about the other kingdoms in the next book and a map would be a great idea.
Eva and Bash had a great chemistry and the spice amount was perfect for my taste. The side characters are loveable and I enjoyed the group's dynamic. The story was captivating, full of twists and revelations and the ending left me speechless.

I think this book will be a huge success and I'm incredibly grateful that I was one of it's first readers.

Thank you to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC.

I'll share my review close to the publishing date on my social media and amazon.

Thank you to NetGalley and City Owl Press for an eARC of The Other Side of the Mirror by Dana Evyn. I have posted this review on Goodreads as well as submitting to NetGalley.

OH MAN. I'm really, really sad that I'm going to have to wait for the second book of the series because I can not be left hanging like that. I'm in dire need to finish this series ASAP and it has been quite some time since I've read a series that kept me wishing for more. I'm guessing the second novel will be out in 2025 due to The Other Side of the Mirror releasing in April of this year. I'm that ready for the series to be done and be left satisfied.

As a fae-tasy series, it does have a lot of similarities to Holly Black's style of writing and the well known tropes are certainly there. But, I wasn't at all bothered by this as the character growth and the plot line felt really thought out and it was refreshing to be pulled back into this particular genre. There are a wonderful amount of foreshadowing of importance of events and objects, not to mention a family that actually cares(ed) about the FL instead of fighting against them. In a way, it was wholesome. There was a lot of spicy romance, but I would 100% say that there should be a light TW page at the front due to some of the events that happen.