I had mixed feelings about The Glittering Edge. While the story didn’t fully draw me in, I did find certain aspects enjoyable. The FMC stood out as a highlight for me; she was relatable and easy to connect with, which kept me invested in her journey. However, I felt that some of the other characters weren’t as fully fleshed out, which made it harder to engage with their stories.

The small-town setting was charming and gave me nostalgic vibes, reminding me of Beautiful Creatures in some ways. That cosy atmosphere added a nice touch to the story. However, the tone of the book felt a bit inconsistent at times. It seemed like it was aimed at a younger audience, possibly preteens, but some of the language felt surprisingly mature for that age group. Conversely, for a Young Adult novel, it occasionally came across as too immature, which left me unsure of its intended audience.

As for the romance, it didn’t quite work for me. The love triangle particularly felt like it lacked the necessary chemistry to make it believable or engaging. While I could see what the author was going for, the relationships didn’t resonate with me in the way I hoped they would.

All in all, The Glittering Edge had some good elements, particularly the relatable FMC and the cosy small-town vibes, but it didn’t entirely meet my expectations. It might appeal to readers who enjoy light-hearted YA with a touch of magic, but for me, it didn’t quite hit the mark.

The Glittering Edge by Alyssa Villaire is an enchanting and atmospheric tale of magic, curses, and forbidden love, set in the small town of Idlewood, where an age-old feud continues to shape the lives of its inhabitants.

For generations, the De Luca witches and the wealthy Barrion family have been sworn enemies, ever since a tragic love story led to a devastating curse—if a Barrion falls in love with you, you will die. Penny Emberly never expected to be caught in the middle of this deadly rivalry, but when her mother becomes the curse’s latest victim, she is left with no choice. Determined to save her mum, Penny must unite two bitter rivals, Alonso and Corey, despite their deep-rooted hatred for each other.

As Penny, Alonso, and Corey navigate unpredictable magic, tangled family histories, and complicated feelings, they soon realise that dark secrets lurk beneath the surface of their town. But breaking the curse may come at a greater cost than Penny ever imagined.

With feuding families, a light love triangle, and beautifully woven magic, The Glittering Edge is a spellbinding read. The rich atmosphere of Idlewood, combined with the book’s exploration of love, loss, and destiny, creates an immersive experience. Villaire’s representation of anxiety adds depth to Penny’s character, making her journey all the more compelling. This is a must-read for fans of witchy tales, slow-burning romances, and stories where magic and heartbreak intertwine.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

Full of magic, curses, family feuds and love triangles, The Glittering Edge is a captivating read.

I found the book very easy to get into, and I sped through it. The characters were lovable, and I found myself rooting for Penny and Alonso much more than I thought I would initially.

Penny is a very relatable character. She's quiet, shy, and just wants to keep to herself. One day she's doing her best to be invisible. The next she's doing everything she can to save her mother from this awful curse which has landed her in the hospital.

I didn't really think that there was really a 'love triangle' as implied. I thought Corey was a good character, but don't see how he would fit with Penny, when clearly there's nothing there for her. It felt a bit forced, and I wouldn't mind if that connection never happened.

Overall it was a solid book, I would have definitely enjoyed it back in school.

📚 Book Review 📚
The Glittering Edge | Alyssa Vilaire
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Themes:

✨ Secret Magic
⚰️ Deadly Curse
💀 Feuding Families
🖤 Love Triangle
🫶 Anxiety Rep
🥀 Small Town


Thank you net galley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review

Absolutely loved this book, if you’re a fan of Beautiful Creatures I think you will enjoy this as it did give me those kinds of vibes.

The FMC is so likeable, riddled with anxiety but standing up for what she believes and just wholeheartedly good natured 🫶 I loved the anxiety rep, as someone who struggle with this and overthinking as a specialist skill, it was great to relate.

In general I don’t tend to like a lot of YA style books but I couldn’t put this down .

Really excited to see what comes next for these characters!

Overall: 4/5
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 5/0
Spice 0/5

This was a really quick and enjoyable small town YA fantasy about Witches and I loved that it had a refreshing new take on them with one of the boys being the witch. The writing was really easy to get lost in and I found myself so intrigued by the story and I especially loved Penny as a character and her family.

It is very YA in the way everything plays out with first loves, and learning about who you are at that age and the paths that life can take you on, the only thing I really wasn't a fan of was the love triangle as it's not one of my favourite things to read about unless it's done in a really good way but I can completely see the pull it had in this story and at moments it worked to move the development of the plot along.

The cliffhanger ending has me really interested to see how everything plays out in the next book. A really enjoyable Urban YA fantasy read that I know many will love.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review this before publication, these are my honest thoughts and opinions.

The Glittering Edge by Alyssa Villaire is a captivating and magical tale of curses, secrets, and the power of unlikely alliances. With its blend of small-town charm, dark magic, and heartfelt relationships, this novel is perfect for fans of contemporary fantasy and stories that explore the bonds of family and friendship.

The story follows Penny, a determined and resourceful protagonist, whose life is turned upside down when her mother falls victim to a deadly curse. Desperate to save her, Penny teams up with a misfit witch and the local golden boy, forming an unlikely trio that must navigate a world of magic, danger, and hidden truths. As they delve deeper into the mystery of the curse, they uncover dark secrets that threaten to change their lives their small town forever.

One of the standout features of The Glittering Edge is its richly drawn characters. Penny is a relatable and compelling protagonist, whose love for her mother drives her to take risks and face her fears. The misfit witch, with her quirky personality and hidden depths, adds a touch of humour and unpredictability to the story, while the local golden boy brings charm and complexity to the group dynamic. The relationships between the characters are authentic and heartfelt, making their journey all the more engaging.

The setting of a small Indiana town is brought to life with vivid descriptions and a strong sense of place. The contrast between the ordinary, everyday world and the hidden world of magic creates a compelling backdrop for the story, adding to the sense of wonder and danger. The dark secrets that lie beneath the surface of the town add an element of mystery and suspense, keeping readers hooked from start to finish.

The plot is fast-paced and full of twists and turns, with plenty of action and emotional moments to keep readers engaged. The stakes are high, and the tension builds steadily as Penny and her allies race against time to break the curse and uncover the truth. The themes of family, loyalty, and the power of love are explored with nuance and depth, making this more than just a fantasy adventure.

Thematically, The Glittering Edge delves into the complexities of family relationships and the lengths to which people will go to protect those they love. The novel also explores the idea of finding strength in unexpected places and the importance of embracing one’s true self. These themes are woven seamlessly into the narrative, adding emotional weight and resonance to the story.

If there is a minor critique, it is that some readers may find the resolution of the curse and the uncovering of the town’s secrets to be a bit rushed. However, this is a small quibble in an otherwise well-crafted and engaging novel.

The Glittering Edge is a must-read for fans of contemporary fantasy and stories that blend magic with real-world settings. Alyssa Villaire has created a story that is as heart-warming as it is thrilling, offering readers a chance to lose themselves in a world of magic, mystery, and the power of love.

A magical and heartfelt tale, The Glittering Edge is a captivating read that will appeal to fans of contemporary fantasy and stories of family and friendship.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
0 🌶

Just wanted to start by saying a quick thank you to The Nerd Fam for generously gifting me an EArc of this book.

This is an Urban YA fantasy/magical realism novel, and it is written in third person (I know some people don't like 3rd person perspectives). We have 3 main characters: Penny, Corey and Alonso.

Corey and Alonso are from warring families, which we find out has been going on for a long time. Alonso's family are witches; however, they are unable to use their magic as it has been sealed by the council due to a member of the family illegally cursing Corey's family. Penny is a quiet, shy girl who lives with her mom. Towards the beginning off the book, Penny's mom becomes hospitalised in relation to Corey's families curse. She works with Corey and Alonso to find a solution to break the curse, and they slowly become friends as they work together.

There is a romantic subplot woven throughout the storyline, and I was literally SCREAMING at my kindle every time there was a moment and it was interrupted or nothing happened. I won't say who the romance is between, but when they finally kissed I was giggling and kicking my feet. They are incredibly cute together.

There was an action packed, dramatic ending which kept me guessing the whole time. There was also a huge reveal about Corey's families curse which I wasn't expecting too. I was INFURIATED by the final chapter. I had a feeling it was coming, but was hopeful it wouldn't.

This will be a duology when it's completed, so obviously we will have to wait and see how the story concludes in the second book. The cliffhanger at the end makes me want the second book immediately, how am I supposed to wait to see what happens next!

This was such a fun highschool witchy read. I'm not a huge highschool teenage book fan, but the characters in this were unique enough for me to enjoy it. Most of the book is based in the cafe, hospital etc. rather than the highschool setting.

I read this super fast as it was a easy light read. I loved how the FMC Penny didn't have any powers, but it was one of the boys who was a witch.

Corey always felt like an afterthought. He lacked something compared to the other two and he felt forced on to make it a love triangle. Except it's not a lovely triangle...

I loved the twist at the ending but at the same time I would have loved a better justice. I would love more about the witches and the magic side in the next book!

Teenage me would have absolutely loved this book!! I highly recommend if you have middle or high school kids!

Thank you to NetGalley for proving an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book gripped me from the start, it was engaging, mysterious and very interesting. Penny was my favourite character she was so real and her relationship with her mum was so sweet. As much as I enjoyed the book I do think it was a bit long and dragged in the middle slightly. Only reason I’m not rating it higher is because of the love triangle. I can’t stand those. but overall a good Book.

Firstly, I want to stress that objectively this is a good book. The premise is intriguing, the characters are extremely likeable, and the prose is both well-written and well-crafted. I really liked the plot of a small town magical fued with opposing families and people caught in the middle. Penny was a great character and repeatedly stood up for what she believed in, despite facing hardships and challenges. The switching between the pov's kept it fresh and interesting.

However, subjectively I fear I might have to admit I'm too old for a YA book. I couldn't support the love triangle, I kept hoping they'd end up poly, and was disappointed that they didn't. I struggled to relate to any other character that wasn't Penny because it seemed like she was the only realistic and reasonable one (again though I'm old enough to have forgotten what it's like to be a teen). I want to stress this is a personal preference and doesn't reflect on the quality of the book, but unfortunately I have to conceed that this simply wasn't for me.

This is a book for readers who crave dark, atmospheric fantasy with a strong emotional core. The complex characters, tangled family dynamics, and the ever-present danger of magic make this an unputdownable read. And, I am so ready for the next instalment already.

‘The Glittering Edge’ is one of the best contemporary fantasy and YA books I've read in a long time.

Alyssa Villaire has done an incredible job of creating a magical world, set in a modern society. There’s an air of mystery throughout as the main characters (Penny, Alonso and Corey) work to battle a deadly curse amidst a feud spanning generations. The book had me gripped from the start and on the edge of my seat. In fact, at one point, I gasped out loud on a busy train, which turned a few heads!

It was also refreshing to read about teenage characters who actually behave and think like teenagers! More often than not in YA novels, I find the characters to be unrealistically mature for their ages but, this wasn't the case here.

I did find there were a few of the action scenes in the book which felt very “blink and you'll miss it” so, I had to re-read to get my head around what had happened - but, this was probably more of a me thing.

I would like to thank Penguin Platform and Alyssa Villaire (via NetGalley) for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The Glittering Edge was everything I hoped for - dark, atmospheric, and utterly addictive. The tension between the De Luca witches and the Barrion family felt electric, and the tragic, decades-long blood feud added a delicious layer of mystery and danger. I loved the gothic vibes and the curse at the heart of the story - it gave me that perfect mix of intrigue and foreboding that kept me hooked until the last page.

The love triangle was intense in all the best ways, with just the right amount of angst and longing to make my heart ache. The slow unraveling of secrets, along with the magic that felt both beautiful and terrifying, made this such a compelling read. If you’re a fan of dark romance, family curses, and star-crossed lovers, this one’s a must-read!

Yeah, this was sweet. A little, small-town magical YA novel, easy to read and well-written.

What I loved most about this book were the characters, especially Penny and her family. Being raised by a single mom and an old gay man who co-owns the café, putting on drag shows, and being a normal small-town family, until, of course, the plot happens. But the interactions between Penny and her mom are so sweet and warm, they made me feel like I was being hugged, even though I was alone on my couch. Villaire really did nail that dynamic, especially considering that Penny's mom is absent through most of the book.
Corey is another stand-out for me. He's a gentler sort of boy, especially in comparison to the other person in this love triangle, and I was so rooting for him.

And therein lies the issue.
I think I'm to old for love triangles by now. They don't hold any kind of appeal anymore. I suppose they never really did, but by now, at the ripe old age of 27 (years old - I have no money and no prospects - I am already a burden to my parents - and I'm frightened) I simply cannot be bothered to care about love triangles anymore. Especially because in this iteration, Penny clearly chose the wrong boy at the end.
But who knows. This is only the start of the series. Maybe things'll change.

Alonso, the third in this triangle, was also a standout character, but more in the negative sense. I hated his pseudo bad-boy act, and his weird relationship with Penny. There's a sentence near the end of the book, and I'm sorry that I don't remember it exactly, but it was something like this: "Penny wouldn't have wanted him to act impulsively, but if she truly wanted that, she wouldn't have worn that dress." And I was just like, "ew!". It also seemed like Penny didn't even really have chemistry with him; she's always happier and more balanced in Corey's presence. But then, these are teenagers. Nothing they do feels rational to me, since I am now ten years older than they are, and tbh, I don't really remember much of being a teenager. Seems like a Me issue, I suppose.

That's another thing, though. I'm not sure I can say that I have aged out of YA, since I still read and actively enjoy both my old favorites and new iterations of the genre, but this one felt especially juvenile to me. Sure, there is a vague sex scene, but there was just such youth and inexperience that permeated both the story and the plot - it all felt very strange. Maybe I really am just getting old. But ultimately, I can't change how I feel. I know a lot of people will love this book, and I would totally recommend it for others, but for me ... I'll stick to something else. Just need to figure out what.

The Glittering Edge by Alyssa Villaire is pure art in book form. I couldn't stop reading this book. I totally recommend everyone to read this book as fast as they can because it's really good.

Generation long feuds, curses and a really inconvenient love triangle.

This book is a story of hope, fueled by visions, magic and idlewoods twisted and often forgotten history. Compared to romeo and juliet we have penny, as our juliet and when her mum becomes the curses most recent victim, enemies corey and alonso come together to try and help stop the curse and the fued between their families for good, and potentially vie for penny's heart in the process.

Complex, this covers history throughout the town of idlewood, trying to untangle the lies from the truth and find out whats been hidden. Though darks in its origins, magic brings the idea of hope in this tragic tale, although it's hard to be inconspicuous when our trio are seen around town together and many are shocked that alonso and corey are even breathing the same air. Within the underlying villainy, we see racism and white preference addressed which i feel was done well, especially considering it's set within the fragile environment of a singular family. It includes a diverse range of characters from BIPOC, Queer and more which is vital in progressive literature that reflects the world around the reader.

The development in this book leaves you attached and invested in the characters, and with it ends i somehow still want more. I vehemently disagree with the middle review average that is present on review platforms at my time of completion, I loved this book and I hope with its ending there's room for Alyssa to explore more of our trio and their wider journey more. I feel the ending in particular has been left as somewhat of a cliffhanger so that if desired we may get more but that if not it can be safely satisfying as a standalone.

I don't read much YA anymore but this was a welcome return to the genre bringing in aspects I loved in all the best YA books. Great cast of characters with strong bonds of friendship and an engaging plot. Brilliant.

You better believe me when I say this book instilled the same level of obsession The Raven Boys brought out of me back in the day. This is the perfect blend of both that and Practical Magic, which I didn’t even realise I needed until now.

The Glittering Edge became a new favourite book within a matter of chapters, and I had the joy of experiencing that bubble of excitement you get when reading what is for sure about to end a 5 star read. For readers like me who love character driven stories, this is a book that will catch you and keep you entangled with our main trio and all of their shenanigans. The stakes are high, the familial and friend units are strong, and the occult themes are just perfect for this setting. Our teenagers actually feel like teens as they jump into their plans with abandon, and arguments between friends and parents hit where it hurts most. It’s all so seamlessly written, getting into the story and believing it wholeheartedly was truly effortless.

This is genuinely one of the best YA fantasy books I’ve read, and I implore every fan of The Raven Boys especially to give this a read.


P.S. I will defend Alonso with my LIFE