This book was highly enjoyable and the premise was fairly unique. I recognize I am not the target audience but I feel like this is a fantastic book for younger readers (teen) who want to get into fantasy. The story could have been beefed up for older audiences, but it's absolutely perfect for new fantasy readers.

I loved this book. The bond between sisters was so fierce yet that pull between self preservation and humanity got me. The character driven plot points were phenomenal. Seeing Dalias growth and character arc flourish was such a highlight for me.

The only thing I didn’t like this about this book, was that it ended! Because if there’s not another one…I swear to god…I need more of Drystan and how he got where he is. I need Glenn to take a long walk off a shirt cliff. I need to know what Fionn and Beth are going to do now. This is the perfect read to get you out of that slump!

Holy Wow!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

It took me a little to get into it, but once I was sucked in - wow!

That twist I did not see coming!

Please tell me there will be more!!

I just finished the ARC of this book. It started a little slow at first but I had to manage my expectations a bit and remember it is meant to be a YA novel.

However, when the plot picked up it developed fairly well. There was an interesting world-building and I am definitely intrigued. I want to read more about Dalia and this world. I liked the reminder that things are not always as they seem.

Tween me would have loved this book. I appreciated the LGBT representation - it seemed natural rather than forced. I wish there had been more descriptions of some characters because I had trouble picturing them.

This book was incredible. It kept me hooked and I loved the character development with all the twists. Even simple things I found so touching, such as valuing promises. This book can make you really think about whether you should settle and believe what people tell you, while it still manages to be fun and exciting. I would love to see more by this author as I already miss this world and the characters. Best debut novel I've ever read

Thank you, Netgalley, for this arc!
Always read the trigger warnings at the beginning of the book.

First of all, this story is so beautifully written. It's so descriptive and easy to read. Every word was so magical that I instantly got pulled in the book.

It's also the first time I read a book with a plus-size heroine. And gosh, I really adore Dalia. She is such a sweetheart. She is soft and has this unique healing magic. She encounters so many dangers and cruel people on her quest, but she still stays that kind-hearted person. Bless her!

There were so many twists and turns in this book, which made me sometimes confused (and dizzy). But there was one twist that I saw coming. It was still an epic moment!

I truly enjoyed the ending of this book. It was beautiful! I think (and hope) there will be a sequel.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I loved this book!!

This was a very easy, fast paced read that had me hooked right from the start.

The FMC, Dalia, was a total breath of fresh air! I loved that the author showed you can be a strong woman, whilst also being gentle and kind and empathetic. It made her very relatable.

I loved that the book focused more on family and friendship than your typical romance, even though there were a few romantic elements.

The plot twists were great, and I really enjoyed learning more about each and every character.

I found the ending very satisfying, and I am crossing my fingers for a sequel!! Can’t wait to read more from the author.

Thank you to Netgalley and Inked in Gray Press for providing me with an ARC for this book.

*Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review*

I could feel a reading slump coming on when I started this book, so that is probably one reason I did not enjoy this book as much as I thought I was going to. And with that in mind, ignore my review if you enjoyed the book, and if you are on the fence about reading it…well, read some good reviews as well as mine to give you a better picture.

Overall, I did not love this book, it was very meh. Like I didn’t dislike it and I did finish it, it just took me ages to finish. It was extremely slow, like the beginning felt like an eternity, and even after it picked up speed towards the end, I still felt like it was pretty dull. I had some major issues the with characters, I felt like none of them were fleshed out, the FMC was sooo boring, and I didn’t really care about any of the side characters, at least no more than vague curiosity. The plot was interesting but not enough to carry the whole book. The ending was way too quick, for a book that was as slow as this one, I have no idea how the author managed to make the ending go by so fast. The revelations were kinda cool, but by that point, all I wanted was for it to end. Honestly, if I hadn’t already read a third of the book before deciding it wasn’t going to get better, I would have dnf’d it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Inked in Gray Press for this ARC.

There were many good elements to this book, but ultimately the writing and the ending ruined it for me. The writing was too much tell and not enough show. It felt like they wanted all of these themes to be included and jammed them all together to make them fit, but nothing flowed. The ending had the most abrupt resolution while certain plot lines were just left absolutely dangling.

The concept was good, it just needed a better execution.

Dalia was the heroine I would have loved to read about and see myself in when I was a young teen. She was kind, empathetic, soft yet strong and (of course!) had magical powers (who could ask for more!?!). I definitely had to manage my expectations of the book as it is for a YA audience. But despite reading this as an adult, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and adventure Dalia went on.
I did have some nitpicky issues along the way... some spelling/grammar and occasionally the continuity of the events in certain parts that made me have to reread to understand what happened. But nothing major enough to detract from the overall enjoyment of the story.
I would definitely recommend this to younger readers!

Thank you NetGalley and Inked in Gray Press for allowing me to read and review an eARC of this book.

I absolutely loved this book from start to end and no notes! Dalia Arrowood is young woman who has magic that was forced upon her through a brutal process which made her a Crystalline. She escaped the torment when she was 7 years old and has been keeping a promise to her sister to remain hidden and keep her talents to herself for 10 years. That is, until she finds a man washed up on the shores near her village and she feels compelled to use her abilities to save him. This sets her on a path far from the safety of her hidden existence, for better or worse. Dalia joins the White Stags, a resistance group established to fight back against the oppressive elves, the ones responsible for making her a Crystalline. But of course, a shadowing figure from her past is hot on their trail as she joins the resistance group to fight for freedom and to keep the elves from finding the last cache of crystals needed to create more Crystalline, the living weapons the elves cherish so much.

Dalia is an amazing main character and I loved learning about the world she found herself in and the friends (and foes) she met along the way through her eyes. Ria did an amazing job of creating a unique fantasy world - of course it's going to share similarities with other fantasy worlds, but I personally have not read anything with a magic system like hers! I love that the magic in this world is based on crystals that were then used to create magical beings, but I hate the process that the elves went through to create humans with magical abilities! Dalia is a strong, plus size female main character. She spends her entire journey with people viewing her as a monster, a tool, and a weapon - but we can see from the first moment we really get a glimpse into her true nature that she's none of those things and is so much more than almost everyone sees her as. It's a truly emotional journey and I loved every second of it! They way Dalia comes into her own and accepts who she is and how she got there, along with those who have both helped and hindered her along the way is truly amazing. She is such a well thought out and rounded character.

This was a fairly fast paced story - I never felt like things drug on too long or that things were skipped over or sped past, it was truly perfect pacing for this book and this story. I do not want to spoil any of this book, but it's so hard to talk about without going into spoilers so I will just leave with saying - every single character we meet is interesting and as you learn more and more about what is going on in the story and what happened in the past the more I appreciate how well thought out this story was. Truly an amazing debut novel and if you enjoy romantasy books at all then this is one you need to check out! And I definitely would devour any continuation of this adventure and this world that Ria has built!

Of Wolves and Stags is a compelling read for fans of dark fantasy with a focus on character-driven storytelling. While the pacing may be slower for some, the intricate world-building, strong characters, and exploration of complex themes make it a rewarding experience for those who enjoy a deeper, more immersive fantasy novel

OF WOLVES AND STAGS is a heartfelt fantasy of belonging and self-discovery. Hunted for the magic in her heart, Dalia has hidden herself away in a quiet seaside town. There she waits for her sister who sacrificed herself so Dalia could escape torture. Without any guarantee her sister survived, she waits. And waits. And becomes accostomed to the mask she wears to hide amongst humans. But a chance encounter brings the threat of discovery and capture to her dooorstep and must chose between safety and joining the fight against her oppressors.

Ria Parisi has built a fascinating world of heart and intrique. A war between elves and humans with Crystalline (magic using humans) caught in the middle. The horror of discovering the magic is imbued into them by torturous elven experimentation. The swelling hope that humans are banding together in a fight for freedom. The twisting doubt when allies and foes hold more secrets than they share truths. Dalia, a healer and empathetic soul, gives the story it's emotionality. There is no guile in how she makes attachments and forms loyalties. She's got the heart of Samwise Gamgee - there's some good in this world, and it's worth fighting for.

I'm hooked for a sequel as I have many questions after such an epic ending. I had a few theories while reading - some right and many wrong - and can't wait for the surprises Ria has in store for Dalia in the next book.

Thank you Netgalley & Inked In Gray Press for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I requested this book based on it’s premise. I’ve been in a fantasy mood lately, and I thought the blurb on netgalley sounded so interesting! Unfortunately I didn’t end up loving this book as much as I had hoped.

What I liked about this book was the representation. There were non-binary characters, a plus-sized heroine and representation of queer relationships. None of this felt like tokenism and it fit nicely within the story. Fionn especially was such an interesting character and I would have loved to see more of them!

Unfortunately I didn’t connect with the story or our main character that much. The writing style and premise show a lot of potential, but the story feels repetitive and almost like it’s just hitting of the checks of plot points you need in a YA-fantasy. I do feel like this will find it’s audience, that audience just wasn’t me.

One other small problem I had, as someone who rides horses, I am BEGGING authors to stop putting multiple people on horses. I get that it’s the fantasy equivalent to putting two people on a bike or motorcycle and then they have to snuggle up and it’s all romantic, but there is absolutely no way a plus-sized woman and a warrior-man can fit on one horse. Having that much weight that far back might be damaging for the horses kidneys, not to mention that horses should only carry up to 20% of their own bodyweight. I get that this is a nitpickey complaint and I didn’t deduct any stars for it, but it is something that bugged me.

This is a debut novel, so I’m excited to see what this author comes up with next. I believe she has a lot of potential, and I will definitely check out her next work.

Thank you to Netgalley and Inked in Gray Press for providing me with an ARC for this book.

Dalia is an orphan who waiting for her sister to find her, as she promised. But when she gets a chance to use her special powers as a Crystalline to save an innocent man, she uses them despite the danger to herself.

This book started off a little slow for me but as I read on, it was difficult to put down. I felt like Dalia was very trusting of everyone she met which was a little annoying. It felt like there will be a sequel as there were a couple loose ends at the end as well.

Thank you NetGalley and Inked in Gray Press for the ARC copy of “Of Wolves and Stags” by Ria Parisi. I really enjoyed this book! It is a super fast read, YA Fantasy is always a hit or miss but this one was written very well. I am curious to see where this series goes and if Dalia will continue to explore her current love interest or will switch it up and turn into a long lost friend to lovers situation. 🤔 I will definitely be looking forward to reading more books from this author!

Ria Parisi did something amazing here! Such rich storytelling, I could barely put it down! I loved the characters and the journey, and can’t wait to see what they do next!

This book had some real potential but never really grabbed my full attention. I liked some of the characters more than others, like Fionn and bethana, but the MC and the various guys around her didn't really interest me as much.
I found about halfway through I started power reading, just to get to the end, because I wanted to know what happened, but I was getting a bit fed up reading a lot of fighting scenes and some of the predictable romance stuff.
Overall it wasn't the best book, but if you're into fighting, magic and a bit of romance, there's no harm in giving it a go.

"Of Wolves and Stags" by Ria Parisi is a captivating fantasy novel that weaves together themes of identity, freedom, and resilience. The story follows Dalia Arrowood, a Crystalline—a living weapon born from cruel elven experiments—who has spent a decade concealing her powers to honor a promise to her sister. Her life takes a dramatic turn when she rescues a human resistance fighter, propelling her into a quest alongside a diverse group aiming to secure humanity's last hope: a hidden cache of magical crystals.

Parisi's world-building is both intricate and immersive, painting a vivid picture of a realm where magic and conflict intertwine. The characters are richly developed, each bringing unique perspectives and depth to the narrative. Dalia's journey from isolation to empowerment is particularly compelling, offering readers a protagonist whose struggles and growth resonate on multiple levels.

The novel masterfully balances action-packed sequences with introspective moments, allowing readers to fully engage with the stakes of the resistance's mission and the personal battles each character faces. Themes of trust, sacrifice, and the search for belonging are explored thoughtfully, adding layers of meaning to the adventurous plot.

"Of Wolves and Stags" is a testament to Parisi's storytelling prowess, delivering a tale that is both thrilling and emotionally resonant. Fantasy enthusiasts will find themselves engrossed in this richly crafted world and eagerly anticipating what lies beyond.