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.

I wanted to love this book. I soooo badly wanted to love it but I just couldn’t.
A story of a naive girl who trusts people far too easily and because of it ends up being manipulated 80% of the book.
Forced romantic feelings where there was zero chemistry which soon jumps to another person almost immediately despite having not seen the other person since they were 7.
I felt there was such little growth for Dalia in the story and because of it, following her dialog and inner thoughts was frustrating. I feel like she ended the story being the same type of person she was at the start.
Their storyline held potential and the writing itself is good, just the development wasn’t there. It didn’t feel well plot out or thought through.
If there’s a sequel, it’s probably not something I’d bother to pick up.
The really only positive I loved was the representation. A nonbinary character made my heart swell. The main character is plus size though I feel it was only stated once and then quickly forgotten about.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ria Parisi & Inked in Gray Press for the oppurtunity to review this ARC!


Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publication Date: March 25th, 2025


If you love:

Enemies to lovers vibes
Chosen one
Found family

then, Of Wolves and Stags might just be the perfect read for you!

Synopsis:

Dalia Arrowood is a Crystalline. A living weapon created by brutal elven experiments. For ten years now, she has kept a promise to her sister: to stay hidden and to never use her powers, in order to stay safe. But safety has a way of feeling like a cage, and when she finds a human resistance fighter dying on the shores of her village, she makes the choice to break her promise. This choice not only exposes her to the world but allows her to join his ragtag group in their fight to find the only hope the humans have of winning their freedom—the last cache of magical crystals. The race to this goal will not be easy, as a shadowy figure from Dalia’s past hunts them and she must learn to navigate a world set to see her as either one of two things: a weapon to be used or a monster to be feared.

Review:

Of Wolves and Stags is the kind of book I would have truly adored as a young teenager. It's everything I would've eaten up and asked for in a fantasy/romantasy read. It's fast-paced, full of action, and with twists that feel fully emotionally wrought and resonant, I found this book quite enjoyable and I absolutely adored Dalia. I truly wish I has a Dalia character when I was growing up. She's strong, genuine and so sweet.

I would say, without a doubt, that this book is best enjoyed by younger YA readers. Parisi does an amazing job with world building, pacing and has an undeniable gift for blending magic, romance, and heart-pounding adventure. This book could be a standalone, but I hope there's more to Dalia and friends in the future! Rai Parisi - incredible job!

This book was a fun read but had this underlying darkness about it, as if a storm was brewing in the distance. What I enjoyed most about this story was Dalia’s journey of self discovery. In the beginning she comes off as mysterious and unsure of herself. She meets Glenn (we don’t like Glenn for many reasons) and then they set off on their own adventure. When she reaches camp she begins to form friendships with the most unlikely of people. Here you see her personality begin to peak through. She is strong willed, funny and most of all optimistic despite the circumstances, this is apparent with her feelings towards Glenn. In the end she takes her life back into her own hands and finds her way “home.”

Genre: Fantasy
Tropes:
- Found Family
- Enemies to Lovers
- Self discovery/ Reclaiming her life
- Morally grey
Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️ (closed door & kissing)

Thank you NetGalley and Ria for this opportunity to review this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a quick easy read, with a small band of main characters and a simple main plot line. It is definitely a young adult read, with crush level sweet romance and fairytale vibes - hero triumphs in the end after a struggle to achieve their goal, all while teaching morals about forgiveness and understanding. There are a few loose ends that don't get answered in the end, and when she re-unites with her sister she doesn't ask many questions, after "learning" that lesson earlier. While I would have put it down to three stars for an adult book with these missing pieces at the end, for a young adult read - the main plot was completed, so I've left this review at 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Of Wolves and Stags is an easy, gentle, YA fantasy. It’s fast paced, and easy to understand and be immersed in.

Things I loved;
🌟 a soft FMC in a bigger body, whose kindness and gentleness is at the heart of who she is and every decision she makes. It’s a breath of fresh air to have an FMC who doesn’t become hardened but keeps her soft heart.
🌟 diverse representation in a wide cast of characters. POC, LGBTQIA, body diversity. It’s a great range of characters.

Things I liked less;
📖 lack of subtlety in the writing style - everything is on the page, we as readers aren’t left to interpret anything ourselves as it’s all just on the page.
📖 the plot twists, while fun, were fairly obvious and it was easy to see them coming
📖 info dumping background information to speed up a plot jump. It would be great if lots of the background and back stories could be fed to us throughout the book whereas it felt like there were just a few chapters that dropped a heap of background.
📖 not much info on the withering, or the gods they refer to lots, or the magic system itself.

Overall, it reads as a very young adult book, but I think it will be really enjoyed by fans of Powerless, The Halfling Saga, and Fourth Wing.

And I’m grateful to have had the chance to read and review before publishing!

4.5/5 Stars

I want to thank Netgally and Inked in Grey Press for the ARC copy.

I've been following Ria for years on Instgram through the Star Wars community and I got to see her work on this book through posts, I was super excited for it and as a debut it's wonderful! The story flows and can serve as a standalone but I do hope there is more in this universe.

Dalia is our FMC and in this world magic is something that is used as a weapon so slightly different from most YA fantasy, she find Glenn washed up and has to use her magic to save him thus setting off change of events.

Glenn serves as the somewhat primary romance but the romance isn't what fuels the story, the trying to stop the evil Elves is.

Ria includes some LGBTQ+ characters, a non binary elf that is in a relationship with a woman, even Dalia falls under the ACE spectrum (demisexual) due to her having no interest in getting into relationships but forming a connection with Glenn over time. Dalia is also plus sized. I feel any other author or in other fantasy stories when they try to involve LGBTQ+ characters makes it feel too modern or forced but this book really integrates that stuff really well that it feels like these things are an everyday ok thing in this world.

I would have loved to give this book 5 stars but unfortunately it does fall into stereotypes. I go more into this in my GoodReads review as it does involve spoilers.

Overall this book was a great read, I finished it in maybe 3 hours, I trucked through it and finished it around 12:30am because I needed to see how it finished. I would definitely recommend this to others and I do hope we see more of this world or of Ria as an author.

4.25 / 5 ⭐
Spice Level: ❤️

Of Wolves and Stags follows the journey of Dalia as she tries to find her sister while hiding her true nature. This debut novel from author Ria Parisi was highly engaging and kept me reading.

Like any good romantasy book, we have a morally grey main love interest. For most of the book I went back and forth on my feelings about him. While I wasn't always sure about the love interests, I adored Dalia immediately. She's witty and truly comes into her own and she strengthens herself and becomes more confident.

"I was looking for you. For So Long."

The pacing was fast without rushing and while some of the twists I was able to predict, there were a few that caught me off guard. The side characters were really likable and I hope to see more of them in the future.

I really enjoyed this novel and can't wait to jump back into the world of Wolves and Stags.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book. A gorgeous 4 star read book from me. What an exciting plot, vivid storytelling and relatable, rich characters. I couldn't put this book down – absolutely loved it.

I didn’t love this book, the plot line was alright just nothing special. I didn’t really feel connected to any of the characters or the story. It just kind of fell flat.
Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

𝘌𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘨𝘦, 𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴

when I first found out about this book I instantly became curious about it and as soon as I started to read it I was hooked and I hope you would like to give this history an opportunity as well ♡

⊹₊⟡⋆. About the book ⊹₊⟡⋆.

Our main character Dalia has lived a life where she has to keep a promise that involves hiding who she really is but, when Glenn suddenly appears in her life,everything will be turn upside down, finding herself tangled in a web of secrets,power struggles and choices that could change the fate of everyone around her.

⊹₊⟡⋆. What I loved ⊹₊⟡⋆.

♡ The magic system- quite interesting, I was really involved into learning more about the ancient crystals and how they are essential to the survival of the different factions, for me it added a lot of depth to the history

♡ The diversity- LGBTQ+ and plus size representation are donde super naturally and not just added.

♡ Worldbuilding- even tho it was a bit complicated to follow at the beginning it was worth it. It was very intriguing to get to know this world that the author have created where elves,humans and crystallines (people with special powers) are in conflict.

⊹₊⟡⋆. What could be different ⊹₊⟡⋆.

The pacing was sometimes slow and I have to admit that I didn’t like the sudden connection between Dalia and Glenn at the begging of the book, was a bit rushed for me, but I understood better later so it’s not really something that is bothering me at the end.

⊹₊⟡⋆. Tropes ⊹₊⟡⋆.

♡ Enemies to lovers vibes
♡ Chosen one
♡ Found family

⊹₊⟡⋆. so basically…⊹₊⟡⋆.

I sometimes got a little bit lost because there were some parts where the pace was slower and I was losing concentration of what I was reading but if you are looking for a captivating fantasy history with character development and an unique magic system you should definetly add this to your TBR ♡

Once again thank you to the author and to Netgalley for this 😊

The premise of this book had me itching to be approved for the ARC! Of Wolves and Stags was a good book. It wasn't great, but it was really good! The magic system was so interesting with the crystals! The world building was a tad bit complicated but by the end I understood everything. The character depth/development, to me, was on point. I loved how there were humans, elves, and crystallines. Not a concept many authors would choose. I've seen sooooooo many "fey vs human" but not a combo like this one. The body positivity and LGBTQ+ rep was wonderful. I definitely handed out some extra brownie points for those! The pacing was a little weird at times, but it didn't take away from the story for me. Just a teensy bit annoying. I am curious as to the fact that I've seen it described as YA (which I felt it was) and as Adult. The "marketing team" for this book needs to figure that out before pub date for sure. Lastly, I've not seen anything about this being a standalone, or a series, but this should very much at LEAST be a duology. There's gotta be more for these characters! Pub date is March 25th so in a little over a month this baby will be out in the world and I must say I HIGHLY RECCOMEND IT! OH! And the cover is STUNNING! Definitely a book that will be front facing on my shelves!

I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book from NetGalley. This review is honest, unbiased, and completely my own.

Dalia is the Soft yet Strong FMC that I've been needing. She's genuine, sweet, and dreams of connection in a way that she's missed out on her whole life, and she deserves the world. I devoured this book, especially once I reached the halfway point. I couldn't go a moment longer without knowing what happened next, and while I don't regret that, I do wish that I'd savored it (though I promise you I will be doing a reread at some point because how could I not??). Now I'm left with a book hangover that only more Dalia and friends can fix......

Ria Parisi has crafted a world that is full of magic and mystery that is so emotionally grounded in reality that a mere mention of the Wolven Hunt being sighted near will have your heart in your throat.

Dalia Arrowood is a kind hearted girl living in Tidesend and concealing a secret about herself that if discovered would have her labeled a monster. Risking her safety and her secret being discovered to save the life of Glenn Cahill is the catalyst that sparks the adventure that Dalia could never have imagined.

The fighting between the Elves and the White Stags has been a fight that seems to be black and white, but when Dalia finds herself in the middle of the conflict a cloaked figure raises questions that turn Dalia’s world into varying shades of gray.

If you are looking for a romantasy story that will keep you on the edge of your seat I cannot recommend this book enough. This book will have you laughing, crying, and punching the air while yelling. This story checks all of the boxes, plus sized heroine, enemies to lovers, morally gray characters, lost memories and found family.

I take zero responsibility for sleep deprivation, this book will have you saying “Just one more chapter” until you realize that it’s 5am and you’re staring at the final words of the story.

Of Wolves and Stags follow Dalia as she hides in a small northern village while she waits for her sister to rescue her. Dalia has magic through elven experimentation and must stay hidden or risk the elves coming after her. But she’s tired of hiding and waiting after a long decade. When Glenn washes on her shoes, fatally wounded, she uses her magic to heal him and nurse him back to health. When she discovers he’s part of the rebellion resistance to the elves, she leaves her village with him to take control of her life. But betrayal and danger lurks around every corner and Dalia must figure out who to trust.

This was a really interesting, unique debut fantasy! The world the author created is full of life and so expansive—I’m hoping we get a sequel! The prose is lovely. The descriptions were gorgeous. The plot was very gripping, and I was hooked quite easily. And there’s a twist I didn’t see coming. I love when that happens, and it was a great twist imo. Loved the magic system and the reasoning behind why they have it. I also love Dalia’s magic and how she used it. The ending was so satisfying!!

I adored Dalia. She’s such a strong, relatable main character with a great arc. She goes through a lot in this novel and grows so much. It was very satisfying to see where she started to where she ended up. It was so nice to see her find true friends after sheltering herself for so long. The characters are all so distinct and complex and I really hope we get a sequel and get to see more of them. There’s also such great representation in this novel—such a joy to read about! Also loved the direction of the romance!

Overall, this is an excellent debut fantasy perfect for fans of magic, quests, and relatable, complex main characters!

Thank you to Inked in Gray Press and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

"Of Wolves and Stags" is the kind of book I would have absolutely adored as a young teenager. Fast-paced, full of action, and with twists that feel fully emotionally wrought and resonant, I found this book quite enjoyable. I would say, without a doubt, that this book is best enjoyed by younger YA readers (at the time of posting, this is tagged as YA in NetGalley but Adult in Goodreads); the language used is simple, the plot relatively uncomplicated, the twists spelled out, and the romantic subplots most similar to middle-grade books that I have read. It’s the sort of book I wish I had read when I was in my early teens: body-positive, inclusive, and deeply humanizing.

This book follows Dalia, an older teenage orphan residing in a small northern fishing village. Much of her past is lost to her, blocked in her memories, but she knows a few things: she is a Crystalline, a magic user, made through abuse by the ruling Elven government for the purpose of powering weapons. She knows she escaped from the Elven camp 10 years ago and has been in hiding since. She knows her older sister, a fire user who helped her flee the camp, told her 10 years ago to wait for her on the northernmost tip of the land. She knows her sister has not appeared since. Dalia’s life changes when she finds a young man on the beach, burned and dying, and uses her magic to heal him. Thus, kicks off her adventure: of rebel camps and Elven hunts, of mysteries solved and secrets revealed.

In a lot of ways, this book feels right in line with the YA books I remember reading when I was younger. The heroine with special powers approaches a new side of the world she has never seen before and, in doing so, uncovers secrets and plot twists and the mysteries of her own past. This being a lot of the book, it’s often a pretty typical read, though a good example of these kinds of plots.

Where this book really shines is in the secrets it reveals. I can’t get into too much detail here as much of this is revealed late in the book, but I’ll do my best to explain. As Dalia gets to know the people of the Stag’s camp, she uncovers plot twists about characters’ pasts and motivations. Rather than being merely shock value, I found these plot twists to be really effective examinations of guilt, complicity, greed, and power. For example, when Dalia meets someone who sees her, a magic user, only for their utility in a greater fight, she rightfully recognizes the dehumanization at play. However, rather than stopping there, she also begins to see the way an ally is similarly objectifying her: in the way that ally will not stand up for her, in the ally’s possessiveness and overall psyche. Though things like this could read as a plot twist for the sake of a plot twist, I found it to be a really strong exploration of how marginalization can be expressed even by those who legitimately care about you. The book is full of ideas like this that I think are especially effective for a YA audience.

Where this book fell short is in the ending, as well as some of the implications of the ending. First of all, while I don’t see any evidence that this book has definite plans for a sequel, the ending needs one. So much happens at the end with a good number of threads hanging loose, but, the way the ending is written, it is unclear if the loose threads are the sign of a sequel or ideas that will never be resolved. I hope the book will get a sequel to feel fully resolved. My second issue is with the way an enemy group is handled. I don’t want to get too deep into this as I don’t want to spoil anything, but a theme of this book is understanding what makes a person deserving of forgiveness. Towards the end of the book, there is a lot of trust placed in a person or group who, as written, does not deserve even a hint of trust or mercy. This is one of the plot threads that feels loose at the end, as I wanted to see why certain choices were made in regard to this person or group. As written, it feels strange and somewhat undercuts the stronger parts of the book.

In the end, I am giving this book 4 stars. I appreciated it for what it was as an adult reader, and really see the strengths this book has to offer the right audience. I recommend this book for YA audiences as it is the kind of book I would have really enjoyed at that age.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ria Parisi, and Inked in Gray Press for allowing me access to the e-arc.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I loved how kind Dalia, the FMC, was. That isn’t a trait you see in a lot of Romantasys. She is overly trusting, which can be a little frustrating to read. I also enjoyed the twists that I didn’t see coming. I thought the world was unique and interesting. It features crystallines, elves, and humans. Crystalines and elves are fighting to get access to the special crystals. Of course, they all want to use Dalia.

I would recommend it!

✨ Plus Size FMC
✨ Found Family
✨ Love Triangle

This book was captivating from start to finish! There was no unnecessary fluff- it was all action. I devoured this book so quickly as it never felt boring. Each page was filled with more and more information and interest.

The only downside was that I had hoped there would be an epilogue (Yes, I am greedy for more), just so we could see how Dalia adapts, and if anything becomes of the Wolves. What would an alliance entail?

My mind is left with 2 questions:
Who are the elves really?
Where did Fionn and Beth end up?

More importantly I couldn't help but draw a direct comparison to today's world of different races, hierachy, and prejudices we hold against each other. But once one accepts the other for who they truly are, and not based upon preconceived notions that are engrained upon us, so much goodness can come from it.

It also brings up the fact that, if something seems to be too good to be true, it probably is. Finally it touches on leadership always having hidden agendas and being self serving. One person can corrupt many under the guise of being good. Others will follow until it is too late for them to realise how far down along the wrong path they have gone.

This book teaches us to be open to new people and experiences, but to remain questioning of authority and those in power. All hidden behind a fast paced, action packed story. It also shows that in the end true love prevails.

This really is a unique read. The plot and pacing were perfectly written and Ria had me captivated from the start.

I absolutely adored Dalia and throughly enjoyed following her throughout the story.

“Dalia Arrowood was finally home” 🥹🥹🥹

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.