Kiss the Fae (Dark Fables: Vicious Faeries Book 1)

I LOVED this book. You can blame it on Jareth the Goblin King, and years of watching the Labyrinth over and over...or you can blame it on the extremely talented writer, Natalia Jaster, who totally blew me away with this ferocious frolic through my favorite daydreams. I'm an earthy, woodsy, nature and animal loving girl so this really was the stuff my dreamscapes are made of... Where to start? Obviously I'm a huge fan of the premise: Lark, a saucy, fiery, vibrant human girl must escape the clutches of her bad lay (yes you read that right) by crossing the threshold into Faerie - a scary and dark place where humans never return from, (or if they do they return without their minds). Along with her two sisters who followed her in, they must now face the consequences of their intrusion. Each must face a trial in one of the three Solitary Fae wildnerness areas, Lark landing on the Solitary Mountain where she must combat its ruler, the mysterious flute playing, javelin wielding Cerulean. Her challenge: to scale its labyrinthine peaks and valleys, and all its magical pockets in-between and make her way to the highest summit within 13 days. Of course nothing is as it seems in Faerie and its a much harder task than it might at first appear. A sort of mountainous maze with enchanted groves and deceiving vistas and all sorts of tricky fae and fauna? Yes Please! I'm going to word geek out for a moment now: Jaster really created a wonderful cadence to her story with her use of sentence structure and word choice. There's almost a manic brilliance to some of it that FEELS just like being in that world would feel like: beautiful and terrifying, something your not sure you if want to run TO or run FROM, its carnal and cathartic, its a tangle and a finely honed tip, its all and nothing. Yes descriptions are meant to "show" us, but in this case - the juxtaposition of word choice, the dreamy AND the visceral, the sheer shapes of the words - really BROUGHT me there. Her descriptions could range from beautiful and ethereal to crass or destructive in one scope - just like the sharp edge of those fae teeth hiding behind their otherworldly beauty. Its all one here: "It's a hopeless, grisly display, shimmering at the edges with sparks of magic. So many faces and souls - gorgeous to the point of hellish, frightful to the point of ethereal." So yes I loved the plot, yes I loved the words, and yes I most definitely loved the dance between Lark and Cerulean. She does a great job of building the tension but also the confusion and conflicting emotions of both characters, and though in a sense it is a slow burn, when the heat does come its packed on ferociously in the best way possible: no holds barred. My oh my I loved it! And now I will leave you with possibly my favorite description of a redhead ever (and describing one of the characters the next book will focus on, definitely excited for Puck and Junipers story): "The reddest hair I've ever seen tumbles in waves from his head and sweeps his shoulders. I can't describe the vivid, inflammatory color, except that its warmer than rust, livelier than titan, and more provocative than scarlet. It's the erotic shade of carmine, or, if you're feeling morbid, the shit that pours from a fresh wound."

FABLES ETERNAL!!! What a viciously lush, mischievous, and sensual read! Just like that, and Natalia Jaster has ensnared me in warm windy knots, enchanting my heart all over again. Since I'm already a fan of her writing, as well as the chimerical way she weaves her fantasy romances in delicious paradox and wordplay, I couldn't wait to soar into this fable. I was looking forward to being entwined in elegant tricks, to being swept up in colorful prose and world-building as well as in verbal sparring that would leave my head spinning with seductive pink hearts. And I have to say, I wasn't at all disappointed. If anything, this story left me floating on air. It tantalized me like the sharp, ticklish, sonorous whips of a summer breeze against my skin. It enveloped me in stunning lyricism and nature's mossy, woefully under-appreciated, arms. I couldn't devour it sooner. Couldn't breathe it in fast enough. I have a partiality for sparkling tales already, for magical worlds and characters that are woven through with arresting detail, passion, wonder--so imagine my delight to be able to settle into this wicked whimsical fairytale with Lark and Cerulean. They are everything wild, everything dazzling - oh, so succulent and fresh in repartee - that you want them to be! I promise you their enemies-to-lovers-to-mates journey is full of all the juicy "loss and longing" stuff that'll jolt you straight into the sky. It'll tack you up there like a star where you can shine down with bewitched admiration and greed. As mortal and faerie respectively, Lark and Cerulean are poised as enemies from the moment she crosses the threshold into Faerie. She's a bawdy mouthy human with a flair for stubbornness, for whips, who just so happens to have a fierce protectiveness of animals in addition to her loved ones. He's a wicked Fae ruler with blue-tinted skin and pointy ears whose words lance, not just drip, with elegant machinations. While Lark's desperate to win this dangerous game she's fallen into with him and reach the mountaintop, bringing her one step closer to rescuing her sisters, whom she loves dearly, Ceruleans's determined to thwart her with riddles and fatal bargains at every turn, with him on his own quest to restore the fauna that were lost during the Trapping (aka a war-of-sorts). What transpires between them is tons of wrangling "one up me, if you dare" fun. Seriously, it's impossible not to get swept up in the thrilling "lark" of it all. And their romance? Well, it's nothing short of feathered serendipity. It's an elaborate dance circling around the edge of chosen circumstance plus desire on top of fate. Whenever Lark and Cerulean are together, sparks fly. They just do. The lustful volleying back-and-forth is what keeps you on the hook. The even teeter between them, though, that's the element which kicks up the intrigue another notch. Heightens the passion between them, the intensity. After all, who doesn't it love it when two diametrically opposed beings (one magical, the other not) end up being well-matched in love AND war? I mean, hubba hubba! Can somebody procure me a leafy fan, please? I'm swoooooning! Their dynamic interplay also explodes into fireworks over and over throughout the story, piercing you with feeling so pointed yet so potent that it lands with the precision of a javelin's tip. Half the time it sneaks up on you. Unraveling expectation. Digging in deeper to reveal hidden meaning or themes. Then, before you know it, before you realize what's happening, you're spirited away with the characters. You're caught up in the majestic audacity of who Lark and Cerulean are, where they're from, and how they've come to fall in love with one another despite it being strictly forbidden. Point blank: it's an incredibly sexy, lyrical, action-packed ride from start to finish! Never has nature felt more provocative, either. I don't know how Jaster accomplished such a feat, but somehow she made wind into the most toe-curlingly erotic element on the planet?? (Like, who needs/wants fingers when there's wind around to compete? 🤣 ) I'm unabashed to say she's likely created a new kink for fantasy romance readers everywhere. So listen to me now, y'all. Hear me when I say "follow the wind." Chase it. Trail after where it blows against your computer keys...or out the door toward the bookstore, the library, or wherever it is you prefer to procure material for reading...because you need to pick up a copy of this immediately. I mean it. Consider it a mandate. *screams in every color of the wind until you heed me* I'm telling you now: there ain't nothing better than this glowing debut into a universe of Vicious Faeries!

I did enjoy the book very much, but about 30% through I caught myself starting to skim( and I am not a speed or skim reading, I enjoying absorbing all the words) but the way this author wrote this book was very, very wordy.. I would say she was going for like poetic and I would say she accomplished that It's just not the kind of reading I enjoy.. I mean I do like a good book and I love good description but when it takes two pages to describe a plain of land.. I start to get a little bored.. I did enjoy the characters tho! Very much! I won't be continuing this area just because I assume the other three books, are also rittenberg like a whimsical like this, that being said it's not a bad thing, This is not the type of reading I like to get into very often! But that being said that is a me issue and it was a well written and good book!

Kiss The Fae (Dark Fables :Vicious Faeries Book 1) - Natalia Jaster I originally read this book before the edited version bumping this to a more yummy book with Adult content and it was well worth the wait. Nadia Jaster has become one of my favorite authors and I have read all her books some of them twice. The beautiful descriptions and almost poetic world and character building drew me in and immersed me in this fantasy realm. Lark is a female who I adore, actually all three “sisters” are amazing in their own way. Lark is adventurous , a free spirit who embraces her sexuality and freedom like a crown. Lark is summoned to Faerie and ends up in the court of the sexy and pretty (her favorite kind) Cerulean, Lord of the Sky (and whom she had met and rescued 9 years ago when they were both youngsters) Cerulean rules the wind and sky and must have Lark solve a difficult task to gain her freedom. It is hard not to fall in love with the beautiful Fae who speaks in wicked riddles that are both enticing as well as seducing. The two are a wonderful pair whose slow burn love builds enticingly throughout the book. Once those flames are built their relationship is magical and guaranteed to melt many panties. Their love and heated scenes are written beautifully. Many circumstances pulled at my heartstrings as well as humor, excitement, danger, loyalty, adventure and romance with a big dreamy “Sigh”. The lore of the Faeries is traditional in many details as well as original and unique storylines. The first book of the series is a phenomenal and enchanting start you will not want to leave.

I have to be honest, I have spent the last 24 hours going back and forth between three and four stars. Ultimately, I enjoyed the story and I think that is all that counts. So, 4 stars it is! What I loved, Labyrinth is my favorite movie of ALL TIME! Growing up I dreamed about marrying David Bowie and thought Jareth was the sexiest man of all time. So, I was tickled to read a story loosely based on the movie. And it did not disappoint! Natalia Jaster did such a good job following along with the story while making it completely her own. I try not to give spoilers in my reviews—but—let’s just say I loved Cerulean, BUT I AM SOOOOO EXCITED ABOUT HIS BROTHERS STORIES! Now the not so popular opinions . . . What bugged the ever lovin’ crap out of me . . . and I say this with all the love and respect in the world for the author and all the hard work that went into this book—but girl!!! There were SO many times where unnecessary synonyms were used to the point it would almost make the sentence not make sense. I wanted to shake my kindle and ask to be a Beta reader so I could help avoid this. It does not make you look like a bad writer to use simple words when simple words feel right to the flow of the story. End of tangent. The other thing that was not my jam was the verb tense. I am not a huge fan of present tense, but that is on me and did not take away from my rating or the enjoyment of the story. Just a thing that would randomly catch me off guard and pull me out of the story. Lastly, there are a few times (especially in the beginning) where our MC Lark is awkwardly slutty; to the point it feels forced. You can have a promiscuous character without making her talk about sex randomly in the middle of a conversation. But be warned, this book brings the smut! It is New Adult/Adult NOT YA! Overall, I enjoyed it and very much look forward to the next book that comes out in April!

That's what this was. Once again, Natalia Jaster spins a magical fable of passion and wonder, dazzling me with her poetic prose. I've been looking forward to discovering this new world ever since the author announced her next series. Needless to say, I do not feel disappointed at all. Jaster's world-building is top notch, and the universe of Dark Fables unfurls before the reader in all its alluring possibilities as the story goes on. Faerie lore in this book nods towards the traditional - Fae cannot lie but their deceitfulness is notwithstanding, Fae are immortal but not invincible, they love riddles, bargains and a good bawdy revel. Yet, there is an original spin to it, and I love how the Fae are portrayed by the author. Horrifically beautiful and just plain horrific, decidedly n o t human, yet not immune to the full range of human emotions and behaviours. Blue-skinned, covered with fur, antlers, wings and horns, they are not barely a mirror image of unusually pretty humans, only immortal. They're Vicious Faeries. And I L-O-V-E it! Then, there are the characters. Both Lark and Cerulean are extremely likeable - more than that, actually! Why do I even limit myself to these lukewarm expressions?! I simply adored them, Lark especially. She captured my heart with her free spirit and boisterous, daring demeanor. Together with Cerelean, they make for an intriguing pair, giving as good as they get. Their cat-and-mouse, human-fae, enemies-to-lovers dance makes for a deliciously captivating story. Their love story has all the enemies-to-lovers goodness one can hope for, with a sparkly red cherry on top that is a mates trope done well. Personally, I've gone from loving to dreading the mates trope in recent years, but I'm still partial to it, if it's executed in a certain way. And I truly loved it here, because it leaned towards reinforcing the idea of choice being the driving factor in love and relationships, rather than fate. Yes, it was still magic, and involved serendipity and mythical bonds, but it made for a background to characters' actions and choices without overpowering them. Lark's and Cerulean's battle of wills and hearts will wreak havoc on your feels, but it will do it while transporting you to a beautiful and treacherous world of Faerie. The wordy descriptions, alliterations and old tales paint a vivid picture of this universe, and I, for one, loved immersing myself in this world. Natalia Jaster has this peculiar writing style - a blend of poetry with profanities, fancy old-time expressions fused with explicit ones. It has its own tempo, might be hard to follow sometimes, but it's so original and never ceases to amaze me. It also makes me greedy. Just finished reading and I already feel this bookworm's itch to get my next fix, which is the upcoming book in this series. I cannot wait to read Juniper and Puck's story, as well as Cove and Elixir's. More than that, and I truly hope I'm not mistaken, I think what Jaster is setting up here is a part of a bigger universe. So yes, I want to get to know The Solitary Forest and The Solitary Deep. But Middle Country, the home to Vicious Faeries, is only 1/3 of the Dark Fables. So please give me The Northern Frosts and The Southern Seas as well. Elves, dragons and all the magic in between. As for "Kiss the Fae" - what more can I say? This one gets a strong merry 4.5 stars from me. If you're a fantasy lover, I can only urge you to join Lark on her journey, to cross the border beyond The Triad into the Faerie, and walk along her through all the terrible marvels of that land. "Don’t look down. Watch your step. (...) Lose your path. Find your way." (P.S. As in, your way straight into the *online* store to buy this book!) *ARC received from the author in exchange for an honest review*

This is the first book I've read by this author and I am so happy that I gave her a try. She is a wonderful writer. The world building was incredible with such vivid descriptions. I felt like I was there in her world that she created. I read long into the night because it was so suspenseful. The characters were well developed and interesting. I loved Lark's feisty personality yet how loyal and loving she was to her sisters and father. Cerulean was by far my favorite male hero. They were perfect for each other. I laughed and I cried and felt so many emotions while reading this book. I would give it 10 stars if I could. I can't wait to read the next book in this series.

So, it took almost a month to get this series delivered, which is fine. I was just super excited to start it. But right when I got them and started to read the first book (KISS THE FAE) the first page fell out, then the 3rd page, and I had to tape the binding on either end just so no more pages fell out...that being said. THE BOOK IS PHENOMENAL!!!!! The story line *chefs kiss* the details and the overall descriptive nature of her writing style *chefs kiss*! I am in love with the story (so far) and after 2 days I am near the end of book 1. I am highly anticipating the remainder of this series. But I just wish I could give it 5 stars (for the mere fact the pages were falling out, I gave it a 4 star) BUT DEFINITELY READ THIS SERIES - SOOOOOOOOOOO GOOD!!!!

Se, come me, avete amato Labyrinth e siete quel tipo di persona che si chiede spesso "cosa succederebbe se", questo libro potrebbe seriamente piacervi. Devo ammettere che la sua lettura non è adatta a chi non mastica bene l'inglese e il fantasy, perché il registro linguistico dell'autrice è tendente agli arcaismi e molti termini sono desueti, oltre a descrivere minuziosamente l'ambientazione e i personaggi. Ma se vi piacciono le favole che non sono per bambini e con un scene da bollino rosso, questo libro fa per voi.

I enjoyed this story a lot, and can’t wait for the next book! Sometimes I felt that the writing was a bit too fairytale-ish and made it hard to stay in the story, but otherwise it was a good book!

I started this as a buddy read after searching for something with Folk of Air vibes, and it did not disappoint! The plot reminded me at times of a Brothers Grimm fairy tale, the characters reminiscent of some personal favorites found in SJMs books, and all in all this shot to my top ten list.

I am always anxious when I start a new series by an author I love. I worry about whether I will enjoy it as much as their other works, whether or not it will speak to me and capture my imagination. Going into Kiss the Fae I had a certain amount of trepidation. I have read many books about Fae (or Faeries) and have loved some and positively loathed others. So this, the first book in a new series Vicious Faeries, would either leave me cold or with warm squishy feelings. I shouldn’t have worried. I loved this book! Full disclosure: I am part of the author’s ARC team but this in no way influences my rating. This book was everything I wanted it to be and more besides. First, a little bit of background. Yes this book is about faeries (vicious faeries if we are being technical) but it is set in a different world to our own so doesn’t fall under the urban fantasy label. One of the main themes in this book is the notion of found family. Lark (our main character) was taken in as a youngster by a kindly man Papa Thorne after she runs away from the toil and danger of her life as a child chimney sweep. Not long after, two other girls, Juniper and Cove, become additions to the family and Lark is raised with and thinks of them as her sisters. Lark, Juniper and Cove live a mostly peaceful life with their adoptive father, except for the odd bit of animal rescuing from hunters and poachers. The only pall over their village is its proximity to the Faerie lands. A terrible uprising occurred about a decade prior where the humans, fed up with being subjected to the whims of the denizens of the Faerie lands, mounted an uprising which saw many young Fae and their fauna kidnapped, captured and killed. Lark is a spitfire of a young woman, who craves excitement and often finds it in young men who come visiting their little village. However, when she accidently takes to her bed a poacher (and thief), she gets more than she bargained for when it turns out he was using her for his own nefarious means and plans to rob the family of their prized possessions and the animals they have cared for in their own private animal sanctuary. Forced to flee when the poacher’s fellows show up, Lark has no choice but to take cover over the Faerie border. Her sisters, always ready to back her up, follow her there. This sets of a chain reaction of events that could have catastrophic repercussions for each sister. After giving the poachers the slip, the three sisters return home but they are soon compelled to answer a summons and upon their arrival into the Faeries lands are immediately split up, much to their horror. Lark is summoned by the ruler of the sky named Cerulean – a solitary fae who is both wickedly handsome, and treacherously devious. Lark is given a task – she must summit their mountain lands within thirteen days, all the while dodging dangers such as disappearing staircases where one wrong foot could mean certain death, and a twisted labyrinth full of wild and untamed creatures. However, the biggest threat is Cerulean himself, the elegant trickster who is watching her every step. Not to mention the strange bond that seems to thrum between them, dismaying them both in equal measures. Nothing is as it seems in Faerie – and Lark will have her work cut out for her… Wow. Wow. Wow. Seriously, this book packed a wallop of a punch. I think Lark might just be my favourite heroine that Natalia has conjured up. She is strong-willed and stubborn but also kind and loving at the same time. Her bond with her sisters is lovely, despite the fact that they have little in the way of page-time together. You can feel the love and deep appreciation they have for each other jumping off the pages. Lark also has a deep affinity for the suffering of animals. She favours all creatures that fly but cares deeply about a myriad of animals under her care. She also develops bonds with some unlikely fauna in the Faerie lands. What an amazing journey she has. Cerulean is everything that a love interest should be. Like all of the Fae, he has a deep mistrust of humans, yet Lark is able to slither her way into his heart anyway. He is sexy and mysterious and more than a match for headstrong Lark! I loved them both separately and together. I also really liked Moth, a young Faerie who helps Lark, despite her many protestations. Also I would be remiss not the mention the fauna, that is, the animals that play a huge role in this story. They are amazing and fully-realized characters in their own right, from the wise owl who raised Cerulean to the menagerie of animals that have been provided a sanctuary by this supposed fierce Faerie leader (after they were captured and tortured by the humans from Lark’s village). Lark soon begins to fall in love with these animals, and soon thereafter Cerulean himself. However, the task that she has been given cannot be forgotten, and threatens not only her life but her newfound bond with Cerulean too. Torn between the love for her family, her duty to them, and her feelings for Cerulean and those he holds dear, Lark has a no choice but to continue on her set path even if she breaks her own heart and Cerulean’s in the process. Will she succeed? Well, you’ll have to read to find out!! Honestly, I cannot say enough good things about this book. The setting and world-building are top-notch (as is usual from this author). The characters are equal part intriguing and endearing and the story is fantastic. Books about the Fae can go either way for me as mentioned before, and I’m happy to report this book did not disappoint. I absolutely cannot wait for Juniper’s story next (and then Cove’s thereafter). This world has hooked me in its claws (see what I did there?) and it will not let go. I have a very strong feeling that this is going to the top of my best books read this year pile! I would even go as far to say as it might just be my favourite Natalia Jaster book yet (and that’s saying something because I adored her Foolish Kingdoms and Selfish Myths series so much). The romance is written so well but it never overshadows the plot. I read for the characters (I have always been a character-driven reader) and this book certainly delivers on that front. Cerulean is right up their with Poet (from the Foolish Kingdoms series) and Malice (from the Selfish Myths series) as my kind of swoony romance lead. He is sexy and mysterious but with a hidden vulnerability that is like catnip to me. A new ‘book boyfriend’ for sure! Lark, I love just as much. She is an awesome badass female character who makes things happen and isn’t in the least bit passive which makes it a joy to be in her head. She is just the right mix of mouthy and wild, but with hidden depths that really round out her character. This book is really everything you want in a book about Faeries. It’s fabulous – so what are you waiting for? Read it already! I cannot recommend this enough, especially if you are anything like me and need to fill the hole left by the Folk of the Air series. A well-deserved 5/5 stars.

Haven’t read it yet but it look super nice, delivery was great too. The writing font isn’t as large as a lot of newer books this year, paper feels nice!