The Starglass Girl (Of Candlelight and Shadows: A Short Story) by Sylvia Mercedes Review

This is a spoiler-free review! You can read my review of The Moonfire Bride on my blog now!

I absolutely loved The Moonfire Bride, and was delighted to find out that there was a companion novella that gives Erolas a short introduction in his perspective. Exploring this pivotal moment from the first installment through Erolas's eyes allows the reader to understand the predicament both Valera and Erolas are in, as the bridegroom and Moonfire bride.

With Valera having such an intense personality seen through her own perspective in The Moonfire Bride, it was nice to see the way that Erolas internally reacted to her response to their wedding. He wants to be respectful of her natural reaction to being put in such a position, but he also has a responsibility that needs to be carried out.

Being able to understand what the goblins say was a major plus in this addition to the duology, considering we are not aware of the translations in the first book. The relationship and concern that Erolas has with the goblins and other creatures exhibits his concern and morals on a greater level, and with the exhibition of his care toward Valera upon her arrival, it only builds upon his good character.

I wish this was longer! I would have loved to explore even more of his mind and the moments after the wedding, especially considering how much we were able to learn about Erolas in this short story. From a publication standpoint, I would definitely recommend reading this after completing The Moonfire Bride, but if read prior, it certainly would not spoil any major plot points.

This story has me excited to complete the duology and see how Erolas and Valera's relationship plays out as more information is brought to light and as they overcome the obstacles in their way. For readers looking for a solid combination of romance and fantasy, Of Candlelight and Shadows series offers a great balance.

You can add The Starglass Girl on Goodreads now, and follow the author to stay up to date on releases and publications.

You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter, and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

The Moonfire Bride (Of Candlelight and Shadows, #1) by Sylvia Mercedes Review

This is a spoiler-free review! The Moonfire Bride is currently available on Kindle Unlimited.

Back on the fantasy grind to start out the month and my past Stuff Your Kindle Day downloads have once again provided me an exciting Persephone and Hades retelling romantasy to dive into. Valera has managed to get herself into quite the predicament, and to be completely honest, it sounds like a treat compared to how her life was going. I am a major marriage of convenience trope supporter, and this is hitting the spot on so many levels.

Erolas is giving major Phantom of the Opera vibes with this whole "cannot see my face" and I loved every second -- he is mysterious beyond words and yet has such a charm to him that from the very page of his introduction, you are drawn to him. Personally, and just hear me out, if I was told I had to spend a year and one day living in a palace to a fae lord and the only rule was to not see his face, I would be doing cartwheels across the room and having the time of my life. 

Their dynamic certainly takes it time, with cordial acknowledgements before Valera begins to open up to Erolas. On the other hand, Erolas is very open with information -- as long as it is not about the curse -- and is trying to make her year and one day as comfortable as possible. Throughout the story, we see the back-and-forth between the two, considerably more so from Valera as she fights against a growing attraction to Erolas. One could argue that her curiosity about him grew to something more, and she does not understand her feelings.

Knowing that Valera is only eighteen and essentially her sister's caregiver, I can certainly understand her anger at being taken away as a fae lord's wife, especially with how their father treats them and the money they earn. However, I will say that in terms of "who has it worse," I am going to side with the man who is literally cursed - shocking! This may be an inconvenience to Valera, but to Erolas, he has spent centuries living in a world that does not seem to be in his favor. I definitely think she matured throughout this book and will certainly grow more in the final installment, but I would like to give her the benefit of the doubt given her situation.

Brielle, Valera's younger sister, is basically Valera's responsibility, as their father is downright abusive and does not take care of either of his children. However, Brielle is certainly the more adventurous one when it comes to the sisters, which certainly causes a few issues along the way. With Valera being so concerned for her sister's wellbeing, she puts her own to the side, ultimately landing her as the promised wife to the fae lord.

The gang of side characters really tied together the environment of the story -- so often we see fantasy books gloss over magical creatures, so it was refreshing to see goblins and other creatures come into play. I absolutely loved the "shadow" aspect of this series, with characters presenting as shadows to other humans and creatures. It added a layer of mystery around the abilities the fae possess, as well as created a defining characteristic for this story.

For fans of The Cruel Prince by Holly Black, this first installment of a fae duology will certainly transport you to a new world. If you are looking for a new fantasy adventure that follows a retelling of Hades and Persephone, The Moonfire Bride will surely make an impression.

You can add The Moonfire Bride on Goodreads now, and follow the author to stay up to date on releases and publications.

You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter, and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!