Review: Of Pixies and Spells by Emma Hamm
“What does a hero do when there’s no one left to save?”
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The Basics
Title: Of Pixies and Spells (Of Goblin Kings #3)
Author: Emma Hamm
Published: 2021
Publisher: Emma Hamm
Pages: 200
Format: Hardcover, omnibus edition
Genres: Fiction — Fantasy, Romance, New adult, Fantasy romance, High fantasy
Book Synopsis
For years, Freya has believed her mother to be dead, but now, she knows that to be untrue. Her mother is alive, hidden away in some unknown corner of the Spring Court. To find her, she will need the Spring Maiden’s help, something which is never freely given, and the price she now demands is steep indeed: track down and stop the murderous werewolf terrorizing her realm. With Eldridge and Arrow at her side, Freya sets off on the seemingly impossible quest, determined to do whatever it takes to find the creature and save her mother.
My Review & Overall Thoughts
TLDR: Yet another thrilling installment in the Of Goblin Kings series.
What Of Pixies and Spells lacks in length, it more than makes up for in entertainment value. This third installment in the Of Goblin Kings series is brimming with action, adventure, and romance. It is a transportive read that ferries you away from mundane reality to a fantastical realm where magic permeates every aspect of life and where danger lurks in every shadow. Once you pick up this book, you will not be setting it back down until you finish it – food and bathroom breaks notwithstanding.
Of Pixies and Spells’ captivating and fast-paced plot sees Freya and her merry band journeying from the Goblin Kingdom into hitherto unexplored parts of the Spring Court as they undertake a dangerous quest to track down a deadly werewolf. From the rough-and-tumble streets of Mudgate to the claustrophobic tunnels of the town’s mines, their search lands them in unforgiving locations and perilous situations. With their safety under a near constant state of threat, you will be turning page after page, impatient to see how – or if – Freya, Eldridge, and Arrow will finagle their way out of the various pickles in which they find themselves.
If, for some reason, that is not enough to hold your attention, then the romance between Freya and Eldridge should do the trick. Their relationship deepens over the course of the story as the extent of their love for one another becomes apparent. They become a true team, depending upon and supporting one another, and romantasy lovers will be pleased to hear that their emotional intimacy isn’t the only type of intimacy that grows 😉
Growth, however, is not limited to Freya and Eldridge’s relationship. Freya undergoes a significant transformation on an individual level. When the story opens, she is a shell of her former self, traumatized by her role in the death of the Goblin Queen and struggling to overcome feelings of purposelessness. By the end of the story, she is a different woman, having learned to accept her past and turn her attention toward the future. It is a laudable character arc.
The other characters are equally worthy of praise. Eldridge continues to be the swoon-worthy love interest, and Arrow is as wonderfully sarcastic as ever. As for the more ancillary characters, they each have a part to play, fleshing out the story and bringing the various locations to life.
Further enlivening the story is the writing itself. As with the previous two books in the series, Hamm’s writing in Of Pixies and Spells is approachable and engaging, easily holding the reader’s attention. Moreover, the narrative progresses at an ideal pace, ensuring the reader feels neither bored nor overwhelmed.
The Not-So-Good
After two-and-a-half books’ worth of buildup, Freya and Eldridge finally have their first steamy encounter, but regrettably, it is as cringe as it is cliché. I am not sure what’s worse: the rose petals that Eldridge has leading up to their room or the bottle of wine and picnic that he summons. The entire thing feels like some tacky sex scene out of a B-grade movie.
Also disappointing is the story’s big reveal, which is a reveal in name only. I had deduced the twist after only several chapters.
Neither shortcoming, however, is so monumental as to truly detract from one’s enjoyment of the story. If you’re anything like me, you’ll notice them but not give them much thought because you’ll be too eager to see what happens next.
Overall
The Of Goblin Kings series continues to impress me. If you read and enjoyed the preceding two books, then you can rest assured that you will enjoy Of Pixies and Spells too.
Have you read Of Pixies and Spells? If so, let me know what you thought of it in the comments section below!
-Julia
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