Blog Tour, Review & Playlist: The Forest King's Daughter (Thirstwood #1) by Elly Blake

Title: The Forest King's Daughter
Series: Thirstwood #1
Author: Elly Blake
Release Date: February 11, 2025

For fans of Sarah J. Maas and Holly Black, The Forest King’s Daughter is an enemies-to-forbidden-lovers romance from the New York Times bestselling author of Frostblood.

Once upon a time, among the bloodred trees of Thirstwood, a young forest princess became friends with a lonely demon boy. He gifted her an amber ring, a worthless trinket…or so he thought…because no sooner did he slide it onto her finger than the demon queen and forest king declared war.

Years later, Cassia is a crucial force in her father’s army, wielding her ring of light that can blind and disorient hundreds of demons at a time. Then battle-hardened Zeru abducts her, planning to steal the ring back to fix his costly childhood mistake. Exhausted, terrified, and more than a little mistrusting, Cassia is forced to travel with Zeru to a place they both believed only existed in storybooks, one where their childhood friendship slowly rekindles into something much more. But it’s only a matter of time before the war they’ve escaped comes for them, and a hidden threat to forest folk and demons alike grows in the shadows.

From the author of the Frostblood Saga comes the first book in an enchanting, adventure-filled fantasy series about the daughters of the powerful forest king, sure to leave readers breathless and desperate for more.

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Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher/author. I am leaving a voluntary review and all opinions are my own. 

I really enjoyed Elly Blake's Frostblood Saga so when I saw The Forest King's Daughter while browsing upcoming releases I was so excited! 

Blake has a beautiful writing style that is both lyrical and easy to read. I was swept up in her immersive writing instantly. The plot of the story was so compelling and intriguing. I loved the unique premise of the story and how Blake wove everything together. I was completely dazzled by this story from start to finish. The pacing was perfect and showcased both the characters and the world-building to great effect. The world-building was exquisitely vivid and wonderfully detailed. 

I was wholly invested in these characters. From their first emergence I was entranced. I found both main characters very relatable. I loved that all of the characters in the book were distinct with differentiating personalities. The character growth was impressive. I also loved the underlying themes of self-acceptance and dealing with the expectations others place upon us. 

This was a slow-burn forbidden romance that felt a bit rushed but really captured my heart nonetheless. I loved how the two of them slowly build back their childhood bond and how it shifts to more. This is certainly a star-crossed lovers trope. I adored the banter between them and there was so much tension!

Overall, this story is a ode to folktales with forbidden romance and warring species. If you enjoy atmospheric world-building, magical forests, fantastical creatures, enemies-to-lovers vibes, whimsical storytelling, and charming characters then this book will be the perfect fit for your TBR. I am excited to continue this series!

For those of you who cannot use the widget here is the link to my playlist on Spotify.

Elly Blake is the NYT bestselling author of FROSTBLOOD. After earning a BA in English literature, she held a series of seemingly random jobs including project manager, customs clerk, graphic designer, reporter for a local business magazine, and library assistant. She lives in Southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids and a Siberian Husky mix who definitely shows Frostblood tendencies.

Her work is represented by Suzie Townsend of New Leaf Literary & Media.

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