The Thorn Princess

Iron Crown Faerie Tales, Book 1

By: Bekah Harris

Narrated by: Nikki Delgado

Length: 5 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

Ivy Hawthorne has always felt like an outsider, but now, she is starting to wonder who - and what - she really is.

She can see people’s auras. Animals watch her wherever she goes, and worst of all, sometimes, her dreams actually come true. But recently, things have gone from strange to downright bizarre. The animals have started following her. Strangers have started watching her. And when she gets angry or upset, inexplicable things are bound to happen.

But the craziest thing of all is the sudden arrival of Barrett Forbes, a mysterious transfer student who finds her fascinating. The more she gets to know Barrett, the more she learns about the dark truth behind her lonely, isolated childhood. As she digs deeper into her past, Ivy discovers the shocking realities about her lineage and where her destiny lies.

The new series fans of Sarah J. Maas, Victoria Aveyard, and Holly Black are craving. Filled with magic, romance, and mystery, The Thorn Princess is the first book in Bekah Harris’ captivating new series, the Iron Crown Faerie Tales. Get the audiobook today!

©2018 Bekah Harris (P)2019 Bekah Harris

A Hidden World and One Girl's Destiny

***I received a copy of this audiobook via the author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.***

What is up with my obsession of Faeries this year?! Y’all I’m devouring everything I can get my hands on that mention Fae and LOVING IT! The Thorn Princess is no exception. The first book in Bekah Harris's Iron Crown Faerie Tales, The Thorn Princess follows Ivy Hawthorne as she discovers a hidden world living around her.

Ivy Hawthorne is a seventeen year old, living at a boarding school in the Carolinas. She’s an outsider, a little quirky and a little magical. You see Ivy can see auras, animals seem to follow her around, and her dreams are sometimes prophetic. Now the boy from her dreams is the new kid at school and Ivy is about to follow him down the rabbit hole. I like Ivy. I empathize with her. Her mother went crazy and is in a home, her father never had much to do with Ivy after that, and Ivy thinks he blames her. Her one constant is her Irish grandmother who is just as quirky as Ivy. She’s a little shy and keeps to herself, and I can’t fault her for that. Then Bear shows up, and Ivy’s world is turned upside down.

Barrett Forbes’s transfer to Ivy’s school is questionable and mysterious, but a welcoming surprise to all. But he isn’t all he seems to be. An Irish accent and an uncanny ability to be where Ivy is when she needs help leaves the reader questioning who and what he really is. Bear was sent to find Ivy and bring her home to the Winter Court where her true mother, the winter queen, waits.

The plot of the story is interesting. As the reader, we see all sides and know things before Ivy does which I love. It creates some suspense and fantastic irony. I love the multiple POV too. We get a glimpse from Bear’s perspective, the queen’s and Ivy’s. The world-building around the Seelie and unseelie Fae, the mysterious reasons for Ivy being in the human world, and the dying magic of winter drive the plot and kept me interested to the very end.

Nikki Delgado narrates and I found myself drawn in, unable to stop listening. Clocking in at just under 6 hours, I finished it in one sitting. Delgado’s tone and inflection was enough that I had no trouble distinguishing between characters. I plan to listen to more from this narrator.

Overall I really enjoyed The Thorn Princess. I cannot wait to read more about Ivy, the Winter Court, and of course Bear. If you enjoy YA fantasy, I highly recommend it.

The Thorn Princess

Was interesting and well written. It kept your interest the whole time, it seemed like I just started the book and it was over.

Liked it!

I really enjoyed the story, and I had to listen one day! I am looking forward to listen the book 2 in this series.

Mixed

I loved the story and I liked the narrator.y only problem was she read the book in her accent even though it said the character was American and Scottish so sometimes it took away from the story.

Masterfully Crafted

A beautifully written coming of age story. There is magic, there is romance, there is action, and most of all, there is love. Not just love between the characters but love poured into every word of this story. The author’s use of descriptive language is like a screenplay for the mind. Definitely worth the listen.

Bekah’s a master storyteller

Bekah Harris has done it again! Her prose has taken us into many different Appalachian settings, and this series opener is no exception! The Thorn Princess is immersive and refreshingly relevant. Delgado’s narration also lends a sense of wonder to the story. I can’t wait to listen to the follow-up!

Great start to a new series.

Reviewer: Teresa Fallen Angel

Summary:

Ivy has never quite fit in except for her one friend Jules. That is until a new boy, Bear, arrives at school and everything changes. Now Ivy has had some strange things happening to her, seeing people’s auras, dreams that come true, and feeling like animals are watching her. Add to this confusion a mean girl whose actions spark off powers that Ivy doesn’t understand and can’t control. Now Jules accepts Ivy as she is, but the only one who seems to know what is happening is Bear. Ivy’s grandmother has told her tales of the fairies all her life giving her dreams that she doesn’t understand that is until Bear arrives. The attraction between Ivy and Bear is instantaneous, but what Bear reveals to her will change everything.

This was a wonderful start to a fantastical series that I for one can’t wait to continue. The audio book brought the characters alive as their unique personalities came alive for the listener.

Received for an honest review.

technical difficulties

there were a lot of technical difficulties in the narrative. multiple repeated chapters title repeats (not that chapters themselves), several sentences repeated.

Princess!

Loved this story!Cute fantasy of a girl that comes of age! Her life is changed forever! Narrator was awesome!

Good start to a series

Ivy has no idea who she really is or what she really is. I enjoyed getting to see her find out who and what she is although I wanted to scream at a few points. This version of Fae was fascinating I enjoyed the different creatures brought in and I look forward to learning about the different power struggles and how Ivy is going to stay safe and turn the tables on them. Ivy has a lot to learn about her people and what her role is. I hope she stays true to herself and doesn’t cave to the pressures. This thorn princess has a lot of danger but hopefully she can find her strength and make sure those she love are safe and she can have her love. I want to know what will happen next!