Audio Review: The Thorn Princess by Bekah Harris

I received this book via the author, Bekah Harris. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

The Thorn Princess by Bekah Harris
Narrator: Nikki Delgado
Series: Iron Crown Faerie Tales #1
Published by Dreamlake Media on 2019-11-16
Length: 5hr and 43min
Reviewing Audiobook Rating:
Reading Challenges: 2019 Audiobook Challenge, 2019 New Release Challenge

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.

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. 

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