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4.75 ⭐️ Trust me, this book is worth the hype!


"I am the thing that exists on the other side of the dark. I'm the thing that puts the fear of the gods into the monsters who would eat you bones and all."


WHAT TO EXPECT:
�� gritty romantasy
�� humans, fae, vampires, gods, magic, fates
�� she's a human with a secret gift
�� he's a tattooed, damaged and dangerous fae shadow daddy
�� bargains and oaths
�� hate to love
�� forced proximity
�� delicious banter
�� lots of lust and sexual tension
�� 3.5/5 spice (open door, explicit)
�� "she's mine"
�� badass FMC
�� grumpy MMC
�� found family
�� shocking twists and turns
�� minor cliffhanger that sets up for book 2
�� TW: war, violence, gore, torture, mentions of SA
�� single POV


My Thoughts:

I have not enjoyed a lot of of the popular romantasy book recommendations lately, so I am pleased to say that this was fucking fantastic!

Okay, so what did I like about this story???

The world-building and magic system is intriguing. It all felt familiar in the sense that if you dabble in the fantasy or paranormal genres, you've probably read plenty of stories with fae, vampires, gods, portal magic, etc. However, this was done in a unique way so it felt like a fresh concept. I don't want to say anything more because it would spoil things, but I am curious to learn more about the Quicksilver and dive deeper into the politics of these worlds and other forms of magic.

Saeris Fane is a breath of fresh air. She is strong-willed, scrappy, straight-forward, and persistent: a survivor. Since Saeris is the main character in a world with magic, she does have a secret gift that gets explored throughout the story, but it's developed in a realistic way. Yes, Saeris is unique, special, and powerful, but not in the obnoxious 'Chosen One' sort of way that's been repeatedly done. I also liked how she can be snarky and sassy at times without coming off as immature. Saeris is definitely one of my favorite FMCs and I'm so excited to see how her character develops in book 2!

Kingfisher. Powerful, intimidating, dangerous, and, of course, sexy. At first, I really hated him. 😂 He was SUCH a dick to Saeris with no explanation why. However, as the story progresses, you realize he's also fiercely loyal, protective, and selfless. There's nothing he wouldn't do for the people he loves and those he's responsible for. I liked that this story is single POV so we learned more about Kingfisher and ended up falling in love with him along with Saeris. The ONLY thing I didn't love was his name. I'm glad most people call him Fisher instead of Kingfisher (which is a bird), but I am almost positive the author chose this name as some sort of foreshadowing. From my research, kingfishers in literature symbolize the rise and fall of civilizations, which is definitely relevant to this story.

The romance ATE! There's amazing banter, delicious tension, and the spice is *chef's fucking kiss*! Almost every interaction between Saeris and Fisher had me kicking and screaming in a giddy sort of way. You never knew if these two were going to fight or fuck and I was living for it. I loved how Saeris would try to brush off her attraction to Fisher with rude or snarky comments but he'd always turn it around on her and she'd leave the conversations hot and bothered.

For example:

"I wouldn't fuck you - if you were the last living -"

"Don't bother." The words held bite. "Lying is pointless with your heart betraying you so loudly."

"It's beating fast because I'm afraid," I snapped.

"Of me?" Kingfisher huffed a blast of laughter down his nose. "No, you're not. You should be, but you're not. That's one of the things I like most about you. . . You want to touch me the way I'm touching you, don't you? To feel the weight of me beneath your palms. The heat of me . . ."

"You're wrong."

He shook his head. "I'm not. . . I can smell you, Little Osha, and I'm thinking about drinking the sweet nectar you're making for me straight from the fucking cup."

And of course, the actual spice had me in a chokehold! These scenes are open door, explicit and very detailed. Like, pages and pages worth of smut. 🔥 And Fisher's dirty talk is superior. I'm legit getting sweaty just glancing over some of the things he says.

Once Fisher and Saeris stop denying their attraction for each other, they share a few sweet and tender moments between. Whenever he calls her 'little Osha' my stomach flutters with butterflies. 🦋 The scene where he takes her hands and puts it on her heart so she can feel it beat, had me in my feels. 🥺 💕 And the note. 😭 Their love made me emotional and horny all at the same time.

The premise / plot is exciting! The beginning starts off with a bang as Saeris runs from one of the Queen's guard, and from that point on, there's always something going on whether it's political intrigue, developing romance, training, or fights. I liked how there's a relatively equal focus between the romance and story plot so that one doesn't overwhelm or take away from the over.

And that ending!!!! Oh my gosh!!!! I genuinely did not see those reveals and the turn of events coming! Again, can't say much without spoiling, but just prepare to experience a kaleidoscope of emotions.

Two things to note: the story is a bit long and it may take a second to get into. However, I didn't think the length was a problem since it all felt relevant to the plot and world development. There’s so many layers to this story and the more you read, the more invested you’ll find yourself. Also, I typically have to read 10% of a fantasy story to figure out if I'm going to enjoy it or not. These things weren't issues for me, but I want to mention them since I've seen a few reviews talking about these points.


Overall, Quicksilver is a captivating, swoon-worthy romantasy that swept me off my feet. Depending on the next books in the series, it could easily become one of my all-time favorite series! I wish I could read the next book immediately, and I’m so sad we have to wait an entire year for it. But also, kudos to Callie Hart for having this book get picked up by a publisher! Well deserved!


Favorite Quotes:

Dedication: "For those who live their nightmares so that others may have their dream."
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I hadn't seen many beautiful things in my short life. But, of all the beautiful things I had seen, Fisher was the most beautiful of all.
_______

"I can smell you, Little Osha, and I'm thinking about drinking the sweet nectar you're making for me straight from the fucking cup."
_______

Kingfisher was smart. He could be an angry, arrogant, half-mad, outrageously handsome piece of shit and an intelligent tactician at the same time. Turned out the two weren't mutually exclusive.
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"I don't enjoy hurting people. I don't like it at all. But that doesn't mean it isn't necessary. To avoid far more serious pain, sometimes we have to endure a little sting. Sometimes, some of us have to inflict it."
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We were either going to kill each other or fuck each other, and I was glad we were both opting for the latter option.
_______

"Let your knees fall open," he demanded.
"I-"
"No arguments, Osha. I've driven myself half-crazy wondering what you look like. I need to fucking see. Put me out of my misery."
_______

"Don't call her Sunshine."
"Why not?"
"Because she is moonlight. The mist that shrouds the mountains. The bite of electricity in the air before a storm. The smoke that rolls across a battlefield before killing stars. You have no idea what she is. What she could be. You should call her Majesty."
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"Every warrior in Innir will smell me on you. I'm going to make you hoarse from screaming my fucking name. I'm going to mark you in every way imaginable, so that everyone knows you're fucking mine."
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"Make me forget that I've ever suffered. Make me forget that I will again."
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I was going to have a heart attack. Or my heart was going to break in two. Either way, my heart was in trouble, and there was no protecting it now.

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