The Wren in the Holly Library (Deluxe Limited Edition): An Enemies-to-Lovers Romantasy in a Post-Monster-War New York City (Oak & Holly Cycle, 1)

Originally reviewed on Cyn's Workshop

The Wren in the Holly Library takes readers to a dystopic New York filled with vampires, monsters, magic, and steamy romance.

The latest from Red Tower Publishing, The Wren in the Holly Library, takes some time to pick up the pace as it develops the story, world, and romance.

Storytelling

Now, don’t get me wrong, I did like The Wren in the Holly Library, but I struggled with it.

For a novel that is supposed to be, in part, about a heist, the first half of the story drags. Kierse is on the job right at the beginning, which directly aligns her with Graves, who is not just your regular run-of-the-mill monster. No, he’s a warlock, which goes against everything Kierse knows. The saying goes, “Monsters, not magic.”

And now she has agreed with him to keep her friends safe and help this dashing and dangerous man steal a spear from an organization of monsters who seek to be back at the top of the food chain.

It’s an exciting plot line, but the pacing lags for the book’s first half. Some high-tension scenes raise the pacing early, but when Kierse moves in with Graves, the story falls flat and struggles to hold my attention.

It is interesting how the story builds up as Graves has assigned her reading to help better prepare her, and the stories and folklore foreshadow much of what happens later in the novel.

However, for a novel classified as romantasy, there is little romance, or romance built up in that first half. Graves and Kierse have limited interactions with one another besides her, noting how attractive he is whenever he enters the room.

I will say, however, that some of the more exciting parts of The Wren in the Holly Library are the interludes that break up the story and give some backstory and insight into the plot without giving anything away.

Final Thoughts

The Wren in the Holly Library is not a bad book, but it does suffer from inconsistent pacing early on. There are some intense moments early on, but the pacing falls flat after that, and the story seems to drag on until that halfway mark. After that, the story takes off and gets into the romance and the nitty-gritty.

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“All the tales and legends come from a kernel of truth…It’s as true as any other religion. It only becomes mythology after it has fallen out of favor.” This is the story of “reading, weapons, and magic lessons” with “a madame’s daughter, an altar boy, and a thief…walking into enemy territory in a gown as thin as vellum with two predators at her front and one at her back…A suitable ball gown. And an exit…my favorite…The best part, then—reconnaissance…When do we start?” Really, Kierse just likes pickpocketing unsuspecting rich people. But “Whoever had kidnapped her had been thorough. The knives in her corset and boots as well as the pilfered gun were gone. She had no weapons. And she was about to face down a party of monsters without an exit strategy. Her worst nightmare…‘Monsters not magic’ was the motto. Magic was dangerous in its own way. She’d seen it as soon as she entered this strange world.” “In some cultures, the wren is a symbol of spring and rebirth. To see a wren in the winter is a sign that spring is forthcoming, that winter will not last forever. It is a positive sign. The day after Christmas is called Wren Day. Wrens are hunted down and slain. They are put on pikes and carried through the town. It’s thought to help banish the winter god…Holly is a symbol of eternal life because they stay green in the winter, and the berries are poisonous. I recognized myself in that…Holly and wrens were intertwined. One a symbol for the other. The end of winter. The beginning of spring. They belonged together.” “‘Equinox’ means balance, and balance is an important concept for me. I try to apply it to my life, the seasons, my food…I like the idea that twice a year there’s a battle for whether winter or summer will dominate. The Oak King is always trying to bring back the light, and the Holly King is always trying to bring back the dark. It’s harmony…You start with harmony and end with chaos…I’m not sure I know anything else that perfectly sums [it] up.” “It was dark, deadly…Sex and danger. The best kind of stories.” K. A. Linde’s The Wren in the Holly Library is “a six-star read.”

thought it would have been better than it was.

3.5 ⭐️

Slow start definitely. Interesting character backgrounds. I enjoyed all the magic and mystical creatures mentioned. Spice was a minimal, but the scenes were not disappointing. There was definitely a lot of sexual tension.