4.5 stars 
 Fairies, monsters, magic and a girl who dreams of becoming a knight. 
 If you're missing the world of Cabeswater and The Raven Boys, this book is the perfect fix for you. It's magical, whimsical and beautifully written, full of danger, wonder and with a cast of diverse characters. 
 The story follows two siblings, the quiet and musically gifted Ben and the wild and brave Hazel. They live in a small town that borders the Faerie realms and their childhood was far from normal as a result. Strange things have always been happening there, and perhaps none as strange as a faerie prince that has been sleeping in a glass coffin for generations in a nearby forest. 
 Events take a dangerous turn one day when the prince mysteriously disappears from his captivity. 
 Why has he woken up after all these years? And more importantly, who let him free? The Fae king demands answers and no one is safe from his wrath. The fragile truce between mortals and the Fae has crumbled and Hazel, who has been dreaming of being a knight all her life is determined to save her town. 
 But how can she accomplish it, when she might not even be able to save herself? 
 I didn't know much about the story when I started reading it and I had zero expectations, and yet the story surprised and enchanted me. 
 I loved the gorgeous prose and the characters, especially Jack, a changeling boy that struggles to figure out where he fits in - in the fairyland where he was born or in the human world where he grew up? 
 There is romance in this story, but it's downplayed and not central to the story. I loved how the folklore and the myths were implemented here and how the book made me believe, however briefly, that there might still be magic in the forests. 
 I loved that the relationship between Ben and Hazel plays such a big part in the book, and that it focuses so much on family and sibling relationships rather than on romantic relationships. Despite their differences and struggles, Ben and Hazel have always been a team and loved one another unconditionally, no matter how distant they sometimes felt. 
 There were some issues that I had with the story that prevent me from giving this full 5 stars. 
 I wish that the ending was a bit more developed, and there were some instances when things unfolded too smoothly and perhaps there were some very convenient coincidences. I was also a bit disappointed about the sleeping prince, his character felt a little bit underdeveloped and I wanted more from him. But overall it was a fantastic read and I had so much fun reading it! 
 I truly recommend this book to anyone looking for a whimsical fantasy stand alone, and I'm so glad that I finally gave it a chance!