The Wren in the Holly Library by K.A. Linde

Can you love the dark when you know what it hides?

Some things aren’t supposed to exist outside of our imagination.

Thirteen years ago, monsters emerged from the shadows and plunged Kierse’s world into a cataclysmic war of near-total destruction. The New York City she knew so well collapsed practically overnight.

In the wake of that carnage, the Monster Treaty was created. A truce...of sorts.

But tonight, Kierse―a gifted and fearless thief―will break that treaty. She’ll enter the Holly Library...not knowing it’s the home of a monster.

He’s charming. Quietly alluring. Terrifying. But he knows talent when he sees it; it’s just a matter of finding her price.

Now she’s locked into a dangerous bargain with a creature unlike any other. She’ll sacrifice her freedom. She’ll offer her skills. Together, they’ll put their own futures at risk.

But he’s been playing a game across centuries―and once she joins in, there will be no escape...

Hardcover, 400 pages

Published June 4, 2024

 by Entangled: Red Tower Books

3.5/5 stars

This book grabbed me with the awesome cover, it has sprayed edges and an intriguing blurb - well done Red Tower Books.

Fantasy is slowly becoming a genre I read more of, especially when it has a bookish theme. Here we have a world where monsters have invaded.  With a Monster Treaty in place the world should feel safe and secure,  haha fat choice of that!  Kierse is a gifted thief, her latest job takes a turn when she enters the library of a monster.

The Wren in the Holly Library is a story of friendship, the lengths one will go to protect their friends. It’s a story of risks and what is worth fighting for. I enjoyed the worldbuilding, it wasn’t hard to follow, though it did remind me of other romantasy books I've read. This one seemed loosely to be based on Beauty and the Beast, which seems pretty common. They are parts of the story I would have liked to seen more of, mostly her friendship with Ethan and Gen. They have been through a lot, and I would have liked more interaction. But given the story thread I could see why not and maybe in the sequel they will have a bigger part.

I loved the dedication… "to the girls who fell for the library before the beast"’

I couldn’t give this book higher rating because I did feel that there was something missing. I can’t quite put my finger on what it was, but there was something, hopefully the sequel will fix that.

This book was part of my 2024 reading off my shelf challenge.