The Fair Folk are stealing children.
One man is stealing them back.
When Miss Lilybeth Rose Hathaway and her family arrive in Ardmond for the season, Lily can’t help but be charmed by wealthy, popular Theo Overton’s lovely manners and genuine affection. The Hathaways are soon elevated far beyond what they might have imagined, and like everyone else, they are captivated by rumors of the national hero known as the Wraith, who is saving human children from the terrors of the Fair Court.
The arrival of the Special Envoy of the Fair Court tasked with capturing the Wraith frightens everyone. But the Wraith is far too clever to be captured… until the stakes become personal.
The Wraith and the Rose is a delightful reimagining of The Scarlet Pimpernel in a Victorian-inspired setting with dangerous Fair Folk and a love worth dying for.
“…Between debutante balls ruined by a grumpy Fairy, stolen children, a Scarlet Pimpernel-esque masked magical hero and the pending destruction of the magical world, the sweet charm and handsome manners will delight and uplift.” – Jessica
“It is utterly delightful. Brightley, as always, does a magnificent job with her creation of the fae and their land.
My abso-freaking-lute most favorite part of this book is Theo, one of the main characters. He is vibrant, funny, kind, and just… the very best person. I want a Theo friend. Everyone should have a Theo friend. …
I loved the ending, but I can’t say more because I don’t do spoiler reviews. I’ll just say it was clever and satisfying and leave it at that. The attention to detail made this world feel perfectly regency/Victorian-esque. It is a charming story, and the perfect comfort read.” – Constance
When a fairy king grants a human wish, there’s more at stake than dreams.
Claire Delaney has a good life, despite her adolescent angst. But she wants more. In a moment of frustration, she wishes to be “the hero.”
What she actually wants is to be the center of attention, but what she gets is a terrifying Fae king demanding that she rescue an imprisoned fairy, facing fantastical dangers and hardships she could not have imagined.
Yet the dreams–and the rescue–are only the beginning of her journey. She is at the center of the king’s audacious gamble to end the war that has raged in Faerie for half a century.
“The Lord of Dreams is a gorgeously written tale about a girl who finds herself transported into Fairyland, tasked with rescuing a prisoner hidden deep in the sparkling, dangerous world of the Fae.
Unlike so many books where the fae are very human, in Brightley’s book they are foreign, magical creatures that live in a world that is so different than our own – a world where time and distance isn’t quite as important as things like intentions and dreams. The story is filled with wonder, beautiful but menacing creatures, and always shadowed by the mesmerizing Lord of Dreams.”
“Brightley surprised me by writing a book that is both intensely masculine and deeply introspective. Sendoa is the consummate warrior and takes great physical delight in his own exercises, which Brightley describes so well you feel as if you are living in the man’s skin. … We discover that the war hero has his own issues, even as he helps the prince overcome his.
Brightley’s prose is unpretentious, direct and often understated, which lends it the power of simplicity and perfectly suits the temperament of the narrator. … He has thoughts worth listening to. … There is genuine nobility of character here, without pretension.”
“Brightley has done it not only again, but even better.”
“isn’t just about fantasy world building or high adventure, though it certainly has those. What holds it together at its core is a strong sense of relationship development and appreciation of the differences between people.”
“C. J. Brightley has created a world and characters so real that the end of the third book in the trilogy felt like losing good friends. Her imagination knows no bounds. The Erdemen Honor trilogy belongs on every fiction reader’s bookshelf, and if you are a writer, you should do it like this.”
“I truly enjoyed all three books in this series. I could not put them down. I wish there were a dozen more! Well written stories like these with characters that have traits like honor, courage, and commitment are absolutely the best to read. Well done”
“A gripping tale, it has well-drawn characters and a believable plot even in these few short pages. Unputdownable!”
“I’m about to read this series over again rather than have to do without – oh PLEASE keep writing!!!”
“…by turns, captivating and heartbreaking. An excellent story with twists and turns aplenty.”
“It has been a long time since I’ve read a fantasy novel in which the magical element seems legitimately alien and marvelous. But this book has it, and I’m looking forward to reading the next in the series.”
“… beautifully blends in a strong discussion of God’s sovereignty and apologetics with a fast moving plot and deep, relatable characters.”
“… That was fantastic.”
“What an incredible journey this has been! Aria is a heroine that is easily related to and the rest of the characters are so realistic, then add in love, pain, growth, and redemption, to make a book hard to put down. Leaves me with a good feeling.”
“Touching and intensely romantic…”
“It is a gentle tale that pulls at the heart strings without being twee. The love story part of this is where the true magic lies. Brightley’s prose makes me want to wax poetic but I know that I cannot do her justice.”
“The talent of C.J. Brightley is in creating worlds and characters that invite you, draw you in. Traveling between our world and a world of Fairy kings and subjects is magic. Add love, true deep honorable love, and you are transported to a land wished for but not seen since Camelot. There is wonder and joy, fear and betrayal, wisdom and strength.”
“More fun with the 12 Days of Christmas than I’ve ever had!
Brightley delivers again with a magical, funny sweet romance that’s peppered with the literal gifts of the twelve days of Christmas, leaving Charlotte with enough enchanted birds to fill her apartment.
Charlotte and the mysterious Ronan have twelve days to figure out what is going on, before one – or both- of them is destroyed by a love curse.
Funny, charming, and full of magical Christmas birds, this short novel is the perfect way to enjoy Christmas any time of year!”
Phoenix Crate – noblebright fantasy books delivered quarterly!
I started Phoenix Crate as a way to share some of my favorite noblebright fantasy books.
