- Goodreads
- 4.3
- pages
- 136
- July
- 2020
Leigh Morgan's mission is simple: pose as a servant in the dark, decadent palace of Otherworld, gather intelligence, and destroy the fae monsters who stole her sister. She's not here to be seduced by silken lies and dangerous magic. But when she catches the eye of a cunning fae prince, everything changes.
What is Poison and Honey about?
Leigh Morgan's sister was taken by the fae, and Leigh has done the math on what that means: nobody is coming to help, so she'll do it herself. She poses as a servant in Otherworld's palace, a place that's beautiful the way poison bottles are beautiful, and gathers intelligence for a small band of humans working to free the people trapped there. The plan works right up until she catches the attention of Prince Dredarion Rath, the queen's cunning second son, who sees through her act and doesn't immediately turn her in. He has his own conspiracy running, a plot to disgrace his older brother and take the throne, and he decides the sharp-tongued human servant is exactly the tool he needs. What follows is a cat-and-mouse game where both players are lying and neither is sure who's winning. It's novella-length and moves like it. Palace intrigue, quick chapters, and a heroine whose first instinct is a knife, not a swoon.
Read it if you want
The pacing. This is romantasy with the filler surgically removed. Brand comes from superhero fiction and it shows in how fast scenes turn over. Leigh is refreshingly mission-focused: she never forgets her sister to moon over a pretty face, which makes the slow thaw between her and the prince feel earned rather than inevitable. The enemies-to-lovers dynamic runs on genuine opposing interests, not misunderstandings. A bit of Fae Shelf history: this was the first book ever submitted to us by its author, and it earned its spot. We don't list submissions that don't.
Who it is for
Readers who liked the mortal-among-fae danger of The Cruel Prince or C.N. Crawford's Shadow Fae books, and anyone who wants fae court intrigue in a fast, bingeable package. Heat is low. All tension, with a fade-to-black payoff late in the trilogy, so it also suits readers who want the fae romance without explicit scenes. If you want 500-page epics or high spice, this isn't that.
Content warnings
Show the content warnings
Abduction and captivity, mind control and memory manipulation, violence, threats to a family member.
Where it sits in Dark and Otherworldly
Book 1 of the completed Dark and Otherworldly trilogy: Poison and Honey, then Sting of Thorns, then The Cruelest Curse. The books are novella-to-short-novel length and designed to be read in order. The trilogy tells one continuous story.
Poison and Honey: FAQ
How spicy is Poison and Honey?
Poison and Honey is rated 1 out of 5 on our heat scale, which we call mild. The Spice Guide explains what each level means. Spice Guide
Is Poison and Honey a standalone?
No. Poison and Honey is book 1 in the Dark and Otherworldly series by Kristen Brand. It is the place to start. Dark and Otherworldly reading order
What are the content warnings for Poison and Honey?
Abduction and captivity, mind control and memory manipulation, violence, threats to a family member.
How long is Poison and Honey?
Poison and Honey is 136 pages. At an average pace that is roughly 3 hours of reading.
When was Poison and Honey published?
Poison and Honey was first published on July 15, 2020.
Is Poison and Honey OK for teens?
Mostly, yes. It sits at 1 out of 5 for heat, so nothing explicit happens on the page. Check the content warnings for darker themes.
What should I read after Poison and Honey?
If you liked it, try The Cruel Prince, The Stolen Heir or A Fate of Wrath and Flame. They share the tropes that make Poison and Honey work. The Cruel Prince, The Stolen Heir, A Fate of Wrath and Flame