If you’re into fantasy romance with forbidden magic, ancient grudges, and enemies who maybe—just maybe—start to fall for each other, The Forest King’s Daughter should be on your radar. This YA fantasy by Elly Blake kicks off the Thirstwood Trilogy with bloodred forests, a cloud-palace called Welkincaster, and a heroine who fights for her kingdom with a blinding ring of light. With sharp writing, surprising twists, and just a touch of romantic tension, it’s a solid pick for fans of Holly Black or anyone craving a magical escape.
Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ (4/5)
This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Bookish Essentials
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy Romance / Adventure
Series: Book 1 of The Thirstwood Trilogy
Reading Age: 14+
Published: 2025
Pages: 382
Reading Order: 1) The Forest King’s Daughter, 2) The Cursed Queen’s Daughter (Forthcoming), 3) Untitled (Forthcoming)
From the Jacket of The Forest King’s Daughter by Elly Blake
For fans of Sarah J. Maas and Holly Black, The Forest King’s Daughter is an enemies-to-forbidden-lovers romance from the New York Times bestselling author of Frostblood.
Once upon a time, among the bloodred trees of Thirstwood, a young forest princess became friends with a lonely boy from underground. He gifted her an amber ring, a worthless trinket—or so he thought—because no sooner did he slide it onto her finger than the queen of the underground and the forest king declared war.
Years later, Cassia is a crucial force in her father’s army, wielding her ring of light that can blind and disorient hundreds of enemies at a time. Then battle-hardened Zeru abducts her, planning to steal the ring back to fix his costly childhood mistake. Exhausted, terrified, and more than a little mistrusting, Cassia is forced to travel with Zeru to a place they both believed only existed in storybooks, one where their childhood friendship slowly rekindles into something much more. But it’s only a matter of time before the war they escaped comes for them, and a hidden threat to forest and underground folk alike grows in the shadows.
From the author of the Frostblood Saga comes the first book in an enchanting, adventure-filled fantasy series about the daughters of the powerful forest king, sure to leave readers breathless and desperate for more.
Always Eventually Review
While I found some parts of The Forest King’s Daughter a bit problematic, I thoroughly enjoyed Elly Blake’s novel. Set in the bloodred trees of Thirstwood, the story follows Cassia, a forest princess who wields a powerful ring of light in her father’s army. When Zeru, a battle-hardened boy from underground, abducts her to reclaim the ring, their childhood friendship slowly rekindles amid a growing war that threatens both their worlds.
What the Book Does Right
Elly Blake has a brilliant writing style that hooked me right away. Usually, when I start a new book, there’s an adjustment period—the first few chapters where you get used to the author’s voice before the story really pulls you in. But with Blake’s writing, there was no waiting around. I was enmeshed in the world and the characters almost immediately, fully absorbed from the very first chapter.
I really enjoyed reading about Cassia, the main character. She’s the definition of a strong female protagonist. Throughout the book, she faces adversity at nearly every turn, but she never gets stuck playing the victim. Instead, she meets each challenge with steadfast determination. It’s a solid reminder of how much our mindset shapes what we do—and, of course, it’s just awesome to see a leading female character who takes charge and proves she can handle anything thrown her way.
I also really enjoyed the story itself. Visiting Welkincaster—the magical palace in the clouds and home of the Ancients—felt like a true adventure, and there are a couple of plot twists I genuinely didn’t see coming. Overall, I thought the pacing and worldbuilding were perfect, and I can’t wait to read the remaining two books in the series.
Criticism of the Forest King’s Daughter
It’s tough to criticize Elly Blake’s page-turner of a novel, but I did take issue with the romance. I’m a big fan of enemies-to-lovers stories—The Bone Charmer, for example, is one of the best books I’ve read this year, largely because it handles the trope without veering into toxic territory. With The Forest King’s Daughter, though, I struggled to connect with Zeru as a love interest. I also found the romantic arc itself hard to buy into, especially because it pivots following a violent act committed by Cassia. The emotional shift that follows felt abrupt, and I couldn’t fully invest in the relationship from that point on.
Final Thoughts on The Forest King’s Daughter
Despite my reservations about the romance, The Forest King’s Daughter is an incredibly strong start to the Thirstwood series. Elly Blake delivers a richly imagined world, a compelling heroine, and a story that’s easy to lose yourself in. Cassia’s journey is one of strength, identity, and legacy, and even when certain elements didn’t fully land for me, I was never tempted to put the book down. I’ll absolutely be continuing the series—and I’ll be keeping an eye on how both the romance and the larger conflict evolve in future installments.
Read The Forest King’s Daughter by Elly Blake Now or Eventually?
The Forest King’s Daughter by Elly Blake is a must-read-now for fans of enemies-to-lovers stories and those who don’t mind waiting for the rest of the series. Readers who prefer to binge entire series at once might want to hold off just a little longer. The second book in the Thirstwood Trilogy, The Cursed Queen’s Daughter, is scheduled for release on February 10, 2026.
If You Liked This, Try
- The Bone Charmer, by Breeana Shields
- The Dark Tide, by Alicia Jasinska
- Winterwood, by Shea Ernshaw
Disclaimer: Always Eventually participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. My opinions remain my own.
Save Elly Blake’s The Forest King’s Daughter for later
