Edgewood is this wild, immersive dark
fantasy novel by Kristen Ciccarelli that totally swept me away. It follows Emeline Lark, a talented violinist who gets pulled into the eerie, magical forest of Edgewood after her grandfather vanishes mysteriously. The woods are ruled by the Hawthorne family—supernaturally alluring but dangerous—and Emeline strikes a bargain with their enigmatic leader to find her grandfather. But the deeper she goes, the
more she realizes the forest has its own sentience, and her family’s past is tangled in its roots. The atmosphere is thick with gothic vibes, and
the romance? Slow-burn, achingly poetic, and layered with betrayal. What hooked me was how Ciccarelli blends music into the magic—Emeline’s violin isn’t just an instrument; it’s a key to the forest’s secrets. By the end, I was torn between wanting to live in that lush, dangerous world and being relieved I don’t have to deal with sentient trees whispering my name.
Honestly, the side characters stole the show for me. Paxton, the brooding heir to
the hawthorne legacy, has this tragic depth, and even the forest itself feels like a character. The plot twists aren’t just shock value—they unravel in a way that makes you rethink everything. And the ending? No spoilers, but it lingers like the last note of a haunting melody.