In Zilvaren life is hard. The city bakes under two harsh suns that never sleep. And the people buckle under the rule of their Undying Queen. Water is scarce, and Saeris will do whatever it takes to make sure that she and her brother have enough; even steal from the queen herself. When she gets caught, Saeris thinks it’s all over. But it turns out that death is just the beginning. Saeris crosses through a long-locked gate into a realm so different from her home that she almost can’t comprehend it. But it turns out that things aren’t really that different. Those in charge are always corrupt, those at the bottom always suffer, and a hero is always needed to save them. Is Saeris that hero? Or is it Kingfisher, the simultaneously hot and exasperating fae warrior who saved Saeris from death? Read Callie Hart’s Quicksilver and get lost in a world of magic, danger, and intrigue.
[Note: While I am reviewing this novel independently and honestly, it should be noted that it has been provided to me by Hachette Book Group for the purpose of this review. Warning: My review of Quicksilver contains some spoilers!]
Callie Hart’s Quicksilver is a familiar story with some interesting characters
Overall, Quicksilver is a rather basic story. A girl living in a dystopian world resorts to crime to survive. She has a real knack for it and is well known and respected for her abilities. But the girl has secret powers that she keeps hidden from everyone. Then that girl somehow ends up somewhere where her powers are not only good, but the answer to everyone’s prayers.
She’s drafted into the resistance movement of her new place (because, of course, the new world she comes to, although amazing, is just as corrupt as the one she left) and becomes an integral part of the movement. At the same time, she finds herself falling for the dark and brooding leader of the movement (who likely doesn’t even want to be the leader, but everyone looks to him as one anyway).
There is an unmistakable magnetic attraction between them, but the leader oscillates between moments of kindness and moments of cruelty towards the girl. Despite this, she falls hard for him, and they end up coming together explosively before he admits his deep feelings for her, at which point it’s clear that he’ll die for her and the two become inseparable. It’s a story we’ve all heard many times. But don’t think this is a review that just bashes Hart for uncreative writing. After all, there are only 10 original stories and 9 of them are plagiarized.
What makes stories unique are the characters. And Hart excelled in her character creation. Saeris is stubborn, driven, and loyal. Kingfisher is frustrating, cocky, and (when we get a glimpse of him at home) kind. These are the main characters, which means that them feeling real and likeable is most important.
But they aren’t the only great characters. Carrion is annoyingly sure of himself, Ren is a natural peacekeeper, Lorreth is a perfect little brother figure. I could go on, but I won’t bore you with a long list of names. Suffice it to say that all of Hart’s characters have personality and feel real. Even those who don’t have big roles in the story jump off the page when they appear. It made reading Quicksilver really enjoyable.
Which is good because at over 600 pages in length, it’s not exactly a quick read. Quicksilver could have very easily become an overwhelming slog of reading that took forever. Instead, I sped through Hart’s tale and was sad when it was over.
Quicksilver is the first in The Fae & Alchemy series
I wasn’t ready to leave Saeris and Kingfisher at the end of Quicksilver, and luckily for me, I don’t have to. Quicksilver is only the first book in Hart’s series Fae & Alchemy. The second book is due to come out in Fall 2025. So there’s a little bit of a wait, but not too bad.
Quicksilver originally came out as an ebook back in June 2024 with the second book being teased for fall 2024. But once Quicksilver was picked up to be traditionally published, the second book’s release date got pushed back, most likely to allow time for sales of the paperback copies of this first book. Quicksilver ended with Saeris and Kingfisher in very peculiar circumstances, and I can’t wait to see how it all works out.
Callie Hart’s novel is exciting and fast-paced romance worth checking out
Romances can get boring. They tend to be predictable. But good characters are always worth meeting. And that’s exactly what Hart provides in Quicksilver. It is worth getting to know Saeris, Fisher, and all their friends. There’s plenty of romance and heart-racing sex. But there’s more to the story too. And more to the characters than body parts and rhythm. Anyone looking for a good story will enjoy Quicksilver, although it does get an adult rating for content and language!
My Rating for this book: 8/10
Quicksilver (by Callie Hart is available wherever books are sold. Have you read this one yet? Let us know on social media @mycosmiccircus or @TheCosmicCircus.com on Bluesky!
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