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Cover of Quicksilver

Quicksilver

by Callie Hart

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️steamy·Fae & Alchemy #1
4.5 on MoodReads (19 ratings)4.3 on Goodreads (872,652)

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Ending

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Why Read This?The one-sentence sell. What do you get for showing up to this book, even when it's hard?

A romantasy that wears its ACOTAR-adjacent influences proudly but earns its swoon with tension, banter, and a fae warrior worth the hype.

Synopsis

Do not touch the sword. Do not turn the key. Do not open the gate. In the land of the unforgiving desert, there isn’t much a girl wouldn’t do for a glass of water. Twenty-four-year-old Saeris Fane is good at keeping secrets. No one knows about the strange powers she possesses, or the fact that she has been picking pockets and stealing from the Undying Queen’s reservoirs for as long as she can remember. But a secret is like a knot. Sooner or later, it is bound to come undone. When Saeris comes face-to-face with Death himself, she inadvertently reopens a gateway between realms and is transported to a land of ice and snow. The Fae have always been the stuff of myth, of legend, of nightmares…but it turns out they’re real, and Saeris has landed herself right in the middle of a centuries-long conflict that might just get her killed. The first of her kind to tread the frozen mountains of Yvelia in over a thousand years, Saeris mistakenly binds herself to Kingfisher, a handsome Fae warrior, who has secrets and nefarious agendas of his own. He will use her Alchemist’s magic to protect his people, no matter what it costs him… or her. Death has a name. It is Kingfisher of the Ajun Gate. His past is murky. His attitude stinks. And he’s the only way Saeris is going to make it home. Be careful of the deals you make, dear child. The devil is in the details... N.B. Quicksilver contains depictions of graphic violence/adult situations and is therefore recommended for readers 17+. For a full list of tropes and TWs, please visit the author's website.

book details below may contain spoilers. some hidden

At a Glance

Quicksilver is the romantasy BookTok wouldn't stop talking about in 2024, and for good reason if you love the ACOTAR blueprint: a scrappy human FMC yanked into a frozen fae kingdom, a shadow-wielding immortal warrior with agendas, and tension that keeps ratcheting for 624 pages. The banter is sharp, the worldbuilding is maximalist, and when the spice lands, it lands. Know going in that it's Book 1 of a cliffhanger-heavy series and the middle sags a bit, but if you're here for the shadow daddy and the slow-build fated mates energy, you'll devour it.

trope onetrope twotrope threetrope four

Book Details

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Goodreads RatingThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.

4.32 ★ (872.7k)

Page CountHow long the commitment is.

624 pages

PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.

2024

Primary GenreWhat type of book this is. Romance? Fantasy? A 400-page therapy session disguised as a thriller?

Romantasy

PairingWho's falling in love? The gender makeup of your main romance. Helps you find your specific flavor of love story.

M/F

POVWhose head are you in? First person = deep in the feels. Third = watching from above. Dual = emotional whiplash (affectionate).

First Person

Romance PacingHow long until they kiss? Slow burn = 300 pages of tension. Insta-love = page 12 and it's already chaos.

Slow Burn

CliffhangerEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.

reveal ending

AudiobookCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

AvailableCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

Yes

FormatHow fancy is the audio? Standard = one narrator. Full cast = theater kids went off. GraphicAudio = a MoViE iN yOuR mInD.

Dual Narration (M+F)

NarratorThe voice in your ears.

Stella Bloom, Anthony Palmini

Narrator Count

Dual

Narration Style

Full Cast

TropesPlot devices and story situations that drive the romance. These are the circumstances that throw characters together or create conflict, not how they personally relate.

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
fated matesforced proximityenemies to loversadventure romancemagic bondtouch her and diesecret powerhidden identity
RomanceMagicActionAngstWorld
Theme Constellation

Mood & Vibe

MoodWhat you felt reading this. Swoony? Gutted? Deliciously unhinged? The emotional fingerprint.

darkintenseseductivemysteriousyearningmagicalatmosphericswoonydramatic

Writing StyleHow the author writes - prose style, dialogue approach, and narrative voice. This is about craft and delivery, not emotional effect.

immersivebanter-heavydramaticlushatmosphericcinematic

Story PacingDoes the story sprint or saunter? Fast = you'll miss sleep. Slow = you'll savor every word. Medium = balanced chaos.

medium

Emotional WeightHow much are you gonna cry? Light = fun feels. Moderate = real stakes. Heavy = bring tissues. Devastating = call your therapist.

moderate

Energy RequiredCan you read this on a Tuesday after work, or do you need a full Saturday and three cups of coffee? Low/Medium/High.

high

VibesOne perfect sentence that captures the essence. Like: 'Fae politics meets forbidden romance with zero chill.'

desert girl hurled into a frozen fae kingdom, forced bonds, political intrigue, slow-burn tension between a scrappy alchemist and a 1000-year-old shadow-wielding fae warrior

Characters

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

FMC ArchetypeWho is she? The female main character's core identity/role. Assassin? Healer? General Badass?

general badasssurvivorsnarky/sarcasticmorally gray FMC

MMC ArchetypeWho is he? The male main character's core identity/role. Your exact flavor of book boyfriend.

fae princemorally gray MMCpossessive alphadark/tortured soulwarrior/fighterimmortal/ancient

Relationship DynamicsThe interpersonal dynamic between the main characters. How do they relate to each other? This is about character energy and connection style, not plot situations.

enemies to loversfated matesslow burnmorally gray LIpossessive love interesttouch her and diebanterprotective love interest

Spice Details 🌶️

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
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Spice Level 4

Spice StyleNot just how much spice, but what kind. Emotional intimacy? Explicit but vanilla? Plot-driven heat? Know your flavor.

passionate / intensepossessive / claimingtension / anticipationdominant vibesemotional / vulnerable intimacy

Getting SteamyGentle kinks. Fun but nothing too crazy. The appetizer, so to speak.

praise kinkpossessive/protectivewall pinningtensionanticipationjealous/possessive during intimacylonging glances

Bringing the HeatFor those who know exactly what they came for. This is where you find your exact brand of chaos. The good stuff.

possessivemarkingclaimingpraise kink
Browse more books by spice level →
This stuff might hit different. No shame in needing to know what's coming. (17)▼
spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
sexual assault (referenced)self-harmviolencegraphic violencegoretorturedeathdeath of a parentkidnappingslaverybloodwarcaptivityinfertilitymental illnesssuicidal ideationgenocide
Browse books by content warning →

World & Setting

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World TypeWhat kind of world are you stepping into? High fantasy = full secondary world. Urban fantasy = magic in modern cities. Portal = starts here, goes there.

high fantasyfae realm / faerie courtsmulti-realm / dimension-hopping

Primary SettingWhere does the story physically take place? Court intrigue = palace. Dark academia = campus. Cozy witch vibes = small town. This is about location, not world rules.

royal court / palacedesert / frontierwar front / rebellion

Fantasy CreaturesWhat supernatural beings populate this world? Fae courts, vampire covens, dragon riders, or just regular humans doing their best.

faevampireswitches/wizards/warlocksgods/deities

RepresentationIdentity representation in the book. LGBTQ+, race/ethnicity, disability, neurodivergence, body type, age and more.

MC 20-30

Reading Context

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Emotional PayoffWhat you get for showing up. The catharsis, the growth, the 'I'm a different person now' moment. This is why the hard books are worth it.

tension finally satisfiedbook boyfriend/girlfriend acquiredthe swoonaddictive readferal brain activated

Best Time of YearSeasonal mood rings for books. Summer romance reads different than winter gothic.

anytime

When & Where to ReadContext matters. Some books are Beach Trip energy, others are 3am Bedtime spiral-reads. Trust.

cozy eveningwinter night by the firerainy weekendvacation

Fae & Alchemy

Quicksilver

#1 Quicksilver

Quicksilver Bonus Scenes: Kingfisher's POV

#1.1 Quicksilver Bonus Scenes: Kingfisher's POV

Brimstone

#2 Brimstone

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Quick Facts

Spice LevelThe heat scale. 0=wholesome, 1=kisses, 2=fade-to-black, 3=tasteful spice, 4=explicit, 5=you need a cold shower. Know thyself.🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️steamy
PagesHow long the commitment is.624
PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.2024
GoodreadsThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.4.32 ★ (872.7k)
EndingEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.reveal ending

SeriesThe series this book belongs to and where it falls in the reading order.

Fae & Alchemy #1
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