I just finished The Quiet Side by Casey Blair, and I’m still not entirely sure how I feel, which is probably a review in itself. This is a cozy fantasy novella that’s full of charm, with a soft vibe and characters that feel instantly endearing. The world is weird in a good way, the magic is creative, and the whole thing feels like it’s inviting you to settle in with a cup of tea and stay a while.
But here’s the thing: I spent the first chunk of the book confused. It drops you into the middle of a world that seems to assume you already know how things work, but I didn’t. I kept waiting for the grounding info to arrive, and instead the story just... moved on. Eventually it settled into something easier to follow, but I never quite lost the feeling that I was only skimming the surface.
It wasn’t until after I finished that I noticed it's subtitled “A Sage’s Sanctuary Prequel” and realized this is technically book 0.5 in a series that hasn’t started yet. That helped explain why it felt a little underdeveloped. It’s a setup. A taste. A preview of what’s to come.
That made me feel a little more generous toward it, but I still think there was room to go deeper. I liked the characters so much that I wanted more of them. I would have loved to see Tasa’s childhood, or just spend a little more time watching who these characters were before they became the people we meet here. There’s some really emotional storytelling baked in, but it’s told more than shown, and I think it would have landed harder if we’d been allowed to really sit in it.
There’s also romantic spice in here, which is kind of rare in cozy fantasy and honestly a fun twist. But the pace of the relationship is... brisk. Like, “we just met and I’d die for you” brisk. The book does acknowledge how ridiculous that is, so it’s self-aware, but still. It made it hard for me to fully buy in to some of the higher-stakes moments.
All that said, I really enjoyed the vibe. It’s warm and odd and quietly emotional, and I’m genuinely interested to see where Casey Blair takes this series. If this is just the appetizer, I’m hopeful the main course delivers something more layered.
Final verdict: If you’re into cozy fantasy with original magic, character-focused storytelling, and a slightly unconventional blend of softness and spice, this is worth picking up. Just go in knowing it’s more of a prelude than a full story, and plan on wanting more when it’s done.
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