Ironside

I’ll admit, I went into *Ironside* skeptical—faerie romances can so easily tip into cliché. But Holly Black doesn’t do easy. From the first chapter, Allman’s narration grabs you by the throat, her Kaye sounding like a girl who’s already lost too much to be polite. The real standout is how the audiobook handles the Unseelie Court: Allman’s voice shifts subtly for each faerie, from the velvet menace of the Queen to the brittle, hollow tones of lesser nobles. It’s a masterclass in vocal acting, making the court feel like a living, breathing threat rather than a backdrop. The quest plot—find a faerie who can lie—could’ve been a gimmick, but Black turns it into a brutal character study. Kaye’s stubbornness isn’t just charming; it’s a survival tactic, and Allman sells every ounce of her exhaustion and defiance. My only critique? The middle act drags slightly during the road-trip section, where the pacing loses some of its early momentum. And while Allman’s Roiben is deliciously cold, I wished for more vocal contrast in the human characters—some of Kaye’s friends blend together. Still, the finale is worth the wait: a gut-punch of betrayal and hard-won triumph, delivered with Allman’s signature intensity. If you love faerie stories with teeth, this is the audiobook for you—just don’t expect to walk away unscathed.