For: Fantasy and romantasy readers
Spice Level: 3/5
Length: 624 pages / 20 hours, 41 mins
Verdict: Try it before you buy it
Navigation:
- What is Quicksilver by Callie Hart About?
- Review
- Spoiler Section
- Is Quicksilver by Callie Hart Spicy?
- Is Quicksilver a slow burn?
- What is the recommended reading age for Quicksilver by Callie Hart?
- Is Quicksilver similar to ACOTAR?
- Is Quicksilver Currently on Kindle Unlimited?
- TL;DR
- Reading Recs
What is Quicksilver by Callie Hart About?
Quicksilver is about secretly magical protagonist Saeris Fane’s attempt to fulfill her end of a fae’s bargain and return to her own realm. Said fae is Kingfisher, moody MMC and love interest in this romantasy tale. There also happens to be a lot of fantasy war and politics, with some pretty good fight/battle sequences as our heroes fight against the evil encroaching on the borders of Kingfisher’s realm.
The official summary is: “Do not touch the sword. Do not turn the key. Do not open the gate.
Saeris Fane is good at keeping secrets. No one knows about the strange alchemical powers she possesses, or the fact that she has been stealing from the Undying Queen for most of her twenty-four years. But a secret is like a knot. Sooner or later, it’s bound to come undone.
When Saeris is caught stealing something she shouldn’t, she accidentally reopens a dormant gateway between realms and is whisked away to a land of ice and snow. There, she discovers that the Fae―creatures of legend and nightmare―are not only real, but they are caught up in a centuries-long conflict that might just get her killed.
After inadvertently binding herself to a secretive and incredibly powerful Fae warrior named Kingfisher, Saeris quickly learns that he will use her secret magic to protect his people, no matter what it costs him… or her.
Be careful of the deals you make, dear child. The devil is in the details…”
Review
This is a story that you feel the best about when you don’t read into it too much. Yes, it has fae warriors, political intrigue, and just enough spice, but some early sections leave a bit to be desired before you really lock in to the story. The argument can be made that Saeris is a Mary-Sue. Since she can hold her own against a highly trained fighting force like the Queensguard, or super strong soldiers like the fae, and hold her liquor fairly well. The “I’d rather wear pants than a dress” portion gave me more than a few flashbacks to the prominent “not like other girls” stories of my 2010s teenagerhood. She doesn’t really make any mistakes, so to speak. Should she have touched the enchanted sword that kicks everything off? Probably not. But it wasn’t really a mistake.
Honestly, the plot itself scratches such a fantasy itch that I didn’t really care by the end whether she’s a Mary-Sue or not. In writing this I’ve come to realize that Kingfisher is a far more compelling character than Saeris, partially due to the fact that I couldn’t remember her name as I sat down to write this, but I could easily remember his. I can tell you she cares about her family, she’s a rebel, she’s incredibly good at fighting (so much so that she held her own against literal fae warriors in a training session), and prefers to wear pants over dresses. Whereas I remembered Kingfisher’s plight with the silver in his eye, his mother’s relationship with the king (and subsequently Kingfisher’s beef with King Belikon). How valiantly he fought in battle, how much he cares about those in his lands, how he hates himself endlessly. We know more about Kingfisher over the course of Quicksilver than we do about Saeris, our protagonist.
In the end, Hart locked me in as a reader through early action sequences involving the Queens Guard. I’m an absolute sucker for a good action/fight/chase sequence. At no point in this story did I ever know what was going to happen next, in a good way. Quicksilver keeps readers on their toes, ready for the next battle, the next shared breath, the next lingering touch. Quicksilver by Callie Hart is slow-burn romantasy done fairly well. It’s paced out perfectly in line with the character development of both Saeris and Kingfisher. But Quicksilver is a decidedly divisive story: some love it, some hate it.
My recommendation? Read a sample first, or get it from your local library. The book is available on Libby, and the audiobook is available on Spotify Premium.
Spoiler Section
One of my only real quibbles with this story is the Dues Ex Machina that is Carrion Swift. The mix up with Carrion and Saeris’s brother was an admirable wrench in the works of Saeris’s plans, and laid the groundwork for Kingifisher’s jealousy. I emitted a loud sigh when the story revealed he came from a long line of monster hunters. This would be a good plot point, if only more (or more obvious) breadcrumbs had been laid in the pages before it. As-is, it reads like a random, “how are they going to get out of this situation?” Deus ex machina to help launch them into action once more.
The ending with the whole gods and timelines thing is also a little weird, but at least half expected with the continued mentions of the god of chaos, and the twin sun goddesses. I understand the appeal of “I’d find you in every universe”, but it feels like a little curveball at the end of the story.
Is Quicksilver by Callie Hart Spicy?
Moderate spice. This is primarily a fantasy story, with a few scenes that could be considered spicy in it. The only full on smut sequence is in the back half of the book, and is worth waiting for. None of it is rushed, it all feels earned, and feels natural for the characters and their relationship.
Is Quicksilver a slow burn?
I’d say so, yes. I’d classify it as a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romantasy. The dynamic between Saeris and Kingfisher is incredibly compelling, and it’s the reason I couldn’t put the book down, especially during the final 200 pages.
What is the recommended reading age for Quicksilver by Callie Hart?
I’m not a parent, so take this with a grain of salt. I think late teens would be the earliest age to read this—it’s got violence, sexual themes, plenty of swearing, and allusions to more adult topics like (spoiler alert) sterilization. Due to the swearing and violence alone if this were a film, it would be rated R.
Is Quicksilver similar to ACOTAR?
There are certain similarities. Both are fae romances, both protagonists end up in the fae realm unwillingly, both are enemies-to-lovers stories, both women are adept fighters. But Quicksilver is leaps and bounds ahead of ACOTAR in the storytelling department, in my opinion. Quicksilver succeeded in keeping me interested in the realm at large outside of the main couple, where ACOTAR did not. Take this with a grain of salt, as ACOTAR very much wasn’t my cup of tea, and I elected to not read the rest of the series.
Is Quicksilver Currently on Kindle Unlimited?
As of the date of publishing this blog post (August 2026), yes, Quicksilver is available on Kindle Unlimited.
TL;DR
So, is Quicksilver by Callie Hart worth the hype? I’d say yes. Hart provides readers with a lived-in world, compelling characters, and incredibly well-written action sequences. Honestly, the spice is just a bonus: the cherry on top of an already decently good story. Shut your brain off a bit to enjoy it more.
Reading Recs
If you’re looking for a cozier fantasy story, I highly recommend Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson. Looking for more spice? Go for Hooked by Emily McIntire, both of which I cover in my Best books I read in 2024 post.
Looking for your next read and don’t know where to start? I’ve got you covered with some book recommendations.