Nettle by Bex Hogan

Nettle by Bex Hogan

By Bex Hogan (author) Part of the Faery Realms series

"Courage and kindness, trickery and deception, love, loyalty and timeless love — this beautiful book brims with magic and the hope of happy-ever-afters."

Paperback In Stock £7.99 £7.19

Hardback In Stock £14.99 £13.49

View All Editions (3)

Timeless and poetic, Nettle ’s haunting magic is cast with the kind of wand that will also captivate readers who are impatient for action, for Nettle isn’t only lusciously lyrical — it’s driven by a race-against-time quest that sees its marvellous protagonist compelled to complete three seemingly impossible tasks. Bravo to Bex Hogan for crafting a sublime story of faery magic, love and courage that will cast a hex on many a reader.

“Once there was a girl called Nettle. She was all things wild with a sting to boot... She was all things dangerous and laced with magic”. So begins this wondrous novel that sees Nettle fall through a portal after promising to do anything to save her beloved grandma’s life.

On finding herself in the faery realm, Nettle strikes a deal with the king — after completing three tasks, he will save her grandmother. Here she also finds a friend in Conor, who’s trapped in the kingdom as a result of being set his own impossible task, and meets Ellion, a shadow faery who was once sent to the human world in exchange for a mortal.

Against the odds, Nettle completes her first task — she’s the first human to do so — and embarks on the second. Though she knows “nothing here can be trusted”, Nettle’s impulse to complete the tasks leads her along perilous paths. In response to her circumventing all manner of traps, one inhabitant suggests Nettle “would be wise to consider why she is an exception”.

Resilient and resourceful, intuitive and empathetic, Nettle is a character many readers will respond to. The same goes for Conor’s loving kindnesses, and Ellion’s honesty. There are also powerful representations of loyalty and betrayal, trickery and truth, rising to a heart- swelling ending as Nettle’s true identity comes to light.

With tremendous appeal for readers who love magical worlds and quest-driven stories of bravery and love, Nettle also comes recommended as a wonderful book to share aloud. No- one is too old for the joy of being read to, and Nettle is ideal for reigniting the pleasure of listening in 12+-year-olds.

Inspired by faery myth and folklore, the haunting, heart wrenching tale of a changeling called Nettle in a dark, foreboding faery kingdom.

Read the full description

A wild misfit in the human world, Nettle is enthralled by the glamour of the faery realm, with its two moons and scarlet stars. She grows close to Conor, a human stolen centuries before, and she also falls under the spell of mysterious Ellion, a Shadow Faery. To try to help her beloved grandmother who is fading in her world, Nettle makes a pact with the faery king.

He'll heal her grandmother in exchange for Nettle completing three tasks. She agrees, not realising that cruelty lurks beneath the beauty of this place, and that she has been tricked.

In this wild, dangerous fantasy kingdom Nettle discovers, too late, her part in a centuries old love story and the price she will pay - remaining forever in the realm of immortals for those she loves.

Raised on a healthy diet of fantasy and fairy tales, Bex Hogan has spent much of her life lost in daydreams. Writing her stories down was a natural progression and now she enjoys sharing her time between living in the real world and escaping to her imagination.

A Cornish girl at heart, Bex now lives in Cambridgeshire with her husband, two beautiful daughters and a fluffy cocker spaniel. She might be found riding horses, talking to her plants or eating marzipan. Or not. She is the author of the Isles of Storm and Sorrow trilogy, which are YA fantasy adventures set on the high seas. Viper, Venom and Vulture are all out now.

The LoveReading4Kids Best Children's Books of the Year 2025

The LoveReading4Kids Best Children's Books of the Year 2024

the best books for teenagers

A Small Matter of Impending Catastrophe

Spook's: The Dark Army

Spook's: A New Darkness

Inspired by faery myth and folklore, the haunting, heart wrenching tale of a changeling called Nettle in a dark, foreboding faery kingdom. A wild misfit in the human world, Nettle is enthralled by the glamour of the faery realm, with its two moons and scarlet stars.

The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Nettle and determined it is suitable for children aged 13-18 years old

Nettle features in the following genres: Featured Books for 13+ readers, Featured Books for Young Adults, Books of the Month, Recommendations, Star Books, Fantasy / Magical, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational

Paperback, Hardback. £7.19, down from the £7.99 cover price. In Stock.

Nettle was written by Bex Hogan and published by Zephyr an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing (UK)

Nettle has 271 pages

Yes it is part of Faery Realms series

£7.19, reduced from £7.99. In Stock.

©PTC International Ltd T/A LoveReading is registered in England. Company number: 10193437. VAT number: 270 4538 09. Registered address: 157 Shooters Hill, London, SE18 3HP. Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer

The National Year of Reading starts here. Join thousands of families and schools supporting reading for pleasure across the UK.