romance – Page 3 – Literaryrobin

Let’s Talk: Fantasy Favorites Old and New

April 21, 2025April 24, 2025 Robin1 Comment

It’s my first fantasy roundup of the new year *gasp* and I am so excited to share all of the speculative fiction I have enjoyed in this first quarter of 2025. Fantasy has come second to romance these past few months but the ones I have read have really stuck with me. I have continued the trend of moving through my backlist of advance copies while interspersing some rereads to keep me out of the dreaded reading slump. On the reread front, I reread Shardless and the Jasad Heir ahead of their sequels publishing this summer. There are so many new books out this year and it’s so hard to keep up with all of them so I am committed to checking in every few months on here just to move through my favorites. So let’s get to it here with a chaotic fantasy debut, THE best friends to lovers fae fantasy of all time (I’m serious), a romantic fantasy novel brimming with unhinged yearning, an epic fantasy debut involving the powers of the ancestors, and a gay murder mystery fantasy mashup.

The Prince Without Sorrow by Maithree Wijesekara

If you like your fantasy heavy on the chaos and the vengeance, then Maithree Wijesekara’s, The Prince Without Sorrow is the perfect book. A young prince destined to inherit a legacy of tyranny and violence, and a mayakari witch outcasted for her magic become entangled after a curse gone wrong kills the reigning emperor. Now The Prince Without Sorrow is pure chaos. Love me a book where the characters have no coherent plan and are just rolling with the punches and coming up with ideas on a complete whim and that was the essence of this debut in the best possible way. Wijesekara plays with the paths, chosen and inherited and the notion of legacy across her debut with such skill. I loved seeing these characters grapple with their morality as they endeavour to right the past and be different from their predecessors. Shakti in particular struggles with the pacifism of the Mayakari and the consequences of breaking their rules to curse Emperor Adil and enact her revenge, while Ashoka is determined to honor his commitment to nonviolence. Having a dead emperor offering you his unsolicited advice because you are now bound to his spirit is a specific kind of problem only Shakti could handle. She truly lept into this with flying colors and I was so here for her tendency to act on impulse. The Prince Without Sorrow fascinated me with its intricate politics, queer romance, and characters just trying to do the right thing but ultimately going down a path they always feared. There are so many threads present in this debut and I am hanging on to every single one as I await the next installment.

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The Mask of Mirrors by M.A. Carrick

In the city of Nadežra one can be reborn. After fleeing the city and a life in its criminal underbelly with her sister Tess, Ren returns for the con of a lifetime. Masquerading as the lost cousin of House Traementis, Ren hopes to instill herself in the family, securing wealth and prospects. What she doesn’t expect is how deep the con will take her, the bonds she will make with her pseudo-family, and the dark magic transforming the city into a waking nightmare. When I started The Mask of Mirrors I was confronted with a plethora of rich detail that at first is difficult to surmount. The elaborate backdrop of a city split between two banks, upper and lower, and the island in between, plus the ruling families with complex alliances, and the magic system make for a riveting read if you can absorb its wealth of information. Interwound with the house politics, a variety of perspectives, and a vigilante stalking the shadows known as the Rook, The Mask of Mirrors is certainly one of the most intensely layered fantasy trilogies I have ever read. There is a deep heart of mystery M.A. Carrick taps into to construct the beginnings of this trilogy. With so many masks worn not just by our main character, Ren, Carrick questions who one can trust when confronting larger constructs tied up in wealth and power—and the ties we hold to our cultures and families. The emergence of children lost to dreams proves the deception runs deep, and uncovering the mystery will rely on Ren taking on a third and final identity. The Mask of Mirrors is a puzzling dream that one cannot begin to untangle with just one read. This is the kind of book that requires time invested, but earned back through its memorable characters and intricate political landscape.

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The Rebel Witch by Kristen Ciccarelli

Rune Winters has been a witch in hiding even before her identity was unveiled by the man she loved and she was delivered to her enemies. Now Cressida Roseblood, a witch long thought dead has returned and she has a plan to restore a world where witches reigned. To aid her Rune will have to excise the part of herself that still cares for Gideon Sharpe, the witch hunter, lest she see the rest of her kind destroyed for good. The Rebel Witch initiates the long awaited conclusion to Kristen Ciccarelli’s Crimson Moth duology. This sequel elevates the tension between our witch and witch hunter through an entertaining game of cat and mouse that sees entirely new stakes emerge now that Rune’s witch identity has been revealed. The chemistry between Rune and Gideon is even more palpable as they reluctantly become allies while retreating back into the roles they used to occupy. Ciccarelli interrogates the crux of enemies to lovers—the conflicting worldviews, how these characters have been socialized to see one another as the enemy, and if love and hate can truly coexist. Gideon is at the forefront of this conflict as he has centered his life around hunting witches outside his experiences at the hands of the series villain, Cressida Roseblood. Gideon’s feelings towards Cressida are deeply personal, but enacting his revenge could destroy his relationship with Rune and his ability to let go of the rhetoric that has fueled so much of his life. The Rebel Witch makes clear the cost of othering one group in defense of another and the difficulties in disentangling oneself from the propaganda and rhetoric fueling such hatred. This conclusion is romantic and action packed, earning its place in one of my favorite duologies of the past few years.

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Shardless by Stephanie Fisher

On the island of Tempris the immortal magic wielding fae hold status above all others. Humans, or shardless, possess no magic and are treated as lesser citizens. When she was discovered in the ashes of her family home as a child, with no memory of her past, Taly Caro was adopted by a fey noble and his family, who became her family themselves. But after experiencing magic—premonitions of the future seconds before they happen, Taly knows she is in danger, for this kind of magic hasn’t been seen in an age, and she will be hunted like those who came before. When I say this book is my favorite romantic fantasy I am deadly serious. I first read Shardless back in 2020 and since then I’ve reread it four other times, each one only serving to deepen my love and appreciation for this brilliant fantasy novel. Every part of this story is well thought out, from the prologue detailing a glimpse at Taly’s beginnings, the epigraphs of letters and portions of Tempris’ history, and the engaging plot at its center involving Taly confronting her magic and the mystery of her past. Fisher deepens this with a stunning friends to lovers arc between Taly and Skylen Emrys, which was serving that delicious delicious angst only intensified by the secrets Taly refuses to give up. Every part of this world is epic in scope, but it is the gateways sundered in the schism that locked away entire worlds and trapped much of Tempris’ population in one place, that renders this novel its post-cataclysm feel. Adding the intersection of fae magic with modern weaponry places Shardless decidedly in the category of steampunk-esque. I could really wax poetic about this incredible book for a life age. But just trust in me for your next obsession because it is this novel.

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Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan

Liyen, heir to Tianxia, ascends to the throne after the passing of her grandfather who risked everything for her survival—securing a magical lotus flower belonging to the immortals that helped her recover from a deadly poison at the cost of his life. The relationship between the kingdom of Tianxia and the immortal realm has long been strained, but the loss of the lotus flower spells even more trouble for their alliance. Liyen travels to the Immortal Realm where she comes face to face with Zhangwei, the legendary God of War. As their respective worlds deem they work together, Zhangwei and Liyen push past their ire, confronting an unexpected connection and worse, an impossible love. Immortal is a novel I consider to be the height of romantic fantasy. Sue Lynn Tan poured her entire heart and soul into this mesmerizing tale of redemption and transcendent love. Ruthless betrayals, immortal bargains, and secrets are just the surface of this epic love story. There’s the tenuous relationship between the immortals and mortal realms, and an evil preying on the mortal lands connected to the Netherworld and our main duo. The breadth of the Celestial Kingdoms from Sue Lynn Tan’s former duology expands, providing a fabled sort of setting around which the entire love story is conducted. I’m afraid I have never seen yearning portrayed in the way the character Zhangwei yearns for Liyen and all of that is due to the layered relationship building Sue Lynn Tan imparts from start to finish. Immortal is surely the romantic fantasy of the year. Prepare to see a God of War down bad for his love interest as he suffers bouts of unshakable yearning and longs for a love he cannot get back.

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The Bitter Twins by Jen Williams

In a moment of desperation, Tormalin the Oathless and Noon, a fell-witch of extraordinary power brought forth the Ninth Rain after many years of silence. Now these war beasts of legend, brought to life through the tree of Ygseril, have no memory of their pasts. Tormalin and Noon must figure out how to mobilize them, or see Sarn fall to the Jure’lia, their enemy of old. The Bitter Twins is the expansive follow up to Jen Williams the Ninth Rain where Williams returns to the Eboran empire after an intense battle with the Jure’lia who are once again intent on conquering all of Sarn. The characters Williams brings together remain the highlight of her Winnowing Flames trilogy. Vincent, a peculiar lesbian explorer obsessed with exploring ancient ruins and the dangerous wild, Tormalin, her hired immortal who thirsts for answers as he clings to the past, and Noon, an imprisoned witch who will do anything to retain her freedom. Brought together by less than typical circumstances, this sequel deepens the relationships inside and outside our trio while introducing the temperamental war beasts now bonded to them. The Bitter Twins envisions a cycle interrupted and what happens when the cycle that has stalled for many years all of a sudden begins anew. At the forefront of this are those who have resigned themselves to a particular fate given the chance to step out from the shadows and fight back. Williams’ layered characterizations, involved histories and peoples, and intriguing legend make for an all-encompassing fantasy world and a wild journey from start to finish.

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A Song of Legends Lost by M.H. Ayinde

Across the Kingdom of Nine Lands the ability to invoke the spirits of ancestors in battle is a coveted power granted only to those of noble birth. After a strange interaction leaves her bound to a mysterious spirit who grants her impossible power, Temi, a commoner, becomes embroiled in a plot connected to the ancestral realm and the truth to her kingdom’s history. A Song of Legends Lost debuts a gripping tale of ancestral power, histories lost, and revenge interwound with a quintet of characters confronting the legacy of their kingdom and the lies hidden at its heart. M.H. Ayinde constructs a unique fantasy world where advanced technology collides with legend. Both have power over the noble families fighting against the threat of Greybloods—mysterious beings of matter and techwork that are pushing into the lands, and these populations at large. A civilization long ago destroyed is remembered through forbidden techwork technology, a source of class tension that sees information suppressed from the top down. There’s power in storytelling and the histories that are passed down through generations, and Ayinde interrogates this at the center of her debut. Long ago civilizations and wars no one can remember are given context by the kingdom itself, an entity with its own agenda and a violent past. A Song of Legends Lost spans unique cultures, perspectives, and history, all given their time on the page through her organization of perspective. Ayinde skillfully submerges readers in her story and builds to an epic confrontation at its final act. A Song of Legend is the height of epic fantasy, confronting the legacy of colonization and the weaponization of history. I’m calling this as the best fantasy debut of the year and am imploring everyone to experience it for themselves.

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The Gentleman and His Vowsmith by Rebecca Ide

Lord Nicholas Monterris has never been free to make his own choices. As the Monterris heir, Nicholas holds his family’s hopes in restoring their fortune through his arranged marriage to the daughter of his fathers greatest rival, Lady Leaf Serral. Combining the magic of two families is a delicate process, requiring a vowsmith to craft the marriage contract while the families are confined to the manor. When someone dies on the first night, Nicholas realizes someone wants to impede this marriage, and they are willing to kill for it. Locked in the manor with a killer, Nicholas relies on his intuition and unlikely companions—his fiance, Leaf, and former love, Dashiell sa Vare, to uncover the truth before the killer strikes again and his family is truly left beyond saving. The Gentleman and His Vowsmith sees historical fantasy meet arcane magic, a locked manor murder mystery, and a second chance romance. In this incomparable historical fantasy novel, two former flames reunite in a decaying manor where murder abounds and an impending marriage constrains any chance of their happily ever after. It should come at no shock to anyone that historical romance is one of my favorite genres. I’m a fan of anything blending genre and subverting conventions and tropes within this space, which this novel does wonderfully. Rebecca Ide delivers a queer romance with such intense longing and characters you can’t help but root for amidst the murder plot. Ide writes for anyone wanting the labyrinthine locked room mystery plot to come with a side of gay yearning and a dash of magic and The Gentleman and His Vowsmith delivers on all three fronts.

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This Monster of Mine by Shalini Abeysekara

Four years ago, Sarai was discovered broken and brutalized beneath Sidran tower. Against all odds she was put back together, though the physical and emotional scars have forever lingered. Pursuing the justice she never received, Sarai finds a way back to the capitol as a petitor, a prosecutor with the ability to detect lies. Taking on the mantle of petitor, Sarai is assigned to work alongside Tetrarch Kadra, the only figure she can remember from her fall off the tower, whom she thinks committed the crime. This Monster of Mine initiates an extensive quest for vengeance that questions the ability of achieving justice through a judicial system and the costs of striking out alone. Set in a fantasy world inspired by ancient Rome, Abeysekara builds out a series of tetrarchs with competing notions and dynamics of power, and a flawed justice system. Sarai, a victim of brutal violence saw no justice from the tetrarchs, necessitating her quest for revenge that reveals an intentional plot within this hierarchy. This Monster of Mine uncovers a larger exploitation at the heart of the city and the individuals more than comfortable upholding these injustices for personal gain. Alongside this, Abeysekara examines a society’s tendency to mythologize a person and their situation rather than fight for truth and justice. Sarai is hiding in plain sight, but her story as the “Sidran Tower Girl” has been local legend as long as she has sought the truth. This Monster of Mine attempts several threads of mystery, romance, and magic, and all of them have a strong connection within this story. I love a good revenge narrative and this one handles the nuances of such an arc with a mix of grace, heartbreak and “good for her.”

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Greenteeth by Molly O’Neill

For hundreds of years Jenny Greenteeth has made her home beneath the lake, where she devours her unwilling prey and witnesses the years pass on. In all her time beneath its waters, Jenny has never met a human, but that is quick to change when a young woman is bound hand and foot and thrown into the lake. Accused of witchcraft in the surrounding village, Temperance would have drowned if not for her rescue at the hands of the resident lake monster. Jenny and Temperance are nothing alike but this newfound fear of magic does not just threaten Temperance’s community, but Jenny’s home as well. Leaving behind the safety of her lake, Jenny and Temperance embark on a dangerous quest for fae magic to unravel the darkness before it consumes their respective homes and all they hold dear. Greenteeth wickedly ensnares folklore, magic, and Arthurian legend together in one adventurous fantasy standalone. Following the Jenny Greenteeth of tale and legend, O’Neill basks in uncovering her peculiar nature, the conflicting states of being between teeth barred and someone seeking connection. Monsters aren’t all as they appear in Greenteeth and O’Neill reveals the depths hidden beneath the murky surface of her charming cast of characters—a witch, a lake monster, and a spirited goblin. Found family never fails to get to me and Greenteeth achieves that along the road to adventure. Despite their oftentimes clashing perspectives, Jenny and Temperance find solid ground. I liked seeing how they connected over roles in motherhood, and their innate desire to protect others (even if you eat things sometimes). Greenteeth brings us to a Britain on the outset of legend, where the greatest power held is in memory and the legends themselves.

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Upon a Starlit Tide by Kell Woods

Lucinde Léon has always felt an affinity to the sea. Raised at the side of her adoptive father, a wealthy French shipowner, Lucinde has been granted every comfort, but the surrounding walls of Saint-Malo only serve to block her from the waves that call to her beyond. In secret, Luce spends her days on the water, learning to sail alongside her friend and closest confidant, Samuel. But in the aftermath of a storm, a shipwreck washes up on shore, and Luce rescues its only survivor—setting off a chain of events that will reveal the truth to her heritage, her father’s legacy, and why she finds power in the treacherous deep. Upon a Starlit Tide strikes a delicate balance between historical fiction and fantasy, and retelling the Cinderella and The Little Mermaid fairy tales, finding a unique footing in the spaces between these genres and the folktales themselves. Subverting various touchstones for these stories and centering eighteenth century Brittany as her backdrop, Woods crafts a glimmering tale of betrayal, tragedy, and forbidden love. This has exactly my kind of romance, connecting to those siren and selkie tales of old, and the longing of awaiting your love to return. Upon a Starlit Tide has a bit more of a slow build, with the political and romance elements percolating to an intense confrontation in the final act. As Luce finds her power, Upon a Starlit Tide uncovers the deliberate violence orchestrated over her lifetime. Woods connecting this back to a certain figure in Luce’s life and their choices is timely, as was Luce coming into her abilities and choosing herself. Upon a Starlit Tide is a heady mix of history and folktales made real and I was mercilessly swept up in its tumultuous undertow like a ship wrecked upon its shore.

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The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem

All Sylvia remembers about her past is the fire and destruction that ripped her away from her family and the kingdom she loved. In the aftermath, the kingdom of Jasad was pillaged and its remaining citizens scattered, later rounded up and executed simply for the magic they wield. As the lost Jasad heir, Sylvia has hidden herself away in a small village, suppressing her limited magic so as not to alert anyone to her survival. After a slipup involving an inquisitive guard and her beloved sesame candies Sylvia comes face to face with Arin, the Nizahl heir. Caught between the heir and survival, Sylvia makes a bargain with Arin, she’ll help him track a group of Jasadi rebels in exchange for her walking free. But the closer she gets to Nizahl and its pesky heir, the more Sylvia confronts the legacy of the Jasad crown and if she can truly leave the past behind to be left as nothing more than a legend. Egyptian inspired high fantasy involving ill-placed bargains, trials, and an enemies to lovers arc was enough for me to first pick up The Jasad Heir two years ago and it still holds up today. Sara Hashem’s debut is a piercing blade that expertly dissects the legacy of a kingdom lost to violence and the conflicting path to survival in a world seeking to eradicate all that you are. Sylvia is the beating heart of this story, caught in an impossible situation as she leverages her abilities to survive, but makes a choice that could see more of her kind captured and killed. She’s conflicted, yet uncompromising in protecting those she loves and safeguarding her future. Lost heirs returning is a niche kind of story I just adore and god is this one of the best I’ve read in years. That final chapter is nothing short of masterful, the masks come off in the best way as Sylvia chooses her fate over Jasad and her rightful crown.

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Review: The Nightshade God by Hannah Whitten

April 16, 2025April 16, 2025 RobinLeave a comment

Please note this review contains spoilers for the former books in this series, The Foxglove King & The Hemlock Queen, and contains references to some of the events in this sequel.

Lore is in exile. After failing to cede her power to Apollius, the living god controlling King Bastian, she has been exiled to the Burnt Isles to atone. It is there that she fends for survival with her fellow prisoners and awaits the day she can take back her power and destroy Apollius for good. Gabe, the Priest Exalted, has fled Dellaire altogether. Alongside Lore’s parents and their fellow godly awakened, Gabe hatches a plan that would see Apollius crushed. When Lore meets an unexpected ally from her past, the two discover a way off the Burnt Isles and begin to track their way to the Golden Mount. There they must reunite all of the broken pieces of the Fount—the well of power which granted Apollius and his godly kin their immortality and godly abilities. These broken pieces are scattered across the continent who knows where, but reuniting them is the only way to destroy the divine powers and wrest control away from the gods. The closer Lore gets to the Golden Mount, the more her powers grow until she is forced to confront the role she was born into—a girl with immeasurable power destined to destroy, or one made only to be a martyr.

The Nightshade God concludes Hannah Whitten’s enthralling gothic dark fantasy trilogy, The Nightshade Crown which found its beginnings back with The Foxglove King. Brimming with death magic, fickle gods, and a chaotic bisexual trio—an arrogant prince, a duty bound priest, and a poison runner, embroiled in a sinister plot within the Sainted Kings court—The Nightshade Crown is a trilogy I’ve long considered as one of my favorites, perfectly poised against my more niche reading tastes. Entwining a deep expose into religion, its tendency to subjugate and the unavoidable allure of power, this conclusion sees our trio confronting the powers that have long sought to control them and their personal limitations. Lore, exiled to the Burnt Isles and cut off from her magic, Gabe lost and on the run in Caldien, and Bastian a mere puppet to a higher godly power. After two books of buildup Hannah Whitten lays bare the flawed roots of godhood, from the complexities of Auverraine’s religion to the godly beings who drank from the Fount centuries ago. This finale doesn’t let up on the relentless tension, and whatever you’re imagining for its end, prepare to be unmade in the transformative waters of the Fount upon the mountain.

Hannah Whitten returns to a world divided, as godly beings descend on Auverraine and Gabe, Lore, and Bastian are torn apart by fate and their respective ties. Returning to our trio in the midst of conflict with a god, The Nightshade God sees all three of these characters struck low. Lore fights for survival on the Burnt Isles, Gabe harnesses a fight back in Caldien, and Bastian battles for autonomy against the god taking over his body and mind. The Nightshade God is wholly different from the former two books in this series. After two books solely in Lore’s perspective, this finale pulls back to focus on other necessary perspectives. Given the nature of our characters separated across this world, Whitten bridges new points of view through Gabe, Alie, and Bastian’s fractured consciousness. The Nightshade God is perfectly designed narratively, with these split perspectives and the individual journeys of our trio making their way to the Golden Mount for the final showdown. Once again, Whitten delivers on the characters and it is this finale that draws out their startling persistence and what they are willing to give up to usher in a world free from divinity.

While I have been awaiting Bastian and Gabe’s points of view since the start of this series, The Nightshade God is the perfect moment to integrate them within the narrative. Yet, knowing where we last left these characters, it is a little heartbreaking to witness their perspectives. Gabe taking up fighting in Caldien as a way to finance his fight against Apollius and the Kirythean Empire, but also as a way to be closer to Bastian should not have hurt as much as it did. His journey out of religious subservience, shame, and fealty to Anton which was weaponized to further Anton’s sinister agenda at last reaches a solid landing place in this third and final book. Gabe really comes into his own in this finale and his devotion to Lore and Bastian was giving the longing I have long suspected was brimming beneath his stoic facade. Lore on the other hand is facing something unheard of in the loss of the power she has carried for most of her life. This third book has Lore confronting the destiny she was born into, as she grapples with her autonomy and the cost of holding fast to her power. Lore spent her life fighting for survival on Dellaire’s streets and is now granted a way to change things—a thread which all her choices hinge upon. The final act is the culmination of so many things, the journeys of our three characters together and apart, and Whitten’s examination into godhood and religion.

Hannah Whitten sharpens her themes in this finale as Lore faces down Apollius at the Golden Mount with the rest of our crew. Here Whitten unveils the depths to Auverraine’s religion, and the god who promised to usher in a new world for the faithful, but instead only wished to further his own ends. Some of my favorite portions of The Hemlock Queen were the flashbacks pre Godsfall to Apollius, Nyxara, and Hestraon’s perspectives. Rich in religious commentary and driving context to the situation that led to these individuals becoming gods, these scenes are paramount as Lore, Gabe, and Bastian return to the Golden Mount to reconstruct the Fount and drive out the gods for good. Even with these godly beings seeming so far above the meager desires of humanity, in actuality Apollius and his fellow kin are being driven by human desires. This was the final piece to the puzzle in understanding that these gods were once humans themselves and thus his promises and blessings all fed back to his selfish beginnings. That Apollius’s fear of death was his core drive was a superb reveal on Whitten’s part, fitting into balance between life and death—Spiritum and Mortem both.

Hannah Whitten’s resplendent fantasy trilogy at last finds a bittersweet end. From the final few chapters to that emotional epilogue spanning several centuries, Hannah Whitten delivers on the angst and an unconventional end to the journey initiated long ago at the Sainted Kings Court. Whitten outweighs these moments of sorrow with Lore’s unfettered determination and the tremendous love she feels for Gabe and Bastian that she refuses to let go. The Fount as its own character was an unexpected part to this final act and witnessing it go toe to toe with Lore was the perfect balance to some of the more painful revelations laid bare. I love the full circle moments we get here, as Lore takes ownership of the story and guards against humanity’s nature to take power—becoming a kind of myth herself. In this finale characters are unmade, reborn, and entire belief systems are shaken. The Nightshade God manages to paint a comprehensive picture of religious ideology, queer love, and the roles we play, be it by choice of circumstance, in a final book that is nothing short of world-altering. The Nightshade God is just perfection in my eyes and Hannah Whitten an author I trust to lead me through any kind of tale, no matter how twisted.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing the advance review copy.

Trigger warnings: religious abuse, blood, violence, death

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Review: The Maiden and Her Monster by Maddie Martinez

April 7, 2025 RobinLeave a comment

Once, the forest was good. Before it became known as Mavetéh, Into Death, the forest bordering Malka’s village of Eskravé was a place of beauty. Now five years soured, the forest devours all women who enter it. In the footsteps of these disappearances is a plague that has struck many of the villagers low. Malka is the daughter of a healer. When her mother is falsely accused of murder by a priest, Malka has the chance to prove their stories of the woods are true and save her mother from execution. All she has to do is enter the forest and bring back the Rayga, the monster itself. But when she enters the woods, Malka discovers Nimrah, a golem exiled for her crimes. Nimrah agrees to take the blame for the killings, in exchange for Malka aiding her in freeing her creator, the Maharal, a rabbi known for his teaching and practicing of Kefesh—a type of Yahadi mysticism. The Maharal is currently imprisoned and awaiting trial in the capital city Valón. To get there, Nimrah and Malka will have to engage in a bargain steeped in Kefesh, but when Nimrah and Malka make it to the capital, they find a devious plot at work within the city. Confronting it will mean facing down a world that sees one of them as a monster, and the feelings that have taken root through their flawed bargain.

In The Maiden and Her Monster, Maddie Martinez reimagines the Jewish myth of The Golem of Prague, connecting the power of folklore, memory, and faith in one transformative fantasy debut. Now I know I am not the only one that has been eagerly awaiting this novel ever since Maddie Martinez first announced it. Sapphic romance intimately connected to folklore, a monstrous forest, and romantic yearning is like Cupid’s arrow aimed directly at my heart. Martinez more than delivers with The Maiden and Her Monster, as a Yahadi healer and a monstrous Golem bargain to save their people and uncover a love they will risk everything for. The Maiden and Her Monster intricately lays bare the conflicting facets of storytelling, from those that connect a larger community and its struggles, to those built, in effect, to justify violence and oppression. Scattered across the narrative, these folktales expand upon Martinez’s inquiry into identity and the long-lasting endurance of a people. Enveloped in history and folklore, The Maiden and Her Monster hides much behind the overgrowth of one twisted forest, if one is courageous enough to venture into its gaping maw.

Encompassed in a verdant snarling prose, The Maiden and Her Monster establishes a fable-like setting through the village Eskravé and its surrounding forest Kratzka Šujana twisted into Mavetéh—a dark wood seeming to swallow women whole. The threat of this twisted forest is second only to a plague spreading throughout the village and the increasingly prevalent tithes levied against the villagers by the Ozmini Church. The presence of the church gnaws on the villagers through direct and indirect acts of violence that press one healer’s daughter to brave the forest to confront the monster within. The imagery rendered within The Maiden and Her Monster is confoundingly ineffable, yet nevertheless it remained impressed upon my mind long after the novel’s conclusion. Through these details, Martinez hinges on her novel’s core themes and the journey Malka embarks upon at its start. One such instance was in Malka’s conversation with the Maharal on the edge of the woods near Valón and the crumbling ruins of a Synagogue. This portion of the novel was particularly memorable, as the memory of the shul Amichati is made present through Kefesh and the resilience of the Yahad made all the more tangible. The language, the imagery, the story retold, all illustrate the perseverance of this community and their call to rebuild again and again.

The characters Martinez molds into being were my favorite part of The Maiden and Her Monster. The juxtaposition of Nimrah, a golem assembled from river stones to protect the Yahad in Valón, and Malka, a devout Yahad and daughter to a healer was the perfect center of conflict for this story. Faith is as easy as breathing for Malka, and her connection to Kefesh as an extent to her faith and relationship to Yohev was incredibly profound. Maddie Martinez ties the mysticism of Kefesh to various folktales created to caution and warn against its practice, and conversely the autonomy gained through such knowledge. Nimrah’s arc on the other hand, is a bit more tricky. Faith to her is an essential part of why she exists—as a protector to the Yahad, but it confines and leaves her little room to forge her own path, to have unique desires, or make connections to belief unconstructed. Nimrah confronting these limitations and her core drive to protect is as liberating as the Yahad standing strong against their oppressors in Valón. Martinez bridges this with an intense query into the monstrous—are individuals only the sum of their parts and monstrous by design, or is it more deliberate—an intentional choice.

The Maiden and Her Monster is a novel entirely concerned with story, from the tales that further nationalistic agenda and rhetoric, to the ones that confine and free all in a single breath. Maddie Martinez unveils unique interpretations within their telling, which can mean the difference between a cautionary tale, the revising of key histories, or the endurance of a community. I love the story within a story style narratives, and the patchwork narratives that connect folktales against the larger backdrop of a quest journey. The Maiden and Her Monster starts by constructing a typical quest narrative that is irrevocably, and necessarily sundered by Martinez as Malka and Nimrah arrive at a city teetering on the edge of something. The stories themselves hold tremendous weight, to empower, warn, or justify, and at the core of Maiden is an interrogation into all of these facets. Adding in the history of the Yahadi people and the political landscape within Ordobav, everything within The Maiden and Her Monster is thoughtfully placed and works in tandem as a living, breathing thing—much like stories themselves.

Trekking through an evil forest responsible for killing dozens of women while falling in love with the monster within is merely the enticing surface to Maddie Martinez’s debut fantasy novel. But like the dense and twisted forest Mavetéh, Martinez’s debut hides much within the background and the only way to uncover it is to brave the forest, and the monsters, within. Through Malka, a young woman desperate to slay the monster and return to a semblance of normalcy, Martinez illustrates a community’s pain as a representation of more deliberate, systemic injustices, than a singular evil that can be defeated with just one blow. A work long endeavored, but no less important in undertaking as this novel draws to a close. The Maiden and Her Monster sees stories take on a life of their own, becoming the extent of a people and the complex tapestry of history reinterpreted and retold. A Jewish fantasy novel abundant in history, politics, and faith, The Maiden and Her Monster is exactly the kind of story that will endure long after its initial telling. Maddie Martinez is the kind of talent that doesn’t come around often, and I am overwhelmingly feral for anything she writes next.

Thank you to Tor Books for providing me an advance review copy.

Trigger warnings: death, violence, blood, murder, gore, torture, xenophobia, antisemitism, sexism, misogyny

Preorder a Copy – Out 9th September

Review: The Devil She Knows by Alexandria Bellefleur

April 3, 2025April 4, 2025 Robin1 Comment

When her girlfriend rejects her proposal, dumps her, and leaves her a week to move out of their shared New York apartment, Samantha Cooper could not imagine her life getting any worse. Except now she’s stuck in the elevator in her apartment building with a beautiful stranger who somehow knows intimate details from her personal life. Decked out in bubblegum pink, seeming to appear from another era entirely, nobody would expect that this beautiful stranger, Daphne, is in fact a demon and she’s here to grant Samantha a bargain. Daphne claims she can offer Samantha the opportunity to right the failed proposal in exchange for something Samantha will barely miss—her soul. But six wishes means six chances to win back Hannah, and it’s not like Samantha will need to use all of them to accomplish this. What she doesnt know is that Daphne is under contract to collect one thousand souls, only then can she finally be free from her own misplaced bargain. Stuck in an elevator with a demon was never how she imagined her night going, nor experiencing six alternate realities where she made different choices. As Samantha’s wishes dwindle, freedom is in Daphne’s grasp, but the devil is in the details and neither of their bargains ever afforded them a chance at a happy ending.

The Devil She Knows is the latest in a long line of incredible romances from author Alexandria Bellefleur, but her first dabbling in romance of the paranormal variety. A Faustian type bargain between a contracted demon and a down on her luck chef becomes the love story of legend in this devilish contemporary romance that takes place—for the most part—entirely in an elevator. From the moment the premise for The Devil She Knows was first revealed I knew Bellefleur was going to deliver another romance masterpiece. This is truly a story only Alexandria Bellefleur was capable of drumming up. The Devil She Knows is like It’s a Wonderful Life, but instead of an angel saving you from cashing in that life insurance policy it’s a demon showing you six alternate realities and how deeply terrible your ex is. Cloaked in Bellefleurs classic wit, The Devil She Knows details an unlikely love story with a contemplative center. Hot as hell takes on a whole new meaning in this romance where hell is the backdrop affording bargains and stealing souls for dark purposes. Hellish romance is the new standard thanks to Bellefleur and The Devil She Knows has me wanting to bargain for more.

Unlike most of Bellefleur’s previous romances, The Devil She Knows sees the romance taking a bit of a back seat. Instead, Bellefleur explores two women defined by their circumstances finding assurance in their lives and the choices that made them who they are. The six wishes Daphne grants Samantha allow her to glimpse her different selves, albeit with a fantastical twist. Samantha experiences herself as a legendary thief responsible for stealing rare culinary ingredients worth millions, a celebrated chef competing on Daphne’s Inferno, a cooking show in hell, and the combinations just get more and more absurd. These absurd scenarios, while deeply humorous, hinge on the experiences from Samantha’s reality, the personalities that show through regardless of the situation. Bellefleur makes it clear that who we are is a constant, threading through these different realities. It is through this that Samantha learns to see herself as someone worthy of being loved exactly for who she is, not someone that needs to change every aspect of her personality to be chosen.

The Devil She Knows promises a sapphic paranormal romance surrounding a deal with the devil gone astray and it’s safe to say, Alexandria Bellefleur gives that and then some. Like a three-headed dog judging a cooking show in hell, a misguided demoness who was tricked by the devil himself, and the pitfalls of influencer marketing, the details to this one are as bizarre as they are expertly placed in Samantha’s path. A locked room romance was never something I imagined being a thing, but being stuck in an elevator with a demon is quite the enticing synopsis. Unveiling the complexities to her two characters, a demon wrapped in pink and a lovelorn chef, Bellefleur continues to excel at unlikely pairings that are perfectly compatible, and the dynamics that bring on the heat. The Devil She Knows is exactly what I needed going into spring and it is going to be a wonderful read for the upcoming fall season. A call to stay true to our roots and surround ourselves with people who do the same, this novel provides a fresh view on modern romance with just a dash of ill-conceived demonic bargains. I’m all but ready to bargain my own soul for more paranormal romances from Alexandria Bellefleur, but for now, I’ll stay sane with this.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this advance review copy.

Trigger warnings: infidelity, death

Preorder a Copy – Out 21st October

Let’s Talk: Spring into Romance

April 2, 2025April 16, 2025 RobinLeave a comment

The horrors are relentless and they never cease so yes, I am out here recommending more romance novels in these trying times. A romance peddler if you will. When life gets rough, I like to have several romance novels on deck and if my current stack of romances is any indication it is indeed dire right now. This post name is not only apt because it’s finally spring, but we just gained an hour and I don’t know how to function. But in all seriousness I will continue to support the notion of reading as an act of resistance. Romances are exactly what we need to be reading right now and I’m here with twelve new favorites for ya’ll to read and preorder for the coming months. You know the drill, this is a mix of historicals and contemporary romances depending on your persuasion. Prepare yourself for a French lady obsessed with overly scandalous outfits, a hate to lovers historical romance on a boat, a hockey marriage of convenience, a When Harry Met Sally retelling, and so much more!

The Reluctant Countess by Eloisa James

Lady Yasmin Régnier has long been followed by scandal, ever since she was tricked as a teenager by a man who never intended to marry her, and her mother became infamous as Napoleon’s mistress. Years later in England, Yasmin wears her fashionably low cut dresses, eschews the ton’s rigorous rules, and hides none of her laughter, much to society’s chagrin. Those of you that have followed me on my historical romance journey know that Eloisa James is one of my favorite authors and My Reluctant Countess may just be my favorite from her to date. This novel concerns all things scandal, so called polite society’s impossible standards, and how significant events shape who we are and inform our belief systems. Put it simply, Lady Yasmin was just an icon. She knows the rules of the game and cares not to adhere to them, deciding to instead enjoy her time in England. When she falls for Giles Renwick, an Earl who cares so much for perception and avoiding scandal, she is challenged to either change herself or stand resolute in the face of scandal. Eloisa James creates some incredible tension stemming from this profound disconnect. Giles needed to be bonked over the head several times but Yasmin was perfect, standing strong in her knowledge and refusing to change just because Giles struggled to appreciate her as she is. This one is a winding road through scandal but it’s a wonderfully humorous and heated journey all the same.

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Gloves Off by Stephanie Archer

Can I interest you in a marriage of convenience between a hockey player on the verge of retirement and the team’s physician who have hated one another for years? Ever since they met Alexei and Georgia have hated each other. She thinks he’s arrogant and he thinks she’s vapid, but Georgia needs research funding from her inheritance to continue her program training young women athletes after injury, and Alexei needs a green card to remain in Canada following his imminent retirement. Solution: a year long marriage until they both get what they want. Who cares if she’s actually intelligent and fiercely kind with a not-so-minor Vampire Diaries Addiction and a tendency to sleepwalk into his bed. And who cares if he wears glasses, communicates through the secret language of flowers, and takes care of her two bunny rabbits, Stefan and Damon. Warning, Gloves Off will leave you in the feels as these two so called enemies cohabitate and open up to friendship—and to love. What I liked about this addition to the Vancouver Storm series was how Stephanie Archer built a solid bedrock for the mutual hatred between her two leads. I could really understand why Alexei and Georgia viewed each other the way they did — even as I wanted to shake them so hard and beg them to see things properly. Romance is in the little things in this twist on marriage of convenience and hate to love. The drives to soccer practice and showing up to hockey games are all part of this developing romance. Georgia and Alexei had a slower build up but it is totally worth the wait. I entered this wondering how they would make a marriage work, and left wishing I could romance someone through a marriage of convenience myself. Funny how that works.

Preorder a Copy – Out June 17th

The Love Lyric by Kristina Forest

Kristina Forest concludes her series of interconnected romances with The Love Lyric, third in the Greene Sisters trilogy and dare I say my favorite? Headstrong and put together Iris Greene never expected to lose the love of her life at twenty four and be left a single mother. Since then, the door to romance has been firmly shut, but when she meets Angel Harrison, a pop and R&B singer, at a wedding event, sparks fly and she finds that love may not be so firmly in the rearview. The Love Lyric is a wonderful romance all about grief, loneliness, and starting over—featuring a man so down bad for our heroine he writes the song of the summer all about their romantic moments. What I love so much about this series is the heroes, and Angel is definitely a contender for the swoonworthiest hero in the trilogy. He was so patient and gentle with Iris as she worked through her continuing grief and started to come around to romance. But in private he’s yearning to be with her and writing the most intensely romantic songs without her knowing. The tension sparks as these two work together in a brand partnership, fighting feelings and the reality that their romance is not something either of them can pass by. As an aside I highly recommend the audiobook for this novel because the narrators absolutely smashed it. This wonderful series of sisterhood and modern love may be at a close, but Kristina Forest is a romance author you won’t want to pass by.

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Whenever You’re Ready by Rachel Runya Katz

Two estranged friends, Nia and Jade, haven’t spoken since their explosive fight years prior. Before their best friend Michal passed away from cancer, the three planned a road trip that they never ended up taking. To honor her memory and their promise, Nia and Jade reconnect on a trip through southern Jewish history, confronting the love they’ve been denying for years. A sapphic friends to lovers romance traversing through years of grief, Jewish history in the south, and the complexities of a friendship, Rachel Runya Katz’s novel is a multifaceted romance gem. Whenever You’re Ready is an emotional journey unlike anything I’ve ever read. The love between Nia and Jade is wrapped up in so much history, between themselves, their departed friend Michal, and Jade’s twin brother, Jonah. This romance is just as much a journey out of grief, and reconciling the pain that grief dealt three different people—who has the right to grief and why? And how do we hurt others when we feel our grief is a singular experience. Runya Katz delves into the complicated history of Jewish communities in the south alongside this and it struck the perfect note between informative and entirely connected to our characters sense of identity. Whenever You’re Ready is everything I love about romance and what it affords us about human connection. Healing is possible but it is our connection to others that can help us along, reminding us we aren’t alone.

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A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna

Just a woman and her live chicken skeleton, her friend cursed into the body of a fox, her resurrected aunt, the dungaree wearing aspiring hobbit in love with said aunt, a 20-something cosplaying as a knight, two small children, and a stoic historian. Now that’s a family. Sangu Mandanna’s long awaited, Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping is here, and wow what a triumph of a novel it is. Sena Swan, a young witch, depleted her well of magic performing a forbidden resurrection spell on her aunt fifteen years ago. She was subsequently exiled from the Guild and left with nothing to do other than to help run the magical inn that serves wayfaring travelers in need. But one day, she hears of a spell that could restore her magic and just like that, Sena embarks on a quest to reclaim what she lost. A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping is a lovely beacon to the lost, the caregivers who burn themselves out in service to others who deserve to be taken care of and so much more. Mandanna recaptures the magic with her debut. From the eclectic mix of people who make the inn their home, the comforting atmosphere of baked goods and twisted magic—including a guest bedroom that rains apple blossom tea, the ghosts of Sena’s past that wander the house, and the wildflowers blooming in teacups—all of it left me utterly enchanted. A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping contains the kind of magic only Sangu Mandanna is capable of drumming up and I want nothing more than to remain under its spell.

Preorder a Copy – Out July 15th

When Javi Dumped Mari by Mia Sosa

Welcome to Mia Sosa’s twist on When Harry Met Sally, where the road to romance is long and tumultuous but hidden between moments of angst and true friendship. Almost ten years ago and some change, Javi met Mari during a late night protest which involved Mari stealing every copy of the college paper while Javi stared on dumbfounded. After some snippy back and forth they became friends and in their Sophomore year, made a promise to always vet the other person’s dates, until now —when Mari shows up to a friendship lunch engaged to a colleague Javi has never even met. Integrating dual perspectives and timelines, Sosa harkens back to the beginnings of this friendship as it stands on the brink of change in the present, and what went wrong in the years leading up to this moment. With these two the chemistry is intense but no match for the denying-you’re-in-love-with-your-best-friend mentality they both are holding fast to. Sosa really made me feel for Javi and Mari, their differences and their similarities, but also what they can be when they are on the same team. I have always said I love my love stories on the messy side and Mia Sosa understands that deeply. This was messy, sexy, and SO SO funny I think I hurt my chest a few times with all the laughing. Javi was a sweet theatre guy who yearns but feels like he isn’t good enough whereas Mari was ambitious and determined to chase the successful lawyer lifestyle and prove herself to her father and I loved them both dearly. Mia Sosa shows how it’s never too late in this reimagining of a classic, full of heat, misunderstanding, and the wedding mishaps we all adore.

Preorder a Copy – Out 24th June

A Rare Find by Joanna Lowell

Who wants to uncover lost treasure with their childhood enemy. Anyone? Elfreda Marsden has long been in her father’s shadow helping him publish his various papers of archaeological research. Elf desires to make her own name as an archaeologist—starting with proving her theory that a Viking army camped on the Marsden estate, but when she uncovers an amulet that proves her theory, she immediately loses it after clumsily colliding with her childhood enemy, Georgiana Redmayne. Georgiana and Elf have never gotten along, due in part to the history of animosity between their two families, but can they bury the hatchet and uncover a hoard of Viking gold instead. Joanna Lowell has been recommended to me by several seasoned readers in the genre and it’s safe to say I have never read a historical romance as charming as A Rare Find. This is Lowell’s first foray into Regency romance and it’s a purely whimsical, absurd, adventure through not just the regency period, but lost moments of history and antiquarian endeavors. Including some fantastic nonbinary representation and queer people discovering their identities, finding happiness and love, this book is a treasure in itself. The author’s note on Lowell’s research was an incredibly fascinating read and I’m reminded just how much historical notes are my love language. If you like your plots meandering with significantly lower stakes, A Rare Find is the perfect historical romance to unwind with.

Preorder a Copy – Out 10th June

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Gabriela and His Grace by Liana De La Rosa

Gabriela Luna Valdés has long felt the odd one out. As her eldest sisters have all married and gone on to contribute politically to Mexico back home and abroad, Gabi cannot help but feel adrift. After many years away from Mexico, Gabriela intends to return after a scandal leaves her with no other choice but to flee London altogether. Who should be called to provide a watchful eye on the ship bearing her home but Sebastian Brooks, the Duke of Whitfield, and Gabriela’s nemesis. But outside of the expectations of London society, Gabriela and Sebastian soon discover how little they actually know each other, and the sizzling chemistry underlying their years of hatred. Put simply, Gabriela and His Grace is historical romance perfection. Liana De la Rosa focuses on the end years of the illegal occupation of Mexico by the French as her heroine travels home to a world transformed, and I loved the windows into a part of history long uncovered within this genre. Liana De la Rosa entwines this tumultuous time in Mexican history with an exploration into home and how we can stand for our communities and ourselves. The hate to lovers arc is built up around this with the slowest of slow burns. I love seeing characters removed from their comforts so much that the facades come down and that is central to this romance. Liana De la Rosa really works to make Sebastian and Gabriela see one another, and that in contrast to their upbringings makes for some truly delicious tension. As an aside I don’t think I will be moving on from the sharing-one-bed-on-a-boat scenes, they were really so so hot (thank you Liana De la Rosa). This was a scrumdiddlyumptious romance and I will be yelling about it more in time.

Preorder a Copy – Out 26th August

The Best Worst Thing by Lauren Okie

Nicole and her husband Gabe have been trying for a baby for a long time, so long that Nicole launched a semi-successful podcast documenting her experiences with infertility. On the cusp of their final try with a gestational carrier, Nicole discovers her husband’s infidelity. To top it off, the pregnancy she has been wishing for for so long is viable, and their surrogate, Valerie, is now pregnant. Nicole’s entire world has been upended in mere minutes and in a fugue state, Nicole finds herself on the doorstep of a former colleague and friend, Logan Milgram. They haven’t seen each other in years but in seconds their immense history comes roaring back to life. The Best Worst Thing is a timely friends to lovers romance about the merits of Jane Austen’s, Persuasion, reading the books someone recommended as a love language, and all the messy and complicated bits of stirring up the past. Shifting between the past and the present, Okie documents the rise and fall of this relationship and just how much Logan and Nicole stand to gain from loving one another right now. A golden retriever protagonist so sickeningly in love and a messy second chance romance is the essence of Lauren Okie’s, The Best Worst Thing. This story is heartfelt, compelling, and extremely hot—exactly what you’d expect from a slow burn friends to lovers romance, but somehow nothing like anything you’ve ever read before.

Preorder a Copy – Out 14th October

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Four Weekends and a Funeral by Ellie Palmer

Weeks after her ex, Sam, dumped her, Alison Mullally finds herself at his funeral. Alison soon realizes that no one there knows that they broke up, and she is called to play the part of the grieving partner—which includes boxing up all of Sam’s things in his former apartment alongside Adam Berg, Sam’s best friend. Four Weekends and a Funeral is a uniquely situated romance debut that centers some notably underrepresented topics within the genre. I really appreciated the focus on preventative healthcare and the anxieties that come with recovery and romance. When we are introduced to Alison she is on the heels of a double mastectomy after she found out she was a carrier for BRCA 1 and in all likelihood would develop breast cancer in her lifetime. Alison’s mother is pressuring her to go further with other preventative surgeries, after her own battle with breast cancer, and there is a lot on her shoulders because of this. Meanwhile Adam and Allison are growing closer as the four weekend apartment cleanout becomes significantly more involved, and they realize they have a connection. This romance certainly brings a lot into focus, but every topic is handled with such care. The close proximity between Adam and Alison is the real standout, with their delightful back and forth spurring forth the chemistry and their romance. This really is the perfect contemporary love story full of delightful Twin Cities representation and characters just trying their best.

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How the Marquess Was Won by Julie Anne Long

Julie Anne Long’s Pennyroyal Green series has long been lauded as one of the best in the historical romance genre and I’m here to say that the praises are true. How The Marquess Was Won is book six in this eleven book saga (each romance can be read independently), and it is high up on my list of favorites from the series. Julian Spenser, the Marquess Dryden has specific requirements for his life, and that includes his search for a wife. Nowhere does tempting a kiss from his intended fiancee’s paid companion play into this plan. When she overhears a bet regarding Julian Spenser enticing a kiss from her, Phoebe Vale decides to confront him head on. What emerges is a back and forth in the hallways between gatherings, gifted bonnets, romantic kisses in forest glades, and a love neither of them can afford. Opening with Julian Spenser, shot, and calling out to a woman who he says does not love him, Julie Anne Long was not playing around. From there, it’s back to the beginnings of this slow burn and heavy longing between group outings and various social gatherings as we encroach closer upon why Julian was shot. Julie Anne Long knows how to build tension, and class disparity is the primary vehicle driving the tension here. How the Marquess Was Won is a perfectly crafted romance and yet another Julie Anne Long novel to reread over and over again. This romance made me so giddy it’s no wonder I immediately moved to finish the remaining books in this eleven book series.

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Slap Shot by Chelsea Curto

A star hockey player in need of a private chef hires a newly unemployed chef and single mother in Slap Shot, a romance of epic slow burns. This was my first foray into Chelsea Curto romance and wow am I obsessed. I’ve often complained how the landscape of today’s contemporary romances don’t tend to leave space for slow burns or developing a friendship before romance enters the conversation, and that is why I love Slap Shot so much. Curto spends a tremendous amount of time highlighting who our protagonists are individually, as they strike up a professional relationship that transitions into friendship. Hudson and Madeline endear themselves separately without romance immediately being at the center, which only serves to deepen their connection and why their partnership works when they eventually start dating. Hudson is still dealing with the loss of his mother, and Madeline is desperately trying to balance her career with caring for her daughter, Lucy, after her partner walked out on them. These struggles are personal and yet together, Hudson and Madeline begin to build a future unencumbered by grief and strengthened by the sharing of these burdens. If this wasn’t enough, Slap Shot is seriously so hot. Hudson and Madeline’s sexual compatibility was on another level that I posit as due to the immense foundation Curto builds up over five hundred pages. I’m not one to typically recommend romance novels of this length, but every single page of Slap Shot is essential and certainly worth the read.

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Review: Voidwalker by S.A. MacLean

March 26, 2025August 29, 2025 Robin1 Comment

Ever since she was brought close to death at eight years old, Fionamara Kolbeck has been able to see the gateways separating worlds, and can traverse the boundaries between them—a rare talent coveted by many. Fi makes her living smuggling goods across the fractured lands. In return, her village continues to thrive without aid from the Daeyari, the forest entities who exist off of tithed sacrifices and hold the coveted energy technology that fuels humanity’s survival. When Fi is given the payment of a lifetime to smuggle unknown goods into the capital of Thomaskweld, she unknowingly becomes embroiled in a coup to oust the ruling Daeyari. In the aftermath, Fi is left vulnerable to Antal, the deposed Daeyari who insists she help make things right. As it turns out, Antal has been staving off his hunger as best he can, and Thomaskweld’s new ruler is not so magnanimous. Neither Antal nor Fi want this to stand, but righting the situation will require them to join forces. Nothing could have prepared Fi for being in close quarters with a monster, yet, she finds that Antal is startlingly balanced to her inner fire and she actually enjoys his company. Being caught within a monster’s clutches may no longer be the worst fate imaginable but giving in to temptation will require a leap greater than the one into the void itself.

Voidwalker asks the age old question, what if you romanced your inner demons and the result is the best fantasy romance I have read all year. S.A. MacLean understood the assignment with this deeply bisexual fantasy novel involving the toils of revolution and the alluring call of the space between worlds. A world walking smuggler equipped with eyeliner as sharp as her energy blade and a cracking dye-job and a forest entity with antlers who is more than a little pathetic team up to take down their enemies, trying and failing to avoid romance in the process. As a fan of idiots to lovers and reluctant allies this book was already primed to be a hit for my reading tastes. But what makes Voidwalker so incredible isn’t just MacLean’s two pathetic main characters and her select use of tropes, but in her soundly layered narrative. Integrating satisfying character arcs, romance, cross dimensional worlds, and an impeccably paced external plot, Voidwalker is fantasy honed to perfection. It’s also really really hot. Like SO hot. This book is for the readers who stare into the dark wishing the dark stared back…and was a hot forest demon equipped with antlers and claws with the disposition of a wet cat. Voidwalker is a dark, messy, romantic story—one that undoubtedly met my cravings but has me begging for more.

The fractured landscape of Voidwalker is a second home to our protagonist Fionamara who makes a living traversing the shattered plains, smuggling goods between worlds to help her village thrive. MacLean captures a rough beauty within this disunified landscape. The crisp winter which ravages the population, the pine trees, the snow capped mountains, and the intense green of the polar lights envelop the narrative and feels entirely connected to the alluring call of the Daeyari and the void itself. MacLean’s debut, Phoenix Keeper, was a riot of color and magical beasts and she infuses this into her sophomore novel, admittedly with different flavors. Voidwalker is home to a variety of magical creatures—aurora beasts, void horses, and the mysterious void creatures, to name a few. I am very much partial to the void horse myself, with my love of animal sidekicks how could I choose any different. MacLean brings on the details but all help establish these split worlds and construct the initial foundation for this novel with a smuggling job gone wrong and two unlikely allies on the run.

Two bisexuals in a cabin in the woods with nothing but their failures between them—the byline for this novel, and if I could so boldly claim, the real romance between Fionamara and Antal. These two start out by dragging each other headlong into danger both believing the other capable of fixing things, yet they are immediately confronted with the fact they are way out of their depth. Reaching rock bottom is the perfect way to elevate this romance and start to deconstruct Fi and Antal’s facades. The walls come down as Fionamara drags Antal back to her cabin in the village of Nyskya, where the two hope to prepare an uprising against the ruling Daeyari, Verne. Close proximity is at the forefront of this scheme, as Fi and Antal cohabitate in secret amidst their plans to retaliate. Now S.A. MacLean understands the innate allure of a pathetic freak man and unfortunately neither I nor Fionamara were immune. I really am here for this rabid demon creature who would rather sulk inside a snow bank with his antlers sticking out and hang from the rafters like a feral bat than emote/behave normally. It’s all part of his charm, and trust me, it’s endearing as hell.

Now I would be remiss to not elaborate on how seriously hot this book is. Like SO hot. The tension between Fi and Antal is like a sharp knife through butter and I was standing there in rapt attention as they toed the line between forced allyship and something more. MacLean elevates this tension through her extensive focus on the backgrounds of these two characters, particularly in the first section of this novel. At the start of this book both Fi and Antal have reached rock bottom and can really only rely on each other, albeit begrudgingly. This partnership brings on some wonderfully sharp verbal sparring which of course is the veil over their greater compatibility. Part of what makes Voidwalker so profoundly hot isn’t just the “romancing a hot forest entity with antlers” of it all, but how Antal and Fi open up a space for honesty and look out for each other again and again. They keep each other on their toes while romancing through small gestures—like Antal recovering Fionamara’s favorite coat and blade just because he knew how much they meant to her. Don’t get me wrong, the sex is hot, but the tension between “bite me I dare you” and walking willingly into the embrace of a monster gives just as much besides.

In Voidwalker, successfully forging a new future means confronting the past for our two protagonists. Though fully established in Fionamara’s point of view, Voidwalker provides deeper insight into Fi’s and Antal both, all to help construct a greater picture of what they are working to overcome. Fionamara’s arc is framed at the center of this narrative, and the true standout for this novel is in her reorienting her perception of the past and standing strong in her choices. Fi’s journey through self-preservation and her perceived cowardice is a hard one, especially as she is torn between competing perceptions—her brother, Boden and childhood friend, Astrid. Astrid and Boden are two facets of this journey in their differing views of the past and reconciling them is a vehicle through which Fionamara gains further agency in her own life. Antal on the opposite side, is entirely alone. He has held people at a distance to save them from the violence of his kind, and he is scared to see the past repeat itself. Both Fi and Antal are excruciatingly aware their feelings run deeper but giving voice to them is easier said than done.

You’d be hard pressed to find a book more tailored to my tastes than S.A. MacLean’s Voidwalker. Every part of this novel is exquisite and I really could go on and on with how much I love it. Reading this, it’s clear S.A. MacLean suffused all of her favorite fantasy elements and character archetypes into one novel and not one of them feels out of place. The disaster bisexual characters trying to prove themselves without admitting they care is my bread and butter and Fi and Antal took that challenge and pushed it to extreme limits. There are not enough books with a pathetic guy who endears himself to the main character with his freakish charm and Antal is that character. Like this is a weird little guy…this is a freak of nature, but I love him so much. And Fionamara is my coffee obsessed hellion ready to fight and so so important to me. Seriously this book has it all, along with the audacity of being hot as all hell. S.A. MacLean’s talents for unique romantic fantasy are seemingly endless and no more is that on display than in her sophomore novel. Voidwalker is fantasy wrapped up in a bisexual little bow and I am so grateful that it exists. The fact that this is a duology just means I can yell about it louder and for far longer than I would typically until the sequel is in my hands.

Thank you to Netgalley and Gollancz for providing the advance copy to review.

Trigger Warnings: blood, death, gore, murder, drug use, alcoholism

Preorder a Copy – Out 19th August

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Review: The God and the Gwisin by Sophie Kim

March 23, 2025March 23, 2025 Robin1 Comment

Please note this review contains spoilers for the former book in this series, The God and the Gumiho, and contains references to some of the events in this sequel. Read with caution.

Seokga, the trickster god sent to earth to atone for his uprising, defeated a demon of darkness and was reinstated to godhood, but lost Hani, the love of his life in the process. Reborn into her next life, Seokga had a chance to find Hani again, but fate intervened before they could reunite. Ever since the red string of fate connecting him to Hani appeared, Seokga has searched in vain for his soulmate and his fellow godly beings are tired. They vote to send him on vacation—to a cruise that traverses the river in the underworld. But as soon as he steps on board, Seokga is pulled by the red string towards Yoo Kisa, a Gwisin working on the ship and Hani reincarnated. Kisa has no memory of her past life, except the karmic debt her past lives amounted that her current self is indebted to pay off on board the SRC Flatliner. The red string has always fascinated her, but Kisa has no desire to be compared to the woman she once was nor romance the grumpy trickster god. When Seokga’s brother is found murdered on board, Kisa and Seokga reluctantly team up to solve the murder. Yet as Kisa and Seokga fall back into their investigative ways, it’s evident that they were brought together in this life for a reason, and not even fate can dictate how they end their story.

What does a fallen mischief god reinstated to godhood, his reincarnated soulmate, his emperor brother turned into a baby, a murderous gumiho, and a deceased K-pop star have in common? A murder none of them ever expected to be involved in solving all while on board a cruise ship in the afterlife. The God and the Gwisin initiates a sequel to The God and the Gumiho, where the murders are unsolved and a grumpy trickster god is once again struck down with unwanted emotions. Second in Fates Thread, this series embeds Korean Mythology with reincarnated lovers, godly threats, and an overly abundant amount of yearning. This sequel reorients our characters in the 21st century with new, modern problems, and some that time cannot constrain—like the inescapable longing for a love lost. Two soulmates battle feelings while on a cruise ship in the underworld, romancing in between a murder investigation and a looming journey’s end, where one faces down imminent reincarnation. Sophie Kim certainly understands how to situate a unique set of circumstances, which could just as easily be disharmonious if not for her deft balance of humor, romance, and angst. The God and the Gwisin extends the Fates Thread series in an epic star-crossed love story not to be constrained by reincarnation nor hell itself.

The God and the Gwisin is all around a delight but it is this sequel that sees Sophie Kim’s elaborate threads truly take shape. I jumped into this sequel blind and I am so glad I did because in no way would I have expected the setup Kim delivers here. The God and the Gumiho ended on a hopeful note, as Seokga follows the red string of fate twenty odd years after the passing of Hani, to whom we assume is Hani reincarnated in the present day. Sophie Kim introduces us to Yoo Kisa, a young doctor working at a hospital in Seoul who unexpectedly falls to her death and winds up in the afterlife working out her karmic debt on a cruise ship in the underworld. The setting for this sequel is a far departure from the 90’s New Sinsi of The God and the Gumiho, but it is the perfect stage for Kim to conduct her mystery and initiate an interrogation into reincarnation and fate. Cruise ships are lawless places after all and there’s truly no better place for a murder, nor falling in love with your soulmate reincarnated.

The grumpy sunshine dynamic has never hit quite as hard as this series and I fell in love with our protagonists all the more the second time around. Seokga is the perfect grumpy protagonist —a god disinclined to like anything but coffee and begrudgingly, the gumiho he fell in love with decades ago. This sequel sees Seokga working through his (self-described) daddy issues with a psychologist, his relationship with his brother, and branching out into new, coffee adjacent snack products. Seokga is down bad in this sequel, as any man who has chased his soulmate all the way to Antarctica and back while yearning to find her for three decades could be. Sophie Kim integrates this longing with some truly detailed insight into the notions of reincarnation. Using the Ship of Theseus as an extended analogy, Kim questions if two souls can be united even as the outer self, or person, has changed. The thread connecting Seokga and Kisa, which has—hilariously—its own sentience, only appeared in Hani’s reincarnation as Kisa. So the question becomes were Seokga and Kisa always destined to find each other in this lifetime? I love a good extended interrogation and the themes of soulmates and reincarnation are expertly addressed in this sequel.

The God and the Gwisin is a story all about reconciliation, not just within the central romance between Kisa and Seokga, but relationships both familial and platonic. Certain characters from the previous novel make a reappearance and Sophie Kim gives them the chance to rectify the past. It is here that Kisa comes face to face with Somi, her best friend who betrayed her in her former life as Hani. While Seokga, working through his relationship with his brother, long strained, has to babysit him as he is reverted to the form of a child. There’s enough tension between Kisa and Seokga, but these relationships on the periphery help orient the central conflict for this novel. I for one really loved that Kim gave space for Somi and Kisa to reconcile in this life and how she developed a new friendship between Kisa and the former K-pop idol, Kim Hajun. Sophie Kim bridges this further with a romance between Somi and Hajun. The murderous character being charmed by the kind one is exactly my kind of pairing and their romance is exactly that—sweet with a side of: she could murder you (but he likes it). Who would have thought romance over boba tea would be a part of this novel, but Kim has always highlighted the cafe setting as a peak spot for romance and shenanigans and I was happy to see that represented again here.

Sophie Kim is an author synonymous with exceptional romance and she takes this to new heights in The God and the Gwisin. This sequel follows Seokga and Kisa as they solve a murder while battling the problems of reincarnation, fate, and what they mean to each other. Because of the reincarnation of it all, Kim focuses heavily on enforcing Seokga and Kisa’s new dynamic and their overall compatibility alongside the murder plot. There is a disconnect between these characters, for Seokga is the same as he was before, albeit the impact of a few decades, whereas Kisa is a wholly new individual for Kim to introduce and flesh out across this novel. And what an introduction. Kisa was over here throwing a heavy paperweight at Seokga’s head upon their meeting and he was still struck dumb for her (blunt object not to blame). Kisa is an exceptional character who was dealt a difficult hand in life, and in death, and still carried it with such grace. Her refusal to be someone else just to appease Seokga chasing the ghost of his former love was commendable, as was her standing firmly in who she was. Even with all of this, Seokga and Kisa find love and choose to look to the future instead of the past. Kisa deciding for herself the answer to the Ship of Theseus question and taking the reins of her story was a deeply satisfying end to her arc in this second novel. That Seokga and Kisa’s higher calling is to love each other is solely responsible for my tears and I will be billing Sophie Kim expeditiously.

The God and the Gwisin is at its heart a story about belonging and forgiveness. With such humor and skill, Sophie Kim integrates her Fates Thread series into a new decade and a fresh hell— literally, a luxury cruise in the afterlife. Bonds are tested, and Kim shows the true power in choosing our destiny as Seokga and Kisa choose each other despite what fate and the higher powers have determined to be their end. Seokga and Kisa find an unconventional happy ending, which is all I could really hope for when I first began reading this novel, but it nevertheless brought on all the emotions by the end. Fates Thread is contemporary fantasy at its best, with distinct characters that manage to find their footing no matter the setting or the decade, and ones that charm no matter their place within the narrative. The God and the Gwisin tests the transcendent nature of love in an adventurous fantasy sequel all about being seen and loved for who we are. It will be long before I forget this phenomenal sequel from Sophie Kim but I find I am more than content with that.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me the advance review copy.

Trigger warnings: murder, blood, death, suicide (off page, but mentioned)

Preorder a Copy – Out 3rd June

Review: A Letter from the Lonesome Shore by Sylvie Cathrall

March 15, 2025July 6, 2025 RobinLeave a comment

Please note this review contains reference to some of the events contained within this novel, and the former installment, A Letter to the Luminous Deep.

Former correspondents E. Cidnosen and Henerey Clel bonded over an academic mystery, but they never expected that mystery to involve travelling through a mysterious structure in E’s garden. Now, E. and Henerey find themselves in a sunken city that holds the secrets they’ve been searching for —of an archaic floating society that retreated into the sea after some indescribable danger led them to flee the world above. The mystery of the fate of E. and Henerey captivated many following their disappearance, but none more so than their respective siblings, Sophy and Vyerin. Piecing together the truth through the letters E. and Henerey penned across several years, Sophy and Vyerin now find their siblings forever out of reach. Drawn deep into the life of the archaic scholars and their city of secrets, E. and Henerey confront the limitations imposed by this society while desperately yearning for a way home. Meanwhile Sophy and Vyerin relentlessly chase the gateways that could reunite them with their lost siblings. With Sophy and Vyerin on the case and E. and Henerey seeking the truth to their world, neither party understands the true threat stalking the deep which brought a once thriving archaic society low.

A Letter from the Lonesome Shore returns readers to the elusive deep after the revelation that scholars E. and Henerey did not perish in the destruction of the Deep House. Told entirely through letters, this epistolary novel concludes the Sunken Archive duology and unravels the mystery of the gateways and the archaic scholars. Long thought dead, these scholars have remained within an underwater city awaiting those fleeing the mysterious threat that brought them to its sunken waters. Knowledge has a cost in A Letter from the Lonesome Shore, and Sylvie Cathrall tests the bonds of our undaunted scholars, E. and Henerey, while a larger threat closes in on their underwater world. A Letter from the Lonesome shore is flitting in its shades of enchanting light academia and winsome romance. Sylvie Cathrall pushes her frontier, integrating new perspectives and roundabout ways to ensure character points of view remain at the forefront of this novel. These narrative subtleties lend themselves to the greater conversation of academic pursuit and the human connection at the center of academic inquiry. A Letter to the Lonesome Shore is an endlessly fascinating series conclusion and all I want is to continue to chart the immeasurable depths of this extraordinary duology.

In concluding her Sunken Archive duology, Sylvia Cathrall reorients her underwater world with E. and Henerey having gone through the portal by the Deep House, and Sophy and Vyerin initiating a mission to follow them through to the other side. This sequel proves there is so much more lying beneath the surface as we are introduced to the enigmatic scholars of a sunken city who have awaited refugees since they first abandoned their world above, and the scatterings of a future we encroach ever closer upon. Between E. and Henerey’s private diary entries, Cathrall brings new perspectives into the forefront. The back and forth between the Thirtieth Second Scholar maintaining records for the archaic society and the Fifteenth First Scholar providing their interjections was an intriguing addition —while suffusing some necessary humor into the text. The contrast between the eager Thirtieth Second Scholar offering his commentary and the particular Fiftieth First Scholar trying to stick to protocol was not only deeply hilarious, it uplifted the more serious elements within this novel.

Endearingly awkward should be the main descriptor for the romance between E. and Henerey. Two people in love who believe they aren’t worthy of the other person while constantly exhibiting signs of “you remembered” and “of course I did” is the recipe for this academic romance. After book one detailed their charming correspondence over the mystery of the Deep House and the garden structure, E. and Henerey find themselves united at long last within the underwater city of the archaic scholars. Sylvie Cathrall begins to test the bonds between these two as they leave behind their comforts and find themselves within this sunken city. The courtship rituals are thrown into an entire new orbit as they soon learn they may be stuck there unable to return home. In this series, the relationships on the periphery are just as strong. Sophy and her wife and Vyerin and his husband remain some of my favorite romantic subplots within this duology. A Letter from the Lonesome Shore continues to represent queer relationships at the forefront and I appreciated how Sylvie Cathrall brought in new layers to these relationships as she raises the stakes in this sequel.

What I’ve always relished in this series is its focus on academic research. Cathrall makes the reader feel as if they are pouring over the primary and secondary sources to construct theories for how this underwater society came to be and what happened to the archaic world from long ago. Part of what makes this sequel so fascinating is getting to see where the individual pieces from book one slot into place. The mysterious island, the Darbeni poem, and the Fleet are part of a plot that spans back thousands of years. Cathrall expands upon this underwater world that is actually just one drop in a universe that is an entire ocean. The introduction of an interworldly threat was the perfect addition to underpin this revelation and the connections between the individual threads from book one. The predator as a primordial being that feasts on knowledge, swimming between these worlds to consume any that have become overly abundant was an insanely clever reveal. Cathrall’s imagery of this boundless universe ocean is thoroughly evocative and places the entire world stage in a new perspective.

A Letter from the Lonesome Shore maintains the lighthearted atmosphere from book one yet expands upon the boundaries of this world and the mysterious underwater society of the archaic scholars. Just as A Letter to the Luminous Deep was about the pursuit of knowledge and romance set within scholarly inquiry, this sequel demonstrates that knowledge is nothing beyond the connections that make us human. Finding a home after a devastating event brings E. and Henerey to a newfound shore that feels fitting for their individual paths and the partnership they have built side by side. Sylvie Cathrall knows that the real treasure in the deep is the bonds we keep with one another and it is worth any sacrifice. Lush and fathomless, The Sunken Archive duology is one series I will certainly return to to rechart and navigate anew. The real treasure for me is this series from start to finish.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this advance copy to review.

Trigger warning: anxiety

Preorder a Copy – Out 6th May

Review: Love Is a War Song by Danica Nava

March 8, 2025March 8, 2025 Robin1 Comment

Acclaimed pop singer Avery Fox’s career has hit a bit of a rough patch. Her Rolling Stone magazine feature that was supposed to launch her to real success has come under fire after she appeared on the cover wearing a feather war bonnet. The outcome of the magazine cover and her subsequent music video has led Avery’s Native American identity to be called into question and serious threats levied against her. Though Avery is Muscogee, she has been raised outside her community by her mom turned manager and has never met anyone else in her family. But in the aftermath of the national outcry over the magazine, Avery is sent to Oklahoma and to the ranch of a grandmother she has never met. Hoping to charm her grandmother and the ranch staff until things calm down, Avery is soon met with the reality of Lucas Iron Eyes, the man who runs Red Fox Ranch and decidedly not a fan of Avery, her music, or anything she represents. In the face of the ranch’s financial situation, Lucas and Avery begrudgingly team up. He’ll help her experience what it means to be Muscogee and she’ll help him save the ranch. Working side by side, Lucas and Avery push past their initial animosity, decidedly ignoring the real connection attempting to put down roots between them.

Danica Nava brings on the music in Love Is a War Song, her sophomore romance, which explores the power in forming community and finding ourselves in unlikely places. Love Is a War Song is a phenomenal follow up to Nava’s debut, The Truth According to Ember, which I eagerly read just a few days prior to starting this novel. Romance blossoming from the mess of the everyday is Danica Nava’s forte and that is made all the more clear in this play on cowboy and celebrity romance. Nava’s protagonists are flawed, a relatable representation of what it really means to be a person still figuring things out in today’s world. Where Ember had me stressed out by the protagonist’s elaborate web of lies, Love Is a War Song reasserts the power in standing in ones history and community. Featuring Indigenous love at the center of her romances, Nava gives voice to necessary perspectives in this genre and breaks apart an often monolithic view of unique Indigenous cultures. Danica Nava is easily one of the best new writers I’ve read within this genre and Love Is a War Song is a summer romance worth basking in.

Love is a War Song is a story all about first and second chances and the fallible nature of first impressions. It’s about building your community and home even when you’ve never had one to begin with. Avery Fox is uniquely placed within this romance, having been raised outside her Indigenous community to a mother who placed all her hopes in Avery’s success. This loss of her family and a greater connection to the Muscogee community is unmistakable as this story begins and it reverberates throughout the narrative as Avery pulls together the pieces of her lost history. This connection to her culture is echoed in the music Avery workshops while in Broken Arrow with help from Lucas. Music can inform who we are and the real music Avery is desperate to give voice to is nothing like the songs she is currently performing on stage. While there is a discernible sadness in knowing that Avery was denied a community in her upbringing, returning to the music gives Avery a chance to honor the one she’s found.

Hate to love fans rejoice because Love Is a War Song brings on the tension and indescribable chemistry between its two leads, Lucas and Avery. The romance that blossoms between Lucas and Avery is profound—stemming from two people who initially met with judgment actively working to unlearn those predisposed beliefs. I love romance in the details and Lucas Iron Eyes understands that to a T. He knows the extended versions of LOTR are superior, considers Avery the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen, and doesn’t think she’ll choose him. I mean I had to love him after that. Hidden beneath a grumpy facade is a good heart and Lucas is the perfect balance to Avery’s warmth and softheartedness. Additionally, Lucas provides a necessary perspective in having lived life on the reservation alongside her grandmother, Lottie. Avery and Lucas are just so good for each other and I think I teared up a bit at some of these scenes, especially the one where she stands up to his parents. Nava integrates her romance within the larger themes of discovery and forging a new path and I was very moved by where it all ended up.

Danica Nava addresses a host of issues in this romance from the entertainment industry, to cancel culture, and Indigenous stereotypes, and all felt grounded in the story and its place. Alongside the romance, Avery confronts the hurt she caused the greater Indigenous community through her music video and magazine cover while becoming acquainted with her Muscogee community in Broken Arrow. Though she was ignorant of the connections through her music video and never intended harm, Avery acknowledges how her actions had greater consequences. Nava makes sure to draw on a larger critique of the entertainment industry parallel to this— an industry all too happy to capitalize on Avery’s Native American identity while also throwing her to the wolves the second she slipped up. Danica Nava handles this entire situation with nuance and her exploration into these subjects feels both timely and necessary.

Love Is a War Song hits the mark for life affirming romance with just a dash of tropes and nostalgia. With Native American protagonists reaching for love and figuring out life and its plays on cowboy romance and grumpy/sunshine trope, Nava’s romance hits all the marks for a modern love story with such heart. Through Avery’s discovery of her home and life path, Danica Nava emphasizes the power of community and how it is never too late to return to one or build one for the first time. This is another romance only enriched by the ending authors note where Danica Nava delves a little bit more into her research and why she chose to represent the Muscogee Nation in this romance. There’s something about learning more of an author’s research and overall process that really speaks to me and this one is definitely worth the read. Built around misunderstanding but deepened in intimacy and newfound opportunity, Love Is a War Song is exactly the kind of romance I yearn for. Danica Nava leaves her mark with this outstanding romance and I eagerly await what she writes next.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this advance copy to review.

Trigger warnings: addiction

Preorder a Copy – Out 22nd July

Review: The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig

March 3, 2025July 16, 2025 Robin1 Comment

Please note this review includes references to some events contained within The Knight and the Moth. No overt spoilers but read with caution.

For ten long years all Sybil Delling has known is dreams and drowning. As a foundling child, Sybil was brought to Aisling Cathedral to take on the mantle of Diviner. In exchange for ten years of service she and six other girls were provided a home, sundering their names to forever be known by a number —gaining the ability to receive and interpret visions from six figures known as Omens. Across Traum, citizens and travelers wander the long roads to the Cathedral upon the tor to have their futures divined. Sybil and her sister Diviners are their guide through the magical waters of Aisling’s spring that drag them down into dreams. Just as Sybil and her fellow diviners close in on the end of their ten years of service, Traum’s king and his retinue of knights appear at the cathedral. Not long after, Sybil’s fellow Diviners begin to disappear one by one until only Sybil remains. Desperate for a way out, Sybil finds an ally in Roderick Myndacious, the foul and brash knight she met upon the tor at the side of the king. Entering a world unknown with a foul knight and a boy king grasping at a fantasy, Sybil will learn the cost of her divine gifts and the truth to the portents and their gods.

The Knight and the Moth is a fortifying dark gothic fairytale in which errant knights, vexing gargoyle companions, and ardent romance unite to bring truth to divination and the powers that sustain a kingdom and its divine figures. Rachel Gillig is back, enlisting her penchant for atmospheric gothic fantasy in her sophomore series, intricately carved in symbolism and unending power. There were few books I was more excited for from this upcoming year than Rachel Gillig’s sophomore novel, The Knight and the Moth. I think I let out an inhuman shriek when this showed up on my doorstep and in a self fulfilling prophecy sort of way it met all of my expectations and is easily my favorite book I’ve read this winter. The gothic is already one of my favorite genres, but add in lady knights, slow burn romance, and symbolism and The Knight and the Moth transforms into its own rare flavor of gothic fantasy. In her second series, Gillig continues to deliver on transportive fantasy that deals a devastating blow, and this is one I have yet to recover from. The Knight and the Moth is a novel altogether intricate in its inquiries into religion, but unflinching in exposing the roots of belief and the pull between religion and entire kingdoms.

Kicking off a classic quest narrative of knightly adventure with a ragtag cast of characters, The Knight and the Moth contests knightly virtues and the costs of service, whether fealty to one’s king or religious piety. Opening with the arrival of a young king and his retinue upon the tor, Gillig drowns readers in divination —from the inner workings of Aisling Cathedral to the kingdom of Traum. Sybil Delling, or “Six” is our veiled window into this enshrouded world as she breaks free from Aisling Cathedral and initiates a journey to unmake the Omens, or their gods. Coin, inkwell, oar, chime, loom stone, and moth connect to a mysterious sixth figure and provide a framing for this quest journey. Rachel Gillig skillfully places her narrative portents at various places to call forth and interpret at key moments across this novel. Almost endless in its symbolism, The Knight and the Moth is veiled in a wretched sort of beauty. The fetid water and rotting flowers around the Cathedral spring portray the violence in having to drown to divine and all of it encircles the haunting atmosphere which Gillig pulls forth.

The physical journey in The Knight and the Moth is made all the more profound through Sybil’s personal arc running alongside the quest narrative. Taken in as a child and transformed into a tool to be wielded in a power struggle she was wholly ignorant to, Sybil’s journey is both heartbreaking and fortifying in its unveiling. Something I love about reading fantasy is the slow process of learning a character’s purpose within the larger context of the story. Integrating into Sybil’s perspective it soon becomes clear just how connected she is to everything from the founding of this kingdom to the continuous cycle of making and unmaking. Sybil’s journey is one of personal enlightenment and agency, two things that were taken away from her the second she was drowned and initiated as a Diviner. Sibyl and her propensity to lose herself for a cause finds knighthood as a way to gain agency and begin to command her tale. Gillig removes the facades as soon as Sybil flees the Abbey upon the tor, but it takes much longer for her to stand in her truth and truly remove her mask.

The romance in The Knight and the Moth falls into the category of bitter banter with a healthy overdose of yearning. Picture me feral in the corner while reading this novel because Rory and Sybil had me drowned in their longing (like the wax scene? I think I died). There are few things I love more than two characters who misunderstand one another finding love. Those differing perspectives which clash and create tension slowly begin to fade away as the quest progresses. The relationship between Sybil and Rory presents an interesting dichotomy that integrates within the larger commentary on religion and fidelity. The tension between these two comes at the reality of their differing belief systems stemming from their upbringings. Rory as a foundling child given a chance and a purpose at the side of a king, and Sybil, a foundling child who was abandoned to serve the purpose of a manipulative and cruel mistress puts them thoroughly in opposition — or so you would think. But Rory plays into the knightly virtue of fealty, not to his king, but to Sybil herself. And that is why this romance had me on the floor: the longing and devotion that comes from seeing someone at their worst and the constancy of that devotion.

If there’s one thing I love in my fantasy novels it’s a funky little guy following the protagonist around. I’m proud to say Rachel Gillig understands this wholeheartedly. The sliver needed to underpin the more serious tones and overarching plot of this novel is the character of Bartholomew —the stone Gargoyle who flees the cathedral and joins the quest at Sybil’s side. Little did I know that this was actually going to lead to the most heartbreaking revelation in the last third of this novel. I should have expected nothing less from Gillig who expertly interweaves these symbols and character arcs together in a masterful final act that left me grasping at the threads and desperate for more signs. The foundations truly fall down in a penultimate scene connecting to the larger deception taking place within Traum and the woman at its center.

In The Knight and the Moth, Rachel Gillig reveals the truth to divination and the powers underpinning the faith of a kingdom. Everyone from the gods —mere humans fed on shreds of power to retain divinity— to the citizens seeking meaning upon the tor are at the mercy of one woman and the waters running free from the mountain spring. The commentary on religion as a way to keep entire civilizations beholden and subservient runs deep within this story. The disunifying portions finally find cohesion in the return to Aisling Cathedral and the confrontation with the Abbess. This final section was absolutely my favorite part of this novel as Gillig disentangles her designs and provides an encompassment for her larger commentary. It is the Abbess who claims that it is the nature of humanity to seek signs and find meaning which she, or others like her, will always be able to manipulate. The final comment that when you feed people a poison disguised as salvation they will do anything you ask was a particularly apt link within the story. As Sybil’s veil comes down and the group nears the end of their quest, Gillig connects it to the deception held by the Abbess, the portents, and their intemperate gods.

Shrouded in dreams and glimmering prose, Rachel Gillig’s The Knight and the Moth is one fantasy novel I want to stay fully immersed in. Even knowing that many readers may start this having not read Gillig’s former novels, this is a paragon to her craft and may I boldly claim —the best of her work so far. Rachel Gillig has never not brought me to my knees with her enthralling gothic atmosphere and fervent romance and I’m afraid this has unseated the Shepherd King duology as my favorite. The Knight and the Moth frames faith within a greater context of power and an unending cycle of control and rebirth. Ordinary people become gods and are forever starved for the source, but immortality is a mere tool in the hands of a greater player. In the power vacuum left in the aftermath of her concluding act, Gillig drives one last swing at her readers’ sanity. I followed some of these breadcrumbs but even I was floored in its brutality. The Knight and the Moth reveals what truth lies in heresy and the idealistic views which causes the cycle to renew. Diving into dreams, faith, and devotion, Rachel Gillig deconstructs myth in one fantasy novel which will leave you similarly transformed. Forever mourning that I have to wait even longer for the next in this series and very much missing our unconventional knight crew and endearing gargoyle companion.

Thank you to Orbit Books for providing this advance copy to review.

Trigger warnings: blood, violence, murder, death

Preorder a Copy – Out 20th May

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