In a world where magic is infectious, dangerous, and also outlawed, Elspeth Spindle is fighting a losing battle on all fronts - against the Destriers, soldiers tasked with capturing the infected and impart 'justice' on behalf of the king; against her growing attraction for Ravyn Yew, their Captain, and the king's nephew; and against the Nightmare that lives in her head, who grows stronger every day. He is starting to eclipse her completely.

This book was captivating, horrifying, magnificent, and romantic, and it had me holding my breath through the very last page. Every aspect of it felt so real, as cliché as that sounds - I felt as if I could smell the dirt and the mist, feel the Nightmare's breath down the back of my neck. Rachel Gillig has a command of description that authors with twice the experience she has still struggle to master. It makes everything about her writing feel incredibly lifelike. Every chapter works to help you unravel the mystery at the very core of the plot - I loved this book because it wasn't simple, but it didn't set out to purposefully confuse, like so many fantasy books seem to do, in the name of world-building.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy, especially historical and/or gothic fantasy with the most delectable splash of romance. The magic system is so unique and fascinating, and instead of just being there for the sake of being fanciful, it's a core aspect of the series' plot. It's a very quick read - which is a double-edged sword, because I can't even begin to tell you how badly I wish I were still reading it, rather than writing this review right now. Read if you're a fan of Hannah Whitten's For the Wolf, Allison Saft's Down Comes the Night, or Ava Reid's The Wolf and the Woodsman!

This is a Gothic YA fantasy and serves as a gentle introduction to the genre. I enjoyed the ending and the romance was a bit fun. It was also a bit annoying though, unfortunately. It felt too quick (which could be a lot of YA Romance, to be fair) and so very tropey. I love tropes, but this was just so much. Essentially, it’s very very YA and I think it’ll do phenomenally well with its target audience.

A gorgeous, masterful, fantastically gothic journey into darkness...and the self. This book was a lot of fun, and really impossible to put down!

One Dark Window has a hell of a premises. Unfortunately some pacing issues and hard to follow story line made it a bit of a slog.

Elspeth Spindle has a problem. She's got an ancient spirit trapped inside her head. The Nightmare, as she called him, both protects and guards her secrets but magic always come at a cost. With help from the mysterious Highway man, Elspeth sets out on a dangerous journey to rid herself of the spirit. In this works where magic and deception lurk around every corner nothing is what it seems.

There were so many elements of this book I adored! The atmosphere was evocative, the world building was intriguing, and I found the characters to be well rounded and likeable. Unfortunately the pacing felt a bit wonky for me it would become speedy and then be abruptly halted. The story felt hard to follow for me and I found myself rereading passages on several occasions to get me bearings.

I certainly enjoyed this enough to see what the author does next, but in a a stack of fantastic fall reads this one lands toward the bottom for my personal liking,

Thank you to Netgalley for the Review copy.

***ARC received from Orbit and NetGalley in exchange for honest review, opinions are all my own. Thank you!***

The first thing that caught my eye on this book is the cover, perfectly portraying the gothic atmosphere that the book delivers on. And did it deliver.

Elspeth is probably one of my favorite YA heroines in awhile. She just wants to live whatever time she has left before the Nightmare fully claims control over her mind surrounded by her aunt and cousin who love her despite her infection. Shes not quick to run into a fight, is willing to acknowledge her own hypocrisy when it comes to her keeping secrets from Ravyn and thankfully doesn’t spend a huge chunk of the book complaining about women’s garments. When she puts on pants its uncomfortable to her, its a nice change for a female lead whos empowerment isn’t wrapped up in her clothing. The dynamic between her and the Nightmare is also one of my favorite parts. As much as she hates him Elspeth it reliant on the Nightmare despite what it is doing to her which she is well aware of. I’m interested to see what happens to her in the follow up book. Ravyn is the male lead and hes pretty much everything a male lead should be in a YA book, tall, dark, and handsome who loves the heroine but has to keep his distance. I liked Ravyn hes a fine male lead and I think he will have more of a lead in the second book which should be interesting.

Most of the secondary characters feel a little more stereotyped, the cousin with more to her story, the distrusting doesn’t like the heroine friend of the male lead and the villain prince. They are all fine characters that don’t completely blend into the background and still had me interested in what will happen to them in the next book.

The magic system is very interesting, that there are two different magic systems one that can be controlled and one that is to be feared but for both it can exact a heavy price. Magic is not free but that price that one pays may be different per infected person. It was also interesting about how the magic in the cards is used. Its akin to a deck of cards there are many of some cards but only one or two of the others which can make them more difficult to find but not more powerful. They each have their own unique abilities and price is unique to each card. The other magic system that people get from being infected is really fascinating and I love how just with the other magic its unique. But its not unique to the card but to each individual person and some degeneration is much easier to hide that others.

The world building it really nice even if it is restricted that it can’t expand very far as the kingdom is locked off by a mist. It does well with the small bit that it has, mostly focused on Castle Yew as that is where the majority of the backstory takes place. I loved how the backstory wove its way into the main characters active lives and story. It was done in a fascinating way and yes, it was a twist I saw coming but it was still done well and made a lot of sense for the story.

The ending of the story was great and was the inevitable outcome for Elspeth and the Nightmare. The writing is good, the use of the Nightmares cryptic rhyming was a nice touch. He gives pieces of the story away that will benefit in a second read through. It was only really about midway through the book that I realized that it wasn’t a stand alone which is fine with me but now I have to wait until the next one to come out.

One Dark Window is the story of Elspeth Spindle. Elspeth harbors a dark secret, as a child she contracted a magical fever in a kingdom where the infection is punishable by death. She also happens to be the host of a mysterious entity she calls the Nightmare. A chance encounter results in Elspeth becoming embroiled in a conspiracy headed by Ravyn, the nephew of the King. The conspiracy may cure her of her affliction or allow the Nightmare to take control for good.

One Dark Window can best be described as a dark fairytale. I loved the Grimm-esque atmosphere of the story. This is a take that wraps into you slowly and will stay with you for a while. Though perfect for spooky season, One Dark Window is more haunting than chilling so those like me who don’t have a tolerance for horror can still enjoy it.

Reading One Dark Window, I found myself wrapped up in the mystery of the story. I wanted to know more about the magical plague, Elspeth’s past and who the Nightmare was. With each chapter the reader gets another tantalizing piece of the puzzle, but is left wanting more. By the end of the story you will wish Book 2 was out already, because things can only get more interesting from here.

Fans of supernatural mysteries and dark fairytales will love this one. If you enjoyed Naomi Novik’s Uprooted and/or Shadow in the Looking Glass you need to read this book.

Well, the whole synopsis of this one grabbed my attention right away. Darkness, monsters, ancient spirits, magic… right up my alley! And let’s not forget that gorgeous cover 😍.

—-

I’ll be honest, it took me a bit to get into it. I found the first part a bit hard to get thru. I wasn’t sure why tho, I found it difficult to follow? So I put it down for a bit, then picked it back up and started over. I’m glad I did because once I got past that first part I quite enjoyed the story 🙌.

I loved Elspeths character, not to mention her name. A bit of an outcast from her family, keeping a terrible secret to herself. When she crosses paths with a highwayman, she learns more about herself and the nightmare contained within her, and how similar she is to this strange man.

“𝘞𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦, 𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐. 𝘎𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤. 𝘞𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵, 𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘧-𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘴.”

The magic system was quite interesting and unique. A set of 12 providence cards that give those who possess them magical abilities. But there is also an infection going around, and those who have it are given a death sentence.

If you like romance… don’t expect to get a lot of it, right away. But if you like a slow burn… well then dig in 😁. When it finally happened, it was worth the wait ❤️.

I’m really looking foreword to the second book, as this one left the reader needing more! I plan on rereading this one before the second comes out.

Overall I give this one ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

And… it comes out tomorrow, September 27th 😊.

I was excited to have Orbit provide an eARC of this novel but had no idea how much I would end up loving this book. I essentially consumed this book in a single sitting and could not get enough of the world that Rachel Gillig crafted. The pacing of the novel was perfect—the ending of each chapter left me in a place where I would tell myself "just one more chapter," which ultimately led to me devouring the entire book. The magic system was simple, but unlike any I had ever read. I appreciated how easy Rachel made it to dive into their world. As the reader, I didn't have to put forth much effort but felt I had a solid grasp on the world, characters, politics, and the magic system. The protagonist could have easily been difficult to read given the nature of the character, but the author seamlessly integrates all aspects of Elspeth's character. This novel has something for most readers. beyond the major fantasy element focused on a prized magic; there's romance, action, politics, heist, and an ending that was more gruesome than I expected (in a good way). I've been in a reading slump lately, but One Dark Window was an unexpected gem that has me desperately waiting for more in this universe.

Do you ever just want to hug a book to your chest because it’s just so…cozy, perfect and heartwarming?

ᴏɴᴇ ᴅᴀʀᴋ ᴡɪɴᴅᴏᴡ is the debut novel by Rachel and basically it’s like if ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴏꜰ ɢᴏᴛʜᴇʟ and ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʟꜰ had a baby.

This book is like a slow to warm personality that finally opens up under the perfect conditions. And what are these conditions?

☾ gothic atmosphere with misty woods
☾ unique magical system comprised of 12 Providence Cards
☾ a little bit of found family
☾ dreamy romance

When I say I was absolutely obsessed with this book, I mean it.

Every chapter starts out with a card and a little rhyme: OBSESSED

The concept of the cards: OBSESSED

Ravyn: OBSESSED

Everything. I can’t wait for the next book because this just hit the spot for me. Honestly, it’s absolutely perfect for this time of year.

If you’re looking for the perfect gothic fantasy… THIS, this is it!

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

One Dark Window, in general, is a perfect October book. Spooky season and Halloween vibes come together nicely in this tale set in the misty, dark woods full of scariness, ghosts, and yellow-eyed monstrosities. The characters are sneaky like robbers and are, for the most part, generally likable with realistic faults. If you’re looking for an adult horror romance with a complex plot and organically interwoven magic system, this may not be the book for you. The author says it’s “YA accessible,” but I think that may only be applicable to the simplistic plot structure and not the sexual content or graphic violence with very descriptive, gory wound depictions, fitting the book solidly in the adult genre. The story also ends on a massive cliffhanger, which makes this a possible reread (for those who have that kind of problem) waiting to happen.

The most unique thing about this book is the magic system. Many books have been written about court intrigue, tyrannical monarchs and plots to overthrow them, and ancient kingdoms overturned by current ruling families whose impending comeuppance makes up the plot of a story. Not many books have been written about magic cards that grant power (with severe limitations) to the holders. The Providence cards and the magic they grant feel a bit like a gimmick to me. The collecting of them drive the plot, which only consists of three or so places (the village and its surrounding woods and a couple of castles), and the pacing of said plot stretches very thin and moves at a snail’s pace in this book. Since the book carries an adult fantasy classification, the book could very well have touted 600 or so pages and gotten the whole story taken care of in one go. After all, fantasy readers are used to having huge tomes lodged at them, so a 600+ page debut would not have made too many folks balk.

As for characters, Elspeth and our Captain make for a great romantic couple. The two don’t resist too much, and once they give in to their feelings, the characters around them react in entertaining ways, which provides some nice comic relief to break up the dark atmosphere and tone of the book. Supporting characters don’t take too much away from the two lovers, but I found myself liking all of the ones I should like and hating very vehemently the ones I should hate.

Unfortunately, the rating for me dipped below a 4 because the book transitioned from one place, setting, and/or conversation to another in the most disjointed ways. Not only did the narrative slow significantly in places, but it did not flow smoothly. I had to, several times, go back and figure out where the characters were, what they were currently doing, and what they were talking about several times. Also, the settings and happenings felt repetitive—lots of fights in the woods, lots of clandestine searches for cards, and a couple of visits to a derelict structure in the woods—and it was hard to keep things in order.

Overall, 3.5 out of 5 stars. Gillig’s debut was not completely terrible. It was an enjoyable story with a unique (albeit gimmicky) magic system and likable characters. The setting and tone provide the perfect mood for spooky Halloween season. The biggest drawbacks for me were the limited scope—the book only had three or so settings—and the choppiness of the story transitions. I had to go back and reread a bit to reorient myself a few times, but these issues may be resolved in the polished, final version, which is why I didn’t ding it too much. It’s also a debut, but it felt like one giant set up for the real action to come in the next book (and a bit like butter spread over too much bread), and it ended in a steeeeep cliffhanger. I’m not a big fan of those, and I usually wait until an entire series is out before starting it because I hate them so much.

A huge thank you to Netgalley, Orbit Books, & Rachel Gillig for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I don't even know where to begin, this book checked all my favorite boxes. It was a lush, dark, beautiful read, and I was entranced from the first page. The synopsis of the book is accurate in my opinion & I don't want to give anything else away.

I should preface this with the fact that since I have stepped into my later twenties (28yo) I have had a hard time reading most of the older YA/NA fantasy that I have tried to pick up, which is partly to do with some of the tropes & that I read ALOT of YA fantasy when I was that age.

That being said- This books world and magic system is very unique and was a breath of fresh air for me. The writing is beautiful and it is very atmospheric and gives off all the gothic, eerie, autumn vibes that mood readers want to fall into this time of year ( or if you're like me, this is an anytime of year/ favorite subgenre)

This is book 1 of The Shepard King Duology & I can't wait for book 2 to come out.

**Review to be posted on Amazon as well- currently unable to post on Amazon**

I confess I was quite wary of this book because of someone telling me it was what "For the Wolf" was supposed to be and other details that both lowered my expectations and put me on alert for a negative outcome. But it surprised me pleasantly, and despite expecting the worst, I ended up liking it.

As a début book, it isn't as polished as it should be. There's plenty of "rookie mistakes" writing-wise, but I believe its positives outweighed them and made this a good story; better than I'm accustomed to seeing from debutante authors, in fact, and more so from YA debutantes that are more hype than substance. The plotline might not be all that original, no, it has vibes from "Vespertine," and the characters aren't all that unique either. Here, you must look at the story as a whole. I won't go into the comparisons with other hyped books nor the (mis)categorisation of genres that's bothered others, as it's splitting hairs at this point and I don't want to burden the book with the missteps made by the publicity dept. They should've been more careful precisely because it's a new author.

Anyhow, back to the story, the main reason I enjoyed this is simple: in this story, magic has a cost. I adored "Vespertine," which shares the same topic of possession with "One Dark Window," and has a much richer world and better characterisation (and banter!). But where Rogerson was building on the Catholic Church's rich lore for her worldbuilding, Gillig is playing more with her own creation from bits and pieces of cloth, and one thing where she outpaced Rogerson is in the price to pay for magic. In "One Dark Window," all characters that have magic pay an awful price, which could actually be far grimmer if this wasn't mild by genre restrictions. Were this Grimdark or adult instead of YA, we'd probably be looking at "The Exorcist" instead of "Vespertine" lite.

Why is this important? This is personal preference, but in recent discussions I've had with other Fantasy lovers, one complaint was that in books where "dark" magic is used, there's no price to pay for it, or the price is hardly more than a slap on the wrist. And in this case, we're talking about possession, for goodness' sake! A powerful, not exactly morally sound being enters your mind and cohabitates with your soul, feeding on you like a parasite and giving you powers... and you're supposed to not pay a price for such a thing? Every single real-life lore where the topic of possession exists, be it by demons or other beings, is clear about the risks, but in YA it's not always the case. Hence I'm happy that, in this book, it does.

The magic in this book is based on a deck of cards, likely inspired by the Tarot. There's over seventy Providence Cards that an ancient king with powerful magic granted by a primeval forest spirit created, magic that ended up causing a rift with the spirit, who cursed the land with a noxious mist that's slowly eating away at the kingdom's lands and infecting people with a fever. To stop the advance of this toxic mist, twelve of these cards are needed, the chief ones, and use them to break the curse. Unfortunately, one of them is missing and has never been seen, the rest are in possession of the kingdom's nobles, who use them for their own ends, good and bad, always paying a price for their use. The protagonist, Elspeth, had the fever as a child and her family hid it to avoid her being executed by the king, who hunts fever survivors that possess magic, but she accidentally touches one of the chief Providence Cards that results in her being possessed by the Nightmare.

The Nightmare and her have a complicated relationship. Unlike Artemisa and the Revenant, where she was educated on what the being possessing her was and knew better about his powers and his nature, Elspeth was never taught how to use her powers, she doesn't even know who or what the Nightmare is. Which accounts for her erratic feelings and attitude towards him, screaming for help when she's afraid and lashing out when she's annoyed. The age difference and the education level definitely account for this, so I'm not sure I'd call this poor characterisation. I do, however, wish they talked more naturally and had better banter, because sometimes the Nightmare sounds like your street's resident gossip doing live commentary on your behaviour. I do wish Elspeth knew how to reply to him without sounding like a brat so often.

As for the romance, it's slow-burn, but not particularly noteworthy. Maybe because they don't have that great a chemistry as a couple as they do as partners in crime. In fact, I was hoping Elspeth would end up with Elm. He's more abrasive and distrustful, but also so loyal and doesn't go about her with kid gloves. I also liked Emory better. Well, I liked all the other male characters far more than I did Ravyn, even the Nightmare was more likable for me. I'm basically liking this story for Elspeth and the Nightmare, I want his backstory, what made him a "monster," what his quarrel with the Spirit was like exactly, what his real name is, how can he come back if he can, why he's been like that for so long, did he knew Elspeth would be born and waited for her, et cetera. So many questions! And the cliffhanger this book ends in wasn't helping.

To sum it all up, this first book is pretty much a set-up for a series, shows enough but hides enough to keep interest, and I'm going to read the next because I want my questions answered.

Thank you to Orbit Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

1 like

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC!

4.5 stars rounded up.

This book is so perfect for Fall, and I loved it! It had a slow start and it took me about 20% of the book to really get into it. The world building was super cool, but very complicated and took a while to really understand. However, once I started figuring it out, I did not want to put it down! I loved the relationship between Ravyn and Elspeth. Very swoon-worthy slow burn that is done so well. Also, enemies to lovers! I also really loved all of the side character and the band of friendship between them -- really great found family aspects. I loved the idea of the providence cards, tarot-like cards that allow people to use magic when held. However, all magic comes at a price. This book struck the perfect balance of deliciously creepy with wonderfully romantic. The writing is gorgeous and so atmospheric. Reading this book feels like walking through the forest at dusk -- enchanting and a little scary. Also, THE ENDING! I don't even think the next book has been announced yet, but I need it immediately. If you love dark, gothic fairytales like Uprooted and For the Wolf, you'll love this book!

I received this as an ARC from Netgalley and I really enjoyed it. The magical world in One Dark Window is different than any other story I’ve read. I will admit, the beginning description of the Providence Cards was confusing, and there were often times I forgot which card did what. That being said, however, the story is written in a way that you cannot help but wanting to read on, and the author gives a perfect amount of reminders as to the powers in this world without being too redundant. I loved the characters, and so many were set up to make larger impacts throughout the rest of the series. The ending was both logical and unexpected, and I cannot wait for more!

My level of adoration for this book is both unparalleled and surprising, as I didn’t expect this to be my next 5 star read! The synopsis was quite irresistible, but the story itself snuck up on me and then *WHAM*- new favorite book. A book that left me stunned by the ending and clamoring for the sequel.
In the mist-shrouded kingdom of Blunder people fear the fever that grants magical abilities, seeing it as a curse rather than a gift. Those who come down with the fever are taken away, never to be seen again. Except for the rare cases like Elspeth Spindle, whose family hid her away until the fever passed and then she never displayed any magical abilities, so they assumed it did not curse her. Except Elspeth has a secret - there is a Nightmare living in her head and though it doesn’t often speak, it haunts her mind constantly and it has saved her life in the past. It saves her again when a highwayman stops her as she returns home one night and soon after she meets the highwayman again… but realizes he’s the king’s nephew and captain of the King’s Destriers, who hunt down rogue magic wielders like her. As it happens, he and several allies are trying to track down the Providence Cards, a set of cards that safely grant magic to their wielders, in order to break the cursed mist that cuts their kingdom off from the outside world. By breaking this curse, Elspeth may finally be free of the Nightmare and can live without constant fear.
This is a wonderful read for autumn because it has *atmosphere*, but most importantly it also has substance! It’s not just pretty sentences and thoroughly described scenery, it has exquisite characterization, a cool magic system, and romantic tension! And boy, do I love romantic tension, especially when it’s between people like Elspeth and the Captain of the Destriers, Ravyn. I will forever be a sucker for a brooding love interest and two people who start out suspicious of one another and then fall passionately in love but just can’t admit it to themselves for a bit! It’s so frustrating, yet so good! Enough about that - let’s talk about the magic system for a minute. So, there are Providence Cards of 12 different suites that grant their wielders a certain type of magic though it does come with a cost (pain, cold heartedness, paranoia). This is sanctioned magic, unlike the fever-induced gifts, and was originally gifted to the ancient Shepherd King by the Spirit of the Wood in exchange for aspects of himself. Our characters’ quest to unite the twelve suites of cards, including the Twin Alders card, makes for a fine and dangerous adventure. I like the card magic, but I like the idea of spontaneous, unknown magic even more, particularly the variety that Elspeth has.
One Dark Window is definitely going on my Favorite Books of 2022 list and I will be thrilled to get my hands on the sequel, especially after THAT ENDING. OMG. I was literally like *AHHHHH!!!!!* because there were no actual words for that, only scream.

Listen, I am a huge sucker for any book that promises to have spooky woods and magic in it. This book was no different. I absolutely devoured the first 80% of this novel in about a day, and then I put it down for a couple more because I wasn’t ready for it to be over.
This is a dark, gothic fantasy about mist-shrouded kingdom that needs to be cured from the magic that infects it.
Along with the mist, there are a few surviving “infected” individuals who may be able to garner some of this magic to use for themselves like our heroine, Elspeth. In order to help cure the kingdom there are tarot-card-esque Providence Cards to collect, and our lucky main character can “see” them in more ways than one.
There is far more than meets the eye here though. What seems a fairly straightforward premise is built upon with love and care, you can tell that Gillig really put her heart into this, and she created a beautifully atmospheric world on the way.
I really adored the characters, this book has MAJOR found family vibes, plus an evil stepmother, and more evil characters that pop up throughout the book. I was here for the spooky woods, the Nightmare, the characters growing relationships both romantic and not, as well as the obvious lore and mythos that Gillig infused.

And that ending?!?! I will be anxiously awaiting a chance to read the second book. There are so many wild directions that the second book could take, and I am so eager to find out what happens.

Overall (TLDR)
If you can’t tell, I adored this book. If you enjoyed For the Wolf or if you enjoy very lush imagery and atmosphere, I would highly recommend this one to you. I can’t wait to go out and buy a finished copy on launch day, and it is the PERFECT time of year for a spooky book like this.
You can expect:
-Spooky woods
-Tarot-card-esque magic used via Providence Cards
-Found family
-Gothic, dark, fairytale atmosphere
-Wonderful lore that I instantly want more of
-A Nightmare

Thank you as always to Orbit for the review copy! I am so grateful to have the privilege of reading books early to give my opinions on them.

Rachel Gillig’s debut novel is set in the kingdom of Blunder. Plagued by a sickening-induced most, the residents shelter and take precaution to not fall victim to the mist and to not get sick. In this society, becoming ill means almost certain death. Because it is the sick ones that are infected magic. And magic isn’t tolerated by the King.

Elspeth Spindle was infected as a child. While her inner family knows she was infected and hid that fact from the king’s guards, no one knows of the spirit trapped within her mind.

In this society, there are 12 Providence Cards (which I thought looked like tarot cards) and they can give the user a different set of powers. The story really begins when Elspeth ventures away from her seclusion with her aunt.

The book details the old story of the Shepherd King. It plays a prominent role in the plot. As does Elspeth’s feelings for the head guard who’s job it is to seek out those who are infected and hand them over to the King.

I liked this book. It was a tad slow to start and was interesting throughout. I’ve heard some call it more Adult. I think it’s mostly YA. I wish the author Tom some more risks. There weren’t any shocking twists for me.

Having said that I’ll read the next book because of the way it ended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 🌶️ 3/5
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit books for giving me this ARC. I’m going to start off with saying that most of the books I read, I read for the romance (cause the plot isn’t as enthralling), but this book!! Wow!
The author wove an enthralling gothic dark fantasy (angsty, yet humorous). There was great world-building in this book, and it was so unique: in the mist-locked kingdom of Blunder, there are 12 different providence cards that provide magic to the user, but come with a cost: once used too often, take the opposing in return. I was looking forward to seeing each one used. To cure the mist, all 12 providence cards must be joined, and any and all infected people are sentenced to death by the king. The author’s writing style was phenomenal, I absolutely adored how each chapter started with a quote from the Book of Alders. The teaser (prologue) went straight to action (I loved it!!). There was great insightful poetry, quotes, and rhymes from the Book of Alder. The plot was so enthralling, and the cliffhanger killed me:((( my favorite character was the Nightmare, second favorite was Elm. (Seriously, I love sarcastic guys) tbh we all have a nightmare in our head.
The romance was swoon-worthy and great! MMC was tall, dark, and handsome.
Tropes: slow burn, hate to, court intrigue, touch her and you die, one horse, fake relationship, swoon worthy romance, guy falls first, cliffhanger😡

A massive Thanks to Netgalley & Orbit Books for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Elspeth Spindle has a deadly secret, 11 years ago she caught a terrible fever and now there's a monster living in her mind. If the magic-hating King knew, he would execute her immediately. The only magic allowed in the land of Blunder, and therefore highly sought after, are the Providence Cards. Highwaymen comb the forest road in search of cards to steal - maybe they'll get lucky and find a rare card! When Elspeth gets attacked on the road by a band of highwaymen, she quickly finds out that collecting 12 providence cards might not only be a cure for the monster in her head, but also save the land from a mystical fog that's been claiming villagers for centuries.

This book gave me "Monstress" energy, with a little bit of "Cardcaptors" vibes, and it's a gloomy & gothic read, perfect for autumn. I really enjoyed the ominous tension created by the looming threat that the Monster is slowly becoming stronger. I liked her as a character and I really enjoyed the budding romance between her and a mysterious highwayman. The action, and the card-based magic system was fun! The lore of the world was incorporated in small rhymes at the beginning of each chapter which I actually really loved.

One less favorable element is the set-up of the stakes, it could have been done more subtly. Every fantasy reader has read the phrases "Magic comes at price" and "Nothing is free" and yet they were both repeated so often that it became annoying.

Also, it ends in a cliffhanger so now the waiting game begins...I'm definitely looking forward to the second book and excited to see what happens next!

What a wild book this was!

This book is told from one point-of-view and it comes from Elspeth but there are flashbacks here and there to explain more about the shepherd king and rhymes that correlate with the magic system which is done by providence cards. Basically, they are like tarot cards. I loved all of the tales surrounding the cards as they were fun to read and gave me a bit more on what to expect from them. Elspeth has grown up with keeping a lot of secrets for her own safety as well as those she is close with, like her family. It must have been tough because the ruling king seems kind of ruthless and as you get to know one of the princes you realize he is to.

Elspeth is strong-willed and wants to do what is right, but she can also be impulsive which can cause a lot of chaos. I would say that in ways she can be morally grey and the thing living inside her head definitely is. The nightmare is something else and I loved the conversations they had!

The other characters in the book were just as interesting, even if some had smaller parts. I never once thought, “ugh, it’s this person again”. Even though the ruthless prince has personality, not always in a good way but he sure knows how to liven up a party! A lot of the characters have the same goal in common but it’s getting there that is different.

My least favorite part was the romance. It’s not bad per say and I did enjoy it a lot, but the build-up kind of sped up and then they were definitely in love. I do like the guy that Elspeth is interested in and their banter was cute so I’m not really going to complain that much, haha.

There were so many plot twists when it came to the plot and I was hear for every single one! They had my jaw dropping and the author killed me with that ending. I knew something was going to happen but let me down easy. It came full force!

I loved the magic system and thought that it was very unique. Nothing I have ever read before and I think it was done well. I understood it from the beginning and that’s something that doesn’t always happen when reading fantasy.

Overall, this was a fantastic book and I can’t wait for the sequel!