Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC!

I have to start off by saying that I don’t think the premise of this book was an accurate representation of what happens. I really thought we’d get a cunning court and absolutely villainous women (which I was hoping for)… but I wasn’t served.

I think the premise of a book really sets you up for the kind of atmosphere you’re going to get and this was beside the point.

The only character that had a personality was Boleyn, and even she was absolutely blinded by Henry and wasn’t the clever and cunning person that was described in the premise.

And Seymour… Assassin? Really? She was so fickle that I just couldn’t get along with this storyline. And I’m sorry but a relationship between a Queen and her servant needs to be properly set up to be okay. Or else it just becomes an authoritative relationship. I believe Seymour was in admiration for Boleyn. But in love?

I really liked the premise and thought this would be something I’d enjoy but it unfortunately didn’t work for me. The dragons and magic were barely explored. I think the execution could’ve been handled differently. It was easy to read though.

Six Wild Crowns by Holly Race and published by Orbit Books
6 Queens – 1 King – 6 Wives 4 1/2 stars
An incredible reimagined tale about the six wives of King Henry VIII, not of Tudor England but the fantasy realm of Elben.
The wives are deftly brought to life under the skilled writing of Holly Race. They are the queens of castles built on the strategic peripheries of Elben, bonded to Henry, together, they keep the kingdom safe from invasion.
Henry is charismatic and claims to love each of his six wives. The queens, though they are sisters through bond of marriage with Henry are strangers and seldom interact with each other. We meet Boleyn, Seymour, Howard, Aragon, Cleves and Parr, women with personalities as distinct as their fortresses.
Race has written an enjoyable original fantasy, filled with dragons, and interesting characters. The Kingdom of Elben is rich in imagery and has little connection to Tudor England. But it is a fantasy after all. I found it to be a quick read. I think it will work as a stand a lone novel, however, with the ending, I’m hoping there will be another one, possibly a series.
Thank you to Orbit Books for the ARC.

Thank you netgalley and Orbit for an advanced copy! Six Wild Crowns is a historical fantasy retelling of Henry VIII and his wives. The story kicks off with Boleyn’s wedding to Henry. I did really enjoy the world building and lore in the beginning of the book; Henry has to have 6 wives, each tied to one of the palaces on the island to sustain their magical border. At the wedding, it is customary for the other wives to give the new wife and give, and one of them gifts Seymour to be a member of Boleyn’s court. Seymour is pressured by her queen and her brothers to eliminate Boleyn and take her spot as a queen. There is definitely sapphic tension between Boleyn and Seymour, but it ended up being pretty one sided and did not pan out quite as I expected throughout the book. I would definitely not say this is a ‘romance book’, even though there are some romantic elements. The book description mentions dragons and magic, although these are very minor elements, mostly just referenced in passing. The majority of the story revolves around court politics, and while this was interesting at times, it was not as action packed of a book as I was expecting.

First of all I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the arc of this book in return for an honest review.

Unfortunately, the book did not meet up with my reading standards. It may just be not the right time for me to read this, I’ll probably pick it up again once it’s out.

Although it did not stand out to me, characters were very well developed and the story was very interesting.
I did enjoy the take on Henry and his wives in a fantasy world mostly.

I do not love an open ending, even if it means we are getting a second book, but it did fit the story the way I lived it. I am very intrigued as to where the author wants to take this story.

Firstly, thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this e-ARC, all thoughts are my own.

Historical fantasy isn’t something I read often, as I prefer worlds that are crafted by the artist/author and don’t already exist. I also tend to avoid urban fantasy for the same reason. However, I’m not one to stick in my preferred genre all the time, so here we are.

Six Wild Crowns is a historical fantasy based (very loosely) on the tudor period. The king, Henry VIII, has been appointed by God to marry six very different queens. Binding himself to these six queens will also bind his magic. There is a focus on a forbidden romance between Boleyn and Seymour, which I enjoyed. Unfortunately for the rest of the book, the historical inaccuracies were way too difficult to look past. Since the same names and places were used, it was difficult to accept the complete alteration of real historical events. I enjoyed the magical elements (dragons, and magic in general), but they were so jarring and out of place. Almost like an afterthought. The pacing was unbearably slow, there was little to no tension, and the whole thing fell very flat to me.

I was excited for Six Wild Crowns, but personally the execution just wasn't quite there. The court teeming with dragons and the juicy intrigue and action packed story the synopsis leads you into sadly is on the back burner once you actually get into the story. It's a much more "low key" story.

Henry VIII and the six wives was a fun idea, I was excited to see a spin on a historical tale, but the wives didn't have the kind of traits or personality that you would find in actual history. It really wasn't anywhere close to a historical connection, the thought was there but it was just very surface level for those who are into the history aspect.

It was extremely promising based on the synopsis, but overall it just wasn't up to my expectations.

I was on the fence about this one early on; personally I have no attachment to or fascination with Henry VIII and his wives. I was in it for the queer representation and, honestly, that wasn’t enough to sell me.

The prose is pretty dry, with most of Boleyn’s narrative voice simply fawning over Henry and trying to “prove herself worthy” - whereas Seymour is so self-deprecating that it’s honestly a distraction. Big long paragraphs of nothing much, feeling a little infodumpy at times.

Also, polyamory is a stretch. Henry has concubines, essentially, though they’re given a touch more power and influence and not forced to exist in close proximity to each other (probably better for everyone that way, honestly). Sapphic romance is also a stretch as it’s just some one-sided pining.

I was SO excited to read this book when I found out it was about the Tudors! Add in some fantasy and sapphic elements, and I was DEVOURING this book at every chance I got! I thought that the magic system in this book was well-thought out, and it was incorporated well into the lore of the wives. I also thought that Race did a good job in creating relationships between the wives that weren't solely based off of competition, which was very refreshing to read about. This book definitely takes creative liberties with Henry VIII and his wives, but I personally enjoyed this reworking of history, and felt that it worked well in creating a more feminist, sapphic retelling of the Tudor wives. Overall, this book delivers on intrigue, magic systems, and sapphic longing.

Six Wild Crowns caught my attention right away with its promise of dragons, dangerous queens, and a magical twist on the wives of Henry VIII. I went in expecting something more tightly bound to its historical inspiration, but the connection is looser than I anticipated—more of a thematic echo than a direct reimagining. Once I adjusted those expectations, I was fully pulled into the world of Elben.

Boleyn and Seymour were standout characters, opposites in personality but equally compelling. Their rivalry-turned-reluctant alliance gave the book its emotional core, and their dynamic was layered with tension, vulnerability, and slow-burning trust. The court politics, magical bonds, and shifting power plays all made for a page-turner, even when the pacing occasionally stumbled or the worldbuilding leaned more decorative than immersive.

There’s a lot packed into this first book, and while not every element felt fully fleshed out, I appreciated how ambitious it was. The ending sets the stage for a much larger conflict, and I’m definitely interested in seeing where the story goes next.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you to Netfalley, and Orbit for this Arc! I received this through Book Huddle for an honest review. I thought this was an interesting take on the story of the wives of Henry the Eight. But it was not for me. The story was not the problem, my issue was with the way it was written, almost like a screenplay instead of a novel. Instead of “Mary placed the crown on her head” it was say “Mary places the crown on her head.” I know this seems knit-picky but I was struggling getting through this book, which sounds made for me since I love all things Tudor. But I couldn’t deal with the way scenes were set.

This was a lot more fantasy and less historical than I expected--for instance, I thought it would be set in Tudor England instead of in a fictional secondary world--but once I adjusted my expectations I had a good time with this one. If a historical-ish fantasy with gorgeous writing and a sapphic subplot sounds like your thing, definitely check this one out!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc! Opinions are my own.

3.5 stars

The concept of six queens vying for the king’s favor in a court full of dragons and backstabbing is exciting, but the story feels much slower and less action-packed than promised. The historical inspiration of Henry VIII and his six wives initially drew me in, but the characters didn’t have the depth or the personalities of their real-life counterparts. It often felt like the historical tie-ins were more of a marketing tool than a meaningful part of the story, and the connection to the historical figures was largely superficial.

The writing has potential, but there were moments when the emotional arcs felt rushed or unclear. Characters’ feelings seemed to change abruptly, and love was often mentioned but not backed up by strong development. While fear was effectively conveyed, the other emotions and relationships lacked depth.

Additionally, the depiction of Henry VIII as a handsome figure was oddly jarring and made me chuckle. It’s hard to imagine the infamous portly king as a heartthrob based on historical portraits, which created a disconnect in my mind.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown/Orbit for the ARC.

A blend of Tudor England with hint of a fantasy realm that was interesting to read. Firstly, I think the blurb of this novel is very misleading as the assassins and dragons are very much lacking in this story. Any semblance of a fantasy realm was heavily cast to the wayside more so than I had anticipated.
This book reads more as political intrigue of woman in a male dominated court, whilst also navigating a sapphic yearning from the sidelines. Seymour is an assassin sent by Argon to kill Boleyn, but halts her attack when she notices that she is pregnant. After this, her “assassin” storyline is basically scrapped. She doesn’t act like an assassin whatsoever, and her allegiances flip flop so fast, making her a fickle and flat character.
The yearning is okay, but a bit rushed for my taste, and feels extremely unbelievable from Boleyn’s side. The character of Boleyn that represents Anne Boleyn was fine, and I could see her reacting to things the way that she does in this book—at least with what we know of her. So, I think that the author does an okay job of making me think of the historical figures in their actions and reactions with her. But Henry and the other wives are pretty flat for me, and really lacked the nuance that each of them held.
I didn’t really care for the use of historical figures as the characters in this book. With the fantasy realm, and this book not focusing on Henry and the historical events of his court, it was a strange decision in my eyes that the characters were named and modeled after these historical characters.
I would have liked more if this book was entirely, its own, with its own characters. To me, it felt that the use of the Queens and Henry were shortcuts that the author used so they wouldn’t have to describe the attributes and quirks of these characters. When you say “Boleyn” with the implication of Anne Boleyn, the audience automatically fills in the pieces of her character being cunning, smart, sexual, and jealous—so now the author doesn’t have to introduce the character like this, because we already know her like this. The thing is, Holly Race does a good job describing the characters and their personalities, so I don’t know why she used this shortcut over creating her own world fully. It comes off as a cheap marketing tactic to tack on the name of this historical figures.
I wish we saw more of the fantasy realm and war that Henry is off fighting. I feel as though we were given such a small representation of this world, and for anyone coming in looking for a heavy fantasy world, this book doesn’t hit very well. I would recommend this for someone who is looking more for a sapphic tale of women navigating their way in a court where their husband would kill them for such feelings.
Thank you NetGalley, Orbit Publishing, and Holly Race for the Arc!

Big thanks to netgalley for this eARC!

the blurb for this sounded so up my alley, I love the Tudors usually so I was excited for this magical spin on it and anything with sapphic yearning is a yes for me but it did fall a bit flat for me.

Putting aside my expectations from before starting the book I enjoyed the vibes and the characters despite the pacing being slow to start. the world building is done well and the writing style is easy to follow.
I wanted more action & dragons and the romance fell flat for me.
I'm not 100% invested so I'm not sure I'll continue the series from here.

Huge thank you to Netgalley and Orbit Books for the e-ARC approval!!
I was ecstatic to be approved for a book that instantly went on my TBR when I first saw it up for pre-order on Barnes and Noble's website!

"Six Wild Crowns" by Holly Race

The second I read this synopsis I knew I had to add this to my list. Epic fantasy with dragons, with women dismantling a patriarchy and falling in love in the process? Sign me up! Unfortunately, the actual story fell flat and did not live up to its teaser. The taglines are a stretch and are unfortunately misleading. The first chapter from was so intriguing from Boleyn's point of view drew me in, and then Seymour's immediately gave me the ick (iykyk). The love at first sight element didn't feel organic.

Henry's shift from "the perfect man" to "the villain" was instant and almost comical, I wish it had been hinted at and brought on more gradually. I think the intention was for it to be a plot twist, but it just didn't quite hit.

I also have a hard time getting behind a story that sacrifices any animal, especially one people also keep as pets and "lap dogs".

I think this story had a lot of potential and the author definitely has a unique and pleasing writing style, but the elements and flow of the story just fell a little flat.

I am giving this three stars for creativity, but will not be reviewing this story on any other site. Best of luck to this author in the future!

If you're expecting a story filled with dragons and Seymour as a spy and assassin, based on the synopsis, you might be disappointed. Those elements are barely present. While the premise suggests a lot of action, magic, and scheming, the actual book feels much more subdued.

As this was an advance reader copy, I anticipated some errors. I found four typos within the first six chapters. Hopefully, these will be corrected in the final version, as I didn't notice any more after that.

The concept of drawing inspiration from Henry VIII and his six wives seemed really interesting to me. However, it felt more like a superficial marketing tactic. While the six wives are present, they lack the distinct personalities and characteristics that made their historical counterparts so compelling. As someone who enjoys history, I felt this aspect was underdeveloped. It seems like the Henry VIII connection was primarily used to attract attention, without much depth beyond that.

I also felt that the portrayal of emotions and relationships could be stronger. Characters' feelings often seemed to change abruptly, and I struggled to understand the development of certain close bonds or romantic relationships. The word "love" is used frequently, but without much believable foundation. Fear was the only emotion that felt somewhat well-written, but even that wasn't enough to fully explain the characters' actions.

Finally, the depiction of Henry VIII as handsome was quite jarring. It was hard to reconcile that with the well-known image of him as overweight and wearing tights. It felt like an odd detail to emphasize.

Overall, while the initial idea was promising, the execution fell flat for me. The book didn't deliver on the expectations set by its premise, and I won't be continuing with the series.

An interesting feminist take on Henry VIII and his infamous brides. I appreciate how the author was able to blend fantasy with bits of the known history, while incorporating digestible fiction for smooth storytelling.

One thing I live for is dragons and history reimaginings and this one shot to the top of my list of 'must reads'

This book has been a wild ride and I can't wait for book 2, it really ends in a way that I feel can blossom into a story of Holly's own and the potential is high!

Huge thanks to @netgalley and @orbitbooks_us for the gifted ARC

Six Wild Crowns by Holly Race is the six wives of Henry VIII as you have never seen them before, in a fantasy Tudor era with dragons, intrigue, and yearning.

On the isle of Elben, the king has six queens, each one to live in one of six castles, maintained by the power bestowed upon them by their husband. This is how it has always been, or so the history goes.

Yet, folk tales tell of a different history. A dangerous history.

Six Wild Crowns is one of those books where the first line just sucks you in: “Her wedding dress is the colour of the massacre of Pilvreen.”

I didn't make any annotations other than the first line as I hurtled through this book on pure vibes and a hunger to know more.

I love parts of history, especially the Tudor Era and I love reading about the Six Wives. This was an amazing take on the known history, turning it on its head and placing it in a fantasy setting.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Five stars! I loved reading this. The intrigue, the relationships, the betrayals, all were fantastic to read and all were written beautifully. Breathtaking ending that left me bereft and had me thinking about it long after I finished.

✨ARC Review✨

Title: Six Wild Crowns
Author: Holly Race
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’ve always been fascinated with Anne Boleyn and her life. This is why when I saw this ARC on NetGalley, I requested it immediately. Thank goodness I was approved because I enjoyed reading this book! I finished it in two days.

Boleyn, Seymour, Howard, Cleves and the other queens were all damaged in their own ways. I found them relatable in a way especially Seymour - wanting to do your duty as a daughter because that’s what you had been taught to do all your life. Her friendship and love for Boleyn were so heartfelt.

Boleyn, meanwhile, was daring and loved her family. I liked the development of the character throughout the story. From her seemingly naive love for Henry, we see her evolve into someone cunning yet caring. I’m glad Holly Race didn’t stray too far from Anne Boleyn’s destiny.

Some things that I think would have wanted to see:
- I wish there were more dragons in the story and that they actually played a role as teased in the book’s blurb.
- Maybe it’s because it is just the first book but it would have been nice to know the other queens more.
- Henry’s true self should have been given more time to be explored. It just seemed very anticlimactic.
- There were scenes that involved magical creatures that seemed to have been glossed over.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. I will read the sequel to find out what happens to the other queens.