“Value can come in many guises.”
This book is a wild ride. It’s a fantasy reimagining of the Tudor Queens, but it’s also an intricate web of magic, myth, and worldbuilding in its own right. Snippets of actual history do pop up throughout the book, but those elements have been bent and reshaped into something new.

I found the overall story to be fascinating. Boleyn and Seymour are both Queens of Elben, but their methods and reasons for gaining those titles are wildly different. Both women have flaws, but they also have particular strengths. It was fascinating to see these women interact with each other and the rest of their world.

Although this book does have romantic elements and mostly-open-door love scenes, I wouldn’t call this a romance or even really a love story (at least not this first book). The characters have strong passions, but they ebb and flow throughout the story. These entanglements may solidify into something stronger by the end of the series, but so far that is not the case.

I’ve seen several reviews that say this is basically SIX the musical in book form, but I disagree. SIX has a certain amount of lightheartedness and fun even though it does touch on some heavy topics. This book has a more serious historical fantasy feel. Yes, it is a feminist twist on the historical wives of Henry VIII, but that’s where the similarities end. With all the court intrigue, intricate magical legacy, the existence of (small) dragons, and secret sapphic (and non-sapphic) romantic entanglements, I would say it’s closer to The Priory of the Orange Tree.

This book does have some potentially triggering aspects, so you may want to check content warnings before reading.

So, this was another one of my most anticipated releases this year. Anyone who knows me knows that I am beyond obsessed with the Tudor Era, particularly King Henry VIII and his six wives (Anne Boleyn is my favourite wife). So naturally, as soon as I saw this on NetGalley, I requested it. However, this turned out to be just absolutely not fun. This was like reading a textbook with very little historical accuracy. I am aware that this is a fantasy inspired by the Tudor Era, however, there were so many liberties taken, that besides the name of a few of the Queen's, it had no right to be marketed the way it was. Now, I cannot say much for the romance aspect, as I didn't make it far enough in, but if you look at other reviews, you can see that apparently the author missed the mark for that as well. I believe it's being said that essentially Seymour yearns for Boleyn in a "the lesbian falls for the straight girl" type of dynamic. That would have been a major ick for me, so I am glad I finished reading before that happened. The writing itself was reminiscent of Alison Weir, who is an actual historian that studied Anne Boleyn and the rest of the Tudors, and already wrote fiction novels about these six (actual) Queens. What I mean by this... it was incredibly long winded and not a fun time. I am a student, so this just felt like yet another textbook, to be honest. I appreciated the worldbuilding and the wordiness actually benefited the reader here, as I was able to easily visualize the world that the author created.

A richly imagined feminist fantasy inspired by the wives of Henry VIII, filled with magic, court intrigue, and slow-burn sapphic tension. Boleyn and Seymour are compelling leads whose relationship shifts from rivalry to something deeper. The pacing starts steady and builds to an emotional, satisfying climax. A smart, bold fantasy with heart.

This was such a unique book! As a big fan of Tudor history I was excited to see what the author did with Henry's six wives. The political intrigue and sapphic yearning were my favorite parts of this book. Watching all the queens make complicated choices to survive kept me engaged. I also loved how Henry was a more complex character. He has been exaggerated into a cartoon of a character over time and I loved that the author took the time to give him some complexity and show why the queens married him in the first place. I will say the marketing was a bit confusing for this book. There was a lot of emphasis on dragons and in the actual book they play a miniscule role in the story. The fantasy element and worldbuilding are also pretty minimal. I was surprised with how abrupt the ending was. I found I had a pretty good time regardless because I was invested in the women's stories. This book could have benefitted from another pass with an editor to flesh out the worldbuilding and the ending. I still quite enjoyed my time with this book and found myself extremely invested in the queen's fates as the stakes got high towards the end. I think others looking for a character driven alternative history book (with a sprinkle of magic thrown in) will have a good time as well.

I had really high hopes for this book based on the fantasy twist on Henry the VIII's wives and, well, I feel kind of let down. I sort of lost the plot at times, especially introducing various creatures (such as the crones) somewhat arbitrarily without much background or exposition. Since this is supposed to be a series, maybe there will be some additional detail in future books? However, I don't think that I'll probably be picking up the next in the series.

🙌🏻 What worked for me:
• The premise - a fantasy based on the six queens of Henry VIII? Count me all the way in.
• The politics of the court were very interesting to read and well written.
• The relationships - between Boleyn and Seymour, between Henry and the queens, between Seymour and Clarice, etc....they all played into the bigger picture.

🚫 What didn't work for me:
• The Pacing. The first 75% of this book was sooooo slow. There was so much setup to the climax of the book, and then....cliffhanger. **womp womp**
• Too Long. Honestly, I feel like this book easily could have been 100 pages shorter and we wouldn't have lost anything.

🤜🏻 Would I recommend: Maybe. I still enjoyed the book, and after the cliffhanger, I absolutely want to read book 2, but don't go in expecting a quick read.

Read if you enjoy:
✔️ Political Intrigue
✔️ Forbidden Friendships
✔️ Dismantling the Patriarchy
✔️ Pet Dragons

I am not just a mood reader, but also a destination reader. I only read westerns in America during certain times of the year, I only read historical fiction on royalty when I am in their country of origin, or as close as I can get at the time I wish to read it. It makes the action all the more immersive. Though I was technically in Scotland and not anywhere near London, I figured it was the closest I was going to get in the time frame I had. Plus, I had visited many castles, so I feel like I immersed myself enough.

Ever since I learned about Boleyn, Cleeves, Aragon, Seymour, Howard, and Parr, I have been interested in their sides of the story, one we would never accurately get to hear due to the hatred of the women and the heavy focus on Henry. There are beautifully depicted and historically accurate novels out there that choose to channel the women and give them the story that they deserve, but they all end the same way – divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived. There is never a story where maybe, just maybe, they had a better fate.

I didn't know what I was getting into with this book. I had forgotten just enough of the plot by the time I got to Scotland that all I could remember was it was about very six women I had grown to sympathize with. I didn't know I was itching for a story in which they all lived and got revenge on Henry would even be possible. Now to find out it's the first book in a fantasy SERIES?????? My biggest issue with this story is that it ended too quickly, and now I am forced to wait for the next book to come across my recommended feed on NetGalley. I hope that I can schedule a trip to London around that time, and if I can, I wish to read this story where its real origins took place, and feel the power of the women who endured so much and yet managed to leave such a haunting narrative behind.


Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for an ARC of this amazing story, and thank you Holly Race for being bold and determined enough to rewrite history in your own words. It did not go unnoticed, and it was greatly appreciated.

I have mixed thoughts on this book. I wish the book did more world building. I also wish the magic system and the use of creature, both magical and magical, had a point. It felt like they were just sprinkled in for no reason. Dragons, fairies, kelpies yet also lions, panthers, and dangerous flying creatures with human like limbs? The story doesn't really pick up until chapter 19. The story also boasts sapphic yearning. It tried, but there was no build up. Seymour seemed like she had a one sided crush. Love came out of no where and stayed. Additionally, the topic and vessel of the Tudors seemed more adult, however, the story read more YA. As such, I wish more was explained. A lot of the world and the characters decisions lacked the depth needed for me to be immersed.

I also saw the Mary betraying Boleyn a mile away. The reveal was still satisfying. Part II and III definitely saved it for me. Surprisingly, the end left me wanting more. More from Seymour, Cleaves, and Clarice. The fate of Henry. Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for this eARC.

I received this advance reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. I found this retelling of the Tudor history really interesting, and very unusual. I greatly enjoyed this unique fantasy novel. By turning the 6 Queens into a harem, granting characters magical powers, and adding a really interesting perspective on the patriarchal dynamic of this fantasy-version of Britain, we achieve a clever world full of twists and unexpected ripples affecting the history we all know so well. I also particularly thought Boleyn and Seymour were well developed and full of depth. Seymour in particular has always been portrayed as somewhat of a simpleton in historical fiction, a naive innocent woman. Instead, here we see, there's a great deal going on under the surface. Excellent read!

Audience: Adult
Plot: 4 out of 5
Characters: 4 out of 5
Spice: 1 out of 5

Keywords: Romance, Historical, Fantasy, Tudor, Alternate History, LGBTQIA, Sapphic, Found Family, Queens as Rulers, Court Intrigue
Tea Pairing: Tower of London Blend by Harney & Sons

Favorite Quotes:
“The notion that any book could be dangerous is preposterous to her. People are dangerous. Swords and cannons are dangerous. Books can only ever be sustenance.” – (Chapter 14)
“Then pick up your own lantern, my angry, angry queen, and shine.” – (Chapter 37)

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley from Orbit / Hachette; and the audiobook from Hachette Audio. Thank you! All opinions are my own.

Inspired by Tudor England, Six Wild Crowns is an epic fantasy novel which centers around the six queens, but mostly focuses on Boleyn and Seymour, as they all navigate courtly life in Henry’s Tudor court. Henry is king of Elben, and according to myth and tradition, must marry six wives to keep the magical barrier that keeps Elben strong and secure. But there is more to this magic than meets the eye. The novel follows the queens as they discover who they are, find their places, and what that means for Elben.

This novel has some of the best world-building that I have read in a long time. But because of the history and added fantasy, the pacing took a little longer, but honestly, I was okay with that. With something this epic, world-building is essential, and once the setting and world was established, the story definitely picked up. This was a dual-POV between Seymour and Boleyn, and I very much enjoyed the back-and-forth POV between the two queens. I was pleased to see the other queens also represented throughout the novel as well.

The audiobook performance was brilliant! I have to say that Olivia Dowd did an amazing job at her portrayal of all the characters. There was tone, expression, and overall performance was very entertaining and made the novel a joy to listen to. When I listen to audiobooks, I do tend to increase the listening speed, which I did to 1.5, and even at that pace the narration was very clear and easy to listen to.

I would highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys Tudor history and epic fantasy, with a dash of dragons, magic, and feminine rage. This is an absolute epic book that I couldn’t put down. Once I started it, I had to finish it. I’m very eager to find out if there will be a continuation of the story, since the last three chapters left me wanting more – what happens next?

more loose reimagining than retelling, six wild crowns is a fantastical, feminist take on henry viii’s six wives. the king of elben must always have six queens; each queen rules over her own castle, bonded to its magic, while the king uses his magic to protect their kingdom, as god intended. despite her ambitions, boleyn truly loves her husband. the spy in her court, seymour, does not. when the two unexpectedly ally together, even as seymour becomes henry’s latest queen, they upset the careful balance of things and discover the truth of their magic.

while sadly lacking in the promised dragons, six wild crowns drew me in from its first pages. the story itself is nothing groundbreaking, but it’s well-told. while the story centers around boleyn and seymour, all the queens have unique, interesting personalities. i particularly enjoyed cleves and clever, conniving boleyn (and frankly, i would have liked to see her reach cersei levels of machinations). i do wish the sapphic romance had been more prominent (i feel a bit misled by the “sapphic yearning” marketing), and i’m very curious to see how that aspect is handled in the next book.

readers hoping for a dragon-filled historical fantasy will likely be disappointed (there are some dragons, just not as many or featured as prominently as i anticipated), but fans of high fantasy and court intrigue should pick this one up.

Let me start off by saying THAT ENDING BETTER NOT BE TRUE OR I WILL RIOT

Ahem. Okay. Composure mostly regained.

Welcome to a world of queer normative empires, betrayal, and magic! To no one's surprise, Boleyn is a character after my own heart and stole the show for me. I live for an ambitious female lead who is unapologetically strong, determined, and still capable of loving with every ounce of her. Holly Race really gave us THAT girl—flawed, fierce, and emotionally complex.

Honestly, all the characters in Six Wild Crowns are messy in this way. They make mistakes. They’re selfish. They have real, raw moments of weakness. And thank the fantasy gods, none of them are cardboard cutouts. (Potential spoiler but not really? Proceed with caution.) I especially loved the dynamic between Boleyn and Henry. Holly Race gets that a complicated relationship isn’t just a love/hate seesaw—it’s a beautifully chaotic mix of history, betrayal, regret, and maybe a pinch of “ugh, why do I still care about you??” Too often, authors write “villains” as mustache-twirling caricatures—“Very Evil, Grr, No Nuance™”—and that just bores me to tears. I don’t want black-and-white morality. I want to suffer. I want to feel conflicted. I want to sit there whispering, “Don’t fall for it… okay maybe just a little.”

A couple of gripes: I never fully connected with some of the characters. Seymour, for example, felt a bit muddled at the start and never quite grabbed my attention as the story went on—which was a shame, because I was invested in her relationship with Boleyn (see: painful sapphic yearning, ouch :( ). Similarly, Wyatt felt like an odd addition. I kept waiting for his purpose to really click, but it never quite landed for me. He just kind of... existed? Vibes only?

In short: I had fun with this! I’m mildly emotionally damaged, but it’s fine. Everything’s fine.
Just… if that ending goes that way, I’m assembling a protest group.

This was a fantastic fantasy set in Tudor England. It was so fun and such a unique concept. I enjoyed it.

I could not put this book down. Six Wild Crowns is a sapphic reimagining of the lives of Henry VIII and his wives. Set in a fantasy universe with magical creatures inspired by Celtic mythology, Six Wild Crowns gave me similar vibes to a combo of Six the Musical, with its focus on female friendship, and Fourth Wing, with the main character tackling her society’s revision of their history. If you are familiar with Henry VIII and his court, many of the characters will feel both familiar and original. The story itself is a great mix of plot and character driven and the cliffhanger had my jaw dropping. Absolutely can’t wait to see what Holly Race has next in store for these characters.

First, thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for giving me the opportunity to read this book. I am very grateful to be giving such a privilege.

As someone who is obsessed with Tudor History, I was very excited to read this book however, It did not pull me in. I was hoping for something a little bit more compelling and fun but the characters fell kind of flat for me. After reading how Seymour passed a blot clot as she was walking, I was kinda put off. Why put something that specific in there vs. just stating that she had her period? I sadly didn't get too far into this book because everything felt a little boring and safe.

DNF Review – Six Wild Crowns by Holly Race

I really tried to get into Six Wild Crowns, but the story just didn’t click with me. I had a hard time connecting with the plot and characters, and I found myself feeling uninterested as the book went on. It wasn’t the experience I was hoping for, especially after seeing so many rave reviews.

As someone who can be a mood reader, I plan to come back to this title in the future when I might be in a better headspace for it. For now, I’ll be marking it as a DNF.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the advanced copy.

I enjoyed Six Wild Crowns quite a bit! At its core, it is a fantasy that uses the names and some relationship dynamics of Henry VIII and his six wives. There isn’t a ton to link back to the actual Henry VIII. Everything is more of an Easter egg or a bit of flavoring. Nevertheless, I enjoyed seeing the little connections.

Much of this story is focused on political intrigue. We get to see Boleyn fighting to be a queen in her own right, to be Henry’s equal, while navigating court and keeping Henry appeased. Seymour’s POV is more about Seymour learning to stand on her own and make her own moves rather than having others (her brother or Henry, for example) make the moves for her. I did find Seymour’s chapters a bit less interesting than Boleyn’s, as Seymour doesn’t really do a whole lot for much of the book. Boleyn is constantly scheming or working on something, whereas Seymour is just kind of floating around for a while.

The magic system is definitely interesting, and I hope we get to learn even more about it in the next book. The dragons were interesting enough, though they hardly played a role in anything. They were treated as normal pets and often sat in the background as such. I wish we had gotten a little more action with the dragons.

Overall, I did really like Six Wild Crowns, and I am looking forward to the next book!

Thank you Orbit for the early review copy! All opinions are my own!

Six Wild Crowns was an exciting new fantasy inspired very surface level by Henry VII and his six wives. In Elbern the King Henry must have six wives to protect the bordweal around the kingdom through his magic. We meet Boleyn, Henry's newest queen on her wedding day where she is feeling quite victorious - she has won over the king and is the one wife that he loves. On her wedding day all the other queens give her a gift and from Aragon - the oldest of Henry's queens she is given Seymour as a lady in waiting.

This book suffered from being the first book I read following one that put me into a slump - so it took a while to get through. I found the Boleyn POV to be much more interesting than Seymour because Seymour's just felt very repetitive of her saying she is stupid and useless then being smart and helpful.

I have already recommended this to so many people and I am very excited to see where the story goes.

As someone who loves Tudor history and loves fantasy, this was a perfect little fun read for me. I thought the world building for the fantasy realm was unique enough it could stand on its own even without the Tudor references.

The premise of this book was incredibly fascinating: a fantasy book about the six wives of Henry xiv with strong Tudor influence and aesthetic, a magic system, and a plot to overthrow the king. The addition of a sapphic love interest gave me a lot of high hopes in the beginning, but unfortunately, I could not get into the book. The plot line felt forced in some places, and the ending was incredibly disappointing. It is such an intriguing concept, and it may resonate with some people, but I don't believe it was for me.