T. Kingfisher is very hit or miss for me and so is cozy fantasy, this was a really nice vibe but i was just kind of bored.

Swordheart is a fun and funny romantic fantasy adventure from T. Kingfisher. I really enjoyed this book overall. The characters took me a little time to get used to but I ended up loving the romance but the friendships that develop as well. Brindle was such a fun and unexpected character, I did not think I would end up liking them as much as I did. This world is also very interesting and I am mildly curious to check out other books this author has written in this world, even though I'm sad there is no direct sequel following these same characters. This book felt like it was going to be part of a series. The way it ends just made me so confused as I was frantically searching to see if there was a sequel. Because this isn't a series, I found the ending a little strange and abrupt but that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story overall. I had a lot of fun reading this book and could not put it down. I feel like I fell in love with our main character, Halla, right along with Sarkis as we get to know her more and learn more about how she navigates the world she lives in.

This perfectly matched my rainy-day reading mood yesterday! A delightful blend of fantasy, romance, adventure, and humour. The story follows a beleaguered widow who unexpectedly becomes the inheritor of a magical sword—and from that moment, nothing unfolds quite the way either of them could have imagined.

I love this book.

Why do I love this book? Well, the top reason is the dialogue. It goes beyond the usual flirty banter. It is great among all the characters and brings them to life. It is this endearing, funny, heartfelt back and forth between all characters. It made what they were experiencing and who they were so vivid in my head.

The book is a bit of a cozy read. You follow this cast of characters on an actual journey, and they encounter problems along the way.

Halla is a fantastic FMC. For one, she is in her late 30s, which I greatly appreciate. She is quirky and witty and uses her observations to get the upper hand. And her relationship with Sarkis - swoon! It is a slow burn at its finest. And since you have both their point of views, it is so great to follow along.

Now, I have to mention my favorite trope: found family. And, of course, it is in this little gem. Halla is without family because her relatives are horrible, but through this journey, she forms one! It is a family with its protector and grump in Sarkis, a soulmate of a friend in Zale, and a voice of reason in the gnome who protects no one but his slow-moving ox.

The only downside is that it has a slow start. There is a bit of setting the stage and understanding why this journey must begin. But the story picks up when they hit the road and never lets up. I was with it until the last page.

It’s such a great book for the first read of the year!

Swordheart by T. Kingfisher is a charming and sweet romantasy that effortlessly blends humor, adventure, and a dash of romance. The story follows Sarkis, a cursed swordsman, and Halla, a no-nonsense widow caught in a web of inheritance drama. Their witty banter and undeniable chemistry make them lovable protagonists, even if they experience little character growth throughout the journey. The world-building is richly imaginative, with quirky elements like the Church of the Rat adding a delightful layer of humor. Kingfisher’s clever wit and lighthearted tone create a narrative that’s both amusing and engaging, while hinting at a larger universe yet to be explored.

Overall, Swordheart is an endearing and enjoyable read, though it can feel a bit slow at times. The romance is subtle, sweet, and well-paced, with just a hint of spice that adds warmth without overpowering the plot. Kingfisher’s ability to craft a fun, magical world filled with memorable characters makes this novel an easy recommendation for fans of cozy fantasy. For readers intrigued by Sarkis and Halla’s world, there’s hope for more in Kingfisher’s other books, including the Clocktaur War series, which shares the same universe.

✨ ARC Review ✨
📚 Book: “Swordheart”
📖 Release Date: February 25, 2025
💫 Rating: 4.5 stars
✨ Review:
I have to admit, I judged this book by its cover—though, who could blame me? The new cover of “Swordheart” is absolutely stunning. It immediately caught my attention, and I knew I had to read it. I’m so glad I did. T. Kingfisher is a master of blending whimsy, heart, and humor into a unique story that stands apart from anything I’ve read before.

The plot revolves around Halla, a woman who comes into possession of a magical sword and finds herself entangled with a sentient blade who has a bit of a mysterious past. It’s a wonderfully cozy romance with plenty of action and intrigue. Halla's character development was one of my favorite parts of the book; she starts out uncertain but grows stronger and more confident throughout the journey, in a way that feels both natural and heartwarming.
Kingfisher’s creativity shines through in the world-building and the interplay between the sword, the magic, and the characters. I’ve never encountered anything quite like it, and I was hooked from the first page. The author’s wit and charm make the book both funny and poignant, with just the right amount of mystery to keep you turning pages.
Here's one of my favorite quotes from the book:
"A sword is only as good as the hand that wields it. But sometimes, it’s the sword that changes the hand."
This is a lovely, lighthearted read with depth and heart, and I loved it so much that I immediately devoured two more of T. Kingfisher’s books after finishing it. If you're in the mood for a cozy fantasy with a touch of romance, mystery, and humor, I highly recommend “Swordheart”.

This is actually my first T. Kingfisher book and I loved it. The voice, the unique plot, all of it. It gave me cozy vibes.

This book was a warm hug. That’s the best way I can put it. Halla was the best mix of funny, courageous, and sweet. Sarkis was the best mix of grumpy, noble, and sarcastic. It was filled with adventure and had plenty of moments where I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happened next. I fell in love with this world instantly. T. Kingfisher is such a wonderful author!

T. Kingfisher does it again. In Swordheart, widow Halla inherits her great-uncle’s estate after his death because she took care of him. His family want to force her to marry his relative so that they can keep his house, land and possessions. When Halla draws a mysterious ancient sword in the house, she releases immortal swordsman Sarkis who is bound to the blade. He must help the bearer of the sword so he helps her escape and protects her in the road. She seeks the help of the Temple of the White Rat who have lawyers with the authority to help her settle her inheritance. Halla and Sarkis are joined by lawyer priest Zale and head back home to get her inheritance. A series of adventures ensues- they are pursued by various foes, the relatives try to stop her from getting her inheritance, there’s magical shenanigans and Halla and Sarkis are falling in love (even though he is an immortal warrior trapped in a sword). It was great!
Note: Swordheart was originally published in 2018. This seems to be a new edition of the book. I had not read it prior to receiving this ARC.

This book was an absolute delight, a cozy fantasy adventure with just the right touch of romance and humor.

It follows Halla, a clever and determined widow who ends up with a magical sword containing Sarkis, an immortal warrior bound to protect her. What follows is an adventurous trek across the land as they try to secure Halla’s inheritance, dodging greedy relatives, bandits, and some surprisingly creative monsters.

The dynamic between Halla and Sarkis was the real highlight for me. Halla’s wit and resilience paired perfectly with Sarkis’s grumpy loyalty, and their slow-burn romance had me grinning through so many scenes. There’s also a lovely found-family vibe that develops as more characters join their journey.

While the middle dragged a little, the charming dialogue, vivid world-building, and emotional moments more than made up for it.

If you love low-stakes fantasy with sharp humor, warm characters, and a romance that feels earned, this one’s a must-read.

Kingfisher is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine. This book has the slightest hint of spice, but it’s just as much a fantasy adventure story as it is a romance. A perfect balance like all romantasies should be. I loved Halla as a character. I related to her sheltered life and how adventure was just thrust upon her. She’s pragmatic and curious and asks too many questions. She doesn’t know or believe in her own sexiness but not in an annoying “oh who me?” kind of way. Sarkis allows her to be her full self and desires her completely. They each understand the power imbalances in their situation but everything happens in good time. The tone is lighthearted and funny. The fantasy world is creative and well-fleshed out. Five stars for me.

Caution for recommending this title: the book opens with suicide. It's dealt with in a lighthearted way, but it is there for anyone sensitive.

“I am the servant of the sword,” he said. “ I obey the will of the- great god, woman, put on some clothes!”

this book felt so special to me. it had such a unique plotline and the characters that made you want nothing but happiness to find them in the end! i did not want this book to end. it made me laugh, sad, happy, irritated, and of course T. Kingfisher added the vagrant hills scenes that had me crawling in my skin! she truly knows how to do it best!

i wish we could have gotten more from the ending but nonetheless i was happy to see where everything settled. loved this story to its core!

The best sword and sword-wielding duo I've ever read-- this book had be laughing out loud one moment and screeching for vengeance the next! T. Kingfisher is a new romance must-buy author for me and I'm so glad this odd, endearing, steamy story made it's way into the universe.

Swordheart by T. Kingfisher, a well written and fun book that is hard to put down. Kingfisher has successfully created yet another series of characters that I need more to read about.

Thank you Netgalley and Tor Publishing Group for my copy of SwordHeart. All opinions expressed are my own.

I think I would rate this book 3 stars. If you are a fan of low stakes fantasy, this is a book for you. I do feel this book could have been a lot shorter as some parts felt boring/unnecessary. I think the book would have been fine without the romance as I didn't feel much connection between the characters. There were many humorous parts that I enjoyed, so it was still a fun book to read.

I really enjoyed this fantasy novel, which included elements of historical fiction, romance, drama, and action. I fell in love with the main character and could not wait to follow along with her story. Hoping for more to come from this story!

SWORDHEART is a cozy fantasy read with humor and a good story. I think it is a book that will resonate with people who enjoy fantasy reads that are for fun and that enjoy banter similar to Neil Gaiman, low stakes but equally important conflict, and hijinks. I do think, as this book is being republished, that the book could have had some editing regarding some plot points and dialogue.

This was my first time reading this author and I fully enjoyed this book. It took a bit to get into, as I’ll explain, but once I did, it felt like I was reading a cozy fantasy book that had really interesting characters, as well as some of my favorite tropes. The characters were well fleshed out and interesting. I think the story has a bit of everything: action, romance, and quirky side characters.

However, I think that, as this book is being republished under a more prominent publisher, that the book could have been edited a bit more. The dialogue at the beginning of the novel dragged a bit until the story caught up with it and parts in the middle were drawn out a bit too long and ended up being repetitive. I think if, as a reader, parts of that were shortened overall, the book itself would have been more effective and honestly, a read that many would be talking about.

Overall, I enjoyed the novel and I think if you like low stakes, cozy fantasy books with action and romance with a writing style that is similar to Neil Gaiman, you should pick this book up and read it!

Thank you to Bramble and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I absolutely loved “Swordheart” by T. Kingfisher. There is nothing I didn’t like. The characters were all delightful, whether that means delightfully endearing or delightfully horrible, it doesn’t matter. I didn’t realize that this was set in the same world at Kingfisher’s Clocktaur War books or The Saint of Steel series, but it is basically a standalone. I will, however, be reading both series now because I really enjoyed this world and want to explore more of the things that were mentioned.

“Swordheart” follows widow Halla, who is a housekeeper for her great uncle by marriage, until he dies and leaves her everything in his will. Her extended family (by marriage) is not happy at all with this turn of events and goes as far as locking Halla up in her room until she agrees to marry her cousin to keep the estate and money in the family. Halle wants nothing to do with clammy handed Alver or his mother and decides to take her life in her own hands to escape that fate.

Great Uncle Silas collected all kinds of things. One item being a sword that has hung above Halla’s bed for the last decade. Upon unsheathing the sword, Halla meets the Servant of the Sword, Sarkis, who is now bound by magic to protect Halla with his life. Together, they go on a journey to oust her relatives out of her newly inherited house and secure her inheritance once and for all.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a fun, cozy fantasy with great humor and awesome side characters. There is no real magic system, but more a fantastical world they live in.

I received this ARC from Netgalley for an honest review.

Why did I think T. Kingfisher only wrote horror?? I’ve stayed away for so long and I could’ve been enjoying this cute bodyguard story for years! I didn’t even realize it was this author when I requested it I just read the blurb and knew I had read it!

Swordheart is the tale of Halla and Sarkis. Halla is a widowed 36 year old house keeper who has just inherited her great uncle’s estate to the ire of relatives. They are forcing her to marry a cousin so that the inheritance stays in the family and when she refuses they lock her up in her bedroom! Halla thinks there is no choice left for her except to kill herself (don’t worry this doesn’t get THAT gruesome) and when she pulls a sword from the wall out of its sheath to get the job done, Sarkis appears. He’s the servant of the sword and is sworn to protect whoever wields the sword. Things get dicey has Halla has Sarkis save her from her relatives and they scurry off on adventure to find someone to help her secure her inheritance.

I really adored both Halla and Sarkis. She’s very inquisitive but also very funny and quirky. He’s so gruff at first but he quickly melts for her and I loved how he always wanted to lift her up and would scowl every time she belittled herself. They were beyond cute together and even their little third act breakup was minor in the end. The secondary characters like Zale and Brindle were brilliant and full of depth and quickly became just as beloved. I wouldn’t say this is a cozy story but I really had a fun time reading it and it was very light hearted and sweet most of the time.

There are only two gripes I have and they are really not a huge deal overall. One being the story dragged a TINY bit when Halla and Zale have to rescue Sarkis. I suspect this was to build up the Paladin storyline since they have a whole trilogy to themselves. But I was really anxious for them to get to Sarkis and they were not acting quick enough for me! Secondly is the ending. Yes we get a decent HEA but what about freeing Sarkis from the sword completely? Do they ever go back to the Vagrant Hills to find the runes to see if they can help? If they don’t free him is he just destined to watch Halla grow old and die right in front of him??? The thought is awful. I wish we had some definitive answers. Maybe these questions would be answered in the next two books the author had planned but it doesn’t seem like we are getting this any time soon.

Thank you so much to Tor Publishing Group and Bramble for gifting me this eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

In the first installment of T Kingfisher’s newest trilogy, the widowed, middle-aged protagonist comes into the possession of a magical sword…with a warrior inside. Luckily, she can use one, as her in-laws have locked her away in order to solicit her agreement to marry (and relinquish her new inheritance to) he late husband’s cousin. Got to keep it in the family, you know?

Full of inquisitive conversation, a long-suffering romantic interest, incompetent familial villains, and great hi-jinks, Swordheart is a delight to read!