Swordheart by T. Kingfisher is a book I thoroughly enjoyed. I just love the way she creates her characters and the dialogue. She makes me laugh. In this story we have Halla as our FMC and she is a widow. She is working as a housekeeper to her late husband's uncle. When the uncle dies he leaves Halla everything - his home, his money, his properties. This does not sit well with the remaining relatives and they determine to marry Halla off to her cousin - something Halla does not want. They keep her locked in her room and Halla determines to unalive herself to escape from the family and her plans for her. The only weapon she has is a sword that hangs over her bed. Halla unsheathes the sword and a man appears with a sword. His name is Sarkis and he is sworn to protect whomever wields the sword and he will not allow her to harm herself. The magic in this story is the found family that Halla cobbles together for herself. I enjoyed the journey and every bit of this story. I need to thank Net Galley and Tor Publishing Group for my advance reader copy. I gave this book 4.25 stars.

This was so fun and sweet! I think it could have used a little more editing, but I loved the characters and the story. If you love a cozy fantasy, definitely pick this one up. Halla was a great FMC! She was funny, curious, and smart in her own way. I loved all her questions and felt she was very autism-spectrum coded which I loved. Sarkis was fun and just the right amount of grumpy for this grumpy/sunshine romance without being annoying. My favorite characters, however, were Zale and Brindle. I think the book really picked up once they joined. I loved Zale’s logical but caring nature and the way they interacted with Halla. Brindle was just so fun and straightforward and provided a really good foil to everyone else. My points off were just for some things that I think definitely could have been edited down (in fairness, I was reading an advanced copy, thank you to netgalley!), but overall, this was a blast and a breeze to get through.

T. Kingfisher doesn't miss. This was such a good slow burn read. I cozied up on the couch and devoured it.

As always, I can't wait for the next.

Absolutely loved this book! Can’t wait to read more books by this author. The ending was a little open ended for me though.

What do I not like/love about this book? NONE
Has T. Kingfisher ever disappointed me? NO

I've been preaching this for a while now: WE NEED MATURED HEROINES. If you need a case study on it's efficacy or if it matters/affects the story, add Swordheart to the list. Halla is 36, a widow, and she's LIVED and her insight about life is refreshing. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy the occasional book with younger characters, but now that I'm in my 40's, I'm seeking heroines that are around my age and have experienced life. I don't want my age bracket to be relegated to the Literary Fiction or other genres, I want us to be in the forefront with the youngins because our voice is different and it lends a different perspective to the story. So, thank you Ms. Kingfisher for featuring older women in your work and championing us.

On to the story. Swordheart is HILARIOUS, Halla's talkativeness and curious questions (often in the more inopportune time) juxtaposed to Sarkis' steadfast demeanor is the source of amazing comedic relief. I was chuckling the entire time and totally love their interactions. The romance is a slow burn, and I love that we hear from Sarkis more on this than Halla. The cast of characters are well developed and I will never forget Alver Clammy Hands. Reading Swordheart was time well spend on my part, the pacing is amazing, the humor is on point, and the cast unforgettable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for providing the ARC.

I have been on a big T. Kingfisher kick lately, and while I did not pick this book up when it was published, I am so glad I did now. This has so many wonderful, absurd moments in it along with the just the right type of sarcastic humor that I eat up.

Halla, the main character, inherited a large sum of money from the dead uncle of her dead husband, and the terrible in-laws that come with it. Locked up and being forced to marry her cousin against her will, she is saved when a man (Sarkis) appears from the sword above her bed, the sword she drew so that she could take herself out of the equation and ensure that the funds transfer to her family, away from the duplicitous cousin and his overbearing mother.

But what starts out as a fun jaunt away from the family that wishes to keep her prisoner turns out to be more than what was originally bargained for. There are monsters out in the world, as well as monsters within, that both Halla and Sarkis must overcome that make this book an absolutely delicious tale of romance and adventure. The banter between Halla and Sarkis is top notch, and their slow burn romance makes me feel all kinds of gooey inside. This book is so happily cozy that I could snuggle with it on a cold rainy Saturday and be perfectly content.

An absolute delight of an adventure, full of chaos, hilarity, danger, and love.

Halla is a widow who has been living with the uncle of her deceased husband, Silas, and cares for him until his death. All hell breaks loose when the extended family learns that Silas left Halla everything. After a whole lot of drama and ridiculousness, Halla gets locked in her room, a 36 year old adult treated like a child, until she does what they want. Desperate, Halla takes the sword off her wall with the intention to end things, but when she pulls the sword from the scabbard there's blue lightning and then a hot warrior. Halla learns that the warrior, Sarkis, is bound to the sword and bound to serve the one who wields it.

Sarkis helps Halla escape and they start an adventure across the decadent Southern lands to help her claim her inheritance, and find what freedom might look like. Sarkis is drawn to Halla and all her frustrating but surprisingly wily ways, and the way that they overcome danger and missteps together.

This world was so much fun, and the side characters filled everything out so perfectly. There were a few times I was shouting at the page for them to trust their suspicions (or be MORE suspicious) and maybe a few times that I wish they had stabbed someone, but overall I think I smiled for most of the end of this book as Halla and Sarkis figure their crap out so they can focus on the fact that they want each other SO BADLY.

Seriously, a delight.

This book was what I needed to read at this moment in my life. It was the right combination of adventure, humor and romance. I liked that there was romance but it wasn't the main focus of the book. The characters were all so vibrant and likeable. I wouldn't mind going on an adventure with all of them.

<i>First, a thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an eARC of this book.</i>

This book really just solidifies for me that I need to read [book:Paladin's Grace|50702014] and [book:Clockwork Boys|36618062] stat.

I really love how loveable Kingfisher makes the characters and how much joy there is in this book. Really a fun story with a little bit of spice thrown in.

I didn’t love this book quite as much as some other works of Kingfisher I have read, but this was still a fun story and a pleasant little break from the otherwise heavier reading I’ve been doing lately.

This beautiful reissued deluxe edition has all the author's trademark adventure, fantasy, romance and fantastic storytelling. I really enjoyed it and can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

🗡️❤️ Swordheart by T. kingfisher ❤️🗡️
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Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Swordheart was originally published in 2018, but is being rereleased in this beautiful special edition format TOMORROW, February 25, 2025.

Halla is a respectable widow who has spent the past decade caring for her uncle and his home. He passes away and she inherits his estate, along with some terrible, greedy relatives who refuse to accept and let her claim what was rightfully left to her. While they have her locked in the bedroom, she takes down a sword that has been hanging on the wall for years and upon unsheathing it realizes it is housing Sarkis, the immortal warrior/sword-bearer who is bound to protect the swords owner (which is now Halla). The duo set off on a low stakes quest, full of shenanigans, across the land to find an attorney who will help Halla claim her new fortune.

This was the epitome of a cozy fantasy and brought so much wholesomeness and humor, I couldn’t get enough! I truly have nothing negative to say, this was very easily a 5 star read for me! I can’t believe it took me 7 years to discover this book and T. Kingfisher in general. I can’t wait to read more from her.

Swordheart is set in the world of The Clockwork Boys, but you do not have to read one to understand the other.

T. Kingfisher has quickly become an auto-buy author for me over the past several years, and I don't think I've read one book from her that I haven't liked. I'm happy to say that Swordheart brings no changes to that! Swordheart is an absolute delight of a fantasy tale and it features all of the things that Kingfisher does best: delightful characters with strong personality and so many eccentricities, fantastic banter and humor, and a world that feels fully alive with so many oddities and mysteries afoot. Halla is a remarkable protagonist who I could not get enough of, and Sarkis was equally charming. Their growing relationship was a joy to witness and I feel hit all the right notes. I also love that you really never know exactly what you're going to get in a Kingfisher novel, and that is part of what makes everything so special. I wholeheartedly recommend this for any Kingfisher fans, as well as anyone who wants some fantasy, some romance, and some wonderfully witty and entertaining dialogue and storytelling.

Swordheart by T. Kingfisher is one of those rare books I didn't want to stop reading. I fell in love with the unconventional leads, Halla and Sarkis, as well as the side characters, Zale and Brindle. T. Kingfisher does an excellent job balancing the darker aspects of this medieval fantasy world with lighthearted humor and cozy consent-forward romance. I truly enjoyed this and can't wait to share it with others.

Thank you so much to Bramble, for the earc, unfortunately I think I just am not a T Kingfisher fan after attempting multiple books.

DNF, Halla is insufferable as a human and just was not vibing with the story. I was forcing myself to read very early on and needed to call it quits.

This is going to become a comfort read for years to come. There was something simply magical about this book and I could not put it down. The banter between Halla and her bodyguard-in-a-sword, Sarkis, was hilarious and had me laughing most of this book. It may be my most tabbed book ever with all of the funny quotes.

“I have a great deal of experience skinning my enemies,” he said, deadpan.
“Do you have many enemies among the potatoes?”
“Not any longer.”

The supporting cast of side characters, especially Zale and Brindle are some of my favorites from recent reads and really stood out on their own. I loved Brindle’s manner of speaking and how Zale, despite being a priest, knew when to bend morals a bit to keep the group alive and moving toward their goals. Speaking of which, anytime Halla came into contact with the Priests of the Hanged Mother was hilarious as she made them uncomfortable by either crying or talking too much and this usually sent them away from her.

I was hooked from the first line as it was jarring and funny at the same time and piqued my interest immediately.

“Halla of Rutger’s Howe had just inherited a great deal of money and was therefore spending her evening trying to figure out how to kill herself.”

The pacing and structure of this story were brilliant and again make the argument that T. Kingfisher is a master of the modern fairytale. I cannot wait for Angharad’s story.

“Mortal flesh may not last as long as immortal steel, but it will last long enough to be happy.”

Our FMC Halla, a respectable widow who was housekeeper to an artifact collector and scholar until his recent death has been willed his entire estate. After being imprisoned by her husband’s family until she agrees to marry her brother-in-law, Halla decides to pull an old sword down off the wall and end her life. But when she unsheathes the sword a magical warrior, Sarkis, appears with a sole purpose, to protect his sword's wielder. Halla and Sarkis set off on a journey to find Halla a lawyer so that she can claim her inheritance.

T. Kingfisher is one of my favorites so it is no surprise that she made me fall in love with a sword. Sarkis is baby girl, even though he is giving grumpy uncle vibes. Kingfisher is fantastic at writing dialogue and banter, both shined in Swordheart. Halla and Sarkis had me laughing out loud and kicking my feet. This pairing took opposites attract to another level. We have a woman who talks and questions things non-stop and a man who would speak in only grunts if possible. The side characters also shine through with unique personalities and quirks.

Swordheart is for readers who love banter, grumpy x sunshine, the found family trope and cozy fantasies. Although it is a low stakes story, it gives you the sense of an epic adventure.

Now playing:

Real Man - beabadoobee
1:35 ───ㅇ───── 3:47

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Characters:

Halla: I LOVE THIS WOMAN. Is she a little silly, yes, is she a little cheesy, also yes, but do I care? NO! If you finish the book, you'll learn exactly why she's like this, which I think is totally valid once you get to know her, and I just found her overall adorable, she was such a delight!

Sarkis: He was such a grump, but a gentleman! Writing this review reminded me how much I loved both of these characters, he was so sweet and dedicated to Halla, and I just RAHH I LOVE THEM BOTH, I do wish we had seen more of his backstory, but I think it was just refreshing to see a man in his forties just so confused but in love with a silly woman.

Brindle & Zale: I lied, Sarkis wasn't the grump, it was Brindle. He was such a little silly guy, and he made me laugh almost the entire time. I also loved Zale and Hall's friendship, they just matched her energy every time and when Sarkis was being a grump Zale always took Halla's side because they're just awesome.

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Plot: Not going to lie, it's been to long for me to remember much of the plot, other than it's a chaotic ass roadtrip that I loved every second of, I was just giggling every time the banter happened, and the BANTER WAS BANTERING. Over all it was fun and silly, and a little long but that's okay because I enjoyed it.

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Writing: The writing, albiet, was cheesy, lot's of "err" and cutting oneself off, but you know what, not every book has to be a lyrical masterpiece, sometimes the cheesy writing is what I want, is that a crime? It was cute and not very serious and again, it didn't have to be that long but I enjoyed it.

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Overall thoughts: I LOVE THIS BOOK. It was cute, and made me giggle, and that's all I ask for somedays

"The urge flared again to go after the people who had done this and kill them. Or possibly just burn the entire world that was so unkind to people like Halla."

Halla has suddenly inherited wealth from her great-uncle and also a magical sword. When she draws the sword, Sarkis, an immortal swordsman is at her beckon.

This is such a cute, adorably funny, cozy fantasy adventure story. I wish I had read this during my teenage fantasy and phase, as I would have been obsessed! It has humor and wit, and a heart warming romance. The adventures are fun and there is always humor with the banter. The book is very long and some of the parts are slow moving during their adventures.

“There came a point in an enchanted sword’s life where even temporary dismemberment really started to wear on you.”

Swordheart comes out with a new deluxe edition hardcover 2/25.

Swordheart is set in the world of the White Rat - the same world as T. Kingfisher’s Clockwork Boys duology and her Paladin’s Grace series and is a romantic fantasy tale of a 30s something heiress who must overcome her greedy family to claim her inheritance. It’s a lush fantasy with a cosy feel filled with amazing awkward moments, witty banter, and a splash of almost screwball comedy —and a cast of well formed characters which add to the joy of reading.

The books in the White Rat series of Kingfisher’s are also sometimes referred to as ‘paladin romances’. Not to give too much away, but the sword Halla draws to defend herself releases Sarkis, an immortal swordsman who protects and serves the wielder of the blade. He’s also valiant and charismatic. It’s not a huge surprise when the romance begins… Together Halle and Sarkis seek a way for Halle to claim her fortune, and along the way deal with bandits, inquisitors, and of course the dangerous in-laws desperate to keep Halle in the family. Originally published in 2018, Swordheart is being re-released in a stunning new edition with a fabulous new cover which will delight both new fans and steadfast collectors.

It’s also a perfect book to curl up with on a wintery day.

Thanks to @NetGalley and the TOR Publishing Group for an advanced reading copy.

I had a lot of fun with this one and found it to be mostly cozy and full of hilarious moments. I loved the found family bit of it and the romance was nice, though I personally wish it was maybe stronger for the story? The rat-priest was a favorite too.

My only complaint is that it started to seem a bit long & repetitive with events that happened about 70% in. However, I know the many kidnapping & whatnots have a comedic tone to it so it’s self-aware and has a point to it - just a nitpick on my part perhaps.

Anyways, I highly recommend this one! I’m looking forward to adding a physical copy of it to my shelves because it is STUNNING.