Overall this was a cute book, with an interesting premise, a fun romance, but an ultimately weak plot. I thought the actual writing was good, but the book just wasn’t long enough to dive into the political maneuvering, or the romance either. But I enjoyed the story all the same and I will definitely be reading the next book!

🌈Queer rep: Bi female main character, previous FF relationship in the past

This was a cute, quick read that gave reverse "Apprentice to the Villain" vibes. This book could honestly have a sequel that stays with this pair instead of moving on to the next queen and I would probably enjoy it more than whatever plot we will be getting from the fae queen. I want to know how Saskia and Felix unite the kingdoms. I want more hot librarian/wizard/actually a monarch story. I want more crow banter!

The narrator does an excellent job with this audiobook, I have absolutely no criticism of her work here! It was perfect and really keeps the reader engaged. The story, however, was too cozy for me. There seems to be a lot of cozy reads or novels lately where the story BEFORE the start of the book seems to be much more exciting and interesting than the actual story line given. It is simple and nice, but overall I was not a fan and wanted to learn more of the past and not their future. As cozy reads go, it was very low stakes and little to no action at all. In fact, I have a hard time remembering at the end what happened overall besides the plot of the characters getting to know each other and political talk. It might be time for me to retire cozy reading for a little while, but I truly appreciate the ALC to be able to review!

In this easily consumable fantasy tale of mistaken identity, filled with questions about who you can trust, Felix, Archduke of Estarion, seeks sanctuary at the castle of Queen Saskia, only to be mistaken for the dark wizard she seeks to organize her library.

There’s an alliance between the three villain queens, secrets, and some traitors infiltrating the castle.

Saskia is a strong female lead; Felix is a cinnamon roll; and I enjoyed the build of their slow burn romance.

Amanda Leigh Cobb’s narration kept me engaged in the story, but a male narrator for Felix’s POV would have enhanced the storytelling for me.

I received an advance copy of the audiobook from Macmillan Audio. All review opinions are my own.

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley for a fair and honest review. This book was a delight. I loved the gender swapped tropes that occurred throughout the book. Felix was such an adorable sad man and Saskia was so fierce and knew exactly what she wanted. I thought their relationship balanced out their personalities so beautifully. Just everything about this book was adorable. I will definitely be continuing this series in the future.

4.5⭐️

The coziest fantasy about a trio of magical “evil” queens with a dash of romance and the most delightful side characters.

I had a blast reading this and if you’re looking for a bingeable cozy fantasy with misunderstood characters and love an unlikable FMC (x3!), Wooing the Witch Queen needs to be on your TBR. I really loved how the story focused on Saskia and the queens of villainy and how yet again, some stupid male because he didn’t get his way and doesn’t like that a woman is has power and wants to protect her people (the nerve to want equality), he labels her as “wicked” and “evil” and launches a plan to unseat her from the throne. Give it up, my dude! Saskia is a badass and I adored her character’s journey.

Felix was a precious, bookish, gentle cinnamon roll and I wanted to burn down the world to keep him safe. I loved the banter between him and Saskia and appreciated that the romance was a slower burn so the two could develop trust and some delightful tension.

I would say this is an excellent book to pick up if you’re wanting to dip your toes into fantasy but don’t want a tome with intense world building. This fantastical world was dazzling and intriguing and the historical and political elements were easily accessible and not overly complicated.

I really enjoyed the audiobook narration, but I do wish there had been a second narrator for Felix. The preview for book two was fantastic and I cannot wait to read it.

Wooing the Witch Queen is the cozy cup of tea I didn’t know I needed this winter to get me through. Though it kinda sounds like an old school bodice-ripper, not a romantasy, it has all the charm you loved from classic fairy tales, just with a kick ass heroine 💅🏼.


We follow Felix, the Archduke of Estarion who is fleeing an assassination attempt, and arrives at the castle doors of a neighboring kingdom. Unfortunately, it’s late, he’s exhausted and Queen Saskia mistakes him for her new dark wizard. I mean, one night in a bed can’t hurt right?! One thing leads to the next and soon Felix is fully implanted in his new role, hiding his true identity.
And he isn’t the only one who hides behind mistaken identity. Queen Saskia, known as the evil Witch Queen is really a kind, caring woman with a tragic past. Over the course of the story, the two build a really sweet relationship. The romance is slow and thoughtful, dialogue based and clean.


This book was absolutely charming, and I ate it up! It’s relatively low stakes, with mostly just intrigue and some mystery, so you as the reader can really enjoy the ambiance of the magic in the castle walls and the library as Felix catalogs books. There are absolutely fantastic side characters as well, including the two other “evil” queens that will make up the series. I can’t wait to read the them as well! 3.75 ⭐️


*Audiobook Note- minor mispronunciations but overall won’t change your understanding or experience.

Thank you NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for this arc.

That awkward moment when the terrifying Witch Queen mistakes your utter confusion for proof you are her new dark wizard librarian...

When Arch Duke Felix goes on the run from his powerful uncle's plot to kill him, he intends to beg the neighboring evil queen for sanctuary. The next thing he knows, he's landed a job as her dark wizard librarian. But before he can come clean, he overhears her plotting with the other queens of villainy to find and capture...well, (unbeknownst to her) him.

Whoops.

This gave me such Once Upon a Time (TV show) vibes. Sure, Saskia isn't actually an evil queen, but she is powerful and she's not above a little theatrics to keep her misunderstood non-human subjects safe. As for Felix...look, full disclosure, my first crush was Dr. Daniel Jackson from SG1. I love me a slightly shy and awkward academic who nerds out about filing systems, okay?

This was on the more cozy side of romantasy as the stakes did feel lower but the slow burn romance and tension between them was great. Personally, I could have done without the one open door scene (it felt a like it was included so it could be marketed as having "spice") but overall I enjoyed the listen. The narrator also did a fantastic job.

Tropes:
Hidden identity
Mistaken identity
Enemies to lovers? (I mean, she doesn't know he's secretly her enemy, so...)
Forced proximity
Beta Hero
She's his boss
Who hurt you?

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan audio for an ARC of this book.

Queen Saskia is the wicked queen who has earned her reputation. Although she dethroned her uncle, all Saskia wants is to continue working in her lab on her spells. One day, busy in her lab, a mysterious dark wizard calls to fill a vacancy in her library. The two immediately feel (and quickly ignore) a pull towards the other. One has secrets, the other can’t afford to show weakness. When secrets are exposed, can they work together or will it be too much to overcome?
This was absolutely adorable and has everything one could want in an adult fantasy; found family, hidden identities, cinnamon roll MMC, and the most adorable familiars (read: sassy crows). I loved Saskia’s ride-or-die queen friend group and the little twist towards the end!
I cannot wait for the next installment of the Queens of Villainy!

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC!

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, Bramble, Tor Bramble, Stephanie Burgis, and Amanda Leigh Cobb (audio narrator) for the opportunity to read and listen to the audiobook of Wooing the Witch Queen in exchange for an honest review.

Okay, let's start with...the cover! Gorgeous depictions of the main characters, including (apologies if I spell his name wrong, as I listened to the audiobook) Oscar the Crow (or is he a raven? meh, details...)! I always wanted a crow and he just makes me want one more. Crows are great judges of characters! Look at his inquisitive gaze as he observes his mistress and the "librarian."

Ahem. Anyway, this is a great fantasy novel with an interesting set-up with the various queendoms, hence the first book in the Queens of Villainy Series. While the story arc is wholesome and complete, we are introduced to some characters who might just make an appearance as their own leads in future books!

Okay so the story...After taking the throne from her nasty uncle, Queen Saskia, viewed as a wicked sorceress, only wants to provide for her people. She truly cares, despite what others may think, but a wicked front may be what keeps her and her people safe.

Enter Saskia's new librarian, the nerdy, quirky, but also handsome Fabian (Felix). He is certainly a flirt and the flirtations take him farther with Saskia than he ever could have imagined. Hopefully the wicked witch won't curse the man when she finds out he's the runaway archduke... 😬(not a spoiler, it's on the back-of-book blurb!).

I love the dynamic between Saskia and Fabian (and Oscar, of course). There are certainly plenty of secrets to go around, but are feelings stronger than magical roots? Hmm... I have only previously read some of Burgis' middle grade novels, and it is certainly a delight to have read something else from this author for someone more my...age and with my...romantic reads needs from a fantasy novel. Low spice, but a perfect fantasy for romantasy readers who seek some deceptive twists and turns in a world that has potential for more stories to come. You will definitely get those heart-pounding moments you seek!

This was a very cute cozy romantic fantasy, with the sweetest cinnamon roll of a MMC.

I’ll be honest, it took me some time to really settle into this one. I’m not sure I’m really *made* for “cozy” fantasy; I think I just crave a little more danger and higher stakes in the stories I read…

But even though it didn’t grab me right away, I still ended up really enjoying it, and would definitely be interested in continuing on with this series, especially after the sneak peak of which “evil” queen we would be following next…

Audiobook notes: Amanda Leigh Cobb has a great cozy fantasy voice, and I thought she did a great job with this one. This book is written in Dual POV, but I didn’t mind having one narrator for it all, as it was very easy to tell which POV we were in at any given moment.

Thank you to @macmillan.audio for providing me a copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

What this book is giving:
✅ Cozy Romantic Fantasy
✅ Dual POV
✅ “Wicked” Witch Queen
✅ Hidden Identity
✅ Library
✅ In Hiding
✅ Cinnamon Roll MMC

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
🌶️½ / 5

Thank you, Netgalley, for the chance to listen to this book in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed Wooing the Witch Queen! The story was charming, fast-paced, and full of delightful magical elements. I loved the crows in particular and how they added humor and heart to the story. Stephanie Burgis has a wonderful way of crafting whimsical and engaging fantasy.

That said, the tone and style read a little more YA than I typically prefer. While I enjoyed the romance and worldbuilding, I found myself wishing for a bit more depth in certain areas. Still, if you’re looking for a light, fun fantasy romance with plenty of magic (and fantastic crows!), this is definitely worth picking up.

Really really fun. Surprisingly fun. It was a little slow to start, and didn’t get going until about 20% in. That’s about 60 pages (I listened to the audio book) so that isn’t too terrible.

I really loved Felix/Fabian’s golden retriever energy. That’s not what I typically read, so it was really fun to hear about.

It’s not too high stakes. There’s a little bit of turmoil, but it subverts a lot of the typical miscommunication. I really appreciated that. It’s definitely a cozy romance heavy romantasy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this Audio ARC. All opinions are my own

4.25
This book was absolutely delightful! I loved both Saskia and Felix and how they came together. A very black cat/golden retriever pairing.

Queen Saskia reminded me of Princess Bubblegum with a side of Marceline from Adventure Time. And I say that as the highest complement. The other Queens of Villainy were a ton of fun and I look forward to reading their stories in the next two books. The epilogue set up book two perfectly.

I also enjoyed the world building and secondary characters. I loved how Burgis described the trolls and goblins. Oscar the Crow might be the MVP, though.

The audiobook narrator was okay for the most part, but had a truly wild pronunciation of the word majordomo. Which was unfortunate since a major secondary character is referred to by that title many times throughout the book. How did the producer not correct her?

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC audiobook of this title in exchange for my honest review.

This was cute! Give me more low-stress story-lines, please and thank you.

The Story: Felix, the Archduke of Estarion runs to a neighboring kingdom for sanctuary, but when he finds out the 'evil' Queen Saskia plans to kill him, poses instead as a dark wizard come to sort out her magical library. A lot of time was spent with them getting to know each other naturally, Felix soon realizing that Saskia's reputation is ill-deserved.
Their relationship was incredibly sweet, if surface-level, and built at a reasonable pace. The issue of his identity in relation to intimacy and consent was handled beautifully (although that she did not realize early on was not the most believable plot point).

The World-building: This is where I had the most trouble with the story. For the first quarter of the book, I had some trouble grasping the heavy focus on politics. Things became clearer as the story went on, as is usual, but I think it could have been a little clearer from the get-go.

The Narration: I really liked the narrator. Nothing here stood out to me, which means the narrator did exactly what I wanted her to.

I'm excited to read about the next two queens in the series.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

4.5 hearts

As usual, Stephanie Burgis has created a charming whimsical story. It took me a little bit to get into the characters. But Fabian / Felix was so kind and earnest, both Saskia and I appreciated him. His acceptance of the crows, trolls and goblins was endearing.

Saskia seemed scattered at first. She took so much upon herself it's not surprising. Luckily, she has Felix and her castle staff to support her. I loved seeing her relationship with Felix build while she tried to ignore her feelings.

When things blow up, I was thrilled with Felix, continuing in his honest, straightforward way. Saskia was shocked but needed to look at the facts. Luckily, even though she didn't follow her advisor's recommendations she had made allies. Plus Felix supported her wholeheartedly.

Felix went through his own learning as he worked in the library, organizing and studying spell books. His admiration for Saskia as well as his own confidence blooms. Eventually, he learns of the additional betrayal of him.

Even with the progress made, there is much work to overcome prejudice in the empire. I look forward to more of the Queens of Villainy and their romances. No doubt the Fae Queen will stir up all kinds of trouble. If not, the Goddess surely has ideas.

Narration:
I have enjoyed this narrator previously. She capture the whimsical feel of romantic fantasy in the characters. There were some distinct voices for many main characters. Her performance enhanced the overall emotion from the story. I listened at my usual 1.5x speed.

Man! This was super slow burn for the title this book has. Didn't feel like the chemistry or build up was too strong with this couple, although I liked the world building and Saskia's personal development. I liked the narrator as well and upgrade it to a 3 star for primarily that reason.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC Audio Copy!

This was a fun romantasy story with cozy elements. A witch queen who is feared for her violent tendencies, but also just wants to be loved, and a wizard librarian who is running from his past and loves a good fountain pen. The romance was slow and sizzling and full of tension and I loved every minute of it.

This audiobook was exceptionally well done. I am so impressed with the narrator. The voices for the characters were so distinguishable, despite the majority of the characters being women. I thought the narrator added excellent nuances to the wicked queens especially. The narrator managed to capture Saskia’s strong yet vulnerable voice. Ailanna’s naturally cool demeanour. And most impressively, Lorelei’s shrill and deceptively cunning character. I look forward to continuing this series!

Thank you so much for the change to listen to this audiobook.

This was such a good book! Saskia's love for her people and their well-being is terrific. I loved that everyone feared her, yet she was just doing her thing in her laboratory, trying to keep those around her safe. Then in comes this mysterious dark wizard who makes her feel all sorts of things and treats everyone around her with much respect. The little shared moments that brought them closer were so cute, and the crows!! Together, these two characters brought peace into each other's lives. The narrator did a great job telling the story, and I could vividly imagine the different situations in my head as I listened to the audiobook.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC!!