The blurb of this book says it is loosely inspired by King Henrey VIII and my god, that inspiration is real loose. And it did make me wonder, what was the point of it being inspired by Henry VIII if you’re not going to do anything with the original story other than keeping the names of the wives and some of their character traits?

In essence, Henry is the King of Elben and in order to ensure the protection of his nation he takes six wives who each have a castle in distant corners of the nation and it is their devotion to Henry and Elben that keeps the bordweal (Elben’s magical protection) intact. Or so they’ve been told.

Although there are six wives, we only really pay attention to two of them in this book, Boleyn and Seymour. Boleyn is bold and feisty, she knows how to play the game and when she is made Queen of Bryne, she thinks everything has fallen into place for her. Seymour on the other hand is a quiet little mouse, starting off as Boleyn’s lady in waiting before progressing to Queen of Hyde Seymour is just trying to survive. Seymour and Boleyn eventually form an unlikely alliance that has dire consequences for them and for Elben as a whole.

My main gripe is that it’s just too long. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, most books (especially modern fantasy books) can lose AT LEAST 20% and this book is one of them. I understand that a lot of plot set up happens in the first half of this book but man, it really dragged. It was a bit of a struggle to finish this which was disappointing because I had so been looking forward to reading it.

Overall, I gave this 3/5, not awful but not good either. Just a bit meh.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Hachette for an ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

What if the fate of a kingdom rested in the hands of six queens… and none of them could trust each other?

Six Wild Crowns by Holly Race is a razor-sharp, politically charged fantasy full of courtly intrigue, deadly secrets, and dangerous women. Set in the crumbling kingdom of Elben, this story follows queens Boleyn and Seymour, one ambitious and ruthless, the other a spy and assassin, as they navigate a court riddled with dragons, betrayal, and decaying magic.

I loved how this book twisted historical inspiration into something wholly fresh and magical. The dynamic between Boleyn and Seymour is electric! From rivals to unlikely allies, their alliance crackles with tension and power. The world is richly imagined, and the magic feels eerie, ancient, and quietly terrifying.

This is perfect for fans of political fantasy, morally gray heroines, and slow-burning rebellion. It’s sharp, compelling, and wonderfully wicked and I need book two like yesterday.

Six Wild Crowns by Holly Race – 4/5 stars

Six Wild Crowns is a bold and imaginative fantasy that reimagines the six wives of Henry VIII as magical queens bound together to protect their kingdom. Instead of rivalry and tragedy, Holly Race gives us a story of power, unity, and sisterhood—with dragons, court intrigue, and sapphic romance thrown in.

Set in the magical world of Elben, the story follows six queens navigating politics, war, and ancient threats. The worldbuilding is vivid and creative, featuring barrier magic, dragons, and sun-powered communication. It’s a fresh take on history that feels both familiar and completely new.

Boleyn and Seymour stand out with a slow-burn romance that brings emotional weight and strong LGBTQ+ representation. The feminist themes shine as the queens support each other and challenge the roles history once gave them.

That said, the story can feel a bit crowded. With so many characters and a detailed magic system, it takes time to settle into the world. Some readers may also find the historical changes a bit too loose.

What works:

Fresh, creative fantasy twist on Tudor history

Strong female characters and great representation

A mix of political drama, romance, and magic

What doesn’t:

Dense lore and a big cast can feel overwhelming

Historical accuracy takes a back seat

Final thoughts:
A rich, ambitious fantasy with heart, dragons, and queens who rewrite their destinies. Perfect for fans of epic, character-driven stories with magic and meaning.

I really enjoyed this book and it felt very different to many other fantasy books on the market currently. The worldbuilding felt really strong and I could imagine everything that was happening perfectly. My favourite part of the story was definitely the politics. The main downsides for me were that it got a little bit slow in places and that the romance was a bit ehh (although it's side plot so I didn't mind too much). I was also expecting dragons to play a wayyy bigger part in the story based off the cover and synopsis, but although they are there it's pretty minor. Overall a really rich world with interesting and unique political intrigue!

This story is told from the POV of two FMCs - Boleyn and Seymour. We meet Boleyn just as she is about to marry Henry, the king of Elben. Boleyn is Henry's sixth wife, and his wives each rule from a castle in Elben, and bond to the castle and their land to keep their magic and Henry's strong.

The queens are rivals for Henry's affection but Boleyn is stubborn in her belief that he loves her more than the others. She is strong, stubborn, fierce, shows her skills as a rider and markswoman. She loves Henry fiercely and her POV shows she has a strategic mind, which she uses to navigate her introduction to life as a queen of Elben.

Seymour is soft spoken, cowed by her family and is sent to be Boleyn's servant by one of the other queens. Seymour has a lot of internal angst, thanks to Queen Aragon, who she used to serve, and her family, who is pushing her to ingratiate herself with Henry. She's also yearning for Boleyn, who is very much in love with Henry.

The romance aspect is definitely a big part of the story here but more in the sense of how the relationships affect the politics of Elben. I liked that the politics and fantasy were a bit more prominent than the romance, probably because I thought Henry was a shit for having six wives and fuelling the rivalry between them. But there was heartbreak, yearning, loss and love and the journey that we took was so enjoyable!

But also the lore, the mythology, the origin of the magic in Elben - the more we learned, the more I wanted to know. I loved seeing the relationships between the FMCs grow and change and Seymour coming into her own power. I love seeing the different ways the female characters represented strength, reminding us that there are a multitude of ways to be strong.

I'm really looking forward to continuing this series, I loved it and I can't wait to see what's happening with these characters in book 2!

Six Wild Crowns was a fun read, with beautiful immersive and ornate writing from Holly Race. While this read and the premise was mostly enjoyable - the description and synopsis that is promoted is not quite what I experienced when reading this. I didn't find that there was 'a court teeming with dragons' etc... it's not as action-packed as its made out to be. The fantasy elements were definitely not at the forefront. I, however, don't think that this is fault of the author at all.

I thought that the writing style was great. Holly Race has a very immersive writing style that builds but a fantastic atmosphere while reading. This definitely has Tudor vibes, especially with all the descriptions about the settings, dresses, and houses. While I liked the characters, I wish the wives had more depth and I would have loved to have read more about their thoughts.

I'm keen to see what else Holly Race writes!

3.75 rounded up to 4.

4.5 stars

Thank you so much to Hachette Australia for sending me a copy of this one. All thoughts are my own.

This was such an engaging story. Slow, but never boring. I struggled to put this one down, needing to know where everything was going.

Boleyn and Seymour are both incredible, fierce main characters, seemingly opposites but in reality just as strong as each other, just in different ways. I really loved how Seymour weaponised her perceived stupidity. She knew that’s how people saw her—as demure and dull and guileless—and used that in her favour. All these women used the way they were perceived in their favour, really, and it felt so powerful to read.

I LOVED the magic plot and all these women coming together to reclaim what’s theirs. I grew to love these women fiercely over the course of this book.

I will say that I think borrowing the actual names that inspired this story may have done it a disservice. I kept mentally comparing them to their historical counterparts and didn’t truly start to see them as their own characters until well over halfway through the book. I think they would have been better off with new names.

But it’s really my only complaint and I am so excited to see where this series goes.

Started off strong with what seemed like a historical retelling of Anne Bolyen and Henry the eighth, turned very promptly into a slightly weird magical connection between his six wives requiring to protect the realm from invasion. The focus was mainly on Anne Bolyen and Jane Seymour, with a sapphic romantic emphasis with fantastical elements. Wasnt quite what i was hoping or expecting from a Henry the eighth retelling, so it left me a bit disjointed. I found it a bit slow paced too. Seymour as an assasin was an interesting concept. Unfortunately this book wasnt for me.
Thanks to netgally and Hachette for the eARC

Let’s get one thing straight before we begin: if you’re going into Six Wild Crowns expecting a direct retelling of Henry VIII and his six wives—this is not that. Yes, some of the names are familiar, and there are whispers of Tudor inspiration, but this is very much its own lush, feral, and fiercely magical fantasy world.

That said? I really liked this book.

Holly Race has crafted a rich, immersive standalone that reads like a tapestry woven with court politics, forbidden power, sapphic longing, and secrets rotting beneath golden thrones. It’s a fantasy with echoes of the past, but it stands firmly on its own wild, untamed ground.

Boleyn and Seymour are the standouts—ambitious, sharp, and layered in a way that makes their uneasy alliance both believable and electric. Their dynamic shifts the book from clever to captivating. The “dragons” may not be quite what readers expect, but they add to the eerie, otherworldly feel of Elben, a kingdom teetering on the edge of something ancient and terrible.

The blurb does oversell the historical connection and leans into tropes that don’t quite reflect the nuance of the actual story. But if you go in knowing you’re getting a queer, female-led fantasy with vibes similar to The Priory of the Orange Tree—you’re in for a treat.

My only real gripe is the ending. It left me craving just a bit more resolution. While it works as a standalone, I wouldn’t be mad if this turned into a series.

In short: Six Wild Crowns is a sapphic, stabby, slow-burn court fantasy full of intrigue, sisterhood, and subversion—and I’m glad I was along for the ride.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Australia & New Zealand for providing a digital copy to review*

This book is for those who went through a period where they hyper-fixated on the Six Wives of Henry VIII. And kind of still are, (Sidenote: who else loves SIX the Musical? SO GOOD). Anyway, this is historical fiction with fantasy elements, which adds something different to the history we are all familiar with.

This book is dual POV and swaps between Boleyn & Seymour. They are two very different characters. Boleyn is more outgoing and aggressive, while Seymour is more meek and is controlled by the more powerful figures around her. I loved seeing their relationship and how they both developed as characters.

This book has dragons, magical castles, and sapphic yearning. I loved how the magical lore of this world is set up, and I enjoyed learning more about it as the book went on. While Boleyn & Seymour are our main POVs I do wish we could have spent more time with the other Queens, they’re all just so interesting.

In this book, as in history, stories and propaganda are used to create narratives about the Queens that aren’t entirely true. I enjoyed the characters questioning and confronting these stories and working to get to the truth of it all.

This book is a fun alternative look into history, and once again cements just how awful Henry VIII is.

This is an original and engaging fantasy tale, but readers expecting a rich historical reimagining of Henry VIII’s court may be surprised. While the characters share names with historical figures, the Tudor connection is mostly surface-level, and the world operates by its own magical logic. Still, the story stands well on its own: a compelling exploration of rebellion, power, and political intrigue in a richly built world. Boleyn is a standout character—reckless, bold, and captivating—while Seymour’s arc offers satisfying growth amid courtly deception and hidden agendas. The magic system and cultural mythos are inventive, though some plot threads and character dynamics lack clarity or payoff. The sapphic themes felt underdeveloped, more like unrequited crushes than yearning romance. The ending is ambiguous, possibly hinting at a series. Overall, it’s an enjoyable fantasy read with intriguing ideas, but best approached without expectations of deep historical retelling.

I was able to read an ARC of this book thanks to Hatchette and Netgalley.

This book is based around Henry VIII and his 6 wives in a way I’ve never read before. I really enjoyed the new take on Henry and the relationship with his wives from a fantasy world.

It took me a little bit to fully get into the book because of the way it begun but once it hooked me I couldn’t put it down, the portrayal of Boleyn and Seymour was fantastic and I throughly enjoyed the way their relationship developed through the book. The political scheming and games they play throughout the book was thrilling to read. I was left wanting more and can’t wait for the next book to be released!

I will note that I feel the blurb of the book does it a disservice, it sets you up to expect a book teeming with dragons but the dragons are more a part of the scenery and not at the forefront of the book and the story. While I did pick up the book for the dragons I stayed for the fantastic historical fantasy and well written characters and plot. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves the Tudor history and political intrigue and wants a historical fantasy told in a completely different way.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Hachette ANZ for this ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Six Wild Crowns is a historical fantasy based around Henry VIII and his 6 wives. This is my first Tudor related story and I couldn't be more excited to dive into it. This story follows both Boleyn and Seymour as they struggle to fit into their role in society while uncovering secrets about the magic the King would rather remain unknown. I really enjoyed the development of the characters, with a slight preference leaning towards Boleyn and her chapters more. This book is heavy on political discourse and scheming, and quite light on the magic elements. We are however learning about it alongside the two FMCs, so I expect the world building and magic system to continue developing in the next book.

Something important to mention is that the blurb is somewhat misleading. While technically yes, the court is "teeming with dragons", it's not in the way you'd expect. There's no fighting or battles that we're privy to, in fact dragons aren't even worshipped creatures, some are actually eaten. If you can overlook this, and enjoy a good historical fantasy retelling, Six Wild Crowns is a fantastic story filled with politics, wit and betrayal. While I did find it quite hard to get into at first, once it picked up I really enjoyed it!

I do have to say, I found the descriptions of Seymour's monthly course in chapter 2 both distasteful and jarring. Something that is wholly unnecessary to the plot but detracted from the story so much that I had to put the book down and seriously consider if this was the right fit for me. Thankfully no such language continued in the book and I genuinely enjoyed the rest of the story, but given how close I came to not wanting to continue with this over language that didn't actually contribute anything to the story, I would seriously reconsider the necessity to include it.

If you enjoyed Priory of the Orange Tree, this book is perfect for you! I cannot wait to see where this story goes.

Anything related to Tudor history is an instant read for me so I was wildly excited to stumble across this fantasy reimagining of Henry and his six infamous Queens.

The writing style was possibly the most intriguing thing - at times I almost forgot the fantastical element of the story, getting lost in the historical aspect of the courts, but they gelled incredibly well together, creating a robust portrait of intrigue, subterfuge, forbidden love (aka sapphic pining in the most delicious, bittersweet of fashions) and hidden lore.

Boleyn and Seymour are wonderfully enjoyable characters as the forefront of the story, even though I would not claim Seymour as much of an assassin. The supporting cast of their courts and the other Queens were each unique and engrossing in their own way. Some of the minor characters carved out a special place in my heart.

While the heart pounding race to the finish line of this novel was phenomenal in its dazzlingly bold attempt to dismantle the patriarchy, I was left feeling a little underwhelmed with elements and am hoping there'll be a sequel to further explore the fates of the Queens.

I love anything Tudor related, and this is the first fantasy take I've seen on Henry VIII and his six wives!

I have always been a sucker for Anne Boleyn, so I don't think it would surprise anyone that Boleyn was my favourite character. I enjoyed her dynamic with Seymour and though I think others didn't like the one-sided nature of the romance, I actually thought it gave both of the characters more depth because romantic feelings are not always reciprocated.

The only thing I disliked was how the blurb didn't accurately convey some things. I wouldn't really have called Seymour an "assassin", and while there are dragons and other creatures present throughout the story, they didn't play as major or active a role as implied. I think we also could have done with a bit more depth on the characters' emotions as sometimes there's an emotional shift which isn't too well explained, but otherwise I thought the characters were well fleshed out.

I think we could have done with a little more explanation on the magic system itself, what it enables people to do and how it works, but I also do wonder if this was kept vague on purpose because of what the queens discover throughout the story.

The ending! I did have a sense of foreboding and genuinely believed toward the end that a prominent character death would occur because it actually added a lot to the narrative and the direction in which the plot needs to go. At no point did it feel forced or like it didn't belong, there was a purpose to it that I appreciated.