Very much an engrossing read like Priory of the Orange Tree! Couldn't put it down, and I loved the romantic subplots!

I started this book only this morning, and I couldn't put it down all day! Both main characters, Sephre and Yeneris, were compelling in their own ways - although, like other reviewers, I did have a very definite favorite. The worldbuilding was excellent, and it was pretty unique when compared to a lot of other modern fantasy. I would have liked to see some of the minor character developed a bit more, and maybe more time developing certain relationship beats, but overall I found this book extremely enjoyable.

The cover for this book is so stunning and I was hoping the book would be as well. Sadly, It just isn't working for me. I find Sephre's chapters more interesting than Yeneris' chapters. I made it to 40% took a break for about a week and then read another 18%. The thing about this book is that there are some really cool fight scenes and interesting things happening around the religious aspects, but the story will suddenly slow down and tell us information we just learned in a different POV. I also didn't care about either of the hinted romances. I am definitely a minority opinion, and it could just be that the book isn't working for me in this moment and I could like it later on. Maybe one day I will come back and finish it, but I gave it two tries already. Sephre is a really strong character as is the princess, Sinore. I just would rather have her POV than the bodyguard who I just don't have interest in and rubbed me the wrong way in her first chapters. I do really think more people will like this book than not. So if you are intrigued by the synopsis, give it a try!

House of Dusk easily soared past my other reads to become my favorite epic fantasy of the year to date. It had all my favorite elements: interwoven stories of fierce female characters at all stages of life, a detailed and fascinating mythos that weaves an immersive and believably flawed world, and characters whose internal battles cut deeper than external ones. Deva Fagan has easily become one of my must-buy epic fantasy authors from here forward - kudos on gaining a career-long fan!

House of Dusk tells tandem tales of two FMCs, one of which I connected far deeper with. Sephre’s story jumped off the page from the very beginning, and the detail into which Fagan went into her past and how it haunted her was tangible. Her motivations were so clear throughout the story, and she instantly became one of my favorite characters I’ve read in a long while. In contrast, Yeneris’s past took a while to unfold and was far less tangible, muddying her motivations and making her fall flat as a character. To add to this, the dynamic between her and Sinoe was predictable and felt more like an added trope in order to sell the novel and paled in comparison to the novelty of the world building and Sephre’s story. Still, I am so hungry for more from this world and looking forward to seeing these characters grow and come to life as this epic story continues to unfold.

Such a unique premise! When I first read what the book was a boy I was a little sceptical about the execution of the plot. Although it wasn’t the best of writing at times, I still think overall it was a job well done! I think the world building could have been done little better but I actually found myself enjoying the book, regardless.

I really enjoyed this book, the plot was well paced and the characters were well written. I look forward to reading more from this author.

5 stars immediately. if you don't want to read about a fire wielding nun, you're missing out. This book was perfect and even more I think it's perfect as a buddy read as well so you have someone to yap to

4 stars!

This book was so immersive. The characters were fully fleshed out and I loved the connecting stories and relationships built. Yeneris is the typical trained-to-be-a-weapon fmc and she’s perfect, don’t ever change. Sinoe is everything a princess should be. She’s kind, she’s smart, she’s friendly, she’s slightly sarcastic. Here is another epic fantasy with a phenomenal and inclusive cast of characters, an intricate plot, supernatural happenings, immersive world building, and sapphic yearning.

*Thank you to NetGalley and DAW for the ARC*

Intriguing, enthralling, and wholly immersive. I was completely taken in by the end of the first page.

Fagan did a phenomenal job of creating characters who are unique and a world with its' own lore and mythos. Sephre is a former soldier turned religious fire-wielding herbalist that struggles with decisions she made during the war. Yeneris is a spy posing as a bodyguard that might be falling in love with the princess she is meant to betray. I adored Sinoe and loved how all of her layers were slowly revealed, she is brilliant and unendingly brave.

I adored the complicated relationships that are showcased throughout. Sephre's struggle to accept her grief leads to difficultly creating new relationships. Her chosen family helps her to work through her grief and realize the power she holds because of who she is, not the mistakes she's made. There were Yen and Sinoe moments that had me worried if either of them would make it out alive immediately followed by events so cute I was kicking my feet with a smile on my face. The back and forth created the perfect pace.

The two stories are mostly parallel as their paths do not cross until near the end. Information learned through both points of view do a very good job of foreshadowing without making upcoming events obvious. The magic system is simple enough to be understood but varied and flawed enough that it felt real. While this is a standalone story, I cannot wait to see what comes next from this author.

If you are in the mood for a high fantasy romantasy with magic, political intrigue, sapphic love, grief journeys, sybils, ghost/demons, and so much more House of Dusk delivers all of this and more.

Unfortunately this book wasn't quite right for me. The premise was really intriguing to me, and I loved that this was a standalone adult fantasy, but unfortunately the worldbuilding didn't quite grip me in the way I was hoping it would. I liked Sephre's point of view, and I do love a good teacher-student dynamic from the teacher's POV. Yeneris's POV could have been more interesting but I was not quite sure I followed the politics of the royal system very well. I'm sure others will love it much more than me! A huge thank you to DAW and to Netgalley for an eARC for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my thoughts!

Two women. One rising god. A world on the edge of ruin—and love at the center of the storm.

If you’re looking for a standalone epic fantasy that wields divine magic like a weapon and love like a prayer, House of Dusk will leave you breathless and burning.

Let’s start with the heroine who literally sets things on fire: Sephre, a guilt-ridden war hero turned flame-wielding nun, spends her days purifying corpses and her nights suppressing memories of bloodshed and betrayal. She is a character of ash and absolution, torn between the oaths she took and the rage still simmering in her bones. And when the dead stop staying dead? Sephre must choose whether to be a weapon of penance—or a spark for revolution.

Enter Yeneris, a spy raised in shadows, trained for deception, and buried in grief. Disguised as a bodyguard, she infiltrates the enemy court to retrieve a relic—but her mission is complicated by the princess she’s sworn to protect and the dangerous, tender attraction growing between them. Sinoe, the prophecy-weeping princess, is ethereal and fierce in her own right, and the romance that blooms between her and Yeneris? It’s achingly intimate, forbidden, and beautifully earned.

The worldbuilding? Mythic and immersive—serpents slithering from the underworld, long-dead gods rising, and magic drawn from saints, flames, and secrets. Deva Fagan builds a landscape teetering on collapse and asks her characters to either break it—or save it.

What makes this novel shine is its emotional depth. It’s not just about war and gods—it’s about identity, redemption, and love in the face of legacy. Sephre and Yeneris are both broken by the past and burdened by their roles, but their stories become a hymn of defiance and desire.

Thank you to the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book!

Overall I really enjoyed my experience with reading this book! I thought the characers (especially Seph and Timeous) were likable and dynamic. I thought the plot and concept was really interesting and the Dual but not intersecting POVs was unique. I also loved how diverse the world was without it being drawn out or pointed out as being more than it was.
My issues with the book come down to my personal dislike for this specific type of world building. I prefer a more info-dump type of world building when there is a lot of new vocabulary and locations, and this book takes the more slow and natural approach. This did leave me a bit confused as times as I had no frame of reference for what some of the vocabulary meant.
I also felt that one of the romances was a bit unnecessary and didn't add much to the story.

Overall I will be recommending this book to my friends and I will be on the lookout for any other books from this author!

A romantic epic fantasy featuring a fire-wielding nun grappling with her dark past and a young spy caught between her mission and a growing attraction to an enemy princess. All the while dead gods rise and corruption creeps across the world in this sweeping standalone tale of forbidden sapphic love and dark betrayal.

In one word: Wow! House of Dusk is saturated with rich, full-bodied characters situated in a well-considered world that entirely immersed me. As soon as I heard “fire-wielding nuns”, I knew I was in for a treat. And Fagan did not disappoint! It took no time at all to fall in love with the female leads of this epic fantasy.

It’s a difficult thing to enrich your novel with information without overwhelming the reader. Each page contained new details critical to Sephre and Yeneris’s stories but it wasn’t a burden at all. Instead, it added to the pacing and built the characters brick-by-brick in an organic way. The humorous back and forth between Sephre and her companions was a highlight for me. Nothing like a bit of dark humour!

Furthermore, House of Dusk – despite having heavy religious themes – was refreshingly queer normative, including non-binary, gay, and sapphic characters. These characters were treated with respect and given complexities to make them tangible. And as an ace person, I found the romance to be accessible and not overbearing. Think yearning and playful.

Comparative titles to House of Dusk right off the bat would be Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson and The Merciful Crow by Margaret Owen. There’s gods, death, and a new perspective on faith. It has the qualities of an epic fantasy – a world with vast history, many cultures and peoples, and politics that reach deep.

I’m truly grateful for a chance to read this eARC! Thank you to NetGalley and DAW Books for hooking a girl up. I’ve already pre-ordered my signed copy, and I can’t wait for that to arrive! And if Deva Fagan wants to write more in this universe, I’ll be first in line to read it!

Review TL;DR:
Rating: 5 / 5 stars
Strongest element: The characters! The world-building! The banter! The yearning!
Content warnings: Fire/fire injury, war, genocide, blood, death, death of a parent, child death, vomit, confinement.
Genre: Fantasy

House of Dusk by Deva Fagan is a fantastic high fantasy story with strong characters, beautiful writing, and a world full of magic, danger, and heart.
The book follows Sephre, an ex-soldier who just wants a quiet life, and Yeneris, a spy who ends up falling for the princess she’s meant to protect. Together, they deal with the aftermath of a brutal war, old gods, political lies, and a possible end of the world. There’s action, forbidden love, and lots of emotions packed into every chapter.
The world-building is rich without being confusing, you learn things as you go, making the story exciting and easy to follow. Overall the setting feels alive and real.
The characters were amazing. Sephre is strong, older, and struggling with her past. Yeneris is sharp and brave. The side characters are fun and unique. The romance was a perfect slow burn and full of tension.
The writing was stunning. Every scene felt vivid. This book made me think about power, belief, and identity without ever feeling heavy.
If you like epic fantasy with sapphic romance, magic, and political drama, you’ll love this.

I really couldn't deal with the writing style! omg there was a line about someone being peed on? I had to stop. Maybe they'll take that out in the published version but yeah no thank you that's a no from me!

Honestly, the novel had a lot going on...like there were nuns, spies, gods. A lot more gardening than I expected.

I loved all the different characters and the dual pov really worked in this novel. The dual pov really lent itself well to the final confrontation. It actually made me really excited to see Yeneris, Sinoe and Sephre together in the same place.

I was intrigued by the world-building, the mythological belief system and the magic system.

I liked the way the relationship between Yeneris and Sinoe, and Sephre and Nilos developed. I may have swooned when Nilos shows up after the skotoi attack and Sephre flees, also I loved the scene where Yeneris and Sinoe try to find the amulet to free Sinoe from Lacheron's control.

I did feel that the the beginning quarter was on the slower side but then the pace picked up!

Anyway, overall, I had a pretty good time reading this book once I really got into it.

This one had such a strong concept, and I was really excited to dive into it. We’ve got a fire wielding nun haunted by her past, a royal spy caught between duty and desire, and an entire world creeping toward the brink of divine chaos. The bones of this story? So solid.

Sephre was a standout for me. Her struggle with guilt and power felt heavy and honest. Yeneris brought the emotional pull, especially when it came to her soft, forbidden feelings for Princess Sinoe. Their dynamic had potential, and I wish we got more space to watch that build naturally.

The world was rich, and I loved the serpent gods, the religious undertones, and how the magic felt lived in. But the pacing made it a little hard to sit with any one moment. It jumped from plot point to plot point, and I found myself wanting just a bit more depth, especially emotionally.

Still, there’s a lot to appreciate here. It’s creative, unapologetically queer, and full of high stakes tension. If you like morally complex heroines, a mythology heavy fantasy world, and stories that burn fast and bright, House of Dusk might be for you.

Superb. Fire wielding, existential angst, ancient Gods, romance; this book has it all. My only gripe is that I thought that some of the characters could use more buildup (their stories were glossed over). I hope this book takes off and gets all the attention it well deserves.

4.5 stars



Thanks to NetGalley and DAW for the opportunity to read this book!

I really enjoyed this book. 4.5/5 Stars. Some really nice world building and good character work. Love the mythical undertones of the story.
I like how it is a self contained story with an option for more.I hope we get more from this world. If you are a fan of Priory of the Orange Tree you will like this book.

This is probably my favorite book I have received from netgallery. The world building was extremely interesting and each character felt well writing. They all had different personalities that meshed really well. I loved learning about the lore and how stories change depending on who is telling it. The action scenes were easy to follow and were enjoyable to read. I felt like it was nicely paced and after each chapter I wanted to find out what was going to happen next. One compliant I would say is the ending It felt too easy and to clean cut.