House of Dusk is a book filled with incredible world building, an in depth magic system, romance, and intrigue. Overall, I really enjoyed my time reading this book. The plot was captivating and exciting, and the characters were written in depth, which I always appreciate. The one part that pulled me out of the story a bit was how the dialogue from characters could feel a bit young and urban fantasy instead of high fantasy at times. This pulled me from from the setting and vibe of the story quite a few times.

House of Dusk by Deva Fagan is a sapphic fantasy that delivers on all fronts—magic, romance, and high-stakes drama. Sephre, a fire-wielding nun with a haunted past, and Yeneris, a spy torn between duty and desire, are compelling leads whose intertwining journeys kept me hooked. The world-building is rich and immersive, with gods stirring, corpses rising, and serpents creeping from the underworld. If you’re into morally complex heroines, forbidden love, and mythic adventures, this standalone is a must-read.

When it often takes a fair amount of pages to establish a magic system, carve out a world, and familiarize readers with central characters, I can appreciate a standalone fantasy. In House of Dusk, well-paced action is intertwined with world-building exposition, gifting readers with a story that is both exciting and interesting. Though there are two characters whose points of view guide the journey through this world, all of the central characters are fleshed out to add depth to the story. There is romance, intrigue, magic, and a plot that leads all the players up to a high stakes showdown. This is a fantastic fantasy tale and I don't even have to wait for the publication of a sequel to find out how it ends.
I received access to this eARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, DAW) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

engaging and immersive fantasy novel that combines elements of magic, mystery, and political intrigue.

I found House of Dusk to be an easy, entertaining read. The setting was the highlight for me, I always found myself enjoying the lore drops and figuring out more about the world. Partially because it was well-crafted, and partially because you don’t see settings based on bronze-aged Greece all that often.

The plot and characters were pretty solid overall. I didn’t find the twists that hard to predict, and it wasn’t necessarily the most gripping romance. But neither did it give in to any of the clichés or extreme tropiness that can be prevalent in romantasy these days. I feel this one was very much a fantasy with romantic elements, as opposed to a romance with fantasy trappings. And I’d probably pick up the second book, when it comes out, to see where things go from here.

I recently had the privilege of reading an advance reader copy (ARC) of House of Dusk by Deva Fagan, and it was an absolutely captivating experience. The novel masterfully intertwines themes of redemption, espionage, and forbidden love within a richly constructed fantasy world.

The story follows two compelling protagonists: Sephre, a fire-wielding nun seeking atonement for her past as a war hero, and Yeneris, a spy embedded as a bodyguard to Princess Sinoe, whose prophetic tears add layers of intrigue. Sephre’s internal conflict and Yeneris’s struggle between duty and burgeoning affection for Sinoe are portrayed with depth and authenticity.  

Fagan’s world-building is both immersive and intricate, featuring resurrected deities, creeping underworld serpents, and a society on the brink of upheaval. The narrative’s pacing is brisk, seamlessly balancing action with emotional resonance. The sapphic romance is tenderly and realistically developed, adding a poignant dimension to the tale.

In conclusion, House of Dusk is a standout fantasy novel that delves into complex relationships and moral dilemmas against a backdrop of mythic grandeur. I wholeheartedly recommend it to fans of epic fantasy and diverse narratives. This is a book that will linger in your thoughts long after the final page.

This is a well written tale that may start a bit slow but the atmosphere and character development are enough to keep the reader engaged. Once it really gets going, it really gets going. Easy 4 star.

Magic, Betrayal,& a Sapphic Romance You Won't Want To Put Down!

This book is an absolute adventure! Baddie heroines, ancient magic, forbidden romance, and a world on the brink of chaos (I mean what else could one need for an epic fantasy, right!?). We get to meet Sephre, a fire wielding nun trying to escape her past (and trauma),and then Yeneris, a spy falling for the princess she’s meant to betray. Both of their stories are full of tension, tough choices, and some seriously emotional moments.

The world building is rich and immersive, packed with "dead" gods and high stakes intrigue. While the pacing keeps things moving fast, there were a few moments where I wished for just a little more... detail, especially when it came to character relationships.

That said, the romance is chef’s kiss! We have all the forbidden, slow burn love and feels. If you love sapphic fantasy with complex characters and epic stakes, this one is definitely worth picking up!

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to embark on this adventure!

“ Priory of the Orange Tree” fans, of which I am one, rejoice! Here is another epic fantasy with a phenomenal and inclusive cast of characters, an intricate plot, supernatural happenings, immersive world building, and sapphic yearning. Bonus point for having one of the main characters be a mid 40’s, fire wielding woman with a past she can’t outrun. I couldn’t put it down.

Thank you NetGalley and DAW books for an ARC!

House of Dusk by Deva Fagan is a masterpiece of a book! It's pure art! It's amazing! I rated it 5 stars because I couldn't give it more stars. I wanted to give it 10 stars! It's perfect! The story is really perfect!

*ARC Review!* Thank you so much for the opportunity to read and review this book.

4.5 stars, a phenomenal read, everything that a high fantasy should be and an incredible addition to Fagan’s bibliography.

The Plot: 5/5
The book follows two main characters. Sister Sephre, a war veteran hoping to spend the rest of her retirement peacefully gardening in a temple and Yeneris, the bodyguard to a Princess Sinoe and prophesier as they try to deal with the aftermaths of an ugly religious war and, possibly, the apocalypse. But also, it is a story about finding and accepting yourself in its entirety. There are zombies, there is magic, there is political and religious intrigue, and not a single boring story beat.

The Worldbuilding: 4/5
The world of HoD was well thought out, and more importantly, well executed. Important information were scattered into digestible chunks, almost always after a particularly anxiety-inducing scene and served as a welcomed breather. It is easy to follow the history and you will be able to understand the bare bones of the lore to keep up. I was not given a map or a glossary (which would be necessary for lesser authors) but the world still felt real and lived in.

I particularly enjoyed the slight variations in theology between different kingdoms. It gives the world just that much more realism. The Gods being animals represented by different times of the day and different elements sounds like too much but it works and I’m into it.

However, the timeline of events could have been better elaborated, particularly the cataclysm and the war, and what exactly they were. And I’d love to know more about the city, which appears only as a shapeless void in my head with the lack of description.

This is a standalone, which is quite disappointing as we didn’t really get to know as much as I’d like and I do hope Fagan decides to write more books set in this world. I need to know the lore behind the other houses and kingdoms.

The Characters: 4/5
Perfect, 10/10, no notes.

We need more older female characters with a ton of baggage, still insecure, needs therapy and kicks ass, but also just wants to garden. Sephre, I will die for you. I do not suffer from PTSD so I cannot comment on the portrayal of that in Sephre but it succeeded in hurting me.

Yeneris is the typical trained-to-be-a-weapon fmc and she’s perfect, don’t ever change. Think Inej and Ead Duryan had a swoony, headstrong lovechild. Honestly, can’t blame her.

Sinoe is everything a princess should be. She’s kind, she’s smart, she’s friendly, she’s slightly sarcastic, ugh I love her too. The tragedy in her life was well portrayed and my heart was constantly aching for her, despite her not even being a pov character.

The side characters were a treat and a half. Each one of them were so distinct and it was obvious how much love and thought the author gave them.

On second thought, one note. The antagonists were mediocre. I prefer villains that occupy a larger bandwidth in a story and the antagonists in HoD fell flat for me.

The Prose: 5/5
One thing that really stood out to me throughout my reading were the gorgeous descriptions of the setting. Every change in scenery was accompanied by prose that stole my breath away.

House of Dusk by Deva Fagan will be published on 26 August 2025! I genuinely cannot wait to talk about it jsagfhsgfdkjggh