I am the biggest fan of unique magic systems in the books I read and The Weaver Bride started out so strong. The concepts were there but the follow through, making everything work, and making everything make fool-proof sense was just not there. The longer I spend thinking about this book after having finished it the more confused I get by why things played out in certain ways or why things couldn't be resolved or made easier with the use of that magic.
My biggest gripe is the romance because I don't think I could even call what exists between Lovett and Eliot a romance subplot. It's not just that they are putting on a facade and pretending to not like one another - these characters genuinely don't like each other. Think of the romance here like if Tamlin took Feyre Under the Mountain BEFORE getting to know her and then stood by Amarantha's side while she was tested. No chemistry. No understandable feelings for one another until you turn the page and they're kissing for a paragraph and a half before going back to icing one another out fully.
The main character is also very unlikable. While she doesn't get sucked into subplots of trying to save side characters from themselves, nor does she attempt to forge friendships or bonds, she is the epitome of selfish. She's self-aware enough to call herself as much in the book but the problem is that selfishness is her whole character. There's never a moment when you think she's about to do something other than for herself. She's very one dimensional but at least she gets the job done.
I do like the writing style, the descriptions of the world, and what's going on around the main character but not much else. The cover of the book is absolutely gorgeous. Ultimately I'm grateful for Random House Children's Books, Delacorte Press, and Lydia Gregovic for the chance to read this as an ARC.

Lush, thrilling, and full of secrets

The Weaver Bride swept me into a world of silkwitches, high-stakes courtship, and deadly secrets. Lovett Tamerlane is a bold, scrappy heroine with a unique magical gift, and her journey from thief to potential bride of the powerful Noé Alaire is both gripping and emotional. The worldbuilding is rich and imaginative, with a magical system that feels fresh and intriguing.

The romance has tension and bite, the mystery kept me guessing, and the competition at the heart of the story adds that perfect layer of drama. I especially enjoyed the slow-burn dynamic between Lovett and Eliot—full of distrust, chemistry, and just enough danger to keep me hooked.

The pacing dragged slightly in the middle, and a few twists felt a bit telegraphed, which is why it’s not a full 5 stars for me. But overall, The Weaver Bride is a beautifully written romantasy that blends court intrigue, magic, and romance in all the right ways.

Can’t wait to see what the author does next!

This book was interesting, especially due to its magic system. Magic hair giving "Wits" to girls who are called "silk witches" I enjoyed this concept quite a lot. It's also interesting to note that the girls must be married off to male sorcerers also known as "Weavers" or else their powers fade or even worse, they get locked up by the cloisters.
I liked our main character Lovett, she was fun and interesting and didn't back down from a fight and I liked that. Her attitude towards the situations she was put in kept me loving her character. I do think that her relationship with Eliot is quite something. I don't know how I feel about it yet, and I'm interested to see what happens in book two with them.
There are twists and turns in this book, some that I was expecting whilst others I was not and I'm interested to see how this story will continue.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children Delacorte Press for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. I really liked the fantasy elements and the character development. I want to read more from this author

A beautifully atmospheric debut with lyrical prose and a touch of folklore. Slow to unfold, but ultimately rewarding.

The son of a powerful politician strikes a deal with a witch, who makes a living stealing from wealthy men, to infiltrate a marriage competition to find out who killed his sister a year before.

If The Selection and Knives Out had a kid, that kid would be The Weaver Bride by Lydia Gregovic!!!

I loved this book so much that I ordered my trophy hard copy, which is stunning, when I was 32% in!
Lydia did a great job building this world, I had no trouble understanding how everything worked.
It's a good mix of familiar tropes with a few twists, making this book the perfect safe choice. I say that in the best way possible. If you like women sleuths, magic, and competition, this is the book for you.

I sat speechless for a good 10 minutes after finishing it. That ending?!

Thank you to NetGalley, Lydia Gregovic, and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

3.5 rounded up! I would describe this novel as The Rose Bargain meets The Selection. This was a fun read, and I definitely plan on picking up the sequel when it’s released. I did find the beginning was slow and the explanation of the magic system felt repetitive without giving new insight. I also wish we got more time with the other competitors. They felt like they were just there without a lot of depth or tension — would’ve loved to see some more drama, especially how they reacted to Lovett emerging as a favorite. Lastly, I felt like it was a lot of telling and not showing with her relationship with Eliot. It felt like we saw their love story through people mentioning how he looked at her but that was it.

The middle of the book really picked up, and then I didn’t want to put it down! I loved the idea of a mystery to solve, and the author is a very talented writer who really made you feel like you were transported to Fortblanche.

This is a great book for someone beginning to get into the romantasy genre.

It has an intriguing concept, with excellent world building.

The relationships between characters, however, fell a little flat for me. Lovett's relationship with Eliot, for example, had me YEARNING for more of an enemies to lovers feel vs insta love. I also felt there could have been more development between side characters and Lovett during the competition.

I do think there's more to Lovett's story and hope that gets a more indepth look in the next book.

Overall, 3.75/5 stars for me

I was drawn to this book for its GORGEOUS cover and interesting premise and I am SO glad I did! I cannot wait for more of this story!

Our FMC Lovett Tamerlane is a silk witch. Basically she is a girl with rare magic that stems from her hair that can only be harnessed once she is married to a Weaver. Unfortunately there are not enough Weavers to go around and if a silkwitch isn’t married soon enough, they ship her off to harvest her hair.

Let’s talk about this incredibly unique and interesting magic system first. The magic hair is such a fun concept and this magic system is really fresh in a very saturated fantasy market. I loved the “Wits” that the girls had. The manifestation of their magic like that is a very fun addition and makes all the girls very special and sets them apart from one another.

I LOVE a trial story or a marriage competition concept so that aspect was great of course. The added layer of mystery surrounding Ophelia’s death added to the fun of this plot. Her secret meeting with Eliot had me in a choke hold. I cannot wait for this to come out so I have people to talk to about it!

Lastly, that twist ending I did NOT see coming, which is a huge plus because I am rarely genuinely surprised by a twist.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my eARC of this book! It was a delight!

everyone, say thank you netgalley and random house for always approving the fun arcs. magic, lite regency, reluctant allies, what more could i ask for?? turns out, a lot

this started off really strong and the writing was pretty solid ... at first. they had me in the first half ngl, but as the book went on, i went from wow what a fun plot -> ok it was nice at first, but let's tone down the similes -> not everything needs a simile. why is there a simile every sentence?? there are other ways to describe things! -> if you write another damn simile, i will throw my kindle across the plane (i did in fact read this entire thing on a long haul flight, so maybe that's a point in its favor)

you might assume that my opinion of the book was heavily swayed by the gross overuse of similes, and you'd be correct!! it genuinely overshadowed everything, from the characters to the magic to the mystery plot. i'm not even going to complain about any of the typical things, like predictability of plot points or the romance not really coming together, bc those are small beans compared to the huge simile bean. i'm still gonna read the second one bc i liked the bones enough and curiosity is my downfall. it might lower the word count, but pls don't let the second one drown in similes (especially since they became more and more nonsensical)

this also has trials for the hand of the throne and usually i'm not crazy about those, esp since we can't all be the selection, the best worst teen series lmao, but i was really pleasantly surprised by the rose bargain earlier this year. i unironically loved it and thought we could recreate that feeling here, but that might have been a fluke, so i'm back aboard the hate train

Thank you to Random House's Children's books and Netgalley for giving me this arc!! I loved this! Truly a great read. The characters are thoughtfully developed, complex, and true to their descriptions. Lovett is exactly who we’re told she is, she puts her own needs first, and that consistency is genuinely enjoyable. I really liked the sense of competition and the vibrant cast of characters. I wish we got to know more of the other characters, but overall I really enjoyed this story!

Thank you so much to Lydia Gregvic and Random House Children's Books | Delacorte Press for the eARC of this book. I loved the magic, mystery, and Characters of this book. The Main FMC is unique and interesting to read about. It was a great YA Fantasy book that I would recommend. If you love the The Crimson Moth Duology, you'll absolutely love this! Highly Recommend.

A great new book with an interesting magical world! The main character gets recruited to enter a Bachelor-style competition in disguise to find out how a contestant of the previous year’s competition died.
I really enjoyed this one down to the writing style. I wish we had gotten to see more of the magic at work, and the romance was more in-depth. However, it kept me on my toes the whole time, and the ending was so satisfying and exactly what I hoped for!

Sometimes you just find a great, new and exciting book in the middle of the sameness of most romantasy these days, this is one of those times. This was a phenomenal book, I loved it from beginning to end.
The characters are well written, complex and they are coherent with the description. I am so tired of seeing badass protagonists that don't act accordingly with what the author tells us. Here, Lovett is exactly what has been presented to us, she will do whatever is best for her, she will put herself and her plans first no matter what. That is so refreshing.
The romance is there but it's low in the list of my preferred things in this book. I loved the competition, the cast of characters is great, I just wish we got to know more about the other girls, it's the only thing I can think of that would make the book better for me.
The ending was perfect, I need the next book immediately!
Please read this book, you won't regret it.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Children's Books for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley, Lydia Gregovic, and Random House Children's Books for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

4.75 stars

Omg, I was obsessed with this book. The magic system was unique, the characters were interesting, and the mystery had me on the edge of my seat. There was something about Lovett that I adored. She is a curious and intelligent FMC. I loved the fact that she was trying to uncover a mystery involving the competition. I do love an FMC detective-like character. That cliffhanger got me good. I truly hope there is going to be a sequel. I just have to know what’s next. I adored the selection series, and I’m glad authors are putting their spin on it. I will say that this is the uniqueness I was looking for from another book that just didn’t deliver for me. This book was unputdownable. I hope this book blows up when it comes out. Please, pick this book up if you loved the Selection series and the addictive story of the Crimson Moth series. You won’t regret it. I highly recommend it!

This is definitely a case of "Judge a Book by it's Cover"!

This cover is beautiful and so was the story! I loved everything about the cover, story, characters, and the ending! It was unique and something I wasn't expecting. It's been the first YA book I've read in awhile. The main female character is a special kind of witch that needs a weaver husband in order to use her abilities.

If you like intrigue, witches, and excellent world building, this may be for you!

Thanks to Netgalley for the Advanced Readers Copy!

The Weaver Bride follows Lovett, a witch with the gift to unlock any door, who is thrown into a marriage competition...Talk about crazy!!

The competition is not all glitz and glam since that last one ended up with a body...yikes! Lovett is then tasked with one specific goal: to unearth the killer and solve the mysterious death (OH! And not fall in love with the infuriating man who sent her into the contest in the first place like excuse me?!…).

This book had a really unique and interesting magic system with each woman having a unique “wit” (or ability). I loved that it opened up a world of different kinds of romance books and magic. The atmosphere and setting was also stunning and intriguing, and I really enjoyed being in this world. The chemistry between Lovett and Eliot is so fun, as is their hatred of each other, and there are several twists and turns that keep you interested until the last page. I can't wait to see it blow up all over social media!

Overall, a fun take on the common *marriage competition* trope and an easy-to-follow romantasy world.

This book was absolutely amazing; I enjoyed every moment of it.

The characters are intricately crafted, multifaceted, and align perfectly with their descriptions. I am quite weary of encountering tough protagonists who fail to act in accordance with the author's portrayal. In this case, Lovett embodies exactly what we are shown; she prioritizes her own needs and plans above all else. This is incredibly refreshing.

While the romance exists, it ranks low on my list of favorite aspects of this book. I appreciated the competition, and the ensemble of characters is fantastic; I only wish we could learn more about the other girls, as that is the sole aspect I believe could enhance the book for me.

We follow Lovett Tamerlane who is a silkwitch. Like all girls of her kind, she possesses a unique magic—a magic that can only be accessed through marriage to a Weaver. However, securing a Weaver husband necessitates status, sophistication, and wealth, all of which Lovett unfortunately lacks. She spends her days utilizing her abilities to pilfer from affluent families and her nights evading the fate that awaits all unwed silkwitches: a life restricted to the cloisters.

Eliot Lear, the infamous son of a distinguished Weaver, presents her with a life-changing chance: entry into the Vainglory, a marriage competition with Noé Alaire, heir to generations of Weaver riches. The twist? Last year's Vainglory concluded in disaster. The victor perished. The terms are straightforward: If Lovett can uncover the mystery behind Ophelia Lear's death and reveal her murderer, Eliot will guarantee that she has her choice of Weaver suitors, irrespective of who emerges victorious in the competition. However, deciphering Ophelia's murder turns out to be far more intricate than either of them had expected.

Overall what an interesting read! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This book hooked me right away and left me wanting more at the end. The two characters were were introduced to were so unique and interesting and I loved the mind games and banter between them. I can’t wait to see where this story goes if it is continued! I’ve seen a special edition is being made for this book and I know I need it!

"If I took you as my wife, would you lie down beside me in peace, or slit my throat while I slept?"


Lovett Tamerlane is a silkwitch. Like all girls of her kind, she holds a rare magic—a magic that can be harnessed only through marriage to a Weaver. But finding a Weaver husband requires status, refinement, and money, all of which Lovett sadly lacks. Lovett spends her days using her gift to steal from wealthy families and her nights avoiding the fate imposed on all unwed silkwitches: a life confined to the cloisters.

Eliot Lear, the notorious son of a prominent Weaver, offers her a life-altering opportunity: entrance to the Vainglory, a competition of marriage to Noé Alaire, heir to generations of Weaver wealth. The catch? Last year, the Vainglory ended in tragedy. The winner died. And the winner was Eliot’s sister.

The arrangement is simple: If Lovett solves the mystery of Ophelia Lear’s death and unmasks her killer, Eliot will ensure she has her pick of Weaver suitors, regardless of who wins the competition. Yet unraveling Ophelia’s murder proves far more complicated than either of them anticipated.

"You are far too interesting to be good, Lovett."


At last! I was beginning to think I should really give up requesting ARCs because all of the ones I've read lately haven't been the greatest. This was the second I was truly looking forward to but the first that I really enjoyed fully.

Those going into this expecting a fully fleshed out new magic system will be disappointed. It's definitely unique, but I didn't really understand the rules of how their society was set up or why since it seemed fairly wasteful in how they treat the silkwitches. You kinda just have to accept that it is how it is.

Those going into this expecting a "thrilling romance" per the blurb will find it a bit...lacking. The declarations didn't really match with the feeling you get between them. I rather thought this would have been far more effective as a slow burn (or none at all).

I'm tired of mishandled marriage competition tropes (I'm looking at you The Rose Bargain) so I was intrigued with The Weaver Bride because she didn't want to win at all - she was participating merely to unravel a murder mystery as an accomplished thief and liar. The mystery is really what carried this!

From the beginning, trying to determine if any of the previous potential brides were complicit in the murder was a rush. They are all catty and cutting, as you'd expect, each with different Wits that bring something fresh to the table. How the girls use their Wits, as well as the secrets that are slowly but surely unravelled keep this moving along.

"I was but one blade in a savage set, several of them far wickeder than I."


And the reveals at the end! I was wondering how it would all pull together and Gregovic did it beautifully. While this wasn't a standalone as I originally thought, it did wrap up in a satisfying place. It set it up for the second book all while feeling conclusive for the events of this one.

My only REAL complaint is the amount of similes and metaphors Gregovic used throughout. At one point I considered counting them all but decided not to. Honestly, fairly minor in the grand scheme of things.

Will be looking out for book two when it comes.

Recommended for those wanting a medium-paced mystery with a dash of fantasy!

Major thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC.