
Member Reviews

No me cabe duda de que cada nación mira con especial cariño a su propia historia mientras desprecia un tanto la de los demás. Es por esto que la premisa de Six Wild Crowns que se basa un poco (pero muy poquito) en la historia de Enrique VIII quizá sea de más interés para el mundo anglosajón que para nosotros, que vemos más la historia del primera cabeza de la iglesia anglicana como un vividor aprovechado de insaciable apetito sexual que iba quitándose de en medio a sus esposas como el que se sacude el polvo del camino. Afortunadamente o no, porque la sinopsis en ese sentido es bastante engañosa, la relación de este libro con la historia tal y como creemos conocerla es tangencial, como mucho.
Se dice que el rey deberá tomar seis esposas que guarden simultáneamente seis castillos para que el poder mágico defensivo de su Dios proteja el reino de Elben. Así que cuando Enrique toma por esposa a Boleyn, completa el sexteto que le proporciona el poder necesario para defender su reino. Boleyn está localmente enamorada de su marido, culmen de la masculinidad, pero su carácter inquieto la llevará a explorar la magia del mundo y lo que descubrirá iniciará un conflicto de consecuencias inesperadas.
Six Wild Crowns es un libro que pretende alentar la sororidad, pero lo hace de una forma un tanto basta. El harén de Enrique está relativamente aislado y no se relacionan entre ellas, ya que daría mala imagen, o eso es lo que se supone, ya que la realidad sobre la fuente del poder y las consecuencias de su uso es bastante más oscura. La representación femenina de esposas es bastante variada, desde la joven e inocente a la más mayor con gran experiencia, la que utiliza sus argucias para evitar las visitas nocturnas del rey o la que directamente cree que es tonta y actúa en consecuencia. Pero que todas estén subyugadas por el poder del patriarcado es dar un mensaje demasiado directo sin ninguna sutileza.
¿Los dragones de la cubierta? Publicidad engañosa, ya os lo digo yo, es que tienen una presencia tan testimonial que la verdad, mejor que Holly Race los hubiera obviado del todo.
El libro, a pesar de los variados puntos de vista, resulta un tanto monótono. La intriga cortesana es demasiado previsible y el tono en general resulta bastante aburrido. Aunque Olivia Dowd como narradora del audiolibro cumple con su función, el material de partida tampoco da para mucho más. Y, para más inri, el final es un cliff hanging literal, que no sé si merecerá la pena resolver.

I had really really high hopes for this one, and I hung in there for most of it, but honestly, it isn’t for me. I was looking forward to a fresh point of view to a story that has been told ad nauseum. Really, I was hoping for a Pride and Prejudice and Zombies feel. Also, I was looking forward to court intrigue like Kingdom of the Wicked and Throne of the Fallen vibes. There isn’t much of that in here. I think the blurb is just not what was being served in this one. This one just didn’t hit the mark for me.
That being said, the narration was on point. I enjoyed the back and forth voices and managing to stay true to the vibrancy of the era. Only someone with a British accent could do this one justice.

I wished I liked this more as the premise was so good! However, I felt like the magic system wasn't as fleshed out (or explored in depth) as I would have liked it to be. Some great relations between characters though and I liked how it was loosely inspired by real history (which was very well researched)!

Boleyn has always had a fire in her. She is driven by ambition, to prove herself. It is this defiance that Henry is drawn to. Their shared boldness and penchant for extravagant statements completely convince Boleyn she was the one meant for him, even if all six wives are needed to maintain the island's balance. She is the one he will truly love.
Seymour has been used as a playing piece her entire life. Such it is when she is given as a gift to Boleyn as a lady-in-waiting. The position of spy and potential assassin for another of Henry's queens anything is nothing she ever desired—even before she is drawn to Boleyn's flame. Nor is the attention that falls upon her by the king thanks to her proximity and companionship with Boleyn.
Antagonists, Friends, Lovers? There are no simple titles to be had for any. When those of strong will and similar goals merge around a purpose after the revelation of age old secrets, the bonds created become Henry's greatest threat and the Island's hope.
“Six Wild Crowns” flies on its own wings from a potentially familiar feeling core idea. The world is extraordinarily diverse in landscape, tradition, and opinions. For some readers, the elaboration beyond the main story arc might seem like detours. Several aren't fully fledged out and as such seem to be unnecessary. Personally, as a whole, I think the glimpses at other territories, hints of the courtiers different alliances, all of the tangents about families and connections, are going to be at least half of the muscle power of the series going forward. Not to mention it feels like we are only at the tip of the magical revelations ahead.
None of that is worth much if the story itself and the characters are flat. There are no standard or stock personalities here. The essence of toxic relationships, as a subject and how things manifest in different people to lead them to be caught in those cycles, is an ever present subject. Trauma, purpose, expectations, ambition are layered to create complex characters even in those we only know briefly. I was absolutely invested in all.
It also has to be said there is a great deal of self awareness. There is an essence of characters who are very aware of who they are or come to be certain of it. I can't recall any decisions that were made, when there was time, completely out of impulse without consideration. This side steps so many 'twists' that frustrate me as a reader.
There is a similar tone to how this book deals with one likely highlighted marketing note. Polyamory is no isolated. Yet, I have never seen jealousy depicted so completely and honestly. In some cases there is a complete lack – antagonism between queens generally is from a different source. That does not mean it isn't present. When it does come up, the characters tend to acknowledge it in themselves and proceed to cope instead of the typical scheme or revenge spark. It displays real thought into creating a world where this type of arrangement might be common place and not seen as a burden. At least, no more than any political marriage is.
Which leads me to note that how very queer this book is. The way that manifests is so casual that it brings my heart joy. For instance, one character mentioning a ceremony from her area where at a coming of age people declare their gender at a public ceremony, is done in passing. A random note. These signal that it is probably the least interesting thing to know about a person. Not that it isn't important, it's just on a similar level to knowing a scar came from a riding accident. Isn't that the world we're striving for? Where someone's gender or romantic involvement is a fact not a defining feature?
If you happen to have at least a passing knowledge about some of the real life counterparts to these queens' lives you are in for so very many 'Easter eggs'. Seymour's core fear is heartbreaking for reasons. Howard being so attached to music is brilliant. Cleaves absolutely owns my heart – I cannot wait for more of her and her token theme seems so appropriate to what I knew about her personality. A late twist that should have been apparent, but wasn't for me, earned a slow clap for how clever it was. As is something that occurs to Henry late on in the book. It also makes you curious as to the reasons the author decided to places these wives 'out of order' after Catherine of Aragon.
I honestly am not certain how this book will or should be received. My enjoyment is heavily driven by the world and character details with the sprinkling of teasing out where inspiration was drawn from. There are admittedly times I felt like there was some repetition. Or that the book was being drawn out one moment and rushed through in another. All I can say is it checked off enough boxes to be a truly fun ride for me.

This was great.
I loved the Tudor court politics and the spin on the story we already know.
The addition of magic was superb.
I will say that I would have preferred more dragons, or bigger dragons but they weren’t pivotal to the story and I think they’d be too chaotic for this world.
The romance aspect was written well, the relationships between friends and family was also really well done.
It really kicked off from part 2 with the politics, betrayal and scheming.
I was NOT ready for the ending and I’m praying this isn’t the end of the story.
The audiobook was great, the narrator did a perfect job and really fit the vibe of the book.

I really enjoy this book. The story and plot were very interesting. I kept wanting to see what happened next! You put dragons and assassins in a book and I AM HOOKED!

DNF’d at 40%. So slow and bored listening to the bickering of women sharing the crown. I was intrigued by the concept, but could not care less about any character in the book.

The premise of Six Wild Crowns is absolutely fascinating. Henry VIII must marry six queens, as appointed by god, to maintain the strength of his kingdom and his magic in the eyes of the world. Boleyn is his sixth wife, and Seymour is gifted to her as a lady-in-waiting, meant to act as a spy and eventually an assassin. But instead of carrying out her mission, Seymour and Boleyn become unexpected allies, and everything begins to unravel from there.
The audiobook gets a full 5 stars from me! Olivia Dowd’s narration is phenomenal. Honestly, she’s what kept me going through some of the slower sections. Her performance captured the courtly atmosphere perfectly, and I loved how distinctly she voiced each character, especially Boleyn and Seymour. Dowd embodied both so beautifully, making them feel like real, layered people. Even in moments where I found the pacing lagging, her narration was compelling enough to keep me engaged.
What didn’t work for me: the blurb is kind of misleading. Seymour is described as being an assassin and a spy, and while that’s technically true, it plays out very differently in the book. No spoilers! But she’s barely an assassin and kind of a spy, but not a very good one. It just makes her sound the opposite of who she is. Another letdown was the mention of “a court teeming with dragons.” That line really sold me, but there were barely any dragons, or they were treated like mere pets. The few references we do get were so interesting that I wished there had been more of them throughout the story!
The romance felt rushed. Seymour starts yearning for Boleyn almost immediately, and while the longing itself was incredibly well done, I wish there had been more development or emotional build-up. Their character developments were great, though!
Honestly, I think the book would’ve worked better if it hadn’t been a retelling of Henry VIII and his wives. Aside from the names and a few scattered facts, it doesn’t share that much in common with the history. We barely see the other wives, and they're not really memorable. The only one with a real presence is Boleyn, but even she got on my nerves at times. Like when she saw Henry knock a man unconscious just because he was worried about his safety, and she was turned on by it?? “Oh, he’s so strong, but he’s always so gentle with me.” Girl. Really?
Overall, Six Wild Crowns had so much potential, and I really wanted to love it. The concept was unique and promising, and the audiobook performance was spectacular! But the story itself just didn’t quite live up to what it could have been.

3.5/5
Six Wild Crowns is an imaginative YA fantasy that blends political intrigue, personal identity, and a battle for power in a vividly crafted world. Holly Race builds an interesting premise and offers a diverse cast of characters, but the execution occasionally falters.
The story has its moments—particularly in its exploration of complex loyalties and the pressures of leadership—but it doesn't quite break new ground in the genre. While the pacing keeps things moving, some plot twists feel predictable, and the emotional depth doesn’t always hit as hard as it could.
It’s a decent read—entertaining enough to finish, but not particularly memorable. Fans of fantasy with royal drama might enjoy it more, but for those looking for something fresh or truly compelling, this one may fall a little short.

I would like to thank the publisher for sending me an audio-arc in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley.
Boleyn is about to become Henry's sixth queen, and now it's through her and the other queens that magic can be protected. However, all is not as it seems. On her wedding day, Boelyn receives multiple gifts from her sister Queens including a new ladies maid. Seymour has been sent to Boelyn as a lady's maid, expecting to have to spy on Boleyn and what's happening within her castle. But as she works for Boleyn, she begins to develop feelings for her. And when the two of them become unlikely allies, they begin to uncover the truth about magic, because Henry is hiding something, something rotting beneath the surface, and everything is not as it seems.
So this was supposed to be loosely based on Henry the VIII and his six wives, but in my opinion I kind of wish the author made it very clear that it was EXTREMELY loosely based or even separated from the source material all together because there wasn't much connecting them except for a couple of names. I find Henry being portrayed as this handsome man to be kind of silly and only because the images we've been given of him are most definitely not. But realistically, I was okay with that. I didn't really understand where the idea of "saphic yearning" (as described in the blurb) came from because it felt very one-sided and more like having a crush on your straight best friend, but I do like the friendship that forms between Boleyn and Seymour, though I do feel like we could have slowed down the pacing on that and expanded on that friendship instead of making it seem like it came out of nowhere. I do feel like most of my issues with this book comes from lack of character development, and for the most part many of them fell flat and one dimensional. That being said, I really enjoyed the world building and the magic systems and the normalization of dragons -- there's actually a lot of dragons in this, which was really cool. I didn't really feel the tudor England vibes, but it's all good. Overall, the pacing on this was a little off and I did feel like it dragged at times, but I was invested enough in Boleyn, Henry, and Seymour, and so I stuck it through and I'm happy I did because the ending was a little wild. It's definitely on the slow side, but if you can pretend there's no connection to Henry the VIII and you go in expecting absolutely none of that, then you definitely might enjoy this. It is a well-constructed world for an epic fantasy, and there are a lot of great bones in the story to develop into a great series later on.
Actual Rating: 3.75 stars, rounded up

Holy Wow! This audiobook was epic. It took me a while to wrap my head around the world building and politics of it all but once the story got going I couldn’t stop! The narrator has a beautiful voice and voiced each of the characters differently so easily. It was unpredictable and heartbreaking. I loved it!

Thank you NetGalley, Orbit, and Hachette Audio for this audiobook ARC! The review below are my honest thoughts about the book.
I wanted to love this book. I really did. The premise of the book seemed right up my alley. I love Henry VIII and his wives and give me allllll of the fantasy books, but the book fell well short of the proposed premise. Unfortunately it's a DNF for me. I waited and waited for something to happen, but I couldn't keep pushing through. It was such slow going and so slow to develop.
The story has potential, but it strayed so far from the premise I just couldn't do it.

Thank you to Orbit books for an audiobook ARC of Six Wild Crowns in exchange for an honest review..
I’ve always liked reading books about Henry the Eighth and his wives, and to find out there was a fantasy title with those characters, I needed to read it.
Once I got past that the timelines of the marriages were different, I fell into listening to the easy flow of the book. The banter between Boleyn, Seymour, and Henry was enjoyable. The relationship with the wives was interesting and I liked how their friendships formed and the evolution of their sisterhood. There was just the right amount of fantasy included to make it not seem overdone. I enjoyed listening to the narrator. She kept me entertained and I enjoyed listening to her. I am looking forward to book two!

Unfortunately, this book wasn't for me, but narration by Olivia Dowd was done very well, each character had a different voice, I thought she made the book a little more enjoyable for me

It started off okay but quickly got bored. Boleyn was an intriguing character but the plot was lacking and the fantasy elements were too thin. Skim read from 25%.

Excellent quality audiobook, 10/10 narrator! I took a star off for the book content itself because the ending seemed abrupt and it felt like there shouldve been more?

One thing I live for is dragons and history reimagining and this one shot to the top of my list of 'must reads'
This book has been a wild ride and I can't wait for book 2, it really ends in a way that I feel can blossom into a story of Holly's own and the potential is high!
The narrators did SUCH a good job it really elevated the experience

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a free e-audio arc in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately, I will be DNFing this one. The premise seems to be completely different than what is occurring in the book. It is taking way too long for anything exciting to occur, and the political intrigue is basic and disengaging. You would think that you would get more fantastical elements that were promised in the premise, but unfortunately, there is some mention of dragons, and that is about it. Not for me, but give it a try if you find it interesting as you may like it.

Six Wild Crowns has a brilliant premise—reimagining the Tudor queens in a fantasy realm filled with magic, dragons, and political power struggles should have been a dream come true for historical fantasy lovers like me. Unfortunately, the execution didn’t live up to the promise.
While the prose is undeniably lush and the world-building ambitious, the pacing dragged considerably. There were long stretches where very little happened, and the dense descriptions, though pretty, often felt like they were stalling the plot rather than enhancing it. I found myself skimming more than I’d like just to get to moments of action or character development.
The characters themselves, despite being based on such iconic figures, often felt flat or overly symbolic. I wanted to connect with them emotionally, but their personalities felt more like archetypes than real people. The feminist themes were admirable but heavy-handed, and at times, they overpowered the narrative instead of enriching it.
I appreciate what the author was trying to do, and I can see why some readers will love it. But for me, Six Wild Crowns was a case of style over substance. I wanted to be swept away, but I ended up feeling more bored than bewitched.

advertising this as a Sapphic romance is a WILLLLLLLLD stretch.
the dragons are just dogs....even tho they have dogs in the story.
the Panther was way cooler.
anyways!
I did enjoy it. I probably wasn't in the right zone for a history retelling.
anyways.... what if Henry the 8th had to marry 6 wives to keep his magic and his kingdom stable and strong?
but the very thing that draws him to one of his wives could be the very thing to bring his reign to an end.