In a realm with spirits, competing kingdoms, mysterious other realms, and fraught familial relations, Nizarra attempts to make a path for herself where darkness cannot stop her.

2.5 Stars ⭐️⭐️🌓

I wanted to enjoy this book far more than I actually did. Even giving the book laxed expectations as a debut novel, there were a few glaring aspects that made it hard to completely enjoy it.

While reading, it felt like I was being told what was happening. In general, stories do well when showing instead of relying on telling. Many descriptions of actions, thoughts, or surroundings did not help me feel a part of the world of the novel but as though a reporter was speaking to me through a television. While it can be more difficult to show and not tell with two protagonists sharing their points of view (First Person Perspective), more creative ways of expressing characters' thoughts, feelings, and observations could have been used to keep it engaging.

With the writing style, I felt I was missing a lot of the world-building. The world within the story is really interesting with all the different creatures, gods, species, etc. I wished more of it was shown and built up with details.

The nearby insta-lust aspect of the main romance was a turn-off for me, but I will state I am not a reader of spicy books, so if this book was attempting a level of spiciness, it was not intended for me. Some of the trust-building between Nizarra and Dagen that advances their relationship along was nice and helped give the characters more depth.

Lastly, the ending felt a bit rushed. While this is only the first in the book series the final events occurred within the last 10 pages in a rather sudden and out of left field type of way with little suspense. I didn't feel the emotional impact of it.

Overall, a good start as a debut novel but several aspects could be improved to give the story more depth and emotional investment.

I think this was ok for a debut novel, but I could tell it was a debut. Each aspect - the romance, the tournament, the world building - it was all good but not super memorable. I think I've just personally read so many fantasy romance books with a very similar premise that it has become quite predictable. I wish there had been more tension, more banter, and overall character development. If you have never read a book like this before, I think you might enjoy it. But it youre an avid read of this genre like myself, it might end up falling flat. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

I’m very grateful to have received this e-ARC from Harper Voyager 🖤 Overall 4.5/5 stars

THIS BOOK. I could not put it down, it was such a good time! And by good I mean good for me…it was a verrrry bad time for the characters 😅 Every time I thought, “Things can’t possibly get worse for the FMC” Cortney was like, “HOLD MY DIET COKE” and emotional damage increased eveeeen more 🫠

What you can expect:
💀 Dark romantasy (could be high fantasy with all of the cool world building)
🖤 Brutal world, lots of action scenes, spirits and possessions
💀 Dual POV + important side character’s diary entries at the beginning of each chapter
🖤 FMC Nizzara: She is the heir to the kingdom of Zarr and a resilient badass who struggles to resist her inner darkness and spirit magic. She also battles feelings of loneliness, pain, responsibility to create a better kingdom, and emotions surrounding her evil, abusive father. If someone tells her to “fix” her face ONE MORE TIME…ugh, I just felt so bad for her!
💀 MMC Dagen: He is a half-ghost and previous king of Zarr. He uses his charming ways to gain Nazzara’s trust with the hope that she will give her soul to him in exchange for his freedom from the god of death.
🖤 Unique magic system where humans bond to spirits via an unremovable ring called a vessel and can then cast spirit magic
💀 A lot of world building and lore with different dimensions, realms, species, and prophecies
🖤 Forced betrothal and deadly tournament
💀 Slow burn enemies/reluctant allies to lovers
🖤 Betrayals and a cliffhanger that ripped my heart out
💀 Please read the trigger warnings before jumping in

Vesselless by Courtney L. Wynne is a fantasy romance with an intriguing premise involving gods and mortals acting as vessels for other entities. For me, it landed at about 3.75 stars.

The pacing started out a bit slow, but picked up after the 25% mark. Toward the end, though, it became a bit repetitive with a lot of back and forth between the characters. I was intrigued by the worldbuilding, but some continuity issues pulled me out of the story. For example, I initially pictured a setting that felt like olden mythical times ,, a less technologically advanced realm, only to have kars. I know there’s a concept of crossing realms, but it wasn’t explored in depth, which left it feeling underdeveloped.

In terms of spice, I’d rate it about 1.5 out of 5, very mild. That’s not necessarily a bad thing for me, but I did expect a little more going in. The main character is supposed to remain celibate for a while, and while that’s fine as a plot point, it kept being brought up so often that it started to pull focus from the story and lessen the chemistry between the two main characters

The female main character herself was definitely a badass, powerful, and strong. But you never really find out what happened to her and what’s taken hold of her. Unfortunately, the book ends before those questions are answered, and it closes on a cliffhanger, clearly setting up the next book.

As for the romance, the chemistry felt a little off at first, then suddenly the male lead was all in. There are also several open plot points and unanswered questions that left me feeling a bit unsatisfied. Overall, I enjoyed the concept and the heroine, but I think it was poorly executed.

4.5 Stars Rounded Up!

What a fantastic debut from Winn! Thank you to Harper Voyager for the earc from NetGalley! I was absolutely consumed by this book as I read it!!

I LOVED this book. It consumed me. The short chapters made me feel like I was speed reading. It was addictive and face paced.

Vesselless is a book that draws you in from the VERY first sentence. Winn makes you want to keep reading from the character driven nature of her story. You are hooked on our FMC, Nizzara, and her relationship with Dagen from the get go. I LOVED how this was a book that when you get to the end you want to reread it to discover ALL the little hints the author wove thought the story.

I absolutely think this book is perfect for those who loved Metal Singer + The Ever Seas.

I finished the book an hour ago and am still trying to put together the pieces of the last 10% which means, I will absolutely be reading book two whenever it comes out! This was a fantastic start to a series and I cannot wait to see how it continues.

What is a series that hooked you from book one?!

4.5 ⭐️rounded up; WOW I love Dagen and Nizarra so much, this is absolutely going to be everyone’s new favorite spooky romantasy book for Halloween 2025!

Tropes:
✨ghost MMC x spirit caster FMC
✨SLOWWWW BURN (and the best yearning to draw it out)
✨prophecies
✨spirit possessing/soul harnessing based magic system
✨high fantasy with multiple kingdoms/dimensional realms
✨political intrigue
✨abusive king x heir FMC that will not yield
✨slavery and oppression/rebellions
✨meddling gods and goddesses

Do y'all see how long that list is?? This book truly had everything, with overall vibes that reminded me of Phantasma mixed with a high fantasy like Plated Prisoner. If you like Blackwell, you will LOVE Dagen for the charming, flirtatious bastard that he is and absolutely fall for his sweet, caring, comforting side. The dialogue and yearning between our couple was just so delectable; seeing Dagen try to earn Nizarra's trust only to fall for her and threaten anyone else that would harm her was just developed SO WELL! This is a true slow burn; we don't get any action until past 80% and I am so here for it!!! It's well worth the torture, I promise you.

Nizarra, oh my precious darling you deserve so much more. Her complicated relationship with her abusive, bipolar father was one that was a bit close to home and I thought it was represented very well. We saw her constant inner conflicting emotions and the pain she'd rather take on rather than hurt or become the mini monster reflective of the man that raised her. I admit, sometimes I got annoyed and was screaming at Nizarra to kill everyone in the room while she fought off her urges, but she kept holding out and I'm going to stand beside her!

The only reason this story was not 5 stars for me was the fact that there was just SO much going on, which made some of the lore a bit confusing at times, especially when it came to the different dimensions (I still have no idea what the endgame with the Jaxelli is) and the essences vs Gods vs Guardians glossary discussion. This also led the ending to have a bigger info dump with all of our reveals over the last 20%, which were really good but gave me a bit of whiplash with how much was going on.

I'm honestly surprised this is only planned to be a duology, because I feel like with all of this lore, we could really expand into a big high fantasy series! Regardless, I am really excited to see where this story goes next and definitely consider this to be a new favorite dark romantasy of mine! After that cliffhanger...I need the next one IMMEDIATELY!

Nizzara stands at the edge of power, torn between a ruthless legacy and her own quiet resistance. Enter the MMC (no spoilers!), a former king whose past unravels through a missing sister’s diary in a dual-timeline format that keeps the tension high.
The magic is incredibly unique. Spirits bond with castors, living inside their shields to grant power. It felt refreshingly new in a genre full of trite tropes.
I was unable to come up for air from the number of twists and revelations that shattered me throughout the book. A slow-burn mystery, soft and tender moments of character development, aching loneliness…
Vesselless is romantasy with soul.

I received a copy of the new version of this book for trad publication, and even though I truly loved the indie version Cortney somehow added more for me to love. I feel like the changes she made truly added more to the story. I do hope that we learn more about Nizzara's mother and father's backstory in the next book though.

There is a complex multi-layerd magic system that is power shared through a ring, “aka vessel”, where it appears to combine the power of the person wearing it with the power of a spirit. There are also Gods and Goddess, different realms, different dimensions, different species, some CREEPY monsters, grim reaper like beings, warring kingdoms, rebels, prophecies… Everything that fantasy should be. The romance is great too. It is a true slow building burn between enemies to lovers. The banter is wonderful and the tension is THICK.

The ending left me in pieces and I NEED the rest of the story! There are so many twists and turns and I am so eager to read them all.

Thank you very much to Avon and Harper Voyager as well as NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Vesselless mixes high stakes dueling, addictive spirit magic, and a slow burn romance with a world that’s fascinating but sometimes confusing (glo cars, guns, and ghosts all in one?). I wanted more backstory, especially on Nizzara’s mom and the tournament history, but the tension, unique magic, and that cliffhanger mean I’ll be back for book two.
3.5 ⭐

Epic! Unique world and magic! It took me a minute to grasp the realm and the time period, but once everything clicked, I was hooked. I never thought I’d have a hard-on for a sexy ghost… but here we are.

The FMC’s resiliency amazed me despite everything her possessive (and possessed) father put her through, she still manages to hold onto her pureness, which made me root for her even harder. She’s entered into the King’s duel, where the prize for winning is your greatest wish, in her case, freedom from a forced marriage.

And let’s talk forced proximity… when a deathwalker can literally spirit into your essence, there’s no escaping the tension.

Dark, romantic, and utterly immersive — I can’t wait for the next one!

The premise of the story was really good, however, there were some issues I had with the world building and random plot twists. I feel like there was a lot of information given, but it never came to a cohesive finish. I love the ghost/ spirit aspect of this book, and how they give you powers.

The good:

I really enjoyed the romance between Nizzara & Dagen. He is protective and powerful, especially when it comes to her. Honestly the more interesting character to me out of the two. I felt like we explored more of the world through him vs Nizzara. Her chapters dropped a little lore but it was mainly training and her family hating her + her father’s abuse.

I really enjoyed the side characters and I would have liked to see what happened to them towards the end, specifically Yisabell & Preysee.

The questionable?

Why did she have to be almost raped and her first kiss have to be against her will? Then shortly after she kisses Dagen and they are about to have sex but are interrupted? Like hello she was just assaulted?

The reunion between Lo and Dagen was anticlimactic.

I don’t know why Nizzara’s mother got 5 seconds of screen time that really didn’t explain the world or the gods?

The gods needed to be explained more. I also just feel like the world needed more development in general.

Why are they using knives and swords when they have cars and guns?

Nizzara’s miraculous healing abilities when gravely injured.

All that being said, I really didn’t enjoy the book for the most part. It was really fast paced and captivating, but it was also confusing. I hope that we have a lot more answers in the second book about the world and the God themselves. It was never really explained why everyone was after Nizzara. What makes her special? I feel like the story had a lot of potential and I would be interested to see what is going to happen in book 2.


Thank you to Net Galley, the publisher and Cortney Winn for the eARC.

I received a copy of the new version of this book for trad publication, and it’s honestly somehow even better than the og version. There were some spots where it definitely isn’t as dark as the original, but the changes made the story pack even more of a punch.

I’m still just as gutted by the ending as I was the first time. I’m absolutely distraught that our main characters are in the places that they are (trying not to spoil so I apologize for the vague comments). This trope gets me every single time. It breaks my heart and makes me ache for the next book.

I’m really excited to own the new gorgeous cover of this book. I love that it takes the old cover and revitalizes it for the new release. The color scheme is everything.

I fell in love with this book and its characters. I was sucked in from the very first page and didn’t want to put it down ever. This book was so incredibly good. The ending absolutely gutted me. I’ve never wanted the next book in a series more in my life.

Thank you very much to Avon and Harper Voyager as well as NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

6 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Harper Voyager for this eARC.

This world felt entirely original. The magic system was like nothing else I’ve read. The characters compelled you to root for them even when you didn’t want to. The setting, while somewhat urban/futuristic, also had older practices and the way it was done blended well and made it feel more original, in my opinion. It wasn’t at any point predictable, and the ending definitely left everything open to continue into more depth. I was gripped from the beginning to the end. No notes.

Thank you so much to Harper Voyager, Cortney, and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this ARC!

2.5⭐️
I heard about Vesselless when it was first released as an indie published book and was excited to see it was being traditionally published. I had not read a lot of paranormal fantasy books and was excited to delve deeper into this genre.

Personally, this book was not exactly for me. While I do believe many will enjoy this book especially if you like fantasy romance and the paranormal aspect, I found it hard to get into. There were a lot of intricacies to the world building and I found myself needing to reread what I had read to better grasp aspects.

I genuinely liked the overall plot of the book with our MMC Dagen needing to be our FMC Nizzara’s downfall so he can save himself from being trapped. That aspect had me intrigued from the beginning, but the characters themselves did not completely captivate me. I think the amount of world building and information about various kingdoms and what had happened previously in Zarr caused me to feel bored with Nizzara’s POV.

Again, this is only my opinion and likely could have been the right book but at the wrong time for me. I would definitely consider rereading it once published to see if I found myself enjoying it more. I would still recommend this book to those interested!

5⭐️

Where to even start with this amazing book?! It has everything I want in a Romantasy- epic world building, unique magic system, tension and angst, and a bad*ss heroine with a heart of pure gold.

The characters were dynamic and layered, with not everyone being entirely who they appear to be at first. I am OBSESSED with our fmc, Nizzara. She is loyal, brave, fierce and clever. I loved the juxtaposition of her gritty determination, and vulnerable kindness. While she was my favorite, Dagen was a close second! Talk about Casper the sexy half-ghost! Dagen was honest, angsty, and completely swoon worthy. My emo heart was so happy every time he was on page. There are so many other characters I loved and can’t wait for more of. Honestly, there is just an amazing cast in this book!

The action is compelling and serves to drive the plot, which I loved! We had mysterious prophecies, a hidden diary, and revelations that had my jaw dropping. It was fast paced with just enough amount of detail. There is a cliffhanger ending, but it was done so well and I was left wanting more in all the good ways. The writing was phenomenal and the dialogue a great mix of emotional depth and humorous banter. “Fix your face, Nizzara” is absolutely iconic.

Overall, I loved this book and am beyond impressed by Cortney’s beautiful writing and her uncanny ability to pull at your heartstrings. There were so many unique elements that make this novel special! There are a lot of good books out there, but this is one whose light shines brightly and you won’t want to miss out on. I will be impatiently waiting for the next thing Cortney Winn treats us with.

I read this as an ARC for Cortney’s Indie release as part of her Secret Street Team and it was amazing to ARC read it again for her Trad Pub release. Thank you to Cortney, Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for an ARC!

4.5 stars but rounding up to 5

I thought I knew what to expect when I picked up this ARC about a princess entering a deadly competition and partnering with a charming ghost in order to win, but Vesselless turned out to be so much more than I anticipated.

I feel confident classifying Vesselless as a high fantasy read. The world-building is incredibly complex, with multiple kingdoms, human and spirit realms, diverse species, several royal families, numerous gods and goddesses, and complicated spirit magic, with seemingly endless different abilities and manifestations.

On the surface, Vesselless tells the story of Nizzara, Princess of the Zarr Kingdom and heiress to the throne. She’s a caster, bonded to a spirt through an unremovable ring she wears on her finger, a Vessel. Forced into a betrothal she does not want, Nizzara enters the King’s Duel in hopes of being granted her wish of ending her engagement upon winning. To win, Nizzara must join forces with Dagen, a mysterious spirit who just so happens to be the charming and very handsome former King of Zarr. However, Dagen has his own motivations. As a subject to the god of death, Dagen struck a bargain to earn his freedom and a chance to reclaim his throne, and the price is Nizzara’s soul. But Vesselless is so much more than its advertised deadly tournament. It is also a story about the struggle to resist addictive power and darkness, an abusive father/daughter relationship, hidden identities and royal secrets, lies and betrayal, and old evil resurfacing.

What I Loved:
The world and magic system is fantastic. This book is set in what feels like a more futuristic fantasy world with developed kingdoms and gem powered “glo-kars” and “glo-guns.” It feels a bit Sci-Fi-esque while still being grounded in its fantasy roots. I’m also incredibly intrigued by the Skeeves and cannot wait to see how that plays out in book 2.

What I Struggled With:
While I loved the world-building, it is a lot to digest. I feel as though I need to read the book twice to fully understand all its complexities, which is far from a bad thing, but makes for a more challenging read. I also found the romance to be a bit formulaic and underwhelming, which stood in stark contrast to the unique world and magic system the author created. I’m still rooting for Nizzara and Dagen though!

That being said, I would still absolutely recommend Vesselless to high fantasy readers and those looking for a spirit/human slow-burn romance. The ending sets up book 2 for the possibility of being a 5-star read, and when it eventually releases, there is no way I will not be picking it up.

Thank you to NetGalley, Cortney L. Winn, and Harper Voyager for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

This book wrecked me in the best way.

Vesselless quickly became one of my favorite Romantasy reads of the year — not just because it hits my sweet spot with a delicious enemies-to-lovers dynamic, but because the magic system is so uniquely crafted it felt like opening a door to an entirely new subgenre. Imagine KPop Demon Hunters energy before that was even a thing.

The MMC has to steal the FMC’s soul to save his own. Sounds simple, right? Except nothing about this story is. It’s layered, morally gray, and emotionally rich. Do you choose your soul and fate… or do you love someone enough to give it all up?

I really enjoyed Vesselless! The core concept—magic powered by spirits bound to rings—was super cool and unlike anything I’ve read before. The way spirit partners give the magic users unique powers added a lot of fun twists to the story. I also loved the dynamic between the main characters—their banter was flirty, fun, and gave the story a lighthearted edge in the middle of all the action and tension. The king’s duel plotline to win freedom from a forced betrothal was another highlight for me.

That said, the worldbuilding was a bit confusing. At first, I thought it might be sci-fi or steampunk because of the vibe—but then they’re driving cars, using guns powered by magic stones, and still dueling with swords while living in castles. It felt like a mash-up of genres, and I had a hard time picturing the setting clearly.

Still, it was a unique and fun read overall. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who’s into unconventional romantasy with a fresh magic system and great character chemistry.

I had a great time with Vesselless by Cortney L Winn. I did not read this back when it was an indie published book, so I don't know how much changed in the trad version, but I liked this! I thought the magic here was fresh and interesting. The stakes were high from the very beginning, which I enjoyed and it kept me engaged. I really liked the FMC, a badass with a big heart under the worst circumstances. I had no idea how we were going to have a relationship with a literal ghost, but I was SAT waiting to find out. Shadow daddy, frfr. The end of the book was a wild ride. I was turning my pages with haste. Some of the twists I saw coming, and some of them I did not. AND some I'm still questioning their validity, so I cannot wait for book 2.

I think the biggest thing that stuck out to me was the lack of trigger warnings in this book. There were a lot of scenarios that occurred in this book that were handled inappropriately. They were way more intense and were blindsiding while reading that pulls you out of the book and. ruins the overall flow and pacing. They weren't addressed in depth just a blunt occurrence and then the expectation that things are continuing business as usual. I think also the world building was a bit confusing with the paranormal and new romantasy elements, like magic and sword fighting but then elevators, cars and guns. It didnt really blamed well, and with the lack of detailed world building it was very confusing to follow. This book had potential but fell flat for me as key things were not executed well or handled with grace.