Fun romantasy with a unique world.
There’s trials as well as romance with a ghost man.
Things are not what they seem.
If you liked Shiekd of Sparrows you’ll love this.

This one was a rollercoaster. The beginning was tragic, I thought it was interesting how Dagen was older and he already lived his tragedy and going through the consequences. He totally deserved better but such is the life of a king. Once I got to know Nizzara, I knew Dagen would lose his fight. Their chemistry and parallels were perfect for them to fall for each other.

Reading about all the conflicts separately just for it to finally collide at the end it was so satisfying. The book entertained me most of the time, even with all these things happening at once, but it worked perfectly for me since it still had that sense of mystery. It helped me not see Jasper’s deception and it also didn’t make it super obvious about who Nizzara’s father’s enemy was. I do have to give extra bonus points for Lo, because her diary entries gave short insights that were so full of hints. I also didn’t see Lo’s deception at the end, I was very happy about that one. I really hope we see more of Lo and Dae’s sibling relationship. Thought the ending was also tragic, there’s still so much potential for a sequel and I will be waiting to read that one.

3.5-3.75/5

I really struggled as to whether or not this should be rounded down to a 3 or up to a 4, I decided on the 3 because it was just missing something that made it feel more 4 than 3. Ya know?

I did have a fun time reading this story and I will definitely be continuing the series.

This story has death-walkers, the god of death, bargains, a very unique and cool magic system, turmoil with one's own magic, a deadly tournament, enemies to lovers, and dual POVs between our two main characters. All the makings for an amazing world and story.

I did find some of the characters (more so the side characters) to be a little flatter than I think they needed to be for the impact they were supposed to have. I really do love a very developed side characters with a lot of backstory and depth.

Some moments didn't feel as fully developed as they should've been, making some aspects flat and some predictable, but it really wasn't that noticeable. I really did love this storytelling and world-building overall.

And there are some scrumptious quotes in this book. If there are two things that will automatically make me love your book, it is this: shadow magic and a fun lil dagger moment.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

I read the indie version of this book last year and loved it. The traditionally published version made it even better. What was a four-star read has now become a five-star!

The story follows our female lead, Nizarra, who is to be her father's heir. For most of her life, she feels like she has never had a choice and never been more than the next in line to the throne. Not much has been up to hear choice. Her father is planning to arrange her betrothal to secure strong political alliances. Nizarra has other ideas though, and plans to enter the Kings Duel in order to be granted a boon of her choosing. But, of course, nothing is as easy as it seems.

What I loved about this story is that the world building feels both unique and immersive. The edits to the traditionally published version truly make the world more robust and provides the reader with just enough detail to not be overwhelming, but also opens the door for the future books in the series to expand upon it. I am looking forward to see how the realms and world develop in furture books of the series.

The vessels, the magic used to bind spirits to a person and grants the bonded power, is absolutely unique and something that feels very balanced. It was very easy to understand the way the magic worked, and very easy to see how the consequences of extreme use could be detrimental to the bonded.

The relationship between Nizarra and Dagen, our male lead, feels very believable and real. The further they get in the story, you can really feel their relationship grow on page. Not only is he flirty, but it truly feels as if he fully supports Nizarra, even at his own expense.

There really wasn't much that I didn't love about this book. I would recommend this book to anyone who was a fan of Phantasma, Enchantra, One Dark Window, and anyone who had a crush on Danny Phantom as a kid.

Thank you to the publisher for the eARC from netGalley., I really enjoyed this one and can not wait for the sequel!

Unfortunately I just did not vibe with this book. I had a hard time being invested in the story or the characters. I feel like I did not actually know them or care about them from the start so it was hard to stay engaged. The paranormal concept was interesting and new (to me) in a romantasy.

The unique magic system is easily the most intriguing aspect of Vesselless. It had so much potential and was one of the main reasons I picked up the book. The story started off promising, but unfortunately, it didn’t deliver. After an engaging opening, the plot felt stagnant, and by the end, it seemed like not much had happened. The writing was also needlessly complicated.

One of the biggest challenges I faced was confusion about the setting. For the first 20-30% of the book, I couldn’t tell if it was set in the past or the future, which made it harder to immerse myself in the world. Additionally, the characters didn’t stand out for me. I found myself indifferent to their struggles and choices, which meant I wasn’t invested in the story’s outcome.

While the concept behind Vesselless had great potential, the execution didn’t quite work for me.

Vesselless is dark, twisted, and dripping with atmosphere — a paranormal fantasy with morally gray vibes, tension-heavy slow burn, and a deep undercurrent of emotional weight. The story follows a woman marked by something ancient and powerful, who finds herself bound to dangerous forces (and even more dangerous men) as she tries to survive a world that wants to use or destroy her.

The plot kept me curious, and the haunting tone and layered mythology gave it a unique edge. It’s intense and unsettling in all the right ways, with moments of unexpected softness buried under the grit. If you’re into monsters with feelings, power struggles, and complicated bonds, this delivers — just don’t expect light or easy. It’s not a comfort read, but it is addictive.

3.75
This is a debut and overall I think it was pretty good. I will say if you can find the content warning read them before reading this because there was none in the version I read. The prose are easy enough to read and it flows really well. I really liked it to begin with and then started having some issues with the world itself which had me pulling myself out of it and taking short breaks here and there which I normally don't do.
The magic system I found intriguing, different and really caught my attention and made me want to know more immediately. I really liked the introduction of our MMC, Dagen. And that she has to give her soul to him willingly was a set up from the beginning made me think..."hmm how is this going to work out?"
Overall I liked the premise and I did like the execution. I loved the slow burn. I will be awaiting book 2 to see what happens next.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for the complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was incredibly confusing. Between the mind reading and the flash backs and the diary I legitimately had no idea what was going on , at 25% I had to read
The blurb / info because I was like I have no idea what is happening . Sorry I didn’t love this. I like fantasy too and usually don’t have an issue with world building but I was truly lost

At the heart of the story is Nizzara, the reluctant heir to the Kingdom of Zarr. Burdened by her destiny and a unique ability to perceive spirits, Nizzara seeks to escape a suffocating betrothal by entering a deadly tournament. But her struggle is not just against external foes; it's a battle against her own formidable spirit magic, which is dangerously addictive, and the unnerving darkness that threatens to consume her from within. Her determination to win without succumbing to these internal threats, coupled with the revelation that she's outmatched, sets the stage for a desperate alliance.
Enter Dagen, a character who immediately captivates with his tragic past and complicated present. The last King of Zarr, Dagen was brutally murdered by Nizzara's own father a decade ago. Now, he exists as a half-ghost, tethered to another realm, forced to hunt wretched souls for the god of death. His shot at freedom comes in the form of a dangerous deal: reclaim his former life by delivering Nizzara's soul to his keeper. The catch? She must give it to him freely by the tournament's end, or his own soul is forfeit. This impossible choice, combined with his "all charm" demeanor, paints Dagen as a compelling, morally gray antagonist-turned-ally.
The forced proximity and inherent conflict between Nizzara and Dagen. Their alliance, born of necessity in the ruthless tournament, is fraught with tension. Nizzara must overcome her fear of power and trust an enemy who is literally after her soul, while Dagen navigates the fine line between manipulating her for his freedom and, perhaps, genuinely connecting with the woman whose family ended his reign.
Overall, this book is an absolute must read for readers who crave high-stakes fantasy, enemies-to-lovers tropes, morally complex characters, and intricate magic systems.

Vesselless by Cortney L. Winn is a dark fantasy romance that’s set to be traditionally published on October 7, 2025. It will include extended scenes and deeper world building from the Indie version.

A sincere thank you to NetGalley, and Avon and Harper Voyager for the eARC.

Princess Nizzara is the heiress to the throne, the one her father stole from King Dagen 10 years ago.

Nizzara is determined to win a deadly tournament in order to end the betrothal she has been forced into and forge her own path.

Dagen is a ghost stuck in the realm of Baratrum (hell). He has been assigned to gain Nizzara’s soul in exchange for his freedom from Nil, the god of death. The only catch is she must freely give her soul to him by the end of the tournament or his own soul is forfeit.

What to expect

-Fierce stabby FMC
-Unique magic
Kingdom tournament
-Banter and tension
-Slow burn
-Political intrigue
-Hidden identities
-MMC can see FMC's memories

This story is the kind you will continue to think about days after reading it. Cortney L. Winn creates a world with a unique magic system, political intrigue, and a slow burn romance.

The banter and tension between Nizzara and Dagen was absolute perfection!

Dagen was definitely giving off Rhysand vibes with the flirty one liners he would say to Nizzara.

One of my favorite parts of Vesselless was the diary entries at the beginning of Nizzara's chapters. These were written by Lo, Dagen’s sister. They added depth to the story and revealed important details of Dagen’s past.

You are going to want to pick this book up in October. It was everything!!!!

I cannot wait to see what happens in the next book.

For fans of darker realmed popular romantic fantasy. However - where many popular books fail in the romance aspect (I’m a knit-picker and have a hard time with most fantasy romances out there) Cortney L. Winn BROUGHT THE HEAT. I was head over heels for the romance between Nizzara and Dagen.
Nizzara is your classic head-strong stubborn protagonist, but I do feel like her attitude toward life is justified in that her father gives her little to no freedom to make her own choices, and most of the time actually forces a choice onto her. I really liked that Nizzara’s biggest battle was with herself and how close she felt to being just like her father. This felt like a real and tangible battle and it helped build her character and set her goals really strongly.
Dagen is NOT your classic morally-grey love interest. Though he definitely has some grey area in his morality, he felt like a genuinely good character. I loved that he wasn’t bad or mean for the sake of being a big bad love interest, he was kind and felt for Nizzara the moment he witnessed some of her memories. I liked the change from your typical booktok sensational bad boy, to this loving while still powerful man.
The romantic tension was off the charts and I loved their chemistry so much!! I was literally giggling and kicking my feet as I read. To have a strong romance that doesn’t feel forced and that aligns well with both of the characters and their own plots, it was just perfect and worked out really well. And I really really really can’t stress enough how much I loved the slow-burn romantic tension.

The biggest and really the only critique I have - is that I wish there was more in depth world and character building. I’d love to know more about who Nizzara is, who Dagen is, what his experience for the time between his death and now was like, and who they are. What makes them them. What they love or dislike. And I know the author mentioned that she is editing some of the world building, but I’d also love to know more about the world, the different species, the different realms, etc.

This was such an exciting read for me! Vesselless drew me in right away with its haunting atmosphere and refreshingly unique premise. The world, which is filled with ghosts, lost souls, and original mythology, felt distinct from typical romantasy fare, and I really appreciated how different it was from the usual fae, vampire, or dragon tropes. I really liked Nizzara and Dagen as main characters and I felt like they had depth.

That said, as a reader who loves to vividly picture the world while I read, I struggled at times with the world-building. The story dropped me in without a lot of context, and I found myself confused by the terminology and various roles—like the Jaxelli, guardians, essences, and gods. Certain plot points, especially early on, left me wondering if I had missed something or if the vagueness was intentional.

Still, I’m glad I stuck with it. The emotional stakes and the dual character arcs kept me engaged, and I genuinely enjoyed the storyline/plot of the book. As the book progressed, the world began to take more shape, and I can see how it could evolve into something really rich in future installments. There's so much potential here, and I’m excited to see where the story goes next.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy!

“To save his soul, he must steal hers”


I loved the world building of this book and learning all about Nizzara and Dagen.

2⭐️

DNF at 40%. I tried I really did but in just can't do it anymore. It's a real shame the book started out so strong and intriguing.

The characters are just very one dimensional. They fell flat and they were just not that interesting. This is not a slow burn as it feels very instalove/lust it just takes bit for them to act on anything. I just couldn't get past the Casper the friendly ghost romance.

Then there is the world building. It just made really no sense. There isn't electricity but there are guns and cars.? Then there was a mention to angry music. I just don't get it :(.

This unfortunately just wasn't a big flop for me and I don't plan on continuing.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this advanced reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own.

I didn't know what my opinion on Vesselless would be since sometimes it's hard to find an original story in the romantasy genre, but I thought it was great. The idea was original and I'm excited to learn more about the intricacies of the world and its magic system. The banter in this book was superb! I also loved the character development from our two main characters. Nizzara is one of my new favorite fmcs. I'm excited to see how her and Dagen's relationship progresses in book two.

Vesselless is a bold and dark romantasy packed with magical innovation, emotional tension, and intriguing moral dilemmas. Fans of slow-burn romance, duel-based fantasy, and unique supernatural systems will likely adore it.

If you’re seeking a novel that blends political drama, spirit magic, and heart-wrenching enemies-to-lovers chemistry—and you don’t mind unresolved threads and strong content—this may be the romantasy gem you’ve been waiting for.

This was a fantastic romantasy read! It has all of the good bits we love, like trials, intrigue, witty banter and charm! It follows Nizzara as she Is becoming Queen/ trying to get out of her betrothal. Along the way she meets Dagen who ironically enough is the rightful King of the throne she sits on. I had a great time reading this and I am very much looking forward to book two!

Do you love fantasy? Do you love dark romance? If so, this is a book for you! I loved everything from the world building to the characters. This was such a good read!

“Vesselless” by Cortney L. Winn is the first book in a series. This is a darker fantasy series that has excellent world building and amazing character development. The book was well written and I had a good time reading it.
Thank you to NetGallery and Avon and Harper Voyager for an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.