I received a free copy from Ballantine via Netgalley in exchange for a free review. Publish date March 3rd, 2026.

I'm a little wary of faerie books (often not my favorite subgenre), but I was willing to give a book with comps to Tasha Suri and Holly Black a shot. In The Debtor's Game, Avery and the rest of her people are enslaved by debt tattooed on their bodies that is impossible to pay off. A misstep in Avery's service to her cruel mistress Lady Kassandra makes her a pawn in the high noble court--traded away to the ruling house.

Books published as "faerie romances" right now tend to not be my cup of tea, but with a synopsis that hinted at being sapphic or poly, I thought the story might be promising, especially with the focus on predatory debt. Alas, from page one, I found that Mongeau refers to the characters as "males" and "females." Deep sigh. The clumsy terminology is meant to remind the reader that none of the characters are human, but unfortunately it's reflected by a slapdash depiction of gender and sexism in the worldbuilding. Offhand mentions to Avery being forced to wear dresses and Kassandra's role as a broodmare are dropped into the text to provide character angst and plot tension. But these comments fail to create sense of systematic oppression-- Avery feels very much like a twenty-first century American, with no real concept that her options are curtailed by her gender.

Avery is treated by the narrative as effectively a servant with abusive bosses. But in practice, she's a slave. Faeries are literally born into debt for existing, and more debt can be stacked on at any time for perceived slights with no oversight, not to mention the ruinous interest. While faeries can technically pay off their debts through work, we see zero characters who have managed to free themselves. Avery's status as a slave puts the romance plotline with her owners Lady Kassandra and King Maxian in an uncomfortable light. Mongeau hasn't got the theoretical grounding to effectively depict a slave desperately trying to assert agency over her life through sex with her cruel owner, nor the romance-writing chops to pull off hot slave dubcon. The resulting narrative is a bit of a mess somewhere in between the two. It's clearly meant to be morally gray and a bit fraught--but not this much.

I think the concept could have been improved by a strong execution, but I found the first person prose a touch inelegant, with a tendency to whiplash between stilted formal fantasy-speak and phrases like "okay."I liked The Debtor's Game better than the other bi faerie romance Faebound, which I dnf'd, but this book was not a standout for me.

I really enjoyed reading The Debtor’s Game. I love a book with court politics and an immersive world, and this one delivered on both. Avery is a compelling main character, and I liked watching her navigate tricky loyalties while trying to earn her freedom. The story is well-paced, and the High Fae world feels rich and fully realized, with enough political intrigue to keep readers invested. Overall, it was a fun, engaging read that I’d recommend to anyone who enjoys epic fantasies and court politics.

Than you Ballantine for the advanced copy!

I will post my review on Goodreads on March 3rd.

Sadly, I couldn't get into this novel in spite of the intriguing plot (I wouldn't have requested it otherwise). A shame, really.

As always, my experience doesn't represent a monolith. I'm sure others will find it amazing.

This was such a gripping read with a tense, almost cinematic feel. The stakes felt high from the start and I loved how the plot kept twisting in ways that made me question every character’s motives. The writing had this sharp, fast pace that made it hard to put down. Some moments could have used a bit more depth to fully land emotionally, but the suspense and atmosphere totally made up for it. If you’re into high-stakes thrillers with a clever edge, this one is worth picking up.