his book is one of my favorites from this year. The world building feels so real you get sucked in to the world. I loved the found family in the story and I also loved the themes of what you would do for your family. The twists and turns of the story were so interesting that I could not put this down. I loved the ending and I am so excited for the next book.

Welcome to New Solei, where beauty is currency... currency is power... where danger lurks around every corner and nothing is as it seems.

Noa Toussaint is someone who is all too familiar with the cruel beauty of New Solei. She left the cossetted, sheltered... safe life of a Saint for the dangerous life of a Nightshade... a gang of magical outcasts.... and completely made up of women. And as Noa adjusts more to the life of a Saint, she realizes that she is falling more and more for the ferocious and formidable leader, Lennon... and that she would love to capture the heart of such a dangerous woman for herself.

Her talents at alchemy are extremely useful to the Saints, but her past connections to her Saint family place the Nightshades at far more risk than she could've imagined. With danger looming ever close, and Lennon unaware of that danger... Noa must do everything she can to expose the threat... and to keep both of them safe. This is not your average love story.

Kate Koenig truly paints a dazzling name for herself in Her Sharp Embrace... for this is a strikingly dark story steeped in shadow, and one that sinks its teeth into you from page one and will refuse to let go until the very last page.

There is something that is so alive about Kate Koenig's way of writing, and also how she manages to not only make everything seem so alive, but at the same time with such a sharpness... driving her point home...

Her Sharp Embrace is a beautiful tale of not only sapphic love, but also of a constant struggle for power, of dancing between life and death, of desire, and yet also reminds of what the cost of wanting too much can be.

To add to the teeming mess of political disagreements and conflicts that frequent New Solei, Kate Koenig has also brought a beautiful system of magic to life, blending that with the ever-beautiful art of alchemy and of course, plenty of hidden secrets.

There is veritable tension that can be felt as you flip each page, and while many might try to tone down or change feelings that we may experience in real life to provide us somewhat more of an escape... Kate does not do that. The feelings that her characters feel are raw, powerful, and haunting... adding once more to that beautiful sense of liveliness that Her Sharp Embrace is.

I thoroughly enjoyed this absolutely amazing novel, and I look forward to seeing what Kate has in store for us next.

Immersive and detailed world building, a story that strikes you right in the heart on top of political intrigue.
You can't go wrong with this one and I can't wait to see what Kate does next!

This was such a dark and intense read that really leans into its emotional and atmospheric elements. The tension between characters stands out and keeps the story engaging. I did want a bit more depth in certain areas, but overall it delivers a strong and compelling experience.
If this is a debut which it didn't necessarily read like it, it’s a bold and memorable start.
⭐ 4/5
Tropes:
• Dark romance
• Morally gray characters
• Obsession
• Power dynamics
Perfect if you want:
• Intense, emotional stories
• Dark romance vibes
• Character-driven tension
• A gripping read
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC!

Her sharp embrace Book Review 💐🗡️

In the city of New Soleil, we join Noa Toussaint as she begins her journey with the Nightshades a magical all girl gang, who are famous for stealing from the corrupt and powerful and fighting for those who are usually forgotten.

Noa is one of the most powerful alchemists of her generation who also happens to be a baroness, which is the highest noble title someone can have in New Soleil, she also decides to forgo said title to be with the love of her life Lennon, leader of the Nightshades. She settles into her new life until one of the members of the Nightshades is murdered by assassin’s wearing jester’s masks. At this the remaining Nightshades must race to find the killers. But here is where the story truly begins… everyone has secrets… so beware of who you trust, someone close to you might betray you when you least expect it.

This book was such a good surprise! I was hooked from the start, I truly loved how complex and raw all of the characters were, every single one of the Nightshades was real and vulnerable (while trying to maintain a strong façade) and that immediately made them more human and relatable.

The story is also written with alternating timelines and multiple POV’s between the week before the murder and culminating with the trial, which really helped giving context and understanding how the characters ended up in this situation. All while keeping us on the edge of our seats while trying to guess the next plot twist and trying to figure out who was telling the truth and who wasn’t. Let me just say the betrayal and the cliffhanger at the end left me wanting to immediately reach for book 2!

What to expect:

💐Strong FMC’s
🗡️Political plotting
💐Alchemy
🗡️Magic (charisms such as physical strength, truth wringing, persuasion, illusionism, alchemy)
💐Found family
🗡️sapphic romance
💐touch her and die
🗡️ Multiple POV’s
💐betrayal
🗡️ Lots & lots of plot twists
💐cliffhanger at the end
🗡️Alternating timelines

✨Favorite Quotes:

“I am a girl of many faces.”

“From the moment I saw you, I knew I needed you in my life. And I knew you needed me too.”

“You made me a slave to your love and you want to talk about choices?”

“I see it in her eyes and the true horror of what I’ve done slams into me. In the very marrow of my bones, I know that I have destroyed my true love.”

A huge thank you to Kate Koenig, NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for providing me with the eARC to such a captivating story! Can’t wait to see what adventures book 2 will bring!