romantic fantasy – Lyndsey Hall

Review: One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig

Hi book friends! I’ve got another incredible fantasy pick for you today, I know I’m a little late getting to this one, but goodness am I glad I finally picked it up! And now my copy of book two has arrived, I’ll promptly be diving back into the world of the Shepherd King. If you’re yet to have the pleasure of meeting Elspeth, Ravyn and The Nightmare, this review is for you.

TL;DR It’s a darkly lush gothic fantasy with one of the coolest magic systems I’ve come across in years, and fairy tale vibes, but like, the Brothers Grimm versions…

Blurb

ELSPETH NEEDS A MONSTER. THE MONSTER MIGHT BE HER.

An ancient, mercurial spirit is trapped inside Elspeth Spindle’s head – she calls him the Nightmare. He protects her. He keeps her secrets. But nothing comes for free, especially magic.

When Elspeth meets a mysterious highwayman on the forest road, she is thrust into a world of shadow and deception. Together, they embark on a dangerous quest to cure the town of Blunder from the dark magic infecting it. As the stakes heighten and their undeniable attraction intensifies, Elspeth is forced to face her darkest secret yet: the Nightmare is slowly, darkly, taking over her mind. And she might not be able to stop him.

For fans of Uprooted and For the Wolf comes a gothic fantasy romance about a maiden who must unleash the monster within to save her kingdom.

Title: One Dark Window

Author: Rachel Gillig

Link: https://www.amazon.com/One-Dark-Window-Rachel-Gillig-ebook/dp/B09QCCH9N7/

Format: Audiobook

Review: 5 stars

I knew I was going to love One Dark Window before I even opened the cover, the blurb absolutely sold it to me – a girl with a monster inside her mind? Highwaymen? Dark magic? And romance? Yes please! I ordered the paperback of book two as soon as I finished and now I’m desperate to pick it up (just as soon as I finish writing this review!).

One Dark Window is like Renegade Nell meets Wuthering Heights with added tarot cards and a thick fog separating them from the rest of the world, similar to the Fold in Shadow and Bone. There’s even an evil entity living in the misty woods that kills anyone who ventures too near without a talisman (rabbit’s foot, etc.). It was very atmospheric and the writing was descriptive but still fast-paced, which I loved.

The magic system was ingenious and yet so simple, using different cards from a special pack, called Providence Cards, created by the legendary Shepherd King. Each card has a different design and allows the user to access a different type of magic – but nothing comes for free, even magic.

Elspeth was the type of female main character I absolutely adore, still feminine but oh so capable, cunning and clever. Even when the Nightmare inside her mind wasn’t taking over her body and giving her enhanced abilities, she was still a brilliant protagonist with as much agency as an unwed young woman in a gothic novel can possibly have.

She’s been hiding her affliction from the physicians and Destriers (the King’s best cavalrymen, tasked with eradicating magic-wielders and anyone who succumbs to the infection that causes magical abilities) since she was nine years old. Magic, other than from the Providence Cards, has been outlawed by the Rowan King, so Elspeth is in a lot of danger if anyone finds out about the Nightmare…

Enter Ravyn Yew, mysterious and handsome nephew to the king, and Elspeth’s worst enemy. Because he’s the Captain of the Destriers, and he’s taken a special interest in our girl, for reasons known only to himself. And as the tension between them builds and their secrets start to come to light, Elspeth realises he may not be the biggest threat she faces. Because the Nightmare is growing stronger, and it’s only a matter of time until it overpowers her completely.

The romance in One Dark Window was *chef’s kiss*, Ravyn is a true gentleman, and a bit of a rogue when he wants to be. I’m looking forward to seeing the romance between them grow in book two, after all the longing stares and accidental touches, and that one scene (iykyk), it’s the least we deserve!

The world building in this book was absolutely incredible, Gillig has thought of everything and I was gripped by the explanation behind the Providence Cards, the Shepherd King and the mist. If you’re also a big fan of a detailed backstory, then you’ll definitely enjoy this about One Dark Window, there’s so much to the world, its history and magic system, and I really enjoyed learning about it all.

I’m dying to read Two Twisted Crowns and find out what happens next for Elspeth! I gave One Dark Window 5 stars, I listened to the audio book and burned through it in a few days, but my copy of book two is a paperback because I recently cancelled my Audible membership due to having too many audiobooks and not enough time. Obviously I regretted that immediately, but we move.

If you love gothic fantasy, historical novels and dark fairy tale-esque books, then this series is definitely for you!

I’m currently working on a gothic romantic fantasy called The Rose and the Serpent, so it was great for research. I can only hope that my next book will be anywhere near as atmospheric, captivating and swoony as this one! One can dream…

Lyndsey

Cover reveal: A Fated Quest by Selina R. Gonzalez

Hello, hello lovely readers! I’m writing this while sitting at the kitchen table of my auntie-in-law’s beautiful home in Jersey (the Channel Island, not the US) , sipping my coffee and looking out at the glorious sunshine.

We’re here visiting for a few days, exploring the island, taking in some culture (I dragged Matt to a vineyard for a tour and wine tasting, I loved every minute, and got to drink double the wine! Hehe), eating untoward amounts of incredible, fresh seafood, and just soaking up the relaxed, joyful atmosphere of the place.

Jersey definitely enjoys a slower pace of life than England, and I really want to absorb some of that mentality and take it home with me. At least for a few weeks, until school starts again!

Today, I want to share the gorgeous new cover of my lovely writer friend Selina’s upcoming novel, and the third book in her Miraveld Chronicles series, A Fated Quest!

When a prized firebird is stolen on his watch, a prince undertakes a deceptively simple quest that leads him on a wild adventure where a talking fox aids him as he tries to find the bird, save a damsel, and best a witch.

How fantastic does that sound? It’s coming out in just over a month, on September 21st, and is currently available for pre-order on Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C9SNTQCQ

And signed paperback and hardcover copies are available only for US and Canada (sorry UK friends!) direct from Selina’s site: https://selinargonzalez.com/books/quest

Paperbacks & hardcovers will be available from Amazon & other online retailers around release day.

Fancy claiming some exciting goodies? Submit your proof-of-purchase for the Kindle book pre-order, pre-order from Selina’s site, or purchase a print copy once they’re available from other retailers and submit proof-of-purchase here: https://selinargonzalez.com/pre-order-campaign/

Blurb:

Prince Gareth of Eynlae longs to be a knight and escape the compromise and cowardice of the royal courts, and especially his father, who seems to care more about his crown than his children. After defying the king one too many times, Gareth is granted his wish and sent to serve as a knight…but guarding a quiet border castle is tedious compared to his favorite legends.

When a prized firebird goes missing on Gareth’s watch, he eagerly volunteers to recover it. His hunt leads him into the neighboring kingdom of Aedyllan, where he falls into a witch’s trap and is forced into a deadly game of hidden motives and confusing prophecies. It may be up to a self-righteous prince, an intellectual fox, and an enchantress knight to stop the witch.

But in a world of multiplying injustices and the inexorable pull of fate, should the villainess’s quest to activate a fae curse even be stopped? Gareth will have to examine his pride and unforgiving nature if he’s to become the hero he’s always aspired to be.

Inspired by the fairy tales The Golden Bird and Tsarevitch Ivan, the Firebird, and the Gray Wolf.

The cover art was created by the incredibly talented Tatum Cito (@tatumly.art on IG) and the design/typography is by Deranged Doctor Design.

If you love young adult adventure fantasy/romantic fantasy, and fairy tale retellings, you’ll love this book, and the rest of the Miraveld Chronicles! This book can be read as standalone, but you may miss things that tie in to the first book, A Thieving Curse, so it’s recommended to read that one first. Book two happens concurrently to book three, so it’s not essential to read it before this one, but you might want to!

You can keep up to date with Selina and her releases by subscribing to her emails: https://selinargonzalez.com/newsletter-subscription/

Happy reading, friends!

Lyndsey

Review: Ash – Crooked Fates by Sky Sommers

I spent this weekend in Oz with the characters from Sky Sommers‘ brand new release, Ash: Crooked Fates, so I thought I’d invite you to join me as I skip down the yellow brick road.

If you’re looking for a fun, light-hearted read to whisk you away to a fairy tale land and make you laugh out loud, this is the book. Sky’s witty, irreverent sense of humour is almost Monty Python-esque at times, so if you love that style of comedy you’ll definitely love this series.

One of my favourite kinds of story is the ‘behind-the-scenes of a well-known tale, what really happened’ type of thing – think Lion King 1.5 where Timone and Pumba tell the story from their side (if you haven’t watched it, it’s a delight). This is exactly that, only ten times better, because Sky has combined classic fairy tales (Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast) with the fae, and chucked in a dark angel for good measure, and woven them all into a modern retelling of the Wizard of Oz with added humour (the thing missing from most fairy tales, I find).

This is the third in a series, but all can be read as standalone novels, you just might miss out on a bit of context. Suitable for teens and adults alike.

Snap up the ebook up on Amazon for just 99c/77p and spend a few happy hours with a Beast dressed as the cowardly lion, a fae prince trapped inside a tin suit, and a dark angel masquerading as a brainless scarecrow as they escort Ellie to meet her absent father, Oz the Great and Terrible.

Enjoy, my pretties!

Lyndsey