Review: Honor and Heresy, by Max Francis

 

Roy Dawnseve cares more for philosophy than battle. But, in a society that shuns literature in favour of their ongoing war, Roy must face a difficult choice: brave the front lines or investigate the identity of their foes in the Orphic Basilica, an ancient, abandoned library. When Roy chooses to unravel the mystery, it soon becomes clear that the Orphic Basilica isn’t without its own horrors. Strange voices echo down the halls, ghosts roam the bookshelves, and those who stepped foot in the library have either emerged insane or were driven to their own demise.
Roy’s partner in the investigation is Percival Atherton, a manipulative, enigmatic and distractingly charming scholar who has no qualms about belittling Roy. As a fierce snowstorm isolates them from civilisation, Roy and Percival must grapple with their tormented pasts, an unexpected romance, and an age-old conspiracy whose secrets are certain to wipe Northgard from history.

​“​Better it be my nightmare than a whole country's.”

Max Francis' Honor and Heresy is an achillean dark academia novel set in a fantasy world where scholars are put to death. The intriguing premise doesn't live up to its promise, and we're put in a claustrophobic setting, an enormous library, where our two main characters have to do research about a nebulous threat. The novel is mostly about the research, and while the snippets we get of this world's body of work are tantalising, the focus narrows down to the narrator's trauma.

There wasn't a good balance between plot, worldbuilding, and the character's inner life, and what we get is a strange concoction whose abrupt and truncated ending makes no sense at all and falls absolutely flat. Which is a shame, because the bare bones of the novel are really good. 

Honor and Heresy is a missed opportunity.

✨ 3.5 stars

 

ARC Review: Our Crimson Cage, by Ladz

 

Laura Toperz’s husband will be only gone for a week. Despite hiring a new maid to pick up her duties, she expects the days to go by as they do when her husband is present: mundanely and without incident. She is not prepared to solve a murder. Elżbieta dreams of riches. Being hired as a maid for the wealthy Toperz household might just be her ticket to security. After one of her shifts, she sneaks into the manor’s forbidden basement in search of treasure, hoping for valuables or jewels. Instead, she discovers something starving and solitary, begging to be unleashed. Elżbieta can only give in.
Soon, sanguinary terrors descend upon the town. Unaware of her maid’s transgression, Laura remembers the bloodthirsty woman trapped below: Karmila, who comforted her in her youth. Karmila, whom her late father swore was just an imaginary friend. Karmila, who now paints the town and its maidens red. Having escaped under her watch, Laura must decide what she’s willing to sacrifice to bring back peace and quell the lustful frenzy entrancing everyone around her. Even if it means herself.

My thanks to the author for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ladz's Our Crimson Cage is a gothic fever dream, taking place in Poland during the Nineteenth century and taking more than a little inspiration from Carmilla. This sharp sapphic novella stuns the reader with its decadent plot and explicit language, detailing the awakening of a monster and centuries of generational trauma bordering on the incestuous.

The book starts with a very informative list of trigger warnings that should be heeded. It is not for the faint of heart, and certainly not for anyone having misgivings about a little touch of blasphemy and broken taboos about menstrual blood. It is a vampire story, and it revels in all its gory and explicit elements, leaving absolutely nothing to the imagination and leaving the reader absolutely begging for more.

At its core, it's a tale of liberation from society's constraints; from religion and patriarchy and any social constructs. It is not an easy story, but it leaves you questioning.

Our Crimson Cage is a decadent dessert.

✨ 4 stars

 

ARC Review: The Sun King's Noon, by Briar Niran

 

King Richard of Ardenia knows fear well. The veil is his kingdom's only defence against Gloamvarn—a neighbouring realm of monsters—and it is crumbling.
In a bid to gather allies for the coming war, Richard throws open his court for a grand Summer Ball. As he navigates political wiles and new threats, it becomes hard to hold steady. Harder still, when bitter arguments erupt between him and his devoted knight.
Meanwhile, a long-buried secret threatens to shatter his family and court, and through it all, the Gloam King waits with a smile.

​Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Briar Niran's The Sun King's Noon is the excellent sequel to The Sun King's Dawn (HERE you can read my review). This second book in the quadrilogy doesn't hold back its punches, continuing the tale of asexual king Richard and his struggles both as monarch of a realm in peril and as a man who finds love for the first time and needs to navigate his feelings. As in the first book, his sex-repulsion features heavily and it's handled deftly, detailling the strong feelings of alienation and the first fluttering beats of a romance that he feels he can't have, duty-bound and unwilling to deny affection to his knight. This is done beautifully and delicately, and it's lovely to see such a nuanced exploration of achillean asexuality in a fantasy novel.

For his part, the knight Kaelen also has some maturing to do, and his journey is worth reading. This continues to be a series about strong relationships, both familial and friendship. Richard learns to open up a bit, to seek counsel more, to heed advice; but he's still strong-willed and used to load everything up on his shoulders, with mixed results. He's a flawed character, but they all are: flawed and incredibly human. The complex web of human relationships is further entangled by the introduction of many new characters as Richard reaches for allies against the threat to his kingdom.

The worldbuilding expands with new kingdoms and people, showing complex traditions and still drawing from our own folklore in a way that is fresh and interesting. The looming threat gives urgency to everything, but there are still some lulls of introspection, quiet moments that are very poignant. One particular moment in the second half of the book, a conversation between Richard and a thief, is especially beautiful and brought tears to my eyes.

The villain gets something of a backseat in this book, still appearing in all his menacing self, but not so overtly present as in the first book. This allows for a tighter focus, and for some really spectacular moments towards the end, a much-needed conversation, and a nail-biting finale.

The Sun King's Noon is a great sequel.

✨ 5 stars

 

List: Most Anticipated Books of 2026 - July to December

 

Here are my most anticipated books for the second half of the year, in order of publication.

 "The Lord of the Wood", by E.M. Anderson(pub July 21, 2026)

 

 

 

  "A Trade of Blood", by Robert Jackson Bennett (pub August 11, 2026)

 

 

 "Dangerous and Well-Read", by Rebecca Sky (pub August 18, 2026)

 

"The Salt King", by Natasha Pulley  (pub August 18, 2026)

 

 

"The Darkness Bites Back", by Laura R. Samotin & Ben Alderson  (pub September 29, 2026)

 

 

 

"Call Me Traitor", by Everina Maxwell  (pub October 27, 2026)

 

 

"Lavender & Hemlock", by Lily Wilkinson  (pub November 10, 2026)

 

 

Review: The Fox and the Devil, by Kiersten White

 

Anneke has a complicated relationship with her father, Abraham Van Helsing—doctor, scientist, and madman devoted to studying vampires—up until the night she comes home to find him murdered, with a surreally beautiful woman looming over his body. A woman who leaves no trace behind, other than the dreams and nightmares that plague Anneke every night. Spurred by her desire for vengeance and armed with the latest in forensic and investigatory techniques, Anneke puts together a team of detectives to catch her mysterious serial killer. Because her father isn’t the only inexplicably dead body. There’s a trail of victims across Europe and Anneke is certain they’re all connected.
But during the years spent relentlessly hunting the killer, Anneke keeps some crucial evidence to herself: infuriatingly coy letters, addressed only to Anneke, occasionally soaked in blood, and always signed Diavola. Devil. The obsession is mutual, and all the more dangerous for it. The closer Anneke gets to her devil, though, the less sense the world makes. Maybe her father wasn’t a madman, after all. Diavola might be something much worse than a serial killer . . . and much harder to destroy. Because as Anneke unearths more of Diavola’s tragic past, she suspects there’s still a heart somewhere in that undead body. A heart that beats for Anneke alone.

​“Every contact leaves a trace.”

Kiersten White's The Fox and the Devil is a horror mystery filled with sapphic yearning. Much like the author's previous novel Lucy Undying (HERE you can find my review), it takes inspiration from Dracula, although at a much smaller level, only pulling out the character of Van Helsing as a starting point. Here we follow his daughter Anneke as she contends with the fact that monster are indeed real, and we follow her investigation across Europe as she hunts a hunter, a horrific serial killer. Having Dracula in mind meant that I had my own preconceptions about what was happening behind the scenes, and it was delightful to be proven wrong.

White instead writes something that is only marginally about vampires, and more about yearning and obsession and finding something to live for again. Despite her inner turmoil, Anneke is a competent character, a sharp detective, and together with her coterie of friends she solves impossible murders. Diavola is a great foil, and once we get to know her better, a fascinating character. The progression of their relationship, from foes to something more, is slow and quiet, keeping in line with the times.

The writing is simpler than White's previous novel, where she experimented with different formats with stunning results, but this is a quieter story. The author did a lot of research about the society and historical figures of the Nineteenth Century, and it shows. 

The Fox and the Devil is an excellent book.

✨ 4 stars

 

ARC Review: Heaven's Graveyard, by Grace Curtis

Cod became an archaeologist to chase the ghost of her hero, Aleya Ana-Ulai. History may have written Aleya off as a myth, but Cod is determined to prove she existed, even if it means sifting through relics for the rest of her life. Then a message arrives summoning her home. Cod's former teacher has found something monumental: the ruins of an enchanted city, slumbering beneath the soil.
This could be the breakthrough they've always dreamed of. But with war brewing, rival powers circling, and ancient magics stirring underfoot, their discovery soon becomes far more trouble than it's worth. Even Cod starts to wonder if some things are better left buried.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

Grace Curtis's Heaven's Graveyard is a fantastical murder mystery set some two thousand years after Idolfire, the author's first foray into fantasy. This one's more of a science fantasy mix as we see a world that completely forgot its magical roots and developed similarly enough to ours. Idolfire is referenced heavily, but the novel works well enough on its own, giving tantalizing hints that prompt the reader to go back to it, wondering how much of what is referenced is true and how much is fiction.

The book offers fascinating insights into archeology and the pull of ancient history as we follow Coda, a young academic on a mission to prove that her favorite piece of folklore is a real story. The novel kicks off when she gets called back to her hometown and she's forced to start an investigation, confront her own tumultuous past, and see her troublesome ex-girlfriend again. In the background, whispers of a war between countries don't really reach us, as the worldbuilding relies somewhat on knowledge of the previous novel. The story careens towards a high-stakes final confrontation and wraps up everything nicely.

But at its core, the book is about Coda's inner journey from a person who flees from conflict and has trouble with making connections in her everyday life. She reads as neurodivergent in some ways, and the book doesn't magically fix her, but it gives her the tools to better live.

Heaven's Graveyard is a lovely read.

✨ 4 stars

 

 

ARC Review: The Sun King's Dawn, by Briar Niran

 

Burdened with an inability to desire others, King Richard of Ardenia still finds peace in his unruly siblings, his loyal circle, and even in his young knight, Sir Kaelen, whose yearning stares he has spent years ignoring. But when Richard rides to a borderland village to investigate eerie happenings, all peace shatters. The veil containing Gloamvarn, a neighbouring realm filled with fell beasts and unimaginable horrors, is cracking. Sooner or later, it will fall.
As Richard hunts for a way to safeguard his kingdom, Kaelen stays close, a constant, protective presence that stirs a strange tenderness Richard doesn’t dare name. For the monsters have a new ruler. And the tyrant hungers not only for Ardenia. But its king, too.

Thank you to the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Briar Niran's The Sun King's Dawn is a gorgeous achillean romantasy with the slowest of burns, first volume of a quartet, featuring an asexual king and his loyal knight. Told exclusively from the point of view of the king, the novel is a deft exploration of sex-repulsed asexuality and of how alienating it feels to live in a world where everyone expresses their love through carnality. At the same time, it's a novel about finding out one's own way to express love.

King Richard is a beautiful protagonist, complex in his grief and in his belief to be defective. He fiercely loves his siblings, and puts their well-being over his own more than a few times. His loyal knight shines bright with fealty and honor and with the kind of all-encompassing love that the bards sing about, but to the king it's anathema, and source of endless embarrassment and disgust, despite holding deep affection and trust for the knight. This creates a very interesting dynamic that promises to become much more intricate as the series goes on, without the need to somehow "fix" the King.

The worldbuilding and writing might be deemed simple, but they hold up very well, creating the perfect backdrop for the story. This is a secondary world with many creatures from our legends and a basic magical system, but the way it all blends is quite nicely done; the kingdom of the vampire-like creatures especially comes to mind, and there's some really horrifying moments linked to the overall threat of the book, a coming corruption of the flesh. In that regard, threat of sexual violence is also present, but handled expertly in a sensitive manner.

The main villain is perfectly villainous and quite disgusting in his pursuit, while his motivations may at first feel at least partly justified. We feel Richard's despair and horror as the book goes on and the villain's leery overtures become more and more explicit and terrifying. The rest of the cast holds up very well; Richard's three siblings are all well developed, and especially his kid sister is a delight.

The Sun King's Dawn is a perfect first installment.

✨ 5 stars

 

Review: Nightshade and Oak, by Molly O'Neill

 

When Malt, the goddess of death, is accidentally turned into a human by a wayward spell, she finds she's ill-equipped to deal with the trials of a mortal life. After all, why would a goddess need to know how to gather food or light a fire?
Trapped in a body that's frustratingly feeble, she's forced to team up with Bellis, warrior daughter of Boudicca on a perilous journey across Roman-occupied Britain to the afterlife to try to restore her powers. As animosity turns to attraction, these two very different women must learn to work together if they are to have any hope of surviving their quest.

"The most important thing is how you get back up." 

Molly O'Neill's Nightshade and Oak is a pretty straightforward historical fantasy with strong focus on mythology. The depiction of myth and folklore is definitely its strong suit as we follow the adventure of a goddess made human and we see her experience the full gamut of human emotions, including love. The book fails to compel, though, meandering through a side-quest for a long section after the half mark before getting back on track and delivering a bittersweet finale that doesn't make up for the lack of focus.

While the themes are worth exploring - grief and inner strength - the character work doesn't fully support their weight, and the love between goddess and mortal develops at once too fast and too slowly. It remains an interesting premise, one that could have been developed a bit more and more subtly.

Nightshade and Oak is a nice standalone.

✨ 3.5 stars

 

 

ARC Review: Princeweaver, by Elian J. Morgan

Born with forbidden, nature-infused magic in an occupied land, anxious apothecary Meilyr survives by keeping his head down. Until he ends up engaged to invading prince Osian in order to save his brother’s life. Now, he is in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse to hide his true self.
When nobles in Osian's court are gruesomely murdered by the same magic that flows through his veins, Meilyr realises someone is seeking revenge for his homeland. As suspicion towards him grows, he and the prince work together to uncover the killer, or risk losing the crown - or their lives. Between court politics, unwieldy magic and a murderer on the loose, Meilyr must keep his wits about him. Especially as his feelings for Osian grow deeper with every passing day...

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

Elian J. Morgan's Princeweaver is an achillean murder mystery inspired by Welsh folklore and filled with yearning, also offering a stern condemnation of colonialism and showing the toll it takes on the land and its people. It perfectly sets the pieces for what promises to be a gorgeous series, but readers should be warned that the ending is quite abrupt and heart-wrenching, leading to the ferocious need to immediately get to the next book.

The slow burn between Meilyr and Osian is exquisite and acutely slow, a perfect counter to the terrifying and quite horrific murder spree happening around them. Meilyr is a sympathetic protagonist, torn between his secret past and the loyalty to his wrecked land, and the love he starts to bear for the very representative of the kingdom that destroyed his home. For his part, Osian is keenly aware of the wrongs of his royal family, and it shows both in his politics and in the tender respect he gives Meilyr, every interaction between them laden with care and attention. It's rare, refreshing, and beautiful to see so much attention given to consent, even for the smallest gestures, and each moment truly is swoon-worthy. There seems to be demisexual representation, too, which is lovely to see.

The rich worldbuilding ensnares the reader, seamlessly weaving elements of folklore into the narrative. The countryside of the Welsh-inspired conquered nation is rarely explored, most of the action set in the keep, but the old magic and the incredible resilience of its people seep through, especially with the focus on the banned language and on the persecution of magical individuals. The focus on herbology is also very interesting, and the magical system derived from it is clearly described.

This being a mystery, it offers clues that a more savvy reader may catch quickly on; I was personally taken aback, having been working on a completely different theory, but the signs were there, ready to lead to a stunning showstopper of an ending.

Princeweaver is a gorgeous first installment.

✨ 5 stars

 

ARC Review: The Seaglass Blade, by J.C. Snow

 

Aili Fallon has spent three hundred years of her unexpected immortality building a safe place for all those she cares about – her phoenix lover; their dragon son; their renegade demon daughter; and the shape-shifting spiritual creatures who come to Aili to learn the sword. She's determined to protect them from human captivity and demonic corruption. But the patterns of the natural world, the source of spiritual power, are inexplicably failing. When Aili's lover is attacked, her phoenix healing disappears. A curse killing dragons targets their son, while growing demonic power threatens to destroy their daughter.
And hidden deep, a traitor is waiting. Piece by piece, a long-laid plot of vengeance, betrayal, and cruelty is tightening around Aili and her family. The home that's been a sanctuary is now a trap, and Aili will risk everything she’s built, and everything she is, to break them free.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

J.C. Snow's The Seaglass Blade is a brilliant standalone adventure set in the same world of the author's previous series The Crane Moon Cycle and featuring much of the same characters. Despite this, it's very easy to follow, as relevant old events are mentioned and explained without being infodumpy. It's a wuxia-inspired novel, with cultivation, demons, and shapeshifting dragons and phoenixes. It pulls the reader in with a very cozy atmosphere and a lovely queer found family, but there are also really harsh emotional beats and betrayal. At its core, it is a story about grief, family, and the cost of surviving.

The many PoV characters include the main sapphic relationship, made from a phoenix and her long-time companion, and a nascent achillean relationship. Chenguang and Aili are at the core of the book, their love tested and found true, and the both of them are fantastic, well-rounded characters. A definite highlight is the young dragon's quest for self-actualization against a terrible tragedy, as he matures and reaches a new understanding.

The worldbuilding is phenomenal and really stands out. It's one of my first forays into this subgenre, but the rich imagery and the complex relationships make for a vivid and solid novel. The sections about the dragon and the sea were especially beautiful. The demons are of course not the christian stereotype but a nuanced exploration of the cycle of abuse, and the girl demon especially has a captivating, heartbreaking arc.

The Seaglass Blade is a delightful read. 

✨ 4.5 stars

ARC Review: Dawn of the Raven, by T.L. Tyner

In the kingdom of Ríocht na Meon, magic is forbidden-and those who wield it are hunted. The First Order's armies scour the land for druids, elemental mages who once walked in harmony with nature. Sorcha, a seamstress raised in comfort within the outer districts, has always been content with her quiet life with her closest friend, Fiona. But when her world begins to unravel, Sorcha's peaceful existence shatters. Fiona, daughter of a farmer and servant in the royal keep's kitchens, works tirelessly to provide for her family. Bound by duty and loyalty, she never imagined her life would change-until she receives an unexpected offer of marriage that could upend everything. And Nemain-the Reaper-haunts the shadows. A feared druid cloaked in mystery, her name alone sends tremors through the kingdom. Few know her story. Less survive her shadows touch. As secrets twist through the royal court and rebellion brews in the kingdom, these women's paths collide in ways that will alter not only their own fates but the fate of the Ríocht na Meon.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

T.L. Tyner's Dawn of the Raven is a sapphic fantasy adventure inspired by Irish myths and folklore, set in a world where druids are persecuted. First in a series, it follows three women as they contend with their fate and with persecution.

Fiona and Sorcha are old friends and maybe more; when they get separated, they struggle to survive against societal constraints and people in power. They go through much over the course of the book, and change for better and worse. Nemain has a darker story, and a history of abuse that the author doesn't shy away from. It's seen especially in how quickly she latches to Fiona when they cross paths.

While the general plot, the characters, and the worldbuilding are intriguing, with mature themes like torture and abuse, the writing is somewhat simplistic, while also moving too fast when it ought to stop and let the story breathe.

Dawn of the Raven is a queer tale of resilience.

✨ 3.5 stars

List: Most Anticipated Books of 2026 - January to June

 

Here are my most anticipated books for the first half of the year, in order of publication.

 

"Nightshade and Oak", by Molly O'Neill (pub February 3, 2026)

 

"The Fox and the Devil", by Kiersten White  (pub March 10, 2026)

 

"Vile Lady Villains", by Danai Christopoulou  (pub April 2, 2026)

 

"Princeweaver", by Elian J Morgan  (pub April 16, 2026) 

 

"The Moon Blessed King", by Lindsey Byrd (pub April 28, 2026)

 

"Andromeda", by E.S. McLeod (pub May 14, 2026)