Tag: Fantasy

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Book: “The Demon Star” by Jesse Aragon

Publishing Info: DAW, July 2026

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: Gods rule this planet. Demons stalk its canyons while Kings beg for mercy. Can three mere humans rewrite its destiny?

The otherworldly religious conflict of Dune, the cosmic strangeness of Gideon the Ninth, and the heart-pounding action of Red Rising converge in this horror-tinged epic science fantasy debut.

Ysira Naktis was a human sacrifice, marked for death. Unlike the thousands ‘harvested’ each year, though, she did the unthinkable. She survived—and what she brought back with her could change the fate of worlds.

When Ysira’s estranged son is chosen to become the vessel of a god-killing demon, she is faced with a choice: allow him to harness cosmic power at an unspeakable cost, or doom millions to save him. She finds an unlikely ally in Brother Jacen Kheris, once a gifted exorcist, now a guilt-ridden addict, desperate for purpose.

From a demon-haunted canyon to a starbound satellite, they must battle their way through cultists, aliens, and the gods themselves. The truths they unearth are deeper and more sinister than anything they could have imagined.

Review: This was such an odd mashup of so many things that don’t seem like they should work together, but somehow do. Theology and exorcisms! Dune-like worms! Telepathy! And all told through a multitude of POVs, all of whom are morally gray to some extreme or another.

Let’s start with the characters. While there are various perspectives throughout, there are three primary characters, each with their own arcs and struggles. Through these three main characters, the story dives into themes such as addiction, the desperate drive for approval from others, and the toxic side of motherhood. “Toxic” is really the right word for many of the characters in this book. These are messy people who form messy relationships to one another, and this is by no means a “feel good” story when it comes to any of this.

There is sort of a romantic subplot, but it’s definitely not of the traditional sort. As I said, everything here is messy, including the relationships that form between these three. I didn’t love this aspect of the story, as it played into a few romantic themes that aren’t my favorite. Alas, I’m one of those romance readers who enjoy more straightforward, happy love stories, so this aspect of the story wasn’t my favorite.

But the main elements of a fantastic fantasy book were all here, including a hefty dose of horror. Everything exists on a grand scale, and the book neatly balanced introducing its complex world while also side-stepping into deep philosophical topics regarding religion, power, and the roles of gods and demons in this world. Again, like the characters, the book is heavy, complicated, and on the darker side. I found all of this so interesting, however, that I never felt bogged down by the bleakness of some of its themes.

And then comes the second half, with tons of twists and turns and gut punches around every corner. In the first half, the reader begins to settle into this world, as uncomfortable as it is, but the second half neatly rips away any sense of stability that was formed in that first half. Like the characters, the reader will simply stumble, reeling, from one crushing scene to the next.

Overall, this was a great fantasy read! It’s definitely on the darker, more horror-centric side, but I think it did a fantastic job with its world-building and exploration of complex themes. I struggled a bit with some character beats, but much of that comes down to personal preferences with regards to POV characters and their arcs. If you’re a fan of cosmic fantasy, definitely check this one out!

Rating 8: Heart-wrenching, horrific, and freakishly compelling, it’s the kind of book where you’re constantly waiting for the next twist to rip your heart out, but you can’t stop reading in spite of it!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Demon Star” can be found on these Goodreads lists: 2026 Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction and 2026 Debuts

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Book: “The Eye of Leviathan” by M. A. Carrick

Publishing Info: Orbit, July 2026

Where Did I Get this Book: Netgalley!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: In an alternate Spanish Golden Age, the Council of the Sea Beyond has risen to unrivaled power, exploiting the Otherworld’s most precious resources for their own gain. Estevan seeks to uncover their secrets, but he risks the exposure of his that he is a faerie, masquerading as a mortal.

The Hungry Girl is the human whose place he took. Lost among the fae and desperate to find some purpose for her existence, she leaps at the chance to help a group of Spanish explorers in the Sea Beyond…only to be horrified at the atrocities they commit.

A faerie pact has separated them– but only together can they bring down Spain’s worlds-spanning empire and save the homes they have both come to love.

Review: Well, mark this one down as another excellent fantasy story from the writing duo that is M. A. Carrick! After loving “The Rook and the Rose,” I was confident that I would like this one as well. But it also sounded very different, focused on an alternate version of Spain during the Inquisition, a version of the world where not only those who weren’t Catholic were persecuted, but the fae as well. It sounded ambitious, and after reading it, I think I underappreciated just how ambitious it was from the start!

Let’s begin with the worldbuilding and historical elements. This book definitely doesn’t shy away from its historical roots, so strict fantasy readers should buckle in for a hefty dose of historical fiction. While there are obvious adjustments to fit in the magical elements, there’s also a close look at the realities of the Inquisition and the oppressive society that made up this point in history, and many real-life historical figures are present in the tale. Further, the story takes its time exploring religion and the central role it played not only on a society level, but an individual level. It’s difficult to set aside the modern lens through which we often think of religion, but Carrick does an excellent job of exploring the theme here, both with how fundamental it was to those living in this time and the ways in which it shaped almost every aspect of their lives.

But on top of the historical events, I loved the way the authors pulled in their fantasy world, neatly layering an entirely new element smoothly and efficiently. This very much felt like a version of history that could have existed had, you know, fae been real. What’s more, through this portion of the book, the story explores themes regarding colonization and exploitation. There were some very tough moments in this book, but everything was handled carefully and with a light touch, avoiding the pitfalls of heavy-handed preaching that can sometimes happen with big topics like this.

I also loved all of the characters we had here. Obviously, the two main POV characters get the most attention, and each was very enjoyable in their very different ways. But I also really liked the side characters. Unlike some of the themes which are fairly black and white, the characters who make up this world almost all exist within some shade of gray. While what is being done to the fae is indefensible, there are large parts of their society and individuals operating within it who have their own inexcusable moments. Further, we see kindness and love from humanity, even if by and large, human society as a whole is at a low point.

Estevan and the Hungry Girl were both excellent leading characters. The story alternates between their chapters, and I will say that while I liked both of these characters, their stories felt very different, leaving the pacing feeling a bit uneven as we bounced between the two. Estevan’s story is slower, and this is the portion that reads like historical fiction almost more than fantasy. And for her part, the Hungry Girl’s story is a much more adventure-forward, fast-paced fantasy novel, full of dangers and thrills. I enjoyed both, but it was one of those cases where I would become invested in one and always be slightly disappointed to have to switch. Only to repeat that experience with the other storyline.

Other than this slight ding to pacing, there was one odd character moment that I’m not sure how I feel about. There are perhaps slight spoilers to follow, so skip the next paragraph if you want zero spoilers, even light ones.

We meet a character in the middle of the book who, while living as a man now, was born a woman. Like I said, this is a very historically accurate book, and much of that focus also includes the strict limitations put upon women. At one point, one character mentions that there are no women trapped in towers in Spain, like you see in fairy tales. Another character aptly responds that perhaps ALL women in Spain are trapped in towers. It’s a very powerful moment.

But then when it comes to this character, the theme gets pretty muddied. There are moments where the book seems to present them as a trans man who has always wished to be a man as an identity. But in the same breath, when exploring that character’s past, we see them running up against a society that isn’t allowing them the life and adventure they crave, simply for being a woman. Did they want to be a man? Or did they want the life and freedom of a man and this was the only option? Surely, there would be plenty of women who would struggle under the oppression and limitations put upon them simply due to their sex. So much so that dressing up as and presenting as a man to exist the way they prefer would be the obvious route, regardless of identity matters. It’s a tricky topic, but I think the book just missed the mark here, especially given the apt critique of society’s views of women throughout the rest of the book.

Back to the nonspoilers! I’ll wrap this one up by saying this was much lighter on the romance front than “The Rook and the Rose.” True, that trilogy worked up to it, but even from the start, it felt more prevalent than what we get here. One character has an extensive subplot romance, while the other may have one developing? Or not? I wasn’t quite sure how to read things there. But I just wanted to note that for readers who may have been looking for more romance from these authors again.

Overall, I really loved this book! It was a long read, but one of those books that I never wanted to end. Hopefully the second half of the duology arrives quickly!

Rating 9: A wonderful blend of historical fiction and fantasy, “The Eye of Leviathan” is as heart-wrenching as it is enthralling!

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Eye of Leviathan” can be found on this Goodreads list: Can’t Wait Sci-Fi/Fantasy of 2026.

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

Book: “Harbour of Hungry Ghosts” by Eliza Chan

Publishing Info: Orbit, July 2026

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: The Au family serve the people of Hong Kong as demon hunters and blessing shrines, honoring the dead and dealing with dangerous yiaoguai incursions. The expectations on eldest daughter Kiamling are high, which is not something her strict grandmother and mentor will let her forget.

However, when British colonists interrupt a hungry ghost ritual, and her grandmother disappears, Kiamling must step up and lead the search.

Her bumbling language pupil Archie and her youngest sister Jingling will offer aid, alongside Hoi Gor, Kiamling’s recently returned childhood crush from Canton.

But when British fables mingle with local Chinese monsters, how can Kiamling prove herself, when the old rules no longer seem to apply?

Review: I had high hopes for this one! While I didn’t love her “Drowned World” series, I still appreciated the creative world-building and was excited to see her exploration of ghosts and colonization. However, the book failed to really nail any of its elements, leaving me bored more than anything.

I think many readers’ experience of this book will come down to how they feel about the prose itself. I can definitely be drawn in by the more descriptive, flowery tone, but I am quite picky in how exactly it’s pulled off. “Voice” is a hard aspect of writing to really nail down, but I think it’s this quality that is lacking when I have trouble connecting to a more elaborate prose style. And, sadly, such was the case here. Instead of feeling drawn into this world and able to relish in the plethora of details given about location, characters, and other plot elements, I felt disconnected and bogged down by what felt like extra words that weren’t truly conveying anything.

This also made the pacing read as slower than I think the story truly was. Things were happening, and, on its face, this is an action-packed tale. But again, because of this stylized form of writing, the whole thing began to feel heavy.

But where I really struggled was with the characters, especially the love interests. Yes, plural. Neither of these characters worked for me. Partly, they were each too expected. Each shows up and you know immediately everything you could possibly need to know about them, simply based on previous experience with similar character archetypes. It was also supremely obvious from the very beginning which was the “true” love interest, which made any time spent with the other feel like time wasted, further contributing to the lagging pacing of the storytelling. There was also an over-reliance on simply telling the reader everything we needed to know about these characters and their feelings. All of this combined to leave me feeling very cool on any of them.

Overall, this wasn’t what I hoped for. Fans of this author’s other books may simply connect better with her style and will likely appreciate this one more than me. But for my part, I found the whole thing rather dull and the romance boring to the point of tears.

Rating 6: I struggled with this one. Fans of the author will likely enjoy it, but I found it slowly paced and featuring two romantic interests (already stopped me at “two”) who brought nothing new to the table.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Harbour of Hungry Ghosts” isn’t on any Goodreads lists, but it should be on Asian Fantasy & Science Fiction.

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

Book: “These Immortal Truths” by Rachelle Raeta

Publishing Info: Tor Books, Jun 2026

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: A shapeshifting god,
an immortality granting peach,
and a woman gifted with forever.

England, 1184: Anna is used to hunger and hardship. Ever since she was seventeen, when the pale shadows of her vitiligo were spotted, she has spent more than a decade struggling to survive alone and in exile. Then a single act of kindness towards a beautiful stranger and the taste of a divine peach changes Anna’s life forever.

Suddenly, her body is as untouched by Time as it by harm. As she watches the world change around her, knowing every human connection is only temporary, there is only one person she trusts to always return no matter the years or distance…

The shapeshifting god who gifted her with immortality.

Review: This had been on my radar for a while as an indie book to get around to checking out. So I was very excited to see that the duology had been picked up by a traditional publisher, giving me the perfect excuse to slot it in for review here on the blog!

Reading through this one, it’s easy to see why it is beloved in the indie romantasy world. For one thing, this book is very different than most of the romantasy titles you see trending currently. For one thing, it almost reads more like a historical fiction novel than it does romantasy at all, as the romance itself is incredibly slow burn and takes a back burner to the rest of the story for much of the book. Instead, much of the focus is on almost brief vignettes of Anna’s experiences throughout history, jumping forward by centuries at a time. Given the nature of her ability to not die, but without any other advantages afforded her, her experiences are of the quiet, more served type, quietly observing history as it happens while also slipping silently away whenever notice snags her way.

The style of writing and Anna’s characterization are also very different from the sort so often seen. This is a very lyrical, beautifully written book, devoting hefty amounts of page time to descriptions and emotional legwork. No high-octane action scenes here or fast-moving plot developments. Anna is also a much more quiet leading character. She’s not snappy or sassy or spunky. Her inner strength is hard-earned and her “super power,” such as it is, is simple kindness and empathy, traits that often break her own heart in the process.

The romance is also incredibly slow burn, so much so that by the middle point of the book I almost wondered if there would be a romance at all. That said, I think the love story was stronger for this cautious approach. Not only does Anna have more pressing concerns in her day-to-day life, but adjusting to living forever is no small thing, and I appreciated the careful consideration the author took with regards to Anna’s sentiments toward this development and the being who foisted it upon her, unasked. Further, the godlike individual behind this all is practically ageless, and I liked the fact that the author only slowly built up the change in the relationship towards romance. No “immortal man immediately falls for first attractive 20-something woman he’s ever seen” here.

That said, I did struggle with a few points. Anna is almost too perfect. While the slower approach to the pacing succeeds in showing the incremental adjustments she makes to now being an immortal, I think an opportunity was lost when dealing with historical societal issues. Anna simply, magically, already has the correct views on all problematic historical events. I don’t need her to be a terrible bigot or anything. But it would have been nice to see her start as a simple peasant woman in the 1100s with the limited views that this would bring and then, through exposure to different people and the long view of history afforded her by living through the cycles of humanity at its worst and best, have her mature into a more nuanced individual. As it stands, the book can come across as a bit preachy, even in its more beautiful moments, simply because Anna starts out in a place of perfection and has nothing to really add other than rather trite statements.

The book also became a bit predictable and repetitive in its format. For all that the writing is beautiful and it’s fun to see these different moments in history through Anna’s eyes, it did quickly fall into a pattern of checking in with Anna every few centuries, watching her witness an important moment in history, and then see her need to move on. Rinse and repeat.

Overall, however, I enjoyed this read. It’s definitely a unique and fresh feeling title, stepping away from much of the overtrodden ground currently making up the romantasy genre. Really, time travel and immortality aside, this is more of a historical romance than anything, and even then, with a heavier dose of history than romance. If you enjoy lyrical writing and slower-paced storytelling, this is definitely one to check out!

Rating 8: Full of lovely writing and some truly heartbreaking moments, this book hit my emotions much harder than I was expecting!

Reader’s Advisory:

“These Immortal Truths” can be found on this Goodreads list: All the New Fantasy Books Arriving in June 2026

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

Book: “Hopeless Necromantic” by Shiloh Briar

Publishing Info: Orbit, June 2026

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: Four years ago, Sikras ‘Catseye’ Nikabod had it all: a beautiful wife, friends and family, and the endless luxuries that came with being the all-powerful necromancer to the queen.

Now, his brother-in-law is a walking corpse, he’s wanted for tax evasion, his oldest friend, Vessik, has slaughtered thousands of the queen’s people with a skeleton army, and his wife is dead. Sort of.

With the kingdom under threat, it’s only natural for the queen to task Sikras with the totally normal, not-at-all-cruel chore of brutally murdering his dearest friend. Sure. Great. It’s not like he already failed to stop Vessik’s reign of terror twice or anything.

Turns out, it’s hard to kill a monster when you can’t stop remembering the good man he used to be. Harder still when you’re pretty sure his descent into madness is kind of, sort of, hypothetically … all your fault.

Raise a glass. Raise the dead. Just don’t raise your hopes.

Review:Honestly, I went into this one with a bit of worry. I’ve had bad luck with cozy fantasy and have realized that I’m pretty picky about the subgenre in general. And that cover, while cute, was going hard on the sort of “aggressively quirky” coziness that I particularly struggle with. Well, let this be another case for not judging a book by its cover! Because while this was a cozy fantasy at its heart, it was also much more than that, with smart writing, heartbreaking themes, and layered characters. It also didn’t hurt that this had strong D&D references and, similarly, strong Baldur’s Gate 3 similarities. For those who know, you can’t look at that cover and not see Astarion and Karlach, right??

One of my struggle points with cozy fantasy often comes down to pacing and plotting. I don’t love “day in the life” stories and need a bit more action to get me through. And this one had it in spades! It’s a simple enough plot, full of questing and action-packed battles, but the author perfectly breaks up these faster-paced bits with careful character work. From start to finish, the storyline was compelling, and I blitzed through the entire book without any lulls in interest.

While the action scenes and magical fighting were great, the story really lives and dies based on the strength of its two main characters, Sikras and Helspira. I was honestly surprised by just how heart-wrenching many of the themes explored in this story would be. The cover and general description led me to believe it would be mostly a rom-com-type affair. And it does have that, but oof, does it get into some heavy topics as well. Helspira’s is the smaller arc of the two, focused on her fight to create a new home for her family and herself, all while fighting against her own demonic tendencies. In many ways, hers is a story of immigration and the challenges and joys of coming to love your new homeland, even while others still see you as a foreigner.

But Sikras’s story is where the story really shone. Throughout the book, Sikras’s arc is focused on the complex nature of grief, loneliness, and love beyond the grave. Yes, it’s all tied up in the humorous trappings of a walking, talking skeleton, but it becomes clear quite early on that this comedic setup only masks the depths below. Sikras’s past is rife with grief and loss, and all of these connections presented grief in its different stages, from denial, to bargaining, to anger. And while one of them is the death of his wife years ago, I was impressed that this relationship was by no means the one given the most emphasis in the story. It’s clear that Sikras loved and grieved his wife, but we’ve also read that story a million times. Instead, the author wisely shifted the focus to different relationships: that between childhood friends and even between Sikras and his now-skeleton brother-in-law, the most unlikely of relationships I think we’d usually see in a book like this! Without overbalancing the story into an overall darker tone, these themes were explored so well that there may have been tears.

At the same time, I definitely laughed out loud a few times as well! I’m also pretty picky about humor, but this one definitely nailed it for me. Sikras was hilarious, and his interactions with Helspira, especially early in the book, were pitch-perfect.

Overall, I really enjoyed this read! It was a fun, fast story that hid within it a surprising well of deeper themes. If you’re looking for a cozy fantasy that doesn’t hold back on the plot, definitely give this one a go!

Rating 8: If D&D, Baldur’s Gate 3, and perhaps a grief counselor’s handbook (??) had a child, this fantasy rom-com would be where you end up! What a blast!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Hopeless Necromantic” isn’t currently on any Goodreads lists, but it should be on Cozier Fantasy Romance Palate Cleansers.

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

Book: “A Dark and Wild Wood” by Sarah Nicole Lemon

Publishing Info: Harper Voyager, May 2026

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: Ever since she was a child, Salomé has been plagued by visions of spirits and dangerous powers she can’t control. After watching her foster mother burn as a witch, she and her beloved sister Rochelle are raised together in a convent, a grim and dreary existence. Until one day, Rochelle vanishes.

Determined to find a way to save her, Salomé runs: first to a brothel, and then, after a terrible accident, away from the village and into the woods. Deep amongst the trees of the wild Black Forest, she comes face-to-face with Lord Death.

Rather than taking her life, he brings her to his home at the heart of the woods, a strange manor full of locked rooms and mysterious corridors, crumbling one moment, magnificent the next. He promises to make her his apprentice and teach her how to harness her mind and magic. His words are as seductive as his presence—but should one trust Death?

A swirling mirage of dark fairy tale, gothic romance, and historical fantasy, A Dark and Wild Wood is a novel best devoured all at once. But proceed with caution, as everything is not what it seems…

Review: So, unfortunately, I think we’re running headfirst into another case of a book being poorly marketed right from the top. Whether marketers were trend-chasing or honestly didn’t consider the differences, this book says right there in the summary that this is a gothic romance. And oh boy, it is not. (To be fair, it seems that the author has been clear that this is not a romance, but it’s too bad that they seem to be putting forward a message that is now at odds with their own publisher’s summary.)

Yes, there is a “romance,” but there is a gaping gulf between books that have romance elements and books that are “romances,” gothic or otherwise. The latter has many conventions that are expected, such as happy endings, relationships that readers root for, etc. The former can be found in all kinds of different books (horror, thriller, fantasy, etc.), and there’s no guarantee that the romance is even a good thing at all. And the latter is definitely the case here. And that’s fine! But unfortunately, when the book puts itself forward as a “gothic romance,” I feel like a lot of readers are going to pick this one up and be massively disappointed by what they find.

That aside, once I settled into the sort of book I was reading, there were elements that I enjoyed. While the pacing was a bit all over the place (slow at the beginning, only to pick up speed later in the story), it did work with the sort of gothic fairytale that was being spun here. In this way, the comparisons to “Bluebeard,” a deeply disturbing fairytale in its own right, are much more apt for this book. Fairytales often start from the very beginning, and such is the case here, starting with the birth of our main character. The writing itself was also often beautiful and further established the dark fairytale tone of the overall story.

I was more conflicted about the characters themselves. As I mentioned, this is not a romance in any way, mostly because the relationship itself is deeply unhealthy and abusive, and Death is not a hero, romantic or otherwise. Given the “Bluebeard” comparisons, it’s clear that you are not meant to root for this relationship or like Death at all. However, I also struggled with Salome. At best, she was incredibly naive, but at worst, the reader was never given enough information to truly understand the connection she felt with Death or why she craved that relationship in the way that she did. On one hand, abusive relationships are never understandable to outsiders looking in. But on the other, I do think more could have been done to show Salome’s twisted understanding of this relationship and her own manipulated feelings.

Further, I think the actual fantasy elements and magic system were interesting but not fully explored. I kept wanting just a bit more from this aspect of the story.

Overall, this book showed a lot of potential on the part of the author, but it just wasn’t quite as polished as I would have liked with its characterization of the main character and some of its fantasy elements. I think the writing itself was quite strong, and the primary missteps come down to the way the book has been presented. If readers go in with the understanding that they are reading a gothic dark fantasy novel first and foremost, I think they are much more likely to enjoy what they find here.

Rating 7: While not a romance story in any way, the writing had some beautiful moments. I only wish the main character was a bit more fleshed out.

Reader’s Advisory:

“A Dark and Wild Wood” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Bluebeard Retellings and 2026 Gothic.

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

Book: “The Unicorn Hunters” by Katherine Arden

Publishing Info: Del Rey, June 2026

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: Anne of Brittany was a child when her realm was invaded, her home besieged, and her royal father driven to his death.

Now her treasury is empty, her land occupied by her enemies, and she is ordered, under threat of renewed war, to become queen of her conquerors and marry the King of France. This marriage means her country’s annexation. But Anne promised her father that Brittany would never be conquered.

Defiantly, she betroths herself in secret to France’s greatest enemy. But in a world where courts may spy on each other by magic, there is only one way to solemnize this illicit union.

Anne takes her court deep into a legendary forest, where the court diviners’ skill cannot reach. The world thinks they are only a hunting party, coursing after unicorns. But that is a lie, a trick, a feint. No one in living memory has seen a unicorn. All Anne wants is this secret wedding, which is her only hope of salvation.

But when against all hope a unicorn appears and a stranger out of legend stumbles from the trees and falls at her feet, Anne is plunged into a world of enchantment where a doomed sovereign might find the power to change her own and her country’s destiny—or be lost in the shadows forever.

Review: It was never in doubt that I was going to absolutely love this book. I’ve adored everything I’ve read by this author, and this was more of the same. From the excellent and seamless blending of historical fiction and fantasy fairytale, to the impeccable writing, to the strong character who serves as the heart of the tale, this was fantastic from start to finish.

One thing that stood out as particularly impressive is the aforementioned blending of genres. Change a few plot points here and there, and this could have read as a straight historical fiction novel focused on the life of the real woman and queen, Anne. I only knew a few vague bits and pieces of her story, so the author’s note at the end was immensely helpful in contextualizing the story. From that and my brief further research, Arden has done an incredible job both capturing the draw and charisma of Anne, but also imagining a new future for her, one where a woman can reclaim her own power outside of her ability to produce heirs.

Anne was powerful, but in unique ways. Yes, there are magical elements, but the story goes to great lengths to establish her true power as her ability to draw people to her, to gain loyalty, to persuade, and to trick when necessary. Of course, I loved the flashy fantasy moments, but these quieter strengths were the true heart of the character and what made me so eager to continue following her along her journey.

Beyond reimagining true events and characters, Arden manages to capture a style of writing and speaking that feels true to its time. This reads like a medieval fairytale first and foremost. There are moments in the dialogue that are very distinct in how far they are from the modern English that we speak today, from the use of turns of phrase no longer seen to simply the order of word choice. In this way, the story always felt grounded in its time and place, and I can’t emphasize enough just how impressed I was by the author’s strong hold on her craft and tone throughout.

Beyond Anne, there’s a full cast of compelling side characters, from the spunky younger sister, to the crafty street kid, to the mysterious stranger who comes among Anne and her court bringing dark magic alongside him. There was also a lovely romantic subplot that I adored. There was just the right balance placed on this love story where it felt fully formed but didn’t detract from the primary tale, that of Anne and the mystery of the unicorn.

The fantasy portion of the story was also directly up my alley. This is very much a medieval fairytale, and I loved every minute of it. There was darkness woven in and among the beauty, tragedy alongside the wonder, and I blazed through the final quarter of the book when this element really came to the forefront.

So, yes, if you couldn’t tell by now, this was a “10”-rated read for me. Arden had already cemented herself as a must-buy author, but this one really stood out. The “Winternight” trilogy is amazing, but there’s something special about a standalone novel that feels as tightly put together as this one: no missteps, nothing missing, just perfection from start to finish.

Rating 10: Absolutely brilliant! Arden’s beautiful, lyrical writing captures the deep peace of the unicorn, the terrifying shadows of the dark forest, and the endless well of strength found in one woman who sets out to change her fate.

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Unicorn Hunters” can be found on these Goodreads lists:Most Anticipated Adult Fantasy & Sci-fi of 2026 (Standalones & New Series) and My favorite Medieval Fantasy novels.