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Priestess
Edie Finch was living a content life working in the city-state of Eccleston, ten winters estranged from her husband. When the savage land of Tintar invades, she and other women, taking refuge in a chapel, pretend to be sacred priestesses to avoid their certain deaths, fooling an elite group of Tintarian warriors into taking them captive. This is a standalone fantasy with romance and self-discovery about a thirty-eight year old working-class woman who is not a chosen one, princess or warrior. She, using grace and wit, will navigate an invasion and abduction by an enemy army, be dragged halfway across her continent, form a circle of strength with her fellow captives, learn she has a practical sort of magic, be made to marry one of her captors, and uncover ancient mysteries that will save her world.
Content Warnings
Religious trauma. Infertility. Sexual assault. Homophobia. Self harm. Violence. Suicidal ideation. Two mentions of death in childbirth.
Content Warnings
Religious trauma. Infertility. Sexual assault. Homophobia. Self harm. Violence. Suicidal ideation. Two mentions of death in childbirth.
589 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 19, 2024
749 people are currently reading
7993 people want to read
About the author
Kara Voorhees Reynolds
5 books245 followersKara Reynolds is a watercolorist who lives in Florida with her husband and their cats.
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March 27, 2025Thank you to everyone who brought the formatting situation to my attention. Newly formatted e-book submitted and should be available within the next three days—3/27/25 🍐🫶
I’ve seen other writers do this so I guess I can do it too. 😂 I wanted to see more women over 30 in romantasy, but I would classify this as a fantasy first (with a heavy romance subplot). I put everything I wanted to read in a book into mine. I wanted appropriate speech patterns for fantasy (no characters who travel via horse and also say “wow”). I wanted a female main character who was not a chosen one, warrior or princess and I wanted someone who has LIVED a little. Edie is seasoned, smart, flawed and relatable, an everyday woman, equal parts strong and soft. I wanted a story not driven by wealth or royalty, but by the human spirit. I wanted a working class hero who cannot rely on his money, looks or charm. I wanted a fantasy that doesn’t glorify war. If you have read Edie’s story, you’re a lovely, gracious human. Thank you. 🙏
TWs
Religious trauma
Sexual assault
Infertility
Homophobia
Self harm
Suicidal ideation
I’ve seen other writers do this so I guess I can do it too. 😂 I wanted to see more women over 30 in romantasy, but I would classify this as a fantasy first (with a heavy romance subplot). I put everything I wanted to read in a book into mine. I wanted appropriate speech patterns for fantasy (no characters who travel via horse and also say “wow”). I wanted a female main character who was not a chosen one, warrior or princess and I wanted someone who has LIVED a little. Edie is seasoned, smart, flawed and relatable, an everyday woman, equal parts strong and soft. I wanted a story not driven by wealth or royalty, but by the human spirit. I wanted a working class hero who cannot rely on his money, looks or charm. I wanted a fantasy that doesn’t glorify war. If you have read Edie’s story, you’re a lovely, gracious human. Thank you. 🙏
TWs
Religious trauma
Sexual assault
Infertility
Homophobia
Self harm
Suicidal ideation
August 12, 2024
10 stars.
This book was a RIDE, holy crap! My emotions are all over the place. I might need to think on this a bit longer and wait for my feelings to settle, but this could very well be a new favorite book of mine.
I always love it when protagonists in fantasy/romantasy are not teenagers or at the beginning of their twenties, with the emotional maturity to show for it. Here, we follow Edie, 38, who has weathered a whole lot of crap in her life so far, but rebuilt her own happiness and success in a new country all by herself, just to lose everything again when enemy forces come invading and kidnap her and her closest friends as political hostages. She faces this with incredible resilience, cleverness and humanity, rising out of the ashes and making a space for herself in yet another new environment, at yet another bend in her road.
The writing, plot and character development are all very well done and complex, and it is even more impressive considering this is only the author’s second book. Her voice is quite special, a little little bit stilted at times maybe, but overall very fitting with the tone of the book. Many of the tropes in it are written with a new or interesting spin that got me hooked from the very beginning. While the way Edie and Alric meet never gets completely remedied in my eyes, their love story was very moving. This was nicely complimented by Helena and Mischa’s respective story arcs and romances, which definitely brought great levity and spice to the story.
It is clear that religion and perhaps one’s relationship and journey with religion is an important aspect of this story as well, especially after reading the afterword and understanding the author’s own background. I think this part was also well done and did not overpower other aspects of the story at all, but complimented them well, without being patronizing or pushy.
Without wanting to spoil, I especially loved a lot how the book dealt with motherhood and all the shapes and forms it can take. I also loved that throughout the book, Edie is a self-confident leader, which is far too rare an occurrence in this genre.
All in all, this book made me laugh, cry and think, which is really all I ask from a book 😉
If you like somewhat more grown up romantasy, I think this is a great book to recommend. Pick it up, you won’t regret it, even though it might leave your heart a little tender.
This book was a RIDE, holy crap! My emotions are all over the place. I might need to think on this a bit longer and wait for my feelings to settle, but this could very well be a new favorite book of mine.
I always love it when protagonists in fantasy/romantasy are not teenagers or at the beginning of their twenties, with the emotional maturity to show for it. Here, we follow Edie, 38, who has weathered a whole lot of crap in her life so far, but rebuilt her own happiness and success in a new country all by herself, just to lose everything again when enemy forces come invading and kidnap her and her closest friends as political hostages. She faces this with incredible resilience, cleverness and humanity, rising out of the ashes and making a space for herself in yet another new environment, at yet another bend in her road.
The writing, plot and character development are all very well done and complex, and it is even more impressive considering this is only the author’s second book. Her voice is quite special, a little little bit stilted at times maybe, but overall very fitting with the tone of the book. Many of the tropes in it are written with a new or interesting spin that got me hooked from the very beginning. While the way Edie and Alric meet never gets completely remedied in my eyes, their love story was very moving. This was nicely complimented by Helena and Mischa’s respective story arcs and romances, which definitely brought great levity and spice to the story.
It is clear that religion and perhaps one’s relationship and journey with religion is an important aspect of this story as well, especially after reading the afterword and understanding the author’s own background. I think this part was also well done and did not overpower other aspects of the story at all, but complimented them well, without being patronizing or pushy.
Without wanting to spoil, I especially loved a lot how the book dealt with motherhood and all the shapes and forms it can take. I also loved that throughout the book, Edie is a self-confident leader, which is far too rare an occurrence in this genre.
All in all, this book made me laugh, cry and think, which is really all I ask from a book 😉
If you like somewhat more grown up romantasy, I think this is a great book to recommend. Pick it up, you won’t regret it, even though it might leave your heart a little tender.
January 13, 2025
Genuinely unsure how I feel about this. I did finish it (non-spitefully), which speaks to something. It was fairly original, I appreciated an older woman as a protagonist, and the worldbuilding obviously had a bit of thought put into it. But while I appreciated the religious themes, as a lapsed Catholic, something about Edie's own struggle with religion felt...kind of off? In a way I understand is probably just a personal nitpick and not an indictment of the book itself but definitely affected my enjoyment.
There was also something about the writing itself that didn't jive with me, and a good, firm edit wouldn't have gone amiss (some of those sentences were _rough_). It was *incredibly long*, almost needlessly so, with chapters devoted to things that ultimately didn't matter. It's like the author had about 5 different stories to tell, and wanted to get them all in, but some of them just fizzled (Alric and his ex, for example). There were also so many characters to keep track of that ultimately didn't matter. Bronwyn and Eefa disappear by page 200, and there's barely a reason for them in the first place except to give our heroine one (1) detractor, and prove she can also be magnanimous in the face of a panicked teenager spitefully divulging a secret.
Other notes
I object to Jeremanthy as a name, on principle.
The worldbuilding had thought put into it, but not enough that I don't have a lot of questions
The last 15% or so was tying up every loose plot thread, including ones that didn't really require it. It wasn't exactly a cohesive ending, for me.
The epilogue was honestly needless. I get wanting to wrap up everyone's stories in realistic, grounded ways, but this wasn't it.
Her ex-husband worked much better as a specter that she has to overcome to embrace new relationships and a new life, not an actual, physical problem.
The author wanting a book about *not* a chosen one is admirable, and she almost accomplished that...but Edie kind of started to feel like the super special chosen one, especially near the end. Her magic was mostly the remnants of someone else's, but she also had a goddess in her ear, talking to her in a way she doesn't seem to talk to anyone else. Despite being in Tintar barely a year, she becomes archpriestess of a fairly significant religion. A big deal is also made out of the fact she...had a tattoo? in a way that made me roll my eyes whenever it came up. Surely, she's not the only one in the world with a floral sleeve, and yet anyone who saw it was like 'oh my god it's her'. She even assumes a man is flirting with her because her tattoo is covered up and therefore he doesn't know who she is/that she's pretty famously married.
There was also something about the writing itself that didn't jive with me, and a good, firm edit wouldn't have gone amiss (some of those sentences were _rough_). It was *incredibly long*, almost needlessly so, with chapters devoted to things that ultimately didn't matter. It's like the author had about 5 different stories to tell, and wanted to get them all in, but some of them just fizzled (Alric and his ex, for example). There were also so many characters to keep track of that ultimately didn't matter. Bronwyn and Eefa disappear by page 200, and there's barely a reason for them in the first place except to give our heroine one (1) detractor, and prove she can also be magnanimous in the face of a panicked teenager spitefully divulging a secret.
Other notes
I object to Jeremanthy as a name, on principle.
The worldbuilding had thought put into it, but not enough that I don't have a lot of questions
The last 15% or so was tying up every loose plot thread, including ones that didn't really require it. It wasn't exactly a cohesive ending, for me.
The epilogue was honestly needless. I get wanting to wrap up everyone's stories in realistic, grounded ways, but this wasn't it.
Her ex-husband worked much better as a specter that she has to overcome to embrace new relationships and a new life, not an actual, physical problem.
The author wanting a book about *not* a chosen one is admirable, and she almost accomplished that...but Edie kind of started to feel like the super special chosen one, especially near the end. Her magic was mostly the remnants of someone else's, but she also had a goddess in her ear, talking to her in a way she doesn't seem to talk to anyone else. Despite being in Tintar barely a year, she becomes archpriestess of a fairly significant religion. A big deal is also made out of the fact she...had a tattoo? in a way that made me roll my eyes whenever it came up. Surely, she's not the only one in the world with a floral sleeve, and yet anyone who saw it was like 'oh my god it's her'. She even assumes a man is flirting with her because her tattoo is covered up and therefore he doesn't know who she is/that she's pretty famously married.
February 14, 2025
2.5 stars rounded to 3, though I'm equally tempted to round it down. rounded down to 2. After several days of thinking about it, there's no world in which this is a 3 star book. If it had been edited, maybe.
I saw this recommended on Reddit and was intrigued by the premise. The story, world, and characters are all interesting, but this book tells WAY more than it shows, has a ton of clunky exposition, and is about 200 pages too long. There are too many characters, too many details, and too much meandering about. There's a journal that we have to read too much of, a rape that isn't handled well, a heroine who has seen stones inexplicably moving around her but never realizes , a ton of extremely awkward public baths, an unnecessary and weird ass backstory for the hero, and there's also a love story for EVERY character. Now multiple love stories might sound great for a romantasy, but none of them are particularly well written or fleshed out. I wasn't invested in any of them. If you're hoping so many love stories means there's some good spice in this, there isn't.
Still, I read all 600 pages and I wasn't hate reading, so there's something compelling here. If a proper editor had been involved this could have been something special. I would read something else by this author, but only if things tightened up. Less, in this case, would definitely have been more.
I saw this recommended on Reddit and was intrigued by the premise. The story, world, and characters are all interesting, but this book tells WAY more than it shows, has a ton of clunky exposition, and is about 200 pages too long. There are too many characters, too many details, and too much meandering about. There's a journal that we have to read too much of, a rape that isn't handled well, a heroine who has seen stones inexplicably moving around her but never realizes , a ton of extremely awkward public baths, an unnecessary and weird ass backstory for the hero, and there's also a love story for EVERY character. Now multiple love stories might sound great for a romantasy, but none of them are particularly well written or fleshed out. I wasn't invested in any of them. If you're hoping so many love stories means there's some good spice in this, there isn't.
Still, I read all 600 pages and I wasn't hate reading, so there's something compelling here. If a proper editor had been involved this could have been something special. I would read something else by this author, but only if things tightened up. Less, in this case, would definitely have been more.
February 17, 2024
A literary beauty, which is not unexpected from an artist of not only words but many other mediums. The thoughtful and realistic descriptions of the scenes makes the world building an experience that I felt I was traveling through with Edie and her friends. A masterful story of female friendships, not be overshadowed by sparks of newfound love and the telling of those stories. I fell in love with the characters in Priestess, and I can only hope that we hear more of their stories in the future.
January 15, 2025
I'm tired. This makes me tired. Too long and not enough of anything.
July 24, 2025
I don’t even know where to start. This book just cracked me wide open. I’m sitting here with so much love and gratitude for this story. It gave me exactly what I didn’t know I needed: a woman in her late 30s, surviving, healing, leading, loving. Doing it all in a world that felt fresh and raw and deeply human.
Edie is a character I won’t stop thinking about. Her strength is quiet, earned, and deeply moving. The whole priestess setup? Somehow terrifying and beautiful at the same time. She becomes the heart of this unlikely circle of women, and it’s honestly sacred watching her take up space as their center. The magic felt ancient and real, the world complex but not overwhelming. And her bond with Alric? Slow, tender, and so grown. Hitting me straight in the chest.
This story holds so much: grief, trauma, rebirth, power, belief, motherhood, softness. And it never rushes. The pacing lets you feel and wonder and breathe. There’s a constant sense of what is happening? who are these people? In a way that invites curiosity and trust. I felt held the entire time.
I’m just so grateful I got to read this. Truly. If you’re looking for smart, emotional, feminist fantasy with real heart and hard-earned hope - read Priestess.
Five stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ and massive love for Kara. I am holding my breath for the next read.
Edie is a character I won’t stop thinking about. Her strength is quiet, earned, and deeply moving. The whole priestess setup? Somehow terrifying and beautiful at the same time. She becomes the heart of this unlikely circle of women, and it’s honestly sacred watching her take up space as their center. The magic felt ancient and real, the world complex but not overwhelming. And her bond with Alric? Slow, tender, and so grown. Hitting me straight in the chest.
This story holds so much: grief, trauma, rebirth, power, belief, motherhood, softness. And it never rushes. The pacing lets you feel and wonder and breathe. There’s a constant sense of what is happening? who are these people? In a way that invites curiosity and trust. I felt held the entire time.
I’m just so grateful I got to read this. Truly. If you’re looking for smart, emotional, feminist fantasy with real heart and hard-earned hope - read Priestess.
Five stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ and massive love for Kara. I am holding my breath for the next read.
February 11, 2025
Reddit said this was well written… yeah for a 12 yo on wattpad.
I appreciate the older FMC but I’m begging authors to invest in editors.
I appreciate the older FMC but I’m begging authors to invest in editors.
March 23, 2025
My dear kindred, this is an absolute must read. The way this story lives rent free in my brain 🤩
“Do you wish to know an account of this love?”
Absolutely.
Let me tell you, the way I fell in love with these characters and this fantasy world 💚 I am tearing up just thinking about it. It is such an emotional journey. The women are incredible, moving from pure survival to developing this beautifully supportive sisterhood and thriving. LOVE that the main character Edie is a woman in her thirties, and she’s already been through so much trying to navigate life. The slow burn romance was delicious and incredibly heartwarming to see develop over the course of the book ☺️
The fantasy world building is lush and cinematic. Just thinking about it now I feel transported, like I can smell the lavender as it bends in the breeze, feel the salt spray coming off the ocean, my skin prickle at the cool mist of the enchanted/spirit forest. I loved the natural magic of the world, and how characters connect with this force. There is a bit of mystery around the depths to which a person could access that magic, and what the cost may be. The action climax of the story had me picking my jaw up off the floor. I was blown away by the raw emotional power of those scenes.
This has been a story that has stayed with me, and one that will be in my top fantasy book recommendations for years to come.
“Do you wish to know an account of this love?”
Absolutely.
Let me tell you, the way I fell in love with these characters and this fantasy world 💚 I am tearing up just thinking about it. It is such an emotional journey. The women are incredible, moving from pure survival to developing this beautifully supportive sisterhood and thriving. LOVE that the main character Edie is a woman in her thirties, and she’s already been through so much trying to navigate life. The slow burn romance was delicious and incredibly heartwarming to see develop over the course of the book ☺️
The fantasy world building is lush and cinematic. Just thinking about it now I feel transported, like I can smell the lavender as it bends in the breeze, feel the salt spray coming off the ocean, my skin prickle at the cool mist of the enchanted/spirit forest. I loved the natural magic of the world, and how characters connect with this force. There is a bit of mystery around the depths to which a person could access that magic, and what the cost may be. The action climax of the story had me picking my jaw up off the floor. I was blown away by the raw emotional power of those scenes.
This has been a story that has stayed with me, and one that will be in my top fantasy book recommendations for years to come.
October 25, 2025
this was fun and did in fact keep me engaged up until the 50-60% mark (i am a sucker for romance subplots that involve extended travel in fantastical contexts, especially under dangerous circumstances...).
i think there were a ton of cool ideas going on in priestess that probably wouldn't have made the cut if this was traditionally published. simultaneously, i think this book suffers from a lot of the most common self-publishing pitfalls (underdeveloped dynamics/plot points like the shark king's queerness and abuses of power or even cian's very obvious unrequited villain pivot, way too many narrative threads going on, and yet a lot of nonessential filler that could have and should have been cut in editing, etc.) and many of them inhibited my full enjoyment of the world and characters.
having said that, i would've EATEN this novel the fuck up as a fifteen-year-old on wattpad. there was something nostalgic about my reading experience of priestess for that reason (the too-long, uber original, meandering, off-beat charm of digitally serialized fiction is in many ways felt here).
all in all, an okay read! prose was average and the fantastical world-building felt, at times, like thin set dressings that existed to bolster the central romance. early alric/edie was fun to follow though. overall, 3.2/5.
i think there were a ton of cool ideas going on in priestess that probably wouldn't have made the cut if this was traditionally published. simultaneously, i think this book suffers from a lot of the most common self-publishing pitfalls (underdeveloped dynamics/plot points like the shark king's queerness and abuses of power or even cian's very obvious unrequited villain pivot, way too many narrative threads going on, and yet a lot of nonessential filler that could have and should have been cut in editing, etc.) and many of them inhibited my full enjoyment of the world and characters.
having said that, i would've EATEN this novel the fuck up as a fifteen-year-old on wattpad. there was something nostalgic about my reading experience of priestess for that reason (the too-long, uber original, meandering, off-beat charm of digitally serialized fiction is in many ways felt here).
all in all, an okay read! prose was average and the fantastical world-building felt, at times, like thin set dressings that existed to bolster the central romance. early alric/edie was fun to follow though. overall, 3.2/5.
January 16, 2025
I enjoyed the story but really did not like the writing. It was very clunky with an overuse of commas, the (lack of) formatting was distracting, and it often wasn’t clear which characters were speaking. It was hard to get in a rhythm with this book because the writing was very distracting.
I also didn’t love the epilogue — I wanted more of devoted Alric, not a 25+ year flash-forward that mostly just made me sad.
Anyway, here was a sentence that I highlighted because it was nearly unreadable—
“When Thrush, the handsome second son of a wealthy lord of Perpatane, his father’s estate having both a gold and a silver mine, a lord close to our king and influential, showed interest in me, the daughter of a middling priest in Apollon, of no nobility, no wealth, people talked.”
🥴
I also didn’t love the epilogue — I wanted more of devoted Alric, not a 25+ year flash-forward that mostly just made me sad.
Anyway, here was a sentence that I highlighted because it was nearly unreadable—
“When Thrush, the handsome second son of a wealthy lord of Perpatane, his father’s estate having both a gold and a silver mine, a lord close to our king and influential, showed interest in me, the daughter of a middling priest in Apollon, of no nobility, no wealth, people talked.”
🥴
March 21, 2024
This book was everything that has been missing from the romantasy genre for me. I’ve been reading popular books about teenage/young 20s girls and they just no longer resonate for me. I sadly thought I had outgrown my favorite genre because characters my age are more often used as plot devices. I was excited to see this book with a female main character in her late 30’s and that was enough to entice me to read. But every word, every line, all the subtleties of the things characters said and also the things left unsaid created one of the most inspiring books I have ever read. Heavy topics are approached head on and with such authenticity that I can honestly say I have never been moved by a book the way I was while reading Priestess. There were times I was kicking my feet and squealing and also times I set down the book to walk into another room and reflect. This book is so amazing and overdue to take on religious freedom, women’s rights, infertility, healthy relationships between women (and men). I seriously can’t say enough. People shy away from sensitive things because they don’t want to upset people and sometimes an escape is nice but sometimes we need to know we aren’t alone and see ourselves in stories. I can’t recommend it enough.
April 5, 2024
“Priestess” by Kara Reynolds ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
TW: religious trauma, infertility, SA, homophobia, self harm, violence, suicidal ideation, mentions of death in childbirth.
“Priestess” follows the story of Edie Finch as she and a group of women are captured during an invasion of their home city of Eccleston. Disguising themselves as priestesses of Saint Agnes, the women are transported to Tintar, a land where magic still exists.
I absolutely loved this. I am not a “romantasy” reader. I never find them enjoyable because there is either too much fantasy and not enough romance or vice verse, they all suffer from annoying and unbelievable stupid/naive FMC and they overly rely on tropes. This book does none of that.
Reynolds perfectly balances the fantasy and romance to where they intertwine and circle around each other. Edie Finch is a strong female lead. She’s 38. She’s lived a life. She feels adult and mature which makes this story feel so mature. Any mistake that Edie makes is because she’s human, not because she’s a child. And the tropes that are in this book are subtle and used in a natural way within the story.
My only real critic is that I needed one more round of editing to catch all the double or missed words. Other than that, it read very smoothly.
I might still be hesitant of romantasy books after this but at least I now have book to recommend to people who are looking for something more off the beaten path.
TW: religious trauma, infertility, SA, homophobia, self harm, violence, suicidal ideation, mentions of death in childbirth.
“Priestess” follows the story of Edie Finch as she and a group of women are captured during an invasion of their home city of Eccleston. Disguising themselves as priestesses of Saint Agnes, the women are transported to Tintar, a land where magic still exists.
I absolutely loved this. I am not a “romantasy” reader. I never find them enjoyable because there is either too much fantasy and not enough romance or vice verse, they all suffer from annoying and unbelievable stupid/naive FMC and they overly rely on tropes. This book does none of that.
Reynolds perfectly balances the fantasy and romance to where they intertwine and circle around each other. Edie Finch is a strong female lead. She’s 38. She’s lived a life. She feels adult and mature which makes this story feel so mature. Any mistake that Edie makes is because she’s human, not because she’s a child. And the tropes that are in this book are subtle and used in a natural way within the story.
My only real critic is that I needed one more round of editing to catch all the double or missed words. Other than that, it read very smoothly.
I might still be hesitant of romantasy books after this but at least I now have book to recommend to people who are looking for something more off the beaten path.
July 18, 2025
Ugh. What can I even say. Best book of the year? (I cannot believe it, and I kinda hate myself for saying it, but) Maybe.
This book explores a middle aged character who has already had a tough journey but still has a lot of life left to live. She is mature, she is patient (even when she doesn’t want to be) and she is fair- to others and herself (refreshing, when all my fantasy reads are early 20-something “chosen ones”). Every piece of criticism I thought I had when starting this book fell by the wayside very quickly, even though I’m sure some of them were valid. Looking back, I just loved everything. I loved Edith, so so much, and her little band of survivors, and Alric, (and thatcher probably more) and the world, and even the discussions with pagan mama god! What a tender relationship with religion in fantasy!?
I will say, like a lot of fantasy, this book has its fair share of trauma, capital T. The story touches on domestic abuse, war, religious trauma, homophobia, infertility, more war and gore and violence, need I say more (probably shouldn’t if I want you to read this, which I do). It was a lot, and it was so sad, but I was so engaged with all of it. It didn’t feel like the “trauma porn” vibe many stories like this do. I think the writing was serious enough, and the story compelling enough, that it all didn’t feel trivial or in poor taste. And that is such a fine line, especially in fantasy, considering how often authors are using random traumatic experiences as character building, world building, motivation for a fight or journey, etc. etc. If anything, she laid the healing on too thick, but I didn’t mind! I was too busy CRYING
I want to thank Claire for an excellent book club recommendation month after month, and the universe (pagan mama god probably) for finally picking it from our wheel. I CANNOT wait for book club💛🍐
This book explores a middle aged character who has already had a tough journey but still has a lot of life left to live. She is mature, she is patient (even when she doesn’t want to be) and she is fair- to others and herself (refreshing, when all my fantasy reads are early 20-something “chosen ones”). Every piece of criticism I thought I had when starting this book fell by the wayside very quickly, even though I’m sure some of them were valid. Looking back, I just loved everything. I loved Edith, so so much, and her little band of survivors, and Alric, (and thatcher probably more) and the world, and even the discussions with pagan mama god! What a tender relationship with religion in fantasy!?
I will say, like a lot of fantasy, this book has its fair share of trauma, capital T. The story touches on domestic abuse, war, religious trauma, homophobia, infertility, more war and gore and violence, need I say more (probably shouldn’t if I want you to read this, which I do). It was a lot, and it was so sad, but I was so engaged with all of it. It didn’t feel like the “trauma porn” vibe many stories like this do. I think the writing was serious enough, and the story compelling enough, that it all didn’t feel trivial or in poor taste. And that is such a fine line, especially in fantasy, considering how often authors are using random traumatic experiences as character building, world building, motivation for a fight or journey, etc. etc. If anything, she laid the healing on too thick, but I didn’t mind! I was too busy CRYING
I want to thank Claire for an excellent book club recommendation month after month, and the universe (pagan mama god probably) for finally picking it from our wheel. I CANNOT wait for book club💛🍐
November 30, 2025
Priestess came highly recommended in the Romantasy subreddit, so I was very much looking forward to digging into a romantasy that is unlike other romantasy novels in many ways: the FMC (38) and MMC (44) are both grown, grown and act that way! They have graying hair and lines in their faces and self-regulate. However, they are both still very flawed, which brought a feeling of dynamism and humanity to them.
There are overarching themes of sisterhood, community, resilience, and faith that I really enjoyed. I grew up in a fundamentalist, evangelical faith that preaches fear while expounding sayings like "faith over fear." This faith established an automatic distance between God and the faith-haver, making one believe that there is a hierarchy of who God aides and blesses. If you experience homelessness or assault or hunger, you're met with dogma that insists your faith wasn't strong enough, that you're not living right. If you cry out for God and God does not answer, it's because God doesn't want you to have the things you desire. In this book, Mother Earth is a just and loving goddess who not only takes care of her servants, she collaborates with them to change the outcome of their lives.
The love story was very sweet and precious once it arrived at its destination. Alric and Edie took care with each other and took care of each other—it was a beautiful. The narration was wonderful; I immersive read this and it helped keep things moving along!
However, this book took a while to get going. I don't shy away from chunky books, but I know that it often means that the romance, plot, and resolution are going to be slow burns—that is very much the case here for the first two, but the resolution happens quickly and ties a bunch of loose ends neatly; I think some ambiguity could have actually been beneficial here. This is the first of a series of interconnected standalones, so I feel like some of what was revealed in the epilogue could have been teased out during the rest of the series—I acknowledge that that is very much a personal preference sort of thing though.
With that said, something about the epilogue *worked* for me. I appreciate that some readers don't want to hear about characters aging and passing away, but I think this decision suits how ambitiously different Priestess seeks to be.
I somewhat struggled with the knowledge that Alric and his men were set to kill Edie and the other women (and teenaged girls!) then they are all forced to marry one another in a way that didn't immediately seem beneficial for either party. I know romances that go from captor/captive to lovers is a trope many don't like—I went into this story knowing it was the dynamic—but I don't think I ever quite forgot how brutal and bloodthirsty the men were in the beginning of the book. Most of the men turned out to be quite gentle and kind, but sheesh.
I enjoyed this book and look forward to the rest of the series!
4 ⭐️
3 🌶️
There are overarching themes of sisterhood, community, resilience, and faith that I really enjoyed. I grew up in a fundamentalist, evangelical faith that preaches fear while expounding sayings like "faith over fear." This faith established an automatic distance between God and the faith-haver, making one believe that there is a hierarchy of who God aides and blesses. If you experience homelessness or assault or hunger, you're met with dogma that insists your faith wasn't strong enough, that you're not living right. If you cry out for God and God does not answer, it's because God doesn't want you to have the things you desire. In this book, Mother Earth is a just and loving goddess who not only takes care of her servants, she collaborates with them to change the outcome of their lives.
The love story was very sweet and precious once it arrived at its destination. Alric and Edie took care with each other and took care of each other—it was a beautiful. The narration was wonderful; I immersive read this and it helped keep things moving along!
However, this book took a while to get going. I don't shy away from chunky books, but I know that it often means that the romance, plot, and resolution are going to be slow burns—that is very much the case here for the first two, but the resolution happens quickly and ties a bunch of loose ends neatly; I think some ambiguity could have actually been beneficial here. This is the first of a series of interconnected standalones, so I feel like some of what was revealed in the epilogue could have been teased out during the rest of the series—I acknowledge that that is very much a personal preference sort of thing though.
With that said, something about the epilogue *worked* for me. I appreciate that some readers don't want to hear about characters aging and passing away, but I think this decision suits how ambitiously different Priestess seeks to be.
I somewhat struggled with the knowledge that Alric and his men were set to kill Edie and the other women (and teenaged girls!) then they are all forced to marry one another in a way that didn't immediately seem beneficial for either party. I know romances that go from captor/captive to lovers is a trope many don't like—I went into this story knowing it was the dynamic—but I don't think I ever quite forgot how brutal and bloodthirsty the men were in the beginning of the book. Most of the men turned out to be quite gentle and kind, but sheesh.
I enjoyed this book and look forward to the rest of the series!
4 ⭐️
3 🌶️
August 8, 2024
Edie is a clever, gutsy heroine, who is lucky to be surrounded by a crew of likewise interesting ladies. Their tender moments in the bath and at the bar alike were very lovely, and the themes of female friendship were refreshing.
My favorite parts had to do with the magic of this world, which is very novel. Often when there's elemental magic, earth gets the short end of the stick. Not so here. The power of earth in this seaside landscape cannot be underestimated, and I really enjoyed that twist. Earth signs, at least, will rejoice in seeing their element treated with real consideration.
All of the scenes of magic and old gods were A+, and I loved the weirdness of the rocks first coming to her in the forest, then erupting from the ground to let her know without a doubt what her strength was, and finally forming majestic creatures to rescue her new home—all based on the women who had supported and loved her.
The final conflict was excellent. There was a real sense that Edie was going to sacrifice something that she did not want to let go of, which you don't get that often. (Plus, it was pretty funny when a certain someone got tossed over a wall.)
Finally, given the themes of womanhood in this book, I am going to pull a word from the big reviewers' lexicon and say that this book is /timely/. What it says about what women are and are not, and how it explores Edie's feelings about her body, was thoughtful and illuminating and, yes, timely, and given the political climate we are now in, I will even add /necessary/ to that list.
It's a rich, femme-centric fantasy epic that made me think about womanhood (and motherhood) in a new light.
My favorite parts had to do with the magic of this world, which is very novel. Often when there's elemental magic, earth gets the short end of the stick. Not so here. The power of earth in this seaside landscape cannot be underestimated, and I really enjoyed that twist. Earth signs, at least, will rejoice in seeing their element treated with real consideration.
All of the scenes of magic and old gods were A+, and I loved the weirdness of the rocks first coming to her in the forest, then erupting from the ground to let her know without a doubt what her strength was, and finally forming majestic creatures to rescue her new home—all based on the women who had supported and loved her.
The final conflict was excellent. There was a real sense that Edie was going to sacrifice something that she did not want to let go of, which you don't get that often. (Plus, it was pretty funny when a certain someone got tossed over a wall.)
Finally, given the themes of womanhood in this book, I am going to pull a word from the big reviewers' lexicon and say that this book is /timely/. What it says about what women are and are not, and how it explores Edie's feelings about her body, was thoughtful and illuminating and, yes, timely, and given the political climate we are now in, I will even add /necessary/ to that list.
It's a rich, femme-centric fantasy epic that made me think about womanhood (and motherhood) in a new light.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 30, 2025
I absolutely loved this book and recommend it to anyone who wants to read a “not so typical fantasy romance” with such a good plot. 10/10.
This is a standalone fantasy with some romance. As far as spiciness goes, there isn’t a ton but there’s plenty sprinkled in there to keep your attention. I typically read romantasy, dark romance, and romcoms so this was a change of pace but I was not left wanting. There are definitely themes that some readers may find triggering so you should check the content warnings before starting. This story has a HEA.
The world building was done so well I felt as if I were standing inside the pages and seeing it play out before me. I want to visit the forest of Nyossa so bad! I really appreciated the writing style and old world language used.
The individual attention that was paid to each character’s development was amazing. I truly felt anger towards some, compassion and understanding for others, and of course love. Our FMC Edie was so intelligent, relatable, and sharp as a tack. She and her band of “priestesses” became a family and what started out as strangers forced into a difficult situation transformed into a wonderful group of women who loved and supported one another through all of life’s struggles.
The author was gracious enough to give us a glimpse into the future at the end of the story with the closure that we needed. I loved this book so much I had my bookclub read it. I truly plan on rereading this for years to come.
This is a standalone fantasy with some romance. As far as spiciness goes, there isn’t a ton but there’s plenty sprinkled in there to keep your attention. I typically read romantasy, dark romance, and romcoms so this was a change of pace but I was not left wanting. There are definitely themes that some readers may find triggering so you should check the content warnings before starting. This story has a HEA.
The world building was done so well I felt as if I were standing inside the pages and seeing it play out before me. I want to visit the forest of Nyossa so bad! I really appreciated the writing style and old world language used.
The individual attention that was paid to each character’s development was amazing. I truly felt anger towards some, compassion and understanding for others, and of course love. Our FMC Edie was so intelligent, relatable, and sharp as a tack. She and her band of “priestesses” became a family and what started out as strangers forced into a difficult situation transformed into a wonderful group of women who loved and supported one another through all of life’s struggles.
The author was gracious enough to give us a glimpse into the future at the end of the story with the closure that we needed. I loved this book so much I had my bookclub read it. I truly plan on rereading this for years to come.
March 15, 2025
Oh how I adored this book. All of the stars.
It is much harder to review a book that is flawless than to review a book with many problems. Honestly, where do I begin?
Kara Reynolds has artfully crafted a story that weaves together elements of romance, fantasy and literary fiction. While the plot is adventure filled with magic abounds, and the romance is filled with yearning and poetic declarations, Priestess also thoroughly explores complex and heavy themes that compel the reader to reflect on society, life and self. Every sentence seems mindfully crafted with rich and poetic language, and the pacing is outstanding. From the moment I picked up this book, I could not put it down. Despite being over 600 pages long, not a single page felt like filler.
The story is predominately character driven with the focus often on the characters’ internal motivations, struggles and hopes. I thoroughly enjoyed this and found that all members of the large cast of friends, family, coworkers and others were well developed and multifaceted. There are many great authors who can write a beautiful novel about a few people, but it is a much harder to job to make every single person in a very large group feel real and layered as Reynolds has. I appreciated that both Edie and Alric had a large group of people in their life outside of each other, as it felt more realistic and healthy to me.
Priestess sensitively illustrates the lived experiences of those affected by religious oppression, infertility, homophobia and sexual assault. The way Reynolds did this was impressive, seeming neither preachy nor the focus of the story, instead she realistically writes it as just one part of a character’s many layers of life experience, while also emphasising the significant impact and trauma these issues cause.
It was refreshing to have a story follow characters in their 30s and 40s and I believe this contributes greatly to Reynolds’ ability to write about such complex themes and human experience. Edie and Alric’s behavior was mature and realistic and they had real, and significant, baggage and life experience. This book is the answer to all of our prayers after reading book after book of miscommunication and petty first love arguments. How refreshing to have mature love interests!
Despite its literary fiction allure, Priestess also has a lot of romantasy tropes. Nevertheless, they all feel new and appropriate in the context of the novel. I would not describe it as a tropey book despite the number that occur. Still, it has you kicking your feet and giggling at points. And the yearning…. this is a true slow burn. Chefs kiss.
This book is the new standard that romantasy will be held at for me. It’s also a strong, and early, contender for my book of the year. It will be hard to follow.
In one word: flawless.
I cannot wait to read every book Kara Reynolds writes in the future.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It is much harder to review a book that is flawless than to review a book with many problems. Honestly, where do I begin?
Kara Reynolds has artfully crafted a story that weaves together elements of romance, fantasy and literary fiction. While the plot is adventure filled with magic abounds, and the romance is filled with yearning and poetic declarations, Priestess also thoroughly explores complex and heavy themes that compel the reader to reflect on society, life and self. Every sentence seems mindfully crafted with rich and poetic language, and the pacing is outstanding. From the moment I picked up this book, I could not put it down. Despite being over 600 pages long, not a single page felt like filler.
The story is predominately character driven with the focus often on the characters’ internal motivations, struggles and hopes. I thoroughly enjoyed this and found that all members of the large cast of friends, family, coworkers and others were well developed and multifaceted. There are many great authors who can write a beautiful novel about a few people, but it is a much harder to job to make every single person in a very large group feel real and layered as Reynolds has. I appreciated that both Edie and Alric had a large group of people in their life outside of each other, as it felt more realistic and healthy to me.
Priestess sensitively illustrates the lived experiences of those affected by religious oppression, infertility, homophobia and sexual assault. The way Reynolds did this was impressive, seeming neither preachy nor the focus of the story, instead she realistically writes it as just one part of a character’s many layers of life experience, while also emphasising the significant impact and trauma these issues cause.
It was refreshing to have a story follow characters in their 30s and 40s and I believe this contributes greatly to Reynolds’ ability to write about such complex themes and human experience. Edie and Alric’s behavior was mature and realistic and they had real, and significant, baggage and life experience. This book is the answer to all of our prayers after reading book after book of miscommunication and petty first love arguments. How refreshing to have mature love interests!
Despite its literary fiction allure, Priestess also has a lot of romantasy tropes. Nevertheless, they all feel new and appropriate in the context of the novel. I would not describe it as a tropey book despite the number that occur. Still, it has you kicking your feet and giggling at points. And the yearning…. this is a true slow burn. Chefs kiss.
This book is the new standard that romantasy will be held at for me. It’s also a strong, and early, contender for my book of the year. It will be hard to follow.
In one word: flawless.
I cannot wait to read every book Kara Reynolds writes in the future.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
July 1, 2025
4🌟enchanting and lovely long standalone read, bit of a meander filled with sisterhood, nature, warring kingdoms, an enemies to lovers romance and more 🌳🍐🪨
reminded me a bit of Alice Hoffman’s The Dovekeepers mixed with Alice Coldbreath.
reminded me a bit of Alice Hoffman’s The Dovekeepers mixed with Alice Coldbreath.
July 20, 2025
Oh man. This was probably a 3.5/3.75 until the end & got bumped up to a 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. I even got a lil misty eyed which I rarely do.
PLOT
Edith, head of the scribes, is out on a work run when her city gets invaded by a neighboring country. She & some women get caught in a church when the enemy finds them & decide to take them back to their country vs. slaughter them on sight. This book has
- slowwwww burn
- a smart FMC who is 38!
- broody stoic warrior MMC
- excellent found family
- themes of religious trauma & what makes a family
- check the triggers
- low/med spice
PROS
- I adored the ending. The final couple of chapters pulled on my heart strings. One in a way for the ACOMAF chapter 54 lovers & another in the way that a good epilogue gets me. Oof right in the feelers. The ending really made this book for me.
- A 38 year old FMC & a 44 year old FMC? Gorgeous. Beautiful. We love to see it.
- Very interesting themes of what it is to be both accepted & rejected by religion.
- The exploration of motherhood - & how to be one - was also really nice. “All women are mothers in different ways, that we all give birth, just not all to children. Some women give birth to revolutions, to movements, to sanctuary, to art, to brilliance.” is a quote I think will stick with me for quite some time.
- The love story was a proper slow burn but once she cooked, she cooked. I love the love story here.
- Lovely writing.
- Edith is wonderful. She was wise & quick but still had vulnerability & I just enjoyed her.
- Alric grew on me so much. The quiet, stoic MMC isn’t usually my favorite but Alric really came to bat.
MIDS
- Nothing happened that I didn’t predict really. At least not the big things. I’m very good at predicting plot though so this isn’t a con but if you’re like me, you won’t be reading any real surprises.
- This can be a pro for some & a con for others but this is way more a character journey than plot-heavy. There is not really any action until the end. It is not fast-paced, & we spend most of the book on a low simmer.
CONS
- The thing causing the major main character conflict toward the end, what was propelling her actions, didn’t make a lot of sense to me. I didn’t understand the “why” at all. & it made her whole relationship surrounding that a bit odd to me.
- This was well written for sure but I wasn’t truly invested until like 70% in, which is quite awhile for a standalone. I found myself getting easily distracted or wanting to scroll socials instead of reading, & that’s rarely a great sign of my current enjoyment. It’s hard to describe because so much of this I liked, but it felt a little like a trudge to read for most of the book.
PLOT
Edith, head of the scribes, is out on a work run when her city gets invaded by a neighboring country. She & some women get caught in a church when the enemy finds them & decide to take them back to their country vs. slaughter them on sight. This book has
- slowwwww burn
- a smart FMC who is 38!
- broody stoic warrior MMC
- excellent found family
- themes of religious trauma & what makes a family
- check the triggers
- low/med spice
PROS
- I adored the ending. The final couple of chapters pulled on my heart strings. One in a way for the ACOMAF chapter 54 lovers & another in the way that a good epilogue gets me. Oof right in the feelers. The ending really made this book for me.
- A 38 year old FMC & a 44 year old FMC? Gorgeous. Beautiful. We love to see it.
- Very interesting themes of what it is to be both accepted & rejected by religion.
- The exploration of motherhood - & how to be one - was also really nice. “All women are mothers in different ways, that we all give birth, just not all to children. Some women give birth to revolutions, to movements, to sanctuary, to art, to brilliance.” is a quote I think will stick with me for quite some time.
- The love story was a proper slow burn but once she cooked, she cooked. I love the love story here.
- Lovely writing.
- Edith is wonderful. She was wise & quick but still had vulnerability & I just enjoyed her.
- Alric grew on me so much. The quiet, stoic MMC isn’t usually my favorite but Alric really came to bat.
MIDS
- Nothing happened that I didn’t predict really. At least not the big things. I’m very good at predicting plot though so this isn’t a con but if you’re like me, you won’t be reading any real surprises.
- This can be a pro for some & a con for others but this is way more a character journey than plot-heavy. There is not really any action until the end. It is not fast-paced, & we spend most of the book on a low simmer.
CONS
- The thing causing the major main character conflict toward the end, what was propelling her actions, didn’t make a lot of sense to me. I didn’t understand the “why” at all. & it made her whole relationship surrounding that a bit odd to me.
- This was well written for sure but I wasn’t truly invested until like 70% in, which is quite awhile for a standalone. I found myself getting easily distracted or wanting to scroll socials instead of reading, & that’s rarely a great sign of my current enjoyment. It’s hard to describe because so much of this I liked, but it felt a little like a trudge to read for most of the book.
November 30, 2025
Rahibe aka Outlander reloaded ☺️
Evet yine redditte yerlere göklere sığdırılamayan bir kitapla geldim. 38 yaşında, kocasından kaçmış, başka bir yerde kendine hayat kurmuş Edie, bir gün fırından geri dönerken yaşadığı şehir düşmanlar tarafından saldırıya uğrar, Edie kendini bi tapınağımsı yere atar ve olaylar gelişir. Hayatta kalmak adına o sırada denk geldiği bir grup kadını Rahibe kılığına sokar ve yağmacılar tarafından rehin alınırlar.
Genel olarak normal bir seri başlangıcı ama çok durağandı. Sürekli Edie’ nin mükemmel beyniyle sorunlarla harika çözümler bulması vs vs..
Serinin devamı başka karakterler üzerinden akacak gibi ama devam edeceğimi düşünmüyorum.
Mature karakter okumak istediğim için başladım ama heba edilmiş bir potansiyel.. Ama “found family” olayı çok güzel kurgulanmış, Edie ve arkadaşlarını sevdim.
Evet yine redditte yerlere göklere sığdırılamayan bir kitapla geldim. 38 yaşında, kocasından kaçmış, başka bir yerde kendine hayat kurmuş Edie, bir gün fırından geri dönerken yaşadığı şehir düşmanlar tarafından saldırıya uğrar, Edie kendini bi tapınağımsı yere atar ve olaylar gelişir. Hayatta kalmak adına o sırada denk geldiği bir grup kadını Rahibe kılığına sokar ve yağmacılar tarafından rehin alınırlar.
Genel olarak normal bir seri başlangıcı ama çok durağandı. Sürekli Edie’ nin mükemmel beyniyle sorunlarla harika çözümler bulması vs vs..
Serinin devamı başka karakterler üzerinden akacak gibi ama devam edeceğimi düşünmüyorum.
Mature karakter okumak istediğim için başladım ama heba edilmiş bir potansiyel.. Ama “found family” olayı çok güzel kurgulanmış, Edie ve arkadaşlarını sevdim.
May 25, 2024
I don't often write reviews, but I needed to make an exception for Priestess for a few reasons.
1. You know those books that you read and in the midst of it you legitimately stop and think "how did the author craft such a beautiful sentence"? That happened to me in nearly every chapter. I read full paragraphs aloud to my partner because the prose in this book is so phenomenal and elegantly crafted.
2. The story itself skillfully wove all my favorite elements into the plot without feeling contrived. I find a lot of books are built around tropes and it feels very intentional. Priestess, however, accomplishes the inclusion of certain elements without feeling forced. It is a story written with heart first, and those elements appear organically as experienced by the characters.
3. I cried multiple times. The characters feel so authentic and true that you can't help but get attached to them. No character is left behind and each has a fully realized arc. You can tell the author paid careful attention to ensure each character found resolution, in one way or another.
4. There were many difficult topics addressed, but they were all handled with sensitivity and compassion. There was one particular event that had me nervous at first, but it was written about with tact instead of sensationalism (partially because it was actually referred to multiple times post-event as opposed to being used as a plot device and it didn't fundamentally represent or reduce the character to the trauma suffered).
I could go on about the love story, the magic, the world-building, the SATISFYING CONCLUSION, as all these pieces and parts were so masterfully written, but you really should just read it yourself to find out.
All in all, this is just a powerhouse of a book that I will be re-reading to savour, because I'm sure there are nuances and subtlies that I missed in my haste to devour it the first time around. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
1. You know those books that you read and in the midst of it you legitimately stop and think "how did the author craft such a beautiful sentence"? That happened to me in nearly every chapter. I read full paragraphs aloud to my partner because the prose in this book is so phenomenal and elegantly crafted.
2. The story itself skillfully wove all my favorite elements into the plot without feeling contrived. I find a lot of books are built around tropes and it feels very intentional. Priestess, however, accomplishes the inclusion of certain elements without feeling forced. It is a story written with heart first, and those elements appear organically as experienced by the characters.
3. I cried multiple times. The characters feel so authentic and true that you can't help but get attached to them. No character is left behind and each has a fully realized arc. You can tell the author paid careful attention to ensure each character found resolution, in one way or another.
4. There were many difficult topics addressed, but they were all handled with sensitivity and compassion. There was one particular event that had me nervous at first, but it was written about with tact instead of sensationalism (partially because it was actually referred to multiple times post-event as opposed to being used as a plot device and it didn't fundamentally represent or reduce the character to the trauma suffered).
I could go on about the love story, the magic, the world-building, the SATISFYING CONCLUSION, as all these pieces and parts were so masterfully written, but you really should just read it yourself to find out.
All in all, this is just a powerhouse of a book that I will be re-reading to savour, because I'm sure there are nuances and subtlies that I missed in my haste to devour it the first time around. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
July 26, 2025
This one really got me…
I loved it so much and it might end up being my favorite book this year! Edith was such a likeable character for me and I loved her growth by the end…
I feel like I usually like side characters more than the main so the fact that I ended up really appreciating the main character is saying something! Can’t wait for bookclub 😊
I loved it so much and it might end up being my favorite book this year! Edith was such a likeable character for me and I loved her growth by the end…
I feel like I usually like side characters more than the main so the fact that I ended up really appreciating the main character is saying something! Can’t wait for bookclub 😊
February 18, 2025
“Claim your life for once. Do not bargain with it, the inevitable end of it always in mind. Ask for the whole of it. It breaks your goddess’s heart to watch you see it as worthless, as nothing but fodder for sacrifice.”
My god. I have been in a reading slump, particularly a romance reading slump for a while now. I’ve only barely eased back in, but this book! This book is the type you read and reminds you why you love to read stories! I found myself wanting to read it as fast as possible and also slow down so it never ended.
The set up: Edith is a scribe, she has fought to make a life for herself after escaping an abusive relationship with her husband and her religion. However, when the city is invaded, she and several other women pretend to be priestesses in order to save their own lives. They are taken as captives by the invading army’s elite soldiers as they leave the city.
This is high fantasy, slow burn, enemies to lovers, forced marriage, only one bed, stranger in a strange land. The romance has pining and a bit of angst, hardly any miscommunication, and beautiful love declarations.
"People say beautiful all too liberally and when it is said meaningfully, it feels cold to me.” I laughed. This humorless man always seemed to somehow make me laugh. “Well, what do you say when you see something that is beautiful?” He pressed his lips together and turned his face to me. “Well. I just look at it.”
It has a stoic, shy MMC who is a hard nut to crack but underneath it all he is attentive, thoughtful, traumatized by his past heartbreaks, and so in love. It has a group of close-knit girlfriends and side characters that add so much to this story. You have queer and trans rep as well as conversations about infertility and what is motherhood and womanhood in the absence of children. There is magic and political intrigue. The barest hint of OW drama, but you also have two very emotionally mature main characters!
And Edith! Edith goes on the very short list of my all time favorite female characters. She is clever, funny, brave, and independent.
This book is fairly long and it is a slow burn but I was never bored. The pacing is just right. I enjoyed getting to know these characters and this world. The biggest complaint I saw with this book was its need for one more thorough edit, and that the writing was a little clunky. Yes, I did see a few typos and it is written in a style that doesn’t clearly delineate dialogue. The way the characters talk has that traditional fantasy/old world-ness to it. It took me about 10% to get used to the writing and for the writing to start to really flow. By 15% I was in love with this story.
No book is perfect but this one had me swooning for the main couple and cheering on Edith.
"I do not believe in the word ‘strange’ for it is a word used by tedious people.”
If you like slow burns and fantasy novels, if you like the story of Pride & Prejudice (very strong reminders of this type of relationship dynamic), if you can find it somewhere in your cold dead heart to forgive a few typos from a KU author, this book is a must read and a new all time favorite of mine.
“If thought and deed were the same, then I have kissed you already, Edith. Countless kisses.”
My god. I have been in a reading slump, particularly a romance reading slump for a while now. I’ve only barely eased back in, but this book! This book is the type you read and reminds you why you love to read stories! I found myself wanting to read it as fast as possible and also slow down so it never ended.
The set up: Edith is a scribe, she has fought to make a life for herself after escaping an abusive relationship with her husband and her religion. However, when the city is invaded, she and several other women pretend to be priestesses in order to save their own lives. They are taken as captives by the invading army’s elite soldiers as they leave the city.
This is high fantasy, slow burn, enemies to lovers, forced marriage, only one bed, stranger in a strange land. The romance has pining and a bit of angst, hardly any miscommunication, and beautiful love declarations.
"People say beautiful all too liberally and when it is said meaningfully, it feels cold to me.” I laughed. This humorless man always seemed to somehow make me laugh. “Well, what do you say when you see something that is beautiful?” He pressed his lips together and turned his face to me. “Well. I just look at it.”
It has a stoic, shy MMC who is a hard nut to crack but underneath it all he is attentive, thoughtful, traumatized by his past heartbreaks, and so in love. It has a group of close-knit girlfriends and side characters that add so much to this story. You have queer and trans rep as well as conversations about infertility and what is motherhood and womanhood in the absence of children. There is magic and political intrigue. The barest hint of OW drama, but you also have two very emotionally mature main characters!
And Edith! Edith goes on the very short list of my all time favorite female characters. She is clever, funny, brave, and independent.
This book is fairly long and it is a slow burn but I was never bored. The pacing is just right. I enjoyed getting to know these characters and this world. The biggest complaint I saw with this book was its need for one more thorough edit, and that the writing was a little clunky. Yes, I did see a few typos and it is written in a style that doesn’t clearly delineate dialogue. The way the characters talk has that traditional fantasy/old world-ness to it. It took me about 10% to get used to the writing and for the writing to start to really flow. By 15% I was in love with this story.
No book is perfect but this one had me swooning for the main couple and cheering on Edith.
"I do not believe in the word ‘strange’ for it is a word used by tedious people.”
If you like slow burns and fantasy novels, if you like the story of Pride & Prejudice (very strong reminders of this type of relationship dynamic), if you can find it somewhere in your cold dead heart to forgive a few typos from a KU author, this book is a must read and a new all time favorite of mine.
“If thought and deed were the same, then I have kissed you already, Edith. Countless kisses.”
April 12, 2024
This was absolutely beautiful. I could not put this book down. And I am not just saying that because the author is my friend.
Edie is one of the most wonderful female protagonists. The fact that she is 38 is just the icing on the cake. We need more stories with adult women. Edie is a damsel ready to save herself and everyone that she loves. And she loves with her whole heart and soul. The sisterhood within these pages – I mean, it’s just beautiful. I loved that with these women, the reader can identify with any and all of them at different times. These women are what woman- and girlhood are all about. The ugly and the wonderful.
This story is heart-wrenching, delicate, powerful, and so many other adjectives that I would run out of space to write them all. While it is 600+ pages long, it doesn’t feel like that. The way Kara writes get you hooked from the first page, immediately loving Edie, Helena, Maureen, Mischa, and even sometimes Eefa (maybe). The world she created -- it makes you want to live in Tintar (where can I find my own Alric or Thatcher?!).
There are some very heavy topics in this book, but they approached head on and with such authenticity. At moments, I found myself kicking my feet and squealing with delight. Other times, I’d set the book down, step into another room, and just sit with what I had just read. This remarkable book delves into crucial topics: religious freedom, women’s rights, infertility, and the intricate dynamics of relationships between women and men. I cannot emphasize enough how profoundly it impacted me.
Brava, my friend.
Edie is one of the most wonderful female protagonists. The fact that she is 38 is just the icing on the cake. We need more stories with adult women. Edie is a damsel ready to save herself and everyone that she loves. And she loves with her whole heart and soul. The sisterhood within these pages – I mean, it’s just beautiful. I loved that with these women, the reader can identify with any and all of them at different times. These women are what woman- and girlhood are all about. The ugly and the wonderful.
This story is heart-wrenching, delicate, powerful, and so many other adjectives that I would run out of space to write them all. While it is 600+ pages long, it doesn’t feel like that. The way Kara writes get you hooked from the first page, immediately loving Edie, Helena, Maureen, Mischa, and even sometimes Eefa (maybe). The world she created -- it makes you want to live in Tintar (where can I find my own Alric or Thatcher?!).
There are some very heavy topics in this book, but they approached head on and with such authenticity. At moments, I found myself kicking my feet and squealing with delight. Other times, I’d set the book down, step into another room, and just sit with what I had just read. This remarkable book delves into crucial topics: religious freedom, women’s rights, infertility, and the intricate dynamics of relationships between women and men. I cannot emphasize enough how profoundly it impacted me.
Brava, my friend.
June 11, 2025
3.0 ★— The first 30% of this book was truly a slog for me to get through. The combination of terrible Kindle formatting, clunky sentence structure, and overly long, meandering sentences made for a very unpleasant beginning.
I wanted to DNF badly but forced myself to push through because of the overwhelming praise this book had received. Theoretically, I love slow burns with competent FMCs, and this was made out to be one.
I can definitely say the FMC was refreshing - she was in her late thirties, had a good head on her shoulders, and didn’t fall into the usual traps I see (and loathe) in fantasy romance heroines.
But everything else was questionable. As I mentioned, the formatting and overall structure were severely lacking. An editor would have easily cut 200 pages and cleaned up the stiff, overly written-out prose. So much of what should have been trimmed down was instead expanded upon ad nauseam. It read a little like an unedited, 100-chapter fanfiction.
Also, the names - Jeremanthy and Thrush (lol) - were truly heinous.
A chunk of the side characters in the friendship group could have been cut. Most were uninteresting, and their separate romances weren’t compelling either.
I did like the relationship development between the MMC and FMC, but, again, this book desperately needed an editor to tighten it up.
The ending did redeem a few of my gripes. I found the emphasis on sisterhood, family, and acceptance beautiful. But with so many overarching issues, this was more of a mixed than a positive reading experience for me.
I wanted to DNF badly but forced myself to push through because of the overwhelming praise this book had received. Theoretically, I love slow burns with competent FMCs, and this was made out to be one.
I can definitely say the FMC was refreshing - she was in her late thirties, had a good head on her shoulders, and didn’t fall into the usual traps I see (and loathe) in fantasy romance heroines.
But everything else was questionable. As I mentioned, the formatting and overall structure were severely lacking. An editor would have easily cut 200 pages and cleaned up the stiff, overly written-out prose. So much of what should have been trimmed down was instead expanded upon ad nauseam. It read a little like an unedited, 100-chapter fanfiction.
Also, the names - Jeremanthy and Thrush (lol) - were truly heinous.
A chunk of the side characters in the friendship group could have been cut. Most were uninteresting, and their separate romances weren’t compelling either.
I did like the relationship development between the MMC and FMC, but, again, this book desperately needed an editor to tighten it up.
The ending did redeem a few of my gripes. I found the emphasis on sisterhood, family, and acceptance beautiful. But with so many overarching issues, this was more of a mixed than a positive reading experience for me.
February 18, 2025
did I read the same book??
Ugh, did we all read the same book? I’m confused.
The premise sounded interesting and different. A book about a 38 year old woman with brains that gets herself and her friends through the ordeal of being kidnapped.
The writing is like reading a word maze. I had to re read so many sentences to figure out a simple statement, like the time passing. On the seventh day it was the fourteenth. What???? Then I realized the fourteenth of the month. The internal monologue was a loop de loop of no sense. Her brains were not that bright in the little I read SPOILERS:
Her friend/fellow that is kidnapped is having a seizure. The woman who is having a seizures partner gets out of a river where they are bathing to attend to her and acts like she knows what’s going on. The captain comes and gets our main character from the river. MFC asks him what’s wrong, he says friend is having a seizure, her sister says it’s normal occurrence. Wouldn’t she need to pretend to know that if they were priestesses together?
Then there was predictability, world building, and continuity that made no sense. So this is a different world but with magic and dragons…?The king is a king of sharks? I got to 25% and stopped. It needs some beta readers. Good luck!
Ugh, did we all read the same book? I’m confused.
The premise sounded interesting and different. A book about a 38 year old woman with brains that gets herself and her friends through the ordeal of being kidnapped.
The writing is like reading a word maze. I had to re read so many sentences to figure out a simple statement, like the time passing. On the seventh day it was the fourteenth. What???? Then I realized the fourteenth of the month. The internal monologue was a loop de loop of no sense. Her brains were not that bright in the little I read SPOILERS:
Her friend/fellow that is kidnapped is having a seizure. The woman who is having a seizures partner gets out of a river where they are bathing to attend to her and acts like she knows what’s going on. The captain comes and gets our main character from the river. MFC asks him what’s wrong, he says friend is having a seizure, her sister says it’s normal occurrence. Wouldn’t she need to pretend to know that if they were priestesses together?
Then there was predictability, world building, and continuity that made no sense. So this is a different world but with magic and dragons…?The king is a king of sharks? I got to 25% and stopped. It needs some beta readers. Good luck!
January 9, 2025
Priestess came very close to a 5 star read for me … one of the best fantasy romances I have read in a super long time. If you love strong, unique (but not annoying) female characters who are over 30, check this out. Plus healthy relationships and non-toxic men 🙌🏻 I also loved the plot, I found it unique and engaging. It was a great story.
I knocked off one star because I found it just a little too long, and the epilogue wasn’t the greatest (it was unnecessary). Other than that this probably would’ve been a perfect read for me.
I knocked off one star because I found it just a little too long, and the epilogue wasn’t the greatest (it was unnecessary). Other than that this probably would’ve been a perfect read for me.
dnf
July 6, 2025DNF page 16/Chapter 1. The whole 16 pages is essentially an info dump internal monologue. Yuck.
I don’t mind slower books but I’m not into reading a textbook for the entire first chapter.
You need to be able to weave the worldbuilding into the events of the story. The first chapter is meant to make readers curious about the plot of the book and introduce the main characters by making them someone interesting.
I don’t mind slower books but I’m not into reading a textbook for the entire first chapter.
You need to be able to weave the worldbuilding into the events of the story. The first chapter is meant to make readers curious about the plot of the book and introduce the main characters by making them someone interesting.
June 18, 2025
oh..
If you like swaths of 150+ pages where nothing happens and frighteningly unsexy sex scenes, this is the book for you
If you like swaths of 150+ pages where nothing happens and frighteningly unsexy sex scenes, this is the book for you
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