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Swordheart #1
Swordheart
An Instant New York Times, USA Today, and Indie Bestseller
DELUXE EDITION—a beautiful hardcover edition featuring turquoise sprayed edges, a foil stamp on the casing, and custom endpapers.
The delightful charm of The Princess Bride meets the delicious bodyguard romance of From Blood and Ash in this cozy fantasy romance from New York Times bestselling author T. Kingfisher
Halla has unexpectedly inherited the estate of a wealthy uncle. Unfortunately, she is also saddled with money-hungry relatives full of devious plans for how to wrest the inheritance away from her.
While locked in her bedroom, Halla inspects the ancient sword that's been collecting dust on the wall since before she moved in. Out of desperation, she unsheathes it—and suddenly a man appears. His name is Sarkis, he tells her, and he is an immortal warrior trapped in a prison of enchanted steel.
Sarkis is sworn to protect whoever wields the sword, and for Halla—a most unusual wielder—he finds himself fending off not grand armies and deadly assassins but instead everything from kindly-seeming bandits to roving inquisitors to her own in-laws. But as Halla and Sarkis grow closer, they overlook the biggest threat of all—the sword itself.
DELUXE EDITION—a beautiful hardcover edition featuring turquoise sprayed edges, a foil stamp on the casing, and custom endpapers.
The delightful charm of The Princess Bride meets the delicious bodyguard romance of From Blood and Ash in this cozy fantasy romance from New York Times bestselling author T. Kingfisher
Halla has unexpectedly inherited the estate of a wealthy uncle. Unfortunately, she is also saddled with money-hungry relatives full of devious plans for how to wrest the inheritance away from her.
While locked in her bedroom, Halla inspects the ancient sword that's been collecting dust on the wall since before she moved in. Out of desperation, she unsheathes it—and suddenly a man appears. His name is Sarkis, he tells her, and he is an immortal warrior trapped in a prison of enchanted steel.
Sarkis is sworn to protect whoever wields the sword, and for Halla—a most unusual wielder—he finds himself fending off not grand armies and deadly assassins but instead everything from kindly-seeming bandits to roving inquisitors to her own in-laws. But as Halla and Sarkis grow closer, they overlook the biggest threat of all—the sword itself.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published November 27, 2018
3177 people are currently reading
101071 people want to read
About the author
T. Kingfisher
59 books25.4k followersT. Kingfisher is the vaguely absurd pen-name of Ursula Vernon. In another life, she writes children's books and weird comics, and has won the Hugo, Sequoyah, and Ursa Major awards, as well as a half-dozen Junior Library Guild selections.
This is the name she uses when writing things for grown-ups.
When she is not writing, she is probably out in the garden, trying to make eye contact with butterflies.
This is the name she uses when writing things for grown-ups.
When she is not writing, she is probably out in the garden, trying to make eye contact with butterflies.
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December 12, 2019Second read. I was saving this one for time of need and by God this is one. As comforting, wise, funny and sharp-edged as I recall. I could really use a new T Kingfisher right now.
__________
An absolute joy. Set in the Clockwork Boys world but with ostensibly far lower stakes--we're not saving the world from demons, here, just saving a widow from being forced to marry a cousin. Except that what we're actually saving is a woman's self-respect and a man's humanity, which actually is stakes high enough for any book. Very much more towards the romance side than other books, and does it beautifully.
And the world! Kingfisher is endlessly inventive in her threats and monsters, and also one of the few fantasy writers who can conceive of oppressive organised religions that aren't Catholicism in a funny hat. It's all joyously varied. And talking of variety: curvy mid-30s heroine, important nonbinary character whose identity and pronouns are never an issue, queerness existing and unquestionably accepted.
Glorious funny dialogue, intense but clearsighted compassion and humanity, a fair bit of highly enjoyable murder. And sequels! I would swap a limb for Angharad and the Dervish's stories. *clasps hands, looks pleading*
__________
An absolute joy. Set in the Clockwork Boys world but with ostensibly far lower stakes--we're not saving the world from demons, here, just saving a widow from being forced to marry a cousin. Except that what we're actually saving is a woman's self-respect and a man's humanity, which actually is stakes high enough for any book. Very much more towards the romance side than other books, and does it beautifully.
And the world! Kingfisher is endlessly inventive in her threats and monsters, and also one of the few fantasy writers who can conceive of oppressive organised religions that aren't Catholicism in a funny hat. It's all joyously varied. And talking of variety: curvy mid-30s heroine, important nonbinary character whose identity and pronouns are never an issue, queerness existing and unquestionably accepted.
Glorious funny dialogue, intense but clearsighted compassion and humanity, a fair bit of highly enjoyable murder. And sequels! I would swap a limb for Angharad and the Dervish's stories. *clasps hands, looks pleading*
November 4, 2025
3.25 stars! This book was sooo cute! It's very Princess Bride style humor which I LOVE. The only reason I wouldn't rate it higher is that it's a very cozy fantasy, which I knew going in, but I still wanted some higher stakes at points. The main plot (outside of the romance) is Halla trying to secure her inheritance which I never got that invested in.
But I love how much of the world we explore and how there are a TON of great themes and messages on being a woman, found family, religion, power, and more.
But I love how much of the world we explore and how there are a TON of great themes and messages on being a woman, found family, religion, power, and more.
June 11, 2022
Fans of "cozy fantasy" here's another one to add to your tbr! This was everything I wanted!!!
It follows a woman named Halla, who picks up a sword only to find out there is an immortal warrior named Sarkis trapped inside it who is now bound to protect her. They spend the book traveling across the country so Halla can get the inheritance that her late husbands family is trying to steal from her. Sarkis is magically compelled to protect Halla from all sorts of danger they encounter on their travels ranging from bandits to flying jelly monsters.
this was such a fun low-stakes fantasy with a strong romance and adventure. There's also a great found family with the characters. I loved the slow burn romance between Halla and Sarkis. They very much give off grumpy x sunshine vibes and had amazing banter!!
This is definitely a new favorite book!
It follows a woman named Halla, who picks up a sword only to find out there is an immortal warrior named Sarkis trapped inside it who is now bound to protect her. They spend the book traveling across the country so Halla can get the inheritance that her late husbands family is trying to steal from her. Sarkis is magically compelled to protect Halla from all sorts of danger they encounter on their travels ranging from bandits to flying jelly monsters.
this was such a fun low-stakes fantasy with a strong romance and adventure. There's also a great found family with the characters. I loved the slow burn romance between Halla and Sarkis. They very much give off grumpy x sunshine vibes and had amazing banter!!
This is definitely a new favorite book!
May 9, 2019
Well, that exactly suited my reading mood rainy yesterday. Fantasy-romance-adventure-humor. A beleaguered widow finds herself the inheritor of a magic sword, after which nothing goes as either of them expects.
Set in the world of the previous duology The Clocktaur War. Reading that first would inform the world-building in this smaller-scale tale, but I don't think is required. The romance has something of the same Kingfisher flavor as the one from that story (and some others), which, if you liked it, here's more. The revisit to the Vagrant Hills included some really primo creepy new elements.
There is a hint at the end that there may be a follow-up story concerning the fates of a couple of other important haunted magic swords of the same making, which I would be all over.
Ta, L.
May 7, 2023
This is probably going to be a solid miss for me. Kingfisher's strength is her whimsical approach to modernizing folk and fairy tales. Sometimes it works (Minor Mage), sometimes it doesn't (Nine Goblins). In Swordheart, the cast-off female is a middle-aged widow who inherits money. Not a bad place to start, right? Extended family immediately makes plans for her future, including forcible marriage and rape. This is presented in a somewhat hilarious fashion (trigger warning--it is not). The character even speculates about her own murder. As she is about to kill herself on a sword, she discovers it has a swordsman guardian. Hijinks ensue.
That's right. Cheesy, sitcom-level hijinks, with sitcom level dialogue (no word yet if the audio version includes a laugh track):
"How many people are in this house?" he said, adjusting the buckles that held the scabbard in place.
"Eight. Me, Cousin Alver, Aunt Malva, her maid, her sister, and two cousins. And Roderick."
"Are any of the cousins warriors? Are they armed?"
"Uh... I mean, Cousin Sayvil's got a pretty wicked pinch. And I suppose they have...err...needles? Oh! And embroidery hooks!"
"Embroidery hooks."
"Yes. Do they have them where you're from? They're sort of--er--pointy--" She tried to explain with hand gestures.
Sarkis began muttering savagely under his breath. He didn't look at her while he did it.
"What are you saying?" she asked.
"I'm counting," he said, with marvelous patience.
"Why?"
"So I don't scream at you. My lady."
"Oh. Silas used to do that, too."
"I am not in the least surprised."
Yes. Halla does actually talk with 'Err,' '...' and interrupts herself. She focuses on banalities in life-threatening situations. She has an Amelia Bedelia level of comprehension. For me, it crossed the line from witty interplay to annoyingly obtuse, but if the thought of a novella full of that sort of dialogue amuses you, I think you'll find this book suits. Mostly, I felt like this while reading:
If I want fun interplay, I'll go re-read Bellwether or To Say Nothing of the Dog.
**************
Two days later, an update.
My book OCD kicked in, and I did finish reading it, albeit without attention to every single word. I have Thoughts. I will say that if you are on the fence with continuing, but love romances and have a high tolerance for inconsistencies, you will probably enjoy the rest of the book. If it has annoyed you until chapter ten or so, it'll just get annoying in different ways.
Eventually, we are given reasons for Halla's 'dimwitted' nattering. It is a defense mechanism, particularly against men in power. One thing I really appreciate about Kingfisher is that she recognizes and calls out all the strategies and coping mechanisms people might have to contextualize them and put a positive spin on them. So Halla's tendency towards run-on silliness eventually becomes a learning experience and then a running joke between the leads. This 'elevation' of a non-traditional 'female' coping mechanism reminded me of A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking.
The story evolves into a bloody but sort-of lighthearted romance, if such a thing exists. It does not reach the tonal lightness of Princess Bride--there are too many real betrayals, assaults, and murders for that. Yet it tries to be playful with the dialogue, the call-backs, and events. The tonal incongruities absolutely don't work for me.
Honestly, books are not people. We get off on the wrong foot, and I end up feeling like I owe something to the book, or the author, or my friends to give it an 'honest shot,' whatever that means. Yet the reality is that the tone is often set for me early--and certainly by chapter ten, when I first wrote this review--and by then it'll either be a slog, or it won't. This was a slog.
That's right. Cheesy, sitcom-level hijinks, with sitcom level dialogue (no word yet if the audio version includes a laugh track):
"How many people are in this house?" he said, adjusting the buckles that held the scabbard in place.
"Eight. Me, Cousin Alver, Aunt Malva, her maid, her sister, and two cousins. And Roderick."
"Are any of the cousins warriors? Are they armed?"
"Uh... I mean, Cousin Sayvil's got a pretty wicked pinch. And I suppose they have...err...needles? Oh! And embroidery hooks!"
"Embroidery hooks."
"Yes. Do they have them where you're from? They're sort of--er--pointy--" She tried to explain with hand gestures.
Sarkis began muttering savagely under his breath. He didn't look at her while he did it.
"What are you saying?" she asked.
"I'm counting," he said, with marvelous patience.
"Why?"
"So I don't scream at you. My lady."
"Oh. Silas used to do that, too."
"I am not in the least surprised."
Yes. Halla does actually talk with 'Err,' '...' and interrupts herself. She focuses on banalities in life-threatening situations. She has an Amelia Bedelia level of comprehension. For me, it crossed the line from witty interplay to annoyingly obtuse, but if the thought of a novella full of that sort of dialogue amuses you, I think you'll find this book suits. Mostly, I felt like this while reading:
If I want fun interplay, I'll go re-read Bellwether or To Say Nothing of the Dog.
**************
Two days later, an update.
My book OCD kicked in, and I did finish reading it, albeit without attention to every single word. I have Thoughts. I will say that if you are on the fence with continuing, but love romances and have a high tolerance for inconsistencies, you will probably enjoy the rest of the book. If it has annoyed you until chapter ten or so, it'll just get annoying in different ways.
Eventually, we are given reasons for Halla's 'dimwitted' nattering. It is a defense mechanism, particularly against men in power. One thing I really appreciate about Kingfisher is that she recognizes and calls out all the strategies and coping mechanisms people might have to contextualize them and put a positive spin on them. So Halla's tendency towards run-on silliness eventually becomes a learning experience and then a running joke between the leads. This 'elevation' of a non-traditional 'female' coping mechanism reminded me of A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking.
The story evolves into a bloody but sort-of lighthearted romance, if such a thing exists. It does not reach the tonal lightness of Princess Bride--there are too many real betrayals, assaults, and murders for that. Yet it tries to be playful with the dialogue, the call-backs, and events. The tonal incongruities absolutely don't work for me.
Honestly, books are not people. We get off on the wrong foot, and I end up feeling like I owe something to the book, or the author, or my friends to give it an 'honest shot,' whatever that means. Yet the reality is that the tone is often set for me early--and certainly by chapter ten, when I first wrote this review--and by then it'll either be a slog, or it won't. This was a slog.
February 12, 2021
4.5 Stars ⭐️
Buddy read with my MacHalo lovelies! This was a fun book and I love Sarkis!!
The end!!!!!!!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Buddy read with my MacHalo lovelies! This was a fun book and I love Sarkis!!
The end!!!!!!!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
June 6, 2021
Final update: This should've been much shorter (it has no business being over 400 pages long) or have more story.
-----------------
May 2021 update: another try because of rave reviews. This time I could get to around 30%. this romance refuses to work for me. I love romance, but in a good romance novel, romance itself is developing characters, it’s important for the arc. it’s not just there. if there’s no tension or conflict, it is boring. these two are decent people who are immediately attracted to each other and they are on the older side. he is 50 maybe and she is 36 in 1300s. it’s like 70 in today’s world. all of your women friends from childhood are already died in childbirth and from measles.
and then they blush and blush and there’s situations like she wears a thin shift and it’s cold and he sees her nipples, and then she sees them herself and blush and laugh track. It’s like American comedy. And she of course has low self esteem and thinks she’s unattractive, but he is so turned on by her boobs, his boner already tore through few trousers. I guess I must accept this is not my cup of tea. To my future self: stop trying to make it work!
-----------------
May 2021 update: another try because of rave reviews. This time I could get to around 30%. this romance refuses to work for me. I love romance, but in a good romance novel, romance itself is developing characters, it’s important for the arc. it’s not just there. if there’s no tension or conflict, it is boring. these two are decent people who are immediately attracted to each other and they are on the older side. he is 50 maybe and she is 36 in 1300s. it’s like 70 in today’s world. all of your women friends from childhood are already died in childbirth and from measles.
and then they blush and blush and there’s situations like she wears a thin shift and it’s cold and he sees her nipples, and then she sees them herself and blush and laugh track. It’s like American comedy. And she of course has low self esteem and thinks she’s unattractive, but he is so turned on by her boobs, his boner already tore through few trousers. I guess I must accept this is not my cup of tea. To my future self: stop trying to make it work!
October 20, 2025
➽ And the moral of this reread is: Zale and Brindle and Prettyfoot the ox are the real stars of this show if you ask me. And even if you don't. Ask me, I mean.
· Book 2: Daggerbound · to be released August 25, 2026
[February 2021]
There are only three things you need to know about this book:
① It's hilarious as fish, as I may or may not have perhaps mentioned before (maybe) .
② It features what is considered—at least in my subaquatic dominion—an outrageously unhealthy amount of fluffy stuff and romantic crap. And still I gave the book a most barbaric 5 star rating .
③ Sarkis is MINE MINE MINE. So Poof, Gone, Harem and stuff.
Sorry, what? Oh, you want to know more about the story? Well, it's about a widowed 36-year-old housewife and the ever-scowling, most deliciously grumpy enchanted sword she wields (aka MY Sarkis).
Besides being most deliciously ancient, Halla—the widow—is curvy as shrimp and definitely NOT one of those boringly drop-dead gorgeous female leads (which is refreshing as fish, if you ask me). Oh, and she weaponizes ignorance just as cunningly as Fleet Admiral DaShrimp weaponizes my murderous babies (which is Slightly Very Cool—SVC™—if you ask me). Another one of Halla's nifty abilities is her innate gift for questioning people into oblivion. I kid you not. All in all, I think you could maybe say that there is a slight chance that Hally might be a Moderately Scrumptious MC (MSMC™). Quite possibly.
Just like Halla, my new boyfriend Sarkis has seen better days. His body is old and battered and scarred all over and he has salt and pepper hair and NOMNOMNOM, I say. He has a high sense of propriety (well high for a sword, anyway) and the delicious tendency to break people in half, too. Oh, and one thing I 💕lurves💕 about him is his commitment to, um, craftsmanship (as in, you know, um, craftsmanship). Sarkis has a thing for continually being an ass, too . This, combined with his scarred, wicked look is just about the most yummiliciously deadliest thing ever, methinks.
You could say that, yes.
Okay, what else? Well, the story also features a priest/lawyer named Zale who happens to be one of the coolest, mostest awesomest non-binary characters ever. (No small feat considering how often gender-neutral characters are used as gimmicky plot devices these days.) Zale has the uncanny ability “to grin like a shark that has eaten the cat, the canary, and several innocent bystanders” which makes me think they'd be right at home with my Machiavellianly murderous troops. Aaaaaaannnnd since Zale's order is most definitely NOT sworn to celibacy...well...um...you know...Poof, Gone, Harem and stuff. (Not sure how Jimmy Stark is going to feel about having a priest as fellowslave harem guest but I guess I'm about to find out.)
Lastly, this book is about potential husbands with clammy hands *shudders* and aunts with ghoulish ones. And about creative ways of killing oneself withchamber pots usefully lethal objects, too. There are also birds that roar about the end of the world and the screams of the damned (pretty cool, that), sock raids (don't ask), most enlightening discussions about the relative size of dragons, and piles of flying slime that try to crawl inside of your mouth (yum). Yaks, biscuits, decadent southern gods, and cauliflower are extensively mentioned, too. As are temporary dismemberment (it wears on you after a while, just so you know), ceremonial robes from extinct death cults (which are absolutely not appropriate to visit the local market), men who are turned on by stiff breezes (I told you not to ask) and last, but certainly not least, the utter uselessness of respectability.
And where does that leave us, you ask? Well just about here, methinks:
And also here (obviously):
I restin my case.
P.S. T. Kingfisher got the inspiration for this book from Elric's sword Stormbringer (the poor thing had to listen to hissilly wielder whining 24/7 without being able to do anything about it). And that it is bloody shrimping awesome, if you ask me.
.
[Pre-review nonsense]
What the MacHalos looked like while buddy reading this Slightly Very Good and Surprisingly Hilarious As Fish Book (SVGaSHaFB™):
➽ Review to come and stuff.
· Book 2: Daggerbound · to be released August 25, 2026
[February 2021]
There are only three things you need to know about this book:
① It's hilarious as fish, as I may or may not have perhaps mentioned before (maybe) .
② It features what is considered—at least in my subaquatic dominion—an outrageously unhealthy amount of fluffy stuff and romantic crap. And still I gave the book a most barbaric 5 star rating .
③ Sarkis is MINE MINE MINE. So Poof, Gone, Harem and stuff.
Sorry, what? Oh, you want to know more about the story? Well, it's about a widowed 36-year-old housewife and the ever-scowling, most deliciously grumpy enchanted sword she wields (aka MY Sarkis).
Besides being most deliciously ancient, Halla—the widow—is curvy as shrimp and definitely NOT one of those boringly drop-dead gorgeous female leads (which is refreshing as fish, if you ask me). Oh, and she weaponizes ignorance just as cunningly as Fleet Admiral DaShrimp weaponizes my murderous babies (which is Slightly Very Cool—SVC™—if you ask me). Another one of Halla's nifty abilities is her innate gift for questioning people into oblivion. I kid you not. All in all, I think you could maybe say that there is a slight chance that Hally might be a Moderately Scrumptious MC (MSMC™). Quite possibly.
Just like Halla, my new boyfriend Sarkis has seen better days. His body is old and battered and scarred all over and he has salt and pepper hair and NOMNOMNOM, I say. He has a high sense of propriety (well high for a sword, anyway) and the delicious tendency to break people in half, too. Oh, and one thing I 💕lurves💕 about him is his commitment to, um, craftsmanship (as in, you know, um, craftsmanship). Sarkis has a thing for continually being an ass, too . This, combined with his scarred, wicked look is just about the most yummiliciously deadliest thing ever, methinks.
You could say that, yes.
Okay, what else? Well, the story also features a priest/lawyer named Zale who happens to be one of the coolest, mostest awesomest non-binary characters ever. (No small feat considering how often gender-neutral characters are used as gimmicky plot devices these days.) Zale has the uncanny ability “to grin like a shark that has eaten the cat, the canary, and several innocent bystanders” which makes me think they'd be right at home with my Machiavellianly murderous troops. Aaaaaaannnnd since Zale's order is most definitely NOT sworn to celibacy...well...um...you know...Poof, Gone, Harem and stuff. (Not sure how Jimmy Stark is going to feel about having a priest as fellow
Lastly, this book is about potential husbands with clammy hands *shudders* and aunts with ghoulish ones. And about creative ways of killing oneself with
And where does that leave us, you ask? Well just about here, methinks:
And also here (obviously):
I rest
P.S. T. Kingfisher got the inspiration for this book from Elric's sword Stormbringer (the poor thing had to listen to his
.[Pre-review nonsense]
What the MacHalos looked like while buddy reading this Slightly Very Good and Surprisingly Hilarious As Fish Book (SVGaSHaFB™):
➽ Review to come and stuff.
May 17, 2025
honestly these are so refreshing, i’m so glad i gave this author another chance bc i almost gave up and missed out on such fun books. this is kinda everything ive been looking for in romantasy. ive been wanting something that feels different, characters that have depth and a romance that doesn’t feel copy and paste. i love that the fmc in this is in her 30s and has had other romance experience. i loved these two as a couple. my only problem is just that i don’t always love adventures in fantasy but that’s absolutely a me problem which is why i still gave it 4 stars
March 25, 2025
Maybe I’m a terminal grump but this wasn’t it for me. The novel idea of a romance between someone in their late thirties and an immortal sword-man gets sort of muddy when the person in their late thirties acts like a socially awkward fifteen year old which apparently the immortal sword-man is into. Failing that, a little bit of plot wouldn’t go amiss but alas, there is none to be found here aside from a sort of pointless road trip that mostly featured a badger who loves his ox. It was sort of like a wacky YA book but with some swearing and really uncomfortable sex. It wasn’t bad by any means, I just, like… didn’t know what to do with it. The bright side was Zale, but I’ve had a thing for priests since my mom let me watch I Confess when I was 8 so.
January 29, 2024
4.5 stars - good gravy do I love this world! And this couple... the banter! The pining! Ugh, I just loved it and it was so cozy while still having a good chunk of plot. A little long, but otherwise wonderful
February 9, 2025
So unpopular opinion here. I started out really loving this book and then the story just kept having hiccups which made me like the story less and less.
I’d give this a 3.5 stars but couldn’t round up for this one…….
The story itself was fun for the most part, but the redundancy got a little tiring for me. The two MC’s kept having the same thoughts over and over and it became annoying to read. At times the story would start to pull me back in but then right back to rolling my eyes at the exhaustive repetition. I felt the story lacked true substance.
It is a historical fantasy romance with some great humor pieces thrown in so that part is truly enjoyable. The banter can be fun and is part of the charm for the most part but looses its fervor.
It just didn’t hit the mark for me unfortunately and I struggled to finish this because of the amount of times I was pulled out of the story by reading the same thing I did a few chapters before it. It just didn’t feel very original.
I’d give this a 3.5 stars but couldn’t round up for this one…….
The story itself was fun for the most part, but the redundancy got a little tiring for me. The two MC’s kept having the same thoughts over and over and it became annoying to read. At times the story would start to pull me back in but then right back to rolling my eyes at the exhaustive repetition. I felt the story lacked true substance.
It is a historical fantasy romance with some great humor pieces thrown in so that part is truly enjoyable. The banter can be fun and is part of the charm for the most part but looses its fervor.
It just didn’t hit the mark for me unfortunately and I struggled to finish this because of the amount of times I was pulled out of the story by reading the same thing I did a few chapters before it. It just didn’t feel very original.
October 1, 2020
“yay!” said halla, when sarkis handed her the jar.
“no one,” said sarkis wearily, “in my entire life, has ever said, ‘yay’, when i handed them a jar of piss.”
“well, there’s a first time for everything.”
when someone says, ‘fantasy romance’, i think of historical romance and fairy tale retellings. y’know, the stuff with either yearning and longing glances or surprisingly explicit erotica. might also come with a free dose of Rippling Abs and/or Hot Inexperienced Girl.
this book, however, turned all my poorly-formed expectations on its head and gave me a chaotic farmland roadtrip with very endearing and funny characters.
halla is a chatty, hilarious, middle-aged widow whose eccentric uncle takes her in after her husband dies. she plays housekeeper around his artefact-filled home (including a demon-voiced bird), but when he dies and leaves everything to her, his family attempts to take her inheritance away from her by forcing her to marry a clammy-handed cousin.
sarkis is a very grumpy warrior currently bound to a magic sword, which halla unsheathes and now he has to serve her as his new master. his solution to things is usually to chop them up. though he helps her getting her inheritance back, part of the story is also figuring out his life before he got trapped in a sword.
zale is a non-binary priest from an order that focuses on legislation and lawyering, and they answer to halla’s plea to help her settle her inheritance. they’re just as chatty and weirdly curious as halla, which leads to many hilarious, nonsensical tangents between the two of them. zale is also accompanied by a gnoll who drives their cart, and gives some deadpan commentary on how strange humans are.
the dialogue in this one just pops off. there was nary a scene where i wasn’t grinning or making any amused sounds, and though the plot is simple, it did manage to give all the characters a few layers and a bit of depth.
sarkis and halla play off of each other beautifully, and it was great to see a Classic Gruff Warrior archetype who wasn’t a shit to halla at any point, but rather took the effort to get to know her and greatly admired her wits and her strength. (and her breasts, which i absolutely shan’t blame him for.)
sarkis’ backstory is one of the most interesting things about the plot, which i would’ve loved to have seen more of. he speaks with such fondness of his companions from the past, not to mention that they sound downright badass. i get that it’s very obviously set up for a series at the very end, but the epilogue on that whole issue was just a tad rushed in my opinion.
and because so many of my trope-based expectations were subverted and the book seemed so focused on entertaining humor, i also didn’t see the whole, Oh No! A Misunderstanding Between The Romantic Leads! coming right before the climax. which, to be fair, is entirely on me -- but i still found the inclusion of it rather annoying.
anyway, i will say this: we need more ridiculous romantic comedies in the fantasy genre, something i didn’t even realize was necessary until now. it’s funny, it’s delightful, and it’s sweet.
also, i’d kill to have that tiny god-bird with a demon voice as a pet.
✎ 4.0 stars.
September 6, 2024
This is just about the most heartwarming thing I've ever read. It's a cozy adventure fantasy with a side of romance. This was reminiscent of a classic genie-in-the-bottle story, only the MMC, Sarkis, came out of a sword. Sarkis is gruff and grumpy. He is also loyal to a fault. Halla, the FMC, is so funny! I loved their banter together. I appreciated that the author wrote actual mature adult characters. My only issue with this was the pacing was a bit off in the middle, and I think this was a little longer than it needed to be.
I really love how this author does humor, and I am looking forward to continuing on in this world.
4.25 ⭐
I really love how this author does humor, and I am looking forward to continuing on in this world.
4.25 ⭐
September 14, 2020
Swords and sorcery novel featuring, as the author put it, “a beleaguered magic sword saddled with an inept wielder.” And because it’s written by T. Kingfisher (aka Ursula Vernon), you know it’ll be done well.
The magic sword Is inhabited, genie-like, by a mercenary whose spirit was involuntarily attached to the sword many years ago. The holder of the sword is a thirty-something woman who’s had a rather rough life. It’s an engaging story with appealing main characters, Set in the same world as Clockwork Boys, about five years later.
RTC. Thanks to the author for the review copy!
The magic sword Is inhabited, genie-like, by a mercenary whose spirit was involuntarily attached to the sword many years ago. The holder of the sword is a thirty-something woman who’s had a rather rough life. It’s an engaging story with appealing main characters, Set in the same world as Clockwork Boys, about five years later.
RTC. Thanks to the author for the review copy!
August 10, 2022
T Kingfisher has a WAY. I've said it once and I'll say it every damn time.
I love that she writes from actual adults points of views. But somehow they still have this innocence to them that is believable and heart warming. No matter how old you are, there are a million things you're ignorant to.
I love these characters and the romance. It's so sweet and bumbling.
Also, love the representation of the non binary lawyer/priest. They were a great addition to the plot.
“I am the servant of the sword,” he said. “I obey the will of the—great god, woman, put on some clothes!”
“One of the grimmer realizations of Sarkis’s youth had been the discovery that knowing you were being an ass did not actually stop you from continuing to be an ass.”
I love that she writes from actual adults points of views. But somehow they still have this innocence to them that is believable and heart warming. No matter how old you are, there are a million things you're ignorant to.
I love these characters and the romance. It's so sweet and bumbling.
Also, love the representation of the non binary lawyer/priest. They were a great addition to the plot.
“I am the servant of the sword,” he said. “I obey the will of the—great god, woman, put on some clothes!”
“One of the grimmer realizations of Sarkis’s youth had been the discovery that knowing you were being an ass did not actually stop you from continuing to be an ass.”
January 20, 2022
I read 50 percent and finally gave up. I don't even know how I made it that far. I wanted to quit at 20 percent. This book is so annoying. It started out okay and the plot seemed interesting at first. A widow in trouble finds a magical sword with a genie-like man inside who must protect whoever owns the sword. Here is a list of things I found dumb
* the so called witty clever banter. It was try hard and wanna be and so cringe.
* the romance was obnoxiously cheesy and it's not even romantic anymore when all the guy can think about is her body. (He has twelve million inner monologues about it and I wanted so slap him. ) It's totally lust on both ends, not real love.
* The humor is so cringe. Arguing over peeing in a bottle, sexual innuendos that are just cringe, Making quips at inopportune moments, disposing of dead bodies - sorry but none of this is funny.
* I guess Halla asking non stop questions and rambling on is supposed to be cute but is sooo obnoxious and annoying.
* Halla is a 36 year old widow who acts 28. I did not like her character at all. She was so pathetic
* The sword guy supposedly cares for her unlike his other wielders but it's only because she thinks she's curvy and he wants her. At least that's what it seems like. And he's actually really boring when it comes down to it.
I could go on and on. But I won't. This book is very dumb, I'm sorry but it is.
Parental Guidance: murder, forced marriage, sexual innuendos (maybe sex scenes, I didn't finish but probably. That's the direction it was going), sword man sees her breasts and nipples by accident and can't stop thinking about it for the rest of the book, way more stuff but I feel too lazy to list it all. Basically avoid.
* the so called witty clever banter. It was try hard and wanna be and so cringe.
* the romance was obnoxiously cheesy and it's not even romantic anymore when all the guy can think about is her body. (He has twelve million inner monologues about it and I wanted so slap him. ) It's totally lust on both ends, not real love.
* The humor is so cringe. Arguing over peeing in a bottle, sexual innuendos that are just cringe, Making quips at inopportune moments, disposing of dead bodies - sorry but none of this is funny.
* I guess Halla asking non stop questions and rambling on is supposed to be cute but is sooo obnoxious and annoying.
* Halla is a 36 year old widow who acts 28. I did not like her character at all. She was so pathetic
* The sword guy supposedly cares for her unlike his other wielders but it's only because she thinks she's curvy and he wants her. At least that's what it seems like. And he's actually really boring when it comes down to it.
I could go on and on. But I won't. This book is very dumb, I'm sorry but it is.
Parental Guidance: murder, forced marriage, sexual innuendos (maybe sex scenes, I didn't finish but probably. That's the direction it was going), sword man sees her breasts and nipples by accident and can't stop thinking about it for the rest of the book, way more stuff but I feel too lazy to list it all. Basically avoid.
August 3, 2022
✦ this was cute. a cozy fantasy adventure is a perfect way to describe it. definitely had some funny moments too. great banter between the characters.
✦ i was liking it a lot in the first half, but it got draggy for me. honestly i just think it was a little too long. i did like it overall though!
✦ i was liking it a lot in the first half, but it got draggy for me. honestly i just think it was a little too long. i did like it overall though!
February 18, 2025
Delightful fantasy romance between a middle-aged woman and the swordsman stuck in a magical sword who rescues her from in-laws trying to force her into an unwanted marriage! It's funny, sweet, and full of adventure.
December 7, 2024
love me a hot immortal swordsman and the widowed heiress he’s bound to protect despite how much she exasperates him
“He’s not a man! He’s a sword!” “I am actually both,” said Sarkis, sounding somewhat apologetic. “
thank you netgalley for providing the arc in exchange for review
Bookstagram | Blog
“He’s not a man! He’s a sword!” “I am actually both,” said Sarkis, sounding somewhat apologetic. “
thank you netgalley for providing the arc in exchange for review
Bookstagram | Blog
November 18, 2025
She had to be practical. Other women got to be impractical - young ones, beautiful ones, ones with well-off families to catch them when they did something foolish. Halla was no longer young and had never been beautiful. So, she had to be one of the practical ones.
Sarkis did not make her feel the least bit practical.
Never fear, Halla, you're in a T. Kingfisher book! I love these novels set in the White Rat universe - this is the third, and is separate from the first two (other than some slight nods to previous events that you'll only notice if you've read them).
Particularly when she's writing as T. Kingfisher, this is an author who seems to love taking characters who fade into the background in another author's hands, and bringing them forward, giving them a chance at adventure and happy endings. They can be quiet and retiring - literally allergic to significant life events in some cases - or, as in this novel, the kind of person everyone leans on without ever even thinking about noticing properly.
But the really special bit about this thing she does, is that it doesn't get in the way of the story. It's not a pity move, or a nice mini-adventure for the poor forgotten background character. The stakes are high, even if just personally, and it feels just as epic as any long walk to Mordor. There are foothills (filled with all sorts of inventively terrifying wildlife) that have a mind of their own, a bird that's certified as not possessed but nevertheless speaks of doom beyond imagining, and a truly impressive range of experiments around what exactly happens when you have access to someone who can vanish.
This was fantasy at it's absolute best, for me - I'm so looking forward to continuing the series!
Sarkis did not make her feel the least bit practical.
Never fear, Halla, you're in a T. Kingfisher book! I love these novels set in the White Rat universe - this is the third, and is separate from the first two (other than some slight nods to previous events that you'll only notice if you've read them).
Particularly when she's writing as T. Kingfisher, this is an author who seems to love taking characters who fade into the background in another author's hands, and bringing them forward, giving them a chance at adventure and happy endings. They can be quiet and retiring - literally allergic to significant life events in some cases - or, as in this novel, the kind of person everyone leans on without ever even thinking about noticing properly.
But the really special bit about this thing she does, is that it doesn't get in the way of the story. It's not a pity move, or a nice mini-adventure for the poor forgotten background character. The stakes are high, even if just personally, and it feels just as epic as any long walk to Mordor. There are foothills (filled with all sorts of inventively terrifying wildlife) that have a mind of their own, a bird that's certified as not possessed but nevertheless speaks of doom beyond imagining, and a truly impressive range of experiments around what exactly happens when you have access to someone who can vanish.
This was fantasy at it's absolute best, for me - I'm so looking forward to continuing the series!
October 18, 2025
An absolutely adorable, hilarious romantasy made even better by an incredible audiobook narrator. 😍 RTC!
March 20, 2022
CW! Really thoughtless ace-representation. Pissed me the fuck off.
I normally would have rated this one a 3.5 to 4 star read, For most of the book I had a lot of fun and was smiling rather often. And I really liked some ideas, we have a couple were both are “older”, a non-binary clerk as well as consent and a good discussion of power-imbalance between the couple. I also like the lighthearted and smooth writing style.
I have some negative points regarding plot and world building - as a romance and character story this does work well - if you are in for the fantasy and plot arc, you will be disappointed, I guess, since the whole book basically contains nothing more than traveling the same road back and forth again and again. That also played a part in pacing issues, combined with a scene that felt completely different written and didn’t fit well into the overall concept, as if the author was eager to put a random horror chapter in an otherwise fluff story. The scene itself was interesting, but didn’t fit well into the narration flow.
At around 70 % the author took a really good chunk out of my positive and delighted feeling, in belittling and ridiculing Halla’s exhusband, who clearly seemed to be an asexual character. Instead of making this a good opportunity of developing her female character, the author decided it would be good idea to paint the exhusband a weak and vague man, unworthy and obviously undeserving. A stark contrast to our manly man Sarkis who naturally is virile and desires Halla and condemnes the exhusband, judges him and puts him down.
I am super salty. Especially because the author already showed some promising non-toxic masculinity and at least some feminist and inclusive approaches. I guess the thoughtless and uneducated treatment of an ace character blindsided me a little and just made it all the more worse and offensive. It carelessly ruined a lot about a book, I was really delighted about in the beginning and left a really sour taste in my mouth after finishing.
I normally would have rated this one a 3.5 to 4 star read, For most of the book I had a lot of fun and was smiling rather often. And I really liked some ideas, we have a couple were both are “older”, a non-binary clerk as well as consent and a good discussion of power-imbalance between the couple. I also like the lighthearted and smooth writing style.
I have some negative points regarding plot and world building - as a romance and character story this does work well - if you are in for the fantasy and plot arc, you will be disappointed, I guess, since the whole book basically contains nothing more than traveling the same road back and forth again and again. That also played a part in pacing issues, combined with a scene that felt completely different written and didn’t fit well into the overall concept, as if the author was eager to put a random horror chapter in an otherwise fluff story. The scene itself was interesting, but didn’t fit well into the narration flow.
At around 70 % the author took a really good chunk out of my positive and delighted feeling, in belittling and ridiculing Halla’s exhusband, who clearly seemed to be an asexual character. Instead of making this a good opportunity of developing her female character, the author decided it would be good idea to paint the exhusband a weak and vague man, unworthy and obviously undeserving. A stark contrast to our manly man Sarkis who naturally is virile and desires Halla and condemnes the exhusband, judges him and puts him down.
I am super salty. Especially because the author already showed some promising non-toxic masculinity and at least some feminist and inclusive approaches. I guess the thoughtless and uneducated treatment of an ace character blindsided me a little and just made it all the more worse and offensive. It carelessly ruined a lot about a book, I was really delighted about in the beginning and left a really sour taste in my mouth after finishing.
February 10, 2019
Halla is a respectable widow who was housekeeper to an artifact collector and scholar until his recent death. After the entire estate of the collector was willed to Halla, she is imprisoned by her husband's family until she agrees to marry her brother-in-law so that the family can get their hands on the inheritance. Halla resolves to kill herself rather than be married and unsheathes an old sword on a wall to do it. But when she unsheathes it a magical warrior, Sarkis, appears with a mission to protect the sword's wielder. Halla and Sarkis set off to the Temple of the White Rat to engage a lawyer-priest so that Halla can claim her inheritance.
Set in the same world as the Clockwork Boys, this is the beginning of a new trilogy looking at a trio of warriors trapped inside magical swords. Like in all the other books I've read from this author, the characterization is especially rich and the best writing is in the dialogue between them. Halla is wonderful, from her boundless innocent curiosity to the way she's able to weaponize her place in society to get her way. Sarkis has layers on layers, even if he's primarily here as a straight-man for Halla's off-the-wall approach to the world. Halla and Sarkis are joined by the Rat Priest Zale, a gender non-binary character, and Brindle, a gnole, one of this world's excellently conceived badger-people. All of these characters are wonderful and make a very simple plot just sparkle. It's just there-and-back-again, with random encounters and intrigue to overcome , but made amazing through the lens of these characters, particularly with the romance that springs up between Halla and Sarkis.
This also hits a number of points that are just not normally well-handled by traditional epic fantasy: concern about pregnancy when birth control is not present, the role of law and lawyers in a pre-industrial (but still fairly civilized) society, and that adventurer's can't simply go through the world killing people indiscriminately. This author seems to constantly question these underlying elements of traditional fantasy (see the wonderful "Sun, Moon, Dust" (as Ursula Vernon) for her viewpoint on the flipside of the Hero's Journey).
Note that this is a completely independent story from the Clockwork Boys, and is set five years after those events in a different part of the world. If you read those two books, you'll get some background info on gnoles, rune, demons and paladins, but none of it is necessary to appreciate this book.
Set in the same world as the Clockwork Boys, this is the beginning of a new trilogy looking at a trio of warriors trapped inside magical swords. Like in all the other books I've read from this author, the characterization is especially rich and the best writing is in the dialogue between them. Halla is wonderful, from her boundless innocent curiosity to the way she's able to weaponize her place in society to get her way. Sarkis has layers on layers, even if he's primarily here as a straight-man for Halla's off-the-wall approach to the world. Halla and Sarkis are joined by the Rat Priest Zale, a gender non-binary character, and Brindle, a gnole, one of this world's excellently conceived badger-people. All of these characters are wonderful and make a very simple plot just sparkle. It's just there-and-back-again, with random encounters and intrigue to overcome , but made amazing through the lens of these characters, particularly with the romance that springs up between Halla and Sarkis.
This also hits a number of points that are just not normally well-handled by traditional epic fantasy: concern about pregnancy when birth control is not present, the role of law and lawyers in a pre-industrial (but still fairly civilized) society, and that adventurer's can't simply go through the world killing people indiscriminately. This author seems to constantly question these underlying elements of traditional fantasy (see the wonderful "Sun, Moon, Dust" (as Ursula Vernon) for her viewpoint on the flipside of the Hero's Journey).
Note that this is a completely independent story from the Clockwork Boys, and is set five years after those events in a different part of the world. If you read those two books, you'll get some background info on gnoles, rune, demons and paladins, but none of it is necessary to appreciate this book.
February 25, 2025
An unexpected inheritance, an ancient sword, and greedy relatives set the stage for Swordheart. No one was more shocked when Halla inherited her wealthy uncle's estate than Halla! Of course, there were others in the family who hoped to get their hands on the estate. After being locked in a room of the estate she inherited, Halla draws a sword and is beyond shocked when Sarkis, an immortal swordsman who has been trapped in the sword comes out. He is sworn to protect whoever sets him free. After the shock wears off for both, the battle for Halla's estate begins!
This is a whimsical fantasy romance meets adventure tale. I enjoy T. Kingfisher's writing and thought I would love this one as well. While it was enjoyable, it also felt long, and failed to wow me. What I enjoyed is that the two main characters are both middle age and have some life experiences behind them - Sarkis has much, much more experience! I enjoyed Halla and her quick thinking, bad singing, and wit. Sarkis is tough, has bulging biceps, is a little grumpy, and fierce.
For me romance is all about the journey and I just had a hard time with their entire journey in this book. But along the way, this magic of the first part of the book began to wear off for me. Many enjoyed this book more than I did so please read their reviews as well.
Thank you to Tor Publishing Group | Bramble and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
This is a whimsical fantasy romance meets adventure tale. I enjoy T. Kingfisher's writing and thought I would love this one as well. While it was enjoyable, it also felt long, and failed to wow me. What I enjoyed is that the two main characters are both middle age and have some life experiences behind them - Sarkis has much, much more experience! I enjoyed Halla and her quick thinking, bad singing, and wit. Sarkis is tough, has bulging biceps, is a little grumpy, and fierce.
For me romance is all about the journey and I just had a hard time with their entire journey in this book. But along the way, this magic of the first part of the book began to wear off for me. Many enjoyed this book more than I did so please read their reviews as well.
Thank you to Tor Publishing Group | Bramble and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
December 17, 2023
4.5 stars
I usually don't get on with cozy fantasy, but this one landed for me. It balanced the low stakes for the reader with enough stakes for the characters. It's still a little slow and meandering, but I found the main character charming enough to carry it. Some of her characterization is done through repetition of some of her characteristics, and that kept this from being a perfect read for me. There is also an element of miscommunication between the main characters, which may be unenjoyable for others, but it worked okay for me here because I understood each character's motivation.
This was lovely, fun, and romantic.
March 17, 2025
« The world tries to break everyone. But sometimes when it fails, it fails spectacularly. » 💗
This was so cozy, cute, fluffy and funny. Just what I needed to take my mind off things for a while.
I really loved the characters and I’m looking forward to reading about the other swords. Halla, Sarkis & Zale were really delightful. It dragged a bit in the last 70 pages but I don’t want to give this less than 4 stars… I laughed out loud a few times.
This was so cozy, cute, fluffy and funny. Just what I needed to take my mind off things for a while.
I really loved the characters and I’m looking forward to reading about the other swords. Halla, Sarkis & Zale were really delightful. It dragged a bit in the last 70 pages but I don’t want to give this less than 4 stars… I laughed out loud a few times.
August 8, 2025
As other reviews have hit, Swordheart is hilarious and cozy. It’s fantasy with a slow burn romance, but for me personally, the romance was more of a subplot than the focus of the book. There’s a quest feel to what the characters are trying to accomplish and between their goals and adventures, the relationship arc simmered more on the back burner. Perhaps other readers felt the romance was stronger, but I found myself wishing for some more oomph on the romantic side. The characters are fantastic however, with Halla (h) being especially delightful. Sarkis (H) is also wonderful, it just happens that Halla stole the show (as she should).
Written in third person, dual POV. No ow drama, sort of om drama from a cousin-in-law who’s trying to marry the h against her will (but not really under his own will either). Both are experienced, though the H far more since the h had only been with her husband (she’s a widow) and it wasn’t even good. The H hasn’t been with a woman in hundreds of years though.
Some tropes/themes:
☆ FMC has to fight for her inheritance
☆ MMC is magically bound to a sword
☆ Immortal warrior who’s very “touch her and die or even “make her vaguely uncomfortable and die”
☆ Curious FMC who overwhelms with questions
☆ Evil in-laws
☆ Road trip
☆ Random attacks
☆ Incredible side characters
☆ Banter and some madcap antics
☆ Some feels too
☆ Complex world involving many gods, various worshippers, non-humans, and some magic
Halla was crazily lovable and every time she asked a question and got sidetracked or tried to distract a man from what she was doing by acting like an idiot, I wanted to scoop her out of the book and hug her. She’s resilient but in a soft way, having continuously survived but not because she’s some badass or insanely competent. She keeps going and figuring stuff out and damn that was relatable. At the start of the book, she’s at a loss though and when she initially draws the sword in her room, it’s with not the best plan in mind. However, Sarkis shockingly appears and the two of them have to sort out what’s happening.
For his part, Sarkis IS competent, but he’s also in a completely different time and place than where he started or even the last time he was wielded. He has a dark and painful history but he’s also been doing the sword rigamarole for a while so he’s a bit desensitized. He’s also never met anyone like Halla and I love that for him because she treats him like a human being and completely turns things on their head. Sarkis also sees so much more to Halla than anyone else has and I love that for her. They truly made a spectacular and funny pair.
Working together, they’re trying to determine how to protect Halla’s inheritance, defeat her in-laws, and maybe determine some things about Sarkis/the sword. They find a whole lot of people who wish them additional harm, but they also gain some valuable (and also funny at times) allies. Two of their companions are simply the best and if they’re not in the rest of the books in the series at some point, I think the author would be doing everyone a disservice. Sarkis and Halla also find themselves dangerously attracted to and falling for each other, while not wanting to admit that to the other one. There’s good tension over the “when will they” but I was more invested in the “how are they going to overcome everything else”.
I do want to note that this is not a steamy book. There are a couple of kisses and two mostly fade to black, very minusculy detailed love scenes. Even those have a touch of humor to them, which was appreciated, but for some reason I thought this book had a lil bit more spice so found myself disappointed. There’s also the issue of Sarkis being an immortal warrior and Halla being a regular ole human. They do discuss how Halla will someday grow old and he won’t.
The last bit of the book is a ride for sure. All cards end up on the table, bad guys are handled, repercussions occur, and I’d label this as a HFN ending because our leads are happily in love with each other but I needed to be more satisfied over the immortality part to consider this a HEA. Also, there’s a hint of more to come at the very end regarding others like Sarkis, providing a tie-in for the next book. What I loved in this book, I genuinely loved, but I did close it and find myself not completely happy. I don’t know that I’ll read the next one honestly because I prefer books that have the romance more to the forefront and end in a decidedly HEA. I do get why this is a beloved story and author though and I think that many other readers will feel happier at the end.
Written in third person, dual POV. No ow drama, sort of om drama from a cousin-in-law who’s trying to marry the h against her will (but not really under his own will either). Both are experienced, though the H far more since the h had only been with her husband (she’s a widow) and it wasn’t even good. The H hasn’t been with a woman in hundreds of years though.
Some tropes/themes:
☆ FMC has to fight for her inheritance
☆ MMC is magically bound to a sword
☆ Immortal warrior who’s very “touch her and die or even “make her vaguely uncomfortable and die”
☆ Curious FMC who overwhelms with questions
☆ Evil in-laws
☆ Road trip
☆ Random attacks
☆ Incredible side characters
☆ Banter and some madcap antics
☆ Some feels too
☆ Complex world involving many gods, various worshippers, non-humans, and some magic
Halla was crazily lovable and every time she asked a question and got sidetracked or tried to distract a man from what she was doing by acting like an idiot, I wanted to scoop her out of the book and hug her. She’s resilient but in a soft way, having continuously survived but not because she’s some badass or insanely competent. She keeps going and figuring stuff out and damn that was relatable. At the start of the book, she’s at a loss though and when she initially draws the sword in her room, it’s with not the best plan in mind. However, Sarkis shockingly appears and the two of them have to sort out what’s happening.
For his part, Sarkis IS competent, but he’s also in a completely different time and place than where he started or even the last time he was wielded. He has a dark and painful history but he’s also been doing the sword rigamarole for a while so he’s a bit desensitized. He’s also never met anyone like Halla and I love that for him because she treats him like a human being and completely turns things on their head. Sarkis also sees so much more to Halla than anyone else has and I love that for her. They truly made a spectacular and funny pair.
Working together, they’re trying to determine how to protect Halla’s inheritance, defeat her in-laws, and maybe determine some things about Sarkis/the sword. They find a whole lot of people who wish them additional harm, but they also gain some valuable (and also funny at times) allies. Two of their companions are simply the best and if they’re not in the rest of the books in the series at some point, I think the author would be doing everyone a disservice. Sarkis and Halla also find themselves dangerously attracted to and falling for each other, while not wanting to admit that to the other one. There’s good tension over the “when will they” but I was more invested in the “how are they going to overcome everything else”.
I do want to note that this is not a steamy book. There are a couple of kisses and two mostly fade to black, very minusculy detailed love scenes. Even those have a touch of humor to them, which was appreciated, but for some reason I thought this book had a lil bit more spice so found myself disappointed. There’s also the issue of Sarkis being an immortal warrior and Halla being a regular ole human. They do discuss how Halla will someday grow old and he won’t.
The last bit of the book is a ride for sure. All cards end up on the table, bad guys are handled, repercussions occur, and I’d label this as a HFN ending because our leads are happily in love with each other but I needed to be more satisfied over the immortality part to consider this a HEA. Also, there’s a hint of more to come at the very end regarding others like Sarkis, providing a tie-in for the next book. What I loved in this book, I genuinely loved, but I did close it and find myself not completely happy. I don’t know that I’ll read the next one honestly because I prefer books that have the romance more to the forefront and end in a decidedly HEA. I do get why this is a beloved story and author though and I think that many other readers will feel happier at the end.
July 4, 2024
Entretenido, aunque demasiado romántico para mi. Ese ha sido mi principal problema con el libro, que por otro lado tiene ideas geniales (todo ese planteamiento de país atiborrado de creencias, religiones, dioses y sectas me encantó) y personajes carismáticos a más no poder (Sarkis y sus pasiones homicidas por ejemplo).
Una vez más la autora nos plantea una aventura en la que nuestra protagonista va a ir formando un grupo de compañeros de andanzas, el mítico equipazo, que como siempre, es lo mejor del maldito libro. Eché de menos más personajes, que la historia no fuera tan previsible y me sobró demasiado todas las vueltas que dan esos dos idiotas enamorados, pero bueno, si no sois tan Grinchs como yo, no os molestará.
No es mi preferido de Kingfisher y creo que es el menos oscuro que he leído de ella con diferencia (aún menos que los infantiles) pero el caso es que como siempre, lo disfruté.
Una vez más la autora nos plantea una aventura en la que nuestra protagonista va a ir formando un grupo de compañeros de andanzas, el mítico equipazo, que como siempre, es lo mejor del maldito libro. Eché de menos más personajes, que la historia no fuera tan previsible y me sobró demasiado todas las vueltas que dan esos dos idiotas enamorados, pero bueno, si no sois tan Grinchs como yo, no os molestará.
No es mi preferido de Kingfisher y creo que es el menos oscuro que he leído de ella con diferencia (aún menos que los infantiles) pero el caso es que como siempre, lo disfruté.
July 4, 2025
RTC 🩷
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