A Verse for Witches

by John Hundley

A mercenary with a sword that sings. A witch who walks in dreams. If their destinies entwine, empires will fall.

Tsing was in love. Once. Now a blade, a horse, and a lucrative quest are all he needs. So, after an incredible night of passion with a green-eyed witch, he does what he always does—pays her handsomely and escapes the kingdom at full gallop.

Erin is an indentured drudge—longing for freedom to walk her own path. So, the gold received after accidentally drinking a forbidden aphrodisiac is balm to her shame. All’s well and good—until she discovers her path to becoming a master dream walker involves a quest with the man who paid her.

Tsing is named the orphan king in a prophecy—Erin, the witch chosen to find his queen. She’ll succeed—keeping her mission a secret from him, unless …

Well, the effects of the aphrodisiac they shared might be permanent.

A Verse for Witches is the thrilling first book in the Song of Tsing romantasy trilogy. If you like sword and sorcery on an epic scale—with a hefty dose of romance thrown in—this quest is for you.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy

328 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 7, 2025

About the author

John Hundley lives and writes in Salisbury, NC, USA. When he's not writing urban fantasy, sci-fi, or epic fantasy stories, you can find him hiking in the nearby Uwharrie National Forest, cycling, playing guitar, or binge-watching Netflix.

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book from Adopt an Audiobook.

Premise: The story starts with an accidental drunken encounter due to drinking a forbidden wine between a dream walking witch (in-training), Erin, and a mercenary, Tsing, followed with a joint quest and the expected awkward tension. But while they seem to be falling for each other, the FMC is forbidden from falling for him based on the prophecy she is tasked to help come to be and is keeping as a secret.

Characters: I didn't like Tsing at first, he appeared to only be a brute for hire. But I got to know him more through the eyes of Erin and her sister, Shia. Then we got to know Tsing better and the man he really is. I think Erin's little sister is more mature and understands the world better than Erin. But I still liked Erin enough as she struggles to understand and try to follow the task given to her, while burying her feelings.

Plot: The prophecy about the sword that sings is brought up several times, and yet it is a small part of this book's plot overall. I know this plot line will continue to develop in the future books in the series, but this book focused more on the slow burn relationship between Erin and Tsing. Overall it was a sweet ending between the two but I was wanting more of the plot to be developed in this book. It did end in quite the cliffhanger to pick up the plot in the next book. I will also add that the horse that seems to understand everyone is a fun character! I enjoy animals who are more than they seem.

Audiobook: I love the voice narrator for the FMC but am not a fan of the voice narrator for the MMC. Her voice is so enjoyable to listen to, while his is the cadence of voice I have noticed I tend to tune out. I wish the entire book was only narrated by the woman's voice.

[Heidi Skarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Verse for Witches is an enjoyable story. The heroine, Erin, is a “dream walker” and can meet with her mentor in meditation to get help. Erin is working at an inn when she meets Tsing, a mercenary and skilled sword fighter.
After putting fresh sheets on Tsing’s bed and filling a tub with warm water so he can bathe, she brings him a bottle of wine. Unknown to her, it’s a forbidden aphrodisiac. A night of passion follows. The next morning Tsing pays her for her services and is on his way.
Soon after, Erin discovers her mission to become a master dream walker is to help an orphan king named in a prophecy. To her embarrassment, she’s told the man is Tsing.
It’s a fun story with lots of romance and danger. The energy between Erin and Tsing is strong and the plot engaging. The descriptions are excellent as is the world-building.
The story ends in a cliffhanger that promises a new adventure in the next book.

[Sherry Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book with twist and turns that kept me intrigued, surprised, and captivated with every chapter from beginning to end!!!

[♡︎.ᐟજ⁀➴ Erie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Verse for Witches by John Hundley is a spellbinding fantasy filled with twists and turns that keep readers intrigued, surprised, and utterly captivated from beginning to end! ✨📖

⭐ Strengths:

🌍 Rich World-Building

Hundley crafts a lush and immersive world where magic hums in the air, and destiny weaves an intricate web. The balance between political intrigue, prophecy, and adventure keeps the reader fully engaged. 🏰🔮

💫 Compelling Characters

Erin is a fascinating heroine—her journey from an indentured servant to a powerful dream-walking witch is inspiring and emotionally charged. 🌙✨

Tsing is a mercenary with a mysterious past, a singing sword, and a guarded heart. His chemistry with Erin is off the charts, making their dynamic intense and irresistible! ⚔️🔥

💖 Romance & High-Stakes Drama

The forbidden aphrodisiac twist leads to a passionate encounter between Erin and Tsing, setting the stage for a relationship fraught with tension, longing, and fate. Their connection is both electrifying and deeply emotional. ❤️‍🔥💞

⚔️ Action-Packed Adventure

From fierce sword fights to dangerous prophecies, the story’s fast-paced action keeps the stakes high. The banter between characters adds humor, balancing the suspense and drama. 🏹🌀

🔻 Weaknesses:

⏳ Cliffhanger Ending

The book ends on a major cliffhanger, leaving readers desperate for the next installment! While this builds excitement, some may find it frustrating to wait for the continuation. 😱📚

💑 Romance Takes Center Stage

While the book is rich in fantasy elements, the romantic arc is a significant focus. Readers expecting a more traditional epic fantasy may find the love story overshadowing other aspects at times. 💘⚡

🔥 Key Themes & Elements:

🌀 Destiny vs. Free Will

🌙 The Power of Magic & Prophecy

❤️ Love as Both a Strength & a Weakness

⚔️ Survival, Betrayal, & the Cost of Freedom

⭐ Final Thoughts:

A Verse for Witches is an exciting start to the Song of Tsing series, offering a perfect mix of adventure, romance, and magic. The stakes are high, the characters are richly developed, and the pacing expertly weaves tension with emotional depth. If you love epic fantasy with strong romantic elements, this is a must-read! 🌟📖

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5 stars)

📢 Recommended For:

✅ Fans of romantic fantasy with a strong magical core 🪄💖
✅ Readers who love prophecy-driven adventures 🏰✨
✅ Those who enjoy banter, action, & unforgettable chemistry ⚔️🔥

Thank you to John Hundley for the complimentary digital copy of this thrilling book! 🙌📚

[Hold-my-beer · Rating 4 out of 5]

“All this is because of some verse sung by a wandering minstrel. It’s the stupidest thing I ever heard.”
I feel you bud. I feel you.
3.5 stars.

This certainly read unique. I'm not aversed to satire in fantasy (I liked Throne in the Dark) but it makes it hard to immerse oneself because of the nature of satire. Nevertheless, it gave this book a distinct flavor, the humor really was quite clever at times. This was a true hidden gem. I wish it had a few thousand more reviews/ratings, it really deserves it.

The book starts with a lot of sex talk and comedy elements which kinda fizzle out into a miscommunication trope that lasts extremely long. Probably a good 100 pages of this could be trimmed. For a good part of the book, Erin, the FMC, turns into an annoying nag just for the sake of padding out the book with frustrating "i must push him away for 100 pages cuz some lady told me to." Even so, it was really refreshing to read a romance written by a man. Apart from a few instances, Erin was adorable, I enjoyed reading her POVs. So nice to not have to read about another self-insert pick-me girl. I really appreciate what John Hundley has done here. I want more.

[Robert Bollinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wowee . My first romantic fantasy and boy did I pick a humdinger. The chemistry between our leads is off the scale but still believable as they struggle to deal with their feelings and yet follow the course that fate has apparently set them on. The fact that there battle of wills involves other people and a prophecy that spans a nation or two is not lost on them. With hints of other forces involved and peeks into both those forces and tasty tidbits about the leads back stories to further pull the reader into this excellent book. Even the character names are inventive ,Tsing named after the sound of a sword being drawn and Trevor the goblin both conjure up the uniqueness of the setting and lead to other aspects of character interactions with this fascinating world.I can't wait for the next book.

[Ally · Rating 3 out of 5]

Giving this a GENEROUS 3 stars…

Okay, so we spend the entire book hyping up this big, mysterious prophecy… only to never actually see it play out? Like, sir. If you’re gonna dangle a plot carrot in front of me for 300+ pages, the least you can do is deliver. Why stretch that arc across a whole trilogy when it easily could’ve been wrapped in one book?

The constant POV shifts took a while to get used to, and just when I finally settled in, bam—a new character is introduced nearly halfway through the book. It felt more jarring than intriguing.

Overall, it read like a modern romance that was trying really hard to be a fantasy. The slow burn romance dragged on forever, and then suddenly—they’re in love and engaged?! It just didn’t feel earned.

Overall, it was a great concept but personally, it didn’t deliver. Not my cup of tea, and I won’t be continuing the series.

[Ken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written story, read all 22 chapters in 2 days. This story has the most violent first line of any book I've ever read. BUT, the rest of the novel is not as bloody, although there is plenty of adventure. Note: The story ends in a cliffhanger. 2 more stories to be written in the trilogy. I will definitely buy them. I've already bought 2 other series by this author, Red Wolf Saga and Half Human saga.

[Debbie Eyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such and interesting and captivating read that once started I could not put down. Incredible world building, beautiful and descriptive, a storyline thats combines, magic, romance and adventure and characters that are mysterious and intriguing. An epic quest, excitement, danger, theres dream walking, there’s prophecy and there’s romance and I definitely cannot wait to read more!

[Lauren Marx · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won a copy of this book from Goodreads. It only had three reviews so I wasn’t sure what to expect. It was really interesting, and I enjoyed the whole book. I will definitely keep an eye for the sequel.

[Stacy Ziems · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was sucked in at the very beginning of this book! The story is so imaginative and descriptive with twists and turns and I am anxiously awaiting the next one!!