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Immortal Game
In #1 New York Times bestseller Allison Saft’s enthralling new romantic fantasy, a chess grandmaster will go to any length to save the person she loves the most.
Six years ago, Shea Fury’s sister was whisked away by the High King of the Otherworld, the ruler of the treacherous land of fae. Although Shea has spent the years since dreaming of rescuing her sister from captivity, the Iron Veil that separates the human world from that of the fae has made it only a wish. That is, until an invitation to participate in a once-in-a-lifetime chess tournament in the Otherworld arrives on Shea’s doorstep. The winner of the tournament may ask the High King to grant one wish, and Shea is finally within reach of hers.
But entering the tournament and winning it are two different matters. Dark magic lurks around every corner in the Otherworld, and Shea’s cutthroat opponents are willing to bend the rules to make their own wishes come true. To make it to the end—and to find her sister—she is forced to strike an alliance with her longtime rival, the sharply beautiful fae princess, Ciara of Bri Leith. One wrong move, though, and Shea could lose more than just the competition: She’d lose her sister, her dignity, and maybe even her life.
In Immortal Game, Allison Saft has written a high-stakes sapphic love story brimming with competitive tension set against a lush, Irish folklore-inspired fantasy world.
Six years ago, Shea Fury’s sister was whisked away by the High King of the Otherworld, the ruler of the treacherous land of fae. Although Shea has spent the years since dreaming of rescuing her sister from captivity, the Iron Veil that separates the human world from that of the fae has made it only a wish. That is, until an invitation to participate in a once-in-a-lifetime chess tournament in the Otherworld arrives on Shea’s doorstep. The winner of the tournament may ask the High King to grant one wish, and Shea is finally within reach of hers.
But entering the tournament and winning it are two different matters. Dark magic lurks around every corner in the Otherworld, and Shea’s cutthroat opponents are willing to bend the rules to make their own wishes come true. To make it to the end—and to find her sister—she is forced to strike an alliance with her longtime rival, the sharply beautiful fae princess, Ciara of Bri Leith. One wrong move, though, and Shea could lose more than just the competition: She’d lose her sister, her dignity, and maybe even her life.
In Immortal Game, Allison Saft has written a high-stakes sapphic love story brimming with competitive tension set against a lush, Irish folklore-inspired fantasy world.
391 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 4, 2026
About the author
Allison Saft
13 books4,504 followersAllison Saft is the New York Times and indie bestselling author of A Far Wilder Magic and Down Comes the Night. After receiving her MA in English Literature from Tulane University, she moved from the Gulf Coast to the West Coast, where she spends her time rolling on eight wheels and practicing aerial silks. She lives with her partner and an Italian greyhound named Marzipan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 677 reviews
August 9, 2026
Fantasy romance with Irish fae folklore, chess and lesbians is officially one of my new favourite niches I didn’t know I loved till I read it because let’s be real, no one has ever written this ultra specific blend of elements before.
I’m fairly ambivalent about chess, but after finishing this book I feel like I wanna go learn how to play it for funsies, what kind of sorcery is this?
I guess it’s a testament to Saft’s beguiling writing which ensorcelled me like the hapless mortal I am. Her gorgeous dreamlike worldbuilding with fascinating chess history and theory is one thing but also equally captivating are the characters and their relationships.
Of course the romantic relationship with mortal chess grandmaster Shea and princess of the Irish Otherworld, Ciara of Bri Leith was just so gosh darn adorable. I must also shout out to Beann (a fae dog being), Daniil, who grew on me like a mollusc, as well as the sisterly bond between Aideen and Shea. Saft also does “villains” really well and gives them nuance to make their motives feel believable while also making me have empathy for their circumstances.
Just a note: you don’t have to like or even know about chess to be able to fall in love with this book. Case in point, me. My chess knowledge is something between “horse goes L” and that the end goal is to checkmate and that was sufficient enough judging by how much I enjoyed this. I suspect if you're knowledgeable about chess, you might enjoy it even more than me.
Since finishing this, I have learned that it may be offensive to bring up to someone’s face that they’re an International Master especially if you are a Grandmaster. And on top of that, to be wary of mysterious regal strangers with diadems of silver branches and flaxen hair standing on riverbanks staring at you, because chances are, they think you’re their long lost love and want to take you to the Otherworld with them to live in a land where old age, sickness, decay and falsehood are unknown and live in a castle made of trees. On second thoughts, where do we sign up.
Thanks so much to Hachette Australia & New Zealand and Netgalley for the ARC.
﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏
What if The Queen’s Gambit, except sapphic, fae, Irish folklore and life or death stakes? (... so nothing like the queens gambit except the chess bit)
I’m fairly ambivalent about chess, but after finishing this book I feel like I wanna go learn how to play it for funsies, what kind of sorcery is this?
I guess it’s a testament to Saft’s beguiling writing which ensorcelled me like the hapless mortal I am. Her gorgeous dreamlike worldbuilding with fascinating chess history and theory is one thing but also equally captivating are the characters and their relationships.
Of course the romantic relationship with mortal chess grandmaster Shea and princess of the Irish Otherworld, Ciara of Bri Leith was just so gosh darn adorable. I must also shout out to Beann (a fae dog being), Daniil, who grew on me like a mollusc, as well as the sisterly bond between Aideen and Shea. Saft also does “villains” really well and gives them nuance to make their motives feel believable while also making me have empathy for their circumstances.
Just a note: you don’t have to like or even know about chess to be able to fall in love with this book. Case in point, me. My chess knowledge is something between “horse goes L” and that the end goal is to checkmate and that was sufficient enough judging by how much I enjoyed this. I suspect if you're knowledgeable about chess, you might enjoy it even more than me.
Since finishing this, I have learned that it may be offensive to bring up to someone’s face that they’re an International Master especially if you are a Grandmaster. And on top of that, to be wary of mysterious regal strangers with diadems of silver branches and flaxen hair standing on riverbanks staring at you, because chances are, they think you’re their long lost love and want to take you to the Otherworld with them to live in a land where old age, sickness, decay and falsehood are unknown and live in a castle made of trees. On second thoughts, where do we sign up.
Thanks so much to Hachette Australia & New Zealand and Netgalley for the ARC.
﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏
What if The Queen’s Gambit, except sapphic, fae, Irish folklore and life or death stakes? (... so nothing like the queens gambit except the chess bit)
February 28, 2026
Allison Saft looked at current Fae stories and decided that they needed more lesbians playing chess in them, and I can only agree with that. Because after I found the beginning to be a bit rough, this turned out to be a great read for me. I didn't love how this book started out with dropping a lot of information onto the reader, not introducing anything properly. But it also made sense, because the protagonist, Shea Fury, doesn't need an introduction to anything. She has lived her whole life in a world that is separated from a Fae otherworld by a veil, and she already knows more about the Fae than she would like to anyway. As a chess grandmaster she plays regularly against the Fae who are weirdly obsessed with the game and mortal art in general. Humans on the other hand rarely cross the veil, although it's not uncommon that they are stolen away when the Fae take an interest in them. The same happened to Shea's sister Aideen, and Shea has been working her entire life to get the chance to face the Fae King who took her again. Her wish gets granted when she is invited to a famous chess tournament in the otherworld where she also meets the Fae Princess Ciara who happens to be an old chess rival of Shea's. It really does sound weird when I write it out like that, but something about this unusual mix of chess in the modern world and Fae fantasy really worked for me. Even though I can't confidently say that I understand the game. I don't play chess and all I know about it comes from the time when The Queen’s Gambit was popular and from that one class I took in university about European medieval chess literature (don't ask). Maybe chess nerds will get even more out of this book, but I didn't mind that I couldn't follow the games move by move. I was actually surprised that the author managed to make the games so intriguing anyway. The descriptions were less about every single move made and more about the overall feel of the game. How it's developing, who has the upper hand, who becomes more and more nervous during it. Sometimes there were very beautiful explanations even, describing how chess is a bridge between two souls, how it feels to get to know the opponent through their moves and reactions. Shea and Ciara's relationship really worked because of that too. They have a history and played many times before and while they always were rivals, their connection also felt intimate. Every character had good reasons to participate in the tournament whose winner will get whatever they wish for, and that led to such dramatic moments whenever two people I was rooting for faced each other in the tournament. I was living for that. The chess tournament ended up being way more exciting than I ever thought possible. Yes, they were mostly playing chess, but in the background there always was a bit of faerie magic or an unbreakable oath that made everything way more interesting. There were also other competitive activities between games and a lot of time to properly meet the characters. Overall, I ended up liking this a lot and I'm glad that it turned around early on. I haven't read everything by her yet, but Allison Saft remains a very solid author to me and I will happily continue to look forward to her books.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press / Wednesday Books for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press / Wednesday Books for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
Want to Read
October 15, 2025what a cover!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
HUGEEE thanks to NetGalley & St.Martin’s Press for a chance to review this arc!! You made a girl so happy 🥹
🎶 Untouchable, burning brighter than the sun
And when you're close, I feel like coming undone 🎶
Shea’s older sister Aideen was whisked away by the High King of the Otherworld and Shea spent the next 6 years blaming herself for not being able to save her sister.
Shea worked hard to become the best chest player ; hopelessly wishing to be invited to the Otherworld so she could have a chance to win against the High King and wish for her sister back.
« Her success was not owed to any kind of ruthless ambition. It was because she was fighting for someone she loved. Her bravery was not because she wasn’t afraid of anything, but because fear seemed an inconsequential thing entirely. When it came to the people she loved, there was nothing she would not do. »
Allison Saft has the kind of writing that is so addictive & romantic. The sisters background with the mentally unwell mother and what she was putting them through hit me right in the chest, as someone who went through similar things. The sisters bond was strong and relatable. This author always succeeds to hit me right in the chest ; when she writes difficult backgrounds for her characters. She always gets the emotional punch just right.
« We got dealt a bad hand. You were the only thing that made it bearable. I wouldn’t change that for anything. » (this made me cry. I sent it to my younger brothers).
We follow Shea through the difficulties of the Otherworld as she soon learns that everyone has a valid reason for wanting to win. I loved the found friendships, but what I loved most was the romance. I have chills just thinking about it. The sapphic romance was the best one I’ve read in a long time and I was so enamoured by all of it.
« She wouldn’t have survived her mother’s house for much longer. When she used to count the years that lay between her and freedom, sometimes they threatened to crush her. »
The ending was just perfect. I didn’t see some of it coming and I cried at some point because it was just so deeply touching.
« Here was someone who came from nothing and fought her way to the top. Someone who changed her circumstances through sheer force of will. Someone who seemingly wasn’t afraid of anyone or anything. »
I cannot wait to see what Allison Saft writes next! I’m so enchanted I got this arc.
🎶 Untouchable, burning brighter than the sun
And when you're close, I feel like coming undone 🎶
Shea’s older sister Aideen was whisked away by the High King of the Otherworld and Shea spent the next 6 years blaming herself for not being able to save her sister.
Shea worked hard to become the best chest player ; hopelessly wishing to be invited to the Otherworld so she could have a chance to win against the High King and wish for her sister back.
« Her success was not owed to any kind of ruthless ambition. It was because she was fighting for someone she loved. Her bravery was not because she wasn’t afraid of anything, but because fear seemed an inconsequential thing entirely. When it came to the people she loved, there was nothing she would not do. »
Allison Saft has the kind of writing that is so addictive & romantic. The sisters background with the mentally unwell mother and what she was putting them through hit me right in the chest, as someone who went through similar things. The sisters bond was strong and relatable. This author always succeeds to hit me right in the chest ; when she writes difficult backgrounds for her characters. She always gets the emotional punch just right.
« We got dealt a bad hand. You were the only thing that made it bearable. I wouldn’t change that for anything. » (this made me cry. I sent it to my younger brothers).
We follow Shea through the difficulties of the Otherworld as she soon learns that everyone has a valid reason for wanting to win. I loved the found friendships, but what I loved most was the romance. I have chills just thinking about it. The sapphic romance was the best one I’ve read in a long time and I was so enamoured by all of it.
« She wouldn’t have survived her mother’s house for much longer. When she used to count the years that lay between her and freedom, sometimes they threatened to crush her. »
The ending was just perfect. I didn’t see some of it coming and I cried at some point because it was just so deeply touching.
« Here was someone who came from nothing and fought her way to the top. Someone who changed her circumstances through sheer force of will. Someone who seemingly wasn’t afraid of anyone or anything. »
I cannot wait to see what Allison Saft writes next! I’m so enchanted I got this arc.
August 22, 2026
3.5 ⭐️ this was cute! the chess was the best aspect of the book for me — there’s just something about a love story built around chess that pulls me INNNN.
this is a YA sapphic romance x urban fantasy hybrid. shea, a 19 y/o mortal and grandmaster, lost to a fae king chess-whizz six years ago (yeah…in this world, faes and humans play chess against one another and that’s all normal in these here parts). not only did this defeat shake shea’s confidence and trigger a complicated love/hate relationship with the game, but this fateful day also led to the loss of her sister to said fae king, leaving shea guilty and grief-stricken. present-day shea is desperately trying to get her sister back. how’s she going to do that? a chess tournament hosted by the king in the fae world draws shea over to the other side, where if shea can win, she can hopefully bring her sister home as her prize. trouble is, she gets caught between her feelings about the game, some dubious happenings going on in the fae realm and her growing attraction to her past rival, fellow competitor, the king’s sister and fae princess ciara.
now, this story leans heavily on a tired-ass trope — the disappearing sibling / saving a sibling from perilous doom one. unfortunately, i just couldn’t find it in me to care about aideen’s disappearance and recovery, so this aspect of the plot failed to hook me. i did LOOOOOVE the chess plot though. i enjoyed the play, the tournament, all the references and how the author’s phrasing to describe emotions and the characters’s actions and decisions took on chess terminology…all of it was right up my alley.
the worldbuilding on the fantasy end was simple but not underwhelming. there’s a good amount of adornment here without being too complex, so it suits the YA genre well but doesn’t read boring or lazy. i liked the mystical irish folklore and the sprinkles of magic. my only qualm with the setting of the book is that at times, i felt a discordance between the fantastical elements and the modern-day world ones. i typically like urban fantasy or paranormal or even magical realism genres, so it’s not that i don’t think this idea wasn’t good. i just wish there was more harmony because at times, things were jarring when we flitted between the fae lore and the human world. like, the way people passed between worlds was as though they were just pulling back a shower curtain. i’m hearing an old-timey fae folktale here and then someone’s talking about social media and google maps there. idk, the blend in this one was a bit all over the place, which took me out of the story a few times.
the writing was easy to fly through, and there was a nice balance of beautiful lyricism and whimsy in the prose. the humour was tickling and the sarcastic banter really did it for me. i loved the side character daniil, a fellow human competitor in the chess tournament. he was so biting, condescending and no-nonsense, so he had me cackling out loud several times with his general dismay at everything and everyone around him 🤣. the villians in the story fell flat though — nothing and nobody formidable or interesting on this front to speak of.
as far as the mcs go, shea took a while to grow on me but i did like her a lot more in the second half than i did in the first. she was rather prickly and rude in the beginning, so not my favourite type of characterization. i liked seeing her soften up and get more in touch with her emotions as time went on. plus, she had a badass name: shea fury. ciara was fun! very chaotic and whimsical, but playful and endearing nonetheless.
the romance was sweet and a little angsty. the pace of it was a bit counterintuitive to me (love realisation came upon me a little faster than i would have preferred or expected) and things could have been more intense, but i did enjoy watching them connect over the game, and finding joy in it again beyond just the utility of it all and what the game could do for them. romances between challengers??? 🤌🏾 someone write more! i still think mallorynolan is a tough standard to beat though, so i recognize my bias here. i ain’t perfect 🤣.
”if it is not abundantly clear by now, i am wretchedly fond of you. worse, i fear there is no one in this realm or any other, mortal or fae, that is capable of understanding or challenging me as you do.” 🥹
there’s also a nice arc here about what it means to play cautiously, being afraid to lose vs playing with everything you have despite the risk. a little link to practical life advice, i suppose.
the ending wrapped up nicely, albeit a tad tewwww conveniently, so things felt a touch anticlimactic — but overall it was a lovely read. i’m just begging YA to move away from these sibling tropes, and faes are also becoming a little overused (in adult fantasy as well). i’ll hand it to the author though that those reheated nachos ingredients aside, this was a pretty unique concept!
this is a YA sapphic romance x urban fantasy hybrid. shea, a 19 y/o mortal and grandmaster, lost to a fae king chess-whizz six years ago (yeah…in this world, faes and humans play chess against one another and that’s all normal in these here parts). not only did this defeat shake shea’s confidence and trigger a complicated love/hate relationship with the game, but this fateful day also led to the loss of her sister to said fae king, leaving shea guilty and grief-stricken. present-day shea is desperately trying to get her sister back. how’s she going to do that? a chess tournament hosted by the king in the fae world draws shea over to the other side, where if shea can win, she can hopefully bring her sister home as her prize. trouble is, she gets caught between her feelings about the game, some dubious happenings going on in the fae realm and her growing attraction to her past rival, fellow competitor, the king’s sister and fae princess ciara.
now, this story leans heavily on a tired-ass trope — the disappearing sibling / saving a sibling from perilous doom one. unfortunately, i just couldn’t find it in me to care about aideen’s disappearance and recovery, so this aspect of the plot failed to hook me. i did LOOOOOVE the chess plot though. i enjoyed the play, the tournament, all the references and how the author’s phrasing to describe emotions and the characters’s actions and decisions took on chess terminology…all of it was right up my alley.
the worldbuilding on the fantasy end was simple but not underwhelming. there’s a good amount of adornment here without being too complex, so it suits the YA genre well but doesn’t read boring or lazy. i liked the mystical irish folklore and the sprinkles of magic. my only qualm with the setting of the book is that at times, i felt a discordance between the fantastical elements and the modern-day world ones. i typically like urban fantasy or paranormal or even magical realism genres, so it’s not that i don’t think this idea wasn’t good. i just wish there was more harmony because at times, things were jarring when we flitted between the fae lore and the human world. like, the way people passed between worlds was as though they were just pulling back a shower curtain. i’m hearing an old-timey fae folktale here and then someone’s talking about social media and google maps there. idk, the blend in this one was a bit all over the place, which took me out of the story a few times.
the writing was easy to fly through, and there was a nice balance of beautiful lyricism and whimsy in the prose. the humour was tickling and the sarcastic banter really did it for me. i loved the side character daniil, a fellow human competitor in the chess tournament. he was so biting, condescending and no-nonsense, so he had me cackling out loud several times with his general dismay at everything and everyone around him 🤣. the villians in the story fell flat though — nothing and nobody formidable or interesting on this front to speak of.
as far as the mcs go, shea took a while to grow on me but i did like her a lot more in the second half than i did in the first. she was rather prickly and rude in the beginning, so not my favourite type of characterization. i liked seeing her soften up and get more in touch with her emotions as time went on. plus, she had a badass name: shea fury. ciara was fun! very chaotic and whimsical, but playful and endearing nonetheless.
the romance was sweet and a little angsty. the pace of it was a bit counterintuitive to me (love realisation came upon me a little faster than i would have preferred or expected) and things could have been more intense, but i did enjoy watching them connect over the game, and finding joy in it again beyond just the utility of it all and what the game could do for them. romances between challengers??? 🤌🏾 someone write more! i still think mallorynolan is a tough standard to beat though, so i recognize my bias here. i ain’t perfect 🤣.
”if it is not abundantly clear by now, i am wretchedly fond of you. worse, i fear there is no one in this realm or any other, mortal or fae, that is capable of understanding or challenging me as you do.” 🥹
there’s also a nice arc here about what it means to play cautiously, being afraid to lose vs playing with everything you have despite the risk. a little link to practical life advice, i suppose.
the ending wrapped up nicely, albeit a tad tewwww conveniently, so things felt a touch anticlimactic — but overall it was a lovely read. i’m just begging YA to move away from these sibling tropes, and faes are also becoming a little overused (in adult fantasy as well). i’ll hand it to the author though that those reheated nachos ingredients aside, this was a pretty unique concept!
January 23, 2026
what if our chess rivalry was secretly a way for us to connect with each other while rediscovering a love for the game that had been tainted by a quest for revenge against a powerful fae king ? what then?
“Tell me I am delusional, or give me what I want”
more fae being little freaks who make deadly bargains and chase revenge for thousands of years please!!
thank you to edelweiss and the publisher for providing me an advance review copy. full review to come
Bookstagram | Blog
“Tell me I am delusional, or give me what I want”
more fae being little freaks who make deadly bargains and chase revenge for thousands of years please!!
thank you to edelweiss and the publisher for providing me an advance review copy. full review to come
Bookstagram | Blog
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A deadly chess tournament held by the Fae King? With a sapphic subplot? Sign me up.
I never would have thought chess and fae could work so well together, but it does. I know absolutely nothing about chess, but somehow I found myself invested in every move like I actually understood what was happening, lol.
I loved the romance between Shea and Ciara. The rivals-to-lovers dynamic, the tension, the chemistry... I was completely sold. I need more of them.
I also loved the atmosphere of this book. The fae world and the Irish folklore was an incredible setting. This was such an unique fantasy and I would happily read more of it.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
I never would have thought chess and fae could work so well together, but it does. I know absolutely nothing about chess, but somehow I found myself invested in every move like I actually understood what was happening, lol.
I loved the romance between Shea and Ciara. The rivals-to-lovers dynamic, the tension, the chemistry... I was completely sold. I need more of them.
I also loved the atmosphere of this book. The fae world and the Irish folklore was an incredible setting. This was such an unique fantasy and I would happily read more of it.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
February 17, 2026
*Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an E-Arc in exchange for an honest review!*
3.75
I swear, I always end up loving this author’s books, and this one was no exception! I really enjoyed the mix of fantasy, scheming, and competition, and there’s just something about this author’s writing that always pulls me in. The whole “The Cruel Prince meets The Queen’s Gambit” vibe definitely had me hooked, and I loved all the twists, mind games, and moments where I had absolutely no idea what was going to happen next.
I was so invested in the story and the characters, and honestly, I just had such a fun time reading this!
Another win for me, and at this point I’ll probably just keep reading whatever Allison Saft writes.
________________
The Cruel Prince meets The Queen’s Gambit!!!!
3.75
I swear, I always end up loving this author’s books, and this one was no exception! I really enjoyed the mix of fantasy, scheming, and competition, and there’s just something about this author’s writing that always pulls me in. The whole “The Cruel Prince meets The Queen’s Gambit” vibe definitely had me hooked, and I loved all the twists, mind games, and moments where I had absolutely no idea what was going to happen next.
I was so invested in the story and the characters, and honestly, I just had such a fun time reading this!
Another win for me, and at this point I’ll probably just keep reading whatever Allison Saft writes.
________________
The Cruel Prince meets The Queen’s Gambit!!!!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
˗ˏˋ ♟️ 𝗜𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲 ♟️ ˎˊ˗
ᯓ *ੈ✩‧₊˚♕ ɪᴍᴍᴏʀᴛᴀʟ ɢᴀᴍᴇ ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ ᴀᴜɢᴜsᴛ 4, 2026!
⤿ ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: 4.25 sᴛᴀʀs!! ★★★★☆
⤿ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴛʜɪs ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ: ғᴀᴇʀɪᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅs, sᴀᴘᴘʜɪᴄ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ʀɪᴠᴀʟs ᴛᴏ ʟᴏᴠᴇʀs!!
ᯓ♕ ᴘʀᴇᴍɪsᴇ:
⤿ Shea Fury is a grandmaster of chess and only has one more challenge left to conquer. She needs to win a chess tournament in the faerie’s realm against the High King of the Otherworld. Shea is trying to save her sister who was stolen from her by the High King. Along the way, Shea uncovers secrets and a darker past, forming an alliance with the charming Ciara of Bri Lift and tries to keep control over both the chess board and her life.
ᯓ♕ ᴀʟʟ ᴍʏ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛs:
⤿ This is my third book by Allison Saft and it is definitely my favorite. The premise and characters are interesting, as well as the various twists and turns of plot.
I cannot say that world-building is unique, but it remains captivating all the same. Who does not love a story about trickster faeries and their bargains, their forbidden lands and their secrets? As soon as I began the book, it was so comforting to have a book that I knew would let me escape within its pages.
The pacing was nice and easy to read, it flowed consistently throughout the whole of the story. The plot was intriguing, I liked the idea of a high stakes chess tournament where the winner receives (almost) anything they wish for. However, Shea’s initial motivation to save her sister felt childlike and forced. I think that if Shea had been motivated through other means, it could have been a much more compelling story.
Additionally, this book touches on burnout - something common in many people. I appreciate the depiction of it, it is so realistic and like my own experiences. This really helped me sympathize with the main character, the feeling of falling out of love with the one thing that you have poured your entire soul into.
On a different note, I think that I would definitely be willing to watch more chess games if the stakes were very high and there was magic involved. I need to go play some (rather poor) games of chess very soon!
ᯓ ♕ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs:
⤷ Shea Fury. Arguably the best chess player in the world, the only challenge left is to beat the Faerie King at his own game.
⤷ Ciara of Bri Lift. An infuriatingly talented (and charming) faerie chess player, determined to win by any means possible.
Two chess masters (not in love) competing for the same thing and with only one winner, what could possibly go wrong?
ᯓ ♕ ᴏᴠᴇʀᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛs:
I quite liked this book, I found myself envelopped within the story like it was a warm hug. The characters were relatable and it certainly delivered everything promised to me. The cover is beautiful and I do require a copy for my bookshelf when it releases in August!
ᯓ ♕ ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ:
⤿ 4.25 stars ★★★★☆
ᯓ ♕ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏᴇᴅ:
⤿ The Cruel Prince (Holly Black)
⤿ Wings of Starlight (Allison Saft)
Thank you very much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press / Wednesday Books for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review!!
▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰
♟️ || ᴘʀᴇʀᴇᴀᴅ:
₊⊹⁀➴ a fantasy book about chess and faeries?! count me in!!!
ᯓ *ੈ✩‧₊˚♕ ɪᴍᴍᴏʀᴛᴀʟ ɢᴀᴍᴇ ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ ᴀᴜɢᴜsᴛ 4, 2026!
⤿ ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: 4.25 sᴛᴀʀs!! ★★★★☆
⤿ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴛʜɪs ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ: ғᴀᴇʀɪᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅs, sᴀᴘᴘʜɪᴄ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ʀɪᴠᴀʟs ᴛᴏ ʟᴏᴠᴇʀs!!
ᯓ♕ ᴘʀᴇᴍɪsᴇ:
⤿ Shea Fury is a grandmaster of chess and only has one more challenge left to conquer. She needs to win a chess tournament in the faerie’s realm against the High King of the Otherworld. Shea is trying to save her sister who was stolen from her by the High King. Along the way, Shea uncovers secrets and a darker past, forming an alliance with the charming Ciara of Bri Lift and tries to keep control over both the chess board and her life.
ᯓ♕ ᴀʟʟ ᴍʏ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛs:
⤿ This is my third book by Allison Saft and it is definitely my favorite. The premise and characters are interesting, as well as the various twists and turns of plot.
I cannot say that world-building is unique, but it remains captivating all the same. Who does not love a story about trickster faeries and their bargains, their forbidden lands and their secrets? As soon as I began the book, it was so comforting to have a book that I knew would let me escape within its pages.
The pacing was nice and easy to read, it flowed consistently throughout the whole of the story. The plot was intriguing, I liked the idea of a high stakes chess tournament where the winner receives (almost) anything they wish for. However, Shea’s initial motivation to save her sister felt childlike and forced. I think that if Shea had been motivated through other means, it could have been a much more compelling story.
Additionally, this book touches on burnout - something common in many people. I appreciate the depiction of it, it is so realistic and like my own experiences. This really helped me sympathize with the main character, the feeling of falling out of love with the one thing that you have poured your entire soul into.
On a different note, I think that I would definitely be willing to watch more chess games if the stakes were very high and there was magic involved. I need to go play some (rather poor) games of chess very soon!
ᯓ ♕ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs:
⤷ Shea Fury. Arguably the best chess player in the world, the only challenge left is to beat the Faerie King at his own game.
⤷ Ciara of Bri Lift. An infuriatingly talented (and charming) faerie chess player, determined to win by any means possible.
Two chess masters (not in love) competing for the same thing and with only one winner, what could possibly go wrong?
ᯓ ♕ ᴏᴠᴇʀᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛs:
I quite liked this book, I found myself envelopped within the story like it was a warm hug. The characters were relatable and it certainly delivered everything promised to me. The cover is beautiful and I do require a copy for my bookshelf when it releases in August!
ᯓ ♕ ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ:
⤿ 4.25 stars ★★★★☆
ᯓ ♕ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏᴇᴅ:
⤿ The Cruel Prince (Holly Black)
⤿ Wings of Starlight (Allison Saft)
Thank you very much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press / Wednesday Books for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review!!
▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰
♟️ || ᴘʀᴇʀᴇᴀᴅ:
₊⊹⁀➴ a fantasy book about chess and faeries?! count me in!!!
February 2, 2026
meh.
i love allison saft and will read anything she writes, but that does come at the cost of knowing that her books are generally very slow moving and at times boring. this book fell under both categories, and while still being rich in description, characterization, and plot development, i didn't find myself excited to pick it up or reaching for it often. this could be my fault; i haven't been in a fantasy mood, nevertheless for YA fantasy, and the Fae stuff is just a tad overdone at this point (but i know, what else are you supposed to write about?).
the chess stuff was fun and a unique twist, andand i did like how saft built up everything with midir--that with his eye and all. i thoroughly enjoyed saft's angle on many of the fantasy elements. the romance was a bit lackluster and bland and didn't resonate with me in any special way. it was the weakest aspect of the novel.
still, it was a good book with many twists and turns, predictable fantasy-esque betrayals and motifs, that i would recommend to anybody wanting a lush read.
thank you wednesday books for the arc
i love allison saft and will read anything she writes, but that does come at the cost of knowing that her books are generally very slow moving and at times boring. this book fell under both categories, and while still being rich in description, characterization, and plot development, i didn't find myself excited to pick it up or reaching for it often. this could be my fault; i haven't been in a fantasy mood, nevertheless for YA fantasy, and the Fae stuff is just a tad overdone at this point (but i know, what else are you supposed to write about?).
the chess stuff was fun and a unique twist, andand i did like how saft built up everything with midir--that with his eye and all. i thoroughly enjoyed saft's angle on many of the fantasy elements. the romance was a bit lackluster and bland and didn't resonate with me in any special way. it was the weakest aspect of the novel.
still, it was a good book with many twists and turns, predictable fantasy-esque betrayals and motifs, that i would recommend to anybody wanting a lush read.
thank you wednesday books for the arc
March 3, 2026
4.5 ⭐️ Rounded Up
Chess? Faes? Love? Loss?
What an incredible mixture of such unexpected pieces. I didn’t think I could be so into reading about chess. The author did an absolute incredible job of keeping the book interesting.
I thought it was a great little addition to add flashback chapters, this really pulls the story together because of the backstory given. A chess tournament? With a possibility of getting one wish with no restrictions? What a surprise.
It took me a second to get into it, mainly because I was lost for probably the first 20% of the book. Once everything clicked I was long for the ride. Seriously, I kept trying to guess what on earth was going to happen next, and I was wrong every time. It was impressive the twists and turns that came every round.
Ciara was so charming yet cocky? It worked so well for her. Shea grew so much and gained so much confidence, I’m so proud of her. I must admit, Daniil was a surprise favorite for me, he became such a solid character. Of course so many things could’ve been resolved from the jump with a little communication, but what’s the fun in that?
This was such an original concept, I’ve never read anything like this. If a book can surprise me with its story, it’s a winner to me.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
Chess? Faes? Love? Loss?
What an incredible mixture of such unexpected pieces. I didn’t think I could be so into reading about chess. The author did an absolute incredible job of keeping the book interesting.
I thought it was a great little addition to add flashback chapters, this really pulls the story together because of the backstory given. A chess tournament? With a possibility of getting one wish with no restrictions? What a surprise.
It took me a second to get into it, mainly because I was lost for probably the first 20% of the book. Once everything clicked I was long for the ride. Seriously, I kept trying to guess what on earth was going to happen next, and I was wrong every time. It was impressive the twists and turns that came every round.
Ciara was so charming yet cocky? It worked so well for her. Shea grew so much and gained so much confidence, I’m so proud of her. I must admit, Daniil was a surprise favorite for me, he became such a solid character. Of course so many things could’ve been resolved from the jump with a little communication, but what’s the fun in that?
This was such an original concept, I’ve never read anything like this. If a book can surprise me with its story, it’s a winner to me.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
August 1, 2026
I was invested in the first 30% of this book and then it all started going downhill from there. I do feel like chess games are described in too much details which took me away from the story. Every time I was supposed to read about chess game I dreaded it. I know that this is the point of the book, a chess torment but at the same time a lot of the games felt repetitive. I do feel like the chemistry wasn’t there between Ciara and Shea. I found it hard to root for them to end up together. Also the chess competition wasn’t as deadly as I thought it be. Basically it was up to the king.
Can we talk about the whole saving your siblings trope especially when they don’t want to be saved?? I personally don’t enjoy the concept especially in this book like it’s been six years at this point move on. Then when she gets told by her sister don’t save me she starts complaining?? Like shea, honey she doesn’t want to be saved.
The ending also felt very rushed. In the sense that it was resolved to quickly and with not enough drama or stuff actually happening. I wished that we actually got the part about what the king was actually doing in the background and fully gotten in trouble with that but we didn’t.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
————————————————
𐙚⋆°. preread
I’m really hoping that this will get me out of my fantasy slump and also it’s sapphic inspired by Irish folklore and for those who know I can’t say no to an Irish folklore.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I went in expecting part tournament, part murder mystery. Why else would the blurb say “players start to drop dead at their boards”? Turns out it’s just the King killing players caught cheating, and everyone just shrugs and moves on. It felt like a cheap hook to grab my attention, and it did the rest of the story a real disservice.
As for the rest:
The female lead was incredibly hard to root for. Her entire personality is built around rescuing a sister who chose to leave for the fae realm six years ago.
The romance felt disappointingly flat. I didn’t care about the couple at all.
The only character that I actually liked was Daniil.
The tournament was the highlight for the first half of the book, but after the 5th time reading about it play-by-play it becomes pretty grating.
The ending wraps up nicely, but also by that point I didn’t care what happened to any of them.
A Far Wilder Magic was also a let down for me, so I think I just don’t vibe with this author’s writing and characters.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!
As for the rest:
The female lead was incredibly hard to root for. Her entire personality is built around rescuing a sister who chose to leave for the fae realm six years ago.
The romance felt disappointingly flat. I didn’t care about the couple at all.
The only character that I actually liked was Daniil.
The tournament was the highlight for the first half of the book, but after the 5th time reading about it play-by-play it becomes pretty grating.
The ending wraps up nicely, but also by that point I didn’t care what happened to any of them.
A Far Wilder Magic was also a let down for me, so I think I just don’t vibe with this author’s writing and characters.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!
August 5, 2026
allison saft proves that you can take a well known sub genre and still create a new exciting story, as she did with ‘immortal game.’
I thought the concept of a chess-obsessed fae was brilliant, as both the fae and grandmasters require intelligence, creativity, and cunningness. I never understood the appeal of chess but this book proved me wrong! it was so interesting to read about how a chess match is played and envisioning it as a real battle painted a very vivid image in my head.
the romance was also so well done! the tension and yearning between the characters had me both biting my fist with anticipation and yelling at my screen for them to kiss already 🤣 it was so well paced and the pay off was worth all the pain of waiting 🤭
allison saft is an auto-buy author for me and she’s proven yet again why that is! I’ll read anything this woman writes 🫶🏼
thank you to NetGalley, Wednesday Books Publishing, and the author for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I thought the concept of a chess-obsessed fae was brilliant, as both the fae and grandmasters require intelligence, creativity, and cunningness. I never understood the appeal of chess but this book proved me wrong! it was so interesting to read about how a chess match is played and envisioning it as a real battle painted a very vivid image in my head.
the romance was also so well done! the tension and yearning between the characters had me both biting my fist with anticipation and yelling at my screen for them to kiss already 🤣 it was so well paced and the pay off was worth all the pain of waiting 🤭
allison saft is an auto-buy author for me and she’s proven yet again why that is! I’ll read anything this woman writes 🫶🏼
thank you to NetGalley, Wednesday Books Publishing, and the author for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Audiobook Review.
🤍 High Stakes Chess Competition
♟️ YA Romantasy
🤍 Sapphic
♟️ Rivals to Lovers
🤍 Irish Folklore
This was such a unique read! Fae × Human, deadly chess competitions, sisterly devotion, and a rivals-to-lovers plotline filled with yearning and budding young love.
•
The High King of the Faerie in the Otherworld took Shea Fury's older sister as his wife seven years ago, and she has spent every waking minute since plotting to win her back. Honing her skills as a champion chess player, she is determined to enter the faerie realm and play her Immortal Game by participating in a potentially deadly once in a lifetime chess competition in the faerie realm, where the winner can ask the High King of Faerie to grant any one wish. Shea is set on winning the tournament and smashing the competition to secure her sister's freedom.
•
This story felt very fresh! The concept of an immortal game of chess played between faeries and humans felt completely original, and I love how the author discusses the skills required and the gameplay throughout. Shea is a bit frustrating as the FMC because she is extremely stubborn, but she definitely feels like a character to root for. I also enjoyed her romantic rivalry with Ciara, even if I would have liked to see a little more chemistry and yearning. Shea's devotion to her sister really stood out, and she is fiercely loyal, which I admired.
This story is middle-fantasy, so a good portion of it takes place during a modern-day version of our world. Honestly: I found some of the modern references a little jarring. I wish Shea had been a bit more intentional with her choices; sometimes her stubbornness makes her miss the bigger picture. Some of the conflict felt like it could be avoided with a conversation; however, Shea does experience a lot of character growth throughout the story. While I loved many of the descriptions of the chess gameplay, at times it felt a bit too technical and drawn out—and for me personally, the gameplay was one of the slower and less engaging parts of the story.
Overall, this was a uniquely told story in many ways. I loved the sapphic representation, the faerie × human competition, and I genuinely enjoyed listening to the audiobook.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC of this book. All thoughts and feedback in this review are my own.
🤍 High Stakes Chess Competition
♟️ YA Romantasy
🤍 Sapphic
♟️ Rivals to Lovers
🤍 Irish Folklore
This was such a unique read! Fae × Human, deadly chess competitions, sisterly devotion, and a rivals-to-lovers plotline filled with yearning and budding young love.
•
The High King of the Faerie in the Otherworld took Shea Fury's older sister as his wife seven years ago, and she has spent every waking minute since plotting to win her back. Honing her skills as a champion chess player, she is determined to enter the faerie realm and play her Immortal Game by participating in a potentially deadly once in a lifetime chess competition in the faerie realm, where the winner can ask the High King of Faerie to grant any one wish. Shea is set on winning the tournament and smashing the competition to secure her sister's freedom.
•
This story felt very fresh! The concept of an immortal game of chess played between faeries and humans felt completely original, and I love how the author discusses the skills required and the gameplay throughout. Shea is a bit frustrating as the FMC because she is extremely stubborn, but she definitely feels like a character to root for. I also enjoyed her romantic rivalry with Ciara, even if I would have liked to see a little more chemistry and yearning. Shea's devotion to her sister really stood out, and she is fiercely loyal, which I admired.
This story is middle-fantasy, so a good portion of it takes place during a modern-day version of our world. Honestly: I found some of the modern references a little jarring. I wish Shea had been a bit more intentional with her choices; sometimes her stubbornness makes her miss the bigger picture. Some of the conflict felt like it could be avoided with a conversation; however, Shea does experience a lot of character growth throughout the story. While I loved many of the descriptions of the chess gameplay, at times it felt a bit too technical and drawn out—and for me personally, the gameplay was one of the slower and less engaging parts of the story.
Overall, this was a uniquely told story in many ways. I loved the sapphic representation, the faerie × human competition, and I genuinely enjoyed listening to the audiobook.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC of this book. All thoughts and feedback in this review are my own.
July 30, 2026
The silly lesbian chess book made me bawl my eyes out. Genuinely didn’t expect to enjoy this this much, because I thought the premise sounded incredibly silly. But god it hit and it hit hard. This was just absolutely gorgeous.
Tropes and such:
- chess
- fae
- disaster lesbians
- made me bawl
- fae abducting loved ones
- also a changeling kind of
- sisters who love each other but kinda suck at communicating
----
Many thanks to Wednesday Books for the ARC!
Tropes and such:
- chess
- fae
- disaster lesbians
- made me bawl
- fae abducting loved ones
- also a changeling kind of
- sisters who love each other but kinda suck at communicating
----
Many thanks to Wednesday Books for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
the chess elements on this book was good that even me, a non-chess player nor enjoyer still can appreciate how much allison saft did her research and understands chess. however! there's so many things that just don't work. the romance was bland and so lacking chemistry that it can be used to induced sleep. there's nothing believable about their attraction. the ending was too fairytale-esque happy ending like fuckkkk being merciful and all that bullshit KILL THAT DISRUPTIVE KILLER! also the characters... mind u everyone is somehow still more likeable or at least fascinating than the fmc (except her mom ig). i usually can like stubborn, reckless characters, but shea crosses the line from that to stupidity to an archaic level. ciara may not find joy in seeing shea's suffering, but i do! serves you right you hot-headed, idiotic, selfish, self-centered girl. saying this book is pike the cruel prince meets the queen's gambit is a disservice tbh jude duarte and beth harmon would grind shea into insignificant dust in 5 seconds
September 4, 2026
Six years ago, Shea’s sister was whisked away to the land of the fae by the High King of the Otherworld. Since then, Shea has dedicated her life to becoming a top chess grandmaster to earn an invitation to the once-in-a-century chess tournament that is hosted across the veil. The winner will be granted one wish from the High King, and Shea is determined to get her sister back. But winning against the fae is easier said than done, and she must make an alliance with her fiery longtime rival, Princess Ciara of Britain Leith, if she’s going to survive.
I’m learning that I have a particular interest in books centering chess. I don’t personally play the game, but there is something about reading from the perspective of grandmasters and the battle of strategy between players that is really enjoyable. Shea is a chess prodigy that has fallen out of love with the game after a soul crushing loss to the High King, a loss that cost her sister. It was intriguing to see how her playing style was affected by the guilt and devastation. Her fear of losing becomes something she has to work through in order to succeed as a player in the tournament. I also loved how playing against Ciara gave her that spark back, and opened up the door for her to love the game again.
Honestly, I kind of wish we got more romance. Ciara and Shea’s relationship was so buzzy, I wanted more tension from them. I feel like Shea’s attraction toward Ciara takes a major back burner and we don’t really get enough moments that showcased the depth of her infatuation. One thing I really appreciated was the depiction of lore accurate fae. There’s a lot of enchantment and trickery, centuries long grudges and entanglements. But for some reason Ciara was the only one who didn’t feel like an actual fae. It’s like Allison thought making her more human would make her more likable, but it just erased her complexities.
I thought Shea’s relationship with her sister was really interesting. So much of the book is centered around Shea’s guilt and concern toward Aideen, but we see that it stems from a kind of selfishness as well. They fundamentally misunderstand each other, and seeing their reunion has a bittersweet tinge to it. It’s a really mature situation that I wasn’t expecting a YA book to tackle.
I’m learning that I have a particular interest in books centering chess. I don’t personally play the game, but there is something about reading from the perspective of grandmasters and the battle of strategy between players that is really enjoyable. Shea is a chess prodigy that has fallen out of love with the game after a soul crushing loss to the High King, a loss that cost her sister. It was intriguing to see how her playing style was affected by the guilt and devastation. Her fear of losing becomes something she has to work through in order to succeed as a player in the tournament. I also loved how playing against Ciara gave her that spark back, and opened up the door for her to love the game again.
Honestly, I kind of wish we got more romance. Ciara and Shea’s relationship was so buzzy, I wanted more tension from them. I feel like Shea’s attraction toward Ciara takes a major back burner and we don’t really get enough moments that showcased the depth of her infatuation. One thing I really appreciated was the depiction of lore accurate fae. There’s a lot of enchantment and trickery, centuries long grudges and entanglements. But for some reason Ciara was the only one who didn’t feel like an actual fae. It’s like Allison thought making her more human would make her more likable, but it just erased her complexities.
I thought Shea’s relationship with her sister was really interesting. So much of the book is centered around Shea’s guilt and concern toward Aideen, but we see that it stems from a kind of selfishness as well. They fundamentally misunderstand each other, and seeing their reunion has a bittersweet tinge to it. It’s a really mature situation that I wasn’t expecting a YA book to tackle.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I need Saft to write an adult fantasy with a darker, grittier atmosphere. I think she would excel at it and most of my problems with her books would go away.
I like the competition aspect, I don't care much for chess but the book made me weirdly invested. The characters are a little flat and the romance even more so. The ending was a little too perfect, too fairytale perhaps is the right way to put it. Both the writing and overall vibe of the story was very good, but it lacked something which is why I made that remark at the beginning.
If you like holly black you would give it a try.
Thank you Netgalley and SMP/Wednesday books for the ARC.
I like the competition aspect, I don't care much for chess but the book made me weirdly invested. The characters are a little flat and the romance even more so. The ending was a little too perfect, too fairytale perhaps is the right way to put it. Both the writing and overall vibe of the story was very good, but it lacked something which is why I made that remark at the beginning.
If you like holly black you would give it a try.
Thank you Netgalley and SMP/Wednesday books for the ARC.
Want to Read
May 8, 2025i am a simple gal. i see a new allison saft book announced, i add it to my tbr.
this sounds really good!
update 10/14/2025 - COVER REVEAL!!!!!! SHES GORG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
update 3/6/2026 - advanced copy sent to my email????? i didn't even have to request it i'm so happy thank you publishers for this GIFT I am soooooooo excited
this sounds really good!
update 10/14/2025 - COVER REVEAL!!!!!! SHES GORG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
update 3/6/2026 - advanced copy sent to my email????? i didn't even have to request it i'm so happy thank you publishers for this GIFT I am soooooooo excited
August 9, 2026
3.5 but maybe my last book by the author.
go ahead, show your shocked faces.
I will never forget you, down comes the night.
go ahead, show your shocked faces.
I will never forget you, down comes the night.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I liked this novel a lot, other than one little thing that bothered me. Hah. Seriously though, this was a good novel. I was drawn in quickly and then it never lagged or had any issue maintaining my attention. I liked the characters, and the plot was simple enough to easily follow yet intricate enough to have layers.
This novel read somewhat like a sports book in my opinion, in a way that I intend as complimentary. I do not particularly care about sports or chess. The author thankfully did a great job of showing the action without getting bogged down in the details of the actual chess games, which I would have found boring. A chess lover would certainly appreciate some elements of this novel, but I think that anyone else would be able to enjoy it as well.
If you are looking for romance, its present in this novel but relatively weak; that’s not the main focus. Just FYI.
There was one thing that bothered me and I need to vent about, though it wasn’t awful. Without giving spoilers…… basically there was a rather important topic that was very important to the plot and a short discussion on this topic would have essentially resolved the entire story immediately; I was low-key frustrated for the entire novel that no one ever brought it up despite it being a natural topic to discuss in my opinion. That barely made sense but eh, this is just for me. I don’t enjoy plot-logic!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free ARC. This honest review was left voluntarily.
This novel read somewhat like a sports book in my opinion, in a way that I intend as complimentary. I do not particularly care about sports or chess. The author thankfully did a great job of showing the action without getting bogged down in the details of the actual chess games, which I would have found boring. A chess lover would certainly appreciate some elements of this novel, but I think that anyone else would be able to enjoy it as well.
If you are looking for romance, its present in this novel but relatively weak; that’s not the main focus. Just FYI.
There was one thing that bothered me and I need to vent about, though it wasn’t awful. Without giving spoilers…… basically there was a rather important topic that was very important to the plot and a short discussion on this topic would have essentially resolved the entire story immediately; I was low-key frustrated for the entire novel that no one ever brought it up despite it being a natural topic to discuss in my opinion. That barely made sense but eh, this is just for me. I don’t enjoy plot-logic!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free ARC. This honest review was left voluntarily.
August 26, 2026
I don’t want to talk about it
August 10, 2026
thank you to netgalley and macmillan audio for providing me with a copy of this audiobook for an honest and voluntary review!
Allison Saft has a true gift for captivating you from page 1 of this book and keeping hold of you until the very end.
Immortal Game has an amazing mix of plot and romance, leaning heavier on the plot side (in my opinion!) of the scales and I absolutely loved it! I think this book shows some really nice character development for our main character Shea and also has a main cast that are very easy to love!
Me and my yearning to learn how to play chess literally just quadrupled in terms of necessity after reading this ngl... i think some people may worry about knowing all of the terminology when it comes to books that heavily feature chess BUT as someone who knows nothing about the strategy or history of chess, i can confirm that this made absolutely no difference to my enjoyment of the story. at no points did i feel lost - if anything it truly just captivated me even more and made me want to learn (though this is 100% not necessary!)
this is narrated by one person but absolutely every character in this book has their own independent and recognisable voice, every single one voiced perfectly!! everyone had such a vide range of emotions that were shown verbally and it truly just made the entire story feel more real and more like you could feel the consequences of the storyline in a way?? this narration was actually captivating and held my attention from start to finish - i will 100% be checking out more of this narrators work!
Allison Saft has a true gift for captivating you from page 1 of this book and keeping hold of you until the very end.
Immortal Game has an amazing mix of plot and romance, leaning heavier on the plot side (in my opinion!) of the scales and I absolutely loved it! I think this book shows some really nice character development for our main character Shea and also has a main cast that are very easy to love!
Me and my yearning to learn how to play chess literally just quadrupled in terms of necessity after reading this ngl... i think some people may worry about knowing all of the terminology when it comes to books that heavily feature chess BUT as someone who knows nothing about the strategy or history of chess, i can confirm that this made absolutely no difference to my enjoyment of the story. at no points did i feel lost - if anything it truly just captivated me even more and made me want to learn (though this is 100% not necessary!)
this is narrated by one person but absolutely every character in this book has their own independent and recognisable voice, every single one voiced perfectly!! everyone had such a vide range of emotions that were shown verbally and it truly just made the entire story feel more real and more like you could feel the consequences of the storyline in a way?? this narration was actually captivating and held my attention from start to finish - i will 100% be checking out more of this narrators work!
September 2, 2026
This was such a fun fast pace novel and for someone who liked chess I actually understood the setting and magic system! Love a book with short chapters in this one I checked out this physical copy from my public library Monday and finished it today (Wednesday September 2nd)!
Before we begin this review I wanted to say thank you to Publishers & Netgalley for sending me an e-arc of Immortal Game by Allison Saft all opinions and thoughts are my own!!
*My actual review of Immortal Game*
Immortal game is a ya fantasy standalone that I had my eyes on for a while and let me tell u it was worth the wait! This is a book that is about chess but also about farires and what more could u want?! It was also sapphic so hello LGBTQ+ rep!! I didn't read my e-copy but I did request a copy through my library and when it arrived I picked it up imdeaitly for me to read. It was short just shay of 400 pages and it didn't take me long to read it about three days, because of work booo work!
We follow our main character who finds out that six years before the book begins her sister is taken by the fae king and so her sister has been living in their world for six years alone. Then Shea has to compete in a chess tournament that could turn deadly and try to save her sister or does she... That's all I'll say about the novel without any spoilers just know I read it in 2 days and it was a wild ride, plus I just got a pretty edition of this book from Owlcrate one of my book boxes! Overall rating 3.5/5 stars!
Before we begin this review I wanted to say thank you to Publishers & Netgalley for sending me an e-arc of Immortal Game by Allison Saft all opinions and thoughts are my own!!
*My actual review of Immortal Game*
Immortal game is a ya fantasy standalone that I had my eyes on for a while and let me tell u it was worth the wait! This is a book that is about chess but also about farires and what more could u want?! It was also sapphic so hello LGBTQ+ rep!! I didn't read my e-copy but I did request a copy through my library and when it arrived I picked it up imdeaitly for me to read. It was short just shay of 400 pages and it didn't take me long to read it about three days, because of work booo work!
We follow our main character who finds out that six years before the book begins her sister is taken by the fae king and so her sister has been living in their world for six years alone. Then Shea has to compete in a chess tournament that could turn deadly and try to save her sister or does she... That's all I'll say about the novel without any spoilers just know I read it in 2 days and it was a wild ride, plus I just got a pretty edition of this book from Owlcrate one of my book boxes! Overall rating 3.5/5 stars!
July 1, 2026
3.75! i know nothing about chess but i love reading about it
Want to Read
September 1, 2025Are you kidding me I need this
August 29, 2026
3.5/5 stars
I love when books give characters niche passions and really leans into that aspect of the story. Watching someone find ambition and identity through something as specific as competitive chess is exactly my kind of thing, and you can see Saft has done a lot of research (and apparently learned chess) for this story.
The characters that are part of this chess scene are all various aspects of this kind of passion and community. Shea, Danil, and Ciara, and the King all have echoes of that kind of personality that leans into something with their entire personalities, but all feel unique. They're all charming and I love how the fae aspects are mingled in some of them. I honestly can say that Danil and his unlikely friendship with Shea was one of my favorite things. The character work and the nods to chess culture are where this book really shines.
Shea's dedication to saving her sister really resonated for me. There's a specific kind of grief that turns into something like a lifestyle, carrying a weight that was never asked of you. Especially as a child. That's something I felt so strongly.
As someone who loved The Queen's Gambit, this is such a perfect mix of fae and the chess world (as far as it was portrayed), though with a more young adult sensibility than the show. The Irish folklore inspiration gives everything a lovely atmosphere, though the world-building stays pretty surface- level and a lot of it operates more on vibes than depth. This is very much a character-driven story that leans on its premise and the world is a backdrop.
Enjoyed it. Probably won't live in my brain for long, but a genuinely lovely read while it lasted.
Thanks to Colored Pages Tours, Wednesday Books, and the author for the complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.
I love when books give characters niche passions and really leans into that aspect of the story. Watching someone find ambition and identity through something as specific as competitive chess is exactly my kind of thing, and you can see Saft has done a lot of research (and apparently learned chess) for this story.
The characters that are part of this chess scene are all various aspects of this kind of passion and community. Shea, Danil, and Ciara, and the King all have echoes of that kind of personality that leans into something with their entire personalities, but all feel unique. They're all charming and I love how the fae aspects are mingled in some of them. I honestly can say that Danil and his unlikely friendship with Shea was one of my favorite things. The character work and the nods to chess culture are where this book really shines.
Shea's dedication to saving her sister really resonated for me. There's a specific kind of grief that turns into something like a lifestyle, carrying a weight that was never asked of you. Especially as a child. That's something I felt so strongly.
As someone who loved The Queen's Gambit, this is such a perfect mix of fae and the chess world (as far as it was portrayed), though with a more young adult sensibility than the show. The Irish folklore inspiration gives everything a lovely atmosphere, though the world-building stays pretty surface- level and a lot of it operates more on vibes than depth. This is very much a character-driven story that leans on its premise and the world is a backdrop.
Enjoyed it. Probably won't live in my brain for long, but a genuinely lovely read while it lasted.
Thanks to Colored Pages Tours, Wednesday Books, and the author for the complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.
August 31, 2026
4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars
Immortal Game follows a human girl who is invited to a once in lifetime chess tournament that happens in the faerie realm every 100 years. The winner faces the (undefeated) faerie king and if they beat him they are granted a wish.
When I describe what this book is about out loud it sounds like a fairytale but there are so many more layers to it than that.
Shea (FMC) fueled by the desire to save her sister, taken from her many years ago, from the Faerie Realm works tirelessly to become a chess grandmaster in the hopes of being invited to the once in a life time chess tournament. Her goal is to use her wish to free her sister. However other people are there to serve their own agendas and she has to form an alliance and a budding romantic relationship with her long time rival who also happens to be the King's sister.
This does read like a fairytale at times and has explores themes that are relevant to so many people such as how a fear of failure can keep us from truly living and enjoying life.
This book felt magical, immersive, poetic and I guess I love a competitive chess driven story. Of note I know nothing about chess other than the board has squares and you say checkmate when you win . 😅
If you loved Check and Mate by Ali Hazelwood then give this a try!
Audiobook review: 5/5
AMAZING audiobook performance by Kristen Sieh her accents brought so much to this book without being cringey at all.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for this ALC and to Wednesday Books for the ARC
Immortal Game follows a human girl who is invited to a once in lifetime chess tournament that happens in the faerie realm every 100 years. The winner faces the (undefeated) faerie king and if they beat him they are granted a wish.
When I describe what this book is about out loud it sounds like a fairytale but there are so many more layers to it than that.
Shea (FMC) fueled by the desire to save her sister, taken from her many years ago, from the Faerie Realm works tirelessly to become a chess grandmaster in the hopes of being invited to the once in a life time chess tournament. Her goal is to use her wish to free her sister. However other people are there to serve their own agendas and she has to form an alliance and a budding romantic relationship with her long time rival who also happens to be the King's sister.
This does read like a fairytale at times and has explores themes that are relevant to so many people such as how a fear of failure can keep us from truly living and enjoying life.
This book felt magical, immersive, poetic and I guess I love a competitive chess driven story. Of note I know nothing about chess other than the board has squares and you say checkmate when you win . 😅
If you loved Check and Mate by Ali Hazelwood then give this a try!
Audiobook review: 5/5
AMAZING audiobook performance by Kristen Sieh her accents brought so much to this book without being cringey at all.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for this ALC and to Wednesday Books for the ARC
August 30, 2026
Alison Saft is a hit or miss author for me and sadly this was another miss. Immortal Game follows Shea as she enters a tournament in the Otherwold in an attempt to save her sister. While Immortal Game was packed with lovely descriptions, I just never found myself pulled towards this story or characters. I got about 30% into this, over the course of 4 days which is not my normal, before I decided to DNF. The chess was fun and a unique spin to a fantasy book but 30% in I was finding both the romance and the plot a bit boring. I may go back to this one day and I do still recommend this for those who want a fantasy with twists and turns, a fresh take, and beautiful writing! I'm rating this 3 stars based off of what I read and Kristen Sieh was a really good narrator! Ultimately, this was just not for me and that's okay!
Thank you to Wednesday Books and Macmillan Young Listeners for the eARC and ALC in exchange for my reviews!
Thank you to Wednesday Books and Macmillan Young Listeners for the eARC and ALC in exchange for my reviews!
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