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Ship of Spells
"Dickson’s novel keeps readers on the edge of their seats with morally gray characters, action, and wonderful worldbuilding; perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Erin Morgenstern." —Library Journal, starred review
A war-scarred mage. A sentient ship. A secret that could drown empires.
When Ensign Bluemage Honor Renn is rescued from the wreckage of her first naval post, she expects death or disgrace. Instead, she wakes aboard the Touchstone, a mythic vessel whispered of in dockside ballads and royal war rooms alike. With a crew of misfits. A mysterious, elven captain. And a mission tied to the Dreadwall, the crumbling barrier that has kept the Overland and Nethersea from open war for a hundred years.
But the tragedy that sank her last ship didn’t just take lives—it left something behind.
Now Renn carries a secret everyone wants. A magik that’s chimeric, arcane...and slowly killing her. But the captain’s mission may be her only chance to survive, even if he still doesn’t trust her.
Caught between privateers, princes, and spies, Renn knows each choice could sink her future—or set the sea on fire.
Ship of Spells is perfect for readers who crave the raw grit of Arya Stark, the world-building of Samantha Shannon, and the slow-burn tension of enemies who should never trust or want each other.
A war-scarred mage. A sentient ship. A secret that could drown empires.
When Ensign Bluemage Honor Renn is rescued from the wreckage of her first naval post, she expects death or disgrace. Instead, she wakes aboard the Touchstone, a mythic vessel whispered of in dockside ballads and royal war rooms alike. With a crew of misfits. A mysterious, elven captain. And a mission tied to the Dreadwall, the crumbling barrier that has kept the Overland and Nethersea from open war for a hundred years.
But the tragedy that sank her last ship didn’t just take lives—it left something behind.
Now Renn carries a secret everyone wants. A magik that’s chimeric, arcane...and slowly killing her. But the captain’s mission may be her only chance to survive, even if he still doesn’t trust her.
Caught between privateers, princes, and spies, Renn knows each choice could sink her future—or set the sea on fire.
Ship of Spells is perfect for readers who crave the raw grit of Arya Stark, the world-building of Samantha Shannon, and the slow-burn tension of enemies who should never trust or want each other.
402 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 4, 2025
367 people are currently reading
29031 people want to read
About the author
H. Leighton Dickson
20 books324 followersH. Leighton Dickson grew up in the wilds of the Canadian Shield, where her neighbours were wolves, moose, deer and lynx. She studied Zoology at the University of Guelph and worked in the Edinburgh Zoological Gardens in Scotland, where she was chased by lions, wrestled deaf tigers and fed antibiotics to Polar Bears by baby bottle.
A successful indie author, Heather is now repped by D. Ellis Wilson of Looking Glass Literary & Media. She has 10 indie novels including the 'Rise of the Upper Kingdom' series and the Empire of Steam series, as well as the award-winning DRAGON OF ASH & STARS. Her next novel, SHIP OF SPELLS, is published by Red Tower Books and will be available November 4, 2025.
Come join the conversation at http://www.hleightondickson.com or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/HLeightonDickson
A successful indie author, Heather is now repped by D. Ellis Wilson of Looking Glass Literary & Media. She has 10 indie novels including the 'Rise of the Upper Kingdom' series and the Empire of Steam series, as well as the award-winning DRAGON OF ASH & STARS. Her next novel, SHIP OF SPELLS, is published by Red Tower Books and will be available November 4, 2025.
Come join the conversation at http://www.hleightondickson.com or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/HLeightonDickson
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 359 reviews
November 3, 2025
Thank you so much, Entangled Publishing, LLC | Entangled: Red Tower Books, for sending me an ARC! 💕Feeling like a lucky little duck to get an ARC from you guys. 🥹🦆💫
I wanted to love this one so badly, but I just couldn't get into it. I hope that when publication day arrives, they move the glossary to the front, because seriously - what the heckkkk. 🫠😭 That alone would help readers so much and really boost understanding and enjoyment. Another frustrating thing was that one of the phrases kept repeating. It kept reminding me of One Dark Window and was driving me mad.
Okay, with all that said, there were many good parts. The characters were fascinating, and I enjoyed their backstories and how they arrived at their current situations. We should all know by now that I LOVE banter. Probably the best part of the book. I could even have used some more, if I’m being honest. Then lastly, the Touchstone itself was such a fun part of the storyline.
All in all, it was a decent read. It just didn't hold my attention or give me that "I can't put this down" feeling. 3.5 stars, but I’m rounding down because, unfortunately, this one missed the mark for me. Decent but nothing extraordinary. ✨
Pub Date Nov 04 2025
As always, all thoughts are my own.
I wanted to love this one so badly, but I just couldn't get into it. I hope that when publication day arrives, they move the glossary to the front, because seriously - what the heckkkk. 🫠😭 That alone would help readers so much and really boost understanding and enjoyment. Another frustrating thing was that one of the phrases kept repeating. It kept reminding me of One Dark Window and was driving me mad.
Okay, with all that said, there were many good parts. The characters were fascinating, and I enjoyed their backstories and how they arrived at their current situations. We should all know by now that I LOVE banter. Probably the best part of the book. I could even have used some more, if I’m being honest. Then lastly, the Touchstone itself was such a fun part of the storyline.
All in all, it was a decent read. It just didn't hold my attention or give me that "I can't put this down" feeling. 3.5 stars, but I’m rounding down because, unfortunately, this one missed the mark for me. Decent but nothing extraordinary. ✨
Pub Date Nov 04 2025
As always, all thoughts are my own.
October 5, 2025
I had high hopes for this when I received the ARC, however it is in extremely rough shape and difficult to enjoy.
What started as a promising Pirates of the Caribbean meets Grishaverse story, quickly had the wind ripped from her sails. The FMC is not exactly likable and the story was all over the place and pacing was an issue throughout. Adding too much when it wasn't necessary and not enough when it was.
The FMC is a low ranking blue mage in the Navy when her ship is sunk. By some miracle she is rescued from meeting Davey Jones by a notorious ship that sails for the King and the second she's on board, tries to pull rank. No gratitude for saving her life, no thanks for mending her broken body, just arrogance. Not a great start, but I was willing go with it for the sake of her character development... yeah. It never happened. There was none. Every single character in this book was incredibly superficial and had no substance to them. I pretty much rage read the entire thing just to see if there were any redeeming factors. Alas, here we are with my rating.
Unfortunately for me, this one falls into the Red Tower pit of 'really pretty book, but they needed to put that money towards an editor'.
In it's current state, I would save your money and pass on this one.
What started as a promising Pirates of the Caribbean meets Grishaverse story, quickly had the wind ripped from her sails. The FMC is not exactly likable and the story was all over the place and pacing was an issue throughout. Adding too much when it wasn't necessary and not enough when it was.
The FMC is a low ranking blue mage in the Navy when her ship is sunk. By some miracle she is rescued from meeting Davey Jones by a notorious ship that sails for the King and the second she's on board, tries to pull rank. No gratitude for saving her life, no thanks for mending her broken body, just arrogance. Not a great start, but I was willing go with it for the sake of her character development... yeah. It never happened. There was none. Every single character in this book was incredibly superficial and had no substance to them. I pretty much rage read the entire thing just to see if there were any redeeming factors. Alas, here we are with my rating.
Unfortunately for me, this one falls into the Red Tower pit of 'really pretty book, but they needed to put that money towards an editor'.
In it's current state, I would save your money and pass on this one.
November 13, 2025
Ship of Spells
by H. Leighton Dickson
Fantasy
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Nov. 4, 2025
Entangled Publishing
Ages: 18+
On her first naval post, Renn's ship is destroyed. As the only survivor, she clings to wreckage expecting to die, but she is rescued by a mythic vessel that the stories call “The Ship of Spells”, though the ship's crew calls her Touchstone.
Being Navy, and the crew considered by most pirates, but worse, the captain is technically the enemy, being an elven, the same people who had sunk Renn's ship, Renn feels as if taken prisoner.
Called Blue by the captain and crew due to Renn being a Bluemage, she discovers that her injury suffered when her navel ship was destroyed might be killing her because the magic is arcane, and everyone, the enemy and her own people, wants to know how she is controlling it.
This book had my attention as the battle at sea took place, but at the same time, the excitement of the battle and its aftermath skipped over the needed history of the world, and more especially, the magic. Even after finishing the story, I'm still not sure how the magic was created/happened. I know how it connects, but how did it 'spread'? This also includes Renn and her magic before her ship was sunk.
As for the crew of the Touchstone, some of them were very well developed, and others, I'm not sure of who they are. What should have been reminded through the story/interactions was the different 'species' of crew. There was a faun, a minotaur, elves, and others, and along those lines, I'm not sure if Renn is 'human' or another 'species'. The uniqueness of the 'races' was not hyped up/reminded, and that would've helped give the characters more personalities. I honestly forgot about these different characteristics and had to blink a few times near the end of the book when the author finally reminded me of the characters' uniqueness. That late in the story was a 'jolt' and made me unconnect with those characters, and question the rest, wondering what I missed/forgot.
I did like the story and would recommend it to readers over the age of eighteen. Yes, there is violence, but it was the last-minute drop of descriptive adult content that could have been left out or kept behind closed doors that raised the age.
As for the title, it kind of fit the story, though the ship...spoilers... and the book cover is eye-catching.
The end pages highly hinted that this is the first book of a series, but I'm not sure if I'll continue. I can guess where it will go and what will happen, and I liked how this one ended.
A low...
3 Stars
by H. Leighton Dickson
Fantasy
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Nov. 4, 2025
Entangled Publishing
Ages: 18+
On her first naval post, Renn's ship is destroyed. As the only survivor, she clings to wreckage expecting to die, but she is rescued by a mythic vessel that the stories call “The Ship of Spells”, though the ship's crew calls her Touchstone.
Being Navy, and the crew considered by most pirates, but worse, the captain is technically the enemy, being an elven, the same people who had sunk Renn's ship, Renn feels as if taken prisoner.
Called Blue by the captain and crew due to Renn being a Bluemage, she discovers that her injury suffered when her navel ship was destroyed might be killing her because the magic is arcane, and everyone, the enemy and her own people, wants to know how she is controlling it.
This book had my attention as the battle at sea took place, but at the same time, the excitement of the battle and its aftermath skipped over the needed history of the world, and more especially, the magic. Even after finishing the story, I'm still not sure how the magic was created/happened. I know how it connects, but how did it 'spread'? This also includes Renn and her magic before her ship was sunk.
As for the crew of the Touchstone, some of them were very well developed, and others, I'm not sure of who they are. What should have been reminded through the story/interactions was the different 'species' of crew. There was a faun, a minotaur, elves, and others, and along those lines, I'm not sure if Renn is 'human' or another 'species'. The uniqueness of the 'races' was not hyped up/reminded, and that would've helped give the characters more personalities. I honestly forgot about these different characteristics and had to blink a few times near the end of the book when the author finally reminded me of the characters' uniqueness. That late in the story was a 'jolt' and made me unconnect with those characters, and question the rest, wondering what I missed/forgot.
I did like the story and would recommend it to readers over the age of eighteen. Yes, there is violence, but it was the last-minute drop of descriptive adult content that could have been left out or kept behind closed doors that raised the age.
As for the title, it kind of fit the story, though the ship...spoilers... and the book cover is eye-catching.
The end pages highly hinted that this is the first book of a series, but I'm not sure if I'll continue. I can guess where it will go and what will happen, and I liked how this one ended.
A low...
3 Stars
October 21, 2025
2.5 ⭐️
Unfortunately, this book was a hot mess wrapped in a really pretty package (seriously, the cover and sprayed edge designs are gorgeous!). I had high hopes and wanted to love it, but it needs several rounds of editing and a translator to make it readable. My 2.5 stars are exclusively for the characters of Echo and Fahr, who I did love, but everyone else in the story could go. 2.5 is probably still too high, but I'm feeling generous right now.
The problems are numerous.
1. Ensign Honor Renn, bluemage of the Navy, was wholly unlikable. She was arrogant, smart-mouthed, hot-headed, and never used her brain (seriously, never). She got people killed because she didn't think before speaking or acting. There was no character growth for her throughout the book - she started as a brat and ended as a brat.
2. The romance was nonexistent. It took me several chapters to even know who the MMC was supposed to be, and when I figured it out, it wasn't the person it should have been. The feelings seemed one-sided from FMC to MMC, and were based on absolutely nothing except the enemies-to-lovers trope. I would've preferred the FMC wasn't in the book, and the two males I thought were battling for MMC were the couple, because they at least liked each other.
3. For a book titled Ship of Spells, the ship was utterly useless at spells.
4. So much word salad. Making up the words for the magic system and the world-building is expected in fantasy, but substituting every normal word in the book for something random or just sort-of-close makes the book unreadable. Every time I encountered another substitute word, I cringed. Examples: fog instead of fck (but fog was also still weather); corkanut instead of coconut and limon instead of lemon (why?); dworgh instead of dwarf (again, why?); sunswheel instead of helm (ships have had the same names of their parts for centuries, why did this one need different names?).
5. The pacing was very inconsistent. Boring chapters where nothing happened and then action sequences that were blown through so fast you didn't know what happened, because it wasn't explained well.
Thank you to Entangled Publishing and Red Tower Books for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. I received this one in order to participate in the Entangled Insiders readalong, which are always super fun, but the book just wasn't it for me.
Unfortunately, this book was a hot mess wrapped in a really pretty package (seriously, the cover and sprayed edge designs are gorgeous!). I had high hopes and wanted to love it, but it needs several rounds of editing and a translator to make it readable. My 2.5 stars are exclusively for the characters of Echo and Fahr, who I did love, but everyone else in the story could go. 2.5 is probably still too high, but I'm feeling generous right now.
The problems are numerous.
1. Ensign Honor Renn, bluemage of the Navy, was wholly unlikable. She was arrogant, smart-mouthed, hot-headed, and never used her brain (seriously, never). She got people killed because she didn't think before speaking or acting. There was no character growth for her throughout the book - she started as a brat and ended as a brat.
2. The romance was nonexistent. It took me several chapters to even know who the MMC was supposed to be, and when I figured it out, it wasn't the person it should have been. The feelings seemed one-sided from FMC to MMC, and were based on absolutely nothing except the enemies-to-lovers trope. I would've preferred the FMC wasn't in the book, and the two males I thought were battling for MMC were the couple, because they at least liked each other.
3. For a book titled Ship of Spells, the ship was utterly useless at spells.
4. So much word salad. Making up the words for the magic system and the world-building is expected in fantasy, but substituting every normal word in the book for something random or just sort-of-close makes the book unreadable. Every time I encountered another substitute word, I cringed. Examples: fog instead of fck (but fog was also still weather); corkanut instead of coconut and limon instead of lemon (why?); dworgh instead of dwarf (again, why?); sunswheel instead of helm (ships have had the same names of their parts for centuries, why did this one need different names?).
5. The pacing was very inconsistent. Boring chapters where nothing happened and then action sequences that were blown through so fast you didn't know what happened, because it wasn't explained well.
Thank you to Entangled Publishing and Red Tower Books for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. I received this one in order to participate in the Entangled Insiders readalong, which are always super fun, but the book just wasn't it for me.
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September 15, 2025Is this book worth the read or I like the cover a little to much !!!! LOL
![Profile Image for Jamey [Longhollow.Lore].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1751370206i%2F7284478._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
November 12, 2025
3.25 ⭐️’s feedback to follow
I was pulled in immediately by the action on page one. Renn is a compelling lead, she feels like a cog in a war machine, caught in the gears of something far bigger than herself. The worldbuilding hooked me right away: magic with practical, naval applications, used for seafaring, strategy, and survival. It made me wonder...how would any world change when suddenly gifted with such power?
At first, this feels like a pure survival story, where our FMC might be used for gain or manipulation. But Renn refuses to be a victim of circumstance, she is an active force in her own story. I loved that while she has agency and importance, there are also greater powers at play, and we, like her, uncover them gradually.
This book is rich with lore-unique creatures, evolving magic, and a system that rewards practice and persistence rather than just innate ability. That growth element felt meaningful.
Renn herself feels real: young, imperfect, impulsive. She makes mistakes, owns them, and learns. At times I found her frustrating, but that just made her more human.
If you enjoy sweeping worldbuilding and flawed, determined heroines, this story might remind you of Dark Skies by Danielle L. Jensen. I’m eager to continue Renn’s journey, book two promises big things after that ending.
A special thank you to Entangled Publishing, LLC and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy; All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I was pulled in immediately by the action on page one. Renn is a compelling lead, she feels like a cog in a war machine, caught in the gears of something far bigger than herself. The worldbuilding hooked me right away: magic with practical, naval applications, used for seafaring, strategy, and survival. It made me wonder...how would any world change when suddenly gifted with such power?
At first, this feels like a pure survival story, where our FMC might be used for gain or manipulation. But Renn refuses to be a victim of circumstance, she is an active force in her own story. I loved that while she has agency and importance, there are also greater powers at play, and we, like her, uncover them gradually.
This book is rich with lore-unique creatures, evolving magic, and a system that rewards practice and persistence rather than just innate ability. That growth element felt meaningful.
Renn herself feels real: young, imperfect, impulsive. She makes mistakes, owns them, and learns. At times I found her frustrating, but that just made her more human.
If you enjoy sweeping worldbuilding and flawed, determined heroines, this story might remind you of Dark Skies by Danielle L. Jensen. I’m eager to continue Renn’s journey, book two promises big things after that ending.
A special thank you to Entangled Publishing, LLC and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy; All thoughts and opinions are my own.
November 4, 2025
If you know me, you know I’m a sucker for a story with pirates and Ship of Spells delivered exactly what I was hoping for. It’s got that adventurous, high-seas vibe mixed with magic, found family, and a touch of slow-burn tension that kept me hooked from the start.
Honor Renn is a fierce and flawed heroine who finds herself aboard a sentient ship (yes, the ship has a personality and it’s fantastic) alongside a grumpy, mysterious elven captain. Their dynamic is definitely enemies-to-reluctant-allies with plenty of sparks. I loved watching their uneasy partnership grow as they faced danger after danger and learned to trust each other.
The worldbuilding felt unique, part pirate romantasy, part magical adventure with a cool, original magic system and a chaotic, loveable crew. I did wish for a bit more emotional depth in a few places, but overall I had such a great time with this one. It’s fast-paced, atmospheric, and full of that found-family energy I adore.
Can’t wait to see where this series sails next!
Thank you to Entangled Publishing and the author for the gifted copy.
Honor Renn is a fierce and flawed heroine who finds herself aboard a sentient ship (yes, the ship has a personality and it’s fantastic) alongside a grumpy, mysterious elven captain. Their dynamic is definitely enemies-to-reluctant-allies with plenty of sparks. I loved watching their uneasy partnership grow as they faced danger after danger and learned to trust each other.
The worldbuilding felt unique, part pirate romantasy, part magical adventure with a cool, original magic system and a chaotic, loveable crew. I did wish for a bit more emotional depth in a few places, but overall I had such a great time with this one. It’s fast-paced, atmospheric, and full of that found-family energy I adore.
Can’t wait to see where this series sails next!
Thank you to Entangled Publishing and the author for the gifted copy.
November 19, 2025
Thank you to the publisher and Kaye Publicity for the gifted ARC.
PLEASE DON’T.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM || TIKTOK
I honestly don’t even want to write this review but I’m going to mention some of the issues I had with this book and why I took one for the team and I’m going to need you to go read a different romantasy.
The biggest notable complaint was the unexplainable world building. So much so that I still can’t tell you what the FMC looks like. Was I ever told? I’M NOT SURE. There were also made up words and phrases/dialogue that I believe were elements to the world building but with the lack of explanation I was confused from the first chapter (and my husband even read a few chapters and was like, what is going on????).
This “enemies to lovers” might be one of the worst I’ve come across and not for one second did I think these two had chemistry.
I’m still at a loss for what was the true point of the plot. I don’t know what message it was trying to convey or where the FMC was supposed to go on her journey.
Overall audience notes:
- Fantasy romance
- Language: mild+
- Romance: 1 cringey open door
- Violence: moderate
PLEASE DON’T.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM || TIKTOK
I honestly don’t even want to write this review but I’m going to mention some of the issues I had with this book and why I took one for the team and I’m going to need you to go read a different romantasy.
The biggest notable complaint was the unexplainable world building. So much so that I still can’t tell you what the FMC looks like. Was I ever told? I’M NOT SURE. There were also made up words and phrases/dialogue that I believe were elements to the world building but with the lack of explanation I was confused from the first chapter (and my husband even read a few chapters and was like, what is going on????).
This “enemies to lovers” might be one of the worst I’ve come across and not for one second did I think these two had chemistry.
I’m still at a loss for what was the true point of the plot. I don’t know what message it was trying to convey or where the FMC was supposed to go on her journey.
Overall audience notes:
- Fantasy romance
- Language: mild+
- Romance: 1 cringey open door
- Violence: moderate
October 6, 2025
I haven’t read many pirate romantasy books or books that primarily take place shipboard but I really enjoyed this one! The writing style and world building make you completely immersed in the book. There is a cliffhanger and I can’t wait for book 2!
Read this if you’re in the mood for…
- magic training
- Enemies to lovers
- Pirates
- Betrayal
- Sloooooow burn
This book surprised me! There were multiple moments I didn’t see coming AT ALL. I was emotionally invested, I was resisting the speed read to read all the action. Sometimes the characters drove me crazy but that only tells you I was fully invested. There are a lot of different kinds of relationships in this book and I love how we see them all equally in addition to the love interest.
Here are a few of my favorite things…
- the banterrr
- Slooow burn but it’s so worth it
- The end drove me crazy but in a way where I need MORE
- “What have I done to you”
I would recommend if you’re ready for world building and feeling like a pirate!
Read this if you’re in the mood for…
- magic training
- Enemies to lovers
- Pirates
- Betrayal
- Sloooooow burn
This book surprised me! There were multiple moments I didn’t see coming AT ALL. I was emotionally invested, I was resisting the speed read to read all the action. Sometimes the characters drove me crazy but that only tells you I was fully invested. There are a lot of different kinds of relationships in this book and I love how we see them all equally in addition to the love interest.
Here are a few of my favorite things…
- the banterrr
- Slooow burn but it’s so worth it
- The end drove me crazy but in a way where I need MORE
- “What have I done to you”
I would recommend if you’re ready for world building and feeling like a pirate!
December 20, 2025
Talk about a good slow burn. It’s a romantic fantasy with elements of murder mystery. Perfect for late fall. It did take me a little bit to get into the book and feel invested, but Marissa Meyer has done it again with this retelling of bluebeard. I really had a great time reading this book it has it all with ghosts, witches, and a haunted house.
November 10, 2025
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC.
This was a cool premise but I had a hard time following. The were a lot of terms and yes it included a glossary but it didn’t help me 🫣
The romance was barely in the book, it finally made an appearance in the last 40 something pages. Due to that, I wouldn’t classify this as a romantasy more just a regular high fantasy book.
This was a cool premise but I had a hard time following. The were a lot of terms and yes it included a glossary but it didn’t help me 🫣
The romance was barely in the book, it finally made an appearance in the last 40 something pages. Due to that, I wouldn’t classify this as a romantasy more just a regular high fantasy book.
November 15, 2025
You can find this review of Ship of Spells on my blog, Heart's Content!
A big shout out and thank you to the publisher for providing me with a complimentary copy of Ship of Spells in exchange for an honest review!
It’s been a few days since I finished reading Ship of Spells and while I usually write my reviews as and when I finish books—while the emotions and impressions are fresh in my mind—with SoS, I’ve let myself take my time because this review might be the most challenging task I have undertaken this year, and the reason is because I enjoyed the book. (If you’re confused keep reading.)
SoS is a book with 500+ pages and every single page has so much happening in it. This statement stands true even for the very first page, where the characters and the readers are dropped right in the middle of a scene and the story kicks off from the world go. But, because the book starts on a high intensity moment, I found myself taking a bit of a break before coming back to that first chapter. However, I found myself actively thinking about it even when I wasn’t reading it. That, I think, was the greatest allure of SoS: the amount of mental real estate it occupies constantly. I would say this trait of SoSis primarily credited to the writing.
Usually an author’s writing style is fairly easy to categorise; it could be: flowery and lyrical, or sharp to match the narrator’s personality, or addictive and emotional to appeal to the reader’s heart. It was interesting to note that Dickson’s writing was a little—and a lot—of everything. It was the sharp like the edges of a broken shard of glass and soft like the smile of a friend. It was haunting like something you regret and compelling like something you can’t look away from. It was lyrical like a siren’s call and painful like when we heal from trauma. To me, SoS represented all this wrapped in one thick book, that I kept coming back to no matter what.
The characters in this book are many, and I will admit that yes, they are all introduced nearly almost at the same time. With the disorientation of dropping into the story in the middle of an explosive scene (ha!), it’s almost jarring to have to additionally understand and place the characters, the aspects about them that make them unique, their characteristics and their roles and connections. But I swear, I. Swear. You’ll get there. In some time, the characters become as familiar to you as any other you’ve known all along and soon their lives, backstories, secrets and interactions all become an important part of the story and tug at/and stitch themselves into your heart.
The journey I went through, as a reader, with the FMC—whose mind we reside in throughout the whole story—will forever remain in a soft, vulnerable and painful place in my heart. But a good kind of pain, like when you’ve worked out a knot and it’s a bit sensitive there but you know it’s going to be alright. Watching protagonists who’ve hardened their hearts to life, slowly finding the people and strength to soften themselves for and finding love (for both themselves and others around them) has always been my favourite. After Shalini Abeysekara’s This Monster of Mine, SoS now occupies spot number two.
Also, yes. You can expect a slow burn, a real one. There’s an immediate attraction, yes, but a slow but steady burning fire that becomes—with time—less destructive and more something you can sit by on a terrible and cold day and warm yourself with the faith that it will never intend to hurt you. The romance was very interesting and surprisingly not the most central part of the story. Love, is, yes. But the romance is not. I loved that there were so many different kinds of love in this book—from platonic to romantic—and they all have equal weight and importance placed upon them.
Now, the part of the review that marks the harder aspect of writing it: the world building. The world building, was, unfortunately not done well. Even after the book was over, I can claim that I understood only a handful of things and that I’m extremely sad about that, because all the other aspects of this book were so so wonderful. But unfortunately in the genre of fantasy, it doesn’t matter if the other aspects are perfectly sewn together, if the nature and rules of the world are not as well done. The whole book… falls apart without the binding agent that is the world building. It’s with a heavy heart that I say this because I know that for most people this book might not be easy to read without them being able to understand what’s happening on scene—especially in the beginning, when we’re unsure why it’s happening, when it’s happening and who is around. The book will read well only for someone whose understanding of the world is already well established; so either, after multiple re-reads or if the idea was constructed in our mind. The abstract understanding I’ve built is not enough to justify the book, because so many of the scenes could have had SUCH a wonderful impact on the reader had we understood what was happening in the magical sense of the term. No one is more disheartened than me that I was not on the same page as the book with regard to the world; especially because so much of it was so so unique and intriguing.
Due to this, the pace suffers. Especially towards the latter half of the book where the plot thickens and the book leans heavily into its more magical themes.
The plot has an interesting balance it strikes. The part of it closely linked to the world, of course, suffers; BUT the benefit of a book having multiple plot threads and interconnected stories and characters, mean that there are many, very comprehendible elements to it—such as the characters’ pasts, presents, motivations, goals, inclinations, preconceived notions, etc.,—that all come to fruit in the story either to grow from, learn from, or set the stage for the conclusion or for the future.
It breaks my heart to not give this book five stars. I’m knocking off a star for the world building, even though I wish I didn’t have to. Four stars.
Please check trigger warnings as always. There are themes and content in this book that can be triggering for some. Happy reading!
A big shout out and thank you to the publisher for providing me with a complimentary copy of Ship of Spells in exchange for an honest review!
It’s been a few days since I finished reading Ship of Spells and while I usually write my reviews as and when I finish books—while the emotions and impressions are fresh in my mind—with SoS, I’ve let myself take my time because this review might be the most challenging task I have undertaken this year, and the reason is because I enjoyed the book. (If you’re confused keep reading.)
SoS is a book with 500+ pages and every single page has so much happening in it. This statement stands true even for the very first page, where the characters and the readers are dropped right in the middle of a scene and the story kicks off from the world go. But, because the book starts on a high intensity moment, I found myself taking a bit of a break before coming back to that first chapter. However, I found myself actively thinking about it even when I wasn’t reading it. That, I think, was the greatest allure of SoS: the amount of mental real estate it occupies constantly. I would say this trait of SoSis primarily credited to the writing.
Usually an author’s writing style is fairly easy to categorise; it could be: flowery and lyrical, or sharp to match the narrator’s personality, or addictive and emotional to appeal to the reader’s heart. It was interesting to note that Dickson’s writing was a little—and a lot—of everything. It was the sharp like the edges of a broken shard of glass and soft like the smile of a friend. It was haunting like something you regret and compelling like something you can’t look away from. It was lyrical like a siren’s call and painful like when we heal from trauma. To me, SoS represented all this wrapped in one thick book, that I kept coming back to no matter what.
The characters in this book are many, and I will admit that yes, they are all introduced nearly almost at the same time. With the disorientation of dropping into the story in the middle of an explosive scene (ha!), it’s almost jarring to have to additionally understand and place the characters, the aspects about them that make them unique, their characteristics and their roles and connections. But I swear, I. Swear. You’ll get there. In some time, the characters become as familiar to you as any other you’ve known all along and soon their lives, backstories, secrets and interactions all become an important part of the story and tug at/and stitch themselves into your heart.
The journey I went through, as a reader, with the FMC—whose mind we reside in throughout the whole story—will forever remain in a soft, vulnerable and painful place in my heart. But a good kind of pain, like when you’ve worked out a knot and it’s a bit sensitive there but you know it’s going to be alright. Watching protagonists who’ve hardened their hearts to life, slowly finding the people and strength to soften themselves for and finding love (for both themselves and others around them) has always been my favourite. After Shalini Abeysekara’s This Monster of Mine, SoS now occupies spot number two.
Also, yes. You can expect a slow burn, a real one. There’s an immediate attraction, yes, but a slow but steady burning fire that becomes—with time—less destructive and more something you can sit by on a terrible and cold day and warm yourself with the faith that it will never intend to hurt you. The romance was very interesting and surprisingly not the most central part of the story. Love, is, yes. But the romance is not. I loved that there were so many different kinds of love in this book—from platonic to romantic—and they all have equal weight and importance placed upon them.
Now, the part of the review that marks the harder aspect of writing it: the world building. The world building, was, unfortunately not done well. Even after the book was over, I can claim that I understood only a handful of things and that I’m extremely sad about that, because all the other aspects of this book were so so wonderful. But unfortunately in the genre of fantasy, it doesn’t matter if the other aspects are perfectly sewn together, if the nature and rules of the world are not as well done. The whole book… falls apart without the binding agent that is the world building. It’s with a heavy heart that I say this because I know that for most people this book might not be easy to read without them being able to understand what’s happening on scene—especially in the beginning, when we’re unsure why it’s happening, when it’s happening and who is around. The book will read well only for someone whose understanding of the world is already well established; so either, after multiple re-reads or if the idea was constructed in our mind. The abstract understanding I’ve built is not enough to justify the book, because so many of the scenes could have had SUCH a wonderful impact on the reader had we understood what was happening in the magical sense of the term. No one is more disheartened than me that I was not on the same page as the book with regard to the world; especially because so much of it was so so unique and intriguing.
Due to this, the pace suffers. Especially towards the latter half of the book where the plot thickens and the book leans heavily into its more magical themes.
The plot has an interesting balance it strikes. The part of it closely linked to the world, of course, suffers; BUT the benefit of a book having multiple plot threads and interconnected stories and characters, mean that there are many, very comprehendible elements to it—such as the characters’ pasts, presents, motivations, goals, inclinations, preconceived notions, etc.,—that all come to fruit in the story either to grow from, learn from, or set the stage for the conclusion or for the future.
It breaks my heart to not give this book five stars. I’m knocking off a star for the world building, even though I wish I didn’t have to. Four stars.
Please check trigger warnings as always. There are themes and content in this book that can be triggering for some. Happy reading!
November 5, 2025
“Ship of Spells” is very different to my usual fantasy read! And I loved its uniqueness!
Firstly this book is very male dominant with the ship crew being predominantly male.. and the lingo being that of old timey pirate lingo with a magical twist. The FMC is very different to typical fantasy FMCs, she is very lacking in soft femininity, she is unapologetically flawed, stubborn, wilful with lots of resentment and anger buried under her layers..however this left her wide open for a character arc with lots of character growth and development, and I liked how unapologetic she was when it came to her personality attributes that would be typically frowned upon, especially in a women.
I loved the unique magic system, the magic and mystery of the ship, the magic of the different characters and the storyline following the FMCs hands and absorption of magic. I loved following this plot line to see what caused it, what it all meant and what was going to happen.
I definitely recommend this read if you want to try something different!
Thank you to the author and publisher for the gifted copy! All opinions are my own :)
Firstly this book is very male dominant with the ship crew being predominantly male.. and the lingo being that of old timey pirate lingo with a magical twist. The FMC is very different to typical fantasy FMCs, she is very lacking in soft femininity, she is unapologetically flawed, stubborn, wilful with lots of resentment and anger buried under her layers..however this left her wide open for a character arc with lots of character growth and development, and I liked how unapologetic she was when it came to her personality attributes that would be typically frowned upon, especially in a women.
I loved the unique magic system, the magic and mystery of the ship, the magic of the different characters and the storyline following the FMCs hands and absorption of magic. I loved following this plot line to see what caused it, what it all meant and what was going to happen.
I definitely recommend this read if you want to try something different!
Thank you to the author and publisher for the gifted copy! All opinions are my own :)
January 5, 2026
3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2025/11/24/...
I’ve always found it hard to say no to a maritime fantasy, especially one that promises a magical ship, a scrappy crew, and adventures on the high seas. So, it’s really no surprise that Ship of Spells by H. Leighton Dickson completely sold me with its description. On paper, it sounded exactly like what I would enjoy: a pirate-themed voyage with a heavy dose of romance, the kind of setup that carries a nostalgic, old-school feel but with a modern twist. And for a while, it seemed like the book was going to deliver, but by the end, I confess my feelings for it became a lot more complicated.
The story follows Ensign Honor Renn, a Bluemage with the Oversea Navy until her ship was destroyed in a battle with an enemy vessel. Left stranded in the ocean clinging to a piece of wreckage, she is relieved when rescue finally comes, but not in the form she was expecting. The crew that pulls her out of the water is from none other than the mysterious and fabled Touchstone, the Ship of Spells long whispered of in seafaring lore. Its captain, Thanavar, comes from the southern region of the world known as the Nethersea, whose people wield a volatile magical substance called chimeric. He commands a diverse crew of outcasts who have found a home on the Touchstone, among them a faun, a minotaur, a harpy, and various other supernatural beings.
Renn is initially wary of Thanavar, both because she serves the Oversea Navy and because she does not trust the volatile nature of chimeric magic. But as she travels with him and his crew, she begins to uncover their larger purpose and the true stakes of the long-standing conflict between their peoples. Renn eventually realizes that she has been dropped into in the middle of a fragile political situation tied to the Dreadwall, a barrier that has kept their two sides from open war for generations. And now that peace is about to crumble. The same disaster that sunk Renn’s ship had also awakened an unpredictable magic within her, and Thanavar may be the key to helping her control it. Caught between her former loyalties and her growing connection to the Touchstone, our protagonist must adapt quickly to her abilities and her new life at sea if she hopes to prevent the tensions from erupting into full-scale war.
If a mix of high fantasy and naval grit is your thing, Ship of Spells will not disappoint. Dickson packs the novel with wall-to-wall atmosphere and classic maritime fixtures, and for me that remains the book’s true standout. The Touchstone itself is the highlight, along with its magic-touched crew whose diversity and quirks bring much of the story to life. So much so that I often wished we had more background on the cast to match how memorable they are on the page. For while the nautical aspects are excellent and clearly where most of the author’s attention went, the rest of the worldbuilding doesn’t always reach the same level. The setting is filled with magic, creatures, and intriguing ideas, but many of these elements feel dropped in rather than built from a strong foundation, as in they don’t quite feel lived-in or grown from within the context of the world.
Character work is also hit-or-miss. Some crew members feel way better developed, while others drift in and out of scenes without much to say or do, leaving only the faintest impression. Renn herself is thankfully more memorable, but she pretty much fits the mold of the young, flawed romantasy heroine, meaning impulsive and stubborn—but probably not in the endearing way the author intended. I certainly like the fact that Renn is a protagonist with real agency and not a passive one sitting around waiting for things to happen, but unfortunately, her tendency to leap headlong into situations that make her look stupid feels more like a genre cliché than a unique character trait.
As for the romance, I think this area is where I feel the most torn. It’s not often I wish for more of it. Usually, my issue with romantasy leans in the opposite direction, since too much romance often overshadows the plot and everything else. Here, though, the romantic thread is barely present for much of the book. There’s a lack of chemistry between Renn and Thanavar from the start. Their dynamic reads more like one between a hardass commander and reluctant subordinate than anything else. Definitely not sexy or alluring. Ironically, Renn shares more natural rapport with several other crew members than with the supposed love interest. By the time her relationship with Thanavar finally ramps up in the second half, it falls very flat. Don’t get me wrong, slowburn romances can be incredibly rewarding, but this one never even held a spark, and a romantasy with no payoff somehow feels even less satisfying than instalove.
In the end, Ship of Spells turned out to be a mixed bag for me. The Touchstone, the crew, and the sense of seafaring adventure were all high points. The first half especially hooked me with its swashbuckling action. However, where the book stumbles is its shaky worldbuilding and an unevenly paced romance leading to a lack of chemistry. Bottom line, if the romantasy label is what draws you in, be prepared that the romance side of the equation might be a little weak, but readers looking for a maritime-themed fantasy will find it delivers an enjoyable voyage.
I’ve always found it hard to say no to a maritime fantasy, especially one that promises a magical ship, a scrappy crew, and adventures on the high seas. So, it’s really no surprise that Ship of Spells by H. Leighton Dickson completely sold me with its description. On paper, it sounded exactly like what I would enjoy: a pirate-themed voyage with a heavy dose of romance, the kind of setup that carries a nostalgic, old-school feel but with a modern twist. And for a while, it seemed like the book was going to deliver, but by the end, I confess my feelings for it became a lot more complicated.
The story follows Ensign Honor Renn, a Bluemage with the Oversea Navy until her ship was destroyed in a battle with an enemy vessel. Left stranded in the ocean clinging to a piece of wreckage, she is relieved when rescue finally comes, but not in the form she was expecting. The crew that pulls her out of the water is from none other than the mysterious and fabled Touchstone, the Ship of Spells long whispered of in seafaring lore. Its captain, Thanavar, comes from the southern region of the world known as the Nethersea, whose people wield a volatile magical substance called chimeric. He commands a diverse crew of outcasts who have found a home on the Touchstone, among them a faun, a minotaur, a harpy, and various other supernatural beings.
Renn is initially wary of Thanavar, both because she serves the Oversea Navy and because she does not trust the volatile nature of chimeric magic. But as she travels with him and his crew, she begins to uncover their larger purpose and the true stakes of the long-standing conflict between their peoples. Renn eventually realizes that she has been dropped into in the middle of a fragile political situation tied to the Dreadwall, a barrier that has kept their two sides from open war for generations. And now that peace is about to crumble. The same disaster that sunk Renn’s ship had also awakened an unpredictable magic within her, and Thanavar may be the key to helping her control it. Caught between her former loyalties and her growing connection to the Touchstone, our protagonist must adapt quickly to her abilities and her new life at sea if she hopes to prevent the tensions from erupting into full-scale war.
If a mix of high fantasy and naval grit is your thing, Ship of Spells will not disappoint. Dickson packs the novel with wall-to-wall atmosphere and classic maritime fixtures, and for me that remains the book’s true standout. The Touchstone itself is the highlight, along with its magic-touched crew whose diversity and quirks bring much of the story to life. So much so that I often wished we had more background on the cast to match how memorable they are on the page. For while the nautical aspects are excellent and clearly where most of the author’s attention went, the rest of the worldbuilding doesn’t always reach the same level. The setting is filled with magic, creatures, and intriguing ideas, but many of these elements feel dropped in rather than built from a strong foundation, as in they don’t quite feel lived-in or grown from within the context of the world.
Character work is also hit-or-miss. Some crew members feel way better developed, while others drift in and out of scenes without much to say or do, leaving only the faintest impression. Renn herself is thankfully more memorable, but she pretty much fits the mold of the young, flawed romantasy heroine, meaning impulsive and stubborn—but probably not in the endearing way the author intended. I certainly like the fact that Renn is a protagonist with real agency and not a passive one sitting around waiting for things to happen, but unfortunately, her tendency to leap headlong into situations that make her look stupid feels more like a genre cliché than a unique character trait.
As for the romance, I think this area is where I feel the most torn. It’s not often I wish for more of it. Usually, my issue with romantasy leans in the opposite direction, since too much romance often overshadows the plot and everything else. Here, though, the romantic thread is barely present for much of the book. There’s a lack of chemistry between Renn and Thanavar from the start. Their dynamic reads more like one between a hardass commander and reluctant subordinate than anything else. Definitely not sexy or alluring. Ironically, Renn shares more natural rapport with several other crew members than with the supposed love interest. By the time her relationship with Thanavar finally ramps up in the second half, it falls very flat. Don’t get me wrong, slowburn romances can be incredibly rewarding, but this one never even held a spark, and a romantasy with no payoff somehow feels even less satisfying than instalove.
In the end, Ship of Spells turned out to be a mixed bag for me. The Touchstone, the crew, and the sense of seafaring adventure were all high points. The first half especially hooked me with its swashbuckling action. However, where the book stumbles is its shaky worldbuilding and an unevenly paced romance leading to a lack of chemistry. Bottom line, if the romantasy label is what draws you in, be prepared that the romance side of the equation might be a little weak, but readers looking for a maritime-themed fantasy will find it delivers an enjoyable voyage.
October 23, 2025
This book takes you on a magical seafaring journey like no other. The world, the magic, the characters, all so unique and well developed. I found myself emotionally attached to several characters to include the sentient ship (loved her attitude!), though the FMC took a bit longer. Honor Renn starts out rough and brash but once she joins the Ship of Spells she becomes open to a world different then what she had been taught and is more likeable.
The MMC, Captain Thanavar, was a really interesting character and hard to read. I wanted to know his backstory but Ms. Dickson makes you wait for that! It made him and his plans more mysterious. The relationship between Honor and Thanavar is most definitely an enemies-to-lovers slowwww burn. Though when the burn finally happened, it felt like we had skipped ahead and missed the part of the relationship where they were companions falling for each other (at least from his side). Still though, it was touching seeing those two souls find each other.
The intricacies of the story keep you guessing and the plot twists pull at your heartstrings. I definitely shed real tears! I'm looking forward to the next book and for more Devanhan Fahr too (swoon)!
One thing of note before you read, there is A LOT of sailing terminology and speech in this book that can sometimes make it hard to follow along with the action, but it gets easier as you go so don't give up!
The MMC, Captain Thanavar, was a really interesting character and hard to read. I wanted to know his backstory but Ms. Dickson makes you wait for that! It made him and his plans more mysterious. The relationship between Honor and Thanavar is most definitely an enemies-to-lovers slowwww burn. Though when the burn finally happened, it felt like we had skipped ahead and missed the part of the relationship where they were companions falling for each other (at least from his side). Still though, it was touching seeing those two souls find each other.
The intricacies of the story keep you guessing and the plot twists pull at your heartstrings. I definitely shed real tears! I'm looking forward to the next book and for more Devanhan Fahr too (swoon)!
One thing of note before you read, there is A LOT of sailing terminology and speech in this book that can sometimes make it hard to follow along with the action, but it gets easier as you go so don't give up!
October 12, 2025
**NO MAJOR PLOT SPOILERS WERE HARMED IN THE MAKING OF THIS REVIEW**
*I RECEIVED A FREE ARC FROM ENTANGLED PUBLISHING AND REDTOWER. THANK YOU A TON. THIS HAS NOT IMPACTED MY REVIEW IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM. *
"A stolen prince, an enemy captain, a living ship, a traitorous soul in board, and now threats from a bitter crew. Perhaps it would be best for me to run while I could, for there was no way my stony heart would be safe in the cross-tides of everything."
This was definitely a different read for me. The premise sounded interesting and once I got the arc, of course I had to read it. I definitely think that if you like heavy plot, world building, and lore, with some romance splashed in, you will enjoy it. Also, if you like pirate lingo/ship talk, you need to read this, because there was ALOT. Almost a bit too much for me, as I am not overly familiar with this new sea language. Some of he descriptions and chatter kind of washed over my head, which did decrease my enjoyment of the story. But there were some familiar elements to the story that were reminiscence of other books, such as shield of sparrows, shadow and bone, etc. There was some romance, but it is a slow burn and once again, I thought there was contention for a three way. Or maybe that is just me always wanting that lmaoooo. Overall, I thought the pacing and plot were alright, definitely a book that is just starting to get the sails aloft for its journey into publication in November!
I did think it was a bit difficult to try to connect to the character, as there was so much going on. The author was attempted to split her time between building the world and building the characters. I think the world building was fantastic and unique. The character development on the other hand? Well, least there is going to be a second book. I understand some of the plight the two main leads had, but getting into their heads was just...it happened a bit later in the book, but. . . idk, maybe it was because I am just not good at reading only a few chapters at a time and it takes me a bit to get back into the story. Least the groundwork is there for the next book.
Overall, this was an alright novel and you should pick it up if you like pirates, unique magic/world building, training, and angst. Remember, this is all my opinion and if you want your own, read the book!
*I RECEIVED A FREE ARC FROM ENTANGLED PUBLISHING AND REDTOWER. THANK YOU A TON. THIS HAS NOT IMPACTED MY REVIEW IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM. *
"A stolen prince, an enemy captain, a living ship, a traitorous soul in board, and now threats from a bitter crew. Perhaps it would be best for me to run while I could, for there was no way my stony heart would be safe in the cross-tides of everything."
This was definitely a different read for me. The premise sounded interesting and once I got the arc, of course I had to read it. I definitely think that if you like heavy plot, world building, and lore, with some romance splashed in, you will enjoy it. Also, if you like pirate lingo/ship talk, you need to read this, because there was ALOT. Almost a bit too much for me, as I am not overly familiar with this new sea language. Some of he descriptions and chatter kind of washed over my head, which did decrease my enjoyment of the story. But there were some familiar elements to the story that were reminiscence of other books, such as shield of sparrows, shadow and bone, etc. There was some romance, but it is a slow burn and once again, I thought there was contention for a three way. Or maybe that is just me always wanting that lmaoooo. Overall, I thought the pacing and plot were alright, definitely a book that is just starting to get the sails aloft for its journey into publication in November!
I did think it was a bit difficult to try to connect to the character, as there was so much going on. The author was attempted to split her time between building the world and building the characters. I think the world building was fantastic and unique. The character development on the other hand? Well, least there is going to be a second book. I understand some of the plight the two main leads had, but getting into their heads was just...it happened a bit later in the book, but. . . idk, maybe it was because I am just not good at reading only a few chapters at a time and it takes me a bit to get back into the story. Least the groundwork is there for the next book.
Overall, this was an alright novel and you should pick it up if you like pirates, unique magic/world building, training, and angst. Remember, this is all my opinion and if you want your own, read the book!
October 22, 2025
This one was hard to rate. STICK WITH ME HERE.... Honestly, it's one of the most confusing books I've read. I am not fluent in sailor talk in aaany way, shape, or form, so that threw me for a loop.. keeping characters straight and learning all the magic of this book was a TASK. BUT LET ME TELL YOU - worth it. The romance, the bond with the ship, the friendships... I found myself caring about the characters and needing to know that we'll get past that bittersweet ending... So prep yourself because there is a cliffhanger, I need a HEA... AAAND for the love of all that is nautical/piratey- READ THE GLOSSARY IN THE BACK OF THE BOOK - I dont know if that'll change in the official book since I read an advance copy, but that is my two cents. A nautical term breakdown would be good, too, because the glossary is more about magical terms helping to understand the world building. I would say I was invested about 40% in and was confused by terminology about 70% of the book... I know, I'm still sticking with the 4⭐️ rating- do with that what you will.
Want to read
January 31, 2025"One Piece meets Shadow and Bone" Lmao b4real☠️🫠
Another Red Tower book but "a magical sentient ship that's bonded to a pirate captain" sounds like fun so I'm watching this.
Another Red Tower book but "a magical sentient ship that's bonded to a pirate captain" sounds like fun so I'm watching this.
November 9, 2025
What a story, Ship of Spells is! I enjoy a story that kicks off with plenty of action. This fantasy novel has plenty of world-building, including introductions to the magic, characters, and all things nautical. There are quite a few nautical words used in the story, which I didn’t mind, as it gave it more of the pirate/ocean/ship vibe for me. However, there is a glossary of terms in the back for reference.
The characters are pretty unique. Renn, herself, is strong, independent, and fearless. She knows how to handle the grumpy Captain. Their dialogue is a lot of snarkiness from Renn’s end and sharpness from the Captain’s. Ship of Spells is very much a slow burn, as the romance between the two doesn’t really develop until much later. And it’s not the primary focus of the story. I liked some of the crewmates as well.
Ship of Spells does leave off on a cliffhanger, so be prepared for that!
Thank you to Entangled Publishing, Red Tower Books, and Author H. Leighton Dickson for the gifted copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The characters are pretty unique. Renn, herself, is strong, independent, and fearless. She knows how to handle the grumpy Captain. Their dialogue is a lot of snarkiness from Renn’s end and sharpness from the Captain’s. Ship of Spells is very much a slow burn, as the romance between the two doesn’t really develop until much later. And it’s not the primary focus of the story. I liked some of the crewmates as well.
Ship of Spells does leave off on a cliffhanger, so be prepared for that!
Thank you to Entangled Publishing, Red Tower Books, and Author H. Leighton Dickson for the gifted copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 13, 2025
First and foremost I’d like thank NetGalley & Entangled Publishing for the amazing gift of allowing me to read this book.
My review is a honest reflection of my feelings towards this book.
This book is a mixture of Romantasy and high seas adventure that left me sorta unmoved.
I won’t say I didn’t enjoy it, I did CuaSe it was a high action ride but the characters were not as engaging. The main character was pretty much a character that with no impression on me. The enemy to more character, like the main character ,was stand off ish and fades into the background of the Romantasy genre.
It could be that this is my first book from this author that it was difficult to really connect to it.
I would settle at a 3 star rating cause the setting was interesting but the characters were not.
Would I recommend it? I think there are other books in this huge genre I’d recommend over this one.
Again, if you are interested in this book. Please read it. We could have two different opinions and that’s okay
My review is a honest reflection of my feelings towards this book.
This book is a mixture of Romantasy and high seas adventure that left me sorta unmoved.
I won’t say I didn’t enjoy it, I did CuaSe it was a high action ride but the characters were not as engaging. The main character was pretty much a character that with no impression on me. The enemy to more character, like the main character ,was stand off ish and fades into the background of the Romantasy genre.
It could be that this is my first book from this author that it was difficult to really connect to it.
I would settle at a 3 star rating cause the setting was interesting but the characters were not.
Would I recommend it? I think there are other books in this huge genre I’d recommend over this one.
Again, if you are interested in this book. Please read it. We could have two different opinions and that’s okay
October 3, 2025
I received a physical ARC from the publisher and I enjoyed this one. This is an action/adventure story of a woman aboard a sentient ship. The captain wants her gone at the next port but she has magic in her veins and she could definitely be helpful since he has many enemies. He agrees to let her stay and they travel around with people constantly trying to kill them. I would call this a cozy fantasy and I fell in love with the crew of the ship. I would like to continue the series and see where they journey to next.
-Only thing to do is hold fast and pray you don't capsize.
-"Stay cold. Stay detatched. It's the only way to survive in Thanavar's game."
-"Fear is the most powerful magik of all."
-"We own the wreckage we leave behind, but we can't carry the pain caused by others."
-Only thing to do is hold fast and pray you don't capsize.
-"Stay cold. Stay detatched. It's the only way to survive in Thanavar's game."
-"Fear is the most powerful magik of all."
-"We own the wreckage we leave behind, but we can't carry the pain caused by others."
November 16, 2025
This book has stayed with me, long after I’ve finished reading it. “Ship of Spells” was such an immersive read. This book features a full cast of characters, a female main character who is flawed but inspiring and a broody captain who jumps off the page. Although fantasy, the book doesn’t info dump in the beginning but rather drops the reader off in the middle of the ocean and lets the reader find their way alongside the main character. There was a lot of jargon in the book, but it felt authentic and educational even. By the second half of the book, I certainly felt like I’d earned my “sea legs” and I was understanding all of the different decks, masts, sails etc. Echo was by far my favorite character, but I ended up really enjoying some of the other supporting characters as well. I loved this one as reading it certainly felt like a true sea adventure!
Want to read
May 16, 2025This sounds so fun!
December 18, 2025
⭐️⭐️/5
Say fuck you coward.
Say fuck you coward.
January 8, 2026
4.5 Stars
I wanted to read H. Leighton Dickson’s Ship of Spells because I was intrigued by the idea of a living ship. I had no idea what that meant and desperately wanted to find out.
Ship of Spells is just as much the story of the Touchstone (also known as Ship of Spells), a magical, legendary ship, as it is Honor Renn, the heroine, or Gavriel Thanavar, its captain. This story is full of rough-around-the-edges characters who have burrowed themselves in my heart. Honor is a stubborn woman who hardly ever follows directions. She has a huge heart but doesn't trust, and is always driven to do what she believes is right. Gav is a mysterious captain who appears dark and brooding, but he has one of the biggest hearts you’ll ever come across. Having once been driven by rage, he now seeks redemption. Devanhan Fahr is the first mate, who carries his own secrets, yet is as protective and loyal as the rest of the mismatched crew.
The Touchstone is a unique ship, tasked with closing the Dreadwall, which is essentially a massive water barrier separating the northern and southern hemispheres. Sailing under two flags (one for each hemisphere), it is a target for every ship it comes across. The Touchstone is battle-tested and ready to return home. When the ship comes across Honor, floating in the ocean, after her Naval ship has sunk, the Touchstone recognizes that Honor is the key to closing the Dreadwall and finally allowing it to return home. Doing so will not be easy, as the Touchstone and her crew will not only battle enemies on other ships, but enemies within her own ranks.
Ship of Spells is a pulse-pounding, heart-stopping, fantasy romance. There is no denying, H. Leighton Dickson put me on an emotional rollercoaster. I definitely shed more than a few tears. I loved that the story was unpredictable. But what I loved even more is that she has woven together a story that is more interconnected and detailed than it first appears. That realization hit me like a lightning bolt. I can’t even fathom how the next book in this duology will begin. I just know that I want to be along for the ride, and I’m crossing my fingers for an ending that will allow us all to sail into the sunset smiling.
~ Favorite Quotes ~
“Never underestimate the power of ‘want’.”
“There is always another way to look at things.”
“We’re all broken a little bit. And we put ourselves together best we can.”
“We own the wreckage we leave behind, but we can’t carry the pain caused by others.”
**Received a copy of the book courtesy of the publisher and voluntarily reviewed it. Also personally purchased a deluxe hardcover copy.**
I wanted to read H. Leighton Dickson’s Ship of Spells because I was intrigued by the idea of a living ship. I had no idea what that meant and desperately wanted to find out.
Ship of Spells is just as much the story of the Touchstone (also known as Ship of Spells), a magical, legendary ship, as it is Honor Renn, the heroine, or Gavriel Thanavar, its captain. This story is full of rough-around-the-edges characters who have burrowed themselves in my heart. Honor is a stubborn woman who hardly ever follows directions. She has a huge heart but doesn't trust, and is always driven to do what she believes is right. Gav is a mysterious captain who appears dark and brooding, but he has one of the biggest hearts you’ll ever come across. Having once been driven by rage, he now seeks redemption. Devanhan Fahr is the first mate, who carries his own secrets, yet is as protective and loyal as the rest of the mismatched crew.
The Touchstone is a unique ship, tasked with closing the Dreadwall, which is essentially a massive water barrier separating the northern and southern hemispheres. Sailing under two flags (one for each hemisphere), it is a target for every ship it comes across. The Touchstone is battle-tested and ready to return home. When the ship comes across Honor, floating in the ocean, after her Naval ship has sunk, the Touchstone recognizes that Honor is the key to closing the Dreadwall and finally allowing it to return home. Doing so will not be easy, as the Touchstone and her crew will not only battle enemies on other ships, but enemies within her own ranks.
Ship of Spells is a pulse-pounding, heart-stopping, fantasy romance. There is no denying, H. Leighton Dickson put me on an emotional rollercoaster. I definitely shed more than a few tears. I loved that the story was unpredictable. But what I loved even more is that she has woven together a story that is more interconnected and detailed than it first appears. That realization hit me like a lightning bolt. I can’t even fathom how the next book in this duology will begin. I just know that I want to be along for the ride, and I’m crossing my fingers for an ending that will allow us all to sail into the sunset smiling.
~ Favorite Quotes ~
“Never underestimate the power of ‘want’.”
“There is always another way to look at things.”
“We’re all broken a little bit. And we put ourselves together best we can.”
“We own the wreckage we leave behind, but we can’t carry the pain caused by others.”
**Received a copy of the book courtesy of the publisher and voluntarily reviewed it. Also personally purchased a deluxe hardcover copy.**
November 4, 2025
Ahoy, ye scallywags! It is time to sail away on a journey of a lifetime aboard the Ship of Spells. Honor Renn is on her first Navy post as a Bluemage when her ship is sunk and she winds up saved by another boat. She earns her spot aboard by learning how to harness her magic (chimeric) to aid her ship. We are casting on cannonballs to aid in battle and chasing down other ships. This book was full of action and even had a slow burn romance much to my delight. I wound up really enjoying the story and the characters and cannot wait to get my hands on the next book. If you are looking for an entertaining pirate book with magic, look no further.
October 28, 2025
I found my attention grabbed right away by this story. Honor Renn is a very prickly main character, but as the story unfolds and you pick up on her past, it begins to make a lot of sense. The found family vibes are strong, and I really enjoyed the magic and world building sprinkled throughout the story. The sentient pirate ship is awesome! Of course, we also get enemies-to-lovers with his backstory even more tragic than hers. If you've been enjoying romantasy lately and don't mind a cliffhanger, I found this a promising start to a new series.
Want to read
May 17, 2025You had me at One Piece meets Shadow and Bone
November 14, 2025
Magic? Shifters? Pirates? Hello, Beloved.
Rating 3.5, rounded to 3 for Goodreads
Ship of Spells is a richly imagined, twist-filled fantasy with an incredibly intriguing magic system, but it’s also a story that required a lot of focus to stay oriented.
The worldbuilding is wonderfully intricate, and several characters, especially the captain, the Ship of Spells itself, and Echo the Faun, pulled me in emotionally. There’s real tension throughout, both from the danger aboard the ship and the very slow-burning romantic thread. I’m glad I stuck with it, because it delivered strong twists and a solid payoff (with cliffhanger).
That said, I struggled with the heavy use of nautical terminology that not even the Kindle dictionary feature could understand, untranslated magical languages, and characters / places that had multiple names. Those elements made it difficult to stay immersed, and at times I found myself confused or rereading passages for clarity. Some phrases and lines were also repeated often enough that they became distracting. The pacing fluctuates, fast during action scenes when I wanted more grounding, slower in moments where I wished the story would move forward.
FMC Honor Renn was interesting but sometimes hard to connect with. By the end, I felt endeared to her and appreciated how being so guarded made sense for her character arc. Echo was a standout and added warmth and depth to the story.
Readers looking for a sea-bound fantasy with layered magic, emotional stakes, and a slowest-of-slow-burn romance will find a lot to love here, as long as they’re ready for a dense, terminology-heavy world. I’m curious enough about the characters’ futures that I’ll likely read book two, but I’ll wait to see early reviews first
Thanks to Entangled Publishing, Red Tower Books and the author for this arc in exchange for my unbiased review.
3.5 / 5 ⭐
2/5 🌶️ (one scene)
Rating 3.5, rounded to 3 for Goodreads
Ship of Spells is a richly imagined, twist-filled fantasy with an incredibly intriguing magic system, but it’s also a story that required a lot of focus to stay oriented.
The worldbuilding is wonderfully intricate, and several characters, especially the captain, the Ship of Spells itself, and Echo the Faun, pulled me in emotionally. There’s real tension throughout, both from the danger aboard the ship and the very slow-burning romantic thread. I’m glad I stuck with it, because it delivered strong twists and a solid payoff (with cliffhanger).
That said, I struggled with the heavy use of nautical terminology that not even the Kindle dictionary feature could understand, untranslated magical languages, and characters / places that had multiple names. Those elements made it difficult to stay immersed, and at times I found myself confused or rereading passages for clarity. Some phrases and lines were also repeated often enough that they became distracting. The pacing fluctuates, fast during action scenes when I wanted more grounding, slower in moments where I wished the story would move forward.
FMC Honor Renn was interesting but sometimes hard to connect with. By the end, I felt endeared to her and appreciated how being so guarded made sense for her character arc. Echo was a standout and added warmth and depth to the story.
Readers looking for a sea-bound fantasy with layered magic, emotional stakes, and a slowest-of-slow-burn romance will find a lot to love here, as long as they’re ready for a dense, terminology-heavy world. I’m curious enough about the characters’ futures that I’ll likely read book two, but I’ll wait to see early reviews first
Thanks to Entangled Publishing, Red Tower Books and the author for this arc in exchange for my unbiased review.
3.5 / 5 ⭐
2/5 🌶️ (one scene)
October 18, 2025
This is an ARC review. I want to thank H. Leighton Dickson and Entangled Publishing for allowing me the chance to read this book ahead of release day during the Entanged Readalong!
This book truly just drops you in the middle of a 10/10 chaos! I also felt I needed to brush up on all of the terms related to ships ASAP! Talk about a crash course that I don’t feel like passed. I’ve read numerous pirate books and love cruises but this was exponentially more ship dialogue than expected.
Honor Renn or Aro’el is not an FMC I could see myself liking as a person. She as a person was not my cup of tea but it looks like she found her people with those on the Touchstone. More in particular Echo! For sure he is my favorite character from this bok by far!
Thanavar who we do find happens to be a list of mysteries. He’s a man of many secrets. He seemed to be harsh but fair as a captain. I felt as though he could’ve had more depth as a character but what we did learn about him is what was needed to push the plot forward.
Writing Style:
This book has an overall plot that is very easy to follow but the way it is written had me feeling there was more to be desired. However there was a rollercoaster of a chapter to chapter plot that didn’t flow as smoothly as expected. There are words and phrases that are either broken English, not even English or ship terms I was absolutely not familiar with. It will be VERY important for any reader to read the glossary first before starting this book.
Overall, I did finish the book but it was not one I can say I will reread. There were a number of plot holes and missed the mark on getting me to immerse myself in the magical world as I would’ve liked. With some adjustments before release day I could see how the overall plot can appeal to the masses and could be a huge hit.
This book truly just drops you in the middle of a 10/10 chaos! I also felt I needed to brush up on all of the terms related to ships ASAP! Talk about a crash course that I don’t feel like passed. I’ve read numerous pirate books and love cruises but this was exponentially more ship dialogue than expected.
Honor Renn or Aro’el is not an FMC I could see myself liking as a person. She as a person was not my cup of tea but it looks like she found her people with those on the Touchstone. More in particular Echo! For sure he is my favorite character from this bok by far!
Thanavar who we do find happens to be a list of mysteries. He’s a man of many secrets. He seemed to be harsh but fair as a captain. I felt as though he could’ve had more depth as a character but what we did learn about him is what was needed to push the plot forward.
Writing Style:
This book has an overall plot that is very easy to follow but the way it is written had me feeling there was more to be desired. However there was a rollercoaster of a chapter to chapter plot that didn’t flow as smoothly as expected. There are words and phrases that are either broken English, not even English or ship terms I was absolutely not familiar with. It will be VERY important for any reader to read the glossary first before starting this book.
Overall, I did finish the book but it was not one I can say I will reread. There were a number of plot holes and missed the mark on getting me to immerse myself in the magical world as I would’ve liked. With some adjustments before release day I could see how the overall plot can appeal to the masses and could be a huge hit.
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