Her Sharp Embrace

by Kate Koenig

In the glittering city of New Soleil, beauty masks danger at every turn. The Nightshades, a crew of magical outlaws, are no different. Their glamorous facades conceal the terror they strike into the hearts of the rich and powerful as they steal from the corrupt and fight for the forgotten.

Noa Toussaint fled her cossetted life as a Saint to join the Nightshades. Infatuated with their ferocious leader, Lennon, Noa aims to capture her heart and keep it. Her talent for alchemy is valuable, but her connection to her family puts all of the Shades in danger.

Now enemies are closer than Lennon knows and Noa must uncover the threat and keep them both alive. Because in a city where lies are lethal and magic is fading, secrets aren’t just costly—they’re deadly.

Genres: Fantasy, Lesbian, Queer, LGBT, Adult, Fiction, Romantasy

384 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication June 9, 2026

Reviews

[Lastblossom]

tl;dr
A gritty fantasy with messy characters and a compelling plot. MC can be tough to read.

Thoughts
So, this one's complicated. To be entirely honest, I'm not sure I'll be able to say if this was worth the read for me until the second book drops. Which is certainly a statement.

So I'll start with the broad strokes for anyone curious: It's got the drama. Every character is complex, interesting, and a complete mess. Political machinations take a back seat to interpersonal conflict, and while some might call it found family, found dysfunctional family might be a more appropriate title. Love and hate both run hot, and if you like your characters to be messy, you'll like what you find in here. The world building is an easy fit for anyone familiar with gritty fantasy, with a handful of interesting, but not world-bending, magical powers on display. The writing style is where I hit my biggest hurdle as a reader: third person present tense, my persistent enemy, rears its head once again. In this case, it's especially egregious because the story takes place over two timelines, and the "before" timeline is still written in present tense for some reason. There's also first person sprinkled in occasionally for one POV, which is bumpy since that character also gets third person POV chapters as well. Add to that a handful of "supplemental material" for extra world-building, and following the story can be a little tricky as the storyline ping-pongs back and forth between "before" and "now."

It's hard to review the story itself without dropping at least some hints as to how it ends, but I will try to remain vague. The MC is exhausting to read. I aligned myself with her biggest hater within five seconds. Halfway through this thing, I almost DNFed because I didn't want to spend any more time with her, her incompetence, or her ever-present horniness. But halfway through the book is also when the story shifted just enough that I had an inkling about what was really going on, and I decided to wait it out. A major lore drop later on punched me in the gut, and I raced to the end of the book, absolutely gripped by the last few chapters. I won't lie, the ending is juicy. I have no idea what's going to happen after that cliffhanger, but I am willing to see how it plays out.

Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!

[BONNIE SMITH · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part fantasy, part whodunit, this also pulls off being a queer love story. Needless to say HER SHARP EMBRACE packs a lot into a book.

I loved the all girl gang of the Nightshades. Their story is one of fighting corruption, with magic- so pretty unique. Let me tell you, the found family vibes this book gives, had me wanting to form a badass band of women to take people down, but I digress.

I went into this blind, and found the mystery components were stronger than the fantasy notes, and that was a delight for me. I am excited to see where this where this goes in a series.

Thank you to the author and St. Martin's press for an advanced readers copy.

[Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

A captivating tale of romance and betrayal, Koenig artfully interweaves conflict, love, and best of all, a heist. This book is perfect for people who enjoyed Six of Crows. At no point in this book did I know who to trust as the narrator, keeping me engaged and on the edge of my seat to see how everything would play out. The plot twist was suitable even for me, someone mildly jaded by the predictability of modern romance and fantasy books.

[Sharon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Firstly I don’t think this book was for me. I really wanted to like it but unfortunately I didn’t.

I think this would be for you if you like mysteries. Who done its which aren’t fully my cup of tea. Although this is fantasy-esque its main focus was around solving a bit of a mystery.

I loved the idea of charisms and the magic and I wish there had been more background and information on that.

For me the main character Noa was a little flat, I didn’t find for myself that her personality as one of the main characters intrigued me. My fave character was Jolie and she was more of a thought in the book than an actual character, although you do get some Jolie scenes.

I never know how to explain this well but I do not enjoy time line splicing as a lot of times it can feel shoe horned in. There were parts in this book where the back and forth in timeline flowed well and made sense and other times where it didn’t really work and took me out of it a bit.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Wednesday Books for the ARC

[Theresa Nixon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually ended up enjoying this book more than I thought I would. I don’t typically read fantasy but as a teacher who is always looking for new books to recommend, I read one every so often. There is a good mystery as well which was enjoyable and that part really kept my attention. Towards the end I couldn’t put the book down. I definitely know of some students who I will recommend this book to.

[Wendy Cheairs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Wednesday Books and St. Martin's Books for a ARC Read of this Book for my review of this book.

This book has so much going for this. I came out ready for book 2 especially with the idea of what will you do for love, not just romantic love but sisterly love.

I know this is being shown as a queer love story, which is part of the story in a fantasy setting, but the heart of this is sister love, found and true. Which is important to the story so much more, I think, than the love story. Not that the love story isn't important, but the found family and trials of family aren't the heart of this story.

The strengths of this story are family, found and the family you have. Especially the loyalities to them and different loves you have between family and love of others. It is dramatic and lovely, and asks some hard questions and I love that it is a story willing to go there.

The world-building is lovely, even if some places I wanted to know more about and wanted it to be a little stronger, since some of the magic I had some questions about, even after reading the book. How some magic works is a little underdeveloped for the importance of the story. The magic is there, and we have an idea of how it worked, but some of the logistics of how the magic works are a little weak in story development.

Overall I like how the characters are built up and their histories. I want to know more in book two.

[Jeremy Reppy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story did not turn out the way I expected. Which was wonderful, because the plot twists made for a delightful surprise. I enjoyed the major characters— Noa, Lennon, Jolie, Theo, and Mei — and their different personalities, charisms and backstories. The New Orleans inspired setting was a good touch.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome to New Solei, where beauty is currency... currency is power... where danger lurks around every corner and nothing is as it seems.

Noa Toussaint is someone who is all too familiar with the cruel beauty of New Solei. She left the cossetted, sheltered... safe life of a Saint for the dangerous life of a Nightshade... a gang of magical outcasts.... and completely made up of women. And as Noa adjusts more to the life of a Saint, she realizes that she is falling more and more for the ferocious and formidable leader, Lennon... and that she would love to capture the heart of such a dangerous woman for herself.

Her talents at alchemy are extremely useful to the Saints, but her past connections to her Saint family place the Nightshades at far more risk than she could've imagined. With danger looming ever close, and Lennon unaware of that danger... Noa must do everything she can to expose the threat... and to keep both of them safe. This is not your average love story.

Kate Koenig truly paints a dazzling name for herself in Her Sharp Embrace... for this is a strikingly dark story steeped in shadow, and one that sinks its teeth into you from page one and will refuse to let go until the very last page.

There is something that is so alive about Kate Koenig's way of writing, and also how she manages to not only make everything seem so alive, but at the same time with such a sharpness... driving her point home...

Her Sharp Embrace is a beautiful tale of not only sapphic love, but also of a constant struggle for power, of dancing between life and death, of desire, and yet also reminds of what the cost of wanting too much can be.

To add to the teeming mess of political disagreements and conflicts that frequent New Solei, Kate Koenig has also brought a beautiful system of magic to life, blending that with the ever-beautiful art of alchemy and of course, plenty of hidden secrets.

There is veritable tension that can be felt as you flip each page, and while many might try to tone down or change feelings that we may experience in real life to provide us somewhat more of an escape... Kate does not do that. The feelings that her characters feel are raw, powerful, and haunting... adding once more to that beautiful sense of liveliness that Her Sharp Embrace is.

I thoroughly enjoyed this absolutely amazing novel, and I look forward to seeing what Kate has in store for us next.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this in advanced! I am voluntarily leaving a review, and the rest of my reviews may be found at: https://littlereapling.wixsite.com/fa....

[M.L. Bennett · Rating 1 out of 5]

I think this novel is a great idea but not fully fleshed out. I had so many questions while reading through it that never fully got answered. Towards the end, with each layer of key revelation, I was even more perplexed because the foundation of this world building and character dynamics is so clunky, the big moments fell flat. Noa, the main character, made no sense to me. She relinquishes her elite life to join a street gang but has no backbone of her own? It is then revealed later that her father is still pulling her strings but again, she was already so unlikeable and simply the impression of a protagonist, that this revelation at the end was hardly interesting. She spent a year with a criminal organization and learned nothing about outsmarting her own father? So pretty much, she had no character arc.

The mystery of Jolie’s murder and the subsequent trial is just as fraught. A two-sided coin comes to be the hinging evidence for a guilty verdict, but there’s no speculation as to the possibility that this coin is a plant to tear the Nightshades apart? For a street gang that has a ruthless reputation, the Nightshades seemed pretty unintelligent in the art of deception and intrigue. And it’s never explained why Theo was conversing with Jolie’s murderers in the literal parliament building that had just interrogated each remaining Nightshade. But I guess that’s a minor detail. Just like how the inquisitors already know who the shrouded jester contract killers (because they used them to romance Theo into the city to capture her outlaw father) are but let’s spend time as a reader with a pointless back and forth about the contractors’ identities. (Also, what kind of interrogation includes interviewing all three suspects together and only once? What’s the point of clearing alibis if it’s already known contract killers murdered Jolie?)

I don’t understand how Noa can love Lennon so fully yet when the gang takes on a dangerous job to clear debts, Noa never mentions that she already paid those debts nine months ago. What was the point of any of that? Who knows. It also made little sense for Noa to put a hit on herself, but at this point, it is not worth picking at. I didn’t like this novel. The characters were derivative and lacking emotional complexity. The baron-Saint-impoverished population dynamic was half-baked. For me, there was just too many things that didn’t mesh together for a cohesive, immersive experience.

[Karis · Rating 1 out of 5]

~~Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martian's Press for the ARC!~~

1.5/5 stars rounded down.

Yeah, this was just not . . . what I was hoping for.

The alarm bells in my head instantly rang to me I wasn't going to like it just a chapter in, and this was primarily due to the prose. It was just trying too hard to be dark, ~mysterious~, and tough; it was extremely off-putting. Then there were the thick paragraphs filled with descriptions, but I could vaguely picture anything of the setting. The only things I could conjure in my mind's eye were the main cast's appearance, because the prose brought up their signature features (Noa's dimples and glasses, Lennon's red hair, Jolie's blonde and blue-eyed, etc.) consistently to the point of nausea.

I also didn't like any of the characters. Noa was such a nothing character. Ran from her baroness life to become a criminal with her new girlfriend, but the guts she had flounders so often. She was either totally spineless when it came to crime or Theo's bullying, or she could take it and hit back. It was so inconsistent and annoying. There's a big twist regarding her character that made her do a total one eighty on her personality, but none of it was consistently built up to. Or, at least, nothing up until the trial for Jolie's murder (Don't even get me started on how poorly portrayed that whole thing was) did anything hint at the twist. I don't even wanna waste my time explaining it, because it was just that stupid. The rest of the girls didn't really enthrall me, either; Theo and her parts in the plot in particular got on my nerves.

The worldbuilding had potential, but the execution felt very squandered. The class divide between the gangs and the barons wasn't as explored as it should've, leaving it quite black-and-white of what both groups represent in the dynamic. The setting also feels like it's casting a very wide net, for there are fantasy stand-ins for French (The New Orleans type, at least), Latine (Hispanic? I wasn't sure), and Asian, so I had a hard time grasping on a world that's so much of everything it was kinda nothing by the end.

All in all, I didn't really enjoy this read. Definitely not gonna pick up the sequel, for I don't really care about this world or its characters. Suffice it to say, I'll leave it right here.

[Dotti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Her Sharp Embrace is a lesbian YA fantasy novel following a gang of magical young women as they operate in the seedy underbelly. Our story revolves around the murder of one of the group’s beloved members, and is told through a series of flashbacks as well as a present-day timeline. Our gang members have various degrees of animosity and suspicion towards one another, and we as the audience try to figure out what happened.

This story had lots of great twists and turns. Because we get to see the story through the perspectives of most of our characters, we know that someone is an unreliable narrator, and it’s our job to figure out who. Each of our characters has secrets that they’re hiding, and we as the audience need to figure out which secrets are connected to the murder. The pacing of the story was excellent, and the magic system was really interesting.

My only problem with the book is that a number of our characters are unlikable; most of them are untrustworthy, and it’s not fun to be in their heads. Fundamentally I want characters to root for, and I didn’t feel like I could root for any of these young women.

The story is billed as YA, but I think that the New Adult label might be more appropriate. Our characters are functionally adults, whether their ages are or not. There is a closed-door yet still somewhat explicit scene, which I would think eliminates it from the YA label.

Overall, this book was intriguing and enjoyable, with a twisty-turny murder and an interesting method of storytelling. If you’re open to some heists and mysteries with some not-so-great people, this is the book for you!

This advanced reader copy was provided to me by St. Martin’s Press. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Keirstin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Her Sharp Embrace sets up a really interesting world: New Soleil, a city full of glitz, danger, and magical undercurrents. The story centers on the Nightshades, an all-girls gang of outlaws who fight corruption using blades and magic: they’ve got real edge. Into this folds Noa Toussaint, a former “Saint” (a privileged class) who joins up with the Nightshades to escape her gilded cage and because she’s deeply drawn to their fierce leader, Lennon. Noa’s alchemy skills are super useful, but her background is a liability, and the tension between her past and present drives much of the conflict.

Where the book really shines is in its character work and found-family dynamics. The relationships among the Shades feel genuine; they’re not just bandits, they’re a chosen family bound by loyalty and shared trauma. Koenig does a great job building emotional stakes, especially when secrets start to unravel and Noa realizes how dangerous her ties to her old life are. But the pacing can be uneven: some parts drag, especially when the magic system isn’t fully explained, and the big reveals feel a little telegraphed. Also, the romantic tension between Noa and Lennon is engaging but sometimes leans on familiar tropes. All in all, Her Sharp Embrace is a solid read with strong world-building and heart, though it doesn’t quite reach the heights it seems to aim for.

Special thanks to Netgalley for the ARC

[Cris Alvarez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found family fantasies with danger, secrets, and morally gray characters are exactly my kind of book, and this one completely pulled me in. From the moment I stepped into New Soleil, I was hooked. The glittering surface of the city paired with the constant sense of threat made it impossible for me to put this down.

I really connected with Noa. Her need to belong, her complicated past, and the risks she takes for the people she loves felt incredibly real. The Nightshades aren’t just a crew—they feel like a family you grow attached to, and I found myself genuinely worried for them as the story unfolded. The tension between Noa and Lennon added an emotional layer that made every scene sharper and more meaningful.

What stood out most to me was the suspense. I never felt ahead of the story, and every new reveal made me question who could really be trusted. The fading magic, the looming enemies, and the weight of Noa’s secrets kept my heart racing until the very end.

By the final page, I wasn’t ready to let these characters go. I’m already desperate to return to this world and spend more time with the Nightshades. This book hit all the right notes for me—immersive, emotional, and impossible to forget.



#StMartinsPress

[Kate Laycoax · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so lush and an atmospheric fantasy that hooked me right away. New Soleil is glamorous on the surface, but the story does a great job showing the danger and corruption underneath. I loved following Noa as she leaves her privileged life behind to join the Nightshades, a group of magical outlaws who steal for justice rather than fame. Her fascination with their fierce leader, Lennon, adds a great emotional pull throughout the book.

The magic, the alchemy, and the hidden secrets all blend together into a really compelling story. I especially enjoyed the tension of Noa trying to protect the Shades while her family ties threaten to expose everything. The stakes keep rising, and the mix of romance, danger, and mystery works so well.

It’s a sharp, fast moving fantasy with great atmosphere, complicated characters, and a world full of beauty and hidden threats. A really enjoyable read. I cannot wait for the next book in the series!

Thank you to NetGalley, Kate Koenig, and Wednesday Books for the eARC of this book.

[Kristie Kieffer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Her Sharp Embrace is dark, intense, and deliciously dangerous — the kind of romance that claws under your skin and refuses to let go. Kate Koenig absolutely knows how to deliver tension, obsession, and morally gray characters in a way that keeps your heart racing from start to finish.

The heroine is fierce, smart, and unapologetic. She doesn’t shy away from danger, even when it threatens to consume her. Watching her navigate desire, power, and betrayal is thrilling and completely addictive.

The romance is slow-burning and high-stakes, with chemistry that feels like fire and ice colliding. The male lead is broody, possessive, and morally complex — the kind of dark hero you simultaneously want to hug and fear. Every interaction is charged with tension, longing, and danger, making the emotional payoff even more satisfying.

The plot is fast-paced but layered, with twists, power struggles, and moral dilemmas that keep you hooked. The world feels alive, and every choice the characters make carries weight, making both the romance and the stakes feel real.

[Zoe Lipman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am always down to read a story about a group of criminals (we can blame Six of Crows for that).

But this wasn't quite what I was expecting it to be.

This is a story of corruption, rebellion, and plenty of drama (of all sorts: family, romantic, political).

I didn't really like the main character. And that is a problem. She was a bit annoying and naive (I get that was sort of the point, but it came across as hard to be around instead of from a different world).

Also, everyone in this book was nearly always horny and for no reason and that drives me nuts.

The ending was fast-paced and interesting, but I didn't find that to be consistent throughout the book.

I'm still not sure if I'll be continuing the series.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

[Angel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not going to lie, the first 30% of this book had me struggling to connect with the characters. I was ready to DNF, but I pushed through and I'm neither happy nor upset I did.

Noa abandoned her life as a baroness to join the Nightshades, a "dangerous, illegal gang", but I was a little confused as to what illegal things they were really doing, other than the heist that takes place in the story. The entire group seemed way too horny, given the circumstances, and that kept giving me whiplash. Theo has this deep-rooted hatred for Noa that was annoyingly focused on, but, honestly, I hated Noa, too.

Once I read enough to keep the characters straight, I kept wondering, "why am I supposed to care about these people??" Even at the end, I never had an answer for that, but I did think, "Well at least that all makes sense now," which is why I gave it three stars instead of one or two. I'm even willing to give the second book a chance if it goes in the direction I think it's going.

I think you'll like this book if you enjoy The Originals/Vampire Diaries TV series, and want more of that magical-underground-New-Orleans vibes. I did keep thinking Klaus was going to show up just to keep my brain into it.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley, and all thoughts are my own.

[Emma Durphey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Nightshades are a formidable gang, seen as untouchable, but after a dangerous attack, they’re left scrambled, untrusting and trying to solve the dangerous attack. When secrets are going to be spilled, who can they trust?

3.5 stars rounded up to four. This was an intriguing mystery, but I did find myself guessing and being right probably about halfway through. It was still an enjoyable read, there was fun little elements scattered throughout the book that led me to the correct prediction.

Overall if you enjoy a little mystery, bouncing timelines and characters who are a little broken and messy, I think you’ll enjoy this book!

Thank you Netgalley, St. Martins Press and Wednesday Books for the chance to read this arc!

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

A big thanks to YABC for providing a physical ARC and Netgalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Magical outlaws? Alchemy? And danger at every turn? Yes please!

Her Sharp Embrace by Katie Koenig is a YA fantasy novel that is set in the glittering city of New Soleil, where beauty masks danger at every turn. The Nightshades, a crew of magical outlaws, are no different. Their glamorous facades conceal the terror they strike into the hearts of the rich and powerful as they steal from the corrupt and fight for the forgotten. Noa Toussaint fled her cossetted life as a Saint to join the Nightshades. Infatuated with their ferocious leader, Lennon, Noa aims to capture her heart and keep it. Her talent for alchemy is valuable, but her connection to her family puts all of the Shades in danger. Now enemies are closer than Lennon knows and Noa must uncover the threat and keep them both alive. Because in a city where lies are lethal and magic is fading, secrets aren’t just costly—they’re deadly.

First things first, I must rave about Koenig's establishment of characterization. Noa easily became one of my favorite protagonist, right next to the likes of Cinder and Jude Durante, and I solely blame it on the fact that she is part of GIRL GANG. Now I don't know about you, but that seems like straight up feminism to me. (Taking down the patriarchy, one magical heist at a time). Regardless, Koenig also has a keen eye for creating a narrative that makes itself out to be more of a mystery novel than that of the promised fantasy novel.

Which leads me to the one downside of this novel, in that I wish the magic system was explored a bit more. I feel like Koenig spent a more time wanting to expand not only the underbelly of the subplot being a "whodunnit" but the queer romance as well. Which is all fine and all, but that made the fantastical elements a little lackluster and underdeveloped. Though I do have the preface that Her Sharp Embrace is only book one, so perhaps I'm wrong and Koenig will continue to expand on her magical girl gang in the following novels.

Nonetheless, Her Sharp Embrace is a perfect novel for someone needing a little more Six of Crow in their lives. Or its perfect for someone who needs a gentle reminder that family love is just as important of romantic love.

[rebeccareads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Her Sharp Embrace is a dark, twisty sapphic fantasy mystery featuring a found-family all-girl gang (YES), sharp class commentary, and a whole lot of political intrigue. There's also crazy amounts of sexual tension, much yearning, and a pretty cool heist (my fave!). Even though I didn't totally jive with FMC Noa's POV, I don't read many mysteries so I found those elements really fun and refreshing. I definitely see the Six of Crows vibes, with the heist, the team, and all the twists. If you're looking for a sapphic spin, don't miss Her Sharp Embrace!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC :)

[Briannah Wunnegin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe 4 and a quarter stars. I didn’t know what to expect from this book, which I won in a giveaway from Goodreads, but it was not this. Though the ending was somewhat predictable, the way in which it played out was not expected, which I love. I couldn’t figure out why I hated Noa, the main character, and then the end happened and it all made sense. In fact, I realized I kind of hated all three of the main players, but absolutely adored Mei and Jolie. Yes, I may have shed some tears upon Jolie’s death.

That being said, this book was great and I need to know more! I know this book is technically not out yet, but I need the sequel, pronto!

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great world-building and very creative. I see a beautiful art in imaginative storytelling like this. I did have a hard time personally with the characters of Noa and Theo. They are just kind of both the thing I dislike most about other women's interactions with each other. Although having said that, I do see it as pivotal to the storyline. I get it, I just didn't like it. And I think the line "I suffer for her adoration" almost made me pull an eye muscle I rolled my eyes so hard. But maybe I've never really been in love...
I hope this author continues to write. I'm excited to see where her mind leads me next!

I won an ARC on Goodreads.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Conceptually, I loved it but the constant timeline and POV shifting got confusing by the middle of the book. (And the multiple shifts between 1st, 2nd, and 3rd person made this a slower read.) I also struggled to get a good grasp on how the magic system worked and some of the characters' motivations.

That said, it had some really funny parts and some really tragic parts and I will most likely pick up the rest of the series as they come out.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this EARC!

[Sophie F · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of my favorites from this year. The world building feels so real you get sucked in to the world. I loved the found family in the story and I also loved the themes of what you would do for your family. The twists and turns of the story were so interesting that I could not put this down. I loved the ending and I am so excited for the next book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an e-arc of this book.

[Lexi Kokosa · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a fantasy novel about 5 girls, all with powers, in a well-known gang. Each coming from their own struggle-filled backgrounds consider themselves family, Except for Theolinda, who despises Noa (narrator) due to her background as a baroness. The novel starts with the murder of one member, and throughout the novel it travels from pre and post murder to figure out who caused it. Ending with an extremely unexpected plot-twist at the end!!

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Who did this to you?” but make it sapphic. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an e-ARC.

This book has a lot going for it, memorable characters, magic, a fleshed out political system, but I have to admit, the beginning was tough to get through. So many characters are introduced so quickly that it reads like book 2 of a series. The premise sounded great, but something was missing here and honestly it might just be my personal preference!

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

** I read an advance reader copy of this book. **

I was leaning more toward a 2 star review throughout most of the book because of the overuse of descriptive words. Sorry, but too many adjectives and adverbs detracts from a book. Also, I wanted more world building and background on the characters. However the ending really did take me a bit by surprise so I upped the rating to 3 stars and will definitely read the sequel when it comes out!

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved an all woman gang.
Nightshades
The plot twists were well written and unexpected.
I really liked Jolie and wish we’d had a few more scenes with her.
I enjoyed the world building and some places I wanted to know more about.

Favorite Quote:
“There is no greater burden than a truth left unspoken.”

[Amanda Ho · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this from a Goodreads giveaway and I was not disappointed! Such a beautiful story and great world building. I will say this is a harder book to read multiple at a time with as there are a lot of characters and definitely pay attention to the chapter headings for days things are happening on because it time jumps many times, with lots of things happening.

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the premise of Her Sharp Embrace initially intrigued me, the execution fell short. The characters, setting, and conclusion all felt middling, leaving little that stood out or lingered after finishing. I truly wanted to enjoy this book more, but ultimately, it was unmemorable.