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, Romance, Fiction

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

[Dea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have to say this is not usually a book I would have picked up. I feel I would have missed one of the best reads of this year if I had not received this ARC.

The writing is phenomenal. It is a story of murder, love, and flawed characters. The author does such a good job giving realistic representations of her characters that you cannot hate them even for all their flaws. I did hate Theo, but I still cried on some of Theo’s chapters, that is how good the writing and character creation is.

I adored how the author weaved ads, and other excerpts from the world. It added to the story and built the world in such an interesting and unique way.

At the end, I was on the edge of my seat for the final chapters. I audibly gasped when the twist came out.

I cannot recommend this book enough. If I could give it 5000000000 stars I would.

[Heather Martin]

Unfortunately had to DNF, just wasn’t able to connect with the characters and the story lot wasn’t really keeping me interested

[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.

[Tiera Aubrey]

Sadly DNFing - the timelines kept blurring together for me & got confusing. I just couldn't really get into the plot or feel the characters.

🌟Thank you Goodreads for the free book in exchange for an honest review!🌟

[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.

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shout out to all the Jolies out there who haunt the narrative

Her Sharp Embrace is the first book in a fantasy series about messy girls and their messy problems. This book heavily follows a murder mystery plot, but I hesitate to call the series itself fantasy mystery because I'm not sure book two will follow that structure. I requested it from Netgalley because it's a fantasy mystery, but I would like to continue the series given the way this book left off. Also, I will mention that although I consider this a fantasy murder mystery, there's a lot of general drama involved as well and I don't think there are necessarily enough clues to make this a proper "whodunnit," but I'll get to that later.

The Nightshades are a gang of five young women with magical powers, renowned throughout all of New Soleil for their power...until one of them is murdered. The rest of the Nightshades must race to find the killer, but secrets are layered on secrets and it seems like everyone has something to hide. The story alternates between present and past, specifically the week or so leading up to the murder. While this is good for context (which is desperately needed for characterization), the alternating storylines can drag down the plot on occasion. I was intrigued by the mystery throughout, and there was action and drama to keep me on my toes too. My main complaint with the mystery is that I don't think it's foreshadowed well-enough considering it's the main plot, and the reveal felt a bit underwhelming (I'm also still a bit confused about some things). In hindsight, there's only one bit of foreshadowing I think I caught and it's very, very obscure, and in general, the mystery feels a bit outweighed by the context. That being said, I think book 2 has a lot of potential and I think many of the issues I had with plot in this book will be resolved just based on the nature of the story.

I really appreciated the complexity of the Nightshades. I was really just expecting to hear from Noa and Lennon, but all five of the girls were fleshed out well and I enjoyed getting POV chapters from each of them. Noa is the protagonist, and I think she's the thing most readers will struggle with. She's extremely passive, and despite her claims that she's not as weak as everyone thinks, she has little to show for it. I didn't really care for her at all, especially given the other options, but she wasn't the worst FMC I've read about. Lennon is the gang leader, and I think she's the character we get the least interiority from, so she's still a bit mysterious. She's strong and stoic, but there's a soft side to her too, and I thought she fit well in her position. Theo was probably my favorite because she was constantly beefing with Noa (and I agreed with her). She's fierce and protective over those she loves, and I'm excited to see her shine in the next book. Mei also intrigued me a lot; she feels more distant from the other girls, but her backstory gives her nuance and I love illusion magic, so I loved seeing her work. Jolie felt a little too good to be true in some ways, but she has her own complexities as well, and I liked how she meshed with all the other characters. The five of them together are so messy, but I really liked their dynamics and I'm excited to see them develop more.

Her Sharp Embrace is a sapphic fantasy murder mystery (with more books on the way), and I would recommend it to fans of Amanda Foody's Ace of Shades and Kiersten White's The Fox and the Devil.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC!

3.75/5

[Gali · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Her Sharp Embrace" by Kate Koenig is the first book in an original queer fantasy duology set in a New Orleans-inspired world. It started with a bang, literally, then plods along at a slower pace until just before the end, then jumps into warp speed again.

The book follows a crew of magical outlaws, the Nightshades, who fight corruption and struggle to make a living. They are Saints (magic wielders) with charisms (their powers), in a corrupt society where barons rule. Noa Toussaint is a Baroness Saint with a talent for alchemy who left her old life behind for her love of Lennon, the gang leader. The plot thickens when one of the members is murdered. The crew and the authorities are in a race to find the culprit, who seems hell-bent on destroying what’s left of the crew itself.

I had high expectations for the book based on the blurb, but I had a hard time staying engaged with the plot or connecting with the characters. The novel explores humanity, found family, betrayal, duty, class, loss, and sapphic and sisterly relationships. The concept worked for me: the magic system, the idea of a badass gang of women (Robin Hood springs to mind), the mystery at the heart of the plot, and the newspaper articles, recipes, and other excerpts woven between chapters.

The characterization of the five main characters was well done. They were flawed and human, and their backstories made them feel rounded. Each of them had a unique charism, which I loved. Sadly, except for sunny Jolie, I didn't like most of them. Noa was weak and spineless, and she kept blushing, whining, and being horny. Theo, the daughter of a pirate, was a bully, and I didn't like the way she treated Noa, or that no one really stopped her. Jolie and Lennon tried, with no success.

Both Noa and Theo irritated me with their conduct. Mei was courageous and a dark horse but didn’t really contribute much to the plot. Lennon was brave and loyal, and I loved the way she cared for her fellow gang members, whom she viewed as family. Her love for Noa made her careless and less sharp, though, which affected the entire gang.

The book alternates between past and present. The past sections are written in third-person present tense and follow multiple POVs. The “now” sections are written in the first person from Noa’s perspective. The present-tense writing didn’t work for me and felt a bit forced. The twist at the end caught me by surprise, I will give the book that. Most of the threads are resolved, with a couple of loose ends for good measure. The book ends with a small cliffhanger, which will probably be addressed in the second book.

Overall, I liked the book, so I rate it 3 out of 5 stars. There’s a lot of potential here, but it didn’t quite come together. With a bit of tightening, it could be more engaging. I will read the second book when it comes out, as I am curious how it will end. I still recommend the book to fans of morally gray characters with attitude who don't mind present-tense writing or a slower pace.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.
* Review on my blog: https://galibookish.blogspot.com/2026...

[Alyson Stone · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book: Her Sharp Embrace
Author: Katie Koenig
Rating: 2 Out of 5 Stars


I would like to thank the publisher, Wednesday Books, for sending me an ARC. This is another book that I just could not get into. I thought I would really like it a lot, but I had such a hard time making any kind of connection with both the plot and the characters.

In the dazzling city of New Soleil, beauty hides danger around every corner. The Nightshades, a notorious band of magical outlaws, wear glamour like armor while striking fear into the corrupt elite. They steal from the powerful and fight for those society has abandoned. Noa Toussaint abandoned her sheltered life as a Saint to join the Nightshades. Drawn to their fierce leader, Lennon, Noa longs to win her heart and prove she belongs at her side. Her gift for alchemy makes her an asset to the crew, though her ties to her family threaten to expose them all. Enemies are moving closer than Lennon realizes, forcing Noa to uncover the truth before it destroys everything they have built. In a city where magic is fading and deception can kill, every secret carries a deadly price.

This book had many of the elements I usually look for in a fantasy novel. The world is filled with secrets, rivalries, danger, and magic, which immediately pulled me in. I also enjoyed the character dynamics, especially the tension between characters who constantly clash while still feeling drawn to each other. That type of relationship can be incredibly entertaining when done well, and there were definitely moments where I could see the appeal.
The setting and overall premise were interesting, and I liked the idea of a group operating in the shadows while dealing with hidden threats and personal loyalties. The story had plenty of drama and emotional tension, which kept things moving and made me want to see where everything was headed.
Even with all of those strong elements, I had a difficult time fully connecting with the book. I think a lot of that comes down to my own reading preferences changing over time. I do not read much YA fantasy anymore, and I could really feel that while reading this. The writing style, character interactions, and emotional beats felt very targeted toward a younger audience, which made it harder for me to stay invested in the story as a whole.
That being said, I can absolutely see this working well for readers who love YA fantasy. Fans of dramatic relationships, magical intrigue, found family dynamics, and high emotional stakes will likely enjoy this much more than I did. While it ultimately was not the right fit for me personally, I still think the intended audience could have a great time with it.
Overall, this just wasn’t the book for me. This does not that this is a bad book by any means.
This book comes out on June 9, 2026.

[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....

[Christie Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

What's established in the first few chapters is repeated several times across the narrative, but I found the world-building in need of a stronger foundation. We've got magic and a special substance that works with it, but the rules for oleum aren't very flushed out. Our protagonist, Noa, is the newest edition to the gang, however after a year it doesn't seem like any of the other members have embraced her. I would have loved a scene of the gang's leader, Lenin, bringing her new girlfriend, Noa, into the fold, but at best we'll get the gang's initial reactions in the sequel if we're lucky. To say there's bad blood between Noa and Theo, the feistiest member, is a severe understatement.

Speaking of relationships, we're told who's friends with who directly, but there are seldom any establishing moments where we're shown the depth of the characters closeness. The gang feels more like a work obligation than found family, save the founders, Lenin and Jolie, that grew up together. Our 4 main characters each get several chapters to narrate that reveal interesting background lore, but how it connects to the main plot isn't always made clear. Unfortunately, I don't see how Mei's character had an influence on the plot at all, and she's my favorite Nightshade. I'll read the second book just in hopes that Mei becomes more central to the plot.

What's done well is that the varying narratives do give us a sense of what's important to each character though day-in-the-limelight type chapters. The political hierarchy is well established. Barons are at the top, and those that use magic are under a different set of rules whether they're revered or feared. We've got some diversity among the cast as well with at least 3 named Asian characters worth remembering, which I didn't expect for a setting based on New Orleans. I was surprised that no character had any characteristics distinguishing them as Black though, again odd for being set in a New Orleans proxy that explores several neighborhoods from the big city to the swamps. Our primary Latina character is very stereotypical though. Theo is inarguably strongly-opinionated, aggressive, and the most concerned with her looks out of all the characters.

The novel has some pacing issues in the middle, but for readers that power through, the last few chapters from the trial to the end pick up quite well. I'm the type that if I find something funky in the narrative I like to finish to see if it ever gets addressed. In this case there are still some things I'd like more explanations for, like how Noa shrugs off injuries so quickly, but the ending leaves me hopeful about what the second novel will reveal.

[Etnies75 · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the city of New Soleil, we join Noa Toussaint as she begins her journey with the Nightshades a magical all girl gang, who are famous for stealing from the corrupt and powerful and fighting for those who are usually forgotten.
 
Noa is one of the most powerful alchemists of her generation who also happens to be a baroness, which is the highest noble title someone can have in New Soleil, she also decides to forgo said title to be with the love of her life Lennon, leader of the Nightshades. She settles into her new life until one of the members of the Nightshades is murdered by assassin’s wearing jester’s masks. At this the remaining Nightshades must race to find the killers. But here is where the story truly begins… everyone has secrets… so beware of who you trust, someone close to you might betray you when you least expect it.
 
This book was such a good surprise! I was hooked from the start, I truly loved how complex and raw all of the characters were, every single one of the Nightshades was real and vulnerable (while trying to maintain a strong façade) and that immediately made them more human and relatable.
 
The story is also written with alternating timelines and multiple POV’s between the week before the murder and culminating with the trial, which really helped giving context and understanding how the characters ended up in this situation. All while keeping us on the edge of our seats while trying to guess the next plot twist and trying to figure out who was telling the truth and who wasn’t. Let me just say the betrayal and the cliffhanger at the end left me wanting to immediately reach for book 2! 

What to expect:
💐Strong FMC’s
🗡️Political plotting
💐Alchemy
🗡️Magic (charisms such as physical strength, truth wringing, persuasion, illusionism, alchemy)
💐Found family
🗡️sapphic romance
💐touch her and die
🗡️ Multiple POV’s
💐betrayal
🗡️ Lots & lots of plot twists
💐cliffhanger at the end
🗡️Alternating timelines

✨Favorite Quotes:

“I am a girl of many faces”

“From the moment I saw you, I knew I needed you in my life. And I knew you needed me too.”

“You made me a slave to your love and you want to talk about choices?”

“I see it in her eyes and the true horror of what I’ve done slams into me. In the very marrow of my bones, I know that I have destroyed my true love.”

A huge thank you to Kate Koenig, @NetGalley & @St. Martin’s Press for providing me with the eARC to such a captivating story! Can’t wait to see what adventures book 2 will bring!

[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.

[Maeghan 🦋 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley & the publishers for a chance to review this arc!
Sadly, this was a miss for me from the first chapter and a dnf at 40%. I did read some reviews in order to see if I was right about the direction this was taking and I was saddened to be proven right. I had high expectations so this was a bit of a letdown.

I’ve noticed that I don’t tend to enjoy books that starts with the death of a character to then go on a gigantic exploration of who that character was and why the death is saddening to the other characters. I find it removes the emotional impact it’s probably trying to have, and thus makes me feel disconnected from the storyline.

Now that this is out of the way - I will admit the ONLY character I liked… was the one that died. The two characters we follow the most were incredibly insufferable. There’s a lot of petty drama and on page bullying… which made the writing seem younger than what it was aiming.

I was extremely curious about the magic system but it was underdeveloped. The characters were lacking emotional depth & character arcs. I really struggled with the writing and I kept wondering if that gang really were competent… because that’s not what was shown.
What was shown of the main relationship was extremely toxic and seemed to thrive on obsession/dependency. The characters were needy and all had a very weird (in my opinion) dynamic.

Overall, I think this book tried to go in too many directions. It didn’t feel fully fleshed out and might be better intended for a much younger audience. It didn’t feel cohesive and leaned heavily on relationship drama to propel the storyline… which isn’t something I like. As always, reading is subjective.

[Piper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC!

This was a very solid YA novel, one that definitely will shock the intended audience far more than it did me. The twist at the end is cool and sets up the sequel nicely (which I will be reading), but it did rely on the main character holding information back from the reader. I think it works to some extent and there are a few points that stand out to me as things that will be recontextualized upon a reread, but it cheapens it.

I wish more was done with the magic system and the world. You get a lot during the flashbacks (which definitely disrupt the pacing, but add vital insight into the Nightshades), but it really falls to the wayside during the trial as their magic is blocked. Much of this felt like necessary set up for the sequel, which makes for a poorer reading experience. I can tell an effort was made to make Her Sharp Embrace Stand on its own, but it’s impossible to tell how good a story is from just its set up.

Speaking of the trial, I kept thinking about how little sense it made from my (loose) understanding of at least the American and Canadian justice systems. It’s a trial with three defendants, none of which have a lawyer, where the jury is deciding who among the three committed the crime (and they don’t all agree by the end either). If this is deliberate, it shows the corruption of the system (especially factoring in the twist), but it was also highly convenient for the plot.

Overall, I would definitely recommend it, especially for the intended audience, but would perhaps hold off from buying it until the sequel releases.

[Gabrielle Perna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book did not go where I thought it was going to go. The ending really threw me for a loop and I was SHOCKED, like mouth aghast, refusing to believe what I was reading on the page. This was a fantasy mixed with gang genre mixed with a whodunit and set in a New Orleans inspired world. You are taking back between the murder that the plot surrounds and after the murder. There is a lot of flip flopping within the timeline and there are multiple POVs. It does take a second to get used to, but after a few chapters it makes sense. I really enjoyed the characters relationships and the gang culture of the Nightshades. Each person kind of had their own assigned roles and when one of them is gone, it seems like the whole gang sort of falls apart. I am struggling with this review because I really do not want to spoil anything at all because it is one of those books that if it is spoiled it will ruin the whole thing. I loved the romance between Lennon and Noa and wished that I got to see things more from Lennon's perspective. I feel like we got everyone's POV but not hers, I am curious if we will get more of her in the next book. I will 100000% read the next book as I MUST know what happens next and how everything unfolds. This book was so interesting and unique and I feel like Koenig set up the plot twists very very well, I honestly never saw it coming at all.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. I also received the ARC in a giveaway, all my thoughts 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

[Autumn Danner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I looked forward to this story based on the book cover and the description. The magical elements and the small cast of characters draw you into the story pretty quickly. It was exciting getting to know most of the characters. I just couldn't get myself to like Noa, though. She is a primary character, yet I kept finding myself mumbling something like 'little sissy girl playing dress up' while reading the book. I found little to like about her, and that left me a little jaded about the story in general. I really liked the progression of the story, though. Towards the end, there were some reveals that explained some of Noa's actions, however I wasn't truly surprised by the ending. At least there are some good twists. I was disappointed in the 'court proceedings' since it didn't ring true like an actual proceeding. It would be like saying the case is the state against several individuals, but you can pick and choose who is at fault (in that case it is the state against an individual, multiplied by the number of individuals). And how do you have a proceeding with only the defendants speaking once each with no evidence presented followed by a verdict? I get this is fantasy, but I need some basis of realism at the core. Anyway, this is clearly book one of a series, but I am not sure if I will continue. I thank AA of St. Martin's Publishing for the ARC of this book which introduced me to some serious kick-ass heroines!

[♡ A ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Her Sharp Embrace follows Noa, a member of a group of magical outlaws called the Nightshades. Noa is infatuated with the leader, Lennon, and fled her rich life for her and to help the group with her alchemy magic. When they’re attacked and threatened to be picked off by a mysterious, deadly group, Noa and Lennon must uncover the threats before its too late.

This was a good start to the series. The world building was really interesting and I’m very intrigued by the world the author created. I loved the New Orleans vibes and the culture that was woven in very well. It was quite fast-paced and engaging. I didn’t love the jumping around in timeline or the twist at the end, but I think others will really enjoy those elements.

The characters were good. I love the concept of the Nightshades. I didn’t personally connect with any of them, but I think that’s more of a me issue than the book. I do think a lot of teens will really enjoy this book. Especially if they like the vibes of SoC but more focused on female characters.

Overall, this was a good YA fantasy especially if you love an interesting magic system and mystery!

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the arc!

[Filomena Mealy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Her Sharp Embrace by Kate Koenig is a dazzling, dangerous, and utterly addictive fantasy that pulls you into a world of glittering beauty, hidden masks, and rebellion simmering just beneath the surface.

Set in the intoxicating city of New Soleil, this story shines with rich atmosphere and high-stakes intrigue. I loved the contrast between the glamour of the powerful and the fierce, underground world of the Nightshades, who steal from the corrupt and fight for those society has forgotten. That tension gave the book such an exciting pulse from beginning to end.

Noa Toussaint is a compelling heroine, and her journey from living a carefully constructed life as a Saint to stepping into something far more dangerous and freeing was one of my favorite parts of the book. Her connection to the Nightshades — and especially her growing fascination with Lennon — adds just the right amount of longing, intensity, and emotional depth.

Kate Koenig delivers a story full of romance, rebellion, magic, and sharp-edged glamour. If you love books with found family, morally gray characters, fierce female energy, and a richly imagined fantasy world, this one is absolutely worth picking up.

A captivating read with plenty of sparkle and bite.

[ReneeReads · Rating 2 out of 5]

I swear every time I pick up a YA fantasy novel I tell myself I'm not going to read YA anymore and then I immediately forget because here I am again. And now that I'm here, I remember why I (mostly) don't enjoy reading YA anymore. Is it bad? Not necessarily, it's just that I'm constantly let down and I feel I have somewhat outgrown this genre.

I was drawn into this one with the description of "a crew of magical outlaws" and was really looking forward to the story. Sadly this one wasn't quite what I wanted. I want something gritty and real and high stakes and this felt like a leaf of iceberg lettuce in a bowl of crunchy romaine. YKWIM? If you love iceberg, that's great! I prefer romaine. There is definitely an audience for this book and for that I am happy because the book has some good ideas, concepts and interesting characters. I typically don't mind various mediums such as snippets from a newspaper, or podcast clips in a book, but in this book it took me out of the story and felt it could have been left out.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Ashley White · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF'd at 28%.

I try not to DNF ARCs but this one just wasn't working for me and just under a third of the way through, I feel like I got enough understanding of the world and the writing style to know that this book just isn't for me.
The first chapter set up a mystery in the magical world the author has created, set in New Soleil, with the death of a crew member of the Nightshades, a crew of magical outlaws, Our protagonist Noa was the sole witness, and with the help of her girlfriend Lennon, she is trying to help solve the mystery.
That is all very well and good but I found my interest waning pretty quickly. The following chapters are flashbacks to events that happened before the murder as well as POV's from other crew members, which is interesting but a bit disorienting as we are still trying to learn about the world from Noa's POV.
Overall I found I just wasn't connecting to the characters and the story and wasn't excited to continue. This novel is going to be right for someone, but it just isn't right for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[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.