What do you think?
Rate this book
The Nightshades #1
Her Sharp Embrace
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.
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.
375 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 9, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 145 reviews
Read
November 9, 2025tl;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!
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!
December 3, 2025
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.
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.
June 11, 2026
A new world full of magic and promise corrupted by power and secret societies. A whodunit seen through the eyes of four main characters in the Nightshade gang.
The world building in here is unlike few I've seen. The city is a replica of New Orleans, called New Soleil. As distinct as the area it is portraying, there are different parishes or quarters.
This story twists through before and after killing of one of the gang members Jolie. It gives unreliable narrator feels because each character had their own bias.
The ensuing trial and political gamesmanship as you try to parse through the information and the list of suspects in this world is a delicate dance of fast moving parts.
The four main FMCs ( Lennon, Noa, Mei, &Theo) are so vastly different in both their upbringing and viewpoints. This book is action packed and very low on spice, almost YA in that manner. I enjoyed this book and would read the sequel.
Tropes and triggers: Found Family, political intrigue, murder mystery, ancient magic, touch her and ☠️, alchemy, espionage
I want to thank Netgalley and the author for the opportunity. This review is my own and being left voluntarily.
The world building in here is unlike few I've seen. The city is a replica of New Orleans, called New Soleil. As distinct as the area it is portraying, there are different parishes or quarters.
This story twists through before and after killing of one of the gang members Jolie. It gives unreliable narrator feels because each character had their own bias.
The ensuing trial and political gamesmanship as you try to parse through the information and the list of suspects in this world is a delicate dance of fast moving parts.
The four main FMCs ( Lennon, Noa, Mei, &Theo) are so vastly different in both their upbringing and viewpoints. This book is action packed and very low on spice, almost YA in that manner. I enjoyed this book and would read the sequel.
Tropes and triggers: Found Family, political intrigue, murder mystery, ancient magic, touch her and ☠️, alchemy, espionage
I want to thank Netgalley and the author for the opportunity. This review is my own and being left voluntarily.
June 18, 2026
A polycule would have fixed them.
January 8, 2026
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.
June 10, 2026
I was really hoping to like this more than I did. I mean magic girl gang of outlaws! Fantasy whodunnit! Sapphic! So much I love. But I found myself really struggling to connect with the story and the characters. It felt very YA for me. I am not new to romantasy and also read high fantasy so I don't know if I just needed more. Maybe it was also the timeline. I have read other YA fantasy and books that jump around timelines that still hit for me but this one not so much.
I did an immersive read and listened to the audio too. I don't know if the narrator played a roll in my lower rating. I felt like everything was read like it was exciting or the end of the world. The FMC sounded to whiny which added to the YA feel. Maybe if I just read it myself it would have gone better. I finished the book because I was part of a book tour and got a physical gifted copy but if I purchased it myself I might have DNF.
I did an immersive read and listened to the audio too. I don't know if the narrator played a roll in my lower rating. I felt like everything was read like it was exciting or the end of the world. The FMC sounded to whiny which added to the YA feel. Maybe if I just read it myself it would have gone better. I finished the book because I was part of a book tour and got a physical gifted copy but if I purchased it myself I might have DNF.
June 13, 2026
Respectfully babes...If a group of magical outlaw women asked me to join their gang and steal from corrupt rich people, I'd be packing my bags immediately.💀😂
New Soleil is glittering, glamorous, and absolutely dangerous. But behind the beautiful parties, wealthy elites, and dazzling magic lurks corruption, secrets, and power plays.
Enter the Nightshades....
A crew of magical women who strike fear into the hearts of the rich while protecting those society forgot. 🖤
And BABE...
The Nightshades aren't perfect. They're messy. They're stubborn. They fight. They keep secrets. They make questionable decisions. But they love fiercely. And that made every betrayal, every twist, and every heartbreaking moment worth it.
Noa is determined to prove she belongs with the Nightshades after leaving behind her privileged life. She may be an incredibly talented alchemist, but her family's connections threaten everything she's built. Meanwhile, her feelings for the fierce and intimidating gang leader Lennon? Yeah babes... those feelings are NOT subtle. 😮💨🔥
🔮 Magical outlaws
🖤 Sapphic romance
🔪 Murder mystery
✨ Ancient fading magic
👑 Corrupt elites
🤝 Found family
🎭 Secrets on secrets on secrets
The multiple POVs worked for me because each Nightshade brought something different to the story. While Noa and Lennon are at the center, I found myself becoming invested in the entire group and their complicated relationships with one another.
Think glamorous fantasy mixed with dangerous back alleys, political corruption, secret agendas, and women willing to burn the world down for the people they love. 🖤 The romance is definitely there, but for me the real star was the found family. Watching these women protect one another, challenge one another, and fight for each other made this story shine.
The Nightshades may be outlaws...but they completely stole my heart. 🖤
New Soleil is glittering, glamorous, and absolutely dangerous. But behind the beautiful parties, wealthy elites, and dazzling magic lurks corruption, secrets, and power plays.
Enter the Nightshades....
A crew of magical women who strike fear into the hearts of the rich while protecting those society forgot. 🖤
And BABE...
The Nightshades aren't perfect. They're messy. They're stubborn. They fight. They keep secrets. They make questionable decisions. But they love fiercely. And that made every betrayal, every twist, and every heartbreaking moment worth it.
Noa is determined to prove she belongs with the Nightshades after leaving behind her privileged life. She may be an incredibly talented alchemist, but her family's connections threaten everything she's built. Meanwhile, her feelings for the fierce and intimidating gang leader Lennon? Yeah babes... those feelings are NOT subtle. 😮💨🔥
🔮 Magical outlaws
🖤 Sapphic romance
🔪 Murder mystery
✨ Ancient fading magic
👑 Corrupt elites
🤝 Found family
🎭 Secrets on secrets on secrets
The multiple POVs worked for me because each Nightshade brought something different to the story. While Noa and Lennon are at the center, I found myself becoming invested in the entire group and their complicated relationships with one another.
Think glamorous fantasy mixed with dangerous back alleys, political corruption, secret agendas, and women willing to burn the world down for the people they love. 🖤 The romance is definitely there, but for me the real star was the found family. Watching these women protect one another, challenge one another, and fight for each other made this story shine.
The Nightshades may be outlaws...but they completely stole my heart. 🖤
November 12, 2025
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
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
Did Not Finish
June 1, 2026Unfortunately had to DNF, just wasn’t able to connect with the characters and the story plot wasn’t really keeping me interested
June 11, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher Wednesday Books and Colored Pages Book Tours for the digital ARC, it hasn’t affected my honest review.
TW: death, violence, injury, toxic relationship, grief, references to sexual violence and trafficking
In New Soleil, a city made up of shining elites and a deadly underground gang scene, the Nightshades- a group of magical women outlaws- operate to protect themselves, the poor and the ones they love the most. Using their beauty, intelligence and powers, they terrify and steal from the rich, but it soon becomes clear that not everyone welcomes the influence that the Nightshades has. Noa Touissant, the daughter of a wealthy man and a powerful alchemist in her own right, fled her privileged life to join the Nightshades after becoming infatuated with their leader, Lennon. Lennon is beautiful, ferocious and damaged but softens around Noa. Aiming to keep Lennon’s love despite her background, Noa tries to prove her value with her skills even if other members of the gang doubt she’s genuine. Following a devastating loss, Noa discovers that Lennon’s enemies are closer than they realised and that the threat to them all is growing; to save Lennon, Noa must embrace who she is and what she stands for even as the magic around New Soleil starts to fade.
This is a strong concept with interesting characters, weaving together multiple timelines into a fast paced, emotionally complex fantasy/mystery. Noa is a unique main character in that she’s not immediately likeable: she’s fairly naive and doesn’t stand up for herself as much as she probably should but I enjoyed getting to see how she came into her own. Her relationship with her family and her class was my favourite part because she so badly doesn’t want to go back to that life. I did like that we see Noa from other perspectives, particularly Jolie and Mei’s, because they’re a bit kinder to her than she is to herself. The character of Lennon was my favourite- she’s solemn, struggling with chronic pain and carrying the weight of the Nightshades on her back; her mysterious backstory and connections to the other gangs was really well written. The sapphic romance between Noa and Lennon was sweet but also challenging, I like that Noa had to learn to stand on her own without Lennon’s defence. Likewise, I adored Mei and Jolie- both of whom have their own reasons for joining the Nightshades- while I struggled with the character of Theo, who just dug constantly at Noa. If you like books that start with the ending and then wind back to how we got there, ‘Her Sharp Embrace’ will be for you.
-- 3.75 stars
TW: death, violence, injury, toxic relationship, grief, references to sexual violence and trafficking
In New Soleil, a city made up of shining elites and a deadly underground gang scene, the Nightshades- a group of magical women outlaws- operate to protect themselves, the poor and the ones they love the most. Using their beauty, intelligence and powers, they terrify and steal from the rich, but it soon becomes clear that not everyone welcomes the influence that the Nightshades has. Noa Touissant, the daughter of a wealthy man and a powerful alchemist in her own right, fled her privileged life to join the Nightshades after becoming infatuated with their leader, Lennon. Lennon is beautiful, ferocious and damaged but softens around Noa. Aiming to keep Lennon’s love despite her background, Noa tries to prove her value with her skills even if other members of the gang doubt she’s genuine. Following a devastating loss, Noa discovers that Lennon’s enemies are closer than they realised and that the threat to them all is growing; to save Lennon, Noa must embrace who she is and what she stands for even as the magic around New Soleil starts to fade.
This is a strong concept with interesting characters, weaving together multiple timelines into a fast paced, emotionally complex fantasy/mystery. Noa is a unique main character in that she’s not immediately likeable: she’s fairly naive and doesn’t stand up for herself as much as she probably should but I enjoyed getting to see how she came into her own. Her relationship with her family and her class was my favourite part because she so badly doesn’t want to go back to that life. I did like that we see Noa from other perspectives, particularly Jolie and Mei’s, because they’re a bit kinder to her than she is to herself. The character of Lennon was my favourite- she’s solemn, struggling with chronic pain and carrying the weight of the Nightshades on her back; her mysterious backstory and connections to the other gangs was really well written. The sapphic romance between Noa and Lennon was sweet but also challenging, I like that Noa had to learn to stand on her own without Lennon’s defence. Likewise, I adored Mei and Jolie- both of whom have their own reasons for joining the Nightshades- while I struggled with the character of Theo, who just dug constantly at Noa. If you like books that start with the ending and then wind back to how we got there, ‘Her Sharp Embrace’ will be for you.
-- 3.75 stars
June 14, 2026
Thank you to Macmillian Audio for the advanced listener copy of this debut queer YA Romantasy. This narration was done well. The Louisiana accents sound great. It included music and inserts from a podcast/radio host providing updates along the way, giving it a mixed media feel.
The tone of this is very young adult. While there is a mystery/trial occurring, the focus of the book is on the tumultuous first love relationships of the girls within the gang.
While the tone/age of the characters places this firmly in the young adult genre, it does have open door spice. However the scenes are not detailed. The world in which the story occurs also seems to have normalized sex trafficking and brothels.
I think readers who enjoyed Metal Slinger will enjoy this one, but I was definitely not the target audience.
The tone of this is very young adult. While there is a mystery/trial occurring, the focus of the book is on the tumultuous first love relationships of the girls within the gang.
While the tone/age of the characters places this firmly in the young adult genre, it does have open door spice. However the scenes are not detailed. The world in which the story occurs also seems to have normalized sex trafficking and brothels.
I think readers who enjoyed Metal Slinger will enjoy this one, but I was definitely not the target audience.
Did Not Finish
June 3, 2026DNF at 30%. I love the concept of a queer, magical girls' gang but this didn't work for me. This felt very similar to Six of Crows, down to the leader of the outlaw gang having a disability and the repeated mantra of "no tears" at one of the scenes ("no mourners, no funerals," anyone?). I didn't finish it, though, so take that with a grain of salt -- these just may be passing similarities.
My two biggest issues were that I really disliked the main character, Noa, and that the timeline jumps and switching POVs every chapter just made it confusing and hard to read. Personally, I just wasn't invested enough to keep going.
Thank you to Wednesday Books for sending me a free advanced reader copy of this book to read and review!
My two biggest issues were that I really disliked the main character, Noa, and that the timeline jumps and switching POVs every chapter just made it confusing and hard to read. Personally, I just wasn't invested enough to keep going.
Thank you to Wednesday Books for sending me a free advanced reader copy of this book to read and review!
July 4, 2026
I can't with this book. DNF only 10% in for incredibly immature characters who would rather act like children towards each other than accomplish their supposedly important missions (is this an after school club or a dangerous and notorious gang of skilled magic users?), and for the terrible POV writing. I don't like a switching POV in general but I certainly am not going to read one that seems to switch every two sentences. I am aware third person omniscient is a thing but this is not how it's done.
June 9, 2026
This was the first book I ever did an immersive read with and let me tell you if you want to get the perfect experience from this book I think there is no other way to enjoy it than that! In the audio book they add songs to make it sound like a radio add and there are multiple different voices for the characters!
Onto the story line. This is such a gritty dark fantasy! I loved the magic system and the heists this group of girls goes through! Someone gets murdered and they need to figure out who put a hit out on their group. Unraveling this mystery and finding out the multiple layers to each girl and their lies was fricking insane!!! I never knew who to trust!
The ending also had me on the edge of my seat with my mind absolutely blown because it was totally unexpected!!! I cannot wait to see where this story goes because the first book was absolutely perfect!
Onto the story line. This is such a gritty dark fantasy! I loved the magic system and the heists this group of girls goes through! Someone gets murdered and they need to figure out who put a hit out on their group. Unraveling this mystery and finding out the multiple layers to each girl and their lies was fricking insane!!! I never knew who to trust!
The ending also had me on the edge of my seat with my mind absolutely blown because it was totally unexpected!!! I cannot wait to see where this story goes because the first book was absolutely perfect!
July 13, 2026
Ugh, I'm sad the sequel to this book isn't out yet because I can't wait to read it!! This book reminded me of how I felt while reading Six of Crows, but in an all women team. I don't know what to do with all of my feelings from the last chapter, but I'm going to explode if I don't get the second book soon (sob). If you need to go on an adventure filled with alleys and underground crime, you're ready for this YA Fantasy.
Thank you to St Martin's Press | Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book!
Thank you to St Martin's Press | Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book!
February 26, 2026
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.
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.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 13, 2026
This big-hearted, thrilling story was a pleasure to read. I loved learning bit-by-bit about this band of highly capable sisters (both their endearing qualities and foibles) alongside a dark mystery. I found my eye skipping down the page to see what happens next! I can’t wait for a sequel.
December 9, 2025
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.
Read
April 30, 2026Sadly 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!🌟
🌟Thank you Goodreads for the free book in exchange for an honest review!🌟
October 11, 2025
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.
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.
July 1, 2026
I won this book in a giveaway! It definitely gives off some romantasy & found family vibes that are popular right now but this book sorta fell flat for me. I wanted more New Orleans inspo, more explanation of the saints & the system of this world. I felt like the mixed media aspect didn’t really add much to the story and could’ve been more fleshed out if it was going to be a major “perspective”.
October 25, 2025
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.
July 9, 2026
Every good witch knows that the most dangerous magic isn't cast beneath a full moon—it's whispered into the heart by someone you would burn the world to keep.
Kate Koenig's Her Sharp Embrace completely bewitched me. This is one of those books that sinks its claws into you early and refuses to let go, wrapping murder, rebellion, romance, and magic into a story that feels as intoxicating as one of the Nightshades' dangerous charisms. While I've seen readers criticize the layered timelines and sprawling worldbuilding, I found myself utterly captivated because the emotional core of this novel—the aching, obsessive love story at its center—made every page worth it. By the time I reached the final twist, I was staring at the last chapter in complete disbelief. It was exactly the kind of ending I hope for in fantasy: shocking, heartbreaking, and impossible to stop thinking about.
The story follows Noa Toussaint, a privileged young woman who abandons her wealthy family to join the Nightshades, an infamous gang of magical outlaws protecting the forgotten people of New Soleil. Their city is dripping with Gothic atmosphere—decadent mansions, corruption hidden behind elegance, fading magic, and danger lurking beneath every glittering street. When fellow Nightshade Jolie is murdered and the gang's precious supply of magical oleum is stolen, suspicion falls on their enemies, the Cauchemar. What follows is part murder mystery, part political conspiracy, and part tragic romance as Noa desperately searches for the truth while trying to protect the people she loves most.
Noa is such a fascinating protagonist because she is deeply flawed. She's impulsive, hopelessly in love, and often allows her emotions to overrule common sense. Those flaws make her frustrating at times, but they also make her incredibly human. She isn't trying to become a hero—she's simply trying to hold together a life she's terrified of losing. Her devotion drives nearly every decision she makes, and I found myself rooting for her even when she made spectacularly bad choices.
But let's be honest: the real reason I became obsessed with this novel is Lennon.
Lennon Boudreaux is everything I love in a fantasy heroine. Fierce, fiercely protective, charismatic, and quietly vulnerable beneath all that confidence, she commands every scene she's in. The romance between Lennon and Noa absolutely consumed me. It isn't a sweet, easy romance. It's messy, obsessive, passionate, and constantly tested by secrets, loyalty, and impossible choices. Their chemistry practically crackles off the page, and Koenig captures that intoxicating feeling of first love mixed with absolute devotion so perfectly that I often forgot there was an entire murder investigation happening around them.
The supporting cast adds even more complexity. Theo constantly kept me guessing with her motivations, while Mei and Jolie helped create that bittersweet found-family dynamic that made the Nightshades feel like more than just a criminal gang. Every member carries emotional baggage, making their relationships feel believable rather than idealized. Even when they argue or betray one another, the love underneath never disappears.
The plot itself unfolds through multiple timelines, revealing how the Nightshades came together while simultaneously moving the present-day investigation forward. Normally this kind of structure can become confusing, but here it slowly peels back layers of deception until everything clicks into place. Every revelation forces you to reconsider what you thought you understood about the characters and their choices.
Now for the spoilers.
That ending absolutely wrecked me—in the best possible way. Just when I thought I had finally figured out where the story was going, Koenig completely pulled the rug out from under me. The truth behind the conspiracy, the betrayals, and the secrets Noa had been carrying recontextualized so many earlier scenes that I immediately wanted to start the book over. Rather than feeling like a twist included simply for shock value, it felt earned. Every breadcrumb had been there all along, hidden beneath emotion and misdirection. The final chapters are relentless, transforming what initially appears to be a straightforward fantasy mystery into something much darker and far more emotionally devastating, while ending on a cliffhanger that left me desperate for the sequel.
Ultimately, Her Sharp Embrace wasn't perfect, but perfection was never what made me fall in love with it. It was the atmosphere, the morally complicated characters, the gorgeous sapphic romance, and the way every emotional decision carried enormous consequences. Most of all, it was that unforgettable ending. Few books manage to genuinely surprise me anymore, but this one absolutely did. If you love dark fantasy filled with haunted cities, dangerous magic, morally gray heroines, found family, and romances powerful enough to destroy kingdoms, Her Sharp Embrace deserves a place at the very top of your reading list. I'm already counting the days until I can return to New Soleil.
Kate Koenig's Her Sharp Embrace completely bewitched me. This is one of those books that sinks its claws into you early and refuses to let go, wrapping murder, rebellion, romance, and magic into a story that feels as intoxicating as one of the Nightshades' dangerous charisms. While I've seen readers criticize the layered timelines and sprawling worldbuilding, I found myself utterly captivated because the emotional core of this novel—the aching, obsessive love story at its center—made every page worth it. By the time I reached the final twist, I was staring at the last chapter in complete disbelief. It was exactly the kind of ending I hope for in fantasy: shocking, heartbreaking, and impossible to stop thinking about.
The story follows Noa Toussaint, a privileged young woman who abandons her wealthy family to join the Nightshades, an infamous gang of magical outlaws protecting the forgotten people of New Soleil. Their city is dripping with Gothic atmosphere—decadent mansions, corruption hidden behind elegance, fading magic, and danger lurking beneath every glittering street. When fellow Nightshade Jolie is murdered and the gang's precious supply of magical oleum is stolen, suspicion falls on their enemies, the Cauchemar. What follows is part murder mystery, part political conspiracy, and part tragic romance as Noa desperately searches for the truth while trying to protect the people she loves most.
Noa is such a fascinating protagonist because she is deeply flawed. She's impulsive, hopelessly in love, and often allows her emotions to overrule common sense. Those flaws make her frustrating at times, but they also make her incredibly human. She isn't trying to become a hero—she's simply trying to hold together a life she's terrified of losing. Her devotion drives nearly every decision she makes, and I found myself rooting for her even when she made spectacularly bad choices.
But let's be honest: the real reason I became obsessed with this novel is Lennon.
Lennon Boudreaux is everything I love in a fantasy heroine. Fierce, fiercely protective, charismatic, and quietly vulnerable beneath all that confidence, she commands every scene she's in. The romance between Lennon and Noa absolutely consumed me. It isn't a sweet, easy romance. It's messy, obsessive, passionate, and constantly tested by secrets, loyalty, and impossible choices. Their chemistry practically crackles off the page, and Koenig captures that intoxicating feeling of first love mixed with absolute devotion so perfectly that I often forgot there was an entire murder investigation happening around them.
The supporting cast adds even more complexity. Theo constantly kept me guessing with her motivations, while Mei and Jolie helped create that bittersweet found-family dynamic that made the Nightshades feel like more than just a criminal gang. Every member carries emotional baggage, making their relationships feel believable rather than idealized. Even when they argue or betray one another, the love underneath never disappears.
The plot itself unfolds through multiple timelines, revealing how the Nightshades came together while simultaneously moving the present-day investigation forward. Normally this kind of structure can become confusing, but here it slowly peels back layers of deception until everything clicks into place. Every revelation forces you to reconsider what you thought you understood about the characters and their choices.
Now for the spoilers.
That ending absolutely wrecked me—in the best possible way. Just when I thought I had finally figured out where the story was going, Koenig completely pulled the rug out from under me. The truth behind the conspiracy, the betrayals, and the secrets Noa had been carrying recontextualized so many earlier scenes that I immediately wanted to start the book over. Rather than feeling like a twist included simply for shock value, it felt earned. Every breadcrumb had been there all along, hidden beneath emotion and misdirection. The final chapters are relentless, transforming what initially appears to be a straightforward fantasy mystery into something much darker and far more emotionally devastating, while ending on a cliffhanger that left me desperate for the sequel.
Ultimately, Her Sharp Embrace wasn't perfect, but perfection was never what made me fall in love with it. It was the atmosphere, the morally complicated characters, the gorgeous sapphic romance, and the way every emotional decision carried enormous consequences. Most of all, it was that unforgettable ending. Few books manage to genuinely surprise me anymore, but this one absolutely did. If you love dark fantasy filled with haunted cities, dangerous magic, morally gray heroines, found family, and romances powerful enough to destroy kingdoms, Her Sharp Embrace deserves a place at the very top of your reading list. I'm already counting the days until I can return to New Soleil.
June 17, 2026
(3.75 ⭐) Her Sharp Embrace is a delicious jaunt through a New Orleans-inspired magical world, filled with heists, messy-but-loveable found families, complicated social hierarchies, and even a bit of a murder mystery. Though I sometimes wanted more from the prose and the type of twist that unfolded isn’t my favorite, I was locked into this story & world.
We’re following the Nightshades, a girl gang of magical thieves in the city of New Soleil. Each member is a Saint, a person with innate magic and fueled further by oleum. They mess with the rich & corrupt - like the baron families and inquisitors - and support those struggling to get by.
Noa Toussaint is a baroness, but she left the protection of her family behind to follow Lennon, the leader of the Nightshades. They’ve fallen fast and hard for each other, and Noa is one of the most talented alchemists out there, but the other members are … less certain. They don’t trust that she’s fully left her baron ways behind.
And when a new enemy targets their group, they’re all in grave danger. The girls have to work together to uncover the identity of the mysterious newcomers on the scene and stay alive. But they all have secrets, and their pasts might be catching up to them.
I loved the New Orleans-style setting, from the vibrant atmosphere of the city to the krokodiles in the bayou. The divides between the rich & powerful and the poor & struggling aren’t unfamiliar, but this entire world felt very grounded and fully-realized.
Each Nightshade member also got a bit of time in the spotlight, and I was compelled by all of their motivations and backstories. We also get a well-rounded cast of queer characters (including a brief but sweet scene with a trans character) and disability representation (Lennon is chronically ill and has some physical limitations and chronic pain).
Noa’s chapters are written in first-person (the others are in third-person), but I often found myself leaning in closer and feeling more aligned during the other characters’ segments. I think the prose found its footing a little more outside of Noa’s perspective – she’s a bit irritating, a bit naive, and is afraid during most scenes of the book. I didn’t exactly dislike her, but it can be frustrating to read about a heist from the least competent and least enmeshed member of the heist team.
I did enjoy the mixed media elements! We get potion recipes, news articles, and more. Since this is a story that hops around so much (both between characters and between timelines), those bits of extra information helped immerse me deeper into the world and also provided some crucial foreshadowing.
I did stumble a bit with the prose overall. A lot of the exposition was awkward and also not-totally-clearly explained, and we would get massive informational dumps around characters and their relationships and their politics. I would have to reread sections a few times over just to make sure I understood who specific characters were and what their exact relationships were to the Nightshades. It might have just been a case of too much going on in not enough pages, especially when you add in all of the timeline-hopping as a source of additional confusion. I also never had total clarity on the magic system or the rules of magic use, though the way magic was viewed societally was much richer, detailed, and engaging.
There is a murder mystery that you’ll likely be unable to fully solve (because of some twists and some information that is intentionally withheld from the readers), so I’d approach this less as that sort of story. I think you’ll have more fun if you just come along for the ride and dive into this dark southern world and its characters.
This is a story about finding your people, about becoming your full self, and about navigating first loves. It’s got plenty of action and drama, but what I found most compelling were these journeys about identity, both as you grow up and also as the world around you constantly shifts. There are new waves of classism and social hierarchies, competing religions, expanding-cities versus bayous, and shifting politics.
I’m definitely curious to see how this duology concludes, and also big shoutout to the audiobook narrators (I listened to maybe 20% on audio) for excellent performances!
CW: death, murder, toxic relationship, blood, violence, trafficking, classism, guns, abuse, mental illness, gaslighting, abandonment, confinement, police brutality, panic attacks, chronic illness, ableism, vomit, sexual content
Follow me on social media for book recommendations!
(I received a free copy of this book; this is my honest review.)
We’re following the Nightshades, a girl gang of magical thieves in the city of New Soleil. Each member is a Saint, a person with innate magic and fueled further by oleum. They mess with the rich & corrupt - like the baron families and inquisitors - and support those struggling to get by.
Noa Toussaint is a baroness, but she left the protection of her family behind to follow Lennon, the leader of the Nightshades. They’ve fallen fast and hard for each other, and Noa is one of the most talented alchemists out there, but the other members are … less certain. They don’t trust that she’s fully left her baron ways behind.
And when a new enemy targets their group, they’re all in grave danger. The girls have to work together to uncover the identity of the mysterious newcomers on the scene and stay alive. But they all have secrets, and their pasts might be catching up to them.
I loved the New Orleans-style setting, from the vibrant atmosphere of the city to the krokodiles in the bayou. The divides between the rich & powerful and the poor & struggling aren’t unfamiliar, but this entire world felt very grounded and fully-realized.
Each Nightshade member also got a bit of time in the spotlight, and I was compelled by all of their motivations and backstories. We also get a well-rounded cast of queer characters (including a brief but sweet scene with a trans character) and disability representation (Lennon is chronically ill and has some physical limitations and chronic pain).
Noa’s chapters are written in first-person (the others are in third-person), but I often found myself leaning in closer and feeling more aligned during the other characters’ segments. I think the prose found its footing a little more outside of Noa’s perspective – she’s a bit irritating, a bit naive, and is afraid during most scenes of the book. I didn’t exactly dislike her, but it can be frustrating to read about a heist from the least competent and least enmeshed member of the heist team.
I did enjoy the mixed media elements! We get potion recipes, news articles, and more. Since this is a story that hops around so much (both between characters and between timelines), those bits of extra information helped immerse me deeper into the world and also provided some crucial foreshadowing.
I did stumble a bit with the prose overall. A lot of the exposition was awkward and also not-totally-clearly explained, and we would get massive informational dumps around characters and their relationships and their politics. I would have to reread sections a few times over just to make sure I understood who specific characters were and what their exact relationships were to the Nightshades. It might have just been a case of too much going on in not enough pages, especially when you add in all of the timeline-hopping as a source of additional confusion. I also never had total clarity on the magic system or the rules of magic use, though the way magic was viewed societally was much richer, detailed, and engaging.
There is a murder mystery that you’ll likely be unable to fully solve (because of some twists and some information that is intentionally withheld from the readers), so I’d approach this less as that sort of story. I think you’ll have more fun if you just come along for the ride and dive into this dark southern world and its characters.
This is a story about finding your people, about becoming your full self, and about navigating first loves. It’s got plenty of action and drama, but what I found most compelling were these journeys about identity, both as you grow up and also as the world around you constantly shifts. There are new waves of classism and social hierarchies, competing religions, expanding-cities versus bayous, and shifting politics.
I’m definitely curious to see how this duology concludes, and also big shoutout to the audiobook narrators (I listened to maybe 20% on audio) for excellent performances!
CW: death, murder, toxic relationship, blood, violence, trafficking, classism, guns, abuse, mental illness, gaslighting, abandonment, confinement, police brutality, panic attacks, chronic illness, ableism, vomit, sexual content
Follow me on social media for book recommendations!
(I received a free copy of this book; this is my honest review.)
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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
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
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
"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...
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...
July 14, 2026
Her Sharp Embrace claims to be a Robin Hood-esque story set in a magical New Orleans-inspired fantasy world, with our main character Noa Toussaint having just joined the gang of outlaws called the Nightshades. The Nightshades strike fear into the lives of the rich upper-class, and they know how to all too well, because Noa used to be one of them. Having left her life as a next-in-line Baroness to join the Nightshades, she aims to make the world a better place for the downtrodden. But when a job goes wrong and one of the members of the Nightshades is killed shortly after, it calls into question everything the gang has set out to do and which members can be trusted.
This book seemed like it would hit all the boxes for me. Magical Victorian world, girl gang going after the rich to give to the poor, alchemy and potions, a queer love story. This book had so much potential, but it unfortunately fell so flat for me. There were too many inconsistencies, in the plot, the characters, and the worldbuilding, for me to really enjoy this. There did also seem to be some sloppy editing in this ARC copy - lots of repetition, duplicate words and sentences, dialogue without speaker tags and action tags without a speaker attached to them. I do wonder how many of these editing issues and inconsistencies will be fixed in the final copy with extra rounds of editing, but I unfortunately don't want to buy a finished copy of this in order to find out. I may decide to read the second book because the ending did intrigue me as to the direction of the conclusion - but this was a 2.5-star read for me, rounded up to a 3 for Goodreads.
I did enjoy the vibe and setting of this book; the New Orleans-inspired Victorian setting is something I really liked, and the setting really did help enhance the intrigue of the plotline in parts. The descriptions of specific scenes/settings within the book, like the house where the heist was and the rival gang's hangout at the docks, were done really well and helped form good pictures in my head. I did unfortunately feel like the world was not solidified enough though. The magic was not as fleshed out as I wanted it to be, and there were almost too many types of magic to get a good grasp on. There were quite a few anachronisms as well. The setting seemed Victorian, but too modern - it wasn't Steampunk either, although I think that could have worked really well. There was a line about not ruining a manicure, but then the characters are also picking up their skirts to run - there were enough inconsistencies like this that it took me out of the story.
I did enjoy the individual characters, and their interactions/family dynamics were quite well fleshed out, but the POV switched between chapters and the character voices between POV switches were not individual/unique enough to keep straight. It was hard to remember whose POV you were reading, until they said something highly specific to their character.
There was also a lot of telling and not showing in the plotline. There was a lot of dialogue, internal and external, about what was going on and how to solve what was happening, but not a lot of actionable scenarios where we could see the gang trying to make things better, for themselves or for the people around them. As much as the blurb made me think of a Robin Hood story, the gang seemed totally unmoored and unsure of what their mission statement actually was. They all had tragic backstories and had aims to make sure those things didn't happen to others, but none of the heists they pulled actually had real-world impact. It just seemed like they liked to terrify the rich people and then sell potions out of their back-alley shop to poor people. Their aim was inconclusive and came across that way in the storytelling.
I will say the ending was quite intriguing. The whodunit was solved with a little twist at the end, and it made you want to see the character get some comeuppance in the next book...so I may pick up the second book from the library when it comes out, read the finished copy and see how the writing and editing have evolved from this first ARC. This definitely wasn't a bad book, it had good ideas, a great premise, an imaginative setting, but I just think it needs some more shaping and guiding to really stand out.
*I received this eARC from NetGalley and am providing an honest review.*
This book seemed like it would hit all the boxes for me. Magical Victorian world, girl gang going after the rich to give to the poor, alchemy and potions, a queer love story. This book had so much potential, but it unfortunately fell so flat for me. There were too many inconsistencies, in the plot, the characters, and the worldbuilding, for me to really enjoy this. There did also seem to be some sloppy editing in this ARC copy - lots of repetition, duplicate words and sentences, dialogue without speaker tags and action tags without a speaker attached to them. I do wonder how many of these editing issues and inconsistencies will be fixed in the final copy with extra rounds of editing, but I unfortunately don't want to buy a finished copy of this in order to find out. I may decide to read the second book because the ending did intrigue me as to the direction of the conclusion - but this was a 2.5-star read for me, rounded up to a 3 for Goodreads.
I did enjoy the vibe and setting of this book; the New Orleans-inspired Victorian setting is something I really liked, and the setting really did help enhance the intrigue of the plotline in parts. The descriptions of specific scenes/settings within the book, like the house where the heist was and the rival gang's hangout at the docks, were done really well and helped form good pictures in my head. I did unfortunately feel like the world was not solidified enough though. The magic was not as fleshed out as I wanted it to be, and there were almost too many types of magic to get a good grasp on. There were quite a few anachronisms as well. The setting seemed Victorian, but too modern - it wasn't Steampunk either, although I think that could have worked really well. There was a line about not ruining a manicure, but then the characters are also picking up their skirts to run - there were enough inconsistencies like this that it took me out of the story.
I did enjoy the individual characters, and their interactions/family dynamics were quite well fleshed out, but the POV switched between chapters and the character voices between POV switches were not individual/unique enough to keep straight. It was hard to remember whose POV you were reading, until they said something highly specific to their character.
There was also a lot of telling and not showing in the plotline. There was a lot of dialogue, internal and external, about what was going on and how to solve what was happening, but not a lot of actionable scenarios where we could see the gang trying to make things better, for themselves or for the people around them. As much as the blurb made me think of a Robin Hood story, the gang seemed totally unmoored and unsure of what their mission statement actually was. They all had tragic backstories and had aims to make sure those things didn't happen to others, but none of the heists they pulled actually had real-world impact. It just seemed like they liked to terrify the rich people and then sell potions out of their back-alley shop to poor people. Their aim was inconclusive and came across that way in the storytelling.
I will say the ending was quite intriguing. The whodunit was solved with a little twist at the end, and it made you want to see the character get some comeuppance in the next book...so I may pick up the second book from the library when it comes out, read the finished copy and see how the writing and editing have evolved from this first ARC. This definitely wasn't a bad book, it had good ideas, a great premise, an imaginative setting, but I just think it needs some more shaping and guiding to really stand out.
*I received this eARC from NetGalley and am providing an honest review.*
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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....
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....
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
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.
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.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 145 reviews