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Upon a Broken Throne #1
King of Ravens
Not yet published
Expected 27 Jan 26He’ll do anything to keep her. She’d do anything to escape.
Rhiannon is dying—of what, she doesn’t know. Kept protected by her family in their remote seaside cottage, she spends her days searching for a cure. Her world is torn apart, however, when a fae King of the Dead invades her home.
Cold and cruel, Drystan offers her a choice: descend to the underworld as his bride or watch her family die. Trapped in a twisted bargain, Rhiannon is thrust into a world of withered gods, scheming courtiers, and ancient magic, but she refuses to be a pawn in a game she never agreed to play. She attempts over and over to run away, until Drystan offers her a new bargain: escape his deadly labyrinth, and he will set her free. Fail, and become his bride.
But in a court where every promise has teeth, Annon must make an impossible choice: return to the home she's always loved or claim her place in a world where she might finally belong.
Rhiannon is dying—of what, she doesn’t know. Kept protected by her family in their remote seaside cottage, she spends her days searching for a cure. Her world is torn apart, however, when a fae King of the Dead invades her home.
Cold and cruel, Drystan offers her a choice: descend to the underworld as his bride or watch her family die. Trapped in a twisted bargain, Rhiannon is thrust into a world of withered gods, scheming courtiers, and ancient magic, but she refuses to be a pawn in a game she never agreed to play. She attempts over and over to run away, until Drystan offers her a new bargain: escape his deadly labyrinth, and he will set her free. Fail, and become his bride.
But in a court where every promise has teeth, Annon must make an impossible choice: return to the home she's always loved or claim her place in a world where she might finally belong.
480 pages, Paperback
Expected publication January 27, 2026
50 people are currently reading
2687 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 173 reviews
November 26, 2025
firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!
i’m torn on whether i really liked this or not — while i tore through the pages, there were many things that stood out to me.
after reading so many romances with young fmcs, i do really appreciate that rhiannon was 33 — it’s exhausting and concerning reading women just out of girlhood be approached by much older men, it was refreshing to have a truly adult fmc in this romance.
mostly, i felt as if the plot dragged and things could have been resolved much faster, in which the way the book ended could have occurred much sooner, and we got more time with the supposed consequences. a lot of what occurred throughout the book felt like fluff, which was frustrating because i was initially interested in the world-building exhibited.
i definitely will pick up book two because of the conflicting emotions i had regarding the behavior of our mmc, but i hope the next book’s plot is more fully developed.
i’m torn on whether i really liked this or not — while i tore through the pages, there were many things that stood out to me.
after reading so many romances with young fmcs, i do really appreciate that rhiannon was 33 — it’s exhausting and concerning reading women just out of girlhood be approached by much older men, it was refreshing to have a truly adult fmc in this romance.
mostly, i felt as if the plot dragged and things could have been resolved much faster, in which the way the book ended could have occurred much sooner, and we got more time with the supposed consequences. a lot of what occurred throughout the book felt like fluff, which was frustrating because i was initially interested in the world-building exhibited.
i definitely will pick up book two because of the conflicting emotions i had regarding the behavior of our mmc, but i hope the next book’s plot is more fully developed.
November 18, 2025
Huge thanks to NetGalley & the publishers for a chance to review this arc!!
This was such a delightful read. I don’t normally read those kinds of Romantasy but this one was good. It had elements that weren’t new to the genre but I was won over by the King of Death.
I haven’t read any of the author’s previous work and I really enjoyed this one. The fact that I hadn’t read anything else from this world didn’t hinder my enjoyment or understanding.
Rhiannon has been sick most of her life and when she’s 33, the King of Death makes an appearance to take her father up on his bargain made before she was born (that their firstborn daughter would be his bride). Now, I wish we learnt more about his mother & the deal she struck with her father but sadly, this wasn’t discussed. I’m thinking that it’ll be in the next book.
All the parts about the poisons and herbalism were so interesting to me! I loved reading about this. The characters were well done and I loved reading about them. I especially loved Rhiannon. I will admit I wasn’t impressed by the nicknames (ahnon, asti, etc.) - they were a bit juvenile for me and I didn’t understand the appeal. But it wasn’t something that hindered my reading experience. The pacing and writing were addicting and easy to read.
The romance was a slow burn and the tension was a delight to read. There’s found family, good women friendships, tension & slow burn, a cat, a labyrinth with interesting challenges and ravens.
If you go into this thinking it’ll be a fun time, you’ll definitely enjoy it.
This was such a delightful read. I don’t normally read those kinds of Romantasy but this one was good. It had elements that weren’t new to the genre but I was won over by the King of Death.
I haven’t read any of the author’s previous work and I really enjoyed this one. The fact that I hadn’t read anything else from this world didn’t hinder my enjoyment or understanding.
Rhiannon has been sick most of her life and when she’s 33, the King of Death makes an appearance to take her father up on his bargain made before she was born (that their firstborn daughter would be his bride). Now, I wish we learnt more about his mother & the deal she struck with her father but sadly, this wasn’t discussed. I’m thinking that it’ll be in the next book.
All the parts about the poisons and herbalism were so interesting to me! I loved reading about this. The characters were well done and I loved reading about them. I especially loved Rhiannon. I will admit I wasn’t impressed by the nicknames (ahnon, asti, etc.) - they were a bit juvenile for me and I didn’t understand the appeal. But it wasn’t something that hindered my reading experience. The pacing and writing were addicting and easy to read.
The romance was a slow burn and the tension was a delight to read. There’s found family, good women friendships, tension & slow burn, a cat, a labyrinth with interesting challenges and ravens.
If you go into this thinking it’ll be a fun time, you’ll definitely enjoy it.
November 22, 2025
I will start from the bottom line: I loved the book very much! This was among the best fantasy books I've read in recent times, and I’ve read quite a few lately. "King of Ravens" by Clare Sager is the first book in a romantasy duology and a loose retelling of Hades and Persephone, inspired by Welsh mythology. I haven’t read any of the author’s previous books—a thing I now have to remedy. I fell in love with the writing as well as the weaving of the intricate plot.
Told in the first-person POV, the book follows Rhiannon, a 33-year-old heroine suffering from an incurable and unknown chronic illness. She is isolated in her family’s remote seaside cottage due to her condition, trying to find a cure without any luck. When Drystan, the Fae King of the Dead, appears one day in their home, demanding her parents honor the bargain they made with his mother Morrigan, the Goddess of War, Fate, and Death—her father’s life in return for their firstborn daughter—Rhiannon is left with no choice but to go with him to the underworld and become his bride.
Rhiannon finds herself locked in the strange world of the Fae with its unfamiliar rules, dangerous environment, and political intrigue. After her attempts to return home fail, Drystan offers her a bargain: escape his deadly labyrinth, and she can go home; fail, and she becomes his bride. Rhiannon agrees and must choose between returning to her family or staying in a world where she’s made new friends, might finally belong, and may even find love to boot.
What follows is an exciting tale of spicy enemies-to-lovers, slow-burn romance, royal court intrigue, dangerous trials, and ancient magic. I loved the book and flew through its pages. The story is driven by both the poetic language and the action-based conflict, but it works so well because of the characters (they are all so exquisitely crafted) and the very tight plot.
I thought the descriptions of chronic illness were accurately done. Rhiannon is a heroine one can’t help but root for. I admired her inner strength, her intelligence and determination, her kindness, her selfishness, her coping with pain, and her optimism—keeping a smile despite everything. I loved that she didn’t give up, whether in trying to find a cure for her illness or escaping Mordren (the underworld).
Drystan is full of contrasts. He is what you’d call a morally gray character—cruel on one hand, kind on the other, and constantly sending mixed signals. The coming marriage was enforced on both of them, so they only had the hand they were given to play. I have to say that I wasn’t too fond of Rhiannon’s parents. They took care of her, but they were overprotective and acted from their own selfish motives.
The book explores themes of chronic illness, valor, courage, friendship, moral dilemmas, loneliness, the need for belonging, found family, gaslighting, and familial abuse. I loved the dynamics between the characters, and the combination of the trials with the everyday life of the royal court, along with the tidbits about the Fae. For instance, they can’t lie and are night creatures. I also loved the author’s version of the Hades and Persephone tale. There are ravens, a ghost cat, new friendships—what’s not to love? The book stands on its own. Even if you aren’t familiar with Fae myths, you won’t have any problems following it.
The book’s strengths lie in its magnificent prose, rich world-building, diverse cast, and convoluted plot. The dark, gritty atmosphere and the surrounding lore were fascinating. The only issue I had was the ending. The book ends in a cliffhanger, and I must have the sequel now! If you are looking for a great fantasy that will have you scrambling for more, this book fits the bill perfectly. The characters are impressive (I loved them), the plot is exciting, and the writing is superb. Full stars from me!
* 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/2025...
Told in the first-person POV, the book follows Rhiannon, a 33-year-old heroine suffering from an incurable and unknown chronic illness. She is isolated in her family’s remote seaside cottage due to her condition, trying to find a cure without any luck. When Drystan, the Fae King of the Dead, appears one day in their home, demanding her parents honor the bargain they made with his mother Morrigan, the Goddess of War, Fate, and Death—her father’s life in return for their firstborn daughter—Rhiannon is left with no choice but to go with him to the underworld and become his bride.
Rhiannon finds herself locked in the strange world of the Fae with its unfamiliar rules, dangerous environment, and political intrigue. After her attempts to return home fail, Drystan offers her a bargain: escape his deadly labyrinth, and she can go home; fail, and she becomes his bride. Rhiannon agrees and must choose between returning to her family or staying in a world where she’s made new friends, might finally belong, and may even find love to boot.
What follows is an exciting tale of spicy enemies-to-lovers, slow-burn romance, royal court intrigue, dangerous trials, and ancient magic. I loved the book and flew through its pages. The story is driven by both the poetic language and the action-based conflict, but it works so well because of the characters (they are all so exquisitely crafted) and the very tight plot.
I thought the descriptions of chronic illness were accurately done. Rhiannon is a heroine one can’t help but root for. I admired her inner strength, her intelligence and determination, her kindness, her selfishness, her coping with pain, and her optimism—keeping a smile despite everything. I loved that she didn’t give up, whether in trying to find a cure for her illness or escaping Mordren (the underworld).
Drystan is full of contrasts. He is what you’d call a morally gray character—cruel on one hand, kind on the other, and constantly sending mixed signals. The coming marriage was enforced on both of them, so they only had the hand they were given to play. I have to say that I wasn’t too fond of Rhiannon’s parents. They took care of her, but they were overprotective and acted from their own selfish motives.
The book explores themes of chronic illness, valor, courage, friendship, moral dilemmas, loneliness, the need for belonging, found family, gaslighting, and familial abuse. I loved the dynamics between the characters, and the combination of the trials with the everyday life of the royal court, along with the tidbits about the Fae. For instance, they can’t lie and are night creatures. I also loved the author’s version of the Hades and Persephone tale. There are ravens, a ghost cat, new friendships—what’s not to love? The book stands on its own. Even if you aren’t familiar with Fae myths, you won’t have any problems following it.
The book’s strengths lie in its magnificent prose, rich world-building, diverse cast, and convoluted plot. The dark, gritty atmosphere and the surrounding lore were fascinating. The only issue I had was the ending. The book ends in a cliffhanger, and I must have the sequel now! If you are looking for a great fantasy that will have you scrambling for more, this book fits the bill perfectly. The characters are impressive (I loved them), the plot is exciting, and the writing is superb. Full stars from me!
* 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/2025...
November 25, 2025
.·:*¨ 3.75 𝔰𝔱𝔞𝔯𝔰, 𝔯𝔬𝔲𝔫𝔡𝔢𝔡 𝔲𝔭 ¨*:·.
𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓃𝓀 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓉𝑜 𝒩𝑒𝓉𝒢𝒶𝓁𝓁𝑒𝓎 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝒶𝓃 𝑒𝒜𝑅𝒞 𝒾𝓃 𝑒𝓍𝒸𝒽𝒶𝓃𝑔𝑒 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓂𝓎 𝒽𝑜𝓃𝑒𝓈𝓉 𝓇𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌
Publication Date: January 27th, 2026
🐦⬛🪦🖤
In King of Ravens, we follow a deathly ill human (Rihannon) who was bargained away by her father to marry “the king of death”. He is dark, ruthless, and everything the name implies.. he is also fae and resides in the underworld where she is taken to become his queen. She will stop at nothing to get back to her family and her brother even if it means playing the games the king of death and his court require of her. What she may not expect is to find friendship, her own strength and even possibly love along the way.
The world building was seamless and effective. I could picture everything that was described and felt like a movie was playing in my mind which is very important for me as a reader! I really enjoyed the writing style as well and found it very easy to follow along and understand.
The characters were what made this book stand out for me. I absolutely love when an author can make side characters special and Clare did just that and more. While I wasn’t the biggest fan of Rhiannon herself (I didn’t dislike her but I just didn’t care for her.. if that makes sense?), I loved all the other characters we meet. The king of death was perfect, Min, Asti, Collector.. I loved them all. I even appreciate when I dislike a character so much when we’re meant to dislike them (Phaedra 😒). She made me feel for the characters and that’s extremely important for me.
The romance wasn’t anything special but it wasn’t bad either. I do love a good slow burn and enemies to lovers romantasy. The snarky banter was my favourite part and made me giggle a few times 🤭
Now for the plot.. I’ll be honest it was a little lacklustre. I kept waiting for something big to happen, or shock me, or interest me and have me turning pages but I never got there. It was just a slow steady pace throughout. The plot twists that were included were nothing that wow-ed me and I found them pretty predictable. I really struggled to get through this book because of it. I don’t even know how to explain it because it’s not like it wasn’t enjoyable.. it just didn’t have a major climax?
Overall I felt like the characters carried this book. While the story was enjoyable it wasn’t anything memorable or exciting for me. It will be one of those books that I’ll forget most of what happened by the end of the week.
I will however remember the characters as I did really love some of them and they will have a place in my heart! I would still recommend this book especially if you are newer to the romantasy genre as I think it’s an easier read/introduction book into the genre.
Yes I will be continuing the series.. the ending!? Have to see what happens now 👀 I think book two might have more action and I’m all for it.
𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓃𝓀 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓉𝑜 𝒩𝑒𝓉𝒢𝒶𝓁𝓁𝑒𝓎 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝒶𝓃 𝑒𝒜𝑅𝒞 𝒾𝓃 𝑒𝓍𝒸𝒽𝒶𝓃𝑔𝑒 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓂𝓎 𝒽𝑜𝓃𝑒𝓈𝓉 𝓇𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌
Publication Date: January 27th, 2026
🐦⬛🪦🖤
In King of Ravens, we follow a deathly ill human (Rihannon) who was bargained away by her father to marry “the king of death”. He is dark, ruthless, and everything the name implies.. he is also fae and resides in the underworld where she is taken to become his queen. She will stop at nothing to get back to her family and her brother even if it means playing the games the king of death and his court require of her. What she may not expect is to find friendship, her own strength and even possibly love along the way.
The world building was seamless and effective. I could picture everything that was described and felt like a movie was playing in my mind which is very important for me as a reader! I really enjoyed the writing style as well and found it very easy to follow along and understand.
The characters were what made this book stand out for me. I absolutely love when an author can make side characters special and Clare did just that and more. While I wasn’t the biggest fan of Rhiannon herself (I didn’t dislike her but I just didn’t care for her.. if that makes sense?), I loved all the other characters we meet. The king of death was perfect, Min, Asti, Collector.. I loved them all. I even appreciate when I dislike a character so much when we’re meant to dislike them (Phaedra 😒). She made me feel for the characters and that’s extremely important for me.
The romance wasn’t anything special but it wasn’t bad either. I do love a good slow burn and enemies to lovers romantasy. The snarky banter was my favourite part and made me giggle a few times 🤭
Now for the plot.. I’ll be honest it was a little lacklustre. I kept waiting for something big to happen, or shock me, or interest me and have me turning pages but I never got there. It was just a slow steady pace throughout. The plot twists that were included were nothing that wow-ed me and I found them pretty predictable. I really struggled to get through this book because of it. I don’t even know how to explain it because it’s not like it wasn’t enjoyable.. it just didn’t have a major climax?
Overall I felt like the characters carried this book. While the story was enjoyable it wasn’t anything memorable or exciting for me. It will be one of those books that I’ll forget most of what happened by the end of the week.
I will however remember the characters as I did really love some of them and they will have a place in my heart! I would still recommend this book especially if you are newer to the romantasy genre as I think it’s an easier read/introduction book into the genre.
Yes I will be continuing the series.. the ending!? Have to see what happens now 👀 I think book two might have more action and I’m all for it.
remind-me-once-out
August 20, 2025WHO DO I NEED TO BRIBE FOR AN ARC?!?
December 27, 2025
Aaahhhhh as someone with a chronic illness this made me feel so seen, over extend yourself , pay for it the next day. Chronic illness rep aside the story was phenomenal, the slow burn , betrayal, labyrinth , the romance, the found family feel and of course the cat. I got a silly kick out of the fact she lives in a society where names are super important and goes around the whole book just calling him cat. Lots of twists and of course leaves you on a little cliffhanger that will have you begging for book two. Thanks Netgalley the author and the publisher for this arc.
January 1, 2026
rating: 4.5 ★
oh my god i loved it, i loved it, I LOVED IT. rtc
𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘳, 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘦-𝘢𝘳𝘤 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸. 🤍
oh my god i loved it, i loved it, I LOVED IT. rtc
𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘳, 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘦-𝘢𝘳𝘤 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸. 🤍
December 30, 2025
4.5 🌟 Thank you NetGalley and Forever Publishing for the gifted arc!! First off—I was so excited to start this because I loved Clare’s shadows of the tenebris court series. The beginning of this was slow for me and felt very basic romantasy, but by about the 30-40% mark, I was HOOKED—Clare Sager did indeed deliver. I thought I guessed the major plot twist but then another one came out of left field at the end and I’m shook!! I need the next book immediately because my questions need answers!! This book is very much Hades x Persephone coded, which is always one of my favs. The tension between Annon and Drystan was palpable, and there were so many moments that had been giggling and kicking my feet. Also the friendship between Annon/Min/Asti was everything—I just love good female friendships. This was such a great time with a labyrinth, trials, and a hedonistic unseelie court. Now gimme book 2
Review of advance copy
Honestly this was quite boring and I didn't care for any of the characters. All the twists weren't even shocking and I predicted they would happen. The ending wasn't even crazy, but also I don't really care about anyone so I'm just like 😐 okay, anyways.
Annon was a fine FMC I guess but I had no interest in her at all. And Drystan was just boring from page 1. I did not feel anything at all for the romance, nothing about them had me invested and I was so bored. I know I keep using the word "boring" but really that's how I felt for 80% of this book😭 The side characters were actually the most interesting part of this book although we didn't get much of them of course, but I really liked Min and Astrid!
This book really just dragged for me and I couldn't wait to finish. I started skimming some parts near the end because I wanted to be free of it. Disappointed I couldn't love this book because I so loved the artist lineup a certain book box had for it, but oh well, this just wasn't for me. At least it was a quick read?
Thank you Forever for the ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
Annon was a fine FMC I guess but I had no interest in her at all. And Drystan was just boring from page 1. I did not feel anything at all for the romance, nothing about them had me invested and I was so bored. I know I keep using the word "boring" but really that's how I felt for 80% of this book😭 The side characters were actually the most interesting part of this book although we didn't get much of them of course, but I really liked Min and Astrid!
This book really just dragged for me and I couldn't wait to finish. I started skimming some parts near the end because I wanted to be free of it. Disappointed I couldn't love this book because I so loved the artist lineup a certain book box had for it, but oh well, this just wasn't for me. At least it was a quick read?
Thank you Forever for the ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
December 23, 2025
4/5
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
What a fun fantasy book! With this, I do think Clare Sager has cemented herself as one of my favourite casual romantasy authors. Her plots aren’t epic (at least not the stories I’ve read) and are very much focused on one place and the characters most impacted by anything that will happen in this one place. I enjoy the smaller scale of her stories. The setting in this novel is vivid and very interesting, and also almost claustrophobic in a way.
Annon is a very solid main character. I always enjoy a main character whose wishes stay the same unless there’s a very good reason for them to change. I do wish we had seen more growth for Annon though. I also am disappointed by some revelations regarding her illness, I was hoping it would be representation of natural chronic illness, but it was not :(
Drystan is hard to get a read on. I liked him but he didn’t stand out. I feel his POV would have helped me understand his motivations. I get that the mystery is part of the allure and all that but I was just a bit annoyed at parts.
I did enjoy all of the side characters! So yay!
The plot itself is very small scale and I wasn’t SUPER invested just because I didn’t think Annon would fail. The end is interesting though and I’m curious how it’ll play out in book 2.
My biggest complaint with the book is that the pacing near the end is wacky. We have a revelation then a time skip then some events and then a cliffhanger but the characters we see in the last 10% are new ones and I wish we’d seen them or read about them before so we could know a bit more about who they were. I also can’t help but feel it could have been set up for a love interest switch if done a bit differently. I’m doubtful that’s the lane this story is taking but I wasn’t fully sold on the romance. It happened a bit too quick for me and I do think Annon was just falling for the first person who showed her love in a way. Which is sad.
I am intrigued by the end and I do think I’ll be picking up the sequel!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
What a fun fantasy book! With this, I do think Clare Sager has cemented herself as one of my favourite casual romantasy authors. Her plots aren’t epic (at least not the stories I’ve read) and are very much focused on one place and the characters most impacted by anything that will happen in this one place. I enjoy the smaller scale of her stories. The setting in this novel is vivid and very interesting, and also almost claustrophobic in a way.
Annon is a very solid main character. I always enjoy a main character whose wishes stay the same unless there’s a very good reason for them to change. I do wish we had seen more growth for Annon though. I also am disappointed by some revelations regarding her illness, I was hoping it would be representation of natural chronic illness, but it was not :(
Drystan is hard to get a read on. I liked him but he didn’t stand out. I feel his POV would have helped me understand his motivations. I get that the mystery is part of the allure and all that but I was just a bit annoyed at parts.
I did enjoy all of the side characters! So yay!
The plot itself is very small scale and I wasn’t SUPER invested just because I didn’t think Annon would fail. The end is interesting though and I’m curious how it’ll play out in book 2.
My biggest complaint with the book is that the pacing near the end is wacky. We have a revelation then a time skip then some events and then a cliffhanger but the characters we see in the last 10% are new ones and I wish we’d seen them or read about them before so we could know a bit more about who they were. I also can’t help but feel it could have been set up for a love interest switch if done a bit differently. I’m doubtful that’s the lane this story is taking but I wasn’t fully sold on the romance. It happened a bit too quick for me and I do think Annon was just falling for the first person who showed her love in a way. Which is sad.
I am intrigued by the end and I do think I’ll be picking up the sequel!
December 29, 2025
OH THE HADES AND PERSEPHONE OF IT ALLLLLLLL I LIVE!!!!
I did NOT know whatever that this man was gonna be the king of the underworld. The minute I found out about it I was so locked in.
What I loved:
- FMC is 30 years old
- overcoming the obstacles of chronic illness
- MMC is legit morally grey and DEATH itself and that’s all I need
- set up for the next book has me very interested
- Arranged marriage is always a win to me
What didn’t work for me:
- none of the plot twists surprised me
- didn’t care about the trials of the labyrinth
- it was slow to get me invested - I finally felt invested around 30%-40%
- ravens legit were a D plotline
However all of that being said, I really enjoyed the writing and the last few chapters had me locked in and I cannot WAIT for the next book cause give me ALLL the princes of hell.
Thanks to Forever and NetGalley for the eARC!
I did NOT know whatever that this man was gonna be the king of the underworld. The minute I found out about it I was so locked in.
What I loved:
- FMC is 30 years old
- overcoming the obstacles of chronic illness
- MMC is legit morally grey and DEATH itself and that’s all I need
- set up for the next book has me very interested
- Arranged marriage is always a win to me
What didn’t work for me:
- none of the plot twists surprised me
- didn’t care about the trials of the labyrinth
- it was slow to get me invested - I finally felt invested around 30%-40%
- ravens legit were a D plotline
However all of that being said, I really enjoyed the writing and the last few chapters had me locked in and I cannot WAIT for the next book cause give me ALLL the princes of hell.
Thanks to Forever and NetGalley for the eARC!
October 26, 2025
Alllllll the thanks to Clare for letting me read this early (multiple times), and so many thanks for having me as a Beta reader.
OMG Y'ALL ARE NOT PREPARED! This was magnificent! We've got a Hades-Persephone thing going on with a CRANKY King of the Underworld and a ray of sunshine human. Drystan and Annon are just *chef's kiss.* I wanted to slap him so many times, but then I also wanted to lick his chest. Pretty sure Annon felt the same. Their banter is great, the angry slow burn is burning, and the steam is SCORCHING.
The underworld that Clare created is so evocative. I felt the chill, and I was captivated. There's also a great cast of characters, and a LOVELY side sapphic romance I adored. The Labyrinth is something else too. Parts scary as hell, parts tempting, and all parts seeming impossible. I may have fallen in love with one of the monsters in it.
Ok, so you know Clare loves to torture her readers, right? Well, just be prepared to scream and throw things at that ending! Maybe even curse her name. I'm already SALIVATING over getting a glimpse of the next book.
Obviously, highly recommended. Also, it's not essential that you've read her other books, but if you have, you'll see some fun easter eggs that make you go hmmmmm.
I will leave you with some of my unhinged and out of context reading reactions here to encourage you to pick up this masterpiece!
*COME TO ME MY PRETTIES
*NOM NOM NOM
*RUDE ASSHAT
*This is HAUNTING
*Stop being poetic before I swoon
*I'm sweating. This is my nightmare
*SO HOT AND SO RUDE
*WHY DO YOU RUIN THE PERFECTION AND HOTNESS OF THIS SCENE
*This just makes me heel-kickingly giddy!
*ahhhhhh screaming in fright
*So gross, but in a weird rewarding way?
*OMGF WHAT
*HOT HOT HOT I AM A PUDDLE
*STOP MAKING ME CRY SO MUCH
*awwwww sh*t
OMG Y'ALL ARE NOT PREPARED! This was magnificent! We've got a Hades-Persephone thing going on with a CRANKY King of the Underworld and a ray of sunshine human. Drystan and Annon are just *chef's kiss.* I wanted to slap him so many times, but then I also wanted to lick his chest. Pretty sure Annon felt the same. Their banter is great, the angry slow burn is burning, and the steam is SCORCHING.
The underworld that Clare created is so evocative. I felt the chill, and I was captivated. There's also a great cast of characters, and a LOVELY side sapphic romance I adored. The Labyrinth is something else too. Parts scary as hell, parts tempting, and all parts seeming impossible. I may have fallen in love with one of the monsters in it.
Ok, so you know Clare loves to torture her readers, right? Well, just be prepared to scream and throw things at that ending! Maybe even curse her name. I'm already SALIVATING over getting a glimpse of the next book.
Obviously, highly recommended. Also, it's not essential that you've read her other books, but if you have, you'll see some fun easter eggs that make you go hmmmmm.
I will leave you with some of my unhinged and out of context reading reactions here to encourage you to pick up this masterpiece!
*COME TO ME MY PRETTIES
*NOM NOM NOM
*RUDE ASSHAT
*This is HAUNTING
*Stop being poetic before I swoon
*I'm sweating. This is my nightmare
*SO HOT AND SO RUDE
*WHY DO YOU RUIN THE PERFECTION AND HOTNESS OF THIS SCENE
*This just makes me heel-kickingly giddy!
*ahhhhhh screaming in fright
*So gross, but in a weird rewarding way?
*OMGF WHAT
*HOT HOT HOT I AM A PUDDLE
*STOP MAKING ME CRY SO MUCH
*awwwww sh*t
December 21, 2025
this one is for those of us who have YEARNED for an arranged marriage with a hot (kind of evil) fae king of death (and really, who among us hasn’t).
king of ravens was good, fun, and hot, with all of the things we love to see in our romantasies — it's tropey, everyone is f*cking HOT and kind of evil, there's a terrifying labyrinth, and a slow (but not too slow) burn between two people forced into a betrothal that neither wants.
while it’s not at all groundbreaking, there’s some great chronic illness representation and it’s plenty interesting, with fae reminiscent of the holly black unseelie variety (my favorite kind!!!), making for a quick and easy read — but if you’re finding the romantasy subgenre a bit stale and derivative, you might want to skip past this one.
pick it up if you’re in the mood for some standard, fun romantasy fare that feels vaguely hades and persephone inspired, but don’t expect a reinvention of the wheel.
thank you so much to forever for the chance to read the ARC! fingers crossed we get spin-offs in this world with the hot evil brothers who are all also single.
king of ravens was good, fun, and hot, with all of the things we love to see in our romantasies — it's tropey, everyone is f*cking HOT and kind of evil, there's a terrifying labyrinth, and a slow (but not too slow) burn between two people forced into a betrothal that neither wants.
while it’s not at all groundbreaking, there’s some great chronic illness representation and it’s plenty interesting, with fae reminiscent of the holly black unseelie variety (my favorite kind!!!), making for a quick and easy read — but if you’re finding the romantasy subgenre a bit stale and derivative, you might want to skip past this one.
pick it up if you’re in the mood for some standard, fun romantasy fare that feels vaguely hades and persephone inspired, but don’t expect a reinvention of the wheel.
thank you so much to forever for the chance to read the ARC! fingers crossed we get spin-offs in this world with the hot evil brothers who are all also single.
December 13, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I have complicated feelings about this one. If you know me personally, you know that Clare Sager’s Shadows of the Tenebris Court series is one of my favorite trilogies I’ve ever read.
So when she announced her publishing deal with Forever Publishing and it was a book about Drystan (who we are briefly introduced to at the end of A Promise of Lies), I was beyond excited.
However, this story felt underdeveloped compared to everything else she’s written. While I enjoyed some aspects, mainly the characters and the moments that happen outside of the labyrinth. I couldn’t help but feel the labyrinth and plot itself felt bare bones.
The story did feel very much like a first or second draft. The ideas were there, but things were not fleshed out. The time we spend with Rhiannon inside the labyrinth is fairly minimal. We only really get scenes there when she’s close to the end and going through a trial. And I’m not going to lie, I was confused on what counted as a trial and what didn’t.
I found the first 50% of the book to be pretty slow. The romance between Drystan and Rhiannon doesn’t start until the halfway point. But when it does, it’s extremely enjoyable. I felt as though we finally were getting somewhere with the plot and that Drystan was a fairly interesting and lovable love interest.
The ending felt a bit rushed but I’m willing to continue the series because while this isn’t Clare’s best book, I did still enjoy it. I’m thinking because this book was more so fast tracked for publishing (it was announced only 3 months ago) and it’s already being published in January of 2026, Clare didn’t get as much time for development as she usually does with her indie books. I’m thinking book two is likely going to be an improvement as she’ll have more time to work on it. But that could be me!
Overall, decent. Could be better but still a good time.
3.5 stars
I have complicated feelings about this one. If you know me personally, you know that Clare Sager’s Shadows of the Tenebris Court series is one of my favorite trilogies I’ve ever read.
So when she announced her publishing deal with Forever Publishing and it was a book about Drystan (who we are briefly introduced to at the end of A Promise of Lies), I was beyond excited.
However, this story felt underdeveloped compared to everything else she’s written. While I enjoyed some aspects, mainly the characters and the moments that happen outside of the labyrinth. I couldn’t help but feel the labyrinth and plot itself felt bare bones.
The story did feel very much like a first or second draft. The ideas were there, but things were not fleshed out. The time we spend with Rhiannon inside the labyrinth is fairly minimal. We only really get scenes there when she’s close to the end and going through a trial. And I’m not going to lie, I was confused on what counted as a trial and what didn’t.
I found the first 50% of the book to be pretty slow. The romance between Drystan and Rhiannon doesn’t start until the halfway point. But when it does, it’s extremely enjoyable. I felt as though we finally were getting somewhere with the plot and that Drystan was a fairly interesting and lovable love interest.
The ending felt a bit rushed but I’m willing to continue the series because while this isn’t Clare’s best book, I did still enjoy it. I’m thinking because this book was more so fast tracked for publishing (it was announced only 3 months ago) and it’s already being published in January of 2026, Clare didn’t get as much time for development as she usually does with her indie books. I’m thinking book two is likely going to be an improvement as she’ll have more time to work on it. But that could be me!
Overall, decent. Could be better but still a good time.
3.5 stars
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
You can find this review, and some of my favourite quotes, on my blog, Heart's Content!
A big shout out and thank you to the publisher, Forever, and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary copy of King of Ravens in exchange for an honest review!
King of Ravens is akin to one of those relationships in one’s life that, with time, sweeten to something special, beautiful and everlasting. Some books reveal their true nature from the very first chapter, where you’ll find yourself thinking, “Oh, yes. This is something very special.” These kind of books are always welcome and we’re often going in search of them as readers.
But, personally, I find they are not what stick with me the longest, emotionally. It’s the books that resist revealing themselves, those that I need to trust, persist and coax, that do. King of Ravens is one such book. While, yes, there is a very evident dark and deeply emotional tenor the book carries from the first page, there’s also the most heart-wrenching note of sorrow that’s evident through those first chapters. Initially, that’s all that we can look at, the rest almost fades away into the background. However, soon, that tone expands to reveal the true notes that reverberate through it and you see a kaleidoscope of emotions that light up both, your experience and the protagonists’, in her heart-moving, determined and personal journey.
The narration in this story is closely linked to the writing. The author chooses to approach this book through the thoughts of the protagonist, who’s also the primary—and only—narrator of this story. We don’t have any insight into anyone else’s thoughts and a single person POV is my poison, so you can probably hear me celebrating from China. The author has styled her work to ensure that her FMC has everything she needs to be just enough to draw the readers in and at the same time to not share enough and keep us guessing. Annon’s journey through this book begins emotionally and only delves further into her situation and psyche with time. The slow but steady spiral of her situation and the life she creates in a place she never chose, was beautifully narrated and wonderfully crafted. I did not walk into this book thinking I would cry, but I did, at nearly every moment that Annon did, in exactly the same way. To feel that connected to the narrator and the writing is something that can only ever elevate a reader’s experience and love for a book. And I loved this book. Very. Much.
I would say, from my experience in reading, that this book was just the foundation to something bigger. If I’m not wrong, book two is likely going to bring the full weight of the plot. This book expands beautifully on all the little things that we need to understand about the characters, their roles and lives, and sets the scene for the tale to truly begin. This book created the perfect space and atmosphere for the two characters to step into each others’ worlds and figure out what they want from one another and their relationship. But the true plot, I think, is tucked away neatly behind and beneath all this. Also, given the way it ended … I have to say, I think we haven’t seen everything yet. This was just an extremely enticing, perfectly intriguing and wonderfully executed trailer. Plot twists and all.
The characters in the story, whether primary, secondary or tertiary, are all so heart-lovingly created, positioned and established. Everyone has roles, purpose and personality. You will find yourself a little in love with them and wonder, when they became so close to your heart. The best kind of books are those whose supporting characters are really well written and King of Ravens has now joined that list of books for me. I won’t say anything else, because I think I’ll let you find out for yourself. *wink*
The world building in this book is both familiar, new and fascinating. It starts in a world that isn’t too far from reality—even though it isn’t current—and from there, doors open into newer, dangerous and more treacherous world. That world is filled with all the intrigue, magic and chaos your heart could want. I will say that once again, the world has just been set-up and the next book is where we will see and feel the true complexities of it. That being said, there is still a lot of surprises, magic and mystery to be had in this book!
But with regard to the pace, this book for me, picked up around the 30% mark. Until then there was the building up of, and placement being done for, all the chess pieces that required to be in their positions for the story to start. So, do stick with it, if you, like me feel a mild lag in the beginning; because the book absolutely will pick up.
Five stars! Happy, happy reading! Please do check trigger warnings as always as there can be themes in this book that can be difficult for some.
A big shout out and thank you to the publisher, Forever, and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary copy of King of Ravens in exchange for an honest review!
King of Ravens is akin to one of those relationships in one’s life that, with time, sweeten to something special, beautiful and everlasting. Some books reveal their true nature from the very first chapter, where you’ll find yourself thinking, “Oh, yes. This is something very special.” These kind of books are always welcome and we’re often going in search of them as readers.
But, personally, I find they are not what stick with me the longest, emotionally. It’s the books that resist revealing themselves, those that I need to trust, persist and coax, that do. King of Ravens is one such book. While, yes, there is a very evident dark and deeply emotional tenor the book carries from the first page, there’s also the most heart-wrenching note of sorrow that’s evident through those first chapters. Initially, that’s all that we can look at, the rest almost fades away into the background. However, soon, that tone expands to reveal the true notes that reverberate through it and you see a kaleidoscope of emotions that light up both, your experience and the protagonists’, in her heart-moving, determined and personal journey.
The narration in this story is closely linked to the writing. The author chooses to approach this book through the thoughts of the protagonist, who’s also the primary—and only—narrator of this story. We don’t have any insight into anyone else’s thoughts and a single person POV is my poison, so you can probably hear me celebrating from China. The author has styled her work to ensure that her FMC has everything she needs to be just enough to draw the readers in and at the same time to not share enough and keep us guessing. Annon’s journey through this book begins emotionally and only delves further into her situation and psyche with time. The slow but steady spiral of her situation and the life she creates in a place she never chose, was beautifully narrated and wonderfully crafted. I did not walk into this book thinking I would cry, but I did, at nearly every moment that Annon did, in exactly the same way. To feel that connected to the narrator and the writing is something that can only ever elevate a reader’s experience and love for a book. And I loved this book. Very. Much.
I would say, from my experience in reading, that this book was just the foundation to something bigger. If I’m not wrong, book two is likely going to bring the full weight of the plot. This book expands beautifully on all the little things that we need to understand about the characters, their roles and lives, and sets the scene for the tale to truly begin. This book created the perfect space and atmosphere for the two characters to step into each others’ worlds and figure out what they want from one another and their relationship. But the true plot, I think, is tucked away neatly behind and beneath all this. Also, given the way it ended … I have to say, I think we haven’t seen everything yet. This was just an extremely enticing, perfectly intriguing and wonderfully executed trailer. Plot twists and all.
The characters in the story, whether primary, secondary or tertiary, are all so heart-lovingly created, positioned and established. Everyone has roles, purpose and personality. You will find yourself a little in love with them and wonder, when they became so close to your heart. The best kind of books are those whose supporting characters are really well written and King of Ravens has now joined that list of books for me. I won’t say anything else, because I think I’ll let you find out for yourself. *wink*
The world building in this book is both familiar, new and fascinating. It starts in a world that isn’t too far from reality—even though it isn’t current—and from there, doors open into newer, dangerous and more treacherous world. That world is filled with all the intrigue, magic and chaos your heart could want. I will say that once again, the world has just been set-up and the next book is where we will see and feel the true complexities of it. That being said, there is still a lot of surprises, magic and mystery to be had in this book!
But with regard to the pace, this book for me, picked up around the 30% mark. Until then there was the building up of, and placement being done for, all the chess pieces that required to be in their positions for the story to start. So, do stick with it, if you, like me feel a mild lag in the beginning; because the book absolutely will pick up.
Five stars! Happy, happy reading! Please do check trigger warnings as always as there can be themes in this book that can be difficult for some.
November 18, 2025
A very ill woman finds herself in a twisted bargain because of her father. She is to be betrothed to one of the kings of the underworld. After much resistance, the headstrong fmc wants to return home by any means necessary. He offers her a deal. If she can escape his labyrinth then she can return home and if she can’t then she must remain in the underworld as his bride forever.
This is a steamy Hades and Persephone coded fae romantasy. Human girl finds herself in the hands of the mysterious fae king of death. The beginning of the story does feel very similar to other popular romantasy storylines. The mysterious illness is the main thing that makes the story more interesting. Because of all of this, I struggled to get invested until much later on in the book.
I am a huge fan of Clare’s books, although this wasn’t my favorite book by her, the ending has me hopeful for the series. I won’t give anything away but the ending does reveal a few big twists that will change the course of the story. I can see the series getting darker which I like.
𝐻𝒶𝒹𝑒𝓈 𝓍 𝒫𝑒𝓇𝓈𝑒𝓅𝒽𝑜𝓃𝑒
𝐹𝒶𝑒 𝐵𝒶𝓇𝑔𝒶𝒾𝓃
𝒞𝒽𝓇𝑜𝓃𝒾𝒸 𝐼𝓁𝓁𝓃𝑒𝓈𝓈 𝑅𝑒𝓅
𝐿𝒶𝒷𝓎𝓇𝒾𝓃𝓉𝒽 𝐼𝓃𝓈𝓅𝒾𝓇𝑒𝒹
𝐹𝑜𝓇𝒸𝑒𝒹 𝐵𝑒𝓉𝓇𝑜𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓁
𝒢𝓇𝓊𝓂𝓅𝓎 𝓍 𝒮𝓊𝓃𝓈𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑒
𝒟𝒶𝓇𝓀 𝑅𝑜𝓂𝒶𝓃𝓉𝒶𝓈𝓎
This is a steamy Hades and Persephone coded fae romantasy. Human girl finds herself in the hands of the mysterious fae king of death. The beginning of the story does feel very similar to other popular romantasy storylines. The mysterious illness is the main thing that makes the story more interesting. Because of all of this, I struggled to get invested until much later on in the book.
I am a huge fan of Clare’s books, although this wasn’t my favorite book by her, the ending has me hopeful for the series. I won’t give anything away but the ending does reveal a few big twists that will change the course of the story. I can see the series getting darker which I like.
𝐻𝒶𝒹𝑒𝓈 𝓍 𝒫𝑒𝓇𝓈𝑒𝓅𝒽𝑜𝓃𝑒
𝐹𝒶𝑒 𝐵𝒶𝓇𝑔𝒶𝒾𝓃
𝒞𝒽𝓇𝑜𝓃𝒾𝒸 𝐼𝓁𝓁𝓃𝑒𝓈𝓈 𝑅𝑒𝓅
𝐿𝒶𝒷𝓎𝓇𝒾𝓃𝓉𝒽 𝐼𝓃𝓈𝓅𝒾𝓇𝑒𝒹
𝐹𝑜𝓇𝒸𝑒𝒹 𝐵𝑒𝓉𝓇𝑜𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓁
𝒢𝓇𝓊𝓂𝓅𝓎 𝓍 𝒮𝓊𝓃𝓈𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑒
𝒟𝒶𝓇𝓀 𝑅𝑜𝓂𝒶𝓃𝓉𝒶𝓈𝓎
December 12, 2025
✨King of Ravens✨
Author: Clare Sager
Release: 1.27.26
Series: Upon A Broken Throne duet, book 1
How do I even function after that ending? Holy freaking smokes… like… Clare. No, no. That isn’t enough. CLARE. Yes, that’s better. CLARE, HOW COULD YOU?!
In this upcoming release from our favorite Clare, we get to venture into the confines of her Sabreverse’s Underworld. We follow the first person POV of our FMC, Annon, a 33 year old lover of horticulture and knowledge, who has been battling chronic illness for 16 years yet still finds the ability to be joyful and grateful. But when she finds out that her life has been bargained away to the Fae King of Death, her resolve is put to the test.
In a kingdom where everything Annon is equals weakness and where no being can fully be trusted, she must earn her escape from this forced marriage and devious court. She does this by making her way through the King’s labyrinth daily and by pretending to adore said broody king nightly. Between these morally grey walls and fae, Annon uses her kindness as a weapon to not only create allies, but battle horror-like creatures, and woo our king, Drystan, who is as confusing as the labyrinth. And while their connection takes a bit to ignite, once it does, it’s so very worth it: in the best and most painful way.
There’s a slooow burn, a king who doesn’t kiss, a precious found family, pet familiars, an unsuspecting ally, court intrigue, betrayal, and a devastating cliffhanger. And I have THEORIES, y’all. THEORIES. I need someone to talk to. 🤣🤣
Other tropes you may find in KOR are forced proximity, forced marriage, deadly trials, broody ☠️ daddy, grumpy x sunshine, chronic illness rep, Hades x Persephone vibes, Underworld setting, political intrigue, fae x humans, “I’ve got you”, snarky nicknames, medium spice, sharp banter, and a cliffhanger.
It is SUCH an honor to be an arc reader for Clare again. Thank you to her, Netgalley, and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this opportunity. I’m feral for book two.
Author: Clare Sager
Release: 1.27.26
Series: Upon A Broken Throne duet, book 1
How do I even function after that ending? Holy freaking smokes… like… Clare. No, no. That isn’t enough. CLARE. Yes, that’s better. CLARE, HOW COULD YOU?!
In this upcoming release from our favorite Clare, we get to venture into the confines of her Sabreverse’s Underworld. We follow the first person POV of our FMC, Annon, a 33 year old lover of horticulture and knowledge, who has been battling chronic illness for 16 years yet still finds the ability to be joyful and grateful. But when she finds out that her life has been bargained away to the Fae King of Death, her resolve is put to the test.
In a kingdom where everything Annon is equals weakness and where no being can fully be trusted, she must earn her escape from this forced marriage and devious court. She does this by making her way through the King’s labyrinth daily and by pretending to adore said broody king nightly. Between these morally grey walls and fae, Annon uses her kindness as a weapon to not only create allies, but battle horror-like creatures, and woo our king, Drystan, who is as confusing as the labyrinth. And while their connection takes a bit to ignite, once it does, it’s so very worth it: in the best and most painful way.
There’s a slooow burn, a king who doesn’t kiss, a precious found family, pet familiars, an unsuspecting ally, court intrigue, betrayal, and a devastating cliffhanger. And I have THEORIES, y’all. THEORIES. I need someone to talk to. 🤣🤣
Other tropes you may find in KOR are forced proximity, forced marriage, deadly trials, broody ☠️ daddy, grumpy x sunshine, chronic illness rep, Hades x Persephone vibes, Underworld setting, political intrigue, fae x humans, “I’ve got you”, snarky nicknames, medium spice, sharp banter, and a cliffhanger.
It is SUCH an honor to be an arc reader for Clare again. Thank you to her, Netgalley, and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this opportunity. I’m feral for book two.
November 29, 2025
I absolutely loved King of Ravens and found it so hard to put down. I've always enjoyed Clare Sager's books and especially how easy it is to get lost in the writing and the first book in the Upon a Broken Throne series didn't disappoint, it was a wild ride and I cannot wait for more.
This book is a masterpiece at weaving a dark a delicious world that is easy to understand and visualise of dangerous Fae courts, a marriage bargain, a deadly labyrinth full of mystery with an intriguing side character, life changing secrets and most of all a really beautiful slow burn tension filled romance that slowly builds across the story until finally develops into something so much more that makes it worth the wait.
Clare always writes such headstrong, cold and blunt MMCs and Drystan was certainly that and so much more but met his match when it came to Rhiannon and how she slowly started to unravel his rules. Rhiannon's character growth from start to finish was empowering and written so well, I'm excited to see it continue more into the second book, especially after the heartbreaking revelations that came to light in this one.
Those last few chapters were filled with so much angst and tension and that cliffhanger ending?! I honestly cannot wait for the second book.
Thank you so much to the author for the opportunity to read and review before publication. All opinions are my own.
This book is a masterpiece at weaving a dark a delicious world that is easy to understand and visualise of dangerous Fae courts, a marriage bargain, a deadly labyrinth full of mystery with an intriguing side character, life changing secrets and most of all a really beautiful slow burn tension filled romance that slowly builds across the story until finally develops into something so much more that makes it worth the wait.
Clare always writes such headstrong, cold and blunt MMCs and Drystan was certainly that and so much more but met his match when it came to Rhiannon and how she slowly started to unravel his rules. Rhiannon's character growth from start to finish was empowering and written so well, I'm excited to see it continue more into the second book, especially after the heartbreaking revelations that came to light in this one.
Those last few chapters were filled with so much angst and tension and that cliffhanger ending?! I honestly cannot wait for the second book.
Thank you so much to the author for the opportunity to read and review before publication. All opinions are my own.
December 13, 2025
First off, thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me such an unforgettable ARC read!!
don’t think I’ve ever been less than halfway through a book and already knew it was 5 stars.
Clare Sager built an amazing world full of mind-blowing twists, beautiful chaos, and relatable characters who made me WANT to root for them.
The story hit the ground running from the first page and I couldn’t put it down. Every page held a new secret, a plot changing discovery, or tension between the characters that made me keep turning the pages.
Nothing was insignificant in this book. Every seemingly harmless conversation pushed the plot or the character development. I never even saw the twists coming because I was so immersed in the story.
I cannot wait to see where the rest of the story goes! Clare Sager is a genius when it comes to writing romantasy, so I have no doubt, whatever comes next, will be another 5/5 stars⭐️
don’t think I’ve ever been less than halfway through a book and already knew it was 5 stars.
Clare Sager built an amazing world full of mind-blowing twists, beautiful chaos, and relatable characters who made me WANT to root for them.
The story hit the ground running from the first page and I couldn’t put it down. Every page held a new secret, a plot changing discovery, or tension between the characters that made me keep turning the pages.
Nothing was insignificant in this book. Every seemingly harmless conversation pushed the plot or the character development. I never even saw the twists coming because I was so immersed in the story.
I cannot wait to see where the rest of the story goes! Clare Sager is a genius when it comes to writing romantasy, so I have no doubt, whatever comes next, will be another 5/5 stars⭐️
November 27, 2025
If you want a true slow burn, romantic fantasy- look no further. The tension that was built over the first 70% of this book was begging to be broken by the time the characters even KISSED. My goodness this was amazing!
Rhiannon grows up on the surface, a human struggling with debilitating chronic illness. When the King of Ravens (Death) comes to claim her as his bride, she discovers that her father made a bargain to save his life and she was the price. Once in the Underworld, Rhiannon has to learn to survive in the unseelie court. However, she will have to navigate through both the labyrinth and her feelings for Drystan, if she wants to make it back to the surface and her family.
The politics of fae courts are always so interesting to me. All the rules and loopholes; ways they can redirect without actually lying. So seeing it through a human’s eyes as she learns by experience was an excellent tool to incorporate world building. I really enjoyed the grumpy x sunshine dynamic of Drystan and Rhiannon. He is definitely broody and embodies the persona of Death. I appreciated how, despite her illness, Rhiannon is able to find silver linings and remain optimistic. I definitely identified with some of her physical limitations, and loved seeing that represented in a positive light.
The ending left me absolutely reeling, because I didn’t realize that it wasn’t a stand alone (totally my fault). So imagine my shock when it just ENDED with no resolution. Safe to say I’m so excited for the next book in the series! King of Ravens releases on January 27, 2026.
Thank you Forever (via Netgalley), for gifting me with an eARC. All thoughts expressed are my own.
Rhiannon grows up on the surface, a human struggling with debilitating chronic illness. When the King of Ravens (Death) comes to claim her as his bride, she discovers that her father made a bargain to save his life and she was the price. Once in the Underworld, Rhiannon has to learn to survive in the unseelie court. However, she will have to navigate through both the labyrinth and her feelings for Drystan, if she wants to make it back to the surface and her family.
The politics of fae courts are always so interesting to me. All the rules and loopholes; ways they can redirect without actually lying. So seeing it through a human’s eyes as she learns by experience was an excellent tool to incorporate world building. I really enjoyed the grumpy x sunshine dynamic of Drystan and Rhiannon. He is definitely broody and embodies the persona of Death. I appreciated how, despite her illness, Rhiannon is able to find silver linings and remain optimistic. I definitely identified with some of her physical limitations, and loved seeing that represented in a positive light.
The ending left me absolutely reeling, because I didn’t realize that it wasn’t a stand alone (totally my fault). So imagine my shock when it just ENDED with no resolution. Safe to say I’m so excited for the next book in the series! King of Ravens releases on January 27, 2026.
Thank you Forever (via Netgalley), for gifting me with an eARC. All thoughts expressed are my own.
December 31, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.75 stars, rounding up) | 🌶🌶
Overall, I really enjoyed King of Ravens. This book kept me engaged the entire time and had some genuinely unique elements in the plot that made it stand out. I can already tell this is going to be the start of a very interesting and addictive series 👀🐦⬛
That said, I was frustrated at times by the lack of explanation around certain terms and names. The ravens were introduced like I was already supposed to know who they were?? Same with some other concepts that I had absolutely zero familiarity with. I truly would’ve loved a glossary or key at the beginning because I felt a little lost more than once 🫠. I also struggled a bit with how naïve the FMC was at 33. HOWEVER…I do understand that this is directly tied to her upbringing, and I actually think that aspect was very well executed once you step back and look at the bigger picture. It made sense… even if it occasionally made me want to gently shake her 😂.
Some of the twists and turns I definitely saw coming from early on, but there were others that completely caught me off guard, and those moments were SO satisfying. The payoff was worth it 😮💨✨
And the Easter eggs??? There were so many subtle breadcrumbs dropped for future books, and I absolutely loved that. It made the world feel bigger and more intentional 🧩📖.
But let me talk about that ending. I was happily flipping pages and then suddenly realized… that was the LAST PAGE?! 😭 The cliffhanger of all cliffhangers. Rude. Devastating. Illegal. Now I have to sit here and wait for the next book like a fool.
Thank you to NetGalley for the gifted ARC. All opinions are my own and not influenced by outside sources 💙
Overall, I really enjoyed King of Ravens. This book kept me engaged the entire time and had some genuinely unique elements in the plot that made it stand out. I can already tell this is going to be the start of a very interesting and addictive series 👀🐦⬛
That said, I was frustrated at times by the lack of explanation around certain terms and names. The ravens were introduced like I was already supposed to know who they were?? Same with some other concepts that I had absolutely zero familiarity with. I truly would’ve loved a glossary or key at the beginning because I felt a little lost more than once 🫠. I also struggled a bit with how naïve the FMC was at 33. HOWEVER…I do understand that this is directly tied to her upbringing, and I actually think that aspect was very well executed once you step back and look at the bigger picture. It made sense… even if it occasionally made me want to gently shake her 😂.
Some of the twists and turns I definitely saw coming from early on, but there were others that completely caught me off guard, and those moments were SO satisfying. The payoff was worth it 😮💨✨
And the Easter eggs??? There were so many subtle breadcrumbs dropped for future books, and I absolutely loved that. It made the world feel bigger and more intentional 🧩📖.
But let me talk about that ending. I was happily flipping pages and then suddenly realized… that was the LAST PAGE?! 😭 The cliffhanger of all cliffhangers. Rude. Devastating. Illegal. Now I have to sit here and wait for the next book like a fool.
Thank you to NetGalley for the gifted ARC. All opinions are my own and not influenced by outside sources 💙
December 15, 2025
Fae court politics but make it the Underworld? I will always love a dark, broody King of Death, and Drystan was no exception.
This was a fun, easy read, with the exact kind of tension-fueled slow burn I love. The magic and world worked—I loved the eerie, cold, decaying feel of The Fortress, and the deadly glamour and intrigue of the unseelie fae at court. The ending was excellent and set up just the right level of questions and opportunity for more.
I liked the FMC here quite a bit. Annon is tenacious in her battle against chronic illness, and her determination to get back to her brother and family. She’s stubborn and opinionated and intelligent. I also LOVE that Sager gave us an older (early 30s) lead.
My favorite character, though? The sweet, spooky, self-sacrificing Collector. The labyrinth and its trials were well done (and normally, I’m someone who tires easily of trials).
I definitely saw the twists coming from miles away, and kind of hoped I might be surprised more, but they made sense in how they landed. There were also some plot and pacing things here that could have been a little stronger, and some dialogue that felt a little modern in a way that took me out a little.
Still—enjoyed this and will be excited to read the sequel!
Thank you Forever for the eARC!
3.5 ⭐️ rounded 🆙
This was a fun, easy read, with the exact kind of tension-fueled slow burn I love. The magic and world worked—I loved the eerie, cold, decaying feel of The Fortress, and the deadly glamour and intrigue of the unseelie fae at court. The ending was excellent and set up just the right level of questions and opportunity for more.
I liked the FMC here quite a bit. Annon is tenacious in her battle against chronic illness, and her determination to get back to her brother and family. She’s stubborn and opinionated and intelligent. I also LOVE that Sager gave us an older (early 30s) lead.
My favorite character, though? The sweet, spooky, self-sacrificing Collector. The labyrinth and its trials were well done (and normally, I’m someone who tires easily of trials).
I definitely saw the twists coming from miles away, and kind of hoped I might be surprised more, but they made sense in how they landed. There were also some plot and pacing things here that could have been a little stronger, and some dialogue that felt a little modern in a way that took me out a little.
Still—enjoyed this and will be excited to read the sequel!
Thank you Forever for the eARC!
3.5 ⭐️ rounded 🆙
December 21, 2025
What in the cliffhanger ending was that?! What do I do now… WAIT!?
This is a Hades and Persephone reimagining where the FMC is a cottagecore human sunshine woman in her 30’s with a chronic illness and the MMC is the king of death, unseelie far, goth daddy who never kisses his lovers.
This was fun! Genuinely entertaining, thoroughly swoops you away into this dark obsidian, luxurious fae court in the underworld with creepy monsters and strict rules of conduct. The FMC Annon is incredibly relatable and desperately wants to return home to her family by way of tackling the labyrinth made by the god of death, Drystan. This story line feels simple until the full story unravels and its stakes unfold at the very end.
This is SPOICY it’s ROMANTIC and it is DIVINE.
Clare Sager truly knows how to write a romantasy (and she didn’t pay me to say that).
Thank you Clare and Forever for the eARC 😍
This is a Hades and Persephone reimagining where the FMC is a cottagecore human sunshine woman in her 30’s with a chronic illness and the MMC is the king of death, unseelie far, goth daddy who never kisses his lovers.
This was fun! Genuinely entertaining, thoroughly swoops you away into this dark obsidian, luxurious fae court in the underworld with creepy monsters and strict rules of conduct. The FMC Annon is incredibly relatable and desperately wants to return home to her family by way of tackling the labyrinth made by the god of death, Drystan. This story line feels simple until the full story unravels and its stakes unfold at the very end.
This is SPOICY it’s ROMANTIC and it is DIVINE.
Clare Sager truly knows how to write a romantasy (and she didn’t pay me to say that).
Thank you Clare and Forever for the eARC 😍
November 17, 2025
Rhiannon is a 33 year old human that is suffering from an incurable illness when the King of Death appears at her family home demanding a debt paid. That debt so happens to be Rhiannon as his bride and he essentially kidnaps her and takes her to the underworld.
The labyrinth is probably my favorite part of this book. It was creepy at times and The Collector was an interesting character. I liked how it showed Rhiannon fighting through her illness while slowly working through an impossible task with sheer determination.
Rhiannon was a great character. She was a bit softer than a lot of FMC’s in the genre but still strong in her own way. I also appreciated that she was a grown adult woman at 33, which is still a little weird to have a centuries old Fae MMC as a fiancée but better than with a 17 year old young girl.
All that being said, I wasn’t obsessed with this. It might have been the chemistry between Rhiannon and Drystan or wanting more answers throughout the book. The ending absolutely made up for the first but I struggled a little to stay interested when I was only getting the tiniest crumbs of information. I would have liked a little more twists or things to consider for future books (except the cliffhanger of course).
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
The labyrinth is probably my favorite part of this book. It was creepy at times and The Collector was an interesting character. I liked how it showed Rhiannon fighting through her illness while slowly working through an impossible task with sheer determination.
Rhiannon was a great character. She was a bit softer than a lot of FMC’s in the genre but still strong in her own way. I also appreciated that she was a grown adult woman at 33, which is still a little weird to have a centuries old Fae MMC as a fiancée but better than with a 17 year old young girl.
All that being said, I wasn’t obsessed with this. It might have been the chemistry between Rhiannon and Drystan or wanting more answers throughout the book. The ending absolutely made up for the first but I struggled a little to stay interested when I was only getting the tiniest crumbs of information. I would have liked a little more twists or things to consider for future books (except the cliffhanger of course).
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
November 19, 2025
I LOVED this book! While as other comments have mentioned the ending made me immediately want to scream and throw the book, that was only because I dont have book 2 yet! I know this is a re-telling of Hades & Persephone but I don't know enough about mythology to draw any parallels there. I just really enjoyed the entire book. It was a great ride! As a person who deals with chronic illness, I very much identified with Annon. The romance was a slow burn, but it was DELICIOUS. I hadn't read anything by this author previously, and now I want to read everything they've ever written it was SO GOOD.
This was a ARC received from NetGalley (thank you!!) so there were a few small errors that I anticipate being corrected before release, but nothing so bad that it took me out of the story. I could not put this down and I cannot recommend it enough!
This was a ARC received from NetGalley (thank you!!) so there were a few small errors that I anticipate being corrected before release, but nothing so bad that it took me out of the story. I could not put this down and I cannot recommend it enough!
November 23, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Spice: 🌶️🌶️.5
Full RTC!
Spice: 🌶️🌶️.5
Full RTC!
November 26, 2025
King of Ravens turned out to be a surprisingly smooth and enjoyable read. While I didn’t have any big emotional highs or lows while reading, that’s not to say there weren’t swoon worthy or achingly frustrating moments, there absolutely were. It’s more that the story itself felt solid and steady, with pacing that kept things moving effortlessly.
One of my favorite aspects was the relationship between the two main characters. Anon, the FMC, is chronically ill and suddenly finds herself transported to a land of faeries. There she meets the king of the underworld, and the story unfolds from there. It definitely has shades of a Hades and Persephone retelling, though I deeply hope it doesn’t follow that myth too closely. Their relationship develops gradually and organically, which I really prefer over instant, unbelievable chemistry.
The worldbuilding isn’t particularly deep and relies more on familiar fae mythology than anything groundbreaking, but it works well enough to support the story. And that cliffhanger ending definitely did its job — it left me curious and eager to pick up the next book
Big thanks to NetGalley for the Advance reader copy
One of my favorite aspects was the relationship between the two main characters. Anon, the FMC, is chronically ill and suddenly finds herself transported to a land of faeries. There she meets the king of the underworld, and the story unfolds from there. It definitely has shades of a Hades and Persephone retelling, though I deeply hope it doesn’t follow that myth too closely. Their relationship develops gradually and organically, which I really prefer over instant, unbelievable chemistry.
The worldbuilding isn’t particularly deep and relies more on familiar fae mythology than anything groundbreaking, but it works well enough to support the story. And that cliffhanger ending definitely did its job — it left me curious and eager to pick up the next book
Big thanks to NetGalley for the Advance reader copy
December 26, 2025
I hate to say it but book was only okay. Clare Sager’s other series (Beneath Black Sails, Shadows of the Tenebris Courts) are some of my favorites for how well she portrays the emotional aspects of characters. They feel so genuine and the relationship building is all the more powerful for it. I also usually love her world building for the rich detail and immersion. And this book does not deliver on either of those counts. There is a lot of tell, not show, here. The characters feel very one note. And the world very stark. I felt absolutely no chemistry between the FMC and MMC. His attraction to Annon seems to just be admiration for her resilience in the face of her illness but somehow that turns into unbridled lust and undying affection. They don’t interact enough and she doesn’t really do anything else that would foster a more extensive foundation for a relationship. Drystan is supposed to be a foreboding king of death feared by all who is secretly a cinnamon roll, but neither was portrayed convincingly enough so he just felt like he was having an identity crisis the whole time. We learned more about him at the end of Promise of Lies than this whole book! And his characteristics didn't match between the two. Court life is talked about but not much actually happens there. I was actually excited to learn more about the unseelie after Tenebris but was sadly disappointed to have learned nothing new. The labyrinth is the most unique aspect of this story that was promised and her time in it is just skimmed over. The challenges are brief with no buildup of stakes and the characters she encounters in the maze are just as shallow feeling as the rest. Another selling point was an older FMC but she reads like any 20yo ignorant, incurious FMC unfortunately. Drystan has three ravens with him at all times that we learn absolutely nothing about! She mentions the name of two of them though we don’t know how she learned that. Missed opportunity to love some animal familiars. The right beats were there but fleshing out the connections between them was lacking. I’m sure the connection with a chronic illness FMC was an important personal one. Unfortunately, I’m sad to say that it did not feel like the quality of her other works. Didn’t hate it but didn’t love it.
December 8, 2025
I really enjoyed this! It didn’t feel like a true enemies-to-lovers for me but it was still very entertaining. The initial world building was great but then it didn’t really progress much throughout the rest of the book, it was more focused on the romance. I'm hoping we’ll see more of the world as the series continues. The plot was fairly easy to follow and was mostly predictable although the ending was definitely a surprise and makes me excited for the next book!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.
November 30, 2025
3.5 stars
King of Ravens starts out by introducing us to Rhiannon, a human living a somewhat sheltered but peaceful life in a cottage on the coast with her family. Rhiannon suffers from a mysterious terminal illness (with pretty debilitating physical symptoms), so she spends much of her time searching for a cure and helping her family (mother, father, and brother) run the household to the best of her abilities. This confined but tranquil existence is shattered when Drystan, the fae King of the Dead, arrives at their doorstep to enforce a marriage bargain made between Rhiannon's father and his mother, The Morrigan, many years ago. Drystan cruelly refuses to revoke the terms of this agreement, so Rhiannon accepts his bargain to save her family from further punishment.
Upon her arrival in the fae underworld, Rhiannon immediately starts to plan her escape back to the surface, where she can die in peace surrounded by those she loves. After multiple attempts (running away, sabotaging her standing in the fae court), Drystan becomes frustrated and offers her a new bargain: escape a deadly labyrinth and be reunited with her family, or fail and remain forever as his bride. As the book progresses, Rhiannon navigate this labyrinth while battling conflicting desires, as her growing relationship with Drystan starts to make her question what exactly she wants from life. This culminates in a heck of a cliffhanger, which will be sure to leave readers on the edge of their seat waiting for the next book!
I thought this was a very promising start to the series. The writing was excellent, and I could tell the world this story took place in was very interesting (always a good thing in a fantasy novel!). I also really enjoyed the banter between Rhiannon and Drystan, and going on Rhiannon's emotional journey with her throughout throughout the book. I also really liked the interactions with the several members of the fae court that were introduced. However, because this story was so character-focused, the setting and the action ended up being very constrained. A lot of "hand-waving" was used to explain away things not immediately relevant to the story but were still important (for example, Drystan, the King of the Dead, that was constantly disappearing to take care of "business", but we never really learned what any of that was). While that was useful for establishing the emotional beats of the story, I am hoping that the next installment will greatly expand the world and cast of characters. I can tell the author has spent a lot of time on the world-building aspect of the story, and am looking forward to learning more about it in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
King of Ravens starts out by introducing us to Rhiannon, a human living a somewhat sheltered but peaceful life in a cottage on the coast with her family. Rhiannon suffers from a mysterious terminal illness (with pretty debilitating physical symptoms), so she spends much of her time searching for a cure and helping her family (mother, father, and brother) run the household to the best of her abilities. This confined but tranquil existence is shattered when Drystan, the fae King of the Dead, arrives at their doorstep to enforce a marriage bargain made between Rhiannon's father and his mother, The Morrigan, many years ago. Drystan cruelly refuses to revoke the terms of this agreement, so Rhiannon accepts his bargain to save her family from further punishment.
Upon her arrival in the fae underworld, Rhiannon immediately starts to plan her escape back to the surface, where she can die in peace surrounded by those she loves. After multiple attempts (running away, sabotaging her standing in the fae court), Drystan becomes frustrated and offers her a new bargain: escape a deadly labyrinth and be reunited with her family, or fail and remain forever as his bride. As the book progresses, Rhiannon navigate this labyrinth while battling conflicting desires, as her growing relationship with Drystan starts to make her question what exactly she wants from life. This culminates in a heck of a cliffhanger, which will be sure to leave readers on the edge of their seat waiting for the next book!
I thought this was a very promising start to the series. The writing was excellent, and I could tell the world this story took place in was very interesting (always a good thing in a fantasy novel!). I also really enjoyed the banter between Rhiannon and Drystan, and going on Rhiannon's emotional journey with her throughout throughout the book. I also really liked the interactions with the several members of the fae court that were introduced. However, because this story was so character-focused, the setting and the action ended up being very constrained. A lot of "hand-waving" was used to explain away things not immediately relevant to the story but were still important (for example, Drystan, the King of the Dead, that was constantly disappearing to take care of "business", but we never really learned what any of that was). While that was useful for establishing the emotional beats of the story, I am hoping that the next installment will greatly expand the world and cast of characters. I can tell the author has spent a lot of time on the world-building aspect of the story, and am looking forward to learning more about it in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
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