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Cold and Most Cunning
Naomi-Joy Galloway has only ever feared one becoming her generation's Halo. Henry Mayhem only knew one he was going to marry the next Halo.
On an island ruled by seven immortal families, power is everything. Henry and Naomi are no strangers to this, though they have always stood on opposite sides.
When Naomi is revealed as the next Halo- a woman filled with magik who must act as a conduit for the Seven- she is brought to Henry's castle on the far side of the island, and the definition of power and freedom for each of them becomes blurred. Naomi begins to dream of ghosts and angels warning her to flee, and Henry battles with a soul bond that he can't seem to grasp. Dragons circle overhead and time is running out as the Seven make sinister plans for Naomi's future. Together, they must unweave a haunting history meant to stay in the shadows. A history full of angelic lore, dark magik, and prideful secrets. Naomi and Henry strive for freedom, but those in power will not let go of them so easily...
On an island ruled by seven immortal families, power is everything. Henry and Naomi are no strangers to this, though they have always stood on opposite sides.
When Naomi is revealed as the next Halo- a woman filled with magik who must act as a conduit for the Seven- she is brought to Henry's castle on the far side of the island, and the definition of power and freedom for each of them becomes blurred. Naomi begins to dream of ghosts and angels warning her to flee, and Henry battles with a soul bond that he can't seem to grasp. Dragons circle overhead and time is running out as the Seven make sinister plans for Naomi's future. Together, they must unweave a haunting history meant to stay in the shadows. A history full of angelic lore, dark magik, and prideful secrets. Naomi and Henry strive for freedom, but those in power will not let go of them so easily...
342 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 31, 2025
43 people are currently reading
1115 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
October 31, 2025
Welll I did write this soooooo… 😗
Edited bc it’s now out!! ❤️
I hope everyone enjoys reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it :)
Edited bc it’s now out!! ❤️
I hope everyone enjoys reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it :)
November 18, 2025
EDIT: after reading this for the second time, I can honestly say I loved it more 🥹
A stand alone fantasy that’s fun and original? Count me in! I devoured this book!! I feel like every time I turned the page I found something or someone new to love. I truly felt captivated while reading. I’m excited to see more from Isabella Hood!
A stand alone fantasy that’s fun and original? Count me in! I devoured this book!! I feel like every time I turned the page I found something or someone new to love. I truly felt captivated while reading. I’m excited to see more from Isabella Hood!
September 5, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
I received this book as an ARC from the author in return for my honest review. Thank you Isabella for sharing your work with me.
This is an extremely slow burn romantasy with a corrupt angelic magic system that leans towards the darker side, but not overly so.
A more polished review to come.
The story was very interesting and unique using angel lore. The magic system was different from anything else I’ve read. Overall I enjoyed this book a lot.
I think that the story could have used some additional world building throughout to make it easier for the reader to understand the history and motivations of the characters. An additional 100-150 pages would open this world up so much more and I would have been here for the additional content.
This book was originally written as a Dramione fanfiction, which I have not yet read, but would like to compare/contrast them in the future.
I received this book as an ARC from the author in return for my honest review. Thank you Isabella for sharing your work with me.
This is an extremely slow burn romantasy with a corrupt angelic magic system that leans towards the darker side, but not overly so.
A more polished review to come.
The story was very interesting and unique using angel lore. The magic system was different from anything else I’ve read. Overall I enjoyed this book a lot.
I think that the story could have used some additional world building throughout to make it easier for the reader to understand the history and motivations of the characters. An additional 100-150 pages would open this world up so much more and I would have been here for the additional content.
This book was originally written as a Dramione fanfiction, which I have not yet read, but would like to compare/contrast them in the future.
December 2, 2025
4.5⭐️ really enjoyed this book and it was a super easy read for me. Loved the idea of the book and the magic system as well, I felt like I really haven’t read a magic system like that before! I just wanted more scenes between Henry + Naomi because I’m greedy 🤪 give me all the extra details!! Also Pevensy was one of my favorite side characters 🤪
November 20, 2025
3.5 stars.
This could have been great if it had been longer and the world more fleshed out. I still had a good time, but I wish the romance was more built up and Henry wasn’t obsessed with Naomi from the first second he met her…
This could have been great if it had been longer and the world more fleshed out. I still had a good time, but I wish the romance was more built up and Henry wasn’t obsessed with Naomi from the first second he met her…
November 9, 2025
🇬🇧 and 🇮🇹 Review
Cold and Most Cunning is a smooth and engaging read, though it presents several areas that could benefit from deeper development.
The story begins in a small town on a remote island, completely cut off from the outside world. Among its ordinary inhabitants, a Halo is born every so often. She's an individual gifted with angelic magic. Naomi Joy, our protagonist, is one of them. She is taken from her village and assigned to serve one of the seven ruling families, who possess no magic of their own but channel Halo power through special staffs to “protect” the population.
Naomi is thrust into this system without truly understanding what being a Halo entails. Her supposed advantage is being primarily attached to Henry’s family, the Mayhems. Yet the secrecy surrounding the ruling houses, the rituals they enforce, and Naomi’s limited knowledge leave her disoriented. She must navigate her new duties, unclear traditions, and a series of unsettling events while confronting mounting questions: Who created this system? How can she escape? What secrets are the families hiding? And most importantly… how do they achieve immortality?
The dual POV enriches the narrative. Through Henry’s perspective, we learn about the difficult decisions he makes to protect Naomi. These choices deepen their connection but also conceal truths capable of jeopardizing it. While the dynamic between the two is compelling, both characters would have benefited from stronger psychological depth.
The writing style is fluid, and the story moves at a good pace. However, a more polished editing process could have elevated the overall experience. At times, the characters feel overly passive: events unfold around them, often with significant impact or emotional weight, yet their internal responses can seem muted. This passivity is understandable for Naomi early on, but less so for Henry.
On the positive side, the magic system is one of the book’s standout features: clear, engaging, and well explained. The setting is coherent, and the pacing remains consistent. Still, when the narrative touches on sensitive or emotionally charged topics, relying solely on dialogue proves insufficient. The scenes would benefit from richer emotional context and atmospheric detail.
Overall, Cold and Most Cunning is an enjoyable read with an intriguing premise and solid worldbuilding. With deeper character development and a more layered emotional dimension, it could have delivered an even stronger impact.
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Cold and Most Cunning è stata una lettura scorrevole e piacevole, ma allo stesso tempo segnata da alcuni elementi che, a mio avviso, avrebbero potuto essere sviluppati meglio.
La storia si apre in una piccola cittadina su un’isola completamente isolata, dove vivono persone comuni tra le quali, a intervalli irregolari, nasce una Halo: individui dotati di magia di discendenza angelica. Naomi Joy, la protagonista, riveste proprio questo ruolo. Viene sottratta alla sua vita quotidiana e destinata a servire una delle sette famiglie regnanti, le quali non possiedono magia propria ma la incanalano attraverso speciali staffe che raccolgono il potere delle Halo per “proteggere” i villaggi.
Naomi si ritrova catapultata in questo sistema senza comprenderne davvero le dinamiche. La sua fortuna, almeno in apparenza, è essere assegnata principalmente alla famiglia Mayhem, quella di Henry. Tuttavia, tra segreti taciuti da generazioni, regole non dette e doveri frammentati tra tutte le famiglie, Naomi ha ben pochi punti di riferimento. Le sue giornate si dividono tra nuove responsabilità, rituali opachi e domande sempre più pressanti: chi ha creato questo sistema? Come è possibile fuggire? Che cosa nascondono veramente le famiglie? E soprattutto… come ottengono l'immortalità?
Il dual POV aggiunge una dimensione interessante. Attraverso gli occhi di Henry scopriamo scelte difficili, compiute per proteggere Naomi, ma anche segreti che rischiano di incrinare il fragile rapporto che si crea tra i due. La tensione emotiva è presente, ma i personaggi avrebbero beneficiato di una costruzione psicologica più profonda.
Il libro si legge bene e lo stile è fluido, ma avrei apprezzato un editing più accurato. In alcuni passaggi i personaggi risultano troppo passivi rispetto alla trama: gli eventi accadono, spesso in modo incisivo e anche delicato, mentre loro reagiscono con poca intensità. Per Naomi questo può essere comprensibile nelle prime fasi; per Henry, invece, meno.
Il sistema magico è uno degli elementi più riusciti: chiaro, interessante e spiegato con coerenza. Anche l’ambientazione funziona bene, e il pacing rimane costante. Tuttavia, quando si toccano temi complessi e dolorosi, affidarsi solo al dialogo non basta: manca quel contorno emotivo e descrittivo capace di dare spessore e risonanza alle scene.
In conclusione, Cold and Most Cunning è un buon romanzo con un worldbuilding accattivante e un’idea di fondo molto promettente. Con una maggiore profondità emotiva e una caratterizzazione più incisiva, avrebbe potuto lasciare un impatto ancora più forte.
Cold and Most Cunning is a smooth and engaging read, though it presents several areas that could benefit from deeper development.
The story begins in a small town on a remote island, completely cut off from the outside world. Among its ordinary inhabitants, a Halo is born every so often. She's an individual gifted with angelic magic. Naomi Joy, our protagonist, is one of them. She is taken from her village and assigned to serve one of the seven ruling families, who possess no magic of their own but channel Halo power through special staffs to “protect” the population.
Naomi is thrust into this system without truly understanding what being a Halo entails. Her supposed advantage is being primarily attached to Henry’s family, the Mayhems. Yet the secrecy surrounding the ruling houses, the rituals they enforce, and Naomi’s limited knowledge leave her disoriented. She must navigate her new duties, unclear traditions, and a series of unsettling events while confronting mounting questions: Who created this system? How can she escape? What secrets are the families hiding? And most importantly… how do they achieve immortality?
The dual POV enriches the narrative. Through Henry’s perspective, we learn about the difficult decisions he makes to protect Naomi. These choices deepen their connection but also conceal truths capable of jeopardizing it. While the dynamic between the two is compelling, both characters would have benefited from stronger psychological depth.
The writing style is fluid, and the story moves at a good pace. However, a more polished editing process could have elevated the overall experience. At times, the characters feel overly passive: events unfold around them, often with significant impact or emotional weight, yet their internal responses can seem muted. This passivity is understandable for Naomi early on, but less so for Henry.
On the positive side, the magic system is one of the book’s standout features: clear, engaging, and well explained. The setting is coherent, and the pacing remains consistent. Still, when the narrative touches on sensitive or emotionally charged topics, relying solely on dialogue proves insufficient. The scenes would benefit from richer emotional context and atmospheric detail.
Overall, Cold and Most Cunning is an enjoyable read with an intriguing premise and solid worldbuilding. With deeper character development and a more layered emotional dimension, it could have delivered an even stronger impact.
· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·
Cold and Most Cunning è stata una lettura scorrevole e piacevole, ma allo stesso tempo segnata da alcuni elementi che, a mio avviso, avrebbero potuto essere sviluppati meglio.
La storia si apre in una piccola cittadina su un’isola completamente isolata, dove vivono persone comuni tra le quali, a intervalli irregolari, nasce una Halo: individui dotati di magia di discendenza angelica. Naomi Joy, la protagonista, riveste proprio questo ruolo. Viene sottratta alla sua vita quotidiana e destinata a servire una delle sette famiglie regnanti, le quali non possiedono magia propria ma la incanalano attraverso speciali staffe che raccolgono il potere delle Halo per “proteggere” i villaggi.
Naomi si ritrova catapultata in questo sistema senza comprenderne davvero le dinamiche. La sua fortuna, almeno in apparenza, è essere assegnata principalmente alla famiglia Mayhem, quella di Henry. Tuttavia, tra segreti taciuti da generazioni, regole non dette e doveri frammentati tra tutte le famiglie, Naomi ha ben pochi punti di riferimento. Le sue giornate si dividono tra nuove responsabilità, rituali opachi e domande sempre più pressanti: chi ha creato questo sistema? Come è possibile fuggire? Che cosa nascondono veramente le famiglie? E soprattutto… come ottengono l'immortalità?
Il dual POV aggiunge una dimensione interessante. Attraverso gli occhi di Henry scopriamo scelte difficili, compiute per proteggere Naomi, ma anche segreti che rischiano di incrinare il fragile rapporto che si crea tra i due. La tensione emotiva è presente, ma i personaggi avrebbero beneficiato di una costruzione psicologica più profonda.
Il libro si legge bene e lo stile è fluido, ma avrei apprezzato un editing più accurato. In alcuni passaggi i personaggi risultano troppo passivi rispetto alla trama: gli eventi accadono, spesso in modo incisivo e anche delicato, mentre loro reagiscono con poca intensità. Per Naomi questo può essere comprensibile nelle prime fasi; per Henry, invece, meno.
Il sistema magico è uno degli elementi più riusciti: chiaro, interessante e spiegato con coerenza. Anche l’ambientazione funziona bene, e il pacing rimane costante. Tuttavia, quando si toccano temi complessi e dolorosi, affidarsi solo al dialogo non basta: manca quel contorno emotivo e descrittivo capace di dare spessore e risonanza alle scene.
In conclusione, Cold and Most Cunning è un buon romanzo con un worldbuilding accattivante e un’idea di fondo molto promettente. Con una maggiore profondità emotiva e una caratterizzazione più incisiva, avrebbe potuto lasciare un impatto ancora più forte.
October 4, 2025
ARC Review - first of all, thank you so much to the author for giving me an ARC to read! I read the "original version" of this book and was very happy to be able to read the fully polished version early.
The good: For anyone who likes a good romantasy MMC who's brooding and protective and possessive, Henry Mayhem is absolutely that, 10/10 no notes. I loved Naomi too, and the relationship with her and her dad was so sweet, as well as the relationship with her and Louise, bonding over their shared trauma. The "good guy" characters on the whole were very good.
I love the whole set up, and the angel magic system was so original and interesting, it was always so cool when Naomi would full-body glow.
The bad: There were too many background characters. I understand that it's 7 families, so therefore at least 7 children, plus extended family for the Braums, but there were just too many that didn't do much. The Braum girl whose mother had the relationship with the townie has like 1 line, she's good for fleshing out how evil the Braums were, but for her to be present in so many group shots and called out by name, it seemed like she would have been more important. I completely forgot about Ivy until she showed up and then suddenly it was like we were supposed to care about her relationship with Matthew? I barely cared about Matthew. I don't understand how/why Edward was immediately so in love with Geraldine despite not ever meeting her and probably never being able to meet her (sidenote, like I said I read the original version, so I know WHY, but it makes even less sense here than it did there).
My biggest peeve with this book was the vampire aspect. (For simplicity's sake, I'll be referring to Naomi's red eyes and her want/need to drink blood as just "being a vampire", I'm aware she's not really a vampire) It seemed like so much of an afterthought the few times it came up. There were so many times during reading where I found myself thinking also a vampire". It came up so little. When it did it was like "plot plot plot oh also she was feeling a little hungry for blood." Like the way you would comment on being mildly uncomfortable in your chair, having your hair out of place so you adjust it then move on with your day. There's one scene where the vampire thing takes center stage ... kinda. Naomi gets dosed with a potion that cranks her blood thirst up to 11, and makes her teeth grow into fangs. But, it's completely temporary (and despite the potion's creator never having tested this on a Halo before, he somehow knows exactly how long the effects will last. He says 5 hours, which is so much more specific than "a few" or even 6/12/24 hours) with the hunger subsiding and the fangs "falling out" once it works its way through her system. Which is a good set up for some tension, and making the audience feel for how much pain she's in ... but that doesn't happen. Yes she says she's hungry, specifically for Henry's blood, but she's not in pain, even though the potion creator said it would be torturous for her, she sounds more like a drunk girl at a club whining that she wants tacos at 2AM. We're told that she would need 1 gallon of blood to feel better before the 5 hours are up (sidenote, humans only have 1.2-1.5 gallons of blood, and again how did the creator know this without being able to test it at all???), and that if she only had less than that, it would be akin to "only giving a hungry dragon one cube of meat" (sidenote again, pretty cool line) - BUT when she only has a little of Henry's blood, she's completely fine. Or if she's not, we don't see it because we time skip to the end of the 5 hours once her fangs have snapped off. And to top it all off, she's more embarrassed about being horny while drinking Henry's blood than she is horrified at the monstrous lust for blood she had just experienced. If it was even that horrific. She tries not to drink blood unless completely necessary, and she was horrified to discover her red eyes when she first saw them, but beyond that, it's like the book forgets she's a vampire, which makes me wonder why it was included in the first place. It doesn't add anything to the characters or the plot, and if it got taken out, no one would miss it.
Overall, the good parts were good, the less fleshed out parts were distracting. 3.5 stars, but Goodreads makes you put a whole number
The good: For anyone who likes a good romantasy MMC who's brooding and protective and possessive, Henry Mayhem is absolutely that, 10/10 no notes. I loved Naomi too, and the relationship with her and her dad was so sweet, as well as the relationship with her and Louise, bonding over their shared trauma. The "good guy" characters on the whole were very good.
I love the whole set up, and the angel magic system was so original and interesting, it was always so cool when Naomi would full-body glow.
The bad: There were too many background characters. I understand that it's 7 families, so therefore at least 7 children, plus extended family for the Braums, but there were just too many that didn't do much. The Braum girl whose mother had the relationship with the townie has like 1 line, she's good for fleshing out how evil the Braums were, but for her to be present in so many group shots and called out by name, it seemed like she would have been more important. I completely forgot about Ivy until she showed up and then suddenly it was like we were supposed to care about her relationship with Matthew? I barely cared about Matthew. I don't understand how/why Edward was immediately so in love with Geraldine despite not ever meeting her and probably never being able to meet her (sidenote, like I said I read the original version, so I know WHY, but it makes even less sense here than it did there).
My biggest peeve with this book was the vampire aspect. (For simplicity's sake, I'll be referring to Naomi's red eyes and her want/need to drink blood as just "being a vampire", I'm aware she's not really a vampire) It seemed like so much of an afterthought the few times it came up. There were so many times during reading where I found myself thinking also a vampire". It came up so little. When it did it was like "plot plot plot oh also she was feeling a little hungry for blood." Like the way you would comment on being mildly uncomfortable in your chair, having your hair out of place so you adjust it then move on with your day. There's one scene where the vampire thing takes center stage ... kinda. Naomi gets dosed with a potion that cranks her blood thirst up to 11, and makes her teeth grow into fangs. But, it's completely temporary (and despite the potion's creator never having tested this on a Halo before, he somehow knows exactly how long the effects will last. He says 5 hours, which is so much more specific than "a few" or even 6/12/24 hours) with the hunger subsiding and the fangs "falling out" once it works its way through her system. Which is a good set up for some tension, and making the audience feel for how much pain she's in ... but that doesn't happen. Yes she says she's hungry, specifically for Henry's blood, but she's not in pain, even though the potion creator said it would be torturous for her, she sounds more like a drunk girl at a club whining that she wants tacos at 2AM. We're told that she would need 1 gallon of blood to feel better before the 5 hours are up (sidenote, humans only have 1.2-1.5 gallons of blood, and again how did the creator know this without being able to test it at all???), and that if she only had less than that, it would be akin to "only giving a hungry dragon one cube of meat" (sidenote again, pretty cool line) - BUT when she only has a little of Henry's blood, she's completely fine. Or if she's not, we don't see it because we time skip to the end of the 5 hours once her fangs have snapped off. And to top it all off, she's more embarrassed about being horny while drinking Henry's blood than she is horrified at the monstrous lust for blood she had just experienced. If it was even that horrific. She tries not to drink blood unless completely necessary, and she was horrified to discover her red eyes when she first saw them, but beyond that, it's like the book forgets she's a vampire, which makes me wonder why it was included in the first place. It doesn't add anything to the characters or the plot, and if it got taken out, no one would miss it.
Overall, the good parts were good, the less fleshed out parts were distracting. 3.5 stars, but Goodreads makes you put a whole number
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 3, 2025
a romantasy hidden gem that needs to be talked about on every booktok influencers platform (no im not exaggerating thats just how much i love this story)
First let me say this book is for people who are ok going off of cool characters, aesthetic, and poetic writing. If you need DEEP world building, intricate plot devices and complicated action scenes idk if youll like this, but for those of us who can read books and just enjoy them for the entertainment that they are, this is for you.
Naomi and Henry... where do i start? I loved that Henry was obsessed with her since the beginning. Everything he did was orbited around Naomi. He is the definition of DOWN BAD FOR HIS WIFE. i liked that instead of the brooding type of MMC he was a little pathetic. it made him different. Naomi's progress to dislike, to tentative trust, to friendship, to love was beautiful and perfectly paced. she was a beautiful, competent FMC to follow (except she lost her magik at the end?!) their scenes together were my favorite and i would read six more books about their romance.
Louise and Pevensy. the best side characters... ugh. i loved them and their almost motherly devotion to naomi and the greater good. both of them gave their all for her and i definitely cried when they *spoiler* died at the end.
Hood's writing style is flowery and striking in the best ways. I loved her writing style and descriptions of everything. The magik system was so original and potent, while the world on Alec was rich with a gothic, almost haunted atmosphere. House braum made me scared, house Knox made me sad, house verity made me laugh, and house mayhem made me swoon. this story could have been a thousand pages, but the 350 that we got were damn near perfect. If you want something quick, beautiful, and original that has heavy dramione vibes (yes i read the fic before this) consider this your next read!
Naomi now joins aelin, nesta, and alina in the 'girl bosses who lost their magik in the end' club <3
First let me say this book is for people who are ok going off of cool characters, aesthetic, and poetic writing. If you need DEEP world building, intricate plot devices and complicated action scenes idk if youll like this, but for those of us who can read books and just enjoy them for the entertainment that they are, this is for you.
Naomi and Henry... where do i start? I loved that Henry was obsessed with her since the beginning. Everything he did was orbited around Naomi. He is the definition of DOWN BAD FOR HIS WIFE. i liked that instead of the brooding type of MMC he was a little pathetic. it made him different. Naomi's progress to dislike, to tentative trust, to friendship, to love was beautiful and perfectly paced. she was a beautiful, competent FMC to follow (except she lost her magik at the end?!) their scenes together were my favorite and i would read six more books about their romance.
Louise and Pevensy. the best side characters... ugh. i loved them and their almost motherly devotion to naomi and the greater good. both of them gave their all for her and i definitely cried when they *spoiler* died at the end.
Hood's writing style is flowery and striking in the best ways. I loved her writing style and descriptions of everything. The magik system was so original and potent, while the world on Alec was rich with a gothic, almost haunted atmosphere. House braum made me scared, house Knox made me sad, house verity made me laugh, and house mayhem made me swoon. this story could have been a thousand pages, but the 350 that we got were damn near perfect. If you want something quick, beautiful, and original that has heavy dramione vibes (yes i read the fic before this) consider this your next read!
Naomi now joins aelin, nesta, and alina in the 'girl bosses who lost their magik in the end' club <3
November 1, 2025
Overall good book, wonderful concept, interesting FMC with depth, but the ending fell a little flat.
This was a 3.5 star read for me.
I am an avid fan fiction reader though I have not read the fic this was based on prior to receiving my ARC. I only mention that because I think you will get two different perspectives in reviews, people who have read the source material and those who have not.
I think the overall concept of the book is unique and very interesting. The halo being the only person who is born with magic is sacrificed to the seven immortal families who run the isle of Alec. These families take turns using the halo and siphoning her magic from her to keep themselves going. There is only one halo every few generations and this one is different than all the last because one of the heirs of one of the seven families has to marry her.
I thought the FMC, Naomi-Joy, had a good amount of depth. We got to see many insights into her thoughts and feelings, I thought it was realistic how afraid and untrusting she was of the MMC initially. The pacing on her end felt right. However, for the MMC, Henry, it was a little bit insta-love. He had spent many years being told he’d marry the next halo so even though he was “in love” with her it felt more to me like he was in just in love with this concept of her he had built up in his head. It just felt a little rushed on his end.
I enjoyed the slow building of tension between Naomi-Joy and Henry. I’d say up until the 60-70% mark the book was a solid 4 stars for me, the ending just left me wanting a bit. I felt like the main conflict was resolved quickly after being built up a lot and the concept of the halos, angels, and magic got a little convoluted toward the end.
Overall it was a good book, I think there are a lot of people out there who will really enjoy it. I am very appreciative of being given the opportunity to read an ARC of Cold and Most Cunning!
This was a 3.5 star read for me.
I am an avid fan fiction reader though I have not read the fic this was based on prior to receiving my ARC. I only mention that because I think you will get two different perspectives in reviews, people who have read the source material and those who have not.
I think the overall concept of the book is unique and very interesting. The halo being the only person who is born with magic is sacrificed to the seven immortal families who run the isle of Alec. These families take turns using the halo and siphoning her magic from her to keep themselves going. There is only one halo every few generations and this one is different than all the last because one of the heirs of one of the seven families has to marry her.
I thought the FMC, Naomi-Joy, had a good amount of depth. We got to see many insights into her thoughts and feelings, I thought it was realistic how afraid and untrusting she was of the MMC initially. The pacing on her end felt right. However, for the MMC, Henry, it was a little bit insta-love. He had spent many years being told he’d marry the next halo so even though he was “in love” with her it felt more to me like he was in just in love with this concept of her he had built up in his head. It just felt a little rushed on his end.
I enjoyed the slow building of tension between Naomi-Joy and Henry. I’d say up until the 60-70% mark the book was a solid 4 stars for me, the ending just left me wanting a bit. I felt like the main conflict was resolved quickly after being built up a lot and the concept of the halos, angels, and magic got a little convoluted toward the end.
Overall it was a good book, I think there are a lot of people out there who will really enjoy it. I am very appreciative of being given the opportunity to read an ARC of Cold and Most Cunning!
September 21, 2025
I was asked to read this as an ARC in exchange for an honest review! Thanks Isabella for sharing your work with me!
I really liked the basis of this world/hierarchy and the elements within it, it was interesting and exciting to dive into
I liked Henry and Naomi-Joy as characters but I feel as tho they needed more tender moments and time to really beef up their relationship. It felt just a little rushed. But I absolutely loved Louise as a character. Her relationship with both Henry and Naomi were really touching and powerful.
I think the drama and suspense was well done, and the evil characters were really compelling and honestly terrifying lol. I really liked the side characters especially Matthew and Pevensy.
The ending was kinda wild and not what I was expecting which was refreshing!
I do feel like this story needed like 150 more pages to really deep dive into the magic system, and relationships, and character backgrounds. I felt like some things were glossed over too much while other things were over-explained.
All in all it was a fun story and It was great to read something completely unique! Also love that this was a Dramione fanfic first, I liked seeing the parallels there.
I really liked the basis of this world/hierarchy and the elements within it, it was interesting and exciting to dive into
I liked Henry and Naomi-Joy as characters but I feel as tho they needed more tender moments and time to really beef up their relationship. It felt just a little rushed. But I absolutely loved Louise as a character. Her relationship with both Henry and Naomi were really touching and powerful.
I think the drama and suspense was well done, and the evil characters were really compelling and honestly terrifying lol. I really liked the side characters especially Matthew and Pevensy.
The ending was kinda wild and not what I was expecting which was refreshing!
I do feel like this story needed like 150 more pages to really deep dive into the magic system, and relationships, and character backgrounds. I felt like some things were glossed over too much while other things were over-explained.
All in all it was a fun story and It was great to read something completely unique! Also love that this was a Dramione fanfic first, I liked seeing the parallels there.
November 4, 2025
I was so excited to get the arc for Cold and Most Cunning. After finding out it was the rewrite to a fanfic that had been recommended to be, I was even more excited. I haven't read the fanfic because I wanted to be able to go into this book fresh without any prior work clouding my judgment.
Overall, this story felt unique and well done. The magic system being stolen from one girl by the people who claimed to be magic and who rule the island seemed to be a fresh take on a magic system.
I loved getting to know the main characters and to watch how their feelings for each other grew over the course of the book.
The last 1/4 of the book was action packed and kept me hooked to see how it would end.
I loved it!
Overall, this story felt unique and well done. The magic system being stolen from one girl by the people who claimed to be magic and who rule the island seemed to be a fresh take on a magic system.
I loved getting to know the main characters and to watch how their feelings for each other grew over the course of the book.
The last 1/4 of the book was action packed and kept me hooked to see how it would end.
I loved it!
August 30, 2025
This books starts off slow, you learn about the characters and the life they live. As you read, you get more backstory and reasonings on why a girl is plucked from each generation to serve as the lamb to the seven ruling family’s. This is an enemies to lovers trope and the lore building will keep you going.
You’ll fall in love with Naomi-Joy and how she goes through this life as the lamb for the seven, it’s a found family story as well. Henry’s growth as a character aided well with Naomi’s story.
The lore throughout the books is an interesting take on things and you’ll have questions that will keep you reading.
You’ll fall in love with Naomi-Joy and how she goes through this life as the lamb for the seven, it’s a found family story as well. Henry’s growth as a character aided well with Naomi’s story.
The lore throughout the books is an interesting take on things and you’ll have questions that will keep you reading.
September 25, 2025
I really enjoyed this one! Thank you so much to the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
The way the magik and angel lore blended together was so well done! And Naomi and Henry's story was so beautifully written, boy was sooo down bad for her and i was obsessed!
100% recommend reading this one!
The way the magik and angel lore blended together was so well done! And Naomi and Henry's story was so beautifully written, boy was sooo down bad for her and i was obsessed!
100% recommend reading this one!
September 13, 2025
*Arc review*
Thank you so much to the author for an e-arc edition! This is the perfect read for the Halloween season. Story was captivating and witchy with a slow burn romance. Everything a girl could ask for. Definitely looking forward to more from this author!
Thank you so much to the author for an e-arc edition! This is the perfect read for the Halloween season. Story was captivating and witchy with a slow burn romance. Everything a girl could ask for. Definitely looking forward to more from this author!
December 10, 2025
I honestly enjoyed this read. This is a one and done story, so if you are looking for an epic 1,000+ page world building romantasy then this isn’t for you.
This book is fast and to the point, but it doesn’t stop you from falling in love with the characters and rooting for them.
This book is fast and to the point, but it doesn’t stop you from falling in love with the characters and rooting for them.
not-published-yet
November 5, 2025Based on Dramione fanfiction Lamb to the Slaugher by FantasyJune35
November 9, 2025
Amazing story and I couldn’t put it down. Read it in 2 days! Would’ve been sooner but time constraints. Definitely in my rereads list!
November 19, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
Really enjoyed this, I found the magical world unique. However, I would have liked another 100 pages or so to really build up the relationship between Naomi-Joy and Henry.
Really enjoyed this, I found the magical world unique. However, I would have liked another 100 pages or so to really build up the relationship between Naomi-Joy and Henry.
January 13, 2026
the fanfic was better. the vampire bit was so unnecessary.
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