The Transference

by Kathryn Ruffell

Magic, malevolence and breath-taking adventure await...

Looking to support her family, Sionan chooses to brush off the whispered rumours of magic and dark deeds surrounding the castle at Clasterne, and takes a job serving one of the most affluent and influential families in the Principality.

But as she becomes more familiar with the goings on at the castle, she becomes suspicious of the duke’s excuse that a wasting disease is responsible for the mysterious deaths and disappearances.

As Sionan struggles to ignore the sinister truth, leading her down a dark and twisted path, her closest friend, Kayton, is unable to reach her. With nothing but blind faith, Kayton sets out to seek a hero of old to fight for Sionan’s freedom.

But will they reach her in time? And at what cost?

✨ Praise for The Transference ✨

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Kathryn Ruffell seamlessly combines fantasy, mystery, horror and fast-paced action, with clear and concise character description, skilful development of tension and mystery, and tantalising cliffhangers leaving the reader gasping for more.” - Brian Gardner, author of No Cross-Country for Old a story of loss, resilience... and running

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Kathryn's writing had me on the edge of my seat. From the outset you are pulled into the world of adventure, intrigue and dark goings on, and the narratives of different characters are cleverly drawn together to create a brilliant balance of intrigue and suspense.” - Ruth Hill, author of The Heart series

⭐⭐⭐⭐ “The Transference is a haunting, beautifully written fantasy debut featuring dark magic, moral corruption, and the lengths people will go to save the ones they love. The writing is rich and cinematic, with gothic undertones that make every corridor feel alive. Fans of For the Wolf and The Curse of Saints will devour this.” – Netgalley Reviewer

⭐⭐⭐⭐ “If you like dark fantasy with strong characters, shifting perspectives, and a touch of mystery, this one is worth picking up. The characters felt believable and layered, making it easy to care about what happened to them, and the world itself had a real sense of magic and atmosphere. I feel honoured to be one of the first people to read this book.” – Netgalley Reviewer

276 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 28, 2025

Reviews

[Jordan Tomasi · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received this book for free in a giveaway. Thank you to the author.*

I would definitely classify this as YA, but still enjoyable for an older audience who wants a simpler fantasy. A great intro into fantasy for younger readers imo. It is not an overly complicated storyline, and the language is plain enough to not feel overwhelming like some fantasy can be.

It is not necessarily a novel concept story wise, but I appreciate that the author actually killed characters unlike a lot of books. Decent world building and character setup. I am interested that this seems to set up a series.

[Sydnie Sweeney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book starts out with a hook of an intro, digging in deep with a mystery. In only the first couple of pages the reader is captivated, begging to know what happened. Sionan, our MC, awakes confused and disoriented. She only remembers what the summary gave away, that she took a job at the castle despite knowing the rumors of sinister events happening inside. As the reader, I felt the author was very articulate with their thoughts. Each sentence was well written, comunicating Sionan's emotions, thoughts, and actions clearly. She immediately gets a sense of unease, knowing she needs to leave. She discovers a horrific sight and runs to escape. In an alternate POV we learn her friend, who wants to be more than friends, is seeking aid for Sionan. Kayton knows people go missing upon entrance to the castle. If one happens to make it back they are not the same, sickly with a "wasting disease". He hunts down Chancer Landry, a former Captain turned drunkard, to aid him in his rescue. Chancer also includes a trusted fellow warrior to help in their mission. We quickly learn the Duke is, in fact, performing secret experiments on his own people. The Duke is so deeply deluded in his actions that he's fallen into megalomania. Multiple shocking events take place upon Kayton returning to save Sionan. The story has moved from enticing curiosity to invoking a sense of dread. The reader is left heart broken and worried with major concern for our band of heros. The ending came fast and I felt that I wasn't ready for it to be over but as we all know, all good things must come to an end. All is well, or as well as it can be after what transpired, for our protagonists... or it is?

In all, The Transference was a great read. It was direct and to the point with no useless narrative. Every sentence was written with intention and was highly detailed. I enjoyed my time spent with this book and will most definitely be looking forward to book two.

This is a review given thanks to Netgalley which gracious approved my request for an ARC copy!

[Jazlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed The Transference! The setting was rich and atmospheric. I loved the multiple POVs, and Chancer and Hirae were my favorites, especially good boy Scase, Hirae’s loyal dog. The fight scenes were well written, and the ending was strong and satisfying. I’m really hoping for a sequel! A solid, dark fantasy read.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Amanda Ho · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid dark fantasy with a loyal dog, my only complaint was very young adult! I have read other young adult ones and was just fine with it, this one at times gave me “gotta dumb it down for you” vibes.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed The Transference, but not excessively so, so I am only giving 3 stars. I don’t know if I would read more books in the series.