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The Winged Game: A Novel
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Expected 30 Jun 26Win a free print copy of this book!
12 days and 11:36:54
10 copies available
U.S. only
Fantasy meets sports romance in this sizzling slow-burn novel in which the disgraced star of a brutal magical sport must team up with the rival who destroyed her career, from the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of The God and the Gumiho.
“Fourth Wing-meets-rugby is something I didn't know I needed in my life, but now I’m obsessed. The Winged Game is going to be the next big thing for sure!”—Ruby Dixon, New York Times bestselling author
Carriwitchet, the violent, rugby-esque game played atop winged beasts, was once Taissa Cho’s whole life, and she was once the United Kingdom’s most promising player. Until her nemesis, rival player Kion Locke, destroyed her career in a single moment. Expelled from the sport in disgrace, Taissa has spent the last two years dreaming of nothing but revenge and relishing watching Kion’s team plummet to the bottom of the league.
So when Taissa is offered the chance to redeem herself and her career, she can’t refuse—even if the offer is coming from the very man who ruined everything in the first place. It’s close to a dream come true . . . except for that pesky clause in her contract that demands she and Kion enter a fake relationship in order to garner some much-needed positive PR for the team. This could not be a worse match. Taissa and Kion only have two things in their love of the game, and their undying hatred for each other.
Yet as a mysterious illness befalls the winged creatures of the entire league—putting both the beasts’ lives and the very sport itself at stake—the athletes find themselves partnering up in other ways, determined to crack the case of the eerie sickness. As their investigation takes them on a whirlwind adventure, Kion and Taissa are prepared for anything . . .
Anything, that is, but their fake-for-the-cameras relationship to maybe, just maybe, become something real after all.
“Fourth Wing-meets-rugby is something I didn't know I needed in my life, but now I’m obsessed. The Winged Game is going to be the next big thing for sure!”—Ruby Dixon, New York Times bestselling author
Carriwitchet, the violent, rugby-esque game played atop winged beasts, was once Taissa Cho’s whole life, and she was once the United Kingdom’s most promising player. Until her nemesis, rival player Kion Locke, destroyed her career in a single moment. Expelled from the sport in disgrace, Taissa has spent the last two years dreaming of nothing but revenge and relishing watching Kion’s team plummet to the bottom of the league.
So when Taissa is offered the chance to redeem herself and her career, she can’t refuse—even if the offer is coming from the very man who ruined everything in the first place. It’s close to a dream come true . . . except for that pesky clause in her contract that demands she and Kion enter a fake relationship in order to garner some much-needed positive PR for the team. This could not be a worse match. Taissa and Kion only have two things in their love of the game, and their undying hatred for each other.
Yet as a mysterious illness befalls the winged creatures of the entire league—putting both the beasts’ lives and the very sport itself at stake—the athletes find themselves partnering up in other ways, determined to crack the case of the eerie sickness. As their investigation takes them on a whirlwind adventure, Kion and Taissa are prepared for anything . . .
Anything, that is, but their fake-for-the-cameras relationship to maybe, just maybe, become something real after all.
544 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication June 30, 2026
45 people are currently reading
9765 people want to read
About the author
Sophie Kim
9 books1,044 followersSophie Kim is the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of stories that feature mythology, monsters, mystery, and magic. Her critically acclaimed work includes young adult novels such as the Talons series, as well as books on the adult spectrum such as The God and the Gumiho.
Profile illustration by @warickaart.
Profile illustration by @warickaart.
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December 14, 2025Honestly pretty thrilled about a fantasy x sports romance mix by Sophie Kim.
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Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
.4.5 stars.
⤿ 💌 ⌗ publishing date: 30th June 2026.
.my thoughts.
I actually did not meant to pick this book up, when I heard about it, I was very skeptical because this whole situation sounds interesting but I was scared, but then it's written by Sophie Kim, and I would always love to give her books a chance.
And they hit. no lie.
So sports romantasy is the best thing ever? Sophie Kim tries something new and I'm ready for her to serve and exactly it left me amused and interested. The whole plot infact blew my mind, I was in fact already love with the characters.
Yes, the writing style and dialogues are no joke, not for the weak hearted, the dialogues made my head ache with amusement, and frustration both. Because did I expect the foul language? No, but even more the language was funnily put. On some other day I would have been annoyed, luckily I was bored so I loved it.
Also this book was funny for me, like I don't know why I kept laughing at so many things that occurred in the middle of the book and from the starting it seems to draw me in.
Taissa Cho, is a very fierce character. She's strong, unwilling to backdown from a fight or a verbal even physical spar. If I could be honest, I'm saying that the way she spoke back made me feel satisfied, honestly she was so different and I loved it about her. She was indeed soft from inside, but the way she spoke in her thick accent was anything but cute. She would make you regret talking with her.
And she loved to fight with Kion.
Kion is the very person who brought her career to downhill in jealousy, insecurity and even as a way to revenge on the defeat he has recieved because of her. She would always be good and she hated him which would piss him off more. Butt underneath all those years we have a 'pookie' -- yes that's why Taissa called him - who secretly is a yearner and yearns for touch a lot haha.
Honestly these both were very different characters, they were fighting like siblings/ rivals both at the same time which made it interesting. Their banter made me chuckle and laugh, even made me feel embarrassed because what the hell is a bahoochie situation!?!? I was feeling so many emotions at once with this book. The way he would care for her and the way she cared for him, in the end she was the real yearner I know, and I loved it all, there were so many beautiful moments.
James, I doubted him, for a second I wondered if he was gay [I'm sorry but the way he acted jealous] sorry James, but connecting with him was a bit harder since he was barely on screen with other crew. Yet I loved his bond with Kion, they were good friends indeed. Even though the way they stopped talking after Kion lied was a bit tad dramatic but then I'm the same so I don't blame him.
Knox, wow he was such a cutie at the same time funny. He was very carefree and good to go with, always engaging and verbally sparring with Orion, which seemed like his daily hobby. Yet I loved his character it was easy to like him the way he commented in a funny way.
There are other team members too whom I loved them so much, but you would have to read the book to know about them!! Bronte, Orion and [another one I forgot the name] are the best ones too <3.
The found family was so cute honestly, it made me happy at how when they all opened up they were so sincere in protecting each other. Didn't expect much of it but I loved it.
Even the plot that revolved around when solved, it was hinted at, and it did went in circles before settling in, it was surprising and enjoyable I would say, sometimes it may dim but then the characters itself are interesting so you don't actually see yourself in a dim boring situation.
The ending did had a satisfying end, but I expected more of Taissa's old team hoping that they get what they deserve. Aster and Elise were mean and rude, dare I hoped for revenge hehe sorry.
I would yes , recommend this book a lot! It was so good, sports and romantasy do go well off! But just a tad bit warning about the writing, scottish it is, and dangerously weird. Yet I loved it.
💌 Thank you, Netgalley and Del Ray, Random House Worlds, for this beautiful arc in exchange for an honest review.
.# preread.
I didn't expect to get this arc I'm screaming!?!?! O my goodness I'm not gonna read this yet but in March end probably [watch me go back on my words and read it rn].
⤿ 💌 ⌗ publishing date: 30th June 2026.
.my thoughts.
I actually did not meant to pick this book up, when I heard about it, I was very skeptical because this whole situation sounds interesting but I was scared, but then it's written by Sophie Kim, and I would always love to give her books a chance.
And they hit. no lie.
So sports romantasy is the best thing ever? Sophie Kim tries something new and I'm ready for her to serve and exactly it left me amused and interested. The whole plot infact blew my mind, I was in fact already love with the characters.
Yes, the writing style and dialogues are no joke, not for the weak hearted, the dialogues made my head ache with amusement, and frustration both. Because did I expect the foul language? No, but even more the language was funnily put. On some other day I would have been annoyed, luckily I was bored so I loved it.
Also this book was funny for me, like I don't know why I kept laughing at so many things that occurred in the middle of the book and from the starting it seems to draw me in.
Taissa Cho, is a very fierce character. She's strong, unwilling to backdown from a fight or a verbal even physical spar. If I could be honest, I'm saying that the way she spoke back made me feel satisfied, honestly she was so different and I loved it about her. She was indeed soft from inside, but the way she spoke in her thick accent was anything but cute. She would make you regret talking with her.
And she loved to fight with Kion.
Kion is the very person who brought her career to downhill in jealousy, insecurity and even as a way to revenge on the defeat he has recieved because of her. She would always be good and she hated him which would piss him off more. Butt underneath all those years we have a 'pookie' -- yes that's why Taissa called him - who secretly is a yearner and yearns for touch a lot haha.
Honestly these both were very different characters, they were fighting like siblings/ rivals both at the same time which made it interesting. Their banter made me chuckle and laugh, even made me feel embarrassed because what the hell is a bahoochie situation!?!? I was feeling so many emotions at once with this book. The way he would care for her and the way she cared for him, in the end she was the real yearner I know, and I loved it all, there were so many beautiful moments.
James, I doubted him, for a second I wondered if he was gay [I'm sorry but the way he acted jealous] sorry James, but connecting with him was a bit harder since he was barely on screen with other crew. Yet I loved his bond with Kion, they were good friends indeed. Even though the way they stopped talking after Kion lied was a bit tad dramatic but then I'm the same so I don't blame him.
Knox, wow he was such a cutie at the same time funny. He was very carefree and good to go with, always engaging and verbally sparring with Orion, which seemed like his daily hobby. Yet I loved his character it was easy to like him the way he commented in a funny way.
There are other team members too whom I loved them so much, but you would have to read the book to know about them!! Bronte, Orion and [another one I forgot the name] are the best ones too <3.
The found family was so cute honestly, it made me happy at how when they all opened up they were so sincere in protecting each other. Didn't expect much of it but I loved it.
Even the plot that revolved around when solved, it was hinted at, and it did went in circles before settling in, it was surprising and enjoyable I would say, sometimes it may dim but then the characters itself are interesting so you don't actually see yourself in a dim boring situation.
The ending did had a satisfying end, but I expected more of Taissa's old team hoping that they get what they deserve. Aster and Elise were mean and rude, dare I hoped for revenge hehe sorry.
I would yes , recommend this book a lot! It was so good, sports and romantasy do go well off! But just a tad bit warning about the writing, scottish it is, and dangerously weird. Yet I loved it.
💌 Thank you, Netgalley and Del Ray, Random House Worlds, for this beautiful arc in exchange for an honest review.
.# preread.
I didn't expect to get this arc I'm screaming!?!?! O my goodness I'm not gonna read this yet but in March end probably [watch me go back on my words and read it rn].
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.5 ★— Who doesn’t love a heated rivalry?
The Winged Game is a self-described sports romantasy about two former star players, Kion Locke and Taissa Cho, who have both lost their elite athlete reputations after she was outed for cheating by him two years ago, while his team has continued spiraling downward and losing its standing.
Easy to read, I’ll absolutely commend Sophie Kim for her genuinely funny and cheeky writing style. This book is quite long, but the smooth flow and lighthearted tone of the prose made it feel like a breeze to move through!
That said, this doesn’t stop me from acknowledging that certain sections dragged a little, and I do think the story could have been tightened in places. Do not get me wrong, I loved this book and had so much fun reading it, but the substantial length, along with what occasionally felt like stalled plot momentum, might put some readers off.
Told in dual POV, we follow Taissa and Kion as they slowly build their relationship. And by slowly, I mean slowly. Their connection takes a while to blossom, so that when it does, it feels earned and thoughtfully developed. As someone who loves a drawn-out buildup filled to the brim with all the glances, confusion, yearning and emotional uncertainty, I genuinely reveled in watching Taissa and Kion fumble their way from fake dating into real feelings.
There were also just so many hilarious moments throughout, a lot of them rooted in the story’s UK setting and the genuinely brilliant expressions and phrases that came with it. Taissa, for example, being half-Scottish and using her very colourful Scottish slang and a variety of Scottish insults, added so much humor! Really, this book has once again underlined my belief that truly, no one swears like the British.
The central plot shifts from being primarily sports-focused into something closer to a light detective style story in the latter half of the book, so readers who enjoyed Kim’s previous duology may find appreciate some familiar elements here. I know I did!
I’ve felt this about Sophie Kim’s work before, but after finishing this, I can confidently say that this woman has absolutely spent time in the halls of Tumblr and AO3. Large parts of this book gave me the exact warm giddiness of a really good 120,000 word slow-burn AU fic, and I mean that in the best, most complimentary way possible.
I would genuinely love a sequel novel focused on one of the side characters, because this world feels sobfull of stories still waiting to be explored. There are so many possibilities for fun romances among the characters we’ve been shown, and with the way this was written, the door for that is wiiiide open.
__________________
Thank you to Del Rey for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The Winged Game is a self-described sports romantasy about two former star players, Kion Locke and Taissa Cho, who have both lost their elite athlete reputations after she was outed for cheating by him two years ago, while his team has continued spiraling downward and losing its standing.
Easy to read, I’ll absolutely commend Sophie Kim for her genuinely funny and cheeky writing style. This book is quite long, but the smooth flow and lighthearted tone of the prose made it feel like a breeze to move through!
That said, this doesn’t stop me from acknowledging that certain sections dragged a little, and I do think the story could have been tightened in places. Do not get me wrong, I loved this book and had so much fun reading it, but the substantial length, along with what occasionally felt like stalled plot momentum, might put some readers off.
Told in dual POV, we follow Taissa and Kion as they slowly build their relationship. And by slowly, I mean slowly. Their connection takes a while to blossom, so that when it does, it feels earned and thoughtfully developed. As someone who loves a drawn-out buildup filled to the brim with all the glances, confusion, yearning and emotional uncertainty, I genuinely reveled in watching Taissa and Kion fumble their way from fake dating into real feelings.
There were also just so many hilarious moments throughout, a lot of them rooted in the story’s UK setting and the genuinely brilliant expressions and phrases that came with it. Taissa, for example, being half-Scottish and using her very colourful Scottish slang and a variety of Scottish insults, added so much humor! Really, this book has once again underlined my belief that truly, no one swears like the British.
The central plot shifts from being primarily sports-focused into something closer to a light detective style story in the latter half of the book, so readers who enjoyed Kim’s previous duology may find appreciate some familiar elements here. I know I did!
I’ve felt this about Sophie Kim’s work before, but after finishing this, I can confidently say that this woman has absolutely spent time in the halls of Tumblr and AO3. Large parts of this book gave me the exact warm giddiness of a really good 120,000 word slow-burn AU fic, and I mean that in the best, most complimentary way possible.
I would genuinely love a sequel novel focused on one of the side characters, because this world feels sobfull of stories still waiting to be explored. There are so many possibilities for fun romances among the characters we’ve been shown, and with the way this was written, the door for that is wiiiide open.
__________________
Thank you to Del Rey for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Romantasy meets sports romance!
This is one of my top reads of the year. It was such a refreshingly unique book in multiple ways. First of all, I’m kind of hit or miss with contemporary sports romances because I’m such a fantasy/romantasy girlie at heart. This is such an interesting mix because the book centers around the game of Carriwitchet.
Carriwitchet is played on the backs of various magical creatures. Each team has one specific kind of creature they ride, for example wyverns. I’ve seen some reviews comparing Carriwitchet to Quidditch from Harry Potter, but I think that’s an extremely unfair comparison seeing as the only similarity is that both games are played in the air. The positions are different, and the goal is to steal three gems from the opposing team’s tower. Whoever brings all three of the opposing team’s gems back to their side of the field first wins.
It took me a while to understand the game and the different roles of the players. I read an ARC copy, and hopefully Sophie Kim will add a glossary or a diagram of the playing field at some point.
The book starts off two years before the main story, and we find out how and why Taissa is forced to leave her Carriwitchet team in disgrace. Flash forward to two years later, and her biggest opponent, MMC Kion, asks her to return to the league on his team to help them out of the bad losing streak they’ve been having. The team desperately needs some good PR, so they agree to fake date for the good of the club. This brings me to my second point that made this book unique. In my opinion, this was a TRUE enemies to lovers. Every book claims to have that trope nowadays, but it really delivered here. I absolutely hated both of these characters for one another in the beginning, and I didn’t know how Kim was going to be able to change my mind about that.
I don’t want to reveal too much because there were a couple of twists that I didn’t see coming, and I don’t want to ruin that experience for anyone. However, I feel legally obligated to mention how absolutely obsessed I am with Cronus. I’m not even going to tell you who/what that is...I guess you’ll just have to read this!!!!
—Thank you to NetGalley, Sophie Kim, and Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore for the ARC copy of The Winged Game—
This is one of my top reads of the year. It was such a refreshingly unique book in multiple ways. First of all, I’m kind of hit or miss with contemporary sports romances because I’m such a fantasy/romantasy girlie at heart. This is such an interesting mix because the book centers around the game of Carriwitchet.
Carriwitchet is played on the backs of various magical creatures. Each team has one specific kind of creature they ride, for example wyverns. I’ve seen some reviews comparing Carriwitchet to Quidditch from Harry Potter, but I think that’s an extremely unfair comparison seeing as the only similarity is that both games are played in the air. The positions are different, and the goal is to steal three gems from the opposing team’s tower. Whoever brings all three of the opposing team’s gems back to their side of the field first wins.
It took me a while to understand the game and the different roles of the players. I read an ARC copy, and hopefully Sophie Kim will add a glossary or a diagram of the playing field at some point.
The book starts off two years before the main story, and we find out how and why Taissa is forced to leave her Carriwitchet team in disgrace. Flash forward to two years later, and her biggest opponent, MMC Kion, asks her to return to the league on his team to help them out of the bad losing streak they’ve been having. The team desperately needs some good PR, so they agree to fake date for the good of the club. This brings me to my second point that made this book unique. In my opinion, this was a TRUE enemies to lovers. Every book claims to have that trope nowadays, but it really delivered here. I absolutely hated both of these characters for one another in the beginning, and I didn’t know how Kim was going to be able to change my mind about that.
I don’t want to reveal too much because there were a couple of twists that I didn’t see coming, and I don’t want to ruin that experience for anyone. However, I feel legally obligated to mention how absolutely obsessed I am with Cronus. I’m not even going to tell you who/what that is...I guess you’ll just have to read this!!!!
—Thank you to NetGalley, Sophie Kim, and Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore for the ARC copy of The Winged Game—
Currently reading
March 8, 2026𐦍༘⋆ pre-read:
thank you so much to netgalley and del rey publishing for the e-ARC of this! i've been keeping an eye on this one for AGES, and i'm so excited to dive in 🤭
the winged game releases on 30th June, 2026! <3
thank you so much to netgalley and del rey publishing for the e-ARC of this! i've been keeping an eye on this one for AGES, and i'm so excited to dive in 🤭
the winged game releases on 30th June, 2026! <3
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
✨ The Winged Game ✨
I devoured this book. I was immediately obsessed with this book and I need at least ten more in this world. It is already one of my favorite reads of the year. Honestly, this was a 6 star read for me!! This was truly romantasy sports romance in every sense and I am already impatient for the audiobook. I am manifesting duet narration with a full cast because it deserves that level of production.
The second I realized the main characters play a magical sport on winged beasts, I was locked in. That concept alone had me, but the execution was chefs kiss! The magic system was strong and the world building actually surprised me. But it wasn't overwhelming!
Taissa absolutely wrecked me. My heart broke for her and I was genuinely angry on her behalf. Her fall from grace and everything that follows was awful! Especially when you learn why! Also, this was a true enemies to lovers romance. Both Taissa and Kion strongly hated each other! Which made the fake dating even funnier! I did think the photoshoot scene was odd and unncessary?
The only note I’ll make is that although the characters are in their late twenties, they read younger. More like college aged professional athletes. It didn’t ruin anything for me, but it stood out.
💫 What to Expect
• Magical sports
• Rival athletes
• Forced proximity
• True enemies to lovers
• Fake dating
• Wyvern besties!
• Found family
• Healing Arc
_ _ _
📅 Pub Date: June 30, 2026
📝 Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy. All thoughts are my own.
I devoured this book. I was immediately obsessed with this book and I need at least ten more in this world. It is already one of my favorite reads of the year. Honestly, this was a 6 star read for me!! This was truly romantasy sports romance in every sense and I am already impatient for the audiobook. I am manifesting duet narration with a full cast because it deserves that level of production.
The second I realized the main characters play a magical sport on winged beasts, I was locked in. That concept alone had me, but the execution was chefs kiss! The magic system was strong and the world building actually surprised me. But it wasn't overwhelming!
Taissa absolutely wrecked me. My heart broke for her and I was genuinely angry on her behalf. Her fall from grace and everything that follows was awful! Especially when you learn why! Also, this was a true enemies to lovers romance. Both Taissa and Kion strongly hated each other! Which made the fake dating even funnier! I did think the photoshoot scene was odd and unncessary?
The only note I’ll make is that although the characters are in their late twenties, they read younger. More like college aged professional athletes. It didn’t ruin anything for me, but it stood out.
💫 What to Expect
• Magical sports
• Rival athletes
• Forced proximity
• True enemies to lovers
• Fake dating
• Wyvern besties!
• Found family
• Healing Arc
_ _ _
📅 Pub Date: June 30, 2026
📝 Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy. All thoughts are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
੭୧ 1 star . ۫
overall thoughts — This was an absolute dumpster fire! I have been deceived!! I went into this expecting a light and fun read, but having finished, the only things I feel are an overwhelming urge to defenestrate the protagonist and a deep sense of second-hand embarrassment from the cringe-worthy dialogue and romance 😕
What I liked: The interludes were cute and some of the banter was entertaining. There were some moments that made me laugh. For a brief stretch, I actually had fun with this book. The enemies-to-lovers dynamic even seemed convincing at first, which is rare for me because most romantasy completely fumbles that trope.
But somewhere around 40-50%, everything fell apart. The banter that was initially funny quickly became repetitive and irritating. The use of sarcasm slowly turned into cringe dialogue and clichés. On top of that, the constant swearing in nearly every sentence became exhausting.
My biggest problem was the characters!! Both Taissa and Kion are unbelievably insufferable. Taissa's personality seems to consist of being whiny and irritated half the book, while the other half consists of her thinking about how Kion is soooo sexy 🤤 Kion is the classic broody, possessive romantasy male lead with very little depth beyond that. The romance felt incredibly shallow and tasteless.
What makes it worse is that the story markets itself partly as a sports romantasy, yet there is barely any actual sport. For a book built around Carriwitchet (a Quidditch-esque sport) - you would expect idk maybe the characters focusing on the actual playing of the sport?? There are also moments that are so absurd I genuinely had to stop and ask myself if this was supposed to be serious - like a scene where the characters do an explicit magazine photoshoot.
I am a bit disappointed in seeing the direction the author seems to be going in. There's something genuinely sad about watching an author move from writing Asian fantasy to leaning heavily into the most cliché Booktok romantasy tropes. I can absolutely see this book becoming popular when it releases. It contains all the elements that tend to sell right now: rivals-to-lovers, a broody possessive male lead, lots of banter, magical creature riding, a romance built on tension and attraction...etc. Fourth Wing enthusiasts will probably enjoy it. But I definitely did not. At all.
final thoughts — I laughed a few times, and the interludes were cute. But those moments weren't enough to save a story filled with irritating characters, repetitive humour, and a romance that quickly became unbearable. Somewhere between the cringe-worthy dialogue and the endless sex talk, I started losing the will tolive continue 💔
thank you to the author and publisher for the arc!
CW: sexual content, violence, language, trauma, abuse, animal abuse, cyberbullying
⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
finished: 02/25/26
my faith in romantasy authors continues to sink lower by the day. sigh 😞
pre read: 02/20/26
stepping out of my comfort zone with this one, as it's a sports romantasy. i've learned the hard way i can't expect much from romantasy, but the synopsis is too intriguing! i just hope the characters aren't insufferable 🤞
overall thoughts — This was an absolute dumpster fire! I have been deceived!! I went into this expecting a light and fun read, but having finished, the only things I feel are an overwhelming urge to defenestrate the protagonist and a deep sense of second-hand embarrassment from the cringe-worthy dialogue and romance 😕
What I liked: The interludes were cute and some of the banter was entertaining. There were some moments that made me laugh. For a brief stretch, I actually had fun with this book. The enemies-to-lovers dynamic even seemed convincing at first, which is rare for me because most romantasy completely fumbles that trope.
But somewhere around 40-50%, everything fell apart. The banter that was initially funny quickly became repetitive and irritating. The use of sarcasm slowly turned into cringe dialogue and clichés. On top of that, the constant swearing in nearly every sentence became exhausting.
My biggest problem was the characters!! Both Taissa and Kion are unbelievably insufferable. Taissa's personality seems to consist of being whiny and irritated half the book, while the other half consists of her thinking about how Kion is soooo sexy 🤤 Kion is the classic broody, possessive romantasy male lead with very little depth beyond that. The romance felt incredibly shallow and tasteless.
What makes it worse is that the story markets itself partly as a sports romantasy, yet there is barely any actual sport. For a book built around Carriwitchet (a Quidditch-esque sport) - you would expect idk maybe the characters focusing on the actual playing of the sport?? There are also moments that are so absurd I genuinely had to stop and ask myself if this was supposed to be serious - like a scene where the characters do an explicit magazine photoshoot.
I am a bit disappointed in seeing the direction the author seems to be going in. There's something genuinely sad about watching an author move from writing Asian fantasy to leaning heavily into the most cliché Booktok romantasy tropes. I can absolutely see this book becoming popular when it releases. It contains all the elements that tend to sell right now: rivals-to-lovers, a broody possessive male lead, lots of banter, magical creature riding, a romance built on tension and attraction...etc. Fourth Wing enthusiasts will probably enjoy it. But I definitely did not. At all.
final thoughts — I laughed a few times, and the interludes were cute. But those moments weren't enough to save a story filled with irritating characters, repetitive humour, and a romance that quickly became unbearable. Somewhere between the cringe-worthy dialogue and the endless sex talk, I started losing the will to
thank you to the author and publisher for the arc!
CW: sexual content, violence, language, trauma, abuse, animal abuse, cyberbullying
⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
finished: 02/25/26
my faith in romantasy authors continues to sink lower by the day. sigh 😞
pre read: 02/20/26
stepping out of my comfort zone with this one, as it's a sports romantasy. i've learned the hard way i can't expect much from romantasy, but the synopsis is too intriguing! i just hope the characters aren't insufferable 🤞
February 21, 2026
“You’re mine to hate.” should not me romantic but it is!!
Fantasy sports romance takes its first flight with The Winged Game, a standalone of rivalry, magic, and curses aplenty. Step into a sports rivalry romance unlike any other, where the game in question, Carriwitchet, is played alongside a plethora of winged creatures and two former rivals must fake date in order to sell their new collaboration. Players Taissa Cho and Kion Locke made headlines with their longstanding Carriwitchet rivalry, but years after Taissa was forced out of the sport for allegedly cheating she is called back to aid Kion’s failing team. Now fighting to win on the same side, burying the hatchet is made all the more difficult when they have to muster up feelings of love and devotion—for the sake of the team that is. Sophie Kim’s The Winged Game combines everything most essential to her craft: humor, hijinks, and unlikely romantic duos, and gives it a magical sports twist. Kim has always nailed the balancing act with these and Winged Game is a refreshing new playing field for an already impeccable talent in fantasy. Taissa and Kion’s dynamic is delicious and the transformation from bitter rivals to partners had me on edge for the entirety of this novel. Sophie Kim had me questioning why the words "you're mine to hate” were so romantic, delighting in “who hurt you” (initiated by a woman), and relishing in the found family dynamic amongst our Carriwitchet team. The Winged Game is more proof Sophie Kim has tapped into something electric in the fantasy genre, charming and eccentric as only her writing can be. You’ll want to be on her team for this and all others.
thank you to edelweiss and the publisher for the advance review copy.
Bookstagram | Blog
Fantasy sports romance takes its first flight with The Winged Game, a standalone of rivalry, magic, and curses aplenty. Step into a sports rivalry romance unlike any other, where the game in question, Carriwitchet, is played alongside a plethora of winged creatures and two former rivals must fake date in order to sell their new collaboration. Players Taissa Cho and Kion Locke made headlines with their longstanding Carriwitchet rivalry, but years after Taissa was forced out of the sport for allegedly cheating she is called back to aid Kion’s failing team. Now fighting to win on the same side, burying the hatchet is made all the more difficult when they have to muster up feelings of love and devotion—for the sake of the team that is. Sophie Kim’s The Winged Game combines everything most essential to her craft: humor, hijinks, and unlikely romantic duos, and gives it a magical sports twist. Kim has always nailed the balancing act with these and Winged Game is a refreshing new playing field for an already impeccable talent in fantasy. Taissa and Kion’s dynamic is delicious and the transformation from bitter rivals to partners had me on edge for the entirety of this novel. Sophie Kim had me questioning why the words "you're mine to hate” were so romantic, delighting in “who hurt you” (initiated by a woman), and relishing in the found family dynamic amongst our Carriwitchet team. The Winged Game is more proof Sophie Kim has tapped into something electric in the fantasy genre, charming and eccentric as only her writing can be. You’ll want to be on her team for this and all others.
thank you to edelweiss and the publisher for the advance review copy.
Bookstagram | Blog
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Sophie Kim, Del Rey, Random House Worlds, and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review! The Winged Game releases on June 30th!
3.75 / 5 ⭐
I want to preface this by saying this is my first Sophie Kim novel, so it took me quite a while to get used to the writing style! Not only that, but I do not read many sports romances. I was very curious about this one because it combines a sports romance with a romantasy setting! I was very pleasantly surprised at how well these two genres mixed!
I enjoyed the setting very much. The worldbuilding and magic system were both very unique and I felt myself wanting to know more about how everything in this world works. Granted, I did feel like the overall beginning of the book was a bit difficult for me to read because I was struggling to understand how Carriwitchet works. Most of the time I imagined Quidditch.
Taissa, our FMC, is the star player for the Wyverns! She's a powerhouse in the field, winning games and gaining sponsorships like there's no tomorrow. All that changes one day after her rival exposes her and and her career is ruined. I really REALLY loved how sarcastic she was, and her banter was soooo funny.
Kion, her rival, and former celebrity crush.. is our MMC. He was broody, and grumpy.. but overall a softie on the inside. Over the course of this book, I really fell in love with him. He was commited, loving, and just overall hilarious.
As the book progressed and their relationship developed, I found myself loving the two more and more. Their banter was hilarious and felt authentic. And the fake dating didn't seem to feel too forced into the forefront of the plot.
Overall, I enjoyed this one, but I did struggle to get through the first 20-30% of the book.
♡ pre-read ♡
A Fantasy AND a Sports romance? Oh my god I just know I'm going to melt.
3.75 / 5 ⭐
I want to preface this by saying this is my first Sophie Kim novel, so it took me quite a while to get used to the writing style! Not only that, but I do not read many sports romances. I was very curious about this one because it combines a sports romance with a romantasy setting! I was very pleasantly surprised at how well these two genres mixed!
I enjoyed the setting very much. The worldbuilding and magic system were both very unique and I felt myself wanting to know more about how everything in this world works. Granted, I did feel like the overall beginning of the book was a bit difficult for me to read because I was struggling to understand how Carriwitchet works. Most of the time I imagined Quidditch.
Taissa, our FMC, is the star player for the Wyverns! She's a powerhouse in the field, winning games and gaining sponsorships like there's no tomorrow. All that changes one day after her rival exposes her and and her career is ruined. I really REALLY loved how sarcastic she was, and her banter was soooo funny.
Kion, her rival, and former celebrity crush.. is our MMC. He was broody, and grumpy.. but overall a softie on the inside. Over the course of this book, I really fell in love with him. He was commited, loving, and just overall hilarious.
As the book progressed and their relationship developed, I found myself loving the two more and more. Their banter was hilarious and felt authentic. And the fake dating didn't seem to feel too forced into the forefront of the plot.
Overall, I enjoyed this one, but I did struggle to get through the first 20-30% of the book.
♡ pre-read ♡
A Fantasy AND a Sports romance? Oh my god I just know I'm going to melt.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
── ⟡ 🪽 four point five stars ★
ㅤㅤ⌗ publishing june 30, 26 !
this book definitely won a spot in my heart rtc
thank you to netgalley and author for an arc ꕀ book number 45 ੭
ㅤㅤ⌗ publishing june 30, 26 !
this book definitely won a spot in my heart rtc
thank you to netgalley and author for an arc ꕀ book number 45 ੭
Want to read
December 16, 2025At this point if she writes it, I’ll buy. Sophie Kim truly does not get enough hype.
February 5, 2026
4.5⭐️
"They're a perfect fit, like lock and key. Morganna save her, but she never wants the kiss to end. Yet perhaps she shouldn't worry. Something tells her that they have all the time in the world."
...
Thank you to both NetGalley and DelRey Publsihing for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!
I can't say I have read a fantasy sports romance before, but if Sophie Kim writes it, I am in fact going to read it. And imagine my sheer and utter delight when I stumbled upon easter eggs for the God and the Gumiho throughout this book?? I REPEAT, THIS IS SET IN THE SAME UNIVERSE AS THE GOD AND THE GUMIHO!! We get sweet little mentions of New Sinsi, Godly Gossip, and a certain disgraced trickster god. So yes, I loved that, but of course, now my thoughts on the book at hand!
This is a dual POV fantasy romance novel centered around rival athletes, Tiassa and Kion. They play a game called cariwitchet where players ride different magical creatures on the pitch, such as dragons, wyverns, and cockatrice. Each team has what are called draconian jewels held in their respective siege towers that either opposing team must acquire all three of to win the game. They play on a pitch and have a major and minor league, and some other familiar terms to help you sort of make sense of it all. The game itself was fun, and captivated me as someone who is not a sports-centric person. And while we focus primarily on our two main characters, I felt that we got just enough "screentime" for the other players on the team, so we have a well-rounded cast. In ways, it reminded me of the show Ted Lasso, as we are focusing on an underdog team of players.
Tiassa and Kion had such an incredible dynamic and growth throughout the story. Their growth was not purely tied to them and their impending romance, but also as individuals. Tiassa used to be a star player until she was spotted to have a luck glyph on her skin by Kion. The two had already been batting heads for years (even though Tiassa used to be a super fan and considered him an idol before being a player herself), but this was the nail in the coffin. Tiassa became hated and disgraced until two years later, Kion appeared at her door, asking her to come play for his team. His team has fallen on hard times over the years, having been pushed down to the minor leagues, and is now on the brink of dissolution. He needs Tiassa to save them. However, their bad luck may be more than it appears...
I loved this world along with its magic system. We have a wide array of magical creatures, along with Seelie, Unseelie, Goblins, Hobgoblins, Vampires, etc. And those with magical abilities live in private areas that are magically made invisible from the outside world so that they can live in peace. The way magic is created is by drawing symbols, and each can have varying degrees/levels of power. I pictured this as how magic is formed in the manga Witch Hat Atelier. Players are also connected to the magical creature they ride for Cariwitchet and can speak to them telepathically! It all made for a fun and magic-filled world!
The dialogue was so funny and adorable, and had me smiling and feeling all fuzzy inside. The romance has such a perfect evolution from rivals to lovers, and the found-family and animal companion relationships filled my heart with so much joy (I love you, Cronus).
I wish the pacing had been a little more refined in the last 100 or so pages, but I absolutely adored this book and cannot wait for her upcoming books to have more details!!
"They're a perfect fit, like lock and key. Morganna save her, but she never wants the kiss to end. Yet perhaps she shouldn't worry. Something tells her that they have all the time in the world."
...
Thank you to both NetGalley and DelRey Publsihing for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!
I can't say I have read a fantasy sports romance before, but if Sophie Kim writes it, I am in fact going to read it. And imagine my sheer and utter delight when I stumbled upon easter eggs for the God and the Gumiho throughout this book?? I REPEAT, THIS IS SET IN THE SAME UNIVERSE AS THE GOD AND THE GUMIHO!! We get sweet little mentions of New Sinsi, Godly Gossip, and a certain disgraced trickster god. So yes, I loved that, but of course, now my thoughts on the book at hand!
This is a dual POV fantasy romance novel centered around rival athletes, Tiassa and Kion. They play a game called cariwitchet where players ride different magical creatures on the pitch, such as dragons, wyverns, and cockatrice. Each team has what are called draconian jewels held in their respective siege towers that either opposing team must acquire all three of to win the game. They play on a pitch and have a major and minor league, and some other familiar terms to help you sort of make sense of it all. The game itself was fun, and captivated me as someone who is not a sports-centric person. And while we focus primarily on our two main characters, I felt that we got just enough "screentime" for the other players on the team, so we have a well-rounded cast. In ways, it reminded me of the show Ted Lasso, as we are focusing on an underdog team of players.
Tiassa and Kion had such an incredible dynamic and growth throughout the story. Their growth was not purely tied to them and their impending romance, but also as individuals. Tiassa used to be a star player until she was spotted to have a luck glyph on her skin by Kion. The two had already been batting heads for years (even though Tiassa used to be a super fan and considered him an idol before being a player herself), but this was the nail in the coffin. Tiassa became hated and disgraced until two years later, Kion appeared at her door, asking her to come play for his team. His team has fallen on hard times over the years, having been pushed down to the minor leagues, and is now on the brink of dissolution. He needs Tiassa to save them. However, their bad luck may be more than it appears...
I loved this world along with its magic system. We have a wide array of magical creatures, along with Seelie, Unseelie, Goblins, Hobgoblins, Vampires, etc. And those with magical abilities live in private areas that are magically made invisible from the outside world so that they can live in peace. The way magic is created is by drawing symbols, and each can have varying degrees/levels of power. I pictured this as how magic is formed in the manga Witch Hat Atelier. Players are also connected to the magical creature they ride for Cariwitchet and can speak to them telepathically! It all made for a fun and magic-filled world!
The dialogue was so funny and adorable, and had me smiling and feeling all fuzzy inside. The romance has such a perfect evolution from rivals to lovers, and the found-family and animal companion relationships filled my heart with so much joy (I love you, Cronus).
I wish the pacing had been a little more refined in the last 100 or so pages, but I absolutely adored this book and cannot wait for her upcoming books to have more details!!
January 30, 2026
Sports romance meets fantasy. This was cute and fun! RTC
February 11, 2026
finally found my first five star read of 2026! thanks to sophie kim & del rey publishing house for gifting me a review copy. it doesn’t affect my thoughts about the book in any way.
FULL RTC THIS WAS SO FUCKING GOOD
FULL RTC THIS WAS SO FUCKING GOOD
February 8, 2026
while not a huge fan of sports romance books, I was very intrigued by the concept of this book, but sadly, it didn’t live up to my expectations.
firstly, it took a couple tries for me to actually get into this book. the beginning is very slow, and it took so long for the plot to actually start. there’s also the matter of carriwitchet - we, as readers, barely have any idea what this sport is like. I feel like so many unnecessary concepts were over explained, while the actual rules of this game are barely mentioned.
after about 25%, the story gained some momentum, only to fall flat again around the 45% mark. the pacing was off, and the book should honestly have been at least 150 pages shorter. so many scenes added nothing to the plot and should’ve just been cut.
all in all, not my favorite Sophie Kim book, unfortunately.
thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
firstly, it took a couple tries for me to actually get into this book. the beginning is very slow, and it took so long for the plot to actually start. there’s also the matter of carriwitchet - we, as readers, barely have any idea what this sport is like. I feel like so many unnecessary concepts were over explained, while the actual rules of this game are barely mentioned.
after about 25%, the story gained some momentum, only to fall flat again around the 45% mark. the pacing was off, and the book should honestly have been at least 150 pages shorter. so many scenes added nothing to the plot and should’ve just been cut.
all in all, not my favorite Sophie Kim book, unfortunately.
thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 13, 2026
“You ruined my life. Why should I save yours?”
Sports romance + fantasy = a match made in heaven.
I was really intrigued by the premise of this story and how it would work, and I can confirm it’s brilliant.
This book is focused around the game of Carriwichet, a sport played on the backs of different magical creatures - each team has a different type of steed (one example being wyverns). The overall aim of the game is to steal 3 jewels from the opposing team’s base tower (which has multiple levels), and bring it back over to their side of the field. The first team to get all three jewels on their side wins.
Overall I would say it was reasonably easy to get the gist of the game but perhaps adding a rule book or glossary of terms/manoeuvres to the book would be helpful for publication.
The book follows the FMC Taissa Cho, a disgraced Carriwichet player, who is being asked to return to the game by her biggest rival, the MMC Kion Locke. He needs her to try and save his team, due to their seemingly never ending losing streak. In addition to try and increase the popularity for the team they are pushed into fake dating which really helps the rivals to lovers trope gain traction within the story.
I don’t want to say too much as I would hate to spoil it, but for all those reading this I implore you to give this book a chance.
I found the characters and relationships in the book to all be really well written, Taissa is a strong and fierce Scottish woman who won’t back down from a fight and Kion is a true leader who values trust while holding back a handful of dark secrets of his own. Along with them you have the rest of the found family, James, Knox, Orion and more. Again for the avoidance of spoilers I won’t say much more but just know I love Cronus (iykyk).
The banter and communication throughout the story had me laughing on many occasions and it really allows you to see their motivations which help push the story’s narrative forward.
The world building in here is really interesting, blending modern day reality into a fantasy setting with hidden cities and all sorts of magical species, from witches and warlocks to trolls and elves.
The magic system is also really cool to read, the main characters use qyls to draw symbols of varying power to gain abilities - to me it was reminiscent of stele’s from shadowhunters.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys the tropes of rivals to lovers, found family and who did this to you. Honestly sports romantasy wasn’t a genre I ever considered but it truly is really fun and this book shows it off so well. I won’t lie there were a few points throughout reading where I cringed whether it be due to the slang (bahoochie formation) or the common mouthing of words to each other (like guys you know other people can see you doing that right), I think that it just added more to the charm of the book. So if you’re reading this review, take it as a sign to go read this book (if you haven’t already).
Thanks to NetGalley, Sophie Kim and Del Rey for an ARC of this book, in return for an honest review.
Sports romance + fantasy = a match made in heaven.
I was really intrigued by the premise of this story and how it would work, and I can confirm it’s brilliant.
This book is focused around the game of Carriwichet, a sport played on the backs of different magical creatures - each team has a different type of steed (one example being wyverns). The overall aim of the game is to steal 3 jewels from the opposing team’s base tower (which has multiple levels), and bring it back over to their side of the field. The first team to get all three jewels on their side wins.
Overall I would say it was reasonably easy to get the gist of the game but perhaps adding a rule book or glossary of terms/manoeuvres to the book would be helpful for publication.
The book follows the FMC Taissa Cho, a disgraced Carriwichet player, who is being asked to return to the game by her biggest rival, the MMC Kion Locke. He needs her to try and save his team, due to their seemingly never ending losing streak. In addition to try and increase the popularity for the team they are pushed into fake dating which really helps the rivals to lovers trope gain traction within the story.
I don’t want to say too much as I would hate to spoil it, but for all those reading this I implore you to give this book a chance.
I found the characters and relationships in the book to all be really well written, Taissa is a strong and fierce Scottish woman who won’t back down from a fight and Kion is a true leader who values trust while holding back a handful of dark secrets of his own. Along with them you have the rest of the found family, James, Knox, Orion and more. Again for the avoidance of spoilers I won’t say much more but just know I love Cronus (iykyk).
The banter and communication throughout the story had me laughing on many occasions and it really allows you to see their motivations which help push the story’s narrative forward.
The world building in here is really interesting, blending modern day reality into a fantasy setting with hidden cities and all sorts of magical species, from witches and warlocks to trolls and elves.
The magic system is also really cool to read, the main characters use qyls to draw symbols of varying power to gain abilities - to me it was reminiscent of stele’s from shadowhunters.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys the tropes of rivals to lovers, found family and who did this to you. Honestly sports romantasy wasn’t a genre I ever considered but it truly is really fun and this book shows it off so well. I won’t lie there were a few points throughout reading where I cringed whether it be due to the slang (bahoochie formation) or the common mouthing of words to each other (like guys you know other people can see you doing that right), I think that it just added more to the charm of the book. So if you’re reading this review, take it as a sign to go read this book (if you haven’t already).
Thanks to NetGalley, Sophie Kim and Del Rey for an ARC of this book, in return for an honest review.
netgalley
February 20, 2026Thank you to Netgalley, Del Rey, Random House, Inklore, and Sophie Kim for the gifted eARC!
Genre: Romantacy (Sports)(Yeah, I said aports!)
⭐️ 4/5
Noteworthy: Standalone with dual POVs. The expected publication date is 6/30/2026.
When I read the blurb for this book I, like probably most, thought the sports aspect would be Quidditch adjacentant. I was pleasantly surprised that it really wasn't. Winged beasts are waaaay cooler! I am a big fan of sports romance and sports in general so I love that part of this book! A glossary to reference as we're learning the game would be helpful though.
Here we get rivals to reluctant allies to lovers which is always a treat for me! Imagine fake dating the person who helped ruined your life. But as always, a man who yearns is a man who earns! As you can imagine, Taissa the Scottish FMC is full of sass and takes crap from no one. She's and incredible FMC! The banter between the her and the MMC Kion is perfect. The unexpected humor in this book will have you giggling!
The world is full of magical creatures and the magic system is a bit like Shadowhunters which is fun. I loved the found family as well and I wouldn't be mad if the world was expanded to include some of their stories.
The writing was good but beware the UK slang. 😂 The pacing does bottleneck in a few spots but it didn't lessen my enjoyment.
If you're looking for a very unique romantic fantasy standalone with a slow burn romance full of tension, yearning and banter, plus a fun mystery aspect that will keep you invested, definitely add this to your TBR!
Genre: Romantacy (Sports)(Yeah, I said aports!)
⭐️ 4/5
Noteworthy: Standalone with dual POVs. The expected publication date is 6/30/2026.
When I read the blurb for this book I, like probably most, thought the sports aspect would be Quidditch adjacentant. I was pleasantly surprised that it really wasn't. Winged beasts are waaaay cooler! I am a big fan of sports romance and sports in general so I love that part of this book! A glossary to reference as we're learning the game would be helpful though.
Here we get rivals to reluctant allies to lovers which is always a treat for me! Imagine fake dating the person who helped ruined your life. But as always, a man who yearns is a man who earns! As you can imagine, Taissa the Scottish FMC is full of sass and takes crap from no one. She's and incredible FMC! The banter between the her and the MMC Kion is perfect. The unexpected humor in this book will have you giggling!
The world is full of magical creatures and the magic system is a bit like Shadowhunters which is fun. I loved the found family as well and I wouldn't be mad if the world was expanded to include some of their stories.
The writing was good but beware the UK slang. 😂 The pacing does bottleneck in a few spots but it didn't lessen my enjoyment.
If you're looking for a very unique romantic fantasy standalone with a slow burn romance full of tension, yearning and banter, plus a fun mystery aspect that will keep you invested, definitely add this to your TBR!
Want to read
January 18, 2026a new sophie kim world? im sat 🙂↕️ fantasy sports romance, here i come ^^ (delrey gimme that copy rn!!!)
March 11, 2026
i’m suing everyone
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Firstly, thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for the chance to read this ARC. I have read a couple of works by this author and was super excited to read one of my most anticipated reads for this year.
I've rated this 3 stars to recognise that I believe there is an audience that will love the level of world building and imagination. However for me, I feel like this is a case of my expectations not being met, rather than an issue with the book per se. Let’s get into this...
The world building was ambitious, and I found it personally overwhelming from the start. I would have loved to see the world building woven more organically into the plot as the story progressed, rather than packed in at the beginning.
There was a fair amount of meandering throughout the character building. It’s great to get insight into internal monologues or the characters' perspectives and thoughts; however, I felt these could have been a little more concise and snappy. At times, I found myself zoning out as the characters internalised waffle was carrying over paragraphs, rather than sentences.
I appreciated the attempt to inject levity into the grumpy rivals/enemies dynamic, as banter was something I enjoyed in previous works I’ve read from this author. However, some of the colloquial Britishisms throughout the dialogue and world building felt a bit forced and disingenuous, particularly those associated with very specific cultural groups and movements within the UK.
The fictional sport was interesting, though it did feel very reminiscent of a more adult, avian version of the sport in a certain magic school book that shall not be named.
For context, I am a 'sports' person, particularly football, which is very much a core part of my upbringing, coming from a poor, working class background; your team is part of your identity. I’m also a romantasy reader, so I went into this expecting it to be the ultimate crossover episode. Sadly, it just didn't hit the mark for me. I couldn't buy into the sport element and the romantasy element was overshadowed by info overload, and I just felt a bit lost throughout it all.
I've rated this 3 stars to recognise that I believe there is an audience that will love the level of world building and imagination. However for me, I feel like this is a case of my expectations not being met, rather than an issue with the book per se. Let’s get into this...
The world building was ambitious, and I found it personally overwhelming from the start. I would have loved to see the world building woven more organically into the plot as the story progressed, rather than packed in at the beginning.
There was a fair amount of meandering throughout the character building. It’s great to get insight into internal monologues or the characters' perspectives and thoughts; however, I felt these could have been a little more concise and snappy. At times, I found myself zoning out as the characters internalised waffle was carrying over paragraphs, rather than sentences.
I appreciated the attempt to inject levity into the grumpy rivals/enemies dynamic, as banter was something I enjoyed in previous works I’ve read from this author. However, some of the colloquial Britishisms throughout the dialogue and world building felt a bit forced and disingenuous, particularly those associated with very specific cultural groups and movements within the UK.
The fictional sport was interesting, though it did feel very reminiscent of a more adult, avian version of the sport in a certain magic school book that shall not be named.
For context, I am a 'sports' person, particularly football, which is very much a core part of my upbringing, coming from a poor, working class background; your team is part of your identity. I’m also a romantasy reader, so I went into this expecting it to be the ultimate crossover episode. Sadly, it just didn't hit the mark for me. I couldn't buy into the sport element and the romantasy element was overshadowed by info overload, and I just felt a bit lost throughout it all.
February 14, 2026
THIS BOOK WAS HILARIOUS.
I’ve been ignoring my TBR like the pixie pox for this book! Sophie’s writing has always pulled me in with no hesitation from- The God & the Gumiho, The God & the Gwisin, and now The Winged Game. I loved every second of this book.
Taissa our FMC is sarcastic, hard headed, fearless, and one of the best Carriwitchet players. Her humor and energy is just so entertaining. I can’t think of a moment that I was not humored by her.
I don’t know what I loved more the side characters or the mythical beasts they ride. Cronus and Sansa are the best! I love grumpy old child eating Cronus. 🥹 He’s so grouchy but a big softie on the inside. And Sansa, I was definitely a little scared for her when the curse was being discovered (I would have rioted if the ending didn’t give an update on her but luckily Sophie pulled through with the best Sansa moment ever: cue the pink glitter and giant banner at the game hehe). Sansa is seriously the cutest cheerleader. I’m glad Taissa was able to keep them both in the end!
Our side characters are other members of the team including Adriel, James, Knox, Orion, Mahina, Brontë, and Isla. Each with their own personalities and complexities that added well to the storyline. I especially loved how sign language rep was included with Mahina (and Taissa learning BSL). Orion and Knox were probably two of the most interesting side character with Orion being the intense one and Knox to me is more mischievous.
Don’t worry I haven’t forgotten Kion, our MMC. Kion is so down bad for Taissa you can’t convince me otherwise even from the beginning. I’ve never enjoyed a slow burn as much I did with their story. Kion is misunderstood and struggling with things no one knows about (until he decides to speak with his friends about his struggles). It makes him a vulnerable and more likable character for me. His ongoing banter with Taissa is also just very amusing.
One of my favorite scenes is the bahoochie formation I just was not expecting it. 🤣 Literally the most bizarre and hilarious scene to me.
So what can you expect from this book? Sports romance (with a real slow burn, rivals to lovers, banter (lots of it), humorous jokes and scenes, detailed world building on the game of carriwitchet, magic/witches, and a mysterious curse.
AND OMG?! Taissa’s mom, Estee, being in New Sinsi?! Like the city in The God & the Gumiho, yes I caught that. 👀
I could probably write a couple more paragraphs on why I loved this book but I’ll just end this with-
For Merlin’s sake read this book. 🤭
Thank you Del Rey for the eARC!
I’ve been ignoring my TBR like the pixie pox for this book! Sophie’s writing has always pulled me in with no hesitation from- The God & the Gumiho, The God & the Gwisin, and now The Winged Game. I loved every second of this book.
Taissa our FMC is sarcastic, hard headed, fearless, and one of the best Carriwitchet players. Her humor and energy is just so entertaining. I can’t think of a moment that I was not humored by her.
I don’t know what I loved more the side characters or the mythical beasts they ride. Cronus and Sansa are the best! I love grumpy old child eating Cronus. 🥹 He’s so grouchy but a big softie on the inside. And Sansa, I was definitely a little scared for her when the curse was being discovered (I would have rioted if the ending didn’t give an update on her but luckily Sophie pulled through with the best Sansa moment ever: cue the pink glitter and giant banner at the game hehe). Sansa is seriously the cutest cheerleader. I’m glad Taissa was able to keep them both in the end!
Our side characters are other members of the team including Adriel, James, Knox, Orion, Mahina, Brontë, and Isla. Each with their own personalities and complexities that added well to the storyline. I especially loved how sign language rep was included with Mahina (and Taissa learning BSL). Orion and Knox were probably two of the most interesting side character with Orion being the intense one and Knox to me is more mischievous.
Don’t worry I haven’t forgotten Kion, our MMC. Kion is so down bad for Taissa you can’t convince me otherwise even from the beginning. I’ve never enjoyed a slow burn as much I did with their story. Kion is misunderstood and struggling with things no one knows about (until he decides to speak with his friends about his struggles). It makes him a vulnerable and more likable character for me. His ongoing banter with Taissa is also just very amusing.
One of my favorite scenes is the bahoochie formation I just was not expecting it. 🤣 Literally the most bizarre and hilarious scene to me.
So what can you expect from this book? Sports romance (with a real slow burn, rivals to lovers, banter (lots of it), humorous jokes and scenes, detailed world building on the game of carriwitchet, magic/witches, and a mysterious curse.
AND OMG?! Taissa’s mom, Estee, being in New Sinsi?! Like the city in The God & the Gumiho, yes I caught that. 👀
I could probably write a couple more paragraphs on why I loved this book but I’ll just end this with-
For Merlin’s sake read this book. 🤭
Thank you Del Rey for the eARC!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you Del Rey and NetGalley for the ARC
Fantasy Sports Romance you say? Enemies to lovers? She imagines killing someone with her crochet scarves, relatable, We've all been there haven't we?
I love how Sophie Kim blends folklore with the story she writes, her Fates Threads books remain a favourite asn she has hit the ball out of the park again (or should I say Jewel).
We meet disgraced ex-pro carriwitchet player Taissa trying to make ends meet after a heartbreak of being shunned and blacklisted from the NCL league, when who comes along but the other guy who got her fired. And he's asking her to come play for his team? Somehow they have to also fake being in love? Surely they can endure it for the love of the game 😌 (Niamh ghostwrote this)
I like how the story progressed through the mystery of the terrible plays and the even worse luck of the Stymphs and how the Romance was built on trust and communication and not just damn I hate to love you, let's shag in a closet 😂.
I would love a deeper dive into this world building, I love the things we learned about the land through the story itself. I felt it was a great blend of mystery, fantasy sports romance and a little dash of shenanigans. NGL I almost became a hater of the wrong person at a point. I loved Taissa and her insane bird.
What a way to start off an year with a good book.
The only feedback I would say is that readers familiar with Fae/folklore will find it easier to follow this story though it's not really necessary in the long run.
In summary, I devoured this book , like Cronus did or attempted to, his children.
Fantasy Sports Romance you say? Enemies to lovers? She imagines killing someone with her crochet scarves, relatable, We've all been there haven't we?
I love how Sophie Kim blends folklore with the story she writes, her Fates Threads books remain a favourite asn she has hit the ball out of the park again (or should I say Jewel).
We meet disgraced ex-pro carriwitchet player Taissa trying to make ends meet after a heartbreak of being shunned and blacklisted from the NCL league, when who comes along but the other guy who got her fired. And he's asking her to come play for his team? Somehow they have to also fake being in love? Surely they can endure it for the love of the game 😌 (Niamh ghostwrote this)
I like how the story progressed through the mystery of the terrible plays and the even worse luck of the Stymphs and how the Romance was built on trust and communication and not just damn I hate to love you, let's shag in a closet 😂.
I would love a deeper dive into this world building, I love the things we learned about the land through the story itself. I felt it was a great blend of mystery, fantasy sports romance and a little dash of shenanigans. NGL I almost became a hater of the wrong person at a point. I loved Taissa and her insane bird.
What a way to start off an year with a good book.
The only feedback I would say is that readers familiar with Fae/folklore will find it easier to follow this story though it's not really necessary in the long run.
In summary, I devoured this book , like Cronus did or attempted to, his children.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
It feels so good to be obsessed with a book after a month long reading slump (yes it was because of heated rivalry).
Here is the line that made me laugh out loud at 4 a.m :
Like that he was spotted at an Elvis impersonator's concert in 2018 - Elvish Presley
The beginning of the book made me think that it would be more lighthearted than it actually was but in the end I was enamored exactly because of the balance between humor and heavy issues.
The romance : impeccable. Even thought it included some of my least favorite tropes (see enemies to lovers and fake dating), it was written so well and it made so much sense for the story that I actually loved it. We actually see them turn into lovers and the sex scene was fucking earned.
The characters: incredible. Both the main and the side characters were well written and fleshed out. Their found family seriously melt my heart.
The plot: impressive. It was about the sport, and about the characters, and about the mystery, and about the romance all at once without being confusing or overwhelming. I was truly astonished by how well balanced every aspect of the book was.
I've been swooning too much I think so I will say that I wish the worldbuilding was woven a little bit better and that I hadn't actually solved the mystery before they did, but that's just a pet peeve of mine so whatever. It does not matter in the grand scheme of how much I love this book.
Here is the line that made me laugh out loud at 4 a.m :
Like that he was spotted at an Elvis impersonator's concert in 2018 - Elvish Presley
The beginning of the book made me think that it would be more lighthearted than it actually was but in the end I was enamored exactly because of the balance between humor and heavy issues.
The romance : impeccable. Even thought it included some of my least favorite tropes (see enemies to lovers and fake dating), it was written so well and it made so much sense for the story that I actually loved it. We actually see them turn into lovers and the sex scene was fucking earned.
The characters: incredible. Both the main and the side characters were well written and fleshed out. Their found family seriously melt my heart.
The plot: impressive. It was about the sport, and about the characters, and about the mystery, and about the romance all at once without being confusing or overwhelming. I was truly astonished by how well balanced every aspect of the book was.
I've been swooning too much I think so I will say that I wish the worldbuilding was woven a little bit better and that I hadn't actually solved the mystery before they did, but that's just a pet peeve of mine so whatever. It does not matter in the grand scheme of how much I love this book.
February 23, 2026
4.5 🌟
This was such a fun and different read, sports romance meets fantasy and I am all for it. I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect when I started but I laughed, cried and absolutely devoured the book in a day. The writing style is great, the humour is really relatable and I love some sarcasm. Locke and Cho are bitter rivals and their banter / bickering was fiery and I loved how their relationship developed.
This book was really different from others I’ve read and my first by Sophie Kim, but it definitely won’t be my last.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC!
This was such a fun and different read, sports romance meets fantasy and I am all for it. I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect when I started but I laughed, cried and absolutely devoured the book in a day. The writing style is great, the humour is really relatable and I love some sarcasm. Locke and Cho are bitter rivals and their banter / bickering was fiery and I loved how their relationship developed.
This book was really different from others I’ve read and my first by Sophie Kim, but it definitely won’t be my last.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
If you’re looking for a fun sports romance, this is definitely worth picking up. Just don’t go in expecting romantasy or heavy fantasy : at its core, it’s a sports romance with a few light magical elements and extremely low stakes.
I had such a great time with this. The characters were genuinely lovable, and the found family was especially well done. The romance between the two main characters was so sweet and cute.
Honestly, I’m a little disappointed it’s a standalone. I would have loved to spend more time with these characters.
I had such a great time with this. The characters were genuinely lovable, and the found family was especially well done. The romance between the two main characters was so sweet and cute.
Honestly, I’m a little disappointed it’s a standalone. I would have loved to spend more time with these characters.
February 11, 2026
5 ⭐️s
As a huge fan of this author’s Fate’s Thread duology I was beyond excited to read this new book early and it did not disappoint!!
This book has sassy but charming magical creature companions, a violent and competitive fantasy sport where your life and livelihood hangs in the balance in each match, rivals to lovers, fake dating, mysteries, magic, found family and so much more!
I adore the way the author writes her characters. The emotions are so visceral, the dialogue and banter is hilarious and each character feels real and flawed. The author has perfected the grumpy and antagonistic character but writes them in such a charming way!
Taissa and Kion are great protagonists for this book and I was invested in them from the start.
I also loved the small reference to a certain trickster god!
This was my first sports romance book but as a fantasy reader this was a great first experience so will definitely be reading more!
Thank you so much Sophie Kim for another amazing story and to NetGalley and Del Rey Publishing for giving me a chance to read this advance copy! I can’t wait for the release and to get my hands on a physical copy! 😁
As a huge fan of this author’s Fate’s Thread duology I was beyond excited to read this new book early and it did not disappoint!!
This book has sassy but charming magical creature companions, a violent and competitive fantasy sport where your life and livelihood hangs in the balance in each match, rivals to lovers, fake dating, mysteries, magic, found family and so much more!
I adore the way the author writes her characters. The emotions are so visceral, the dialogue and banter is hilarious and each character feels real and flawed. The author has perfected the grumpy and antagonistic character but writes them in such a charming way!
Taissa and Kion are great protagonists for this book and I was invested in them from the start.
I also loved the small reference to a certain trickster god!
This was my first sports romance book but as a fantasy reader this was a great first experience so will definitely be reading more!
Thank you so much Sophie Kim for another amazing story and to NetGalley and Del Rey Publishing for giving me a chance to read this advance copy! I can’t wait for the release and to get my hands on a physical copy! 😁
February 15, 2026
As soon as I picked up this book, I knew I was in for a funsies little fantasy sporty ride, and not an epic fantasy. But from the first pages, I felt a disconnect between what the book claimed to be (adult fantasy romance) and what it read like (YA contemporary with fantasy window dressing).
Taissa and Kion are rival riders in carriwitchet (a sport involving winged beasts and magical glyphs), who are forced to work together when to help Kion’s team leave the trenches, and give Taissa the chance to regain her reputation after having her career destroyed by Kion 2 years ago. As they train together, their mutual hatred begins to crack, while a mysterious disease starts to spread amongst the wingeds.
One of the things I liked most about this book is that Taissa and Kion genuinely hate each other from page one. Too many books slap “enemies to lovers” on the cover when the characters are really just mildly annoyed acquaintances who fight flirtatiously. Not here. These two despise each other. The animosity is real, it’s got history, and it’s mutual. And for a solid chunk of the book, they’re still awful to each other even as they’re reluctantly spending time on the same team. The shift from enemies to something else happens slowly, messily, with setbacks, which felt way more natural than the instant attraction most books try to sell.
That said, the ending stretched things a bit too far for me. The way their relationship resolved felt rushed after all yearning. It didn’t land quite right. But up until that point? I was genuinely impressed by how earned the progression felt.
Throughout the book we get these little social media interludes (posts the players make and how fans are responding) and honestly, they cracked me up. At first I thought, oh god, please no, but after a few of them I found myself actually looking forward to them. They were funny, they added levity, and they gave us insight into how the public perceives these characters (after all, they’re famous carriwitchet players).
Sports books aren’t usually my thing, but this one had a fantasy twist that got me excited: players bonded to winged animals, different species with different strengths and weaknesses, magical strategy layered on top of athletic competition. On paper, that sounds nice. In execution? I finished the entire book and still don’t understand how carriwitchet actually works.
The very first scene drops us into a match with zero context. Normally that’s fine, authors do that all the time, and the explaining comes afterwards. Except this book never really explains. Even by the end, I couldn’t tell you what the rules are, what most of the positions do, or how formations actually work. I have a vague idea of how you win a game, and that’s about it. The book constantly references formations, the tactical advantages of certain winged species over others, how matchups between teams create strategic opportunities, but I barely saw any of this play out in a way that made sense, or how it translated into gameplay advantages you could actually exploit.
The magic system has some genuinely cool ideas, but it’s never fleshed out enough to feel solid. We’re told there are different species (vampires, warlocks, witches, etc) and that there’s tension between certain groups, but it never goes deeper than surface-level mentions. We know there are institutions that regulate magic since some magic is illegal (which I actually found interesting as a concept), but the how and why remain frustratingly vague.
Take the glyphs as an example. The whole magic system for the carriwitchet players revolves around witches and warlocks drawing glyphs on their skin with a qyl, and these glyphs give them temporary powers. Cool premise. But how do people get their qly? Only witches and warlocks use glyphs, but have other species try to manipulate it to somehow use it too? Some glyphs fade, some don’t, why? What determines that? There’s a school to learn them, but does everyone go? Are there self-taught witches? Which glyphs are legal vs. illegal, and why?
And here’s the wildest part: players use glyphs during matches (agility, balance, etc) but we’re never told why they’re allowed, which ones are allowed, or whether this creates an unfair advantage. Are there regulations? Is there a maximum amount of glyphs you can use? Which levels of glyphs are allowed in the game? It felt like Kim had a bunch of cool ideas but didn’t stop to think through how they actually work as a system. The pieces are interesting; the connections between them are missing.
I’ll also echo what some other reviewers have said: this book could’ve been shorter. There were stretches where I was fully invested, and then suddenly I’d hit a scene that just… dragged. I get that pacing requires breathers, so high stakes moments actually hit hard. But some of these scenes felt like they weren’t deepening character relationships, advancing the plot, or adding texture to the world. And that made the pacing feel really uneven.
Kim’s writing style is solid when it comes to character dynamics. She’s clearly comfortable writing romantic tension, banter, and team camaraderie. But the style skews more contemporary romance than I’m used to, and I think that’s where the mismatch happens. This book reads like a contemporary sports romance (think hockey romance) with fantasy elements layered on top, not a fantasy book with a romantic subplot. If you love contemporary romance, that’s probably going to work great for you. For me, someone who gravitates toward fantasy-first storytelling, wasn’t a great match.
If you’re looking for a nice enemies-to-lovers and you’re okay with some significant world-building gaps, there’s a lot to like here. But if you’re hoping for a richly developed fantasy sports world with a well connected magic system and a sport you can actually visualise? This isn’t going to scratch that itch.
Taissa and Kion are rival riders in carriwitchet (a sport involving winged beasts and magical glyphs), who are forced to work together when to help Kion’s team leave the trenches, and give Taissa the chance to regain her reputation after having her career destroyed by Kion 2 years ago. As they train together, their mutual hatred begins to crack, while a mysterious disease starts to spread amongst the wingeds.
One of the things I liked most about this book is that Taissa and Kion genuinely hate each other from page one. Too many books slap “enemies to lovers” on the cover when the characters are really just mildly annoyed acquaintances who fight flirtatiously. Not here. These two despise each other. The animosity is real, it’s got history, and it’s mutual. And for a solid chunk of the book, they’re still awful to each other even as they’re reluctantly spending time on the same team. The shift from enemies to something else happens slowly, messily, with setbacks, which felt way more natural than the instant attraction most books try to sell.
That said, the ending stretched things a bit too far for me. The way their relationship resolved felt rushed after all yearning. It didn’t land quite right. But up until that point? I was genuinely impressed by how earned the progression felt.
Throughout the book we get these little social media interludes (posts the players make and how fans are responding) and honestly, they cracked me up. At first I thought, oh god, please no, but after a few of them I found myself actually looking forward to them. They were funny, they added levity, and they gave us insight into how the public perceives these characters (after all, they’re famous carriwitchet players).
Sports books aren’t usually my thing, but this one had a fantasy twist that got me excited: players bonded to winged animals, different species with different strengths and weaknesses, magical strategy layered on top of athletic competition. On paper, that sounds nice. In execution? I finished the entire book and still don’t understand how carriwitchet actually works.
The very first scene drops us into a match with zero context. Normally that’s fine, authors do that all the time, and the explaining comes afterwards. Except this book never really explains. Even by the end, I couldn’t tell you what the rules are, what most of the positions do, or how formations actually work. I have a vague idea of how you win a game, and that’s about it. The book constantly references formations, the tactical advantages of certain winged species over others, how matchups between teams create strategic opportunities, but I barely saw any of this play out in a way that made sense, or how it translated into gameplay advantages you could actually exploit.
The magic system has some genuinely cool ideas, but it’s never fleshed out enough to feel solid. We’re told there are different species (vampires, warlocks, witches, etc) and that there’s tension between certain groups, but it never goes deeper than surface-level mentions. We know there are institutions that regulate magic since some magic is illegal (which I actually found interesting as a concept), but the how and why remain frustratingly vague.
Take the glyphs as an example. The whole magic system for the carriwitchet players revolves around witches and warlocks drawing glyphs on their skin with a qyl, and these glyphs give them temporary powers. Cool premise. But how do people get their qly? Only witches and warlocks use glyphs, but have other species try to manipulate it to somehow use it too? Some glyphs fade, some don’t, why? What determines that? There’s a school to learn them, but does everyone go? Are there self-taught witches? Which glyphs are legal vs. illegal, and why?
And here’s the wildest part: players use glyphs during matches (agility, balance, etc) but we’re never told why they’re allowed, which ones are allowed, or whether this creates an unfair advantage. Are there regulations? Is there a maximum amount of glyphs you can use? Which levels of glyphs are allowed in the game? It felt like Kim had a bunch of cool ideas but didn’t stop to think through how they actually work as a system. The pieces are interesting; the connections between them are missing.
I’ll also echo what some other reviewers have said: this book could’ve been shorter. There were stretches where I was fully invested, and then suddenly I’d hit a scene that just… dragged. I get that pacing requires breathers, so high stakes moments actually hit hard. But some of these scenes felt like they weren’t deepening character relationships, advancing the plot, or adding texture to the world. And that made the pacing feel really uneven.
Kim’s writing style is solid when it comes to character dynamics. She’s clearly comfortable writing romantic tension, banter, and team camaraderie. But the style skews more contemporary romance than I’m used to, and I think that’s where the mismatch happens. This book reads like a contemporary sports romance (think hockey romance) with fantasy elements layered on top, not a fantasy book with a romantic subplot. If you love contemporary romance, that’s probably going to work great for you. For me, someone who gravitates toward fantasy-first storytelling, wasn’t a great match.
If you’re looking for a nice enemies-to-lovers and you’re okay with some significant world-building gaps, there’s a lot to like here. But if you’re hoping for a richly developed fantasy sports world with a well connected magic system and a sport you can actually visualise? This isn’t going to scratch that itch.
Read
January 16, 2026I can’t share my full review yet per the guidelines BUT I think this book will be very popular when it comes out especially given that it’s coming in on the heels of a new wave of intrigue in sports romances! I mean I devoured the book in no time at all! Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me an ARC! I can’t wait to share the full review in the future!!
Did not finish
January 12, 2026DNF @ 25%
I tried for several days with this one because I like a sports romance, but the writing is really terrible and the tropes are so poorly shoehorned into the plot that I wanted to rip my hair out. It feels like a pretty craven cash grab.
I tried for several days with this one because I like a sports romance, but the writing is really terrible and the tropes are so poorly shoehorned into the plot that I wanted to rip my hair out. It feels like a pretty craven cash grab.
February 16, 2026
I went in to this book knowing I love Sophie Kim’s writing and being already sold on what sounded like an interesting plot. I did not expect for me to be laughing and smiling throughout reading this and immediately preordering a physical copy at the 30% mark! So yeah…I loved it, let me tell you why;
Plot in a nutshell - Rival sports athletes end up playing for the same team and trying to solve some mysteries around curses while also having to fake date to amp up the team’s image. There were a few plot points to follow but it never felt overwhelming or confusing, they all added value to the story as a whole. I loved the subplot of the curses and the little adventures we went on to get more clues around them, I definitely sussed who was behind the curses but this in no way lessened my enjoyment of the mystery. This is also quite a long book but I was never bored and always felt eager to return to this world.
World building - the magical setting and world building in this felt authentic and wasn’t at all overwhelming. I thought the game of carriwitchet was fun and exciting without bombarding us with rules. The teams being different winged creatures was great and led to some high stakes scenes. The main thing I loved about this book was that the world felt cosy, it was magical and safe and comforting and I was sad to finish the book, knowing that I was done with the story. But how lovely? To find a book I know I’ll reread just to feel at home.
Rivals to lovers - Okay, Taissa and Kion stole my heart as individuals and as romantic leads. The transition from a condescending ‘Sweetheart’ to an earnest, emotional one is unbeatable 🙌 when they finally call each other by their first names instead of their last - absolutely immaculate 😭 the use of the nickname ‘menace’ will always make me smile 💕 but the true reason these two are so wonderful to read about -outside of these tropes- is that they are survivors. Kion has a lot of trauma to work through as does Taissa. They were able to heal one another in quiet, soft ways, building trust and tearing down first impressions. They’ve hated each other for so long, but neither truly understands why. It’s then so beautiful to see them open up and tell their perceptions of the relationship and how the admiration has always been there. I just loved every moment these two were together - throughout the bickering, the blushes, the boudoir shoot 😉 they are a standout new favourite pair for me 🫶
Characters and found family - The Stymphs were an amazing cast of characters alongside their winged creatures. It gave that feeling of finally finding your people, and what people they were! They made me laugh a lot, and it felt like reading about siblings. They all had their succinct personalities and made the team feel like a family. I was so happy that Taissa was able to find that for herself.
Overall, this is one of my new favourite books. A new fictional safe space to return to when the world becomes a bit too much.
Thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Plot in a nutshell - Rival sports athletes end up playing for the same team and trying to solve some mysteries around curses while also having to fake date to amp up the team’s image. There were a few plot points to follow but it never felt overwhelming or confusing, they all added value to the story as a whole. I loved the subplot of the curses and the little adventures we went on to get more clues around them, I definitely sussed who was behind the curses but this in no way lessened my enjoyment of the mystery. This is also quite a long book but I was never bored and always felt eager to return to this world.
World building - the magical setting and world building in this felt authentic and wasn’t at all overwhelming. I thought the game of carriwitchet was fun and exciting without bombarding us with rules. The teams being different winged creatures was great and led to some high stakes scenes. The main thing I loved about this book was that the world felt cosy, it was magical and safe and comforting and I was sad to finish the book, knowing that I was done with the story. But how lovely? To find a book I know I’ll reread just to feel at home.
Rivals to lovers - Okay, Taissa and Kion stole my heart as individuals and as romantic leads. The transition from a condescending ‘Sweetheart’ to an earnest, emotional one is unbeatable 🙌 when they finally call each other by their first names instead of their last - absolutely immaculate 😭 the use of the nickname ‘menace’ will always make me smile 💕 but the true reason these two are so wonderful to read about -outside of these tropes- is that they are survivors. Kion has a lot of trauma to work through as does Taissa. They were able to heal one another in quiet, soft ways, building trust and tearing down first impressions. They’ve hated each other for so long, but neither truly understands why. It’s then so beautiful to see them open up and tell their perceptions of the relationship and how the admiration has always been there. I just loved every moment these two were together - throughout the bickering, the blushes, the boudoir shoot 😉 they are a standout new favourite pair for me 🫶
Characters and found family - The Stymphs were an amazing cast of characters alongside their winged creatures. It gave that feeling of finally finding your people, and what people they were! They made me laugh a lot, and it felt like reading about siblings. They all had their succinct personalities and made the team feel like a family. I was so happy that Taissa was able to find that for herself.
Overall, this is one of my new favourite books. A new fictional safe space to return to when the world becomes a bit too much.
Thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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