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The Magpie and the Wolf Duology #2
Wolftamer
Not yet published
Expected 25 Aug 26Legends don't die.
Saoirse and Foalan's quest for freedom turns into a battle for the fate of their entire world, in this aching and lush conclusion to the Magpie and the Wolf duology.
Faolan has escaped death. Twice.
After a lifetime chasing freedom and legends, he was finally on the brink of becoming one himself when it all went up in flames. Stranded on the Isle of Lost Souls, bound by an oath he did not make, Faolan is plagued by dreams of drowning and a past he swore never to revisit. The pirate in him wants nothing more than to raise hell and run away—but with no ship, and no way to untether his wife, Saoirse, from the land she’s pledged herself to, Faolan is trapped.
And everyone knows who tamed the Wolf.
When their sinister rival King Maccus unveils an ancient godly relic—one with the power to unbalance their entire world—Faolan knows the game has changed. There’s only one person who can hunt down the missing relics before Maccus can, and the Wolf of the Wild will do anything to protect his wife.
Even if that means leaving her behind.
Saoirse and Foalan's quest for freedom turns into a battle for the fate of their entire world, in this aching and lush conclusion to the Magpie and the Wolf duology.
Faolan has escaped death. Twice.
After a lifetime chasing freedom and legends, he was finally on the brink of becoming one himself when it all went up in flames. Stranded on the Isle of Lost Souls, bound by an oath he did not make, Faolan is plagued by dreams of drowning and a past he swore never to revisit. The pirate in him wants nothing more than to raise hell and run away—but with no ship, and no way to untether his wife, Saoirse, from the land she’s pledged herself to, Faolan is trapped.
And everyone knows who tamed the Wolf.
When their sinister rival King Maccus unveils an ancient godly relic—one with the power to unbalance their entire world—Faolan knows the game has changed. There’s only one person who can hunt down the missing relics before Maccus can, and the Wolf of the Wild will do anything to protect his wife.
Even if that means leaving her behind.
448 pages, Paperback
Expected publication August 25, 2026
About the author
Maggie Rapier
2 books199 followersMaggie Rapier is an incurable romantic and part-time kitchen witch who loves nothing more than wordplay and wandering around the globe.
When she’s not elbows-deep in her garden under the watchful eye of her two cats, you can find her at the library, the thrift store, or the D&D table where she plays with her partner and friends.
When she’s not elbows-deep in her garden under the watchful eye of her two cats, you can find her at the library, the thrift store, or the D&D table where she plays with her partner and friends.
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Want to Read
March 13, 2026YES! one of my anticipated continuations! Call me an incurable romantic but if you want a pirate romantasy, look no further! :)
Many thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group and the author, Maggie Rapier for an early copy!
Publication date: August 25, 2026
Many thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group and the author, Maggie Rapier for an early copy!
Publication date: August 25, 2026
Currently Reading
March 24, 2026💫⚔️ Wolftamer by Maggie Rapier ⚔️💫
📖 Bookish Thoughts
I’ll be sharing my full review closer to publication date.
✨ What to Expect
• Quest for freedom
• Ancient relic hunt
• Pirate hero
• Duology finale
📅 Pub Date: August 25, 2026
📝 Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group, Ace, and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
📖 Bookish Thoughts
I’ll be sharing my full review closer to publication date.
✨ What to Expect
• Quest for freedom
• Ancient relic hunt
• Pirate hero
• Duology finale
📅 Pub Date: August 25, 2026
📝 Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group, Ace, and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
Want to Read
November 29, 2025look at that cover I'm OBSESSED
December 1, 2025
Already my second favourite book ever (the first is Soulgazer.)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I really, really, really loved the first book of this duology, Soulgazer. It was just about perfect -- swashbuckling, full of longing to be free, full of longing to be loved. It was Saoirse's book, through and through. With that said -- Wolftamer is Faolan's book. Boy's got a LOT of trauma hidden in the background, and well, it was nice to see him grow and realize that he is more than what he's labelled himself as. Saoirse's got a lot to work through, too, but her's takes less time than Faolan's does.
HOWEVER, Wolftamer doesn't feel quite the same as Soulgazer did, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. My least favorite thing happens in this book, though, and that's that the two main love interests spend 80% of the book apart. I hate, hate, hate it when this happens in romances, fantasy or otherwise. We spent the whole of the first book getting them to both realize and admit that they actually cared for each other, and then like 20% of the way into the second book they have to separate to move the book along?
LAME. LAME, I TELL YOU.
Anyway, the story itself is pretty cool, though. Faolan and Saoirse need to gather the relics of all the old, slaughtered gods in order to save the Crescent from sure-destruction, and other horrible things that I'm not going to spoil here. They know where two of the relics are, and that leaves finding five others.
Unfortunately, I feel the book suffers from pacing issues. There's a lot of hurry-up-and-wait, and it makes the book feel both simultaneously too long, and way too short. In fact, it feels like nothing really happens until like the last like...20% of the book. I was reading furiously, looked down at the percentage, and wondered out loud, "How in the hell are they gonna wrap this up if I'm already at 83%?" They do, in fact, manage it, but the ending felt rushed. Shocker.
Despite my whining, I did still like the story. I just wish there had been heavier editing at some point in this book's journey. Three and a half stars.
HOWEVER, Wolftamer doesn't feel quite the same as Soulgazer did, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. My least favorite thing happens in this book, though, and that's that the two main love interests spend 80% of the book apart. I hate, hate, hate it when this happens in romances, fantasy or otherwise. We spent the whole of the first book getting them to both realize and admit that they actually cared for each other, and then like 20% of the way into the second book they have to separate to move the book along?
LAME. LAME, I TELL YOU.
Anyway, the story itself is pretty cool, though. Faolan and Saoirse need to gather the relics of all the old, slaughtered gods in order to save the Crescent from sure-destruction, and other horrible things that I'm not going to spoil here. They know where two of the relics are, and that leaves finding five others.
Unfortunately, I feel the book suffers from pacing issues. There's a lot of hurry-up-and-wait, and it makes the book feel both simultaneously too long, and way too short. In fact, it feels like nothing really happens until like the last like...20% of the book. I was reading furiously, looked down at the percentage, and wondered out loud, "How in the hell are they gonna wrap this up if I'm already at 83%?" They do, in fact, manage it, but the ending felt rushed. Shocker.
Despite my whining, I did still like the story. I just wish there had been heavier editing at some point in this book's journey. Three and a half stars.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 rounded up to 4!
Thank you to Maggie Rapier, Ace/Berkley, and NetGalley for the advance copy!
Wolftamer had a difficult task following Soulgazer, which felt tightly focused and emotionally grounded in Saoirse’s journey. This sequel shifts that center to Faolan, and while his arc is meaningful, it is also heavier and more uneven. His internal conflict drives much of the story, but at times it feels inconsistent enough to pull you out of it rather than deepen the experience.
The biggest challenge, for me, was structural. After spending an entire book building the relationship between Saoirse and Faolan, keeping them apart for so long takes away some of the emotional payoff you expect from a sequel like this.
There is still a strong sense of adventure here. The quest for the relics and the broader mythology continue to expand in interesting ways. However, the pacing struggles. Large portions feel stalled, only for the final stretch to move too quickly in an attempt to resolve everything at once.
I did enjoy seeing how the duology concludes, and there are moments that work well, particularly as the story leans more into its fantasy elements. Still, this is one of those cases where the sequel just did not have the same balance or impact that made the first book stand out.
Thank you to Maggie Rapier, Ace/Berkley, and NetGalley for the advance copy!
Wolftamer had a difficult task following Soulgazer, which felt tightly focused and emotionally grounded in Saoirse’s journey. This sequel shifts that center to Faolan, and while his arc is meaningful, it is also heavier and more uneven. His internal conflict drives much of the story, but at times it feels inconsistent enough to pull you out of it rather than deepen the experience.
The biggest challenge, for me, was structural. After spending an entire book building the relationship between Saoirse and Faolan, keeping them apart for so long takes away some of the emotional payoff you expect from a sequel like this.
There is still a strong sense of adventure here. The quest for the relics and the broader mythology continue to expand in interesting ways. However, the pacing struggles. Large portions feel stalled, only for the final stretch to move too quickly in an attempt to resolve everything at once.
I did enjoy seeing how the duology concludes, and there are moments that work well, particularly as the story leans more into its fantasy elements. Still, this is one of those cases where the sequel just did not have the same balance or impact that made the first book stand out.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I... wanted to like this. But honestly, I really struggled to read this. I don't let myself DNF books, generally, but I almost found myself DNF-ing this one... I had struggled a little with the world building and magic system of this world in the previous book, but I was mostly able to look past it because the plot at least kept me entertained. In this one, though, the plot just didn't hold my attention, so the things in the magic system that I didn't understand just felt even more apparent -- I had nothing to distract me, basically. I love Saoirse and Faolon, I really do, but they weren't together for so much of the book, and when they were, the focus on the story was so much about the plot that I didn't fully understand or a character side journey for Faolon that didn't really interest me. The whole thing about Faolon struggling with going unnoticed or unremembered lingered for far longer than it should have, I think.
The emotional beats at the end were good, I think. When [redacted] [redacted], I actually felt so many things... but that one thing couldn't really make up for the other issues I felt existed.
The writing was good, if a little too poetic when it should have been more prose-like to focus on the plot, but I just couldn't find my way through this, really.
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Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for the ARC!
The emotional beats at the end were good, I think. When [redacted] [redacted], I actually felt so many things... but that one thing couldn't really make up for the other issues I felt existed.
The writing was good, if a little too poetic when it should have been more prose-like to focus on the plot, but I just couldn't find my way through this, really.
---------------------
Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
No one is sadder than me that I'm giving Wolftamer 3 stars. Soulgazer surpassed all my wildest expectations but Wolftamer just didn't quite work for me.
First off idk who that Foalan was because he sure wasn't the same Foalan from Soulgazer. He was a completely different person. He was so frustrating and his emotions were all over the place. I was getting whiplash trying to understand what was going on with him. He was one of my favorite parts of Soulgazer and in Wolftamer he was my biggest struggle.
The book did get better as it went on though. The frustrating personality transplant got a little better as the book became more about the adventure and less about the characters' personal journeys. So if you're struggling with the beginning it might be worth pushing through. I considered dnfing for the first like 25-30% of the book, but after loving Soulgazer so much I couldn't do it. I am glad I stuck with it because now I know how the duology ends and it ended on an ok note instead of a frustrating note.
Thank you Netgalley and Berkley for the eARC!
First off idk who that Foalan was because he sure wasn't the same Foalan from Soulgazer. He was a completely different person. He was so frustrating and his emotions were all over the place. I was getting whiplash trying to understand what was going on with him. He was one of my favorite parts of Soulgazer and in Wolftamer he was my biggest struggle.
The book did get better as it went on though. The frustrating personality transplant got a little better as the book became more about the adventure and less about the characters' personal journeys. So if you're struggling with the beginning it might be worth pushing through. I considered dnfing for the first like 25-30% of the book, but after loving Soulgazer so much I couldn't do it. I am glad I stuck with it because now I know how the duology ends and it ended on an ok note instead of a frustrating note.
Thank you Netgalley and Berkley for the eARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Ace for the arc!
In the conclusion of this duology, readers are reunited with Faolan and Saoirse. I strongly recommend reading Soulgazer first- and you too can fall in love with their magical story. The second half of their journey begins where it left off, and they must face many trials together and separately.
I think it’s important to note that this book is its own and quite different from Soulgazer. I loved Soulgazer so much that I think it got in the way of my enjoyment of this book for a bit, until I realized that I was comparing the two books and needed to just enjoy the story and see how it would unfold.
This book is filled with adventure, a new quest, pirates galore, a villain, and of course, romance. We are given more backstory on Faolan and the gods and goddesses, and how Saoirse came to have her new role. I would’ve loved more of Faolan and Saoirse together! I missed that marriage of convenience/forced proximity/caregiving that Soulgazer really had. However, the fantasy and adventure lovers will eat this one up for sure!
In the conclusion of this duology, readers are reunited with Faolan and Saoirse. I strongly recommend reading Soulgazer first- and you too can fall in love with their magical story. The second half of their journey begins where it left off, and they must face many trials together and separately.
I think it’s important to note that this book is its own and quite different from Soulgazer. I loved Soulgazer so much that I think it got in the way of my enjoyment of this book for a bit, until I realized that I was comparing the two books and needed to just enjoy the story and see how it would unfold.
This book is filled with adventure, a new quest, pirates galore, a villain, and of course, romance. We are given more backstory on Faolan and the gods and goddesses, and how Saoirse came to have her new role. I would’ve loved more of Faolan and Saoirse together! I missed that marriage of convenience/forced proximity/caregiving that Soulgazer really had. However, the fantasy and adventure lovers will eat this one up for sure!
April 5, 2026
Thanks Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Soulgazer left us on a good ending: Saoirse had found the island, was able to restore soulstones, and she and Faolan finally admitted that they were in love. Wolftamer starts and immediately everything is going wrong. To no one, surprised, Fallon feels trapped on the island. Saoirse has made herself a martyr and is always bleeding to restore the soulstones. And our old enemy Maccus has re-emerged with even more trouble.
It actually took me a little while to get into this book because some of the writing felt very disjointed. I understand that both characters were in turmoil, dealing with their own issues, but the constant dramatic phrases and bits of magic being revealed honestly had me confused. Faolan especially was dealing with an identity crisis that dragged through the book. It resolved well but definitely put a damper on the relationship.
Overall, I wish more of the fantasy world-building was explained in book one. The story moved fast after getting through the first quarter and I enjoyed myself.
Soulgazer left us on a good ending: Saoirse had found the island, was able to restore soulstones, and she and Faolan finally admitted that they were in love. Wolftamer starts and immediately everything is going wrong. To no one, surprised, Fallon feels trapped on the island. Saoirse has made herself a martyr and is always bleeding to restore the soulstones. And our old enemy Maccus has re-emerged with even more trouble.
It actually took me a little while to get into this book because some of the writing felt very disjointed. I understand that both characters were in turmoil, dealing with their own issues, but the constant dramatic phrases and bits of magic being revealed honestly had me confused. Faolan especially was dealing with an identity crisis that dragged through the book. It resolved well but definitely put a damper on the relationship.
Overall, I wish more of the fantasy world-building was explained in book one. The story moved fast after getting through the first quarter and I enjoyed myself.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was just really not impressed with this duology. And that's disappointing because I kept seeing great reviews for it, so I was so excited.
I also HATE the "feck" thing. Just say the actual word or don't say anything at all. That was so annoying to me. That really added to me not digging this duology.
I also really didn't care for the characters. I didn't find there to be anything special about them. They were flatter than I would've liked them to be. I also felt like the characters changed quite a bit between books. They really didn't feel like they were the same people. It was so weird. It really confused me.
I was just left wanting more from nearly every aspect of this book/duology.
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
I also HATE the "feck" thing. Just say the actual word or don't say anything at all. That was so annoying to me. That really added to me not digging this duology.
I also really didn't care for the characters. I didn't find there to be anything special about them. They were flatter than I would've liked them to be. I also felt like the characters changed quite a bit between books. They really didn't feel like they were the same people. It was so weird. It really confused me.
I was just left wanting more from nearly every aspect of this book/duology.
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 stars
I was so excited to go right from Stargazer to Wolftamer. Saoirse and Faolan went through a lot to find the mystical island in book one. Book two was a lot of coming to grips with the changes that resulted from events in Stargazer. The vibes were different and it was a bit of a process for the adjustment. Faolan gave off a petulant energy (his words) and Saoirse was struggling to figure out what to do next. Unfortunately, that requires them splitting up on a quest for most of the book to gather relics to save the Crescent. I did enjoy their adventures, though it left the ending to do a lot of heavy lifting in a short amount of time. .
*Thanks to Ace/Berkley and NetGalley for the free copy
I was so excited to go right from Stargazer to Wolftamer. Saoirse and Faolan went through a lot to find the mystical island in book one. Book two was a lot of coming to grips with the changes that resulted from events in Stargazer. The vibes were different and it was a bit of a process for the adjustment. Faolan gave off a petulant energy (his words) and Saoirse was struggling to figure out what to do next. Unfortunately, that requires them splitting up on a quest for most of the book to gather relics to save the Crescent. I did enjoy their adventures, though it left the ending to do a lot of heavy lifting in a short amount of time. .
*Thanks to Ace/Berkley and NetGalley for the free copy
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.5
This story was the perfect follow up to Soulgazer. It was painful, beautiful, devastating, and captivating. I found the writing to be a little easier to follow than the first book, maybe because we understand the world a little better. I love Faolan and Saoirse's love story and how much they support each other and bring out the best in one another. I wish we could have had more time with just the two of them but there was so much adventure in this book, it kept me fed the whole time.
Thanks so much to Maggie Rapier and Netgalley for this eARC.
This story was the perfect follow up to Soulgazer. It was painful, beautiful, devastating, and captivating. I found the writing to be a little easier to follow than the first book, maybe because we understand the world a little better. I love Faolan and Saoirse's love story and how much they support each other and bring out the best in one another. I wish we could have had more time with just the two of them but there was so much adventure in this book, it kept me fed the whole time.
Thanks so much to Maggie Rapier and Netgalley for this eARC.
Want to Read
April 11, 2026Expected publication August 25
April 14, 2026
Slight Spoilers Ahead.
I love Maggie Rapier, and I am so thankful that she introduced me to pirate books!
Because of where the last book ended, this one did start out very slow. Faolan's mood was understandable, but it definitely affected the atmosphere of the book for me. The last quarter grabbed my attention and didn't let go though, and I'm very glad I read it.
I was glad to get to know some of the minor characters more deeply. And even though it made the book drag a bit, it was nice to see the "after" of "happily ever after". Maggie and Faolan were still together at the end of the last book, but their circumstances meant they were not in a great place. It's kind of nice to see a couple that has to work through the hard stuff of life together.
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this ARC.
I love Maggie Rapier, and I am so thankful that she introduced me to pirate books!
Because of where the last book ended, this one did start out very slow. Faolan's mood was understandable, but it definitely affected the atmosphere of the book for me. The last quarter grabbed my attention and didn't let go though, and I'm very glad I read it.
I was glad to get to know some of the minor characters more deeply. And even though it made the book drag a bit, it was nice to see the "after" of "happily ever after". Maggie and Faolan were still together at the end of the last book, but their circumstances meant they were not in a great place. It's kind of nice to see a couple that has to work through the hard stuff of life together.
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this ARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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