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The Heart #1
Daggermouth
For the first printing only! This hardcover features sprayed edges while the special edition supply lasts.
Set in a corrupt surveillance state ruled by the masked elite, this true enemies-to-lovers dystopian romance that’s Conform meets V For Vendetta follows a mercenary who botches the assassination of the president’s son and ends up forced to marry him.
The first thing you’ll learn in New Found Haven is that mercy doesn’t exist. The second thing is that, from the highest glass atrium in the Heart to the windowless slums of the Boundary, the Veyra are always watching.
The last lesson is the hardest, but you must remember it: Love outside of your ring is a death sentence.
The city is carved into rings of privilege and poverty, ruled by the masked elite who will do whatever it takes to hold onto power. Obedience is demanded. Rebellion is crushed.
Greyson Serel has spent his life caught between two worlds. Publicly, he’s the flawless heir to the presidency. Privately, he’s entangled in secrets that could topple the regime. But when he’s forced into a political marriage meant to bind him tighter to the government’s brutal laws, he finds himself shackled to a bride as lethal as she is unwilling.
Shadera Kael is a mercenary raised to kill, not to wed. Yet when her bullet misses its mark, survival leaves her tied to the very man she was sent to eliminate. Trapped inside the corrupt heart of the city, she becomes both prisoner and wife, her every step watched, her every move tested.
Their union is no love story—it’s a battlefield. As secrets come to light and betrayals fester within the walls of power, Greyson and Shadera must decide between annihilating each other or burning the city to the ground together.
In a world where passion has consequences and loyalty is paid for in blood, their forced bond may be the spark that ignites a revolution. Or the fire that consumes them both.
Set in a corrupt surveillance state ruled by the masked elite, this true enemies-to-lovers dystopian romance that’s Conform meets V For Vendetta follows a mercenary who botches the assassination of the president’s son and ends up forced to marry him.
The first thing you’ll learn in New Found Haven is that mercy doesn’t exist. The second thing is that, from the highest glass atrium in the Heart to the windowless slums of the Boundary, the Veyra are always watching.
The last lesson is the hardest, but you must remember it: Love outside of your ring is a death sentence.
The city is carved into rings of privilege and poverty, ruled by the masked elite who will do whatever it takes to hold onto power. Obedience is demanded. Rebellion is crushed.
Greyson Serel has spent his life caught between two worlds. Publicly, he’s the flawless heir to the presidency. Privately, he’s entangled in secrets that could topple the regime. But when he’s forced into a political marriage meant to bind him tighter to the government’s brutal laws, he finds himself shackled to a bride as lethal as she is unwilling.
Shadera Kael is a mercenary raised to kill, not to wed. Yet when her bullet misses its mark, survival leaves her tied to the very man she was sent to eliminate. Trapped inside the corrupt heart of the city, she becomes both prisoner and wife, her every step watched, her every move tested.
Their union is no love story—it’s a battlefield. As secrets come to light and betrayals fester within the walls of power, Greyson and Shadera must decide between annihilating each other or burning the city to the ground together.
In a world where passion has consequences and loyalty is paid for in blood, their forced bond may be the spark that ignites a revolution. Or the fire that consumes them both.
564 pages, Paperback
First published December 5, 2025
13910 people are currently reading
99952 people want to read
About the author
H.M. Wolfe
4 books1,336 followersH. M. Wolfe writes with her heart wide open, chasing the thrill of chaos and the sting of heartbreak on every page. Based in Central Florida, she shares her days with her husband and three loyal dogs—her writing partners and adventure crew through every twist of her literary journey.
Wolfe crafts stories where romance tangles with fantasy and unforgettable characters drive the action, inviting readers to disappear into worlds brimming with magic and meaning. She’s fiercely passionate about mental health advocacy and the messy, powerful work of self-discovery, believing deeply that everyone deserves to see themselves represented in the stories they love.
As you turn the final page of her books, Wolfe hopes you’ll find a new kind of strength—ready to take on the world and own your story like the warrior she knows you are.
Wolfe crafts stories where romance tangles with fantasy and unforgettable characters drive the action, inviting readers to disappear into worlds brimming with magic and meaning. She’s fiercely passionate about mental health advocacy and the messy, powerful work of self-discovery, believing deeply that everyone deserves to see themselves represented in the stories they love.
As you turn the final page of her books, Wolfe hopes you’ll find a new kind of strength—ready to take on the world and own your story like the warrior she knows you are.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,290 reviews
February 15, 2026
4.5 stars ✨
"She was going to die here. But so was he. Their eyes locked, assassin and heir, caught in a moment of perfect, terrible understanding."
This was EVERYTHING. No doubt this was not perfect, but at the same time it's imperfections and it's flaws added to the sheer beauty of how powerfully raw this book was. It's definitely not for the faint hearted with how it's dark and graphic and yet I found myself completely in awe of it.
This was a whole experience from page one. It's quite an immersive read. I won't lie, there are certain points when it gets too descriptive and slow- which is the only reason it lost 0.5 from me. But other than that, the dystopian world is well crafted and easy to understand, dive into. The concept of masks was interesting and different but it worked. The control and rebellion aspects worked out.
My favorite thing about it all were the characters. Each and every one of them were complex, had an emotional depth and a connection I formed except for the evil snake of a leader- Maximus, he can rot in all seven hells 🤢
But coming back to our traumatized main characters and their very interesting romances-
❤🔥 Shadera, raised as a mercenary, she's a badass. I swear, the woman can fight and she's so fierce in everything she does. I do think she's quick to temper but it's understandable I suppose. Her dynamic with Greyson , the heir and executioner is quite interesting. He's stoic, broody and a man of many secrets that makes him both morally grey and honorable. I loved how that was carried out because it was eliminating of insta lust. There who assassin x heir who try to kill each other was brilliant. The spice and the tension between the two thoroughly edged me 🥵🫣
But in my eyes, the two don't hold a candle to ❤ Lira and Callum. Y'all the way I was floored by them. I'm not big on second chance trope especially when it's a big five year gap between them but OH MY GOD that was everything I could have wanted and more... And more (IYKYK). Lira is such a quiet strength sort of woman who deserves the world. She doesn't do loud. She doesn't do bold. But when she unleashes, she does it cunningly and impactful. My kinda woman tbh. As for Callum, now that is a man who can yearn, worship and stay devoted. He is the perfect man for her who has his own merits but never overshadows her. The spice and angst here is absolutely breathtaking 😩😩
Special mentions to our another yearner boy, Jameson. I see a lot of potential for him. But I don't want his personality reduced to just going after a woman who won't even pick him at the end of the day.
Anyhoo, coming to the ending that had my heart in my throat. Because although, some of it was predicable, especially a certain character reveal. Majority of it was still action packed like the rest of the book. The twists and turns had my jaw on the floor. And I cannot believe it ended on such a cliffhanger 😩😩
Also while we're at it, to the people who finished this book....about that one specific scene, that was a blank bullet right? RIGHT?! My heart is not going to break right?! RIGHT?! I can still have hope right?! RIGHT?! Someone reassure me 😭
~•~•~
OMGGG so excited for this!!! A dark dystopian romance? And majority of you guys loved it. I MUST read this now
"She was going to die here. But so was he. Their eyes locked, assassin and heir, caught in a moment of perfect, terrible understanding."
This was EVERYTHING. No doubt this was not perfect, but at the same time it's imperfections and it's flaws added to the sheer beauty of how powerfully raw this book was. It's definitely not for the faint hearted with how it's dark and graphic and yet I found myself completely in awe of it.
This was a whole experience from page one. It's quite an immersive read. I won't lie, there are certain points when it gets too descriptive and slow- which is the only reason it lost 0.5 from me. But other than that, the dystopian world is well crafted and easy to understand, dive into. The concept of masks was interesting and different but it worked. The control and rebellion aspects worked out.
My favorite thing about it all were the characters. Each and every one of them were complex, had an emotional depth and a connection I formed except for the evil snake of a leader- Maximus, he can rot in all seven hells 🤢
But coming back to our traumatized main characters and their very interesting romances-
❤🔥 Shadera, raised as a mercenary, she's a badass. I swear, the woman can fight and she's so fierce in everything she does. I do think she's quick to temper but it's understandable I suppose. Her dynamic with Greyson , the heir and executioner is quite interesting. He's stoic, broody and a man of many secrets that makes him both morally grey and honorable. I loved how that was carried out because it was eliminating of insta lust. There who assassin x heir who try to kill each other was brilliant. The spice and the tension between the two thoroughly edged me 🥵🫣
But in my eyes, the two don't hold a candle to ❤ Lira and Callum. Y'all the way I was floored by them. I'm not big on second chance trope especially when it's a big five year gap between them but OH MY GOD that was everything I could have wanted and more... And more (IYKYK). Lira is such a quiet strength sort of woman who deserves the world. She doesn't do loud. She doesn't do bold. But when she unleashes, she does it cunningly and impactful. My kinda woman tbh. As for Callum, now that is a man who can yearn, worship and stay devoted. He is the perfect man for her who has his own merits but never overshadows her. The spice and angst here is absolutely breathtaking 😩😩
Special mentions to our another yearner boy, Jameson. I see a lot of potential for him. But I don't want his personality reduced to just going after a woman who won't even pick him at the end of the day.
Anyhoo, coming to the ending that had my heart in my throat. Because although, some of it was predicable, especially a certain character reveal. Majority of it was still action packed like the rest of the book. The twists and turns had my jaw on the floor. And I cannot believe it ended on such a cliffhanger 😩😩
Also while we're at it, to the people who finished this book....about that one specific scene, that was a blank bullet right? RIGHT?! My heart is not going to break right?! RIGHT?! I can still have hope right?! RIGHT?! Someone reassure me 😭
~•~•~
OMGGG so excited for this!!! A dark dystopian romance? And majority of you guys loved it. I MUST read this now
February 17, 2026
When you read a dystopian romance but catch yourself thinking “is this fiction or just the daily news/non-fiction, because the line is looking really thin right now”, that was Daggermouth for me. H.M. Wolfe is very clearly writing from the current dystopia people are living in right now, as well as the systemic oppression and state sanctioned violence Black people and other marginalised folk have experienced for centuries.
But combining it with romance was where I was really impressed. Because I think dystopian romance can be pretty tricky to balance in genre. The way I see it is that dystopia is meant to be a warning about oppression, subjugation and or totalitarianism, so mixing that genre with romance can risk undermining or softening those themes with vibes and aesthetics. And that can be fine if that’s what a reader wants because reading is subjective, escapism is valid, etc. But it does change the function of the genre.
However, Daggermouth wants you angry and wants you to question kings, presidents, narratives and the systems we are complicit in. And that’s why I’m so in awe of it. I think if anything, the romance sharpens the critique, because the romances (plural) are shaped by trauma and survival. And within that framework, Daggermouth delivers one of the most tension-filled, angsty enemies-to-lovers arcs I’ve read in a long time without undercutting the political commentary.
And it’s TRUE enemies, not like where someone is mildly rude at a ball yet they think the other person is hot and wants to jump their bones. Before the marriage of inconvenience kicks off, Greyson stabs Shadera and Shadera puts a bullet in Greyson. And the reason is ideological hatred, not to mention the fact that Greyson’s father, President Maximus Serel, (who I loathed more than President Snow, which I didn’t think was possible), executed Shadera’s parents. If that’s not true enemies, I don’t know what is, lol.
On top of that, I could really feel the emotion coming through in the prose. I could feel the grief, fury and devastation about capitalism, classism, about “elites” (billionaires) hoarding resources while people starve and even more so, the feminine rage. The Veyra officers may remind you of other real life widely despised presidential lapdogs who wear masks and murder people in the US of A. It really hurts to read because fiction is not so far from fact. The comparisons to The Handmaid's Tale (“The Heart endures” = “Blessed be the Fruit/May the Lord open”, iykyk), The Hunger Games and V for Vendetta make perfect sense to me.
Anyway, something small but meaningful. The characters are in their 30s. It was refreshing.
Okay and that ending. My heart palpitated and then it broke. And then, my jaw dropped and I stayed that way for ages, like one of those clown machines. I genuinely do not think many if any will see it coming because it is a masterclass in pulling the rug out of the reader, in my opinion. And it left me staring at the page saying what the actual fuckity fuck just happened.
And finally, this is cinematic af. So if you are a film or TV person reading this, please option Daggermouth. Immediately, if possible. Because I predict the cultural relevance is going to make this story skyrocket and it will be the kind of project Hollywood industry people will kick themselves over for passing on when it inevitably hits its moment. My advice is for you to be the one who gets ahead of it.
Okay I’m done. To conclude, Daggermouth is dark, political and uncomfortable in the way dystopia should be. It’s a scathing and on point critique of patriarchy, fascism, capitalism and state violence. It is also angry, romantic, spicy (where the spice is earned) and emotionally devastating. Lots of triggers, please mind them [listed here, bottom of the blog post].
Thrilled to hear this has been picked up by a trad publisher.
﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏
The comps say Handmaid’s Tale x V for Vendetta x Hunger Games with true enemies to lovers and a marriage of inconvenience. 🏃🏽♀️
But combining it with romance was where I was really impressed. Because I think dystopian romance can be pretty tricky to balance in genre. The way I see it is that dystopia is meant to be a warning about oppression, subjugation and or totalitarianism, so mixing that genre with romance can risk undermining or softening those themes with vibes and aesthetics. And that can be fine if that’s what a reader wants because reading is subjective, escapism is valid, etc. But it does change the function of the genre.
However, Daggermouth wants you angry and wants you to question kings, presidents, narratives and the systems we are complicit in. And that’s why I’m so in awe of it. I think if anything, the romance sharpens the critique, because the romances (plural) are shaped by trauma and survival. And within that framework, Daggermouth delivers one of the most tension-filled, angsty enemies-to-lovers arcs I’ve read in a long time without undercutting the political commentary.
And it’s TRUE enemies, not like where someone is mildly rude at a ball yet they think the other person is hot and wants to jump their bones. Before the marriage of inconvenience kicks off, Greyson stabs Shadera and Shadera puts a bullet in Greyson. And the reason is ideological hatred, not to mention the fact that Greyson’s father, President Maximus Serel, (who I loathed more than President Snow, which I didn’t think was possible), executed Shadera’s parents. If that’s not true enemies, I don’t know what is, lol.
On top of that, I could really feel the emotion coming through in the prose. I could feel the grief, fury and devastation about capitalism, classism, about “elites” (billionaires) hoarding resources while people starve and even more so, the feminine rage. The Veyra officers may remind you of other real life widely despised presidential lapdogs who wear masks and murder people in the US of A. It really hurts to read because fiction is not so far from fact. The comparisons to The Handmaid's Tale (“The Heart endures” = “Blessed be the Fruit/May the Lord open”, iykyk), The Hunger Games and V for Vendetta make perfect sense to me.
Anyway, something small but meaningful. The characters are in their 30s. It was refreshing.
Okay and that ending. My heart palpitated and then it broke. And then, my jaw dropped and I stayed that way for ages, like one of those clown machines. I genuinely do not think many if any will see it coming because it is a masterclass in pulling the rug out of the reader, in my opinion. And it left me staring at the page saying what the actual fuckity fuck just happened.
And finally, this is cinematic af. So if you are a film or TV person reading this, please option Daggermouth. Immediately, if possible. Because I predict the cultural relevance is going to make this story skyrocket and it will be the kind of project Hollywood industry people will kick themselves over for passing on when it inevitably hits its moment. My advice is for you to be the one who gets ahead of it.
Okay I’m done. To conclude, Daggermouth is dark, political and uncomfortable in the way dystopia should be. It’s a scathing and on point critique of patriarchy, fascism, capitalism and state violence. It is also angry, romantic, spicy (where the spice is earned) and emotionally devastating. Lots of triggers, please mind them [listed here, bottom of the blog post].
Thrilled to hear this has been picked up by a trad publisher.
﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏
The comps say Handmaid’s Tale x V for Vendetta x Hunger Games with true enemies to lovers and a marriage of inconvenience. 🏃🏽♀️
February 14, 2026
This book lived up to hype. Not a normal read for me buttttttt
6⭐️
Also there is a sequel to this?? After that ending?? Excited to see where it goes
6/5
PS I’m not normally into tropes but this is how you do enemies to lovers
6⭐️
Also there is a sequel to this?? After that ending?? Excited to see where it goes
6/5
PS I’m not normally into tropes but this is how you do enemies to lovers
January 31, 2026
THIS IS HOW YOU WRITE A DYSTOPIAN ROMANCE!! This story had so many layers, the characters had so much depth, the world, the system, everything H.M. Wolfe has done in this book has been executed in such a dark, beautiful, devastating way. I loved that the third person POV allowed for so many twists and revelations that you won’t see coming. 5🌟
December 19, 2025
’To the system that thought it could grind us down. That thought it could silence and erase us. We are the power. Our eyes are open.’
Okay yeah the hype is real because that was so good! AFTER THAT ENDING?! 4.5 ⭐️
This is dark dystopian romance with true enemies to lovers!! I had full body chills towards the end of this book, alongside every single plot twist throwing me into a spiral of ‘what the fucks’!
If you want to feel pure rage towards a system that has been setup to oppress and control anyone who doesn't fit into a 'ring of wealth' - to force women into submission, and in general want to feel nothing but loathing towards their ideals and the leaders at the head of it - you gotta pick this up!
Shadera & Greyson aren't a watered down version of enemies to lovers. They literally try to unalive each other on multiple occasions and have personal reasons to hate each other. Their dynamic was done so well with a forced marriage of inconvenience, slow burn, and a reluctance to form some sort of mutual ground. They are both morally grey and I LOVE that. Both layered with different forms of trauma and although they have different experiences from the world they live in, they still find themselves victims of the same harsh and cruel dictator.
Sahera is a strong FMC who isn't afraid to fight for a better world, for fairness and equality - a badass woman working her way through taking these trash ass men down, one by one. I support.
Greyson, oh my sweet, broody, grumpy and tortured man. A true morally grey mmc that you will fall for in an instant. I have emotional damage thinking about him.
The side characters are fleshed out so well and I LOVED the multi-pov. Each character is so well developed.
There is more than one romance plot to fall into and trust me when I say you’ll be weak. Friends to lovers, second chance my goddd, send help.
Callum Thane 😮💨 I am in love with this man.
Then Lira may be my favourite character. This woman has endured horrific things and still stands strong. I cried for her and I was in awe of her strength and resilience.
“I’m a woman in a system designed to grind us down into nothing, to strip us of our worth and dignity and rights. I’ve survived that system and it didn’t make me weak or submissive, it made me angry. So fucking angry that sometimes I can barely breathe through it.”
Overall this book not only screams feminine rage but as a reader you feel it too. I was beyond angry at the similarities this book showcases vs the real world we live in. The author did an incredible job on this front. I am literally ready to ride at dawn.
Welcome To The Revolution.
I will say there were times where I wasn't as invested - but never in a bad way. And as much as I loved Shadera and Greyson's relationship, I do wish we had a few more moments for them to develop together romantically, so we could have had a bit more depth. However I’m so confident we will get more from book 2!
These are my only reasons for not having that 5 star feeling but honestly, no complaints at all - just observations from my personal perspective. Honestly this was a solid 4 star read for me but the ending really ramped everything up! I had to bump my rating up.
So yeah, that ending HAS ME SPRIALING. THAT IS NOT WHAT I WAS EXPECTING AT ALL. This is a book where you turn to last page in shock and then see ‘acknowledgments’ - NO. I will stand firm on my choice to remain delulu until book 2. I must protect my peace from that emotional devastation I just endured.
“Beautiful things are often built on ugly foundations.”
______________
pre-read: the way everyone is screaming about this book… let me get in on that action 🕺🏼dark dystopian fantasy with feminine rage? Hell yah.
Okay yeah the hype is real because that was so good! AFTER THAT ENDING?! 4.5 ⭐️
This is dark dystopian romance with true enemies to lovers!! I had full body chills towards the end of this book, alongside every single plot twist throwing me into a spiral of ‘what the fucks’!
If you want to feel pure rage towards a system that has been setup to oppress and control anyone who doesn't fit into a 'ring of wealth' - to force women into submission, and in general want to feel nothing but loathing towards their ideals and the leaders at the head of it - you gotta pick this up!
Shadera & Greyson aren't a watered down version of enemies to lovers. They literally try to unalive each other on multiple occasions and have personal reasons to hate each other. Their dynamic was done so well with a forced marriage of inconvenience, slow burn, and a reluctance to form some sort of mutual ground. They are both morally grey and I LOVE that. Both layered with different forms of trauma and although they have different experiences from the world they live in, they still find themselves victims of the same harsh and cruel dictator.
Sahera is a strong FMC who isn't afraid to fight for a better world, for fairness and equality - a badass woman working her way through taking these trash ass men down, one by one. I support.
Greyson, oh my sweet, broody, grumpy and tortured man. A true morally grey mmc that you will fall for in an instant. I have emotional damage thinking about him.
The side characters are fleshed out so well and I LOVED the multi-pov. Each character is so well developed.
There is more than one romance plot to fall into and trust me when I say you’ll be weak. Friends to lovers, second chance my goddd, send help.
Callum Thane 😮💨 I am in love with this man.
Then Lira may be my favourite character. This woman has endured horrific things and still stands strong. I cried for her and I was in awe of her strength and resilience.
“I’m a woman in a system designed to grind us down into nothing, to strip us of our worth and dignity and rights. I’ve survived that system and it didn’t make me weak or submissive, it made me angry. So fucking angry that sometimes I can barely breathe through it.”
Overall this book not only screams feminine rage but as a reader you feel it too. I was beyond angry at the similarities this book showcases vs the real world we live in. The author did an incredible job on this front. I am literally ready to ride at dawn.
Welcome To The Revolution.
I will say there were times where I wasn't as invested - but never in a bad way. And as much as I loved Shadera and Greyson's relationship, I do wish we had a few more moments for them to develop together romantically, so we could have had a bit more depth. However I’m so confident we will get more from book 2!
These are my only reasons for not having that 5 star feeling but honestly, no complaints at all - just observations from my personal perspective. Honestly this was a solid 4 star read for me but the ending really ramped everything up! I had to bump my rating up.
So yeah, that ending HAS ME SPRIALING. THAT IS NOT WHAT I WAS EXPECTING AT ALL. This is a book where you turn to last page in shock and then see ‘acknowledgments’ - NO. I will stand firm on my choice to remain delulu until book 2. I must protect my peace from that emotional devastation I just endured.
“Beautiful things are often built on ugly foundations.”
______________
pre-read: the way everyone is screaming about this book… let me get in on that action 🕺🏼dark dystopian fantasy with feminine rage? Hell yah.
January 10, 2026
I feel like I just wasted a lot of my time.
Normally when I don't enjoy a book, I find a one or two star review that matches my experience, I read it, I feel vindicated, I move on. There are currently no such reviews for this book, thus I feel obligated to write one.
To begin, I must say that this Author clearly can write well, has excellent command of language, and an interesting overall concept, so I allowed an extra star for this. I still read the entire book because I was determined to give it the benefit of the doubt, and that is honestly a win. I WANTED to like this book.
Additionally, I usually forgive spelling errors and/or typos, but this one had a lot. I started reporting them after I let a bunch slide. Gave me something fun to do while trying to drag my way through the story.
The plot does not make sense, I'm afraid. If Maximus had planned all along to wipe out the outer rings, he could have just done it. He didn't need to plant Brooker, he didn't need to lure in Shadera, he CERTAINLY did not need to force Greyson to marry her. He was an incomprehensible caricature of evil for the sake of evil with no real motivation or rhythm to his actions. The overt bludgeoning we received in lieu of characterisation would necessitate the following:
- Maximus would have killed Mikel and probably Elara as soon as he discovered their affair. In fact, he probably would have had Mikel killed as soon as he vowed with Elara purely for being her former lover.
- If he didn't do that, he for sure would have killed them all once he figured out that Greyson wasn't his.
- Once schmucky mcgee and her family witnessed Greyson with his mask off, Maximus, man we were led to believe he was, would have JUST KILLED THEM. 'Oh now he has to take the vow because of the loophole' no. Simply kill the witnesses. Is this your first day as an evil dictator?
- At the end he complains that he would have just kept Shadera imprisoned in order to manipulate Jameson and Jaeger, but because of Greyson removing his mask he had to change tactics. No, you didn't. Just be an evil dictator about it? This particular little mechanism felt to me like the author reeeally wanted to write a forced proximity, arranged marriage type situation and tried to strongarm the plot to comply.
- Maximus had people executed for relationships across the rings. Why would Greyson unmasking suddenly override this law?
Other issues I have:
- Omniscient Maximus became tedious. I'm all for villains being one step ahead but there's only so many gloating reveals I can tolerate.
- The political benefit to forcing Shadera and Greyson to vow is insultingly flimsy. Why would you need to send a message to the boundary when you're on the brink of fully exterminating the boundary anyway?!
- lots of telling instead of showing. For example, we could have easily ascertained that Maximus was a raging misogynist without needing to be so on the nose by calling women 'lesser' and 'lower' and 'subservient'. Men who actually believe these things just don't talk like that. I just felt like I was being hit over the head with things that should have been more subtle, and it made me as a reader feel like the Author had no faith whatsoever in my comprehension skills.
- Making gang r@pe part of the vow ceremony seemed like it was just for shock value. There is no way that Lira just happened to discover some paperwork at the last minute that said 'by the way, during the consummation ceremony, all the top government officials get to have a go', and this was not something that anyone had ever mentioned? Especially when it was apparently common knowledge that the couple would go into the chambers and be *watched* for the first bit. I understand the Author was attempting to show how women were treated, and that the fear and continued abuse kept them quiet about it, but it was stated that it was done IN FRONT OF THE HUSBANDS WHO WERE FORCED TO WATCH. Even in a society where married women are not allowed to speak, surely the men would discuss this particular experience amongst themselves.
- We are told that purity is sooo highly valued for Elite women and yet Maximus pimps out Lira to his buddies. Yes, it's to show he's a monster, and to give Lira motivation blah blah. It doesn't make sense. Another case of being told something that doesn't align with what we're shown.
- Lira runs after the family dinner and hides out with Callum. She also attends rebel meetings. Maximus says he knows where she is (pesky omniscient Maximus) but for some reason she's allowed to pick Shadera's wedding dress, leave notes and medicine in the apartment, AND she's on the platform, running the ceremony and the media feeds?! You're telling me Maximus wouldn't have had the Veyra drag her ass back, and either imprisoned her or executed her? No?
- Maximus is so determined for this vow to happen. He forces Greyson and Shadera to live together to 'get to know each other' but then acts like it's some horror that Greyson may have slept with her? My brother, you are making them get married.
- Maximus, who is all about control, image, propaganda, had Shadera and Greyson beaten right before the vow ceremony. They, particularly Shadera, are visibly injured. Why would he want that?! I kept expecting some kind of elite healing technology or at least a makeup team but no, apparently he needs to force a vow for appearances and simultaneously doesn't care about appearances. Baffling.
- There's just a significant lack of medical care going on. Yes, it's supposed to be a 'dark' story full of violence and whatnot but Shadera takes a fair few EXTREME beatings in an incredibly short window of time, either has no access to or refuses medical help, and beyond some wincing and/or blacking out when getting dressed or undressed, it's never again ADdressed. Yeah she's a badass, but the human body does in fact have limits.
- Why would the vow ceremony in the Heart be completely different to whatever goes on in the outer rings? Greyson explains it to Shadera like she's never heard of the concept before. She's a mercenary who sneaks into the Heart for contracts, and she's banging the top spy in the outer rings, yet she doesn't know anything about the very public Heart vow ceremonies?! Do people in the outer rings not get married?
- The Callum/Lira love scene dragged for what seemed like 83 pages. The whole book seemed far longer than necessary, to be fair, but that scene in particular dragged. Also, we had been told that they had been lovers five years prior, and yet Callum was talking like it was their first time. It sort of felt like the scene had originally been written as a 'first time' scene, and then the Author went back and wrote that they had been together before, but forgot to adjust the spicy bit.
- Lira's abuse was really just plonked in out of nowhere. I would have expected that to have had some kind of impact on her intimacy with Callum but there's no connection between the two. I feel it disrespected the gravity of what she went through, and definitely made it seem like the scene between her and Callum was just there for the sake of it.
- Speaking of sex for the sake of it, what the hell was the point of Greyson's scene with the prostitute? Friend with benefits?!?? Plot device to inspire jealousy in Shadera later???? I feel like being rough with a sex worker doesn't line up with who Greyson is supposed to be. It's giving 'I have no say in my life so I take it out on someone I see as lower than myself so I can have a little power trip and feel in control for once' and that is NOT a good look for our MMC.
- Shadera's intimate scene with Jameson makes a tiny bit more sense because we get to see how he's in love with her but she really isn't in love with him. SO THEN WHY does she act like he means so much more to her once she is threatened by bloody Omniscient Maximus?
- Schmucky Mcgee (Greyson's original fiancee, so irrelevant I can't remember her name) and her family are never mentioned again. For people that would have allegedly caused significant problems, they certainly disappeared perfectly fine from the narrative.
- The masks make no sense. There, I said it. 'Oh but it's a metaphor for loss of identity and conforming and being oppressed' so then why is it the elite only that are required to wear them?! Especially in such a Big Brother Is Watching You ass society (OMNISCIENT MAXIMUS) surely you'd want to strip people of any kind of privacy or ability to hide. Also shocked nobody was impersonating anyone else at any point, because THEY ALL HAVE BLOODY MASKS.
- The cardinal ring folk don't mask because they're not elite. Unless they're working in the Heart for members of the elite. Then they have to mask. Even though masking is supposed to be a status symbol. Say it with me once again, The Masks Make No Sense!
- Why did so many people have their guns on Maximus, only for each of them to take the time to deliver him a monologue or whatever?! After Shadera and Greyson's little bet I would have thought a bullet would have gone into his skull a LOT faster. Even Elara took her damn time just for the sake of what, a cool reveal? When the platform was overrun with Veyra?? Take the shot from behind the altar, you fool. Should have done it a LOT earlier.
I am beyond frustrated.
I think, if you enjoyed Powerless, but wanted something a bit darker, more violent, and spicy, you might enjoy this book.
I did not enjoy Powerless.
Normally when I don't enjoy a book, I find a one or two star review that matches my experience, I read it, I feel vindicated, I move on. There are currently no such reviews for this book, thus I feel obligated to write one.
To begin, I must say that this Author clearly can write well, has excellent command of language, and an interesting overall concept, so I allowed an extra star for this. I still read the entire book because I was determined to give it the benefit of the doubt, and that is honestly a win. I WANTED to like this book.
Additionally, I usually forgive spelling errors and/or typos, but this one had a lot. I started reporting them after I let a bunch slide. Gave me something fun to do while trying to drag my way through the story.
The plot does not make sense, I'm afraid. If Maximus had planned all along to wipe out the outer rings, he could have just done it. He didn't need to plant Brooker, he didn't need to lure in Shadera, he CERTAINLY did not need to force Greyson to marry her. He was an incomprehensible caricature of evil for the sake of evil with no real motivation or rhythm to his actions. The overt bludgeoning we received in lieu of characterisation would necessitate the following:
- Maximus would have killed Mikel and probably Elara as soon as he discovered their affair. In fact, he probably would have had Mikel killed as soon as he vowed with Elara purely for being her former lover.
- If he didn't do that, he for sure would have killed them all once he figured out that Greyson wasn't his.
- Once schmucky mcgee and her family witnessed Greyson with his mask off, Maximus, man we were led to believe he was, would have JUST KILLED THEM. 'Oh now he has to take the vow because of the loophole' no. Simply kill the witnesses. Is this your first day as an evil dictator?
- At the end he complains that he would have just kept Shadera imprisoned in order to manipulate Jameson and Jaeger, but because of Greyson removing his mask he had to change tactics. No, you didn't. Just be an evil dictator about it? This particular little mechanism felt to me like the author reeeally wanted to write a forced proximity, arranged marriage type situation and tried to strongarm the plot to comply.
- Maximus had people executed for relationships across the rings. Why would Greyson unmasking suddenly override this law?
Other issues I have:
- Omniscient Maximus became tedious. I'm all for villains being one step ahead but there's only so many gloating reveals I can tolerate.
- The political benefit to forcing Shadera and Greyson to vow is insultingly flimsy. Why would you need to send a message to the boundary when you're on the brink of fully exterminating the boundary anyway?!
- lots of telling instead of showing. For example, we could have easily ascertained that Maximus was a raging misogynist without needing to be so on the nose by calling women 'lesser' and 'lower' and 'subservient'. Men who actually believe these things just don't talk like that. I just felt like I was being hit over the head with things that should have been more subtle, and it made me as a reader feel like the Author had no faith whatsoever in my comprehension skills.
- Making gang r@pe part of the vow ceremony seemed like it was just for shock value. There is no way that Lira just happened to discover some paperwork at the last minute that said 'by the way, during the consummation ceremony, all the top government officials get to have a go', and this was not something that anyone had ever mentioned? Especially when it was apparently common knowledge that the couple would go into the chambers and be *watched* for the first bit. I understand the Author was attempting to show how women were treated, and that the fear and continued abuse kept them quiet about it, but it was stated that it was done IN FRONT OF THE HUSBANDS WHO WERE FORCED TO WATCH. Even in a society where married women are not allowed to speak, surely the men would discuss this particular experience amongst themselves.
- We are told that purity is sooo highly valued for Elite women and yet Maximus pimps out Lira to his buddies. Yes, it's to show he's a monster, and to give Lira motivation blah blah. It doesn't make sense. Another case of being told something that doesn't align with what we're shown.
- Lira runs after the family dinner and hides out with Callum. She also attends rebel meetings. Maximus says he knows where she is (pesky omniscient Maximus) but for some reason she's allowed to pick Shadera's wedding dress, leave notes and medicine in the apartment, AND she's on the platform, running the ceremony and the media feeds?! You're telling me Maximus wouldn't have had the Veyra drag her ass back, and either imprisoned her or executed her? No?
- Maximus is so determined for this vow to happen. He forces Greyson and Shadera to live together to 'get to know each other' but then acts like it's some horror that Greyson may have slept with her? My brother, you are making them get married.
- Maximus, who is all about control, image, propaganda, had Shadera and Greyson beaten right before the vow ceremony. They, particularly Shadera, are visibly injured. Why would he want that?! I kept expecting some kind of elite healing technology or at least a makeup team but no, apparently he needs to force a vow for appearances and simultaneously doesn't care about appearances. Baffling.
- There's just a significant lack of medical care going on. Yes, it's supposed to be a 'dark' story full of violence and whatnot but Shadera takes a fair few EXTREME beatings in an incredibly short window of time, either has no access to or refuses medical help, and beyond some wincing and/or blacking out when getting dressed or undressed, it's never again ADdressed. Yeah she's a badass, but the human body does in fact have limits.
- Why would the vow ceremony in the Heart be completely different to whatever goes on in the outer rings? Greyson explains it to Shadera like she's never heard of the concept before. She's a mercenary who sneaks into the Heart for contracts, and she's banging the top spy in the outer rings, yet she doesn't know anything about the very public Heart vow ceremonies?! Do people in the outer rings not get married?
- The Callum/Lira love scene dragged for what seemed like 83 pages. The whole book seemed far longer than necessary, to be fair, but that scene in particular dragged. Also, we had been told that they had been lovers five years prior, and yet Callum was talking like it was their first time. It sort of felt like the scene had originally been written as a 'first time' scene, and then the Author went back and wrote that they had been together before, but forgot to adjust the spicy bit.
- Lira's abuse was really just plonked in out of nowhere. I would have expected that to have had some kind of impact on her intimacy with Callum but there's no connection between the two. I feel it disrespected the gravity of what she went through, and definitely made it seem like the scene between her and Callum was just there for the sake of it.
- Speaking of sex for the sake of it, what the hell was the point of Greyson's scene with the prostitute? Friend with benefits?!?? Plot device to inspire jealousy in Shadera later???? I feel like being rough with a sex worker doesn't line up with who Greyson is supposed to be. It's giving 'I have no say in my life so I take it out on someone I see as lower than myself so I can have a little power trip and feel in control for once' and that is NOT a good look for our MMC.
- Shadera's intimate scene with Jameson makes a tiny bit more sense because we get to see how he's in love with her but she really isn't in love with him. SO THEN WHY does she act like he means so much more to her once she is threatened by bloody Omniscient Maximus?
- Schmucky Mcgee (Greyson's original fiancee, so irrelevant I can't remember her name) and her family are never mentioned again. For people that would have allegedly caused significant problems, they certainly disappeared perfectly fine from the narrative.
- The masks make no sense. There, I said it. 'Oh but it's a metaphor for loss of identity and conforming and being oppressed' so then why is it the elite only that are required to wear them?! Especially in such a Big Brother Is Watching You ass society (OMNISCIENT MAXIMUS) surely you'd want to strip people of any kind of privacy or ability to hide. Also shocked nobody was impersonating anyone else at any point, because THEY ALL HAVE BLOODY MASKS.
- The cardinal ring folk don't mask because they're not elite. Unless they're working in the Heart for members of the elite. Then they have to mask. Even though masking is supposed to be a status symbol. Say it with me once again, The Masks Make No Sense!
- Why did so many people have their guns on Maximus, only for each of them to take the time to deliver him a monologue or whatever?! After Shadera and Greyson's little bet I would have thought a bullet would have gone into his skull a LOT faster. Even Elara took her damn time just for the sake of what, a cool reveal? When the platform was overrun with Veyra?? Take the shot from behind the altar, you fool. Should have done it a LOT earlier.
I am beyond frustrated.
I think, if you enjoyed Powerless, but wanted something a bit darker, more violent, and spicy, you might enjoy this book.
I did not enjoy Powerless.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 9, 2026
Have you ever read a book that felt less like escaping into another world and more like walking deeper into the one you already carry inside of you?
That’s what Daggermouth was for me.
I wasn’t fully prepared for how much this story would sit with me. Wolfe didn’t just build a world. She built a system: layered, oppressive, meticulous in the way it shapes, limits, and erases. And the unsettling part? How familiar that architecture felt.
There’s a kind of harm that doesn’t shout. It whispers. It organizes itself into rules, into borders, into expectations about who is allowed to breathe freely and who must move through life in fragments. Reading this book felt like watching those invisible forces move — the ones that wound without ever raising their voice.
Yet within all of that, the characters became a kind of resistance.
I adored every single one of them — not because they were perfect, but because they were trying. Yearning in the dark. Holding loyalty like a lifeline. Choosing each other in a world designed to keep them apart. The Boundary wasn’t just a place; it was a family stitched together through defiance, through tenderness, through the kind of love that grows strongest under pressure.
And yes — there is love here.
Not loud, not sweeping, but present in gestures, in glances, in the ways the characters hold one another up. It blooms quietly amid the heaviness, a soft pulse that reminds you even the smallest tenderness can resist a crushing system.
Some scenes brushed against memories I didn’t expect to feel. Not because Daggermouth mirrors my reality exactly, but because certain forms of power — and the harm it enacts — speak a shared language. Borders, walls, surveillance, the myth of “order,” the cost of being seen as other… those echoes lingered. As a Palestinian reader, that resonance settles differently in me: personal, not universal. But it’s there, humming beneath the story like a second heartbeat.
Daggermouth is heavy, yes — but it’s also alive with warmth, connection, and the slow, quiet assertion of humanity in a place determined to suppress it. It reminded me that even under the shadow of systems that take and take and take, people still find ways to give to one another. And that is its own kind of rebellion.
Huge thank you to H.M. Wolfe for trusting me with this ARC.
For writing something so heavy and so honest.
For giving voice to characters who refuse to break quietly.
For crafting a world that feels imagined and familiar all at once.
If you made it this far in my word-vomit:
please, please, PLEASE read this book when it comes out on December 5th.
Let it sit with you.
Let it challenge you.
Let it remind you of the ways resistance, love, and survival intertwine.
I’ll be thinking about this story — and these characters — for a long time.
That’s what Daggermouth was for me.
I wasn’t fully prepared for how much this story would sit with me. Wolfe didn’t just build a world. She built a system: layered, oppressive, meticulous in the way it shapes, limits, and erases. And the unsettling part? How familiar that architecture felt.
There’s a kind of harm that doesn’t shout. It whispers. It organizes itself into rules, into borders, into expectations about who is allowed to breathe freely and who must move through life in fragments. Reading this book felt like watching those invisible forces move — the ones that wound without ever raising their voice.
Yet within all of that, the characters became a kind of resistance.
I adored every single one of them — not because they were perfect, but because they were trying. Yearning in the dark. Holding loyalty like a lifeline. Choosing each other in a world designed to keep them apart. The Boundary wasn’t just a place; it was a family stitched together through defiance, through tenderness, through the kind of love that grows strongest under pressure.
And yes — there is love here.
Not loud, not sweeping, but present in gestures, in glances, in the ways the characters hold one another up. It blooms quietly amid the heaviness, a soft pulse that reminds you even the smallest tenderness can resist a crushing system.
Some scenes brushed against memories I didn’t expect to feel. Not because Daggermouth mirrors my reality exactly, but because certain forms of power — and the harm it enacts — speak a shared language. Borders, walls, surveillance, the myth of “order,” the cost of being seen as other… those echoes lingered. As a Palestinian reader, that resonance settles differently in me: personal, not universal. But it’s there, humming beneath the story like a second heartbeat.
Daggermouth is heavy, yes — but it’s also alive with warmth, connection, and the slow, quiet assertion of humanity in a place determined to suppress it. It reminded me that even under the shadow of systems that take and take and take, people still find ways to give to one another. And that is its own kind of rebellion.
Huge thank you to H.M. Wolfe for trusting me with this ARC.
For writing something so heavy and so honest.
For giving voice to characters who refuse to break quietly.
For crafting a world that feels imagined and familiar all at once.
If you made it this far in my word-vomit:
please, please, PLEASE read this book when it comes out on December 5th.
Let it sit with you.
Let it challenge you.
Let it remind you of the ways resistance, love, and survival intertwine.
I’ll be thinking about this story — and these characters — for a long time.
January 31, 2026
♾️stars…UM. HELLO?!?! I just finished this book and I am spiraling. Like, genuinely concerned I won’t sleep tonight because my brain refuses to leave this world. Hands-down one of the best books I have ever read in my life and I don’t say that lightly. That ending? Possibly the best ending I’ve ever experienced. This is one of those books where if you didn’t like it… I’m sorry, I simply do not trust your taste or your recommendations.😭😂
There is so much hype around this book, and it’s all deserved.
This is a true enemies-to-lovers. Not a petty rivalry. Not dislike, this is HATE. I mean these two characters beat the ever-loving shit out of each other. They try to kill each other. Even after the initial conflict, they’re still going at it. It was giving Mr. & Mrs. Smith smashing vases over each other’s heads, and I was locked in for every single second. The fact that they’re literally trying to murder each other and I’m sitting here smiling like an idiot… am I okay? Unclear.
This was my first real dystopian read, and it rattled something in my bones. The premise, the way the Heart is set up, the rings, the class system, it’s dark, unsettling, and disturbingly well thought out. There’s a sickness to the world that feels intentional, and It felt uncomfortably relevant to the state of things right now. This story doesn’t just entertain, it says something and I felt it. I was so overwhelmed with emotions for most of this book.😭
The writing style deserves its own moment. It’s detailed without being overwhelming, smooth without being simple, it was SO immersive I literally felt like I was there. I never felt pulled out of the story. My attention was fully captured 100% of the time. Some authors you just click with their writing style and this is definitely one of them.
One of my favorite things about this story is how unapologetically it highlights the power of women. Women who are smart, cunning, and relentless. Women who carry the weight of the world on their backs in systems designed to crush them and still refuse to bow. Still refuse to break. I loved the message threaded through this book: in a world built to keep us small, we don’t survive quietly. We fight back. We rise. And we shatter the chains meant to hold us down.
Shadera was the perfect FMC to deliver this message. She is exactly who she thinks she is. A full baddie. The way she prowls around? The confidence? The relationship she has with her weapon? *bites knuckles* I think I’m in love. But truly, she is such a powerful, complex character. Peeling back her layers made me feel everything. She’s so much more than a mercenary with a gun. Her resilience, her strength, and the way kindness comes naturally to her, even when she doesn’t see it in herself is something special. Despite everything she’s been through, she still shows empathy. Even to people who hurt her. Even to people who feel like enemies. She doesn’t realize it yet, but she is hope. People admire her. They look to her. She is the rebellion’s heart whether she wants that responsibility or not.
Her relationship with Greyson is layered and fascinating. The more they learn about each other, the more they realize how similar they actually are. How they both are fighting similar battles and there is so much more to them.
I loved the way their dynamic was built every interaction felt intentional. Nothing was wasted. Even with what we’ve seen so far, I can already tell these two are going to be an absolute force together. The tension and the chemistry was out of this world. I just know they are gonna be one of those couples that completely rides out for each other.
I highlighted an insane number of lines in this book. Quotes that gave me chills, made my eyes burn, had tears streaming down my face. This story moved me to my core, and the way it was told only amplified how powerful it was.
And Maximus. Oh my god. One of the worst villains I have ever read. Every time he was on the page, my blood was boiling. The author did an incredible job making me hate him on a visceral level my gut twisted every single scene because I knew something diabolical was coming.
I also loved the multiple POVs. Seeing the story unfold from so many perspectives made it so engaging. I loved watching everyone’s position on the chessboard. And of course, I fell in love with every single side character. What a fucking crew.
Now. The ending.
My jaw was on the FLOOR. I was genuinely saying out loud, “You’re lying. Oh my god. Stop. Shut the fuck up.” My emotions were everywhere. There was a moment where I was choking on my tears, had to put my Kindle down, get up, take a lap, drink water, and reset because I felt a full spiral coming on. If you know, you know😭😭😭😭😭. I am currently living in denial but then we followed that devastation with something so iconic, so legendary, with twists I did NOT see coming, that I was fully knocked on my ass.
I cannot say enough good things about this book. Drop everything you’re reading and pick this up immediately. A masterpiece in every sense of the word. Fucking perfection. Zero notes. This is one of those books you don’t just read you feel it in your soul. And now I will be crying myself to sleep while I wait for the next book.
I am going to miss these characters so much. I’m going to need an audiobook so I can reread whenever I want to feel something.
There is so much hype around this book, and it’s all deserved.
This is a true enemies-to-lovers. Not a petty rivalry. Not dislike, this is HATE. I mean these two characters beat the ever-loving shit out of each other. They try to kill each other. Even after the initial conflict, they’re still going at it. It was giving Mr. & Mrs. Smith smashing vases over each other’s heads, and I was locked in for every single second. The fact that they’re literally trying to murder each other and I’m sitting here smiling like an idiot… am I okay? Unclear.
This was my first real dystopian read, and it rattled something in my bones. The premise, the way the Heart is set up, the rings, the class system, it’s dark, unsettling, and disturbingly well thought out. There’s a sickness to the world that feels intentional, and It felt uncomfortably relevant to the state of things right now. This story doesn’t just entertain, it says something and I felt it. I was so overwhelmed with emotions for most of this book.😭
The writing style deserves its own moment. It’s detailed without being overwhelming, smooth without being simple, it was SO immersive I literally felt like I was there. I never felt pulled out of the story. My attention was fully captured 100% of the time. Some authors you just click with their writing style and this is definitely one of them.
One of my favorite things about this story is how unapologetically it highlights the power of women. Women who are smart, cunning, and relentless. Women who carry the weight of the world on their backs in systems designed to crush them and still refuse to bow. Still refuse to break. I loved the message threaded through this book: in a world built to keep us small, we don’t survive quietly. We fight back. We rise. And we shatter the chains meant to hold us down.
Shadera was the perfect FMC to deliver this message. She is exactly who she thinks she is. A full baddie. The way she prowls around? The confidence? The relationship she has with her weapon? *bites knuckles* I think I’m in love. But truly, she is such a powerful, complex character. Peeling back her layers made me feel everything. She’s so much more than a mercenary with a gun. Her resilience, her strength, and the way kindness comes naturally to her, even when she doesn’t see it in herself is something special. Despite everything she’s been through, she still shows empathy. Even to people who hurt her. Even to people who feel like enemies. She doesn’t realize it yet, but she is hope. People admire her. They look to her. She is the rebellion’s heart whether she wants that responsibility or not.
Her relationship with Greyson is layered and fascinating. The more they learn about each other, the more they realize how similar they actually are. How they both are fighting similar battles and there is so much more to them.
I loved the way their dynamic was built every interaction felt intentional. Nothing was wasted. Even with what we’ve seen so far, I can already tell these two are going to be an absolute force together. The tension and the chemistry was out of this world. I just know they are gonna be one of those couples that completely rides out for each other.
I highlighted an insane number of lines in this book. Quotes that gave me chills, made my eyes burn, had tears streaming down my face. This story moved me to my core, and the way it was told only amplified how powerful it was.
And Maximus. Oh my god. One of the worst villains I have ever read. Every time he was on the page, my blood was boiling. The author did an incredible job making me hate him on a visceral level my gut twisted every single scene because I knew something diabolical was coming.
I also loved the multiple POVs. Seeing the story unfold from so many perspectives made it so engaging. I loved watching everyone’s position on the chessboard. And of course, I fell in love with every single side character. What a fucking crew.
Now. The ending.
My jaw was on the FLOOR. I was genuinely saying out loud, “You’re lying. Oh my god. Stop. Shut the fuck up.” My emotions were everywhere. There was a moment where I was choking on my tears, had to put my Kindle down, get up, take a lap, drink water, and reset because I felt a full spiral coming on. If you know, you know😭😭😭😭😭. I am currently living in denial but then we followed that devastation with something so iconic, so legendary, with twists I did NOT see coming, that I was fully knocked on my ass.
I cannot say enough good things about this book. Drop everything you’re reading and pick this up immediately. A masterpiece in every sense of the word. Fucking perfection. Zero notes. This is one of those books you don’t just read you feel it in your soul. And now I will be crying myself to sleep while I wait for the next book.
I am going to miss these characters so much. I’m going to need an audiobook so I can reread whenever I want to feel something.
February 11, 2026
Reading DAGGERMOUTH made me feel like it was 2010 again and I was clutching my little statement necklace while reading THE HUNGER GAMES for the first time. This book is a master class in character building and complex Machiavellian type politics in dystopian structures that serve as chilling allegories for modern-day oppressions.
I loved Shadera and Greyson. She's a cold-blooded mercenary and he's the scion of a brutal tyrant. The central conflict of this book is that they are forced to marry to save the dictatorship's face and cement its optics of power, but oops, they actually both want to kill each other even though they're both hot and have the same kinks so they also want to bang each other, as well. The relationship is slow-burn and done so, so well. I never really found myself questioning any of their decisions or reactions because they both felt so real.
And unlike some romances, where the focus is totally on the main couple (which is okay!), Wolfe spent just as much time developing her side characters in interesting ways, including a secondary romance between the hero's sister, Lira, and a gambling den owner named Callum. And yes, I was just as invested in this relationship as I was in the main relationship, and yes, it did put me in my feelings.
I can see why this book has so much hype circling around it. The hype was what sold me on the book but the execution was what kept me reading (literally and figuratively). There's too many people to thank for recommending this to me, but I DO think you should all have to do a crowd-sourced Venmo to pay me for the therapy bills I'm going to rack up after that ending.
4.5 stars
I loved Shadera and Greyson. She's a cold-blooded mercenary and he's the scion of a brutal tyrant. The central conflict of this book is that they are forced to marry to save the dictatorship's face and cement its optics of power, but oops, they actually both want to kill each other even though they're both hot and have the same kinks so they also want to bang each other, as well. The relationship is slow-burn and done so, so well. I never really found myself questioning any of their decisions or reactions because they both felt so real.
And unlike some romances, where the focus is totally on the main couple (which is okay!), Wolfe spent just as much time developing her side characters in interesting ways, including a secondary romance between the hero's sister, Lira, and a gambling den owner named Callum. And yes, I was just as invested in this relationship as I was in the main relationship, and yes, it did put me in my feelings.
I can see why this book has so much hype circling around it. The hype was what sold me on the book but the execution was what kept me reading (literally and figuratively). There's too many people to thank for recommending this to me, but I DO think you should all have to do a crowd-sourced Venmo to pay me for the therapy bills I'm going to rack up after that ending.
4.5 stars
February 14, 2026
This book was PHENOMENAL! You fall in love with the characters so easily and the twists are 🤯
January 5, 2026
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
finished 1.4.26
✧ "showing mercy is a weakness, and weakness will get you killed." ✧
- 𝒎𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔 -
holy shit. ho-ly shit. this book is the DEFINITION of emotional trauma. that ending? hello? i was crying one second then silently cheering the next. i am SPEECHLESS.
- 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 -
i cannot put into words how OBSESSED i am with shadera and greyson. their character building as a couple is gorgeous- i'm talking TRUE enemies to lovers, not just "oh they 'hated' *wink wink* each other." shadera is such a badass, and IM HERE FOR IT!! both her and greyson are morally grey, which is *chefs kiss*. then there's jameson, and he's just a bit delusional. i'll leave it at that. i'm going to also casually point out that the mmcs in this book are named jameson and greyson. like jameson and grayson hawethorn from jlb's the inheritance games. i don't think it means anything, but it's still a somewhat odd detail.
and then we have lira and callum. i almost like lira and callum more than shadera and grey, but not quite. the two of them have the most wholesome relationship, and yeah. im devastated.
- 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒍𝒐𝒕 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒃𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 -
this book is fast paced with so many twists and turns that will make you loose your mind. those last few chapters were absolutely devastating, and even a day after reading it, i still haven't recovered. one of my biggest issues with dystopian/fantasy books is that sometimes you can see the plot twists coming from a mile away, but this one kept me on my toes the whole time. surprisingly, the romance didn't overwhelm this one either. the ratio of romance to plot was perfect.
features -
✦ dystopian
✧ third person
✦ multiple povs
✧ violence & death
✦ morally grey mcs
✧ marrige of inconvenience
✦ touch her and die
✧ forced proximity
♪⋆.˚ now playing: 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒚 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒚 𝒓𝒖𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒇𝒍𝒆𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒆
“𝑖 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑐𝑎𝑛'𝑡 𝑟𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 ℎ𝑜𝑤 𝑡𝑜 𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑒 / 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑡'𝑠 𝑎 𝑏𝑖𝑟𝑑 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑓𝑙𝑦”
- preread 🩵 -
already on my second read of 2026! 😭 i feel like im seeing this one everywhere and im nothing but easily influenced, so here we go! 💕
finished 1.4.26
✧ "showing mercy is a weakness, and weakness will get you killed." ✧
- 𝒎𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔 -
holy shit. ho-ly shit. this book is the DEFINITION of emotional trauma. that ending? hello? i was crying one second then silently cheering the next. i am SPEECHLESS.
- 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 -
i cannot put into words how OBSESSED i am with shadera and greyson. their character building as a couple is gorgeous- i'm talking TRUE enemies to lovers, not just "oh they 'hated' *wink wink* each other." shadera is such a badass, and IM HERE FOR IT!! both her and greyson are morally grey, which is *chefs kiss*. then there's jameson, and he's just a bit delusional. i'll leave it at that. i'm going to also casually point out that the mmcs in this book are named jameson and greyson. like jameson and grayson hawethorn from jlb's the inheritance games. i don't think it means anything, but it's still a somewhat odd detail.
and then we have lira and callum. i almost like lira and callum more than shadera and grey, but not quite. the two of them have the most wholesome relationship, and yeah. im devastated.
- 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒍𝒐𝒕 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒃𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 -
this book is fast paced with so many twists and turns that will make you loose your mind. those last few chapters were absolutely devastating, and even a day after reading it, i still haven't recovered. one of my biggest issues with dystopian/fantasy books is that sometimes you can see the plot twists coming from a mile away, but this one kept me on my toes the whole time. surprisingly, the romance didn't overwhelm this one either. the ratio of romance to plot was perfect.
features -
✦ dystopian
✧ third person
✦ multiple povs
✧ violence & death
✦ morally grey mcs
✧ marrige of inconvenience
✦ touch her and die
✧ forced proximity
♪⋆.˚ now playing: 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒚 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒚 𝒓𝒖𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒇𝒍𝒆𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒆
“𝑖 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑐𝑎𝑛'𝑡 𝑟𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 ℎ𝑜𝑤 𝑡𝑜 𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑒 / 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑡'𝑠 𝑎 𝑏𝑖𝑟𝑑 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑓𝑙𝑦”
- preread 🩵 -
already on my second read of 2026! 😭 i feel like im seeing this one everywhere and im nothing but easily influenced, so here we go! 💕
Currently reading
February 15, 2026ok everybody and their mother is currently reading this and across the board i have heard nothing but amazing things so PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD BE A TRUE DYSTOPIAN (with real romance) amen🙏🏼🤞🏼🩵
January 11, 2026
♾️🌟 𝟼
“𝘼𝙨 𝙢𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙖𝙨 𝙝𝙚’𝙙 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙗𝙪𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙞𝙢, 𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚”
🖤 🫀 🎭 💀 🔪 ~♡• 𝓪 𝓭𝓪𝓻𝓴 𝓭𝔂𝓼𝓽𝓸𝓹𝓲𝓪𝓷 𝓻𝓸𝓶𝓪𝓷𝓬𝓮 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓽𝓻𝓾𝓮 𝓮𝓷𝓮𝓶𝓲𝓮𝓼 𝓽𝓸 𝓵𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓼 •𖥔 ݁ ˖ »
yeah the hype is real!! i was glued to this book. the plot??? so fucking good
the the world h.m wolfe created is dark and devastating and i loved every single moment in it 🫶🏻✨
i immediately became obsessed with all of these characters, their stories and their romances. i cried, i laughed and i screamed. this is a new obsession that i will be thinking about 24/7
༘⋆ 𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚢𝚜𝚘𝚗 my sweet baby boy ughhh the more you learn about him the more you end up loving him
༘⋆ 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚊 obsessed with her!! she is such a badass. i love her so much might honestly be a new fav fmc
꧁ᬊᬁ 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚊 + 𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚢𝚜𝚘𝚗 ᬊ᭄꧂
the banter, the tension, the slow burn i ate it up💘 watching them slowly discover each other and how much alike they are my heart!!
➵ “𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝑜𝓂𝒶𝓃 𝓈𝑒𝓃𝓉 𝓉𝑜 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝒽𝒾𝓂, 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝑜𝓃𝓁𝓎 𝓌𝑜𝓂𝒶𝓃 𝓌𝒽𝑜 𝒽𝒶𝒹 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝓂𝒶𝒹𝑒 𝒽𝒾𝓂 𝒻𝑒𝑒𝓁 𝓈𝒶𝒻𝑒” ♡～
༘⋆ 𝚌𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚞𝚖 the moment this man was introduced i was barking!! something about him 🤭🤩
༘⋆ 𝚕𝚒𝚛𝚊 love her so much🥹🥹🥹 all im gonna say is ➵𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝟸𝟼
i will be counting down the literal days until we get book 2
the last 20% of this book had me freaking the hell out
and that ending had me screaming!!!!!!!!!!!
what in the fuck. what do you mean.
what do you mean?????
im 💔…🥴…😭
will be crying myself to sleep tonight
“𝘼𝙨 𝙢𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙖𝙨 𝙝𝙚’𝙙 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙗𝙪𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙞𝙢, 𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚”
🖤 🫀 🎭 💀 🔪 ~♡• 𝓪 𝓭𝓪𝓻𝓴 𝓭𝔂𝓼𝓽𝓸𝓹𝓲𝓪𝓷 𝓻𝓸𝓶𝓪𝓷𝓬𝓮 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓽𝓻𝓾𝓮 𝓮𝓷𝓮𝓶𝓲𝓮𝓼 𝓽𝓸 𝓵𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓼 •𖥔 ݁ ˖ »
yeah the hype is real!! i was glued to this book. the plot??? so fucking good
the the world h.m wolfe created is dark and devastating and i loved every single moment in it 🫶🏻✨
i immediately became obsessed with all of these characters, their stories and their romances. i cried, i laughed and i screamed. this is a new obsession that i will be thinking about 24/7
༘⋆ 𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚢𝚜𝚘𝚗 my sweet baby boy ughhh the more you learn about him the more you end up loving him
༘⋆ 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚊 obsessed with her!! she is such a badass. i love her so much might honestly be a new fav fmc
꧁ᬊᬁ 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚊 + 𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚢𝚜𝚘𝚗 ᬊ᭄꧂
the banter, the tension, the slow burn i ate it up💘 watching them slowly discover each other and how much alike they are my heart!!
➵ “𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝑜𝓂𝒶𝓃 𝓈𝑒𝓃𝓉 𝓉𝑜 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝒽𝒾𝓂, 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝑜𝓃𝓁𝓎 𝓌𝑜𝓂𝒶𝓃 𝓌𝒽𝑜 𝒽𝒶𝒹 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝓂𝒶𝒹𝑒 𝒽𝒾𝓂 𝒻𝑒𝑒𝓁 𝓈𝒶𝒻𝑒” ♡～
༘⋆ 𝚌𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚞𝚖 the moment this man was introduced i was barking!! something about him 🤭🤩
༘⋆ 𝚕𝚒𝚛𝚊 love her so much🥹🥹🥹 all im gonna say is ➵𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝟸𝟼
i will be counting down the literal days until we get book 2
the last 20% of this book had me freaking the hell out
and that ending had me screaming!!!!!!!!!!!
what in the fuck. what do you mean.
what do you mean?????
im 💔…🥴…😭
will be crying myself to sleep tonight
January 11, 2026
Someone has to say it: the masks do not make sense. 🙃
January 28, 2026
You know what? hell yeah. This is just as GOOD as everyone is saying it is 🙂↕️!!!
4.5⭐️
4.5⭐️
did-not-finish
January 26, 2026DNF’d at 44%.
While the concept of Daggermouth intrigued me so much, the execution simply was not my favorite. I think H. M. Wolfe’s writing style might not be for me after all. I read her debut and it was just okay to me, but a lot of issues I had with it I also have with Daggermouth. I maintain the unique position that I haven’t read the comp titles that this book is compared to in the same way I hadn’t read the comp titles for her debut, so I feel like I was able to engage with an open mind and a palette ready to be filled with colors. I think if you’re a fan of The Hunger Games and The Handmaid’s Tale you might enjoy this quite a bit; from what I’ve seen in other reviews, a lot people who’ve read and/or watched both really love Daggermouth!
The heavy leaning on similes as well as the stilted dialogue took me out of the story so many times. I feel like there’s a fine line between prose for prose’s sake and prose that serves the narrative; this fell on the side of purple prose for me. I’m not someone who shies away from purple prose to be honest, but a number of things also didn’t work for me, so I started feeling detached and frankly bored.
Shadera, the FMC, was basically that SpongeBob character Fred who’s all battered and bandaged with how many beatings she took, but there wasn’t much in the way of treating the wounds or addressing the high likelihood of head trauma. I get that she’s a badass—and this is a dystopian book so maybe things like blunt force trauma can’t keep a bad bitch down—but the world building didn’t support a lack of medical care. The way the characters engaged with one another didn’t feel natural, and I couldn’t connect with Shadera, Greyson, or the other side characters that also had POVs throughout the story. I didn’t even get to the good stuff as it pertains to the love stories, but I didn’t feel drawn in enough to wait around for things to get there. Ultimately there were too many things that didn’t gel with me as a reader that I wish I was able to overlook because I so badly wanted to be on the Daggermouth train with everyone else—it just didn’t work for me!
Speaking of world building, the concept was very fascinating: an inner “heart” of elite people controlling the outer rings—humming with rebellion—via public executions for ultimately minor infractions. The world is completely under control of one egomaniac—sound familiar? I *loved* that aspect of this! The parallel to modern day politics in America and the potential of what can happen if power remains unchecked is a very important tale to tell. The family dynamic of this powerful man was also executed well in that each member of the family had their own ambitions but they were also engaging in silent rebellion against the president.
Overall, I wish more had gone into fleshing out some of the more interesting aspects, such as the origination of the executions and the escalating violence by the heart (perhaps these questions are answered in parts of the book I didn’t get to, or will be resolved in the conclusion of this duology). Since the reader does get to journey with Shadera, I wish that I was able to see her vulnerability beyond her reluctant attraction to Greyson so that I could connect with her better. I accept that if I had just kept reading I might have had resolutions for many of my issues, but it’s December, I’ve had a so-so reading month so far, and I couldn’t force it for a book of this length.
Thank you to the author for sending me an ARC!
While the concept of Daggermouth intrigued me so much, the execution simply was not my favorite. I think H. M. Wolfe’s writing style might not be for me after all. I read her debut and it was just okay to me, but a lot of issues I had with it I also have with Daggermouth. I maintain the unique position that I haven’t read the comp titles that this book is compared to in the same way I hadn’t read the comp titles for her debut, so I feel like I was able to engage with an open mind and a palette ready to be filled with colors. I think if you’re a fan of The Hunger Games and The Handmaid’s Tale you might enjoy this quite a bit; from what I’ve seen in other reviews, a lot people who’ve read and/or watched both really love Daggermouth!
The heavy leaning on similes as well as the stilted dialogue took me out of the story so many times. I feel like there’s a fine line between prose for prose’s sake and prose that serves the narrative; this fell on the side of purple prose for me. I’m not someone who shies away from purple prose to be honest, but a number of things also didn’t work for me, so I started feeling detached and frankly bored.
Shadera, the FMC, was basically that SpongeBob character Fred who’s all battered and bandaged with how many beatings she took, but there wasn’t much in the way of treating the wounds or addressing the high likelihood of head trauma. I get that she’s a badass—and this is a dystopian book so maybe things like blunt force trauma can’t keep a bad bitch down—but the world building didn’t support a lack of medical care. The way the characters engaged with one another didn’t feel natural, and I couldn’t connect with Shadera, Greyson, or the other side characters that also had POVs throughout the story. I didn’t even get to the good stuff as it pertains to the love stories, but I didn’t feel drawn in enough to wait around for things to get there. Ultimately there were too many things that didn’t gel with me as a reader that I wish I was able to overlook because I so badly wanted to be on the Daggermouth train with everyone else—it just didn’t work for me!
Speaking of world building, the concept was very fascinating: an inner “heart” of elite people controlling the outer rings—humming with rebellion—via public executions for ultimately minor infractions. The world is completely under control of one egomaniac—sound familiar? I *loved* that aspect of this! The parallel to modern day politics in America and the potential of what can happen if power remains unchecked is a very important tale to tell. The family dynamic of this powerful man was also executed well in that each member of the family had their own ambitions but they were also engaging in silent rebellion against the president.
Overall, I wish more had gone into fleshing out some of the more interesting aspects, such as the origination of the executions and the escalating violence by the heart (perhaps these questions are answered in parts of the book I didn’t get to, or will be resolved in the conclusion of this duology). Since the reader does get to journey with Shadera, I wish that I was able to see her vulnerability beyond her reluctant attraction to Greyson so that I could connect with her better. I accept that if I had just kept reading I might have had resolutions for many of my issues, but it’s December, I’ve had a so-so reading month so far, and I couldn’t force it for a book of this length.
Thank you to the author for sending me an ARC!
February 6, 2026
✨ Rating: ♾️⭐️
🫧 Vibes: welcome to the rebellion
🎶 Song: nightmare - halsey
📖 Favourite Quote: "Women are the backbone, the foundation, the immovable force that still does not falter when men stand on our spines to grab power."
📚 Would I recommend? A MILLION TIMES YES
💬 tldr thoughts: and this is how you write a dystopian book *slow clap*
In the package:
📦 high stakes and secrets
📦 rebellion vs control
📦 multiple POVs
📦 enemies to lovers
📦 feminine rage
Thoughts: I don't know what to do with myself now that I finished this book. The hype around this is so beyond justified. This was incredible in every aspect. I cried, I wanted to scream and I wanted to reach into the book and just pew pew Maximus myself. You thought President Snow was bad? Maximus gives him a run for his money.
Gosh I don't think a book has ever evoked so much rage within me and that's a testament to the amazing storyline and writing. I was instantly hooked from chapter 1 but the third half of the book is just insanity. I was flipping pages faster than I could process my own emotions. The world building is incredible, the characters had so many layers to them, and the WOMEN in this book are just straight up badass.
This was a true enemies to lovers book and I absolutely adored the fact that we got multiple POVs from various characters. It made it a much more engaging reading experience and for an even better ending when everything comes together 😏
And what's better than one romance plot? TWO OF THEM. Like hello!! I was EATING. THAT. UP. Greyson and Shadera's slow burn romance and of course Callum and Lira's "it's always been you" romance. 🥹
THE ENDING ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATED ME. Brb while I go cry.
✩⁺₊✩☽⋆ follow me on tiktok and instagram⋆☾✩⁺₊✩
🫧 Vibes: welcome to the rebellion
🎶 Song: nightmare - halsey
📖 Favourite Quote: "Women are the backbone, the foundation, the immovable force that still does not falter when men stand on our spines to grab power."
📚 Would I recommend? A MILLION TIMES YES
💬 tldr thoughts: and this is how you write a dystopian book *slow clap*
In the package:
📦 high stakes and secrets
📦 rebellion vs control
📦 multiple POVs
📦 enemies to lovers
📦 feminine rage
Thoughts: I don't know what to do with myself now that I finished this book. The hype around this is so beyond justified. This was incredible in every aspect. I cried, I wanted to scream and I wanted to reach into the book and just pew pew Maximus myself. You thought President Snow was bad? Maximus gives him a run for his money.
Gosh I don't think a book has ever evoked so much rage within me and that's a testament to the amazing storyline and writing. I was instantly hooked from chapter 1 but the third half of the book is just insanity. I was flipping pages faster than I could process my own emotions. The world building is incredible, the characters had so many layers to them, and the WOMEN in this book are just straight up badass.
This was a true enemies to lovers book and I absolutely adored the fact that we got multiple POVs from various characters. It made it a much more engaging reading experience and for an even better ending when everything comes together 😏
And what's better than one romance plot? TWO OF THEM. Like hello!! I was EATING. THAT. UP. Greyson and Shadera's slow burn romance and of course Callum and Lira's "it's always been you" romance. 🥹
THE ENDING ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATED ME. Brb while I go cry.
✩⁺₊✩☽⋆ follow me on tiktok and instagram⋆☾✩⁺₊✩
Want to read
December 11, 2025Everything about this book sounds incredible and after seeing the reviews I need it in my hands IMMEDIATELY
January 8, 2026
♾️⭐️
DARK. DYSTOPIAN. DELICIOUSNESS.
This book is PHENOMENAL. I cannot get it out of my head. The writing is so immersive I felt like I was literally living it. Their life is pure agony and suffering, yet I want to be part of it 😫😫 the relationships were just so raw and beautiful. I would rot in The Boundary with them to experience this love.
Daggermouth had me ignoring my responsibilities and wanting to cancel plans just so I could keep my eyeballs glued to it 🔥🔥 I don’t throw out an infinite star rating often but this book deserves them ALL. This story sunk its claws in me with no warning and became an instant fav book of all time for me 😮💨
High high high stakes, dark af & spicy BUT ALSO HIGHLY EMOTIONAL yeah please this is everything.
I thought I was sneaky and figured out the plot twist only to be brutally slapped in the face by about 17 other plot twists
THE MEN? Fuck. yes.
Jameson!!! 🥹🥹
Callum!!! 😍🥲
Greyson Serel is my fucking baby ✋🏼✋🏼✋🏼
Protect this man 😭😭😭
Enemies to lovers done so freaking welllllll 🥵 their foreplay is trying to kill each other, LOVE THAT.
THE WOMEN 🔥🫀 Lira & Shade, my honey babies went thru it….and all the queens fighting for the rebellion I was hollering for them all
THIS IS ME YELLING AT YOU TO READ IT
DARK. DYSTOPIAN. DELICIOUSNESS.
This book is PHENOMENAL. I cannot get it out of my head. The writing is so immersive I felt like I was literally living it. Their life is pure agony and suffering, yet I want to be part of it 😫😫 the relationships were just so raw and beautiful. I would rot in The Boundary with them to experience this love.
Daggermouth had me ignoring my responsibilities and wanting to cancel plans just so I could keep my eyeballs glued to it 🔥🔥 I don’t throw out an infinite star rating often but this book deserves them ALL. This story sunk its claws in me with no warning and became an instant fav book of all time for me 😮💨
High high high stakes, dark af & spicy BUT ALSO HIGHLY EMOTIONAL yeah please this is everything.
I thought I was sneaky and figured out the plot twist only to be brutally slapped in the face by about 17 other plot twists
THE MEN? Fuck. yes.
Jameson!!! 🥹🥹
Callum!!! 😍🥲
Greyson Serel is my fucking baby ✋🏼✋🏼✋🏼
Protect this man 😭😭😭
Enemies to lovers done so freaking welllllll 🥵 their foreplay is trying to kill each other, LOVE THAT.
THE WOMEN 🔥🫀 Lira & Shade, my honey babies went thru it….and all the queens fighting for the rebellion I was hollering for them all
THIS IS ME YELLING AT YOU TO READ IT
January 14, 2026
Initial reaction: THIS BOOK HAD ME GAGGED WTF?! I’ll compile actual thoughts soon but wHAT
Actual review, a month later (ha):
I genuinely think the universe sent me this book, knowing I needed a new obsession. I typically steer away from dystopia, stick to a TBR, and threw both of those statements out of the window when picking Daggermouth up during a lunch break one random day.
Immediately, there was something I just found enthralling about this book. Without effort, I fell into a gritty, dangerous society where everyone is at least a little bit terrible and trying to one-up each other always. It’s every-man-for-himself in this world, the society built on such careful threat and manipulation it feels inescapable. But sometimes escape means first to assimilate, and who do you trust when all are just trying to survive?
Shadera and Greyson are our ultimate reluctant allies, the extent of their reluctance reaching dramatic heights when emotions grow intensely complicated. Power dynamics are at play as our duo (and everyone they care for) are puppeteered, the strings becoming tangled and pulled until they threaten to snap. But oh how fun it makes the romance - you never know how the next conversation will play out.
Daggermouth is a brilliantly compelling story of survival in a surveillance state, fuelled by characters you can’t help but root for amidst a classic rebellion plot. It’s reminiscent of popular dystopia while remaining original in its foundation, and I cannot wait to see H.M Wolfe continue flourishing as an author.
Actual review, a month later (ha):
I genuinely think the universe sent me this book, knowing I needed a new obsession. I typically steer away from dystopia, stick to a TBR, and threw both of those statements out of the window when picking Daggermouth up during a lunch break one random day.
Immediately, there was something I just found enthralling about this book. Without effort, I fell into a gritty, dangerous society where everyone is at least a little bit terrible and trying to one-up each other always. It’s every-man-for-himself in this world, the society built on such careful threat and manipulation it feels inescapable. But sometimes escape means first to assimilate, and who do you trust when all are just trying to survive?
Shadera and Greyson are our ultimate reluctant allies, the extent of their reluctance reaching dramatic heights when emotions grow intensely complicated. Power dynamics are at play as our duo (and everyone they care for) are puppeteered, the strings becoming tangled and pulled until they threaten to snap. But oh how fun it makes the romance - you never know how the next conversation will play out.
Daggermouth is a brilliantly compelling story of survival in a surveillance state, fuelled by characters you can’t help but root for amidst a classic rebellion plot. It’s reminiscent of popular dystopia while remaining original in its foundation, and I cannot wait to see H.M Wolfe continue flourishing as an author.
Read
January 20, 2026DNF at 50%.
The fact that it’s taken me 13 days to even read 50% is insane (for me). And I’ve finished I think 4 other books since starting this one.
I really don’t know what it is, but I genuinely have to force myself to pick this up and read. And then I put it down after one chapter. I’m sorry, I really tried, but I don’t think this book was for me at all.
The fact that it’s taken me 13 days to even read 50% is insane (for me). And I’ve finished I think 4 other books since starting this one.
I really don’t know what it is, but I genuinely have to force myself to pick this up and read. And then I put it down after one chapter. I’m sorry, I really tried, but I don’t think this book was for me at all.
December 22, 2025
DNF @ 20% the believability for major parts of the story just were not there for me
⚠️⚠️⚠️ spoiler after this
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So she is supposed to be the baddest assassin, like the best at her job, so good at killing but when she sees the MMC’s face she is struck by how handsome he is and can’t kill him? Even though she hates his guts more than anything? And when she is discovered, she had a clear shot to kill him, her last chance because she thinks she’s about to die and she still doesn’t take it?
And then his dad, maker of all the rules the ultimate evil guy, decides this is the one time he needs to follow his own laws and they have to get married??? He is literally marrying his son to his almost assassin and he’s not worried she’s going to just kill him in their bed?
And then the book made a point to tell you they only execute people in public, so that’s why the FMC wasn’t killed on the spot for trying to kill the MMC but then everyone in the prison starts singing so the guards kill every single one of them. That was the final straw, I DNF’ed.
⚠️⚠️⚠️ spoiler after this
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So she is supposed to be the baddest assassin, like the best at her job, so good at killing but when she sees the MMC’s face she is struck by how handsome he is and can’t kill him? Even though she hates his guts more than anything? And when she is discovered, she had a clear shot to kill him, her last chance because she thinks she’s about to die and she still doesn’t take it?
And then his dad, maker of all the rules the ultimate evil guy, decides this is the one time he needs to follow his own laws and they have to get married??? He is literally marrying his son to his almost assassin and he’s not worried she’s going to just kill him in their bed?
And then the book made a point to tell you they only execute people in public, so that’s why the FMC wasn’t killed on the spot for trying to kill the MMC but then everyone in the prison starts singing so the guards kill every single one of them. That was the final straw, I DNF’ed.
February 18, 2026
4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ hi so I am UPSET. & I would thank the author for the ARC but I’m currently mad at her for that soooo where do I go now? 😆😭 okay but for real let’s get into this
PLOT
Shadera is the top assassin in the guild & she has accepted a contract to take down the President’s Executioner. She despises them both, the president & the Executioner, his son turned weapon because they built & maintain a world where only the masked elite prosper in the inter rings of society. The poor barely scrape by under the immeasurable weight of constant surveillance, resource hoarding, & criminalization of every little thing in the outer rings, & Shadera wants to end it. But when she takes the job, something goes wrong & she discovers the players on the board aren’t all as she once thought. This book has:
- dystopian setting
- themes of patriarchy, class warfare, rebellion, propaganda
- multi POV, 3rd person
- multiple romances & slow burns & a potential love triangle??
- med spice (reallllly good)
- check your triggers
PROS
- I reaaaaaally liked all the perspectives we got. I am a huge fan of multi-POV & think it made so much sense here.
- The author writes the shit out of these characters. I loved every one of them (except the ones I was supposed to hate which I FUCKING DID). Like, I love everyone which makes some plots hard?? Shade & Grey are our mains but Lira!? Callum?! Ghost?! GAHHHHH!
- I didn’t go into this knowing there were multiple romances & honestly while the main one is solid the side one? Omg I love them.
- I am always so pleased when a strong, badass, traumatized af FMC isn’t written in a way where her stubbornness isn’t half the conflict. & our girl Shade is written really well & I love her. She seems mean & heartless, especially to start, but she’s careful. She’s cold & calculating but not blind to the circumstances around her & absorbs stuff like a sponge & I really appreciated that about her over time. Is she perfect? No, she def made her mistakes. But they made sense & weren’t, for the most part, just plot fodder.
- Greyson was also so well explored. He was so nuanced & I really appreciated the time taken with him. I really really love him.
- I fucking HATE the president. Like holy shit. He’s evil, & how he enacts his evil was horrific. & when you can make me loathe someone so entirely, kudos to you author.
- This was just solid dystopia. The brutality of this world was extremely well explored & how it looks different thought different eyes in different rings.
- Some SOLID twists! I love being surprised!
- SOMETHING REALLY HURT MY FEELINGS & I AM VERY UPSET ABOUT IT.
CONS
- There were just a couple things that to me didn’t make overall sense given what we know about story/characters. One of them being sort of a really big *thing* that maybe wasn’t explored enough. That’s what took half a star in the rating. More details in spoilers.
I NEED BOOK 2 STAT. Can’t wait for it!
⚠️ SPOILERS ⚠️
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no for real
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- THAT ENDING. Wow. Didn’t expect that out of Elara that was a fun twist. Brooker betrayal also solid. Knew it was gonna go wrong but that’s not what I figured!
- & I am DEVASTATED about Callum. For real. It can’t be real, he & Lira were my favorites. 😭😭
- CON details - I didn’t buy that Maximus would have Shade’s ass beat right before the Vow. Where she could display the wounds publicly to anyone. Especially as a rebellion was growing & he knew that. It was too much of a risk to the moment, even if he had a plan. I just feel like for someone who plans as much as he does, that was too much of a risk.
-CON details - the Brooker betray reveal was a very fun twist but it seems like a long con without much why & then enacted in a sort of dumb way that goes against what we know .
—— Firstly, counting on Shade, the best assassin around, to fail at her job & not successfully kill the unknown target seems… convenient? & a dumb thing for them to count on? Like, she’s the best!
—— Then, thinking we just give whatever body they got enough of B’s blood that the high tech Heart wouldn’t figure it out. They drained the body’s blood & replaced it, somehow with enough without killing B? Genuinely… how? This didn’t feel like it made all the sense given how high tech the Heart is, feels like they would have clocked that.
—— Also did this plan exist literally just because Maximus PRESUMED there would be dissent & wanted Brooker to find it? They talk about Shade being the one to accept G’s but is that really all it was for? So they could get to her? That why doesn’t make a lot of sense yet but maybe we’ll get into it in book 2.
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K BYEEEE
PLOT
Shadera is the top assassin in the guild & she has accepted a contract to take down the President’s Executioner. She despises them both, the president & the Executioner, his son turned weapon because they built & maintain a world where only the masked elite prosper in the inter rings of society. The poor barely scrape by under the immeasurable weight of constant surveillance, resource hoarding, & criminalization of every little thing in the outer rings, & Shadera wants to end it. But when she takes the job, something goes wrong & she discovers the players on the board aren’t all as she once thought. This book has:
- dystopian setting
- themes of patriarchy, class warfare, rebellion, propaganda
- multi POV, 3rd person
- multiple romances & slow burns & a potential love triangle??
- med spice (reallllly good)
- check your triggers
PROS
- I reaaaaaally liked all the perspectives we got. I am a huge fan of multi-POV & think it made so much sense here.
- The author writes the shit out of these characters. I loved every one of them (except the ones I was supposed to hate which I FUCKING DID). Like, I love everyone which makes some plots hard?? Shade & Grey are our mains but Lira!? Callum?! Ghost?! GAHHHHH!
- I didn’t go into this knowing there were multiple romances & honestly while the main one is solid the side one? Omg I love them.
- I am always so pleased when a strong, badass, traumatized af FMC isn’t written in a way where her stubbornness isn’t half the conflict. & our girl Shade is written really well & I love her. She seems mean & heartless, especially to start, but she’s careful. She’s cold & calculating but not blind to the circumstances around her & absorbs stuff like a sponge & I really appreciated that about her over time. Is she perfect? No, she def made her mistakes. But they made sense & weren’t, for the most part, just plot fodder.
- Greyson was also so well explored. He was so nuanced & I really appreciated the time taken with him. I really really love him.
- I fucking HATE the president. Like holy shit. He’s evil, & how he enacts his evil was horrific. & when you can make me loathe someone so entirely, kudos to you author.
- This was just solid dystopia. The brutality of this world was extremely well explored & how it looks different thought different eyes in different rings.
- Some SOLID twists! I love being surprised!
- SOMETHING REALLY HURT MY FEELINGS & I AM VERY UPSET ABOUT IT.
CONS
- There were just a couple things that to me didn’t make overall sense given what we know about story/characters. One of them being sort of a really big *thing* that maybe wasn’t explored enough. That’s what took half a star in the rating. More details in spoilers.
I NEED BOOK 2 STAT. Can’t wait for it!
⚠️ SPOILERS ⚠️
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no for real
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- THAT ENDING. Wow. Didn’t expect that out of Elara that was a fun twist. Brooker betrayal also solid. Knew it was gonna go wrong but that’s not what I figured!
- & I am DEVASTATED about Callum. For real. It can’t be real, he & Lira were my favorites. 😭😭
- CON details - I didn’t buy that Maximus would have Shade’s ass beat right before the Vow. Where she could display the wounds publicly to anyone. Especially as a rebellion was growing & he knew that. It was too much of a risk to the moment, even if he had a plan. I just feel like for someone who plans as much as he does, that was too much of a risk.
-CON details - the Brooker betray reveal was a very fun twist but it seems like a long con without much why & then enacted in a sort of dumb way that goes against what we know .
—— Firstly, counting on Shade, the best assassin around, to fail at her job & not successfully kill the unknown target seems… convenient? & a dumb thing for them to count on? Like, she’s the best!
—— Then, thinking we just give whatever body they got enough of B’s blood that the high tech Heart wouldn’t figure it out. They drained the body’s blood & replaced it, somehow with enough without killing B? Genuinely… how? This didn’t feel like it made all the sense given how high tech the Heart is, feels like they would have clocked that.
—— Also did this plan exist literally just because Maximus PRESUMED there would be dissent & wanted Brooker to find it? They talk about Shade being the one to accept G’s but is that really all it was for? So they could get to her? That why doesn’t make a lot of sense yet but maybe we’ll get into it in book 2.
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K BYEEEE
February 8, 2026
4.25 earth shattering stars!⭐
I am BLOWN AWAY! Tbh the blurb sounded interesting but when I saw it was being marketed as 'Hunger Games' inspired, I became skeptical of what to expect because we all know what a massive scam the 'Powerless' trilogy was (a blatant rip off, exact same lines recycled and what not) and not to mention, BookTok has proved itself unreliable on a few occasions. But still, this hasn't blown up THAAAT much yet so I decided to read it and form an opinion of my own before shit starts to stir and spoilers get scattered everywhere. Alas, I've made a wonderful decision.
Idk if it's the fact that I went in expecting nothing, but the plot twists kept coming and they were all unpredictable, even for me (i tend to correctly guess plot twists/revelations quite easily). The only aspect similar to the Hunger Games was the Elite system but everything else was weaved purely by the author's talent and I'm so glad that it wasn't predictable and truly HER own work. It goes without saying that most romantasy, fantasy or dystopian books nowadays are just being recycled over an over again with the same blueprint and no innovations to it whatsoever so this was quite refreshing.
I truly admire how Greyson Serel and Shadera Kael's characters were portrayed. Greyson is hard, ruthless, rage-filled but amidst all that, he still has the sense of humanity in him. A nice change from all the 'morally-grey, broody' this and that MMCs. And Shadera is truly an icon. Probably the most strongest FMC I've ever read about. She bends to no one and I appreciate how the author described her body as a map of bruises marking her journey through rebellion and her spirit for fighting. We all know most fantasy FMCs, no matter how tortured they are, always end up being described as having the most perfect unmarked bodies and blah freaking blah.
I also admire how this isn't VERY romance driven. Yes, there's romance and I love me a good romantasy but more often than not, authors fail to balance both elements. But I loved that this was more plot driven and the TRUE ENEMIES-TO-LOVERS? HELLOOOOO??? I eat that shit up day and night.
I am BLOWN AWAY! Tbh the blurb sounded interesting but when I saw it was being marketed as 'Hunger Games' inspired, I became skeptical of what to expect because we all know what a massive scam the 'Powerless' trilogy was (a blatant rip off, exact same lines recycled and what not) and not to mention, BookTok has proved itself unreliable on a few occasions. But still, this hasn't blown up THAAAT much yet so I decided to read it and form an opinion of my own before shit starts to stir and spoilers get scattered everywhere. Alas, I've made a wonderful decision.
Idk if it's the fact that I went in expecting nothing, but the plot twists kept coming and they were all unpredictable, even for me (i tend to correctly guess plot twists/revelations quite easily). The only aspect similar to the Hunger Games was the Elite system but everything else was weaved purely by the author's talent and I'm so glad that it wasn't predictable and truly HER own work. It goes without saying that most romantasy, fantasy or dystopian books nowadays are just being recycled over an over again with the same blueprint and no innovations to it whatsoever so this was quite refreshing.
I truly admire how Greyson Serel and Shadera Kael's characters were portrayed. Greyson is hard, ruthless, rage-filled but amidst all that, he still has the sense of humanity in him. A nice change from all the 'morally-grey, broody' this and that MMCs. And Shadera is truly an icon. Probably the most strongest FMC I've ever read about. She bends to no one and I appreciate how the author described her body as a map of bruises marking her journey through rebellion and her spirit for fighting. We all know most fantasy FMCs, no matter how tortured they are, always end up being described as having the most perfect unmarked bodies and blah freaking blah.
I also admire how this isn't VERY romance driven. Yes, there's romance and I love me a good romantasy but more often than not, authors fail to balance both elements. But I loved that this was more plot driven and the TRUE ENEMIES-TO-LOVERS? HELLOOOOO??? I eat that shit up day and night.
February 18, 2026
“Love outside of your ring was a death sentence.”── .✦ 4.75 stars ᝰ.ᐟ
⤿ OH. MY. GOD. why on earth are people sleeping on this book? why??? as someone who is very critical of books and her rating system, this book getting a whopping 4.75 stars should tell you that it is ✨ THE SHIT ✨. i was hooked like a fucking addict since the first page TO THE very last page of this book. miss author did not come to play because there was not one bad moment, not one flaw that made me wanna put the book down. reading this book made me feel so many emotions, ranging from anger, disgust and horror to pain and sorrow.
♯ ┆ the plot & writing 🪶 ୭ ˚. ᵎᵎ
⤿ ꒰🏛️꒱ in new found haven, the population is divided into three rings – the heart where the elites and the president reside, the cardinal where the workers reside and the boundary where the absolute poor, rebels and assassins reside. in new found haven, neither mercy nor humanity exists under the authoritarian rule of president maximus serel. the plot of this book is engaging to the core as it deals with rebellions, corruption, and the dirty politics of the elites. the twists in this book were truly crazy and mindblowing (even if i saw a few of them coming) and they just kept coming at me one by one. and despite the narrative being in third POV, i enjoyed the writing a lot. it was the right amount of descriptive without info-dumping, and the pacing was also incredibly fast. the worldbuilding was pretty simple to comprehend but also had a concrete foundation. and the action sequences were packed with adrenaline and brutality that never failed to keep me hooked. all in all, it's been a while since i read a book that made me feel so much and got me absolutely invested in their world.
the best thing about ‘daggermouth’ is that it refuses to present a sugarcoated and shiny dystopian world and instead strips it bare of all the glamor to show the audiences the rotten core lying underneath. the corruption, the totalitarianism, the misogyny and abuse, the sheer violence and the permeating hopelessness residing in new found haven paints a vivid, raw and gritty picture of a world that has lost all its humanity. unlike other sci-fi or dystopian novels, you would never wish to reside in hew found haven and instead feel immense horror and fury while witnessing the lives of people in this city.
♯ ┆ characters 🪶 ୭ ˚. ᵎᵎ
꒰♟️꒱ shadera kael ࣪ – an fmc who finally walks the walk and lives upto her reputation of being the most dangerous and skilled assassin. she’s the epitome of badass – ruthless, sarcastic, efficient, sexy while she kills, and idgaf final boss. yet she also has a quiet kindness to herself that shines through despite her denial. it’s also refreshing to encounter an actual smart fmc who reacts appropriately in situations and doesn’t make stubborn or dumb choices. she’s brave to a fault and always stands up for what she believes is right. she’s not your typical fmc and I LOVE HER for it.
“This is why Shadera was feared throughout every corner of this city, even by those that did not know her name. Because when it came time to kill or be killed, she did not hesitate.”
꒰♟️꒱ greyson serel – he’s such a beautiful portrayal of a flawed mmc. he’s the skilled executioner of new found haven and yet he is also someone who secretly helps the people in cardinal and boundary. he’s tortured, traumatized and caged within the golden rails of the heart. what i love the most about his character is that his trauma was not used an ornament to water down and justify his actions. no. instead it added layers to him, humanized him and made him this complex human being for whom your heart would cry out because he’s just THAT trapped and rendered helpless by the system. greyson is imperfect, multidimensional but extremely real and that’s exactly what made me love him.
“It should’ve felt heroic, but it didn’t. It felt like routine. It felt like the desperate act of a man who couldn’t reconcile the crimes he’d committed against the very people he was trying to help”
꒰♟️꒱ callum thane – i think he was okay to be honest. contrary to the popular crowd, i didn’t care much about him. he was funny sure, but not intriguing enough to keep my attention hooked.
꒰♟️꒱ lira serel – now she was a surprise. i wasn’t a fan of her initially but by the end of the book, i ended up loving her as well. her female rage and reclaiming of power by the end was truly outstanding to witness.
꒰♟️꒱ side characters – again. dgaf. also, jameson was very annoying. i dont care if he loved shadera, he was still an annoying bitch.
♯ ┆ shadera & greyson 🪶 ୭ ˚. ᵎᵎ
⤿ ꒰🍷꒱ i have mixed thoughts about them. so, let me start off with all the good things. they were true enemies to lovers. they tried to k!ll each other numerous times and actually hated each other venomously for a major portion of the book. their chemistry was also off the charts and everytime they argued and spat at each other, it felt like a twisted sort of foreplay. but what i loved the most about them was their emotional vulnerability with each other. it was truly beautiful to watch them opening up to each other and understand the people they were beneath their designated roles of assassin and executioner. in fact, i MIGHT have a shed a tear or two during the whole captive scene near the end of the book (iykyk). they were also pretty badass together and the perfect partners-in-crime. all in all, they were fleshed out really well and were the epitome of a power couple.
now, the only issue i have with them is that their transition from enemies to lovers went a little abruptly. it’s like they were still shooting at each other yesterday and then all of a sudden were ready to sacrifice for each other. now this is not a real issue in the grand scheme of things of course, i just prefer my ships to be much more slow burn.
"The woman sent to kill him, was the only woman who had ever made him feel safe."
"He wasn’t above begging. Not now, not with her pain echoing in his ears, reverberating in his skull. He would grovel, plead, debase himself in any way they demanded if it would make them stop. If it would spare her."
"“If you shoot me,” he said, his voice dropping, “it will only make me want to fuck you.”"
♯ ┆ what i liked 🪶 ୭ ˚. ᵎᵎ
꒰🗝꒱ the commentary on abuse of power and misogyny. it's so relevant with the current world scenario.
"Women are the backbone, the foundation, the immovable force that still does not falter when men stand on our spines to grab power."꒰🗝꒱ loved how the romance didn't overshadow the primary plot and instead complemented it really well.
꒰🗝꒱ every character in this book was morally grey. like very grey. and it further underscored the grimness of the world.
꒰🗝꒱ female rage. i devour books with female rage.
♯ ┆ what i disliked 🪶 ୭ ˚. ᵎᵎ
꒰🗝꒱ the d3ath of a certain character was pretty pointless and there was literally ZERO need for it.
꒰🗝꒱ maximus serel. i loathe this man with every fibre of my being. god he deserves worse than any capital punishment.
꒰🗝꒱ that it ended :( for the first time, i wanted more from a book and hated that it ended so soon.
────୨ৎ────
December 30, 2025
This will be a movie one day!
Genre: Distopian Romance
⭐️ 5/5
🌶 2/5
🧠 5/10
Cliffhanger: 10/10
Noteworthy: Book 1 of an incomplete duology. Multi 3rd person limited POV (occasionally slips into omniscient). Check content warnings specifically for violence and DV. Available on KU. Recently picked up for trad publication.
This is instantly a top contender for book of the year for me. I had to let myself sit on this review to make sure I wasn't just reacting to the adrenaline in my system after the last act. That cliffy is crazy. H.M. Wolfe puts on a masterclass here with plot twists. We are also blessed/cursed with a top-tier villain in this book. Maximus will piss you off and have you paranoid as hell. He's perfectly written!
We get multiple POVs in 3rd person putting us deeper into the story. The weaving and gentle manipulation used by the author to set the stage for the last few chapters will make it so hard to put this book down after the 80% mark. Be prepared to sacrifice sleep and responsibilities. The characters range from morally gray to black and while most are clever, there are some standouts. As per usual in a distopian story, the caste system is brutal. This one does give The Hunger Games vibes with the main antagonist and protagonist. The manipulative oppressor vs the reluctant symbol for the rebellion, yeah it stands out here. But at no point does it feel like a copycat. Systematic oppression is a tale as old as time but the writing here gives it a fresh take. It's high tech with speak easy vibes.
Gah...I know I'm yapping but I typed all this out to say you have to read this book! Dystopian is back, baby and I, for one couldn't be happier about it.
Genre: Distopian Romance
⭐️ 5/5
🌶 2/5
🧠 5/10
Cliffhanger: 10/10
Noteworthy: Book 1 of an incomplete duology. Multi 3rd person limited POV (occasionally slips into omniscient). Check content warnings specifically for violence and DV. Available on KU. Recently picked up for trad publication.
This is instantly a top contender for book of the year for me. I had to let myself sit on this review to make sure I wasn't just reacting to the adrenaline in my system after the last act. That cliffy is crazy. H.M. Wolfe puts on a masterclass here with plot twists. We are also blessed/cursed with a top-tier villain in this book. Maximus will piss you off and have you paranoid as hell. He's perfectly written!
We get multiple POVs in 3rd person putting us deeper into the story. The weaving and gentle manipulation used by the author to set the stage for the last few chapters will make it so hard to put this book down after the 80% mark. Be prepared to sacrifice sleep and responsibilities. The characters range from morally gray to black and while most are clever, there are some standouts. As per usual in a distopian story, the caste system is brutal. This one does give The Hunger Games vibes with the main antagonist and protagonist. The manipulative oppressor vs the reluctant symbol for the rebellion, yeah it stands out here. But at no point does it feel like a copycat. Systematic oppression is a tale as old as time but the writing here gives it a fresh take. It's high tech with speak easy vibes.
Gah...I know I'm yapping but I typed all this out to say you have to read this book! Dystopian is back, baby and I, for one couldn't be happier about it.
February 17, 2026
4.5 ⭐️
Men built the regime.
Women ended it.
Discuss.
I went in expecting dark dystopian enemies-to-lovers with political spice. What I got was psychological warfare, generational trauma, ritualised control, weaponised love, and an ending that detonates and calmly walks away from the explosion.
This book does not fade out.
It ignites.
The World: Oppressive, Controlled, Brutal
New Found Haven is not dystopian for aesthetics. It is engineered cruelty. Rings of privilege and poverty. Mask laws functioning as surveillance. Tradition used as domination. Women reduced to legal property under the guise of order.
The first 15 - 20% is dense. I won’t lie. It’s heavy world-building. It feels like dystopian orientation manual energy and requires patience.
But then a certain unmasking happens.
Then a loophole enters the chat.
Then forced marriage drops like a guillotine.
And suddenly we are MOVING.
The air tightens. The stakes sharpen. The pacing locks in and refuses to let you breathe.
Greyson and Shadera: Enemies to Lovers With Teeth
When I say enemies to lovers, I do not mean banter.
I mean actual violence.
Actual ideological opposition.
Actual “I should end you” sincerity.
Their chemistry is volatile, not soft. The tension is meticulous and suffocating in the best way. Every proximity scene feels like it could combust. Every ‘almost’ feels intentional. Every emotional misstep has weight.
And then there’s that moment.
He passes her.
His eyes close for one second.
His breath catches like it physically hurts.
Mr. Darcy hand-flex energy.
The restraint.
The body reacting before the mind permits it.
The crack in composure.
That’s the level of tension we’re operating on.
Greyson and Shadera tension-edge you for half this book. It’s charged silence. It’s breath and space and almost-touch. It’s wanting and refusing in the same heartbeat. It’s hostility mutating into something far more dangerous.
They don’t fall gently.
They collide.
They wound each other. They retreat. They misjudge. They sit in guilt. And when the fracture hits, it hurts because the manipulation theme runs so deep. They aren’t just fighting each other. They’re fighting conditioning.
Their arc isn’t smooth. It’s forged.
Callum and Lira: Meanwhile… We Are Being Fed
And then there’s Callum and Lira.
Where Greyson and Shadera are tension-edging us into emotional instability, Callum and Lira are feeding us. Communication. Devotion. Years of longing finally spoken out loud.
They don’t edge.
They nourish.
Their build is softer in tone but no less intense in impact. It’s layered with repression, history, and radical honesty. One couple is collision and deconstruction. The other is confession and choice.
Both arcs are necessary.
Both hit.
And that contrast is exactly why the later devastation lands so hard.
Multiple POVs - And All of Them Matter
This book is written in multiple POVs, and not a single one feels wasted. Every perspective adds weight - either to the political machinery or the emotional stakes. The transitions are clean, easy to follow, and purposeful.
The story doesn’t sprawl. It expands.
Seeing the system from different angles makes the manipulation clearer. Seeing the relationships from different vantage points makes the fallout sharper.
When everything collides in the final act?
It feels earned.
The Political Layer: Ruthless
This book stacks revelations like it’s building a trap.
Every time you think you understand the board, it shifts. Loyalties blur. Information becomes ammunition. Truth is weaponised.
The villain isn’t just violent - he’s psychologically strategic. He doesn’t just hurt people. He plays them.
Everyone thinks they’re moving pieces.
Most of them are pieces.
And watching that realisation land? Brutal.
The Women? Not Decorative.
Silence is not submission here. Invisibility is not weakness. Endurance is not passivity.
The female characters are layered, strategic, angry, grieving, intelligent - and when they shift, it isn’t hysterical rage.
It’s precision.
Controlled fury.
And when it strikes?
It’s devastating.
The empowerment in this book isn’t handed out cheaply. It’s built patiently, and when it arrives, it arrives with intent.
Why 4.5 and Not 5?
Because I am feral but fair.
The opening is heavy and demands patience. There’s a slight mid-book dip during political maneuvering. I wanted one more emotional beat before the final explosion.
And yes - the ending is abrupt.
Intentional. Powerful. Cruel.
But abrupt.
That said, the final quarter is relentless. No filler. No wandering. Just escalation after escalation.
Final Verdict
Daggermouth is a dark, intelligent dystopian romance that fully commits to its themes. It explores conditioning, manipulation, generational damage, and what happens when love collides with control.
It is tense.
It is sharp.
It is emotionally punishing in the best way.
Maximus believes love makes people weak.
Turns out it makes them dangerous.
4.5 stars.
See you in book two.
Tropes & Vibes:
True enemies to lovers (with actual violence)
• Forced political marriage
• Masked elite dystopia
• Slow-burn tension edging
• Devotion-heavy secondary romance
• “I want to kill you” energy
• Touch-her-and-die devotion
• Ritualised loyalty horror
• Betrayal on betrayal on betrayal
• Generational rebellion
• Female rage (controlled, strategic)
• Multiple POV political intrigue
• Psychological warfare
• Revolution ignition ending
• Cliffhanger that punches you in the throat
Men built the regime.
Women ended it.
Discuss.
I went in expecting dark dystopian enemies-to-lovers with political spice. What I got was psychological warfare, generational trauma, ritualised control, weaponised love, and an ending that detonates and calmly walks away from the explosion.
This book does not fade out.
It ignites.
The World: Oppressive, Controlled, Brutal
New Found Haven is not dystopian for aesthetics. It is engineered cruelty. Rings of privilege and poverty. Mask laws functioning as surveillance. Tradition used as domination. Women reduced to legal property under the guise of order.
The first 15 - 20% is dense. I won’t lie. It’s heavy world-building. It feels like dystopian orientation manual energy and requires patience.
But then a certain unmasking happens.
Then a loophole enters the chat.
Then forced marriage drops like a guillotine.
And suddenly we are MOVING.
The air tightens. The stakes sharpen. The pacing locks in and refuses to let you breathe.
Greyson and Shadera: Enemies to Lovers With Teeth
When I say enemies to lovers, I do not mean banter.
I mean actual violence.
Actual ideological opposition.
Actual “I should end you” sincerity.
Their chemistry is volatile, not soft. The tension is meticulous and suffocating in the best way. Every proximity scene feels like it could combust. Every ‘almost’ feels intentional. Every emotional misstep has weight.
And then there’s that moment.
He passes her.
His eyes close for one second.
His breath catches like it physically hurts.
Mr. Darcy hand-flex energy.
The restraint.
The body reacting before the mind permits it.
The crack in composure.
That’s the level of tension we’re operating on.
Greyson and Shadera tension-edge you for half this book. It’s charged silence. It’s breath and space and almost-touch. It’s wanting and refusing in the same heartbeat. It’s hostility mutating into something far more dangerous.
They don’t fall gently.
They collide.
They wound each other. They retreat. They misjudge. They sit in guilt. And when the fracture hits, it hurts because the manipulation theme runs so deep. They aren’t just fighting each other. They’re fighting conditioning.
Their arc isn’t smooth. It’s forged.
Callum and Lira: Meanwhile… We Are Being Fed
And then there’s Callum and Lira.
Where Greyson and Shadera are tension-edging us into emotional instability, Callum and Lira are feeding us. Communication. Devotion. Years of longing finally spoken out loud.
They don’t edge.
They nourish.
Their build is softer in tone but no less intense in impact. It’s layered with repression, history, and radical honesty. One couple is collision and deconstruction. The other is confession and choice.
Both arcs are necessary.
Both hit.
And that contrast is exactly why the later devastation lands so hard.
Multiple POVs - And All of Them Matter
This book is written in multiple POVs, and not a single one feels wasted. Every perspective adds weight - either to the political machinery or the emotional stakes. The transitions are clean, easy to follow, and purposeful.
The story doesn’t sprawl. It expands.
Seeing the system from different angles makes the manipulation clearer. Seeing the relationships from different vantage points makes the fallout sharper.
When everything collides in the final act?
It feels earned.
The Political Layer: Ruthless
This book stacks revelations like it’s building a trap.
Every time you think you understand the board, it shifts. Loyalties blur. Information becomes ammunition. Truth is weaponised.
The villain isn’t just violent - he’s psychologically strategic. He doesn’t just hurt people. He plays them.
Everyone thinks they’re moving pieces.
Most of them are pieces.
And watching that realisation land? Brutal.
The Women? Not Decorative.
Silence is not submission here. Invisibility is not weakness. Endurance is not passivity.
The female characters are layered, strategic, angry, grieving, intelligent - and when they shift, it isn’t hysterical rage.
It’s precision.
Controlled fury.
And when it strikes?
It’s devastating.
The empowerment in this book isn’t handed out cheaply. It’s built patiently, and when it arrives, it arrives with intent.
Why 4.5 and Not 5?
Because I am feral but fair.
The opening is heavy and demands patience. There’s a slight mid-book dip during political maneuvering. I wanted one more emotional beat before the final explosion.
And yes - the ending is abrupt.
Intentional. Powerful. Cruel.
But abrupt.
That said, the final quarter is relentless. No filler. No wandering. Just escalation after escalation.
Final Verdict
Daggermouth is a dark, intelligent dystopian romance that fully commits to its themes. It explores conditioning, manipulation, generational damage, and what happens when love collides with control.
It is tense.
It is sharp.
It is emotionally punishing in the best way.
Maximus believes love makes people weak.
Turns out it makes them dangerous.
4.5 stars.
See you in book two.
Tropes & Vibes:
True enemies to lovers (with actual violence)
• Forced political marriage
• Masked elite dystopia
• Slow-burn tension edging
• Devotion-heavy secondary romance
• “I want to kill you” energy
• Touch-her-and-die devotion
• Ritualised loyalty horror
• Betrayal on betrayal on betrayal
• Generational rebellion
• Female rage (controlled, strategic)
• Multiple POV political intrigue
• Psychological warfare
• Revolution ignition ending
• Cliffhanger that punches you in the throat
November 25, 2025
Well fuck me sideways. This is one of those reads that provides 🚨emotional damage🚨 in an alluring arrangement. You won’t see all of these twists coming and if you do, you’re lying.
The duality between the city limits-based rings in focus (The Boundary and The Heart), where one is inhabited by the lower class and the other by the elite social class, is devastating in and of itself. It’s a hauntingly apt projection of Amerikkka’s current state between the majority and the 1%.
These characters are so well written that even I, a critical Virgo who can find fault in anything, was unable to find any irritating aspects. They all ✨make sense✨ in their behavioral tendencies; all of their responses and decisions add up when weighed against their backgrounds and temperaments. If you’re someone who head-tilts when a character acts out-of-character like I am, you’ll be safe from a lack of logic in this book. Everything/everyone makes sense and adds up beautifully.
Alexa: define “witty banter”.
Their dialogue is top tier and punchy, while always moving the story or character development and their evolving dynamics forward.
Lastly, I wish I could say I wasn’t surprised, but the H. M. Wolfe-notorious *shit is hitting the fan* last few chapters still got my ass. Had me staring off into blurry space, actively trying to suck the tears back up by the end of this. I get emotional from stories where women acknowledge their power and choose to weaponize it—Daggermouth and its characters had me sobbing for this (and another, classified) reason.
10/10
The duality between the city limits-based rings in focus (The Boundary and The Heart), where one is inhabited by the lower class and the other by the elite social class, is devastating in and of itself. It’s a hauntingly apt projection of Amerikkka’s current state between the majority and the 1%.
These characters are so well written that even I, a critical Virgo who can find fault in anything, was unable to find any irritating aspects. They all ✨make sense✨ in their behavioral tendencies; all of their responses and decisions add up when weighed against their backgrounds and temperaments. If you’re someone who head-tilts when a character acts out-of-character like I am, you’ll be safe from a lack of logic in this book. Everything/everyone makes sense and adds up beautifully.
Alexa: define “witty banter”.
Their dialogue is top tier and punchy, while always moving the story or character development and their evolving dynamics forward.
Lastly, I wish I could say I wasn’t surprised, but the H. M. Wolfe-notorious *shit is hitting the fan* last few chapters still got my ass. Had me staring off into blurry space, actively trying to suck the tears back up by the end of this. I get emotional from stories where women acknowledge their power and choose to weaponize it—Daggermouth and its characters had me sobbing for this (and another, classified) reason.
10/10
February 15, 2026
It’s been a long time that I have loved a book this much!! So so good! And that ending 🤯
February 11, 2026
Unbelievable.
Nonstop action. Some of the best written MMCs I ever read (not one, not two, but THREE)
Powerful, complex women who do not settle for anything.
Shadera is HILARIOUS. Smart. Tough. One of the most badass FMCs.
My heart is broken.
The last chapter? I have full body chills all over.
I don’t know what else to say. I NEED the second book.
Nonstop action. Some of the best written MMCs I ever read (not one, not two, but THREE)
Powerful, complex women who do not settle for anything.
Shadera is HILARIOUS. Smart. Tough. One of the most badass FMCs.
My heart is broken.
The last chapter? I have full body chills all over.
I don’t know what else to say. I NEED the second book.
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