Call Me Traitor

by Everina Maxwell

A thrilling and romantic fantasy adventure from Everina Maxwell, bestselling author of Winter’s Orbit.

En is a weapon.
Battle spells are carved into her skin, she’s trained to work through pain, and she’s magically compelled with loyalty to the archmage. When she's sent on a mission to retrieve a group of infamous traitors from exile in a land of unpredictable and deadly magic, she's forced to team up with a common soldier to have any chance of success, or survival.

Tamol is a disaster.
En isn’t fooled by the soldier’s silver tongue and good looks. Tamol is flighty, cowardly and the worst soldier En has ever met. But she’s also brilliant at magic and kinder than En has any right to expect. When she saves En’s life, it takes everything En has not to start falling for her. That is, until En discovers Tamol is one of the very traitors she seeks.

The empire never forgets.
Years ago, the exiled traitors were just normal students with a vision for a better kingdom. They put their lives on the line fighting for it and lost. So they were exiled to the Far Peninsula to die. But now, the empire discovers the traitors may yet live, and they’ve unearthed something in the wilderness that the archmage will pay any price to get.

But the might of an unforgiving empire isn’t the greatest force in all the land. Something monstrous is living in the Far Peninsula that does not discriminate between soldiers, traitors, and kings.

The future of the empire is unexpectedly in the hands of En and Tamol. At least the perfect soldier would never betray her orders, no matter how much she starts to question her command. Would she?

Call Me Traitor is an enthralling sapphic adventure from academia into exile and beyond.

Everina Maxwell's books have been recommended by NPR, BookRiot, Paste Magazine, and featured in The New York Times "Romantasy: A Starter Pack"!

Expect:
Opposites attract
Assassin falls in love with target
Forbidden love
Found family gone wrong
Slowburn
Dark academia

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, LGBT, Queer, Adult, Lesbian, Fiction

480 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication October 27, 2026

Reviews

[C.L. Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH MY GOD THE COVER IS OUT THE TITLE IS OUT!!! I read this book last year (2025, whatever time is) and it was SO GOOD. Split timelines, brainwashed lesbian soldiers and the women who ruin their lives…sweet, sweet betrayal!

Maxwell wrote this book just for me, I swear it.

[Aila Krisse · Rating 5 out of 5]

no i actually hate reading ARCs because I need to talk to someone about how much I loved this book but most people won’t get to read it til december

I went into this with high expectations and it delivered. I cried. I loved this so much. The blurb sounded incredible, so I knew I had to read it and requested the ARC on a whim, I could not believe my luck when I saw I actually got approved for it!

Call Me Traitor is about En and Tamol. En is a war tank, a magically modified super soldier, with runes carved all over her skin, whose only purpose in life is to follow her superior’s commands. She is sent to a remote, desolate peninsula to assist two inept junior mages in apprehending a group of exiled traitors, but soon finds everything going awry when she runs into Tamol. Tamol is one of the traitors En was sent to find, exiled to this hostile landscape at the edge of the world for something she and her friends did years ago, back when they were still students. En and Tamol’s paths never should have crossed, yet they did. Chaos ensues.

This was just a wonderful read all around. I loved how gorgeously atmospheric the setting was and I especially loved the characters in all their chaotic glory. The narrative is definitely more towards the character-driven side, which might not be for everyone, but is one of the reasons I enjoyed this book so much. The characters and their relationships are just so well done and expertly deliver some devastating emotional gut punches throughout the story. The world-building wasn’t the most extensive or detailed, and some questions do go unanswered by the end, but I personally didn’t mind that, because it felt very organic and worked perfectly with the story.

I’m so happy I got to read this early and I already know I’m gonna reread this when my physical copy arrives in December cause my god this was delicious and I want to spend more time with these chaotic queer dumbasses.
----
Many thanks to Tor for the ARC!

[tappkalina]

Y'all have no idea how desperate I was for a new Everina Maxwell book.

[Liana · Rating 5 out of 5]

i have nothing to say except long live lesbians and god bless america. thank you and goodnight.

[Alex Jiménez]

EVERINA MAXWELL YOU WILL ALWAYS BE EXTREMELY FAMOUS TO ME

[Mari]

I did not know how much I needed Everina Maxwell to write a wlw fantasy book, I feel like life is worth living until October.

[Beanie]

Just how exactly am I meant to focus on literally anything knowing this is forthcoming later this year???


Preorder from!:
- libro.fm
- Bookshop.org
- Kindle

#afiliate links

[Sophie]

this cover is soooooo legend of zelda coded give it to me https://torpublishinggroup.com/call-m...

[Jen]

Officially my most anticipated release!! Will be pre-ordering from my local gay bookstore!!

[Hélène · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5*
I see my favorite author recommend a book. I read the book. I love the book.
WHAT A DELIGHT!!!
(A big thank you to Netgalley and Tor publishing for an e-ARC copy in exchange of an honest review)

I went into this feeling a little bit of trepidation, because I didn't want to put /too many/ expectations on this, but I also really wanted to love it... and love it I did!

First thing first, don't read the summary before you get into this. Or maybe only the first couple of paragraphs, otherwise you'll get spoiled most of the plot. As this isn't a very plot-heavy book - and Everina Maxwell did an amazing job without it being one - it didn't bother me that much, but it might bother you! This story delves into the relationship between Tamol (aka the traitor) and En (a magical supersoldier whose memory regularly gets wiped), as they circle some magical secrets, and that's honestly all you need to know!
I especially adored the dual timelines. The sprinkling of information from the past reports was just enough to keep me intrigued, and one of the driving forces behind the whole story <3

The worldbuilding is perfectly in line with this type of character-driven story: we do get the general informations about factions, but the overall geopolitical climate is more handwaved (why do they even have regiments? Who is the nation fighting?) since it isn't needed to understand the stakes, though I felt it lacked a little bit of atmosphere/culture for me to be 100% immersed in the atmosphere sometimes. However, as soon as we get into the latter half of the story, I was all in! The lost peninsula and its dangers makes for a great background, and I really enjoyed how the author progressively weaved the environment into everything else ~
The magic system is also really fun. Scientifically based, but light enough to be easily understood most of the time, and with very real consequences when something goes wrong. All the info around war-tanks made me both extremely satisfied AND so freaking mad!!!

I ADORED our main characters <3
Tamol is EXQUISITE. A flighty coward with immense power but no sense of control, always trying to deflect things away so as not to get hurt (but also trying to protect her friends so damn much, which, of course, means she DOES get hurt). Her voice during the flashbacks made me buzz in excitment!!! ALSO!!! Adored that she's an unreliable narrator. Man, that's one of my favorite tropes.
I also loved En. I mean, I'm a Winter Soldier superfan, how can I NOT fall in love with someone who's been broken into the perfect weapon? Her being brainwashed DID make her a little bit more distant, however, and I feel like this weighed heavily on the romance, at least in the first half. I rooted for them so damn much in the end, but this didn't quite sweep me off my feet, at least not as much as I wanted it to ><
But they're still absolute disaster lesbians trying to scrape by and survive against a world (and an army) that wants them dead and/or obedient, so of course I couldn't help but love them with all my heart no matter what!

The other traitors are a bit more simplistic in their motivations and personalities, but I feel like the flashbacks established them well enough that, when we finally meet them in the current timeline, every single one of their dynamics made sense. I loooove terrible magical students that are too confident in their abilities/too ingrained in their own ambitions/too blinded by their objectives and research to actually take the reasonable route, potentially destroying themselves in the process.
There were, however, a couple of unresolved plot lines here and there. I feel like Miarin not ever being actually present detracted from the aura the text tried to give her, and not having closure on Lin was a bit frustrating, but now it just makes me hope that we might get a sequel, so I guess it isn't all bad ;)

Prose was EXQUISITE. There are some really hard hitting lines about identity in there, as well as some beautiful descriptions of both magic and the environment around our characters. The narration choices Everina Maxwell made are very clever, and seeing En revert back to very matter of fact sentences after being "aligned" absolutely shattered me.

So, if a couple of things here and there prevented this book from being an absolute favorite, I still had an ABSOLUTE BLAST with this romantic fantasy full of disaster queers and the consequences of their actions. If you're yearning for some women in men's fields (aka making terrible and egotistical decisions) then PLEASE check out these sapphics ~

[Budgielifestyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somewhere between 3.5 to 4, rounded to a four.

I'll come back with a full review, thank you Everina Maxwell for responding to my "the worst she can say is no" dm for an Arc copy of this book.

--- full review ---

Thank you Everina Maxwell and Netgalley for an ARC copy of this book - i actually screamed when I saw I got it. To begin, typically my reviews are completely spoilered because I just have to rant. I will not be doing that today in the interest of not spoiling.

Call Me Traitor follows the war-tank En, a magically transformed human who can kick magical ass, is forced to obey orders, and also has her memories wiped after every campaign. Winter Soldier just about sums it up. Her story begins on a new campaign, memory wiped with new commanders on a mission to capture or kill the rogue traitors.

Instead, they find Tamol. An exile in the mountains who offers them food that captures En enough for her to “misalign.” Oh wait, she’s actually one of the traitors. Oh shit.

That’s the jist - that’s basically the jist. I am not good at compelling summaries, but I did enjoy this book.

I have been ITCHING for a queer, specifically WLW book, that didn’t feel cliche. I really loved the premise of the book, and when you dive into the pages, you’ll find there is an interesting time jump narration element that made me even more excited. I was heavily invested by the last third of the book and actually finished it in less than two days because I simply needed to know what happened. I really can’t talk about the actual plot line much, but it’s very very interesting. The fantasy element reminds me very heavily of The Owl House. Additionally, the fantastical events in the second half were SO GOD DAMN GOOD I would eat it up every day.

Truthfully speaking, however, this book did fall a little bit short for me because the middle … third of the book felt a little slow and a tiny bit forced. I didn’t grasp why things were happening, and because of the interesting style of narration, I wasn’t fully grasping the romance. Additionally, this book develops many plots, and while they worked throughout the novel, I didn’t fully understand the importance of elements before the book (ex. Elani, gauze, ghosts, memory wiping). I need to reiterate the romance felt lacking in the first half. I really REALLY was not invested. Also, I guessed the “twist” genuinely at the first foreshadow - removed almost all of the supposed suspense of that plot thread.

As Ocean’s Echo #1 fan, I was REALLY trying to adore this book, but I think I only enjoy it. It is 100% worth your while for a queer fantasy with limited romance, and I did find the book much more interesting the the second half. Overall, I do plan to buy a physical copy asap, but the book itself remains at a 3.5-4 star rating.

Now, I’ve been screaming for an Ocean’s Echo sequel since I first read it. This time, I would beg and scream and cry for a prequel of this book. You’re just gonna have to trust me on this, it would be GOOD.

Thank you thank you thank you THANK YOU Everina Maxwell for responding to my fangirl dms asking for an ARC.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cover for this immediately caught my eye, and I’m glad it did because this is one of the best books I’ve read in a very long time.

The book is primarily from the point of view of En, a war-tank (a sort of super soldier with magic) who is on a mission to retrieve a group of traitors. Early on, En and her two commanders come across Tamol, one of the traitors that is pretending to be a soldier, who En ends up having to work with. The other chapters are the transcript of Tamol’s interrogation and explain what happened in the past when Tamol and the other traitors were in college.

En and Tamol are both great characters. They’re both a bit of mystery; Tamol because you never know whether or not she’s telling the truth and En because her memories are mostly wiped between missions. Despite this, her personality always came through in her thoughts, if not her words. Tamol was the opposite, always showing her personality through her sarcasm and banter and jokes, which gave them a fun dynamic.

I only really had one major complaint about the book, which was the use of a word that may have a legitimate meaning, but it is also a racial slur against Chinese people. I am definitely not in that group of people, but it still made me cringe every time I read it. It obviously wasn’t used in that way, but it still made me uncomfortable, especially because it appears eight different times in the book, and I just felt like a word with less baggage could have been used in its place.

My only other issues were that I just never really understood Elani’s hold on the group, and I wish the transcripts had explained this a little better. The other was that I had to read the word “heather” (the plant, not the name) so many times, but that was a small annoyance.

Those are mostly minor issues. Overall, I loved the book, and the best thing about it was En and Tamol’s growing friendship/relationship. War-tanks aren’t exactly supposed to have friends or even feelings, but En is drawn to Tamol and this (among other things) makes her feel broken as a war-tank. These complicated feelings are what makes En such an interesting character, though. Call Me Traitor is also very much a slow burn, which I always prefer in books. I like the anticipation and getting to know the characters as they get to know each other over time rather than just rushing into everything. I also appreciated the fact that it was a fantasy book with romance weaved into it rather than a romance story with bits of fantasy.

I really can’t recommend this book enough, especially if you like fantasy novels at all. I don’t buy a lot of physical books anymore, but I’m definitely planning on buying this one once it’s released so I can put it on my bookshelf.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Holly Taggart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited about this book coming out that I requested a digital ARC from netgally and Tor. I did not wait to see if an audiobook was coming, I just could not wait. It did take me... a hot minute to read it with my eyeballs, but I really really enjoyed the pleasure of sinking down into my couch, and opening this one up- instead of consuming this while traversing the highways and by ways.


Maxwell did not disappoint! This book, for me is the whole package. It's Romantasy, but it's romantasy that really is a true fantasy. In other words, this is not a romance with a few castles and dragons added in. It really is a solid fantasy, and a solid romance, either could stand without the other. This book will reward fantasy readers with delicious, detailed unique world building, a plot with a bit of a mystery that slowly unravels and reveals itself, and complex characters that are really easy to fall in love with! For romance readers, the world building may seem overly detailed, but the yearning between our two love interests in this slow burn will more than make up for any confusion over the world building. And, it's sapphic.

Now, with out any spoilers- because of course, spoilers are the worst - here's a synopsis.

En is a super soldier imbued with magic and programmed to obey orders no matter the cost. She's sent to support a team that is extracting traitors from a wild, rough area known as the upper peninsula. Things, of course, do not go as planned! She encounters Tamol, who is also a soldier - who's got magic more of less in her soul. Tamol, in direct opposition to En is not programmed for anything, and seems to be the human embodiment of chaos. As events continue to push this unlikely pair together, they discover that together they have greater power. Can En and Tamol stand against all odds? You'll want to read to find out.

Some readers may note that many of Maxwell's books do contain a steady solemn partner and one who's a bit flighty. Despite this similar set up- the story is wholly original and the characters are wildly different than her previous two books- Ocean's Echo and Winter's Orbit. The strength lies in the deep character development that Maxwell creates. She doesn't info dump a tragic story over her character, instead her characters show through actions, and little moments how their life has created each flaw or strength possessed. I felt like I'd recognize not just En and Tamol but a few of the supporting characters as well- if I saw them in line at my local coffee shop.

On top of being a grand adventure, and romantic story, I did take some inspiration that even when one feels weak or damaged, it's still possible to make good choices and uphold what feels right. I think we need more of this in our world. So Cheers to Call Me Traitor being out in the world soon!

[thaliasreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC from Netgalley!!
First of all, I really love the title and cover of this book. I feel that they both really fit the story well and the cover stands out to me as a fantasy reader.
I enjoyed reading this book. The prologue had me hooked. I think the the pacing was good, though there was a couple chapters back to back that were a bit slow. But, that’s understandable given it was world building. I liked that it went back and forth between cosy and chaotic vibes. The story follows both main character's POV, one in the present and one in the past. I found this was a nice way to give background and kept my interest throughout.
The fantasy elements were very interesting to me. I found that the magic system was unique, with the ways magic was used and the consequences of it. I found that the world building wasn’t overwhelming, as it was explained bit by bit.
I really liked the romance aspects. The tension and chemistry between the characters just got better as the story went on. This is more of a slow burn romance, with the plot and romance being fairly equal in the story.
The main characters were both well written and had good development during the book. The side characters were also very interesting and I loved the dynamics between the group.
The main plot twist in this story is one that I suspected from early on. But I didn’t feel that it was too obvious and enjoyed the reveal. So angsty!
Overall, I recommended this book to anyone who loves a romantasy with an interesting magic system and chaotic characters! I think everyone needs to read this as soon as they can!!!

I’m not sure if there will be another book with these characters, but I would be totally up for it!!!

[Saray · Rating 5 out of 5]

"In return for her existence, the archmagi only asked that En was perfect." -Ch. 1 uncorrected copy.

I almost broke my laptop with how fast I was clicking, trying to get this ARC. I wanted to savor this book and space out my reading, but it was just so good that I ate it up in one sitting. Definitely one of my favorite fantasy reads of 2026, I mean, look at the cover! I was instantly attracted to the premise, and the book really delivered. The writing was so cohesive and entrapped you with its immersive world filled with great detail. En and Tamol's story and progressing relationship kept me captive to Call Me Traitor.

The story switches infrequently between the present and transcripts of Tamol's old comrades of the past, leading to the present, explaining events and conversations had as to why they were labeled as traitors. A personal preference, but one of my favorite ways a book can be written.

We follow En, a soldier, otherwise known as war-tanks (basically a person for hire who's trained in magic, battle, and called on for missions). On a specific mission to a land where traitors are dumped, En meets an unfamiliar stranger whom she's instantly bewildered by (cue me screaming, giggling, and kicking my feet). En is a terrific main character. Her chemistry with Tamol is something I cannot get over. Everina Maxwell did a wonderful job writing their connection. Tamol was written with so much life; her sarcastic comments, along with her banter was never too overly done, and I thought it balanced perfectly with En's more serious personality.

The plot is layered with intensity, action, and romance. It was filled with tropes I've read before, but felt so refreshing in this book. A phenomenal read!! And YES, I will be buying the physical book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Heather Hogan · Rating 5 out of 5]

For someone whose favorite genres are queer sci-fi/fantasy and queer romance, I often find myself weirdly unsatisfied by queer romantasy. Everina Maxwell's Call Me Traitor finally helped me figure out why! It's because I actually prefer the ratio to be more of, like, 3:1 fantasy to romance, and usually it is the opposite. BUT NOT THIS TIME!

Call Me Traitor is first and best of all a brilliantly imagined and frankly terrifying fantasy world where an esteemed professor at a mage college has figure out how to make "war-tanks" out of human mages. Our war-tank is named En, and the only thing she knows how to do is follow orders and not question authority. In fact, she pretty much forgets everything she's experienced in between campaigns due to the constant dark magic tomfoolery her to boss mages keep doing to her brain.

Things get real weird real fast for En when she meets Tamol, one of the traitors exiled to a spooky and dangerous island where En wakes up at the beginning of this book. Tamol makes En feel like she's getting misaligned constantly, maybe even warped, maybe even broken beyond repair — but En is drawn to her in ways she can't even begin to understand. The way Maxwell bends the traditional dual POV we often get in romance novels is masterful.

This is one of those books where I was like "I'm just going to slowly make my way through this and savor the storytelling," but then blitzed through the whole thing in two days because I couldn't put it down. I would REALLY love a second book in this series.

Thank you to Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book and provide an honest review.

[bookish.brietto · Rating 4 out of 5]

What starts as a politically tense, high stakes setup pretty quickly turns into something much more personal messy loyalty, trust issues, and characters who feel like they’re constantly one decision away from ruining everything. The character work is 😚💋. Fr the author has such a talent for making relationships feel fragile but intense, like every interaction actually matters. I loved how it balanced vulnerability with suspicion, especially in a world where trust is basically a liability. There’s a quiet kind of tension that just sits with you the whole time.That said, the pacing in the middle did slow down a bit for me. There were moments where I felt like the political parts and internal conflict were circling the same points without really moving things forward, and I caught myself wanting just a little more momentum. It wasn’t enough to pull me out completely, but I did notice it.The dynamic at the center of the story pulled me in hard I loved how it balanced vulnerability with suspicion, especially in a world where trust is basically a liability. There were moments where I felt like thepoltical elements and internal conflict were circling the same points without really moving things forward, and I caught myself wanting just a little more momentum. It wasn’t enough to pull me out completely, but I did notice it. If you want something that leans into relationships, moral tension, and that slow burn emotional damage this absolutely delivers.

[sydney ☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Books for an E-Arc of this upcoming release!

3.5 Where this book really shines is how it plays with the scarred self, warped memory, and sorting truth from lies. Key aspects of the narrative were fed to us throughout, and although all of the twists didn’t land, it always felt like there would be more to learn if I just kept reading.

I came in wanting an intense sapphic relationship and I’m pretty sure I got it. Was it completely emotionally resonant? Not really, as probably my biggest hang up with the writing is that the emotions of the characters felt distant. We were told about their relationships to one another rather than shown. I didn’t buy the found family aspect of it all and didn’t latch onto any of the characters’ relationships aside from En’s with Tamol. Having much of the backstory being dispensed by a character who ran as fast as she could from any emotion just didn’t endear me to the people she was supposed to love. But I did believe Tamol’s feelings toward En were real and deep, and that’s good enough for me.

I think this book bit off a little more than it could chew in terms of the setting and world building, but I’m willing to overlook it because the core of the narrative revolved around En’s entrance to the island and the mountain. And since everything that happened before that is lost to her, I cared about it as much as she did, which ended up being very little.

[Dominique · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 ⭐️
Call Me Traitor follows En, a war-tank…. basically a magically enhanced mercenary under the control of a high ranked magus. The mission she is currently on is to find and apprehend the traitors to the crown.
En is basically a one-woman army that has to follow orders or risk a painful mental breakdown.
The war-tank concept was really unique despite finding out how they are created.

Enter Tamol, a bumbling soldier, who gets in the way of En’s mission but ends up connecting with the war-tank.

I enjoyed this book! I love a magical academia story and the plot was very interesting.

The magical and fantasy aspects of this story were really good, but if I’m being honest, there were some things it took me a while to grasp and I felt that I was making up in my head what the magic looked like or acted like. Around 60% in, there is a part that really explained the magic system better and I needed that! I also felt that the romance was lacking- specifically in the first half- the relationship between the characters could’ve been built a little stronger. I really wanted to believe in the love interest, but it just didn’t give enough for me.

For a magical, fantastical academia read, this book checked a lot of boxes! I am truly glad to have been introduced to Everina Maxwell through this book!
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the ARC!

[Venneh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just go preorder this now and call this your holiday gift to your future self. I am writing this a half hour after having finished sprinting through the last quarter or so of this book, and this is one you're going to be hearing the community rending their garments about, in a positive kind of way. It's about two women, one who's essentially a magical berserker for hire sent to retrieve a pack of traitors, and the other who used to go to school with her and is low key a disaster soldier but is so frigging kind and lovely. Throw in split timelines, transcripts of interrogations, magic workings as academic problems, the best kind of intrigue, and a plot twist that left me reeling, and I cannot fucking even. This is what I was hoping for from her after reading Winter's Orbit, and digs hard into the best kind of fantasy that I love. Did someone say possibly brainwashed lesbians?? Hell fucking yes.

[Lucky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everina Maxwell's writing has never done me wrong, and this is no exception. When I heard this book was brainwashed human weapon/human disaster she's hunting, I was locked in. This is the kind of sapphic fantasy I've been craving.

As usual, the character work is the powerhouse of Maxwell's cell. The whole cast is tangible and individuated, their relationships with each other gripping and complex. En and Tamol are chaotic and profoundly lovable. Their romance was giving ASD x ADHD power couple in the best way.

The dual timeline masterfully paces out narrative reveals, only letting them out at the most delicious moments. This book is even more potent on a reread.

The slow burn! The magic! The betrayal! The brainwashing angst! The YEARNING! This book was grown in a lab to my particular tastes and I adored it.

If you like character-driven fantasy with yearning chaotic sapphics and a twist of dark academia, you are in the right place. I can't recommend this book enough.

[vianny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from NetGalley.

What I loved most: the romance and overall love story (even the friendships!) between all the characters. Everything they were doing was ultimately driven by love, and I enjoyed how morally gray their backstory was.

I LOVED Tamol and En. I felt like I was truly on a journey with En, and the writing was so immersive.

The magic system was interesting and well thought out. I really enjoyed the play with patterns + magic. That said, some of the wider universe elements like the gauze and the ghosts left me a bit lost, and tbh not sure if I fully understand them. I was as confused as the protagonist at the beginning, but the central story makes sense by the second half and the payoff was worth it.

Overall, had a really good time reading this!

[Valkhyrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had incredibly high hopes going into this one - having loved the Winter's Orbit duology and also being a massive fan of the Winter Soldier - and it still managed to exceed all of my expectations.

Beautifully queer and absolutely gripping. The skill with which the pieces are brought together is top-notch, the pacing is perfect, and the characters are all so wonderfully realized - I would read a novel about every one of them and never get bored. I need Everina to write about eight hundred more books, please.

[Tori (EighthHouseBooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A slow burn sapphic fantasy with time jumps that keep you turning the page? Yeah, you want it.

I adored this story. It was compelling and all in all lovely to read. Some elements with the magic system are over my head, but I’m ok with this. The world was cool, but really the story is character driven. While I’m satisfied with the ending, I definitely want more of the back story!

[Gretal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This wasn't entirely what I expected, but it was delicious nonetheless. The worldbuilding/magic system was interesting, and I definitely would read more books in this world. And of course, I loved En and Tamol.

[Aiyesha]

** THE VERSION OF THIS BOOK THAT I READ WAS AN ARC **

[Victoria Janssen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unlike Maxwell's previous novels, this one is fantasy, and had themes that reminded me of The Winter Soldier arc in the Captain America comics as well as the magic system in Avatar: the Last Airbender. The protagonist is En, a "War Tank," a person whose skin in incised with runes for enhanced spell casting; her memory is periodically wiped and she is always under the control of a commander, who uses a rune to get her attention or inflict punishing pain. En, like the reader, awakens into situations without context; but via flashbacks, the reader is given some of the context that En lacks, and roots for her as she begins to rediscover her sense of self. The flashback story, featuring a group of naive senior mage students experimenting, eventually intersects with En's present-day story. For me, the flashbacks were less effective because I already guessed the outcome and don't usually enjoy reading about slow-building disasters; but I did enjoy the way the story concluded, and was curious as to what would happen next.