Knight of the God King

by Lauren Blackwood

A powerful knight and her handsome squire must stop the deadly schemes of a savior king in this romantic fantasy of dark deeds and court intrigue.

Calliope’s wish has always been to become a knight, an elite healer and protector who uses music to summon magic. Yet despite her exceptional skill, she’s stuck lifting up her talentless cousin, whose family begrudgingly took Cali in as a child. But when an opportunity to become the royal knight of the immortal God King arrives, Cali finally gets a chance at a fairytale life - until her cousin blackmails her.

Forced to bring her cousin to court so she won’t share Cali’s shameful past, Cali immediately snubs Beric, the alluring, handsome squire tending to her. Now she must contend with his ire, even while feeling helplessly drawn to him. If that wasn’t enough, her duty means accompanying the king into The Dark, a demonic entity that only the king’s magic is powerful enough to battle - a battle he has been waging for centuries. She must also keep the king’s secret under pain of death: that he’s not a god at all, and every royal knight’s magic that came before her was the only thing keeping him alive. It seems serving the God King isn't a fairytale at all, and when people start dying around her, she and Beric realize that they have no choice but to take their fate - and that of an entire kingdom - into their own hands.

In Lauren Blackwood's thrilling fantasy, Knight of the God King, a knight's power and her squire's love are the only things that can help her defeat a man playing at being a god.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romantasy, Romance, Fiction

384 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication October 20, 2026

About the author

Lauren Blackwood is the NYT/Indie Bestselling author of Within These Wicked Walls and Wildblood.

Reviews

[louise ʚଓ · Rating 2.75 out of 5]

| rating: 2.75 ★

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.

✎ᝰ.ᐟ review

In alternative historical England, knights are elite healers and protectors that use music to summon magic. When the position as the God King’s Royal Knight opens, Calliope finally gets a chance to live out a fairytale life. However, Calliope learns that being the Royal Knight isn’t the esteemed position she thought it was going to be. Not only does she have to adjust to courtly life, but she also has to follow the God King into the Dark—the magical corruption that has been plaguing England for nearly two hundred years and she’s stuck with an infuriatingly handsome Royal Squire.

Full review to come closer to the release date: July 15, 2026.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for the e-ARC!

---

powerful knight and HER squire??? i’m sat

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.

Started: July 14, 2026
Finished: July 14, 2026

[Sairo Westwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

DISCLAIMER: RECEIVED ARC THROUGH NETGALLEY

Okay. WOW. This was amazing from start to finish.

This is definitely a ROMANCE book with fantasy aspects and political intrigue. Cali and Beric are absolutely adorable, I love them, and this sweet insta-love story was extremely well written.

Caliope is a Knight, selected by Beric (he thinks she’s cute and kind) to serve the king, a cursed and cruel immortal, with Beric as her squire. The both come from traumatic backgrounds and struggle with true of their environment, their friends, and each other.

There were a lot of twists and turns, some of which I caught and others I didn’t, all were well earned and exciting. The cousin PMO and the king is insane.

I had such a fun time reading this. It’s a beautiful standalone with a sweet and quick HEA.

Also, I saw someone say there was a lot of telling and not enough showing… Beric was abused physically and had to learn others emotions and control his own while Cali was ignored and emotionally sidelined and neglected so she had to do the same. The telling felt necessary

Okay thanks!

[Ashley Schooley]

DNF’d
I was pumped to win this arc through a GR giveaway, but
unfortunately I don’t think this is for me. It’s a lot of telling instead of showing.

[BookishKB]

⚔️🎶 Knight of the God King 🎶⚔️

📖 Bookish Thoughts

My full review will be shared closer to the publication date.

✨ What to Expect
• YA Fantasy
• Knight FMC
• Squire x Knight
• Court Intrigue
• Forbidden Romance
• Music Based Magic
• Gods and Demons
_ _ _

📅 Pub Date: October 20, 2026
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

[Teresa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately, this one just wasn't for me. The relationships felt underdeveloped, making the characters' intense emotions seem sudden rather than earned. The main romance was especially hot and cold, shifting so abruptly that it felt more like young love than a deep, lasting connection.

[Deanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Wednesday Books for this e-ARC!

This was ultimately a big fat no from me. The story had SO much potential based on the blurb and even the first few chapters, but it spiralled by chapter 4 or 5.

What was for me:
- singing being the way to summon magic was so unique and interesting. I loved the idea of Beric having perfect pitch making him a better magic wielder, and that two people with complementing harmonies would be stronger together.
- the tension between Beric and Cali in the beginning
- the darkness and the slightly unhinged king, I loved when we actually went into The Dark

What was not for me:
- first and foremost, God in the catholic sense was mentioned WAY too often. Authors can totally be catholic but it was incredibly odd how often they would mention God and their salvation thanks to him, etc. As a catholic author, would it then not be blasphemous to give the king in this book the title of God King?
- THE INSTA LUST AND INSTA LOVE. This entire book took place over a single week, you’re telling me that Beric and Cali had time to meet, fall in love and declare their love to each other in that whole period? They barely know each other.
- Cali has no backbone whatsoever when it comes to standing up for herself against her terrible cousin.
- 42% in, Cali mentions having amputated people in surgeries before, and maybe I simply missed this but since when was she working as a healer? And how did an 18 year old assist in not only one, but several amputation surgeries?
- Cali is incredibly childish, especially when she decides she hates Beric. She was like a toddler having a tantrum.
- more than half of this story was just Beric and Cali mooning over each other. Where was the background on how the king became immortal, or the darkness, or literally anything else? The whole world was messy and unexplained.
- the ending was just TOO easy. How did the most powerful being in England get defeated by a few kicks, punches and a stab to the gut?

I am so disappointed in the outcome of this story, because it started out as a strong contender for a good book.

[Laura (lady_h_reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW
⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book had so much potential but fell short in it's execution.

I was instantly taken by the idea of a female Knight and did love that part of the story, but where I was lost was the insta-love between the knight and the prince. I usually love insta-love, but their connection felt forced and not believable.

I did enjoy the political intrigues and back stabbing and feel like the story would have been better without the romance arc.

This is a complete standalone and ends in a HEA.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC for review.

[Christie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you, St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

To say this book was a disappointment would be an understatement. It’s more like a disaster. When I originally saw the premise I thought it was going to be amazing. I was so excited to win an ARC in a giveaway. Unfortunately, the advertised synopsis is more exciting and written better than the entirety of this book.

First, this is written in 1st person as a duology going back and forth between the FMC and the MMC. The issue with this type of narration, especially when it comes to romantasies, is that the reader gets bombed with a ridiculous amount of information via internal thoughts that becomes excessive, annoying, and takes away from the actual plot. There are very few writers who can pull it off and this author is not one of them. The entire book takes place over the span of 4-5 days and the pacing and overall plot structure is just….uck. The title is Knight of the God King, but readers get very little of the FMC doing anything knightly and even less interaction about the king.

The FMC comes across as very unlikable to me. In the very first chapter, she makes a comment (or thought) that being black, she’s not always welcome. This is an alternate England. There was no need to immediately act like a victim due to being black. The author could have used the excuse of an alternative world to write about strength or as if race didn’t matter at all (because it shouldn’t), but instead, right off the bat makes readers feel there’s racial tension. In chapter 2 or 3, she notes the MMC’s dark complexion and how she’s surprised he was given a title at his young age (21) because of this. Again, continuing the idea that there is an issue with racial tensions. There’s not. At all. This 18 year old wins out a position at court to be the God King’s Knight and is literally welcomed by everyone. Her cousin (also black) is accepted and treated well even though she’s a brat doing everything she can to win over a husband. Nobody cares they’re black. At all. Through the entire book. So why write that stuff to begin with?

So here she is day 1 and she’s already acting like her shit doesn’t stink, as they say, and is even on a first name basis with the queen. No getting used to being at court, just, that’s right Kat, you’re the queen and I just got here 10 minutes ago but I’m totally comfortable being on a first name basis. It doesn’t make sense. She throws childish tantrums when she doesn’t get what she wants and is acting like she knows more about the situation going on in the castle than those who have been there their entire lives. She acts superior to everyone when she’s done nothing to really earn that attitude.

The MMC appears to have been written as if he’s supposed to be autistic or something -social deficits, likes order, hates noise, and has meltdowns when overstimulated. However, because this is written in 1st person, readers know his internal dialogue is the same personality of the FMC and thus, the author could not even be bothered to create actual characters with depth and personality.

The other characters are equally lacking in depth and are just there to keep up the pretense that the FMC is in a castle with other people. A huge annoyance was all the characters saying “sweet boy” or “sweet girl“ excessively and it didn’t fit the characters or their position/rank or the situation. Also, lots of smirking. So much smirking. For no reason, smirking. It’s annoying and lazy writing. And blushing -everyone blushes, all the time, every page or so. We get it.

The entire book is written in such a juvenile and immature way that it is as if the author was in junior high school and was simply daydreaming something random and decided to write it down for an English writing assignment. There really was no climax and the ending was rushed and overly simplified. The love between the FMC and MMC seemed like rushed puppy love, not a romantic fairytale, which I THINK was the author’s goal. I’m not even sure if a good editor could have fixed all that was going wrong with this book. I feel horrible writing such a negative review, but maybe, just maybe, they can do some hard core editing to try and do SOMETHING.

I could go on, but I won’t. Because I want more ARCs in the future. Just not by this author. I’m sure there are people out there that will like this, but it certainly wasn’t me.

[Online Eccentric Librarian · Rating 1 out of 5]

More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

I am very unsure how/why this got published as it is. The writing is awful, characters two dimensional, plot absolutely silly, and reads like a dumbed down version of The School For Good and Evil. Easily this will end up the worst book I've read this year (or in a long time).

The plot is a vague Renaissance? England where an immortal King has been holding back a magical death cloud for two centuries. The King is clearly based on Henry VIII - he's a blustering bloated narcissist had several wives who died, the last wife is named Catherine, he has a put-upon daughter named Elizabeth, and he has a rotting/festering injury (there are probably more references in the book but those are the ones I remembered).

Plot: Cali enters a tournament to become the King's right hand Knight and is assigned a hot squire (read: love interest) when she randomly wins. She supposedly has some kind of singing magic that heals and the King needs her services. But all is not what it seems, natch. Her squire Beric is a milquetoast with ADHD-like issues.

RIght at the beginning, the continual Christianity (Catholic?) references were random - no mentions of churches, faith, or anything else really in a book of magic and god kings. I certainly respect that the author is a person of faith but it is put into the book randomly and with no world building to support it. This can be very disenfranchising to the reader when it is so random and more about the author's need to proclaim her faith rather than create an intrinsic story element.

But the biggest issue was that the characters were so two dimensional as to be barely more complex than a Scooby Doo Cartoon. The annoying cousin running throughout did not add to the story and certainly all the other characters acted like 2 dimensional Saturday morning kids cartoon levels of complexity. To say this book skews young is an understatement - it's actually baffling how little character the characters actually have.

The plot - it plods on with out much happening and then everything neatly ties up with a bow at the end. That's because this espouses 'good Christian values' so there can't be any bad endings (except for the bad characters, of course). Our heroine never has to get her hands dirty to save the world, of course. The ending is a joke - something I would expect from a children's chapter book rather than a YA romantasy. Indeed, this likely would have worked better as a tween book so expectations would have been lowered. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

[Jackie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good ideas but lackluster execution.

Calliope wants nothing more than to be a Knight king and with her skills in magic being near perfect pitch her dreams take shape as she finds her way at the palace. With her cousin posing as squire she finds herself eager to take her place but with friends and foes wandering the halls she’s unsure who to trust - family , the King or the Squire who helped her reach her full potential.

I’m at a loss on this one.

The idea is great , a magical system built on song and pitch to heal and harm , a girl wanting to tackle the role of knight to the immortal king and dark demonic magic at play but overall it seemed very fast and watered down. The whole book takes place in a handful of days and it’s hard to believe something that has lasted so long in power with fear and control could be unraveled as fast as it was. I genuinely had to reread thinking there was a sequel because there was no way it wrapped up as neatly as it did. The magic system came and went as quickly as the birds they mimic only really mattering part of the time but being sidelined in favor of the quick romance.

This was such fast love especially from a character who has had the kind of childhood Beric did. Not only that but they say “blush” 46 times in this book and it’s not a long book. I wish this was part of a series so maybe more of this relationship could have been developed because it’s easy to understand why they would find each other but declaring your feelings with all of the history and somewhat limited time together makes it all seem a bit ill fated even though it’s written as if it’s a grand affair.

This needed a few more reworks because I do think there are some very cool elements it’s just a shame that they were so watered down.

**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**

[Krista · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really great story, but I wish there was more.

There were a lot of things I really liked about this book. There was a very unique magic system, where music was the key to using magic wielded by knights, and knights’ squires could amplify or dampen the magic of the knight by harmonizing with them. Very cool and unique concept. I also really enjoyed the idea of the Dark, a black cloud harboring a demonic entity that surrounded the kingdom. I enjoyed the characters, the twists and turns and the overall story.

The main problem for me, and why I only gave a 3 star review was because I felt the entire story was rushed. It was definitely fast-paced, but, in my opinion, so much so that it impacted the overall story. I would have loved to have seen Cali’s backstory and life with her relatives rather than just referring to it. I wanted more encounters with The Dark. I wanted more world building and more of the court politics and interactions with her cousin. Also, given that the events of the book take place over the course of a few days, it makes the love story a bit unbelievable and the diminished the shock of some of the plot twists.

I love a stand alone fantasy book as much as the next reader, but I feel like not making this story into a duology or trilogy forced the story to read more like a set of plot points rather than an immersive fantasy world.

ARC review from Goodreads giveaway

[MS · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Knight of the God King has an interesting premise - it combines musical magic, court drama, and evil demonic threat, and evil family issues. The concept of magic tied to musicality and tone was a unique idea. I would have enjoyed more development of the magic system, and seeing it play out in battle scenes.

Though this book was not the right fit for me as an adult fantasy lover, this would be perfect for a YA reader looking for an emotional and romance driven fantasy. The tone skewed young, and the romantic elements developed very quickly, with an almost instant emotional connection after a short build up of tension between the FMC and MMC. This book is a good option for YA readers seeking a soft, romance forward read set in a Medieval English setting, and readers who enjoy immediate emotional stakes.

[Kitti Boesel · Rating 1 out of 5]

I won this book through a Goodreads giveaway. The description made this sound like a great fantasy read, " A powerful knight and her handsome squire must stop the deadly schemes of a savior king in this romantic fantasy of dark deeds and court intrigue." Unfortunately, this book could not deliver on the premise, the characters, or the story. There is a total lack of character development, story telling, engagement, even scene setting was lacking. I was astounded to see that this is an award winning author. This book is horrible in every possible way and has zero to redeem it. If it weren't for the fact that I won this book, I would have stopped reading it before halfway in. Save yourself the trouble, skip this one!

[Jeff Swartz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Won this in a Goodreads Giveaway and have to say this was a cute, charming romance story. Was it fantasy? There were elements. Did it have political intrigue? There was drama. But overall, I was left wanting. Wanting more backstory. Wanting more motive. Wanting more depth than just two people falling in love at first sight. The story was told through first person POV of the two main characters it could have used another or two different POV’s to give more volume to the narrative. I felt a few chapters in the changing from one to the other were very repetitive. The ending felt a little rushed to me with plot points happening that were never discussed prior with the reader expected to accept. But I do love inclusivity and diversity in my stories so a solid 3 stars. Thanks #goodreadsgiveaway

[Tenika Fontana · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an advance copy of this book from the ALA 2026 conference, so here is my honest review.

I seem to have gotten someone else's cup of tea. Because, is this bad? No, not really. But is this for me? Also no. Ye olde romantasy. All furtive glances and 'trying not to think about him' ass-language and very little actual worldbuilding. Romance just ain't for me, son. 

Honestly, maybe I'm being hard on it because it's romance, and I feel like romance heavy books like this one regularly don't put a whole lot of load support into the world or a plot that "makes sense". So take all this with a big, pretzel-sized grain of salt: this review is by someone who knowingly doesn't like romance/romantasy to begin with.But I mean (and spoilers!) it had just random stuff happening, mostly just so that the two MCs would fall in love, everything else was wayside details. Like, the God King KILLS THE QUEEN, and the MCs just... run away, and go to bed. Then, THEN, God King threatens to do something bad if Callie doesn't Do The Thing in an hour, so they hatch a plan to buy more time, and once they have time, they just... go to bed? Instead of trying to figure out what's happening, or escape, or tell anyone, or try to help the King or or or or literally ANY other course of action?! Like, "I know the God King is gonna kill us, but let's just sleep it off and hopefully he'll be fine in the morning :)" It was just... nonsense. I guess you can say it's Romance Nonsense, and if you're into that kinda thing, good for you. But it wasn't sustenance for me. 
AND THE REASON CALLIE'S DAD'S NAME IS DISGRACED?! Oh my God, I'm sorry, after all the buildup of "Oh no, they can't know who my dad was!" the reason was... so lame. So meh. Barely worth mentioning. It was a hollow point in an already hollow plot. Magic is introduced and seems like it might be interesting: magic based on sound and singing, but we almost NEVER utilize or see it after the first scene. It was just... disappointing. That's the word this book boiled down to for me. 

A positive. I actually LOVE the cover. It's the first thing that drew me to this book. The artist in me loves the rustic, hand-drawn and hand-measured look to the cover and its words. You don't see that much on covers anymore. I hope they keep it, I really do. 

[RedReviews4You Susan-Dara · Rating 4 out of 5]

⚔️ One of my favorite things in fantasy is discovering a magic system that feels genuinely different, and that's what kept drawing me back to Knight of the God-King by Lauren Blackwood.

The idea that knights wield magic through bonds with their squires, who function almost like magical familiars was something that immediately intrigued me. And when I discovered that those same bonds can strengthen magic... or suppress it.....then add music as part of the magical framework and the result is a world that felt imaginative, fresh, and full of potential. and you can tell ....I was hooked!

The characters were another strength. Blackwood creates a cast that is immediately likable and easy to root for, which made my main criticism of the story somewhat ironic. What ultimately kept this from becoming a favorite read was that I simply wanted more time with both the characters and the world they inhabited.

Calli's history often felt more referenced than fully explored, and I found myself wishing for additional glimpses into her past and family life. Because I cared about her journey, I wanted a deeper understanding of the experiences that shaped her. Similarly, while the worldbuilding itself is wonderfully imaginative, I often wished the story would slow down long enough to let readers linger in that world and fully absorb its details.

As a result, the novel occasionally felt compressed, as though it was trying to fit a larger story into a smaller space. Readers looking for a fast-paced YA romantasy may appreciate that momentum, but I found myself longing for a few more quiet moments to deepen the emotional connections and further explore the fascinating setting Blackwood created. But then again, although I enjoy reading YA, alas I am now longer in my teen years 😂

Even so, I enjoyed my time with this book and can easily see it becoming a favorite for younger YA readers and romantasy fans looking for a quick, adventurous read. The worldbuilding is inventive, the magic system is memorable, and the characters are compelling enough that I wanted more of them when the story ended.

I was genuinely intrigued by Blackwood's ideas and eager to see where she goes next. Because in the end a book's greatest strength is making you wish you could spend a little longer inside its pages.

3.5 🌟 rounded up to 4🌟

[Taryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review: Knight of the God King by Lauren Blackwood
Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

The Quick Look
What to Expect: High-stakes magic, Romantasy vibes, and strong neurodivergent representation (a character likely on the autism spectrum).
Content Warnings: Death, abuse.
Best For: Fans of Lauren Blackwood’s previous work and readers who love a classic "good vs. evil" high fantasy.

The Fundamentals
The prose in this ARC was incredibly tight; there wasn't a lot of unnecessary fluff, which made for a very easy, fast-paced read. However, that efficiency came at a cost. We are thrown into the world almost immediately, and I found myself wishing for more atmospheric world-building and character history. While the plot follows its own internal logic, the magic system itself remained a bit confusing throughout because the mechanics weren't fully explained early on.

The Critique
The Critique: I felt the world-building was a bit thin. Because we weren't given much foundational knowledge about the magic, the characters or the setting at the start, it was hard to feel fully grounded in the stakes.

The Major Positive: The character growth in this book was massive. Watching the protagonist’s evolution was the clear highlight for me, and the representation of a character on the spectrum added a layer of depth that felt very intentional and well-handled.

The Neutral Point: While the plot is a satisfying "good girl with magic vs. powerful bad guy with demon magic" story, it leans heavily on the "misunderstanding" trope. At times, these conflicts felt like they were inserted solely to create tension rather than being a natural byproduct of the characters' personalities.

Final Verdict
I gave this a 3/5. It is a solid, enjoyable fantasy that doesn’t demand too much of the reader, making it a perfect "palette cleanser" between heavier series. I didn't quite love it because I wanted more meat on the bones regarding the magic and world-building, but the character development kept me turning the pages.

Thank you to the publisher for providing a digital ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Alex Riley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This read like a very middle of the road YA fantasy. Good people are good and nice, but also terribly naive and easily taken advantage of. Evil people are mean and evil just to serve as antagonists. There is some "court intrigue" but it's all played out in a very juvenile and chaotic way. The world is more of a window dressing and both the setting and the magic system aren't explored deeper. The solutions are served on a silver platter. The romance is the kind of wet noodle where both people are nice and there's no real problem to overcome, just avoidance and menial miscommunication. I'm fairly tired of the watered down knights fantasy where they're presented as naive blushing goody-two-shoes instead of tough, devoted warriors well versed in navigating both combat and court politics. The pacing was also fairly slow and introspective and it felt like nothing much happened until suddenly everything got resolved.

It felt similar in tone to The Knight and the Moth, The Second Death of Locke and Paladin's Grace, except adapted to YA sensibilities. If you like light Arthurian vibes, you might enjoy this book. To me, unfortunately, it read surface level and underbaked.

[Caitlyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great concepts, poor execution. This book felt more like a character study than anything else. The kicker? You hardly learn anything about the characters and they don't really do anything exciting.

The book follows Calli, a strong magic user that is selected as the king's royal knight. She quickly realizes that she had no idea what it means to be the king's knight and tries to run away from her duty instead. The whole spans only 1 week, which is insane pacing to me. Not only does she have time to hate her job (and avoid it by staying in her room all day), she also has time to fall in love with her squire, who happens to the be the only guy to ever show her affection in her whole life.

Calli's cousin, Anise, was the most annoying character ever. What royal palace would allow you to bring in a total stranger that is no only horrible at her job, but leaves her post to go flirt with noble men? The whole blackmailing plotline was abandoned halfway through, so why didn't Beric just kick her out then?

The worldbuilding was also very lackluster. There is a king and only he can find "the dark". What is the dark? Why is there? Does it kill people? Why aren't the magic knights doing knight-like things and fight the monsters. If Calli is such a great knight, why has she never seen battle or injured a person in any way? The magic is music based, but we don't ever see a big action scene fought with magic. The huge ending fight was fought with SWORDS ..in magical world? None of it made a lick of sense to me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had many of the ingredients that usually make me want to pick up a book. Unfortunately, I felt that almost everything I was looking forward to fell flat.

There wasn't much worldbuilding. Aside from knowing that the story was set in England, I struggled to get a sense of the wider world or its history. The characters also felt one-dimensional, and I never became particularly invested in any of them.

The romance was another element that didn't work for me. It went from 0–100 very quickly, and as someone who doesn't particularly enjoy instalove, I found it difficult to believe in or root for the relationship. At one point, a character says that “she wanted this from the beginning” in reference to the pairing, despite the characters having only known each other for around three or four days. This made the development of the relationship feel particularly rushed and unconvincing.

I considered not finishing the book, but as I was only a few hours from the end, I decided to continue. Unfortunately, those final few hours didn't change my opinion or make the story grow on me.

The element I found most interesting was the magic system. The concept of using your voice to perform magic was genuinely unique and was probably the aspect of the book that intrigued me most. Unfortunately, I felt that this was also underdeveloped, and I was left wanting much more exploration of how the magic worked and what it could do.

Ultimately, I felt that there was a lot of potential in the premise, but the execution didn't work for me. The elements that initially drew me to the book were unfortunately the areas where I felt it lacked the depth and development I was hoping for.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of Knight of the God King through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was such a refreshing fantasy read! Lauren Blackwood created a fascinating world centered around an immortal tyrant king who has ruled for centuries, and I loved watching the mystery of his kingdom unfold.
Calliope was a fantastic heroine. She dreams of escaping the life she's endured with her aunt and uncle and earning the honor of becoming one of the king's knights. Her determination and courage made her impossible not to root for. Beric, the king's trusted right hand, lord, and squire, was another favorite. The growing connection between him and Calliope felt natural and added just the right amount of emotion to the story.
The supporting characters really helped bring the world to life. Eliza, Faline, and Albert each played important roles, while Anise was the perfect villainous cousin—manipulative, selfish, and easy to despise. Every character had a purpose, and together they kept the story moving at a great pace.
The blend of adventure, magic, danger, and unexpected twists kept me turning the pages. Even though it's a fairly quick read, the story never felt rushed and left me wanting more from this world.
If you enjoy fantasy with a determined female knight, compelling relationships, a dark mystery, and an intriguing immortal king, I'd definitely recommend giving Knight of the God King a try. I had a great time with this one!

[Chii ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid 3 For me and here’s why—

The plot is your classic “good vs evil, girl with magic vs bad guy w/ bad magic” kind of deal.

What I liked:
The Magical System being built around song is unique. Pitch being used to heal or harm? Harmonies mean the magic will be stronger? I really liked this system Blackwood had going but I will say I wish it had been explained sooner rather than later. The character development was also done well for me, so that's a huge plus too.

What I Disliked:
For what Blackwood set up for her magic system, I felt that the world-building wasn’t quite there. Again, I wish a lot of it were explained sooner rather than later; if not that, then a bit more background on the characters. I would find myself reading and then be like, “Wait, when was this mentioned? S/he could do that?”. I wanted to see more in The Dark and would have loved more scenes there. The ending felt predictable at some point, and I’m not a fan of insta-love. Given that this entire book was to be set within a few days/a week… You’ll know what I mean.

It’s OK. Not a lot of stakes in my opinion, but decent enough for someone who may want to dabble in the genre and not commit to a series.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Wednesday Books for this e-ARC!

[Candice · Rating 4 out of 5]

This rating was somewhere between 'i liked it' and 'i really liked it' so maybe like a 3.6 since I adore all of Blackwood's other novels. She writes the best, most adorable cinnamon roll of a male main character.

I was immediately hooked by the idea that our protagonist was a knight and our mmc, a squire, but it doesn't mean the same things in this world that we're accustomed to. The knight heals through music to summon magic, while the squire fights. That's cool--a twist that works. But then when Beric actually has to fight and then the king makes him do something else that's spoilerish so I won't go into details, Cali gets angry at him (for doing his job that she well knows) and basically breaks it off. Which I saw coming because things were going great between them and if there's anything a Story doesn't like, it's when everything is going smoothly for its main characters.

Then, when our cast makes a Big Decision, forward action is halted for naps. It was all tension, a smidge of Horrific Thing To A Nice Person, then... naptime.

But overall, I enjoyed getting to know Cali, her magical ability, Beric, and the court of the God King. The twists and intrigue kept me turning pages even when some of the plot points had me askance.

Recommended for ages 13+ kissing, yearning, and some innuendos/banter

[Arthi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my second Lauren Blackwood arc of the year, and it never gets old! A beautiful premise of knight protecting the King using a musical harmony for magic and a nefarious nebulous entity called the Dark. The royal palace, its intrigues and the long list of women in administration, Lauren definitely places them on weighty roles for the unwinding tale - a squire who was treated shamefully by his knight, a new royal knight who is blackmailed by her kin over her dark past and a powerless princess are thrown into the vortex of political mayhem and magical dissonance in this YA tale.
I adored the character arc for Cali, although, in some places, her tolerance and naivety made me want to scream, given she was smart enough to engage in flirting, it just seemed incongruent with her normally smart character. Other than that minor gripe, all's well! Beric was a beautifully stitched character, his past and his present, in confluence with the gimmickry being maintained at the palace, was akin to a tightrope walk - balanced and measured for absolute accuracy.
This was a fast paced , quick read, and I managed to polish the ARC in a day.
My ebullient thank yous to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC! And I cannot wait to see what more Lauren has to unfurl in her upcoming ventures!
#Netgalley #KnightofTheGodKing #StMartinsPress #FemaleKnight

[Timitra · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

This was my first Lauren Blackwood book and what a way to be introduced to her writing. Knight of the God King started off so well with an intriguing and interesting story, world, magic system and a main character I was wholly invested in and actively rooting for - I love me an underdog and Calliope definitely fit the bill. There was court politics, intrigue, secrets, lies, betrayal, sweet and cute moments and more. All of which I enjoyed immensely including the way things were revealed. I figured out the twists and turns but still enjoyed them. However, I had som issues mainly with the romance and its lack of development. It went from enemies to instalove/lust there was no real build-up to how things progressed from point A to B. I felt kinda blindsided by it to be quite honest. Don't get me wrong I love me an instalove/lust but the way this was done felt like it came out of left field. Another thing I had issues with was the very little time spent in the Dark and on the topic of the Dark. I really wanted to explore it more. The ending was cool kinda anti-climactic. Despite my issues with this one I enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.


Copy provided by PR company through NetGalley

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Knight of the God King is fast paced and easy to read. I immediately liked the magic system--singing to use magic is something I’m surprised hasn’t been utilized more across fantasy novels. Beric is immediately endearing and relatable, but as the story progressed I liked him less. Both his and Calliope’s stubbornness was frustrating. It was surprising to me how immediately kind Queen Kat was to Calliope in contrast to Princess Eliza, who was immediately suspicious for obvious reasons .
Calliope is frustratingly generous to her bullying, blackmailing cousin. Her feelings regarding Beric do a complete turn in the space of one day, after he saves her life, and while I understand, I personally found it too drastic a shift from their earlier bickering to her saying she’s falling in love.

While the romance didn’t quite work for me in this one, I am still very excited to check out the author’s other work!

There is a typo where ear plugs are described as earphones.

Trigger warnings for physical abuse, blood, gore, and violence.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Wednesday Books/St. Martin’s Press for my free e-ARC! It has not affected my honest review.

[Megan · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, but I do have some mixed thoughts about it.

The characters were pretty well-written, although I got quite annoyed with Cali near the end of the book. I think she starts out seeming self-sufficient and driven, but towards the end she becomes more passive and almost whiny (in my opinion). I didn't love that progression. I also think Beric is one-dimensional, but he and Cali were cute together and I was definitely rooting for them.

The plot was just weird to me. It had a lot interesting ideas, but I think the book was a little too focused on the romance. The pacing was fine, but somehow it just felt like nothing very consequential ever happened. The ending was too convenient and easy compared to all the fears and struggles of the characters. I also appreciated that the author tried to incorporate faith in God into the story, but it just did not work for me. I think it almost contradicts certain plot elements and it felt so unnatural.

Overall I enjoyed the relationships between characters but the pacing and plot needed some work.

[Andrea Pang · Rating 3 out of 5]

Final rating: 3.5⭐️

This review is of the Uncorrected Digital Galley.

Knight of the God King is an intriguing story of a kingdom shrouded in darkness. We’re brought to England where Deus Rex has been on the throne for 200 years, battling The Dark and keeping it at bay… but things are not always as they seem!

I really enjoyed reading this book, where knighthood is taken on by women and magic is controlled through music. It’s a refreshing take on what’s usually a bland and male-centred story. What I really appreciated from this story was the diversity in the characters. Varying skin tones, ages, abilities, and neurodivergence is what made this story unique. Gone are the days of white washed fantasy, and I’m here for it!

I do wish we got to experience more time in The Dark… I would have loved to see more battles there! I was happy enough with the plot and enjoyed Blackwood’s writing style. I think this is a good YA read for anyone looking for a light PG Romantasy.

[Rachel Feeck]

Hm, well...no? Music-based magic always grabs my attention, but Calliope's arrival at court feels like the product of several people throwing a tantrum yet also has such sinister undertones, in a way that really had me scratching my head. There's definitely seems to be some icky trauma going on that I wouldn't expect in YA (example: the king requires his knight and other women in power to marry him, he physically abuses his partners, and while Calliope is assured she wouldn't be expected to attend to the king in that way, it's implied by others that Beric is going out of his way to protect her by making her seem unattractive), and it's hard to tell which parts are intended to be creepy and which just happen to seem that way. Anyway, this might be for readers who like an unsettling, romance forward, dual POV with near-instant attraction.

DNF at 40%.

**Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC**

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Going into this book, I really liked the premise that women are the knights in this story. I was expecting some subverting of gender roles and super strong female leads. I got some of that. I think the FMC was well on her way to being and emotionally and mentally strong woman ... she's very young in this book so we get to see her go through some coming of age challenges and struggle with who she is and who she wants to be. I really liked the male main character - given some of his social anxiety and struggles with loud sounds it made me think he might be on the autism spectrum. I appreciated how the author wrote this character. The love story between the characters was what I tend to expect from YA - fast progression of feelings with some whiplash moments and high drama. There were some surprisingly dark moments that kept me invested. It was a quick read that didn't require a lot of mental load.