What do you think?
Rate this book
Knight of the God King
Not yet published
Expected 20 Oct 26A 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.
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.
384 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication October 20, 2026
About the author
Lauren Blackwood
6 books917 followersLauren Blackwood is the NYT/Indie Bestselling author of Within These Wicked Walls and Wildblood.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
Currently Reading
April 13, 2026powerful knight and HER squire??? im sat
May 6, 2026
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!
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!
Did Not Finish
April 7, 2026DNF’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.
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.
Want to Read
July 5, 2026⚔️🎶 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.
📖 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.
May 15, 2026
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.
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.
June 7, 2026
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.
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.
May 19, 2026
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**
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**
April 29, 2026
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
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
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
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!
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!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
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!
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!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
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 .
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press 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.
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.
April 26, 2026
Thank you St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this advance review copy.
Phew, finished this in two sittings because I couldn’t put it down. I even found myself just thinking about nonstop when I couldn’t be reading.
This magic was so unique and interesting in this one, it was such a breath of fresh air to just be different. I loved that our FMC was a knight, and that it was very expected for women to be knights. Yes please over here.
Obviously I fell in love with Beric and Cali immediately, the vibes there were just so fun and excited. This was fast paced, without being overwhelming, and plotty enough to keep the story moving right along.
My dislikes were that we didn’t see more of The Dark, and that it felt like there was some gaps.
Phew, finished this in two sittings because I couldn’t put it down. I even found myself just thinking about nonstop when I couldn’t be reading.
This magic was so unique and interesting in this one, it was such a breath of fresh air to just be different. I loved that our FMC was a knight, and that it was very expected for women to be knights. Yes please over here.
Obviously I fell in love with Beric and Cali immediately, the vibes there were just so fun and excited. This was fast paced, without being overwhelming, and plotty enough to keep the story moving right along.
My dislikes were that we didn’t see more of The Dark, and that it felt like there was some gaps.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
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!
Did Not Finish
July 13, 2026Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday books for the opportunity to read and review book which I am unfortunately going to DNF at 52%.
This YA romantasy style book is about a young woman who is enlisted to become the main Knight who can perform magic (through music) for a God King. Unbeknownst to her once she becomes this night she is unexpected to marry the king, but she has developed feelings for her squire who is helping to usher her through the world of nobility.
I found the characters to be uneven and uninteresting, with a romance subplot that went from 0 to 100 in the span of less than a day.
This entire book was just written too YA for me and
wasn’t something I was interested in continuing.
This YA romantasy style book is about a young woman who is enlisted to become the main Knight who can perform magic (through music) for a God King. Unbeknownst to her once she becomes this night she is unexpected to marry the king, but she has developed feelings for her squire who is helping to usher her through the world of nobility.
I found the characters to be uneven and uninteresting, with a romance subplot that went from 0 to 100 in the span of less than a day.
This entire book was just written too YA for me and
wasn’t something I was interested in continuing.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
First, thank you St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of the book for an honest review. This book releases in October.
I was fully invested in the story and appreciated the tension woven throughout. However, the romance developed more quickly than I would have liked, which made it harder to fully connect with emotionally. Additionally, the resolution felt somewhat rushed compared to the buildup.
Overall, this was a strong and enjoyable read. With a bit more development in the romance and a more expanded final act, it could have been a five-star book for me.
I was fully invested in the story and appreciated the tension woven throughout. However, the romance developed more quickly than I would have liked, which made it harder to fully connect with emotionally. Additionally, the resolution felt somewhat rushed compared to the buildup.
Overall, this was a strong and enjoyable read. With a bit more development in the romance and a more expanded final act, it could have been a five-star book for me.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
What an amazing storyline. I love the growth of the main character Calliope. During the book you really see her blossom into her own. She goes from a shy girl to a very confident woman. Just by having the right people around her getting the friendship she needs getting a lover that she truly cares about. It truly is a great storyline with the dark side of the "the darkness" that plagues the kingdom.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This slow enemies to lovers stand alone book is new and different. The knights are women with healing powers. As the King continues his tyrant of slowly losing his mind the amazing team of friends have to make a tough decision to end him and save the kingdom from the darkness he has created. A cute love story about friendship and guidance and protecting those we love. I enjoyed every word of the book and finished it in a timely manner.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A tale of a female knight and HER squire?! absolutely! although there wasn't a ton of world building, that allowed the story to be fast paced and progress easily. The characters were very well developed with a massive arc and the representation was very well done. Although this book relied heavily on the "misunderstanding" trope, it was still overall a really enjoyable read and a good palette cleanser between heavier stuff with an easy HEA.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
"Knight of the God King" by Lauren Blackwood is an intriguing fantasy novel that blends adventure with rich world-building. The protagonist embarks on a journey filled with twists, magic, and moral dilemmas. Blackwood’s prose is vivid, bringing the characters and their struggles to life. The themes of loyalty, sacrifice, and destiny resonate throughout the story. Fans of fantastical tales with emotional depth will absolutely devour this book as it is a compelling read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 Stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the arc.
I thought Knight of the God King was an exciting and interesting read. The story had more action, and I liked how the main character faced challenges and grew stronger. The world and magic were fun to learn about, even if some parts felt a bit rushed. Overall, it kept me engaged and was enjoyable to read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the arc.
I thought Knight of the God King was an exciting and interesting read. The story had more action, and I liked how the main character faced challenges and grew stronger. The world and magic were fun to learn about, even if some parts felt a bit rushed. Overall, it kept me engaged and was enjoyable to read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I feel like it was kind of rushed, but the magic system was very unique to me! I feel like we could've had more world-building for the reader's immersion instead of just being told things.
When it comes to the Dark we definitely could have had more! But Calliope herself kept me hooked and I'll admit I devoured the book!
When it comes to the Dark we definitely could have had more! But Calliope herself kept me hooked and I'll admit I devoured the book!
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
She is chosen to be the immortal kings personal knight but she doesn’t understand what this entails until she gets to the castle all their secrets are uncovered and she is forced to understand it all while trying to find her cousin a husband before they are both killed. This book was so good and unexpected would definitely recommend reading
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
I really enjoyed this book but ot was a little weird. I think maybe the pacing was a bit fast and the male lead seemed psychotic... I think he was supposed to be more traumatized? I dunno, but it was a good read.
May 24, 2026
I received the ARC through NetGalley. The book was enjoyable, though some pacing issues. It has a very interesting magic system that would be better to see more of. And then the climax and ending of the book does seem rushed. Overall though I enjoyed the story
Want to Read
January 27, 2026I have never enjoyed a Lauren Blackwood book buuuuttt knights are my catnip so I'm probably still going to try 👀
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Very cute! Definitely insta-love, as the entire story takes place in less than a week. Still an enjoyable, easy read!
ARC review
ARC review
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews