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 fight he has been waging for centuries. She must also keep the king’s secret under pain of He’s not a god at all, and the only thing keeping him alive is the magic held by the royal knight. 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, Young Adult Fantasy

379 pages, Kindle Edition

First published 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!

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

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.

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

[Bailey Chadwick]

DNF at 50%. A super intriguing story that suddenly became insta love and started to abandon any sense of a plot.

[Stacey | read.with.stacey · Rating 2.5 out of 5]

Thank you PRH Audio for the alc and St Martin’s Press for the paperback arc 🫶

💭: I was intrigued by the overall concept for this book, and I thought it had so much potential, especially at the beginning. But sadly the execution just wasn’t quite there for me.

I love a story with a lady knight and I liked the concept of magic being tied to singing. Sadly though, we really never get to see this female knight in action! The one time there was potential to see it, she had to be saved like a damsel in distress 😅. I also felt like the romance between the MMC and FMC didn’t make a lot of sense. It felt like I flipped the page and then they were in love. Although it’s a standalone, I think there could have been a bit more world building as I really didn’t feel like I had a sense of the world outside the castle that the story takes place in. What kept me reading was that I wanted to find out more about the darkness and the King’s motivations, but I felt the answers provided weren’t super satisfactory.

But it is a standalone with an HEA so if you’re looking for that it could maybe work for you!

🎧: This book is narrated by Brittany Bradford and Fajer Al-Kaisi in a dual style narration. I enjoyed the audio for this one and thought the pacing and range of voices were well done.

[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!

[Katie (katieeatsbooks) · Rating 2 out of 5]

10/16/2026-10/18/2026

Thank you Wednesday for the gifted digital proof of “Knight of the God King” by Lauren Blackwood 👑

⭐️⭐️
(Out October 20th, 2026!)

Honestly, this concept could’ve been really cool.
I was digging the whole Knight to the “God” King who keeps the king alive in secret.

However, 70% of the story was how Calli was trying to defend Ann, and Calli was basically insta-loving Beric after like just a handful of “enemies to lovers” trope.

My thing is why was there so much attention into killing the king when it was so easy?

I literally paused reading to ask my husband why they wouldn’t do it while he was sedated. And he reminded me of the demons in the darkness that the King made a deal with and that maybe something “cool” would happen.

I was like “oh yeah of course true true” and then he died like nothing, barely using his own magic, no demon interference, and the darkness disappears… even though we talked so much about her going in there to help the King keep back the demons and then we never even once did either??

It just feels like wasted storyline potential left and right tbh….

[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.

[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.

[ᴄᴀᴛ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2☆ • I feel like this one was just okay. It's a standalone but there could've been much more (worldbuilding, Calliope as a knight fighting, more layers to the romance as it felt flat and out of nowhere, etc.)
The romance also felt very insta-lovey to me andd that's something I personally hate with a passion. The whole book took place in the span of like one week. And you're telling me that they are in love with each other?? I don't think that's enough time to fall in love with someone and it not just be a little crush.

I liked the concept and how the magic worked, but I would've liked to see more of that too.

Calliope is an okayy fmc. She's childish and girl does not know how to stand up for herself and it's so incredibly annoying.
Like why does she just let her cousin do all that and not do anything back?? I got sick of it.

The book started off soo strong. I was obsessed and loving it. But maybe like 25% in it just started to fall flat for me. I wasn't as interested and was hoping it would get better as the book went on but it didn't really. Half the book was Calliope and Beric wanting the other andd so there wasn't really any challenges over anything because I feel like that overshadowed most everything. And when something did happen, it was solved wayy too quickly and easy.
I've said this before multiple times and in multiple reviews, I want the main characters of a book to GO THROUGH IT. I want them to work hard and earn the win, to EARN the hea. I don't want them to have everything just handed to them and for them to be congratulated for it because they saved the day when they did not.

I feel like this book left much more to be desired, and it's a standalone so not like we can see extra stuff added to the world later.

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and all thoughts here are my own!

[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.

[Tessa Talks Books · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

A knight who uses magic via music, a good-looking squire, a king who is supposedly immortal and has some quite dangerous secrets, and a lot of court intrigue? Yes, indeed! In Lauren Blackwood's Knight of the God King there is a fascinating combination of fantasy elements and I particularly enjoyed the way the story progresses. It doesn't leave you much time to get used to things before something else takes place, and that's precisely the kind of fantasy adventure I prefer.

To me the magic system was certainly the most interesting point. I enjoy looking for something a bit different in fantasy, and the notion of using music to call upon magical powers is very imaginative. When you also take into account that knights function as both healers and protectors, the traditional image of a knight becomes a great deal more interesting. There is a pleasant contrast between music, which we generally link with beauty and emotion, and the dangerous duties these knights have to perform.

There's also Calliope, who has spent her lifetime striving after a dream even though she's been required to place someone else's ambitions before her own. I found this rather interesting since her struggle is not merely about becoming a knight; it's also about having the freedom to decide who she would like to be. Even when she finally gets her chance, people who know exactly how to use her past against her still manipulate her, and unfortunately obtaining a place at the royal court doesn't mean that she's escaped this manipulation; she's only exchanged one sort of problem for a far more dangerous one.

I also liked the relationship between Cali and Beric in the role of knight and squire. It's a pleasant turn on the usual kind of fantasy romance since Cali has the power and Beric acts as her squire. The friction they start with adds another degree of tension to a situation which is already complicated, particularly as attraction begins to affect their unfriendly relationship. And truly, what would a bit of romance be like without a bit of irritation as well?

There's also a good deal of excitement due to the court intrigue. I enjoy fantasies in which those who are in power keep secrets, loyalties are in doubt, and the distinction between hero and villain is not as clear as people would have it to be. The God King's carefully preserved image does raise some interesting questions regarding power, sacrifice, and just how easily people can be led into worshipping someone who says they are their saviour. Add curses and a frightening supernatural threat to that political situation, and trouble will certainly result.

What attracts me most is the pace. I prefer fast-paced fantasy, particularly when a romance unfolds alongside the action and there is a mystery surrounding the people who are said to have all the answers. Although Blackwood combines a number of well-known elements in young adult fantasy, he gives them an interesting twist by means of the musical magic and the knight/squire relationship.

If you enjoy YA romantic fantasy with unusual magic, dangerous secrets, court politics, and a heroine determined to take control of her own future, then Knight of the God King has a lot to offer.

🌹 Floral Verdict: A Rose
For readers who enjoy fast-paced young adult fantasy, magical suspense, and romance with a touch of friction.

[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.

[Samantha · Rating 2.5 out of 5]

The Knight of the God King is set in an alternative medieval-ish England after a strange darkness covered the land, only fought back by the “God King,” who has lived for two centuries when the story begins. He and his Royal Knight are the only ones who can fight the Dark. When the knight dies, a search for a new one introduces us to Calliope (Cali). Her special magic meshes with the royal squire, Beric, and he approves her to become the new Royal Knight. Cali is drawn into the royal court with zero awareness of what is happening, and everyone keeps important information from her.

Cali is forced to bring her cousin, Anise, along (her cousin blackmails her), and she has to marry the king (for reasons). She also must endure Beric, her actual squire, who either likes her or hates her. Sometimes it’s unclear.

The concept was interesting. The follow-through, not so much. Cali and Beric are two unlikable main characters. Their insta-love bothered me more than other instances of this. It didn’t feel genuine, and I didn’t know why they even loved each other – everything seemed superficial. I really liked Eliza and Kat and felt they were good side characters. Anise is well done as a villainous character.

The fantasy is missing. Everything just sort of happens to or around Cali. I would have loved to see the magic and fight with the Dark explored. There is literally one scene with the Dark. Everything else pretty much takes place in the palace. I expected Cali to learn how to be the King’s knight and actually fight some darkness. Oh, and apparently other places still exist, so I didn't really understand the point of the Dark. It's not like it consumed the world or anything. And why don't things come out of it? Why is it so dangerous? The underlying villain of the story emerges at the end and sort of answers these questions, but not in a fulfilling way. The ending is definitely rushed and strange. It's not a romantasy in the truest sense; none of the tropes are there. It also doesn't really feel like fantasy.

The Knight of the God King has potential, and I think readers who want a simple, borderline fantasy might enjoy this.

[Gabrielle Perna · Rating 2.5 out of 5]

This book felt like a mess to me. The main characters were both young, naive, and most of all traumatized. The cousin of our FMC, Cali, was actually more annoying than the real villain in the story. There was really no plot it felt like until the last twenty percent of the book. Really it felt like two middle schoolers meeting each other and saying they love each other in five seconds. The magic systems almost felt like nothing and I thought would be well developed but it was not. There was not explanation of the kings magic just only that he had it and killed people with it. The Cali was judgmental and naive to the point of I almost DNFed the book at 70% because I could not stand her any longer. There were a lot of themes of "god is great" and I wish there was a bit of warning for that because I would not have accepted this arc as I do not enjoy listening to overt religious themes unless it is the point of the plot to challenge the characters beliefs. I think Blackwood was trying to create a juxtaposition with our MMC, Beric, and his religious beliefs and the fact that the does terrible things for the king, but that fell flat as there was minimal development of the characters. It was a very fast read and the pacing was just fine but I feel like there was a lot happening but not a lot at the same time. I hardly ever give a rating this low or dislike a book very often. I really like her other book but this was too YA and fell flat for me.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Chelsea Drumm · Rating 2.75 out of 5]

The world of Knight of the God King is so cool and unique, I love the idea of magic being tied to one's voice. I would have liked more detailed worldbuilding to have gotten a better feel for it, but what we did get was super interesting. The characters likeable enough, although I felt disconnected to them, and I'm not sure why. The romance between Cali and Beric is there, and I do like them together, but it felt like it was missing something - better chemistry, better connection - something to make me feel more attached to them as a couple. The ending was kind of a let down because this powerful king is taken down in a very unimpressive way that almost felt too easy. Thanks Netgalley for the e-ARC!

[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

[Ari · Rating 1 out of 5]

I do not know where to start on this one. The very initial premise (music-based magic system and the knights being all women) was interesting, but ultimately, nothing was done with these elements.

Very disappointed to keep seeing darker/POC character features still being compared to dirt. The MMC’s skin and eyes are likened to “damp earth” and we are explicitly told the FMC, MMC, and the FMC’s cousin are Black, but we are never given the same treatment for the other characters (except the king, who is described as pale). Especially unfortunate to see a POC author’s writing assume white as the default skin color. Additionally, no commentary is really made on the racism that the beginning of the book introduces us to.

The concept of female knights is quickly crushed. Without going into spoilers, there is an extremely icky, disgusting reason they are all women.

We also see married women rushing to cover up bruises, which feels very out of place in a YA book. Once again, we are told about these bruises, but they are never really talked about again.

The romance is the most instantaneous insta-love that I have ever read. There is no build up; we know the MCs like each other right from the get-go. In fact, the very first sentences they say about each other talk about how “he’s handsome” or “she’s pretty”. Overall, this made the characters feel like the IDEA of a character, but they are never brought to life.

There was also an event that served to separate the FMC and MMC. And the FMC had valid reasons to not trust him anymore, but “her friends” guilt her into thinking she’s being rude and that she spoke out of turn. Ultimately, she forgives him and even expresses the fact that she’s sorry for not forgiving him sooner?

I noticed an attempt at representing autism through one character (I won’t say who to prevent spoilers). But this felt very forced and underbaked. The character doesn’t like interacting with others, feels overstimulated in crowds, uses earplugs to shut out noise, and likes things organized in a particular manner (which actually made sense for what was being organized, so I don’t get how this was described as an unhealthy obsession, especially when it was part of the character’s JOB). Also, this character ends up killing someone, and the others excuse it by blaming their upbringing. This might not be the point the author wanted to make, but it felt like this supposed autism was part of the reasoning for the character to suddenly “spiral”.

To keep this short, I’ll make this my last talking point (I have many other notes though). The book also expressed some religious elements that ended up feeling more like the author’s own thoughts rather than religion effectively incorporated into the world. Even the FMC being shamed into forgiving the MMC’s actions felt like religious commentary. At one point, the MMC comments how he will always put the FMC first, but then he quickly amends his OWN sentence to include that God will still be first. I also don’t understand how the characters try to still emphasize God as their priority while calling the king “the God King” and also referring to the FMC as a goddess at one point (because she had dressed up and looked beautiful) - is that not a form of blasphemy? Religion can be a beautiful thing to add into worldbuilding or character’s personal ideologies, but the way this was implemented was definitely not for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press and Wednesday Books for providing me with a copy of this book.

[Kerri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions contained within are my own.

Though I don’t read as much young adult fantasy as I used to, there are a few authors that will get me to wander back to that age range in my favorite genre. Lauren Blackwood is definitely one of them! I loved both Within These Wicked Walls and Wildblood that were written by Blackwood. She has a way with words that truly brings the worlds she creates to life. So, when I was offered an e-ARC of her newest novel, Knight of the God King, I was immediately on-board!

This novels a young woman named Calliope. Cali has lived her life in the shadow of her spoiled cousin, who has dreams of becoming a knight of the kingdom. Knights use music to perform magic and it has been Cali’s job to make sure her cousin succeeds. But she has dreams of her own and a magic much more powerful than her cousin’s. When the personal knight to the God King is tragically killed in action, Cali sees this as her chance to finally get away from her aunt’s overbearing presence and live the life she’s dreamed of. But, perhaps, that life is not everything she thought it would be…

Once again, I am enamored with the world that Lauren Blackwood has created! I just love her writing, y’all, what can I say? She builds her worlds in a way that they come to life in my imagination. I can clearly picture the castle as Cali learns her way around, The Dark as she has her first exposure to what is expected of her as the knight of the God King. And that makes it so easy to lose myself in the story.

What maybe took me out of the story a bit was how Cali and Beric, her new squire, almost immediately fell in love with one another. I mean… I was expecting romance but it seemed like a lot in a very short amount of time. I would have loved if the relationship had had more time to grow and blossom. As it was, I found myself rolling my eyes at their declarations and pining. I will say, though, that I’ve never been a fan of insta-love, so this could totally be a me-thing.

Other than that, I was fascinated by the magic and the darkness that permeated the politics in this tale. I was intrigued by The Dark, the God King, and all the dancing his court had to do to maintain the status quo. I wish we had focused on that more than the romance, but at least I enjoyed what I got! How everything wrapped up in the end felt a teensy bit rushed, too, but I still happily went along for the ride, haha.

Overall, I had a great time with this tale, though I do wish there was more magic and action as opposed to kissing 😅 But, if you’re looking for an intriguing, dark YA romantasy, I think you should give this one a try!

[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🌟

[Jennifer · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Thanks to partners NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the digital ARC of Lauren Blackwood's Knight of the God King.

I picked up Lauren Blackwood's Knight of the God King as soon as I could because her book Within These Wicked Walls, a compelling, magic-infused retelling of Jane Eyre that I couldn’t put down. Her new book, a standalone fantasy novel with knights and squires and a king who is the only one who can hold back a horrific entity that brings death to all it touches—I kept picturing a black fog with scary creatures within—is equally page turning.

The book alternates points of view between Calliope and Beric. Cali is desperate to find new, better circumstances for herself by way of a position as the King’s Knight. Since her parents’ deaths, she has lived with her aunt, uncle, and cousin Anise. They are horribly resentful of their obligation to care for Cali and have let her feel that resentment every day she has lived with them. Her cousin has been trained as a knight—their magic rests in their ability to use music—but Cali is the true talent who learned all she could while helping Anise make it through the training.

We also learn about Beric, the Knight’s squire who must select the new Knight from a huge line of contenders. When Cali catches Beric’s attention, he knows immediately that she’s the right choice.

Complications ensue. Cali is whisked away immediately to live at the castle, which Anise just can’t accept, so she forces herself in as Cali’s “squire.” As Cali tries to move into life at the castle, the layers of falsehood peel back, one by one, revealing the ugly truth about the refuge she’d dreamed of. And Beric is no help, despite her early hope that he’ll be key to her escape. Instead, they’re instantly at odds.

The world building here is fabulous, and I love the way Blackwood crafts the magic system and the threat that comes ever closer to the lives of Calliope and Beric and everyone they care about. The characters are satisfyingly complex, and I was captivated from page one. The ending felt just a bit rushed . . . but I was also eagerly moving ahead to find out how the story would resolve. What a fabulous reading experience!

[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.

[Lit_Vibrations · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

Special thanks to the author & @coloredpagesbt @wednesdaybooks for my gifted copy‼️

If you’re looking for a dark YA romantasy novel that gives Legendborn meets Cinderella type vibes and the knight in shining armor just so happens to be the FMC add this to your TBR!

When Calliope was selected to be a Royal Knight to the God King sis thought she finally made it. No more being mistreated by her family she could finally be independent and free to live as she pleased. But that thought literally lasted for two seconds because here comes her cousin Anise being petty because she wasn’t chosen. If Anise blackmailing her wasn’t bad enough learning her duties and why the king required a knight was going to be way more than she bargained for.

I honestly didn’t know what to expect with this one because it starts off rather slow but halfway in I began to really enjoy the book. Beric and Cali had this love-hate type relationship which was really one sided. It was giving let me be mean to you so you don’t peep I really like you kinda vibes. I really liked the magical system in this and how the knights summoned magic but also how their squires could manipulate their magic along side them. It was Beric’s willingness to sacrifice himself for Cali that did it for me.

R͟e͟a͟d͟ t͟h͟i͟s͟ i͟f͟ y͟o͟u͟ l͟i͟k͟e͟ s͟t͟o͟r͟i͟e͟s͟ t͟h͟a͟t͟ f͟e͟a͟t͟u͟r͟e͟:
𝙳𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚕𝚢 𝚂𝚎𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚝𝚜
𝙰 𝚂𝚑𝚊𝚍𝚢 𝙸𝚖𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚊𝚕 𝙺𝚒𝚗𝚐
𝙵𝚊𝚖𝚒𝚕𝚢 𝙱𝚎𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚢𝚊𝚕
𝙿𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚛/ 𝙲𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚞𝚙𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗
𝙷𝚎 𝙵𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚜 𝙵𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝
𝙱𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚔𝚖𝚊𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐
𝙼𝚞𝚜𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕 𝙼𝚊𝚐𝚒𝚌 𝚂𝚢𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚖
𝙲𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚝 𝙿𝚘𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚜
𝙵𝚘𝚛𝚌𝚎𝚍 𝙿𝚛𝚘𝚡𝚒𝚖𝚒𝚝𝚢
𝙼𝚊𝚐𝚒𝚌 𝚃𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚏𝚎𝚛

Overall, I enjoyed the book! The character development, worldbuilding, and romance elements were well done. I loved the dual POV it made the romantic tension between Cali and Beric feel more authentic. The author also created a little mystery with keeping Cali’s family history a secret from everyone until the last quarter. This portion of the story is what gave me Cinderella vibes. If you love a good slow-burn YA romantasy or are new to fantasy this one is worth reading‼️

[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.