What do you think?
Rate this book
The Faerie Handmaid
Not yet published
Expected 15 Sep 26Return to Louisa Morgan's enchanting Arthurian world in The Faerie Handmaid, where magic, power, and destiny collide in a spellbinding coming-of-age tale.
When Braithe was left an acolyte on the Isle of Apples, she never dreamed she'd become handmaid to Morgana, the most powerful priestess in all of Camelud, but she is content to live out her days in service to the Priestess. But when a powerful mage comes to Morgana and Braithe with concerns that the new king of Camelud is being cursed by powerful fae magic the two must journey to the White City deep in fae country to investigate.
The magical city is nothing like Braithe imagined and the fae are cold and callous toward humans and quick to bewitch. Despite the constant threat of danger, Braithe just may be the key to discovering who is cursing the king, but to do so she will have to step into her own power and rely on the magic lurking inside her.
When Braithe was left an acolyte on the Isle of Apples, she never dreamed she'd become handmaid to Morgana, the most powerful priestess in all of Camelud, but she is content to live out her days in service to the Priestess. But when a powerful mage comes to Morgana and Braithe with concerns that the new king of Camelud is being cursed by powerful fae magic the two must journey to the White City deep in fae country to investigate.
The magical city is nothing like Braithe imagined and the fae are cold and callous toward humans and quick to bewitch. Despite the constant threat of danger, Braithe just may be the key to discovering who is cursing the king, but to do so she will have to step into her own power and rely on the magic lurking inside her.
- GenresFantasy
432 pages, Paperback
Expected publication September 15, 2026
About the author
Louisa Morgan
12 books1,660 followersLouisa Morgan is the author of A Secret History of Witches, The Witch’s Kind, and The Age of Witches. She's looking forward to the publication of The Great Witch of Brittany in 2022!
Louisa is a yogini, a musician, a mom, and a dog lover. She lives in scenic Northern Idaho with her family and her spirit familiar, Oscar the Border Terrier. Visit her at www.louisamorgan.net.
Louisa is a yogini, a musician, a mom, and a dog lover. She lives in scenic Northern Idaho with her family and her spirit familiar, Oscar the Border Terrier. Visit her at www.louisamorgan.net.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was my first time reading an arc (thanks NetGalley!), and I found The Faerie Handmaid to be a decent story which I enjoyed more than not - hence the three stars. I personally love all things faeries, witches, magic, etc. and this seemed like it would be right up my alley based on the summary. However, I do want to address the elephant in the room: I think this is actually a sequel to something else (I believe it is called The Faerie Morgana and was published last year)! Despite not being labelled literally anywhere, there consistently seemed to be references to past events that I was kind of confused about, as well as pretty much little to no world building and less characterization than I would normally expect in a first installation of a series or a standalone. At first, I assumed that this was because this book was loosely related to the legend of King Arthur, which not really knowing much about I assumed maybe was why I was confused. But actually not! Though this book could technically be read without reading its predecessor (as I did), I certainly would not recommend it, and I do believe doing so not-insignificantly hurt my enjoyment of this book. So I do feel a little unfair reviewing this as it is (as in maybe it would've gotten a higher rating from me if I had the context of the previous book), but given that nowhere is this marked as a sequel, I will still go ahead with my thoughts.
First of all, I think Louisa has a good writing style. Her writing is very clear and easy to read, and though normally I'm not a fan of little snippets of poem or "scripture" like things embedded in the text, I actually found Braithe's little recitations of Temple sayings very cute and charming (they attest to Louisa's ability to write pretty/poetic things too despite her very straightforward writing style). The clear writing in this book also lent itself well to what was a very understandable and non-confusing plot, which is a refreshing change from the sometimes overly complicated and under explained plotlines that do tend to litter the fantasy genre. In this book we follow a tri-POV including Braithe (the titular Faerie handmaid, who I would call the main character), the Priestess Morgana, and a third character who is introduced quickly,
Moving on, I also enjoyed the settings of this book quite a lot. There are three parts in this book which include three different settings (The Isle of Apples, The White City, and Camelud). All of these places were very interesting in their own way, though the majority of plot happens in the White City, which is essentially where all the faeries live. Another thing I liked about this book was the depiction of the faeries themselves! I am used to seeing faeries as generally wise, elegant, beautiful, cunning etc. in most other media, so it was quite amusing to see that that was definitely NOT the case here hehe. I always like to see it when authors can put their own spin on well-established tropes (or in this case, creatures), so for me the varied and unusual traits of the faeries in this book made it a lot more interesting.
I found the characters just OK. This is where I can't really give a completely fair review since I'm pretty sure Braithe and Morgana were both developed more in book one. In this book though, they both just seem generically "good" without there being much more to it, although I did enjoy Braithe's bravery and kindness and thought she was a protagonist who was easy to root for. Although the antagonists in this book were really flat (pretty much all just bigots of various flavors), and nobody exactly contained multitudes or real nuance (imo), I didn't find anyone (non-antagonist) offensive or annoying either, so there is that. There are not that many characters in this book in the first place, so it's not difficult to keep track of anyone or anything.
So all these points contributed to this book getting the three stars I gave it, but I did have some critiques (other than plot confusion that may have arrived from this being book 2) that prevented its rating from being any higher. For one, I think all the chapters (and in fact maybe even the entire book as a whole) were 20-30% too long. We had multiple POV switches per chapter, and every single chapter seemed to drag on longer than it needed to. I really wish Louisa stuck to one POV per chapter only and split the chapters into shorter chapters, but more of them if necessary. But even on that front, I think there was a lot of material that frankly could've been cut from this book. Nothing really interesting happens until , which happens at almost the 50% mark in this book. Before that point the book is honestly kind of boring, and a lot of that stuff could have been cut imo. And once we get to part 3 of the book, I also think the main story arc was pretty much over, and so this section was also kind of boring. I think this part could have been cut altogether, and an abbreviated version of it could have been added to the end of part 2 instead of getting its entirely own part. For these reasons, I was bored quite a few times while reading this and it took me way longer to finish this than books normally do since I wasn't always all that motivated to pick it up. This is usually a pretty bad sign for me and the main reason I wouldn't give this more than 3 stars despite its positives.
So all in all, I'd pretty much only recommend this to people who have already read and liked The Faerie Morgana or are huge fans of the legend of King Arthur. While it definitely wasn't a bad book or anything, I wouldn't really recommend this book to readers new to Louisa Morgan due to it essentially being a sequel and having some boring parts scattered throughout. I do love fantasy a lot, but this book was not exactly aligned with my favorite type of fantasy, so not sure if I would pick up another book from Louisa in the future.
First of all, I think Louisa has a good writing style. Her writing is very clear and easy to read, and though normally I'm not a fan of little snippets of poem or "scripture" like things embedded in the text, I actually found Braithe's little recitations of Temple sayings very cute and charming (they attest to Louisa's ability to write pretty/poetic things too despite her very straightforward writing style). The clear writing in this book also lent itself well to what was a very understandable and non-confusing plot, which is a refreshing change from the sometimes overly complicated and under explained plotlines that do tend to litter the fantasy genre. In this book we follow a tri-POV including Braithe (the titular Faerie handmaid, who I would call the main character), the Priestess Morgana, and a third character who is introduced quickly,
Moving on, I also enjoyed the settings of this book quite a lot. There are three parts in this book which include three different settings (The Isle of Apples, The White City, and Camelud). All of these places were very interesting in their own way, though the majority of plot happens in the White City, which is essentially where all the faeries live. Another thing I liked about this book was the depiction of the faeries themselves! I am used to seeing faeries as generally wise, elegant, beautiful, cunning etc. in most other media, so it was quite amusing to see that that was definitely NOT the case here hehe. I always like to see it when authors can put their own spin on well-established tropes (or in this case, creatures), so for me the varied and unusual traits of the faeries in this book made it a lot more interesting.
I found the characters just OK. This is where I can't really give a completely fair review since I'm pretty sure Braithe and Morgana were both developed more in book one. In this book though, they both just seem generically "good" without there being much more to it, although I did enjoy Braithe's bravery and kindness and thought she was a protagonist who was easy to root for. Although the antagonists in this book were really flat (pretty much all just bigots of various flavors), and nobody exactly contained multitudes or real nuance (imo), I didn't find anyone (non-antagonist) offensive or annoying either, so there is that. There are not that many characters in this book in the first place, so it's not difficult to keep track of anyone or anything.
So all these points contributed to this book getting the three stars I gave it, but I did have some critiques (other than plot confusion that may have arrived from this being book 2) that prevented its rating from being any higher. For one, I think all the chapters (and in fact maybe even the entire book as a whole) were 20-30% too long. We had multiple POV switches per chapter, and every single chapter seemed to drag on longer than it needed to. I really wish Louisa stuck to one POV per chapter only and split the chapters into shorter chapters, but more of them if necessary. But even on that front, I think there was a lot of material that frankly could've been cut from this book. Nothing really interesting happens until , which happens at almost the 50% mark in this book. Before that point the book is honestly kind of boring, and a lot of that stuff could have been cut imo. And once we get to part 3 of the book, I also think the main story arc was pretty much over, and so this section was also kind of boring. I think this part could have been cut altogether, and an abbreviated version of it could have been added to the end of part 2 instead of getting its entirely own part. For these reasons, I was bored quite a few times while reading this and it took me way longer to finish this than books normally do since I wasn't always all that motivated to pick it up. This is usually a pretty bad sign for me and the main reason I wouldn't give this more than 3 stars despite its positives.
So all in all, I'd pretty much only recommend this to people who have already read and liked The Faerie Morgana or are huge fans of the legend of King Arthur. While it definitely wasn't a bad book or anything, I wouldn't really recommend this book to readers new to Louisa Morgan due to it essentially being a sequel and having some boring parts scattered throughout. I do love fantasy a lot, but this book was not exactly aligned with my favorite type of fantasy, so not sure if I would pick up another book from Louisa in the future.
August 15, 2026
The Faerie Handmaid is a fantasy novel by Louisa Morgan set in the world of King Arthur. It is the second in a series, which I did not know upon starting the book, but the plot seemed distinctive enough that I didn’t have trouble catching up. The story relies heavily on Arthurian legend, which made the worldbuilding easy to follow.
However, I do think that the story being part of a series affected my experience. The plot moved very quickly in the beginning, spending very little time to develop our main characters. As such, I felt disconnected from Braithe and Morgana for most of the story. I’m sure they were more developed in the previous book, but I didn’t feel that their characterization was well-fleshed out in this story. I also felt uncomfortable with Morgana’s pet nickname for Braithe, as it is a negatively connotated word in English. However, Idhri, Braithe’s love interest, is well developed within the story, so I assumed he was a new or new-ish character.
The plotting of this book was disjointed. The story moves very quickly, accomplishing a lot without worrying about extensive character development. The worldbuilding for the White City is done in the context of conflicts, so it feels like it moves well. However, there seem to be three separate equally-impressive climaxes within the story. The first two felt far too early in the plot, and I felt that the third didn’t have the same level of impact. Each of our three characters is given a major battle against an opponent using magic or will, but those battles happen with chapters in between. I think I would have preferred a singular fight that all three characters engage in, rather than separating the conflicts and making the story feel garbled.
I enjoyed myself reading this book, and the layers of Arthurian legend were interesting. The story was engaging, and Idhri’s development in particular was well done. I do feel like reading this without reading the first book was a mistake, but I was able to follow the story enough to keep up.
Thank you to Orbit Books, Louisa Morgan and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy!
However, I do think that the story being part of a series affected my experience. The plot moved very quickly in the beginning, spending very little time to develop our main characters. As such, I felt disconnected from Braithe and Morgana for most of the story. I’m sure they were more developed in the previous book, but I didn’t feel that their characterization was well-fleshed out in this story. I also felt uncomfortable with Morgana’s pet nickname for Braithe, as it is a negatively connotated word in English. However, Idhri, Braithe’s love interest, is well developed within the story, so I assumed he was a new or new-ish character.
The plotting of this book was disjointed. The story moves very quickly, accomplishing a lot without worrying about extensive character development. The worldbuilding for the White City is done in the context of conflicts, so it feels like it moves well. However, there seem to be three separate equally-impressive climaxes within the story. The first two felt far too early in the plot, and I felt that the third didn’t have the same level of impact. Each of our three characters is given a major battle against an opponent using magic or will, but those battles happen with chapters in between. I think I would have preferred a singular fight that all three characters engage in, rather than separating the conflicts and making the story feel garbled.
I enjoyed myself reading this book, and the layers of Arthurian legend were interesting. The story was engaging, and Idhri’s development in particular was well done. I do feel like reading this without reading the first book was a mistake, but I was able to follow the story enough to keep up.
Thank you to Orbit Books, Louisa Morgan and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Rating: 2.5 stars
The Faerie Handmaid is a fantasy novel by Louisa Morgan set in the world of King Arthur. It is the second in a series, which I did not know upon starting the book, but the plot seemed distinctive enough that I didn’t have trouble catching up. The story relies heavily on Arthurian legend, which made the worldbuilding easy to follow.
However, I do think that the story being part of a series affected my experience. The plot moved very quickly in the beginning, spending very little time to develop our main characters. As such, I felt disconnected from Braithe and Morgana for most of the story. I’m sure they were more developed in the previous book, but I didn’t feel that their characterization was well-fleshed out in this story. I also felt uncomfortable with Morgana’s pet nickname for Braithe, as it is a negatively connotated word in English. However, Idhri, Braithe’s love interest, is well developed within the story, so I assumed he was a new or new-ish character.
The plotting of this book was disjointed. The story moves very quickly, accomplishing a lot without worrying about extensive character development. The worldbuilding for the White City is done in the context of conflicts, so it feels like it moves well. However, there seem to be three separate equally-impressive climaxes within the story. The first two felt far too early in the plot, and I felt that the third didn’t have the same level of impact. Each of our three characters is given a major battle against an opponent using magic or will, but those battles happen with chapters in between. I think I would have preferred a singular fight that all three characters engage in, rather than separating the conflicts and making the story feel garbled.
I enjoyed myself reading this book, and the layers of Arthurian legend were interesting. The story was engaging, and Idhri’s development in particular was well done. I do feel like reading this without reading the first book was a mistake, but I was able to follow the story enough to keep up.
Thank you to Orbit Books, Louisa Morgan and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy!
The Faerie Handmaid is a fantasy novel by Louisa Morgan set in the world of King Arthur. It is the second in a series, which I did not know upon starting the book, but the plot seemed distinctive enough that I didn’t have trouble catching up. The story relies heavily on Arthurian legend, which made the worldbuilding easy to follow.
However, I do think that the story being part of a series affected my experience. The plot moved very quickly in the beginning, spending very little time to develop our main characters. As such, I felt disconnected from Braithe and Morgana for most of the story. I’m sure they were more developed in the previous book, but I didn’t feel that their characterization was well-fleshed out in this story. I also felt uncomfortable with Morgana’s pet nickname for Braithe, as it is a negatively connotated word in English. However, Idhri, Braithe’s love interest, is well developed within the story, so I assumed he was a new or new-ish character.
The plotting of this book was disjointed. The story moves very quickly, accomplishing a lot without worrying about extensive character development. The worldbuilding for the White City is done in the context of conflicts, so it feels like it moves well. However, there seem to be three separate equally-impressive climaxes within the story. The first two felt far too early in the plot, and I felt that the third didn’t have the same level of impact. Each of our three characters is given a major battle against an opponent using magic or will, but those battles happen with chapters in between. I think I would have preferred a singular fight that all three characters engage in, rather than separating the conflicts and making the story feel garbled.
I enjoyed myself reading this book, and the layers of Arthurian legend were interesting. The story was engaging, and Idhri’s development in particular was well done. I do feel like reading this without reading the first book was a mistake, but I was able to follow the story enough to keep up.
Thank you to Orbit Books, Louisa Morgan and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
🧚♀️✨ The Faerie Handmaid by Louisa Morgan ✨🧚♀️
⭐️⭐️⭐️¾
Thank you so much to Orbit Books and NetGalley for the ARC!
There is just something about getting dropped into a beautifully built faerie world and slowly realizing there is WAY more going on than you first thought. 👀 And that was definitely my favorite part of this book.
I really enjoyed the mix of faerie lore, magic, and Arthurian mythology. The world felt layered and atmospheric without dumping a million details on me at once, and I loved discovering everything as Braithe did.
Braithe was also a character I enjoyed following. I liked that she didn't have all the answers and that I was often trying to piece things together right alongside her. There were definitely a few moments where I thought I had things figured out… only to question myself again. 😂
The pacing wasn't perfect for me. A couple sections dragged a little and I found myself wishing things would pick up, but the world and mystery kept me invested enough to push through.
Overall, this was a solid fantasy read with an intriguing magical world that I wouldn't mind spending more time in. The faerie elements were definitely the star for me, and I especially loved how the Arthurian influences were woven into everything.
3.75⭐️ — atmospheric, magical, and a world I genuinely enjoyed getting lost in. 🧚♀️🌙
⭐️⭐️⭐️¾
Thank you so much to Orbit Books and NetGalley for the ARC!
There is just something about getting dropped into a beautifully built faerie world and slowly realizing there is WAY more going on than you first thought. 👀 And that was definitely my favorite part of this book.
I really enjoyed the mix of faerie lore, magic, and Arthurian mythology. The world felt layered and atmospheric without dumping a million details on me at once, and I loved discovering everything as Braithe did.
Braithe was also a character I enjoyed following. I liked that she didn't have all the answers and that I was often trying to piece things together right alongside her. There were definitely a few moments where I thought I had things figured out… only to question myself again. 😂
The pacing wasn't perfect for me. A couple sections dragged a little and I found myself wishing things would pick up, but the world and mystery kept me invested enough to push through.
Overall, this was a solid fantasy read with an intriguing magical world that I wouldn't mind spending more time in. The faerie elements were definitely the star for me, and I especially loved how the Arthurian influences were woven into everything.
3.75⭐️ — atmospheric, magical, and a world I genuinely enjoyed getting lost in. 🧚♀️🌙
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
I really enjoyed The Faerie Handmaid. I think the world building was probably my favorite part of this one.
I loved getting pulled into the faerie world and learning more about the magic and lore as the story went on. There was a lot to discover, but it never felt like too much was being thrown at me at once. I could actually picture this world while I was reading, which I loved.
I also really enjoyed following Braithe and watching everything unfold around her. There were definitely moments where I was trying to figure things out right along with her.
Between the faeries, the magic, and the Arthurian elements, there was a lot here that worked for me. It was easy to get wrapped up in the world and want to keep learning more about it.
There were a few moments where I wanted things to move a little faster, but it never made me want to put the book down. I was still curious about what was going to happen and wanted to keep reading.
Overall, I just really enjoyed this one. I liked being in this world, I liked the magic, and I had a good time reading it. Sometimes that’s really all I need from a book.
I really enjoyed The Faerie Handmaid. I think the world building was probably my favorite part of this one.
I loved getting pulled into the faerie world and learning more about the magic and lore as the story went on. There was a lot to discover, but it never felt like too much was being thrown at me at once. I could actually picture this world while I was reading, which I loved.
I also really enjoyed following Braithe and watching everything unfold around her. There were definitely moments where I was trying to figure things out right along with her.
Between the faeries, the magic, and the Arthurian elements, there was a lot here that worked for me. It was easy to get wrapped up in the world and want to keep learning more about it.
There were a few moments where I wanted things to move a little faster, but it never made me want to put the book down. I was still curious about what was going to happen and wanted to keep reading.
Overall, I just really enjoyed this one. I liked being in this world, I liked the magic, and I had a good time reading it. Sometimes that’s really all I need from a book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Review is based on a free digital copy sent to me to review. Thank you NetGalley!
I would like to first say that I was unaware that there was another book that came before this, The Faerie Morgana. One of the main critiques I had was that there were several things that felt like they were missing context, however I know now that they were most likely referencing the other book so I have no issue with this! I really loved the retelling aspect of this story and also that romance was not a huge part of it. Braithe and Idhri are both wholesome lil cinnamon rolls and I want to give them both giant hugs. I loved the found family aspect and the accepting nature of the main trio of characters as well. The only other complaint I have is that it felt as if there were a bunch of mini climaxes to the story towards the end that may have been a bit unnecessary or could have possible be worked into one, more cohesive, climax. Overall I really enjoyed this and will be checking out more from the author!
I would like to first say that I was unaware that there was another book that came before this, The Faerie Morgana. One of the main critiques I had was that there were several things that felt like they were missing context, however I know now that they were most likely referencing the other book so I have no issue with this! I really loved the retelling aspect of this story and also that romance was not a huge part of it. Braithe and Idhri are both wholesome lil cinnamon rolls and I want to give them both giant hugs. I loved the found family aspect and the accepting nature of the main trio of characters as well. The only other complaint I have is that it felt as if there were a bunch of mini climaxes to the story towards the end that may have been a bit unnecessary or could have possible be worked into one, more cohesive, climax. Overall I really enjoyed this and will be checking out more from the author!
June 22, 2026
3.5/5 stars! My favorite character in the previous book, The Faerie Morgana, was without a doubt Braithe. She grows so much as a character. Yet, she still manages to grow even more in this next installment. This doesn’t seemed to be marketed as a series, but I definitely think it is. I can’t imagine reading this without having read the previous book. What I love about the author is their ability to take the Arthurian legend and retell it in such a unique way. They truly make it their own and twist it in unexpected ways. It’s admirable, considering the tale has been retold so many times. I didn’t enjoy this one as much as the first. It was a little slow at times and the took some time for the plot to get going. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed it. I sincerely hope there is another book planned to wrap things up. I have a feeling I will enjoy it even more!
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!*
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!*
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley for this read!
I really enjoyed this ARC. While I had a hard time with referring to the first novel in this series, it was well written. For being an Arthurian legend story, it was well written and engaging.
The three different settings of this book kept me engaged as a reader. Louisa Morgan did a great job with making faeries more true to original lore and made this book refreshing.
While having only a few characters may be abnormal for today’s fantasy realms, it was so nice to not feel overwhelmed with the characters and really get to know them.
My only issue was how long it took to get drawn in, which is completely subjective. It took about half the book to get to the point in the story where I wanted to continue. But it is worth it.
Would I recommend? Yes, in some setting for sure. But it is not a book for everyone. 4/5 stars for being something different and fun to read.
I really enjoyed this ARC. While I had a hard time with referring to the first novel in this series, it was well written. For being an Arthurian legend story, it was well written and engaging.
The three different settings of this book kept me engaged as a reader. Louisa Morgan did a great job with making faeries more true to original lore and made this book refreshing.
While having only a few characters may be abnormal for today’s fantasy realms, it was so nice to not feel overwhelmed with the characters and really get to know them.
My only issue was how long it took to get drawn in, which is completely subjective. It took about half the book to get to the point in the story where I wanted to continue. But it is worth it.
Would I recommend? Yes, in some setting for sure. But it is not a book for everyone. 4/5 stars for being something different and fun to read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you Netgalley for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
The Arthurian Legend retold in The Faerie Morgana had wrapped up so nicely I was not expecting a sequel but was pleased to jump back into the world Louisa Morgan had created.
Arthur is dead. Modred rules Camelud in his stead but a dark cloud hangs over the kingdom. Braithe and her mistress trace the source of that cloud to the White City, the home of the exiled fae. With the help of the young boatman Idhri, the trio journey to the land of the fae where they learn about their strange and often cruel way of life. While Morgana's magic is drained by the White City, it seems to nourish Braithe's, the young handmaid becoming an enchantress in her own right. Can they discover the source of the curse on Camelud before it is too late?
The Arthurian Legend retold in The Faerie Morgana had wrapped up so nicely I was not expecting a sequel but was pleased to jump back into the world Louisa Morgan had created.
Arthur is dead. Modred rules Camelud in his stead but a dark cloud hangs over the kingdom. Braithe and her mistress trace the source of that cloud to the White City, the home of the exiled fae. With the help of the young boatman Idhri, the trio journey to the land of the fae where they learn about their strange and often cruel way of life. While Morgana's magic is drained by the White City, it seems to nourish Braithe's, the young handmaid becoming an enchantress in her own right. Can they discover the source of the curse on Camelud before it is too late?
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
What an absolute delight and joy to return to Louisa Morgan’s Camulod. The cast of characters feels simultaneously fresh and familiar, beautifully presented in lyrical prose.
I thoroughly enjoyed watching the growth of Braithe, who peeved and drew pity from me in Morgana’s book. I found myself utterly invested in every character and view point, and I can only hope we get to see more from any of the lot.
The one thing of note is that the plot can feel a bit rushed through and only dusted upon about 75% of the way through the book. It may feel a bit rough or unresolved to some, that things happen for the sake of moving things along, but things catch up by the end, which I can excuse mostly for the sake that I think what needs to be accomplished is accomplished, and so I may overlook some pacing issues.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for access to this advanced copy.
I thoroughly enjoyed watching the growth of Braithe, who peeved and drew pity from me in Morgana’s book. I found myself utterly invested in every character and view point, and I can only hope we get to see more from any of the lot.
The one thing of note is that the plot can feel a bit rushed through and only dusted upon about 75% of the way through the book. It may feel a bit rough or unresolved to some, that things happen for the sake of moving things along, but things catch up by the end, which I can excuse mostly for the sake that I think what needs to be accomplished is accomplished, and so I may overlook some pacing issues.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for access to this advanced copy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This second installment in Louisa Morgan's Arthurian legend series was as spellbinding as the first. The Faerie Handmaid followed Morgana and Braithe in the aftermath of Arthur's death. With a young Mordred on the throne facing pressure from the Romans and an unknown, fae force, Morgana and her handmaiden journey to the White City to investigate. What they find is a beautiful, well organized city, slowly dying due to the apathy of its citizens. The social stratification, rampant racism, and adherence to rules and tradition over change is slowly destroying the fae and this is the climate Morgana and Braithe must navigate while trying to prevent whomever in the White City is undermining Mordred from causing the fall of Camelud.
This book moved at a faster pace than its predecessor and avoided the feeling that our main characters lacked agency. I loved it and the development we see in Braithe in particular.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the opportunity to read and review The Faerie Handmaid.
This book moved at a faster pace than its predecessor and avoided the feeling that our main characters lacked agency. I loved it and the development we see in Braithe in particular.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the opportunity to read and review The Faerie Handmaid.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
While I really enjoyed parts of this story, there were some places that felt a little repetitive and sometimes confusing.
There were a lot of references to a past conflict and it was never clearly spoken of. It felt like a mystery in the beginning which I liked but as the story progressed there was no detailed account of something that was brought up often. I also felt like some of the terms of endearment felt forced and out of place.
The characters were likable but also none really stood out to me. I feel like this was a good adventure but just missed some key elements for the characters.
⭐️Thank you NetGalley and Orbit Books for the electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review ⭐️
This book will be published September 15, 2026!
There were a lot of references to a past conflict and it was never clearly spoken of. It felt like a mystery in the beginning which I liked but as the story progressed there was no detailed account of something that was brought up often. I also felt like some of the terms of endearment felt forced and out of place.
The characters were likable but also none really stood out to me. I feel like this was a good adventure but just missed some key elements for the characters.
⭐️Thank you NetGalley and Orbit Books for the electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review ⭐️
This book will be published September 15, 2026!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 23, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! 3.5⭐️
The Faerie Handmaid follows Braithe, Priestess Morgana and their friends navigating a new challenge set in the realm of King Arthur to break a curse on the new king. This is my first experience with Louisa Morgan’s writing which was multi-view, fantasy and friendship forward. The author brings you along for the journey with twists, turns, and a satisfying wrap up. At times the writing feels a little repetitive, but ensures you don’t miss a thing. While is isn’t advertised as book 2, I think you would feel more connected to the characters if you first read, The Faerie Morgana. Good if you enjoy a female lead, problem solving - coming of age journey in realms with Fae and knights!
The Faerie Handmaid follows Braithe, Priestess Morgana and their friends navigating a new challenge set in the realm of King Arthur to break a curse on the new king. This is my first experience with Louisa Morgan’s writing which was multi-view, fantasy and friendship forward. The author brings you along for the journey with twists, turns, and a satisfying wrap up. At times the writing feels a little repetitive, but ensures you don’t miss a thing. While is isn’t advertised as book 2, I think you would feel more connected to the characters if you first read, The Faerie Morgana. Good if you enjoy a female lead, problem solving - coming of age journey in realms with Fae and knights!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I want to start by saying that this review is getting the rating it is because I didn’t know this was a sequel. It wasn’t labeled anywhere that I could see, otherwise I wouldn’t have picked it up. Because of that, there were quite a few references to the previous installment that left me confused at times.
That being said, I did enjoy this book and really liked the author’s writing style. The plot was somewhat predictable and didn’t surprise me much, but I thought the world-building was great, and I especially enjoyed the way the Arthurian legends were woven into the story.
Overall, I think I would have enjoyed this much more if I had read the first book beforehand.
Thank you to NetGalley, Louisa Morgan, and Orbit Books for the advanced reader copy!
That being said, I did enjoy this book and really liked the author’s writing style. The plot was somewhat predictable and didn’t surprise me much, but I thought the world-building was great, and I especially enjoyed the way the Arthurian legends were woven into the story.
Overall, I think I would have enjoyed this much more if I had read the first book beforehand.
Thank you to NetGalley, Louisa Morgan, and Orbit Books for the advanced reader copy!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Louisa Morgan delivers a spellbinding, atmospheric return to her Arthurian world. Shifting the focus to Braithe, Morgana’s trusted servant, the story takes us on a high-stakes journey into a dangerous, glittering fae court to save a cursed king. Braithe is a fantastic protagonist—fierce, loyal, and incredibly grounded. Her character growth from a quiet acolyte into a powerful force in her own right is deeply satisfying. With lush worldbuilding and intense magical stakes, this is a gorgeous, character-driven fantasy about female agency and hidden power. Fans of folklore and reimagined legends will absolutely devour it.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was a fun read. “The Faerie Handmaid” continues the story we started with Morgana and Braithe in “The Faerie Morgana.” This book focuses more on Braithe’s growth and magic. It doesn’t have as much connection to the original story of Camelot, Arthur, and Merlin as the first book, however, it was just as interesting but not as familiar in setting. The writing was just as good but there were some small inconsistencies in pacing that have more to do with the storyline than any fault in the writing.
#TheFaerieHandmaid #NetGalley #Orbit #Redhook
Thank you to Orbit Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
#TheFaerieHandmaid #NetGalley #Orbit #Redhook
Thank you to Orbit Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 15, 2026
The Faerie Handmaid followed Morgana and Braithe in the aftermath of Arthur's death. With a young Mordred on the throne facing pressure from the Romans and an unknown, fae force, Morgana and her handmaiden journey to the White City to investigate. Between the faeries, the magic, and the Arthurian elements, there was a lot here that I enjoyed.
Overall, This wasn't a bad read—it simply never reached the emotional payoff I was looking for. The ideas behind the story are compelling, but I found myself wanting stronger character development and a smoother execution to fully bring them to life.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Overall, This wasn't a bad read—it simply never reached the emotional payoff I was looking for. The ideas behind the story are compelling, but I found myself wanting stronger character development and a smoother execution to fully bring them to life.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I enjoyed The Faerie Handmaid overall. The story and characters were engaging, and I especially enjoyed the Arthurian and faerie elements. While the pacing felt a little slow at times, I still found the book enjoyable and easy to follow.
I haven’t read the other books in the series, but I didn’t feel lost coming into this one. The story provided enough context to make it accessible as a standalone read, while still feeling like part of a larger world.
I would recommend The Faerie Handmaid to readers who enjoy Arthurian retellings, especially those looking for a story with magic, fae, and strong female characters.
I haven’t read the other books in the series, but I didn’t feel lost coming into this one. The story provided enough context to make it accessible as a standalone read, while still feeling like part of a larger world.
I would recommend The Faerie Handmaid to readers who enjoy Arthurian retellings, especially those looking for a story with magic, fae, and strong female characters.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This it's very quick and interesting read that was very written. I however did not know going into it that it was a sequel so some parts were a little confusing but most of it could be inferred with context clues. My only issue and the reason I didn't give it a higher rating was because there were several potholes especially when I came to the magic system and the way it was used and worked. I get that some of it might have been done that way to add mystery and suspense but it just came across as being unnecessary. Overall it was a delightful read that can definitely be read as I stand alone without too many problems.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Return to Louisa Morgan's enchanting Arthurian world in The Faerie Handmaid, where magic, power, and destiny collide in a spellbinding coming-of-age tale.
From acolyte to handmaid to the most powerful priestess.
But is she the key to figuring out who is cursing the king.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own and am leaving this review voluntarily.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
From acolyte to handmaid to the most powerful priestess.
But is she the key to figuring out who is cursing the king.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own and am leaving this review voluntarily.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 I was a bit confused at first since there is a lot of references to past events that are not explained then I did a little research and realized it was a second book. There is no mention of the first book in the synopsis or on the cover. Which hurt my enjoyment a bit. Although I did love Braithe, and her coming into her power. The spin on Arthurian legends was fun. I do think I will go read the first one, since I think that’s more about Morgana. Fun read overall.
September 3, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for an ARC of The Faerie Handmaid! I enjoyed seeing Braithe come into her own individual person in this book. Filled with fae, magic, and Arthurian Britain tropes galore, this book is a solid follow up to The Faerie Morgana. The evolution of the story is a bit slow, but introduces a new dynamic and some old characters and new ones. I’m so happy with how it turned out for Braithe!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This was such a lovely sequel. I read the first and second back to back after realizing that it was the second book in a series. I really loved Braithe’s development as a character and the sort of “coming into her own” that occurred over the course of the story as she interacted with more and more fae. It was an enjoyable read, I got through it in a day without trying.
This was such a lovely sequel. I read the first and second back to back after realizing that it was the second book in a series. I really loved Braithe’s development as a character and the sort of “coming into her own” that occurred over the course of the story as she interacted with more and more fae. It was an enjoyable read, I got through it in a day without trying.
June 10, 2026
Thank you Louisa for the Arc!! I will read anything Louisa writes!!! This world is so beautiful and full of magic. I savored every page! The characters are chefs kiss!!! Some I loved more than others! Pre order this book and enjoy this world full of magic and possibilities! Hopefully we continue to get more of these characters!!!!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for a honest review*
I could not get into this book. I dnfed at 25%. I couldn’t figure out what I was supposed to care about and why I was reading.
I could not get into this book. I dnfed at 25%. I couldn’t figure out what I was supposed to care about and why I was reading.
August 9, 2026
Review of advanced copy from NetGalley
When I finished The Faerie Morgana, I was unsure if a second book was necessary. After finishing The Faerie Handmaid, I'm not sure that this sequel needed to be written, but I certainly enjoyed my time with the lush prose, fantastic characters, and immersive setting.
Louisa Morgan really makes sure that every moment, down to the granular word and sentence components, makes you feel like you're really in Camelud. I would pick my head up from reading The Faerie Handmaid and find myself a bit disoriented which is an unbelievably powerful feeling to inspire in a reader. The plot of this installment read a little bit slower for me than the first, but I loved the time spent in the White City and the worldbuilding Morgan created there. I found Idhri's character and arc to be a little bit random, and his story was really the only point where I questioned why Morgan chose to continue the story.
Outside of the immersive world building, the best part of The Faerie Handmaid was Braithe's character development. I so enjoyed reading about her coming into her own, building her confidence, and ultimately letting go of her status as Morgana's handmaid for the greater good. I loved where this book ended.
The Faerie Morgana and The Faerie Handmaid did a wonderful job of maintaining the comforting elements of Arthur's Camelot while feeling like fresh and interesting female-centered stories. I look forward to reading Louisa Morgan's other work.
When I finished The Faerie Morgana, I was unsure if a second book was necessary. After finishing The Faerie Handmaid, I'm not sure that this sequel needed to be written, but I certainly enjoyed my time with the lush prose, fantastic characters, and immersive setting.
Louisa Morgan really makes sure that every moment, down to the granular word and sentence components, makes you feel like you're really in Camelud. I would pick my head up from reading The Faerie Handmaid and find myself a bit disoriented which is an unbelievably powerful feeling to inspire in a reader. The plot of this installment read a little bit slower for me than the first, but I loved the time spent in the White City and the worldbuilding Morgan created there. I found Idhri's character and arc to be a little bit random, and his story was really the only point where I questioned why Morgan chose to continue the story.
Outside of the immersive world building, the best part of The Faerie Handmaid was Braithe's character development. I so enjoyed reading about her coming into her own, building her confidence, and ultimately letting go of her status as Morgana's handmaid for the greater good. I loved where this book ended.
The Faerie Morgana and The Faerie Handmaid did a wonderful job of maintaining the comforting elements of Arthur's Camelot while feeling like fresh and interesting female-centered stories. I look forward to reading Louisa Morgan's other work.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews