What do you think?
Rate this book
King of the Unblessed: Realm Immortal Book 1
Not yet published
Expected 1 Sep 26When Emery joins Dartmouth she's determined it be the ticket to her future as she escapes the chaos of her past. But when she meets glamorous, intoxicating Roux and her close-knit band of 'sirens', Emery soon discovers a dark power hidden deep beneath their lavish existence. A power she quickly decides she will take for herself, no matter the cost.
Audible Audio
Expected publication September 1, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
There is a lot to enjoy here if you come to it with the right expectations, and I didn’t. That’s on me.
Pillow has built a richly atmospheric world in the goblin realm Juliana stumbles into, and the writing is genuinely pleasant and humorous throughout. The literary DNA is fascinating too: echoes of Cinderella and Snow White sit alongside the stolen child motifs of Celtic folklore, and the labyrinthine underground world with its riddle-speaking creatures feels unmistakably Carroll-esque, perhaps most closely reminiscent of George MacDonald’s The Princess and the Goblin. If you love that lineage of stories, you’ll feel very much at home here.
There is a broader conversation worth having here about what it means to retell old tales in 2026. Spice and steam are not the same as modernisation. If we are returning to these classic frameworks, I want to understand why now, what new lens is being applied, what the retelling is asking us to question or reconsider. Without that, we are simply dressing old patriarchal structures in prettier prose, and at times this tipped into something that felt actively dehumanising and womanising.
Juliana exists largely to be feared for, rescued, desired and acted upon. Yes, she is the MC and must navigate and choose wisely between villains, but the walls of that agency are narrow, and beyond those choices she remains largely a passive object of the narrative rather than a driving force within it. A scene in which she is discovered kissing the villain, and visibly enjoying it, only for her brothers to immediately ask whether she has been “interfered with” crystallises this perfectly. Her own desire, present and clear in that moment, is erased entirely. She becomes once again something that can be damaged or protected, rather than a person making choices. And it isn’t only the romance that carries this weight. A throwaway line imagining the afterlife as a place where a man will be greeted by pretty women and mead lands less as period flavour and more as a window into how thoroughly the novel accepts the world it inhabits without ever questioning it. These moments accumulate. That isn’t nostalgic charm. That’s a problem.
The issue, otherwise largely mine, is that I’ve moved away from the kind of romantasy this is. The publisher’s blurb is admirably clear: darkly spellbinding, steamy fae romantasy, perfect for fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses. It delivers on that promise completely. I used to love this kind of book. I just find I no longer have the bandwidth for narratives built so heavily on patriarchal frameworks, and no amount of gorgeous atmosphere or charming prose can hold my attention past that now.
As Blomkvist argued recently, “book interpretation is the reader’s responsibility”. What does this book tell me about myself? That I’ve changed as a reader, and perhaps should have paid closer attention to what I was requesting on NetGalley.
Tillie Hooper’s narration is warm and well-paced, a genuine strength of this edition.
If old-school, darkly romantic fae fantasy is your thing, this will absolutely scratch that itch. An honest 2.75, rounded up in recognition of Pillow’s craft rather than my experience of it.
Pillow has built a richly atmospheric world in the goblin realm Juliana stumbles into, and the writing is genuinely pleasant and humorous throughout. The literary DNA is fascinating too: echoes of Cinderella and Snow White sit alongside the stolen child motifs of Celtic folklore, and the labyrinthine underground world with its riddle-speaking creatures feels unmistakably Carroll-esque, perhaps most closely reminiscent of George MacDonald’s The Princess and the Goblin. If you love that lineage of stories, you’ll feel very much at home here.
There is a broader conversation worth having here about what it means to retell old tales in 2026. Spice and steam are not the same as modernisation. If we are returning to these classic frameworks, I want to understand why now, what new lens is being applied, what the retelling is asking us to question or reconsider. Without that, we are simply dressing old patriarchal structures in prettier prose, and at times this tipped into something that felt actively dehumanising and womanising.
Juliana exists largely to be feared for, rescued, desired and acted upon. Yes, she is the MC and must navigate and choose wisely between villains, but the walls of that agency are narrow, and beyond those choices she remains largely a passive object of the narrative rather than a driving force within it. A scene in which she is discovered kissing the villain, and visibly enjoying it, only for her brothers to immediately ask whether she has been “interfered with” crystallises this perfectly. Her own desire, present and clear in that moment, is erased entirely. She becomes once again something that can be damaged or protected, rather than a person making choices. And it isn’t only the romance that carries this weight. A throwaway line imagining the afterlife as a place where a man will be greeted by pretty women and mead lands less as period flavour and more as a window into how thoroughly the novel accepts the world it inhabits without ever questioning it. These moments accumulate. That isn’t nostalgic charm. That’s a problem.
The issue, otherwise largely mine, is that I’ve moved away from the kind of romantasy this is. The publisher’s blurb is admirably clear: darkly spellbinding, steamy fae romantasy, perfect for fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses. It delivers on that promise completely. I used to love this kind of book. I just find I no longer have the bandwidth for narratives built so heavily on patriarchal frameworks, and no amount of gorgeous atmosphere or charming prose can hold my attention past that now.
As Blomkvist argued recently, “book interpretation is the reader’s responsibility”. What does this book tell me about myself? That I’ve changed as a reader, and perhaps should have paid closer attention to what I was requesting on NetGalley.
Tillie Hooper’s narration is warm and well-paced, a genuine strength of this edition.
If old-school, darkly romantic fae fantasy is your thing, this will absolutely scratch that itch. An honest 2.75, rounded up in recognition of Pillow’s craft rather than my experience of it.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I really enjoyed the audiobook ARC of Book 1 in the Realm Immortal Trilogy by Michelle M. Pillow. From the very beginning, I was pulled into the immersive world-building, magical elements, and the intrigue surrounding the characters and their journey. The story had a great balance of fantasy, romance, and action, which kept me engaged throughout the entire listen.
The audiobook narration added a lot to the experience and made it easy to stay invested in the story. I especially enjoyed the atmosphere and pacing — there was always something happening that made me want to keep listening “just one more chapter.” The chemistry between the characters was enjoyable, and I’m definitely interested to see where the trilogy goes next.
While there were a few moments where I wanted a little more depth or development, overall this was a really entertaining fantasy romance read/listen and a strong start to the series. Fans of magical worlds, romance, and adventurous fantasy stories will likely have a great time with this one.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to listen to and review this ARC audiobook ahead of release.
You can find my full review and more book content on TikTok: @readbystacey
The audiobook narration added a lot to the experience and made it easy to stay invested in the story. I especially enjoyed the atmosphere and pacing — there was always something happening that made me want to keep listening “just one more chapter.” The chemistry between the characters was enjoyable, and I’m definitely interested to see where the trilogy goes next.
While there were a few moments where I wanted a little more depth or development, overall this was a really entertaining fantasy romance read/listen and a strong start to the series. Fans of magical worlds, romance, and adventurous fantasy stories will likely have a great time with this one.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to listen to and review this ARC audiobook ahead of release.
You can find my full review and more book content on TikTok: @readbystacey
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
King of the Unblessed was a really enjoyable read that pulled me in quite quickly. I liked the mix of fantasy, romance, and darker elements, which made it easy to stay invested in the story.
The characters kept things interesting, and I enjoyed seeing how everything unfolded. It had a good balance of tension and emotion without feeling too heavy.
The audiobook narration by Lauren Fortgang was a great addition and really helped bring the story and characters to life. It made it even easier to stay immersed.
Not perfect, but definitely a solid read that kept me engaged and made me want to keep turning the pages.
The characters kept things interesting, and I enjoyed seeing how everything unfolded. It had a good balance of tension and emotion without feeling too heavy.
The audiobook narration by Lauren Fortgang was a great addition and really helped bring the story and characters to life. It made it even easier to stay immersed.
Not perfect, but definitely a solid read that kept me engaged and made me want to keep turning the pages.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I enjoyed parts of the story and thought it was well written in places. Personally, I struggled a little with the old English-style language, as it didn’t quite work for me even within the fantasy setting. I also found the frequent shifts between characters a bit confusing at times.
Overall, it was an okay read, just not one I would revisit myself.
Overall, it was an okay read, just not one I would revisit myself.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews