Liar's Blood

by R. L. Newt

It was a simple trade: Fyren’s life for her twin’s. Then a stranger’s blood changed everything.

Born in the shadow of ruthless dogma, Fyren has one aim: protect her twin sister. So when the gods mark her twin for death, Fyren takes her place.

But her sacrifice goes awry. Instead of dying, Fyren wakes among her enemies, revived by their magic, with their violet blood in her veins. And, her twin remains trapped in the cult of their upbringing. Only Fyren can save her, but there’s one complication: Fyren’s rescuers aren’t about to let her go.

Not when she might be the key to saving their kingdom.

Fyren plots her escape in earnest. But as a forbidden power emerges, foreign threats loom, and the line between friend and enemy thins, it becomes clear that fleeing her saviors turned captors is hardly Fyren’s biggest problem. Unwittingly, she finds herself at the center of a centuries-old conflict——one in which a single wrong move will tip her world into chaos.

Genres: Dark Fantasy, Fantasy

610 pages, Paperback

First published May 4, 2026

Reviews

[R. L.]

Hey folks. Newt here (*waves awkwardly*).
This is just a quick note from me to (a) say hi, and (b) share the full content warning/list so y'all know what you're getting into with Liar's Blood.

Growing up, I probably would have benefitted from more adhd meds and fewer fundamentalist dogmas. Things didn't pan out that way, so I coped by writing this book. I wrote Liar's Blood for ex-fundies like me: fellow humans who, upon realizing they'd spent their early lives facing the back wall of a cave, decided to brave the light. I wrote it especially for those set things on fire while on their way out.

This book is a bit of everything. It's dark fantasy, with both romance and swords-and-sorcery elements. There's love and heartbreak, betrayal and loss. There's also trauma, ptsd, and the glorious fish-out-of-water cringe that every ex-cult member knows on a visceral level. I would also like to think there are parts of it that are funny, but as I tend to have gallows-adjacent humor, that may not be your impression.

Anyways. Thanks for reading my (massive) book. Books 2 and 3 are in the works, and for regular updates you can usually find me sh1tposting on Threads under @newt_writes_fantasy.

Content Notes
Liar’s Blood contains the following potentially triggering topics:
Death
Violence and gore
Domestic violence
Implied sexual assault, incl. rape, incest, and child marriage
Sexual content
Fantasy racism
Genocide
Profanity
Religious trauma and abuse
Mental illness, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety
Kidnapping
Suicidal ideation and attempt
Disordered eating
Starvation
Maiming and torture
Substance abuse
Sterility and infertility
Neurological decline
Mind control


This is a dark story in a dark world, where even the “good” characters are deeply flawed. If you want a cozy read, this is not it. I’ve compiled the above list to the best of my awareness, but in case I left something off, here are some general principles for how I write potentially triggering topics:
(1) I don’t pull punches on depictions of mental illness, religious abuse, and trauma.
(2) There are several mentions of sexual assault in this book, but no graphic descriptions thereof.
(3) There are no pet deaths. Rule of thumb: if the animal is cuddly and has a name, it’s safe. Monsters are fair game.

And please, for the ever-loving f*ck, DO NOT eat hemlock in any form. It will kill you. And please don’t attempt to replicate any of the medical procedures or the use of real-life plants/herbs described in this book. They will also probably kill you.

Happy reading!

[Nathaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most impressive debut I have ever read. This book deserves Brandon Sanderson level fans, and I'm sure that this series is going to be one of my all-time favourite fantasy series. The writing is rich, the characters are real, the themes are heavy, the world is well crafted...I have no complaints.

[Jake Mccoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Firstly, this book delivers on everything Newt says it does — and more. I had the absolute pleasure (and heartbreak) of getting to read an ARC copy of this masterclass in Original Worldbuilding, slow burn romance, will they/wont they, and unique magic. Every single character’s emotions are felt deeply on the page, with unique tendencies and tics to match their experiences and traumas. The reveals are done brilliantly and carried through to the very end, but - and I mean this from the depths of my soul - screw you for those character deaths. Just plain unfair.

[Eternity's Raven · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really strong debut dark fantasy book and a great start to a new series.

Exploring themes of religious trauma, anxiety, and rage, this book kept me on tenterhooks throughout, and I spent the entire time really rooting for the FMC because her life bloody sucked.

Newt crafts a really interesting fantasy world from the get go and the lore and magic system is explored and explained in a very natural way as the story progresses, so you are learning with Fyren, our FMC, rather than having things thrown at you in one giant dump the way some books tend to do to get you up to speed quickly.

The weird moon stuff that was promised in the promotion of this book 100% delivered and added a cool layer to the magic system in this book. And it also allowed the book to explore grief and atonement and acceptance in a manner that was quite moving.

The relationships and how they are explored in this story are all really compelling. The female friendships in particular that slowly develop throughout the book are so nice to read and I loved seeing the empowerment of each other and the slow growth of the bonds.

Fyren as a FMC was someone I just rooted for the entire time. She is impulsive and has poor emotional regulation but it so perfectly fits how she was raised and the things she had dealt with, that it added a real depth to her character. How she pushed past her trauma, how she fought for herself when she could, was so inspiring.

Over all I was enthralled by this book and am very interested to see where this series is taken. Be warned, it ends on a nail biting cliff hanger!

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

R.L. Newt delivers everything they promise and more in their debut fantasy, Liar’s Blood!

I had the absolute priveledge of reading an advanced copy of this book thanks to Newt and I was in awe from page 1 at this story. I was immediately drawn in by the atmosphere of The Host compound, where Fyren and her twin sister live a rigid, controlled life.

The sheltered Fyren soon discovers the world is much more complicated than she knew from behind the compound walls, as she’s thrown into the center of a destiny for a world she knows nothing of.

Every single character in this book can easily stand on their own. They are fully realized and rooted in their own complicated motivations. The multi-POV approach really worked for this story, giving glimpses into the minds of more than just Fyren. It creates a unique pulse check on the story’s broader implications.

While the story is very character-driven, the world-building is incredible. The world is completely unique and richly developed. I’m personally a huge fan of getting as much world-building information as possible very early in a story, but as a reader, you very much walk alongside Fyren as she crash-lands in a culture so unlike the restrictive world she knew. Her experience as she unlearns harsh religious control and doctrine felt incredibly real throughout the story.

I am just so incredibly impressed by and in love with the world Newt has created. It is a strong debut fantasy that can hold its own amongst the many beloved series in this genre. Newt took something deeply personal and turned it into a journey accessible to any reader as they join Fyren for this chapter of her life.

[thekryptidreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I usually wait a few days to write my reviews, but I just finished the ARC of this book and I think I need to write this now. I do not say this lightly: everyone who loves dark epic fantasies needs to preorder this book and read it three days ago so I can scream and cry alongside other people.

We are thrown into the midst of this cruelty from the very first page with Fyren in her cult known ominously as The Host lead by the Father who emotionally and religiously manipulates everyone under him. I actively hope from the first page for Fyren to rot and die to free her from the pain of constantly being told she was born wrong and the gods hate her simply for existing. But rotting doesn’t end the cruelty of Fyren’s world, it just opens her eyes to what the rest of the world is capable of. Filled with political turmoil hidden under a thin veil of lies, Fyren finds herself lost in a world she barely understands.

As a reader, we are just as new to this world as Fyren, yet Newt doesn’t immediately give us any answers. We have to work for an understanding of the world and put pieces together as the characters do, which is my favorite type of story telling and lore dumping. I’m usually very satisfied with myself when I can figure something out before the characters, but doing that with Liar’s Blood only made me more and more horrified about how terrible this world could be to one person. And for some reason, the horror only made me want to read more. It made me root for Fyren harder every time even though, at times, she really annoyed me. When Newt said that these characters were flawed, they weren’t a lie! Be prepared to not agree with a lot of what Fyren and those around her do, and be prepared to love them anyways.

If dark epic fantasy is your jam like it is mine, make sure you RUN to preorder this book, out May 4th.

[Benjamin Wolfe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me preface this by saying that I interact with the author on social media, and she's a lovely person. However, this is not a paid review, I bought it before it released and waited impatiently for it for months. It's not my usual cup of tea, but as I discovered, sometimes different flavours of tea are surprisingly delightful.

It's a breathtaking debut. I don't have a lot of authors I like -- I find that the quality of fiction has gone right in the toilet in the last thirty years or so.

"Liar’s Blood" is a dark fantasy that feels less like an escape from the world and more like being dragged into a world of old gods, broken oaths, religious cruelty, political rot, blood magic, exile, prophecy, and people who keep surviving long after survival just seems mean.

At the heart of the book is Fyren, who is one of the most compelling fantasy protagonists I’ve read in a long time. She is incredibly complex, with multiple competing motivations and feelings, and deeply, painfully human even when the world around her keeps trying to turn her into something else. She is, at different times, a sacrifice, a weapon, a monster, a tool, and a symbol. What makes her work so well is that she is not strong in the shallow, invulnerable, Mary Sue sense. Her strength is messy and often derives from painful experience. It is full of panic, self-loathing, bad decisions, tenderness, rage, and the desperate need to protect the few people she loves.

The emotional core of the book is devastating. I'm not going to give it away, but damn. My heart. Ow.

The worldbuilding is dense in the best way. The author gives us a setting that feels ancient, religiously oppressive, culturally fractured, and politically alive without constant breaks for clumsy exposition. The logical, well-considered design all give the impression of a setting that existed long before page one and will continue bleeding after the final page. And it's all done without any sign of the "woman behind the curtain." I didn't realize how rich and sensibly designed the world was until I was halfway through the book.

Its definitely grim, but not garishly grim. There is beauty found throughout, in loyalty, tenderness, and in redemption.

I especially loved how the book handles religion and prophecy. This is not a story where prophecy feels like a convenient plot device. It feels like a trap. It is a mechanism people use to justify cruelty, control, sacrifice, and political ambition. The gods and their followers cast long shadows, and the horror of the book often comes not from monsters, but from institutions that have made suffering holy. There are some pretty spot-on reflections of the real world, but again, it's subtle, unlike many authors who try this and end up having you think, "Ah, the Pape of the Hoary Catlick Church, wonder where they got that idea from?"

The prose is lush, sharp, and immersive. It doesn't read with any of the clumsiness you might expect from a first novel. It can be brutal without feeling gratuitous, romantic without becoming soft, and emotionally intense without losing control of the larger plot. There are scenes of violence and trauma that hit hard, but the book earns them because it never treats pain as decoration. Everything matters. There's no set dressing, no easy outs. It's intense.

This is definitely not cozy fantasy, and more sensitive readers should definitely pay attention to the content warnings at the front of the book. While it's dark, sometimes harrowing, and often emotionally punishing, it's also gripping, ambitious, and fiercely alive. I ended up caring quite a bit about the characters.

For readers who like dark epic fantasy with complicated women, morally compromised allies, religious trauma, dangerous romance, political intrigue, prophecy with teeth, and subtle worldbuilding, Liar’s Blood is absolutely worth picking up. It is harsh, beautiful, and unforgettable.

[Lizzybeths · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had initially blocked off a week to read this book, but I found that I couldn't put it down and finished it in a day. Newt's writing and world building captures you from the first sentence. Liar's Blood is equal parts painful and cathartic, full of rage and grief and set in a stunning, well-developed world. This book has everything: a cult that eerily grabs your attention, characters wired like dynamite, and a grim world with intricate politics on the brink of collapse. Newt captures trauma and conflict and inner struggle to a remarkable degree, and this book (which is a debut???? what????) is a testament to her talents as a writer.

[R.M. Krogman, Dark and Epic Fantasy Author · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Liar's Blood" by R. L. Newt is a wonderful, bingeable dark fantasy overflowing with fascinating races and animals, powerful and deadly oaths enforced by the gods, and religious trauma. The female MC, Fyren, is a young woman who, though stubborn and extremely naive, may be relatable for many readers. She was raised in a small, rigid patriarchal community with strict religious beliefs, harsh punishments, and limited freedoms, with the tradeoff being that she was safe from the extremely dangerous outside world where starvation, war, and deadly beasts could easily take one's chance at the life. She lives in the Fringe, the semi-neutral zone between kingdoms in conflict, and life feels like it hangs on a knife edge.

When she dies (I'm not spoiling, I swear! The opening lines are "Even before they rotted her, Fyren wasn’t particularly fond of the gods. Her scars would imply the feeling was mutual. It thus came as no surprise when, on the eve of the Winnowing, she awoke with the taste of bile in her mouth and the gripping sense that she was going to die."), Fyren finds herself suddenly in a world that is nearly flipped from what she knows, in every sense, and a huge part of her journey is coming to terms with what she really believes about herself and her relationship with the world.

The prose carries the reader along in its current, the pacing is just right, and the dialogue is well done. Characters are unique from each other and consistent in their attitudes and voices, and they all have their own histories and personal beliefs. The world is well-rounded and feels large even though we only visit a handful of places on the map so far. The story is told from third-person limited POV, primarily Fyren and the male side character Sar with a few others sprinkled in. The author never headhops which truly embeds the reader in Fyren's limited worldview and subsequent discoveries.

As an allegory for religious trauma and subsequent departure from a faith, followed by pursuit of new norms, this book is not subtle and does not hesitate to confront the reader. Fyren's journey is not easy. She is frequently wracked by shame and guilt, worry for those she left behind, concern she may be in the wrong, and confusion as she tries to re-align her perception of people being good/kind or bad/evil. She experiences loss and plenty of things she is not comfortable with. She finds some joy. Her experience is extreme, from one end to the other, and may not be for everyone as a reader, but the contrast is intentional. Fyren is transformed by one death, which is only the beginning of a fascinating arc.

This book is a dark fantasy first and foremost. It has hints of epic (Book 2 is coming!) and romance (but that's not the focus). It has plenty of action and adventure. Fyren is not only stubborn, she is resilient and willing to sacrifice for others. She is naive, but willing to learn, observant, and somewhat strategic minded. She is a character worth reading about. I look forward to the next book!

[Eric Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an absolutely AMAZING book. The story was tense and engaging, the characters were deep and fully realized, the world was dense and wonderfully developed, and the writing could easily stand up against some of the best fantasy books I’ve read in the last few years.

Fryan is a deep and brilliantly crafted character, full of trauma and conflicting emotions, whose depth is slowly unearthed over the course of the story. R.L. Newt takes time and care to peel back Fryan’s layers and unpack her past, revealing things piece by piece to draw you along through the book. You might not always agree with the choices she makes, but you completely understand her as a character and feel for her in every way.

While the story is deeply character-driven, there is also a ton of interesting and compelling plots that are gripping and make you want to keep reading just a little more. It’s a long book, but it never felt like it dragged or that there was any wasted space.

It also does what some of the very best books in Fantasy and Sci-Fi are able to do: talk about something deeply personal and relatable while still being completely of the world it's in. The ongoing theme of unpacking religious trauma is handled extremely well and paints such a vivid picture. I know from following her on social media how deeply personal the theme was for the author, and that thoughtfulness can be seen everywhere.

The last thing I’ll say is that just on a page-by-page and line-by-line level, the writing is phenomenal. You can tell how much care and effort were put into the writing because it’s apparent on every single page. This level of craft is so much more impressive considering that it's her debut.

This book is outstanding, and I can’t wait for more people to see what R.L. Newt has created.

[Biblioamory (Joyce) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this as an ARC from the author. All views expressed are my own.

Recommended - For the epic fantasy lovers, who don’t mind frustrating characters

Epic fantasy - moderate spice, FM romantic sort of subplot

This was immersively wonderful. I’m not sure I have another way to put it.

You can tell that Newt put some serious time into her worldbuilding (she had a 67 page document!) because there seemed to always be something new cropping up that I had questions about, for which she had an answer.

This was incredibly well-written and structured. One of my big struggle points with high fantasy is that the need to describe the world sometimes results in word-heavy descriptions. Although descriptive, I never felt overwhelmed by what was being described; it felt suitable and appropriate.

And look, she’s a chonk, right? This is a big book but, if you were to ask me, I’m not really sure what could, or should, have been left out. It was important to really get a feel for the experiences of Fyren at each stage that we ended up being present for. In that sentence, I would say that the structure, and pacing, of the book was as well-considered as it could be as well.

I will say that I found both Fyren and Sar incredibly frustrating. For that reason, I didn’t particularly like either of them lol. Like, they had their good reasons for being the way they both were, but I really just wanted to shake them both a lot, maybe conk their heads together a few times. It is a true testament to Newt’s writing and characterisation that I didn’t just give up, frankly.

And the book hangover after this one was a right bastard.

So yeah, good stuff, you should absolutely check this out.

[Aurelia Quick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chocked full of trauma in the best way

I finished reading Liar’s Blood in a day and a half, I just couldn’t put it down. Fyren’s journey was incredible, her trauma was so raw and real. Her devotion to her sister was touching and I couldn’t wait to see them reunited.

Though I found myself frustrated by the way Fyren is treated by everyone but Yestin. It was really hard to root for anything good happening to anyone aside from the two of them, because it is so blatantly obvious during the bulk of the book that no one else’s interactions with Fyren are genuine.

I particularly hated Aeredys, but Sarwyn also is not exactly my favorite, which made the connection he and Fyren finally make towards the end of the book hard to enjoy. Hopefully he will grovel in the next book but, as it stands I was definitely not a fan.

I am really curious to see where this all goes. R. L. Newt’s prose is immaculate, very easy to get lost in, her characters are very well written (even the ones I didn’t like), and I enjoyed the unique blood oath based magic system as well as the rest of the worldbuilding. It felt like these were real places that Fyren was traversing and real people she was encountering.

I recognize this book just came out, so there is probably going to be a bit of a wait before the next book, but I will definitely be picking up a copy.

[Adrielle Reina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow.

I have read a lot of fantasy in my life and I can’t believe this is a debut (I can because we are moots on socials and I’m familiar with R.L., but holy guacamole).

Fyren is such a strong and fully-realized character and her journey isn’t the typical “hero’s journey.” I love the thought and care put into her character, her trauma, and unpacking her whole life and beliefs, really. This book is a love letter to being your authentic self and not letting your past define you.

It has a cliffhanger, which didn’t bother me because I thought it made sense for the second book from a storytelling standpoint.

The prose is also really lovely and the worldbuilding is immersive.

To me, this was like reading my favorite Cornelia Funke books but for an adult audience. It has that magic and whimsy to it.

Just read it. Trust.

[Kate Lawhon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liar's Blood is an absolutely amazing debut from R. L Newt!!! This book is incredible in so many different ways. It has compelling twisted characters that you still want to root for, intricate blood oath magic, unique creatures, and the world building makes you want to know more. Every question answered left more in its place and leaves you hanging on every word till the last page.

Newt did a perfect job weaving Fyren's PTSD and trauma into the story in realistic ways. One part in particular made me tear up since I grew up in an evangelical circle and purity culture.
I can't wait to see where the next book takes us!

[Hope Kidd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daaaaaang, this book! I was hooked right away and for the last 10 days, I've had so much fun being part of the world RL Newt created. The world-building is truly incredible. It's kind of hard to believe that an entire world came out of someone's mind. Newt created a solid history, a language, names, people groups, characters, the geography, etc of this world. The plot is intriguing all the way through; never once did it feel too slow. The characters are human and flawed, and therefore believable and likable (well, except the villains). I thoroughly enjoyed this read and would recommend to anyone, whether fantasy is your go-to genre or not.

[Natti · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, I want to thank the author for the opportunity to read the book before its official publication date. I rarely leave reviews, but since I received an ARC and really, really enjoyed it, I feel like I have to let people know just how great it is. The writing, the world building, the characters, everything is amazing, and if I didn't know, I'd never guess it's the author's first work.
Such a good book! I was hooked from the first page, and I haven't been this excited about a debut in a really long time.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

R. L. Newt built an immersive world—it’s complex, high-stakes, and completely pulled me in.

If you are a fan of N.K. Jemisin or the Magician's nephew from C.S. Lewis, you’ll appreciate the style of this book; it’s a gripping, fast-paced narrative that doesn't sacrifice depth for speed. The world-building is intricate and masterful, forcing you to navigate intense political landscapes and moral gray areas. A fantastic start to a trilogy that I highly recommend for anyone who loves epic fantasy with a dark edge."

[Judy Liu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Newt's prose. That was the first thing that drew my attention as I dived in. Her world-building is epic and layered- I love how it's all dropped throughout the story and woven, from the main character's home and principles and how they shaped her to the larger world and politics as her world expands - from the different people, the moon, and special abilities.

I'm not typically a dark fantasy reader, but I thoroughly enjoyed the plot, the characters (I'm screaming angrily at our main), and the writing!

[Saarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

so the ending has stressed me out 🥺 forgive my incoherent thoughts.

All I'm saying is Fyren deserves everything good which totally wasn't the case in this book and how stressful the entire plot was 🤣😭.

the world building was very interesting and the whole emphasis on blood oaths caught my attention.


Fyren and Ekka 🥺 Fyren and Yestin 🥺 I really like how Fyren's character and trauma were written.

[Elle Clove · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This book has a lot of heavy world building but by the end i felt fully immersed and ready for the next in the series. Thoroughly enjoyed. Left with more questions than answers at the end, so can't wait to see where it goes ✨️🤌🏻

[Abbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yestin is my favorite, love her.

[Tracy Trentadue · Rating 5 out of 5]

fabulous fantasy

I don’t expect as much from kindle unlimited but the writing characters and plot of Liars Blood are as fine as any other fantasy book I have read. Thumbs up!! Can’t wait for the sequel

[Amanda Ulrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liar’s Blood is an exceptional debut that’s immersive, emotionally layered, and nearly impossible to put down. R.L. Newt has created a richly developed fantasy world with wonderfully flawed characters.

It’s a story that explores trauma, identity, and loyalty with a cast of characters who are navigating experiences requiring them to reconcile what they are “supposed” to do and believe vs what their lived experiences and personal compass are guiding them to. With a compelling story and wonderfully written prose, this is a book for those who hold the quality of writing to an equally high bar as robust world building.

[Julia Riley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hi, hello, please RUN, don't walk, to read this. The characters, the world, the magic system, the beloved animals, the mutual yearning. It's all SO, SO good. This is a fantasy novel, but it's also an exploration of religious trauma, and although I wasn't raised in anything as intense as this, I did resonate with the characters several times as they were deconstructing aspects of the only belief system they had ever known. Definitely read the content warnings, but all topics are handled with care.

Thanks to the author for the ARC!!

[L.B. Disher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic debut book from a great author. The writing style is *chef's kiss* and gives vibes of fantasy classics, but definitely with a new take.

You will fall in love with the characters, or at the very least root for them!

The world-building is also top-tier and I cannot wait for book two.

You don’t want to miss this one.