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What Darkness Brings
The gods are dead. The stars have vanished. And the Order controls all magic.
Angharad Morgan has served them for as long as she can remember. She raises the recently dead to steal their secrets, a skill that has earned her a coveted place within the castle walls and the trust of the inner circle. Until she reveals a hidden power no one knew she she can kill by touch.
Now they see her as a threat.
To earn back their favor, Angharad travels to the windswept coast to hunt a dangerous exile, learn his secrets, and use her power against him. But he’s seen her in his dreams, and he’s been expecting her.
He takes her captive in his tower just as it comes under attack.
Bound by mysterious magic, they’re forced to work together against an unknown enemy, racing to find a relic that could heal the broken sky and awaken the dead gods.
She wants to trust him—and surrender to the irresistible pull between them—but believing him might be the most dangerous choice she can make.
Now the Order is coming for them both. Angharad must choose between the only world she’s ever known…and the man who makes her want to break it.
What Darkness Brings is the first book in a slow-burn, high-stakes romantasy duology that's perfect for readers who crave morally gray characters and heroines forced to choose between loyalty and love.
Angharad Morgan has served them for as long as she can remember. She raises the recently dead to steal their secrets, a skill that has earned her a coveted place within the castle walls and the trust of the inner circle. Until she reveals a hidden power no one knew she she can kill by touch.
Now they see her as a threat.
To earn back their favor, Angharad travels to the windswept coast to hunt a dangerous exile, learn his secrets, and use her power against him. But he’s seen her in his dreams, and he’s been expecting her.
He takes her captive in his tower just as it comes under attack.
Bound by mysterious magic, they’re forced to work together against an unknown enemy, racing to find a relic that could heal the broken sky and awaken the dead gods.
She wants to trust him—and surrender to the irresistible pull between them—but believing him might be the most dangerous choice she can make.
Now the Order is coming for them both. Angharad must choose between the only world she’s ever known…and the man who makes her want to break it.
What Darkness Brings is the first book in a slow-burn, high-stakes romantasy duology that's perfect for readers who crave morally gray characters and heroines forced to choose between loyalty and love.
448 pages, Paperback
First published May 29, 2026
About the author
Jenna Wolfhart
59 books1,673 followersJenna Wolfhart spends her days dreaming up stories about swoony fae kings and rugged blacksmiths. When she's not writing, she loves to do CrossFit competitions, rewatch Game of Thrones, collect Taylor Swift vinyls, and drink far too much coffee.
Jenna has always had a passion for writing, books, and publishing. Previously, she worked for an academic publisher in New York and then completed her PhD in Librarianship, focusing on young adult fiction.
Jenna now lives in England with her husband and her two dogs.
Jenna has always had a passion for writing, books, and publishing. Previously, she worked for an academic publisher in New York and then completed her PhD in Librarianship, focusing on young adult fiction.
Jenna now lives in England with her husband and her two dogs.
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May 17, 2026I swallow. My throat is dry, but the tingling in my skin makes me feel impossibly alive. As much danger as I’ve faced before, nothing compares to this: staring into the eyes of the most dangerous man in the realm. I could end him with a word, but he could do the same to me.
“I know what you are,” he murmurs. “I’ve seen you in my darkest dreams.”
My lungs freeze, and the world narrows to him. Taliesin Wynn—the unstable, violent exile—leans closer and tucks a windswept strand of hair behind my ear while my hands remain locked around his throat.
“Necromancer,” he breathes. “Commander of the dead.”
I dig my fingers into the hollow of his throat. “Call me that again, and I will kill you where you stand.”
“Do it, then,” he dares. “Say the word with your perfect little mouth.”
“I know what you are,” he murmurs. “I’ve seen you in my darkest dreams.”
My lungs freeze, and the world narrows to him. Taliesin Wynn—the unstable, violent exile—leans closer and tucks a windswept strand of hair behind my ear while my hands remain locked around his throat.
“Necromancer,” he breathes. “Commander of the dead.”
I dig my fingers into the hollow of his throat. “Call me that again, and I will kill you where you stand.”
“Do it, then,” he dares. “Say the word with your perfect little mouth.”
July 24, 2026
4.25⭐️ wowwww OK THAT ENDING!!! I did not expect the story to go that way at all and I loved it!! OKAY IM GIDDY FOR BOOK 2 now 😭
I knew the FMC Angharad was going to be a badass from page 1, she just needed to figure her shit out but when she did, I LOVED her growth!! & Taliesin (MMC) was a stage 5 yearner from the jump, which will only get even better !!! My perfect combo!
I knew the FMC Angharad was going to be a badass from page 1, she just needed to figure her shit out but when she did, I LOVED her growth!! & Taliesin (MMC) was a stage 5 yearner from the jump, which will only get even better !!! My perfect combo!
July 15, 2026
Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy! I would give this a solid 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ & I had a good time!
PROS
Anghahard is a necromancer losing her memories every time she uses her magic. She also has a secret that only 1 person — her partner in crime & best friend at the Order — knows. She has sworn her life to this organization to protect the kingdom from the rebels & return lost magic to the elves one day. When a mission for her partner goes wrong putting him in danger, the Order gives her a very specific assignment in order to get him back. & that assignment involves the most dangerous exile ever.
- memory loss trope done well
- forced proximity & yearningggg
- elves & humans
- lost gods & magic, but the magic that does exist comes at a serious cost
- rebellion
- slow burn & no spice yet
- book 1 in a duology
PROS
- Pretty unique premise!
- The yearning in this was THICKKKKKKK.
- I thoroughly enjoyed the tangible cost of magic here. I don’t love when we can magic ourselves out of every situation as, for me, that weakens the overall stakes. So I was quite pleased there were harsh limitations.
- The magic system itself was very cool. The Order having their own, our main girl having her necromancer magic + secret magic & how those worked together. The exile’s magic. I thought it was really cool.
- The mystery surrounding the relationship was so great. I ate that up with a SHOVEL because I was just inhaling it.
- I REALLY like the MMC.
- As far as the romance goes, I liked their dynamic from the jump when they didn’t like/trust each other. I liked how their dynamic developed. I liked the longing, I liked their humor.
- The messaging around art as protest was really nice. It wasn’t subtle at all, but it wasn’t supposed to be & I like the message.
- LOVED most of the ending. Figuring out the mystery & then what’s going to lead into the next book? Yup!
- The Welsh influence was cool!
- I really just couldn’t put this down. It’s that fun, bingeable popcorn book vibe that just has you flippin’ pages.
MID+
- Okay our main girl is getting a mid+. She’s ALMOST a pro. She started so very naive & a bit brainwashed & did some things that just didn’t make sense. But I enjoyed her development quite a lot & I think she will be a pro going forward!
CONS
- The catalyst to the adventure wasn’t super believable. I was immediately like “this makes no sense” but then course-corrected to “okay I think this makes no sense for a reason & something else is going down here” & that got me back in. But it being unbelievable from the jump can be tough for me to recover from. I definitely did, but certainly worth noting here.
- There’s also something at the end that is setting up for book 2 that I think I need explained more re: magic system. So I read it & went “well that doesn’t track” but it might be explained next book? But I’m putting it as a con simply because it took me out.
Def interested in book 2! This was a good fun ride!
PROS
Anghahard is a necromancer losing her memories every time she uses her magic. She also has a secret that only 1 person — her partner in crime & best friend at the Order — knows. She has sworn her life to this organization to protect the kingdom from the rebels & return lost magic to the elves one day. When a mission for her partner goes wrong putting him in danger, the Order gives her a very specific assignment in order to get him back. & that assignment involves the most dangerous exile ever.
- memory loss trope done well
- forced proximity & yearningggg
- elves & humans
- lost gods & magic, but the magic that does exist comes at a serious cost
- rebellion
- slow burn & no spice yet
- book 1 in a duology
PROS
- Pretty unique premise!
- The yearning in this was THICKKKKKKK.
- I thoroughly enjoyed the tangible cost of magic here. I don’t love when we can magic ourselves out of every situation as, for me, that weakens the overall stakes. So I was quite pleased there were harsh limitations.
- The magic system itself was very cool. The Order having their own, our main girl having her necromancer magic + secret magic & how those worked together. The exile’s magic. I thought it was really cool.
- The mystery surrounding the relationship was so great. I ate that up with a SHOVEL because I was just inhaling it.
- I REALLY like the MMC.
- As far as the romance goes, I liked their dynamic from the jump when they didn’t like/trust each other. I liked how their dynamic developed. I liked the longing, I liked their humor.
- The messaging around art as protest was really nice. It wasn’t subtle at all, but it wasn’t supposed to be & I like the message.
- LOVED most of the ending. Figuring out the mystery & then what’s going to lead into the next book? Yup!
- The Welsh influence was cool!
- I really just couldn’t put this down. It’s that fun, bingeable popcorn book vibe that just has you flippin’ pages.
MID+
- Okay our main girl is getting a mid+. She’s ALMOST a pro. She started so very naive & a bit brainwashed & did some things that just didn’t make sense. But I enjoyed her development quite a lot & I think she will be a pro going forward!
CONS
- The catalyst to the adventure wasn’t super believable. I was immediately like “this makes no sense” but then course-corrected to “okay I think this makes no sense for a reason & something else is going down here” & that got me back in. But it being unbelievable from the jump can be tough for me to recover from. I definitely did, but certainly worth noting here.
- There’s also something at the end that is setting up for book 2 that I think I need explained more re: magic system. So I read it & went “well that doesn’t track” but it might be explained next book? But I’m putting it as a con simply because it took me out.
Def interested in book 2! This was a good fun ride!
July 8, 2026
A fast paced romantasy story that felt cosy in its familiarity and yet new at the same time, What Darkness Brings is a perfect pairing for readers who love piecing together a history, or story, of missing memories. Uncovering a larger plot while Angharad simultaneously discovers herself again, it’s easy to flip through the pages as the dialogue especially proves a brisk banter of reluctant allies turning something more.
July 14, 2026
(3.5/5—rounded up) What Darkness Brings was a solid 3-star read for me until the last ~150 pages. I LOVE A STRONG ENDING TO TURN THINGS AROUND!
🎁 For transparency, I was gifted a paperback by the author, Jenna Wolfhart
What to expect:
🖤 Fantasy romance
🖤 1st person POV
🖤 Necromancer FMC
🖤 She's sent to unalive him
📚 Book 1 in new duology
Spice rating: 🌶️ (slow burn)
I went into What Darkness Brings relatively blind, and I'm glad I did because I think—as someone who reads a ton of romantasy—this book was relatively predictable. However, it's super fast-paced, so I flew through it in a day. Overall, I had an enjoyable time!
I've felt like this way with a handful of romantasy books lately: What Darkness Brings has a unique premise and all of the ingredients I typically like—a necromancer FMC, villain-coded MMC, power struggles, missing memories, and plenty of forced proximity & mystery—but the execution is where things got wonky for me.
The beginning of this story was hard for me to get into. The first handful of chapters and sequence of events that led her to finding her target just didn't feel believable to me. Other than what was told to me (versus shown to me), I didn't entirely understand her relationships with the people giving her orders or her motivations/actions—Why would she leave Osian if she cares for him so much, especially in that state? Why wouldn't she try to see him first? Why would she leave at all on her own? Why would she take orders from them? So much hinges on her relationship with Osian, but I didn't truly understand why she cared so much for him (to be frank).
Then, once she meets her target, I didn't understand how she became so overly trusting. She goes from doing everything in her power to help Osian to disregarding everything because someone told her new information. Too much of this story hinged on her somewhat blind trust, FOR MY PERSONAL TASTE, that it lost me at times.
Side note: this book is marketed as an adult romantasy but it read a bit more borderline YA / New Adult, especially given the naive and overly trusting FMC.
That all being said, I like the foundations of both of our main characters. I see a lot of potential with them, even though I feel like we've just barely scratched the surface. I also enjoyed the mystery, which definitely kept me engaged. While I may have predicted most of the major twists, there were a few nuggets that surprised me.
I typically don't continue series when I've rated a book less than 4 stars, but I see a lot of potential here. I like the ending of this book enough to see where the author takes this story in book 2/the conclusion of this duology.
🎁 For transparency, I was gifted a paperback by the author, Jenna Wolfhart
What to expect:
🖤 Fantasy romance
🖤 1st person POV
🖤 Necromancer FMC
🖤 She's sent to unalive him
📚 Book 1 in new duology
Spice rating: 🌶️ (slow burn)
I went into What Darkness Brings relatively blind, and I'm glad I did because I think—as someone who reads a ton of romantasy—this book was relatively predictable. However, it's super fast-paced, so I flew through it in a day. Overall, I had an enjoyable time!
I've felt like this way with a handful of romantasy books lately: What Darkness Brings has a unique premise and all of the ingredients I typically like—a necromancer FMC, villain-coded MMC, power struggles, missing memories, and plenty of forced proximity & mystery—but the execution is where things got wonky for me.
The beginning of this story was hard for me to get into. The first handful of chapters and sequence of events that led her to finding her target just didn't feel believable to me. Other than what was told to me (versus shown to me), I didn't entirely understand her relationships with the people giving her orders or her motivations/actions—Why would she leave Osian if she cares for him so much, especially in that state? Why wouldn't she try to see him first? Why would she leave at all on her own? Why would she take orders from them? So much hinges on her relationship with Osian, but I didn't truly understand why she cared so much for him (to be frank).
Then, once she meets her target, I didn't understand how she became so overly trusting. She goes from doing everything in her power to help Osian to disregarding everything because someone told her new information. Too much of this story hinged on her somewhat blind trust, FOR MY PERSONAL TASTE, that it lost me at times.
Side note: this book is marketed as an adult romantasy but it read a bit more borderline YA / New Adult, especially given the naive and overly trusting FMC.
That all being said, I like the foundations of both of our main characters. I see a lot of potential with them, even though I feel like we've just barely scratched the surface. I also enjoyed the mystery, which definitely kept me engaged. While I may have predicted most of the major twists, there were a few nuggets that surprised me.
I typically don't continue series when I've rated a book less than 4 stars, but I see a lot of potential here. I like the ending of this book enough to see where the author takes this story in book 2/the conclusion of this duology.
July 2, 2026
I love love LOVE this omg. And I am also heartbroken.
I knew this book was going to be 5 stars from the beginning but as the story progressed I wished I could give it an even higher rating. This was literally everything I am gnawing at the iron bars of my enclosure begging for more. I need book 2 more than I need air in my lungs. I knewww there was something deeper going on with the relationship between the mmc and the fmc but I was NOT expecting it to be that intense, to be that serious 😭😭😭 read this if you want a MMC who is wholly devoted to the FMC because this is it. This was literally all I’ve ever wanted.
I knew this book was going to be 5 stars from the beginning but as the story progressed I wished I could give it an even higher rating. This was literally everything I am gnawing at the iron bars of my enclosure begging for more. I need book 2 more than I need air in my lungs. I knewww there was something deeper going on with the relationship between the mmc and the fmc but I was NOT expecting it to be that intense, to be that serious 😭😭😭 read this if you want a MMC who is wholly devoted to the FMC because this is it. This was literally all I’ve ever wanted.
May 30, 2026
This book is absolutely devastating in all of the best ways…the way I devoured this book is unreal. The narrator is unreliable, but it’s because her magic is stripping away her memory. She’s forced to hunt down an exile and must choose between love or loyalty. If you love morally grey and slow burn romantasy this is for you!! I have not felt this hungover from a book in a long while…I’m looking forward to the next in the series!!
Did Not Finish
July 20, 2026DNFing at 19% as this just felt kind of predictable and I personally need a better emotional connection to the main characters by 20%. I did not care about Angharad and she gave me no reason to. Too much tell and not enough show. But I love Jenna's Mist King series so I have no doubt it's good for what it delivers. It's just not for me.
August 15, 2026
I can't see what all the fuss is about here, proof not to believe everything you hear on booktok.
It's not bad it's just not good.
It's one of those books that just feels knocked out. The world build is non existent and we move straight into romance with two strangers meeting with fluttery feelings that our FMC tries to deny. Eye roll. There's no explaining the magic system and the character depth is as shallow as a puddle. It feels like one big ticky box episode leading to the 🌶️.
I think it's one of those quick books you might like in a pinch, when you're weary of your heart being crushed by various other popular authors.
It's not bad it's just not good.
It's one of those books that just feels knocked out. The world build is non existent and we move straight into romance with two strangers meeting with fluttery feelings that our FMC tries to deny. Eye roll. There's no explaining the magic system and the character depth is as shallow as a puddle. It feels like one big ticky box episode leading to the 🌶️.
I think it's one of those quick books you might like in a pinch, when you're weary of your heart being crushed by various other popular authors.
May 24, 2026
What Darkness Brings by Jenna Wolfhart is a fast paced Romantasy stacked with misplaced loyalties, betrayals and forgotten memories.
I found the beginning really intriguing and the premise had a lot of potential. Unfortunately, once the FMC set out to fulfill her mission the story began circling itself — especially romantically. It leaned a little too hard into the “if only we could trust each other” trope without enough forward momentum until I began wondering if it’s better suited for younger audiences.
What Darkness Brings comes out May 29th. Fast paced Romantasy fans of unique magic systems, power struggles, forgotten memories, lost history and a touch of star crossed lovers (without spice) should check this out!
I found the beginning really intriguing and the premise had a lot of potential. Unfortunately, once the FMC set out to fulfill her mission the story began circling itself — especially romantically. It leaned a little too hard into the “if only we could trust each other” trope without enough forward momentum until I began wondering if it’s better suited for younger audiences.
What Darkness Brings comes out May 29th. Fast paced Romantasy fans of unique magic systems, power struggles, forgotten memories, lost history and a touch of star crossed lovers (without spice) should check this out!
June 24, 2026
3.5⭐️
This was a fun romantasy! It had a lot of typical components we love in one. I enjoyed the plot and how you were slowly putting pieces together between the mmc and FMC. I thought the world was unique and the magic. It was a little confusing in the beginning and hard to follow along, but it got easier as I kept reading. It wasn’t anything crazy or unique, but still a good read
This was a fun romantasy! It had a lot of typical components we love in one. I enjoyed the plot and how you were slowly putting pieces together between the mmc and FMC. I thought the world was unique and the magic. It was a little confusing in the beginning and hard to follow along, but it got easier as I kept reading. It wasn’t anything crazy or unique, but still a good read
June 26, 2026
the idea had great potential but the execution was very meh
June 29, 2026
4.25 ⭐️ There’s something about this romantasy that I found really endearing. It was a little confusing to start with as our FMC has lost some of her memories but i caught up towards the end. And our MMC was an actual dreamboat. Although this is pretty similar to other books in this genre, as I love Romantasy there’s no complaints from me. I will absolutely read the next book in this duology as I had such a fun time and the cliffhanger was a doozy. Thanks as always to my book buddy Krissy for reading along❤️
May 29, 2026
Thank you to author Jenna Wolfhart and Crowns and Chaos PR for providing an advanced reader copy of What Darkness Brings in exchange for an honest review.
This novel is the first installment in a slow-burn, high-stakes romantasy duology. This book completely pulled me in from the start.
The stars have disappeared, the magic no longer flows freely, and now only the Order controls magic.
The FMC, Angharad, serves the Order as a necromancer capable of raising the dead for mere moments to uncover secrets. But every time she uses her death magic, she loses a memory. Even more dangerous is the secret she’s hidden from everyone.. she can also kill with her magic.
After her partner, Osian, is murdered, Angharad uses her powers to bring him back from the dead. But his resurrection isn’t permanent, and because they are magically tied together, she has no idea how long he can survive. Now the Order is keeping him captive to study him.
Desperate to save him, Angharad accepts a mission to track down, kill, and reanimate the Order’s greatest enemy.. MMC Taliesin, a fearsome exiled former member with terrifying and deadly ice magic. But when they’re forced to work together on a quest to find a relic capable of healing the broken sky and restoring magic to the world, everything changes.
The chemistry between Angharad and Taliesin was incredible. The slow burn, the yearning, the tension.. I loved watching her question everything she thought she knew as her feelings for him deepened. The twists kept coming, and the ending? Absolutely wild.
Such an excellent start to this duology.. it left me completely desperate for book two!
This novel is the first installment in a slow-burn, high-stakes romantasy duology. This book completely pulled me in from the start.
The stars have disappeared, the magic no longer flows freely, and now only the Order controls magic.
The FMC, Angharad, serves the Order as a necromancer capable of raising the dead for mere moments to uncover secrets. But every time she uses her death magic, she loses a memory. Even more dangerous is the secret she’s hidden from everyone.. she can also kill with her magic.
After her partner, Osian, is murdered, Angharad uses her powers to bring him back from the dead. But his resurrection isn’t permanent, and because they are magically tied together, she has no idea how long he can survive. Now the Order is keeping him captive to study him.
Desperate to save him, Angharad accepts a mission to track down, kill, and reanimate the Order’s greatest enemy.. MMC Taliesin, a fearsome exiled former member with terrifying and deadly ice magic. But when they’re forced to work together on a quest to find a relic capable of healing the broken sky and restoring magic to the world, everything changes.
The chemistry between Angharad and Taliesin was incredible. The slow burn, the yearning, the tension.. I loved watching her question everything she thought she knew as her feelings for him deepened. The twists kept coming, and the ending? Absolutely wild.
Such an excellent start to this duology.. it left me completely desperate for book two!
July 2, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️
I picked up What Darkness Brings after seeing someone rave about it on TikTok. I’ll admit, the cover didn’t grab me, but their excitement convinced me to give it a chance.
The beginning was a bit of a struggle for me. My biggest issue was that I never truly felt the emotional connection between the main character and Osian. So much of the story is driven by her love for him, her guilt, and her determination to save him, but I never felt like the book gave us enough of their relationship before everything changed. Because of that, I found it hard to fully connect with her motivations throughout the story.
What kept me reading was the mystery. I love stories with forgotten memories, dreams, and slowly uncovering the truth, and that’s where this book really pulled me in. As more pieces fell into place, I became genuinely invested in finding out what had happened, and I wasn’t expecting the ending.
The ending itself wasn’t bad, it just didn’t have the emotional impact I was hoping for. Since I never fully connected with the characters, the big reveals and payoff didn’t hit as hard as they probably should have.
Overall, it was an enjoyable, fast-paced read with an intriguing mystery, but I needed a stronger emotional connection to the characters for it to become a favourite.
I picked up What Darkness Brings after seeing someone rave about it on TikTok. I’ll admit, the cover didn’t grab me, but their excitement convinced me to give it a chance.
The beginning was a bit of a struggle for me. My biggest issue was that I never truly felt the emotional connection between the main character and Osian. So much of the story is driven by her love for him, her guilt, and her determination to save him, but I never felt like the book gave us enough of their relationship before everything changed. Because of that, I found it hard to fully connect with her motivations throughout the story.
What kept me reading was the mystery. I love stories with forgotten memories, dreams, and slowly uncovering the truth, and that’s where this book really pulled me in. As more pieces fell into place, I became genuinely invested in finding out what had happened, and I wasn’t expecting the ending.
The ending itself wasn’t bad, it just didn’t have the emotional impact I was hoping for. Since I never fully connected with the characters, the big reveals and payoff didn’t hit as hard as they probably should have.
Overall, it was an enjoyable, fast-paced read with an intriguing mystery, but I needed a stronger emotional connection to the characters for it to become a favourite.
June 25, 2026
"I will carry you till the ends of the earth if you need me to." !?! Stooooop my heart can't take it 😩😭
July 13, 2026
Addictive with its fading magic world, mysteries and gods
August 10, 2026
DNF at 50%
I know the author is going somewhere with all the not so subtle hints but I could not care less.It's trying so hard to be something it's not. I like the MMC but not the FMC. She is so naive and immature about everything despite her "death" magic. Do not even get me started on her "partner' Osian who treats her like crap yet she claims loves her. The plot twists are already evident and I am bored to tears. The MCs have no chemistry at all. The world building is non-existent. The writing is all tell and no show plus there is no tension at all between anyone. This is such a bleh book.
I know the author is going somewhere with all the not so subtle hints but I could not care less.It's trying so hard to be something it's not. I like the MMC but not the FMC. She is so naive and immature about everything despite her "death" magic. Do not even get me started on her "partner' Osian who treats her like crap yet she claims loves her. The plot twists are already evident and I am bored to tears. The MCs have no chemistry at all. The world building is non-existent. The writing is all tell and no show plus there is no tension at all between anyone. This is such a bleh book.
May 31, 2026
3.5 ⭐️ -
This book drops you right into action, which I loved. I really liked the first half of the book and really found it to be different than other reads.
Our FMC has magic that can kill with one word. Our MMC has ice magic. I really liked the mystery behind everything that was happening with the characters and the plot.
Now, I think because I read this after another book that put me into a little slump, that’s what made the second half of this book fall flat for me.
Don’t get me wrong, this is a really good story! I really did enjoy the characters and the world. I was just not as attached after my last read.
I would recommend if you want a fast paced Romantasy with fun magic and gods.
This book drops you right into action, which I loved. I really liked the first half of the book and really found it to be different than other reads.
Our FMC has magic that can kill with one word. Our MMC has ice magic. I really liked the mystery behind everything that was happening with the characters and the plot.
Now, I think because I read this after another book that put me into a little slump, that’s what made the second half of this book fall flat for me.
Don’t get me wrong, this is a really good story! I really did enjoy the characters and the world. I was just not as attached after my last read.
I would recommend if you want a fast paced Romantasy with fun magic and gods.
May 26, 2026
ARC review
* Romantasy
* slow burn
* death magic
* she’s an assassin sent to kill him
* forced allies
* magic and control
* memory loss
Did I finish this book, or did it finish me?!? I. Am. Deceased. Now I have to wait for the next one?!?
When I say I ate this up, please know that’s practically literal. I ridiculously woke up at 3:30 am today and was at 50% before I even woke my kid up for school. I devoured it. I couldn’t put it down. This was so incredibly bingeable.
Read it now so we can commiserate.
Angharad is an elven assassin with death magic, bound to the Order and working to recover the stars that disappeared years ago when the gods died. Every time she uses her magic, she loses a piece of herself. She’s my favorite kind of FMC: fierce and devoted. And memory loss is a microtrope that I adore, this was such a unique spin on it.
When I say it’s slow burn, please know that it’s achingly slow. The chemistry is constantly simmering between her and Taliesin and it is smolderingly hot. These two are one spark away from eruption and I can’t wait for it to happen.
The world is so well built and presented as black and white at the beginning. The more Angharad learns, the more we chip away at the stark explanations and learn about the gray and nuance beneath. And I LOVE when a world is upended.
This is a story that DELIVERS. We have twists and betrayals and world changing revelations. You need to read it ASAP.
Thanks so much to Jenna and Crowns & Chaos PR for the review copy. All opinions are honestly given. And I honestly think this was amazing.
* Romantasy
* slow burn
* death magic
* she’s an assassin sent to kill him
* forced allies
* magic and control
* memory loss
Did I finish this book, or did it finish me?!? I. Am. Deceased. Now I have to wait for the next one?!?
When I say I ate this up, please know that’s practically literal. I ridiculously woke up at 3:30 am today and was at 50% before I even woke my kid up for school. I devoured it. I couldn’t put it down. This was so incredibly bingeable.
Read it now so we can commiserate.
Angharad is an elven assassin with death magic, bound to the Order and working to recover the stars that disappeared years ago when the gods died. Every time she uses her magic, she loses a piece of herself. She’s my favorite kind of FMC: fierce and devoted. And memory loss is a microtrope that I adore, this was such a unique spin on it.
When I say it’s slow burn, please know that it’s achingly slow. The chemistry is constantly simmering between her and Taliesin and it is smolderingly hot. These two are one spark away from eruption and I can’t wait for it to happen.
The world is so well built and presented as black and white at the beginning. The more Angharad learns, the more we chip away at the stark explanations and learn about the gray and nuance beneath. And I LOVE when a world is upended.
This is a story that DELIVERS. We have twists and betrayals and world changing revelations. You need to read it ASAP.
Thanks so much to Jenna and Crowns & Chaos PR for the review copy. All opinions are honestly given. And I honestly think this was amazing.
May 29, 2026
Oh my gosh this was amazing!!!!
This Romantasy is more of an Epic fantasy story with a romance subplot. It is the slowest of slow burns and I am hoping that will pay off in book 2 of this duet.
Angharad is a necromancer that works for the order. After her partner is killed on a mission she brings him back and realizes that her powers have a more permanent effect on people that she has an emotional attachment to. With this knowledge the order sends her on a mission to find the exile, get close to him, and bring him back to the order so the order can gain control over him. What she doesn't know is that the exile has been expecting her for a while. Angharad's magic has a price, and that is pieces of her memory. The exile takes her captive and introduces her to other viewpoints that may shatter her grasp on the world as she knows it. She can't trust anyone, not even her own memories, but she does know that she needs to awaken the Gods and bring magic back to their world.
The world building was amazing. I loved this magic system and I love when magic comes with a cost. The pacing in this book was also perfect. There were moments of high intensity action but then cool downs that let you fall in love with these characters. I loved everything about this book. I will warn you that this book ends on a massive cliffhanger, but I'm not even mad because that ending was intense and phenomenal and just left me so excited for book 2.
This Romantasy is more of an Epic fantasy story with a romance subplot. It is the slowest of slow burns and I am hoping that will pay off in book 2 of this duet.
Angharad is a necromancer that works for the order. After her partner is killed on a mission she brings him back and realizes that her powers have a more permanent effect on people that she has an emotional attachment to. With this knowledge the order sends her on a mission to find the exile, get close to him, and bring him back to the order so the order can gain control over him. What she doesn't know is that the exile has been expecting her for a while. Angharad's magic has a price, and that is pieces of her memory. The exile takes her captive and introduces her to other viewpoints that may shatter her grasp on the world as she knows it. She can't trust anyone, not even her own memories, but she does know that she needs to awaken the Gods and bring magic back to their world.
The world building was amazing. I loved this magic system and I love when magic comes with a cost. The pacing in this book was also perfect. There were moments of high intensity action but then cool downs that let you fall in love with these characters. I loved everything about this book. I will warn you that this book ends on a massive cliffhanger, but I'm not even mad because that ending was intense and phenomenal and just left me so excited for book 2.
June 21, 2026
Thank you to the author and Crowns and Chaos for the gifted e-copy.
“I’m yours to command. Just say the word.”
This is a well written world with a unique magic system. This is the second book I’ve read recently where the Gods are dead, which I think is an interesting microtrope along with the MMC dreaming about the FMC prior to meeting. This is the first book in a duology and book two releases 2027.
Vibes: Magic with hunt or be hunted energy
Tropes:
Magic
Secret Powers
Quest
Slow Burn
Morally Grey MCs
Enemies to Lovers
“I’m yours to command. Just say the word.”
This is a well written world with a unique magic system. This is the second book I’ve read recently where the Gods are dead, which I think is an interesting microtrope along with the MMC dreaming about the FMC prior to meeting. This is the first book in a duology and book two releases 2027.
Vibes: Magic with hunt or be hunted energy
Tropes:
Magic
Secret Powers
Quest
Slow Burn
Morally Grey MCs
Enemies to Lovers
July 5, 2026
”More than anything, I hope I will remember him.”
A lovely story about a necromancer FMC struggling with memory loss, set in what I imagined as an enchanted version of Medieval Wales. I flew through this book, and before I knew it, it was over. I'll definitely be picking up the second book in this duology.
A lovely story about a necromancer FMC struggling with memory loss, set in what I imagined as an enchanted version of Medieval Wales. I flew through this book, and before I knew it, it was over. I'll definitely be picking up the second book in this duology.
Read
August 21, 2026Not really sure what crack this author puts in her books but I devoured this. Fun, fast paced and questy; just how I like it. That last chapter was diabolical and I am champing at the bit for the next book.
June 25, 2026
3 - A lot of feelings and motivations felt forced or surface level but the book passed the time. The authors love and utilization of Welsh words was a fun change up. I didn’t care enough about the MCs to continue the series.
August 18, 2026
Like a bad relationship, I kept hoping the plot would change, but the signs were there from chapter one, and I should have cut my losses.
But will I still come crawling back for the second book 🤔🤔🤔
But will I still come crawling back for the second book 🤔🤔🤔
May 31, 2026
This book had me hooked from the first chapter.
A necromancer FMC who can raise the dead and kill with a touch? Say less. The world felt dark, dangerous, and full of secrets, and I loved slowly peeling back the layers alongside Angharad.
The slow burn was SLOW burning in the best way. The tension, the forced proximity, the constant question of who was telling the truth... it kept me turning pages long past when I should have gone to sleep.
The magic system was fascinating, the stakes kept climbing, and that ending left me desperately needing the next book. If you love morally gray characters, dangerous magic, and romantasy that leans heavy into the fantasy plot while still delivering the feels, this one is absolutely worth picking up.
A necromancer FMC who can raise the dead and kill with a touch? Say less. The world felt dark, dangerous, and full of secrets, and I loved slowly peeling back the layers alongside Angharad.
The slow burn was SLOW burning in the best way. The tension, the forced proximity, the constant question of who was telling the truth... it kept me turning pages long past when I should have gone to sleep.
The magic system was fascinating, the stakes kept climbing, and that ending left me desperately needing the next book. If you love morally gray characters, dangerous magic, and romantasy that leans heavy into the fantasy plot while still delivering the feels, this one is absolutely worth picking up.
June 3, 2026
Thank you to the author for an early review copy!
It took a bit for me to get into the story but once I did wow! I really enjoyed it & I hope there’s another book coming because that ending definitely felt like a cliffhanger!
Amnesia Trope X Elves X magic kingdom at war X restricted magic use
It took a bit for me to get into the story but once I did wow! I really enjoyed it & I hope there’s another book coming because that ending definitely felt like a cliffhanger!
Amnesia Trope X Elves X magic kingdom at war X restricted magic use
May 30, 2026
My deep seeded love for men with long white hair never leads me astray.
July 9, 2026
“If love was the blade they forged for me, then I will learn to wield it myself. I’m no one’s pawn anymore.”
“Where you go, I go,” I murmur, my chest tightening painfully. His hand grips mine. “Where you go, I go, even if it’s into darkness.”
Our FMC, Angharad Morgan, is a necromancer. She brings those who have died back from the dead temporarily to learn their secrets. This earns her a place inside The Order’s inner circle but she’s keeping one of her powers hidden - she can kill by touch.
The Order is made up of Rhyfelwr (a warrior who serves the Order) and a Swynwraig (a magic wielder who can channel the Orders power into someone). They make an oath to dedicate themselves to the kingdom and protect innocents who lack strength or magic.
We also learn that the constellations died on Culling Day and they are the source of all magic. The gods accessed that power and gifted it to those they trained and deemed worthy to carrying it. Then came the culling. The stars abandoned them, along with the gods and hundreds of elves died.
The book immediately starts with Angharad looking for her partner, Osian, who is a Rhyfelwr as he’s seemingly been sent out on an assignment. The scene she stumbles upon isn’t what she expects and she not only has use her power to resurrect the dead but also kill by touch.
As she lands back in Caer Draen she finds out that the Order are now aware of her “touch-by-death” power and task her to hunt someone who they exiled many years ago near the coast. She has to kill him, bring him back and control him to access his powers.
Unbeknownst to her, he’s been dreaming about her arrival and takes her to his tower on the coast where they come under attack. As they become trapped, they have to work together to outrun the rebels but also find a relic that supposedly brings about the return of the gods and the stars. Angharad slowly realises that that not all is quite what it seems with the Order and our MMC.
Inevitably, there’s some twists and turns and I wish there was some more world building but hope book 2 covers more of that. Our MMC is shrouded in mystery from the get go but it all makes sense with the numerous reveals at the end. Some bits I could have guessed but not the big one 😮💨😮💨
“Where you go, I go,” I murmur, my chest tightening painfully. His hand grips mine. “Where you go, I go, even if it’s into darkness.”
Our FMC, Angharad Morgan, is a necromancer. She brings those who have died back from the dead temporarily to learn their secrets. This earns her a place inside The Order’s inner circle but she’s keeping one of her powers hidden - she can kill by touch.
The Order is made up of Rhyfelwr (a warrior who serves the Order) and a Swynwraig (a magic wielder who can channel the Orders power into someone). They make an oath to dedicate themselves to the kingdom and protect innocents who lack strength or magic.
We also learn that the constellations died on Culling Day and they are the source of all magic. The gods accessed that power and gifted it to those they trained and deemed worthy to carrying it. Then came the culling. The stars abandoned them, along with the gods and hundreds of elves died.
The book immediately starts with Angharad looking for her partner, Osian, who is a Rhyfelwr as he’s seemingly been sent out on an assignment. The scene she stumbles upon isn’t what she expects and she not only has use her power to resurrect the dead but also kill by touch.
As she lands back in Caer Draen she finds out that the Order are now aware of her “touch-by-death” power and task her to hunt someone who they exiled many years ago near the coast. She has to kill him, bring him back and control him to access his powers.
Unbeknownst to her, he’s been dreaming about her arrival and takes her to his tower on the coast where they come under attack. As they become trapped, they have to work together to outrun the rebels but also find a relic that supposedly brings about the return of the gods and the stars. Angharad slowly realises that that not all is quite what it seems with the Order and our MMC.
Inevitably, there’s some twists and turns and I wish there was some more world building but hope book 2 covers more of that. Our MMC is shrouded in mystery from the get go but it all makes sense with the numerous reveals at the end. Some bits I could have guessed but not the big one 😮💨😮💨
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