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Queen of Night
Not yet published
Expected 30 Sep 26“How long will you run
Oh queen of the night
How long will you shudder
When you should fight?”
She returned…alive.
No one can explain how.
Not the police.
Not the doctors.
Not even Roxanna herself.
Labeled “mentally unstable” and buried beneath a mountain of disbelief and prescriptions, Roxi is forced to question everything she knows—including the impossible truth that another world exists beyond the Veil.
While those around her insist on moving on, the Lord of Night refuses to surrender.
Separated by realms, hunted by enemies, and haunted by a devastating betrayal, Devon abandons duty in favor of a search that could unravel kingdoms and risks reigniting a war centuries in the making.
As an old prophecy awakens and the boundaries between worlds begin to thin, one question echoes through the ether:
How much would you sacrifice to find a person who shouldn’t exist?
Oh queen of the night
How long will you shudder
When you should fight?”
She returned…alive.
No one can explain how.
Not the police.
Not the doctors.
Not even Roxanna herself.
Labeled “mentally unstable” and buried beneath a mountain of disbelief and prescriptions, Roxi is forced to question everything she knows—including the impossible truth that another world exists beyond the Veil.
While those around her insist on moving on, the Lord of Night refuses to surrender.
Separated by realms, hunted by enemies, and haunted by a devastating betrayal, Devon abandons duty in favor of a search that could unravel kingdoms and risks reigniting a war centuries in the making.
As an old prophecy awakens and the boundaries between worlds begin to thin, one question echoes through the ether:
How much would you sacrifice to find a person who shouldn’t exist?
613 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication September 30, 2026
About the author
Nikki Auberkett
8 books54 followersAs a cultural anthropologist with a focused background in archaeology and global folklore, Nikki weaves real-world discoveries and intercultural theories into her fictional works. Every novella, book, and series combine fantasy storytelling with "what if?" concepts, from the fae folk living in (and potentially having built) downtown Chicago to the mythological Fomorians existing within marginalized communities around the world.
Her debut novel, Prax, was a finalist in the 2022 Page Turner Book Awards and long-listed in the 2023 Page Turner Book Awards. Ithandryll was long-listed in the 2023 Page Turner Book Awards, received an Honorable Mention in the 2023 Readers' Favorite Book Awards, a 5-Star Review from Readers' Favorite, and a 5-Star Review from Midwest Book Review.
Nikki is also a graduate of the Institute for Children's Literature (back when "remote learning" was a typewriter and snail mail!), was a guest copy editor for The Irish Journal of Anthropology, and has developmentally edited several fiction novels that went on to become award-winners and bestsellers in independent publishing.
After living in downtown Chicago before, during, and after the pandemic, she entered her "Stars Hollow Phase" and relocated to a small village cluster in Iowa known as The Amana Colonies. She started an indie bookstore, Fae•ble, which is currently a "pop-up situation" inside the village's new herbs & tea shop, Serenity Sage.
On any given day, Nikki can be found sipping handcrafted coffee, singing to her vegetable garden, faceplanting on her laptop keyboard, and/or whispering to the kobolds who live in her home.
Her debut novel, Prax, was a finalist in the 2022 Page Turner Book Awards and long-listed in the 2023 Page Turner Book Awards. Ithandryll was long-listed in the 2023 Page Turner Book Awards, received an Honorable Mention in the 2023 Readers' Favorite Book Awards, a 5-Star Review from Readers' Favorite, and a 5-Star Review from Midwest Book Review.
Nikki is also a graduate of the Institute for Children's Literature (back when "remote learning" was a typewriter and snail mail!), was a guest copy editor for The Irish Journal of Anthropology, and has developmentally edited several fiction novels that went on to become award-winners and bestsellers in independent publishing.
After living in downtown Chicago before, during, and after the pandemic, she entered her "Stars Hollow Phase" and relocated to a small village cluster in Iowa known as The Amana Colonies. She started an indie bookstore, Fae•ble, which is currently a "pop-up situation" inside the village's new herbs & tea shop, Serenity Sage.
On any given day, Nikki can be found sipping handcrafted coffee, singing to her vegetable garden, faceplanting on her laptop keyboard, and/or whispering to the kobolds who live in her home.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
Queen of Night is a big, high-fantasy world with a LOT of moving parts, and I really like how much depth we’re getting with the characters, their histories, families and all the connections that are slowly coming together. There are also some really cool and unique storylines throughout that I enjoyed.
My biggest issue was that, despite everything happening, it felt like the overall story didn’t move forward as much as I expected. We learn a lot more about the world and the different realms, which I enjoyed, but the pacing and sequencing just felt a little off to me. There were quite a few moments where I felt like the story was spending time on things that didn’t really add much to the overall plot.
And honestly, I think the book was just longer than it needed to be. There was a fair bit of filler that could have been cut without taking away from the story.
The other thing I struggled with was the romance. I understood the connection between the main characters, but I didn’t always feel the urgency behind it. I’m very much a burn-the-world-down-for-your-person kind of reader, and I wanted a little more of that intensity.
That said, I really like the characters and the bigger story being built around them. There’s clearly so much history and depth to uncover, and I love how all the different connections are starting to come together.
Low 4⭐️ for me. There were definitely elements I loved, but the pacing, length and some of the unnecessary sections kept this from being a higher rating.
My biggest issue was that, despite everything happening, it felt like the overall story didn’t move forward as much as I expected. We learn a lot more about the world and the different realms, which I enjoyed, but the pacing and sequencing just felt a little off to me. There were quite a few moments where I felt like the story was spending time on things that didn’t really add much to the overall plot.
And honestly, I think the book was just longer than it needed to be. There was a fair bit of filler that could have been cut without taking away from the story.
The other thing I struggled with was the romance. I understood the connection between the main characters, but I didn’t always feel the urgency behind it. I’m very much a burn-the-world-down-for-your-person kind of reader, and I wanted a little more of that intensity.
That said, I really like the characters and the bigger story being built around them. There’s clearly so much history and depth to uncover, and I love how all the different connections are starting to come together.
Low 4⭐️ for me. There were definitely elements I loved, but the pacing, length and some of the unnecessary sections kept this from being a higher rating.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an ARC from the author.
It was a masterpiece. It brought back lore from book one and two tying it into the current timeline as Roxi fights to get back to Devon, who she finds is in trouble. The kingdom is flip and drama is happening. People are unsure of who side they are on or if they are on the right side. It also brings more questions! Roxi is the queen of darkness? What does that mean for everyone if this is true and how will her journey back to her beloved Devon go from here. What does this mean for Devon and his family? I also sense a revolution brewing among the slaves of the world.
This is a twist on modern epic fantasy romance! Heavy on plot and world building but still following the FMC (Roxi) and MMC (Devon) as they fight to be together.
I am on the edge of my seat, eager to know if Devon snaps out and runs to find Roxi now he knows she has returned. What will happen now Roxi is heading to the castle? What will his father do now his second wife left to handle unfinished business… to right the wrong she did. So many new questions are here.
It was a masterpiece. It brought back lore from book one and two tying it into the current timeline as Roxi fights to get back to Devon, who she finds is in trouble. The kingdom is flip and drama is happening. People are unsure of who side they are on or if they are on the right side. It also brings more questions! Roxi is the queen of darkness? What does that mean for everyone if this is true and how will her journey back to her beloved Devon go from here. What does this mean for Devon and his family? I also sense a revolution brewing among the slaves of the world.
This is a twist on modern epic fantasy romance! Heavy on plot and world building but still following the FMC (Roxi) and MMC (Devon) as they fight to be together.
I am on the edge of my seat, eager to know if Devon snaps out and runs to find Roxi now he knows she has returned. What will happen now Roxi is heading to the castle? What will his father do now his second wife left to handle unfinished business… to right the wrong she did. So many new questions are here.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Words fail me; I cannot even begin to describe how good this book is without giving away so many spoilers. But let me try...
With this book, the series moves away from what might be called traditional romantasy (don't worry fans, the elements are still there) and moves into the realms of high fantasy. The world is expanded further, more characters are introduced, and characters from previous books get their own arcs and backstories filled out.
I felt the previous book was a bit too hectic, but here the pacing is nicely slowed down; we've got time to sit back a little, and get to know the characters a bit better in between the major story points. Don't worry though, in amongst the 'fishing with friends' there's still plenty going on, because Roxi's arc over the course of this entire book is huge: there is turmoil galore. In fact, it all feels very Fitz-y Hobb-like, and that's high praise indeed.
And yet again I'm left looking at previous 5-star books I've read, and thinking, this is really a 6. I can't recommend this enough, it's growing into the kind of series you hope every high fantasy is going to be.
Many, many thanks to the author and BookSirens for arranging the early copy on which this review is based.
With this book, the series moves away from what might be called traditional romantasy (don't worry fans, the elements are still there) and moves into the realms of high fantasy. The world is expanded further, more characters are introduced, and characters from previous books get their own arcs and backstories filled out.
I felt the previous book was a bit too hectic, but here the pacing is nicely slowed down; we've got time to sit back a little, and get to know the characters a bit better in between the major story points. Don't worry though, in amongst the 'fishing with friends' there's still plenty going on, because Roxi's arc over the course of this entire book is huge: there is turmoil galore. In fact, it all feels very Fitz-y Hobb-like, and that's high praise indeed.
And yet again I'm left looking at previous 5-star books I've read, and thinking, this is really a 6. I can't recommend this enough, it's growing into the kind of series you hope every high fantasy is going to be.
Many, many thanks to the author and BookSirens for arranging the early copy on which this review is based.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was honored to be given an ARC of Queen of Night. I was so eagerly looking forward to this novel and it did not disappoint! I love how the author weaves together modern life with the more fantastical world of Ithandryll. I live for the twists of this series. Just when I think I have things figured out, something comes in sideways and causes chaos of the best kind.
I really appreciate the realness of the relationship between the two main characters and how the FMC's past trauma plays into that. The author has done a beautiful job of illustrating an all-consuming love that still seems realistic and has depth, colored by the character's history.
I love the characters and depth of world building with this series. It seems nicely complex without being confusing and overly complicated. I find the characters witty and likeable (unless we're not supposed to like them, then I REALLY don't like them, haha). I am 100% on board with this series and am so thrilled to see what comes next!
I really appreciate the realness of the relationship between the two main characters and how the FMC's past trauma plays into that. The author has done a beautiful job of illustrating an all-consuming love that still seems realistic and has depth, colored by the character's history.
I love the characters and depth of world building with this series. It seems nicely complex without being confusing and overly complicated. I find the characters witty and likeable (unless we're not supposed to like them, then I REALLY don't like them, haha). I am 100% on board with this series and am so thrilled to see what comes next!
Review of advance copy
ARC received through Booksirens, all opinions below are my own after reading.
Queen of Night brings us back to the complex world of Ithandryll and is, just like book 1 & 2 filled with magic, mystery and tension. I absolutely loved reading about Roxi and Devon again and their search for eachother.
The pace was great, not too fast, but fast enough to keep the attention of the reader. Plot wise, I found that it was a bit less plot driven than the first two books, but it was still a good read. We get more info about different characters and how the different worlds work and are connected.
I am a huge fan of this series and cannot wait to read more about Roxi and Devon.
Queen of Night brings us back to the complex world of Ithandryll and is, just like book 1 & 2 filled with magic, mystery and tension. I absolutely loved reading about Roxi and Devon again and their search for eachother.
The pace was great, not too fast, but fast enough to keep the attention of the reader. Plot wise, I found that it was a bit less plot driven than the first two books, but it was still a good read. We get more info about different characters and how the different worlds work and are connected.
I am a huge fan of this series and cannot wait to read more about Roxi and Devon.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
ueen of Night pulled me in with its mystery, especially Roxi’s unexplained return and the question of what really happened to her. I loved the contrast between the two worlds and how Roxi’s curiosity challenged Devon’s assumptions about where she belonged. The story kept me curious right up to the end, and I’m definitely interested in seeing where this world goes next.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The journey this took me on was a wild one for sure, but man, was it fun!! All the twists and turns that left me questioning what just happened, only to have it answered in the best of ways. The last several chapters were so frustratingly good. The ending was perfect though, like damn, what's next? Deff my favorite recent read!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews