The Tarot Trials

The Tarot Trials #1

by Katee Robert

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Dark Olympus series, this high-octane, fast-paced epic fantasy of tarot magic and deadly competition launches an explosive new series perfect for fans of V.E. Schwab and Carissa Broadbent.

The deck has always been stacked against her.

Kestrel has trained her whole life to compete in the Tarot Trials. Her mother won once, earning a place among the five ruling Cinque—then paid for it with her life, executed for alleged treason against the Minor Court.

But fortune favors the bold.

Now it falls to Kestrel to take up her mother’s mantle as Champion of the Moon, enter the Trials, and face her fate. If she can master her new powers of shadow and illusion, navigate the poisonous game of alliances and lies, and corner the fellow Champion who dealt the killing blow to her mother years ago, she may uncover the truth she’s seeking without losing her head… or her heart. But in the Trials, betrayal is a question of when, not if. And winning the game isn’t about what she must do to win, but who she needs to survive.

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Genres: Fantasy, Audiobook, Romantasy, Romance, Fiction, Queer, Adult

393 pages, Hardcover

First published October 20, 2026

About the author

Katee Robert is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of spicy romance. Entertainment Weekly calls her writing “unspeakably hot.” Her books have sold over two million copies. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, children, a cat who thinks he’s a dog, and two Great Danes who think they’re lap dogs.

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Reviews

[Hades ( Disney's version ) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an ALC of The Tarot Trials by Katee Roberts

There are books that hook you in and then there are the books that haul your azz in like Dave Marciano.. call me Big Tuna

Ok now I'm gonna need y'all to lean with me & rock with me a little bit on this one.. I really really enjoyed it! However, I'm notoriously known for being able to see both sides of the street...And with that being said I do see where if you aren't particularly captivated with tarot or fail to connect with this aspect of magic there is a chance you may feel this one to be a bit like copying and pasting popular tropes on paper..For me this brought out my inner Burmese and I inhaled everything in one go..

The combination of tarot-inspired magic and deadly trials was immediately intriguing, but what really kept me hooked was how much was happening underneath the actual competition. There are alliances to navigate, secrets to uncover, people who absolutely cannot be trusted, and enough shifting loyalties to make you question literally everyone... And just when I thought I had something figured out… nope. Katee said, “Cute theory,” and promptly threw it out the window...

Kestrel was an absolutely fantastic protagonist to follow... I loved that she wasn't simply entering the Trials because she wanted glory or power... Her mother’s history and the unanswered questions surrounding her death give Kestrel a much more personal reason to be there... Watching her try to survive while simultaneously digging for the truth gave the story an emotional thread that made me care about what happened beyond simply wondering who would make it through the next trial.

And the worldbuilding!? 👏👏👏.. I am a sucker for a fantasy that actually gives me something to sink my teeth into, and I really enjoyed the way the tarot mythology was woven into the magic, politics, and social structure of the world. You don't need to be a tarot expert to follow along, but if you already enjoy tarot, there are definitely some fun little details to appreciate..

The Trials themselves were probably my favorite part... There is something inherently addictive about watching characters who know they can't trust each other being forced into situations where they HAVE to rely on one another. Every alliance came with an invisible expiration date, and I spent a ridiculous amount of time trying to decide who was going to betray who first..

Was everything perfect? No.. There were a few moments where I wanted a little more development, particularly in some of the relationships and toward the end when things started moving at warp speed.. I also think certain aspects of the world could have been explored even further because I was genuinely interested in them...There is a lot of emotion on these pages and I just wish in some parts we got to live in the moment a little longer.... BUT.....Did I have a good time?..Absolutely.
Did I get invested?...Unfortunately for my sleep schedule, yes.
Did I finish this wanting the next book immediately?.. Also yes.

This was a dark, dramatic, addictive fantasy with a ridiculously fun premise, a fascinating magic system, dangerous competition, and enough secrets to keep you turning pages!

I know I will most definitely be adding it to my hardcopy trophy collection!


Until next time
Hades
🩵

[Liana Gold · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not bad, not bad at all! RTF!


A woman enters dangerous trials to find out what happened to her mother 22 years ago. She must control her own powers, shadows and illusions, in order to come out alive. But soon after entering the trials, she learns that her mother's execution was not the whole story.

I've read books by Katee Robert before so I know exactly what to expect from her storytelling. Despite the lower ratings, I'm going in with an open mind!




Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for an early ALC!

Narrator: Lindsey Dorcus
Duration: 14 hours 26 minutes
Speed 1.5-2.25x (varies)

Publication: October 20, 2026

[chantalsbookstuff · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed parts of The Tarot Trials, but it wasn't a book I completely fell in love with.

I liked the mystery. Kestrel enters the trials looking for answers about her mother's execution, and I was really interested in uncovering what actually happened. As more secrets came to light, especially those involving the gods, the courts, and the people behind the scenes, the story became much more interesting. No one felt completely trustworthy, which made it hard to predict what would happen next.

The concept itself was really strong. A deadly competition with tarot inspired magic, shifting alliances, betrayals, and political scheming sounded right up my alley. The trials had some exciting moments, but I often felt confused about how everything worked. The rules weren't always clear, and because I don't know much about it, some parts of the worldbuilding were harder for me to follow.

Even though it didn't completely work for me, I still found enough to enjoy. The mystery kept me interested, there were some surprising twists, and the ending left me curious about where the story will go next.

Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to review this ARC.

[jenny reads a lot · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first Katee Robert book and I did enjoy it!

I thought the world was interesting enough to draw me in and the trials never felt like they were forced. I’m actually a trials hater in most instances, but these trials were essentially the whole book, and felt seamless with the overarching plot.

The trials take place over just a few days and the plot moves fast while still providing backstory in all the right places.

The beginning of the book did feel a bit overwhelming, as the world building and set up is heavily front loaded. Once you’re over the initial dump the world building is pretty much done and you get to really sink into the ongoing plot and narrative.

Overall a solid fantasy. It’s light on the romantic subplot, though everyone is hot af and everyone is lusting for everyone — which satisfied my romance loving heart.

Audio Narration: 4/5
Narrator: Lindsey Dorcus
Length:14 hours 26 mins
Style: Single narration, single POV
Thoughts: Overall this was a solid audiobook and a good performance. It did take me a little while to get used to the narrator, in the beginning it felt like she was dragging out each S-sound — BUT that may have just been a me issue. I am extremely picky when it comes to narration. Pausing and pacing was solid and her voice variations were distinct enough to follow dialogue without much effort. The audiobook definitely made this book an easy listen.

4⭐️| IG | TikTok |

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to rate this book higher, but it is SUCH a glaringly obvious semi-plagiarized Hunger Games.

[C. Sinclair · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

Please note that this review is for an audiobook format version of The Tarot Trials. My opinions about both the story and its audio performance weigh into final rating & review.

To be completely honest, I've been sitting on my final review for this one for almost a week... and I'm still not sure how I feel about it. On paper, The Tarot Trials has the makings of something genuinely compelling: deadly trials, arcane politics, power struggles between the Minor courts and the Dregs, and a protagonist with reasons to uncover the truth that go well beyond winning a competition. Kestrel was a strong character to follow. I was sincerely drawn in by her mother's history and the unanswered questions surrounding her death, which effectively drove a personal stake in the Trials. She's not in it for the glory or power, and she's not thrust into trials against her will like so many genre-champions before her; she's trying to make sense of something that has shaped her life and influence a better world for people she loves. The worldbuilding is strong out the gate, and once the groundwork is securely in place I found the political tensions and central mysteries gave the story plenty of momentum. The LGBTQ and disability representation are also exceptional: thoughtfully integrated, consistently present, and refreshingly free of the feeling that a character's identity exists solely to make a point. And, spectacularly, the story resolves its immediate mysteries while opening up a new set of questions that have me genuinely invested in what comes next - a massive accomplishment in any genre, let alone how well this was executed.

Unfortunately... the romance(s?) were pronounced dead on the scene for me. There are way too many crushes and not enough development to make any of them convincing, and the resulting entanglements felt immature in a way that starkly contrasted Kestrel's characterization otherwise. Honestly? I could have done without them entirely and suspect I'd have enjoyed the book considerably more sans-romance. But my biggest issue was the audiobook itself. Too many moments that should have landed with edge-of-the-seat tension, appalling tragedy, or complex emotional weight passed by without making much of an impression, and some of the vocal performances were flat out distracting. I can only imagine the challenge it must be to differentiate the characters in a single-narrator audiobook performance, but it was too much. The masculine voices in particular were hard to take seriously, and I found myself consistently wishing they had been significantly dialed back. And then there's the pronunciation. I understand that Hierophant isn't exactly an everyday word, but we do have Google. But most importantly, hearing cinque pronounced "Cheen-kway" repeatedly in a story where it's a vital piece of the terminology was enough to make me consider throwing my phone across the room. I am begging audiobook productions to consult a dictionary before sending a listener into battle. The cumulative effect was a story that kept pulling me out of its own world, leaving what could have been a gripping fantasy competition feeling more like a ripoff of The Hunger Games for astrology adults.

And that's what makes this rating so difficult: I don't think the underlying story is the problem. I suspect I'd have a substantially better experience reading it myself, without the performance repeatedly interrupting my investment. The political intrigue, the power imbalances between the courts and the people beneath them, and the mysteries surrounding Kestrel's family are all compelling enough to keep me locked in. I'm absolutely getting the sequel, but I'm also getting the actual book and reading it with my own internal narrator so I can give this story the fair shake it deserves. Recommended for fantasy lovers, readers who want an adult Hunger Games with magic and political intrigue, and anyone with a Pinterest board dedicated to tarot spread patterns & arcana interpretation.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC of The Tarot Trials in exchange for an honest review. It is always an honor to be trusted with unpublished work, and I look forward to the next opportunity.

[Keila (speedreadstagram) · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

Full disclosure, if Katee Robert writes it, I will read it. This book is different than her others, but I still enjoyed it. I think partially because this is the first book in a new series, but there is a lot of plot building in this book. This one is also a slow burn. Listening to this one was rather interesting and the narrator did a good job with it.

[Gyula]

DNF 23%

I can see this vibing with other readers but it’s just not for me personally. It took me way too long to get through a quarter of the book because this plot is way too messy but also not compelling in the slightest. The magic system is definitely something that I was excited about because a tarot based magic system has been having its moment lately in fantasy! But ultimately, the magic system & almost everything else falls flat.

IDK how to make this make sense but what needs to be further explained is glossed over while other useless factors get too many adjectives. The world building is vague and the tarot magic is an unorganized mess IMO. The descriptions are confusing. There’s no depth to the writing. There hasn’t been anything of interest to pull me into the story & keep me reading.

According to the author, this is a character forward story in a queer normative world. I enjoyed all of the representation but I haven't really felt the character forward aspect from what I read. To me, the main lead is bland with no personality so far & the side characters are there but hold not presence.

Also, this is geared up to be very unlike her usual work; which I think is very refreshing coming from a more spicy author. This trilogy is planned to be a not so spicy romantasy with the romance (which will end up being polyam) as a subplot; which I think many readers will really appreciate.

**A special thank you to Shelf Awareness & Tor Publishing for the physical arc.

[EmJustReading · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a well blended masterpiece. It had many concepts and ideas that I’ve enjoyed before, but with unique aspects that make The Tarot Trials feel very new and one of a kind.

The story was very interesting; I loved how the old gods have temples on the island and they give the champions enough power to prove they are still around. I also appreciate when in a fantasy world people can be so accepting of traits and things that are still problematic/ issues in reality. For example, the rings system to demonstrate the preferred pronouns.

I’ll admit that in the beginning it felt like there was a lot of information to learn and retain, which made it feel sluggish at points. I felt the urge to make a “cheat sheet” like I was studying for a test — to reference info about the courts/ colors/ roles/ etc. I feel like that and a map would do wonders for my comprehension at the beginning.

The power imbalances and struggles between the Minor courts and the Dregs (also the Minor courts vs the Gods) is very well written. In the past I’ve read Katee Robert’s books for very different reasons, but when reading this I didn’t feel any disappointment to be reading something so different.

I’m excited to see where the next book takes us! Thank you to the author and publisher for the ARC through NetGalley

[isabellerosereads · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

4.25⭐️ okay this was really fun omg i got sucked into it way faster than i expected to!!!

Tropes/themes:
- unique tarot based god-blessed magic
- tarot-based walled society with privilege tiers
- deathly nightly trials, hunger games style
- everyone is hot and wants to kiss AND kill each other
- mother death mystery
- survivor underdog fmc

This was just a good time that hit all my buttons. Cool ass magic system based on tarot with supposedly absent gods that bless powers to their champions?? Check. Fiesty survivalist fmc fighting for a better future for the impoverished, but also being very human at times through desperate actions?? Check. Deadly high stake trials with twists, betrayals and alliances that last the majority of the book??? Check!!!

The audiobook was great, the story was fast paced and just kept me hooked, like i wanted to know about the initial mystery but then kept getting more drawn in by the political mechanisms, which i suspect will come into a much heavier play in book 2.

I wish the initial worldbuilding and introduction to the society was a liiiiiittle bit more clearly explained as it takes a minute to wrap your head around things, but i tend to get lost in audiobooks and can sometimes miss things.

Also was expecting this to be spicer and more romantic focused but its very plot heavy!! There were little romantic undertones with even one spice scene towards the end, but for the most part the focus is on the games.

Super fun book overall, can’t wait for the sequel! Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the gifted audiobook, disclaiming that this was read for a video collaboration but all opinions are my own.

[Katie (katieeatsbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

10/10/2026-10/15/2026

Thank you Tor books for both the gifted digital proof of “The Tarot Trials” by Katee Robert but also the not one but TWO physical proofs 😂 big LOVE! ❤️🃏

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(Out October 20th, 2026!)

This book easily became super addicting fast! 🥹

I’ve never seen a tarot god system used in a book before and it was so fascinating! Plus I couldn’t tell who was hotter the sun’s champion, the tower’s champion or death’s champion! 😏 ☀️🗼☠️

Watching the moon’s champion discover herself, and her inner circle in a “Hunger Games” styled nightly changing arena was so entertaining. 🌙

The concept of rest and political partying in the day and a war zone to the final five was nail biting for sure 😂

I can’t wait to see what happens next because that ending was heartbreaking! 😔

[Mella aka Maron]

DNF at 22%

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ALC.

This book is a confusing mess. So her mother was a former champion but was tried to treason after winning. No one knows that the FMC is her daughter. BUT her father trained her based on information from her mother. So… her mother had to have contact with her father after winning. And not a single person knew that this WINNER who has POWER had a daughter??? It just makes no sense.

The FMC is angry at her mother for leaving her to enter the trials… but she does the same thing to all of her younger siblings…. 🤦‍♀️ Hypocrite. She keeps saying that she will make life better for the Dregs and her siblings when she wins… but why does she fault her mom for wanting to do the same thing for her??

Then there’s supposedly a minor court that has quite a lot of power… is our FMC really going to be able to change anything when she wins? It doesn’t sound like the winners get to just do whatever they want. 😐 Maybe she should have researched this whole thing more before entering a death game.

This entire society is just so flimsy. It doesn’t really make sense. There’s a wall keeping monsters out and that wall hides sunlight from the Dregs… it feels like if the gods and their champions had power, why not just do something about the monsters? That monster plot feels like a completely different book. ☠️

To top it off, the actual trials are basically “throw the people together in an area while they kill each other” - but oh, they got magic from their god. 😂 I love a good death game but this is suuuuper boring.

All in all, I don’t really know what this book is trying to accomplish that multiple other books have already done and done better. 🤷‍♀️

[M. Stevenson]

I really enjoyed this and could easily see it becoming the next big thing. It has the vibes, the aesthetics, the factions, the multiple potential love interests, and of course, the titular trials--but none of that feels forced or contrived, and it's all very seamless and extremely readable. I'm often a little iffy about trial-based stories, but this one held my attention and didn't follow the typical predictable patterns. Evocative of The Hunger Games in the best ways.

I don't think you need to know tarot to follow this, but familiarity with the deck would certainly make the world building and main players clearer--even being very familiar with tarot, it took me a bit to understand the courts as part of the world building. I really enjoyed some of the author's interpretations of the cards' powers and the nods to the meanings scattered throughout.

I'll definitely be looking out for the next in the series--I wouldn't call this a cliffhanger ending, but it definitely left me with some questions I want answered and one thing in particular I want very much to happen.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc! Opinions are my own.

[emily wright · Rating 2 out of 5]

audiobook arc provided by libro.fm!

listen, have I ever read a book about tarot cards personified, no! Which was the only thing I found to be unique and/or interesting about this book. holy hunger games wannabe, some of it felt straight up plagiarized. we love another red queen/powerless situation.

let’s start with what I liked: the concept of random people fighting to become the champion for different tarot themed gods, upon securing your spot for your chosen god, they then grant you specific “powers” mostly related to the god you serve, THATS COOL. interesting.

I also found that the other champions were interesting in both how the characters were written and the powers they possessed. Outside of our FMC, Kestrel.

Kestrel is entirely insufferable, falling in love instantly and/or having one interaction with a fellow champion and feeling a weird loyalty to them for the rest of the book, (even though they’re supposed to kill each other AND they literally only interact for a total FIVE days? bffr) her inner monologue and what she actually does doesn’t make sense, sometimes she’ll say/do something that makes NO sense just for the “plot” but it definitely falls flat most of the time. AND she has supposedly trained her whole life to compete in these “trials” to win one out of the five spots as part of the Cinque (an elite class of champions with influence and political power over their area of choice.) but she simultaneously sucks at everything and complains about anything one could complain about. She quite literally only survives the trials because SO many champions support her. She 100% would’ve died the first night if not.

THAT BEING SAID- aside from some conversational scenes that were literally verbatim to various hunger games moments, just adjusted for this book’s context. I enjoyed this mostlyyy, it kept my attention for what it was.

[Audiobooksgirlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deadly competitions are one of my favorite fantasy tropes, and the tarot themed magic system made this one feel fresh. Between the political intrigue, shifting alliances, hidden agendas, and betrayals, there was always something happening.

Kestrel has trained her whole life to enter the Tarot Trials, but winning is not her only goal. She is also trying to uncover the truth behind her mother’s execution. I enjoyed watching her adjust to her new shadow and illusion powers while figuring out who she could trust. The mystery stayed at the center of the story, while the romantic tension simmered more in the background.

Lindsey Dorcus did a good job with the single narration. The pacing kept me engaged, and the different characters were easy to follow.

Overall, this was a strong start to a new fantasy series, and the ending left me curious about what comes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance listening copy. All thoughts are my own.

[Krystle Rouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read many of Katee’s books and this is by far the most plot driven books that she has written. The Tarot Trails book has a unique take on trials while intertwining them with tarot cards, which makes it an intriguing read. This was such a bingeable read that I got it read in one day! Loved it and want more!!
I want to thank NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Life is rarely only one thing or the other, and I wouldn't trust the good without the bad being there alongside it."

The Tarot Trials is an ambitious fantasy that takes its time building its world, establishing its characters and setting the pieces in motion. There’s quite a bit of plot building, so don’t go into this expecting an action packed sprint from the first page. This is more of a slow burn, with alliances, secrets, political shenanigans and plenty of intrigue gradually unfolding.

One of the things I particularly enjoyed about The Tarot Trials was its magic system, which is built around tarot. It’s an interesting premise and gives the fantasy world a distinctive identity, with plenty of opportunity for mystery, manipulation and unexpected turns.

At the centre of it all is Kestrel, a fiercely determined, rather feisty survivalist who is fighting for more than just her own future. She’s driven by the desire to change things for the impoverished, and there’s something particularly compelling about a protagonist whose motivations extend beyond personal ambition. But she’s also wonderfully human. She’s flawed, resourceful and occasionally a little ruthless when survival is on the line. Needless to say, she’s my favourite.

I enjoyed the combination of fantasy, political intrigue, competition and romance, particularly the way the story explores power, privilege and what people are willing to sacrifice to survive.

If you’re after a fast paced fantasy that launches straight into the action, this might require a little patience. But if you enjoy immersive world building, a tarot inspired magic system, a flawed but fiercely determined protagonist and a plot full of shifting loyalties, there’s plenty here to get your teeth into.

I highly recommend.

Thank you Pan Macmillan for my early readers copy.

Available Now! #TheTarotTrials

[Kate (˵◝ ⩊ ◜˵マ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really thought The Tarot Trials was going to be a 5-star read. Deadly trials, Tarot-inspired magic, morally grey characters, political drama? Literally everything I love.
And yet… here we are.
My biggest issue was Kestrel. I love a powerful FMC, but girl, there's a difference between being strong and having the plot constantly bend in your favor. Her powers seemed to conveniently evolve whenever she needed them, and at some point she started giving major Mary Sue vibes.
Meanwhile, Vesper, Cato, and Nero absolutely carried this book for me. They had interesting backstories, actual motivations, complicated loyalties, and so much personality. Honestly, I was more invested in them than in Kestrel.
The romance had SO much potential, but I wasn't completely sold on how it played out. And that ending? Yeah, I'm still annoyed. I don't mind heartbreak or tragic plot twists, but I need them to feel earned, not just thrown in for shock value.
The worldbuilding was fascinating, especially the politics and the mystery surrounding the gods, but so many things were left unexplored.
I genuinely enjoyed the first part of this book, which makes my disappointment even worse.
Amazing concept, fantastic side characters, questionable execution.
I wanted to love this so badly, but unfortunately, the potential was better than the payoff.

[Anna]

The premise is intriguing: a battle for power based on specific tarot cards.

The execution was lacking. The writing felt derivative; a Hunger Games-esque story but without sufficient character development.

THE TAROT TRIALS will work for many readers, but I am not the audience for this book.

I threw in the towel at 77% when multiple days went by without any desire to pick up the book and get to the ending.

[Beth · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Tor Publishing for the gifted ALC.

I'm a little torn about this one. This is my first Katee Robert book and I was so excited to get approved for the ALC of this. I love the trials aspect, I love high stakes, I love a political/magic system that feels unique, it had all the makings of a book I would love. But there were a lot of parts of it that I just couldn't get completely sucked into. The narrator for this though, Lindsey Dorcus, did a great job. I felt like their tone and personality that they gave the characters and story was great and I enjoyed listening to them.

I'll start with what I did enjoy. I did enjoy the magic system, I feel like someone who is familiar with tarot would likely enjoy it more, but it did feel unique to me and that's always a selling point. I enjoyed the battle-royale environment, it felt a lot like The Hunger Games. and it had me reminiscing on that series. This was very plot forward which will always be my favorite, I'm a plot forward reader and I think others who enjoy fantasy world building over romance will enjoy that part of this. I also enjoyed the highlighting of class divides between wealthy and poor areas of a city, it was a common theme of the book.

What I struggled with. I struggled with Kestrel (the main character) a lot, I'm not sure I enjoyed her as a character completely. She felt a bit hypocritical at times, mainly for the basis of her motivations with entering the culling/competition. I struggled with completely getting immersed in the magic, it was super unique to me, but I think those who know more about tarot will really get a full effect from it. And this did drag a bit. It wasn't completely engaging the whole way through. But the ending was intense, I will likely continue the series, but I don't think I could say that this was a favorite of mine. This is releasing October 20th, if you enjoy trials/battle royale reads, I think you should check it out!

*This ALC was given by Macmillan Audio and Tor Publishing through NetGalley, all opinions are my own.*

[anovelaccount (Kayla) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again…I’m a sucker for fantasy books that have trials AND ones that have tarot! I have literally no idea why, but for some reason they just really work for me in a fantasy setting. 😂

So combine that with the gorgeous cover and I’m a goner. I went into this with high expectations, and while I’m not necessarily disappointed, it was different than I was expecting.

The “trials” were more like multiple nights of fighting, Hunger Games style, until there are only five standing. I was hopeful that there would be various tasks or challenges to complete rather than just fighting, so this was one part n where I had to adjust my expectations a bit.

There is also a LOT of front loading the world building, and I was very overwhelmed at the beginning. Some things made more sense as I kept reading, but some things were confusing even after I finished—the world is well developed but not fully explored in this book.

No one can say Kestrel’s not determined. The amount of times she brings up finding out what happened to her mother was…excessive. In fact, a lot of times I found myself wanting the story to move along because things just kept repeating. It slowed it down and made the book unnecessarily longer.

Characters-wise, I loved The Tower and I actually loved both Death. There are so many characters (and most of them die), so my brain went through whiplash to sort through who was important enough to remember. I think the concept of the gods sponsoring their champion is a fun idea but I wanted it more fleshed out.

I will say that I was disappointed in the ending. I can’t say why without spoilers but I’m not sure I’ll be continuing this series.

Overall, a solid concept but lacking a bit in execution for me! Then again, these are tropes I LOVE and am picky about.

🎧Lindsey Dorcus handled solo narration brilliantly. She handled the voices of MANY characters, including accents, like a pro. If you can handle an audiobook heavy on world building details, I’d recommend the audio!

[Taylor Reads Chaos · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

I was honestly so surprised by how much I ended up loving this book!

📖 The Plot:

Kestrel’s mother was the last Moon Champion, and when she was killed after supposedly going mad, Kestrel knew something wasn’t right. After years of training while surviving in the Dregs, the poorest part of the city where sunlight is scarce, Kestrel decides it’s time to find some answers herself. And what better way to do that than become the next Moon Champion in this year’s Tarot Trials!

As she battles the other Champions for a spot among the Cinque, Kestrel has to balance her search for answers about her mother’s death, navigate some seriously messy politics, and figure out who she can actually trust. Along the way, she finds unexpected allies, discovers that certain people know WAY more about her mother than they’re letting on, and begins learning how to harness the Moon’s powers. All while fighting for her life and trying to make a difference in a city that’s determined to keep its secrets.

💭 My Thoughts:

I’m a sucker for a book with trials or a deadly competition, and this one DEFINITELY delivered!

First of all, I absolutely loved the worldbuilding! The whole concept of the Dregs being stuck in almost constant darkness and a city surrounded by walls that separate it from the wilderness was so fascinating to me. I honestly wish we had gotten to explore more of it! But the story is definitely focused on the Tarot Trials, which, by the way, were ABSOLUTELY WILD.

The manipulation, the politics, the sheer nastiness of some of these people was insane. I loved how the trials weren’t just about fighting but also about figuring out everyone’s motives and trying to stay one step ahead of people who were constantly scheming.

I also really enjoyed watching Kestrel slowly find her allies and learn to trust them. But OH MY GOD, the amount of times this poor girl was denied information had me losing my mind 😭 Everyone knows something, nobody wants to tell her anything, and she’s stuck playing this ridiculous political song and dance just to get a single answer. I was frustrated FOR her.

And finally, I can’t say much without spoiling anything, but AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. THAT LAST PART?!?!?! I was NOT okay 😭

Okay, that’s all I’m saying before I accidentally spoil something 💀

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for a copy of this audiobook via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Danisbooklife · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Trials book? Yes, but hear me out because this one brings something different to the table!

Instead of your typical deadly competition, we have tarot-inspired magic, champions representing the Major Arcana, and a heroine taking on the mantle of the Moon — a position that comes with a whole lot of baggage, considering her mother was executed after winning the very same Trials.

And honestly, the tarot element is what makes this one stand out for me! The way the cards, gods, magic and political power are woven together gives the story its own identity. Add in Kestrel’s determination to uncover the truth about her mother’s death, and suddenly surviving the competition is only ONE part of the bigger picture.

Because it’s not just about who wins. It’s about who’s pulling the strings, who can be trusted, and what really happened all those years ago. The shifting alliances and hidden agendas kept me questioning everyone’s motives, and I loved having that mystery running alongside the Trials themselves.

The worldbuilding is definitely on the more complex side, and there were moments where I needed to pause and get my head around how everything worked. But the combination of tarot mythology, court politics, revenge and deadly competition makes this feel like more than just another romantasy following a familiar formula.

My standout? The idea that Kestrel isn’t simply fighting to win — she’s stepping into her mother’s legacy while trying to expose the truth behind her death. There’s something particularly compelling about a heroine competing in a game where the people in power might be hiding the very answers she’s looking for.

If you’re a fan of deadly trials, morally questionable characters, magical competitions and secrets that go deeper than they first appear, this one is worth adding to your TBR!

And remember, in these Trials, trusting the wrong person could be just as deadly as losing.

Thank you Pan McMillan for my finished copy

[BookishlySonia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so apprehensive about this book because of the author’s previous body of work not being my style but I love everything Tarot so figured I would at least try and I am so glad I did.

I had a great time with this book and personally I loved the world building and seeing how she wove in actual Tarot meanings and symbolism into the text. The trials were fun and stressful but I do have to push back on people who say this book is like The Hunger Games. It’s really not in any way shape or form. While there is certainly a power imbalance with the haves and have nots, joining the trials isn’t mandatory it’s a way of gaining power. The Hunger Games on the other hand are mandatory and even the champions are still used by the Capitol as pawns (some are even pimped out). There is no power to be gained by winning THG, the Tarot Trials on the other hand do provide power to the winners going by what’s presented in this book. Just because a book has trials and games doesn’t mean it’s THG. If anything this book is closer to Alice in Borderland season 2 where if you win you become the new Face Card.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC. Lindsey Dorcus did a good job overall, she had great range in how she voiced the fairly large cast of characters. However, for the first half and the last I would say 20% of the book the way she made the S sound was incredibly dragged out and it almost sounded like she was wearing a retainer. I found it really distracting and almost dnf’d the ALC but the story was too good to give up on. I did sample other books narrated by her and she doesn’t have this issue in other books so I will be on the lookout for future projects by her and hope this was an outlier.

I can’t wait for book two!

[Joseandbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 4.5/5

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor Publishing Group, and Macmillan Audio for the advance audiobook copy. All thoughts are my own.

I had a really good time with The Tarot Trials. Going in, I expected a romantasy, but this leans much more into epic fantasy with deadly trials, political intrigue, shifting alliances, and just a touch of romance. The slow-burn romance is definitely there, but it’s the trials and the world-building that take center stage.

The trials were easily my favorite part of the story. Every challenge had real stakes, and I never felt like anyone was safe. I loved seeing the different powers each champion received from the gods because it kept every trial feeling fresh and unpredictable. Kestrel was also a great main character to follow. Watching her dig into the mystery surrounding her mother’s death while trying to survive the competition kept me completely invested.

The audiobook was so good. Lindsey Dorcus did a fantastic job bringing Kestrel to life, and her narration really pulled me into the story.

And that ending… I honestly didn’t see one of those deaths coming. It completely caught me off guard and left me needing the next book immediately.

If you love fantasy with deadly competitions, unique magic, plenty of twists, and a romance that doesn’t overshadow the main story, I definitely recommend picking this one up. I can’t wait to see where Katee Robert takes this series next.

[Bec · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Tarot Trials was so much fun!
This is based on tarot cards, but you really don't need to know anything about tarot to enjoy this. The world building is thorough, and there is a lot, but it's interwoven in a natural way. However, there is a bit of repetition in the first quarter, and maybe since the magic and world can feel slightly complex the extra explanation wasn't annoying, though we do hear the same thing about Kestrel's mother and ex several times, and that reminder started to feel unnecessary.

The pacing felt consistent throughout most of the book, with the exception of the ending, which was maybe a little too fast. I was entertained the entire time, and the mystery aspect and the trials really had me intrigued. There is some telling rather than showing at a lot of points, but I truly didn't mind.

I love that this is an actual slow burn. So much so that I wasn't even entirely sure who the love interest was supposed to be in the first 50%. Which might sound like a bad thing, and Kestrel does make note of how attractive everyone is, but it was never lusting (thank goodness). And Kestrel did have chemistry with several people, but even with that, it just worked. It seemed as though the romance was a subplot and the plot was the main focus, which I prefer.

There is some spice, but significantly less than Katee Robert's other books and not until near the end. The focus is truly on the plot.

[Peachy · Rating 0.5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read an Advanced Listener's Copy of this book! I truly wish I hadn't though.

I cannot put into words how bad and boring and bizarre this book was. The magic and world building was entirely too convoluted between the castes decided by money/status, the population being broken out into the 4 suits of the arcana, the guilds which seems to operate independently and also within the suits, the 4 primordial elemental gods, AND the 22 major arcana gods. There was so so so much to try to keep track of, for no reason at all. Would it not have been easier to just have the religious coup (cause of course there's a coup) happen between the 22 major arcana gods and the 4 suits of the minor arcana? Why add elements to this? It was also very unclear what the distinguishing factors of all of these subgroups were and what their magic might have been, despite the fact that almost every outfit and character is described Mary Sue style.

And my god the characters. 22 Major arcana gods to fight for and we're told about damn near every tribute. Why why why. Katee that was so unnecessary, your editor did you so dirty letting you get away with that. And because there were so many damn characters whose guilds/suits/gods we had to keep track of, they all just blended together after a while. No one was unique or interesting, and the relationships that the Kestrel fought tooth and nail not to forge with them felt shallow. Especially her alliance and especially her unnecessary love interest. My god Katee can you lock in please?

Kestrel on her own was even more of a slog. She had two personality traits and one of them was Dead Mom. Kestrel you're like 27 or something, we need to move on please. The other character trait was Can't Trust Anyone, which was especially stupid considering she just kept trusting people left and right. Ridiculous, vapid character. How do you have 22 years to figure out how to kill 5 people with known abilities and say shit like "oh well, I'll figure it out in the arena" on the day of the reaping? Girl what? I found neither her personality nor her goals compelling, I cannot fathom why she was written so one dimensionally.

Possibly the most egregious was how very YOUNG this book felt. As far as I can tell, this is an adult books written for adults. And yet the writing was incredibly simplistic, the themes were spelled out in the most obnoxiously obvious ways, and the main character acted like a bumbling child who couldn't put a plan together if someone else outlined it for her (which! Someone did! Mouse did!). As if it's not already very obvious from the vague rumblings leading up to the reaping (I can't remember what its actually called in the book, this is close enough) that there is an effort for the elites of society to replace the 22 major arcana gods with the 4 new primordial elemental gods, every chapter starts with an excerpt from the world's equivalent of Project 2025. Yes Katee, we get it. The trails are only the first step. Kestrel will return in Catching Tarot Fires where she leads a rebellion and gets stuck in the games all over again.

God. I have not read a book so bad and pointless for a very long time. I usually give 1 star just for finishing a book, but The Tarot Trials has really made me question that.

[Emma (ejm_reads) · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

3.5 stars

The Tarot Trials is my first Katee Robert’s book and I’m looking forward to seeing where the series goes.

I was pleasantly surprised by the lack of romance in this book. It is more of a sub plot with the trials and politics of the world taking centre stage. I really liked how there were 5 victors at the end of the trials so the competitors are forced to make alliances without really knowing who they can trust. This intrigue kept me engaged as I wanted to know who would make up the final Cinque and I was surprised by the end! I also really enjoyed the tarot/god’s magic. It felt quite unique and sets it apart from The Hunger Games which the author acknowledges as an inspiration.

Sadly Kestrel was only an ok FMC. I was rooting for her but at times it was hard to believe she had trained years for the trials as she seemed so out of her depth. Having grown up in the Dregs, she spent so much time focusing on the injustice of the wealthy world she was experiencing and her mum’s death instead of strategising and planning her next move. Without her alliance I don’t think she would have survived night one! The trials themselves felt slightly repetitive and there were a lot of side characters to keep track of. The ending also fell a little flat - I was expecting more of a big reveal or cliffhanger! But I had a fun time reading the book and looking forward to seeing where the story goes with Kestrel’s life after the trials.

Thank you to Netgalley and Tor/Pan Macmillan for giving me access to this ARC.

[Priya | fablesandstarlight · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

I did an immersive read of The Tarot Trials and had a great time! I really enjoyed the concept of deadly trials and how tarot magic was incorporated into the plot and world. I also liked that the FMC had deeper motivations for entering the trials to try and gain more information about the mystery surrounding her mother's betrayal and death. The pacing was quite fast and the vibes were just what I needed. The ending was done quite well to set up the next installment and leaves the reader itching to dive back into this world!

I found the world-building to be a mix of info-dumping at the beginning and yet I still craved more development by the end. I was also confused by the FMC's thinking and choices at certain points, which made it a bit hard to root for her. Also, do note that at least for this first book, romance isn't a central aspect of the story.

The narration by Lindsey Dorcus was phenomenal. Lindsey did such a masterful job bringing so many distinct characters to life. There were points during my read when I only had the audiobook playing and I was easily able to discern which character was speaking. I also thought the emotional range of the narration suited the story. I would definitely recommend the audiobook! It was a quick listen!

[Aɱαɳԃα.Pαɳԃα · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an ALC of The Tarot Trials by Katee Roberts.

There are books that hook you in and then there are the books that haul your azz in and dont let go and this one is the latter!

The combination of tarot-inspired magic and deadly trials was immediately intriguing, but what really kept me hooked was how much was happening underneath the competition. There are alliances to navigate, secrets to uncover, people who cant be trusted, and enough shifting loyalties to make you question everyone.

The world building?! I am a sucker for a fantasy that actually gives me something to sink my teeth into, and I really enjoyed the way the tarot mythology was woven into the magic, politics, and social structure of the world.

This was a dark, dramatic, addictive fantasy with a ridiculously fun premise, a fascinating magic system, dangerous competition, and enough secrets to keep you turning pages!

I know I will most definitely be adding it to my hardcopy trophy collection!