Judah is special: she doesn't fit in with the rest of the townfolk. Her dark hair marks her as other in a sea of blondes. She was found and adopted luckily before they discovered she was bound to the King's son in a strange, magical bond they couldn't sever.

Unfortunately the story telling was too slow for me to appreciate much else about this book and the ending did not make sense.

This was an extremely hard book to get through. I almost always finish any book I start but I stopped reading this one. Between the verbose writing and the disturbing plot lines, I could not finish this.

I was really looking forward to this book. The cover is beautiful, the reviews hyped the book up, and I saw it everywhere.
Ultimately, this book was a disappointment. The characters seemed crass and shallow, and I spent the entire book waiting for something big to happen. When the climax finally occurred, it was in the last 30 pages. In those last 30 pages, the each of characters changed into someone else, personalities not at all matching the previous book.
I will say, however, the author did a fantastic job of building her world. It was easy to imagine, almost medieval like in essence.
All in all, this book didn't live up to its expectations. I will recommend it to someone who doesn't mind a chunky book with a smidge of fantasy woven in, but personally for me it wasn't the best.

It's been a long while since a story has gripped me and wiggled into my mind and kept me hooked but also guessing until the last page.

Braffet has crafted a solid world that feels familiar enough but is also not familiar. As the story progresses, there is decent worldbuilding, good character development, and very good plot. It's rare that I can't figure out where the plot is going before it unfolds, and Braffet kept me on the edge of knowing while still managing to surprise me (but the zingers were well supported, a must!). I love that the little bit of romance was not the central plot point, that the characters were well rounded and not just perfect people. They had flaws and emotions and were very real.

I can't give away more without spoilers, and I won't do that in a review, but suffice to say I can't wait for the next installment!

The Unwilling is the first book in a new dark epic fantasy series. This is a story of magic following Judah, a foundling born under strange circumstances with a unique gift as she’s raised in the castle. We also follow Gavin, the soon to be ruler of the kingdom. This book has some very dark and cruel moments, but is countered with moments of hope. The characters are interesting, and the plot was promising but I found it to be slower than most epic fantasy I’ve read. I enjoyed it enough to finish, but not sure I’d want to finish the series because of pacing and writing style.

The Review

What a rich and dark fantasy the author has crafted! The narrative is greatly layered between the YA Fantasy from the two main protagonist’s POV, and the darker, more spine-chilling fantasy and horror that the journey takes readers on. The atmosphere and tone the author set for the novel really elevated the reader’s experience, drawing them further and further into the mystery and history of this world.

The mythos and the character growth was the most prominent aspect of these narratives. The shocking cruelty of the antagonists and the heartfelt bond the protagonists and the supporting characters made with one another elevated the emotional undercurrents of this book, while the rich history and mythology the author developed opened up some pretty mind-blowing and thought-provoking fantasy elements that left readers eager to read more.

The Verdict

A masterful, creative, and emotional dark fantasy read, author Kelly Braffet’s “The Unwilling” is the perfect start to a brand new mythos and series. The rich historical and mythological development the author wrote and the engaging way the characters not only drew readers in, but the engaging interactions between these characters really made this novel shine brightly.

This book definitely wasn’t what I was expecting. It was a bit ling and drawn out. It was also more a dark thriller with fantasy elements than I expected.

I really appreciated being given an opportunity to read this book, and I finally got to it this month. This is a dark adult thriller that happens to be set in a magical world. I wish it was not marketed as a fantasy, but instead as a thriller, as I think that better fits what the book is. Because I am not a huge fan of thrillers, it turns out this was a bit of a letdown for me. Additionally, this book is LONG and there is really no reason that it needs to be this long. It pretty much drags on and on, and the whole time, you want to know what is going to happen to Judah and what is it that makes Judah special and when will we find out.

Despite these "misses" for me, there were a lot of things that this book does well. The dark horror and trauma of it, while unexpected, does play its role in shaping the characters, and it pulls the reader in. I felt so connected to Judah and really was rooting for her from the start. There were great bonds between some of the characters, and the good moments between them were all the more poignant because of the awful hardship they face.

This is a good book for those who do not mind a lot of dark violence and other possible triggers (e.g., rape), and as I said, if people know going into it that this is definitely more of a horror/thriller than a fantasy book. Thanks for the chance to read it!

i was interested in getting to know Judah and Gavin, they were interesting characters and I enjoyed going on this journey with them. I hope there is more in this universe.

The Unwilling is an epic fantasy story. I had no idea what was in store for me when I signed up for the blog tour, only that I thought the story sounded fantastic. This book is quite hefty, so get comfy!

The story follows four people. Gavin, the heir of Highfall and future ruler. His younger brother Theron who prefers books and gears to people. Judah, the foundling, who showed up mysteriously at the castle as a baby and has been raised alongside Gavin. And Eleanor, a girl from a far away province that was bought as a child to be Gavin’s future wife. The four of them grow up together, though they learn of their very different roles the older they get.

Gavin and Judah have a very special bond that allows them to feel what the other is feeling. It has saved each of them as much as it has hindered them. Judah can feel every time Gavin drinks too much, and Gavin suffers the wounds when Judah does something that garners punishment.

Once they are all adults, they realize they’ve all been pawns in a bigger plan for Highfall. Theron’s life is in danger, and Gavin must make some very difficult decisions. Judah’s life doesn’t feel like her own because everything she does affects Gavin, and Eleanor is merely there to marry Gavin and produce heirs.

Meanwhile, in the city outside of Highfall castle, there is a magus with plans for Judah. He comes from a long line of people who have planned for her birth for many years and he is also a pawn, set to fulfill a plan. As all of their lives intertwine, no one’s plan is going how it is supposed to.

I really adored this story. It reminds me of books like Lord of the Rings in that there are many details and it really immerses you in the world. It also has one of my favorite things in books, the group of friends who are all very close and must rely on each other to get through the hardships. I just really enjoyed this story and would recommend it to anyone who likes immersive fantasy!

The Unwilling is the story of Judah, a foundling born with a special gift and raised inside Highfall castle along with Gavin, the son and heir to Lord Elban's vast empire. Judah and Gavin share an unnatural bond that is both the key to her survival... and possibly her undoing.

As Gavin is groomed for his future role, Judah comes to realize that she has no real position within the kingdom, in fact, no hope at all of ever traveling beyond its castle walls. Elban - a lord as mighty as he is cruel - has his own plans for her, for all of them. She is a mere pawn to him, and he will stop at nothing to get what he wants.

But outside the walls, in the starving, desperate city, a magus, a healer with his own secret power unlike anything Highfall has seen in years, is newly arrived from the provinces. He, too, has plans for the empire, and at the heart of those plans lies Judah... The girl who started life with no name and no history will soon uncover more to her story than she ever imagined.- Goodreads

I have tried to get through this book twice and with no luck. The characters, nor the world building did not bring me into the story. 20% into the book was bored and wondering what was and when something was going to even remotely happen.

The concept of the novel seems great but the tension, the anger, the fantasy that I wanted to immerse myself in didn't happen.

I should have liked this book much more than I did. It has all of the elements that I appreciate in a fantasy. I believe that stronger editing would have improved the flow of the story. Many readers will enjoy it, and I did enjoy it, just not as much as I wanted to.

I had some trouble getting into this book. I don't know if it was the writing style, but I found myself having trouble focusing on what was happening. I would get lost and confused and would have reread parts in order to understand what was going on. Maybe it was just too much for me right now. I hope to return to it in the future and give it another chance

I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. I am always in the mood for a good fantasy. There was just something off about the pacing of this book. It was a bit on the darker side then some of the stuff that been reading as of late. I did not really feel much for the characters. The concept behind the story was a good one just did not do the idea as much justice as I would have liked it too.

I did not have the chance to read this title prior to its publication, but my library did purchase it for its collection.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for this early copy!

Did not finish - I did not connect with the plot and writing and decided to put it down.

Written by Kelly Braffet, The Unwilling follows Judah, a foundling girl taken in by the Lady of the City before she died who has a special connection to the heir. When one hurts, so does the other.

Let’s start with this: this is not a book for the faint of heart. This is a very dark, dark novel. This isn’t a novel with a happy ending, nor it is like most fantasy novels that are on the market now. This isn’t a novel for everyone.



But, this could be a good fantasy novel for those who don’t normally read fantasy. What do I mean by that?

This novel is driven by the characters. The characters are well rounded and real people, they aren’t perfect. These are often people who grew up with violence, and have been shaped by it. The Unwilling isn’t about a world that ends up perfect and right in the end. It is much more in the realm of a novel that looks at humanity and points out those dark flaws that we so often shy away from.

Hands down, this is a well written novel in the style of long novels. This isn’t a normal 400 page fantasy book, this is a book that is over 500 pages and slowly takes it’s time for the characters to tell their story. Which is something that I do enjoy. This is a novel that kept me moving through it, but I think would cause some people to give up on it.



The ending is dark. This is a novel with death and pain, but it is well written and a great novel if you enjoy a dark read.

It is dark, it’s about, as the author put it, unhappy people making bad decisions. If that isn’t something you are prepared for, don’t read this book.

Many thanks to the publisher for giving me an advance copy to review

I was really sad because I was really looking forward to this book, but I gave up on it. I liked the character Judah but otherwise I wasn’t invested in the characters and the story failed to suck me in.

I got the eARC from netgalley, but ended up listening to the audiobook. (Honestly that’s what I thought I was getting through netgalley... my bad.)

I absolutely LOVED the beginning of this book! The bond between Judah and Gavin was so interesting. The political machinations were intriguing and cruel. I loved Theron and his tinkering.

However....the magic system is not well explained at all. There are threads that connect people, but you can go inside people’s minds and adjust their memories, but it’s also blood magic?!.... it doesn’t make any sense. I was honestly PISSED about how this book ended and the decisions that the author made with the plot.

A very good story with an interesting new perspective! I really like the characters and enjoyed following them on their journeys!