This was a compelling read and I really enjoyed myself.

The MC is 20 but this reads very YA.

I enjoyed the atmosphere the rhymes and riddles added to the story. The chapters are nice and short, easy to read one and stop if need be. The magic system and the lore of this world is interesting and well done. It is one of the highlights of the story.

The story gets more compelling and smoother around the 20% mark. The beginning I feel had some pacing and storytelling issues. Once the book got into the purpose of the cards and the search for them it moved along smoother.

I enjoyed the character of the nightmare. I was worried he would be a love interest somehow and be that 500 year old dude chasing a 20 year old. I figured out his secrets pretty early on.

The book’s title didn’t make sense for a long time. And I don’t necessarily think it is the best/most compelling title for the story. Also every time those words are mentioned in the novel, it feels forced.

A lot of the “twists” and plot points are easy to guess but no less enjoyable when you are right.

The smut was a surprise. Solid ending. Excited for the next book

A dark mist filled world with strange infections, magic channeled through cards, old mysteries, and enough atmosphere to choke someone with? Count me in.

No really, I inhaled this whole ass book in 2 sittings, one of which was 6 hrs. Its like that.

If you love gothic romance, or gothic vibes in general, One Dark Window is gonna hook itself in you and not let go.

It follows the story of a young woman who survived a magical infection in her youth that left her with a monster in her head. Albeit one who is thoroughly on her side in a world where she, and her family, could be murdered for not turning her into the king.

However, the bigger story is what drew me in. It’s part mystery of the magic of the land of Blunder, channeled through a deck of cards. If someone can collect the 12 different cards on the winter equinox they can dispel the mist that infects children with this sickness and cuts them off from the rest of the world.

NBD right?

It’s a lot, but Rachel Gillig masterfully weaves all these story elements together beautifully, delivering a cast I loved, and an atmospheric world I couldn’t get my fill of.

Especially since we won’t know how things really end until Book 2!!!

One Dark Window
by Rachel Gillig
YA Fantasy
NetGalley ARC

In a town surrounded by mist, Elspeth hides because she had the fever, and now there is magic in her blood, and that magic is illegal in the kingdom, punishable by death. For eleven years she has hidden the magic and the nightmare in her mind that her magic allowed to enter, but when walking home one night she is held at knifepoint, but that thief is not really a thief. She finds herself helping him and his crew to find the twelve Providence Cards, cards that gift their holder the only legal magic in the kingdom, but when all united, the Mist can be lifted and the ones whose blood is cursed by magic freed.

I hate cliffhangers, and this book is the worse kind, and nowhere was there any hint that the book would be part of a series. So know this going in, it's a series, and you'll be left hanging in a very irritating way.

But this book was really good! The characters, plot, setting, and the cards, are all well-done. The cards especially! The author took her time in creating these cards: their powers, their punishments, their design, and the poems that corresponded with them. Bravo!

The characters were great, the MC, the reader can relate with her fears, her mistrust, and with her desire to be free of her magic blood.

I had thought this book was a standalone, but sadly, much to my irritation, it is not. And while I thought it was going to go in one direction, it did not. It's an interesting direction, but I wouldn't be so irked if I had known ahead of time that it was going to be a series.

As for the title, it's not a great fit. Yes, I can understand the thought, but it's a small thing to correlate.

And of course, there had to be a sex scene... It wasn't as graphic as other books, but, while I am not a prude, I still think it's better to leave it up to the imagination. (I skim these scenes because I don't feel that much detail is necessary.)

I wanted to give this book more stars, but I can't because of the type of cliffhanger and because there was nothing alerting the reader that it was only the first book of a series.

4 Stars

I've lately really enjoyed my fantasy romances, and they seem to be growing on me. When I first read the premise of this book, I knew I needed to give it a try because it reminded me of Rosamund Hodge's CRUEL BEAUTY, which I really enjoyed, and hoped that this would scratch that itch.

My assessment of this book is very independent of my initial expectation, since comparing a book with another that promises a certain atmosphere is extremely unfair, in my opinion.

I absolutely loved the dedication, and the promise of the tale the prologue held. This book is set in the fantastical kingdom of Blunder that is in threat by the mist that surrounds it, which threatens to endanger everybody with its dark magic and put them to sleep forever. Throughout the story, we follow Elspeth Spindle, our female protagonist, who has been infected by a fever she suffered from in her childhood, one that is said to give those who recover from it magical abilities. These magical abilities are socially and legally sanctioned, and anybody caught with them is put to death by the king and his forces, along with the ones who harboured them. Elspeth is sent away to live with her aunt as her father re-marries, and when she discovers her magical ability, she ends up with a voice within her, that she calls the Nightmare. She eventually ends up teaming up with Ravyn Yew and his family, in order to collect all the Providence Cards created by the legendary Shepherd King, as he discovers her magical ability.

I loved the worldbuilding through lore, the magic system, and how the Nightmare spoke mostly in riddle and rhyme. I didn't find the romance as convincing, or the character motivations well laid out .I found most of the revelations rather predictable too.

If you like books that read like fairy tales, and contain a clever magic system, along with a scattering of other similar elements, I encourage you to consider this. As for me, I need to see what happens in book two.

Detailed review to come soon.

To be honest this was a book I had to initially push myself to persist with but boy I’m glad I did. The first half dragged but at this halfway mark things started clicking into place and I couldn’t stop reading!

If you enjoy dark YA fantasies don’t let this one slip by. It brings all the spooky and atmospheric vibes. It’s perfect to read over Autumn.

The magic system is clever and unique. It’s based around a set of magical providence cards that gives magical abilities to those who possess them but this magic comes at a cost. The main protagonist Elspeth becomes infected/possessed by a dark entity named the Nightmare as a result of the cards and is looking for a cure which also appear to be found in them.

There was a bit of steam in this one which was a pleasant surprise! If you enjoy a slow burn romance this one will tick that box. It’s simply beautiful. *Sigh.*

I saw a couple of reviews suggesting this is similar to For the Wolf and the Wolf and the Woodsmen and I’d agree in terms of atmosphere and aesthetics.

That cliff hanger though!!

Thank you so much to the author and Orbit Books for my free review copy.

I love the magic system, with all the unique powers of the cards and their respective costs to the user as well. The lore is interesting and the world-building is rich - the mythology, old gods, prophecies, and the kingdom on the brink of death. It is a very intoxicating atmosphere that the author creates and I was absorbed into it for every minute of my experience reading this book.

The complexity of family issues and the kingdom politics adds an extra dimension to the plot. And the plot itself is adventurous and drives the story forward nicely. The texts from an important book within the story that are at the beginning of each chapter helped to add to my understanding of the world and lore. It has all the gothic undertones that I love in a fantasy as well.

I love Elspeth, the female protagonist. She is a strong feisty character like I adore and I was rooting for her the entire journey. I felt connected to her isolation and wariness of others and enjoyed seeing her open up under the most unlikely of circumstances. I even loved getting to know the illusive “character” that speaks to El inside her mind.

This story is chalk full of interesting dark characters who are not at all what they appear to be. Blurring the lines between good and evil is always one of my favorite tropes. And, of course, anyone who knows my reading habits knows how much I love the sullen, broody, self-destructive love interest (Ravyn) *swoon*. This is the perfect slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers, fantasy story. Also, if you love the fake dating trope, this one will be for you.

It is categorized as an adult fantasy, and the author has given a few content warnings, but it felt “new adult” to me, in that it could also be suitable for older young adult readers too. It is definitely a solid 4 star read, maybe 4.5 if I rated books in halves. It didn’t completely blow me away enough to reach that 5 star mark, there was just that indescribable spark that was missing to push it into the 5 star category for me, but nonetheless, I loved this book and really enjoyed it. Overall, it is a fast read and I devoured the story in a matter of days. The author has stated that it is part one of a duology and I can’t wait for what happens next!

I really enjoyed One Dark Window! This fast paced fantasy was intriguing and haunting. The world building was magical and eerie, and the magic system was very unique! I thought the characters were very well written and interesting. I loved Elspeth and Ravyn’s chemistry. There were a couple twists and surprises that kept me on my toes! After that ending, I am dying to see what happens next!

Arc from netgalley.

This book was a two star for me. I can’t quite point out where this went wrong. It could’ve been the writing which I thought was bland, I just couldn’t keep a solid interest

I almost stopped repeatedly but would read it off and on and actually ended up finishing it. The last like 10% was actually pretty good and I wish the rest of it was the same because it didn't live up to my expectations. I think mostly because it's being marketed as an adult book but it feels very ya in terms of character actions and tone and I didn't go in with the right mindset. Not that there's anything wrong with ya writing at all but that's not what this was supposed to be. Elspeth just seems very juvenile a lot of the time with how she responds to other people. Especially when she gets mad at them for doing something that she is also doing. It's like girl come on you can't be pissed when you're doing the exact same thing.

The overall concept is very interesting and honestly that's what kept me going for so long. I haven't ever seen anything like it before. And I would love to know more about how the cards work and where created, we get a very brief look into the process but I'm hoping with how this one ended will get more of it in the sequel.

I definitely didn't think I was going to want to read the second book but the ending left me curious enough that I will most likely read it. I would definitely suggest it for people who like Uprooted, it has the same feel and writing style in terms of the tone and characterization. Overall a decent first book. I think the author definitely has the ability to improve though so I'm hoping that will show through in the next one!

first off: i'm lamenting the fact that i didn't realize this was the first in a series! that ending had me on the edge of my seat, and i have no clue how i'm going to be able to wait for the next book.

i absolutely LOVED the world building in this. the premise was so intriguing, as was the lore and backstory behind the magic. i appreciated the way that the magic was explained, too—it wasn't convoluted, and the explanations were woven into the story in a way that made sense.

as for the the romance: while sweet, it didn't feel properly developed. in this book's defense, that's how i feel about most YA fantasy/romance. still, i wish the MCs had spent more time together and gotten to know each other more—and honestly, even if that meant that there wouldn't be any real romance until later books, i'd be fine with that. but i'm also a fan of tension and slow burn, so perhaps i'm biased.

i also had mixed feelings about the FL! at times she came across as emotionless—although that may have just been due to the writing style—and at others her emotions just didn't make sense. she would describe the tears leaking down her face, and i would be confused as to why she was even crying, or she would be incredibly mad at someone for a seemingly minor thing and i would be grimacing at her outburst. maybe this is just her character, but it made it difficult to connect with her.

she was also constantly falling over every time she tried to run (???), but that's whatever.

honestly, the only consistently good part of the FL was the voice in her head—the monster, the nightmare, whatever you want to call him. the few laughs i had in this book were due to him (although i imagine he wasn't supposed to be a funny character).

this isn't to say that the FL was bad! i actually liked her quite a bit, especially as the book went on. i just think that the voice in her head was her better half—make of that what you will.

i also did like the ML, although he was a bit underdeveloped for my tastes. it felt like we didn't really get to know him as a character, and any development he might have had was overshadowed by the romance. again: i wish the romance had been stretched out a little longer, so the characters had room to grow before being taken over by their all-consuming feelings of love and whatnot.

writing-wise, i loved the author's voice! they did a good job of setting the scene and atmosphere; when i looked out my windows after reading this, i was almost expecting to see fog. there was admittedly a lot of repetition of certain phrases ("oily voice," for one, which might've been fine once or twice but was just too much in this case), but aside from that i didn't have any issues with it.

overall, this was a super fun read! the concept was compelling, the characters were likable, and i'm desperate to know what happens next. i'll definitely be keeping in an eye out for the sequel!

I’m kind of surprised by how much I liked this book! It has everything I want in a fantasy novel - a unique magic system, a spooky atmosphere, all the best tropes, and of course romance. I don’t care how many times a broody dark haired love interest has been done, I will eat that sh*t up every time.

The fact that Elsbeth has been living with a monster in her head for eleven years after being “infected” by magic was super interesting and I’m dying to know more about the Nightmare as a character. I thought it was neat how people manifest different abilities when they get infected and the magical deck of cards that grants people different abilities was unique as well.

There were some predictable moments and the history of the cards and such was hard to follow at times, but ultimately this really kept my interest and I finished it is less than 24 hours. I’m glad this is a series because I need more Elsbeth and Rayvn.

Thank you to Orbit Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

One Dark Window hit the trifecta for things I love in books: gothic atmosphere, interesting magical system, and a strong romantic plot thread. Rachel Gillig really brought all her cards to the table with her debut— it’s simultaneously intriguing, emotional and kept me guessing until the end.

The story follows Elspeth: a young woman who, after being infected with dark magic as a girl, is roped into a scheme to cure the town of the strange magical plague that it was cursed with many years before. She joins forces with an enigmatic highway man with traitorous tendencies and embarks on a quest to hunt down the magical cards that form the basis of Gillig’s tarot inspired magic system. The only problem? Elspeth is possessed by a dark force she calls the Nightmare— a beastly creature taking up residence in her head. It grows stronger every time she asks it for help, and unfortunately as the plot picks up she often needs its supernatural speed and abilities to get her out of some tight situations.

I found the magical system incredibly unique and refreshing. I love magic with tight boundaries and ones that take a toll on its user, which Gillig certainly delivers on. Although it took me a little bit of time to grasp the worldbuilding, when it clicked for me it *really* clicked and I was fully engrossed in the world.

Character wise, there is a bit of the found family trope involved which I really loved. We don’t see a whole lot of Elspeth’s family outside of glimpses of her extended family, but much of the plot revolves around the love interest’s Ravyn’s family. It was refreshing to see a close knit family in a fantasy novel and I am really looking forward to getting to know some of the characters more in the sequel.

As a love interest, Ravyn was your classic dark haired, brooding character with hidden depths. No complaints there! I loved how tender her was towards Elspeth and thought the fake dating trope was really well done here and not at all forced or contrived, which often is the case. I completely bought their chemistry and relationship, and really felt their emotions at the end!

Overall, One Dark Window will really appeal to fans of gothic fantasy romance. Personally, I have no issue with books that are a little slow to start, but some people might. I’d definitely pick up more of Gillig’s writing and can’t wait for the sequel after that cliff hanger!

4.5/5 stars

This is showcased as a gothic novel but I didnt really find that to be the case. It is a bit like "the Wolf and the Woodsman" so I suppose that is something
There are magic cards that cause people in the town to change and do things.
The MC was a tad annoying...there is a love interest, but it sort of falls flat because she spends the entire time telling us hes annoying and she doesnt like him.

I think I would have liked this if there had been more to the plot

I enjoyed the world-building in this fantasy novel more than anything else. The idea of these magic cards and bringing them all together to end a curse on the kingdom made for a fresh plotline. The creature living in the protagonist's head made for an interesting character, as he acted as almost a foil for the protagonist and also served as a resource for information the protagonist couldn't otherwise get.

However, I thought the plot was quite slow and plodding at times, and the protagonist was "weaker" than I prefer; she relied too much on the monster to save her rather than showing strength of her own. I would've liked to see a little more character development on her part.

Overall, an okay fantasy novel.

Wow, where is book 2?! I was completely captured by this story.

In the kingdom of Blunder magic outside of the use of Providence Cards is illegal and can have drastic consequences. Elspeth Spindle has been hiding her magic from everyone, including her family, for 11 years. One day on her journey home she meets a highwayman and her life changes. She joins the kings nephew, Rayven, and members of his family on their quest to cure Blunder from dark magic. However, Elspeth needs to use her magic along the way and begins to lose herself to the Nightmare in her head.

The eerie and dark atmosphere of this story draws you in, it is the perfect read to add to your fall TBR. I really enjoyed the writing style and the dynamic cast of characters. The slow burn romance was perfection and the cliff hanger has me counting down the days until The Shepard King book two!

Thank you Orbit and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest thoughts!

Thank you to Orbit Books and NetGalley for the ARC
4/5
Well! MY FAULT for not recognizing that this is a series and not a standalone book. I’m not sure if it’s obvious that I just finished One Dark Window and that I’m still reeling a little bit. No book spoilers - just spoilers for my own review - I will definitely be reading the second book when it comes out.
While there are a few popular tropes in this book, the author doesn’t go overboard with them and make it the book’s identity. The magic system is one that’s unique to me, and I liked the nuances of how it affects different people. It was easy to like the characters, including the Nightmare, and I’m hoping to see more from them (especially Elspeth’s family) in the second book. There were a few slow points throughout the book, but it was overall a good read with a fast-paced ending.

As requested I will hold off on posting my review until two weeks prior to the book be listed for sale.

"Be wary. Be clever. Be good."

I considered DNF'ing this book at around 10%. It was a slow start with lots of somewhat confusing world-building for me. But once this book hit its stride -- I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. I have three kids, ok. One of whom is a baby who still gets up at night. Believe me when I say that it takes a lot for me to stay up till 11pm three nights in a row because I'm so invested in this book. I have a book hangover.

I need the next one immediately.

SEVEN FREAKING STARS

This book is everything that I wanted!
Magic, Heist, Grey characters, and a hint of romance.

The prose of this story was fantastic. I love the lyrical rhymes that are hints in the story.
It kept me guessing and engaged. I love that this story also delves into duality. Balance of right and wrong.
Success and debt must be paid.

I love the magic system! Cards as a medium is my kryptonite. O___O maybe preorder incentives of cards? eh eh?
In a cursed kingdom shrouded by a malevolent mist, there is unpredictable and predictable magic. Infected by the mist, those that get sick and live obtain unpredictable magic. Shunned and hunted to the death only one magic is allow to rule the Providence cards. Unite a deck and the curse can be broken.

I have so many theories and special moments in my mind that made me go "YES".. "HELL YES". OMG YES
I just all the sly moments and the action!!

I wish I could say more but I cannot. BUT THIS IS A BOOK to read!
Ending was chef kiss! I cannot fault it but it definitely leaves me satisfied and eager for the final volume of this duet.

Going in to this book, I admit the name and cover reeled me in. The synopsis sounded like something I’d be in to. That being said:

- the story starts out in the middle and I struggled a bit to find out where I was in it.

- the word building is there, but not completely. It was a bit too drawn out with all the interesting stuff in the end.

- if you’re looking for a happy ending, this isn’t for you.

- while I did find it interesting about 3/4 of the way in, I wouldn’t buy it or suggest it to anyone. I do feel as if the book has the ability to be great, but it didn’t always flow so smoothly in my eyes. A lot of back and forth. Elspeth is hard headed but also somewhat lacking in personality. She wasn’t given much of one aside from the Nightmare. I do love Ravyn though for some reason. However his siblings had a better explanation/character build than he did.

-the cards holding the magic and the ‘infected’ were a different play on the magic system than usual so that was very different.

All in all, it wasn’t bad, just slow and the characters need a bit more development to them.

[I received an e-ARC of this book from NetGalley] Oof. I am in love. It has been a long time since a book ticked so many of my boxes. Even at 9% into the book, I knew that this was going to become one of my favorite books of all-time. I'm not even exaggerating; it fit me that well. The whole book played like a movie inside my mind seamlessly. Do you like Cinderella? We've got some of those vibes sprinkled in. The magic system of the tarot-like Providence Cards was simple, yet brilliant. The lore of how the magic system came to exist was interesting and kept you enthralled by it throughout the entire book. The female main character was enigmatic, sympathetic, badass, intelligent, witty, vulnerable; she was a complete joy to follow. The enemies (kinda)-to-lovers romance was absolutely stellar and their connection to each other brought to mind, for me, the iconic pairing of Kylo Ren and Rey from Star Wars. So many little twists. I love twists. I was literally on the edge of my seat when the book ended on a cliffhanger, but luckily there is a book 2 coming! I never once got bored or thought the book dragged on at any point; the author was amazing at characterization and plotting. I genuinely just can't praise this book enough, okay? It's great. If you love gothic vibes, an interesting magic system, a town with a spooky curse, a floppy dark-haired leading man with a deep connection to the heroine, juicy secrets, and royal family drama coming to a head in a thrilling way? This book is for you. I genuinely didn't think the main character would make it out of this alive (and I still don't because cliffhanger!); I'm not used to there actually being high enough stakes at the end of fantasy novels for me to genuinely worry about the character's fate!