My favorite YA fantasy release of the year so far; it’s another solid read for this fall. The book is dark and angst-ridden. Don’t be discouraged at the beginning. I was a little disoriented when I started and tried to figure out the world, but the story captivated me about 15% in.

The magic system is intriguing albeit a bit confusing. There are a variety of magic cards with different benefits and side effects. The magic being card-based was interesting and unique. Why don’t we see this more often in books?

I enjoyed the Nightmare in Elspeth’s head. He was an intriguing companion, and you’re left wondering whether he’s good or evil or somewhere in between. He reminded me of Mogget from Sabriel, but instead of being a cute cat form, he’s a beast residing in the main character’s mind.

I will say that going into the book, I was not aware it was part of a series, and the abrupt cliffhanger ending was a brutal surprise. I’ll just be here dying until the next book is released.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

According to the author on Goodreads, this is an adult gothic fantasy, but it reads more like YA so it’s definitely accessible for those who are in the YA age range, although there is a scene that is pretty spicy. I really enjoyed the premise of this story and how unique it was! In this world there are magic providence cards (kind of like tarot cards) that grant magical abilities, although if you use them for too long there are adverse reactions. There is also a magical plague that affects children, and if they survive the infection they become cursed with magic that eventually will lead to their death. There is a LOT of backstory that comes with the magic of this world and the way the past is revealed is a big part of the story, so I won’t spoil anything!

This is a great fall read, definitely fits the vibes of the season. This book has enemies to lovers and the fake dating trope which I love, as well as a dark and brooding captain of the guard, which I’m always down for!

One of my biggest complaints is that I REALLY did not like the main character Elspeth, I thought she was really quite dumb. She’s had her magic for 11 years which has resulted in the Nightmare living inside her head, and not ONCE does she put any of the clues together to figure out who he is even though it’s extremely obvious. She just keeps asking him and he tells her that she already has the answer, but she NEVER puts it all together. She also says repeatedly that she doesn’t want to give in to the Nightmare and let him take over, and she’s aware that the more she asks for his help the stronger he becomes so she’s determined to not ask for his help. Until she’s in even the slightest bit of danger and she starts SCREAMING for his help. I took so many notes on how stupid I thought she was being at all times.

While I liked the idea of the cards and the magic system, there were definitely some inconsistencies that really stood out to me. Everyone knows the kind is looking to compete his card deck so that he can save the kingdom from the mist that surrounds it, yet it seems that no one wants to actually give him their cards and people are always trading their cards to others. They’re also dangerous because they have those adverse effects if used for too long, but that doesn’t seem to bother anyone but they’re willing to kill any children who get the infection because their magic will kill them. It doesn’t really make a ton of sense to me.

This definitely is in line with the current popular trend in YA fantasy, while it has some unique ideas there’s also quite a bit that’s similar to other YA fantasy books so it’s very easy to predict the entire book. If that’s something you’re okay with, definitely give this book a go! Overall, I liked this and enjoyed it while I was reading it, but it definitely has it’s flaws and I’m not sure if I’ll read the sequel.

This is my first 5 star read In months! I feel so lucky to have received an arc of this book. It’s beautifully written with lovable characters, suspense, great world building and an exciting adventure. I truly had a great time reading this and cannot wait for the next one.

Once I started, I couldn't put ONE DARK WINDOW by Rachel Gillig down. With fascinating worldbuilding based on magical cards (a la arcana), swoony dark characters, and twisting relationships, ONE DARK WINDOW doesn't disappoint.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Actual Rating = 2.5, rounded up to 3

Dude, I don't even know with this book...

Is it perfect? No; to an extent that is almost laughable, this book is not perfect. But I will read the second one...Since my brain will not let me order my own ideas about this book, I've decided just to throw some commentary below. Some of these are spoiler adjacent, though I've tried to avoid outright spoilers. You have been warned.

- The cover is absolutely gorgeous and I feel no shame saying that I requested this book based on said gorgeousness.
- Going in, please understand that the internal logic of this story makes no sense. There is very little clear continuity, characters act in seemingly random and often unbelievable ways, and there are plot holes galore. If you can't handle that, this probably isn't the book for you. However, if you can ignore these issues for the sake of vibe, just breathe deep and enjoy the ride.
- This story does deal with the topic of possession, which is one of my favorites. I think Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson, another recent release, handled the topic with a bit more nuance, but it was fun to read about our MC, Elspeth, and her relationship with the Nightmare. Honestly, Nightmare was my favorite character, though his penchant for speaking in rhyme did get annoying sometimes.
- The writing is definitely atmospheric and I had no issues picturing the setting.
- Unfortunately, the writing is also EXTREMELY repetitive, with words and phrases being used over and over right in a row. For example, the phrase "white hot heat" pops up more than once...This is one of several reasons why I think One Dark Window could've used a few more rounds of editing.
- The magic systems were interesting, with one system being innate to certain "infected" individuals and one being based around a Deck of Cards that kind of reminded me of what would happen if Tarot cards and Infinity Stones had a baby. The latter system is socially acceptable, while the former is strongly villainized. The magic systems are sort of linked through the lore, but they operate pretty separately from each other within the story.
- Y'all THERE ARE PARENTS INVOLVED. Like actual grown-ups are around helping the youth deal with their issues. If you read a lot of YA/NA fantasy, you know how uncommon this is and I love to see it.
- On a related note, I'd classify this as NA fantasy. The themes/characters/writing style is very YA in flavor, but there are a few swears and one pretty spicy scene that ages the book up a bit.
- The worldbuilding is cool but wasn't fleshed out enough for me to feel like I understood much. Like, a new aspect of the world would just arise from nowhere, and I had to accept it and carry on without much critical thinking. Now don't get me wrong, this book delivers aesthetics and delivers it well. But did I feel like I was reading about a world that could actually exist? Absolutely not.
- The pacing and flow of this book are all over the effing place. The story jumps from one scene to the next with very little connection, making it difficult to follow what was actually happening. There are also a few different plotlines in this story and it was like, we would totally pause on one to explore another for a bit, and then jump back with no warning.
- Because of the weird pacing and flow, there are some scenes that read as really weird and random because it feels like they're happening with no context.
- The plot is pretty recognizable to people who read YA Fantasy. As in, there is a "big reveal" moment about 64% of the way in (per my Kindle) and I legit have a note at 10% guessing what it would be. This didn't really impact my enjoyment of the novel, but might be a turn-off for people who need something more original.
- There are quite a few typos and grammar issues, but I assume those will be fixed before the final release. The font size also randomly changed throughout the text but, again, I assume this is specific to the ARC.
- Elspeth has zero personality, so it was really hard to connect with her as an MC. For real, I couldn't tell you anything about her except the things that happened to her in the plot. And it's not that Gillig can't write personality, there are plenty of secondary characters who are a lot more multi-dimensional. Which is weird.
- There is sort of an enemies-to-lovers romance. I say "sort of" because it's more like they should be enemies based on their positions in society, but they never really have an antagonistic relationship. It was also hard for me to ship it since, as mentioned above, Elspeth had almost no personality. Her dude, Ravyn (what's the point of spelling his name that way anyhow?) had slightly more personality but was still less developed than some of the secondary characters, like Elm and Emory. Their relationship, while not quite insta-love, was pretty underdeveloped and did feel rushed.
- This book is SUPER TROPE-Y and I don't think it really plays with the tropes in a way that felt fresh. Sadly, that trope life is sort of a genre staple at this point so, while I found it personally annoying, I didn't hold it against the book itself.
- The use of swears was all over the place. There was the made-up swear, "Trees" that came up several times. I think made-up swears are kind of cringe, but whatever. The word "fuck" also comes up a few times though, which confused the heck out of me. Like, if you're going to use "real world" swears, then why bother including a made-up one as well? It's kind of a small gripe but really jumped out at me.
- The cast is super bloated. I imagine this is to set up the next book, but it just led to characters who served seemingly no purpose and a bunch of names to remember.
- There was literally a Shakespeare reference despite Shakespeare not existing in this world. Yet another sign that more editing would've been a good idea.
- The chapters are pretty short, which is nice.
- There is a moment where the author kind of spoils her own ending? Obviously, I can't go into detail here, but it was a weird decision from a storytelling standpoint.

So, clearly, I have a lot of problems with this book. I probably wouldn't have planned on picking up the next one except this ends on sort of a cliff-hanger and now I need to know what happens next.

This was a thrilling, deeply atmospheric and deliciously eerie reading experience. I loved every page! The story got better with each chapter and the cliffhanger broke my heart and shattered my soul. The romance was delicate and perfectly paced. The plot twists kept me reading till late in the night. Wonderful!

Oh my word, my mind is blown!
I loved this book so much, and while I usually devour these books in a couple days, I wanted to really take my time and savor it. I didn’t want it to end!
The magic system is such a unique concept. Unlike anything I’ve ever read before.
I was so invested from beginning to end, and as I got closer and closer to the end, I couldn’t stop. I had to know what happened next. I wasn’t ready for the cliffhanger, but at the same time, I’m super happy this is getting a sequel! (Possibly more than one?)
While the sacrifice at the end was absolutely gut-wrenching, it was impactful, and that’s how you make your readers feel something powerful. So, bravo!
Absolutely loved it. Will highly recommend this book!

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Be wary. Be clever. Be good”

Waking nightmare, the evil in our own heads. The voice that helps us and guides us through life’s difficulties, all normal things, unless you’re Elspeth Spindle.

Once a normal girl, Elspeth has been in hiding ever since becoming one of the infected. A fever that claims children and taints their blood with old and unwelcome magic.
In the town of Blunder, the only acceptable magic is the use of the Prophecy Cards. Each with their own special abilities, each with their own price to pay for wielding their magic.

Elspeth gets her life upturned and thrown into a world she has tried to leave and tried to forget. Now that her path has crossed with the Captain of the Destriers, the people responsible for capturing and killing the infected, what will become of her quiet life?

Elspeth’s story is one of heartbreak and courage and one that isn’t easily forgotten. Many people deal with the voice in their head but not many have to deal with an actual nightmare intruding on their lives.
I devoured this book. The magical world you are brought into is developed beautifully and will not let you down. Romance, danger, royal families, magic, adventure, One Dark Window has it all .
Rachel Gillig’s writing immerses you in the adventure with Elspeth and living the trails and strains with her. Beautiful and captivating I cannot wait for the second book.

Gillig is an “AMAZING” author who gives her best novel yet.

One Dark Window follows Elspeth Spindle, a 20-year girl who lived with her aunt and uncle in hiding since she was infected with the “fever.” For 11 years Elspeth lived a carefree life, playing with her cousin Ione on the farm with no worries. Elspeth had to hide because the small town of Blunder, where she was from, was cursed. It was cursed by a mysterious mist, which would leave the person with the ability to perform magic.

The King ordered the guards to hunt down and kill anyone who survived or was infected with the “Fever.”
The King and the people were terrified because anyone who survived the infection was left with a different form of magic.

However, that magic was not free, the person would have to lose something in return. The longer they use the magic, the more they lost a part of themselves

Elspeth happened to go to the Equinox party when she is discovered by the very people who would have her killed. Instead of killing her, they decide to make a deal with her.

They want her to find the 12 providence cards that can put an end to this curse
.
Elspeth’s magic too comes from the providence cards, however when she was a child, she happened to touch the demon card and absorbed a demon.

So now she lives with the insidiousness of a creature inside of her mind, who grows stronger every time she needs his help

“SHE CALLS HIM NIGHTMARE”

As nightmare gains power for his own calculating uses, Elspeth goes further inside of her own mind. Until there will be nothing left of herself unless she fights for herself.

On Elspeth’s journey to find the missing cards, she ends up meeting a group of the royal family.
They too are trying to gather all the cards in hopes of finding a cure to stop this insane magical illness.

One such person is a highway man named Ravyn.

She attempts to aid him and help him save his degenerating brother, while helping herself eliminate nightmare from her own mind.

Things take an unsuspecting turn when she finds the two of them have a strong connection to each other. One that goes beyond just helping each other find the missing providence cards.

Can the two of them continue on and finish what they started?

Gillig takes you down a dead-end street at 120 mph, then right before you crash a door appears and the road continues.

Hold on to your seat because Nightmare will have you wondering WTH is really going on?

Gillig’s word building is incredibly appropriate and astonishingly seamless
.
Her world is absolutely, impressively descriptive, cinematically vivid in imagination. You can almost reach out and touch each tree that she describes.

Everything she details you can vividly imagine; you can picture the mist in your minds eye?

Gillig is a “MASTER” storyteller, each character depicted as she describes. I absolutely love Elspeth for her determination and grit.

If you love a beautiful fantastical world, filled with stellar word building, astonishingly, amazing, picturesque scenery as far as your mind can imagine.

HAVE I GOT A BOOK FOR YOU!

And that ENDING!!!! WHOAH!!

GILLIG BEST IN 2022 FOR SURE!

This book will absolutely BLOW YOUR MIND.

WISH I COULD GIVE MORE THAN 5 STARS!

SHOUT OUT TO ORBIT FOR HAVING “THE BEST AUTHORS”

Thank you, Orbit Books.Orbit/Rachel Gillig/NetGalley. For this stupendous eARC in exchange for my honest review. My opinions are of my own volition.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. All thoughts are my own. Gothic New Adult Fantasy!! I LOVED this book, it gave me big For The Wolf/For the Throne vibes and I think fans of Hannah Whitten would really appreciate this as well. At times I felt like the world building was a bit slow but I really enjoyed the characters and the overall narrative Gillig was trying to put across. The romance was a little too slow burn for my taste but for most I think its right on track for what they would expect-plus the hero is very worth the wait! This is a perfect spooky read and a must have for your autumn shelf.

"One Dark Window" should come with a trigger warning, "Will wreck your emotions and leave the reader gasping for more".

Our heroine, Elspeth brings a graphic duality between light and dark. There are several storylines running parallel to Elspeth's struggle and it results in a beautifully interwoven narrative around embracing wrong, but for the right reason. A story to highlight how narrow and fine is the line between monstrousness and virtuousness.

I’m already patiently (but also impatiently) waiting for the next book. This book felt so unique and interesting. The concept of the providence cards and the infection was so well written. I hadn’t read anything quite like it before.

The characters were exactly what I wanted from this. They were written in a way that had me hooked and loving (or hating) them within minutes. I would have loved a few chapters during the middle of the book from Ravyn or Elm’s POV just to get more of a peak into their thoughts. The characters all had so many layers and I really hope to learn even more about them all in the next book.

The Nightmare was SUCH a twisted, fascinating character that really added to the plot. I can’t wait to see what his complete motives are in book 2.

My only negative was the romance. I wish there had been more build up and depth to the connection between the characters. Although, I see this book as more of a focus on the plot, so this negative didn’t take away from the overall book.

The characters, plus the eerie plot of this book had me hooked in the best way possible. The absolute perfect Fall read. I really loved this one. 4.5 stars!!

This book had me intrigued from the get go. The first chapter describes so much of the story without it feeling cumbersome. Rachel writes beautiful prose, and has thought up such a unique magic system. I have already pre ordered my physical copy because I will want to annotate this book. I am so excited to read again and further read books coming because this story was absolutely stunning.

4.5 Stars

Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit for access to the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

An incredibly dark and atmospheric read that will leave you haunted and hungry for its sequel.

Elspeth Spindle lives alongside the Nightmare in her mind, an ancient creature of night and fear that threatens to eventually consume her entirely unless she can undue the dark magic that not only infects her, but threatens most in the small town of Blunder. But a chance encounter in the mist with a mysterious band of highwayman and their alluring captain offers her hope, and together they embark on finding the cure - the twelve providence cards of legend that have been lost for centuries. They must hurry though, for time is running out for Elspeth, and the voice of the nightmare in her head grows louder every day.

I simply loved this! the plot, the characters, the world building, the magic… all marvelous. i found the magic system especially interesting given how its command came at a price, and often not one you’d want to pay. This was also one of the rare occasions where I loved each of the characters. Whether a major character or a minor one, they each felt uniquely real, each felt the consequences of dark magic and the curse in telling way. As our main duo, the shifting relationship between the captain and Elspeth is given priority, but I cannot help but hope for some more time with the supporting cast in book two. In particular Elm and Ione, who I believe have a lot more going on than this story would have you believe.

One Dark Window releases on September 27th, and as about the time of year when a dark chill settles over the land, it promises to be the perfect autumnal read for those who like their fantasy dark and spine tingling.

Wow, this book just got better and better as it went along! It really is perfect for fans of For the Wolf, Legendary, and Uprooted. It had all the dark magic vibes with a broken kingdom, magic cards, secrets, a race to save the world. AND it has the most incredible slow-burn romance ever with a man who reminded me of Mr. Darcy. Every small touch or small smile from him made me SWOON.

Another thing I love about this book is Elspeth. I love the dynamic of her having a Nightmare in her head, talking to her, protecting her, and slowly taking over her. She is the perfect character for this story: secretive, determined, and tough-as-nails even through her fear.

I can't wait to read the sequel because THAT ENDING was a cliffhanger. So be warned. But I really, really enjoyed this. It has lovely, atmospheric writing that transports you into the world, and it has a complex magic system with its own lore. I highly recommend to my dark adult-fantasy lovers!

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 5
Plot/Movement: 4
Character Development: 5
Overall: 5

Thank you, Orbit Books, for the ARC!

Trigger/Content Warnings: possession, violence, one open door scene, swearing

It's been a little minute since I've actually wanted to read a fantasy physically, and I loved it! It was giving all of the dark aesthetic, though I think it's being sold a little differently, so maybe just assume that it has dark vibes but not as dark as they're selling it. I really enjoyed the romance part of the story. It was a lovely yearning thing that I didn't know I needed at the time. And although I didn't know anything about the source material of The Highwayman, I enjoyed the plot and the magic system.

My only issue with it was the abrupt cliff hanger ending... I know that there will be a second book, so I guess the effect paid off, because I want to know what happens next. And I will be there to read the next one.

Overall it was a great time!

I requested this one because it might be an upcoming title I would like to review on my Youtube Channel. However, after reading the first several chapters I have determined that this book does not suit my tastes. So I decided to DNF this one.

- 4.5 Stars -

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit books for a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

WOW. Wow…. WOOOOOOOWWW!

The only reason this is a perfect 5 stars for me is that it was a little slow in the pick up go the plot earlier on in the book. I also feel that while it definitely works as an Upper YA (16-18 yo), I think it would’ve been best to push the bounds into New Adult territory for a bit more depth to this story. As we’re talking about King’s Guards, highwaymen, violence, court intrigue and betrayal and a cast that’s already firmly planted in their twenties, I think this would have been slightly better written for that more adult audience.

However, that begins said, thoroughly enjoyed this read. Almost read it in 24 hours, almost nonstop. It was supremely well done and probably the best debut I have ever read from an author. The world building and magic system were almost completely effortless. The cast of characters was so well done that each was so different and unique, and you got to know them a great deal.

This is one of those reads where the reader feels truly enveloped in the story. There were small things I was able to predict, but the overall plot for book 1 was twists and turns! I am so happy this isn’t going to be a standalone. I felt the length was good, and turning it into a series was the smart choice. The pacing of the timeline was quite good (bad pacing and timeline is one of my all time pet peeves). Overall, besides the above critique, I would have absolutely given this 5 stars. Send me the next one! I’m ready!

Wow, this book really took me by surprise. I absolutely loved it! I did not have any expectations before reading it but the mix of enchanting world-building and incredible prose really sucked me in and kept me absolutely hooked. I also really enjoyed the main character and the thing within her. I would 100% recommend this to fans of fantasy that has a lot of intrigue in it, plus a dash of romance.

.. Spoilers ..

I loved the idea of having this creature, this unknown, oily thing living within in, with unknown motivations and powers. He was simultaneously charming and terrifying, I loved his side commentary whenever Elspeth talked to someone annoying. I will 100% be watching out and waiting for the next book, consider me absolutely hooked. The romance was cute too, though the worldbuilding was the most intriguing part to me. I loved the idea of these magical cards where they always have a real consequence. I will say that I don't love the cover of the book, if I had been in a book store looking for something it would not catch my eye. But that's just a personal opinion and covers are obviously not everything.

Couldn’t put it down! The prose, the characters, the magic system. It’s like the author took all the best parts from Dreams Lie Beneath, Defy the Night, Gilded, and For the Throne to craft this epic fantasy adventure. If you loved any of those books, this novel is definitely for you. I can’t wait for the sequel!

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.