Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is amazing and honestly one of the best fantasy books I’ve read in 2022. What makes this book so good, you might ask, well let me tell you:

The Magic: The plot is unique. I often feel like I’m reading the same fantasy book over and over and this book just pulled me out of that rut and introduced me to a whole new world filled with cards, prophecies, and powers with consequences.

The Characters: The MC is complex and a lot of the book is about how she manages to come to terms with a secret she’s been keeping for 11 years and who she is after sharing herself with the Nightmare for so long. I personally enjoyed the dialogue between the MC and the Nightmare, I thought it was endearing. Evil monsters have opinions about parties too you know?

The Romance: central to the plot but doesn’t overwhelm. It was like a nice cherry on top of a mystery sundae. I get frustrated with books where the world is ending and everything is chaos but 75% of the book is the MCs' having sexy time. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about it, but sometimes I have to wonder, what type of time management skills does this lifestyle require, how are you not getting eaten by monsters?

I agree with some reviewers that One Dark Window is not a gothic fantasy, it’s more of a fantasy and maybe should be re-marketed that way to avoid frustration. Overall, I highly recommend this book and hope you love it as much as I did.

I had to drag finishing this book out, the suspense and dread had me pausing too often just to breath. This was spectacular and captivating with such a dark gothic feel. The lore for this story was so well written and the magic so unique and dark. The story follows Elspeth Spindle, who is infected with a spirit called the Nightmare. The only cure is to collect all the providence cards. This impossibility becomes possible once she meets the captain of the Destriers and secret highwayman Ravyn Yew. But treason and magic always come with a cost, and the truth will always out itself.
The slow burn romance and enemies to lovers was done so well. And no one is without damage in the tortured dark world they are all trapped in by the mist. The atmosphere of this book will be staying with me for quite some time, this book is both frightening and fascinating. The ending of the book has me trapped in a book hangover that I suspect won’t be cured till I get my hands on The Shepherd King.

4.5 stars

I really really liked this one. With a haunted forest and a royal traitor, I would recommend this book to fans of Defy the Night and For the Wolf. It has a lot of tropes common to the genre which could turn off some readers, but I was a huge fan. I think calling it an enemies to lovers romance is a bit misleading. Though technically they should be enemies they never really are. What this book DOES have is fantasy fake dating, or should I say fake courting. The romance is instant chemistry but slow to build with a heart-wrenching payoff.

I loved all of the characters in this. Elispeth was strong and determined. Her strength bordered on stubbornness, but other than one scene it didn't bother me. Her relationship with the various members of her family was an incredibly interesting subplot. Ravyn is the typical dark, brooding love interest and I fell head over heels for him. Ravyn's "highwaymen" were a refreshing group of characters and I hope we learn more about them in the next books. The story definitely prioritized Elispeth and Ravyn's interactions but I hope the next book fleshes out the other characters a bit more. In particular, Elm and Ione have a lot more to give to the story.

One of the strengths of this book was its world-building. I would not call this book a gothic fantasy. The kingdom has this dark fairy tale quality to it. Knowing that at all times the kingdom is surrounded by a haunting mist creates a constant eerie atmosphere. However, there is more to "gothic" than kind of creepy. The quotes from the Book of Adlers were woven throughout the story to hint at plot reveals and strengthen the sense of mystery. I won't say too much about the Nightmare because I think everyone should be able to discover his character for themselves, but he was honestly one of my favorite parts of the book. I am always down for a vengeful god/spirit and this book certainly delivered. The dynamic between him and Elispeth was so engaging. The magic system in this book was incredible. The limits and consequences of the cards lead to interesting situations for the characters.

My only critique was that it felt a bit slow at times. I wasn't really interested until the Highwaymen were introduced. And towards the middle it dragged a little bit. However, the ending definitely made up for it. An incredible final line that left me on the edge of my seat. I cannot wait for book two!

One Dark Window felt like a truly unique read - the magic system was interesting and new and the tension built between Elspeth and Ravyn was very organic. Once the pace started to pickup, I couldn’t put the book down. I do wish there was a little bit more character background/growth built in but I’m sure I’ll get to know the characters even better in the next book.

Like what do I even say about this book??? I don't think I have any words for it. The beginning is a little slow at first and you're kind of scratching your head going... Is there a point to this/where is this going? BUT THEN you get to the amazingness that is the rest of the book. I just fell in love with the characters in this book, especially Elspeth and Ravyn. They're so... Ugh. Anyways this is somewhat of an enemies to lovers kind of book but not exactly. It's got a very gothic kind of feel to it, but it's a darker and more atmospheric fantasy. I found it very enjoyable.

I liked how the characters interacted, and I liked their character arcs. In tone I might relate this to Allison Saft books! It also gave me For the Wolf vibes. I can't quite put my finger on what else it felt like... But it kept me engrossed the whole way through.

The concept with the cards? SO GOOD. I loved it — obsessed with it in fact.

I don't know why I thought this was a standalone — it isn't — but I am extremely excited for the next book in the series.

I felt the writing in this book was amazing and I couldn't get enough of it - the pace worked well for me. There were some funny moments thrown in amongst the more tense moments which gave a nice balance.

I loved the romance in this book. It was dreamy and done well. I wanted to smoosh them together. Ravyn’s family was also amazing, and I appreciated how this felt like a darker fairytale, perhaps a bit of a reimagined Cinderella? I quite enjoyed that. I want Ravyn's family in fact.

The world that Gillig has created fascinated me, and I want to know more about it!

If you like dark fantasy, atmospheric fantasy, a bit of gothic horror, tarot or anything similar then this book is absolutely going to be for you!

This book grabbed me from the first sentence. Incredibly unique magic system, a likeable heroine with a Problem™, and a found family group dynamic to boot, this book was the angsty atmospheric fantasy I needed.

Elspeth Spindle has a secret. She has a monster in her head that lends her its strength when she asks. But no one can know. Not when they’re killing anyone infected with magic. The only acceptable form is through the use of Providence Cards. There are 12 different cards in the deck, each with their own powers and their own consequences. When Elspeth touched the Nightmare card as a kid, she came away with something *more*: the Nightmare tucked away in her head.
When a highway man stops her on the road, her life turns upside down, thrust into the high stakes task of collecting all 12 Providence Cards to save her kingdom and break her own curse.

The Nightmare was a favorite of mine. His little asides and commentary in Elspeth’s head had me in stitches. And Elspeth’s relationship with Rayvn was beautiful to watch…twin souls circling each other and resisting the pull.
And the cliff hanger ending has me salivating for more. What will happen?? How will they get out of this?? I can’t bear to wait a year to find out.

I inhaled this book like my life depended on it. This felt like a perfect book for me from the gothic fantasy setting to the intricate card magic. The world was evocative and fleshed out. It takes place in a misty, plague addled world that just did wonders for setting the tone for the story. I especially adored how the author weaves lyrical rhyming into dialogue and epigraphs.

The character behind Elspeth and her interactions feels genuine, and I could easily sympathize with her fears and hesitations. She grows over the course of the book into such a strong and complex character, she's easily found a list on my top faves. I adored the relationship between Elspeth and Ravyn, easily one of the highlights in the story for me.

I'm super excited to continue the series and can't wait to see more from Rachel Gillig in the future!

How dare you. How dare you write a book like this and then leave me breathless and standing on this cliff until book two is released! If I could give this book 6 stars, I would. One Dark Window is now up there in my top favorite books. Where do I even begin?

I want to say this story is woven beautifully and intricately. It is seamless and a definite page-turner. In the first chapter, I will admit, I was thinking there were too many characters and I wondered how I'd ever keep them straight. Then, like literary magic, they started to reveal themselves. There is so much going on that I was interested in every single word. Yes, there is a maiden, a villain/not-so-villain character, an idiotic arrogant king and his stupid heir, then the rebellious spare. There is also a dreamy, super hunk, man-of-your-dreams character. However, the story unfolds so different than anything I have read before. I haven't seen magic put into a story in this manner before so part of what kept me so enthralled was the newness of this world. This author took the well-known recipe for everything we love in a book and made something totally new. I need book two. Please Please Please put me on a list for an ARC of book 2!

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

One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig is an adult Gothic fantasy that blends magic, fighting, and romance. The story revolves around Elspeth, who has had the Nightmare, a monster, in her mind since she was a child. When she's in trouble, the Nightmare takes over and gives her superhuman strength and speed. One day, she meets Ravyn, the King's nephew and Captain of the King's army. As sparks fly, how long will she able to keep her most dangerous secret from him?

Here is a gripping excerpt from Chapter 1, which is a flashback to Elspeth's childhood:

"I was nine the first time the Physicians came to the house.
My uncle and his men were away. My cousin Ione and her brothers played loudly in the kitchen, and my aunt did not hear the pounding at the door until the first man in white robes was already in the parlor.
She did not have time to hide me. I was asleep, resting like a cat in the window. When she shook me awake, her voice was thick with fear. “Go to the wood,” she whispered, unlatching the window and gently pushing me through the casement to the ground below."

Overall, One Dark Window is an absolutely amazing adult fantasy that will appeal to fans of V.E. Schwab or Allison Saft. The story reminded me of Death Note, especially the shinigami characters, since Elspeth also has a monster in her mind that she alone can hear. The story also reminded me of Cardcaptor Sakura, since the main characters have to collect cards that give the holder magical powers. If I had to complain about 1 thing, I would have to say that the author sometimes ends chapters awkwardly. Nevertheless, this book has everything, and I can't wait for the sequel! If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of fantasy books in general, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in September!

This book was fantastic. I was immediately drawn into the story. Love the world, the magic system is new and different, and the characters are interesting. Can't wait for the second book!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing me with a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review!

Oh my goodness, this book was such an amazing ride! I really loved it. The description sounded fascinating. I love a good, dark fantasy novel about monsters. I was so intrigued by the idea of a monster taking over the main character's mind. The actual novel did not disappoint! One Dark Window delivered on everything promised in such a beautiful, enthralling way.

The story follows Elspeth Spindle, a 20 year-old woman living in a kingdom overtaken by a dangerous mist. When she was 11, she was infected with a mysterious illness that left her with magic. The kingdom is terrified of this infection, and authorities will hunt down and kill anyone who they find infected. Every person who survives the illness is left with a different type of magic. No magic comes for free, though. The individual pays a price and degenerates-- losing something (it varies from person to person) the longer they use their magic. For Elspeth, her magic gave her the ability to absorb magic from Providence Cards. She touched one as a child and absorbed a demon (she calls "The Nightmare") into her mind. The Nightmare is an ancient, monstrous creature with his own secret agenda, and he appears to be getting stronger in Elspeth's mind.

There is actually another type of magic in this world, granted to anyone who wields Providence Cards. They're a deck of 12 cards, each granting a different type of power with a different cost. Anyone can use the cards, but anyone can also take them. Copies of the cards have been distributed throughout the kingdom and families will trade great deals of wealth for just one card. Elspeth meets a group of the royal family who is trying to collect all of the cards in hopes of using them to stop the magical illness. She pairs up with tall, dark, and handsome Ravyn, in an attempt to both help him save his degenerating brother and eliminate her own magic (and, as a result, this would rid her mind of the Nightmare). The stakes grow even higher, as Elspeth discovers a strong romantic connection between Ravyn and herself.

I simply adored this story! I found the magic system so interesting. It was intriguing how everyone in their kingdom desired the Providence Cards, but hated the children who became infected. Apparently, magic is only fun when you can control who uses it. I appreciated how the theme of magic coming at a price carried over to both types of magic.

I loved all of the characters. They all felt so developed. I could picture each of them clearly in my mind. Elspeth is easy to root for. I liked her courage and drive to stand up for the other infected children. Ravyn is a compelling love interest. I could give or take romance in my fantasy, but I enjoyed the slow burn and watching the two grow together. Most of all, I was so engrossed with the Nightmare. I wanted to know his backstory and his motivations. His dialogue with Elspeth is great-- sometimes funny, sometimes terrifying, and sometimes even sweet. Their relationship is so captivating. Even the more minor characters are lovely. It was delightful to learn more about Elm, Emory, and Ione, especially. I also enjoyed watching the characters interact with one another. There were interesting dynamics between each of them.

The plot also stands out! I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next. I was literally abandoning my plans after work to sit and read this book. I just had to see what else the author was going to throw at me. The novel is divided into three sections-- the first part sets everything up (and wow! It takes a bit to get going, but then it moves at such a fast pace with lots of revelations), the second portion develops the characters and proceeds the plot, and everything comes to a climax in the final section. I do think the first 10% is a little slow, but after that, I was absolutely hooked through the end. I am both thrilled and devastated that there is a sequel; I can't believe I'll have to wait so long to find out what happens.

The writing is really nice and atmospheric. I felt like I was right there moving through the forests and exploring the castles with Elspeth. I also felt like Rachel Gillig outlined and planned her story well. The plot is relatively complex, but it flows together seamlessly. It is a bit predictable, but I think the author telegraphs everything thoughtfully, so the reader can follow the story and anticipate some of the twists. There are strong themes and a few ideas that made me pull back from the story and think. I always appreciate when a novel can stop me in my tracks while reading like that.

My only complaints about this book are minor. While there are a lot of characters, they're mostly from the same few families. It would have been cool to see some other people from the kingdom, but maybe that will be explored in the next book. I also felt like the world could have been built up a little more. The magic is fleshed out and explained well, but I was curious as to how large the kingdom was and what life was like outside of the few castles and homes we got to see. We're with Elspeth for the entire story, and she doesn't get out much, so it makes sense that her perspective is so limited. There's also the physical barrier of the mist, which the characters vehemently refuse to traverse, so that also explains the sparse worldbuilding. I actually think fans of fantasy who dislike deep, detailed worldbuilding will appreciate this aspect of the novel. I do hope that the sequel explores the kingdom more, though.

I won't spoil the ending, but I will say I found it to be refreshing. The author went in a bold direction. I somewhat saw it coming, but I was not positive if it would go in that manner or how it might all occur. I love a good read with a strong beginning, middle, and end!

So yes, in case you can't already tell, I absolutely recommend this to all fantasy readers, particularly if you enjoy your fantasy to be dark and mysterious and set on a smaller scale. If the cards or the Nightmare sound appealing to you, please give this a try when it releases! You will not be disappointed. This is probably my favorite read of 2022 so far. I will likely even purchase the book (so I can reread it before the sequel comes out... whenever that may be).

4.75 stars out of 5, rounded up to 5! I just had such a fantastic time reading this.

Received an ARC from NetGalley. I really enjoyed this book; I liked the characters and the world and found the magic system compelling. I will say that when I first picked it up, I put it down almost immediately, because it didn't grab me from the start. But then I picked it up again and was drawn into it. While it might seem that some very obvious fantasy tropes in the story, that's not a bad thing in and of itself. And some of these tropes (ie, the pretty mean girl) are the results of using this magic system, and hopefully we'll see the consequences of that in the coming book(s).

In this world there is a disease called the Fever that can leave anyone who catches it with some kind of magic. The king has people who search out anyone who has caught it and throws them in the dungeon.

Elspeth is a girl who lives in the woods with her aunt and uncle. She had to move there when she caught the Fever and had to hide it. The few people who knows she had it have no idea it left her with magic. She hides it very well since being caught would get her killed. Her life changes after she attends a party at the palace and gets caught up in a conspiracy that is very dangerous for all who are involved.

I like the premise of this book but found the magic system underwhelming. There is little world building which makes it hard for me to get into the story. I do like Elspeths character arc and I even like Nightmare! Maybe as the series progresses there will be more time to get to know these characters and understand the world better

This book was well-studied, but not in the way you are thinking. It’s well studied in that it feels like the author peered critically at all of the popular tropes in recent fantasy that garnered attention and went and threw her own hat in the ring using this carefully constructed recipe. To me, result is disappointing, boring, and hollow. The writing is mediocre, the romance bland, and the dialogue iffy. If you liked the Cruel Prince or For the Wolf there is every chance you will adore this novel. As those were two of my lowest rated books of last year, getting through this was like pushing a boulder uphill. I am not sure exactly what to call this recent trend in romantic fantasy which includes plucky heroines with mean female relatives whose descriptions I could not pick out of a lineup, an incredibly vanilla “enemies” to lovers romance, and an actually deeply intriguing plot line that gets lots amid weak dialogue and immature characters, but it is just not for me in the slightest.

Thank you Netgalley and Orbit Books for allowing me to read and review this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

One Dark Window is a dark, romantic story with monsters, magic cards, and morally grey characters.

There is a slow burn romance between a black sheep with a 500 year old soul inside her mind and the King's Captain of the Destriers. Elspeth had been cursed eleven years ago when she touched her Uncle's magic card The Nightmare. She absorbed the Shepherd King's soul, living inside the card, and each time she asks for his help he becomes stronger while she slowly fades to the back of her mind. When Captain Ravyn asks for Elspeth's help in finding a cure for his infected brother she reluctantly agrees to work with him. Knowing it'll help remove the soul from her mind she helps Ravyn and his family find the remaining twelve magical cards needed, when put together the cards can end the infection spreading across the land.

I highly recommend if you enjoyed For the Wolf, Juniper and Thorn, Wolf and the Woodsman, Lakesedge and Beyond a Darkened Shore.

One Dark Window is an atmospheric read with a beautifully written plot. I love Elspeth's voice, her fight, and courage. The romance between the two is torturous and toe-curlingly good.

The pacing can be slow at times but still very engaging and kept me wondering what would happen next. I've still got my jaw on the ground after that abrupt ending.

The story has left me breathless and I'm sad I now have to wait a long time for the sequel. I thought this was a stand-alone but to my surprise there will be another and I'm so scared as to what is going to happen.

5 stars

I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me a chance at reading this book early.

Gothic? this ain't it.

I am kind of angry with the intent or marketing as this being a 'gothic' tale. There is hardly anything gothic about this. In fact, this sits firm in the camp of enjoyable for those who liked 'For the Wolf' and 'The Wolf and the Woodsman.' If you enjoyed both of those books then I am sure you'll enjoy this too.

Let's talk about this issues I had with this book:

- There are these magic cards that play a huge part in the story. Think of them as magic pokemon cards, you gotta catch 'em all. There is a deck of them and they all have magic powers. They've been kind of lost over the years, sorta. People in the town still use them? They shouldn't be using them because the more people use them the more people go nuts. People - king and some people against the king - are looking for them.

I absolutely disliked the whole entire plot around these cards and find their use / agency to the story absolutely ridiculous. These cards stop these mists / right wrongs, but clearly, people in the town don't care about that and would rather ... let the mists exist and use these cards to their full extent so they can go crazy, pass the crazy cards off to the next person, the cycle continues...

- The main character is absolutely annoying. So, she constantly tells the 'demon' that she is sharing her mind with to leave her alone / go away / stop haunting her / stop etc. ... But literally every time she is in some sort of trouble she cries to it and asks it to help her. Causing consequences. She also refuses to tell the guy who keeps opening himself up to her, letting her know things about her mishap with one of the cards / demon living in her brain.

The romance also is something that while it is a slow burn it is written not well enough for me to feel any sort of romance. Oh, she has sex with the love interest while the demon is living in her mind.

- The story is just boring. The side characters lack any sort of development and just sort of exist around the main character and the love interest. The villains are also lacking any sort of bite. The 'demon' living in her head was an obvious reveal. Then, the 'witch' ... no mention of what happened to her.

I groaned when I realized there was a sequel. I'm sure 'some' of these questions will be answered but I'm not gonna stick around to find out.

Again.

1. Not a gothic.
2. Not a gothic romance, either.
3. If you liked the two wolf books mentioned earlier, then you'll enjoy this too.

How dare she end a book this way with no publication date for the next?! Off with her head! Click clack clicking.

Wow! This book is amazing! The author weaves such a brilliant new world and it’s very easy to get into. I love the story of the cards- and the rhymes. Elspeth Spindle was infected with magic as a child- which is a crime. She has a monster who lives in her head and gives her strength when she needs it. But this story is about magic and there’s 12 Magical cards and each card gives you a power but the more you use it, there’s a price to pay. The story and details are so riveting and captivating! A must read!!

I wanted to read this book because of its unique take on the maiden monster trope. The story did have a new interpretation of this archetypal relationship, but it was overtaken by a very complex magical system. I found the magic a bit too complicated because just when I thought I understood it, more and more details would emerge and I was forced to reread previous chapters in order to refresh my memory. I also felt there were too many characters which made things confusing for me as a reader. I liked the ideas but there were too many of them! The monster and the magic were both interesting on their own but together, too complex to feature in one story. I give two stars for originality, and one star for the creative world building for a total of 3/5 stars. I wish the card magic and monster ideas were in two separate books. I will definitely try reading future books by the author.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a free arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Oh wow ! First, I'd like to thank Netgalley for accepting my request, this is probably one of the best ARC's I've read all year.

One Dark Window is about a young lady named Elspeth, who by unfortunate circumstances battles an inner monster. For over eleven long and lonely years she has kept a huge secret from everyone. One night she comes across a nightman and her life is never the same.

The author wastes NO time in jumping right into the action . It is pretty suspenseful first leg of the story, in the middle it calms down but there really is no boring scenes because we bounce from secret to secret, figuring out how everything works together. Then, it picks up once again in the last leg of the story and it gets more intense.

While Elspeth's story is a slow burn we DO get a pretty steamy scene . Rayvn gave me Bash vibes from the tv show Reign in his own way.

I did figure out the Nightmare's secret but not the rest until they were revealed. I wish that Elspeth had been more honest much earlier in the book.

If you loved Dreams Lie Beneath by Rebecca Ross or For the Wolf by Hannah Whitten, you're going to love One Dark Window.