I really loved this it was so good I couldn't put down I really enjoyed all the characters and the story I definitely need more asap though

Thank you Orbit and NetGalley for the eARC! I’d first heard about One Dark Window on TikTok and was already intrigued, but then I saw it was being comped to For the Wolf and Uprooted and knew I had to get my hands on it!

It was such a gorgeously, dark atmospheric read. I am always up for a magic system with consequences, and I love how the consequences were so deliberately chosen to make the most sense for each type of magic. Plus the magic system was really neat! I loved how all of the cards worked and the chapter openers with parables about them really set the mood.

I would die for Elm and Jespyr, while I loved all of the characters (Elspeth and Ravyn and the Nightmare were so well written) these two often stole the show with their banter and teasing of Elspeth and Ravyn. Okay, more Jesper’s teasing and Elm’s understandable mistrust.

My only complaint is that it was a bit of a slow start, but it absolutely picks up after Elspeth’s attacked by highwaymen.

I loved this book so much and cannot wait for the sequel (especially after that ending 👀)

I loved everything about One Dark Window! It is dark and mysterious, and full of action. I found myself invested in Elspeth's story right from the first chapter.
It was refreshing to me that it was the usual "chosen one" trope, or about war. It was a new idea that I'd never encountered before, and that's what I'm always looking for when it comes to fantasy. I can't wait for book two!

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of ONE DARK WINDOW. by Rachel Gillig. I really enjoyed this. I will admit that it took me a minute to get into it in the beginning, but the second half in particular pulled me right through. I especially enjoyed the brooding romance and the dark, atmospheric, tense writing of the whole thing. The characters were all so real and multi-faceted and there was so much great psychological stuff going on with the MC. My only real complaint is it ended in a cliffhanger and I now I have to wait forever for the next book! How cruel! I really am excited for the next one though.

4.5⭐️

I can’t believe I have to wait a year for the next book 😭 the world building was incredible, and the magic system was so cool. It involved cards that had special abilities associated with each type, and those who were infected have their own powers. The theme of power having a cost was interwoven with the magic system and added additional depth to the story. I am so excited to learn more about what happened in the past and how it shapes our characters lives.

BUT Elspeth and Ravyn?! I need more of them right now, I absolutely loved seeing their relationship develop and ugh my heart.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the e-book in exchange for my recipe. Orbit has been absolutely killing it with there releases! My poor wallet.

One Dark Window is that book that makes you remember why you love gothic storytelling in the first place, it's dark and sinister at times, beautifully written with elements of life, death and everything in between. With a world that is beautiful, lush, and so full of potential and possibilities absolutely anything could happen.

A virus that affected and caused the deaths of too many to count, Elspeth only survived because of who her father was and the choices he made in not turning her in, had she been anyone she would have found herself in the dreaded dungeon and we all know the dungeon is not where you want to be.

Elspeth has not had an easy life, with her father shipping her off to live with relatives after she's recovered from the virus, she also has to live with the monster that now seems to share her mind, granted he comes in handy at times but still, the mind sharing is a tad bit terrifying to me.

The only way for Elspeth to gain her freedom from the monster is to collect 12 providence cards that only she seems to be able to see let alone find.

There is no shortage of obstacles for Elspeth to overcome, from trying to save her cousin (who doesn't always want to be saved) to falling for her almost enemy, to trying to find those cards, she has her hands full and following along as she tries to figure it all out and not loose herself (literally) to the monster in her mind is a rollercoaster of emotions that had more twists and turns than I can count.

The sheer beauty of the writing in this book will draw you in and keep you there the characters begin to feel like people you know and care for, wanting the best for them while having to let them make their own mistakes. I loved every moment of this book and can't wait to see what happens next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing a copy of this eBook. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a lush and wonderful fantasy novel. I loved it and it pulled me right in.

I had such a good time reading this! Sometimes books just feel like they are made for you. And I was that weird creepy kid reading the Highwayman in my illustrated poetry collection and mainlining the Brontës so I spent most of this just absolutely ecstatic. I loved the way the characters were difficult in ways that matched how they'd been raised and survived, rather than just to evoke tension and I loved that secrets actually became a point of trust and safety, rather than simply betrayals. And then there was the mood. The setting. Magic cards and masks and highway robbing. The lushness and so many of the set pieces were just so classically gorgeous. You could feel the shadows in ways that felt like old romantic paintings and the colors seemed to jump of the page. It was misty and moody and grey and I luxuriated in every second I spent reading it.

Also, I don't think I've ever encountered a love interest in a book like this who was described as having a hooked nose, even when they're given more middle-eastern or caucasian coded features and I was so excited to see Ravyn's nose being described as explicitly large and hooked that I immediately texted a picture of the page to my sister.

Wow. Okay? Wow. I really enjoyed this book. Gillig did a fantastic job weaving a deep, rich, eerie world: one that lived and breathed autumnal vibes and practically smelled of petrichor, such was its lush prose. That said, I had a couple reservations about this novel, and thus it's earned a four-star review from me.

First, the positives.

ONE DARK WINDOW embraced what I most love about folkloric fantasy: deeper, older histories from times that feel almost mythical in their own right. Rachel Gillig's use of poetry as a crux of the worldbuilding and the magic system alike really made this world feel like it was founded on an older, more mysterious time, and our characters (not speaking in poetry, save for the Nightmare) were truly inheritors of the legacy of the decisions made back then. This really solidified the whole 'two eras' tone of the novel, and I really, TRULY enjoyed this book for the tone established with that.

Pacing, also really well done. I can't get into it without spoiling it, but as a knower of the three-act structure, I was anticipating the book to rise as it rose and fall as it fell, and the attention to detail with the level of tension throughout left me feeling satisfied for the entire time I read.

That said? I felt like the main character and LI could have used some more of this tension. I loved their beginning and the tension presented, but I feel like the book didn't follow through with the tension. It felt as if Ravyn was presented as mysterious and a possible enemy, but the moment he began seeming attractive (and the reader therefore assumed he'd be the LI), the MC, Elspeth, seemed to just fall into the trope. Ravyn lost his threatening edge for this reason, where I feel like the tension and the romantic suspense could have been improved if he were carried through as this potentially lethal character. Instead, while I really enjoyed how each Elspeth and Ravyn were dangerous in their own right, I didn't feel the danger -between- them. When the time came for the actualization of their romance, it didn't feel inevitable ("how haven't they KISSED yet?!") or suspenseful ("oh my god WILL they?") but just that they were kissing because this was the part of the book where they were supposed to.

However, with the way the book ended, I am VERY excited for how their romance develops going forward. I love a good cliffhanger, and this definitely met the mark for me.

Slight touch here, also: Gillig uses 'coppery' to refer to Ravyn's skin quite often, but the book's promo art (all done by Gillig herself, or at least most of it) illustrates the Yew siblings as white - even pale. Is this conventional? I am not a POC, so I cannot speak to whether this classes as a microaggression of any kind, but I thought I would include this detail for any prospective POC readers who might appreciate the heads-up.

Overall, though? Mystifying, dark, luscious. 4/5 stars, would happily read again. :)

4.25 stars.

Big thanks to netgalley and the publisher for granting me an e-arc!

I was intrigued because of the tarot-cardlike magic and a monster sharing headspace? Say less, I'm all for it. The beginning was interesting, setting everything up and introducing characters. My favorite side character is Elm or Renelm because of his snark. I do like Elspeth and Ravyn, but I don't love love them. There is a bit of spice in this, not much, just a tad. What I love the most is the Nightmare. The Nightmare's got rhymes for days and it's sometimes a bit eerie when you read it. I thought the story was a bit slow at times and was wavering around maybe a 3 star rating, BUT the ending made up for it and I am eagerly anticipating the second book in the series. I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. ALSO THE NIGHTMARE IS COOL.

In a world where those who are “infected” are either locked up or killed... those who do survive the infection end up with magical gifts. Elspeth was infected when she was young but her father, despite being Captain of the Guards to the King has hidden her away and kept her illness a secret. In this world, people have the magical ability to use special cards that all belong to a “deck” that enables them with certain gifts, such as Maiden cards giving people beauty, Scythe cards giving people the ability to control others, Chalice cards getting people to tell the truth and so on... but when Elspeth was sick and young she accidentally touched a Nightmare card and in doing so... invited something into her... or rather someone... a monster who protects her but there is always a cost for magic. Elspeth has lived her life ever since carefully hiding away her abilities and the voice inside her, she has tried to stay under the radar but when she runs into highwaymen and fights them off only to discover that one of them was the King’s own nephew, Captain of the Destriers and the man who is her father’s successor, Ravyn, Elspeth know’s she’s in more than she could ever imagine. Soon she finds herself intwined in Ravyn’s quest to gather the twelve Providence Cards- which will be a cure to saving his cousin whom the king is holding captive and will use as a sacrifice. The more Elsepth spends time with Ravyn the more she wants to let him know her secrets... and the more they begin to fall for one another... but how much can she trust him? The more situations that require her to get help from her Nightmare the more she begins to lose herself to it.... and soon she might not even be able to control herself anymore. Romance, secrets, enemies to lovers, magic, and so much more come together in this lush story of survival, monsters, and love. I had a blast reading this book and can’t wait for the second book to come out!!!! (Part 1 of a Duology)

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit books for giving me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

4.25|One Dark Window

If you looked at entering adult fantasy/high fantasy, I would say this book is a good stepping stone. The story follows twenty-year-old Elspeth Spindle, who has fever magic ( anyone infected or harbouring those with fever magic is to be executed by order of the king); Elspeth's infection was before turning a teenager. For her safety, she went away to live with some relatives so she could avoid being identified by those who wanted to kill her kind.

The author did a fantastic job of creating this world and characters; the world of One Dark Window has a fascinating magic system based on tarot cards which I think is very creative. The card grants the user power, but that power comes at a cost which results in degeneration. The story is vibrant with gothic vibes, mystery, a dark, creepy forest and a mist which causes people to go crazy if they don't walk with a charm. I liked all the characters, but The Nightmare is my favourite simply because of his witty comments about everything. I think this story could have concluded with a couple more chapters; this would have made a beautiful standalone fantasy novel.

First off, I am absolutely in love with this cover. This doesn't have anything to do with my review but I just had to say it because THAT COVER! Moving on, though, I'll admit I was a little disappointed with this one. I went in expecting to love it immediately and instead... it was okay for the most part! I'm noticing a trend of authors just dropping readers into a story without explaining certain things going on until the story progresses some and it's always a 50/50 shot with me on whether I like it or not. This wasn't too bad, a little confusing in the beginning, but I enjoyed the writing style enough to continue.

I thought this was going to be a standalone but I'm pleasantly surprised to find out it's going to be a duology. While I didn't love this first installment, I definitely plan to read the sequel.

2.75 rounded up.

This is being pitched as a gothic adult fantasy. This was neither gothic nor adult. This is a little dark fairytale-esque in the vein of Hannah Whitten and Ava Reid, however, Whitten and Reid’s books have the gothic prose and atmosphere and actually adult characters. For comparison, I didn’t really like Reid’s debut The Wolf and the Woodsman, the poorly written romance ruined the whole thing for me, but I did like Whitten’s duology even though it was a bit too predictable.

Also unlike the blurb, this is written in first person from the main character Elspeth’s POV. Elspeth Spindle is every YA fantasy girl in the recent history of popular YA fantasy girls. Which is to say, she’s hypocritical, boring, whiny, incredibly ignorant, and the complete opposite of smart but being sold as someone who is careful and clever. I did not like her at all, if that wasn’t obvious. She’s among the what feels like the increasingly common trend of 16 year old YA protagonists masquerading as adults in SFF. The only saving grace of being stuck in her head for the novel is being alongside the Nightmare. I honestly felt so bad for him being stuck in her head for 11 years.

I am quite frankly stunned this is being marketed as adult. The characters, the relationships, the plotline, the content, the writing quality, etc. are all par for the course young adult—young adult that I would expect to be incredibly successful with what it’s done and the current market; it hits nearly every popular beat and trope and archetype. Ravyn, Elspeth’s highwayman, alone is textbook Tumblr/TikTok book boyfriend. The only even remotely possibly adult thing about this is the very mild sexual content that still would have passed in a YA novel circa Twilight—Mortal Instruments era. The sex scene was really weird too, the metaphor choice was honestly just really odd to me. The romance was…well, expected and forced.

Although I haven’t seen any marketing that says this, I believe this is to some extent inspired or based on Alfred Noyes’ gothic romantic ballad “The Highwayman”. There are a number of very specific and repeated elements that feel purposeful rather than coincidence. If it was inspired by this poem, I wish it leaned into it way more, at least to bolster the gothic horror aspects I found superficial or limited.

All of the above aside, what’s really disappointing is that the magic system of the cards and the lore and the quest is really interesting! I actually really liked the Nightmare—though I wish he spoke in riddle-y rhyme all the time instead of sounding oddly modern at times like the other characters—the claustrophobic vibe of the mist surrounding the town and creeping in, corrupt people in charge, treason and secret rogues. I even did like a couple characters, Elm and Emory, though I am hoping (in vain, I have a feeling) that the romance that Elm’s being pushed into won’t happen, or if it will, it’s actually developed. But considering the main romance is greatly lacking, my expectations are low.

If this were a YA, I’d be rating this a bit higher, I might even recommend it under certain circumstances. But this is being sold as adult and as an adult novel, there’s much to be desired.

However, the ending saved this for me a bit, enough that I’m curious about the continuation, though I have a feeling I know how it’s going to go and am not into that, but maybe I’ll be pleasantly surprised.

TW/CW: Sex, mind-control, illness, near-death of a child,

REVIEW: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

This book takes place in a world where legitimate magic is carried in a collection of cards and illegitimate magic is brought on by infection. Those who become infected are captured and murdered. The main character, Elsbeth, of course is a survivor of the illness and has magic of her own. Of course, she also has the soul of a man trapped in her head, something that she has to deal with every day. Drawn in my a group of palace rebels who say they can fix magic once and for all if she just helps them a little bit, they attempt to collect all the magic cards in order to gain control of the magic again. Sound confusing? Well, it is.

I rarely have problems following books like I did this one. It was confusing, I found the pacing to be incredibly slow (literally almost nothing really happens) the characters boring, the tropes over done and the only thing I really did care about (finding all the cards and saving magic) was foiled when it ended on an incredibly abrupt cliffhanger. It can be okay when books have cliffhangers. Sometimes they’re exciting and make me want to get the next book as soon as possible. But sometimes, like in this book, they just leave me massively confused because this book basically had no ending at all. It was just a ‘to be continued.’ I probably won’t be continuing.

Thank you to Rachel Gillig and her publisher for granting me a free e-ARC via NetGalley. Following is my unbiased review.

I requested this book because I have enjoyed several fantasy books from this publisher (Orbit) and the synopsis intrigued me. One Dark Window is part 1 of a fantasy duology. It has a darkish atmosphere and some romantic elements. It contains some secrets and twists and turns, although the most important revelations were predictable and obvious enough that I could not understand why the main character didn't figure them out much earlier.

I thought the magic system was interesting and I always appreciate when magic has a cost. However, even by the end of the book, I still didn't grasp why the people in the book were so prejudiced about the people who acquired their magic after illness, but had no problems with magic via the cards. I hope that is explored in the sequel.

I enjoyed the book, despite the above issues and I want to know what happens after the cliffhanger ending and what happened to several of the side characters. And I did enjoy the main romance, though I wish the MC and her love interest had been a bit more developed. (And I enjoyed the poetry, especially the ones earlier in the book.)

I first heard about One Dark Window as a retelling of the poem The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes, but I was more interested in it being billed as a gothic fantasy romance book. The book does have some hints of The Highwayman story, but it is not a true retelling and readers should not expect for Gillig to follow the poem in its entirety.

The story centers on Elspeth who is one of those infected by a mysterious illness that leaves her with magic. Magic does exist in Gillig's world-building, but the only legal magic is through the use of Providence Cards. Magic like Elspeth's is considered illegal, and the king has those harboring illegal magic and magic users executed. Elspeth has kept her magic hidden and the Nightmare Providence Card in her head is suitably creepy. He's her ally, but yet has his own agenda, and the author really drew out the Nightmare's ambiguity until the climax of the book.

The world-building is basic, but the descriptions are suitably atmospheric, and the world feels real if a bit small. Elspeth is only familiar with the surrounding area due to the mist that obscures much of the wooded areas around Blunder. It creates a claustrophobic atmosphere which adds to the unease that the characters have throughout the story.

The story really moves slowly with events here and there and characters spending a lot of time in conversation and planning. The romance can be seen a mile away, but Gillig develops it slowly enough that it feels natural. She also developed Elspeth's relationships with the other characters so that side characters have natural chemistry together and I actually enjoyed the interactions with Elspeth and Elm more than I did with Elspeth and Ravyn.

There aren't any surprises in the text, but the story just flows together so well. The backstory and the legends of the world are dropped a line here and a line there and I had fun making connections in the arc and highlighting passages that seemed important at one time and then finding out that yes, they are important and every time it was like ha, I was right!

I didn't know that this was the first of a planned duology and the book does end on a cliffhanger. I can't wait to get my hands on book 2 to find out the remaining legend of The Shepherd King.

One Dark Window was the perfect gothic fantasy romance to start spooky season and it is one of my favorite books of 2022.

I received this arc from Netgalley and Orbit Books in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

If you ever need a book to get you out of a terrible book hangover or slump, THIS is the book for you! Full of gothic feels, a unique and intriguing magic system, poems/rhymes that will send chills down your back, this Highwayman retelling is one of the best I've read. The author understandably takes some time to establish the setting and characters (this is a series after all), but once that world building is established, this story will ensnare you. It's atmospheric and mysterious, and it has a swoony slow-burn romance to boot. Definitely one of my faves of the year. Highly recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit Books for giving me an e-copy to read and review!

“Magic always comes at a cost.”

Thank you so much to Orbit Books and NetGalley for this ARC!

We follow the now 20-year-old Elspeth Spindle who has been infected with a fever (magic) from the time she was a tween and sent away to live with her aunt, uncle and cousin on a farm far enough away from the cursed town she came from.

There is a sort of *enchantment* like no other - a uniquely spooky type of monstrous character that resides within her being… we call him Nightmare. No one knows about him. He is quite literally in her head - she can feel him taking over her more and more, yet she relies on him so heavily for protection and to help her through the big task at hand:

Elspeth is on a treasonous mission with a mysterious man named Raven Yew who ends up being the king’s nephew - they must collect the twelve Providence Cards (fortune telling cards) which will be the key to cure the dark magical mist that is infecting the kingdom. The King had previously ordered guards to track down and kill anyone who had been infected with this “fever.”

I had a lot of fun consuming this literature. I think the intrigue of Nightmare was so incredibly captivating. The banter that Elspeth has with her mental inhabitant has the snarkiness that I delight in, however I am worried for her because he’s literally TAKING OVER HER MIND. He’s probably one of my favorite parts of this entire book - I am curious to learn the progression in the next book.

Ravyn has the muscles to protect Elspeth physically, but no one can save her from what’s going on in her mind. However, the physical distraction that he brings her once they become more comfortable with one another is quite delightful. It gets young-adult spicy for sure…. *spoiler alert* I love when Ravyn asks if her can kiss Elspeth “not on the mouth.” OOooO yes!! I love the way Elspeth talks about always being in her head & stuck in her mind… but the passion of the moments with Ravyn is able to ground her and have her physically in her body during the present moment.

I am one who is totally into tarot cards - so I was thrilled that we had a similar type of fortune telling card featured in this book (which is loosely similar to another series I just read with fortune telling cards, Caraval by Queen Stephanie Garber). This book was perfect to read for fall as it is timed during the autumn equinox.

This book definitely has the eerie fantasy elements that make for a great spooky autumn read that will give you chills! The magic is so complex!! I really delighted in the rhyming proverbs at the beginning of each chapter that really added an element of feeling immersed in the magic. I look forward to continuing this series and learning more about what the future holds for Elspeth, Ravyn….and Nightmare. Who doesn’t love a morally grey trio? I recommend this book to you if you like the supernatural, paranormal, fantasy vibe as well as morally grey characters and the dichotomy/duality of the darkness and light. Oh yeah, and if you like endings that leave your jaw on the floor wanting more.

This is a nice modern style fairy tale. In a kingdom cut off from the rest of the world by a malevolent magic mist, some people are infected by the mist and have some form of magic, but it eventually harms or kills them to use it. Some magic is bound into a deck of cards, and using those causes less harm. The cards are the only sanctioned form of magic, any infected citizens are hunted and imprisoned or killed. The villains, the King and his henchmen, are one-dimensionally evil, and the story is very simple, but the main character Elspeth and the people she falls in with are likeable and admirable. There is a perfectly rare usage of modern vulgar language to make you feel like you aren't trapped in a story where nobody had real feelings or could express them. The story is well written, but comes to a slightly unsatisfying cliffhanger non-ending.