The concept of the book really intrigued me, but the plot fell a little flat. I was going in expecting more of a romantasy, and unfortunately it was nit that. The book was still enjoyable, just not quite what I thought it was going to be before reading.

What would you give to bring someone back to life? What if the cost was a part of you? How much or yourself would you be willing to give before enough is enough?

The Gilded Crown is a wonderfully written tale of a young woman with amazing powers to communicate with Death, and to bring people back to life. Family, acquaintances, and the heir to the throne are all part of the desires, but not all souls cost the same price.

While I felt some parts of the story dragged on, overall, I enjoyed this book, both for its characters, and the storyline. It was interesting to see the intertwining of multiple religions, politics, love, and belief in oneself. I'm interested to see what future books will unveil.

The Gilded Crown has a beautiful cover, and I love the idea of someone being able to bring others back from the dead. I will say I had a hard time getting through this book and was unable to finish it. Thank you for the opportunity to read it!

This story has great bones and the characters have good depth. I felt the story was slow. It's more fantasy forward than romance. I actually feel that the FMC had a more dynamic relationship with Death than the princess. The FMC went through so much and I didn't get excited about it until the last few chapters when she finally stood up. Her back and forth about the Princess was getting annoying. I liked the POVs but they need to be more clear. Sometimes I didn't realize it was a different scene of a different person. The tension between the religions was good, but I expected more based on the history. I also expected more from the relationship from her mom, especially after a tragedy. I'm hoping that book 2 will be the real start of the story and this was just the foundation and background. I want to see more banter between her and death. If romance is supposed to be in the story, it should have more of a presence in the story. I want to see more of this other magic she has. I feel like we got glimpses, but nothing like her ability with death.

This took me a lot longer to read than I expected because the story was missing something for me. However, I think if you like court intrigue, fantasy forward, what's truly right, and LGBT+ characters; you would enjoy this story. It has a lot of potential to develop into a very interesting series. I hope they develop more dark themes and lean into the adult topics.

A big thanks to NetGalley and Harper for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

With The Foxglove King as a comp title, how can I not say no?

The Gilded Crown by Marianne Gordon is a fantasy novel about a woman who is able to raise the dead, and is tasked with protecting the princess at all costs. The first time Hellevir visited Death, she was ten years old… Since she was a little girl, Hellevir has been able to raise the dead. Every creature can be saved for a price, a price demanded by the shrouded figure who rules the afterlife, who takes a little more from Hellevir with each soul she resurrects. Such a gift can rarely remain a secret. When Princess Sullivain, sole heir to the kingdom’s throne, is assassinated, the Queen summons Hellevir to demand she bring her granddaughter back to life. But once is not enough; the killers might strike again. The Princess’s death would cause a civil war, so the Queen commands that Hellevir remain by her side. But Sullivain is no easy woman to be bound to, even as Hellevir begins to fall in love with her. With the threat of war looming, Hellevir must trade more and more of herself to keep the Princess alive. But Death will always take what he is owed.

I feel like this book had a really cool concept, just poor execution. And I blame the marketing/feel of it being a romantasy, but solely focusing on the fantasy aspect.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. It was such a cool concept that I wanted to continue to read. A sapphic, dark fantasy? Sign me up. Hellevir is the name of the FMC, she talks to Death, raises the dead, and has a raven? I loved it.

Every relationship Hellevir has is complicated and wrapped so thoroughly around her gift—the ability to travel beyond and claim back the dead. Her working relationship with Death was such a great point of view, and I was looking forward to her visiting him again to find out information bit by bit. I really liked the progression of the story, and how we get a good bit of backstory as she grows in age and the consequences and acceptance of her choices.

There is a lot of heartache, sadness, betrayal, and death. I’m definitely looking forward to book 2!

CW: death, death of parent, child death, murder, animal death, emotional abuse

When a growing religion preaching life-after-death meets a young woman who can step into death and bring a soul back, it is not good for the young woman. Marianne Gordon tells the tale of Hellevir who first stepped into death to bring her mother, who had died in childbirth, back in trade for a little finger. She is working as a herbalist in a small village when the Queen with The Gilded Crown(hard Harper Voyager) brings her the body of her granddaughter and heir, Sullivain, who had been poisoned. Death lets Sullivain return to life for a minor trade as long as Hellevir finds special objects for future trades. Of course, Hellevir is brought to the capital city when her parents had moved and where a religion from her mother’s homeland is becoming more powerful. The same politics that caused Sullivain’s poisoning are still present and one noble family may be at fault. There is more coming.

I liked the first 3rd, but once it got to the political stuff I didn't care anymore. I hated the princess and I don't see why the main character would be interested in her at all. I liked the main character and all the stuff with death though.

I have mixed feelings about The Gilded Crown. On one hand I absolutely loved the author’s prose and the premise of this book. One the other hand I was left feeling incredibly underwhelmed. Hellevir is an intriguing character and I loved learning about her ability to raise the dead. Her visits with Death were some of my favorite scenes. The worldbuilding was great, I found myself being able to completely envision the world thanks to the author’s beautiful descriptions. There was plenty of political intrigue which I also enjoyed. This book is marketed as romantasy but I would hesitate to agree. There is romance but it lacks so much chemistry. I didn’t care for the love interest whatsoever. Plotwise, it started off strong but then it started to fall flat with all the repetitiveness. I hate to say it but with where the book left off and the direction the plot is heading, I don’t have a desire to pick up the second book when it releases. Overall, if you love fantasy with necromancy, political intrigue, and The Witch’s Heart type vibes I recommend giving The Gilded Crown a chance! Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for providing an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was not for me. It was written well. However, it was marketed more as a Romanasty and it wasn't that. Not really. I'm still giving it a 4 star because it was written well and it's interesting but not exactly the genre I had hoped for. It was more similar to The Witch's Heart and others like that and they just really aren't for me.

So I think the elevator pitch line was what originally drew me in but looking back, this is not really my thing any more. As usual, will give three stars for benefit of the doubt!

This was a different one for me. When I requested this book, I didn’t know what to expect. It was an anticipated read for me and it didn’t disappoint.
This book has so. Much. Death. 🥲
Cool premise, interesting storyline.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the electronic advanced reader's copy of this book.

I expected to enjoy this book more than I actually did. The story progressed a little too slowly for my liking. I thought the world was interesting and Hellevir's (FMC) ability to bring people back from the dead is super interesting. I could not get past how rude and ungrateful the princess is. I also struggled to envision a map of the world as well as the city. A map would have helped. I also couldn't quite understand nor care to understand the Onaistus religion.

The one aspect of the book I loved and continued to wait until I got more of, was Death. Every time Hellevir went to Death's limbo world and spoke with him to negotiate with him for souls I was enraptured. I wanted more, but understand that the plot in the normal world had to carry on.

This book was not meant for me, but if you like political intrigue, dark fantasy, queer romance, and necromancy, then this book is for you!

"The Gilded Crown" is a remarkable debut that blends fantasy, romance, and political intrigue into a cohesive and enthralling narrative. Marianne Gordon has crafted a story that is both heart-wrenching and hopeful, with characters that linger in the mind long after the final page. Fans of fantasy and lovers of intricate, character-driven stories will find much to admire in this novel, making it a must-read for the genre.

No lie, I would've given this a higher rating if the FMC wasn't crushing hard on her abuser, but that might be me being too harsh on fictional victims of Stockholm Syndrome. (See my review for To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods. Or don't.)

Anyway, I was very surprised to find myself engrossed with this novel! It reminded of Addie LaRue, but make it more political fantasy and with higher stakes.

This is one of those books with an MC that isn't all that likeable. Hellevir's problems stem from her being selfish, even at a very young age. Usually, I hate this, but this is one of the rare times where I stan a female character making the type of decisions that a male MC would get a pass for.

But she does find out that her increasingly bad decisions puts her life (and others) in danger. And by then, it's too late.

Ultimately, this is the kind of depressing book where you get to see the MC's life spiral downwards to the point where it feels almost sadistic to read about. And as someone who likes these types of books, I appreciate how the antagonists (Death and Princess Sullivain, and to an extent, the Queen) all have their own end goals when it comes to using and abusing Hellivir's resurrection powers.

Don't get me wrong, I'm rooting for our girl, Hellevir, but I don't mind if this series ends up taking an extremely dark turn with her story. It's a pretty dark fantasy and would definitely fit in line with this first installment.

I might be in the minority here, but I can't wait for the sequel!

Thank you to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for this arc.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book early.

If you are told, by your mentor "don't do this" and the queen who barged into your home and demanded too much of your mentor (who also said no to the queen) but you decide to just ... be super badass witch... EXPECT THE CONSEQUENCES THAT FOLLOW!

I had to DNF. The main character is foolish. I had so much hope and promise for the story, but I can't read something with a FMC who ignores the warnings and dives into bad decisions only to be shocked that they have consequences.

As a huge fantasy lover who has read hundreds and hundreds of fantastic epics, this was a pleasure to read. I expected it to be a run of the mill YA fantasy, but it was more adult and very interesting, which I was glad about.

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC copy gifted in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars.

Hellevir is able to raise the dead, but her gift comes with a price. Each time she visits with Death, she loses a small part of her self. When rumors of her gift reach the royal court, the Queen seeks her out and demands that she become the on-call resurrectionist for Princess Sullivain, sole heir to the crown. Hellevir finds herself in difficult position as she navigates the world of political intrigue, threats, and conspiracy all while attempting to balance her personal morals with the complex relationships she forms.

Read if you like:
- political intrigue
- necromancy
- dark fantasy

I am conflicted on how I feel about this book. Overall, I enjoyed the premise of the story but I feel like it didn’t meet it’s full potential. A majority of the plot line was repetitive. I would have liked more of a backstory, especially regarding the history of the War of the Waves and the Onaistus religion. A map would also be helpful.

I also didn’t care for Hellevir and Sullivain’s relationship. It was toxic and I found it difficult to believe in their subplot of a romance. Sullivain is incredibly manipulative and doesn’t seem to care about the emotional or physical toll of Hellevir using her gift. She also never takes accountability for her actions. But who knows, maybe she’ll get a redemption arc.

I did really enjoy the scenes with Death and the mystery surrounding his character. Hellevir has far more interesting interactions with him than anyone else. I also loved the raven. 10/10 for the animals.

That being said, I feel like there is the potential for Hellevir’s character to have a lot more growth and development in the next book. Like girl, you can still be empathetic and compassionate, but grow a backbone. I am also curious to see how the rest of her bargain with Death pans out, as well as what happens within the court. I liked this enough to give the next book a shot.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for a free digital copy of this book. This is my honest review. Publication date: July 2, 2024.

*Tandem between ebook and audio formats.*

4⭐️ for overall story / 5⭐️ for audiobook performance

Overall I enjoyed this story. It held my interest and I found it fascinating. I know a lot of others have complained about what it is not, but I liked it for what it was. A dark fantasy with queer characters and an FMC who was constantly just trying to do the right thing but was always left being someone's chew toy...until she wasn't.

I read this as an e-arc, but the audiobook also came out on Everand during that time, so I added that in as a tandem read at about the 35% mark. This one had the same narrator (Kristin Atherton) as Belladonna, and she is just *chef's kiss*. Atherton has incredible range and really gives the reader a multi-cast experience while being just a single narrator. I was already enjoying the book, but enjoyed it even more due to the audio.

Speaking of Belladonna, this story gave big Belladonna vibes. But it's also very different. Think Belladonna mixed with One Dark Window. FMC Hellevir is walking and talking with Death, also very dark and kinda gothic vibes, nature/spirit magic...

The cover as it is now, doesn't really fit the story. Mixed with the blurb, it leads you to believe it's a romantasy, but it's not. I wouldn't even call this a romance. It's the barest of sapphic (more like undertones)...if anything, there's more achillean romance in here (I loved those characters). The old cover (on the arc copy) is more appropriately reflective of the story: Hellevir with the raven on her shoulder walking one way, while the man in black is walking above her in the other direction. Not really sure why they changed the cover. Sullivain isn't even queen in this book, so the image of her as the crown being both alive and dead is not really accurate.

This book read like a more mature YA, but the main characters seemed more on the young side. I'm not sure what it's categorized as, but it is a tad bit darker in nature. But overall, I enjoyed the writing style and found it easily consumable, yet not overly simplistic in nature.

I liked that same-sex relationships/partnerships seemed to be somewhat normal in this world, or at least in the court environment.

I felt like some of the backstory seemed a little convoluted. I wanted a little more. The War of the Waves wasn't really explained all that well, to me, so I had a hard time connecting those events with those of the Onaistus history. I didn't really understand how that religion came to be. But I could have just missed some things.

There were a few things I didn't see coming, so I liked that. I enjoy a good twist or something that jerks my emotions suddenly because it's unexpected.

A smidge of character analysis:
Hellevir: I really enjoyed her character. She had a realistic/logical personality, but cared deeply at the same time. I appreciated her gift and her connection to the earth and natural spirits. I really loved Elsevir as her little familiar. I was so happy with how she acted at the end.

Hellevir and Death's interactions over the course of the story were so interesting to me. They seemed to have this rolling type of relationship as the book progresses: enemies, business partners, father/daughter, brother/sister, lovers(?). Either way, he clearly cares for Hellevir. Death's character was so fascinating to me. He's still shrouded in so much mystery by the end and it left me wanting to know more.

Sullivain: I absolutely could not stand her character. She just used Hellevir only when it suited her, but wanted to act like she meant something to her only when she felt her grasp on Hellevir slipping. Sullivain made Hellevir feel worthless and threatened her family any opportunity she could get. I feel a little pity for her because I think she was a puppet, but I also think she's a coward for not standing up for herself and Hellevir more with her grandmother. I also despise Sullivain for making Hellevir have feelings for her. I don't think Sullivain had any intention of actually pursuing a relationship with Hellevir until they became so bonded by their death exchanges. I think she's that much of a selfish B, despite what she told Hellevir.

Recommendation:
I would recommend this book, but not to romantasy readers specifically. If that's what you're looking for, you will not find it in this book. However, if you are a reader of fantasy in general, who also enjoys darker fantasy romance/romantasy, or either of the two books that I comp'd up above, then you may enjoy this for what it is. But just know, any sliver of romance in here is simply the subplot, so you should have that expectation going into it. Happy reading! 🤙🏼💕

Thank you to Avon/Harper Voyager and NetGalley for digital copy of this book. This review is my honest feedback and given voluntarily.

{3.5/5}

CW: gore, death, some others

What a strangely delightful book. I…have a lot of thoughts.

Hellevir has always known she had a gift— the ability to step into death and bring back the soul of the departed. But every exchange has a cost, and the more she walks with Death, the more Hellevir loses. The cost to raise a princess, though, may be more than she’s willing to pay.

I’m not going to lie, this book took me a while to get through. And by ‘a while,’ I mean that it took me about 4 days, which is roughly double what a book of this length would usually require. Somehow, despite the extra time, it never felt like it was dragging.

Full disclosure— I didn’t like the main character. Hellevir is naive, often willingly so. She’s full of rage and power, and yet she ends up coming across as spineless, especially early on in the story. Perhaps worst of all, for me, is that this combination manifests as a total inability to say no and stick to her guns. It’s a fitting set of characteristics for her situation, but that doesn’t make it any more likeable. Strangely enough, I found almost all of the characters in the story to have a similar problem. With the exception of maybe 2 side characters, pretty much everyone ended up being less than stellar human beings.

The real redeeming quality to this story, what made it so easy to read despite the slow pacing, was the magic. It’s a simple sort of magic there. A communion with the spirits of nature. While this isn’t a common gift in Hellevir’s world, the depiction of it and the interactions she has with the living beings around her was beautiful. It feels soft and warm and perfect, and I loved reading it. Even Hellevir’s interactions with death and the depictions of that world were amazing.

Regarding the actual story…not a lot actually happened. But also a lot happened. It’s definitely a very character-driven storyline; the whole point really becomes Hellevir’s growth and the changes as she interacts with the world. Fortunately, she does indeed grow and change, and combined with the magic it makes for an ultimately decent story. The ending to the book felt like both an ending and a beginning, which was fitting for both the character and for the series (as this is listed as book 1 in The Raven’s Trade series). There’s a lot of potential for an even more active and engaging story in future books, and I look forward to seeing how that plays out.

Overall, I liked this book a lot more than I would have thought had someone simply described it to me. I do think it’s one that most people will either love or hate, but it’s got a subtle sort of magic woven in those lines.