I read an eARC of this book so thank you to the author, the publisher and Net Galley.

This was such a fast paced, action packed fantasy novel. A joy to read and so exciting!

For a relatively short novel, the author has managed to create such a vivid and detailed world. The length of this novel meant the pace was kept fast throughout, driving the tension and the sense of a race against time. Certain events meant that our characters faced looming deadlines with serious consequences if they failed.

I loved the two main characters in this. They felt so fresh and different to what we’ve seen in a lot of recent fantasy novel. We have Ex, a phi hunter who is the youngest in his guild. Ex who is low on funds after being swindled by a local leader reluctantly agrees to take a heavily pregnant woman to see a swamp witch. The forest is full of dangers that Ex is uniquely placed to protect his companion from. Ex ends up drawn into a complicated web of events involving the royal family and nefarious influences. I loved the female MC who is a strong, former fighter and who in spite of being nine months pregnant manages to save Ex from being beaten by thugs early in the book.

The phi are fascinating and we see multiple sides of the story, from the purely evil, to complex, to tricksters, to those trying to be redeemed. Ex himself has to challenge the beliefs of his guild and learn that the Phi are not also what they seem.

The world building, characters, action and plot are all wonderful. This felt so fresh and exciting!

Incredible! My mind is kind of blown here. Did not see half of that coming. And oh my gosh, the tropes! What a cinnamon roll! I also loved the inclusion of a pregnant kickass FMC, as that’s really unusual. This is just a fantastic book that’s sure to win a lot of awards.