This book was well thought out! I enjoyed reading it, despite taking a bit of time to get hooked. I loved the setting and the two main characters. I wish we could have gotten to learn more about the other characters, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. This book indulges my brooding storm cloud/sunshine ship trope and it is amazing.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Crack at the Heart of Everything was pretty well written, just not the right story for me.

I was expecting Orpheus to be more villainous from how this story is marketed, and was kind of disappointed to see that he never does anything truly evil with feeling: sometimes he does bad things, (including ripping a portal to hell into the earth) but he still feels more like a good person from the very beginning, internal monologue wise. I was hoping for something more compelling, I suppose.

Orpheus is almost immediately remorseful of his actions, which isn't a bad thing - only that there is less of a struggle between his urges to be good and his history of being evil than I hoped for. It doesn't really feel like we earn his redemption. He is 'evil' for ten percent of the book, and it leads to poignant moments of goood being less impactful to me.

His and Fenrir's relationship is very insta-love. There is some nice tension in the beginning, and it gets mostly resolved by the middle. I did enjoy their romance, but it felt very fast to me.

The ending was also fairly weak. I didn't really care about the very last chapter, honestly, and would have rather seen the future than the past.

All in all, I did enjoy moments though. There were several pieces I highlighted, because they were well written prose and dialogue. I did like the side characters, like Red, though I don't think they got enough fleshing out.

There was strong potential for this book; the story itself was interesting, but in the end it wasn't world-shattering for me. It felt more like a romance book with fantasy as a side, than a fantasy-romance.

4.5!

Initial thoughts:

I wasn’t quite sure what to think of this novel when I first began reading, but I have to say from the first line, I was intrigued by where this story was going. I did feel the start was a bit slow. Granted, there is a reason for this, but I remembered that this is primarily advertised as a character-driven story, thus removing all expectations for an out-of-this-world plot (although I was quite invested in what ended up being the plot of the story) I focused on the characters and truly enjoyed the journey.

Final thoughts:

I enjoyed this book. I found it fun to read and I was excited to keep reading it when I put it down. It’s not perfect by any means, but I do not regret my time at all. I thought the romance was nicely handled. For the non-spice readers, there is a sex scene that is written with a lot of grace and focuses more on feelings than explicit details. I thought that decision worked for the type of story this was. If you want a story that is focused solely on a character's journey, then this book is for you! I 100% recommend giving it a try!

This was a very enjoyable read for me. I love Orpheus, and I loved pretty much every interaction that he had with Fenrir. They're great examples of the grumpy x sunshine dynamic, and I would probably read a whole book that was just about the two of them, with no other conflict or plot needed. That being said, I did also enjoy the world building, the creatures, and the magic of the world that The Crack at the Heart of Everything takes place in. Fiona Fenn built a dynamic and captivating world.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.

A beautifully crafted fantasy where those who conquered had to lose what they gained, to receive what they were missing. Filled with drama, romance, action and adventure!

The first few pages in this book start off confusing. We’re literally thrown into Orpheus’ world without any background or world building. And yet, this works because Orpheus had never left his residence until he’s banished by his one friend, Lore. As Orpheus enters the world with Fenrir at his side, he not only learns about himself but also the world he helped shape. Written beautifully through Orpheus’ eyes and ears, a futuristic world is created that is a wasteland filled with monsters, dragons, magic and death.

This story has a unique plot. A dark mage who helped raise the strongest army from hell, banished due to a curse, yet accompanied by the ex-general to break the curse. Although romance is a factor in this story, the story is driven by the plot and progresses at an even pace. There’s never a dull moment, with new information being relayed; unexpected twists and turns; and near death experiences. Also, I loved the concept of interludes which were little chapter flashbacks into the past. They supported the story and character profiles while also giving the present events more meaning and emotions.

Orpheus needs a hug and I’m glad Fenrir showered him with many hugs and kisses throughout because he deserves it. Their relationship was pure and enjoyable. It was easy to love both characters and their interactions. What started as friendly banter, became more intense and protective near the end, in a good way. They complemented each other and I loved seeing them relish in the comfort of each other. I wish we got to see them post the ending of this book and what became of their daily lives.

There are also many other characters in this story. Lore and Red are two main ones that are frequently mentioned. I have mixed feelings about Lore but it’s not as if I can’t understand where she comes from, though ruthless killing is not acceptable. Red, on the other hand, is a strong and smart character but also one who is brave and understanding. If this was a series, I personally would have loved to read their stories, from their perspectives. I think it would be interesting.

Overall, I enjoyed this story and recommend everyone to give it a try! It’s beautifully written and well executed. The story has a unique plot and the romance is pure.

Really enjoyed the book thank you for allowing me the opportunity to read this and have a chance to fall in love with the book

A cozy read?

What even qualifies as a cozy read anymore? Is it a low-stakes book that holds your attention, or one that gives you warm, fuzzy feelings? Now, I don’t think this book was necessarily meant to be a cozy read (or was it??), but the beginning felt slow—almost boring at times—yet still interesting enough to keep me going. It was definitely a slow read for me, though not necessarily a bad one. I had several issues with it, but they were the kind I could easily ignore and just keep going.

Without going into any spoilers, there are A LOT of things in this book that just don't make sense or leave you going, huh...did I read that right? This is mostly related to the world-building, as it's hard to pin down exactly what kind of world is being created.

Why so nice?

I went into this expecting an evil wizard, but instead, I got a moody, crying wizard. Sure, Orpheus has done some evil things, but rather than coming off as an all-powerful dark sorcerer, he gave more of a petulant child vibe. Even the evil things he did were done with this weird lack of awareness about just how bad they were. This really watered down the so-called "redemption arc" as well. I was promised an evil, dark wizard, and that is not what I got.

I struggled to like or care about any of the characters in this book. A lot of things were left unanswered, and many aspects felt like they needed more background. Because of that, I wasn’t really invested in the relationship between the two main characters either.

But would I still buy it?

Yes! For all the weirdness in this book, it's still a debut novel, and the author clearly has talent when it comes to writing. While this wasn’t an amazing read for me, I did enjoy the prose and would definitely pick up another series by this author. Also, I absolutely adore the cover of this book.

*Blog post scheduled for 9/13~

if you want a queer mm fantasy set from the villain’s pov with a grumpy/sunshine, more so adversaries than enemies to lovers, dark wizard x golden retriever warrior romance, magic battles and quests, a dragon, and one hell of a villain redemption arc then look no further!!!!

𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙊𝙧𝙥𝙝𝙚𝙪𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙪𝙣𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙥𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙖𝙧 𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙤𝙧—𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙯𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙝𝙞𝙢, 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙛𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙙𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙪𝙣𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩.

this debut standalone fantasy has strong world building and a unique magic system. in the sole pov of the ‘villain’, we’re given interludes throughout with flashbacks that help further the main storyline. whilst it took me a little to get into it at the start—this was definitely a me thing and not due to the book—as i got further into the book i couldn’t put it down.

𝙄 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙞𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙢𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙚𝙙.

we have a strong cast of characters throughout that i LOVED. but of course orpheus and fenrir have my entire heart. though i loved the epilogue, i would’ve loved to see a snippet of the couple in the months or years succeeding the conclusion of the story.

again, this is a DEBUT fantasy standalone!!! it was so well built and well written; i’m definitely looking forward to what comes next from the author.

thank you to netgalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read this. this rating and review are voluntary, and all opinions are my own.

This was a fun read, focused more on the characters and their relations and how it all develops. The characters themselves are interesting, if limited in scope (there's only a few named characters and a handful that are actually discussed at length). Those that do get screen time however are fun and well developed. I did think the plot resolved too quickly and too neatly, and wished more time had been dedicated to world building, the glimpses we do see of how the setting came to be were really interesting and I wanted more.

I'm so glad I read this book! The cozy romance vibes and interesting world building made it really unique and enjoyable! The characters were loveable and interesting and I love the way Fenn layered a fantasy world over a version of our own.

This book is a delightfully snarky, heartwarming mix of magic, redemption, and unexpected romance. Orpheus, a cursed and exiled dark wizard, is such a lovable mess as he fumbles his way through redemption while falling for his charming ex-rival. The banter is fantastic, and the redemption arc feels truly earned. Plus, the romance between Orpheus and the ex-general is both swoon-worthy and full of great chemistry. If you're into character-driven fantasy with humor and heart, this is a great read to dive into!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tiny Fox Press for giving me the chance to read an arc of this book!

Sadly this book was not entirely for me. I actually struggled a little with how to review it, because I can see how this may REALLY appeal to someone else, and I don't think it deserves a low rating at all. It's full of great things, from a very grumpy/ sunshine pairing, an interesting world, a cool magic system, and much brooding and sad-boying and redemption.

I can't 100% pinpoint why I couldn't get into it. Sometimes there are just books that have everything you love, are well-written and neat, and they are still not for you. Perhaps it was me not meshing with the prose, or the characters not entirely hitting my vibe, or maybe the narration just swerved away from the way I prefer my narration to be. I simply struggled to get myself to pick it back up after I set it down and, after dragging my feet for a while, decided the book is just not right for me.

I will definitely still check out what else the author writes in the future, though, and am very sorry for not finishing this!

(Dnf at 30% ish)

I am finding myself so taken by this story that I’m going to have to read it again, and again and again.

Orpheus, the evil mage at the hand of Empress Lore suddenly finds himself banished as the curse he bares becomes a burden in Lore’s new peaceful court, a curse he bares as a side effect of helping his best friend come to power.

But when Lore’s General Fenrir escorts him into banishment he finds himself on a journey of enlightenment, redemption and love as he untangles the truth behind the Crack at the Heart of Everything.

This book is set 300 years after a massive incident has caused devastation right across the planet, and seamlessly brings together elements of sci-fi and fantasy.
Im not to sure if the world building was minimal, or if I was so wrapped up in the love story and the internal monologue of the mmc that I missed it, but I would have liked to see a bit more world building.

4.5 stars (rounded up for GR)
Thank you to NetGalley, Author Fiona Fenn and publisher Tiny Fox Press for access to this ARC

I picked up a digital ARC of this book based on the cover design, the title—and yes, the synopsis. Thank you to NetGalley and Tiny Fox Press for giving me the opportunity to check this out early. I truly enjoyed my time with The Crack at the Heart of Everything!

The publisher's blurb describes the book as "charmingly swoon-worthy" and perfect for fans of "character-driven stories, snarky humor, and well-earned redemption arcs." I wholeheartedly agree with every single point and thought that author Fiona Fenn managed a perfect balance between plot and character development. The plot, the stakes, and the ending are so satisfying (for all characters!!). Once it gets going (chapter V), the plot moves at a steady medium pace that allows for plenty of sweet character moments but never loses its sense of urgency. The ending is snappy, impactful, and wraps up multiple story threads very nicely.

While The Crack at the Heart of Everything is not billed as a "cozy" fantasy, I would argue that the road trip, animal companion, research, and community elements in the book certainly evoked that sense in me as a reader (if you are comfortable juggling some heavier emotional themes). Also: reading glasses! For reference: I have read Legends & Lattes and Bookshops & Bonedust (higher stakes than L&L, but I still never felt any true urgency) by Travis Baldree and recently also read The Honey Witch by Sydney J. Shields. I enjoyed all of these titles but wanted more from them. The Crack at the Heart of Everything delivers on everything I was missing in these other books—now, that might just mean that "cozy" isn't quite the right fit for me. Cozy or not, this book gets a very enthusiastic recommendation for me, and I will make it a priority to seek out any future works by Fiona Fenn!

I'm only deducting 1 star because I felt a little bit lost in the beginning in terms of the court, the course, and the world at large. I also struggled with the interludes initially (they are very brief!). That said, the worldbuilding actually became one of the most intriguing aspects of the book for me later on, and I'd love to find out more about the Incident, the people of the Rim, the rebuilding of the Stacks, and any other settlements that might still be spread across the map somewhere in the distance!

***

Bonus quotes (no major spoilers):

"The girl shrugs, one boney shoulder rising up through long, dark hair. She can't be much younger than him but she is smaller, thinner, paler despite how wholly those descriptors suit him. All at once, he feels they're cut from the same cloth."

***

"'I don't know what to do, my friend,' he confessed. The fur under his palm bristled as he leaned in close—close enough to tip his forehead against Achates' neck, his mane a tickle across his cheeks. 'I feel like my time here is already borrowed. Who in their right mind would want to get to know a dead man?'
Achates didn't have an answer. He looked at Orpheus steadily, big brown, watery eyes reflecting back all the doubt Orpheus held—his cowardice to confront his limitless ability to deny himself every unnecessary pleasure in life all because it could get in the way of his higher purpose. And how he was still doing precisely that, while his 'higher purpose' had blown up in his face."

***

"What line could Orpheus possibly draw when in his trembling hands rested the fate of the whole planet, and he wasn't even sure that was enough to convince him to help?"

2ish Stars.

This one just did not click with me, and I found it incredibly hard to get through, I mostly finished it because this was an eARC and I wanted to make sure I was able to speak to the whole story before giving it a review.

I found this title very hard to get into, and I think a big part of it for me was the world/world building or lack thereof in some instances. Our protagonist, Orpheus, continuously refers to past events that make little sense to the reader. We're thrown in, which inherently isn't a bad thing, but when it leaves me confused for most of the story, it just doesn't read well. The world is unfortunately difficult to grasp - at first you think you're in a more "medieval" setting, then there's cars/guns etc. but people also use swords and wear plate armor? I just wish we'd had more of an explanation on why things were the way they were. We never truly find out what happened (An apocalyptic event that brings Hell to Earth, but it's magic, or magic adjacent, but it also sounds like there was true magic in the world before this event? How did we discover magic? So it just feels muddled to me).

I honestly didn't vibe with the relationship between Orpheus and Fenrir either, I think also because of where we started in the story. We get none, or very little, of their history, and not having any of that made it hard for me to feel invested in them/their relationship. There was very little chemistry, to me, which was unfortunate because the draw of their relationship was a big part of the reason I picked this book up.

Both characters separately, too, were not my favorite, mostly because of the questions I felt weren't getting answered. Fenrir- how does he continuously survive impossible situations? I thought we would eventually learn he's blessed or magic touched in some way or something like that, but nothing really came of it. Why does he know how to fly a plane? Why does he fight with a sword all the time if there's guns he could be using? Is it because guns work on humans but not Netherbeasts? I feel like I was missing so many answers in here. How does Orpheus' magic truly work - there's sigils, but you can cast without it? What is Netherflame? How did he learn how to cast - is it because the world has had magic before? How did he learn sigils? and then there's the fact that he's a powerful mage, but doesn't seem to actually lean into his power at all until the end/only leaned into it to summon Ohm.

Speaking of Ohm- why did Orpheus need to summon him for Lore? What were they fighting that was bad enough the Orpheus literally raised a Hell Army for Lore? I wish we understood more of the war, as I feel it would have helped with both worldbuilding and character development (like why everyone, aside from her courtiers, dislikes Lore)

Lore was also, unfortunately, not a compelling character to me - and the way her story ends felt very odd.

The prose itself was beautiful in some places, but also left me annoyed in others, as it was very drawn out. A big part of this story was Orpheus lamenting and going through self discovery, which again, isn't inherently bad, I just think it was drawn out too much and repetitive in some areas, and was not supported well through the setting/world/rest of the plot, since I found most of that lacking.

Overall, an unfortunate miss for me.

3.5 ☆

i was able to read the e-arc for this book in exchange for an honest review so here it is.

for the first half of the book, i just found it pleasant. not memorable in any way, but definitely enjoyable.

the 75% mark was a turning point for me: the sudden added tension definitely made it intriguing and the cozy atmosphere suddenly got darker, solving most of the issues i had had with the book previously.

particularly:

1. TIMING: this has been by far the biggest issue for me. though starting in medias res is a narrative technique as old as time, you have to make sure that the reader does not feel like they have been randomly thrown in the middle of the action. i don’t think that was entirely successful here. the characters keep referring to past events and consolidated relationships as if you are supposed to already care about them and know what’s at stake without giving you a reason to care and be concerned until much later. this also kind of influenced how i perceived the relationship between orpheus and fenrir, because they clearly have history of sorts but you just were not there for it, thus making it hard to be invested from the get-go. you still don’t know them as characters and you definitely don’t know their bond. it felt like it was supposed to be an enemies-to-lovers kind of thing but the enemies part had been left out?
2. ⁠LORE: she was just not a compelling character? not even as a villain? not only is she unlikeable (which, by itself, would not be an issue at all), but she is also kinda rude to orpheus from the jump and he does not notice? and ofc i don’t mean the start of the book, i mean the chronological start of the story narrated in the interludes, which are supposed to give you some background and make you understand why he saw her as his best friend? and even when you get the whole context, you understand where everyone’s stance on her comes from EXCEPT for orpheus’ cause she was insufferable towards him as well ???? also, before the ending she only appears in the first handful of chapters (where i’m not even sure she speaks) and in the sporadic interludes so not often enough to make her threatening nor intriguing.
3. ⁠CONFUSING STANDING ON TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT: they have seatbelts, airplanes, and coffee but fight armored, are unsure whether houses have hot water and travel long distances by horse? and they use fahrenheit, which places the story distinctly in the US which, to be fair, are mentioned with details: that’s even more confusing given that any other location (apart from japan for some reason) has made-up fantastical-sounding names.
4. ⁠PROSE: this was only an issue at first tbh, i think the writing style improved as the book went on. some sentences were a little clunky and awkward but it did not hinder the reading experience much. i think that it was a moderately successful attempt at creating an epic fantasy atmosphere.

overall i think this book is worth reading, and most of my complaints could be just personal preference and taste, so definitely give it a chance !

Grade: C

After he is kicked out of the palace by his childhood best friend turned empress because of the death curse following him around, Orpheus, a mage, is left adrift in the empire he helped create. While traveling with the empress' best general, Fenrir, Orpheus starts to suspect that maybe the empress, and the empire, were not such a good thing after all...

My review:
Me and this book did not jive. I had several issues with this book:
- there was absolutely no reason for this book to be labelled adult, and I thought it hurt the book in my opinion, as I expected a world and characters that were more deeply flushed out than what we were given.
- I did not buy into the relationship between Fenrir and Orpheus. Because of the place the book starts, we are just thrown into this dynamic between them and the book was more about Orpheus realizing what that dynamic was, rather than any sort of growth between them. I didn't actually get any sort of chemistry between them, it felt like we were just told they should like each other and we should be into that. "Fifi" as a romantic nickname threw me off from the very beginning, and I felt it was very indicative of the book as a whole - more childish than I was looking for and not as cute or romantic as it thought it was.
- According to my ecopy, Orpheus spent the first 91% of the book crying and/or spiraling, while crying. I am all for a man crying and showing emotions, but it was A LOT. I got bored of it very quickly.
- There was not enough depth to Lore, the empress. She's awful literally from the get-go, and in all of the flashbacks, so I did not form the same emotional attachment to her that Orpheus had like I was supposed to, so his feelings of betrayal and hurt didn't do anything for me.
- Pedantic issue: the epilogue was not an epilogue. It was a deleted scene.

Do you feel like Severus Snape was tragically misunderstood and just needed to be loved? If so, this is probably a great fit for you! Our main character, Orpheus, was just doing what he thought was best for his country and his queen but he kinda summoned an army of undead and ended up with a death curse in the bargain. Since this unfortunate death curse keeps trying to kill him (and sometimes everyone around him) he gets banished from the palace where he's spent his whole life. Himbo/golden retriever Fenrir will accompany him and he can't stop noticing...Fenrir's biceps? And his stupid hair? And his broad chest?

This was a great action/adventurey, road trip romance. It didn't totally hit for me but if you're in the mood for these tropes I think you would love it!

Pros:
-Sad boi Orpheus figuring out that he can in fact feel a feeling
-Quick, witty dialogue
-Interesting world building & magic system

Cons:
-I found it a little hard to follow the story, especially the beginning 25% of the book. You're dropped right in the middle of the action but a touch more explanation of who's who and what's actually going on would have helped me follow the plot better. This made it slow to get into for me and I didn't feel a strong pull to keep picking up the book or turning the pages.
-Orpheus is real sad; there was a lot of internal monologue and various moments of panic attacks/other intense emotional reactions. For me personally it took away from the strengths of the book, which was the rompy adventure bits.
-A few grammatical errors, particularly some run-on sentences

I did not finish the book; stopped around 50%. However, I still give it 3 stars because I think it would be super fun and enjoyable for the right reader.

A cozy fantasy redemption story that I’m sure many will love, though it wasn’t quite for me. The writing was quite dense, with relatively little dialogue to keep the story moving forward. I often found myself confused about how much time had passed and where the characters were. In addition, we have relatively little background into Fenrir’s and Orpheus’s history, so Fenrir’s unshakable faith in Orpheus as a person and long-standing feelings for him were somewhat surprising and unbelievable—I kept wondering if I missed something (and maybe I did!). Nonetheless, this is a very warm story and I’m sure it will find a treasured home on many readers’ shelves, even if not on mine.

This single point of view novel is about Orpheus and how he started from a sad beginning but found love in Fenrir. This is a queer romance and I am here for it! I loved the personalities and the banter that moved the book along quite well. Oh and there are dragons in this book... and magical battles... and a post apocalyptic setting...

Read this!!!