I'm never not going to recommend a Kingfisher book, but so far this one is really delightful. A plus sized, middle aged widow escapes from her cruel family with the help of an enchanted sword who turns into a man. Action, banter, and feelings follow. I think this one has taken the number one spot amonst Kingfisher's books. I can't reccomend it enough!

Ok, I loved this! Witty, fun, lighthearted—everything I wanted in this story and this concept. I hadn't read anything else by T. Kingfisher and I guess I'll have to change that!

Nobody does it quite like T. Kingfisher! The humor, the adventure, the quirkiness, mixed with a little dark fun is almost always a grand slam performance for me! I LOVE the cover redesign here too! Can't wait to pick up a hardcover copy!

Swordheart delivered a delightful mix of humor, heart, and high-stakes adventure. Halla’s unexpected inheritance and her encounter with the grumpy yet honorable Sarkis, an immortal warrior stuck in an enchanted sword, made for an irresistibly quirky setup. Their dynamic—equal parts banter and slow-burning affection—kept me hooked throughout.
The story balanced cozy fantasy vibes with laugh-out-loud moments, particularly as Halla and Sarkis navigated conniving relatives, bandits, and inquisitors. Halla’s practicality and wit were a perfect match for Sarkis’s brooding demeanor, making their relationship as entertaining as it was heartfelt.
While the pacing lagged in places, and the stakes sometimes felt more amusing than dire, the charm of the characters and the whimsical world-building carried the narrative.
If you’re in the mood for a fantasy romance that’s as comforting as a warm cup of tea with a sharp edge of adventure, Swordheart is a treasure worth unsheathing.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Swordheart was an absolutely delightful fantasy adventure. I loved having an older female main character in a fantasy novel, and her internal (and external) dialogue was hilarious. The love interest and side characters were all fantastic, and there were so many points in the book that made me giggle. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a lower-stakes, humorous read!

Thank you to Tor and Netgalley for the ARC!

T. Kingfisher is the author I didn't know I needed in my YA collection. There seems to be a pattern in YA to push out as many books as possible with little consideration to literary merit. This book and all others written by this author will be purchased immediately not only for the sublime writing, but for the beautifully crafted stories.

T. Kingfisher has been a favorite author of mine for a few years now and I was thrilled to see this pop up on NetGalley as it’s been on my list of backlogged books to get to. This has Kingfisher’s signature humor and whimsy, which is why I love these stories so much. I do think maybe the story dragged on a little unnecessarily at times, and the overuse of the word ‘err’ was bothering me a bit in the beginning, but other than that this is exactly what I’ve come to expect from my favorite author. Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing
for this free eARC in exchange for an honest review which has already been posted to Goodreads.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bramble for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

Halla is just a poor, widowed, middle-aged woman who is suddenly left with all of her great-uncle’s wealth. With this sudden unexpected situation, Halla’s remaining family is desperate for a piece of the estate. In an attempt to escape her wretched family, Halla unsheathes the sword mounted to her bedroom wall and reveals the immortal Sarkis! Now sworn to defend and protect his wielder, Halla and Sarkis are forced to adventure together as Halla attempts to take back what’s rightfully hers.

I think this is my favorite T. Kingfisher book thus far! I loved the banter! The characters were amazing and the story was awesome. This is a bit of a slow burn, romantically and in general, as our to MCs galavant across the world together getting into trouble from one place to the next. I loved Halla’s goofy personality and Sarkis is such a heart throb! Some may not like the long travel from one place to the next but I adored it. It is very The Hobbit meets Princess Bride. If you’ve never read a Kingfisher book and don’t want to step into the horror fantasy books she writes, this would be a great place to start! With that said, there are other books in this world (clocktaur war and saints of steel) but I did not read any of them prior to this read. This was a 5 star read for me!!

I heard so much about this book and I was so excited to read it! This was excellent. It absolutely blew me away!! Thank you so much for the early copy :)

I am a huge fan of T. Kingfisher, if you haven't read any of her books, you should stop whatever you're doing, right now, and read one! I love her take on adventures, that perhaps the end of the story isn't when the adventure ends. That all our stories continue and our lives continue.

I really loved the characters in this story, Halla and Sarkis. The magic behind the sword is well explained, going as far as doing some experiments on exactly how the magic works. I enjoyed the politics, and the clash of religion in regards to politics and other religions. And I cheered for both Halle and Sarkis to succeed.

I am hopeful for more books in this series, the story's of the other warriors and their swords will be at the top of my TBR!

Thank you to Netgalley and Tor Publishing for an advanced copy of this book to read and review!

Thank you to Tor and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this title.

Swordheart is about a woman in a bad family situation who accidentally becomes the weirder of an enchanted sword with a grumpy personality. Well, the man inside the sword is grumpy, not the actual sword. I enjoyed this a lot, though there were some moments when the pacing was a little slow. The characters were great. Halla, especially, was very relatable. I loved all the main characters really. The world building was in-depth and humorous at times as well. I’m giving this 3.5 stars instead of 4 because of the slower pace. I recommend Swordheart to any fans of cozy fantasy.

A sweet cozy, adventure fantasy book with pretty well written characters and an enjoyable plot. The fmc was well written and I greatly enjoyed the romance with her bound bodyguard. Had some great banter and I would definitely recommend giving it a read!

I did not expect to love this book as much as I did. For a mid-length book, it sets up the word and story effortlessly. It's refreshing to have a fantasy (and light romance) book with middle-aged characters! From the first sentence, this book had me laughing - it's surprisingly funny. The premise of the magic/conflict is unique, and it made for some cool situations throughout the story. I feel like it will stick with me because of all of this. The middle was the only part that felt slower, but the side characters who enter into the story are so delightful that I didn't mind. I'm really interested to explore more of this author's works after how much I enjoyed Swordheart!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC copy in exchange for an honest review!

This is the first T. Kingfisher book I ever read!

Prior to this release, I read this book as a self-published Amazon e-book. It blew my mind then and it blows my mind now!

Halla is the type of woman who never felt she was in control of her life. When she inherits a house from her uncle, she finds herself locked in her small attic bedroom by her money-hungry relatives. When thinking about how to end her life, Halla finds a sword....a magic sword.

This might sound like a strange beginning, but it gets stranger and is funny and heartfelt throughout. Because of Swordheart, T. Kingfisher is an instant purchase for me.

This book was absolutely lovely. I was already somewhat familiar with the world, having read all of the released Saint of Steel books. The way T. Kingfisher writes fantasy romance is just so addicting! The humor and internal dialogues are some of my favorite parts. This book had me laughing so hard right from the beginning.

Halla is an incredible character, I adored her! The way she "weaponizes ignorance" actually shows how intelligent she really is, and it's also just funny. She also asks the questions (and then some) that we're all wondering. Sarkis is a fictional man who's easy to fall in love with. Zale is also a delightful addition as a side character, and the nonbinary rep is nothing less than I'd expect from T. Kingfisher, happy to see it!

The pacing gets a bit slow at times, it's a book that I took my time reading, just enjoying and taking it all in. I didn't find it boring, but it wasn't a page turner either.

Thank you Tor and NetGalley for the ARC! Easy 5 stars. T. Kingfisher remains a favorite author and auto-buy/read for me!

Thank you to Tor/Forge, Bramble, and NetGalley for the chance to review this book, all opinions are my own.

I am so excited that this fantastic romantic fantasy from T. Kingfisher is getting the special edition treatment and being re-released with a beautiful new cover and sprayed edges. I already have my copy pre-ordered!

I actually read Swordheart back in 2022 after falling in love with Nettle & Bone and diving into Kingfisher’s indie pubbed back catalogue. I loved it then and I am so happy to report that after rereading it almost 3 years later it is still a fantastic book! I’m so excited for new readers and T. Kingfisher fans to be introduced to this delightful story.

Swordheart is about Halla, a 36 year old widow who has just inherited her uncle-in-law's estate. Unfortunately his other relatives have issues with this and they seek to force Halla to marry one of them so they can keep this inheritance in the family. Halla disagrees. They lock her in her room. And then she discovers a man in a sword! I won’t say too much about the plot because it’s more fun to just enjoy the story as it unfolds but if you are a fan of a ragtag group of characters going on a journey and experiencing trials and tribulations along the way (with a healthy dose of humor and sarcasm) this is a book for you!

I think the vibes of this book are closest to Kingfisher’s Nettle and Bone, so if you enjoyed that one I think you will definitely love Swordheart as well. And anyone who can appreciate dark humor and levity in stressful, emotional times will love the dialogue, banter, and Halla’s incessant questions driving Sarkis up the wall.

I appreciate that Kingfisher almost always gives us older MCs, Halla in her late 30’s, Sarkis the sword is in his 40's, and that the side characters are diverse in appearance and identity. I also love the queer normative world.

If you have loved any of Kingfisher’s previous books (even if they were of the horror variety) I think this is a book you will definitely enjoy and if you have been craving a lighthearted but emotional romantic fantasy with older MCs, this would be great one to start with!

And once you finish, don’t forget to read the Clockwork Boys and the Saint of Steel series, the world is interconnected and side characters from this book return!

Swordheart is a delightfully romantic and witty fairytale retelling, a change from the previous horror Kingfisher works I have read. When Halla, a resourceful widow, inherits a magical sword containing the warrior Sarkis, her life turns unexpectedly. Forced to flee a dreadful arranged marriage, she and her talking sword embark on a quest for her rightful inheritance. The banter between Halla and Sarkis is witty and engaging, while the slow-burn romance is sweet and satisfying. Although the ending feels slightly rushed, Swordheart delivers a winning combination of humor, heart, and adventure. This is a fun, feel-good read with a unique premise. I am hopeful that we will see more of Halla and Sarkis.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars.

First, I would like to give a huge thank you to Tor Publishing Group, NetGalley and the author for a copy of this wonderful book!

This was such a fun and refreshing story- going in, I had no idea that I would laugh as much as I did. The witty banter and quirky humor of the characters were both entertaining and captivating- it pulled me into the book right away. I loved that the author’s characters were older than the characters in most books nowadays- being in their mid thirties, was a welcome and relatable surprise. However, I will admit that sometimes Halla drove me absolutely nuts with her babbling- Sarkis though, he was adorable.

This was my first T. Kingfisher book and the writing style was great. It was well written, easy to follow, and flowed well for the most part. There were some points where the dialogue felt a little repetitive and slow but overall, this was a cozy little adventure, with a side of cute romance- a fantasy story that I would definitely recommend.

I received an arc of this book from NetGalley.

Unfortunately, I was so annoyed by the writing style that I couldn’t make it past the 10% mark. I tried my best to overlook the missing punctuation, after all it is an arc, but I just couldn’t find it in myself. The sentence structuring was so off it made my head hurt in only *six* chapters.

Not only that, I’m not fond of the humor. It’s very millennial I feel, and the best thing to compare it to is that Daniel Radcliffe show called “Miracle Workers: Dark Ages.” If you like that show, you’ll probably like this book.

Not giving it a star rating on here as I didn’t enjoy it at all. Quite disappointed, considering this was my first T Kingfisher novel and I’ve heard great things, but I’m sure I’ll give them another shot.

Wonderful, charming and HILARIOUS!! I absolutely LOVED T. Kingfisher's Swordheart.
It has the feel of an epic quest, without the world saving. I guess it would be more of a personal epic quest.
The characters are absolutely loveable, the type I'd want to go on an adventure with and stay friends forever. Hella has unconventional talents, unending curiosity and an almost bouncy personality. Sarkis is brooding, tender and humorous.
I enjoyed this so much, and the ending left it in such a way that it could be a series. I am hoping. So I went to look it up and Swordheart is a novel in the World of the Rat series, which is comprised of three other series. It did not feel like I had to read the others though. Although I loved this one so much, that I'm absolutely going to read the the others.
Thanks so much to Netgalley and Tor Publishing Group for this ARC!!