*ARC Review!* Thank you so much for the opportunity to read and review this book.

4.5 stars, a phenomenal read, everything that a high fantasy should be and an incredible addition to Fagan’s bibliography.

The Plot: 5/5
The book follows two main characters. Sister Sephre, a war veteran hoping to spend the rest of her retirement peacefully gardening in a temple and Yeneris, the bodyguard to a Princess Sinoe and prophesier as they try to deal with the aftermaths of an ugly religious war and, possibly, the apocalypse. But also, it is a story about finding and accepting yourself in its entirety. There are zombies, there is magic, there is political and religious intrigue, and not a single boring story beat.

The Worldbuilding: 4/5
The world of HoD was well thought out, and more importantly, well executed. Important information were scattered into digestible chunks, almost always after a particularly anxiety-inducing scene and served as a welcomed breather. It is easy to follow the history and you will be able to understand the bare bones of the lore to keep up. I was not given a map or a glossary (which would be necessary for lesser authors) but the world still felt real and lived in.

I particularly enjoyed the slight variations in theology between different kingdoms. It gives the world just that much more realism. The Gods being animals represented by different times of the day and different elements sounds like too much but it works and I’m into it.

However, the timeline of events could have been better elaborated, particularly the cataclysm and the war, and what exactly they were. And I’d love to know more about the city, which appears only as a shapeless void in my head with the lack of description.

This is a standalone, which is quite disappointing as we didn’t really get to know as much as I’d like and I do hope Fagan decides to write more books set in this world. I need to know the lore behind the other houses and kingdoms.

The Characters: 4/5
Perfect, 10/10, no notes.

We need more older female characters with a ton of baggage, still insecure, needs therapy and kicks ass, but also just wants to garden. Sephre, I will die for you. I do not suffer from PTSD so I cannot comment on the portrayal of that in Sephre but it succeeded in hurting me.

Yeneris is the typical trained-to-be-a-weapon fmc and she’s perfect, don’t ever change. Think Inej and Ead Duryan had a swoony, headstrong lovechild. Honestly, can’t blame her.

Sinoe is everything a princess should be. She’s kind, she’s smart, she’s friendly, she’s slightly sarcastic, ugh I love her too. The tragedy in her life was well portrayed and my heart was constantly aching for her, despite her not even being a pov character.

The side characters were a treat and a half. Each one of them were so distinct and it was obvious how much love and thought the author gave them.

On second thought, one note. The antagonists were mediocre. I prefer villains that occupy a larger bandwidth in a story and the antagonists in HoD fell flat for me.

The Prose: 5/5
One thing that really stood out to me throughout my reading were the gorgeous descriptions of the setting. Every change in scenery was accompanied by prose that stole my breath away.

House of Dusk by Deva Fagan will be published on 26 August 2025! I genuinely cannot wait to talk about it jsagfhsgfdkjggh

House of Dusk by Deva Fagan is a masterpiece of a book! It's pure art! It's amazing! I rated it 5 stars because I couldn't give it more stars. I wanted to give it 10 stars! It's perfect! The story is really perfect!

“ Priory of the Orange Tree” fans, of which I am one, rejoice! Here is another epic fantasy with a phenomenal and inclusive cast of characters, an intricate plot, supernatural happenings, immersive world building, and sapphic yearning. Bonus point for having one of the main characters be a mid 40’s, fire wielding woman with a past she can’t outrun. I couldn’t put it down.

Thank you NetGalley and DAW books for an ARC!

Magic, Betrayal,& a Sapphic Romance You Won't Want To Put Down!

This book is an absolute adventure! Baddie heroines, ancient magic, forbidden romance, and a world on the brink of chaos (I mean what else could one need for an epic fantasy, right!?). We get to meet Sephre, a fire wielding nun trying to escape her past (and trauma),and then Yeneris, a spy falling for the princess she’s meant to betray. Both of their stories are full of tension, tough choices, and some seriously emotional moments.

The world building is rich and immersive, packed with "dead" gods and high stakes intrigue. While the pacing keeps things moving fast, there were a few moments where I wished for just a little more... detail, especially when it came to character relationships.

That said, the romance is chef’s kiss! We have all the forbidden, slow burn love and feels. If you love sapphic fantasy with complex characters and epic stakes, this one is definitely worth picking up!

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to embark on this adventure!