#Review - The Crimson Throne by Sara Raasch & Beth Revis #YA #Historical #Fantasy

Series: Spy and Guardian
Format: 368 pages, Hardcover

Release Date: October 7, 2025
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult, Historical, Fantasy

Outlander meets Holly Black in this enemies-to-lovers romantasy set in the dazzling and dangerous Scottish court where a fae guardian of the realm falls in love with a charming Elizabethan spy who could also be the key to her world’s undoing. From the New York Times bestselling authors of the Witch and Hunter duology, Sara Raasch and Beth Revis, comes an incredible historical romantasy duology. 

Nineteen-year-old Samson Calthorpe's father is a court favorite—but that alone won’t take him far without money and so many people depending on him. So when the opportunity arises to become a royal spy, he has to take it, using every bit of the skills and resolve he’s picked up on the streets of London to prove his worth in Queen Elizabeth’s court. 

Eighteen-year-old Alyth Graham has kept her eyes on Queen Mary's husband, Lord Darnley, for years—her eyes and her magic. She may be a member of the Scottish court, but she’s no lady. A bastard child of a fae prince and a human mother, Alyth is among the most powerful protectors in Scotland: guardians sworn to support the barrier keeping the Red Caps, a bloodthirtsy clan of fairies, away from the Fae Land portals. 

As Alyth and Samson circle each other in the volatile and glamorous Scottish court, both seek to uncover threats to their own countries. They have only one unifying link: their shared hatred and suspicion of Lord Darnley. Using secret codes, hidden messages, and a little bit of magic, Alyth and Samson unravel a plot centuries in the making. Lord Darnley is only a pawn, and in this game, the queen takes all. 

The Crimson Throne is the first installment in co-authors Sarah Raasch and Beth Revis' Spy and Guardian series. Eighteen-year-old Alyth Graham and Nineteen-year-old Samson Calthorpe are the main characters in this book, with appearances from Mary, Queen of Scotland, and Elizabeth, Queen of England. The story takes place mostly in Scotland. This novel has the appeal of romantic fantasy, a lush historical setting that is reminiscent of Outlander, and the evergreen topic of fairies. These authors previously came together to write Night of the Witch.

The story unfolds against the volatile backdrop of 16th-century Scotland and England, amid the rivalry between Mary, Queen of Scots, and Queen Elizabeth I. Samson Calthorpe, a street-smart Londoner burdened by a mysterious curse that isolates him from loved ones, seizes an opportunity to serve as a royal spy for Elizabeth. His mission: infiltrate the Scottish court, uncover plots (including potential assassination threats against Elizabeth), and perhaps break his curse in the process. 
On the other side stands Alyth Graham, a powerful fae guardian and bastard daughter of a fae prince and a human mother. Sworn to protect Mary Queen of Scots from both human and supernatural threats—including her own husband, Lord Darnley—Alyth maintains a magical barrier against bloodthirsty Red Caps and other fae dangers threatening the realm. When Samson and Alyth cross paths in the glittering yet treacherous Scottish court, mutual distrust sparks an enemies-to-lovers romance amid political scheming, magical threats, and questions of loyalty, duty, and destiny. 
The narrative weaves real historical tensions (the power struggle between the two queens, court favorites, and figures like Lord Darnley) with fae elements, portals, guardians, and folklore-inspired magic rooted in Scottish mythology. The intrigue and political scheming shine brightly. Court machinations, betrayals, and layered plots keep the pace engaging, with a solid mix of action, mystery, and emotional stakes. The fae magic adds whimsy and tension without overwhelming the historical foundation—many readers note it feels like a refreshing, liberally interpreted take on Mary vs. Elizabeth, enhanced by strong world-building and folklore details. 
The romance develops naturally from enemies to something more, fueled by distrust, shared dangers, and personal vulnerabilities. Character growth, particularly around duty vs. desire and the confrontation of insecurities, lands well. The pain, anger, and overconfidence of young adulthood feel authentically portrayed. If you enjoy historical fantasy with romantic tension, political scheming, and folklore-inspired magic—especially anything Scottish or Tudor-era—this is worth picking up. It may not reinvent the wheel, but it executes its premise with charm and enough heart to leave readers eager for the sequel, which will be the finale of the series since this is a duology.   

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#Review - Last Chance to Save the World by Beth Revis #SyFy #Romance

Series: Chaotic Orbits # 3
Format: Kindle, 133 pages
Release Date: April 8, 2025
Publisher: DAW
Source: Publisher
Genre: Romance / Science Fiction

After a few weeks trapped on board a spaceship with Ada (and, oh look, there’s only one bed), Rian has to admit that maybe Ada’s rebels have a point. The nanobots poised to be unleashed on Earth are infected with malware that will ultimately leave the residents of Earth in a worse position than they’re in now. But is it too late?

Ada and Rian arrive on Earth with little time to spare. Together, they have to break into a high-security facility and infect the nanobots with a counter-virus before they’re released in order to give Earth a fighting chance. And if Ada happens to notice some great tech laying around in this high-security facility she shouldn’t have access to and then happens to steal a bunch of it when Rian’s not looking? Well, he knew who she was before he teamed up with her. And if he wants it back, he’s going to have to catch her first. 

With countless twists and turns, this enemies-to-lovers slow-burn and high-tension romance plays on a Sherlock and Moriarity character dynamic rooted in science fiction with a heavy romance and mystery angle.

Beth Revis's Last Chance to Save the World is the third installment in the author's Chaotic Orbits novella trilogy. The plot centers on Ada LaMarr, a brilliant and morally complex heroine, and Rian White, her reluctant partner-in-crime with a begrudging respect for her intellect. In this installment, the stakes are higher than ever: Earth faces annihilation from a nanobot swarm capable of reducing the planet to dust if a trillionaire is allowed to launch. Ada and Rian arrive on Earth with little time to spare. 

Especially after being summoned by Ada's mysterious mother, Jane LaMarr. Both Ada and Jane know that Rian is going to betray them, but they have a plan. Together, they have to break into a high-security facility and infect the nanobots with a counter-virus before they’re released in order to give Earth a fighting chance. And if Ada happens to notice some great tech lying around in this high-security facility she shouldn’t have access to, and then happens to steal a bunch of it when Rian’s not looking? Well, he knew who she was before he teamed up with her. 

And if he wants it back, he’s going to have to catch her first. Ada remains the heart of the story, a character whose cunning and unapologetic pragmatism make her endlessly compelling. She’s a mastermind who thrives on outsmarting her enemies. Rian, meanwhile, serves as the perfect foil: a man torn between duty and his growing admiration (and perhaps more) for Ada. Their dynamic is the trilogy’s emotional core, evolving from adversaries to something akin to a Sherlock-Moriarty partnership with a slow-burn romantic undercurrent.

The reason for my review is simple. The ending. The ending seemed to leave on a cliffhanger, leaving us with wondering if we will see these characters in another series or if we will ever get the final conclusion when it comes to the romance between Ada and Rian.

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#Review - How to Steal a Galaxy by Beth Revis #SyFY #Humorous

Series: Chaotic Orbits (#2)
Format: Hardcover, 192 pages
Release Date: December 3, 2024
Publisher: DAW
Source: Publisher
Genre: Science Fiction / Humorous

Sparks fly when Ada and Rian just-so-happen to find themselves at the same charity gala—but there’s something rotten behind the sparkling gowns and dazzling wealth on display

This heist turned rom-com from New York Times bestselling author Beth Revis is perfect for fans of sexy, romantic science fiction and readers of Martha Wells and Becky Chambers

Ada had no intention whatsoever to continue working for the rebel group that hired her to retrieve the government’s plans for a nanobot climate cleaner if they weren’t willing to pay her for it, but then they offer a different perk: an undercover mission to a charity gala where Rian will be in attendance. Rian, meanwhile, has volunteered his services for the gala believing that the rare items up for auction will attract Ada’s eye. Hoping to catch her in the act and pin her with a punishable crime, Rian has no idea that Ada’s real mission is to convince him to join the rebels. And the rebels have no idea that Ada’s decided that kidnapping Rian is the most efficient means to an end.

How to Steal the Galaxy continues the sexy, rip-roaring good time that Beth Revis began in Full Speed to a Crash Landing, with the return of Ada, Rian, and all the tension, twists, and turns that made the first novella so much fun.

How to Steal a Galaxy is the second installment in author Beth Revis's Chaotic Orbits trilogy. Key Characters: Ada Lamar, and Rian White. This is dystopian series and is based in a universe where humans have destroyed Earth's environment. The story picks up not long after the ending of Full Speed to a Crash Landing. Ada had no intention whatsoever to continue working for the rebel group that hired her to retrieve the government’s plans for a nanobot climate cleaner if they weren’t willing to pay her for it, but then they offer a different an undercover mission to a charity gala where Rian will be in attendance. 

Rian, meanwhile, has volunteered his services for the gala believing that the rare items up for auction will attract Ada’s eye. Hoping to catch her in the act and pin her with a punishable crime, Rian has no idea that Ada’s real mission is to convince him to join the rebels. And the rebels have no idea that Ada’s decided that kidnapping Rian is the most efficient means to an end. Ada will do whatever it takes to save Sol-Earth which has been abandoned and left to die thanks to greed, and people leaving for greener pastures.

Rian and Ada again have a curiously twisted chemistry, but lies, subterfuge, distrust, and opposing political views are some hefty obstacles for the pair to face. This series is a Space Opera with humorous dialogue. Ada isn't the most reliable narrator. She's always hiding something before we figure out what she's up to. I would love to see Rian get some narrative time to see what he is thinking besides the last pages of the books. I would love to see these books be a bit longer, but that's apparently the idea behind releasing 3 novella type novels. 

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#Review - The Fate of Magic by Sara Raasch, Beth Revis #YA #Fantasy #Romance

Series: Witch and Hunter (#2)
Format: Hardcover, 320 pages
Release Date: October 1, 2024
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy / Romance

The exciting conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Witch & Hunter duology culminates with a sweeping romance and an epic battle to determine the fate of magic...and the world.

Fritzi is a champion. After escaping the clutches of Dieter Kirch, the sadistic leader of the witch hunters, Fritzi and Otto have taken refuge among the witches of the Black Forest. Fritzi is finally ready to assume her place on the council as the coven’s goddess-chosen champion. Plagued by distrust and self-doubt, Fritzi throws herself into her duty to serve the goddesses... until she uncovers a powerful secret that could mean the very undoing of magic itself.

Otto is a warrior. He swears himself to Fritzi as her bonded protector, certain the peaceful unity of a witch and hunter will heal the wounds he helped make. But as the horrifying plot that threatens the Black Forest’s magic comes to light, Otto will have to face his both his past and what it means to bind himself to a magic he does not fully understand.

Shadows loom. Truths are revealed. And as dangers new and old arise, Fritzi and Otto must stand together against everything that threatens magic—even if the biggest threat might be the very bond they share. 

The Fate of Magic is the second and final installment in authors Sara Raasch, and Beth Revis's Witch and Hunter duology. This is a series that features co-protagonists, Otto Ernst and Friederika Kirch. Fritzi is a champion for Holda. After escaping the clutches of Dieter Kirch, the sadistic leader of the witch hunters and her brother, Fritzi and Otto have taken refuge among the witches of the Black Forest. Fritzi is finally ready to assume her place on the council as the coven’s goddess-chosen champion. 

Plagued by distrust and self-doubt, Fritzi throws herself into her duty to serve the goddesses until she uncovers a powerful secret that could mean the very undoing of magic itself. Dieter isn't dead yet. In fact, he is even scarier and dangerous than before. So dangerous, that he sets out to ensure he has access to destroy magic. Fritzi's journey is a rollercoaster of self-discovery, doubt, and raw determination. Her struggle to reconcile her newfound power with her past traumas is heart-wrenching and achingly relatable. 

As she uncovers earth-shattering secrets about the nature of magic itself, we're right there with her, feeling the weight of responsibility crushing down and the spark of rebellion igniting in her soul. At the heart of it all stands the Origin Tree, a source of magic and mystery that looms large both literally and figuratively. Otto was a captain of the hexenjager, an institution whose purpose it is to capture witches for persecution and death by fire at the stake. He swears himself to Fritzi as her bonded protector, certain the peaceful unity of a witch and hunter will heal the wounds he helped make. 

His path from persecutor to ally is fraught with guilt, hope, and a burning desire to make amends. Fritzi and Otto have accepted their roles of chosen champion and warrior. Through their bond they seek to serve good and share magic. But when they realize Dieter is still alive and his plans are only beginning, they set forth on a quest to stop him before his ambition destroys magic and possibly the world. The greatest fight lies not only before them but within them. But as the horrifying plot that threatens the Black Forest’s magic comes to light, Otto will have to face his past and what it means to bind himself to a magic he does not fully understand. 

This series is filled with so many layers. This is a really surprisingly dark story: it is inspired by the historical witch trials in Germany, and it includes a fair amount of violence and torture, both physical and psychological. I have to give the authors credit when they created Dieter. He is just plain evil, and he doesn't care who he hurts, not even his own sister to manipulate others into falling into his control. There are some pretty interesting secondary characters, and the internal struggle of whether or not to trust the goddesses to do the right thing when all is said and done.  

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#Review - Full Speed to a Crash Landing by Beth Revis #SyFy

Series: Chaotic Orbits # 1
Format: Hardcover, 192 pages
Release Date: August 6, 2024
Publisher: DAW
Source: Publisher
Genre: Science Fiction

A high octane sexy space heist from New York Times bestselling author Beth Revis, the first in a novella trilogy

Ada Lamarr has a problem. 

Several, actually, but the most pressing problem at the moment is that the oxygen in her spacesuit is at less than ten percent, and her ship’s hull has been breached. Which severely undermines her desire to not die. 

First at the site of a wreck on a remote planet, Ada’s scavenging went awry after her own ship attracted problems. Luckily, a government-funded salvage crew arrives in time to save her. They have a specific mission, complicated by their new refugee. The crashed ship on the planet had been carrying highly valuable cargo, now lost somewhere in the debris field. 

After rescuing Ada, the crew is suspicious that her looting had brought her too close to the valuable wreck, especially Rian White, the ostensible leader of the mission with secrets of his own. As Ada starts to help the crew, a tentative trust is formed. But the closer Rian gets to Ada, the more he starts to wonder how much of her story is a lie…and how far she’s willing to go to get what she actually came to the wreckage site for. 

And Ada? Her real problem may just be that she’s falling for Rian. 

A phenomenally fun novella that kicks off a trilogy of sexy space heists and romantic tension, Full Speed to a Crash Landing is packed with great characters and full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the end.

Beth Revis' Full Speed to a Crash Landing is the first novella in a 3-part trilogy called Chaotic Orbits. There are two main characters in Ada Lamarr, and Rian White. Ada is a lone scavenger, mostly scouring space and planets for random ghost ships or wreckage to salvage anything that might be valuable for resale on her ship, Glory. Rian is a government agent who, although he's not captain of the ship, has control over the current salvage mission to a planet where a ship has crashed with important technology onboard.

Ada may have gotten to the spaceship UGS Roundabout wreck first, but looter’s rights won’t get her far when she’s got a hole in the side of her ship and her spacesuit is almost out of air thanks to an explosion. Fortunately for her, help arrives in the form of a government salvage crew named Halifax—and while they reluctantly rescue her from certain death, they, mostly Captain Ursula Io, is not pleased to have an unexpected passenger along on their classified mission.

But Ada doesn’t care, all that matters to her is enjoying their fine food and sweet oxygen since she claims she hasn't been on solid group in months. Until Rian starts to suspect that there’s more to Ada than meets the eye. He’s not wrong. Rian is desperate to find an important piece of intel from the very ruined spacecraft Ada has found. Ada is perfectly happy to keep him paying attention to her, at least until she can complete the job she was sent to pull off by her employer who we do not know at this moment. 

There are all those little hints along the way thanks to the story being told in the first person narrative of there being more going on as well as the mystery surrounding this super important item they're retrieving. And if you really want to know more about who both Ada and Rian are, you need to read not only the final chapter, but past the authors acknowledgments which she appears to have written this book because some really made her lose her mind. It is apparent that the author intends to write 3 short novellas and call them a trilogy. 

Note: Because these are novella's don't be shocked when you learn that there will likely be twisted cliffhanger endings. These ending pretty much ensure that if you liked the first novella, you will continue reading until the finale. If you like a snarky, sarcastic FMC, and a MMC who not has an axe to grind with said female, then you will enjoy this book. 

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#Review - Night of the Witch by Sara Raasch, Beth Revis #YA #Fantasy #Historical

Series: Witch and Hunter (#1)
Format: Hardcover, 416 pages
Release Date: October 3, 2023
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy / Historical

Magic and vengeance collide in this enemies-to-lovers historical fantasy from New York Times bestselling authors Sara Raasch and Beth Revis

Fritzi is a witch. The only survivor of a brutal attack on her coven, she’s determined to bring the hexenjägers—zealot witch hunters—to justice for the lives they ended.

Otto is a hexenjäger—but that’s just his cover. He and his sister, Hilde, have been planning their move against the witch hunters for years as a way to avenge their mother, who was wrongfully burned.

When Otto and Hilde take the first step in their bid to destroy the hexenjägers from within, Fritzi mistakes Hilde for an innocent victim, and her errant protection spell backfires, casting Hilde into the magical ether and painting Fritzi as an undeniable witch. Otto is forced to arrest her, his plan for revenge in tatters and his sister missing, while Fritzi is now a prisoner of the very organization she fears most.

Unwilling to trust each other, Fritzi and Otto can’t deny they have a common enemy. They team up to stop the hexenjägers and find Hilde. Their quest takes them from the oldest city in Germany to the heart of the Black Forest, through hidden aqueducts to magic wellsprings. As truths come to light and trust shifts, Fritzi and Otto uncover a far more horrifying plot at the center of the hexenjäger attacks . . . but their own growing feelings for each other may be the most powerful magic of all. 

Night of the Witch, by co-authors Sara Raasch and Beth Revis, is the first installment in what appears to be a duology called Witch and Hunter. Even though this is a fantasy, it's set in a world that reflects our own and it takes place in the Holy Roman Empire which means that a lot of history is strewn across the book. The story is fictionally based on real events that happened in Germany (1591) and later spread across Europe before finding a way to the Salem Witch Trials in what will become America. The story is told in a dual points-of-view.  

The only survivor of a brutal attack on her coven in Birresborn where she watched her mother and entire cover slaughter, she’s determined to bring the hexenjägers—zealot witch hunters—to justice for the lives they ended. She also has to make up for a fatal error which I will not spoil. Read the book! Otto is a hexenjäger—but that’s just his cover. He and his sister, Hilde, have been planning their move against the witch hunters for 10 years as a way to avenge their mother, who was wrongfully burned by their father as a witch.

When Otto and Hilde take the first step in their bid to destroy the hexenjägers from within, Fritzi mistakes Hilde for an innocent victim, and her errant protection spell backfires, casting Hilde into the magical ether (The Black Forest) and painting Fritzi as an undeniable witch. Otto is forced to arrest her, his plan for revenge in tatters and his sister missing, while Fritzi is now a prisoner of the very organization she fears most. But after a time, Otto realizes that Fritzi may be his key to rescuing hundreds of people arrested for being witches.

Unwilling to trust each other, Fritzi and Otto can’t deny they have a common enemy. An enemy that is as familiar to Fritzi, as her own face. They team up to stop the hexenjägers and find Hilde. Their quest takes them from the oldest city in Germany to the heart of the Black Forest, through hidden aqueducts to magic wellsprings. As truths come to light and trust shifts, Fritzi and Otto uncover a far more horrifying plot at the center of the hexenjäger attacks . . . but their own growing feelings for each other may be the most powerful magic of all.

*Thoughts*

While the story is entertaining, the final chapters of this book are the most revealing and leads to a stunning, but a wholly not unexpected ending since this is a duology. For years, Fritzi ignored the voice in her head telling her to let go and accept her destiny as a witch who uses wild magic. It isn't until she finds out that her own brother, Dieter Kirch, who has been killing innocent people to gain power for years, that she understands the severity of her own actions that led to her coven's ending. It is also at this point that she and Otto team up to become Warrior and Champion. It was absolutely a good idea to alternate narratives to fill in the blanks as each character is struggling to learn how to deal, and maybe, love the other. I understand that the next book comes out in 2024, but I will be patient in finding out how Fritzi, and Otto deal with what's coming for them. 

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#Review - Bid My Soul Farewell by Beth Revis #YA #Fantasy

Series: Give the Dark My Love #2
Format: Hardcover, 336 pages
Release Date: September 24, 2019
Publisher: Razorbill
Source: Library
Genre: Young Adult / Dark Fantasy

The stunning finale of the epic fantasy duology from New York Times bestselling author Beth Revis. Alchemy student turned necromancer Nedra Brysstain has made a life-changing decision to embrace the darkness—but can the boy who loves her bring her back to the light before she pays the ultimate price?

Lunar Island is trying to heal. The necromantic plague that ravaged the land has been eradicated, and Emperor Auguste, the young and charming leader of the Allyrian Empire, has a plan: rid the island of necromancy once and for all. Though Greggori “Grey” Astor wants what’s best for his people, he knows that allying himself with Auguste threatens the one person he loves most: necromancer Nedra Brysstain. Feeling like he already failed to save Nedra once, Grey becomes determined to help the Emperor rebuild Lunar Island while still keeping Nedra safe from harm.

Back at the quarantine hospital, Nedra’s army of revenants are growing increasingly inhuman by the day. Wracked with guilt for imprisoning their souls, Nedra vows to discover a way to free the dead while still keeping her sister by her side.

But still reeling from the trauma of the plague, the people of Lunar Island are looking for someone to blame, and Grey can only protect Nedra for so long. And when Nedra and Grey are thrust into a battle with an even more terrifying adversary, Nedra will be pushed to the darkest depths of her necromantic powers. But can Grey let her go that far?

Bid My Soul Farewell, by author Beth Revis, is the final installment in the authors Give the Dark My Love duology. The story picks up right where book one left off. The story actually alternates between Nedra Brysstain, and Grey Astor. In the previous installment, Nedra saved the emperor from captivity and found the necromancer who started the plague and doled out justice. But in the process, Nedra solidified herself as a necromancer, a practice punishable by hanging. People are absolutely terrified of her believing the past has come back to haunt them.

Nedra's undead army, which includes her sister, is dying. Nedra's hope for finding a way to save her sister fades with each passing day. Nedra thought after she defeated the evil necromancer, she would discover a way of saving her sister. Her sister was the first soul she raised from the dead, but it may be too late to save her from dying all over again. Nedra's acceptance of being a necromancer has come with a high cost of her own arm. She also struggles with the loss of her entire family thanks to the plague. 

Meanwhile, despite the darkness and lawlessness that has encapsulated Nedra, Grey can’t shake his love for her and his need to protect her. Grey finds himself a pawn of the Emperor when all he really wants to do is help the north regain stability and spend his time with Nedra. The Emperor promises Grey that he will not punish Nedra as long as he plays his part in getting people to believe he's here to help the Island get back on their feet.

Grey's part in this story adds another depth to the story that one would not have had with just Nedra as the main storyteller. Grey constantly defends Nedra, even when he wasn't sure of her motives. He never failed to believe she was a good person and that she will find a way back from the darkness. The most twisted part of this story involves the Emperor and I can't discuss this without spoiling the story for you. Let's just say that you should enjoy the ride, along with the action, and the twists, as well as the ending which is probably as best as you are going to get out of this series.

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#Review - Give the Dark My Love by Beth Revis #YALit #Fantasy

Series: Give the Dark My Love # 1
Format: Hardcover, 368 pages
Release Date: September 25, 2018
Publisher: Razorbill
Source: Library
Genre: Young Adult / Dark Fantasy

A young alchemist turns to dark magic when a deadly plague sweeps through her homeland in this epic fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Beth Revis.

Seventeen-year-old Nedra Brysstain leaves her home in the rural, northern territories of Lunar Island to attend the prestigious Yugen Academy with only one goal in mind: master the trade of medicinal alchemy. A scholarship student matriculating with the children of Lunar Island’s wealthiest and most powerful families, Nedra doesn’t quite fit in with the other kids at Yugen.

Until she meets Greggori “Grey” Astor. Grey is immediately taken by the brilliant and stubborn Nedra, who he notices is especially invested in her studies. And that’s for a good reason: a deadly plague has been sweeping through the north, and it’s making its way toward the cities. With her family’s life—and the lives of all of Lunar Island’s citizens—on the line, Nedra is determined to find a cure for the plague.

Grey and Nedra grow close, but as the sickness spreads and the body count rises, Nedra becomes desperate to find a cure. Soon, she finds herself diving into alchemy’s most dangerous corners—and when she turns to the most forbidden practice of all, necromancy, even Grey might not be able to pull her from the darkness.

 

Give the Dark My Love is the first part of a two part duology called Give the Dark My Love. Nedra Brysstain lives in the Northern territories of Lunar Island, a colony of the Allyrian Empire. She receives a scholarship to attend Yugen Academy, a prestigious school that trains students in the science of medicinal alchemy. Most of the other students look down on the scholarship student, except for Greggori "Grey" Astor who has no destire to get entangled in politics. 

While Nedra's alchemy skills grow, and her time volunteering at the Quarantine Hospital ramps up, her main concern is the dreaded Wasting Death that seems to be slowly spreading throughout her island. The story behind the plague and those it affects the most, clearly brings a whole new level of political shenanigans as well as selective outrage blaming the unwashing masses for the spread of the disease. As Nedra grows darker and darker, can she survive what is coming? Will she lose everything, including the only person who seems to be on her side?

It is absolutely fair to say that Nedra was a benevolent character at the beginning, but in the end, she was more like an anti-hero. Touching on romance, grief, and inequality, Give the Dark My Love is a gorgeous, suspenseful look at a young woman’s desperate attempt to help those in need. As always, the author has brought the emotion, and Nedra is as vulnerable and compassionate as she is fierce and powerful. This book isn't at all perfect which is why I dropped my rating to 3 1/2. There is literally no world building. The pacing of the story is rapid fire quick, and it is a very, very dark story with an ending that will leave you shocked to your core. The descriptions are very detailed, there are a lot of dead bodies, reawakened dead bodies and, well, necromancy.

PROLOGUE

The warship carried twenty good men and two cannons.

“Bit of an overkill, isn’t it?” Captain Pasker said. The sun was to his back, casting a long, imposing shadow over the deck.

Captain Pasker was from the mainland; his ship had accompanied the Emperor on the short voyage across the Azure Sea to the small province of Lunar Island. Pasker had been in three wars already, “skirmishes,” he called them, bloody little inconveniences that were necessary to remind the people of the might of the Emperor.

The sailor beside him was a local boy, a new conscript. He’d been raised with the old legends.

He wasn’t sure that one warship was enough.

The sleek, red-lacquered vessel cut through the bay toward a small island that bore only one building. A hospital, its brick façade illuminated by the rising sun, the clockface built into the tower so bright the captain could not look at it directly.

“Get the horn,” Captain Pasker told the boy. The sailor went running. By the time he returned with the large vocal horn, the warship was just a few meters away from the stone steps that disappeared into the blue-green waters of the bay. He tried to count them—fifty or so, leading up to a stone plaza and the massive doors of the hospital.

The captain raised the horn to his lips. “By order of Emperor Auguste, you must surrender your person for trial.” His voice boomed up the steps, and he was certain that those who lurked inside the large brick building had heard.

The doors, however, did not open.

“This is your last chance,” Captain Pasker shouted through the horn. “You are hereby ordered by the Emperor’s Guard to present yourself for arrest on the grounds of treason.”

“And trespassing,” the first mate added.

Captain Pasker set the vocal horn down. “Treason’s quite enough. Can’t hang the girl twice.”

They waited.

“All right, boys, get ready.”

The sailors used oars to bring the warship closer to the steps, then lashed it portside to the posts.

“I’ll take five,” the captain said, one foot on the gangway. The first mate selected five additional sailors to accompany him, and they followed his long strides onto the small island, swords at their hips and muzzle-loaded smoothbore muskets in their hands.

“Blasted sun gets in the way,” Captain Pasker grumbled as he looked back at the ship. “Try the horn once more,” he called.

The first mate repeated the captain’s message, the words amplified and echoing over the calm waters of the bay. The captain and his five were already halfway up the stairs when the heavy door of the hospital creaked open.

A girl stepped into the light.

She was average in height and build, her hair black and neatly braided, shining in the sun as if it were still damp after being washed. Her deep olive skin was typical of people from Lunar Island. She wore alchemist robes that seemed a touch too big for her; likely she’d stolen the clothing from the hospital closets. The only remarkable thing about her was that she was missing her left arm from a point just above where her elbow should have been, but even that detail wasn’t too strange. Many on Lunar Island had lost a limb or two from the plague.

Still, she was young enough to be Captain Pasker’s daughter. Seventeen, eighteen maybe. He could feel the doubt welling in his men, the hesitation. The captain gazed up the long stone stairs toward her.

“We’re here to arrest you,” Captain Pasker called. “Best come quiet now.”

The girl smiled.

“Girl,” Captain Pasker said in a warning tone, as if even her gender was cause for offense.

The doors behind her opened wider.

The people who poured out behind the girl seemed unarmed. Most wore hospital dressing gowns; a few wore peasants’ clothing. All of them showed some deformity of the plague—withered and blackened hands or feet, an inky stain rising up their necks, under their skin.

And they were quiet.

They did not speak or even look to the girl as they descended the stairs as if by pre-agreed formation. They showed no fear.

They showed no emotion at all.

Captain Pasker’s stomach churned.

The rifles in his men’s hands shook.

“Steady,” Captain Pasker warned, but it did no good. One of the sailors popped off a shot, the bullet aimed true despite the man’s nerves. A woman in the front, about twenty steps away, staggered, her shoulder snapping back, the force of the blow causing her to stumble and fall on the steps. Her head smashed against the stone, an audible crack of her skull followed by the crunching sound of broken teeth.

The others around her kept moving, completely ignoring her body broken on the steps.

And then she stood back up.

The woman showed no pain. She opened her mouth and let the splintered teeth clatter to the ground. She ignored the skin that dangled over her broken skull. No blood poured from her wounds.

She just kept walking.

She was ten steps away now. Five.

“Fire!” Captain Pasker screamed. “Fire! Fire!”

The guns blossomed in flame and smoke around him as his men fired shot after shot. Many in the crowd staggered, but none cried out.

None fell.

The dead could not die.

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