The new "Touch her and die" book boyfriend who would protect his girl no matter what. He was dangerously beautiful and interesting from the very beginning. Like his namesake, Ravyn had a dark aura, and he was sharp and intelligent. But he was also kind and selfless for his loved ones. Captain by the day and highwayman by the night? Ravyn had me swooning everytime with his words and actions. It was so sweet to see way he cared for Elspeth and earned her trust. This is not a pure romantasy but the romance in this was Chef's kiss the slow burn, the tension between Ravyn and Elspeth, them pretending to court each other, riding on the same horse and all the swoon-worthy moments. I also want to see more of Elm and Ione because there is definitely something going on in Elm's mind. And the way he was stealing glances at her and stoodup against his brother for her!?!? I need them to be together in book 2. This book is mesmerising; the writing is so magical and magnificent that I just love everything about it. I love the dark, magical, gothic vibe that makes me shiver. And this book is so hot to be a YA and I love it so much. The ending is making me crazy because what's with that cliffhanger? But it's okay. It's okay. With 4 months to go until book 2, it's okay….

One Dark Window isAn ancient, mercurial spirit is trapped inside Elspeth Spindle’s head – she calls him the Nightmare. He protects her. He keeps her secrets. But nothing comes for free, especially magic. For fans of Uprooted and For the Wolf comes a gothic fantasy romance about a maiden who must unleash the monster within to save her kingdom. I’m not very fond of the found family trope, this plot device should be used with caution because you can fall into having too many characters interacting with each other, at the risk of not being able to deepen their personalities and interactions, making them vanish and not distinguishable. Wow! Why did I wait so long to read this! Such a good book with an amazing story! Magic, action, twists with a sprinkle of romance. There's so much to like about this book, especially the magic system! It was so unique and well thought out!

I was completely immersed in the story and the gothic and dark vibes of their world. Humans, a nightmare in Elspeth's mind (500 year old monster), magical cards and artifacts, magic in the forest and the mist, a curse and an infection which gives magic but that magic comes at a cost. The world building in this was beautifully done and it wasn't detailed but it still gave me a beautiful insight as to how their world, the magic and providence cards work. At a young age, Elspeth spindle became infected with magic and the result? Being haunted by the nightmare—a monster whose voice suddenly appeared in her mind. She’s unaware who she can trust for good reason, leaving the nightmare to be the only one. First, the whole atmosphere of this book was the best! It gave me Sleepy Hollow vibes. Dark, historical, and misty. I loved how the characters all had tree names. I, personally, thought it added to the whole vibe. And instead of saying ‘Oh my God’ it was ‘Trees’. I loved it so much. The story featured a great cast of morally grey characters - including a tight-knit found family, and quite a few characters that you love to hate (looking at you, Hauth 😒)This definitely gives off fall vibes and feels perfect for spooky season even more so that the second book comes out in October! To rid Blunder of the fever and the dark magic, Elspeth and her new companions must move against their King and dive into a dark past to find the missing puzzle pieces of the story of the Spirit of the Wood and the Shepherd King and the Old Book of Alders.

If the eyes are the windows to the soul, then what ancient monster resides inside Elspeth - did her binding with a monster save her soul or capture it forever? What hidden mystery lurks inside her that is aching to come out? What is her connection with the Providence Cards and does she hold the key to unraveling the hidden mist that has plagued their village? Trigger warnings include: scenes of terror, general violence/gore, child in peril, blood, mention of self-harm for magic, moderate sexual content, mention of parental neglect, alcohol consumption. The Scythe Card higher than most,” I said. “I’ve heard, if used too long, the pain is excruciating.” All the side characters were delightful, but Ravyn's cousin, Prince Elm, definitely won my heart a lot more than the others. 💜 The familiar ease in which he interacted with Elspeth was so refreshingly entertaining - he never hesitated to challenge her - she never wavered in speaking her mind against him - it's such a comfortable kinship that is forging between them, and the way the cliffhanger left us dangling the way it did - I am very much looking forward to how much more of a part he's going to play in the future. 💮The Captain of the Destriers is known to be dark and severe, but Ravyn Yew is anything but that. He has a gentle, considerate soul, who has been charmed by Elspeth since they met. Their chemistry was built up so perfectly and so naturally.❤️‍🔥They were wonderfully in-tune with each other and once they realized that their attraction to each other was more than just biting banter and strong-willed appearances - that tease of a kiss before they finally collided was palpable with such heated want - so vividly honest - that whisper of a plea that 'is this pretend' - that nuzzle of a cheek, before Ravyn whispers against her lips 'does this feel pretend?' 🫠 🫠 Worlds with forbidden magic aren’t anything new, and if you’re an author building such a world, it needs to be done with care and originality; otherwise, you risk getting flagged as tropey. However, I found One Dark Window gripping and innovative, where how using magic always comes with consequences, making the stakes much more fascinating and dangerous. I think, personally, it’s best to go into this book with not much knowledge, so I won’t describe the system of magic or much else. Go into it in the dark, read and enjoy. When Elspeth meets a mysterious highwayman on the forest road, her life takes a drastic turn. Thrust into a world of shadow and deception, she joins a dangerous quest to cure Blunder from the dark magic infecting it. Except the highwayman just so happens to be the King’s own nephew, Captain of the most dangerous men in Blunder…and guilty of high treason.