As I'm sure we've all learned by now the start of a fantasy series is always a gamble. However, I think after a couple of chapters this one did an amazing job of keeping me invested in the story. I think it does a phenomenal job of adding the world building throughout the entire story. I really enjoyed the magic system that was created in this one and the cards the use for magic. I really liked that in this world magic comes with a price and you can use the cards but overuse has repercussions. I really liked the idea of some of those who work closely with the king being part of a treasonous plot to be honest. I love how well written the characters are and how they all have individual motivations for the choices they make throughout the story.

Elspeth is a really great character to me. I think the dynamic between her and the Nightmare is incredibly interesting. The book has a lot of found family elements and Elspeth finds a lot more acceptance among the group she begins to work with than she did her own family. I honestly think Elspeth is very stoic in the way she handles the reality that slowly she is losing to the Nightmare. I really enjoyed the last like thirty percent or so of the book because so much action starts taking place. It was an intense build up to the critical parts of the story and we got some twists and turns throughout that part that were surprising. I think the ending really nailed the you are going to want to keep reading this series motivation. I am honestly very curious to see how the rest of this story plays out. ( )

That was surprisingly different and still so familiar. I loved it.
I teared through the pages within 3 days. Thank Odin, the second volume is already on my shelf. ( )

6 STARS I cannot believe how fantastic this book was. I am clawing at the walls of my enclosure for book two. I loved the gothic atmosphere and the magic system and the gore and the characters and everything. I am utterly obsessed with this book.

Adding this from my review of the sequel, Two Twisted Crowns (don't worry, no spoilers ahead for either book!):

I cannot even begin to understand why some people do not like these books, the first book is flawless in my opinion and the second book, while ever so slightly not as good as the first book, is still fantastic. I do hear a lot of people on TikTok comparing these books to series like ACOTAR and Fourth Wing (I have read both of those series- ACOTAR through ACOSF and Fourth Wing through Iron Flame). I have no idea why the hell people are comparing the Shepard King books to ones like ACOTAR and Fourth Wing because they could not be more different. The only similarity is that they’re all fantasy books involving magic. But even still, the magic in all of these series are soooo different from each other. So perhaps that's why people aren't liking these books, they're going into One Dark Window expecting intense fae politics and fae smut every other page or horny teenagers that ride dragons, when these books just aren't about that. I’ve heard a lot of people say they expected more smut and romance in the Shepard King series because of the comparisons to Fourth Wing and ACOTAR. The Shepard King duology, while it has romance, is not just about romance and doesn’t rely just on romance. It’s much deeper. So to people that picked up these books because they were looking for something to fill the void from missing ACOTAR, Fourth Wing, or other beloved romantasy series, pLEASE try these books again with a clean slate and palette. You won’t be getting ACOTAR 2.0 from these, it’s much, much different and honestly better. And to the people who said these books were “too wordy”, kindly be quiet and go read a dictionary because apparently you never studied your SAT words well enough. To me, the language of these books was like a breath of fresh air especially having grown up reading books like Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre and especially after the overly blunt and simplistic language of most popular novels and series out there (which I admit and appreciate, do still have a time and a place!). ( )

Loved the book. Had me in suspense while listening to the audiobook. On yo book 2. ( )

So so good! TREES!!! Love the story! So in love with Elspeth and Ravyn! Such a page turner! Amazing gothic fantasy! Was so so invested in the story. Book two is already out and I can’t wait to read it! ( )