One Dark Window (The Shepherd King, 1)

Review summary: No notes. The mystery, the magic, the intrigue, the setting, the intertwined relationships of all the characters, everything was perfection. There was not a single thing in this book I did not love. I will not stop recommending this, but especially to any dark fantasy or Gothic book lovers. This one is for you. Full review: There was so much about this book that I adore. Starting with the magic system, it's so unique being tarot card-esque, mixed with the twelve days of Christmas. That premise may sound absurd, but trust me, it actually makes perfect sense. Each card grants its wielder a certain power - at a cost - and there are only so many of each card, and they're counted down like you would count down the things in the twelve days of Christmas. And don't get me started on the small poems that were on both the magic cards and a card-like image at the beginning of each chapter. I love them so much; no matter where I was, I read them out loud (even if I had to whisper) because I thought they were so pretty and a really fun touch. The atmosphere was FANTASTIC. I can't even describe how well it was written; perfectly eerie, the electricity of magic flowed through every page, sending jolts of the wildness within the mist through your fingers as you held this world in your hands. The prose sucked you in, as the mist would call to wayward people of the world. I stayed up too late, too many nights reading this. The pacing was perfection, especially with the romance. It was incredibly slow-burning and not the main focus, which I was glad for because it felt like a natural progression. I loved learning about the world and how the infection worked. The political aspect felt low stakes, which was nice as not to deter away from the emotions of the characters, and Elspeth's internal battle and external espionage. Elspeth was a joy— well, her attitude is actually a little negative, but given her circumstances, it's understandable. While she's dealing with the hardships of being a survivor of what should have been a death sentence, she fights not only for herself and her sanity, but for her loved ones. All the characters felt well-rounded and had a strong presence, no matter how small their role was in the scene. I'm not one to have book boyfriends, but I would love to have Elspeth, Ravyn, and their cohorts as friends. I knew going into The Shepherd King duology there would only be 2 books, duh, and there would obviously be a strong cliffhanger, cause, duology, but I felt like everything got flipped on its head while somehow staying with the same vibe. The only thing that stopped me from buying the next book was finding a good sale... and it was in the middle of the night, and I didn't want to get out of bed. BUT, the deluxe editions are also both so pretty with their sprayed edges! I'm really glad I am too cheap to splurge, because I would probably be getting any kind of shepherd king merch that I could find, too.

Dark, whimsical, and beautiful slow burning romance. Easily my favorite book series. Couldn’t put this down and craved the second book. Builds the characters, plot, and suspense very well. I recommend this book to everyone! Cannot say enough good things about One Dark Window and Two Twisted Crowns.

One of the Best Factory book in the 2020.

Loved this book. It kept me wanting more!

amazing characters!!!! Great story!!!! Each page was rich with details!!! Bought the second book before I finished this one. How could I not!!! I have to find out what will happen to Elspeth and Raven. Story had everything I look for in a book! Romance, a little bit of spice, mystery, deception!!

Beautiful story line, beautiful characters and a villain so amazing you have no choice but to love him. If you are hesitant to jump into this series, let this be a final call from the Spirit of the Woods-purchase it, read it, cry, then read it again. And whatever you do, be clever, be weary and be good.