The Winged Game

By Sophie Kim

Fantasy meets sports romance in this sizzling slow-burn novel in which the disgraced star of a brutal magical sport must team up with the rival who destroyed her career, from the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of The God and the Gumiho.

This trophy-worthy first edition hardcover features designed sprayed edges, illustrated endpapers with a high-flying romantic moment, and a deluxe jacket with sculpture emboss and foil--show off your team colors, while supplies last

"Fourth Wing-meets-rugby is something I didn't know I needed in my life, but now I'm obsessed. The Winged Game is going to be the next big thing for sure "--Ruby Dixon, New York Times bestselling author

Carriwitchet, the violent, rugby-esque game played atop winged beasts, was once Taissa Cho's whole life, and she was once the United Kingdom's most promising player. Until her nemesis, rival player Kion Locke, destroyed her career in a single moment. Expelled from the sport in disgrace, Taissa has spent the last two years dreaming of nothing but revenge and relishing watching Kion's team plummet to the bottom of the league.

So when Taissa is offered the chance to redeem herself and her career, she can't refuse--even if the offer is coming from the very man who ruined everything in the first place. It's close to a dream come true . . . except for that pesky clause in her contract that demands she and Kion enter a fake relationship in order to garner some much-needed positive PR for the team. This could not be a worse match. Taissa and Kion only have two things in common: their love of the game, and their undying hatred for each other.

Yet as a mysterious illness befalls the winged creatures of the entire league--putting both the beasts' lives and the very sport itself at stake--the athletes find themselves partnering up in other ways, determined to crack the case of the eerie sickness. As their investigation takes them on a whirlwind adventure, Kion and Taissa are prepared for anything . . .

Anything, that is, but their fake-for-the-cameras relationship to maybe, just maybe, become something real after all.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 059398336X
• ISBN13: 9780593983362
• Release Date: June 2026
• Publisher: Del Rey Books
• Length: 544 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Totally Awesome!

I absolutely loved this story! I am not big on sports romances, unless it is Carriwitchet! I did have doubts at first but since I am a big fan of Sophie Kim's God and the Gumiho series, I decided to give this new magic world a chance. And it didn't disappoint! An interesting world, mostly focusing on the dangerous but fascinating sport of Carriwitchet where the players battle with weapons to steal jewels from their opponents towers, all the while riding winged mounts ranging from dragons to wyverns and even Stymphalian birds. Quite a bit of danger involved and I would say much more interesting than Quidditch! This book (and I am so hoping that there will be other books set in this world!!!!) is Taissa and Kion's tale of competition, a fall from grace due to cheating, then a last minute chance to save Kion's team and get back into the game and find redemption (plus a bit of love!). You definitely get heated rivalry between those two, lots of laugh out moments as they plan their staged romance and pranks but also sweet moments where Taissa shines in accepting the outcasts of the mounts (love Chronus so much, cranky old bird!). This book has all the feels, a satisfying enemies to lovers trope plus great games, a race to find out why the Stymphs have fallen so far and saving Carriwitchet itself when it is threatened. This book is probably going to be one of the top books I read this year. I loved it and was hooked the whole time in this magical world full of interesting characters (need another book about Knox and Orion at the very least!) and their rise from the bottom of a great game and save the day and find acceptance and love and the bad guys pay the price for their despicable deeds! I am so grateful to NetGalley and Del Ray for giving me the chance to read and fall in love with this book! Sophie Kim has written another winner!