One Dark Window is a YA historical fantasy with elements of magic realism, gothic horror and romance, so it was the perfect read for me! It even has highwaymen!

Centuries ago, when the townsfolk of Blunder wanted help, they would seek blessings and gifts from the Spirit of the Wood. One day, the Spirit granted the King powerful magic of his own. He wanted to share this with his people so he created the twelve Providence Cards.

Twelve blessings, twelve, curses...

Now the townsfolk had magic of their own, they forgot about worshipping the Spirit, who began using mist to lure people back to the wood in revenge. Children caught in this mist grew sick. Few survived, but those that did were 'infected' with magic that caused them to degenerate. So the King went back to the wood to barter with the Spirit, who told him the way to cure the children was to reunite the Cards - then she tricked him into handing over the last Card before he could do so. Five hundred years later, some are happy to keep things the way they are, others seek to reunite the Cards and break the curse.

After touching a Providence Card as a child, Elspeth was possessed by a supernatural being she nicknamed The Nightmare. She can hear his voice in his head and he can take over her body if she is in mortal peril or calls for his help. But every time this happens the more control he takes from her and the weaker she becomes. If Elspeth reunites the cards will she be cured? Yet the more she's exposed to danger, the more powerful The Nightmare becomes...

One Dark Window is a fabulously dark fairy story, stunningly imaginative, with lots of twists, shifting allegiances and nail-biting life-or-death moments. It's a story-within-a-story containing rhyming extracts from The Book of Alders, which was a lovely touch. I fell completely in love with the characters, especially Elspeth, Ravyn and the cynical wise-cracking Elm, and was entirely sucked into their world. I loved every minute and didn't want the story to end. The only problem is that it ended on a massive cliff-hanger! Argh!!! I really, really can't wait for the next book!

One of my favourite reads this year, One Dark Window would suit fans of dark fairy tales and authors such as Naomi Novik (Uprooted), Holly Black (The Folk of the Air series) and Brigid Kemmerer (The Cursebreaker series).


Thank you to Rachel Gillig and Orbit (Little, Brown Group) for my copy of this book, which I requested from NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

Thank you to Orbit UK and Netgalley for the arc of One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

I started this book in a total reading slump, I’d been struggling to focus and concentrate on anything and this book was the perfect antidote. Thus is the perfect Halloween autumn read, delivering gothic fantasy and atmosphere that totally pulled me in.

The characters themselves are well built, from the main protagonist Elspeth Spindle to side characters including her aunt, uncle and step-family all contributing to the atmosphere and plot line. The world building totally feeds into this with the forests and kingdom’s history and of course the mist.

I found the magic system to be interesting and don’t recall cards being used previously but, a deck reference would have been really helpful. I found myself flitting between chapters to recall the different powers the cards held, plus the design opportunities would be amazing!

The plot itself is really enjoyable, even if like others I found certain parts a little slow or predictable, but overall the pace carried me through and I enjoyed it…apart from that ending…now I have to wait! And we all know patience is not a characteristic I possess!

If you’re looking for an enticing, spooky, gothic YA that will pull you in then this us definitely one to pick up.

This gothic fantasy was pretty much everything I like for an Autumn read!

I liked the main characters & the supporting characters only added to the story, rather than detracted. The mist-locked kingdom & surrounding forest (& another location I won’t mention 🤐) was very atmospheric, it set the tone of the book wonderfully.

I enjoyed the plot, a couple of sections were maybe a bit slow or overly convenient, but overall well paced & interesting.

The magic system is definitely unique & I really love the idea behind it! I do wish the book had a glossary or something similar to refer to though, as I did find myself forgetting what the different cards meant & did.

That ending though! I cannot wait for the next book to release, I think there’s loads left that can be explored in the sequel & can’t wait to find out what happens!

Thank you to Orbit UK & Netgalley for the opportunity to review this ARC.

One Dark Window
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 4.5 out of 5 stars

In the Kingdon of Blunder, isolated from the outside world by dangerous mist, Elspeth Spindle has too many secrets to keep. She is a daughter of a nobleman and an Infected— one of the few people that survived a mysterious fever that spread throughout the land. The victims are prosecuted as they are believed to spread the disease and because of their rare magical gifts. In Blunder, magic can only be wielded through Providence Cards, granted only to those in power. Elspeth believed that the illness left her without the gift until she understood how wrong she was. Fascinated by Providence Cards and their magic, she touched one of the most powerful— The Nightmare card and absorbed its power. From that day, the monster depicted on the card dwells inside her, helping her and gradually gaining control over her...

I loved this gothic YA novel. Especially the mysterious atmosphere and exciting world-building. Blunder is a place full of secrets, intrigues and magic. One Dark Window has a fascinating and original magic system, one of the best I read about. The idea of Providence Cards and the mystery surrounding them kept me interested in the plot. Also, the characters in this book are multifaceted and likeable. The story of Elspeth and her relationship with the Nightmare made this novel an addictive read. The perfectly presented slow-burn romance only added to the pleasure of reading.

To sum up, I genially enjoyed this gothic fantasy novel. It is a perfect Autumn read, and I recommend it to all fantasy fans.

A Bookish Daydream
https://abookishdaydream.wordpress.com/2022/09/26/arc-review-one-dark-window/

This was an intriguing fantasy world concept - magic contained in tarot-type cards, and a mist which infects people with magic causing them to be executed by the royal family.

I loved Elspeth and her motley crew, and I was engaged in their adventure. However, I found the rhymes at the start of each chapter confusing and somewhat extraneous, and combined with the way the nightmare spoke I became frustrated with all the little rhymes and riddles.

I also didn’t realise this was the first book in the series, which is my mistake, but the ending felt somewhat abrupt and I was left surprised by when and how it ended.

Overall, I really enjoyed the concept and the characters, and will read the next book in the series.

This was not what I was expecting at all and I absolutely loved it! It was giving me A Curse so Dark and Lonely vibes which is also a favourite of mine.
Elspeth is cursed, in a place where magic is forbidden and anyone found with magic in their blood is put to death. Therefore she has had to learn to take care of herself and to go unnoticed. That's until she meets two mysterious strangers in the woods and everything changes. This has a great bunch of characters, some I absolutely adored and others I loved to hate. Elspeth is a likeable lead and the love interest is now one of my many book boyfriends. It's full of adventure, intrigue and romance, what more could you want? I am so excited for book 2.

If I didn't know this was an adult fantasy, I would've thought it was YA. It's always hard to find that line between the two age groups, and I can't put my finger on why, exactly, this feels more like YA to me, except that the pacing, the tropes, and the relative simplicity of the world and magic feel more reminiscent of YA fantasy.

I really like the premise: Elspeth has a Nightmare trapped in her head, sharing her thoughts, and sometimes, when she's in trouble, she can call on him. Magic in this world is only allowed if it's performed by using a Providence card, but children sometimes become infected, granting them magical powers. Using those will cause some kind of degeneration, ultimately leading to madness and/or death, which is why the king has ordered all these children killed immediately upon discovery of their magic.

The Nightmare clearly has a lot of knowledge about the magic and the world, constantly teasing Elspeth with rhymes that she didn't understand, but which were clearly meant to signal specific dangers and act as a warning. Some of the rhymes are better than others, and most of them are pretty simple.

Unfortunately, this is another book where the mystery was incredibly predictable. There's also little depth to the characters or the relationships. The romance promises more than it delivers; there is a sex scene, but it's written in such a tame way, using so many vague ways to describe what was happening, that I wondered why it was included at all instead of just fading to black.

There are a lot of references to the poem The Highwayman--the main character's nickname is Bess, the love interest is a highwayman, the title of a book is lifted directly from the poem, and I even see some similarities in the plot. I like the poem, and I definitely don't mind reading a story based on it, but I do think more could've been done to make this stand out from the original.

I was so engrossed in this book that it came as a shock when the story came to an abrupt end. I MUST know what happens and I was relieved to find that there is a sequel coming out, phew!

One Dark Window enters us into a world where magic is alive but tethered to a deck of ‘providence cards’. The user of a card can control your actions, enter your mind, pull a glamour over themselves, the list goes on. Anyone using magic outside of this context is hunted down and killed on the king’s command (and unfortunately, anyone who develops a magical ability is outed by a particularly nasty fever in childhood).

We follow Elspeth, who did catch the fever and has a voice in her head which she calls 'The Nightmare', yet it has protected her and helped her escape the royal hunters for more than 10 years. Things get tricky when she is thrown into a wild game of cat and mouse between two Houses, one being the royal family.

It took some time to catch on with the world building but after a few chapters, I was completely immersed in this story. The atmosphere is tense and the pace sets a perfect balance for drawing you into this world of forbidden magic, and grabbing you with the threat of danger and tragedy lurking behind every chapter. The romance which brews between two initial enemies adds in a hint of spice.

I’d highly recommend this for when you get an opportunity for marathon reading. It is one to settle in for and absorb. If you like dark fantasy or gothic historical fiction with a fairytale vibe, this is one to check out!

Thank you Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for this advanced reader copy.

A dark and magical tale, dripping with wonderful Gothic atmosphere and some quite steamy romance. A great choice for fans of dark fairy tales and the perfect book to read as the longer autumnal evenings drawn in. I look forward to reading the next book from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for the advance reader copy.

This absolutely lived up to expectations. I was facinated by the setting and the magic system. Did the romance make me cringe a little? Maybe once or twice but overall I'm willing to overlook it. Whilst it took a couple of chapters to really start understanding, once I did it was such an easy read. And as for the ending? I'd gotten so invested that it was a shock when the acknowledgments came up.

This book had so much atmosphere, it was very compelling and the pace matched the tone of the book perfectly. Having Nightmare as a character was so interesting, I really enjoyed the dynamic between them and Elspeth. The magic system was a bit compliacted as things were explained early on and then I forgot when I actually needed the information. Really interesting read and I really enjoyed it. Would recommend if you like Rebecca Ross' writing style.

Thoroughly enjoyed this magical gothic novel with a ‘will they-won’t they’ romance. The premise is very clever. A deck of Providence cards that give the holders a certain magic but with a price. There are also the Physicians who hunt down children infected with magic, It starts with a fever & then their blood turns black, and eventually madness & physical deterioration takes place for most. But not Elspeth Spindle who can ‘see’ who possesses a Providence card.

Slowly but surely she is drawn deeper into a conspiracy to save a nobles son from being sacrificed, and falling in love with the enigmatic & dangerous Destrier, Revyn. The story canters along at a lively & enjoyable pace, with fantastic world building & plotting. Highly recommended.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
An 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. In a world where falling ill with the fever, is a death sentence, Elspeth must keep her secret hidden at all costs, but when a chance encounter on a lonely road at night, Elspeth is thrust into a game of high stakes, where she could lose everything.

This book had so many troupes, but I thought it worked extremely well, and I loved the concept of the providence cards. While the storyline is supposed to be portrayed as Gothic, I think it is better described as a dark fairy tale, with its eery atmosphere and rhymes from the book of Alders.
One of the concepts to intrigue me was the relationship between Elspeth and the nightmare, they are together for 11 years before the start of the book, which would have made her twenty, and while she only used his power a handful of times in the 11 years, she still had a constant stream of consciousness with him, and I think this could have been explored more.

I’m giving this book a rating of four stars!

This book was just so me.

Rachel Gillig’s writing style was lush, atmospheric, and just absolutely beautiful. Although this book is slower-paced, I absolutely loved the pacing. It made everything feel a little hazy, like we were stuck in the mist right alongside the characters.

I really loved Elspeth. She was such a strong character and I enjoyed watching her become more and more vulnerable as the book went on. The Nightmare was incredible and their dynamic made for a really fun POV. I did like Ravyn a lot, but Elm was the star for me. I love Elspeth and his dynamic and I found him a really likable, complex, character. In general, I think Rachel Gillig absolutely killed it with the side characters and I really hope to see more of them, especially Jespyr, in the next book.

Romance is important for me and I think there was just the right amount in this book. I liked Ravyn and Elspeth’s chemistry and the author did a really great job of building up the tension between them.

I really enjoyed the plot. I generally enjoy fantasy books that involve tracking down magical artifacts and the whole concept of the cards was really interesting. It was well explained, but with enough mystery that nothing felt info-dumpy at all. The world as a whole was really well handled and I felt like I had a good grasp of how everything worked really early on.

If you enjoy the lush atmosphere of For the Wolf and the shadowy dynamic of Addie and Luc from Addie LaRue, then I really can’t recommend this enough. One Dark Window is beautifully crafted and, if I hadn’t been following the author for some time, I would have had no idea it was a debut. This was a wonderful read and I can’t wait for book two.

Content warnings, as provided by the author: Scenes of terror, general violence/gore, blood, mention of self-harm for magic, moderate sexual content, mention of parental neglect, alcohol consumption. I would also add spiking/drugging and whipping.

mini review: Brilliant writing, grey characters, gothic atmosphere with an intricate magic system, Rachel Gillig's book is one you shouldn't miss this fall!!

One dark window is the first book in a new duology and I cannot wait to read the sequel especially with that cliffhanger ending!

***full review is scheduled to go up on our blog one day before publication date (link added below)

I'd like to thank the publisher Orbit and Netgalley for providing me with an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Elspeth lives in the enchanted world of Blunder and needs protection in the form of a monster she calls the Nightmare, who keeps her and her secrets safe. But when dark magic threatens, Elspeth must trust a mysterious highwayman to help them battle the dark forces.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free ARC of this book.
Actual rating: 4,5 stars

This is the perfect spooky season read for everyone who wants spooky vibes but is still a scaredy-cat.
The vibes were so on point, it was atmospheric, dark and eerie. The writing was beautiful, I absolutely adored it.
One of the highlights of this book was the poetry in between chapters, but also spoken by the Nightmare. It was so well-written, I had to re-read some of the interlude poems again and again because they sounded so beautiful.

I also loved how this book combines common tropes with new concepts. The Nightmare living in the protagonist's head was such an interesting addition and created a unique character dynamic.
The magic system being based on Providence cards was really cool as well, I liked that magic was essentially something to be collected, something that was rare and still demanded a price when wielded.
I personally haven't heard of highwaymen before, though I know it's inspired by a poem. I thought they were a nice twist on a "band of thieves" essentially, and fit in perfectly with the overall atmosphere of the book.

The plot was great, slowly building up with worldbuilding that was easy to follow. I liked how we were fed more and more crumbs about the world and magic, it was done really well in my opinion. The plot really took off in the second half, I couldn't stop reading! The ending left me shook, I need the next book NOW!!

I really liked Elspeth, I think her characterization was done really well and perfectly fit the circumstances that she grew up in. Ravyn was amazing, and I loved their romance.

Overall, I loved this book! Will definitely be recommending it to my audience, especially for spooky season.

Instagram review to follow.

"One Dark Window" is a gothic fantasy and the first book in the "The Shepard King" duology. I went into this with no real expectations, but the description sounded just like My Type Of Book and I'm always intrigued by new gothic fantasy. Turns out my decision to request this arc was a good one, because this was a generally enjoyable read.

It tells the story of Elspeth Spindle, a young woman growing up in a world where a sickness gives people magic, and this magic is seen as something bad and dangerous. People, mostly children, falling sick are thus killed, those who try to protect them just as well. The only good and safe way of using magic is through a set of so called Providence cards, given to humanity by the long dead Sheperd King, the one giving this duology its name. It's an intriguing magic system for sure.
Elspeth, sadly, is one of the children falling ill, though her family manages to hide her. She's now all grown up and doesn't seem to have developed any of that evil magic - although, well, there is the monster now living in her head.

The story, though described as gothic, is not actually very gothic. It's more of a dark fairytale with some interesting ideas, and I quite enjoyed most of them. Elspeth is an intriguing character and I liked the Nightmare she shares her mind with, and the story of these two is the thing that kept me interested. I do have to admit that our main lady can get a little annoying (what with her insistence on never letting the Nightmare take over her mind yet giving him control whenever she is in any danger at all, without even trying to solve problems on her own) but I liked her just fine anyway.
There are a plethora of side characters, some well written, some rather boring, and sadly the love interest falls into the latter category. He's the typical dark broody ya love interest, and he's overshadowed by a much more intriguing secondary male character (which tends to be a theme for me... maybe I just don't like ya male love interests anymore). The romance, thus, is very typical of the genre and kind of instalovey, which I very rarely like anyway and didn't like this time around. I actually thought this was adult fantasy when I requested the arc, but it gives off strong ya vibes on every page, so there's that,

The pacing is a little off, to be honest, because the supposed focus of the story (the Providence cards and finding/using them to basically save their country) is never really the actual focus of the story. The plot is meandering, spending too much time on the lackluster romance and too little on the actual meat of the story. At some point I got a little bored because I wanted more and was kept waiting. The ending is amazing though, and Gillig is fantastic at creating atmosphere, so I will most likely read the second book to see where all of this is going.

All in all - an enjoyable dark fairytale with ya vibes (so don't go in expecting adult gothic fantasy) with an intriguing protagonist, a boring love interest, much more interesting side characters, an eerie etmosphere and a plot with lots of potential to turn into something great.

A deliciously dark tale of monsters, vengeance, romance, and secrets. The magic is based on a tarot-inspired card system and I loved the clash between this structured magic and the wild magic that infects certain characters.

Elspeth was a fascinating main character, especially as the Monster in her head begins to take over. The romance was nicely handled and the ending has me desperate for the next book. The perfect gothic read for Halloween.

"One Dark Window" was an absolute treat to read. Everything (writing, plot, characters, setting) has a touch of magic that pulls you into the story and keeps you there right to the end... although this is the first part of a duology, so not quite the end yet! Any fantasy fan would be a fool not to grab this one and join me in eagerly awaiting the follow-up.

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.