the blurb was CALLING to me and i'm glad that it didn't disappoint! sapphics, dragons, and tudors?? absolutely my cup of tea. it was a bit slow in the beginning for me to get through but it was worth it to keep reading. can't wait to read the next installments

I tried really really hard, but I just couldn’t get into the story. I may try again at some stage, but for now I’ve stopped reading and shelved the book

As someone who went through a huge Tudor queens hyperfixation in high school (Anne Boleyn was THE figure I could never get enough of), I was beyond excited when I heard about Six Wild Crowns. A fantasy retelling of Henry VIII’s six wives, with dragons on top of that? It felt like this book was written for me.

Unfortunately, while the concept is brilliant, the execution fell a little short. The setting of Elben is imaginative, but the worldbuilding didn’t feel strong enough to carry the weight of such a high-stakes idea. The fact that it isn’t really set in Tudor England but rather in a vaguely Tudor-inspired fantasy world left me a bit disoriented. The cultural norms didn’t quite fit together, and instead of immersing me, it sometimes pulled me out of the story.

Dragons were another disappointment. For a story marketed with dragons as a key selling point, they had surprisingly little presence. They weren’t threatening or powerful, just sort of… pets???

The much-advertised sapphic romance between Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour also lacked emotional weight. Seymour especially was frustrating to follow, constantly downplaying herself while still being positioned as a capable assassin and spy didn’t ring true.

Part of me wanted this book to lean harder into the darkness of Tudor politics, but the story kept slipping away from that potential.

What stood out most was how little Henry actually mattered on the page. Rather than being the ruthless figure driving the tension, he lingered at the margins, a threat spoken of more than felt.

Still, I appreciated Anne’s sharpness and ambition, which echoed the historical figure I’ve always been drawn to.

In the end, Six Wild Crowns is full of potential but doesn’t fully deliver on it. I liked the concept and enjoyed parts of the story, but the mismatch between premise and execution left me underwhelmed.

It’s worth a read if you’re curious, but not quite the Anne Boleyn fantasy retelling I had been waiting for.

DNF @ 65%

A Tudor retelling with dragons? Sign me up! Six Wild Crowns was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, but unfortunately this book just wasn’t for me. I was intrigued to see what the author would do with this epic premise, and I was excited that Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour were going to be the main characters and narrators. However, once I started reading, I realised that the plot just didn’t live up to what was promised in the synopsis.

Although this is advertised as a Tudor retelling, the story doesn’t take place in England, but instead a fantastical kingdom called Elben. The world building is pretty thin, and a lot of the cultural norms within Elben were antithetical to the world that the Tudors lived in. It felt like Race wanted to be progressive but didn’t know how to marry that with the historical setting, so the end result was stunted and discombobulated. In this story, all of the six wives are alive and in a polyamorous marriage with Henry the 8th and can have relationships (and even marriages) outside of their role in the King’s life. There are also characters who are nonbinary or have more fluid gender identities. These things don’t fit into the oppressive patriarchal society that Elben apparently has, and there’s no proper explanation of how all these things can be true at the same time.

The dragons were a massive part of why I was excited about this book, and I was disappointed that they hardly seem to feature at all, at least in any significant way. We’re told that they played a big part in past battles – which is really cool! – but this is never revisited, and every time we see dragons on the page, they have no more significance than a pet cat or dog would. I also would have liked for the book to go more in depth about how the King and Queens came to own dragons as pets in the first place.

The “sapphic yearning” also interested me, but both Boleyn and Seymour are such shallow characters that any moment of romance or tenderness between them is hollow and doesn’t invoke any emotion in the reader. Almost every time we read about Seymour, we’re being told that she’s timid and (by her own admission) “stupid”, but we’re somehow supposed to believe she is a capable spy and assassin. She does open up a little later in the book and starts coming into her own, but at that point I just didn’t care about her as a character. I thought Henry – this powerful and overbearing figure – would have a made a good villain, but beyond his and Boleyn’s wedding at the beginning, we hardly see him or hear from him.

Echoing what other reviewers have said, I think this would have been better as a completely fresh story with original characters, with no connection to the Tudor period. I had such high hopes for this book, but the actual plot was so far removed from what was promised in the synopsis that I had to check that I hadn’t downloaded the wrong book by accident. 2.5 stars.

Six Wild Queens by Holly Race is a fantasy retelling of the Tudor Dynasty, namely the life of King Henry VIII and his six wives. As a fan of this era of history, I was intrigued by Race’s reimagining. The book starts with Henry’s wedding to Anne Boleyn, and introduces the kingdom of Elben, where the King is required to take six wives. One wife for each Castle, sharing his magic with them to fuel the ancient magic protecting the kingdom.

Although the Queens match history in name, there are quite a few differences between their fictional counterparts and real life. Historically, Anne Boleyn was Henry’s second wife; however, she is his fifth in Six Wild Queens. Likewise, Jane Seymour is his final wife rather than his third. Temperament-wise, some of the characters echo their historical inspiration, some do not, and Race’s world is much more racially diverse, with some of the Queens identifying as queer.

I wanted to like this, and the world-building was solid. I particularly liked having Cernunnos as the main deity rather than the normal default Christian mythology. What I didn’t enjoy was the present-tense narration, which seemed to grate on my nerves constantly. I’m not a huge fan of present tense in general; however, with most books, I can overlook it. There is something about Race’s writing style that just didn’t work for me. I also found many of the characters rather lacklustre, and if I read Seymour calling herself ‘stupid’ one more time, I swear. There’s misogyny, and then there’s being overly repetitive.

Six Wild Queens has an intriguing ending; however, it felt like it took forever to get there. I also went into this book expecting “sapphic yearning” and got one main character yearning and the other not so much. As my usual readers are aware, nothing puts me off a book faster than a synopsis that doesn’t match the book itself. If you’re expecting sapphic romance of any kind, then this is not the book for you, and I’ll save you that disappointment right now.

For those of you who know the history of Henry’s wives (divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived), you’ll know that neither Boleyn nor Seymour has a happy ending, and without giving too much away, this does follow a similar pattern. That’s the problem with historical novels: when you know the history, and I spent the whole book unable to connect with Boleyn because I knew what was coming.

I’m not sure if I will pick up the sequel to Six Wild Queens. It depends on which route Race chooses to take. If it’s a chronological sequel, then I think I’ll pass; however, if it skips to the future and focuses on the lives of Mary and Elizabeth Tudor, then that will be interesting. Historically, Mary was the first Queen of England, and according to the world-building, a King must sit on the throne and share his power with his Queens. I’m curious to see how that scenario will work in Race’s reimagining.

DNF @40%

I really wanted to love this book, but I wish it came with content warnings. There were a lot of graphic descriptions which, yes, are supposed to make you feel uncomfortable, but they felt too much and too often... almost gratuitous? I didn't find myself enjoying the reading experience and I kept putting it down and not wanting to pick it back up. Aspects of it were confusing and not well explained at the beginning - admittedly they might have gotten explained more further into the book, but I wasn't feeling the need to press through to find out. I might try it again in the future, but I'm keeping it as a DNF for now.

Holly Race’s Six Wild Crowns takes the bones of a classic royal succession story and dresses them in something far stranger and more alluring. Set in a fractured kingdom where six sisters compete for a single throne, the novel blends political intrigue with mythic undercurrents, resulting in a tale that feels both familiar and unsettling.

At the heart of the story is a contest that is as much about survival as it is about power. Each sister has her own claim, her own strengths, and her own vulnerabilities. Race draws them with enough individuality that none fade into the background, and yet they remain bound to each other through a complex web of grudges, loyalties, and shared history. The narrative moves between moments of sharp conflict and quiet reflection, giving readers time to sit with the weight of ambition and the cost of trust.

The world-building is one of the book’s great strengths. The kingdom feels ancient yet mutable, with traditions that seem as dangerous as they are sacred. The trials the sisters face are not merely tests of skill but explorations of character. There is a sense that the land itself is watching, that nature and myth are active participants in deciding who will rule. This gives the novel a constant hum of tension, even in its calmer scenes.

Race’s prose is vivid without becoming overwrought. She writes battles with a tactile immediacy and moments of sisterly interaction with equal care. There are flashes of unexpected tenderness between the rivals, moments that complicate the reader’s loyalties and prevent the story from becoming a simple good-versus-evil struggle.

The pacing can sometimes feel uneven, with certain subplots stretching longer than necessary, but the momentum always recovers. By the final chapters, the stakes feel fully earned, and the outcome, while decisive, leaves enough unanswered questions to linger in the reader’s mind.

Six Wild Crowns is not just a story about who wins the throne. It is about the shaping of identity under pressure, about the way ambition corrodes and yet sometimes clarifies what truly matters. For readers who enjoy court intrigue layered with myth, rivalry, and flashes of fragile sisterhood, Holly Race has created a world worth getting lost in.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Orbit for the digital ARC, it hasn't affected my honest review.

Six Wild Crowns was recommended for fans of Priory of the Orange Tree (one of my favourites) and as a fan of Tudor history, I thought this would be perfect for me. I struggled to connect to the characters and found the politics to be a bit more surface level than I would like, while my initial interest was made by the inclusion of a sapphic relationship. Unfortunately this was a DNF at 36%.

I have to start this review by saying I was incredibly confused from the start of the book, which kind of set up my entire reading experience of this book. All the names i could not remember of people and places made it really difficult to get into the story.

I do know this book was inspired by "The Tudors," so it might be the fact that I have not seen it, and that's why I was so confused.

I don't feel like the synopsis is really what we got in this book, the magic was bearly explored and i would have liked to see more of the dragons.

Overall, this was not the book for me, and I have read some heavy fantasy books with lots of names and had no problems before.

Thank you netgally for the e arc copy.

Thank you to Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group for providing me with an eArc!

Just to address the elephant in the room, I will say - I do think this book unfortunately suffers from the synopsis not quite being accurate to the book itself. However, this may be my favourite book of the year - I had a great time! It was so different to anything else being released at the moment and I have been recommending it to all of my reader friends!

If you're like me and have a weird love for anything surrounding the six wives and, especially, if you are in your feminine rage era - pick this as your next read! There's political intrigue, strong women whose strengths are varied, complex world building, and characters we love to hate.

Please don't go into this expecting historical fiction that is accurate to history - it is FANTASY fiction. Don't be that person.

Six Wild Crowns was a daring reimagination of the Tudor royals high focused on King Henry the VIII and his royal wives. Despite taking a while to get into the book, I felt that it could've done without the extra parts which was not part of the original story. Overall, I would give this 3.5 stars for historical research, despite it being very loosely based and bringing into the book a new spin on the Tudor royals.

High concept, low ambition
—
Neither fish nor fowl, this is a curio: inspired by the Tudors, using their names for the king and his six queens, but not set in England or even a reasonable facsimile thereof, and with history largely thrown out of the window. The author needed either to change the characters’ names to enforce the fantasy of it all whilst still acknowledging the inspiration of Tudor history, or to transpose the narrative onto England proper to highlight the differences between the history and the fantasy.

As it stands, the novel—first of a trilogy—sends very mixed messages, the history barely relevant yet front and centre, the fantasy muddled and inferred which, for a fantasy book, is not ideal. Focusing on Boleyn and Seymour—the conceit being that the eldest daughter is given the family name as a forename—in alternating chapters the narrative voice remains the same, further confusing this reader as to who is doing or saying what. The final verdict: high concept, low ambition.

Thank you for the opportunity to read Six Wild Crowns. Unfortunately it was a really hard book for me to get into and therefore I ended up not finishing the book.

However this book may not be for me for it clearly is for other people. I wish you all the success in this publication.

Thank you to NetGalley & Little, Brown Book Group for giving me an arc of Six Wild Crowns

Unfortunately, this is one of the lowest ratings I have given. I have also waited a few days before writing this review as the ending left me so enraged that I was still ranting about it to my partner the next day.

I loved the idea of a fantasy retelling of Henry and his wives and the author could've taken so many liberties on how to rewrite the story. I kept hoping for more as I read my way through this book and that is the only reason I didn't DNF it.

This was disappointing in so many ways. There are so many questions and theories left unfinished. The ending didn't conclude the plot. The first half was focused on Boleyn's pregnancy but once her child was born, it was barely mentioned again. There was so much potential for Henry to be a great villain but he was pathetic and we barely heard any of of his reasons or side of his story. Magic is big theme but hardly anyone uses magic and it was never mentioned what all the magic could do. None of the characters were likeable or relatable.

Ugh, I'll stop there..

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free ARC in exchange for a review.

This has to be one of the most unique concepts I've ever read in a book. Based off of the six wives of Henry VIII, Race has created a completely unique fantasy world with real historical elements. It's a fascinating concept that works extremely well most of the time.

There are many, many historical elements, familiar to any Tudor buff like me out there, as well as the obviously brand-new spin the setting gives. Overall, I really enjoyed the ride, as well as picking out the bits that were familiar and the new interpretations. Some elements are also switched around, like the Boleyn's birth order, and other timeline things I won't spoil, but as this is a fantasy work it doesn't feel out of place or odd.

Race also includes a trigger warning, and a note on historical context, which are both very important for anyone enjoying the book.

My qualms are small, one being that all the queens (and all elder daughters) are referred to only by their father's last name, so we get Boleyn Boleyn instead of Anne Boleyn, Seymour Seymour instead of Jane Seymour, etc. I don't totally understand why that was necessary, as I think we get the patriarichal nature of the setting, and we obviously would know who these women are. It just felt slightly jarring, and I couldn't help continuing to think of them as Jane and Anne.

Speaking of Jane and Anne, <spoiler> I just don't believe that Seymour was in love with Boleyn. Maybe later on, but certainly not at the point which it is declared. That early declaration felt wrong, but as the story developed, their relationship became more interesting. However, we never really get any sort of resolution or even understanding of Seymour's supposed love. I needed a bit more from her to believe it. </spoiler>

The ending also doesn't really feel an ending. I don't know if it's meant to lead into another book, but it feels quite weak after how snappy and tight the rest of the book is.

However, it is such an engrossing, unique read, I think I have to give it four stars! If you love the Tudor queens, definitely pick this one up for a totally new take.

Six Wild Crowns is a bold, imaginative reimagining of the story of Henry VIII’s six wives—only this time, set in a richly woven epic fantasy world brimming with magic, politics, and powerful women. In the first installment of the Queens of Elben series, Holly Race masterfully transforms history into high-stakes fantasy, delivering a gripping tale of power, ambition, and rebellion.

The story unfolds in Elben, a kingdom where six queens are not just consorts but the key to maintaining the magical stability of the realm. Among them, Boleyn emerges as a sharp, ambitious protagonist whose arc from fierce independence to deeper self-awareness is both compelling and deeply satisfying. Her complex relationship with Seymour—who begins as a quiet, reluctant lady-in-waiting and gradually steps into her own power—adds layers of tension, growth, and unexpected emotional depth.

Race excels in her worldbuilding, creating a vividly imagined landscape full of court intrigue, shifting loyalties, and dangerous secrets. Each territory within Elben feels distinct and immersive, drawing the reader deeper into the story with every turn of the page. Though a couple of the other queens don’t receive as much spotlight as Boleyn and Seymour, the foundation laid here suggests more character exploration to come in future installments.

At its heart, Six Wild Crowns is a story about agency, resistance, and the reclaiming of identity in a world designed to control powerful women. It’s a feminist fantasy that doesn’t just retell history—it reframes it, showing what can happen when women stop competing for a man’s approval and begin to reclaim their own destinies.

A must-read for fans of character-driven political fantasy, Six Wild Crowns is ambitious, absorbing, and utterly original. Holly Race has set the stage for a truly unforgettable series—and I can’t wait to follow the rest of these queens as they rise.

This is such an interesting take on Henry the Eighth and the six wives - I was fascinated! The worldbuilding is lush and vivid, I felt instantly transported to Elben and each territory we visited within. I think the author rewrote the tale of the Tudor Queens in an engaging, intriguing way that had you compelled by all six Queens. Boleyn was a brilliant main character, feisty, sharp and ambitious and I loved watching her character develop into a more self-aware, more caring being - mirrored excellently with Seymour, who starts off as quiet and unassuming, and grows to be confident and bold. This is a story about agency and feminism, about women taking back their power in a world that stamps down upon them. This is just fantastic. The only reason I took off half a star is because I wish a couple of the Queens had been featured more prominently, but hopefully we'll grow to know them more in the next book!

One of those books you want to finish in a day but you also don't want the story to end. Have found a favourite of the year; a round of applause, please. Stunning writing, fascinating world, beautifully messy characters. Reading this, you can feel both the cold iron of shackles and the warm embrace of a heart's fire. The feminist rage takes you through the pain and pleasures of being a woman—the power you can feel like an endless sky above and the gravity of love, friendship, and betrayal that grounds you to the earth below.

I was so ready to dive into this book when I heard about it; I was recommending it before I had my hands on this book, and it did not disappoint me at all! Six Wild Crowns is full of resistance, romance, magic, rebellion, and sisterhood... with a sprinkle of female rage.

It did take me a minute to wrap my head around the fact that Six Wild Crowns is not your typical Tudor retelling (not that I expected it to be) but that it was a Tudor fantasy retelling, and it is that unexpected perfect blend of history and fantasy that made me fall in love with this story. I WANT more; I need more. Where is book 2? Because that ending?! Holly, I have questions!?

As someone that loves and is truly fascinated with the Tudor era, this book spoke to me instantly. After wrapping my head around the history vs. fantasy side of this story, I devoured this book. This is a reimagining of the Tudor queens (who are all alive in the same place and time) and Henry VIII that combines the history of these queens and the contemporary elements with the magic, the dragons and just the world in general. It is so compelling and powerful.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this e-arc

An absolutely fantastic debut, perfect for anyone who had a childhood obsession with the Tudors (me) and also loves supporting women’s wrongs (also me). The careful weave of history and magic was so well done, and I really commend the difference in voice between Seymour and Boleyn. Truly such a riveting story that felt so expertly conveyed. Can’t wait for the next instalment!