Stunning and original, I adored this accomplished fantasy retelling of the six wives of Henry VIII. As a reader who enjoys this historical period, I was intrigued to explore Holly's version and quickly became invested. The world building was superb - richly descriptive, inventive yet somehow familiar and totally accessible. As someone who often finds fantasy hard work at the best of times, this was just so palatable, fluent and enjoyable. Loved the attention to detail and the complex characters (a special mention here for Haltrasc the panther!) while the cleverly woven plot strands led me to a perfectly executed and emotional ending I just didn't see coming. A fabulous five stars.

With thanks to NetGalley, Orbit and Holly Race for the early copy

Pacing was a little slow at times, and maybe this genre isn’t always for me, but I really enjoyed it when things got going! I loved the dynamics and the characters. The dragons and magic weren’t explored as much I’d hoped and the premise didn’t match up with what we got, but it was enjoyable enough.

Please see the link for the review.

I’ve reviewed Six Wild Crowns for book recommendation and sales site LoveReading.co.uk

I have chosen Six Wild Crowns as a Liz Pick of the Month and LoveReading Star Book.

Six Wild Crowns by Holly Race is a thrilling, action-packed read that had me hooked from the very beginning. The world-building is fantastic—rich, vibrant, and full of intrigue. I loved how the author created such a detailed universe where magic, politics, and adventure collide in the most exciting way.

The characters are complex and their relationships are wonderfully developed. There’s a mix of strength, vulnerability, and determination that made them so easy to root for, especially as they face challenges that push them to their limits. The plot is fast-paced, full of twists and turns, and I found myself constantly wanting to know what would happen next.

I gave it 4 stars because, while it was incredibly enjoyable, there were moments where the pacing slowed down a little too much, and I wished for a bit more depth in certain parts of the story. However, the overall journey was still incredibly satisfying.

If you love epic fantasy with a strong cast of characters, political intrigue, and plenty of action, Six Wild Crowns is definitely a book you’ll want to dive into. It’s an exciting, immersive adventure that will keep you turning pages.

Initially I wasn’t sure I was going to like this book if I’m honest. Being a fan of previous historical fiction around the Tudors. I absolutely adored this book, I found the renaming of England and all the names of the other countries a bit confusing initially but once I was about 30 pages in I couldn’t put it down!! I love the way the history has been twisted into a fantasy with strong female queens.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC! I thought that I'd enjoy this book more than I did. I love Tudor History but I found it difficult to separate fact from fiction and wasn't sure whether the added fantastical elements worked for me. I felt that the characters were well developed and I loved how badass Boleyn and Seymour were. I did enjoy the writing style and thought that it was written well but I didn't find myself wanting to repeatedly pick it up - Overall, a mixed reading experience.

This was everything that I wanted it to be and more. Henry VIII's wives but make it fantasy and make all the women badasses.

I am a huge fan of Tudor history and this book did it justice while also making it something new and fresh. I loved that all of the queen's are alive at the same time, adding to the court politics and relationship dynamics.

The fantasy side of things is more subtle but works beautifully. It plays on the idea of the king being chosen by a higher power but also includes different types of dragons, which I'll never be mad at.

I really enjoyed the dual POV, with Boleyn and Seymour's characters being so different to start. Both going through a lot of development, which is heartbreaking but empowering at the same time. I was rooting for both of them throughout and loved how their relationship developed.

If you love good world building, politics, history and fantasy, this is absolutely the book for you. I have no idea where this story is going to go now but I'm all in.

SIX WILD CROWNS is a stunning fantasy novel that reimagines the Tudor Queens in a tale of sisterhood, love, and betrayal.

I love Holly's MIDNIGHT'S TWINS trilogy and have been so excited to read her entry into the adult space since it was announced, and this book does not disappoint. It is a smart, bold reworking of the wives of Henry VIII, making them the focus and not him. And it has all of Holly's trademark ruthless and shocking twists. Prepare your heart to be ravaged.

There are elements taken from history, of course, but this is not a retelling of history. It takes inspiration from them, with particular references to real events, and weaves a narrative of women who have been trained to keep a way eye on one another questioning the status quo and wondering if together they are stronger.

The fact it isn't a retelling means the story works so well regardless of whether you know the history or not. If you do, there are so many YES moments when you realise how a certain event or rumour is being brought into the story, but likewise you don't know how it ends so there is no predictability to the tale (and oh my goodness it is a rapid paced, surprising tale!) And if you don't know this period of British history, you do not get left out of the world.

It also plays so well with the archetypes we have of these queens, making them into far more nuanced characters. I loved how rumours of character were so effectively weaponised and how the characters themselves had to shake off the perceptions they had of one another before they could get to work. It was such a clever way to say "think again about these women."

This book focuses on (Anne) Boleyn and (Jane) Seymour (though in this world, firstborn daughters do not have first names - which certainly helps when three of the six queens were some spelling of Katherine!) Boleyn is a queen who has long fascinated people for the combination of sex and scandal that she has become known for. By contrast, Seymour has long been thought of as rather dull. I liked that these two women with such contrasting reputations were the ones focused on, developed into clever women who use their brains in different ways.

After that ending, I am absolutely desperate for the next book. I need to know what happens next!

Fantastic! The strongest character writing I've encountered in a while.

In the author's note, the book is introduced as "a historical fantasy about a polyamorous king living in a world where horses and stags live alongside dragons", and that's an accurate description, but also add: female rage, sapphic yearning, oracles, castles under the sea, castles above waterfalls, water spirits, goddesses and magical herbs. I loved everything about this.

When I started, I was afraid that my lack of knowledge about the Tudors would lessen my reading experience, but that was not the case. I watched a couple of short documentaries to get some familiarity with the historical events that inspired the story and, while they enhanced my appreciation for certain parallels and easter eggs, they were not necessary at all to enjoy the book.

The strongest part of the book were the two main characters, Boleyn and Seymour—yes, these are their names, as in this world the eldest daughter is always given the family name as a first name. They were extremely compelling from the beginning, Boleyn with her self-assurance and ambition and Seymour with her quiet honesty, but it was amazing to see them learn and grow and slowly stretch to their full potential. The plot was engrossing, the world fascinating with its variety of magical artefacts and prophecies and creatures (and it is queernormative!), but the character writing was truly superb and what kept me reading for hours and hours every day. They were both real women to me, with believable reactions to events and feelings, from the pettiness to the heroism.

History and legacy were one of the main themes of the story, with particular attention dedicated to rumours. How much of what the characters know about one another and the queens of the past is true, and what is just gossip turned reality? Just like with the real wives of Henry VIII, it is easy to assign motivations and imagine jealousy or ambition and forget that women are women, no matter their status, and their inner lives are more complex than what it is "safe to assume".
The nature of the story and history also led to some interesting reflections on the coexistence between abuse and love. How, sometimes, even acknowledging the former is not enough to end the latter. This is explored without denying the female characters of their agency, which is difficult to do well. The book succeeded in that, for me at least.

I have a guess we will focus on two different queens for each sequel, and I already know which ones I want to see next. Off I go to hunt the author's social media for clues about a date and title!

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

‘Six Wild Crowns’ is a fantasy wives of Henry VIII retelling. In this world, the King is gifted power by God, but he must take 6 wives to live in the six castles of Elben to keep the bordweal - magical barrier around the island - intact to prevent invasions. We begin our tale when newly married Queen Boleyn meets Seymour, her new lady-in-waiting, who is also a spy for another Queen. However, the two become unlikely allies and together they discover a secret that will shake the foundations their country was built upon…

Set on an island in a fantastical realm of magic and dragons, this twist on the tale we were taught at school was great fun. The island of Elben is a wonderful setting, with each castle a queen lives in unique and representative of their occupants. We have two very different main characters. Boleyn is larger-than-life, outspoken, and full of ideas, schemes, and plans. She loves the King and wants desperately to remain his favourite. Seymour, on the other hand, is quiet, believing herself slow and dim-witted, with an abusive brother looming over her, pushing her to raise herself higher for the ‘good’ of their family. Their friendship is a complicated one, and by the end, I was invested in it - there was however a big snag that I will get onto later.

The novel tackles women, their roles in society, and the expectation placed on us by - who else? - men. Even the naming custom in this land is indicative of how women are viewed. First born daughters are given their family name as a first name, so that when they are married, they essentially have their father and their husband’s name. Nothing of their own. The concept of the bordweal, of the King requiring his six wives to maintain power, is a major part of the plot, and as more is revealed, we see how this serves to further explore the role of women.

I enjoyed the writing style - I’m a sucker for dual POVs - and it was great to see the same issue from two very different perspectives. One woman loves the King, one does not. One has big plans for her life, the other just wishes to be safe and left alone. And when secrets begin to be unearthed, it was interesting to see how the two women reacted and dealt with the hand they were played.

A big shout-out to queernormative worlds, too. Despite the overarching themes are a woman’s place and power, we still managed to have a queernormative setting. For example, one of our secondary characters is non-binary and another has a husband and a wife.

Overall, I had a lot of fun with this book. An interesting take on the wives of Henry VIII, in a beautiful, richly described world. I enjoyed our headstrong Boleyn, and her journey - despite what I’m about to complain about in the next paragraph, I did enjoy the conflict being in love with the King brought to the story. It made her compelling and somewhat unpredictable, and I was very invested in her character growth. Seymour, too, undergoes perhaps an even greater transformation in the book; without spoilers, the changes in her circumstances as the book progresses mean she has to reckon with her own power, recognise that she does in fact have it, and learn how to wield it. It was a joy to see her stand up straighter and learn how to take up space for herself.

So, what didn’t I like?

Look, if you tell me there will be ‘sapphic yearning’, if you compare this to PRIORY (Queen x lady-in-waiting), then you need to know my expectation are high. And this did not deliver. The sapphic yearning was unrequited and I just did not enjoy that. I just want my tropey sapphic love story. HOWEVER. Like I said before, I can appreciate that the differences in the main characters feelings towards each other, and the King, added an extra dimension to the plot progression, so I’m mad about it selfishly, but also, not that mad, you know?

Overall, this was a fun, interesting twist on a well-known historic tale that was a great ride. It’s the first in a series and I think it was a solid opener, and I believe it’ll be a series I continue in future. I would recommend to fantasy lovers, especially those who prefer political machinations and scheming as opposed to complex magic systems, and those who enjoy stories of women embracing their own power.

4/5 🌟

As a fan of tudor history and a fantasy lover I was really intrigued by the premise of this book. Six Wild Crowns is a retelling of Henry the eighth and his six wives, set in an alternative fantasy world.

I enjoyed the scheming of the wives but I would have liked there to be more of the politics of the time in the book. For example, we suspect Rochford betrays Anne Boleyn in real life and this was alluded to in the book but then never actually came to light when Boleyn was arrested.

The magic system could be more developed as well, hopefully we’ll get this if more books follow in the series as it definitely was an open end to the book!

Overall, an enjoyable story that I’d recommend to anyone interested in the tudors!

Thanks to NetGalley for this early copy of Six Wild Crowns. That was my first ever book to be able to review on NetGalley.

I liked the premise and thought this would be something I’d enjoy, but unfortunately, it didn’t work for me. The story was not what I expected from reading the synopsis.
The dragons and magic system —which I was most excited for—were barely explored, and I think the execution could’ve been handled differently to bring more depth to the fantasy elements.

This is actually the first negative review I’ve ever written, so I do feel bad and I apologize—but I just didn’t enjoy the story as much as I hoped. The characters didn’t really connect with me either, which made it harder to stay invested, same with the plot. Not my cup of tea unfortunately.

That said, the writing was easy to read and accessible, which I appreciated. Overall, a good concept that didn’t quite meet its potential for me.

This book is an alternate history storyline that combines Tudor Queens and dragons. Henry has to marry six queens in order to keep up the magical protection that surrounds his country. But this isn’t his story. It’s the story of Boleyn and Seymour and their journey to uncover a secret that could destroy society as they know it. It’s a story about female empowerment.

Boleyn and Seymour are two very different women. Boleyn was the obvious strong woman. She liked to hunt, was great at court politics and knew what she wanted. Seymour on the other hand was quieter, more timid. It took longer for her to find her strength, but when she did, she was amazing. The romance that occurs throughout this book was not quite what I was expecting, but was all the better for it. The ending had a massive twist that was so wild, and yet made perfect sense. It might have been the best twist I’ve read in a long time.

There were a few aspects of this book that I wasn’t too keen on. This book was more court politics than fantasy and I’m not a massive fan of that. I’m glad I read it, and was actually surprised by how much I loved it, but I would have preferred more use for the dragons than just pets. I was expecting more. I also felt the book started out quite slow. I didn’t really get into it until half way through. Again, this might have been because I’m not a big fan of politics, and about half way through is when the action started to happen.

If you do love political intrigue, Tudor queen and some light fantasy, this is definitely a book you don’t want to miss.

i was tempted to give this book a lower rating because i did not enjoy the first half at all, but the second half sort of made up for it.

i had many issues with six wild crowns, many of which could be solved if this was satire, which i don't think it's supposed to be.

firstly, i'm not the biggest fan of the "seemingly stupid but actually smart woman" trope, and the fact that it happened twice to characters (late 20's and 16) who genuinely believed they were. and it's just the cherry on top for me, but the fact that those two "stupid" characters were dark-skinned does not sit right with me.

secondly, i have an issue with the marketing of this book. i understand that dragons and sapphics are trendy right now, but do not go into this book expecting big, majestic, or terrifying dragons. for the few that were mentioned, they were no bigger than a large dog and serve more as pets.
as for the "sapphic romance", it would be lying to say it's not there, but where is it then? i counted multiple sexual encounters between man and woman, and only one slightly sensual scene including two women. there sure is yearning on one side but it never goes beyond that. it would do the author more justice to market this as a queernormative world. this is mismarketing in my opinion because i went into it expecting a sapphic romance between the sapphic main characters and her love interest.

i did enjoy how quick paced and relatively easy it was to get into this fantasy world, though. i would only recommend if you're looking for an easily digestible fantasy with some queer elements (but not enough to my taste).

i was given an early review copy by netgalley and little brown book group uk - orbit in exchange for my honest review. all opinions expressed here are my own.

This book was like nothing I have ever read before, I loved the unique premise. This book got me out of a reading slump and reminded me how it feels to read a truly great story.

I really really liked this one. I was drawn to this book as the blurb mentions Henry VIII and his six wives, but to be honest, I feel like this would make more sense if it was original characters and names, as the history has little bearing on the story at large. However, I did enjoy there being names I already recognised, and I thought the characterisation of the queens was pretty interesting.

At times it felt like the story was moving quite quick and I didn’t really get what was going on. The relationships between the characters, especially the queens, just seem to happen. It's completely possible that I just wasn't paying enough attention at these points and that's why it seemed like that - but honestly it didn't really impact my reading experience all that much. I will say that the language used is definitely different, and I'm glad I read this on my kindle so I could look up any words/phrases that I didn't recognise with ease.

Even with the gripes I had, I still really enjoyed this. I thought the magic system was pretty cool, and I love the whole concept of the magic flowing through the queens to protect the land. I’m glad we got the story from two different points of view as well, as I think that really helped show the different experiences of the queens.

I didn’t realise this was part one of a series (?) and so I was very disappointed by the end. It feels like so much is happening and then it just stops, and I’m not sure I even understand what’s going on. Saying that, I am very intrigued as to what could happen in a sequel and where the author is going to take this story. If you go into it knowing it's not a standalone, then you won't be wondering how everything is going to wrap up with like only 10 pages left like I did.

A well written historical fiction x fantasy book, the story is inspired by the Tudors but is an original story. Even though it took me a while to get into the story, the book pulled me in and I wanted to keep reading. The plot was interesting and well written. The characters were also well developed and I really liked them. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and LittleBrownUK for letting me read an ARC of this highly anticipated book.

Six Wild Crowns transports Henry VIII and his six wives into a fantasy world and tells a story of female friendship and empowerment.
In the fantastical world of Elben, the king possesses protective magic that forms a dome over his land, preventing enemies from attacking. He is able to channel his magic through the six castles located on each edge of the territory – as long as each one is inhabited by one of his wives. The story begins with Henry's wedding to Boleyn. Henry's wives only meet once a year at a ball; the rest of the time, they live in their territories and are visited only by Henry. Boleyn is the first ambitious to make more of her position and to question the status quo of the queens. The story is told alternately from Boleyn's and Seymour's perspectives in third-person POV.

The story is perfect for anyone who enjoys fantasy with politics and intrigue. Don't expect a lot of action though. The plot only really picks up towards the end. We encounter fantastic creatures like dragons, and I found it special that in this story, there are different types and sizes of dragons that aren't used for riding, as is the case in so many other fantasy stories. I'm very fascinated by English history, and even though it's obviously not historically accurate, I loved being able to give deeper character to the extraordinary women through this story.

The language of the book was sometimes a little difficult for me, as a non-native speaker, as it often used words coming from the old English which I was not familiar with, though Definitely fitting for the historical vibe. It's not a book you can just breeze through. It's one where you have to read every sentence carefully so you don't miss any details, and it gives you a lot to think about. What I didn't like so much was the rather detached narrative style. While this fits the historical style of the book, as it reads almost like a history book, it made it difficult for me to get into and warm up to the main characters.

When the book is officially released, I'm really looking forward to seeing fan art of the Crone, because I have no idea how to imagine it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of this e-arc!

This book was interesting enough to hold my attention while I was reading but I didn’t immediately want to keep picking it up!

Overall it was a good read

3.5 rounded up! Not quite what I was anticipating, but with some intriguing concepts which kept me reading.

I came for the myth-inspired magic system, Men Being Terrible and No Good, repressed magic and a rebellious queen? Sign me up!

But… the reality was different. The historical element was jarring, and ended up being a little superfluous. The concept was interesting enough, with a cultural collective memory fed a lie and warped into a religion which oppresses women; of course I’m going to stick around and want to see that toppled! But having the queens be (very very loosely) inspired by Henry VIII’s six wives, and the gallant king being Henry himself felt more like a tenuous link rather than necessary for this plot to work. It wasn’t necessary at all, I was interested enough in the women written as they were without a reference to historical figures. I also found the inclusion of some history by the omission of a lot similarly jarring - better to make this a more tangible reimagining, or remove the inspirational names entirely to keep it separate from the source material. I’ve read a few killer reimaginings of cultural myths inspired by history, and this felt like it fell foul of trying to keep the most obvious trappings of this historical period to gain interest while being caught in all the logistics of making this directly inspired by/taken from history, and… not having the history. I, of course, am not a history buff, but being enough of a knowledge seeker and with a mother who devours historical fiction, I am cautious of fantastical reimaginings which have the skin of history but none of its guts, flesh and bones.

However, that said, I enjoyed Boleyn as a character - fierce, unruly and reckless, she is everything I wanted my rebellious queen to be! I found her resilience beguiling, her determination well written, and her cunning unmatched by anyone in the novel. Now, I need to know what happens to her given the ending! Is it part of a series, who knows?? It’s not definitive, certainly not in a way that would be satisfying if this was a standalone…

Despite her guileless beginnings, Seymour really grew on me as a character. I think her introduction to court was rushed, and her relationship with the King too hasty, but I enjoyed her journey through cutthroat political intrigue and the tangled web she is ensnared in. I do however wish we’d got a little more clarity on the finer plot points, especially regarding her mission as a spy/assassin for Queen Aragon, the additional spy nestled in the grounds (though this might be me not connecting a plot point which was revealed, just not to Seymour). I found her growth compelling, and found myself enjoying the “good for you” elements to her actions. Especially when they involve pet panthers and stupid abusive brothers.

We don’t speak of the sapphic yearning that was apparently in here. There was not nearly enough angst for this to qualify as sapphic yearning, and it felt one-sided throughout, with no real pay off for either woman. It felt like a crush from our dear Seymour that got taken wildly out of hand and which was never really commented on or properly acknowledged by Boleyn. Seymour rushed headlong into a crush, and wound up in some Deep Shit because of it, and there is no real conformation that Boleyn could ever feel the same. Unrequited love can be masterfully done, when, done right. This needed a few more of those bones in order to stand up and count as sapphic yearning.

Another element I enjoyed however was the worldbuilding, which was interesting and well thought-through, and the premise of the magic system also similarly intriguing. There were certainly parts that piqued my interest, when our Queen Boleyn began realising that things are Not What They Seem when it comes to the requirement of king Henry to have six wives in order to keep the protective enchantments around Elben in place. Elements of plot which really drove me sense of “yes good for you burn it all down”, but which ultimately were overshadowed by slightly clumsy character dynamics and a plot that felt more machinated than I’d have liked. I did however enjoy the normalised dragons as pets.

Henry himself seemed fairly two dimensional, with a complete character switch when it became clear that Boleyn was going to expose the ruse that had hoodwinked a nation about the true source of the magic that kept their lands safe. Again, this is where the historical connection waned, when many of the characters bore the name of their real life counterpart but did not bear any resemblance to the figure known in history. He could have been any king, with any name, as many of our queens could be, and I think that could have let the premise stand on its own two feet much more steadily.

There was enough to like, not enough to write home about - came for the sapphic yearning and the Tudor inspired fantasy, and ended up being a little disappointed in both. Really enjoyable elements, but some nuances and plot/pacing elements which just did not work for me.