I thought I would love this book being a history buff but after the first few chapters I had to DNF. It would have been much better being separated from the real historical characters and being in their own world.
Will not be sharing this review publicly until after the release date.

We follow the six wives of Henry, mainly Boelyn as she discovers the truth and twists of everything she has ever known and grown up to believe. She wanta to start a rebellion. But can she?

Good GOD this was SO GOOD.

The world building was fantastic and I loved the premise of Tudors with magic. So brilliant. I'm looking forward to book 2!!

I actually really liked the premise of this book, the magic system and the characters but I felt like there was actually no need to make it related to any historical figures ie Henry and his wives and that the story would actually have stood up better on its own had it not been.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of Six Wild Crowns.

As a Tudor history nerd, I was beyond excited by the premise of this novel: Henry VIII and his six wives, alive and ruling at the same time, in a queernormative world with sapphic, pansexual, non-binary and poly representation.

The book's biggest strength is also one of its weaknesses: its loyalty to Tudor history. It was such a delight to read not just about the six Queens but also the historically accurate secondary characters, the character quirks and plot points that we know really did happen in Tudor times (Anne Boleyn's moment with the apples made me so happy). I think anyone who is also a Tudor history nerd will love this book if only for all the Easter eggs.

At the same time, I found some things less convincing. For example, in the Tudor period, Anne Boleyn was widely disliked by the public because she caused the divorce of Henry and Catherine of Aragon, as well as the religious changes she led. In this fantasy world where Henry was always supposed to have six wives, Anne Boleyn is still disliked. The narrative provides us with some reasons why, but I personally would have liked these reasons to be a bit stronger. Maybe it's because I was comparing it to the very compelling reasons in the real-world Tudor history, but it just didn't feel like there were strong enough reasons to justify the public's almost immediate universal dislike of her. The same goes for some other interactions between the queens at the start of the book.

It's also worth mentioning that although the Tudors are loyally represented, most of English history has been changed. The Norman invasion, the Wars of the Roses, etc., did not exist (but Aethelred did, and there's a fair amount of Old English words that weren't entirely necessary in my opinion).

However, this isn't just a book about the Tudors — so, moving onto the other points. By and large, I felt this was a very well-written book. I connected with and am rooting for several of the characters (but especially Seymour and Cleves and Howard, who I'm excited to read more about in book two).

Going into the book, having seen it described as including sapphic yearning for a straight woman, I was worried that I might feel a bit cheated by the wlw rep. However, there is a lot of different wlw rep, and my bi heart was fully satisfied by it.

Fantasy readers should bear in mind that although this is a fantasy book with magic and dragons, the fantasy elements take a back seat to the politics in this book, especially in the first half of the novel. However, I expect that might change in books two and three of the trilogy.

Gender politics and male violence against women was also always going to be a theme in this book — after all, it's about a king having six living wives in a time where men had complete control over their wives. And on top of that, it's a king modelled on Henry VIII. I'm hoping that books two and three will continue exploring this theme while also looking at some of the subtler and more intersectional elements of gender politics.

One final small criticism: I found some of the political manoeuvres a little too simplistic, while some elements of the magical world in the book felt just a little too convenient (e.g. bewitching six whole roads 100% of the time instead of the royal carriages).

Despite all that, I really did enjoy this book. I'm looking forward to picking up book two when it's published and seeing how my favourite characters continue to grow.

This is a very good story, and I liked it a lot, but I feel like the blurb can be misleading.
Except for some of the characters' names, this has not much to do with Henry VIII or history. It is purely a fantasy tale, and is great in its own right.
In the same way, you will find sapphic yearning but dragons are not what you might expect, and that's ok for me.
As I said, I really liked this book. The story is original and interesting, the characters are strong and diverse, and the world is rich. It's a very good standalone in a semi historical setting and I'm glad I got to read it.
I only wished for a more definitive ending, but it might be part of a series.

Holly Race’s Six Wild Crowns is an absolute amazing book, it is a breathtaking blend of adventure, intrigue, and stunning world-building. The story behind this idea is so cool to me, with her taking some idea of the Tudor queens with an imaginative spin!

I absolutely adored this book! Being a big fan of Tudor history and the 6 wives of Henry VIII I was totally drawn in by the blurb, and was delighted to receive an e-ARC.

Race weaves a truly magical tale sprinkled with historical inspiration, and creates very compelling characters. I also really loved the very progressive elements of the novel, and the female empowerment,

It was a truly original tale, and whilst some other reviews have made me laugh - with some readers being angry about the deviation from historical fact (sorry, but you did pick up a fantasy book with dragons referenced in the blurb.. :)) - I love that the novel was purely inspired by history, and wove such an original tale from some key components of Tudor history.

I really love a good novel that simmers with an undercurrent of feminine rage - and Race crafted this perfectly. I can't wait for the sequel that I hope will be coming!

A huge thank you to Holly Race, Little Brown Book Group UK | Orbit & NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for the honest review.

thank you to Holly Race and to Little Brown for giving me the chance to read this ARC.

i loved the dual pov between Boleyn and Seymour our polar opposite queens, especially since it’s in a fantasy setting. Six Wild Crowns is a sapphic historical fantasy that keeps you interested with every chapter, and it’s also full of political intrigue, prophecies and sisterhood.

definitely recommend!

Thanks to Netgalley and Orbit for the arc!

I requested this because of the historical inspiration – Henry VIII and his six wives but in a fantasy setting? Sign me up!

Six Wild Crowns is an interesting take on Henry VIII and his six wives and full of the intrigue that I always like in a fantasy book. While the historical inspiration was definitely there, it did take a minute to get used to seeing real world historical figures alongside dragons and magic. That said, once I got passed that, I really liked the world that Holly Race has created in this. While only small sections are explored in this book, I’m hoping we get to explore more of Elba in the sequel.

I’m also hoping we get to see a bit more of the other queens too – Six Wild Crowns is told mainly from the perspectives of Seymour and Boleyn. They are two completely opposite characters – Seymour is often described in the book as dull, while Boleyn is full of confidence and not afraid of it. It made for an interesting dynamic between the 2 and it was interesting to see how their views of the world (and Henry) differed so much. I loved seeing how both women learned from each other too.

There were a couple of plot points that I wished had been fleshed out a bit more, as they did feel a bit rushed or shoehorned in, but on the whole, I did like this and I’ll certainly be keeping an eye out for the sequel!

«Everyone has secrets. It’s what makes us humans»
This book wasn’t bad it just wasn’t what I was expecting.
It’s promoted as being perfect for fans of The Priory of the Orange Tree and of House of the Dragon and even though you may like this if you liked those you will probably feel disappointed if you are expecting it to be as enthralling, because although it does have dragons they are not an important part of the story and they are kind of just there. I also found the court politics to be quite simple, probably because I was hoping for something at Priory or HOTD level.
At the beginning I didn’t really connect with neither of our main characters. I found Boleyn to be blinded by her love for the king despite her cleverness and Seymour wasn’t the spy and assassin we were promised in the synopsis, she is actually neither of those things and has a very low self esteem being bullied by her brother since she was little, but I have to say I liked the development they had and I ended up liking them.
About their relationship, I could understand Seymour having a crush on Boleyn, but love? When they had had barely five conversations and Boleyn hadn’t been anything but indifferent toward her? that’s just not realistic, although I did enjoy the sapphic yearning I just wished it had been done differently.
I can’t say much about the historical aspect of this book since i know the basic about King Henry and the Tudor Queens but I did like the concept of the queens being married to him at the same time.
With that ending this book will probably have a sequel in which I hope we see more of the other queens especially Cleves who despite having few appearances made me really like her.
Huge thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for this ARC

This was not what I was expecting because the blurb exaggerated, however it was an entertaining and engaging read.

Boleyn and Seymour's POVs are so opposite to one another but you still can't help but root for them both individually and the eventually, together.

There's only a small amount of fantasy and romance and the historical accuracy is limited too but I am looking forward to what book 2 will bring.

Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the chance to read this highly-anticipated novel in advance! It was a thoroughly enjoyable read.

Six Wild Crowns instantly called to me with mentions of sapphic yearning, Tudor Queens and ancient magic. The dragon-filled halls and Seymour's role as spy and assassin mentioned in the blurb were also big points that caught my attention, but weren't as explored as I hoped in the actual book.

Generally, I found that the blurb can be a bit misleading, as the story is less action-packed than it suggests and the historical elements are very limited, aside from characters' names, BUT... A very important "but"... As soon as I set aside the expectations from the blurb, I found myself really enjoying this story full of political intrigue, magic, love and betrayal, and would recommend it to all (historical) fantasy lovers!

Boleyn is a force to be reckoned with - a character that isn't 100% likeable, and I believe intentionally so, but one the reader can't help but root for from start to end. She is full of ideas, courage and pride, and she won't let anyone stand in her way. It was very interesting to see her character development, as well as how her relationships with others around evolved throughout the book. On the other hand, Seymour begins as a quiet, placid woman who doesn't stand up for herself... and grows into herself beautifully chapter after chapter. Her friendship with Clarice and her yearning for a love she can't have were written so well.

There were some other great characters here, but not overly fleshed out - I would have loved to know more about Queen Cleves, and hope the sequels bring more of her to the forefront! Her animals were brilliant, with the panther she gifted Seymour being so very cool!

The pacing of the story was a little slow in the first third or so of the book, but once it picked up it really kept the interest going. I enjoyed the twists, even when I saw some coming, and was certainly horrified by certain discoveries. The world-building was intriguing, too, and I'm hoping to see even more of it in the sequels!

I look forward to reading the rest of the trilogy!

Thank you to Holly Race, Little Brown and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of Six Wild Crowns in exchange for a review.

For fans of: Wolf Hall, The Embroidered Book, The Fallen Gods Trilogy (Godkiller etc), SIX the Musical, Horrible Histories Terrible Tudors, House of the Dragon, The Other Boleyn Girl.

Six Wild Crowns is the first in the new Queens of Elben trilogy. The book takes place in the pseudo-European Tudor/Medieval magical world lots of fantasy books exist in, but with a diverse cast in every way possible. It's the Tudors, but not as you know them.

The POVs alternate between Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour. They are very different women, the opposites of each other. One is full of confidence and the other has none at all which is why they have such a brilliant and dynamic alliance. I can only hope that in future books we get POVs from the other queens. Anne of Cleves was definitely my favourite.

I think it helps to have at least a basic understanding of the players of Henry VIII's court. Most of the people are the same and fulfil the same role they do in history. Mark Smeaton is still the court musician, but he's in the throuple with George Boleyn and Jane Rochford.

I felt knowing the history made me appreciate how Holly Race had reshaped the story and turned it on it's head. The wives are all alive at the same time so they're no longer competing for one single position of Queen. They still have to share Henry no matter how much they might think they love each other.

Six Wild Crowns is a sapphic historical fantasy that gets better and better with every turn of the page. It will be a difficult wait for book two!

I give Six Wild Crowns 5 stars!

A feminist story full of politics, intrigue, strategical planning and sisterhood in the way that all women are sisters and we should all band together to destroy the patriarchy that daily does its best to keep us divided.
This is the vibe of this book. Going into it i was expecting something else and it was slow to start but it is a character driven story and these characters, especially Boleyn, will worm their way into your mind and they will become your sisters and you will want to see justice served for them.
Cannot wait to see what the sequel will have in store because that ending was something else, at no point in the story did i know what was going to happen next.

A 4/4.5 star rating

This was something abit different for me. Although like others I have long been very interested in Tudor History I am yet to read a Tudor fiction story
This is the Tudors with a sprinkle of fantasy, if Henry was married to all six wives simultaneously in order to protect his kingdom

Such a unique spin, this very different from typical romantasy but as a huge romantasy advocate I still enjoyed reading something a different and read this in just a couple of days

Again it is just a touch of fantasy, abit of romance but the overall story focuses on the Queens which I still enjoyed

I’m not sure if there is a sequel to this but if there is it would be interesting to see if the fantasy element is developed if not I would just say don’t go into this excepting your typical fantasy romance and the only downside would be that there were areas of the magic that was not fully explored.
Still this was a very enjoyable read
Thank you

I've never been one for history so I wasn't sure what to expect going in but I was completely hooked on this fantastical take on Henry VIII and his six wives! The dual POV flip between Boleyn and Seymour laid the narrative out perfectly with interesting insight into both women's motivations. I'm really looking forward to the sequel!

This is dual POV between Boleyn and Seymour but we do also meet the other queens as the story goes along, I really liked Howard and Cleves in particular.
I loved Boleyn from the very first chapter, sweet & pliant on the outside but witty & brave and clever even if she may be slightly on the naive side when it comes to her new husband, the king.
In the beginning Seymour is secretly in competition with Boleyn, at the will of her family, but I also really really liked her character and the way she was drawn to Boleyn at first sight kept my interest from the get go.
The fantastical world building is absolutely stunning, Holly's writing paints a vivid picture of the setting of this story; the castles, the trees bearing fruits and housing dragons, it's all done so well I loved it. The court politics and the sneaky schemes and affairs; it's enough to make you clutch your pearls, the drama of it was delicious. I especially loved the animal/mythical creature familiars. I want to shout on the rooftops about how great this is, I was totally blown away.
If you're into historical fiction with a fantasy twist you absolutely need to pick this up.

Thank you to Netgalley, Orbit, Little brown books for the e-arc im so grateful to have read this early

3.75 ⭐️

Characters - 7/10
Atmosphere - 6/10
World - 7/10
Plot - 7/10
Emotional Impact & Enjoyment - 6/10
Writing - 7/10

Book release date: 10th June

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown publishers for giving me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really solid adult fantasy debut by Holly Race, with an interesting fantastical (and quite considerable) re-imagining of the six wives of Henry VIII. I really enjoyed the dual POV of this book from the perspective of two of the women this story centres on. Their journeys in this story are interesting and offer some good character development. I really liked how each of the described six wives are distinct from each other and I enjoyed their evolving relationship dynamics as the story unfolded.

I did feel like some of the romance elements of the story were a little undercooked, and how some characters felt about each other didn’t always personally feel really believable. In some cases, I would’ve liked characters’ feelings to have developed a little more gradually over time, and for the author to spend more time establishing those affections through showing the reader rather than telling.

However, I would say that romance is a very very minor aspect of this story and the main focus is around royal politics and ancient magic, where the women in this story start to realise how to unlock their suppressed power. And in this aspect, I think the book did a really good job of keeping your interest throughout and making you really root for the main characters.

One brilliant read. I love the idea behind it. Using Tudors history to write fantasy novel was genius :) All characters and interactions between them. Overall amazing fantasy story with magic, love, hate and betrayal. I do hope book 2 will be as good.

This book was certainly a slow burn for me. I did find the world building hard to grasp at first, and struggled a little bit to keep up with the politics of the world. In my opinion the book may benefit from a glossary of terms etc. Some may not agree but I know It would have helped me in the first 60% of the book. That being said, I still grasped the basics of the political system and could very much follow the story. This is all coming from someone who has mainly read romantasy and YA fantasy, and less high fantasy.

I also wouldn’t describe this book as romantasy. While Seymour’s romantic feelings for another character did drive her to make certain choices in the story, I would say the themes of this book lean more to fantasy and political intrigue.

Even though it took me a while to get through the book, I enjoyed the characters, and had a much more enjoyable time once we got to meet the other queens of Elben. The last 30% of the book was a brilliant read. The developments in plot and the action that ensued really made the book for me.

The themes of the Six Wild Crowns were very intriguing to me. The idea of using a real time period in history that was so full of sexism and patriarchy, and using it to create a world that mirrors that of our own was very clever from the author. I think this was the main reason I was intrigued to read on when I was having a hard time getting into it at the beginning. I also loved the diversity of the queens, and the use of the stereotypes we already have ingrained in our own minds about the queens was very well done. I especially enjoyed Cleves’ characterisation and look forward to seeing more of her in future books.

This is the start of a brilliant high fantasy series that is steeped in feminist themes and is a truly empowering read. I can’t wait to see more from Seymour and the rest of the queens.