It really is the year of the Lady Knight. This was beyond phenomenal and my favourite read of the year
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Immediately I was hooked with the concept of the diviners, their powers and their dreams. Through in a rough around the edges knight who doesn't believe in the gods at all, and a quest to save her friends. I knew I had to have as many answers this book could give me.

This book had everything, yearning, magic,an epic quest, character growth, more yearning, a hilarious gargoyle, a band of misfits, and a beautifully crafted world and lore. Gillig's writing is, as ever, beautifully atmospheric, you can feel and see what the characters are experiencing, and you feel all the highs and lows of the story and keep just wanting more. I already need book 2. Another beautifully tense and epic romantasy from Gillig.
~~~~~
Sybil Delling has spent nine years dreaming of having no dreams at all. Like the other foundling girls who traded a decade of service for a home in the great cathedral, Sybil is a Diviner. In her dreams she receives visions from six unearthly figures known as Omens. From them, she can predict terrible things before they occur, and lords and common folk alike travel across the kingdom of Traum's windswept moors to learn their futures by her dreams.

Just as she and her sister Diviners near the end of their service, a mysterious knight arrives at the cathedral. Rude, heretical, and devilishly handsome, the knight Rodrick has no respect for Sybil's visions. But when Sybil's fellow Diviners begin to vanish one by one, she has no choice but to seek his help in finding them. For the world outside the cathedral's cloister is wrought with peril. Only the gods have the answers she is seeking, and as much as she'd rather avoid Rodrick's dark eyes and sharp tongue, only a heretic can defeat a god.

Oh my gosh!! The Knight and the Moth by @rmgillig was so good! If you love a gothic story with religious undertones this one is for you. There are 6 oracles destined to drown over and over in order to tell the fortunes of those that can afford it. Until one of them sees a very disturbing future, and then the oracles start disappearing.
I love personified objects in books and the gargoyle in this story might be my favorite personified object of all time!
Highly recommend!

I received an e-Arc for this book from Orbit books and NetGalley and I’m very grateful for it.

Ufffff. I was so looking forward to this one, but why am I so disappointed with it? “The shepherd king” duology was great. I read those books without breathing, I adored them. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same about “The knight and the moth”.

The story was very intriguing. I love a gothic setting, with old churches and gargoyles and interesting situations. But I felt like the author tried to do a lot of things at the same time. While the story started with a main plot, we follow our characters everywhere, but not in a good way. I felt like everything was done without knowing where to go next. And we go randomly from one location to other location for another plot, but then we came back to the previous location for the previous plot and so on.
The beginning was really well done, I loved the idea of “reading the fate”. The main character started off great, but then I lost interest in her and her story. She started to become predictable and her actions and thoughts repetitive and couldn’t enjoy her story as much as I wanted.
The male character, Rory, was decent. I can’t say that they convinced me with their romance, and while the banter was nice, sometimes it was too much. I hate when, what was supposed to be funny, it’s annoying. And the dialogue between them felt very YA. The “you can hit me with your mouth” one and the use of swearing was very.. unnecessary. I don’t mind it in books, but only when it’s done well.

Of course, I have the same opinion as everyone, and Bartholomew was the best. He’s the best companion I’ve read about in a while and I can’t wait to read about him in the next book.

The plot was predictable, in my opinion. It’s not hard to see who is actually the real villain and even if the author wanted to surprise us (me) with the twist that happened at the end, it’s not difficult to figure it out. But I liked it, so it wasn’t THAT disappointing for me. I did enjoyed the story, with the Omens, the Moth and I actually wanted a lot more.

Overall, I didn’t hate it. I may sound mean, but it is what it is. Of course, YOU should still read the book and make your OWN opinion. I will read the next book, just to see how it ends or continues.

I absolutely loved this book, one of my most anticipated books of the year and I was lucky enough to receive an arc! It did not disappoint at all! I will read absolutely anything this author writes. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.

I have been very excited about reading this book so I was so excited when I was approved for the ARC and had to read it ASAP!
It feels very different from your usual fantasy, I really enjoyed the setting and the world building. I found some parts to be a little predictable but still really enjoyable to read and follow the story.
I loved the characters and the romance. The tension was perfect and the pacing was on point.
Overall really enjoyable read and I think this one is going to be very popular!

WOW !!!!
Honestly I feel like I can’t explain how good this book was in words. It’s something everyone has to read to understand. But what I will say is this.

Rachel Gilligs writing is so very easy to read she has a way of making it sound almost poetic what you’re reading. I have laughed I have cried I have held my breath with tension. From the world building to the extremely unique magic system, I just do not have anything to fault this book on.

I went into this kind of expecting to love it since I loved the Shepherd King Duology but this was so different from that world but still gave the same dark gothic vibes which I think we all love from Rachel Gilligs writing. I mean who doesn’t love a moody, possessive, tall dark and handsome Knight to protect you. Set in an almost medieval world with hamlets and power hungry Omens who want to be the most powerful, this world takes you on a journeyyyyy.

The banter between the characters and the relationships they all had with each other was such a fun journey to experience and see their development within such a short time, was so enjoyable to read. The story was set at a very good pace. I didn’t find it too slow or too fast. The writing felt very immersive, I felt like I was right there next to them holding my breath at each turn.

The banter the tenssioonnnn, the yearning from our MMC ughhh it was just all so good. There is some spice towards the end but omg is it worth it 🤭If I could give it 6⭐️ I would here.

The TWISTTTTTT!!!! Don’t even get me started 🤯🫣 all I have to say is please read this to understand the perfection that is this story. And also be prepared to fall in love with the most adorable gargoyle 🤭

5 ++++++ ⭐️💫💫💫💫💫

I have lost sleep over this book, what a masterpiece !!! Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this atmospheric & creative ARC.
Shepherds King duology has a very special place in my heart, and now this book is a part of it. 5 shining stars for this masterpiece. I feel lost after finishing this book 😭 this truly met the gothic & the eerie vibes.

This fed my love for Gothic literature, magic, mystery, prophecy and religious themes all rolled into a beautifully written romantasy. I wouldn't say it's the fastest paced book I've read but I didn't have issues devouring it. I fell in love with the side character Gargoyle, trust me you will love him. Also just loved the FMC and found myself so invested in her. Would love loved some more spice but the slow burn was great!

Have you ever read a book that wraps itself around your soul and refuses to let go? That's exactly what happened when I dove headfirst into Rachel Gillig's The Knight and The Moth this past weekend. Let me tell you, this gothic romantasy deserves every bit of hype it's getting—and then some!

Is it my favourite book of the year? Absolutely! Will I treasure it forever? You better believe it!

This deliciously dark tale follows Sybil Delling, a Diviner who's spent nine years longing for dreamless nights. As a foundling who traded a decade of service for sanctuary in a grand cathedral, Sybil receives visions from mysterious entities known as Omens, allowing her to glimpse terrible future events.

Just as Sybil's service nears its end, in strolls the most infuriatingly handsome knight you could imagine. Rodrick is rude, heretical, and has zero respect for Sybil's prophetic abilities. But when her fellow Diviners start vanishing mysteriously, she has no choice but to team up with this insufferable (yet irresistible) man. Because beyond the cathedral walls lies a world of danger where only gods have answers—and sometimes you need a heretic to challenge a deity!

Gillig's writing is pure sorcery! She weaves gothic atmosphere and slow-burn tension like ink spilling across parchment, creating a world so immersive I never wanted to leave. The pacing? Chef's kiss—perfect! I literally couldn't put it down.
This isn't just another fantasy romance; it's a powerful exploration of feminine rage, friendship, betrayal, and self-discovery that kept me completely enthralled.

And the characters? I could gush about Sybil and Rory's relationship for days! Their slow-burn romance is masterfully crafted, with Rory's respect and love for Sybil making my heart melt. Plus, the sassy gargoyle character provides much-needed comic relief amidst the darkness—I was living for all the banter!

Perhaps most impressively, I never saw the twists coming! In a genre where predictability often reigns, Gillig blindsided me at every turn. That ending? It utterly shattered my heart before tossing me off a cliff—and I'm still thanking her for it because it means there's more to come!

The Knight and The Moth has me in an absolute chokehold and has officially become my entire personality. Rachel Gillig isn't just an author; she's the undisputed queen of gothic romantasy. If you read one book this year, make it this one!

I absolutely Loved this book
If you are a fan of the authors previous work you will not be disappointed. This follow a diviner in almost a quest of self discovery. Six doesn't have any experience of the outside world and when her fellow diviners start to go missing she enlists the help of a godless knight to find them. I laughed i cried i cringed !!! Theres romance but it doesn’t take away from the plot. The characters and the world are well developed and i cannot wait for the next release in the duology to see her continue to build on it.

4.25-4.5⭐️ (i haven’t decided yet)

oh how i love the “have to join forces and go on a quest to solve a mystery” trope. it always hits.

the world in this book was deliciously dark, vivid, sometimes a little creepy — and i ate it up. the atmosphere and plot were really unique, i don’t think i’ve read anything quite like it. the action-packed scenes kept me on the edge of my seat and nothing felt too predictable. i’d recommend reading it asap, but if not, definitely save it for fall. i was a little surprised by how casual and modern the characters sounded at times, especially with a setting that felt so “old” and mystic. it didn’t always match perfectly, but honestly who cares, it still worked.

i also love a slutty, yearning knight in eyeliner who blushes way too easily. the tension and banter between the main characters? so good. and the spicier scenes… oh my god. i devoured everything. i could really feel their connection grow the more i read, even if it didn’t totally land for me at the start.

i did wish the characters had a little more emotional depth, but i still feel like i know them pretty well. and since it’s a duology, there’s time to go deeper. i also wanted more from the diviners’ relationships. there was so much potential there, and a bit more focus would’ve added real emotional weight to the story. the gargoyle though? had me obsessed. funny, blunt, and surprisingly wholesome, definitely my new favorite companion.

that said, my criticisms are just details. i flew through this book, so obviously i enjoyed it. i’m very excited for the next one.

thank you to orbit books and netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of this earc!

I have been so excited for this book since it was announced. Yet; I found myself falling in and out of love with it at different points. I didn’t love the FMC

Ultimately it is a 3 star read. I don’t understand why we had to have the ending we did. To me it didn’t have to be a second book? I don’t get it it was all wrapped up nicely and then last minute chnage

5★

First of all I need to say thank you Orbit books. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw this in my email and I’m so grateful for it. And thank you NetGalley.

Honestly, this might be my new favorite by this author. And not just by this author. My new favorite fantasy book. You’re not ready. Preorder it, run to the bookstore. You need to read this - and especially if you liked One Dark Window duology.

I don’t even know where to start.

Sybil is a diviner, and one day her fellow diviners go missing and she has to find them. And who is gonna help her with that? Oh just this handsome grumpy knight. (And a gargoyle.) And things get twisty from there.

The writing was amazing. I loved the writing in The Sheppard King duology and somehow this was even better. It read so well yet it felt poetic.

The characters were my favorite part! And the banter?! Hello? Their banter was so on point. This book made me laugh so much - especially Rory and Sybil moment. I loved Sybil so so much. She was fearless. Such a great character to follow. And Rory? Hello? I loved that man. He was rough yet very gentle at the same time. I really loved all their moments.

However, I cannot forget the gargoyle. I loved that little guy as much as I loved our main characters. Such a sweetheart. (Trust me, you’ll love him too.)

(I said love too many times but I can’t even think of any other word that’d better describe this. I’m sorry. I really enjoyed this, can you tell?)

The story? Excuse me? This was insane - in the best way possible. The vibes were vibing. The atmosphere was perfect. And I loved the magic system of this world, and all the little corners we visited with our characters.

The ending? I can’t… All I’m gonna say is I NEED THE NEXT BOOK RIGHT NOW. Please? It was that good.

To sum this up. Read this! I loved every single moment of it and I’m pretty sure you will too.

I really enjoyed this! The world created is a very interesting place, with magic and divination as a key tenet of society. Six is a great protagonist, strong and naive in equal measure and the relationship between her and her fellow diviners was well drawn. I also loved the bat gargoyle. The banter between Six and Rory was fun and the camaraderie between him and the other knights was fun. Overall, I had a great time with this and will eagerly pick up the sequel.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

4.5⭐️

Really enjoyed this. Very atmospheric, and I loved all aspects of the book from the characters to the setting and the plot.

Also I absolutely adored Bartholomew 💓

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me an e-ARC of this book to review.

This is everything I dreamed about.

I received this book as an arc and what can I say? I absolutely loved The Shepherd King duology and couldn't wait to read what Rachel Gillig put out next: The Knight and the Moth.

What can I say? Rachel I'm going to live in your walls!!!

I absolutely adore the world and Rachel did it again and created a unique magic system and world.
I have to say, my absolute highlight and favourite thing about the book was the gargoyle. I'd die for it!! I'd die for the next book!!
The main character is called Six/Sybil and goes on a journey to find her fellow diviners with the help of a Knight (and his friends).
During the journey secrets are revealed and love and friendship is discovered. Sybil also discovers what is in herself and what she can do besides dreaming.

Would I recommend this book? With all my heart. I can't wait for everyone to read it and scream with me about it because I AM IN LOVE.

I am so thankful to Orbit Books and Netgalley for this eArc. I laughed, I cried and I felt so much. I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy to reread and put on display.

When I got an email offering me an ARC copy of this book, I may have done a rather large squeal and a little happy dance.

The Shepherd King duology sits pretty high on my all time favourites list so I went into this book with pretty high expectations. Let me tell you… this book is absolutely stunning! I loved every minute and it really was a struggle to put it down.

Once again, a unique magic system with the same beautiful yet gloomy, gothic feel we got in the Shepherd King duology. The characters are complex and interesting. The story is gripping. It’s just a fantastic book!

This has definitely taken first place in my favourite reads of 2025. If you only buy one book this month, let it be this one!

HI MS RACHEL GILLIG, UM, ARE YOU KINDA ALLERGIC TO HAPPY ENDINGS??????

So, you all remember the Shepherd King duology right? The story where we all thought Elspeth was lost forever because of Nightmare and that there wouldn't be any reunion between her and Ravyn?

WELL! MS RACHEL CAME BACK AGAIN WITH THAT KIND OF ENDING!

Honestly, I would eat everything Ms Rachel writes because damn, the magic she creates is so unique and distinct and so is her plot and plot twists. I'LL TELL YOU ONE THING, I DID NOT SEE THE PLOT TWIST IN THIS BOOK??!!!

But before we get into that, let's talk the details.

So this book is narrated by Six, a Diviner, living in the Aisling Cathedral, who dreams of signs for people who wishes to know what lay ahead in their future. Now these signs are given by the Five Omens — Artful Brigand, Harried Scribe, Ardent Oarsman, Faithful Forrester, and Heartsore Weaver. Each Omen have a craft of their own, magical objects that reflects their crafts — one side smooth, one side rough. The other's transportive, the other's destructive.

Now, when Six was taunted by Rory, a knight, that she knows nothing of the world outside of Aisling's Cathedral, she and the other Diviners snuck out for a one night of fun. A fun turned to a nightmare.

When the other Diviners disappeared, Six took it upon her hands to find them. But at what cost? Her truth? Her freedom? Her life? Everything she thought that was true was all a lie. A deceit to mask the rotting truth of her identity.

She did find herself, but got lost along the way. She was lost in her sense of euphoria and anger and exhaustion and sadness that she missed the very evil that stood before her. Was that evil human or inhuman? But she did free herself only to find herself in another prison. Will she ever escape?

I DON'T KNOW RACHEL, WILL SHE???????!

Just when I thought that everything's fine, everything's going well, and oh look, I'm 305 pages in, and THERE ARE STILL FEW PAGES LEFT???? THEY GOT DEFEATED, BUT WHY ARE THERE STILL FEW PAGES LEFT, RACHEL??????

SO, WHILE I'M HERE, ASTOUNDED BY HOW IT ENDED, I'M MORE BAFFLED AND AMAZED AT THE PLOT TWIST. NOT ONLY ONE PLOT TWIST, BUT TWO?????

AND THE BETRAYAL AND THE POLITICAL INTRIGUE AND RACHEL, I THOUGHT IT'S A FOUND FAMILY BUT WHY DID YOU DO THAT?????

Honest, when I was reading the last few pages, I couldn't keep my mouth closed because of how baffled I am. What do you mean that this character would turn out to be evil???? AND RACHEL, IF YOU DO SOMETHING BAD TO BARTHOLOMEW, I SWEAR!!! (But please don't do that, I beg you).

So, to anyone who's reading this, just know you're in for a ride. The way you did when you read her Shepherd King Duology. And I know, it's more like me ranting rather than reviewing, BUT IT'S STILL A FEEDBACK BECAUSE OF HOW SHE PLAYED MY EMOTIONS?????

Anyways, Rachel, I just know you will always deliver and you did, only more painful. I know the moment I finished the Shephered King duology that you'll be one of my fave authors, BUT COME ON YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO DO THAT!

And to Ms Nazia Khatun, Publicity Manager of Orbit Books, you don't know how happy I am when you gave me this ARC. I freaking celebrated while we're having an online class. So thank you thank you thank you.

And to you reader, you will never regret reading this book.

And to you again Rachel, one last time, maybe be a bit gentle to Six, Rory, Maude, and Bartholomew in the next book, OKAY?????

Wow! Rachel Gillig has done it again! What a book. I completely adored this book. I couldn’t put it down. I adored the characters especially the gargoyle, he has my heart😭 I have an unhealthy attachment to him.
The romance between Sybil and Rory was so satisfying to read. The slow burn *chef’s kiss*
I genuinely cannot stop thinking about this book and I’m already wanting to read the next book.
Thank you so much Orbit and Rachel Gillig for the opportunity to read this book! I cannot wait for it to be published to word and everyone gets to read it

I loved one dark window so my expectations for this was sky hight!! and let me tell you, I was NOT dissapointed

at first sight I did not think this book would be funny, but god I laughed so many times in this.

I absolutely loved this book, the characters, the setting, the story and the romance.