I finished Swordheart by T. Kingfisher the other day. So far I had only read her Gothic novels, but while I expected to love her Fantasy books too, I underestimated just how much I would love Swordheart.

Right away I was pleased that the book’s protagonists are in their 30s and 40s. That was a really refreshing change of pace to the usually very young Fantasy protagonists, and it really reflects on their actions and thought processes. Halla and Sarkis are incredibly lovable protagonists (and I loved that we got both of their POVs), and Zale and Brindle are great characters as well. On top of that, Zale is also non-binary. The inclusion of that felt very natural and positive.

The plot is a little absurd and over the top, but that just works incredibly well. I laughed out loud at some parts and just had a blast reading the book. It’s definitely in part a parody of popular Fantasy tropes and it just does it well.

All in all, I highly recommend this book to any Fantasy fan. Except if you have clammy hands. Then maybe skip this one.

Halla’s quiet life of gentle struggle should have been improved immensely when her husband’s uncle leaves her his entire estate. Alas, the rest of the family has other ideas, and Halla finds herself locked in her bedroom and told that she will be marrying Cousin Alver (of the clammy hands) and should feel lucky that anyone would have her, middle-aged widow of no great beauty that she is. Deciding that would be a fate worse than death, she is in the process of trying to figure out how one goes about falling on a sword – since there’s an old, decorative one above the bed – in an efficient manner, when she accidently releases the warrior cursed to inhabit said sword.

Used to being summoned on battlefields, Sarkis is more than a little bemused to find himself confronted with a currently half-naked widow with a curious mind and ability to ask more questions than anyone could possibly hope to answer. Bound to protect her as the sword’s wielder, the pair escape and set off to seek help with the whole, messy situation.

I love, love, love Ursula Vernon’s (aka T Kingfisher) work, and was surprised and delighted to realised I’d somehow missed reading this one. It’s absolutely my favourite of her ‘genres’: fantasy for grown ups, not a fairy tale retelling (although those are also excellent), not horror (those are a little too good at being creepy!) although there is a lot of ‘real world’ horribleness, and with a large dollop of romance done so well I actually don’t mind despite usually disliking the genre. All of that and a big adventure, it’s wonderful!

Although it is a standalone tale, Swordheart is set in the World of the White Rat, after the Clockotaur Wars (Clockwork Boys, The Wonder Engine) and before the Saint of Steel books (starting with Paladin’s Grace), and with all of the warmth, humour, adventure, and common sense that I’ve loved about all of those.

One of the great strengths of many of Ms Kingfisher’s books is the often middle aged heroine possessing very down to earth skills and common sense. Halla is all of this, somehow maintaining a lovely wholesomeness in a world that hasn’t handed her a great deal of good. There’s such a real-world “ah-ha!”, too, in her explanation of playing ‘ditsy’ as a form of self-defence. It’s absolutely no wonder that Sarkis is so drawn to protecting her, while at the same time she is absolutely not a drippy damsel in distress.

I do think the structure of the romance plot is reused in one or more of the later books, so it did feel a little familiar. A lot of both sides assuming the other couldn’t possibly be interested, and neither with the best self-esteem about it all. However, it is very sweetly and well done here.

I think it’s also quite telling that this was an early book in the series, and there is perhaps a little too much crammed in? It makes for a richer story, yes, but also I did feel the pacing was a little off at times. Did the side journey into the Vagrant Hills really add to the whole, or could that perhaps have been streamlined? As the travellers bemoan the back-and-forth on the road there almost did feel to be one too many – well, maybe. And yet I loved spending time with these characters in this world, so even as I grumble I still loved reading it all so much that it barely dents my rating.

Reading this before the Paladin books would probably have worked better, where the themes will be reused, a little more calmly perhaps? I’m looking forward to a reread now! And I’m even more delighted by the suggestion that there could be another book or two following this one – absolute fingers crossed for that!

Oh I have been waiting impatiently for T Kingfisher to become available in the UK! This is a perfect blend of whimsy, cosy adventure, and magical world building with romance at its core -- my exact preferred combination in a gentle read.

Swordheart is a cozy fantasy romantic adventure with a lighter plot and filled with great banter that unfortunately for me suffered from being too long and repetitive.

Hella’s adopted great-uncle has left her everything - and her (non) relatives are not happy! Locking her away until she agrees to marry her “cousin”, Hella contemplates how to get out of her situation. Potentially in a very permanent way (TW suicide idealization). When she unsheathes a decorative sword she finds Sarkis, an immortal swordsman, who guards the sword and the wielder. After helping her escape, Sarkis and Hella are on the run. Sarkis vows to help Hella reach safety…which might just be more than he bargained for.

While sweet at times, I don’t believe this story needed to be anywhere near 400 pages. The journey becomes a bit repetitive, even in the humor and love story. The instalove and instalust for me just became tedious.

Personally, my biggest gripe is that I was looking forward to a 36 year old FMC…unfortunately she still reads like a 18-20 year old girl. For me, the draw of reading a 30’s/40’s character is that they have loved, they have grown, and they know who they are. Hella’s age here seems irrelevant, and she is sheltered, naive, a widow with little sexual experience, has the dialogue of a “quirky”teenager, and spends the whole story blushing. As a 35 year old woman, I found it really frustrating and couldn’t really get past it.

Content warnings: suicide idealization, hinted at SA (not on page).

Thank you to Little, Brown Book Group UK, and Orbit Books for an advanced electronic copy in exchange for an honest review. The new print of Swordheart comes out June 17th.

This is an interesting book: I'm not sure where I come out on it.

I liked the initially whimsical nature of the story, but that wore off a bit as the story progressed, which was a bit of a shame.

I liked Halla and Sarkis, although their characters didn't feel fully developed to me somehow,

I liked the journey they went on together, until I didn't. But I did like the ending!

So, all in all a mixed bag as I have sometimes found this author's books to be. But they are always worth a read, so I'll keep picking her books up!

• Grumpy x sunshine
• Bodyguard romance
• Enchanted object
• Aventure
• Cozy fantasy

𝑨𝒏 𝒊𝒏𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆, 𝒂 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒅𝒐𝒘, 𝒂 𝒔𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅 𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒃𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒓, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂 𝒔𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒃𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒅 𝒂𝒅𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎 𝒕𝒐𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓.

This read started off so well! The humorous tone of the book had won me over and made me smile, but the charm faded quicker than expected… The comedic style quickly turned ridiculous, awkward, repetitive, and overwhelming. Around halfway through, the humor shifted toward crude, piss/shit jar jokes that just irritated me.

The plot is incredibly flat! It lacks pacing and twists, so I wasn’t at all drawn into the story. The events are forgettable, and the author simply strings together scenes that are completely nonsensical. I honestly had no idea where she was trying to take us with this story — I felt like I was following an endless journey with no real destination.

As for the characters, I initially liked the FMC, Halla, who was portrayed as a clumsy, naive woman asking lots of questions. However, as the story progressed, she became increasingly absurd and caricatured. She started acting like a child — even though she’s supposed to be 36 years old??!! I get that the exaggeration is intentional, but that choice ruined any chance I had of connecting with her. As for the MMC, he left absolutely no strong impression on me.

The romance didn’t help either. Sarsis, the MMC, is obsessed with Halla’s boobs, which seriously put me off. So I didn’t enjoy the romantic aspect either, as it was based solely on lust, physical attraction — nothing felt authentic to me.

This book had a promising foundation, but everything fell apart way too quickly… what a shame.


જ⁀➴ Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for the eARC in exchange for a honest review <3

The only thing that makes me happier than reading this book is the fact that it’s the first in a series according to the author notes 🥳
This was the perfect blend of humour, low stakes adventure and romance.
One of my favourite things about Kingfisher is that her female characters are often in their 30s or 40s which is so refreshing.
Hella is a widowed housekeeper whose life is thrown into chaos by the death of her benefactor; whilst trying to evade a “suitor” of the clammy hand persuasion, she discovers a protector who has been cursed into a sword. Yes, into!
What follows is a fabulous fantasy adventure with a pitch perfect romance. I absolutely loved it.

ARC 4.5/5 ⭐️ I love this Romantacy, and I loved being back in this world again! Halla and Sarkis are such good characters, with such a sweet and awkward romance. Their journey had me laughing at times, it's was just such a cozy romantacy. And it was so good to see Zale again.

Thank you, NetGalley, Orbit, and T. Kingfisher, for sending this eARC for review. All opinions are my own.

As usual, T. Kingfisher can do no wrong! I loved being back in the world of the White Rat (even though I am reading these interconnected series somewhat backwards lol), and Halla and Sarkis were such great characters to follow.

When Halla unexpectedly inherits the estate of her wealthy uncle, her life is irrevocably changed, mostly because she finds an enchanted sword that, when unsheathed, reveals an immortal warrior sworn to protect the wielder. With his help, Halla embarks on a journey to be able to claim her uncle’s estate. While I felt that the middle of the book dragged a little, their journey was fun to follow, full of bandits and unexpected turns into menacing hills full of dangers and a few very annoying in-laws.

The romance was, as usual, incredibly sweet: I fell in love with Halla’s constant questions and Sarkis’ tendency to think the worst of people. It was also nice to see some familiar faces from the Paladin’s series, and of course it wouldn’t be a Kingfisher book without a (possibly?) possessed bird!

Thank you to Netgalley, Little Brown, and the author for the review copy!

Kingfisher gives such a lovely, cosy ambience to adult romance fantasy - it's always a comfort read!
I loved Halla and her way of viewing the world and her endless curiosity.
I'm giving this three stars as I found the book perhaps longer than necessary and at times found the plot dragging, but nonetheless a good read.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley. T. Kingfisher was already one of my favourite authors and this is quite possibly my favourite book of theirs. It is fantastic mix of cosy fantasy, a slow burn awkward romance and banter. Add to this some masterful and creative worldbuilding and a quest to reclaim the heroine's rightful inheritance and what you have is a recipe for a masterpiece!

This book was such a fun surprise! It’s got adventure, magic, humor, and one of the most charmingly awkward romances I’ve read in a while. The main characters have amazing banter, and the whole story has this quirky, cozy vibe—even when they’re fighting off weird magical creatures.It’s the perfect mix of cozy fantasy, hilarious banter, and a sweet (and slightly awkward) romance that totally grew on me. Halla is such a lovable character—she's practical, funny, and unexpectedly brave—and Sarkis, the grumpy warrior trapped in a sword, is both tough and unexpectedly soft underneath it all.

The world is full of weird, magical oddities, but it never feels confusing or too heavy. It’s more like stepping into a quirky, slightly offbeat fairy tale. I totally see why people call this a “cozy fantasy”—it’s adventurous but low-stress, and I just found myself smiling through so much of it.

If you like charming characters, great dialogue, and fantasy that doesn’t take itself too seriously (but still has heart), you’ll probably love this too. Honestly, I wish someone would turn it into a TV show!

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Goodness gracious but T. Kingfisher really deserves her hype! Swordheart is the second of her books that I have read (my first being (Paladin’s Grace), and I am fully in love with this world she has created. Added to that the banter, silliness and dry humour that creeps up on you over and over. The little band of travellers were a delight, and having read Paladin’s Grace I was excited to see Zale and learn more about them. They deserve to have their own HEA written one day Ms Kingfisher…

While the premise of the story is fairly straightforward, it’s the delivery that makes Swordheart shine. I am completely charmed by it and am so excited to read more of T.’s romantasy oeuvre.

Thank you to Kingfisher, Little, Brown Book Group UK | Orbit and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and honestly review Swordheart.

I haven't had this much fun in a long time. Not only are Halla and Sarkis excellent characters, with her being brilliant at times, but also Zale and Brindle, the paladins I had already met in other books and the bird of ill omen. All together they contribute to a book that made me burst out laughing out loud several times and was read in a couple of days. Not a bad performance for a novel that is neither a true fantasy nor even a romance.

Non mi divertivo tanto da parecchio. Non solo Halla e Sarkis sono due ottimi personaggi, con lei che é a tratti geniale, ma anche Zale e Brindle, i paladini che avevo giá incontrato in altri libri e l'uccello del malaugurio. Tutti insieme contribuiscono ad un libro che mi ha fatto piú volte scoppiare a ridere a voce alta e che si é fatto divorare in un paio di giorni. Non male come prestazione per un romanzo che non é né un fantasy vero e proprio, né tanto meno un romance.

I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

I was also able to listen to this on audible so I dual read it. Magical word with a stabby soul trapped inside. An adventure to find help to get rid of her overly involved, no-good in laws. All in a few weeks for this widow.

I loved this. I truly did. Okay the accent in the audible, not the greatest. What is he supposed to have some Scottish dialect or something? I don’t know, but I had to pause a lot at the start because I was like no. It grew on me though. Or maybe Sarkis just grew on me. Kingfisher is an auto by author for me. I love the high fantasy but low stakes their books can give. I love being along for the journey.

There was some parts in this that annoyed me. But that might just be on reader perspective. Like I wished Halla stood up for herself more, but I understand that during the time period it’s set at she can’t just go round slapping people. I do wish Sarkis stabbed more people, just to give him something to do really.

This is an easy read, but also one that gives a lot. The plot is kept going after a bit of a slow start. And there’s just always something going on. The side characters are fun, suspicious, helpful. Everything you could need. And it’s funny. I laughed a lot while reading this, especially at Sarkis (you might tell I have a crush). I appreciate it being a standalone, I feel like everything was said an done. But that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t read more of them. They’re just fun characters. So wanting fun, romantic, stabby, and cosy? Definitely read this.

Deliciously witty and full of banter.

Our fmc is a 36 year old widow who has inherited all of a great uncles worth and the family are not happy about it. She tries to kill herself and instead a man magically comes out of the sword to protect her. And so begins the will they won’t they, witty banter of a cosy fantasy bodyguard romance. The inner monologue of our fmc is definitely adhd coded that was both relatable and sometimes annoying.
My only ‘down’ side was she didn’t feel very 36 and especially for the era. It was very ya romance style. Which is fine but more when you expect it because the character is 19. She didn’t feel very realistic as a widow of 36 but apart from that great fun.

4.5

T. Kingfisher does it again with Swordheart a brilliantly quirky, heartfelt, and refreshingly down-to-earth romantic fantasy that stole my heart from the first page. As someone who doesn't usually gravitate toward romances, I was completely surprised( again, this was a reread and yes. I was surprised 🤣)by how real and grounded the relationship between Halla and Sarkis felt. Their chemistry grows organically, built on mutual respect, wit, and vulnerability, all wrapped in Kingfisher’s trademark humor and charm.

The world is as strange and vivid as ever ,a unique blend of whimsy, danger, and practicality that feels lived-in rather than overly polished. Kingfisher's writing is effortlessly funny without ever undercutting the emotional beats, and the banter between characters had me smiling (and occasionally laughing out loud🫡) more than once. I love how she plays with fantasy tropes and turns them into something both fresh and deeply human.

This book is cozy, clever, and full of love, the kind of story that makes you want to curl up with a blanket and stay in that world just a little longer. T. Kingfisher continues to be one of my favorite authors, and Swordheart is a perfect example of why.

Kingfisher never fails to blow my expectations out of the water.
A wonderful book and I can't wait to see what else she can do!

This book was absolutely DARLING. A cosy romantic fantasy packed with charm, banter, wit and adventure.

“𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙨𝙤 𝙛𝙚𝙬 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙠𝙚𝙥𝙩 𝙖 𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙪𝙢𝙤𝙧 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙞𝙩.”

The main characters were the shining star of this book for me. Halla is a widow and former housekeeper who inherits her great uncle’s estate, including an enchanted sword harbouring a huge secret. Sarkis is an immortal warrior who for reasons I won’t spoil, has found himself trapped inside a sword. They were just so much fun together and I loved the way their energy matched.

If you told me a week ago I would be kicking my feet and blushing over the tale of a widowed heiress and an immortal man trapped inside of a sword, I would’ve never believed you but here I am!!!!

Thank you so much to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a review copy of this book.

T. Kingfisher’s stories really resonate with me—she has a wonderful ability to blend humour, cosy fantasy, romance, and adventure in a way that feels engaging. There’s warmth and charm to her writing that makes Swordheart feel like the literary equivalent of a comforting blanket.
The characters are well-developed and highly engaging. The FMC occasionally verges on being too quirky, which might not work for everyone, but her interactions with the rest can be very entertaining.

Overall, Swordheart is a fun, light read perfect for fans of whimsical fantasy with a touch of romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown UK for the ARC—also, the cover is absolutely stunning!