Publication: 28th August 2025 – Gollancz
DARKNESS ALWAYS FINDS ITS WAY BACK.
As Fey wage hopeless war against the oncoming storm of mortal conquest, Fairfax Manor lies in ruins. The first witches of Blackthorn forged the ancient fortress from their very souls to keep those of their bloodline safe. No one is safe now.
Katherine Woodrow might have survived persecution at the Institute of Magic and journeyed across the divided lands of Elysior to study magic with the legendary Lord Emrys Blackthorn himself, but losing her heart and almost her life wasn’t on the curriculum.
All magic has a price – a price Alma would rather have died than see Kat pay. But the dark isn’t finished with Kat yet. And Alma will stop at nothing to save her, drawing on the power of the beasts that simmer beneath her skin and even facing the secrets of her own past to help her friend.
And there’s no time to lose. Because more demons are escaping from the cursed texts the mortals failed to guard. The world is slipping back into darkness. And something is returning…
A tale of deadly devotion.
Tales of a Deadly Devotion is one of the sequels I have been waiting for, after that unexpected cliffhanger of the first book, Tales of a Monstrous Heart, and it didn’t disappoint. Not at all. I actually liked it even more than the first book.
Once again, the author’s writing kept me glued from the first to the last page and I love the dual perspective, from Kat and Alma, as we get not only more of their background story, but also their struggles as they face their pasts and their traumas.
The book starts right where it left off and there is as much darkness and magic as in the first book. We have curses, forbidden magic, monsters, and ancient texts. There is also a lot of banter, tension, and slow-burn romance. I loved how Kat and Emrys’s relationship develops, but my favourite theme is the found family as Kat, Alma, Emrys, Gideon, William, and Thean stand together against powerful and dark enemies. Kat is brave and clever, Emyrs is adorable and fierce at the same time, Alma is loyal and courageous, Gideon’s sarcasm was my favourite thing, and William’s naivitè made me laugh, while Thean was full of surprises. Also, let’s not forget the magical manor that keeps playing matchmaking and moving rooms and people around.
Tales of a Deadly Devotion is a brilliant gothic academia novel with brooding heroes and tenacious heroines, magic and ancient lore, and yet another cliffhanger that left me looking forward to the next book!
A huge thank you to Gollancz e NetGalley for providing me with a proof of this fantastic novel.
Jennifer Delaney lives in Liverpool, England. She has always had a deep love for troublesome characters, heart stopping romance, and all things gothic
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