The Fox Hunt: Dark Acdemia into Fantastic Fey Fantasy

 

Author: Caitlin Breeze

Genre: Adult fantasy, urban Fantasy (faeries), dark academia (in the first half), romantic but not romantasy, queer themes but not queer lit

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Format: Ebook (NetGalley Copy)

Release Date: February 24th, 2026

TW: Misogyny, murder (attempted and followed through), imprisonment, near drowning, sexual assualt

So, this book took a genre that I usually bounce off of (dark academia) and turned it into a fey-wild romp in an intricate and magical world. Along with sacred cannibalism and queer themes, I love anything and everything to do with the fae.  As such, I loved this book. 

But first, the plot: Emma Curran is a scholarship student studying at the University, the most prestigious university in the UK (and possibly the world).  Born to a renowned biologist mother and a deadbeat father, Emma is more at home in the University's rivers and streams among the animals than in the University's oak paneled halls. However, when Emma wins a full scholastic prize to continue her research, she's thrust into the glittering underbelly of the University's most secret society, the all-male Turnbulls, and their leader, the beautiful Jasper Balfour. The Turnbulls host wild parties and one night suggest something: a fox hunt. The girls will be the foxes and the boys, the hunters. To escape these murderous boys, Emma begs the City beneath and between the University to save her. With that boon a bargain is struck, and the Night City will claim it's due. Can  Emma fulfill her debt? Can she take revenge on the Turnbulls? Will she ever be human again?

This book hooked me immediately. That began with the characters.Emma is an interesting main character; passive and a bit out of her depth at first, she grows into a capable and knowing character near the end of the book. Her best friend, Nathaniel (or Nat), is wonderful and even though he was decidedly a side character, I was very happy whenever he showed up. I appreciated that he was also a British person of color, and that there was mention of his trying to rediscover hisUgandan heritage and how that clashed with his father's full assimilation. The other characters in the first half of the novel were nice as well, but they are a bit thin. I loved the fey characters (special shout out to Robin), but due to spoilers, I won't speak more about the, except to say that they are mostly portrayed as the fey should be, delightful and delighted but also dangerous, cunning, and inhuman (sorry ACOTAR fans). I like it when the fae are odd, and cunning and a bit cruel, always using wordplay to get more out of a bargain than the human petitioner. There is also queerness in this novel (Nat is gay and Emma is bisexual) and I loved the representation. It felt natural.

Note, this isn't a romantasy, but there are romantic scenes here. However, I do not think they are  particularly sexual, usually stopping on a kiss or cutting to black if the characters have sex. As an ace person, I found this fine. However, there is non explicit  sexual assault, and the use of a date rape drug by a minor character to another character. 

I loved the Night City as a setting and it's class dynamics that mirror the class dynamics at the University in the first half of the book. I like the undercurrent of desperation that the City has, where it feels like the upper class is partying while the City crumbles. The setting is rich, but also has room to be added to, especially after the end of the novel. The university was a bit more sketched in, but the Library was incredible, so that brief sketch in is definitely forgivable. The third person pov and vivid language really do help to smooth over any wrinkles in the current story. Although, I hope that in a (hopeful) eventual sequel, these holes will be filled in so to speak.

Now, with mention of the first and second halves of the book, I must give a warning here. This is not your typical dark academia book. After the titular Fox Hunt, the novel turns into a full blown urban fae fantasy. I love the fae, so I was fully on board for this change, but if you're looking for a full dark academia, you might not enjoy the switch. However, these two genres are woven together well, and if you like both genres (like I do) you'll love this book. Give it a try, and you'll dream of dark University's and fae bargains for weeks. I eagerly anticipate a sequel.

Final Rating: 4.75 out of 5 (rounded up to 5) stars 

Drink Paring: Tongmu light smoke lapsang tea for the dark City and its attending university

The Blackstone Chair: Extremely Gory and Creepy Fantasy

 

Author:  Waqas Khan

Genre: Fantasy, Adult, Dark Fantasy, Horror, Grimdark (the protagonist can't change the system, and the setting tends towards darkness)

Publisher: Victory Editing Co-op

Format: Ebook (NetGalley Copy)

Release Date: January 24, 2026

TW: gore, body horror (grafting of body parts onto skin), torture (broken bones, jabbing with hot pokers), rape and sexual assault (threatened), cheating, slight homophobia (alluded to), murder, animal death (undead rat), sexism/misogyny, child death (flashback, on page), pregnancy, birth

The Blackstone Chair is a book about horrible people trying to avoid a horrible fate. It was a difficult read for me. I still really liked parts of it, however and think it might be worth someone’s time.

But first the plot. Ciaran Ryker is the Darkling Prince, heir to the Blackstone Chair. he lives in the lap of luxury and is about to be married to a noble and powerful woman. There’s just one problem. Ryker does not want to be the heir;  as the heir is the next person in line to die feeding the Blackstone Chair. The King’s life force gets sucked out to grow darkroot; the plant that makes necromancy possible, and therefore enables the Ryker family to stay in power. Ciaran is said to have a while before he perishes, but when that turns out not to be true, Ciaran, his uncle Romney and his squire Martigan flee together for one last desperate meeting with the deposed kings of the tundra like south.   

First off, all of the Rykers are bastards, and that includes the main character. I hated Cirian as a protagonist. He was an incredibly complex character, and his upbringing definitely showed through the pages, but as he kept getting into worse and worse situations and continued to be absolutely horrible to the people around him, I found that I didn't really want him to succeed. He is arrogant, cowardly, and mean, fitting for such a setting. If the narrative was getting me to hate him, it succeeded. 

But Ciaran is a peach compared to the rest of his family. They all scrabble like rats in the dark trying desprately to avoid the chair, and none of them are redeemable  at all. I enjoyed reading about Menshe Ryker, as he was definitely my favorite villain, as he was competent and ruthless, as well as a mastermind. He was always two steps ahead for most of the novel, and I liked being drawn along with Ciaran into his schemes.  

My favourite character was Ciaran's arranged wife, Kathrine. She was a delight to read about, even as she also did some horrible things. I sympathized with her, as she was effectively shipped off to marry a dead man, leaving behind a man she loved. I was rooting for her and was disappointed that she was de-emphasised in the end. I hope she gets more time in the sequel. 

The novel is in third person limited, so it holds you away from the characters and really adds to the bleak setting. The setting was a character in its own right, and was definitely the best part of the book. In this world, undead do all of the labour where the Rykers rule. Naturally there are a lot of discontented peasants which come into play later. There are also unique gods and enough distinction between cultures that it doesn't feel like the stereotypical European fantasy setting. 

The thing that made me keep reading was the world-building. I love the concept of people not wanting power because is not really power, it's a cage. I love seeing the effects of extreme propaganda on the sacrifice for slaughter. I loved that the magic here was much more real than a lot of other books, using plants instead of more esoteric things. It made the magic feel visceral. 

There wasn't the only thing in the book that was visceral. There is gore galore, torture and various other things that might turn someone's stomach. This is not very tame, and you can be blindsided if you're not prepared as a reader. Sex however, is de-emphasised, although childbirth is shown on screen. There wasn't any romance here, but the world does have and talks about sex. Also, there is a lot of misogyny, so be aware. 

In my copy, there were a few typos, and repeated sentences; I assume that will be corrected when the book is published.  

All in all, despite everything, I want to read the sequel, just to see how these people end up. I also want to explore the worldbuilding a bit more, and see if there are more systems of magic that can be just as real. 

 If you like bleak settings, with realistic magic systems, and can stomach all of the content warnings, I'd give it a shot! Just be prepared to roll your eyes at the main character.   

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Final Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 (rounded up to 4) 

Drink Paring: 1985 ding dong oolong, for the darkness and licorice flavor 

The Halls of the Dead: Bloody Gothic Brilliance

 

Author:  S.M. Harrow

Genre: Queer fiction, Historical Fiction, Horror, Gothic Horror, Adult, erotic elements but not romantasy

Publisher: Avon and Harper Voyager

Format: Ebook (NetGalley Copy)

Release Date: August 18th, 2026

TW: (taken from the front of the book,  which I love) cannibalism, gore, murder, drowning, miscarriage, death in childbirth, self-harm-induced magic, depression, suicidal ideation, possession and loss of autonomy (added) bugs/pests, period typical misogyny, child abuse 

So, this settled in my stomach, and wouldn't leave. I have a favorite type of book, and it's a book with queer adults engaging in sacred cannibalism. 

First, the plot: In almost like our world Victorian London,  Irene practices necromancy, a banned magic in her world. Together with St. John of the Crypt, her undead husband/servant/ mentor, they resolve to resurrect Irene's lover and wife Agnes who has been killed for practicing necromancy. They do succeed, but Agnes comes back with a devouring hunger, and the magistrate who killed her is prowling around the three, looking for a reason to send Irene to an asylum.

I love the characters so much. Irene is driven and damaged, and a true delight to read. I love the way that she  cares about both Agnes and her magic with a fierce grasping love. St John is also great; I love his perspective as a man who's lived for centuries, and his affection for Irene and Agnes is understandable and appreciated. 

The worldbuilding is subtle, but I love it. Magic exists in this world, and there are forbidden arts that people don't have access to. I love that necromancer's in particular can live on as soul-books. However, I was unclear if this magic was hereditary or could be learned; I assumed it was hereditary.

The language was vivid, and I do appreciate how descriptive it was; the novel is split into three POVs, so be aware (again, I'm not typical, I was able to keep all three in my head, but be prepared to track back if you need to). 

The explicit sex scenes are lovely. There is both a threesome and a scene between Irene and Agnes which I will not go into for spoiler reasons, but suffice to say they were both well written and in character. I loved the way it was very woman-centric. The sex enhances the story, but can be glossed over if that is a deal breaker, this isn't a romantacy, as all three of the protagonists have feelings for one another of some sort. 

 This book is incredibly gory and intense. Hunger as cannibalism is a central theme, along with the aftermath of violation and abuse. If you're into that catharsis like I am, you'll enjoy this.   

 Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the ARC! 

Final Rating: 5 Stars

Drink Paring: Shui Xian black tea, sweet and dark 

Queen of Faces (Deluxe Edition): A Wonderful Premise, Slightly Shaky Execution

 

 

Author:  Petra Lord

Genre: Dystopia, Queer Fiction, Teen Fiction, Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance (but not romantacy), Dark Academia, People of Color (Fantasy)

Publisher: Macmillian Children's Publishing Group

Format: Ebook (NetGalley Copy)

Release Date: Feburary 3rd, 2026

TW: murder, genocidal acts (explicit), parental abuse and abandonment, mutilation, suicide. racism

 

I loved this book, and am glad it exists for teens to read. However, I have a few problems with it. 

But first the plot (taken from the back of the book): "Anabelle Gage is trapped in a male body, and it’s rotting from the inside out. But Ana can’t afford to escape it, even as the wealthiest in Caimor buy and discard expensive designer bodies without a thought. When she fails to gain admittance to the prestigious Paragon Academy—and access to the healthy new forms the school provides its students—her final hope implodes. Now without options, Ana must use her illusion magic to try to steal a healthy chassis—before her own kills her. But Ana is caught by none other than the headmaster of Paragon Academy, who poses a brutal ultimatum: face execution for her crime or become a mercenary at his command. Revolt brews in Caimor's smog-choked underworld, and the wealthy and powerful will stop at nothing to take down the rebels and the infamous dark witch at their helm, the Black Wraith. With no choice but to accept, Ana will steal, fight, and kill her way to salvation. But her survival depends on a dangerous band of renegades: an impulsive assassin, a brooding bombmaker, and an alluring exile who might just spell her ruin. As Ana is drawn into a tangled web of secrets, the line between villain and hero shatters—and Ana must decide which side is worth dying for."

The characters are probably the best part of  this book. Anabelle isn't a chosen one; she's flawed and reckless and sometimes a but dumb. However, instinctively, I  do like her. She's great to read about, and I want to see her succeed. I feel her pain and her entrapment. 

I love Wes. I cannot expand on him due to spoilers, but I must say, that his exploration of his identity and inherent queerness was great to read. Nima and Mr. Nameless were less flushed out, but still fun to read about, and I can't wait for the book to focus on them all more. 

I have a few issues however. For one, certain anachronistic phrases (tonkatsu,) and discussion of those topics (discussion of favourite manga) weakened the worldbuilding for me. These words are inherently tied up with modern japan (especially manga) and don't really fit in a fantasy setting that seems to be based in 1920's England. This is a shame, because I love the idea of being able to swap bodies and all of the horrific implications and gender freedom that implied, but that was overshadowed by the choppy worldbuilding. I also wish that queerness was explored a bit more, as most of the characters are genderqueer, but I understand that the dying is more important. 

For two, there isn't much academia in this Dark Academia book. There's one class, and some small explanation of the magic system, but I didn't know most of the professors at the end of the book. I was fine with this but be warned. 

There is no sex/spice in this book, only kissing, and a brief love triangle. It was fine. 

But overall, I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the sequel.  

Thanks to Macmillian Children's Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!

Final Rating: 3.5 rounded up to 4 Stars

Drink Paring: Wild Da Hong Pao oolong, roasted and dark 

Book Review-The Mercy Makers: Vivid, Maybe Too Vivid For Some

 

 

Author: Tessa Gratton

Genre: Political Fantasy, Erotica (queer-forward), Adult,  

Publisher: Orbit Books

Format: Ebook (NetGalley Copy)

TW: murder, racism against a minority group, imprisonment, death penalty, colonialism

The Mercy Makers is a book you have to devote time to. It's a luxuriating read, packed with politics and meditations on the nature of empire and what one will do to break or uphold a system 'for the greater good.' The characters are as layered as the language, but sometimes that language occludes connection. 

First, the plot. Iriset is the daughter of The Black Cat, an underground smuggler, murderer and general ne'er do well. She is also, Iriset, is Silk, a genius Designer, a person who can manipulate the fundamental forces  of her world by basically making intricate diagrams and applying them to people. However, in her society, human alteration is forbidden, and she as Silk skirts the line. Until, that is her father gets captured and sentenced to death. Iriset, in keeping her identity secret has gotten a golden opportunity to infiltrate the palace as a handmaiden to the consort of the Hungry God, one half of the ruling government of her kingdom, to save her father.

The language is my favourite part of this book. Certain metaphors have stayed in my head since I completed it, even if it takes me a second to decipher them. However it is very florid language, so be warned. The language lends itself to the political intrigue as well, covering it like wrapping paper, with double meanings. But even the language can be exposition-y, but still a delight to read.

The magic system, likened to building a structure benefits from the language. I also love the magic system; it’s incredibly unique.

The characters however suffer. Iriset has a competent arc, however, the language holds her apart. The consort and her brother are even further from the reader. I wonder if this was intentional as they are like gods. I commend the author if so. 

On that note, I appreciate that queerness can exist in this setting but still is restricted by the convictions of the empire. I liked that there seemed to be consideration of multiple axises of oppression as well.

This book is not a romantasy. It is a political queer fantasy with erotic elements. There is a lot of sex, and Iriset relishes in it with both binary genders allowed in the empire. As an Ace person who leans towards women, my eyes glazed over the PIV scenes but even they were well written. 

It seems that if this book clicks with you, you will love it. It clicked with me and I can’t wait to see the next one.

Thanks to NetGalley and Orbit for the ebook!

Final Rating: 4 stars

Drink Paring: Osmanthus oolong while gazing at the moon