This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me is here.
Happy release day to the first volume in the Maggie the Undying trilogy!
Here are some of the retailer links for your convenience. This Kingdom is available in ebook, audiobook and hardback formats. The UK release will be on the 2nd of April.
A Letter from House Andrews
Dear BDH,
This Kingdom is finally here.
You know we don’t do feelings, because we are professionals and all that, but this release is unlike any other we’ve had. So much time has passed between the first clumsy idea of Maggie and today, filled with work, pressure, and sheer effort.
It doesn’t seem real.
Any time you do something different as a writer, you take a risk. And this one is different. It’s an entirely new world, completely unlike our own reality. We filled it with fantastic creatures, strange magic, and archetypes: the Golden Knight, the Noble Assassin, the Fire Mage, the Mad King. The side characters are heroes of their own stories. We wanted to condense the essence of what makes fantasy books… well, fantasy.
We hope you’ll enjoy a plunge into the world of Rellas. It is our sincerest hope that it reminds you of why you love fantastic worlds and the strange people who inhabit them.
And now House Andrews has made us all emotional compromised… release day without treats? Not on my watch.
The unbelievably talented Helena Elias has another character reveal for us.
You’ve probably met him already in the Garden of Soft Blossoms…
Now that the book is out in the world, this is the place to talk about his secrets and everything else in Kair Toren. Reactions, theories, favorite moments, things you need to scream about, whether you’ve just started reading or already devoured the book – we’re here for all of it.
I’ll also be collecting your questions for House Andrews, who will answer them on the blog or in the Zoom release Q&A we’re planning in April.
This is your official This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me discussion thread.
Attention!
There are spoilers in the comments below.
There is one specific plot twist in Chapter 23 we’re asking you not to discuss just yet until everyone catches up. Thank you for your cooperation.
New Here?
If you’ve just discovered Ilona Andrews through this release and you want more, welcome! You’re surrounded by people who understand exactly how you feel.
There’s a Start Here button now on the homepage just for you.
Reading guides, series breakdowns, freebies, quizzes, and so many wonderful adventures await you.
See you in the comments.
Best book
Birthday!!
Friends, I am SHOOKETH.
Just finished the book, tomorrow on to the audiobook.
SHOOKETH.
Just finished it. Just wow. Reading about Maggie and the world of Rellas was amazing. It is such a textured and brilliantly complex story. The world building, the amazing plot twists and surprising end( satisfying but made me crazy) was great. Ilona Andrews is truly a master story teller. Thank you so much. Now to read it again…
I’m only on page 24 but couldn’t help but wonder where the writer of the story has disappeared to! I haven’t had the chance to read comments because I’m working a lot of nights with work. I’ll finish when I do so I don’t want to read any comments. Thanks Ilona Andrews for another story. So excited!!
I’m busy until tonight at which point I’m sure I will not sleep at all!!!! so exciting!!!
Happy Book Birthday 📖 📚 🎂 🎉 I loved it!!!
Oh wow. The only good thing about having Covid this week is that I’ve been home to devour this book in a day and a half!
(It’s 12.05pm April 1st here)
I see what you did there..😉 Hope you feel better soon!
Happy book birthday! House Andrews absolutely knocked it out of the park! The characters! The drama! The plot twists! That ending… I’m off to start my first re-read while I practice my chalantness…
So sad. No Hugh. No Derek & Julie. No Conan, no Wilmington. Great storytelling to get me invested in Maggie, and now a cliffhanger. Why? I feel like I’m being toyed with…😞
Conlan, not Conan. Damn autocorrect…
the EYES have it!
Just finished it, well worth staying up to read, although my wrists are not used to hardbacks anymore but I couldn’t wait for the ebook on Thursday.
I felt very justified in chapter 23 since I suspected it but couldn’t think how.
But Sir Bellen blindsided me and then to hang us on a cliff of such monumental heights?
It’s Everest proportions, this is not on. . . when is book two coming out, I want to speak to Steve, I am not chalant!!
Happy book birthday! It’s as amazing as we all knew it would be.
But that ending was just cruel considering we already have to… *shudders*… w*it… for the next one.
I’m just barely into it, and I love it beyond measure. Thank you, Ilona and Gordon! And thank you, Mod R for everything you do to keep the BDH in line and happy.
OMG, couldn’t put it down. Stayed up until 3am in the morning with a 6am alarm. Finally finished during my lunch break and now dreading the long wait for the next instalment. Pleaaaase let it be soonish.
So excited for this series!!! I lol, I giggled, I screamed and I cried. I love this book so much I can’t fully put it into words. Thank you!
I’m so excited to find out more about the world and how Maggie is going to save the world. Also I feel like the hair clip is going to become my new metal rose. Like Maggie of course he loves you! You’re amazing! And she looks so beautiful in green. But omg the back and forth with Sol and the dance with Lord Arvel wow. I was having so much fun. I love the loyalty Maggie shows to her friends and how she fights to do the right thing even when it’s hard. She’s an inspiration and she brings hope to world that needs it. The future might be fighting her but she can’t die and she’s not willing to lose.
It is my considered opinion that “It is a fine, long-standing tradition to not give a **** about what the Savarics think” is one of the finest lines House Andrews has ever written.
I liked that too. I knew from that conversation that he fully 8n tended to marry her.
I thought as much, sooner, but certain from that.
Hearts!
All the feels! 🙂
Many thanks to IA and Mod !
I started reading this book at 12:30 pm and it is now nearly 24 hours later and I just came up for air. I devoured this book (together with a box of donuts & countless cups of coffee), it is amazing! I love the story, the characters, the intrigue! I couldn’t physically put it down. F*** sleep, F*** walking around like a zombie at work! Oh gosh, I just realized it will be another year before book 2 is released. Panic mode
I started reading this book at 12:30 pm and it is now nearly 24 hours later and I just came up for air. I devoured this book (together with a box of donuts & countless cups of coffee), it is amazing! I love the story, the characters, the intrigue! I couldn’t physically put it down. F*** sleep, F*** walking around like a zombie at work! Oh gosh, I just realized it will be another year before book 2 is released. Panic mode
I haven’t gotten as far as I would have liked. Right now it’s bedtime and I’m trying to decide how late I’m going to stay up reading. And so far my favorite part is the discussion after the barrel of salt has been purchased.
oh… my…god. OH MY GOD!!!! O_O
Diving back in to chapter 24!
I was waiting for this. pretty much woke up and started reading.
I love everything about this book. The world, the scheming, the sass! It’s beautiful.
Also I have never been so deeply betrayed and yet reassured by an author. That cliffhanger is brutal, but word is the second book is already in progress, so okay!
Best wishes on your health and life and writing!
Happy book birthday! I read a lot of portal and isekai fantasy and this is right up with the very, very best – in fact I can’t think of any that is better. The world building is just so strong and gritty and varied and the unfolding of the story is edge of your seat stuff. I was going to read straight through but found my self having to take breaks to catch my breath. Thank goodness it was the Author Lords writing it because I really needed their trademark funny bits. Questions – so many questions – is there another undying – the ends suggests it – and if so, is he also from our world or the bridge between our worlds or Latour writing his own story and now annoyed because it’s been hijacked…
It came this afternoon….I’ve held it in my hands and I can hardly wait to open that beautiful cover! Swoon
I took a vacation day off work so I could read this. I just finished and it was soooooooooooo worth it! I am screaming!!
I could write so much about my feelings and how great it was but i am 100% sure you all are right there with me, so I won’t.
Just omg about everything! and the ending AHHHHHHH! I couldn’t believe that’s where they left us! ( Ĭ ^ Ĭ♡ )
I absolutely love Maggie and her attitude, (the bite me comment was perfect). I have already finished it and am starting the reread–stayed up way too late reading last night). Thank you for such a realistic and wonderful world.
Have read 38% of the book so far and it is the most amazing book I have read in a long time. I can not put this down. So impressed I googled where to find the Author so I could say how much I am enjoying this read. I do not want to leave this world. Fantastic, wow 🤩
Welcome to the Horde! One of us, one of us 🙂
Welcome to the BDH! We are a very nice group who can get, shall we say, excited about all things Ilona Andrews.
Mod R is our wrangler and generally chief of everything while HA is doing their thing.
Enjoy the other books in the different series!
One of us! One of us!
Welcome to the Horde!
Happy book birthday!!!
IMO this is the best book Author Lords have written yet. I think the best thing for this story was letting go and writing a loooong one. The story took its time to establish major and at first seemingly minor details, characters, relationships and plot points, and thanks to that every twist and turn felt so intense. I was so invested. Everything felt so real and I wanted more more more, I just couldn’t put the book down and stayed up until 4:30 AM, but it was so worth it!
The reveal/ betrayal from chapter 23 was raw and intense and it kept me guessing about motivation behind every one of the Betrayer’s action, before and after that point! Ahhh! So good! I only started to waiver in the last chapter after the gift Maggie has received, but then it was all cut short because House Andrews do cliffhangers after all!!!
I wish I could fast forward the today so I was off work already and could start a reread!
Thank you House Andrews for taking the risk with this book, this series. Thank you for taking the Horde along for the journey of finishing and publishing it.
And thank you for Mod R for your wonderful job and guidance on the blog.
The thing I keep wondering about the most is WHY The Mystery Man From the Garden took interest in Maggie right here and there. Her entrance to the Garden was noticeable of course, but even if that was unusual, there is really no indication that she might be peculiarly interesting. And The Mystery Man was very very interested.
I reckon that either
1. butterflies swarming Maggie caught his interested because it shows she is much more than she looked at the moment, and later pursued the contact because they keep crossing paths
2. or he has some deeper knowledge and somehow knew/ recognized that Maggie is not from their world. Maybe there are more people who have been transported to Rellas, and he know some or of them?
Also dying to know what it is up with the author of the books. Writers not finishing series or not writing a sequel for a very long time is nothing unusual in our world here, but in the context of Maggie being transported into Rellas, this is very suspicious! Maybe he is stuck in Rellas… of he is from Rellas and was transported into our world… but then, how does he know so much? It isn’t just the recounting if the events, he knows deepest secrets, inner thoughts, past long hidden and almost forgotten…
Also, how fun to notice and meta with Maggie thinking about “random scenes that in the next book turned out to be super important” and then experiencing exactly that! I’m so glad the story unfurled so patiently with its mysteries and we still do not know so much!
Maggie herself is a wonderful character. It was great to see her calculating, manipulating and at time backstabbing people, using every drip of knowledge she has, but keeping her integrity and morals. This is a perfect mix because we see someone who is smart, careful and does their best, and their mistakes feel honest, true and human, not just a device to push the narrative forward. Maggie showed the people of Rellas who she is and I feel many many many of them will be just as upset with the turn of events in the last chapter as we the readers were, heh.
I was thinking about power imbalance in relationship between Maggie and Reynald, considering how unfair it is to enter a new relationship when one person knows so much about the other and already does have – if one sided – relationship with the other. Kind of like parasocial relationships work and how dangerous it can get for both parties, if they ever meet. Then my speculations about morals of this situation went up in flames lol as much bigger issue revealed itself.
I also thought that the man from the garden recognised Maggie (not her face necessarily, but maybe her magic?). It could be the butterflies (who are attracted to magic like other creatures that Maggie has attracted). But if the man from the garden is also the man who chased Maggie outside the garden, then maybe he knew she was important just by looking at her. Which makes me wonder: was it because he had something to do with summoning her, or is there a way he (maybe others too?) were also summoned? I’m sort of thinking summoner mages from hidden legacy: they use portals and summon creatures to fight their battles for them. Is it a big leap to think that maybe a mage would summon someone who could affect the timeline? Maybe someone with useful magic, armed with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the timeline that needs to be changed- resurrection could be a gift from the summoner or magic that the summonee (hmm, looks like that’s not actually a word ;P) already had. There might even be competing summoners, each working towards their own ends.
1. I wonder if Maggie got engaged without knowing it when she put the hair ornament in?
2. How will Maggie’s level of magic and her understanding of languages play into the series?
3. Feel like there’s potential for the villain to be redeemed in Book two, as it seems the only options for next king are him, the second son, or the perfect knight. Then Book 3 would be how everyone comes together to fight the Crimson Kingdom threat.
I loooove theory 1.
I agree completely! There were times where I was shouting out laughter that was “hey, I recognize that humor, that’s HA right there!.” Like when Lute says “Hey, Maggie? Survive, get paid.” Such a guild thing right there.
And then there was Maggie’s own distinct personality. I did NOT feel like I was hearing Kate or Nevada or Dina in my head. But boyo, do I love her as much!! Have since Day 1 ….how many years ago was that original snippet, anyone remember?!?!?
I am so amazed at how HA has expanded our world with this book. I knew if was gonna be big, and they did not disappoint on any page!
Oops! That was supposed to be in reply further up the comment chain. sorry!!
Having sooo much fun with everyone’s comments when I’m supposed to be working!
I’m hoping the hair thingy has some kind of tracking magic Everard can use to follow Maggie when she disappears…..
If not, the Harzi creature is still with Lute and I would bet Maggie’s dress from her time with the Butcher was saved by Everard, not to mention I’m sure Clover would supply hair from her brushes.
ooh, great point.
it’s like a Rellas version of CSI. 🤣🤣🤣
The grumpy Harris bird thing bit Maggie. I believe that once it bites someone it can always find them. Haven’t gotten that far in my second read, so could b wrong…
One last thought. Will there be restriction for the second in command that deliberately let Maggie get hurt? Feels like the other people that know her clocked that.
+1
Real last questions. Will the events of the last chapter influence the king’s behavior towards people he hates because they came together to kind of help him?
+1
I wouldn’t hold my breath. The character you are thinking of has helped the kingdom many times before, and it hasn’t stopped the King from trying to kill him. The king may be forced to honor him again, for appearances, but he will not be grateful for the fact his heir is yet again being out shown by his contemporaries.
I SWEAR I saw a post about House Andrews not writing cliff hangers!! THAT epilogue is not would I would call “not a cliff hanger.” Now I will have to w*it. For Maggie 2. I guess I know how Maggie feels.
Don’t worry, I still devoured and loved the book! Might be my favorite House Andrew’s book yet. and I LOVED the plot twist in Chapter 23! The romantic sub plot was not working for me up until that point (character compatibility was all off) but that little twist made it all make sense. I will have to read again once I catch a little sleep!
Happ book birthday to our author lord.. all the way from India..
Wat a book !!!!! Couldn’t keep it down even after trying too … and the characters… if so intriguing…. Can’t wa*it for book 2…that cliffhanger was just wat 🧐🧐🧐
I think for book 2 they should start with flow chart of all the characters and their relationship 🙈… coz keeping all of them straight was definitely a task while trying to figure out all the plots and subplots 🤭
happy book birthday
is it really a cliffhanger if the plot of the book is finished? or is it the start of a new book? it was just ….
I can’t even
loved the book!!! It sucked me in and spit me out at 3am for 2 days straight.
so vivid and detailed and…
I want sushi as a pet.
the re-read will have to wait since I need something fluffy at the moment but it’s coming soonish.
thanks IA and modR
I read for 17 hours strait.
I am not kidding. Sleep? who needs that? Food? unimportant. Work? to my eternal shame, I called in sick.
That was not the Plan. The Plan was to wait till midnight and read 1 or 2 hours, go to sleep, go to work and have the book looking forward to. I did wait till midnight. I read for 2 hours and didn’t stop. At 9 am I called in sick at work. I didn’t eat, I snacked choclat an chips. At 5 pm my eyes gave out. Words blurred, Lines crossed, Sentences didn’t make sense so I gave in to my annoying bodily weakness and slept. Now I have close to 30% left and count the minutes until work is finally done so I can continue reading.
I AM OBSESSED!!!
THE WAIT WAS WORTHIT!!!!
THANK YOU HAUSE ANDREWS!!! I LOVE YOU SOOO MUCH!!!!
Holy moly. That. Was. FANTASTIC!
Confession: I’ve been a bit angry and resentful of Maggie. With the wait for her book and other things being pushed to the back burner (which I totally get, really I do), I went from Team Chalant to Team Dushegub. Don’t get me wrong. I LOVED Beast Business and The Inheritance, but those were more like delicious snacks. Really tasty treats that I will definitely gobble up again and again, but I’ve needed a MEAL. I knew for a fact that Kate, Julie, Hugh, Maud, and/or Dina would definitely fill me up. I couldn’t be so sure of Maggie. Well, now I’m sure.
This Kingdom wasn’t a meal. It was a FEAST!! Thank you House Andrews. I am fully sated (well, for now. You know how we are). That book was so good, I can even overlook the cliffhanger. So much depth. So much to discover. So many new friends to cherish. As always, you’ve given me all the feels. I will now strangle my inner Dushegub and rejoin Team Chalant (though honestly Mod R, the only proper response to that one question was to burn it with fire).
P.S. I ended up listening to the whole book rather than switching when my hardcover arrived, as I normally would have since reading with my eyes is faster than with my ears. All credit for that to Kristen Sieh. Her narration was off the charts good! Best new listen I’ve had in ages.
I am so glad you liked Kristen, she is so good and worked so hard! ❤️
Kristen is so good, I may actually prefer her to GA eventually (though I absolutely will get that too, just to compare, you understand ^^)
Agree wholeheartedly! Kristen Sieh is a wonderful narrator. She really helps bring the characters to life. Looking forward to both a re-read and re-listen!
If you had dropped Maggie on top of my TBR pile, with no cover, and no author credit, I still would have known it was them due to the very realistic, and unrealistic, worries of the leading lady and the absolute impenetrability of the main male lead
Being Neurodivergent, I spend too much time in my own head and others seem like fortress walls when I attempt to understand them
Luckily my lovely wife of 27 years uses her words and Gordon writes incredible male POVs to compliment the main novel’s lady POV
Thanks House Andrews
No clue how they can top this book
No pressure
PS The adoption was my favorite part of the book since found family is a huge warm hug for me
PPS But the magic duel was my second favorite part. Because. Grey bearded, TTRPG, Nerd
I loved the adoption! I hope we get to see more interactions with her found family. Sol is clearly dead serious about it, and her new brother seems truly delighted.
Okay, look, I have so much I want to say. But I want to start with how IA so skillfully showed us that Maggie was lonely but not alone in her “real” life.
And also YES to my fellow Horde and “Green suits you, Maggie.”
Dollars to donuts the author of the Kair Toren books is the archmage/a mage (Latour, mage tower.. ) 🙂
I’m leaning toward Matheo, because the POV inside of heads thing. The Far-seeing properly developed. I know the books says he died, but its possible he only nearly died and wrote it that way to keep Maggie in dark. I do think Isadau is part of the equation as well, after ascending to the top two levels (I’m guessing Space and Time).
Matheo is far seeing, but cannot see into peoples minds and he does not know what happened to his dad before he was born. So I am definitely on the side of the arch mage, or some other mage from the tower.
My theory is that part of what makes Maggie undying is that she is not from this world, so her soul is somewhere else while her body is being repaired by magic.
Ok, so assuming that we are taking Latour as a clue for tower from House Andrews, there would be a few options.
1) the Mage Tower is the most obvious tower in the book – but the Archmage doesn’t have any clear motive for isekai’ing Maggie. Isadora would be a possibility, but how could she do this in the state she was in?
2) Berengur has a tower as part of his shield design – but probably doesn’t have the magic to do so
3) Matheo is part of the Redeemer Tower and has some kind of spacial magic (farseeing)
4) Eagle Roost (Royals) had a tower but it doesn’t seem that major a part of the royal family’s identity
5) Silveren leads the Redeemer knights, and is the head of their tower but what possible motive could he have for bringing Maggie over? – he managed to topple the royal family in the original timeline, and is the power behind the throne by the end.
1) I think we’d be dealing with a future Isadau. In the original timeline the Archmage must have healled Isadau eventually, hence Maggie knowing the spell. I think those theorical levels of mages mentioned are going to be key to what happened.
3) Matheo’s far-seeing feels think the only way the author is able to be inside people’s heads.
5) It would be cool with Silveren rounded out this trio. I would nice if after witnessing the horror his vengeance wrought he learned to regret his choices. I was toying with the idea that Maggie may be his daughter, given her ability to break his Call and come back to life , which he may have. He sends Maggie back through time and space with Matheo to be raise on Earth with the books to prepare her for her return.
Do we know that for sure? The author controls how much information about Far-Seeing Maggie knows. Also Matheo’s young, the author would be him in the future having developed more control over his abilities, which like the one-eyed Raven GOT stuff, could been he can see into the past. The stuff he knew about Hreban was quite detailed on his thought process regarding. I suppose he could have discussed his thinking with someone, but he’s so arrogant, I have some trouble seeing it. I do agree an ascended archmage (top two as of yet theoretical level) has to be involved in her arrival. My money is on Isadau.
That is an interesting theory, but Silveren’s recovery has me wondering if she isn’t the only one with that gift in Rellas. My main questions swirl around the many gifts she has. I’d be more willing to put down the undying thing to her being from Earth, if she didn’t also have the perfect recall and the universal translator. I don’t know if they are inherited (Maggie being born in Rellas theory) or bestowed by an archmage (future Isadau). So many questions…
I agree that it makes sense that a mage might be involved in Maggie getting pulled into the world and/or wrote the books. I feel that the undying and the languages come from the same spell that pulled her in, but the perfect recall might be part of her own (developing) magic along with being able to figure out how to affect the outcome of her actions in order to fix the timeline so the kingdom doesn’t burn- in the last few chapters, the original timeline is skewed, but Maggie still seems to know exactly what to do to nudge it in the right direction- like magic!^^
Matheo may have a bigger part to play later, or he might be just a display of a rare magic talent, that the -as yet unknown- author also has.
Silveren’s throat wasn’t slit and we haven’t seen him regrow any limbs, so he may or may not be undying, let’s spend months arguing about it😈
Yeah, but they trained her to hit the femoral artery when she attacks with a dagger and then made her practice A LOT. AND she stabbed him at least 4 times. So even if she missed the femoral artery on the first one, she got several do-overs. HA loves us way too much to just shrug and be like, “welp, she missed. Moving on.”
You’re right, I’m on my (maybe fourth? lost count) re- listening and I just noticed how Maggie was taught how to hit the femoral artery. Not instant death, but within a few minutes and the antagonist did disappear within a few minutes I think, so maybe we have a second undying character. Which makes me wonder if resurrection is a rare kind of magic that these two characters have or if it comes from being summoned into Rellas. Which now makes me wonder how a character that was born there got summoned- was he sent away as a child, for his safety and then summoned back, or is this a pretender?
I said it above but maybe he had hafia on hand.
“They’re medicinal in nature. They help to stem the blood flow from open wounds.”
Yes, not necessarily undying, just has access to magical healing. A slit throat or a severed limb would require resurrection but a bleeding wound (even several of them) might be ok if treated within minutes- and he disappears within seconds.
The key question is how exactly does Matteo’s farseeing work? Does he see the scene from inside someone’s head, including their thoughts etc? Or does he view the scene from outside any living person’s viewpoint? If he can watch from inside someone’s head, I’d say the odds of him being the author go up tremendously.
Plus an archmage, probably Isadau, eventually.
Dear BDH, I am frustrated. Where are all those spoilers that you promised? The book will not be available to me for another day- Amazon wouldn’t even sell me the preview. I only read the preview a couple of days ago, when I found mention of Reactor in the blog, so now I just can’t w*it. In case I haven’t been clear enough: I WANT SPOILERS! Just give me something, anything; people who don’t want spoilers won’t be reading this until they finish the book, but I actually don’t care. I’m starting a re-read as soon as I finish the first read and I hate surprises anyway- surely there are more people like me? Can’t you be kind and indulge us? Sadly I understand that it’s too late now and by the time someone takes pity on me, I’ll have access to the actual book, but I’d like to take this opportunity to beg for spoilers when the next two books are out, I’m certain the suffering will be worse then. Some people have tried asking spoilery questions, but no one has answered- come on! Just give us some facts and sone hints to tide us over until tomorrow, pretty please? With cherries and whipped cream and chocolate on top?
Trying to be respectful of the kind ask about chapter 23! That twist changes so much and puts everything into new perspective that it is really hard to write spoilers without touching on that bit! I’m sorry you’re suffering, but it is so so worth it!!!
Not a spoiler, but an aside: Have some fun and look into the Soap Making process in preparation 😀 on the way to a monopoly, if you ask me
Spoiler: if you think the right male lead hasn’t appeared yet, he has appeared.
I’m in the same camp with you, an avid spoiler devourer, so I guess… I’ll offer you some?
#1 This book takes place over the course of two months. And in that time, Maggie, who starts out as a barefoot “beggar” with no material assets and not even an identity, rises dramatically in social station.
#2 Maggie meets many hot and powerful men, but from the most noteworthy 4–two become her suitors, one becomes family, one becomes the greatest danger.
#3 It often goes like this: Maggie uses her book knowledge to avert a bad thing. But then, a worse thing from the story happens ahead of time in reality (i.e. the original story’s timeline accelerates).
My indie bookshop is holding out on me! They den*d me the hardcover, ’cause it officially drops tomorrow and by threat of existence they aren’t allowed to give it to me earlier. I saw it! lt was right there behind the counter! I discussed, I snarled and waved my limbs. Alas, to no avail! I failed at dushegubbing. We all know what they do with failures. There is no member of the horde around to save me.
Off now to arm myself with a chainsaw, cause as fertilizer I won’t make it to the bookshop tomorrow. Gahhhh! Barsa!
Too late now, but do they have a policy preventing u from holding the book? Maybe, reading it a little? Still in the store, ofc. Do they have an out of the way spot u might sit and read, just for a few minutes? Or hours? (Blinks innocently)
And it’s dedicated to me – a chalant member of the Horde *swoons 😍❤️😍
*does many happy dances
I AM LOVING MAGGIE!
Thank you thank you thank you
*paroxysms of new book joy
Happy Book Day!!!!! haven’t read it, even though I got the ebook.
I am going to get a hard copy…Yay!
I’m halfway through the physical book and starting the audiobook this morning! This book isn’t long enough haha, I don’t want it to end! Congratulations on your book birthday, and happy happy new book day to the Horde.
Oh it is so wonderful! Yesterday morning, my regional Library had 1 copy – GONE! But I would be next!
By the afternoon it was on Libby and by dinner time I had it!!!!!!!
Thanks to the preview read I’m about half way through (Dinner was throw some Ravioli in boiling water, heat up some sauce and done! Some ice cream afterwards served up by my Hubby as I read!)
And NO Spoilers from me.
I do have a question, but I can’t ask it without talking about Chapter 23 – so if this is too cryptic to understand, please forgive me. How did one person know that the other person would be looking for him?
Kept reading and found out the answer to my question. No details too small for House Andrews!
I love it! I absolutely LOVE this book!
Yesterday i started reading but when my eyes doesn’t cooperate and i started listening to the audiobook “10am to 4 am” , for the last 3 hours to the ending i couldn’t stay awake, finished it just now , it was beautiful , fun and addictive. When my head and eyes recovers the continious sleeplessness, i will read it too.
I loved it, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I’ve read the book trough the night. The happiest coincidence was my day off today. Unfortunately I have to go to work tomorrow so I desperately need to fight the urge to reread it at once.
Thank you my fav authors for the great pleasure of reading Maggie!
Is there a possibility for one nice post that gathers all the art that was created for This Kingdom? Or maybe it already exists? I saw an ad with Sleepless Duke’s art and I don’t think I’ve seen it here.
Once the reveals are over! 🥰
I just finished reading—and I LOVED it. I loved it so, so, so much!
Now, though… I need more. I need it NOW. There was a cliffhanger… there was NOT supposed to be a cliffhanger! What am I supposed to do? How am I going to survive the wait for the next book? It’s killing me.
To be honest, I was a bit worried going in. There was so much hype. I love everything by Ilona Andrews, but I thought this level of buildup would be almost impossible to live up to.
And yet—this book didn’t just meet the hype, it absolutely smashed it while somehow still aiming higher. I already considered them masters of the genre, but with this… I’m honestly speechless. This was truly incredible work.
Now the wait begins anew…
I took the day off from work.. I had pre ordered the hardback, but I knew I just couldn’t wait… and I was right!!
The dive to Kair Toren was spectacular.. I just reread and reread over and over again.. Thank you for this walk on the wild side!!
I really do not mean to pressure you, but is there any timeline for Maggie 2?
Again thank you for this gift that is your world building!!
Have now finished the book. Chapter 40 twist was less of a shock than the chapter 23 one, but only because I was less invested in that character.
The reveal during the climax at the end of the story felt like an “I knew it” moment, even though I did not call it in advance.
The cliffhanger was mean, though.
I have IRL things to do this morning so it will be at least noon before I can start rereading, until then Barsa.
This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me: I can’t believe it, I usually I get new releases a few months into the year from my library. I was actually able to get the first copy from my library yesterday…. and I am too busy to do more than open the first chapter and read the first page. This weekend I should be able to dive in! I love my library! Happy Reading to all!
I loved the ball thingy, it was so fantastic, bellen is a delight! I love ramond and all that drama, it’s just so wonderful. all the flirting and delicate dancing and mayhem and murder and soap making! why did she not apply for a licence 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 honestly a loose end that must be tied up. the found family in this story is so wonderful. there’s so much heart.
I think a licence will be aquired soon and fund a new soap monopoly. part of me things they delayed because first there was no identity to share and then it was too juicy to let her new surname be found
That’s why she w*ited to apply for the soap license! To keep her name secret! Well, and at first she didn’t have her ID papers.
Does it count as a reread, if immediately after finishing you jump back into the book and already search for your favourite scenes?
The funny bits, the action bits, the emotional heartwrenchers, the few kisses we got @-@ I feel wrung out after this emotional roller coaster and I need eyedrops to soothe my tired eyes. Stopping after hours of reading for a break? Not on my watch!
The only thing protecting my sanity is the knowledge that IA are already finishing up Maggie #2
This book has not killed me, but it is already living in my head rent free. Not a single Den was paid and Maggie and her company still monopolize all the brain space…
The cliffhanger!!!! Is he suddenly Undying like Maggie?
…please help… no sanity left…
I wondered about his recovery as well. Could be a hidden family power (and Maggie turns out to be a relative). Also could be the Archmage healing him. So many questions!
ooh! A hidden family power… I love it!
My prediction is he’s the author! That’s why he didn’t finish the last book in the real world and why he’s undying in Rellas
I am not done, but how can you ban chapter 23??? read faster people!! <3
Loved it!
Immediately started to read it when it dropped at midnight. Read till I finished it took a nap for a few hours and immediately started reading it again when I woke up. 😝🤓😀 just finished it again.
Excellent all around. Gonna read it again when I wake up.
It was so much fun getting caught up in the story and speculating and speculating. I did figure out the underlying bad guy pretty quick but knowing didnt detract from the story at all.
Its probably been mentioned at some point but what is the approximate maggie 2 book date? Haha Thanks house andrews for another wonderful adventurous escape into another world!
No official date yet for Maggie 2, manuscript is still being written 🙂
It’s being published through Tor. All the main publishers seem to be on a one per year schedule, at least all my other favorite authors who use traditional publishing seem to have only one book per year for a particular series. A few authors publish more books in a year but only one per series. Sadly, I bet they make us wait until March 2027 for Maggie 2.
I’m guessing March 2028 😭
Honestly, I think March 27 is probably a bit too early.
IA are still writing the second book and while it seemed they were closed to finishing it, they now have the release tour, which is going to delay stuff. And I think they have written only the first draft (and still have to finish it) . Afterwards it will need several rounds of edits and rewriting. A process that will take multiple months all on its own. And from what little I know, publisher prefer to have some months between the “final” edit and the book getting published (to ensure ARCs… etc…).
With Maggie 1 they had already finished the edits many months earlier (I think it was first half of 2025?). And Tor may want to mantain that breathing “room” between one book and the other.
Plus, they would probably want HA to start writing the third book by the time the second one is published to ensure the publishing schedule between one book and the other remain similar and there is no “delay”.
The way I see it, late 2027 is probably the earliest. Tough it wouldn’t surprise me if the second book would be pushed to early 2028.
Especially if you consider that IA may want to write other books in their other series (final two Innkeeper books, Wilmington 3, Breach Wars 2…etc…) between one Maggie book and the other.
Because yeah, that ensure that we get “fed” and keep us happy (and hopefully it helps IA creativity?) but it also means that they obviously can’t just jump in the following Maggie book. They are only humans and have only so much time they can spend writing and they can only write so fast.
But hey, if Maggie 2 will be out March/April 2027 I will be the first one to celebrate it and be super happy about it.
No. Maggie 2 in March 2027 or bust.
OMG! They dedicated this book to the BDH! Best authors ever!
I spent all of yesterday (my day off. It just worked out that way) listening to This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me. I laughed, I cried, and I enjoyed every moment. of courfe there was an occasional time of swearing at The Authors for events. then I get to the end and my first thought was, “I now.have to wait until the next book.” really
I know I will listen several times. (my best way to know a good book.) This is a great story, and huge cast of characters great and small. Really even the fish mystery had me going. I had a thought at first that it was a magic hiccup because Maggie went into the river the first time she died.
loved it can’t wait for the next.
I spent all yesterday (minus obligations) devouring this book. Not done yet so I am not reading the comments. Per usual House Andrews has knocked it out of the park. So so good. Cherry on the top is I get to lay eyes on House Andrews in person at tonight’s book tour!!!!!!
In some way the Chapter 23 reveal didn’t surprise me like others in the Horde. There were clues in the chapters before that on that made me suspect that he (not revealing any names due to Mod R’s request) was someone important enough to get people to back off from Maggie.
Also, Maggie caught his eye extremely early in the book when he gave her those coins. (This is a huge hint without giving anything too much away.) He must have some glamour in his magic to not give away his true eye color like we read in Chapter 23.
I’m still reading the book, so I haven’t gotten to Chapter 40 yet. I might be close, but like with everyone else, I just keep on reading.
From what I’m gathering from the rest of the Horde, we are all going to be like Frodo in Return of the King when he is hanging on for dear life when dangling over the flowing lava after the ring melted. 😉🤣🤣🤣🤣
He doesn’t actually glamour his eyes at all. Clock in in the reread, it’s mentioned a few times 🙂
wohooo, just put my paws on it in Czech republic, so now coffee, cake and off to reading marathon
I skipped the spoilers here.
I am…savouring this book, like fine wine. Not gobbling it all at one sitting, like I usually do, with Ilona and Gordon’s books. Its so dense, the worldbuilding is so thorough, I’m taking it slow.
Thank You. 🧡🧡
I have mixed feelings right now. I don’t get my book until tonight at the book signing. So disappointed I can’t start reading yet…butI get to see House Andrews today!!
This is more of a publishing question, but maybe Mod R knows. Yesterday This Kingdom was #14, today of course it’s #1 for Kindle and Hardback on Amazon. My question is why a paperback version is $52.29, twice the price of the hardback?
It may be just how Amazon does business, but it seems weird to me.
It’s not a publishing question 🙂 . You are looking at a private seller, so a 3rd party outsider who sets their own prices.
I am at chapter 30 of audiobook. Dynamics between Maggie and Everheart reminds me of famous Here, kitty kitty scene. XD Enjoying it very, very much…
WOOT! Have the book & am holding off reading it (ahem, will TRY to hold off reading it) until my trip to Chicago Monday morning. Well, at least until I’m in the TSA line waiting to clear Security.
Wow!
Magical and so twisty !
Wonderful !
Trying so hard to be fluffy …will reread many times to unlock hidden details …
There are so many secrets !
Rest …relax and then…more please !
Maggie arrived yesterday (Tuesday). I finished the book at 4 am this morning (Wednesday)! Yes, it was worth getting only 4 hours of sleep. I’m not commenting on anything. But of now my brain is demanding to know when the next Maggie book will be released. I realize that is an unrealistic demand…Thank you for another wonderful adventure.
Next release I’ll figure out how to take a day off, maybe two! Omg I loved this book so much, I neet to finish work so I can start the first reread of many!
I’m a civil/structural engineer and I’m pretty sure some of my family thinks I’m ’some sort of architect’, that was so accurate. I know she was translating but it was real.
I have questions, how did the MMC fit through the hole in the bathroom at the beginning when Maggie couldn’t? Magic? Will we be getting some male POV’s someday? Who was the character named after a fan in a contest?
Great book! I read it in like 24 hours ❤️ looking forward to all the art drops.
The “Get-a-character-named-after-you” contest was for The Inheritance – and the winners got named as guild members of Cold Chaos in the final chapters, if memory serves 🙂
Maggie had a couple of please suggest names posts, but I can’t remember exactly which one made it in now 🙂
Thanks!
So, Mod R, I was going to ask if Ilona and Gordon are fans of Guy Gavriel Kay, because Everard and Savaric are both names that show up in A Song for Arbonne. And now that you mention the naming contest… I wonder if *I* suggested either of those names???!!! Because I definitely participated in that…. And even if not, I am totally going to pretend that I did! Totally chalant! team Facts Be Damned!!!
oooh!!! I thought the same thing about A Song for Arbonne when I saw the names (also Aelis was used too).
I may have to go back and re-read GGK while w*iting for Maggie 2 (after a reread or 2 of This Kingdom of course).
I know this one. The tiny hand dug tunnel connected to the main hallway from the inside the cell. That main hallway had the secret exit. The small fry went through the tunnel and into the main corridor and opened the secret door for the Mighty Sword Fighter Dude from the inside. Mighty Fighter waltzed into the dungeon proper, albeit very stealthily.
Mighty Fighter, once kid opened the secret door into the house, walked (stealthily) thru a normal sized hallway to the dungeon. Just to clarify.
I read it. I read it all. Now I’m sad. Where are the words? I need more words. I’ll re-read at least six of seven times. Then I will be sad again.
Happy release day! I finished it this morning and now feel so mournful that there is no more to read. It was amazing and of course I stopped midway (after plot twist) to reread the previous chapters with new insight.
We are so blessed with this first book in a trilogy. Thank you IA 🙂
The book is amazing, as usual, and I already gobbled it down. I usually feel guilty for immediately whining for the sequel (I remember poor Ilona saying something like, “Can we not just have one DAY to be glad the book is out before you start this?), but this time I feel no guilt in my whining.
I hate cliffhangers with the power of a thousand suns! I have stopped reading in-progress series by certain authors because of it, but I am going to trust and believe this isn’t a new trend by House Andrews. I will honestly cry if we start to get a bunch of cliffhangers in our future.
Having said that, the book was in all other ways wonderful and I will start the reread as soon as I make myself grade the two sets of test papers I SHOULD have finished when I read “just a chapter or two— SUCH a lie” instead of finishing my grading. 🙂
That was incredible! Thank you so much!!!!
Happy (belated) book birthday, Maggie!
And guh. This was good. So so so good. And the love interest is amazing! I’m very proud of myself for figuring out Arvel from the first meeting between him and Maggie, but the cliffhanger!!! I figured it was coming from the way Maggie said the second book in her world was a cliffhanger, but nah!
Thank you, House Andrews for another amazing world to lose myself in … metaphorically, of course.
Ugh, stupid autocorrect. The nah should be a gah.
Wow , I’m still listening to the book but I couldn’t help and had to come here to tell you first how much I like it and how masterfully you presented our planet in their society
Eeepp!!! I’m so, so happy that Maggie is finally out in the world!! I have not stopped thinking about it since I read an arc last year!!
I’ve read Maggie thrice and I don’t know why but everytime I laugh at “Will it be fresh enough, Maggie?” LOL
Okay, question: Chapter 27 when you-know-who said “That’s one reason.” I want to know will we ever know the other reasons?!! Because I have thoughts and I need to know if I’m right??
Congratulations on the new release!!!
+1
I’m there with you… That last line in chapter 27 got me too!!
I’d like to know if we’ll get a POV short from him for this part, like Curran and Mad Rogan.
That would be awesome! I LOVE the POV shorts!
My LOL moment is “I will rule the city with my soft, clean hands.” My thought on the “one reason” was referring to the fact this went beyond his usual badassness. It’s has to do with his current emotional state. There’s a line from Home Alone 2 that goes “the way I’m feeling right now, no mugger or murderer would dare mess with me!” A normal person can become fierce and dangerous when their loved one is in jeopardy. He’s a killing machine on his most chill day. Given what he’s feeling after what just happened to Maggie, he’s a freaking atomic bomb.
It occurs to me that someone who studied “Power. How to acquire it, how to keep it, how not to abuse it.” might be a far better ruler than the current royal family of Rellas.
Of course, becoming Queen is not a HEA and HA promises us this trilogy would end with that. Still, Queen Marigold, First of Her Name has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?
Well, she’ll be ruling Selva, which pretty much operates like its own country, so her education won’t be put to waste.
I got my book yesterday and started reading it last night.It is wonderful so far, I love all the descriptions and world building. I take things slower than I used to so I am enjoying it in bight size pieces. I get to savor it instead of bolting it down.
Happy Book Birthday
Work is getting in the way of reading. 😒 I had to stop for adulting. It is not okay. I’m loving it. I wanted to just stay home and finish it. I must w*it and have p*tience. Adulting sucks!
I stayed up until 4:30 am and I regret nothing . I’m also now looking up soap making classes . It will be a nice hobby to pick up while I not so patiently wait for the next book .
It seems like forever since I suggested TKWNKM to my library for purchase. OTOH, this meant I was able to borrow the ebook as soon as they got their copies since the current wait time is over 6 months. Definitely worth the wait.
I’ve returned the library copy early to allow someone else to be able to borrow the book and picked up a copy from Kobo for my re-read.
No theories yet just pure joy. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
When I first heard yall were working on a new story I was disappointed it wasn’t a new Innkeeper book, but I was wrong. I just finished Maggie and I can’t wait for my next read thru. Just Thank you, yall are amazing at what you do.
Maggie not letting corrupt, overly powerful political figures burn down a world she loves* resonated in the bones. Thank you, House Andrews. (*while enjoying sword muscles and delicious foods and contending with her own anxiety about keeping folks safe and plots and law…)
Oh I love this too! Pretty clear where some of the inspiration comes from. And Maggie has so much agency and is so smart. HA writes the best characters.
Thank you for the monumental effort. You know what would be REALLY funny? If you didn’t release the third book…Also, we would revolt.
A lot of people have quoted that fear 😀
It would be the “Member of the Book Devouring Horde” t-shirt graphic come to life.
Yes, but House Andrews can do a really funny thing and drop another character from another world into book one of trilogy three!
Happy book Birthday, MAGGIE!!
And now, my question. Is Latour a character we have met? I feel I now have to ask this question about everyone… for no reason whatever.
I wonder if everyone will come together for Maggie’s rescue (if Maggie doesn’t rescue herself first), or if it will be complicated by various people each wanting to be the “main” rescuer? Also curious to find out in the ballroom scene, when the Sleepless Duke’s people stare at her, she thinks it’s because of who she’s with, but what did he tell them beforehand about her that might also have caused them to stare?
Since the staring came prior to Arvel, I think its very much about Maggie. I don’t think he needed to tell them much. They know she got him to out himself with the Firefate and then track her down while the Conquers were looking for him. They were there when he personally carried her out of the Butcher’s lair with his telltale smoke revealing how upset he is. I’m sure he was a grumpy goose while they were separated and sent his people to check in with the Shears to check on her once they reached the city. If someone had that kind of power over your ruler, you’d stare too.
Jen is right again! Super comments: thanks much!
Enjoyed your thinking: thanks!
I’m pretty sure we all know who will get the word first that Maggie’s in need of rescue. Clover will gather Lute(tracking) and Will, plus their parents and it will go from there. I’m pretty sure he-who-sent-the-pretty-hairclip will b along before too long. If not, Gort has made his allegiance pretty clear.
I loved the story and the characters. I had some preconceived notions after reading the preview, and didn’t know how I’d end up feeling about the MC and the ML’s respective choices, but I ended up truly liking all the characters, main and secondary.
And I have questions… mostly about the ML, mostly because the narration is exclusively from Maggie’s pov.
***SPOILERS warning***
Maggie always assumes that the ML is emotionally insincere, that he’s just manipulating her in order to use her. So question #1 is–to what degree is that assumption true?
#2 Does the Duke know that Maggie is the beggar woman to whom he gave those coins?
#3 What do Sol and the Duke assume or suspect about Maggie’s true origins?
#4 Why didn’t the Duke want Maggie to be adopted? What did he mean when he told Sol that he had “forced his hand”?
#5 Why didn’t Sol and the Duke contact Maggie before the ball?
#6 Is Adrian Latour’s place of origin our world or Rellas?
1) The only manipulation he’s guilty of is what she figured out and he explained. His priority at first was saving Rellas, so he he had to either lie or resort to more hostile tactics to get her cooperation. No brainer there. As he’s getting to know her I’m sure he was hoping build up some goodwill to counter his reputation, like the song “I’m gonna keep my sheep suit on until you’ve been shown that I can be trusted walking with you alone.” I don’t think he’s ever deceived her emotionally. He’d have no reason to because he knows her goals are to spare the suffering of the people. If something bad was coming for his home, she’d tell him. The comparison she draws is unfair, because the other woman had her own family and people she would otherwise prioritize over him and Selva.
#2: Definitely. She told him she met him, and told him about a time in her life when a man’s coins saved her life. He also got a good look at her when they met. With that prompting he’d definitely figure it out. Its all in the subtext of him offering her the coin back and her refusing. That doesn’t hit unless she knows he knows.
#3: I think they know she’s from a country they’ve never heard of that’s far different from Rellas. Her English slips, her claims to be poor, but with an education, great hygiene, willingness to clean, and lack of instinctual deference. Also her attitude after waking up of worrying about the law after a mass murder. It speaks to a safer, softer, more egalitarian society.
#4: He plans to marry Maggie and he’s been in agreement up until this point with the Demarrs about public coolness between their families. Marrying a daughter of the family would announce to the world a far stronger alliance.
#5: I don’t think they appreciated how worried she was. He’s a scary dude who is very difficult to kill and he knew what danger to look for this time. The idea that Maggie would be that fearful of his demise didn’t cross his mind.
#6: I’m leaning towards Rellas, since they said how reclusive he is and no one knows what he looks like. Odd detail unless we get a tada moment later.
I spent the whole day yesterday reading the book and refusing to allow myself to read the spoiler thread. So glad I did it, the twists were awesome and the Arvel twist was especially amusing since I actually saw that one coming but totally got why Maggie didn’t. After all, she didn’t have gorgeous artwork of Lord Arvel that perfectly matched the description of Lord Bellen to refer to.
My big question is: “WHERE IS LATOUR?” I’m convinced that he ended up in Kair Toren too, and just like Maggie, he’s been messing with the story line, which is probably why the real Reynald died before she even got there. Could he be someone we haven’t met yet? Could he be Reynald himself? I’m wondering what the Horde conspiracy theorists are thinking?
Ha agree! As soon as she said she didn’t remember a Bellen from the books and we hadn’t met Arvel yet, I was like okay it has to be him.
The book was great!
Is it possible for a cast of characters to be posted or added to the next book? People come and go an I find it confusing on who is who.
The biggest unknowns that are driving me crazy is: How did Magee get into this world? What happened to the author who wrote the book? What’s the connection to Magee? Even Magee arrival has altered the world, is this an altered time line from the books or is the books getting rewritten. How does Magee get her happy for ever after?
I don’t think we’ve “met” Latour yet, but I 100% think he’s a Rellian(?) who got portaled to the “real world” wrote the books and then somehow got sucked back to Rellas. I think he wants out, figured out some way to get someone there who knew the world (perhaps based on her HS essay?) so they could help him save Rellas but leave it functioning not turn apart by civil war. My wild guess is Inhan. As the second prince, he would care about the country but would by all accounts want out.
Latour has to be older. Maggie was 15 or 16 when her mother gave it to her. She’s about 25 now. I think it might actually be the crazy king. Or as has also been mentioned the arch mage we haven’t even seen yet.
I’m not sure he does because it has to be time travel involved. The author has already lived through the events of the books and possibility many more years not recorded. Yet Maggie enters at an earlier point in time. I think a future version of Matheo is the author, because he enters people’s heads with his far-seeing and he may record what he sees. He could have lied about his own death.
Oh the other part of my comment cut off. Does anyone else think that Maggie’s family was killed in the “real world” and that’s what portaled her to Rellas? So that she may have had her big trauma after all. Also, it would eliminate the conflict she’s inevitably going to face when she’s faced with the return to reality or not choice. Alternatively, I think that as she stays in Rellas she will start to forget she wasn’t always there. She did keep mentioning forgetting about her family for stretches of time.
I think she’ll be able to say her goodbyes once Isadau ascends to the top to theoretical mage level (space and time). I think she’s forgetting about her family more and more because she has purpose her and is forming another family, so she’s not lonely most of the time. As for why she appeared, I think she was summoned. The books were released on Earth for a reason and I think that reason is Maggie. Latour has seen the future and wants it changed. She’s brought to Rellas because she is the only one who can. She was either chosen because she is originally from Rellas from a magically powerful family or she was picked because of what she wrote on the message boards.
I may be down under but my heart went up over (the moon) when I saw those eyes. I don’t do the ::Squee:: thing, but I do do ::lustful sighs::
O. M. G. Sublime, those eyes. I want. He is mine. Gimme. 😁
OMG!!!! Just finished audiobook and I am in AWE. There is so much to unpack. And the ending!!! I need a second read through. Immediately. Yes, back to the beginning. Thank you HA for another amazing world full of kick ass characters to fall in love with!
I loved the book and all of the characters. You always do so well at making me care about everyone who appears on the page. I consumed this story as voraciously as any card carrying member of the horde should.
I will say I didn’t like the cliffhanger. I never mind loose ends, but cliffhangers just give me anxiety and I generally dislike them in books. I dont feel like you need it to get me interested in reading the next book, your writing is compelling enough without it.
Anyway, I like that you broke out into a new series, loved the new world and I look forward to seeing more new creative things in the future. Congratulations on the book launch!
My nook malfunctioned like 3ish chapters from the end and went to someplace after the epilogue. I was very upset where I thought the book is ending. It’s a good thing I got to read the contents and see epilogue.
I agree with other people when they say this may be the best HA book yet. Absolutely loved every word. Loved the characters, the relationship, the world building…
Initially I wasn’t a fun of the potential love between Raynald & Maggie. It just didn’t convince me and made me grimace a bit, because Raynald was a 39 yo with a (missing) 15 yo old teenage son that should be full on mourning for his recently deceased wife. So him & Maggie falling in love just left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth.
And the way the story was written I just couldn’t see Maggie having another love interest.
Then chapter 23 happened…
Now, Maggie & her ML have other, very big, issues (and she has plenty of reasons to be reticent and is rightfully distrustful), but I enjoy them so much. Their dynamic is quite interesting and I love them.
The book was just great. I loved Clover, Kayden, the Magnars, Solentine, Sushi (love the name, so fitting)…
Really looking forward to the next book and see how things will evolve (how Maggie will get out of her situation, her relationship with Solentine and her noble family, her soap business, to know more of her magic, Latour…etc…).
Thanks so much for this wonderful book.
hi, I’m holding on until the physical book is delivered (after the Easter weekend…)… but I’m dying to know: who actually is the love interest? and: does galiene survive (and her daughter) due to the tips of Maggie early in the book?
Resist! You can do it 💪
First one is a spoiler House Andrews have asked us not to address just yet 🙂
Aargh!!! I am not allowed to start my journey yet! I have to wait for 2. more. whole. weeks. 🤯 I am not chalant.
Can we start an Easter Egg thread? Only one other BDH member has mentioned the “Your welcome has been revoked” line. When I read that I literally pumped my fist in the air and shouted, “yeah!” Which startled my husband and the dogs. Has anyone noticed others? Downloading the audio version and starting my re-read tomorrow….
I loved everything about this book and agree with the others to said it felt very new, like a new voice for IA but with all the ingredients we love (strong FL with a mission and moral compass, humor, cooking, pets!)
HBBD