If you like dark fantasy books, check out “A Crown of Ivy and Glass” (via Amazon; affiliate link).
It’s the first book in The Middlemist Trilogy by Claire Legrand.
This dark adult fantasy book is full of exceptionally deep fantasy worldbuilding. We follow protagonist Lady Gemma Ashbourne, whose family is embroiled in a blood feud with the Bask family. Lady Gemma has no magic, but her sister Mara does, and was sent to the Middlemist to guard against evil magic. Lady Gemma suffers from chronic pain and mental health challenges.
Lady Gemma meets handsome Talan, whose family was destroyed by a demon. Talan is an empath who can help Gemma with her pain. They team up to destroy the Basks. The book turns into a semi steamy romance. Sadly, the main character is fairly unlikeable for much of the beginning of the book. The real value in this book lies in the worldbuilding and side characters.
See what readers have to say about “A Crown of Ivy and Glass” over at Goodreads.
The next book in the series is “A Song of Ash and Moonlight” (via Amazon; affiliate link) which comes out in September 2024.
-Dark Side of the Library
