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Nightweaver #1
Nightweaver
For fans of Adalyn Grace's Belladonna and Lauren Roberts’s Powerless, Nightweaver is a propulsive YA fantasy debut about a strong-willed heroine avenging her brother and discovering her destiny.
Six hundred years ago, Nightweavers, cursed beings with untamed power, claimed the continents for their own. The ocean was meant to be a safe haven for humanity, including seventeen-year-old Aster Oberon and her pirate family. But after Aster’s brother is killed in an epic battle at sea against Nightweavers, Aster and her family are thrust into a new life on land.
When a handsome Nightweaver named Will offers the Oberons protection and work at his opulent estate, Aster is suspicious. As the arrogant and entitled right hand to the wicked prince, Will is everything that she has been taught to hate. But as he shows empathy and kindness, Aster can’t ignore a blooming attraction. And even more, Will opens her eyes to a new There are monsters worse than Nightweavers, monsters who may be behind her brother’s death.
As Aster hunts the creatures responsible, dark secrets threaten to unravel everything she once believed about her family, herself, and her world.
Filled with elemental magic, forbidden romance, and breathtaking twists, this is a propulsive romantasy about an iron-willed heroine avenging her brother and discovering her destiny—perfect for fans of Powerless and Heartless Hunter.
Six hundred years ago, Nightweavers, cursed beings with untamed power, claimed the continents for their own. The ocean was meant to be a safe haven for humanity, including seventeen-year-old Aster Oberon and her pirate family. But after Aster’s brother is killed in an epic battle at sea against Nightweavers, Aster and her family are thrust into a new life on land.
When a handsome Nightweaver named Will offers the Oberons protection and work at his opulent estate, Aster is suspicious. As the arrogant and entitled right hand to the wicked prince, Will is everything that she has been taught to hate. But as he shows empathy and kindness, Aster can’t ignore a blooming attraction. And even more, Will opens her eyes to a new There are monsters worse than Nightweavers, monsters who may be behind her brother’s death.
As Aster hunts the creatures responsible, dark secrets threaten to unravel everything she once believed about her family, herself, and her world.
Filled with elemental magic, forbidden romance, and breathtaking twists, this is a propulsive romantasy about an iron-willed heroine avenging her brother and discovering her destiny—perfect for fans of Powerless and Heartless Hunter.
432 pages, Hardcover
First published March 4, 2025
243 people are currently reading
25.9k people want to read
About the author
R.M. Gray
2 books506 followersR.M. Gray lives in Texas with her husband and two giant dogs, where she enjoys writing stories about pirates, magic, mystery, and all things fantastical. A self-proclaimed expert at whistling and a dedicated collector of lightsabers, she spends her days drinking too much Earl Grey tea, re-watching old cartoons, and thinking up new ways to break readers’ hearts. She invites you to visit her online at rmgraybooks.com or @rmgrayauthor.
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March 16, 2025
6⭐
now playing: he's a pirate (yes pirates of the caribbean)
14+
romance: 4/10 (there was tension, but only, like, one kiss.)
violence: 6/10 (it wasn't so bad, but keep in mind that it's a dark fantasy romance. i was personally unperturbed but, other readers might be a little sensitive to blood. a fountain gets filled with blood. decaptitation. brutality. maiming. hanging.)
cursing: 1/10 (hell and damn maybeeee once or twice each. ass a couple times?)
tropes: nobility x outlaw, forbidden romance, she's a pirate, angels and demons
first person, present tense
- OVERVIEW -
psssstttt there's a playlist at the bottom besties 🤫
- BUDDY READ WITH -
⤷ violet my best friend everrrr, thank you so much for crying over and loving this book as much as i didddd
violet’s review
SPECIAL THANKS TO SARA, one of my first goodreads friends whom i unfortunately lost contact with. thank you so much for making me read this masterpiece of a book, i owe you loads
this book was absofreakinglutely amazing.
the world building wasn't like i was drowning in useless knowledge, but it gave enough to fully understand.
it was a high-stakes fantastical mystery, that kept me turning the pages. i also hiked to the top of a mountain and read it, so that was pretty cool. the ambiance lol.
PIRATESSSSSSSS, FRICKING BALLGOWNS, AND A HOT LORD? YESSSSSS
R.M. FRICKING GRAY HOW COULD YOU CHANGE VIOLET'S NAME IN THE REPRINT?
to ASTER of all things. bruh. her name was perfect whyyyyyyyy
claim your "here before aster" tickets below 👇😔
🎫🎫🎫🎫🎫🎫🎫🎫🎫🎫🎫🎫🎫🎫🎫🎫🎫🎫🎫
this book made me want to tear out all my hair, but in a good way yk?
i would pay so much money to read this again for the first time. everyone should read this book. EV 👏RY👏ONE👏👏👏
- CHARACTERS -
violet
she's a BA who has a PERFECTLY FINE NAME THANK YOU VERY MUCH. i love her.
if i see anyone calling her aster i'ma cry
will
green eyes? dark hair? aka, my perfect man. not to mention he's so fricking sweet. lilies became one of my favorite flowers bc of him ngl.
captain shade
hehehehehehehehehehehehehehehe. HOTTIE PIRATE GENTLEMAN? YES PUH-LEEZ
titus
he's a prince 🤷♀️ he's a HOT prince. he's my husband. my little bloodletter baddie fr
owen
i cried (it's not a spoiler bc it's on the back of the book y'alllllll). then i lost my everloving mind. then i screamed. and punched. and cried again.
- QUOTES -
"the notion that you find me gentle...” his thumb brushes my lip, sending a shiver through me. “that will be my undoing."
"there is only one thing more powerful than fear, violet.”
“what?”
“love."
"you're too late. i don't need you anymore.”
“you never did."
- CONCLUSION -
this book is a 100% 100000/10 you-you need to read it. 🥺🔪
- PLAYLIST -
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2JH...
devil doesn't bargain - alec benjamin
screaming underwater - alex warren
if you only knew - alexander stewart (beware it's explicit)
panic room - au/ra
head above water - averil lavigne
was it real - ben rodrigues
in the stars - benson boone
forever and a day - benson boone
perfect - ed sheeran
he's a pirate - pirates of the caribbean
bruises - lewis capaldi
i miss the days - nf
high hopes - panic! at the disco
war of hearts - ruelle (literally perfect for this book in every way)
in my blood - shawn mendes
monster - shawn mendes & justin beiber
rewrite the stars - the greatest showman
now playing: he's a pirate (yes pirates of the caribbean)
14+
romance: 4/10 (there was tension, but only, like, one kiss.)
violence: 6/10 (it wasn't so bad, but keep in mind that it's a dark fantasy romance. i was personally unperturbed but, other readers might be a little sensitive to blood. a fountain gets filled with blood. decaptitation. brutality. maiming. hanging.)
cursing: 1/10 (hell and damn maybeeee once or twice each. ass a couple times?)
tropes: nobility x outlaw, forbidden romance, she's a pirate, angels and demons
first person, present tense
- OVERVIEW -
psssstttt there's a playlist at the bottom besties 🤫
- BUDDY READ WITH -
⤷ violet my best friend everrrr, thank you so much for crying over and loving this book as much as i didddd
violet’s review
SPECIAL THANKS TO SARA, one of my first goodreads friends whom i unfortunately lost contact with. thank you so much for making me read this masterpiece of a book, i owe you loads
this book was absofreakinglutely amazing.
the world building wasn't like i was drowning in useless knowledge, but it gave enough to fully understand.
it was a high-stakes fantastical mystery, that kept me turning the pages. i also hiked to the top of a mountain and read it, so that was pretty cool. the ambiance lol.
PIRATESSSSSSSS, FRICKING BALLGOWNS, AND A HOT LORD? YESSSSSS
R.M. FRICKING GRAY HOW COULD YOU CHANGE VIOLET'S NAME IN THE REPRINT?
to ASTER of all things. bruh. her name was perfect whyyyyyyyy
claim your "here before aster" tickets below 👇😔
🎫🎫🎫🎫🎫🎫🎫🎫🎫🎫🎫🎫🎫🎫🎫🎫🎫🎫🎫
this book made me want to tear out all my hair, but in a good way yk?
i would pay so much money to read this again for the first time. everyone should read this book. EV 👏RY👏ONE👏👏👏
- CHARACTERS -
violet
she's a BA who has a PERFECTLY FINE NAME THANK YOU VERY MUCH. i love her.
if i see anyone calling her aster i'ma cry
will
green eyes? dark hair? aka, my perfect man. not to mention he's so fricking sweet. lilies became one of my favorite flowers bc of him ngl.
captain shade
hehehehehehehehehehehehehehehe. HOTTIE PIRATE GENTLEMAN? YES PUH-LEEZ
titus
he's a prince 🤷♀️ he's a HOT prince. he's my husband. my little bloodletter baddie fr
owen
i cried (it's not a spoiler bc it's on the back of the book y'alllllll). then i lost my everloving mind. then i screamed. and punched. and cried again.
- QUOTES -
"the notion that you find me gentle...” his thumb brushes my lip, sending a shiver through me. “that will be my undoing."
"there is only one thing more powerful than fear, violet.”
“what?”
“love."
"you're too late. i don't need you anymore.”
“you never did."
- CONCLUSION -
this book is a 100% 100000/10 you-you need to read it. 🥺🔪
- PLAYLIST -
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2JH...
devil doesn't bargain - alec benjamin
screaming underwater - alex warren
if you only knew - alexander stewart (beware it's explicit)
panic room - au/ra
head above water - averil lavigne
was it real - ben rodrigues
in the stars - benson boone
forever and a day - benson boone
perfect - ed sheeran
he's a pirate - pirates of the caribbean
bruises - lewis capaldi
i miss the days - nf
high hopes - panic! at the disco
war of hearts - ruelle (literally perfect for this book in every way)
in my blood - shawn mendes
monster - shawn mendes & justin beiber
rewrite the stars - the greatest showman
Want to read
February 21, 2025A book with pirates? With clean romance? AND ITS A ROMANTASY?!?!
Heck yes.
Heck yes.
March 4, 2025
Happy publication day!!
Update! We have a thumbnail for GR! 🏴☠️
4.5 stars rounded up ⭐️
🌶️ 0/5
This was a solid YA fantasy debut novel!
The plot felt like a mixture of FBAA (minus the spice), TOG, and a bit of Pirates of the Caribbean thrown in. There was bit more gore description than I anticipated, but it was tastefully written. That’s not something I typically care to read about but it wasn’t overdone by any means.
Pirates, magic, and dark haired love interest(s)???, what more could you ask for? Nightweaver has the fantasy trifecta with endless possibilities for growth in the sequel.
The chemistry between our FMC Violet and MMC Will was slow growing and had all of the tension you could hope for between love interests- but Captain Shade??? HELLO!? I think I feel a love triangle brewing and I’m not mad about it 😇
Huge thanks to the author, R.M. Gray, for giving me the chance to read the e-arc!
Update! We have a thumbnail for GR! 🏴☠️
4.5 stars rounded up ⭐️
🌶️ 0/5
This was a solid YA fantasy debut novel!
The plot felt like a mixture of FBAA (minus the spice), TOG, and a bit of Pirates of the Caribbean thrown in. There was bit more gore description than I anticipated, but it was tastefully written. That’s not something I typically care to read about but it wasn’t overdone by any means.
Pirates, magic, and dark haired love interest(s)???, what more could you ask for? Nightweaver has the fantasy trifecta with endless possibilities for growth in the sequel.
The chemistry between our FMC Violet and MMC Will was slow growing and had all of the tension you could hope for between love interests- but Captain Shade??? HELLO!? I think I feel a love triangle brewing and I’m not mad about it 😇
Huge thanks to the author, R.M. Gray, for giving me the chance to read the e-arc!
March 28, 2025
» He's a Pirate - Klaus Badelt «
0:53 ─〇───── 1:30
↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺
⋆༺𓆩☠︎︎𓆪༻⋆
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - 6/5 stars
Single 1st Person POV
Spice Level 🌶️ - 1/5 (one, maybe two kisses)
Age rating - 14/15+
Content warnings - minimal cussing, extreme blood and gore, some parts can be frightening for younger readers, possession occurs, many people die
This is my review on the og copy without the name changes
🏴☠ My thoughts 🏴☠
This book owns my heart
It's been 4 months since I've read this book and I still can't get over how incredible it was. This is my favorite book Of. All. Time. Nightweaver set the bar of perfection for my book taste and every book I've read since then has lacked so much.
This book was a freaking MASTERPIECE y'all. Nightweaver is the best book I have ever read and I'll fight you to the death on that 🤺
My only complaint...I love Violet's name, please don't reprint it R.M. Gray!!!!!! I'm begging, don't change it to Aster....please 😭🙏
⚔ Plot ⚔
So for the plot imagine Pirates of the Caribbean mixed with angels and demons with a ton of plot twists left and right. Long story short, the plot was amazing and so intense. Honestly I would say some of the plot would be more or less considered as horror, which I actually loved. Some of the more gruesome scenes did make my eyes widen a bit, but it advanced the plot and increased the plot so well.
R.M. Gray is truly a genius for writing this book. I can tell you right now I've never felt the tension coursing through every part of my body as I did when I read it. She mastered every fight scene that made me sit on the edge of my seat, every romance scene that made me swoon, every sad scene that made me cry, every terrifying scene that made me feel like my heart was being ripped out of my body.
⚓ Characters ⚓
➥ Violet (not Aster) - Dude she was the perfect fmc. She was completely BA, but also wasn't annoying about it the entire time. She had some character flaws but they were resolved throughout the story. I loved her character and her grit, I'm biting my nails and praying RM Gray doesn't change that.
➥ Will - I loved truly loved Will, he was great and all.....but I'm Team Titus. He's sweet but also defensive, I loved his character sm.
➥ Titus - This man y'all. This MAN. He launched to the top of my book boyfriend list the second we learned more about him 🔥
➥ Owen - ....wow bro. I cried at his death bc he seemed fun and all....but daaaaaaaaaaaaaaang << read the book and you'll see what I mean
➥ Henry - Honestly he was by far my favorite character. I love how we got to see his trauma but also his deep emotions at the same time. I can't spoil but I cried for him so many times during the book.
🌊 Conclusion 🌊
If you're reading this review, please read this book.
And please read it before she changes it.
You will be sucked in from the very first page and be in for the ride of your lifetime.
Now that that's done...it's time to get ready for the sequel
0:53 ─〇───── 1:30
↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺
⋆༺𓆩☠︎︎𓆪༻⋆
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - 6/5 stars
Single 1st Person POV
Spice Level 🌶️ - 1/5 (one, maybe two kisses)
Age rating - 14/15+
Content warnings - minimal cussing, extreme blood and gore, some parts can be frightening for younger readers, possession occurs, many people die
This is my review on the og copy without the name changes
🏴☠ My thoughts 🏴☠
This book owns my heart
It's been 4 months since I've read this book and I still can't get over how incredible it was. This is my favorite book Of. All. Time. Nightweaver set the bar of perfection for my book taste and every book I've read since then has lacked so much.
This book was a freaking MASTERPIECE y'all. Nightweaver is the best book I have ever read and I'll fight you to the death on that 🤺
My only complaint...I love Violet's name, please don't reprint it R.M. Gray!!!!!! I'm begging, don't change it to Aster....please 😭🙏
⚔ Plot ⚔
So for the plot imagine Pirates of the Caribbean mixed with angels and demons with a ton of plot twists left and right. Long story short, the plot was amazing and so intense. Honestly I would say some of the plot would be more or less considered as horror, which I actually loved. Some of the more gruesome scenes did make my eyes widen a bit, but it advanced the plot and increased the plot so well.
R.M. Gray is truly a genius for writing this book. I can tell you right now I've never felt the tension coursing through every part of my body as I did when I read it. She mastered every fight scene that made me sit on the edge of my seat, every romance scene that made me swoon, every sad scene that made me cry, every terrifying scene that made me feel like my heart was being ripped out of my body.
⚓ Characters ⚓
➥ Violet (not Aster) - Dude she was the perfect fmc. She was completely BA, but also wasn't annoying about it the entire time. She had some character flaws but they were resolved throughout the story. I loved her character and her grit, I'm biting my nails and praying RM Gray doesn't change that.
➥ Will - I loved truly loved Will, he was great and all.....but I'm Team Titus. He's sweet but also defensive, I loved his character sm.
➥ Titus - This man y'all. This MAN. He launched to the top of my book boyfriend list the second we learned more about him 🔥
➥ Owen - ....wow bro. I cried at his death bc he seemed fun and all....but daaaaaaaaaaaaaaang << read the book and you'll see what I mean
➥ Henry - Honestly he was by far my favorite character. I love how we got to see his trauma but also his deep emotions at the same time. I can't spoil but I cried for him so many times during the book.
🌊 Conclusion 🌊
If you're reading this review, please read this book.
And please read it before she changes it.
You will be sucked in from the very first page and be in for the ride of your lifetime.
Now that that's done...it's time to get ready for the sequel
April 4, 2025
Me through this book : this is a debut. This is a debut. This is a debut.
I am so disappointed. This was sold to me as a pirate story… they’re in the water for what, not even 5 chapters? I’ll just start off by saying that my expectations for this were SKY HIGH.
The beginning was so well done. I was gripped… and then the whole family was contracted/sold and it went downhill from there.
How can 8 people (who were free and fierce pirates) just… accept being maids and cooks in a blink of an eye? I had SEVERE whiplash! Thankfully, I wasn’t the only one who suffered whiplash from this - so did our FMC Aster. But instead of asking or talking about it with her family members, she was just throwing tantrums left and right and falling for a guy she literally had 2 conversations with. Why are you so thirsty 😭. She was 17 and read like a 13-14yo…
The other thing that gave me SEVERE whiplash is the fact that we don’t really see them grieve Owen?? They’re a big close family, how can this just be brushed off? I know the story had to move along but it was just so weirdly done? Aster just lost her best friend & big brother and she’s thirsting for a boy she just met 😭 why! Obviously, everyone has their own coping mechanism for grief but this was so bizarre to me.
I was really happy to finally read a Fantasy book where both parents are alive and so are most of the siblings. But their time was cut off abruptly to focus on the FMC… which left me feeling worse than if they weren’t apart of the story :/. The FMC has more interactions with the love interest than with her family members. Which was another thing that rubbed me the wrong way. The dynamics were completely off.
Never have I read more plotholes than I did in this one. The plot was… ? A lot of nonsense if I’m being honest.
I haven’t been dwelling on books I didn’t like for the past year (I think?) but I couldn’t just not say something. I saw some people comparing this to TOG (????) and Pirates of the Caribbean (????!) and I’m left wondering if I read the same book. Was I sent a wrong copy or something?
This book is physically beautiful. I read every word until the 45% mark and then I skimmed till the end. I shouldve DNF’d. But I always find it hard to DNF when a book has such a gripping start and then goes completely downhill from there… I keep hoping it’ll pick back up. It sadly didn’t. Keep in mind that reading is subjective and you might fall in love with this. It just severly wasn’t for me.
I am so disappointed. This was sold to me as a pirate story… they’re in the water for what, not even 5 chapters? I’ll just start off by saying that my expectations for this were SKY HIGH.
The beginning was so well done. I was gripped… and then the whole family was contracted/sold and it went downhill from there.
How can 8 people (who were free and fierce pirates) just… accept being maids and cooks in a blink of an eye? I had SEVERE whiplash! Thankfully, I wasn’t the only one who suffered whiplash from this - so did our FMC Aster. But instead of asking or talking about it with her family members, she was just throwing tantrums left and right and falling for a guy she literally had 2 conversations with. Why are you so thirsty 😭. She was 17 and read like a 13-14yo…
The other thing that gave me SEVERE whiplash is the fact that we don’t really see them grieve Owen?? They’re a big close family, how can this just be brushed off? I know the story had to move along but it was just so weirdly done? Aster just lost her best friend & big brother and she’s thirsting for a boy she just met 😭 why! Obviously, everyone has their own coping mechanism for grief but this was so bizarre to me.
I was really happy to finally read a Fantasy book where both parents are alive and so are most of the siblings. But their time was cut off abruptly to focus on the FMC… which left me feeling worse than if they weren’t apart of the story :/. The FMC has more interactions with the love interest than with her family members. Which was another thing that rubbed me the wrong way. The dynamics were completely off.
Never have I read more plotholes than I did in this one. The plot was… ? A lot of nonsense if I’m being honest.
I haven’t been dwelling on books I didn’t like for the past year (I think?) but I couldn’t just not say something. I saw some people comparing this to TOG (????) and Pirates of the Caribbean (????!) and I’m left wondering if I read the same book. Was I sent a wrong copy or something?
This book is physically beautiful. I read every word until the 45% mark and then I skimmed till the end. I shouldve DNF’d. But I always find it hard to DNF when a book has such a gripping start and then goes completely downhill from there… I keep hoping it’ll pick back up. It sadly didn’t. Keep in mind that reading is subjective and you might fall in love with this. It just severly wasn’t for me.
October 16, 2023
Screaming!!! Full review to come.
---
EDIT: Officially in my Nightweaver era!!!
I first found out about this book through Instagram, where someone had shared one of the author’s posts that had a few quotes from the book. It sounded amazing but of course there’s always a worry that the finished book won’t live up to the promotional quotes, especially with a debut… but after reading it, I can honestly say that Nightweaver went above and beyond.
I loved everything about this book. It was like Pirates of the Caribbean meets Crimson Peak meets The Cruel Prince. Our FMC, Violet, was giving me major Jude Duarte vibes - a rare human in a land of beautiful monsters. (And she’s stabby, ladies and gentlemen.)
The characters were all so great and complicated. There’s a slowburn romance with a boy who has more secrets than he lets on, foes that become friends and vice versa, a villain who’s more than he seems, and a mysterious pirate captain with an unknown identity. I was trying to guess Captain Shade’s deal throughout the entire book and there were quite a few options, so I was wrong a few times before I got it!
The ending left me screaming, crying, throwing up. I cannot wait to have more questions answered in book 2!!
Thank you so much to the author for sending a digital ARC. All opinions are 100% my own.
---
EDIT: Officially in my Nightweaver era!!!
I first found out about this book through Instagram, where someone had shared one of the author’s posts that had a few quotes from the book. It sounded amazing but of course there’s always a worry that the finished book won’t live up to the promotional quotes, especially with a debut… but after reading it, I can honestly say that Nightweaver went above and beyond.
I loved everything about this book. It was like Pirates of the Caribbean meets Crimson Peak meets The Cruel Prince. Our FMC, Violet, was giving me major Jude Duarte vibes - a rare human in a land of beautiful monsters. (And she’s stabby, ladies and gentlemen.)
The characters were all so great and complicated. There’s a slowburn romance with a boy who has more secrets than he lets on, foes that become friends and vice versa, a villain who’s more than he seems, and a mysterious pirate captain with an unknown identity. I was trying to guess Captain Shade’s deal throughout the entire book and there were quite a few options, so I was wrong a few times before I got it!
The ending left me screaming, crying, throwing up. I cannot wait to have more questions answered in book 2!!
Thank you so much to the author for sending a digital ARC. All opinions are 100% my own.
February 3, 2025
A pirate romantasy with monsters, magic, and mayhem.
The Nightweavers have claimed human lands for their own, so Aster and her family (they gave me The Umbrella Academy vibes but violent pirates) and a lot of other humans have made the sea their home.
Their lives are uprooted (upwaved?) when they are taken captive by a Nightweaver Lord who buys their indenture.
Aster had been taught that the monsters on the land eat humans and now she is living among them and maybe falling in love with someone she really shouldn’t.
The romance was not a huge focus of this book, instead it is about relearning everything Aster thought she knew and the different factions at play.
My favourite character was not the love interest, so I’ll be interested to see how that plays out.
“You’re too late,” I say, my voice a quiet breath. “I don’t need you anymore.”
As if those were the words that he waited three months to hear, a tentative smile breaks out over his face, though it doesn’t reach his heavy-lidded eyes. “You never did.”
We have great action scenes.
A ball.
Jealousy.
A captain saviour with a secret identity.
SARCASM AND WIT.
Family loyalty is a key theme of this book. I loved this as I love families represented in fiction. Especially stabby ones.
However, the behaviour of Aster’s family frustrated me. They are supposed to be these fearless, violent pirates and yet they adapt and accept to being cooks, maids, housemaids, etc so easily.
WARNING: This doesn’t really play into the whole pirate thing. The first 25 pages sees the family being taken from their ship to be sold/rescued.
This would have been a four stars, had it not been for certain inconsistencies in characters and plot conveniences.
Physical arc gifted by Penguin Random House UK.
Bookstagram
The Nightweavers have claimed human lands for their own, so Aster and her family (they gave me The Umbrella Academy vibes but violent pirates) and a lot of other humans have made the sea their home.
Their lives are uprooted (upwaved?) when they are taken captive by a Nightweaver Lord who buys their indenture.
Aster had been taught that the monsters on the land eat humans and now she is living among them and maybe falling in love with someone she really shouldn’t.
The romance was not a huge focus of this book, instead it is about relearning everything Aster thought she knew and the different factions at play.
My favourite character was not the love interest, so I’ll be interested to see how that plays out.
“You’re too late,” I say, my voice a quiet breath. “I don’t need you anymore.”
As if those were the words that he waited three months to hear, a tentative smile breaks out over his face, though it doesn’t reach his heavy-lidded eyes. “You never did.”
We have great action scenes.
A ball.
Jealousy.
A captain saviour with a secret identity.
SARCASM AND WIT.
Family loyalty is a key theme of this book. I loved this as I love families represented in fiction. Especially stabby ones.
However, the behaviour of Aster’s family frustrated me. They are supposed to be these fearless, violent pirates and yet they adapt and accept to being cooks, maids, housemaids, etc so easily.
WARNING: This doesn’t really play into the whole pirate thing. The first 25 pages sees the family being taken from their ship to be sold/rescued.
This would have been a four stars, had it not been for certain inconsistencies in characters and plot conveniences.
Physical arc gifted by Penguin Random House UK.
Bookstagram
February 3, 2024
4.5🌟
2024 Read #73/250
2024 Read #73/250
March 2, 2025
(4.25/5) It’s been a hot sec since I finished a fantasy book in one sitting, but I just did that with Nightweaver by R.M. Gray.
📖 ARC Review 📖
Pub date: March 4, 2025
What to expect:
🏴☠️ 1st person POV
🏴☠️ YA romantasy
🏴☠️ Forbidden romance
🏴☠️ Elemental magic
🏴☠️ Mystery & secrets
Nightweaver sucks you in from chapter one and throws you straight into a battle scene on a pirate ship. This book is said to be perfect for fans of Belladonna and Powerless, and I agree (as someone who likes both of those books). I’d also add Heartless Hunter to the mix.
The FMC, Aster is strong-willed, feisty, and witty. She very much acts like a 17 year old girl who was raised on a ship, so I enjoyed the way her character was developed. I also liked that the story focuses a lot on her large family and the dynamics between her and her siblings.
It’s clear that the author was partially inspired by the Pirates of the Caribbean, which I love because it added a level of charm and nostalgia to the story. However, I want to level-set expectations that, even though this is marketed as a pirate romantasy, the majority of the story takes place on land.
Overall, I enjoyed the pacing of the book, which may be obvious since I finished it so quickly. But there were some parts that did a LOT all at once. Specifically, I was a bit surprised by how much was jam packed at the end. I felt like a good chunk of it could’ve easily been moved to the second book.
This is a strong first book to a series, and I’m very impressed it’s a debut. I still have a lot of questions on this world and the magic system, so I’m very curious to see where she’ll take this story in the second book.
A sincere thank you to the publisher Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for the gifted copy ahead of its pub date.
📖 ARC Review 📖
Pub date: March 4, 2025
What to expect:
🏴☠️ 1st person POV
🏴☠️ YA romantasy
🏴☠️ Forbidden romance
🏴☠️ Elemental magic
🏴☠️ Mystery & secrets
Nightweaver sucks you in from chapter one and throws you straight into a battle scene on a pirate ship. This book is said to be perfect for fans of Belladonna and Powerless, and I agree (as someone who likes both of those books). I’d also add Heartless Hunter to the mix.
The FMC, Aster is strong-willed, feisty, and witty. She very much acts like a 17 year old girl who was raised on a ship, so I enjoyed the way her character was developed. I also liked that the story focuses a lot on her large family and the dynamics between her and her siblings.
It’s clear that the author was partially inspired by the Pirates of the Caribbean, which I love because it added a level of charm and nostalgia to the story. However, I want to level-set expectations that, even though this is marketed as a pirate romantasy, the majority of the story takes place on land.
Overall, I enjoyed the pacing of the book, which may be obvious since I finished it so quickly. But there were some parts that did a LOT all at once. Specifically, I was a bit surprised by how much was jam packed at the end. I felt like a good chunk of it could’ve easily been moved to the second book.
This is a strong first book to a series, and I’m very impressed it’s a debut. I still have a lot of questions on this world and the magic system, so I’m very curious to see where she’ll take this story in the second book.
A sincere thank you to the publisher Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for the gifted copy ahead of its pub date.
March 10, 2025
Oh my goodness. This book was phenomenal. The depth and intricacy of this story was unexpected, and beautifully done. Aster and her family are pirates, surviving at sea as humans have been forced to do for centuries. The Nightweavers rule the land, but the Oberon Clan's fate is about to change dramatically.
Captured and taken by a Nightweaver ship, her entire family is headed for land. Somehow, the boy who saved her this time has managed to keep them together and is even bringing them to his family's home to serve. They will be together. They will be alive. Aster should be relieved, but all she feels is anger and grief.
Watching her friendship bloom with Will was really nice, but the duplicity he represents was shocking, and so many layers of secrets just kept coming. This book kept surprising me, over and over, tossing me around like the waves of Aster's beloved ocean.
Captured and taken by a Nightweaver ship, her entire family is headed for land. Somehow, the boy who saved her this time has managed to keep them together and is even bringing them to his family's home to serve. They will be together. They will be alive. Aster should be relieved, but all she feels is anger and grief.
Watching her friendship bloom with Will was really nice, but the duplicity he represents was shocking, and so many layers of secrets just kept coming. This book kept surprising me, over and over, tossing me around like the waves of Aster's beloved ocean.
April 4, 2025
What a fantastic romantasy debut novel! 4.5 stars this was so fast paced and immediately jumped into the action from the first chapter. The magic system was so interesting and I literally cannot wait for the sequel. 😍
January 2, 2025
⋆༺𓆩☠︎︎𓆪༻⋆
» He's a Pirate - Klaus Badelt «
0:53 ─〇───── 1:30
↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - 6/5 stars
Single 1st Person POV
Spice Level 🌶️ - 1/5 (one, maybe two kisses)
Age rating - 14/15+
Content warnings - minimal cussing, extreme blood and gore, some parts can be frightening for younger readers, possession occurs, many people die
🏴☠ My thoughts 🏴☠
This book owns my heart
It's been 4 months since I've read this book and I still can't get over how incredible it was. This is my favorite book Of. All. Time. Nightweaver set the bar of perfection for my book taste and every book I've read since then has lacked so much.
This book was a freaking MASTERPIECE y'all. Nightweaver is the best book I have ever read and I'll fight you to the death on that 🤺
My only complaint...I love Violet's name, please don't reprint it R.M. Gray!!!!!! I'm begging, don't change it to Aster....please 😭🙏
⚔ Plot ⚔
So for the plot imagine Pirates of the Caribbean mixed with angels and demons with a ton of plot twists left and right. Long story short, the plot was amazing and so intense. Honestly I would say some of the plot would be more or less considered as horror, which I actually loved. Some of the more gruesome scenes did make my eyes widen a bit, but it advanced and increased the plot so well.
R.M. Gray is truly a genius for writing this book. I can tell you right now I've never felt the tension coursing through every part of my body as I did when I read it. She mastered every fight scene that made me sit on the edge of my seat, every romance scene that made me swoon, every sad scene that made me cry, every terrifying scene that made me feel like my heart was being ripped out of my body.
⚓ Characters ⚓
➥ Violet (not Aster) - Dude she was the perfect fmc. She was completely BA, but also wasn't annoying about it the entire time. She had some character flaws but they were resolved throughout the story. I loved her character and her grit, I'm biting my nails and praying RM Gray doesn't change that.
➥ Will - I loved truly loved Will, he was great and all.....but I'm Team Titus. He's sweet but also defensive, I loved his character sm.
➥ Titus/ - This man y'all. This MAN. He launched to the top of my book boyfriend list the second we learned more about him 🔥
➥ Owen - ....wow bro. I cried at his death bc he seemed fun and all....but daaaaaaaaaaaaaaang << read the book and you'll see what I mean
➥ Henry - Honestly he was by far my favorite character. I love how we got to see his trauma but also his deep emotions at the same time. I can't spoil but I cried for him so many times during the book.
╰┈> Gives "Made it out alive, but I think I lost it. Said that I was fine said it from my coffin" vibes
🌊 Conclusion 🌊
If you're reading this review, please read this book.
And please read it before she changes it.
You will be sucked in from the very first page and be in for the ride of your lifetime.
Now that that's done...it's time to get ready for the sequel
» He's a Pirate - Klaus Badelt «
0:53 ─〇───── 1:30
↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - 6/5 stars
Single 1st Person POV
Spice Level 🌶️ - 1/5 (one, maybe two kisses)
Age rating - 14/15+
Content warnings - minimal cussing, extreme blood and gore, some parts can be frightening for younger readers, possession occurs, many people die
🏴☠ My thoughts 🏴☠
This book owns my heart
It's been 4 months since I've read this book and I still can't get over how incredible it was. This is my favorite book Of. All. Time. Nightweaver set the bar of perfection for my book taste and every book I've read since then has lacked so much.
This book was a freaking MASTERPIECE y'all. Nightweaver is the best book I have ever read and I'll fight you to the death on that 🤺
My only complaint...I love Violet's name, please don't reprint it R.M. Gray!!!!!! I'm begging, don't change it to Aster....please 😭🙏
⚔ Plot ⚔
So for the plot imagine Pirates of the Caribbean mixed with angels and demons with a ton of plot twists left and right. Long story short, the plot was amazing and so intense. Honestly I would say some of the plot would be more or less considered as horror, which I actually loved. Some of the more gruesome scenes did make my eyes widen a bit, but it advanced and increased the plot so well.
R.M. Gray is truly a genius for writing this book. I can tell you right now I've never felt the tension coursing through every part of my body as I did when I read it. She mastered every fight scene that made me sit on the edge of my seat, every romance scene that made me swoon, every sad scene that made me cry, every terrifying scene that made me feel like my heart was being ripped out of my body.
⚓ Characters ⚓
➥ Violet (not Aster) - Dude she was the perfect fmc. She was completely BA, but also wasn't annoying about it the entire time. She had some character flaws but they were resolved throughout the story. I loved her character and her grit, I'm biting my nails and praying RM Gray doesn't change that.
➥ Will - I loved truly loved Will, he was great and all.....but I'm Team Titus. He's sweet but also defensive, I loved his character sm.
➥ Titus/ - This man y'all. This MAN. He launched to the top of my book boyfriend list the second we learned more about him 🔥
➥ Owen - ....wow bro. I cried at his death bc he seemed fun and all....but daaaaaaaaaaaaaaang << read the book and you'll see what I mean
➥ Henry - Honestly he was by far my favorite character. I love how we got to see his trauma but also his deep emotions at the same time. I can't spoil but I cried for him so many times during the book.
╰┈> Gives "Made it out alive, but I think I lost it. Said that I was fine said it from my coffin" vibes
🌊 Conclusion 🌊
If you're reading this review, please read this book.
And please read it before she changes it.
You will be sucked in from the very first page and be in for the ride of your lifetime.
Now that that's done...it's time to get ready for the sequel
December 25, 2024
5 stars
OMGOSH THIS WAS SOOOOO GOOD!!
I was kind of bored at the beginning and put this off for a few weeks but then I got back to it AND IT WAS AMAZINGGGG!! I READ MOST OF IT IN ONE SITTING!!
This book is perfect as it is and imo the author doesnt need to change ANYTHING!!
The romance was AMAZING and i loved how clean it was!! Will was super sweet and so perfect for Violet too!!
And poor Owen 😭
I mean okkk he was a halfing or whatever its called but he sounds so sweet before he turned a halfing 😭
he kinda reminds me of my brother named Owen which makes his 😭😭
Also i NEED the physical book before the author changes the names
(feel free to correct me on names in the comments there is a very high chance that I got them wrong)
OMGOSH THIS WAS SOOOOO GOOD!!
I was kind of bored at the beginning and put this off for a few weeks but then I got back to it AND IT WAS AMAZINGGGG!! I READ MOST OF IT IN ONE SITTING!!
This book is perfect as it is and imo the author doesnt need to change ANYTHING!!
The romance was AMAZING and i loved how clean it was!! Will was super sweet and so perfect for Violet too!!
And poor Owen 😭
I mean okkk he was a halfing or whatever its called but he sounds so sweet before he turned a halfing 😭
he kinda reminds me of my brother named Owen which makes his 😭😭
Also i NEED the physical book before the author changes the names
(feel free to correct me on names in the comments there is a very high chance that I got them wrong)
March 26, 2025
This book was loads of fun!!
I haven’t read a YA fantasy in a hot minute so I wasn’t sure what to expect.
🏴☠️Forbidden love
🏴☠️Plot twists
🏴☠️Pirates + other mythical creatures
🏴☠️Love triangle in the making????
This book captured my attention from start to finish & was so hard to put down!
The endless plot twists & turns had me on the edge of my seat. I don’t think I trusted a single character this entire book bc I was so scared of the possible betrayal.
This book had so many fun magical elements & creatures. We got Pirates, Gores, Unicorns, Pixies, the Nightweavers, & so much more!!!!
I loved Aster’s character & how she evolved throughout the book. “I will not let them take me.”
The romance in this book was subtle but SO good. Not a spoiler but is this a possible love triangle???🤭
I’m so excited to read book 2 bc that ending went absolutely crazy!!!
I haven’t read a YA fantasy in a hot minute so I wasn’t sure what to expect.
🏴☠️Forbidden love
🏴☠️Plot twists
🏴☠️Pirates + other mythical creatures
🏴☠️Love triangle in the making????
This book captured my attention from start to finish & was so hard to put down!
The endless plot twists & turns had me on the edge of my seat. I don’t think I trusted a single character this entire book bc I was so scared of the possible betrayal.
This book had so many fun magical elements & creatures. We got Pirates, Gores, Unicorns, Pixies, the Nightweavers, & so much more!!!!
I loved Aster’s character & how she evolved throughout the book. “I will not let them take me.”
The romance in this book was subtle but SO good. Not a spoiler but is this a possible love triangle???🤭
I’m so excited to read book 2 bc that ending went absolutely crazy!!!
March 7, 2025
🗡️ ~ Nightweaver review ~ 🗡️
⭐️⭐️
Romance: just kisses
Cursing: extremely mild. Only 6 uses of the word *ssh*le. Maybe 3 d*mn
Content warnings:
gore
Extremely mild language
Tropes:
Very light enemies to lovers
Pirate FMC
Kinda ? Forced proximity
Love triangle ?
The first 3 chapters of this book gripped me. Loved captain shade, absolutely loved the pirate feel. But then after that till about 47% through, it kinda was eh. It was slow paced and very info heavy. There was a lot of tell and not much show. I also felt like I got information just too easily handed to me through casual conversations between characters? I would’ve loved and preferred to discover it for myself instead of it simply being handed to me through a character explaining.
My other issue is I didn’t really feel too connected to Violet as a character, I’m pretty sure it was because I spent too much time in her thoughts throughout the book, instead of seeing her actually making decisions, taking action, and talking, adding more to her personality. She was feisty and knew how to fight, so that was pretty cool.
I wasn’t interested in the romance between Will and Violet. Was just bland for me. Though they had many scenes together, I wasn’t feelin the chemistry. They also weren’t really enemying long enough for me. I wanted banter!
I LOVED Henry though, and funnily enough, they didn’t get much scenes together. But when they were together, the chemistry was POPPIN. The banter 👌 I did wish they showed a bit more of resolve before they became friends though. He did try to kill her after all. CAPTAIN SHADE I LOVED TOO!
As I’ve said before, wasn’t till 47% through it started getting good again.
I love how the author writes action and gore. I breezed through the rest of the book in one sitting.
The ending felt a bit rushed and random. Wish it was written a bit better. Does leave you on a cliffhanger! Anyway, for a debut novel, this was actually pretty okay!
⭐️⭐️
Romance: just kisses
Cursing: extremely mild. Only 6 uses of the word *ssh*le. Maybe 3 d*mn
Content warnings:
gore
Extremely mild language
Tropes:
Very light enemies to lovers
Pirate FMC
Kinda ? Forced proximity
Love triangle ?
The first 3 chapters of this book gripped me. Loved captain shade, absolutely loved the pirate feel. But then after that till about 47% through, it kinda was eh. It was slow paced and very info heavy. There was a lot of tell and not much show. I also felt like I got information just too easily handed to me through casual conversations between characters? I would’ve loved and preferred to discover it for myself instead of it simply being handed to me through a character explaining.
My other issue is I didn’t really feel too connected to Violet as a character, I’m pretty sure it was because I spent too much time in her thoughts throughout the book, instead of seeing her actually making decisions, taking action, and talking, adding more to her personality. She was feisty and knew how to fight, so that was pretty cool.
I wasn’t interested in the romance between Will and Violet. Was just bland for me. Though they had many scenes together, I wasn’t feelin the chemistry. They also weren’t really enemying long enough for me. I wanted banter!
I LOVED Henry though, and funnily enough, they didn’t get much scenes together. But when they were together, the chemistry was POPPIN. The banter 👌 I did wish they showed a bit more of resolve before they became friends though. He did try to kill her after all. CAPTAIN SHADE I LOVED TOO!
As I’ve said before, wasn’t till 47% through it started getting good again.
I love how the author writes action and gore. I breezed through the rest of the book in one sitting.
The ending felt a bit rushed and random. Wish it was written a bit better. Does leave you on a cliffhanger! Anyway, for a debut novel, this was actually pretty okay!
October 14, 2023
Plot - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice- 🫑
Narration- 1st person, single POV
Genre- Gothic Pirate Romantasy
- Pirates
- Secrets
- Magic system
- Enemies to Lovers
- Forbidden Love
- Banter
- Gore
- Gothic / Dark vibes
- Plot Twists
- Family
- Shifters
I LOVED this book. The complexity of details - Nightweaver, Underlings, Manon, Sylk, Gore, Myths, etc, - makes this a hard review to write, but in the best of ways.
Violet and her family are pirates living on a ship, as Humans were pushed to sea, no longer welcome on land. When their ship falls under attack, one of her siblings Owen is killed, and she and the rest of her family is taken back to Bludgrave manor under the protection of the Castor Family.
Violot doesn't want to stay at the Manor. She wants to avenger her brothers death and be at sea again. She wants to kill the Sylk and Prince. But the more she adapts to the Nightweavers around her, the more she learns and uncovers..
This book ends on a cliffhanger. I have so many questions! I adore this book and these characters ❤️
“When I was on the front... all I thought about was you—your laugh, your smile, your temper. All I could think about was coming home to you. It was the only thing that kept me alive.” .... “You kept me alive, Violet.”
Spice- 🫑
Narration- 1st person, single POV
Genre- Gothic Pirate Romantasy
- Pirates
- Secrets
- Magic system
- Enemies to Lovers
- Forbidden Love
- Banter
- Gore
- Gothic / Dark vibes
- Plot Twists
- Family
- Shifters
I LOVED this book. The complexity of details - Nightweaver, Underlings, Manon, Sylk, Gore, Myths, etc, - makes this a hard review to write, but in the best of ways.
Violet and her family are pirates living on a ship, as Humans were pushed to sea, no longer welcome on land. When their ship falls under attack, one of her siblings Owen is killed, and she and the rest of her family is taken back to Bludgrave manor under the protection of the Castor Family.
Violot doesn't want to stay at the Manor. She wants to avenger her brothers death and be at sea again. She wants to kill the Sylk and Prince. But the more she adapts to the Nightweavers around her, the more she learns and uncovers..
This book ends on a cliffhanger. I have so many questions! I adore this book and these characters ❤️
“When I was on the front... all I thought about was you—your laugh, your smile, your temper. All I could think about was coming home to you. It was the only thing that kept me alive.” .... “You kept me alive, Violet.”
March 30, 2025
2
The elements were cool and the atmosphere was enthralling, loved the beginning of this book. However, I found myself getting bored towards the middle to the end; the pacing felt slow and the story felt stagnant to me.
The elements were cool and the atmosphere was enthralling, loved the beginning of this book. However, I found myself getting bored towards the middle to the end; the pacing felt slow and the story felt stagnant to me.
April 25, 2024
Enjoyable read overall, the writing is good, however a bit of false marketing. I was expecting a pirate-themed book and, though the main character is/was a pirate, they are only on a ship at the beginning and there really isn't any pirate-life aspect to the story like you might expect (especially if you came from the authors instagram reels). 3 stars for me because it just wasn't a page turner, the main character was a bit flat, but I still enjoyed the concept and the elements to the story.
January 2, 2024
DNF at 20ish%
Are we.... are we all reading the same book?
It's not often I read a book where I dislike the main character from the get go but here we are. A quite tedious read, I feel.
Are we.... are we all reading the same book?
It's not often I read a book where I dislike the main character from the get go but here we are. A quite tedious read, I feel.
January 28, 2025
For a pirate who spent her whole 17 years of life at sea, Aster sure is thirsty.
Centuries ago, Nightweavers, evil vampire-like shadow creatures took over the lands and pushed humans to the seas, the very seas Aster Oberon and her pirate family inhabit. The seas were meant to promise safety, but when Aster's best friend and brother, Owen is murdered in a fight with Nightweavers, the only home she's known sinks.
Handsome and enigmatic Nightweaver Lord Will Castor offers the Oberon's refuge on his family's estate, promising the king to reform the pirates as his servants. However, Aster seems to be the only Oberon suspicious of him and when a murder happens on the grounds, Aster realizes there are scarier creatures than Nightweavers and they're looking for her.
I binged 75% of this book in one sitting because it was just that GOOD. I had to keep turning the pages to find out what happened. I couldn't stop reading this book, but that doesn't mean I found it spectacular.
I think this book is GOOD, but not great, hence my three-star rating. Before you yell at me, a three-star is still great, and if Goodreads did quarter-star ratings I would lean more towards a 3.5/3.75 stars. There was not a single thing in this book that I didn't predict; perhaps that's because I read too much. I also think that a book being predictable isn't bad, it just means the author did a good job at dropping the breadcrumbs. Now, why would this be so page-turning if I knew what was happening? BECAUSE IT KEPT GOING. There were so many times I looked at the percentage mark of this book to see if it would be over. This book had perfect cliffhangers to leave on and it still pushed forward. THANK YOU, R.M. GRAY FOR NOT ENDING A BOOK IN THE MIDDLE OF A SCENE.
Next, the romance!! I smell a love triangle and a damn good one at that. I don't know WHO I want her to end up with and I'm SO excited to see where this leads. I NEED to know who she ends up with. I'd compare the romance to Powerless by Lauren Roberts or Heartless Hunter/ The Crimson Moth by Kristen Ciccarelli. Mostly because of the forbiddenness since Nightweavers and humans aren't supposed to mix like the romance in the other books. The romance in Nightweaver has a lot of potential, but nothing has happened yet. We're at a plan for a slowburn in terms of actually getting to the final couple being together. Fingers crossed no one dies!
I don't know how long this series is meant to be, but I will be reading it. I cannot wait to buy a physical copy because the deluxe edition is stunning!
Thank you to the publisher, Little Brown Books, for the DRC! This title releases March 4, 2025!
Centuries ago, Nightweavers, evil vampire-like shadow creatures took over the lands and pushed humans to the seas, the very seas Aster Oberon and her pirate family inhabit. The seas were meant to promise safety, but when Aster's best friend and brother, Owen is murdered in a fight with Nightweavers, the only home she's known sinks.
Handsome and enigmatic Nightweaver Lord Will Castor offers the Oberon's refuge on his family's estate, promising the king to reform the pirates as his servants. However, Aster seems to be the only Oberon suspicious of him and when a murder happens on the grounds, Aster realizes there are scarier creatures than Nightweavers and they're looking for her.
I binged 75% of this book in one sitting because it was just that GOOD. I had to keep turning the pages to find out what happened. I couldn't stop reading this book, but that doesn't mean I found it spectacular.
I think this book is GOOD, but not great, hence my three-star rating. Before you yell at me, a three-star is still great, and if Goodreads did quarter-star ratings I would lean more towards a 3.5/3.75 stars. There was not a single thing in this book that I didn't predict; perhaps that's because I read too much. I also think that a book being predictable isn't bad, it just means the author did a good job at dropping the breadcrumbs. Now, why would this be so page-turning if I knew what was happening? BECAUSE IT KEPT GOING. There were so many times I looked at the percentage mark of this book to see if it would be over. This book had perfect cliffhangers to leave on and it still pushed forward. THANK YOU, R.M. GRAY FOR NOT ENDING A BOOK IN THE MIDDLE OF A SCENE.
Next, the romance!! I smell a love triangle and a damn good one at that. I don't know WHO I want her to end up with and I'm SO excited to see where this leads. I NEED to know who she ends up with. I'd compare the romance to Powerless by Lauren Roberts or Heartless Hunter/ The Crimson Moth by Kristen Ciccarelli. Mostly because of the forbiddenness since Nightweavers and humans aren't supposed to mix like the romance in the other books. The romance in Nightweaver has a lot of potential, but nothing has happened yet. We're at a plan for a slowburn in terms of actually getting to the final couple being together. Fingers crossed no one dies!
I don't know how long this series is meant to be, but I will be reading it. I cannot wait to buy a physical copy because the deluxe edition is stunning!
Thank you to the publisher, Little Brown Books, for the DRC! This title releases March 4, 2025!
March 15, 2025
I have just finished Nightweaver and OH MY GODDDD what an absolutely FABULOUS read!! Nightweaver has made it to one of my top reads so far this year - book 2 cannot come soon enough !!!
The storyline, the characters and the world building were all top tier. There was:
🏴☠️ elemental magic
🏴☠️ forbidden love
🏴☠️ plot twist GALORE
🏴☠️ Pirates, Nightweavers, Gores & Underlings (if you don’t know - get to know 👀❤️🔥)
🏴☠️ top notch world building
🏴☠️ YA & slow burn
Genuinely - what a read 😍 would highly recommend for all the girlies that love a good fantasy and am already highly anticipating book 2 that comes out at the end of this year (which cannot come soon enough!!!).
If anyone has read this book please message me because I need a good ol debrief about this one and some theories I have for book 2!!!
Thank you so much to the incredible team at Penguin Random House Australia for a copy of this book - absolutely OBSESSED!
The storyline, the characters and the world building were all top tier. There was:
🏴☠️ elemental magic
🏴☠️ forbidden love
🏴☠️ plot twist GALORE
🏴☠️ Pirates, Nightweavers, Gores & Underlings (if you don’t know - get to know 👀❤️🔥)
🏴☠️ top notch world building
🏴☠️ YA & slow burn
Genuinely - what a read 😍 would highly recommend for all the girlies that love a good fantasy and am already highly anticipating book 2 that comes out at the end of this year (which cannot come soon enough!!!).
If anyone has read this book please message me because I need a good ol debrief about this one and some theories I have for book 2!!!
Thank you so much to the incredible team at Penguin Random House Australia for a copy of this book - absolutely OBSESSED!
October 23, 2023
Are you looking for the next Shadow and Bone series? Are you looking for a book about gods, pirates, gothic romance, all wrapped up in a fantasy world with the undead? You need to read this debut and you need to support this author.
This book is not available on Kindle so I had to buy a print copy, but I feel deep in my bones that this book will be worth something one day and the book will be picked up by a big name publisher.
Imagine a world in which you are hunted for being a human and you either submit to being feeding / blood bank for Nightweavers or take to the seas as pirates to escape their clutches. That's what the Oberon family did. It has been 600 years since Nightweavers came, and since then the myths, legends, tales are so complex that fear is what keeps them returning to land. Until one day, her family's ship is attacked and her best friend and brother Owen is killed. She and her family are taken in chains aboard a Nightweaver ship, headed for land. The son of a wealthy family of Nightweavers purchases them, and so begins the story.
The world is complex, new, and fresh. Though I will say the backstory / myth lore needs some work to make it not so confusing. Still, it's a solid debut and doesn't really resemble anything that is currently out.
There is a gothic side to it. The son of the wealthy family screams Thomas Sharpe vibes from Crimson Peak, tall, gorgeous, swain, elegant cut suits with long hooded cloaks to match. He keeps Violet at a distance, but feels drawn to her tenacity for violence (as a Pirate) and who he is, because he wishes to help her take revenge on the being that killed her brother... to which he reveals to her the stories about Nightweavers may or may not be true.
There are secrets and hidden histories, and also a mysterious rogue pirate called Captain Shade who is trying to overthrow the current monarchs and start a human uprising.
Again, the only thing I'd rate down on this is the complex world needs to be a bit more fluid and the family of Violet's needs to have more agency / plot to the book. But since this is a series I really hope that comes to pass (and if the author wishes to branch off into other stories about the family members I'd be down).
I really think that everyone should give this independent book a chance. I reached out to the author to let her know that I was stunned that this was her debut and she informed me that she didn't submit to any other publishers. So, please, get talking about this and purchase! Most independent books come with so so issues, but this one you can feel there is something there.
This book is not available on Kindle so I had to buy a print copy, but I feel deep in my bones that this book will be worth something one day and the book will be picked up by a big name publisher.
Imagine a world in which you are hunted for being a human and you either submit to being feeding / blood bank for Nightweavers or take to the seas as pirates to escape their clutches. That's what the Oberon family did. It has been 600 years since Nightweavers came, and since then the myths, legends, tales are so complex that fear is what keeps them returning to land. Until one day, her family's ship is attacked and her best friend and brother Owen is killed. She and her family are taken in chains aboard a Nightweaver ship, headed for land. The son of a wealthy family of Nightweavers purchases them, and so begins the story.
The world is complex, new, and fresh. Though I will say the backstory / myth lore needs some work to make it not so confusing. Still, it's a solid debut and doesn't really resemble anything that is currently out.
There is a gothic side to it. The son of the wealthy family screams Thomas Sharpe vibes from Crimson Peak, tall, gorgeous, swain, elegant cut suits with long hooded cloaks to match. He keeps Violet at a distance, but feels drawn to her tenacity for violence (as a Pirate) and who he is, because he wishes to help her take revenge on the being that killed her brother... to which he reveals to her the stories about Nightweavers may or may not be true.
There are secrets and hidden histories, and also a mysterious rogue pirate called Captain Shade who is trying to overthrow the current monarchs and start a human uprising.
Again, the only thing I'd rate down on this is the complex world needs to be a bit more fluid and the family of Violet's needs to have more agency / plot to the book. But since this is a series I really hope that comes to pass (and if the author wishes to branch off into other stories about the family members I'd be down).
I really think that everyone should give this independent book a chance. I reached out to the author to let her know that I was stunned that this was her debut and she informed me that she didn't submit to any other publishers. So, please, get talking about this and purchase! Most independent books come with so so issues, but this one you can feel there is something there.
April 5, 2025
3.5 stars
STARTED STRONG.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM || TIKTOK
I genuinely went in with the best of hopes for this one. And the first 40% were solid. I was intrigued by the magic system and world and all things pirates. A burgeoning romance was upon the pages and things seem settled for an amazing read.
And then I thought some aspects went downhill. The rest of the book was in one location and I needed more movement. There was also a lot of world building and magic explanations that felt info-dumping because we didn’t really see those in action. Having the book only in one place stopped a lot of expansion opportunities.
Then we had the love interest disappear for a bit on his own adventure which left the progress there become stagnant. I still don’t know if I like them together honestly. It does appear there will be a second book? I don’t have plans to pick it up though.
The last 25%ish picked up with some good twists and reveals. The villain monologues went on a bit but I was surprised by some scenes. I think I’m most obsessed with Captain Shade who absolutely needs his own POV.
Overall audience notes:
- YA Fantasy Romance
- Language: low
- Romance: kisses
- Violence: high
STARTED STRONG.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM || TIKTOK
I genuinely went in with the best of hopes for this one. And the first 40% were solid. I was intrigued by the magic system and world and all things pirates. A burgeoning romance was upon the pages and things seem settled for an amazing read.
And then I thought some aspects went downhill. The rest of the book was in one location and I needed more movement. There was also a lot of world building and magic explanations that felt info-dumping because we didn’t really see those in action. Having the book only in one place stopped a lot of expansion opportunities.
Then we had the love interest disappear for a bit on his own adventure which left the progress there become stagnant. I still don’t know if I like them together honestly. It does appear there will be a second book? I don’t have plans to pick it up though.
The last 25%ish picked up with some good twists and reveals. The villain monologues went on a bit but I was surprised by some scenes. I think I’m most obsessed with Captain Shade who absolutely needs his own POV.
Overall audience notes:
- YA Fantasy Romance
- Language: low
- Romance: kisses
- Violence: high
September 29, 2023
"You're more powerful than you could have ever hoped to be, Violet Oberon.”
Oh my GOSH.
Okay, wow. This book was so so so so s00000o good It had me at the edge of my seat, had me squealing, had me bouncing on my feet to see what would happen!!!!
The love I have for these characters... they are so precious!!!!
I love how Violet had her own mind, and didn't care for when people tried to tell her what to do. Standing for what she believed to be true!
And Will Castor- I love him. There's always amusement swarming in his eyes, but he is also a complete mystery & I need MORE of him. He feels like a beautiful painting that you could be looking at for hours, and still not see the depths of his beauty. (Idk if that makes sense but that's how I feel ahha)
And Captain Shade... interesting
The adventure that I got from this book is so amazing :)
What you can expect:
- Dagger to throat moment
- Dance Ball
- Pirates
- "Betrayals"
- Interesting magic system
- Troubled past
- Dark manors
- Murder
- Strong FMC
- Gore
- Dark-haired love interest
- Enemies to friends
- Possible love triangle...?60 I NEED to know
- Curses
- Vampire like creatures
- Myths
Get this book as soon as you can on 10/13!!!!
Oh my GOSH.
Okay, wow. This book was so so so so s00000o good It had me at the edge of my seat, had me squealing, had me bouncing on my feet to see what would happen!!!!
The love I have for these characters... they are so precious!!!!
I love how Violet had her own mind, and didn't care for when people tried to tell her what to do. Standing for what she believed to be true!
And Will Castor- I love him. There's always amusement swarming in his eyes, but he is also a complete mystery & I need MORE of him. He feels like a beautiful painting that you could be looking at for hours, and still not see the depths of his beauty. (Idk if that makes sense but that's how I feel ahha)
And Captain Shade... interesting
The adventure that I got from this book is so amazing :)
What you can expect:
- Dagger to throat moment
- Dance Ball
- Pirates
- "Betrayals"
- Interesting magic system
- Troubled past
- Dark manors
- Murder
- Strong FMC
- Gore
- Dark-haired love interest
- Enemies to friends
- Possible love triangle...?60 I NEED to know
- Curses
- Vampire like creatures
- Myths
Get this book as soon as you can on 10/13!!!!
February 28, 2024
Amazing!!!! This book has ended which makes me so very sad. It did take me a little bit to read.
Getting into the review
I would say this is 13 or 14+ there are a bit of some gruesome scenes lots of blood and killing people. Don't let the pirate aspect stop you from reading it, I don't particularly enjoy pirate books but this book had me enthralled since the beginning. I loved all the characters. I personally liked Charlie, Henry, and Titus the most. I don't want her to be with Will I want her to be with Henry or Titus either one is fine with me. Mostly team Titus though......
The characters names were super easy to remember so I didn't forget most of their names. The entire Plot was done perfectly!!! I loved it! There were some great lines in the book which just made me love it even more. Also there wasn't that much cursing which was nice I liked that.
When she's alone with each of the boys. Those are my favorite parts!! I enjoyed those the most especially with Henry.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves Fantasy and Romance no spice!!! And a bit of gruesome stuff not too bad though. Im excited to read book 2 I really hope we get a book two!! But till then I'll just have to continue thinking about this book!
Getting into the review
I would say this is 13 or 14+ there are a bit of some gruesome scenes lots of blood and killing people. Don't let the pirate aspect stop you from reading it, I don't particularly enjoy pirate books but this book had me enthralled since the beginning. I loved all the characters. I personally liked Charlie, Henry, and Titus the most. I don't want her to be with Will I want her to be with Henry or Titus either one is fine with me. Mostly team Titus though......
The characters names were super easy to remember so I didn't forget most of their names. The entire Plot was done perfectly!!! I loved it! There were some great lines in the book which just made me love it even more. Also there wasn't that much cursing which was nice I liked that.
When she's alone with each of the boys. Those are my favorite parts!! I enjoyed those the most especially with Henry.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves Fantasy and Romance no spice!!! And a bit of gruesome stuff not too bad though. Im excited to read book 2 I really hope we get a book two!! But till then I'll just have to continue thinking about this book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
March 30, 2024I couldn't finish because I came across one of my triggers, but if you like pirates, mystery, a dark world with magic and gothic vibes, and a very stabby heroine, you will love this book!
Full trigger list below the spoiler tag.
Full trigger list below the spoiler tag.
February 10, 2025
Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was another book I approached with medium expectations and was pleasantly surprised. In many ways, Nightweaver picks up many of the usual tropes and plot points from books of its kind, I'd venture to say that it's following a formula. However, I personally like to see certain tropes and can't say I tire of seeing similar stories provided each has their original spin. For this particular book, I would argue that the skeleton of the plot follows a well known formula but the author pads it out with interesting combinations that make it well worth picking up.
I may have been a tad unsure at the opening chapters but this was ultimately a super fun read and a page turner that had me staying up later than I should have. Our main character Aster is a pirate although arguably not by choice; humans have fled the land which is now under the control of Nightweavers which are beings original to this story with vampiric attributes. Our journey starts with an attack on Aster's pirate ship upon which she gets captured and taken back on land along with her parents and numerable siblings. Once on land she discovers that the stories about Nightweavers she grew up with aren't perhaps entirely true. She and her family end up working for an aristocratic Nightweaver family where there's more than one mystery to solve.
Ultimately, this is a fun mash up of Pirates of the Caribbean meets Downton Abbey with gothic and whodunnit sprinkles on top. This was also surprisingly dark - it's probably about as gory and gut-squishy as you can get while still calling it a young adult book. Of course, this book wouldn't be complete without a dose of romance either, and truth be told, it was one of the reasons I was a bit unsure when I first started this book.
We are introduced to Will very early on - he is the Nightweaver in charge when Aster and her family are captured as well as the eldest son of the family they later serve. On the non romance front, I thought it was a little odd how this supposed pirate family would so easily give in and meekly joining the household staff. I found it equally puzzling how quickly Aster and Will took an interest in each other given their starting position. It made it a little harder to buy into their budding romance but I felt there was enough non romance plot to keep things going well enough. There is also a second love interest [of course he's the blonde counterpart to Will's dark hair] and while I know many don't like a love triangle and it did at times feel like a case of everybody-loves-the-main-character, I didn't mind it so much - especially as it was introduced quite late. Additionally, we have a pretty large cast and there are quite a few budding relationships (romantic and otherwise) and it made Aster having two love interests stand out less. Interestingly, the character I thought Aster had the most chemistry is was not a love interest and I don't see him becoming one later either.
In any case, the romance wasn't perhaps my favourite part of this book altogether, but the way it wraps up leaves a lot of possibilities for the sequel and in hindsight makes some of Will's and Aster's interactions a lot more plausible. Ultimately, the way this first instalment ended has me entirely clueless as to who the actual love interest will be and how things will play out. There were other more predictable elements such as some characters' true identities, but I wouldn't really call this out as a flaw. Part of it was surely the well known formula, but a good chunk of it was also nice foreshadowing and despite having an inkling of what would come, it didn't take away from wanting to add chapter upon chapter to see what happens next.
I think this will appeal to readers who enjoy sticking close to their favourite tropes whilst still bringing fresh things to the table. I very much enjoyed reading this and am looking forward to the sequel.
March 4, 2025
Obsessed with this story.
I have no other words because this was just fantastic.
I have no other words because this was just fantastic.
March 28, 2025
okay in the beginning i was hooked and vibing but it quickly faded and got boring and wasn’t holding my interest anymore sadly
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