Genre Fiction
![Rachel Gillig - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_B09F3VGD53.jpg)
One Dark Window (The Shepherd King, 1)
THE FANTASY BOOKTOK SENSATION!
For fans of Uprooted and For the Wolf comes a dark, lushly gothic fantasy about a maiden who must unleash the monster within to save her kingdom-but the monster in her head isn't the only threat lurking.
Elspeth needs a monster. The monster might be her.
Elspeth Spindle needs more than luck to stay safe in the eerie, mist-locked kingdom she calls home-she needs a monster. She calls him the Nightmare, an ancient, mercurial spirit trapped in her head. He protects her. He keeps her secrets.
But nothing comes for free, especially magic.
When Elspeth meets a mysterious highwayman on the forest road, her life takes a drastic turn. Thrust into a world of shadow and deception, she joins a dangerous quest to cure the kingdom of the dark magic infecting it. Except the highwayman just so happens to be the King's own nephew, Captain of the Destriers…and guilty of high treason.
He and Elspeth have until Solstice to gather twelve Providence Cards-the keys to the cure. But as the stakes heighten and their undeniable attraction intensifies, Elspeth is forced to face her darkest secret yet: the Nightmare is slowly, darkly, taking over her mind. And she might not be able to stop him.
For fans of Uprooted and For the Wolf comes a dark, lushly gothic fantasy about a maiden who must unleash the monster within to save her kingdom-but the monster in her head isn't the only threat lurking.
Elspeth needs a monster. The monster might be her.
Elspeth Spindle needs more than luck to stay safe in the eerie, mist-locked kingdom she calls home-she needs a monster. She calls him the Nightmare, an ancient, mercurial spirit trapped in her head. He protects her. He keeps her secrets.
But nothing comes for free, especially magic.
When Elspeth meets a mysterious highwayman on the forest road, her life takes a drastic turn. Thrust into a world of shadow and deception, she joins a dangerous quest to cure the kingdom of the dark magic infecting it. Except the highwayman just so happens to be the King's own nephew, Captain of the Destriers…and guilty of high treason.
He and Elspeth have until Solstice to gather twelve Providence Cards-the keys to the cure. But as the stakes heighten and their undeniable attraction intensifies, Elspeth is forced to face her darkest secret yet: the Nightmare is slowly, darkly, taking over her mind. And she might not be able to stop him.
Editorial Reviews
"Thick fog, shifting alliances, and clever magic make the perfect backdrop for a sweeping romance-One Dark Window is enthralling from beginning to shocking end."―Hannah Whitten, NYT bestselling author of For the Wolf
"An enchanting tale with sharp claws and teeth-Gillig's prose will pull you in and won't let you sleep. Pulse-pounding, darkly whimsical, and aglow with treacherous magic, One Dark Window is everything I love in fantasy and more"―Allison Saft, author of A Far Wilder Magic
"One Dark Window is an evocative tale of romance, mystery and alluring monsters, told in beautifully lush prose. Rachel Gillig has created a story which left me entranced."―Lyndall Clipstone, author of Lakesedge
"[T]he steamy romance that emerges between Elspeth and Ravyn delights. Fans of Sarah J. Maas, Naomi Novak, and Hannah Whitten will want to check this out."―Publishers Weekly
"A beautifully dark fairy tale of blood, rage and bitter choice, that whisked me away to mist-wreathed woods ripe with romance and menace"―Davinia Evans, author of Notorious Sorcerer
"Elspeth's slow-burn romance with a mysterious highwayman adds depth to the story ... A finely detailed magical system enriches Gillig's debut; fantasy readers will enjoy."―Library Journal
"Readers will be enthralled with Elspeth's-and Nightmare's-riveting adventure."―Booklist
"Spooky, lush...Gillig executes familiar fantasy romance tropes with flair."―Paste Magazine
"One Dark Window is a page-turner. Gillig's lush language is somewhat reminiscent of Alix E. Harrow's excellent portal fantasy, The Ten Thousand Doors of January, as well as Robin McKinley's redolent fairytale retellings such as Spindle's End, Beauty, and Deerskin ... a richly detailed and decadent world that at once feels familiar, distinctive, and wistful to the reader."―Chicago Review of Books
"An enchanting tale with sharp claws and teeth-Gillig's prose will pull you in and won't let you sleep. Pulse-pounding, darkly whimsical, and aglow with treacherous magic, One Dark Window is everything I love in fantasy and more"―Allison Saft, author of A Far Wilder Magic
"One Dark Window is an evocative tale of romance, mystery and alluring monsters, told in beautifully lush prose. Rachel Gillig has created a story which left me entranced."―Lyndall Clipstone, author of Lakesedge
"[T]he steamy romance that emerges between Elspeth and Ravyn delights. Fans of Sarah J. Maas, Naomi Novak, and Hannah Whitten will want to check this out."―Publishers Weekly
"A beautifully dark fairy tale of blood, rage and bitter choice, that whisked me away to mist-wreathed woods ripe with romance and menace"―Davinia Evans, author of Notorious Sorcerer
"Elspeth's slow-burn romance with a mysterious highwayman adds depth to the story ... A finely detailed magical system enriches Gillig's debut; fantasy readers will enjoy."―Library Journal
"Readers will be enthralled with Elspeth's-and Nightmare's-riveting adventure."―Booklist
"Spooky, lush...Gillig executes familiar fantasy romance tropes with flair."―Paste Magazine
"One Dark Window is a page-turner. Gillig's lush language is somewhat reminiscent of Alix E. Harrow's excellent portal fantasy, The Ten Thousand Doors of January, as well as Robin McKinley's redolent fairytale retellings such as Spindle's End, Beauty, and Deerskin ... a richly detailed and decadent world that at once feels familiar, distinctive, and wistful to the reader."―Chicago Review of Books
Readers Top Reviews
Emily Dowling Jes
The writing - perfect, the plot - perfect, the characters - perfect! Looking forward to the second book in October.
Amber Rose 🌹Emil
This book was nothing like anything I’ve ever read before. It gripped me in from the very first page and wouldn’t let go. The writing, the plot, the characters and the little sprinkle of romance just kept me on the edge through out. That ending - god I want to throw my kindle. I need the next book like I need my next breath. So damn good.
Shannon WhitwellS
I must have more! This is one of those nobody-interrupt-me type books! I was completely hooked from page one and never wanted to put it down! I loved everything about it - the world, the magic, the characters and the darkness! This one is obsession worthy! Block off some time, you will not want to be interrupted! I practically growled like a beast if anyone tried to tear me away from it and I cried out when I reached the last page. The second book is due out in October of this year and that feels like an eternity from now 😩
Cassie StegmanSha
Title: One Dark Window Author: Rachel Gillag Genre: Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Romantasy, Gothic Tropes: enemies to lovers, magic, found family Spice: 🌶️.5 Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “There once was a girl,” he murmured, “clever and good, who tarried in shadow in the depths of the wood. There also was a King—a shepherd by his crook, who reigned over magic and wrote the old book. The two were together, so the two were the same: “The girl, the King… and the monster they became.” I read this for my first book club book with Between the Lines book club. This was definitely a great first choice and I loved it. Blunder is a town shrouded by mist and magic. Those affected must be sought out and killed to cleanse the town and rid them of the infection. Byut some, those with the magic brimming in their veins hide what they are in order to fight for the chance to live. To do this and find a cure they must race to find all of the magical Providence Cards, as it is believed that uniting the deck will rid the town of Blunder from the infection. But all magic comes at a price and it’s a race to see who will find the cards first. This book is one of those books you just want to binge read. It started slow, but once I got about half-way through I could not put it down! We all agreed instead of taking four weeks to read the book we just needed two weeks because we were all so invested. I’m obsessed with all the characters. Elspeth, our FMC, is strong and feisty. She knows what having the The Nightmare inside of her head is doing to her and she is willing to go to any length to free herself from him. Ravyn, our MMC, goes to hell and back, doing anything he can to find The Providence Cards to save his family, himself, and Elspeth from certain death. The Nightmare is *chef’s kiss*. Plus, this book has amazing banter, and we all know how much I love banter. My only complaint is having to wait until October to read the sequel. I am not a patient person!
TommieCassie Steg
One Dark Window (The Shepherd King Book 1)-Rachel Gillig My Review: My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Spice: 🌶 Pages: 432 Genre: Gothic Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Gothic Fairytale Tropes: Forced Proximity, Enemies To Lovers, Fake Dating, Dark Secret Romance Ravyn Yew - The King’s Captain Destrier, stern, holds himself always in check. The weight of the world on his shoulders. Leads a double life. Is also a Highwayman. Works with a team dedicated to overthrowing the King, to gain the 12 cards and cure those infected by the mist and free Blunder from the mists hold. Elspeth Spindle - Survived the infection at age 11. Has lived in hiding since. Touched The Nightmare card and now his soul lives in her head. She refers to him as Nightmare but he is actually the Shepherd King. Nightmare - The Shepherd King invented the deck of magical cards. Each with a price for touching or using them. Is over 500 years old and lives in Elspeth mind and will eventually take her completely over. This book held me captive! I cannot wait for the next book in this series. I need answers! Lots of them! There are so many endearing characters that I need to read more about! I consider this book a must read.
