#deva fagan

books I’ve read in 2026 📖 no. 007

A Game of Noctis by Deva Fagan

Release date: 26 August 2025

Genre: adult fantasy

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ten years ago, Sephre left behind her life as a war hero and took holy vows to seek redemption for her crimes, wielding the flames of the Phoenix to purify the dead. But as corpses rise, a long-dead god stirs, and shadowy serpents creep from the underworld to hunt her, she has no choice but to draw on the very past she's been trying so hard to forget.

Orphaned by the same war Sephre helped win, Yeneris has trained half her life to be the perfect spy, a blade slipped deep into the palace of her enemies. Undercover as bodyguard to Sinoe, a princess whose tears unleash prophecy, Yeneris strives to complete her true mission to recover the stolen bones of a saint. Sinoe's prophecies may hold answers, but allying with the fiercely compassionate princess is perilous. Yeneris must find a way to balance her growing attraction for Sinoe with her duty to her people as they conduct a dangerous search for the source of the king's power.

As Sephre investigates the signs of a looming apocalypse, she finds her beliefs tested by Nilos, a mercurial and charming agent of the serpent. He should be her enemy, but when Sephre is wrongly accused of heresy and desperate to rescue her innocent apprentice, she has no choice but to work with the enigmatic man. Together they embark on a treacherous quest, seeking answers in the labyrinthine underworld.

Back cover of Nightingale by Deva Fagan ⚔

The book features a 12-year-old orphan girl, Lark, who desperately wants to escape her horrid boarding house in the kingdom of Gallant. When Lark sneaks into the Royal Museum in quest of valuables to pay off her rent, she accidentally interrupts Prince Jasper performing an ancient ritual with a magical sword. Suddenly the sword claims Lark as the new Nightingale, a legendary figure said to protect the kingdom from evil. Now Lark is an unwilling hero, who must learn to tackle the villainous powers at work in Gallant with the help of her friends and “Sword”.

I loved this book! Read my full review on my website 💫

💫 book blog ~ goodreads ~ storygraph 💫

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

What an amazing adventure! Nightingale by Deva Fagan thrills readers with a story of magic, mystery, and a hair-raising battle against a supernatural villain... There are many things I love about this book. The story is told from the perspective of Lark, and you feel completely in her shoes and immersed in her world. At first she is distrustful and just trying to survive, but the momentous changes in her life lead her to become someone very different, and it’s wonderful to experience her transformation.

Read the full review on my website 💫

💫 book blog ~ goodreads ~ storygraph 💫

Perfect on Paper by Sophie Gonzales

Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell