Swordheart

...I could probably read her grocery list and love it. This book is definitly more of a lovestory than a fantasy book, but it still full of wimsy. It has all the elements I love from her, the humor, the bizarr characters and that enchanting fairy tale feeling. I loved that the main charcters we're not young bumbeling adolescent, but rather weathered mature people who already had a life that formed them.

T. Kingfisher, auch bekannt als Ursula Vernon (bekannt für diverse schöne Kinderbücher) ist eine fantastische Autorin bei der ich blind zuschlagen würde wenn etwas neues kommt. Sie baut wirklich schöne, klassische Fantasywelten, erzählt mitreißende Geschichten und gibt uns vor Allem Charaktere die einem ans Herz wachsen. Ihre Werke sind voller Liebe, Wärme, Humor und Spannung. Mein Feelgoodbuch 2025 und ich bezweifle, dass es noch abgelöst wird.

Another one of T. Kingfisher's novels that was an expected delight. Tone-wise, it was definitely much lighter than what I’m used to when reading Kingfisher (especially with The Saint of Steel series). Halla, a widow who recently inherited quite a sum of money, sees no other way out but to end her life with an antique sword in order to escape her deceased husband's family's greed. However, she finds herself not dead, but instead with a sword-bound immortal warrior, Sarkis, in her room who states that since she is the sword wielder she is in control of him. Together, they escape her family and embark on a quest to secure Halla’s inheritance and clear her name. But on this treacherous road, the only thing they truly have is each other, in a world where neither of them really belongs. While I loved many aspects of the story, I wasn’t entirely pleased with the world-building for the first time in a T. Kingfisher novel. The Vagrant Hills, for example, were such a unique concept, and I was thrilled when our protagonists stumbled into them. Unfortunately, I was pretty disappointed to be rushed through them with much less description and conflict than I’d hoped for. Additionally, I must admit the final resolution felt a bit predictable, and, in my humble opinion, it didn’t fully satisfy the mystery of the sword that had been built throughout the book. However, I’m still holding out hope for the second volume, which is expected to come out in a few months!

For anyone's who's into cozy fantasy romances, this is for you! This book only has 2 stars from me because it's not my preferred genre, but it was still entertaining and very easy to follow. I really liked the plot of a dispute over Halla's inheritance and all the quirky characters I got to meet while reading it. Halla is a strong-willed widow who'll do anything to get what she wants, and when she meets Sarkis—with her would-be suicide weapon—they are a perfect match. A gentleman and a fierce woman who has her softer sides. The story was nice, the pace very calm. The scenes are well-described and it was easy to imagine everything. Overall a good read, but as I said, not my preferred genre.

Ich muss sagen, bisher hat mich T. Kingfisher noch nie enttäuscht und auch dieses Mal hat sie wieder die vollen 5 Sterne für Swordheart verdient! Es ist genau die richtige Mischung aus Witz, Quest, grandiosen Charakteren und einem Hauch von Romance der einfach so gut geschrieben ist, dass ich jetzt noch daran denken muss. Einzelne Szenen, in denen Kingfisher Action mit fast schon beiläufiger Komik vermischt, haben mich mehrfach laut lachen lassen. Und Halla & Sarkis sind einfach nur großartig! Miteinander aber auch mit unseren Nebenfiguren, ich war keinen Moment gelangweilt, fiebere eigentlich schon sehnsüchtig dem nächsten band entgegen! Bis 2026 müssen wir uns noch gedulden, aber Daggerbound wird sofort vorbestellt, sobald der Datensatz verfügbar ist ;)