⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Was I hooked by that book? Absolutely. Thrilling action, interesting twists that had me gasping out loud, and fascinating characters made this book almost impossible to put down.

When Maggie wakes up cold, filthy, and naked in a gutter, it doesn’t take her long to recognize Kair Toren, a city she knows intimately from the pages of the famously unfinished dark fantasy series she’s been obsessively reading and re-reading while waiting years for the final novel. Her only tools for navigating this gritty world of rival warlords, magic, and mayhem? Her encyclopedic knowledge of the plot, the setting, and the characters’ ambitions and fates. But while she quickly discovers she cannot be killed (though many will try!), the same cannot be said for the living, breathing characters she’s coming to love—a motley band that includes a former lady’s maid, a deadly assassin, various outrageous magical creatures, and a dangerously appealing soldier. Soon, instead of trying to get home, she finds herself enmeshed in the schemes—and attentions—of dueling princes, dukes, and villains, all while trying to save them and the kingdom of Rellas from the way she knows their stories will end: in a cataclysmic war.

MY THOUGHTS

It took a bit of time for Maggie and her odd cohort of allies to worm their way into my heart, but once they did, I was all in. The meticulous world-building drew me in from the start. I felt curious and cautious until some crucial pieces fell into place and then I was completely hooked. Maggie’s altered reality was explained in a way that made sense using her own words and thoughts and it made for a very interesting premise.

Maggie was resourceful and used the knowledge she gained from the books to her fullest advantage. Her new circumstances came with some interesting abilities and she just went with it. She surrounded herself with people with varied skills, who were all willing to give her a chance, and earned their loyalty and trust through her own actions. I really loved her as a character.

Our heroes went on dangerous side quests to collect all the pieces that Maggie needed to reach her ultimate goal. This book was exciting and engrossing and left me with plenty to ponder. It ends on a doozy of a cliffhanger. I can highly recommend this if you like fantasy with a bit of slow burn romance.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Were you hooked by that book? Let me know in the comments below.

Genre: Fantasy Romance
Published: March 31, 2026
Sensuality Rating: Subtle
Series: Book 1 of Maggie the Undying