I first found it randomly at a bookstore when I was 16. I was very into fantasy and gays at the time (still am), and this was the first book I've read that combines both. It's such a fun take on the whole "chosen ones" trope, and you somehow root for every one of the main characters, even when they do some fucked up shit. I highly recommend it to anyone who's into queer witches and good character development :)
ik it is just a YA fantasy book and it would be way cooler of me to mention a more adult book that i love but ever since i read this in middle school it instantly became one of my favorites. it has magic! crime! gay ppl & queer love! poc! disabled rep! discussions of ptsd and trauma! addiction! and more!!!
plus it is apart of a larger book universe (aka the grishaverse) and has an equally banger direct sequel if you are itching for more. plus ig there was a netflix adaptation that combined all the grishaverse stuff into one slightly loveable train wreck of a show but thats neither here nor there.
It's an easy read and captivating retelling of the Arthur / excalibur / knights story, which I do not know well enough to compare to this but I believe this one has way more magic in it and it way way more women centric. It's from the perspective of Guinevere and has queer couples in it and complex romance plots. I'm attached to some of the characters and deeply disappointed by the lack of fanfiction I can consume about this series.
this book introduced me to the world of YA Fantasy with female protagonists, and lifeβs never been the same since (technically I think I was 11 or 12 when I first read it, so pre-teen)
