story craft

Genre: YA Fantasy

Format: eArc

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Reasons to love:

-adventurous and strong FMC
-sibling bonds
-pirates
-slow-burn romance
-dealing with grief/loss
-strong family relationships

Cautions:

This book deals with death frequently and Violet talks about her grief throughout the book. If you’re grieving, it might make you feel seen, like it did for me. But if you’ve ever lost a sibling, it could also be tough for you. Consider where you are and what feels best to you on your journey before you pick it up; there is a passionate kiss, lots of flirting and longing, and some delightful tension, but this is clean on the romance scale.

Main themes: loss/grief, forgiveness, courage, strength, identity, purpose

Main characters: Violet Oberon, Philip (Father), Grace (Mother), Owen, Charlie, Lewis, Margaret, Elsie, Albert, William Castor, Henry Castor, Annie Castor, Lord Castor, Lady Castor, Jack, Captain Shade, Prince Titus

Favorite quote: “But the truth remains: dangerous, deadly things are often the most beautiful.”

Review:

Wow. 

Just wow.

I loved every part of this book. The rich characters, the vivid world building, the twists that were turvy but also made so much sense. 

I felt like I was on a nonstop adventure that ripped my heart out, left tear stains on my pillows, and left me craving more of Violet Oberon, her family, the Castors, the mysterious Captain Shade, Jack, and Liv and all the pixies and other characters from folklore. I adored how well Gray combined classic creatures and characters we love—like unicorns, pixies, and pirates—with fresh storytelling.

Not to mention the understated yet visible questions about grief, life after loss, completely life change, and where God is in it all. 

This book was so healing for me in a time when I’ve been asking, “Does God really see me?”

After losing my brother a few weeks ago unexpectedly, I’ve been hit by wave after wave of grief. Not just grieving him but the way my life was with him in it.

Violet’s life gets turned upside down too, by circumstances far beyond her control or understanding. Absolutely everything changes for her, and she can choose to resist the change and run or sink into it and fight to become the person she was always meant to be. 

Honestly, seeing her thoughts splayed out on the page was at times like everything in my heart and head had spilled out there too. I related to her deeply in her grief. Especially now. Violet’s story has been so healing for me; without knowing me or what would be happening in my life when I read this book, Gray spoke straight to the wounded and raw places in my heart, offering a balm my world-weary soul desperately needed. 

Beyond that, I understood Violet’s resistance to change, her suspicious and untrusting nature, and her love for her family, as well as her sense of adventure and desire for more. All the other characters grow on us and in their own journeys, in both positive and negative directions. I love Will’s heart—he does things imperfectly, but he acts from the desire to keep everyone he loves safe. Henry was a surprise favorite. . . when you read it, you’ll know. And prince Titus swept in somewhere along the way and swept me off my feet. 

And somehow, I’m truly amazed at this, Gray’s worldbuilding and writing made me feel like it was always stormy or cloudy or night. She conveyed the dark themes of the book so well that I don’t remember ever seeing or “feeling” the sun appear even though there are some sweet and lighthearted moments. Maybe this is just me as a deep feeler, immersive reader, and girl who’s currently shrouded in grief—but I loved it. 

In Nightweaver, R. M. Gray deftly weaves a story with great depth of emotion, themes of grace and God’s goodness, mythological characters, and magic. This is by far one of my favorite books, and I can’t wait for you to read it when it comes out at the end of the month. You won’t be disappointed! 

💫 I received an ARC from the author, but the glowing praise and rambling thoughts are entirely mine. 💫

My take:

The truth is, we are rarely prepared for all that life throws at us. Sometimes everything we knew slips away and chaos reigns and we must take courage just to take the next step. When you throw grief into the mix, you feel exposed and raw and every other feeling is amplified. You begin to wonder, Does God really see me? You ask hard questions. You lean on the people who love you. And you push on to become exactly who you’re supposed to be.