I really enjoyed the writing style and the overall tone of the book—it felt atmospheric and immersive from the start. The pacing worked well for me, and I appreciated how the story developed over time. While not everything landed perfectly, I found it to be a thoughtful and engaging read. I'd recommend it to readers who enjoy character-driven fantasy with a reflective edge.

3.5 stars rounded up. This was a fun book overall. I liked the main characters and the way their relationship developed. I skimmed some parts of the book, but it was more entertaining than not, even though I didn't really connect with the plot. It was the kind of book that mostly left me curious about what the author will write next.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

DNF

Let me start this by saying that I have heard great things about the book, but it's not in my cards currently. I would like to give this another shot someday, however!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Tiny Fox Press For providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Surprisingly, this book didn’t work for me. I felt like there was a serious lack of world building that removed me from the story. In addition, i had issues with the pacing and found myself just not caring about what happened next.

This was a really sweet read! It had a cute romance and a good redemption arc for the "villain" mc which I thought was fun.

Orpheus is the mage of the kingdom. He never leaves his room, and when he does, terror awaits anyone who offends him or steps in the wrong path. He lives without worry of anything outside of his room thanks to the Warrior Empress -- Lore. One day, the shadow that lurks behind him has caused enough death that Lore sends him on a mission everyone is certain will lead to his death. To his surprise, Fenrir, his long time enemy accompanies him on this march to death.

The Crack at the Heart of Everything had a slow build up, but I loved learning about the world. I liked how we're put in the same position as Orpheus. He's sheltered and never socialized with anyone other than lore. As a result, he's unfamiliar with the current state of the world. Everything he knew came from literature from hundreds of years ago and beyond, so we have the same baseline and learn with him. It's was fun to see him piece everything together from little hints.

All the characters really should've died at some point for their recklessness (especially fenrir) but plot armor is strong. I'm still not so sure why Ohm was so attached to Lore.. he doesn't be loyal to her if he's stronger than her, right? For all we know, he can only talk in grunts - if he talks at all.

One thing I wish we saw/learned was how Fenrir fell for Orpheus? Did he think he was cute & fun to tease and fell hard? From Orpheus' comments, it didn't seem like they had many interactions but he's an unreliable narrator so it's hard to say. I loved their interactions while they were on the road though! I love any and all pining - especially if it's murual like Orpheus and Fenrir.

The characters and their development is amazing, the world imaginative and the worldbuiling just at the right pace. It's dystopian, but the depressing situation gets offset by people "just" powering through as long as they have hope, and healing broken hearts and minds with every show of kindness and/or dead Hellbiest. I didn't know who much I needed this story in my life.

2.5 rounded up

My feelings on this book can be summarised by 'meh'.

It had the makings of something good - found family, LGBT protagonist, magic/curse, snark, etc - but it just didn't work for me. I found myself bored, waiting for it to be over. There were flashes of connection and characters I liked but not enough, it felt like I was being teased by what I could've had. There were world and plot inconsistencies that felt like it was being made up as we go along and not looking back. I didn't care about anyone or anything. It's not bad necessarily, just not for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

This is a very unique concept! Even though it actually me slight The Frugal Wizard's Handbook for Surviving Medieval England by Brandon Sanderson vibes

The world-building is great and there is plenty of action and adventure. The romance is a bit of a slow-burn rivals to lovers that you feel invested in. Overall this was an impressive debut

I’m a sucker for post apocalyptic stories but add in a villain redemption arc and you’ve gone the extra mile. The romance was amazing. The slow-born just perfection.

I really enjoyed this post-apocalyptic fantasy romance. I'm a sucker for villain redemption arcs at the best of times, and our anti-hero here was a prickly, anxious, sweet mess of a man. The emotional core was satisfying, and the worldbuilding and magic system hung together nicely. It had a tenderness and a through-line of hope even in the darkest of times, even after having made mistakes and hurt others, which made this almost a comfort read even contending with brain eating worms and a barren, dying world.

The Crack at the Heart of Everything is a fun romance that follows Orpheus as he's thrust out of the only safe place he's known with his arch-nemesis Fenrir as his only company. Watching their relationship develop as Orpheus comes out of his shell and discovers himself is a delight. accompanied by fun banter throughout The world is an interesting mix of science and fantasy we get to see as they search for a cure for Orpheus's curse. This is a debut and I'm excited to see what the author comes out with in the future.

An impressive debut, with characters I immediately cared for and a romance I was immediately drawn to! I really think the romance is the strongest element in Crack at the Heart of Everything--Orpheus and Fenrir had sparks right away, and their banter was a consistent joy throughout. The magic was really fun and unique, too! An overall romp I'd recommend to any fan of fantasy with a side of (queer) romance!

This book wasn't what I was expecting, but I enjoyed it a hell of a lot.

The world building started interesting and then only grew more so as more details were revealed. The characters and monsters and magic were fascinating.

But I absolutely loved watching Orpheus be completely and utterly oblivious to Fenrir's motives and feelings.

I also thoroughly enjoyed Orpheus's journey of... not just self discovery, but his discovery of the world and where he stands in it and the things that he's done. Let more men feel things like Orpheus feels things. Even if I did want to wrap him in a blanket and let him feel safe for a while.

I don't know if there's more to come in this world, but I'd love to see more of it, and more from this author.

The Crack at the Heart of Everything by Fiona Fenn is a beautifully written, thought-provoking novel that I absolutely loved. From the very first chapter, the story pulls you into a world full of mystery, deep emotion, and complex characters. The author has a way of making the characters feel incredibly real, their struggles and growth tugging at your heartstrings in the most genuine way.

The book follows a deeply emotional journey, exploring themes of loss, healing, and self-discovery. The main character’s internal struggle was so raw and authentic, and I could easily relate to her, especially in terms of navigating personal challenges and finding strength within. There’s a vulnerability to the protagonist that makes her journey feel incredibly relatable and inspiring.

Fiona Fenn’s writing is lyrical, full of depth and meaning, but still very accessible. The pacing of the book is just right—it never drags, yet it takes its time with the important moments, allowing the reader to truly sit with the character’s emotions and experiences. I found myself thinking about the book long after I finished it, which, to me, is always a sign of a truly powerful read.

One of the things I loved most about this novel was its exploration of human connection and how we navigate our relationships with others, especially when faced with personal turmoil. The connections between characters felt authentic, and the emotional depth was something I could really connect with.

Overall, The Crack at the Heart of Everything is an unforgettable read. It’s a powerful, emotional story that tackles deep themes with grace and honesty. If you enjoy books that make you reflect on life, love, and personal growth, I highly recommend this one. Fiona Fenn has definitely crafted something special here, and I can’t wait to see what she writes next.

thanks to netgalley for providing me an arc of this book in exchange for a review!

i think i can comfortably say that i've never read anything like this book, and that in itself is impressive because i'm reading fantasy constantly. i loved the moral grayness and gets more black and white as the book goes on as the reader is learning the information at the same time as our main character orpheus. the romance in this was lovely, but certainly more of a side plot in comparison to our larger world-ending situation. i wish fenrir and orpheus had a couple more chapters together, but otherwise no complaints.

This book was fine, I guess. I was just never really able to get into it. I think I'm just getting tired of "enemies to lovers" and "villain stories." The "enemies to lovers" in this instance is just two grown men bickering at each other for no reason. And the villain redemption arc isn't really even a redemption are, as he was mostly just misunderstood. So yeah, this book isn't "bad," I'm just tired of reading these tropes.

Publishing date: 12.11.2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Tiny Fox press for the ARC. My opinions are my own.

This is a great debut novel. So much depth. Great worldbuilding. And the vibes. The vibes are splendid. This felt like a blend of heavy metal imagery with a splash of apocalypse and steampunk. I for sure have not read something like this before.

Let's talk about the important stuff: romance. The romance had a presence like 20% in, and got all the spotlight for the final 50%. It was really sweet, no spice. I wish they had a slower burn and a little less miscommunication. I think I whispered "JUST SAY IT" at least 5 or 6 times while reading. Because, if someone just said what they were gonna say there would be no conflict. Although ...

Our main character is so conflicted. Like, this man does not know what is happening, how to solve anything, or what to do about the people around him. Surprisingly enough, it wasn't annoying like it usually is for me when the MC is clueless. He has his reasons, and gets amazing growth. You do need to read a lot of pages of "damsel in distress" before that.

The overall plot? Pretty good. Had a nice little twist I had suspicions about, but it caught me slightly off-guard anyways. And the way we learn more about the world and how things work together with our clueless character? MUAH. Absolutely terrific.

Final ranking and star rating?
4.5 stars, A tier. This is a great debut novel. I can't give it the full 5 stars as the romance aspect took up a little too much of the plot for me, but for the romantasy (strong emphasis on the ROM) peeps this might land a lot better. I do recommend it regardless. Stunning debut.

The Crack at the Heart of Everything by Fiona Fenn is an emotional and complex story of redemption with LGBTQ romance in a fantasy setting with dark magic. From the very beginning I was intrigued by Orpheus, his snarky attitude and the way he pushed others away. As he opens himself up to love, he finds hope and healing, the only question will be if its enough to save himself and his world.
One of the writing tools the author uses that I love is intermittent flashbacks to Orpheus and Lore’s history, their childhood and eventually his meeting with Fenrir. The story slowly develops Orpheus’ relationship with Fenrir, the slow burn of chemistry between the two and tackles the trauma of Orpheus' life. I also like that the author addresses the price of magic, the consequences. I found the world rich and inventive, a blend of old and post apocalyptic, rich and complex with history. But most of all, I loved the theme of healing and love that it showed, that even those terribly damaged can learn to love.
If you like dark, emotional and complex fantasy stories with LGBTQ romance, this one is a beautiful story full of love and hope, with a wonderful ending. The characters are complicated, damaged but also open to redemption. I loved the rich and emotional storytelling from start to finish.

The Crack at the Heart of Everything by Fiona Fenn is an absolute masterpiece! From the first page to the last, I was completely captivated. The slow-burn romance had me hooked, and I found myself shipping Orpheus so hard. His pessimistic outlook and struggle to believe anything good could happen to him only made me root for him more. In the best way, Orpheus is a baby we must protect—and even Fenrir agrees with me on this one!

What makes this book stand out is that it’s told from the villain’s perspective. Orpheus feels like a reformed villain in the making, and I loved watching him grow as a character. Seeing this guy evolve, despite all the odds stacked against him, was such a satisfying journey.

Fenn’s magic system is fresh and intricate, blending seamlessly with a world rich in technology and compelling characters. The monsters and hellish creatures? Perfection! They added just the right amount of intensity and danger to keep me glued to the page.

If it weren’t for adult responsibilities, I’d have binged this story in one sitting. I’m already crossing my fingers for more books in this universe because I need to see what happens next, especially with Fifi and their love interest. Fiona, please don’t keep us waiting too long!

Highly recommend to anyone who loves a beautifully written, villain-driven fantasy with a touch of romance and lots of heart.