Review Detail

This cover is giving HUGE Cinderella vibes (and though I was quickly proven wrong), you can't go wrong with this cover anyhow.

The Night King's Court by Elisa A. Bonnin is a YA fantasy novel about Ida, who is a magic candlemaker. Ida’s father went missing without a trace seven years ago, last seen at the court of the enigmatic Night King, which comes to life only after dark with magic and revelry. So when a position opens up for a new court Luminaire, Ida doesn’t hesitate. She inherited her gift for enchantments from her father—and with this position, she’ll use it to find him again. Ida is swept into the king’s collection of magical beings, those who bring light and entertainment to the Court’s midnight gatherings—and swept away by the Court, where faerie gardens edge into underwater masquerades, dreaming revels offer blissful escapes, and life is a mesmerizing euphoria. Yet a sinister thread interrupts Ida’s nights of decadence. Memories go missing, the castle’s magic takes on a malevolence, and Ida can’t seem to leave the boundaries of the court itself. Enlisting the help of the king’s breathtakingly beautiful daughter Lenore, Ida must unravel the castle’s secrets… before this enchanted world destroys her.

Despite my earlier assumptions about this being a fairy tale retelling, The Night King's Court proved to be one of my favorite reads of 2026. What I really liked about this book, was the magic system. It is both unique and refreshing in it's presentation. It was very remiscient of two of my other favorite reads (ie. Stephanie Garber's Caraval and Catherine Bakewell's Flowerheart). I also highly appreciated the general pacing of the novel, as it came out of the gate claiming to be a mystery (which it held onto for the entirety of the novel, unlike some of my other reads of the year).

One thing that did keep tripping me up throughout reading The Night King's Court is the characters. None of them were fully believable nor quite rememberable. I found most of them to be quite dull and unreliable in their arcs. I did quite enjoy the romance aspect however.

Regardless, The Night King's Court by Elisa A. Bonnin is a YA sapphic fantasy that is perfect for anyone looking for a easy route to start their fantasy journey.