disclaimer: I received this free from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

rep: sapphic (lesbian, I think) m/c, sapphic li, f/f romance, non-binary side character

The Winter Duke follows Ekata, who comes from the ruling family of Kylma Above - an icy city known for its connection to Kylma Below, who provide her family with magic. When her entire family fall under a strange sleeping sickness, Ekata is forced into the role of Grand Duke, a role she never wanted, and a role she is not prepared for. Ekata is forced into a world of danger, magic, and intrigue and she must do her best to come out of it alive.

Give me a snarky ruler and her charming wife trying to navigate a political and magical mess ANY DAY.

The Winter Duke is a solid political fantasy, and while I enjoyed it immensely, it could have been so much better. Ekata was a brilliant main character - she was witty, intelligent, stubborn, and impulsive but she was completely out of her depth. She's an extremely flawed and complex character and I really enjoyed her character arc throughout the novel, and how she came to understand and learn how to effectively wield her power, I just wished it happened a little sooner and we had more of that Ekata. Inkar was a favourite character of mine and in my personal opinion, a character that was massively underutilized. Their romance was top notch though, I loved every single one of their scenes.

The Winter Duke is a very plot and character-driven book, and so it won't be everyone's cup of tea. I am a huge fan of books which focus on politics and political intrigue, so it wasn't an issue for me. I enjoyed the plot, but there was so much more potential for the story, but I had a lot of fun reading this book so not too much of an issue! I loved the setting and it was extremely atmospheric.

The Winter Duke is a must read for those looking for a good YA political fantasy, and for those who like sapphic fantasy too.