Book Review ~ SHIP OF SPELLS by H. Leighton Dickson

Ship of Spells (Ship of Spells, #1)
by: H. Leighton Dickson
Series: Ship of Spells
Genre: New Adult Romantic Fantasy/Fantasy Romance
Release Date: November 4, 2025
Publisher: Entangled ~ Red Tower Books

A war-scarred mage. A sentient ship. A secret that could drown empires.

When Ensign Bluemage Honor Renn is rescued from the wreckage of her first naval post, she expects death or disgrace. Instead, she wakes aboard the Touchstone, a mythic vessel whispered of in dockside ballads and royal war rooms alike. With a crew of misfits. A mysterious, elven captain. And a mission tied to the Dreadwall, the crumbling barrier that has kept the Overland and Nethersea from open war for a hundred years.

But the tragedy that sank her last ship didn’t just take lives―it left something behind.

Now Renn carries a secret everyone wants. A magik that’s chimeric, arcane...and slowly killing her. But the captain’s mission may be her only chance to survive, even if he still doesn’t trust her.

Caught between privateers, princes, and spies, Renn knows each choice could sink her future―or set the sea on fire.

Ship of Spells is perfect for readers who crave the raw grit of Arya Stark, the world-building of Samantha Shannon, and the slow-burn tension of enemies who should never trust or want each other.

I wanted to read H. Leighton Dickson’s Ship of Spells because I was intrigued by the idea of a living ship. I had no idea what that meant and desperately wanted to find out.

Ship of Spells is just as much the story of the Touchstone (also known as Ship of Spells), a magical, legendary ship, as it is Honor Renn, the heroine, or Gavriel Thanavar, its captain. This story is full of rough-around-the-edges characters who have burrowed themselves in my heart. Honor is a stubborn woman who hardly ever follows directions. She has a huge heart but doesn't trust, and is always driven to do what she believes is right. Gav is a mysterious captain who appears dark and brooding, but he has one of the biggest hearts you’ll ever come across. Having once been driven by rage, he now seeks redemption. Devanhan Fahr is the first mate, who carries his own secrets, yet is as protective and loyal as the rest of the mismatched crew.

The Touchstone is a unique ship, tasked with closing the Dreadwall, which is essentially a massive water barrier separating the northern and southern hemispheres. Sailing under two flags (one for each hemisphere), it is a target for every ship it comes across. The Touchstone is battle-tested and ready to return home. When the ship comes across Honor, floating in the ocean, after her Naval ship has sunk, the Touchstone recognizes that Honor is the key to closing the Dreadwall and finally allowing it to return home. Doing so will not be easy, as the Touchstone and her crew will not only battle enemies on other ships, but enemies within her own ranks.

Ship of Spells is a pulse-pounding, heart-stopping, fantasy romance. There is no denying, H. Leighton Dickson put me on an emotional rollercoaster. I definitely shed more than a few tears. I loved that the story was unpredictable. But what I loved even more is that she has woven together a story that is more interconnected and detailed than it first appears. That realization hit me like a lightning bolt. I can’t even fathom how the next book in this duology will begin. I just know that I want to be along for the ride, and I’m crossing my fingers for an ending that will allow us all to sail into the sunset smiling.

~ Favorite Quotes ~

“Never underestimate the power of ‘want’.”

“There is always another way to look at things.”

“We’re all broken a little bit. And we put ourselves together best we can.”

“We own the wreckage we leave behind, but we can’t carry the pain caused by others.”

**Received a copy of the book courtesy of the publisher and voluntarily reviewed it. Also personally purchased a deluxe hardcover copy.**

Rating: 4.5

Purchase Ship of Spells from:

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H. Leighton Dickson grew up in the wilds of the Canadian Shield, where her neighbours were wolves, moose, deer and lynx. She studied Zoology at the University of Guelph and worked in the Edinburgh Zoological Gardens in Scotland, where she was chased by lions, wrestled deaf tigers and fed antibiotics to Polar Bears by baby bottle! She has been writing and painting since she was five and pencilled her way through university working for DC Comics.

​Now repped by Looking Glass Literary & Media's D. Ellis Wilson, Heather got her start as an indie author with the Sci/Fi fantasy series, RISE OF THE UPPER KINGDOM, along with Gothic thriller series, COLD STONE & IVY. Then came the award-winning Dragons of Solunas series, with DRAGON OF ASH & STARS: The Autobiography of a Night Dragon and DRAGON OF SAND & STORM: The Autobiography of a Goddess. Her novel, SHIP OF SPELLS, will be published November 4, 2025 by Red Tower Books, and the sequel soon after.

Heather lives on the north shore of Lake Superior where the winters are long and the forest is at her back door. When she is not chasing her dogs, cats, foxes or grandchildren, she writes full time and works with several not-for-profit orgs to showcase the arts and culture of Northwestern Ontario.

Places to find H. Leighton Dickson:

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram | TikTok | Amazon Author Page

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