Quick Synopsis – When new recruit Helspira takes on the doomed mission that no other soldier wants, life—and death—start to get a little complicated. Helspira must play escort to Sikras—a frustratingly handsome necromancer with the power to raise the dead—as he attempts a mission that he’s failed twice before; stopping an undead army at the edges of the kingdom.

No one thinks he will succeed. Not even Sikras. But the more time the two spend together, the more they find they can imagine a brighter future. As secrets come out and the two grow closer—and Sikras’s lively skeleton companion Benjamin tries desperately not to be a third wheel—will Sikras’ and Helspira’s changing feelings for each other be enough to overcome the growing danger?

Song This Reminds Me Of – Everywhere, Everything by Noah Kahan

Publication Date – June 2, 2026

Bookshop Link – Hopeless Necromantic by Shiloh Briar (I receive a small commission if you order using my link)

Content Notes – This book has a lot of necromancy so there is a fair amount of dead bodies and gore. There are also a few battle scenes, xenophobia, blood, mention of child abuse, and off page reference to child explotation.

Spicy Rating – 🌶️

Overall Rating – ⭐⭐⭐out of 5

Review – I thought this book was cute, but I could have done with a little more oomph. This is a split narrative light romance fantasy. There isn’t any really open-door romance, though Benjamin the skeleton definitely gets some. Sikras is an overpowered necromancer and Helspira is a demon, they must work together to defend the kingdom from Vessik a different necromancer. Vessik is responsible for Benjamin’s death and for the death of Sikras’s wife.

As Helspira and Sikras team-up, Sikras starts to soften and Helspira starts to feel accepted. There is a very cute found family aspect between Benjamin, Sikras, and Helspira. I really enjoyed the comradery between them; their banter was top-notch. However, I just couldn’t get into this story. It just felt a little dry for me, maybe too much angst. Also, I had a hard time understanding the political landscape. It felt like the author had really built-up the world, but we only really get to see part of it which made it feel unfinished. This was a fun quick read, but it just wasn’t my favorite.

Thanks to NetGalley and Orbit for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.