Fairyloot Adult #48: February 2026
The February FairyLoot arrived just in time for February itself. It’s always nice when that happens, because sometimes deliveries run a bit late.
This month’s theme was: Forbidden Bargains!
According to FairyLoot, the book of the month would be perfect for readers who enjoy gothic fantasy. And that sentence alone was enough to grab my attention.
They also revealed that the story would revolve around a deadly bargain and supernatural encounters. And yes, that all sounded very promising.
The book turned out to be Weavingshaw, by debut author Heba Al-Wasity.
Since then, she has hidden herself from the world, knowing that if she ever reveals her curse she will be locked away in an asylum.
When her beloved brother, Rami, falls fatally ill, Leena is faced with a terrible CHOICE: Let him die or buy the expensive medicine that will save his life by bartering the only valuable thing she has—her secret.
The Saint of Silence, a ruthless merchant who trades in confessions and is shrouded in unearthly rumors of cruelty and power, accepts her bargain, for a deadly price. Leena must find the ghost of Percival Avon, the last lord of Weavingshaw—or lose her freedom to the Saint forever.
As Leena’s search takes her and the Saint to Weavingshaw, she finds the estate and the surrounding moors to be living things—hungry for blood and sacrifice. Fighting against Weavingshaw’s might, Leena must also fight her growing pull toward the enigmatic Saint himself, whose connection to Percival Avon remains a mystery.
As the house begins to entomb them, time is running out on their desperate hunt for answers. For Leena has come to see that here in Weavingshaw, the dead are not hushed—and some secrets are better left buried with them.
Hohohohoho, this sounds phenomenally good.
A creepy house on the moors? That sounds so much like classic gothic novels. I really think this is going to be a treat.
Meanwhile, I also saw BooksandLala reading an advanced copy of this book, and she was absolutely gushing. The average rating on Goodreads is also exceptionally high, at 4.28 stars. That’s why this book has instantly gone up my TBR list. With a bit of luck, I can read it in March!
The FairyLoot cover is completely different from the standard cover. To be honest, I had to let it sink in first, mainly because the colour difference from the standard cover is so stark. Not that I particularly like the standard cover. It’s okay, but it doesn’t exactly make me enthusiastic about the book.
But then I opened the FairyLoot cover and…jeez.
What a magnificent illustration by @alicecaoillustration. The eerie, imposing gothic house is so detailed and atmospherically drawn. Absolutely stunning.
What’s difficult to photograph is the combination of different materials used in the cover. Most of the illustration is matte with gold foil accents, but the house’s windows are made with a glossy material. When you move the book in the light, it almost seems as if there’s movement behind the windows. Seriously, so incredibly beautiful and cool.
On the back cover, FairyLoot, as is often the case, offers a variation on the standard cover. Always a pleasure to see. But I will never consider turning this cover over 😅
The naked hardcover features an illustration of the characters by @ophelie_mahl. And I have to be honest: I’m not a huge fan.
The illustration itself is absolutely beautifully done, but I’m never quite sure how I feel about character illustrations on covers. My relationship with them is rather… complicated. I really love character art, but it rarely works for me on covers. Oh well, who knows, maybe my opinion will change once I’ve read the book and the characters really start to mean something to me.
The sprayed edges are definitely a big hit for me. They’re also illustrated by @alicecaoillustration. I suspect the parchment with the quill symbolizes the binding contract between the characters, and I think that’s a really cool detail.
The endpapers feature two beautiful illustrations, enhanced with gold foil, again by @ophelie_mahl.
I’m so glad all the character illustrations were all done by the same artist, so everything stays visually coherent.
The front illustration is already very beautiful and detailed, but it’s the one on the back that really made my heart leap. I almost wish that illustration had been on the hardcover. The scene looks so exciting and mysterious! My curiosity is truly piqued.
As has become almost traditional with FairyLoot, the book includes a bound letter from the author with a digital signature. But this time, there’s also an extra title page with a hand-signed autograph from the author. Always a nice bonus!
OMG, yes…the unique cover alone makes this special edition worth it for me. And I have to admit, even the hardcover is starting to grow on me. In short, I’m very happy with this edition and especially curious to dive into the story.
Cheers,
Charlotte
