Immortal Game Book Review

Synopsis

In this Irish folklore-inspired sapphic fantasy from #1 New York Times bestseller Allison Saft, a chess grandmaster must team up with her fae rival to save the person she loves the most.

Six years ago, Shea Fury’s sister was whisked away by the High King of the Otherworld, the ruler of the treacherous land of fae. Although Shea has spent the years since dreaming of rescuing her sister from captivity, the Iron Veil that separates the human world from that of the fae has made it only a wish. That is, until an invitation to participate in a once-in-a-lifetime chess tournament in the Otherworld arrives on Shea’s doorstep. The winner of the tournament may ask the High King to grant one wish, and Shea is finally within reach of hers.

But entering the tournament and winning it are two different matters. Dark magic lurks around every corner in the Otherworld, and Shea’s cutthroat opponents are willing to bend the rules to make their own wishes come true. To make it to the end―and to find her sister―she is forced to strike an alliance with her longtime rival, the sharply beautiful fae princess, Ciara of Bri Leith. One wrong move, though, and Shea could lose more than just the competition: She’d lose her sister, her dignity, and maybe even her life.

In Immortal Game, Allison Saft has written a high-stakes sapphic love story brimming with competitive tension set against a lush, Irish folklore-inspired fantasy world.

REVIEW

How do you make chess more interesting? Throw in some fantasy, Irish fae folklore, and a sapphic romance, of course!

While some of the chess moves and terminology went over my head at times, I liked learning about them and discussing with my husband (he’s a huge chess nerd lol). The YA romance was also well done and kinda sweet.

Thanks to Colored Pages Book Tour for the gifted copy for review!

Original publication date was 4 Sep 2026.