Holly Renee has quickly become one of my “read everything” authors - everything that she puts out is automatically going on my TBR list and her books are always on pre-order.

Her newest romantasy, “The Veiled Kingdom,” did not disappoint. After Renee’s Stars and Shadows series and the epic love story that was Adara and Evren, I didn’t think she could make me love a book couple more - until this newest book. Enter Dacre and Nyra. It has all of my favorite tropes - enemies to lovers to enemies again, friend’s brother, slow burn, world entrenched in magic, hidden identity, forced proximity, found family, and only THE BEST angst and banter. I could go on…but this book is EVERYTHING.

The book had me by the throat from the very beginning and was perfectly paced, in a way few authors of this genre can do well - Renee being one of them. It was so well done that I could not put the book down until I was done with it. The novel - told in dual POV between Dacre and Nyra - tells the story of one runaway princess (Nyra), desperately seeking to flee her kingdom and her magic-obsessed, abusive father who wants to use the magically inclined and will stop at nothing to get what he desires. She runs quite literally into Dacre - a leader in the rebellion against her father. Nyra must hide who she truly is in order to be taken in by the rebellion and trained as one of their soldiers. You can only imagine all that could go wrong in that scenario…and it does. 

I absolutely loved the characters. Nyra is not the prim princess that needs to be saved. She’s experienced trauma at the hands of her own father and despite this, remains diligent in her quest to free herself from his wrath. She’s strong but also has moments of vulnerability - especially as she begins to find herself when she’s in hiding with the rebellion (ironic, I know). 

Dacre is everything I want in a morally gray MMC. The tension between Dacre and Nyra was thick from the start and was set on fire the moment Dacre took it upon himself to train Nyra in the rebellion ways. The “touch her and die” vibes he gives to basically any male that looks at Nyra is liquid fire to my loins. Dacre may just be my new favorite book boyfriend.

If you enjoyed Renee’s first series, this is an obvious shoo-in to your collection. A must-read for romantasy readers everywhere…but beware the cliff! I am ecstatic that a second book is coming out - I could NOT get enough of the first. I’m just disappointed that June is so far off!

“The Dragon’s Rose” by Tati Alvarez is the first book in the Grym Hollow series. “The Dragon’s Rose” follows leading lady Rose Briar in her quest to save the younger sister who betrayed her, while also trying to get away from a painful past.

Rose finds herself seeking the help of The Guardian, an elusive, magical figure who lives on the fringes of her small community and assists those in need - for a price. Rose’s deal for an escape from her current reality leads her to Mescos, a magical realm filled with dragons, krakens, shifters, and more - and straight to the castle of the Dragon King, Malix, whom she’s agreed to marry as part of her deal. 

Now, the novel wasn’t horrible. Apart from the grammatical errors that littered the ARC, the story was interesting enough to keep me reading. I enjoyed the premise of a bargain for a new life, with all the twists that came with it. I would have loved to see some more development of Rose and Malix’s relationship - it felt superficial at best and the romance fell flat of what I’d expect from a romantasy. The dual POV also left much to be desired; I felt the voices weren’t distinct enough from each other to tell much of a difference between one and the other. 

That being said, I would love to see where the author takes this series - as there were definitely hints at what a sequel might hold in this first book. I enjoyed Alvarez’s writing and think with more editing, the next book could be a hit.

Rating: 3/5 Stars

“Dance of Stars and Ashes” by Nisha J. Tuli is a fantasy romance read, inspired by South Asian culture and Indian mythology and is the second book in the Nightfire Quartet. Just as captivating as the first book, Tuli continues the story of our heroine, Zarya, a magically gifted bad-ass who’s finally coming into her own self in this part of the series, after having been sequestered from the rest of the world for a large part of her young life.

This sequel was a wonderful follow-up to the first book in the series. I enjoyed seeing Zaraya’s character and relationships develop and deepen. Not only do you see her growth throughout the story, but her companions (and secondary characters) also have their own self-revelations and growing pains as well. In this sequel, Zaraya begins to learn more about her own heritage and why she was spirited away as a young child and raised by Row (who, despite all his short-comings is really making an effort to get back in Zaraya’s good graces!)

The action and story development in this book definitely picked up more than the first book and - in my opinion - remained relatively on pace for most of the sequel. The surprise/not-so-surprise villain in the story and the subsequent take-over that happened was emotion-inducing - like, I wanted Zaraya to kick their ass so bad! It was almost maddening. 

Finally, the developing romance between Zaraya and Rabin was EVERYTHING! You see each become vulnerable in their feelings for each other and it’s truly magical to see where their vulnerability and trust in one another takes them. His fierceness in wanting to protect Zaraya and keep her safe, while also giving major Dragon Daddy vibes just checked all the right boxes in this romantasy! 

I absolutely enjoyed this book as much as I did the first one - maybe even more so. I look forward to the next book in the series!

“Cruel is My Court” by L.A. McGinnis is the highly anticipated follow-up to “Savage is My Kingdom” - a steamy dark fantasy romance that touts elements of forbidden love, found family, morally gray men, enemies to lovers, reluctant heroes - and more! It’s an epic fantasy story that’s fast-paced and tells the story of two warring kings and the young woman who’s determined to find her place in the world, on her own terms.

“Cruel is My Court” finds Anaria and her rag-tag team of warriors in the center of the Oracle’s constant scheming and sinister plans; the Oracle wishes to use Anaria to release the old magic that was stripped from the lands long ago. Knowing how much her men and newfound mother, Adele, mean to Anaria, the Oracle uses Anaria’s loved ones to manipulate her into releasing the magic. Anaria is fighting on all fronts - first and most immediately with the Oracle, but also still with the warring kings who continue to look to Anaria as a means of their own personal gain. Despite countless attacks, setbacks, and surprising betrayals, Anaria can’t seem to catch a break.

This book was everything I had hoped the sequel would be after completing devouring “Savage is My Kingdom.” It really has it all - it was captivating and fairly well-paced throughout the book. The narrative and plot exhibit intricacy and depth, showcasing exceptional world-building, multifaceted environments, and truly captivating characters. 

The characters are extremely well-written and I loved seeing them develop from the first book to the sequel - especially in terms of budding relationships between Anaria and both Zor and Tavion. (That darn illusive Tristan though - I feel he’ll get his day in the next book!) I also appreciated the detail to Tavion’s relationship with his father in this book, as I felt that was a major “aha” for the reasons behind some of Tavion’s behavior and general grumpiness half the time. 

“On Silver Winds” by Ava Smiddy is a fantasy reimagining of the classic tale of the Snow Queen with major “Frozen” vibes. The story follows Princess Adeline Beira, in the everwinter kingdom of Eisalaan, as she prepares for her 22nd birthday - a point where she will need to declare her intentions of pursuing her mother’s (the Snow Queen’s) throne or abdicate her title as Heir. Adeline’s older sister, Mareda, has already declared her intentions and is thrilled at the idea of Adeline - having no ambitions to follow in her cold mother’s (Queen Selma’s) footsteps - wanting to pursue a more quiet life outside of the palace.

However, the kingdom is thrown into upheaval when the 600-year-old King Kai emerges from the depths of the frozen lake. Adeline and her family quickly learn that Eisalaan is beginning to thaw, and her kingdom’s way of life is being threatened. As King Kai and his people are accepted into the throws of Queen Selma’s court, it seems that the lake is not the only thing that is beginning to thaw; Queen Selma begins to show a side of herself that has Adeline questioning her decision to bow out as an Heir. 

Amidst the family drama and the secrets King Kai is keeping, Adeline is tasked with training with the King. You know how things go from here - they train daily, getting to know each other, and the foundation of their feelings are cemented. 

Things come to a head when Adeline must decide where she fits in the grand scheme of things - and where she is going to make a difference with her people…even if that means it’s not by King Kai’s side.

This book was such a unique retelling of a beloved fairytale and was incredibly well-written for a first-time novel. I loved the court politics and the family drama - although I felt Mareda’s character could have been a little more front and center and developed. 

I absolutely love the slow burn romance between King Kai and Adeline. He falls in love with her and wants to protect her from the harms of the court (at the risk of his own kingdom and people), but also realizes she must stand on her own feet (and doesn’t try to damselize her). I did feel that their break-up scene was entirely forced and not necessary. 

The pacing was pretty decent - until the end. I reached the final chapters and I feel like a lot happened all at once…and that there wasn’t much in the way of closure for Adeline and the events that unfolded. Like, a decision is made and suddenly it’s the epilogue. I get that the epilogue provided some set-up for the next book in the duet, but I wish there had been more fight at the end.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book - so much so that I probably would have given it five stars had it not been for the breakneck speed of the ending. If you enjoy books that are steeped in folklore, examine royal politics and family drama, have its fair share of secrets and betrayal, and give the perfect amount of spice to thaw a frozen heart, you will want to check out Ava Smiddy’s “On Silver Winds.”