Review: We Who Will Die by Stacia Stark

We Who Will Die

Stacia Stark

(Empire of Blood #1)

Publication Date: December 30, 2025

Hardcover, 423 pages, Avon

Genres: Adult, Romantasy

Goodreads

From the bestselling author of the Kingdom of Lies series comes a slow-burn romantasy set in a Roman-inspired world ruled by merciless vampires. Filled with breathtaking combat, vengeful gods, and magical creatures, We Who Will Die is the epic first installment in an enthralling new series perfect for fans of Carissa Broadbent, Jasmine Mas, and Rebecca Yarros.

 

Life in the perilous Thorn district is a constant battle for Arvelle and her younger brothers. And the vampire standing on her doorstep is about to turn their world upside down.

 

Faced with an unthinkable choice, Arvelle makes a magically binding vow to do the impossible: kill the emperor, an ancient vampire created by the god Umbros. But first, she must enter the Sundering—an arena where only the fastest, strongest, and deadliest survive long enough to be selected for the emperor’s elite guard.

 

She quickly draws the ire of the Primus, the powerful figure charged with protecting the emperor. But the vampire under the armor is the last person Arvelle expects to encounter in the emperor’s court.

 

With her brothers’ lives in the balance, Arvelle has no choice but to ally with the man who once shattered her heart… and with the emperor’s sadistic son, Rorrik—two vampires whose motives are impossible to pin down. Rorrik holds the key to understanding the powers Arvelle is developing—abilities that would put a price on her head if discovered by the emperor.

 

To survive the arena and complete her mission, Arvelle must get to the bottom of a conspiracy that will change everything she thought she knew about herself—and the two vampires who are deeply entwined with her destiny…

My Review

Vampires in a gladiator/Ancient Rome-inspired magical fantasy setting? Sounds amazing! Written by Stacia Stark, author of the Kingdom of Lies series? Even more amazing! We Who Will Die is a fun time, and its comparison to The Vampire Diaries universe is definitely adequate. It has prime CW-level qualities. Honestly, it gives True Blood vibes too with all of the creatures. But the romance. That's TVD all the way.

I will say that I was hoping for a bit more vamp lore and gritty times. That's my own fault because this book is not dark and gritty. Even though there are sad moments, it's a really high-vibes type of book. Like, people are dying and we're kind of just breezing past it. I did really enjoy Arvelle's relationships with her brothers and her friends, though. As the female main character, Arvelle herself isn't very unique as a protagonist and she makes some dumb decisions. Those dumb decisions are explained later on, but still... I guess she makes the story interesting. For the other two main characters, those are the male love interests. One more so than the other at this time. Now, their dynamic kept me reading. I loved the vamp and spoilery relationship between the two that was revealed towards the end. It was a good bit of drama. And I think towards the end is really when everything comes together for these characters. They're seemingly working together versus keeping secrets constantly, so things started clicking.

My main criticism towards this book was honestly the middle. It was a bit underwhelming compared to the beginning and the ending. The middle just seemed like events were happening one right after another with no pause for the reader to care why they were happening. It was like BAM! Arena fight scene. BAM! Party to celebrate! BAM! Dramatic murder! It all needed to slow down for some character reflection or scenery description. For example, during the party scene, Arvelle has a conversation with like four characters back-to-back in less than five pages. That whole party scene should have taken up one long chapter with descriptions of the scenery, Arvelle's dress, the food, other characters' outfits, etc. But it was all glossed over. But again, that's simply what I would have preferred. And, like I said, the beginning had a lot of fun introducing readers to the world and characters and the ending was fun because everything kind of blew up and secrets were revealed. I definitely still enjoyed the story, even though the middle was a bit underwhelming.

All in all, if you're looking for a fun, angsty romantasy, then We Who Will Die is 100% for you. It has vampires for the paranormal lovers, griffons and gorgons for the mythology lovers, and strange deaths for the murder-mystery readers. It's a good time with the promise of an even better time when book two comes out. I am pretty excited to see how all that drama unfolds.
 

*Note: I received a copy of this book to review from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affected my opinion/review.

Review: Our Vicious Oaths by N.E. Davenport

Our Vicious Oaths

N.E. Davenport

Publication Date: October 28, 2025

Paperback, 528 pages, Harper Voyager

Genres: Adult, Fantasy/Romantasy

Goodreads

Enter a new world of romantic fantasy from award-winning author N.E. Davenport—a journey of powerful magic, enemies-to-lovers, and political intrigue—as a warrior-princess and a vengeful king from rival fae courts form a fierce alliance to take down a merciless despot.

 

Princess of the Aether Dominion, Kadeesha wants nothing to do with fae politics. She is a warrior, first and foremost, and believes her greatest strength is leading her squadron of elite winged serpent flyers to protect her homeland. But bound since infancy to be betrothed to the Hyperion High King, ruler of all Dominions, she has no choice but to do what men have chosen for her.

 

Repulsed by the idea, she decides to spend one last night of freedom—in the arms of a dangerous stranger who takes her to sexual heights she’s never experienced before…but who is only using Kadeesha to set a trap for the High King

 

 For the High King and the kings of his six Dominions were responsible for the decimation of the Apollyon Court, and its new king, Malachi, wants his pounds of flesh.

 

 On Kadeesha’s wedding day, Malachi and his special forces attack. Her father is killed, and Malachi wounds the High King, ultimately taking Kadeesha as hostage back to his land.

 

 But she is no true hostage. The two form a pact: she will help lure the High King so Malachi can kill him once and for all, and he in turn will not harm Kadeesha or the Aether people. And as much as Kadeesha hates politics, she is now the Queen of her folk. Fae bonds are unbreakable…and so, perhaps, is the attraction Kadeesha and Malachi feel for each other. For even as they must publicly display their connection to provoke the High King’s jealousy, they struggle to resist the powerful allure between them in order to achieve their ultimate goals.

My Review

If you're looking for a romantasy book with a tension-filled relationship similar to Amber V. Nicole's Gods & Monsters series only set in an all-out fantasy fae world, I think Our Vicious Oaths could definitely be for you. It has characters with magical powers, kongamatos (giant serpent dragons), and two main characters who loathe each other.

The two main characters are fairly antagonistic to each other. At times, I got a bit uncomfortable thinking "Oh, we're doing that? Okay." It's a very unconventional relationship in a fantasy romance story simply because of their thoughts and actions towards each other. The female main character, Kadeesha, is an aether fire-wielding, kongamato-riding princess who reeeeally wants to kill Malachi, the king of the Apollyon Court. She even plans to kill him when things seem to be going well in their alliance. And Malachi, the shadow-wielding king, has a tendency to play the bad guy to everyone except his close companions. So yeah, reluctant allies to lovers with enemies to lovers thrown in too. Like I said, she wants to kill him, and he is extremely... intense.

Now, I was worried their tension wouldn't work because of how their original meeting played out in the early chapters of the story. It was a bit underwhelming when the characters first got together. However, their tension gets better as time goes on, and the intimate scenes are much more impactful. So, keep reading, even if those first few chapters throw you off.

 The two main characters having to work together to defeat a tyrannical bad guy is a good plot. Very solid. And it works well for a standalone like this. I will say, the book did have a weakness, though. Its clunky sentence structure was difficult to read at times. For example, the sentence, "His other hand moved to cup her hip, his fingers splayed along its length, a possessive brand that was searing." The sentence could have ended with "a possessive searing brand" to be more impactful. This is just one of many examples. And although these sentences did hinder my enjoyment a little, I was still able to read the book without any major issues.

That being said, I do think the plot and characters carried this story. The two main characters were feisty and powerful with unique personalities in an interesting fantasy world. I do wish the side characters in Malachi's Cadre and the kongamato flyers had more time to shine, but maybe that means spinoffs in the future? Seeing the side characters romances could be fun...

All in all, Our Vicious Oaths was a good time. It has cool shadow and fire powers, characters seeking vengeance from evil rulers, and battles with dragons. I think romantasy readers will enjoy this one just like I did.

*Note: I received a copy of this book to review from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affected my opinion/review.

Review: The Primal of Blood and Bone by Jennifer L. Armentrout

The Primal of Blood and Bone

Jennifer L. Armentrout

(Blood & Ash #6)

Publication Date: September 23, 2025

Hardcover, 1,288 pages, Blue Box Press

Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Goodreads

 

In the shadows and flames, Primals will fall…

 

And from the blood and ash, new gods will rise.

 

 What was dreamt.

 

Poppy was never meant to awaken, and the consequences are devastating and far-reaching, stirring ancient powers from their slumber and transforming Casteel and Kieran in ways even the Fates couldn’t have foreseen. But what that means is the least of their concerns. For now.

 

What was foreseen.

 

The Blood Crown has fallen, but what has risen is a far greater danger than they’ve ever faced. From flesh and fire, the Great Conspirator has returned to the mortal realm, and he wants only one thing. They must stop the true Primal of Death before he regains his strength, and it won’t be easy. Even weakened, his influence is undeniable. His power, unthinkable. 

 

Has come to be.

 

 While the future of the realms rests upon them, they won’t stand alone. The gods have awakened—each harboring their own blood-soaked secrets. But they must navigate an unbalanced realm, where every choice—past and present—has the potential to not only undo everything they’ve fought for but also destroy the very bonds that have Joined them together.

 

For the Harbinger and the Bringer of Death and Destruction has risen.

My Review

The penultimate Blood & Ash book. I was not prepared for it at all. So many revelations and crazy things happening. It was chaos. In both good and bad ways. My emotions were all over the place, and I honestly didn't know what to do with myself when I finished reading. It took me two days to feel in any way normal about this book. I also kept a giant list of questions for JLA in my notes app. She has a lot to answer for after The Primal of Blood and Bone.

This book picks up right where A Soul of Ash and Blood left off. Poppy is in stasis, and Cas and Kieran are trying to keep things together. Well, Kieran is. Cas is a mess throughout the entire story. He's got a lot going on, so I get it. BUT! Treating my sweet baby Kieran poorly is unacceptable! UNACCEPTABLE! Truthfully, both Poppy and Cas treated him poorly, and I was very upset at both of them. Shame on them. I hope he gets an apology in the final book.

  TPOBAB reminded me a lot of The Crown of Gilded Bones, book three in the series, which wasn't my favorite installment, as it mostly consisted of long conversations full of info-dumping. TPOBAB also had conversations about events that happened in the Flesh & Fire series that we as readers already know about, so some of the dialogue just got a bit slow, and it was a lot. There honestly weren't very many scenes that weren't just lengthy conversations. There was one particular conversation that was repeated three times! Once to Poppy, once to Cas, and once to Kieran! The original conversation could have happened with all three major characters present to save valuable page time. I mean, come on! There's only one book left after this! Please give us more domestic trio scenes before its too late!

But, if you take out all of that, the book itself is solid. I definitely had to give it some time to marinate though. I think, trying to binge read it isn't a good idea. You'll burn out quickly. Read it slowly over a week or two, and maybe have the audio book going in the background, if you're an audio reader. I think it'll have more impact that way, especially with the twists. I am happy to say that I managed to guess the ending of the book based on context clues. I can't normally follow all of JLA's Blood & Ash prophecy-related plots, but I got this one. Gold star for me! Now, did I like where we left off? No. That was evil, JLA.

 Overall, as I've had time to reflect on TPOBAB, I've grown to appreciate it more. I think it's setting up for an insane last book, and I can't wait to see more of Kieran, Cas, Poppy, and Kieran. And, did I say more Kieran already? I really don't want this series to end, though. I'm scared. The spinoffs just won't be the same without our main trio.

*Note: I purchased a copy of this book for myself. This in no way affected my opinion/review.

Review: Voidwalker by S.A. MacLean

Voidwalker

S.A. MacLean

(Beasts of the Void #1)

Publication Date: August 19, 2025

Paperback, 592 pages, Orbit

Genres: Adult, Fantasy/Sci-Fi, Queer

Goodreads

Fionamara is a smuggler. Antal is the reason her people fear the dark.

Fi ferries contraband between worlds, stockpiling funds and stolen magic to keep her village self-sufficient - free from the blood sacrifices humans have paid to Antal's immortal species for centuries.

 

Only legends whispered through the pine forests recall a time when things were different, before one world shattered into many, and the flesh-devouring beasts crept from the cracks between realities, with their sable antlers and slender tails, lethal claws and gleaming fangs. Now, mortal lives are food to pacify their carnivorous overlords, exchanged for feudal protection, and the precious silver energy that fuels everything from transport to weaponry.

 

When Fi gets planted with a stash of smuggled energy, a long-lost flame recruits her for a reckless heist that escalates into a terrorist bombing - and a coup against the reigning immortals, with Fi's home caught in the crossfire.

 

She's always known the dangers of her trade - and of the power she's wielded since childhood, allowing her to see the secret doors between dimensions, to walk the Void itself. But nothing could have prepared her for crossing paths with Antal. For the deal she'll have to make with him, a forced partnership to reclaim his city that begins as a desperate bid for survival, only to grow into something far more dangerous.

 

A revolution.

 

 And a temptation - for how sweet the monster's fangs might feel.

 

From the author of the instant Sunday Times-bestselling The Phoenix Keeper comes an era-defining new fantasy universe where spicy romantasy meets the Cosmere, unmissable for fans of the world-building scale of Sarah J. Maas and the world-shifting stakes of Rebecca Yarros.

 

Voidwalker will be your next romantasy obsession, a deliciously feral story that started with just two words: "bite me".

My Review

I haven't ever really read a book like this, so I'm going to throw some comparison titles out there and hope I'm not too far off base. I think, if you're a fan of Stacey McEwan's Glacian trilogy or Ice Planet Barbarians, you might enjoy S.A. MacLean's Voidwalker. Both of those other titles have wintry settings with love interests of a different species. Voidwalker is definitely darker, though, in that the male main character, an antler-and-tail-having monster with big sharp teeth, has to eat humans to survive. It's a bit of a twisted sci-fi-esque romantasy.

I'm not usually squeamish, but it was weird to me how the female main character could be intimate with a creature that eats people and has eaten people alive. In the wise words of Edward Cullen, it's like a lion falling in love with a lamb and vice versa. And unlike Twilight, it was sort of uncomfortable to think about. I thought the storyline would have a male monster character that didn't follow his fellow creature's diet, not that he just did it more politely. It was strange, especially with one specific scene at the end that, unfortunately, automatically dropped my rating and enjoyment. It was just a bit icky when that scene happened. Too icky for me. I was able to have fun with the story up until that point.

Because of the daeyeri creatures' diet, I'm not sure if Voidwalker should be recommended for seasoned monster romance vets or if it's something wannabe monster-romance readers would enjoy. The spicy times were pretty tame based on some other monstrous books I've read, but the mind games I had while thinking about the male main character eating people just made me believe the story isn't for the newbies.

 With this being a romantasy story, there are, of course, two main characters in Voidwalker. Fi is a smuggler who can walk in the Void, which is basically like portal jumping between different lands, and Antal is the daeyeri monster with powers that are a tad confusing. I liked both of them, but Antal is useless for like 80% of the story. How did he ever survive by himself? And although I did like the characters overall, I don't think I ever connected with them enough to fall in love. They were simply entertaining.

Now, as for the descriptions of the world and magic, they were a bit dry at first. At times, they took me out of the story. However, when there were dialogue and action scenes, I was invested. It's when the action slowed down that I found my mind wondering to other things. The plot itself was fun. I was able to read it fairly quickly, despite Voidwalker being a chunk of a book. Having to partner up with a monster to take down an even more monstrous monster is typically a good time. The two main characters were kind of disasters together too, which made the story entertaining. Honestly, if it wasn't for the diet, this would have been a good read.

All in all, I think this one was too weird for me. I'm not a big monster-romance girlie, so it makes sense. I don't dislike the genre, I'm just particular about the monster romance I choose to consume (pun intended). I thought this one would be a bit more palatable, though, since it's traditionally published. But, the eating people thing didn't work for me. It's a very beautiful cover, though, and maybe I'll want to pick up book two once I've had more time to digest the story.

*Note: I received a copy of this book to review from the publisher. This in no way affected my opinion/review.

Review: Silvercloak by L.K. Steven

Silvercloak

L.K. Steven

(Silvercloak Saga #1)

Publication Date: July 29, 2025

Hardcover, 464 pages, Del Rey

Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Queer

Goodreads

In this addictive new fantasy series set in a world where magic is fueled by pleasure and pain, an obsessive detective infiltrates a brutal gang of dark mages—knowing that one wrong move will get her killed. . . . 

 

Two decades ago, the Bloodmoons ruthlessly murdered Saffron Killoran’s parents, destroying her idyllic childhood. Hell-bent on revenge, she lies her way into Silvercloak Academy—the training ground for her city’s elite order of detectives—with a single goal: to bring the Bloodmoons to justice.

 

But when Saff’s deception is exposed, rather than being cast out, she’s given a rare opportunity: to go undercover and tear the Bloodmoons down from the inside.

 

Descending into a world where pleasure and pain are the most powerful currencies, Saff must commit some truly heinous deeds to keep her cover—and her life. Not only are there rival gangs and sinister smuggling rings to contend with, but there’s also her growing feelings for the kingpin’s tortured son, with his vicious pet fallowwolf, his dark past, and the curious prophecy foretelling his death at Saffron’s hand.

 

With each day testing her loyalties further, Saff finds her web of lies becoming harder to spin. And when one false step could destroy everything and everyone she’s ever loved . . . the detective who’s dedicated her life to vengeance just might die for it.

My Review

If you're an adult who is missing the magic of the Wizarding World and wants a darker story that gives Six of Crows and A Darker Shade of Magic vibes, then L.K. Steven's Silvercloak is 100% the next book you should pick up. It has wands, a unique power system, time travel, mafia, detectives, queer-normative relationships, and fancy cloaks to immerse you in a new fantasy sensation.

I am going to be totally honest, it took me a while to really start enjoying this book. Not because the worldbuilding isn't awesome or the characters aren't entertaining. It was simply due to the narration style. It was a third-person point of view, but something about it was a bit... dry. It took me a good chunk of the book to really connect with all of the cool elements of the story just because I wasn't feeling the writing choices. However, once I did start to connect, I was hooked. I'd tell myself to take a break, but the next thing I know, I've managed to read two more chapters. It's an easy story to get absorbed in once you become familiar with that drier tone. That's definitely where the Six of Crows and A Darker Shade of Magic comparisons come in too, in addition to the mafia and magic elements, of course. Both of those titles have a third-person limited POV that feels a tad slower and heavier than popular stories like the Crescent City or Shatter Me books. I think both of those series would compare well for their magic systems and characters, however.

The main character of Silvercloak, Saffron Killoran, is a recently-promoted detective trying to avenge her parents' death by going undercover in a mafia organization called the Bloodmoons. Now, Saffron isn't particularly unique in terms of her personality, she's witty and competent like most female main characters (exceptions will be discussed soon), but she is immune to spells in a world where spells and potions are used for pretty much everything, from healing to pleasure to flying to time travel. I enjoyed Saffron as a character, but there were some instances where she made some very odd and dumb mistakes, like when she went to visit her superior officer twice while beginning her undercover work. I'm also surprised her superior was dumb enough to arrange it. And of course, there's the love interest, the mafia prince, Levan Celadon. He has a pet wolf, a crazy amount of power, and a tragic backstory. Everything you need in a good fantasy romance plotline. He gives off major Kaz Brekker, Kell Maresh, and Aaron Warner vibes.

As for the plot, Saffron's journey to get her vengeance is addicting. You want to know what happens next. You simply have to make it through the first third of the book to really get to that point, unfortunately. But, there's a lot of action, betrayal, and intrigue throughout the story. Honestly, if the narration style had been revamped, this could have easily been a five-star read, especially with the worldbuilding. I enjoyed learning about the ways the spells were used to enhance everyday life, and how pleasure/pain could be used to increase power, though I think that element could have been a bit grittier. There was also a small plot hole in that time travel spells were removed from wands, but somehow killing curses weren't. It was a head-scratcher. There is a whole history of time-traveling mages and dragons that has me ready for book two, though. But the thing I'm most looking forward to is Saffron and Levan's relationship. Things took a crazy turn at the end of book one, so the sequel is going to be insane.

All in all, I am truly happy I kept going with this book, even though it seemed like the beginning was going to make it a quick DNF. Do I think Silvercloak is for everyone? Not at all. If you're not a lover of fantasy first, then this definitely isn't for you. It's also for readers who can stick with those slower tomes, understanding that the end of the book will reveal all the good stuff. But, if you're a reader who likes the hard work to be worth it, Silvercloak should immediately be added to your TBR. I promise, it'll be a rewarding investment.

*Note: I received a copy of this book to review from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affected my opinion/review.

Review: Arcana Academy by Elise Kova

Arcana Academy

Elise Kova

(Arcana Academy #1)

Publication Date: July 22, 2025

Hardcover, 576 pages, Del Rey

Genres: Adult, Fantasy

Goodreads

A woman who wields magical tarot cards lands herself in a false engagement with the headmaster of a mysterious academy in this first installment of an enthralling romantasy series from the bestselling author of A Deal with the Elf King.

 

Clara Graysword has survived the underworld of Eclipse City through thievery, luck, and a whole lot of illegal magic. After a job gone awry, Clara is sentenced to a lifetime in prison for inking tarot cards-a rare power reserved for practitioners at the elite Arcana Academy.

 

Just when it seems her luck has run dry, the academy's enigmatic headmaster, Prince Kaelis, offers her an escape-for a price. Kaelis believes that Clara is the perfect tool to help him steal a tarot card from the king and use it to re-create an all-powerful card long lost to time.

 

In order to conceal her identity and keep her close, Kaelis brings Clara to Arcana Academy, introducing her as the newest first-year student and his bride-to-be.

 

Thrust into a world of arcane magic and royal intrigue, where one misstep will send her back to prison or worse, Clara finds that the prince she swore to hate may not be what he seems. But can she risk giving him power over the world-and her heart? Or will she take it for herself?

My Review

Arcana Academy is for the Gambit and tarot card girlies first and foremost. And, unfortunately, I am not one of those girlies. However, I still enjoyed this book, but I had a rough time getting through the beginning. The story starts out pretty heavy on the world- and magic-building. It's a little info-dumpy, similar to the first Crescent City book. I stuck with it, though, and the payoff was worth the confusion and head scratches that consistently popped up while I was trying to figure out what the heck each card did and who everyone was. After the first third of the story, though, things started to get fun.

Let me back up a bit. Our main character, Clara Graysword, has been imprisoned for illegal tarot card magic. She shouldn't be creating or using the cards she's been wielding, so she's locked up by the royal family. A year later, Prince Kaelis comes to get her for his own reasons. He wants her help with a secret task. Now, she has to pretend to be his fiance (fake engagement!) and successfully graduate a magical school (trials and competitions!). It's also the school where he rules as the headmaster. Clara is a strong female lead. She didn't fold easily just because a prince batted his eyes at her, which I appreciated. She was also confident in her abilities and weaknesses. It was refreshing to see for a female main character in a fantasy world. Kaelis, on the other hand, is kind of a jerk at first. But, the tension between the two was very nice. I was actually a bit disappointed when they started getting along. The two still had their moments, though.

As for the magic and world, that's where the book lost me at first. It was really hard to follow the card logistics. And maybe that was because I was reading an e-ARC, so it wasn't easy to flip back to the descriptions of various cards, houses, or characters. Maybe the finished copy will have a nice list of all the important magical terminology in the front of the book for the card types, uses, houses, and house members. I think readers would really appreciate that. For the story itself, it was fun. The academy elements are very reminiscent of the Zodiac Academy series and Fourth Wing while still managing to be its own thing. And while the ending wasn't unexpected, I am sad to have to wait a year or more for book two after that cliffhanger. Boo.

All in all, Arcana Academy was a good read. It had action, intrigue, unique magical powers, romance, and a few twists to keep people reading. I do, however, think readers need to be prepared to go into it with that heavy worldbuilding in mind. If you're not mentally ready to be in a story with descriptive magic, come back to Arcana Academy later, when you can digest all the things. It's a long book, and it takes some brain power to get through. It's very similar to an epic fantasy in that way, just without the larger-scaled setting (the academy is pretty much the primary setting) and multiple points of view (Clara is the only POV throughout the story).

*Note: I received a copy of this book to review from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affected my opinion/review.

Review: The Jasad Crown by Sara Hashem

The Jasad Crown

Sara Hashem

(The Scorched Throne #2)

Publication Date: July 15, 2025

Paperback, 688 pages, Orbit

Genres: Adult, Fantasy

Goodreads

In the thrilling conclusion to the Egyptian-inspired Scorched Throne duology, a fugitive queen may be the key to restoring her lost kingdom of Jasad, but it could cost her everything and everyone she loves.

 

Held deep in a mountain refuge, Sylvia has been captured by the Urabi, who believe she can return their homeland to its former power. But after years of denying her legacy and a forbidden alliance with Jasad's greatest enemy, Sylvia must win the group's trust while struggling to keep control of both her magic and her mind.

 

In the rival kingdom, Arin is caught between his father's desire to put down the brewing rebellion and the sacred edicts he's sworn to uphold. Arin must find Sylvia before his father's army, but his search will call into question the very core of Arin's beliefs about his family and the destruction of Jasad.

 

War is inevitable and Sylvia cannot abandon her people again. The Urabi plan to raise the Jasadi fortress, and it will either kill Sylvia or destroy the humanity she's fought so hard to protect. For the first time in her life Sylvia doesn't just want to survive. She wants to win. The fugitive queen is ready to come home.

My Review

Wow. That's all I can think to say about Sara Hashem's The Jasad Crown. I think I sobbed through the final two hundred pages of this book. If you want an emotional gut punch of a fantasy story with vibes similar to S.A. Chakraborty's Daevabad and Sarah J. Maas's Throne of Glass series, combined with a tension-filled romance reminiscent of series like Serpent & Dove and The Crimson Moth, then you should definitely pick up The Scorched Throne duology.

Book two starts about where book one left off, with Sylvia's magic and lineage having just been revealed and Arin struggling to deal with the fallout of Sylvia being on the loose and all the political upheaval that creates. Book one stayed in Syliva's POV, but in this installment, we get three additional POVs: Arin's, Sefa's, and Marek's. And honestly, I thoroughly enjoyed each character's chapters. There wasn't a POV that dragged the plot down.

There was also plenty of action. There were badass sword and magic scenes with battles and monsters throughout. There was also pining. I love some pining. Especially when it's paired with actual enemies to lovers. Sylvia and Arin kick the crap out of each other, and I giggle and kick my feet every time. Now, the book did have a slight flaw in that some tasks did seem a bit too conveniently resolved, but I easily rolled with it. I wasn't going to question it too hard when I was having such a good time. The ending was also lovely, though it was abrupt. I wanted more! I guess I'll just have to see what Sara Hashem releases next. Sigh. I hope there's something new soon!

I honestly adored this duology, and I think I forgot how much I loved it because there was a big gap between release dates. In fact, that's probably my only real criticism. I didn't do a reread, so I couldn't remember the world or side character details, like the lands' histories and the monsters. I wish there had been more "refresher" language to subtly remind the reader what happened in book one.

Overall, The Jasad Crown is a fantastic sequel and series finale. If you need a book to destroy you, this is it. Add it to your TBR. But obviously read book one first and book two immediately after. You'll enjoy the journey. I'm actually very excited to reread these books one day and hurt my soul all over again, and that's something I don't say very often after just finishing a book.

*Note: I received a copy of this book to review from the publisher. This in no way affected my opinion/review.

Recap: Rachel Gilling's St. Louis Tour Stop

I decided kind of last-minute to go to Rachel Gillig's St. Louis signing for The Knight and the Moth, so I thought I'd give a quick recap. There have been a few St. Louis author events I would have liked to attend, but they're all usually in the middle of the week and I have to travel two hours one-way to get there. So, since this event was on a Saturday (May 24th, to be exact), I said, "Let's do it!" But, like I said, it was still a pretty last-minute decision, as I wasn't sure I wanted to go since you had to buy a book with the ticket and I already had the ARC version and FairyLoot and Barnes & Noble editions on the way. However, I saw the videos of the B&N version with the blue foil and decided I wanted the regular version. I just like the look of the silver foil better. So I thought if I'm going to buy the regular edition, I might as well get a signed one.

 

 

My dad said he'd go with me, so we headed out from my place and got to The Sun Theatre around 4:30ish. I got my pre-signed copy of The Knight and the Moth when I walked in, along with my signing number ticket. I was in Group 5 out of, I believe, 6 or 7, so that was kind of a bummer as it meant waiting longer to get my books signed after the discussion. Next time, I'll get there earlier to get a better ticket. I thought they were still doing the signings by seat. That shows how long it's been since I've been to one. Ha ha. I ended up chatting with the ladies next to me when I found a seat. It was, thankfully, a seat near the front, so that was nice. The place was almost full by the time I got there. It was a sold-out event. But anyway, my seat neighbors and I talked about NetGalley ARCs and special editions to kill time before it started. 

 

Rachel Gillig (on the left in yellow) started at a little after 5 p.m. She was funny and charming in a positive, awkward way, like a self-deprecating-sense-of-humor type. I have a few videos from the beginning of the signing, but this one was my favorite because they talk about Bartholomew, my favorite character in the book. He was probably everyone's favorite character, honestly. 

 

 

 

Rachel discussed how Sybil's appearance is similar to Aurora the singer, and Rory's is similar to a male singer I had never heard of before. Well, I've never heard of either of them, but I specifically didn't know how to spell the singer for Rory to look it up for this post. Rachel also said she likes to write slowburn romance to make readers suffer, she likes tangible magic rules (her example was how El in Stranger Things can just do things and it irritates her how it's not explained), and she calls herself a sedentary toad for liking to write on her couch in her home. For The Knight and the Moth specifically, she talked about how 2025 is the year of lady knights in publishing. She blames The Green Knight film for that. She also said Zelda is a big inspiration for her. And the only hints she gave us for book two include the word "tournament" and that there was inspiration from A Knight's Tale film. 

 

  

  

 

After the panel, I waited like 1.5 hours to get my books signed. Since The Knight and the Moth hardback came pre-signed, I just got my three copies that I brought signed instead. There was a three-item limit to what you could get signed, and only one The Knight and the Moth copy could be personalized. I tend not to get books personalized anymore unless they're like a major favorite author (i.e., J.R. Ward or JLA), so I stuck to just a signature. I would potentially have gotten my B&N edition signed, but it wasn't delivered until right as I was in Rachel Gillig's signing event. How rude, B&N. Please fix your shipping times. Honestly, though, I'm not even sure that I'm going to keep the B&N edition. I think I'll wait until book two comes out to decide which edition I'll keep/get rid of. 

  

 

 

The signing line itself didn't take very long. It was a quick drop-your-books-and-take-a-pic line. I think I barely said hi to her. They did have us hold up our The Knight and the Moth copies, so I held up my ARC version, since it was the one I got signed. I also got my One Dark Window and Two Twisted Crowns B&N editions signed as well. After that, my poor dad (who sat in the car the entire time for some reason instead of going out and doing something) and I headed home. We stopped at Culver's on the way for a small snack too.