Vicious Princess

 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

If you love Divergent, Vampire Academy, and all things fae, you will love this!

I was taken by surprise by this book and read it in one sitting! 

After Phoenix's entire family is slaughtered, she sets out on a mission of revenge in a new land, using her training to help her infiltrate the elite academy for fae fighters (Ezkai). The catch? She's the only human in the school, is in denial that she loves her instructor after a pre-enrolment tryst, and she's one of the coveted Phantom Rangers, a Decarios born with a rare affinity for the bow. The pace of this new story was fast and never dull. The author pulls you in and satisfies the immediate problems the characters face while making you want to find out what happens next for Phoenix in Blood Queen! 

Worldbuilding: There was just enough to give the reader a sense of why Phoenix went to the new world to climb the ranks to take revenge on her homeland, whose royalty is responsible for the death of her entire family. The similarities and differences between where Phoenix grew up and trained to be a warrior, and where she escapes to, is sprinkled throughout the story in just enough snippets to avoid info-dumping and create a full picture of how harsh the land Phoenix escaped is. At the same time, her new world is shown as just as vicious, albeit in different ways. While one wants you to prove yourself with what pain you are willing to withstand to join, the other wants you to prove yourself in what you're willing to do to others for the cause.

Characters: OMG. I love, love, love Daegal and Phoenix! The forbidden nature of their relationship (student x instructor) heightens the stakes and somehow made me root for them like I did Dimitri and Rose! They both have ulterior motives and histories that they don't immediately share--always holding back! But they root for each other, and Daegel helps her connect to her bow to become the Phantom Ranger she's meant to be. And as much as she finds herself wanting him, her mission remains her focus, and that makes her a beast FMC!

Honestly, if you like:

🏹Fighting 

💘Forbidden Romance

💣Revenge

🧚Fae

🌍New World

You will love Vicious Princess and mark the release for the sequel, Blood Queen!

Thank you @NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Crown of Briars

 

Crown of Briars Book Review

Slow-Burn Dark Fantasy That Surpasses Expectations

If you love fairy tale retellings with a bit of bite, you’ll probably be hooked by this one just like I was. From the description alone, I was eager to dive in—a Beauty and the Beast story with some darkness and spice? Yes, please!

I’ll admit, dual POVs usually aren’t my thing. At first, it threw me off, but pretty soon I was looking forward to seeing both sides of the story. The author does a great job making each character’s perspective unique and interesting, so it didn’t take long for me to get invested in both of them.

One thing I worried about was that the plot might fall into the whole Stockholm Syndrome trap, but I’m happy to say it really doesn’t. The relationship between Sybelle and Varius actually felt honest and slow-burning. I found myself rooting for them more and more as their connection grew.

What really makes this book stand out is Sybelle’s inner struggle. She has to choose between holding on to a lie she grew up believing—a lie meant to protect her people, and the whole reason she agreed to marry Varius, the enemy Wraith King—or following her own instincts when she discovers his kingdom is cursed, and she just might be the one who can break it. It definitely kept me turning pages!

The chemistry between Sybelle and Varius is off the charts. I wasn’t sure what to expect with the “spice,” but honestly, the romance was way more swoon-worthy than cringey. In fact, I ended up wanting a Varius of my own by the end!

There’s also a great message here: that love isn’t about what you look like or where you come from, but about who you are. The author gets that across without being heavy-handed, which I really appreciated.

This was my first book by R.L. Perez, and I was so hooked I immediately picked up "Crown of Slumber" to see what else they’ve got. This is the first book in the series, but both can be read as a stand-alone novel; however, the dragon companion we fall in love with in Crown of Briars is first introduced in Crown of Slumber, and I love, love, love Azure! The writing pulls you right in, and the characters just stick with you.

All in all, if you want a romantic fantasy with real depth, some edge, and a love story you can truly root for, definitely check this one out!

Thank you to NetGalley and Willow Haven Press for an e-arc of this book.

Just devoured #CrownOfBriars by @rlperezbooks and I’m obsessed! This dark fantasy #mustreadbook is a #fairytale retelling of #beautyandthebeast, spiced up with romance and danger. Out August 4, 2025!