Heart of Night and Fire

The Nightfire Quartet #1

by Nisha J. Tuli

A city of magic. A passion born in dreams. A secret that will set their world aflame.

Packed with enemies-to-lovers tension, heart-pounding action and devastating twists, The Nightfire Quartet is an epic fantasy romance that begins with a slow burn and builds in intensity.

For years, Zarya has been trapped in a gilded prison. Her magic is forbidden, a dangerous secret—though nobody will explain why. Now she is ready to break free and find the truth.

Escaping to the dazzling city of Dharati, Zarya discovers a new world of enchantment and intrigue. With the help of seductive, blood-drinking rakshasa and magic-weaving Aazheri sorcerers, she searches for answers.

But the city is under siege. Every night, dark creatures attack. And since Zarya’s arrival they are growing stronger. To protect her new home, Zarya joins the fight.

As she battles on the walls and hunts through libraries for clues about her gifts, Zarya’s dreams are haunted by a mysterious stranger. Powerful, arrogant and handsome, Rabin sees through her secrets and ignites a desire she cannot resist. But can he be trusted?

When darkness threatens to overwhelm Dharati, Zarya is faced with a deadly choice. Will revealing her magic save the city? Or destroy everything she loves?

Enter a glittering new world inspired by Indian mythology and prepare to discover your new obsession.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Romance, Fantasy Romance, Vampires, Audiobook, Magic

370 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 15, 2023

About the author

Visit my website to sign up for my newsletter and download a bonus chapter from Rule of the Aurora King!
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Nisha J Tuli is an international bestselling author of glittering fantasy worlds, steamy rom-coms, and kissing scenes full of angst. Her book, Trial of the Sun Queen, went on to become a BookTok hit, finding its way into the hands of A-list celebrities like Katherine Heigl.

When she isn’t writing or reading, she can be found in the gym or the kitchen (to eat, not to cook) or maybe knitting scarves to survive a Canadian winter. She lives in Manitoba with her husband, their two kids, and their fluffy Samoyed.

Reviews

[♥︎ Heather ⚔ (New House-Hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

✶⋆.˚ “𝓗𝓸𝓹𝓮 𝔀𝓪𝓼 𝓪 𝓹𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓷𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰. 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓷 𝔀𝓱𝓮𝓷 𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓬𝓮𝓭 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓲𝓷𝓷𝓾𝓶𝓮𝓻𝓪𝓫𝓵𝓮 𝓭𝓪𝓷𝓰𝓮𝓻𝓼, 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓬𝓲𝓽𝔂 𝓯𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓭 𝓪 𝔀𝓪𝔂 𝓽𝓸 𝓬𝓮𝓵𝓮𝓫𝓻𝓪𝓽𝓮, 𝓽𝓸 𝓫𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓵𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝓲𝓷𝓽𝓸 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓭𝓪𝓻𝓴𝓷𝓮𝓼𝓼, 𝓽𝓸 𝓼𝓶𝓲𝓵𝓮 𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓯𝓪𝓬𝓮 𝓸𝓯 𝓪𝓭𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓼𝓲𝓽𝔂 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓯𝓲𝓷𝓭 𝓬𝓸𝓶𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓽 𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓱𝓪𝓭𝓸𝔀𝓼.” ✶⋆.˚

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ This is the third book that I've read from Nisha J. Tuli and I have to say- she is so underrated. I've loved each book I've picked up from her! Super impressive!

˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ 4 𝓜𝓪𝓰𝓲𝓬𝓪𝓵 𝓢𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓼! ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗

I am literally screaming!!! Tuli gave us a banger for real!! The characters, the story, the lore, the world building- freaking hands down amazing with no overwhelming info dumping.

The monsters, the food, the clothing—it’s such a beautiful world that Tuli created for this story. It was easy to imagine Dharati and the beasts from the darkness.

Zarya is such a great FMC ... nothing annoying here. She's fierce and totally badass. Loyal to the core.

The magic is freaking *magic-ing* !

I found Heart of Night and Fire to be a breath of fresh air!

This book truly has it all - a slow burn that ignites into an unforgettable adventure, the thrill of exploring new and mysterious places, the complexities of navigating friendships, and the sting of betrayal. Prepare to be spellbound!

And now I can't wait to jump into the ARC for book 2!! 🤸🏻‍♀️🤩🤸🏻‍♀️🤩🤸🏻‍♀️🤩🤸🏻‍♀️🤩

ೃ⁀➷ ꕤ 𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓒𝓪𝓷 𝓔𝔁𝓹𝓮𝓬𝓽 ༊*·˚


╰⪼ 🔥 Slowww Burn
╰⪼ 🔥 Strangers to Enemies to Lovers to Enemies
╰⪼ 🔥 Only One Horse
╰⪼ 🔥 Forced Proximity
╰⪼ 🔥 Indian/South Asian Mythology
╰⪼ 🔥 Grumpy Sunshine Friendship
╰⪼ 🔥 Hidden Magic
╰⪼ 🔥 Mysterious Stranger
╰⪼ 🔥 Sexy Blood- Drinking
╰⪼ 🔥 POC Rep
╰⪼ 🔥 Friendship and Banter

[Sahi · Rating 5 out of 5]

what the fuck.

(excuse my language but what the fuck.)

"For every brown girl who wanted to be the chosen one too.”

Crying screaming and throwing up, this is the POC representation that i wanted (Disney TAKE NOTES)

ARC received by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, and I'm going to give you just that.

*＊✿❀ Troupes ❀✿＊*

- Found Family
- Enemies to lovers
- Hidden Secrets
- South Asian Mythology

"Zarya hoped this was going to be a night to remember. the kind of night someone might write about in one of her books."

*＊✿❀ Plot ❀✿＊*
The story follows Zarya who has been living her whole life in confinement under the supervision of 'parental figure' Row and his apprentice, Aarav. The start of the book really reminds of me Rapunzel and Mother Gothel, Row Keeps Zarya locked in a magic boundary around the house.

It wasn’t an unpleasant prison, but a firefly trapped in even the most ornate jar would still die without air.”

Zarya and these 2 men have been living in isolation from civilization as there has been a blight that has been causing people to flee to the North.

One day Zarya wakes up to find that her captor has disappeared, and so has the boundaries confining her to her prison. Zarya takes this chance to escape and flees on Row's horse, where she encounters Rani's Vasvi's Guards Commander Vikram and Lieutenant Yasen who take her to Dharati along with Aarav who find Zarya. This is where Zarya experiences and learns new things about her past, her parents, a mysterious figure that appears in her dreams and the strange power bubbling underneath her skin.

"Dharati wasn't just a city -it was cacophony: layer upon layer of color, people, carts, and animals roving through the crowded streets....This was it. The life she'd been chasing. The chance to experience something more."

*＊✿❀ My opinion ❀✿＊*

In Dharati, Zarya encounters several new beings, such as the Chiranjevi, Apsaras, Rakshasas and the immortal Aazheri mages. As a South Asian girlie, and someone who has been obsessed with Indian Lore since she was young, this book quenched a thirst i didn't even knew i had.

The fist half of this book was slow, but I'm so grateful that i pushed myself through the first half. It was heavy on world-building and everything felt so familiar and foreign at the same time. I know the heavy world-building in the first book is setting the world for future books, and i am obsessed/exited and kind of scared for Zarya.

I love the found family troupe, let me rephrase, i am whipped for the found family troupe, and this book executed it so well. I disliked Yasen at the beginning but he grew on me (like a fungus) and their relationship developed from dislike to a wholesome sibling relationship and i am 100% here for it. I could read a whole book on just Zarya and Yasen's escapades and their platonic relationship forever.

" You are growing on me like a fungus "

Did you just call me your second best friend right to my face?"

"I've never had a friend before... Well I'm honoured to be your first"

It took a while to be introduced to the main love interest, but as soon as he was introduced the story progressed quite fast and through we didn't get much time with Rabin, I'm super duper exited to see his and Zarya's developing relationship (it is very much giving enemies to lovers) in the next book.

"Their eyes met, and she had the unmistakable sense of falling into something with no bottom"

"His entire presence [was] like a magnet pulling her in "

Overall this was a really entertaining read, and I regret reading this book before its release day because that means I have to wait longer for the second book.

★★★★★ 5 stars

- Sahi -

“She loved nothing more than losing herself in her beloved romance novels, hoping that someday she might find anything resembling that kind of yearning and passion and her eventual happily ever after”

#relatable #me

[BookishByTammi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! I absolutely devoured this story!

This is the type of fantasy romance I enjoy, the fantasy elements are perfectly balanced with the romance elements and they both work in tandem to keep my attention.

The world was built well enough that I understood and could picture what was happening but there is definitely more to discover which is what makes me excited to continue the series!

We have demons, fairies, vampires, mages and more! (they all have different names in the book like Aazheri and Rakshasa) which reminds me, I wish there was a glossary in the back of the book because it took me a little while to remember what was what.

The FMC Zarya is easy to root for as she is a young woman who has been essentially locked away her entire life and just wants a family, friendship and to be loved.

The book is full of unanswered questions as we follow Zarya who has been kept in the dark about her family origins, her powers and the reason she was hidden.
I did wonder if we would get answers in this book or if it would be dragged out into future books but there was a satisfactory amount of answers at the end of the book.

This kind of reads like a prequel novel to the series as there is no major plot line and conclusion in this book but rather an introduction to the world, the main and side characters which I actually really enjoyed.
However it was still filled with enough demon fighting action to keep you entertained while laying the groundwork for a beautiful found family and characters you grow to love.

I know this is fantasy romance and the love triangle was cute and all but the relationship that had me smiling the most was her gradual friendship with Yasen, their brother/sister banter was a highlight for me.

Honestly I could go on about this book but I think its better you just read it for yourself! Really excited to continue reading this series!

[mai ༉‧⋆˚. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 ★

“𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙗𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙜𝙞𝙧𝙡 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙣 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙤.”

Thank you NetGalley and the author for sending me this!

My gosh that was so much fun like guys the last part of this arc literally kinda cured my reading slump? How??? This was such an interesting and unique read- I was craving a good fantasy book and this definitely delivered 🤭 the writing style was nice although I thought the random f and f-ing word being thrown here and there was a little random😭 I enjoyed the last part wayyy more than the first part, but overal I had fun reading!

“𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩, 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙞𝙙𝙣’𝙩 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙪𝙣—𝙕𝙖𝙧𝙮𝙖 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙛𝙡𝙚𝙬.”

Things I would have liked:
- A map. I needed it badly

I feel like this story really needed a first person aspect. I never really have a problem with third person but for this story? I needed it, especially in the first 170 pages. I didn’t really get in the story. Like I loved it and enjoyed it a lot, but I never really forgot I was reading. I knew Zarya but I didn’t become her while reading. This only happened in the last like 80 pages.

“𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙙, 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙮”

The mysterious guy 🤭🤭🤭 I was reading for him and for him only but guess what? He only appeared around 5 times in the story 🥲🥲 I thought it was going to be a slow burn romance between the mysterious guy and the magical girl but no we just got nice guy forgot-his-name🙄 was it slow burn ? Yes, but the kind of slow burn that didn’t give me satisfaction. I needed wayyy more scenes with the guy 😔 but who knows, maybe the next book will give us more of that.

“𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙕𝙖𝙧𝙮𝙖 𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙩𝙝𝙨 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙜𝙤 𝙩𝙤 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙤𝙢 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙙.”

And that plot twist ??? When we found out who you know who was???? Nahh that one got me staring at my wall and kicking my feet I am so excited for the second book like give. It. To. Me. 🔪🔪🔪

“𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙬𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙥 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙖 𝙗𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮.”

Anyways I enjoyed the story and I can’t wait to continue this journey 🤭🤭

Smut: yes like 2 scenes? Maybe 3? I forgot sorry 😔

[Emms-hiatus(ish) · Rating 3 out of 5]

At times the prose was a bit much. The story is fun enough, if a bit longer than it needs to be. Get rid of all those extraneous adjectives and this would've been a clean, crisp story. I did appreciate that our FMC was true to nature and the POC rep. Her only real understanding of the world comes through romance books, so of course she's gonna be looking at the attractive men she comes across with a naive, horny eye. However, once she gets a better understanding of who is who and what is going on - she's like, nope..not for me. It barely escapes the love triangle trope, and while it's fun there really isn't anything new here story-wise. I do have a feeling that the books that follow this one in the series will get better and better. We'll see!

[Bailey Chadwick · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

The Pros:
The book is pretty short and reads quickly
I liked most of the secondary characters
There is tons of story left to tell and I am excited for book 2
Loved reading a book set in Indian/South East Asian lore

The Cons:
The first half of the book dragged with lots of small tangents that don't seem important to the main plot.
Not a huge fan of Zarya but she started to grow on me at the end
Had to take copious notes because I found the names of the different types of beings very hard to keep straight

I will definitely be reading book 2 and have a strong feeling I will enjoy that one more than this one.

[Katie Bially · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was solidly going to give this two stars until the last 30%. I loved that this story was rooted in and representative of Indian culture. But that's really the only aspect that I can think of that I enjoyed. Overall this was very YA and had a confusing first half.

Slight spoilers below

The story was incredibly confusing until the last half. We are introduced to so many people and creatures, with lengthy descriptions on what they look like, what they're wearing and what they're eating, that it's difficult to keep track of them all and get a grasp on what the real issue is. I also did not like the constant catastrophes. Every time Zarya was going to move the plot along either by looking into her past or going on a date (eye roll) some monstrous attack would wreck the city, it was kind of exhausting.

The relationships here are also very strange. Zarya cannot vocalize her love/hate feelings for Row and Aarav and it makes for a confusing read. I really thought she wanted to kill Aarav but when he almost dies and she is afraid I was like ohhhhhhh Nisha is trying to do a sibling rivalry thing here. The relationship with Vikram was supposed to feel very fairytale but instead it felt forced. Nisha wrote such great chemistry between Zarya and Yasen that I kept rooting for them to get together until another very forced "you're not my type" conversation happened. Then the Rubin of it all. The best character is in this story for .5 seconds and he is so elusive that its almost annoying.

I think the main reason it felt YA was because of our FMC. Zarya is 20/21 but acts like a petulant teen. She could not stop talking about wanting to have a good kiss or complain about being held captive her whole life. Which by the way was such a huge part of her character and the story only for Row to come back at the end, explain everything and have a good reason for it? What a waste of her pining for 350 pages.
Her immaturity made it really hard for me to get through the story and I am not sure I like her enough to see what happens with her and Rubin.

Thank you NetGalley and Second Sky for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[♥Milica♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

So far I've read three of Nisha J. Tulli's books, Wicked Is the Reaper, To Wake a Kingdom and now Heart of Night and Fire. Out of them the first is still my favourite, but this one isn't that far behind.

It was such an easy story to jump into, I didn't feel confused even for a second. There's no info dumps, we learn everything when Zarya does.

The writing in the past books I've read has been good, but I think it improved even more here, especially the descriptions. I'm partial to the food!!! GIVE ME ALL OF IT NOW!!!!!!

It's also very fast paced, which I like, and I also like that we got enough character development despite the speed.

Yasen is my favourite character, I love his friendship with Zarya, but because of his chemistry with her, I hoped he'd be the other half of the love triangle, not just a friend. We can't get everything we want though.

Zarya is my second favourite character (in her own story, I know), I liked being in her head, even when some of her choices didn't make sense.

Vikram is kinda just there, I don't mind him, and if the love triangle doesn't continue past this book I won't be upset at all. Even though I adore love triangles, but I think the final pairing has been clear since the blurb (enemies to lovers, which she and Vikram are not, unless if we get some twists?).

Rabin is probably my third fav, but that might change in the next books when we get to know him better. He didn't appear much in this one, but he certainly made an impact (we even got a "who did this to you" scene).

One of my friends who also got the arc buddy read this with me (hi Vish <3) and she saw the Rabin twist coming, I really did not.

We both kinda guessed something about Zarya but not fully, I'm still giving us a point though.

I really liked the plot, the world building, the mythology and I can't wait to see where it goes from here, and how much the characters will grow over the course of four books.

*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*

[Rhonda &#x1f312;&#x1f315;&#x1f318; &#x1f408;‍⬛ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 🌟
4/5 ❤️‍🩹
3/5 🥰
4/5 🌶️
0/5 🔎
4/5 😰A
3/5 🎭C
4/5 🎭T

⚠️⛔️TRIGGERS:⛔️⚠️

Violence
War
Death
Fire
Fire Injury
Abandonment
Classism
Confinement
Gore
Slavery
Injury
Injury Detail
Misogyny
Blood
Adult Situations
Sexual Content
Sexual Harassment
Alcohol Use

🗯️💬BOOK BLURB:💬🗯️

”OMG I AM PRACTICALLY CRYING… AMAZING found family… So many secrets and twists and turns throughout—I straight up gasped and yelled out loud towards the end. I just couldn’t put this book down.” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Forbidden magic. A plague of demons. And a dangerous passion…

Zarya has always known she was dangerous. Raised from childhood as a prisoner, she’s been trained to fight but forbidden from using her magic. When at last she breaks free, she flees, determined to learn why she was ever locked away.

What she finds is a dazzling marble city on the brink of disaster, where demons prowl the streets every night. When she joins in the fight, desire sparks with a powerful commander, a blood-drinking immortal. But he's dangerous too, with secrets of his own. And if he knew Zarya’s true self, he might turn against her in an instant.

She knows she mustn’t get distracted. She’s only here to discover the truth. But since she arrived the demons have been growing bolder… Almost as if they're drawn to her presence.

As Zarya unearths the mysteries of her captivity, she learns of an evil ancient magic that threatens to destroy everything. Soon, she faces an impossible choice: unleash her own magic and save her home, or lose herself to a darkness that has been waiting for her for centuries…

An action-packed fantasy romance, perfect for fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses, Fourth Wing and The Serpent and the Wings of Night. Enter a glittering new world inspired by Indian mythology and prepare to discover your new obsession.

See why readers love Nisha J. Tuli’s irresistible fantasy romance:

Some reviews by some fellow Goodreaders:

“Yes, yes, yes! An infinite amount of yeses!… I have no words to express how addictive this story is… The ending had me literally gasping.” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“I need the next part now!! The slow burn and secrets made this book so good!!! I highly recommend!” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Y’allllllllll. I am obsessed with this book… I read this so fast, and I didn’t want to put it down… The tension is fantastic, and the friendships made me feel warm and cozy…” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“This story had me from the first sentence… No spoilers, but you'll need a fan for the heat!” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Umm wow. I am literally left speechless!… The plot, character development, and world building were absolutely stunning! I couldn’t get enough.” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Rich imagery, persistent tension, blossoming friendships, and beautiful found family. It had my heart working overtime… I cannot stop thinking about what happens next.” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“What an exciting rollercoaster ride this was!... The world was fantastic, luscious, sultry, restless… I need the next book!!” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“OMG OMG OMG OMG… I didn’t know what to expect because I loved Artefacts of Ouranos so so so much and thought “she can’t top this” but I have never been happier to be wrong… 10/10.” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“I honestly didn’t think I could love a book by Nisha as much as I love the Artefacts of Ouranos series…but I was wrong… An explosion of color from start to finish, and several times I found myself gaping at the pages…” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

🌎📖OVERALL REVIEWS📖🌎
Courtesy of Storygraph

COMMUNITY REVIEWS
SUMMARY OF 307 REVIEWS

Moods
adventurous 99%
mysterious 68%
emotional 39%
tense 39%
funny 26%
dark 21%
hopeful 16%
inspiring 14%
challenging 13%
reflective 8%
lighthearted 4%
sad 3%
informative 1%
relaxing 1%
Pace
medium 60%
slow 20%
fast 18%
Plot- or character-driven?
A mix: 59% | Character: 20% | Plot: 20%
Strong character development?
Yes: 66% | No: 18% | It's complicated: 15%
Loveable characters?
Yes: 77% | It's complicated: 18% | No: 4%
Diverse cast of characters?
Yes: 93% | No: 2% | It's complicated: 1% | N/A: 1%
Flaws of characters a main focus?
Yes: 38% | No: 32% | It's complicated: 25% | N/A: 5%
Average rating
4.0

🤔🧐🤯MY THOUGHTS:🤯🧐🤔

I was given this book as an ARC by a rep of the author and asked to review it. I, unfortunately, became ill and was unable to meet the deadline. Then it just sort of got forgotten and put aside to read later. I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW MUCH I REGRET THAT!! I literally just binged this book!

I just finished reading this very entertaining and unique romantasy and I have fallen in love with the characters! Zarya, Yasen, Vikram and even Aarav! There are a few I don’t particularly care for…Suvanna for 1. But Raben…he’s going to be that bad boy I love!! I am immediately starting book 2! Like, as soon as I finish typing up this review.

RATING KEY:

🌟 Stars - based on the overall plot and theme or idea of the book
❤️‍🩹 Emotions - based on how emotional I got while reading
🥰 Romance - based on how well I got invested in the love story aspect
🌶️ Spice - based on how the sex scenes were portrayed and written as well as the number of sex scenes
🔎 Mystery - based on how well it kept me guessing who, how and why
😰 Scared/Anxious - based on how scared or anxious the book made me while reading
🎭 Comedy/Tragedy based on if I laughed or if there was a tragic event and how it affected me. I will mark the Masks with either a C or T to indicate Comedy or Tragedy

[Ali Mohebianfar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for ARC. I received my copy in exchange of an honest review.

Heart of Night and Fire is the first book in The Nightfire Quartet series, Follows 21 years old Zarya who was imprisoned her whole life in a cottage with two men. But when her jailer, Row, disappears, she can finally get free and walk to a new world beyond her prison's bariers fulls of magics, Mythological creatures and and of course Demons!
Well, this was my first experience in reading a fantasy book set in Indian concept and calture with Indian mythological creatures like Naga, Yali, Agni etc.
I really enjoyed reading an Indian fantasy novel, it was so unique and new to me.
I liked Zarya as main character, But my favourite character was Yasen. OMG! He is a very good friend to Zarya and I loved their friendship and how all the things goes on between them.
But about the romance part... It was "meh, well okay but I don't give a shit about you two" type for me cause I really don't care about Vikram. However, if Zarya and Rabin are going to be engaged, I'll be happy and satisfied with it.
At the end, I just want to wish that Suvenna get a much more role in the rest of the series. Love her!
❤

[mica · Rating 3 out of 5]

es increíble como saque el 80% del plot del libro e igual me entretuve akhskahs bueno ahora a esperar el segundo (en una semana me olvido todo el libro)

[Alexandria Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need the next part now!! Nisha J. Tuli, you have a new fan!

I loved this book so much! Finding out who Rabin is was a plot twist!🤯 I did not see that coming! I need to read more about Zarya and Rabin.

Zarya lives with Row in a cottage that is off by the Dakhani Sea. He is not her father but the only guardian she’s ever known. Yet he uses his magic to prevent her from ever leaving for 20 years. Later, in the book we discover the reasoning behind his ways and the dark secrets that have been hidden.

When she finally escapes, she saves Commander Vikram Ravana and Lieutenant Yasen Varghese while they are attacked by Naga. They are soldiers in Rani Vasvi’s army. They are also Rakshasas which are immoral species of elemental and known for drinking blood.

“You are lovely-truly, but as you might have just noticed, you aren’t really my type.”
Yasen was one of my favorite characters! I loved him so much! At first, they didn’t get along but over time they grew to have a wonderful friendship.

I loved when the peri was watching her discover her magic and was clapping each time she tried something new. Those little people made me want to have some around me lol

The slow burn and secrets made this book so good!!!🔥 I highly recommend!


Thank you Nisha J. Tuli, Second Sky, and Netgalley for the EARC! As always, my review is my opinion and thoughts. This review will be shared on my Instagram (Alexandriavwilliams_) and blog https://www.sidekickstyles.com/blogs/... shortly.

[Robin (Bridge Four) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart<

Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

3.5 hearts

Heart of the Night is the first book in the Nightfire Quartet, featuring Indian Mythology as the base with a few tropes like found family, a love triangle and the chosen one.  There are a lot of things to enjoy in the story overall and I had a good time.  I think I would have enjoyed it a little more if I'd known more South Asian based lore but it isn't a requirement.  I'm also not really a fan of love triangles but that didn't play a huge role in this book.

Zarya has grown up trapped within a magical boundary with her guardian Row and his apprentice.  She is about to turn twenty-one and all her life has been spent secluded with only a father figure and a Aarav who she fights with like a sibling.  Row has taught her how to fight and she has a little magic but Zarya has no idea why she has been cut off from the rest of the world.  When Row goes on one of his trips and the magical boundary breaks, Zarya is so excited to travel to the city of Dharati, to see what she has been missing her entire life.

In Dharati, Zarya finds the adventure she has been craving her entire life.  It is a city full of magical beings that help fight off the demons at night that come to the wall.  Every night the city is attacked and only the magical wall and the elite  guard trained for just this purpose keep the city safe.  But the creatures seem to be growing in strength and Zarya wants to help defend her her new home and her new friends in the city.  As she trains and talks to some of the magical members of the community, she learns more of her mother and tries to figure out why Row worked so hard to keep her existence a secret.

There is a small love triangle happening between Vikram, one of the head guards of the elite fighting team and Rabin, a man Zarya only seems to see in her dreams.  For me this is a minor thing, since they didn't get a lot of page time together and Vikram has some other stuff happening in his life that makes him somewhat unavailable so I don't see this being a hard love triangle, but it could be too soon to tell.  Zayra is an interesting character, but at times I found it hard to be in her head.  She isn't socially acclimated being so sheltered and so sometimes she acts much younger than her 21ish years.  But it is understandable why

I enjoyed the setting of the book and some of the lore.  Parts of the lore were really strange to me, like the Queen being a tree but the general idea of it was cool.  I am interested in learning more about Zarya's magic and seeing her growth over the next books as she figures out how to use it.  I'm also very interested in Rabin and his story.  He left his family and the city years ago.  Why are his and Zayra's dreams connected and how will that play into the bigger plot of the story?

Nisha J Tuli is a new to me author, but I'm enjoying exploring new lore I'm not as familiar with and the South Asian feel to all the characters.

"Hope was a potent thing. even when forced with innumerable dangers, the city found a way to celebrate, to bring light into the darkness, to smile in the face of adversity and find comfort in the shadows."

 

[vee · Rating 4 out of 5]

"hope was a potent thing. even when forced with innumerable dangers, the city found a way to celebrate, to bring light into the darkness, to smile in the face of adversity and find comfort in the shadows."

This is the first book that I’ve read by this author and I’m quite impressed! I loved that the author drew inspiration from Indian culture and as a desi person, it was refreshing to read this cultural heritage getting much deserved page time in modern day fantasy storytelling. I devoured every mention of gorgeous Indian attire and delicious food that made my mouth water even though I am no stranger to it. In my honest opinion, there is still a dearth of books inspired by Indian culture and I am glad that I had the opportunity to read this novel as it has a unique storyline.
 
The story focuses on a 20-year-old Zarya who is kept hidden in a secluded swamp since birth, along with her guardians: Row and Aarav. She isn’t allowed to leave and when one of her guardian’s suddenly disappears, she manages to break free and stumbles upon two good looking rakshasa who take her to meet their queen and thus, offering her the golden ticket of freedom which she can’t refuse. New revelations came to light which piqued my interest in the story even though I found some of the twists to be a little predictable. The writing style was easy to follow, and the plot had fast-paced action every now and then. The story wasn’t heavy on the info-dumps, things were being revealed at a decent pace and the descriptions of Dharati were beautiful. None of it felt bland or dragged.
 
The entire book is narrated from Zarya’s perspective, and since she was an intriguing character, I didn’t mind being inside her head. I grew fond of the side characters too, especially Yassen. I really enjoyed his interactions with Zarya and their friendship was precious. He was by far, the most interesting side character, and I was hoping he and Zarya would become more than friends because they had good chemistry together. Nonetheless, the romantic/sexual tension between Zarya and two other male characters was palpable, but I hope there won’t be a love triangle between them as I’m not a huge fan of that trope. Anyway, it would be nice if the sequel had more than one POV as it would give the story a more well-rounded view.
 
On the contrary, I do wish some things were explained in further detail. For example, even though Zarya was raised by her guardians, she didn’t appear to be attached to them. Yes, it’s true that they imprisoned her but despite that, I was expecting there to be some form of internal turmoil that she may have regarding her feelings for them and the complicated situation of her imprisonment. Part of it (her fallout with Aarav) was explained around the 80% mark but I felt like it should’ve been described sooner to give readers a better idea of past events that lead to her eventually being cold towards him.

Secondly, I wanted to know more about her magical abilities and how they manifested in her. I felt like the explanation on that was rather simplified and would’ve been better if it had a more thorough clarification.

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did a fine job at bringing the text to life and her voice was clear enough to identify different characters. Her pronunciation of every word was noticeable and crisp. I was able to follow the story easily without having to rewind or re-listen to any chapters. I listened at 1.75-2x speed as this is my go-to setting for all audiobooks and the flow of the audiobook did not feel rushed or sounded as if the words were tumbling over one another. I was engrossed in the story from start to finish and my attention was rapt on what I was listening.
 
Overall, I had a great time listening and losing myself in the lush world of Dharati. I highly recommend this book to readers who have a penchant for diverse characters and well-written storytelling. I absolutely cannot wait for the sequel to come out and you bet I’ll be marking my calendar when the release date is announced.
 
***Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for providing me with the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review***

[Helen Isabel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Zarya’s story of finding answers to questions that had plagued her mind for a long time had potential. At the beginning of the book I was hooked. The first chapter was action packed and I loved that.

Row (The Warden as I like to call him) mysteriously disappearing did provide Zarya with the opportunity to adventure further than she has ever gone before. On her trip she finds a town with magical creatures. The darkness was destroying everything and everyone that wasn’t inside the city walls. But somehow Zarya survived all those years and that made people suspicious.

Zarya and her companion were trying to find Row along with answers. Instead of finding him, she learns that Row had been hiding more from her than she originally thought.

I was super excited to read this book, but it felt short halfway through. I felt like it had a lot of extra information that we could have done without. Sometimes when Zarya was experiencing something internally it took an entire page to cover her emotions and I think a paragraph would have been enough.

I did think the story was kinda predictable. The climax could have been seen coming a mile away. So did the true identity of the mystery man. To put it nicely I don’t have any motivation to read book two to get answers.

* 𝔻𝕚𝕤𝕔𝕝𝕒𝕚𝕞𝕖𝕣: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Noi (in & out) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This will probably make no sense, sorry in advance.

I am so confused and conflicted. I can't remember the last book I read where I was looking for cliff notes online and it's not categorized as an epic fantasy. It is inspired Indian mythology and the world is super interesting (don't ask me to explain it, I literally can't). We have our main girl who has been locked up in a beach house (I said what I said) for 20 years. Her only interactions are with her pseudo-dad and hater babysitter. The book starts off with her finally getting free and entering society (kinda).

This had really strong plot points but like the romance? no, I didn't believe it. The oh, I'm both strong and capable but I get injured every second scene? aha. That she dreams of love and intimacy (like in her books, they were mentioned a lot). I get that she was alone and didn't have normal interactions but how do you go and say, oh is it true that you use your teeth in the bedroom (for a kind of vampire but not an actual vampire)? Run into super stupid situations? volunteer secret information? ignore any warning? try/join the army (I am still unclear on whether she actually did)?

And yet I read the whole thing, that last chapter was... Don't know if I will try to read book 2.

Though! The reaction of that one person in the last chapter made noooo sense!
The whole time we learn about that person and then oh, I'm here, hi? I don't get it.

[Jennifer Sellers · Rating 4 out of 5]

The thing that sucks about reading “Book 1” as an ARC is knowing there is no book two to immediately devour. Which is what I would be doing right now if I had it.

This was such an interesting and fun story to read. It is different from what I have been reading and refreshing. There are a few things that made me raise my eyebrows, and I am curious on how that is going to be played out as the story progresses. however it is a spoiler, so I shall keep those musings to myself until we get further into the series.

The story is about a girl that has been held prisoner for the past 21 years of her life and suddenly finds that she is no longer being held captive by her magical restraints, and what she does with her new found freedom.

The world that Tuli creates is imaginative and completely immersive. You will find yourself wanting to walk the streets alongside her characters to live a day in their life. . . That is, perhaps, without all the demons.

While I enjoyed reading this book, I think I liked it even more the second time through listening to the audio. The Narrator, Shiromi Arserio, brings Tuli’s words to life with her narration. It was a pleasure to listen to.

Thank you NetGalley and Second Sky for the ARC.

This is a review of the audiobook.

[akacya ❦ · Rating 5 out of 5]

2023 reads: 288/350

thank you to the publisher for the complimentary review copy! this did not affect my rating.

nobody will explain why, but zarya’s magic is forbidden, which is what has trapped her in a gilded prison all these years. when she finally escapes, she seeks help from rakshasa and aazheri sorcerers, but her freedom is short-lived when her new city falls under attack.

i love a good romantic fantasy and i also love books inspired by various mythologies, so i was super excited for this book! it did not disappoint and i had a great time reading about the world and the different relationships between characters. i can’t wait for book two!

audiobook note: the narrator’s voice was nice and really brought the story to life.

[eclecticbychoicereads · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all, I would like to thank NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC.

I'd like to start by saying this is my first book by Nisha Tuli. I am an avid fantasy and romantasy reader, so judging by the description of the book, it should've have right up my alley. And the story really was - I liked the worldbuilding and how the plot progressed.

Still, I must admit there were some things I found a bit overwhelming. I really struggled with the first part of the book, not so much with the terminology (which was vast), but more so with the description and the narrative. The second part of the book was significantly faster in terms of plot and character development.

My main problem with the story is that I couldn't seem to connect with any of the characters. They were well written, but I just missed something (some depth, maybe) to form a connection with them. The relationship part, which is marketed as enemies to lovers, is there, but only at its beginning. I'm guessing we will see the relationship develop more in the second book.

Overall, it's a solid 3 star for me. I feel sad I couldn't give the book more, since I did have high expectations, but I'm hoping the second book will have a different impact on me.

[mck boe · Rating 5 out of 5]

RELEASE DAY!!!

"Zarya hoped that this would be a night to remember. The kind of night someone could write about in one of his books."

A captivating fantasy world inspired by South Asian mythology, Heart of Night and Fire by Nisha J. Tuli follows Zarya in her quest to escape the place she was confined in her whole life. After noticing the borders that usually entrap her set by her parental figure Row, disappeared as well as Row, she takes off on a mission to the capital city, where she then stays. But who is the guy in the forest that keeps showing up in her dreams?

This incredible narrative started off strong, I loved seeing Zarya as a powerful protagonist. The momentum I got reading this, seeing her stick up for herself and push back against those who thought lower of her was strong. I can't wait to read more of her when the next book comes out. I also have a soft spot for Yasen, he was a great "tall and brooding" friend for Zarya.

The novel is mostly slow burn, and the first half of it went decently slow- but it was still very enjoyable to read. It was a nice build up to the intensity of the chaos that follows. I loved the visuals and imagery we received in this book, they make the world look stunning and I can't wait to see more action in the next book of the series.

I wish we saw more character development for all of the characters, but it seemed like only Zarya had development. There isn't a lot of depth in that category, and hopeful this builds on in the second novel.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this. It was a nice build up for the series, and it was intriguing to read. I can't wait to read more of this series. I would definitely recommend reading this! Thank you to NetGalley, Second Sky and the author for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: 15 September 2023

---🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[RiskyReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

A big thank you for the author and publisher for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review
My Rating: 4.5 Stars

Heart of Night and Fire is honestly a refreshing addition to the fantasy romance genre. This book is so enthralling with its Indian-inspired mythology and world, unique magical beings, mysteries and secrets, and badass MC. I also cannot get enough of the author's beautiful writing style. The descriptions of magic and the environment gets me so emotional that I don't know how I'm supposed to read other books now.

The relationships were another highlight. Zarya and Yasen's friendship developed beautifully over the course of the story. Zarya's relationship with Aarav was also interesting as she struggles with complicated internal feelings. I also loved following Zarya as she navigates between different people in power in Dharati.

I do have some critisisms that hopefully get improved on in the rest of the series. Firstly, Zarya has many similarities to Lor from Trial of the Sun Queen. For example, both are foul-mouthed and quick to react. Both are hidden heirs and unable to access their magic at first. Both are trapped at the beginning of the story. I would love to see more of her own unique personality come through in following books. I also didn't like the first act of the book that much. It felt a bit too convenient that Zarya and Aarav would run into two important people randomly and that they would just take them into their court.

I do not know if it was just the ARC that doesn't have a map, but I would love to see one of this world! I love maps.

All in all, this was a fantastic addition to Nisha J Tuli's already great backlist. I am so excited to continue with this series and see what she writes next!

[Sidney · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to love this. Everything in the description drew me in but nothing was delivered:
Fans of JLA? the rakshasas don't bite in a protective way or a sexy way, they just have sharp teeth
Fans of SJM? in a venn diagram they share the fantasy genre
A slow burn? So slow he's only mentioned 4 times.
Enemies to lovers? Their 2 interactions have been him saving her life...?

The content of the novel itself is okay. The mythology is fascinating and the story held my interest but it's kind of all over the place. The characters and the plot lacked depth. Everything sort of happens around Zarya and yet nothing really progresses. The city just takes pounding after pounding from falling eggs and 'the darkness' until Zarya comes into her magic at the very end. I guess we're supposed to accept that her dark magic is actually good demon-killing dark magic even though we learned mere pages earlier that the 6th dark magic is the bad kind of dark magic. We meet all these characters that are forgotten about by the end of the book. Shoutout Kindle. And then the romance is whack. We're first presented with Vikram. But this is enemies-to-lovers and he's very charming so it can't be him. And then he marries a tree, so definitely not him. Maybe her suitor is Yassen and it's turning into a love-triangle? Nope, they become besties and he's gay. Could it be Rabin? I guess so but he pops up 4 times throughout the whole book and saves Zarya from mortal peril twice so I don't see how he's an enemy. I wish there was more to be positive about, but I can't say I'll be reading the next installment.

[N. Flores · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow...I don't even know where to start! This book was so exciting!

The dedication spoke to me personally and I felt like the entire book was written for just me. Nisha J. Tuli did an absolutely amazing job painting pictures with her words throughout this story. I loved her use of similes and metaphors to create a magical world in the reader's mind. She also used several terms that made me feel at home when describing foods, clothing, colors, and even some of the personalities of the characters. This ARC reading made me feel like I was hearing one of the many South Asian stories I heard as a child...but at an elevated adult level! I was immersed in the peris, shalwaar kameez, and aloo parathas from my childhood.

I appreciated that Nisha discussed the hierarchical system within the story and the disparity amongst the citizens due to that hierarchy. And finally...the characters. The FMC is fierce, independent, and extremely smart. I loved the fact that there were several swoon worthy male characters instead of just the usual one. Vikram, Yasen, and Rabin were dreamy af and I can't wait to read more about the interactions between them and Zarya!

Nisha J. Tuli is on my automatic buy list. I grew up wishing the badass FMC could look like me and in Nisha's books...they do!

[Monet Daffodil · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Heart of Night and Fire
Author: Nisha J Tuli
Fantasy

Wow, I really loved this book! Nisha blew me away with her other series, Trial of the Sun Queen. I was interested in this one and had to pick up asap! Our FMC Zaraya has forbidden magic and has been trapped for years and finally breaks free. She escapes to a city called Dharti where she meets a bunch of characters and ends up helping them defend their city from demon attacks. The book was fast paced and beautifully written. I was instantly drawn into the characters and the storyline. The magic was so intriguing and the descriptions were beautiful. The banter with all of the characters was amazing. There was a very subtle romance in the background that is super slow burn. The friendships developed, and the plot of the book makes up for the lack of romance in this one for me. I can’t recommend this book enough. I’m not going to lie, I’m writing this review already halfway done with book 2. 🙏

[Emilie in the Ether · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Second Sky for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Inspired by Indian mythology, Heart Of Night And Fire is a fantasy novel containing some romance that will develop further in future books.
Heart Of Night And Fire is my first book by Nisha J.Tuli. While I was not interested in reading the Trial Of The Sun Queen, my interest was certainly piqued after diving into this book!

Locked within a gilded cage for years, Zarya harbors a forbidden magic. One day, when she has the occasion, she leaves, fueled by an unwavering desire to finally be free. Her path intersects with Commander Vikram Ravana and Lieutenant Yasen Varghese after saving them from Naga. Her life has now taken a turn as she finds herself in the bustling city of Dharati.

One of the standout aspects of the book is undoubtedly the friendship between the main character and another prominent figure. The evolution of their bond is endearing and adds a layer of depth to the story.

The conclusion will leave you yearning to dive straight into the next book, although regrettably, some patience will be required.

[Britt]

Thanks to NetGalley & Second Sky for an eARC of this book. The following review is my honest reflection on the text provided.

DNF @ 42%

I think I gave Heart of Night and Fire more than a fair shot. Usually I DNF before 20% but I really thought this had to be going somewhere eventually. But it never did. It just kept... going? But nothing happened? All of the descriptions and explanations were so unnecessarily long and... I tried. I really did.

[Natasha Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have such a love/hate relationship with Nisha’s books and I really should have learned my lesson after the Artefacts of Ouranos series but here we are.

This was another one of her books that was a hot mess. Some of it had potential but the story was so long winded and the characters just weren’t likeable. I did like the Indian culture and traditions bring woven into the story and some of the creatures were interesting but it didn’t save it for me. Zarya was a horny teenager who had two year old temper tantrums. Rabin took far too long to make an appearance and I can sense a dreadful love triangle on the horizon with Vikrum.

Teenage me maybe would have lapped this up but 34 year old me will not be continuing.

[Savannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you haven’t added this book to your TBR or read it yet, what are you doing?!?!? Holy crap. This is one of the best books I have ever read and I need 5-10 business days to process. There are barely enough words to describe how amazing this book is but I’ll do my best. I can promise you will be hooked from the first page.

Trial of the Sun Queen was one of my favorite reads of the year so far, and when I saw that Nisha was starting another series, I knew I needed to read it. And wow was I blown away! Heart of Night and Fire is a banger of a book and I am in awe.

The world is so richly imagined and is described beautifully and I want to visit (I’d probably die my first day there lol). It was fun experiencing the glittering novelty of the city for the first time with Zarya. The attention to detail in everything was jaw dropping, but it wasn’t too much where it dragged or was confusing. I felt like I was there and I could vividly imagine everything. It’s a world and magic system inspired by south Asian mythology and it’s beautiful.

Every single one of Nisha’s books is perfectly paced where I literally can’t put it down. When I have to put it down, I’m still thinking about it and dying to keep reading.

Zarya has lived a sheltered life and found out that many secrets were kept from her. She is such a strong warrior who has longed for freedom and it was such a joy to see her begin to live and make a life for herself.

Zarya and her new friends are trying to figure out how to stop the blight that is killing the lands, and discover some unexpected secrets along the way. There’s also a mysterious man showing up in her dreams??? I LOVED it.

Nisha wrote some of the most realistic, likable characters I have ever read. I loved the friendship and banter between Zarya and Yasen. It was so much fun to see him finally warm up to her and accept her as a friend.

The secrets and reveals were woven into the plot masterfully. You get little pieces that leave you dying for the next piece of the puzzle.

Nisha is a wonderful storyteller who truly knows how to weave a story with just the right amount of action, mystery, romance, world building, magic, and more. She is one of my favorite authors and I will read anything she writes.

I literally GASPED when we found out who Ravin is, holy crap. I’ve never been that surprised before. Nisha is the queen of unexpected MMC’s. The ending?!??! So many pieces of information were dropped at the end and I am dying for the next book.

Things to expect:
-Vampire like creatures
-Who did this to you
-Swordplay
-Angst
-Mysterious MMC
-Lush world building

[Paige (wingsandsmut) · Rating 4 out of 5]

NISHA!! Why are you always ending your books making me need to jump right to the next one?!? Loved this, but I had an inkling that we would find something out about Zarya….cant wait to see what happens next! Also I’d love if Rabin would stop being a jerk to her now that they’ve met 🤣. Give me some spice with their tension in book 2 please!!

[Silvy · Rating 4 out of 5]

nisha is my queen of delicious, bite-sized romantasy stories that are fun and packed full of all the best tropes — found family! enemies to lovers! slow burn! — and heart of night and fire delivers.

the story focuses on zarya, a woman with mysterious magic, kept under lock and key by her guardian for almost her entire life. without a ‘why’, without a ‘when can i go free?’, without understanding herself, her history, or her magic. like a f*cked up rapunzel situation, but one where the FMC is less stockholmed by her guardian and more get me the f*ck out of here.

which happens, of course, when her guardian goes missing, and the wards around the cottage she’s called home for twenty years fall.

AND THE ADVENTURE BEGINS.

while the pacing of this one was a lot slower for me than trial of the sun queen, it doubled up on the worldbuilding with fun south asian mythological elements, and is chock full of cultural references that fully immerse you into the story.

we get VAMPIRES! little mini faeries! dragons! giant birds! undead things with big heads and weird bodies! SO MANY FUN CREATURES and so many interesting characters that — through the found family trope — help flesh out the rest of the story in a meaningful way.

i enjoyed this immensely, though i truthfully have no idea where it’s going. there’s so much happening in this story that at times the plot gets a little muddled, making it hard to follow when your head’s on a constant swivel trying to absorb the next plot twist. it’s absolutely delicious, though — fun, easy to read, exciting, and an utterly enchanting and immersive world.

definitely check this one out if you’re interested in south asian culture and mythology, a classic ‘who am i?’ romantasy story, and a cast of characters that feel like home.