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The Obsidian Blaze
After saving a human city from massacre at the blades of stitched-together, otherworldly monsters, Sia has been dragged back to her father's floating city. She can no longer hide from her magic, her family, or the seraph she's been bound to. However, the crown prince, Alezandral, has no interest in forcing her into their arranged marriage, so they strike a deal instead: he'll help her unravel the truth concerning her powers and she'll help him fool his country into believing their engagement is legitimate. At least until they can find a way to break the bond keeping them together.
But these tasks may prove more burdensome than they anticipated.
The threat of war looms over their continent, seraphim are going missing, and the closer Sia gets to the truth, the more she learns about the powerful male at her side. As they work together to save their territories and each other, their bond grows stronger, the pull towards one another undeniable. Sia has spent her whole life fighting for her independence, but now that her heart is involved, she’ll have to determine if freedom is what she truly wants.
But these tasks may prove more burdensome than they anticipated.
The threat of war looms over their continent, seraphim are going missing, and the closer Sia gets to the truth, the more she learns about the powerful male at her side. As they work together to save their territories and each other, their bond grows stronger, the pull towards one another undeniable. Sia has spent her whole life fighting for her independence, but now that her heart is involved, she’ll have to determine if freedom is what she truly wants.
Unknown Binding
Published September 17, 2024
24 people are currently reading
525 people want to read
About the author
Beka Westrup
11 books221 followersBeka Westrup is an author of fantasy romances. When she's not reading, writing, or chugging exorbitant amounts of coffee, she can be found watching The Office with her husband and two kids at home in Boise, Idaho.
Sign up for her author newsletter for updates and early access to art, pre-orders, and giveaways: https://www.bekawestrup.com/coming-so...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
October 5, 2024
I read The Seldom Wings last year and I absolutely loved it! the sequel was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. This is an underhyped series that deserves all the love. 😍❤️
This a dark NA fantasy with a pansexual fierce female lead, a slow burn enemies to lovers and lots of tension and spice. I enjoyed the sequel even more than book 1 (if that’s even possible!). Book 2 starts off right after the events of book 1, with Sia back in the flying city of the Fenix kingdom after rejecting Prince Alezandral on the front steps of the palace. She’s set on refusing their betrothal, feeling betrayed. I love the angsty and broken relationship between Sia and Alezandral .
”Then tell me what would be enough, tell me what I must do to earn your forgiveness.”
Your girl here loves some groveling and Alezandral does plenty of that here 🙌🏻 he will do anything to get her back 😍 Forget “who did this to you trope”, now I only want “who put these on you” - “YOU did” trope!! 😫❤️
Sia makes an arrangement with him: to stay together long enough to get rid of the heart bond. I love the “fake dating” trope and specially the fact that Alezandral doesn’t seem to want to want to end it 👀
Their dynamic is perfection and I found myself reading nonstop! 😍
This a dark NA fantasy with a pansexual fierce female lead, a slow burn enemies to lovers and lots of tension and spice. I enjoyed the sequel even more than book 1 (if that’s even possible!). Book 2 starts off right after the events of book 1, with Sia back in the flying city of the Fenix kingdom after rejecting Prince Alezandral on the front steps of the palace. She’s set on refusing their betrothal, feeling betrayed. I love the angsty and broken relationship between Sia and Alezandral .
”Then tell me what would be enough, tell me what I must do to earn your forgiveness.”
Your girl here loves some groveling and Alezandral does plenty of that here 🙌🏻 he will do anything to get her back 😍 Forget “who did this to you trope”, now I only want “who put these on you” - “YOU did” trope!! 😫❤️
Sia makes an arrangement with him: to stay together long enough to get rid of the heart bond. I love the “fake dating” trope and specially the fact that Alezandral doesn’t seem to want to want to end it 👀
Their dynamic is perfection and I found myself reading nonstop! 😍
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 24, 2024
Oh my goddddd I ate this up!!! After the ending of the last book I did NOT know where we were going and heck did I love it.
If you love a morally grey FMC and a slow burn you will love this! Sia makes some … interesting choices here but it made me love her more and more. When I tell you I was screaming at my kindle, you will just have to trust it was for good reason.
Beka is an INCREDIBLE writer and this series is amazing, I was addicted after book 1 and now I think I’m going to pass away waiting for book 3. You have to read this!!
*I did receive this as an ARC
If you love a morally grey FMC and a slow burn you will love this! Sia makes some … interesting choices here but it made me love her more and more. When I tell you I was screaming at my kindle, you will just have to trust it was for good reason.
Beka is an INCREDIBLE writer and this series is amazing, I was addicted after book 1 and now I think I’m going to pass away waiting for book 3. You have to read this!!
*I did receive this as an ARC
July 15, 2024
Trying to keep this spoiler free. All the stars. All of them. The Obsidian Blaze was pure perfection, slow-burn torture, screaming at my kindle wanting my babies to TALK. IT. THE. FUCK. OUT. This book furthered the plot line certainly, but it was primarily about character and relationship development. Our two broken babies had a lot of personal healing before they could fully commit to one another.
"You are my match in so many ways, darling, but you are my friend in them all."
Lee is the female gaze. Sensitive, protective but not overbearing, accepting, thoughtful, and a little kinky. Sia is the female rage. The morally grey FMC is seriously my favorite trope. Sia makes some wild ass decisions in these first two books, and I really love the departure from the typical fantasy FMC. She's a badass, who really does have a heart of gold, she just has a hard way of showing it.
"I don't know what I did to deserve you."
"Mmm. You must have done something truly vile."
I beg you guys to read The Seldom Wings. Beka's writing is fantastic. The world, plot and characters are so unique. And it's on KU. What are you waiting for?
"We all lived, and then we died, and those who lived beyond us housed our ghosts for a little while in the shape of blurry memories."
"You are my match in so many ways, darling, but you are my friend in them all."
Lee is the female gaze. Sensitive, protective but not overbearing, accepting, thoughtful, and a little kinky. Sia is the female rage. The morally grey FMC is seriously my favorite trope. Sia makes some wild ass decisions in these first two books, and I really love the departure from the typical fantasy FMC. She's a badass, who really does have a heart of gold, she just has a hard way of showing it.
"I don't know what I did to deserve you."
"Mmm. You must have done something truly vile."
I beg you guys to read The Seldom Wings. Beka's writing is fantastic. The world, plot and characters are so unique. And it's on KU. What are you waiting for?
"We all lived, and then we died, and those who lived beyond us housed our ghosts for a little while in the shape of blurry memories."
September 25, 2024
◦ I've received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ◦
⮞ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 ⮜
Sia - Will always be my fave character! She's curvy, sassy, knows what she wants and doesn't let anyone stay in her way and always has something to say back. She's the definition of "What that mouth do? - Argue". I just love her!
Alezandral - He's your perfect book boyfriend and will make you fall in love with him. He's such a sweetheart and I loved him together with Sia. They are the best match ever!
⮞ 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝-𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 ⮜
I loved the way the author created this world. The humans vs the angels, the differences, the gruesome details and people and their actions for a little bit of power were really captivating. When the angels were flying and using their wings made me feel like I'm there with them. Beautiful world, not very friendly tho but beautiful nonetheless.
⮞ 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝/𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝 ⮜
I devoured the book quote quickly. Even tho is quite a chunky book you cannot feel how time flies. The adventure, the secrets, the ups and downs, the jealousy, and the whole story will tear at your heart. There are many emotional moments in the story, and plenty of quotes I've saved from the book because they were just speaking to my heart. Is impossible not to love this story. There are many things that made me emotional, there's grief talk, abuse from parents, but most importantly the journey towards healing and you can feel that throughout the story.
⮞ 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞/TW ⮜
The story contains spicy romance, I'd say is definitely from 3,5 pepper flames up to 4. Nothing that happened in the story triggered me, however, there are some scenes like abuse, grief because of loose of a family member. The author has a Content Warning on her website so please do your research before reading it :).
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⮞ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 ⮜
Sia - Will always be my fave character! She's curvy, sassy, knows what she wants and doesn't let anyone stay in her way and always has something to say back. She's the definition of "What that mouth do? - Argue". I just love her!
Alezandral - He's your perfect book boyfriend and will make you fall in love with him. He's such a sweetheart and I loved him together with Sia. They are the best match ever!
⮞ 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝-𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 ⮜
I loved the way the author created this world. The humans vs the angels, the differences, the gruesome details and people and their actions for a little bit of power were really captivating. When the angels were flying and using their wings made me feel like I'm there with them. Beautiful world, not very friendly tho but beautiful nonetheless.
⮞ 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝/𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝 ⮜
I devoured the book quote quickly. Even tho is quite a chunky book you cannot feel how time flies. The adventure, the secrets, the ups and downs, the jealousy, and the whole story will tear at your heart. There are many emotional moments in the story, and plenty of quotes I've saved from the book because they were just speaking to my heart. Is impossible not to love this story. There are many things that made me emotional, there's grief talk, abuse from parents, but most importantly the journey towards healing and you can feel that throughout the story.
⮞ 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞/TW ⮜
The story contains spicy romance, I'd say is definitely from 3,5 pepper flames up to 4. Nothing that happened in the story triggered me, however, there are some scenes like abuse, grief because of loose of a family member. The author has a Content Warning on her website so please do your research before reading it :).
Follow me on my bookventure:
TikTok
Always open to read and review more books🠇
Review Policy
September 17, 2024
✨𝒜𝑅𝒞 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌✨
📖: The Obsidian Blaze (Winged Spirits Series Book 2)
🪽: Releasing September 17, 2024
“𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘐 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘐’𝘮 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘐 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘐’𝘮 𝘥𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘐’𝘮 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦. 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦, 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯.”
Sia finally accepts her duties and seeks to understand who she is meant to be. Freedom seems a dream out of reach. Tensions mount and secrets come to light as she navigates treachery, court intrigue, and her complicated feelings and past.
Tropes:
🪽 Epic fantasy romance
🩶 Morally grey FMC
💍 Fake dating/arranged marriage
🔥 Slow burn
⚔️ Action & adventure
😮💨 Complex relationships
Beka pours her heart into these pages and it shows. The writing is utterly transportive, lush, and sensational. I love Sia so much but need to talk about this MMC—a true feminist who worships her like the bad@ss that she is! This MMC is hereby elevated to supreme King Wing Daddy 🪽. Please accept your crown, sir 👑 🤝.
The Obsidian Blaze is a divine exploration of vulnerability, trauma, and healing. Our MCs are still processing past mistakes and painful memories that are woven into the fabric of their lives. I felt the heartache, elation, and devastation as they slowly surrender pieces of themselves.
Poignant and emotional, The Obsidian Blaze delivers a gripping, angsty story with an impossibly delicious slow burn that can’t be missed!
Huge thanks to the author for the ARC opportunity. This is my honest and voluntary review.
📖: The Obsidian Blaze (Winged Spirits Series Book 2)
🪽: Releasing September 17, 2024
“𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘐 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘐’𝘮 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘐 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘐’𝘮 𝘥𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘐’𝘮 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦. 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦, 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯.”
Sia finally accepts her duties and seeks to understand who she is meant to be. Freedom seems a dream out of reach. Tensions mount and secrets come to light as she navigates treachery, court intrigue, and her complicated feelings and past.
Tropes:
🪽 Epic fantasy romance
🩶 Morally grey FMC
💍 Fake dating/arranged marriage
🔥 Slow burn
⚔️ Action & adventure
😮💨 Complex relationships
Beka pours her heart into these pages and it shows. The writing is utterly transportive, lush, and sensational. I love Sia so much but need to talk about this MMC—a true feminist who worships her like the bad@ss that she is! This MMC is hereby elevated to supreme King Wing Daddy 🪽. Please accept your crown, sir 👑 🤝.
The Obsidian Blaze is a divine exploration of vulnerability, trauma, and healing. Our MCs are still processing past mistakes and painful memories that are woven into the fabric of their lives. I felt the heartache, elation, and devastation as they slowly surrender pieces of themselves.
Poignant and emotional, The Obsidian Blaze delivers a gripping, angsty story with an impossibly delicious slow burn that can’t be missed!
Huge thanks to the author for the ARC opportunity. This is my honest and voluntary review.
November 17, 2024
When I tell you I am obsessed... I AM OBSESSED.
This book was an absolute rollercoaster from start to finish! The plot is action-packed, intriguing, and emotional, with a perfect blend of magic, mystery, and romance. Sia is a fiercely independent heroine who can't escape the powers she's bound to, nor the seraph that fate has attached her to. The chemistry between her and Alezandral, the crown prince, is fantastic — their enemies-to-allies relationship feels so real as they strike a deal to unravel the truth about their powers while faking an engagement. The stakes keep getting higher as they uncover dangerous secrets about their world, and the tension between them grows with every twist.
What really stood out to me was how the book explored the theme of freedom versus love — Sia's internal struggle is so relatable and well-written. The world-building is rich and immersive, and the pacing is just right, never feeling too slow or too rushed. There’s so much depth in the characters, and their evolving bond adds emotional layers to the plot.
If you love high-stakes fantasy, slow-burn romance, and strong-willed characters who aren’t afraid to face their destinies, you’ll absolutely love this book. I can’t wait to see what happens next in this series!
Huge thanks to the author for gifting me a copy. I cant wait to read more by Westrup! All opinions are my own.
This book was an absolute rollercoaster from start to finish! The plot is action-packed, intriguing, and emotional, with a perfect blend of magic, mystery, and romance. Sia is a fiercely independent heroine who can't escape the powers she's bound to, nor the seraph that fate has attached her to. The chemistry between her and Alezandral, the crown prince, is fantastic — their enemies-to-allies relationship feels so real as they strike a deal to unravel the truth about their powers while faking an engagement. The stakes keep getting higher as they uncover dangerous secrets about their world, and the tension between them grows with every twist.
What really stood out to me was how the book explored the theme of freedom versus love — Sia's internal struggle is so relatable and well-written. The world-building is rich and immersive, and the pacing is just right, never feeling too slow or too rushed. There’s so much depth in the characters, and their evolving bond adds emotional layers to the plot.
If you love high-stakes fantasy, slow-burn romance, and strong-willed characters who aren’t afraid to face their destinies, you’ll absolutely love this book. I can’t wait to see what happens next in this series!
Huge thanks to the author for gifting me a copy. I cant wait to read more by Westrup! All opinions are my own.
September 17, 2024
This delivers an emotionally charged sequel that continues to explore the complexities of Sia and Alezandral’s bond while diving deeper into a world teetering on the edge of conflict. Beka is such an incredible author and excels at making these relationships feel so genuine. This portrays the raw, jagged edges of two characters who are trying to find themselves while navigating their intertwined fates. The emotional depth and vulnerability between them make their journey compelling and relatable—it's not just about love or duty, but about healing and growth. They make mistakes. They hurt one another. They grow together and accept all of the jagged pieces of one another.
Westrup has this incredible ability to write characters that feel deeply human. Both Sia and Alezandral are broken in different ways, and their slow evolution from guarded individuals into a couple willing to share their wounds is beautifully done. The arranged marriage trope is handled with care—these two first grow as friends and this is a slow burn that is masterfully crafted. There are so many emotions tangled into the spicy scenes; just so well done.
Beyond the relationship, the world-building continues to expand and there are political tensions brewing. The stakes are definitely rising and it feels like this book is setting the stage for an epic conclusion.
I also loved seeing some familiar faces from the first book and the side characters were well-drawn without overshadowing the main duo. This book was really about Sia and Alezandral growing as individuals and as a couple, but it sets the stage for what I suspect will be an intense and action-packed finale. I’m SO ready for the next!
Thanks so much to the author for the opportunity to read and review. This review is based on a complimentary pre-released copy and it is voluntary. All opinions are my own.
Westrup has this incredible ability to write characters that feel deeply human. Both Sia and Alezandral are broken in different ways, and their slow evolution from guarded individuals into a couple willing to share their wounds is beautifully done. The arranged marriage trope is handled with care—these two first grow as friends and this is a slow burn that is masterfully crafted. There are so many emotions tangled into the spicy scenes; just so well done.
Beyond the relationship, the world-building continues to expand and there are political tensions brewing. The stakes are definitely rising and it feels like this book is setting the stage for an epic conclusion.
I also loved seeing some familiar faces from the first book and the side characters were well-drawn without overshadowing the main duo. This book was really about Sia and Alezandral growing as individuals and as a couple, but it sets the stage for what I suspect will be an intense and action-packed finale. I’m SO ready for the next!
Thanks so much to the author for the opportunity to read and review. This review is based on a complimentary pre-released copy and it is voluntary. All opinions are my own.
October 29, 2024
For the love of all that is good and bookish, this might be one of my favorite fake engagement books EVER.
The mother dragon of sizzling slow burns was packaged into this chunky beauty has completely taken over my life. The Obsidian Blaze was even better than I could ever imagined! This is the second book in The Winged Spirits series. I read The Seldom Wings last year and it ended up being one of my favorite reads of 2023. I adored the dark gaslamp vibe and the lore surrounding the seraphim was superb.
In this sequel, we see Sia back in her father’s court, engaged to Alezandral. Sia feels betrayed by Lee, but he doesn’t want to force her into an arranged marriage so they strike a deal instead. Except the more time they spend together, the harder it is for Sia to ignore how absolutely incredible Lee is. Because Alezandral *insert Robin scream gif* is precisely the type or man I love. Cinnamon roll-y with a hint of darkness and f around and find out energy for the people he cares about. He’s kind and powerful and the perfect match to the morally gray Sia.
Sia is a goddess and I found myself loving her even more, if that can even be possible. She’s badass, strong-willed and has a big heart, yet she also has her vulnerabilities. She’s one of my favorite female characters ever! And Leave it to Sia to start the book with a bang (iykyk). She and Lee make the perfect match. Reading their story gave me the same feels I had when I read ACOMAF the first time.
The ending DESTROYED me. As if I couldn’t be any more excited for the next book!
Spice: 3 peppers 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Thank you to the author for gifting me a beautiful foiled paperback. Opinions are my own.
The mother dragon of sizzling slow burns was packaged into this chunky beauty has completely taken over my life. The Obsidian Blaze was even better than I could ever imagined! This is the second book in The Winged Spirits series. I read The Seldom Wings last year and it ended up being one of my favorite reads of 2023. I adored the dark gaslamp vibe and the lore surrounding the seraphim was superb.
In this sequel, we see Sia back in her father’s court, engaged to Alezandral. Sia feels betrayed by Lee, but he doesn’t want to force her into an arranged marriage so they strike a deal instead. Except the more time they spend together, the harder it is for Sia to ignore how absolutely incredible Lee is. Because Alezandral *insert Robin scream gif* is precisely the type or man I love. Cinnamon roll-y with a hint of darkness and f around and find out energy for the people he cares about. He’s kind and powerful and the perfect match to the morally gray Sia.
Sia is a goddess and I found myself loving her even more, if that can even be possible. She’s badass, strong-willed and has a big heart, yet she also has her vulnerabilities. She’s one of my favorite female characters ever! And Leave it to Sia to start the book with a bang (iykyk). She and Lee make the perfect match. Reading their story gave me the same feels I had when I read ACOMAF the first time.
The ending DESTROYED me. As if I couldn’t be any more excited for the next book!
Spice: 3 peppers 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Thank you to the author for gifting me a beautiful foiled paperback. Opinions are my own.
September 1, 2024
Thank you so much to the author for an early copy of this book. No matter what mood I’m in, I’m always ready for more of Beka’s writing.
SPOILER FREE
I am not okay though?! I loved this book so, so much. I took my time reading and am so glad I did. I fell so hard for both Sia and Lee, and I never wanted it to end. The slow burn is so torturously slow you’ll want to throw up, but the payoff is *chefs kiss*
“Let that which has hurt you become your weapon, Sia. Conquer it.”
I identified with both Sia and Lee so much in this book. Both battered and broken by their circumstances and the people around them, these two truly have to work things out before they can truly trust one another.
Where you come from doesn’t mean anything unless you want it to. You choose who you become.
Lee is absolute wildfire. He takes off in this book and unapologetically shines a light in Sia’s life so bright that she has no choice but to turn around and see herself from his eyes. He’s her # 1 champion throughout this whole book, even when she’s at her worst, and I can’t put into words how much I love him. AND HE’S A LIL FREAKY OKAY YES PLEASE.
“You are my match in so many ways, darling, but you are my friend in them all.”
“Look at you, pretending to be such a good, sweet girl for me. You're a pretty liar.”
“Then be a good girl and crawl to me.”
“This is the last time you’ll get on your knees for anyone, Sia. Do you understand me?”
“My beautiful, clever girl.”
Sia was so relatable it hurt. Opening up to people is hard, and it’s so terrifying wondering if when they see the real you, they’ll realize they’ve made a mistake and will leave. It’s way easier to feed into whatever version they see you as than who you truly are, and it’s such a hard lesson to learn to overcome that mentality.
I didn’t like the idea of him having the power to control me. Every time someone held that kind of power over me, they abused it.
There was a familiarity to the things that once used to hurt us, control us, and there was power in taking those memories and replacing them with other moments, moments we chose.
Above all, Beka’s writing is everything to me. The way she phrases things, the way she builds and breaks this world and its dimensions, I can’t get enough. So here are a few more quotes LOL
Most people could be tricked into believing anything given very little evidence to support it, as long as the lie they were told gave them comfort in one way or another.
My head was such a loud place, I sometimes forgot that I was the only one inside it.
No one should have to meet this many people in one day.
Loyalty was a fickle god without any love to bind it.
Hope had filled this moment with an entire future, and I was no longer afraid to look ahead.
Life took no prisoners. There was rarely a choice or reason in death when it came for the ones we loved, and remembering them was the same. We would always remember, regret, hurt. I could still choose to live, though. I could still love beyond the pain.
SPOILER FREE
I am not okay though?! I loved this book so, so much. I took my time reading and am so glad I did. I fell so hard for both Sia and Lee, and I never wanted it to end. The slow burn is so torturously slow you’ll want to throw up, but the payoff is *chefs kiss*
“Let that which has hurt you become your weapon, Sia. Conquer it.”
I identified with both Sia and Lee so much in this book. Both battered and broken by their circumstances and the people around them, these two truly have to work things out before they can truly trust one another.
Where you come from doesn’t mean anything unless you want it to. You choose who you become.
Lee is absolute wildfire. He takes off in this book and unapologetically shines a light in Sia’s life so bright that she has no choice but to turn around and see herself from his eyes. He’s her # 1 champion throughout this whole book, even when she’s at her worst, and I can’t put into words how much I love him. AND HE’S A LIL FREAKY OKAY YES PLEASE.
“You are my match in so many ways, darling, but you are my friend in them all.”
“Look at you, pretending to be such a good, sweet girl for me. You're a pretty liar.”
“Then be a good girl and crawl to me.”
“This is the last time you’ll get on your knees for anyone, Sia. Do you understand me?”
“My beautiful, clever girl.”
Sia was so relatable it hurt. Opening up to people is hard, and it’s so terrifying wondering if when they see the real you, they’ll realize they’ve made a mistake and will leave. It’s way easier to feed into whatever version they see you as than who you truly are, and it’s such a hard lesson to learn to overcome that mentality.
I didn’t like the idea of him having the power to control me. Every time someone held that kind of power over me, they abused it.
There was a familiarity to the things that once used to hurt us, control us, and there was power in taking those memories and replacing them with other moments, moments we chose.
Above all, Beka’s writing is everything to me. The way she phrases things, the way she builds and breaks this world and its dimensions, I can’t get enough. So here are a few more quotes LOL
Most people could be tricked into believing anything given very little evidence to support it, as long as the lie they were told gave them comfort in one way or another.
My head was such a loud place, I sometimes forgot that I was the only one inside it.
No one should have to meet this many people in one day.
Loyalty was a fickle god without any love to bind it.
Hope had filled this moment with an entire future, and I was no longer afraid to look ahead.
Life took no prisoners. There was rarely a choice or reason in death when it came for the ones we loved, and remembering them was the same. We would always remember, regret, hurt. I could still choose to live, though. I could still love beyond the pain.
September 18, 2024
I am grateful to have received this book as an ARC and I couldn’t put it down. The world she has built has its own mood and is perfectly familiar and unique. I love the way she has developed these characters. They feel so real, relatable and they are messy just like you and me. The grief in this book is written so beautifully. The second book turns the first on its axis 👌🏼 We have slow burn (one of my favorite tropes), found family 🥹, arranged marriage, 🌶️🌶️🌶️ and so much more! There were SO many quotes and highlights in my read, it was hard to narrow down what I wanted to share. I absolutely loved this book. I don’t want to provide too much of a synopsis here because one is easy to find and I don’t want to spoil anything!
“Let that which has hurt you become your weapon, Sia. 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘵”
“You are my match in so many ways, darling, but you are my friend in them all. I like your fire, even when it burns me.”
“We were simply dust and star-fire given breath after all, however brief or long we lived. Eventually, we returned to it. Someday my physical body would join the ether again, simple ashes to be absorbed into the earth and wielded by another.”
“Trees reached for the sky, even with no one around to watch them. The world had a way of always finding what it needed in order to survive. Even me. Even my grief.”
“Let that which has hurt you become your weapon, Sia. 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘵”
“You are my match in so many ways, darling, but you are my friend in them all. I like your fire, even when it burns me.”
“We were simply dust and star-fire given breath after all, however brief or long we lived. Eventually, we returned to it. Someday my physical body would join the ether again, simple ashes to be absorbed into the earth and wielded by another.”
“Trees reached for the sky, even with no one around to watch them. The world had a way of always finding what it needed in order to survive. Even me. Even my grief.”
September 27, 2024
Wow! That was truly amazing. I loved every second of it. Lee was just the best and he would never give up on Sia. Sia is a true morally grey badass who took a while to see that she and Lee deserved each other. This story line was unique and explored the seraphim fantasy characters much more than other books. I cannot wait for the next book now!!!
October 2, 2024
could not put it down 10/10
Whoa. The character building is fantastic. Tons of action, twists, turns, love, fighting, highs, lows. I could not put this book down. Ends on a total cliff hanger. I need the third book asap.
Whoa. The character building is fantastic. Tons of action, twists, turns, love, fighting, highs, lows. I could not put this book down. Ends on a total cliff hanger. I need the third book asap.
October 21, 2024
The best way to describe The Obsidian Blaze is that it gave me the same spiritual experience of reading A Court of Mist and Fury. I was already in love with the first book in this series, but I had a feeling the real fun would be in the sequel, and I wasn't wrong! If you're someone who loves fantasy with TRUE morally gray characters, winged men and women, and pure female rage, then this series is a must read.
Following the events of The Seldom Wings, Sia and Alezandral make a deal: they will go on with their engagement and pretend to be in love long enough to understand how to break their heart bond. But on their engagement tour, let's just say things get complicated.
Alezandral has officially claimed a top spot in my book boyfriends list. His devotion to Sia, the way he goes above and beyond to right the wrongs that have been done to Sia and protect her, empower her, support her... this man is a MAN WRITTEN BY A WOMAN! But what was even more beautiful was seeing Sia--a character that I've known to be guarded for most of the first book in this series--learn to trust and open up to another person. This book is edging in paper form because the slow burn is TREACHEROUS, but my goodness was it worth it to have this beautiful relationship and those spicy scenes! 🥵
In short, I am even more obsessed with this series than I was before. Alongside the consuming romance, there is also a wonderful fantasy intrigue developing alongside it. If you love dark fantasy worlds similar to the Witcher, then you'll definitely enjoy!
Spice: 3 (explicit and on page scenes)
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy for review. Opinions are my own.
Following the events of The Seldom Wings, Sia and Alezandral make a deal: they will go on with their engagement and pretend to be in love long enough to understand how to break their heart bond. But on their engagement tour, let's just say things get complicated.
Alezandral has officially claimed a top spot in my book boyfriends list. His devotion to Sia, the way he goes above and beyond to right the wrongs that have been done to Sia and protect her, empower her, support her... this man is a MAN WRITTEN BY A WOMAN! But what was even more beautiful was seeing Sia--a character that I've known to be guarded for most of the first book in this series--learn to trust and open up to another person. This book is edging in paper form because the slow burn is TREACHEROUS, but my goodness was it worth it to have this beautiful relationship and those spicy scenes! 🥵
In short, I am even more obsessed with this series than I was before. Alongside the consuming romance, there is also a wonderful fantasy intrigue developing alongside it. If you love dark fantasy worlds similar to the Witcher, then you'll definitely enjoy!
Spice: 3 (explicit and on page scenes)
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy for review. Opinions are my own.
January 5, 2025
Will I be finishing this series? NO!
February 8, 2025
Another series I don’t know how it hasn’t been talked about - this was AMAZING. The first book wasn’t my favorite but this one had me the whole way through - all 700 pages. Slow slow slow burn in the best way possible. Amazing.
July 23, 2024
I loved this second book, ate it up in 2 days ! It's the perfect follow up after book 1. We get to see and understand more of our favorite characters' past and get to tag along whlie they navigate their emotions, hardships and relationships. I'm not used to the FMC being the morally grey one, but I love it. Sia is the personification of every badass that lives inside us. Lee is the Golden Retriever we all deserve. The lore and world-building around the angels was amazing ! I could go on and on, but just read it haha
But I must warn thee ! If you're kinda allergic to the miscommunication trope, brace yourselves.
I feel so grateful to have been granted the honor of being an ARC reader for The Obsidian Blaze (especially after my obsession about The Seldom Wings) now I only have to wait for book 3.......
But I must warn thee ! If you're kinda allergic to the miscommunication trope, brace yourselves.
I feel so grateful to have been granted the honor of being an ARC reader for The Obsidian Blaze (especially after my obsession about The Seldom Wings) now I only have to wait for book 3.......
December 15, 2024
Oof, I enjoy an unlikeable FMC but Sia was insufferable in this book. The author's note attempts to warn you of this by claiming that she's morally gray and difficult to love, but I just found her painfully annoying. Almost a DNF at 25% because of it, but I pushed through. I could overlook some things, but at one point she was contradicting herself on every other page about her feelings for Lee. So many of the contradictions are happening inside her head which is exhausting. She's telling herself that she doesn't deserve Lee's love and kindness while simultaneously being annoyed when he's not fawning over her every second. She's keeping all these feelings and thoughts from him and then is outraged when he's also keeping things from her. Again, I enjoy an unlikable FMC but I just could not feel any sympathy for Sia whatsoever. As "difficult to love" as she is supposed to be, Lee is constantly showing and telling her that he cares for her and she seems to purposely misunderstand him. I found the plot was predictable and the cliffhanger didn't leave me dying to know what happens next. Overall, I was pretty disappointed because I did like the first book and I liked Sia's character in the first book. Unsure if I'll read the final book of the trilogy.
July 30, 2024
Did... did a book just... EDGE me?!
Now that *leaps to feet, clapping frantically* is perhaps the BEST slow burn ever.
Sia and Lee are everything.
I screamed, I gasped, I laughed.
I "Wtf?!"
And smacked the cushions screaming "NO!"
The intensity of those last few pages. Phew *wipes forehead*
Now, excuse me while I run off to rest to prepare for what's next.
Now that *leaps to feet, clapping frantically* is perhaps the BEST slow burn ever.
Sia and Lee are everything.
I screamed, I gasped, I laughed.
I "Wtf?!"
And smacked the cushions screaming "NO!"
The intensity of those last few pages. Phew *wipes forehead*
Now, excuse me while I run off to rest to prepare for what's next.
September 21, 2024
Book Review: The Obsidian Blaze
By: Beka Westrup
I’m in a very vulnerable place at the moment. This book destroyed me much in the way the last one had! I am utterly, hopelessly, and deeply in love with this story and its characters especially Lee I’ve loved him since the flower cart in book one! So today since I’m pining the loss of him until the next book when I get to come off this bloody cliff she left me on he will be my pick for Snack Saturday! And man oh man is he delish! This book was over far too soon it’s like 680 pages of magic, slow burn, pining, action, swooning, laughter, and longing! Alezandral (Lee) has my heart and soul! He goes through so much in his life and is so patient with Sia as she navigates her feelings always supporting her even when she hurts him.
He supports her journey to know what she is and wants her to be his equal. Though out their relationship you see them both grow, trust, and change. The magical elements and creatures were spectacular! We have a whole variety the very unique and beautiful winged beings, the creepy sutilis skin stealers and their hive mind connection, and The Wight that being was equally beautiful and kinda creepy. The upcoming prophecy about Lee and Sia awww!!! And having Erlene back she’s such a huge part of Sia and didn’t know how she would continue in the story without her there. I loved the mystery behind his territory and the when the secrets are revealed it had me tearing up and smiling all at once! Sia meeting her spirit and the name he gives her… daughter of dark embers. I love the amazing gifts exchanged I’m not spoiling anything. Seeing these two together makes my heart smile! The throne room scene is the chefs kiss. 💋
The scene with her in the blue dress from book 1!!! I definitely feel like I need to update the card I made for this book series! I cannot wait for book three!!! Please don’t break my heart the way I feel it’s about to be Beka!! And please say the next book comes out soon. If you haven’t grabbed this series definitely do so you’ll love the FMC and her fierceness, loyalty, and her ability to protect the ones she loves… but you’ll melt for Lee!!! See that puddle on the floor that’s me. Lee is the perfect example of a book boyfriend!
W🪽 Epic fantasy romance
🩶 Morally grey FMC
💍 Fake dating/arranged marriage
🔥 Slow burn
⚔️ Action & adventure
😮💨 Complex relationships
Favorite quotes:
“Why do you wear these gloves so much?” “Because I don’t like touching people.” My heart thundered in my ears. “You touch me, though,” I whispered. He’d touched me without those gloves several times, both in the human lands and throughout this tour. He gave me a shrug. “You’re different.” “Because we’re bonded?” “Because you’re you,” he clarified.
“Let that which has hurt you become your weapon, Sia. Conquer it.”
“You are my match in so many ways, darling, but you are my friend in them all. I like your fire, even when it burns me.”
“Because that’s how I feel every moment I’m away from you. I feel like I’m dying, like I’m wasting every breath that isn’t taken at your side, and every breath that is fills me with new life. With one look, you revive me, again and again.”
“Look at you, pretending to be such a good, sweet girl for me. You're a pretty liar.”
“This is the last time you’ll get on your knees for anyone, Sia. Do you understand me?”
“My beautiful, clever girl.”
“Trees reached for the sky, even with no one around to watch them. The world had a way of always finding what it needed in order to survive. Even me. Even my grief.”
By: Beka Westrup
I’m in a very vulnerable place at the moment. This book destroyed me much in the way the last one had! I am utterly, hopelessly, and deeply in love with this story and its characters especially Lee I’ve loved him since the flower cart in book one! So today since I’m pining the loss of him until the next book when I get to come off this bloody cliff she left me on he will be my pick for Snack Saturday! And man oh man is he delish! This book was over far too soon it’s like 680 pages of magic, slow burn, pining, action, swooning, laughter, and longing! Alezandral (Lee) has my heart and soul! He goes through so much in his life and is so patient with Sia as she navigates her feelings always supporting her even when she hurts him.
He supports her journey to know what she is and wants her to be his equal. Though out their relationship you see them both grow, trust, and change. The magical elements and creatures were spectacular! We have a whole variety the very unique and beautiful winged beings, the creepy sutilis skin stealers and their hive mind connection, and The Wight that being was equally beautiful and kinda creepy. The upcoming prophecy about Lee and Sia awww!!! And having Erlene back she’s such a huge part of Sia and didn’t know how she would continue in the story without her there. I loved the mystery behind his territory and the when the secrets are revealed it had me tearing up and smiling all at once! Sia meeting her spirit and the name he gives her… daughter of dark embers. I love the amazing gifts exchanged I’m not spoiling anything. Seeing these two together makes my heart smile! The throne room scene is the chefs kiss. 💋
The scene with her in the blue dress from book 1!!! I definitely feel like I need to update the card I made for this book series! I cannot wait for book three!!! Please don’t break my heart the way I feel it’s about to be Beka!! And please say the next book comes out soon. If you haven’t grabbed this series definitely do so you’ll love the FMC and her fierceness, loyalty, and her ability to protect the ones she loves… but you’ll melt for Lee!!! See that puddle on the floor that’s me. Lee is the perfect example of a book boyfriend!
W🪽 Epic fantasy romance
🩶 Morally grey FMC
💍 Fake dating/arranged marriage
🔥 Slow burn
⚔️ Action & adventure
😮💨 Complex relationships
Favorite quotes:
“Why do you wear these gloves so much?” “Because I don’t like touching people.” My heart thundered in my ears. “You touch me, though,” I whispered. He’d touched me without those gloves several times, both in the human lands and throughout this tour. He gave me a shrug. “You’re different.” “Because we’re bonded?” “Because you’re you,” he clarified.
“Let that which has hurt you become your weapon, Sia. Conquer it.”
“You are my match in so many ways, darling, but you are my friend in them all. I like your fire, even when it burns me.”
“Because that’s how I feel every moment I’m away from you. I feel like I’m dying, like I’m wasting every breath that isn’t taken at your side, and every breath that is fills me with new life. With one look, you revive me, again and again.”
“Look at you, pretending to be such a good, sweet girl for me. You're a pretty liar.”
“This is the last time you’ll get on your knees for anyone, Sia. Do you understand me?”
“My beautiful, clever girl.”
“Trees reached for the sky, even with no one around to watch them. The world had a way of always finding what it needed in order to survive. Even me. Even my grief.”
September 18, 2024
I find it so funny that we see the FMC fuck 3 different people ON PAGE who ARE NOT the MMC in this book but at the mere THOUGHT of the MMC being with someone else she's damn near hyperventilating and has an elephant sitting on her chest. lol. To be fair the first two were women and a group situation during a time when she was refusing to even be in the same room with the MMC after learning his true identity and feeling betrayed at the end of the last book. The last person was a man (that the MMC and his cousin walked in on her with) but even that was this weird thing that circled back around to the MMC. She basically refuses to deal with her feelings about the MMC, insists that the engagement is all pretend and they've both agreed to use one of their questions at the end of the engagement tour to ask the Wight how to end the bond so they can go their separate ways...........yet she's specifically asking for a pleasure worker who looks like the MMC (and was left frustrated). To say this woman has issues is an understatement. The decisions she makes are just...........unwise. Also, spoiler alert, they don't ask the question of how to break the bond.
BUT the author is able to give you a good view into this very complex character who you want to shake for how hurtful she's being to the MMC but at the same time you forgive her because you can see how down bad she is for this man. And she is down BAD! Like CRAWLING on the floor on her hands and knees to him as he sits on his throne bad. Having her so wrapped around his finger makes up for her earlier shenanigans and the bond and sex she shares with the MMC makes her previous sexual escapades seem childish.
I liked the MMC's patience with her but I liked him calling her on her bullshit even more. He wasn't someone who she could just walk all over but at the same time he made her feel safe and free to be herself. It was a good balance.
Her ex-lover and father to her previous charge from the previous book shows up to add some drama but it's really a non-factor because she is fully in love with the MMC by this point even though she still refuses to tell him. A lot of things happened in this book, with a lot of journeys and side quests.
It ends on a cliffhanger and all I could say to myself is "oh she is not going to handle this well at all" lord help the people who did it when she gets ahold of them. I look forward to the FMC being the one to burn the world to ash over her love.
BUT the author is able to give you a good view into this very complex character who you want to shake for how hurtful she's being to the MMC but at the same time you forgive her because you can see how down bad she is for this man. And she is down BAD! Like CRAWLING on the floor on her hands and knees to him as he sits on his throne bad. Having her so wrapped around his finger makes up for her earlier shenanigans and the bond and sex she shares with the MMC makes her previous sexual escapades seem childish.
I liked the MMC's patience with her but I liked him calling her on her bullshit even more. He wasn't someone who she could just walk all over but at the same time he made her feel safe and free to be herself. It was a good balance.
Her ex-lover and father to her previous charge from the previous book shows up to add some drama but it's really a non-factor because she is fully in love with the MMC by this point even though she still refuses to tell him. A lot of things happened in this book, with a lot of journeys and side quests.
It ends on a cliffhanger and all I could say to myself is "oh she is not going to handle this well at all" lord help the people who did it when she gets ahold of them. I look forward to the FMC being the one to burn the world to ash over her love.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2024
DON’T TOUCH ME I’M FRAGILE. THE CLIFFHANGER ?!?!
it has just gone 2AM as i write this- yes it’s one of those books. sleep was never an option.
how am i about to sit here and tell you 679 pages was not enough for me because i always want more of this series?
the tropes in this book;
enemies to lovers, fake dating, forced proximity, ONE BED, who did this to you, he falls first.
just one of these has me set, but all of them? i’m buzzed.
alezandral. lee. lee, lee, lee.
the way you have OFFICIALLY wormed your way into my heart even more- book boyfriend list MAKE ROOM. the depth we get from him in this is just *chefs kiss* from who he is as a royal, to his traumatic childhood, to his love for sia.
him and sia go from newly enemies (yes, one-sided), to the fake dating frenemies, to the flanter, to the spicE 🌶️ wowee the spice. i love them, okay, they’ve come so far. also i love the trope where they can communicate in their minds, please i want this always.
“Why do you wear these gloves so much?” “Because I don’t like touching people.” My heart thundered in my ears. “You touch me, though,” I whispered. He’d touched me without those gloves several times, both in the human lands and throughout this tour. He gave me a shrug. “You’re different.” “Because we’re bonded?” “Because you’re you,” he clarified.
finding out more again about sia and where she comes from is just SO good. it’s snippets but you just know she’s so capable of bigger things. things we’ll no doubt see in book three 👀
the creatures we meet in this are so freaking good as well. loved the idea of the wight, the winged spirits, the sutilis (the hive mind had me gasping), the baezilisk?! omg and also undead.
bringing erlene back into this warmed my very soul. she’s so precious and i feel like she softens sia like no one else. obviously lee is the exception now but it’s just so lovely to see the motherly instincts kick in. it’s why what the wight said didn’t surprise me- she’s damn maternal whether she admits it or NOT.
also tell me that the third book is called “daughter of dark embers” rn. please.
i feel like i have to read this all again to make a less fangirly and more detailed review. so i will be doing so.
just go read it.
it has just gone 2AM as i write this- yes it’s one of those books. sleep was never an option.
how am i about to sit here and tell you 679 pages was not enough for me because i always want more of this series?
the tropes in this book;
enemies to lovers, fake dating, forced proximity, ONE BED, who did this to you, he falls first.
just one of these has me set, but all of them? i’m buzzed.
alezandral. lee. lee, lee, lee.
the way you have OFFICIALLY wormed your way into my heart even more- book boyfriend list MAKE ROOM. the depth we get from him in this is just *chefs kiss* from who he is as a royal, to his traumatic childhood, to his love for sia.
him and sia go from newly enemies (yes, one-sided), to the fake dating frenemies, to the flanter, to the spicE 🌶️ wowee the spice. i love them, okay, they’ve come so far. also i love the trope where they can communicate in their minds, please i want this always.
“Why do you wear these gloves so much?” “Because I don’t like touching people.” My heart thundered in my ears. “You touch me, though,” I whispered. He’d touched me without those gloves several times, both in the human lands and throughout this tour. He gave me a shrug. “You’re different.” “Because we’re bonded?” “Because you’re you,” he clarified.
finding out more again about sia and where she comes from is just SO good. it’s snippets but you just know she’s so capable of bigger things. things we’ll no doubt see in book three 👀
the creatures we meet in this are so freaking good as well. loved the idea of the wight, the winged spirits, the sutilis (the hive mind had me gasping), the baezilisk?! omg and also undead.
bringing erlene back into this warmed my very soul. she’s so precious and i feel like she softens sia like no one else. obviously lee is the exception now but it’s just so lovely to see the motherly instincts kick in. it’s why what the wight said didn’t surprise me- she’s damn maternal whether she admits it or NOT.
also tell me that the third book is called “daughter of dark embers” rn. please.
i feel like i have to read this all again to make a less fangirly and more detailed review. so i will be doing so.
just go read it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 13, 2024
Thank you SO much to Beka for providing me with an early copy of this book. This may be my favorite one yet <3
Well, what is there to say asides that this book is an absolute masterpiece. The plot, the magic system, THE CHARACTERS, I mean all of it spectacular. No notes, but I have a RIDICULOUS amount of praise.
Sia and Lee, may be my favorite characters of all time. Sia, is not your typical FMC. She is stubborn, tired of being told what to do by the patriarchy, and acts incredibly rash when she's feeling attacked or ganged up on. Relatable right? She constantly questions Lee's feelings towards her, and constantly tries to put distance between herself and others so she doesn't get hurt. RELATABLE, right? I just ADORE her. The thing is, with most romantasy novels characters just don't have much depth, but Beka was like, hell NO, lets flesh out this amazing, relatable, curvy character. And I couldnt be happier.
Lee, may be the # 1 book boyfriend. I have no words for how much I love him. Even when Sia is absolutely horrendous to him, he always puts her first. He just deserves all the love in the world, and you find out so much about him and his life in this book. Bless him.
I highlighted a million passages, but here are some of my favorite ones.
"Do not underestimate the lengths I will go to in my fury, Sia. Especially when it comes to you"
"You and I are equals in everything"
"Let that which has hurt you become your weapon, Sia. Conquer it."
" You aren't wrong in this world, Sia, and you are arent weak, regardless of what you do to make yourself that way. What you are in untouched. Where you come from doesnt mean anything unless you want it to. You choose who you become. That's a decision each of us make for ourseleves, and it's just about the only thing you can control."
" He would rather die than break my spirit. That was what our broken promise would do to him - he would surrender to oblivion so I could walk free"
"It's okay to need somebody Sia, Sometimes simply wanting them isn't enough"
AND HES A FREAK YA'LL
" I love it when you act like a good girl, when you force yourself to surrender. You look so pretty sucking on my fingers."
"Dont deny me. I already know how much you want me to obey, how much you want to be my good girl."
THERES SO MANY MORE BUT READ THE BOOK.
****
Anyways, the real star of this book is Beka. She is such an incredible writer, creating fantastic characters with such depth, complex worlds that the reader can compltley immerse themselves in while dealing with incredible themes, such as female rage, fluid sexuality, dealing with death and abuse, and so much more. I
The ending was insane, tears were cried, hearts were broken, and now we must patiently wait for the final book. But, I am such a Beka-stan, so I will patiently wait, and will read anything and everything she writes in the meantime.
Thanks Beka <3
Well, what is there to say asides that this book is an absolute masterpiece. The plot, the magic system, THE CHARACTERS, I mean all of it spectacular. No notes, but I have a RIDICULOUS amount of praise.
Sia and Lee, may be my favorite characters of all time. Sia, is not your typical FMC. She is stubborn, tired of being told what to do by the patriarchy, and acts incredibly rash when she's feeling attacked or ganged up on. Relatable right? She constantly questions Lee's feelings towards her, and constantly tries to put distance between herself and others so she doesn't get hurt. RELATABLE, right? I just ADORE her. The thing is, with most romantasy novels characters just don't have much depth, but Beka was like, hell NO, lets flesh out this amazing, relatable, curvy character. And I couldnt be happier.
Lee, may be the # 1 book boyfriend. I have no words for how much I love him. Even when Sia is absolutely horrendous to him, he always puts her first. He just deserves all the love in the world, and you find out so much about him and his life in this book. Bless him.
I highlighted a million passages, but here are some of my favorite ones.
"Do not underestimate the lengths I will go to in my fury, Sia. Especially when it comes to you"
"You and I are equals in everything"
"Let that which has hurt you become your weapon, Sia. Conquer it."
" You aren't wrong in this world, Sia, and you are arent weak, regardless of what you do to make yourself that way. What you are in untouched. Where you come from doesnt mean anything unless you want it to. You choose who you become. That's a decision each of us make for ourseleves, and it's just about the only thing you can control."
" He would rather die than break my spirit. That was what our broken promise would do to him - he would surrender to oblivion so I could walk free"
"It's okay to need somebody Sia, Sometimes simply wanting them isn't enough"
AND HES A FREAK YA'LL
" I love it when you act like a good girl, when you force yourself to surrender. You look so pretty sucking on my fingers."
"Dont deny me. I already know how much you want me to obey, how much you want to be my good girl."
THERES SO MANY MORE BUT READ THE BOOK.
****
Anyways, the real star of this book is Beka. She is such an incredible writer, creating fantastic characters with such depth, complex worlds that the reader can compltley immerse themselves in while dealing with incredible themes, such as female rage, fluid sexuality, dealing with death and abuse, and so much more. I
The ending was insane, tears were cried, hearts were broken, and now we must patiently wait for the final book. But, I am such a Beka-stan, so I will patiently wait, and will read anything and everything she writes in the meantime.
Thanks Beka <3
September 17, 2024
“It could be the sky and I would still tear it down for her.”
I wish I had adequate words to describe this book. Beka never fails to deliver a beautifully written story that will have you going through all of the emotions. 4.5⭐️
The Obsidian Blaze is one thick book, but don't let that intimidate you. You'll fly right through those pages. The storyline is fast-paced and captivating with its emotionally charged, adventure-filled journey.
Sia is so relatable with her stubbornness, inner monologue of self-doubts, and fear of disappointment. Lee has his own troubled past, doubts, and fears of failure that cause rifts between him and Sia. But those rifts don't stop them from communicating. I loved seeing the vulnerable side of each of the main characters, especially when they decided to open up to each other. And PS. The slow burn is so well done, and you might need a fan to cool off when that spice hits 🌬😆
And that ending?! Oh, poor Lee 😥…we just might get to see Sia burn down the world...I'm absolutely dying for the next book!
If you love any of these tropes, check out this series!
Tropes:
✨️Epic slow burn
✨️Forced proximity
✨️Touch her and 💀
✨️Morally grey FMC
✨️Fated mates
✨️Political intrigue
✨️Spice 🌶🌶
“I like your fire, even when it burns me.”
Thanks so much Beka Westrup for the incredible ARC! 🫶
I wish I had adequate words to describe this book. Beka never fails to deliver a beautifully written story that will have you going through all of the emotions. 4.5⭐️
The Obsidian Blaze is one thick book, but don't let that intimidate you. You'll fly right through those pages. The storyline is fast-paced and captivating with its emotionally charged, adventure-filled journey.
Sia is so relatable with her stubbornness, inner monologue of self-doubts, and fear of disappointment. Lee has his own troubled past, doubts, and fears of failure that cause rifts between him and Sia. But those rifts don't stop them from communicating. I loved seeing the vulnerable side of each of the main characters, especially when they decided to open up to each other. And PS. The slow burn is so well done, and you might need a fan to cool off when that spice hits 🌬😆
And that ending?! Oh, poor Lee 😥…we just might get to see Sia burn down the world...I'm absolutely dying for the next book!
If you love any of these tropes, check out this series!
Tropes:
✨️Epic slow burn
✨️Forced proximity
✨️Touch her and 💀
✨️Morally grey FMC
✨️Fated mates
✨️Political intrigue
✨️Spice 🌶🌶
“I like your fire, even when it burns me.”
Thanks so much Beka Westrup for the incredible ARC! 🫶
August 5, 2024
WOW this unique romantasy story took me by surprise!!! This series hooked me from book one and had me binging book 2!! The secrets revealed in the beginning of The Obsidian blaze had me SHOOK!!!
The character development is phenomenal. Both of the MC’s are traumatized and heavily flawed. But they are the two broken pieces that fit together so perfectly. They complement each other and Lee is constantly pushing Sia out of her comfort zone, which is exactly what she needs to grow even if she doesn’t want to face it.
I loved that this book took us on an adventure. In book 1 we got to hear about the world but not see as much of it as this book. This time we got to travel to different lands and come across magical creatures! The world building was detailed and easy to follow!
I absolutely loved the first book, but now that I have read The Obsidian Blaze, I feel it read like a prequel. Setting up for book 2 and all the adventures, love, and heartbreak. The emotional roller coaster was crazy!
Now the ending…. I am BROKEN by that ending!!! The cliffhanger has me dying and praying that the authors fingers are doused in magic so she can spit out the third book ASAP!!
The character development is phenomenal. Both of the MC’s are traumatized and heavily flawed. But they are the two broken pieces that fit together so perfectly. They complement each other and Lee is constantly pushing Sia out of her comfort zone, which is exactly what she needs to grow even if she doesn’t want to face it.
I loved that this book took us on an adventure. In book 1 we got to hear about the world but not see as much of it as this book. This time we got to travel to different lands and come across magical creatures! The world building was detailed and easy to follow!
I absolutely loved the first book, but now that I have read The Obsidian Blaze, I feel it read like a prequel. Setting up for book 2 and all the adventures, love, and heartbreak. The emotional roller coaster was crazy!
Now the ending…. I am BROKEN by that ending!!! The cliffhanger has me dying and praying that the authors fingers are doused in magic so she can spit out the third book ASAP!!
September 19, 2024
This book is a full number without any doubt. This one is easily my top read of the year so far. It has all the elements that make a book in your top read and this one is definitely mine for this year. The first thing is don’t get intimidated by the number of pages, you will fly through it all. The pacing is perfect, and the story is perfectly evened out with lots of action and some spice and so much to unravel.
The emotions are all time high in this one, there was heartbreak, insecurity and then there was healing too. The magical world is clear as sky and is explained beautifully with an amazing plot that kept me hooked from the start. It gets more interesting as I moved ahead and I highly appreciate the writing. Beka did it again and I loved this book more than the first book.
Now I am eagerly waiting for the conclusion of this beauty. The ending is gut-wrenching as I don’t know what will happen next, the cliffhanger was brutal after all the push and pull between Sia & Lee. I love these two characters so much and I can understand the depth of it all too. Theories are running wild in my mind and I just can’t wait for it.
MUST READ.
The emotions are all time high in this one, there was heartbreak, insecurity and then there was healing too. The magical world is clear as sky and is explained beautifully with an amazing plot that kept me hooked from the start. It gets more interesting as I moved ahead and I highly appreciate the writing. Beka did it again and I loved this book more than the first book.
Now I am eagerly waiting for the conclusion of this beauty. The ending is gut-wrenching as I don’t know what will happen next, the cliffhanger was brutal after all the push and pull between Sia & Lee. I love these two characters so much and I can understand the depth of it all too. Theories are running wild in my mind and I just can’t wait for it.
MUST READ.
October 9, 2024
Book two takes us for an interesting turn with Sia and Lee in their Seraph lands heading toward their betrothal and wedding, as they are already heart bound from when they were children.
I will be honest, Sia was a bit insufferable in the first half of this book. It was quite a turn for her character as she did not show this much contempt for her former lover's husband. She continues to push Lee away, make disparaging remarks and put up walls and barriers to try to put distance between their bond due to her mistrust and misgivings. While this is typical of an FMC in her position, I found her back and forth of inner turmoil but outward fighting to be a bit difficult to sympathize with, especially in later chapters when her feelings start to change. When Lee becomes closed off, she cannot understand why his thoughts would change.. I wonder why.
Overall, I did enjoy getting to see and be present in seraph lands and have the complexities and differences between book one and two with different settings and character facets while still driving the same storyline and goal. I feel the pay off in the next book will be great.
I will be honest, Sia was a bit insufferable in the first half of this book. It was quite a turn for her character as she did not show this much contempt for her former lover's husband. She continues to push Lee away, make disparaging remarks and put up walls and barriers to try to put distance between their bond due to her mistrust and misgivings. While this is typical of an FMC in her position, I found her back and forth of inner turmoil but outward fighting to be a bit difficult to sympathize with, especially in later chapters when her feelings start to change. When Lee becomes closed off, she cannot understand why his thoughts would change.. I wonder why.
Overall, I did enjoy getting to see and be present in seraph lands and have the complexities and differences between book one and two with different settings and character facets while still driving the same storyline and goal. I feel the pay off in the next book will be great.
April 26, 2025
okay my problem is not with the writing or plot itself, the whole idea of the book is still interesting!
however, I just did not really vibe with the FMC and I never can really get into the book or enjoy when I don’t like the FMC
I just found her to be complaining about everything the entire book
She would whine about everything with no justification and is all “woe is me” while poor Lee has been through hell his whole life and never treats anybody the way Sia does
To me it did not come across as the author stated as “hard women to love” instead it came across as a spoiled brat who consistently contradicted her self and goes back and forth about wanting to be with Lee wayyyyy too many times in one book.
I think when you want a FMC who makes questionable decisions, people still root for them in spite of those decisions because of their backstory, their reasoning, and because they usually make those decisions without whining and complaining the whole time. They just do it.
To me, Sia came across as really contributing nothing and wanting excuses for being bitchy to everyone, especially Lee.
Would def read a book about Sia’s brother if that becomes a thing.
however, I just did not really vibe with the FMC and I never can really get into the book or enjoy when I don’t like the FMC
I just found her to be complaining about everything the entire book
She would whine about everything with no justification and is all “woe is me” while poor Lee has been through hell his whole life and never treats anybody the way Sia does
To me it did not come across as the author stated as “hard women to love” instead it came across as a spoiled brat who consistently contradicted her self and goes back and forth about wanting to be with Lee wayyyyy too many times in one book.
I think when you want a FMC who makes questionable decisions, people still root for them in spite of those decisions because of their backstory, their reasoning, and because they usually make those decisions without whining and complaining the whole time. They just do it.
To me, Sia came across as really contributing nothing and wanting excuses for being bitchy to everyone, especially Lee.
Would def read a book about Sia’s brother if that becomes a thing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 5, 2024
This sequel was an incredibly intense and emotionally charged experience. It was truly captivating and never had a dull moment. Just when you begin to understand what is happening, another unexpected plot twist emerges, keeping you on the edge of your seat. I genuinely love the chemistry between Sia and Lee. While I would have preferred less miscommunication and the initial hot and cold dynamic, by the end, I was thoroughly invested in their every interaction.
Lee undoubtedly stole the show for me in this book. He effectively portrayed the dark and brooding MMC when necessary, yet he also revealed a softer, more caring side. I admired his ability to put Sia in her place when she acted petulant, but also to build her up and treat her as an equal. However, some of Sia's bratty outbursts became a bit repetitive for me, and I found myself slightly disliking her as a result. Fortunately, by the end, I was happy to see the return of the badass FMC we know and love from the first book.
The cliffhanger left me speechless, and I don't know how I'm going to survive until book 3!
4.5 ⭐️
3 🌶
Lee undoubtedly stole the show for me in this book. He effectively portrayed the dark and brooding MMC when necessary, yet he also revealed a softer, more caring side. I admired his ability to put Sia in her place when she acted petulant, but also to build her up and treat her as an equal. However, some of Sia's bratty outbursts became a bit repetitive for me, and I found myself slightly disliking her as a result. Fortunately, by the end, I was happy to see the return of the badass FMC we know and love from the first book.
The cliffhanger left me speechless, and I don't know how I'm going to survive until book 3!
4.5 ⭐️
3 🌶
September 16, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️.5
ONE OF THE TOP READS OF 2024
““Let that which has hurt you become your weapon, Sia. Conquer it.””
that’s a high bar to live up to yet beka did it. absolutely gobsmacked over this amazing read.
the plot is fckn amazing. the fake engagement to slowly falling in love is *chefs kiss*. sia just wants to be loved so bad, she’s so desperate for affection yet is scared to fall in love. lee has been beaten and traumatized, yet he yearns for someone to just want HIM. i’m absolutely obsessed with them both. and i’m fckn feral for lee, i’d do unspeakable things for that man.
the slow burn tension hurts your soul but it’s so worth the pain when these two come together. and that ending?? SOBBING AND CLAWING AT THE WALLS. BEKA HOW DARE U DO THIS TO US?!?!
i could scream this from the mountains, YOU NEED TO READ THIS SERIES RIGHT NOW!!
🔥tropes/themes🔥
🧊 angels
🧊 bi fmc & mmc
🧊 mates
🧊 fire & ice
🧊 “my wife”
🧊 morally grey fmc
🧊 forced prox
🧊 fake engagement
🧊 slow burn so good it hurts your soul
thank you to the author for the arc in exchange for an honest review!
🌶️🌶️.5
ONE OF THE TOP READS OF 2024
““Let that which has hurt you become your weapon, Sia. Conquer it.””
that’s a high bar to live up to yet beka did it. absolutely gobsmacked over this amazing read.
the plot is fckn amazing. the fake engagement to slowly falling in love is *chefs kiss*. sia just wants to be loved so bad, she’s so desperate for affection yet is scared to fall in love. lee has been beaten and traumatized, yet he yearns for someone to just want HIM. i’m absolutely obsessed with them both. and i’m fckn feral for lee, i’d do unspeakable things for that man.
the slow burn tension hurts your soul but it’s so worth the pain when these two come together. and that ending?? SOBBING AND CLAWING AT THE WALLS. BEKA HOW DARE U DO THIS TO US?!?!
i could scream this from the mountains, YOU NEED TO READ THIS SERIES RIGHT NOW!!
🔥tropes/themes🔥
🧊 angels
🧊 bi fmc & mmc
🧊 mates
🧊 fire & ice
🧊 “my wife”
🧊 morally grey fmc
🧊 forced prox
🧊 fake engagement
🧊 slow burn so good it hurts your soul
thank you to the author for the arc in exchange for an honest review!
September 17, 2024
“I’m not here to use you. I am here to be whatever you need me to be, just so long as you don’t ask me to be your enemy.”
I loved The Obsidian Blaze even more than the first one. The writing is captivating and portrays the emotional intensity beautifully. Sia and Lee both grow so much together. They stumble and fall but find their way back to each other and it is so satisfying. Their slow burn romance when it finally caught flames was SPICY.
We also have some very unexpected friendships and a unique found family that I adore. Even a certain character I dislike has me sailing on a new ship 👀.
There were some unexpected plot developments that just had me screeching 🤣. I loved how much the world expanded in this one and getting to explore the various kingdoms. The serpents have me so curious, I would read a book just about them. And I KNOW everything is going to be fine eventually but that ending has me so unwell.
Thanks to the author for the review copy!
I loved The Obsidian Blaze even more than the first one. The writing is captivating and portrays the emotional intensity beautifully. Sia and Lee both grow so much together. They stumble and fall but find their way back to each other and it is so satisfying. Their slow burn romance when it finally caught flames was SPICY.
We also have some very unexpected friendships and a unique found family that I adore. Even a certain character I dislike has me sailing on a new ship 👀.
There were some unexpected plot developments that just had me screeching 🤣. I loved how much the world expanded in this one and getting to explore the various kingdoms. The serpents have me so curious, I would read a book just about them. And I KNOW everything is going to be fine eventually but that ending has me so unwell.
Thanks to the author for the review copy!
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