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Skies of Varien #1
Sky of Fire
Exiled from her home, Alliya, a half-witch half-fae, conceals a deadly magic in her father’s sundrenched empire. Seeking freedom from the shackles of royal life, her fae half-sister Serra leads them to the free city of Nazra. But when rebellion strikes, their world is shattered.
Amid the chaos, the bearer of death lurks in the shadows, bound to kill for his cruel king. His job is assassinate the witch, Alliya Ferallis. But an unforeseen, rogue magic has other plans.
After accidentally binding her life to the fae assassin who tried to kill her, Alliya must survive as a new recruit in the brutal Guild of Cruor. Meanwhile, Serra searches for refuge and freedom in the most prestigious Siren house in Varien, where beauty is both addictive and deceiving.
As the sisters face separate paths, their brother Adryan, born and raised to be emperor, will do anything to find them, including venture into the rebellion.
But as a greater evil emerges, only the fates will decide who lives and who dies.
Amid the chaos, the bearer of death lurks in the shadows, bound to kill for his cruel king. His job is assassinate the witch, Alliya Ferallis. But an unforeseen, rogue magic has other plans.
After accidentally binding her life to the fae assassin who tried to kill her, Alliya must survive as a new recruit in the brutal Guild of Cruor. Meanwhile, Serra searches for refuge and freedom in the most prestigious Siren house in Varien, where beauty is both addictive and deceiving.
As the sisters face separate paths, their brother Adryan, born and raised to be emperor, will do anything to find them, including venture into the rebellion.
But as a greater evil emerges, only the fates will decide who lives and who dies.
508 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 27, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
May 8, 2024
“She was a poison so sweet I would drink it night and day, consequences be damned.”
I ate this book up and for a debut novel it was SO GOOD! Now listen to me if you like slow burn : RUN don’t walk because I nearly DIED from the tension between the characters.
I can’t wait for the next book because there is so much more to explore with the characters and the world building and I’m begging for more!! I know this book is just the beginning of an amazing fantasy series.
Serra, I see you and I love you sweet girl ❤️🩹
TO ALL MY FELLOW ROMANTASY LOVERS HEAR ME OUT THIS ONE IS FOR YOU!!!
I ate this book up and for a debut novel it was SO GOOD! Now listen to me if you like slow burn : RUN don’t walk because I nearly DIED from the tension between the characters.
I can’t wait for the next book because there is so much more to explore with the characters and the world building and I’m begging for more!! I know this book is just the beginning of an amazing fantasy series.
Serra, I see you and I love you sweet girl ❤️🩹
TO ALL MY FELLOW ROMANTASY LOVERS HEAR ME OUT THIS ONE IS FOR YOU!!!
January 17, 2024
Hi, book lovers!
As the author, thank you so much for picking this up. It means so much to me; this has been a long time coming and such a big dream of mine, so to everyone dreaming about writing, I hope this inspires you to continue!
This book is very close to my heart, and I wrote it in hopes that readers can escape their worlds as other fantasy books have done for me. And, to those who see themselves in these characters, healing is not linear, but it is possible.
This is the first of a dark fantasy series and includes mature themes, so please check TWs before reading. That said, every theme in this book has an important place in our world and in Varien.
Thank you all again, and welcome to the Guild!
xo
Maddy
As the author, thank you so much for picking this up. It means so much to me; this has been a long time coming and such a big dream of mine, so to everyone dreaming about writing, I hope this inspires you to continue!
This book is very close to my heart, and I wrote it in hopes that readers can escape their worlds as other fantasy books have done for me. And, to those who see themselves in these characters, healing is not linear, but it is possible.
This is the first of a dark fantasy series and includes mature themes, so please check TWs before reading. That said, every theme in this book has an important place in our world and in Varien.
Thank you all again, and welcome to the Guild!
xo
Maddy
November 2, 2023
Let's start with a premise: this book, for a debut novel, is a remarkable book.
Starting from the plot itself which is simply what pushed me to read this book: Sky of Fire is a story of rebellion, magic and epic adventures. Narrated by four characters, Alliya, Eidrick, Serra and Adryan, who lead us to discover one of the best world-building I've ever read. The strong point of this book was in fact this: the creation not only of a complex magic system and immersive and frightening settings, but above all the system and the stories dedicated to the divinities. There's a chapter where we find one of the protagonists doing research on a god and the whole myth, where stories behind it are explained to us: it was fascinating. As already mentioned, another element that led me to appreciate the book even more are the places and settings, two in particular have become my favourites: the majestic and prestigious siren house where we see the storyline of Serra and the brutal guild of Cruor develop with its dusky and obscure atmospheres.
The character I appreciated the most was Serra, she had been intriguing me from the first chapters and, as I continued reading, her storyline was the one I was most anxious and eager to read about. Serra is, together with Adryan, the character I have the most hope for in a future second book. Their plots have so many possibilities and I can't wait to see how the author will develop their story. Coming to Eidrick, he's a character who didn't fully convince me: in the first part of the book he intrigued me and I was enchanted by him, however, as the story continued, partly because I was focusing more on Serra and partly because I was very busy with the development of the plot, my attention for Eidrick decreased. As for Alliya, the situation is the opposite: at the beginning I didn't like her that much, while as events went on I started to appreciate her storyline more and more.
To conclude: this book was a discovery, a powerful debut for the author. I would like to recommend this captivating NA fantasy to anyone who wants to discover a new world, multi-faceted characters and a startling story.
Starting from the plot itself which is simply what pushed me to read this book: Sky of Fire is a story of rebellion, magic and epic adventures. Narrated by four characters, Alliya, Eidrick, Serra and Adryan, who lead us to discover one of the best world-building I've ever read. The strong point of this book was in fact this: the creation not only of a complex magic system and immersive and frightening settings, but above all the system and the stories dedicated to the divinities. There's a chapter where we find one of the protagonists doing research on a god and the whole myth, where stories behind it are explained to us: it was fascinating. As already mentioned, another element that led me to appreciate the book even more are the places and settings, two in particular have become my favourites: the majestic and prestigious siren house where we see the storyline of Serra and the brutal guild of Cruor develop with its dusky and obscure atmospheres.
The character I appreciated the most was Serra, she had been intriguing me from the first chapters and, as I continued reading, her storyline was the one I was most anxious and eager to read about. Serra is, together with Adryan, the character I have the most hope for in a future second book. Their plots have so many possibilities and I can't wait to see how the author will develop their story. Coming to Eidrick, he's a character who didn't fully convince me: in the first part of the book he intrigued me and I was enchanted by him, however, as the story continued, partly because I was focusing more on Serra and partly because I was very busy with the development of the plot, my attention for Eidrick decreased. As for Alliya, the situation is the opposite: at the beginning I didn't like her that much, while as events went on I started to appreciate her storyline more and more.
To conclude: this book was a discovery, a powerful debut for the author. I would like to recommend this captivating NA fantasy to anyone who wants to discover a new world, multi-faceted characters and a startling story.
April 15, 2024
I think there’s some promise here. This is more of a personal issue, but I’ve been feeling a little fed up with the tropiness of the romantasy genre; however, there were some things that didn’t happen that I thought would which made me actually more interested. I really enjoyed the storyline of Serra. I thought she was the most interesting but also relatable. I think her story with Quinn’s could be really awesome. The main MMC and FMC felt a little typical as I read them, but I think towards the end, they started feeling a tad more flushed out. Still so much room to grow though. I think the second book will help with that. I think the world-building would benefit from more attention. Also, I would like to feel more intimidated by the Assassin’s Guild as a reader. One question though, what the heck happened to Adryan??? I feel like she should have rounded him out, but maybe that’s in the works for the next one. This was a debut novel, so I think that the author will only strengthen her writing into the second book. I’ll give the second one a shot to see if I continue the series.
July 10, 2024
2.5 stars
For a debut novel this has a lot of promise. However, I found myself constantly annoyed at the extremely long sentence structure. There was hardly any variation in sentence structure throughout the whole book and sentences would be multiple lines long taking ages to get to the point. That might be really nit picky but once i noticed it I couldn’t unsee it anymore. The plot itself is good but I think could be a bit more concise. I also didn’t find Adryan’s POV all that necessary and I found myself skimming his chapters the second half of the book. In terms of content i think the story was headed in the right direction it just took ages to get there. I don’t think this book needed to be 500 pages
For a debut novel this has a lot of promise. However, I found myself constantly annoyed at the extremely long sentence structure. There was hardly any variation in sentence structure throughout the whole book and sentences would be multiple lines long taking ages to get to the point. That might be really nit picky but once i noticed it I couldn’t unsee it anymore. The plot itself is good but I think could be a bit more concise. I also didn’t find Adryan’s POV all that necessary and I found myself skimming his chapters the second half of the book. In terms of content i think the story was headed in the right direction it just took ages to get there. I don’t think this book needed to be 500 pages
October 22, 2023
"You are darkness and light, and moon and shadow. But you are two. You are old, so old "
"That unfiltered power looked right back; it was destruction and chaos. It would be the end of everything, the end of the world"
Every part of this book kept me on the edge of my seat. Amazing characters, Beautiful world-building and mystery. You get POVs from several characters but it's written so perfectly that you're immediately drawn into each story instead of having to wait for it to get interesting or dying to get back to anothers pov. The tension and anxiety (among other emotions) I felt in each storyline was unreal. Absolutely love the journey to empowerment for Alliya & Serra who felt chained and powerless their entire lives. Serra's POVs had me begging for her to snap out of it & do some damage. Same with Alliyas just for different reasons. But both needed to realize that they are Far from weak.. And they did Not disappoint!!
I can't wait for Alliya, Serra and Adryan to find their way back to one another.
And let me tell you...the Agonizing Slow Burn tension between Alliya & Eidrick is torture but so so good and I'm so ready to see the full scope of their bond to be revealed❤🔥 I could write so much about ALL these characters because I fell completely in love with sooo many of them..but that would be a Really long review😆 This book was PERFECTION & I need more Now!!!
****Arc Review ****
"That unfiltered power looked right back; it was destruction and chaos. It would be the end of everything, the end of the world"
Every part of this book kept me on the edge of my seat. Amazing characters, Beautiful world-building and mystery. You get POVs from several characters but it's written so perfectly that you're immediately drawn into each story instead of having to wait for it to get interesting or dying to get back to anothers pov. The tension and anxiety (among other emotions) I felt in each storyline was unreal. Absolutely love the journey to empowerment for Alliya & Serra who felt chained and powerless their entire lives. Serra's POVs had me begging for her to snap out of it & do some damage. Same with Alliyas just for different reasons. But both needed to realize that they are Far from weak.. And they did Not disappoint!!
I can't wait for Alliya, Serra and Adryan to find their way back to one another.
And let me tell you...the Agonizing Slow Burn tension between Alliya & Eidrick is torture but so so good and I'm so ready to see the full scope of their bond to be revealed❤🔥 I could write so much about ALL these characters because I fell completely in love with sooo many of them..but that would be a Really long review😆 This book was PERFECTION & I need more Now!!!
****Arc Review ****
April 23, 2025
DNF after the first line, lol
April 6, 2024
If you’re debating reading this book, do it now.
Are you a fan of the Maas-verse, intricate world building, and multiple POVs? This book has it all. The style of writing and the layers of world building really remind me of ToG, which I think is a romantasy work of art. Comparing this to ToG means the world to me, so I hope it holds the clout for you too.
Each character’s POV holds its own story line, and they are all damn good. I was attached to every character and their well-being.
I am OBSESSED with Alliya and Eidrick. I love their slow burn and their forced proximity trope. I love the character development of Alliya and her becoming the half witch she was meant to be.
Both Alliya and Serra have such unique stories and it’s amazing how the author wrote these stories that could truthfully be stand alone.
I feel like so much and so little happened in this book, and I cannot wait for the sequel. This author took commonly used themes and made them seem brand new.
Things that are included:
💥Magic- blood, fire, shape shifting, etc.
🩷 Slow burn romance
🔪 Assassins
🏡 Found family
🔫 Coup of the Fae government
OK ALSO. This is the author’s FIRST BOOK.
POP OFF QUEEN MADELEINE CARR 👑
I cannot wait to see how she progresses this story, and I can’t wait to recommend this book to everyone.
Are you a fan of the Maas-verse, intricate world building, and multiple POVs? This book has it all. The style of writing and the layers of world building really remind me of ToG, which I think is a romantasy work of art. Comparing this to ToG means the world to me, so I hope it holds the clout for you too.
Each character’s POV holds its own story line, and they are all damn good. I was attached to every character and their well-being.
I am OBSESSED with Alliya and Eidrick. I love their slow burn and their forced proximity trope. I love the character development of Alliya and her becoming the half witch she was meant to be.
Both Alliya and Serra have such unique stories and it’s amazing how the author wrote these stories that could truthfully be stand alone.
I feel like so much and so little happened in this book, and I cannot wait for the sequel. This author took commonly used themes and made them seem brand new.
Things that are included:
💥Magic- blood, fire, shape shifting, etc.
🩷 Slow burn romance
🔪 Assassins
🏡 Found family
🔫 Coup of the Fae government
OK ALSO. This is the author’s FIRST BOOK.
POP OFF QUEEN MADELEINE CARR 👑
I cannot wait to see how she progresses this story, and I can’t wait to recommend this book to everyone.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 26, 2023
“If you could wield your sharp tongue, we would all be dead in seconds.”
Sky of Fire is a debut dark fantasy NA novel, with amazing storylines, fantastic world building and intriguing character development.
It follows three Fae siblings during a human rebellion which turns their lives upside down.
The story switches between 4 main character POVs but isn't confusing to follow at all, so you can follow the different plots easily and I really loved catching up on what each character was up to, while everything was happening simultaneously.
This has everything, sirens, witches, dark creatures, monsters, Fae, humans and magic!
Some of the tropes in the book include:
✨ Hidden identities
✨ Found family
✨ One bed
✨ Magic
✨ Forced proximity
✨ Enemies to friends (hopefully lovers?!)
I really loved this book and thought it was incredibly written. The sass and banter throughout is great and the slow burn romance between the two MC's is agonising (but in the best way that leaves you wanting more immediately) - I can't wait to find out what happens next to Serra, Adryan, Eidrick and Alliya!
** I received a free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. Thank you Madeleine for the opportunity to read such a great book! **
Sky of Fire is a debut dark fantasy NA novel, with amazing storylines, fantastic world building and intriguing character development.
It follows three Fae siblings during a human rebellion which turns their lives upside down.
The story switches between 4 main character POVs but isn't confusing to follow at all, so you can follow the different plots easily and I really loved catching up on what each character was up to, while everything was happening simultaneously.
This has everything, sirens, witches, dark creatures, monsters, Fae, humans and magic!
Some of the tropes in the book include:
✨ Hidden identities
✨ Found family
✨ One bed
✨ Magic
✨ Forced proximity
✨ Enemies to friends (hopefully lovers?!)
I really loved this book and thought it was incredibly written. The sass and banter throughout is great and the slow burn romance between the two MC's is agonising (but in the best way that leaves you wanting more immediately) - I can't wait to find out what happens next to Serra, Adryan, Eidrick and Alliya!
** I received a free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. Thank you Madeleine for the opportunity to read such a great book! **
May 31, 2024
Loveddddd this. I NEED A BOOK 2!!!! it must go on.
I love Alliyahs POV. Really dislike Serra and her character and honestly think Adryans pov is absolutely unnecessary.
This was captivating and I cannot get enough.
5/5 ⭐️
I love Alliyahs POV. Really dislike Serra and her character and honestly think Adryans pov is absolutely unnecessary.
This was captivating and I cannot get enough.
5/5 ⭐️
May 23, 2024
Enjoyable read, looking forward to future character developments in next book. Favourite line “You are enough” gets you right in the feels…little charmer knew what he was doing there.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 8, 2024
I really loved this but I feel that Adryan’s POV is totally unnecessary haha can’t wait for book two.
December 9, 2023
This is a truly incredible debut novel! I have completely fallen in love with the characters and the world building and I CANNOT WAIT for the next installment 💖
May 19, 2024
**4,25/5**
October 23, 2023
I received an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It was original and exciting and the tension between Alliya and Eidrick was perfection! The setup for enemies to lovers is brilliant.
Following the stories of the three siblings was done well, with not so many chapters on Serra and Adryan, but that worked well for the book I think. I’m curious as to how their stories also progress as well as Allyia! Although she is my favourite character I must admit. The little answers that we get towards the end of the book satisfied me enough to keep me wondering and I’m not entirely sure where the next book will go and how many more answers we’ll get, but I can’t wait to read it!
I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It was original and exciting and the tension between Alliya and Eidrick was perfection! The setup for enemies to lovers is brilliant.
Following the stories of the three siblings was done well, with not so many chapters on Serra and Adryan, but that worked well for the book I think. I’m curious as to how their stories also progress as well as Allyia! Although she is my favourite character I must admit. The little answers that we get towards the end of the book satisfied me enough to keep me wondering and I’m not entirely sure where the next book will go and how many more answers we’ll get, but I can’t wait to read it!
October 19, 2023
I received an ARC copy via download and I really enjoyed it! It comes from 4 POVs and it was done in a way that wasn’t confusing. I like the world building and the pace of the story was well done. It’s obvious this is going to continue in the next book, and I’ll be eagerly awaiting when it comes out
November 7, 2024
I bought a special edition of this book from a friend, because it was gorgeous and I loved the premise. The start of the book was promising too.
I really tried to like this book. My edition has almost 480 pages, and I read 140 of them in 3 days. For me that’s slow, if I was into the book I would have already read two thirds of it or so.
In the beginning, it’s a little bit confusing because you get some chapters that are happening approximately at the same time, and it took me a few pages to realise that (my problem).
It was also a bit hard to visualise where Alliya’s temple was located. So there was this bridge, and this relatively large yet untouched for decades or more temple, but where was the temple supposed to be? Under the bridge, on the river bank? If it wasn’t in a spot hidden from view, how has it not been touched by anyone so long? Was it hidden by a Veil, like some fae used?
Another aspect that irked me a little bit was how some races were introduced. We were told about the Atari and the Trennin, but we were only given a vague description of both. Actually not sure if Trennin is the citizen of a specific city, but I did look at the map often so that’s why I thought it a race.
We are also told about some events that happened prior to the book as if we were supposed to know more in depth about them.
I don’t want to sound mean, but the book would have benefited from a glossary, or a brief bestiary.
The interpersonal relationships weren’t my thing either. It felt like Alliya accepted to go with Eidrick too easily, and her feelings towards him developed out of thin air - in my opinion, there wasn’t a lot that happened before she started feeling something towards him.
Alliya also confused me a little. Of course we don’t know a lot about her from the get-go, but she later mentions the acolytes, and I was like ‘wait, wasn’t she the bastard daughter of the king? Didn’t she grow up in a normal house?’.
Also, the narration was beautiful, but to me it felt a bit over descriptive in some places, as if it was slowing down the overall pace of the book.
I did enjoy the rebellion aspect, and I love it when the oppressed overthrows the oppressor. I also lowkey enjoyed Serra and Emrys, but that wasn’t enough to keep me interested in the book.
I did DNF this book, and in my opinion it’s not a good book. But my opinion is not objective and there are a bunch of people that loved it 🤷♀️
I really tried to like this book. My edition has almost 480 pages, and I read 140 of them in 3 days. For me that’s slow, if I was into the book I would have already read two thirds of it or so.
In the beginning, it’s a little bit confusing because you get some chapters that are happening approximately at the same time, and it took me a few pages to realise that (my problem).
It was also a bit hard to visualise where Alliya’s temple was located. So there was this bridge, and this relatively large yet untouched for decades or more temple, but where was the temple supposed to be? Under the bridge, on the river bank? If it wasn’t in a spot hidden from view, how has it not been touched by anyone so long? Was it hidden by a Veil, like some fae used?
Another aspect that irked me a little bit was how some races were introduced. We were told about the Atari and the Trennin, but we were only given a vague description of both. Actually not sure if Trennin is the citizen of a specific city, but I did look at the map often so that’s why I thought it a race.
We are also told about some events that happened prior to the book as if we were supposed to know more in depth about them.
I don’t want to sound mean, but the book would have benefited from a glossary, or a brief bestiary.
The interpersonal relationships weren’t my thing either. It felt like Alliya accepted to go with Eidrick too easily, and her feelings towards him developed out of thin air - in my opinion, there wasn’t a lot that happened before she started feeling something towards him.
Alliya also confused me a little. Of course we don’t know a lot about her from the get-go, but she later mentions the acolytes, and I was like ‘wait, wasn’t she the bastard daughter of the king? Didn’t she grow up in a normal house?’.
Also, the narration was beautiful, but to me it felt a bit over descriptive in some places, as if it was slowing down the overall pace of the book.
I did enjoy the rebellion aspect, and I love it when the oppressed overthrows the oppressor. I also lowkey enjoyed Serra and Emrys, but that wasn’t enough to keep me interested in the book.
I did DNF this book, and in my opinion it’s not a good book. But my opinion is not objective and there are a bunch of people that loved it 🤷♀️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 31, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.💫
Sky of Fire introduces the reader to 4 main POVs: Alliya, the exiled half-fae and half-witch bastard daughter of the King of Eldar, Serra her half sister, Adryan their half brother and heir to the throne, and Eidrick the fae assassin tasked to kill Alliya.
During a party in the free city of Nazra, Alliya and Serra are separated following a deadly rebellion led by humans. After a failed attempt on her life, Alliya unknowingly binds her life to the very assassin sent to take it.
With no option to escape the mark of the guild, Allyia must survive deadly trials and spend the rest of her life as an assassin of the Guild of Cruor serving the cruel King of Kradow. To further complicate matters, the bond between them also connects their emotions 😳. Are their feelings for each other real or a result of the magic bond?
Serra is swept away into a Siren house where she is entranced by the beauty and freedom away from her stifling life as a princess. Meanwhile, Aydran sets out to find his sisters.
Their journeys to find each other lead them towards danger and uncertainty. Nothing is as it seems and nothing is as it should be.
Tropes/themes:
🐍 NA fantasy
🐍 Multi POV
🐍 Forced Proximity
🐍 Gods, monsters, & magic
🐍 Found family
🐍 One 🛏️, One 🐴
🐍 “Who did this to you?”
🐍 Training & trials
”Someone this cruel had no right to be so beautiful”
“I would burn, set aflame and die to this raw agony. His breath touched the skin on my neck, and a shiver ran down my spine”
“If you could wield your sharp tongue, we would all be dead in seconds”
“The Gods could never create something this radiant”
The multiple POVs were tactfully executed and gave great insight to each MC. I especially loved Alliya’s growth from an introvert struggling with anxiety and shunning her magic to finally starting to find her inner strength and self-acceptance. While Alliya and Eidrick loathe each other, we learn they are more alike than they think. The tension and banter between them was absolutely divine and I’m hoping for the slow burn to set the world on fire in the next book 😂.
Serra also endeavors on an emotional journey. While she is the extroverted one, she never truly felt seen and heard. I can’t wait to see where she ends up in the next book.
The found family also deserves special mention. Rielle and Quinn bring so much levity and compassion and must be protected at all costs!
I loved the plot twists and reveals and am so invested in all the storylines. I need the next book now please!
🔥 Sky of Fire is a brilliant debut fantasy novel featuring rich world building, captivating characters, and a riveting plot
***I received a free e-ARC and am voluntarily leaving my honest review. So grateful to Madeleine Carr for the opportunity to read this ARC!***
Sky of Fire introduces the reader to 4 main POVs: Alliya, the exiled half-fae and half-witch bastard daughter of the King of Eldar, Serra her half sister, Adryan their half brother and heir to the throne, and Eidrick the fae assassin tasked to kill Alliya.
During a party in the free city of Nazra, Alliya and Serra are separated following a deadly rebellion led by humans. After a failed attempt on her life, Alliya unknowingly binds her life to the very assassin sent to take it.
With no option to escape the mark of the guild, Allyia must survive deadly trials and spend the rest of her life as an assassin of the Guild of Cruor serving the cruel King of Kradow. To further complicate matters, the bond between them also connects their emotions 😳. Are their feelings for each other real or a result of the magic bond?
Serra is swept away into a Siren house where she is entranced by the beauty and freedom away from her stifling life as a princess. Meanwhile, Aydran sets out to find his sisters.
Their journeys to find each other lead them towards danger and uncertainty. Nothing is as it seems and nothing is as it should be.
Tropes/themes:
🐍 NA fantasy
🐍 Multi POV
🐍 Forced Proximity
🐍 Gods, monsters, & magic
🐍 Found family
🐍 One 🛏️, One 🐴
🐍 “Who did this to you?”
🐍 Training & trials
”Someone this cruel had no right to be so beautiful”
“I would burn, set aflame and die to this raw agony. His breath touched the skin on my neck, and a shiver ran down my spine”
“If you could wield your sharp tongue, we would all be dead in seconds”
“The Gods could never create something this radiant”
The multiple POVs were tactfully executed and gave great insight to each MC. I especially loved Alliya’s growth from an introvert struggling with anxiety and shunning her magic to finally starting to find her inner strength and self-acceptance. While Alliya and Eidrick loathe each other, we learn they are more alike than they think. The tension and banter between them was absolutely divine and I’m hoping for the slow burn to set the world on fire in the next book 😂.
Serra also endeavors on an emotional journey. While she is the extroverted one, she never truly felt seen and heard. I can’t wait to see where she ends up in the next book.
The found family also deserves special mention. Rielle and Quinn bring so much levity and compassion and must be protected at all costs!
I loved the plot twists and reveals and am so invested in all the storylines. I need the next book now please!
🔥 Sky of Fire is a brilliant debut fantasy novel featuring rich world building, captivating characters, and a riveting plot
***I received a free e-ARC and am voluntarily leaving my honest review. So grateful to Madeleine Carr for the opportunity to read this ARC!***
August 5, 2024
If you're looking for a slow burn character driven story with Mary E Pearson type prose and the potential for romance, this is the book for you.
Half-witch, half-fae, Alliya has been suppressing her magic ever since the witches exiled her and her fae father, King of Eldar, took her in. When an assassin comes after her on the same night humans rebel against fae, her magic lashes out and binds her fate to the assassin's. He cannot kill her without killing himself. Unfortunately, in the process, she bound herself to the Guild of Cruor. Now she is destined to become one of its assassins or pay the ultimate price, something her new companion cannot allow.
Meanwhile her half-sister Serra is caught within the rebellion and requests refuge from a powerful siren, but not all is as it seems within his mansion/brothel.
I loved the start of this book. You quickly get a feel for the characters and the initial dynamics between fae/humans and fae/witches. With the urgency of the rebellion and the emergence of Alliya's magic against Eidrick, the first 10-15% of this book suck the reader in. The author has such beatiful prose that paints a beautiful picture while at the same time weaving narration that flows easily from one paragraph to the next, and honestly I was expecting an easy five-star read at that point.
But in the end, not much happened in the novel. Adryan's pov reached no conclusion and felt superfluous. Serra seemed to meander and flounder through her time at Emrys' manor until the very end. And Alliya/Eidrick took awhile to reach the Guild and then their story kind of plateaued. Now this was a character driven story, so I could accept little plot development. However, this meant I expected their characters to evolve, but they didn't really. By the end, Alliya was still scared of her shadow, Serra was still unable to take charge of herself, and Eidrick remained cold and aloof. Ultimately, it felt like the middle of this book could have been shortened greatly and more should have been added at the end to give more character and plot evolution. Now I'm guessing this will happen in book 2, but I personally enjoy a stronger character arc within each book, not just within a series.
Half-witch, half-fae, Alliya has been suppressing her magic ever since the witches exiled her and her fae father, King of Eldar, took her in. When an assassin comes after her on the same night humans rebel against fae, her magic lashes out and binds her fate to the assassin's. He cannot kill her without killing himself. Unfortunately, in the process, she bound herself to the Guild of Cruor. Now she is destined to become one of its assassins or pay the ultimate price, something her new companion cannot allow.
Meanwhile her half-sister Serra is caught within the rebellion and requests refuge from a powerful siren, but not all is as it seems within his mansion/brothel.
I loved the start of this book. You quickly get a feel for the characters and the initial dynamics between fae/humans and fae/witches. With the urgency of the rebellion and the emergence of Alliya's magic against Eidrick, the first 10-15% of this book suck the reader in. The author has such beatiful prose that paints a beautiful picture while at the same time weaving narration that flows easily from one paragraph to the next, and honestly I was expecting an easy five-star read at that point.
But in the end, not much happened in the novel. Adryan's pov reached no conclusion and felt superfluous. Serra seemed to meander and flounder through her time at Emrys' manor until the very end. And Alliya/Eidrick took awhile to reach the Guild and then their story kind of plateaued. Now this was a character driven story, so I could accept little plot development. However, this meant I expected their characters to evolve, but they didn't really. By the end, Alliya was still scared of her shadow, Serra was still unable to take charge of herself, and Eidrick remained cold and aloof. Ultimately, it felt like the middle of this book could have been shortened greatly and more should have been added at the end to give more character and plot evolution. Now I'm guessing this will happen in book 2, but I personally enjoy a stronger character arc within each book, not just within a series.
November 8, 2023
I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you, Madeleine, for this amazing opportunity!
I enjoyed this book so much! It was original, had amazing worldbuilding, and had great characters to follow. We have multiple POV from Alliya, Eidrick, Serra, and Adryan. I really enjoyed the two locations we see the most within this book and how opposite they are yet so detailed and intriguing.
In this book, we initially follow Alliya and Serra to the city of Nazra. Then Eidrick, our assassin, comes into play as his target is a witch, or so he thinks as she is half witch. A human rebellion breaks out in Nazra, and the sisters get split. Unfortunately, Alliya somehow binds herself to Eidrick and is now forced to join the guild that was sent to kill her. Serra gets saved and brought to. Siren house, which starts to be a blessing and a curse while she stays there. Adryan is sent by their father to find his sister after finding out about the rebellion, which will throw him right into the heart of it all for unknowns.
I really enjoyed reading the development of Serra as she is stuck in the siren house and seeing her start to realize her strength. As well as seeing Alliya with the guild and how she starts to try to overcome her fears and get stronger. Im excited to see where Adryan lands in book 2 after where he was left off at.
We have a slow burn enemies to lovers between Alliya and Eidrick. The tension between these two made me begging for more! I also loved Serra and Quinn she is with. Their relationship made me smile the whole time. This book was going at a nice pace the whole time as well!
I can't wait to see where everyone is in book 2 and the plans we got hints of happening! I really hope we get to see the siblings finally reconnect. I highly highly recommend this book to anyone interested in NA dark fantasy, "Who did this to you?", one bed, and forced proximity! You will be so invested in this book like I am! I can't wait for book 2 to happen.
I enjoyed this book so much! It was original, had amazing worldbuilding, and had great characters to follow. We have multiple POV from Alliya, Eidrick, Serra, and Adryan. I really enjoyed the two locations we see the most within this book and how opposite they are yet so detailed and intriguing.
In this book, we initially follow Alliya and Serra to the city of Nazra. Then Eidrick, our assassin, comes into play as his target is a witch, or so he thinks as she is half witch. A human rebellion breaks out in Nazra, and the sisters get split. Unfortunately, Alliya somehow binds herself to Eidrick and is now forced to join the guild that was sent to kill her. Serra gets saved and brought to. Siren house, which starts to be a blessing and a curse while she stays there. Adryan is sent by their father to find his sister after finding out about the rebellion, which will throw him right into the heart of it all for unknowns.
I really enjoyed reading the development of Serra as she is stuck in the siren house and seeing her start to realize her strength. As well as seeing Alliya with the guild and how she starts to try to overcome her fears and get stronger. Im excited to see where Adryan lands in book 2 after where he was left off at.
We have a slow burn enemies to lovers between Alliya and Eidrick. The tension between these two made me begging for more! I also loved Serra and Quinn she is with. Their relationship made me smile the whole time. This book was going at a nice pace the whole time as well!
I can't wait to see where everyone is in book 2 and the plans we got hints of happening! I really hope we get to see the siblings finally reconnect. I highly highly recommend this book to anyone interested in NA dark fantasy, "Who did this to you?", one bed, and forced proximity! You will be so invested in this book like I am! I can't wait for book 2 to happen.
July 18, 2024
Firstly I’m both apologetic and annoyed that my health meant it took me so long to get round to reading this book.
Secondly bloody hell am I glad I did. I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump the last few months and honestly I had found fantasy books a tad daunting for lack of a better word. I have so many on my TBR that are hyped up so much online that I’m scared to read them and be disappointed.
This book didn’t disappoint. I always love a multi POV and I didn’t expect to enjoy reading Adryan’s chapters as much as I did. I can’t wait to see where his story goes next in the second book. I fear it may have some grim and bloody roads to travel.
I normally pride myself on being able to guess all the plot twists but Madeline genuinely caught me off guard with some of the closes kept secrets.
Romance or budding romance has plays a subtle role with Alliya and Eidrick. I sense something more than friendship with Serra and Quinn but I would be happy if it is just a deep friendship. I think the slow burn and growing closeness did the book justice as it gave center stage to the characters journeys, discoveries, world building and the plot development.
He subtle nod to Greek mythology in the form of Perseus’ battle with Medusa, Orpheus and Eurydice’s ascent from the underworld or in this case a cavern.
As always with fantasy books with an older world feel to them some words or features felt too modern for the world and the setting. But that’s just me being picky about immersion into the world. And what feels jarring to me when I’m in it.
Honestly I can’t wait to sink my teeth into the next book.
Thank you Madeline this was truly enjoyable to read and the last 50% had me gripped.
Secondly bloody hell am I glad I did. I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump the last few months and honestly I had found fantasy books a tad daunting for lack of a better word. I have so many on my TBR that are hyped up so much online that I’m scared to read them and be disappointed.
This book didn’t disappoint. I always love a multi POV and I didn’t expect to enjoy reading Adryan’s chapters as much as I did. I can’t wait to see where his story goes next in the second book. I fear it may have some grim and bloody roads to travel.
I normally pride myself on being able to guess all the plot twists but Madeline genuinely caught me off guard with some of the closes kept secrets.
Romance or budding romance has plays a subtle role with Alliya and Eidrick. I sense something more than friendship with Serra and Quinn but I would be happy if it is just a deep friendship. I think the slow burn and growing closeness did the book justice as it gave center stage to the characters journeys, discoveries, world building and the plot development.
He subtle nod to Greek mythology in the form of Perseus’ battle with Medusa, Orpheus and Eurydice’s ascent from the underworld or in this case a cavern.
As always with fantasy books with an older world feel to them some words or features felt too modern for the world and the setting. But that’s just me being picky about immersion into the world. And what feels jarring to me when I’m in it.
Honestly I can’t wait to sink my teeth into the next book.
Thank you Madeline this was truly enjoyable to read and the last 50% had me gripped.
November 9, 2023
This book is amazing! Fae, Sirens, Humans, Creatures, Gods, Witches, Magic
The story follows the POV’s from three siblings
Alliya ~ The witch (Serra & Adryan’s half sister)
Serra ~ The Princess 🔥
Adryan ~ The Crown Prince
And the lovely POV of
Eidrick ~ The Assassin
Normally when a book has multiple POV with different story plots happening I tend to like one character more than the other. This was not the case in this book. I loved all of the characters and couldn’t get enough.
Adryan is looking for his sisters as they are lost amongst an uprising from the humans. He’s is desperately searching for them.
Serra’s had me so engrossed. She finds herself in a sirens lair, no spoilers here 🤐 I will mention Quinn oh how I adored Quinn who is a siren she meets from the start and I would of loved to see into his thoughts. Althought I’m not sure I could handle his thoughts 🤣
Alliya and Eidrick… these two the angst and tension and lust between them ahhhhh. It’s a slow burn for sure nothing smutty thus far. She’s thrown into his world. Again I won’t spoil anything. 🤐
I love how the sister who where suppressed in there kingdom, by their father who is old fashioned, as women are not allowed to do much of anything start to find themselves. The sisters always felt as if they where in a cage. How they are learning things about themselves and the possibilities of what they can do and what they may want out of life. The growth these two have started. I really can’t wait to see what comes next.
The story follows the POV’s from three siblings
Alliya ~ The witch (Serra & Adryan’s half sister)
Serra ~ The Princess 🔥
Adryan ~ The Crown Prince
And the lovely POV of
Eidrick ~ The Assassin
Normally when a book has multiple POV with different story plots happening I tend to like one character more than the other. This was not the case in this book. I loved all of the characters and couldn’t get enough.
Adryan is looking for his sisters as they are lost amongst an uprising from the humans. He’s is desperately searching for them.
Serra’s had me so engrossed. She finds herself in a sirens lair, no spoilers here 🤐 I will mention Quinn oh how I adored Quinn who is a siren she meets from the start and I would of loved to see into his thoughts. Althought I’m not sure I could handle his thoughts 🤣
Alliya and Eidrick… these two the angst and tension and lust between them ahhhhh. It’s a slow burn for sure nothing smutty thus far. She’s thrown into his world. Again I won’t spoil anything. 🤐
I love how the sister who where suppressed in there kingdom, by their father who is old fashioned, as women are not allowed to do much of anything start to find themselves. The sisters always felt as if they where in a cage. How they are learning things about themselves and the possibilities of what they can do and what they may want out of life. The growth these two have started. I really can’t wait to see what comes next.
October 19, 2023
An amazing start to the series, filled with captivating world building, magic systems, and fantastical creatures such as fae, witches, seers and sirens, and an enemies to lovers situation (hopefully) forming!
'All wild nights start with a little attempted murder'.
We follow three siblings, told through multiple POVs, as they are separated during a human rebellion of the fae. Alliya who is half witch, half fae was the target of an assassination on the night all hell broke loose, Serra was taken to a sirens palace, and their brother - Adryan is tasked to find the two sisters. But the question is, can they escape their fates?
𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
I don't know who's story I enjoy more out of Alliya and Serra, I loved both of their POVs and the complete difference of situations they have found themselves in. But Alliyas situation has an enemies to lovers situation forming and I'm a huge sucker for that trope!
'I was supposed to hate this man, and in many ways I still did. Yet, without that music, silence of my room, it was the memory of his touch that made the walls between us feel like a mile of space'.
It took me some time to get used to the POVs and remembering names, but from then, I was excited to go further in each of the siblings stories and POVs.
Overall, it's a strong start to the series and I can't wait to see where it takes us!
Thank you to Madeleine for this copy. This review is voluntary.
'All wild nights start with a little attempted murder'.
We follow three siblings, told through multiple POVs, as they are separated during a human rebellion of the fae. Alliya who is half witch, half fae was the target of an assassination on the night all hell broke loose, Serra was taken to a sirens palace, and their brother - Adryan is tasked to find the two sisters. But the question is, can they escape their fates?
𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
I don't know who's story I enjoy more out of Alliya and Serra, I loved both of their POVs and the complete difference of situations they have found themselves in. But Alliyas situation has an enemies to lovers situation forming and I'm a huge sucker for that trope!
'I was supposed to hate this man, and in many ways I still did. Yet, without that music, silence of my room, it was the memory of his touch that made the walls between us feel like a mile of space'.
It took me some time to get used to the POVs and remembering names, but from then, I was excited to go further in each of the siblings stories and POVs.
Overall, it's a strong start to the series and I can't wait to see where it takes us!
Thank you to Madeleine for this copy. This review is voluntary.
October 26, 2023
I sure do love a thick fantasy book.
Going into this one, I did actually read the blurb but even that didn't prepare me for the epic adventure that awaited me.
From the very beginning, the reader is thrown into the action and it never really seems to ease up. Split between multiple POV's, you get to experience each perilous journey the MC's traverse. There is so much to unpack with this one that I do plan to reread this via paperback since I do feel like I missed the smaller details and moments while reading the ebook. It may be a NA Dark Fantasy with no spice, but it still contains a good amount of sexual tension between some of the MC's. It also contains popular tropes such as, "Who did this," One Bed, and Forced Proximity, just to name a few. It also contains a lot of traditional elements found in epic fantasy novels. The characters alone have me craving more. I know I am missing so much with this review, but just know that I am fully invested in this series and can't wait for more.
Welcome to the Guild.
A powerful debut for Madeleine Carr.
Going into this one, I did actually read the blurb but even that didn't prepare me for the epic adventure that awaited me.
From the very beginning, the reader is thrown into the action and it never really seems to ease up. Split between multiple POV's, you get to experience each perilous journey the MC's traverse. There is so much to unpack with this one that I do plan to reread this via paperback since I do feel like I missed the smaller details and moments while reading the ebook. It may be a NA Dark Fantasy with no spice, but it still contains a good amount of sexual tension between some of the MC's. It also contains popular tropes such as, "Who did this," One Bed, and Forced Proximity, just to name a few. It also contains a lot of traditional elements found in epic fantasy novels. The characters alone have me craving more. I know I am missing so much with this review, but just know that I am fully invested in this series and can't wait for more.
Welcome to the Guild.
A powerful debut for Madeleine Carr.
October 19, 2023
Thank you Maddy for letting me read this book in advance! This was such a great story and awesome start to a series. It was a little difficult to follow at times but I enjoyed the complex world building and interesting magic system.
This book follows the lives of three siblings who have been torn apart by a rebellion.
Alliya accidentally binds herself to Eidrick, an assassin who has been tasked to kill her. She ends up being a new recruit of the Guild of Cruor where she has to survive her initiation trial while hiding who she is.
Serra finds herself in the Sirens palace where she loves her new freedom and the beauty of the different lifestyle. But not everything is as it seems.
Adryan goes undercover to find his siblings and finds himself in more trouble than he can imagine.
Read if you enjoy:
Multiple POVs
One horse
One bed
Who did this to you?
Enemies to (hopefully) lovers
As always, please check trigger warnings.
This book follows the lives of three siblings who have been torn apart by a rebellion.
Alliya accidentally binds herself to Eidrick, an assassin who has been tasked to kill her. She ends up being a new recruit of the Guild of Cruor where she has to survive her initiation trial while hiding who she is.
Serra finds herself in the Sirens palace where she loves her new freedom and the beauty of the different lifestyle. But not everything is as it seems.
Adryan goes undercover to find his siblings and finds himself in more trouble than he can imagine.
Read if you enjoy:
Multiple POVs
One horse
One bed
Who did this to you?
Enemies to (hopefully) lovers
As always, please check trigger warnings.
October 28, 2023
This is the first book in a series set in 4 different POV's; alliya the half-witch half-fae, her half sister Serra. half brother adyran and the assassin eidrick.
This starts out with both sisters visiting a city during a party when they both get separated during a rebellion led by the humans. Serra being brought to a brothel, alliya having to face a guild assassins after binding her life with eidricks and the guild after a failed assassination and their brother forced to face the rebellion head on in an attempt to find both his sister's.
With the sisters trying to find each other they both face their own trials with one with finding out the so called safe place that promised protection from the rebellion isn't all that it seems while the other finds strength she never knew she had and a family bound by circumstance and trust.
Each character faces dangers and growth on their journeys.
This book does contain certain themes that some will find uncomfortable.
***ARC review***
This starts out with both sisters visiting a city during a party when they both get separated during a rebellion led by the humans. Serra being brought to a brothel, alliya having to face a guild assassins after binding her life with eidricks and the guild after a failed assassination and their brother forced to face the rebellion head on in an attempt to find both his sister's.
With the sisters trying to find each other they both face their own trials with one with finding out the so called safe place that promised protection from the rebellion isn't all that it seems while the other finds strength she never knew she had and a family bound by circumstance and trust.
Each character faces dangers and growth on their journeys.
This book does contain certain themes that some will find uncomfortable.
***ARC review***
November 3, 2023
I really enjoyed this book.
A fresh take on lost deities, assassins guilds, ancient magic and fae vs mortals. There is a LOT going on in this book - but that’s not a bad thing, if anything it made me want to devour it so I could keep all the strands of the story clear in my mind and get a more in depth feel for the world.
The characters - they’re not perfect people, and I like that. There are parts of their personality or who they are that just aren’t likeable BUT that’s an element of reality, and I found their actions and decisions swayed me into still rooting for them.
I don’t want to give any spoilers, so I’ll leave it here: if you’re an avid fantasy reader and you’re fed up of one dimensional stories that seem to be popular purely because they have magic and fae AND you want a dash of violence, politics and a tense will they won’t they romance then this is a book you should read right now.
I was gifted an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
A fresh take on lost deities, assassins guilds, ancient magic and fae vs mortals. There is a LOT going on in this book - but that’s not a bad thing, if anything it made me want to devour it so I could keep all the strands of the story clear in my mind and get a more in depth feel for the world.
The characters - they’re not perfect people, and I like that. There are parts of their personality or who they are that just aren’t likeable BUT that’s an element of reality, and I found their actions and decisions swayed me into still rooting for them.
I don’t want to give any spoilers, so I’ll leave it here: if you’re an avid fantasy reader and you’re fed up of one dimensional stories that seem to be popular purely because they have magic and fae AND you want a dash of violence, politics and a tense will they won’t they romance then this is a book you should read right now.
I was gifted an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 16, 2023
Told from multiple POV's, this is a story of a trio of mostly royal siblings cleaved apart during a horrific rebellion. It's very much high fantasy with incredible world building; so many types of species and gods, and super cool magic to top it off. The multiple POV was done beautifully and while I was a little confused at first I'm always confused when starting a new fantasy novel. So so good. If you're looking for spice there is none but I would still classify this as an adult novel. There is slow burn romance, enemies to friends (to HOPEFULLY LOVERS???), plus the one bed AND “who did this to you?” Tropes as well. 🤤❤️🔥 If you enjoyed Throne of Glass or hell honestly any of SJM’s works I think this is 100% for you.
Thank you thank you thank you Madeleine for the opportunity for me to ARC this for you. 🫶🏻
I received this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you thank you thank you Madeleine for the opportunity for me to ARC this for you. 🫶🏻
I received this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
October 26, 2023
☆ Book Review ☆
Sky of Fire | Madeleine Carr | NA Fantasy | 4 🌟
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☆ Thoughts ☆
This NA debut fantasy novel was such a wonderful and intense read! My favorite part of the book was the magical world building! Along with the phenomenal world building, the slow burn of the slow burn romance was soooo worth like that intense chemistry was WOW!!! ALSO THAT FORCED PROXIMITY trope AHHHHHH I LOVE LOVE! I also enjoyed the multiple pov of the different characters because this world has humans and faes and gods and many more and the multiple pov worked so well and it's not hard to follow! Definitely recommend this one if you want a fantasy that hooks you in right away! BOOK RELEASING OCT 27 SO PREORDER!
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☆ Appreciation ☆
Thank you @madeleineauthor for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Sky of Fire | Madeleine Carr | NA Fantasy | 4 🌟
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☆ Thoughts ☆
This NA debut fantasy novel was such a wonderful and intense read! My favorite part of the book was the magical world building! Along with the phenomenal world building, the slow burn of the slow burn romance was soooo worth like that intense chemistry was WOW!!! ALSO THAT FORCED PROXIMITY trope AHHHHHH I LOVE LOVE! I also enjoyed the multiple pov of the different characters because this world has humans and faes and gods and many more and the multiple pov worked so well and it's not hard to follow! Definitely recommend this one if you want a fantasy that hooks you in right away! BOOK RELEASING OCT 27 SO PREORDER!
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☆ Appreciation ☆
Thank you @madeleineauthor for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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