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Nemesis
The Asherian War has ushered Earth and its population into a new age. Humankind has gone, giving rise to a tenuous society of other races once confined largely to shadows and stories. The new paradigm is overseen by the Celestials, whose terrestrial ambassadors, the Legacies, wield a potent and manifold elemental magic—one ruled by the astrological sign one is born under. They were instrumental in banishing the dragons—ravenous and mindless beasts—to the gloomier land of a place known as the Outer Edge.
Astraea, the powerful general of the Legacy Legion, cannot stand by when two massive dragons descend on the Legacy Compound and abduct her younger sisters. Leaping on one of their great scaly backs, becoming a willing captive to the darker margins of their world, she and her siblings undertake a shocking and revealing journey, one where prior deceptions are lifted, where alliances fall and former enemies become allies and where new, unexpected dangers are born.
Dragons, Astraea learns, are hardly the mindless creatures she knew them to be—they are, as one named Nemesis tells her, thoughtful seekers of peace, with a wholly different perspective on the Asherian War, and their banishment to the Outer Edge.
As Astraea and her sisters reconcile themselves to this new reality, the fae king, Asher—so named for the war, and who is very much in love with Astraea—pursues them to the Outer Edge. Though he can be pompous and presumptuous, there is no doubt Astraea herself is drawn to him. Now, as she cautiously opens her heart, and arms herself with new understanding, she and the others must also prepare to confront those who stand in the way of peace.
Astraea, the powerful general of the Legacy Legion, cannot stand by when two massive dragons descend on the Legacy Compound and abduct her younger sisters. Leaping on one of their great scaly backs, becoming a willing captive to the darker margins of their world, she and her siblings undertake a shocking and revealing journey, one where prior deceptions are lifted, where alliances fall and former enemies become allies and where new, unexpected dangers are born.
Dragons, Astraea learns, are hardly the mindless creatures she knew them to be—they are, as one named Nemesis tells her, thoughtful seekers of peace, with a wholly different perspective on the Asherian War, and their banishment to the Outer Edge.
As Astraea and her sisters reconcile themselves to this new reality, the fae king, Asher—so named for the war, and who is very much in love with Astraea—pursues them to the Outer Edge. Though he can be pompous and presumptuous, there is no doubt Astraea herself is drawn to him. Now, as she cautiously opens her heart, and arms herself with new understanding, she and the others must also prepare to confront those who stand in the way of peace.
400 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 1, 2025
About the author
Shania Scichilone
3 books45 followersKnown to many as “Shania Fillmore” of YTV’s THE NEXT STAR SEASON 4 and THE NEXT STAR: SUPERGROUP, this small-town girl from New Brunswick, Canada, has taken a turn from singing on television to pursuing her writing dreams.
Music, visual arts, reading, and writing are what she lives and breathes. The art world is her truest passion.
Settled back in her hometown, Shania Scichilone has spent her time as Musical Director for Fusion Productions during show season, and the rest of her time has been filled with writing and learning digital arts.
Music, visual arts, reading, and writing are what she lives and breathes. The art world is her truest passion.
Settled back in her hometown, Shania Scichilone has spent her time as Musical Director for Fusion Productions during show season, and the rest of her time has been filled with writing and learning digital arts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
July 28, 2025
3.5/5 stars
This book opens with a bang and then pivots into a surprisingly character-driven journey through a broken world. The apocalyptic fantasy setting is so cool: the remnants of a war that reshaped Earth, dragons banished to the edges, and "Legacies" who wield magic power in their war against said dragons. It’s cinematic and bold, but at its heart, Nemesis is about bonds between sisters, between enemies-turned-allies, and between a general and a king who cannot stop pining for her.
Astraea is a prickly, commanding protagonist, and it was a blast watching the elven King Ash practically trip over himself trying to win her over. That romance works because it’s got tension and history. I actually wish the story had narrowed in on only Astraea and Ash, deepening their dynamic and their evolving connection to Nemesis. It would’ve given the book more emotional weight and cohesion. As it was, the sisters mostly just feel tacked on and the second romance felt like a tool to move the plot forward. I wish they had been the focus on future books to really give them time to shine on their own. And it DOES feel like that will probably be happening.
Still, the world is brimming with potential. It’s queernormative in a really casual way; different pronouns, identities, sexualities, and multiple forms of disability representation show up organically throughout the cast. I loved that. Though at times it could feel underexplored, it added real texture to the setting. This is the kind of fantasy that imagines a better, broader world even while exploring its broken pieces.
If you like ensemble casts, moody dragons with tragic backstories, and a reluctant general forced to unlearn everything she thought she knew, Nemesis delivers in spades. I do wish it had gone even darker, but I think it has great potential.
Thanks so much to the author and R&R Booktours for the complimentary copy and opportunity to read and review honestly. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.
Rep: hearing aid use, chronic illness (arthritis, lupus, asthma), numerous pronouns, LGBTQIA+ side characters
This book opens with a bang and then pivots into a surprisingly character-driven journey through a broken world. The apocalyptic fantasy setting is so cool: the remnants of a war that reshaped Earth, dragons banished to the edges, and "Legacies" who wield magic power in their war against said dragons. It’s cinematic and bold, but at its heart, Nemesis is about bonds between sisters, between enemies-turned-allies, and between a general and a king who cannot stop pining for her.
Astraea is a prickly, commanding protagonist, and it was a blast watching the elven King Ash practically trip over himself trying to win her over. That romance works because it’s got tension and history. I actually wish the story had narrowed in on only Astraea and Ash, deepening their dynamic and their evolving connection to Nemesis. It would’ve given the book more emotional weight and cohesion. As it was, the sisters mostly just feel tacked on and the second romance felt like a tool to move the plot forward. I wish they had been the focus on future books to really give them time to shine on their own. And it DOES feel like that will probably be happening.
Still, the world is brimming with potential. It’s queernormative in a really casual way; different pronouns, identities, sexualities, and multiple forms of disability representation show up organically throughout the cast. I loved that. Though at times it could feel underexplored, it added real texture to the setting. This is the kind of fantasy that imagines a better, broader world even while exploring its broken pieces.
If you like ensemble casts, moody dragons with tragic backstories, and a reluctant general forced to unlearn everything she thought she knew, Nemesis delivers in spades. I do wish it had gone even darker, but I think it has great potential.
Thanks so much to the author and R&R Booktours for the complimentary copy and opportunity to read and review honestly. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.
Rep: hearing aid use, chronic illness (arthritis, lupus, asthma), numerous pronouns, LGBTQIA+ side characters
April 27, 2026
This one came in swinging with a checklist of beloved romantasy tropes chaos and then added dragons with attitude, so naturally I was seated immediately.
First things first: the true stars of this story are the dragons. Yes, Astraea (our fmc) has the sharp tongue and stubborn streak we love, but these dragons? Mouthy, clever, unimpressed, and absolutely stealing scenes every chance they get. I would die for every last disrespectful scale. 👏
This leans more into classic fantasy structure, so we get multiple POVs as the danger unfolds from all sides. It gives the world a bigger scope and lets the political rot really sink its claws in. There’s a corrupt ruling power, secrets buried beneath policy, and a very suspicious obsession with keeping citizens far away from dragon bonds and alliances. Nothing says “we’re hiding something catastrophic” quite like banning connection, besties.
And can we talk about the gift we were given? A shadow mommy instead of a shadow daddy?? Finally. Balance has been restored. 🤌
What I enjoyed most was the found family thread running through the story. Watching these characters build loyalty and trust in a situation designed to divide them was deliciously satisfying. Those bonds often hit just as hard as the romance.
Now for my one feral little critique: I wanted the romantic arcs to simmer longer. At times it felt like we jumped from performative hatred to destined devotion at dragon-flight speed (200 mph if you’re wondering).
The chemistry was there, the setup was there, everyone around them knew the “we hate each other” act was nonsense, but I wanted to suffer for it a bit more. Make me earn that payoff. Starve me first. 🙏
That said, the twists absolutely land, leaving us with an ending so rude it borders on disrespect.
Expertly done. 🙇♀️
That cliffhanger has me deeply suspicious we may be shifting focus toward the character left dangling in the flames, and I will be returning for answers.
If you love sassy dragons, fierce heroines, forbidden romance, corrupt kingdoms with ugly secrets, shadow-wielding women, and found family forged in chaos… this just may be your ticket 🎟️
First things first: the true stars of this story are the dragons. Yes, Astraea (our fmc) has the sharp tongue and stubborn streak we love, but these dragons? Mouthy, clever, unimpressed, and absolutely stealing scenes every chance they get. I would die for every last disrespectful scale. 👏
This leans more into classic fantasy structure, so we get multiple POVs as the danger unfolds from all sides. It gives the world a bigger scope and lets the political rot really sink its claws in. There’s a corrupt ruling power, secrets buried beneath policy, and a very suspicious obsession with keeping citizens far away from dragon bonds and alliances. Nothing says “we’re hiding something catastrophic” quite like banning connection, besties.
And can we talk about the gift we were given? A shadow mommy instead of a shadow daddy?? Finally. Balance has been restored. 🤌
What I enjoyed most was the found family thread running through the story. Watching these characters build loyalty and trust in a situation designed to divide them was deliciously satisfying. Those bonds often hit just as hard as the romance.
Now for my one feral little critique: I wanted the romantic arcs to simmer longer. At times it felt like we jumped from performative hatred to destined devotion at dragon-flight speed (200 mph if you’re wondering).
The chemistry was there, the setup was there, everyone around them knew the “we hate each other” act was nonsense, but I wanted to suffer for it a bit more. Make me earn that payoff. Starve me first. 🙏
That said, the twists absolutely land, leaving us with an ending so rude it borders on disrespect.
Expertly done. 🙇♀️
That cliffhanger has me deeply suspicious we may be shifting focus toward the character left dangling in the flames, and I will be returning for answers.
If you love sassy dragons, fierce heroines, forbidden romance, corrupt kingdoms with ugly secrets, shadow-wielding women, and found family forged in chaos… this just may be your ticket 🎟️
July 31, 2025
Dragons and Fae Kings who fall First! What’s not to Love. Astraea and her Sisters are kidnapped by dragons and the Fae King Asher who she despises follows them to save her. When they learn the dragons aren’t as bad as they were taught it sets them on a adventure that has me dying for the next book. told from multiple points of a view in a post apocalyptic world with a unique take on magic and dragons this book did not disappoint. i loved the banter and tension and I can’t wait to see what happens next!
June 21, 2025
This book had everything; romance, slow burn, shadow wielders, dragons and emotions. I forced myself to read slowly and really enjoy the book instead of devouring it like I wanted it. It was a roller coaster of emotions especially because of the three sisters learning to manage their emotions and their chronic illnesses. The character growth in this one book alone is magnificent and I cannot wait for the second book!
Shania you’ve done it again with the cliffhanger!!!
Shania you’ve done it again with the cliffhanger!!!
June 25, 2025
Thank you Shania Scichilone for the ARC of this book. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.
This book was very well written and had a lot of things going for it, but it just wasn’t for me. I enjoyed Astraea and Asher’s story. I thought the backstory of the world situation was interesting and original. The twist with the main characters’ mom is fantastic. This story is unique and I really appreciated the fresh ideas and character arcs.
There are 4 POVs in this book and it was challenging especially at the beginning for me to connect to any of the characters. Nemesis is a great character and I wish there was more of his grumpiness in the book. There were also pronouns other than he/him and she/her used for characters. I wasn’t aware of this when I started reading and I found it challenging at times to keep track of who was speaking (hindsight, the characters and pronouns are listed in the beginning…but I skip pronunciation guides so I missed them). There are very clear political and world views depicted in this book. I read to escape real life and too much of this reflected real life for my taste (ex. The setting took place in real locations on Earth, pronouns were included in introductions, the comments about not wanting to go to North America, etc.) For some reason, I still can’t figure out, I just didn’t connect to any of the characters in this book.
Overall, this book is very good, especially if you are looking for inclusivity. This was a well written and very inclusive book that I would recommend others read, but it just wasn’t for me. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 because it was a very original read and the ideas were there.
Tropes:
Banter
MMC falls first and yearns
Grumpy FMC
Fated mates
Quotes
“I expect you to listen. It is the least you owe my kind.”
“You cannot be judged for doing what you were taught was right,” Nemesis tells me. “That you are willing to rewrite your wrongs is the real marker of your courage.”
This book was very well written and had a lot of things going for it, but it just wasn’t for me. I enjoyed Astraea and Asher’s story. I thought the backstory of the world situation was interesting and original. The twist with the main characters’ mom is fantastic. This story is unique and I really appreciated the fresh ideas and character arcs.
There are 4 POVs in this book and it was challenging especially at the beginning for me to connect to any of the characters. Nemesis is a great character and I wish there was more of his grumpiness in the book. There were also pronouns other than he/him and she/her used for characters. I wasn’t aware of this when I started reading and I found it challenging at times to keep track of who was speaking (hindsight, the characters and pronouns are listed in the beginning…but I skip pronunciation guides so I missed them). There are very clear political and world views depicted in this book. I read to escape real life and too much of this reflected real life for my taste (ex. The setting took place in real locations on Earth, pronouns were included in introductions, the comments about not wanting to go to North America, etc.) For some reason, I still can’t figure out, I just didn’t connect to any of the characters in this book.
Overall, this book is very good, especially if you are looking for inclusivity. This was a well written and very inclusive book that I would recommend others read, but it just wasn’t for me. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 because it was a very original read and the ideas were there.
Tropes:
Banter
MMC falls first and yearns
Grumpy FMC
Fated mates
Quotes
“I expect you to listen. It is the least you owe my kind.”
“You cannot be judged for doing what you were taught was right,” Nemesis tells me. “That you are willing to rewrite your wrongs is the real marker of your courage.”
August 15, 2025
This book had all the tropes I thought I would enjoy (plus, dragons!) but it just didn't hit for me. I did read it in only a day, so it is quick read.
Things that I liked:
-grumpy sunshine (but *she* is the grumpy one)
-Diverse characters / pronoun use
-Disability rep
-All the POVs were a lot of fun
-The romantic parts were very sweet
-The heart-wrenching funeral scene
Things that I didn't like:
-Plot twist that didn't really make sense to me
-A lot of face touching
-A lot of nicknames to keep track of
-Why does he love her so much? Is it because they're fated?
There were some inconsistencies for terminology matching the world (e.g., everyone rides horses but the author used the term "snoring like a trucker"). A few very minor plot inconsistencies (e.g., described bringing up breakfast to the bedroom but then is eating downstairs in the dining room). I would have expected these to be caught during beta reading.
Overall - the characters in the book felt young to me, not necessarily in a bad way. Given this book is the first in a series, I would have expected more world-building, but it is mostly character development.
Things that I liked:
-grumpy sunshine (but *she* is the grumpy one)
-Diverse characters / pronoun use
-Disability rep
-All the POVs were a lot of fun
-The romantic parts were very sweet
-The heart-wrenching funeral scene
Things that I didn't like:
-Plot twist that didn't really make sense to me
-A lot of face touching
-A lot of nicknames to keep track of
-Why does he love her so much? Is it because they're fated?
There were some inconsistencies for terminology matching the world (e.g., everyone rides horses but the author used the term "snoring like a trucker"). A few very minor plot inconsistencies (e.g., described bringing up breakfast to the bedroom but then is eating downstairs in the dining room). I would have expected these to be caught during beta reading.
Overall - the characters in the book felt young to me, not necessarily in a bad way. Given this book is the first in a series, I would have expected more world-building, but it is mostly character development.
April 22, 2026
✨ ARC Generously provided by NetGalley ✨
I had incredibly mixed feelings while reading this book, but ultimately it wasn’t for me.
On paper, this checks every box for a perfect romantasy series, yet fell short for me in execution. If you laid out this book as simply a list of tropes beside any of the romantasy greats it would line up perfectly, but therein lies the issue. This story lacks sufficient depth to stand apart from others in the genre, and relies on a reader who accepts certain things as law within the genre.
Shania has an acute talent for creating a diverse cast of characters, representative of many different body types, identities and disabilities. She has beautifully worked these aspects into her characters’ actions, showing the impact of these traits on their everyday lives, while not tokenizing them, or creating problematic caricatures.
The author has also created a unique and interesting world and premise, different from anything I have read in the genre. The idea of a modern Earth, reshaped by disaster, war, and emerging dragons lays the groundwork for a fascinating story.
Where this book falls flat for me is in the implementation of these great characters and settings. To me, this book needs (at minimum) another round of serious editing.
I love an ensemble cast. These are some of my favourite books and the potential is there, however there is a right and a wrong way to implement it. I think a phenomenal example of this is (say what you will) Zodiac Academy. By the later books, readers are toggling between over a dozen unique character perspectives, yet it was never confusing. Where Nemesis fails in this regard, is introducing every perspective right from the beginning (as opposed to ZA, where new perspectives are gradually added over an extended period) causing a lot of confusion in the first quarter of the book, as you are rapidly introduced to various characters, TONS of nicknames, and constantly shifting perspectives. This is not helped by how incredibly short many of the chapters are, and perspective shifts in the middle of a scene/conversation. I also found that the characters did not have very distinct “voices” and I would often forget whose chapter I was even reading.
I also found a lot of the exposition and background explanations to be poorly timed. More than once, I found myself flipping back to see if I had missed a piece of information, only for it to be later provided by another character in the form of a lengthy internal monologue. This didn’t feel like intentional ~mystery~, but more like overlooked world building.
To this point, many of the plot lines felt forced, as though the author wanted to check off boxes to include certain tropes, but then had to subsequently circle back to provide an (often weak) explanation as to why that event occurred. An example being the desire to frame Asher and Astraea as an “enemies to lovers” situation, when it was evident that Asher has always been enamoured with Astraea. The only explanation provided was that she “always saw him lurking around” or something? and decided that must mean he hates her. Upon clearing up that incredibly bizarre miscommunication, suddenly they are fated soulmates, and can no longer resist each other.
In the same vein, the dragon bonds felt incredibly sudden, unexplained and extremely random, with follow-up explanations lacking believability, and leaving plot holes large enough to fly a loosely-described dragon through. It felt like an attempt to capitalize on the Fourth Wing breed of dragon-rider relationships, but without taking the time to build the necessary groundwork. It felt as though the reader is meant to think “oh, just like Fourth Wing!” and go from there. This story needs to be strong enough to stand on its own, without readers needing to make that kind of connection.
Overall, I think this world has real potential, but at this point it certainly isn’t for me.
I had incredibly mixed feelings while reading this book, but ultimately it wasn’t for me.
On paper, this checks every box for a perfect romantasy series, yet fell short for me in execution. If you laid out this book as simply a list of tropes beside any of the romantasy greats it would line up perfectly, but therein lies the issue. This story lacks sufficient depth to stand apart from others in the genre, and relies on a reader who accepts certain things as law within the genre.
Shania has an acute talent for creating a diverse cast of characters, representative of many different body types, identities and disabilities. She has beautifully worked these aspects into her characters’ actions, showing the impact of these traits on their everyday lives, while not tokenizing them, or creating problematic caricatures.
The author has also created a unique and interesting world and premise, different from anything I have read in the genre. The idea of a modern Earth, reshaped by disaster, war, and emerging dragons lays the groundwork for a fascinating story.
Where this book falls flat for me is in the implementation of these great characters and settings. To me, this book needs (at minimum) another round of serious editing.
I love an ensemble cast. These are some of my favourite books and the potential is there, however there is a right and a wrong way to implement it. I think a phenomenal example of this is (say what you will) Zodiac Academy. By the later books, readers are toggling between over a dozen unique character perspectives, yet it was never confusing. Where Nemesis fails in this regard, is introducing every perspective right from the beginning (as opposed to ZA, where new perspectives are gradually added over an extended period) causing a lot of confusion in the first quarter of the book, as you are rapidly introduced to various characters, TONS of nicknames, and constantly shifting perspectives. This is not helped by how incredibly short many of the chapters are, and perspective shifts in the middle of a scene/conversation. I also found that the characters did not have very distinct “voices” and I would often forget whose chapter I was even reading.
I also found a lot of the exposition and background explanations to be poorly timed. More than once, I found myself flipping back to see if I had missed a piece of information, only for it to be later provided by another character in the form of a lengthy internal monologue. This didn’t feel like intentional ~mystery~, but more like overlooked world building.
To this point, many of the plot lines felt forced, as though the author wanted to check off boxes to include certain tropes, but then had to subsequently circle back to provide an (often weak) explanation as to why that event occurred. An example being the desire to frame Asher and Astraea as an “enemies to lovers” situation, when it was evident that Asher has always been enamoured with Astraea. The only explanation provided was that she “always saw him lurking around” or something? and decided that must mean he hates her. Upon clearing up that incredibly bizarre miscommunication, suddenly they are fated soulmates, and can no longer resist each other.
In the same vein, the dragon bonds felt incredibly sudden, unexplained and extremely random, with follow-up explanations lacking believability, and leaving plot holes large enough to fly a loosely-described dragon through. It felt like an attempt to capitalize on the Fourth Wing breed of dragon-rider relationships, but without taking the time to build the necessary groundwork. It felt as though the reader is meant to think “oh, just like Fourth Wing!” and go from there. This story needs to be strong enough to stand on its own, without readers needing to make that kind of connection.
Overall, I think this world has real potential, but at this point it certainly isn’t for me.
April 2, 2026
A refreshing, relatable debut into the Romantasy Genre. For lovers of Fourth Wing and the Winx Saga, this debut offers sassy dragons, elemental magic and diverse cast of characters that allows every reader to feel seen.
Having read about the author, their theatricality really brings this book to life. No character’s role is too small to have a powerful impact and whether it is humour, strength or pathos they bring to the table, there is someone for every single reader to relate to. The camaraderie between the sisters was a particular highlight for me, very reminiscent of the girls’ relationships in the Winx Club Saga, with lots of banter, warmth and love for each other.
As for the main love interests, Astrea and Asher provide a refreshing take on tropes that could easily be in danger of becoming overdone in the Romantasy market. They do not take to the traditional enemies to lovers, perfect couple via beautiful girl and moody mysterious guy. Astrea is all sharp edges and snark, an absolute badass on the battlefield and warrior against her own body with her presented autoimmune diseases. As someone also chronically ill with such diseases, it was awesome to see a character within my favourite genre that wasn’t pandered to by the author. Too often such characters fall into the trap of being pitied all the time or presented as though she can do no wrong, but this isn’t the case here. She is fiery and flawed and fantastically down to earth for a celestial descendant. Asher moves away from the stereotypical serious “straight man” love interest and takes on a humorous and flirty approach to his role. Think comedy sidekick energy but as the MMC. He is brilliant. Their banter is so quick and quippy, and the tension is hot, hot, hot! I found the moments in which he cared for her without pitying her so hopeful and tender.
I cannot wait to see more from Aurelia, she is a firecracker of a character. Full of trouble and sick of being the “youngest” I just know whatever she gets up to next is going to be so fun.
The one thing holding me back from rating this book a full five stars is the world setting- I must emphasise not the world building, that is excellent. But the author does such a brilliant job of creating this otherworldly feeling with the magic system, the larger than life characters and the dragons, that having it set on Earth and relying on the concept of Mount Olympus just cuts the total immersion of the story short. In reality, the world she has created is strong enough and has nothing to do with the Greek pantheon besides themes of fate and unseen gods (which do not share the same names or lore etc), I think the author could have taken it a step further and just cut out Earth as the setting and fully commit in name to this other world she demonstrates throughout.
Overall it is fast-paced, Multi POV, kick-your-feet charming and exciting debut into the Romantasy Genre and I genuinely cannot wait for the next book. That cliffhanger?!
Having read about the author, their theatricality really brings this book to life. No character’s role is too small to have a powerful impact and whether it is humour, strength or pathos they bring to the table, there is someone for every single reader to relate to. The camaraderie between the sisters was a particular highlight for me, very reminiscent of the girls’ relationships in the Winx Club Saga, with lots of banter, warmth and love for each other.
As for the main love interests, Astrea and Asher provide a refreshing take on tropes that could easily be in danger of becoming overdone in the Romantasy market. They do not take to the traditional enemies to lovers, perfect couple via beautiful girl and moody mysterious guy. Astrea is all sharp edges and snark, an absolute badass on the battlefield and warrior against her own body with her presented autoimmune diseases. As someone also chronically ill with such diseases, it was awesome to see a character within my favourite genre that wasn’t pandered to by the author. Too often such characters fall into the trap of being pitied all the time or presented as though she can do no wrong, but this isn’t the case here. She is fiery and flawed and fantastically down to earth for a celestial descendant. Asher moves away from the stereotypical serious “straight man” love interest and takes on a humorous and flirty approach to his role. Think comedy sidekick energy but as the MMC. He is brilliant. Their banter is so quick and quippy, and the tension is hot, hot, hot! I found the moments in which he cared for her without pitying her so hopeful and tender.
I cannot wait to see more from Aurelia, she is a firecracker of a character. Full of trouble and sick of being the “youngest” I just know whatever she gets up to next is going to be so fun.
The one thing holding me back from rating this book a full five stars is the world setting- I must emphasise not the world building, that is excellent. But the author does such a brilliant job of creating this otherworldly feeling with the magic system, the larger than life characters and the dragons, that having it set on Earth and relying on the concept of Mount Olympus just cuts the total immersion of the story short. In reality, the world she has created is strong enough and has nothing to do with the Greek pantheon besides themes of fate and unseen gods (which do not share the same names or lore etc), I think the author could have taken it a step further and just cut out Earth as the setting and fully commit in name to this other world she demonstrates throughout.
Overall it is fast-paced, Multi POV, kick-your-feet charming and exciting debut into the Romantasy Genre and I genuinely cannot wait for the next book. That cliffhanger?!
August 16, 2025
This book!!! Set in a dystopian future, it combines mythical creatures, astrology based magic systems, and celestial beings into a stunning story with so much emotion and depth. Literally exactly my kind of setting and I was not disappointed!
The FMC Astraea Sirenstar, is a demi-celestial, is a general in the Legacy Legion. She has some health issues, possesses very rare spirit elemental based powers, and a true oldest daughter “I will handle everything myself even to my own detriment” perspective. Dragons, which society has raised her to both fear and kill, suddenly descend on the Legacy Compound and take her sisters, so she gives chase and is taken alongside them. She has walls up and trusts no one, not even her sisters as fully as she probably should.
The MMC is Fae King Asher, who possesses spirit based elemental powers. He has harbored feelings for Astraea for a long time and when he sees that she and her sisters have been captured, he pursues, bringing with him the medications and necessities that she and her sisters will need from home because he is a)thoughtful b)wanting to build trust and c)wants them to survive. For being a 7 foot tall Fae he’s quite a golden retriever guy.
Ravena and Aurelia are Astraea’s younger sisters. They are very loyal to her and their sisterly bond is very strong. Ravena has asthma and is a healer possessing earth-based elemental powers, and Aurelia is a healer and has air based elemental powers. The sisters along with several other legacies have been brought to the Outer Edge to assist the dragons in convincing the mythical races to combine forces in a coming conflict with celestials.
The DRAGONS are full of personality and the keepers of all this ancient wisdom about the world before the war, and form bonds with these characters and others they’ve chosen. This is not simple and is very emotional and I enjoyed how this aspect was treated.
The story is told in multiple POVs, and the insight to the characters personalities, the magic system, the history, the lore, the banter, THE SPICE, the twists and turns, the storytelling, the disability and LGBTQ representation.. all of it really just works and it kept me turning pages frantically to see what happened next!
The FMC Astraea Sirenstar, is a demi-celestial, is a general in the Legacy Legion. She has some health issues, possesses very rare spirit elemental based powers, and a true oldest daughter “I will handle everything myself even to my own detriment” perspective. Dragons, which society has raised her to both fear and kill, suddenly descend on the Legacy Compound and take her sisters, so she gives chase and is taken alongside them. She has walls up and trusts no one, not even her sisters as fully as she probably should.
The MMC is Fae King Asher, who possesses spirit based elemental powers. He has harbored feelings for Astraea for a long time and when he sees that she and her sisters have been captured, he pursues, bringing with him the medications and necessities that she and her sisters will need from home because he is a)thoughtful b)wanting to build trust and c)wants them to survive. For being a 7 foot tall Fae he’s quite a golden retriever guy.
Ravena and Aurelia are Astraea’s younger sisters. They are very loyal to her and their sisterly bond is very strong. Ravena has asthma and is a healer possessing earth-based elemental powers, and Aurelia is a healer and has air based elemental powers. The sisters along with several other legacies have been brought to the Outer Edge to assist the dragons in convincing the mythical races to combine forces in a coming conflict with celestials.
The DRAGONS are full of personality and the keepers of all this ancient wisdom about the world before the war, and form bonds with these characters and others they’ve chosen. This is not simple and is very emotional and I enjoyed how this aspect was treated.
The story is told in multiple POVs, and the insight to the characters personalities, the magic system, the history, the lore, the banter, THE SPICE, the twists and turns, the storytelling, the disability and LGBTQ representation.. all of it really just works and it kept me turning pages frantically to see what happened next!
July 15, 2026
This is one of those books where characters will correct, demand, rage, argue, tell, jeer and whisper rather than the author risk using the word said. In the scheme of things it’s not a big issue, and for some people it’s not an issue at all. But when a whole chapters long conversation goes by this way, it just gets to me. The dragons in this book are a combination of child and dog, innocent and bright eyed and wagging their tails in pleasure. Again, this might not bother some readers, but it’s … well, it’s not to my taste.
The book takes place … in a world that has computers and Paris, bu also warriors and dragons, orcs and werewolves. The dragon created something called the Outer Edge, which protects and hides them … but where do the magical humans live? And the orcs? Are they living shoulder to shoulder with normal humans? Are they hiding in vacant lots and abandoned farms? Are they, too, in another world? Sorry, I don’t know.
There are four POVs in this book, and three of them exist to remind me again and again how amazing Astrea is almost constantly. And because they all have the same voice, it’s really hard to tell who’s who, other than Astrea occasionally thinking poorly of herself. And then there’s the fact that characters have at least three names — their name, a nickname, a nickname they loathe, and occasionally yet another nickname just because, all use interchangeably. While it’s decently done (Adios — I mean Aidos — being the only one to call Astrea Reaper, for example) I, again, owing to personal taste … didn’t care for it.
The plot takes forever to get going with the largest focus being on the romantic relationship between Astrea and Asher, and I just wasn’t interested. Asher doesn’t have much personality beyond being the love interest (and a fae?) and Astrea is a little generic. She’s a tough girl who loves her sisters. Though I will say, it’s nice to see strong sibling relationships in a book, and I do like the disability rep.
In the end, this story wasn’t for me. I found it bland, boring, with poor world building and forgettable characters. That’s not to say other people might not enjoy this book! And if you’re one of them, I’m glad you found the book. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.
The book takes place … in a world that has computers and Paris, bu also warriors and dragons, orcs and werewolves. The dragon created something called the Outer Edge, which protects and hides them … but where do the magical humans live? And the orcs? Are they living shoulder to shoulder with normal humans? Are they hiding in vacant lots and abandoned farms? Are they, too, in another world? Sorry, I don’t know.
There are four POVs in this book, and three of them exist to remind me again and again how amazing Astrea is almost constantly. And because they all have the same voice, it’s really hard to tell who’s who, other than Astrea occasionally thinking poorly of herself. And then there’s the fact that characters have at least three names — their name, a nickname, a nickname they loathe, and occasionally yet another nickname just because, all use interchangeably. While it’s decently done (Adios — I mean Aidos — being the only one to call Astrea Reaper, for example) I, again, owing to personal taste … didn’t care for it.
The plot takes forever to get going with the largest focus being on the romantic relationship between Astrea and Asher, and I just wasn’t interested. Asher doesn’t have much personality beyond being the love interest (and a fae?) and Astrea is a little generic. She’s a tough girl who loves her sisters. Though I will say, it’s nice to see strong sibling relationships in a book, and I do like the disability rep.
In the end, this story wasn’t for me. I found it bland, boring, with poor world building and forgettable characters. That’s not to say other people might not enjoy this book! And if you’re one of them, I’m glad you found the book. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.
August 6, 2025
✨𝙰𝚁𝙲 𝚁𝙴𝚅𝙸𝙴𝚆✨
The Asherian War has ushered Earth into a new age. Humankind has gone, giving rise to a tenuous society of races once confined to shadows and stories. The new paradigm is overseen by the Celestials, with their terrestrial ambassadors, the Legacies, who wield a potent and manifold elemental magic. They were instrumental in banishing the dragons-ravenous and mindless beasts-to the gloomier land of a place known as the Outer Edge.
Astraea, the powerful general of the Legacy Legion, cannot stand by when two massive dragons descend on the Legacy Compound and abduct her younger sisters. Leaping on one of their great scaly backs, becoming a willing captive to the darker margins of their world, she and her siblings undertake a shocking and revealing journey, one where prior deceptions are lifted, where alliances fall and former enemies
become allies and where new, unexpected dangers are born.
✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
Nemesis marks the beginning of the Wrath of Chaos series by Shania Scichilone. I genuinely found this book to be an enjoyable read. One aspect I appreciated was that you don’t need extensive world-building to become enchanted by the magic of the world and its journey. I admire how Shania crafts the narrative in such a way that a large information dump isn’t necessary to follow the characters, their backgrounds, and the evolution of their relationships. I was particularly impressed by her ability to narrate the story without formally introducing the characters; they simply exist, and you witness their lives and events as they unfold. The banter and dialogue with the dragons were delightful, and I wished for even more of that. Most importantly, I appreciated the flawed nature of some characters, who are not condemned for their actions, as they fully grasp that their choices stemmed from their perception of reality. I eagerly anticipate what comes next.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
The Asherian War has ushered Earth into a new age. Humankind has gone, giving rise to a tenuous society of races once confined to shadows and stories. The new paradigm is overseen by the Celestials, with their terrestrial ambassadors, the Legacies, who wield a potent and manifold elemental magic. They were instrumental in banishing the dragons-ravenous and mindless beasts-to the gloomier land of a place known as the Outer Edge.
Astraea, the powerful general of the Legacy Legion, cannot stand by when two massive dragons descend on the Legacy Compound and abduct her younger sisters. Leaping on one of their great scaly backs, becoming a willing captive to the darker margins of their world, she and her siblings undertake a shocking and revealing journey, one where prior deceptions are lifted, where alliances fall and former enemies
become allies and where new, unexpected dangers are born.
✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
Nemesis marks the beginning of the Wrath of Chaos series by Shania Scichilone. I genuinely found this book to be an enjoyable read. One aspect I appreciated was that you don’t need extensive world-building to become enchanted by the magic of the world and its journey. I admire how Shania crafts the narrative in such a way that a large information dump isn’t necessary to follow the characters, their backgrounds, and the evolution of their relationships. I was particularly impressed by her ability to narrate the story without formally introducing the characters; they simply exist, and you witness their lives and events as they unfold. The banter and dialogue with the dragons were delightful, and I wished for even more of that. Most importantly, I appreciated the flawed nature of some characters, who are not condemned for their actions, as they fully grasp that their choices stemmed from their perception of reality. I eagerly anticipate what comes next.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
August 16, 2025
I enjoyed this book. There are fae, dragons, celestials, legacies, nymphs, sirens, vampires (which we haven't seen yet). 2 chili peppers
Astraea is a legacy and becomes the general of the compound. This is post apocalypse and her and her sisters have the mom who is a celestial of fate. They have been told that dragons are the enemy. Come to find out there is more to the story when they meet some dragons after they take her sisters. King Asher of the fae kingdom, who has liked astraea for a long time, follows after she tries to save her sisters. She finds herself drawn to him. They all must work together to save the world. But there is betrayal and more secrets. The celestials give advice but it's wrapped up in riddles.
Astraea's character development was interesting. For all the sisters there is some arc of who they are in the beginning to who they are in the end. More for Astraea. However it's mainly what we see, not how she acts towards others.
There is a LOT of diversity in the book. Everyone has pronouns (some of which I have never heard of) and I think each sister has a different father, but I don't think it mentioned it in the book? I appreciated the diversity. I think in this day and age it's crazy to think there wouldn't be people within any world that isn't LGBTQ+ . That being said there is so much in this book I wonder if it's almost too much. In any case this author felt strongly about inclusion and I applaud that.
Dragons..I am all for dragons. I appreciated their different personalities. Nemisis reminded me of Tairn and yet had his own personality. I really think they add to the story and feel they may have their own journey as well.
Asher - not much to not love about him. I am excited to see where it all goes. The spice was good but also a little awkward at times. Their relationship happened in like a week regardless of how long they pined for each other. I enjoyed the bond part and even though it was fast (could have built up some tension making them wait) it was nice.
Overall I really enjoyed the story. I found myself really into it and wanting to keep reading. I am looking forward to book 2! Book ends on a cliffhanger! I am also looking forward to seeing the other species! Thank you R&R Books for the e-book.
Astraea is a legacy and becomes the general of the compound. This is post apocalypse and her and her sisters have the mom who is a celestial of fate. They have been told that dragons are the enemy. Come to find out there is more to the story when they meet some dragons after they take her sisters. King Asher of the fae kingdom, who has liked astraea for a long time, follows after she tries to save her sisters. She finds herself drawn to him. They all must work together to save the world. But there is betrayal and more secrets. The celestials give advice but it's wrapped up in riddles.
Astraea's character development was interesting. For all the sisters there is some arc of who they are in the beginning to who they are in the end. More for Astraea. However it's mainly what we see, not how she acts towards others.
There is a LOT of diversity in the book. Everyone has pronouns (some of which I have never heard of) and I think each sister has a different father, but I don't think it mentioned it in the book? I appreciated the diversity. I think in this day and age it's crazy to think there wouldn't be people within any world that isn't LGBTQ+ . That being said there is so much in this book I wonder if it's almost too much. In any case this author felt strongly about inclusion and I applaud that.
Dragons..I am all for dragons. I appreciated their different personalities. Nemisis reminded me of Tairn and yet had his own personality. I really think they add to the story and feel they may have their own journey as well.
Asher - not much to not love about him. I am excited to see where it all goes. The spice was good but also a little awkward at times. Their relationship happened in like a week regardless of how long they pined for each other. I enjoyed the bond part and even though it was fast (could have built up some tension making them wait) it was nice.
Overall I really enjoyed the story. I found myself really into it and wanting to keep reading. I am looking forward to book 2! Book ends on a cliffhanger! I am also looking forward to seeing the other species! Thank you R&R Books for the e-book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 30, 2026
If you're looking for a fast-paced, turn your brain off, quick(ish), enjoyable read, I would totally recommend this one. With dragons, fae, romance, LGBTQ+ reps, disability rep and more.
Although I will say it didn't quite hit for me (despite seeming to tick all the boxes of things I love). For example, I love a fast-paced story, but I feel in my opinion this was too fast paced - which is just my particular taste. And it almost felt more telling rather than showing, so I would keep that in made.
In saying that, I still enjoyed reading it, and its not a bad book by any means I would totally recommend this to people, but would tell people to keep that in mind as well.
If you're looking for true enemies-to-lovers, slow burn romance, I wouldn't recommend this one for that mood, whilst there was romance (which I did enjoy), I would also say the tropes its presented as are not quite true. Sure the FMC was prickly with the MMC in the beginning...but 50 pages in we were making out...? Also this book was not very spicy, sure they did some things, but in the grand scheme of things, I'd say 🌶.5/5.
I feel like I'm being so negative which is not my intention, I would just say the writing style wasn't personally for me - I am a picky read, I'm sorry - and I'm really not trying to discourage anyone from reading it because I can guarantee this will be a 6 star book for some.
I also want to add that while the world building was unique and seemingly difficult to understand (with a world glossary) and lots of heavy information that doesn't make sense until you actually read the book - it truly was easy enough to pick up and just go with, which leads to my point that its a easy to follow, understandable, simple read.
In saying that, thank you so much for the arc ❤️, and go give this a try because I truly believe a lot of people will like this!
Although I will say it didn't quite hit for me (despite seeming to tick all the boxes of things I love). For example, I love a fast-paced story, but I feel in my opinion this was too fast paced - which is just my particular taste. And it almost felt more telling rather than showing, so I would keep that in made.
In saying that, I still enjoyed reading it, and its not a bad book by any means I would totally recommend this to people, but would tell people to keep that in mind as well.
If you're looking for true enemies-to-lovers, slow burn romance, I wouldn't recommend this one for that mood, whilst there was romance (which I did enjoy), I would also say the tropes its presented as are not quite true. Sure the FMC was prickly with the MMC in the beginning...but 50 pages in we were making out...? Also this book was not very spicy, sure they did some things, but in the grand scheme of things, I'd say 🌶.5/5.
I feel like I'm being so negative which is not my intention, I would just say the writing style wasn't personally for me - I am a picky read, I'm sorry - and I'm really not trying to discourage anyone from reading it because I can guarantee this will be a 6 star book for some.
I also want to add that while the world building was unique and seemingly difficult to understand (with a world glossary) and lots of heavy information that doesn't make sense until you actually read the book - it truly was easy enough to pick up and just go with, which leads to my point that its a easy to follow, understandable, simple read.
In saying that, thank you so much for the arc ❤️, and go give this a try because I truly believe a lot of people will like this!
September 23, 2025
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This one’s a solid 3 star read for me, largely due to formatting and structural choices.
Let’s start with the layout that took some getting used to. There are four POVs spread across 92 chapters, but the book itself is under 400 pages. Some chapters felt like they could’ve been combined or expanded to give the story more breathing room, especially in terms of worldbuilding (which I assume will deepen in future installments).
Early on, I found it a bit difficult to follow the characters. Two of the POVs Aurelia and Astraea have visually similar names, and their appearances weren’t described in much detail at first. I wasn’t entirely sure what one of them looked like until nearly 80% into the book and when I did see the artwork, I realized I’d imagined things incorrectly. Most descriptions leaned toward pale features and light hair, which made everyone blur together visually. While the characters’ personalities were introduced clearly, I would have loved more grounding details early on to help differentiate them.
That said, there’s a lot to appreciate. The world is Earth like but populated with magical beings, not humans, which is a refreshing twist. There are monsters, magic, and a compelling setup that hints at deeper lore. I would’ve enjoyed a bit more action or a training sequence to really showcase the magic system and teamwork dynamics.
There’s also some great representation here; three of the four main characters live with chronic illnesses/disabilities, which is handled with care and adds depth to their arcs. The romantic tension and banter were nice touches too. There is great care to ensure consent which is refreshing.
This one’s a solid 3 star read for me, largely due to formatting and structural choices.
Let’s start with the layout that took some getting used to. There are four POVs spread across 92 chapters, but the book itself is under 400 pages. Some chapters felt like they could’ve been combined or expanded to give the story more breathing room, especially in terms of worldbuilding (which I assume will deepen in future installments).
Early on, I found it a bit difficult to follow the characters. Two of the POVs Aurelia and Astraea have visually similar names, and their appearances weren’t described in much detail at first. I wasn’t entirely sure what one of them looked like until nearly 80% into the book and when I did see the artwork, I realized I’d imagined things incorrectly. Most descriptions leaned toward pale features and light hair, which made everyone blur together visually. While the characters’ personalities were introduced clearly, I would have loved more grounding details early on to help differentiate them.
That said, there’s a lot to appreciate. The world is Earth like but populated with magical beings, not humans, which is a refreshing twist. There are monsters, magic, and a compelling setup that hints at deeper lore. I would’ve enjoyed a bit more action or a training sequence to really showcase the magic system and teamwork dynamics.
There’s also some great representation here; three of the four main characters live with chronic illnesses/disabilities, which is handled with care and adds depth to their arcs. The romantic tension and banter were nice touches too. There is great care to ensure consent which is refreshing.
July 28, 2025
I jumped into Nemesis knowing only that it had an enemies-to-lovers trope—and I was not disappointed. At first, I fumbled a bit trying to keep track of all the POVs. Your girlie usually prefers no more than two or three, so I was a little overwhelmed. But once I got into the rhythm, I found myself really appreciating the different perspectives. Initially, I thought it might have worked better if each FMC had her own book, but as the story progressed, I realized how much I loved seeing their POVs intertwine in real time. Their interactions with each other—and the side characters—felt layered and dynamic in a way that really pulled me in.
The world is a unique dystopian fantasy full of magic, DRAGONS (yes, you bond with them—cue the squeal), and a HOTTIE FAE KING (pitch of said squeal: escalating). Add in powerful, badass adult female leads with amazing representation and the perfect amount of spice, you’ve got a book that had me hooked.
The story focuses on character development and sets the stage for a larger plot to come. It’s simple to follow, yet clearly building toward something bigger. And yes—I am fully here for Asher and Astraea. I’m also emotionally invested in all the sisters and rooting for them hard. If you love character-driven stories with slow-burn romance, and found family vibes, Nemesis is definitely worth picking up.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The world is a unique dystopian fantasy full of magic, DRAGONS (yes, you bond with them—cue the squeal), and a HOTTIE FAE KING (pitch of said squeal: escalating). Add in powerful, badass adult female leads with amazing representation and the perfect amount of spice, you’ve got a book that had me hooked.
The story focuses on character development and sets the stage for a larger plot to come. It’s simple to follow, yet clearly building toward something bigger. And yes—I am fully here for Asher and Astraea. I’m also emotionally invested in all the sisters and rooting for them hard. If you love character-driven stories with slow-burn romance, and found family vibes, Nemesis is definitely worth picking up.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 10, 2026
Nemesis has a lot of elements I typically love in romantasy: morally complex factions, a warrior heroine, dragons that aren't what they seem, and a slow-burn romance with a fae king who's equal parts infuriating and magnetic. Shania Scichilone is clearly ambitious, and there's genuine imagination in the world she's built—the aftermath of the Asherian War, the Celestials and their Legacy ambassadors, the banished dragons of the Outer Edge, and the revelation that everything Astraea believed was built on deception.
The LGBTQ representation is a welcome addition, and the scope of what Scichilone is attempting—multiple races, political intrigue, reimagined mythology, shifting alliances—shows real vision.
But the execution didn't quite land for me. The pacing felt rushed, with major revelations and emotional beats skimmed over rather than allowed to breathe. I kept feeling like I was being told the story rather than shown it—summarized through rather than immersed in. The world-building, while ambitious, became slightly tedious to track; I found myself losing the thread of who was what and why it mattered.
There's a promising foundation here, and readers who don't mind a faster pace and denser exposition may connect with it more than I did. For me, it was a mixed experience—intriguing pieces that never quite cohered into something I could sink into fully.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
The LGBTQ representation is a welcome addition, and the scope of what Scichilone is attempting—multiple races, political intrigue, reimagined mythology, shifting alliances—shows real vision.
But the execution didn't quite land for me. The pacing felt rushed, with major revelations and emotional beats skimmed over rather than allowed to breathe. I kept feeling like I was being told the story rather than shown it—summarized through rather than immersed in. The world-building, while ambitious, became slightly tedious to track; I found myself losing the thread of who was what and why it mattered.
There's a promising foundation here, and readers who don't mind a faster pace and denser exposition may connect with it more than I did. For me, it was a mixed experience—intriguing pieces that never quite cohered into something I could sink into fully.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 10, 2026
I went back and forth with this book from beginning to end. I almost DNF a few times. The relationships felt so rushed and out of nowhere. The whole plot of the story had so many holes and not enough back story or even a conclusion. The book just...ended. Yes, in a wild cliffhanger but it wasn't needed. The way that the three sisters interacted with each other, all of them in their 20s, early 30s seemed so childish. They all talked like they were in middle school/high school. Estrella, being the oldest, obviously felt like she needed to protect them. But they're adults, not children. Also, their "disabilities" (hearing aids, asthma, lupus, etc.) I sorta get having some representation but, they were, pointless? Like it didn't add to their characters. I also had such a hard time connecting with Ash and Estrella's "fated" relationship. Like, they hated each other and then in 5 minutes they loved each other so much they can't live with each other? Again, so rushed, we didnt get much of their background story. I wish that their "mated" relationship would've gone through the whole book, with them fighting it or ...at least questioning it, or slowly adjusting to it, but no. It was like "BAM! You're my mate, bite my finger, taste my blood, i love you. these are MY feelings for this book. Not that the book was written wrong. It just didn't resonate with me. I do hope others read it and make their own opinions, but these are mine.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 4, 2026
I have mixed feelings about this book. The premise of this book and the tropes sounded amazing, but I personally had a hard time getting into the story.
I liked how diverse the cast of characters was (pronoun use, disabilities, etc). Unfortunately I had a hard time distinguishing the characters from each other and kept getting them mixed up. I don’t know if that was just a me problem or if there’s a way to make the switch from one POV to another even clearer. The chapters were marked with characters’ names so it’s not that it wasn’t mentioned, but I personally just got confused with who was who. Maybe having more introduction to the characters might have helped with that?
The world of the book seemed really interesting and I liked the idea of this being a modern day Earth, just reshaped by disasters. But like with the characters, I would’ve personally loved to see a bit more world building.
The dragon bonds happened really suddenly and almost randomly, and again, I would’ve loved to get a bit more explanation about the whole bond situation.
Even though this book didn’t check all the boxes for me personally, I don’t think it’s a bad book, and I think the series has potential.
Thank you NetGalley & author Shania Scichilone for the eARC. Receiving ARC didn’t affect my opinion of the book and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.
I liked how diverse the cast of characters was (pronoun use, disabilities, etc). Unfortunately I had a hard time distinguishing the characters from each other and kept getting them mixed up. I don’t know if that was just a me problem or if there’s a way to make the switch from one POV to another even clearer. The chapters were marked with characters’ names so it’s not that it wasn’t mentioned, but I personally just got confused with who was who. Maybe having more introduction to the characters might have helped with that?
The world of the book seemed really interesting and I liked the idea of this being a modern day Earth, just reshaped by disasters. But like with the characters, I would’ve personally loved to see a bit more world building.
The dragon bonds happened really suddenly and almost randomly, and again, I would’ve loved to get a bit more explanation about the whole bond situation.
Even though this book didn’t check all the boxes for me personally, I don’t think it’s a bad book, and I think the series has potential.
Thank you NetGalley & author Shania Scichilone for the eARC. Receiving ARC didn’t affect my opinion of the book and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.
June 12, 2026
I was so excited to start this one! Dragons, tropes that I love, and a somewhat different magic system.
I liked the beginning and meeting the characters and the introduction and of the eteri. I loved this start of the banter between to two MC’s, but for me… it felt super insta love. After that I could not relate to their bond… maybe if we had seen more of their past together and seen them in years I could see how they fell so hard for each other. But for me I could just not feel their love since it was so sudden. I needed more backstory and build up.
I did get confused often with the sisters having so many different nicknames for each other, it made it hard to follow who was speaking. In real life I get it for sure, but in the story it didn’t relate well and made it confusing.
I did like the plot twist with Calix and Malek!
I mean of course his name is Malek so I said okay red flag watch him, but we had our eyes on Calix ! I was so sure Calix was doing some shady business, but the betrayal in the end! He was her friend ! And for him to get everyone to turn on Astrea with how high ranked she is was crazy !
Poor Calix and Ravena, they would have been cute together. That little fizzle you could tell he had been watching her for a while.
Overall, I wanted this book to give me so much more.
I will probably still read one of the authors other books.
I liked the beginning and meeting the characters and the introduction and of the eteri. I loved this start of the banter between to two MC’s, but for me… it felt super insta love. After that I could not relate to their bond… maybe if we had seen more of their past together and seen them in years I could see how they fell so hard for each other. But for me I could just not feel their love since it was so sudden. I needed more backstory and build up.
I did get confused often with the sisters having so many different nicknames for each other, it made it hard to follow who was speaking. In real life I get it for sure, but in the story it didn’t relate well and made it confusing.
I did like the plot twist with Calix and Malek!
I mean of course his name is Malek so I said okay red flag watch him, but we had our eyes on Calix ! I was so sure Calix was doing some shady business, but the betrayal in the end! He was her friend ! And for him to get everyone to turn on Astrea with how high ranked she is was crazy !
Poor Calix and Ravena, they would have been cute together. That little fizzle you could tell he had been watching her for a while.
Overall, I wanted this book to give me so much more.
I will probably still read one of the authors other books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 29, 2025
Magic, dragons, slow-burn romance... and yet, something didn’t quite click.
Nemesis is a unique dystopian fantasy with bold worldbuilding, found family vibes, and badass adult female leads. It’s packed with inclusive rep, dragon bonding (yes, really), and a brooding fae king that adds just the right amount of tension.
I struggled a bit to connect early on—4 POVs made it tough to settle into the characters, especially the FMCs.But as the story unfolded, I started to enjoy how their perspectives overlapped and built something deeper together. Their dynamic felt layered and emotionally grounded.
The twist involving the mom? So well done. And yes, I’m definitely invested in Asher and Astraea. The world mixes fantasy with real-world elements, which might not be for everyone—but the character development and fresh ideas really stood out.
✨ If you enjoy inclusive, character-driven fantasy with slow-burn romance, dragons, and strong sisterhood themes—Nemesis might be your next read.
Special thank you to R&R book tours and the author for a copy to review!
Nemesis is a unique dystopian fantasy with bold worldbuilding, found family vibes, and badass adult female leads. It’s packed with inclusive rep, dragon bonding (yes, really), and a brooding fae king that adds just the right amount of tension.
I struggled a bit to connect early on—4 POVs made it tough to settle into the characters, especially the FMCs.But as the story unfolded, I started to enjoy how their perspectives overlapped and built something deeper together. Their dynamic felt layered and emotionally grounded.
The twist involving the mom? So well done. And yes, I’m definitely invested in Asher and Astraea. The world mixes fantasy with real-world elements, which might not be for everyone—but the character development and fresh ideas really stood out.
✨ If you enjoy inclusive, character-driven fantasy with slow-burn romance, dragons, and strong sisterhood themes—Nemesis might be your next read.
Special thank you to R&R book tours and the author for a copy to review!
August 1, 2025
*ARC*
I was blown away with how beautifully written this book is!!! There are a lot of main characters but you don't feel like it's too much. Each of the three sisters have their own story within the story happening and it's interesting to get their perspective as well.
My favorite sister has got to be Astraea, she's bad*ss, loyal, determined, and the banter she has with Asher is GOLD. I absolutely love Asher!! He is my favorite character in this whole book. He's obsessive, possessive, loving, loyal, and just the things that come out of this man's mouth are perfection.
As relationships deepen, especially with the dragons, you get to see the thoughts of each of the characters, their fears, their pain, their love.
There are definitely parts where you will cry, parts where you will feel anger, and the spice and longing is worth the wait. The banter between Asher and Astraea is amazing!!! I love it so much.
The character growth is really good in this book and I cannot wait for book 2 because the cliffhanger was brutal!!!!
I was blown away with how beautifully written this book is!!! There are a lot of main characters but you don't feel like it's too much. Each of the three sisters have their own story within the story happening and it's interesting to get their perspective as well.
My favorite sister has got to be Astraea, she's bad*ss, loyal, determined, and the banter she has with Asher is GOLD. I absolutely love Asher!! He is my favorite character in this whole book. He's obsessive, possessive, loving, loyal, and just the things that come out of this man's mouth are perfection.
As relationships deepen, especially with the dragons, you get to see the thoughts of each of the characters, their fears, their pain, their love.
There are definitely parts where you will cry, parts where you will feel anger, and the spice and longing is worth the wait. The banter between Asher and Astraea is amazing!!! I love it so much.
The character growth is really good in this book and I cannot wait for book 2 because the cliffhanger was brutal!!!!
August 26, 2025
📚Book Review📚
🤐Spoiler Free🤐
⭐️4.1 Stars⭐️
Thank you so much to the amazing @rrbooktours and @shaniascichilone for providing me with a copy of “Nemesis”!
I was so excited when I got the email I’ll be receiving an eARC of this book!
When Astraea a powerful general two sisters get abducted she has no choice but to follow her siblings and become a willing captive. Enemies become allies and allies become enemies so who do you trust?
I loved the world building in this book so much and each character was written so well! Lately I’ve been loving books with dragons in them and this delivered perfectly! I loved seeing Astraea and King Asher grow together in this book and I loved the fact that this book was written in multiple POVs, it really helped bring the story together!
Thank you again to the amazing @rrbooktours and @shaniascichilone for providing an e-ARC of “Nemesis”!💕📚
TROPES:
-Chronic Illness Rep💕
-Enemies To Lovers🗡️
-Dragons🐉
-Fae🧝🏻
-Romantasy❤️🔥
-Queer-Normative World🥰
-Magic🪄
🤐Spoiler Free🤐
⭐️4.1 Stars⭐️
Thank you so much to the amazing @rrbooktours and @shaniascichilone for providing me with a copy of “Nemesis”!
I was so excited when I got the email I’ll be receiving an eARC of this book!
When Astraea a powerful general two sisters get abducted she has no choice but to follow her siblings and become a willing captive. Enemies become allies and allies become enemies so who do you trust?
I loved the world building in this book so much and each character was written so well! Lately I’ve been loving books with dragons in them and this delivered perfectly! I loved seeing Astraea and King Asher grow together in this book and I loved the fact that this book was written in multiple POVs, it really helped bring the story together!
Thank you again to the amazing @rrbooktours and @shaniascichilone for providing an e-ARC of “Nemesis”!💕📚
TROPES:
-Chronic Illness Rep💕
-Enemies To Lovers🗡️
-Dragons🐉
-Fae🧝🏻
-Romantasy❤️🔥
-Queer-Normative World🥰
-Magic🪄
July 26, 2025
A beautifully written romantic fantasy set in our world in the future after the destruction of most the world, and fae magic and dragons all appear. This multiple POV book takes you on an exciting adventure following the paths of 3 sisters who all wield magic and work together to overcome each of their own difficulties, I loved the representation of their three different disabilities and how they worked together to support each other through them. You also get to see the beautiful buildup of tension from an enemies to lovers relationship between the oldest sister and the fae king whose she’s always thought hated her. During the kidnapping of the sisters and their bonds and developments with the dragons grow and was one of my favorite features of the book seeing into their minds and seeing those interactions. Now I just need the next book asap since this one ended on a cliffhanger! My rating 4.7/5!
Thanks to the author for the gifted copy, all opinions given are my own!
Thanks to the author for the gifted copy, all opinions given are my own!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2026
Really wanted to like this one more. So much potential it just is under written.
What I liked: dragons. A magic system. And pretty unique world building, and sisters who love and support one another. Also lots of disability rep.
What I didn’t love:
I kept getting confused between the three sister POVs because their names are all similar and they all use nick names that could match any of their names. The chapters are all extremely short (which I usually love) but switching between 4 characters constantly, I never got a hang of who was who except the grumpy fighter sister and Ash.
Very, very fast plot development. Even the romance is whirl wind fast. We go from grumpy disinterest (she isn’t even aware he likes her), to sex, and then mid-sex to fated soul mates in a single night. I would have loved all of these things stretched out over the full book. Not wrapped up half way through.
The plot is similarly rushed.
What I liked: dragons. A magic system. And pretty unique world building, and sisters who love and support one another. Also lots of disability rep.
What I didn’t love:
I kept getting confused between the three sister POVs because their names are all similar and they all use nick names that could match any of their names. The chapters are all extremely short (which I usually love) but switching between 4 characters constantly, I never got a hang of who was who except the grumpy fighter sister and Ash.
Very, very fast plot development. Even the romance is whirl wind fast. We go from grumpy disinterest (she isn’t even aware he likes her), to sex, and then mid-sex to fated soul mates in a single night. I would have loved all of these things stretched out over the full book. Not wrapped up half way through.
The plot is similarly rushed.
June 25, 2026
“Nemesis,” by Shania Scichilone
This book has so many things I love, and I can already tell this series has a lot of potential. The world is full of dragons, fae, bonded dragons, elemental magic, and political intrigue. It follows Astraea after dragons abduct her sisters, forcing her into the Outer Edge where she discovers everything she's been taught about dragons might be a lie. One thing I absolutely loved was all the extras. The guide, maps, and illustrations were such a nice touch and made the world feel so much bigger. The dragon bonds were probably my favorite part. I loved seeing the connection between the characters and their dragons, and I'm excited to see where those relationships go in future books. My biggest issue was the number of POVs. For the first book, there were just a little too many perspectives for me.
3 out of 5 stars
-Dragons
-Fae
-Multi POV
-Political Intrigue
Thank you for the free copy, Netgalley.
This book has so many things I love, and I can already tell this series has a lot of potential. The world is full of dragons, fae, bonded dragons, elemental magic, and political intrigue. It follows Astraea after dragons abduct her sisters, forcing her into the Outer Edge where she discovers everything she's been taught about dragons might be a lie. One thing I absolutely loved was all the extras. The guide, maps, and illustrations were such a nice touch and made the world feel so much bigger. The dragon bonds were probably my favorite part. I loved seeing the connection between the characters and their dragons, and I'm excited to see where those relationships go in future books. My biggest issue was the number of POVs. For the first book, there were just a little too many perspectives for me.
3 out of 5 stars
-Dragons
-Fae
-Multi POV
-Political Intrigue
Thank you for the free copy, Netgalley.
April 3, 2026
I was excited about the premise behind this book but it ultimately fell short for me in execution. Initially, I loved that it contained many elements in my favorite books - fae, dragons, magic, fated bonds. However, the dynamic between the FMC & FMC felt rushed and forced at times. It went from snarky FMC hate/teasing vibe to quickly romantic and even more quickly fated soulmate bond. I also felt the pacing was off for me - with so many POVs for a somewhat short book, I could have done without the sister POVs and their storylines. I wanted to know so much more about the magic system, the Asherian War, and the royal house but we did not get much detail. It was challenging to keep track of who was who as far as siblings, with a lack of distinction between them for a majority of the book. As a result this did not connect for me.
Thank you to Net Galley for the arc 💜
Thank you to Net Galley for the arc 💜
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 25, 2025
Nemesis - Shania Scichilone
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
SPICE: 🌶️🌶️
“I vow to love you, protect you, and cherish you forever.”
Wow… that ending. 😳
@shaniascichilone this is the second time you have left me on a killer cliffhanger of a freaking ending.
Nemesis is a story that follows three sisters as their lives get thrown into chaos. Dragons were always the enemies but now they are actually the good guys?!
The plot progressed at a fast pace but boy did the romance burn slow. The slowly evolving romance between Astraea and Asher will have you on the edge of your seat. And let me tell you it doesn’t disappoint!! 🫦
This romantasy novel was a really good read and I will without a doubt be purchasing a physical copy for my trophy shelf!
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
SPICE: 🌶️🌶️
“I vow to love you, protect you, and cherish you forever.”
Wow… that ending. 😳
@shaniascichilone this is the second time you have left me on a killer cliffhanger of a freaking ending.
Nemesis is a story that follows three sisters as their lives get thrown into chaos. Dragons were always the enemies but now they are actually the good guys?!
The plot progressed at a fast pace but boy did the romance burn slow. The slowly evolving romance between Astraea and Asher will have you on the edge of your seat. And let me tell you it doesn’t disappoint!! 🫦
This romantasy novel was a really good read and I will without a doubt be purchasing a physical copy for my trophy shelf!
July 30, 2025
🖤 Nemesis is an absolutely amazing book. I love a good Dark Romantasy book.
Nemesis is book one in The Wrath of Chaos.
The prologue had me hooked. Every part of this book was just everything.
Shania absolutely poured her soul into Nemesis. I wanted to devour this book but I took my time because I want to savor every bit of it. I loved the names of the characters. The uniqueness of them. The artwork was gorgeous.
• Morally Grey Shadow Mommy
• A Fae King who Yearns
• One Horse Trope — But it’s a Dragon
• Delicious Banter and Tension
• Dragons x Dragon Riders
I am becoming more and more of a lover of books with dragons. They are fierce. Astraea’s character was my favorite. I love how there was more than one POV in the story. I enjoy being able to read it from other characters views.
Nemesis is book one in The Wrath of Chaos.
The prologue had me hooked. Every part of this book was just everything.
Shania absolutely poured her soul into Nemesis. I wanted to devour this book but I took my time because I want to savor every bit of it. I loved the names of the characters. The uniqueness of them. The artwork was gorgeous.
• Morally Grey Shadow Mommy
• A Fae King who Yearns
• One Horse Trope — But it’s a Dragon
• Delicious Banter and Tension
• Dragons x Dragon Riders
I am becoming more and more of a lover of books with dragons. They are fierce. Astraea’s character was my favorite. I love how there was more than one POV in the story. I enjoy being able to read it from other characters views.
August 12, 2025
Dragons, magic, gods, enemies to lovers? Yes, yes, yes and yes. I absolutely loved the representation within this book and seeing how impacts not just that individual character, but everyone else as well. There were definitely some tears shed and the ending! Excuse me?!
I do wish there was more representation of the various races, magic, etc. and maybe even discussion on what’s going on with the other dragons outside of the circle of ones we are introduced to. I feel like they were briefly mentioned/shown, but I hope to see more in the second book.
I did love that the dragons had their own personalities and were very expressive. I will say that Aurelia is my favorite out of the three sisters.
I do wish there was more representation of the various races, magic, etc. and maybe even discussion on what’s going on with the other dragons outside of the circle of ones we are introduced to. I feel like they were briefly mentioned/shown, but I hope to see more in the second book.
I did love that the dragons had their own personalities and were very expressive. I will say that Aurelia is my favorite out of the three sisters.
August 19, 2025
Loved, loved, loved this book! One of my favorite parts of the whole thing is the sheer amount of diverse representation that was woven into this story. I absolutely loved how much depth each character had in this book, each character was clearly well thought out. I did have a bit of trouble reading this book as I normally would, and honestly that was my own fault for under estimating the sheer amount of world building that was going to be introduced all at once. This is clearly a world that the author has spent countless hours planning out and it really shows! I would recommend keeping a notebook handy when you’re reading this book! Also, the amount of sassy-ness in this book from both the characters and the dragons is absolutely A tier! (I’m looking at you Idris 🐉👀)
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