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Gods & Monsters #1
Книга Азраїла
Рятуючи життя сестри, Діанна заприсяглася служити Кейдену, монстру з легенд. Ця обітниця назавжди перетворює її саму на чудовисько. Кейден мріє відчинити браму в інші світи, щоб випустити на волю кровожерних і злих створінь і занурити все навколо у хаос. Тисячу років тому ці світи запечатав Семкаїл, Король Богів, якого нарекли Нищителем Світів.
Тепер Семкаїла звуть Ліам, і він живе як відлюдник, не підозрюючи, що деякі з його одвічних ворогів вижили в минулих битвах. Вони шукають артефакт, який може надати їм значну перевагу в майбутній війні богів і монстрів. Аби знайти цей артефакт першими, Ліаму й Діанні доведеться забути про ворожнечу та діяти разом. Чи зможуть вони запобігти катастрофі й відвернути кінець світу?
Тепер Семкаїла звуть Ліам, і він живе як відлюдник, не підозрюючи, що деякі з його одвічних ворогів вижили в минулих битвах. Вони шукають артефакт, який може надати їм значну перевагу в майбутній війні богів і монстрів. Аби знайти цей артефакт першими, Ліаму й Діанні доведеться забути про ворожнечу та діяти разом. Чи зможуть вони запобігти катастрофі й відвернути кінець світу?
696 pages, Hardcover
First published April 26, 2022
48379 people are currently reading
582586 people want to read
About the author
Amber V. Nicole
15 books8,726 followersAmber V Nicole is a dark fantasy writer with a touch of horror added into the mix. When she is not writing new and fantastic ways to devastate her readers she is probably playing video games or obsessing over anime. Amber loves morally gray characters with their flaws and all and is always dreaming of far off places with dragons, magic, and swords. She loves a good villain and plans to tell many stories showcasing them in the spotlight.
You can find Amber active the most on her Instagram.
You can find Amber active the most on her Instagram.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 23,941 reviews
December 7, 2023
➸ 4.5 stars
— this book just consumed me completely, i go to sleep and i dream about this book, and that ending?? it left me SHOCKED, i had to go and download the next immediately after reading this one!! that cliffhanger still has me crying.. amber nicole, you will be paying for my therapy as i did not expect to endure such pain! 😭
➷ the plot centers around the search for the Book of Azrael, an ancient artifact poised to shape the fate of the world — this said tome has the ability to open doors between realms that were closed millennia ago and contains the celestial secret on how to kill the “world-ender” - and kaden will go through any lengths to get this book in his possession. kaden’s OtherWorld Army embark on a mission to possess it and bring him the book - only kaden’s second in command, dianna betrays him and forms an alliance with liam to save the world and the realms — now these two must work together to prevent the impending doom and find the book before it lands in kaden’s possession.
➷ initially, it was a little slow when the author was building up the world and the writing did feel clunky at the start, so maybe it would’ve been better if there was an editor. it did take me a while to completely immerse myself in the world, but once the book started to progress and liam was introduced to us, i could not put this book DOWN. the world building became very complex and the author manages to fully immerse you into her world and leaves you wanting more. i was intrigued by the power system possessed by the gods and monsters. this book also had the perfect balance of modern and ancient societal aspects.
➳ dianna, a ruthless, fiery bad bitch with a snarky attitude - she is the epitome of a badass fmc. she is cruel, sassy, strong, completely selfless and the most perfect morally grey fmc i have ever encountered, but she hides behind a façade of sarcasm and snark. she is the most feared creature and a dangerous weapon — she is made for chaos and destruction, but she has a single soft spot for her sister gabby. she would go to any lengths to protect her sister and would do absolutely ANYTHING for her, including giving up her mortal life to an evil king (kaden) just to save her sisters life thousands of years ago. her character development was so raw and real, it truly brought her character to life. if you were a fan of katherine pierce in tvd then you will absolutely love dianna bc they both give off the same vibes.
➳ liam is a stoic traumatised hero - he is also known as samkiel and the world ender. dianna and liam could not be any more different personality-wise, but they both are broken in their own way. when we are first introduced to him, we see that he is in a very dark mental state. he’s suffering from PTSD and depression bc of the fall and destruction of his home world, rashearim. he has suffered for a long time and is constantly reliving the mistakes of his past and pushing away everyone who loves and cares for him — but who knew that it would only take the stubborn and exasperating dianna to be able to break down his walls and make him come out of shell and live life again.
➷ the relationship between dianna and liam was indeed very hostile at the beginning however, when they go on a journey and are forced to stay together, the two begin to slowly open up to one another, show a deep understanding for one another and they slowly start to become friends and build trust between them. i love how soft liam was for dianna, it literally melted my heart — but they both are more than willing to burn down the world for each other. i loved that dianna becomes liam's "saviour" especially during his nightmares and liam learns to rely on her during those hours.
the tension between was HOTTT and the banter was also so good, i was obsessed and it constantly kept me on my toes!! there was just an amazing dynamic between them. liam barely understands modern language since he isolated himself, so the exchanges between them both was fun to read!! i literally giggled when he said “fuck” for the first time bc that word isn’t in his vocabulary lmaoo. their relationship took time to develop and didn't feel rushed or forced which i admired — the two of them were full of sexual tension, longing, and deep, unrelenting feelings that neither of them wanted to acknowledge.
— this is a true enemies to lovers story, they truly loathed each other at the start bc by the nature of who they are, they are technically mortal enemies and she fr tries to kill him during their first encounter 🤭 these two can’t co-exist in the same place but they both needed to put aside their differences to save the universe. their kinds have been fighting each other for centuries, one is a god and one is a monster so it also has the perfect balance of forbidden love which made this book even more exciting. and the slow burn?? oh my goddd, was it burning!! this is EXACTLY what i expect when i see a book marketed as “slow burn” — THE SLOW BURN WAS ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS IN THIS BOOK!! i tenaciously recommend this book >>>
”i didn’t remember how long we talked, but somewhere amidst her laughter and smiles, i decided i would rip the world apart for her.”
— this book just consumed me completely, i go to sleep and i dream about this book, and that ending?? it left me SHOCKED, i had to go and download the next immediately after reading this one!! that cliffhanger still has me crying.. amber nicole, you will be paying for my therapy as i did not expect to endure such pain! 😭
➷ the plot centers around the search for the Book of Azrael, an ancient artifact poised to shape the fate of the world — this said tome has the ability to open doors between realms that were closed millennia ago and contains the celestial secret on how to kill the “world-ender” - and kaden will go through any lengths to get this book in his possession. kaden’s OtherWorld Army embark on a mission to possess it and bring him the book - only kaden’s second in command, dianna betrays him and forms an alliance with liam to save the world and the realms — now these two must work together to prevent the impending doom and find the book before it lands in kaden’s possession.
➷ initially, it was a little slow when the author was building up the world and the writing did feel clunky at the start, so maybe it would’ve been better if there was an editor. it did take me a while to completely immerse myself in the world, but once the book started to progress and liam was introduced to us, i could not put this book DOWN. the world building became very complex and the author manages to fully immerse you into her world and leaves you wanting more. i was intrigued by the power system possessed by the gods and monsters. this book also had the perfect balance of modern and ancient societal aspects.
”the burning embers in the depths of her hazel eyes lit up the room and my entire world.”
➳ dianna, a ruthless, fiery bad bitch with a snarky attitude - she is the epitome of a badass fmc. she is cruel, sassy, strong, completely selfless and the most perfect morally grey fmc i have ever encountered, but she hides behind a façade of sarcasm and snark. she is the most feared creature and a dangerous weapon — she is made for chaos and destruction, but she has a single soft spot for her sister gabby. she would go to any lengths to protect her sister and would do absolutely ANYTHING for her, including giving up her mortal life to an evil king (kaden) just to save her sisters life thousands of years ago. her character development was so raw and real, it truly brought her character to life. if you were a fan of katherine pierce in tvd then you will absolutely love dianna bc they both give off the same vibes.
➳ liam is a stoic traumatised hero - he is also known as samkiel and the world ender. dianna and liam could not be any more different personality-wise, but they both are broken in their own way. when we are first introduced to him, we see that he is in a very dark mental state. he’s suffering from PTSD and depression bc of the fall and destruction of his home world, rashearim. he has suffered for a long time and is constantly reliving the mistakes of his past and pushing away everyone who loves and cares for him — but who knew that it would only take the stubborn and exasperating dianna to be able to break down his walls and make him come out of shell and live life again.
“you already consume my every waking thought. must you consume my dreams as well?”
➷ the relationship between dianna and liam was indeed very hostile at the beginning however, when they go on a journey and are forced to stay together, the two begin to slowly open up to one another, show a deep understanding for one another and they slowly start to become friends and build trust between them. i love how soft liam was for dianna, it literally melted my heart — but they both are more than willing to burn down the world for each other. i loved that dianna becomes liam's "saviour" especially during his nightmares and liam learns to rely on her during those hours.
the tension between was HOTTT and the banter was also so good, i was obsessed and it constantly kept me on my toes!! there was just an amazing dynamic between them. liam barely understands modern language since he isolated himself, so the exchanges between them both was fun to read!! i literally giggled when he said “fuck” for the first time bc that word isn’t in his vocabulary lmaoo. their relationship took time to develop and didn't feel rushed or forced which i admired — the two of them were full of sexual tension, longing, and deep, unrelenting feelings that neither of them wanted to acknowledge.
— this is a true enemies to lovers story, they truly loathed each other at the start bc by the nature of who they are, they are technically mortal enemies and she fr tries to kill him during their first encounter 🤭 these two can’t co-exist in the same place but they both needed to put aside their differences to save the universe. their kinds have been fighting each other for centuries, one is a god and one is a monster so it also has the perfect balance of forbidden love which made this book even more exciting. and the slow burn?? oh my goddd, was it burning!! this is EXACTLY what i expect when i see a book marketed as “slow burn” — THE SLOW BURN WAS ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS IN THIS BOOK!! i tenaciously recommend this book >>>
September 7, 2023
4.5 ⭐ Holy f*cking sh*t READ THIS NOW!!!!!!!!!!
Summary:
A thousand years ago, Dianna gave up her life to save her dying sister. Now, reborn with dangerous powers, she serves as the right hand to the king of monsters.
Samkiel, the World Ender, is a myth to many. After the Gods War, he locked himself away, denying his crown and responsibilities. But when old threats resurface, Samkiel realizes he can no longer hide.
Dianna and Samkiel are enemies older than time, but they must put aside their differences and work together in the hopes of saving both their world and every realm in between.
My Thoughts:
It's been almost a month since I've read this book, and I still think about it every day!
WHAT TO EXPECT:
🌎 Unique world (gods, monsters, humans)
😈 Morally grey, cheeky heroine
🤕 Damaged, cinnamon roll hero
❤️ TRUE enemies-to-lovers
🗣 Amazing banter
🔥 Slow burn romance
🌶 Eventual smut (1-2 scenes)
🤺 Incredible action/fighting sequences
😱 Shocking twists and turns
🩻 Trauma/PTSD healing journey
😭 Heartbreaking cliffhanger
✔️ Perfect pacing / constantly entertained
The characters are phenomenal. I absolutely adore Dianna and Samkiel aka Liam. But what took me by surprise is how attached I've become to the secondary characters, i.e. Gabby, Logan, Neverra, and Drake. And Kaden is such an amazing villain! I can't wait to learn more about him.
The world-building and story are so unique! I genuinely haven't read anything like this before. And the best part is that there are NO info dumps! 👏
And the story kept me on my toes the ENTIRE TIME! So many plot twists I did not see coming! And that cliffhanger. . . I sobbed. You've been warned.
However, there are some typos and errors throughout the story. Hopefully, this won't be an issue in the next book.
Overall, The Book of Azrael is a fantastic, captivating story! I can't believe it's a debut novel! This is the best fantasy book I've read this year. And depending on how the series goes, it may top ACOTAR for me. . . Like Rhys and Feyre, who??? Nah, Liam and Dianna!!
Thank you to Amber Nicole and Rose & Star Publishing for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review! As always, all opinions are my own.
Summary:
A thousand years ago, Dianna gave up her life to save her dying sister. Now, reborn with dangerous powers, she serves as the right hand to the king of monsters.
Samkiel, the World Ender, is a myth to many. After the Gods War, he locked himself away, denying his crown and responsibilities. But when old threats resurface, Samkiel realizes he can no longer hide.
Dianna and Samkiel are enemies older than time, but they must put aside their differences and work together in the hopes of saving both their world and every realm in between.
My Thoughts:
It's been almost a month since I've read this book, and I still think about it every day!
WHAT TO EXPECT:
🌎 Unique world (gods, monsters, humans)
😈 Morally grey, cheeky heroine
🤕 Damaged, cinnamon roll hero
❤️ TRUE enemies-to-lovers
🗣 Amazing banter
🔥 Slow burn romance
🌶 Eventual smut (1-2 scenes)
🤺 Incredible action/fighting sequences
😱 Shocking twists and turns
🩻 Trauma/PTSD healing journey
😭 Heartbreaking cliffhanger
✔️ Perfect pacing / constantly entertained
The characters are phenomenal. I absolutely adore Dianna and Samkiel aka Liam. But what took me by surprise is how attached I've become to the secondary characters, i.e. Gabby, Logan, Neverra, and Drake. And Kaden is such an amazing villain! I can't wait to learn more about him.
The world-building and story are so unique! I genuinely haven't read anything like this before. And the best part is that there are NO info dumps! 👏
And the story kept me on my toes the ENTIRE TIME! So many plot twists I did not see coming! And that cliffhanger. . . I sobbed. You've been warned.
However, there are some typos and errors throughout the story. Hopefully, this won't be an issue in the next book.
Overall, The Book of Azrael is a fantastic, captivating story! I can't believe it's a debut novel! This is the best fantasy book I've read this year. And depending on how the series goes, it may top ACOTAR for me. . . Like Rhys and Feyre, who??? Nah, Liam and Dianna!!
Thank you to Amber Nicole and Rose & Star Publishing for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review! As always, all opinions are my own.
May 16, 2022
Plot- 4.5/5🌟
Spice- 1.5/5🌶️
"I didn’t remember how long we talked, but somewhere amidst her laughter and smiles, I decided I would rip the world apart for her."
✔️Enemies to lovers
✔️Slow burn
✔️FMC as a villian
✔️Epic world building
✔️Only one bed
✔️Forced proximity
✔️Forbidden romance
✔️Action sequences that leave you wanting for more
✔️Cliffhanger
It's basically close to perfection😍😍The characters are so complex yet likable. Liam is the World Ender- and our love interest. He's the definition of a grump. But to get to know his highs and lows is such a moving experience. You'll immediately fall in love with him. He's a total romantic and is so open about his feelings. Dianna our FMC is a badass warrior. But what I did not like about her was her snarkyness. It was a bit too much and sometimes it was not even required. Though, as the story progresses she only gets better and better. Kaden is our villian- I know we're supposed to hate him but he has a certain appeal about himself that attracts the reader (or at least I was attracted)👀
The supporting characters are pretty good themselves but not much revealed about them for me to judge or review them.
The plot unravels at a consistent smooth pace which I LOVED. It never goes too fast or too slow. There's no info dumping done, the author was smart to execute it well. So kudos to her👏👏The transition to enemies to lovers is done so PERFECTLY, I just adored it. The two have such great chemistry together it's hard not to root for them😩
The cliffhanger has me crying. I NEED THE NEXT BOOK. I'm honestly so glad I decided to give this a read. It's a perfect fantasy romance (and absolutely swoon worthy). Don't hesitate to give it a read. I highly recommend.
"But it was not this world.
No, it was mine.
It was Dianna."
eARC provided by Booksirens for an honest review.
Spice- 1.5/5🌶️
"I didn’t remember how long we talked, but somewhere amidst her laughter and smiles, I decided I would rip the world apart for her."
✔️Enemies to lovers
✔️Slow burn
✔️FMC as a villian
✔️Epic world building
✔️Only one bed
✔️Forced proximity
✔️Forbidden romance
✔️Action sequences that leave you wanting for more
✔️Cliffhanger
It's basically close to perfection😍😍The characters are so complex yet likable. Liam is the World Ender- and our love interest. He's the definition of a grump. But to get to know his highs and lows is such a moving experience. You'll immediately fall in love with him. He's a total romantic and is so open about his feelings. Dianna our FMC is a badass warrior. But what I did not like about her was her snarkyness. It was a bit too much and sometimes it was not even required. Though, as the story progresses she only gets better and better. Kaden is our villian- I know we're supposed to hate him but he has a certain appeal about himself that attracts the reader (or at least I was attracted)👀
The supporting characters are pretty good themselves but not much revealed about them for me to judge or review them.
The plot unravels at a consistent smooth pace which I LOVED. It never goes too fast or too slow. There's no info dumping done, the author was smart to execute it well. So kudos to her👏👏The transition to enemies to lovers is done so PERFECTLY, I just adored it. The two have such great chemistry together it's hard not to root for them😩
The cliffhanger has me crying. I NEED THE NEXT BOOK. I'm honestly so glad I decided to give this a read. It's a perfect fantasy romance (and absolutely swoon worthy). Don't hesitate to give it a read. I highly recommend.
"But it was not this world.
No, it was mine.
It was Dianna."
eARC provided by Booksirens for an honest review.
February 1, 2025
6 STARS OF PERFECTION!!! I AM BROKEN!!!!! Oh my god. I have no words. The betrayal. The pain. THAT ENDING!!!! Hellooooo Dianna villain era!
By far one of my favorite reads of 2023 I cannot recommend this book enough even though this series will bring so much pain and emotional damage!!
I’m obsessed with my cinnamon role samkiel and absolutely love that I know he is going to stand by Diannas side as she seeks her revenge and loses her soul in the next book. This man has me absolutely RUINEDDDDDDD!! The banter!! His mouth?!! Goddddddd he sky rocketed to my top 5 book boyfriends so fast I’m unwell!!
Dianna…. ONE OF MY FAVORITE FMCs ever!!!! Don’t even start with me. She’s the morally gray one and can do no wrong. I literally want to be her. Bye.
I’m obsessed. And I’m so much pain. I had no idea this was slated to be a 6 book series and only 2 books are out…. I cannot sleep soundly knowing that my favorite book couple might parish.
Loved every second.
By far one of my favorite reads of 2023 I cannot recommend this book enough even though this series will bring so much pain and emotional damage!!
I’m obsessed with my cinnamon role samkiel and absolutely love that I know he is going to stand by Diannas side as she seeks her revenge and loses her soul in the next book. This man has me absolutely RUINEDDDDDDD!! The banter!! His mouth?!! Goddddddd he sky rocketed to my top 5 book boyfriends so fast I’m unwell!!
Dianna…. ONE OF MY FAVORITE FMCs ever!!!! Don’t even start with me. She’s the morally gray one and can do no wrong. I literally want to be her. Bye.
I’m obsessed. And I’m so much pain. I had no idea this was slated to be a 6 book series and only 2 books are out…. I cannot sleep soundly knowing that my favorite book couple might parish.
Loved every second.
March 22, 2025
I’m so conflicted with this one because the fantasy elements were super interesting (literally about gods vs monsters)…but romantasy & I may not be clicking right now 😔
The FMC Dianna is on the monsters side - and I am obsessed with her. She was SO funny, strong, witty & entertaining!!! The romance was refreshing, definitely a slow burn but also a TRUE enemies to lovers which I fear we’ve been missing in a lot of recent romantasy books. (Liam and Dianna’s dynamic was also lowkey funny they had me laughing many times)
On the OTHER HAND…this book genuinely took a year off my life for how god damn long it felt. There’s more words in this than you would expect (I FELT LIKE I WAS READING IN SLOW MOTION). The middle also lost me bc we focused a bit more on the romance than the high stakes & the end was predictable. Overall it was a good read!! I may either need a break before continuing, or a bit of convincing to get to the second one.
The FMC Dianna is on the monsters side - and I am obsessed with her. She was SO funny, strong, witty & entertaining!!! The romance was refreshing, definitely a slow burn but also a TRUE enemies to lovers which I fear we’ve been missing in a lot of recent romantasy books. (Liam and Dianna’s dynamic was also lowkey funny they had me laughing many times)
On the OTHER HAND…this book genuinely took a year off my life for how god damn long it felt. There’s more words in this than you would expect (I FELT LIKE I WAS READING IN SLOW MOTION). The middle also lost me bc we focused a bit more on the romance than the high stakes & the end was predictable. Overall it was a good read!! I may either need a break before continuing, or a bit of convincing to get to the second one.
September 9, 2023
*Laughs manically*
I’m so numb right now. My emotions have taken a beating so many times at this point I can’t feel the pain anymore 🤠
[𝐓𝐨 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞, 𝐈 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐲 𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐛𝐜 𝐈 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 <𝟑 ]
The way this book breathed life into me at the start, had me all giddy, and began to slowly chip away at my sanity 𝑨𝑵𝑫 𝑺𝑻𝑰𝑳𝑳 𝑯𝑨𝑫 𝑴𝑬 𝑪𝑹𝑨𝑾𝑳𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑩𝑨𝑪𝑲 𝑭𝑶𝑹 𝑴𝑶𝑹𝑬 will never make sense to me. I commend Amber Nicole for immersing me 𝘚𝘖 𝘞𝘌𝘓𝘓 into their world. I never felt like I wasn’t part of the adventure and reading this was an 𝙀𝙓𝙋𝙀𝙍𝙄𝙀𝙉𝘾𝙀. 😌
𝗗𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗡𝗔 first and foremost is an insanely well-written FMC.
𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐀 𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐇 𝐎𝐅 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐇 𝐀𝐈𝐑. I loved the pure fierce determination in her every step. I screamed when I saw her powers and I honestly enjoyed her bantering nature. She had such heart and it made me really connect to her character. The way she loved showed in her actions. The fact that she goes through so much shit but still manages to have that fire in her spirit and come out of it alive stamps her as one of my favourite heroines from all of the fantasy books I’ve read.
𝗟𝗜𝗔𝗠. 𝗟𝗜𝗔𝗠. 𝗟𝗜𝗔𝗠. Gah, this MANNNN! 🤭
He was the gushiest, most upfront and adorable MMC. (ALSO I KNEW IT HA!)
𝗛𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗴𝘂𝘆’𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗵, 𝗴𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗸𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗺𝘆 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝘁. 𝙎𝙞𝙜𝙝.
His inner monologue made me AWWH and feel everything. His emotional journey was amazingly done and I couldn’t help but adore him for sticking through everything. And the way he doesn’t realise that whatever he says offends the other person is hilarious.
(𝙰𝚕𝚜𝚘 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚏𝚛𝚊𝚒𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚑𝚒𝚖 𝚖𝚊𝚍𝚎 𝚖𝚎 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚑𝚒𝚖 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚖𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚒𝚍𝚌 𝚒𝚍𝚌)
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐛𝐜 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝑻𝑯𝑨𝑻 𝑰𝑵𝑺𝑨𝑵𝑬.
They 𝑆𝐸𝑅𝐼𝑂𝑈𝑆𝐿𝑌 hated each other the way enemies to lovers is 𝗦𝗨𝗣𝗣𝗢𝗦𝗘𝗗 to be. They were disgustingly against one another and the way they 𝐃𝐈𝐃 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐄 about each other was 🤌
The slow burnnnn almost killed me. The tension was almost tangible bc I suffered from the PAIN of waiting so long. I got scraps. Crumbs I tell you! But every morsel I did get was ✨ 𝗗 𝗘 𝗟 𝗜 𝗖 𝗜 𝗢 𝗨 𝗦 ✨
𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙢𝙚?? 𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗜𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘 𝗧𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗖 𝗪𝗔𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗧 𝗧𝗪𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗬 𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗖𝗘𝗡𝗧?!
I deserve compensation for all this emotional abuse.
I loved every single page and it's a crime that it had to finish. I want to LIVE in this book 😩
I’m 𝑴𝑶𝑹𝑬 𝑻𝑯𝑨𝑵 𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑫𝒀 for the next book.
[𝐓𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞, 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐧𝐨 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐚 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐭. 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐚 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤?? 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐈 𝐛𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐈 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐭?? 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐬]
𝗦𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲:
Ngl I actually liked Alistair lol. He became one of my comfort characters and after what happened, it made me wanna sob.
Also, Dianna kinda scared me toward the end. Like I honestly feel afraid for the world and everything in it.
𝗦𝗼𝗻𝗴𝘀: 🎧
MAJESTY - NIKITAA
BORN LIKE THIS - Rilès
Two face - Jake Daniels
La di die - Nessa Barret ft. Jxdn
HEARTLESS - Grey
The Show - Queen Herby
Dreaming - BRIDGE
Pattern of behaviour- Call Me Loop
California king - DB Ricapito
Smother me - kelaska
Hollow - James Smith
Cinema - SoMo
Look at me - Why Don’t We
Love heals - Parsa
Unlovable - Delacey
Why do you love me - Charlotte Lawrence
Right time - sobhhï
Liquid smooth(sped up) - mitski
Safety - Jimmy Levy
Die for me - LIMIT
King of Capulet - X Lovers
Play with fire - Nico Santos
𝗙𝗮𝘃 𝗤𝘂𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀:
“𝐃𝐚𝐦𝐧, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞. 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐮𝐲 𝐦𝐞 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞.”
~HAAHAHAH
“𝐈 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐦 𝐢𝐭𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤. 𝐈𝐟 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐮𝐥, 𝐈 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐢𝐭. ”
~❤️🔥
“𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.”
~JJJSJHDJDJDKKD
“𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐞, 𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐰? 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝."
"𝐎𝐡, 𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐲, 𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮,𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐦𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞.”
~💘💘💘
“𝐒𝐥𝐚𝐩 𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐭? 𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨 𝐢𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡, 𝐈 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐢𝐭.”
~🤭🤭🤭
“𝐘𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐥.”
~hahahaha
“𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬, 𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚, 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐥𝐞𝐭’𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐥.”
~featuring one of my favourite scenes/tropes 🤭🦋
“𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫.”
~😭😭 nononononono 💔
𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝘃𝗶𝗯𝗲𝘀:
House Of Earth And Blood - SJM
Daughter of Smoke and Bone - Lani Taylor
———————————————————————
SOMEONE STOP THIS MADNESS.
AND THE ENDING??! CRYINGGGG
I’m so numb right now. My emotions have taken a beating so many times at this point I can’t feel the pain anymore 🤠
[𝐓𝐨 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞, 𝐈 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐲 𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐛𝐜 𝐈 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 <𝟑 ]
The way this book breathed life into me at the start, had me all giddy, and began to slowly chip away at my sanity 𝑨𝑵𝑫 𝑺𝑻𝑰𝑳𝑳 𝑯𝑨𝑫 𝑴𝑬 𝑪𝑹𝑨𝑾𝑳𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑩𝑨𝑪𝑲 𝑭𝑶𝑹 𝑴𝑶𝑹𝑬 will never make sense to me. I commend Amber Nicole for immersing me 𝘚𝘖 𝘞𝘌𝘓𝘓 into their world. I never felt like I wasn’t part of the adventure and reading this was an 𝙀𝙓𝙋𝙀𝙍𝙄𝙀𝙉𝘾𝙀. 😌
𝗗𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗡𝗔 first and foremost is an insanely well-written FMC.
𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐀 𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐇 𝐎𝐅 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐇 𝐀𝐈𝐑. I loved the pure fierce determination in her every step. I screamed when I saw her powers and I honestly enjoyed her bantering nature. She had such heart and it made me really connect to her character. The way she loved showed in her actions. The fact that she goes through so much shit but still manages to have that fire in her spirit and come out of it alive stamps her as one of my favourite heroines from all of the fantasy books I’ve read.
𝗟𝗜𝗔𝗠. 𝗟𝗜𝗔𝗠. 𝗟𝗜𝗔𝗠. Gah, this MANNNN! 🤭
He was the gushiest, most upfront and adorable MMC. (ALSO I KNEW IT HA!)
𝗛𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗴𝘂𝘆’𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗵, 𝗴𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗸𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗺𝘆 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝘁. 𝙎𝙞𝙜𝙝.
His inner monologue made me AWWH and feel everything. His emotional journey was amazingly done and I couldn’t help but adore him for sticking through everything. And the way he doesn’t realise that whatever he says offends the other person is hilarious.
(𝙰𝚕𝚜𝚘 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚏𝚛𝚊𝚒𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚑𝚒𝚖 𝚖𝚊𝚍𝚎 𝚖𝚎 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚑𝚒𝚖 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚖𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚒𝚍𝚌 𝚒𝚍𝚌)
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐛𝐜 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝑻𝑯𝑨𝑻 𝑰𝑵𝑺𝑨𝑵𝑬.
They 𝑆𝐸𝑅𝐼𝑂𝑈𝑆𝐿𝑌 hated each other the way enemies to lovers is 𝗦𝗨𝗣𝗣𝗢𝗦𝗘𝗗 to be. They were disgustingly against one another and the way they 𝐃𝐈𝐃 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐄 about each other was 🤌
The slow burnnnn almost killed me. The tension was almost tangible bc I suffered from the PAIN of waiting so long. I got scraps. Crumbs I tell you! But every morsel I did get was ✨ 𝗗 𝗘 𝗟 𝗜 𝗖 𝗜 𝗢 𝗨 𝗦 ✨
𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙢𝙚?? 𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗜𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘 𝗧𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗖 𝗪𝗔𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗧 𝗧𝗪𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗬 𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗖𝗘𝗡𝗧?!
I deserve compensation for all this emotional abuse.
I loved every single page and it's a crime that it had to finish. I want to LIVE in this book 😩
I’m 𝑴𝑶𝑹𝑬 𝑻𝑯𝑨𝑵 𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑫𝒀 for the next book.
[𝐓𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞, 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐧𝐨 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐚 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐭. 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐚 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤?? 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐈 𝐛𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐈 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐭?? 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐬]
𝗦𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲:
Ngl I actually liked Alistair lol. He became one of my comfort characters and after what happened, it made me wanna sob.
Also, Dianna kinda scared me toward the end. Like I honestly feel afraid for the world and everything in it.
𝗦𝗼𝗻𝗴𝘀: 🎧
MAJESTY - NIKITAA
BORN LIKE THIS - Rilès
Two face - Jake Daniels
La di die - Nessa Barret ft. Jxdn
HEARTLESS - Grey
The Show - Queen Herby
Dreaming - BRIDGE
Pattern of behaviour- Call Me Loop
California king - DB Ricapito
Smother me - kelaska
Hollow - James Smith
Cinema - SoMo
Look at me - Why Don’t We
Love heals - Parsa
Unlovable - Delacey
Why do you love me - Charlotte Lawrence
Right time - sobhhï
Liquid smooth(sped up) - mitski
Safety - Jimmy Levy
Die for me - LIMIT
King of Capulet - X Lovers
Play with fire - Nico Santos
𝗙𝗮𝘃 𝗤𝘂𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀:
“𝐃𝐚𝐦𝐧, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞. 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐮𝐲 𝐦𝐞 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞.”
~HAAHAHAH
“𝐈 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐦 𝐢𝐭𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤. 𝐈𝐟 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐮𝐥, 𝐈 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐢𝐭. ”
~❤️🔥
“𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.”
~JJJSJHDJDJDKKD
“𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐞, 𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐰? 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝."
"𝐎𝐡, 𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐲, 𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮,𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐦𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞.”
~💘💘💘
“𝐒𝐥𝐚𝐩 𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐭? 𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨 𝐢𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡, 𝐈 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐢𝐭.”
~🤭🤭🤭
“𝐘𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐥.”
~hahahaha
“𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬, 𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚, 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐥𝐞𝐭’𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐥.”
~featuring one of my favourite scenes/tropes 🤭🦋
“𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫.”
~😭😭 nononononono 💔
𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝘃𝗶𝗯𝗲𝘀:
House Of Earth And Blood - SJM
Daughter of Smoke and Bone - Lani Taylor
———————————————————————
SOMEONE STOP THIS MADNESS.
AND THE ENDING??! CRYINGGGG
December 8, 2025
re-read december 2025
spoilers below, don't read if you don't want to know what happens
Centuries ago, a great war took place between the Gods and Monsters, destroying the Gods' home, Rashearim and locking away all the Gods in different realms. The planet exploded, crashed into Onuna(the 'mortal' world), and somehow didn't wipe out all life in the process. Instead, a bunch of celestials essentially colonized the 'mortal' world and caused a plague to spread across Onuna, eventually killing a large portion of the 'mortal' population. Now, Celestials are in control, and our FMC, Dianna, despises them—mainly because the plague they caused killed her parents and nearly killed her and her sister, Gabby. On the verge of death, Dianna encounters Kaden, the villain of this story and self-proclaimed King of the Otherworld, who makes a bargain with her: he will save her and her sister's lives, but they must be transformed into creatures called Ig'Morruthens (though Gabby, for some reason, doesn't change in the same way as Dianna), and Dianna must work for him. Ig'Morruthens are the monsters that were part of the big war that destroyed Rashearim and are also apparently the ancestors of vampires. Dianna agrees and essentially becomes a vampire who can shapeshift, wield fire, see memories after drinking blood, teleport, compel people, am I forgetting something? Oh, also, she can't die, literally, they’ve tried decapitating her, and her head either reattaches or grows back like Jeebs in Men in Black. She becomes Kaden's second-in-command and his lover, killing anyone he tells her to kill, all for the sake of protecting her sister. I will forever remember Kaden's lava pit because all I could think of while reading it was Dr Evil dropping people into his pit of lava underneath his table.
Kaden is searching for an artifact called The Book of Azrael, which apparently contains information on how to reopen the closed realms where all the Gods are, a blueprint for a God-killing weapon, and how to destroy the world or something. During their search for this book, they encounter a group of celestial soldiers called The Hand, who our MMC, Samkiel, or as he's known in this book, Liam, handpicked centuries ago to be his personal guard. Dianna and Kaden get into a fight with one of these soldiers, and rather than be taken captive, the soldier takes his own life, which summons Liam to Onuna.
Now, Liam has been moping on the remains of Rashearim since its destruction because he was the cause of it. So rather than do anything to fix what he did, he just decides to pout alone for a thousand years until one of his friends commits suicide, and he just assumes someone murdered him and decides to come back to get justice for him? Okay. Sure. This leads him to Dianna; they fight, have a lot of banter that made me cringe; eventually, Dianna is taken captive, tortured for information; until she randomly has a change of heart and decides to kill someone from Kaden's side and asks Liam to protect her sister instead. He agrees, as long as Dianna helps him find the Book of Azrael (which he continues to insist does not exist), and, after all is said and done, she'll be tried for her numerous crimes. (Killing and eating random people at Kaden's beck, and also probably just for fun for the last however many centuries, you know.)
So, Dianna and Liam can both teleport, but for some reason, they go out of their way to get illegal passports? Only to be betrayed immediately by the person who made them the passports. So those were useless, so instead they drive around, go to a fair, eat some cotton candy and flirt (?), find some guy there, then sneak onto an illegal carrier plane, only to get off the plane and teleport anyway. And it took 350 pages to tell us that the reason they didn't just teleport in the first place was that Kaden can track Dianna's power usage? So, why didn't Liam teleport them? Why are they taking convoys everywhere? They go to Drake's(brother of vampire king, Ethan, who Dianna 'killed' earlier) house, send an invitation to Dianna's ex lover, Camilla and wait a fucking MONTH for her to accept it while Kaden is out there building a damn army and actively searching for the Book, meanwhile Liam and Dianna are catching feelings for each other constantly moping about whether or not they're friends, or if one actually likes the other one even though when all of this is over Liam is literally going to put Dianna in PRISON. They finally go to Camilla's place so that Liam can make out with her in front of Dianna. She can magically tell him that Azrael's daughter is alive and has the book when they literally could've just gone there a month ago and gotten that information, because now guess what, they've been betrayed AGAIN because the witch king, Santiago, showed up and said a lot of disgusting lewd things to Dianna. They get away, she almost dies, Liam saves her and Dianna realizes they have feelings for each other because Dianna was jealous watching him makeout with her ex-gf, they finger bang and blow each other in some poor old couple's house before going to see Azrael's daughter, finding the book, and then oh wait, they're betrayed AGAIN, it was Tobias, one of the four king's of yejedin, all along, now he has the book, and guess what else, DRAKE BETRAYED DIANNA TOO. NOW GABBY IS DEAD, so now Dianna will have a "villain" arc. The end.
Now, all of this had a lot of potential. I thought the plot was interesting, but the execution was horribly done. I don't believe a developmental editor touched this whatsoever. We have plot beats that are reused immediately after each other. Samkiel has a nightmare and gets all in his head about things, and gives Dianna the silent treatment, which in turn makes her panic until she's able to bring him around to talk to her. In the next chapter, Dianna gets some bad news about Kaden and gives Liam the silent treatment, which makes him panic, etc. Towards the end of the book, Liam learns some information that makes him spiral, and Dianna says
A harsh, self-deprecating laugh escaped him, and I knew I was losing him.”
the next chapter, Dianna learns some information that makes her spiral, and Liam says,
“She was filled with fear, and something darker I could feel lurking, waiting for its chance. I was losing her.”
This, to me, screams, I couldn't think of anything else to write, so I just did what I did in the last chapter, but reversed. There's a lot of redundancy as well, as in repeating what we just said, but in a different way, three sentences later. A lot of saying 'his' and 'her' without actually naming a character beforehand, so we have no idea who's being referred to. There's far too much telling instead of showing. You cannot possibly misinterpret what a character might be feeling because the author ensures you know every single thought and feeling flowing through their brain in the most robotic fashion possible. We have sentences like 'a sibilant hiss' when sibilant literally means 'with a hissing sound'. In Chapter One, we're told that the world knows about gods and monsters, but in the last chapter, Kaden does a live television broadcast and says that everyone believes monsters are make-believe. So, which is it? We're told during Kaden's meeting with the Otherworld creatures that the leader of the Shades is called Kash, but when Liam fights the Shades, his name changes to Hillmun. The amount of non-sequiters is wild as well. I'm most irritated that the word mortal is used as a replacement for human. Mortal and human do not mean the same thing. Mortality and humanity do not mean the same thing. They cannot be used interchangeably, but this book doesn't care. Every time Dianna says that her 'mortality was slipping back in', I wanted to punch her in the face. SOMEONE KILL HER THEN SHE CAN DIE RN because that's literally what that means.
We have names and creatures thrown at us with no explanation of what they are, and they're never mentioned again (at least not in this book). I still have no idea what a d'jeern is. There are also so many kings in this book that every time a new one is introduced, I have to laugh because what's the point of being a king when literally everyone is a king? Ethan is king of the vampires. Santiago is king of the witches. Kaden is king of the otherworld. Liam is king of the gods. Tobias is one of the kings of Yejedin. Like okay? Who the fuck cares?
I’d originally read the first edition of the Book of Azrael, but since then, it appears to have been revised two to three times. In the first edition, Samkiel is said to speak an ancient, forgotten language, but later calls his mom Madre and mentions going to a ‘bibletocea’. I remember reading this and being confused that they were speaking Spanish, because why would that language be ancient and forgotten? Do Spanish-speaking people no longer exist in this world somehow? Then, shouldn’t names like Martinez not exist? If no one speaks Spanish, why do we have Spanish names? But then the author says Liam is supposed to be half black, half Latine, so why wouldn't he be speaking Spanish? For some reason, a few months after publishing, Amber decided to go back in and change Madre to Merda, which literally means ‘shit’ in multiple Latin-based languages. Girl, come on!!!, Can’t you even bother to look up the translations for the words you choose to use? Can’t even look up the proper spelling for biblioteca? Then, when she realized it meant shit, she changed it to Mama but kept bibletocea for whatever reason. And on top of that, Dianna is supposed to be Armenian-coded, but she has a Spanish last name? Why?
I'm most disappointed that not only was this book just a lot of going from place to place and having the same conversations over and over, but there was also a lot of potential to create cool lore. I wanted to learn more about Nismera and how she managed to get all the gods on her side and convince the Ig'Morruthen to join them. I was more curious about the state of the world after Rashearim had crashed into Onuna. I wanted to know the mystery of Azrael and why Liam was so convinced the book couldn't exist. But we never get to see any of the research he does in the month he stays with Drake. We never even learn that Azrael had a daughter until Camilla says, "Oh, btw, his daughter is alive!" There was no hint that Tobias could be the King of Yejedin because we hardly learn anything about them other than they were created by Primordials and Haldnunen(Tobias) killed Liam's grandpa. That's it. I wanted to learn more about that, not hear Dianna and Liam's constant juvenile bickering.
The relationship between Dianna and Liam could have been so interesting, too. It is definitely a slow burn at first, but towards the end, it seems very rushed. I wish that, like, they had absolutely no romantic interaction whatsoever in this book, in all honesty. I wish the focus had been on the mystery of Azrael, and on them GENUINELY getting to know each other, and on Liam seeing her compassion. At the same time, WE THE READER got to see it too, instead of Liam just telling us how amazing and brilliant and gorgeous and intelligent she is. All I saw was her threatening a mother in front of her children for information, and considering going to eat some random people to interrogate Camilla.
There's plenty more I could say, like the fact that the author seemed to think it was necessary to include a line about Dianna shaving the hair from her vagina , but this is already long enough, and I think I've made my point. This book series needed way more time than it was actually given, and a developmental editor who was willing to help this author. Because, as it is right now, it's a disappointment.
spoilers below, don't read if you don't want to know what happens
Centuries ago, a great war took place between the Gods and Monsters, destroying the Gods' home, Rashearim and locking away all the Gods in different realms. The planet exploded, crashed into Onuna(the 'mortal' world), and somehow didn't wipe out all life in the process. Instead, a bunch of celestials essentially colonized the 'mortal' world and caused a plague to spread across Onuna, eventually killing a large portion of the 'mortal' population. Now, Celestials are in control, and our FMC, Dianna, despises them—mainly because the plague they caused killed her parents and nearly killed her and her sister, Gabby. On the verge of death, Dianna encounters Kaden, the villain of this story and self-proclaimed King of the Otherworld, who makes a bargain with her: he will save her and her sister's lives, but they must be transformed into creatures called Ig'Morruthens (though Gabby, for some reason, doesn't change in the same way as Dianna), and Dianna must work for him. Ig'Morruthens are the monsters that were part of the big war that destroyed Rashearim and are also apparently the ancestors of vampires. Dianna agrees and essentially becomes a vampire who can shapeshift, wield fire, see memories after drinking blood, teleport, compel people, am I forgetting something? Oh, also, she can't die, literally, they’ve tried decapitating her, and her head either reattaches or grows back like Jeebs in Men in Black. She becomes Kaden's second-in-command and his lover, killing anyone he tells her to kill, all for the sake of protecting her sister. I will forever remember Kaden's lava pit because all I could think of while reading it was Dr Evil dropping people into his pit of lava underneath his table.
Kaden is searching for an artifact called The Book of Azrael, which apparently contains information on how to reopen the closed realms where all the Gods are, a blueprint for a God-killing weapon, and how to destroy the world or something. During their search for this book, they encounter a group of celestial soldiers called The Hand, who our MMC, Samkiel, or as he's known in this book, Liam, handpicked centuries ago to be his personal guard. Dianna and Kaden get into a fight with one of these soldiers, and rather than be taken captive, the soldier takes his own life, which summons Liam to Onuna.
Now, Liam has been moping on the remains of Rashearim since its destruction because he was the cause of it. So rather than do anything to fix what he did, he just decides to pout alone for a thousand years until one of his friends commits suicide, and he just assumes someone murdered him and decides to come back to get justice for him? Okay. Sure. This leads him to Dianna; they fight, have a lot of banter that made me cringe; eventually, Dianna is taken captive, tortured for information; until she randomly has a change of heart and decides to kill someone from Kaden's side and asks Liam to protect her sister instead. He agrees, as long as Dianna helps him find the Book of Azrael (which he continues to insist does not exist), and, after all is said and done, she'll be tried for her numerous crimes. (Killing and eating random people at Kaden's beck, and also probably just for fun for the last however many centuries, you know.)
So, Dianna and Liam can both teleport, but for some reason, they go out of their way to get illegal passports? Only to be betrayed immediately by the person who made them the passports. So those were useless, so instead they drive around, go to a fair, eat some cotton candy and flirt (?), find some guy there, then sneak onto an illegal carrier plane, only to get off the plane and teleport anyway. And it took 350 pages to tell us that the reason they didn't just teleport in the first place was that Kaden can track Dianna's power usage? So, why didn't Liam teleport them? Why are they taking convoys everywhere? They go to Drake's(brother of vampire king, Ethan, who Dianna 'killed' earlier) house, send an invitation to Dianna's ex lover, Camilla and wait a fucking MONTH for her to accept it while Kaden is out there building a damn army and actively searching for the Book, meanwhile Liam and Dianna are catching feelings for each other constantly moping about whether or not they're friends, or if one actually likes the other one even though when all of this is over Liam is literally going to put Dianna in PRISON. They finally go to Camilla's place so that Liam can make out with her in front of Dianna. She can magically tell him that Azrael's daughter is alive and has the book when they literally could've just gone there a month ago and gotten that information, because now guess what, they've been betrayed AGAIN because the witch king, Santiago, showed up and said a lot of disgusting lewd things to Dianna. They get away, she almost dies, Liam saves her and Dianna realizes they have feelings for each other because Dianna was jealous watching him makeout with her ex-gf, they finger bang and blow each other in some poor old couple's house before going to see Azrael's daughter, finding the book, and then oh wait, they're betrayed AGAIN, it was Tobias, one of the four king's of yejedin, all along, now he has the book, and guess what else, DRAKE BETRAYED DIANNA TOO. NOW GABBY IS DEAD, so now Dianna will have a "villain" arc. The end.
Now, all of this had a lot of potential. I thought the plot was interesting, but the execution was horribly done. I don't believe a developmental editor touched this whatsoever. We have plot beats that are reused immediately after each other. Samkiel has a nightmare and gets all in his head about things, and gives Dianna the silent treatment, which in turn makes her panic until she's able to bring him around to talk to her. In the next chapter, Dianna gets some bad news about Kaden and gives Liam the silent treatment, which makes him panic, etc. Towards the end of the book, Liam learns some information that makes him spiral, and Dianna says
A harsh, self-deprecating laugh escaped him, and I knew I was losing him.”
the next chapter, Dianna learns some information that makes her spiral, and Liam says,
“She was filled with fear, and something darker I could feel lurking, waiting for its chance. I was losing her.”
This, to me, screams, I couldn't think of anything else to write, so I just did what I did in the last chapter, but reversed. There's a lot of redundancy as well, as in repeating what we just said, but in a different way, three sentences later. A lot of saying 'his' and 'her' without actually naming a character beforehand, so we have no idea who's being referred to. There's far too much telling instead of showing. You cannot possibly misinterpret what a character might be feeling because the author ensures you know every single thought and feeling flowing through their brain in the most robotic fashion possible. We have sentences like 'a sibilant hiss' when sibilant literally means 'with a hissing sound'. In Chapter One, we're told that the world knows about gods and monsters, but in the last chapter, Kaden does a live television broadcast and says that everyone believes monsters are make-believe. So, which is it? We're told during Kaden's meeting with the Otherworld creatures that the leader of the Shades is called Kash, but when Liam fights the Shades, his name changes to Hillmun. The amount of non-sequiters is wild as well. I'm most irritated that the word mortal is used as a replacement for human. Mortal and human do not mean the same thing. Mortality and humanity do not mean the same thing. They cannot be used interchangeably, but this book doesn't care. Every time Dianna says that her 'mortality was slipping back in', I wanted to punch her in the face. SOMEONE KILL HER THEN SHE CAN DIE RN because that's literally what that means.
We have names and creatures thrown at us with no explanation of what they are, and they're never mentioned again (at least not in this book). I still have no idea what a d'jeern is. There are also so many kings in this book that every time a new one is introduced, I have to laugh because what's the point of being a king when literally everyone is a king? Ethan is king of the vampires. Santiago is king of the witches. Kaden is king of the otherworld. Liam is king of the gods. Tobias is one of the kings of Yejedin. Like okay? Who the fuck cares?
I’d originally read the first edition of the Book of Azrael, but since then, it appears to have been revised two to three times. In the first edition, Samkiel is said to speak an ancient, forgotten language, but later calls his mom Madre and mentions going to a ‘bibletocea’. I remember reading this and being confused that they were speaking Spanish, because why would that language be ancient and forgotten? Do Spanish-speaking people no longer exist in this world somehow? Then, shouldn’t names like Martinez not exist? If no one speaks Spanish, why do we have Spanish names? But then the author says Liam is supposed to be half black, half Latine, so why wouldn't he be speaking Spanish? For some reason, a few months after publishing, Amber decided to go back in and change Madre to Merda, which literally means ‘shit’ in multiple Latin-based languages. Girl, come on!!!, Can’t you even bother to look up the translations for the words you choose to use? Can’t even look up the proper spelling for biblioteca? Then, when she realized it meant shit, she changed it to Mama but kept bibletocea for whatever reason. And on top of that, Dianna is supposed to be Armenian-coded, but she has a Spanish last name? Why?
I'm most disappointed that not only was this book just a lot of going from place to place and having the same conversations over and over, but there was also a lot of potential to create cool lore. I wanted to learn more about Nismera and how she managed to get all the gods on her side and convince the Ig'Morruthen to join them. I was more curious about the state of the world after Rashearim had crashed into Onuna. I wanted to know the mystery of Azrael and why Liam was so convinced the book couldn't exist. But we never get to see any of the research he does in the month he stays with Drake. We never even learn that Azrael had a daughter until Camilla says, "Oh, btw, his daughter is alive!" There was no hint that Tobias could be the King of Yejedin because we hardly learn anything about them other than they were created by Primordials and Haldnunen(Tobias) killed Liam's grandpa. That's it. I wanted to learn more about that, not hear Dianna and Liam's constant juvenile bickering.
The relationship between Dianna and Liam could have been so interesting, too. It is definitely a slow burn at first, but towards the end, it seems very rushed. I wish that, like, they had absolutely no romantic interaction whatsoever in this book, in all honesty. I wish the focus had been on the mystery of Azrael, and on them GENUINELY getting to know each other, and on Liam seeing her compassion. At the same time, WE THE READER got to see it too, instead of Liam just telling us how amazing and brilliant and gorgeous and intelligent she is. All I saw was her threatening a mother in front of her children for information, and considering going to eat some random people to interrogate Camilla.
There's plenty more I could say, like the fact that the author seemed to think it was necessary to include a line about Dianna shaving the hair from her vagina , but this is already long enough, and I think I've made my point. This book series needed way more time than it was actually given, and a developmental editor who was willing to help this author. Because, as it is right now, it's a disappointment.
December 18, 2024
biggest disappointment. everything was so badly developed. all i got was horrible banter, horrible jokes, horrible conversations, horrible world, horrible main characters, horrible everything.
the way they spoke made me illiterate. they talked so robotic. every page is them ranting about each other and if it's not that, we get those long ass flashbacks or some stupid explaining about some stupid shit i couldn't care less about. so many unnecessary situations were dragged out
the fmc kept throwing temper tantrums over the most basic stupid minuscule thing. this started happening after she met the mmc. how wonderful, we love that 😀
ok miss wild animal
her not being able to control her emotions with anything involving gabby is so played out.
her getting mad everytime he said she's his after she repeatedly said she's his...
her getting mad whenever he calls her a beast.. when that's what she is.... for example;
her talking to him like she's miss know it all when he's literally centuries older, calling him a spoiled brat for no reason every chance she got. i lost it when she called him a "spoiled asshole" when he took her to a trusted and secluded area so she can rest and heal. she's always annoyingly rude to him when he's being nice. poor liam fr, he deserves another fmc.
liam was the only redeeming factorkinda
the way they spoke made me illiterate. they talked so robotic. every page is them ranting about each other and if it's not that, we get those long ass flashbacks or some stupid explaining about some stupid shit i couldn't care less about. so many unnecessary situations were dragged out
the fmc kept throwing temper tantrums over the most basic stupid minuscule thing. this started happening after she met the mmc. how wonderful, we love that 😀
'growl, low and menacing, slipped past my lips as the beast inside me coiled.'
ok miss wild animal
her not being able to control her emotions with anything involving gabby is so played out.
her getting mad everytime he said she's his after she repeatedly said she's his...
her getting mad whenever he calls her a beast.. when that's what she is.... for example;
"Did you just call me a beast?!" I roared, the flame tickling my palms again.
her talking to him like she's miss know it all when he's literally centuries older, calling him a spoiled brat for no reason every chance she got. i lost it when she called him a "spoiled asshole" when he took her to a trusted and secluded area so she can rest and heal. she's always annoyingly rude to him when he's being nice. poor liam fr, he deserves another fmc.
liam was the only redeeming factor
September 11, 2025
I didn’t expect this sassy, blood-drenched epic romantasy to whip out and perfectly execute one of my favourite SFF tropes/microtropes: the alien (or god in this case) observing what fragile, emotional, irrational, bizarre beings humans are, but that’s one of the main reasons why I fell in love with the Book of Azrael, amongst others, of course.
The other reasons are:
1. Dianna, my misunderstood fiery, shadowy baddie bestie who can rip memories from blood, shape shift into any being she wants, summon flame, who calls out privilege and skewers the patriarchy. And yet, she’s shackled by an abusive tyrant (Kaden) who keeps her controlled through the one thing she loves most, her sister.
2. Liam/Samkiel, our clinical, all-powerful traumatised god/“alien” with celestial baggage who isn’t quite sure about how to curse, how to love, the sanctity of pinkie promises ("does this require another pinkie?") or why people sit around pools when the ocean is mere feet away.
3. The banter and the one liners. I highlighted so many things. Amber V. Nicole's sense of humour is very much aligned with mine and things I find hilarious.
4. Representation: this is what I want in romantasy, effort, not tokenism. Amber Nicole writes main characters and cast with diverse skin tones in a queernormative world just so beautifully. It feels intentional and refreshing in a romantasy landscape that can skew very same-same.
5. The dynamic: TRUE vitriolic enemies to start with, where she pretty much attempts to kill him, to cautious truce, to precious delicate friends, then… oh, you know where it goes.
If this book has been languishing on your TBR, then you should change that. Amber Nicole is going in my favourite new-to-me authors for 2025 (alongside Scarlett St. Clair, L.J. Andrews and Kalie Cassidy), because I just adore how she interrogates why being human is both absurd and sacred, all while setting your heart on fire.
﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏
Opened The Book of Azrael for just a peek but now at the stage where responsibilities and sleep are cancelled indefinitely.
The other reasons are:
1. Dianna, my misunderstood fiery, shadowy baddie bestie who can rip memories from blood, shape shift into any being she wants, summon flame, who calls out privilege and skewers the patriarchy. And yet, she’s shackled by an abusive tyrant (Kaden) who keeps her controlled through the one thing she loves most, her sister.
2. Liam/Samkiel, our clinical, all-powerful traumatised god/“alien” with celestial baggage who isn’t quite sure about how to curse, how to love, the sanctity of pinkie promises ("does this require another pinkie?") or why people sit around pools when the ocean is mere feet away.
3. The banter and the one liners. I highlighted so many things. Amber V. Nicole's sense of humour is very much aligned with mine and things I find hilarious.
4. Representation: this is what I want in romantasy, effort, not tokenism. Amber Nicole writes main characters and cast with diverse skin tones in a queernormative world just so beautifully. It feels intentional and refreshing in a romantasy landscape that can skew very same-same.
5. The dynamic: TRUE vitriolic enemies to start with, where she pretty much attempts to kill him, to cautious truce, to precious delicate friends, then… oh, you know where it goes.
If this book has been languishing on your TBR, then you should change that. Amber Nicole is going in my favourite new-to-me authors for 2025 (alongside Scarlett St. Clair, L.J. Andrews and Kalie Cassidy), because I just adore how she interrogates why being human is both absurd and sacred, all while setting your heart on fire.
﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏
Opened The Book of Azrael for just a peek but now at the stage where responsibilities and sleep are cancelled indefinitely.
December 12, 2022
This is how the world ends.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH
This is it.
This is my review for this book.
Jokes aside, what the frick??
This books was an emotional rollercoaster I wasn't fully prepared for.
As always, I have to thank SK because her reading updates convinced me to add this book to my tbr, and (obviously) Iqra, because her review was the final push I needed to finally pick this up.
And, man, I'll need time to recover.
If I had to draw comparisons, I'd say The Book of Azrael is part House of Earth and Blood, part Angelfall, with a few elements that also reminded me of Savage Lands.
Hence, it was a win right from the start.
The setup was original and one of the things I liked the most about this book is definitely the plot; I had a lot of fun uncovering mysteries, learning about lore and betrayals, meeting the colorful cast of fantastic creatures, and following Dianna and Liam on their extremely bloody journey.
And, of course, speaking of these two.
The slow burn was to die for.
I mean...I just couldn't decide if I liked Dianna or Liam more, but then I said fuck it, and cheered in bi, going for both.
Also, YAY?!?! both mcs are openly bi (or pan, not specified, but I know for sure both are not het). Thanks, Amber Nicole for making it a thing and for introducing it so naturally that their sexuality is part of their person, not their personality.
Dianna is an intense main character and one I totally see myself relating to. She's, despite all the shit she's been through and the trauma, a real badass and it's so refreshing, for once, to have a main character that is extra gray and unapologetically terrifying.
I adored her relationship with Gabby and her POV was extraordinary.
Liam's narration was equally as entertaining and his character is probably my favorite, because I felt like he was really unique. He wasn't just a broody alpha male with a troubled past and a temper, if you get what I mean. There's substance to his character, there's a reason behind his actions.
Now, I know you're probably wondering why I rated this only 3 and a half stars if I ended up liking this so much.
For one, the writing was okay, but it didn't impress me. I found the prose to be alright at most and I definitely noticed some dialogues and lines were repeated more than once; the narration was great, like I said, but it was also a bit too info-dumpy in terms of world-building in the first chapters.
You'd imagine that in a book so long, you'd have the chance to learn things little by little, but that wasn't the case.
Ironically, for a lore so verbose, I admit there were times I was introduced to new characters and terms in a rushed way, like I was already supposed to know who and what these people and creatures were, even though it was my first time reading about them.
In short, I was a little bored. And confused. Sooooo confused.
Also, (and may this be an admonition for all authors -but I'm looking at you in particular, SJM) please, for the love of our petty lord and reluctant savior cardan greenbriar, stop describing every single piece of clothing characters wear.
I'm not Tim Gunn. I don't care.
Least but not last, I literally can't enjoy a character properly when they're centuries old and act like they're in their 20s. Seriously, it's a bookish pet peeve of mine that I'm afraid I'll have to live with for the rest of my life.
Liam's characterizarion was okay, I guess, but Dianna felt sometimes too...young?
I expected her to be more stoic in her private life like she was during fights, to the point I couldn't taker her seriously when she acted so ooc.
That's details, though. She was perfect, overall.
Wish I could say the same about that ending.
Iqra, I don't care how cute you are, how much I love you or if this is payback for recommending Zodiac Academy to you.
You're paying for my therapy.
And nope, hugs don't count as payment.
(But I'll take some, anyway)
ACTUAL RATINGS 3,5/5
(Ratings may change in the future, but for now I can't bring myself to give this 4 full stars.)
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this book.
December 29, 2024
3.75 stars ⭐️
⤷ spoiler-free review!! ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ my thoughts
the first 40% was pretty boring for me, but i think that’s because it focused entirely on world-building. i was honestly a bit sad, thinking i wasn’t going to enjoy the rest of the book, but thankfully, the last 60% was much better.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ characters
ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ dianna
i have to admit, i wasn’t the biggest fan of dianna’s attitude. she came across as really sassy and insolent most of the time, but i get why she is the way she is and i don’t dislike her or have anything against her.
ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ liam
liam, on the other hand? i loved him. he was so hot LOL. for some reason, i pictured him as this super hot dude in my mind, and i was lowkey swooning over him the whole time.
ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ dianna and liam
the slow burn and the relationship between liam and dianna? chef’s kiss 😚🤌🏻
“I didn’t remember how long we talked, but somewhere amidst her laughter and smiles, I decided I would rip the world apart for her. When she had turned into me and wrapped her arms around my chest, the world had slipped away. It was a brief reprieve as I held her body curled against mine. It was a moment of peace—until the dreams that threatened to shred my soul shattered it.”
“To me, you are worth it—and that makes me the most selfish bastard and the most dangerous god to ever exist. I did it in a second, without thinking or worrying about the consequences, and I would do it again and again. What I feel for you is overwhelming, and I cannot stop it. I do not know what I am doing. Do you understand that? I have the weight of the entire universe on my shoulders. I had a plan, and then you crashed into my life, making me ignore all reason. You make me trek through Onuna, taking me to places with loud music and overly sugary treats. You make me stay at castles with pretentious vampires. You make me laugh, make me smile, make me feel. You make me feel normal and allow me to forget that I am the sole ruler, because you see me when you look at me. I hate it, Dianna! I hate that I have known you for what others would consider mere minutes. In the grand scheme of things, our time together means nothing. I have known and bedded others longer than you have been in my life, yet I felt nothing but confess for them. I hate that you affect me so much, that you care so much when I do not deserve it.”
and that cliffhanger? *pulls hair*!!!
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ overall
i enjoyed this book as a whole, and i’m looking forward to the next book ~
pre-read 💀🗡
i always have to be reading a fantasy book alongside my romance book (or vice versa), so here we are!
P.S. this wasn’t on my december tbr as well…
br with my sweet angel leonora 💕
⤷ spoiler-free review!! ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ my thoughts
the first 40% was pretty boring for me, but i think that’s because it focused entirely on world-building. i was honestly a bit sad, thinking i wasn’t going to enjoy the rest of the book, but thankfully, the last 60% was much better.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ characters
ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ dianna
i have to admit, i wasn’t the biggest fan of dianna’s attitude. she came across as really sassy and insolent most of the time, but i get why she is the way she is and i don’t dislike her or have anything against her.
ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ liam
liam, on the other hand? i loved him. he was so hot LOL. for some reason, i pictured him as this super hot dude in my mind, and i was lowkey swooning over him the whole time.
ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ dianna and liam
the slow burn and the relationship between liam and dianna? chef’s kiss 😚🤌🏻
“I didn’t remember how long we talked, but somewhere amidst her laughter and smiles, I decided I would rip the world apart for her. When she had turned into me and wrapped her arms around my chest, the world had slipped away. It was a brief reprieve as I held her body curled against mine. It was a moment of peace—until the dreams that threatened to shred my soul shattered it.”
“To me, you are worth it—and that makes me the most selfish bastard and the most dangerous god to ever exist. I did it in a second, without thinking or worrying about the consequences, and I would do it again and again. What I feel for you is overwhelming, and I cannot stop it. I do not know what I am doing. Do you understand that? I have the weight of the entire universe on my shoulders. I had a plan, and then you crashed into my life, making me ignore all reason. You make me trek through Onuna, taking me to places with loud music and overly sugary treats. You make me stay at castles with pretentious vampires. You make me laugh, make me smile, make me feel. You make me feel normal and allow me to forget that I am the sole ruler, because you see me when you look at me. I hate it, Dianna! I hate that I have known you for what others would consider mere minutes. In the grand scheme of things, our time together means nothing. I have known and bedded others longer than you have been in my life, yet I felt nothing but confess for them. I hate that you affect me so much, that you care so much when I do not deserve it.”
and that cliffhanger? *pulls hair*!!!
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ overall
i enjoyed this book as a whole, and i’m looking forward to the next book ~
pre-read 💀🗡
i always have to be reading a fantasy book alongside my romance book (or vice versa), so here we are!
P.S. this wasn’t on my december tbr as well…
br with my sweet angel leonora 💕
![Profile Image for Salma [HIATUS].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1762154839i%2F63142765._UX200_CR0%2C77%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
February 14, 2026
⤿ rating: 3.5-4/5
⤿ age: 18+
⤿ spice: 1.5/5
₊· ͟͟͞͞➳ Review will contain quotes.
➜ Buddy read with the beautiful Raghad. Thank you so much for reading this with me!
⤷ Check out her review.
𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒔:
🗡🔥 Urban Fantasy
🔥🗡 Enemies to Lovers
🗡🔥 Morally Grey FMC
🔥🗡 Slow Burn
🗡🔥 Dual POV
🔥🗡 Found Family
══⋆⋅☆⋅⋆══╡ Overview: ╞══⋆⋅☆⋅⋆══
This book went much better than I was expecting. I definitely did not expect to enjoy it as much as I did. It literally consumed me—I was enjoying it so much. You may probably know that most of my fantasy reads have been a fail—except ToG—and I was starting to wonder if the problem was me or the genre. Maybe the genre wasn’t for me, you know? I needed a new good fantasy series to obsess over. Would I say I’m obsessed with this book? No, because I have some issues with it. However, I am obsessed with the main characters and can’t wait to read more of them. I’m still deciding on whether or not I want to read them back-to-back. The books are long, and I don’t want to give the books less than what they truly deserve—plus, I’d also like to avoid slumps.
𐔌 . ⋮ 𝒫𝓁ℴ𝓉.ᐟ ֹ ₊ ꒱
The plot was very unique, which is something I love in fantasy books, so that was a bonus. I struggled with the rating for this one because if I had put it at 3.5, it would have been way too low, but if I put it at 4, it would have been high. I figured four was the reasonable rating, because I have two major issues: the pacing and the book length. Also, I think this rating is reasonable considering I enjoyed it so much, and was happy to be finally be able to enjoy a fantasy book.
The pacing was very slow, and I know this is a fantasy series, and not a seven-book series for nothing, so it could be just me whining—but I would have loved to see a bit of a faster pace, you know? I feel like so much happened in this book, and yet nothing happened at all. The author was trying to info dump and draw out the story like crazy, which caused me to get bored at times.
This book took ages out of my life, with how long it is, it definitely did not need to be that long. MOST CHAPTERS WERE OVER 30 PAGES, AND ONE CHAPTER WAS OVER FORTY PAGES, LIKE, HELLO? What needs to be said in over forty pages? I know I always talk a lot about long chapters in my reviews, but I seriously hate them. I really don't think that many details were needed—they were useless, and just prolonged the story longer than necessary. I probably would have rated this book higher had the book been skimmed down.
The world-building was a little confusing at first, so I had to ask a friend to help me out. However, once you get the gist of it, you become much more immersed. Also, that ending was BRUTAL. Don’t go into this book expecting too much. Think of this book like a prequel to the series—you get the world-building, and the characters, and some romance, and all the action happens mostly at the end.
𐔌 . ⋮ 𝕽𝖔𝖒𝖆𝖓𝖈𝖊.ᐟ ֹ ₊ ꒱
The tension, the slow burn, the banter, the spice, the bits of yearning—I ate them all up. The romance between the main characters was perfect, and I needed more. Not only that, but I loved the “enemies to lovers” vibe they gave. The banter between them was funny at times, and I loved seeing them get on each other’s nerves. The slow burn in this was chef's kiss.
𐔌 . ⋮ ᴡʀɪᴛɪɴɢ.ᐟ ֹ ₊ ꒱
The writing was easy to get through, but it wasn't the best writing I've ever seen—there were certain scenes where I grimaced at how bad the writing was. Also, I personally found a lot of grammatical and spelling mistakes.
══⋆⋅☆⋅⋆══╡ Characters: ╞══⋆⋅☆⋅⋆══
જ⁀➴ Dianna: A tall, strong and badass FMC? SIGN ME UP. I absolutely loved her. Her short temper and snarky remarks reminded me too much of myself. She’s the eldest daughter, like me, and the way she cared for Gabby and took care of everyone, but herself, was very relatable to me. She did piss me off at times, because she was barely serious in serious situations—and I hated that. However, despite this, I loved her so much.
「✦ “The mere sight of him set my blood aflame as if he stoked a fire deep in my soul—and I wanted it to burn. I wanted more. I wanted him.” ✦」
「✦ “Liam had given me a flower. A simple fucking flower, and my world tilted. It was the first time any man had given me flowers. It was the stupidest thing for me to obsess over, but this tiny yellow plant suddenly meant the world to me. I hated the way my stomach flipped as I glanced at it in my hand. Gabby got flowers, not me—never me.” ✦」
「✦ “I didn't know when it had happened, but he was mine, and I would tear anything who so much as touched him to pieces.” ✦」
「✦ “It’s okay to not be okay.” ✦」
「✦ “I don’t care what anyone says. Follow your heart. You have to. The world doesn’t need more of them. It needs more of you. I heard what your father said, what he told you. He wanted you to be better—better than them. That means giving a damn, Liam.” ✦」
「✦ “He was the most beautiful and annoying thing I had ever seen.” ✦」
「✦ “Your burdens become my burdens.” ✦」
જ⁀➴ Liam: This man had me swooning, melting, everything he opened his mouth. THE THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THIS MAN’S MOUTH WERE UNBELIEVABLE. Every eldest daughter needs a man like Liam. He also pissed me off at times, with his lack of communication—but I could never hate him. I adore him so much.
「✦ “This woman was the definition of destruction.” ✦」
「✦ “You already consume my every waking thought. Must you consume my dreams as well?” ✦」
「✦ “She was my enemy, yet my enemy was the only one who seemed to understand me and the demons I fought.” ✦」
「✦ “I also promise that he will never lay a hand on you again. If he even tries to take you away, I promise I’ll make him regret ever being born.” ✦」
「✦ “I didn’t remember how long we talked, but somewhere amidst her laughter and smiles, I decided I would rip the world apart for her. When she had turned into me and wrapped her arms around my chest, the world had slipped away.” ✦」
「✦ “If that is true…” The fear in his gaze shifted, becoming another primal emotion. “… then I wish for you to infect me.”i> ✦」
「✦ “I knew nothing of love, but I knew I wanted her, needed her, and dreamed of her. It was the most inappropriate and irresponsible thing I could ever want for myself. I just wanted to feel, and a single touch from her set my body alight. I wanted her hands on every part of me, and I wanted it more than I had ever wanted anything. It was the most selfish desire in the world, but I wanted her more than a crown, more than a throne, more than air.” ✦」
「✦ “I brought her back because I didn’t think I could exist without her.” ✦」
「✦ “I did it in a second, without thinking or worrying about the consequences, and I would do it again and again. What I feel for you is overwhelming, and I cannot stop it. I do not know what I am doing.” ✦」
「✦ “She had seduced me. More than that, she owned me—and she didn’t even know it.” ✦」
「✦ “Hey, look at me. You would have to be an ignorant fool not to think you are anything but extraordinary, Dianna.” ✦」
「✦ “I may not have the words to do justice to her or what I was feeling.” ✦」
「✦ “She was silently pleading, desperately begging me to keep her sister safe. I decided then and there that this woman should never beg. I understood she cared for her sister, but who cared for her? At that moment , she seemed soinnocent. She was not the vicious, fire -wielding woman I had first met. She was just a girl who had been born into chaos. Kaden had backed her into a corner, her choices taken until she had reformed herself into a weapon. She had become what she needed to be to protect the only person who still saw good in her.” ✦」
「✦ “Dianna was worth it, and I would risk it all for her.” ✦」
「✦ “I would go to war for her.” ✦」
「✦ “I’d never abandon you.” ✦」
「✦ “With the right person, a kiss was so much more than a kiss. It was pure, unfiltered ecstasy. A part of my soul had been waiting for this woman, and one kiss from her had undone me. A voice I couldn’t ignore quietly insisted that she was what I had been missing. It’s her. It’s her. It’s her.” ✦」
「✦ “I wouldn’t allow anything to dim her spirit.” ✦」
⋮ ⌗ ┆𝐒𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬:
જ⁀➴ Gabby: I hated her so much. She was a dumb, annoying, nosy, bitch with zero survival skills.
જ⁀➴ Kaden and Tobias: Okay, hear me out, Kaden makes a great villain. At first, I was struggling to hate him, because he reminded me of a mix of Aaron Pierre and Michael B. Jordan—and come on, those two combined, how could I hate him? He was an ass to the FMC, and I hated him for that, but in my defence, he’s very hot in the fanart—I know, I know, that makes me a hypocrite. I'm willing to see him have a redemption arc. However, that being said, my feelings towards him changed towards the end. I do hate Tobias more, though.
જ⁀➴ Logan and Neverra: I loved them so much, and I loved their relationship—I wish we saw more of it.
「✦ “Logan and Neverra had been together for centuries. They never tired of one another and never sought more outside of their relationship. They were the definition of soul mates if there ever was such a thing, and I envied what they had.” ✦」
જ⁀➴ Drake and Ethan: I LOVED Drake so much…until the ending came, and I was so mad at him. I didn’t really care for Ethan, though.
「✦ “Don't you know? Love is the purest form of destruction there is.” ✦」
「✦ “Better to die by what you think is right, than to live under a lie.” ✦」
「✦ “Don’t be the one to make her fall if you have no intention of catching her.” ✦」
જ⁀➴ Camilla: A certain scene between her and Liam got on my nerves BADLY. I hated her, too.
── .✦ 𝓕𝓲𝓷𝓪𝓵 𝓣𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼: Overall, I enjoyed this book so much, and would recommend it!
«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»
⋆. 𐙚˚࿔ pre-read: 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
Buddy read with the gorgeous queen Raghad 🫶🏻. This book gets a lot of hype, so our expectations are VERY high. It's my first Urban Fantasy, so I hope it doesn't disappoint. I need a new obsession, and this series better be it 😂
⤿ age: 18+
⤿ spice: 1.5/5
₊· ͟͟͞͞➳ Review will contain quotes.
➜ Buddy read with the beautiful Raghad. Thank you so much for reading this with me!
⤷ Check out her review.
𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒔:
🗡🔥 Urban Fantasy
🔥🗡 Enemies to Lovers
🗡🔥 Morally Grey FMC
🔥🗡 Slow Burn
🗡🔥 Dual POV
🔥🗡 Found Family
══⋆⋅☆⋅⋆══╡ Overview: ╞══⋆⋅☆⋅⋆══
This book went much better than I was expecting. I definitely did not expect to enjoy it as much as I did. It literally consumed me—I was enjoying it so much. You may probably know that most of my fantasy reads have been a fail—except ToG—and I was starting to wonder if the problem was me or the genre. Maybe the genre wasn’t for me, you know? I needed a new good fantasy series to obsess over. Would I say I’m obsessed with this book? No, because I have some issues with it. However, I am obsessed with the main characters and can’t wait to read more of them. I’m still deciding on whether or not I want to read them back-to-back. The books are long, and I don’t want to give the books less than what they truly deserve—plus, I’d also like to avoid slumps.
𐔌 . ⋮ 𝒫𝓁ℴ𝓉.ᐟ ֹ ₊ ꒱
The plot was very unique, which is something I love in fantasy books, so that was a bonus. I struggled with the rating for this one because if I had put it at 3.5, it would have been way too low, but if I put it at 4, it would have been high. I figured four was the reasonable rating, because I have two major issues: the pacing and the book length. Also, I think this rating is reasonable considering I enjoyed it so much, and was happy to be finally be able to enjoy a fantasy book.
The pacing was very slow, and I know this is a fantasy series, and not a seven-book series for nothing, so it could be just me whining—but I would have loved to see a bit of a faster pace, you know? I feel like so much happened in this book, and yet nothing happened at all. The author was trying to info dump and draw out the story like crazy, which caused me to get bored at times.
This book took ages out of my life, with how long it is, it definitely did not need to be that long. MOST CHAPTERS WERE OVER 30 PAGES, AND ONE CHAPTER WAS OVER FORTY PAGES, LIKE, HELLO? What needs to be said in over forty pages? I know I always talk a lot about long chapters in my reviews, but I seriously hate them. I really don't think that many details were needed—they were useless, and just prolonged the story longer than necessary. I probably would have rated this book higher had the book been skimmed down.
The world-building was a little confusing at first, so I had to ask a friend to help me out. However, once you get the gist of it, you become much more immersed. Also, that ending was BRUTAL. Don’t go into this book expecting too much. Think of this book like a prequel to the series—you get the world-building, and the characters, and some romance, and all the action happens mostly at the end.
𐔌 . ⋮ 𝕽𝖔𝖒𝖆𝖓𝖈𝖊.ᐟ ֹ ₊ ꒱
The tension, the slow burn, the banter, the spice, the bits of yearning—I ate them all up. The romance between the main characters was perfect, and I needed more. Not only that, but I loved the “enemies to lovers” vibe they gave. The banter between them was funny at times, and I loved seeing them get on each other’s nerves. The slow burn in this was chef's kiss.
𐔌 . ⋮ ᴡʀɪᴛɪɴɢ.ᐟ ֹ ₊ ꒱
The writing was easy to get through, but it wasn't the best writing I've ever seen—there were certain scenes where I grimaced at how bad the writing was. Also, I personally found a lot of grammatical and spelling mistakes.
══⋆⋅☆⋅⋆══╡ Characters: ╞══⋆⋅☆⋅⋆══
જ⁀➴ Dianna: A tall, strong and badass FMC? SIGN ME UP. I absolutely loved her. Her short temper and snarky remarks reminded me too much of myself. She’s the eldest daughter, like me, and the way she cared for Gabby and took care of everyone, but herself, was very relatable to me. She did piss me off at times, because she was barely serious in serious situations—and I hated that. However, despite this, I loved her so much.
「✦ “The mere sight of him set my blood aflame as if he stoked a fire deep in my soul—and I wanted it to burn. I wanted more. I wanted him.” ✦」
「✦ “Liam had given me a flower. A simple fucking flower, and my world tilted. It was the first time any man had given me flowers. It was the stupidest thing for me to obsess over, but this tiny yellow plant suddenly meant the world to me. I hated the way my stomach flipped as I glanced at it in my hand. Gabby got flowers, not me—never me.” ✦」
「✦ “I didn't know when it had happened, but he was mine, and I would tear anything who so much as touched him to pieces.” ✦」
「✦ “It’s okay to not be okay.” ✦」
「✦ “I don’t care what anyone says. Follow your heart. You have to. The world doesn’t need more of them. It needs more of you. I heard what your father said, what he told you. He wanted you to be better—better than them. That means giving a damn, Liam.” ✦」
「✦ “He was the most beautiful and annoying thing I had ever seen.” ✦」
「✦ “Your burdens become my burdens.” ✦」
જ⁀➴ Liam: This man had me swooning, melting, everything he opened his mouth. THE THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THIS MAN’S MOUTH WERE UNBELIEVABLE. Every eldest daughter needs a man like Liam. He also pissed me off at times, with his lack of communication—but I could never hate him. I adore him so much.
「✦ “This woman was the definition of destruction.” ✦」
「✦ “You already consume my every waking thought. Must you consume my dreams as well?” ✦」
「✦ “She was my enemy, yet my enemy was the only one who seemed to understand me and the demons I fought.” ✦」
「✦ “I also promise that he will never lay a hand on you again. If he even tries to take you away, I promise I’ll make him regret ever being born.” ✦」
「✦ “I didn’t remember how long we talked, but somewhere amidst her laughter and smiles, I decided I would rip the world apart for her. When she had turned into me and wrapped her arms around my chest, the world had slipped away.” ✦」
「✦ “If that is true…” The fear in his gaze shifted, becoming another primal emotion. “… then I wish for you to infect me.”i> ✦」
「✦ “I knew nothing of love, but I knew I wanted her, needed her, and dreamed of her. It was the most inappropriate and irresponsible thing I could ever want for myself. I just wanted to feel, and a single touch from her set my body alight. I wanted her hands on every part of me, and I wanted it more than I had ever wanted anything. It was the most selfish desire in the world, but I wanted her more than a crown, more than a throne, more than air.” ✦」
「✦ “I brought her back because I didn’t think I could exist without her.” ✦」
「✦ “I did it in a second, without thinking or worrying about the consequences, and I would do it again and again. What I feel for you is overwhelming, and I cannot stop it. I do not know what I am doing.” ✦」
「✦ “She had seduced me. More than that, she owned me—and she didn’t even know it.” ✦」
「✦ “Hey, look at me. You would have to be an ignorant fool not to think you are anything but extraordinary, Dianna.” ✦」
「✦ “I may not have the words to do justice to her or what I was feeling.” ✦」
「✦ “She was silently pleading, desperately begging me to keep her sister safe. I decided then and there that this woman should never beg. I understood she cared for her sister, but who cared for her? At that moment , she seemed soinnocent. She was not the vicious, fire -wielding woman I had first met. She was just a girl who had been born into chaos. Kaden had backed her into a corner, her choices taken until she had reformed herself into a weapon. She had become what she needed to be to protect the only person who still saw good in her.” ✦」
「✦ “Dianna was worth it, and I would risk it all for her.” ✦」
「✦ “I would go to war for her.” ✦」
「✦ “I’d never abandon you.” ✦」
「✦ “With the right person, a kiss was so much more than a kiss. It was pure, unfiltered ecstasy. A part of my soul had been waiting for this woman, and one kiss from her had undone me. A voice I couldn’t ignore quietly insisted that she was what I had been missing. It’s her. It’s her. It’s her.” ✦」
「✦ “I wouldn’t allow anything to dim her spirit.” ✦」
⋮ ⌗ ┆𝐒𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬:
જ⁀➴ Gabby: I hated her so much. She was a dumb, annoying, nosy, bitch with zero survival skills.
જ⁀➴ Kaden and Tobias: Okay, hear me out, Kaden makes a great villain. At first, I was struggling to hate him, because he reminded me of a mix of Aaron Pierre and Michael B. Jordan—and come on, those two combined, how could I hate him? He was an ass to the FMC, and I hated him for that, but in my defence, he’s very hot in the fanart—I know, I know, that makes me a hypocrite. I'm willing to see him have a redemption arc. However, that being said, my feelings towards him changed towards the end. I do hate Tobias more, though.
જ⁀➴ Logan and Neverra: I loved them so much, and I loved their relationship—I wish we saw more of it.
「✦ “Logan and Neverra had been together for centuries. They never tired of one another and never sought more outside of their relationship. They were the definition of soul mates if there ever was such a thing, and I envied what they had.” ✦」
જ⁀➴ Drake and Ethan: I LOVED Drake so much…until the ending came, and I was so mad at him. I didn’t really care for Ethan, though.
「✦ “Don't you know? Love is the purest form of destruction there is.” ✦」
「✦ “Better to die by what you think is right, than to live under a lie.” ✦」
「✦ “Don’t be the one to make her fall if you have no intention of catching her.” ✦」
જ⁀➴ Camilla: A certain scene between her and Liam got on my nerves BADLY. I hated her, too.
── .✦ 𝓕𝓲𝓷𝓪𝓵 𝓣𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼: Overall, I enjoyed this book so much, and would recommend it!
«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»
⋆. 𐙚˚࿔ pre-read: 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
Buddy read with the gorgeous queen Raghad 🫶🏻. This book gets a lot of hype, so our expectations are VERY high. It's my first Urban Fantasy, so I hope it doesn't disappoint. I need a new obsession, and this series better be it 😂
July 31, 2025
1st reread finished 6/15/2024
June 7, 2023
"I didn’t remember how long we talked, but somewhere amidst her laughter and smiles, I decided I would rip the world apart for her."
I loved this book so much! This was a fast-paced and brilliant fantasy about love, betrayal, hate, power, revenge and war. Many years ago, Dianna saved her dying sister by giving her life to a terrifying monster in the deserts of Erioa. Now Dianna does whatever the monster, Kaden asks including finding an ancient powerful book from creatures that hunt her. Liam, is a king and a God who is known as the World Ender. Liam, haunted by his past locked himself away, hiding away from the world. Liam comes back after one of his friend's is killed. Dianna and Liam must work together and set aside their hate for each other to save the world.
The characters in this book were so complex and very interesting. I fell in love with Liam, he is strong, caring, extremely handsome, and sweet. I loved Dianna, she is brave, resilient, caring, sassy, and fierce. I also loved Dianna's sister Gaby, she is funny, sweet, sassy, and loving. The enemies-to-lovers romance between Liam and Dianna was so well done. I also loved the banter between Liam and Dianna and their chemistry was off the charts. The world-building in this book was so amazing and I was enchanting by the world from the very beginning. The author is a very good storyteller and I enjoyed learning more about the world from both Liam and Dianna's point-of-view. The character development was so good, I loved seeing a softer side of Liam and Dianna. There was so many shocking plot twists that I didn't see coming. The ending was so shocking and amazing! I can't wait to read the next book! I recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy, romance and excellent world-building and storytelling.
I loved this book so much! This was a fast-paced and brilliant fantasy about love, betrayal, hate, power, revenge and war. Many years ago, Dianna saved her dying sister by giving her life to a terrifying monster in the deserts of Erioa. Now Dianna does whatever the monster, Kaden asks including finding an ancient powerful book from creatures that hunt her. Liam, is a king and a God who is known as the World Ender. Liam, haunted by his past locked himself away, hiding away from the world. Liam comes back after one of his friend's is killed. Dianna and Liam must work together and set aside their hate for each other to save the world.
The characters in this book were so complex and very interesting. I fell in love with Liam, he is strong, caring, extremely handsome, and sweet. I loved Dianna, she is brave, resilient, caring, sassy, and fierce. I also loved Dianna's sister Gaby, she is funny, sweet, sassy, and loving. The enemies-to-lovers romance between Liam and Dianna was so well done. I also loved the banter between Liam and Dianna and their chemistry was off the charts. The world-building in this book was so amazing and I was enchanting by the world from the very beginning. The author is a very good storyteller and I enjoyed learning more about the world from both Liam and Dianna's point-of-view. The character development was so good, I loved seeing a softer side of Liam and Dianna. There was so many shocking plot twists that I didn't see coming. The ending was so shocking and amazing! I can't wait to read the next book! I recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy, romance and excellent world-building and storytelling.
January 31, 2024
1.5, I gave it half a star for the good use of necromancy via a side character which I genuinely liked and I like the presence of jewelry being turned into weapons via magic. Other than that, this has the same issues I had with crescent city. Overwriting, and sending the reader on a wild goose chase that doesn’t result in feeling like I’ve experienced anything worthwhile.
Also the weird use of not-quite-Spanish and the anachronism of “Italian suit” when Italy doesn’t exist in this fantasy world.
VIDEO REVIEW:
https://youtu.be/04h1PFWrbMM
Also the weird use of not-quite-Spanish and the anachronism of “Italian suit” when Italy doesn’t exist in this fantasy world.
VIDEO REVIEW:
https://youtu.be/04h1PFWrbMM
June 21, 2023
《 4.5 ✰ 》
Something is stirring between the Otherworld creatures.
Centuries have passed since the Gods War.
The fate of the world hangs in the balance again.
Two mortal enemies must work together—the enemy of my enemy and all.
Liam/Samkiel and Dianna are as opposite as opposites can be. One yields light, and the other yields shadows. How will they find a way to trust each other?
The worldbuilding is exciting, with multiple realms and every order form you can imagine. From witches to vampires, to banshees and everything in between! This series has the potential to be massive in scale.
The characters are memorable, and one, in particular, has an attitude that reminds me of Aelin from Throne of Glass!
That would be the FMC, Dianna! She would do anything to protect her sister, the only person she loves. Liam is the tortured and arrogant MMC. He has many names, enemies, and a painful history that he can’t seem to outrun. The way they brought out a softness in each other was so sweet. Dianna nurtures Liam’s playful side while he makes her feel seen.
I think my favorite tropes are…
enemies to lovers,
opposites attract,
forbidden romance,
and one bed,
because they result in playful banter and heated exchanges that turn spicy. The harder we work to get to that four-letter L word, the more my heart bursts when we finally get there. It is satisfying!
The side characters were fantastic as well. Drake, the vampire prince, captured my heart with his devilish good looks and endless flirtatious charm.
I am intrigued by the members of The Hand and their close bond with Liam. I hope we explore the friendships with Logan and Vincent more in The Throne of Broken Gods.
The Book of Azrael is a well-executed, first-person, high-fantasy story with dual POVs. I think fans of Crowns of Nyaxia and Coven of Bones will enjoy this tasty treat.
✧
✧
⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
World Ender meets Ender of Worlds...
Now enemies older than time must put aside their differences and work together in hopes of saving both their world and every realm in between.
Sounds epic!
⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
I am ecstatic to have read this with the stunning Rachael! I had the most amazing time with you and I cannot wait to continue the series! Thank you! 💞
Something is stirring between the Otherworld creatures.
Centuries have passed since the Gods War.
The fate of the world hangs in the balance again.
Two mortal enemies must work together—the enemy of my enemy and all.
Liam/Samkiel and Dianna are as opposite as opposites can be. One yields light, and the other yields shadows. How will they find a way to trust each other?
❝
”The stories said you two were destined to spill each other’s blood until the stars died…”
The worldbuilding is exciting, with multiple realms and every order form you can imagine. From witches to vampires, to banshees and everything in between! This series has the potential to be massive in scale.
The characters are memorable, and one, in particular, has an attitude that reminds me of Aelin from Throne of Glass!
❝
I didn’t know why I always put myself in situations that could result in my death. Call me crazy, wild, impulsive, or all of the above, but one thing I could say for myself was that no matter what, I was a fighter.
That would be the FMC, Dianna! She would do anything to protect her sister, the only person she loves. Liam is the tortured and arrogant MMC. He has many names, enemies, and a painful history that he can’t seem to outrun. The way they brought out a softness in each other was so sweet. Dianna nurtures Liam’s playful side while he makes her feel seen.
I think my favorite tropes are…
enemies to lovers,
opposites attract,
forbidden romance,
and one bed,
because they result in playful banter and heated exchanges that turn spicy. The harder we work to get to that four-letter L word, the more my heart bursts when we finally get there. It is satisfying!
❝
“Your death would be a great inconvenience, given the mission we must complete.”
“There he is. I thought I’d lost the terrifying man-god for a second there.”
“Must you make quips every second you breathe?”
I smiled, knowing I’d finally gotten under his skin. “Why do they bother you?”
“You are absolutely tormenting. You realize that, correct?”
“I love it when you flirt with me.” I winked, causing a vein to pop forward on his forehead, which only made me laugh.
The side characters were fantastic as well. Drake, the vampire prince, captured my heart with his devilish good looks and endless flirtatious charm.
❝
“Your arms are less defined than your legs. There is more power there, given your hip-to-leg ratio.”
She looked down as Drake said snidely, “I think that’s his way of saying you have a nice ass. Which I agree with.”
We both glared at him.
It was beautiful, but what held my attention was the massive castle. Yes, it was a castle, because why would any vampire family have a normal house?
I am intrigued by the members of The Hand and their close bond with Liam. I hope we explore the friendships with Logan and Vincent more in The Throne of Broken Gods.
The Book of Azrael is a well-executed, first-person, high-fantasy story with dual POVs. I think fans of Crowns of Nyaxia and Coven of Bones will enjoy this tasty treat.
✧
✧
Swoony Quote Time
┍━━━━━━━ ❝ ━━━━━━━┑
“No.”
His favorite word.
She claimed everyone was staring at me, but I had noticed every eye that lingered upon her since we entered this obnoxious place. At last count, it was forty-five—no, wait, there was another, make it forty-six. I told myself I was only keeping track for safety reasons, nothing more.
I decided then and there that this woman should never beg.
I didn’t remember how long we talked, but somewhere amidst her laughter and smiles, I decided I would rip the world apart for her.
“You already consume my every waking thought. Must you consume my dreams as well?”
“How did you know?”
Because I have every part of you memorized.
It was the most selfish desire in the world, but I wanted her more than a crown, more than a throne, more than air.
She had seduced me. More than that, she owned me—and she didn’t even know it.
“Liam, you cursed! Where does the ‘follow all the rules’ guy learn to talk like that?”
“Probably from the dark-haired, foul-mouthed woman whose vocabulary screams indecency.”
┕━━━━━━━ ❞ ━━━━━━━┙
⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
World Ender meets Ender of Worlds...
Now enemies older than time must put aside their differences and work together in hopes of saving both their world and every realm in between.
Sounds epic!
⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
I am ecstatic to have read this with the stunning Rachael! I had the most amazing time with you and I cannot wait to continue the series! Thank you! 💞
September 2, 2024
—— 4.5 ✰ stars.
Amber Nicole, we must have a chat, because what in the realms was that ending. Even if I saw it coming, I just stood there like a shocked fool.
First and foremost, I must mention this was a buddy read with my baby giuls, who is my perfect partner on this mental buddy reads we immerse ourselves in, and that of course, made the experience of a already extraordinary book, lethal. ilysm.
➷ plot:
this plot is so so difficult to explain, the world building is very complex and the author gives you drops of it during the whole book, so explaining it without spoilers would be near impossible, but let’s try.
A thousand years ago, Dianna gave up her life in the deserts of Eoria to save her dying sister. She begged for help, and a creature that should only exist in nightmares answered her prayers, Kaden. Now she is his second in command and does whatever he says. Kaden wants Dianna to find the book of Azrael, an ancient relic that could re open the realms long ago sealed.
But an old and seemingly forgotten god will return to stop it, and Dianna will have to choose which side is she on.
Needless to say that I loved the plot, the pacing was irregular, sometimes fast and fascinating, other times slow, but entertaining nonetheless.
➷ dianna
she is a very strong and powerful female character and I loved her. she is a sassy, snarky and badass bad bitch. she is a protector, and even tho she consideres herself a monster, she is far from it. she loves her sister and will do anything, whatever it takes to keep her safe.
➷ liam/ samkiel
i loved him too. I liked his mannerisms even tho he was such a man sometimes lol. he is tortured by his memories and clearly depressed , so he is a bit grumpy but i swear he is charming and that his journey is so worth it.
➷ dianna + samkiel
listen i loved them, the slow burn was slow burning, even tho i think the enemies to lovers could have been stretched more, and that took a bit of points from the final rating, but i loved the romance, there was so much tension and banter and i was LIVING FOR IT. They complement each other so good, and their sense of humor was amazing.
Their relationship is completely impossible due the circumstances and I’m here on this ship and I will DROWN with it if i need to.
the book IS SPICY, even if it only has two or three moments, they are explicit and detailed so keep that in mind.
➷ my final thoughts
I would recommend this book 100% for fantasy lovers, because even tho it contains romance, it’s not romance - centered. Both giuls and I would have devoured this in days but, one, it’s a thick book with the font smaller than my mental stability and, two, we were both busy as fuck. It’s a very addictive book. I’m so excited to keep going with the series and know what happens after that criminal ending.
➷ some quotes
”I didn’t remember how long we talked, but somewhere amidst her laughter and smiles, I decided I would rip the world apart for her.”
Amber Nicole, we must have a chat, because what in the realms was that ending. Even if I saw it coming, I just stood there like a shocked fool.
First and foremost, I must mention this was a buddy read with my baby giuls, who is my perfect partner on this mental buddy reads we immerse ourselves in, and that of course, made the experience of a already extraordinary book, lethal. ilysm.
➷ plot:
this plot is so so difficult to explain, the world building is very complex and the author gives you drops of it during the whole book, so explaining it without spoilers would be near impossible, but let’s try.
A thousand years ago, Dianna gave up her life in the deserts of Eoria to save her dying sister. She begged for help, and a creature that should only exist in nightmares answered her prayers, Kaden. Now she is his second in command and does whatever he says. Kaden wants Dianna to find the book of Azrael, an ancient relic that could re open the realms long ago sealed.
But an old and seemingly forgotten god will return to stop it, and Dianna will have to choose which side is she on.
Needless to say that I loved the plot, the pacing was irregular, sometimes fast and fascinating, other times slow, but entertaining nonetheless.
➷ dianna
“You would have to be an ignorant fool to not think you are anything but extraordinary, Dianna."
she is a very strong and powerful female character and I loved her. she is a sassy, snarky and badass bad bitch. she is a protector, and even tho she consideres herself a monster, she is far from it. she loves her sister and will do anything, whatever it takes to keep her safe.
➷ liam/ samkiel
i loved him too. I liked his mannerisms even tho he was such a man sometimes lol. he is tortured by his memories and clearly depressed , so he is a bit grumpy but i swear he is charming and that his journey is so worth it.
➷ dianna + samkiel
“You make me laugh, make me smile, make me feel. You make me feel normal and allow me to forget that I am the sole ruler because you see me when you look at me. I hate it, Dianna.”
listen i loved them, the slow burn was slow burning, even tho i think the enemies to lovers could have been stretched more, and that took a bit of points from the final rating, but i loved the romance, there was so much tension and banter and i was LIVING FOR IT. They complement each other so good, and their sense of humor was amazing.
Their relationship is completely impossible due the circumstances and I’m here on this ship and I will DROWN with it if i need to.
"I’m not leaving you." I ran my hand over the sweat-drenched side of his face before I kissed him hard and quick. "Maybe in another life," I whispered against his lips.
the book IS SPICY, even if it only has two or three moments, they are explicit and detailed so keep that in mind.
➷ my final thoughts
I would recommend this book 100% for fantasy lovers, because even tho it contains romance, it’s not romance - centered. Both giuls and I would have devoured this in days but, one, it’s a thick book with the font smaller than my mental stability and, two, we were both busy as fuck. It’s a very addictive book. I’m so excited to keep going with the series and know what happens after that criminal ending.
➷ some quotes
“his eyes shone and that beautiful smile flashed against the dark stubble that shadowed his jaw. I stared at him, stunned anew at his beauty, and I knew I would do just about anything to see him truly happy. I didn’t know how he had made it past my guard so quickly, but there was no doubt he had roused emotions in me I thought I would never feel for another.”
“There were no words to describe how Dianna’s lips felt against mine, but with that first kiss, my gravity had shifted. I may not have the words to do her or what I was feeling justice, but I knew if she would let me, I would happily spend a millennium trying.”
"Okay. Remember that I love you."
July 26, 2022
Okay so this book is…bad.
Is the plot interesting? I mean…I guess.
But the lack of editor in this writing is so glaringly obvious. There are typos, missing punctuation marks, missing/incorrect words - the full gamut of a very rough first draft.
The world was confusing - the map features these wonderful exotic names, but then there’s “Germany” thrown in - I had no idea where we were or what was happening.
It’s very, very sloppy writing. Like “there’s better writing on Ao3” bad. It’s juvenile, at best.
Also - Dianna is not a “villain”. You can’t make her a villain just because she killed people. I wanted an actual dark, bad heroine. Not someone who made dark choices but it still holding onto her morality and sense of good. She’s not a villain, unless you consider Rhysand or any of the SJM characters villains because they’ve killed others.
The bad writing and lack of editing pulled me out while reading constantly.
Is the plot interesting? I mean…I guess.
But the lack of editor in this writing is so glaringly obvious. There are typos, missing punctuation marks, missing/incorrect words - the full gamut of a very rough first draft.
The world was confusing - the map features these wonderful exotic names, but then there’s “Germany” thrown in - I had no idea where we were or what was happening.
It’s very, very sloppy writing. Like “there’s better writing on Ao3” bad. It’s juvenile, at best.
Also - Dianna is not a “villain”. You can’t make her a villain just because she killed people. I wanted an actual dark, bad heroine. Not someone who made dark choices but it still holding onto her morality and sense of good. She’s not a villain, unless you consider Rhysand or any of the SJM characters villains because they’ve killed others.
The bad writing and lack of editing pulled me out while reading constantly.
May 24, 2024
4.5/ 5⭐
2/5 🌶️
That ending.. THAT ENDING. no. just. no...
"The Book of Azrael" by Amber V. Nicole, prepare for a journey of heart-stopping drama and slow-burning passion. Picture this: an epic world where Dianna, our fierce protagonist, reigns as a captivating villain. Her path collides with Liam, a rugged and brooding figure, sparking an electrifying enemies-to-lovers tale. Dianna's bloodthirsty allure and Liam's grumpy bear charm will have you utterly captivated. I LOVED THEM!
All the things I love, forced proximity with only one bed, enemies to lovers. slow burn, with a dash of forbidden love. The author's skillful pacing keeps you spellbound, weaving romance seamlessly amidst breathtaking world-building, sparing us from tedious info dumps. Dual perspectives between Dianna and Liam.
And that cliffhanger! Oh, the cliffhanger will leave you in tears, begging for more. I had to read that last two chapters twice!! TWICE!! I am still heart broken. It's wasn't real, right?!? It was a nightmare, right... ugh
This book will linger in your dreams and thoughts.
..............................................................................
Please be good. please be good!!
Please be good. please be good!!
Please be good. please be good!!
ummmmm Please be good. please be good!!
k k
2/5 🌶️
That ending.. THAT ENDING. no. just. no...
"The Book of Azrael" by Amber V. Nicole, prepare for a journey of heart-stopping drama and slow-burning passion. Picture this: an epic world where Dianna, our fierce protagonist, reigns as a captivating villain. Her path collides with Liam, a rugged and brooding figure, sparking an electrifying enemies-to-lovers tale. Dianna's bloodthirsty allure and Liam's grumpy bear charm will have you utterly captivated. I LOVED THEM!
All the things I love, forced proximity with only one bed, enemies to lovers. slow burn, with a dash of forbidden love. The author's skillful pacing keeps you spellbound, weaving romance seamlessly amidst breathtaking world-building, sparing us from tedious info dumps. Dual perspectives between Dianna and Liam.
And that cliffhanger! Oh, the cliffhanger will leave you in tears, begging for more. I had to read that last two chapters twice!! TWICE!! I am still heart broken. It's wasn't real, right?!? It was a nightmare, right... ugh
This book will linger in your dreams and thoughts.
..............................................................................
Please be good. please be good!!
Please be good. please be good!!
Please be good. please be good!!
ummmmm Please be good. please be good!!
k k
May 23, 2025
✩ 3.75 stars ✩
‘He bit his lip and wrapped his hand around my wrist. "Squeeze harder. I almost feel something.”’
What to Expect:
➼ Enemies to Lovers
➼ Forced Proximity
➼ One Bed
➼ Forbidden Romance
➼ Morally Gray FMC
➼ Minimal Spice
➼ Cliffhanger
➼ Debut
➼ Dual POV
Now that I know how tame this book is, I find it highly amusing that I once thought this might be too spicy for my taste. 😅 In my defense, the cover does look very similar to Haunting Adeline, so cut me some slack.
In reality, the spice in this book was pretty minimal. Honestly, I would have liked for the characters to have pined a little longer and built the tension between them for at least a full book. They are supposed to be mortal enemies and I was surprised to see them jump that hurdle so quickly. At the very least, I would have expected a longer period of denial from the MMC.
This is a debut novel and I’m sorry to say that it read like one. The writing wasn’t terrible by any means, but it definitely felt awkward at times. It honestly reminded me a lot of the writing style of the early 2000s. In some ways that’s a good thing, because it meant we got a bigger helping of plot with our spice (which is not the norm these days), but it also felt pretty cheesy to me.
Dianna is initially introduced as a villain but she felt too tenderhearted for me to believe she really did all the terrible things the book implied. I’m supposed to believe she killed countless people for the love of her sister without going mad from guilt or ever wanting anything for herself? It’s not as if her sister is young. She has been alive for a 1000+ years. How much life do they really need to live?
Samkiel/Liam gave pretty strong Thor vibes i.e. super strong and clueless about how the modern world works. He’s known as the World Ender, a title he earned by, you guessed it… ending a world. He has the whole tortured hero thing going for him and has been hiding away in seclusion for an untold number of years. Honestly I imagined him as Kyle XY for the first half of the book until he started acting less dopey. Oops… I’m showing my age. 🙃 To be clear, his dopiness was mostly endearing. My main issue with him was that he was described as all powerful but then was pretty easily defeated by almost every enemy they faced. I get that he created the sword, but his power didn���t seem all that impressive without it. (Thor’s hammer anyone?)
Objectively, this probably only deserves 3 stars but it’s getting a boost based purely on enjoyment. I’m honestly a bit surprised by all the glowing reviews but I’m happy for everyone out there who thought this was 5 stars. 😘
I wonder if that ending will really stick. 🤔 Somehow I doubt it… only one way to find out! 🤗
I’ve heard the next book is even better! 🤞🏻
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Gonna see what all the hype is about! Neither the cover nor the description really appeal to be, but with ratings this high, how can I not? 💀🖤
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
Connect with me on Instagram
‘He bit his lip and wrapped his hand around my wrist. "Squeeze harder. I almost feel something.”’
What to Expect:
➼ Enemies to Lovers
➼ Forced Proximity
➼ One Bed
➼ Forbidden Romance
➼ Morally Gray FMC
➼ Minimal Spice
➼ Cliffhanger
➼ Debut
➼ Dual POV
Now that I know how tame this book is, I find it highly amusing that I once thought this might be too spicy for my taste. 😅 In my defense, the cover does look very similar to Haunting Adeline, so cut me some slack.
In reality, the spice in this book was pretty minimal. Honestly, I would have liked for the characters to have pined a little longer and built the tension between them for at least a full book. They are supposed to be mortal enemies and I was surprised to see them jump that hurdle so quickly. At the very least, I would have expected a longer period of denial from the MMC.
This is a debut novel and I’m sorry to say that it read like one. The writing wasn’t terrible by any means, but it definitely felt awkward at times. It honestly reminded me a lot of the writing style of the early 2000s. In some ways that’s a good thing, because it meant we got a bigger helping of plot with our spice (which is not the norm these days), but it also felt pretty cheesy to me.
Dianna is initially introduced as a villain but she felt too tenderhearted for me to believe she really did all the terrible things the book implied. I’m supposed to believe she killed countless people for the love of her sister without going mad from guilt or ever wanting anything for herself? It’s not as if her sister is young. She has been alive for a 1000+ years. How much life do they really need to live?
Samkiel/Liam gave pretty strong Thor vibes i.e. super strong and clueless about how the modern world works. He’s known as the World Ender, a title he earned by, you guessed it… ending a world. He has the whole tortured hero thing going for him and has been hiding away in seclusion for an untold number of years. Honestly I imagined him as Kyle XY for the first half of the book until he started acting less dopey. Oops… I’m showing my age. 🙃 To be clear, his dopiness was mostly endearing. My main issue with him was that he was described as all powerful but then was pretty easily defeated by almost every enemy they faced. I get that he created the sword, but his power didn���t seem all that impressive without it. (Thor’s hammer anyone?)
Objectively, this probably only deserves 3 stars but it’s getting a boost based purely on enjoyment. I’m honestly a bit surprised by all the glowing reviews but I’m happy for everyone out there who thought this was 5 stars. 😘
I wonder if that ending will really stick. 🤔 Somehow I doubt it… only one way to find out! 🤗
I’ve heard the next book is even better! 🤞🏻
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Gonna see what all the hype is about! Neither the cover nor the description really appeal to be, but with ratings this high, how can I not? 💀🖤
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
Connect with me on Instagram
August 24, 2023
4.5! OH MY GOD THIS BOOK. I kept thinking I knew what was going to happen, but every time I had a solid theory or prediction for even the smallest plot point this book was like NOPE you stupid f*cking human you have no clue what you're in for. Basically I predicted nothing. The plot twists are magical and unimaginable. Like you'll get an overall vibe as to where things might be headed ("uh oh this person seems sketch"), and even if your vibe was right the actual events that will occur will just not be AT ALL what you expected. Does that make sense? Yes? No? Basically do not trust what this book tells you as you're reading it because it will give you a heart attack if you get too comfortable. You have been warned. 😅💀❤️🔥🪐🌎🗡️🌼🖤🫣
Samkiel: "My father told me once that he would rip the known universe apart for my mother. I have never felt that way about anyone."
Also Samkiel: "I didn't remember how long we talked, but somewhere amidst her laughter and smiles, I decided I would rip the world apart for her." OK JUST RIP MY HEART OUT TOO.
So after finishing this at 2 AM last night and digesting it a bit, I can confirm that I am STILL SO STRESSED?! Thank god the second book is already out, otherwise that cliffhanger would have made me throw my kindle against the wall. Legit just stared at the ceiling for an hour after I finished. Its so good but such an emotional ride.
This is the definition of a romantasy. The entire plot is driven by two competing groups of magical beings looking for a book that may or may not exist, and two super powerful beings from each opposing group fall in love. Samkiel and Dianna are basically the fantasy version of a cop dating a criminal. He's the King of Gods, she's a mortal turned monster by the bad guys in this book. Samkiel/Liam is a mythical being Dianna's master wants dead. Dianna is a badass who pretends she doesn't need anything but secretly dreams of true love. He's the light, she's the dark. Poetic and so fun to read. Looking for fated lovers? Thats them. Looking for opposites attract? Thats them. Looking for enemies to lovers? Thats them. Looking for a mutual trauma healing found through the other person? Thats them. Looking for forbidden romance? Thats them. Oh and what about huge jacked alpha guy/god with a beard and silver tattoos and insane power who turns ferally possessive over the girl? CHECK. Think fated lovers to the extreme--they've basically been destined for each other without knowing it for centuries. Personally, I eat this kind of romance up. Like ACOTAR mates on crack. Speaking of crack, the plot is crack, the characters are crack, and the romance and drama are like crack. Entirely addicting.
Be warned: this is not a smutty book. It has spice, but not much. The spice it does have though is very good and very explicit. But the anticipation and build up is so good, and the plot basically makes up for it even if you're a strictly smutty book lover. I have a feeling the next book will be much spicier. That being said, I want this to be 5 stars but I can't bring myself to give it more than a 4.5. Part of that is simply that I wanted more Samkiel/Dianna spice because they're so good together and I just want these babies to be HAPPY FOR ONCE. Besides that though, the world building is amazing but can get confusing in my opinion. I had to literally take notes at some points to make sure I was keeping everything in line. It gets easier and you have to just push through it at the beginning, but just be warned. Totally worth it though. I don't think its as bad as the beginning of Crescent City, so if you can push through that book this is just as rewarding.
ON TO THE SECOND BOOK SO I CAN GET MY HEART BROKEN (please Amber Nicole do not break my heart I need them to be happy and I need their world to be happy). I am stressed in the best possible way. Send help and/or therapy.
Samkiel: "My father told me once that he would rip the known universe apart for my mother. I have never felt that way about anyone."
Also Samkiel: "I didn't remember how long we talked, but somewhere amidst her laughter and smiles, I decided I would rip the world apart for her." OK JUST RIP MY HEART OUT TOO.
So after finishing this at 2 AM last night and digesting it a bit, I can confirm that I am STILL SO STRESSED?! Thank god the second book is already out, otherwise that cliffhanger would have made me throw my kindle against the wall. Legit just stared at the ceiling for an hour after I finished. Its so good but such an emotional ride.
This is the definition of a romantasy. The entire plot is driven by two competing groups of magical beings looking for a book that may or may not exist, and two super powerful beings from each opposing group fall in love. Samkiel and Dianna are basically the fantasy version of a cop dating a criminal. He's the King of Gods, she's a mortal turned monster by the bad guys in this book. Samkiel/Liam is a mythical being Dianna's master wants dead. Dianna is a badass who pretends she doesn't need anything but secretly dreams of true love. He's the light, she's the dark. Poetic and so fun to read. Looking for fated lovers? Thats them. Looking for opposites attract? Thats them. Looking for enemies to lovers? Thats them. Looking for a mutual trauma healing found through the other person? Thats them. Looking for forbidden romance? Thats them. Oh and what about huge jacked alpha guy/god with a beard and silver tattoos and insane power who turns ferally possessive over the girl? CHECK. Think fated lovers to the extreme--they've basically been destined for each other without knowing it for centuries. Personally, I eat this kind of romance up. Like ACOTAR mates on crack. Speaking of crack, the plot is crack, the characters are crack, and the romance and drama are like crack. Entirely addicting.
Be warned: this is not a smutty book. It has spice, but not much. The spice it does have though is very good and very explicit. But the anticipation and build up is so good, and the plot basically makes up for it even if you're a strictly smutty book lover. I have a feeling the next book will be much spicier. That being said, I want this to be 5 stars but I can't bring myself to give it more than a 4.5. Part of that is simply that I wanted more Samkiel/Dianna spice because they're so good together and I just want these babies to be HAPPY FOR ONCE. Besides that though, the world building is amazing but can get confusing in my opinion. I had to literally take notes at some points to make sure I was keeping everything in line. It gets easier and you have to just push through it at the beginning, but just be warned. Totally worth it though. I don't think its as bad as the beginning of Crescent City, so if you can push through that book this is just as rewarding.
ON TO THE SECOND BOOK SO I CAN GET MY HEART BROKEN (please Amber Nicole do not break my heart I need them to be happy and I need their world to be happy). I am stressed in the best possible way. Send help and/or therapy.
July 10, 2022
This is no I’ve-been-secretly-in-love-with-you-for-ages BS, folks. This is REAL enemies to lovers.
The only human thing about Dianna is that she loves her sister to the moon and back. To the point that if keeping her alive comes at a price of being a tyrant’s mistress and his killing machine, so be it. She still has a human heart though, albeit not much used, and sometimes between cleaning brain matter from her favorite shoes and tossing people into lava pits, Dianna allows herself to dream of love…
I loved Dianna. She was a bitch but I loved her. I wish I had the guts to talk to big guys like that.
After spending some pretty gruesome time with Dianna and her crew we meet Liam. Liam’s hobbies include brooding and hanging up on his friends. He gives a bit of an emo vibe, but he’s a good boy at heart and meeting him was refreshing and pleasant after the atrocities of the kingdom of Kaden.
As much as I was happy to meet Liam, Liam was not happy to meet me or anyone for that matter (see aforementioned emo vibe). He also did not want to end up in this weird place where large metal boxes on circular appendages clutter the landscape (I’m gonna totally use that description next time I call a workshop btw - can I schedule a service for my metal box with circular appendages for Tuesday?). But shit happens and if you’re a god you have to clean it up. And Liam happens to be a god.
Our lovebirds’ first encounters are not very romantic; he tortures her until she passes out, she comes up with cruel ways to end him - that sort of thing. Luckily they give up on that and - long story short - team up to save the world.
During their fascinating journey they get to know and trust each other and overcome centuries old prejudices.
While I’m generally more of a love at first sight kind of person, the slow burn here was done perfectly. These two really needed time to find each other. It was beautiful how both of them opened up, evolved and allowed themselves to feel.
I didn’t love everything about this story but I have to admit that even the parts I didn’t like made sense. (On top of that I really should not fuss about zombies since I am one myself after sacrificing three nights worth of sleep for this book.)
The last thing; I sort of knew there would be a cliffhanger but AAAARGHHH!!!!!
The only human thing about Dianna is that she loves her sister to the moon and back. To the point that if keeping her alive comes at a price of being a tyrant’s mistress and his killing machine, so be it. She still has a human heart though, albeit not much used, and sometimes between cleaning brain matter from her favorite shoes and tossing people into lava pits, Dianna allows herself to dream of love…
I loved Dianna. She was a bitch but I loved her. I wish I had the guts to talk to big guys like that.
After spending some pretty gruesome time with Dianna and her crew we meet Liam. Liam’s hobbies include brooding and hanging up on his friends. He gives a bit of an emo vibe, but he’s a good boy at heart and meeting him was refreshing and pleasant after the atrocities of the kingdom of Kaden.
As much as I was happy to meet Liam, Liam was not happy to meet me or anyone for that matter (see aforementioned emo vibe). He also did not want to end up in this weird place where large metal boxes on circular appendages clutter the landscape (I’m gonna totally use that description next time I call a workshop btw - can I schedule a service for my metal box with circular appendages for Tuesday?). But shit happens and if you’re a god you have to clean it up. And Liam happens to be a god.
Our lovebirds’ first encounters are not very romantic; he tortures her until she passes out, she comes up with cruel ways to end him - that sort of thing. Luckily they give up on that and - long story short - team up to save the world.
During their fascinating journey they get to know and trust each other and overcome centuries old prejudices.
While I’m generally more of a love at first sight kind of person, the slow burn here was done perfectly. These two really needed time to find each other. It was beautiful how both of them opened up, evolved and allowed themselves to feel.
I didn’t love everything about this story but I have to admit that even the parts I didn’t like made sense. (On top of that I really should not fuss about zombies since I am one myself after sacrificing three nights worth of sleep for this book.)
The last thing; I sort of knew there would be a cliffhanger but AAAARGHHH!!!!!
April 5, 2025
thoughts on book content will be in a video but as for the audiobook i reallllly wish there had been a male narrator for the male POV chapters. i know it's an added expense but in this case i think would have really made a substantive difference in my enjoyment of the story.
February 20, 2025
5🌟
“You already consume my every waking thought. Must you consume my dreams as well?”
This. Book. I think it'll forever be ingrained in my brain. You really know you love a book when you burst into tears at the thought of the book ending. Everything about this book, the characters, the world, the LORE ugh, don't get me started. It's so good; I love it all. I haven’t read a lot of urban fantasy besides the Crescent City series. I will say It does give similar vibes to it. As soon as I started this I was hooked with the and entranced by our main character Dianna.
“I didn’t remember how long we talked, but somewhere amidst her laughter and smiles, I decided I would rip the world apart for her.”
This book follows our main character’s Dianna and Liam. A thousand years ago Dianna gave up her freedom to save her sister; now she’s everything she feared she’d become a monster. Liam, a god known as the world ender has been hiding for centuries, he only emerges when a cry of help comes from his people. When Dianna and Liam are thrust into each other's paths neither plans on leaving the other alive. But when they both need to team up to find a long lost relic, they must put their differences aside for the greater good. How hard can it possibly be, they’ve only been enemies since the dawn of time.
“She owned me—and she didn’t even know it.”
Tropes:
🔥Enemies to Lovers
🔥One Bed
🔥Mortal Enemies
🔥Forbidden Romance
🔥FMC is a villain & very morally gray
🔥Damaged cinnamon roll MMC
🔥Forced Proximity
🔥Slowburn
🔥PTSD Healing
“Are you jealous?” I asked, and a part of me prayed to the old gods that the answer was yes. Dianna took a step closer without seeming to realize it. Her body was a few inches from mine, her scent imprinting itself on my mind with each breath. We were too close, and not just physically, but mentally as well. She consumed my thoughts, making me feel and question everything. Her voice was a breathy whisper, and one she had never used with me. “Do you want me to be?”
Dianna & Liam- Ugh Dianna is so hilarious and witty, my heart breaks for her. She deserves the world. She’s been dealt such horrible cards. Same thing with Liam and he cares so deeply about the people closest to him. And their dynamic together is amazing. I love them so deeply. The healing they did together made me so emotional, once they opened up their relationship flourished.
“You promised.” He shook his head again. “No.” He stated that one word, cutting off any reply I may have had. “I’m not leaving you.” I ran my hand over the sweat-drenched side of his face before I kissed him hard and quick. “Maybe in another life,” I whispered against his lips.
PLEASE READ THIS (I’m looking at you Noi.) This was amazing. I 100% recommend this book. This is easily in my top 5 reads of the year. Also that cliffhanger I’m still not good at. I was staring at my wall for a solid 15 minutes. Thank you for reading. <3
“I’d never abandon you.”
-
I FEAR ILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN RTC 😭💔
~
They say If you love House of Earth & Blood you have to read this. Thank you to everyone who voted on the poll. I hope I love it 💖
“You already consume my every waking thought. Must you consume my dreams as well?”
This. Book. I think it'll forever be ingrained in my brain. You really know you love a book when you burst into tears at the thought of the book ending. Everything about this book, the characters, the world, the LORE ugh, don't get me started. It's so good; I love it all. I haven’t read a lot of urban fantasy besides the Crescent City series. I will say It does give similar vibes to it. As soon as I started this I was hooked with the and entranced by our main character Dianna.
“I didn’t remember how long we talked, but somewhere amidst her laughter and smiles, I decided I would rip the world apart for her.”
This book follows our main character’s Dianna and Liam. A thousand years ago Dianna gave up her freedom to save her sister; now she’s everything she feared she’d become a monster. Liam, a god known as the world ender has been hiding for centuries, he only emerges when a cry of help comes from his people. When Dianna and Liam are thrust into each other's paths neither plans on leaving the other alive. But when they both need to team up to find a long lost relic, they must put their differences aside for the greater good. How hard can it possibly be, they’ve only been enemies since the dawn of time.
“She owned me—and she didn’t even know it.”
Tropes:
🔥Enemies to Lovers
🔥One Bed
🔥Mortal Enemies
🔥Forbidden Romance
🔥FMC is a villain & very morally gray
🔥Damaged cinnamon roll MMC
🔥Forced Proximity
🔥Slowburn
🔥PTSD Healing
“Are you jealous?” I asked, and a part of me prayed to the old gods that the answer was yes. Dianna took a step closer without seeming to realize it. Her body was a few inches from mine, her scent imprinting itself on my mind with each breath. We were too close, and not just physically, but mentally as well. She consumed my thoughts, making me feel and question everything. Her voice was a breathy whisper, and one she had never used with me. “Do you want me to be?”
Dianna & Liam- Ugh Dianna is so hilarious and witty, my heart breaks for her. She deserves the world. She’s been dealt such horrible cards. Same thing with Liam and he cares so deeply about the people closest to him. And their dynamic together is amazing. I love them so deeply. The healing they did together made me so emotional, once they opened up their relationship flourished.
“You promised.” He shook his head again. “No.” He stated that one word, cutting off any reply I may have had. “I’m not leaving you.” I ran my hand over the sweat-drenched side of his face before I kissed him hard and quick. “Maybe in another life,” I whispered against his lips.
PLEASE READ THIS (I’m looking at you Noi.) This was amazing. I 100% recommend this book. This is easily in my top 5 reads of the year. Also that cliffhanger I’m still not good at. I was staring at my wall for a solid 15 minutes. Thank you for reading. <3
“I’d never abandon you.”
-
I FEAR ILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN RTC 😭💔
~
They say If you love House of Earth & Blood you have to read this. Thank you to everyone who voted on the poll. I hope I love it 💖
August 8, 2022
Dianna sacrificed her life a thousand years ago to save her dying sister. Everything she’s done since then has been to keep her sister alive and to keep her master, Kaden, happy. He’s searching for an ancient book, a relic from the time of gods that will allow him to gain control over all worlds. But as Dianna continues to commit atrocities in his name to find this book, she begins to hear rumors that a god still exists and may even have reawakened to stop Kaden. As they race against time to find this book, Dianna realizes she may have to reevaluate her loyalties if she truly wishes to save her sister.
This work started off strong. I loved the concept, and I enjoyed Dianna as a protagonist for the most part. The story told from her POV was good and made me want more, which led to me enjoying the first third of the book. But Liam’s POV was awful for me – he was bland and difficult to connect to or like, and I felt that he had no real depth. Unfortunately, this made the middle portion of the work much less engaging for me. I did think that the enemies to lovers was done well and felt realistic without being too rushed or forced.
However, Dianna wasn’t really a villain, and I would have liked to see her be a dark, eviler heroine rather than a misunderstood softy. She was also so selfless, with her life only revolving around someone else’s wellbeing the whole time, that it made her feel a little more one dimensional and sometimes like more of a caricature than an actual character. Similarly, there should have been way more to the dynamic between Kaden and Dianna – he is a completely evil being with extreme and unknown power, yet he wasn’t really involved in the story in a meaningful way. There was a lot of potential for their dynamic to add real depth and conflict to the work, but I felt that it was overlooked in a way that detracted from the read for me.
The worldbuilding was fine overall. I enjoyed the inclusion of gods, monsters, and mortals, though it did take a bit of time to get situated within the world as a reader. After getting into the book a bit, the factions and politics are given context that makes sense without going through too many info dumps (though there were a few of these). I did enjoy the exploration of the different races and their interactions with each other, though this played a minimal role in the book.
On a more technical note, I’m not sure that this work was edited at all. There were many errors throughout ranging from missing words, incorrect punctuation, and extra spaces. On top of that, the dialogue was extremely stilted and formal, even between two sisters who are each other’s best friends. There were also random changes in font size as well as some words and phrases that were randomly in bold, which was very distracting. The writing overall left a lot to be desired, which made it difficult to fully immerse in the story. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why the writing wasn’t good other than that it just felt on the low end of mediocre.
This work was close to 800 pages, felt like it was 1200 pages, and should have probably only been 500 pages max. If it underwent some much-needed in-depth editing, I would be more than happy to reread it and alter my rating. Until then, I can see why others liked it, but it just wasn’t for me.
My thanks to NetGalley and Rose and Star Publishing for a review copy of this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
This work started off strong. I loved the concept, and I enjoyed Dianna as a protagonist for the most part. The story told from her POV was good and made me want more, which led to me enjoying the first third of the book. But Liam’s POV was awful for me – he was bland and difficult to connect to or like, and I felt that he had no real depth. Unfortunately, this made the middle portion of the work much less engaging for me. I did think that the enemies to lovers was done well and felt realistic without being too rushed or forced.
However, Dianna wasn’t really a villain, and I would have liked to see her be a dark, eviler heroine rather than a misunderstood softy. She was also so selfless, with her life only revolving around someone else’s wellbeing the whole time, that it made her feel a little more one dimensional and sometimes like more of a caricature than an actual character. Similarly, there should have been way more to the dynamic between Kaden and Dianna – he is a completely evil being with extreme and unknown power, yet he wasn’t really involved in the story in a meaningful way. There was a lot of potential for their dynamic to add real depth and conflict to the work, but I felt that it was overlooked in a way that detracted from the read for me.
The worldbuilding was fine overall. I enjoyed the inclusion of gods, monsters, and mortals, though it did take a bit of time to get situated within the world as a reader. After getting into the book a bit, the factions and politics are given context that makes sense without going through too many info dumps (though there were a few of these). I did enjoy the exploration of the different races and their interactions with each other, though this played a minimal role in the book.
On a more technical note, I’m not sure that this work was edited at all. There were many errors throughout ranging from missing words, incorrect punctuation, and extra spaces. On top of that, the dialogue was extremely stilted and formal, even between two sisters who are each other’s best friends. There were also random changes in font size as well as some words and phrases that were randomly in bold, which was very distracting. The writing overall left a lot to be desired, which made it difficult to fully immerse in the story. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why the writing wasn’t good other than that it just felt on the low end of mediocre.
This work was close to 800 pages, felt like it was 1200 pages, and should have probably only been 500 pages max. If it underwent some much-needed in-depth editing, I would be more than happy to reread it and alter my rating. Until then, I can see why others liked it, but it just wasn’t for me.
My thanks to NetGalley and Rose and Star Publishing for a review copy of this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Currently reading
January 4, 2026pre-read:
should I be starting a 800 page book when i'm half in a slump and reading 2 other books?no
but pople have been raving about this series and i have no self retraint so here I am😘please be good
should I be starting a 800 page book when i'm half in a slump and reading 2 other books?
but pople have been raving about this series and i have no self retraint so here I am😘
Want to read
December 24, 2025I received a graphic audio of this book, but only for Part 1.
Has that happened to anyone else?
I don't normally read books about vampires, but when I do they oddly have a skull on their covers.
Has that happened to anyone else?
I don't normally read books about vampires, but when I do they oddly have a skull on their covers.
March 24, 2025
4.5 I love the in depth world building and the amount of creatures/beasts/gods etc. Dianna is a baddie.
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