What do you think?
Rate this book
The Eternal Wars #1
Kissed by the Gods
Leina has spent a lifetime submitting. Kneeling. Enduring.
Then soldiers come for her brother, and divine fury surges through her veins. She expects execution for the bodies she left in her wake. Her people have met bloody ends for far, far less.
Instead, Ryot, a godsworn warrior born to privilege and raised in order, drags her into a world that was never meant for her. One of divine armies and death demons, winged war horses and monsters, sacred power and royal secrets.
A kiss from a goddess changes everything.
No longer a criminal, Leina is a prize. The kingdom’s most powerful men want what the goddess touched. Leina wants only one thing, though: freedom for her people. And she’ll trade herself for the strength to destroy the kingdom that broke them.
Conscripted into a war she never asked for, fighting for gods she doesn’t believe in, Leina must decide how far she’s willing to go and what she’s willing to lose. Because her power is more than a threat to the kingdom’s buried secrets.
It’s a death sentence.
Then soldiers come for her brother, and divine fury surges through her veins. She expects execution for the bodies she left in her wake. Her people have met bloody ends for far, far less.
Instead, Ryot, a godsworn warrior born to privilege and raised in order, drags her into a world that was never meant for her. One of divine armies and death demons, winged war horses and monsters, sacred power and royal secrets.
A kiss from a goddess changes everything.
No longer a criminal, Leina is a prize. The kingdom’s most powerful men want what the goddess touched. Leina wants only one thing, though: freedom for her people. And she’ll trade herself for the strength to destroy the kingdom that broke them.
Conscripted into a war she never asked for, fighting for gods she doesn’t believe in, Leina must decide how far she’s willing to go and what she’s willing to lose. Because her power is more than a threat to the kingdom’s buried secrets.
It’s a death sentence.
556 pages, Paperback
First published September 24, 2025
About the author
Caty Rogan
5 books1,182 followersCaty Rogan is the NYT, USA Today, and Sunday Times bestselling author of feminine rage romantasy.
Caty wrote her first story at five (with the help of her mom), grounded in the belief that the Power Rangers were the villains. She later became an award-winning journalist, chasing stories and adventure across the globe.
Now, she writes the writes the kind of books she loved to read on those long-haul flights, featuring feminine rage and he-falls-first heroes. When she’s not writing, she’s probably trying (and failing) to keep up with her two boss-girl daughters. She survives on caffeine and cheesy popcorn.
Find her at www.catyrogan.com and on Instagram and TikTok @CatyRogan
Caty wrote her first story at five (with the help of her mom), grounded in the belief that the Power Rangers were the villains. She later became an award-winning journalist, chasing stories and adventure across the globe.
Now, she writes the writes the kind of books she loved to read on those long-haul flights, featuring feminine rage and he-falls-first heroes. When she’s not writing, she’s probably trying (and failing) to keep up with her two boss-girl daughters. She survives on caffeine and cheesy popcorn.
Find her at www.catyrogan.com and on Instagram and TikTok @CatyRogan
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,528 reviews
June 19, 2026
I think this could be one of my new favourite romantasy books ever.
March 8, 2026
4⭐️
Yet Another story about a girl from pleb who loses her entire family, trains to become a warrior, bonds with a beast, and discovers she has extraordinary, powerful abilities. And of course — there’s the hunky warrior who can’t stop looking at her.
We’ve all read one or TEN of these, right?
This book was amazingly written and kept me hooked the whole time. And guys — HE falls first. I repeat: he falls first. Immediate bonus points.
The only downside was that the world-building felt a little clunky at times. I wanted just a bit more depth and smoother execution.
Not super unique but very well done 🙏.
Yet Another story about a girl from pleb who loses her entire family, trains to become a warrior, bonds with a beast, and discovers she has extraordinary, powerful abilities. And of course — there’s the hunky warrior who can’t stop looking at her.
We’ve all read one or TEN of these, right?
This book was amazingly written and kept me hooked the whole time. And guys — HE falls first. I repeat: he falls first. Immediate bonus points.
The only downside was that the world-building felt a little clunky at times. I wanted just a bit more depth and smoother execution.
Not super unique but very well done 🙏.
July 1, 2026
5 ⭐️!!
HOW IS NO ONE TALKING ABOUT THIS BOOK?????!!!!!! Caty Rogan, I love your work!!! I need book 2 IMMEDIATELY 😩
'What a godsdamn mindfuck to know that this pull between us isn’t just lust. It never was. We don’t only find each other in our sleep. We reach for each other across the Veil—through whatever both gods and man put between us. “Fate,” I breathe, hoarse and wrecked in a way that has nothing to do with the ash still clinging to my lungs. “Because even the gods didn’t see us coming, my rebel girl.”
I'm currently sat on the edge of my bed disassociating. I loved this book so much.
Reading this reminded me why fantasy as a genre has a hold on me the way that it does. It was captivating, immersive, heart-wrenching and my favourite thing of all? it had FEELING. I was worried at first it would be too similar to the likes of Fourth Wing. Yes the plot follows somewhat of a similar pattern. Yes it had some of the usual romantasy tropes we all know and love - enemies to lovers, slow burn, bonded to beasts etc - but it didn't feel like another book churned out for the sake of it. The level of atmospheric world building was an immediate hook for me, right from the first chapter. And alongside that? Lots and lots of FEMININE RAGEEEEEEEE ❤️🔥
While these tropes can sometimes be tricky to pull off without being too cliche, I really think the execution of this was brilliant. There are enough differences throughout to give this take on Gods & monsters a refreshing feel. This book is heavily character driven (which I love), it's fast paced but doesn't feel rushed and all of the characters have a level of depth that enables connection to them. With all of the political aspects underlying as well, I couldn't help but think this is what the-series-that-shall-not-be-named could've been if it was written and edited properly.
Throughout the book we touch on political injustices and oppression, betrayal, lies, deception and the cost of hegemony. Our fmc Leina is at the root of the oppression and injustice inflicted upon her people and the story starts out with a clear depiction on just how much pain she is suffering at the hands of the ruling kingdom. One thing I will say is that Leina is one of the least annoying fmc's ever, which is a bold statement coming from me. Her suffering is shown in a way that is incredibly real and heartfelt; there is no 'woe is me' or 'I'm so petite and weak'. She's not depicted in an obnoxious 'badass' way either.
"I am trying. Gods, I’m always trying. But trying isn’t good enough."
She is written incredibly well, and the connection I was able to develop to her character is one of the reasons I loved this book so much. She's afraid, she's raw, she's undeniably human. Take all of the fantasy elements out of this and you still very much have a substantial character with enough depth to sustain the story.
“I was hollow long before a death demon ever touched me. You think you can beat fear into me? You can threaten me with whips, with death, with the gods’ own wrath—but I’ve walked through Lako’s hells with nothing and I’ve come out with less. I have no fear left to give you.”
I really love her character. What struck me was that where she came from and who she is never got glossed over. It wasn't just a flippant origin story, it was consistently woven into the book and her loss and level of poverty was revisited throughout and intrinsic to her character.
"He can step back all he wants. I’ll keep stepping forward because I’ve never been afraid of ghosts. I’ve lived with my own for too long, carried them with me in my dreams, let them whisper to me in the dark. Ghosts don’t scare me, but being powerless does."
What a woman!!
Now, for our mmc Ryot.
He falls first. He's possessive. He says things like “You are a very special person, Leina Haverlyn,” I barely utter that forbidden name, so that it’s only a breath in the air. But I want her to come back to herself and it feels right to use it. “Because you refuse to be broken. Because of your unwavering resolve to overcome obstacles that were meant to hold you down, and the quiet defiance that drives you to create a better path. You are special to me, Leina Haverlyn, because of the place you hold in my heart.”
Who knew I could love a blonde mmc this much? 🫠 oh but he has my heart. Ryot is written just as well as Leina is, and to be able to emotionally connect to an mmc to this level as well honestly made me realise pretty quickly this was going to be a 5 star read. We love an mmc with depth, kindness and longing around here!!!! Also? a self-aware king 😮💨 it makes me so happy to have an mmc that isn't 90% lust driven, who thinks of others besides himself and has other feelings aside from where he wants to put his dick. He has a sweet soul and it was never once hidden from us, despite the plot starting as enemies to lovers.
Ok now the two of them together? IMMACULATE VIBES. I WANTED TO STAY IN THIS BOOK FOREVER. LIVE IN IT. DIE IN IT. BE BURIED IN IT.
“We’re not allowed to kiss?” I finally ask. “Kiss?” He echoes, bewildered. “That’s what you call that?” I look at him, still panting, still very much pressed beneath the full weight of his body. “Well, I don’t know what you call it in Faraengard, but where I’m from, when someone slams their mouth onto mine and groans, that’s usually a kiss.” “That wasn’t a kiss, Leina. That was a fucking confession.”
UGHHHHHHHHH 🥵🫠
I believed in their love so much!!! It felt SO real. There was nothing that felt forced about this or made me cringe in any way which is very rare for me when it comes to romance in books. The way Ryot WORSHIPS Leina and never once underestimates her? I'm obsessed.
“You don’t belong in my world. Leina, you are my world.”
I'm literally still crying btw.
Also, very pleased to announce that all of the side characters were great!!! I was truly impressed with the depth these characters brought to the plot. They weren't just there for funsies, they made me FEEL things to the point where they were so endearing my heart ached. We love some queer representation too! Oh and the ending? yeah, good luck with that 🥹 I'm broken
There are so many quotes from this book I want to add to my review. I think I must've highlighted over 50% of the book, I'm not even kidding. Goodreads says I have 132 notes & highlights to make visible. If that doesn't show you how much I loved the writing in this, I don't know what will. I know it's not perfect, there were some things I would have loved more of but in my opinion, it's 100% worth the read. I had a really good feeling about this book when I picked it up, so much so that after reading 2 chapters on kindle unlimited, I immediately ordered the hardback edition to annotate and keep forever.
It's confirmed that this is one of my top 5 romantasy books of 2026. I don't know who I need to beg for an arc of book 2 but once I find out, I will be on my hands and knees pleading!!!! ugh I'm so sad this is over, I didn't want to leave these characters or this world
Gonna go stare into the abyss now 🥹
HOW IS NO ONE TALKING ABOUT THIS BOOK?????!!!!!! Caty Rogan, I love your work!!! I need book 2 IMMEDIATELY 😩
'What a godsdamn mindfuck to know that this pull between us isn’t just lust. It never was. We don’t only find each other in our sleep. We reach for each other across the Veil—through whatever both gods and man put between us. “Fate,” I breathe, hoarse and wrecked in a way that has nothing to do with the ash still clinging to my lungs. “Because even the gods didn’t see us coming, my rebel girl.”
I'm currently sat on the edge of my bed disassociating. I loved this book so much.
Reading this reminded me why fantasy as a genre has a hold on me the way that it does. It was captivating, immersive, heart-wrenching and my favourite thing of all? it had FEELING. I was worried at first it would be too similar to the likes of Fourth Wing. Yes the plot follows somewhat of a similar pattern. Yes it had some of the usual romantasy tropes we all know and love - enemies to lovers, slow burn, bonded to beasts etc - but it didn't feel like another book churned out for the sake of it. The level of atmospheric world building was an immediate hook for me, right from the first chapter. And alongside that? Lots and lots of FEMININE RAGEEEEEEEE ❤️🔥
While these tropes can sometimes be tricky to pull off without being too cliche, I really think the execution of this was brilliant. There are enough differences throughout to give this take on Gods & monsters a refreshing feel. This book is heavily character driven (which I love), it's fast paced but doesn't feel rushed and all of the characters have a level of depth that enables connection to them. With all of the political aspects underlying as well, I couldn't help but think this is what the-series-that-shall-not-be-named could've been if it was written and edited properly.
Throughout the book we touch on political injustices and oppression, betrayal, lies, deception and the cost of hegemony. Our fmc Leina is at the root of the oppression and injustice inflicted upon her people and the story starts out with a clear depiction on just how much pain she is suffering at the hands of the ruling kingdom. One thing I will say is that Leina is one of the least annoying fmc's ever, which is a bold statement coming from me. Her suffering is shown in a way that is incredibly real and heartfelt; there is no 'woe is me' or 'I'm so petite and weak'. She's not depicted in an obnoxious 'badass' way either.
"I am trying. Gods, I’m always trying. But trying isn’t good enough."
She is written incredibly well, and the connection I was able to develop to her character is one of the reasons I loved this book so much. She's afraid, she's raw, she's undeniably human. Take all of the fantasy elements out of this and you still very much have a substantial character with enough depth to sustain the story.
“I was hollow long before a death demon ever touched me. You think you can beat fear into me? You can threaten me with whips, with death, with the gods’ own wrath—but I’ve walked through Lako’s hells with nothing and I’ve come out with less. I have no fear left to give you.”
I really love her character. What struck me was that where she came from and who she is never got glossed over. It wasn't just a flippant origin story, it was consistently woven into the book and her loss and level of poverty was revisited throughout and intrinsic to her character.
"He can step back all he wants. I’ll keep stepping forward because I’ve never been afraid of ghosts. I’ve lived with my own for too long, carried them with me in my dreams, let them whisper to me in the dark. Ghosts don’t scare me, but being powerless does."
What a woman!!
Now, for our mmc Ryot.
He falls first. He's possessive. He says things like “You are a very special person, Leina Haverlyn,” I barely utter that forbidden name, so that it’s only a breath in the air. But I want her to come back to herself and it feels right to use it. “Because you refuse to be broken. Because of your unwavering resolve to overcome obstacles that were meant to hold you down, and the quiet defiance that drives you to create a better path. You are special to me, Leina Haverlyn, because of the place you hold in my heart.”
Who knew I could love a blonde mmc this much? 🫠 oh but he has my heart. Ryot is written just as well as Leina is, and to be able to emotionally connect to an mmc to this level as well honestly made me realise pretty quickly this was going to be a 5 star read. We love an mmc with depth, kindness and longing around here!!!! Also? a self-aware king 😮💨 it makes me so happy to have an mmc that isn't 90% lust driven, who thinks of others besides himself and has other feelings aside from where he wants to put his dick. He has a sweet soul and it was never once hidden from us, despite the plot starting as enemies to lovers.
Ok now the two of them together? IMMACULATE VIBES. I WANTED TO STAY IN THIS BOOK FOREVER. LIVE IN IT. DIE IN IT. BE BURIED IN IT.
“We’re not allowed to kiss?” I finally ask. “Kiss?” He echoes, bewildered. “That’s what you call that?” I look at him, still panting, still very much pressed beneath the full weight of his body. “Well, I don’t know what you call it in Faraengard, but where I’m from, when someone slams their mouth onto mine and groans, that’s usually a kiss.” “That wasn’t a kiss, Leina. That was a fucking confession.”
UGHHHHHHHHH 🥵🫠
I believed in their love so much!!! It felt SO real. There was nothing that felt forced about this or made me cringe in any way which is very rare for me when it comes to romance in books. The way Ryot WORSHIPS Leina and never once underestimates her? I'm obsessed.
“You don’t belong in my world. Leina, you are my world.”
I'm literally still crying btw.
Also, very pleased to announce that all of the side characters were great!!! I was truly impressed with the depth these characters brought to the plot. They weren't just there for funsies, they made me FEEL things to the point where they were so endearing my heart ached. We love some queer representation too! Oh and the ending? yeah, good luck with that 🥹 I'm broken
There are so many quotes from this book I want to add to my review. I think I must've highlighted over 50% of the book, I'm not even kidding. Goodreads says I have 132 notes & highlights to make visible. If that doesn't show you how much I loved the writing in this, I don't know what will. I know it's not perfect, there were some things I would have loved more of but in my opinion, it's 100% worth the read. I had a really good feeling about this book when I picked it up, so much so that after reading 2 chapters on kindle unlimited, I immediately ordered the hardback edition to annotate and keep forever.
It's confirmed that this is one of my top 5 romantasy books of 2026. I don't know who I need to beg for an arc of book 2 but once I find out, I will be on my hands and knees pleading!!!! ugh I'm so sad this is over, I didn't want to leave these characters or this world
Gonna go stare into the abyss now 🥹
![Profile Image for Sarah [semi slump].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1777846294i/158597555._UX200_CR0,51,200,200_.jpg)
October 19, 2025
STOOOOOP IT RIGHT FREAKING NOW!
That ending, whaaaaat! A cliffhanger to torment me with.
This book is a great first book to what I know will be an epic fantasy series.
I needed this!
The world building, characters, found family, magic system, all of it is so good.
I loved the relationships between the characters.
This is a book with fantastic side characters. I love so many already.
Tension, some spice, yearning and dream walking, or would it be Veil walking? 🤌🏼 Tropes I always enjoy.
The FMC is already a badass, but I can't wait to see her character develop even more.
Our MMC is super likable, broody, and a past full of trauma, I'm sure.
I'll be impatiently waiting for the release of book #2
That ending, whaaaaat! A cliffhanger to torment me with.
This book is a great first book to what I know will be an epic fantasy series.
I needed this!
The world building, characters, found family, magic system, all of it is so good.
I loved the relationships between the characters.
This is a book with fantastic side characters. I love so many already.
Tension, some spice, yearning and dream walking, or would it be Veil walking? 🤌🏼 Tropes I always enjoy.
The FMC is already a badass, but I can't wait to see her character develop even more.
Our MMC is super likable, broody, and a past full of trauma, I'm sure.
I'll be impatiently waiting for the release of book #2
July 29, 2026
ㅤ ㅤ ✦ . ⁺ . no comment, just 5 ☆ . ⁺ . ✦
ㅤ ㅤ ˋ°•*⁀➷ㅤmight contain spoilers ❗
ㅤ I was genuinely starting to wonder if I had become a little too generous with all the 5-star ratings I've handed out this year. But then I remembered I LITERALLY DEVOURED THIS BOOK. What else was I supposed to rate it? It absolutely earned those five stars. From immaculate world-building to relatable and flawed characters, it had everything I love in a book.
ㅤ My only complaint? Finishing the book and discovering that the sequel doesn't come out until JUNE 2027. I am sorry, but WHAT KIND OF CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT IS THIS??????
ㅤ ㅤ “I didn’t mean to fall in love— I tripped over your slow smile, landed in your eyes, and found home.”
ㅤ ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ honest thoughts
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ You already know what the first thing I'm going to mention is: THE BOOK HAS A GLOSSARY!!!! Albeit, it's a pretty small one, and I definitely wish it included a few more things, especially some of the characters. BUT IT HAS A GLOSSARY. I could actually use it instead of desperately flipping back through previous chapters trying to remember things.
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ Let me tell you, I am an absolute sucker for a well-written world-building and a properly developed magical system. Especially when an author doesn't dump every piece of information on me in the first fifty pages, but instead introduces new elements gradually as the story unfolds. It makes the world feel rich and expansive without ever becoming overwhelming.
ㅤ Guess what? This book absolutely nailed it. I loved everything about this world. Every new revelation felt natural, every piece of lore made me even more invested, and I never once felt lost. This is exactly how you build a fantasy world.
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ This book deals with themes like oppression, brutal power imbalances between social classes, and some genuinely dark subjects, especially regarding the way women are treated in this society. There were so many moments that made me just as angry as the FMC, and I found myself totally understandind the constant rage she carries throughout the story. Just, yk, consider this your heads-up.
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ On a brighter note, this book has one of the softest and cutest found family trope I've read in a long time. And if you know me, you already know that's one of my favourite tropes; if not the favourite. Honestly, I can't even remember the last time I read a found family that was this well done. Watching the friendships grow, the trust build little by little, and seeing them go through both joy and heartbreaking losses together had me feeling everything; I laughed with them, cried with them, and, of course, swooned over them too.
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ They have magical winged war horses that they can actually communicate with...what more could I possibly ask for? 🥹🥹 I was basically living my dark, violent version of Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus, and I was absolutely over the moon.
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ I did see some of the plot twists coming, but I honestly didn't mind. At times, it almost felt like the book was intentionally nudging you toward figuring them out before the reveal. And somehow, even when I knew what was coming, I still loved every single revelation.
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ The romance... oh my God. You already know I am an absolute WHORE for a man who yearns and is hopelessly down bad, especially when he is a tortured soul whose loyalty never wavers. So, let me just say that I found my newest fictional husband in this book.
ㅤ ○ Now that I've had my feral moment, the romance was genuinely everything I wanted. I understand why it didn't work for everyone, but I completely fell for it. It grows through tiny acts of trust and care, and while it might seem a little insta-lovey at first, it really isn't. Their love feels like a lifeline that only grows stronger every time it is denied, every time the world tries to tear it apart and snuff it out, until neither of them can keep pretending it isn't there. Watching something so soft and fragile bloom in such a cruel, violent world, one that insists it should never exist in the first place, made it all the more beautiful.
ㅤ ○ And yes, I know this is marketed as enemies to lovers, so I understand why some people were disappointed. But I never saw the characters themselves as the real enemies. Their worlds were. The societies they belonged to, the hatred they inherited, the lies they were fed...these were the true enemies. Seeing them slowly choose each other against all odds and rules was so much more meaningful to me.
ㅤ Aaaaaanyway, I am rambling again. But I've said it before: I am a hopeless romantic at heart, and this kind of story gets me every single time.
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ I genuinely won't say anything about the ending because I feel like even the smallest comment could spoil something truly meaningful. So I'll sum it up with this: STAY BACK 🤺🤺🤺🤺
ㅤ ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ characters
ㅤ ⊹ Leina — I want it to be known that, despite being slightly UNNECESSARILY angry and stubborn at times, she still had my full support. I mean, when you grow up in the kind of world she did and are forced to endure everything she went through, I can completely understand wanting to murder every single person who seems responsible for that regime. You're not exactly going to sit down and politely hear them out just in case they're different. She is an absolute badass. Sometimes irrationally impulsive, sometimes too kind for her own good, but I think that's exactly what made her such a compelling character to me. She is deeply flawed, unapologetically imperfect, and all the more believable because of it.
ㅤ ⊹ Ryot — Every time you give me a man who is loyal to a fault, hides a shattered soul behind a cold exterior, and has a heart big enough to carry the weight of the entire world, YOU HAVE ALREADY WON ME OVER. I loved him so, so much. Sure, he is just as flawed as the FMC, but that's exactly why they work so well together. Where she is impulsive, he is the steady rock that grounds her. Where she is all anger, he is calm and unwavering. Where she is broken, he becomes the shield that stands between her and the rest of the world. And above all else? HE IS A DAMN YEARNER. LIKE, COME ON. GIVE HIM TO ME PLEASE!!!
ㅤ ⊹ I won't go into detail about every side character, but I need you to know that I absolutely LOVED these people: Faelon, Nyrica, The Elder, Caius, Thalric, Leif, Kiernan, Elowen and even Rissa!!! I swear, I am already emotionally attached to every single one of them, which is honestly terrifying. So PLEASE STAY ALIVE, BECAUSE I CANNOT TAKE ANY MORE EMOTIONAL DAMAGE; SOME OF YOU ALREADY HURT ME ENOUGH. I NEED THESE PEOPLE TO BE HAPPY. MY HAPPINESS DEPENDS ON THEIR HAPPINESS. LEAVE MY FAMILY ALONE!!!
ㅤ ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ should you read this?
ㅤ YES??
ㅤ YES!!!!
ㅤ Y.E.S.
ㅤ I don't care, maybe I am exaggerating a little, but you all need to read this book, and I will gladly die on that hill. Even if you end up not loving it as much as I did, I still think it's worth picking up. For a first book in a series, this was insanely good, and I really hope the author only gets better from here because the foundations for this series are incredible.
ㅤ As for the novella...I won't be reading it just yet because I JUST FOUND OUT THE NEXT BOOK DOESN'T COME OUT UNTIL FREAKING JUNE 2027 🙃 So...I'll be saving it until then. I need something to ease the suffering while I wait.
⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍendㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹
ㅤ ᯓ ✿ pre-reading ⪼
ㅤ ○ started ┆22-July-2026┆
ㅤ ㅤ ⤿ i feel like i might genuinely combust if i go a single day without reading something, so here we go!! i've heard a lot about this one and I LOVE THAT COVER
ㅤ ㅤ ˋ°•*⁀➷ㅤmight contain spoilers ❗
ㅤ I was genuinely starting to wonder if I had become a little too generous with all the 5-star ratings I've handed out this year. But then I remembered I LITERALLY DEVOURED THIS BOOK. What else was I supposed to rate it? It absolutely earned those five stars. From immaculate world-building to relatable and flawed characters, it had everything I love in a book.
ㅤ My only complaint? Finishing the book and discovering that the sequel doesn't come out until JUNE 2027. I am sorry, but WHAT KIND OF CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT IS THIS??????
ㅤ ㅤ “I didn’t mean to fall in love— I tripped over your slow smile, landed in your eyes, and found home.”
ㅤ ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ honest thoughts
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ You already know what the first thing I'm going to mention is: THE BOOK HAS A GLOSSARY!!!! Albeit, it's a pretty small one, and I definitely wish it included a few more things, especially some of the characters. BUT IT HAS A GLOSSARY. I could actually use it instead of desperately flipping back through previous chapters trying to remember things.
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ Let me tell you, I am an absolute sucker for a well-written world-building and a properly developed magical system. Especially when an author doesn't dump every piece of information on me in the first fifty pages, but instead introduces new elements gradually as the story unfolds. It makes the world feel rich and expansive without ever becoming overwhelming.
ㅤ Guess what? This book absolutely nailed it. I loved everything about this world. Every new revelation felt natural, every piece of lore made me even more invested, and I never once felt lost. This is exactly how you build a fantasy world.
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ This book deals with themes like oppression, brutal power imbalances between social classes, and some genuinely dark subjects, especially regarding the way women are treated in this society. There were so many moments that made me just as angry as the FMC, and I found myself totally understandind the constant rage she carries throughout the story. Just, yk, consider this your heads-up.
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ On a brighter note, this book has one of the softest and cutest found family trope I've read in a long time. And if you know me, you already know that's one of my favourite tropes; if not the favourite. Honestly, I can't even remember the last time I read a found family that was this well done. Watching the friendships grow, the trust build little by little, and seeing them go through both joy and heartbreaking losses together had me feeling everything; I laughed with them, cried with them, and, of course, swooned over them too.
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ They have magical winged war horses that they can actually communicate with...what more could I possibly ask for? 🥹🥹 I was basically living my dark, violent version of Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus, and I was absolutely over the moon.
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ I did see some of the plot twists coming, but I honestly didn't mind. At times, it almost felt like the book was intentionally nudging you toward figuring them out before the reveal. And somehow, even when I knew what was coming, I still loved every single revelation.
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ The romance... oh my God. You already know I am an absolute WHORE for a man who yearns and is hopelessly down bad, especially when he is a tortured soul whose loyalty never wavers. So, let me just say that I found my newest fictional husband in this book.
ㅤ ○ Now that I've had my feral moment, the romance was genuinely everything I wanted. I understand why it didn't work for everyone, but I completely fell for it. It grows through tiny acts of trust and care, and while it might seem a little insta-lovey at first, it really isn't. Their love feels like a lifeline that only grows stronger every time it is denied, every time the world tries to tear it apart and snuff it out, until neither of them can keep pretending it isn't there. Watching something so soft and fragile bloom in such a cruel, violent world, one that insists it should never exist in the first place, made it all the more beautiful.
ㅤ ○ And yes, I know this is marketed as enemies to lovers, so I understand why some people were disappointed. But I never saw the characters themselves as the real enemies. Their worlds were. The societies they belonged to, the hatred they inherited, the lies they were fed...these were the true enemies. Seeing them slowly choose each other against all odds and rules was so much more meaningful to me.
ㅤ Aaaaaanyway, I am rambling again. But I've said it before: I am a hopeless romantic at heart, and this kind of story gets me every single time.
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ I genuinely won't say anything about the ending because I feel like even the smallest comment could spoil something truly meaningful. So I'll sum it up with this: STAY BACK 🤺🤺🤺🤺
ㅤ ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ characters
ㅤ ⊹ Leina — I want it to be known that, despite being slightly UNNECESSARILY angry and stubborn at times, she still had my full support. I mean, when you grow up in the kind of world she did and are forced to endure everything she went through, I can completely understand wanting to murder every single person who seems responsible for that regime. You're not exactly going to sit down and politely hear them out just in case they're different. She is an absolute badass. Sometimes irrationally impulsive, sometimes too kind for her own good, but I think that's exactly what made her such a compelling character to me. She is deeply flawed, unapologetically imperfect, and all the more believable because of it.
ㅤ ⊹ Ryot — Every time you give me a man who is loyal to a fault, hides a shattered soul behind a cold exterior, and has a heart big enough to carry the weight of the entire world, YOU HAVE ALREADY WON ME OVER. I loved him so, so much. Sure, he is just as flawed as the FMC, but that's exactly why they work so well together. Where she is impulsive, he is the steady rock that grounds her. Where she is all anger, he is calm and unwavering. Where she is broken, he becomes the shield that stands between her and the rest of the world. And above all else? HE IS A DAMN YEARNER. LIKE, COME ON. GIVE HIM TO ME PLEASE!!!
ㅤ ⊹ I won't go into detail about every side character, but I need you to know that I absolutely LOVED these people: Faelon, Nyrica, The Elder, Caius, Thalric, Leif, Kiernan, Elowen and even Rissa!!! I swear, I am already emotionally attached to every single one of them, which is honestly terrifying. So PLEASE STAY ALIVE, BECAUSE I CANNOT TAKE ANY MORE EMOTIONAL DAMAGE; SOME OF YOU ALREADY HURT ME ENOUGH. I NEED THESE PEOPLE TO BE HAPPY. MY HAPPINESS DEPENDS ON THEIR HAPPINESS. LEAVE MY FAMILY ALONE!!!
ㅤ ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ should you read this?
ㅤ YES??
ㅤ YES!!!!
ㅤ Y.E.S.
ㅤ I don't care, maybe I am exaggerating a little, but you all need to read this book, and I will gladly die on that hill. Even if you end up not loving it as much as I did, I still think it's worth picking up. For a first book in a series, this was insanely good, and I really hope the author only gets better from here because the foundations for this series are incredible.
ㅤ As for the novella...I won't be reading it just yet because I JUST FOUND OUT THE NEXT BOOK DOESN'T COME OUT UNTIL FREAKING JUNE 2027 🙃 So...I'll be saving it until then. I need something to ease the suffering while I wait.
⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍendㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹
ㅤ ᯓ ✿ pre-reading ⪼
ㅤ ○ started ┆22-July-2026┆
ㅤ ㅤ ⤿ i feel like i might genuinely combust if i go a single day without reading something, so here we go!! i've heard a lot about this one and I LOVE THAT COVER
September 10, 2025
THIS is why I read so much damn romantasy—it’s because there are books like this. Kissed by the Gods better blow up on BookTok/Bookstagram because I need everyone to be obsessed with it, too.
📖 ARC Review 📖
🗓️ Pub date: September 24, 2025
What to expect:
🪶 Fantasy romance
🪶 1st person, dual POV (primarily the FMC's POV)
🪶 Mentor x mentee
🪶 Forbidden romance
🪶 Political intrigue
🪶 Feminine rage
🪶 Found family
Spice rating: 🌶🌶 (slowish burn)
This book made me realize I love a certain type of world building, which is diegetic world building. Each chapter begins with excerpts from in-world books, letters, and more—making the universe feel more real and the world building more digestible.
The pacing of this book was perfect—shorter, fast-paced chapters. I can't recall being bored for a single second, and I knew less than 50 pages in that this would be a 5-star read.
I LOVE our FMC, Leina. She's a powerful, independent, and admirable character. She also uses a scythe to slay her enemies and gives us readers a heavy dose of feminine rage (my favorite).
Our MMC, Ryot? I'm also in love. The dynamic between these two is almost reminiscent of Max and Tisannah (from Daughter of No Worlds and my favorite couple of all time) because they're both mentor x mentees, but he doesn't overpower her or belittle her. In both cases, these MMCs are reluctant to be the FMCs mentors but then become their biggest and most steadfast supporters. Ryot knows Leina is powerful and makes sure she knows it, too.
There is a scene in this book that is probably one of my favorites I've read all year because it was so relatable, tension-filled, and vulnerable. The chemistry between these two is palpable that I was hanging onto every word between them.
I say this is a slow-ish burn because he absolutely falls first and this isn't an enemies to lovers situation. This is a forbidden love situation, and the best way I can describe it is delectable.
This book has predictable moments that made me feel smart rather than spoon fed the answers. The moments I didn't guess had me yelling and more eager to get my hands on book 2.
A sincere thank you to Inkspire Author Services and Caty Rogan for gifting me a physical ARC ahead of its release. I cannot wait for other readers to fall in love with this story!
📖 ARC Review 📖
🗓️ Pub date: September 24, 2025
What to expect:
🪶 Fantasy romance
🪶 1st person, dual POV (primarily the FMC's POV)
🪶 Mentor x mentee
🪶 Forbidden romance
🪶 Political intrigue
🪶 Feminine rage
🪶 Found family
Spice rating: 🌶🌶 (slowish burn)
This book made me realize I love a certain type of world building, which is diegetic world building. Each chapter begins with excerpts from in-world books, letters, and more—making the universe feel more real and the world building more digestible.
The pacing of this book was perfect—shorter, fast-paced chapters. I can't recall being bored for a single second, and I knew less than 50 pages in that this would be a 5-star read.
I LOVE our FMC, Leina. She's a powerful, independent, and admirable character. She also uses a scythe to slay her enemies and gives us readers a heavy dose of feminine rage (my favorite).
Our MMC, Ryot? I'm also in love. The dynamic between these two is almost reminiscent of Max and Tisannah (from Daughter of No Worlds and my favorite couple of all time) because they're both mentor x mentees, but he doesn't overpower her or belittle her. In both cases, these MMCs are reluctant to be the FMCs mentors but then become their biggest and most steadfast supporters. Ryot knows Leina is powerful and makes sure she knows it, too.
There is a scene in this book that is probably one of my favorites I've read all year because it was so relatable, tension-filled, and vulnerable. The chemistry between these two is palpable that I was hanging onto every word between them.
I say this is a slow-ish burn because he absolutely falls first and this isn't an enemies to lovers situation. This is a forbidden love situation, and the best way I can describe it is delectable.
This book has predictable moments that made me feel smart rather than spoon fed the answers. The moments I didn't guess had me yelling and more eager to get my hands on book 2.
A sincere thank you to Inkspire Author Services and Caty Rogan for gifting me a physical ARC ahead of its release. I cannot wait for other readers to fall in love with this story!
August 26, 2025
Ok so I loved/hated this book. Why the low score? I’ll get to that in a second.
I loved this FMC. She knew what she wanted, and she was going to lay her life on the line to get it. DAMN IT ALL she was going to save her people, even if it killed her. She was a REFRESHING breath of fresh air in a genre full of bratty, annoying, whiny FMCs who make stupid decisions to drive the plot. Leina is NOT that girl.
This story is so captivating and UNIQUE! I have never read anything like it. Although, it did give very strong Fourth Wing vibes in certain places, this story stands on its own and was very interesting. I loved the scythe, the magic, THE FARAVARS, the veil, and the war and I was definitely gobsmacked more than once by a plot twist.
I thought the writing was beautiful and interesting. The world building was good. I wish we got more descriptions of the locations, sometimes I couldn’t picture where they were. But I really enjoyed the writing (mostly).
But this book does have some issues that drove me nuts and took me out of the story. I’m not one to be bothered by grammar or typos, but there were definitely issues with describing actions in this book. It was prevalent on almost every page. Characters appearing in one room and then on their faravars from one paragraph to the next, people being in the room that weren’t there before, etc. It was disjointed and incredibly distracting. I’m not sure how to describe it, but the author didn’t describe characters getting up from a chair, or entering a room, or approaching another character. For example, there was a scene where the FMC found out something terrible and very abruptly, she is on the floor crying and crawling away from everyone. When literally the paragraph before that, the MC was describing her laugh in glorious detail and how it made him feel… and then in the next sentence she’s on the floor, crawling, saying “don’t touch me” and then it’s literally end scene. It was so JARRING to go from the detail of describing her laugh, to describing her falling apart in less words than it took to describe her laughter. I don’t know how to describe it. And just the characters constantly appearing from no where or getting from place to place with no warning or description…. I often found myself reading back to see if I had missed something, but I wasn’t. It was just… odd and disjointed.
Also, I thought the romance was very poorly done. There was nuance, no magic, no connection between them. Not only was it very much insta lust, the characters barely, BARELY interacted and seemed to jump to love very quickly. Insta lust is fine, but there was nothing else between them. The MMC was also very flat. All he seemed capable of was growling, being jealous, and occasionally mentioning some sort of trauma in he had in his past without giving details. He was singlemindedly “hers” from very early on, and his POV was consumed with risking it all for “her”. He was willing to give up his oaths and his life for her, after barely exchanging a few sentences. He had no other motivations or convictions. He was just boring, when there was such an opportunity for a slow burn to watch their relationship grow. I wish he had more dimension to him, he could have been a good character.
I feel like a team of beta readers and a good editor could EASILY turn this book into a New York Times best seller, because the story here TRULY is fantastic. That cliffy?! I audibly screamed and scared the crap out of my husband.
But the issues I had with this book were so irritating to me it was hard to get through it. I honestly thought I was losing my mind and thought about putting the book down more than once.
I am glad I pushed through it, because I genuinely can’t wait for the next book! I really loved this unique story and the FMC and her boldness, and I hope the author continues to improve because this story has incredible potential!
Thank you to the Nerd Fam for the gifted ARC!
I loved this FMC. She knew what she wanted, and she was going to lay her life on the line to get it. DAMN IT ALL she was going to save her people, even if it killed her. She was a REFRESHING breath of fresh air in a genre full of bratty, annoying, whiny FMCs who make stupid decisions to drive the plot. Leina is NOT that girl.
This story is so captivating and UNIQUE! I have never read anything like it. Although, it did give very strong Fourth Wing vibes in certain places, this story stands on its own and was very interesting. I loved the scythe, the magic, THE FARAVARS, the veil, and the war and I was definitely gobsmacked more than once by a plot twist.
I thought the writing was beautiful and interesting. The world building was good. I wish we got more descriptions of the locations, sometimes I couldn’t picture where they were. But I really enjoyed the writing (mostly).
But this book does have some issues that drove me nuts and took me out of the story. I’m not one to be bothered by grammar or typos, but there were definitely issues with describing actions in this book. It was prevalent on almost every page. Characters appearing in one room and then on their faravars from one paragraph to the next, people being in the room that weren’t there before, etc. It was disjointed and incredibly distracting. I’m not sure how to describe it, but the author didn’t describe characters getting up from a chair, or entering a room, or approaching another character. For example, there was a scene where the FMC found out something terrible and very abruptly, she is on the floor crying and crawling away from everyone. When literally the paragraph before that, the MC was describing her laugh in glorious detail and how it made him feel… and then in the next sentence she’s on the floor, crawling, saying “don’t touch me” and then it’s literally end scene. It was so JARRING to go from the detail of describing her laugh, to describing her falling apart in less words than it took to describe her laughter. I don’t know how to describe it. And just the characters constantly appearing from no where or getting from place to place with no warning or description…. I often found myself reading back to see if I had missed something, but I wasn’t. It was just… odd and disjointed.
Also, I thought the romance was very poorly done. There was nuance, no magic, no connection between them. Not only was it very much insta lust, the characters barely, BARELY interacted and seemed to jump to love very quickly. Insta lust is fine, but there was nothing else between them. The MMC was also very flat. All he seemed capable of was growling, being jealous, and occasionally mentioning some sort of trauma in he had in his past without giving details. He was singlemindedly “hers” from very early on, and his POV was consumed with risking it all for “her”. He was willing to give up his oaths and his life for her, after barely exchanging a few sentences. He had no other motivations or convictions. He was just boring, when there was such an opportunity for a slow burn to watch their relationship grow. I wish he had more dimension to him, he could have been a good character.
I feel like a team of beta readers and a good editor could EASILY turn this book into a New York Times best seller, because the story here TRULY is fantastic. That cliffy?! I audibly screamed and scared the crap out of my husband.
But the issues I had with this book were so irritating to me it was hard to get through it. I honestly thought I was losing my mind and thought about putting the book down more than once.
I am glad I pushed through it, because I genuinely can’t wait for the next book! I really loved this unique story and the FMC and her boldness, and I hope the author continues to improve because this story has incredible potential!
Thank you to the Nerd Fam for the gifted ARC!
July 7, 2026
4.5 🌟 “𝙱𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚒𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎’𝚜 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊 𝚋𝚊𝚜𝚎𝚋𝚘𝚛𝚗 𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚏 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠𝚜, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠𝚜 𝚠𝚎𝚕𝚕, 𝚒𝚝’𝚜 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚘 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚙. 𝙾𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚝, 𝙸 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚙 𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚑.”
this gave me that classic romantasy vibe and i had so much fun!!
this world is brutal and interesting. i like that we learn so much about the world through the letters, experts from books, etc at the beginning of each chapter. from the moment this starts there is so much action and while the plot is a bit predictable it still had me invested the whole time.
i know i always say it but i love the bonded animal trope, and we get winged horses (faravars) in this and i love them duh.
our main characters, 𝙇𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙖 and 𝙍𝙮𝙤𝙩, ugh the tension, the chemistry i ate it right the hell up 🥵🌶️ hehe
and individually 𝙇𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙖 is full of femine rage, rightfully so. i loved watching her on this journey of growth, power and healing. also she uses a scythe as a weapon like ok baddie!! and 𝙍𝙮𝙤𝙩 swoon worthy, possessive, and falls first 😜
“𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝. 𝐋𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐚, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝.”
that ending was SOO GOOD. i saw it coming but i loved watching it play out!!
˗ˏˋ ꒰ 🐴🪽🌾🗡️🏔️💭🌼 ꒱ ˎˊ˗
this gave me that classic romantasy vibe and i had so much fun!!
this world is brutal and interesting. i like that we learn so much about the world through the letters, experts from books, etc at the beginning of each chapter. from the moment this starts there is so much action and while the plot is a bit predictable it still had me invested the whole time.
i know i always say it but i love the bonded animal trope, and we get winged horses (faravars) in this and i love them duh.
our main characters, 𝙇𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙖 and 𝙍𝙮𝙤𝙩, ugh the tension, the chemistry i ate it right the hell up 🥵🌶️ hehe
and individually 𝙇𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙖 is full of femine rage, rightfully so. i loved watching her on this journey of growth, power and healing. also she uses a scythe as a weapon like ok baddie!! and 𝙍𝙮𝙤𝙩 swoon worthy, possessive, and falls first 😜
“𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝. 𝐋𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐚, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝.”
that ending was SOO GOOD. i saw it coming but i loved watching it play out!!
˗ˏˋ ꒰ 🐴🪽🌾🗡️🏔️💭🌼 ꒱ ˎˊ˗
July 10, 2026
4.5⭐️ From the very first page to the last, this book was epic!! Winged horses, gods/goddesses, political intrigue, found family... what more could you ask for?
Leina is genuinely one of the most likable protagonists I've come across. She's strong-willed, selfless, and courageous, all without ever being unnecessarily stubborn or snappy. Despite the many systemic obstacles in her way, she never stops advocating for her people or fighting to bring awareness to their suffering.
I'm pretty sure our MMC, Ryot, was completely gone for Leina from the moment they met. While Ryot and Leina's romance isn't a slow-burn, it never felt rushed. Their relationship had just the right amount of tension and emotional build-up to feel natural.
Leina's military fortress "family" quickly became some of the most entertaining and endearing characters. I loved how fiercely protective they were of their honorary “sister” while never treating Leina differently because she was the only woman among them.
Though both major plot twists at the end weren't impossible to see coming, I’m still proud of myself for figuring them out early on! But if there is a love triangle in the book two, I will RIOT (no pun intended hehe).
Leina is genuinely one of the most likable protagonists I've come across. She's strong-willed, selfless, and courageous, all without ever being unnecessarily stubborn or snappy. Despite the many systemic obstacles in her way, she never stops advocating for her people or fighting to bring awareness to their suffering.
I'm pretty sure our MMC, Ryot, was completely gone for Leina from the moment they met. While Ryot and Leina's romance isn't a slow-burn, it never felt rushed. Their relationship had just the right amount of tension and emotional build-up to feel natural.
Leina's military fortress "family" quickly became some of the most entertaining and endearing characters. I loved how fiercely protective they were of their honorary “sister” while never treating Leina differently because she was the only woman among them.
Though both major plot twists at the end weren't impossible to see coming, I’m still proud of myself for figuring them out early on! But if there is a love triangle in the book two, I will RIOT (no pun intended hehe).
November 18, 2025
Let it be angry. I’m angry too.
I keep going, because if the gods think I’ve come to beg, they’re wrong.
I’ve come to demand.
I adored this book, I got into the world, the story and bonded with the characters so much that it’s one of my newest obsessions, so I don’t care about imperfections, this is a 5 stars.
“I was hollow long before a death demon ever touched me. You think you can beat fear into me? You can threaten me with whips, with death, with the gods’ own wrath—but I’ve walked through Lako’s hells with nothing and I’ve come out with less. I have no fear left to give you.”
The base of the plot is a classic one, I have read things with similar elements, but the execution, the mix of all these elements, is done and works so well. The Gods and monsters plotline is interesting, but my favorite is the political one. The story talks about injustices, oppression, lies, I could feel the fmc anger for the abuses the system she lives under inflicts on her country and I’m invested in her fight; that was the first element that completely sucked me in. The king, his court, the Synod (because the Altor are, in a different way, deprived of freedom too), they are all twisted, I’m eager to watch Leina and her cast fight to change things and I can’t wait for the group to
I’m not disciplined like they are, not honed into a weapon through years of training.
But I do know how to survive. I know how to take the hits that won’t stop coming, how to grit my teeth through the pain and the grief and keep moving. I know what it means to endure.
---
I know what it means to be broken into pieces and still be dangerous.
Other than the story, what won me was the fact that I got very attached to the characters.
I completely adore Leina, she’s such a badass, from the start I fell in love with her and wanted to see her succeed. She’s tough as hell, so determined, a force to be reckoned with, kind of reckless and stubborn, but also quick, sharp and good at thinking on her feet; she struggles and trains her ass off, because she has a goal and she won’t give up. She carries so much pain and anger, for her life, for a system that enslaves and oppresses, and she wants to tear it all down, even if that means fighting her way through the most powerful institutions in existence to at least make them see what’s happening. All those men who expects her to fail, back down and obey, yet she keeps her head up and refuses to bow down to anyone: she’ll get what is owned to her and her people.
“You are a very special person, Leina Haverlyn. Because you claim refuse to be broken. Because of your unwavering resolve to overcome obstacles that were meant to hold you down, and the quiet defiance that drives you to create a better path. You are special to me, Leina Haverlyn, because of the place you hold in my heart.”
Ryot for a chunk of the book I thought was alright, but I didn’t feel much for him because I didn't really know him beside serious, hard, honorable and loyal; he came out later in the book, and then I grew more attached to him. I started to understand that he’s not as rigid as it seems, he doesn’t blindly follow, he has his own motivations and he’s capable of going to the heart of the oaths he made and doing what he thinks it’s right even if it bends the rules; he also starts breaking all the rules, because he falls in love with Leina and because he sees things are much different than he thought. He’s disgusted by the cruelty of his kingdom, carries a lot of guilt (more on that later) and he wants to do something about it. I’m curious to explore him more.
“You made me whole, Leina Haverlyn.”
Her smile is radiant—not a smirk of bravado, not a grimace of grim determination, but a real smile, pure and blinding, a sunbeam slicing through the darkness of a dying world.
“I make you whole, Ryot,” she says simply. “We’re not dead quite yet.”
Absolutely adored the found family, I’m so fond and attached to them; I love how loyal they are toward each other and how they welcomed Leina. Even between those who had few scenes I still felt how much the bonds meant. There were also some really funny interactions that sell that they are a family. Beside Leina, my favorite character is Nyrica, he’s the best. And I have to mention that despite been seen is snippets, I fell completely in love with the romance between Nyrica and Thalric, I melt for them, they are my otp, the standard, true love 💙, they have loved each other all of their lives and managed to have a life together that is not what they dreamed, but they made the best of it because being together is what matters. All of their moments had me in a chokehold (“Let them call love a weakness if they must. But I know the truth. I’ve never fought more fiercely than with Thalric’s life in the balance.”), and they are so the dads of the team.
“Is it worth it?” There’re a few men who have formed bonds, like Thalric and Nyrica. They risk so much to be together, but they do it anyway.
Thalric looks down the hallway where Nyrica disappeared. “I don’t know that ‘worth it’ is the right question. The real question is whether it’s inevitable.” 🫠
If one of them dies I will not be responsible for my actions. Nyrica has his forehead pressed to Thalric’s. “Stay with me,” he murmurs, no teasing. A plea. “You’re not done yet. We’re not done yet.”
“Kiss?” He echoes, bewildered. “That’s what you call that? That wasn’t a kiss, Leina. That was a fucking confession.”
The romance→ I’m gonna be honest, in the first half it got me 95%: I really liked their scenes, they have great chemistry, they worked together from the start, but I wasn’t swooning. In terms of what happens between them it’s a slow burn, but in terms of feelings, those develop fast, Ryot’s especially, they are drawn to each other almost immediately, this didn’t bother me tho, because it managed to do one key thing: I adored and was impressed by Leina very fast, so I believed and understood why Ryot was too. I think what kept that 5% was that I liked Ryot, his actions are all great, but I didn’t feel it with him, probably because like I said earlier, he was so stoic that I didn’t know him enough. In the second half of the book tho, once I started to feel a stronger attachment to Ryot, I also started to really FEEL for the romance.
Leina and Ryot work well together, she manages to push past his icy and grumpy exterior so who he really is comes out, his view of the world changes because of her, and, like I said, he’s completely starstruck and impressed by her, her resilience, her boldness and strength. He tries to fight it, but cares so much about her, how she feels, and he’s so protective 🖤, strong touch her and die, but never limits her, he trains her as hard as possible so she can protect herself, he was the first to believe in her, listen to her, know she could make it and helped her and stood up for her. There are a strong forbidden aspect (Altor can’t have attachments) and a mentor/apprentice dynamic to add delicious tension, and the bond that forms between them is felt: the love, the devotion, the need, how much the other means. And the chemistry in the spice scene 🥵🔥.
“Don’t make me beg,” she says.
And that vulnerable courage—that essence of Leina—is my undoing.
“By the Veil, Leina, you don’t beg for anything. You command and it’s yours. Tell me what you want.”
“You,” she says.
Now, about the ending:
2027 for the second book?! It’s so far away! I need it.
“But fuck the gods,” he whispers. “Fuck the Synod. Fuck the throne and every cursed thing that’s come from it.”
His thumb brushes under my eye. I hadn’t realized I was crying.
“You don’t belong in my world. Leina, you are my world.”
I keep going, because if the gods think I’ve come to beg, they’re wrong.
I’ve come to demand.
I adored this book, I got into the world, the story and bonded with the characters so much that it’s one of my newest obsessions, so I don’t care about imperfections, this is a 5 stars.
“I was hollow long before a death demon ever touched me. You think you can beat fear into me? You can threaten me with whips, with death, with the gods’ own wrath—but I’ve walked through Lako’s hells with nothing and I’ve come out with less. I have no fear left to give you.”
The base of the plot is a classic one, I have read things with similar elements, but the execution, the mix of all these elements, is done and works so well. The Gods and monsters plotline is interesting, but my favorite is the political one. The story talks about injustices, oppression, lies, I could feel the fmc anger for the abuses the system she lives under inflicts on her country and I’m invested in her fight; that was the first element that completely sucked me in. The king, his court, the Synod (because the Altor are, in a different way, deprived of freedom too), they are all twisted, I’m eager to watch Leina and her cast fight to change things and I can’t wait for the group to
I’m not disciplined like they are, not honed into a weapon through years of training.
But I do know how to survive. I know how to take the hits that won’t stop coming, how to grit my teeth through the pain and the grief and keep moving. I know what it means to endure.
---
I know what it means to be broken into pieces and still be dangerous.
Other than the story, what won me was the fact that I got very attached to the characters.
I completely adore Leina, she’s such a badass, from the start I fell in love with her and wanted to see her succeed. She’s tough as hell, so determined, a force to be reckoned with, kind of reckless and stubborn, but also quick, sharp and good at thinking on her feet; she struggles and trains her ass off, because she has a goal and she won’t give up. She carries so much pain and anger, for her life, for a system that enslaves and oppresses, and she wants to tear it all down, even if that means fighting her way through the most powerful institutions in existence to at least make them see what’s happening. All those men who expects her to fail, back down and obey, yet she keeps her head up and refuses to bow down to anyone: she’ll get what is owned to her and her people.
“You are a very special person, Leina Haverlyn. Because you claim refuse to be broken. Because of your unwavering resolve to overcome obstacles that were meant to hold you down, and the quiet defiance that drives you to create a better path. You are special to me, Leina Haverlyn, because of the place you hold in my heart.”
Ryot for a chunk of the book I thought was alright, but I didn’t feel much for him because I didn't really know him beside serious, hard, honorable and loyal; he came out later in the book, and then I grew more attached to him. I started to understand that he’s not as rigid as it seems, he doesn’t blindly follow, he has his own motivations and he’s capable of going to the heart of the oaths he made and doing what he thinks it’s right even if it bends the rules; he also starts breaking all the rules, because he falls in love with Leina and because he sees things are much different than he thought. He’s disgusted by the cruelty of his kingdom, carries a lot of guilt (more on that later) and he wants to do something about it. I’m curious to explore him more.
“You made me whole, Leina Haverlyn.”
Her smile is radiant—not a smirk of bravado, not a grimace of grim determination, but a real smile, pure and blinding, a sunbeam slicing through the darkness of a dying world.
“I make you whole, Ryot,” she says simply. “We’re not dead quite yet.”
Absolutely adored the found family, I’m so fond and attached to them; I love how loyal they are toward each other and how they welcomed Leina. Even between those who had few scenes I still felt how much the bonds meant. There were also some really funny interactions that sell that they are a family. Beside Leina, my favorite character is Nyrica, he’s the best. And I have to mention that despite been seen is snippets, I fell completely in love with the romance between Nyrica and Thalric, I melt for them, they are my otp, the standard, true love 💙, they have loved each other all of their lives and managed to have a life together that is not what they dreamed, but they made the best of it because being together is what matters. All of their moments had me in a chokehold (“Let them call love a weakness if they must. But I know the truth. I’ve never fought more fiercely than with Thalric’s life in the balance.”), and they are so the dads of the team.
“Is it worth it?” There’re a few men who have formed bonds, like Thalric and Nyrica. They risk so much to be together, but they do it anyway.
Thalric looks down the hallway where Nyrica disappeared. “I don’t know that ‘worth it’ is the right question. The real question is whether it’s inevitable.” 🫠
If one of them dies I will not be responsible for my actions. Nyrica has his forehead pressed to Thalric’s. “Stay with me,” he murmurs, no teasing. A plea. “You’re not done yet. We’re not done yet.”
“Kiss?” He echoes, bewildered. “That’s what you call that? That wasn’t a kiss, Leina. That was a fucking confession.”
The romance→ I’m gonna be honest, in the first half it got me 95%: I really liked their scenes, they have great chemistry, they worked together from the start, but I wasn’t swooning. In terms of what happens between them it’s a slow burn, but in terms of feelings, those develop fast, Ryot’s especially, they are drawn to each other almost immediately, this didn’t bother me tho, because it managed to do one key thing: I adored and was impressed by Leina very fast, so I believed and understood why Ryot was too. I think what kept that 5% was that I liked Ryot, his actions are all great, but I didn’t feel it with him, probably because like I said earlier, he was so stoic that I didn’t know him enough. In the second half of the book tho, once I started to feel a stronger attachment to Ryot, I also started to really FEEL for the romance.
Leina and Ryot work well together, she manages to push past his icy and grumpy exterior so who he really is comes out, his view of the world changes because of her, and, like I said, he’s completely starstruck and impressed by her, her resilience, her boldness and strength. He tries to fight it, but cares so much about her, how she feels, and he’s so protective 🖤, strong touch her and die, but never limits her, he trains her as hard as possible so she can protect herself, he was the first to believe in her, listen to her, know she could make it and helped her and stood up for her. There are a strong forbidden aspect (Altor can’t have attachments) and a mentor/apprentice dynamic to add delicious tension, and the bond that forms between them is felt: the love, the devotion, the need, how much the other means. And the chemistry in the spice scene 🥵🔥.
“Don’t make me beg,” she says.
And that vulnerable courage—that essence of Leina—is my undoing.
“By the Veil, Leina, you don’t beg for anything. You command and it’s yours. Tell me what you want.”
“You,” she says.
Now, about the ending:
2027 for the second book?! It’s so far away! I need it.
“But fuck the gods,” he whispers. “Fuck the Synod. Fuck the throne and every cursed thing that’s come from it.”
His thumb brushes under my eye. I hadn’t realized I was crying.
“You don’t belong in my world. Leina, you are my world.”
September 24, 2025
HOLY SHIT- Leina and Ryot are going to take the epic fantasy world by storm.
i don’t say this lightly, but the battle scene in this book made me feel like i was watching The Lord of the Rings. this book was so insanely vivid to me, it felt like a movie in my mind. EPIC is the only word i could use to describe it. ok maybe “extremely painful, traumatizing, and anxiety inducing” too… if i had to.
Leina is a serf in a brutal world where young men are stolen away to mine for ore that powers the kingdoms’ strongest warriors. her childhood love and brother have already been taken and killed, and she must work to hide her unusual fighting instincts to remain unnoticed by those who come to take her youngest brothers. In an effort to protect her loved ones she finds herself taken by Ryot, an Altor chosen by the gods as a warrior, to train as one herself- the first female Altor in history. she must forsake all relationships besides her new brotherhood and bond with a mentor who will be her guide in this brutal and war torn world. the odds are stacked against her, but the gods seem to have bigger plans for her. Leina’s bond with her mentor seems to be different from everyone else’s, as they can feel each others’ minds and feelings through their bond (totally nothing to see here).
one thing that struck me immediately about this book is how well written it is. i felt immersed from the first page, the pacing was wonderful, the characters were lovable and complex, and the lore we get that leads us into waiting for book 2 is AMAZING.
the romance is definitely a smaller subplot, but once it picks up it HITS. nothing like a fit of jealous rage to heal the soul 🙂↕️
i’m landing on a glowing 4.5 ⭐️!
thank you to the author for sending me an ARC for my honest review!
i don’t say this lightly, but the battle scene in this book made me feel like i was watching The Lord of the Rings. this book was so insanely vivid to me, it felt like a movie in my mind. EPIC is the only word i could use to describe it. ok maybe “extremely painful, traumatizing, and anxiety inducing” too… if i had to.
Leina is a serf in a brutal world where young men are stolen away to mine for ore that powers the kingdoms’ strongest warriors. her childhood love and brother have already been taken and killed, and she must work to hide her unusual fighting instincts to remain unnoticed by those who come to take her youngest brothers. In an effort to protect her loved ones she finds herself taken by Ryot, an Altor chosen by the gods as a warrior, to train as one herself- the first female Altor in history. she must forsake all relationships besides her new brotherhood and bond with a mentor who will be her guide in this brutal and war torn world. the odds are stacked against her, but the gods seem to have bigger plans for her. Leina’s bond with her mentor seems to be different from everyone else’s, as they can feel each others’ minds and feelings through their bond (totally nothing to see here).
one thing that struck me immediately about this book is how well written it is. i felt immersed from the first page, the pacing was wonderful, the characters were lovable and complex, and the lore we get that leads us into waiting for book 2 is AMAZING.
the romance is definitely a smaller subplot, but once it picks up it HITS. nothing like a fit of jealous rage to heal the soul 🙂↕️
i’m landing on a glowing 4.5 ⭐️!
thank you to the author for sending me an ARC for my honest review!
February 21, 2026
3 stars
When this novel came onto my radar I was very intrigued due to the high ratings. I will say: I did not dislike this book but it definitely didn't live up to the expectation in my head. Just goes to show you that ratings aren't everything, a fact I need to remind myself of sometimes.
Pro
- I liked Leina. I recently read a different story with a really mousy, infuriating protagonist so perhaps more so than I would have normally because of that. She was not meek, nor particularly humble, and due to her background I did not mind this at all. I particularly enjoyed her rants to both the King and the Princess.
- The side characters were great, I loved Leina's interactions with her cast and their quirky personalities (Faelon and Nyrica in particular). The whole conversation about the Crimson Feather? Hilarious.
- I liked the faravars (basically Pegasus type creatures). The bonding was very Fourth Wing coded but you'll never hear a complaint from me about that because I love that trope.
For my Cons, I'm going to do a spoiler/nonspoiler section.
- My main gripe ... to put it politely, this is the author's debut novel, and that is apparent in her writing. It's extremely disjointed and, at times, hard to follow. Couple examples: at one point, one of the head teachers/trainers of the "school" says to Leina that there has never been a female Altor. He then goes onto say there's never been an Altor from Selencia (her homeland). If there's never been a female ever, why emphasize where she's from? Seems redundant. Another example: Leina has to fight someone to the death in an arena type place as she says to herself she just needs to survive her opponent, but the way she said it was odd and I remember thinking "no, it's a fight to the death, you have to kill him".
- This is hard to put into words, but it's like the author forgets to add certain details. Like someone will suddenly be in a room that wasn't before, or forget to say a character sat down, or some other minor thing. It happened a lot, and it was incredibly distracting.
- It was too long, over 600 pages was a bit much. Especially the passages at the beginning of each chapter, I just found them unnecessary.
- Because I disliked the writing so much it made it hard to connect to the characters and I thought the romance was fine. I liked Ryot, I liked Leina, but there's nothing particularity "stand out" about their relationship. It just was.
I don't know whether I'll read the sequel or not. I did enjoy the second half of the book more than the first so at this point it's hard to say.
When this novel came onto my radar I was very intrigued due to the high ratings. I will say: I did not dislike this book but it definitely didn't live up to the expectation in my head. Just goes to show you that ratings aren't everything, a fact I need to remind myself of sometimes.
Pro
- I liked Leina. I recently read a different story with a really mousy, infuriating protagonist so perhaps more so than I would have normally because of that. She was not meek, nor particularly humble, and due to her background I did not mind this at all. I particularly enjoyed her rants to both the King and the Princess.
- The side characters were great, I loved Leina's interactions with her cast and their quirky personalities (Faelon and Nyrica in particular). The whole conversation about the Crimson Feather? Hilarious.
- I liked the faravars (basically Pegasus type creatures). The bonding was very Fourth Wing coded but you'll never hear a complaint from me about that because I love that trope.
For my Cons, I'm going to do a spoiler/nonspoiler section.
- My main gripe ... to put it politely, this is the author's debut novel, and that is apparent in her writing. It's extremely disjointed and, at times, hard to follow. Couple examples: at one point, one of the head teachers/trainers of the "school" says to Leina that there has never been a female Altor. He then goes onto say there's never been an Altor from Selencia (her homeland). If there's never been a female ever, why emphasize where she's from? Seems redundant. Another example: Leina has to fight someone to the death in an arena type place as she says to herself she just needs to survive her opponent, but the way she said it was odd and I remember thinking "no, it's a fight to the death, you have to kill him".
- This is hard to put into words, but it's like the author forgets to add certain details. Like someone will suddenly be in a room that wasn't before, or forget to say a character sat down, or some other minor thing. It happened a lot, and it was incredibly distracting.
- It was too long, over 600 pages was a bit much. Especially the passages at the beginning of each chapter, I just found them unnecessary.
- Because I disliked the writing so much it made it hard to connect to the characters and I thought the romance was fine. I liked Ryot, I liked Leina, but there's nothing particularity "stand out" about their relationship. It just was.
I don't know whether I'll read the sequel or not. I did enjoy the second half of the book more than the first so at this point it's hard to say.
July 15, 2026
INFINITY STARS 🌟 My first read of 2026 did not disappoint! I was immersed in a action packed world of magic and mythical creatures. The world building was incredible with divine armies, demons, and my favorite winged war horses, aka faravars! The characters were unforgettable, Leina, the FMC she is fierce, strong, fiesty, and stubborn. Ryot is a grumpy warrior, fierce, protective, and possessive. The slow burn, forbidden romance, forced proximity, and found family are incredible. All the side characters create a family you will feel part of and will love them all! If you love royal secrets, meddling gods, sacred power with touch her and die and an epic plot twist, dual POV and one hell of a cliff hanger don't miss this read! I loved everything about this book!
June 5, 2026
This book is the definition of a mixed bag, serving an elite forbidden mentor-mentee dynamic and a "he falls first" trope that had me kicking my feet in the opening chapters.
Leina is an absolute standout MC—a lethal, badass warrior who refuses to be intimidated by puny men and completely holds her own in every battle.
Caty Rogan builds a rock-solid plot foundation that hooks you instantly, amplified by the undisputed highlights of the book: Thalric and Nyrica. Honestly, this side romance completely stole the show, and their chemistry carried the narrative on its back when the momentum began to drag.
However, the pacing is a wild rollercoaster that ultimately drops the ball in the center. After a phenomenal, high-stakes start, the story hits a massive slump where the plot spins its wheels, turning what should have been a mind-blowing fantasy into an "okay" middle that felt like a chore to push through.
While the ending yields a promising payoff that salvages the wreckage, the execution lacks that addictive cliffhanger magic; I am genuinely just relieved to cross this off my TBR rather than losing sleep over the sequel.
A 3-star rating is incredibly generous here, awarded strictly for Leina’s fierce main character energy and the superior side couple who saved the day.
Leina is an absolute standout MC—a lethal, badass warrior who refuses to be intimidated by puny men and completely holds her own in every battle.
Caty Rogan builds a rock-solid plot foundation that hooks you instantly, amplified by the undisputed highlights of the book: Thalric and Nyrica. Honestly, this side romance completely stole the show, and their chemistry carried the narrative on its back when the momentum began to drag.
However, the pacing is a wild rollercoaster that ultimately drops the ball in the center. After a phenomenal, high-stakes start, the story hits a massive slump where the plot spins its wheels, turning what should have been a mind-blowing fantasy into an "okay" middle that felt like a chore to push through.
While the ending yields a promising payoff that salvages the wreckage, the execution lacks that addictive cliffhanger magic; I am genuinely just relieved to cross this off my TBR rather than losing sleep over the sequel.
A 3-star rating is incredibly generous here, awarded strictly for Leina’s fierce main character energy and the superior side couple who saved the day.
June 2, 2026
Kissed By The Gods is an absolute must-read. The writing is completely captivating—you won’t want to put this book down!
Leina is one of the most likable FMCs that I’ve come across in a while. She has been dealt a terrible hand, but instead of giving in, she fights back. She embodies feminine rage in the best possible way and is absolutely inspiring to read.
The tension between Ryot and Leina is electric. I’m talking about barely-there pinky touches that will have you screaming at them to “just kiss already!”
The battle scenes are also incredibly well written. They are fast-paced and action-packed without ever feeling confusing or hard to follow.
This is one you won’t want to miss!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Release Date (Trad): June 2, 2026
Tropes ✨:
Mentor x Mentee
He Falls First
Forced Proximity
Forbidden Romance
Slow Burn to Spice
One Tent
Feminine Rage
Found Family
Political Intrigue
War / Battles
🖤: “Humans can be just as brutal as the monsters from our nightmares.”
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
Leina is one of the most likable FMCs that I’ve come across in a while. She has been dealt a terrible hand, but instead of giving in, she fights back. She embodies feminine rage in the best possible way and is absolutely inspiring to read.
The tension between Ryot and Leina is electric. I’m talking about barely-there pinky touches that will have you screaming at them to “just kiss already!”
The battle scenes are also incredibly well written. They are fast-paced and action-packed without ever feeling confusing or hard to follow.
This is one you won’t want to miss!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Release Date (Trad): June 2, 2026
Tropes ✨:
Mentor x Mentee
He Falls First
Forced Proximity
Forbidden Romance
Slow Burn to Spice
One Tent
Feminine Rage
Found Family
Political Intrigue
War / Battles
🖤: “Humans can be just as brutal as the monsters from our nightmares.”
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
November 19, 2025
DNF 50% - are people ok????? this is absolutely horrible i couldn’t take one more second of it
April 26, 2026
I went into this book with no real expectation and ended up DEVOURING it. This is seriously so good. The writing is so captivating it makes you forget that it’s 2am and you have an alarm set for 7:30. The world building was really well done and it wasn’t just all thrown out you in one paragraph. The FMC has feminine rage but not in a cringe way I’ve been seeing in some books recently. I instantly liked her. I don’t understand why this book doesn’t get more hype when it has some of the best tension and yearning I have read in a WHILE. But I will say, that cliffhanger was brutal. I’m unsure what to do with myself.
July 9, 2026
I do love a good Cliffhanger... I'm tellin' ya!
Leina is an absolute badass as an FMC, and FULL of that feminine rage. But, it's deserving. The crown has really shafted her people for like... ever.
I really enjoyed this and will for sure be reading Book 2.
4.5 rounded down to 4, only because the plot wasn't the most original. Still well done though.
Thank you to NetGalley and Requited Publishing for a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
Leina is an absolute badass as an FMC, and FULL of that feminine rage. But, it's deserving. The crown has really shafted her people for like... ever.
I really enjoyed this and will for sure be reading Book 2.
4.5 rounded down to 4, only because the plot wasn't the most original. Still well done though.
Thank you to NetGalley and Requited Publishing for a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 13, 2026
My first 5⭐️ read of 2026!
Let me say this book hooked me in quick; intense action scenes, quieter emotional beats, and enough mystery to keep you turning pages “one more chapter” at a time. The pacing balances plot and romance beautifully, with enough twists to make every chapter feel meaningful.
Leina is the kind of protagonist I love following: stubborn, hurting, determined, and constantly growing. And Ryot? Listen…for some reason I usually hate a blonde MMC but he definitely scored in mysterious and morally gray.
If you like fast-paced romantasy where romance and plot both matter, badass heroines, gods meddling in mortal lives and cliff hangers that make you say “Excuse me? We’re stopping there?” then this deserves to be on your TBR.
Let me say this book hooked me in quick; intense action scenes, quieter emotional beats, and enough mystery to keep you turning pages “one more chapter” at a time. The pacing balances plot and romance beautifully, with enough twists to make every chapter feel meaningful.
Leina is the kind of protagonist I love following: stubborn, hurting, determined, and constantly growing. And Ryot? Listen…for some reason I usually hate a blonde MMC but he definitely scored in mysterious and morally gray.
If you like fast-paced romantasy where romance and plot both matter, badass heroines, gods meddling in mortal lives and cliff hangers that make you say “Excuse me? We’re stopping there?” then this deserves to be on your TBR.
August 6, 2026
A solid Romantasy!
I enjoyed this and loved that it was a romantasy that had more of a fantasy plot with romance subplot. I do think it dragged a bit in the middle and then the ending had a lot happening all at once, but all in all - this kept my attention and I am really intrigued with the plot and where the story is going!
I also am really impressed with Caty Rogan's writing style! I feel like the story flowed so well and I was able to immerse myself into the book and picture the world perfectly!
I enjoyed this and loved that it was a romantasy that had more of a fantasy plot with romance subplot. I do think it dragged a bit in the middle and then the ending had a lot happening all at once, but all in all - this kept my attention and I am really intrigued with the plot and where the story is going!
I also am really impressed with Caty Rogan's writing style! I feel like the story flowed so well and I was able to immerse myself into the book and picture the world perfectly!
June 8, 2026
The author’s writing style was really good, easy to get into. However the chemistry and fantasy parts felt forced. I didn’t find any of the characters that interesting either. The story also started to lose momentum around the middle and my interest kind of faded after that. I ended up putting it down, though I might come back to it at some point.
May 25, 2026
4.5 ⭐️
an action packed power house of a book!!
from the get go this is book is brutal and pacey, drawing you in with its shocking prose and brave fmc. i absolutely adored this concept, it felt like the kiss of rain after a scorching hot summer. entirely resfreshing in a genre that currently can feel very copy and paste.
the altors really reminded me of gladiators and their beautiful winged war horses are my absolute favourites!! this book was an absolute delight and i cannot WAIT for book two.
an action packed power house of a book!!
from the get go this is book is brutal and pacey, drawing you in with its shocking prose and brave fmc. i absolutely adored this concept, it felt like the kiss of rain after a scorching hot summer. entirely resfreshing in a genre that currently can feel very copy and paste.
the altors really reminded me of gladiators and their beautiful winged war horses are my absolute favourites!! this book was an absolute delight and i cannot WAIT for book two.
June 17, 2026
4.25 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 feels right for this!
PLOT
Leina has a run-in with the guards & must flee her home with her brothers. They run into an elite warrior who notices she is more than anyone has noticed before & brings her to his magical military fortress for training. & because she’s the first female of her kind, you can imagine this doesn’t go super smoothly.
- trainer/trainee, forbidden romance
- med spice
- found family
- bonded Pegasus creature
- female rage
- duet audiobook
PROS
- I thorouuuuughly enjoyed the found family in this! I pretty much immediately fell in love with our little group calling her sister.
- I quite like Ryot. He’s broody with a little snark & I like that, despite basically starting the book kidnapping her, he felt like a green flag.
- Really solid writing for the most part!
- I liked the faravar (pegasus) creatures, they felt fun & unique.
- There’s a certain micro trope done in here I LOVE.
- There’s a secondary small romantic subplot that actually made me so happy. I may have liked it more than the main one.
- I really like the world & I think as we continue to expand & explore it we are doing to find out some cool shit. I was really enjoying some certain areas.
- The beginning was brutal & did a good job setting up Leina’s rage. You were just like YUP I GET IT GIRL.
- The politics unfolding are v interesting.
MIDS
- I’m a bit mid on Leina. I quite liked her at times but other times I feel like she was almost like, manic? & maybe not in a way that felt intended? Like she’s definitely intentionally emotional & it could have been the audiobook narrator interpretation of her that felt like every feeling/reaction was at like, an 11 at all times. I’m not sure how I feel yet. A badass for sure who can be quite charming, but also make some grave fumbles & weird decisions.
- I’m also not quite sure how I feel about a particular reveal at the end. It didn’t feel like it aligned really with story to date. We will see though, there is probs some explanation in the next book which is why this isn’t a con.
CONS
- There was another reveal to the end that I truly don’t understand the logic behind. Maybe we’ll get answers in the next book but for now I am just like… this particular “why” doesn’t much make much sense?
I will likely continue with this series!
PLOT
Leina has a run-in with the guards & must flee her home with her brothers. They run into an elite warrior who notices she is more than anyone has noticed before & brings her to his magical military fortress for training. & because she’s the first female of her kind, you can imagine this doesn’t go super smoothly.
- trainer/trainee, forbidden romance
- med spice
- found family
- bonded Pegasus creature
- female rage
- duet audiobook
PROS
- I thorouuuuughly enjoyed the found family in this! I pretty much immediately fell in love with our little group calling her sister.
- I quite like Ryot. He’s broody with a little snark & I like that, despite basically starting the book kidnapping her, he felt like a green flag.
- Really solid writing for the most part!
- I liked the faravar (pegasus) creatures, they felt fun & unique.
- There’s a certain micro trope done in here I LOVE.
- There’s a secondary small romantic subplot that actually made me so happy. I may have liked it more than the main one.
- I really like the world & I think as we continue to expand & explore it we are doing to find out some cool shit. I was really enjoying some certain areas.
- The beginning was brutal & did a good job setting up Leina’s rage. You were just like YUP I GET IT GIRL.
- The politics unfolding are v interesting.
MIDS
- I’m a bit mid on Leina. I quite liked her at times but other times I feel like she was almost like, manic? & maybe not in a way that felt intended? Like she’s definitely intentionally emotional & it could have been the audiobook narrator interpretation of her that felt like every feeling/reaction was at like, an 11 at all times. I’m not sure how I feel yet. A badass for sure who can be quite charming, but also make some grave fumbles & weird decisions.
- I’m also not quite sure how I feel about a particular reveal at the end. It didn’t feel like it aligned really with story to date. We will see though, there is probs some explanation in the next book which is why this isn’t a con.
CONS
- There was another reveal to the end that I truly don’t understand the logic behind. Maybe we’ll get answers in the next book but for now I am just like… this particular “why” doesn’t much make much sense?
I will likely continue with this series!
September 26, 2025
Wow, I loved this book! Leina Haverlyn is one of my favorite FMC’s to date. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Kissed By The Gods by Caty Rogan is an action-packed, fast-paced Romantasy that follows Leina as she is taken from her home and set on a path to become an Altor, warriors committed to serving the Gods in a war against enemies called the Kher’zenn. Leina fights for justice for her people, the Selencians, while also using her fury and stubborn determination to survive the pain and trials of becoming an Altor. This story includes gods, monsters, and flying warrior horses.
This story gave me some serious Blood & Steel, Dire Bound, and Lord of the Rings vibes!
Characters: Leina, the FMC, is a strong, stubborn, and damaged badass. Ryot, the MMC, is possessive and grumpy, but in a delicious way. The side characters create a found family that is entertaining and endearing. The Elder reminded me of a mix between Gandalf and Yoda with his insightful one liners!
Plot: The plot was fast paced with several plot twists. Although I predicted one of the twists early on, it was enjoyable seeing everything play out. The ending was well done.
World building: I was really impressed with the world building in this story, which introduces multiple areas/kingdoms, ideologies, gifts, and political systems. Kissed By The Gods is book 1 in what I believe will be a 6 book series, so lots to look forward to!
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Some of the Tropes:
Forbidden Romance
He Falls First
Found Family
One Tent
One Horse (flying)
Overall, I really enjoyed this story and connected with the characters. I would definitely recommend this book and author.
Thank you to TheNerd Fam and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book as an eARC.
Kissed By The Gods by Caty Rogan is an action-packed, fast-paced Romantasy that follows Leina as she is taken from her home and set on a path to become an Altor, warriors committed to serving the Gods in a war against enemies called the Kher’zenn. Leina fights for justice for her people, the Selencians, while also using her fury and stubborn determination to survive the pain and trials of becoming an Altor. This story includes gods, monsters, and flying warrior horses.
This story gave me some serious Blood & Steel, Dire Bound, and Lord of the Rings vibes!
Characters: Leina, the FMC, is a strong, stubborn, and damaged badass. Ryot, the MMC, is possessive and grumpy, but in a delicious way. The side characters create a found family that is entertaining and endearing. The Elder reminded me of a mix between Gandalf and Yoda with his insightful one liners!
Plot: The plot was fast paced with several plot twists. Although I predicted one of the twists early on, it was enjoyable seeing everything play out. The ending was well done.
World building: I was really impressed with the world building in this story, which introduces multiple areas/kingdoms, ideologies, gifts, and political systems. Kissed By The Gods is book 1 in what I believe will be a 6 book series, so lots to look forward to!
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Some of the Tropes:
Forbidden Romance
He Falls First
Found Family
One Tent
One Horse (flying)
Overall, I really enjoyed this story and connected with the characters. I would definitely recommend this book and author.
Thank you to TheNerd Fam and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book as an eARC.
November 29, 2025
À peine prévisible et un peu trop ressemblant à des Romantasy qu’on connaît (Dire Bound + Blood and Steel) mais ça a grave marché sur moi !!! Also : des chevaux ailés !!!!!
April 23, 2026
I went into this one blind and ended up completely pulled in. The story has a quiet intensity that builds as you go, and it didn’t take long before I didn’t want to put it down.
Leina is the kind of FMC I love. She is resilient, driven, and shaped by what she’s been through in a way that actually feels meaningful. Ryot brings a steady, protective energy, but still feels distinct and not like a copy-paste MMC, which I was grateful for.
The romance leans into tension and slow development, which made the payoff all the more satisfying. The world was so incredibly immersive, and I kept thinking about it even when I wasn’t reading.
And that ending… I’m definitely going to need the next book.
I also picked up the indie copy (with the novella) before reading, and I’m so glad I did as this is absolutely a trophy book for me. 🙌
Tropes:
- He falls first
- Forbidden romance
- Found family
- Forced proximity
- Slow burn
- Gods & Magic
- Dual POV
Leina is the kind of FMC I love. She is resilient, driven, and shaped by what she’s been through in a way that actually feels meaningful. Ryot brings a steady, protective energy, but still feels distinct and not like a copy-paste MMC, which I was grateful for.
The romance leans into tension and slow development, which made the payoff all the more satisfying. The world was so incredibly immersive, and I kept thinking about it even when I wasn’t reading.
And that ending… I’m definitely going to need the next book.
I also picked up the indie copy (with the novella) before reading, and I’m so glad I did as this is absolutely a trophy book for me. 🙌
Tropes:
- He falls first
- Forbidden romance
- Found family
- Forced proximity
- Slow burn
- Gods & Magic
- Dual POV
January 26, 2026
4.5 🌟 I really enjoyed this, and it felt fresh and unique in the romantasy genre. This was filled with all the action, twists, politics, romance, and magic that makes romantasy so fun and special, but it didn’t feel recycled at all.
Leina is the first female Altor, and she hails from Selencia, which has been colonized and abused by the Faraengardian throne. The story picks up pretty quickly, and I was glad to have read the prequel first to have some base knowledge already laid out. Leina is super likable and real. She’s been through a lot under the thumb of Faraengard, and she is pissed. I absolutely loved the feminine rage aspect of this book.
Ryot was a great MMC too. He’s such a sweetie and so protective. I think my one gripe with this is that I wish there had been more buildup to their relationship. They met under not so great circumstances and there was a little insta-lust (especially with the dreams), so I wish that had been hashed out a little more.
The ending of this was crazy!! I can’t wait for the next book
Leina is the first female Altor, and she hails from Selencia, which has been colonized and abused by the Faraengardian throne. The story picks up pretty quickly, and I was glad to have read the prequel first to have some base knowledge already laid out. Leina is super likable and real. She’s been through a lot under the thumb of Faraengard, and she is pissed. I absolutely loved the feminine rage aspect of this book.
Ryot was a great MMC too. He’s such a sweetie and so protective. I think my one gripe with this is that I wish there had been more buildup to their relationship. They met under not so great circumstances and there was a little insta-lust (especially with the dreams), so I wish that had been hashed out a little more.
The ending of this was crazy!! I can’t wait for the next book
November 7, 2025
It took me a (few) hot minute(s) to process this story.
FIRST of all, Leina is one of the most likable FMCs in a Romantasy for me. She didn’t just lay down and play the defenseless victim card, she took her trauma and grief and became fierce and relentless, and I am HERE for it.
“I have no fear left to give you.” 😭
The slow burn was *chef’s kiss*. The angst and yearning was absolutely delicious.
Ryot was another likable MMC, but I especially appreciate that his character and description isn’t written as a carbon copy of another popular, previously existing story. I felt he was original and refreshing.
The world building is so immersive, every time I tried to read anything else, this story overtook it in my mind. The winged war horses? 10/10.
The plot twist was a jaw dropper. That’s an understatement and I just spent several minutes trying to think of a better phrase, but came up empty so you’re going to have to just use your imagination.
Beyond that, I think romantasy readers should go in blind to enjoy this to its full potential. ❤️
What to expect:
🖤 He falls first
🖤 Forbidden romance
🖤 Found family
🖤 Fierce FMC/feminine rage
🖤 Touch her and ☠️
🖤 Forced proximity
🖤 Meddling gods, magic and war
🖤 Unique mythical creatures
🖤 First person / Dual POV
🖤 One tent
FIRST of all, Leina is one of the most likable FMCs in a Romantasy for me. She didn’t just lay down and play the defenseless victim card, she took her trauma and grief and became fierce and relentless, and I am HERE for it.
“I have no fear left to give you.” 😭
The slow burn was *chef’s kiss*. The angst and yearning was absolutely delicious.
Ryot was another likable MMC, but I especially appreciate that his character and description isn’t written as a carbon copy of another popular, previously existing story. I felt he was original and refreshing.
The world building is so immersive, every time I tried to read anything else, this story overtook it in my mind. The winged war horses? 10/10.
The plot twist was a jaw dropper. That’s an understatement and I just spent several minutes trying to think of a better phrase, but came up empty so you’re going to have to just use your imagination.
Beyond that, I think romantasy readers should go in blind to enjoy this to its full potential. ❤️
What to expect:
🖤 He falls first
🖤 Forbidden romance
🖤 Found family
🖤 Fierce FMC/feminine rage
🖤 Touch her and ☠️
🖤 Forced proximity
🖤 Meddling gods, magic and war
🖤 Unique mythical creatures
🖤 First person / Dual POV
🖤 One tent
February 9, 2026
For the first half of this book, I really thought this was going to be a five star read. Unfortunately, the last half of the book really took the rating down. I’ll start off with some highlights though because I did enjoy this and I will be finishing the rest of the series. Leina was an incredible fmc, she was strong-willed but also gentle and kind. She did possess a lot of the same tropes as classic romantasy fmc’s like being tiny and small but ultra powerful. However, I did really like her and her character development throughout the story. I loved her relationship with her faravar and that was by far my favorite part of the book. I also love the magic system and the veil walking. That was easily one of my favorite parts of the story. The side characters were phenomenal and the found family was a really beautiful part of this story as well. I also thought the politics and hidden secrets were well done (although I called Ryat’s secret the first moment they commented on the blue eyes).
Now into what I didn’t like… the romance. The romance fell so flat for me. Not only did I not like Ryat’s character, but the instalust/love and overprotective vibe right off the bat was such an ick for me. I don’t feel like we really learned anything about him and his story was so underdeveloped. Every time they had a spicy scene I wished it was over and I usually love a good spicy scene. I’m just hoping that he’s not our final love interest and that will really propel this series up a few stars. I also agree with some of the other reviews that sometimes the scene changes were not explained well and all of a sudden our characters would be heading somewhere for a mission with no context for the reader. For these reasons, it was a 3 star but I’m hoping book two is a lot better!
Now into what I didn’t like… the romance. The romance fell so flat for me. Not only did I not like Ryat’s character, but the instalust/love and overprotective vibe right off the bat was such an ick for me. I don’t feel like we really learned anything about him and his story was so underdeveloped. Every time they had a spicy scene I wished it was over and I usually love a good spicy scene. I’m just hoping that he’s not our final love interest and that will really propel this series up a few stars. I also agree with some of the other reviews that sometimes the scene changes were not explained well and all of a sudden our characters would be heading somewhere for a mission with no context for the reader. For these reasons, it was a 3 star but I’m hoping book two is a lot better!
October 5, 2025
Kissed by the Gods (The Eternal Wars #1) by Caty Rogan
Book Blurb:Leina has spent a lifetime submitting. Kneeling. Enduring.
Then soldiers come for her brother, and divine fury surges through her veins. She expects execution for the bodies she left in her wake. Her people have met bloody ends for far, far less.
Rating: ****
Feels: Adventure, Heat, Fun, Rage
Style: Fantasy, Romantasy, Fantasy Romance
First published September 24, 2025: 558 pages
This read is packed with action, adventure , twists , romance , politics and all the things that make for an amazing fantasy read. The world building and deity system was really unique and engaging. I really enjoyed how the magic system was so varied between each person in the story. Leina is a warrior through and through and I adore her. The chemistry with Ryot is off the charts. The found family aspect paired with warrior training was just perfect !!! Such a great read. Can not wait for book two !!!
Favorite Quote: "the gods never ask what you're willing to give. I don't think they care."
This book has:
Chosen One
Forbidden Love
He falls first
Found Family
Slow Burn
Military Academy
Forced Proximity
Touch her and die
Burn it all down FMC
Possessive MMC
Mentor/Mentee
Flying War Horses
Meddling gods/goddesses
Book Blurb:Leina has spent a lifetime submitting. Kneeling. Enduring.
Then soldiers come for her brother, and divine fury surges through her veins. She expects execution for the bodies she left in her wake. Her people have met bloody ends for far, far less.
Rating: ****
Feels: Adventure, Heat, Fun, Rage
Style: Fantasy, Romantasy, Fantasy Romance
First published September 24, 2025: 558 pages
This read is packed with action, adventure , twists , romance , politics and all the things that make for an amazing fantasy read. The world building and deity system was really unique and engaging. I really enjoyed how the magic system was so varied between each person in the story. Leina is a warrior through and through and I adore her. The chemistry with Ryot is off the charts. The found family aspect paired with warrior training was just perfect !!! Such a great read. Can not wait for book two !!!
Favorite Quote: "the gods never ask what you're willing to give. I don't think they care."
This book has:
Chosen One
Forbidden Love
He falls first
Found Family
Slow Burn
Military Academy
Forced Proximity
Touch her and die
Burn it all down FMC
Possessive MMC
Mentor/Mentee
Flying War Horses
Meddling gods/goddesses
Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,528 reviews