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Games of the Goddess #1
A Kiss of Crimson Ash
The first book in a new medieval India-inspired fantasy trilogy from a remarkable Canadian talent, A Kiss of Crimson Ash teems with rich storytelling, lush worldbuilding, and spice of every variety.
Taara, the pious newly crowned Queen of Abhaya, a resource-rich city-state, must marry whether she wishes to or not. Her betrothed is Garjan, Prince of Nandapore, a neighbouring city-state full of secrets and spellcasters. His forbidden love is Bhediya, a courtesan with magic in her blood. And then there is Roland, a thief by trade, attached to nothing and no one, who stumbles into a power-hungry king’s plot to unearth a weapon that has only lived in myth...until now.
Linked by desire, destiny, and a dangerous foe, these four must summon the power of an ancient goddess and chart a course through the empire’s brothels, temples, taverns, and palaces, forcing them to confront the darkest kinds of magic and the truest parts of themselves—before it’s too late.
Locked in a battle that will reshape the empire, they each must What will they risk for a weapon worth dying for, and a love worth life itself?
Taara, the pious newly crowned Queen of Abhaya, a resource-rich city-state, must marry whether she wishes to or not. Her betrothed is Garjan, Prince of Nandapore, a neighbouring city-state full of secrets and spellcasters. His forbidden love is Bhediya, a courtesan with magic in her blood. And then there is Roland, a thief by trade, attached to nothing and no one, who stumbles into a power-hungry king’s plot to unearth a weapon that has only lived in myth...until now.
Linked by desire, destiny, and a dangerous foe, these four must summon the power of an ancient goddess and chart a course through the empire’s brothels, temples, taverns, and palaces, forcing them to confront the darkest kinds of magic and the truest parts of themselves—before it’s too late.
Locked in a battle that will reshape the empire, they each must What will they risk for a weapon worth dying for, and a love worth life itself?
Audible Audio
First published May 26, 2026
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April 27, 2026── .✦ pre-read 𖹭.ᐟ
#1: everybody and their moms saw that one art, right? RIGHT?? that and the fact that this is inspired by medieval India is ofc a direct add to tbr 🤭
#2: i've been informed not everyone has seen the art so i am attaching it below! enjoyyyy <3
#1: everybody and their moms saw that one art, right? RIGHT?? that and the fact that this is inspired by medieval India is ofc a direct add to tbr 🤭
#2: i've been informed not everyone has seen the art so i am attaching it below! enjoyyyy <3
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
thank you netgalley & orbit for the eARC—all thoughts are my own!
✦ publication date: may 26, 2026
i can’t stop thinking about it. it’s the first indian medieval fantasy i’ve ever read, and it didn’t let me down.
the story follows four main people who fit together like pieces of a puzzle.
tara – she is the princess of abhaya and the wife of garjan.
garjan – a prince from nandapore who becomes tara’s husband.
bhediya – a courtesan living in chandanee mukan.
roland – a clever thief.
each character is different, and each has their own problems and weaknesses. because they are so distinct, their lives feel fresh and interesting.
one thing i loved a lot was the world building. the author uses many hindi words and names, which makes the setting feel authentic and vivid. at first i felt a bit lost because there is a lot happening at once. many places, many events, many new names. after a few chapters, though, the pieces start to click and the story becomes easier to follow.
the friendships in the book are a real highlight. tara, garjan, bhediya, and roland all support each other. their bonds feel genuine and keep the story moving forward. and wow, there are some seriously spicy moments. the romance scenes are hot enough that i kept fanning myself while reading.
the ending does feel a little rushed. some plot threads could have used more space, and the final showdown happens quickly. still, the overall feeling is positive. even with a hurried finish, the book gave me plenty of excitement, great characters, and a world i wanted to stay in.
i’d recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy with a cultural twist and a dash of romance.
⤿ indian medieval inspired world
⤿ strong fmcs
⤿ political intrigue
⤿ sci-fi fantasy
⤿ angst and magic
⤿ queer
✦ publication date: may 26, 2026
i can’t stop thinking about it. it’s the first indian medieval fantasy i’ve ever read, and it didn’t let me down.
the story follows four main people who fit together like pieces of a puzzle.
tara – she is the princess of abhaya and the wife of garjan.
garjan – a prince from nandapore who becomes tara’s husband.
bhediya – a courtesan living in chandanee mukan.
roland – a clever thief.
each character is different, and each has their own problems and weaknesses. because they are so distinct, their lives feel fresh and interesting.
one thing i loved a lot was the world building. the author uses many hindi words and names, which makes the setting feel authentic and vivid. at first i felt a bit lost because there is a lot happening at once. many places, many events, many new names. after a few chapters, though, the pieces start to click and the story becomes easier to follow.
the friendships in the book are a real highlight. tara, garjan, bhediya, and roland all support each other. their bonds feel genuine and keep the story moving forward. and wow, there are some seriously spicy moments. the romance scenes are hot enough that i kept fanning myself while reading.
the ending does feel a little rushed. some plot threads could have used more space, and the final showdown happens quickly. still, the overall feeling is positive. even with a hurried finish, the book gave me plenty of excitement, great characters, and a world i wanted to stay in.
i’d recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy with a cultural twist and a dash of romance.
⤿ indian medieval inspired world
⤿ strong fmcs
⤿ political intrigue
⤿ sci-fi fantasy
⤿ angst and magic
⤿ queer
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
June 13, 2026I really wanted to love this one, but I ended up DNF-ing at 31%. This story suffered from a lot of telling rather than showing, leaving the characters feeling flat and their motivations unclear. I also struggled with the pacing, and the multiple perspectives didn’t help.
Bhediya and Garjan start the book already obsessed with each other. Taara and Payal’s connection felt rushed, and much of their bond was told rather than shown. Roland and Yash did not grab my interest at all. I feel robbed of the yearning and the development that makes a romance satisfying, and I can’t push through without at least one character/couple to care about.
Overall, for a romantasy, it lacks the yearning and emotional depth I look for.
Thank you to Netgalley for the arc.
Bhediya and Garjan start the book already obsessed with each other. Taara and Payal’s connection felt rushed, and much of their bond was told rather than shown. Roland and Yash did not grab my interest at all. I feel robbed of the yearning and the development that makes a romance satisfying, and I can’t push through without at least one character/couple to care about.
Overall, for a romantasy, it lacks the yearning and emotional depth I look for.
Thank you to Netgalley for the arc.
June 10, 2026
Indian-inspired medieval fantasy with a side of queer romance 😝
I absolutely love the way this author explored intimacy and broke the conventional bounds of monogomy and the bonds that people share. I still experienced some of the most INTENSE, soul-crushing yearning I’ve ever known(Bhediya and Garj 🥺)
This was such a fresh read too bc it wasn’t a typical romantasy with fae and a 6’5 morally grey MMC. I know this point has already been made, but people really need to start reading diversely to experience the true breadth of what fantasy has to offer as a genre bc it’s so rich.
4.25 ⭐️
I absolutely love the way this author explored intimacy and broke the conventional bounds of monogomy and the bonds that people share. I still experienced some of the most INTENSE, soul-crushing yearning I’ve ever known(Bhediya and Garj 🥺)
This was such a fresh read too bc it wasn’t a typical romantasy with fae and a 6’5 morally grey MMC. I know this point has already been made, but people really need to start reading diversely to experience the true breadth of what fantasy has to offer as a genre bc it’s so rich.
4.25 ⭐️
2026
December 5, 2025📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit
May 12, 2026
I’m struggling on this one. The characters are feeling flat, there’s a lot of telling and not enough showing. We get sex scenes within the first 10% but I don’t know any of the characters enough to feel emotionally connected to them. The magic system feels vague and inexplicable. Y’all know me, I don’t read maps or casts of characters but I really do think this is a book that would benefit from the addition of them. I felt like I dropped into an existing world that I had no context on. I actually went and checked to make sure it wasn’t a series and I came in after book 1. (I didn’t.)
I wanted to fall into the world and be swept away. This had so much potential. I love the concept. I think with polish and time, Varghese will find her author voice. Unfortunately, this wasn’t a fit for me.
A Kiss of Crimson Ash hits shelves May 26.
Thank you to Orbit Books for the gifted eARC. All opinions are my own.
I wanted to fall into the world and be swept away. This had so much potential. I love the concept. I think with polish and time, Varghese will find her author voice. Unfortunately, this wasn’t a fit for me.
A Kiss of Crimson Ash hits shelves May 26.
Thank you to Orbit Books for the gifted eARC. All opinions are my own.
May 18, 2026
Thank you Orbit for the gifted advance copy.
Respectfully, can I send it back?
Respectfully, can I send it back?
May 29, 2026
I was soooo excited to read this book. I thought it was going to be a fantastical heist with Indian mythology, rich worldbuilding, and "the ultimate thrilling, clever, and swoony" (Thea Guanzon) romance. While I can see other readers connecting with this story, A Kiss of Crimson Ash wasn't a great fit for me.
I think my biggest issue is with the characters. This story has four POVs: Taara (a queen), Bhediya (a courtesan), Garjan (Taara's new husband), and Roland (a thief). These characters also have love interests, friends, and family members. While some of the names are similar (Pavan & Payal, for example), I found it relatively easy to keep the characters separate. I think the author does a great job of giving each character their own personality. My issue lies with their decisions...
I prefer to read about strong characters who make smart decisions. This book did not have that. At the halfway point, all four of the main characters had made poor decisions that put them in (completely unavoidable) danger.
I mean... we're talking I was not a fan.
Normally I can connect with a character (especially in a book with multiple POVs!), but in this story, I didn't want to read any of their chapters because all of the characters were making bad decisions. That said, I still think there is a lot to like about this book.
I think the author does a wonderful job drawing inspiration from medieval India. The descriptions of the busy markets, fragrant food, and colorful clothes were a pleasure to read! I also like how this book has queer representation. If you're a fan of spicy romances, you're going to love this! It has spice of every variety.
While A Kiss of Crimson Ash wasn't the five-star read I'd hoped for, I still liked learning about medieval India. I think readers who are interested in that setting may enjoy this book. I also think the multiple POVs will be a draw for some. A Kiss of Crimson Ash is the first book in a new series, so if you like what you read, there's more to come!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I think my biggest issue is with the characters. This story has four POVs: Taara (a queen), Bhediya (a courtesan), Garjan (Taara's new husband), and Roland (a thief). These characters also have love interests, friends, and family members. While some of the names are similar (Pavan & Payal, for example), I found it relatively easy to keep the characters separate. I think the author does a great job of giving each character their own personality. My issue lies with their decisions...
I prefer to read about strong characters who make smart decisions. This book did not have that. At the halfway point, all four of the main characters had made poor decisions that put them in (completely unavoidable) danger.
I mean... we're talking I was not a fan.
Normally I can connect with a character (especially in a book with multiple POVs!), but in this story, I didn't want to read any of their chapters because all of the characters were making bad decisions. That said, I still think there is a lot to like about this book.
I think the author does a wonderful job drawing inspiration from medieval India. The descriptions of the busy markets, fragrant food, and colorful clothes were a pleasure to read! I also like how this book has queer representation. If you're a fan of spicy romances, you're going to love this! It has spice of every variety.
While A Kiss of Crimson Ash wasn't the five-star read I'd hoped for, I still liked learning about medieval India. I think readers who are interested in that setting may enjoy this book. I also think the multiple POVs will be a draw for some. A Kiss of Crimson Ash is the first book in a new series, so if you like what you read, there's more to come!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Did Not Finish
May 28, 2026DNF at 33%
Thank you Librofm for the alc 🫶
💭Unfortunately this book was not for me. The characters felt very flat and the romance that was happening felt rushed. I felt like the story just wasn’t really going anywhere and it wasn’t holding my attention.
🎧 the audiobook has 5 narrators. I had no issues with the narration.
Thank you Librofm for the alc 🫶
💭Unfortunately this book was not for me. The characters felt very flat and the romance that was happening felt rushed. I felt like the story just wasn’t really going anywhere and it wasn’t holding my attention.
🎧 the audiobook has 5 narrators. I had no issues with the narration.
May 6, 2026
A Kiss of Crimson Ash is a lush, Indian-inspired romantasy filled with political intrigue, multiple POVs, complicated relationships, and a world rich with magic, secrets, and ambition.
What stood out most to me was the atmosphere and cultural inspiration. The setting felt vivid and immersive, and I loved seeing an Indian-inspired medieval fantasy world take center stage in romantasy. The story follows four very different characters whose lives slowly intertwine, and I really enjoyed how each perspective revealed another layer of the world and the larger conflict.
The friendships and character dynamics were some of my favorite parts of the book. There’s court politics, thieves, courtesans, dangerous power struggles, and plenty of tension woven throughout the story. I also appreciated that the romance leaned more slow burn while still giving us some genuinely spicy moments.
The beginning was a little overwhelming at first because there are a lot of names, places, and moving pieces introduced quickly, but once everything started clicking into place, I found myself much more invested in both the characters and the story unfolding around them.
If you enjoy fantasy romance with rich worldbuilding, political intrigue, multiple POVs, and unique cultural inspiration, this is definitely worth checking out.
What stood out most to me was the atmosphere and cultural inspiration. The setting felt vivid and immersive, and I loved seeing an Indian-inspired medieval fantasy world take center stage in romantasy. The story follows four very different characters whose lives slowly intertwine, and I really enjoyed how each perspective revealed another layer of the world and the larger conflict.
The friendships and character dynamics were some of my favorite parts of the book. There’s court politics, thieves, courtesans, dangerous power struggles, and plenty of tension woven throughout the story. I also appreciated that the romance leaned more slow burn while still giving us some genuinely spicy moments.
The beginning was a little overwhelming at first because there are a lot of names, places, and moving pieces introduced quickly, but once everything started clicking into place, I found myself much more invested in both the characters and the story unfolding around them.
If you enjoy fantasy romance with rich worldbuilding, political intrigue, multiple POVs, and unique cultural inspiration, this is definitely worth checking out.
May 22, 2026
A medieval Indian inspired romantasy? Sign me up!
This was so much fun. We are following several characters-who do eventually all come together(yay, because I love when this happens). I absolutely loved the representation in this book. It’s queer as hell! The world building in the beginning felt a bit confusing because there is quite literally so much happening right away, but it did for the most part start to come together. I am still a bit confused about the snakes-but I’m hoping in book 2 that I’m able to piece it together better.
This book is definitely heavier on the spice(just mentioning this for my bookies who I know don’t like to have a lot of that), but to me it was done so well. This is a romantasy so it fit the expectations I had.
I do think the ending was a bit too rushed, especially with all of this build up. I can see how it’s leading into the next book, but yeah I was a bit disappointed in how quickly things ended.
Overall, I had a fun time reading this!
Thank you Orbit books for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
This was so much fun. We are following several characters-who do eventually all come together(yay, because I love when this happens). I absolutely loved the representation in this book. It’s queer as hell! The world building in the beginning felt a bit confusing because there is quite literally so much happening right away, but it did for the most part start to come together. I am still a bit confused about the snakes-but I’m hoping in book 2 that I’m able to piece it together better.
This book is definitely heavier on the spice(just mentioning this for my bookies who I know don’t like to have a lot of that), but to me it was done so well. This is a romantasy so it fit the expectations I had.
I do think the ending was a bit too rushed, especially with all of this build up. I can see how it’s leading into the next book, but yeah I was a bit disappointed in how quickly things ended.
Overall, I had a fun time reading this!
Thank you Orbit books for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
May 26, 2026
A unique, Indian Inspired romantasy 🔥
-Multi POV
-Arranged marriage
-Spice
-Found family
-Political intrigue
-Magic & Mythology
-Forbidden love
A rebellious group, all from different backgrounds and rankings join forces to take down the empires most powerful man!
This was a high stakes, fantasy with some romance and spice throughout. Our characters have so much to go against individually and as a group.
I loved the mythology added in, as well as the Indian culture and history throughout!
Overall- the story itself fell slightly flat for me in some parts. I loved the beginning and the ending, but some of the middle didn’t hit for me, personally. I think the characters, and the story itself could have been flushed out more- however I found myself interested the whole time still.
This is book 1, and while there is some resolution to the story- I am interested to see where it goes!
Recommend for any romantasy, or Indian romantasy lovers!
-Multi POV
-Arranged marriage
-Spice
-Found family
-Political intrigue
-Magic & Mythology
-Forbidden love
A rebellious group, all from different backgrounds and rankings join forces to take down the empires most powerful man!
This was a high stakes, fantasy with some romance and spice throughout. Our characters have so much to go against individually and as a group.
I loved the mythology added in, as well as the Indian culture and history throughout!
Overall- the story itself fell slightly flat for me in some parts. I loved the beginning and the ending, but some of the middle didn’t hit for me, personally. I think the characters, and the story itself could have been flushed out more- however I found myself interested the whole time still.
This is book 1, and while there is some resolution to the story- I am interested to see where it goes!
Recommend for any romantasy, or Indian romantasy lovers!
Did Not Finish
May 14, 2026Thanks to Orbit for the gifted copy!
I absolutely love reading fantasy from non-white authors and also love supporting a debut. However, this one was just absolutely not for me and really needed some trigger warnings at the beginning.
I enjoyed getting to know the characters (there are 3 main couples so 6 main characters), but they didn’t overlap much even halfway through the book. Their stories started falling a little flat as the chapters got longer and the overlapping plot just wasn’t happening. I know sometimes authors want to focus on spice over plot, which it seemed like might be the case here based off the author’s note, but even that fell flat and felt a little forced - as in, nonconsensual. There’s also some infanticide later in the book which REALLY should be mentioned as a trigger.
I cannot recommend this one based on those thoughts.
I absolutely love reading fantasy from non-white authors and also love supporting a debut. However, this one was just absolutely not for me and really needed some trigger warnings at the beginning.
I enjoyed getting to know the characters (there are 3 main couples so 6 main characters), but they didn’t overlap much even halfway through the book. Their stories started falling a little flat as the chapters got longer and the overlapping plot just wasn’t happening. I know sometimes authors want to focus on spice over plot, which it seemed like might be the case here based off the author’s note, but even that fell flat and felt a little forced - as in, nonconsensual. There’s also some infanticide later in the book which REALLY should be mentioned as a trigger.
I cannot recommend this one based on those thoughts.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
December 9, 2025A big thank you to the editor and publisher for an ARC of the book!
A KISS OF CRIMSON ASH tells a tale of self-discovery, political intrigue, military maneuvers, and both strategic and unexpected alliances, set in a world filled with rich lore and magic, told in a voice that is equal parts enchanting and alluring, seductive and sweet.
A KISS OF CRIMSON ASH tells a tale of self-discovery, political intrigue, military maneuvers, and both strategic and unexpected alliances, set in a world filled with rich lore and magic, told in a voice that is equal parts enchanting and alluring, seductive and sweet.
June 11, 2026
“After all, what greater hope could a woman have than a fine husband? What greater joy for a queen than to find her king?”
A Kiss of Crimson Ash is a Romantasy inspired by medieval India. We follow a diverse range of characters: Royalty, rouges, courtesans and elves. There’s a dual magic system with both divine and elemental magic.
Taara, newly crowned queen of matrilineal Abhaya, is set to marry Garj, prince of neighbouring kingdom Nandpore. Taara knew the weight of the crown would be heavy, but her mother descent into madness has left her thoroughly unprepared. Garj, is also marrying for duty instead of love. Taara and Garj quickly find themselves pawns in a dangerous gane. Bhediya is a courtesan in Nandpore with friends in high places and elemental magic. Roland fled to Nandpore as a child and has remained a ghost ever since. In Nandpore the class divide is steep and persecution and intolerance is reaching fever pitch.
A dark power is rising that threatens both Abhaya and Nandpore. The characters paths entangle and align. Guided by fate and divinity. If they’re to save the kingdoms they love, they’ll have to work together.
A fun, twisty read with vivid, rich world building. Theres multiple POV’s and LGBTQ representation. The pacing really picks up towards the end, so it did feel a little rushed. The closing scene with the character is so wholesome and it sets up well for the next installation. Taara’s growth from a naive, sheltered girl to a woman stepping into her own power is beautifully done. As is her blossoming relationship with Payal. The supporting characters are also engaging and compelling. I really enjoyed exploring this world. Sex work is a prevalent theme throughout but at times I felt the discussion could have been a little more nuanced. Overall I enjoyed this and would like to pick up the next installment !
A Kiss of Crimson Ash is a Romantasy inspired by medieval India. We follow a diverse range of characters: Royalty, rouges, courtesans and elves. There’s a dual magic system with both divine and elemental magic.
Taara, newly crowned queen of matrilineal Abhaya, is set to marry Garj, prince of neighbouring kingdom Nandpore. Taara knew the weight of the crown would be heavy, but her mother descent into madness has left her thoroughly unprepared. Garj, is also marrying for duty instead of love. Taara and Garj quickly find themselves pawns in a dangerous gane. Bhediya is a courtesan in Nandpore with friends in high places and elemental magic. Roland fled to Nandpore as a child and has remained a ghost ever since. In Nandpore the class divide is steep and persecution and intolerance is reaching fever pitch.
A dark power is rising that threatens both Abhaya and Nandpore. The characters paths entangle and align. Guided by fate and divinity. If they’re to save the kingdoms they love, they’ll have to work together.
A fun, twisty read with vivid, rich world building. Theres multiple POV’s and LGBTQ representation. The pacing really picks up towards the end, so it did feel a little rushed. The closing scene with the character is so wholesome and it sets up well for the next installation. Taara’s growth from a naive, sheltered girl to a woman stepping into her own power is beautifully done. As is her blossoming relationship with Payal. The supporting characters are also engaging and compelling. I really enjoyed exploring this world. Sex work is a prevalent theme throughout but at times I felt the discussion could have been a little more nuanced. Overall I enjoyed this and would like to pick up the next installment !
May 26, 2026
This book felt like stepping into a world filled with silk, secrets, magic, desire, betrayal, gods, and people willing to risk absolutely EVERYTHING for love and power🔥
🖤 a newly crowned queen
🔥 a heartsick prince
🗡️ a thief
🌹 a courtesan with magic in her blood
At first it feels like separate storylines unfolding at once…and then slowly everything starts clicking together like pieces of a puzzle. Also can we TALK about the tension in this book because whew 👀. This is definitely fantasy romance where the relationships, longing, desire, and emotional connections are front and center. There’s spice, yearning, messy emotions, and characters making questionable choices because feelings are FEELING. I kinda loved that everyone felt flawed and real. Nobody in this book is perfect. Everyone is carrying secrets, grief, desires, ambition, or fear and it made the relationships feel messy in a way that kept me hooked.
The friendships and alliances were one of my favorite parts too. Watching these characters slowly trust each other while navigating dangerous politics and powerful enemies had me INVESTED. I will say the pacing took me a minute to settle into because there are a lot of moving parts, names, places, and POVs right away but once everything started connecting I was IN.
Vibes
✨ divine magic
✨ political intrigue
✨ morally gray choices
✨ multiple POVs
✨ lush worldbuilding
✨ queer rep
✨ forbidden desire
✨ powerful women
✨ gods interfering in mortal lives
✨ spice
If you love romantasy that feels rich, seductive, dangerous, and different from the usual fantasy worlds we see all the time, definitely add this one to your TBR .
🖤 a newly crowned queen
🔥 a heartsick prince
🗡️ a thief
🌹 a courtesan with magic in her blood
At first it feels like separate storylines unfolding at once…and then slowly everything starts clicking together like pieces of a puzzle. Also can we TALK about the tension in this book because whew 👀. This is definitely fantasy romance where the relationships, longing, desire, and emotional connections are front and center. There’s spice, yearning, messy emotions, and characters making questionable choices because feelings are FEELING. I kinda loved that everyone felt flawed and real. Nobody in this book is perfect. Everyone is carrying secrets, grief, desires, ambition, or fear and it made the relationships feel messy in a way that kept me hooked.
The friendships and alliances were one of my favorite parts too. Watching these characters slowly trust each other while navigating dangerous politics and powerful enemies had me INVESTED. I will say the pacing took me a minute to settle into because there are a lot of moving parts, names, places, and POVs right away but once everything started connecting I was IN.
Vibes
✨ divine magic
✨ political intrigue
✨ morally gray choices
✨ multiple POVs
✨ lush worldbuilding
✨ queer rep
✨ forbidden desire
✨ powerful women
✨ gods interfering in mortal lives
✨ spice
If you love romantasy that feels rich, seductive, dangerous, and different from the usual fantasy worlds we see all the time, definitely add this one to your TBR .
March 22, 2026
This rich and lush world unfolds for readers in the first book of the Games of the Goddess trilogy. Told through four unique perspectives, this story brings Indian stories and culture to the forefront as these characters set to thwart a power-hungry king.
I genuinely loved the scenery and world-building. It was immersive and felt tangible. The characters are interesting, and each unveil a different part of the world. The friendships between many of the four main characters were the most interesting part of the story for me, particularly around The Thief and The Courtesan with other people in Nandapore. I wanted more from the romantic relationships in the story, and I think we just didn’t get to know the characters outside of the situations they found themselves in to be able to have deeper relationships. What we got was interesting and diverse, and I’m hopeful for even more as the trilogy continues.
Readers who love complex world building, slow burn stories, political intrigue, and diverse perspectives, this is a great story for you!
4/5 ⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I genuinely loved the scenery and world-building. It was immersive and felt tangible. The characters are interesting, and each unveil a different part of the world. The friendships between many of the four main characters were the most interesting part of the story for me, particularly around The Thief and The Courtesan with other people in Nandapore. I wanted more from the romantic relationships in the story, and I think we just didn’t get to know the characters outside of the situations they found themselves in to be able to have deeper relationships. What we got was interesting and diverse, and I’m hopeful for even more as the trilogy continues.
Readers who love complex world building, slow burn stories, political intrigue, and diverse perspectives, this is a great story for you!
4/5 ⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 15, 2026
Thank you much Orbit Books for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!
I thoroughly enjoyed this. It was giving "Five Broken Blades" by Mai Corland with a healthy dollop of spice, but the same amount of political intrigue and guessing.
The multi-POV kept me on the hook, but also the magic system and the "big bad" that we are going to get more of in the coming books is SO INTERESTING. There was romance, but I wouldn't call this a "romantasy", definitely more of fantasy with a healthy romance subplot that is absolutely necessary for the plot.
The dynamics between characters were built, brick by brick, without too much excess drama and straight to the point. The characters were mature for the most part, and made decisions that were for more than just themselves.
I really enjoyed this. I am not super familiar with the culture this book is based off of, but that didn't affect the story literally at all. It was so interesting to hear about gods and goddesses from different pantheons that maybe don't get as much exposure in society.
Cannot wait for book 2 to come around!
I thoroughly enjoyed this. It was giving "Five Broken Blades" by Mai Corland with a healthy dollop of spice, but the same amount of political intrigue and guessing.
The multi-POV kept me on the hook, but also the magic system and the "big bad" that we are going to get more of in the coming books is SO INTERESTING. There was romance, but I wouldn't call this a "romantasy", definitely more of fantasy with a healthy romance subplot that is absolutely necessary for the plot.
The dynamics between characters were built, brick by brick, without too much excess drama and straight to the point. The characters were mature for the most part, and made decisions that were for more than just themselves.
I really enjoyed this. I am not super familiar with the culture this book is based off of, but that didn't affect the story literally at all. It was so interesting to hear about gods and goddesses from different pantheons that maybe don't get as much exposure in society.
Cannot wait for book 2 to come around!
May 26, 2026
I read A Kiss of Crimson Ash in 24 hours. It's sultry, it's sexy, fast paced, easy to read romantic fantasy. The spice was spicing and the plot was plotting!! I had such a good time reading it.
It is multi POV following 4 main characters, initially I connected with Roland the most, he brought the humour, but as the story progressed I found myself enjoying all the other characters as well (Taara, Garjan, Bhediya).
What to expect:
*arrange marriage
*Queer + straight love stories
*political intrigue
*elemental + divine magic system
*D&D x Bollywood vibes
A Kiss of Crimson Ash is the first book in a medieval India inspired fantasy trilogy, and I will definitely be reading the next book when it comes out. I would recommend it to any romantic fantasy reader that wants a fresh take on romantasy with a cultural twist and LGBTQ+ romance.
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the eARC and physical copy for an honest review.
It is multi POV following 4 main characters, initially I connected with Roland the most, he brought the humour, but as the story progressed I found myself enjoying all the other characters as well (Taara, Garjan, Bhediya).
What to expect:
*arrange marriage
*Queer + straight love stories
*political intrigue
*elemental + divine magic system
*D&D x Bollywood vibes
A Kiss of Crimson Ash is the first book in a medieval India inspired fantasy trilogy, and I will definitely be reading the next book when it comes out. I would recommend it to any romantic fantasy reader that wants a fresh take on romantasy with a cultural twist and LGBTQ+ romance.
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the eARC and physical copy for an honest review.
May 27, 2026
If you LOVE ✨️fantasy✨️, you NEED to read this book! The world building is incredible, the characters are such individuals and have so much thought behind them. The way everyone is intertwined somehow.. it's just woven perfectly.
At first, when each of the first 4 chapters started a new POV each. I was nervous that it would be an intimidating read or confusing.. but it wasn't at all. Instead it added so much to the discovery of the world and it's going-ons. The lives of the characters are so intertwined and Anuja was fantastic at telling the story in a clear and beautiful way. It's one of those worlds I wanted to jump into, not because it was safe 😬 but because it is so unique and there is so much to discover.
I had so much fun reading this book. Each characters pov was so interesting and it was great seeing everything come together.
At first, when each of the first 4 chapters started a new POV each. I was nervous that it would be an intimidating read or confusing.. but it wasn't at all. Instead it added so much to the discovery of the world and it's going-ons. The lives of the characters are so intertwined and Anuja was fantastic at telling the story in a clear and beautiful way. It's one of those worlds I wanted to jump into, not because it was safe 😬 but because it is so unique and there is so much to discover.
I had so much fun reading this book. Each characters pov was so interesting and it was great seeing everything come together.
June 4, 2026
3.6/5 rounded up
I think there was a lot to like about this book if you like diverse character rep, medieval India, and political intrigue, but I just couldn't get that into the actual characters.
This story follows multiple POVs and relationships and after the halfway point there is quite a bit of spice! These scenes were very well written but I was not invested in the relationships as much as I would have liked to be.
The cultural aspects and ideas and the magic system was intriguing but I was struggling to get through it as much as I wanted to.
I think there was a lot to like about this book if you like diverse character rep, medieval India, and political intrigue, but I just couldn't get that into the actual characters.
This story follows multiple POVs and relationships and after the halfway point there is quite a bit of spice! These scenes were very well written but I was not invested in the relationships as much as I would have liked to be.
The cultural aspects and ideas and the magic system was intriguing but I was struggling to get through it as much as I wanted to.
June 5, 2026
3.5 rounded up.
Anuja Varghese's fantasy debut is full of a large cast of characters and alternates POVs from an arranged married couple and their complicated relationship (one has a secret lesbian lover) to a whore and the man who falls for her. There's magical creatures, war, love triangles and more and the book ends on a cliffhanger that will leave readers eager for the next installment. Good on audio with a full cast of narrators and perfect for fans of authors like S.A. Chakraborty.
Anuja Varghese's fantasy debut is full of a large cast of characters and alternates POVs from an arranged married couple and their complicated relationship (one has a secret lesbian lover) to a whore and the man who falls for her. There's magical creatures, war, love triangles and more and the book ends on a cliffhanger that will leave readers eager for the next installment. Good on audio with a full cast of narrators and perfect for fans of authors like S.A. Chakraborty.
April 6, 2026
I really enjoyed this book. I loved the premise of it, the magic, and the Indian culture.
I would have rated the book higher if the writing had been more descriptive. I felt that it was pretty straightforward with minimal use of imagery. I wanted it to show me and not just tell me and the was disappointing
I would have rated the book higher if the writing had been more descriptive. I felt that it was pretty straightforward with minimal use of imagery. I wanted it to show me and not just tell me and the was disappointing
May 29, 2026
The start to a really lovely fantasy world that feels like the best of classic high epic fantasy (think Kushiel's Dart, or A Song of Ice and Fire) blended with the best of modern-day romantasy. I especially loved to see sapphic characters highlighted at least as much as the M/M M/F pairing, and having two different but equally wonderful and complex sex worker characters.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
very mixed feelings
| fantasy | fantasy romance | Medieval Indian Fantasy | science fiction fantasy | diverse fantasy | romantasy LGBTQ represenation | numerous POV | quest | queer representation | paranormal | steamy | netgalley | arc | political intrigue | courtesian | retelling | arranged marriage | gods x mortals | magic | matriarchy | hidden power | chosen one | forced proximity |
I really appreciated the cultural roots and diversity of this story. As an avid fantasy reader, I love reading stories that come from diverse places that are unfamiliar to me and beyond my own experience. I have a real appreciation of stories that teach me and immerse me in something beyond familiarity, especially within a fantasy world. This story delivers on that front, offering magic, mystery, political intrigue, and a central quest.
The foundation of this story is inevitably the strongest aspect. There was a clear premise, strong cultural influence, and decisive representation and inclusion. For the first third of this book, I found myself thinking about it constantly. What really pulled me in was the fact that the relationship between the characters was utterly contradictory to what I expected and what I wanted. They did not align with what I anticipated, so I kept reading, hoping for a shift. This story does not conform to the expectations of a “romantasy”. Call me crazy, but I think that was refreshing, while also being incredibly infuriating.
Although the narrative didn’t turn out how I had hoped, that doesn't detract from or diminish the fact that it is interesting, unique, and refreshing in a space that is inundated with stories bearing the same bones. This story was carved from a body completely unfamiliar to me. Therefore, it was interesting and easily compelling.
That said, it isn’t without its flaws. Although the story is completely its own, an argument can reasonably be made that while the bones are good, the execution of characters, relationships, and the overall pace of the plot were not on par with the foundation of the story. For example, the FMC feels mostly unchanged from beginning to end. While she may have come away from the quest more experienced and worldly, her internal growth isn’t as evident or impactful as such a journey should have made her. It does, however, raise the question of whether or not that was intentional for her arc, at least in book 1 of the series.
The romantic relationships were a massive struggle for me. I did some research on the origins of the tale featured and referenced by this story, and the story seems to be a combination of more than just a singular tale. Despite drawing inspiration from established tales, the emotional development between characters felt rushed and underdeveloped. All of the romantic connections relied more on immediate infatuation than on meaningful buildup. There was very little context, with no fine detail or meaningful development featured in the height of the narrative. Character relationships and dynamics just were.
I deeply contemplated the relationship between Bhediya and Garjan, and it left me unsettled. Their shared history introduces a significant imbalance that isn’t fully explored or addressed. Viewed objectively, their relationship raises questions about power, agency, and emotional authenticity that the narrative doesn’t seem to examine at all.
It seems like a one-dimensional relationship with the potential for nefarious intentions.
Of course, in my contemplations, I also begin to similarly wonder about Payal and Taara. Their connection and relationship felt abrupt and lacking in a critical foundation. The immediate emotional and physical attraction feels wholly unearned and completely out of place.
Within the relationships of characters, particularly concerning romance, there was just so much to be desired. Unfortunately, the complexity meant to sustain and support these connections never made it onto the page.
Overall, I really think the development of feelings, romantic relationships, and the buildup to these critical plot points were not as descriptive or as carefully built as the plot or the world. There is LGBTQ representation, but I questioned whether that was organic or implemented to find a space within stories that feature inclusivity and diversity.
In the end, I do think this book is worth reading for its originality and rich setting. However, I’m still undecided on whether I’ll continue with the series.
happy reading, friends xx
| fantasy | fantasy romance | Medieval Indian Fantasy | science fiction fantasy | diverse fantasy | romantasy LGBTQ represenation | numerous POV | quest | queer representation | paranormal | steamy | netgalley | arc | political intrigue | courtesian | retelling | arranged marriage | gods x mortals | magic | matriarchy | hidden power | chosen one | forced proximity |
I really appreciated the cultural roots and diversity of this story. As an avid fantasy reader, I love reading stories that come from diverse places that are unfamiliar to me and beyond my own experience. I have a real appreciation of stories that teach me and immerse me in something beyond familiarity, especially within a fantasy world. This story delivers on that front, offering magic, mystery, political intrigue, and a central quest.
The foundation of this story is inevitably the strongest aspect. There was a clear premise, strong cultural influence, and decisive representation and inclusion. For the first third of this book, I found myself thinking about it constantly. What really pulled me in was the fact that the relationship between the characters was utterly contradictory to what I expected and what I wanted. They did not align with what I anticipated, so I kept reading, hoping for a shift. This story does not conform to the expectations of a “romantasy”. Call me crazy, but I think that was refreshing, while also being incredibly infuriating.
Although the narrative didn’t turn out how I had hoped, that doesn't detract from or diminish the fact that it is interesting, unique, and refreshing in a space that is inundated with stories bearing the same bones. This story was carved from a body completely unfamiliar to me. Therefore, it was interesting and easily compelling.
That said, it isn’t without its flaws. Although the story is completely its own, an argument can reasonably be made that while the bones are good, the execution of characters, relationships, and the overall pace of the plot were not on par with the foundation of the story. For example, the FMC feels mostly unchanged from beginning to end. While she may have come away from the quest more experienced and worldly, her internal growth isn’t as evident or impactful as such a journey should have made her. It does, however, raise the question of whether or not that was intentional for her arc, at least in book 1 of the series.
The romantic relationships were a massive struggle for me. I did some research on the origins of the tale featured and referenced by this story, and the story seems to be a combination of more than just a singular tale. Despite drawing inspiration from established tales, the emotional development between characters felt rushed and underdeveloped. All of the romantic connections relied more on immediate infatuation than on meaningful buildup. There was very little context, with no fine detail or meaningful development featured in the height of the narrative. Character relationships and dynamics just were.
I deeply contemplated the relationship between Bhediya and Garjan, and it left me unsettled. Their shared history introduces a significant imbalance that isn’t fully explored or addressed. Viewed objectively, their relationship raises questions about power, agency, and emotional authenticity that the narrative doesn’t seem to examine at all.
It seems like a one-dimensional relationship with the potential for nefarious intentions.
Of course, in my contemplations, I also begin to similarly wonder about Payal and Taara. Their connection and relationship felt abrupt and lacking in a critical foundation. The immediate emotional and physical attraction feels wholly unearned and completely out of place.
Within the relationships of characters, particularly concerning romance, there was just so much to be desired. Unfortunately, the complexity meant to sustain and support these connections never made it onto the page.
Overall, I really think the development of feelings, romantic relationships, and the buildup to these critical plot points were not as descriptive or as carefully built as the plot or the world. There is LGBTQ representation, but I questioned whether that was organic or implemented to find a space within stories that feature inclusivity and diversity.
In the end, I do think this book is worth reading for its originality and rich setting. However, I’m still undecided on whether I’ll continue with the series.
happy reading, friends xx
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A very average book that I wish was better, because there's not a lot of Indian-inspired books in fantasy romance right now. This book has a plot that is mildly interesting, but it falls flat in many ways.
This book was relatively short, but still felt much longer than it needed to be. The author used way too many sentences describing mundane things about people, their actions, and backstory of random side characters. I would've rather had excessive purple prose than paragraphs describing the MCs doing one thing. The entire book is a textbook example of telling and not showing.
I appreciate that one character is unashamedly a courtesan, but I wished she had more personality than just pining for one of the MMCs.
The world and its relationship to magic doesn't make any sense. Only elves and women have had magic for centuries, and somehow this hasn't shaped their society in a single way? Literally centuries of only one gender having magic and this hasn't influenced behaviors, gender roles, anything?
The reader is introduced to some good ol' anti-magic sentiment that's been brewing in the city, but is left completely confused by it. There are no posters, town criers, or even spreading gossip that show what the reasons are for people starting to go against spellcasters. It's just "spellcasters must die". I found myself craving even just a random beggar saying something like " a spellcaster stole my lunch!" to show some reason behind why, after centuries, people are turning against them.
An early plot point is that the elven ambassador thinks he needs to break into an embassy to check whether the emperor is a guest or a prisoner. This literally makes no sense and the reasoning behind it is never discussed again.
The antagonist of this book is very 1 dimensional, which is unfortunate because the reader can see he is the villain from a mile away. The first 2/3 of the book try to have some kind of intrigue and political maneuvering, but it is incredibly obvious what is going on. It is understandable that the naive FMC doesn't see it coming, but the author could've been more clever about it so the reader's intelligence isn't insulted by the "secret" alliances and agendas. Right at the beginning we're told that the MMC's brother's name refers to the wind, and not even 50 pages pass before there's multiple warnings or fishy things happening for someone who could be referred to as "the wind".
Taara, the FMC who is also the queen from a matriarchal society, somehow lets any man in her presence trample over her every word and action. And just accepts it. Again, she's naive and sheltered, but she was sheltered in a palace of a matriarchal society! She should be naively insisting that the men in her presence do irrational things, not just letting the men make all of the decisions for her and take away her free will (and again, they do this in front of her, the QUEEN. While in the palace).
Taara and the person she falls for (avoiding spoilers) is a very weird relationship as well. I don't mind insta-lust, but this is so 'insta' that the reader is confused how it even starts. The only clue is that Taara has somehow been dreaming about her lover. And later, they act super devoted to Taara even though they've spent less than a week together, despite the lover supposedly being someone worldly.
Lastly, the MMC is gang raped on page and it is never mentioned again. Only used for shock value at that point in the book. He literally could've just been given a cursed magic item or poisoned and the 'result' of this assault would've been the same, but without the rape.
This book was relatively short, but still felt much longer than it needed to be. The author used way too many sentences describing mundane things about people, their actions, and backstory of random side characters. I would've rather had excessive purple prose than paragraphs describing the MCs doing one thing. The entire book is a textbook example of telling and not showing.
I appreciate that one character is unashamedly a courtesan, but I wished she had more personality than just pining for one of the MMCs.
The world and its relationship to magic doesn't make any sense. Only elves and women have had magic for centuries, and somehow this hasn't shaped their society in a single way? Literally centuries of only one gender having magic and this hasn't influenced behaviors, gender roles, anything?
The reader is introduced to some good ol' anti-magic sentiment that's been brewing in the city, but is left completely confused by it. There are no posters, town criers, or even spreading gossip that show what the reasons are for people starting to go against spellcasters. It's just "spellcasters must die". I found myself craving even just a random beggar saying something like " a spellcaster stole my lunch!" to show some reason behind why, after centuries, people are turning against them.
An early plot point is that the elven ambassador thinks he needs to break into an embassy to check whether the emperor is a guest or a prisoner. This literally makes no sense and the reasoning behind it is never discussed again.
The antagonist of this book is very 1 dimensional, which is unfortunate because the reader can see he is the villain from a mile away. The first 2/3 of the book try to have some kind of intrigue and political maneuvering, but it is incredibly obvious what is going on. It is understandable that the naive FMC doesn't see it coming, but the author could've been more clever about it so the reader's intelligence isn't insulted by the "secret" alliances and agendas. Right at the beginning we're told that the MMC's brother's name refers to the wind, and not even 50 pages pass before there's multiple warnings or fishy things happening for someone who could be referred to as "the wind".
Taara, the FMC who is also the queen from a matriarchal society, somehow lets any man in her presence trample over her every word and action. And just accepts it. Again, she's naive and sheltered, but she was sheltered in a palace of a matriarchal society! She should be naively insisting that the men in her presence do irrational things, not just letting the men make all of the decisions for her and take away her free will (and again, they do this in front of her, the QUEEN. While in the palace).
Taara and the person she falls for (avoiding spoilers) is a very weird relationship as well. I don't mind insta-lust, but this is so 'insta' that the reader is confused how it even starts. The only clue is that Taara has somehow been dreaming about her lover. And later, they act super devoted to Taara even though they've spent less than a week together, despite the lover supposedly being someone worldly.
Lastly, the MMC is gang raped on page and it is never mentioned again. Only used for shock value at that point in the book. He literally could've just been given a cursed magic item or poisoned and the 'result' of this assault would've been the same, but without the rape.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for the ARC.
I really wanted to like this more than I did. Unfortunately, I think it's pretty weak overall, despite having an appealing premise. This is NOT romantasy, despite the title format! It is a fantasy book WITH some romance in it, but pretty much all of the romance could be entirely removed from the plot without the overall story being affected. That said, there is a lot of sex in this book. A LOT. And most of it seems to be there just to reinforce the fact that this is an ADULT fantasy, not a YOUNG ADULT fantasy. Surely there are better ways to convey this? I am not at all averse to a spicy scene but there were often times here when I was like, "We're doing this now? Really?"
Anyway. The book is roughly split between four main characters. Taara should have been super interesting but was in fact a very milquetoast character despite harboring massive cosmic power. Despite being a literal queen, she knew nothing about ruling, and when she realized that, she exhibited no desire to learn and try to do better. The others weren't much better, having only very surface-level personalities to propel them through the story. There is a BIG info dump in Bhediya's part early on that seemed clumsy at best, and the actual climax of the story comes out of absolutely nowhere. I am not joking; everyone abruptly shows up at a location most of them had not been seen going to, and had in fact no reason to be going to, for a big fight which is over in literally one chapter. Then they all go see a play. I actually did like the play scene, though.
There is a bunch of other nonsense that happens; a side character randomly has a holy relic for no purpose but to hand it off to Garjan and then show up and fight with him, presumably to never be seen again (which is too bad because Takashi was one of the strongest side characters in the book). All of the harem girls are evil except for Taara's love interest, who randomly is not, and it is not explained EITHER WAY why the others are or why she is not. There is a temple society that could be super interesting but then doesn't ultimately get explored for more than a chapter and all of the characters within it are so minor as to remain completely nameless.
I DO give Varghese kudos for taking inspiration from Indian mythology but actually making her own pantheon and such instead of just plopping literal Hindu deities into her fantasy setting, like I have seen done with other fantasy works supposedly set in other worlds; that is lazy and Varghese didn't do it, so good job there.
If you want an Indian-inspired fantasy, I would STRONGLY recommend The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri and its sequels (also published by Orbit!). It has a level of depth and richness that this one lacks. For other stories that have the same FEEL but don't have the Indian-inspired setting, I would suggest The City of Brass and An Ember in the Ashes.
I really wanted to like this more than I did. Unfortunately, I think it's pretty weak overall, despite having an appealing premise. This is NOT romantasy, despite the title format! It is a fantasy book WITH some romance in it, but pretty much all of the romance could be entirely removed from the plot without the overall story being affected. That said, there is a lot of sex in this book. A LOT. And most of it seems to be there just to reinforce the fact that this is an ADULT fantasy, not a YOUNG ADULT fantasy. Surely there are better ways to convey this? I am not at all averse to a spicy scene but there were often times here when I was like, "We're doing this now? Really?"
Anyway. The book is roughly split between four main characters. Taara should have been super interesting but was in fact a very milquetoast character despite harboring massive cosmic power. Despite being a literal queen, she knew nothing about ruling, and when she realized that, she exhibited no desire to learn and try to do better. The others weren't much better, having only very surface-level personalities to propel them through the story. There is a BIG info dump in Bhediya's part early on that seemed clumsy at best, and the actual climax of the story comes out of absolutely nowhere. I am not joking; everyone abruptly shows up at a location most of them had not been seen going to, and had in fact no reason to be going to, for a big fight which is over in literally one chapter. Then they all go see a play. I actually did like the play scene, though.
There is a bunch of other nonsense that happens; a side character randomly has a holy relic for no purpose but to hand it off to Garjan and then show up and fight with him, presumably to never be seen again (which is too bad because Takashi was one of the strongest side characters in the book). All of the harem girls are evil except for Taara's love interest, who randomly is not, and it is not explained EITHER WAY why the others are or why she is not. There is a temple society that could be super interesting but then doesn't ultimately get explored for more than a chapter and all of the characters within it are so minor as to remain completely nameless.
I DO give Varghese kudos for taking inspiration from Indian mythology but actually making her own pantheon and such instead of just plopping literal Hindu deities into her fantasy setting, like I have seen done with other fantasy works supposedly set in other worlds; that is lazy and Varghese didn't do it, so good job there.
If you want an Indian-inspired fantasy, I would STRONGLY recommend The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri and its sequels (also published by Orbit!). It has a level of depth and richness that this one lacks. For other stories that have the same FEEL but don't have the Indian-inspired setting, I would suggest The City of Brass and An Ember in the Ashes.
June 2, 2026
Book rating: 3/5 ⭐️
Genre: romantasy
Themes: politics, ancient gods, magic, reawakening, religious purging
📖 Read if you like:
With a rich tapestry of political upheaval, ancient gods with world changing magic, and a medieval Indian landscape this was a complex and diverse new start to a series. The cultural incorporation and writing were immersive. I think it was a very ambitious story of magical and sexual awakening between four characters. A new minted and naive queen, a rogue prince in love with a courtesan with fire in her veins and a thief.
It had all the making of a team with interesting dynamics from different walks of life, but I really struggled with the characters. It was difficult to track the continuous storyline with four interchanging POVs and I couldn’t really connect to any of them as they bounced around. It both moved too slowly with a world ripe for war and too fast skipping over the yearning and relationship development needed for these fated love stories. We were told a lot of things, but there was no space for these ideas to settle and emotions to bloom.
This book does not shy away from carnal appetites, and while there was a lot of sex between all of the characters I found the relationships lacked emotional weight. The ideals of love were especially difficult to fathom given the short courting periods and with respect to courtesans by the fact that they are paid to perform. In fact I found Bhediya’s life overly romanticized as was Payal’s. This was a missed opportunity to explore a complex relationship between royals and those who pay for their bodies. Consent and freedom obviously come into play when love is on the table and this glossed over. It really felt like they were a bunch of horny teens and this distracted a lot from the plot, which I thought was creative and should have been more of a focus. It was too busy and my attention was meandering trying to grasp all the political connections and machinations admist the various lovers trysts.
The ideas behind the magical system and the civil disagreements made for an interesting backdrop. While the landscape was lush with vivid imagery and the magic was cool, I could have used a little more to understand the different strands of magic and the goddess connection. I felt like I was dropped into a world I never really understood and the plot was racing away from me. It was a really slow build and then reached a crescendo at the end, but by then I was very confused about how any of the magic worked. There were so many different and interesting aspects to this magical system, but they needed to be better explored in depth to enhance the story.
Overall it had a lot of complex pieces that provided intrigue, but there was no character connection for me and the relationships were more physical than emotional. I appreciate the diversity both in the mythological representation and the different couple, and I thought that the world and plot were imaginative and unlike anything else I have read. I didn’t like it as much as I wanted to, but I like reading new voices.
Thank you to Penguin Books Canada for the gifted copy.
Genre: romantasy
Themes: politics, ancient gods, magic, reawakening, religious purging
📖 Read if you like:
With a rich tapestry of political upheaval, ancient gods with world changing magic, and a medieval Indian landscape this was a complex and diverse new start to a series. The cultural incorporation and writing were immersive. I think it was a very ambitious story of magical and sexual awakening between four characters. A new minted and naive queen, a rogue prince in love with a courtesan with fire in her veins and a thief.
It had all the making of a team with interesting dynamics from different walks of life, but I really struggled with the characters. It was difficult to track the continuous storyline with four interchanging POVs and I couldn’t really connect to any of them as they bounced around. It both moved too slowly with a world ripe for war and too fast skipping over the yearning and relationship development needed for these fated love stories. We were told a lot of things, but there was no space for these ideas to settle and emotions to bloom.
This book does not shy away from carnal appetites, and while there was a lot of sex between all of the characters I found the relationships lacked emotional weight. The ideals of love were especially difficult to fathom given the short courting periods and with respect to courtesans by the fact that they are paid to perform. In fact I found Bhediya’s life overly romanticized as was Payal’s. This was a missed opportunity to explore a complex relationship between royals and those who pay for their bodies. Consent and freedom obviously come into play when love is on the table and this glossed over. It really felt like they were a bunch of horny teens and this distracted a lot from the plot, which I thought was creative and should have been more of a focus. It was too busy and my attention was meandering trying to grasp all the political connections and machinations admist the various lovers trysts.
The ideas behind the magical system and the civil disagreements made for an interesting backdrop. While the landscape was lush with vivid imagery and the magic was cool, I could have used a little more to understand the different strands of magic and the goddess connection. I felt like I was dropped into a world I never really understood and the plot was racing away from me. It was a really slow build and then reached a crescendo at the end, but by then I was very confused about how any of the magic worked. There were so many different and interesting aspects to this magical system, but they needed to be better explored in depth to enhance the story.
Overall it had a lot of complex pieces that provided intrigue, but there was no character connection for me and the relationships were more physical than emotional. I appreciate the diversity both in the mythological representation and the different couple, and I thought that the world and plot were imaginative and unlike anything else I have read. I didn’t like it as much as I wanted to, but I like reading new voices.
Thank you to Penguin Books Canada for the gifted copy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A Kiss of Crimson Ash is a Romantasy novel set in medieval India. We follow four characters as they uncover a conspiracy that threatens to shake the very foundations of their world.
Our story begins with Taara, a young queen whose mother has become inflicted with madness and who must enter an arranged marriage to solidify her kingdom. Her spouse, Garaj, is the beloved prince of their neighboring country, and his reluctance to leave his homeland is only heightened by his love for a courtesan. The courtesan, Bhediya, encounters danger because of her hidden magic. And Roland, a thief and friend of Garaj’s, takes a job that goes sour and embarks on his own adventure.
The character development and world building in this book is very good. I think our different characters are generally well developed, with different personalities, histories and motivations. The world has various levels of political machinations and power dynamics, which provided a lot of interest. There is a magic system that builds slowly over time as our characters learn more about the world around them.
The four different perspectives, amongst three disconnected storylines, really caused the pacing of this book to suffer. It was hard to get invested in any of the experiences of our characters because as soon as the story would develop, we would change perspectives and wouldn’t be back for another 50 pages. I was convinced I was still in the first third of the book and looked to realize the story was closer to the 70% mark. It meant that once the story finally hit the climax, it felt very rushed. I understand that the story wanted to focus on four perspectives, but I think choosing to focus on two of the stories instead of three would have made the story feel richer.
I also felt like the romance plotlines were unappealing. There are three romances: one between the prince and the courtesan, one between the queen and her attendant, and one between the thief and his traveling partner. We also have sexual relations between those characters and others, which felt off-putting. The only married couple is rooted in friendship and does not even attempt a romance plotline. The book neglects the power dynamics within these romances, most of which are questionable at best. There’s also a strong push against the idea of fidelity, which felt strange for a book that advertises itself partially as a romance. There are multiple explicit sexual encounters on page, both straight and queer, and the storylines highly emphasize both the casualness and the pleasure in these encounters.
Altogether, this was a good debut fantasy novel with a lot of promise that missed the execution. The worldbuilding and character development were good, but the pacing and romance in the story needed more work. I enjoyed the medieval Indian setting and the political intrigue, though I don’t think I will continue reading the series.
A big thank you to the team at Orbit for this advanced reader copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Our story begins with Taara, a young queen whose mother has become inflicted with madness and who must enter an arranged marriage to solidify her kingdom. Her spouse, Garaj, is the beloved prince of their neighboring country, and his reluctance to leave his homeland is only heightened by his love for a courtesan. The courtesan, Bhediya, encounters danger because of her hidden magic. And Roland, a thief and friend of Garaj’s, takes a job that goes sour and embarks on his own adventure.
The character development and world building in this book is very good. I think our different characters are generally well developed, with different personalities, histories and motivations. The world has various levels of political machinations and power dynamics, which provided a lot of interest. There is a magic system that builds slowly over time as our characters learn more about the world around them.
The four different perspectives, amongst three disconnected storylines, really caused the pacing of this book to suffer. It was hard to get invested in any of the experiences of our characters because as soon as the story would develop, we would change perspectives and wouldn’t be back for another 50 pages. I was convinced I was still in the first third of the book and looked to realize the story was closer to the 70% mark. It meant that once the story finally hit the climax, it felt very rushed. I understand that the story wanted to focus on four perspectives, but I think choosing to focus on two of the stories instead of three would have made the story feel richer.
I also felt like the romance plotlines were unappealing. There are three romances: one between the prince and the courtesan, one between the queen and her attendant, and one between the thief and his traveling partner. We also have sexual relations between those characters and others, which felt off-putting. The only married couple is rooted in friendship and does not even attempt a romance plotline. The book neglects the power dynamics within these romances, most of which are questionable at best. There’s also a strong push against the idea of fidelity, which felt strange for a book that advertises itself partially as a romance. There are multiple explicit sexual encounters on page, both straight and queer, and the storylines highly emphasize both the casualness and the pleasure in these encounters.
Altogether, this was a good debut fantasy novel with a lot of promise that missed the execution. The worldbuilding and character development were good, but the pacing and romance in the story needed more work. I enjoyed the medieval Indian setting and the political intrigue, though I don’t think I will continue reading the series.
A big thank you to the team at Orbit for this advanced reader copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
A politically intense romantasy that I felt unfortunately fell short of the “romance” part of the genre.
I really wanted to like this book, and the worldbuilding and political turmoil present in this novel had me intrigued. However, much of the plot was told to us instead of shown, and some of the worldbuilding between what we were told and what we were shown didn’t quite make sense.
I think my biggest complaint is that we are told that the land our main character is now the queen of, Abhaya, is a matriarchy ruled by queens. And yet, our main character never once acts like a queen who expects to be followed, nor does the country act like one where their queens rule supreme. Her uncle rules in her mother’s stead, and once she is married (a decision she has almost no say in, despite supposedly being in charge) there is no political fight when her husband’s family moves to take control of her country instead. Not to mention that there doesn’t seem to be a flip in the typical gender roles or stereotypes in this country as opposed to the one ruled by kings with extremely sexist views of women. It just feels odd and out of place, and something that doesn’t have any affect on the plot.
Much of the worldbuilding is told to us rather than shown, as well as so much of the plot is simply happening in the background. There is a large (relatively boring) section where a few of our main characters are trapped in one location and nothing happens. And then this keeps happening.
Speaking of main characters, there are way too many POV characters in this book. I can think of at least 2 that could be removed without difficulty, and which would have made the plot flow faster and more consistently.
This was marketed as a romantasy, but I’ll be honest I don’t think I would classify it as such. There is almost no romance in this book at all. Two of the characters were already in a relationship prior to the book started, and the other two relationships that form are extremely quickly done and centered around sex. This isn’t a bad thing, necessarily, but then the plot requires these same relationships to have deep connections that just aren’t present in the narrative. There was one relationship where they slept together once and then they decide to leave the city together, having the one character simply…leave his home where he lives! This was so sudden it threw me for a loop and I had to reread the passage because it makes no sense.
Not to mention that every single relationship in this book has an uncomfortable power imbalance to them, to the point that this is even mentioned with the relationship Taara (the queen) has with her concubine, where she says she’s unsure if her affection is real or bought and that she wants to keep her so she can never leave. And the other relationship is between the king and a courtesan, and then a character who takes up with a much younger man. It just got uncomfortable after a while.
As well as the fact that this book seems to have an issue with monogamy, and not that I have any issues with sex workers - obviously - but I feel like this book takes the entirely wrong approach. In fact, there’s one scene where the group needs help leaving and the only person who can is a man who demands having sex with one of the women as payment - and the only reason this is okay is because he just so happens to choose the concubine among them who is, apparently, okay with this arrangement. And then this same character is chosen to have sex with someone else in order to be pregnant and carry on the line, and it then starts to feel like this book had her have this position only to make any kind of sexual coercion not a thing, because she’s a sex worker anyway and so she’s obviously okay with it.
There’s also an uncomfortable scene where the main male character is coerced into having sex with his concubines and it causes some kind of drug-induced possession, and then this is never really resolved nor does it seem to have much of a bigger point in the plot. And the little bit it does could have been done without the uncomfortable bordering-on-sexual-assault scene that precedes it.
All in all, I really wished I liked this book more and that it had a stronger grasp on both worldbuilding and romantic relationships, rather than using sex as an easy way to resolve any plot point or emotional connection.
Thank you to Orbit for providing me this review copy.
I really wanted to like this book, and the worldbuilding and political turmoil present in this novel had me intrigued. However, much of the plot was told to us instead of shown, and some of the worldbuilding between what we were told and what we were shown didn’t quite make sense.
I think my biggest complaint is that we are told that the land our main character is now the queen of, Abhaya, is a matriarchy ruled by queens. And yet, our main character never once acts like a queen who expects to be followed, nor does the country act like one where their queens rule supreme. Her uncle rules in her mother’s stead, and once she is married (a decision she has almost no say in, despite supposedly being in charge) there is no political fight when her husband’s family moves to take control of her country instead. Not to mention that there doesn’t seem to be a flip in the typical gender roles or stereotypes in this country as opposed to the one ruled by kings with extremely sexist views of women. It just feels odd and out of place, and something that doesn’t have any affect on the plot.
Much of the worldbuilding is told to us rather than shown, as well as so much of the plot is simply happening in the background. There is a large (relatively boring) section where a few of our main characters are trapped in one location and nothing happens. And then this keeps happening.
Speaking of main characters, there are way too many POV characters in this book. I can think of at least 2 that could be removed without difficulty, and which would have made the plot flow faster and more consistently.
This was marketed as a romantasy, but I’ll be honest I don’t think I would classify it as such. There is almost no romance in this book at all. Two of the characters were already in a relationship prior to the book started, and the other two relationships that form are extremely quickly done and centered around sex. This isn’t a bad thing, necessarily, but then the plot requires these same relationships to have deep connections that just aren’t present in the narrative. There was one relationship where they slept together once and then they decide to leave the city together, having the one character simply…leave his home where he lives! This was so sudden it threw me for a loop and I had to reread the passage because it makes no sense.
Not to mention that every single relationship in this book has an uncomfortable power imbalance to them, to the point that this is even mentioned with the relationship Taara (the queen) has with her concubine, where she says she’s unsure if her affection is real or bought and that she wants to keep her so she can never leave. And the other relationship is between the king and a courtesan, and then a character who takes up with a much younger man. It just got uncomfortable after a while.
As well as the fact that this book seems to have an issue with monogamy, and not that I have any issues with sex workers - obviously - but I feel like this book takes the entirely wrong approach. In fact, there’s one scene where the group needs help leaving and the only person who can is a man who demands having sex with one of the women as payment - and the only reason this is okay is because he just so happens to choose the concubine among them who is, apparently, okay with this arrangement. And then this same character is chosen to have sex with someone else in order to be pregnant and carry on the line, and it then starts to feel like this book had her have this position only to make any kind of sexual coercion not a thing, because she’s a sex worker anyway and so she’s obviously okay with it.
There’s also an uncomfortable scene where the main male character is coerced into having sex with his concubines and it causes some kind of drug-induced possession, and then this is never really resolved nor does it seem to have much of a bigger point in the plot. And the little bit it does could have been done without the uncomfortable bordering-on-sexual-assault scene that precedes it.
All in all, I really wished I liked this book more and that it had a stronger grasp on both worldbuilding and romantic relationships, rather than using sex as an easy way to resolve any plot point or emotional connection.
Thank you to Orbit for providing me this review copy.
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