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The Wings Of Light
A Dark Romantasy with Alpha Werewolves, War Academy & Forbidden Love
Some memories are lost for a reason. Others are stolen.
My name is Avilyna Rey, and I remember nothing before the age of eight. Just flashes of shattered glass, smoke curling through the air, and the silence after the fire that stole my mother and twin brother. Since that night, my father and I have drifted from place to place, clinging to a fragile routine meant to keep the past buried.
But now, something is shifting.
A pull I can’t explain.
A whisper in the dark.
The weight of unseen eyes.
Then the attacks begin; violent, unexplainable. The town starts to unravel, and I’m caught at the center of it all. Taken into the Legion, a brutal war academy built on secrets, steel and blood. I soon realize that fate has a cruel sense of humour. Because that’s when Kai Brackwell crashes into my world. Storm-eyed, sharp-tongued and dead set on breaking me before I even begin.
In a place where survival is earned, not given, falling apart isn’t an option.
Remembering isn’t enough anymore. Now, I have to fight.
For answers.
For survival.
For the truth behind everything I’ve lost…
If you crave the dark, gritty vibes of Underworld, the forbidden love and secret-society drama of Shadowhunters, and the epic adventures and worldbuilding of The Lord of the Rings, this is the story you’ve been waiting for.
Some memories are lost for a reason. Others are stolen.
My name is Avilyna Rey, and I remember nothing before the age of eight. Just flashes of shattered glass, smoke curling through the air, and the silence after the fire that stole my mother and twin brother. Since that night, my father and I have drifted from place to place, clinging to a fragile routine meant to keep the past buried.
But now, something is shifting.
A pull I can’t explain.
A whisper in the dark.
The weight of unseen eyes.
Then the attacks begin; violent, unexplainable. The town starts to unravel, and I’m caught at the center of it all. Taken into the Legion, a brutal war academy built on secrets, steel and blood. I soon realize that fate has a cruel sense of humour. Because that’s when Kai Brackwell crashes into my world. Storm-eyed, sharp-tongued and dead set on breaking me before I even begin.
In a place where survival is earned, not given, falling apart isn’t an option.
Remembering isn’t enough anymore. Now, I have to fight.
For answers.
For survival.
For the truth behind everything I’ve lost…
If you crave the dark, gritty vibes of Underworld, the forbidden love and secret-society drama of Shadowhunters, and the epic adventures and worldbuilding of The Lord of the Rings, this is the story you’ve been waiting for.
537 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 6, 2026
About the author
Riri H.
1 book19 followersRiri H. is a Canadian indie author of dark romantasy and dark romance, writing stories where desire is dangerous, love is a little unhinged, and magic always comes at a cost.
A social introvert and hopeless romantic. She’s either lost in a book, at the gym trying to salvage her mental health or at home building fictional worlds. Sipping too much coffee and trying to reclaim her writing chair from two clingy cats who believe it’s theirs.
Her books are for readers who crave emotional damage, morally gray characters and relationships that are as messy as they are magnetic.
If you’re here for romance that walks the knife’s edge between love and destruction, stay close, there’s so much more to come.
A social introvert and hopeless romantic. She’s either lost in a book, at the gym trying to salvage her mental health or at home building fictional worlds. Sipping too much coffee and trying to reclaim her writing chair from two clingy cats who believe it’s theirs.
Her books are for readers who crave emotional damage, morally gray characters and relationships that are as messy as they are magnetic.
If you’re here for romance that walks the knife’s edge between love and destruction, stay close, there’s so much more to come.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
January 14, 2026
This story has a great mix of elements that get me excited about the genre: different beings with magical affinities, an academic setting, a hidden magical world, prophecy and fate. It combines a unique blend of urban and more traditional fantasy with themes of self discovery, oppression of the nonmagical or mundane, and found family.
Avilyna (Lyna) believes she is a normal senior in high school until she and her father are attacked by otherworldly monsters. With her father unconscious and seriously injured, they are carted off to the magical world of Elgar where she is forced to join the war academy in order to stay and see him through recovery.
One of my favorite parts of this story is the world building. Nearly the entire story takes place in Elgar, a world that is home to elves, lycans, witches, and the nearly extinct valkyries. The tense political climate after the last war leaves us questioning whether it was simply a fight between Elgar and the evil Netherworld, or if there are multiple players grasping for power.
Lyna trains under the watchful eye of the General’s son, Kai. This is where I had some difficulty connecting with this story, specifically through the main characters. Lyna and Kai have an immediate secret attraction combined with an outward dislike for each other. And I’m not entirely convinced that their dislike needed to be so extreme. I think this is a personal preference, but the antagonism in their banter felt unnecessarily hostile rather than fun. And for me this diminished the tension and excitement when they finally started to acknowledge their feelings for each other. It made their initial moments of tenderness feel somewhat forced and I missed that slow burn building of trust that makes a relationship feel more solid.
I think their attitudes are supposed to be a sort of armor for their vulnerabilities. Kai has a tyrannical unforgiving father, and Lyna is navigating a world that she was meant to be part of but has been hidden from her until now. So while I can understand their reactions, I just didn’t personally connect with them as characters until I was past halfway through the book.
The side characters and found family were much easier for me to enjoy from the start. I also enjoyed the writing style for the most part. The prose is smooth and even enchanting at times with lyrical elements, especially when describing scenes and situations. The dialogue, particularly Kai’s and Lyna’s, felt immature at times. But they are actually young (late teens-early twenties) so again I think this is a preference that detracted a bit from the story for me personally.
Overall I think this is an exciting and strong debut. I enjoyed getting lost in the magic of this world and I love that it includes not often featured magical beings like valkyries. The ending left me with a lot of questions and I am curious to see what happens next.
Thank you so much to the author for this eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
———————————————
Pre-read: I have a major book hangover and it’s time for something different. Wherewolves, motorcycles, and a war college, here we go!
Avilyna (Lyna) believes she is a normal senior in high school until she and her father are attacked by otherworldly monsters. With her father unconscious and seriously injured, they are carted off to the magical world of Elgar where she is forced to join the war academy in order to stay and see him through recovery.
One of my favorite parts of this story is the world building. Nearly the entire story takes place in Elgar, a world that is home to elves, lycans, witches, and the nearly extinct valkyries. The tense political climate after the last war leaves us questioning whether it was simply a fight between Elgar and the evil Netherworld, or if there are multiple players grasping for power.
Lyna trains under the watchful eye of the General’s son, Kai. This is where I had some difficulty connecting with this story, specifically through the main characters. Lyna and Kai have an immediate secret attraction combined with an outward dislike for each other. And I’m not entirely convinced that their dislike needed to be so extreme. I think this is a personal preference, but the antagonism in their banter felt unnecessarily hostile rather than fun. And for me this diminished the tension and excitement when they finally started to acknowledge their feelings for each other. It made their initial moments of tenderness feel somewhat forced and I missed that slow burn building of trust that makes a relationship feel more solid.
I think their attitudes are supposed to be a sort of armor for their vulnerabilities. Kai has a tyrannical unforgiving father, and Lyna is navigating a world that she was meant to be part of but has been hidden from her until now. So while I can understand their reactions, I just didn’t personally connect with them as characters until I was past halfway through the book.
The side characters and found family were much easier for me to enjoy from the start. I also enjoyed the writing style for the most part. The prose is smooth and even enchanting at times with lyrical elements, especially when describing scenes and situations. The dialogue, particularly Kai’s and Lyna’s, felt immature at times. But they are actually young (late teens-early twenties) so again I think this is a preference that detracted a bit from the story for me personally.
Overall I think this is an exciting and strong debut. I enjoyed getting lost in the magic of this world and I love that it includes not often featured magical beings like valkyries. The ending left me with a lot of questions and I am curious to see what happens next.
Thank you so much to the author for this eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
———————————————
Pre-read: I have a major book hangover and it’s time for something different. Wherewolves, motorcycles, and a war college, here we go!
March 10, 2026
➸ 4 stars
𓈀 𓄹𓂃 thank you to netgalley for the advanced readers copy!!
the main characters in this book sound like mitski’s cover of how deep is your love, you’re welcome <3
⚔️ war academy
⚔️ grumpy x grumpy
⚔️ found family
⚔️ amnesia
“For those who felt like the world was too heavy and needed a way out, to breathe.
&
For those who love their characters a little toxic, slightly unhinged, and utterly obsessed.
This one is for you, xx”
this book felt like those werewolf books on wattpad that i would devour when i was a teenager! what first drew me in was the authors posts on instagram with all the tropes i love and beautiful character art and this book did not disappoint one bit!! the world building was so rich and fun!
now the characters are what stole the show for me. first we have avilyna who has that fiery personality and stubbornness!! and kai the grumpy lycan with a motorcycle who loves art and is so obsessed with avilyna <3 these two had so much back and fourth banter while simultaneously having crazy tension and i ate up every second!!
the found family in this book was also one of my favorites and i liked all the side characters!! miss riri h pls make me wyll’s love interest in the next book i love #thatman 😛 anyways
the way kai reacted towards avilyna at the end pissed me off and i can’t wait for the groveling in the next book bc he better grovel!! the plot reveal that happened immediately after that had me shocked and i have so many questions!! excited for the next book!!
quotes:
“You can trust me with your joy. I won’t break it.”
“She’s in my blood, under my skin, always a step away from driving me over the edge.
Obsessed?
That word doesn’t even scratch the surface.”
“I look at you, and I think, how the hell did I get someone like you to look back?”
“You’re worth everything. The world, my soul. I’d burn it all down for you.”
“If I died tonight, I’d die knowing exactly what an angel looked like. And my wish might come true, because the anger in her gaze could drop me dead where I stand. My little terror, ready to terrorize me until the end of time.”
“They're breathtaking and radiant. Terrifyingly beautiful, these wings of light, just like she is, my little terror.”
“Life’s too fleeting to waste, no matter how long it lasts. It’s meant to be lived, fully—freely.”
𓈀 𓄹𓂃 thank you to netgalley for the advanced readers copy!!
the main characters in this book sound like mitski’s cover of how deep is your love, you’re welcome <3
⚔️ war academy
⚔️ grumpy x grumpy
⚔️ found family
⚔️ amnesia
“For those who felt like the world was too heavy and needed a way out, to breathe.
&
For those who love their characters a little toxic, slightly unhinged, and utterly obsessed.
This one is for you, xx”
this book felt like those werewolf books on wattpad that i would devour when i was a teenager! what first drew me in was the authors posts on instagram with all the tropes i love and beautiful character art and this book did not disappoint one bit!! the world building was so rich and fun!
now the characters are what stole the show for me. first we have avilyna who has that fiery personality and stubbornness!! and kai the grumpy lycan with a motorcycle who loves art and is so obsessed with avilyna <3 these two had so much back and fourth banter while simultaneously having crazy tension and i ate up every second!!
the found family in this book was also one of my favorites and i liked all the side characters!! miss riri h pls make me wyll’s love interest in the next book i love #thatman 😛 anyways
the way kai reacted towards avilyna at the end pissed me off and i can’t wait for the groveling in the next book bc he better grovel!! the plot reveal that happened immediately after that had me shocked and i have so many questions!! excited for the next book!!
quotes:
“You can trust me with your joy. I won’t break it.”
“She’s in my blood, under my skin, always a step away from driving me over the edge.
Obsessed?
That word doesn’t even scratch the surface.”
“I look at you, and I think, how the hell did I get someone like you to look back?”
“You’re worth everything. The world, my soul. I’d burn it all down for you.”
“If I died tonight, I’d die knowing exactly what an angel looked like. And my wish might come true, because the anger in her gaze could drop me dead where I stand. My little terror, ready to terrorize me until the end of time.”
“They're breathtaking and radiant. Terrifyingly beautiful, these wings of light, just like she is, my little terror.”
January 19, 2026
★ ★ ★.5
I stumbled upon a list of tropes I absolutely love and just had to run and sign up to read this book. Enemies to lovers, war academy, a strong FMC, and found family — and these elements delivered. The story has that addictive, trope-filled energy that I would have devoured back in my Wattpad era; if I were still reading like I did in 2015, I probably wouldn’t have put it down. It’s fun, dramatic, and full of tension in all the right ways.
I’ll be honest — I struggled a bit to fully immerse myself at first. The first half felt a little all over the place, with so much happening that I sometimes wished for more grounding moments to breathe and settle into the world. The pacing and scattered details made it a little tricky to fully connect in the beginning, but once the story found its rhythm, I was completely drawn into the characters and their journeys. And the last 30%? Completely swept me away. Every moment of tension, every connection, every twist clicked perfectly, and I couldn’t put it down.
Avilyna. She’s headstrong and determined, but what really stayed with me was how human she felt. Her frustration, confusion, and fiery resilience — the way she wrestled with the truth that her entire world had been a lie — hit me in such a real way. She’s not perfect, she’s not immediately unshakable, and that made me root for her even harder.
Kai, our broody MMC, carries so much beneath the surface. You can see the weight of his past, his quiet protectiveness, and the care he has for those around him, and it’s compelling in all the small, understated ways. I would have loved just a few more moments inside his head, a handful of extra interactions with Avilyna, so their bond could bloom in the quiet spaces between the chaos. The tension and chemistry are there — you can feel it simmering — but I was aching for just a little more of that slow, electric build.
The found family absolutely carried this story for me. Wyll, in particular, is a gem — his humor, warmth, and ability to bring light to tense moments made every scene he was in brighter. But it wasn’t just him — the bonds between all the characters, the loyalty, the protectiveness, the way they leaned on one another, added so much heart and weight to the story.
I also loved how the flashback moments scattered throughout the story gave insight into how these relationships came to be. Seeing these little histories unfold made the found family feel even more alive and meaningful. In a world full of twists, magic, and danger, it was these relationships that grounded me and made the emotional aspects land so beautifully. Reading this while rewatching Teen Wolf made me smile — I kept imagining Wyll surviving Beacon Hills with that humor.
Even with a few moments where I wished for more depth or slower pacing, I really enjoyed getting to know these characters, their bonds, and the stakes of their world. I’m so excited to return in book two, to watch them grow, to linger in those quieter moments, and to experience the next chapter of their story.
Thank you to the author for this ARC — for the characters, the heart, the found family that carried me, the flashbacks that added so much depth, and the little sparks of magic between the pages. I cannot wait for book 2 after that ending!!
I stumbled upon a list of tropes I absolutely love and just had to run and sign up to read this book. Enemies to lovers, war academy, a strong FMC, and found family — and these elements delivered. The story has that addictive, trope-filled energy that I would have devoured back in my Wattpad era; if I were still reading like I did in 2015, I probably wouldn’t have put it down. It’s fun, dramatic, and full of tension in all the right ways.
I’ll be honest — I struggled a bit to fully immerse myself at first. The first half felt a little all over the place, with so much happening that I sometimes wished for more grounding moments to breathe and settle into the world. The pacing and scattered details made it a little tricky to fully connect in the beginning, but once the story found its rhythm, I was completely drawn into the characters and their journeys. And the last 30%? Completely swept me away. Every moment of tension, every connection, every twist clicked perfectly, and I couldn’t put it down.
Avilyna. She’s headstrong and determined, but what really stayed with me was how human she felt. Her frustration, confusion, and fiery resilience — the way she wrestled with the truth that her entire world had been a lie — hit me in such a real way. She’s not perfect, she’s not immediately unshakable, and that made me root for her even harder.
Kai, our broody MMC, carries so much beneath the surface. You can see the weight of his past, his quiet protectiveness, and the care he has for those around him, and it’s compelling in all the small, understated ways. I would have loved just a few more moments inside his head, a handful of extra interactions with Avilyna, so their bond could bloom in the quiet spaces between the chaos. The tension and chemistry are there — you can feel it simmering — but I was aching for just a little more of that slow, electric build.
The found family absolutely carried this story for me. Wyll, in particular, is a gem — his humor, warmth, and ability to bring light to tense moments made every scene he was in brighter. But it wasn’t just him — the bonds between all the characters, the loyalty, the protectiveness, the way they leaned on one another, added so much heart and weight to the story.
I also loved how the flashback moments scattered throughout the story gave insight into how these relationships came to be. Seeing these little histories unfold made the found family feel even more alive and meaningful. In a world full of twists, magic, and danger, it was these relationships that grounded me and made the emotional aspects land so beautifully. Reading this while rewatching Teen Wolf made me smile — I kept imagining Wyll surviving Beacon Hills with that humor.
Even with a few moments where I wished for more depth or slower pacing, I really enjoyed getting to know these characters, their bonds, and the stakes of their world. I’m so excited to return in book two, to watch them grow, to linger in those quieter moments, and to experience the next chapter of their story.
Thank you to the author for this ARC — for the characters, the heart, the found family that carried me, the flashbacks that added so much depth, and the little sparks of magic between the pages. I cannot wait for book 2 after that ending!!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A war academy paired with an in depth, genuinely unique magic system is already a win for me.
The shared memory loss across the characters and flashbacks immediately hooks you. I couldn't put this down. I NEEDED to know what was happening! Awaken Lyna!!!! *Shakes Kindle*
I loved being thrown straight into that mystery.
Our FMC is everything I want in this genre. Determined, quick witted, and armed with razor sharp banter that fires back against our MMC. I also loved that she had an almost immediate draw towards magic than the usual endless chapters of painful attempts. She's a straight up badass while still being highly relatable.
The tension and chemistry between her and our deliciously dark MMC is chef’s kiss. Yes, he’s blonde. It’s fine. He’s still a solid 10 out of 10.
The side characters deserve their own applause. Deep, compelling, and far more than background noise.I loved the found family dynamic and it was one of the strongest elements of the book for me.
The world building is rich and layered, with a strong sense of history and backstory woven throughout and I can't wait to read more about that in upcoming books.
The pacing mostly worked for me however there were moments where chapters jumped away from significant scenes a little too quickly and then we were hit with new information that wasn't really explained? I found myself flicking back more than once, particularly with the first meeting with Skyfire. I would have wanted just a touch more clarity/depth.
What to Expect
Dark romance, “I shouldn’t want this”
Found family
Dual POV
War academy
Strong FMC
“Did he touch you”
Knife play
Overall, this was a wild and thoroughly enjoyable ride. I’m already looking forward to a reread and cannot wait for the next book.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC copy 🖤
The shared memory loss across the characters and flashbacks immediately hooks you. I couldn't put this down. I NEEDED to know what was happening! Awaken Lyna!!!! *Shakes Kindle*
I loved being thrown straight into that mystery.
Our FMC is everything I want in this genre. Determined, quick witted, and armed with razor sharp banter that fires back against our MMC. I also loved that she had an almost immediate draw towards magic than the usual endless chapters of painful attempts. She's a straight up badass while still being highly relatable.
The tension and chemistry between her and our deliciously dark MMC is chef’s kiss. Yes, he’s blonde. It’s fine. He’s still a solid 10 out of 10.
The side characters deserve their own applause. Deep, compelling, and far more than background noise.I loved the found family dynamic and it was one of the strongest elements of the book for me.
The world building is rich and layered, with a strong sense of history and backstory woven throughout and I can't wait to read more about that in upcoming books.
The pacing mostly worked for me however there were moments where chapters jumped away from significant scenes a little too quickly and then we were hit with new information that wasn't really explained? I found myself flicking back more than once, particularly with the first meeting with Skyfire. I would have wanted just a touch more clarity/depth.
What to Expect
Dark romance, “I shouldn’t want this”
Found family
Dual POV
War academy
Strong FMC
“Did he touch you”
Knife play
Overall, this was a wild and thoroughly enjoyable ride. I’m already looking forward to a reread and cannot wait for the next book.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC copy 🖤
February 9, 2026
Thank you to the author for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
I considered DNFing this book more times than I can count. In hindsight, I probably should have, because it clearly wasn’t for me. Still, since I did finish it, here are my thoughts.
I genuinely believe this story has a lot of potential and some really strong elements. I liked the idea behind the structure of the worlds and the origins of the central conflict. I also appreciated the concept of a dark-romance foundation for the main characters’ relationship, even though the execution didn’t fully land for me. Some of the humor genuinely worked, and I found myself wishing there was more of it.
What I struggled with the most was the writing style and character development. This is a debut novel, and unfortunately I was reminded of that quite often, mostly due to poor editing choices, including awkward word usage that pulled me out of the story more than once (ex. salty water for tears). Another issue was the use of child POV snippets, which read exactly like the adult narration. Without being explicitly told that those sections were from a child’s perspective, I wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference.
Alongside stylistic choices that, in my opinion, would greatly benefit from professional editing or a more experienced editorial eye, I was also disappointed with the character development. Character arcs are one of the most important elements for me as a reader, and following Avilyna and Kai as main characters was challenging. When they were apart, I could see some potential and felt like I might have grown to like them given more time. Together, however, their dynamic felt infantile, which I found frustrating. The fact that I managed to finish the book is largely thanks to the side characters, who were much more compelling and helped carry the story forward.
The worldbuilding is underdeveloped at this stage. While the book leans into romantasy, it reads more like a dark romance with paranormal elements than a big fat fantasy romance. There is clear room for expansion in future installments, and this book does lay some groundwork for that, but as it stands, the story is primarily character-driven.
The book ends on a major cliffhanger with a significant plot twist. Had I not struggled so much with the writing style and the main characters’ arcs, I would have been fully on board to continue. The plot itself is actually the strongest aspect of the book, and I’m genuinely disappointed that the other elements didn’t manage to support it well enough for me to fully enjoy the story.
I considered DNFing this book more times than I can count. In hindsight, I probably should have, because it clearly wasn’t for me. Still, since I did finish it, here are my thoughts.
I genuinely believe this story has a lot of potential and some really strong elements. I liked the idea behind the structure of the worlds and the origins of the central conflict. I also appreciated the concept of a dark-romance foundation for the main characters’ relationship, even though the execution didn’t fully land for me. Some of the humor genuinely worked, and I found myself wishing there was more of it.
What I struggled with the most was the writing style and character development. This is a debut novel, and unfortunately I was reminded of that quite often, mostly due to poor editing choices, including awkward word usage that pulled me out of the story more than once (ex. salty water for tears). Another issue was the use of child POV snippets, which read exactly like the adult narration. Without being explicitly told that those sections were from a child’s perspective, I wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference.
Alongside stylistic choices that, in my opinion, would greatly benefit from professional editing or a more experienced editorial eye, I was also disappointed with the character development. Character arcs are one of the most important elements for me as a reader, and following Avilyna and Kai as main characters was challenging. When they were apart, I could see some potential and felt like I might have grown to like them given more time. Together, however, their dynamic felt infantile, which I found frustrating. The fact that I managed to finish the book is largely thanks to the side characters, who were much more compelling and helped carry the story forward.
The worldbuilding is underdeveloped at this stage. While the book leans into romantasy, it reads more like a dark romance with paranormal elements than a big fat fantasy romance. There is clear room for expansion in future installments, and this book does lay some groundwork for that, but as it stands, the story is primarily character-driven.
The book ends on a major cliffhanger with a significant plot twist. Had I not struggled so much with the writing style and the main characters’ arcs, I would have been fully on board to continue. The plot itself is actually the strongest aspect of the book, and I’m genuinely disappointed that the other elements didn’t manage to support it well enough for me to fully enjoy the story.
September 7, 2025
THIS BOOK??? 5✨
i was lucky enough to be apart of the beta team for this book and let me tell you? it is AMAZING. this book deserves to be read!
The Wings of Light is a mix of everything you love in a book, some romance, some fantasy, some dark, some spice 🤭 all combined in one. if this is something you love, you should definitely pick it up!
we follow Avilyna who finds out she isn’t who she really thought! one night after school, something happens to her father (who she finds out later, he also has secrets!! no spoilers) and she meets Kai. they go together in this world where things aren’t normal.
Kai is the son of the general the army. their relationship isn’t great. Kai is not the typical “soldier”. he prefers art and his motorcycle before anything else (or maybe someone else too?!👀)
there’s a virus going around and they both try to fight what is happening. with their friends, they fight the bad.
i was obsessed with this story from the beginning. you get hooked right away!
tropes you can find in the book;
- dark fantasy
- enemies to lovers
- found family
- hidden identity
- grumpy/grumpy
- magic school
- knife to throat
- star-crossed lovers
- training academy
- amnesia
- the chosen one
- ball scene
- unique magic system
for me this was a 5✨ and 3🌶️
please, read it! I’M BEGGING
i was lucky enough to be apart of the beta team for this book and let me tell you? it is AMAZING. this book deserves to be read!
The Wings of Light is a mix of everything you love in a book, some romance, some fantasy, some dark, some spice 🤭 all combined in one. if this is something you love, you should definitely pick it up!
we follow Avilyna who finds out she isn’t who she really thought! one night after school, something happens to her father (who she finds out later, he also has secrets!! no spoilers) and she meets Kai. they go together in this world where things aren’t normal.
Kai is the son of the general the army. their relationship isn’t great. Kai is not the typical “soldier”. he prefers art and his motorcycle before anything else (or maybe someone else too?!👀)
there’s a virus going around and they both try to fight what is happening. with their friends, they fight the bad.
i was obsessed with this story from the beginning. you get hooked right away!
tropes you can find in the book;
- dark fantasy
- enemies to lovers
- found family
- hidden identity
- grumpy/grumpy
- magic school
- knife to throat
- star-crossed lovers
- training academy
- amnesia
- the chosen one
- ball scene
- unique magic system
for me this was a 5✨ and 3🌶️
please, read it! I’M BEGGING
December 13, 2025
“Starving for anything that will make me alive in this ocean of darkness. I’m drowning, and Kai’s the only thing that seems to keep me afloat.”
This surprised the hell out of me! I had such a good time from beginning to end. The pacing was perfect.
Avilyna is such a cool FMC. Her life is complete turned upside fairly quickly at the beginning—but she took it like a champ.
Kai—this MMC is going to make readers swoon like he did for me. He’s mysterious, dangerous, and sexy as hell with his tattoos and half bun.
The side characters are what really did it for me. For me, side characters make or break a book, and they all (the ones on the good side lol) were so much fun. If you follow Riri on instrgam, please check out the character art of her profile, the character art honestly sold me when I applied for an arc.
This ends on a cliffhanger, but one that has you foaming at the mouth to know how book 2 starts.
Thank you so much for the arc! I cannot wait to continue Avilyna’s story 🤍🤍🤍
This surprised the hell out of me! I had such a good time from beginning to end. The pacing was perfect.
Avilyna is such a cool FMC. Her life is complete turned upside fairly quickly at the beginning—but she took it like a champ.
Kai—this MMC is going to make readers swoon like he did for me. He’s mysterious, dangerous, and sexy as hell with his tattoos and half bun.
The side characters are what really did it for me. For me, side characters make or break a book, and they all (the ones on the good side lol) were so much fun. If you follow Riri on instrgam, please check out the character art of her profile, the character art honestly sold me when I applied for an arc.
This ends on a cliffhanger, but one that has you foaming at the mouth to know how book 2 starts.
Thank you so much for the arc! I cannot wait to continue Avilyna’s story 🤍🤍🤍
January 30, 2026
I was lucky enough to get to read the ARC copy of this book and let me tell you it did not disappoint!
I went in without any background information (one of my favourite ways to read lately) and I’m so glad I did. Right from the beginning it caught my attention and I needed to know what was happening. I loved the magic and creatures. The characters were amazing and watching them grow throughout the story was such a great experience.
I can’t wait for the next book! I’ll be thinking about that ending for some time!
I went in without any background information (one of my favourite ways to read lately) and I’m so glad I did. Right from the beginning it caught my attention and I needed to know what was happening. I loved the magic and creatures. The characters were amazing and watching them grow throughout the story was such a great experience.
I can’t wait for the next book! I’ll be thinking about that ending for some time!
September 8, 2025
To say I absolutely loved this book it’s such an understatement. I don’t know any words to describe who much I loved the story and the characters but I will try.
I received an early copy of TWOL as was very lucky to be one of the beta readers. I completely devoured it within 48 hours.
The story is fast paced and gripping. The characters (and not only the main ones) are brilliant and so loveable. I usually have problem connecting with side characters but not in this book. This group of friends were all so loveable and has lots of potential to discover them more in the next books.
If you like Shadow Hunters, read this book. If you like good banter, read this book. If you like magic and magical animals (not dragons finally) read this book. If you like spice with “touch her and die” vibe, read this book. There is also found family, witches, valkyries, badass MMC on a bike. Shall I say more?! The MFC is fierce and sassy.
There is nothing not to like about this book!
Thank you Riri for having me as your beta reader.
I can’t wait to read book 2 as the cliffhanger at the end destroyed me (in a good way of course)
I received an early copy of TWOL as was very lucky to be one of the beta readers. I completely devoured it within 48 hours.
The story is fast paced and gripping. The characters (and not only the main ones) are brilliant and so loveable. I usually have problem connecting with side characters but not in this book. This group of friends were all so loveable and has lots of potential to discover them more in the next books.
If you like Shadow Hunters, read this book. If you like good banter, read this book. If you like magic and magical animals (not dragons finally) read this book. If you like spice with “touch her and die” vibe, read this book. There is also found family, witches, valkyries, badass MMC on a bike. Shall I say more?! The MFC is fierce and sassy.
There is nothing not to like about this book!
Thank you Riri for having me as your beta reader.
I can’t wait to read book 2 as the cliffhanger at the end destroyed me (in a good way of course)
March 29, 2026
You can find this review of The Wings of Light on my blog, Heart's Content!
The biggest, most grateful shout out to Victory Editing and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary copy of The Wings of Light in exchange for an honest review!
(Skip this potion if you’re just here for the review and my mental health is not something you are invested in.)
This book was my Everest. An important milestone that I absolutely had to reach, to crest, to cross. Why? Thank you for asking. I fell into the most brutal slump of my blogging career this last month. The Wings of Light is the first book I started since the slump slammed into me like a (metaphorical) truck and derailed me off my path. I was left fighting between trying to read a book and my mind fighting me every step of the way.
BUT..
*holds arms out*
…here I stand, having crested this peak, having completed this Herculean feat of beating my slump. *dramatic, triumphant music plays*
Sorry, I just had to get that out.
(You can start reading the review from this point forth.)
There was only one struggle I had with this book and I’m going to get it out of the way so I can focus on the rest.
There’s one aspect I generally struggle with in any book that I read: which is when it reads very similarly to another famous book in the same genre. I struggle with this because I can’t see past it, it breaks the spell for me and I can’t focus on the book anymore. It feels like I’m only seeing the other book this one has leaned heavily towards—almost like superimposed images. I struggled with that in this book quite a bit from maybe 10-30%. But, as soon we cross 30%, the book reveals its own character and I frankly sort of forgot about the first 30%! In a good way. It was like a whole other book. I mean, obviously it is, but…you know what I mean.
The writing, interestingly, makes the book read like it’s contemporary rather than fantasy. I think this is a good thing by the way; to make a book with flying horses and magical abilities seem like something that could happen to you, your neighbour or your friend. However, this doesn’t mean that the book doesn’t hold your attention, or have secrets and mystical elements that will keep you entertained and engaged throughout, because it does!
The world is built so so well in this story! My favourite thing to see in a book is when the characters are not dense! Nothing is thrown at the readers in a way that seems absurd or nonsensical or out of the absolute blue and instead built from the very beginning—subtly at first and more clearly as we go—and leading us through the dark towards a big reveal. *claps* Bravo! Bravo!
The characters in this story, paired with the writing of course, is what makes this book feel special. The friendships and life stories, the trauma and pain are all there on the surface for us to see. The corruption, greed, helplessness and secrets are all intertwined inextricably with the characters in this story—regardless of if they are primary, secondary or tertiary characters. Watching them form bonds of friendship and break bonds of pain and trauma is a huge part of this story! And it’s all just beginning!
The plot, that’s very closely tied to the world building, I believe is yet to wholly reveal itself. I love that the first book really let the reader understand the structure of the world, experience the slowly but surely building friendships and watch as the everything crashes and burns all in one daunting second as the author reveals a part of the whole truth we’ve been trying to chase the whole book. The series feels like it has so much potential and I cannot wait to see what comes next.
The pace in this story, for me (as I’d mentioned earlier) really picked up after the 30% mark. I felt a miiiiild dip around the 70% mark but it lifted off again towards the climax and ended on a great note, promising to keep the readers on the edge of their seat as they wait for the next book.
Four stars! Happy reading! As always please check trigger warnings as there are themes in this book that can be difficult for some.
The biggest, most grateful shout out to Victory Editing and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary copy of The Wings of Light in exchange for an honest review!
(Skip this potion if you’re just here for the review and my mental health is not something you are invested in.)
This book was my Everest. An important milestone that I absolutely had to reach, to crest, to cross. Why? Thank you for asking. I fell into the most brutal slump of my blogging career this last month. The Wings of Light is the first book I started since the slump slammed into me like a (metaphorical) truck and derailed me off my path. I was left fighting between trying to read a book and my mind fighting me every step of the way.
BUT..
*holds arms out*
…here I stand, having crested this peak, having completed this Herculean feat of beating my slump. *dramatic, triumphant music plays*
Sorry, I just had to get that out.
(You can start reading the review from this point forth.)
There was only one struggle I had with this book and I’m going to get it out of the way so I can focus on the rest.
There’s one aspect I generally struggle with in any book that I read: which is when it reads very similarly to another famous book in the same genre. I struggle with this because I can’t see past it, it breaks the spell for me and I can’t focus on the book anymore. It feels like I’m only seeing the other book this one has leaned heavily towards—almost like superimposed images. I struggled with that in this book quite a bit from maybe 10-30%. But, as soon we cross 30%, the book reveals its own character and I frankly sort of forgot about the first 30%! In a good way. It was like a whole other book. I mean, obviously it is, but…you know what I mean.
The writing, interestingly, makes the book read like it’s contemporary rather than fantasy. I think this is a good thing by the way; to make a book with flying horses and magical abilities seem like something that could happen to you, your neighbour or your friend. However, this doesn’t mean that the book doesn’t hold your attention, or have secrets and mystical elements that will keep you entertained and engaged throughout, because it does!
The world is built so so well in this story! My favourite thing to see in a book is when the characters are not dense! Nothing is thrown at the readers in a way that seems absurd or nonsensical or out of the absolute blue and instead built from the very beginning—subtly at first and more clearly as we go—and leading us through the dark towards a big reveal. *claps* Bravo! Bravo!
The characters in this story, paired with the writing of course, is what makes this book feel special. The friendships and life stories, the trauma and pain are all there on the surface for us to see. The corruption, greed, helplessness and secrets are all intertwined inextricably with the characters in this story—regardless of if they are primary, secondary or tertiary characters. Watching them form bonds of friendship and break bonds of pain and trauma is a huge part of this story! And it’s all just beginning!
The plot, that’s very closely tied to the world building, I believe is yet to wholly reveal itself. I love that the first book really let the reader understand the structure of the world, experience the slowly but surely building friendships and watch as the everything crashes and burns all in one daunting second as the author reveals a part of the whole truth we’ve been trying to chase the whole book. The series feels like it has so much potential and I cannot wait to see what comes next.
The pace in this story, for me (as I’d mentioned earlier) really picked up after the 30% mark. I felt a miiiiild dip around the 70% mark but it lifted off again towards the climax and ended on a great note, promising to keep the readers on the edge of their seat as they wait for the next book.
Four stars! Happy reading! As always please check trigger warnings as there are themes in this book that can be difficult for some.
December 9, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
I had the absolute pleasure of being an arc reader for this book! If you take one this from this review it’s that it is a must read. Everything in the book was perfectly paced. The relationship, the plot progress, and overall character growth/development was planned (and executed) perfectly. I find in fantasy books there is a fine line with cringy writing, HOWEVER this is not one that crosses that line. There was not one moment where I was taken aback by the way the characters talk or just the way it was written. In fact, one of my favorite parts about the writing style was the use of italics for flashbacks. In this book, the flashback are crucial to the plot so they occur a lot. It really helped me differentiate the past and present in my mind and was very clear to understand. If diversity is something you love in books, then you’ll love this book. With a variety of races and sexualities this book hits the mark. I was truly captivated by the entire story and only wanted to keep reading throughout my day. I can’t wait to see the fanart people create for this book, the potential is limitless! I will definitely be (impatiently) waiting for the next book! I can’t wait to see the story continue! I try not to include any spoilers in my reviews, so hopefully this gives you the push to read the book!
I had the absolute pleasure of being an arc reader for this book! If you take one this from this review it’s that it is a must read. Everything in the book was perfectly paced. The relationship, the plot progress, and overall character growth/development was planned (and executed) perfectly. I find in fantasy books there is a fine line with cringy writing, HOWEVER this is not one that crosses that line. There was not one moment where I was taken aback by the way the characters talk or just the way it was written. In fact, one of my favorite parts about the writing style was the use of italics for flashbacks. In this book, the flashback are crucial to the plot so they occur a lot. It really helped me differentiate the past and present in my mind and was very clear to understand. If diversity is something you love in books, then you’ll love this book. With a variety of races and sexualities this book hits the mark. I was truly captivated by the entire story and only wanted to keep reading throughout my day. I can’t wait to see the fanart people create for this book, the potential is limitless! I will definitely be (impatiently) waiting for the next book! I can’t wait to see the story continue! I try not to include any spoilers in my reviews, so hopefully this gives you the push to read the book!
April 27, 2026
3.5 stars rounded up
The wings of Light is a fantasy romance, with a memory loss trope. I also liked the dark academia vibes, magic, training, and back stabbing. It was a very entertaining read, exciting, and high stacks. It was not a very surprising story, I was not ever bored but for the most part it was a good story and kept me engaged but I really wanted more from it, build up and tension. I will continue on. I do really want to know what happens, hoping for a bit more romance development and tension. Overall, a solid start and good book, I recommend checking it out.
I received an advanced ebook, via Netgalley. This review is my own honest opinion.
The wings of Light is a fantasy romance, with a memory loss trope. I also liked the dark academia vibes, magic, training, and back stabbing. It was a very entertaining read, exciting, and high stacks. It was not a very surprising story, I was not ever bored but for the most part it was a good story and kept me engaged but I really wanted more from it, build up and tension. I will continue on. I do really want to know what happens, hoping for a bit more romance development and tension. Overall, a solid start and good book, I recommend checking it out.
I received an advanced ebook, via Netgalley. This review is my own honest opinion.
February 15, 2026
I received a copy of the Arc Ebook:
I just finished The Wings of Light by Riri H, and it was such a vibe.
if you like books that focus on emotional damage rather than just constant action, you’ll really like this one.
The author does a great job of making you actually feel what the characters are going through.
The only real personal con for me was the mmc's look. I just couldn't get into the fact that he was blonde —it really wasn't the vibe I was hoping for! 👱🏻♂️🥨 But if you can ignore the hair, the story itself is definitely worth a read. 🕊️
I just finished The Wings of Light by Riri H, and it was such a vibe.
if you like books that focus on emotional damage rather than just constant action, you’ll really like this one.
The author does a great job of making you actually feel what the characters are going through.
The only real personal con for me was the mmc's look. I just couldn't get into the fact that he was blonde —it really wasn't the vibe I was hoping for! 👱🏻♂️🥨 But if you can ignore the hair, the story itself is definitely worth a read. 🕊️
January 18, 2026
This book had me feeling all the feelings- laughter, kicking my feet, giddiness, tears. The banter was top tier. I devoured this book in 3 days. I can’t wait for book 2!
January 15, 2026
I received an eARC from NetGalley through Victoria Editing NetGalley Co-op, and this is my honest review.
- 2️⃣ dual POV
- repressed memories slowly recovered 😶🌫️
- 🫣hidden identity, prophecies, and destiny
- blunt MFC 💪🏻
- “did he touch you?” And “which hand did he touch you with?” Moment 🤓 🖐️
- 👅 licking wounds
- variety of creatures 🐺🧛♀️🧙including a unique twist about vampyrs 🐦⬛
- 😘 f**k it moment
- knife play 🔪
- ⁉️ mystery
- found family🏡
This felt like a blend of I Am Number Four and The Mortal Instruments. Then, throw in some Direbound licking to heal wounds… LOVED IT! 😍 Despite these similarities, there was a unique plot and story!
I didn’t realize this book was about an 18-year-old still in high school (she doesn’t stay in high school long). She immediately described herself as more mature, which I agreed. However, at times, that less mature, emotionally driven, dramatic approach you would expect of a teenager would shine through. Other wise, she was assertive, stood up for herself, pushed back, and defended herself, ALL WHILE she understood when to compromise, not say anything, and listen when needed (not pushing back). She could read the context and situation, using her intelligence to take the next best step. Finally an author who doesn’t write an unintelligent always impulsive woman!
And holy crap, this was the first MFC where multiple people warned her to stay in her bedroom and not go out due to the dangers that specifically were occurring that night, and she listened!!! FINALLY!!!! An MFC who was intelligent and understood that she did not know the world or the creatures that could harm her, so she actually listened to those who knew better. Can I say it again: FINALLY! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Also, something I really loved was that this MFC wasn’t scared of violent justice or trying to get the MMC to calm down when he was hurting the man who just attacked her. She found the revenge he sought on her behalf as beautiful and she did not judge him. I just finished a book where the MFC got mad at the MMC for killing the man who kidnapped them and almost sexually assaulted her. She wanted to call the doctor because the MMC hurt their kidnapper. 🤮 This book’s MFC was so refreshing, especially from the last book I read. I have been getting tired of MFC‘s trying to change the MMC‘s to be less violent and seek justice in a less violent way now that the MFC has entered the MMC’s life. Or the MFC having some righteous view and demanding everyone follow that view. This book DOES NOT have that and I LOVED IT!
Another aspect of this MFC that I really liked was how flexible and adaptable she was. The author did an excellent job creating a background story to support these characteristics within the MFC. Specifically, the MFC was raised by a trucker, free spirit father who moved them around the United States quite frequently. She got used to having to move, live in a new home, and adjust to a new school with new people. Therefore, when she had to move by herself to this other realm and figure things out with new people, she quickly radically accepted it and started adjusting. Other books don’t do such a great job creating a backstory to support characteristics such as flexibility and adaptability to allow for an MC to adjust as quickly. Often times, us readers are surprised that a character who is more rigid just all of a sudden adjusted to a new world with no familiar people without any problems. That is not the case in this story because, again, the author did an excellent job creating a background narrative that explains why the MFC could radically accept her situation and move forward sooner than typical, as she had to do it so many times before. At the 25% mark, she states “I have no choice but to accept this new reality, and maybe, just maybe, find a way to make it my own.” I loved her attitude and use of her past adjustment skills to adjust to this current situation. She was able to radically accept that she did not have control over the fact that she had to stay in the new realm and train, but she could control her attitude and choice to move forward and make something of it. So healthy and, again, I will say I LOVED IT!!!
The MMC: he’s this complex, traumatized man who uses a wall/mask to keep everyone at an arm’s length. His father continues to actively abuse him, both emotionally and physically. Because of this, his emotions and heart a frozen. Of course, he acts like a jerk right away, and then again because he’s scared of his feelings and hurting her, but then finally gives in. He’s got a lot of kinks and leans into exploring the MFC’s and his kinks 😉. He is the perfect match for the MFC, finding her assertively aggressive approach, matching well with his. Although he was initially very cold and pushed her away, he was still incredibly supportive of her. His character growth was amazing. To see him stand up for himself and those he loved was so awesome.
I got soooo mad when the MFC was vulnerable and the MMC ruined it by pushing her away due to his insecurities. Finally, the MMC started to be vulnerable by sharing details about his crappy abusive dad and the MFC ruined it with her insecurities and pushed him away. Ugh, the author did such an excellent job provoking strong emotion from me. Then, eventually, the MFC stands up for the MMC to his abusive dad (the general), triggering the Dad to almost hit the MFC, which then triggered the MMC to stand up to his dad. This moment of finding oneself and standing up for those you love, even against those in power and are family, was beautiful and I felt such a strong sense of justice. Then, when the MFC turns around, smiles, and winks at the MMC‘s dad, I was so happy! GET IT MFC!! Again, great job writing a book that provoked such a range of emotions in me.
As I mentioned, the MC’s were a perfect couple together. So many of their traits overlapped with each other, well at the exact same time several of their characteristics balanced each other out. The author did an excellent job creating a backstory to help explain why, when they met, they had an immediate attraction. The backstory also explained why they continued to have this connection, even though they didn’t “know each other” well yet. Many books just have this immediate connection between the MCs and the reason for this is not well explained, other than it being physical. Again, this author did a great job explaining why they would feel connected (revealed later in the book it’s revealed).
Now, let’s talk about the MMC’s best friend, Wyll. He was such a fun addition to the story. He had features of Carrion from Quicksilver. Fun, witty, flirty, and doing whatever he can to antagonize the MMC, including flirting with the MFC. The MMC’s other best friend was also unique and he added a lot to the dynamic of the three found brothers. The MFC also had and made amazing friends that were unique and loyal. I loved how the MFC was able to blend her old world with her new world when she found her friend Vanessa and could bring her to the magical world. Overall, the found family in this book was beautiful.
The writing provides so much depth to the characters, relationships, trauma, histories, storyline, and overarching plot. The author took time to provide intricate details and backgrounds to each individual character, and then showed us those details. For example, for both MCs, the author had us flashback into these characters earlier lives, including the neglect, abuse, and struggles they experienced to help explain who they were today and why they felt, thought, and behaved the way they did. Another example, we get to know more about the MFC‘s best friend in the human world and why this friend was more closed off and dressed in black. We could’ve just been told about this friend, but instead the author took time to show us this friend and her unstable dynamics at home, creating empathy and understanding within the reader for why the MFC would be friends with her. I really again, enjoyed how much depth the author took in this book, particularly with the characters, their relationships, and the plot. The writing also allowed me to feel the emotions that the character’s were feeling. There was a great blend of romance, character development, and plot, all within a unique world and included cool magic.
The last 20% of this book became more fast paced. I was HOOKED! Generally, the pace of this book was moderate, and I was not bored at any point. The plot had twists and turns, with a perfect blend of seeing some of these twists coming and others I was completely surprised by. I loved the mixture, made me feel smart at times and I enjoyed the feeling of shock when I was wrong or didn’t see it coming.
That ending! Major cliffhanger and surprises. I want to praise the author for not ending the book on major betrayal between the MCs. I find ending a book this way stalls the plot in book 2 because the initial plot focuses so much boring internal dialogue. For the ending of this book, the MMC had a quick feeling of betrayal; however, it was small and lasts maybe minutes. I loved how this book ended with him fighting for her, alongside their found family. Sets up the plot for book 2 to be intriguing, entertaining, emotion provoking, and exciting!
- 2️⃣ dual POV
- repressed memories slowly recovered 😶🌫️
- 🫣hidden identity, prophecies, and destiny
- blunt MFC 💪🏻
- “did he touch you?” And “which hand did he touch you with?” Moment 🤓 🖐️
- 👅 licking wounds
- variety of creatures 🐺🧛♀️🧙including a unique twist about vampyrs 🐦⬛
- 😘 f**k it moment
- knife play 🔪
- ⁉️ mystery
- found family🏡
This felt like a blend of I Am Number Four and The Mortal Instruments. Then, throw in some Direbound licking to heal wounds… LOVED IT! 😍 Despite these similarities, there was a unique plot and story!
I didn’t realize this book was about an 18-year-old still in high school (she doesn’t stay in high school long). She immediately described herself as more mature, which I agreed. However, at times, that less mature, emotionally driven, dramatic approach you would expect of a teenager would shine through. Other wise, she was assertive, stood up for herself, pushed back, and defended herself, ALL WHILE she understood when to compromise, not say anything, and listen when needed (not pushing back). She could read the context and situation, using her intelligence to take the next best step. Finally an author who doesn’t write an unintelligent always impulsive woman!
And holy crap, this was the first MFC where multiple people warned her to stay in her bedroom and not go out due to the dangers that specifically were occurring that night, and she listened!!! FINALLY!!!! An MFC who was intelligent and understood that she did not know the world or the creatures that could harm her, so she actually listened to those who knew better. Can I say it again: FINALLY! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Also, something I really loved was that this MFC wasn’t scared of violent justice or trying to get the MMC to calm down when he was hurting the man who just attacked her. She found the revenge he sought on her behalf as beautiful and she did not judge him. I just finished a book where the MFC got mad at the MMC for killing the man who kidnapped them and almost sexually assaulted her. She wanted to call the doctor because the MMC hurt their kidnapper. 🤮 This book’s MFC was so refreshing, especially from the last book I read. I have been getting tired of MFC‘s trying to change the MMC‘s to be less violent and seek justice in a less violent way now that the MFC has entered the MMC’s life. Or the MFC having some righteous view and demanding everyone follow that view. This book DOES NOT have that and I LOVED IT!
Another aspect of this MFC that I really liked was how flexible and adaptable she was. The author did an excellent job creating a background story to support these characteristics within the MFC. Specifically, the MFC was raised by a trucker, free spirit father who moved them around the United States quite frequently. She got used to having to move, live in a new home, and adjust to a new school with new people. Therefore, when she had to move by herself to this other realm and figure things out with new people, she quickly radically accepted it and started adjusting. Other books don’t do such a great job creating a backstory to support characteristics such as flexibility and adaptability to allow for an MC to adjust as quickly. Often times, us readers are surprised that a character who is more rigid just all of a sudden adjusted to a new world with no familiar people without any problems. That is not the case in this story because, again, the author did an excellent job creating a background narrative that explains why the MFC could radically accept her situation and move forward sooner than typical, as she had to do it so many times before. At the 25% mark, she states “I have no choice but to accept this new reality, and maybe, just maybe, find a way to make it my own.” I loved her attitude and use of her past adjustment skills to adjust to this current situation. She was able to radically accept that she did not have control over the fact that she had to stay in the new realm and train, but she could control her attitude and choice to move forward and make something of it. So healthy and, again, I will say I LOVED IT!!!
The MMC: he’s this complex, traumatized man who uses a wall/mask to keep everyone at an arm’s length. His father continues to actively abuse him, both emotionally and physically. Because of this, his emotions and heart a frozen. Of course, he acts like a jerk right away, and then again because he’s scared of his feelings and hurting her, but then finally gives in. He’s got a lot of kinks and leans into exploring the MFC’s and his kinks 😉. He is the perfect match for the MFC, finding her assertively aggressive approach, matching well with his. Although he was initially very cold and pushed her away, he was still incredibly supportive of her. His character growth was amazing. To see him stand up for himself and those he loved was so awesome.
I got soooo mad when the MFC was vulnerable and the MMC ruined it by pushing her away due to his insecurities. Finally, the MMC started to be vulnerable by sharing details about his crappy abusive dad and the MFC ruined it with her insecurities and pushed him away. Ugh, the author did such an excellent job provoking strong emotion from me. Then, eventually, the MFC stands up for the MMC to his abusive dad (the general), triggering the Dad to almost hit the MFC, which then triggered the MMC to stand up to his dad. This moment of finding oneself and standing up for those you love, even against those in power and are family, was beautiful and I felt such a strong sense of justice. Then, when the MFC turns around, smiles, and winks at the MMC‘s dad, I was so happy! GET IT MFC!! Again, great job writing a book that provoked such a range of emotions in me.
As I mentioned, the MC’s were a perfect couple together. So many of their traits overlapped with each other, well at the exact same time several of their characteristics balanced each other out. The author did an excellent job creating a backstory to help explain why, when they met, they had an immediate attraction. The backstory also explained why they continued to have this connection, even though they didn’t “know each other” well yet. Many books just have this immediate connection between the MCs and the reason for this is not well explained, other than it being physical. Again, this author did a great job explaining why they would feel connected (revealed later in the book it’s revealed).
Now, let’s talk about the MMC’s best friend, Wyll. He was such a fun addition to the story. He had features of Carrion from Quicksilver. Fun, witty, flirty, and doing whatever he can to antagonize the MMC, including flirting with the MFC. The MMC’s other best friend was also unique and he added a lot to the dynamic of the three found brothers. The MFC also had and made amazing friends that were unique and loyal. I loved how the MFC was able to blend her old world with her new world when she found her friend Vanessa and could bring her to the magical world. Overall, the found family in this book was beautiful.
The writing provides so much depth to the characters, relationships, trauma, histories, storyline, and overarching plot. The author took time to provide intricate details and backgrounds to each individual character, and then showed us those details. For example, for both MCs, the author had us flashback into these characters earlier lives, including the neglect, abuse, and struggles they experienced to help explain who they were today and why they felt, thought, and behaved the way they did. Another example, we get to know more about the MFC‘s best friend in the human world and why this friend was more closed off and dressed in black. We could’ve just been told about this friend, but instead the author took time to show us this friend and her unstable dynamics at home, creating empathy and understanding within the reader for why the MFC would be friends with her. I really again, enjoyed how much depth the author took in this book, particularly with the characters, their relationships, and the plot. The writing also allowed me to feel the emotions that the character’s were feeling. There was a great blend of romance, character development, and plot, all within a unique world and included cool magic.
The last 20% of this book became more fast paced. I was HOOKED! Generally, the pace of this book was moderate, and I was not bored at any point. The plot had twists and turns, with a perfect blend of seeing some of these twists coming and others I was completely surprised by. I loved the mixture, made me feel smart at times and I enjoyed the feeling of shock when I was wrong or didn’t see it coming.
That ending! Major cliffhanger and surprises. I want to praise the author for not ending the book on major betrayal between the MCs. I find ending a book this way stalls the plot in book 2 because the initial plot focuses so much boring internal dialogue. For the ending of this book, the MMC had a quick feeling of betrayal; however, it was small and lasts maybe minutes. I loved how this book ended with him fighting for her, alongside their found family. Sets up the plot for book 2 to be intriguing, entertaining, emotion provoking, and exciting!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 7, 2025
Shadowhunters 🤝 Underworld
OMG where to begin with this review!?! If you're looking for a book that blends magic with horror (and some spice), then look no farther. TWOL had me gasping at some scenes, swooning at others, and giggling and kicking my feet at special moments between the cast of characters (Avilyna and Wyll, I'm looking at the two of you👀).
Avilyna is sassy, stubborn, and beautiful—the type of woman I look up to. I enjoyed how Riri portrayed her as a “take-no-sh*t kinda girl.”
And Kai…he’s such an alphahole but I have a soft spot for him because we both have ✨daddy issues.✨ He’s been hardened and trained for war by his father, unable to feel anything, so when Avilyna comes along…well, you can probably guess what’s gonna happen LOL!
Riri did an amazing job curating the entire cast of characters within the book, each one relatable in some way! I loved the different walks of life represented and talked about. 🥰
Lastly, I just want to say Riri is the sweetest person ever, and I'm so glad I get to come along on her author journey with her! You're doing amazing💗
OMG where to begin with this review!?! If you're looking for a book that blends magic with horror (and some spice), then look no farther. TWOL had me gasping at some scenes, swooning at others, and giggling and kicking my feet at special moments between the cast of characters (Avilyna and Wyll, I'm looking at the two of you👀).
Avilyna is sassy, stubborn, and beautiful—the type of woman I look up to. I enjoyed how Riri portrayed her as a “take-no-sh*t kinda girl.”
And Kai…he’s such an alphahole but I have a soft spot for him because we both have ✨daddy issues.✨ He’s been hardened and trained for war by his father, unable to feel anything, so when Avilyna comes along…well, you can probably guess what’s gonna happen LOL!
Riri did an amazing job curating the entire cast of characters within the book, each one relatable in some way! I loved the different walks of life represented and talked about. 🥰
Lastly, I just want to say Riri is the sweetest person ever, and I'm so glad I get to come along on her author journey with her! You're doing amazing💗
September 11, 2025
Everything about this book is truly MAGICAL… from the story, the writing, the mood and the characters.
Riri has such a way with words. Her writing is simply beautiful — every sentence feels intentional, vivid, and poetic.
And the story makes you go through so many emotions !! I was hooked from the very beginning of the book and it was hard to put it down up till the very last word.
Avilyna is the FMC I didn’t know I needed. Her courage, her humor and her vulnerability made her so inspiring and endearing.
And Kai… ooof. 🥵
I can’t wait for the 2nd book 😩
5 ⭐️ 3🌶️
Riri has such a way with words. Her writing is simply beautiful — every sentence feels intentional, vivid, and poetic.
And the story makes you go through so many emotions !! I was hooked from the very beginning of the book and it was hard to put it down up till the very last word.
Avilyna is the FMC I didn’t know I needed. Her courage, her humor and her vulnerability made her so inspiring and endearing.
And Kai… ooof. 🥵
I can’t wait for the 2nd book 😩
5 ⭐️ 3🌶️
Review of advance copy received from Author
rcvd an ARC from the author.
what a wild ride of emotions, drama and OMG moments. we meet Avilyna aka Lyna feeling like she doesn't belong. thr amt of times her and her dad moved made it hard to fit in but here shes got best friends. Lyna arrives home on eve to find the door open and a monster in her house along witb blood...her only thought is her dad. next thing she knows a bunch of ppl show up and he dad says to go with them. Kai is a Lycan and a soldier and he doesn't have time for a pampered princess but smtg about Lyna has him on edge. lyna needs to navigate the Institute learning about this world and how to survive it. she has been having memories of her mother and brother and things are not adding up. Lyna needs to learn who she is and what's going on? lyna along with Kai and their friends will set out on an adventure finding the truth and why no one remembers. it will either set them free or be their downfall.
what a wild ride of emotions, drama and OMG moments. we meet Avilyna aka Lyna feeling like she doesn't belong. thr amt of times her and her dad moved made it hard to fit in but here shes got best friends. Lyna arrives home on eve to find the door open and a monster in her house along witb blood...her only thought is her dad. next thing she knows a bunch of ppl show up and he dad says to go with them. Kai is a Lycan and a soldier and he doesn't have time for a pampered princess but smtg about Lyna has him on edge. lyna needs to navigate the Institute learning about this world and how to survive it. she has been having memories of her mother and brother and things are not adding up. Lyna needs to learn who she is and what's going on? lyna along with Kai and their friends will set out on an adventure finding the truth and why no one remembers. it will either set them free or be their downfall.
September 7, 2025
The gods have always been power hungry.. forbidden loves.. betrayal and rebellion. The stories and tales wavering with time.. What will the future hold? Let me say rn - this book had me in an emotional vice grip from chapter one. How? Incredible writing 🙂↕️
Avilyna was a troublemaker at a young age. Strong, stubborn, hard headed, truthful. Being a reader, her emotional vulnerability.. immediately relatable. Immediately a STAN. Awakenings, family secrets and revelations. She’s smart, dependable, beautiful. When life as she knows it is pulled beneath her feet.. she must learn & adapt quickly. For her? No problem! Strength and courage like no other, she’s one of a kind. BADASS.
Kai, if you’ve seen the sneak peaks over ri’s stories etc, you’ll know I immediately SQUEALED when I saw him name. He has our favourite MMC characteristics. That trademark “enemies to lovers” arrogance, but the eyes don’t lie, there’s more to him and I couldn’t wait to find out what! Observant, precise, a leader and a fighter. A vulnerability he keeps close to his chest. Scrutinised by his father, his freedom is limited. But for how long can that hold last?
First of all.. WOW. Immediate intrigue and attraction. First in the form of banter.. a magnetic pull, back and forth snide comments and fierceness (my absolute favourite), mixed with a ton of physical, emotional and sexual chemistry. Touch her you die. Look at her you lose a hand. De ja vu and a ton of history on both sides, but they’ve just met.. what’s going on?
The legion.. The institute, both drowning in mystery and secrets which you as a reader are left longing to unravel. Unspoken words, riddles. Lycans. Pegasus’. Witches.. and so much more. Such a complex and multilayered world with creatures like you’ve seen before, magic you could only dream of! All which is explained and so effortlessly and beautifully! Each revelation, or step there to.. left me riddled in GOOSEBUMPS.
The circle? The found family?! Where do I sign up (because I have FOMO) We have Master of disaster, Wyll. Fun, confident, outgoing, the hope everyone needs in their life. Caleb completes the manly trio. Genuine, kind, fucking smart! Nalaka comes across genuine, intuitive, kind hearted. Sakura is the calm in the storm, honest, the kindest soul. Vanessa coming from a judgemental family.. she rebellious, different⚡️The best friend everyone needs, one of my favourites!
This book opens up and takes fantasy / romantasy to another level. To be honest, calling it romantsy doesn’t even do it justice because the story is fucking stand out and there’s so much more depth & more layers to it then just love (though that is also 10/10, the yearning.. build up..🤫). The writing makes you feel like you’re part of their world instantly, character loses tore my heart in pieces - from page 1. The action scenes had me on the edge of my seat like it was my life on the line. I can’t even begin to explain the journey the story takes you on..
The way this is a debut aswell?! Readers aren’t ready! 3 words. Masterpiece. Materpiece. Masterpiece. 🐺🧙♀️🦇🧚♀️🦄
Avilyna was a troublemaker at a young age. Strong, stubborn, hard headed, truthful. Being a reader, her emotional vulnerability.. immediately relatable. Immediately a STAN. Awakenings, family secrets and revelations. She’s smart, dependable, beautiful. When life as she knows it is pulled beneath her feet.. she must learn & adapt quickly. For her? No problem! Strength and courage like no other, she’s one of a kind. BADASS.
Kai, if you’ve seen the sneak peaks over ri’s stories etc, you’ll know I immediately SQUEALED when I saw him name. He has our favourite MMC characteristics. That trademark “enemies to lovers” arrogance, but the eyes don’t lie, there’s more to him and I couldn’t wait to find out what! Observant, precise, a leader and a fighter. A vulnerability he keeps close to his chest. Scrutinised by his father, his freedom is limited. But for how long can that hold last?
First of all.. WOW. Immediate intrigue and attraction. First in the form of banter.. a magnetic pull, back and forth snide comments and fierceness (my absolute favourite), mixed with a ton of physical, emotional and sexual chemistry. Touch her you die. Look at her you lose a hand. De ja vu and a ton of history on both sides, but they’ve just met.. what’s going on?
The legion.. The institute, both drowning in mystery and secrets which you as a reader are left longing to unravel. Unspoken words, riddles. Lycans. Pegasus’. Witches.. and so much more. Such a complex and multilayered world with creatures like you’ve seen before, magic you could only dream of! All which is explained and so effortlessly and beautifully! Each revelation, or step there to.. left me riddled in GOOSEBUMPS.
The circle? The found family?! Where do I sign up (because I have FOMO) We have Master of disaster, Wyll. Fun, confident, outgoing, the hope everyone needs in their life. Caleb completes the manly trio. Genuine, kind, fucking smart! Nalaka comes across genuine, intuitive, kind hearted. Sakura is the calm in the storm, honest, the kindest soul. Vanessa coming from a judgemental family.. she rebellious, different⚡️The best friend everyone needs, one of my favourites!
This book opens up and takes fantasy / romantasy to another level. To be honest, calling it romantsy doesn’t even do it justice because the story is fucking stand out and there’s so much more depth & more layers to it then just love (though that is also 10/10, the yearning.. build up..🤫). The writing makes you feel like you’re part of their world instantly, character loses tore my heart in pieces - from page 1. The action scenes had me on the edge of my seat like it was my life on the line. I can’t even begin to explain the journey the story takes you on..
The way this is a debut aswell?! Readers aren’t ready! 3 words. Masterpiece. Materpiece. Masterpiece. 🐺🧙♀️🦇🧚♀️🦄
February 13, 2026
The wings of light book by RiRi H is such an amazing book to read. If you love, romantic and fantasy and war type school faded mates grumpy sunshine this book is everything you follow Avilyna the main character who lives in the mundane human world. She lives with who she knows as her dad Rey. They move around a lot town to town, but she always feels like she’s being watched and has these really bad nightmares from losing her brother and Mom in what she was told was a fire. She doesn’t remember who she really is and hasn’t come into her own with her magic abilities yet. Think rebellious teenager going to high school hangs out with some fun quirky friends. Just trying to find her way. She ends up going on a really bad date with a really popular guy who leaves the day early to find her dad and house under attack, she helps save her dad from these very scary demons that have been killing people in the mundane world. What she doesn’t know is they are actually after her. This tactical team pulls up in front of the house to help save her dad and tell her to pack her things and that she’s coming with them. Kai the male main character stays with her and helps her get her things in his grumpy soldier demeanor, and takes her on a journey to the world she really belongs to. After getting there, she ends up having to prove herself in this legion type or school. There’s lots of adventures she goes on with Kai and her new group of friends and training for war and different abilities. They end up fighting lots of demons in this book and slowly she starts to remember things in our past and who she really is and who was in her past with her. Later, on in the book she becomes the magical Valkyrie like her mom once was and is taken to the nether world. This book ends on a cliffhanger and I can’t wait to read book 2. They leave it with Avilyna being very worried about where she is and feeling trapped while her friends are back in Elgar traveling to other parts of the realm trying to survive and hide from Kai’s father. Kai’s friends and team are working on a plan to try and save Avilyna. This book is full of magical beings and magic called Kvirr. Reading this book was exhilarating. I listened to a playbook that the author put on Spotify. The playlist went really well with reading the book and it was like a full immersive experience. I would rate this honestly five stars. It is spicy. It is funny. It is action packed. It has levels of politics within war and the different creatures and the realms and lots of different enemies lurking whether they’re always trying to stop the demons.. if you loved fourth wing and the war college and are a big romantic reader, this Indie author is not one to be missed. I was so excited to be picked as an arc reader and I honestly think this book could be huge and I would love for you to add to your TBR. Thank you H for writing such an amazing story and inviting us into your world.
December 17, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 🌶️🌶️.5
(ARC read) | Release date: February 6th, 2026 ✨
“Unfortunately, like any legend, with time it gets altered, or worse.
Forgotten…”
this was such a fun one! 🤩
A world divided into realms, separated behind veils, hidden from each other. The powers of light and dark, forever engaged in battle. Magic and curses, demons and secrets, a history forgotten… for now 🤫
Featuring:
👥 Dual POV
🖤 Dark romantasy
🐺 Wolves, witches, elves, etc.
⚔️ War academy setting
🏡 Found family
☄️ Forced proximity
🔮 Prophecy
😶🌫️ Amnesia
“I could kill for a blunt right now.”
Avilyna, the FMC? Fierce, sassy, and so incredibly relatable 😭 a true “little terror” who I rooted for from her first page.
“I need a shower, a blistering, reality-scorching shower. Something to burn the disappointment out of my skin.“
Kai, the MMC? broody, broken, and BLONDE 🫢 the son of the general, though a commanding force in his own right. and who doesn’t love a touch-her-and-die type MMC??
“I knew you were a masochist, Princess, but trust me, I know way better ways to enjoy pain.”
In terms of spice - a few open door scenes on page! some spicy dreams and kinky behavior 🔪… definitely make sure to check the TW list prior to reading this!
“love, like all things, is not immune to betrayal.”
Overall, this was fun!
the world itself? so cool! I loved the mix of magical creatures, the different forms of magic, and the concept of worlds hidden behind veils.
the main characters? adored them both. and getting to have both of their POV as well? incredible. it made the story so much more interesting and helped to keep me entertained.
the plot? I love a good looming prophecy and secrets coming to light 🤭
+ mostly I am obsessed with the found family that is the Bloodhowl unit 🖤 they were so well detailed of side characters, each with their own individual personalities. I want to be a part of the unit and have them all as besties… 😮💨
plus Wyll and Van? my literal spirit animals. 😭
needless to say, I would definitely recommend adding this to the TBR! the concept was wonderful and I can’t wait to see where book 2 goes 🫣
TLDR; a debut dark romantasy, book 1 of an incomplete series. dual POV, at a war academy, with secrets looming behind every corner. would recommend!! 🐺🦄🧙🏻♀️🔮🖤
thank you to the author herself for the ARC!
all thoughts + opinions are my own ✨
(ARC read) | Release date: February 6th, 2026 ✨
“Unfortunately, like any legend, with time it gets altered, or worse.
Forgotten…”
this was such a fun one! 🤩
A world divided into realms, separated behind veils, hidden from each other. The powers of light and dark, forever engaged in battle. Magic and curses, demons and secrets, a history forgotten… for now 🤫
Featuring:
👥 Dual POV
🖤 Dark romantasy
🐺 Wolves, witches, elves, etc.
⚔️ War academy setting
🏡 Found family
☄️ Forced proximity
🔮 Prophecy
😶🌫️ Amnesia
“I could kill for a blunt right now.”
Avilyna, the FMC? Fierce, sassy, and so incredibly relatable 😭 a true “little terror” who I rooted for from her first page.
“I need a shower, a blistering, reality-scorching shower. Something to burn the disappointment out of my skin.“
Kai, the MMC? broody, broken, and BLONDE 🫢 the son of the general, though a commanding force in his own right. and who doesn’t love a touch-her-and-die type MMC??
“I knew you were a masochist, Princess, but trust me, I know way better ways to enjoy pain.”
In terms of spice - a few open door scenes on page! some spicy dreams and kinky behavior 🔪… definitely make sure to check the TW list prior to reading this!
“love, like all things, is not immune to betrayal.”
Overall, this was fun!
the world itself? so cool! I loved the mix of magical creatures, the different forms of magic, and the concept of worlds hidden behind veils.
the main characters? adored them both. and getting to have both of their POV as well? incredible. it made the story so much more interesting and helped to keep me entertained.
the plot? I love a good looming prophecy and secrets coming to light 🤭
+ mostly I am obsessed with the found family that is the Bloodhowl unit 🖤 they were so well detailed of side characters, each with their own individual personalities. I want to be a part of the unit and have them all as besties… 😮💨
plus Wyll and Van? my literal spirit animals. 😭
needless to say, I would definitely recommend adding this to the TBR! the concept was wonderful and I can’t wait to see where book 2 goes 🫣
TLDR; a debut dark romantasy, book 1 of an incomplete series. dual POV, at a war academy, with secrets looming behind every corner. would recommend!! 🐺🦄🧙🏻♀️🔮🖤
thank you to the author herself for the ARC!
all thoughts + opinions are my own ✨
Review of advance copy received from Author
Who doesn’t love an enemies-to-lovers arc paired with the chaos of a war college? Because I definitely do.
I just finished The Wings of Light by Riri H., and I can confidently say I LOVED IT!
The Wings of Light follows Avilyna as she transforms from an invisible teenager into a formidable soldier in an unfamiliar land, all while navigating the brutal demands of a daunting war college. Everything she thought she knew—about herself, her past, and her future—is turned on its head. Dreams once buried in the shadows begin to surface, and there’s no stopping the shift, no returning to the person she used to be. All Avilyna can do is fight: for answers, for the truth, and for her survival—while a certain blond-haired menace continually tests the fragile lines between enemy, trust, and love?
This was a strong romantasy read, featuring a well-developed plot, an intriguing world, and characters whose journey’s take you on an emotional rollercoaster. By the end, I wasn’t just on the edge of my seat, I was staring at the wall, jaw on the floor, trying to process everything that had just unfolded. I genuinely loved our FMC, Avilyna, and found myself invested not only in the slow-burn tension between her and Kai, but also in the friendships, compelling female characters, and the inclusion of less traditional mythical and fantasy creatures.
I’m happy to say this was my first read of 2026, and I’d absolutely recommend it to friends. I’m giving it a solid 4/5.
That said…just because I enjoyed it doesn’t mean it was perfect. Early on, the writing style felt more reminiscent of a 2016 fan fiction than a traditionally structured novel, and the intrigue didn’t fully hook me until around the third chapter. Additionally, I couldn’t help but notice a handful of spelling and grammatical errors throughout, which my very Type A brain immediately latched onto.
Even with these shortcomings, my enjoyment of the story only continued to grow, and having ended on a cliff hanger, I’m absolutely looking forward to the next instalment and dipping my toe back into this magical world. I hope everyone gets the chance to pick up a copy when it releases and enjoys it as much as I did. And as an added bonus, you’ll be supporting a Canadian author, which is truly the cherry on top!
I just finished The Wings of Light by Riri H., and I can confidently say I LOVED IT!
The Wings of Light follows Avilyna as she transforms from an invisible teenager into a formidable soldier in an unfamiliar land, all while navigating the brutal demands of a daunting war college. Everything she thought she knew—about herself, her past, and her future—is turned on its head. Dreams once buried in the shadows begin to surface, and there’s no stopping the shift, no returning to the person she used to be. All Avilyna can do is fight: for answers, for the truth, and for her survival—while a certain blond-haired menace continually tests the fragile lines between enemy, trust, and love?
This was a strong romantasy read, featuring a well-developed plot, an intriguing world, and characters whose journey’s take you on an emotional rollercoaster. By the end, I wasn’t just on the edge of my seat, I was staring at the wall, jaw on the floor, trying to process everything that had just unfolded. I genuinely loved our FMC, Avilyna, and found myself invested not only in the slow-burn tension between her and Kai, but also in the friendships, compelling female characters, and the inclusion of less traditional mythical and fantasy creatures.
I’m happy to say this was my first read of 2026, and I’d absolutely recommend it to friends. I’m giving it a solid 4/5.
That said…just because I enjoyed it doesn’t mean it was perfect. Early on, the writing style felt more reminiscent of a 2016 fan fiction than a traditionally structured novel, and the intrigue didn’t fully hook me until around the third chapter. Additionally, I couldn’t help but notice a handful of spelling and grammatical errors throughout, which my very Type A brain immediately latched onto.
Even with these shortcomings, my enjoyment of the story only continued to grow, and having ended on a cliff hanger, I’m absolutely looking forward to the next instalment and dipping my toe back into this magical world. I hope everyone gets the chance to pick up a copy when it releases and enjoys it as much as I did. And as an added bonus, you’ll be supporting a Canadian author, which is truly the cherry on top!
Review of advance copy received from Author
📣 ARC Review
📖 The wings of light - Riri H
⭐️ 5/5
First of all, The Wings of Light gets a solid five stars—no hesitation. I took longer to read this than I expected, but not because it dragged… quite the opposite. I was so deeply immersed in this world that I had absolutely no rush to leave it. When a book makes you want to live inside its pages, you know it’s something special 🖤✨
The FMC and MMC? Chef’s kiss 🤌🔥 Their dynamic is perfectly crafted—layered, intense, and charged with just enough tension to keep you constantly on edge. Every interaction felt intentional, meaningful, and addictive. You can’t help but crave more of them together.
Set primarily within a war college, the story follows Avilyna as she navigates a life that feels both new and hauntingly familiar. As she struggles to uncover who she truly is, fragmented visions of her past blur the line between memory and mystery.
Enter Kai—the intensely possessive MMC whose life, until Avilyna’s arrival, was ruled entirely by duty and discipline. As their paths collide, duty and desire begin to blur, and Kai finds himself torn between the role he’s always upheld and the pull of a woman who changes everything. Alongside him, Avilyna finds a found family within the Bloodhound unit—fiercely loyal, unyielding in their protection… but loyalty like theirs always comes at a cost ⚔️🩸
✨ Tropes You’ll Love ✨
🖤 Dual POV 🕰️ Dual Timeline 🔥 Alpha Male 😤 Grumpy / Grumpy 🤍 Found Family
I don’t want to go too far into this review because I have a serious problem with over-sharing 😅 and honestly? This is one of those books you just need to experience for yourself. Avilyna’s story grips you tightly and refuses to let go.
When I finished, I immediately messaged Riri because I was so awe-struck:
“I think your book has broken my brain because I cannot put together a review to do it the justice it deserves 🫣🖤”
Thank you so much, Riri H, for gifting me this incredible ARC. I genuinely cannot wait to dive into the next book and continue this journey 🫶🏼✨
📖 The wings of light - Riri H
⭐️ 5/5
First of all, The Wings of Light gets a solid five stars—no hesitation. I took longer to read this than I expected, but not because it dragged… quite the opposite. I was so deeply immersed in this world that I had absolutely no rush to leave it. When a book makes you want to live inside its pages, you know it’s something special 🖤✨
The FMC and MMC? Chef’s kiss 🤌🔥 Their dynamic is perfectly crafted—layered, intense, and charged with just enough tension to keep you constantly on edge. Every interaction felt intentional, meaningful, and addictive. You can’t help but crave more of them together.
Set primarily within a war college, the story follows Avilyna as she navigates a life that feels both new and hauntingly familiar. As she struggles to uncover who she truly is, fragmented visions of her past blur the line between memory and mystery.
Enter Kai—the intensely possessive MMC whose life, until Avilyna’s arrival, was ruled entirely by duty and discipline. As their paths collide, duty and desire begin to blur, and Kai finds himself torn between the role he’s always upheld and the pull of a woman who changes everything. Alongside him, Avilyna finds a found family within the Bloodhound unit—fiercely loyal, unyielding in their protection… but loyalty like theirs always comes at a cost ⚔️🩸
✨ Tropes You’ll Love ✨
🖤 Dual POV 🕰️ Dual Timeline 🔥 Alpha Male 😤 Grumpy / Grumpy 🤍 Found Family
I don’t want to go too far into this review because I have a serious problem with over-sharing 😅 and honestly? This is one of those books you just need to experience for yourself. Avilyna’s story grips you tightly and refuses to let go.
When I finished, I immediately messaged Riri because I was so awe-struck:
“I think your book has broken my brain because I cannot put together a review to do it the justice it deserves 🫣🖤”
Thank you so much, Riri H, for gifting me this incredible ARC. I genuinely cannot wait to dive into the next book and continue this journey 🫶🏼✨
Review of advance copy
The Wings of Light by Riri H Rating: ★★★☆☆
“I’m drowning, and Kai’s the only thing that seems to keep me afloat.”
This book has a lot of ingredients I usually love: a hidden magical world, an academy setting, prophecy and fate, and a cast that leans into found family. Once Avilyna is pulled into Elgar, the story settles into its strongest lane. Elgar itself is the highlight for me, with elves, witches, lycans, and the lingering tension of past wars creating a setting that feels fun to explore. I also appreciated the dual POV, the mental health representation, and the way the amnesia thread adds extra intrigue.
Where it lost me a bit was pacing and character arc progression. For the page count, I expected more ground covered, especially when it came to Avilyna’s growth. The story reads like a mash-up of familiar vibes, with moments that reminded me more of Fourth Wing than the epic, sweeping fantasy feel I was hoping for.
Kai and Avilyna’s dynamic was also hit-or-miss for me. The secret attraction is there, but the antagonism in their banter sometimes felt unnecessarily sharp rather than entertaining, which made parts of the romance feel more abrupt than earned. On the other hand, the side characters were easier to enjoy early on, and there are definitely scenes where the prose turns lyrical and atmospheric.
Overall, this was a solid read with a strong concept and a compelling magical backdrop. I’m curious to see what book two does with the ending and the bigger questions it raises.
ARC disclosure: I received a free copy of this book as an ARC reader in exchange for an honest review. This did not impact my review in any way, shape, or form.
Thank you to Riri H and their team for letting me be an ARC reader.
February 2, 2026
This is exactly what I needed! Thank you Riri for letting me have a chance to eARC read this before it releases on Feb 6!
If you want a story with dark urban fantasy, fallen warriors, blocked memories, mythical creatures ( Lycans, Elves, Witches, Vampyrs etc) with a FMC who grows into her strength instead of knowing how to be perfect in a new world and the romance tension is between the FMC & MMC feels very fluid. This is the book for you. It started off with the mmc very girl obsessed but didn’t want to be lol, and she wanted nothing to do with him to begin with until a nice moment happens and truths surface, the found family in this was no other. It was funny, messy, and exactly how a chosen family should exactly feel like with deep love even when you hate each other.
The world building was different, it was given to us and then some pieces were like a puzzle piece when you were to question something it eventually fell into place. I enjoyed that the author gave us a map and pronunciation chart for some of the characters it really helped when you’re small brained like me and sometimes can’t pronounce something lol. The world was light and dark all at the same time, good and evil, left me feeling like I was right about something’s but then I wasn’t, which I throughly enjoyed some things weren’t obvious. It was very easy to visual the characters and world, I feel like this is always a hard thing for me, if I can’t visualize then I have a hard time with the story even if I enjoy it.
The romance was a solid 2.5 out of 5, the world was 4 out of 5, character building 5 out of 5, and over all story is a 4.5 out of 5. Thank you again to the author for the chance to read this! I can’t wait for book two!
If you want a story with dark urban fantasy, fallen warriors, blocked memories, mythical creatures ( Lycans, Elves, Witches, Vampyrs etc) with a FMC who grows into her strength instead of knowing how to be perfect in a new world and the romance tension is between the FMC & MMC feels very fluid. This is the book for you. It started off with the mmc very girl obsessed but didn’t want to be lol, and she wanted nothing to do with him to begin with until a nice moment happens and truths surface, the found family in this was no other. It was funny, messy, and exactly how a chosen family should exactly feel like with deep love even when you hate each other.
The world building was different, it was given to us and then some pieces were like a puzzle piece when you were to question something it eventually fell into place. I enjoyed that the author gave us a map and pronunciation chart for some of the characters it really helped when you’re small brained like me and sometimes can’t pronounce something lol. The world was light and dark all at the same time, good and evil, left me feeling like I was right about something’s but then I wasn’t, which I throughly enjoyed some things weren’t obvious. It was very easy to visual the characters and world, I feel like this is always a hard thing for me, if I can’t visualize then I have a hard time with the story even if I enjoy it.
The romance was a solid 2.5 out of 5, the world was 4 out of 5, character building 5 out of 5, and over all story is a 4.5 out of 5. Thank you again to the author for the chance to read this! I can’t wait for book two!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Netgalley, Riri and the publisher for the eArc. All opinions are my own.
The Wings of Light is a dark romantasy with equal parts war academia x alphaholes and spice that'll make you say oh my. This is Shadowhunters all grown up. There is a rich fantasy world populated by a variety of different races, as well as a fairly unique magic system. We also get a romance that's full of steamy tension; if you like a man who yearns boy will you love Kai! Our FMC, Avilyna, is a badass who starts a badass and...just keeps being a badass. I find her very likable, especially her struggles with anxiety and mental health, but I had hoped we would potentially see more growth. Overall though this is a fantastic debut!
The found family is by far my favourite part of this book; we have the most hilarious and adorable cast of side characters. They don't necessarily have complex backstories, at least not that we see on-page in book 1, but their connection and banter feels so genuine. Wyll and his love of the mundane (human) world is my favourite; gotta love a man who snarks. I did feel there is an overall lack of character development, though I'm hopefully after the events at the end (spoilers) we'll get to see some of that progression in book 2. And oh my that ending! The last 40% or so of the book had me completely gripped, and I felt like that's when the story really picked up speed. I do feel like there were some pacing issues with the first half of the book in that the pace was a little inconsistent. But you can tell the author really found her storytelling stride by the end. I'm really intrigued with the world and how the story will evolve as the series progresses, and I honestly can't wait to ready book 2!
The Wings of Light is a dark romantasy with equal parts war academia x alphaholes and spice that'll make you say oh my. This is Shadowhunters all grown up. There is a rich fantasy world populated by a variety of different races, as well as a fairly unique magic system. We also get a romance that's full of steamy tension; if you like a man who yearns boy will you love Kai! Our FMC, Avilyna, is a badass who starts a badass and...just keeps being a badass. I find her very likable, especially her struggles with anxiety and mental health, but I had hoped we would potentially see more growth. Overall though this is a fantastic debut!
The found family is by far my favourite part of this book; we have the most hilarious and adorable cast of side characters. They don't necessarily have complex backstories, at least not that we see on-page in book 1, but their connection and banter feels so genuine. Wyll and his love of the mundane (human) world is my favourite; gotta love a man who snarks. I did feel there is an overall lack of character development, though I'm hopefully after the events at the end (spoilers) we'll get to see some of that progression in book 2. And oh my that ending! The last 40% or so of the book had me completely gripped, and I felt like that's when the story really picked up speed. I do feel like there were some pacing issues with the first half of the book in that the pace was a little inconsistent. But you can tell the author really found her storytelling stride by the end. I'm really intrigued with the world and how the story will evolve as the series progresses, and I honestly can't wait to ready book 2!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you to the author for giving me an ARC copy!
"I don't belong to anyones legacy but my own."
I loved this story and think that this is a wonderful debut to begin in the mystical world of Elgar and beyond ✨
This story weaved a world of magic, with creatures of all kinds, and battles waiting to be fought. A group of troublemakers that formed lifelong bonds - the found family in these dynamics and the trust, loyalty, and love that develops throughout the book was one of my favorite elements.
The Wings Of Light delivers on the BANTER and the DELICIOUS TENSION!!!!!!!! I highlighted so many lines because the mmc Kai has such a yummy mouth on him, and the amazing fmc, Avilyna, knows how to give it right back - tenfold. Kai and Vi make for an interesting duo and you don't know if their next interaction is going to lead to them fighting, sharing a vulnerable moment, or saying fuck it! and letting the desire absolutely devour them 🤭
All the characters were beautifully written; delving into pain and allowing yourself to embrace parts of themselves they've hidden away in the pits of themselves, that they were too fearful to ever acknowledge. This story weaved one of pain and resilience, and the continuous battle life can throw at us - even living in a fantastical world (one that I might add is complex and different than any other I've read!)
I cannot wait to see how the rest of the story unfolds, the cliffhanger has left me salivating and anxiously waiting for more...
Congrats Riri! You absolutely smashed it 💖💫
All this to say.. read this book!!!!!!
"You're worth everything. The world, my soul. I'd burn it all down for you."
Fucking SWOON
5 ⭐️'s
3 🌶️'s
"I don't belong to anyones legacy but my own."
I loved this story and think that this is a wonderful debut to begin in the mystical world of Elgar and beyond ✨
This story weaved a world of magic, with creatures of all kinds, and battles waiting to be fought. A group of troublemakers that formed lifelong bonds - the found family in these dynamics and the trust, loyalty, and love that develops throughout the book was one of my favorite elements.
The Wings Of Light delivers on the BANTER and the DELICIOUS TENSION!!!!!!!! I highlighted so many lines because the mmc Kai has such a yummy mouth on him, and the amazing fmc, Avilyna, knows how to give it right back - tenfold. Kai and Vi make for an interesting duo and you don't know if their next interaction is going to lead to them fighting, sharing a vulnerable moment, or saying fuck it! and letting the desire absolutely devour them 🤭
All the characters were beautifully written; delving into pain and allowing yourself to embrace parts of themselves they've hidden away in the pits of themselves, that they were too fearful to ever acknowledge. This story weaved one of pain and resilience, and the continuous battle life can throw at us - even living in a fantastical world (one that I might add is complex and different than any other I've read!)
I cannot wait to see how the rest of the story unfolds, the cliffhanger has left me salivating and anxiously waiting for more...
Congrats Riri! You absolutely smashed it 💖💫
All this to say.. read this book!!!!!!
"You're worth everything. The world, my soul. I'd burn it all down for you."
Fucking SWOON
5 ⭐️'s
3 🌶️'s
February 27, 2026
The Wings of Light by Riri H. is a truly unforgettable experience. From the opening chapter, the story pulls you into a beautifully imagined world filled with emotion, depth, and quiet intensity. The writing feels natural yet evocative, painting vivid scenes while allowing the characters’ inner journeys to shine just as brightly as the external events.
What impressed me most was the emotional authenticity. The characters feel real! They're not perfect, not predictable, but layered and human. Their growth unfolds in a way that feels earned, and their struggles resonate long after you finish reading. The found family trope was executed perfectly; the bonds between the characters feel organic, powerful, and deeply comforting. Watching them choose each other again and again adds so much warmth and meaning to the story.
This is a book for readers who crave a messy love story full of raw emotion, the kind that hurts, heals, and surprises you all at once. The romance isn’t neat or simple; it’s complicated, intense, and beautifully imperfect. On top of that, the plot is packed with intrigue, twists, and tension that keep you turning the pages.
Riri H. balances tenderness with drama, intimacy with suspense, and heartbreak with hope. It’s emotional, gripping, and ultimately uplifting. The Wings of Light is a story that lingers in your heart long after the final page. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone looking for a dark romance mixed with romantasy.
I can't wait for book two because that ending was crazy!!!!! I have so many questions!!!
5⭐️
4🌶️
Check TW!
18+
Tropes:
Found family
Enemies to lovers
Slow burn romance
Morally grey characters
Secrets
What impressed me most was the emotional authenticity. The characters feel real! They're not perfect, not predictable, but layered and human. Their growth unfolds in a way that feels earned, and their struggles resonate long after you finish reading. The found family trope was executed perfectly; the bonds between the characters feel organic, powerful, and deeply comforting. Watching them choose each other again and again adds so much warmth and meaning to the story.
This is a book for readers who crave a messy love story full of raw emotion, the kind that hurts, heals, and surprises you all at once. The romance isn’t neat or simple; it’s complicated, intense, and beautifully imperfect. On top of that, the plot is packed with intrigue, twists, and tension that keep you turning the pages.
Riri H. balances tenderness with drama, intimacy with suspense, and heartbreak with hope. It’s emotional, gripping, and ultimately uplifting. The Wings of Light is a story that lingers in your heart long after the final page. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone looking for a dark romance mixed with romantasy.
I can't wait for book two because that ending was crazy!!!!! I have so many questions!!!
5⭐️
4🌶️
Check TW!
18+
Tropes:
Found family
Enemies to lovers
Slow burn romance
Morally grey characters
Secrets
December 18, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
That was a wild ride. I was hooked immediately because it’s a dark romantasy, set at a war academy. Honestly, say less.
I absolutely love Lyna, the FMC. She’s complicated and stubborn, not your typical small and frail heroine, and she struggles with anxiety. The mental health rep was definitely a nice addition. Then there’s Kai, the MMC, who is endlessly fascinating. He’s a lycan, which immediately had my attention, with massive daddy issues, a secret love for art that you definitely should not ask him about, and an obsession with his motorcycle. He’s tough and hardheaded like most soldiers, but he cares deeply about his best friends, Wyll and Caleb, and of course, Lyna.
Lyna also has her own group of best friends who are completely ride or die. I’m such a sucker for found family, and this whole group melted my heart. They would truly go to the ends of the world for one another.
Lyna has no memories before the age of eight so a lot of the story is her putting the pieces together of what really happened. And I loved how every memory flashback is italicized, which makes it so easy to know when you’re slipping into the past. The spice absolutely delivers, and it firmly sits in dark romance territory, so definitely check your triggers. The pacing is great, there’s constant action, and there’s never a dull moment. Naturally, it ends on a cliffhanger, and I’m already desperate for more.
Despite the title, The Wings of Light, this story is much darker than it sounds, but if this feels like it’s up your alley, be sure to check it out on February 6, 2026.
That was a wild ride. I was hooked immediately because it’s a dark romantasy, set at a war academy. Honestly, say less.
I absolutely love Lyna, the FMC. She’s complicated and stubborn, not your typical small and frail heroine, and she struggles with anxiety. The mental health rep was definitely a nice addition. Then there’s Kai, the MMC, who is endlessly fascinating. He’s a lycan, which immediately had my attention, with massive daddy issues, a secret love for art that you definitely should not ask him about, and an obsession with his motorcycle. He’s tough and hardheaded like most soldiers, but he cares deeply about his best friends, Wyll and Caleb, and of course, Lyna.
Lyna also has her own group of best friends who are completely ride or die. I’m such a sucker for found family, and this whole group melted my heart. They would truly go to the ends of the world for one another.
Lyna has no memories before the age of eight so a lot of the story is her putting the pieces together of what really happened. And I loved how every memory flashback is italicized, which makes it so easy to know when you’re slipping into the past. The spice absolutely delivers, and it firmly sits in dark romance territory, so definitely check your triggers. The pacing is great, there’s constant action, and there’s never a dull moment. Naturally, it ends on a cliffhanger, and I’m already desperate for more.
Despite the title, The Wings of Light, this story is much darker than it sounds, but if this feels like it’s up your alley, be sure to check it out on February 6, 2026.
February 11, 2026
woah…that was all so crazy. what a fun book, not without its flaws, though. Let’s start with the positives. Firstly, I loved the way this was structured. We’d bounce from the modern day to flashbacks that slowly revealed more about the mystery of Avilyna’s past. I loved these inclusions because it kept me engaged. I knew things weren’t as it seemed, but getting more scraps of the past made things fun, trying to connect pieces before the reveal.
I also enjoyed how the plot was paced. It didn’t feel like it dragged as we had to build the world and meet the characters. I loved the found family aspect of this story, it was at its best when we got little normal moments between the group. I also enjoyed the action scenes. It could have been boring, but it wasn’t. It felt like we had real stakes and I enjoyed that. That ending was crazy, and I’m already so nervous for the next book.
I think the weakest aspect for me was unfortunately the central romance. I think it could have been fixed if Kai got his first pov later into the book at a more central point in their dynamic. It kinda ruined the mystique a little that he was already so obsessed with her like 7 chapters in. The pacing of the relationship was my only real issue with the book, but maybe it’s because I wasn’t in an insta lust mood.
Overall, this was a fun and enjoyable read. It’s certainly a 4 star read for me, and I can’t wait for the next one. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.
I also enjoyed how the plot was paced. It didn’t feel like it dragged as we had to build the world and meet the characters. I loved the found family aspect of this story, it was at its best when we got little normal moments between the group. I also enjoyed the action scenes. It could have been boring, but it wasn’t. It felt like we had real stakes and I enjoyed that. That ending was crazy, and I’m already so nervous for the next book.
I think the weakest aspect for me was unfortunately the central romance. I think it could have been fixed if Kai got his first pov later into the book at a more central point in their dynamic. It kinda ruined the mystique a little that he was already so obsessed with her like 7 chapters in. The pacing of the relationship was my only real issue with the book, but maybe it’s because I wasn’t in an insta lust mood.
Overall, this was a fun and enjoyable read. It’s certainly a 4 star read for me, and I can’t wait for the next one. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.
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