Oath of Sacrifice : A fast paced YA Dystopian Romantasy

by Roxan Burley

One hundred years ago, the creatures of legend emerged from the shadows to help mankind in World War II. Now a new war is on the horizon, one which will test both sides to destruction.

Peace is a fractured dream. Hope is an illusion. Rebellion the only reality.

It’s been six weeks since they escaped Domas. On a remote Scottish island, Cole has begun to heal, clinging tightly to the fragile peace he’s found with Eira, a life he’s terrified to lose.

Eira is chasing hope with everything she has, pouring herself into a risky project that might bring her brother back. She’s ignoring the toll it’s taking on her because stopping means facing the truth of her own problems.

Meanwhile, Oran, heartbroken and hollowed by grief, teeters on the edge of oblivion. He can’t even look at his daughter, let alone raise her.

When a body washes ashore, the illusion of safety shatters. A silent warning that the war they have started has only just began. Cole, Eira, and Oran must confront the truth they’ve each tried to escape. Do they have the strength to sacrifice everything to finish what they started?

383 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 13, 2025

About the author

Roxan Burley is an author who delves into the intense world of dystopian fantasy, one where the segregation of magic has a powerful resonance on her characters abilities to change society. She also runs her own business as an interior designer. She lives in rural Devon where she is converting a barn with her husband, two children and their many pets. She spent her childhood lost in the world of magic and the possibilities it could create. She finally put pen to paper, despite the challenge of being dyslexic, with her debut adult novel Bloodstream of Moonlight in her Equal Rise series.

Connect with me on Instagram @roxanburleyauthor

Reviews

[Ams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick wee disclaimer before I jump into this one: I have not read the other books in this series. So whilst I did really enjoy it, there may be bits I have missed. However, it didn’t stop me from truly endulging in this book (and as a plus makes me want to read the others!)

We jump into a fantastical world where our main characters have found themselves on a remote scottish island. Things are tense in the air. With a body washing ashore, their safety net is coming loose with the knowing impact of the war they started beginning to surface.

This is a true emotionally TIGHT book. I truly felt on the edge of what the characters were processing as the story went on. I love a good found family, and I loved that each chapter worked in multiple (clear) POVs rather than chapter by chapter POVs (was very interesting to see work).

You need to check this one out!

Thank you to Roxan Burley and LBT for sending me this book!

[Toni Everett · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all Roxan…HOW VERY DARE YOU FOR LEAVING US WITH THAT ENDING?!?

Now that’s out of the way second of all Roxan… THANK YOU SO MUCH for dragging my emotions YET AGAIN up, down, left, right and all the inbetweens 😅 just about recovered from the events of the second book and now I don’t know what’s going on and while I hate that I absolutely LOVE IT too 😅

It’s hard to write what I want to say without spoiling the other two books!!

Oran Eira and Cole are literally found family goals and I’m so invested in their bonds and how they are connected and we get to know a lot more about that throughout this book 🤩

I loved that we got a few chapters from a couple of different characters POV in this book including Valko the shape shifting fox I really liked him in the last book so was interesting to see events through his eyes.

I’m obsessed with The Equal Rise series Roxan has truly created something special and as always I’m equally as scared as I am excited to see where the next book takes us 🤩 I’ll be waiting as patiently as I can until then 🤩✨

[Fatguyreading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oath of Sacrifice is book three in the Equal Rise series and having read book one (Bloodstream of Moonlight), and book two (Bond of Eternity), I was really looking forward to this read, and it certainly did not disappoint.

Before I get into my review, let's talk about the cover. It's absolutely strikingly beautiful and serene. I love that the same colour palette has been used, silver, white, grey. It really does draw your attention as being quite unique, and I'm sure it'll stand out on any bookshelf.

Now onto the review.

We jump right back into the dystopian U.K world of the first two books with our main characters and intrepid heroes Cole, Eira and Oran, this time on an atmospheric, remote Scottish island. Following on from the events of book two, book three continues the theme with a fantasy setting and a story that's engaging and interesting, in a world where mythical creatures like elves, trolls and gargoyles live amongst humans.

Book three resumes the story building, and we continue to learn more about our main characters, their relationships feel natural and organic, and there is a decent level of world building.

I enjoyed meeting some new characters too, from their points of view and really enjoyed the twists and turns to the tale, Roxan really is a master of the art

All in all, just an emotional rollercoaster, and an excellent final installment to the series.

Be sure to pick up your copies of all three books. I'm sure, like me, you'll love them.

A big 5 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.

[Cathy Pike · Rating 4 out of 5]

My rating is actually 4.5 stars but Goodreads doesn't allow for partial stars.

This is book 3 in the equal rise series and picks up six weeks after the heart stopping end of book 2. We find our trio requested on the remote Scottish island where Ira lived after her mother‘s death. They are trying to come to terms with the tragic events and deep betrayals that we were witness two in book 2, but our trio know that their work is far from over if they want to read the world of the dark for good.

Oh my God this book was amazing. The skill Roxanne has to rip our hearts out and destroy us one minute, only to flip it on its head and show us the beauty and joy of family, of love, is mind blowing, and one I envy. Her world building is awesome, the characters have so much depth to them that I could quite easily believe they are real people, flaws and all. The storyline is fantastic and I have to say that for some unknown reason I thought this was the last book, and I got to the last hundred pages and knew that there were so many unanswered questions that it couldn’t possibly be the end, and I cannot begin to tell you how thankful I am to know that it’s not. I can’t wait for the next instalment in this awesome series. This was a strong 4.5 star read for me and I would highly recommend. If you haven’t read this series yet, what are you doing? You need this series in your life, like now!

[Charlotte (thepennotthesword) · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Every time I return to this series, I know I am in for a brilliant read. I loved being back with the clan and this incredible cast of characters I’ve grown attached to! Roxan Burley definitely doesn’t make it easy for them, putting them through the wringer even when they have brief moments of joy and happiness!

The stakes are already high, as books 1 and 2 have proven, yet somehow they continue to escalate with every chapter, and Oath of Sacrifice is one of the most gripping books in the series so far. I was hooked throughout, and genuinely couldn’t put it down - I carried it with me everywhere! Every time I thought we were going to be given a brief respite from the imminent war and fight ahead, another twist or problem hit!

And then, just when I thought we had been put through enough, we were hit with that ending! That cliffhanger is unbelievably cruel! I closed the book in shock, desperate for the next book because I NEED to know what happens next.

A brilliant continuation of a fantasy series I continue to love, filled with tension, life or death situations at every turn, and a whole lot of heart, the kind that is worth fighting for. Now if I could please just have the next book like right now, that would be amazing!

[Sonja Charters · Rating 4 out of 5]

After being introduced to this author and series last year, I can't believe that I'm already back with the third book in the Equal Rise series.

I loved books 1&2 - Bloodstream Of Moonlight and Bond Of Eternity and couldn't wait to dive into this next episode.

 

Now, this is not a series that you want to read out of order as the events follow through each book and I don't feel would really make as much sense or impact as a standalone read.

 

So, after being left on that ending (again) in book 2, I couldn't wait to continue the journey and find out what was going to happen next.

This book follows on perfectly, meeting back with the characters only six weeks after the shocking events that left us reeling at the end of book 2.

 

Although its almost a year since I read Bonds, I still found it super easy to fall straight back into this world and was once again totally immersed from page 1.

We spend some time recovering from the previous events and I really liked that we learn much more about the history of our trio.

This really added layers to these characters and if possible, made them even more relatable.

 

As they plan their next mission, we see the bonds between the group strengthen further and the pace ramps back up again to take us on another emotional rollercoaster to the end - which I'll just say....prepare yourself.

As much as I thought this was the final book, this ending leaves us in no question as I still have questions and that cliffhanger ...well that just left me having to take a minute to process!

 

Yet another brilliant read - I have to get my hands on book 4 asap!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oath of Sacrifice is the third book in the Equal Rise Series. Like in Bond of Eternity, the book continues straight on from the end of book two, where we saw Oran heartbroken.

Unlike the first two books, which were fast-paced and action-packed from the start, this book takes a step back. The first half of the book is more background and world-building. More details on why Eira, Cole and Oran have the powers they have and the origins of the pure stones.

Once we have the history, and watch Eira and Cole's relationship grow deeper, we are then faced with the looming challenge of rescuing Eira and Oran's father!

Will the plan work? Will everyone come out of the rescue mission alive? Will Roxan complete a hat-trick of ripping our hearts out just as the book finishes? The answer to one of those questions is - "absolutely YES"! But which one?

This series is amazing. I am fully invested in the Equal Rise Series, but I'm not sure my heart can take much more with this trio!

[Miss E · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book 3 in the Equal rise series which is a YA dystopian romantasy that I’ve enjoyed all 3 books of recently.

The Scottish island setting is really fitting and we are back to our beloved characters with a great found family theme.

The story is engaging and emotion evoking, i do think you should have read the first 2 books before this one to really feel the character connection fully.

I think the fast paced,character driven plot is really enjoyable and the way this author leaves each instalment with questions to be answered makes you want to read on and ready for each new chapter and ultimately needing to read the next book.

Do you enjoy a multi-pov magical book with adventure,shape shifters and gargoyles? Because thats exactly what you will get here-will you be getting your copy?

[Kellys.bookcorner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this straight off the back of book 2 had me still knee deep in the the rollercoaster of this series and the trauma of book 2 ending.

This continues off the ending of book 2 written in the same style as the previous books with different POV. It brings the feeling of that found family that’s built as well as really gripping you in the tense moments.

Roxan has an ability to create and keep the tension throughout the books in this series, maintaining a good balance from battering the characters with adversity then switch that to moments of joy, found family and love.

The characters bonds continue to build and I enjoy each of them.

I cannot go without mentioning that I’m starting to believe Roxan has a mission of leaving us gasping, stunned or emotionally wrung out from the rollercoaster at the end of her books.

[Emma_bookaholic · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a brilliant series! Roxan really knows how to world build and create characters you care about! This one follows on from book two and there is so much happening in the world of Oran, Eira and Cole.

The knowledge stones, the heart stones and others have a big part in this book. They are all connected in some way or another to magic and each other. We meet some new characters but also meet up with other well loved individuals like the triplets.

I really enjoyed this series and if you like a series that mixes mortals with immortals, shape shifters, gargoyles and magic, this is for you!

Also, the covers of these books are stunning! So many details and every time I look, I see something new!

[Marcia - itsabookthing2021 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found Oath of Sacrifice a really good read, I liked the storyline and I must admit I'm quite partial to a gargoyle story or two.
I love how this novel is written, the way the emotions feel like I'm on a rollercoaster experiencing every up and down.
I like how this novel is multiple point of view, I love this format as I always feel I connect more with the characters. The bond between Eira, Cole and Oran I especially liked, I love the way the found family trope was used in this novel.
The world building like in the others is great and the more in-depth build up of everything made me hungry for more. I love how we got more about the stones, the character driven plot and the pacing made it all for a great read.

[Tami Wylie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 3 in the equal rise series, this one picks up six weeks after the previous book. The main characters are hiding on the remote Scottish Island, trying to process the events from book 2. This novel is absolutely amazing with it’s stunning world building and life like characters, the book(and the rest of the series) is an immersive experience that leaps off the page,not just a book. The author has a talent for taking her audience on an emotional journey that leaves you completely stunned at the end with a heart pounding cliffhanger. I can’t recommend this series enough.

[Stacy Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

We are back with eira, cole and oran for the third and final book in the equal rise series. Thia book is deep in the world, about copy with greif and loss. We carry on where we left off from book 2. Oran deep in greif and guilt and loosing nelka and having his daughter. Seeing eira getting through to him, tactics and the next stage of survival, it has you feeling evwrything with them seeing new powers and them getting strongwr together. That ending omg cant leave it like that i need to know about nelka.

[Sam Symonds · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Oath of Sacrifice! In fact the whole Equal Rise series has been an emotional rollercoaster full of complex characters and incredible world building!
The main aspect of this book for me is the emotions! Burley’s writing makes you feel everything the characters go through and it is quite the ride!
The characters are also multi dimensional and as fascinating as they are complex.
If you like your Romantasy dystopian and full of emotional writing and interesting characters, then the Equal Rise series is for you!

[Sue Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oath of Sacrifice by Roxan Burle.
Equal Rise Book 3.
I really did enjoy this book. I love this series. I loved the cover and blurb of this book. I did like Eira straight away. I loved Cole, Oran, and Eira bonds. I loved the writing style and the story. I loved everything about this book. There was nothing I didn't like. oh my the ending. I'm looking forward to the next book. I definitely recommend this series.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been eagerly awaiting this next book in the series. I was so glad to return to the magical version of our world that the author has envisioned. Of course the story has a main focus around Eira and Cole but I was just as excited to have more from the other side characters (in particular the gargoyle!)

Book three is set on a dystopian version of a Scottish island. The story continues just weeks after the end of book two. The storyline is fantastic but more than anything the book is really character driven. I love the bond between Eira, Cole and Oran.

But, the ending. There is so much left unanswered. I need more!

[Katsbookishbanter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Oath of Sacrifice. The story pulled me in quickly, and I found myself invested in the characters and their journeys. There was a good balance of action, emotion, and character development, and I appreciated the themes of loyalty and sacrifice throughout the book.

The only reason I’m giving it 4 stars instead of 5 is that a few parts felt a bit predictable, and I would have liked some plot points to be explored in more depth. Even so, it was an engaging and satisfying read that kept me turning the pages. I’d happily recommend it to anyone who enjoys character-driven fantasy, and I’ll definitely be reading more from this author.