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Forged in Ruin & Turmoil
Strength. Heartache. Betrayal.
Reyna was born a drudge—voiceless and invisible in the ruthless Blood Kingdom, where power is everything, and love is a dangerous weakness. Where she's spent her life enduring cruelty, but when the High Council commits an unforgivable act, Reyna finally breaks. Escaping with nothing but her pain and determination, she flees into the unknown.
Welcome to Ellyshia—a land full with power, danger, and fractured alliances.
Reyna struggles to survive in a land that feels just as cruel as the one she left behind. But fate isn't done with her. Captured by a cold, duty-bound fae prince with emerald eyes and a brooding temper, Reyna finds herself torn between fury and something far more dangerous—hope. While her heart still carries the scars from a love ripped from her grasp, new feelings begin to spark where she least expects them.
As war brews and ancient enemies rise, Reyna must confront the truth about who she is and what she's willing to fight for. Loyalties will be tested, blood will be spilled, and secrets buried in the shadows will come to light.
Will she rise and answer fates call—or be consumed by the vengeance she's carried for too long?
Forged in Ruin & Turmoil is perfect for readers who crave a fast paced romantasy novel, with slow burn enemies to lovers tension, high-stakes prophecy, and a vibrant dangerous world brimming with vengeance and power.
Reyna was born a drudge—voiceless and invisible in the ruthless Blood Kingdom, where power is everything, and love is a dangerous weakness. Where she's spent her life enduring cruelty, but when the High Council commits an unforgivable act, Reyna finally breaks. Escaping with nothing but her pain and determination, she flees into the unknown.
Welcome to Ellyshia—a land full with power, danger, and fractured alliances.
Reyna struggles to survive in a land that feels just as cruel as the one she left behind. But fate isn't done with her. Captured by a cold, duty-bound fae prince with emerald eyes and a brooding temper, Reyna finds herself torn between fury and something far more dangerous—hope. While her heart still carries the scars from a love ripped from her grasp, new feelings begin to spark where she least expects them.
As war brews and ancient enemies rise, Reyna must confront the truth about who she is and what she's willing to fight for. Loyalties will be tested, blood will be spilled, and secrets buried in the shadows will come to light.
Will she rise and answer fates call—or be consumed by the vengeance she's carried for too long?
Forged in Ruin & Turmoil is perfect for readers who crave a fast paced romantasy novel, with slow burn enemies to lovers tension, high-stakes prophecy, and a vibrant dangerous world brimming with vengeance and power.
- GenresFantasyFaeYoung Adult
475 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 4, 2025
13 people are currently reading
165 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
October 30, 2025
Thank you so much to Kiana for the free ARC! All opinions are my own.
This book is about a group of young adults who are considered “lowborn” in a place where status and power mean everything. The main FMC has this internal battle between saving her family/vengeance and doing what the fates are trying to guide her to do. There’s this interesting magic system between different species connecting them all but also separating them in their own unique way.
Unfortunately this book was just not it for me. I tried really hard to like the FMC but she felt too juvenile and selfish for me to really like her. She is loyal to her family without a doubt but that clouded her judgement so much it made me angry at her! This story also felt like too many things were being thrown in there. To try and make it be considered romance Ezra’s role was hindered too much by trying to prove to Reyna how much he wanted to be with her but we never got to see any sort of relationship build. She was just mad at him all the time and he all of a sudden was enamoured with her. I could see where the author was trying to go with the high councillors story but i feel in every part of this book we lacked information to grasp what was truly going on.
The story has great potential but unfortunately just lacked in it’s delivery for me.
This book is about a group of young adults who are considered “lowborn” in a place where status and power mean everything. The main FMC has this internal battle between saving her family/vengeance and doing what the fates are trying to guide her to do. There’s this interesting magic system between different species connecting them all but also separating them in their own unique way.
Unfortunately this book was just not it for me. I tried really hard to like the FMC but she felt too juvenile and selfish for me to really like her. She is loyal to her family without a doubt but that clouded her judgement so much it made me angry at her! This story also felt like too many things were being thrown in there. To try and make it be considered romance Ezra’s role was hindered too much by trying to prove to Reyna how much he wanted to be with her but we never got to see any sort of relationship build. She was just mad at him all the time and he all of a sudden was enamoured with her. I could see where the author was trying to go with the high councillors story but i feel in every part of this book we lacked information to grasp what was truly going on.
The story has great potential but unfortunately just lacked in it’s delivery for me.
March 10, 2026
Review 2.5
This book had a lot of potential with the whole plot following Reyna and watching her battle against her inner self and whether to take vengeance or not, but the book overall felt very drawn out and I felt a lot of things went unanswered. People in the story posses Etheris (magic system), but it is never explained. I was curious how Reyna used her powers and what the limits were. There were also a lot of flashbacks that I felt some could have been eliminated which drew me out of the story. And it also made it hard to know when it was a thought or the inner person inside Reyna talking with the font. However, the book had a much better second half than first half. I was confused a lot of the time where stuff didn’t seem like it was fully explained or jumping from one thing to the next (could have been fleshed out more), but the author has a real talent for writing and great concept for a story. I also enjoyed part three of the story but a lot of battles felt very drawn out. I really liked a lot of the characters though like Joe, a cool concept of the marks going away after oaths being fulfilled, and I felt it had a satisfying ending. Another reason for a lower rating was because I felt the one scene took a little longer to fade to black than I’d like (level 3 spicy), but that’s my personal opinion. Overall, the author has a real talent for writing and I think she will go far with her author journey! Here are some of my favorite quotes!
“Guilt feels like carrying a ghost. It’s unseen, but I feel it everywhere.”
“Nope, there is no status between us when we’re alone. It’s just you and me.”
This book had a lot of potential with the whole plot following Reyna and watching her battle against her inner self and whether to take vengeance or not, but the book overall felt very drawn out and I felt a lot of things went unanswered. People in the story posses Etheris (magic system), but it is never explained. I was curious how Reyna used her powers and what the limits were. There were also a lot of flashbacks that I felt some could have been eliminated which drew me out of the story. And it also made it hard to know when it was a thought or the inner person inside Reyna talking with the font. However, the book had a much better second half than first half. I was confused a lot of the time where stuff didn’t seem like it was fully explained or jumping from one thing to the next (could have been fleshed out more), but the author has a real talent for writing and great concept for a story. I also enjoyed part three of the story but a lot of battles felt very drawn out. I really liked a lot of the characters though like Joe, a cool concept of the marks going away after oaths being fulfilled, and I felt it had a satisfying ending. Another reason for a lower rating was because I felt the one scene took a little longer to fade to black than I’d like (level 3 spicy), but that’s my personal opinion. Overall, the author has a real talent for writing and I think she will go far with her author journey! Here are some of my favorite quotes!
“Guilt feels like carrying a ghost. It’s unseen, but I feel it everywhere.”
“Nope, there is no status between us when we’re alone. It’s just you and me.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 10, 2025
3.75 stars - Big thanks to Kiana Alexandria for sending me an eARC! This book is a fantastic beginning of a series: fast-paced, high fantasy with survival and a badass main character. Although the fmc worked on my nerves sometimes, I liked that she was unapologetically herself. I love how plot driven this was, and I was stressed in a good way, which is why I like the fast pacing. I didn't really understand the romance, but I don't like overly romantic stuff anyway. This book is also multilayered with the power struggles. Definitely worth a shot
October 23, 2025
A fierce, emotionally charged fantasy that doesn’t flinch from pain or power.
Thank you Kiana Alexandria for the ARC. Forged in Ruin & Turmoil is a gripping tale of survival, rebellion, and self-discovery. Reyna, born a drudge in the brutal Blood Kingdom, is a protagonist you can’t help but root for. Her transformation from voiceless outcast to a force of reckoning is raw and powerful. The world-building is lush and dangerous—Ellyshia pulses with fractured alliances, fae politics, and a haunting sense of unpredictability.
Kiana I. Alexandria’s prose is evocative and sharp, painting vivid scenes of both cruelty and beauty. The dynamic between Reyna and the cold, duty-bound fae prince adds tension and depth, without falling into cliché. Their interactions are layered with mistrust, vulnerability, and reluctant respect.
What stood out most to me was the emotional weight of Reyna’s journey. Her pain isn’t romanticized—it’s the fuel for her fire. The story doesn’t offer easy victories, and that makes the triumphs feel earned.
If you love fantasy with heartache, rebellion, and morally complex characters, this one’s worth diving into. Just be prepared to feel every bruise and every breakthrough.
Thank you Kiana Alexandria for the ARC. Forged in Ruin & Turmoil is a gripping tale of survival, rebellion, and self-discovery. Reyna, born a drudge in the brutal Blood Kingdom, is a protagonist you can’t help but root for. Her transformation from voiceless outcast to a force of reckoning is raw and powerful. The world-building is lush and dangerous—Ellyshia pulses with fractured alliances, fae politics, and a haunting sense of unpredictability.
Kiana I. Alexandria’s prose is evocative and sharp, painting vivid scenes of both cruelty and beauty. The dynamic between Reyna and the cold, duty-bound fae prince adds tension and depth, without falling into cliché. Their interactions are layered with mistrust, vulnerability, and reluctant respect.
What stood out most to me was the emotional weight of Reyna’s journey. Her pain isn’t romanticized—it’s the fuel for her fire. The story doesn’t offer easy victories, and that makes the triumphs feel earned.
If you love fantasy with heartache, rebellion, and morally complex characters, this one’s worth diving into. Just be prepared to feel every bruise and every breakthrough.
October 23, 2025
Forged in Ruin and Turmoil by Kiana Alexandria is an intense fantasy debut that ventures into dark, emotional territory with originality and style. The story stands out for its creative worldbuilding, morally complex characters, and the raw energy that drives both the plot and the prose.This is not a light read—it’s violent and unflinching, filled with betrayal, power struggles, and the weight of survival. Kiana Alexandria does an impressive job depicting a harsh world where war and loyalty are in constant conflict. The tension and atmosphere are strong throughout, and the writing itself is beautifully crafted, with moments that are as brutal as they are poetic.That said, while the story captivated me in parts, I found myself wishing for a bit more depth in emotional exploration and pacing. Still, for readers who appreciate dark, vivid fantasy and bold storytelling, this is a promising start to what feels like a powerful new voice in the genre.
Four stars for originality, strong writing, and the grit that makes this story stand out.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Four stars for originality, strong writing, and the grit that makes this story stand out.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 20, 2025
Forged in Ruin and Turmoil by Kiana I. Alexandria is a breathtaking fantasy about survival, vengeance, and the fragile spark of hope that refuses to die.
Reyna, born into servitude and silence, escapes the brutal Blood Kingdom only to find herself in another land full of danger and deceit. When a cold, duty-bound fae prince captures her, she must decide if she can trust someone whose heart seems as scarred as her own.
I’m so glad I was granted the privilege of reading this ARC! This story pursued me, caught hold, and didn’t let go until I’d consumed the last page.
With lyrical prose, aching emotion, and tension that burns slow and fierce, this story delivers everything I crave in dark romantic fantasy—complex characters, high stakes, and a heroine who refuses to stay broken.
Haunting. Lush. Unforgettable.
Reyna, born into servitude and silence, escapes the brutal Blood Kingdom only to find herself in another land full of danger and deceit. When a cold, duty-bound fae prince captures her, she must decide if she can trust someone whose heart seems as scarred as her own.
I’m so glad I was granted the privilege of reading this ARC! This story pursued me, caught hold, and didn’t let go until I’d consumed the last page.
With lyrical prose, aching emotion, and tension that burns slow and fierce, this story delivers everything I crave in dark romantic fantasy—complex characters, high stakes, and a heroine who refuses to stay broken.
Haunting. Lush. Unforgettable.
November 6, 2025
It took me a bit to get into this book, not because it was slow, but because I was a little confused at first. Once things started to make sense though, I was completely hooked and couldn’t put it down. The world is so vivid and the writing pulls you in once you find your rhythm with it.
I’ll be honest though, I never really liked Reyna. I found she’s selfish, and there were so many moments where she just annoyed me. But at the same time, I kind of respect that the author didn’t try to make her overly likable. She’s messy and flawed, and that made her feel real, even if I didn’t like her.
Overall, it’s one of those books that sneaks up on you — confusing at first, but then suddenly you’re fully invested and desperate to know what happens next.
I’ll be honest though, I never really liked Reyna. I found she’s selfish, and there were so many moments where she just annoyed me. But at the same time, I kind of respect that the author didn’t try to make her overly likable. She’s messy and flawed, and that made her feel real, even if I didn’t like her.
Overall, it’s one of those books that sneaks up on you — confusing at first, but then suddenly you’re fully invested and desperate to know what happens next.
October 27, 2025
An amazing debut for indie writer Kiana Alexandria.
I had the chance to read Forged in Ruin and Turmoil early as an ARC reader, and I’m so glad I did! The novel drew me in right away with its layered perspectives and strong sense of family duty. I really enjoyed seeing how each character’s choices were shaped by loyalty and love, even when the world around them was falling apart.
The shifting points of view made the story feel alive and gave me a deeper understanding of what was at stake. You can tell Alexandria put a lot of heart into building her world and her characters’ motivations.
I’m excited to see what Kiana writes next!
Congratulations Kiana!
I had the chance to read Forged in Ruin and Turmoil early as an ARC reader, and I’m so glad I did! The novel drew me in right away with its layered perspectives and strong sense of family duty. I really enjoyed seeing how each character’s choices were shaped by loyalty and love, even when the world around them was falling apart.
The shifting points of view made the story feel alive and gave me a deeper understanding of what was at stake. You can tell Alexandria put a lot of heart into building her world and her characters’ motivations.
I’m excited to see what Kiana writes next!
Congratulations Kiana!
January 15, 2026
I loved this book! It was excellent; the plot, characters, and overall vibe of this book were well-written. I loved to see a female character that I related to, both in personality and appearance. It is so hard to find a main female character like this in fantasy, and I was happy when I did. I would definitely recommend this to any dark fantasy high-stakes-loving person. I give this a four-star rating cause I would have loved to see more with the romance side of it, but we will probably see more in the next books to come! Can't wait!
April 20, 2026
WOW! THIS BOOK HAD ME IN A CHOKEHOLD!
OK, first off this was my very first experience with Miss K.I. Alexandria. WOW! Im hooked. I definitely felt all the feels with this read. And it was an emotional told story that had all my favorite things, in a world that was soo beautiful created that I felt I was right there alongside Reyna. It was a fast paced and I was fully invested. Definitely recommend to everyone that looks for that dark, emotional fantasy with relatable characters, and touches every emotion.
OK, first off this was my very first experience with Miss K.I. Alexandria. WOW! Im hooked. I definitely felt all the feels with this read. And it was an emotional told story that had all my favorite things, in a world that was soo beautiful created that I felt I was right there alongside Reyna. It was a fast paced and I was fully invested. Definitely recommend to everyone that looks for that dark, emotional fantasy with relatable characters, and touches every emotion.
October 2, 2025
5 stars! The world building is great, loved all the characters! The FMC is a bad ass, who is very family oriented which is also a cause for alot of her issues. Its told from 3 of the main characters, more so once you get further in to the book. Had me giggling in some spots, and others had me sad. Definitely recommend for those that love Fae, and other worldly beings, a complex magic system, and some mysteries to solve. Sign me up for book 2!
October 29, 2025
3.75 rounded to 4 ⭐️
i enjoyed the fresh world building, & interpersonal dynamics in this book.The story was fast paced & had constant action. Reyna is a complex & personable fmc that is easy to relate to; her emotions were raw & real. i liked how we got multiple POV’s when they were relevant & they weren’t placed throughout the story unnecessarily. I’m sure the next book will be amazing since we were left with so many questions & so much happening at the end.
This was an ARC read.
i enjoyed the fresh world building, & interpersonal dynamics in this book.The story was fast paced & had constant action. Reyna is a complex & personable fmc that is easy to relate to; her emotions were raw & real. i liked how we got multiple POV’s when they were relevant & they weren’t placed throughout the story unnecessarily. I’m sure the next book will be amazing since we were left with so many questions & so much happening at the end.
This was an ARC read.
March 5, 2026
3.75 rounded to 4 ⭐️
A really nice debut!
I enjoyed the worldbuilding and the magic system, and the complicated interpersonal dynamic! The story was very fast-pased and chuck full of action that kept me on the edge of my seat. The multiple POV's were interesting and nicely placed throughout the book.
While the FMC was a strong headed young woman I sometimes didn't understand why she could be so immature and implosive.
A lot of questions were raised in this book and sadly almost none of them were answered. So I'm sure I will be reading book 2 to find out!
A really nice debut!
I enjoyed the worldbuilding and the magic system, and the complicated interpersonal dynamic! The story was very fast-pased and chuck full of action that kept me on the edge of my seat. The multiple POV's were interesting and nicely placed throughout the book.
While the FMC was a strong headed young woman I sometimes didn't understand why she could be so immature and implosive.
A lot of questions were raised in this book and sadly almost none of them were answered. So I'm sure I will be reading book 2 to find out!
October 4, 2025
4.5 ⭐️ This book had so many twists it kept me on my toes. The world building and magic system were so fascinating. After that ending I will be anxiously waiting for the next in the series. (I received this as an ARC)
October 23, 2025
Thank you Kiana for the ARC copy, I loved it. Readers who loved Powerful, will love this book as well.
It was fast paced, lots of things going on, so there was no boring bits to read. Chapters were for either characters POV
It was fast paced, lots of things going on, so there was no boring bits to read. Chapters were for either characters POV
November 11, 2025
3.5 I loved the concept of this book, however I did feel like the character relationships were slightly under developed, and it did feel like we hopped right into the middle of a story. But the writing is good, and the characters are interesting.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2026
I read the book and really enjoyed it, was a great fantasy book with a hint of romance I liked how the story progressed and the plot kept me wanting to read more and more would 10/10 recommend to read it if you like a book that will keep you hooked chapter to chapter.
September 30, 2025
This book gets 5 stars the world Building was good the characters didn’t disappoint, if you like fae they in the book . This book had parts that had me like omg .. but the war was crazy (arc read)
October 31, 2025
ARC Read
This book absolutely shattered me. Fantasy and chaos at its finest! If you are looking for an emotional roller cast in a world beyond your wildest dreams this is book you need to read!
This book absolutely shattered me. Fantasy and chaos at its finest! If you are looking for an emotional roller cast in a world beyond your wildest dreams this is book you need to read!
January 4, 2026
I really enjoyed this book. It had multiple points of view and this was interesting as I have never read a book like this. Kiana did a great job and hope to read her 2nd book when she writes it.
March 7, 2026
This was the perfect fade to black romantasy , I can’t wait for book 2!
March 23, 2026
I am not a big reader, but this book has got me hooked! It’s super action packed with some romance. If you like throne of glass, you will like this book as well!
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews