The Heart Trials

by J. Elle

In a world where love is forbidden, one girl must fight for her heart and freedom through deadly trials in the first book of a new dystopian romantasy duology from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author J. Elle.

Welcome to The Heart Trials.
The prize is love.
The cost is everything.

In Ethyria the highborn may love; the lowborn may only feel what the Benevolent allows.

Saltblood lowborn Axira Merreri survives the decaying districts by keeping her heart locked tight, couriering goods by day — and smuggling the ruler’s euphoric Heartfillers to the highborn by night. Until a drop goes wrong and her execution looms.

When she strikes a dangerous bargain to steal something from the Tournament of Hearts, a ruthless dating competition for highborn citizenship, she enters. Not for love. For freedom. But as the twisted allure of the competition turns deadly, an unexpected connection cracks her defenses, forcing her to confront a truth she In a regime built on engineered happiness, the most dangerous weapon she has is her heart.

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author J. Elle delivers a breathless series opener that is bold, bone-chilling, and wholly original. For fans of the cutthroat competition of The Hunger Games, Love Island, and Powerless, this dystopian romantasy explores what happens when the heart becomes the empire’s sharpest blade.

Genres: Fantasy, Dystopia, Romance, Young Adult, Romantasy, Audiobook, Fantasy Romance

393 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 1, 2026

About the author

J. ELLE is the New York Times bestselling author of young adult and middle-grade fantasy fiction and a 2022 NAACP Image Award Nominee for Outstanding Literary Work for Youth and Teens. Her work has been translated into three languages. The former educator credits her nomadic lifestyle and humble inner-city beginnings as inspiration for her novels. When she’s not writing, Elle can be found on the hunt for new desserts sans Chocolat, looking for literally any excuse to get dressed up, and road-tripping her way across the country with her two dogs in tow.

Follow me on BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/j-elle

Reviews

[₊ ˚ ale ࿓ ♡ ⋆｡˚ · Rating 4 out of 5]

‎ ‎ ⌗‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ──💘🗡️🍋‍🟩🐈‍⬛ᝰ .ᐟ read.
I was expecting the last 50% of this book not to disappoint me, and it deliver BECAUSE WHAT WAS THAT END??? MIS ELLE, I NEED BOOK TWO ASAP.

‎ ‎ ⌗‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ──💘🗡️🍋‍🟩🐈‍⬛ᝰ .ᐟ pre-read.
love trials x thg? oh, okay, girl, you got me!
i'm 15% done and things are getting really interesting, oh gods

thanks to netgalley, j. elle and the publisher for an arc in exchange of an honest review.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3-3.5 stars—star rating bumped up for the last several chapters. Otherwise was riding 2 stars.

TLDR; The Heart Trials is a dystopian fantasy that combines the killer tournament of Hunger Games with reality dating shows. In short, it’s killer speed dating with magic. This book doesn’t really make sense. The worldbuilding is convoluted and confusing. However, once I put aside trying to make any sense of the world or how unhinged the overall plot is, I really enjoyed it. I thought the character work was especially well done—especially the two main leads. I felt they had decent chemistry and I enjoyed the scenes building their relationship. If you want a thoughtful work of fiction that incorporates fantasy with political intrigue, this one misses the mark. But if you want a wild ride where teens kill one another for a chance of citizenship so they can kiss, this could be a good match for you. That said, I will be reading the next in the series.

The world and opening scene: Axira lives in a cruel place where even small crimes like stealing are punishable by death. To save her orphanage ‘sister’, Axira gives the Mercyenforcer (a royal guard or soldier aka Peacekeeper) gold that she planned to use for hiring a ship. This society forbids the lower class from showing love—touching and any kind of affection is also punished by death. To thwart it, the lowborn wear gloves and chastity chains in the mouths. Weird. They can only touch to have children. This oppressive society keeps people in line, and submissive, by drugging them with Heartfillers, which are glass orbs absorbed directly into the middle of your chest.. somehow. Axira is a smuggler, stealing and selling Heartfillers. She hasn’t taken them for two weeks, implying she’s sober and of sound mind. Meanwhile a tournament is announced, which allows one from the lowborn to become a Skyborn citizen, a love-matching competition. Only the Skyborn are allowed to love freely. After she’s captured for a crime she didn’t commit, she petitions the Benevolent (king) to let her enter the trial instead of being a servant in his court.

Honestly this whole setup is really convoluted. The worldbuilding doesn’t make much sense— perhaps because there’s not much grounding and foundation for it. The people get labelled for their district [ie., Skyborn, grainfolk, stonebound, saltblood (salt rat, derogatory)]. Apparently love and affection was outlawed after a former king got cheated on; then one of the current king’s ancestors reinstated it but only for Skyborn. Also why is it Skyborn? Are they in the mountains?

It’s clear the real goal of the novel is the tournament. As a reader, I don’t want to feel all the events up to entering her into it are superfluous, but that’s how it seemed to me. Lots of things happen but it lacks the context, emotions, and consequence to make me care. Sure, we know Axira is playing with her life and she’s trying to save Serafina, but so what? As a reader, I like to have a scene or moment where I connect with the main character. Instead, we are presented with ‘save the sister’ trope, which lacks any of Hunger Games heart (clearly coded that way). In general, authors are using that as a cheat code hoping readers will feel the same emotions. Unfortunately, for me, the author hasn’t done the work of making the reader care about the Main character and her motivations. We are continuously TOLD Serafina matters to her without any poignant scene work to when it comes later, I didn’t really care (sorry).

I want to buy into the fantasy but I don’t believe this world. Logic keeps nagging at the corner of my mind while I really am trying to suspense my disbelief. For example, in the five minutes she’s given to say goodbye to the tenants of the orphanage, she also receives a marriage proposal. It had me rolling my eyes. The timing of events, such as this, in scenes don’t make sense. Also the tone, at times, comes across comical or satirical which I don’t think is the intent.

Once I gave up trying to figure things out or make sense, I had a better time with the book. The tournament is wild. You can kill people but you’re trying to match up with someone. The reason for why this tournament is important int the first place is also wild. But the twists were fantastic! The betrayal. The twist after twist near the end really improved the book for me. Definitely want to read the next one since it ends on a cliffhanger.

[Kaya · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐3.75

Review of advance copy received from NetGalley

Ok I'll be honest the synopsis had me intrigued off the bat, but I wasn't really expecting to enjoy this as much as I did! And for a YA book, it was actually so well done. Axira, our fmc is actually so realistic; there wasn't a single moment where I couldn't literally feel her. I think the ending for me fell a bit flat though, I was anticipating something going horribly wrong and a major cliffhanger, while this was just a lukewarm splash in a puddle. But still, the concept of the book made it a fun read.

Thanks to NetGalley, J. Elle and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Marissa C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hunger Games meets speed dating in this unique dystopian book. I enjoyed the romance in this one, and the exploration of what true love means, as well as some of the magical elements. Where I got a little lost was in some of the world building. I got confused as to how and where people could touch with/without consequence, especially after the trials started. It seemed like everyone was suddenly touching without consequence. In addition, for people who were not supposed to feel much, Axira certainly went through a multitude of feelings, although that may have been in part due to her not taking the Heartfillers.
I enjoyed the aspect of the trials themselves. This made for an interesting premise and developed the underlying rebellion, as well as relationships.
In addition, this was a decently long book (slow-paced at times for me), and yet the ending wrapped up a bit too quickly for me. I was 98% in and was like, “how in the world is this going to wrap up”? There was not much of a denouement.
Overall, this was an enjoyable dystopian, but I feel that it could have been fleshed out even more.

[Abbi :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was not at all what I expected. I thought this would be a lighthearted yet fun and entertaining competition around finding love. What I got was a cut throat brutal competition in a cutthroat brutal world reminiscent of the Hunger Games.

What really through me (yet I appreciated) was how Elle did not shy away from the reality of this universe and the story. She was not afraid of death, and I found that to be refreshing in a world of romantasy where authors seem afraid to kill of their characters especially when it fits the story. Many, many times I found myself shocked at the level of violence and ruthlessness this book depicted. However, I felt it really made the book and I'm not sure I would've had the same amount of enjoyment otherwise.

Our fmc was great. I really liked her cleverness and how courageous she was in the face of all the brutality and grief she faced throughout this journey. She did not let anything she experienced define her and she always seemed to find a way to persevere. reminds me of Katniss in a way. I also really felt I could relate to her in how she approached things. Nothing ever felt unrealistic to her age especially with the history and trauma she has experienced.

I think we could've benefitted from the mmc's pot here because if I had to pick a gripe with the story, it would have to be the romance. I felt like I didn't get enough from the mmc to really be super invested, however, I did really enjoy his characters so I foresee myself growing to like it more in future books.

Huge thank you to net galley and Penguin Young Readers Group for the e-arc!!

[Casey Elizabeth Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars!

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC!

YA isn’t usually my favorite genre, but J. Elle’s books are always the exception. She pulls me in every single time, and The Heart Trials was no different. Trial based stories are also incredibly difficult to make feel fresh and original, but this one absolutely delivered.

From the very first pages, I was hooked. I kept turning page after page, desperate to know what would happen next, and by the end I was already wishing I had the next book yesterday.

What really stood out to me was that this dystopian society wasn’t just built on a caste system. It also controlled the most basic parts of being human. Emotions, love, and connection are manipulated and weaponized against its citizens, adding another layer of tension to an already compelling world.

The trials were gritty, devastating, and high stakes, but also somehow sprinkle in speed dating? It was such an unexpected, original combination that gave the familiar trials trope a fresh twist.

And finally…it’s that “destroy kingdoms for each other” kind of love. 😏

[•—+ Ņ04Ħ +—• · Rating 4 out of 5]

| ♥️ | 14+ | 4⭐️ | 1.3🌶️ | ⛓️‍💥 |

❤️‍🔥 The Heart Trials ⛓️‍💥

“Win love or die trying.” -❤️‍🔥

👑x🗡️



Now playing: ———•—————— || Chains of Love-Charlie xcx

“The chains of love are cruel“+•.*

Rating•⭐️.•*•. 4.6/5-If Hunger games, Love island, and Throne of glass had a baby and it was really violent, this book would be the baby. Honestly it was pretty good but some parts were weird and I don’t like Caelus that much. The ending was the worst book ending ive ever read,—it wasnt’ sad it was just terrible.

“I shouldn’t feel like a prisoner“ +.*•

Spice•🌶️.•*•. 1.3/5 (Kissing, Mention of ‘Mating’)

“My face is turnin’ blue“ +*.•

(My) Age rating•📖.•*•. 14+

“Can’t breathe without you here“+.*•

Trigger warning•⚠️.•*•. Blood, fighting, gore, torture, death, language.

“The chains of love are cruel“+*.•

Pre-read•📚.•*•. The cover and the binding on this are so pretty and everyone says this is a hunger games-dating show mashup and those are two of my favorite things so im obviously gonna read this. 🤞🏻 fingers crossed that it’s good. •.*

“ I shouldn’t feel like a prisoner“+•.*

Characters•📕.•*•. Axira-Shes a deva and I feel so bad for her, Caelus isn’t the one for her.
Caelus-There’s something fishy about him and I always (and still) have/had a bad feeling about him. And what’s with the hair? Ew. Long and white?

“No matter how hard I try
I’m here so permanently“+*.•


“ My mind screams-let go.
This is dangerous.
This will cost you.
But I hold on to him tighter, and he holds on to me, fingers tracing down my back. Every place his fingertips brush sends a thrill all over my body, in places I've never felt.
Whatever this is, I'd like to hide it away to keep it somehow. Because the moment I show it to the world, like everything that's ever mattered to me-it'll be gone.“-🗡️

Bai ✌🏻tysm for reading!

•—+ ♥️🔥❤️‍🔥⛓️‍💥 +—•

[Ivelis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many thanks to NetGalley, J. Elle, and the publisher for the ARC!

I’m going to do something weird and rate this book on two dimensions: market-worthiness, and how it worked for me as a reader.

Market-worthiness: 100/10. It’s super on trend; it’s well-written; the story is clearly told by an experienced storyteller; and despite my personal feelings, I think it’s an excellent addition to the romantasy genre. It offers just enough familiarity to be cozy to readers, but has enough of a unique angle to not bore.

Did it work for me as a reader?

Well, here’s the type of reader I am. I really enjoy getting into character’s emotions and inner worlds, fast. If that sacrifices speed, snark, wit, I don’t care. I like interiority, I like inner complexity, I like characters who go on just a little bit too long.

I think this review would make more sense if I went by topic.

Concept
This is a fairly interesting world. Love is forbidden (or rather, emotion), and a lower class of people are numbed by magical drugs named Heartfillers.

I just wanted more, sociopolitically. “In a world where love is forbidden”—awesome. Except forbidding love itself is removing a quintessential component of what makes us human. Add in social stratification based on loving vs not loving, and it’s effectively dehumanizing an entire class of people.

And let’s not even talk about what this means for things like motherhood. Do mothers know they’re mothers? When they birth a child and immediately don’t love it, what would compel them to keep it? How are families formed if love doesn’t exist, or is dulled?

Why does marriage still exist for those who don’t get to love? A contract to procreate, yes—but do they need the contract if there’s no love, no family to form?

Why do the Skyborns get to love? Do they have something special, or are they just upper class because we need an upper class? Are they a certain race, do they look a certain way?

I didn’t feel like the book went deeply enough into its own concept. Why are love and emotion forbidden in the first place? Is it to control overpopulation by preventing procreation? Or to create generations of mindless bee workers?

The good news is that none of this is unfixable. We just need more explanation.

Hunger Games-ness
This is both a pro and con. Pro: I love the market-thinking. It’s so sharp. This is romantasy bullt on Hunger Games scaffolding, and I like that.

You know the moment where Katniss and Peeta have to pretend to be in love? Take that moment and stretch it into a book, and you get The Heart Trials. You have the districts, the hunger, the food rationing, the President Snow-esque Benevolent in the background. We literally have a moment where the heroine returns home to say goodbye before the competition.

The only thing it was missing from the Hunger Games was the commentary. It hit readers so hard because it said something about power, spectacle, lack of privacy, children in entertainment, violence.

This leans a little too much on pop — it wants to be fun, fast, entertaining, and for me personally, I would’ve preferred a lot more gravity. We’re dealing with the dissolution of what makes society society: empathy, love, emotion. I wanted RANTS on us becoming animals without love, and how society would collapse, and look, actually, it’s happening now with social media and AI, and la da da.

Plot
Finally, part of the reason I couldn’t quite get into this was the plot. A good chunk of the first 10-20% are about the Heartfillers, and I personally wanted to learn more about what forbidding love meant, and specifically what it meant for the heroine.

The MC’s drive to leave her world was well-written, but somewhat expected. She consistently defies authority without much punishment, and even runs into the prince by chance. The Benevolent appeared to be an interesting villain at first, but then kind of... fizzled?

Overall, I really do think this is an interesting addition to the market. As a Hunger Games Stan, this was nostalgic in the best way. I hope it reaches the right readers.

[Chasing Silhouettes · Rating 5 out of 5]

'....I don’t need to just pick a match. I need to outsmart, outsurvive, and outmaneuver all of them....' (Ch 13)

YA Dystopian Romantasy | Love-Matching Competition (Deadly Tournament) | Class Divide | Forbidden Love | Slow Burn | No Spice

This was essentially a high-stakes dating competition. Find your true love and maybe you get to stay alive.

'If it takes true love, proven true love, to win the competition, he’s right— I cannot win this. But I don’t want to win.' (Ch 9)

It has an interesting "magic" system. It's set on an island, but with Hunger Games like class districts for the lowborn. Cringe-worthy suppression measures and punishments for forbidden emotions like love and affection and even bare-skin touch. The Tournament of Hearts was the only way a lowborn could become a Skyborn. However, everything and everyone was still controlled in some way or fashion.

'....maybe freedom isn’t a dream of a certain place— maybe it’s just any life without chains.' (Ch 4)

Sometimes, I speculate how things are going to end in a book. My assumptions were a little off mark, and the ending was a surprise. It also filled me with confusion and many questions. Of course, this is a duology, so the answers I seek will have to be put on pause until book 2 is released.

“So let them be mad,” I continue. “Let them rage. Let them burn this whole place down!” (Ch 36)

It could probably be adapted for film! Engrossing and fast-paced.

4.5🌟 eARC courtesy of NetGalley | G.P. Putnam Son's / Penguin Ramdom House

[AshReadsAlot]

DNF 21%
I love dystopian, and I love YA dystopian, but unfortunately this one just isn't working for me.
There is a lot of great potential; the premise is interesting, the setting is intriguing, and the characters have promise. The execution is falling very flat.
There is a sense of depth I'm missing and it all reads as very basic for me. There are some parts of the world that I felt I should fully understand at this point, as it has been mentioned many times, but there has been little to no explanation (mouth chains as one example).
I will not be continuing at this time, maybe I'll come back and try again one day, but we shall see.

[Sharon Hudrlik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay what’s up with the ending?! Do you really had to end it like that?!
If I wanted to throw my kindle out the window I would!!!!
Anyways
Thank you NetGalley, and the publisher to be able to read this in advance.
I keep forgetting dystopian genre is my favorite genere. This book has reminded me, how much I love it.
They twist and turns that this book has, chefs kiss.
Loved the FMC and MMC they both are strong characters!
I still can’t get over than ending! Sorry lol

[Rene Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was described as Hunger Games meets Love Island, and I'd say that was an accurate take. It's YA, dystopian, fantasy romance. It was certainly a bit on the darker side with deadly trials.

I did the audiobook for this one, and the narrator did great. The voices all sounded differentiated and easy to follow.

Loved the twisty ending and can't wait to see what's in store for book 2!

[BookishVibesClub · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVE the world building and how the FMCs story is set up

[kass · Rating 2 out of 5]

this book started off so good and got me hooked and out of my reading slump and then it nose dived!! nothing made sense the world building was almost nonexistent with barely any explanation to all the complexities. on top of that it was lowkey a rip of divergent, hunger games and love island oddly lol.

[Corinne’s Chapter Chatter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow- this is my surprise of the year. I don’t typically enjoy Dystopian and I’m very picky about Romantasy but this? I loved it.

I was fortunate to get a physical PR box from Penguin Teen with the book and I was able to access the audiobook on PRH Audio so I was able to do an immersion read ahead of publication.

It really is like if the Hunger Games, Red Queen and Live island had a book baby. I am not a fan of the Hunger Games so fans of that series may see too many similarities but I think it’s just the nature of making a dystopian society. I love the romance select and how it developed as well.

My favorite aspect? The world building isn’t excessive. Some are going to complain about that I’m sure but there was just enough that I have a feel for everything without endless exposition that I don’t care about. I think readers are smart enough to be able to fill in the blanks.

This comes out Sept 1 2026 and I can’t wait to discuss it further IRL

[sage stenhaug :) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Heart Trials was a very unique dystopian story that I was captivated by. I was not sure what to expect when I first picked up this story, but I was taken in by a devestating class system as well as a unique magic system. Heartfillers are something that is taken that essentially drug them by suppressing their emotion with overwhelming them with what the filler provides. I thought it was interesting how love was treated in this world.

The plot was decent. I enjoyed the love trials. Some of them were very cheesy and others were definitely more mentally gruesome. I did enjoy that we got to experience some of the different areas of the world while going though the trials. The ending definitely caught me by surprise. It wasn’t as shocking to me mainly because I don’t believe it. I did really love the found family aspect in this as well as the over looming sense of distrust I had with most everyone. It really created a good atmosphere.

The characters were easily the best part of this. I really enjoyed Axira and Caelus. I really appreciated their mutual understanding. I loved Axira’s drive and her motivation for why she does what she does. She is a very strong willed character. Caelus has such a heart and I really loved how we got to see more of it as the story progressed. Their romance was very sweet as it truly came from trust. The side characters were fun and interesting but definitely not what grabbed my attention. I definitely got a few mixed up when the group was large.

Overall, I did really enjoy this story and these characters and can’t wait to read the next installment in this series. Thanks Netgalley for an earc. All opinions are my own.

[Alaina · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75/5

Overall I enjoyed this. The premise was very interesting, and I enjoyed the overall concept. However, it was a little difficult to get into at first. I also would have liked a little bit more world building. It would have been nice to have a little more insight as to why things were the way they were.

I did get much more invested once the trials started. It was definitely an interesting concept. It was almost like a cross between Love Island and the Hunger Games.

I also enjoyed the slow burn between the main characters. I was really not expecting that cliffhanger. I did not see that coming at all, and will definitely be reading the next book because now I need answers!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Allison Romeo · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟!!

YA dystopian romantasy that has similar vibes to The Rose Bargain? Yes please!

I adored this book. I have said it so many times this year, YA is blowing me away.

Emotional connections? Illegal. Trials to win a spot into the "elite" where they can show love? Entered. "Medicine" that helps people feel normal so they comply? Given.

The premise was so solid, the romance was strong, and the twist was INSANE. Book 2 TODAY please!

[Lissa Leadford · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

[Hannah Kekel · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

⚠️ Spoilers ahead! ⚠️

I went into The Heart Trials knowing very little about what to expect, and I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly the story pulled me in.

From the beginning, I was fascinated by the concept of a society where affection and physical touch are forbidden, while citizens are controlled through heartfillers, drugs that suppress difficult emotions and encourage constant happiness and compliance. Combined with the class divide, political corruption, rebellion, and a competition centered around finding one’s true love match, the premise felt refreshing and unlike anything I had read before.

One of my favorite aspects of this book was the worldbuilding. J. Elle does an excellent job creating a vivid setting that was easy to visualize. I especially enjoyed how the rules surrounding affection and touch weren’t simply there for shock value but played an important role in Axira’s character development. She has spent her entire life being taught that love is dangerous and that physical affection can lead to punishment or even death. Watching her slowly begin to experience grief, friendship, affection, and love after living without heartfillers was one of the most interesting parts of her journey.

The political elements of the story also stood out to me. The Benevolent’s control over the different districts was not always presented through obvious acts of violence. Instead, much of his power came from keeping people divided, desperate, and unaware of what was happening outside of their own communities. The heartfillers added another layer to that control by literally suppressing emotions that might cause people to question the world around them.

The loyalty trial in particular was one of the moments that really stuck with me. Axira was forced to participate in a system that directly harmed people like her, and the realization that the Benevolent’s cruelty often came through smaller, calculated actions rather than one dramatic act of evil was especially effective. The story occasionally gave me The Hunger Games vibes in its exploration of oppression, rebellion, and the ways those in power manipulate the people beneath them.

And, of course, I have to talk about Caelus and Axira.

Their relationship was probably one of my favorite parts of the book. Considering Axira’s relationship with touch and affection, I loved how their connection developed through smaller moments rather than immediately becoming something intense. From their first voluntary touch to the moments where they naturally began holding hands and relying on one another, their relationship slowly developed alongside Axira’s changing understanding of love.

The romantic tension was also very well done. Their relationship had plenty of sweet moments, but there was also a great amount of tension, particularly when they were forced to hide their connection during the trials. By the time Caelus finally admitted his feelings, I was completely invested in them.

Rhythe was another character who kept me interested throughout the story. From the beginning, there was clearly something mysterious about him, especially because he seemed to recognize Axira and knew more than he initially revealed. I spent a large portion of the book trying to figure out his motives and connection to the rebellion, and I definitely did not expect the direction the story ultimately took with his character.

I will admit that there were a few moments where I found the pacing slower, and some of Axira’s decisions had me questioning her logic a little. Her determination to help Ivy during the mountain trial, despite everything she knew about Rhythe and the danger surrounding them, was probably one of the moments where I most wanted to reach into the book and shake her. However, these frustrations never outweighed my enjoyment of the story, and I found myself becoming more invested as the book continued.

The final stretch was easily my favorite part.

The revelations surrounding the Red Wake, Axira’s father, and Caelus’s mother added so much more depth to the story and made several earlier details fall into place. I also appreciated how the story continued exploring the idea of what love actually means. Axira’s love for Serafina and the children at the orphanage had always been just as important to her as her developing feelings for Caelus, which made the idea of a magically determined “true love match” even more interesting.

And then we reached that ending. I genuinely did not see the reveal involving Rhythe coming. After spending so much of the book watching Axira and Caelus slowly develop feelings for one another, the revelation that Rhythe’s heart glowed in the same rhythm and color as Axira’s completely caught me off guard. Caelus and Axira had built a genuine connection, yet the magic seemed to suggest something entirely different.

Needless to say, I now have a lot of questions.

The rebellion, Axira’s connection to her father, Rhythe and his relationship to her, the true love match, and everything that happened during the final ceremony left the story on a cliffhanger that has me very curious to see where the next book goes.

Overall, The Heart Trials was a really enjoyable dystopian fantasy with a unique premise, strong worldbuilding, political intrigue, forbidden romance, rebellion, betrayal, and several twists that kept me guessing. While there were a few slower moments and occasional character decisions that frustrated me, the story continued to build until I was completely invested in what would happen next.

And after that ending, I will definitely be picking up the next book.

I recommend this book if you enjoy:

🖤 Dystopian fantasy
🖤 Forbidden love
🖤 Touch-starved romance
🖤 High-stakes trials and competitions
🖤 Political intrigue and rebellion
🖤 Secret alliances and betrayals
🖤 Slow-burn romantic tension
🖤 Mysterious characters and hidden agendas
🖤 The Hunger Games-inspired vibes
🖤 Plot twists
🖤 Cliffhangers

[Danie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Random House, and the author for an ARC! All opinions are my own.

This book started off SO STRONG. Such a cool premise. Maybe first 25% was genuinely awesome. I was loving it. Unfortunately, from there it teetered off for me.

Spice: 0/5
Cheese: 3.5/5 🧀 hahaha it’s a competition abt love what do you expect

(Very mild spoilers, mostly just including some quotes)
Startin with the pros 🫡
COOLEST premise
—very cool worldbuilding, dystopian but gives fantasy vibes. Love the chastity chains, the class divisions, etc. Great questions evoked. WHAT MAKES SOMEONE MORE WORTHY OF FEELING?
—so different from house of Marionne in the best way! I listened to the first of that series by J. Elle and didn’t love it, but The Heart Trials worked a lot more for me.
—“The only power I have is the power I make.”
—“Was it something I said?” After someone gives someone a bloody nose 🫠🤍🤍
—You feel very front row to how Axira lives her life. She shows and does things here and there that explain what she values and how she smuggles and things like that. Very cool.
—The end of chapter five was WILD. I was already hooked but then my jaw actually fell down. Totally unexpected.
—Fascinating to see love from a viewpoint of someone who’s completely never seen it before.
—“I won’t die. I have too many reasons to live.”
—“I don’t settle. I make my own luck.” (There were lots of good quotes ok)
—Funny subtle little jabs about the real dating environment
—Axira’s funny and strong and also relatable. I loved the “I need it to make sense.” When asked about what she wants in a partner
—Love interest showed he cared in quiet ways by just making sure she was taken care of which was precious (but I am so sorry waist length hair on him was not for me 😭)
—“If I were really looking for someone to love me, it seems like I’d be able to show up just as I am.”
—I could drop a lot more really fire one-liners from this book but we gotta leave some up to the actual reading experience 🫠

Cons/less-than-liked
—I struggled to keep competitors straight. There was about four that I could really keep track of. Which is a struggle cause there’s lots of them.
—Call me crazy, but when the romance actually started happening is when I kind of dipped off in interest levels. The first quarter was soooo strong, but then after that I felt like there wasn’t the same intensity (which is weird cause that’s when things really start happening). It’s not that Axira and Caelus didn’t fit together, I just wasn’t super invested in them as a couple. I felt for Axira and understood her wants and needs, but would’ve liked to go deeper into Caelus.
—Some of the actions the king took needed more validating imo (no spoilers!)
—Very nitpicky but I thought there was an overuse of italics. The way they emphasized sentences seemed a little strange to me sometimes.
—I’m not really docking any stars for the cheese, because come on, this is like a Hunger Games dating show so what’re you gonna do. I love me some cheese, but in this book it was a bit much for my preference.
—Pretty much the main loss of stars is that my investment level really went down the farther the book went on, and towards the 80% mark I was skimming a bit. But I really did love the worldbuilding, it was so fresh and well thought out.

[Judi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I honestly didn’t expect to give The Heart Trials by J. Elle 5 stars!

As a language arts teacher, I read and taught so many dystopian novels when the genre was at its peak that I eventually grew tired of them. I started avoiding them on purpose. When I realized The Heart Trials was a dystopian novel, I wondered whether it would feel too familiar.

Instead, I loved it from beginning to end. I couldn’t wait to get back to the story each night. I’m so glad that there is going to be a sequel!

Judi’s Report Card for The Heart Trials:
👩 Main Characters: A+
The main female character, Axira, is smart, capable, determined, and completely badass. She doesn’t sit around waiting for someone else to rescue her. She makes difficult decisions, takes risks, and fights for what she believes in. I was cheering her on every step of the way.

Prince Caelus, well, he is not what I expected, and I’m happy about that.

🎭 Characterization: A+
The characterization is extremely well done. The characters have distinct personalities, motivations, strengths, and vulnerabilities. I cared about what happened to them…well, most of them anyway. Others I wanted to punch! I’m looking at you, the Benevolent!

❤️ Romance: A
The love interest is handled very well. The romance adds emotion and tension to the story without taking over the entire plot. I mean who doesn’t love “love”? I’m glad J. Elle kept the romance tame enough for the book to remain appropriate for its young adult audience. (The publisher recommends it for ages 14 and up.)

🔥 Plot & Pacing: A+
From the beginning to the end, I was never bored. Something was always happening, but the book still allowed enough time for the characters and relationships to develop.

🌎 Dystopian World: A
Although the story reminded me at times of The Hunger Games, the author added enough original ideas to make the world feel fresh. That is not easy to do in a genre that has already been explored so many times. If The Hunger Games had a more hopeful twin, this book would be it.

🎬 Movie and/or Book Club Potential: A+
This book would make a great movie. The trials, action, emotional moments, romance, and strong characters would all translate well to the screen.

It would also make an excellent book-club choice for eighth-grade readers and older students, with plenty to discuss about freedom, power, loyalty, sacrifice, found families, and whether emotions should ever be controlled.

⭐ Overall Grade: A+

I gave The Heart Trials an A+ because it surprised me in the best possible way. I went into it thinking I was tired of dystopian novels, but J. Elle made the genre feel fresh again. The storyline kept me interested from beginning to end, the characters were well developed, and the romance added emotion without taking over the plot. Axira was exactly the kind of strong female character I love reading about. I could not wait to get back to the book each night, which is always a sign of a five-star read for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Young Readers Group, and J. Elle for my free copy of this book. This is my honest opinion.

[Pine Reads Review · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Touch with a stranger can breed falling into romantic love. Something indescribable, something infectious, like a sickness, as if that person becomes a part of you that you can’t live without. I’d rather drown.”

Axira Merreri is seventeen years old, almost eighteen, and one of the best smugglers in the Saltblood district of Skyhaven. Her specialty? Stealing Heartfillers—replacements for positive emotions—and distributing them to clients in her district and even the Citadel. Everything comes crashing down, however, when she gets a request from a member of Skyhaven royalty for all of her heart fillers. She’s caught after an unlikely encounter with Prince Caelus, whose attempts to help her escape are rebuffed. Axira is instead forced to enter the Tournament of Hearts to regain her freedom, and must navigate the new and terrifying realm of connection—a privilege denied to her all her life. With Caelus also being forced by his father to enter the tournament, and the connection between them creating enemies left and right, Axira needs to learn who she can trust to make it out of the competition alive.

What drew me to The Heart Trials was emotions being used to control an entire nation—literally. The idea that people can’t show that they feel anything, be it grief or love or excitement, was fascinating. I also wanted to see how a character who was denied feeling emotions for her entire life would grow, with suddenly being able to express emotions with people. However, while I find the concept of the story interesting, I ultimately did not enjoy reading it. The story was clearly inspired by The Hunger Games—which by itself is not a negative thing. But, as I was reading, the similarities were a little too uncanny for me. Serafina, the younger-sister character, didn’t come off as endearing and innocent as I suspect she was meant to be, and the concept of separating a nation into “districts” that then provide the main city with goods was very reminiscent of Panem. I found the relationship between Caelus and Axira to be predictable with how their first few interactions went, but they—alongside the concept of the Heartfillers and how that developed—did end up being really enjoyable to read about. While I saw it coming from miles away, it was still fun to read Axira and Caelus getting to know each other and seeing how their priorities shifted the longer the Tournament went on. The Heart Trials ended up not being to my taste, but if you enjoyed The Hunger Games and love romantic reality shows, this will be a very enjoyable read.

Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.

Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook @pinereadsreview, and check out our website at www.pinereadsreview.com for reviews, author interviews, blogs, podcast episodes, and more!

[Leanne ReadbyHer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun dystopian concept.

In this world, love is basically treated like a disease. Touch is forbidden because touch can lead to love. Even the colour red is banned.

Men and women live separately in ‘mother’ and ‘father’ quarters, relationships are controlled by the state, and from the age of twelve people are given Heartfillers —designed to manipulate emotion and keep the population compliant.

The Heartfillers were easily one of my favourite ideas in the book. They’re essentially emotions you can plug directly into your body (I visualised them as vials that you insert into a chest port), giving people manufactured happiness and pleasure while removing grief, longing and all the messy feelings the government would rather people didn’t have.



“Touch is a gateway to love. Expressions of love are forbidden here.”

And then, naturally, they have a competition for higher living status called the Tournament of Hearts.

The trials gave me major Powerless meets Hunger Games vibes — public spectacle, dangerous competition, class divides, political manipulation and romance all tangled together. One of the early trials is basically dystopian SPEED DATING, where the contestants have to form connections with fifteen different people, which I genuinely loved. Such a funny little nod to modern dating inside an absolutely unhinged society.

The world-building was strong throughout. There are so many clever details: lowborns wearing chains to control their facial features - and gloves to prevent skin contact. Government-approved emotion permits and grief waivers, illegal “touch parlours”, it’s completely bonkers and yet very easy to picture.



“Feelings can be owned, granted, revoked, manipulated.”

Axira (Pronounced x-ira) is a great FMC — resourceful, stubborn, proud and already breaking approximately seventeen laws before the main plot has even properly started. Her Heartfiller smuggling storyline kicks everything off VERY quickly, and the pacing stays fast from there.

And obviously, there is romance. Caelus (Pronounced Kay-lus) brings the prince energy, Rhythe (Pronounced Rive) brings the dark, broody, slightly terrifying energy, and the whole concept of trying to discover “true love” in a society that has spent generations teaching people not to feel anything makes for a good dystopian romance setup.

I also loved the way the book explores the difference between real emotion and manufactured happiness.



“If this is what being in love with someone does to people, why would anyone choose it?”

Which is basically the entire emotional question at the heart of the book.

It ends on a cliffhanger and I’m intrigued to find out where book two goes. I’m thinking there’s a pretty hefty love triangle coming!

Definitely one I’d recommend for readers who love Powerless, The Hunger Games and competition-style romantasy.

The audiobook was narrated by Carlotta Brentan and she did a really good job covering all the characters. A definite plus!

[Yolanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Content Warning: violence, death, drug use

+ The Heart Trials has some really unique world building. People are named after districts they are from for example Saltborn (place with water), Grainborn, Skyborn (wealthy), etc…so trying to learn about this world took some time to get used to. Also, low borns are prevented from falling in love, meaning they have to wear a chain across their mouth to avoid kissing, they have to wear gloves to not be able to touch, and these lower born citizens are monitored heavily by Mercyenforcers. People are also given drugs to stay compliant – can’t have people sad or angry, so the Benevolent (the ruler) can stay in power comfortably. Now the Heart Trials is a competition held by the Benevolent, contestant have to show they have fallen in love at the end of the trials. The winner gets to become a Skyborn, also there is some magic released in the kiss between two people who are truly in love that helps the Benevolent.

+ Axira is a smuggler of heartfillers, the drugs that keep people happy, but one meeting with a client ends up in disaster and she ends up joining the Heart Trials in agreement with the prince. Their goal is to steal the magic of the last kiss in order to take power away from the prince’s father. I thought Axira was an interesting mix of naive but also being savvy. The thing she has no experience in is the falling in love part, which was interesting to see. She’s new to touch, to a kiss, to feelings that involve love for another person that isn’t family or a friend. But I did think she kept herself aware of who was plotting against her.

+~ The romance is young adult and very clean. Axira spends a lot of time with Caelus, the prince, because they have a plan together. But she does start to feel things for him by the end except there is a twist in the story. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

+~ I do think the first half of the story moved slow even though there were deadly rials that helped show a lot of mistrust among the contestants. It was giving Hunger Games vibes throughout the trials, but I thought it was so funny to have a deadly trial and then they had to get to know a potential lover in the next moment. It wasn’t exactly the environment for romance to bloom! I was thinking this was a 3 star read until that ending. There was good tension that built from the slow start all the way to the cliffhanger ending, which I enjoyed a lot. The second half was my favorite part, especially with the twist in the end.



Final Thoughts:

I think the first half of this story moved a little slowly but there is some world building to acclimate to because it was so unique. I love the creativity. The trials gave Hunger Games with speed dating vibes at times, which was strange but refreshing also. I did like the tension! I also liked the romance and that the twist in the end led to a cliffhanger and now I need book two! Can’t wait to see what happens next.

Read if you like:

young adult dystopian
deadly trials
cliffhanger ending

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

The Heart Trials delivers an effective mix of YA dystopian and romantasy, where emotions are weaponized and love is a forbidden feeling only the privileged have access to. The magic system of emotions won me over from the very beginning, it’s explored in ways that felt both enigmatic and high risk, leading to a story I instantly wanted to know better. While one facet of the work certainly held my attention, other parts did not win me over as steadily. But an ending full of twists and gasps certainly has heightened anticipation to follow this journey to the very end.

And this journey is one that begins with Axira, a Saltborn and smuggler of Heartfillers, a substance mandated to every citizen that will elicit “good feelings,” and a substance the elite will pay a pretty penny for. When Axira strikes a mysterious bargain she expects a high pay day, but instead finds herself making a deal with a Skyborn prince and landing herself as a competitor in the deadly Tournament of Hearts. Where she hopes to accomplish her mission and win her freedom. Little does she know how much her heart is about to begin to simply feel.

As mentioned, for me the greatest strength of this work is how it deploys feelings as this almost tangible thing. It’s a currency to empower the greedy and feed the starved. And it’s malleable in how it’s also a shackle to silence and disrupt. And beyond that we see the necessity of being free to feel and to love beyond restrictions. And this is what kept me going, how it’s woven into the overarching political plot while we see the individual responses from characters, primarily Axira. It’s a very clever creation of a magic system and leaves you wanting to know more as we head into a sequel.

But for a story about feelings, what I found intriguing and fascinating in its magic system, I could not find in its love story or character arcs. The love story is one that forms late in the narrative, one I personally would not consider a slow burn, more so it takes its time to even begin to smolder but once it did I just thought it lacking in true sparks. But perhaps there is intent considering a certain twist towards the end. Regardless, I just longed to feel more emotions from the romance and I’d extend that into wishing I could have felt myself caring more for all the main players.

I wasn’t fully strapped into the ride of this book until the latter second half, and while I wish I could have enjoyed more of the overall journey, that late second half felt like a lightning strike. An electric strike where things finally start clicking and my excitement finally shows up. I would have loved more of that throughout the main portion of the story, but I am glad it left me with that feeling, creating some well earned anticipation for its sequel. One I most certainly plan to check out!

Thank you Penguin Young Readers Group and NetGalley for this complimentary eARC, I leave this honest review voluntarily.

[Brittney · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Heart Trials • J. Elle

One phrase: Love Island, but make it dystopian death games 💘🗡️

J. Elle’s The Heart Trials is absolutely going to be a TikTok sensation.

You heard it here first.

This book takes place in Ethyria, a world where the highborn are allowed to love, but the lowborn are only allowed to feel what the Benevolent permits. Their emotions are dulled by Heartfillers, magical crystals that create artificial happiness and keep people numb enough not to fight back.

Chilling? Yes.
Addictive? Also yes.

Axira Merreri is a lowborn smuggler trying to survive in the decaying districts while taking care of the people she loves. She has worked hard to keep her heart locked down, especially after weaning herself off the very thing meant to keep her compliant. But when a drop goes wrong and execution is suddenly on the table, she is forced into a brutal choice.

Compete in the Tournament of Hearts or die.

The Tournament of Hearts is basically Love Island if the government was evil, murder was encouraged, and love could either save you or destroy you.

So obviously, I was hooked.

Axira enters for freedom, not romance, but the more she is pushed through the trials, the harder it becomes to ignore what she is feeling. Watching her struggle with emotions, connection, touch, eye contact, and vulnerability in a world that has made love a privilege was so fascinating.

And Caelus?

The prince determined to survive his father’s cruelty and maybe change the world? I was listening.

The world building was fantastic. Ethyria felt vivid, brutal, and fully imagined, with history, hierarchy, oppression, and a magic system that made the stakes feel personal and terrifying. Axira’s growth was also such a strong part of the story. Her journey from survival mode to feeling, questioning, and fighting with her heart open was so compelling.

And that ending?

NOPE.

Absolutely rude. I could have screamed. I need book two immediately.

✨ Tropes and vibes:
💘 dystopian romantasy
🏆 deadly dating competition
🗡️ Tournament of Hearts
💔 forbidden love
👑 rebel prince
🖤 lowborn FMC
✨ engineered happiness
🔥 forced proximity
😱 brutal trials
🧠 emotional awakening
⚔️ fight for freedom
😭 cliffhanger ending

📚 Read this if you like:
The Hunger Games, Love Island, Powerless, dystopian romance, deadly competitions, forbidden feelings, oppressive regimes, and books where the heart becomes the most dangerous weapon of all.

This was bold, original, addictive, and left me emotionally unwell in the best way.

#TheHeartTrials #JElle #DystopianRomance #RomantasyBooks #BookReview @Penguin @Putnam

[Elia · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE HEART TRIALS by J. Elle is a super original YA Dystopian Romantasy that hits on so many popular tropes, has compelling characters, a swoon-worthy romance, and world-building that's off-the-charts immersive. Before I gush on, I'll do a quick overview for those who haven't yet read.

In Ethyria, the ruler controls people's feelings, something he claims helps keep the peace. People are separated into two classes. The highborn are allowed to love, while the lowborn are only allowed to feel emotions that the ruler allows, and when he allows it.

When lowborn smuggler Axira Merreri gets caught smuggling the ruler’s euphoric Heartfillers in the midst of a really tragic mix-up, she is sentenced to die. To attempt to gain her freedom so that she can continue to help and protect her found family, she agrees to enter the brutal and manipulative Tournament of Hearts, a dating competition where the winning couple gain highborn citizenship.

In it to win it, and not lose herself to the dreaded feeling of being in love, her hold on her heart erodes as she draws closer and closer to a co-conspirator who may be the key to her winning or her undoing.

What I loved about this book:
- the magic system is super unique and unlike anything I've ever read before
- the found family aspect that motivates Axira throughout the book was so touching
- the love interest is handsome, smart, yet angsty in a way that makes you care for him and want to protect him from all the bad stuff
- who doesn't like a competition? double down if it's dangerous, although I could have done without some of the violence. It was rough.
- the worldbuilding - throughout the competition we get to see different areas of Ethyria from the port to the mountains to the plains
- the romance - it had to be a slow build for many reasons, but mostly because Axira has lived her whole life pushing away emotions. When she and the love interest finally do touch, it's magical

What didn't work for me:
- there's a decision the heroine makes towards the end of the trail that made me want to throw the book across the room. That said, it did elicit a strong reaction in me, which is a hallmark of great writing. I just wouldn't have ever made THAT choice. But I'm not her.

If you enjoy unique magic systems, competitions that can turn deadly, and a slow burn romance despite the odds, pick up THE HEART TRIALS. You won't regret it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Penguin Young Readers Group | G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, for the advanced eARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: The Heart Trials-#1 Duology

Author: J. Elle- I read Fortress of Ambrose and gave it 3⭐

Publication date: 9-1-26 | Read: 9-1-26

Format: e-Book 400 pgs.

Genre:
*Fantasy/Sci Fi
*Romance
* YA

Tropes:
*a quest
*forbidden romance
*competition
*found family
*Heartfillers-injected into the heart daily, keeps lowborn emotions controlled where love and touch are forbidden
*The Tournament of Hearts- lowborn compete in 3 trials (courage, loyalty, strength), find their truest mate, and gain sky born citizenship never having to use Heartfillers again.

POV: 1st person

TW: classism, murder, death of parents, orphanage, poverty

Setting: Ethyria

Summary: Axira has lost her parents and helps run an orphanage for lowborn in the Saltblood district. She smuggles Heartfiller to the highborn in Skyhaven. She plans to get enough money for a ship and leave w/ her family. When she's captured and given "mercy" by The Benevolent, she agrees to enter the tournament of hearts. She will compete in 3 trials to find her truest love among the contestants to win citizenship as a Skyborn-the highest class. Prince Caelus has his own plans to take down his father and end his regime. He enters the tournament and together with Axira they fight for justice.

Heroine: Axira Merreri- 18, a lowborn Saltblood courier and smuggler of Heartfillers

Hero: Caelus Alistair-prince of Ethyria, though he lives as a servant

Other Characters
* Lucent-the prince's cousin, has servant fiancée Rhianne
* The Benevolent-King of Ethyria
* Ms. Omon-runs an orphanage for the Saltbloods
* Serafina-Axira's "little sister"-sick and dying
* Dorian-a lowborn, asked to marry Axira and enters the tournament
*Syra-Axira's maid for the tournament
*Mae-befriends Axira, a contestant of the tournament
*Mercyenforcers-the police
*Other contestants: Rhythe, Ivy, Kade-ex-lowborn mercyenforcer, Talia, Ronan-has a little brother to care for, Finn, and Lira
*Geof Merreri-Axira's father, was a rebel?

My Thoughts/Likes:
-Axira's love for Serafina- reminds me of Kat and Rue in Hunger Games
-Caelus's plot to overthrow his father
-Axira and Caelus's chemistry and pinning
-All the twists and turns/ The Benevolent changes rules of tournament
-Ends in cliffhanger

Rating: 5/5 ⭐
Spice level: 1/5 🔥

Thanks to Netgalley, Penguin Young Readers Group| G.P. Putnam Sons Books for Young Readers, and J. Elle for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Kate Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

J. Elle’s The Heart Trials is going to be the next TikTok sensation – You heard it here first.
Set in the fantasy world Ethyria, where only the Skyborn are allowed to experience love, the lowborns are resigned to a miserable existence. Only compensated by the forced use of ‘heartfillers’, magical crystals which produce a numbing, joyous effect – keeping the citizens lazy, dulled and to numb to fight back. After weaning herself off the capital prescribed drugs, Axira Merrei, our favourite smuggler (not thief, SMUGGLER… I’m not 100% about the difference) is beginning to see more of the harsh conditions people are forced to survive in. Living in an orphanage, she sees starvation and brutality constantly. To help her loved ones survive, she smuggles heartfillers to the Skyborns, who are meant to be so happy that they don’t need drug induced emotions. During one of her most important drug deals, everything goes wrong. Leaving Axira with a choice, compete in the Tournament of Hearts – a brutal contest where the winning couple move to live with the Skyborns and are allowed to experience love – or die. Think of it like Love Island, but with working class contestants and where murder is encouraged.
Axira meets the Benevolent, Ethyria’s callous ruler, but most readers will be more interested in his son, Caelus. Our Prince is determined to change the world, as long as he can survive his father’s murderous plans. Together Caelus and Axira experience a series of trails to prove they can handle loving one another and the hardships love entails. We see Axira struggle to adapt to what we perceive as normal human experiences, such as skin contact, looking one another in the eye and being within 3 feet of one another.
Although Axira isn’t interested in becoming a Skyborn, instead wanting to escape and move to a safer location, she understands that the Heart Trails is the only way to flee with her life. But the more she begins to feel, the more her emotions put her at risk. Elle’s world building here is fantastic, wonderfully detailed and the Ethyria’s history makes the location feel more realist. Seeing Axira grow and learn about her parents was great character development, I really sympathised with her struggles. I’m waiting on the edge of my seat for the second novel because there is NO WAY I can leave their story on that cliffhanger! – What an ending, I could have screamed.
Thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for the review, I really enjoyed this book!