Viper & Lilies

by Lexie Axon

As descendants of one of the five hunters who successfully exterminated Enchantresses, the Maeve sisters live at the top of society, their family’s legacy providing fame, fortune, and above all, the perfect mask to conceal their own magic. But when they discover an academic at the Vonstein Institute claims to have evidence Enchantresses escaped the Hunt, the sisters are eager to dispel the rumor; they move into the institute for the summer, prepared to silence the suspicions by whatever means necessary.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Romance, Fiction, Lesbian, Adult

480 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication February 2, 2027

Reviews

[aqsa · Rating 5 out of 5]

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ | 4.5 stars!!

wow, this was SO much better than i expected!!

i can’t say too much because this doesn’t release until february 2027 (i’ll definitely be posting a more detailed review closer to release), but just know… i loved this.

the writing was absolutely gorgeous. the sister bond between serafina, carena, and kitarani was probably one of my favorite parts. as someone with two younger sisters, i immediately connected with serafina. she’s literally a badass (2 doctorates?!?! hello??). i also really loved kitarani and seeing how different each sister was.

the romances were so good too. i was invested!!

my only little complaint is that with books that have 3+ povs, i sometimes end up having a pov i dread getting back to 😭 and unfortunately, that was carena’s pov for me. she just annoyed me a little bit lol.

but THAT ENDING??? excuse me??? the book isn’t even out yet and i’m already demanding the sequel. i need answers and i need them immediately.

thank you to NetGalley, grand central publishing, and the author for the arc!!

[BookishKB]

🐍🌸 Viper & Lilies 🌸🐍

📖 Bookish Thoughts

My full review will be shared closer to the publication date.

❤️‍🔥 What to Expect
• Romantasy
• Hidden Magic
• Sisterhood
• Feminine Rage
• Political Intrigue
• Secret Identity
_ _ _

📅 Pub Date: February 2, 2027
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

[Hannah Gardocki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lexie Axon’s debut novel, Viper & Lilies, absolutely delivered as the first installment in this trilogy.

I was immediately hooked by the brilliant premise, and the setting served as the perfect backdrop for the story. It reminded me of a Rachel Gillig book in the best way. The world-building felt unique and contained, with clear room to grow and expand in future books, but without ever feeling too intimidating or overwhelming which can sometimes happen with romantasy.

I absolutely loved the Maeve sisters and having a front-row seat to their three distinct yet intertwining story arcs. While the three separate romance plots gave me plenty of "kicking my feet" moments, the true anchor of the book for me was the fierce bond between the sisters. The book manages its pacing incredibly well while balancing the three separate POVs, building tension organically right up to the end.

The plot had me hooked and it’s clear that the twists at the finish set us up perfectly for the rest of the series. Personally, one of the turns near the end made me audibly gasp because I never saw it coming. Bravo to Lexie for that one - I can't wait for to see what happens next!

Thank you to the author & Grand Central Publishing for my advanced copy!

[Amelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

So incredibly excited for this release!!!

[Henna · Rating 2 out of 5]

This novel had such a strong premise and a wonderful foundation for a truly spectacular romantasy novel are present, but unfortunately, the execution falls a bit short.


ABOUT THE BOOK

Lexie Axon’s Viper & Lilies is a romantasy, set in a world inspired by regency era England, that follows three sisters from a noble Appointed family of the aristocracy as they move into the esteemed Vonstein Institute (the equivalent of London in the summer for high society) to try and protect a dark secret that, if discovered, would mean ruin and death for them.

Serafina, the oldest of the three Maeve sisters and the head of the family, is determined to protect her family’s reputation, no matter the cost. When a family heirloom, detailing a witch hunt that concluded one hundred for all the “wicked women” Enchantresses of old is requested at the Institute, she can feel that something is amiss. Because while the Maeve family is heralded as the savior of all of Adora for eliminating all Enchantresses, her and her sisters guard a deathly secret: the three of them are the last Enchantresses in all of the land. What she finds at the Institute is exactly as damning as she feared: the head librarian and history scholar that resides there suspects that the witch hunt from one hundred years ago was not as successful as high society would have everyone believe, and he is determined to prove that Enchantresses still walk among them. Unwilling to let him discover the truth, Sera weasels her way into his research team—but as the two of them start working together, she finds herself caught in that dangerous chasm between her sisters and her heart.

Carena, the middle sister, lives her life on display for all of society to see. Since she was a child, she has been renowned through all of Adora for her beauty. Her oldest sister is unfit for marriage on the basis of being far too educated, her youngest sister has been engaged since she was a child, which leaves Carena the only hope for the Maeve family to marry and to marry well. It is a duty she does with a damning determination—but when she is assigned the Institute’s event planner to oversee her social schedule, she begins to realize that to be seen might not be the only purpose in life, and that to be known truly might be reason enough to fight for herself.

Kitarni, the youngest sister, is rebellious, fiery, and eternally a headache to her sisters’ existence. All she wants is to frolick in the fields behind the Institute with the horses and the rabbits and the dogs; instead, she is resigned to marry the foreign prince her father sold her off to in order to pay his debts. Her fate is to leave her sisters and the only life she has ever known behind. In a desperate attempt to regain some semblance of control back for her life in this last summer before her death sentence, Kit ends up enchanted by the offering of the Institute’s stables… and the taciturn stable hand, a steady and tattooed former soldier who seems haunted by a past she knows nothing of.

MY THOUGHTS

Axon’s prose is lush and vivid, and she has a way of immersing the reader into the scene. I love the idea of a fantasy setting inspired by the regency era—this book is pitched as Bridgerton if it was a romantasy, and I think that it certainly delivers on that front. However, I found the worldbuilding a little bit surface level and the messaging throughout the novel too on the nose. It only takes a few chapters to realize that Axon does not fully trust her readers; there is a preoccupation with overexplaining every single thought or action, which makes the pacing boring and the character development unfulfilling because the reader is told everything instead of learning it on their own.

It is an ambitious undertaking to write a novel focusing on three separate characters and attempting to flush out their storylines to a believable depth while also making them relatable and ensuring the reader is connected to all three of them. I have to commend Axon for this, because while I have my criticisms, it is done in a particularly masterful way. In a situation like this, it is obvious that the reader will have preferences for which POV they prefer to be in—I definitely did (more on that later). In the first 25% of the novel, I was equally invested in each POV, but as the novel progressed, I found myself a little… bored.

ON THE CHARACTERS

Before starting this, I thought my favorite character would be Serafina, followed by Carena, and then Kitarni last. It seemed obvious. I am the oldest daughter, and I have to keep solidarity! Unfortunately, Sera was my least favorite of the sisters. By a long shot. Reading Viper & Lilies was the first time in all my (almost) twenty five years in my life where I stopped and thought, “oh my god, is this what all younger siblings think of their older siblings?” Like seriously.

SERAFINA

Sera’s characterization felt very surface level compared to the other sisters—perhaps because I know how complicated the feelings of being the oldest daughter are. There was no nuance to her motivations or her thoughts, only “I’m the oldest, I must protect the family!” which frankly is boring. In fact, because there was no layered depth to her character, it made her feel overbearing even when we were in her head. I would have appreciated her more if she seemed overbearing from her sisters’—particularly Kitarni’s—perspective, but we experienced a little bit of her internal struggle when we were in her perspective. But no. She was insufferable even when I was reading her POV chapters.

(This is just a guess, but I would wager that Axon is either an only child or a younger sibling. In my opinion, no oldest sibling would write Sera like that… If I am incorrect, please look the other way. I am sorry.)

I also thought it was kind of funny that she is a double doctorate at twenty three, and one of those degrees is in medicine… Lol. Maybe that is just me being nitpicky about plausibility, but then again, this is a fantasy novel, so I guess I shouldn’t hold that against it… Perhaps it is time to suspend my disbelief.

There were also moments where Sera’s actions felt a little too over the top for her characterization. We are told throughout the novel how she is the oldest sister, who bears the burden of protecting her sisters and preserving the family dynamics, etcetera. But there are moments where she will do things (eg. about 25% of the way through the novel, something happens to Carena and Sera does something that, in my opinion, was very extreme in order to protect her) that are meant to have a big emotional impact, but instead end up being splashy for the sake of being splashy.

(ALSO. Side note unrelated to characterization. I just cannot get over Emilio's pet name for Sera being "Doc." It makes me think he talking to some old white man instead of a girl he's attracted to….. Like ok.)

The most accurate thing about Sera’s characterization was her dislike for animals. lol.

KITARNI

Kitarni surprised me in a completely different way. As the oldest daughter, I suppose it is only natural that I thought I would relate the least to the youngest of the sisters. But I did enjoy her more than Sera. I felt like her motivations were clearly defined (if not a bit heavy handed) and they definitely made me feel something. I thought her internal struggle of feeling like a nuisance to her sisters and that misbelief that she is disposable and that love has to be earned was so compelling. It made me relate to her much more than I thought I would! Also her relationship with animals was sooooo sweet. I personally don’t care much about animals but it felt so genuine and added even more to her character. Her and Rory were sweet. A little insta-love (I thought the scene where Carena comments on how Rory looks at Kit to be a little overstated, especially considering we were only 20% through the novel) but still. It was great. Kind of boring, extremely cheesy, but great.

CARENA

Now… Let’s get into my favorite of them all. Carena. My sweet lovely gorgeous (and I mean internally, because Goddess knows she’s been lauded for her looks her entire life) girl. In my humble opinion, Carena was the best thing about this book, hands down. Not even a competition. I could feel just how special her character was to Axon, because there was something about the way that her character and the scenes she was in just lifted off the page. Truly magical. Her internal dialogue was soooo complicated and real and oh my god. I just am so obsessed with her. My heart ached for her at so many points throughout the novel, its insane. The scene with a man courting her in the garden (which, trigger warning, involves sexual harrassment and alludes to past sexual trauma) had my hackles rising, and I think Axon handled the situation and Carena’s reactions so viscerally and with such depth it felt true to the experience of all women. I also thought that her romance with Evette was the most flushed out—or perhaps the most compelling—of all the three sisters.

INTERLUDE: THE OBLIGATORY AMBIGUOUS BROWN LOVE INTEREST… INCLUSIVE OR PROBLEMATIC?

For how much I enjoyed Carena, I feel it pertinent to mention here the whole Evette of it all.

Like many people, I first heard of Viper & Lilies from social media. Lexie Axon has done a phenomenal job of marketing this novel and building hype before the release, and I am undoubtedly one of many who found myself intrigued by her story. What stood out to me in the marketing, however, was a particular moodboard for Carena and her love interest’s relationship. At the time I saw it, I did not know Evette’s name—I only knew that Axon had fancasted her as Edwina from Bridgerton, played by British Tamil actress Charithra Chandran. My first instinct when seeing this was excitement: a queer relationship involving a brown love interest. How fun! My next reaction was… hmm. Evette? Interesting name for a brown character. My excitement was tempered by the thought that perhaps, Evette would turn out to be an ambiguously brown love interest—you know, where a non-brown author (usually white) chooses to tout diversity in their book without including any cultural significance.

Unfortunately, Evette Saha is the perfect example of this increasingly common case in literature today. Yes, you read that right. Saha.

Interesting surname for a brown woman… Only a letter off from Shah. When I first read that, I tried to brush it off. Perhaps I was being too sensitive (is there such a thing, when it comes to misrepresentation?) But then I asked my cousin, who does not read often, what her thoughts were on the name for a brown character. She immediately asked me why I mispelled Shah. Lol.

Now, now. Don’t get twisted into a tizzy. Henna, why do you always have to bring race into it? My question to you is why do we always have to brush off the racism of it all? I’m getting tired of the ambiguous brown love interest, and something feels particularly performative about having the brown love interest also be the queer love interest. That is not to say that brown people are not queer—of course they are—but why are we grouping the diversity hires into one? Why is the straight romance with a white man named Rory? To make it more palatable to the wider audience? Interesting…

Bita Behzadi has a phenomenal Substack post about the ambiguous brown love interest, or the AMBLI (https://bitabehzadi.substack.com/p/th...) that encapsulates my complicated feeling towards the phenomenon seen in this novel and literature widely:

“The AMBLI allows the white author to feature a person of color as a major character without having to write through their perspective. It reflects a care for diversity, a banishment of the idea that their writing centers whiteness, without stepping on any toes. It’s a happy medium.

Except it isn’t really. Because often, in these stories, being brown doesn’t mean anything.

The AMBLI is an aesthetic choice. These men [or women] often do not have racist struggles tied to their identity because the author does not feel equipped to tackle racism. They don’t have any cultural differences from the main character because the author fears appropriating from other cultures. They cannot connect with the nonwhite audience they’re meant to represent because there’s nothing to connect to.

Instead, functionally, they often act for the comfort of the white audience, so white readers can feel better about engaging with primarily white works.”

Not every story including a person of color has to include an examination of race and class struggle. That is not what I expected from this novel either. In fact, I would prefer not to read that kind of story from a person who doesn’t come from that background. However, it feels disingenuous to include diversity and have absolutely no exploration of what that diversity is. This book attempts to tackle themes of feminism and gender inequality; to not include the context of race in the gender struggle (even if it is not a nuanced reflection on that) feels a little “white women feminist” to me. For the book to touch on class struggles with Rory and Kitarni makes me think that an exploration of the same in Carena and Evette’s relationship was not out of the realm of possibility.

OVERALL THOUGHTS RE: CHARACTERS

There was an interesting dichotomy of overexplaining and underexplaining the characters and their relationships in this novel. Many of the interactions (eg. Rory’s feelings for Kitarni, or Emilio and Sera’s push-and-pull dynamic) that are outright told on page, but nothing happens in an emotional context for the reader to buy into the relationships. I found it hard to understand why certain characters would act certain ways—for example, there is a scene where Carena has experienced something traumatic, and Emilio sends her breakfast to her room as a gesture of good faith. I understood what Axon was trying to portray with this—that he can anticipate Sera’s needs and desires to take care of her sisters, and is perfectly suited for her. Instead of being a thoughtful gesture, however, this comes off as jarring and inconsistent. Emilio has not even met Carena at this point in the story. Why is he sending her breakfast? It struck me as strange, and I spent the rest of the novel thinking about that. There was also this weird interplay of convenient characterization of one sister through the other two’s POV. I felt like half the things I learned about the sisters, especially Kitarni, were shoved down my throat as observations from the other two, which only further distanced me from their characters because I had no reason to care about them, just a laundry lists of things the author was trying to accomplish and perhaps did not quite hit the mark with.

ON WORLDBUILDING AND PLOT

First, I must get this out of the way. To call the Enchantresses (aka the persecuted) in this novel “wicked women” (and alwayyysssss with the italics) feels a bit on the nose. Cheesy, one might say. Perhaps caricature-like? Every time I read those words I found I couldn’t take it seriously which, you know, probably is me a problem more than anything. I just felt the need to mention it here because of how often it took me out of the story.

One big complaint I had on the plot front was the basis of the novel: that Serafina is determined to undermine Emilio’s research into whether or not any Enchantresses and their bloodlines survived the Hunt. In theory, it sounds like a strong foundation for plot—the stakes are high because discovery and failure would mean death. But I just found it implausible to think that in a society driven by the power dynamics of the Appointed Families vs everyone else, that Emilio would be allowed to put forth a research topic that undermines their status. The entire thread of his research and Sera’s interference felt flimsy from a heavy misunderstanding of how academia functions. I also was very disillusioned and turned away from the novel from Axon’s utilization of this project as a way to info dump for pages and pages, almost endlessly, about the worldbuilding and history of her fantasy setting. What I hate most in heavy worldbuilding novels is the “as you know, Bob, the COVID-19 pandemic changed the world” conversations, and that is quite literally all that comes out of Sera and Emilio’s mouths for the first three chapters that they meet and interact.

The pacing of this novel was so off, and the ending wrapped up far too neatly for me to feel any satisfaction. Things just conveniently happened throughout the story for all six of our characters to come together at the end with a new mission that will lead us into book 2. There were a few particularly inspired plot points of integration—like at the ball that Evette throws for Carena, where Carena decides to try to make her jealous by flirting with the first acceptable man she sees, who happens to be completely uninterested in her and instead focused only on Sera. (Hint: that man is in fact, Emilio.)

Another complaint that I had was that the stakes of the story never felt pressing enough to warrant the events that happened throughout the plot. There was no sense of urgency in Sera’s plotline to prevent Emilio from discovering the truth. Kitarni’s predicament of having to be married off to a foreign prince felt muddied by the fact that reader does not discover the truth about their arranged marriage and why the engagement is predatory as opposed to simply inconvenient and a political happenstance until the 80% mark. Carena’s internal stakes were the exception to this—the trauma she faced in the past, and the manifestations of it as she experiences assault (physical, and on her character), was the one thing that did have that sense of urgency to it—but her external stakes with her relationship with Evette were confusing and lackluster. In order to establish the sisters’ powers as Enchantresses and show the ends that they are willing to go to protect each other and the ones that they love, Axon has the three of them commit murder (sometimes, of multiple people on many occasions) as a way to establish these stakes. However, the way that these deaths are handled, as well as the whimsical and poised narrative that she constructs, leads to these plot points falling flat.

[Gianmccall •(Kaz Brekker's Version)• · Rating 5 out of 5]

𓇗"𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒅𝒐 𝒔𝒐 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏."𓆗



𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆🪶🪞🎀⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ

THANK YOU SO MUCH GRAND CENTRAL PUBLISHING, THE AUTHOR AND NETGALLEY FOR THE ADVANCED COPY!

(Disclaimer: This review will be 50% review/50% me using the review as my therapy. And it'll be long. And funny. And maybe I was still sobbing a little bit as I was writing it...or maybe not 😶‍🌫️✨)

𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆🎀🪞🪶⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ


You know it when you fall in love with a book. That insatiable need of being constantly reading it cuz you wanna -need to- know everything, but also the dread of reaching the last page and then having to say goodbye to the characters you've been getting to know and adore, and that fictional world now you desperately want to live in and...well, you know the rest.

I started reading 𝐕𝐢𝐩𝐞𝐫 & 𝐋𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 right away after being approved on Netgalley (thank you again!) because it looked like the kind of book that would help me to recover from my last read. Something light and sweet and magical. And it was. But also it turned out to be A NEW FAVOURITE READ IN MY LIFE, to my complete astonishment.

So, what I mean is: 𝗜𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘𝐕𝐢𝐩𝐞𝐫&𝐋𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬𝗦𝗢𝗠𝗨𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗡𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗛𝗨𝗧𝗨𝗣𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗧𝗜𝗧!!!

And of course there are many, many many reasons for that. But I'm gonna explain it with a list of my favorite parts.

★

✒️ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲

Three sisters. The Maeve Sisters. Descendants from a very important family of hunters who successfully exterminated the Enchantresses (women blessed with magic by an ancient goddess) for good.

A legacy of fame, fortune, prestige and recognition in change for living at the top of society...and the perfect facade for their magical bloodline.

To protect the secret and each other, they'll do anything and everything, especially when an academic at the Vostein Institute seems to be more than determined to prove that Enchantresses still exist somewhere.

A threat to their survival that must be silenced, no matter the cost.


🤍 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬

There's something particularly powerful about these characters and the way they were written.

I felt so genuinely intrigued and so deeply connected to them, they weren't just characters but someone I really wanted to get to know, to protect, even hug. Especially these sisters 🥺✨

Seraphina, Carena and Kitarni (Kit bb!), I loved each one of them. They're so unique and complex in their own ways, with their own fears, insecurities, dreams, values and more, so much more. But also share the need as sisters to take care of each other, making big sacrifices in order to have some kind of freedom.

And it is not just the fact of the magic but the world they live in (a world a lot like ours) where women are constantly fighting for their right of existence. For being treated like humans and not possessions.

So it was wonderful to see them getting to find and love themselves despite all that, not just as women but as 𝑡𝒉𝑒 woman each one of them really is.

I can't specifically choose only one favourite sister, I adore them all. I'm proud and excited equally when it comes to their stories, cuz as an older sis myself, I connect with 𝑺𝒆𝒓𝒂 and how much she loves Carena and Kitarni, and all the roles she's willing to assume to keep them safe and happy cuz they mean literally everything to her. I also love her ambition and, if I'm honest with myself, I understand her struggle to ask for help, even when she's more than aware that she needs it (also, her sense of justice is flawless and I'm not accepting any criticism).
I connect with 𝑪𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒂 and her process, her beautiful path of finding her own courage, trying different things even when she's terrified to fail somehow (one of my absolute favourite quotes comes from her pov, and I think I'll have it in my heart forever), and then I connect with 𝑲𝒊𝒕 as well, cuz she's soul driven, so to speak. Beyond her powers, her curiosity and compassion are extremely remarkable, sometimes foolishly underestimated but not less admirable because of that. She carries her heart in her eyes all the time and is one of her absolute best qualities.

I'm a very affectionate person, and if Kitarni were real I'd probably be hugging her every ten minutes. Honestly, it could very well happen with all of them. (What? Yes, I'm Olaf and I love giving hugs -with consent).

✒️🪞🎀


⚔️ 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞

If I'd say I didn't spent the whole time as I was reading also smiling and sighing here and there like a fool, I'd be L.Y.I.N.G, and I don't do that, so yes, I also wanted to hug the book (or my kindle, more specifically).

I was half convinced I was getting enchanted too somehow cuz I WAS LAUGHING, THEN KICKING MY FEET AND GIGGLING, THEN CRYING FOR AN HOUR AND THEN SOMEONE IN THE BOOK WOULD SAY SOMETHING EXTREMELY BEAUTIFUL OR WRITE THE PRETTIEST LETTER EVER AND I WOULD TURN TOMATO COLOR!

My heart can only take so many emotions without racing like if it wanted to circle the world at least 100th times, mind you!

In my eyes, the story is both mesmerizing and immersive. The pace of the narrative was neither way too fast nor too slow. I think that was important for the characters to accomplish their objectives.

The 𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 was delicious, breathtaking and so meaningful, reflecting exactly what the fmcs needed, not as a person to complete them but to really see them for who they were inside. And that made it all more valuable and adorable and, yes, hot. 🔥✨

𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆✒️🪞🎀 ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ


There is still so much for me to say about this book (I wasn't lying when I said the review would be long), like how much I loved it (pretty sure I've said this before too, but mention it again cannot hurt) and how I'm desperately wishing to read book two (I'll be patient...sort of) because I can smell an amazing adventure coming already.

At the end, the most wonderful aspect about 𝐕𝐢𝐩𝐞𝐫 & 𝐋𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬, the true heart of the story are the Maeve Sisters. Their relationship, their strength, their story 🥹✨


♾️/5★

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful story of three sisters discovering themselves while hiding the very powers their ancestors once hunted.

I didn't know what to expect when I went into this book. Would three different POVs feel overwhelming? Would each sister have a distinct enough voice? Would I be bored as they hang out at an institute all summer hoping to solve the mystery of why enchantresses were being reported when they were believed to have been vanquished decades ago? Thankfully the answer to all of these is "no". Each sister had such a distinct voice that I immediately fell into their stories with ease. I was never confused as to whose perspective I was reading from.

Each sister has so much riding on their shoulders. Serafina, the eldest, carries the weight of protecting not only her sisters but the legacy of every enchantress who came before them. So, when rumors surface that an enchantress may have survived the infamous hunt, she inserts herself into the investigation to keep the truth hidden.

Carena, the middle sister, possesses a power that is rooted in her beauty. Since she was a child, her beauty has drawn people to her in unsettling ways, leaving her feeling less like a person and more as an object to be admired and owned. Her story was very dark because she doesn't feel like she deserves anything more. Her journey sunk its claws into me because it explored self-worth in such a heartbreaking way. Watching her slowly realize that she deserved more than the life she had previously accepted was incredibly rewarding.

Kitarni, the youngest, is often dismissed as the impulsive sister, but her sisters have no idea just how much she carries beneath the surface. For years, she's played the role of the naïve younger sister, and she secretly resents that they don't see how capable she truly is.  Her gift allows her to sense the emotions of others and draw those feelings to the surface and amplify them, making her deeply empathetic. She also has a natural connection with animals, which leads her to work at the stables alongside a very handsome former soldier turned stable hand. Kitarni was the sister I found myself gravitating toward the most. The contrast of her gentle, fun-loving nature and the terrifying strength of her powers when she finally unleashes them is striking.

Each sister's story felt unique. Serafina is fighting to keep their existence hidden, Carena learns to see herself as more than an object of desire, and Kit struggles with impossible choices. Each sister has their own battles to overcome, but their unwavering bond is what truly shines through this book. Any time a sister was in need, they were there for her, and they would go absolutely berserker on the person that threatened her well-being. There were moments when you would see that protectiveness rise up, and you could just feel that tension as if you were right there in the room with them.

Viper and Lilies is an emotionally rich debut that explores the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood, the struggles of being a woman in a time when men held all the power, and the courage to be true to yourself when the world demands that you hide.

I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this story. While I wish this had been a standalone because I became so invested in these sisters' journeys and wanted to see how their stories would unfold, the ending left me excited to see where the series goes next.

[Lady Juliette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dear Reader,
I’ve just completed Viper & Lilies. My heart goes out to these sisters. If you’re a sibling as I am, you will recognize in each the balance of coming into one’s own while supporting those you love; outgrowing lifelong patterns while maintaining them for their familiar dynamic. This novel represents this tension well and each sister’s POV will endear you to their perspective. I was rooting for all of them and kicking my feet by the end! The romance offered feels real and is no less indulgent. My specific thanks to Rory being who he is: simply scrumptious. But don’t you worry, there’s plenty of love interests to swoon for this season.

This book is the first of a series, but I was left satisfied by the end while curious about what’s to come.
Other themes of note that might (and dare I say should) interest you: this book tackles an exploration of the struggles women face in today’s society through a fantasy lens that’s thoughtful without being overbearing or didactic. I won’t say too much here because the book speaks for itself on this, but I do want to point out that I appreciate the particular focus on women being praised and dismissed (some stronger words should be used here, unfortunately) for the same quality or characteristic. Ex. A woman that is kind may (often, I might add) experience her kindness being used against her, resulting in situations she would rather not be a part of or does not feel safe in. A woman that is beautiful may be reduced to her looks. This story doesn’t remove these struggles, rather it validates them by giving the women literal power to protect themselves or respond when otherwise they might not be able to in our world. In a way, this book might be healing for some to see action taken on their behalf for similar injustices against them (a thank you to the author for this).

A few of my favorite quotes to entice you (please note that these may be different from the published version):
“When wants were all she was composed of, what would be left of her without them?”
“...the audacity of women nowadays…”
“A woman’s power is not dependent on recognition.”
“‘Do you ever get lonely in the stables?’...
‘I didn’t used to.’” !!!!!

This book would go best with vegetable stew or tea in the garden. I hope you delight in this read.
Yours ever,
Lady J

P.S. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an ARC

[bells · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4.25⭐️


This book said sisterhood, female rage, and wicked women. And it had me in an absolute chokehold.

Apparently wicked women is supposed to be an insult from fragile little men, but honestly that goes unbelievably hard. If being wicked means being intelligent and powerful, then why not embrace it? The enchantresses are such an intriguing concept. Women blessed by the Goddess with mind, beauty, and soul magic… only to be hunted down because insecure men simply couldn’t handle all that. Embarrassing behavior, really.

Having three POVs could’ve easily become overwhelming, but each sister has such a distinct voice and personality that I never had trouble telling them apart. Their bond is honestly the heart of this story.

MY GIRL SERAFINA. A certified badass with not one but two PhDs. She’s cunning, fiercely protective, endlessly dedicated, and somehow still keeps everything from falling apart, she was easily my favorite.

Carena immediately gave me Francesca Bridgerton energy. Quiet, thoughtful, full of anxiety and emotional weight, but never mistake that softness for weakness. Once she unleash herself, she’ll 100% bring those men to their knees (and maybe finish the job right after).

And Kitarni… I have the biggest soft spot for her. She’s warm, lively, and somehow refuses to let everything she’s endured steal her light. I wanted to wrap her in a blanket and protect her at all costs.

The romances were genuinely sweet, but Kitarni and Rory absolutely had my whole heart. The writing flows beautifully, the pacing stays engaging, and the magic system is genuinely captivating. My only real complaint is that I wanted the world-building to go just a little deeper, hopefully we’ll get there in the sequel.

Overall, this was such a spellbinding blend of sisterhood, vengeance, and magic. Long live the wicked women!


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Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!

[yas · Rating 4 out of 5]

i was given the ARC by netgalley!

my personal rating: 3.75/5

overall thoughts on the book: i think the first 50% of this book was hard for me to get into. the rules of the world were a little hard to understand and i wasn’t really sure where this was going. i think the second 50% made this a worth while read. the sister’s personalities actions start to make more sense as the story unravels more secrets. their stories got significantly more interesting as those secrets unravel and their love interests help push them forward. i definitely ended up enjoying this more than i thought i would at that 50% mark. i would definitely recommend to those who enjoy slow burn romances.


things i liked about this book:
- the writing style is very easy to follow and get into.
- the sisters have defined personalities and distinct love interests
- the romance! the love interests were exactly what the sisters needed. emilio started out as my least favorite but ended up being my favorite by the end.
- the twists were genuinely surprising and made the story interesting without feeling random.

other things i noticed:
- their powers are all very similar. almost to the point where you wonder why is their three subcategories rather than just the power of a wicked woman?
- the swapping perspectives sometimes made it really hard to stay interested in what was happening with each sister. i felt like i would just be getting into their story and then it would switch. (moreso in the first 50% of the book)
- the stakes felt a low for me at first. i found the reasoning for a lot of their decisions were a little hard to believe considering their powers. i feel like this changes around the 70% mark and ties some things together to make the stakes feel higher.
- the gender roles in this world are confusing. some of the things that carena points out about women’s role/rules in their society i feel like conflicts with a lot of what actually transpires.

[Dayna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book.

All opinions are my own.

Viper and Lilies is the read I didn't know I needed.
The short of it? Three high society sisters (it's giving Schyler sisters minus the musical numbers) from a famed Hunting family must work to prove the Hunt was successful in eliminating Enchantresses from their world or risk their family's reputation. The only issue is that they are the last known Enchantresses and are desperately trying to hide the secret of their bloodline otherwise they face the same consequences as the women taken by the Hunt a century before.
Three sisters, three POVs, three love stories.
The eldest sister is a doctor of medicine and history. It's her job to feud with the research professor who had made it his mission to uncover the truth.
The middle sister is a famed beauty. She spends her summer entertaining a never ending pool of suitors each vying for her hand in marriage. She has a preference, but it's not for anyone courting her.
The youngest sister is engaged to be married to a prince. This is an issue because she falls hard for the stable hand running an animal sanctuary. He falls harder.
From page one, each of the three sisters are so clearly written that I felt like they existed off the page.
I most appreciated the themes of sisterhood and what it is to be a woman that exist within the story arcs.
I recommend Viper and Lilies to fans of the romantasy genre. Specifically fans of Divine Rivals and One Dark Window. Viper and Lilies is the perfect blend of dark academia with a gothic-esk atmosphere and Bridgerton.
I will be patiently waiting for books 2 and 3, and will be recommending this book to anyone willing to listen.

[Kendra · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Such a merciless attack could only come from the mind of a wicked woman.”

Step into the countryside of The Vonstein Institute, a dark Romanesque feel of appointed family wealth that focuses on research. A family heirloom with secrets that go so far deep and an enchantress power gifted by the goddess’s used for protection against men who caused any harm or disrespect.

Lexie brings us a story with a sisterhood that will latch onto you dearly and experiencing each of their flaws.

A story following 3 sisters: Serafina, the eldest daughter of an Appointed family that are honorable. Head of the Maeve family whose main priority is to protect her two sisters. Carena, was grace and beauty that could make your heart stop. A little lost soul who is just trying to find her way and go after what she really wants. Then our big hearted girl, Kitarni, who just wants to be at peace. Feel free at the countryside and not go back to the highest King she got sold to.

This debut absolutely blew me away! I loved it so much like I’m at loss of words as the Maeve sisters have my heart! This story really grabs your attention from the beginning with mind manipulation magic that left me stunned! I had so many omg moments with how these sisters used their magic that had me screaming and rooting for them!

I also really enjoyed the 3 POVs from each sister that truly flowed nicely. Nothing felt confusing and it was just enjoyable getting to know each of them while getting deep into this families history and not risking exposure.

Thank you so much Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley for the e-galley! 🐍

[Genesis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Viper & Lilies is Axon's debut novel, and you can feel how much of her heart she poured into it. Each of the Maeve sisters—Carena, Serafina, and Kitarni—is distinct from the others, but because of the way Axon wrote their characters, it's easy to relate to each one.

This book was also engaging. It was easy to read, and I found that I blew through it in less than three days. I can see aspects of this book that are reminiscent of others, such as Divine Rivals, in the sense that the ending sets the next book up to be *entirely* different from this one.

And, in fact, I believe I'll like the next one much better.

Viper & Lilies has three independent plot points that come together at the end, but until it got to that point, it just felt a touch disjointed. The chapters didn't flow into each other as smoothly as I'd have liked, and it seemed like the sisters hardly spoke to each other, although it's clear they're close and have only ever had each other.

Overall, this is a debut novel! It's not going to be perfect. And the important thing to me is that I enjoyed it and will certainly be interested in reading book 2.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central for sending me an e-ARC of this book!

[Anna Yegs · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of 3 magical sisters whose bloodline survived the Hunt to rid the world of wicked women.

Thank you to NetGalley and he publisher for the ARC!

This was such a highly anticipated read for me!! Absolutely had to jump the line in my TBR when I got this ARC!! Love a good female rage book, the concept is phenom.

What I loved about this book is how intentional all of the dialogue, characters, and plot points were. It’s a book I can see being quoted from over and over again. The story is told from the POV of 3 sisters so we get 3 romance story lines that have something for everyone (rivals to lovers, forbidden romance).

That being said I yearn for more action!! The story started off strong but was driven heavily by dialogue and development of the 3 romances. I felt like because there were so many main characters I didn’t get a chance to spend enough time with all of them. I hate to admit that I was very bored for a big chunk of the book. It’s not a book that I would bully all my friends into reading, but it’s an author that I will definitely be following!

Ultimately a great debut from an obviously talented writer who I’m excited to see more from!

[Haley Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Grand Central Publishing and Lexie Axon for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

•••

This book was a lot of fun! It is packed with action, I didn’t feel it dragging even a little bit, and the romance in it is hot hot hot! That being said, I fear I was not the intended audience for it. I was anticipating a fantasy with a subplot of romance, but this is absolutely a romantasy (and I think this misconception is my fault, not at all the fault of the publisher or the author)! There is absolutely nothing wrong with a romantasy, but they are not my favorite and this one unfortunately does not change that. I absolutely enjoyed the concept, I loved the sister dynamic, but I found the romance(s) to be predictable and a bit too quick (especially considering the trauma these sisters have lived through).

Overall, this is a really really entertaining book! If you enjoy romantasy and are interested in witches, this is absolutely the book for you! If you have a tendency to question the history/backstory of books or are not the biggest fan of quick romances, this one might not be your favorite.

[Kathy Laviolette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

The multiple POVs took some time for me to settle into, and initially, I struggled to connect with the sisters. Their personalities felt somewhat surface-level, and two of them were particularly difficult for me to like. But as each POV revealed more of their motivations, histories, and complexities, my perception of them completely changed. Kitarni, surprisingly, went from being my least favorite sister to my absolute favorite.

As the story progressed, each perspective added another layer to the characters and the mystery. Some of my early impressions were completely turned on their head, and by the end, I was pleasantly surprised by how invested I had become.

I would have loved a little more struggle and conflict along the way, but overall, I thought the story was well executed. For a debut novel, this was an impressive start, and I’m genuinely excited to see where the story goes next.

I did notice several grammatical and editing issues throughout, though they never interfered with my overall enjoyment of the story.

[Lorena B. Robles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got to read this book as a manuscript because of my job in the publishing industry, and it has become one of my ultimate favorite books of all time! 💜​💗​ (I was waiting impatiently for it to be on Goodreads 😇​)
Everything about this book is just perfect: the plot, the characters (yes, I'm absolutely in love with every single one of them, but... Emilio Flores, the man you are. Serafina, the woman you are ​🙈​💘​), the beautiful writing (I swear, I had to focus on making annotations about different aspects for my report, but I found myself lost and submerged in the story completely without realizing it. The moments between Kitarni and Rory were just breathtaking), the relationships each one of the sisters forms... and *that plot twist*, that *ending*. I need the second book asap, please and thank you 😭​
I cannot wait to see the cover and buy a physical copy when it comes out, so I can reread it and annotate it completely 💌​🤍​
Congratulations, Lexie, on this incredible debut novel. I'm sure your future as a writer is going to be dazzling (you have a fan in me for eternity) 🥰​

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for an ARC!

Run do not walk to the bookstore when Viper & Lilies comes out. This debut is not only full of magic but magic in itself! We follow the Maeve sisters during a summer at the Vonstein Institute as they navigate rising suspicions that enchantresses (or “wicked women” as the hunters used to call them) still exist—and they’re members of the final remaining bloodline of women blessed with magic from the Goddess.

The premise was already incredibly intriguing, but Axon DELIVERS. The sisters (Serafina, Carena, and Kitarni) are dynamic and interesting, flawed and layered, and you can’t help but root for them all. Their love for one another jumps out of the page!! And don’t get me started on the love interests. Emilio, Rory, and Evette have my heart as much as they have the sisters’ hearts! I was swooning, laughing, and gasping through each POV.

If you love Bridgerton, romantasy, sister dynamics, magic, and powerful women (who wouldn’t??) this book is for you. I cannot WAIT to read the next one 🐍

[Second Chapter Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Viper & Lilies had a premise that immediately pulled me in, and I really appreciated the strong female representation. I loved seeing a heroine whose intelligence and academic achievements were such a central part of her character. Her confidence and expertise brought a refreshing layer of female empowerment to the story.

Unfortunately, the first half of the book just didn't fully grab me. The pacing felt repetitive at times, and I found myself wanting deeper world-building earlier on to really immerse me in the magic, history, and stakes. Some of the dialogue and phrasing also pulled me out of the story rather than drawing me in.

That said, I've seen many readers mention that the story really takes off after the halfway point, so if you're willing to stick with a slower start, it may end up being a rewarding read.

For me, this one lands at 3 stars. It has a unique concept and a capable heroine, but I was hoping for stronger world-building and a tighter first half to keep me invested.

[Hillary_8 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book completely pulled me in!!! I wasn't expecting to get so invested but I was staying up way too late because I couldn't stop reading 🫣

Tropes & vibes:
* 🖤 Slow burn romance
* ⚔️ Fantasy with magic
* 💐 Strong female characters
* 🤍 Found family
* 🔥 Romantic tension
* 🗡️ Secrets & betrayals
* 📖 Multiple POVs
* ✨ "Just one more chapter" energy

The characters were my favorite part! They felt like real people with flaws and strengths. I got attached to all three Maeve sisters in different ways! 🥺 The romance had just the right amount of tension and I really appreciated that it didn't overshadow the overall story. 💕

Definitely one of those books that makes you sad when it's over because you just want to stay in that world a little longer 😭

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
Pub Date: February 2, 2027

Thank you to the author (Lexie Axon) & Netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own!

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This book was everything I wanted it to be. I thought ld be overwhelmed with multiple perspectives but it was done so so well. I felt so connected with each sister's story and their romances.
I’m so in love with these relationships.
Rory and Kit's is so pure and warmed my heart.
(Especially as an animal lover) I can't wait to see what Carena and Evette will learn from each other going forward. That plot twist at the end!! Serafina and Emilio were everything I wanted them to be.
I truly can’t decide which sister I relate to more. Their strengths and weaknesses were written so well and I connected to each so heavily.
I'm so so excited to see where our enchantresses end up going from here. 🤭
Overall, I'm frothing at the mouth to get my hands on book two.

Thank you to NetGalley, Grand Central, and Lexie Axon for the eARC.

[Vicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nice book to read I really like multi pov books and getting inside the head of different characters you get a sense of the full scope of the story, and the different views of the characters vipers and lilies was no different you get the sense of sisterhood, and how much Serafina loved her sisters the story takes you to learn about each one of them. I liked how different they each were Carena was my favorite I liked her quiet personality how she differ from her sisters, and her relationship with Everett. This was a nicely written book I liked it wholly, and each character had something different to say making the story more meaningful.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher for the arc.

[Violettareads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Netgalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. I really enjoyed this book, the story behind enchantresses, the need to protect their identities, the bond between 3 sisters, the love and protection from the older sister, and the 3 different POV’s/ their own love stories was all so unique and so good.

I really felt myself being able to build connections with each of the characters in this book. I loved the feminine rage from the women in this book and not allowing men to step all over them while still having lovers who yearned for each of their attentions. This book was truly an amazing experience and I’m intrigued to read more on this story.

[Liz Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun book to read. I enjoyed the dynamic between the sisters and especially liked seeing how they developed throughout the story. At points, the use of "wicked woman/women" was a little repetitive and some places where a bit cliche. However, sometimes things are cliche exactly because it is good! The writing really hit its stride towards the end and I think most of the points I found cliche or repetitive was owed to first installment weirdness and the world getting its legs than actually an issue of the book. I am curious to see where the story goes next and feel like the characters need time to grow. The last few chapters were delicious.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

[Kheyra Santos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Viper & Lilies was such a fun read! I really enjoyed the three sisters and how different their personalities and stories were. The mix of magic, romance, secrets, and the more historical setting kept me interested, and I especially loved the sisterhood between them. There were a few moments where the pacing felt slower than I would have liked, but it didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment. I also would have loved a little more depth with the world and magic. Still, I had a great time reading this and I’m definitely curious to see where the story goes next.

[Victoria Gavin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so perfect if you love Bridgerton vibes, but also add in high stakes and magic. I loved the sisters in a secret society setup- it hooked me right from the start! I also LOVE LOVEEE when an author has different romances within a series and this has MULTIPLE! SUCH a fun read!!! I'll definitely read book 2.

[Marie Lou · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the world building and the three main characters so much. I could see different pieces of myself reflected in each one of the girls. The only reason I did not give 5 stars was the ending, I wanted something more than simply setting up for the next book. All in all a great book, a book that speaks to your female rage

[Diamond · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nice debut novel. Definitely looking forward to the next book. The story was interesting. the characters were a little one dimensional but still fun. The relationships were every trope under the sun but still a fun read. I’m very interested how the rest of the story continues.

NetGalley Arc Review

[Lisa Alluisi · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC - EXCELLENT!! 3 sisters each with their own abilities and temperaments but one for family. The twists and turns. Characters to hate, despise and love.

My only regret to reading is book isn’t yet published which means I have a loooooong wait for book 2

[Isabella (isabunchofbooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was EVERYTHING