Aether and Bone:

by Amber Toro

Aether and Bone is a spicy adult romantasy perfect for fans of When The Moon Hatched and a Fate Forged in Fire.

"They executed my father. Now they want to see me‌ burn on the sky pyre. But I will ally with the monster of The Below and brave the beasts above before I let them condemn me."

Oliviana Lux’s world is ruled by dangerous dragons, banishing humanity to the cavern cities below. But the sharp-tongued Master Tinkerer and daughter of a traitor carries a dangerous secret: she can wield the forbidden magic her father was executed for. Wanting to escape her father’s legacy, she hides her gift. But when a near-fatal brush with a dragon awakens a magical pull within her, she wonders if the legends her father secretly whispered to her of dragon riders were true.

But hiding her magic isn’t enough to keep her safe when she is forced into a treacherous assignment by the corrupt council. Oliviana soon discovers she is being set up to take the blame for the fading magic that fuels their cities. In a desperate quest to restore the magic and clear her name, she has no choice but to ally herself with Caius Amarala—the abrasive captain of the guard and the man responsible for her father’s execution—to reach the legendary hatching grounds in the hope that bonding with a dragon of their own will allow their people to return to the surface.

Oliviana and Caius find their fates are more entangled than either of them could have imagined. Despite doing everything in her power not to fall for him, Oliviana is inexplicably drawn to the darkness in Caius. And as they grow closer, she starts to realize that her world is not the only thing that needs saving, and that Caius is not the man he says he is.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Dragons, Dystopia, Romance, Magic, Enemies To Lovers

394 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 2, 2026

Reviews

[Esmay Rosalyne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally published on Before We Go Blog

3.75 stars (rounded up)

Look, Amber Toro quickly earned auto-buy author status for me with her Sentient Stars series, so of course I was going to pick up Aether & Bone purely based on vibes and that absolutely fire cover. Like, an enemies to lovers dragon romantasy perfect for fans of When the Moon Hatched and Quicksilver full dragons, lore, yearning, forbidden magic, unresolved trauma, and emotionally constipated people making terrible decisions while sexually tense? It’s a beautiful disaster honestly, and I love it for that.

From the very first chapter, we get dropped right into this imaginative world where humans are forced to live in underground cavern cities while dangerous dragons roam the Above, and I loved exploring all of it through Oliviana’s perspective. She’s an outcast, she’s carrying around the dangerous secret that she can wield the same forbidden magic her father was executed for, and naturally things only get worse for her from there because this poor girl cannot catch a break for even five minutes. She gets set up to take the blame for the fading magic that fuels their cities and ends up forced to ally with Caius Amarala, the abrasive captain of the guard and also the man responsible for her father’s execution, in order to reach the legendary hatching grounds and hopefully bond with dragons of their own. Like hello tensionnnn!!

Now, I already knew Amber Toro is the queen of slow-burn yearning and she absolutely delivered on that again in Aether & Bone. There’s so much complicated history between Oliviana and Caius, and even though I never fully believed how we kept being told that Caius was this dark, dangerous man and that Oliviana hated him, I was still so here for the tension and heartache woven into their relationship. To me, it was giving “ex-childhood friends with unresolved feelings and tragic history” way more than true enemies, but the vibes were vibing, the banter was great, the tension was delicious, and the slow-burn payoff absolutely delivered because these two are hotter than a dragon’s flame when they finally get together, whew.

Though what I appreciated most about Aether & Bone is how the romance really feels like the beating heart of the story without ever completely overtaking everything else. The worldbuilding is incredibly rich but never overwhelming, and uncovering all the secret lore surrounding the dragons, the magic, and the history of this world was one of my favourite parts of this reading experience. Every new revelation felt really well-executed and naturally woven into the characters’ journeys instead of just feeling like random lore dumps, which I always appreciate because nothing kills my immersion faster than feeling like I accidentally opened a fantasy history textbook.

That said, as much as I enjoyed how compulsively readable this was, I do think some potential was missed because the pacing moves so quickly that we never really get enough time to fully savour all the richness and dig into certain relationships or emotional moments. Like, I loved Oliviana’s best friend Dominic and Caius’ sister Cressida as side characters, but I desperately wanted more of them because they both seemed to have their own interesting emotional mess brewing in the background. And Caius’ backstory? Well, let’s just say that I will always be trash for a deeply traumatized morally conflicted man with daddy issues, though I honestly would have loved even more suffering, sorry not sorry.

While this book never fully reached the heights of Toro’s previous books for me personally, it absolutely delivered everything it promised and I had the best time devouring it in a single day. The ending maybe felt a little rushed, but I did not even mind because the final reveals were so wild that I am already impatiently waiting for book 2 now. Aether & Bone just nails that dangerously addictive ‘just one more chapter’ vibe, and I highly recommend it if you are in the mood for a quick fun read that is way more than just some good braincandy.

Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Aether & Bone is scheduled for release on June 2nd 2026.

[Ashley Salzman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The magic that fuels Oliviana’s city in The Below is fading. She can wield the same magic her father was executed for having. The council asks a dangerous task of her but she quickly learns it’s a set up. She must team with the “prince of darkness,” Caius Amarala (the man responsible for her father’s death) in order to save her cavernous city from ruin. Forced Below because of dragons and other beasts in The Above, Oliviana wonders if the legends of the dragon riders are true. She goes on a quest with Caius to find answers and hopefully save the cities of The Below.

What a book! I can’t believe it was under 400 pages because it was packed with stuff going on. In fact the only thing this book didn’t have was a pronunciation guide😂😂 Although not everything was tied up in the end (dare I say book 2?), I really enjoyed every minute of this book! The tension was giving! 🫰🏽 It wasn’t until like 70% in that the FMC & MMC really got going. I live for yearning. Dragons, enemies to lovers, world building, and only one bedroll are only some of the things you can expect! Coming out in June, you need to add this to your summer TBR right away!!

[Hira Khan · Rating 5 out of 5]

If it wasn’t for the fact that I started this at 9pm, I absolutely would have finished it in one sitting. I loved this.

I’m a huge fan of dragons and this was done so well. The worldbuilding was so immersive. I genuinely felt like I was there watching everything unfold. I would 100% live in the Above even if there’s a high chance I’d get obliterated by a dragon lol.

I really loved the MCs too. Oliviana is snarky and strong, and Caius is broody and mysterious. They balance each other so well. The friends to enemies to lovers trope??? I need more of that immediately. The banter was so good and I was literally giggling when they finally kissed.

There were a few twists that had me shocked, especially the ending. I guessed none of it 😂 I need book two immediately.

[Fiorella Bickish · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.7 ⭐️ *Review of advance copy received from the Author*

As someone who consumes novels almost entirely based on vibes, I was starting to get burnt out on the romantasy/dragons/enemies-to-lovers explosion… which is saying a lot because I LOVE all of those things, especially dragons.

Aether and Bone was such a refreshing read. Amber Toro paints vivid pictures without taking chapters and chapters to explain every little thing. Not only that, but she writes a GOOD FMC. When an FMC becomes insufferable, it makes me want to rush through the book instead of savoring it. Her writing is beautiful, thoughtful, and immersive. There was a little repetition with certain words, but nothing distracting enough to pull me out of the story.

I thoroughly enjoyed the world-building too. Once I officially started the book, I consumed it in two nights. I genuinely did not want to put it down. If I got tired, I would sleep and then find myself dreaming about the vast underground caves. I’d wake up ridiculously early just to immediately pick back up where I left off. The history and lore surrounding the dragons and magic were incredibly captivating. The magic system also felt different in a way that was oddly soothing and refreshing. I cannot wait for what is to come next!

OKAY! Character time! 🐉

Oliviana Lux:
Ollie, Liv, outcast extraordinaire. Emotionally intelligent, complex, tenacious, stubborn, loyal, smart, fearless, and loving. Her mission to seek out the dragons is driven by the desire to provide a magical power source for ALL of the underground civilizations. Even though magic is outlawed and punishable by death, she still wants to protect everyone around her.

She carries the responsibility of saving humanity on her shoulders despite being cast aside because of her father’s reputation as a “traitor.” She has long-standing friendships, she’s rough around the edges while still being incredibly likable, and she remains level-headed even under pressure. I especially loved how curious she is and how willing she is to embrace the impossible instead of dismissing it.

Caius Amarala (Captain of the Guard), sometimes called Fox 🦊
From the very beginning, Caius is someone you do NOT want noticing you… unfortunately for Ollie, he absolutely does. He’s rigid, dangerous, meticulous, mysterious, and he irritates Oliviana to her core.

What makes his character development interesting is that he technically changes while also somehow staying exactly the same. The shift really comes from us, as readers, learning more about him and his past. We start understanding him, sympathizing with him, and eventually rooting for him. His interactions with Ollie are usually restrained, he is always there for her - even when she doesn’t want him to be. He also has some incredible self control 👀. Some parts of his backstory are a little predictable, but honestly, it’s more about the journey than the reveal.

Cressida:
Caius’ sister and one of my FAVORITES. Mysterious, smart, calculating, and completely cat like 🐈‍⬛. She observes everything. Like her brother, she’s incredibly perceptive, but her feminine energy balances that intensity perfectly. She is the perfect mix of scholar and warrior.

She’s also one of the few people who isn’t afraid of Caius. She teases him, pushes him, and sees through him in a way nobody else really can. I also loved seeing her softer side emerge through her interactions with her newfound puppy companion.

Dom:
The gentle gardener. The absolute BEST kind of friend. Protective, dependable, emotionally intelligent, while also being fond of a certain little redhead. Everyone should have a Dom in their corner. I feel like we still have a lot to see from him and his character growth!

[Meghan Nachemin · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I read an arc I go in unbiased and with manageable expectations… but this one was really good! If i had picked it up at barnes and noble i wouldve been completely satisified with my purchase. It had the romantasy elements that we all love and the brooding mmc and tough troubled sassy fmc. i love and will read anything with dragons in it to be fr, but i really enjoyed this! The concept of the below and the above was a unique element to this story too :)

[Meg (fantasybook.adventurer) · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨Aether and Bone✨

I had such a fun time reading my first book by Amber and I’m sold! I loved how it felt unique with its underground cavern society and our rock climbing, traitor, tinkerer FMC!

In AAB, we follow the POV of our FMC, Oliviana, as she tries to navigate a negative reputation after her father’s execution. Inheriting his skills and forbidden magic, Ollie does her best to lay low while also venturing topside to collect wood for projects, because it’s so rare underground. However, after she encounters one of the fearsome beasts that keeps the population below ground AND is tasked by the council to fix her father’s project, Ollie finds herself backed into a precarious corner. Not to mention, she is now guarded by her childhood friend turned enemy, Caius.

When Ollie runs away, she is pursued by a motley crew and Caius, who is harboring his own secrets and whiplash emotions. Between other tribes, deadly dragons, evil creatures, and an MMC who is determined to sink his claws into her, Ollie must find out if her father’s stories were true and if she has the power to save her people.

This was so fun. It reminded me of a faster paced Anne Mcaffrey with more delicious romance! The tension and yearning was palpable. That slow burn soooo 🔥 and the pay off just 🤌. I need and want so much more! I cannot WAIT for what comes next! And I loved the reveals and the last chapter. Caius, he’s just a SAINT.

Tropes you may find in AAB are forced proximity, hidden identities/powers, forbidden powers, childhood enemies to lovers, snuggling for warmth, dragons, “there she is”, “good girl”, nightmares/comfort, shadow stalker daddy, touch her and ☠️, twist on fated mates, they save each other, found family, tension and yearning, medium spice, open ending.

Thank you, Amber, for this gifted arc. I am so stoked for what comes next!

[K.B. Mallows · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ rounded up
Aether and Bone captivated me from page one, dropping the reader straight into an immersive world that is riveting and unique.

In this romantasy, dragons rule the skies in "The Above," while humanity has been forced to live underground in "The Below," carving an existence into the earth to form elaborate cavern cities.

My favorite part of this story was the ancient history and lore that was revealed to the reader the further the story went along. I was fascinated by the descriptions and history of each city our main characters visited during their quest to find a cure for dying magic and found myself longing to be able to witness these scenes with my own eyes. The author truly carved a unique world out of these cavern cities and the lore surrounding the ancient bonds between dragons and humans.

On the romance side, I've very rarely read a book in this genre featuring the friends to enemies to allies to lovers trope, and I thought this was so well done that at some points, I even questioned how our FMC Oliviana and our MMC Caius could ever move beyond their past betrayal and trauma to find common ground.

I loved the sassiness and inner strength of Oliviana while Caius' broody, controlled darkness and clear obsession/stalker-iness with Oliviana obviously made him a favorite character of mine (haha! What does that say about me!). I loved the interludes in between present chapters that gave a peek into their childhood friendship and "the betrayal" that impacted their connection as adults, giving the reader deeper insight into just how much anger and trauma they had to move past.

Though there were many things about this book that make it memorable amongst other dragon-centered romantasy novels, there were a few things I struggled with. Sometimes during big revelations or action scenes, I had trouble interpreting either how something unfolded or what the underlying message for the reader was. It's rare I would say in writing to "do more telling instead of showing," but in these instances, I felt like more clarity was needed for the reader in order to eliminate any confusion.

In addition, toward the end of the book, I felt there were too close of similarities to some key elements from the Empyrean series (i.e. Fourth Wing), mainly surrounding Caius' challenges with his darkness and the dragon bonds. It started to feel a bit like same story, different setting. Did I enjoy it anyway? Of course! I love Fourth Wing. 😬

I felt satisfied with where this book concluded but, all in all, it was unusual enough that if it's meant to be a series, I would gladly read book two! It gave me Fourth Wing vibes with hints of Silo (a dystopian tv series I love). This was my first book by this author, and I greatly enjoyed her method of storytelling. If you enjoy stories with deeply layered lore and history, characters with a complex shared history, action-packed quests and, of course, DRAGONS, I think you'll find a lot to love about this book.

Thank you to the author for sharing an advanced reader copy of this book with me. This review is my honest opinion, and I'm leaving it voluntarily.

[Dora | ThePedestalBooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley, Salt Peach, and Amber Toro for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Available 5 June 2026.

In the world of AETHER AND BONE, the magic that keeps people alive underground is failing - and it's up to Oliviana to save it. To do so, she needs to go against everything she's been taught, break some of the society's most fundamental laws, and worst of all: do that with the help of the captain she hates, his younger sister, and her lifelong best friend. And what is it that she needs to do to save the world, you may ask? Oh, well of course - bond with a dragon.

Amber Toro weaves a good story. The concept of magic sourcing all life underground isn't new, but it feels natural to this world, and the worldbuilding is generally solid. I loved the differing explanations of humanity's genesis, and the slightly sci-fi lean into what would otherwise be a pure fantasy, without actually detracting from the fantastical aspect. This, for me, was the best part of the story. I wanted to learn more about the world, about the tower of knowledge, about what the different civilisations, because they might all be humans living underground, but their ways of living differ completely. It's new. It's fun!

Now, the characters are solid. The group dynamic is generally what you would expect in a romantasy, as is the relationship between the two leads, Oliviana and Caius. However, plot carried the narrative - I found myself caring very little for any of the characters. For all that mattered to me, they could've been nothing more than begrudging allies and I would've liked it the same. I couldn't connect to them. They felt more like archetypes - she's clever and one of a kind, and he's brooding and feared, even though we're never shown anything to make him fearsome. His sister is little more than a background character and Oliviana's best friend, Dom, is there... for some reason. There's no found family here, even though that's what usually happens.

By all means, I would still recommend it. It was a good read. I enjoyed the world, the little bit of freshness we got, and I will be reading the sequel, because we've still got the world to save. While I may not click with the characters the same way, if you like FOURTH WING, SERVANT OF EARTH, and a similar style of romantasy - you might just fall in love with this.

[m i l o u ✨ (witchy moon)]

“The dragons, my mind races. We live underground because the dragons rule The Above. But if my father’s stories were true, if there was only even one grain of fact in the fairytales, this wasn’t always so. There was a time when dragon riders ruled as far as the eye could see. Dom’s plants were thriving in The Above. It was only the crops in The Below that were failing. If only we could claim enough land in The Above to feed B’oDela, we could save the entire city. If I could bond a dragon, maybe that would be enough to save our home, or at least a little more time."

C H A R A C T E R S




👧-Oliviana Lux





🫅-Gaius Amarala





M Y T H O U G H T S:






I'm beyond upset and aggravating. Why was Rui even introduces because I want to fucking punt him into the fucking sun. He had zero purpose to the plot other than to get on my damn nerves. This all led up to a waste of potential storywise. They instead could’ve just focused on Caius who has all the potential to be good and they shove him around because of Rui? I don't understand it one bit because he doesn’t do crap other than giving some information about dragons??



Don''t let my review ruin. your chance of read because we all have different opinions.



trigger + content warnings:
Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Violence, Death of parent

Minor: Physical abuse
─── ･ ｡ﾟ:☆. *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

↠ Genre: Romantasy with dragons
↠ Reputation: -
↠Published: June 2, 2026
↠ Pov: First Person
↠ Type: Standalone

↠ Potential Spice Meter: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️


↠ Worldbuilding :
↠ Character:
↠ Story:
↠Overall Rating: 6

🌱☕️ ○ Milou the witchy moon 🧙‍♀️🦉

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

Quotes that tickled my fancy:

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[HollaBook Vibes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was easily one of the more unique fantasy worlds I’ve read lately. The cavern-city setting felt fresh and creative, with humanity forced underground while dragons rule “The Above,” and the atmosphere was immersive from the very beginning. The world building and lore were layered in so naturally that it never felt overwhelming or info-dumpy, which made it incredibly easy to get lost in the story.

Oliviana was such an interesting FMC. I loved that she wasn’t just powerful, but intelligent, resilient, and resourceful. Her role as a tinkerer made her stand out, and her forbidden magic added another layer of intrigue to her character. Watching her navigate grief, betrayal, political scheming, and the weight of her father’s legacy kept me fully invested.

The dynamic between Oliviana and Caius was one of my favorite parts of the book. The slow burn was done so well, packed with tension, difficult history, banter, yearning, and that constant push and pull between them. Their relationship had so much emotional weight behind it, and the “I would burn the world for you” energy absolutely delivered.

This book really had a little bit of everything I love in romantasy: enemies to lovers, second chance elements, dragons, forbidden magic, secrets, betrayal, found family vibes, adventure, lore, and high stakes. It was well paced, action packed, and never dragged for me. Every reveal made me want to keep reading just one more chapter. The ending set things up perfectly for book two, and I already can’t wait to dive back into this world and see where these characters go next.

[Katarina Poppa · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite things about this book is the worldbuilding. There is no overwhelm of information with the worldbuilding. Instead, we discover the world alongside the characters, making every revelation feel meaningful. It is woven so perfectly within the pages of the story. The premise of a world slowly dying and on the brink of collapse is incredibly compelling, and I loved that we're still uncovering the truth behind what's really causing this impending collapse.

I'm an absolute sucker for found family and character growth, and this book delivered both beautifully. Watching the relationships evolve as the characters learn to trust one another was one of my favorite parts of the story. The glimpses we get into the pasts of the FMC and MMC add so much depth, and seeing the revelations and hidden truths gradually unfold makes everything hit so much harder and really makes you feel a bond with these characters.

The romance? The slow burn, witty banter, and feisty back-and-forth. Yes, please! The chemistry and tension between the main characters was so well written.

Toro masterfully crafted such an intriguing and layered fantasy with so many elements that mesh together in the best possible way. This is another series on my list that I can't wait to continue, and it absolutely deserves a spot on your Tbr.

[Kha (kha.fantasyrealm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was such an enjoyable read. The story has a wonderfully smooth flow, to the point where you don’t realize you’re already nearing the end until you’re almost there. It’s paced in a way that never feels forced or disjointed.

What I also loved about this book is the world-building. It feels original and imaginative, with cities hidden and thriving both above and underground, sprawling through caverns and tunnels, including an abandoned city made of glass. It’s quite a setting, one I seldom come across in other books.

Caius, our MMC, also left a very strong impression on me.. protective, loyal, and someone whose loyalty I came to trust even after all the revelations. I also loved that we got a few POVs from him.

There are also a few plot twists toward the end. They aren’t overly dramatic or shocking in a loud, attention-grabbing way, but they do exactly what they’re meant to do: shift your expectations and leave you craving the next book.


Thank you to the author for the advanced copy.

[April Sky · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
I NEEED every romantasy girly to immediately read this book!
I loved so much about it: the characters depth. The banter. The will they won’t they. Friends to enemies to lovers! The freaking slow burn that had me in a vice grip! I can not possibly get enough from them. Oh and did I mention magic and Dragons!

“I made a promise, and I intend to keep it. I will keep you safe.”
“… because you are the light in the dark.”

I am screaming and kicking my feet through this book and biting my nails sitting on the edge when stakes get higher.

The worldbuilding felt vivid and immersive, with a perfect balance of atmosphere and tension. Every detail felt intentional not overwhelming or overloading it felt perfect in a way that kept my attention, but also let my imagination completely picture the beautiful scenes and surroundings.

5 stars can not push this book in front of people any faster. Fair warning my friends may be pelted with this book.

[Ashley Cave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aether and Bone ARC Review:

Thank you so much, @amberraetoro for giving me the opportunity to ARC read and review this book!

Wow!! What an incredibly interesting world. I really enjoyed the concept of humans living underground while dragons rule above. The world-building in this book was beautiful and kept me intrigued, always wanting to read more.

I loved following our FMC, Oliviana. She’s very sassy, which made the story even more fun to read. I also really enjoy stories told from a single POV.

The magic system was unique, and I enjoyed learning about the different types of gods in this world.

The ending was amazing and set things up perfectly for book two. I can’t wait to continue this story!

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty cheesy but entertained me enough

[Rafaella Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aether and Bone ARC 5/5⭐️
In a world split between shadow and sky, humanity survives beneath the surface—hidden away in The Below—while dragons and monsters rule The Above. When a mysterious failure threatens her colony’s water supply, outcast Oliviana is forced into an uneasy alliance with Caius, the very man she blames for her father’s execution a decade ago. Joined by her best friend Dominic and Caius’ sister Cressida, they embark on a dangerous journey through the deadly surface world—seeking dragons, forbidden magic, and the truth that could restore balance… or destroy everything.

I adored this book, the banter, the romance. Caius was grumpy broody and dark but such a big softy underneath. Oliviana was snarky and witty, unsure on whether she can trust Caius or not. Dominic and Cressida were fantastic side characters who I was to see more of. It was different and unique and I loved every minute. The only thing that could have made it better for me would be a pronunciation guide 🤣 Book 2 now please 🙏

[The Reader of Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 out of 5 stars!

⚔️ Enemies to Lovers
💀 Touch Her and D!e
🐉 Dragons
💕 Found Family
❤️‍🔥 He Comforts Her After Her Nightmares
🛏 There's Only One Bed Roll
🗺 Dangerous Quests
🧗🏼‍♀️ Epic World Building with Cavern Cities

*-*-*-*-*-

"I never thought I would get the chance to stare death in the eye. I also never imagined those eyes would burn bright orange with an intelligence that suggests she knew she was going to eat me whole and delight in taking my soul down to the deepest cavern of hell. But I’ve gotten ahead of myself…"

From the moment I saw those first words. I KNEW I was hooked! What an intro, right????

From the first page to the last, Amber Toro sucks you into The Below, where the world feels so real that I almost forgot that I lived in the real world.

Her cast of characters are so diverse and well written that I loved everything about them, even the characters you knew you were supposed to hate.

Oliviana Lux has to be one of my favorite heroines in recent books I've read. There were times I wanted to burn the world down for her, just to make sure she got her happy ending.

Caius Amarala, I wanted to hate him at first. In fact, I did. But he eventually grew on me with his protective nature. But....well, I won't spoil that for you. You'll have to read it and find out!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, granted there were one or two parts that I didn't enjoy, but that is a reflection of my own reading style and nothing against the author or the story itself!

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need some time to recover from this book. What an amazing, emotional journey I just went on. Wow! I can’t even begin to explain how immersed I was into this book. I didn’t want to put it down, and the only reason I did was because mom duties called.

It has:
Dragons
Slow burn
So many unexpected plot twists!!
A different take on mates
Friends to enemies to lovers
Great banter
Wonderful world building
Tension

Aether and Bone is an emotional, slow burn romantasy where the dragons of the world have taken over the skies and the land. The people must live underground to survive, but the magic that they rely on to live is running out. Our main characters are of course on a mission to save the world (with lots of tension and longing on the way).

I absolutely loved how the story was so well thought through. Oliviana and Caius have so much trauma between them that it gives a lot of depth to the characters and so much to be revealed. We learn a lot in this book but the ending left me wanting so much more!! Their love story blossoms throughout the book and their chemistry is top tier. It’s a love story that is not perfect and I absolutely love them more for it.

I literally cannot wait until the second book in this series!! (Alas, I’ll have to since this is an ARC). Something to look forward to!

I’m so thankful I was able to receive an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion. I really enjoyed this book!! Thank you Amber Toro.

[Simone | simonesbookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐ Rating: 3.75 (rounded up to 4)
⏱️ Read Time: +/- 1 day

✨ The Vibe
Dragon fantasy with forbidden magic, enemies-to-lovers tension, mystery, dangerous journeys, betrayal, and emotional scars wrapped inside a fast and highly readable story.

Think: Fourth Wing meets When the Moon Hatched energy — especially if you love dragons and fantasy worlds filled with secrets.

🖤 My Reading Experience
The biggest thing for me with Aether and Bone was that once I got into it, it became incredibly easy to read. The beginning admittedly took me a little while to settle into because there were a lot of “who?”, “what?”, “where?” moments early on, and I initially struggled to fully connect with the world.

But once the story started unfolding more clearly, I found myself genuinely invested.

The romance was definitely one of the highlights for me. The enemies-to-lovers dynamic was executed really well, especially with the added history of childhood friendship and betrayal between the characters.

There’s emotional tension, frustration, chemistry, and some genuinely great moments between them without the romance completely overtaking the plot. And yes… Caius’ dirty mouth absolutely deserves a mention.

I also ended up loving some of the side characters, especially Dominic and Cressida. They both felt like characters with their own emotional messes and interesting arcs quietly happening in the background, and honestly, I wanted more of them. I hope the next book dives more into their story or maybe we can get a novella about them... 👀

The dragons themselves were another aspect I enjoyed, although I do wish they had played a larger role throughout the story. Considering they rule The Above, I expected their presence to feel even bigger and more overwhelming within the world itself.

💭 What Didn’t Fully Work for Me
The main issue for me was the pacing toward the end of the book. A large portion of the story feels like a long journey toward one major destination and reveal, but once the characters finally arrive there, everything suddenly moves very quickly.

The payoff ended up feeling rushed compared to the amount of buildup beforehand, and some moments that should have felt huge emotionally or narratively didn’t fully land for me because there wasn’t enough time spent with them.

Ironically, this is also where the dragons seemed to take more of a backseat, despite it feeling like the perfect moment for them to truly shine.

There were also a few worldbuilding elements that I wish had been explored more deeply. I still found myself wondering: How exactly does Olivianna’s magic work? What are these portals, and how do they function? What are some of the deeper rules of the world?

The use of another language added atmosphere, but sometimes the lack of explanation or context pulled me out of the story a bit. A glossary for some of the terms would have helped a lot.

There’s also a flashback chapter near the end that, in my opinion, would have had a much stronger emotional impact if it had appeared earlier in the story.

🔥 Tropes & Elements
- Dragons
- Enemies-to-Lovers (Childhood Friends to Enemies)
- Forbidden Magic
- Betrayal
- Slow Burn Romance

If you love fantasy romance with dragons, tension-filled romance, dangerous magic, and characters carrying emotional baggage, I think this will absolutely work for you.

Especially if you enjoy books similar to Fourth Wing or When the Moon Hatched.

🫶 Final Thoughts
Despite a slower start and an ending that felt more rushed than I wanted, I still had a genuinely fun time reading Aether and Bone.

The romance was compelling, the story felt unique in its own way, and the cliffhanger definitely succeeded in making me curious about what happens next. I especially hope the sequel dives even deeper into the dragons, magic system, geography, and side characters because there’s a lot of potential here.

I’ll definitely be picking up book two because now I need to know whether they actually manage to save their people.

📢 Disclosure: Thank you to NetGalley and Amber Toro for providing an ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Couby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of an advanced reader copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

This book was the perfect mix between fantasy, dystopia, and romance. I literally kept turning to the next page because I was so invested, and wanted to know what would happen next.

The world in this book is separated into The Below and The Above. The Below is where the humans live, sheltered away from the beasts and dragons that rule The Above. I absolutely loved the world-building in this book. The contrast between The Below and The Above was done so well. The Below is made up of interconnecting caverns and tunnels, filled with glowing moss and rectangular bunks for houses. The Above is where freedom is, the one place people want to go to see the sunlight, to feel the breeze, but can’t because it’s filled with dangerous beasts. However, The Below is starting to crumble, pushing our MCs onto their quest to venture into The Above. This aspect gives the book its dystopian vibe. I also love how we get to see different cultures despite everyone living underground. We still have different races of people who have very different beliefs from each other, enriching the world even more.

Olliviana is our FMC, a master tinkerer who is ostracized because her father was labeled a traitor. Her father possessed magic, something that is associated with the dragons, and non-existence in her hometown. He was killed for possessing magic and a decade later, The Below is falling into ruin, Olliviana being the perfect scapegoat to blame. However, Olliviana decides to embark on a journey to The Above to find a dragon to bond with in order to save her people. I love Olliviana’s character; she doesn’t give a shit what others people thinks about her and she decides to risk her life in order to save the same people who saw her as a traitor her entire life. But she’s also not much of a planner and just kind of dives right in, which is where our MMC comes in.

Caius is our MMC, the typical broody, handsome kind who only cares about the FMC. I would say the relationship between the MMC and FMC in this book is slightly different because they go from friends to lovers to enemies? And then back to lovers. These two have a LONG history and honestly, he was pining for Olliviana for over a decade (we love a yearning MMC). He’s the captain of the guard and invites himself onto Olliviana’s journey to protect her. He’s also the one logical brain cell in their entire group 😂.

What I loved most about the relationship between the MMC and FMC is that we know there’s tension between the two of them (like the bad kind) due to something that happened in the past, but we don’t know for the longest time. And then when we think we finally know, it turns out we actually don’t know the full truth. The mystery in this book is what kept me flipping those pages, not wanting to put it down. Not only was their mystery around our MCs’ pasts, there is mystery surrounding the entire history of this world. What led humans to seek refuge underground, why are people afraid of those with magic? Is The Above really dangerous or are they just told that to keep them away?

Aside from the MCs, we also have a wonderful cast of side characters. Dom is the bestest friend ever and so protective of Olliviana. I was super happy to know that there was no love triangle between Olliviana, Dom, and Caius. We need more pure platonic friendships like these in books! Then we also have Cressida, Caius’ sister. She’s so snarky and funny and acts as a way to show how their father shaped both of them to be dangerous people. And then Rui 😭. This may be an unpopular opinion, but I absolutely loved Rui with all my heart. He was SO kind and so innocent, I felt so sorry for what happens to him in the book (it’s probably not what you’re thinking ahahaha).

Anyways, I’ll stop my rambling here and just say that if you love high stakes, action, and dragons, definitely give this one a go! I can’t wait for the next book to come out!

[Andrea_books201 · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book with dragons and a guy that the female character hates? I don't need anything more. I'm in.
First book I read of the author, but for sure I'll be reading all the rest.

In this book we discover a world in which the dragons have forced humans to take refuge and live underground, in the Below. Our main character, Oliviana, was already born there, but she always remembers the stories, the legends, her father told her about humans living up there, among dragons, stories about cities and dragon riders.
A father who is no longer with her because it was discovered he possessed magic, forbidden magic; a traitor, and for that, he was killed. A magic she has, the daughter of the traitor, one that no one can know about.
The council assigns her a task without any sense, which she soon discovers is a trick to blame her for the dissapearing magic that keeps the cities alive.
So she ends up making a deal with her enemy, the man responsible for her father's discovery and murder, the captain of the guard, Caius; going to the surface, search the hatching grounds, the dragons, and try to save all the cities. And so she'll discover that maybe he is not who he appears.

I loved the two main characters, the way they interact, how she starts hating him, and then begins to doubt; also the way he treats her, it is obvious how he feels about her.
I also like the secondary characters, Dom and Cressida, especially Cressida, Caius' sister, a strong, smart and stubborn girl, she is amazing and really funny. Other characters too, like Avalor, I wanna know everything about him, or Rui, even if I think this late one and Dom were a little tiresome.

All the world Amber created, the underground cities, the legends, the magic, the different gods they have, of course the dragons, all the stories about the dragon riders, etc. All of it had me captivated, wanting to keep reading to know more.
The title is just perfect too, the moment it appeared in the story it all kind of make sense.

And the romance? Don't even let me start. The YEARNING, it had me crazy. He was so cute and at the same time desperate for her. Always with his dark things, his shadows, that strange name he calls her; the most important thing to him being that she believes him and keeping the promise he made years ago. And that love confession? It had me almost crying.

Also, the little parts related to her father, it had me really interested and I'm sure he had a lot of adventures too that I would love to know about.

Finally, THAT END. I always say the endings are very important for me, they can change everything I felt about the book, for better or for worse. This was already a five star book, but that last sentence, there, like that, convinced me even more if possible.
That last sentence, it was like we knew it, but putting it last, the exact words spoken, seemed like art to me, because throughout the whole book it is mentioned how important it is for the character to achive that and, I don't know, I think it's a nice and magical touch that it ends just like that, finally putting there the truth we all knew, confirming it from the mouths of, I believe, two of the most important people to her, if not the most important.
That last part migh have sounded a little repetitive, but I have no other way to express it, and it is even more complicated without giving away any spoliers.

I could keep writing, but I don't want to make this an eternal review, so all I have left to say is, read it. If you like books about legends, dragons, romance, magic, and adventures, read it. You won't be dissapointed.

Thanks to the author, Amber Toro, for the ARC copy in exchange of an honest review.

[B Gregory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received an advanced copy of this from the author.

Aether and Bone is set in fantasy world where the humans are forced to live underground, in The Below, and the dragons and other monsters live on the surface, The Above. The underground colonies have been separated after cave ins and traveling in The Above is extremely dangerous. Tasked with figuring out why there are issues with the water system of one of these colonies is Oliviana and the captain of the guard, Caius. Oliviana is an outcast after her father was executed for using illegal magic 10 years ago and she believes that Caius is the reason why. Oliviana and Caius, along with her childhood best friend Dominic and Caius' sister Cressida, journey to find the dragons to restore magic and bring balance to the colonies.

I really enjoyed this book. The premise was intriguing and it has some of my favorite tropes. I got scared for a minute that it was going to be another Violet and Dane situation with Oliviana and Dominic but there are no romantic feelings between the two so I was saved from an unrequited love scenario. The banter in this book is excellent as well, no one is small or weak, everyone has their own strengths and is celebrated for them. One of my only gripes is that in this enemies to lovers the forgiveness happens too quick, he provides an explanation and it's pretty much resolved. Make him crawl or beg or something, don't forgive him just because of the circumstances he was in. One of the other characters also points this out so I wasn't alone in that. I will be adding this shadow daddy to my roster though, thank you very much.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


He's tall and broad, with chiseled features even the gods are jealous of.

Because the voices are quiet when I am near you.

Caius Amarala looked at Damascus' daughter like she held all the light of the moon and stars above.

Then you'd better break free before I devour you.

Caius Amarala doesn't apologize. Caius is the mountain, the immovable boulder, the timeless cavern; he does not bend or break or apologize.

Why did I follow Caius into the dark? Because he is just as broken as you are. My eyes prick with the realization. He doesn't look at me like I'm broken. He doesn't treat me like an outcast or a traitor. Caius treats me with the same gruff manner that he treats his own sister. It's been nice to feel seen... against my better judgment, I nod. I don't trust my voice, but it's enough for him.

What are you afraid of the dark? . . Darling, I am the dark.

Caius' gaze dropped to her lips, and he regretted that he was going to die without ever knowing what they tasted like.

"Why do you insist on calling me by my full name?"
He pushes a lock of golden hair behind my ear and traces the line of my jaw as his gaze drops to my lips. "Because it is who you are. You are strong and powerful, beautiful beyond compare, and no one should ever make you feel less than."

When I make love to you for the first time, I am going to take my time with you. I am going to worship you until your forget every god in the pantheon, and the only prayer on your lips will be my name. I will make you scream it until you beg me to stop and plead for more all at once. I am going to fuck you senseless and then, after an entire night in my bed, once you wake, I am going to feed you and do it all over again. Is that understood?

While Caius... he is the embodiment of death, of pain and violence and destruction. He is the deepest darkness at the bottom of a long-forgotten crag. A shiver runs down my spine. Not because I'm scared, he should scare me, but it's not him I'm afraid of; it's the way his soul calls to mine, the way his darkness pulls me in, the way I want to lose myself in it... that is what I'm afraid of.

I promised I would always keep you safe. I keep my promises. . . If you are too tired to walk, I will carry you. . . If I cannot carry you, then I will fight for you. . . I will kill any man who dares put his hands on you. . . I will give my life for yours. . . I will sacrifice my soul if that is what it takes to keep your safe, Oliviana, and I am sorry. I know I am trading in something that I do not own because my soul is already yours.

I am frozen, a sailor enchanted by his siren song, certain I will drown with a smile on my lips because I will drown with him.

Gods help me, he may be my ruination, and if he is, I will gladly succumb to my fate.

I have many talents I haven't shared with you, darling, but most of them will require demonstration.

"And then she died, and I learned there is no magic left in the world..."
"Caius-"
"I was wrong. . . You are my magic."

Avalor told me about the stolen magic, what it's doing to you. . . It cannot have you because you are mine.

I will worship at your altar every damn day of my life if you will let me.

I'm falling. I've climbed too high, my footing has slipped, and now I'm plummeting down into the depths of the earth with this man, and I cannot stop. I don't want to. He is the rock beneath my boots and the air in my lungs, the starry sky above and the cosmos beyond. He is everything.

You have me. You have always had me. My sword, my heart, my life, my soul. All that I am belongs to you.

"I fear that I am addicted. . . Now that I've had you, I fear I can't go a day without you."
"You won't have to." Because I fear I need him as much as he needs me. "As you are mine. I am yours."

He is my ruination, my beautiful storm, danger and destruction. If he falls, I will fall with him because I will never let him go.

I'm drowning in this dark storm of a man, and I never want to come up for air.

I peer down into Oliviana's deep blue eyes. What I find there is enough to drown me where I stand. I would embrace the waves and die a happy man.

I am her creature now.

Perhaps I never had a chance of being a good man. But I will try. For her. I will be the rest version of this demon from the deep.

[Zuli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I genuinely had such a good time reading an ARC of Aether and Bone by Amber Toro.

From the very first chapter, I was hooked. One thing I really appreciated was how the story introduced both Oliviana and the world. There was a lot of information that needed to be explained, but it never felt overwhelming because things were happening at the same time. I was learning about the world, the magic, and the terminology while Oliviana was already out there doing things and getting pulled into the story. It made the worldbuilding feel natural instead of feeling like I was reading pages of explanations.

And then there's Caius.

Honestly, what am I even supposed to do with Caius?

The tension between him and Oliviana was absolutely ridiculous. Every scene they shared had me kicking my feet and wanting to read just one more chapter. The history between them, the betrayal, the misunderstandings, the feelings that never really went away—it all made their relationship so addictive to read.

Because the thing is, Oliviana wants to hate him. She has every reason to. But Caius is always there.

He's always watching her.

Always noticing what she's feeling.

Always knowing what she needs.

Always paying attention.
And don't even get me started on how many times this man puts himself directly between Oliviana and danger without a second thought.

But what I loved was that it wasn't one-sided. Even when Oliviana is angry with him, she never stops caring. Whenever Caius is in danger, she's immediately trying to protect him too. Some of my favorite moments were when her actions betrayed her feelings before she was willing to admit them.

The yearning in this book was EVERYTHING.
The obsession?
Amazing.

The childhood friends-to-enemies-to-lovers dynamic? Give me more.
Every chapter seemed to have something happening, whether it was action, emotional moments, new revelations, or some combination of all three. I was constantly thinking, okay but what happens next?

I also need to talk about the interludes because WOW.
Every time one appeared, I got excited. They were placed so perfectly and revealed information at exactly the right moments. Every reveal made me want to keep reading, and I loved how they slowly pieced everything together.

Another thing I loved was the adventure aspect of the story. It has honestly been a while since I've read a fantasy where a group of friends actually goes on an adventure together, and I didn't realize how much I missed that feeling until I was reading this.
My only real complaint is that I wanted more of Dom and Cress.

Every time they showed up, I found myself wanting more scenes with them. I became invested in them surprisingly quickly, and I would have loved to spend more time with those characters and learn more about their story.

And that ending...
Thank goodness for that ending.

I finished the book feeling happy, satisfied, and then immediately wanting more. Now I need to know what happens next. How are people going to react to everything? What happens to these characters from here? Where do Oliviana and Caius go next?
Basically, I'm already begging for a sequel.

If you love romantasy with adventure, yearning, tension that could be cut with a knife, protective love interests, childhood friends teen lovers-to-enemies(betrayal)-to-lovers, and a cast of characters you want to keep following long after the book ends, I would definitely recommend picking this one up.

There is yearning, there is slow burn, there is "betrayal", there is enemies to lovers, there is found family and there are lovable side characters.

Now excuse me while I sit here hoping a sequel gets announced. 😭❤️

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

REVIEW OF ADVANCE READER COPY FROM AUTHOR

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5

This was easily one of my favorite fantasy romances I've read this year 😭🖤

The beginning was a little slow, but once the story picked up, I was completely hooked. The worldbuilding was incredible, and the dragons, secrets, and adventure kept me invested the entire time.

But let's be honest... the real stars of this book were Oliviana and Caius.

Their chemistry was absolutely unreal from the very beginning. They felt like soulmates in every sense of the word, and I honestly don't think I've ever read an FMC who was so expressive and fearless when it came to loving the MMC.

"He is my ruination, my beautiful storm, danger and destruction. If he falls, I will fall with him because I will never let him go."

"I choose you, Caius Amarala. Every day, I will choose you from now until eternity."

"You did more than any boy could have. You watched over me from the shadows. Let me hate you when you knew it was all I had to hold on to. Risked your life for me, time and time again. I know exactly the man you are, Caius. I see him more clearly than you do.”

This alone tells you everything you need to know about Oliviana's love for him.

And Caius? 😭

That man was down BAD. Loyal, protective, devoted, and willing to sacrifice absolutely everything for her.

“I promised I would always keep you safe. I keep my promises.” He kisses me softly. “If you are too tired to walk, I will carry you.” Kiss. “If I cannot carry you, then I will fight for you.” Kiss. “I will kill any man who dares put his hands on you.” Kiss. “I will give my life for yours.” Kiss. “I will sacrifice my soul if that is what it takes to keep you safe, Oliviana, and I am sorry. I know I am trading in something that I do not own because my soul is already yours.”

"You're the only person who makes me feel like there is still a little light left inside of me."

"I love you. Have loved you. For a decade from the shadows.”

"Perhaps I never had a chance at being a good man. But I will try. For her. I will be the best version of this demon from the deep."

Like excuse me??? 😭✋🏻

Even when Oliviana hated him, his love never wavered. The way he loved her for years absolutely destroyed me.

The quest itself was so engaging, and I loved watching Oliviana fight through impossible odds to save her world.

"When there are no possibilities left, that is when the line between sanity and insanity blurs. I set my jaw and grab my pack. This is it. I will succeed and clear my family name, or I will die on my own terms."

And don't even get me started on her finally bonding with her dragon after everything she went through.

"It was never a test, but a guide. The final step in the path to becoming a rider is the bond, which fuses dragon and rider through the aether of the cosmos, penetrating into their very bones. We are linked from now until eternity.”

I was genuinely emotional during that scene because my girl earned every single second of that victory 😭

Cressida was such a fun supporting character and I adored her. Dom, however, had me wanting to jump into the book and tell him to mind his own business because he was determined to make things harder for Oliviana and Caius 😭

Overall, this book gave me everything I wanted: dragons, adventure, incredible worldbuilding, soulmates, emotional moments, and a love story that completely stole my heart.

Oliviana and Caius own a piece of my soul now and I'm not even mad about it 🖤

[S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amber Freaking Toro, you did it again. I loved everything about this story, from start to finish. Amber has a great way of taking a concept and turning it into something entirely unique, and that is exactly what you get with Aether and Bone.

Amber's world building is phenomenal. Reading Aether and Bone felt like watching a movie. Every location, the history and lore, and each scene was so carefully crafted that I felt like I was walking alongside the characters on their journey. Amber does a great job of revealing information as the story unfolds, which makes it easy to process and hold on to the important pieces. The history and lore revealed throughout the story was executed with just the right blend of storytelling and information sharing, told through dialogue or reflection from the main character. Each section of the world that the characters traveled through felt unique and magical, which is exactly what I want from a fantasy novel.

I also really appreciated the thought Amber put into crafting the beasts of this realm. The history with the dragons and dragon riders was absolutely fascinating, and I loved that each of the dragons encountered had bits of personality and hints to their past. All of the other beasts that the main cast encountered were also WILD in the best way. The descriptions were so vivid, and I loved imagining what each of them looked like.

And speaking of descriptions—can we talk about THE FOOD for a minute?! The way Amber writes is so completely immersive that even the food descriptions had my full attention. Amber pays attention to all the senses—sight, taste, smell, sound, touch—and considering the role food plays in building a relationship between two of the characters, this attention to detail gave an additional layer to the story. It might seem like a minor detail, but this truly speaks to Amber's ability to turn a story into a complete experience.

I really fell in love with the main characters, too. There was SUCH a tense history between the FMC and MMC, which kept me turning pages well into the early hours of the morning. Not only was the romantic tension absolutely addicting, but the relationships between the main cast was also incredibly engaging. There's an element of found family that the main cast develops, and I loved that each of the characters had such different dynamics with the rest of the cast. The best friends, the siblings, the ex-friends, the romantic interests—every time the characters interacted, I just kept finding myself wanting to see what they would do next. They all had such different personality types, and I loved seeing them work together as much as I loved watching them butt heads.

And the romance. My gosh. I love a good slow burn, and Amber does this so well. There is so much tension between the FMC and MMC, and they have a VERY complicated past to work through. Still, the way they're drawn to each other, you can FEEL it in your chest. The anticipation and tension built up throughout the story is paced so well, with stolen moments that keep pulling them closer together. When I tell you I was HOOKED. The moment they finally come together was all the more rewarding because of the buildup.

Long story short, I loved every second of this book. If you like fantasy, strong female characters, a delicious slow burn romance, unique world building, lore, and DRAGONS, you need to check this out.

[Bri West · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️ 6
🌶️ open door

eARC reader review of my honest opinion

No notes. Legitimately NO NOTES. This is my top read of 2026 so far. Aether and Bone is the start of what is possibly going to be one of the best written series. If you are a Fourth Wing fan, put this to the very top of your TBR. It grabbed me from page one and didn’t let me go, consuming me even after I’ve finished.

Everything is so well done. The world building, the plot line, the characters, side characters, everything is so incredibly done.

Humans have been forced to live in the Below as dragons rule the Above. But magic is dying in the Below and the council knows it. Who better to blame than the daughter of a dead traitor? Oliviana Lux has been branded all her life after her father was executed for having magic.

Her enemy, her past love, captain of the guard, Caius Amarala. In her mind, the person who led to her father’s death.

They are thrown together on this mission to find a way to save the people of the below. Oliviana grew up with fairytales from her father about dragon riders and she starts to wonder if the very creatures they’ve been taught to fear, might be their only salvation.

The plan is simple: find a dragon, bond with them, have the dragon riders rise again. Along with her loyalty best friend Dom, and Caius’ very unique sister Cressida, the four must travel far to the hatching grounds, meeting those whose duty it is to never let the dragons rise again.

Our MMC Caius Amarala. SWOON. I’m weak for the brooding, yearning, jealously prone Prince of Darkness that is this broken man. Son of an abusive father on the council, he has had so many struggles in his life.

Our FMC Oliviana Lux, is fierce, determined and has been treated like an outcast her whole life since her father was executed for possessing magic. She just wishes to belong and yet she never gives up trying to save the people who have scorned her.

Tropes:
- Enemies to Lovers
- Touch Her and Die
- Dragons
- Found Family
- He Comforts Her After Her Nightmares
- There's Only One Bed Roll
- Dangerous Quests
- Epic World Building with Cavern Cities

Favorite Quotes:
- “it matters to me." He growls. "When I make love to you for the first time, I am going to take my time with you. I am going to worship you until you forget every god in the pantheon, and the only prayer on your lips will be my name. I will make you scream it until you beg me to stop and plead for more all at once. I am going to fuck you senseless and then, after an entire night in my bed, once you wake, I am going to feed you and do it all over again. Is that understood?
- “I promised I would always keep you safe. I keep my promises." He kisses me softly. "If you are too tired to walk, I will carry you." Kiss. "If I cannot carry you, then I will fight for you." Kiss. "I will kill any man who dares put his hands on you." Kiss. "I will give my life for yours." Kiss. "I will sacrifice my soul if that is what it takes to keep you safe, Oliviana, and I am sorry. I know I am trading in something that I do not own because my soul is already yours.”

[Jan farnworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dragons, Trauma, and Emotional Damage Underground
Review of Aether and Bone by Amber Toro

Aether and Bone took the idea What if we trapped humanity underground, added dragons, forbidden magic, political corruption, and two emotionally disastrous people with unresolved tension?” and I, unfortunately, ate it up.

Aether and Bone drops you into a world split between The Below and The Above — humans surviving in cavern cities while dragons rule the skies overhead. The atmosphere in this book is honestly one of its strongest weapons. Everything feels dark, ancient, claustrophobic, and slightly doomed in the best possible way. You can practically smell the stone dust and bad decisions.

Oliviana is exactly the kind of fantasy heroine I love: stubborn, angry, capable, and carrying enough emotional baggage to qualify as checked luggage on an international flight, and watching her uncover the truth about herself and her magic while trying not to completely fall apart emotionally? Delicious.

And then we have Caius.

This man walked onto the page radiating danger, unresolved trauma, and “I absolutely should not be trusted,” which naturally makes him irresistible. The tension between these two is EXCRUCIATING. Every conversation feels like a duel disguised as flirting. Every scene had me kicking my feet and yelling at fictional people to either kiss already or start sword fighting. Preferably both.

The romance is a slow burn, but the kind that hurts. The yearning levels are catastrophic. Amber Toro clearly understands that emotional devastation is the foundation of a good romance.

What surprised me most was how balanced the story felt. The romance is strong, but the fantasy plot still carries real weight. There are mysteries layered into the worldbuilding, ancient magic woven through the lore, dangerous creatures, betrayals, and enough tension to keep the pacing moving once the story settles in. And the dragons actually feel powerful and terrifying instead of just existing as fantasy decoration.

Also, this book contains:

forbidden magic
dragon bonding
forced proximity
enemies-to-lovers chaos
emotionally constipated men
“touch her and die” energy
enough yearning to power a small city
The beginning took me a little to fully sink into because a lot is being established, but once the story clicks into place, it becomes impossible to stop reading. This is absolutely one of those “just one more chapter” books that suddenly has you awake at 2 a.m., questioning your emotional stability.

And that ending?

Amber Toro really looked readers directly in the soul and chose violence.

Rude behavior, honestly.

Overall, Aether and Bone is perfect for readers who love dragon romance with a darker atmosphere, emotional tension, layered worldbuilding, and characters who desperately need therapy but instead choose danger and yearning.

⭐ 4.5 underground dragons out of 5🔥 Spice: Slow burn tension with payoff🐉 Final Verdict: I would absolutely risk becoming dragon food for the sequel.

[Brittany Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Usually, reviews begin with comparisons to other books, like “this book is X meets Y with a splash of Z.” However, I found it incomparable. It’s unlike anything I’ve read, at least not that I’ve come across.

The world-building was immersive. It depicted a civilization living in The Below, in caverns powered by the magic of dragon riders long gone. The Above, on the other hand, was ruled by terrifying rider-less dragons. I was captivated by the magic system and the lore of ancestors’ bones being kept by loved ones through generations, serving as a source of power.

The protagonist, Oliviana, a girl with a secret of her own, was refreshingly confident compared to the protagonists of recent books who often have a running monologue of self-doubt and a whiny demeanor. While she did have internal debates about whether she would succeed in her quest once at the destination, she remained confident that she would indeed reach the end. She was confident in her climbing skills, her determination to help her people, and her unwavering resolve to push forward. The rock climbing scenes were particularly enjoyable, as they were a unique and unexpected element in a romantasy. I don’t mean rock climbing like hiking up switchback trails along a cliff face, I mean anchor and ropes cliff climbing as a part of daily life.

The male protagonist, Caius, was not your typical shadow-daddy. There was more to him than met the eye. Initially, he appeared as the obvious annoyance, bad boy energy, daddy’s trained warrior. However, the moment came when you realized that his entire life had been dedicated to her, even when she thought he was self-serving. He was self-sacrificing and delicious.

The enemies-to-lovers trope was beautifully executed. Childhood friends who suffered an unforgivable betrayal. There were delightful moments of torment, his dirty mouth, and the overall romance was beautifully crafted without being forced to be the main focus.

The ending left a cliffhanger open, leaving readers eager to know how they would save their people. The last chapter provided a glimpse into the past and revealed more bits of that betrayal, which added to the intrigue.

I can’t wait for a sequel to this captivating book!

It was delightful to read something distinct and unique in its own way. I’m eagerly anticipating the unfolding of the dragon storyline, particularly the dynamics between the characters and their friends (and even frienemies?) throughout the narrative. I hope to delve deeper into the magic system, and geography.

And finally, I’m especially interested to see how Oliviana manages to keep Caius in check. If you know, you know ;)

[itsliterary_emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is what I get for trusting a random man’s romantasy recommendation.

This had so many things that should have worked for me: dragons, dragon riders, ancient magic, underground cities, hidden family secrets, second chance romance, and a quest to save the world. On paper? Catnip. In reality? A very mixed reading experience.

The biggest issue for me was the pacing. Somehow this book managed to be both incredibly fast and incredibly slow. We were racing from plot point to plot point, reveal to reveal, life changing event to life changing event, but somehow never slowing down long enough to let any of it breathe. There were several moments where I thought, hold up, shouldn’t we sit with that for a minute? but the story had already moved on to the next thing.

The worldbuilding was the best part. I really loved the underground cities, made of stone and wood. The descriptions were stunning and o truly could visualize so of these places. The execution on the setting was executed beautifully.

The romance didn’t quite work for me. I liked the idea of Ollie and Caius more than I liked the actual execution. Their relationship often felt rushed, and some of the dialogue gave me secondhand embarrassment. If I had a dollar for every time Caius said “There she is,” “Are you alright?” or “You’re adorable when you’re angry,” I could probably buy myself another dragon book.

And speaking of repetition, why was coffee in every chapter? I swear every other chapter opened with someone smelling coffee.

I also struggled with the magic system toward the end. A lot of the explanations felt like they were created after the fact to solve a problem. Several major reveals had me staring at the page thinking, Okay… if you say so. By the finale, it felt like we were pulling magical explanations out of a hat and hoping nobody asked too many follow up questions.

That said, I didn’t hate this book. I finished it. The dragons were cool. The premise was cool. The underground city was cool. The dragon rider lore was cool. There were plenty of moments that kept me turning pages because I genuinely wanted to know what happened next.

Unfortunately, the writing style never clicked for me. I never fully connected with the characters, and every time I started to get invested, something about the pacing or dialogue pulled me back out again.

Overall, this felt like a book with a fantastic premise and a lot of potential, but the execution just wasn’t for me. I can absolutely see other readers loving it, especially if they enjoy fast paced romantasy, but I don’t think I’ll be continuing the series.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Arc Review
3,5⭐️


It contains potential spoilers so read with caution!

Thank you very much for the author for sending me an early copy of this book! I was very excited to read it as I am sucker for dragons.
I had mixed feelings about this read. First of all, I must say I didn’t dislike it, it just made me confused time to time.
Overall it was a good read for me.
I absolutely loved the world building! It had a dystopian feel. People living underground while the dragons roam the sky and make life unbearable for humans.
The author did a very good job with the world building.
And I absolutely loved the dragons! The book grabbed my attention from the first chapter.
And I also loved the MMC Caius. He was strong and would have burned down the world for the MFC Ollie.

A few things although left me with mixed feelings.
My biggest issue was the relationship between Ollie and Caius. They were best friends in the past until Ollie’s father died and she blamed Caius for that. This was a solid start for friends to enemies to lovers. Ollie very strongly disliked Caius in the beginning of the book and then I blinked twice and she was confessing her love for him… I had to go back in the book and re read it because I thought I’ve missed something important. However they’ve had one conversation where Caius told Ollie what actually happened at the night her father was killed (his father tortured him for the information he knew about her father’s power) and that was it. In my opinion it would have worked better if they would have spent more time building up to the relationship because I just felt something was missing big times. And I’m sorry for picking on this but their first kiss was very underwhelming. No fuck it moment no big words just a kiss. It might be just me who loves seeing big moment for a first kiss…
In my opinion the book was too short for all the story. And it felt underwhelming at the end as the ending felt rushed. I loved the way how they bonded with the dragons.

The FMC was likeable but had some inconsistencies. She starts off as a don’t give a shit very strong lead who’s been through a lot but she’s been questioning herself and everything way often and crying all the time. If course there is nothing wrong with any of these but they appeared all over the book.

Oh and I really liked the side characters! They were supportive and funny.

Overall it was a good book with good twists and turns but would have enjoyed it better with more relationship journey of the main characters.