The Prince's Poisoned Vow

Infernal War Saga #1

by Hailey Turner

Every country is built on revolution.

THE WARDEN. Soren is a nameless, stateless man, tasked with keeping watch over Maricol’s borders. He isn’t meant for politics, only dealing with the dead. His past was buried in the poison fields, but after a fateful encounter with a prince, Soren comes to realize he can’t keep what magic burns inside him hidden forever.

THE PRINCE. Vanya Sa’Liandel was the spare who survived the Houses’ murderous games to become the Imperial crown prince of Solaria. He has a duty to his country, but he’ll owe his life to the wardens. Payment of any kind is costly, especially when he’s at risk of losing his heart to the man who saved his life.

THE COG. Caris Dhemlan hears the siren song of clarion crystals better than anyone in Ashion. That skill for inventing has enriched her bloodline, but it’s who she can become that will ultimately entangle her with the Clockwork Brigade.

THE PRINCESS. Eimarille Rourke should have been raised to be queen of one country; instead, she is prisoner of another. Guided by a star god, Eimarille bides her time in a gilded cage, spinning a political web to gain a throne and start a war the world isn’t ready for.

From the author who brought you the Soulbound series comes a queer steampunk-inspired epic fantasy.

Genres: Fantasy, Steampunk, Romance, M M Romance, LGBT, Audiobook, Queer

563 pages, Paperback

First published May 2, 2022

About the author

Hailey Turner is a big city girl who likes to spoil her cats rotten. She writes science fiction and fantasy with lots of action, epic plots, and romantic relationships that satisfy the heart. Hailey lives in sunny California when she isn’t adding stamps to her passport.

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Reviews

[Cadiva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, that was beyond epic.

As a series opener, it gives a lot of important information but you're not bombarded with it. Each character who will have a significant role to play throughout the saga is introduced in their own clearly labelled chapter in a Prologue which sets up the series.

There's a fabulously complex world being built in each of these chapters and you very quickly get a sense of each of the individual countries and the Star Gods which influence them and the lives of all their inhabitants.

This isn't just an MM romance either, there are two male pairings and OMG I adore them both, but we also have an FF couple and a potential MF pairing, and each set of characters is so beautifully suited that it's difficult to pick favourites.

However, the FF pairing are both intriguing and also giving me all kinds of mixed feels because our main protagonist in the doing of dodgy deeds is one of them. I love the morally grey characters of fantasy romance because they make you think.

Eimarille Rourke is a wonderfully crafted character, she's strong willed, clear of mind, determined and totally in love with her Blade (a kind of bodyguard assassin spy type) Terilyn. I can't decide atm if I want to yeet her off the face of Maricol or cheer her all the way to the Throne she's supposed to inherit 😂

Both of the MM pairings though, oh they are wonderous.

Soren & Vanya are Warden & Imperial Prince, such different stations in life and attitudes towards it. But since Soren saved Vanya from an assassination attempt and a bunch of revenants, their paths have intersected.

There's such awesome vibes between these two. Vanya is fighting foes both openly and hidden within his own court, while Soren answers to no-one other than the head of the Wardens. His path is to fight the risen dead and try to prevent the spread of deadly spores.

And here I want to say ONLY because it's Hailey Turner am I voluntarily reading a saga that has what are essentially zombies in it!

Blaine and Honovi have my heart right now. They're everything I love in a fantasy romance. Not only dedicated to each other, this married pair are all about duty, about country, loyalty, protecting the vulnerable, and hiding secrets. Big secrets.

Finally, but very definitely not the least important, is Caris and Nathaniel. I can't really go into much detail here at all, other than to say Hailey is on my I'm watching you list right now because of things which go down with this pair.

Throughout this book I gasped, I sighed, I had happy thoughts, I had raging almost throw the Kindle out the window thoughts.

I cried! For gawd's sake, me, crying at a book character's potential fate, it just doesn't really happen outside of the fantasy genre so kudos to Ms Turner 🤣

There are secrets, plans within plans, there are deaths, there are births.

Country's fates are played with by the Gods and the threads of this series are laid down with paths that still have twists and turns to come I am sure.

And oh boy I am here for it all!

#ARC kindly received from the author via Valentine PR in return for an honest and unbiased review

[Rina Pride · Rating 4 out of 5]

I confess that I was very confused at the beginning of this story, but then I was able to better understand everything that was going on.

Hailey Turner has incredible creativity, I've been a fan since Soulbound. I was looking forward to the new saga and I didn't regret having the patience to understand the story.

I liked all the plot and characters, Just found a little exaggerated to have several point of view.
I know that several points of view is necessary for the development of the story, but I was a little confused at times.

🔶My impressions for couples 🔶

Honovi and Blaine : couple wonderful, I think it was the couple I liked the most so far 😘😍😄😙💝

Soren and Vanya : couple fire in the ass, loved 🔥🔥🔥😆💗

Caris and Nathaniel : couple without salt😴😪😴😪

Terelyn and Emairille : danger couple💋😨☠😲


We'll see what we'll have in the second book 🔱👀

[Evie · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are in the mood for a queer normative, steampunk, multi POV, grand scale, political fantasy epic with star gods and zombies then this book will scratch that (niche) itch so good.

Honestly though, this was great and sits around a 4.5 for me, however, the scope of this story is huge and the world building is complex and detailed, which is fabulous, but also means that most of the first 50% of this book is dedicated to setting up characters and storylines. Which was fascinating to me, but I could easily imagine that depending on your mood it could be a bit laborious, dry and could have the potential to drag a little. There is also time jumps between parts, which is great to keep the narrative moving and to build the vast scope of the universe. However, although it states WHAT year it is, I wish they more clearly stated HOW many years had passed in order to keep it all in context. I often needed to pick up as I read that it had been 1 year/ 2 years/ 4 years etc.

The premise of this fantasy epic is that following the assassination of the Queen of Ashion, her three children are secreted out of the capital separately and the book essentially follows 4 storylines/ characters from this event into their adulthoods.

The eldest, and heir, Eimarille, was kidnapped and given to an enemy court to raise. The middle child Soren was secreted to the Wardens, the poisoned hardened warrior faction who fight the zombies in the wastelands, and the youngest Caris, who was a baby that no one knew survived.

I enjoyed the potential of all the storylines to varying degrees but I definitely felt the most invested and excited for Soren and Vanyas storyline. I’m always a bit of a sucker for that Prince/body guard dynamic, especially when the body guard is the only one who doesn’t care about the fact the Prince is royalty and gives him constant attitude.

This book features a variety of MM, MF and FF pairings (so something for literally everyone). I do feel like this would be a book best saved for when you’re in the mood for a longer fantasy epic, it’s not a speedy read. I dual read this along with the audio book and thought the narration was fabulous but it wasn’t till the last 30% or so that the drama of the story picked up. That being said in that last 30% I was saying “you fucking idiot” “if that character dies I will kill everyone and then myself” more frequently than is healthy for my stress levels. I can imagine that this book will set the foundations for book 2 and 3 to be pretty nutty.

Also blessed be, there is a glossary at the back of the book to help with keeping track of kingdoms, people and places 🫶🏻 this cover really doesn’t do the quality of this fantasy epic justice either.

[Jewel · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Holy moly! That was certainly exciting. There are a lot of characters and POV's to keep track of and a genre that is entirely unfamiliar to me, but damn, I am so invested now, I don't know how I'm going to wait for book 2. The ending is rather cliffie and all I can say is FUUUUUUCK.

I'm sure I'll need to reread this when book 2 comes out just to make sure I have everything straight in my head, but it won't be a hardship. I do hope that Ms. Turner gets us the second book sooner than presently expected, though. Gimme gimme gimme!


........
05/15/22 - I can't stop thinking about this story! I keep wanting to pick this up again to find out what happens next, but ... there is no more yet. Come on, Ms Turner, write faster! (lol). Meanwhile, I'm upgrading my rating. If I litterally can't stop thinking about one book, even when I'm reading a different one, I think that means something.

It's gonna be a long wait.

[Bookreader87(Amanda) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has sections and in each section there are chapters. The first section, Inferno, is more or less about the downfall of Amari and the royal family.

The Rourke's are a family with star fire/ magic in their blood. What I get is that the Star Gods have all chosen sides with the different Countries of Maricol. The inferno essentially was the burning down and destruction of Amari. The point of it was to rid the world of the Rourke family. However, the three children were taken by different Gods and placed where they wanted them.
-Eimarille was placed with King Bernard of of Daijal
-Soren placed with the wardens who are neutral parties and protect the border of the countries from revenants.
-Caris in Cosian with Portia and her husband to be raised as their child.

The only Rourke known to be alive is Eimarille. Soren is believed to be dead and Caris was not even known to have been born.

So the first section has multiple POVs that get a bit confusing but it is all played out to tell the beginnings of the story. As the story progresses the POV break down to a few main POVs and from there things get better. From Inferno to the next section there is a 15 year time jump.

From this time jump everyone has aged and have been living the lives they were placed into. There is still a lot going on but the main point is a power grab. The king of Daijal wants to do so by marriage through Eimarille and his son Wesley. He believes doing this will give him power over Amari which will then help him establish power over other countries. But like I said there are other powers, through the Gods, at hand and they don't necessarily all want the same thing.

There is a group called the Clockwork Brigade and their main job is to keep Amari running and to prevent Eimarille from taking the throne. Instead, they want to have the youngest Rourke in power.
Basically, there is a fight for it. It is all really interesting. Like I said power over the Countries of Maricol seem to be the gist of it.

I would say there is romance in the book but it is not really what I consider a romance novel.

Honovi/Blaine (MM)- They are married.
Vanya/Soren (MM)- They came together after Soren saved Vanya's life.
Eimarille/Terilyn (FF) -Secret lovers.
Caris/Nathaniel (FM)-Young and blossoming.

There is just so much more going on but I do like most of what is shown.

Overall a very interesting beginning to this Saga. Not going to lie it was really hard for me to get into the story at the beginning because of all the POVs coming at me so fast. When they broke it down more I got into the story more. This author's story telling and world building skills are impeccable. I will be honest and say I found myself having to take a massive amount of notes so I wouldn't forget who was who and what was what. I don't normally want to have to do that when reading. I felt like I was doing history homework lol. I just wanted to keep things straight and it helped and since book two doesn't come out until next year I'm pretty sure my notes will come in handy 😆

[Aimee Nicole Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I honestly don’t know where to start, so I’ll just speak from the heart. I don’t read a lot of fantasy, and this is my first steampunk book. I really wasn’t sure what to expect when I started The Prince’s Poisoned Vow, and what I got was nothing less than brilliant. I loved the way she worked in the steampunk elements. All Hailey Turner fans know that her world-building skills are second to none! She does not disappoint here. The details are rich and poignant but without overwhelming the plot.

This book has everything—political intrigue, royals, intense action, loyalty and honor, romance, betrayal, and an unforgettable cast of characters. Did I mention the action?! This book reads like a movie—one that inspires people to dress in costumes to see their favorite characters come to life on the big screen. The intricately woven story has left me in awe. Hailey Turner is a master storyteller in a class of her own! I cannot wait for more!

[Ashlee » libraryinthecountry · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know those books that you immediately KNOW will be a five star read, the moment you get a few pages in?

This is one of those books for me.

I’m an anomaly that reads 300+ books a year, and I am almost to half that for 2022. I can tell you now, this book is going to be in my top ten of the year. It’s so good!

This is a queer EPIC fantasy set in a steampunk world. The scope of this story astounds me. It’s truly a masterpiece. It’s set in a world were nature wants to kill you, where creatures roam the wastes prowling for prey, where the Gods walk amongst people, where rebellion is just one false move away, and where nobody is who you think they are (and they may not be who they think they are, too).

On top of the vast reach of the story overall, there are multiple compelling (and a bit spicy) romances, with queer romances between centered the most. I can’t decide if I want to hug these characters or let them step on me, I adore them.

Highly, highly recommend this one! It deserves to be talked about everywhere!

[Jenn (The Book Refuge) · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Thank you to Valentine PR and the author for an ARC of this title.*

I don't know how I've never heard of this author before but she is going on my "to be watched" list from now on. I can't wait to dive into more of her dark and queer romances because this was a wild ride.

The atmosphere, darkness, and corruption of the Infernal War Saga is perfect for lovers of Steampunk fantasy, Game of Thrones, and a healthy dose of Queerness. I was thrown into a dark world with Revenants (yes zombies!) and royal houses at war. This is an epic series in the making.

There is a cliffhanger in this one, so be prepared to want to chuck your kindle. But at the same time, I am immediately going to get myself a physical copy and pour over the map in this one and soak in the details.

I really enjoyed reading this epic tome, although there is a lot that isn't fully explained yet, so I was hanging on for more. I am very impressed with the writing though and I will be tuning in for the next entry for sure. Also, as mentioned, I will be diving into more of this author's back list very soon.

I do think the romances (of which there are 3 and possibly more) are not the driving force of the story but more of a supporting part of the story. There were some good steamy times, but for the most part, there isn't much drama in the relationships, the world has enough to go around.

But if you like any of the elements I have mentioned, you are gonna want to get a copy of this, preferably physical, as soon as you can.

4 stars
2 on the spice scale

[Ben Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was amazing and more people need to read it!!

[Achim · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
Rarely do we get such a rich and complex fantasy world without the help of mystical creatures or magical realms and I can't remember the last time I didn't have to suffer through long pages of world setup or a history essay before getting to the actual story. Nothing of that here. PPV shows a deliciously complex world but Ms. Turner is trusting her readers, so only bitesized information while the story evolves. Totally appreciated but of course this comes with a price tag: with more than 600 pages it isn't exactly bitesize but I wouldn't want to miss even one page. I don't even complain about having to deal with several POV, some even from minor characters whose view are necessary to keep the story flowing easily. It surely comes with no surprise that there is no shortage of characters but it's actually surprising how seemingly effortless Hailey Turner handles that situation.

The book starts with a bang, an event which is later known as the Inferno when the ruling dynasty of one of Maricol's countries is annihilated by its neighboring regime in an effort to reunite both countries. The immediate reunification fails because a change of such a magnitude draws the attention of Maricol's Star Gods and they take every advantage they can get when a new game is disrupting their immortal boredom. Those 6 are not exactly Gods but the last survivors of the first settlement wave after a space fleet crashed into Maricol, a poisonous, deadly world where spores reanimate the dead to spread and Aether can be used like powerful magic. That crash was millennia ago and while the other settlers found a way to live on that planet, create countries, different cultures and languages, those 6 became immortal guiding stars and eventually a new religion made them Gods, Gods who now stake their claim using the 3 kids which survived the Inferno and because immortality comes with an abundance of time the upcoming game is for more than the throne of one country.

With the passage of the next years Emairille, the only commonly known survivor, is raised by the neighboring regime and eventually marries the heir of the Dijal throne but her heart belongs with her lady-in-waiting and assassin bodyguard. Unfortunately she changed from stubborn victim never to be subdued into a formidable, conniving villain, the only emotions her cold greed and the fierce love for her son and Terelyn.

Alasandair becomes Soren the warden, fighting against the undead revenants and keeping the poisonous nature at bay. During such a task he saves the life of Vanya, prince of Solaria. A love that can't be but is still inevitable. As I know Ms. Turner she's going to put those 2 through the wringer and I won't going to like it.

Caris, the baby no one knew even existed, grows up with a different family, becomes an excellent inventor for clockwork engines and a teenager with her own mind but eventually she's led back into the capital and her stubbornness sets actions in motion which might cost her blossoming love. Don't know how Hailey Turner is going to set that right or if she even intends to do.

There is a lot of action, scheming, emotions, a strange, dangerous world to explore; there is magic and clockwork engines, intrigues to uncover, assassinations to survive and couples to root for (my favorite one's still Honovi and Blaine, although I could sometime throttle Blaine for his exaggerated loyalty to the duty of his bloodline). It's certainly no book you could breeze through but the author does everything to ease the way through this complex world (hope she's going to include the other 2 still missing countries more into the mix and Farren seems like a god/goddess worth to know more about).

However much I enjoyed the book, I'm glad there's a prequel because only with that one the terrible debt slave laws becomes the attention they deserve and the despair they're causing is made real. Here at PPV it sometimes seems like just another case to despise the Dijal way and a means to an end for Eimarille.

[Gerbera_Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

06/24/2025 reread

04/17/2024 reread

02/03/2023 reread

This book was so much better than I expected. I love Ms Turner's stories, but this was so much more! Just a few mentions: multiple POVs, medium steam with MM and FF couples as well as mild PDA between MF couple, outstanding world building and a cliffhanger that will get you to bite your nails off! I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Maricol is a country torn by power struggle that reached the Gods' attention. Yes, we can never escape the interference of Gods. The book starts with an amazing prologue that shows how it all began. Then we get to live with these characters through many years of their lives. This is a tale of patience and manipulation, long term plans and silent waiting for the right moment to strike. Every POV be it main character or secondary ties into one big picture that starts to emerge around the middle of the book.

The story is very immersive. It pulls you in from the beginning and keeps you stoked till the very end despite the steady pace with a few fast paced action scenes. The intrigues and politics are at the forefront of the story - how people strive to keep power and gain more.

There is established love, new emerging love and love that is yet to be understood and accepted. Every couple is unique and so fascinating to read about: their dynamics, positions in life, who they were and who they are now due to fate or someone else's interference. I rooted for them all.

The villains are just... I have no words. There are several seen and even unseen. Some are obvious since the reader knows more than the characters. The plot twist in the end just broke my heart. I can't wait to read what happens next. The steampunk and magic elements add so much to this world filled with danger. I tried to stretch while reading it but it ended all too quickly. I loved it and highly recommend it.

[alyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

[3.25] steampunk! political intrigue! zombies! oh my! 🤯

narration: 5* (as if you had to ask, it's Gary Furlong 😆)

wowzers! i can firmly attest that the author did not skimp on the world building and lore. she delivers on an epic scale and in vivid detail, with action and twists and death around every corner to build a comprehensive and ambitiously fantastical world. if that sounds right up your alley, i highly recommend you give this story a shot!

however, i do think this story is rather difficult to digest purely via audio, at least for the full experience. there are over 10(?) pov characters switched out left and right, and shifting gears fast enough to establish a proper foundation for each character before being thrust to the next one in line posed a big challenge. as such, i highly advise audiobook listeners to read along and jot down notes⁠—particularly at the beginning⁠—so at least the vital introductions don't go in one ear and out the other. and if you end up like this while keeping track of all the terms and names:



....know that you weren't the only one 😂

as a huge romance lover, i was also wildly ecstatic to learn more about the various romantic pairings hinted at in the blurb. so imagine my disappointment when the relationship development i was keeping an extra eye out for got lost in the time skips and pov changes, cast off to Off Page land 😢 i fully understand there wouldn't be room to put the romance at the forefront unless the author wrote a very different story, but not being able to witness the transition from strangers to friends to more was a barrier in conjuring up enough emotional investment to root for everyone and their happy endings.

that all being said, the cliffhanger end and my voracious curiosity do not mix, so don't be surprised if i continue on to learn what happens to Soren and Vanya 🤣

I received a complimentary audio copy of this book, and this is my honest review.

[Eugenia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Damn it! I HATE when I don’t write a review & have no memory of reading a book. Like this one.

I guess the re-listen will be “new” for me, then 😂😂

[KP · Rating 3 out of 5]

#1 The Prince's Poisoned Vow: ★★★✮☆ | 3.5 stars

This was one of my most anticipated releases of the year. I have loved Hailey Turner's other two series so much, so when I heard that she was writing a queer, steampunk inspired epic fantasy romance, I knew I had to read it. But, while this is absolutely a queer, steampunk inspired epic fantasy it is not in any way a romance. There is almost no romance in this book. Yes, there are romantic couples and even a few on page sex scenes. But, all the actual relationship development between the couples takes place off page. I was expecting to see this great romance between Soren and Vanya, but instead we are just told feelings develop without actually getting to see it. And, the one couple we see the most romantic moments between has already been married 5 years when the bulk of the story takes place. If I had known that this wasn't a romance going in, I think my feelings about it might be slightly different - but, I can't quite forget the disappointment of waiting for a romance that never happened.

Romance aside, the book itself is really good. Hailey Turner has created a really interesting fantasy world with interfering gods, poisoned lands, magic, revenants, a secret organization, and a ton of political scheming. The scope of the world building is very impressive, and there is plenty of action that keeps you on the edge of your seat. There isn't really a way to summarize the plot of this novel into a paragraph, I think it's better just to experience it. But, it is an epic fantasy so there is a pretty steep learning curve. And, Hailey Turner drops you right into the action with a horrible tragedy that tears Ashion apart and has devastating consequences that set the story into motion.

I did have two issues that made it hard for me to connect to the story:
1. There are 14 different POV characters in this first book. And, while I can understand why it is this way, you spend so little time with most of the characters that I don't feel like have an emotional connection to any of them. Blaine and Soren have the most POV's, and I think Blaine is the most developed character. But, when some of the biggest emotional beats happen to other characters you aren't invested enough in them for it to impact you the way I think the author intended.
2. There are a bunch of time jumps. The first one made sense to me. We got to see the characters as children and Hailey Turner was able to show us what was happening rather than telling us in flashbacks so when the story jumped ahead 15 years I had no problem with it. But, the rest of them? We get a 1-year jump and then 2 separate 2-year jumps that I didn't really understand. Going 2 and in some cases 4 years between seeing characters means either we miss out on a ton of character development or that nothing really changes in big chunks of time - neither of which are great when you're telling an epic fantasy story.

Three Thoughts:
1. I really liked how queer this story was and that there didn't appear to be any homophobia or racism in this world. There are achillean and sapphic relationships as well as a demisexual/demiromantic character (though those terms aren't explicitly used) and multiple main characters of color.
2. As a general rule, I'm not a fan of zombies or zombie stories. But, the way this was set up and the reason behind the revenants was really interesting and the secret plots using them are a little bit horrifying.
3. I know there are multiple romantic pairings in this story, but the only one I'm really invested in (as of right now) is Blaine and Honovi so I'm hopeful we will get more scenes of them working together in future books.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story, and I will definitely be continuing this series. The cliffhanger ending has me both nervous and excited about what's going to happen next.

content warnings: violence, death, murder, loss of a loved one, debt slavery, revenants/zombies, poisonings, sex (on page), cheating (political marriages with lovers on the side), death in childbirth (child survives, off page), mental compulsion, attempted kidnapping

**I received an ARC from the author via Valentine PR in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.**

[M.A. Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone who has read Hailey Turner before has experienced her talent for world building. Her ability to craft the physical details and lore of her setting is what sets the stage for her characters and their respective arcs. THE PRINCE’S POISONED VOW puts this talent at the forefront of the new series and starts readers on a saga spanning the breadth of Maricol.

PPV is epic steampunk fantasy, with an emphasis on epic. This novel comes in at almost 700 pages, with over a dozen different points of view, and it contains a user-friendly glossary that is worth its weight in gold. I tend to read fast, but didn’t with this book. Within the first ten pages, I realized reading PPV was like reading GAME OF THRONES, which meant I slowed down and even took some notes to reference. Never have I been happier to have learned from a previous read. All the lessons I didn’t use with GOT, I did use with PPV, and had an incredible experience with as a result.

The first quarter of this book deserves a slow read. Taking time to absorb the names, the cultures, the complicated political maneuverings, and the underlying inferred history was critical for enjoying the rest of the book. As with all of Turner’s works, once the pace picks up, it doesn’t slow down, building and building to a brutal conclusion that left me desperate for the next book. If I hadn’t taken the time early on, the emotional battles being fought wouldn’t have landed as strongly.

Once again, Turner puts her talents to work and gives readers the same depth of characterization we’ve come to expect from her other works. Balancing a huge cast is a delicate dance, and I’ve no doubt that some of the minor characters met in PPV will come back to play a greater role later (thank you, Soulbound series for teaching me that!). Of course, I did have my favorites among this wide cast of characters. Soren and Vanya are the steady center of the story and watching their relationship change and deepen over the years gave the promised fulfillment of a fantasy romance in their subplot. I was shocked to find myself rooting for Eimarille and Terilyn, whose connection kept me deeply rooted in their subplot despite my dislike of their machinations. And, as a surprise to no one who knows me, Blaine and Honovoi stole my heart completely. I came to the party for Soren and Vanya, but stayed with vicious protectiveness for my dream couple and their irritating (but understandable) loyalty to their respective duties.

THE PRINCE’S POISONED VOW is the Pokemon evolution of Turner’s earlier works, taking her best talents and loosing them on a new world and new cast in unique ways. Earlier readers are sure to be pleased with the romantic elements, uneasy horror, and brilliant action sequences of this novel, but I’m most thrilled by the promise of Turner mastering a new genre, one which could give her even greater freedom and recognition than she already has. And when it comes, it will be well-deserved.

[Diane Dannenfeldt · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. It really saddens me that I am unable to finish a book that is by one of my favorite authors. There were too many characters & I couldn't keep track who was who & how they fit in the scheme of things. I just couldn't get into it.

I rec'd a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews & this is my honest review.

[Kristel (hungryandhappy) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread in audio: the audiobook was amazing!!

-------------------

This was EPIC!!!
I loved it so much.

Where to start reviewing this amazing book? It's the hardest thing because everything is a potential spoiler, and I want to write everything down.

First of all, this book, differently as Hailey's previous books, has many many POVs. Not always the same characters which are the main characters of the story, but there are also minor characters, some that only get one chapter, because their POV is a useful part of the whole plot. A plot that is complex and spans many many years and no matter how long the book is, when it's over you'll want more right away.

This book is about royal houses political games in a world where magic and gods exist, and the danger of deadly revenants killing you is ever present. Everyone is a cog in the plot. It's a conspiracy and survival game. We see the characters grow, change, get involved, be in danger, get separated and reunited. And if you've read An Emporium of Hearts, a short story that takes place in this same world, then you'll meet two very familiar faces, too.

The main characters, the ones more important to the story are:
- Soren, who is my baby cinnamon roll and I will protect him with my life. He is a warden and finds himself saving Vanya's life, a prince. Soren has secrets of his own and a past he can't forget and maybe he won't be able to get away with hiding it for much longer.
- Vanya, crown prince and main target for a million assassination attempts. He is confident and he gets what he wants, and he wants Soren. Does he get him? Just read and see. There's a bathtub scene you won't want to miss.
- Blaine, he is a baby okay? I didn't decide that. He just is. He is married to Honovi but had to get separated from his husband for a mission he can't refuse to do. The world's destiny is at stake. I know, he just deserves to be all cuddly and in love, but instead he is in danger and his hair suffered dire consequences.
- Honovi, Blaine's husband. He is the jarl to Clan Storm and a flying ship captain. Fate put Blaine in his life and he will do anything to keep him there and safe. It won't be easy but if there's something Honovi can do is protect the man he loves.
- Eimarille, a princess who tragedy and conspiracy took away the throne she deserved. But Eimarille is stubborn and very smart and she'll spin the narration to see her on the throne, ruling, and with her beloved by her side. And if her beloved is an assassin feared by many? It doesn't matter, it's not like she's afraid of a little blood. This princess is a badass one!
- Terilyn, assassin and Eimarrile's lover, she is fierce and very dangerous. She'll stop at nothing to see her princess get the power she deserves even if it means getting her hands dirty, but she's used to it. She was born for that and she'll do it gladly and graciously.
- Caris, the crystal whisperer. She can hear the sound crystals make and that's a talent that's useful to work for her family. Her studies will put her front and center to the action. She never says no to put herself in danger to help other.

The world building is exceptional and the writing captivating. You may think it's easy to get lost in the story because there are too many POVs and you can't keep up with all the star gods' names, but it takes only a little to be completely in sync with the story.

I am in awe of how complex this book was; complex in a good way, not in a wth is going on way. All the little puzzle pieces that slowly get together and you start seeing more of the bigger picture. More but not all because this is just the start. The last part of the book made me gasp out loud.

I think I need book 2 right away. The waiting will be hard!

[Liya · Rating 5 out of 5]

7.5 hours of non-stop reading and I'm absolutely enthralled by this book and the world created by Hailey Turner. This new series is mind blowing - the way the story unfolds, how we get to know this world and the characters, multiple POVs - all of it is absolutely amazing.
I thought Soulbound is great but this one is even better. Outstanding world building combined with equally outstanding storytelling - I can't emphasize enough how much I loved this book. The only downside is to wait for the next one 😀

[Corina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was so excited about this one, but in the end it wasn't exactly what I expected and hoped for.

So many others have already mentioned the many POV's I too had issues keeping them all apart. And sadly, in the long term I was only interested in Soren and Vanya's story. I actually skipped almost all of the other POV's which is never a good sign. I'm pretty bummed about it, but will of course continue reading the series in hope that it will get more interested with time.

[Iz · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

Well, that was beyond epic. Truly impressive: Hailey Turner was already one of my favourite writers after absolutely adoring her "Soulbound" and "Metahuman Files" series, but well, she utterly outdid herself here.
"The Prince's Poisoned Vow" is very different from what I was expecting and what I was used to. I knew this series was going to be more on the epic fantasy side than the romance one, but I was completely unprepared with how ambitious and epic and monumental this book was, how complex it was, but still beautifully constructed and delightfully plotted.

This novel has has such a rich world-building I was a bit intimidated at first, but as soon as the "introduction" section of the story was done, I actually found it quite easy to follow. Hailey Turner sketches an ambitious world, one that's really vivid and although I cannot, for the life of me, remember how the actual words are spelled, I followed everything quite easily. The same was true for the truly huge cast of characters: after a bit, it got easier and I'm actually quite impressed with myself and with how much I managed to retain. We'll see if my memory holds until the sequel is out.

Plot-wise, I can only applaud Hailey Turner's ingenuity: all character storylines are somewhat intertwined, there's a delightful game of secret identities going on, and I LOVED IT, I loved following each and every single one of these stories and I can already see myself cackling maniacally when all these plot-lines will finally connect to the one big picture. I cannot wait. I literally cannot wait.

I'm a big fan of multiple POVs, so following the numerous (I didn't count how many, but there were A LOT, minor and major) POV characters was a delight. I loved all the (non-villanous) POV characters a lot, although I must admit, I found myself craving Soren's chapters most of all. I knew that was going to happen *sighs*. I loved him so much, he's so intriguing and I sincerely hope he'll get the spotlight he deserves in the next book and maybe a tad bit more character development. I'm sure that will happen though: I can't wait to see him put every single one of Maricol's very selfish rulers in their places (well, expect E'ridia: E'ridia can do NO WRONG and I won't be accepting answers on that front).
Vanya was equally intriguing, and Blaine and Honovi stole my heart OBVIOUSLY: if anything happens to them, I won't be held responsible for my actions. Caris was also lovely, as Nathaniel and all the memebers of the delightful Clockwork Brigade family. Eimarille and her Blade were well-built characters, but I was a tiiiiiny bit disappointed to discover their roles were more on the villanous side, rather than the heroes' one. Not that the other characters are all good and moral or, god forbid, NICE (except Soren, he's my baby, I don't make the rules, sorry!), but I was looking forward to rooting for them but *sighs* that didn't happen. AT ALL.

Anyway, I'm giving this book a solid 4.5. I wasn't the biggest fan of the time jumps (they always stress me out so much) and I kept hoping Soren would have a bigger role in the events unfolding, but I'm sure I'll get my wish sooner rather than later. That ending gave me hope, and also, quite possibly, an ulcer BECAUSE OH MY GOD. The sequel is going to be EPIC.


[Updating my review because I've been listening to Hailey Turner's Spotify playlist for this book (and you should do it do) and I. AM. DROWNING. IN. FEELINGS. I might end up changing the rating to a full 5 stars any moment now. THIS BOOK, oh my god]

[Maijie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Prince's Poisoned Vow is the first book in the Infernal War Saga. Reading An Emporium of Hearts isn't required but it does enhance the reading experience.

Overall, this book has been a mixed bag for me.

One thing that really stood out and I liked a lot is how wonderfully detailed the world-building was. I loved how the overall social structure of each nation is laid out, how the general lore was explained including the poisoned lands, magic, revenants and the gods as well as the way the magic and the technology existing was detailed out.

The political games being played were pretty intense, complex and interesting and this did keep my attention a bit. There is a lot of intrigue going on, so much mystery left unanswered and the overall plot is exciting to say the least. The characters that stood out are fascinating and very complex which included some of the supporting cast.

That said I am not sure I'd tag this as a romance since it really doesn't seem to play much of a role so far. There are established couples, there is even some on page steamy scenes however their romantic story isn't the focus here.

I will say that I almost did not finish this because of how tedious and a sludge it was to get through the first 66 pages if I recall correctly. The manner of giving context or background to what is the main conflict and the introduction of certain key players just didn't work well as I was reading it. The way it was presented would've worked better though if it was done in a visual medium like a series or movie because there would be details that can anchor or actually guide you throughout those scenes.

As is, the varying points of view for the events happening that time with a whirlwind of characters with too many information being thrown in, different countries, the multiple star gods and their machinations was overwhelming and at the same time didn't give a clear distinct voice for each character whose POV I was reading.

All throughout, there were just too many characters running around and too many points of view used in this story with way too many time jumps that some essential parts/events that should've been better shown were just told. The same is true for character relationships that should've been been shown. It's frustrating because I don't feel invested in them. Why and how could I when there is nothing to feel invested about?

I am not sold on Eimarille. Sympathetic villain - maybe. Morally grey character? No. There are certain character choices that didn't sit well with me that the writer chose to go with. I am reserving judgment as not everything has been revealed in full and a lot may still happen in the course of this series.

Overall, The Prince's Poisoned Vow is an ambitious, epic fantasy with queer characters that tumble in some areas. It is still a pretty decent read and I am cautiously waiting for the next part of the series.

This would be 3 stars out of 5 stars for me.

I received an ARC of this book via GRR and I have chosen to publish my fair and honest review.

[Florence . · Rating 4 out of 5]

RTC but I really enjoyed this one. I absolutely adored the concept of this book and all of the plot points it introduced. I was just so lost in this book and the universe it's set it and I had the best of time reading this one. This book was just pure fun for me and I really love reading it. I don't normally read longer books because I don't have a very good attention spawn, but I was so engaged in this book that it never felt like it was almost 700 pages, I was just vibing along and really enjoying every seconds of this book.

I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest opinion.

[Kaity · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reread/Relisten: May 2024

I finished the book this time (no DNF’ing for me), but I am keeping the rating at a 3-3.5 stars. I will say around the 70% mark like last time I was tempted to stop again… it does have a little lull there, but the ending does pick back up!

Most of what I said in my original review stands, there are just too many POV’s in this story. Other than that, the world building, the action, and the characters are all top notch, which is typical of Hailey Turner, she writes kick ass characters who you can’t help but love… well Eimarille is a character I could see going and I wouldn’t care haha!

The characters I loved/couples I loved:
-Vanya and Soren (obviously)
-Blaine and Honovi (I just wish we had more of their relationship at the beginning, but I still loved them)

Now on to book two, I hope that I am less confused with all the characters and changing POVs!

Original Read/Listen: July 2022
Audio: 5 stars, Gary Furlong’s narration and Hailey Turner’s writing are a perfect combination
Book: DNF @71%/...continue to listen on and off to the end of the book the rest of the week.

I give the 5 stars for Gary Furlong, his narrations are one of my favorites. Also the writing of this book was amazing like always with any Haily Turner book, unfortunately wasn't enough for me to enjoying it.

This book, I went in with high expectations even knowing what people are saying, that there are way to many POV's and not so much romance. While I don't mind if the book is done right, the lack of romance, but HOLY SHIT the amount of POV's I was lost. I thought I had it down and then some people changed names, and I was getting confused.. There were the "core" Main Characters/couples, but then the God's would have POV's and then random Heads of different Cities/towns would have POV's, just too many people to keep track of.

To me it was hard to connect with any set of characters because of all the POV's, they would switch on you after you were just starting to connect with one character, it would then switch to another character or another part of the book (making the book move forward 1,2,3 years at a time). You'd probably consistently get one couples POV for 3 chapters then it switches.

I could see this being a really good TV show, it would make the world building and all the POV's easier to follow. This does remind me of Game of Thrones in that way, where there were lots of characters, yet you could kinda follow along.. the TV show helped with that haha

I loved Haily Turners A Ferry of Bones & Gold and In the Wreckage series, they both are one of my most reread series from last year! But this one it could be my mood, or it could be not connecting with the character that I just got bored, and it just didn't keep my attention.

Overall I think I might have to come back to this book another day, or at least see how the saga will continue. Otherwise this might be a miss for me from one of my favorite authors, which is a bummer, but you can't love every authors work (even your favorites).

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

(DEUTSCH WEITER UNTEN)


When you go into a book with nothing and come out with everything and more.
I am speechless.

I admit that the book overwhelmed me a little at the beginning because there was just so much going on with what felt like even more characters, but then ... then a fire was lit in my heart that made me cry. (With joy, of course)

The narrative style is stunning - even if it is a little overwhelming at the beginning. But let’s be honest, isn’t that the case with so many fantasy series at the beginning? Maybe that’s just the way it has to be ûu
I waited an extra day to review, but still haven’t got my emotions sorted - ugh.
I LOVE the characters and the lore and just everything.
I LOVE the queerness and how normal it is.
I just love everything, holy heck.

I just can’t write a proper review, this is hot shit.

(DEUTSCH)


Wenn man mit nichts in ein Buch einsteigt und mit allem und noch mehr herauskommt.
Ich bin sprachlos.

Ich gebe zu, dass mich das Buch am Anfang ein wenig überfordert hat, da einfach so viel mit gefühlt noch mehr Charakteren passiert ist, aber dann ... dann wurde ein Feuer in meinem Herzen entfacht, das mich hat weinen lassen. (Vor Freude natürlich)

Der Erzählstil ist umwerfend – wenn auch am Anfang ein wenig überfordernd. Aber sind wir mal ehrlich, ist das nicht bei so einigen Fantasy-Reihen zu Beginn so? Vielleicht muss das auch einfach so sein ûu
Ich habe extra einen Tag mit dem Review gewartet, aber hab meine Emotionen noch immer nicht geordnet – ugh.
Ich LIEBE die Charaktere und die Lore und einfach alles.
Ich LIEBE die Queerness und wie normal dies ist.
Ich liebe einfach alles, holy heck.

Ich kann einfach kein vernünftiges Review schreiben, dass hier ist heißer Scheiß.

[Bookreader87(Amanda) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars for the narrator

I think Gary does a great job with the character voices. He's created different voices for each and uses numerous accents, He brings emotions to the characters. I just didn't love his reading outside of the character voices. It left a lot to be desired. Overall though he did a solid job.

My rating for the story stays the same. It's a great story with so much going on. I look forward to see where it all goes.

[Cassandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

From a heartbreaking beginning, this novel sets the scene for an epic saga of love, betrayal, steampunk goodness and...zombies!

With 4 primary characters and many more introduced, there is world-building aplenty as we are introduced to Soren, the prince who never was; Vanya, the prince from another land; Caris, the princess who was hidden away and Eimarille, the princess who lived.

The world-building is comprehensive and the backstory for each character thoughtful and lends itself to feeling sympathetic for them all. Even the evil one! Though a little hard to follow to begin with, this story soon gets moving in a fantastic steampunk setting with politics, magic, deities and airships thrown in.

This was a terrific start to the series. Eagerly await book 2

ARC received for my honest review

[Athira · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Prince's Poisoned Vow is the first book in the epic new fantasy series by Hailey Turner and all I can say is wow!

I don't know what to say because the spoilers are numerous. To start off, this is multiple POV with 4 main POVs and lots of other side ones too. The plot is detailed and spans a number of years.

It takes a while to understand the names, places, and the vast worldbuilding and get immersed into the story as with any fantasy. But the absolute beauty when it all starts to unravel in the second half of the book, we can see how the build up pays off.

I love so many characters but especially Vanya and Terilyn. They are my favourites. Terilyn because she's a fierce assasin who would do anything to protect Eimarille. So many poweful women in this book and please I love them all. Romance is a subplot in the book and we have m/m, f/f and m/f couples.

Vanya and Soren are the other ones that stole my heart. This book is beautiful and I need the next one ASAP!

*ARC  provided by the author via Valentine's PR in exchange for an honest and unbiased review

[Shy Shy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had me conflicted. There was good parts but unfortunately I feel like I was too confused, and the bad outweighed the good.

The good:

The story. Its kinda like a game of thrones esque story, with the different monarchs and royalty, as well as lies, betrayal, evil queens and family secrets. It definitely kept my interest once i hit the 30% mark or so. I also keep replaying one of the end scenes in my head! And all i can say is EVIL!! Not hfn at all 😭

Some of the characters were interesting and I really wanted to learn more about them but the different pov changes made it a little difficult, which brings me to the bad

The bad:

There was way too many pov’s… I feel like Hailey was going for a tv show concept in which everyone had a “episode/chapter” in their pov, but it was too many different characters that I could not remember who was who, and I went HUH so many times.

The time jumps? The 1 or 2 year time skip bothered me a lot because I feel like the characters acted like it was only months, so it should have been months instead of years.. it just didnt feel important but at the same time theres so much that happens in a year to just skip over. So it was confusing to me.

I think to sum things up it just was a bit too confusing and messy for me. Im intrigued by the story and will most likely read the next one to see [REDACTED] get karma and perish. (And I will be laughing so hard)

3 stars!

I recieved a arc for this story in exchange for my honest review!!

[Arta reads at night · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5⭐️ rounded up

Ohhh. That was. Something. Epic worldbuilding, epic viciousness. Complicated EVERYTHING 😀
Zombies, gods and lots of intrigues and fighting.
The scale is pretty grand.

The writing felt a little bit dry, so it took some getting used to.
Also it took reading around 40% of the book to finally start to grasp what was happening 😀
But then. Then it was pretty great 😌

[Layla · Rating 4 out of 5]

RTC