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The Starling #1
Crown of Blood and Stars
Guardian of the stars, slayer of the wicked, and commander of internal darkness…
Adeena Devna finds herself the lone survivor of Astrari after a massacre was orchestrated by King Demir, fae ruler of Tartarus. Abducted by the Royal Guard, Adeena is brought to King Demir as a potential human bride. An attack within the castle leaves the king dead at the hands of Adeena. Her escape from the kingdom is unexpectedly aided by Dreyden, the formidable yet handsome High Lord of Fire Court.
Ancient gold stars mark Adeena’s skin, a rare genetic mutation passed through villagers of Astrari. The dormant stars ignite as guarded feelings for Dreyden combust into blazing passion. A connection from Dreyden’s past steps forward with critical information regarding Adeena’s ancestors.
Wicked trouble brews in the night sky as Adeena explores her destiny. All fingers point to the newly crowned king of Tartarus, Erebus. Adeena and Dreyden must return to Tartarus to fulfill a prophecy of the stars and stop King Erebus or risk losing the Gods forever, allowing eternal night to take reign.
Crown of Blood and Stars is a fae fantasy romance with both Greek mythology and astrology influence. You may enjoy this book if you like the following tropes:
The chosen one
Enemies to lovers
Touch her and die
Fae smut
Fast-paced
Fated mates
Adeena Devna finds herself the lone survivor of Astrari after a massacre was orchestrated by King Demir, fae ruler of Tartarus. Abducted by the Royal Guard, Adeena is brought to King Demir as a potential human bride. An attack within the castle leaves the king dead at the hands of Adeena. Her escape from the kingdom is unexpectedly aided by Dreyden, the formidable yet handsome High Lord of Fire Court.
Ancient gold stars mark Adeena’s skin, a rare genetic mutation passed through villagers of Astrari. The dormant stars ignite as guarded feelings for Dreyden combust into blazing passion. A connection from Dreyden’s past steps forward with critical information regarding Adeena’s ancestors.
Wicked trouble brews in the night sky as Adeena explores her destiny. All fingers point to the newly crowned king of Tartarus, Erebus. Adeena and Dreyden must return to Tartarus to fulfill a prophecy of the stars and stop King Erebus or risk losing the Gods forever, allowing eternal night to take reign.
Crown of Blood and Stars is a fae fantasy romance with both Greek mythology and astrology influence. You may enjoy this book if you like the following tropes:
The chosen one
Enemies to lovers
Touch her and die
Fae smut
Fast-paced
Fated mates
266 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 29, 2023
488 people are currently reading
3171 people want to read
About the author
Dana LeeAnn
23 books684 followersDana LeeAnn lives for the dark side of romance—the stalkier, the better. She originally used writing as an outlet to heal herself, but found it addictive, and has never stopped. Her books are packed with suspense and questionable love interests that will leave your heart racing at the turn of every page. When she’s not dreaming up new ways to torture her characters (and readers), she can be found in northern Colorado, exploring the mountains or dragging her husband into a new project around the house.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 278 reviews
May 2, 2023
Before I jump into this review I do want to emphasize that these are MY opinions and mine alone. While this might not have been my favorite, I am very grateful to the author for providing me with an ARC to review and hope future readers enjoy it! It took me a bit of time to write out this review because I felt like I had so much to say. With that being said, let’s jump into my thoughts on this.
We start off this novel right off the bat jumping into the plot. I enjoy fast-paced books, but this book was a bit too fast, not to mention it reminded me way too much of how A Court of Thorns and Roses starts. I enjoy when books are inspired by other series, however the first chapter felt way too similar in regards to the role the FMC plays in her family and the first scene that sets the setting. This also wasn’t the only scene that seemed way too similar to scenes from the acotar series.
I also wasn’t the biggest fan of how contradictory some scenes were, which made it hard for me to love the FMC. At the beginning of the book, she fights off two fae soldiers and succeeds but when she was captured she mentions her strength is nothing up against two fae soldiers that are holding her still. That doesn’t really add up to me? Another example, is when it says: “Fear left as a cold-blooded killer took root in my bones.” This is an amazing line, but can she really be described as a cold-blooded killer, when she hasn’t even killed anyone (yet)? Unless she has before and it was just never mentioned.
The first few chapters I was SUPER confused because she kept referencing her “darkness” multiple times and there’s no further explanation as to how it works, I know she’s the “Commander of Internal Darkness,” — but there’s no other explanation as to how she learned about her power, how she trained with it, how she controls it, etc. Nothing. The magic system in this book is very surface level. I’m the type of person that likes to know how and why something works the way it does. There’s a lot of potential but I wish there was a little more background about this power of hers besides learning what we learn at the end.
Lastly, she seemed unfazed by the massacre of her family and entire village. It just felt like she shrugged it off and was like “oh well, at least I’m living with a hot lord now.” I know people deal with trauma differently, but this felt super unrealistic, and made unable to like the FMC because I felt like her emotions weren’t real.
I feel like I could list so many other things, but in conclusion this book just didn’t do it for me unfortunately. But that is okay! Like previously mentioned, while this book wasn’t for me, it may be for others!
Once again, thank you Dana LeeAnn for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. ❤️
We start off this novel right off the bat jumping into the plot. I enjoy fast-paced books, but this book was a bit too fast, not to mention it reminded me way too much of how A Court of Thorns and Roses starts. I enjoy when books are inspired by other series, however the first chapter felt way too similar in regards to the role the FMC plays in her family and the first scene that sets the setting. This also wasn’t the only scene that seemed way too similar to scenes from the acotar series.
I also wasn’t the biggest fan of how contradictory some scenes were, which made it hard for me to love the FMC. At the beginning of the book, she fights off two fae soldiers and succeeds but when she was captured she mentions her strength is nothing up against two fae soldiers that are holding her still. That doesn’t really add up to me? Another example, is when it says: “Fear left as a cold-blooded killer took root in my bones.” This is an amazing line, but can she really be described as a cold-blooded killer, when she hasn’t even killed anyone (yet)? Unless she has before and it was just never mentioned.
The first few chapters I was SUPER confused because she kept referencing her “darkness” multiple times and there’s no further explanation as to how it works, I know she’s the “Commander of Internal Darkness,” — but there’s no other explanation as to how she learned about her power, how she trained with it, how she controls it, etc. Nothing. The magic system in this book is very surface level. I’m the type of person that likes to know how and why something works the way it does. There’s a lot of potential but I wish there was a little more background about this power of hers besides learning what we learn at the end.
Lastly, she seemed unfazed by the massacre of her family and entire village. It just felt like she shrugged it off and was like “oh well, at least I’m living with a hot lord now.” I know people deal with trauma differently, but this felt super unrealistic, and made unable to like the FMC because I felt like her emotions weren’t real.
I feel like I could list so many other things, but in conclusion this book just didn’t do it for me unfortunately. But that is okay! Like previously mentioned, while this book wasn’t for me, it may be for others!
Once again, thank you Dana LeeAnn for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. ❤️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 1, 2023
I received an ebook arc in exchange for my honest review.
This is definitely book one in a series. With that ending. I really wanted to like this one more. The cover is gorgeous! It’s fantasy romance, but also had a sci-fi feel to it. Lots of talk of the galaxy, but living in a human and fae world.
I loved the concept and the ideas in this book.
What didn’t work for me was the extreme repetition.
Example paragraph from the book:
"With enough power I suppose one could reach the Gods... It would take a lot of power and I don't know of any living creature with that much power.”
I saw a lot of sentences just like the one above.
Other examples I saw a lot of..
•His eyes darkened
•Woodsy amber scent
•I’m just a human
•Stars-starling-guardian of the stars
I also didn’t connect to the main character or the love interest. So it was hard to care about what happened to them. Some interactions and dialogue seemed a bit cheesy. And the plot twists seemed obvious to me. Like the hints seemed aggressive and redundant throughout the book, so by the time the plot twists took place I was like… “yea. I know.” Not surprised in the slightest.
The time lapses kinda threw me off as well. Like three weeks would pass by and I would be like.. wait..what? It seemed a bit disjointed.
This is a debut novel and I think the author is on the right track. I hope she does well and if the repetition gets solved I would keep reading this series.
Best of luck to the author!
⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️
This is definitely book one in a series. With that ending. I really wanted to like this one more. The cover is gorgeous! It’s fantasy romance, but also had a sci-fi feel to it. Lots of talk of the galaxy, but living in a human and fae world.
I loved the concept and the ideas in this book.
What didn’t work for me was the extreme repetition.
Example paragraph from the book:
"With enough power I suppose one could reach the Gods... It would take a lot of power and I don't know of any living creature with that much power.”
I saw a lot of sentences just like the one above.
Other examples I saw a lot of..
•His eyes darkened
•Woodsy amber scent
•I’m just a human
•Stars-starling-guardian of the stars
I also didn’t connect to the main character or the love interest. So it was hard to care about what happened to them. Some interactions and dialogue seemed a bit cheesy. And the plot twists seemed obvious to me. Like the hints seemed aggressive and redundant throughout the book, so by the time the plot twists took place I was like… “yea. I know.” Not surprised in the slightest.
The time lapses kinda threw me off as well. Like three weeks would pass by and I would be like.. wait..what? It seemed a bit disjointed.
This is a debut novel and I think the author is on the right track. I hope she does well and if the repetition gets solved I would keep reading this series.
Best of luck to the author!
⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️
March 30, 2023
*arc review*
This book was… fine. It was incredibly predictable and drew on a lot of other fantasy works (ACOTAR, most notably), and it felt like it sacrificed a lot of world building in favor of being short.
This book was… fine. It was incredibly predictable and drew on a lot of other fantasy works (ACOTAR, most notably), and it felt like it sacrificed a lot of world building in favor of being short.
February 25, 2025
this scratched the itch to read more fantasy 😍 something new and different from my other reads by dana and i absolutely loved it !! i can’t wait to read the next one 🏃🏻♀️
fantasy romance, fated mates, enemies to lovers, stabby fmc, fae mmc, touch her and die, forced proximity, only one bed, prophecy, adventure, fast paced, secret power, easy world building, and spice ❤️🔥
this book started off with such a bang omg !! filled with lots of action from the very beginning to the end. the plot was super interesting and kept me so engaged. i literally couldn’t stop reading holy shit. some scenes were a bit too fast but that’s just my own opinion and i still loved it anyway !! i think this is a great read if you’re new to fantasy and looking to get into it ✨
🌶️🌶️
fantasy romance, fated mates, enemies to lovers, stabby fmc, fae mmc, touch her and die, forced proximity, only one bed, prophecy, adventure, fast paced, secret power, easy world building, and spice ❤️🔥
this book started off with such a bang omg !! filled with lots of action from the very beginning to the end. the plot was super interesting and kept me so engaged. i literally couldn’t stop reading holy shit. some scenes were a bit too fast but that’s just my own opinion and i still loved it anyway !! i think this is a great read if you’re new to fantasy and looking to get into it ✨
🌶️🌶️
April 14, 2023
Huge disappointment...
This was a complete waste of time and money 🥴 This book's beginning was so promising: the raid of fae on Adeena's village, her secret power, her struggle to save her loved ones.... But then she is whisked away to king Demir's court where she beheads him with a freaking DINNER KNIFE and from that point the plot plummets and draggs through mud of silly mindless romance and random magic trivia... The main character suffers no trauma whatsoever at loosing her family (and the entire village where she lived was slaughtered as well, but hey, apparently the High Lord's naked chest DOES evoke some feelings from her so she's not entirely uncapable of emotion *eyeroll*). I did my best to ignore inconsistencies in the book and things that literally made no sense, like the abovementioned decapitation with a DINNER KNIFE, or the fact that Dreyden could fly carrying not one, but two people...but ok, magic, I get it... (Ok, no....I do not get it.) In about 40% of the book we already know that Adeena and Dreyden are mates (or whatever the author will call them to justify the insta-love, or perhaps should I say the insta-lust). There's also the promise of learning more about the Starling and here I hoped for some adventure but ALAS....NO. Some random woman ealks up to Adeena and tells her that she is a Starling and then they go to a LIBRARY to read about it (this had SUCH potential for a voyage/journey to uncover this, but no... library it is). Thus, we are basically HANDED some "prophecy" that is supposedly vague, but in fact quite easy to decipher and it turns out Adeena is going to be just another Mary Sue... I'm afraid I won't last to the end of the book and I wish someone warned me about the conent 💔
This was a complete waste of time and money 🥴 This book's beginning was so promising: the raid of fae on Adeena's village, her secret power, her struggle to save her loved ones.... But then she is whisked away to king Demir's court where she beheads him with a freaking DINNER KNIFE and from that point the plot plummets and draggs through mud of silly mindless romance and random magic trivia... The main character suffers no trauma whatsoever at loosing her family (and the entire village where she lived was slaughtered as well, but hey, apparently the High Lord's naked chest DOES evoke some feelings from her so she's not entirely uncapable of emotion *eyeroll*). I did my best to ignore inconsistencies in the book and things that literally made no sense, like the abovementioned decapitation with a DINNER KNIFE, or the fact that Dreyden could fly carrying not one, but two people...but ok, magic, I get it... (Ok, no....I do not get it.) In about 40% of the book we already know that Adeena and Dreyden are mates (or whatever the author will call them to justify the insta-love, or perhaps should I say the insta-lust). There's also the promise of learning more about the Starling and here I hoped for some adventure but ALAS....NO. Some random woman ealks up to Adeena and tells her that she is a Starling and then they go to a LIBRARY to read about it (this had SUCH potential for a voyage/journey to uncover this, but no... library it is). Thus, we are basically HANDED some "prophecy" that is supposedly vague, but in fact quite easy to decipher and it turns out Adeena is going to be just another Mary Sue... I'm afraid I won't last to the end of the book and I wish someone warned me about the conent 💔
August 9, 2023
Fast paced fantasy. Fated mates.
I was sucked in right away. I really wish we would have gotten some of Dreydens POV instead of having blank spaces. But I enjoyed the story line and the ending, looking forward to book two.
I was sucked in right away. I really wish we would have gotten some of Dreydens POV instead of having blank spaces. But I enjoyed the story line and the ending, looking forward to book two.
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March 10, 2023Thank you so much Dana LeeAnn for sending me this ARC!
Crown of Blood and Stars is the first book in a NA Fantasy Romance series and the author’s debut book. I got this ARC yesterday and read it in a couple of hours, I couldn’t put it down.
Our FMC, Adeena, is the only survivor of the Fae attack on her village. After killing the cruel Fae king responsible for the murder of her family, she flees the castle with a mysterious Dreyden who turns out to be the High Lord of the Fire Court. Adeena must work with the handsome and cunning High Lord to figure out what she is and what the star-shaped marks on her body mean, but the more time she spends with Dreyden the more she finds herself at risk of losing her heart.
I really liked the plot and world building in this book, it was fascinating and gave me a bit of ACOTAR vibes which I loved. I don’t want to spoil anything, but when I got to the part where we learn what Adeena is, I thought it was a very unique and interesting idea and I’m excited to see it explored more in the sequel. I would have loved it if the book was a bit longer, at times I had a feeling a lot was happening very fast. Because of that, there wasn’t as much character development as I hoped for and the relationship between the main characters felt a little rushed. But I really liked all the characters and loved the romance which had most of my favorite tropes (fated mates, only one bed, touch her and die), I can’t wait to read more about Adeena and Dreyden in the next books, they were amazing together.
Crown of Blood and Stars is a really good debut novel and a quick and enjoyable read. If you like Fantasy Romance books, you should definitely give this one a try, I enjoyed it and will definitely read more from this author in the future.
Crown of Blood and Stars is the first book in a NA Fantasy Romance series and the author’s debut book. I got this ARC yesterday and read it in a couple of hours, I couldn’t put it down.
Our FMC, Adeena, is the only survivor of the Fae attack on her village. After killing the cruel Fae king responsible for the murder of her family, she flees the castle with a mysterious Dreyden who turns out to be the High Lord of the Fire Court. Adeena must work with the handsome and cunning High Lord to figure out what she is and what the star-shaped marks on her body mean, but the more time she spends with Dreyden the more she finds herself at risk of losing her heart.
I really liked the plot and world building in this book, it was fascinating and gave me a bit of ACOTAR vibes which I loved. I don’t want to spoil anything, but when I got to the part where we learn what Adeena is, I thought it was a very unique and interesting idea and I’m excited to see it explored more in the sequel. I would have loved it if the book was a bit longer, at times I had a feeling a lot was happening very fast. Because of that, there wasn’t as much character development as I hoped for and the relationship between the main characters felt a little rushed. But I really liked all the characters and loved the romance which had most of my favorite tropes (fated mates, only one bed, touch her and die), I can’t wait to read more about Adeena and Dreyden in the next books, they were amazing together.
Crown of Blood and Stars is a really good debut novel and a quick and enjoyable read. If you like Fantasy Romance books, you should definitely give this one a try, I enjoyed it and will definitely read more from this author in the future.
March 12, 2023
I just finished that I gave a 5/5 ⭐️ and 4/5 🌶️ ratings! It has a FMC, fated mates, enemies to lovers, slow burn, and a touch her and you die tropes. It has adventure, spice and a sexy fae male. If you’re looking for a new binge read that grabs your attention to where you cant put it down, I highly recommend! It’s the perfect fantasy romance!
July 29, 2023
Thank you if you've purchased Crown of Blood and Stars! This is book ONE of The Starling series! Book TWO, Lady of the Lost Fae, is AVAILABLE NOW for preorder on Amazon, set to release August 17th.
August 7, 2023
I enjoyed reading and getting to know the characters but I feel like there was a little too much description? If that makes sense. I will be excited for the next book!
July 23, 2023
* 3-3.5 Stars *
Let me start by saying that regardless of my rating, I really enjoyed this book. The beginning of the book had me intrigued right away and really sucked me in and kept my attention throughout.
Right from the beginning, the reader is greeted by a very fierce heroine and thrown right into the action. I immediately wanted to read more and was convinced this was going to be a fantastic top read.
I didn't realize when I picked this book up that it was the author's debut, but as I read further, I began to see patterns of a new author. I really enjoyed the dynamic between the two MC's but was conflicted on some of the words chosen during their spicy scenes. With the setting and time period set further back (royal guard, kings, castles, etc), I wasn't expecting modern dialogue and praise mixed in. It didn't deter too much from the story, just something I noticed.
My main reason for a lower rating, is the gaps in the story's timeline and how short the book is. As I've stated previously, the beginning of the book was really good, so I was sad that the book was short because it felt rushed and incomplete. Maybe another 50-100 pages in the back half of the book could have filled in details of the overall world, the prophecy, and multiple characters would have made the story feel more well rounded and encompassed me even further into their world.
Now, with all of that said, I still really enjoyed the book and plan to read more from this author and this series.
For those that are new to the genre and want to dip their toe into a smaller, less complicated fantasy book, this is a great place to start. I do recommend this book and I hope to see the author develop their skills over time.
Let me start by saying that regardless of my rating, I really enjoyed this book. The beginning of the book had me intrigued right away and really sucked me in and kept my attention throughout.
Right from the beginning, the reader is greeted by a very fierce heroine and thrown right into the action. I immediately wanted to read more and was convinced this was going to be a fantastic top read.
I didn't realize when I picked this book up that it was the author's debut, but as I read further, I began to see patterns of a new author. I really enjoyed the dynamic between the two MC's but was conflicted on some of the words chosen during their spicy scenes. With the setting and time period set further back (royal guard, kings, castles, etc), I wasn't expecting modern dialogue and praise mixed in. It didn't deter too much from the story, just something I noticed.
My main reason for a lower rating, is the gaps in the story's timeline and how short the book is. As I've stated previously, the beginning of the book was really good, so I was sad that the book was short because it felt rushed and incomplete. Maybe another 50-100 pages in the back half of the book could have filled in details of the overall world, the prophecy, and multiple characters would have made the story feel more well rounded and encompassed me even further into their world.
Now, with all of that said, I still really enjoyed the book and plan to read more from this author and this series.
For those that are new to the genre and want to dip their toe into a smaller, less complicated fantasy book, this is a great place to start. I do recommend this book and I hope to see the author develop their skills over time.
March 19, 2024
Crown of Blood and Stars
If you like enemies-to-lovers, touch her and die, fae smut, fated mates and more, then this one is for you! Also, if you enjoy astrology and Greek mythology, then you will enjoy this as well!
I love all of those tropes, and astrology and anything mythology related so I ATE this up.
Not only is the cover absolutely gorgeous, the story itself was really good!
I can’t wait to read what comes next!
*I received this as an ARC, and I am leaving an honest and voluntary review*
If you like enemies-to-lovers, touch her and die, fae smut, fated mates and more, then this one is for you! Also, if you enjoy astrology and Greek mythology, then you will enjoy this as well!
I love all of those tropes, and astrology and anything mythology related so I ATE this up.
Not only is the cover absolutely gorgeous, the story itself was really good!
I can’t wait to read what comes next!
*I received this as an ARC, and I am leaving an honest and voluntary review*
December 3, 2024
4,5 ⭐️
Fast paced fantasy romance with fated mates, forced proximity (one bed), prophecy, touch her and die, and discovery of powers.
I really enjoyed this book. The FMC, Adeena, was strong and stabby, and the MMC, Dreyden, was possessive, protective and definitely swoon-worthy.
The book was full of action from start to finish, while there was still time for character and relationship development. I loved the flirty banter between Adeena and Dreyden. And the bathtub scene 🔥
The world of the book was really interesting and the writing style made me feel like I was in the middle of the action. I can’t wait to learn more about Adeena’s powers.
This book was told in Adeena’s POV and from what I’ve heard the next book will also have Dreyden’s POV. In my opinion the single-POV storytelling worked well for the plot.
Can’t wait to read book 2!
Fast paced fantasy romance with fated mates, forced proximity (one bed), prophecy, touch her and die, and discovery of powers.
I really enjoyed this book. The FMC, Adeena, was strong and stabby, and the MMC, Dreyden, was possessive, protective and definitely swoon-worthy.
The book was full of action from start to finish, while there was still time for character and relationship development. I loved the flirty banter between Adeena and Dreyden. And the bathtub scene 🔥
The world of the book was really interesting and the writing style made me feel like I was in the middle of the action. I can’t wait to learn more about Adeena’s powers.
This book was told in Adeena’s POV and from what I’ve heard the next book will also have Dreyden’s POV. In my opinion the single-POV storytelling worked well for the plot.
Can’t wait to read book 2!
March 12, 2023
To quote the book directly "Wickedly enticing!" I love dark romance and this is my first in the fantasy realm. And "my Gods" am I happy I chose COBAS to awaken this new kink. To start, her writing I enchanting, I could actually picture myself in that world. You are instantly transported into everything Adeena is feeling and experiencing. Never has a book given me chills the way COBAS does. Fated mates, fae fantasy, chosen one, badass FMC, COBAS has everything you need. I'm eagerly awaiting the next installment and anything else Ms. Dana Leeann's creative mind can think up. She won a loyal reader with me. I'm ready to read it again. This is a Multiple time MUST READ!
March 13, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Crown of Blood and Stars is a fast-paced fantasy that will have you swooning over the Male Main Character, Dreyden. While I’m some parts it moves a little too fast for my liking, it is an enjoyable read with beautiful descriptions. I could close my eyes and see the characters/scenes in my head. I love the bravery that Adeena display and dinner knife scene was absolutely wild and EPIC (IYKYK)
Tropes/vibes:
🦋 Fae
⭐️ One Bed
🦋 Protective/possessive MMC
⭐️ Strong & st@bbÿ FMC
🦋 Prophecy/chosen one
⭐️ Praise
🦋 Magic/curses
Thank you to Dana LeeAnn for the eARC!
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Crown of Blood and Stars is a fast-paced fantasy that will have you swooning over the Male Main Character, Dreyden. While I’m some parts it moves a little too fast for my liking, it is an enjoyable read with beautiful descriptions. I could close my eyes and see the characters/scenes in my head. I love the bravery that Adeena display and dinner knife scene was absolutely wild and EPIC (IYKYK)
Tropes/vibes:
🦋 Fae
⭐️ One Bed
🦋 Protective/possessive MMC
⭐️ Strong & st@bbÿ FMC
🦋 Prophecy/chosen one
⭐️ Praise
🦋 Magic/curses
Thank you to Dana LeeAnn for the eARC!
March 25, 2023
I received this as an arc in exchange for feedback. The start of this book definitely had me tuned in. I genuinely liked the premise of this book as well as the writing style. It was a mixture of older and newer language, which can sometimes be done poorly, but this one managed to toe the line well to keep it interesting. Strong, independent, FMC trying to help take care of her struggling family the best she can and then tragedy striking. Her performance in the Fae King's throne room was incredible and I was very eager to see how Adeena's story would unfold. I enjoyed her being rescued and being shown a different world than the one she thought she knew. I liked Dreyden's character overall, I'm a sucker for a guy with wings (just read any of my other reviews, haha!). I also appreciated Adeena's willingness to take in and accept new information as it came to her, despite her past experiences. I liked that she had another female character with her for the majority of this story that had gone through a similar ordeal and could be a support system for her outside of the MMC. I also really enjoyed a lot of the banter between the Fire Court circle of characters. I actually would have liked to have read more of it!
Overall, this book has a lot of potential and if you're just getting into fantasy romance or if it's not your usual genre, this will probably be very appealing. I think if you're an avid reader of fantasy romance, however, this book might miss the mark for you. There were many moments/concepts that felt extremely similar to other fantasy romance books/series I've read previously.
One thing I noticed was that there was no world map. Now, this is not absolutely necessary by any means, but I found myself really wishing I had one to consult throughout much of it, especially since they are traveling throughout the lands and references are made to other courts, etc. They definitely make a fantasy story more immersive, in my opinion.
The story also seemed a little disjointed to me. There are gaps of time that are not discussed, or if they are, very little detail is given to describe what occurred during that time. One example of this was when the FMC is training her powers... She claims she trained for a few weeks to master more of her powers, but we barely get any details about what went into that training and what kind of powers she actually uncovered. Her magic/power didn't seem to be the same as the Fae Lords and Lady (which I guess makes sense if the Gods' powers are different than the Fae?), so I was a little confused about the overall magic system. The Fae Court leaders' powers seemed to be based on elemental bending abilities, while we're never really told what Adeena can do other than some lightning and telekinesis.
For the FMC being supposedly this incredibly powerful entity, it felt like her character kind of fell a little flat to me in the end. Yes, she ultimately saved the day, but the build up to that didn't give what all the hype from the other characters led you to believe, in my opinion. Same with the MMC, he was supposed to be the most powerful high lord, and then also sharing power with the FMC, but he didn't seem to be able to hold up at all when it came down to it in the end.
There is also the aspect of the main characters' relationship. I liked the premise of their relationship and the two of them together seemed like a good match. However, it seemed very inorganically ramped up to me, and I found myself not really understanding where the intensity was coming from. It felt like the foundational pieces of their relationship were not well-established, so when things got more intense I kept wondering, "How did we get here? Did I miss something?" The FMC's thoughts about the MMC were so conflicting right up until the very end, it gave me whiplash and I just couldn't really connect with them the way I usually can with other books. The spice was decent, but I would have liked to have seen more or longer scenes. The ones we got were quite short, there were several fade-to-black moments, and there were points in the story where I was expecting naturally spicy interaction to occur, but it never did. I'd probably give this 1/5 peppers, honestly. Also, the MMC did nothing in the way of aftercare, and it felt like the spice scenes just ended abruptly. Obviously aftercare isn't required, but it makes for a nice come-down experience post-"arrival". It also didn't feel, to me, like there was a very loving connection during any of their schmexy scenes. Again, not necessarily required, but it helps to create that little bit of connection to the characters and their relationship a bit more for me as a reader.
The last like 40-50% of this book seemed incredibly rushed and not as detailed as I would have liked. I definitely think that for the story the author was trying to tell, it deserved to be longer and much more detail given to the reader. Since this was a debut novel for this author, I think that with feedback, the author's work will likely only get better in the subsequent novels. It definitely has the makings to be a good series. 🤙🏼💕
Overall, this book has a lot of potential and if you're just getting into fantasy romance or if it's not your usual genre, this will probably be very appealing. I think if you're an avid reader of fantasy romance, however, this book might miss the mark for you. There were many moments/concepts that felt extremely similar to other fantasy romance books/series I've read previously.
One thing I noticed was that there was no world map. Now, this is not absolutely necessary by any means, but I found myself really wishing I had one to consult throughout much of it, especially since they are traveling throughout the lands and references are made to other courts, etc. They definitely make a fantasy story more immersive, in my opinion.
The story also seemed a little disjointed to me. There are gaps of time that are not discussed, or if they are, very little detail is given to describe what occurred during that time. One example of this was when the FMC is training her powers... She claims she trained for a few weeks to master more of her powers, but we barely get any details about what went into that training and what kind of powers she actually uncovered. Her magic/power didn't seem to be the same as the Fae Lords and Lady (which I guess makes sense if the Gods' powers are different than the Fae?), so I was a little confused about the overall magic system. The Fae Court leaders' powers seemed to be based on elemental bending abilities, while we're never really told what Adeena can do other than some lightning and telekinesis.
For the FMC being supposedly this incredibly powerful entity, it felt like her character kind of fell a little flat to me in the end. Yes, she ultimately saved the day, but the build up to that didn't give what all the hype from the other characters led you to believe, in my opinion. Same with the MMC, he was supposed to be the most powerful high lord, and then also sharing power with the FMC, but he didn't seem to be able to hold up at all when it came down to it in the end.
There is also the aspect of the main characters' relationship. I liked the premise of their relationship and the two of them together seemed like a good match. However, it seemed very inorganically ramped up to me, and I found myself not really understanding where the intensity was coming from. It felt like the foundational pieces of their relationship were not well-established, so when things got more intense I kept wondering, "How did we get here? Did I miss something?" The FMC's thoughts about the MMC were so conflicting right up until the very end, it gave me whiplash and I just couldn't really connect with them the way I usually can with other books. The spice was decent, but I would have liked to have seen more or longer scenes. The ones we got were quite short, there were several fade-to-black moments, and there were points in the story where I was expecting naturally spicy interaction to occur, but it never did. I'd probably give this 1/5 peppers, honestly. Also, the MMC did nothing in the way of aftercare, and it felt like the spice scenes just ended abruptly. Obviously aftercare isn't required, but it makes for a nice come-down experience post-"arrival". It also didn't feel, to me, like there was a very loving connection during any of their schmexy scenes. Again, not necessarily required, but it helps to create that little bit of connection to the characters and their relationship a bit more for me as a reader.
The last like 40-50% of this book seemed incredibly rushed and not as detailed as I would have liked. I definitely think that for the story the author was trying to tell, it deserved to be longer and much more detail given to the reader. Since this was a debut novel for this author, I think that with feedback, the author's work will likely only get better in the subsequent novels. It definitely has the makings to be a good series. 🤙🏼💕
March 21, 2024
I knew immediately that it would be hard for me to put this book down! I received this as an ARC and this is a voluntary review. This book is a fast paced fantasy. I’m a sucker for enemies to lovers. There were a couple spots where I was confused on some of the magic that was used, but other than that I loved it. I did wish there was a map to reference but it isn’t a deal breaker for me. I really can’t wait to read book 2!
April 4, 2024
Ahhh! This is absolutely a book I will be recommending!!!
There is some 🌶️ to it.
The mfc lives in a kingdom where the king no longer cares for the humans within it, and takes pleasure in their despair. Her brother brutally attacked and mentally cannot come back from that. Father no longer has a stable job to bring in money or food. Relying on her and her hunting skills to keep food on the table. Then, everything is taken away from her. Not just her family, but her town, and everybody that was in there just so that the king can toy with the women who are of breeding age.
The mfc is a king of his own court previously believed to be a monster in his own right and living in a kingdom that lives off the blood of the fallen. The mfc struggles to disassociate what she has been told her entire life to what she is seeing for herself.
I loved every second of this book and how strong the mfc was and grew to be along with her best friend. Also this book DOES NOT end of a cliffhanger!!!! I was thrilled with the ending!!
There is some 🌶️ to it.
The mfc lives in a kingdom where the king no longer cares for the humans within it, and takes pleasure in their despair. Her brother brutally attacked and mentally cannot come back from that. Father no longer has a stable job to bring in money or food. Relying on her and her hunting skills to keep food on the table. Then, everything is taken away from her. Not just her family, but her town, and everybody that was in there just so that the king can toy with the women who are of breeding age.
The mfc is a king of his own court previously believed to be a monster in his own right and living in a kingdom that lives off the blood of the fallen. The mfc struggles to disassociate what she has been told her entire life to what she is seeing for herself.
I loved every second of this book and how strong the mfc was and grew to be along with her best friend. Also this book DOES NOT end of a cliffhanger!!!! I was thrilled with the ending!!
June 24, 2023
Not in my top, but not the worst I've read.
This book was to rushed for me. I liked the momentum at the beginning but it quickly rushed past a lot for me.
For an enemies to lovers they fell in love to quickly. For a romance the steamy parts were rushed and for a series you don't get to much in depth into the characters.
The storyline was good and I liked the idea of it but again was rushed. You don't get to see Adeena grow into her power, or even really see her train and struggle. The ending was way rushed, and Deyden barely did much.
This book was to rushed for me. I liked the momentum at the beginning but it quickly rushed past a lot for me.
For an enemies to lovers they fell in love to quickly. For a romance the steamy parts were rushed and for a series you don't get to much in depth into the characters.
The storyline was good and I liked the idea of it but again was rushed. You don't get to see Adeena grow into her power, or even really see her train and struggle. The ending was way rushed, and Deyden barely did much.
October 16, 2023
dollar general version of ACOTAR tbh
January 15, 2024
Easy and fast read. Liked the plot and storyline but the execution fell short. Characters were bland. Predictable. Probably won’t continue the series.
August 26, 2023
This book was phenomenal and the flow of this book just kept me wanting to stay engulfed within the world. I loved that it was fast paced but without holes. Everything that needed to happen happened and made complete sense and didn't feel rushed as it flowed. The characters were easy to fall in love with and their personalities were distinctly very different from each other making them each stand out in their own way. I found bread crumbs throughout that had me guessing but also second guessing my guesses which I absolutely love in a book!
Who doesn't love a good fated mates book! I instantly fell in love with the drive that Adeena (Ad..IYKYK) had to do what was right. Always putting everyone first to try to do the right thing. When she met Lyria it was the same thing all over again and they were able to build an amazing friendship throughout the book. Lyria is good for Adeena. Dreyden if you read this book I don't think I need to explain much. He is everything we should expect from a High Lord protecting his court and also the ones he holds close.... Can't wait to start book two.
Who doesn't love a good fated mates book! I instantly fell in love with the drive that Adeena (Ad..IYKYK) had to do what was right. Always putting everyone first to try to do the right thing. When she met Lyria it was the same thing all over again and they were able to build an amazing friendship throughout the book. Lyria is good for Adeena. Dreyden if you read this book I don't think I need to explain much. He is everything we should expect from a High Lord protecting his court and also the ones he holds close.... Can't wait to start book two.
March 12, 2024
5⭐️
4🌶️
Not even halfway through I knew I was going to rate it 5 lovely golden stars. And truly, this book deserves so much more hype! The emotional feels it gave me were similar to what I felt when reading ACOTAR. ACOTAR made me fall in love with reading. Crown of Blood and Stars made me fall more in love with fantasy romances ❤️🔥
This book has thee perfect balance between plot and spice. In all aspects, it was a completely satisfying read. The author’s writing allows you to forget that this world she’s created is fictional making it the perfect escape for fantasy readers! The relationship and spice between Adeena and Dreyden is magnetic and passionate. You can’t help but keep wanting more moments between them. The side characters were so significant to this story that you find yourself growing attached to them as well. Overall, this book was amazing and one that I know I’ll be constantly thinking of. I can’t wait to read the next book! I need more Dreyden 🥰🫠
Add this to your TBR if you like:
💫 Fated mates
💫 One bed
💫 Touch her and d!e
💫 Fast-paced
💫 Action
💫 Chose one
💫 Fae smut
💫 Greek Mythology
💫 Enemies to lovers
💫 Forced proximity
4🌶️
Not even halfway through I knew I was going to rate it 5 lovely golden stars. And truly, this book deserves so much more hype! The emotional feels it gave me were similar to what I felt when reading ACOTAR. ACOTAR made me fall in love with reading. Crown of Blood and Stars made me fall more in love with fantasy romances ❤️🔥
This book has thee perfect balance between plot and spice. In all aspects, it was a completely satisfying read. The author’s writing allows you to forget that this world she’s created is fictional making it the perfect escape for fantasy readers! The relationship and spice between Adeena and Dreyden is magnetic and passionate. You can’t help but keep wanting more moments between them. The side characters were so significant to this story that you find yourself growing attached to them as well. Overall, this book was amazing and one that I know I’ll be constantly thinking of. I can’t wait to read the next book! I need more Dreyden 🥰🫠
Add this to your TBR if you like:
💫 Fated mates
💫 One bed
💫 Touch her and d!e
💫 Fast-paced
💫 Action
💫 Chose one
💫 Fae smut
💫 Greek Mythology
💫 Enemies to lovers
💫 Forced proximity
April 6, 2023
✨️ I received an ARC of COBAS in return for an honest review ✨️
I solid debut for the author, but I will echo what many others have said about the pacing. The story felt very, very rushed and lacked the depth that I'd have liked to have seen. I think a lot of this came down to sentence structure - it was fine, but I did find the sentences not as lengthy or descriptive as I'm used to. This was very apparent in the last 80% of the book, where it just felt like the author was in a rush to finish it.
My only other critic would be the apparent enemies to lovers. I can see where the trope fits in, but it completely lacked the angst and anger that is normally experienced with it. Adeena (the MC) only disliked him because of the stories she had heard, and after meeting him, it felt like she fell in love after one chapter. I don't think there was a part at all where Dreyden didn't like Adeena.
All in all, I did really enjoy the story and the premise of the book, and I'll definitely tune in to the next book in the series!
I solid debut for the author, but I will echo what many others have said about the pacing. The story felt very, very rushed and lacked the depth that I'd have liked to have seen. I think a lot of this came down to sentence structure - it was fine, but I did find the sentences not as lengthy or descriptive as I'm used to. This was very apparent in the last 80% of the book, where it just felt like the author was in a rush to finish it.
My only other critic would be the apparent enemies to lovers. I can see where the trope fits in, but it completely lacked the angst and anger that is normally experienced with it. Adeena (the MC) only disliked him because of the stories she had heard, and after meeting him, it felt like she fell in love after one chapter. I don't think there was a part at all where Dreyden didn't like Adeena.
All in all, I did really enjoy the story and the premise of the book, and I'll definitely tune in to the next book in the series!
March 13, 2024
ARC Rewrite review
Not sure if I proceeded with this one because I liked it, or if I just wanted to read the spicy scenes🤔
I got to chapter 5 the day I started then put the book down for 2 days, which tells me I wasn’t highly invested. Although I sometimes don’t have the time to do a binge read, if I’m enjoying the story I’ll find a way to slip in a chapter or 2 when life is busy.
No lie, I laughed at the part where Dreyden said they had been bonded. I don’t know why I found “the how” so funny, but I had to put my kindle down until I could contain myself.
I knew early on that something was up with a certain character, and my assumption had been right. Still, I wish there had been more with him, like why they betrayed Dreyden.
I loved the bond between Adeena and Lyra🖤
Overall, it took some time for me to get invested but I did end up liking it to some degree. I do think the battle at the end was too quick, and the ending was kind of meh. I know this is a series but I was expecting an ending that would make me want to read the next. With the way it ended, I’m not sure I will.
Not sure if I proceeded with this one because I liked it, or if I just wanted to read the spicy scenes🤔
I got to chapter 5 the day I started then put the book down for 2 days, which tells me I wasn’t highly invested. Although I sometimes don’t have the time to do a binge read, if I’m enjoying the story I’ll find a way to slip in a chapter or 2 when life is busy.
No lie, I laughed at the part where Dreyden said they had been bonded. I don’t know why I found “the how” so funny, but I had to put my kindle down until I could contain myself.
I knew early on that something was up with a certain character, and my assumption had been right. Still, I wish there had been more with him, like why they betrayed Dreyden.
I loved the bond between Adeena and Lyra🖤
Overall, it took some time for me to get invested but I did end up liking it to some degree. I do think the battle at the end was too quick, and the ending was kind of meh. I know this is a series but I was expecting an ending that would make me want to read the next. With the way it ended, I’m not sure I will.
April 19, 2024
A few of my favorite trope, touch her and x, enemies to lovers, dated mates, etc.
This was a fun decently paced romantasy.
With our broody MMC and strong FMC, these two were a dynamic duo.
Adeena Devna finds herself the lone survivor of Astrari after a massacre was orchestrated by King Demir, fae ruler of Tartarus. Abducted by the Royal Guard, Adeena is brought to King Demir as a potential human bride. An attack within the castle leaves the king dead at the hands of Adeena. Her escape from the kingdom is unexpectedly aided by Dreyden, the formidable yet handsome High Lord of Fire Court.
Recommended for those who enjoyed:
ACOTAR
As always mental health matters, so please check for trigger warnings.
This was a fun decently paced romantasy.
With our broody MMC and strong FMC, these two were a dynamic duo.
Adeena Devna finds herself the lone survivor of Astrari after a massacre was orchestrated by King Demir, fae ruler of Tartarus. Abducted by the Royal Guard, Adeena is brought to King Demir as a potential human bride. An attack within the castle leaves the king dead at the hands of Adeena. Her escape from the kingdom is unexpectedly aided by Dreyden, the formidable yet handsome High Lord of Fire Court.
Recommended for those who enjoyed:
ACOTAR
As always mental health matters, so please check for trigger warnings.
March 18, 2023
First off thank you for sending me this ARC!
I normally do not read a lot of fantasy romance books but when I read the description for this I knew I had to give it a go. This book will SUCK YOU IN in just a couple of chapters and continues to hold your attention the entire way through! I was constantly wondering what was going to happen next and stayed up til 2 am because I could not put it down. This is an outstanding first book to the series and was written beautifully.
I cannot wait to see what the rest of the series have in store for us because the way this ended…I am hooked and ready!
I normally do not read a lot of fantasy romance books but when I read the description for this I knew I had to give it a go. This book will SUCK YOU IN in just a couple of chapters and continues to hold your attention the entire way through! I was constantly wondering what was going to happen next and stayed up til 2 am because I could not put it down. This is an outstanding first book to the series and was written beautifully.
I cannot wait to see what the rest of the series have in store for us because the way this ended…I am hooked and ready!
March 9, 2024
I absolutely LOVED this. It's a fast paced romantasy that hooks you in from the start. Adeena is a total badass that completes anything she sets her mind to with a super sized secret to boot. Lyra is a girls' girl all the way through and I just love her, and Dreyden, oof. Dreyden is what dreams are made of. I mean come on.. he's literally gold dusted, ✨️ dreamy ✨️ And Izan? You will laugh anytime he opens his mouth. Guaranteed.
Tropes include (but not limited to):
One bed at the Inn
Winged High Lord
Possessive MMC
Tropes include (but not limited to):
One bed at the Inn
Winged High Lord
Possessive MMC
March 12, 2024
4.5⭐️. I really enjoyed this book and was hooked from chapter one. Fantasy, action, suspense, fated mates, touch her and ☠️, I’m here for it all and this book had it all plus some spice. The FMC Adeena is badass and Dreyden is definitely swoon worthy, fiery and a sweetheart rolled into one. Can’t wait to read book 2 to see where the story takes them.
Forgot to mention this is a rewrite, same story and characters as before but mentions an updated writing style with some scenes darker than before and added some more to the spicy scenes.
Forgot to mention this is a rewrite, same story and characters as before but mentions an updated writing style with some scenes darker than before and added some more to the spicy scenes.
March 13, 2023
I'm speechless!
I received this book as an ARC and it has honestly left me speechless. Epic Fantasy can sometimes be overdone and predictable but that is not the case here. The world building and character development is impeccable and fully pulled me into the story. To The point I had a hard time putting it down to sleep.
I am not sure if there will be a book 2 but I'm fully hoping there will be. I'm not ready to not escape into the world Ms. LeeAnn has created again!
I received this book as an ARC and it has honestly left me speechless. Epic Fantasy can sometimes be overdone and predictable but that is not the case here. The world building and character development is impeccable and fully pulled me into the story. To The point I had a hard time putting it down to sleep.
I am not sure if there will be a book 2 but I'm fully hoping there will be. I'm not ready to not escape into the world Ms. LeeAnn has created again!
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