Book Review: "Fear the Flames" by Olivia Darling

“Fear the Flames” by Olivia Darling was everything I had heard about it and more! Since falling down the dragon hoard hole, I’ve been devouring any and all dragon books I could get my hands on. Many were good but I was still missing my next dragon read that would give me the same high that the Empyrean series did. Enter “Fear the Flames.”

This book had it all - an exiled princess seeking revenge against her cruel childhood abusers, a dragon heist, a steamy romance with banter that had me laughing out loud, and found family that was pulling on heartstrings. 

The relationships in the book were expertly crafted. I loved that Elowen had a platonic best friend who supported her through every step of her journey. Her friendships with Ryder and Saskia are fundamental to her after having been alone both during her imprisonment and after as she forged a name for herself in her new kingdom. And then there’s Cayden - our morally gray MMC. He’s possessive, commanding, and has some beef with Elowen - so there’s this love/hate aspect of their romance, even though she’s really given no precedent for why there’s strife between them. But the banter! Elowen and Cayden’s quick-witted, snarky banter made the book!

And then Elowen herself was the cherry on top. I absolutely love and connect with books in which - despite trauma and abuse - the female main character is a badass bitch who lets nothing and no one get in her way of righting those who have wronged her along her journey. Elowen is strong, lethal, and every bit the queen her birth right ensures her to be.

I devoured this book in one sitting - I absolutely LOVED it! I am so excited for the sequel and can’t wait to see where it takes Elowen and her dragons.

Book Review: “Crown of Light and Shadows” by G.K. Derosa

“Crown of Light and Shadows” by G.K. Derosa is a fast-paced, enemies to lovers romantasy with all of my favorite tropes! This book would essentially be the result if “Hunger Games,” “Fourth Wing,” “Harry Potter” and “The School of Good and Evil” had a baby - a novel filled with death trials, dragon riders, sexy shadow daddies, rival schools of light and dark Fae, and magical menageries. 

Aelia Ravenwood was raised to believe she was a Kin - a human - that upon their 20th birthday are bound to a Fae for a life of servitude. However, much to her surprise, it’s revealed on her birthday that she’s been selected to attend the Conservatory of Luce in Feywood, a prestigious academy that spits out elite graduates that go on to become the king’s guard. Oh - and she’s supposedly a Light Fae (or at least, partially). She is whisked off to her new academic home by broody Professor Reign Darkthorn.

Aelia is thrown into a world where most everyone is looking out for themselves and their post-academic career as a king’s guard. With the exception of a good few - including Aelia’s new roommate, Rue - many of the Conservatory’s students hold prejudices against Aelia for being less than and weaker than the other Light Fae in attendance. Despite having challenge after challenge stacked against her and other students (and even her own teammates) trying to sabotage her tenure at the school, Aelia is stubborn, fierce, and unwilling to back down from adversity. 

With Reign’s help, Aelia meets each challenge of her trials head-on - even going as far as bonding with a dragon (an almost unheard of feat in academy history). She finds herself falling for the handsome, slightly older professor - whom we come to learn is a shadow daddy from the Court of Umbral Shadows, the Dark Fae academy across the river from the Conservatory. Despite a peace treaty between the two courts, tensions between the two schools are on the rise and a potential war looms in the not so distant future. 

I absolutely LOVED this book! While there are clear parallels between Derosa’s novel and some of the aforementioned best-sellers, this book’s storyline was unique. The world building was incredible and each scene made me wish I was there! I’m a sucker for a good student-teacher, forbidden relationship and while Aelia and Reign were not that far apart in age, I was all for the sparks flying between them. Reign is pivotal in Aelia’s growth and development and in discovering her true parentage in the novel. These two cannot stay away from each other, despite their best attempts - they are magnetic and I was here for all of Reign’s protective, “touch her and you die” vibes!

If you’re looking for a romantasy that reminds you of one of your favorites and leaves you with a cliffhanger that will have your jaw on the floor, check out G.K. Derosa’s latest.

Rating: 5/5 Stars