What I loved most about this book was its intricate blend of action, magic, and romance, woven together in a way that kept me hooked from start to finish. The protagonist, Arii, is a beautifully crafted character—a fierce assassin blessed with Fae magic who grapples with her identity and emotions in a world filled with danger and intrigue.
The story begins with Arii slipping into King Lorch Kruel's castle under the guise of a servant to assassinate him, but fate quickly changes her path. The dramatic celebration scene, featuring a Kryvern attack, sets the tone for a fast-paced and unpredictable plot. Watching Arii save the King and earn her place in his guard, only to train under the mysterious Elijah, had me intrigued and rooting for her growth both as a warrior and as a person.
One of the highlights for me was Arii's emotional journey. Her struggle to reconcile her upbringing—believing Fae have no feelings—with the undeniable pull she feels toward both the King and Elijah added depth to the story. This pull means Arii is unable to carry out her assignment of killing the King. The romantic tension was palpable, with just the right amount of slow-burn chemistry and sparks.
Elijah’s mysterious identity kept me guessing, and the eventual revelations about him were both satisfying and surprising.
The novel also did a great job balancing action with world-building. From the grandeur of Viridya Castle to the deadly battles against strange creatures, the settings and events were vividly described, making it easy to immerse myself in the world.
Overall, this book was an exciting mix of fantasy, romance, and intrigue, with enough twists to keep me engaged throughout.
Strong FMC
Slow-burn romance and mystery.

This book was fantastic. I loved the imagery used throughout the book as it helped me imagine each character more perfectly. Everything flowed really nicely and I loved the build-up. It was very well written and pulled me in right at the start. I got a little confused with so many character names, but the photos and name list helped me get through that. The author did a fantastic job and should be commended for such a standout debut novel. I can't wait to read the next book!

Loved this book, it was an easy read. There were many a moment I didn't even notice I was reading, that is what I love in a book.Ie had almost read it in a single day. In some areas, I did notice the book leaned a bit too heavy on the details, we tended to get lost in the image and the time slowed a bit too much for my liking. But in that same way, it often had just the right amount of detail where I could imagine everything like I could smell the scene and yet the story kept flowing. I feel like this writing style isn't for everyone but it is definitly for me.

Wow what a pleasant surprise this read was for me! As an indie author from Melbourne, I must admit I wasn't too sure how this book would go, but the biggest take-away I have from this read is that it us written and reads like it belongs with all the major YA books and authors. Three of my favourite authors; Maria V Snyder, Sarah J Maas and Cora Carmack, have such a great writing style that causes you to fly through a book, and Melissa has such talent that her book reads like it has been written by one of those very popular and very talented authors. The editing is fantastic, I think I only found 1 typo in the whole book and usually the most popular books still have a couple that sneak through, but this one was clearly very carefully treated and it shows. The writing is very, very mature and dignified, and comes across like Melissa has gone to university for creative writing, whilst still being relatable and a breeze to read. I found I really enjoyed not being quite sure what was around each corner and that suspense and intrigue is often missing in YA fantasy books. The setting is great and the characters are very well thought through and their stories fleshed out super well. I really enjoyed the character development from the main character, and the different affects she had on each character. The romance was definitely slow-burn which was fun to see how that unfolded, and I love that her sex life isn't something where the main man has to conquer, and her 'purity' not something to be focussed on in a huge way or be a massive plot point. The book was written in such a way that flowed really well with a great pace and there weren't any points where it was boring or felt like 'filler' content in-between the bigger plot points. It was very clear that there would be a second (or maybe more) book and I believe that is almost released within the next month or so, so I'm excited to see what that brings and follow along from that really exciting ending.

Honestly one of my favourite reads! Really did enjoy this as I’m big fan of fantasy novels…love the fact that it has a strong female lead, all strong characters and a great plot so far.

Looking forward to second book..might have to preorder it! Arii and Elijah I’m rooting for them 😄