Oh my God, I can't believe I didn't update this review here, I'm sorry!! The Book of Azrael was in my top 10 reads in 2023 and became one of my all time favorite series.😭🩸✨️🥰⚔️ I want to re-read it for eternity. I want hardcovers, special editions, NYT besteller title, TV show, everything. It's the series I always recommend to my friends on bookstagram or real life. And somehow it gets better and more badass with each book???

Diana is so scary and fierce and kickass and all around amazing character - I missed having a morally grey villainious heroine for a change. 🥰 These two literally have the power to end the world (together and separately) and watching them kick ass, grow, go from enemy to friend to lover to "I'll destroy the world for you" is just...sublime.

Samkiel is badass and the alpha male to rule all alpha males, even with his cinammon roll tendencies lol. Scary in his own way, with all his otherworldly god aura, he also has a softer side that balances out Dianna's all sharp edges. He has his own demons and nightmares to battle, but they made such a good team! The battle of wills, banter, chemistry and spice were just something else.
The action and adventure never stopped with these two and bad guys and betrayals were aplenty. I don't know how they (or myself!) will recover after the brutal ending, but I foresee a lot of fire and distruction and I. cannot. wait!

The cliffy at the end pretty much ruined a part of my soul and I don't know how Amber will be able to fix it in the next book.

Thank you for the review copy and the privilege to read this early. It makes me happy to see it in stores and bookshelves all around the world now. 🫶

Did not finish the book at 31% - I could not get into this and it’s taking too long for me to read during my slump!

4.5 stars

oh my this book turned out to be SO GOOD and dianna and samkiel are just so ugh frustrating and so good and cute but so powerful too damn
at first im going to be honest, i wasn't really feeling the book, it was a whole new world and a lot of information about it that my tired ass wasn't really loving it but i was intrigued i was kinda hooked to get to know more and i started to really like dianna and definitely liam so i knew i was going to like it but sooo happy i ended up loving them and loving these world and the book so much
dianna is so strong and so caring at the same time and i just wish she could see herself the way her sister and liam do like she truly deserves nothing but happiness and the whole world tho the world doesn't really deserve her i just ugh my heart can't take it but the way liam and her connected? the way she helped him and they went from enemies literally enemies to friends to lovers was just so beautiful their journey and battles and growth was so good i was just loving every single second of it!! liam samksiel wtv i love that man, he ended up showing his true colours and deep down he is just a man who lost everything but at the same time still has people who care and love him and he also cares deeply and loves deeply the way he was just softer than dianna was so fun and fresh really love him and finally he met his true match in dianna sooo im not gonna lie im so scared for the second book, the way this one ended oh my it's going to be evrn wilder than the first one and im so so scared, it's going to be a big challenge to their connection obviously and the second one is so big damn but yeah the ending?? why? why do this to me and dianna? my poor heart can't take it I cried and i knew something awful was going to happen but that? like that? ugh just evil tho i really want to continue on this world and dianna and samskiel i need a minute tho overall i loved it and it was intriguing and challenging and action packed and sometimes hot and i was giggling and kicking my feet in the air also heartbreaking and beautiful so much emotions in this big book that i thought i was only going to like it but no i really loved it and i want more just so scared anksjs

Thank you to netgalley for the e-arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Dnf at 40%

I was initially drawn to The Book of Azrael because of its intriguing premise and promise of a dark and immersive world. Unfortunately, I found the story to be a bit too slow-paced for my tastes. The plot felt tedious and I found it difficult to interact with the characters. While I usually enjoy atmospheric reading, the narrative lacked the drive to keep me on edge and I lost interest as the story progressed. I believe this book has potential for readers who prefer a more thoughtful world-building and complex plot, and though I personally do love thoughtful world building, the writing style just wasn't it for me. But this book is amazing for readers who enjoy enemies to lovers, one bed trope, forced proximity and badass FMC!

Rating: 1.5/5
e-ARC review - The Book of Azrael by Amber V. Nicole

I mean... it was okay? The story was ok, sometimes confusing, the characters and the romance were okay too, but the writing... it was just not it. The lack of editing was concerning. I amost DNFed. Probably won't read the next one, it's just too big of a book for me to not really enjoy it.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing this digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I haven’t read a fantasy book this good in a LONG time.

This book was hot, chaotic & down right fkn enjoyable. It had enemies to lovers (literally, born to be ENEMIES). A bad ass FMC who is sassy as all hell & a God who can’t help but fall for her effortless charm.

This book had action, heartache & it ended with me honestly GASPING and now I’m diving into book two in the hopes I can be put back together after Amber destroyed my soul.

BRILLIANT

What a weird read. I kept waiting for it to get truly good and somehow made it to the end, still waiting. I love that this story has a mature female main character and Gianna was pleasant to follow throughout the story. Having a main character who is older than the ever too common 19 was refreshing, and getting to know Gianna's inner workings was interesting. The relationship between the two main characters developed less smoothly as I would've liked. By this I mean, that there was tension, but whenever any progress happened, it still felt too rushed in an unnatural way. Despite this, I enjoyed the the two main characters' bonding and how they found support in each other. Sadly this was overshadowed but the fact that the book itself needs heavy editing and specifically the constant switching between past and present tense from one sentence to another was jarring. The plot progression is choppy at times, both with the story progression and the relationship development. The world building, while a fascinating premise, suffered from info dumping, and I thought the side characters would develop some more throughout the story. Unfortunately they felt quite superficial even by the end. I didn't hate this book, but it left me feeling disappointed in the potential that held such promises, yet fell flat.

P.S. Irvikuva is a Finnish word and it was very funny/bizarre to see it used for a creature in a fantasy setting

I just couldn’t really get into this book. I tried to pick it up twice but it never grabbed me. I wasn’t really pulled into the world or the characters for whatever reason.

If you appreciate morally intricate characters and complex plots with high stakes, you might enjoy diving into this gradual unfolding fantasy romance. Within the story, you'll encounter flawed yet captivating characters who undergo significant development. Despite occasional repetitive dialogues, the unexpected twists, turns, and the powerful conclusion make it a rewarding read.

This book started off incredibly strong and was giving me all the 5 star feels - but then everything just started to feel like it was dragged out. The love interest is only introduced at 25% and he comes from somewhere else so the info dumping and world building almost has to start all over again when we'd just been through that with the MC.

I feel like a good chunk of the book could have been edited out and it wouldn't have affected the story as the book felt like a slog in some places due to me feeling like the plot wasn't really progressing.

I'm undecided if I will be continuing with the series or not.

Great world building but the book was a little too long for me to keep my attention.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me this e-book in exchange for an honest review

I had a little trouble getting into this book at first but the characters really pulled me in. I enjoyed the world-building and would definitely like to see more from this author!

Wow! What a fantastic read! The FMC is grungy and so engaging. I liked how the author blended the world of the gods into the world we are familiar with around us. Featuring some key fantastical elements and a slow burn romance which makes the cherry on top of this great addition to any fantasy lovers bookshelf. I would be wary with the content warnings of this one to emotional and physical trauma which the FMC experiences.

If you like slow-burn romance and enemies-to-lovers, you’ll like this book. The dark fantasy was thrilling and the encounters with magical creatures kept me captivated. I related to Dianna because she held a strong bond with her sister, yet her cloudy morals made sure her next move was always unexpected.

However, I will warn that some aspects and themes may be disturbing or triggering so read this book at your on discretion: PTSD, eating disorders, sex, abuse, death etc. I would recommend consolidating a few more reviews if you are worried about this or may be affected.

3.75 stars rounded up to 4!

This was GOOD. I've been putting this up for so long because the length is kinda intimidating but I really did fall in love with the characters and the world. I think this book highlights where romantasy shines and what I love about a fantasy romance book.

Where I think this book does really shine is with Dianna. She is such a morally gray, compelling character and at all times I was simultaneously rooting for her while also feeling like I was watching a car crash. I thought Liam was also a really interesting character, and I liked how we explored his guilt that was happening simultaneously with the reverence given to him by the archangels.

I also think the world that Amber Nicole built was super interesting. There are gods, werewolves, vampires, as well as other new and unique supernatural/fantasy-like creatures. I was extremely invested in the plot, and the ENDING??? I don't know how I haven't already read the sequel.

I think my only drawback is that I do think the book is a bit too long, and I also think we would rehash the same things over and over again, but overall I really enjoyed it!

Thank you to Netgalley and Rose and Star Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Book of Azrael by Amber V. Nicole is a perfect fit for readers who crave a thrilling and emotional fantasy adventure, with a strong focus on complex characters, epic world-building, and a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance that will keep them on the edge of their seats.

Plot: 1
Writing: 1
World building: .5
Characters: 1
Themes: .5
4/5

Spice: 1.5/5
Audiobook: 4/5

What you can expect:
Slow burn
New fantasy world with gods and paranormal creatures
Enemies to reluctant allies to friends to lovers
Interesting magic system
Badass FMC
One bed

I really enjoyed this one. I don’t know why it took me so long to finally read it. It’s been on my radar for years. The Book of Azrael has a cool new fantasy world, broken from previous gods. The magic system is interesting, I hope we learn more about it in the next book. I like that there are different paranormal creatures, seeing the politics and how they all interact.

The writing was good and the pacing was perfect. It was pretty fast-paced, so much happened and so much time passed. I was surprised at the small time jumps because I barely felt them in the story. How is this going to be five books?! I need them all now.

I thought our MCs were typical Romantasy MC’s. Badass, can fight and is tough FMC and a broody, tortured past MC. Both strong and powerful in their own right. The FMC can shapeshift and the MC can make phantom hands and is OLD (why do they always have to be so old?!). Don’t get me wrong, I love these MCs, I eat this up. But after so many (hundreds) of main characters who all have the same type of energy, they start to blend in. I think we do get interesting character studies from these two and I’m sure we’ll get to see them grow more. This is only the beginning.

One thing I did really enjoy was the slow burn. Who am I turning into?? I’ve been enjoying slow burn a lot recently. But this gave time for our MCs to get to know each other and build that tension. I appreciated that. I thought it was great for the story. If they had instalove in the first 30% I think it would have been a much different story. The slow burn was part of each character’s arc and growth.

Definitely give this a try if you love Romantasy!

I did not love this book. The world building was fabulous. The creatures were super interesting but the characters were lacking. The book was super long for me to not really care about the two mains.

"The Book of Azrael" by Amber Nicole is the first installment in the "Gods & Monsters" series. The novel blends elements of dark fantasy, romance, and adventure, creating a rich and immersive world. The story centers around Dianna, a protagonist who has been made immortal and must navigate a treacherous landscape filled with gods, monsters, and dark forces.

Dianna, bound by a powerful curse, is compelled to serve the villainous god Azrael. Her journey is one of survival, self-discovery, and defiance as she seeks to break free from Azrael's grip. The novel explores themes of power, loyalty, and the complex interplay between good and evil.

Amber Nicole's writing is noted for its atmospheric world-building, intricate plot, and compelling character development. The book delves deeply into mythology and the supernatural, offering readers a detailed and captivating universe. "The Book of Azrael" has been praised for its originality and depth, making it a standout in the fantasy genre.

I was sent this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review for a full review see my Amazon and Goodreads pages.

I loved this book I can't wait to read the rest of the series!!!!