Great world building. Awesome FMC who is a badass. (She sacrificed herself to save her sister, amazing)
It has action, romance, enemies to lovers (legit enemies) and a bit of spice.

Only downside is the length, but who doesn’t love a big book?

This book isn’t it for me. I just couldn’t get into this. So I’m going to DNF it, hope this book will be IT for someone else!

4.5 - SO well done, highly recommend this book.

Unique world building, classic enemies to lovers trope, and so many twists and turns. I don’t think I have ever read about a world/magic system like what is in this book! It was such an enjoyable read, it was hard to put all 800+ pages of it down. Also give it up for Dianna, who is such a badass heroine. I wish it didn’t end on such a cliffhanger because now I have to wait…

Thanks to NetGalley, Amber Nicole, and Rose and Star Publishing, LLC, for this eARC

If I were writing this review solely based on the first third of the book, it would have been four stars. But when I reached the second third, it started to drag. You can see from my started and finished dates that it took me a WHOLE MONTH to finish this book, which is abnormal. I kept picking books up in between because the writing became slow and repetitive.

I know it was supposed to be a slow-burn romance, but I find it pretty annoying when the same petty grievances, internal monologues, and drama are repeated. Liam would decide to be friendly, freak out about something, then ignore her again. This happened several times (Dianna also had moments of silent treatment), and I had trouble remembering who was not talking to whom and why.

There were also multiple dragging points in the plot, such as waiting two weeks for a meeting during one of the emo periods of their relationship. Some of the places Liam and Dianna went seemed thin as if the author was looking to drag it out longer but didn’t think it through.

By the end of the book, I found myself not loving the main characters either. Dianna was supposed to be this heartless killer who was never bested. While giving her a bit of conscience was okay, she became uncertain, self-conscious, and unfocused. She was constantly ruminating over certain things, and it became annoying. And I get that she was supposed to be crass, foul-mouthed, and making inappropriate jokes. But did Liam, the other celestials, and even Dianna herself have to remind us of that repeatedly? We get it! Plus, her comments during action scenes became too much by the end.

Liam was broody, which was fine. He had a complicated past, and it defined his personality. But his lack of self-awareness was staggering. Hard to believe he’s supposed to be a super-old god.

Overall, the worldbuilding was good, and I enjoyed it. But it would have been better if it were 25-33% shorter.

Such a great book!! The world building and characters are so incredible that I was completely sucked in. There were so many times I was holding my breath, afraid and yet unable to tear myself away of what was to come. An incredible read that I can't wait to read the next one!

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC. This is my honest review.

While the world building was excellent, this book just didn't spark or sustain my interest. The love hate relationship between the characters was drawn out unnecessarily. In fact, the entire book was very long.

"The book of Azrael" by Amber Nicole

*I was kindly given this ARC by the publisher **Rose and Star Publishing** in exchange for an honest review.*

PLEASE PICK UP THIS BOOK IT'S A CLEAR 5 STAR ADULT FANTASY

This book came as such a surprise to me! Especially since it’s a bit over 900 pages long I was a bit sceptical but oh boy, did it pay off. In the end I rated it with 5 stars and would have given 10 if I could. It’s the whole package for me and in my opinion it’s a great recommendation for fans of Crescent City by Sarah J. Maas. Why? Because it has a lot of similarities but is yet different enough to be able to stand on it’s own. The author did an amazing job with (main) characters and relationships, the urban fantasy elements felt very natural and the stakes are high enough to keep you on the edge of your seat.

# Characters
Both MCs are pessimistic, arrogant and snarky - so were not getting the well loved sunshine/grump trope here but more of a grump/grump trope and it worked so well! Dianna is a is a very spirited and dominant FMC. She can explode very easily and is a highly expressive person which makes Liam actually a perfect counterpart, since he’s more of the broody type but still arrogant and powerful enough to create the perfect tension between them. I loved following their interactions and simply couldn’t get enough of them.

That said, the side characters felt flat and underdeveloped which might be because there wasn’t really enough time to get to know them. A book with ~850 pages to its title could have spared a bit of pagetime to make them more real to the reader. A lot of the side character we do get to know only have one defining property (funny guy, deadly guy, traitorous chick,…). The only exception from this is Gabby, Dianna’s sister which could be argued is actually a main character without a POV.

"I didn´t remember how long we talked, but somewhere amidst her laughter and smiles, I decided I would rip the world apart for her." - Liam

#Plot
The plot unraveled at a mostly consistent pace with just one exception in the middle of the book were I felt a slight slack for a few dozen pages before it picked up again. It's a gripping, action packed story with interesting twists and turns that takes us on a treasure hunt with two highly engaging POV characters. I was mesmerized by this book and flew through it despite the massice page count.

#Worldbuilding
The story plays out in an urban setting that is not quite our world but very similar to it in technology, culture, etc.
There are other realms and dimensions mentioned that we only experience in dreams and memories since the borders between worlds were closed off long ago. But the information we get paints a very vibrant picture of fallen and forgotten worlds. I imagined Liam's original world a bit like I imagine ancient greece and I'm so here for it!

#Final Thoughts
There are definitely very graphic sexual and violent scenes so you should be aware of some Trigger Warnings before going into this book:
emotional and sexual abuse, rape, torture, violence, mental illness, death, murder, war (no guarantee for completeness)

Sooo when is the next book coming out?!

While I think the world built is very similar to Earth (would teenage boys hang sport jerseys in all worlds? Possible but I think it unlikely) I still enjoyed the world built here. Liam and Dianna both have flaws and issues but do the best they can which makes them easy to root for. Definitely looking forward to the rest of the series, especially after that ending!

Wow. This book was a chunky beast! It took me a few days to read and I've just finished. It was incredible, there were some moments I felt that dragged but quickly picked up again!

I'm desperate to read book two as this ended on such a shocker than I need to know what happens next!

An incredible book and highly recommend it!

With a bit more TLC this book will shine.
I was a big fan of the world A. Nicole built and the characters she has begun to nurture. It was a book I will revisit when the second comes out. Especially after that ending. 🤯
Things I think could be better was staying in tense (the struggle is real) and flow. Some scenes I believe could be omitted for parts I thought could be elaborated upon. I lost scope of the world I was in and where the characters were in correlation to the story and how this universe is set up.
I was thrilled with the snarky, semi irrational main character and I love a good fractured master of the universe that doesn’t act like he has his sh*t together after completely annihilating his home world. And as a little sister who absolutely adores her older sister who grew up taking care of her… I can relate to the relationship between siblings. Absolutely my favorite aspect of this story.
Please please bring back Gabby!!!! 🥺
Thank you to the publisher and the author for the eARC copy.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I've been wanting to read more fantasy, since it's a genre I don't tend to read much but do enjoy when I do, and this book was the perfect choice. It's not strictly fantasy, but fantasy romance, and it definitely lived up to the hype. It's a long one at over 800 pages, but I felt that it was very well paced, and I was entertained throughout.

This book was well written with rich world-building. I liked that Dianna was a strong female character, and of course I loved her relationship with Liam and that this was true enemies-to-lovers. Also, OMG. That. Ending. I am eagerly waiting for the next book and more in the series.

I loved both of the MCs! The world building was awesome!

Romance was present but I was hoping there would have been more spicy scenes - I’m hoping the next books have more!

Liam’s tone did seem to change and not seem at all like his character has been, but it was only for a little bit, and then his tone seemed to go back to normal.

Overall, loved this book! Will be adding to my personal collection and recommending it to friends!

Thank you NetGalley & the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am posting my reviews to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Goodreads (they are already posting, some waiting to be submitted)

World Ender meets Ender of Worlds...

A thousand years ago, Dianna gave up her life in the deserts of Erioa to save her dying sister. She called upon anyone who would listen, not expecting a monster far worse than any nightmare to answer. Now she does what Kaden asks, even if that means securing an ancient relic from the very creatures that hunt her.

A King thought long dead and long forgotten.


In the old world his name was Samkiel. In the new world it is Liam, but one title remains true throughout time. He is the World Ender, a myth to his enemies, a savior and King to those loyal to him. After the Gods War, he locked himself away, hiding from the world. He denied his crown and responsibilities, leaving the very ones who needed him most to deal with the fallout of the death of their homeworld. Now an attack on those he holds dear sends him back to the one realm he never wished to visit again and into the sights of an enemy he thought imprisoned eons ago. Now enemies older than time must put aside their differences and work together in hopes of saving both their world and every realm in between.

The world-building in this book is good, but the story felt sort of lackluster. I had to force myself to pick it back up again. I will say that I am among the few that didn’t enjoy it, so it might be worth giving a try if you enjoy enemies to lovers with forbidden romance feels.

Thank you to Netgalley & publishers for allowing me access to this book in exchange for an honest review!

📖Book of Azrael⚡️
Thank you at Netgally and Amber Nicole for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Mortal enemies must work together to save the planet.

Oh ok! This book needs more hype!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫- 4.5 stars
🌶🌶

What I loved:
⁃ EPIC world building
⁃ Packed with action
⁃ Obsessed with both MCs, they were very unique. Flawed but badass and I love them.
⁃ So much history and lore in this book that gave it so much depth.
⁃ Swoony dialogue between MCs, loved seeing them develop.
⁃ Wow the ending… a 10 star ending!

What I didn’t love:
⁃ SLOWWWWW BURN. I needed more! I know it’s coming and I’m excited about it but still.
⁃ The beginning of the book was on the slow side for me. I needed a little more angst with the MCs.

I cannot wait for book 2 to be released! What a great fantasy by Amber Nicole

Although romance was present, I was expecting more spicy steamy scenes and they weren't there. But overall I enjoyed the fantasy, the plot, and the romance that was there. I love the enemies to lovers trope, and the slow burn. I think in the next books we will see more spice (at least I'm hoping!!) The world building and side characters were fantastic. I'm excited for more!

I'm a little late to the party on this one, but I'm so glad I finally made it.
This book was a ride from the very beginning. The world building was pretty effortless with explanations thrown in as you go, not at all once. The magic was impressive and unique.
It was non stop action with plot twists around every corner. I did get a little frustrated toward the end, it seemed redundant to have another similar twist thrown in, but that ending made up for it.
Its been a while since I've had a cliffhanger impact me so deeply -- from my heart pounding, wanting to literally scream, and continuously replaying the scene in my head. I'll be anxiously awaiting book 2!

** Thanks to Netgalley , Rose and Star publishing and Amber Nicole for this ARC **

Are you a fan of :
#Enemies to lovers
#Only one bed
#Forbidden romance
#Slooow burn
# double POV

Then read this book, you are going to love it !
I loved that our FMC , Dianna, is a badass warrior with a secret kind heart. As for Liam, aaaaaah Liam I am in love with you. I loved that he was at first the definition of a grump, but damn if he is not a total romantic.

I was really surprised by this book and by the author. For a first book, I found it exceptionally well written. The author has created a very developed and complex universe, with many very different characters that complement each other very well. I liked the right combination in this book between action, discovery, and romance.

But this cliffhanger !! I NEED BOOK 2 RIGHTTT NOW

I recieved this as an ARC a little bit ago and was so scared to start it since it’s over 800 pages long BUT I was pleasantly surprised. The book was amazing, the story so good and the author’s writing style is so easy to read and makes it super easy to follow the story and be right there in the world of this book. I highly recommend this book if you’re a fan of fantasy books. I now want to know how the story of Dianna continues. I don’t really want to talk about what the book is about, since I don’t want to spoil anything, the only thing I can tell you is that Dianna is a badass!!!!!!

I need the second book!!!!


Update: this is my favorite read of 2022 so far and I read over 125 books

Dianna is a monster and Liam is a god. They are mortal enemies. When Dianna's mortal heart, her inner goodness, finally forces her to switch sides, they begin to work together against Dianna's creator. Soon, they learn they're more alike than they could ever think, and they may be the only ones who truly can understand each other.

There were parts of this book where I couldn't put it down and was fascinated by the mythos being uncovered. Unfortunately, the book was incredibly long with no wins. With loss after loss that Diana and Liam face, the book ends feeling like a long beginning. There's no feeling of progress.

While the mythos is interesting and there are many mythologies coming together in interesting ways, the book felt too long. I will definitely be reading the next as I'm interesting in the overall plot, but wish it was cut down. The story was very repetitive, from the background being explained, to characters realizing their feelings.

The ending was anticlimactic because of course they were betrayed! They were betrayed every time by everyone. This didn't help the plot's repetition.

The premise is interesting and the main characters are enjoyable, but I hope there's more development in the next book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Rose and Star Publishing for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

3 stars
1 spice