This fantasy new adults romance was an enemies to lovers trope. It’s one of my favorites. It was a lengthy book, almost 600 pages. I loved Dianna, she was awesome. She’s basically unstoppable and wasn’t afraid to face any type of danger.
It was descent for a debut and lots of interesting world building. I really enjoyed it but I’m not a huge fan of cliffhangers. But I’d still read it knowing this.
This novel is the kind of story people either love or they hate. I thought it was written well and I really enjoyed it. The big question now is when is book 2 out?
Thanks Rose and Star Publishing via Netgalley.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

“Don’t make her fall if you are not prepared to catch her”

***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. ***

It's been too long since I've read a good fantasy book, a story that actually makes sense and with a strongly opinionated, morally gray protagonist whose world doesn't revolve around her complicated love life (love triangles).

Amber’s monster world is full of likable characters and a great plot that keeps you reading even though sometimes it feels it has too many unnecessary descriptions or scenes that definitely can be cut out.

This story is everything I could ask for + the love of family and redemption. I need that second book and I hope the editing is better.

eARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an Honest review.

Ill give it a 3, but that's generous. I don't necessarily think it was terrible, but it isn't what I wanted or needed from this. The characters fept.basic and almost as if they lacked depth.

This was a fast-paced fantasy romance with some compelling characters but I found it rough around the edges. Dianna and Liam were powered up too fast for a series. Although there is compelling world-building here and some emotional heft to the story, it really needs some editing for the writing and errors in spelling and style. It's a good start for a debut novel and I think this author will only get better with some editorial help.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for this ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
~4.5~
I really won't lie when I said that due to the content of this book, I was not expecting it to be as good as it was! The enemies to lovers was REAL and the world building, though a little confusing, was so good. I enjoyed this world and the lore behind it a lot, it was different from the normal demon books you see. Dianna was honestly such a likable character, I really enjoyed her and her hard-ass bitchiness and her protectiveness of the one person she cared about more than anything. The fact that she starts the book as a villain just makes it so much better because I love a morally grey, or just sometimes grey, characters. She wasn't the helpless one needing protecting and my favorite main characters are the badass powerful females. The plot dragged for a little bit so I really didn't know how long the book should've been due to the device I read it on, but I feel like it could have been a little shorter.
Overall, this enemies to lovers, one bed, snarky main heroine and the powerful love interest book is perfect for fantasy lovers and I highly recommend!

I went into this book wanting to love it, but I only ended up just liking it…

A few things about the book:

1. The world building is unique and contained several different elements of the fantasy genre. I actually think it might have been too many...
2. Several topics were repeated so often that I just wanted the author to move on. I can’t even tell you how many times I read about how the FMC would do anything for her sister, or that the MMC carried so much shame or lake of feelings. I think it was mentioned so much to just fill up pages and that was unnecessary.
3. There were a lot of typos and errors that usually occurred at a significant part of the book, so then I’d get distracted. (That is 100% a me problem.)
4. I did love that the morally grey character was the FMC. Not something you usually see.
5. The secondary characters were the real MVPs of this series.

I’m on the fence for how invested I am in this long term, but I can totally see others loving all the unique elements of this book.

''You already consume my every waking thought. Must you consume my dreams as well?''

4.5 cotton candy ⭐'s

It's hard to believe that this is Amber's debut novel.. I was immediately immersed in this action-packed urban fantasy romance. In this fantastic story you will find:

* Forbidden love / Slow burn romance
* True enemies to lovers (actually enemies to friends to lovers)
* Forced proximity / One bed
* Grumpy x Sunshine
* Sibling love
* Morally grey and badass heroine
* Traumatized and damaged cinnamon roll hero
* Heartbreaking betrayals and sweet confessions
* Healing journey (trauma and PTSD)
* Witty, sarcastic and adorable banter
* Unique world and magic system
* Amazing fighting scenes (you really feel that author has researched different techniques for action sequences)
* Great twists & turns, and pacing
* Ends on a cliffhanger!

The plot is well written, with dual POVs from Dianna and Liam. And occasional flashbacks as well. TBOA had many twists, shocking betrayals and heart warming confessions. The world-building, magic system, whole vibe and setting for the world of Onuna was thrilling. I never felt bored reading it. It was a page turner for sure.
Not only main, but also secondary characters were captivating and well developed. You could not not like them. And what a great villain we have. My only wish was to have bit more background for Kaden. Then it would be perfect.

Dianna. I absolutely loved that she was introduced to us as a villain. Amber wrote her truly well . She is a fighter, sassy, self-sacrificing, witty, caring, stubborn, lonely and secretly romantic I think. She aches for life outside the violence. A life with her sister, where she is loved and free. But reality is different. For a thousand years all she have known is bloodshed, ''shackles to Kaden'' and scarps of affection. And never ending love for her sister. She stays true to herself and I'm loving that!

Liam. This tall, depressed and moody god is full of trauma, pain and loneliness. And you know I can't resist traumatized and tortured soul. Since the Gods War, he's been isolating himself from others, believing it's best for everyone who he wants to protect. There's enough time to re-experience the night terrors, grief and failed attempts to save the ones he loves. Always late. He's World Ender for a reason.

''Liam was a Guardian, a savior, a protector of this realm and every realm in between. I was an Ig'Morruthen, the beast of the legend he and his friends hunted. I was the monster under the bed. Stories were told of me to keep all divine beings in line.''

The relationship between Dianna and Liam (aka Samkiel) started on a true enemies to lovers setup. Mortal enemies - Light vs Darkness. Monster vs God. Good vs Evil. Or so it's been told. They are the polar opposites - one is full of life and fight, the other has shut down from the world. They are two sides of the same coin and they compliment each other so well. She's has a mouth of a sailor and cocky attitude, where he's trying to keep gentlemen manners and not be hot headed. What was beautiful to witness was their healing journey. Without spoiling anything - small gestures that were important, communication and honesty. Friendship that blossomed. Their bonding through trauma and helping each other with nightmares. Their pinky-promises. Those are the traits that help one to move forward. To witness their banter and sarcastic comments. To hear how Liam describes certain objects and food was hilarious. To see how Dianna gauges his reactions and tries to provoke him. And even though we didn't get a lot of spice in this book, their interactions are full of angst and tension. But at some point we do learn that our sad boy Liam is a dirty talker. Next book, please come to me faster!

"I didn't remember how long we talked, but somewhere amidst her laughter and smiles, I decided I would rip the whole world for her."

Thank you to Amber Nicole and Rose & Star Publishing for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts are my own and left voluntarily.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rose and Star Publishing, and Amber Nicole for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
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First! I wanna say sorry that this review’s coming to you a few months after the pub date. The pub date was listed wrong on the Netgalley description page, but you know what?! Let’s just roll with it 😂 Now the juicy bits.
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I’m a sucker for a good enemies-to-lovers fantasy and I think this book definitely delivers! Dianna and Liam have their own shit going, but they learn to rely on one another. Who knew two supernatural beings could be brought together by their very human emotional traumas and turmoil? We all did, but come on! It’s good every time! 😂 The banter here is amazing and there were moments I found myself cheesing so hard I had to put the book down.
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Apart from Dianna and Liam’s dynamics, my favorite relationship is Dianna and Gabby’s. As an older sibling, I really felt Dianna’s need to protect Gabby at all costs. And as a younger sibling, I also felt Gabby’s desperation. Despite everything and because of everything, their love for each other is palpable. 🖤
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I’m always down for anything supernatural and I wasn’t disappointed. I think the world Amber built here is so fascinating! I want to learn more about the celestials and about all the years Dianna spent with Kaden. I feel like there’s so much more we can dive into later on in the series and I’m so here for it!
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That ending?! I’m emotionally distraught! Someone call an ambulance. It sets up the next book beautifully though, so I guess I’m okay with having my heart ripped from my chest? 💀
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I highly recommend The Book of Azrael! I finished this and immediately wished the next book was already out. If you’re a fan of books by JLA and SJM, I would definitely say to give this a go. You get two kickass bi MCs, a smorgasbord of magical beings, and a story that just keeps rolling. And if you’re into praise kink 👀👀👀 that’s all I’ll say about that!
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The Book of Azrael is already available for purchase and is the first in Amber Nicole’s Gods and Monsters series.

I really enjoyed this story. It was new and refreshing with a great plot. It was fast paced and the characters were well developed. I looked forward to reading the next book in the series.

Enemies to lovers, touch her and die with heart break all rolled into one. Check trigger warnings! I need book 2 now!

At this point in time I have mo words for this book.
Ok that was a lie. I have a lot to say.
I had a general idea of what this book entailed but I prefer to go in blind and appreciate the unexpected, and this paid off. I absolutely loved it.
Initially, Dianna is this evil monster capable of awful things and her one weakness is her sister, Gabby. I thought Kaden would be this love interest that would shift completely due to his love and affection for Dianna but boy was I wrong. Once the plot got underway and I grasped the complex world of gods and monsters I was hooked.
Liam - or Samkiel - was an instant favourite for me. A tortured soul, isolated and grieving is shoved into a stressful situation that is constantly developing and worsening.
The two main characters form an initially volatile alliance which burns super slowly into a delicious and spicy romance that Amber Nicole wrote perfectly. They supported each other through their weakest points and protected one another when they could no longer go forward.
Now, as I noticed the book reaching its conclusion I felt a cliffhanger nearing and I was so nervous. Karen returns with a vengeance and demands Dianna returns - once again treating her like a possession. I'll spare the details but it was an intense and nail-biting ending leaving me wanting more.
Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book and I highly recommend anyone gives it a read, and get ready for a rollercoaster ride.

Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for this arc! I thoroughly enjoyed it and I can’t wait to read more by Amber Nicole!!

4.5 Rounded up to 5

I really enjoyed this book. It was action from the first chapter and continued throughout the book. The world building and plot was fantastic.
This book had fantasy, magic, hate, betrayal, revenge and war. It also has one of my favourite tropes enemies to lovers and I absolutely loved the dynamics between the two characters Liam and Diana.
If your looking for a fantasy romance book then I definitely recommend this book.

Lastly the ending was a little shocking and definitely makes me want a second book now.

Thank you to the author, Netgalley and publishers for this eARC I received.

The Book of Azrael is such an incredible debut novel!
I really enjoyed the writing style, loved the world building, character development, and the quick-paced action. It’s well written with consistent pacing, and an addictive plot.

I highly recommend if you’re here for a morally grey heroine, enemies to lovers, mild spice, incredible banter, twists and turns, and one hell of a cliffhanger!

This book was a monster, but overall very enjoyable. If you're a fan of fantasy books, then I definitely recommend this. Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy!

I was very excited to read this novel as the reviews were great so far and the tropes seemed very fun. I, unfortunately, could not force myself to finish the novel - I'm around 25% of the way through and have found it quite difficult to motivate myself to read it.

I think this has some redeemable elements. If you are a fan of the Shadowhunters series or Jennifer L. Armentrout, this might be for you. I think the romantic elements would really appeal to Armentrout's fans, but I personally couldn't connect to it. This style of fantasy isn't for me, but I think this is a personal reason.

Overall, the book was well written enough and the plot was quite innovative. The concept was exciting and fresh, a new take on more common fantasy tropes. Unfortunately for me, I didn't find the execution to be in a style that particularly meshed with my taste.

I would recommend giving it a go if you like less intense, more light-hearted fantasies. I mean this in the best way possible, as I was a huge fan of this platform in my youth - but if you like Wattpad-style fantasies, this would be a stunning choice.

this is a quick-paced, enemies-lovers fantasy with deeply-layered world-building, tragic treacheries, and complex, morally-grey characters. It has almost all the fan-favorite tropes, LOTS of banter, and even mental health rep
the dynamic between the two main characters is beautiful and real. both of them are so similar, but at the same time so very different.
i did have my fair share of problems with dianna, but liam i absolutely adored :) who doesn't love a grumpy cinnamon roll with a traumatic past?
the dual povs, the realtionship between logan and neverra, the sisterly bond between gabby and diana and the angst were more things i greatly enjoyed in this book!

thank you netgalley for the arc of this book!

To be completely transparent, I did dnf this book. I don’t know what it was about it but I had an extremely hard time getting in to it. What makes it worse is that I feel like I would love the book if I could. I think I just wasn’t smart enough to quite keep track of the plot. Because it feels like there’s so much right at the start and it’s a lot to take in and keep track of. I might retry this book later but I feel bad that I dnf’d this book.

I didn't realize I got this book after release date, thank you Net Galley for this opportunity to read this book. It was a great book to get my back into this genre. I loved it. I need to know what happens next, Liam and Dianna are perfect together.

I found this book to have some editing issues with punctuation and words used incorrectly. Unfortunately I also found it to contain a little too much violence for my liking. This is quite a big book being 796 pages and probably if I continued to read I would have been more involved but it didn't hold my attention enough to persevere. Many people have read this book and loved it but it just isn't for me.