I saw this book on Instagram and I was curious. This is the Author's debut book. The story is told in multiple povs, the characters are very distinct from each other. This book has a lot of potential, the world building is great and I enjoyed the mythology of the world. However the pacing is slow so it was hard for me to stay interested.

If you enjoy more traditional sci-fi books told by an Own Voices author you would like this book. I look forward to the author future works.

A fresh new take on fantasy/sci fi? in a vivid world. The descriptions popped off the page and I could feel the desert heat. The blend of science and fantasy was very compelling, especially in clothing choices, architecture and technology.

I wasn’t very curious about the characters, so I think that was the weakest part for me. As well, sometimes I lost interest in the plot as a whole. Still, I believe many people will like this book, so I would recommend it overall!

Wow this was a debut novel? Thoroughly enjoyed how this story and the characters developed. I am always such a fan of kingdoms and religious systems that aren't what they seem and Aparna Verma hit the mark!

I found this book to be quite enjoyable and intriguing. The world was different enough to keep me interested but still held familiar elements of the fantasy genre. I found myself constantly curious as to how the world came to be - how did each kingdom and place come about. I loved the slow burn romance tinged with a bit of the enemies to lovers trope and the morally grey characters that constantly surprised you. You never really knew who you could trust. I'm excited to see what happens next.

As someone of Indian descent, I highly anticipated reading The Phoenix King but had pretty big expectations regarding Desi representation. To my delight, I was enthralled by Verma’s storytelling from the start and loved her references to South Asian culture.

That being said, I did feel like it was long-winded and easily could’ve been 100 pages shorter. Though, funnily enough, I also thought that the relationship between the love interests was a bit underdeveloped (but that might just be personal preference).

Either way, this novel is a love letter to South Asian culture, and reading it filled me with so much joy. I eagerly await the next installment of this series and all of Verma's future work.

Thank you, NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

First, thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing me an ARC!

The Phoenix King has an amazing premise and some really great world-building. If you like fantasy, this is one you might want to check out for its unique world. The book follows the current King of Ravence, Leo, his daughter, Elena, and a disgraced knight, Yassen- it has all the makings of a great story! As their stories intertwine, you start to see how the prophecy of the next Phoenix King unfolds. Secrets, power, betrayal- it's the full package.

I will say, though, that about halfway through, I started losing interest. I found the book to be too long and the middle too slow. Which was disappointing since the beginning grabbed my interest fairly quickly. I was loving the premise of the story- the prophecy of the Phoenix and the fire - and political fantasies are always intriguing to me.

Unfortunately, the middle gets too muddled. I started losing interest in what the characters were doing. Leo and Sam especially lost me for a while. I think some characters stood out throughout the whole novel- like Ferma, Elena's mom, and the holy priestess- but those characters are background characters and we didn't get to see as much of their stories as I wish we had. Additionally, I didn't feel attached to our main characters. I found myself not caring about their interpersonal relationships to each other- which is never a good sign! Especially when part of the story depends on that. I wanted to like this book more. I just didn't feel very interested in the end.

Overall, I don't think it's a bad novel. It just wasn't totally for me. I don't feel compelled to read the next book, but I wish Elena and Yassen the best!

“But don’t they say that dreams of fire lead to madness?”

🔥 This Indian-inspired fantasy (with some Dune aspects thrown in) blew me away! Enemies to lovers, fire-bending, and multiple POVs (each one I loved). I THROUGHLY enjoyed the aspects of Indian culture the author placed all over the story. It was beautiful imagery and I loved imaging the clothes and jewelry. There were also futuristic technology aspects in this setting, and I thought the combination of those two ideas were so neat.

Yassen: oh Yassen, the assassin of the Arohassin. 😭 He was my favorite from the beginning. Despite everything, I see that he is loyal to his core, for those he loves. And that cliffhanger???
Elena: I feel like she is the EPITOME of growth in a character. I love her and how relatable she is. Her passion and courage drove her, and by the end of the book there was wisdom from everything that she went through backing her as well. Wisdom that only comes from grief and life experience. I can’t wait to watch her burn through her enemies.

The plot twist as well… 🤯 I had a thought that it would be great if (plot twist) happened… and at the end when it DID I was like 🫢🫢🫢😱😨

There may be one or two times I thought the pacing was a little inconsistent and I was a little confused in some parts and had to read those parts again (totally may have been just from me reading all hours of the night though lol), so overall, I thought the author did a WONDERFUL job. I have already preordered this book and am so sad that I have to wait EXTRA long for the second one 😭

🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thank you so much NetGalley, Orbit, and Aparna Verma for this ARC!

Comes out August 29th — preorder now! There’s a special art image on the inside of the cover as well 🫶🏼

Aparna Verma’s first installment of the Ravence trilogy follows the royal family of Ravence and an assassin brought to atone for his crimes. King Leo, the current monarch of the Ravani, works to strengthen the divine right to rule as he hands the throne over to his daughter, Elena. With war imminent on their borders, Elena must keep close watch on a former assassin (Yassen) who sells secrets for his freedom.
My favorite part of this story was how much love Elena has for the desert and her people. Throughout the story, I felt Elena grew in the ways she needed to, while still maintaining a strong hold over who she wants to be as queen. She never loses sight of the fact that she will rule for the people, not rule the people.
I also loved watching Yassen float in and out of Elena’s orbit as her personal guard. They matched wits pretty quickly, and although it was definitely not a “love at first sight” kind of feel, there was still an attraction, or at least an acknowledgement of attraction, early on.
One thing I struggled with while reading was the pacing of the relationships. As a fantasy reader who loves fantasy with a subplot of romance, this was a perfect balance. However, towards the end, I felt like I needed more tension between Elena and Yassen. I loved how Yassen got comfortable with Elena, it felt right for his character and his past, but I think Elena’s characterization got a little muddled in some aspects (there is one huge part that I was like “girl you did not just forget about that easily”).
Overall, I loved the story. I cannot wait to have this book on my shelves as I have been following Verma as she gets her copies via Instagram. Currently waiting to see where Elena and Yassen go from here because I devoured this story and now I keep thinking about them.

Fiuuuuuhhhhh it was one hell of a book. I have mixed feelings about it. It started with a very great premise and I love the beginning. Halfway through I found it hard to finish the story. It's not like I didn't like them, I just sort of felt flat towards the characters. It doesn't ignite the sparks it initially did.

Let's start with what I love:
- The world building
I love it. It's rich, detailed, diverse, and very atmospheric. The author navigated it well. However, my small brain sometimes find it hard to keep up where or who. All fault on me. Hopefully in the final copy there will huge map detailing the places.
It's a science fiction fantasy where the modern technology was blended into the antique world building.

- The characterization
We're given 3 point of view. Leo, the king, Elena, the Heir, and Yassen, the assassin.
I love seeing how their thoughts woven into the plot. It gave them the depth and well explained their behaviour and decision. None of the characters are insufferable. All of them are strong in their stance. Are capable of fight 👌

- Enemies to lovers are acceptable. It's a slowburn definitely. But the romance is definitely much little. It's a plus point for me. I felt it yet it's not overpowering the whole story. It's just enough.

- The writing style is beautiful 🫶🏽😭 I love when the authors create their own phrases and it becomes iconic 👌♥️ I can see the research and mastery it put through to create such a world.

What I have mixed feelings for:
- The palace and political instrigue
The conflicts were overlapping one another.
The international affair conflicts and war felt too rushed and cramped at the end of the book.

- The twist didn't work for me. Including the epilogue. It didn't make sense?????

- I would love it if the pace is a bit faster.

To conclude, if you're into adult SFF, slowburn enemies to lover, political + religion + international war conflicts, badass FMC, twist and turn with a detailed explanation and lengthy actions to get there, give this book a go.

I would definitely read the sequel!!!

Thanks so much Netgalley and orbit for the free arc in exchange for an honest review💖 the opinion is my own.

This book caught my eye on Twitter when author announced its being traditionally published, The Boy with Fire.

The book is character driven and I love how the author made Elena relatable. I understood her frustration about court politics and her desire to change things when she ascends to the throne. Unable to wield fire magic like her ancestors, she finds herself in a predicament how to rule the kingdom without the Phoenix by her side.

It’s a bit of a slow paced at the beginning but story picks up after some intriguing points, and when Yassen Knight joined her court, an assassin who is hated in Ravence Kingdom.

I love how to author made an interesting unique world and I was very much caught in surprised with the ending.

Already looking forward for book two and highly recommended if you love any fantasy lore.

This review will be posted in my blog two weeks prior to publication.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for providing me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

With a vibrant and rich storytelling, The Phoenix King (Previously The Boy With Fire) tells us the story Elena and her struggle to earn her birthright despite being the only one in her family unable to wield the flame they are blessed with; and of Yassen, an assassin who longs for freedom more than anything in this world.

What I liked: The storytelling overall was very intricate. It provided us such an exact and detailed worldbuilding it was impressive. The setting and story is Indian-inspired, its culture richly woven into it, but at the same time it felt like such a unique story, setting it apart from everything else. The court politics and religion theme added to the already complex storytelling giving us more conflicts for the characters to confront besides their own raging wars within themselves.

Speaking of characters, the way each POV is written tells us a little bit about the world and the story. Yassen tells us the life of an assassin, of someone who has essentially no home, and someone who lives every day with the pain (physically and mentally) of his past. Elena's POV is someone who struggles to find a definition to herself, trying to be her own person, but also expecting herself to be the same as those who have preceded her. And Leo tells us the life of those who rule and the choices they have to make, even if those choices taint their morality.

Another thing I really liked was the fire-bending in this story. As an Avatar fan, I thoroughly enjoyed it. And the romance was also one I enjoyed reading. I appreciate a good slow-burn. The subtle looks, the gentle graze of touch, the soft short conversations...It definitely had me hungering for more.

What I didn't like: The pacing. It was painfully slow. Normally that is a bad thing for me and by 30% of the book I DNF since this generally gives way for little to no progress to happen. The way this story is told and build up, its mostly via the character's inner thoughts and how they perceive the world and others. Despite this shortcoming, the small details and the way the story was told kept me intrigued and I understood that the pacing was due to the story's intricacy. Perhaps a faster pacing would've left a world insufficiently explained and the character's inner struggles glossed over.

Overall, The Phoenix King was a rich-filled, complex story that kept me interested all throughout. Aparna Verma has a bright future ahead as an author if her debut work is this impressive book. I am looking forward to seeing what's in store in the next installment. Although I do hope the pacing is a bit better. If you're a fan of Dune and ATLA, you might find this up your alley.

3.5/stars
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Phoenix King has everything a reader should want in a fantasy novel. The worldbuilding was excellent. I was fully immersed in the kingdom of Ravence. It also had a unique magic system tied into religion, allowing for commentary on the relationship between religion and power. The characters were also written excellently. Elena proved to be a competent and well-rounded heroine, and it was interesting to see into Yassen's mind as well. My favorite perspective was from Elena's father, who was trying to do what he thought best both for his nation and his daughter. His motivations were the most interesting in the book. What was lacking for me was the pacing of the story. I felt like a lot of what happened could have been cut out. A more streamlined plot would have made the book a lot better. But overall, I did enjoy reading the Phoenix King, and the cliffhanger at the end makes me want to read more!

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for giving me arc. I’m sad to say that I got about 40% of the way in and there wasn’t much that kept me connected to this story. I was really excited for this but this story isn’t for me. The writing isn’t bad at all but the story wasn’t as gripping as I had imagined it to be prior to getting access to it.

I first read this book when it was called The Boy with Fire, self published by Aparna Verma, and I loved it! Now, two years later, I've found that my reading tastes have changed a little, and I can't quite say I loved rereading this book.

I still loved the fire-bending, the politics, and Leo's perspective and villain origin story. Every time Leo's chapters came up, I was on the edge of my seat ready to watch his character development. However, Elena and Yassen seemed a little vanilla to me this time. We don't really know Yassen's past, Elena is the typical naive princess, and they both don't do much during the first half of the book. I also wanted to see a little more romantic development to believe in their relationship by the end.

Overall, I still think it's an entertaining story and has a lot of potential to be a good series, but it didn't hold up for me over the years. Perhaps if it was changed to be YA it would do better.

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 4
Plot/Movement: 3
Character Development: 3
Overall: 3

Thank you, Orbit Books, for the arc! The Phoenix King will be released August 29, 2023.

Trigger/Content Warnings: fire wounds, battle violence and death, mass murder, electric shock torture, one vague open door

The Phoenix King
by Aparna Verma
Science Fiction Low Fantasy
NetGalley Republication
16+

Elena Ravence is to be queen, but to be accepted by the people she must learn to hold the Eternal Flame instead of being burned by it.

Leo Ravence is her father, the King, but even though it is written in their religious books, that it is his daughter's turn to rule, he is not ready to give up the crown or the power of the Flame, but will instead name his daughter queen and keep the power for himself.

Yassen Knight failed an assassination attempt and is now hiding, but serving the Ravence family dangles him in front of different families of people he had assassinated, it is the place he believes will allow him to repent his crimes.

Then there is the Phoenix's Prophet, the one who will destroy the city, and then the rest of the people, burning it all to ash.


This is a re-publication, and the first book of a series, (original title, 'The Boy With Fire'), it's not a bad story, the characters and plot are interesting, and the desert setting gave me heavy 'Dune' and Jabba's planet 'Tatoone' vibes, though it does have other geographical areas, but I went into this story thinking fantasy, as that is the feeling the blurb gave. It is not. It is science fiction with a pinky undertone of fantasy; holding fire but riding in hover cars, shooting 'phasers' and guns, which was disappointing. I doubt I would have requested this book if the blurb was more forthcoming with the true genre of this story.

The author did a great job of designating who, of the three, the chapters were centered on. And everything fell together, but it was slow getting there. I really liked the 'twist' at the end, but not enough to care to read the next book in this series.

2 Stars

Most concerning is that upon further reading reviews after finishing, I found that this book, under its original name, was offered on NetGalley back in 2021. Changing titles of books makes me suspicious... Is it a gimmick, not caring that maybe someone will buy it under this name even though they had already bought it... Baiting new people with the hopes they will give it better reviews...Gives me reasons to not jump the gun when requesting or buying a book... I might already have it.

**review will be published on my site and socials release day**

DISAPPOINTED.

This book was a struggle to get through. I think unfortunately I got off on the wrong foot with it because I wasn’t super into the writing style and it went downhill from there.

I’m very confused by the world building. It’s fantasy, but sci-fi, but dystopian? I’m not quite sure and I wish some more time was spent in creating a world that made sense.

The characters were pretty cardboard too. My favorite was Leo. That man was jumping off the deep end, but at least he was doing something and had a personality. You never knew quite what he was going to do next and that was somewhat intriguing. Yassen and Elena were every fantasy main character you’ve ever seen. There romance was suuuuper lack luster and I wanted to connect more with them too. For 500 pages I felt like a lot was missing.

There’s some cool ideas here with the Phoenix/Prophet scenario. I was surprised by some of the things that happened at the end. But I can’t tell you if I want to pick up book two. Maybe on audio.

Overall audience notes:

Fantasy
Language: some strong
Romance: one very brief & vague
Violence: high
Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of loved ones, battle themes, torture, being burned alive, mass murder

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

The Phoenix King takes us on a journey through a kingdom steeped in magic and mystery.
Elena Aadya Ravence, Leo Malhari Ravence, and Yassen Knight are vividly depicted, each wrestling with their own relationship with fire. Elena's longing for acceptance and Leo's struggle with power make them relatable despite their royal status. Yassen's journey towards redemption adds depth to the story, creating a perfect balance of emotions for these sometimes morally grey characters.

The setting, a desert kingdom where flames hold mystical powers, is captivating, and the author's descriptions bring it to life in brilliant hues.

The Phoenix King is a testament to the author's talent for crafting a gripping fantasy world. While some aspects could be further explored, the overall experience is thoroughly enjoyable. The world building can sometimes make the book seem a bit slow paced in the middle, but the book picks back up in the end, keeping readers on the edge of their seats.
As the story came towards its conclusion, I found myself torn between savoring every word and devouring the pages to discover what fate has in store for the characters.

In conclusion, The Phoenix King is a fiery tale of love, sacrifice, and self-discovery. It's a must-read for fantasy enthusiasts who seek adventure and magic in equal measure. An easy 4 star read for me. I can't wait to see what happens in the story next!

This was slower paced than I would have liked. There were a few points where I felt like the story could have been wrapping up, or switching gears, which was a little off putting. Elena sort of read as stubborn/naive to me, like she didn’t really grasp the consequences as an adult should. I did like the world building a lot and looooved the author’s writing style, which was similar to R. F. Kuang’s vibes. Overall, I think I’ll be sticking with this series and I’m interested to see what’ll happen next.

One thing I did not know going into this book was that it is only *partially* a fantasy book. There's a significant amount of futuristic tech in it, but I don't know that I would classify this is as sci-fi either.

Good science fiction uses technology in the same way good fantasy uses magic: as a catalyst or metaphor for something the author wants to explore about the human condition that a contemporary or historical setting would not allow. Here, the tech is just cool world building and doesn't mean anything. And honestly, the rest of the story is so fantasy coded - with gods and kingdoms rising out of the desert - that when the futuristic technology did show up, it pulled me right out of the story.

I did end up enjoying the characters, although Leo was by far and away the most interesting one. And the slow burn romance did indeed slow burn. However, I feel like this is one more entry in the author category of "I confused incoherence for complexity." The character's decisions didn't always make sense, the heel turn of one character I think was supposed to be a surprise, but it just read as disjointed.

That being said, I have pre-ordered a physical copy and will likely check out the other books in the trilogy, if only to see what happens. This is definitely an Act 1 of a longer story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

2.5/5 stars.

I cannot begin to fathom why this book is currently rated 3.75⭐️! I did see that a new publishing house is releasing this under The Phoenix King so maybe there was some significant editing going on? Either way….
This was wonderful! Literal mouth drop at the end! Excuse me?!? What is happening? The language, world building, characterization, and vivid descriptions took me on such an enjoyable ride. What does this mean for Elena? Are they going to be her captor or savior? So she’s probably NOT what I thought she was, she’s one of another 3. Yassen? Oh sweet, gorgeous, brave Yassen. What are you?
I know these characters stories aren’t over- they have so much more work to do!
This is, hands down, one of the greatest eARCs I have ever had the pleasure of reading on NetGalley! This was given to me in exchange for my unbiased opinion. Thank you so much to the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read/review this epic tale.