First, thank you Orbit, Netgalley, and Aparna Verma for the eARC! These are my honest opinions.

Now, let me take a deep breath and hope that this makes sense…

Before I even read this book I KNEW I was going to love it!! I am a sucker for elemental magic. And an assassin who wants freedom. And political agendas. All of that mixed with a forbidden romance and some sci-fi sprinkled in and its a GO for me!! The connections to Indian mythology and Hinduism were fascinating. And I need MORE!

My only complaint is the pacing but for a debut novel this was phenomenal! And the romance was lacking a bit but that may just be a personal thing.

I will be posting my review publicly, on my social media platforms as well as Goodreads, the closer we get to release day!

Thank you to Orbit Books and Netgalley for access to the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Genre: Sci-Fantasy with Romance

Comp titles: If you want the female rage of The Poppy War by RF Kuang and the desert magic of Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri

Setting: majority happens in the desert Kingdom of Ravence

POVs: Yassen, Elena, Leo

In the prologue, we see Yassen, who works for the criminal organization called the Arohassin. He was told that if he successfully completed his mission--one more assassination--then he could walk away free. He fails.

Meanwhile, Princess Elena anticipates ascending the Fire Throne of Ravence as she turns 25. She has a problem: the sitting ruler must be able to control the Eternal Fire without being burned. Elena cannot control it, and her father won't tell her how to do it. King Leo also encourages her to marry Samson Kytuu, the leader of a mercenary organization, who will help protect Ravence from its threatening neighbor kingdom, Jantar. Samson brings his childhood friend, Yassen, with him to Palace Hill.

I found the religion, magic, and lore well-developed, interesting, and integral to the plot. The Ravence royal family holds the Fire Throne by promoting the Phoenix goddess' religion. King Leo's perspective blends together a personal story of troubled faith, as well as a monarch's manipulation of religion for power and control. The last story arc follows Leo as he learns from the Phoenix Order (religious sect of priests) that the Seventh Prophet is coming and will bring destruction upon all, including Ravence. This religious/prophetic elements brings an unwieldy element of fate to the plot that adds to all of the preexisting interpersonal and international conflicts.

Besides the interesting worldbuilding, I found the interpersonal relationships to be the main strength of the story. All relationships are troubled and tested due to external agitants. Where does each character's loyalties lie? Verma creates a complex world with nuanced characters who are not hyperfocused conveniently on one thing but instead have to contend with their allegiances to friends, family, religion, morality, and country.

The romance simmers at the fringes of the story until near the end but is well executed. I think this particular book 1 could have done without the romance but can see how the romance might present interesting developments later in the series. As it is, I saw the romance done organically. If not a true love situation, it still makes sense, as the characters face incredible stressors and need a haven for safety and comfort.

Read for a very polished fantasy novel with compelling characters, interesting worldbuilding, and solid writing!

The Phoenix King is a debut fantasy novel with sci-fi elements that follows a soon-to-be queen, Elena, fighting to achieve her throne and simultaneously help the people of Ravence, the current king, Leo, who wants to protect the throne, and an assassin, Yassen, who ultimately wants to be free. All this while the kingdom of Ravence deals with both internal conflict between classes and external threats from neighboring nations.

As someone who loves a great prologue, this book delivered. I was immediately pulled into the story and was intrigued by what would happen next to the featured character. The first few chapters really set-up some of the overarching conflict well, but more on that later.

What I enjoyed most about this book was the world-building and the author's ability to write characters who are dynamic and complex. Elena, in particular, really grew into a better understanding of herself, her perception of duty, and what it would mean to fulfill that duty across the course story. The characters weren't afraid to act even knowing the likely consequences.

With regard to the world-building, I wasn't necessarily expecting the more modern/sci-fi elements to going in. That being said, all of these elements fit into the story well and created a world that felt interesting and unique. It was easy to picture the various settings (who doesn't want to eat a cloud cookie with a cup of tea after reading this?) and understand the dynamics at play both within the country of Ravence as well as the conflict with boarding nation of Jantar.

I will say that the pacing was a bit varied with the opening feeling quite fast paced followed by a slowing through most of the midsection with a rapid pick-up in speed again toward the end. I didn't mind this as I enjoy books that have slower paced sections that really explore the world and characters.

If you enjoy books with characters who are unafraid to make unpopular or "bad" decisions to serve an ultimate goal, a fascinating, futuristic fantasy world that is inspired by India and Hindu mythology, and an exploration of interesting political conflicts, this book might just be for you.

Reasons I picked up this book:
• I live in Phoenix
• It’s so hot here
• Elemental magic (fire)
• I’m a sucker for anything with royalty

Reasons you should pick up this book:
• Pyro Powers in a Sci-Fi world
• Hidden political agendas
• Forbidden romance
• A book that feels like a whole TV series

Phoenix King is a beautiful Sci-Fi Fantasy debut novel from Aparna Verma! Elena is the heir to the throne, destined to replace her father as king on her 25th birthday. Her father and the throne belong to a long line of Fire Dwellers, and Elena is the only one who does not have this power. Can she learn to control the fire before her coronation?

Desperately trying to establish a more secure future for his daughter, King Leo calls forth suitors to strengthen her rule (this part totally gave me Princess Jasmine vibes, but only if Jasmine was also trained like Arya Stark, and her dad could control an inferno).

Samson and Yassan are old friends who have reunited to bring an army under Samson’s command to offer the young Queen. Yassan is an assassin on the run and works as Elena’s bodyguard. Can man with no country, no loyalty, and nowhere to go be trusted?

The twist at the end was highly surprising and does increase my desire to find out what will happen next in the next books!
My only criticism might be personal, but I felt like there were tons of places the book could have ended and found myself confused that there were still hundreds of pages left. If made into a TV show, I assume this would be ideal!
Thank you to NetGalley, Orbit, and the author Aparna Verma for the eARC in exchange for a review!

Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

The premise to this book was very interesting with a powerless heir and a suspicious assassin.
The fantasy, sci-fi technology intertwined into the story were very intriguing. The story was also brimming with Indian-inspired mythology. Both made for an enticing read.

I found the pacing to be a little off but considering this is a debut, there is always room for that being improved in the next one.

I don't have strong feelings either way about this book but I am interested enough to see what happens in the next one.

I truly don’t know where to start...

I was crazy excited about this one! I went into this book already knowing a little bit about the story (thank you TikTok) and had massive expectations. From the first video the author posted, I fell in love with the idea of such an intricate world and addicting story. And boy I was not disappointed.

The writing was simply SPECTACULAR! It reminded me of R. F. Kuang's writing style! There was such a mastery behind every word written, you can feel the intent of the author, and the madness of some characters. I'm still processing everything and all my feelings toward this book.

I believe my favorite aspect of this fantasy was how political it was. The mix of an heir who can't wild her family magic and an ex-assassin fighting for his freedom in a kingdom on the brink of war made for an extremely intricate plot!

There was such deepness to every character in this book, they all had their arcs and we're important to the plot. I can't wait to see where the next one will take us. I cannot describe why exactly but this truly gave me the vibe of a YA dystopian romantasy, the ones I used to love so much in middle school.

Honestly, I loved every bit of this book! Five stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4.5 out of 5 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for selecting me to be an eARC reader in exchange for a fair and honest review! Spoiler warning ahead.
Personally - I am obsessed with this book. While there are some flaws which I will take time to talk about, I think overall, as a debut novel, this book lives up to the hype that the author has generated around it.

Let's start with the good:
- The plot overall was very compelling. I liked seeing the complex world building that went into this book and it is very clear that the author loves the world that she has built around this world. The plot twist that was at the end of this book had my jaw on the floor. She did a great job of making this a believable plot.

- The setting. Now as a fan of fantasy, I rarely do see books that are fantasy focused that put fantasy in a futuristic setting. Usually authors fall into the same habit of making fantasy more historic BUT she went out on a limb and made this a futuristic fantasy. My first thought when I read the prologue was "Oh! This is like Juno Steel!" and honestly - I'm glad that vibe NEVER went away.

- The characters. Each of the characters in this book are compelling in their own right. I loved reading Leo's point of view and seeing how he contrasted to Elena. How Samson and Yassian had intertwined histories. I loved Ferma with all my heart - she's the best character and I will be having words with the author about what happened with her. They all felt likable. Even Leo with all his faults felt rounded out. The cast was diverse and unique. I feared seeing this book on Instagram and TikTok would make it fall into the normal booktok book stereotypes but it doesn't! It actually doesn't! They're all different and Elena is 25! She's an adult! That was so nice to see. Also Yassian's struggles with chronic pain and his disability was incredibly well done and I applaud the research and the time taken to look into it.

Now, unfortunately, the bad:
- The romance. The romance fell flat for me. I would have liked to see more stolen moments between Yassian and Elena. It just felt like it just appeared and that took a lot of the felling for the relationship out of it. I think they're cute but I was riding the Samson and Elena relationship train for a HOT minute. I would have just liked to see them more together. In my opinion - it's not an enemies to lovers, it's more of a body guard romance where the guard falls in love with the person he's guarding. That is fine - just next time, say that and don't pitch it as enemies to lovers cause that actually turned me off of that.

-The ending. I know its wrong to judge a book on it's ending. It was good don't get me wrong I loved the twist. BUT I don't like how it left me hanging and just sitting there. I want more of this book. I think she shot herself in the foot with the epilogue. If that wasn't there - then this point wouldn't matter.

Overall - this was a great book. It was full of love and passion and I love it.

This is one of those books that you need to stick with...

The beginning of the book is slow paced, but still has beautiful writing and prose. I had seen on tik tok that it was a mixture of Dune and the poppy wars. I would say I do agree with that in the sense that while it has a sci-fi futuristic element to it that is not central to the plot. The book is about old families, with old traditions, it is about lore and religion and the destruction and power those beliefs can wield.

Eleana was fascinating from the get go. Often you will find subservient princess, especially when it involves devout religions, but she was far from that. She was a strong powerful character who wanted a better future, but didn't know how far she was willing to go to achieve it.

All of the characters felt real, no one was perfect, they all had flaws. I do wish they had been more developed out, but with this being the first in a series and there being flashbacks. I don't think we have heard the last about their histories.

I really enjoyed this debut novel and am awaiting the follow up to continue the story!

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit Books for allowing me to review this book! I will post review to social media and good reads 2 weeks prior to publication per Orbit Books request.

This book was originally self-published as “The Boy With Fire” before it was picked up by Orbit to be traditionally published under this new title. As such, it already has a fairly devoted fan base who really loved it and, I’m sure, were very excited to get this new version of the book. For me, I hadn’t heard of the book originally, but was excited to check it out, not only due to the hype of previous fans, but because the synopsis sounds right up my alley. I obviously really loved “The Poppy Wars,” so any comparison there is a good sign. And then I was also intrigued by its connections to Hinduism and Indian mythology.

But, while the book overall did have positives, I found myself struggling to read it. Before I get into any of the negatives, I do want to talk about the aspects of the book that I appreciated. For one thing, the writing was very evocative and strong. This very much read as an author who has a firm grip on their own voice and style. The plot moves smoothly (if slowly) and the characterization is fairly solid. I also really liked the book’s depiction of religion and how it is explored throughout the story. While I don’t have a strong knowledge of Hinduism, I liked what we saw here with how it was applied to this fantasy world. As far as world-building goes, I also liked the general idea of mixing fantasy and sci-fi elements into one story.

However, while these all were strengths of the story, my actual experience of reading the book felt like a slog. I think a lot of this has to do with pacing. This book is not short and it takes a long time for any real action to begin. However, at the same time, some of the information is presented in a way that feels rushed or under-explained. The pacing wasn’t helped by the multiple POVs that make up the story. There are many challenges of writing a successful multi-POV novel. The one I’ve most often talked about is the difficulty of writing voices and characters that feel distinct from one another and who have enough of an arch to justify their own page time. But another challenge is the fact that switches in POV can disrupt the pace, and I think that was one of my struggles here.

My second real sticking point was with the characters. I feel like I’ve been running into this problem a lot with some of the recent adult fantasy novels I’ve read lately, but, again, the female POV character, Elena, read much closer to a YA heroine than an adult. Again, no shade on YA heroines, but if a book is billed as an adult fantasy, I expect the adult characters to be going through arcs and challenges that would be typical of that age group. Instead, we see a lot of naivety and a coming-of-age story from Elena, themes which are much more in line with a YA storyline.

For his part, Yassan was more interesting to me, but I did end up becoming quite frustrated with a reveal we get towards the end of the book. I won’t spoil what it was, but it was the kind of reveal that made the fact that we had been in Yassan’s head for large chunks of this book suddenly feel disingenuous. Yassan is not aware that he’s a character in a book and needs to hold back certain information for climatic purposes later in the story. It makes zero sense that he wouldn’t refer to these things in his own inner thoughts, so when it’s later revealed, it’s like a dash of cold water to the reader’s face, casting you out of the reading experience.

Similarly, I didn’t really buy the love story between these two. It wasn’t objectively bad, but I didn’t feel any chemistry between then, and was generally not very invested in their romance. Overall, this was a disappointing read. It definitely has strengths, and I’m sure it will resonate with some readers. Unfortunately, it just didn’t hit right for me.

Rating 7: While the writing is solid and I enjoyed the themes around religion, I struggled to connect with the characters in this one..

(Link will go live Aug 30)

I would like to thank Orbit and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

In this book, we follow Elena, the crown princess of Ravence, as she prepares for her coronation as queen. She has one big secret though: she is unable to wield her family's fire magic. She does whatever she can to learn to wield it, as she feels she'll gain respect as queen if she has the power to handle and control fire.

This book has an excellent enemies-to-lovers trope, as well as great world building and excellent fast paced action scenes. For example, I really enjoyed the setting of the desert, especially at night, when I can see the sand dunes underneath a brilliant starry sky. There's also an element of intrigue and mystery, as we follow Leo as he tries to discover the prophet's identity throughout the story.

I do have one criticism: Yassen's arm. The story goes on and on about it, but I haven't found any point to it. It was getting to the point that I was getting a little frustrated about it.

As for reading difficulty, I would rate this an excellent book for intermediate readers, as the book is multiple POV throughout. There's also quite a bit of violence, though I haven't found it to be too graphic or too gruesome.

If you enjoyed books like the Poppy War, you would enjoy the Phoenix King. Highly recommend!

If you know me, you know that I will give a book five stars because it has five star vibes. This book fits that description perfectly. Were there a few moments that felt a little dragged out? Sure. Did the beginning feel like information overload and a lot of world building to take in all at once? Also sure. But did I have a great time? Absolutely.

I loved the third person multi POV that rotated between the characters. It was interesting to see how characters were introduced to information that other characters (and the reader) already knew. AND THE TWISTS. This writing did a great job of planting enough seeds that the reader is able to “guess” a few of the plot points, but it left out enough pieces that the bigger reveals are still shocking! I also appreciated that even though there are definitely “bad guys”, most of the characters fall into the gray area. Each character has deeper motivation, hopes and goals, and you find yourself emphasizing with them even if you don’t agree with what they’re doing. This gave a depth to the characters that can often be missing in ya fantasies where the “villains” (who aren’t love interests) can seem to be one dimensional.

What really gave this book five stars for me was THE ENDING. Y’ALL. It’s not a cliffhanger which is so refreshing! (Or at least it didn’t feel like a cliff hanger to me.) But this ending was done so well, that even without a cliffhanger, I am dying to see what happens next and can’t wait for the rest of this series! 🎉

(Sidenote: there’s a little scene that could be considered a little spicy (1/2 pepper maybe) if you don’t read spice- but it is easily skippable!)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ✨

Many thanks to Netgalley, Orbit, and Aparna Verma for providing me with an ARC in exchange for honest feedback.

I enjoyed this book so much, it’s a rare 5 stars from me. Seriously, I was so worried it wouldn’t hold up all the way to the end because as a former editor I notice wobbles all the time, but I really loved it and already recommended it to a few friends.

The world is an interesting mix of fantasy and sci-fi. The sci-fi elements caught me by surprise but added a fresh touch. There are also Indian elements infused into the setting, inspired by the author’s heritage. It’s pretty epic, especially the reference to Kali Ma which I saw the author was inspired by.

For a book that promised complex adult characters, it really delivered. Everyone felt real and I loved them in different ways. The author explores the heavy responsibilities that comes with serving a country without making explicit commentary, instead letting the characters explore the nuances which I immensely appreciated. It impressed me that the political conflict wasn’t thinly veiled news, which I am frequently disappointed with nowadays because I come to books for escapism. The characters give it their all and are well-rounded with their flaws and vulnerabilities. A no point did I stop and think something was too dramatic or cliche.

The writing here is impeccable and immersive. Verma is definitely an author to watch—her intelligence and deep understanding of people are clear on the page. Much of the book is dedicated to exploring grief, and for someone who never gets too emotional over entertainment, a certain scene had me bawling my eyes out in bed. I wish the full series was out so I can binge it all to see how everyone heals at the end. That and more lore, which I loved learning about throughout.

The epilogue twist was SO GOOD! Go read it to see what I’m talking about. I can’t wait for the sequel!

The Phoenix King by Aparna Verma is a mesmerizing fantasy novel with a rich setting, complex plot, and well-developed characters. Set in the Ravani kingdom, the story follows Elena Aadya Ravence, the heir to the throne currently held by her father Leo, and Yassen Knight, a notorious assassin who claims loyalty to the crown. As war threatens, their dangerous dance of intrigue and betrayal unfolds.

Verma's world-building paints a vivid picture of the Ravani kingdom, its shifting sands, and political intricacies. The plot weaves together political machinations, hidden agendas, and a touch of forbidden romance, keeping readers captivated. The characters, particularly Leo and Yassen, are multi-dimensional and compelling.

While the book excels in many areas, it occasionally relies on info-dumping rather than organic discovery. Despite this minor drawback, The Phoenix King is a spellbinding tale that immerses readers in a world of magic and suspense. Fans of fantasy will be enthralled by this captivating story.

This is by no means an offensively bad book, but I never found myself immersed in the story.

My main complaint with this book was that I spent most of it bored. I didn't feel as if anything happened. The characters felt passive in their own story. Verma was going for the morally gray, conflicted types, but only one of them even came close.

I believe this author has potential, but her debut did not click with me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit Books for this digital arc! The Phoenix King comes out on August 29, 2023, and it's perfect for fans looking for a diverse twist on Game of Thrones.

To be honest, I went into this book expecting it to lean more towards romantasy. Imagine my surprise when I was immediately hit with complex, war-mongering politics, a sci-fi bent, and POVs outside the two main love interests. This did make it a bit harder to get into the book, as I kept waiting for the love interests to interact and spark a connection. But I can firmly tell you that romance takes a backseat to the court machinations and religious differences highlighted in this book.

Aparna Verma did a phenomenal job fleshing out this world. We understand how multiple nations engage with one another, how different religions were formed, and what that means for our three protagonists. But the book's best moments were by far the vulnerable character-driven scenes. I connected to both Leo and Elena much more when they talked about Aahnah. While I wanted to connect with Yassen, something about him made it more difficult to empathize right away.

While I'm intrigued and want to know more about what happens in Book 2, I really hope we see more connections with and between characters. Aside from that, I really enjoyed the book! The twists were well-done, the action kept me on the edge of my seat, and the court intrigue made me think about the morall-grey decisions our characters had to make.

Make sure you preorder or pick up The Phoenix King on August 29!

The Phoenix King is an action-packed and captivating fantasy debut. Elena is the crown princess in the kingdom of Ravence, whose rulers are legendary for controlling the Eternal Fire- except she can’t wield it yet. If she can’t control her powers on the day of her coronation, she will not be accepted by her subjects. When the former assassin Yassen is added to her guard, Elena is suspicious. To secure an alliance, Elena agrees to marry Yassen’s friend Samson. Elena will have to accept his help and the alliances that come with it in order to survive the war looming on the horizon. Meanwhile, Elena’s father schemes behind the scenes to protect the kingdom. What type of queen will Elena be when she is put to the test?

The Phoenix King is filled with high-stakes politics, dangerous magical powers, and morally gray characters. Yassen and Elena are compelling characters as they fight for their goals. Elena is a fierce and strong character who has had the goal of becoming queen her entire life. Yassen is a morally gray character who has been forced into unthinkable choices. I am so curious to see more of their relationship explored in future books! Elena’s journey to harnessing her powers is long and difficult. I enjoyed learning more about her mother’s journey and what led her to make the choices that she did. I also really liked Ferma’s powers and how she was able to use her hair during a fight. There is an incredibly detailed amount of world-building happening in this book. Readers who enjoyed Kaikeyi (Vaishnavi Patel), The Jasmine Throne (Tasha Suri), and The Jasad Heir (Sara Hashem) will love this book. I’m looking forward to the sequel!

Thank you to Aparna Verma, Orbit Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc

It's a time of transition for Ravence. Elena is set to be coronated as the new queen when her father steps down. In the background of preparation for this transition, the country is at war with another as well as there being turmoil within the country as power struggles and corrupt parties come into play.
One of the things that is most special about this book is that there is a creative and yet extremely well-executed combination of futuristic technology as well as a setting that draws heavy inspiration from Ancient India. While these don't necessarily seem like they would go together, it never feels out of place and the way in which these aspects work together is imaginative and helps set the tone for the story.
All of our main characters are extremely multi-dimensional. They are working for what they believe is right, but are also caught up in what is possible at the moment and working with what they have; which sometimes leads to bad decisions that have a domino effect of ramifications. The character growth as our characters work to be the best they can be while fighting the forces that are harming the kingdom is amazing. They learn the hard way that they can't always act in the best interest of individuals as well as the best interest of the kingdom. This is an absolutely amazing debut novel, and I cannot wait to see where the journey continues from here for our characters!

The Phoenix King is a blend of fantasy and sci-fi in a complex, war-torn world. I liked the author’s descriptive writing style and the use of mythology and prophecy. I struggled to get into this book because of the slow pacing, overall it’s uneventful. The characters also fell flat for me. Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the ARC.

“The Phoenix King” is a previously self-published novel that was picked up by a traditional publisher, and I can see why.

This is epic, Desi-inspired space fantasy a little heavy on the worldbuilding for my preferences but I stayed for the characters. Elena is a queen in waiting of a kingdom in which the people worship the Eternal Fire, but she is unable to wield the deadly fire magic that is her family’s divine right.

At first I thought Elena was going to turn into a trope I find tiresome, the naive, idealistic female ruler manipulated by those around her who finds her power, but Elena was different and complex, even though there were whispers of that. Elena was also a fighter, trained to be ruthless, her father’s daughter.

Before her coronation, she is betrothed to a mercenary whose army her father wants to start distracting wars with the neighboring Jantari, but the political intrigues go deeper than any of them realize. The mercenary, Samson, brings his brother in arms, Yassen, an assassin and hired gun full of shifting allegiances and a tragic past. A love triangle ensues, Yassen falling for Elena in a sweet slow-burn romance, and Samson still in love with Yassen.

Amid this, Elena’s father begins a bloodthirsty search for a Prophet that will burn them all.

I loved the long arc of the romance between Yassen and Elena, and the sad, broken boys that were Yassen and Samson. Even the villain of the story, Elena’s father, was complex in his love for Elena’s late mother and their daughter.

This is a story of love, the responsibility and sacrifice of leadership, power and betrayal, and the writing style was vivid and engaging throughout. Together with a thrilling, well-crafted story, the characters made this book sing.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was an interesting read. I definitely liked it a lot but I don't know if I loved it. Yassen and Elena were really well-written characters - morally grey with multiple shades and layers
SciFi world with Fantasy elements

I'm waiting for book 2 now