What a debut! I cannot wait to see how this series turns out. I’m so glad that it was an epic fantasy. Instead of young adult, this was such a great layered story.

I LOVED THIS SO MUCH. The characters, the plot, the world, the writing were all amazing. I loved how the author blended fantasy and sci fi elements together, coupled with Indian mythology, to create an explosively compelling world. I need to read the sequel right now. Also, the slow burn romance was everything I hoped it would be.

What’s a cross between Avatar: the Last Airbender, Priory of the Orange Tree (but like 500 pages less), Iron Widow, Dune, okay I could keep listing but good aspects from those..!

It's The Phoenix King! Which of course is a lot more than just those little reminiscences.

This is an ARC I kept putting off reading because I was looking forward to it a lot and I wasn't disappointed. We have an Indian-inspired universe with a to-be queen, assassins, fire magic, political intrigue, cool lore and mythology, and the first in a trilogy? Let's go.

I did this book the disservice of putting it down for like three months as I got overwhelmed by other things, but it wasn't hard to pick back up again and even though it was a hefty boy at 500+ pages a lot was integral to the worldbuilding and understanding, even if the last few chapters and epilogue were a sort of, "this is going to lead directly into the next book" and not a proper end... which is unfortunately more common these days with series books.

I'm going to keep up with the series and want to see where it's headed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the eARC in exchange for review.

A stunning debut from Aparna Verma, I was quickly drawn into heir to the throne Elena Aadya's story. Like the start of a flame, the story begins slowly but builds up, engulfing your imagination with Elena's journey to the throne and to the ability to hold flames. A unique magic and characters you love, The Phoenix King was a fun ride from beginning to finish. My only frustration is that I have to wait for the next installment!

The Phoenix King is the first book in an Indian inspired sci-fantasy. It follows a princess about to ascend to the throne, her father the king, and an assassin.

I struggled through the first 10-20% of this book. I haven’t read many sci-fantasy books, and the constant mention of technology was pulling me out of the story. This book feels like a fantasy. We have kingdoms, royalty, magic, and prophecy, which are all common fantasy tropes. We also have guns, hoverpods, holopods, pulse weapons, and slingswords. My brain had trouble mashing these two things together. However, I did start to enjoy the story after I got used to the genre mashup.

There is a romance in this book, but it doesn’t take over the plot. The main storyline is about Elena, heir to the throne, preparing to ascend the throne and learn to wield her family’s magic.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

I really, really tried with this one, and there are a lot of fantastic ideas here, but the bland characters and weak prose just couldn’t salvage it for me.

(3/5 stars) I have genuinely tried to get into this book multiple times (both ebook and audiobook) and I am coming to terms with the fact that this book is not for me (with the caveat that if I came back to this when my mood was different or my mental capacity was broader I would probably love it). It has everything I typically love (high fantasy, political intrigue, the slowest of slow burns, intriguing characters, lush setting, etc.) so honestly I'm blaming the inability to finish on myself and not on the book.

Oh my god! When does book two come out??

Phoenix King is very much a political fantasy with many people having their own motivations and goals for the kingdom of Ravence. We have three main perspectives - Yassen, the former assassin who only wants to be free, Leo, the current king of Ravence doing what he thinks is best for the kingdom even as his actions bring devastation, and Elena, the heir who wants to make a better kingdom than her father’s. There are also incredible side characters in Ferma, Elena’s bodyguard and friend, and Samson, Yassen’s friend from his early assassin days and Elena’s betrothed. This is also very much a story where goodness is relative and because of the nuanced motivations, it’s hard to consider any of the characters wholly good.

I really loved the magic and mythology and the weaving through of ancient texts to clarify motivations and how Ravence came to this point. I was so sure I knew who the Prophet was even as there was no concrete evidence. The ending has me absolutely screaming because I need to know what happens next.

If you’re a fan of political fantasy and characters who do terrible things in the name of their goals and wishing for a better world, you absolutely should pick this book up!

Loved the world building, the characters and the unique science fantasy. I was little confused about the science-y aspect of it combined with the fantasy elements, but after a few hours of listening, it started to grow on me. Such a unique take on the genre!

Looking forward to book 2!

Thank you, NetGalley and Orbit books!
Unfortunately, this book ended up not being for me. I found it hard to get into the store with the writing style and repetitive moments. I loved the premise of this story, but the execution struggled. The mix of fantasy magic world with random unexplained tech never meshed well and felt out of place throughout the story. It pulled me out of the story every time, as it felt very random that there were guns and holopods.
The prose was also pretty repetitive. There were multiple examples of paragraphs being almost exact. The amount of times someone was hungry but couldn't possibly eat despite the lavish and vast amount of food was high. There was also a fair amount of modern slang and phrases scattered throughout the book that felt very out of place.
Elena and Leo as a character I didn't mind but almost all the other characters felt very flat, especially Yessan. He constantly flip-flopped with what he was doing or thinking, and a lot of his motivations didn't make sense. The romance didn't work at all for me, and felt forced for the plot. There was no chemistry, and I think it would have been better if there was no romance.
There definitely where parts I got more engrossed and wanted to know what happened, but I was ultimately taken out of the story every time. I really wanted to love this story but I just had too many issues.

A man desperate for freedom... a father trying to protect his legacy... a daughter trying to master fire and a man out for revenge... All of them together make for an explosive coronation...

Elena is on weeks away from being crowned queen which would be great if not for her inability to control fire like her ancestors before her. She thinks her father won’t teach her because he doesn’t want to give up his power as king but the truth is little more complicated. Fire demands sacrifice and the cost is too high something Leo knows from experience. Due to a variety of threats against Elena he ends up hiring an infamous assassin to protect her while simultaneously hunting down members of his former terrorist organization. Being a guard isn’t exactly easy for Yassen, especially when his princess has her own secrets and plans going on. But his friend offered him this job as a way to escape his former life and finally grab the freedom he’s been so desperate for. Samson is a man who has completely changed his own life but wants revenge against those that oppressed his people. Aligning himself with Leo and Elena makes the most sense to him so does becoming her king.
The lead up to coronation day is rather disasterous with chaos and bloodshed. What’s worse is that the day does not go as planned leaving Elena and Yassen on the run. Now armed with her fire and secrets from her family’s past Elena is determined to protect her people from their enemies and burn anyone who gets in her way...

I really liked this book and I NEED to know what happens next. Some things Elena did were a bit naive but her heart was always in the right place. Yassen make you want to like him even when maybe you know you shouldn’t. The things Leo did... completely insane and so unnecessary and Samson is definitely an interesting person I want to know more about. I also really loved Ferma. Can’t wait till the next book comes out!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for access to the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A King, an heir, a disgraced assassin - all are prophesied to burn.

The Phoenix King is an epic high fantasy inspired by indian myth, and is a story of redemption as much as it is a story of power.

Elena Aadya Ravence is due to inherit the crown, but she cannot wield the eternal flame and cannot rule without it. Her father Leo, the King, is not ready to step down, and power hungry as he is, will do everything in his power to secure his rule. Threatening his plans is Yassan Knight, a disgraced assassin who bears the pains and burns of his past, who wants nothing else to return to a home that no longer welcomes him.

The way I am obsessed with this book and would kill for the sequel already

I loved everything about this book. As an epic fantasy, the world building is slow but deliberate, and the author takes great care in creating her kingdom and the cultures represented within. The history, lore and people of this kingdom felt so real to me, which is a credit to the author and a real talent. My issue with epic fantasy is that the plot can sometimes feel a bit dragged, but this did not suffer from that. Not once. Every plot point, character interaction and scene felt intentional and by the end it all cumulates to a very satisfying ending that fits the story's progression. So often fantasy falls apart once you undo it’s stitching, but not this. This was masterfully, expertly written, and I praise Aparna Verma for her work here.

A great story with fantasy and romance! This is the year for diversity in books! It's a thick book, but worth the read!

📚 Enemies to Lovers
📚 Badass FMC
📚 Slowburn Romance
📚 Multi POV
📚 Fantasy

4/5 stars, this was a really fun fantasy that kept me on my toes

Thank you to Orbit Books for the physical arc and arc through netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

Phoenixes are my absolute favorite mythical creatures and I always love seeing how fantasy authors create a space for them in their world. While initially, I expected there to be more representation of phoenixes in this world, I honestly think the story ended up better with the mystery surrounding the creature/god. The mystery of the phoenix god and a prophecy coming about really drove the story forward and I loved how thrilling this was. The Ravani Kingdom was a great place to have this story I think as well, especially as it was so isolated from other kingdoms and allowed for more questions about what was happening, especially as rebellion was an important part of the story as well. However, I think the plot did slow down a bit at times, and was a thick book, but I still really enjoyed the story overall. I loved the worldbuilding too, I haven't read a lot of books with India-inspired worldbuilding and so that's something I value reading about.

The main character Elena was so much fun to read about, especially her character growth and how she evolved throughout the story. She was always determined, but seeing how this changed as she came into her powers was so fun, as I think she will have even more of a great evolution in the second book. Yassen was also very interesting, especially with how his complicated past came into play with both his relationship with the kingdom and Elena. Samson and Ferma are side characters, linked to both Elena and Yassen, who are super interesting too and I think elevate the story. I loved them both a lot, but especially Ferma and how much she loved Elena, but also how cool she was by herself. Her hair is made of metal and she can use it to take people down and I loved that. Alongside all these characters, being able to see into the king's mind and see how he's influencing the story was a really good choice in my opinion.

The characters within the story were my favorite part, but the romance was a little lacking for me. I didn't completely feel the connection between Elena and Yassen even as the story progressed. I think that I enjoyed seeing how they came to be friends, but the possible romance was pushed a little too early for me. I do think that they will be an interesting couple and I'm not against it, but I think more slow burn and connection would be beneficial for them in the next book.

[TW: blood and gore, murder, burns and scarring, war themes]

An explosive new science fantasy that critiques systems of power, Verma’s The Phoenix King is also a testament to her skill as a wordsmith and writer to build compelling characters who take your heart in their hands.
What I first noticed about The Phoenix King is its expansive worldbuilding, and it was very clear the author had put a lot of thought into setting up the world so the pieces fell neatly into place. From the Yumi whose hair turns to blades to the economics of kingdoms that lead to war, The Phoenix King’s worldbuilding is deeply rooted and would be a treat to fans of Sanderson and Bardugo.

I also really appreciated the multi-POV narrative, which added layers to the story. Elena’s quest for power as the only Ravence who cannot wield the legendary flames means that she goes up against her revered father, Leo–who is a tyrant king obsessed with holding on to power. Instead of turning him into a mustache-twirling villain, Verma portrays him with complexity; you learn about him even as you are horrified at his choices as he walks the fine line between duty and obsession.

Yassen and Elena are incredible characters themselves. In the book marketing world where the trope ‘enemies to lovers’ has almost lost meaning, The Phoenix King’s main ship felt like a breath of fresh air; here was the trope finally done right.

Overall, The Phoenix King is an impressive debut from an exciting new voice in fantasy.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

I really, really enjoyed this one! Aparna Verma has a strong voice and creates an interesting world, captivating lore, and realistic characters in this stunning debut fantasy novel. I love the multi-POV design of the story and how each gives such a unique perspective on the same situation.

Elena is my favorite kind of main character - she's flawed but intelligent and driven and strong. The fact that she isn't perfect but strives to make the best choices she can, for her people above all else, is what makes her realistic in a setting with unbelievable magic and powers. She's a badass - a frustrating badass that I want to strangle sometimes, but an inspiring, complicated, well-written badass that you'll cheer for all the same.

Yassen is the perfect morally-grey, conflicted main character that you never really know if you can trust. His motivations are rarely clear, but I loved getting inside his head along the way.

Leo is just....god I wanted to hate him but I loved him for how interesting and different he was. He wasn't the young hero, he is the aging and grieving king just doing his best to protect his daughter and his nation using his experiences. His experience was hard won, with very little guidance, so while his choices are suspect at best, I really enjoyed his POV.

The epilogue POV....I really hope we get to keep that in the sequel! I need more information for sure and I think it would be a really great voice to hear more from.

Overall, this was a fantastic addition to the fantasy genre. I haven't read much Indian-inspired fantasy but this one had me hooked - Verma is an excellent writer and while it wasn't perfect, it was a very enjoyable read and had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. The pacing was good, the writing was strong, and the elements were all there to create a brilliant series.

Highly recommend and can't wait for more!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review
4/5
The Boy with Fire is a stunning debut novel filled with political intrigue, religious cults, mythology, and an intriguing cast of characters. The story is mostly told through three POVs: Elena, the future queen of Ravence who is seeking to maintain peace in her future kingdom, Leo, the current king and Elena's father who rules using brute force to maintain peace, and Yassen, a known traitor to the kingdom of Ravence who has been working for the rebel groups to undermine Ravence's monarchy. Together they weave a tale about the political landscape of the kingdom, and how each character seeks to reach their political ends. However, a religious cult predicts the reincarnation of the Phoenix god, a vengeful god that is consumed by wrath and destruction, which may change the fate of the Ravence kingdom. This was an excellent debut, as there are so many moving parts to this story but it never felt overwhelming. I enjoyed the care the author took in crafting her characters so that they were all interesting and had me hooked from the beginning. There's a lot of creativity in the different races of people in the book, I found the Yumi especially intriguing and hope we can learn more.
Additionally, I thought the world-building was very solid and immersive, I think the author did a great job of weaving together a high-fantasy setting with some futuristic technologies we often don't see in high fantasy. My biggest and probably only gripe with the book was the first part of the book was a bit confusing and difficult to get through. The readers are given the names of the different kingdoms and political entities crucial to the story, however, we aren't given enough information about each group. As the book goes on, it becomes clearer, but it took powering through the confusion in the first bit to fully understand the context. I really enjoyed watching the chemistry between characters change as people betray one another or get betrayed, and the ending had me SCREAMING. This book was truly a pleasure to read and I'm honestly shocked that it is a debut novel considering how well-crafted it is. I will be eagerly counting down the days until the sequel and will also be following future works by the author with great interest.

Alright, so let's chat about the beginning of this book. At first, there was sci-fi twist waiting for me. But once I wrapped my head around it, the world-building got tenfolds more fascinating! Politics + Fantasy + Sci-Fi + Romance and you get this book!

Characters: Yassen and Elena, now they're something special. They've got these strong personalities that just draw you in, and getting a sneak peek into their motivations and actions as the plot unfolds, is delightful - but like every book, there are some characters whose POVs you wait for and others that you wait for them to end.

Plot: It could be the writing style or how the chapters were set up but sometimes it was a little hard to follow. But you know what? I'm still totally on board for the rest of the series. And that ending caught me off guard - so it was completely worth it!

This was was mess. It definitely needs to go through another round of editing. I couldn’t keep up with the story. A lot of run-on sentences.