Heart of Night and Fire is by Nisha J. Tuli. The story follows Zarya, who has been living essentially in confinement with her “guardian” Row and his apprentice Aarav. Zarya is desperate for freedom and she gets her chance to escape when Row unexpectedly goes missing. Zarya and Aarav find themselves being taken to Dharati, a city trying to fight off a demonic blight, by Commander Vickram and Lt. Yasen. Readers see Zarya and Aarav settle in their new city and develop relationships with others along with learning more about themselves. Magic, will-they-won’t-they romance, and tense battles occur as readers progress through the story.

This is the first book I have read by this author, despite Trial of the Sun Queen being on my TBR for a while, and I really enjoyed it! It’s a very magical story with a strong female main character (which I love!) and such it has such tragically heartbreaking moments that I felt like the characters were all part of my friend group and I wanted to cry for them but also cheer them on. I kept wondering what would happen next in the plot and boy the last 10% or so sets up a GREAT second book (that I hope will be published soon). I love that Indian culture and mythology is woven into the story. I don’t have a physical copy but I just wanted to note how beautiful the cover art is! This would be a great addition for anyone’s bookshelf.

Thank you to NetGalley (@netgalley), the publisher (@secondskybooks) and the author (@nishajtwrites) for granting me a free copy of this book in return for an honest review. This book is expected to come out on September 15, 2023.

My enjoyment of this book started off super high and then began to drop… until I wanted it to end. I can only say it seemed to get to a lull as I was waiting for the action to happen and by the time it did happen I was just glad that meant I was at the end. But when the book ended I was left wondering what I missed. I know this review will sound so confusing. I wanted more action and development between Zarya and Rabin and Zarya and Vikram. It felt rushed and then it felt like we were moved from them too quickly. Then we get to the ending and I sensed the cliffhanger but I didn’t feel I was adequately prepared for it. I literally went back to previous chapters to see if I’d missed a key detail… overlooked a fact. I dunno. This one didn’t do it for me; as evident by this rambling review I’m leaving.

As always, a huge thank you to Netgalley, publisher, and author, for granting me early access to Heart of Night and Fire in exchange for an honest review!

This is my first time diving into the rich world of Nisha J. Tuli’s mind and dammit, why the heck have I not read her other books sooner!? This book was devoured in two sittings and enchanted my mind. I just wanted to melt into the book and into the main character’s skin. To be her, to be in her world, to see the colors she saw, to eat all the tasty food Nisha J. Tuli constantly dangled in front of me. I’ve spent time in Asia. I knew what some of those dishes were. Rabin wasn’t the only tasty morsel keeping me drooling.

Enough about the food. On to the book.

Writing Style: I’m in love. Nisha J. Tuli’s writing is rich, mystical, and enchanting. Her worlds are drawn from multiple South Asian cultures, mainly India, and she doesn’t hold back in ensuring the reader is not only fully immersed in this brilliant world of hers, but is also learning. Sure, I at the start of the story, I was googling what each article of clothing and weapon was, but it enriched the storytelling and dropped me deeper into this rich jewel of a world.

Characters: I’m in love. Or I want to be Zarya. I have no idea which one it is. But Zarya is everything I love in a female lead. She’s self-reliant. She’s headstrong to the point she does stupid things that she LEARNS from. She experiences life in such a full and brilliant manner that you can’t help but love her or want to be her. She’s beautifully written. Despite this being the first book in a series, she already comes with a bit of a character arc that is satisfying to read at the end.
Of the side characters, Yasen has to be my favorite. Cuz every strong lady needs her best gay friend to ogle guys with. Also I called it. Beautiful LGBT+ representation aside, Yasen’s own journey to learning to trust Zarya was incredibly well written. I love a good slow burn and to be honest, a friendship slow burn like what grows between Yasen and Zarya is wonderful to watch. It makes their bond feel stronger and even more real. He’s a grumpy curmudgeon and watching him come to call Zarya is second best friend was a joy to witness.

Plot: Oh my goodness, this plot is amazing. We’re yet to be introduced to the main antagonist of the series. Most of this book is world building and character building. But despite that, the questions and mysteries we are introduced to along the way keep the pages turning. Nisha J. Tuli expertly crafted a start of an epic fantasy tale that kept me hooked every step of the way. The pace is never too fast and overwhelming, but also never too slow and dull. Even the more mundane points of the story serve a purpose.

All in all, its a brilliant shining start to what promises to be an richly epic tale.

Recommendation: If you like
• Slow Burn (and I do mean slow)
• Rich world-building and Epic story telling
• Found families
• Fierce, sword wielding FMCs
• Grumpy best friends
• Fated Mates (?)
• Hidden Identities and Secret powers
• Forbidden magic

Then this book is for you.

**3.5 STARS**

Content Warning: violence, death

First I had to request this book because of that book cover and second, I found this author’s books on Kindle Unlimited this year and enjoyed them! So I wanted to see what this new series would be like and I was not disappointed.

The world-building is lush and inspired by Indian mythology. Vampire like people called Rakshasas that have silver hair and drink blood? Mages with elemental powers? A queen that is embodied in a tree? Monsters like birds that drop demon eggs?! I love this world of magic and fantasy, it’s so unique and vibrant.

Zarya is a character with a mysterious past. She was raised by a mage named Row who has gone missing which means she is essentially free to leave the barriers he used to keep her confined in. Her longing for new experiences is made reality when she goes to Dharati. She goes with her companion Aarav who she despises because he is like her watchdog. But she really blossoms in Dharati where she gets to experience so many things. She’s also in search of her past while she’s there and what she finds out is a big shock to everyone. I like how she’s willing to help, and loved to train with the soldiers and it was nice to see her actually become friends with Aarav. She also makes friends with Yasen, who didn’t like her at first.

Now Zarya has an instant attraction to Vikram, who is a Rakshasas but it’s a super slow burn between them. I felt like there was a light flirtation between them, nothing that would be serious. So when another guy, Rabin (tall, dark and mysterious) comes into play, I got even more interested in the story. I’m such a sucker for the bad boys but I love the twist in the story and can’t wait to see what happens in book two! I have a feeling it’s going to be spicy between her and Rabin. I do hope there is more character development in book two because though everyone was interesting – I’d have love to connect to Zarya more.

Tropes: girl with mysterious past, girl who comes into her powers

Why you should read it:
*world-building, lush fantasy, inspired by Indian mythology
*lots of magic and fighting monsters
*Rabin and Narya

Why you might not want to read it:
*Rabin only comes into the story in the second half of the story

My Thoughts:

I enjoyed this one and can’t wait for book two just to see how the sparks fly between Rabin and Zarya! I love the world building in this story and look forward to reading the sequel.

I really thought the premise of this book was very cool and unique; it was exciting to read a book written with an inspiration from Indian mythology!
Although the book was good, I felt that it could have been executed better. At times the book was overly descriptive, as some sections of the book were very verbose and difficult to process. While certain descriptions are necessary to world-building, others were very unnecessary and could have been taken out. That said, the necessary descriptions were very beautifully written and I appreciated them.
I also thought the buildup of some of the relationships happened too quickly. Zarya and Vikram’s instant attraction was understandable, but I thought the buildup for feelings was too immediate and built on little from what we as the readers were shown. Radin is very mysterious and interesting, but I wish there was a larger part of the book dedicated to him and Zarya’s interactions. I would not call this story enemies-to-lovers, and that’s okay, as I think the relationships have the potential to be very unique and engaging if properly flushed out.
There were points in the book where I struggled to get through, because although the book was fast-paced, as a result it was not as developed which left me less invested in the characters.
Finally, the ending felt somewhat unfinished, and I was left surprised when I turned the page and realized the book was over. Although there was somewhat of a “twist”, I feel like the book should have ended on more of a cliffhanger or a plan for what the next book may bring. The series has a lot of potential, so I will be interested in reading the next book!

Overall was not a bad read. I found the names hard to follow at times and what each one did for a role but overall it was a good story and just my type. The world building was very good and I was able to picture myself there.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read this book. I read a lot of fantasy and while this wasn't at the top of the list for me, I did enjoy it. I really wanted to find out who Zarya actually was, but waiting until the very end was kind of frustrating. A definite mystery through most of these pages. I would absolutely pick up the second one on the hopes that even more action happens.

This book was everything!!! I could find nothing I did not enjoy within its pages.

The world building was expertly done. I felt like I walked right alongside Zarya throughout the story.

I was worried I'd find the story to be centered around the romance and end up getting bored. But the author found the perfect balance between the romance, fantasy and adventure.

I also loved the descriptions of the beautiful clothing as well as the East Indian mythology characters. This is a perfect book for many brown women out there who find themselves underrepresented in literature. As someone from the Caribbean with many brown friends, I am definitely going to be recommending this book to many readers. I absolutely cannot wait for the rest of this series!

Thank you Second Sky for the opportunity to review this book!

A book based on Indian mythology and what a read. I loved everything about this book. The story, the characters, the magic and so much more. A young girl will finally realise her destiny and this is only the beginning of a magical tale that is beautifully written, richly descriptive and fantastic world building. Please can I have the next book Now as I want to carry on this magical journey.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the Arc in return for an honest review.

3.75 Stars rounded up to 4.

Heart of Night and Fire is the beginning of a series following Zarya, a 20 year old woman who has been kept secret and hidden from the world, and living on the outskirts of the kingdom with her captor/caregiver Row.

What I loved:
Indian-inspired Fantasy Setting
Cool and unique magic system
Found Family
Interesting Characters

Overall review: Fun premise, lots of promise for an interesting world and action-packed plot line, an FMC who can take care of herself, thank you!, and some slight pacing issues early on that improve a lot over the course of the book.

I don’t think I’ve ever said this about a book before, but I think there should have been more of this one. Most authors seem to struggle to edit out unnecessary filler that bogs a story down but this book could have benefitted from a little more added into it! The beginning of the story suffered from ‘first book’ issues a bit, but in a different way than I’m used to. The beginning is so action packed that- while definitely not boring- I felt as though I didn’t get much time to sit with Zarya and thus connect with her character. The pacing is just a bit off in the beginning, but I can happily say that the rest of it has much better pacing and I did get to understand the characters better later on.

This book is clearly a lot of set up for what promises to be a great series. That being said, if you’re looking for enemies to lovers romance you’re going to have to wait for book 2. If it’s with the character it seems like it will be with, it sounds fun but as of right now I’m not entirely certain who Zarya’s enemy is supposed to be. There is some romance in here, but it’s more forbidden than enemies, and I have no doubt that we’ll get a lot more of that in book 2.

I hope that we get to see Zarya’s character evolve as well. For being 20 she is pretty naive and love-starved, seeming to cling to anyone who will show her any kindness. I suppose that makes sense for her character given that she’s been cut off from any contact with the outside world her whole life, but it’s still a bit off-putting to read and prevented me from really connecting with her during the beginning of the book.

But despite these issues Heart of Night and Fire was a run read, and I look forward to continuing the series and seeing these characters evolve and the story unfold!

3.5/5 stars
This was the first of Nisha J. Tuli's books that I have read. I was super intrigued by the plot given and was very excited to read this book. The author has a way of creating a lush and inviting world that is beautifully executed. I enjoyed her ability to depict her world to the reader and truly invite us in. Beyond the setting, I did have some trouble with relating and connecting to any of the characters, a lot of interactions felt very surface level and rushed. Upon reading the synopsis for a enemies-to-lovers, every interaction the FMC had I thought maybe it was finally happening, but it didn't really until the very end (and it's really just a small sprinkle). I think maybe the second book will explore this trope more which is fine, but it really wasn't present in the first book. The second half of the book however did feel more put together and I think it will pave the way for the next book. I did all in all enjoy this book and am excited to read the second book and see what is to come.

I received this ARC from netgalley.com

A must-read for those who enjoy fantasy romance! Fantastical world building filled with rich and beautiful settings, magical beings, demons and all sorts of scary creatures. Filled with lots of south Asian folklore and mythology, the fast paced, action packed journey that Nisha Tuli sets us on is one of excitement and thrills. I found it hard to put down and am greatly looking forward to the next one! Give me more!

Read if you like Sarah J Maas (Throne of Glass feels); Chelsea Abdullah's "The Stardust Thief" and Shannon Chakraborty.

Thank you to Netgally, Nisha Tuli and Second Sky for an eARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book from the moment I picked it up, and to be honest my only complaint is that I need to know what's going to happen in the next book IMMEDIATELY!

Zarya has spent her life trapped by the man who raised her. He is not unkind to her, but she knows nothing about who she is. After she escapes one day she goes on an amazing journey where she learns more about herself and the world she lives in and finds some great people along the way.

The world building and magic system are great and the Indian folklore is wonderful and something that is new to me.

Some of the reviews that I've read mentioned struggling to connect with the characters but I didn't find that at all. I thought the characters had great depth and personality.

It's got found family, slow burn, enemies to lovers(ish) and I would definitely recommend it fans of romantic fantasy books.

Can't wait to see where the rest of the series goes.

I was provided with an eARC from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was extremely interesting. You go on a journey of discovery with the main character as she escapes her childhood prison. With her You discover friendship, love, betrayal and magic.

The characters in this book are well developed and all have interesting stories some of which we still need to learn.

The world is interesting having demons, magic and a mysterious blight. I read this early so not sure if when it's published it will have this but I would love a map of the city, the cottage and other kingdoms.

One small issue (personal and should not be changed) is I struggled with the names of people and places and clothes but I think alot of that was my cultural naivety and I did enjoy googling what the clothing terms meant and by no means should anything be done to change this as I did love learning more about othe cultures it just took me a bit longer to read because of this.

I would definitely recommend this book and I cannot wait to know what happens next.

I have already published a review to good reads and will tag second sky publishing when I make a tiktok post about it.

For twenty years, magic prevents Zarya from ever leaving the secluded cottage she grows up in off by the Dakhani Sea with Row. He’s not her father but he’s the only guardian she’s ever truly known. When Row goes missing, the magic dissipates and Zarya finally escapes her personal prison. Heart of Night and Fire is the journey of Zayra discovering who she is, who she is meant to be and why she was kept hidden.

Nisha J. Tuli’s strongest asset is her ability to write rich and intricate descriptions. This world is an eruption of Indian influences, vibrant colour, and magics that made me feel like I was a character in the novel itself. Although it was often over-whelming, I found myself fully engrossed within the pages and several times I found myself re-read passages. It also is encouraging me to read more of Indian Mythology and learn about the culture.

Heart of Night and Fire is a strong start to the Night Fire Quartet. From start to finish, it’s full of dark secrets, vibrant world-building, and is packed with action. It’s hard to know who to trust and keeps you guessing where the story is going. This story leans more towards fantasy than romance, but I'm expecting the romance to develop more in the coming installments.

A big thank you to NetGalley, Second Sky Publishing, and Nisha J. Tuli for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book I read of this author and I loved it. The world building is so well written and the characters are really easy to connect with. The chemistry between both main characters is so good, Can’t wait for the next one!

Arc from netgalley

I go lot about 100 pages into the book and I could not connect to any of the characters. The other thing was the terminology and descriptions of items or clothes just flew way over my head. They would say oh this person was wasting this. But as the reader there was no description of that that item truly looked like. Therefore pointless to me. This genre is one of my favorites, sadly this book wasn’t a good connection.

After reading a string of disappointing books, I didn't go into this one with high hopes, but it absolutely exceeded my expectations! I was hooked from the very beginning and could barely put it down.

The author built such an intricate world, and the attention to detail was so so good! I really like the main character, Zarya. She was so strong but also had such an innocent side where she just did not want to be lonely and yearned for friends and a family. Her development was really nice to see throughout the book, especially with Aarav.

The story was exciting and full of twists that I didn't anticipate! I guessed one of the reveals as it became slightly more obvious as the book went on, but it didn't take away from the story. I loved this book, and I am desperate to see more of Rabin and whatever it is between them develop!

The only downside for me was that I struggled with some of the terminology in the book. I am not well versed in Indian culture and the mythology and found myself having to google what a lot of the clothes/foods/demons were because I had no idea. That slightly pulled me out of the book because I stopped quite a few times. This is in no way a bad reflection on the author, just pointing out that some readers will be like myself and maybe some more description of the items may have helped.

I'd absolutely rate this a 4 and will wait in anticipation for the next book as I NEED to know what happens next!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

You ever read a book and feel disappointed that it isn’t longer? I felt that with Heart of Night and Fire by Nisha J. Tuli, in the absolute best way possible.

The first installment of The Nightfire Quartet has us following our Main Character Zenya, who up until now has been kept captive in a tiny cottage by the sea. Her captor is Row, an Aazheri sorcerer, and claims it’s for her protection, but never explains what it’s for protection from. She’s spent her days being trained to fight alongside Row’s apprentice Aaraav while around her little home, the land is being destroyed by the mysterious blight. When one day Row goes missing, she takes a daring chance and escapes to a world completely unknown to her, and finds out there’s more at play for her than she ever could thought.

I’ve loved other works from Nisha J. Tuli (Trial of the Sun Queen especially) and Heart of Night and Fire is no exception. This book is packed full of adventure, action and fast paced. It’s inspired by Indian mythology and has magnificent world building, an intriguing magical system, and has left me with so many questions that I’m already dying for the next book. This is an easy 4.5 out of 5🌟s for me.

The world is very interesting, but the writing and overall execution weren't quite for me unfortunately.