I could not put this down. We meet Lor, a witty, stubborn, take no shit human female in a prison where she quickly gets in trouble and gets sent to insolation in the woods for 2 weeks. She gets taken from the prison and suddenly winds up competing in trials to become of the Sun Queen in a rival court. The King takes a special interest in her and she quickly becomes one of his favorite “tributes”. There were moments where I was laughing out loud but the plot was a little predictable to me. I also didn’t like that we got Lor’s chapters in first person, Nadirs chapters in third person. I would love to be in his head more.

I will definitely be reading the next book ASAP and will definitely be recommending it to friends.

Trial of the Sun Queen was exactly the kind of book that pulls me out of a slump! I’m talking high-stakes, humans and fae, an underdog, harrowing trials, and a touch of steam.

I had a love-hate relationship with Lor. I was constantly rooting for her to keep fighting to survive regardless of her circumstance but she 100% got in her own way at times. You can tell that she’s always on edge and ready to fight which is no surprise given she grew up in a prison environment. The trials are no exception and yet you start to see glimmers of the leader she could be. At the end of the day, it’s obvious she will never stop fighting for what she believes in and I admire that.

When it comes to the fae… almost all of them were morally gray and I love that. Other than her fellow competitor Halo, I really didn’t feel like there was anyone who could be truly trusted. At the end of the day, that kept me on my toes because I was expecting pretty much everyone and anyone to have ulterior motives and betray Lor.

I’m really looking forward to continuing this series! And it seems like good timing given the final book will be out in November 2024.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book! The review expresses my own opinions.

Thank you to NetGalley on Nisha J. Tuli for giving me an ARC of this book! This was such a fun read! The beginning was a little hard for me to get through, but I think it's because I was in a bit of a reading slump when I started this. Once the characters got to the trials, I was completely sucked in. I read the last 50% in two days, which is pretty fast for me. I figured Lor would make it through the trials, but I didn't see the twist coming at all. I cannot wait to continue this series!

Wow. The beginning of this book really pulled me in.

I can honestly say this book kept me very entertained & engaged. I wanted to know what was going on and what would happen next. I loved the high stakes of the trials.

Thank you netgalley for letting me read this book. I will start with that right from the beginning it reminded me a lot of the book Throne of Glass. The concept of a prisoner being taken to a kingdom, to compete in some kind of tournament. There are other similarities to this and many other books, since this does seem to be the theme of fae romance fantasy books right now.
But that all being said, I did very much enjoy this book and could not put it down. I liked the mystery of Lor trying to figure out who she is and why the sun king is so infatuated with her, but did find it annoying that Lor did know who she was, but didn't let on to knowing this until other characters said who they that she might be.
I can't wait to read the next books in this series to see where Lor goes and what happens next for her.

Thank you to the author, publisher and @NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Now, I have no idea how this has been flying under the radar, but this was an awesome fantasy read and I cannot wait for the rest of the series.

Lore is taken from bleak prison life and thrown into a deadly competition for the hand of the king. 10 women vie for the king’s hand. Those who don’t make it, perish during the trials or live to serve their competitor.

You will definitely notice the influence of The Selection or Throne of Glass or The Hunger Games from the get go, but I think it is it’s own story nonetheless.

And that opening line?! Haha one of the best 🤣

Now on to book 2: Rule of the Aurora King!

First I want to say thank you to NetGalley and Nisha J Tuli for letting me read this book. This book didn't disappoint, I love this book it gave me serpent and the wings of Night Vibes as well as some bachelorette vibes. I couldn't put this book down, Lor is a character that really has more to her than you think. She surprised me with how she never gave up and was determined to win even though she was the only human girl in the trails with a bunch of fae.

In this book it really is fight to the death to get the crown and the king all at once and honestly Atlas did not disappoint, Well lets be honest none of them did, they were all hot and they all knew how to fight and how to enjoy themselves if you know what I mean. If you love Spice, Trails, a tough FMC and a few twist then this book is for you, I can't wait to get my hands on the next book.

This book is such a fun ride. I'm a sucker for a competition based fantasy novel and while this one is a little reminiscent of some series like The Selection with its Hunger Games meets the Bachelor style trials, I still really liked it. Lor is an interesting MC, she's hilariously feral at times but I grew to really like her.

I'm excited to get more Nadir in the next book. Knowing he was waiting in the wings made it difficult to ever really believe her relationship with Atlas but it didn't really affect my enjoyment of the book. It's constant action, the slow unfurling of Lor's backstory (and the broader world) kept me really invested, and I'm excited to see where the series goes next!

Whew... Lor is quite the MC! She has so much drive and determination. Her past is so sad that I never wanted to stop rooting for her. It did feel a little "ACOTR" with her love interest in this book and a tad predictable end/cliffhanger, but I don't mind! I can't wait to see how this story unfolds in the next book!

Trial of the Sun Queen is an exhilarating start to a fantasy series that combines elements of The Selection, The Hunger Games, and fae lore. Lor, the protagonist, is a fierce and resilient character pulled from a brutal prison to compete in a deadly contest for the title of Sun Queen. Her journey through a series of creatively designed trials is both intense and engaging, showcasing her growth and inner strength.

King Atlas, while charming, carries a hint of mystery and potential darkness, and Nadir, the enigmatic prince, adds further intrigue. The trials are imaginative and challenging, though some side characters like Gabriel could use more depth. The story’s climax is gripping, leaving readers eager for the next installment. Overall, it’s a compelling read with a strong heroine and a captivating fantasy world.

I don’t think this book was for me personally. While I found it entertaining and fast-paced, I just didn’t believe it was worth my time finishing in the end. I will say that the trial portions were my favorite and I needed to know what happened next; however, this book lacked in original writing and it felt oddly similar to the Throne of Glass series. I don’t think I’ll be continuing with the next installment.

Nisha J. Tuli’s Trial of the Sun Queen is a dazzling and immersive fantasy that enchants from start to finish. Tuli’s storytelling prowess shines through in this captivating tale of power, destiny, and self-discovery. The novel follows a compelling heroine who is thrust into a high-stakes trial that tests her strength and courage. Tuli’s protagonist is both relatable and inspiring, with a depth that makes her journey all the more gripping. The chemistry between characters is electric, adding emotional weight to the narrative. Tuli’s world-building is exceptional, crafting a vibrant, intricate setting that feels both unique and believable. The plot unfolds with a perfect blend of suspense and romance, keeping readers eagerly turning pages. With its engaging characters, rich world, and thrilling twists, Trial of the Sun Queen is a must-read for fans of fantasy. Nisha J. Tuli has created a captivating adventure that promises to linger in readers’ minds long after the final page.

A perfect read for fans of Fae-based fantasy with a deadly competition, Trial of the Sun Queen sees Lor whisked away from the prison she's spent her last 12 years surviving just to be thrust into competing for a crown.

This is fast-paced and easy to read with a feisty and moralistic main character. Lor is interesting to see fight her way through every obstacle with the clear goal of protecting her family. The story is a little bit predictable but in a sort of fun way. I knew where it was headed but how it happened was captivating. Definitely recommend for fans of Fourth Wing and Five Crowns of Okrith!

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

Okay. Does this give Throne of Glass? Sure. But was it entertaining as heck? Yes! Did it leave me on a cliffhanger begging for more? Definitely! Do I need to find out more from what the Sun Mirror has predicted?!? Yep! I loved it!! Off to download the next!

Thanks to NetGalley for the galley in exchange for an honest review!

Many thanks to Forever and Hachette Book Group for this review copy, this book is already out!
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4 stars! I had a good time with this one!! I had seen some buzz around it from some of my personal favorite bookish creators which is what let me to request it on netgalley in the first place and I wasn't disappointed! It felt like the selection x the hunger games which were two of my favorites growing up. It was easy to get into and I found the story to be engaging from the beginning and not too bogged down by story building but we got a good grasp into the dynamics and characters at play. My only critique would be I saw the sort of switch up to come by the love interest here from a mile away unfortunately. To be fair, I am a pretty "chronically online" bookish person so this sort of bait and switch of this nice guy that goes bad is a pretty common tactic used in modern romantic fantasy (?) so there's that coupled with the male pov we get making it for me like already a clue. That being said, I don't think it took away all that much because Atlas was written in a way that you as a reader are still like hm maybe... he's still charismatic where you are unsure about his intentions. Overall, I enjoyed this and I will most likely continue reading this series down the line.

I had a great time reading this book. I went in blind besides knowing that the premise is Hunger Games meets the Bachelor and that explanation did not disappoint.

It was a great start to the series and it's making me want to pick up the next one immediately. The first few chapters were rough, content-wise and it is definitely rated R, but the mystery had me turning the pages quickly. There are so many Easter eggs and clues that I feel like I have some great theories about what will happen next. I love books like that!

This was not for me, it felt very surface level. It felt like preteens having a pissing contest over a man. But in a fantasy setting. And for someone who was a bada$$ in the prison she wasn't later on.

Trial of the Sun Queen is a quick and easy read with a ton of action right from the beginning! You route for the FMC, Lor, as she competes to marry the Sun King. You want to know her secrets and it seems like she has many. 👀 What is the Sun King up to and can Lor trust him? How does the second POV character play into everything? Go on the ride with Lor as she tries to figure out who to trust and where her path will take her.

Thanks to Forever Publishing and NetGalley for an egalley of this book for an honest review!

What did the author put in this book because I’m addicted?! I love the trial trope, so when I saw the concept for this one - deadly trials with a splash of the Bachelorette - I was immediately intrigued. I felt like a lot of this book was setting the stage for the rest of the series, and it made me so excited to continue! I can’t wait to dive into the next one and get more acquainted with Nadir and Lor! Definitely recommend for people who enjoy:

- Strong FMCs
- Slow burn
- Deadly trials

Had fun with this one - cool fantasy hunger games vibes that I tore through. Also appreciate the FMC is a person of color.

Ending wasn’t a huge twist to me, but overall I enjoyed myself.