Member Reviews

I ate this book UP! I knew after finishing the first book that this one would be so much better! I called it!

I am a sucker for enemies to lovers and omg does this cover that. Nadir’s mouth is filthy and I love it. The tension is this book is…tensioning. I want to slap Lor sometimes…but her arguments and trauma are valid so I will refrain…for now

I am invested in this plot for sure. I love that Nadir is so supportive in her healing and power journey. He’s not perfect for sure. Very positive and pushy at times but we are just getting to the good part and I’m ready to annihilate this whole world and bring this kingdom back!! Very excited for the next book!

EARC provided by NetGalley and the gracious Grand Central PublishinG

Was this review helpful?

4.25 stars! I definitely enjoyed this one more than the 1st of the series! It was a huge step up!

Rule of the Aurora King picks up where Trial of the Sun Queen left off - right after Lor was kidnapped by Nadir. Lor has to work with Nadir to find the Heart Crown. The worldbuilding that was fairly light in the first book is really fleshed out in this book! We get to see more of Ouranos and more of the history of the realms.

This book has 3 POVs. I loved both Lor's and Nadir's POVs. And we get an additional POV from Secre (Lor's grandmother) from 286 years ago which explains a lot of the history and gave hints to the future. I really liked this addition.

I also loved getting to see more from some of the side characters (Amya, Mael, Willow, and Tristan).

This book series is advertised as "slow burn". but there is still a significant amount of spice throughout (more than I was expecting). I like Nadir and Lor's budding romance even if Nadir frustrated me at times. He definitely acts like a prince who has never been told no. I always think that a character that frustrates you is well written since it makes you feel something. Lor continued to grow in this installment and work through her trauma.

This book isn't a full 5 stars from me because it felt a little too long and at times I lost interest and had trouble following the different characters in the two different time periods. I do want to continue the series though!

Thank you to Netgallery & Forever Grand Central Publishing for the eARC!

Was this review helpful?

Rule of the Aurora King picks up where Trial of the Sun Queen left off. Nadir, prince of the Aurora, holds Lor captive after she escapes from the Sun King. He believes she’s hiding a secret, and he wants to know what it is—why his father and the Sun King both have such a vested interest in the seeming nobody from the most high-class prison in the world. But Lor has good reason for keeping her secrets: the Aurora King killed her parents because of her legacy and now looks to do the same to her. While destiny draws Nadir and Lor into battle against the Aurora and Sun kings, they cannot deny their attraction to each other. Can these sworn enemies save the world while fighting how they feel?

Tuli does a great job carrying the story forward. I loved getting more information about Lor’s background and learning why she was imprisoned in the first place. It also explains the surprisingly strong bond between Lor and her siblings, bonded by their secret legacy. However, this book didn’t thrill me as Trial of the Sun Queen did. Where Trial of the Sun Queen felt like the right balance of lore and action, building the world while keeping the narrative moving, this book lost that balance. It became the victim of “second book syndrome,” where the second book in a series doesn’t live up to the first for some reason. In this case, there was a lot of lore, but not presented in a way that kept things moving engagingly. The book is well-written, and I still enjoyed it, but I hope to see more movement and engagement with the bigger plot without getting lost in the lore when the next book comes out.

Was this review helpful?

This book was so amazing and I can't wait for book 3 in the Artifacts of Ouranos!

Nisha J. Tuli did not miss with this book. This book was just as good (if not better) than Trial of the Sun Queen. So many times the second book in a series suffers from the sophomore slump, but that absolutely wasn't the case for this series. I devoured this book.

Lor is dealing with everything that happened at the end of book 1 and now living as a prisoner in the Aurora. Lor is the same absolutely wonderful badass that we met in book 1, and I loved her more and more every page. There were so many secrets discovered and I couldn't stop reading this.

I also loved the way we got to see Serce's story play out from 286 years ago. That ending was everything and it had my mind racing to try and figure out where this story is going.

I love this story. I love these characters. I love Nisha's writing. I just love everything about this book and this series and I can't remember the last time I felt this way over a romantasy book. This is that feeling I'm always searching for when I read Fantasy Romance.

Was this review helpful?

This series keeps getting better and better and that cliffhanger!! Gahhhh! Did Serce’s selfishness and grasp for power break the world or was it Rion all along? Is Lor going to give in to her feelings? Will she finally release her true powers? I can’t wait until the next installment to find out the conclusion. Fully invested now!

Was this review helpful?

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
🌶️🌶️/5

After the cliffhanger at the end of book 1, this hits the ground running. Lor doesn’t trust those around her, doesn’t know how to go about working towards her goal, all while behind worried about those she loves that she was forced to leave behind in prison. Lor was thrown into prison as a child and spent 12 years of her life there, so she’s guarded and impulsive, yet fierce. Once she realizes she and the MMC have a common goal, she starts to relax some but has some groundbreaking secrets she makes him earn. I love how fiercely protective she is over her siblings and what they have to protect.

The tension between the MCs is so, so good. They want each other, but don’t want any emotional attachments. She hates him, but wants him and denies her desire most of the time. All while the MC is upfront about how much he wants her. They’re both stubborn and fight each other at every turn. I honestly love their bickering and hope they never stop. Their bickering is like foreplay as one of the side characters puts it: “If you two could stop flirting, maybe we can get on with it? You’ll argue and bicker in your fucked up little version of foreplay”

This is probably the slowest of slow burns I’ve ever read, but the tension is so good and the payoff is worth it.

This is book 2 in a 4 book series and I cannot wait for the next book. The cliffhanger at the end of book 2 leaves so many possibilities for where Tulli can take these characters and this story. I have some predictions and I can’t wait to see if I’m right.

Tropes/Highlights:
- Sloooow burn
- Enemies-to-lovers
- Fae court politics
- Fated mates
- Only one horse
- I hate you but I want you

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
🌶️🌶️/5

I received this as an ARC and this is my honest opinion.

Was this review helpful?

3.5⭐️ 3🌶️
Picking up after the dramatic events at the end of book 1, Lor finds herself as a captive of the Aurora prince, Nadir. He is also an unexpected ally in Lor’s desire to take down his father the king. We get wonderful enemies to lovers banter and fighting as they try to work together. Some of my favorite things- forced proximity, fake dating, one bed, one horse!!! We get both of their PoVs which I love because we get to see how down bad Nadir is for her. There is also the POV of Serce, heir to the Heart kingdom, from almost 300 years ago which adds important and interesting history and context to the current conflict.
I did feel like the action didn’t really pick up until the last 3rd of the book with the beginning and middle being mostly Lor trying to decide what to do, fighting with Nadir, and sexual tension. But the end sets up what I hope will be a really exciting book 3!

Was this review helpful?

Oh my, this sequel was even better than the first and I didn't think that was possible! The writing...beautiful...The plot...mesmerizing.....the characters....interesting! The combination of incredible writing with an intriguing plot make this book stand out and, though I do recommend reading the first book so you have a thorough understanding and context, this book could be read without having done so and completely enjoyed as a standalone! Don't miss this one!

Was this review helpful?

Don’t we love when the second book is even better than the first?? I was HOOKED from the very first sentence & simply could not put it down. The three POVs worked so well (as someone who usually hates more than 2 POVs) but all three storylines made me want more & more. Also this is my official decree that Nadir is memorialized as my newest book boyfriend. I audibly gasped at half the stuff that came out of this man’s mouth (in the best way). All of my favorite tropes were hit (praise, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, fake dating), i was FEDDDD by the end of this. The cliffhanger ending is killinggggg me knowing we have to wait for book 3 but I already know it’ll be worth the wait. Nisha, you have definitely become one of my new favorite fantasy authors.

Was this review helpful?

The TENSION AND YEARNING in this book is absolutely swoon worthy. First off, let me say I read this book in one sitting. I absolutely loved having dual POV and seeing Lors growth. I’m genuinely counting down the days until I can read book three!

5/5 ⭐️ 2.5/5 🌶️

Was this review helpful?

This book was a fun continuation of the Artifacts of Ouranos series. I liked the way this book developed Nadir but I wish we would have seen more of Lor and the people from the previous book. The first book was very unique and I loved the characters, but I felt that this book just fell into the common trap of trying to become ACOTAR. The one thing that I loved about this book was the time skip element between Lor’s grandmother Serce and the present narrated by Lor and Nadir. Watching past events unfold alongside the current events was very interesting. The two timelines meant that you got to directly experience actions that so heavily influenced the present. This was my favorite aspect of the book, because it added more characters to the story and added more depth to the political climate of the world. Overall, this was a fun escapist read but I hoped for it to be a little more unique. I have high hopes for the next book as we are headed back to the Sun Kingdom and can't wait to see some of the characters from the first book again. I will definitely continue this series when the next book comes out!

Was this review helpful?

What a great continuation of book 1! I'm still giving this book five stars because I really did thoroughly enjoy it, but not quite to the same level I loved book 1. This book was ~s p i c y~, which I enjoy in small doses but this book had a bit much for my preference (not to say that others readers wont absolutely love the extra spice). The continuation of the plot in this book was amazing, typically I feel that many books drag the plot in book 2 but this continued so seamlessly! The shifting of POV's kept me so engaged and though I usually am not the biggest fan of 'history' POV's, Serce's chapters were captivating and integral to the plot. I'll be waiting on the edge of my seat for book 3's release June 2024!!

Was this review helpful?

Rule of the Aurora King picks up right where Trial of the Sun Queen leaves off. Between scheming cohorts, evil kings, magic that shouldn’t exist, and lost artifacts you have a story that will keep you at the edge of your seat.
Lor has been captured by the Aurora Prince and held for questioning. She is as spunky as ever, and just as determined to find the heart crown and her destiny. The issue, there is a prince standing in her way with his own goals.
I am unsure how I feel about this installment. I really enjoyed the first one and while I love the characters this one just doesn’t quite live up to it. Overall it is well written and compelling. I could easily see this being a favorite for another reader.
I received an arc of this and am leaving this review of my own volition.

Was this review helpful?

I thoroughly enjoyed Trials of the Sun Queen, but this one I LOVED. It has all my favorite tropes (listed below) while being full of adventure and a hot, slow burn. The spice was definitely kicked up a few notches in this one; while the banter was beautifully done, ultimately making for a very fun read. You fall harder for the characters as you watch them develop, and I can confidently say this was easily one of my top books I have read this year. I am absolutely hooked; I can’t get enough of Lor and Nadir. Book 3 is coming next year, and I can’t wait!

Dual POV
One Bed (horse)
Enemies to Lovers
Fated Mates
Forced Proximity
Touch her and Die
Who Did This To You?
Ride or Die Siblings
Found Family
Fake Dating

Was this review helpful?

Rule of the Aurora King

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rule of the Aurora King
Nisha J. Tuli

“I am not his conquest. I am not his to claim. I’m not part of their royal line. I have my own family. And I am my own…. CASTLE.”

Building off of the last book. Personally loved this one the most! Nadir had my attention immediately in the first one, add in enemies to lovers and fated mates. Consider me hooked.

Nadir gives me strong Cassian vibes from ACOTAR and well I loved Cassian!!!!!

The only thing that killed me was the ending, not knowing a little more. I’ll be waiting for June 4th when fate of the sun king releases! I’ll definitely preorder! I have to know what’s next!! ✨

Was this review helpful?

The Rule of the Aurora King is the second book in the Artefacts of Ouranos series and you need to read them in order since this book picks up very shortly after the end of the Trial of the Sun Queen.

Lor was taken by the Aurora Prince, Nadir, from the Sun King. She has to team up with him in order to uncover some secrets about her past and go against the Aurora King. Can she trust Nadir with the secrets she’s been keeping? Can she finally be free or is she destined to be held captive by fae royalty for the rest of her life?

This book was better than the first, Trial of the Sun Queen. The suspense had me wanting to put the book down but not being able to because I had to know what would come next. There is more 🌶️ in this book and the tension building up to each scene is thick.

As I was getting close to finishing the book I knew that there was no way we were close to the ending of Lor’s story. I can’t wait to read book 3 and am sad that I have to wait until June to get my hands on it.

Was this review helpful?

This series continues to be an amazing journey! Lor finds herself ‘rescued’ from the villainous Sun King’s deathly trials to now be a ‘prisoner’ to the Prince of the Aurora, the son of the King who imprisoned her and her siblings for the last 12 years. With no one to trust and confusion over why she is being hunted by the King, Lor is determined to learn more about her ancestry. Unfortunately, the one who seems most likely to offer her assistance is Prince Nadir and she is conflicted in accepting his help. Told between Lor and Nadir’s POVs, the reader also get snippets from Lor’s grandmother’s POV from the past to learn about the events that led to the Sun Queen’s demise. Banter, sexual frustration, high stakes sleuthing and secrets made Book 2 a fast-paced adventure for me. Nadir is climbing the ranks to become a top tier romantasy hero for me! I loved watching his magnetism and patience chip away at the ice around Lor’s heart! Fans of SJM and Yarros will love this series!

I’ll be posting a two for Tuesday highlight post on my socials soon. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever publishing for these digital arcs in exchange for my honest feedback. I can’t wait for Book 3 next summer!

Was this review helpful?

Amazing!! Just like I knew it would be! This story is one that’s been highly suggested and I’m so happy that I was finally able to get my hands on it!

Was this review helpful?

In this second book of The Artefacts of Ouranos series Lor is running away from the Sun King and finds herself back in the hands of the Aurora King. They now have to work together to find a lost item that holds the key to who Lor really is. I thought this book was okay I just did not enjoy the relationship between the two mc's and the whole "inmate" thing. The world building and storyline was done well, which is why I am going to give this 3 stars. Thank you #NetGalley for my arc.

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed this second installment in the Artefacts of Ouranos series.

In Rule of the Aurora King, we follow Lor and Nadir as they search for a powerful artefact. Secrets that Lor and her siblings have kept for years are being uncovered, as is the lengths the Aurora King will go to keep them hidden. Lor and Nadir aren't sure they can trust each other, but they can't deny that they need to work together to bring down the Aurora King. They also can't deny the attraction that they feel for each other, but can they trust each other enough to see it through?

Rule of the Aurora King picks up shortly after the explosive events at the end of Trial of the Sun Queen. We follow Lor and Nadir, and this book also has chapters from both of their point of view, which I really enjoyed. The romance is super slow burn - the both feel something for each other, but can't really define it, and do not trust each other yet. Lor is still dealing with her trauma from Nostraza and her time in the Sun Queen Trials, so opening herself up to Nadir is difficult. Additionally, she knows that in order to right her family's legacy, she needs to do it alone. I'll admit, there were times I wanted to throw my book at the wall because of these characters - the writing is that good! One thing I also liked in this book was the flashbacks to Serce and Wolf. Learning more about their story was really wonderful, and it helps the reader to get a better sense of how the events in the past shape the present for Lor, Nadir, and Atlas. The endling was exciting, and left the door wide open for Lor and Nadir to continue the fight to restore Heart and defeat the Aurora King.

I really enjoyed this book, and I look forward to reading more in the Artefacts of Ouranos series!! Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an advanced reader copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?