Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the Audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Pub Date: September 15, 2023 (I'm behind)

I'm looking forward to this series continuing and getting to learn more about this world! While I did enjoy the world building, as we learned everything along with the main character, sometimes it was also frustrating to not know how things worked because she didn't. I also felt like she was accepted into the upper echelons of society/royalty really quickly without anyone really knowing who she was and I didn't feel there was enough explanation as to why that happened.

I thought the narrator did a good job this with. There was some differentiation with the voices though I felt there could be a bit more but there weren't any detracting issues from her performance.

Solid start to a series and solid narration.

✨BOOK REVIEW✨

📚 Heart of Night and Fire - Nisha J. Tuli 📚

I have read Nisha’s Artefacts of Ouranos series and it was just so good that I had to pick this one up! Heart of Night and Fire is the first book in The Nightfire Quartet series. It is a seductive, epic romantasy with aspects of Indian and South Asian mythology. It is full of mystery, intrigue, plot twists, and that slow-burn..ooft, it is a killer! Nisha really is the queen of the slow-burn 🙈🥵

I feel like the characters could have been explored a little more, and the world building definitely gets me with fantasy books haha but I know it is all worth it in the end, so that’s just a me thing and I know so many of you will love that aspect of the story 😜

What you can expect:
❤️‍🔥 Slow-burn romance
❤️‍🔥 Indian and South Asian mythology
❤️‍🔥 Strangers to enemies to lovers to enemies 🙈
❤️‍🔥 So much angst and tension!

I did find this one a little slow to get into but once I did, I was hooked and binge read the rest of the book in one sitting. I am so excited to see where the rest of this series takes us! 😍

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you so much to @netgalley @bookouture @secondskybooks and @nishajtwrites for sending me this to review 🙏🏻

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I think that this book was certainly interesting. I always evaluate books based on characters, plot, climax, and style.

The best part of the book was the characters. They felt real, like they existed beyond the page, like they had more personality that the author simply didn't have time to write down.

I think that the plot, however, dragged on a bit. I found myself struggling to finish it. I think that a lot of this book could have been cut out without losing anything significant. However, the climax really did pull it all together. I honestly think that the plot point that was the climax could have been an entire act, and I think the book would have benefitted from that. I look forward to the sequel because I'm hoping for more of that.

Overall, I think that the style was wonderful. There's not a whole lot to say about it. It's one of those things that are either really good, mid, or really bad, and it's hard to explain why it is this way.

Still a delightful book, and I do recommend it.

I absolutely adored this story.
The narrator was perfect and really helped immerse me into this world.

I loved the unique setting, the magic system, the power struggles, and all the political dynamics happening here.

I adore all the side characters as well as the FMC no matter how hard headed she was.

No spoilers, but I can’t wait for book 2 to see more of this mysterious man.

Vampires
Secret identities
Slow burn
New adult
Indian mythology inspired.

It was truly beautiful and I can’t wait for the rest of the series

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Story
Zarya is the main FMC, she’s been living in isolation, kept a secret. She escapes and heads to the city.

The world building was good as Zarya was experiencing everything new. I enjoyed the characters.
Can’t wait for book 2


Audio book
Story was told great, I really enjoyed the narrator voice.

Describe this book in 3 words: classic YA fantasy.
What I mean by that is, if you're a young teen or you just got into fantasy you might very well be blown away by this book, but if you've been here for a while and have read your fair share of YA fantasy, you will see every little twist coming from a million miles away.

One compliment I will give this book is that the world seems like it could keep expanding upon itself, there's so much to it that it feels like there might be no end. The plot, however, was just your typical YA fantasy: there's a terrible evil hunting the world and there's a nowhere girl who goes from being confined Rapunzel-style to befriending the princess and half the kingdom's army and discovering she's probably the most powerful magic-wielder to be born in however many years.

I found the story to move quite slowly, which makes sense giving the amount of world building that was needed, but it made it feel like nothing was going on. I listened to this on audio and I times I just felt confused with all the information and who was who.

The plot was decent and so where the characters. I liked Zarya but I didn't love her. This book is supposed to be giving found family vibes but I didn't connect with the characters that much. Yes, I really liked Zarya and Yasen's friendship but I was missing the feeling of wanting to be part of the friend group.

That being said, it was an okay book. I'm not incredibly excited for the second instalment but I might read it. I'm intrigued by the Rabin plotline at least. On that note - if you're here for the alleged "enemies-to-lovers tension" be warned that there is barely any romance in this book.

Firstly id like to thank net galley for providing me with this ALC and to the publisher who accepted my request, all thoughts and opinions are my own 💗

Dnf at 25%

I really wanted to get into this, love it and become enthralled, fantasy will always be a favourite genre of mine. Unfortunately, i couldn’t connect to anything. I was bored and disinterested, waiting for something to happen that catches my interest. The premise, myths, monsters and the setting was so intriguing in the synopsis i immediately had to give it a listen! But it just didn’t deliver.

I can see the potential, but not enough yo make me continue. The intrigue just wasnt there ☹️

I really loved this lush fantasy full of magic and intricate world building. The characters were well written and I loved the little bits of romantic tension! I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!

This book was AWESOME! Ok, first off I haven't binged an audiobook like this in so long. I finished it in a day and a half. It would have been one if I hadn't needed to sleep early. The narrator is phenomenal, which is great, but the story is so engrossing! From a woman confined to her home by magic, to her escape and what ensues after- this book will have you turning the page until there are none left. Zarya is headstrong, cautious, and yearning for love. It was nice to see an adult in the 'chosen one' role, and the author did not mince words in making certain you knew this was for the grown ups. The speech patterns and behaviors are mature and well thought out, while keeping an aspect of naivety since our FMC was so sheltered. The world building and lore were woven expertly into the narrative, never leaving the reader feeling as though they were info dumped on. The South Asian legends and culture that were the foundation of this world were wonderful, and the descriptions of everything from clothing to the environments immaculate. I am looking forward to book two in this series, and am a little sad I have to wait for it!

This story is set firmly within Indian culture and I found the plethora of cultural references, not only in terms of food and clothing, but also Hindu mythology, sometimes needed a bit more explanation; for example Agni (Hindu God of Fire apparently) and Rakshasas (Hindu mythological beings) are all thrown in without the subsequent descriptors - and with the audio version of this book, looking these terms up is impossibly difficult. Putting that aside, the story itself didn’t gel with me either - the relationships and dynamics between Zarya and most of the characters are inconsistent and very confusing. The romantic interest is also unclear - for example, her relationship building and chemistry with Yasen develops and then goes nowhere, making me wonder what the point was. I would not class this book as either an enemies-to-lovers or slow burn fantasy romance, which it was described as; and ultimately, I found the story confusing and kind of boring. Thanks anyway to Netgellery and Bookoutre Audio for allowing me to get a copy of the audiobook.

The magical, Indian and South Asian world created by Tuli in this book was incredible! Shiromi Arseria was the perfect narrator for this story. She doesn’t go heavy on different accents for the dialogue, but it is always clear who is speaking and her voice fits well for Zarya. It was an enjoyable audiobook (and a really great book on its own).

Zarya has been magically locked up in a remote cottage and small surrounding area on the sea with no one but her pseudo-father and asshole, older brother-figure for her entire life. When she wakes up one day and realizes that she is not being held within her magical boundaries, Zarya doesn’t waste any time before escaping. She doesn’t get far before encountering two handsome Rakshasa (vampire-esque creatures of Hindu mythology) who cart her back to the palace. Zarya isn't just some damsel in distress though, she is a badass, warrior who just may have powerful magic.

Heart of Night and Fire is a story of a girl finding herself in the midst of secrets, raging demons, and a crumbling kingdom. But within that, Tuli gives you strong friendships, a taste of a love triangle (but not really), and a dark, mysterious, maybe love-interest. It is a SLOOOOOOOOOOOOW BURN, but has so much action and excitement that I was only slightly disappointed that there wasn’t more romance.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
0.5🌶️

I went into this book wary, as fantasy romance isn’t always my favorite. I’d say there was definitely romance in this book, but not as much as I expect there to be in the rest of this series.

Our main character is very naive, as she has been very sheltered her entire life. She goes on a journey of understanding the world she lives in, the people around her, and who she herself is throughout this book.

I loved the mythology in this book, including various magics and political undertakings. I struggled to buy into most of her relationships at the beginning of the book, but I really grew to appreciate the characters, the romance, and the storyline the further I read!

This did very much feel like the first book in a series, setting up for a lot of future plot points. I’m excited to read the next books, as it feels like the story has only just begun!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the advance listening copy.

This journey has mass of world building that we see through Zarya’s eye as she discovers why she has been kept a secret for the last 21 years, and what it means for the world future.

The ending of the story is a major turning point in the story leaving a big opening for a sequel. The majority of this book is the world building and I found it hard to follow at times. That being said once I was in the story I was hooked and I’m excited to see what happens next.

Loved South Asian mythology, the world-building, and the magical elements. So excited for book 2! The narrator did a great job bringing this novel to life!

I had mixed feelings during the third of this book. I struggled to like Zarya at the beginning of the book, but quickly realized how much the younger version of me would have loved Zarya and how strong-willed and determined she was to live her own life. As the story continued and Zarya began to explore both the world outside the cottage and herself, I found myself cheering for Zarya more and more.

This is the ultimate fantasy novel, including a variety of characters and creatures, war, self-discovery, and an array of magics and abilities. This book sets the scene and establishes the fantastical world where the remainder of the series will take place. The book was focused on Zarya and her journey of self-discovery and the gaining of her magical abilities, but besides that, there are no major plot points in this first book that will have a major impact on the rest of the book. The biggest plot point besides Zarya gaining her powers was in the last chapter when she got confirmation on who her parents are.

My favorite aspect of the story was the found-family trope, which consists of newly acquired friends, mentors, lovers, and even some people from her past she learned to forgive. I also loved the POC representation and the dedication of the author to utilize a variety of terms throughout the story to further immerse the reader in this world.

What I struggled with the most was a lack of a map and guide to help me keep the characters/terms in order. However, I did listen to the audiobook version of this book, which helped immensely with figuring out the pronunciations I would for sure have struggled with had I read the book instead of listened to it.

This book was written well, it just wasn’t for me.

~This book was given by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Enjoyable, I liked the focus on having a character that wasn't the typical one. I think it would have been useful for this to be in first person though. Good background and lots to further explore the storyline in future books

“For every brown girl who wanted to be the chosen one too”

This is the second book by Nisha J Tuli I have read and I love it. What I love most is that it is immersed in Indian inspired culture. The main character is a brown skinned girl and until reading books like this I never realised how much that was lacking when I was growing up.

I adored the world building and the set up for this series. The main character is easy to root for and you find yourself wanting to solve the next bit of the fantasy puzzle. I am looking forward to more from this series and author.

Give this a go if you are after a fantasy romance. If you are after a fantasy romance by a POC then definitely pick this up!

Zarya has been hidden away her whole life. She doesn't know why Row has hidden her away and prevented her from leaving the cottage on the southern shore. Ro has cared for her, in his own way. What she does know is that she can fight and she can kill the demons in the swamp. When Row disappears, now might be her opportunity to escape. Zarya takes Ro's sword and horse, and rides for the swamp. Little does she know that Aarav, Row's assistant is hot on her heals.

When she rescues two Rakshasas from demons in the swamp, she actually rescues Rani's Vasvi's Guards Commander Vikram and Lieutenant Yasen. Two people who will become so important as Zarya starts on a journey to find herself and see more of the world. As always, nothing is as it seems. The demons are increasing and threatening the city of Dharati, Zarya starts to fall for the one man she cannot have, and developes a familial relationship with the other man.

I cannot tell you how much I loved this story. It really had it all, found family, angst, love, friendship, disaster, and magic. I listened to this as an audiobook and the only slight disappointment was the narrator didn't differentiate between the characters as much as I would have liked. However, this did not detract from how amazing this story is. I am seriously pacing my house waiting for the next in the Nightfire Quartet. Oh, and you will never guess how this book ends!

Big thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture Audio and Nisha J Tuli for this early release copy in exchange for my honest review

Just a note, when I try to share review to Amazon, it pops up as the Wheel of Time and won't allow me to post on Goodreads automatically through this app. I still did so - on both - but someone should know.

I have been a HUGE fan of Nisha since I read her first book, Trial of the Sun Queen. She writes the most beautiful characters in the most beautiful settings, and the first book in the Nightfire Quartet is no exception!

Inspired by Indian culture and food, you will see a lot of it sprinkled throughout. Though I am not familiar with this culture, I still found the sights and smells described enthralling and so picturesque.

This is definitely a SLOW BURN, so do not expect a whole lot of romance or spice in this first installment, though I fully expect that to change in the next book. It is a young woman busting through her chains and figuring out who she is. Along the way, we have a found family, but found in the best of ways - friends. Her friendship with one of the main characters is probably one of my favorite in fantasy literature so far. PLEASE DON’T KILL HIM, NISHA!! The romance in the first book is also intriguing, but more in line with what you would see in real life. It is beautiful, yet hurts so much at the same time.

The twists and turns throughout the book took my breath away. They were not just at the end either; there were so many within the entire book. Even though this was a sort of slow read, the relationships, characters, and events left me wanting so much more - I cannot WAIT until the next book comes out. If you’re familiar with Nisha’s wiring already, you will know what I mean.

The narrator for the audiobook was also amazing. She had a beautiful and soothing voice, and I enjoyed listening. It gave the book a whole new dimension and really helped me with pronouncing some of the names.

In short, this is an amazing read. I gave it 5 stars, and I cannot wait for book 2!!