I really enjoyed Crown of Earth and Sky, this book really took me into the Goldstone Palace and the deceit and treachery that the royals have to face to protect their kingdom. I felt that Veyka was multi layered, the frustrating characteristics seemed to be explained in later pages and I saw her development throughout the story. I felt that Arran wasn’t as well fleshed out beyond a few key features but I couldn’t really describe what he is like personality wise. This was a long read but picked up for the last 100 pages and makes me want to pick up book 2 soon!

Veyka Pendragon unexpectedly becomes queen when her twin brother, King Arthur, is mysteriously killed. Now, she must marry Arran, the Brutal Prince to keep the Elemental Fae and Terrestrial Fae united and at peace. But instead of keeping the peace, Veyka is on a quest for revenge against those who murdered her brother.

I found the world building in this really interesting, and there were moments when I enjoyed Arran’s character. I also did enjoy the dual POV. Overall though, I found this book to be really slow paced and struggled through it. Veyka was insufferable, selfish and just so incredibly hard to like. I thought the characters as a whole lacked nuance in their personalities and emotions. Veyka and Arran frequently state that they hate each other, when what they are feeling clearly isn’t hate. There also are never actual reasons for why they hate each other. It just didn’t make sense, and made the romance feel really toxic. Also, it’s fantastic that Veyka has great breasts and a wicked smile, but it felt like they were mentioned nearly every chapter.

I received an advance review copy that I voluntarily chose to read and review.

Thanks to NetGalley for sending me this ARC in exchange for my honest review. The author clearly knows their craft, there were moments I genuinely enjoyed and felt like I was excited to see what would happen next . However, the spicier scenes were not always my taste.

I’m giving it 3 stars because I believe many will eat this story up, especially if you’re into high-steam romance. Just wasn’t entirely for me.

This was such a fun, interesting spin on the Arthurian legend! Veyka and Aaron's dynamic, along with the secondary characters makes for a very well-rounded cast and many intriguing lines of development. The plot and politics of the world kept me engaged the whole time, and that cliff-hanger ending definitely left me wanting more.

The cover drew me in to the book and then the blurb. I just knew it was going to be an amazing read. Loved Veyka and Arrans chemistry 🔥🔥 and OMG the ending 😱 I need the second book ASAP.

Thank you to Emberly Ash and Victory Editing and lastly Netgalley,
Secrets of The Faerie Crown Book 1, Crown of Earth and Sky a Fae dark romance fantasy.

The story follows Vekya new Queen of the Elemental Fae she becomes Queen after her twin brother King Arthur is killed by humans. Vekya is grieving the loss of her brother as previous to this she was quiet happy being in the background in her brother shadow.
She is a tough character and a combatant especially when it comes to Arran The Brutal Prince as he is known who is to become her husband in a marriage of alliance.
They both bear the pain of their past..
This book has fantastic world building and I right away took to the writing style I loved this book and the character Parys.
this book has
World building
Dual POV which I loved
Fae fantasy
Enemies to lovers
Fated Mates
Royal politics
Morally grey hero
'who did this to you'
Found family trope
Shifter
Dark romance
Steamy 🌶️🌶️🌶️

What an incredible journey it has been!

In this captivating twist on Arthurian mythology, we follow the resilient Queen Veyka Pendragon, navigating a treacherous court and her quest for revenge. Her betrothal to the duty-bound Brutal Prince, Arran Earthborn, adds layers of complexity to her struggle for control.

Introducing Fae and Shifters into an Arthurian retelling was a brilliant concept, and as a fantasy enthusiast, I was completely enthralled from start to finish.

From the very beginning, I was utterly gripped by this book. Veyka, a plus-sized character, emerged as a character I couldn't help but adore – strong, feisty, and wonderfully resilient. Oh, and did I mention she’s plus sized?! How refreshing to have a plus sized female character who is worshipped. I truly appreciated that the author embraced Veyka's insecurities, making her incredibly relatable. And then there's Arran – who could resist him? Despite his moniker as the Brutal Prince, he had countless moments where his caring nature shone through. Plus, the fact that he's a towering 7ft beast only adds to his appeal!

This book didn't shy away from the spice, making it a perfect fit for fans of "A Court of Thorns and Roses" and "From Blood and Ash."

Now, I find myself eagerly awaiting the release of the next book – December can't come soon enough. 📚✨🗡️

Crown of Earth and Sky by Emberly Ash caught my attention due to the lovely cover and when I read the summary, I was intrigued. Magic, Fae, revenge...I'm in.

Veyka Pendragon is the new queen of the Elemental Fae but not because she wants to be. When her brother is murdered, she finds herself surrounded by a court she can't trust and her biggest goal is to get revenge against those who betrayed her. As she figures out how to balance her wishes with the requirements of the role of queen, she is also has to meets the man who will be her husband to keep the peace between the Elemental and Terrestrial courts.

Arran Earthborn is the strongest terrestrial fae in millennia and he takes his role within his kingdom very seriously so when he comes face to face with Veyka and realizes just how much she has given away, he's actually pretty disappointed and is determined to do what he must with or without her.

I thought Ash did a good job with the world building and the writing was done well. I found myself on the fence with the characters at times but she eventually won me over and when Veyka and Arran started working together, it seemed to help push the story along. If you're looking for a new adult fantasy with spice, consider picking this one up. I found myself flying through it and will pick up more from Ash in the future.

*thank you netgalley and the author for an arc on exchange for an honest review*

um hi wtf???? don’t end like that on me and then tell me i can’t read the sequel for months!! rude -_-

but seriously, this book took my breath away. it is a fantasy take on king arthur, and it is FANTASTIC. the political intrigue, the fighting, and the overall fantastical aspects of this book are exactly what i want in a retelling (and in a fantasy book in general). the book is romance heavy, but it doesn’t steal any of the plot. there’s so much going on that i felt right in the middle of the action with these characters.

i didn’t predict a single twist and audibly gasped multiple times. arran and veyka are also too precious and if anything happens to either of them in the next book i will cry. i think they have earned their way into my list of top fantasy couples. they were seriously that good.

there’s also a lot of…mhm…spicy scenes in here. like…a lot. so proceed with caution and possibly a towel.

i will be waiting until the sequel and won’t rest until it’s in my grabby little hands

I was hooked from the beginning of this retelling and burned through it fast. I love the FMC and can't wait for more from this world. I received Crown of Earth and Sky by Emberly Ash from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review. #CrownofEarthandSkyARC #NetGalley

✨📚ARC REVIEW📚✨

‼BOOK IS ALREADY OUT!!!

♧ I-, I'm speechless!

♧ This was just a chef kiss, from the beginning, till the end. I already flooded my Instagram with my love for this book so many uncounted times and I still will.

♧Emberly!!! Miss Emberly!!! Why ?? I can't wait for BOOK 2 because of that ending. Wow!

♧ I recommend this, go put it on your shelves👌🏾 Such a lovely book!

♧ Oh, and not to forget... Arrannnnnnnnnn 🥵 and I can't even explain this, but Veykaaaaaa😙🥵 How can both MC and FC be this fine? Like....

♧Okay, I'll stop here because now it's just me obsessing LOL 😆

Thank you, @netgalley, @emberlyash, and the publisher for allowing me to read this, in return for an honest review.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
🫦Fated mates
🫦Fae Fantasy Romance
🫦Who did this to you?
🫦Arthur Pendragon retelling/reimagined
🫦Morally Gray Hero
🫦Enemies to Lovers
🫦Steamy Romance

Very odd take on King Arthur.... I found this book to be a bit confusing during the journey... I enjoyed most of it, but felt like the intrigue died off at about 30%. I see a lot of others enjoyed this, so I wouldn't say don't give it a go.

Crown of Earth and Sky by Emberly Ash is the first book in the Secrets of the Faerie Crown series. This is a dark romantic fantasy and is a King Arthur retelling with some twists, and fae. Tropes and themes include touch her and die, a badass FMC, mental health rep, court intrigue, found family, enemies to lovers and fated mates. This is a spicy book for adults only, and please check content warnings for dark topics and themes.

The Lovely: I loved the plot - quite possibly my favorite part of the book (closely followed by the magic/Fae world building). There were so many plot concepts that were flipped from what we normally see in romantasy - from the characters to gender norms. The story kept me engaged as I tried to mentally solve the puzzle right along with the FMC. It kept me guessing up until the end and then we had a *massive* cliffhanger.

The Mundane: I liked the characters but didn’t necessarily love them or their relationship. Their physical attraction felt insta-lovey without substance behind it. Their emotional relationship though is slow burn and still didn’t feel totally there by the end end. So, I’m hoping that it develops more in the next book.

The Dreadful: The biggest downside for me was the pacing. It started off strong with action and angst but then faltered. We spend a lot of time hearing the FMC’s somewhat one-track internal monologue. To be clear, I don’t disagree with her actions or feelings, given her past, but those scenes were too frequent and long.

Rating: 4/5 Stars 3/5 Flames

Recommendation: I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I can’t wait for book two in December. One, to find out what happens after the cliffhanger ending, and two, because I hope we see the MMC and FMC’s relationship develop more. I’m also excited to see how certain pieces of the plot fit together. If you like Fae romantasy with angst and lusting where both the FMC and MMC are strong characters, and don’t mind a bit of darkness, I think you would like this book. I definitely recommend this book for your #tbr.

NETGALLEY REVIEW: Crown of Earth and Sky by @emberlyashauthor

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Firstly, I would like to thank the author and Netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this book.

This book is a dark and twisted retelling of the classic King Arthur. It is the first book in Emberly’s series, Secrets of the Faeire Crown. The second book, Throne of Air and Darkness, is set to release this December.

This book has everything (and more) that I’m looking for a book, especially a romantasy.

🖤 Enemies to lovers
🖤 Forced proximity
🖤 Arranged marriage
🖤 Magic
🖤 Court politics
🖤 SPICE 🌶️🌶️🌶️
🖤 Dark haired love interest
🖤 Strong, sassy, CURVY and badass MFC
🖤 Angst
🖤 Dual POV
🖤 Touch her and ☠️
🖤 Arthurian vibes
🖤 Found family
&& more!

Emberly has done a fantastic job with this book. The spin on King Arthur is unique and twisted but fun and exciting. The book consistently has you on the edge of your seat with its court politics, many secrets and plot twists.

✨Spoilers✨
Without giving TOO much away, I’ll give a quick run down.
Vekya, our MFC, is twin sister to King Arthur. She was born without fae powers and only her brother and mother know. Her mother had locked her away and tortured her for years until Arthur became King after his father’s death. That is when Arthur released his sister and locked their mother away.
But then Arthur is murdered and it is expected the Vekya become Queen and marry the chosen Elemental fae. That fae happens to be the strongest of his kind in a long time and his name is Arran, also known as The Cruel Prince. Vekya has no intentions of marrying him or becoming queen, instead she wishes to seek revenge for her brothers death.
Secrets will be revealed. Choices will be made. Friendships and alliances will be made. Love will blossom from hate.

This is a must read. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good retelling, enemies to lovers, spice and Romantasy.

Loved this slow-burn enemies to lovers fantasy romance! The magical world was so intriguing! This was so much more than a fantasy romance. It was about healing and learning to live and love again after loss. I really enjoyed the growth of the characters in this book, and it’s not just the main characters. Cannot wait to see what happens in the second book!

Veyka Pendragon is an unwilling Queen of the Elemental Fae seeks revenge for her kingdom. She is betrothed to the Brutal Prince of the Terrestrial Fae, Arran Earthborn. Bound together by tradition and duty they must band together to fight anyone who seeks to hurt their rule and also learn to get along with each other, for their own sanity.

“Crown of Earth and Sky” by Emberly Ash was absolutely amazing. I was so invested and sucked into the story right away. I loved the relationship Veyka and Arran have with each other and their fighting. The world Emberly Ash created was unique and easy to picture. I also really like Veyka’s outfits. The fact that they fight with axes instead of swords was refreshing choice and I ended up really liking it. I give it a 5 out of 5 stars and cannot wait for a second book.

I absolutely loved this! I was on edge most of the time while reading. It's spicy, adventurous, and absolutely great world-building. That ending though, it straight gutted me!! Yeah, it's a cliffy but bravo to the author! I need that next book!!

Crown of Earth and Sky was an easy read, I felt like the pace was fast, but not too fast. The world-building was solid and it wasn't hard to follow. Veyka, the main character, was interesting to read, and even though she had severe trauma and PTSD, and she had her own ways of dealing with her issues. At first she seemed extremely self-destructive, but I loved how we actually got to see some real growth and growing strength of her character. The MMC also proved not to be a black and white, but rather grey. The amount of smut is quite there in this book, so be prepared.
While it wasn't a 5 stars book for me, I still give it a solid 4. It was a good opening to the series, ending on a cliffhanger and I am planning on continuing the series for sure.

Crown of earth and sky by Emberly Ash Tells the story of Veyka Pendragon who was crowned queen after her court betrayed her and now she is out for revenge. While also guarding a dangerous secret.

The arrival of her betrothed the brutal prince is also another piece in her plan for revenge because Arran Earthborn is the strongest Fae in millennia and Veyka will have to join in order to keep the peace within her kingdom.
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I honestly didn’t know what I was getting myself into when I started reading this book and I am so pleasantly surprised at the story that unraveled And that I absolutely loved!

I will definitely have to say one of my favorite things was the world building and the way that this stories world and magic works in a complete opposite way to all the other fae stories I’ve read. This made it even more interesting because it was a new way of writing Fae magic and their world that I found myself getting more into the story the more that was revealed with each chapter.

I also absolutely loved all of the characters and their relationships to each other because whether they were romantic or platonic relationships I felt myself falling in love with every single one of them to the point that I laughed and cried along with them.

And Oh. My. God. The plot twist that this story had were just so amazing! I can actually say this is the first time I haven’t been able to expect any of them and just when I thought there couldn’t be any more sooo many more was Revealed and that ending!??? I definitely cannot wait to read the next book after the huge twist!

I am loving King Author retellings. This one was so steamy with such an awesome story. I loved the elemental and terrestrial fae. Their magic was so cool. I just adored the side characters. I always love a found family. I am hooked on this series. I need the next book right this very minute! Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the arc in exchange for my honest review.