I was so excited to get the ARC from Net Galley, so happy I got to read this now. Wow, what a ride! I really enjoyed this, it has so much to offer. It’s a fantasy set in King Arthur’s legend, but with fairies. Fairies, magic, spice and wonderful story telling! The world building was very well done, I found it interesting and also easy to follow. The characters were great, I liked seeing how they interacted and grew. But the ending 🤯🤯🤯. I cannot wait for the second book to see what happens next!

I <i>devoured</i> this book!

There are two main classes of fae - Elemental, who can control the elements, and Terrestrial, who are either flora - controlling plant life - or fauna - being able to comunicate and control animals, or even shifters. Long ago, the Ancestors brought about peace, and instituted that one Elemental and one Terrestrial would share the rule of Annwyn, ruling from the Elemental city of Baylaur.

Arthur was always meant to be king, a just ruler who cared for his people and would have brought about an era of peace and prosperity. Instead, he is cruelly cut down by human assassins, and Annwyn is forced to look to his twin sister as the next Elemental heir. The only problem is Veyka has no interest in ruling. Her only aspirations are revenge for her brother and a quick death.

I was so intrigued by Emberly's take on fae magic, and how their society was structured. I relished each glimpse into how Annwyn was shaped and craved more. I can't wait to find out more about the home of the terrestrial fae, as well as further history and legends of the whole world.

The character growth and friendships formed were so rewarding. Dual POV shared between Veyka and Arran provided great insight and plot development, and I didn't favor one over the other. I loved getting a chance to see inside both their minds, and I'm so looking forward to getting to stay with them throughout this series. Plus, their chemistry was off the charts!

I've already (lovingly) started pushing this series toward friends, because I have theories and ideas, and cannot wait to discuss them! Highly anticipating the second book, and hoping this book finds its way to a large audience, because it is so deserving of it!

(Note to publishers - I did post this to goodreads as well and am including a link to the review. The "post review to Goodreads" was unable to find the right ISBN.)

**spoiler alert** Extremely captivating. Could not put the book down. Lots of action with some spice. Great take on King Arthur and the round table. It did take me a minute to catch on about Arthur.

“I should have died in the womb” caught my attention as soon as I opened the book. From a twin who never should have lived to queen of the Fae realm defending those in her kingdom and ousting the traitors has kept my attention the entire time. This book transported me into the world and I did not want the book to end.

I love how she does not give up wanting to avenge her brother’s death and she knows that there are not many she can trust. While people think she’s giving up being a queen she’s actually being very strategic trying to weed out those who wish harm.

Can’t wait to read book 2 now. I’m definitely wanting to know more about Velka and the Brutal Prince’s lives after the joining and seeing who they battle in the next book. (less)

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

I loved Veyka! I really appreciated her character’s growth and development throughout the book. All the secrets in the book had me reading chapter after chapter late into the night. There were so many little tidbits dropped through the book that have me counting down for the next book to see how they play out.

The cliff hanger ended is…wow!

First I'd like to thank the author for the eARC
Thank you for this experience ♡

1
The characters
First we have our main character
( veyka) I loved her she was such a badass
She was very well written and had the need depth she did not have an easy life to say the least which made her very strong and capable of defending herself and that did not stop her from hoping to trust someone even when her world did not allow it she was surrounded by traitors so she needed to be strong and not show weakness even in hard conditions
And omg her grief was written so well I almost felt it myself
I admit there were sometimes were I did not agree with her decisions exactly but I did not love her any less

Our Second Mc is (arran )
God how I hate him
He is supposed to be the love interest but I just hate him which is why I am giving this book 3 stars only
He was so annoying & and kept talking about 'the beast inside him'
Like can you think about anything other than the beast or how powerful you are blah blah 😑
He wasn't considerate to veyka at all he thought she was selfish because she was grieving her dead brother and leaving the kingdom to rule itself
Now I get it . It's not right to just ignore all her duties and swallow in grief but still try to he more considerate maybe? 
He is supposed to be brutal prince who went to war blah blah to me he's just a jerk

Plot was okay some issues were mentioned and we didn't hear about them again but I think will be mentioned in next books
The progress was slow but got real fast at the end

The romance was just physical attraction so If you're looking for something cute or pure romance forget it personally I prefer pure love over physical attraction but I know some people don't so you decide what you want

One last thank you for author <3
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My Review will be posted on goodreads

This book is a beautifully written start to a series.
We are talking enemies to lovers, magic system, good world building, betrayal and revenge all wrapped up on an Arthurian based story.

At first I was not the fondest to our MFC and questioned some of her choices, but as the story continues I found myself understanding what she was trying to do.

It is an intriguing fantasy with romance and spice. It also ends in a BIG cliffhanger. I look forward to the next book.

💫 ARC Review💫

Title: A Crown of Earth and Sky
Author: Emberly Ash

Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
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This book was definitely something that I didn’t expect to be so immersed in from page one. In Crown of Earth and Sky, we meet our main character Veyka. Veyka is not your everyday princess. She is one who knows how to defend herself and doesn’t take sh*t from no one. Not even her betrothed Arran. Veyka never wanted to be queen of Annwyn, but after her brothers brutal and unexpected death, she is the next in line to be queen. When Arran and Veyka meet for the first time, it is unexpected and neither of them know who the other is to them, but when they officially meet in the castle, they realized they are to be entwined forever. Veyka becomes a “Queen of Secrets” and Arran is doing everything he can to unravel the webs that Veyka has woven. Through hardships and tribulations we see Veyka and Arran slowly but surely come to an understanding of one another. Arran will stop at nothing to protect his queen, and Veyka has to make a decision in staying to rule over Annwyn or leaving everything she’s ever know behind to start over. The cliff hanger at the end will leave you wanting more, cant wait to see how Veyka and Arran story continues!
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This book is for you, if you like:
-High Steam
-Fae Fantasy Romance
-Morally Grey Hero
-Enemies-to-Lovers
-Found Family
-Fated Mates
-Who did this to you?
-Shifters
-Farytail Retelling
-Arthur Legend reimagined
-For fans of Sarah J Maas, Jennifer Armentrout, and Scarlett St. Clair

Another excellent Arthurian legend retelling, this one with fae and shifters! I was hooked from the first line and drawn in to the story of Veyka, Arthur’s sister who should never have been queen. Thrust into a role she never wanted, she is paired with the Brutal Prince, a warrior who did not expect to be king. At odds from the beginning, they are reluctantly drawn to one another, Arran begins to see that Veyka is not what she appears, and they begin to work together to find out the truth of who killed Arthur. A wonderfully spicy enemies to lovers set up with an interesting collection of side characters and a cliffhanger ending that left me anxiously waiting for Book 2!

The story flowed well and the characters were well developed. I recommend this book and look forward to more from this author.


****Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review****

Enjoyed this book very much. Had quite a bit of spelling/grammatical errors and even a character mix up. But I loved the story and the spice was well written. I'm excited to read book 2 once it is ready!

First, I would like to thank the author & NetGalley for the eARC opportunity. Like always, this review is voluntary & honest

I am lost for words.
Wow, I absolutely loved this book!
This take on the Arthurian legend had me hooked from the first chapter.
I loved the writing! I found it captivating with vivid descriptions.
Lots of action with some spice.
The two main characters were absolutely fantastic, and i couldn’t get enough of them. I also loved the side characters and role they played in the story.
This book had me biting my nails throughout 😬, so many plot twists I didn't see coming.
And that ending was just brilliant 👏👏
I definitely can wait until the next one comes out!

I really enjoy retellings. Especially when they go way outside the box.
Arthur would have made a great king but his death paved the way to do much more.
Prophecies abound and nothing is as it seems.
Veyka is broken. Losing Arthur has her spiraling out of control. Losing herself to her depression. At least on the surface. There is more to her grief but revenge is always top of mind.
Arran is the perfect person to reach her and share in her revenge.
There is more to Veyka than we know. I can hazard a guess about what is really present deep inside her but this book left us hanging!
I cannot wait to see what book 2 holds for everyone.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced ebook copy Crown of Earth and Sky.
This book provided great imagery for a world building epic. Could have been better in the character building. Spice level was about 2 1/2 -3. Though there were many details in this book that I would like to know more about, I would have probably DNF'ed this book about 25% through. I did have to trudge thru some chapters, just wasnt grabbing me.

This book HAD ME!! I did receive an arc of this book and I have to say I was not disappointed at all. I devoured it in less than a day. The FMC is intriguing and flawed and so captivating. The MMC is all those things and more. I kept thinking AHA when i thought I could peg the plot but I was never fully had it. It was solid and not over complicated and twisty. 10/10 recommend this amazing Arthur retelling. The author weaves this like a literal Picasso

This book is a great romantasy Arthurian retelling. It is ideal for fans of series such as Throne of Glass.

Veyka is a brilliant and complex character. She is also brilliant plus size representation. She is a breath of fresh air compared to your normal waif-like fae characters. She is confident in her skin and isn't afraid to show it.

The relationship between Arran and Veyka is wonderful to read. There is plenty of banter and has an enemies to lovers arc. The story is written from a dual POV so you get to see the relationship from both of them. There is also plenty of spice in this story!

I also loved Veyka's found family. I loved how she began to open herself up more to those around her after her trauma (make sure you are aware of the trigger warnings).

The book has a lovely writing style which makes it very easy to read. There is plenty of world and character building, particularly of the big players within the political sphere of the kingdom. However, due to this it does feel a little at slow-paced at times, at least until the last ~20% of the book. However, now that the world and characters are established, it feels as though the next book will be action-packed.

The book ends on a cliffhanger and I can't wait to find out what happens next. The next book, Throne of Air and Darkness, is due to be released in December 2023. I can't wait!

Thanks to NetGalley, Emberly Ash and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

"Crown of Earth and Sky" is the first book of "Secrets of the Faerie Crown," an adult fantasy romance series, retelling of the Arthurian cycle, written by Emberly Ash and currently in progress.

The story follows Veyka Pendragon, new and unexpected queen of the Elemental Fae of Annwyn. A title she was not supposed to have. A crown meant for her brother, Arthur Pendragon. Arthur, her twin, the only true affection of her entire existence. The only person worthy of her trust. A powerful king, kind, just and loyal to his subjects. Arthur, treacherously murdered during a sacred ceremony. No, Veyka should not have been crowned. But this tragedy forced her onto a throne she never wanted. Moved by a desire for revenge against the humans who betrayed her, Veyka finds herself facing her devious court and guarding a dangerous secret. The arrival of her betrothed, the infamous Prince Brutal, is just another cog in the wheels of time and space spinning around her. Arran Earthborn, the strongest terrestrial fae in millennia. If Veyka wishes to keep the peace her Ancestors fought and died for, she must join him soon. But the Brutal Prince has not earned his name by playing nice, and soon the rage and passion that builds between them threatens a secret that could tear their world apart.

Wow, I absolutely loved this book! Delightfully compelling, intriguing and hot, it had me hooked from the opening lines! I was absorbed in the events, captivated by the story, unable to tear myself away from the pages. I was amused, angry, moved and clearly melted and yes, I basically loved it all! I can't wait for the sequel to come out, I need it extremely!

I loved the writing! I found it captivating, sizzling and light, with vivid descriptions and incisive dialogues. The fast and brisk pace, accompanied by the presence of short chapters, in my opinion make it an all in one read. The book has melancholic and poignant nuances that I enjoyed a lot, cleverly alternated with more ironic and funny tones. And what about the spicy! Really mind blowing!

The world building is really interesting! As I mentioned above, the book is a retelling of the Arthurian cycle and help, I simply loved it! The story takes place on the Annwyn continent, which is dominated and inhabited by the fae. The fae are divided into two categories, each with its own realm: elementals and terrestrials. The elementals, as the name suggests, have elemental magic. There are fae with water power, fae with air power, fae with ice power, and so on. All except the power of earth, which belongs to terrestrial fae. In fact, the terrestrials can shapeshift or control animals, or bend vegetation to their will. For millennia the elementals and the terrestrials fought each other for power and supremacy, until the Ancestors stipulated the peace agreements still in effect now: once every generation the two fae kingdoms come together in the Offering, through an arranged marriage, crowning a High King and Queen of Annwyn. More specifically, this first volume is set in the Vale of Effren, the torrid elemental realm, climatically and morphologically opposed to Shadow Wood, the realm of the terrestrial fae. I could say much more, but I will stop here to avoid unintentional spoilers. In my opinion this is extensive, elaborate and complex world building, rendered in a clear and simple manner. I was fascinated by the mythology of Annwyn, the differences of the two kingdoms, with their specific and contrasting ways of acting and thinking, with their traditions and policies. I enjoyed it all!

The plot proceeds sizzlingly, full of action and events. Power games, court intrigues, betrayals and mysteries are interwoven with actual combat scenes. I found myself gripped by the events, curious to know. In my opinion, the fights are depicted well, so much so that I had no difficulty imagining them. Moreover, the spicy is really hot! In fact, the book is pervaded by a fiery passion, by a sizzling sensual tension, which sent me into juices! There are also some more serious and intense moments that moved me quite a bit. Clearly the final cliffhanger is something terribly illegal and I now need answers!

I loved Veyka and Arran, protagonists with their first person povs! Veyka Pendragon is the new Queen of the Elemental Fae. A role she did not ask for. A task she was not meant for. She is the daughter of the powerful Uther and Igraine, twin of the strong and gentle Arthur. An anomaly in a world where twins are extremely rare. The reserve, the spare tire, destined to be relegated to the shadows or the background. Until Arthur is killed, plunging the kingdom into chaos and forcing her onto the throne. Veyka is a character I loved! Strong, independent, determined and cunning, she won me over from the start. Veyka is a woman who has been through a lot! Marked by a turbulent past, Arthur's death destroyed her. Veyka in fact was very close to her twin. Her other half. Her world. The loss plunged her into a vortex of apathy, characterized by constant methods to escape the pain. It has driven her toward a burning desire for revenge. Veyka is propelled by revenge, a purpose that drags her through her days. She is a seemingly tough and selfish character who hides a decidedly sensitive and suffering soul beneath her biting irony. As well as a dangerous secret that threatens to jeopardize everything. I really liked Veyka a lot! She has a wonderful characterization and in the course of the story follows a very good evolution. I became so attached to her that I wanted to hug her at certain times.

Arran, on the other hand, is the infamous Brutal Prince. Heir to the terrestrial fae, he is the strongest of his kind for millennia. An indomitable and ruthless warrior, he should not have been chosen as the future ruler. Arthur's death, however, forced him into the position. Unprepared for the role, he finds himself facing a situation outside his comfort zone. He is a strong, grumpy, proud, provocative and stubborn man, who beneath his apparent hostility hides a loyal, faithful and dutiful soul. Arran wants peace, desires prosperity and security for Annwyn. Marked by a difficult and painful past that has deeply scarred him, he hides his demons beneath his irreverence. Arran is a character who won me over immediately! I loved his multifaceted personality, his evolution. Also, he is absurdly hot! Seriously, I think I drooled badly for Arran! I mean he's too much stuff! My hormones did somersaults with excitement!

The relationship between Veyka and Arran is simply mind blowing! The chemistry between the two is palpable from their very first meeting. They are physically attracted to each other. There is a powerful lust. However, their contrasting characters drive them to dislike each other and fight this sizzling passion. The exchanges of barbs, provocative banter, various fights and more or less fair blows were extremely hot! I highly enjoyed the building of their relationship, which occurs in a slow and consistent manner. Veyka and Arran must come together in a combined union to fulfill the deal, but they do not know each other. Throughout the book they have a way to talk, deal with problems, discover hidden aspects of each other, and thus grow closer. I loved their interactions, the way they learn to support each other, accepting each other with their strengths and flaws. Also, I reiterate my love for the spicy in this book! Yes, there are several spicy scenes and yes, they are handled perfectly! Seriously, Veyka and Arran are wonderful together!

The secondary characters convinced me! They are not all deepened in the same way, but in general they satisfied me. I especially appreciated Parys, Gwen, and Cyara!

All in all, this is a start to a series that I absolutely loved and recommend to fantasy romance lovers!

Thank you to NetGalley and Emberly Ash for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, wow, wow, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. For me a 5 star read and 3 spicy peppers.
I received this book as an ARC and here is my honest review.
Who doesn't love a strong FMC (Veyka) and hot seven foot morally grey MMC (Aaran)??? This is a retelling of King Author but with fae and animal shifters.
The second half of this booked had me hooked with the adventure and the dynamic between the love interests in this book. I also loved the side characters and role they play in the story.
The end of the book had me hooked and I didn't want it to end, yes there is a cliff hanger and the second book doesn't come out until December.
Be mindful of the trigger warnings there is some serious content written into the book.

Okay listen I requested this because I’m in Briar Boleyn’s street team group and Emberly posted about this arc in there. I love King Arthur retellings so I was all over it. This was SO GOOD. I was hooked from page one. Veyka is such a badass, and also so broken that even though she could kill me where I stand I feel like I need to protect her at all costs. And Arran? WOW. So broody and hot and very wildly morally gray. So you know, our favorite kind of book boyfriend. The story was full of political intrigue and mystery. And the spice? Top tier. But that cliffhanger! I don’t know how I’m going to wait for book 2!

Wow. Couldn't put this one down! It's currently almost 2AM, and I started reading at about 2PM.
I loved the characters and the world building, and all the nods to Arthurian legends. Excited to read the next book in December!

I really enjoyed this book, which is why I'm giving it 4⭐️'s. That being said this book could have easily been 5 ⭐️’s with some changes.

Regarding the title, I have to say I'm not sure why it's called crown of earth and sky based on what I read. Yes there are elemental and terrestrial fae types but again earth and sky didn't really have much to do with either of the main characters. Maybe a bit of earth but that is pushing it.

I enjoyed the relationship between both the MFC and MMC, it was a bit of a slow burn but there was chemistry between them. I didn't feel like the miscommunication trope was done well though. It was revealed quickly and resolved to fast for me. Which made it feel pointless to the plot.

The questions regarding the MFC are not answered. We didn't even get that much of a glimpse at all in answering the questions regarding her and her storyline. Which was incredibly frustrating.

Also the incessant over use of the word goldstone for the guards and walls was annoying, and the use of the word aural for alcohol?? Why?

There was also a ton of grammar issues in the book. Even in the beginning. I know this is an arc so I’m sure it will be fixed before release. But I had a ton of annotations in this book of misspelling, incomplete words and misplacement of words that just didn’t belong or should have not been used at all in my opinion.

I enjoyed the book enough to want to read the next one. But definitely a few things about it I didn't enjoy. But I do recommend it.