Really enjoyable, excellent medieval/King Arthur but with bits of fae retelling. The characters needed more development, but hopefully that comes later In the series. But excellent pacing and a good plot. Loved the proper slow burn romance and the hint of spice. Morgan was excellent, and she's so strong can't wait for more of her. And the cliffhanger!? We get all the good tropes included enemies to lovers, forced proximity, found family, one bed. I imagine a lot of people would really love this.

DNF.

I tried and I really wanted to like this book. But I can’t. I feel like the story could’ve been great. it had potential but I felt like it was lacking so much. The characters all seemed one dimensional, the relationships seemed forced and undeveloped.

The main character is meant to be 20 but it reads like she’s much much younger. A lot of the focus is on her gray hair and the reader is reminded of it every few pages it feels like. Also, most of the city and a member of the Royal guard doesn’t recognize her but her hair is so unique for her?

The story feels choppy and repetitive. I only got about a quarter of the way through so I can’t say much for the rest of the book or the main plot.

This was a fantastic start to a multi book series, that seems poised to turn the legend of Arthur and Camelot on its head. The universe building is perfection, and the growing cast of characters well written and fully formed. That ending!!! I am on my way to find book two as we speak!

Overall rating: 4.5
Spice: 3

Trigger warning: brief mentions of domestic violence/abuse

Can we talk about a PROLOGUE. I was drawn in immediately, I never stood a chance against this book. Drawn in from line one, and held my attention for all 300+ pages. And the ending?? The conclusion took me aback in the best way possible, leaving just enough up in the air to make me need to read the next book. I genuinely really enjoyed this book. It was fast-paced, exciting, had a great backstory, plot, setting, everything.

Character wise, I was intrigued by both Kairos and Morgan. I loved Kairos Draven, and can’t wait to learn more about him. He’s hot and dangerous, but still shows a level of emotional intelligence and empathy that’s greatly appreciated. I loved seeing all the facets to his personality—the strength, mystery, kind and caring, cat-loving aspects he shows throughout the novel. Morgan was interesting to me! I loved her character development from complicity with her brother’s reign to determined fighter. Briefly seeing her true past made me desperate to read more. I will say, she can sometimes be naive. Not locking your door when you know you have a crazed stalker in the same building? That’s a tad crazy. Seeing her mental, physical, emotional, and magical growth, however, is extremely rewarding.

Spice wise, there were graphic scenes, but not too many, and not extremely graphic. They weren’t brushed over, per se, but there were only 2-3 mentions of graphic content.

Things I liked
The slow burn between Kairos and Morgan has my heart. Technically, they’re friends, but it’s clear they find each other attractive, trust each other, and will kill for each other (literally). The banter is cute, and the amount of potential for their relationship gives me life. The tension is there, the chemistry is there, they just have to realize it.
Worldbuilding and setting. Boleyn does an excellent job of describing the physical landscapes and how they differ. The world is immersive and creative. Furthermore, the world has purpose and history. Not only city or landscape is overlooked, each having its own details and history/
The fae!! I swear I’ve never heard a backstory like this before. I want to know so much more because it’s so unique. Won’t go too much into depth because of spoilers, but it does seem to connect fae and magic with another dystopian-type genre..

Things that didn’t work for me
The (kinda) love triangle hurt my feelings! I’m usually a love triangle hater, and the development of this one was so unexpected. At first, it felt unnecessary, but it did ultimately advance the plot rather than remaining an empty point within the story, which I really enjoyed. Furthermore, I appreciated the lack of LOVE between the characters. Lust and attraction, sure, but Morgan is smart enough to recognize her excitement, delusions, and desires that fuel her thoughts and actions instead of falling in insta-love.
I literally cannot wait for Morgan to grow more into her character. Sometimes, it seemed like she just went along with things (life, bad situations, etc) without really thinking or questioning. She didn’t question Florian, or even Vesper, out of fear and lust respectively. She didn’t dig into her past and was extremely trusting of most characters within the novel. Granted, she is a princess, and it does make her character development stronger. Hopefully, in the next books, Morgan is proactive in the creation of her future and the discovery of her past.

Magic, romance, amazing world building, plot, and characters. What more can a reader ask for?

* I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Briar Boleyn and NetGalley for sharing this book with me in exchange for my honest review.

I was intrigued from start to finish! This book has excellent world building and character development in my opinion. I felt the author’s writing style was appropriately descriptive and provided great background information, so it was easy to follow along. I appreciated the slow burn romance and how it was more focused on the plot and world building than spice. I do, however, look forward to the spice promised to come in the next book! I planned to continue to this series anyways, but after that cliff hanger ending, I need to read on ASAP.

Trying not to give any spoilers, this is how I would describe the book. Morgan Pendragon, a part-fae princess has had a rough life. Her father was a merciless killer, and her younger brother seems to be following in his footsteps. As the fae seem to have left a long time ago, she has always felt different from her mostly all-human family and peers. All her life she has been treated harshly and told what to do. Passed over for the crown, her younger brother Arthur becomes King. Now he has tasked her with an important mission to retrieve a powerful fae weapon, Excalibur. Armed with only her blade, bow and two bodyguards she doesn’t trust, she sets out on her journey. A journey through struggle, danger, loss, love and most importantly, finding herself.

If you enjoy fantasy, magic and an extremely slow burn romance this book is for you!

**Check the trigger warnings before reading**

Morgan is tasked by her brother, the king, to accomplish a mission, but he doesn’t tell her exactly what. She sees unthinkable mythical creatures and encounters many obstacles along the way.

The book starts off slow, but since this is a series I can respect the setup of plot and characters. I don’t know if I had such a distaste for characters as much as Florian and Vesper. The book ends on a cliffhanger leaving you wanting more.

Thank you to Briar Boleyn, the publisher and Net Galley for the ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and Starwater Press for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

There are two parts to this book, which the author, Briar Boleyn, helpfully sets out. And there really are two parts. One’s a bit of a slog, and the other is an exciting read.

Queen of Roses is a reimagining of the Arthurian legends. Just add in magic, the mysterious fae, and maybe even vampires (we'll see in the second book).

Book one was a bit of a slog if I’m honest. I found Morgan weak in the beginning. I can see what the author is trying to do. Morgan needs to evolve. She’s been told all her life that her true self is dangerous, so she has no confidence. But still, she was so empathetic it was to the point of self-sacrifice.

Once part two started things became more interesting. This was when she headed off on her mysterious journey with Kairos Draven. There’s an obvious sexual attraction there, but it’s a slow burn, enemies level for this book.

Morgan’s got a bit more spine in book two, although Kairos is the one who saves her from poisoning herself. She really finds her feet when her horse is attacked by wolves.

I enjoyed the sexual inclusivity in this world, which is quite different from what is normally written in Arthurian legends. Morgan’s best friends are Queer and it seems quite commonplace in this world that Boleyn has created.

The ending has a huge twist and definitely has me wanting to read the second book.

Queen of Roses is an imaginative take on the Arthurian legends told from Morgan’s point of view. It starts slow but really picks up in the second part of the book. It’s a journey into sexual tension and mysterious magic.

This was a surprising and thoroughly entertaining retelling of the Arthurian legends, centered around Arthur's sister, Morgan le Fay. It was interesting to see her journey from ignorance to embracing her true heritage, and I loved the supplemental characters around her. I particularly liked seeing the genderbent versions of Merlin and Lancelot! It was easy to see specific parallels to modern politics and society a number of assorted plot threads, and while I appreciated how skillfully those were done, it was a little difficult to read at times. Too real, I suppose. Morgan is a likeable character and protagonist, and I loved the slow (SLOW) burn building with the implied male main character. While I read an eARC, this is a title I will definitely purchase a physical copy of for my own collection, and potentially for my library as well.

I'm surprised that I enjoyed reading Queen of Roses so much. Lately, fae books have been hit or miss because so many are overhyped. Plus, I worried that the twist on the legend of Kind Arthur was going to fall flat. I'm happy to say that this was a good read, despite the main character being unlikeable -though, that is likely the point since she is a sheltered princess. I am giving it four stars instead of five because the ending was predictible (yes, all of it). I plan to read the next two books, and I'm looking forward to it.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4.25 ⭐️

It was hard to get into at first. I felt like i wasn’t understanding anything nor connecting to the characters, and was honestly debating not finishing this book at around 30%.But then everything clicked, i started really enjoying the book.
After 35% i felt fully immersed, like i was experiencing morgan’s life alongside her. I didn’t see anything coming, and the writing was so fun to read, and at times, beautiful.
At 60%, i finished the rest of the book in a day. I love travelling stories. There wasn’t really any romance, but this book did set it up for the next book.
The ending was wonderful. i’ll be thinking about it for a while. I’m excited to see where the series goes. If you liked From Blood and Ash, i think you’ll like this book.

Thank you to Briar Boleyn and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review Queen of Roses.

Oh my goodness, this book!
I loved the world building, although I can imagine it being quite a slow read for some, especially in the beginning.
I loved the characters, the story, the romance with some spice.
I devoured this book in one sitting, if that doesn’t say how good it is, then I don’t know what more to say.
For the ones who love fantasy I strongly recommend this book, and the series overall.

A big thanks to NetGalley, Victory Editing and the lovely author Briar Boleyn for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

I loved this book!!!!! I could not put it down! I could not stop thinking about it! It had some surprises in there as well, which I love! I cannot wait to read book two!

A fast-paced, engaging take on Arthurian legend with Morgan as the main character and Arthur no longer cast as the hero. There's so much to love about this book: the world-building, the fae, the slow burn romance, the one tent dilemma! It's such a fun adventure set in a familiar world that is turned completely around, but there are definitely darker themes here. The characters have depth and show growth from beginning to end, and while Morgan does come off very innocent and naive it makes sense for this point in her journey. I look forward to seeing how her character matures throughout the series and how the romance between her and Draven continues to develop. Even the villains are compelling, making the reader curious about what turned them into who they are now and set them on this path. I will definitely be continuing with the series and I'm glad I received this ARC copy well after it's initial release so I can go straight into the next book! Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for access in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a fantastic read! I loved the mystery and tension between the main characters and the ending!! I can’t wait to read the second and third book

Thank you so much Net Galley and Briar Boleyn for the ARC, Queen of Roses.
I really enjoyed book one, so much so that I immediately downloaded Court of Claws. While book one felt like a slower read, it was because *world building* I can’t wait to find more about Morgan’s family, especially her siblings and mom. I feel like court of claws will have some big surprises. Thanks again for the ARC!

2.75

ESP/ENG

Que decir de este libro. Si me ha gustado. Si me pareció una buena trama y un buen inicio. Me ha dejado intrigada por el futuro y con preguntas de los personajes y sobre lo que pasara. Me ha gustado todo el asunto de retelling y el misterio con los faes. Aunque a veces fue un poco predecible. Pero hay un problema. Los personajes.

No he podido encariñarme ni con los principales ni con los secundarios. La protagonista femenina es terrible de verdad. No tiene ni un solo punto bueno. No hace nada. No tiene ni una sola habilidad. Creo que lo único que me gusta es el nombre que tiene. Morgan. Pero que protagonista más débil. Si muy triste por el abuso que le hacen pasar, pero fatal. Ni el protagonista masculino me dejo enamorada, intrigada sí, pero no enamorada.

La verdad necesito que esos dos den un gro de ciento ochenta grados en el libro dos o por lo menos encaminarse. Porque si siguen siendo patéticos y sin sentido no creo que continúe con la saga.

Por cierto, sentí ese instalove innecesario.

Pequeño resumen de la trama: Morgan es la hermana mayor del gobernante. Ella era la que tenía que gobernar, pero los rumores de su linaje y sangre hicieron que su padre decretara que el rey iba a ser su hermano y ella iba a ser enviada al templo de los Dioses. Faltando poco tiempo para que su destino se cumpla, su hermano la manipula y le ofrece una salida de su camino. Debe recuperar un arma muy poderosa en compañía de alguien en quien no confía. Con muy poca información y preocupándose por ella y sus seres queridos, se ve obligada a hacer lo que el rey ordena. Las amenazas no son en vano, ya lo ha visto hacer cosas terribles.

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What to say about this book. I liked it. I found it a good plot and a good start. It left me intrigued by the future and with questions about the characters and what will happen. I liked the whole retelling thing and the mystery with the faes. Although it was a bit predictable at times. But there is one problem. The characters.

I couldn't get attached to either the main or secondary characters. The female lead is truly terrible. She doesn't have a single good point. She doesn't do anything. She doesn't have a single skill. I think the only thing I like about her is the name she has. Morgan. But what a weak protagonist. Yes very sad for the abuse they put her through, but fatal. Neither the male lead left me in love, intrigued yes, but not in love.

I really need those two to give a gro of one hundred and eighty degrees in book two or at least get on track. Because if they continue to be pathetic and pointless I don't think I will continue with the saga.

By the way, I felt unnecessary the instalove.

Short plot summary: Morgan is the ruler's older sister. She was meant to rule, but rumors of her lineage and blood caused her father to decree that the king was to be her brother and she was to be sent to the temple of the Gods. With little time left before her destiny is fulfilled, her brother manipulates her and offers her a way out of her way. She must retrieve a very powerful weapon in the company of someone she does not trust. With very little information and worrying for herself and her loved ones, she is forced to do what the king orders. The threats are not in vain, she has already seen him do terrible things.

Thank you NetGalley and Starwater Press for allowing me access to review this book!

I honestly loved this book. I cannot wait to now read the others in the series.

Morgan is the FMC in this story and she is part Fae and human. Her mother is killed by her father and she is replaced as next in line for the throne by her half brother. Her brother sends her on an adventure to find a certain object that he believes will help him win a war. The kingdom she is traveling to is believed to have vanished. But she begins to learn more and more about her heritage through this journey.

I don’t think I could hate a character more than I hate Florian! If I had to pick one thing about the book I didn’t like.

There is so much I wish I could share, you just have to read the book! The book started out a little slow during the world building, but i couldn’t put it down once the journey began for Morgan. I cannot wait to see what surprises come in the next book.

Tropes: Fantasy romance, spicy, enemies to lovers, forced proximity.

I really enjoyed this twist in traditional Arthurian legend. I also think that this is a fun read even if you aren’t interested in King Arthur but love fantasy.

This is the first book in the Blood of a Fae series and is an entertaining, magical and steamy entry into the world. It follows Morgan Pendragon, Arthur and Kaye’s older sister, who was born into a life controlled by others. Her rumoured fae lineage separates her from those around her, marking her as different, which leads her father to, among other reasons, take her birth right from her. This is why Arthur becomes king, as next in line.

With her crown taken from her, her father promised her life to the worship of the goddesses when she comes of age. From a young age Morgan has known her future was written for her, even when her brother became king. However, a year before she is meant to join the temple her brother has need of her to search for an ancient fae weapon and Morgan sees her last chance of a taste of freedom before a life of worship and celibacy. Especially as she will be able to escape the constant watch of her brother and the unwanted attention of a boy obsessed with her.

However, her journey is not as simple as she has hoped. She quickly learns there is much that she doesn’t know about the world outside of Pendrath as well as herself. Accompanied by an assassin, bard and old friend (at various points of the journey), Morgan must learn how to fend for herself in the wild as well as understand her own temptations and transformation.

But it’s not only her own secrets that will change the course of Morgan’s life, but the secrets of those around her and a history long forgotten.

I really enjoyed this story, the romance, the drama and the magical creatures! This book built up so well and with the revelations at the end I am eager to continue the story and see how the characters develop and face the challenges that lay ahead of them!

I really liked the beginning of the story, even though it was quite dark; it really set the theme of the whole book and will definitely give a hell of a character development to Morgan, but as I read further, the story does get darker, but I don't see any improvements to the FMC. She trusts too easily and then will feel stupid for doing so...no actually she is quite...hmm...an interesting character. 

I am also quite sick of male characters in fantasy books being described as beastly (hairy chest, bigger than the FMC, muscular, etc.) and described the FMC as dainty. Maybe there's a reason why the MMC was described as so but still, I'm tired of that kind of MMC and FMC pairing because it's too overused and predictable. 

The plot is engrossing enough for me to continue reading, though according to some reviews, it is similar to ACOTAR and FBAA (I can't tell for sure since I haven't read any of those). The writing style is not that great either. There are some parts where it will get me so hooked, and then some parts are just... 

"Slowly I raised my hands. 

At first, nothing happened. 

Just like back at the crossroads. I felt disappointment fill me. 

But I didn’t drop my hands. 

I watched as they trembled. I was so weak, I could hardly hold my arms aloft." 

It felt like I was being given directions on what to think than actually visualize what was happening. A lot could definitely be improved. I wonder if book 2 will be better.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the opportunity to leave an honest review on this ARC.

This was a very engrossing read. I love what the author took from the legend and the magical originality that she added.