Empress of Fae was an improvement on the pacing issues of the earlier books. I was so excited to see that. And there was even more intrigue now that Morgan was back at Camelot. A few parts had me on the edge of my seat. But I feel like overall, it fell just short of my expectations.

There were some things I really liked. Allowing Morgan and Draven to communicate through dreams and heal their relationship was a nice touch. It kept them apart but helped the romance grow. The new characters at Camelot were a great addition. And I felt like the story really found ut;s stride.

The series shifted from a single POV to four POVs, although sadly, only two POVs were widely used. It was such a letdown to have only one chapter from Lancelet and Guinivere and then to never be treated to their POV again. Particularly since I was very excited to see that Guinivere was introduced. Additionally, there were multiple red herrings. It got to the point that when the real traitor was revealed that I wasn't even shocked/didn't really feel betrayed because there had been so many other 'fake' traitors. A red herring is fine, but too many lessens the impact.

I can’t help but love Morgan and draven’s connection. This book is not my favorite in the series, but a lot of plot points were answered in this one. There were a few things that I had not anticipated happening but explained not only a lot, but excite me for the 4th book.

I did get a little bored in the middle, but the ends was worth the push through. I cannot wait to see what happens in the next book as there are many directions it can go at this point.

Personally I again feel like this had some of the same faults as the first novel. The pacing was both slow and yet extremely fast. I didn’t particularly enjoy the way Merlin’s death was executed although I understand why it was done that way. I think that for how many main characters there seem to be I would like more on characters like Merlin and Guinevere but at least for the latter I have hope for more of her in the next book. It was nice to explore Lancelot’s and Morgan’s relationship after Lancelot believes she was left to die. The Draven pov’s were necessary to move plot but it just made me sad that him and Morgan weren’t rougher yet and reminded me that the plot was a little slow. The only part I loved whilst Arthur was ruling was Orcades and Morgan’s relationship. I love how worked as sisters and there wasn’t again a lot of drama between them. I will say Arthur’s death was certainly satisfying even if I would’ve liked to see him grovel I think it’s fitting that he doesn’t get a chance at redemption. I can’t wait to see where it goes with the High King.

The way this book has been written, the spice 🥵🔥 the plot, just absolutely amazing! Can't wait to see what the next book brings us! Be prepared for the emotional rollercoaster this book brings! Also, please read the TW this is not for the light hearted!.

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice level:🌶️🌶️

Read if you like:
▫️multiple POV
▫️second chance
▫️fae and magic
▫️courtly intrigue, politics, and spies
▫️revenge and betrayal

Thanks to NetGalley, Starwater Press, and Briar Boleyn for the ARC!

I don’t know how Briar Boleyn does it, but each book in this series just keep getting better. I loved Queen of Roses with its slow burn enemies to lovers. Court of Claws was spicy and fast-paced and amazing. And this book? This book was crazy! I think I held my breath the whole time I was reading it. A lot of it focuses on politics and moving the storyline along, but I loved it! It was a lot darker than the first two books, but I think it was necessary with the way the overall story seems to be going.

Draven and Morgan are apart for almost the entire book, so it doesn’t focus on their relationship like book two did. (Which was a little sad for me). But, the separation really allowed Morgan to shine. She returned to the home she grew up in, where she had been powerless and mistreated, and instead got to be powerful, strong, and badass. I loved her character arc and development.

And shout out to FINALLY getting Draven’s POV! I’ve only been longing for it for two entire books! He didn’t get a ton of chapters, but what we did get was magical!

We also get introduced to new side characters and get to know some old ones better, and it just made the entire world more vibrant and complex.

I love the way this story reimagines the myth of Arthur, Excalibur, the Round Table, Merlin, and Morgan. It is so wildly creative and entertaining. It’s just a very compelling story, and I can’t wait for the fourth book! Please do yourself a favor and read this series!

5 stars!
I loved this book and the 3 before it. I could not put these books down and ate them up! I can’t wait for the 4th book to come out this year. I have always been a sucker for a King Author story and this one did not disappoint. I even wrote my first research paper on King Author in high school lol.

The twist the author has taken in this story is sooooo good. Bringing the fae world into this mid-evil story was so exciting! This series had everything I love in a book. Please check trigger the warnings.

Thank you NetGalley and Briar Boleyn for the opportunity to read this series!

i read this immediately after the court of claws. i couldn't wait. my brain needed answers.

was i given those answers? yes
did i have to work for it ? also yes

we left the last book with Morgan finding out that she was indeed married to Draven and to our shock, Draven had masterminded her rise to the throne. all hail empress Morgan!she of course fled through a arch because what else are you going to do when you've been thrust into a seat of power that you have no desire for. Any way, Morgan arrives back home and of course its a disaster. Arthur has basically destroyed his kingdom and is living in complete and utter denial.

Briar didn't hold anything back. she wrote about war in a way that was brutal and real. she included elements that were hard to swallow but of course that is war. She thankfully didn't go into gruesome detail when describing the atrocities of battle. i think if she did then it would have really altered the entire vibe of the book. this is a fantasy book with elements of battle and war not a book about war.

we have court intrigue, we have betrayal, we have badass twists and turns. im honestly trying to find something about this book that i disliked, im coming up empty.
theres not much i can say without giving any spoilers.

i really loved how Draven while not really present int he action, was still utilized. he was that voice of reason for Morgan, her shoulder to lean on. He never tried to influence her decisions and i think hes going to be an amazing consort for our new empress.

the ending to this book had me shooketh. i wasn't prepared at all for the turn it took. im so glad that Briar included that particular myth in Arthur's legend. while it was gruesome and dark, it was in keeping with how warped and depraved book Arthur became.

i really cant wait to see where this series goes from here. weve concluded some plot lines but unlocked a while new bag of sh*t and it is going to hit, the. fan. i cant wait.

With the multiple POVs (mostly two people) and some of the characters being apart from each other, it gives the book a high level of intensity in my opinion, which I really like. Briar also was clever with how these characters communicate while being apart as well.

It was such a relief to see Morgan finally embrace her bond with Draven. Empress of Fae had plot twists that left me feeling shocked. I really enjoyed this book and I can’t wait for book 4! I love the twist this series puts on the traditional Camelot story.

Overall rating: 5
Spice: 4

I need book 4 and I need it now!!

Between all three books, my interest has remained piqued. I love love love how each book within the series explores a completely new trend. Book one explores Morgan’s trek, book two focuses on the fae and a mystical world, and book three is an entire new ballpark—political intrigue, manipulation, and war. Empress of Fae felt like the perfect culmination of the previous books, with previous characters, such as Arthur and Lancelet, intersecting with new developments, such her fae powers and Draven.

There are so many aspects within this book that worked well. Many much loved characters made a return, and it was interesting to see their changes during Morgan’s absence. I also loved the new characters (Hi Guinevere and Queen Belisant!), and hope to see so much more of them. Even with Arthur, there was a gained (unexpected) understanding—his backstory provides another layer to his character. Overall, each character is fleshed out, which eliminates a sense of complete “goodness” or “badness” and instead paints a realistic view of how and why people make decisions. Plot wise, political aspects created an emotionally tense atmosphere, and demonstrated how much Morgan has grown. Gone is the naive, mortal girl who listens to her king relentlessly. In her place stands a woman, and a fae one at that, who is aware of the world around her. And her interactions with Fenryx? Absolutely perfect. In the first book, Morgan froze up in the face of the enemy. Within this book, however, she’s unbeatable. She remains strong, not only physically, but mentally and emotionally. Despite her growing power, however, she remains knowledgeable, sensitive, and continues to support both friends and family. Throne of Glass is one of my favorite books/series ever, and Morgan gives similar vibes to Aelin. Mortal girl turned fae, mortal names vs true/fae names, and fire magic. Personally, I don’t mind the similarities, and find both characters individual enough to enjoy the books separately (I just found the similarities interesting!).

Draven (yes he gets his own section, so what).

I just love this man so much. His devotion, admiration, and respect for Morgan and her family and her kingdom cannot be beat. It’s clear he will do absolutely anything for his mate, and that he respects her as a fighter, as an individual, and as his mate. He’s so soft with her, being her rock when he needs it. Even in her absence, he speaks about her with the utmost respect (he said she was the “constellation that guided my destiny” like omg need). Within this novel, there’s a strict shift within Morgan and Draven’s relationship. While in the previous book, their relationship was more physical and less concrete, their relationship is solidified in this book. Even a sea apart, their love for each other resonated. They grew to be the greatest power couple. And the exmoors? My heart just couldn’t take it.

I will say, however, that I did predict the traitor, so that aspect of the plot twist did not come as a shock. I also wish we saw more of Javer and Rychel. Rychel was nowhere within the book (besides some brief mentions) and Javer’s actions, plans, and motives are seldom seen. All of that aside, however, the book is great and all romantasy readers should read this series.

Full hats off to Boleyn, March literally cannot come soon enough.

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

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

5 stars!

What I liked:
Courtly intrigue and plotting
Continued character development and growth
Prophecies!
This series just keeps getting better and better!!

What I dislike:
Having to wait months for the conclusion!

This book was incredible. There was so much character and plot development throughout the whole book and it was so difficult to put it down. I wanted to read it all in one day because it was so good! I am absolutely looking forward to reading the next and final installment.

Ok, so this series gets better with each book. My ratings keep getting higher and I don’t know where to go from here.
Draven and Morgan are separated due to her return to Camelot so I was worried I’d have to read an entire book without them together but as it turns out that’s not true. I won’t say why. But I love it.
I love her return to Camelot because the characters we miss are back and better than ever along with new ones. Lancelet is such a great character as is Belisent. Lancelet struggles with her trauma and with her forgiveness of Morgan. Making me both feel sorry for and be mad at her. Draven and Morgan figure things out and take care of many of their issues. Draven races to get to Camelot but Morgan absolutely handles things on her own and we learn just how far Arthur will go to win. https://netgalley.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/115003991314And just when you think you have Arthur figured out….you're wrong!
I can’t wait for the next book!

After reading the first two books in the Blood of a Fae series, I knew I needed to read book 3 as much as I need air to breathe. Each book in this series just keeps getting better and Briar Boleyn is one of my favourite fantasy authors, thanks to her talent that draws in the reader and keeps you hooked!
This book was noticeably different to its predecessors in the series though, as it was done through multiple POVs - I loved this! Although predominant, it was not just our MMC and FMC whose world we were taken into, but that of some of the other characters in the story, really helping to make the reader feel involved. Also, fortunately, Morgan quickly realised on in the story that she is not an island; it was a great relief to have this change. (I’ll say no more for fear of giving away spoilers!) As previously, and as I have come to expect from Briar Boleyn, this book hits you with unrelenting action, great plot twists and a promise of more to come. The spice was included in a very interesting way - a way that I haven’t seen before. But honestly… Draven… what a guy! He is the morally grey man we all need in our lives.
I know that there is a book four currently in progress and here begins again the long wait for the release.
Thank you to Briar Boleyn and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Amazing. But so many questions-now realizing there is another book coming. A conclusion maybe? Or will it be left open for more...I guess we'll find out! Can't wait.

Another great book in the Blood of a Fae series. Each book gets better!
This was interesting as there were several character POVs, which we haven't had in the first two books and makes a good change. I like the pacing of the story and the timeline, it wasn't rushed but was drawn out enough to understand what was happening.

It's a shame that Orcades/Belisent was killed off, as I think it would've been interesting to see how her relationship with Morgan could've grown further. There wasn't much exploration into her character in the short time we see her.

I liked how the book ended and that this allowed for development of the larger plot with Gorlois and Morgan's real family. I am looking forward to reading the next one.

These books just keep getting better and better. I am literally obsessed with this series and they’ve quickly become some of my top ever reads.

Empress of Fae focuses more on the plotline than the romance which is so so good. The world building is amazing and the characters are just on point.

Some of the tropes/topics include:

- Bonded mates
- Soft and squishy for her only
- Strong and sassy FMC
- Magic
- Touch her and d!e
- Betrayal
- Found family

Be warned, although not necessarily explicit, there are some dark topics in this one that are not for the faint hearted.

There are some spicy scenes in these books but they do not take away from the plot AT ALL.

I am mega sad now that I have to wait for book 4 as I have blitzed through these ☹

This was an epic third book to an amazing series! I really enjoyed how Morgan became more of her own person throughout the series but it was especially obvious how much she has grown in this book. She was so much more confident and strong not to mention more powerful. The rebellion storyline and the political intrigue made the plot even more interesting and Draven's plot as he tried to make his way back to Morgan was also really interesting. I love their romance and I am really looking forward to reading the fourth book in this series.

Diving into 'Empress of Fae' felt like embarking on a whirlwind adventure across Aercanum. Briar Boleyn's intricate storytelling and the fusion of Arthurian legends with Fae magic had me hooked. The intensity of the battles, heartfelt reunions, and the unraveling secrets kept me on the edge. Morgan's character development is astounding, and the dynamic between her and Draven is perfection. This installment leaves me hungering for more, anxiously awaiting the next spellbinding chapter. Briar Boleyn, you've outdone yourself!

A very enjoyable book that kept you wanting to know more. I really enjoyed it. Thank you to the writer, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book.

These books just get better with each one! I’m not ready for this series to end, I have serious hate for some characters and so much love for others! The twists that happen have on the edge of your seat!
Have found a new favourite author that’s for sure!