Emberly Ash did a great job with this book! The story between Arran and Veyka was one filled with secrets, vulnerability, magic, hate and love! It was a Fae story done different and creatively! I would note one portion of the story includes sexual assault of a child, though brief. It was the only part of the story I did not enjoy. Thank you to @netgalley for the opportunity to read this book!!

This book left me absolutely speechless. From reading just the first 10 pages, I knew this book was going to be a phenomenal.

This book is a King Arthur Legend Reimagined, with the main character following late Arthur's Sister, Veyka Pendragon, the new Queen of the Elemental Fae.
Veyka must protect her kingdom by marrying Arran Earthborn, the strongest terrestrial fae.
Both Veyka and Arran must learn to work together to save their kingdom and bring her brother's killer to justice.

I could not put this book down. Right off the bat we meet Veyka and she is a force to be reckoned with. She is all things I could ever want in a Fae heroine. She's stubborn, witty, methodological, and not to mention, she has some curves on her which is always a breath of fresh air when it comes to reading a fantasy book.

The banter between Veyka and Arran always put a blush on my cheeks. Because of the marriage of convenience aspect, Arran's duty was to protect Veyka at all costs. Even though Arran is known as the brutal prince, he can't help but have a soft spot for Veyka. This leads to some pretty steamy scenes.

This book is highly recommended for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Scarlett St. Clair, and Jennifer Armentrout.

Please read content warnings before reading!!

TLDR: Freaking 5 stars! Add to favorites. Follow author on all platforms….

So you know that trope where the main character meets someone, but they keep thinking it’s too good to be true, and try to find any small fault to prove that the person isn’t that great? But eventually, they just tumble into a deep love and accept that the other person is truly that amazing and now they can’t live without them?
Not to be dramatic, but that was me with this book. I tend to be a bit apprehensive with ARCS because they can sometimes start off great and fade, or I could be too heavily influenced by my mood and then when that mood changes I realize that maybe my feelings about the story are different then my first impression. This book started like that. Where I would read and find something be like ‘ah man… there it is. This must be where it shifts ‘ and then keep reading and think ‘oh my god.. how… how is this so amazing. How did she take every potential pitfall in a story and speak so eloquently through it that my doubts are shattered and my lust for the book (and maybe Arran as well) just grows insatiably.
The plight of Veyka was so raw and authentic and spoke so true to a soul who knows the darkness she felt and craves that same level of understand and being ‘seen’ that Veyka needed. She was so relatable, and her inner thoughts were never annoying or irrelevant but always felt so authentic to the situation and her psyche. The congruence of her character throughout the story was amazing and I think this was what impressed me the most. Not all authors can truly articulate the inner workings of a mind thwarted by trauma, and I think this is where I kept expecting the writing to fail - but it never did. The actions and thoughts of Veyka and Arran felt so natural for their experiences, that while some of their actions could have been seen as ‘trope-ish’, the mental progression for them was so well explained that I didn’t find it to be forced at all. This was one of those stories where the characters drive the plot, not the plot driving the characters.

Anywho, I am rambling but essentially I loved the characters, I loved the mental exploration of Veyka and Arrans experiences and connection. I loved the side characters and the diversity they brought to the story.

Also. The spice was top tier. Already started the next book because I have to know what happens!

Set in a fae realm inspired by the legend of King Arthur, Crown of Earth and Sky is the first in a romantasy series filled with magic, mystery, revenge, and prophecy. Veyka Pendragon, twin sister of Arthur, finds herself suddenly thrust into the court of the elemental fae after her brother is killed in a plot against the kingdom. Now bethrothed to Arran Earthborn, the strongest terrestrial fae, she must carefully guard her secrets while seeking revenge.

There was so much to love about this book. The political intrigue. The enemies to lovers to fated mates plot. The fae (I like the shifters of the terrestrial kingdom the best). The mystery surrounding Veyka. The shadowy, dark threats against Annwyn.

The book is a bit on the long side. I do think there were slow parts that could have been trimmed to keep the plot from lagging. But overall, I ate this book up. I'm excited to dive into the next book, particularly after that cliffhanger.

Really great athurian novel, with fae, a great and intricate magic system and smut.
Very much a dark romance and was really well written.

Crown of Earth and Sky is a dark fantasy romance that retells the legend of King Arthur with a fae twist. The main characters are Veyka Pendragon, the new Queen of the Elemental Fae, and Arran Earthborn, the Brutal Prince of the Terrestrial Fae. They are forced into a political marriage to maintain the peace between their realms, but they soon discover that they have more in common than they thought. They also have to face a mysterious enemy who is behind the murder of Veyka's brother, Arthur, and the betrayal of her human allies.

The book has some things I liked, such as the world-building, the magic system, and the action scenes. The author creates a rich and complex fae world, with different types of fae, powers, and cultures. The magic system is based on the four elements, and the author explores how they interact and affect the characters. The action scenes are well-written and suspenseful, with some twists and surprises.

However, the book also has some things i just did not like, such as the character development and the romance. The characters are not very likable or relatable, and their motivations and personalities are not well-explained. The romance between Veyka and Arran is rushed and lacks chemistry, and their relationship is based on lust and violence rather than love and trust.

Overall, Crown of Earth and Sky is a decent read for fans of dark fantasy romance and fae stories, but it is not a standout or original book. It is a good choice for those who are looking for a fast-paced and steamy escape, but not for those who are looking for a deep and nuanced story.

Thank you to Net Galley and the author for this ARC.

We love a King Arthur retelling - however I almost it were a bit more true to the tale. I also love the size representation but feel it was brought up quite frequently to where it would pull me out of the story. The main characters just didn’t have that draw and connection that I was hoping for. But the ending was definitely intriguing! I may be continuing on just for that!

A twisted dark retelling of the King Arthur tales. Lots of names you might think you know but with Fae, faeries, shifters and all sorts of magic included along with treachery. I loved the twists and intrigue. Can't wait for the next one.

I was provided an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely loved this book! It was definitely a bit slow to start however once you got spice (not smut) the spice would not stop. there was betrayals, family trauma, self hate(in a way), self deprecation and also mysteries and SPICEEEEE (smut kind). Veyka as the FMC, as a plus-sized girlie, is a relatable character. She is strong-headed, aware and extremely smart. Its quite enviable to be honest, Veyka was playing the long game. She was the definition of strong FMC, like actually. Emberly was able to create a character that was very much a long term thinker. She utilized people perception of her to gain the upper hand while she was grieving.
Arran was not my fave MMC but I think that's a personal preference. I believe that he compliment Veyka amazingly and I definitely am excited to see how their relationship develops!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
CROWN OF EARTH AND SKY by Emberly Ash
3,75 ⭐️
📚THE PLOT:
The story follows Veyka Pendragon, unexpectedly crowned queen of the Elemental Fae after her brother's assassination. Though not destined to rule, she was compelled to fulfill her duty. Veyka embarks on a mission to uncover the secrets of her court's betrayal and avenge her brother's death, with the help of her betrothed, Arran Earthborn, the brutal prince. As they collaborate, a spark of attraction grows between them.
💭MY THOUGHTS:
This is a love story depicting the journey of two individuals who faced emotionally challenging childhoods in their respective fae courts. Despite building protective walls, they gradually let their guard down as they worked together, allowing readers to understand them better. While I preferred Arran's POVS over Veyka's, I found her character to be quite annoying due to her constant complaints throughout the book. The push-and-pull dynamic between her and Arran, who fell hard for her, added an intriguing element. I'm curious if there's a deeper story behind their relationship, hinted at the end of the book.
The length of the book felt excessive, and I struggled to discern the plot twists.

❤️MY FAVORITE QUOTES:


"I see you all of you. And I am not afraid"
"I held her tight and told myself that I would never allow anyone to take her from me"
"Despite what happened between us, I'd follow her anywhere"

🚩We Get:
Enemies to lovers⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Arranged Marriage⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Forced Proximity⭐️⭐️⭐️
Dual POV⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spicy Adult Scenes🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶

2.5 Rounded to three because there are some redeeming moments, and I generally liked the story.

This is a King Arthur retelling that follows Veyka Pendragon on her quest for revenge following the loss of her brother, Arthur, and a childhood of mistreatment by her mother. After Arthur's death, Veyka must assume the throne (against her will) and marry The Brutal Prince of the terrestrial Fae in order to ensure the safety of their land. No one in this arrangement is happy about it, and they make sure to let you know it.

The story of this one was pretty good, and it's an interesting take on the source material. But I didn't find a single character likeable, even in the slightest. Arran is flat and doesn't serve much of a purpose beyond enraging Veyka. Veyka does nothing but complain and talk about how hard and miserable her life is, and getting mad at all of the decisions being made for her because she won't do anything herself. The knights have no personality, either. The only character even close to likeable is Gwen, and she's barely in it.

The dialogue leaves a lot to be desired--there are a lot of places where it's clunky and descriptions are weird. Ever want to know what it's like for a woman to write female characters, but do it like men write women? You'll get a lot of that in this book. It doesn't happen often, but when it did, it really took me out of it and felt super awkward. There's a line about her breasts being so heavy they weighed her down in the bed--I mean, what?

The general idea for the story is great, but it just didn't really work for me as a whole. I probably won't be reading the rest of the series.

I have read many twists of King Arthur/knights of the round table the past year….there must be some crazy uptick in the popularity of that story for remakes. Honestly I am surprised there have been so many great versions. This book is one of the good ones! Although not my favorite retelling, it is still a good read for those who are fantasy lovers and enjoy an adventurous, romantic, and plot twisting story!

The plot is very similar to most King Arthur retellings with the world being set in a fae realm on the precipice of war between peoples and a forced marriage between two hot headed fae. The FMC is your run of the mill badass Princess with big curves and the MMC is a broody POWERFUL like most powerful fae ever yatta yatta. They really go into how large, curvy, and heavy the FMC is and it kind of weirded me out. And the MMC was very pissy and hated her then loved her then hated her and would just fuck her to forget about it? It was a bit strange and not a fated mates type bond I would imagine. Although I recommend this book to the general audience, I do wish for some more original content to set this book apart from the others. Perhaps it gets better in the next book in the series as our FMC develops, but honestly I hate it when authors ramble in a book and turn it into a series when it could really just be one standalone awesome novel.

I loved this book so much. I love retellings and this King Arthur retelling is no exception! It was brilliant! My only issue, CLIFFHANGER! I know it's for a reason, and totally understandable but ugh. I wanted it to continue on! At least book 2 is already available!

I really wanted to like this story. I loved the fae twist on the Arthurian tale, but I need to have characters that I connect with. Unfortunately, Veyka and Annan were not those characters and I DNF this book 25% in. It was very obvious from the beginning that Veyka was a bit damaged and she had been through some stuff, but there was just something about her that just seemed downright mean. She used people, alcohol and violence to try to fill some empty void. Letting others take on the responsibilities she inherited rather than figuring out a way to step up and be someone. It irritated me.

As someone who is not considered slender, I can appreciate it when an author creates a character who is more realistic in physical appearance. However, what I don't like is when their size is constantly thrown in your face like it's not ok. Veyka is either plus sized and still a bad ass or her weight hinders her. Figure out which she is state it up front and stop mentioning.

The storyline has potential, but I like my morally grey characters to have a hint of redemption hidden in their depths. I didn't see that for Veyka and couldn't continue.

4.0/5 Rating

This book was highly enjoyable--the romantasy elements had been the thing that drew me in and I'm glad it did not disappoint! Reading this book, I felt myself enjoying the interactions between Veyka and Arran, and loved watching their relationship develop and grow. Veyka, herself, was written quite well and the author did a great job developing her character as the story grew on. The spicy moments were also quite enjoyable and tastefully written, which I appreciated considering the amount written in the book. I'm excited to see what else is in store with the next book in the series as I had a hard time putting this one down!

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for this ARC. My review was voluntarily provided and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Veyka is to be the Queen and wed to the Brutual Price. Does she want to be Queen? Or does she want to avenge her brother’s death?

This book is nonstop action. It is a King Arthur themed book with the inclusion of fae. It leaves off on a cliffhanger and wanting more.

Thank you to Emberly Ash, Victory Editing and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It's an amazing book with a fantastic plot line. I love reading twisted mythology retellings, so if you do too. Crown of Earth and Sky is definitely for you.

I love the King Arthur retelling, and this world gives a more elegant vibe of what Camelot could be.

What if King Arthur was born with more than just the prophecy of pulling Excalibur from the stone?
What if King Arthur had a twin sister born just four minutes after him?

Veyka is dealing with the grief of losing her brother and becoming the Queen of the Elemental Fae.

Arran is the brutal prince from the Terrestial Fae.

Their marriage technically wasn't in the prophecies and is just a settlement between the two kingdoms.

These two have to learn to be equals for the sake of the kingdom and Veyka has to learn that there's more to her inner power than everyone has told her.

This book is a dark steamy romance that I would not recommend for underage readers.

The story was captivating and we were introduced to some promising characters. There were some great plot twists that will keep you hooked to know what happens next.

Overall it was a good read and I will be reading the next book in the series. From reading books in the same genre I knew what to expect however I understand how other readers might not enjoy it if they were expecting just a fantasy romance book.

Spoilers ahead, these are just things I had too much time to think about:

Through the book we see Veyka wanting revenge and leaving the kingdom after her plan is done but she does a complete flip after obtaining Excalibur fighting the witch. I had hoped she would turn a new leaf due to Arran as he had been attempting through the entire story to make her feel worthy.

After finishing the book I was left thinking what the point of the Witch was as the only real purpose it served was to deliver Excalibur to Veyka. The idea of defeating horrors in a tower to obtain wisdom if accomplished was great. However, asking who planned Arthur’s murder (to have the big reveal of who the real culprit is from the witch) and returning to the palace to find that the truth was revealed independently by locking all the councillors together and the culprit (who Veyka was trying to find the entire story to enact her revenge) was killed by someone else and not depicted in a scene was underwhelming.

Note: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review.

3.5 stars

I rounded down because, like others, Veyka really annoyed me with her attitude. While I can understand it to a point, it was just frustrating to see a queen behave with almost absolutely no care for her kingdom or her people. Only barely living for herself.

Veyka and her brother, Arthur, were born as super rare twins. Usually with their kind one will pretty much devour the other while in the womb. But there was a reason that didn't happen here, and it's the same reason that had Veyka locked up her entire life until she was 20 and Arthur took the throne. The first thing he did was release her and confine their mother for all that she made Veyka go thru during all those years. Veyka was so certain that Arthur would be the best king they have ever had and he would truly bring peace to both kingdoms when he wed and became high king. Too bad he was murdered before that could happen and Veyka now finds herself queen. A position she is unqualified for and doesn't want at all. In fact, she has so little interest in it that she hands over all power to her council and devotes her time to revenge for Arthur and her own pleasures. Until her betrothed shows up.

I liked Arran. Over 300 years old to Veyka's 20 some, he has seen and done so much more. He is also one of the most powerful fae ever seen. Much like Veyka, he never was intended to become the king, instead he has spent his life in battle. Earning himself the title of Brutal Prince. Despite this fact, Arran at least is determined to do his duty and be the high king the people need. First he apparently has to figure out a way to make his queen act like one.

These two hated each other the moment they realized who they were to each other. Despite this, neither can fight the intense attraction between them either. The more that Arran learns about Veyka the more he hates her, but the more she learns about him the more Veyka wants him. The thing that really draws these two to each other is how much they love the strength and violence of the other. Really, in that way, these two made a good couple because they were very much alike. It was the whole Veyka being ambivalent about the kingdoms thing that really drove a wedge.

We are along for the ride as Arran learns more about Veyka and all the secrets she's keeping, as well as Veyka on her hunt for the ones behind Arthur's murder. Bad things are happening in the human realm that are now spilling over into the fae realm. And there is more than one traitor closer to Veyka than anyone would have thought. We visit a witch that gives Veyka some important information as well as making her finally see that she wants to live.

By the end, Veyka has finally decided to become the queen she should be and Arran has a startling realization that he can't voice but he can still act upon. We end with their joining and a huge surprise that nobody there saw coming. In other words, a cliff hanger.

I'm glad that by the end Veyka had finally grown up, dragged herself out of her darkness, and decided to be the ruler she was never supposed to be. I already have the next book so it's good to be going into it with a better opinion of her.