“𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘯, 𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘮 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦⁠—” 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧𝘧, 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘵.
“𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵? 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘢𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶? 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘧? 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘹 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨?”

“𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶,” 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥. “𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩, 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦?”

🐉 Enemies to Lovers
🐉 Dragon Shifter
🐉 Indian Mythology
🐉 Slow Burn Spice
🐉 Dreamscape
🐉 Possessive & Broody MMC
🐉 Found Family
🐉 Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Gah I am so glad that I continued with this story even though I felt lost in parts of book 1. Thankfully this book did provide a guide to help define the different types of demons and cultural terms referenced in the book. This helped me so much and now I have a greater appreciation for this series. I can't forget the icing on the cake... Rabin! That man is so 🔥🥵 I have a weakness for possessive, territorial, and slightly unhinged MMC's. The angst, tension, and perfectly balanced slow burn between Rabin and Zarya is 'chef's kiss' . This book moves at a much faster pace with more action and banter. Again I love Zarya and Yasen's friendship. I am happy to see Row back and things mending between him and Zarya. I am not happy about that cliffhanger ending, only because I have to wait 😂

Between this series and The Sun Queen series, I now must read anything Nisha writes! Which by the way, both series are available on KU!

Thank you to NetGalley and Second Sky for the ARC!

Dance of Stars is the second installment of the Nightfire Quartet, picking up almost directly after the events of the first book; we are in the city under some kind of magical attack. Zarya is trying to figure out her magic, her heart and where she belongs in this new to her world. There were some heavy revelations made in the previous book and Zarya will try to come to terms her her lineage and what trouble that could be later, if she makes it though this current crisis. This is a book full of South Asian lore and an interesting take on what are basically vampires in the Rakshasas and some house politics.

I will say Dance of Stars brings more action and some small character developments. Amrita is destined to be the Queen of the city and tied to its protection. There is some great South Asian lore to go along with this and a magic ritual to tie her to the land that was incredibly interesting. The aspect of the story dealing with her transformation was probably the most interesting to me and I wish we got to spend more time on it. There is also an interesting storyline happening surrounding the Chiranjivi (basically the X-men) and how all their individual magics worked together.

Zarya is really quite young and grew up mostly in isolation. She struggles dealing with complex emotions and social dynamics. Because of this, she sometimes acts so immaturely when emotional issues arise, possibly over reacting or avoiding. While there seemed to be a slight love triangle, that is resolved quickly enough that it isn’t a major part of the story. Most of the story is focused on the keeping the city safe, Zarya’s forbidden magic and coming to terms with some of the emotional baggage she is carrying after Row kept her hidden for so many years. I would have liked to delve a little more into the magic aspects of this world though.

The things I like the most in the story are Zarya’s friendships. She and Yasen are best friends and have each others backs, especially when they are getting each other into trouble. I also really liked how much Zarya was trying to look out for Amrita and make sure she gets some fun in before making such a large sacrifice to protect the city. I question some of the magic and I’m pretty sure there are a few more betrayals that will come about but the friendships are what stick out. The romance aspect isn’t really ringing home for me yet and that could just be the age gap currently seems obvious since Zarya needs a little more maturity in my opinion.

This ended on a bit of a cliffhanger of sorts. It will be interesting to see where the author takes the story next. This is going to work well for those who like found families and friend banter, along with secret magic discoveries in lore that isn’t widely used.

📖: Dance of Stars and Ashes
🖋️: Nisha J. Tuli
⭐️: 5 of 5
🌶️: 5 of 5
💬: “Then, every eye in the room turned to the ceiling as the anguished roar of a mighty dragon rang out over the city so loud it shook every star in the sky.”

Tropes & Themes:
✨Found Family
🐉 Dragon shifter
✨Enemies to lovers to enemies
🐉Betrayal
✨Spicy

This is my 4th ARC by the amazing Nisha J. Tuli. Every time after I finish a book, I’m searching for when the next one comes out!🔥 Let’s get into why this was another amazing one.

The cliffhanger from book one was brutal but it picks back up in this second book.

“Oh, this is where anything goes.”

With the new role that Amrita will be taking, Zarya comes up with a plan for them to enjoy a fun night out in town. While Yasen is enjoying himself. Zarya is making Rabin jealous. Danger lurks are the three of them quickly release that Armita has been taken.

“I’m always distracted by you, Zarya. I thought I made that clear.”

While Zarya is trying to figure out her new powers and the discovery of Rabin’s true identity. She finds herself avoiding him at all costs as her attention for him grows.

Attacks growing, darkness is gathering, and demons coming. Everyone must gather together to save the city.

“Someone needs to look out for you, and I’m guessing you already turned Row down for the position.”

Will Zarya be able to save the city? Is Rabin’s revenge more powerful than his feelings for Zarya? Can Zarya find a balance between light and darkness?

Find out in the Dance of Stars and Ashes!

I devoured this book! The second I got the email from Nisha, I dropped whatever I was doing at the time to read it.

The tension, the banter, and the spice (finallyyyyy) were everything. Chef kiss🤌! I need the next book now. Watching how all the secrets and betrayals played out. This was action packed and I can’t stop thinking about what will happen next!

If you haven’t checked out this series yet, you need to!🔥

Thank you Nisha J. Tuli for allowing me to be a part of your ARC team! As always, my review is my opinion and thoughts.

I was so excited to read the second instalment in The Nightfire Quartet, and it is SOOO GOOD!!

The story continues to follow Zarya, who is discovering her power and is trying to save the city from the advancing blight. I really like the slow burn between Zarya and Rabin, and when we get to the spice it is 🥵 Just like the first book, there is plenty of action and a fast paced plot. The romance kicks up a notch in this which I really liked. Absolutely love Zarya and Yasens friendship ❤️ There are still so many unanswered questions and I really like where the story is going. Can’t wait to read the next one.

If you love Romantasy then I would definitely recommend this series!!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This story was so full of magic!

If you are a fan of ACOTAR, and other magical books that throw you into a fantastical world, this is it!

I was a bit apprehensive to start this book, not knowing what to expect. But wow!

For every brown girl who never had her Indian culture told, this is the book. It’s so full of every small Indian cultural aspect that is normally overlooked, that you feel as though you are somehow “ living at home”. From the description of drinking chai every morning, to the food and the garments that are described, she has provided such integral parts of an Indian community that most overlook… and I love that despite the Indian cultural aspect, Zarya was still portrayed as a normal girl, who just wanted a normal love story, and who still appreciated a fine man standing in front of her!

Yasen at the beggining was like a sore cactus, just constantly sticking places he didn’t need to, but as the book progresses, so does their relationship, and oh what a beautiful relationship it becomes. The love of mutual understanding that they find with each other!

“I haven’t had very many of them in my life. Hugs, I mean,” Zarya said as Yasen rested his chin on her head.
“I suppose I haven’t, either. Maybe I see what the fuss is about.”

*sigh!* these kinds of friendships that blossom are just so underrated…

The plot twist of Rabin, from start to end, just kept you wanting to know more, just kept you wanting to know how it connected and I LOVED it! It gave you a “i NEED to know who this is” moment!


Read this book people!

Nisha J. Tuli started off her Nightfire Quartet in fantastic fashion with Heart of Night and Fire. I had high hopes for Dance of Stars and Ashes, the second in the quartet, and it delivers!

This book picks up where Heart of Night and Fire left off. Dharati is under magical attack, and everyone is rushing to complete the ceremony that will allow Amrita to protect the city as queen. But will it be enough? Can Zarya accept her forbidden magic and learn to control it? And where will things go between her and Rabin?

Tuli’s world-building is again superior. I love the use of Indian/South Asian mythology and culture as the basis for her setting. It’s easy to imagine the sights and sounds because she writes them so strikingly.

The magic system in this world is, well, spellbinding. The ritual that gives Amrita the ability to guard the city is fascinating to me, and a little bit heartbreaking. Zarya thinks it’s heartbreaking, too, because she’s determined to take Amrita out for a night on the town before her life is changed irrevocably. And that’s where the action begins, as the city is attacked while they’ve whisked Amrita away without permission. (Small spoiler: nobody dies – yet.)

Descriptions of each of the different characters’ magical abilities is intriguing, and we get a good helping of magic here. We see Zarya learn more about her magic, and start to learn whether “the darkness” that’s part of it is truly something to fear. The action is pretty fast-paced, with assaults on the city growing closer together and more severe. This ramps up the tension as they race against time to get Amrita installed as queen.

There’s tension of another kind, too, between Zarya and Rabin. They dang near set the pages on fire with the heat they generate. (If you aren’t a fan of on-page spice, either this will not be the book for you, or you’ll become a fan after reading this!) There’s still a fair bit of “enemies” between them when the book opens, and there may be some of that feeling left when the book ends. I’m not going to tell you. Go read for yourself and find out. But they’ve got chemistry by the truckloads between them, and it’s a lot of fun.

There are battles. A villain is revealed. Some beloved characters come close to death, and some may not survive the book. (You might want to have some tissues handy.) And of course the book ends on a colossal cliffhanger that has me beside myself waiting for the next installment!

With Dance of Stars and Ashes, Nisha J. Tuli has earned a place on my must-buy authors list. If you love a beautifully written fantasy with a smokin’ hot side of romance, you need to read this book!

I've always said that you learn more about the world from reading than anything else. Looks like Zarya agrees with me!

So we've waited and waited for the real steam to arrive and the author did not let us down. There was steam in spades and Zarya was VERY well educated by the end of her lesson. But the steam was only part of the storyline. Zarya, Yasen and the others are still fighting the blight and there would appear to be enemies within their ranks. Amrita and Vikram finally bond but the danger isn't over yet.

The conflict between Zarya and Row is lessening and she is beginning to understand why he kept her away from everyone for so long but the hurt is going to take more than a couple of apologies to dissipate. There is sadly more loss to deal with too. Some of the team are not making it to the end of the book!

Rabin is all kinds of complicated and the age gap between himself and Zarya would cause major concern in anything but a fantasy/pnr book. They have the potential to be #couplegoals- if only life and lies didn't get in the way.

Vik sadly didn't exactly redeem himself either. He's piling on the "have my cake and eat it" attitude with a hefty dollop of scumbag and I'm really hoping he gets the day he deserves.

Beautifully descriptive environment, rich mythology, empathetic and well depicted characters covering South Asia and also the LGBTQIA community. I love the way they all seamlessly appear in the story - no big falderal and not dropped in for clout. They all add to the story in their own way and I really hope that some of the secondary characters get to start a Fairy revolution in the coming books.

BOOK: DANCE OF STARS AND ASHES
AUTHOR: NISHA J. TULI
PUB DATE: FEBRUARY 2024
🧙🏼‍♀️🐲
REVIEW
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
🐲🧙🏼‍♀️
This book was more than 300 pages, but I was able to read it in a couple of hours. I loved the characters and the world building. I could see the author's love for imagination in the pages. I liked the infusion of Indian culture with the fantasy. It was amazing! I'm grateful that the author added a glossary of who was whom and other terms, it made things easier for me.
🧙🏼‍♀️🐲
Our FMC Zarya was amazing too. Strong and I liked her support group. She was learning to love and trust again, especially her stepfather. She was also trying to get a handle at her 'darkness' power. I loved reading the book through her point of view and her strength was admirable considering the hurdles she would still have to pass.
🐲🧙🏼‍♀️
I liked Zarya, but I would have wanted Rabin's POV too. he was so mysterious and I didn't really get to know him. I hope he gets his own POV in the next book.
🧙🏼‍♀️🐲
This book was amazing and I'm so glad my request was accepted. I can't help for the next book in the series!

Thanks to Netgalley, Dreamscape Select, and Second Sky for the advanced copies. These are opinions are honest and my own.

As the second book in the series, this delivers a story that elevates the stakes and deepens the relationships established in the first installment. This has a compelling plot, rich South Asian cultural representation and mythology, and expanding relationship dynamics as we get to know these characters even more.

The story continues to follow Zarya, who discovered adventure in the first book. Zarya learns more about Rabin —a warrior prince with dangerous secrets— and the plot continues to thicken. The relationship between grumpy Rabin and feisty Zarya takes center stage; filled with yearning, smoldering looks, and steamy scenes that add a layer of intensity. The dynamics between secondary characters, such as the bestie relationship between Zee and Yasen and the evolving bond between Zee and Row/Aarev, all contribute to the emotional depth of the story. The exploration of forgiveness and shifting relationships adds complexity to Zayra's journey.

The rich South Asian representation and mythology continue to shine in this installment, adding depth and authenticity to the amazing world-building. The exploration of cultural elements enhances the overall reading experience, making the narrative not only entertaining but also unique in the genre. Tuli masterfully weaves the romantic elements into the broader plot, creating a balance that kept me engaged. Love me a plot in my romantasy! The plot gains momentum in this installment, with intriguing twists and turns.

I did absolutely shed some tears in this one, highlighting the depth of connection I felt with the characters. Automatic 5 stars! Overall, "Dance of Stars and Ashes" not only builds upon the foundations set in the first book but also solidifies its place as an addictive and emotionally resonant series. READ IT! Also, the audio is exceptional!

When she arrived in Dharati, Zarya discovered her true power with magic and fighting skills and discovered that the mysterious stranger in her dreams was named Rabin. Now she knows he's a warrior prince, but he's also arrogant and irritating, with dangerous secrets of his own. She wants nothing to do with him, and would rather help her friends complete a ceremony to protect the city. Her mind is fixed on saving her home and finding the origin of her magic. Every step she takes brings her back to Rabin. Is it an enchantment or desire?

This is the second book of the Nightfire Quartet, following Heart of Night and Fire. It's definitely easier to understand this book if you've read that one, given the mention of anchors for magic involve the five elements, and Zarya has the very rare and frightening sixth anchor. No one can really teach magic properly, as everyone's anchors are slightly different even if they find another person with the same number of anchors. The connections are different, so spells must essentially be recreated over and over again by individuals. Rabin is the glowering presence he had been at the end of the first book, filling the role of the stereotypical bad boy who wants the heroine yet doesn't, and won't allow her to find someone else to make her happy. He baits her and teases her, then grows cold and indifferent. I know it's there to up the tension between them, but I'm personally more annoyed by that kind of treatment than fascinated.

Zarya's grown and no longer resents how she was raised, and her magic allows her to see things that others can't. The threats to her adopted city are increasing, with mythological beings now appearing to be very horribly real. The servant class Vanshaj can see the same things she does, though their magic was locked away due to the horrors their ancestors perpetrated upon the land. Though she tries to research the way her magic works, she doesn't know enough about it due to its rarity. She and others must band together to protect the city from the blight and the encroaching darkness to save the citizens relying on them for safety.

As the second book of the quartet, it deepens our understanding of the magic as well as Zarya's mysterious parentage. We learn more about the different nations and the land they live in, and the need to protect the city is even higher than before due to the new monsters. I loved seeing them, though they made our heroes' lives harder. Betrayal hit hard for Zarya, and I felt for her heartbreak and determination to continue doing the right thing. Overall, this is a great follow-up to the first novel, and I look forward to the rest of the quartet!

I was so excited to jump back into this world after loving the first book in this quartet. Continuing strong with what I loved from the first book:
- A unique world (I loved the inspiration from Indian culture) that felt vibrant and immersive
- The wide ranging magic systems that intertwine together
- Zarya's feisty attitude with an inner monologue that I could absolutely identify with.

A Dance of Stars and Ashes was a great continuation to the Zarya's story and she is coming into her own and learning about her magic. I loved experiencing her gain confidence in herself and her abilities. While it was fun to finally explore her relationship with Rabin and see their slow-burn tension turn into spice, the couple that had me kicking my feet and giggling was the budding friendship that blossomed between Yas and Zee.

If you're looking for an entertaining fantasy world and story that feels fresh while still hitting some of the "greatest hits" of romantasy tropes, this might be the story for you. I can't wait to see where Nisha takes the story in book three!

Thank you to Nisha J. Tuli, NetGalley and Second Sky publishing for the eARC of this title.

I have two other books by Nisha J.Tuli, and I adored them so much that I knew I had to read this series, too. Dance of Stars and Ashes brings a romantasy that is even faster paced than the previous book. There is action, romance, and even a bit of steam to wrack the tension a little more.

We are back with the characters from the first book, and Zarya is trying to deal with her new powers as well as everything else there is going on with her and people around her. The character development is so clear again in this instalment. I was enamoured with them all. The friendships, their personalities, and most of all, the vividness. I feel like I know them. They are that well written. Nisha J. Tuli has captured them perfectly, in my opinion.

It isn't an overly long book, but there is so much packed into it I read it in two sittings! That was only because I had to adult for a bit. I was so immersed in this world I didn't want to finish the book. I will say I hope the next book is pretty soon!
Thanks to Second Sky Books and NetGalley for the gifted book.

Dance of Stars and Ashes is a great follow-up to Heart of Night and Fire!
Just like the previous book there is an amazing and snarky best friend, Indian mythology, twists and turns and betrayal... Zarya and Yasen are absolute bestie goals! Where can I find my own Yasen?

Unlike the first book there is also an amazing enemies-to-lovers theme. The slow burn is exactly right. I can't wait to read more in the next book.

Unlike the first book where I did not really care for Aarav and Row, they have redeemed themselves somewhat. It was nice to see those relationships evolve. Unfortunately, Amrita seems to have lost her personality in this book, but that was to be expected I guess?

The story ended with tension, heartbreak and a promise for more found family in the next book. I cannot wait!

A very big thank you to Nisha J. Tuli, NetGalley and Second Sky for the copy I received. This is my honest review.

I was so excited to get back into the night fire series! It took me a while to remember everything that was going on here. Tons of characters and creatures. Honestly I’m not sure if I still know what everyone is but over all I really enjoyed it. I appreciated the author adding the cast of characters page that really helped to refresh my memory. The pacing was slow at the beginning so this one took me a bit longer to read then the first one but once I got into it and was following along I was really able to stay in it. Over all 4/5 stars. Thanks for the ARC!

Thank you to Netgalley and Second Sky for a copy of an e-arc of this book!

This book continues after the first book with Zarya struggling with her new powers and everything shes learned involving her identity. With the blight intruding the city, escalating attacks, Zarya and the Chiranjivi are determined to protect the city.

The beginning was slow for me, but picked up. The world building is fantastic! I enjoyed learning about another culture that I am not familiar with, I love the friendship between Zarya and Yasen. And I loved the slow burn romance! I love the push and pull between them. This book has it all, found family, enemies to lovers, betrayal, dragon shifter and spice.

An action-packed, enchanting romantasy read. Dance of Stars and Ashes kept me up all night with its feisty protagonist, brooding love interest, and intricate magic system. Nisha J. Tuli's world building ability is amazing and I remained enthralled despite not reading Heart of Night and Fire.

Dance of Stars and Ashes continues Zarya's journey and details her adventure and slow burn, spicy romance. The South Asian mythology and amazing world building sucked me in and left me wanting to find out more and have added Heart of Night and Fire to my To Be Read List. The nods to social injustice and Zarya's desire to enact change have me intrigued to find out what happens next.

Highly recommended! I'm off to add these beautiful books to my library.

in this second installment of the nightfire quartet, zarya wants nothing to do with rabin, now knowing his true identity and motives, yet she keeps being drawn back to him. zarya must learn what’s binding them and whether opening her heart will be to her benefit or detriment.

heart of night and fire captivated me last year, so i was excited to read this sequel. it’s a bit slow-paced, but it made sense with the story. i also loved the romance aspect so much!

overall, this was an incredible sequel, and a must-read for fans of the first book.

i enjoyed book 2 more than book 1, but the plot felt underdeveloped. The Southasian-inspired fantasy world was refreshing and interesting, but the world-building was a bit chaotic to keep track of. I did really enjoy the tension between the two romantic leads, and the character development that happened in this book. i look forward to what happens in the rest of the series.

WHAT!!! This sequel really kicked up the gears. More heat, more action, more character development, more power, more sorrow. I binged this book in one sitting.

This is such a fascinating world, I can’t get enough of it. The mythology, geography, different peoples and mysteries are unique and interesting. Everything is new and exciting but easily approachable. It has been while since I read the first book of the series, but I got back into the world quite easily.

The characters keep getting better. I love the deep bonds they are developing, all the growth. Zaria is such a fun main character, she’s bold and fearless yet naive and new to most things. I love that she gets to show more of her badassery in this book. Rabin is the perfect broody moody hunk. Obnoxiously self assured, golden hearted, gorgeous, powerful and filthy 🤭

Though I LOVED the tension between these two, I was more impressed by Aarav, Yasen and Row. These friendships and familial bonds really moved me. So many fun moments as well as moments of healing and love.

Story wise this book moved much faster than the first one. There was a lot of danger and battles. The battle scenes aren’t very detailed, but they do carry over a sense of epicness that fantasy books need. I think there’s a good balance between the action and the character bonding moments.

I really enjoyed this story. It moved me in many ways, made me sit on the edge of my seat, laugh, cry and be extremely anxious. That’s what I’m looking for in a book. I need to feel things, but also find characters I can relate to and action that keeps me turning the pages. Loved this.

This book was an amazing continuation of the Nightfire Quartet. Zarya and Rabin are 🔥 and the slow burn of their romance is perfect.

The adventure and plot of this series is great but what really sets it apart for me is the found family that brings such joy to Zarya, especially her friendship with Yasen. I love his broody, snarky amazing heart so much. Their banter is everything!

I highly recommend this series for anyone who loves fantasy romance. The South-Asian inspiration is different and fresh in the genre.