I loved this book, literally could not put it down.

The plot, the pacing, the characters, everything fits together nicely and leaves you wanting more.

I can't wait for the rest of the series.

That ending! Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was fast-paced, and the premise was easy to follow. I liked the dynamic between the main characters; the side characters were a nice touch. I wish there were more world-building, but I am excited to see what's to come in the rest of the series.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!
I’m giving this book 4 stars. Overall, I really enjoyed the story. I thought the plot line was interesting, and I liked the characters and how they weren’t completely helpless. The banter made me chuckle, and the side characters were intriguing. I was never bored reading this book and would be interested in continuing on with the next, especially since I didn’t see the end coming.
I will say it’s very story/plot focused. It doesn’t have a ton of world building and the spice is very minimal - I could see that bothering some people but I still found it to be a great, easy read.

There was sooo much to love about this book, the frenemies to lovers, the idea of shared magic, the school setting, I was well and truly gripped and devoured the whole thing. I could definitely see the rest of this series being incredible.
I found Jas so so relatable and loved that she was a badass from the start not having to grow into herself like a lot of female characters do. Asher is sweet and kind and so lovable and I really liked that we got some of his pov as well🥹 Lydia seriously deserves her own book because I need more of her sass in my life!!

The only negative of this book was some of the pacing felt a little off, I wish we had more time to learn about jas and Asher training to be keepers and what that involved. Also that their relationship had more time to build tension as it felt a little rushed that one minute they didn’t really like each other and the next page they couldn’t stop thinking about each other.

Over all though I loved it and will definitely be reading the rest of the series as I need to know what happens next😅😅

I really enjoyed this story and I devoured the book. I feel like booktok would love this book with a powerful FMC, a very handsome love interest, fighting/magic academies and assassins.

I like Jasmine, especially since she's really good in one area, but not good with everything else, and it just makes sense for her character to be so.I think most characters in this book are well written but I would love to see more about their personalities.

I feel like the peace of the book was a bit too slow at times, but there are quite a few plot twists that kept the book interesting. Especially the ending! What a cliffhanger!

All in all, it's a pleasant book and it could help with a book hangover

Disclaimer: I received a free copy in exchange for my honest opinion

Im giving this book 4 ⭐ i overall really enjoyed this book and the story it hold and the quest to uncove and the touch of magic it have as well and the journey the character go as well to understand her power in the quest overall im recommend this book 😊

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick read because I couldn't put it down. The plot was written well, and felt like reading adult versions of Vampire Academy/ The Winx Sage.

I loved the Dynamic between Asher and Jasmine as well as how their friendships with the other character progressed and changed throughout the story!

THAT CLIFF HANGER!! I will definitely be reading the rest of this series!

I really enjoyed the fact that the female lead in this novel, Jasmine, had to protect the male lead, Asher, from mysterious assassins. I also appreciated that while he was the next best fighter in the Keeper program he was part of with Jasmine before his entire family is killed, she was the more proficient fighter and even a better strategist. The fact that Asher sees her as more than an equal was also a good change from many previous traditional fantasy tropes. The magic system was interesting and unique as well.

In terms of worldbuilding, I felt like I was thrust into the middle of things without much backstory to help me or to help connect me to the main characters. Normally, if the bits of backstory are woven into the story as it unfolds a little later, I can go with it. But I didn't feel that this happened as much as it could have. We never fully understand the dynamics of this kingdom or why the king chose to promote Jasmine to Keeper training. All we hear about is that she drew his attention and how. But there is really no development about why or how she endeared herself to him enough in the moment to deserve saving from the gutters rather than being punished for what she did to draw his notice. A scene like this might have been a really good way to start the novel and then when we get to her training as a Keeper, we would be even more connected to her and what is happening. We could also get some similar backstory interwoven later in the book about Asher's feelings about his family and what happened to them. Instead, we only get his point of view about Jasmine and his feelings for her and while these are important, having your whole family annihilated unexpectedly like that would be just as emotionally wrought even if you didn't feel particularly close to them. We only get surface info about all of this and the school and the different divisions of people within it. the same is true about the mysterious organization we learn about who are after Asher. We learn they are bad and have toppled whole kingdoms, but not how or why they do this. More development for this world would have really taken this story up from 3 out of 5 stars for me to 5 out of 5.

That being said, the plot twists and the training sequences with Riker and Jasmine and Jasmine and Asher as they try to figure out what is happening with him and his magic were really fun and compelling. I also enjoyed the slow burn romance between Jasmine and Asher. I do agree with other reviewers in that this may be marketed as a New Adult book, but it reads very much as a Young Adult novel. Overall, this was an entertaining fantasy read. I hope any sequels to this book give us even richer worldbuilding and backstory as the plot continues to unfold. I was given a free ARC for this novel to read in exchange for this honest review by NetGalley and Aethon Books.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

Buckle up, buttercup, because "Keeper of Scarlet Petals" just might sweep you off your feet and into a whirlwind of blades, banter, and budding romance! Our protagonist, Jasmine, is a sword-swinging, sass-slinging former thief turned reluctant guardian, tasked with protecting the life of a nobly born pain in the butt.

From the get-go, this book tosses you into the deep end of enchantments and sharp-edged confrontations, like attending a ball where everyone's hiding a dagger and a secret or two.

Imagine being Jasmine: you're trying to keep your head down, master the deadly dance of blades, and not get bogged down by pesky things like feelings. But then, BAM! You're assigned to protect Asher, a young noble with a smirk you might just want to smack or kiss (depending on the day), thrusting you into a deliciously tormenting enemies-to-lovers tango.

The magic system? Intriguing! The plot twists? Chef's kiss! Each chapter peels back layers of intrigue that had me glued to the page, whispering, "Just one more chapter before bed," until the sun peeked through my curtains. The romantic scenes sizzle with a spice that’ll make you fan yourself with the nearest hardcover!

I laughed, I gasped, I might've teared up a smidge—only to be left dangling on a cliffhanger that had me shouting, "Where's the sequel, and why isn't it in my hands right this minute?"

While I adored our jaunt through magic and mischief, I found myself wishing for a tad more lore—some juicy details about the history of the Sanctuary and those mysterious Starveins. Yet, for a debut, this tale packs a punch strong enough to knock the staleness right out of the fantasy genre.

So, if you're itching for a story where the swords are sharp, the magic is wild, and the romance brews hotter than a witch's cauldron, then "Keeper of Scarlet Petals" should definitely be on your TBR list. Here’s to hoping the next book arrives faster than Jasmine can unsheathe her sword!

Keeper of secret petals by A.N. Skye
Published by Aethon Books
4/5 stars 🌟

This plot was the perfect with a mix of adventure, found friends and a brilliant slow burn romance!! I was completely hooked and finished it in one sitting, it was a very easy read with very loveable characters, I absolutely loved how strong Jasmine and Asher were and I completely fell in love with Lydia and how unfiltered she was! I cannot wait to read more by A.N. Skye!

I would recommend to anyone trying to get into romantasy!!

Thank you to A.N. Skye, the publisher and NetGalley for this arc!

Unfortunately this book fell flat for me. The world building was lacking and we didn't really get any background to Jasmine's history other than she came from the slums but not even how she got out. I definitely wanted to know more about the sanctuary and the starvein and the xolani as we didn't get much. The romance between Jasmine and Asher was also pretty flat for me, there wasn't enough tension to call it a slow burn. It also felt more like a YA novel with how the characters were acting but they tried to gave some mild spice in it, but even that was borderline fade to black. Overall I was kinda bored reading this, probably should have DNF'd and I will not be reading the next book in the series.

I have been provided with a review copy of Keeper of Scarlet Petals from NetGalley for an impartial review. Oh my gosh this story was just epic. I just couldn’t put this story down and I was just captivated by everything that was taking place. The author truly outdid themselves with this story. This story just had my emotions all over the place and I am so sad to see this book end. I just can’t wait to see what’s next from this author.

Keeper of Scarlet Petals was an AMAZING story! The magic system in this book was easily one of the most unique magic systems I have ever come across, and I am really interested to see more of Jasmine and Asher learning about how this magic works.

The concept of the Keepers, the Xolani, and the Starvein was very compelling, and frankly the explanation of Keepers in Chapter One or Two had me hooked from the start!

As for characters? I am absolutely obsessed with Jasmine and Asher's banter! I really like both Riker and Qien and have high hopes that they are big parts of the Keeper of Scarlet Petals series as a whole, as I love when stories have really compelling mentor figures! Pina and Lydia are extremely fun characters with such distinct personalities that it's hard not to love them.

I loved this book, and look forward to see what happens next in the series!

This Review is/will be posted to Goodreads and Instagram. @dellasbookshelf
This Review may eventually be posted to StoryGraph, X, and InstagramThreads @dellasbookshelf

I absolutely loved that the female main character was the protector of the male main character! The dynamic between Asher and Jasmine is fun and full of flirty banter which I also enjoyed.

I would love to see more of a world building at the beginning to give a better sense of location and vibe, but the unique magic system is something that I haven’t seen before and I was still left excited to see what will happen next!

Lastly, I’m hoping that with Keeper of Scarlet Petals being marketed as a New Adult book it transitions into truly becoming that-if not progressing into more. I felt that while I still enjoyed it, the feel of the story stayed mostly in Young Adult.

This was a very fast-paced, suspenseful, easy read. In this world, magic can be used only by nobles known as Starveins. However, magic can easily overwhelm an individual and cause them to go insane, so casting is very slow. In order to protect Starveins while they are casting, the kingdom pairs them with a "keeper" who, among other things, physically protects them in any ongoing fight. Jasmine and Asher are training in the academy of the Sanctuary as keepers and are rivals-to-lovers who get sucked into fighting against a treasonous group of mages after the group murders Asher's family and Asher is forced to leave keeper academy to learn magic as a Starvein. This book pulls you in from the very beginning.

I wanted to like this book. The concept is good, and the tropes are right up my alley—strong female main characters, forced proximity, hidden identities. But unfortunately the poor writing really took me out of it. The worldbuilding is shaky, and the characters were flat. The relationship was very sudden as well, and it almost didn’t feel deserved. She goes from realizing she likes him to being in bed with him in just a handful of pages, and it felt jarring.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy of this book, despite its flaws.

3.5 ⭐ rounded up
1 🌶️

<u>Keeper of the Scarlet Petals</u> by A.N. Skye is a new adult romantasy that takes you on a wild ride. Jasmine is a Keeper, trying to start fresh after growing up in the slums. In her first year at the magical college, Sanctuary, she is assigned to protect a young nobleman who's whole family was slaughtered. Unfortunately, the nobleman she is tasked to protect, Asher, doesn't want her protection. He is cocky and feels like he can do whatever he wants, making her job harder than it needs to be. It takes an assassination attempt on his life for them to realize this won't be a normal assignment and there is a mystery taking place that needs to be solved.

I think the romance is meant to be enemies to lovers, but they aren't enemies at all... at most its reluctant lovers. The romance was sweet, the spice was MEH - not bad, but honestly not very memorable.

The world building was a bit lacking as I wanted to know more about Sanctuary and the history of the Keepers and Starveins, however, the twists and turns of the plot definitely kept me satisfied enough. The romance was entertaining and it felt like a great debut to hook us into a new fantasy world.

<i>The first 20% and the last 20% were great. Everything in between was lackluster at best. </i>

🍳 You'll love this is you really love scrambled eggs... 🙃🙃🙃

🥀 Upper YA (Lower NA w/Mild spice)
🥀 Twists & Turns
🥀 Intriguing magic system
🥀 Forced Proximity
🥀 Bodyguard - she protects him!
🥀 Banter & strong friendships
🥀 Epilogue cliffhanger

I really enjoyed this book, even though I find it hard to get through most YA titles, this one was not the case. It kept my engaged throughout the entirety of the book. I do wish there was a little bit more of world building throughout.

*ARC received from Netgalley - all opinions are my own*

TLDR: Leans a little more YA than NA but enjoyable nonetheless and think most world enjoy despite its flaws. For a debut I felt that the author did a fab job and I'm interested in where the series will go!

Despite its flaws, I absolutely ate this book up within 2 days. I think it was an easy-going book that did a great job of hooking into the plot within a few chapters and kept you there, even through the flat moments.

I enjoyed the dynamic shift with our female lead being the “protector” of our male lead but not falling into the trap of making him defenceless or useless. Both characters were well fleshed out with their own unique strengths and weaknesses and the partnership felt equal between them.
The only thing that doesn’t quite fit is how, when under extreme danger and not connected to Jasmine, Asher doesn’t fall back into his keeper training and just utilise basic self defence? It seems a bit unrealistic that he was nearly always being moved by Jasmine whenever he was, before her, the top keeper in combat

While we don’t get to see loads of the world or explore how the magic system works (as our two MCs aren’t sure either), there is more than enough there to intrigue me and keep me invested in what’s to come! It’s a unique magic system that I haven’t seen before and I’m excited to learn and see more!

Keeper of Scarlet Petals is marketed as NA but reads like it’s mid to late YA with moments that were firmly in NA territory. It slips to YA mostly in how our FMC Jasmine talks to her best friend Lydia and her Starvein Asher. Some of Asher and Jasmine’s moments were bordering a bit too young and almost cringy in the way that it was written, even some of the jokey scenes just seemed like it would appeal to a younger audience. There was enough maturity in the writing to where I still enjoyed reading, I just hope the next book moves a bit further away from YA.
I think this genre slip is also at fault for the “snap romance” we get, it’s a bit unbelievable and very insta-love in the style of YA.

All in all, Keeper of Scarlet Petals was a great read for me and I think A. N. Skye did a fab job for her debut book and I imagine she can only get better from here and I’m excited for what she brings out next!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I found the overall concept of this book to be interesting and unique, in a world that I had never read before with Keeper's and Starvein's.

This book reads more like a young adult fantasy with some romance but minimal spice, so I do not think anyone would need to be worried about their middle schooler or high schooler reading this book (there is some swearing that occurs but that is also minimal). I feel like this book is mostly fast paced which is good, but there were definitely some areas that I felt went so unbelievably slow and took forever, to the point where I almost lost interest in this book.

I think this would be a good book for a young adult reader with an interest in a magical fantasy setting with strong main characters.

One thing I did not enjoy with this book is the insane amount of characters that were present. There were so many side characters like over 5 that had seemingly important roles in the book, and for me that was too many to try and constantly keep track of. Also, it seems like this book is dual POV but then it was difficult to differentiate which POV I was reading throughout the book.

Overall, strong 3.5 star read for me and if there is going to be more books in this world I look forward to reading them.