I think this book had a lot of potential, and I would defintely keep reading the series.
I feel like the magic system here was really unique and I loved learning all the intricate little details involved.
The characters were very cute together. Unfortunately, I feel like the pacing was off in the book and around the middle I started to get bored.

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I’d like to thank NetGalley and blank for allowing me to read this book before its release in exchange for an honest review.

Not sure where to begin. The bones of the book are good, but I need a lot more elaboration.

Our FMC, Jasmine, grew up on the streets of Whitewater Kingdom until she was saved by the king and brought to Sanctuary and given the opportunity to join and train as a Keeper. Keepers are trained to basically be bodyguards for Starveins when they are called upon by the king. Starveins are the members of nobility that possess magic and they also study at the Sanctuary to fine tune their magic when they come of age.

All Jasmine focuses on is the fighting aspect of her training, constantly sparring with a guy named Asher, who mysteriously leaves the Keeper program and no one knows why. Jasmine is furious as she just lost her sparring partner, but is called upon to be a Keeper for a lesser Starveins whose family was just murdered. She’s not even through her first year of training, but is told she must leave and will have to continue her studies along the way.

Turns out, Asher is the lesser Starvein whose family was murdered. Jasmine is furious and happy that her friend didn’t just disappear without a goodbye, but why didn’t he mention he was a Starvein? Why was his family murdered? Your guess is as good as mine for the latter.

Jasmine and Asher go from friends to lovers as they try to navigate this new obstacle together. Asher can only use his magic when him and Jasmine have physical contact.

Assassins continue to turn up from a group called the Last Light.

Professors are of no help and are super sus the whole time. You never know who is really involved.

This book was fast paced, but too fast paced as I feel a lot of information was left out and not in a good way. I have more questions than answers and it doesn’t really seem to be making sense.

Scarlet petals are never mentioned and basically Asher’s family is killed because their bloodline was more resistant to magic than others and the Last Light wanted to take their souls???

Ending seemed super rushed and just all over the place. Not sure I will be reading the second book whenever it comes out as I had trouble following along in this one.

Keeper of the Scarlet Petals - A.N. Skye.

“To be a Keeper is to dedicate one’s life – and heart – to protecting another.”.

Written with a dual POV this book follows Asher a Starvain mage and his keeper in training Jasmine former rivals who are forced together to act as bait.

With the forced proximity this slow burn romance will have you will have you rooting for their relationship from the start. With the story unfolding captivating us as we start to understand the cursed magic which they must defeat together, we one will tell if they will survive the path they have been dealt.

The first book in a new romantasy series I am interested to see how the story continues for these characters.

Keeper of the Scarlet Petals was three stars for me ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC. This is my honest opinion.

This book has a lot of promise and some readers may really enjoy it. It started out really well and held my interest. However, it kind of fell flat for me. The world building was a little flat for me. And the characters were a little too one dimensional. The story was great though!

I received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review. It took awhile for me to get through the book because it took a lot for me to keep interested. For a starting author it wasn't bad.

Have you been missing Harry Potter? Hunger Games? Wynx Club!
.
.
This you need to read!
Theres so much magic, a little complicated, but we tangle it along with the protagonists as they figure out why their lives are being turned upside down!
Jasmine, Jas, comes from living off the streets, she was chosen by the King to train as a Keeper( ones in charge of protecting Nobles).
Asher, a former keeper gets plucked from his old life after his family is murdered to train as a Starvein ( Nobles with magical Prowess)
We navigate the tumultuous waters with these two as they figure out their new roles, together and apart, make new friends, deftly deal with assassins and crazy Professors in their quest to survive!
PS! I loved that she thought that the oil required to cook an egg would be almost half a litre! Abysmal cook as I am too!!

Being a Keeper means you’ve trained and put down your entire heart and soul to protect high ranked people. It’s what Jasmine wanted to do since she’s escaped the slums on the street and learn to master sword arts in class. She had a tough past, and being assigned the role of a Keeper to Asher after an incident within his family, her rival, have proven how powerful she really is. I really like to see how a woman is represented as a “guardian” for a
man and her skills in protection him really shows how strong and smart she is, and even though they’re rivals, she makes sure he’s always safe and well taken care of around him 🥹. Yes it’s her job to do but with all the banter I love to see this soft side of her checking up on him and all. Who wouldn’t?

The mystery and magic gives the story a big push and the reader learning the magic system, as well as Jasmine and Asher, is really interesting. Both working together to figure it all out is within the twists and turns of the dark side of the story is really sweet and it’s a big step for them to actually understand and get to know each other. I’m a sucker for forced proximity and the story has really gripped on to it which I looveee to see!

Although I couldn’t quite connect with Asher. I mean, he’s really sweet and funny. He’s the one who knows how to make Jasmine take an extra deep breath through all of it, but other than that it wasn’t something special about it. The love part was a bit rushed as well and even though this story is said to be NA, it had more elements of YA the more I read. It didn’t put me off though and I still enjoyed the story. So if you’re more of an YA reader I would totally recommend this!

Thank you NetGalley and A.N. Sky for the eArc 🤍

I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

I'm not sure how this book got to this point but it is full of errors. That aside, the writing is unfortunately atrocious. Interesting premise but needs serious work.

Keeper of the Scarlet Petals is about a girl whose main goal in life is to become a Keeper so she can avoid the streets she came from. In the beginning of the book, she spars with and seems friendly with a boy who is also training to be a Keeper. But then he stops showing up to class, and all of a sudden our FMC, Jasmine, is plucked from class and told she's to go be a keeper for a person whose family was all killed. You can guess who she ends up having to protect as his Keeper...

I want to start out by saying I hate that I didn't like this book. There were a lot of grammatical errors and even typos that I'm sure will be fixed come publication, and at first I thought that the author's writing style was going to have me DNFing this book a lot faster than I did. However, the story gripped me and I was interested. Until about 60% of the way through. Let me explain my thoughts up until that point.

I really liked how the FMC was given the flaw of "she's really good at fighting but crap at everything else", but that's about all she had going for her. I felt the characters were really flat, but the plot kept me going, maybe thinking that I'd find something endearing about either of them. To be quite honest, there is nothing memorable about Asher or Jasmine. I was interested to know why assassins were coming for Asher and I REALLY liked the fact that they figured out they were being used as fodder for a greater cause. I wanted to know what that greater cause was! I wanted to understand why they were told to keep it a secret and I wanted to know more about the world.

But, then I started getting confused. Maybe it's the fact that I read really fast and don't take in everything the first time, but from what I'd gathered, Xolani magic = bad. But then Jasmine kept being called a Xolani, and I didn't understand the difference between Xolani magic and Starevin magic. I kind of got a good explanation from Asher when he called them "really shitty channelers" so that made a little more sense and I really wanted to know why he couldn't use magic unless she was touching him, and what that stab wound was and why it was causing these weird tendrils to come from him... but then I hit a point in the book and I wanted to throw it.

Then Jasmine asked if she could kiss him. And then she said the one word that made me DNF the book right then and there. "Mine."

No. Uh-uh. Absolutely not. You do not have her kiss him and then instantly claim him? WHAT? First of all I'm already not a fan of the lady being the dominant one, but if done right I can handle it. But after one kiss and very fast and unnecessary bonk in the sheets and she's metaphorically peeing all over him. Gross. I tried to tough it out and read past that, but it got worse and I couldn't take it anymore.

I wanted to like this book a lot. I really love romance books but honestly I could have done with 0 romance and all plot and I think it would have been a lot better book. I hope this doesn't discourage the writer because the idea is there, and the foundation is there, but the romance was way WAY too quick and just... kinda icky, tbh.

DNF'd at 60%

I tried but I could not finish! The FMC is very immature and selfish and the banter between her and the MMC is really bad. All the FMC cares about is being the best at fighting and doesn't want to listen to anyone about learning other parts of being a keeper. When she gets constructive feedback, she goes on the attack and when a noble that she's meant to be a keeper for loses his whole family, she whines about how her life has ended because she no longer gets free time. I can't get through the immaturity of the FMC to see how she changes in the book.

This book might interest someone else, but unfortunately it's not for me.

“Keeper of the Scarlet Petals,” by A. N. Skye

To be a Keeper is to dedicate your entire life to protecting the wealthy you are charged with. Jasmine is in training to be a Keeper after a life of being a thief on the streets. She is assigned early to protect a young nobleman whose family was murdered. The nobleman is drives her mad with annoyance and she struggles with keeping him alive with assassins out to end him.

I really liked this book. It has a lot of bickering and rivals to lover’s trope. I liked that the warriors aren’t just warriors but also caretakers doing tasks like cooking food for their assigned charges, it made the story stand out in uniqueness. The book was on the slow side because not a lot actually happens, it’s a lot of daily things with some action once in a while but I like the world that was built, and the characters were heartwarming and sweet. 4 out of 5 stars.

Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley.

This was a fair read for me.

I enjoyed the characters and their banter but felt the characters ultimately lacked chemistry so their relationship felt somewhat lacking. The magic system was definitely unique and interesting. The post started off strong but ended up slowing down as the book moved forward instead of picking up.

I do feel like this was a fun read and will be enjoyed by others but it wasn't fantastic for me.

I'm rounding up to 4 stars because I found myself thoroughly enjoying this book and its unique concept. It's a departure from my usual reads, and while it does give off some Fourth Wings vibes, it stands out on its own. My only wish is that there had been a bit more world-building; I'm intrigued by the world and its political structure, and I feel there's so much more to explore.
I enjoyed the two main characters, and I can't wait to see how Skye develops them further, along with the side characters who, while present, could use a bit more depth.
Overall, this book was a joy to read. The pacing kept me turning pages, and I became truly invested in the story and its characters. I'm eagerly anticipating the next installment in the series, especially after that shocking betrayal!

I was really excited to read this book early thanks to NetGalley.

This is a great book for fans of Fourth Wing though it’s more of a YA audience. If you love the idea of a school or training program from Fourth Wing, that is what appealed to me most. Jasmine is going through the training to become a Keeper, but things quickly change and she suddenly finds herself in a role as a first year trainee that she wasn’t expecting to be in for a couple years.

The romance is definitely more YA, but I definitely enjoyed it. The banter between characters was a lot of fun. It falls in the realm of bodyguard trope, but the girl is the one in the bodyguard role and who doesn’t love a badass female. They also learn to work together and help each other along.

While it didn’t draw me in quite like Fourth Wing, it was still an enjoyable read and I would recommend. The author has created such an interesting world and I can’t wait to see where they go with the series.

A. N. Skye’s Keeper of Scarlet Petals is a captivating and thrilling fantasy novel that tells the story of Jasmine, a Keeper-in-training who is assigned to protect a young nobleman whose family was murdered. Jasmine had a rough life before she came to Sanctuary, a college for Keepers and mages, and all she wants is to master the sword arts and avoid any other responsibilities.

The author has created a richly imagined world where magic, danger, and political intrigue abound. The character of Jasmine is well-developed, and her journey from a street fighter to a protector is inspiring. The chemistry between Jasmine and her charge is palpable, and their relationship is a highlight of the book.

Skye’s writing style is engaging and fast-paced, and the plot is filled with twists and turns that keep the reader guessing until the very end. The action scenes are well-written and exciting, and the magic system is original and intriguing.

Overall, Keeper of Scarlet Petals is a fantastic debut novel that will appeal to fans of fantasy, romance, and adventure. It is a story about love, loyalty, and self-discovery that will keep readers hooked from start to finish. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well-crafted and thrilling fantasy novel.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Aethon Books for this ARC.

« Forget if it’s the right thing or it’s the safe thing. For once, I want to do something because I want to do it. » Although she only comes to this on the verge of kissing someone she is not supposed to kiss, and hasn’t even admitted to herself that she likes, this aptly sums up the key lesson Jasmine learns as she trains to be a Keeper. It will not only take her through her duties but will inform her life’s path.

The teenaged Jasmine, abandoned by her struggling parents, was born in the gutters of Rodridge in the kingdom of Whitewater, now threatened by an alliance determined to use magic to conquer and subjugate. When the King suddenly offered her a way out of the slums by training as a Keeper—a rare opportunity for a lowborn—her only thought was the escape promised. But being a Keeper is not altogether a prize. The training, mostly in sword fighting, is dangerous. Once it is complete, they are assigned to a Starvein, a noble with magical powers, whom they must protect with their lives. The survival rate is low, especially since the enemy has increased its attacks and is finding new ways to use magic for murder.

When one of her especially competitive fellow students, Asher, suddenly disappears, the others are told that he has dropped out. Just as suddenly, Jasmine is removed from class and sent to serve as Keeper for a noble, completing her fight training on the job. Even more surprising, the noble is Asher. As a Starvein, his choice of training is highly unusual too. His family has been obliterated and he is in danger. The highly promising Jasmine, who seems to contain a low level of magic herself, must give her all to save a young man far above her station whom she thought she despised. Asher isn’t any happier to be protected by her. Of necessity, that soon breaks down for both of them.

As YA novels go, this one contains all the required elements to entice its readership. There is magic, the fight of good vs evil, the promise and frequent failure of the entrenched older generation. There is adolescent cliquishness and backbiting, but also loyalty and genuine friendship. And there is young love against the odds: very different backgrounds and families, different expectations, a world in danger of disintegration. There is the mystery of who is behind the attacks on Asher, and why, as well as the question of Jasmine’s heritage. At times, the story takes too long to move towards resolution, and I got bogged down in the true nature of the Keeper role, just as Jasmine does. But this is, on the whole, a great start to a new series. And not just for young readers.

Thank you NetGalley and Aethon books for this ARC! I’m delighted to read this story. Here is my honest review:

After reading the description, I was very intrigued by this book. The premise and world are interesting and draw you in right away. However, I had trouble connecting to the characters and the story. The writing was rudimentary at times. The dialogue sometimes felt stilted. The stakes and plot were just not there for me. And I was a little confused for too long about the motivations of the characters, and why the story mattered to us readers.

I also had trouble rooting for Jasmine initially. She was always annoyed or bored, and that made it hard to stay invested, I wanted her to care so that I could care. The idea of the Keeper and Starveins is still not delineated enough to me, they felt too similar and it made it difficult to stay invested in the story. I would have loved to see a more character choice driven plot drive the story as well.

I did love Asher - he didn't feel very cocky or smug to me. He was actually really sweet and funny and put up with Jasmine, if anything Jasmine was the cocky prick haha.

I think comparing it to Fourth Wing is misleading as the romance is more YA. The romance and world do not fulfill the brief that the description sets it up to be, in my opinion.

Ultimately I think this story has a lot of potential. With some clearer choices up front, specificity in the world, and character emotionally-focused development it could be good.

Im really sorry but the book wasnt i tought was gonna be
I hard real bad time to read coulsdnt get myself going
It was a hard DNF

I absolutely LOVED this book! I did notice a few mistakes but they didn’t stop me from enjoying this book. I can’t wait to see where this goes!

The characters are so love able and fun. The plot is also incredibly enjoyable. I am a huge sucker for a forced proximity trope so I adored this book.

Comments/Corrections:
-(pg. 6) “You can’t read my mind. You aren’t a starvein…”
A bit awkward for dialogue. Maybe have it be just plain text.
“He wasn’t a starvein, he didn’t have magic and couldn’t actually read her mind.”
Or something like that.
-(pg. 13) “Todays” should be Today’s
-(pg. 13) Ether instead of Esther
-(pg. 101) “We will continue where we picked off” i believe this is supposed to be “where we left off.”
-(pg. 200) “so he could keep leaving in ease.” supposed to be “living in ease.”
-(pg. 202) “Hullo” should be “Hello”
-(pg. 259) “It’s a reason for to win.” supposed to be “It’s a reason for us to win.”

Jasmine is training to become a keeper when she is thrown headfirst into being a keeper of a young nobleman whose family was killed. She works with her first charge to keep him safe but to also unravel a plot against them. They have to rely on each other for survival!

This book picked up right on page one! And it did not slow down. I finished it in less than a day and enjoyed the read.

I loved that FMC and you can tell she had to work her butt off to be where she is but she is not underestimated. She is a strong female lead.

I enjoyed the MMC very much. I liked his attitude but I really enjoyed the softer sides of him too.

I distrusted far too many characters while going through the book and that prepared me for certain parts but made me laugh at myself during others.

I can usually guess what’s coming with books like this one but it kept me pleasantly surprised.

It was a really quick and fun read!