This book definitely has potential. I gave it a 3 star because I did enjoy the unique world this author created. However there were so many typos. As soon as I would get into my groove of reading I was stumbling over another mistake. If the mistake were corrected I would have easily given this book a 4 star. It was very engaging and interesting. I loved the look on magic and how it wasn’t just a free for all. I also really like the character build ups throughout and watching them grow. I would recommend this if the errors are fixed for sure.

Thank you NetGalley and author A.N. Skye for the copy of the book in exchange of my honest review.

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

Jasmine wasn’t ready for it. Less than a year into her training at Sanctuary, a college for Keepers and mages alike, and with a fresh start from a brutal life of thievery in the slums, all she wanted to do was continue mastering the sword arts and avoid her other responsibilities. Those plans are ruined when she's assigned to be the protector of a young nobleman whose family was murdered. Her new charge is cocky, smug, and drives her up a wall at every opportunity.

Forced to protect a man she can’t stand with her life, Jasmine needs to find time that isn’t there to continue her training and keep assassins from killing both of them, all the while learning magic and discovering that there’s more to life than survival. And yet, Jasmine starts to find herself inexplicably drawn to him. In the slums, Jasmine never had room to care about anything other than putting food on the table. But she’s not in the slums anymore, and she can’t keep her feelings tied down forever. Unfortunately, burgeoning love is the least of Jasmine’s problems.

As pieces of a malevolent plot start to unfold around them, she and her charge realize that there might be only one thing left that they can rely on. Each other."

I love the characters and I enjoy the story. I love the banter and the plot twist.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. (via Netgalley)

I enjoyed the start of this but after the first third it slowed down for me. May in part be due to the little world building. I enjoyed the friendships and banter between the characters but the romance felt rushed and lacked chemistry to me. The spice was pretty mild and didn't add anything imo.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of this book has a lot of potential and with editing could be great. Unfortunately, this book fell flat for me -- I would love to see world building added throughout the story, especially in the beginning, and more context provided throughout in order to give the book a better, and smoother, flow while reading. It just feels as though we're missing a lot of details while reading and it makes it hard to feel invested in the storyline or the characters.

I felt like the beginning of the book had zero build up and Asher's character was mysteriously missing within the first 5% of the book with no real character development. The writing also felt choppy to me, switching between different point of views and inner monologue. I would love to see the story refined because it does have the makings of a good book.

Loved this book and cannot wait for the next one! The twists, turns, and suspense made for an exciting reading experience. I couldn't put this down and read it in one sitting. The way the relationship developed between the two main characters had me rooting for their romance from the beginning. I loved that they both were strong fighters and worked so well together. Eagerly awaiting more now!

To be a Keeper was to dedicate one’s life – and heart – to protecting another. Jasmine wasn’t ready for it. Less than a year into her training at Sanctuary, a college for Keepers and mages alike, and with a fresh start from a brutal life of thievery in the slums, all she wanted to do was continue mastering the sword arts and avoid her other responsibilities. Those plans are ruined when she's assigned to be the protector of a young nobleman whose family was murdered. Her new charge is cocky, smug, and drives her up a wall at every opportunity. Forced to protect a man she can’t stand with her life, Jasmine needs to find time that isn’t there to continue her training and keep assassins from killing both of them, all the while learning magic and discovering that there’s more to life than survival. And yet, Jasmine starts to find herself inexplicably drawn to him. In the slums, Jasmine never had room to care about anything other than putting food on the table. But she’s not in the slums anymore, and she can’t keep her feelings tied down forever. Unfortunately, burgeoning love is the least of Jasmine’s problems. As pieces of a malevolent plot start to unfold around them, she and her charge realize that there might be only one thing left that they can rely on.

There are some things I really liked about this book. I enjoyed the magic system it was interesting and strange. I've never read a magic system quite like this one. I really liked the banter and friendships in this. The characters did seem a little underdeveloped especially the 2 main characters but I did enjoy them.

The thing I had a hard time with is plot. I was bored through a good portion of the middle of this book. Stuff was happening but it didn't grip me so it didn't feel like the plot was going anywhere. There is a lot of slow places in the pace of this book. The urgent things didn't feel urgent. The characters strength kinda felt like it was thrown in there to give cool fight scenes.

This a supposed to be a enemies to lovers......ya no they liked each other the entire time they were never mean to each other they had crushes on each other from the very beginning. Don't say its an enemy to lovers if it's not. Also Jasmine's character is supposed to be a scary criminal from the slums who clawed her way up to be a Keeper but I forgot she was even from the slums only other characters reminding me at random times did I really remember. There was no depth put into this part of the character and I believe it would have made her a more compelling character.

This has a beautiful front cover, but the actual story needs some serious work.

I should have heeded the rest flags when I saw that the description of this book stated it was ‘perfect for fans of Fourth Wing,’ because in my opinion, we should be striving for better writing than that.

The lack of world building made for dull reading because I had such a lack of understanding of what was going on. I think this would have worked better if there was an explanation of what it is to be a ‘Keeper’ and the history behind it, an explanation of Xolani traits, etc.

The characters felt very one-dimensional, there was little-to-no charisma and lacked depth, there is zero chemistry between the two main characters.
I was really disappointed in the ‘slow burn’ element of this, it was so rushed and hasty that it fell flat and went completely against the trope itself.

I really struggled with how this was paced. Everything started off too quickly, no build up or explanations, then tapered off to the point where I felt bored. Things again started to move on towards the end of the book, but it felt too rushed to pull my interest back.
As a result, I lost interest and found myself skipping pages of this just to make it to the end. It’s a shame that it ended up being so tedious to read.

The plot twists were really predictable, and I’d have liked more of a mystery element to keep it fresh.

‘Keeper of the Scarlet Petals’ has some real potential if the story was invested in more than it was with further world building, however presently, I wouldn’t recommend this one.

The interesting and action-packed novel "The Keeper of the Scarlet Petals" transported me to this lovely realm of Keepers and magicians. This is a gripping story that combines mystery, romance, and adventure. A.N. Skye, the author, elegantly creates a magical and dangerous world with nuanced people. There are many flips and turns in Jasmine's path from a life of theft to being a guardian, which kept me interested in reading and learning more. This book was well worth reading because of its captivating plot and well-developed environment. It has inspired me to read more romantic and fantasy novels. You will learn about self-discovery, loyalty, and the strength of love in the face of hardship from this book. Not only did it stir up strong emotions in me, but the writing was gorgeous.

Thank you netgalley and Aethon books for the ARC

This has a really great premise. However, I really struggled to read it. The main characters find themselves in new situations, but there is very little world-building or context given to the conflict. This made it difficult for me to get invested in the story, and I found the characters to be very one-dimensional with very little chemistry. Ultimately I don't think this book was for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher/author for the eARC.

The keeper of scarlet petals

Characters- not very in depth but enjoyable still the same. Jas and Asher had a cute romance. The best friend was a typical supportive bestie with some humor. I didn’t feel like I knew any of them but it was still really fun. More young adult type of characters. 7

Atmosphere- pretty absent from the story for me. There wasn’t any world building and I really am not sure about the settings. 4

Writing style- definitely geared towards young adults. It wasn’t refined but I can see people really enjoying it. It took a bit for the story to catch my attention. 7

Plot- the plot was awesome. Kept me curious and I loved seeing how Asher and jas found a way to keep moving forward. The ending was unexpected but I wish there would have been just more to it than jas immediately figuring it all out. 8

Intrigue- interesting and good story. Took me a bit of time to get into but was fun to read. 6

Logic - it just seemed like a bit more info would have helped feed the story. Honestly it felt unfinished - like there were ideas that needed more attention. Did the story make sense? Yes… could there have been things better elaborated? Also yes. 6

Enjoyment- it was still pretty good. The characters were fairly one dimensional, the romance seemed a bit forced and didn’t develop much, I wish there was more info on the settings, and the internal monologue while the story was being told in 3rd person was awful. That being said, the plot was good, the idea of the story was interesting and has a lot of potential. 7

Overall 6.4 Out of 10

Book Ratings:
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.5)
🌶️🌶️

Book Review (no spoilers):
Ok that ending?!?!?!? I was honestly shocked at who was actually behind everything!!!

This was such a fun and enjoyable read! I loved the characters, their banter, their drive to do better, the forced proximity, the honesty between them, and the friendships! This was more YA or NA but so enjoyable. The spice was not graphic which I enjoyed but there was definitely romance and tension.

The love interest I thought would develop didn’t, which I always like when I’m surprised.

I am so eager to see what is to come in book 2!!!

“To be a keeper was to dedicate one’s life, completely and utterly, to protecting another.”

Thank you to Netgalley for the arc!

Keeper of scarlet petals is a fast paced romantasy read that had me hooked from the start. I enjoyed this story and the characters were really likeable and their banter was fun to read about! The magic was pretty cool too even though it confused me a bit at times and the action and assassins had me turning the pages to keep reading. I will admit I was suspecting the wrong person the whole time and the reveal made sense even though I convinced myself it was someone else haha and the plot twist at the end got me I didn’t expect it. Overall a very enjoyable and faced paced fantasy book!

→ fantasy/romance
→ she protects him
→ forced proximity
→ magic
→ action/fighting
→ plot twists

The only thing about this book I didn’t like much was that it felt like a YA book which I don’t mind at all but it read as a YA book with added spice which I thought was a bit unnecessary and the book could’ve gone without it added since it didn’t really add much to the plot. The romance also felt a little rushed to me.

I really like the idea of this and there is real potential in the author’s writing. For me personally, I found the FMC a teeny bit annoying and thought the world building could have been explored a little bit more. However, a decent read. I think if this is marketed as a YA book then it’ll generate more interest.

This book had some interesting ideas and world building. The writing was kind of choppy for me and didn’t flow very well. Also there was next to no chemistry between the main characters. That being said, I did like the characters. I just wish they were written a little better. Thank you to the author and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Keeper of the Scarlet Petals is an good debut fantasy novel from A.N. Skye. The story starts off fast paced and keeps the reader going from wanting more. The plot was enjoyable as it had a line of mystery in it leaving the reader starting to form their own theories.

The worldbuilding in this story however, felt very lacking. There were many times where I was left feeling confused because some parts of the lore were just not well explained. There are aspects that left me questioning why parts of the story were even needed or if I missed something because I would keep rereading a section confused from what I just read. I am interested in seeing where this goes and to see the author develop over time.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me the ARC!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!

For this being a debut fantasy novel, I thought it was entertaining and has the start to a good story line. I did however, feel that the world building and magic system was hard to follow at times throughout the book. I know the editor will do a great job of correcting any errors and repeated phrases, so I do think that will help some with the finished product.

Overall, this has potential to be an engaging series, and A.N. Skye a respected YA author.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This story started out great with Asher and Jasmine sparring one another and their banter is just so wonderful. I thought it would be an enemies to lovers kind of thing, but it was not. They just love making fun of one another. I'm not disappointed it wasn't an enemies to lovers situation. It was actually kind of a relief since it's been a while since I haven't read such relationship for a while. I almost panic when they said Asher dropped from the Keeper academy because I absolutely fell in love with him immediately. But when it was told he was the noble that Jasmine was to protect, my excitement rocketed once again. They're just so cute together! I love seeing Jasmine fail as her duties as a Keeper especially when she is cooking. I actually love that scene of seeing how badly she fails. You get an insight of how truly terrible she as her other duties as a Keeper. If it was just merely told that she fails at all the other duties besides fighting, we would just have to believe the author's words, but with the details, she becomes a well rounded-out character. In regards to her fail cooking scene, I love the scene where she is learning how to cook eggs with Asher. It's absolutely adorable to see her learning alongside Asher. Another duty she fails at is giving advice to Asher. Their banter is just so much fun. They dislike one another at the beginning, but it isn't to the point of hatred. Plus, such dislike easily gets dissolved into trust one another and it makes sense. Knowing that they were in it together so quickly doesn't seem out of place because they never really hated each other in the first place. I'm going to keep emphasizing my point that I absolutely love them together. They're charming with one another and I want more of them.

In regards to the plot, I just couldn't stop turning the page. I wanted to find out more about the assassins that targeted Asher's family and why they were so important considering he was just from a minor noble family. I wanted to learn the world of the Starvein and Keeper. What exactly their duties are to the kingdom. What makes them so important. I can understand the Keeper's role of protecting Starveins, but I don't really understand why they need to be proficient in all their duties. Fighting makes sense. But having proper etiquette? That just seems weird. Other than not really have any explanation on the strange duties that the Keepers has to be proficient in besides fighting, I like the concept of Keepers. The concept of Starvein is pretty much the average magic user, but they can't use magic on the fly. Hence, needing Keepers. In addition, being a Starvein makes it seem like they're the most powerful warrior in the Whitewater Kingdom, but I could hardly see that when with Asher. I could see such description apply to Qien though. It makes sense not seeing such strength in the students we pass by since they're merely first years, but I was hoping there would be some more examples to such statement. Also to note, even though Qien can be seen as strict, I actually like him a bit. He can be funny at times. Same goes for Riker.

Overall, I absolutely love Asher's and Jasmine's relationship. I hope there will be more of them. In addition, the possibility of other possible magic users besides the Starvein intrigued me throughout. I was curious if Jasmine will become of anything of special or if she was merely just a Keeper. Discovering the truth behind Asher's family murders and both figuring out their place in the world, is what made this book so intriguing. I enjoy that all the conclusions they come to makes sense and it isn't grab it out of nowhere. Even though it was a slow-paced book, there is a purpose to every chapter and we are along on the journey as well. The discoveries they find out also comes to us. I would say this book brought warmth and comfort to me.

Thank you Aethon books and NetGalley for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. My review is my own and not influenced by others.

I was very interested when I saw this book on NetGalley so I decided to read it as soon as I got the earc of it. Unfortunetely this book didn’t work for me, the characters felt flat and I didn’t feel a connection with them. Beside that, there was almost no world building and no chemistry between the main characters.

The book starts of strong and it is fast paced from the beginning. The world building could have been a bit better executed. I sometimes got lost and felt like I missed something. I still don’t know why there are Starvain and keepers and why a house needs a Starvain to be led. It also was never really addressed how Asher felt that his family was executed and now it was expected of him to take over. Even Jasmine never really addressed it. I really liked the banter between Jasmine and Asher. The other characters are a little underdeveloped and popped up randomly throughout the book. I would have liked for them to have more of a role and for us to know more about them but maybe we will get that in the next book. Overall I really enjoyed the book and would recommend it to my friends.

3.5 rounding up (had it not been for the epilogue it would have rounded down)

I enjoyed this read. I thought it was an interesting idea and something different from what I've read before. It definitely could have used some worldbuilding- half of my issue with it is just that I was confused by how the world/politics worked. Some aspects needed to be hidden and secretive because of the mystery portion of the plotline, but unless you don't dig any deeper into the world/characters it feels like the world isn't fully developed. For example, these students are in the Sanctuary to train to be Keepers/Starvein, but it seems like there are only two teachers. How many students are there? Do they have more than one class a day? Are the only things they eat steak, eggs, and potatoes???

The same for the characters. The main two could have been developed a little more, especially the love interest, and their friends were there solely for convenience purposes. Lydia especially read as the comedic relief, as she had very little contribution to further plot, character, or world.

I enjoyed the plotline. It had a mysterious element mixed with the action/tension and it kept a quick pacing that made it more investing. I was a little disappointed with the betrayal because it didn't feel like it had that much buildup or reveal; just sort of laid out there. I finished the chapter and started planning how to write my issue with this and then I read the epilogue and ??? I mean, I saw it coming, but I did not see that coming. I'm curious to see if it will develop at all in the future book(s) because if I'm right, that small little reveal changes some things.

thank you Netgalley for the ARC