In a sea of Romantasy novels that are dominating the fantasy marketplace, Briar Boleyn's does not stand out. From a cover and concept that's as generic as can be, this book promises "the worldbuilding of ACOTAR" and the "banter" of FW, it falls flat on almost every promise. For all their faults, it's understandable why the above titles succeeded so swiftly in their genre-- at the time, they were new and different, but I believe that there are readers (myself including) that have moved on and are craving something more than the next knockoff. While there were some interesting concepts thrown around--for example, the interwoven Arthurian mythos--there wasn't enough to keep me from rating this one much higher. The writing was simple but not strong; the characters were there but flat; the plot was decently-paced but trite. I really wanted to love this one as Romantasy has become a staple aspect of the fantasy genre, but if you're looking for something new, this is not it.

A great start to the series, following some of my favourite elements of the fantasy genre. Similar vibes to A Shadow in the Ember.

Okay... found another author to add to my ADORE list. Just the right amount of betrayel, secrets, spice, fae and adventure! My emotions were definitely on a Rollercoaster ride, and I was left wanting more... and Draven... mhmmm.

Queen of Roses | Briar Boleyn

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ .25

Book 1 of 4 in the Blood of a Fae series

Boleyn does an amazing job of making you feel immersed in her story. This Arthurian retelling had me invested right away. I loved that the Camelot-inspired world had a Fae twist to it. King Arthur is the villain in this story, with his sister Morgan being the heroine. Full of court intrigue and descriptive world-building. A slow-burn fantasy romance series that will suck you in quickly. I absolutely loved Morgan’s character. She was dealt a terrible hand in life and has been overcoming so much. Sheltered, tormented, abused, and unable to make her own decisions her whole life, she goes on a journey of self discovery and realizes she wants more for her life. Draven is the perfect overly protective morally grey MMC , with some good “who did to you?” moments. Book one does a great job of setting up the larger story for future books. Throw in great characters , fun adventure and lots of banter. I was shocked by all of the reveals and plot twists at the end of this book. I am so interested in seeing what happens next and can’t wait to find out how the story will unfold.

• Forced proximity
• Arthurian retelling
• Abused heroine
• Who did this to you?
• Love triangle
• Fae & Magic
• Plot twists
• Morally grey MMC
• Journey / adventure

Thank you @briarboleynauthor & @netgalley for this ARC !

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Now I just need to get my hands on the next book and dive right in

So much potential! I like the main storyline and the fae twist, but it needs more depth, character development, and some oomph.

First of all, thank you to NetGalley, Starwater Press and Briar Boleyn for allowing me to read the ARC to "Queens of Roses" in exchange for an honest review.

Legends of Camelot, but make it fae!

This alone made me absolutely invested, meeting characters like Morgan, Arthur and Lancelot but with twists and turns? God, I was sucked in right from the start.

I really enjoyed the book that I would clearly mark as an romantasy, even without the retelling of Camelot, the world building was incredible, the writing style was astounding and intoxicating, the characters were loveable ( or not so much when you think about a certain Florian).

The slow burn is burning so slow, but the action goes on fast paced which is an exquisite balance.

The series did convince me straight from the first few chapters.

Boleyn weaves a world of magical fae and breathtaking animals with a medieval kingdom. Morgan and her sworn enemy embark on a quest like no other as demanded by her older brother, the king of Pendrath. It’s a tale of friendship, deceit, trust, war, power and magic. It reminded me of Game of Thrones but if it consisted of one POV rather than tackling many. The ending left me needing to get my hands on the sequel!! I rated this book 3.75 stars as I loved the slow burn romance but I felt that the plot twists were too predictable at times. Overall, it was a solid read and I’d definitely recommend it to romantasy lovers.

This was a five star read for me. 'Queen of Roses' by Briar Boleyn and I cannot recommend it enough! I kept falling into the tik tok thirst traps for this book and I wanted it badly. When I finally did read it... it did not disappoint! The world building is so vivid and rich, transporting me to a realm where magic intertwines with the everyday lives of the characters. The dynamic between humans and Fae is portrayed with such intricacy, the rift between them and the results of war even centuries later adding layers of complexity to the story.

The characters in 'Queen of Roses' are truly unforgettable. The tension between them crackles with intensity, creating a sense of anticipation that kept me eagerly turning the pages. The main female character is a force to be reckoned with - strong, resilient, and with a depth that made her journey all the more compelling. I loved her story and I connected to her as a person that was truly trying her best in a world where she has no choices. Her personal growth through the first book is everything, and I am here for it. I also appreciated the unique twist on the Arthurian legends, with familiar characters like Arthur, Lancelot, and Merlin taking on new dimensions within the story.

What also sets this book apart is its commitment to inclusivity. The diverse representation of characters with different sexual orientations was a breath of fresh air.

As I delved deeper into the story, I found myself completely immersed in a world that felt both familiar and entirely new. The author's ability to weave together elements of fantasy, magic, and intrigue is truly commendable. Each chapter left me craving more, and the anticipation for the next instalment in the series is already building.

'Queen of Roses' is a spellbinding journey that will captivate any reader with its blend of magic, mystery, and compelling characters. I need this in my local bookstores, its a recommended read to anyone that enjoys fantasy.

Also... I want one of those cats.

Ich habs total genossen! Das Worldbuilding fand ich super und es hat mir irgendwie Vibes von “Das Reich der sieben Höfe”, aber auch “From Blood and Ash gegeben”. Ich liebe aber auch einfach Romantasy/Fantasy und vorallem auch Bücher über und mit Fae!

Toller, spannender Schreibstil und ein ganz wundervoller Plot 😊

While Morgan should have one day become Queen, her birthright is stolen from her at a young age and promised to her brother instead, all because she might possibly have a little bit of fae heritage. Morgan is promised to the Three Goddesses and begins to learn how to serve them. With only one year before she is promised to serve, fate interferes and sends Morgan on a life altering adventure. With gorgeous men that are meant to protect her.... or maybe kill her.... what could go wrong?

Queen of Roses captivated me from the very first chapter. The characters and the plot are extremely well written and will have you staying awake until all hours of the night trying to find out what happens next. While this may be a slow burn, there is a little bit of spice in it. It just isn't in a way that can be considered anything other than slow burn. I highly recommend reading this series!

I’ve never read a Authur retelling and I’m obsessed!!! The world building, the characters, the banter! We have fae, power, war, long lost artifacts, friendship and flirting!
I’m dyinnnngggg to know more about Draven!!!

This was such an unexpected twist on King Arthur and Camelot. I absolutely loved this book. Easy to read, not too heavy on world building, pace wasn’t too slow. Loved Darius and Morgana has so much to discover.
I devoured this book i a couple of days and jumped straight into book 2!
The cliffhanger ending 😱

An Arthurian legend retelling with a twist. Love these types of books, magic, morally grey MMC, enemies to lovers, romantasy. Slow burn to start that gradually builds the spice with each book. I devoured the first 3 books in 3 days, the storyline with plot twists, the characters-good and evil, loved every page of this series and can't wait for the final instalment Knight of the Goddess. Highly recommend.

This book was captivating from the beginning. It’s a dark romance about King Arthurs half sister Morgan with a twist . Morgan is a Faye that must hide her powers. Her brother sent her on an adventure to try to find a sword he desperately wants. He sent a few guards with her on this mission and one is a very mysterious Kairos Draven. The banter between him and Morgan is very intense. On their mission, she runs into Vesper that very much seems to be taken with her. The cliffhanger makes me want to grab the next book right away.

4 Stars!
This book has everything I look for in a fantasy novel! Slow burn, tension, intrigue, found family and adventure.
The world building sucked me in immediately and had me flying through the pages and finishing it in one day.
The tension and slow burn between Morgan and Draven was delicious and I couldn't put it down,

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book, I can't wait to read the next one!

Queen of Roses written by @briarboleynauther, is the first book of the Blood of Fae series. It is an Arthurian retelling with magic, fae, mystery and intrigue, and hidden identities. I devoured this book in days. The story follows our FMC, Princess Morgan of the Rose Court of Camelot, who is believed to be part-fae. As the eldest child of the King, she is stripped of her right to become Queen and instead, is commanded to become a priestess at the temple of goddesses after her 21st birthday. As ordered by her half-brother, who becomes King, she embarks on an epic journey in search of a magical relic intended to help her kingdom. While on her journey, she experiences profound self-discovery and high risk adventure that challenges everything that she believes to be true.

I absolutely loved this story. The world building was well written and immersive. I cannot wait to read the next book and future installments. This book has:
💫Forced proximity
💫Witty banter (I LOVED IT!)
💫Magical secrets
💫Secret identities (my favorite!)
💫Fae and Magic
💫Betrayal
💫Intrigue and mystery!!
💫Slow burn 🔥 romance

Quotes:
“He was the air I breathed. I could not live without him.”

“I burn for you, Morgan. You’ve set me aflame…”
“Then let the flames consume us,”

Ps I cannot stop thinking about this story! ❤️🙏

Thank you so much to @netgalley and the author for the ARC. I absolutely loved it!

#bookreview #theromantasylibrary #readersupportingauthor #bookstagram #kcbookstagram #darkromantasy #epicstory #epicfantasy #QueenofRoses #netgalley #romantasy #bloodoffaeseries

Thank you to author Briar Boleyn, publisher Starwater Press, and NetGalley for the ARC read of Queen of Roses, the first book in the Blood of a Fae series.

The book began slowly for me. World-building aside, I needed consistent mental redirection with the reuse of famous character names. This kept me from immediately falling in love with this story, but it didn't stop me from finding it intriguing enough to plunge in.

I love an excellent Arthurian-era plot: hero quest fantasy with slow-burn character development. I loved how strong Morgan's character seemed initially, learning to be a knight and defending herself. I adore her innocence and her loving heart. As the Fae elements began to mix into the setting and characters' lives expertly, I relished this retelling (of sorts) more and more until I found halfway through that I could not put it down. Once Morgan's travel adventures began, I cheered her on. Now that the plot, as it were, has thickened toward the end of the book, I cannot wait to continue to read on in book two to find out what happens throughout this new intrigue with Morgan. I have many questions, and I hope to have more answers after book two.

Four and a half stars from me.

thank you to netgalley, starwater press, and briar boleyn for giving me this book in exchange for an honest review.

When I first started this book I was unsure I was going to like it . It took me awhile to find myself drawn in. I loved the concept of the retelling of this story , but it was a little slow for my liking. However, about half way through the story really picks up and you find yourself on the edge of your seat. I can’t wait to pick up the next book to read❤️

I recommend this book for anyone looking for a good Arthur retelling as well as someone who loves a good enemies to lovers as much as I do lol

4✨

Thank you NetGalley for giving me this book to read in exchange for an honest review.

This is an Arthurian legacy retelling set in a fae world. It's the first in the series with good detail in building the world and characters, with a very slow burn. The MMC is an assassin who is just *yum* but the FMC was too submissive for me. Saying that, it will make for some great character development over the next book(s). And that cliffhanger!!!

If you’re looking for your next romantasy adventure, Blood of a Fae series is a great choice! Books 1-4 are available now, and I’m making my way though all of them. A very clever reimagining of King Author/Camelot; it feels familiar and fresh at the same time. The audiobook didn’t mention trigger warnings - there are some. Be sure to check those as needed. I have some slight spoilers in this review. If you like to stay completely in the dark, know that I really liked this book and would absolutely suggest it for anyone who loves a solid slow burn romantasy adventure. Then stop reading. For everyone else, here we go.

Queen of Roses a true slow burn. I love to hate a slow burn, and I can’t get enough of it. Our FMC is taking her sweet time getting her emotions around to where we all know she’s headed. Spoiler - she doesn’t get there this book. Sllllloooooowwww burn. We don’t get POVs from the MMC this book. I think that changes eventually for book 3 (turns into a duel narration for the audiobook - Will M Watt joins Zara and to say I’m excited is an understatement). I’m so ready to see his brooding perspective. He has a way of supporting Morgan (FMC) in ways she doesn’t expect/realize until reflection later on. I know he’s thinking things. Smutty things. I do think the romance plot has been somewhat predictable BUT the details were surprising - I’m trying not to let too many spoilers drop. I also LOVE all of the fantasy creatures we’ve met so far on this journey. Battlecats, harpies, zombie kids, a mysterious water monster I assume we’ll get more of later, and the list goes on. There are diverse ideas occurring in this world, and we haven’t been introduced to so much at this point. I cannot wait to see where were we end up.

Narration of the audiobook: Zara Hampton-Brown was great. They gave a dynamic range of character voices that I found very entertaining.

I was provided an eARC from NetGalley, Briar Boleyn and Starwater Press - thank you! I did purchase copies of this book on my own as well.