I really enjoy Donna Grant's paranormal books. Well, to be honest I love all her books. The elves of Scotland and Ireland are particularly fun to read about. Grant has a vast imagination and creates another amazingly complex and infinitely interesting world.

Forced to guide Ravi to Shaldorn, Yasmin struggles to return to the scene of her worst nightmares from which she is the lone known escapee and to work with an elf. She's not given a choice but is promised a very worthwhile reward to help take care of the kids she loves and watches out for. The trip is as harrowing as they come and the two find themself fighting awful creatures and worse weather., narrowly escaping death more than once. When Ravi realizes how hard Yasmin will fight for herself, her wards and even him, he can't help but be impressed. She finds she may have held some not-fully-justified prejudices again him. As if the journey wasn't challenging enough, getting into and back out of the fortress and den of debauchery is every bit as difficult as Yasmin has portrayed it. When all seems lost, these two manage to work miracles, get out alive, and return to their starting point. Even then their love can't seem to exist and overcome.

Will these two find their HEA? It isn't easy but totally worth it. Another great read by Grant.

Thanks to the author and NetGalley for the ARC.

The Dragon Kings series is one of my favorite. This series branches off from it.

Yazmin is a human living among the fae. Humans aren’t always treated with kindness. After Yazmin runs away from her adopted fae parents at 12, she ends up at Shaldorn. A place that the worst of the worst go to have “fun”. Unfortunately, Yaz Iives through some pretty horrific things. She does finally escape with the help of a friend and a mountain elf. Now, she takes in orphaned human children and protects them.
Ravi, Sun Elf, is a DIA agent who is tasked with going to Shaldorn to stop the sale of a device that someone wants to detonate in the dragon territory. This would start a war between the dragons and elves. After detaining Yaz, she is forced to take Ravi to Shaldorn since she is the only person to ever escape. Yaz must face her past in order to help Ravi stop a war.

It was hard to read what Yaz went through at Shaldorn but she’s faces it head on with Ravi! I’m really happy with how it ended.

I will say there are 2 side characters Dain, Dark Elf, and Manu, Mountain Elf, that I can’t wait to read their stories!!

This book was really good. I really loved the inter connectedness of the stories and characters. I really enjoyed it

Yasmin, a human, is thrust back into a world that she barely escaped. Ravi , a fae, who is set in his ways if forced to work with her. As they embark on their journey, tensions rise and secrets are learned. As they get closer to their destination, Yasmin dreads going back to a place that has caused her soo much pain. But she gave her word that she would get Ravi there. Ravi soon begins to see Yasmin in a new light and starts to value her more than the mission. Will they survive their journey ?

I read this book quickly, but some aspects of this book could have been shortened to get to the main plot. The relationship between characters needed to be developed a bit more as well. As long as it took for them to get to destination in book, I felt their relationship could have been developed further than one or two good scenes. I feel like there was a bit more potential for this book.
I actually did enjoy the book though and I would enjoy reading the next book.
Character Development 3/5
Plot Development 3/5
Spice 1/5

Donna Grant's "Rising Sun" takes us on a thrilling journey through the treacherous Dangerous Peaks with an unlikely duo: the thief Yasmin and the enigmatic elf Ravi. The premise is intriguing—a heist in a fantasy setting with the added spice of enemies-to-lovers romance.

Grant paints a vivid picture of the perilous landscape, making the mountains themselves a formidable character. The tension between Yasmin and Ravi sizzles as they navigate not just the physical dangers but their growing attraction. Their banter is sharp, and watching their walls crumble is satisfying.

However, I felt the story could have delved deeper. The betrayal hinted at in the summary didn't pack the emotional punch I hoped for, and some plot threads felt a bit rushed. Overall, I liked the adventure and the sparks between our leads, but I was left wanting more depth in both the characters and the plot. It's a solid read for fantasy romance fans, but it could have soared higher.

The story was fun and entertaining. While it had its clichés and corny moments, it didn't feel unbearable. The only real issue I had was that I couldn't visualize anything. I hope the author improves their descriptive writing in future novels to create more vivid and immersive scenes.

Wow, absolutely loved the storyline. The slow burn and the enemies to lovers dynamic were pure chef's kiss. I couldn't put this book down, I devoured it as fast as I could. When I realized I was nearing the end, I felt genuinely upset because I didn't want it to be over, but also excited for the next books.
This is my first time reading anything by this author, and I am thrilled to have discovered a new favorite. I'm now on a mission to devour all her books, I'm obsessed, and eagerly awaiting the next release and yes I will be preordering it for sure.
Also, I must mention that the cover of this book is stunning, and I can't wait to display it on my bookshelf, shrieks in excitement. 
I strongly recommend this book to anyone who loves a slow burn, enemies to lovers, close proximity, and a forced quest that brings a lot of delicious drama. A big thank you to the author for creating such a realistic world. It's been a couple of days since I finished it, and I'm still thinking about it and that's when you know you've read a good book!
Do yourself a favor and read this book. You won't regret it.I would also love to add that I am grateful for Donna Grant, and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this beautiful ARC that has now become my new obsession.

I've never read any Donna Grant books before! I've always thought about diving into her books but I wasn't sure where to start and it seemed overwhelming. I didn't realize until I was adding it to my goodreads that this is actually a spin off series apart of Donna Grant's Dark World Universe. Luckily, this does stand on it's own and I was able to follow everything well, I'm sure reading the previous books might add a bit more context or some fun teasers but you can read this alone! We follow Yasmin, a courageous badass human who just wants to find a place for her and other tormented young human kids to go where they'll be safe from the horrid ruling Elves. Ravi, is a closed off, sexy, mysterious Sun Elf that knows there are problems in their world but generally believes the best in their government until he truly sees what they have put Yasmin and others like her through. They are forced to travel together and of course get closer, this is s slow burn book with some spice towards the end. I really enjoyed their backstories and how it affected their choices! The ending was so sweet and wrapped up really nicely but gave us a little hint to the next book with one of the side characters (who I adored!!) will be the next MMC!

Nothing could prepare Yasmin for her return to Shaldron, but she must go in order to protect the kids.
Yasmin escaped the fortress that has captured humans for high society elves' darkest desires four years ago. Since then she has been barely scraping by trying to survive. When she is caught stealing she is forced to re-enter Shaldron to help stop a future bombing. Yasmin must guide the dark and handsome elf, Ravi, across treacherous ground and through the underworld of Shaldron if she hopes to return to her life. As Ravi and Yasmin survive numerous near death experiences they find that their guarded walls fall down and are replaced by love. But can they save more than one soul as well as their own on this mission?
LOVE! LOVE! LOVE! I lost sleep to finish this book! The slow burn, and star-crossed lovers was epic. I loved Grant’s writing style of the dual POVs. Usually when written from a male’s POV I feel there is too much unrelatable sexual innuendo....but not in this book it was so gritty and beautifully written. I thought at first I would have issues getting into a book narrated by a man. However, reading this tale was so intriguing and enjoyable. I can’t wait for the next book in the series and will be impatiently waiting……..

*Thank you to Donna Grant and Shane East, Netgalley and DL Grant LLC for the ARC copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.

I can always appreciate a good slow burn! In this story, you had two unlikely protagonists, Yasmin a human with a haunted past, and Ravi an elf who is shrouded in mystery, being pushed together by forced proximity.

Yasmin has to find it within herself to fight her to own trauma and grief to either lead Ravi through the Dangerous Peaks or become a prisoner. It is truly a testament to her character and self-preservation.

Grant does a phenomenal job of building a believable story and world complete with an elven glossary... and who doesn't love a good enemies-to-lovers romance?

I am excited to see what she does next!

This is a new series by Donna Grant all about elves. I can’t say that I’ve read too many books with elves in them, so I didn’t have much expectation. However, since I love the way Grant writes her stories, I knew that it would be fun!

Grant wastes no time with building on her world. Weaving together character arcs over different series, she introduces new characters while also deepening her worldbuilding. It’s impressive and aspiring to read, as it always creates a great atmosphere for the characters.

I enjoyed seeing the slow romance between Ravi and Yasmin. They definitely don’t start off as friends or potential love interests for each other, but slowly through their journey together, they become closer. It was really fun to read. I can’t wait to read more of the Elven Kingdoms!

Ravi is used to working alone. As a Sun Elf, he relies on his magic to be his backup. So what good will a human girl be in aiding him to infiltrate a near-impossible location?

Yasmin does what she has to in order to take care of herself and the children who have come into her care, even when it means stealing. Unfortunately, she’s ambushed and caught by a group of elves with a mission - and they want her help. She can either go to prison for her theft, or she can lead Ravi into Shaldorn, a stronghold of morally dark dealings that she once escaped from. She has vowed to do everything in her power to never return to that place, but she quickly realizes she has no choice. She doesn’t trust any of these elves to keep their promises.

She reluctantly agrees, and the two set out in their journey. But somewhere along the way, their opinions of each other start to slowly change, and what started out as a reluctant partnership seems to start melding into something more.

Rising Sun is the perfect example of what a good ‘romantasy’ is - you’ve got your magical realm with its unique characters, an ever engrossing relationship, and enough action and drama to fill in the cracks. It kept me engaged the whole time I was reading it. It’s got enemies-to-lovers and a good twist on a ‘one bed’ trope. It’s got spice. I can’t wait to pick up the next book in the series - especially if it means getting closer to the mystery the author has set foot in front of us about our main girl. My only wish is that we would’ve gotten a bit more world building at the beginning - I felt we were dropped almost right into the plot as soon as you started reading.

Final rating: 4 Stars

Recommended if you like: magic, fantasy, elves, romantasy, a good series, and romance with spice.

I have to confess, I've never been able to read The Lord of the Rings. Love the movies, but the prose in the books has always been too heavy and inaccessible for me - not to mention, I can't get excited about thousands of pages of male perspective.

Well, Rising Sun gave me what I was looking for! Middle Earth vibes but with flowing and descriptive prose, fully rendered female characters, and plenty of action.

Please note I received an E – ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

When I read the synopsis of this story I thought it would be just my thing. And for the most part it is I really love the idea of it and the world was trying to create however I really struggled with the pacing and all the telling. There would be paragraphs if not pages of the main characters going back and forth with just every thought in their brain. I think this may appeal to some readers, but it did not work for me . These are my two main gripes with the book and it made it very hard to stay invested. I also felt like particularly the MMC’s depth was really lacking and we definitely could’ve explored a lot more of the FMC. Unfortunately, everything else felt really flat for me despite really wanting to like the story and I pushed all the way through anyways in hopes that that would change. I don’t think I will remember most of this book in a few weeks.

What I did like was the bones of the story, the world, the stakes. I think this would’ve easily been a more enjoyable read for me if we had fleshed out all the characters a little bit more and did a lot more showing over telling.

Oh, and the third act break up? Pass for me.

I received an ARC copy of this book from Donna Grant in order to give a honest review of Rising Sun. This is the first book I have read from Donna, and it did not disappoint!

Rising Sun follows a human living in amongst a land mostly populated by elves, she has to take Ravi over the dangerous peaks of the stronghold as penance, after she is caught stealing. This book features a strong female main character and a very interesting world, as well as a well thought out magic system.
This book features my favourite trope: enemies to lovers!

The storyline is great, however, it could be paced out a little better. I’m excited to read the next book in the series and delving more into the world and the characters lives!

This was an interesting kick off to a series. I think there were a lot of elements mentioned but not at all clear in the world building, which left me confused. You can still follow the story, but if some of these things aren’t addressed explicitly in later books, I think the series will be very hard to follow. The elf glossary would’ve been better at the end of the book, rather than giving me details I wouldn’t retain before introducing a single character. Also a glossary of animals would’ve been nice—not a major thing, but I was left wondering what in the world was being described.

Worth noting, Ravi is an idiot. Well-intentioned, but kind of thoughtless. He grows, but I was banging my head against a wall because of him in the beginning. I feel like Yaz is kind of put through the wringer repeatedly. Her reactions and the ways she deals with her trauma are understandable, but at some points the trauma and abuse she suffers felt gratuitous rather than proportionate to the circumstances. I also felt like Ravi’s feelings made more sense than Yaz’s. He knew a lot more about her than she him, but that said, I feel like the overall trajectory of their relationship made sense.

However, all the characters are compelling, even when we don’t entirely understand their motives. It was a fun read that started a little slow but definitely picked up once the adventure started. I’m interested to see what’s next.

I received an eARC of this book through NetGalley in the exchange for my honest review.

Yasmin is a human who was enslaved in the high mountain fortress of Shaldorn. After having escaped four years before, she lives by her wits and thieving skills. Once she is caught by the local Elves constabulary, Yasmin is forced to return to that heinous place on a mission with an operative, Ravi, who is a Sun Elf. Yasmin and Ravi journey from their village on a treacherous trek up into ice- and snow-covered peaks to reach Shaldorn. While on the expedition, they must also learn to work together in forced proximity, something neither is happy about.

Yasmin has nothing but loathing for Elves who often consider humans as low-class citizens, less than their equals. They have magic and so easily control the non-magical beings. Ravi has a low opinion of humans as well. When he realizes why Yasmin steals and what going to Shaldorn will cost her, he begins to see the unfairness with which humans have been treated.

Yasmin has courage in spades considering that going to Shaldorn is outside her worst nightmare. She may be a lowly human, but she has some skills beyond what most Elves would think possible. Ravi and Yasmin both come from family backgrounds which are less than stellar. Children in their realm are not raised by birth parents; the Elf government decides who will receive them to raise as their own.

This story is the first in a new series, Elven Kingdom, with seven races of Elves and assorted other magical types. This tale with lots of adventure, action, and a slow burn romance is for High Fantasy readers. Jasmine and Ravi’s journey is quite arduous and fraught with many trials and tribulations especially at the fortress. Fans of Ms. Grant will enjoy being immersed in this new world where Elves rule and humans fight for fair treatment.

Rising Sun
Yasmin and Ravi, and human and an elf, are forced to work together as they travel to retrieve a dangerous device before it can be used to end many lives. Yasmin and Ravi do not trust each other, and Yasmin never wanted to return to the horrors of Shaldorn.

Rising Sun is my first Donna Grant read, and now I need to read more! I could tell that there was another book where the world was originally established, but this book had enough information and world building to stand on its own. No need to read those other books first, but I definitely plan to read them now! The repeated use of the word “nay” at the beginning was jarring to me for some reason, so it took me a few days to commit to reading the book. That let up a few chapters in, and I got sucked into the story!

One tent trope in snowy mountains was the best part of the book! The book begins with a list of the types of elves, their physical features, and their traits. I kept going back to reference this info throughout the book. I’m looking forward to exploring more of the world and the other types of elves. A slow burn romance, dangerous heist with high stakes, facing past trauma, and a fun time overall!

A new series by Donna Grant, bringing new characters into her Dark World. We met Ravi, a sun elf, who is given an important mission. Yazmin is our reluctant heroine. Together the pair must overcome danger to complete the mission. Filled with drama and tense situations, who will survive?

Oh Donna Grant, you have gone and done it again! Rising Sun, the first in a new series, introduces us to the Elven world, and doing what Donna Grants does best, takes us on a magical journey, immersing the reader in a world where you can picture yourself in, along for the ride as if you were part of this new world too. Grant's ability to describe the world, the people, the feelings and emotions makes her such a talented author in the romance and fantasy genres.