A Tribute of Fire

This book immediately hooked me in and I couldn’t put it down. I finished this book in 24 hours and couldn’t stop thinking about it in the in between when real life got in the way. You all know by now that I basically NEED an audiobook while I read, and this was perfect because I needed to listen while I drove, cooked, even brushing my teeth. I was hooked and I loved the audiobook — I think the narrator did a great job!

“Every year, Ilion offers the goddess a sacrifice: two Locrian maidens forced to compete in a life-and-death race to reach her temple. In a millennium, no maiden has made it out of Ilion alive. This year, Lia is one of the hunted.”

Yes. Please! This was action packed, with a great story line and beautiful, tension filled, forbidden love, slow burn romance! The twists and turns that led to that cliff hanger…?!? Ok I need book 2 NOW.

If you like:
✨Romantasy
💋Strong FMC
☠️Life and Death Race
🚫Forbidden Love
🖤Enemies to Lovers
🗡️Honor and Duty
🔥Slow Burn
🏛️Greek Mythology

Pick up this book NOW! You’ll thank me later 💋

#bookreview #bookreviewer #arc #advancedreaderscopy #advancedlistenercopy #alc #audiobook #atributeoffire #fantasy #romantasy #romantasybooks #fantasybooks #bookstagram #booklover #bookaddict

A Tribute of Fire is a solid romantasy with -

*enemies(ish) but also lovers
*found family
*trials (kinda? for a hot sec?)
*strong FMC
*dream connection
*goddesses
*secret identities

The world building was pretty light and easily digestible and it was an enjoyable read. I thought having the geese be the guards of the library was hilarious, and actually laughed out loud, because I do truly find geese terrifying. The premise of the story was really interesting and I am excited to know more about the goddess and how Lia will return prosperity to her kingdom. I feel like we were being teased with the talk of magic but not actually experiencing any (or slight glimpses perhaps) so I am looking forward to exploring that more as well.

Some other thoughts -

*I would have liked to know more about the other girls at the temple - I feel like they were just there but we, as the reader, knew very little about them, other than they supported the FMC

*It was weird to me that every character has a strange fantasy name, but the MMC is just "Jason"

*The pacing felt a bit off at times - I would love to have dragged out the race to the temple longer, and cut back the scene where she sneaks out of the temple at night (I was honestly so stressed at how long she was gone and how many stops she made)

*I KNEW JASON WAS THE PRINCE FROM THE BEGINNING and I was waiting for that revelation the entire book (but if you don't read fantasy, maybe the plot twist shocked you)

*I also had a strong suspicion that Lia's sister was still alive (we never knew that she died, only that Lia had to leave her) so that didn't surprise me either

I will be continuing this series to see what happens next for sure. Thank you so much to Sariah for an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Our main character, Lia, had such a strong presence through this story. The pacing and balance between storyline and romance was done perfectly and the Greek mythology really added another layer to it. This was such a good read and had so many parts that I couldn’t see where the author was taking us, which I feel like allows all the twists and turns to be that much more exciting

This book was so beautifully written. I need the second one immediately!! I love a strong FMC and the Greek mythology with plot twists was fabulous! I love when you feel like you’ get so immersed in a story you forget that you’re reading and that’s what happened for me, as I’m trying to figure out who to trust as everything unfolds!!

This romantasy had such a perfect blend of fantasy, action, Greek mythology, romance, and a fierce heroine who is willing to defy all odds to save her nation. The writing was so beautiful and compelling and Lia is such a strong character. Her determination was so incredibly captivating.

I loved her tension and dynamic with our MMC Jason as they step into dangerous territory of becoming enemies to lovers. I also loved the elements of found family shown by the fierce loyalty shared between the sisterhood.

The cliffhanger ending was absolutely devastating and I cannot wait to read book 2.
Thank you Sariah and Tales & Teacups for the opportunity to read this beautiful story!

Lia, princess of Locris, has been training in secret to be the first to survive a life-or-death race in order to break the goddess’s curse on the Locrian people. Even with her training, it seems an insurmountable task, with thousands of men lining up to battle. Add in threats to her two beloved sisters, a mysterious sailor with whom she shared a secret kiss, and a never-ending maze and mystery, and I’m sold. A fast-paced story of survival, family/sisterhood, and battle, it was so easy for me to jump right in, even as someone who doesn’t read a ton of fantasy. Lia’s journey is a page-turner, and I can’t wait to see where she and Sariah take us next!

Much like Lia, I have a lot of questions about the world. I want to know more about the magic, specifically. I'm not quite sure how it works or who really has magic. I don't even know if they know if they truly have magic.

I loved Lia as our lead. She's so headstrong and inquisitive. She's stubborn, but when you think about where she comes from, it makes sense. Jason was a great mysterious romantic interest. Although I did find him being in places conveniently, suspicious. The sisterhood between the girls was so nice. I could feel the love Lia was feeling through the pages. I hope they're able to keep that bond.

I'm very excited to see where this series goes. I want to know so much more about this world. I want to see Lia succeed and hopefully also get the love she's been wanting. Like I need book 2 in my hands right now.

Thank you so much Sariah for the ARC! I enjoyed every minute of it.

The premise was strong, but for me, it was lacking. I think I was expecting more action and suspense similar to the Hunger Games based on the summary. However, the race to the temple lasted, maybe one chapter? After that, I was fairly bored for most of the book. Lia was naive and kind of annoying. Her hormones ran rampant over just kissing a guy. Admittedly, I skimmed a large portion because I simply was not invested. The ending had predictable twists, and needless to say, I will not be reading the next book.

I received an advance ebook through Netgalley but the review is my own.

Tags:
-romantasy
-enemies to lovers
-secret identity

Spice: 1/5

First person
Single POV

A Tribute of Fire is a fascinating story about a young woman wanting to make a difference in her world, after her people have been oppressed. There was so much story packed into this book, and I loved the roots in history, along with the fantastical elements of the goddesses and magic. I can tell that we have only just scratched the surface with all this series has to offer, and I'm excited to see what's next.

There were a few sections in the middle of the book where I wasn't entirely sure where the story would go. It didn't take long before the action picked back up, and I didn't want to put it down. There are a few slower parts, if only because of all of the rich history behind this world.

This is a really cool and unique story, and I would recommend it to all fantasy romance lovers.

Thank you so much to the author & NetGalley for allowing me to read this arc!
Let me just start by saying I LOVE enemies to lovers & Greek mythology so this was exactly what I was looking for! I had so much fun reading this book! The writing was great & I loved the romance. When I saw it had Reylo vibes I knew it was going to be perfect (& it was)😩 I loved the world, the magic system & all of the action! I kept wanting to read more & then I got to the end?! That cliffhanger makes me want the next book now🥲

5 ⭐️ YOU EVER READ AN ARC THAT RUINS YOUR LIFE?! This was SO GOOD!!! I absolutely ate this up!! It was so unique, unlike anything I’ve read recently. So well written and engaging, there were times I literally couldn’t put it down!

I also want to say thank you so much to Sarah Wilson for this ARC! I feel so grateful to be trusted with her story.

Lia was such a great character to read about. She is so determined and smart, and cares so deeply. Her special relationship with her sister was so special and really touched my heart.

The Adelphia was my favorite, I absolutely love these girls and the found family. Jason! Oh Jason, the things I would let you do to me. I need more Jason!!

Everytime I thought I knew where the book was going, I was wrong, there were so many twists and turns and it held my attention the whole time.

I need the next book immediately!!! That ending was insane and I have so many thoughts and even some theories. I can’t wait to see what is in store for Lia and Jason.

This book was an incredible ride with twists and turns that kept me guessing! Just when I thought I knew where the story was headed, it would veer in a new direction. Jason, the roguish Ilionian sailor, is the ultimate charmer—I couldn’t help but fall for him. Lia was also a fantastic character; strong, stubborn, and fiercely protective of her sister, Quynh.

The romantasy elements in A Tribute of Fire were spot-on, and while the pacing slowed a bit in the middle, it didn’t take away from the thrill of the beginning and the intensity of the ending (especially with that cliffhanger!). Wilson’s choice of an ancient Romanesque setting was perfect, with rich details that brought the old-world gods and culture to life. If you’re into tales of curses, intense trials, and a fierce heroine fighting for her people, this is one you’ll want to pick up. Can’t wait for the next book in the series!

Listen... I loved this book!

Lia is such a fun FMC and I really enjoyed the trial (competition feels wrong to say??) aspect. It felt different than other books I've read with similar vibes and it was refreshing! The backstory/history/purpose all felt really well explained and I understood what Lia was doing, what her end goal was, how she wanted to get there, and WHY she wanted to do it. I liked that while the trial was a huge part of the story, we still got little side pieces of plot happening throughout that tied everything in.

Overall i loved this and i can't wait for the next one!!

The first book of a new series. Starts out like a little bit of Hunger Games, where 2 girls names will be chosen ad they have to fight men to get the Eye of the Goddess.
Lia is a princess and she paid to have her name drawn so had a mentor teach her how to fight. She is also betrothed to a prince but doesn't want to marry him,
Lia meets up with Jason on a ship and he wants to help her. The chemistry s there between them. We meet him several more times throughout the book.
There was a twist at the end and I had a small feeling about it but figured I was wrong. but I wasn't.
Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the ebook to review.

I will start off that I did really like the story and the inspiration it took from mythology. The fighting was well written as well as the banter. I would recommend this read to others.

One thing that knocked it down was why she didn't marry the prince in the first place, play court politics, and find the gem that way. She was very determined to compete in the maze race. Her sister even brought it up to her to just marry the prince and work from that angle, but no. There was not the best reason why she didn't do that either. She could have still been a trained fighter because who knows what she would face against these people. She was a very stabby person.

I would have really liked to see the race last longer. There was such a huge buildup to the trials, and then it lasted maybe 3 to 4 chapters. It was written amazingly and I would love to see more of that.

Thank you Tales and Teacups PR for sending me the NetGalley Arc.

“I took the corner too sharply and nearly tripped over my own feet, slamming hard into the stone wall.”

First off, I love Io and she did what she did out of love… no one will be able to convince me any different.

It’s a semi-slow burn but also full of heat “enemies”-to-lovers fantasy with amazing characters and an equally engaging plot that pulls from Greek mythology.

Lia is a princess of Locris, a land long cursed by the almighty Goddess for a slight thousands of years before. The land is dead and a once thriving country is barely scraping by. Each year, two maidens of Locris are chosen to sail to Ilion, a mighty nation that is blessed by the Goddess as tribute to atone for their ancestor’s crimes. If they reach the temple of the Goddess they can claim sanctuary and serve her… but they have to make it there first. Lia is training to make it to the temple to find something that might be able to save her beloved country. With so many obstacles, heartache, and everything else around her, it all seems like it’s too much… add in the undeniable temptation of the mysterious Jason and his “masculine wiles” and it’s quite the adventure.

I loved Lia’s determination to save her country. She was persistent and headstrong - sometimes to fault… okay mostly to a fault. However, I did like that she accepted assistance when it was offered by those around her, knowing that more heads are better than one. Her relationships with her family and friends were beautiful to read. Lia and Jason’s relationship… or whatever you want to call it… was steamy right from the off. I loved their ‘will they or won’t they’ vibe, Jason’s banter was hilarious.

I had so many theories while I was reading and I did pick it early on though I did fluctuate away from it as it was more of a “wouldn’t it be funny if…” not a real theory. But that bloody cliffhanger… I’m honestly dying for more!

Thank you to Sariah for an opportunity to read and review this beautiful story. I can’t wait for more!

4⭐️
1.5🌶️

Okay, wow! This book was so good! The twists and turns really had me going! The ending???????? The closer it was to the ending I was like maybe... but wasn't positive about one of the twists but holy crap I definitely didn't see all that coming!!! Lia and Jason's banter is so good, their tension is just brilliant. And those action scenes? Omg I love action scenes with a badass FMC so much 😍😍 It's safe to say I thoroughly enjoyed myself and I cannot wait for A Vow Of Embers next year!!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of A Tribute Of Fire.

Absolutely phenomenal first book! I love this authors work so much. This book was no different. How absolutely amazing. Love love loved it!!

This was a great romantasy debut!

I loved the mythology references and thought Sariah did a brilliant job of executing her worldbuilding without anything feeling like I was being fed information in one big heap. Lia was a brilliant fmc. She has her flaws, and watching her journey and growth was so good. Jason our MMC is mysterious and swoonworthy which is such a dangerous combination. I wanted to rattle him so often but also fell so hard for him!

The ending was brutal and I can't wait for book two!

I’ve been seeing A Tribute of Fire everywhere, and after diving in, I can totally see why it's getting so much hype! The blend of Greek mythology with Hunger Games-style survival, forbidden romance, and secret training hooked me from the very start. The premise alone had me absolutely OBSESSED and I truly couldn't out it down. Although the story’s momentum slowed after the main life-or-death moments, that I wish lasted a bit longer, it pulled me right back in toward end, keeping me deeply invested, despite seeing a couple twists coming a mile away. Heads up, there is an extreme cliffhanger—and like no questions are answered, but I can't wait to see where this story goes.