We LOVE a strong lead on the FMC! Queen! And dragons! Yes please! I cannot wait for the next book! I ate this up!!

No words. I have NO WORDS!
except... HOLY FRIKKEN MOLY! 😱

I loved every second of this book! Literally devoured it!

I'm usually pretty good at clicking on to little things characters have said, retaining that knowledge and predicting twists - and even though I did pretty damn well with this book- there are some things that I just did not see coming ! And even the things I predicted were so well written that I was still nail biting and on the edge of my seat.

I literally just shouted at me kindle (which I never do).

This has a Hunger Games X Greek Mythology vibe, with a badass heroine, who finds herself sworn to the goddess, battling one nations laws and navigating a forbidden love, all to save her own nation and her people.

She's so determined and witty and does not back down to from a confrontation.(Basically, you want her as a friend)
Enter Jason... Man oh man... Badass, skilled af (in more ways that one!)

* Slow Burn
* Forbidden Love
* Found Family
* Enemies to Lovers
* Greek Mythology
* Deadly Trials
* Romantasy

Basically... You need to read this!

DNF’d at 46 percent.

This is NOT a romantasy. This is fantasy with romance - there’s is a difference. Almost all of the plot to this point was fantasy focused, not romance focused (even with two small kissing scenes).

I just hit a wall with this one - the action was jam-packed then came to a screeching halt, and that’s when I realized I didn’t care enough about the plot to continue :/

In a world where a dying desert kingdom is cursed by an ancient earth goddess, Lia, the princess of Locris, faces a deadly challenge that could change her nation's fate. Every year, the thriving nation of Ilion demands two Locrian maidens as a sacrifice, forcing them into a brutal race to the goddess’s temple—where no one has ever survived. This year, Lia is one of the chosen, and with her untrained sister Quynh also in danger, the stakes are higher than ever. Armed with her battle education, Lia must navigate Ilion's treacherous streets, which have become a labyrinth of deadly choices. As if the odds weren't stacked enough, she finds herself torn between her loathing and undeniable attraction to Jason, a skilled Ilionian sailor. As the race to the goddess’s temple begins, Lia must not only fight to survive, but also uncover a way to lift the curse that binds her kingdom, change the fate of every maiden before her, and possibly rewrite the future of her entire world.

At first, I found myself bored, but once the story picked up, I couldn't put it down.

But then I got bored again...

But then I was hooked. And the cycle just continued.

After the race ends (which is also super super short), Lia is basically left trapped in the temple, spending the majority of her time there in a rather aimless pursuit to break the curse on her kingdom. While there, she takes an oath alongside other acolytes, but the friendships that form feel more obligatory than genuine. She constantly tells herself that she can't be friends with them because she needs to save her kingdom. The side characters are flat and forgettable, with one being overly chatty and the other completely silent, which are quite surface-level traits which add very little to the story or Lia’s journey. I honestly expected more from the race portion of the plot, which was dissapointing, especially with how Lia described how hard and far the temple is in the city. Then she just figures it out? I like HOW she figured it out but it was really brushed over.

Now, let’s talk about Jason. This is the second book I’ve read recently where a character’s name threw me off, and honestly, Jason just didn’t fit the tone of this story. I found the name oddly out of place. Their meeting is… interesting, especially considering that Lia is consumed by thoughts of kissing him almost immediately. This was made out to be a significant desire early in the book, with Lia constantly mentioning her wish to experience it before leaving. But the tension between them felt flat, and her frequent dreams about him didn’t really build much. We don’t see any real development between them until later, and even then, I was left wondering if it really qualified as development at all. I mean, I found it pretty predictable in terms of where this story was leading, but still, Jason just didn't quite fit.

I also felt disappointed by Lia as a character. She came across as too willing to let others take the fall for her, embracing the “one for many” mindset a little too easily. Minor Spoiler When someone close to her sacrifices themselves, Lia barely processes the grief. It felt like a missed opportunity to dive deeper into her emotional growth.

That said, despite the predictability and some of the underwhelming aspects, I did end up enjoying it overall. It’s just a bit of a mixed bag. I will be reading the next book. I need to know what happens next. 3.5 Stars

A Tribute of Fire is Sariah Wilson’s first romantasy and can I say she nailed it! It is the first book in The Eye of the Goddess series. “The fate of a cursed nation depends on a princess who must outwit a mortal enemy and outlast the trials of a death-defying ritual in a thrilling adventure.” A Tribute of Fire is filled with devotion, adventure, trials, family, loyalty, and romance with an irresistible brooding MMC and a fiercely loyal heroine.

- Enemies to lovers
- Ancient Greece X Hunger Games
- Low spice
- Forced proximity
- Brooding MMC
- Fierce FMC
- Trials
- Loyal friends
- Hidden identities

Sariah Wilson is an amazing writer who effortlessly brings you into a new world with characters to love and well, hate. I could not put A Tribute of Fire down, I was reading it every second I could until it was done. One of the best books I have read this year!

I love Sariah's romances, so when I heard she was writing a fantasy/romantasy..... I was all in, and so thrilled to receive an ARC copy of it. This is the first in the series, and I will definitely be needing to read the next one. Lia's Locrian lands have been cursed by tragedies of the past, and in Hunger Game vibes, two Locrian maidens are selected to atone for the wrongs and compete in a life-and-death race to the Ilion temple, literally while being hunted. No maiden has ever survived. With legend of a relic within the temple that could potentially save her kingdom, Princess Lia, hides her identity, trains, and rigs the selection to be chosen. So begins an edge-of-your-seat, race-to-the-death, addictingly wild-ride of a new fantasy series. The writing is amazing and pulls you in from the start. The characters are flawed but you quickly find yourself rooting for them. Full of suspense, action, family and found family, friendship, love, and slow burn romance, this is one of those stories that will keep you up at night and stay with you long after you finish. Thank you so much to Sariah Wilson, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this e-ARC.

DNF at 5%

Not holding my attention I’m afraid. Just don’t like the initial character relationship set-up and the plot isn’t grabbing me.

I need book 2! The fantasy readers are going to eat this right on up. After onyx storm comes out and there is a low period, this will be my recommendation!

I LOVED this book. I think it was perfectly advertised and delivered. The pacing was perhaps the only thing that lacked for me (it felt much too slow, then much too fast) and the reveal of the MMC's identity seemed predictable. But I enjoy a bit of predictability now and again.

This book completely blew me away!

Let me first say, the cliffhanger at the end has me staring blankly at the wall, trying to figure out how I’m supposed to survive until the next book releases. The ending was equal parts brilliant and maddening—I’m obsessed!

Lia is an incredible FMC. Her strength, determination, loyalty, and love for her family make her such a compelling character. The book moves at a fast pace, but it’s written in a way that’s easy to follow, with a plot that grips you from the very first page and keeps you hooked. The characters are so well developed, and every twist and turn feels intentional.

I’m dying to learn more about Jason (IYKYK). He’s such a complex and intriguing character, and I can’t wait to see his role unfold. I’m also really eager to explore the dynamic with the Goddess and watch all the pieces come together. The found family vibe of Lia’s was a personal favorite—I’m crossing my fingers we get to see more of them in the next book!

This book delivers:
✨ Found family
✨ Death trials
✨ Goddesses, priestesses, and acolytes
✨ Slow burn
✨ Betrayal
✨ Secrets and plot twists

10/10 would highly recommend to anyone who loves fantasy with high stakes and heartfelt connections!

A Tribute of Fire by Saraiah Wilson is a captivating fantasy novel that blends intriguing world-building with heartfelt relationships. While the story itself is fairly predictable, particularly when it comes to the final twists, it’s the dynamic between the protagonist, Lia, and her sisters that truly stands out and elevates the narrative.

Though Lia and her sisters aren’t related by blood, their bond feels as deep and genuine as any familial connection. Their support for one another, especially in the face of danger and uncertainty, is both touching and powerful. The way their relationships evolve throughout the story adds an emotional depth that makes the book much more than just a typical fantasy. It’s rare to see such strong non-blood-related sisterhoods in fiction, and Wilson’s portrayal of this connection was a highlight for me.

As for the plot, it’s hard to ignore that it follows a somewhat predictable trajectory. The reveals at the end didn’t come as a surprise, as I had already pieced together much of the mystery from earlier hints. Despite this, the predictability didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book. It’s the characters, especially Lia and her sisters, and the world Wilson creates that keep the story engaging.

While the ending didn’t offer any shocking twists, I’m still eagerly anticipating the second book. I’m curious to see how the story develops further and how the relationships and character arcs continue to unfold. Overall, A Tribute of Fire is an enjoyable read for those who appreciate strong emotional connections, even if the plot itself is a bit on the predictable side.

unfortunately, this fell into the interesting premise but poor execution category.

i think there will be people who will enjoy the book better than me, but this book isn't for me and that's ok! onto the review that includes MINOR SPOILERS.

lia is training for a life-or-death race to lift the goddess's curse that has been plaguing locrian women. however, the stakes are raised when lia's untrained sister- quynh- is also an unwilling participant in the hunt.

i was very intrigued by the premise and the greek mythology vibes, but it did not live up to my expectations. i kid you not the intriguing premise lasted about 6% of the entire 500-page book. 6%. as soon as it happened, it was immediately over.

after the rather short race, lia spends the rest of the book in the temple where she is basically just hanging around trying to break the curse (kind of). while at the temple, lia takes an oath with other acolytes and they are basically forced to be friends. the side characters are indistinguishable from each other. in fact, the only distinction is that one of them is chatty and one of them never talks. that's about it.

the world building leaves much to be desired. there was a ton of set up like the first 30% of the book, but it could've been condensed. also, i honestly don't understand how this is a fantasy book. there are hints at magic, but no one has really seen it or knows about it, so it is extremely vague. also, dragons randomly appeared like twice in the entire book, but they had zero impact on the story or the world building. i understand that it's the first book in the series, but i wish the fantasy elements were more established.

the romance is lackluster. in the beginning of the book, lia randomly meets jason and immediately thinks she is meant to be with him and kisses him. like ok i guess? they have approximately three conversations with each other until the races occurs and then he disappears for like almost 30% of the book. oh, but lia did see jason, but they were in her "dreams." and every dream was them being horny. lia says that her and jason had in-depth "conversations" in her dreams but we are literally just told that and not shown that connection. i will say their relationship actually picks up the last third of the book (in real life), but i was already not invested at that point. also, this might be a hot take but threatening to kill your love interest with a dagger every 5 seconds doesn't equate to tension. it's overdone at this point.

speaking of lia, she unfortunately suffered from main character syndrome where there's no consequences for her and she'll survive no matter what. also, there's a few times throughout the book that she is essentially told how to do something, which is really a shame because it would've been better had she figured it out by herself. i will say the only thing i enjoyed about lia was her "female rage" because i will always support that!

thank you to netgalley, the author, and montlake for the arc. i will always appreciate the consideration for reading and reviewing arcs.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This book follows Princess Thalia who has been training to save her kingdom from famine and drought. She was selected for a life or death competition where she can only be saved if she makes it to the temple alive.

I devoured this book. The author did a great job world-building and the FMC was relatable. I need book 2 to come out ASAP!

This was amazing. I was hooked from the first chapter. It was such an interesting world.
And I have to say, the world-building was spotless.
It has adventure, romance, and believable characters

I loved Lia, our FMC. She is determined and fierce. She is a princess of cursed kingdom, and she goes to save her kingdom to the rival kingdom. There are deadly trial and secrets.
And on the way she meets Jason. And their banter is so so hot!!. I don't know yet what to think about him because we see him only through her eyes.

The ending. The ending!!!! Somewhere in the 80%, I understood that some major cliffhanger would happen. Because there was no solution for her problems. I guessed one twist before it happened. It was too obvious for me. But the other!!! I need book 2 now!

Actually, the whole book had me on hook. The characters, the plot, the world, the Sisterhood. Amazing, just amazing. I just couldn't put the book town, had to finish it in the middle of the night. And it made me so happy, because every book can't do it.

Fine! A standard romantasy. I did feel like some of the pacing was off, some parts were drawn out with no pay off while others were totally rushed through, including the main trail and premise of the entire book (according to the blurb). I'm also not a huge fan of insta love/intense attraction, which this books has in spades, but I know some are so it may not be fair to hold this against the book. I'd say my main issue was just the pacing. Clunky pacing kept this from being a real page turner I could be totally sucked into, but I still enjoyed!

I am so upset. I fell in love with this story, and it took me for a fucking ride.

First, I adore Jason & Lia. Ugh.

Second, the ending?! Never have I reached such an abrupt end…I need the next book now

Third, I was required to keep my wits about me. The world truly was pulling me in and I became shrouded in the mystery, fearful of magic. There is so much deception but I am loving it. I just want the best for all my favorite people. The bonds between each acolyte in their group of 5. The return of she who shall not be named. I just can’t even deal with myself and everything I am feeling.

This is going to be my favorite series. I already know, and now I wait with my heart in my stomach for the next book. I am confused and distraught. I am torn apart that I am reading this book so far in advance that I must now suffer an even longer wait.

I do feel like this book could be twice the length and I would still adore it. I almost wish that were true so I could know what happens next.

💔

This one didn’t work out for me. At almost half way through I wasn’t invested in the story or the characters. I had no trouble putting it down and I wasn’t very motivated to pick it back up, and when that happens it’s just time part ways. Even the trial (a plot element I love!) was actually pretty short and fell flat for me. I think I may have enjoyed it more had I read this when I was first getting into fantasy.

I don’t leave a star rating or review on my socials if I DNF as I don’t think that’s fair, but I think I read enough to leave feedback and an explanation here.

This book was fantastic! A strong multi levelled FMC, amaing world building, a plot that just kept giving, that cliffhanger!!!
The story has a hunger games meets mythology feel and I expected the race to the temple to take up a lot more of the book than it did. HOWEVER that only turned out to be a good thing as the plot just got better and better. I cant wait for the second book and I plan on checking out the authors other books

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this ARC!

A fiesty FMC, palpable tension and a plot full of unexpected twists made this a compelling read, was a quick read but by no means a 'short' book, it was pacy and kept me engaged throughout!

This book is truly incredible. If you're looking for a strong FMC and unrequited love, this is your story. The chemistry between Lia and Jason is to die for, and the plot twist?! I'm usually really good at figuring out plot twists but this one, this one got me. I can't WAIT for book two to come out.