Lia is a princess of Locris, a barren kingdom cursed by the goddess many years ago. She and her sister Quynh are chosen as the two maidens from Locris who must participate in a race to the temple. They are hunted as they race, so it's not without its perils. Lia's plan is to win the race and figure out how to lift the goddess's curse on Locris. Complicating things is Jason, the handsome sailor she can't seem to get enough of.

Fantasy is not my go-to genre but I was intrigued by the book description so I gave it a go. I was not disappointed. What's not to love about a strong female character on a mission to save her kingdom?

This was amazing!

Perfect for fans of Fourth Wing and From blood and ash. It's a great starting point for those who don't usually read fantasy since the world building isn't hard to understand at all and it sucks you right in from the start. Left me gasping at every twist and turn. Truly, what a cliffhanger!
Loved the female friendships and the character development. The found family in this book is chef's kiss. I cannot wait for the second book!

Thank you Sariah Wilson and netgalley for the eArc.

Unfortunately this book is just not for me. I have tried multiple times to get into this book, but I'm just not vibing with it unfortunately. I know other people will love this book, but it's just not for me!

From the very beginning, I was hooked, especially learning about Lia’s country’s traumatic history. The Locrians must sacrifice two maidens to the Illionans, where they’re forced to survive a dangerous run through their city to reach the temple of the goddess. Once inside, they are safe. No one is allowed to help them, and to this day, no maiden has survived. Lia, not only to be determined to be chosen, but to also survive so that she can save her country.

While the trial was intense and kept me on the edge of my seat, it was the found family Lia discovers along the way that truly captivated me. Her goal may have been to find the Eye of the Goddess, but by the end, what she finds is something so much more—new sisters. When her sisters learn she needs to trespass in the temple to search for the Eye, they volunteer to help without hesitation. Their unwavering loyalty gave me all the feels!

I went into this book completely blind and was pleasantly surprised!

This book follows Lia, a princess preparing to the trials of a death-defying ritual in the hopes that she will find a way to save her country if she succeeds.

Initially this book got off to a bit of a slow start but once things picked up, it didn’t take long for me to get invested. This book included a lot of very descriptive kissing scenes that I felt were a bit unnecessary; however, they did help build up a big reveal at the end. This book may have been pretty long (more than 500 pages) but the last few chapters made it all worth it.

10 out of 5⭐!
Wow, this book was phenomenal, best book I've read for a while. I'm so mad about the cliffhanger though, gah!!! I need the next book right now!
🌶️/5 spice, just kisses BUT they were the spiciest kisses I've ever read!

Perfection. I wanted to start it over immediately after finishing it. I saw the twist coming for a while and it was still brutal at the end. It did slow down a bit in the middle after a strong start but just about the time I was getting bored with it, it picked right back up.

Found family, secrets and betrayals, a badass fighting FMC, tension, banter... I can't wait to read book 2!

I tried to get into it but just couldn’t. It was ok but just not for me personally. The story idea is a good one.

This book is not good. At least to me it’s not.

I’m finding it to be rather boring and so so unrealistic. Two young girls have to run from a whole group of trained men. Run for their lives. And one is a princess betrothed to the prince of the very land she’s fighting for her life on. I’m not buying it.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc. It’s just not for me.

This book is a great Romantasy, interesting, and easy-to-follow world building, banter, a fierce FMC, and a good plot. This story is inspired by Greek myth, and it definitely feels inspired by Reylo.

For anyone who liked The Hurricane Wars, I would recommend reading this one.

The main character is Lia, who is the Princess of Locris, a land cursed by an earth goddess, a goddess who is worshipped by their rival nation Ilion. Every year, the nation of Ilion offers the goddess a sacrifice. They take two Locrian maidens who must compete in a dangerous race to reach the goddess’ temple. The only thing is, in a millennium, not a single maiden has survived.

Lia is badass. She has been trained to fight, and she is generally a feisty character. Her aim in this story is to save Locris by surviving the race and finding a secret item within the temple.

Upon reading the blurb of this book, I thought that the race would take up the majority of the story, but there is much more in the story than that. There is a really great found family in this book, Lia’s Adelphia is such a diverse group, and it was so enjoyable to read.

The male main character, Jason, is quite scrumptious. He is intense, flirty, and mysterious. Instantly, there is a connection between the two. It definitely is insta love/lust, but I really enjoyed it.

I had a great time reading this book. The only drawback for me was that it took a while to build, and I found the twists predictable. It was still enjoyable, though, and I will definitely be reading book two.

This is a fantastic book! The premise and the unique setting (a quasi-Greek/Roman fantasy world) caught my attention but it was the delivery that made it truly special. If you think you know where the story is going -respectfully- you don't. It's a ride. Buckle up. I also loved, Loved, LOVED how the relationship developed between the FMC/MMC-- their interactions, how they were described within their setting, and especially their conversations. The dialogues between two clever people, and their banter-- Ah! *chef's kiss* delightful. Absolutely recommend!

A Tribute of Fire is the story of Lia, a princess who has been sent to Troas to serve as an acolyte to the goddess....if she can make it alive to the temple. This book draws deftly from classic mythology - the Trojan war, Ariadne and the Minotaur, and Lia is a determined heroine who is concerned about her people.

The book explores the ideas of found family, sisterhood, and women protecting each other from violence. It might be a bit of the spicy side, but would really recommend to young women for its resonance.

From Blood and Ash meets The Hunger Games meets a world that feels like ancient Greece in this Romantasy from rom-com author Sarish Wilson. Princess Lia has been training her whole life with one goal: survive as a tribute to Ilion, find the eye of the goddess, and break the curse her country. But when her adoptive sister is chosen alongside her, everything changes. And then there is Jason, the Ilion sailor she doesn't know if she can trust, but is drawn to all the same. But what Lia doesn't realize is that making it to the temple is only half the battle.

Read if you like:
-Greek Lore and Legends
-A Race against All Odds
-Forbidden Feelings
-A Princess in Hiding

I'll admit, I was unsure about this book at first. I wasn't sure where it was going, but I stuck with it. And I'm glad I did. Sariah Wilson mixed in just enough foreshadowing that I could guess at what was coming, but also enough to lull me into a false sense of confidence that I didn't see the plot twists she was cooking up. This is definitely a plot that is a slow burn. Looks conventional but will surprise you.

Lia reminded me of Poppy from FBAA, but I liked her a lot more. Sorry, not sorry. And Jason reminded me of Hawke, and I also liked him a lot more. Again, sorry, not sorry.

I really can't share my favorite part without letting a huge spoiler slip, which is killing me. This book does end on a cliffhanger and I'm so excited to see what happens next.

This book was fantastic! The twists and turns kept me engaged. The ending was surprising, and I didn’t see some of the plot developments coming. Lia and Jason’s banter is great, and their tension is brilliant. I love action scenes with a strong female lead. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and can’t wait for the next installment.

A Tribute of Fire has been everywhere on my feed lately and people are raving about it! Including me! Our FMC Lia has to compete in a life and death race to make it to the goddess’ temple. No maiden has made it out of the enemy city alive. Lia finds out her sister has been put in danger. She has to make it out of the maze alive. Lia is reluctantly drawn to an enemy sailor, Jason. I loved Sariah Wilson's world building it felt like I was really there!
Y’all, it’s so good! I keep saying this but this Ancient Greece inspired fantasy is so fun. I really think readers are going to eat this one up. Adventure romance? Yes please! It’s one that will get you from the first page!

✨spoiler-free✨ arc review

my rating: ★★★★

aesthetic: 🗡️🏛️🖤☀️👩🏽‍🦲🕊️💫🏜️⚓️🐉👑

tropes: enemies to lovers, slow burn, death trial, found family, stabby fmc, dragons, greek-mythology, ‘who did this to you?’

This was an extraordinary take on the Trojan’s and Greek mythologies. The concept was that two Locrian maidens are selected to participate in a death race each year to appease the goddess because of the actions that were conducted by a Locrian centuries in the past. This was such a high stakes, intense, and magical read.

Lia was unlike any female character portrayed in this book, she had a strong determination and will to sacrifice herself to save the many maidens that couldn’t save themselves or wouldn’t be able to save themselves in the centuries to come if something didn’t change. As well as the deathly races her nation was plagued by a famine that left them without produce and many aspects of life, so it felt natural for her to question everything when she found her way to Ilion.

The male main character (aka Jason) did leave a lot up to your imagination. Where his loyalties lied, what his pure intentions were, and if everything he said was a ploy or if he was being his truest self. I loved their immediate connection, not love at first sight but fated together beyond anything Lia could comprehend. You would really get inside Lia’s head through Sariah’s writing style, it was so thoroughly detailed that it was like you became Lia.

The sisterhood was wholesome, they didn’t question each other beliefs or pasts, and remained faithful to one another through thick and thin. The actions of the priestesses did frequently leave me questioning the way things would turn in the end but nothing prepared me for most of plot twists that’s occurred and I’m still reeling from the cliffhanger ending.

Thankyou so much to Sariah Wilson for sending me an advanced copy of her fantasy novel, and I’m seriously in dire need of book 2!

thank you to netgalley and sariah wilson for the e-book arc!

this was everything. i cannot tell you how much i love this book. the heroine was everything i needed her to be. the bond in the sisterhood was everything. and the romance....oh my god my heart hurts.
i will say the ending is highly predictable but it still garnered a lot of emotion either way. the writing in this is so addicting and there is so much action but not too much at the same time. i honestly think i not once felt bored whilst reading this....eagerly waiting for book 2!

Unfortunately this was a very slow read for me. The FMC was very frustrating and she had little character growth. The romance felt insta-lusty and fell flat for me. I didn't feel connected to the characters, the plot, or the romance.

🏛️𝔸ℝℂ ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨🏛️

📖: A Tribute of Fire by @sariahwilsonauthor
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️{4}
🌶️{1}
KU ✅

A riveting romantasy novel! Had me hooked from the start and loved the character and world building (and am even more excited to see where it goes in book 2!)! Had me constantly wondering what was going on and what was going to happen next. A whole lot of f*ck the patriarchy in this one, a stabby fmc, and major girl power found family which I love! Also, the banter and the forbidden romance 🫡😮‍💨 There was just a little lull in the middle of the book where I felt like the plot could’ve progressed more quickly, otherwise this was excellent and I’m dying to get book 2 in my hands cuz 👀🤯 and thanks to the bestie @lilrobin02 for buddy reading this one with me!!

This one follows Lia, princess of the cursed nation of Locris. Each year, the nation of Ilion selects two Locrian maidens to compete in a life-or-death race to reach the Earth Goddesses temple. Lia purposefully gets herself selected for this race, all so that she can infiltrate the temple in order to find something called the eye of the goddess and hopefully save her home. She has been training for this, but will it be enough to survive the unseen obstacles that crop up along the way?

𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭 𝓲𝓯 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓵𝓸𝓿𝓮:
🏛️ found family
✨ nods to greek mythology
🏛️ stabby fmc
✨ enemies to lovers
🏛️ death trials
✨ slow burn// forbidden romance
🏛️ reylo vibes

𝓕𝓪𝓿𝓸𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓮 𝓺𝓾𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓼:

“𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘶𝘴. 𝘞𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤 𝘯𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥.”

“𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘩 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘯𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥.”

𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚊 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚎𝙰𝚁𝙲. 𝙰𝚕𝚕 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚖𝚢 𝚘𝚠𝚗.

I’m a huge Greek mythology nerd, so I immediately had to read this! Add in: dragons, a girl forced to compete in a life-or-death trial, dragons, a sexy sailor, and enemies to lovers… and this book had me pulling an all-nighter to finish! In fact, that ending had me SCREAMING. I need book 2 now!

The premise is unique and the setting is so cool. The world building was very well-crafted, and the writing is detailed and vivid.

My one gripe is the length of this book, I definitely feel like it could’ve been shortened. For example, Lia kept getting sidetracked by lusting over Jason, and it got excessive after a while. However, I still LOVED Lia’s character and how fierce she was. Stabby FMCs are the best! She’s definitely a character you root for. The tension between her and Jason was sizzling, too. Also, the female friendships were definitely one of my favourite parts of this book. That sense of sisterhood and women bonding was so wholesome. Overall, I adored this book, and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for more from this author in the future!