Member Reviews

This authors debut romantasy novel and my first read from this author. There’s a lot of promise, and the premise sounded good. This book was OK. Could have benefitted from being cut back, it was a long one. I was really invested in the last 10% as it was more fast paced and action packed. There were 2 plot twists at the end. One of them I didn’t get, I had an inkling about the other one around the 60% mark. At times the FMC seemed immature.

I did enjoy the “found family” aspect of it. I also enjoy greek mythology. World building was fine.

Overall it wasn’t horrible, I think a lot of the focus was in the temple and the plot kind of went missing for awhile. I did like the ending. Idk if I’ll be reading book 2 or not.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the e-ARC

Was this review helpful?

This book is exactly what I needed to get back into fantasy books for the fall season.

I was so damn into this story. It was fun, exciting, and the world building was not too intense so it was easy to follow but also so frickin hard to put down.

I loved the forbidden romance aspect of this story. It felt like a forbidden, fated mates situation which made the chemistry sizzle and had me on the edge of my seat waiting for them to go up in flames.

The ending was perfect. It has me so ready for book 2. Exactly what I love about a fantasy series.

Pick this one up if you’re looking for an entertaining romantasy series with enemies to lovers, forbidden romance, Greek mythology inspired, and found family.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to the author for reaching out and proving an ARC of this book!

Woah; this book was 🔥🙌🏼 although this is my first book read by this author it definitely will not be my last. This book is filled with journey and growth of the FMC and has the most swoon worthy MMC. If you’re looking for a new world with lots of adventure and a strong heroine, look no further!

I seriously cannot wait until the second book!

Was this review helpful?

First debut into the romantasy world and Sariah did a phenomenal job! The story was everything I could have wanted. A brave but a bit naive heroine, the mysterious love interest (swoon), a goddess to please! I cannot wait for her next book in the series! And that cliffhanger!!!!! Such a fun read. I literally couldn't put it down.

Was this review helpful?

“I like how ordinary things seem special through your eyes.”

💙 Found Family
🔥 Greek Mythology Inspired
💙 Forced Proximity
🔥 Enemies to Lovers
💙 Hidden Identities
🔥 Cursed Nations
💙 “Who did this?”

“It’s like we’re two flames, drawn to each other, meant to burn brightly together.”
“That also means we can destroy one another.”
“Yes, but it would not be a bad way to die,”

I have to admit to being the biggest mood reader and when I say that this book fit my mood perfectly, I mean it! So it is safe to say that if you are in the mood for a book full of adventures and trials, with a fierce FMC who can’t resist a truly swoony MMC (who just happens to be her enemy). The tension. Top notch. With the most interesting lore and world that won’t overwhelm you and will have you completely hooked as you learn more. Plus it’s Greek Mythology Inspired. Need I say more?

“I won’t take you into a tavern at this time of night. Someone will insult your honor and then I’ll be forced to take his life as retribution and I’m too tired.”

I will always have a soft spot for a confident and mysterious MMC and our love interest Jason has an abundance of it. He is unapologetic in his attraction to Lia, which made for so many tension filled moments. I really enjoyed how Lia and Jason’s personalities bounced off each other, Lia with her ever curious mind has met her match in the incredibly mysterious Jason.

“Who did it?” he demanded in a tone that implied he was going to hunt those people down and make them suffer.”

This moment in any romance book will never fail to make me swoon. I love how moments like this show how much the characters care for each other. Hidden under all the banter (which I love and can’t get enough of) there are these serious moments that hit just right.

“In the stories, the beasts that must be vanquished are always female. Have you ever wondered why? It is because men have always feared women’s destructive potential. Knowledge gives us power. Your power is a threat. Especially the women in this room.”

The way Sariah introduces you to this world is so well done, our FMC Lia is from a land where they no longer speak of the Goddess and her teachings so you are learning alongside her in a way that won’t overwhelming you. I loved it.

Then we have the best found family aspect, Io, Zalira, Ahyana and Suri are such interesting additions to the story. I loved how warm and loyal they were, and I can’t wait to learn even more about them.

That ENDING!!!! I had my suspicions but it was still such a shock! I love it so much when all the little clues sprinkled through the story add up to the big twist. It’s safe to say I could not be more ready for book 2.

Was this review helpful?

What can I say without spoiling this story? We have Lia, a princess of a collapsing kingdom that was cursed by a goddess. She is entered into a deadly race in a foreign country where maidens are hunted as sacrifice from a long ago war. Our story takes off from there with fighting, sisterhood, and romance. And at the heart of the story, a princess who wants to save her country.

I found Lia a compelling main character. She’s not perfect, but she is strong and brave. She might be betrothed to a Prince she’s never met, but it doesn’t stop her from feeling an unwanted connection with a sailor named Jason. There were twists I definitely didn’t see coming, betrayals, and Greek mythology. I’m so interested in seeing where this series goes!


Thank you to the Literary Media Tours and the author for my early read. All opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

I need book two immediately!!
This book is beautifully written. Steeped in Greek mythology, with a strong FMC, twists and turns and a solid plot, I didn’t know who to trust in this
I absolutely lost track of time while reading because I got so sucked in to the story!

Was this review helpful?

Thank you so much to the author for reaching out to me and providing me with an eARC!

I absolutely loved this book! It has such a unique world that I really enjoyed learning about. I loved the mythology inspired world building so much! The characters are so engaging, I loved our FMC, Lia 💖 This is a slow burn romantasy with an ending that left me absolutely reeling! I totally recommend this book to anyone who loves romantasy/fantasy! This book comes out on the 1st of November! 🔥

Was this review helpful?

Rating: 4.75/5 stars

I immensely enjoyed A Tribute of Fire by Sariah Wilson. As a sucker for found family tropes, I was thrilled to see it executed so well that it created its own special element within the story. The character of Jason had me riding the line between right and wrong, making for a compelling and morally complex narrative.

The twists in the plot were incredibly well done, keeping me on the edge of my seat. However, the pacing was the only aspect that kept me from giving this book a perfect score. While the story started and ended strong, it lost a bit of momentum in the middle. Despite this, the ending left me absolutely stunned, and I needed some time to process and recover from the emotional impact.

Overall, A Tribute of Fire is a fantastic read that I highly recommend, especially for fans of dark fantasy romance and well-executed found family dynamics.

Was this review helpful?

This book is SO GOOD!! I just want to enthusiastically second what everyone else has already said in spades. The story begins strong and never lets up, the chemistry between the leads is off the charts, the world building based on Greek history/mythology is well done, and the cliffhanger at the end is wild (but in the very best way!). I just cannot wait to read Book 2!

Was this review helpful?

A Tribute of Fire by Sariah Wilson is the first book of The Eye of the Goddess series. This is such a great romantasy read! I often struggle to follow the world building in fantasy books, but Sariah so beautifully weaved this world and the character development was top notch. There are tie ins to Greek mythology, a trial in which the FMC is a tribute for her nation, curses, and a nice little forbidden romance slow burn to top it all off! I was hooked from the start and cannot begin to tell you how excited I am to read the remainder of this series.

Thank you so much Sariah Wilson and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest feedback!

Was this review helpful?

I tend to be picky with fantasy books, but this one HOOKED ME and with the final cliff hanger, I'm gonna be STRUGGLING to wait til next October for the sequel!!

Such an interesting way to bring Mythology to life and I'm rooting for Lia and Jason despite all their hurdles!

Was this review helpful?

I haven’t read anything by this author before, but I was familiar with her name as as a contemporary romance writer when I was approached to cover this book. I’m always excited to see how established authors make the transition into writing in the fantasy genre! Sometimes, I feel like they bring a breath of fresh air to a genre that can feel bogged down in worn-out tropes more often than not. And while the summary itself didn’t feel all that new, it still intrigued me and I went in with high hopes!

And, overall, those hopes were met! As I said, the premise of this one did feel familiar at times, with many fantasy books over the last decade focusing on deadly trials and competitions. However, I really appreciated the way this was woven into the Greek mythology and history of the book. The author’s note was particularly interesting as it added some depth to the points of reference used for this story, many of which I hadn’t been familiar with before picking up this book.

I also really enjoyed our main character! Too often, we are introduced to FMC with a single badass fight scene in the first chapter…and then the book proceeds to bash readers over the head with reminders that the heroine is badass, but any actual evidence of that fact is nowhere to be seen. Here, Lia remains fierce and driven throughout, reinforcing the fact that she is a woman to be reckoned with. Of course, there is a very “Hunger Games” essence to the affair with the whole “beloved and untrained sister” thing, but even here, I feel like the book did enough to build up this relationship to distance it from too many comparisons.

I also enjoyed the romance, for the most part. Yes, it was a bit on the instalove/lust side, but there was enough chemistry between the two to pull me through. I enjoyed their banter and all of the scenes we had with them beginning to grow closer (of course, he’s an “enemy” so we’re checking off the seemingly required “enemies to lovers” trope that we see in so much romantasy currently). However, I feel like some of the twists and reveals at the end of this book were fairly obvious right from the start. This didn’t necessarily reduce my enjoyment of the book, but it’s something to note.

The story also ends on a fairly significant cliffhanger, so readers should know that going in. As a whole, the book was enjoyable and had a distinct arc, so this ending felt earned. What’s worse in my opinion is when books spend the entire first novel setting up a concept and then end on a cliffhanger right when the point of action/conflict is introduced. This one has enough adventure and intrigue to hold up on its own, so that’s a definite win. Overall, I thought this was a solid fantasy entry from an author making her first attempt in the genre. Romantasy fans should definitely give it a go!

Rating 8: Full of adventure, danger, and a swoon-worth romance, Sariah Wilson’s debut romantasy enters the genre with a bang!

Link will go live on Nov. 8 on The Library Ladies

Was this review helpful?

This book was fire! Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this as an ARC.

I’ve been seeing this book all over my feed by others getting this same chance and once I got started I was hooked. If this book had teeth, they sunk deep in me! I liked the characters, they were relatable but also realistic in that they were flawed but still had unique strengths. The epic quest and the concept of sacrificing one for many to save more than just those close to her but a whole nation, was so well done and never abandoned throughout the story. The problems that arose along the way and how some had me holding my breath that the worst was about to happen. The relationships that formed were so sweet and refreshing to read. The slow slow burn romance that literally end me holding my breath and biting my lip. The unexpected moments were so well done I had so many things I never saw coming! And the cliffhanger ending left me yearning for more and it’s not even released yet.

It was so well done and I’m so excited for its’ release because I can see this becoming a huge hit! I plan on buying this book without a doubt! 5 stars, no complaints!

Was this review helpful?

I’ve always loved stories rooted in Greek mythology, and "A Tribute of Fire" by Sariah Wilson hooked me from the very first page. I already knew Sariah was an amazing romance writer, but after reading this incredible romantasy, she’s proven she’s just as talented in this genre too! The story revolves around a nation on the verge of extinction due to an ancient curse from the earth goddess. Their hope for salvation lies in Princess Lia, who must compete in a life-or-death race to the goddess’s temple alongside her untrained sister. To make things even more intense, they’re up against two maidens from their rival nation, Ilion.

Lia’s strength, determination, and dedication to her people are truly inspiring. She’s trained for this race, but her sister is not prepared at all. From the moment they step onto enemy soil, the challenges are relentless. Lia’s plan is simple: survive, find the relic, and save her people. But things get complicated when a frustratingly handsome sailor from Ilion keeps showing up in unexpected places, adding a thrilling element of surprise to the story. Their chemistry and banter are absolutely fantastic!

The plot twist at the end left me completely stunned, and I desperately need the second book! Sariah Wilson, please write faster! I highly recommend "A Tribute of Fire" to anyone who loves a gripping romantasy.

Thank you, @literarymediatours, @sariahwilson411, and Montlake Publishing for #gifted ebook ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

Was this review helpful?

I was very impressed with this book. There were times that it got a little slow for me. When it picked back up, I was really engaged with the book.

The FMC, Princess Lia, is a very strong and independent who wants to save her people. She believes that if she can get to the Ilonian temple, she can steal an object that will help save her people. Little does she know, that her life and her sister's life is in jeopardy in order to just get to the temple.

Insert Jason, AKA Prince Alexandros (sp.) who lures in Lia into romance as Jason. She is actually already betrothed to him as the Prince.

That is where the twists come in at the end of the book. There is another big twist that I was happy about. The book ends on a cliffhanger. Now I need to know what happens next.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6885804156

https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/1946400737?source=link_share

I also reviewed this book on Amazon on 10/7/2024 under Katie Peck. The review has not yet posted.

Reviews to TikTok/Instgram to come in the next week.

Was this review helpful?

Super good book! I felt at the beginning the love story felt a little forced, but it eventually got better! I really enjoyed the premise though and feel like it’s definitely an original!

Was this review helpful?

Thank you Sariah Wilson and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This is a book that started kind of almost average. The characters were compelling, the protagonist ferally appealing, but the romance, despite the palpable chemistry and delicious make-out descriptions, wasn't really pulling me in, mostly because it was very, very much instalove.

But despite it being instalove, it's also still very much enemies-to-lovers. It's complicated to try and explain it without spoilers but don't be fooled: this IS an enemies-to-lovers story, and we can expect the "enemies" part to be even more overt next book, which promises to be even better than this first installment. So if you're planning on DNF'ing it because it's not delivering on the enemies part, please hold on a little bit longer because I promise you it's worth the wait!

Without spoilers, what I can say is that this is a thrilling book, hard to put down, a clear deliberate hook at basically every chapter's end. It also has incredible action scenes, well described and meticulously strategized, that could make up some astounding choreography in an adaptation. Pretty much no character is neglected, there are reasons to care about and love or even hate any of them even if they're not a party of the main romance. It's also rich to the brim with mythological references, especially Greek, so if you're into that stuff, you're in for a feast! There are also references to Reylo and its fandom history, which is very much a plus (it's not, however, a necessity to be terminally online to understand the plot, which is great. But it's a treat that it's there. What can I say? I'm a terminally online Reylo who loves the Reylo world domination).

It's a powerful story of female empowerment and sisterhood (an actual found family! actually done right! and it doesn't have to preclude romance! what a concept!) without being preachy or feeling anachronistic or misplaced, and you can clearly see the nod to Maureen Murdock's Heroine Journey too. It could be a very cogent tale of xenophobia as well, but it's kind of undermined by the fact that it falls into the "bigotry for a reason" trope. It makes sense given the inspirations of the book, but still.

The ending though, my dears. THE ENDING. It's one of the best cliffhangers I've ever seen and it sealed the book as having a 5 star rating for me. Part of it I predicted, but the core of it I didn't, and it promised WORLDS AND UNIVERSES for the next installment. I'm genuinely expecting the second book to be on a whole other league now, and I can't wait for it!

Also... Are we sure this is Wilson's first fantasy? It seems she's only done romcoms so far? It doesn't even feel like it! She nailed the genre!

Was this review helpful?

The story is of Lia who is from a cursed nation of lorcis. To save her kingdom, she comes to ilion, to work as a acolytes and get the goddess key she is looking for to restore her kingdom.

During her journey she meets, Jason, She is instantly attracted to him, but she is reserved because he is an illion. Jason is always there whenever she needs And their slow burn chemistry is die for. I loved how the story progressed and you get to understand more about their history. I Loved How resilient Lia is And i cannot wait for the next book to find out what happens next as this one ended on a major cliffhanger.

Overall it's a great read for all fantasy lovers out there.

Was this review helpful?

I have enjoyed a number of Sariah Wilson's contemporary romances, and I was excited when she announced she was writing a fantasy romance.

The story kicks off mid-chase scene and that really framed the story well. Lia is not living a simple or easy life and there was so much happening. Sariah did a great job with the world building and creating interesting characters. I was hooked from the beginning and really enjoyed following Lia as she trained, fought, learned, and worked through her relationship with Jason, a sailor she doesn't want to trust.

Was this review helpful?