Ok this book hooked me early on. I loved the whole premise of the book and the tension between the FMC and MMC was amazing. it felt a little slow for a bit but once i hit 75% i couldn’t stop reading! I’m READY for book 2!

Thank you so much to netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with a copy for review purposes!

4⭐
A tribute of fire by Sariah Wilson is a romantasy inspired by Greek mythology. If you are familiar with The Iliad by Humerus and in general with the Trojan war, you’ll find yourself catching the details that inspired this world and being like “OH! I know this!” just like I did.

The story follows Lia, princess of Locris, on her journey to try and save her dying kingdom. From the synopsis I expected the trial to take up a lot of the book, but man was I wrong. There’s so much more that happens and there’s quite a few plot twists, and a huge cliffhanger at the end.

If you’re looking for a book that focuses only on the worldbuilding and the fantasy aspect, then you probably won’t give 5 stars to this. But if you’re in search for a good romantasy filled with tension? You are in the right place. This does at perfect job in finding a balance between fantasy and romance, alternating moments between the fmc and mmc and action.

I enjoyed this a lot, will definitely pick up the sequel when it comes out!

As a romantasy, this is a 3.5 star read. Without the romance or at least with the romance playing a more minor role, this could’ve been a 5 star read. I was absolutely hooked for the first quarter of this book but it went in a direction I wasn’t expecting which really killed my interest at times. I was expecting and excited for an elaborate game of cat and mouse as a maiden is hunted through a foreign city, but this is only a rather small part of the story, and I was anticipating much more from it.

A Tribute of Fire follows Lia who sets herself up to be selected out of the women of Locris to be shipped off to Ilion to be hunted in the name of tradition. She will join all the women of her country before her in a bloody death, unless she can make it to a goddess’ temple for sanctuary first, making her the first maiden to survive the trial. Lia’s status in the royal family gives her an advantage the maidens before her didn’t have, access to extensive combat and survival training she’s going to need if she wants to fight back for her country and family.

Big picture, right? Seems like something you’d be pretty dedicated to with your life at stake and whatnot? Well, watch out because a hot sailor is equally as important? Lia meets Jason on her voyage and in the pits of grief and fear, he seemingly becomes the most important thing going on in her life? It’s bizarre.

It’s well-established that I am a fantasy over romantasy reader any day of the week, but I do objectively think the concept of this book and Lia as a main character could’ve been so much better explored without romance taking the centre stage. I loved Lia at the beginning and it really changed my opinion of her. BUT I also think this book needed more fantasy elements to weigh it out, it’s super light on that, but this would make it a good pick for someone wanting to migrate from contemporary romance into a be genre.

There were a lot of things I like about A Tribute of Fire too! The action sequences were expertly written; the scene when the hunt begins was PHENOMENAL, I was feeling anxious for Lia just reading it! There’s also a very interesting dynamic between the group of women we meet, it’s giving cult thinly veiled as a sisterhood and I really entered those characters. Most of the time the pacing was also spot-on, it was just disappointing to be pulled out of a compelling plot for another wet dream.

To summarise, needs less kissing and more magic. But if you live and breathe romantasy you’ll probably eat it up!

I loved this! The FMC was so strong and fierce and I LOVE a strong FMC. Add in some dragons and some training scenes and I am SOLD

First ... freaking cliffhangers man!

Lia was the ultimate female curse breaker.
She was mighty and fierce, & committed to her journey.

Jason + Lia had great banter
& a connection that was undeniable.

The world building was set at a great pace.
It was explained in a way you could grasp, but still gave so much!

I was drawn into this world, pretty quickly.
This is an excellently written romantasy,
by Sariah Wilson.

A Tribute of Fire was the perfect book one of a romantasy series for me. I thought the balance of romance to action was perfect. This book built so much tension and had led perfectly into the second book. I loved the worldbuilding. The ancient Greek-inspired world was so interesting to follow. I liked to see all the inspiration that was drawn from the original myths without this being a strict retelling. Lia was perfect a main character. She was capable and determined to meet her goals. I liked following her story and found her very likable. I can't wait to see more of Jason in the next book and see his character get fleshed out more. I thought the pacing of this book was perfect and had me hooked from the beginning. This has been one of my favorite fantasy romance books of the year and I cannot wait for book two after the amazing cliffhanger!

Fantasy can sometimes be a tough genre for me to fully dive into, but this book had me hooked from the very beginning. The world-building was immersive, and I couldn’t get enough of the strong female empowerment themes, the romance, and the found family aspect. The cliffhanger at the end left me desperate for the next book—I can’t wait to see where this story goes!

This book has it all—intense battles, complex relationships, and a heroine who will do whatever it takes to save her nation. The mythology references were a beautiful touch and really added to the richness of the world. I’m so excited to see what comes next for Lia and the world of Locris. Highly recommend!

This was definitely a fun time , I had a few small gripes but ,That being said the plot's twists and betrayals really kept me engaged, and the romance added a nice touch( However, Lia's infatuation with Jason felt a bit shallow, the typical badass warrior who suddenly becomes a bit silly and overly horny just being in his presence)

. Sure, the pacing drags a little in the middle, but the exciting beginning and shocking ending totally make up for it.
Lia was a decent fmc, I admire her strength, determination, loyalty, and love for her family.

All the characters are well-developed, and I enjoyed the world-building and the idea of the yearly sacrifice , think The Hunger Games or Maze Runner ( but i will stress this part of the story was over much quicker than your lead to believe, we spend most of our time in a temple of priestesses) . On the bright side, I loved the theme of sisterhood throughout the story and Lia's connection with her merry band of sisters in arms.

I will definitely be interested in picking up the next book in the series.

4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🫑 heavy petting and kissing

🌸Romantasy
🌸Mythology
🌸Princess in hiding
🌸Chosen One
🌸Prophecy
🌸Magical creatures
🌸Magical Artifact hunt
🌸Deadly Trials
🌸Found Family
🌸Forbidden Love

✨ An Absolute Page-Turner! ✨

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Tribute of Fire is a masterpiece that blends romantic tension, thrilling action, and the intrigue of Greek mythology into a story you won’t want to put down. If you’re a fan of The Hunger Games but crave a fresh twist, this book is for you. The plot is packed with high-stakes action, found-family dynamics that tug at your heartstrings, and a heroine you’ll find yourself fiercely rooting for.

The world-building is captivating, with just the right amount of mystery and depth to pull you in. While there are hints of romance sprinkled throughout, the story keeps you guessing, making every moment all the more exciting. Let’s just say I’m already counting down the days until the next installment!

Whether you’re here for the mythology, the action, or the slow-burn romantic vibes, this book delivers it all. Highly recommend for anyone who loves a strong heroine and a story that keeps you hooked from start to finish!

The premise of the story was really interesting, and whilst I enjoyed it, I also struggled with it. The beginning and the end were great, I found the middle section quite slow, and I found myself zonning out.

In saying that, I want to read the second one to find out what happens. One of the main characters at the end, who also pops up throughout the story, is completely different and I am curious what they are like really. Are they this lovely person who or are they really the person who threatens to harm family members.

I liked the characters, and I was invested in their stories and how it came out that they were inter connected. I did struggle with Jason's name a bit when compared to the other beautiful, and lyrical names that were in the book. I am routing for Lia and hope she can restore her country to its former glory.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an ARC copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

*Thank you to NetGalley & Montlake for providing a digital copy to review*

As soon as I see a book that has any references to Greek myth I immediately want to read it which is what happened with this book.

I love this book so much. If you’re familiar with Greek history/myth there are names and certain plot points that will sound familiar and I just got excited seeing them. Our FMC, Lia, is amazing. Even though she is a princess she chooses to put her own life at risk and bravely goes into enemy territory to save her home.

What I really loved is that while trying to find the object to save her home she also forms these close friendships with some of the women at the temple and for the first time she has friends she can really rely on. This group of women really warmed my heart and I loved how individualised they all were. From growing these connections we see Lia start to care about what’s happening at the temple and notice that there is something else going on.

The other relationship I loved is of course with Jason. When they first met it was like love at first sight for Lia but upon learning where he is from she tries (and fails) to distance herself from him. I loved Jason. He is a major flirt and loves to tease and annoy her and I am obsessed! So good.

While I kind of guessed a major character reveal I was still shocked when it happened and the story ended on a massive cliffhanger. The second book can’t come soon enough.

"I've always admired women willing to deal a little death when crossed."

The story follows Lia, the FMC, who is a princess of Locris, a doomed and dying nation cursed by a goddess centuries ago. Every year, two maidens from Locris are send to the rival nation of Ilion as sacrifices to the goddess and they need to survive a deadly race to reach her temple. No maiden has ever succeeded and this year Lia will be one of the tribute.

I loved that the story was inspired by Greek mythology and through the whole book you will find little nods to different tales. I was straight away totally immersed in the story and rooting for Lia and her survival. I also adored the sisterhood between her and the priestesses from the temple and how they got to know and love each other without judgment.

I sadly thought the story got repetitive on the romance side of things. First of all, if you don't enjoy insta-love romance this isn't for you. Lia and Jason, our MMC, get close very, very quickly and Lia spends the rest of the book having the same inner monologue about their relationship: "I shouldn't like him, but I do, he is my enemy, but I wan't to kiss him and he is so, so, so hot." Lia being 18-19 years old of course explains part of that, but it still made the book very repetitive and I wanted the main plot to advance more.

There's a couple of plot twists towards the end of the book, but they were very predictable.

Thank you, NetGalley, Montlake and Sariah Wilson for this book!

A promising beginning to a new romantasy series. I am curious to see where this one goes. A new genre for Sariah Wilson!

A Tribute of Fire by Sariah Wilson is a romantasy story at its best!
I read Sariah's romantic comedies so far and loved them. When I heard she has something new and I got the chance to read an ARC, I totally freaked out! 🙏❤️

"... The tribute game is on. It’s up to Lia to lift the goddess’s curse, restore Locris to its former glory, and change the fate of every young woman destined to follow in her path."

(Excerpt from the synopsis because I'm not able to summarise this wonderful book!)

Well, where can I start now? After this massive cliffhanger??? ALL THE THINGS I DIDN'T SEE COMING AT THE END OF THIS BOOK! OMG! I'M STILL MINDBLOWN! 😍

Okay, first things first!
I ABSOLUTELY DEVOURED THIS BOOK!
(And would have finished it much earlier, but reality kept me away from Lia and Jason often enough... 😑)

The journey of Lia is so complex and intense and full of action and emotions that I can't even express all my feelings right now!
Just let me tell you that I LOVED IT! ❤️🙏

I sat on the edge of my bed so many times because of all the battles Lia had to fight!
She's a clever, young woman who grows stronger along her story. I loved that a lot that she learned so much about herself and how important alliances can be.
Still didn't see the end coming, though... what a cliffhanger! (I know I said it before, but I can't repeat myself often enough!)

And then there's Jason... oh, be still my beating heart! This tall, dark, and handsome guy with his wicked grin. Oh boy! He definitely stole my heart right from the beginning!
And the banter between him and Lia?
CHEF'S KISS FOR SURE! 💋

In A Tribute of Fire, there's soooo much suspense, drama, magic, romance, and much more! BRILLIANT! ❤️

If you love:
💕 Enemies to lovers
🗡 Slow burn
💕 Forbidden love
🗡 Foreign creatures like terawolves or dragons
💕 CHEMISTRY BETWEEN THE MAIN CHARACTERS!

A TRIBUTE OF FIRE is the perfect book for you! 🤗

Thank you soooo much to Sariah Wilson and Montlake for this ARC via NetGalley.
This is my honest review in my own words, and I'm absolutely sorry for the delay. ❤️

I love this genre, and this story started so well. The race is exciting and the stakes are high! But once Lia reached the sanctuary the pace slowed down and the stakes became hazier. I wasn't really sure what the main character wanted after that. I found the dream sequences romantically unsatisfying. I would have much preferred if their interaction had been in real life.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

A Tribute of Fire by Sariah Wilson is a first person-POV historical romantic fantasy set after the fall of Troy. After Ajax and Lesser’s attack against Cassandra in Athena’s temple, two Locrian women are sent every year to Ilion (another name for Troy) to run to the temple while the local men try to kill them. No Locrian woman has returned to Locris and it is assumed all have been killed. Lia is a descendant of Ajax and a Locrian princess who has trained most of her life to finally end this custom and free her country from this terror, but the other maiden who goes with her is someone she doesn’t want to lose and she has a spark with a young Ilion man who has secrets of his own.

The love interest, Jason, does show up early on, but he does disappear for chunks at a time from the narrative until about the halfway mark. Having finished the book and after reading the blurb for the sequel, I can see how the structure was meant to set up the complicated arranged marriage in Lia’s future as well as the possibly epic stakes that could come out further in the narrative. Because of this, A Tribute of Fire felt more like a historical fantasy that grows into a romantic fantasy that could tip into a fantasy romance in book two rather than a fantasy romance from the get go.

Jason and Lia have a steamier relationship that delves into Lia’s jealousy towards Jason’s past relationships with women. Lia does a lot of assuming about what Jason has and has not done, but he also doesn’t do anything to set her straight if she’s wrong, letting her think what she will as long as she keeps talking to him. This shows self-confidence on Jason’s end, that he knows who he is despite what other people think of him, but it also shows that he’s not really thinking about how leaving Lia in the dark could impact how she thinks of him or could make her self-conscious. It’s very give-and-take and I think he eventually kind of gets it, but only after Lia kind of pushes him.

The fantasy aspects are fairly limited in this first book. It’s a lot more focused on it’s historical setting of Troy and Locris after the Trojan War and maybe the goddess is real, maybe she’s not, but she definitely is. What was really interesting to me is that we don’t have any confirmation if the goddess is meant to be Athena despite the original myth firmly stating it is Athena’s temple that the original crime was committed in. The goddess’s name is never revealed and she’s referred to as an Earth goddess but also as specularly beautiful, so she could be Athena or Persephone or Aphrodite or a goddess I’m not familiar with a creation of Sariah Wilson’s.

I would recommend this to fans of narrative that imagine what could have happened after the Trojan War, readers looking for a historical romantic fantasy that could become an epic fantasy romance down the line, and those drawn to stories about young women trying to save other young women from a horrific fate.

I truly enjoyed A Tribute to fire. I have never read a story from this author and even with that being the case I will say I truly enjoyed the writing. This was a very interesting story and though I didn't know much about it going in, I found myself intrigued at every page. I am a sucker for world building and this book achieved that to the max for me, so much that I felt I was in the story itself ! I did enjoy Lias character and her dynamic with her sisters and those around her. There are times I felt she was a bit rash with certain decisions. However, I chalked up to her, not really having the experience in these areas. I feel her character was very strong and smart in battle which made the "death" race more exciting and full of action. Her devotion to Quynah also for me contributed to the emotion and adventure. I also enjoy the push and pull between her and Jason. Who in this story is her love interest. I don't want to give away too much of the story, But I would definitely say this was a read well worth checking out. I'm so glad I got the opportunity to read it and share how I felt about it. I can't wait to read more from this this author in the future! I recommend this book to those who like survival styles stories with secrets and enough banter to round it up!

I loved this book. Sariah Wilson delivered a likable, determined and driven, strong female lead. I read this after the election in November 2024 and found so many lines relevant to today's conversation, which was interesting. This book kept me invested and excited for the sequel.

A Tribute of Fire by Sariah Wilson – 4 stars
First of all, excuse me, but the ending? Looking forward to the next book!
Now back to the main thing. This story is inspired by Greek mythology and features very interesting worldbuilding. It follows Princess Lia of Locris, a slowly dying kingdom that must provide two young girls as tribute every year in the name of the Goddess. This is "a many-years" price of forgiveness for a mistake made a thousand years ago. But enough is enough—Lia decides it’s within her power to change things and save her kingdom and homeland. And that’s how the story begins.
I had a bit hard time with this book. The beginning and the ending kept me hooked, but in the middle, I felt like I was losing interest. I think if the book were 200 pages shorter, it wouldn’t have lost anything important. This story has a strong FMC and she’s kinda badass, so if it’s not your cup of tea, you might want to skip it. Despite my struggles, I still enjoyed the book. It has a good number of twists and turns, even though some were fairly predictable for me, but they were still engaging. To be honest, I really enjoyed the connection between Lia and her temple sisters. That gave me more emotional depth than the connection between Lia and Jason, which I struggled with. Sometimes I just wanted to scream to Lia stop being so horny. All that said, I do think this story has great potential. It will be interesting to see how things unfold in the next book—and how, exactly, dragons fit into this whole mess.

Publisher: Montlake | Pub Date Nov 01 2024
Pages: 527
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this!! The world building was phenomenal and easy to follow. The enemies to lovers was so good! I am anxiously awaiting book 2!!