Writing the perfect ending to a series is a challenge, and the prior books in Nisha J. Tuli’s Artefacts of Ouranos series are brilliant, so the bar was high. The series, as a whole, goes in some unexpected directions, keeping you on your toes and defying some of the conventional beats of a fantasy series with a romance plot that’s essential to the story. Wrapping that up in a way that satisfies readers can be tricky, and given the way book 3 ended, I was anxious about what was in store.

With Tale of the Heart Queen, Nisha J. Tuli proves it’s possible to exceed expectations and deliver a thoroughly heart-wrenching, compelling finale and somehow, still leave you wanting more.

Since this is the finale, any part of this review could count as a spoiler, particularly because of what happened at the end of book 3. I’m going to make a few general statements first, and then move into specifics so those who don’t want to know details can avoid them.

General comments:
There’s meaningful character development for many characters, not just our protagonists.
We get a clear look at The Aurora King and the motivations for his behavior.
We get clear resolution for some of the things that occurred in book 1.
The pace is excellent and while we get solid descriptions of new environments and people, we don’t get so much that it slows down the plot.
There are some very emotional moments. I cried. More than once.

Now, for more specific comments that those who want to remain spoiler-free may want to avoid.

Anyone who read book 3 has probably been wondering what would happen in the final book and how Tuli would deal with that.

Well, it moves in an unexpected direction. I thought Lor would heal him, somehow, but I guess she isn’t powerful enough to bring back the dead. For that, she had to make a deal with a more powerful being, and that makes her and Nadir vulnerable to Zerra’s wishes.

Lor also finds out that the rulers of various realms aren’t the only ones after her. The real gods have a plan for her, and it’s one she doesn’t like.

Lor already had plenty of things weighing on her and clear objectives; at the beginning of book 4, she’s saddled with new ones that detract her from her ultimate goals. This adds tension and the sense of a ticking clock, because she has a lot to do, and Tuli doesn’t rush this part of the story. It’s a brave thing to take a couple and rip them apart without a breakup, putting one at risk of permanent death, leaving the other consumed by guilt and fear. However, this gives us a chance to see Lor grow stronger as she figures out how to deal with her situation.

Ultimately, it made for a satisfying reunion.

I really appreciated the fact that Trystan and Willow also showed clear signs of growth. I’ll join the chorus of people asking for books featuring them. I’d love to see how Trystan gets on with his surprising future.

I loved seeing Nadir and Trystan’s relationship progress. That was also very satisfying. Again, I’m glad Tuli didn’t rush it; the progress felt earned.

And what can I say about Gabriel? We really get a clear look at all the things weighing on him, and we learn the truth about how Atlas became “king” and what it’s cost Gabriel, and others. It was hard to see Tyr confront all he’d lost and how he could never go back to being who he was, but it was also satisfying to know he’d have a meaningful future.

Truly, the entire story was excellent. I didn’t completely predict everything, which is nice, because it kept me on my toes right to the end.

This book is the perfect conclusion for this series. Lor is such funny, badass FMC, This has been such an enjoyable ride, thank you so much for these ARC opportunities, Nisha has become a fav author of mine.

Tale of the Heart Queen follows the final chapter of Lor’s and Nadirs adventure. Many more obstacles block their path for the future they are working toward. This is the last book in the artefacts of Ouranos series, I highly suggest reading the first three books to get the full story. This book and this series, are hands down in my top list of best series I’ve read. The world building, the character development, the plot, the twists, and the spice was perfection. Anyone who loves romantasy will love this for sure. I am absolutely obsessed with Nisha’s writing and story telling. This was phenomenal and Lor is the best FMC between her strength and perserverance.

4.5⭐️

Thank you so much to Nisha and NetGalley for providing me an eArc of this book. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to read and review this book as this series has been such a fun read for me, and I’ve loved following both Lor and Nadir’s journey- I love how their connection grew throughout the books and enjoyed seeing how much their characters developed.

This was a stunning conclusion. I’m glad that the plot point from the cliffhanger wasn’t the total plot for the book and that we moved on to different plot lines that fit the story, all in which I felt as a reader were building up in intensity. TofHQ is so binge worthy and I couldn’t put this down, especially because the last quarter of this book is absolutely WILD and I was on the edge of my seat. Some tears were definitely shed in the end.

The only reason for knocking it down a half a star is that as this was the last book in the series, I was hoping for there to be/it felt like there definitely should’ve been an epilogue with a time jump. However, with a lack of one, I’m hoping that means we’ll get a spinoff with one of the other characters in the future, like either potentially Willow or Tristan. The author definitely should as this world was built so beautifully and done so well.

All in all: great story, spicy, and a fun, binge worthy romantasy series that pacts an emotional punch.

3.75 ⭐️ rounded up

Thank you to Nisha and NetGalley for providing me an eArc of this book.

This book was one of my most anticipated reads this year. I remember being completely enthralled in the first book. And then I put off the second book because I could not handle a cliff hanger. And then devouring the third book and being BIG MAD at the end of that one (which you can tell if you read my review for Fate of the Sun King). This book took me awhile to get through though. It felt like too much at times, and then not enough?

The Big moment at the end of book 3 isn’t resolved until about 1/3 of the way through book 4, and that back and forth felt a bit dragged out. But we spend that time setting up Zerra and this Epic Showdown, so ok. The second third of the book is Lor trying to convince all the rulers of what they need to do and the mission of doing that task. And that felt like a lot of telling and not enough showing. The last third is finally our Final Battle, but wait…final battle with who? Because suddenly we have a new villain. We have 3 established villains, and now we add in another? It felt too late in the game to add The Biggest Big Bad. I wasn’t as invested in that character. And that epic showdown was enough for me honestly. The trials call back was really nice, I enjoyed that. Felt a bit too much like Hunger Games for me in the end, but still great.

In conclusion, I love this series, I will recommend it to everyone. I think this book ties everything up really nicely and everyone has an ending. From characters we meet in book 1 to characters we get to know in book 4. Everything made sense. I cried real tears. All in all a very satisfying ending to a great series.

The Epic Final to the Artefacts of Ouranos series. I will say throughout the series the only point of view I could care less about is the Aurora King. Given that, everybody else I loved, and the way we finished out this story, with nods to the first book was so bittersweet to see. Lor and Nadir have such a beautiful relationship throughout the series as a whole but really shines in this book. This series as a whole has been one of my favorites to read for the past couple of years. I'm sad to see it end but excited to see what the author has in store next. Thank you Forever and NetGalley for an arc of this book for an honest review.

Now THAT is how you end a series!!! Take of the Heart Queen was everything I wanted and SO much more. With a list of odds stacked against her, Lor proves why she was chosen for this. The character growth of Nadir throughout the series also comes together in the best way. I’m honestly sad to leave the world of Ouranos and the the characters I’ve come to love.

Nisha’s writing has become one of my favorites and I’m going to recommend Tale of The Heart Queen as a must read. After you read the other 3 first of course.

Five stars!!

While I had a really good time with this one (and absolutely cried at the ending), it almost felt like there was *too much* going on. It was as if plot lines were just kind of tossed in and because there were so many that needed to be wrapped up, some of them were resolved in an unsatisfying way. That being said, I love the story and the characters so much so definitely still recommend this one!

Solid ending to what was a solid trilogy. I enjoy Tuli's writing quite a bit and I'm excited to see what they write next.

This is how you conclude a series. There’s not much I can say about this book without spoilers, since it is the 4th book in a series, but I can tell you now, you won’t be disappointed!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

This book gave us a great adventure and a satisfying ending. It feels like there’s so much more we could explore in this world, but I’m very happy with where all of our main characters stories ended. Books 1-3 are available now, and Tale of the Heart Queen will be out on November 26 - so it’s the perfect time to start binging this series!

The perfect ending to an incredible series—I couldn’t wait to dive into this book! It has everything: spice, romance, intense games and trials, all wrapped up in a wonderful conclusion. Nisha Tuli’s writing is so easy to follow, making it a joy to read. If you’re a fan of romantasy, this series is a must-read!

This series has meant so much to me. Words can’t even describe how much I love these characters and this world. I’m so sad to see it come to an end, yet I don’t think Nisha could have written a more beautiful ending.

One of the things I’ve loved the most about this series is the love that Lor and her siblings have for each other. Their love is so deep and unconditional, and I love all three of them so much. Their family has been through some of the worst times, yet their love for each other continues despite all of that.

And can we get a moment of appreciation for Gabriel? He’s been one of my absolute favorite side characters throughout the series.

This final book had some darker moments in it. There was so much to wrap up, but Nisha wrote everything so well. I loved that she wrote a full circle moment with the trials. The parallels between Trial of the Sun Queen and Tale of the Heart Queen created the perfect end to the series.

The ending had me in tears. I love these characters so much. How does one say goodbye to one of their favorite series? Thank you, thank you Nisha for creating these magical books.

Nisha always does a beautiful job of weaving storylines between characters in the present to those in the past, and this was no exception. I was wrecked in the beginning, felt murderous rage in the middle, had panic attacks toward the end, and am at peace now that it’s over. What a great ending to a beloved series! ❤️👑

What to expect:
✅ book 4 in a completed Romantasy series
✅ multi 1st person POV
✅ who did that to you/burn the world for you
✅ fated mates
✅ webs of connections between magical artefacts from each kingdom, the rulers, gods, and more

Thank you so much to the author and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Review date: September 15, 2024
Publication date: November 26, 2024

I have followed Nisha's journey through this series and loved every single minute of it.
Lor and Nadir are such a great pair to follow, and the series has taken you through several character developments along the way.
This final book in the series had so many things I enjoyed; however I did notice how long it felt in comparison to the others which felt like I just devoured. There was a smidge more fluff for me in this one, so it made it a little harder to stay interested during portions, but I loved how everything was tied up in the end, even if perfectly convenient for all parties.

Can't wait to read more from Nisha!

Tale of the Heart Queen by Nisha J Tuli
5 ⭐️
🌶️☑️

Tale is, hands down, one of the best conclusions to a series I’ve ever read. Even with all the different plot lines and characters, I was so overwhelmingly satisfied with how everything wrapped up.

The character development and progression of different relationships over the course of this series has been masterful, and Tale highlighted this beautifully. The fact that I even *considered* having empathy for Rion is proof enough of this. Ugh.

Lor has grown so much and you really get to see her step into herself, her role, her powers, and her relationship with Nadir. 🥹 I feel like I’ve been cheering for Lor and Nadir forever and it was lovely to see the tenderness and love they have for each other, even as they faced impossible odds.

While Lor and Nadir have my heart, I was SO drawn into Gabriel and Tyr’s stories with this installment. Sometimes with multiple POVs I find myself wanting to get back to the “main” storyline, but that wasn’t the case at all here. Their stories plucked my heartstrings and had me crying more than once. 🥺

I could talk forever about all the different moments in this book that were SO good and felt like perfect payoff for everything we’ve been through with these characters, from Trials of the Sun Queen to now. The found family that was built over the course of this series is one of my favorites and I’m so sad to say goodbye to these characters now.

Tale of the Heart Queen is romantic fantasy at its absolute best! 10/10 recommend. 🖤

WOW. What a gut punch. A tour de force. Nisha J. Tuli has woven this final tale expertly. I love how much the world has expanded from the original book 1 bachelor hunger games. It’s like a totally different series now.

The writing has gotten better in each book. My heart was pounding from page one and there was nonstop adventure the whole book. Expect lots of action and some swoon-worthy moments too. I absolutely loved the final twist.

I highly recommend this series to fantasy romance lovers. Even if you thought book 1 wasn’t the most original… keep reading. It goes in a much different direction from what you expect.

I’m so grateful to Forever for the advance copy. Now on to book 3 of this author’s other series!

What an epic ending to a series that we have all been eagerly waiting for! I was ready for the ending, but I wasn't. This story took us on a journey that had us in all the feels. Definitely an amazing series and can't wait to see what she writes next.

I loved how this book wrapped it. She gave us closure on everyone, including the side characters. I really loved that because most authors ignore side characters and I’m always trying to figure out what happened to them.

I loved the FMC growth and how she did fight for everyone she loved and everything she wanted and she didn’t care. She didn’t back down from wanting what she wants and how she got it. But she was willing to sacrifice herself for the better of the world if it came to it but not wanting to.

My fave character is Gabriel. He had a lot of growth and scenes that made me want more. I’m glad he got almost what he wanted but he’s content now.


This has always been my fave series!

5 stars is not enough. 10 wouldn't be enough! I am quite sad that Lor and Nadir's story is over, but what a way to end the series! I love Nisha's writing and look forward to more from her in the future.

This was the perfect book to wrap up one of my favorite series ever! Nisha’s writing is what made me fall in love with the series to begin with and this book is no exception. I love how both our FMC and MMC can stand on their own, but they are truly better together. I couldn’t have asked for a better ending to the series! Now I just need some novellas about our favorite side characters. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever publishing for the ARC copy of this book.