Set in a world where monsters are very real, Court of Talons follows Talia on her journeyvto avenge her brother. Along the way, we learn thst the true monsters are not whom we might expect with danger coming from unexpected corners. Talia must make swift decisions with little time to determine who she can truly trust. The story moves at a fast clip and has an intriguing storyline overall, however the plot structure kept me from truly loving it as I wished some of the other characters were more fully developed. All in all, I will likely read the next installment in hopes of learning more.

I received an ARC from netgalley for an honest review.

Rating: 3/5 stars

The plot of this story is very like others that are on the book market already - tournaments, houses, men dominated world with a FMC trying to prove herself. The thing that did stand out was the Divh, which was a great idea but came off more as a cutesy bff rather than massive monsters.

The romance was subpar as the FMC and MMC had maybe three conversations before they were kissing and admitting they couldnt be away from each other. MMC was written very surface level. FMC is just another typically written girl who just wants to fight and prove others wrong.

I did like the writing style, wording, and sentence structure of the author which is something that I struggle with as I read high fantasy as well so coming back to YA/NA fantasy can be tricky.

I would like to thank the author and NetGalley for allowing me to ARC read this book.

I would give this book 10 stars if I could. I have told everyone I have talked to for the last couple weeks about this book. It is by far the best thing I have read in a long time with its original ideas and creativity.

As a kid Mulan was favorite Disney movie. This book is like a grown up Mulan with its own original ideas and world. I was worried that, like some new fantasy books, the world building would be confusing or sloppy. This was not the case. The author beautifully explained the world, ideas, and politics of this land. I found myself enchanted by the magic immediately and fell in love with the characters easily.

The main character was strong, beautiful, and fierce ;) and while it’s always refreshing to see a FMC like this, Talia was also relatively relatable. She doubted herself. She made mistakes. She is compassionate and strong. The way she interacted with the other characters made her impossible to dislike.

I really truly wish I could find something that I disliked to make this a more credible review. A minor plot hole, a character I hated, a misspelled word even. Alas, I could not. I simply loved this book and I cannot wait to read the next one.

˚₊‧꒰ა 4 stars ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

༉‧₊˚. « The way of the warrior is death. » ・₊✧

i actually really enjoyed this book!! at first, it was a little slow-paced and i wasn’t sure if it would get more interesting. however, the more i read, the more connected i felt to the plot and the characters <3

in the book our female main character, Talia of the Tenth House, tries to seek revenge for her brother’s death. her brother, Merritt, gets killed on their journey to a tournament but his Divh (it’s basically a creature bonded to warriors) ends up bonding with Talia. The problem is that women are not allowed to bond with Divhs. the penalty for it is death.

talia decides to join the Tournament of Gold disguised as merritt, in order to find his killer and protect her house by finding new soldiers they lost in the melee they faced.

in this book, i loved so many characters. first of all, Caleb was such an amazing character. he was wholesome and sometimes very funny. i had fun reading his scenes. Nazar was the wise character in the story and i loved the way he supported the fmc.

Fortiss was such a charming character. i fell in love. i think i need more fortiss content in the next books!!

Gent, Talia’s Divh, was so cute. i love him too much!! i think he might be my favorite character because the way he protected Talia. Gent needs to be protected at all costs.

i loved the way this book represents women and their power. it was great to see the fmc fighting and seeing how powerful she can be.

additionally, i liked the descriptive language and the dialogues. the story flowed very well.

overall, this was a great read and i can’t wait to read more of this series! i really want to see what happens next in talia’s story <3

༉‧₊˚. « Great warriors fight with their minds. With their spirit and their hearts, yes, but mostly with their minds. » ♡₊˚ 🦢・₊✧

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me this digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book took me a bit longer to read than I expected, but wow, it started—and ended—on a strong note!

If you're familiar with the movie She’s the Man, this book feels similar, but swap the romantic comedy and football for political intrigue, magic, and suspense.

The world-building is incredible, detailed, and immersive. And the plot? Absolutely <i>chef's kiss</i>. There’s intrigue, a murder mystery, and a strong FMC. Talia’s development throughout the story is brilliant. We see a girl sent off to marry grow into a fierce warrior out of necessity. She learns to fight, to scheme, and excels at both. We also have strong secondary characters that I hope we will learn more, and see their story unfold in the next book.

While I appreciated that the story focused more on power struggles than romance, I did feel that Talia and Fortis's relationship was underdeveloped. Their chemistry seemed to come out of nowhere, and their connection formed too quickly considering how few interactions they shared. I would have loved to see more depth in their relationship, with more time for it to develop naturally. That said, this doesn’t take away too much from the overall enjoyment of the book.

For fans of fantasy centered on court politics and adventure, Court of Talons is an engaging read that delivers plenty of thrills. I’m definitely excited to see how the story unfolds in the next book!

Court of Talons By Jennifer Chance


Court of Talons is about a girl named Talia, who is on her way to be a bride-in-waiting to a different House of the Protectorate. Talia travels with her brother, Merritt who is the Warrior Knight for their House. Merritt is to purchase Soldiers for their House at the Tournament of Gold. While they travel their group is attacked. Leaving all but Talia and Nazar ,The Priest, dead. It is against the law to attack and kill a Warrior Knight of the Protectorate.

With a thirst for vengeance in her heart, Talia cuts her hair and makes herself look like her brother to find who killed him and to buy more soldiers to protect the 10th House. As a Warrior Knight you are connected to a Divh, which is a large creature, and only men can be Warrior Knights. With the death of Merritt the band that connects the Divh to Merritt moves to Talias’ arm.

Nothing can stop Talia from finding her brother's murderer. Not even joining the Tournament of Gold, to fight with her Divh, Gent, to gain honor for her House, and protection from those who are killing Warrior Knights. Talia keeps numerous secrets of her own, not just the secret of Merritt's death. There is danger in every direction, and hopefully Talia makes it out alive.

I would give the Court of Talons 3.5/5 Stars. This was a fun and sad read. I really enjoyed the side character Caleb, his humor kept the book light. The Court of Talons was a bit predictable, and I wish there was a little more character development. I also wish that the love interest in the book was more established in a way where there was more chemistry between them.

Overall I did enjoy the book. I look forward to the next book, Crown of Wings.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Court of Talons.

this was so fun! i absolutely loved the characters and the world building was really good!

highly recommend if you’re a fan of romantasy!!

Thanks go to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC copy of “Court of Talons (Fang & Fire, #1)” by Jennifer Chance, in exchange for review.

This book was...all right. I was interested in reading right away based on the description, as the plot involves a woman in a male dominated society, being forced to take a position as a warrior under disguise.

The world-building is solid, not too difficult to grasp quickly. The characters are fun (Caleb stole the show, in my opinion) and multi-faceted except for Fotiss (I really just don't find him redeeming through this first book). I kept holding my breath and wondering if Talia's disguise would hold up to scrutiny.

That said, I found parts of the story kind of dragged. I'm hesitant to say "boring", but they dragged. I think I'm full up on female characters that do things no one else can do. Not to say that Talia isn't strong, smart and capable by her own means, but she definitely breaks the mold of even what the men of her world are capable of, and I've seen that trope in a lot of other books.

Not sure if I was drawn in enough that I'd move on to book 2, though.

“My mind is too full of possibilities, my thoughts too full of poison.”

“Court of Talons,” by Jennifer Chance

What I loved:
-Divh and the magic system, the creatures they control in the book. They are unique from each other and really cool ideas.
-She has to impersonate her dead brother, so half the book is her being a guy and half is her being a girl. Adds a level of complication into the equation when the guy thinks he’s falling in love with someone but knows them of someone else and such.
- “I burn for you”. Enough said lol.
-Trial Games, I love trial games books and the fact that the Divh creatures are a main focus of winning them was engaging to my brain.

I really liked this book; it was so unique, and the characters were fun to read about. 4 out of 5 stars.

-Arranged Marriage
-Magic
-Hidden Identity
-Trial Games

Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley.

I really enjoyed this book. The world building and descriptions was on point. I felt like I was seated watching the battles or there with them. I thought the magic was unique and was an interesting concept. I was, however, very aggravated at how patriarchal everything was. I know this was to build up the development of the FMC, but still. She is a bada** and really mad enough apologies for it. I loved that! The side characters were well written. I loved Caleb. I do think that some will get more of a back story in the second book. This is the same case with the romance. It was minimal. I am hoping this continues to develop in book two.

I don't know how I feel about this book. I liked the idea of the Divhs but I couldn't help thinking of the movie with the Rock and the big white ape monster thing while reading about them. Fortiss could've had more development and the writing wasn't my favorite. It was an okay book but I would find myself bored by parts of it.

Court of Talons - Twelfth Night meets Fourth Wing

The Plot: Jennifer Chance's Court of Talons definitely lived up to its description. We follow Talia, the firstborn female of the Tenth House, who needs to pretend to be the younger sibling to survive. Male first born are bonded to Divhs (creatures from another plain) and are called warrior knights. These warrior knights are part of the protectorate compete in an annual meet to earn a seat in the Court of Talons. En route to her fiance's house, Talia and her brother Merritt are besieged by marauders and Merritt succumbs to his wounds. Driven by sadness, Talia accidentally bonds with the Divh, Gent and needs to complete the mission and travel to the protectorate in his guise.

The Characters: Talia is a gem, coming to her own, learning the intrigues of a new political system that she was previously shunned from. Nazar as the mysterious priest of Light (Brom from Eragon, if you will), who guides her with his Confucius reminiscent sayings. Caleb, the one armed, street urchin who owes his life to Talia and is their eyes and ears. Fortiss, the tall, dark handsome heir to the throne who is not bonded to a Divh - his escapades with Talia and Merritt are the comedic interlude to the plot.

Overall the books is an amazing kickstart to the series with book 2 coming soon. The pace is slow in the beginning to establish the principles, codes and magic governing this world. The political machinations and social structures are beautifully rendered and Talia is a lodestone to test the boundaries of their systems.

Thank you to NetGalley and Oliver Heber Books for this opportunity and a salute to Jennifer Chance on a rocking start to a splendid series!

Court of Talons by Jennifer Chance had an intriguing premise, but unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my expectations. The story’s progression felt slow, and I found myself struggling to stay engaged, which made finishing the book feel like a bit of a chore.

One of my main challenges was connecting with the characters. The female main character (FMC) wasn’t particularly likable, and her tendency to complain detracted from her appeal. The male main character (MMC) felt rather bland, which didn’t help to create any meaningful chemistry between them. The romance itself seemed to come out of nowhere, earning a 1/10 for me, as it lacked any real build-up or spark.

Additionally, the character of the priest seemed to be trying too hard to emulate a Mr. Miyagi-type figure, which came off as more cringy than wise or endearing.

That being said, there were aspects of Court of Talons that I did appreciate. The unique premise of Divhs was a creative concept, and I applaud the author’s attempt to do something different. However, the world-building left a lot to be desired. By the end of the book, I still felt like I didn’t fully understand the world or its dynamics, which made it hard to become immersed in the story.

Overall, Court of Talons had potential but ultimately fell short in execution.

Faced with an impossible situation, Talia navigates the set challenges with a hopeless abandon. She can't possibly find her way out of this, yet she must if she wants to survive. Heart wrenching and full of excitement, this was quite a ride!

4.5⭐

Talia has to pull a Mulan and pose as a male warrior to avenge her brother and bring honor to her house.

I enjoyed the world building and the characters are all really fleshed out and likable enough that I was invested in what was going to happen to them. Caleb is adorable and deserves only good things.

Really excited to continue this series and see what we have in store for everyone. I will be eagerly awaiting Book 2!!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC to read and review, my opinions are my own 💕

This was pretty dang good and I had a good time reading this book - which is the whole point of reading for me.

I do think that the first few chapters were a big slow-going, the set-up did seem to drag. But I find that EXTREMELY common with fantasy books, so I can easily overlook a few slow chapters. And although those first few chapters were a bit slow, they did a good job setting up the world and what was going on without feeling too overwhelmingly info-dumpy. You got the information as you needed it and I appreciate that.

This is the first book in a series and you can tell that just based on the movement and development of the relationships in the books. (So I guess that would make this a slow-burn, but I am a big slow-burn lover, so that doesn't both me one bit!) I can definitely see the building blocks for future books and that makes me so excited!

And there's a tournament! I think that's all you need to know to want to pick up this book. I really enjoyed following the characters throughout that, especially Gent. I thought he was quite the fun character.

This feels almost like a Mulan retelling (I'm not sure if it's ever been advertised as such), with our main character disguising herself as a male warrior. And that is so much fun!

There's a touch mystery, magic and so much more. I get the feeling that I will be coming back for book 2!

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

This was a strong start to the Fang & Fire series, it had that overall feel that I was hoping for and enjoyed getting to read this. It worked as a opening chapter and thought the overall concept was strong. Jennifer Chance does a great overall style for this type of book and enjoyed getting to read this, the writing left me wanting to read the next book and more from Jennifer Chance.

3.5 stars

Court of talons

Overall, I enjoyed reading this one!

Loved this as a story of trials and of the underdog winning out in the end (bonus that it’s a woman, of course). Also appreciated that we saw a female character that wasn’t the assassin tough gal type as I’ve seen a lot lately! She was strong, but fought strategically and with her mind and strengths more than anything. The world was intriguing and I always love when magical creatures are involved - and as much as I adore dragons it was very cool to have a huge and custom to each character type of creature which was super unique. The plot line definitely kept me intrigued.

I was VERY glad to see that there will be a sequel to this one, as the ending definitely left details out and unfinished - totally forgivable when I know I’ll be getting another fix.

The romantic aspect could’ve had more of a slow and steady build as it felt a bit jumped into - while I do generally prefer a true slow burn in that department, I do truly think it could’ve been more fleshed out in general and not just because of my personal preferences. The jump from nothing to somethin somethin felt a bit jarring.

I also felt at times that the pacing was a little off. There were times I felt like there was not enough world building to balance the pace of information we were getting on the plot or character side.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you, NetGalley.

For me, a solid 4.5 / 5. This book was surprisingly delightful. I am looking forward to the next installment.

What I liked:
- I like the main characters. Side characters could have been developed more, though.
- Caleb. Caleb is my absolute favourite! He is smart, clever, determined, courageous, funny, and full of life. I enjoyed all the scenes he was in.
- I absolutely loved the sense of despair, of impending doom and death from the third act (chapters 39-42). I felt completely hopeless alongside Talia
- When Talia finally realized "I am enough". Yeah, damn right you are!
- I got an emotional response to this book. It is a good sign; it is a sign of a good author who can draw me in when I get excited/afraid/teary-eyed for the characters.
- Chapter 43 was a wild ride.

What I did not like:
- I would have liked to have a map at the beginning to understand where all the Houses were.
- I still have unanswered questions: why did Talia pretend she was younger than Merritt? How are planes linked? How did Divhs and humans first connect; and for what purpose?
- The pacing was uneven. The book starts strong, slows to barely a crawl for almost 100 pages, then picks up. But when it picks up, oh my! It is fantastic!

What I am neutral about:
- The romance part. I don't know what Fortiss sees in Talia. He says he is drawn to her light, but I am unsure what it means. I would have liked for Fortiss to fall in love with Merritt, and then be confused about this new same-sex attraction. Let's see how this is approached in the next installment.

The book felt like a dark and magical retelling of Shakespeare's twelfth night. The tension and plot played off each other beautifully in order to make compelling stakes for the characters. As well the magic system was new and intriguing to me and made for an even more engaging read. At times the writing felt a little too nail on the head, but overall the experience was still so much fun.

To be noted, I was so engaged in reading that I did miss my train stop, so, safe to stay, the book is pretty good.

Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for allowing me this opportunity to read, rate and review this work.