I am in love with the cover of this book. The contains are not as I hoped, but the narration is really nice. It does not necessarily stand out amongst others in its genre.

A really solid debut fantasy! I loved the setting, loved the worldbuilding, and felt like it was executed in a way that made it feel lush and real. Ashoka and Shakti are incredible protagonists with complex inner lives that I rooted for despite them both slowly slipping toward what feels like their find out eras. Pacing-wise, there is some sogginess here that makes the read a tough one to stick with, but I did and I’m glad I did in the end! Looking forward to the future books.

"Change happens when we are sick and tired of waiting for it."

First note, and most importantly- give the people (me) what we want. A BODYGUARD romance with the Prince. They clearly have feelings. Ugh

Second note, the plot is a bit messy, but I have hopes for a more refined storyline for book 2 and 3. On the plus side, I never knew what was happening or going to happen.

Third, she is arrogant and entitled, but I kind of love Princess Aria. She is my favorite side character. Its giving me early Manon Blackbeak vibes, embracing her power, status, and rage.

3.75
While I enjoyed this, it isn't the most revolutionary fantasy novel. On the one hand, we have a witch who is trying to escape being burned for her magic like her aunt. On the other, we have the heir to the throne who is sympathetic to the witches. I really liked the rich Sri-Lankan inspired setting and the nature spirits. Not sure I will continue the series though.

<i>Thank you to Netgalley and HaperAudio Adult</i>
Overall I think this was a solid book. I wasn't fully invested in the story but I liked the elements of it. I thought the magic system made sense for this world. I did think that the book dragged on a little and was predictable but that's not always a bad thing. I thought Aasiya Shah and Kishore Walked did a great job with narrating the audio book! Overall I thought this was a good start to the trilogy and I'm excited to see where it goes and what happens next.