Adult fantasy with spice. Enemy to lovers. I can say this is the best book I’ve read by NE Davenport (no shade because I did enjoy her previous work).

Kadeesha is promised to the ruler of the 6 dominions to fulfill a prophecy that her child will unite and rule all fae until her wedding is crashed and she sees a way out. This book doesn’t lack action and is very spicy. I enjoyed this way more than I thought I would going into it. It’s a standalone and though it ended giving closure, I will miss the characters and would be open to Vicious Oaths becoming a series.


Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the advanced copy.

What an amazing!! Standalone fantasy! I’ve been needing a mood one for awhile and never seem to find them and then I had the more wonderful opportunity with this one and took it! I was completely hooked from page one to the very end! I absolutely love a good morally gray mmc and couldn’t get enough of the romance in this book and the spice! I loved the dual pov and felt like it added a wonderful touch to the story!

OBSESSED! N.E. Davenport has my entire heart! This is exactly what a romantic fantasy should feel like every time!

Unique characters
Strong world & politics
Addicting romance
Conflict that will keep you on the edge of your seat

Our Vicious Oaths is an amazing blend of fantasy and romance that gives amazing representation. Plus it’s a standalone! And it definitely felt complete
Forget the boring & tired dragon and fae books we’re used to… give me all the fae with a grill and locs and melanin ✨

🔥 I'm absolutely feral for this book! 🔥

N. E. Davenport gives us a book we NEEDED (and honestly, I felt like I didn't deserve.) Because how she gonna write this masterpiece as a standalone. Granted, I usually get frustrated when I have to wait for the next book. With this, I felt like I could have read on for ages without a single complaint.

Our MMC - Malachi - is sooooo fine. Like, this man had me sweating with how he was described. From the grillz references to the way he carried himself, I ate it up. Give me 14 of them RN. Please and thank you.

Our FMC - Kadeesha - gives all the power and honor that comes with be a princess who is also a warrior. Honestly, Big Queen Energy from the start.

What I truly loved about this book:
💜 Unapologetically Black from start to finish.
💜 Fantasy done right.
💜 True Enemies to Lovers
💜 A plot that moved the story
💜 Side characters I became HEAVILY invested in
💜 Spice that didn't feel formulaic. It was real.

No notes from me on this one other than praise and love. This should be an instant bestseller if the people do right be the author. Cause I don't want to stop hearing about it ever.

Thanks you to Netgalley, Avon and Harper Voyager for the eARC. And thank you to N.E. Davenport. You did that!

OMG!!! When I say this book was so good. It did not disappoint at all. This is definitely one of my favorite books this year. Malachi and Kadeesha were not to played with at all. Their chemistry was everything and for the girlies who love spicy it was definitely there throughout the whole book. It was action packed and loved every minute of it. Thank you NetGalley for giving me the ARC can’t wait to get my hands on the physical copy when it releases!!!!

Would it be crazy to say i need Malachi & Kadeesha AT THE SAME D*MN TIME?!
super thankful to have read this book. You ever like a book so much that it puts you into slump bc you don’t want to finish it?! Well that’s what happened to me.
Things that drew me in: this cover 😍
Things that kept me entertained: the fact that Malachi wears a grill🥵 like he even wears it to battle & formal gatherings (ugh loved that),Kadeesha is a fierce badass warrior ( i love when books include women who don’t take anyone’s sh*t ), trystin (mal’s fav cousin who is witty but comedic all the same lol) & lastly the spicy scenes🥵❤️‍🔥

“Plus, the dazzling platinum grille flashed every time he spoke,” - this had me cheesinnnnn iykyk

Thoughts: i definitely didn’t see this book going the way it went. I’m gonna try to be vague but always specific. Like i definitely thought Malachi was the bad guy in the beginning & like he kind of is but it’s justified. I thought he was the villain of this story & boy was i wrong.
• i feel that there was a good amount of world building. i was able to fully lose myself in the plot & picture everything exactly as it was being described. I loved that we saw a progress of character development within this book.
• i didn’t feel like the book was rushed at all which was great. There was a couple plot twists in this book & it was delightful

I never knew I needed a Shaddy (shadow daddy) until I read Our Vicious Oaths. Malachi and his cocky attitude and them grilles did it for me every time. Kadeesha was a bad a** FMC who never strayed away from who she was even when ppl tried to force her down a different path. This book was so unapologetically & unquestionably black! From their described appearance, their names and even down to the food they ate. Seeing ham, candied yams and greens being described in a book with black fae??? Where they do that at?? HERE CLEARLY! As a baby fantasy reader I was nervous going into this book but it flowed so well and kept my attention from beginning to end. The spice to plot ratio was YES!! I can’t wait to have a physical in my hand. That you Nia, Avon Books/Harper Voyager for the ARC

Miss Davenport really did her big one with Our Vicious Oaths!!! It is so exciting to see such an amazingly descriptive, uniquely magical and action-packed standalone romantasy by a Black author.

From start to finish I was on the edge of my seat, never fully accepting the truth of it all until the very end — much like Kadeesha. The intricate politics of the fae in this world kept me never quite knowing for sure if it was safe to let my guard down, which rendered me unable to put this book down for longer than 10 minutes.

While this book did have some common tropes and themes that you’d find in most romantasy set in fae realms, the customs and magic of the seven fae courts were extremely unique — from their magical connection to the elements to the donning of grillz for special occasions (one aspect I found extremely exciting).

Overall I’d say this is the perfect book for you to pick up if you love fae, high-stakes politics and two main characters who will do anything for those they love! N.E. Davenport has quickly become an auto-buy author for me.

I really enjoyed reading this fantasy. I loved the fact that this is a standalone.
But anyway, onto the nitty-gritty. DADDY MALACHI AND THAT DAMN GRILL. I can picture it so vividly.
If you're looking for a good fast paced action packed fantasy with a take no ish FMC and MMC. This is definitely the book for you.
Thank you Harper Collins for the ARC!

Princess of the Aether Dominion, Kadeesha wants nothing to do with fae politics. She is a warrior, first and foremost, and believes her greatest strength is leading her squadron of elite winged serpent flyers to protect her homeland. But bound since infancy to be betrothed to the Hyperion High King, ruler of all Dominions, she has no choice but to do what men have chosen for her.

Repulsed by the idea, she decides to spend one last night of freedom—in the arms of a dangerous stranger who takes her to sexual heights she’s never experienced before…but who is only using Kadeesha to set a trap for the High King.

For the High King and the kings of his six Dominions were responsible for the decimation of the Apollyon Court, and its new king, Malachi, wants his pounds of flesh.

On Kadeesha’s wedding day, Malachi and his special forces attack. Her father is killed, and Malachi wounds the High King, ultimately taking Kadeesha as hostage back to his land.

But she is no true hostage. The two form a pact: she will help lure the High King so Malachi can kill him once and for all, and he in turn will not harm Kadeesha or the Aether people. And as much as Kadeesha hates politics, she is now the Queen of her folk. Fae bonds are unbreakable…and so, perhaps, is the attraction Kadeesha and Malachi feel for each other. For even as they must publicly display their connection to provoke the High King’s jealousy, they struggle to resist the powerful allure between them in order to achieve their ultimate goals.

My Take:
If I were a tagger from Netflix tasked to describe this book, I'd chose "steamy thriller. sci-fi and fantasy and political drama." In Davenport's adult offerings, she has developed a FMC archetype: a lethally cunning dangerous woman with bouts of kindness and compassion and a lustful spirit. She will give you action scenes, steamy interludes and her stubbornness may make you want to shake her, but ultimately you root her and enjoy her journey. The MMC seem to vary, but they match their FMC well. If you enjoyed the synopsis and the Davenport FMC archetype, this book delivers. I would recommend it for a buddy read or a group setting where the drinks flow and the giggles can reign.

Refreshing to read a Fae fantasy world rooted in Black culture, speech, and traditions. Kadeesha and Malachi have undeniable enemies to lovers energy from the start of this fast paced novel of fae court intrigue, battles, and romantic entanglements. Loved the strong supporting cast and magical creatures as well!

This was the Perfect fantasy romance! Featuring my favorite elements.

Enemies-to-lovers dynamics (Vicious Bonds, Legendborn)
Morally grey characters (Unbroken, The Good Lie),
Magic systems rooted in power struggles (Blood Over Bright Haven, Daughter of the Merciful Deep).

The political intrigue and fae courts add a fresh layer to themes I will never not love —grumpy/sunshine tension, forced alliances, and high-stakes emotional bonds.

Its apparent I tend to gravitate toward fast-paced "touch her and die" protectiveness (Cappadonna 3.5), this book’s focus on slow-burn, ok ain't nothin slow about this burn, and political maneuvering immediately gratifying action-forward romantasy.


10/10

I’m completely in love with this book. It was an absolute blast! The level of world building and character development that Davenport managed to weave into this standalone novel blew me away.

This story perfectly blends the enemies to lovers trope with a fresh twist, making it stand out in the romantasy genre. The chemistry between Kadeesha and Malachi was off the charts! While the book is undeniably spicy, it never compromises the plot, maintaining a great balance. Kadeesha’s journey to navigate the misogyny of the Southern fae culture and rise as the leader and warrior she’s meant to be was both powerful and relatable.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book to any romantasy fan!

This book was everything I expected it to be and more. Our Vicious Oaths gives you a traditional fae story accompanied with magic, pointy ears, political intrigue and more. The world building was phenomenal and the story telling was excellent. I haven't read many fae stories but this was the first one where the characters were melanated. The main male character had grills. I enjoyed this story from page one and I can't wait to see what else NE Davenport creates next!

***3.5***
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

This book had most of my favorite things- dragon(ish) riders, arranged marriage, and political intrigue- but something felt off for me.
Usually, when I'm thrown into the action page one I get drawn into the story- in this case I was a bit confused and disconnected during the first scene.
I think the writing style just did not click with me, it was third person and so repetitive- especially the overuse of names.
I also could not tell if the language was suppose to be older or more modern- sometimes the dialogue was quite old fashioned and other times it was 'normal'/modern.

I am really intrigued and love the premise of the book- the characters were cool, the plot was a generally good pace, and the world was interesting- but the writing style/language just really took me out.

This was fast paced and exciting all the way through. Arranged marriages, assassinations, and plots for a crown are only the beginning.

I wish I could read this book for the first time OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN!!!!! Nia did her BIG ONE with this one! I absolutely loved this book and it filled my black fae heart over the brim. I love how it's a standalone because sometimes it can be tedious to read series especially ones that are unfinished but Nia did very well at world building and wrapping up the plot in this one installment. If she did want it to be a series I can definitely see the potential! As for the African American culture that was perfectly and effortlessly placed within this book....CHEF'S KISS!!!! I literally felt SAFE and SEEN within the Nimani realm! Our culture was portrayed so well within a fictional place, it's mind blowing. Don't let me forget about the spiciness that spanned over multiple chapters....YES PLEASE! The power and dominance that were at play was phenomenal, it was great seeing a FMC that wouldn't easily submit and made sure her intentions and needs were heard and met. To see a shadow daddy that abided by her every wish even if he didn't want to was really nice as well! Nia's way for describing the elemental magic, fae customs, and characters was great! Our Vicious Oaths is a 5 star read for me! It has pushed me to read Nia's other books. :D

I had a hard time getting into this book. the story was alright, standard fantasy fare. I didn't personally jive with the writing style, it felt a little stilted and juvenile at time - enough that it was hard to immerse into the story without being put off by the story telling. I will say overall it entertained, and different people have different preferences! give it a shot!

A fresh, fast-paced, fae romantasy, this book is packed with lots of heart and heat. The world is unique and compelling with political intrigue, a nice twist on fae/immortals, their magical systems and lore.

Malachi is a bloodthirsty but oh so lovable shadow daddy and Kadeesha is a fierce, feisty, and quick-witted FMC. I loved seeing the story from both POVs and being able to equally connect with and enjoy both main characters as individuals and as a couple. They had sizzling chemistry, flawless banter and the author touched on all the fun romantasy tropes in a bold yet thoughtful manner with an added feminist flair (enemies to lovers is only the half of their romance but I won’t go into detail so this review can be spoiler free as possible).

Outside of the romance and spice I enjoyed other relationships highlighted and represented. From dragon bonds to sisterhood, bromance snd even complicated family dynamics and drama, you can tell the author really put her heart and soul into this story. Game of Thrones meets Fae romantasy with fresh and reinvigorating flavor, this book was a phenomenal 5-star read.

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager, Netgalley and the author for a complimentary copy of this ebook. I am leaving a voluntary review. All thoughts and ideas expressed are my own.

Talking Bonded Kongamatos (half bird & half dragon flying serpents), a lovely cast of black characters, shadows & magic, and a prophecy! This is my favorite standalone Romantasy of the year!!

This story is a refreshing enemies to lovers fantasy with the right balance of revenge, politics, magic, spice, and romance. I really appreciate how strong, smart, and capable the FMC Kadeesha is! The author was able to deliver a well written standalone that does not feel like it was rushed or unfinished. I love this story and I can’t wait for the rest of world to appreciate it as well, so I definitely recommend!!!🧝🏾‍♀️🐉⚔️

🌶️🌶️🌶️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🖤Thank you NetGalley for this eARC!