Atonement of the Spine Cleaver

I received this title for free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Atonement of the Spine Cleaver was a novel that was a mixture of so many things to the point that it became an entity of its own. At a whopping 659 pages, it was the longest novel I read all year. However, it was a novel that I was able to read rather quickly; I spent most of my time over this past weekend committing to the book.

Bryce’s novel tells the story of Rorax Greywood, a deadly woman with gallons of blood on her hands. She is known across the Realms as the “Spine Cleaver,” and she is one of the deadliest warriors in all the Realms. The meat of the novel concerns “the Choosing,” a series of trials to determine the next Guardian of the Realms. This part of the story is the most intriguing and exciting, and waiting almost 100 pages was worth it because of that. Without giving any spoilers,

Let’s start with the positives because there are many high points in this book. The novel is well written, especially for a debut author who is finding her footing. There were several times that I had to close my phone because something Bryce wrote resonated. Rorax’s character development is great, even if it is not entirely linear. She is a complicated character with complicated motivations, and that is made clear throughout the entire book. Illus is an intriguing world, and the novel is bursting with queer representation. Because the world is queer normative, the characters were allowed and encouraged to be flawed (and even horrible) people, which is something that is not seen too much in a lot of narratives.

There are only two negatives I have about the book. The world building is complicated, and it took over 200 pages for me to figure it out. For an over 600 page novel, 200 pages is enough to get my footing, but I found myself being frustrated because I was not only figuring out these characters, their motivations, and the world, but I had to figure out the class system as well. Now, if you’re a serious fantasy reader with experience understanding new world systems and whatnot, this might not be a problem. Honestly, it wasn’t even that big of a deal, but it was enough that I had to include it in this review.

The second negative is the multiple perspectives that the novel is told through. I am not a fan of this writing choice, mostly because I find it confusing, and that was no different for this book. It did have its perks, and it helped round out the story because it helped the reader determine and understand character motivations. However, it just wasn’t for me. I would have rather stayed with Rorax the entire time.

Also, now I have to wait for the second book to come out.

Overall, I give this book 4.5 stars. I would recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy novels like A Song of Ice and Fire, but also anyone who is a fan of The Hunger Games or any other Battle Royale type of narratives. This is definitely not a light read, but it is an enjoyable one, and I will be looking out for that second book.

The world building was intense (it was beautifully thought out though once you get into it). I printed out her maps that she has online and that helped a lot.

Otherwise it was fabulous! A long book, but a fast read because most of the chapters are very short. The character development was sublime, and I looooved the MMC.

I received this copy for free from NetGalley for an honest review! So here we go!

It’s a longer read but it was too good to put down! As with fantasy there was a lot of world building to get into. It was longer I felt than usual to get into and a longer read.

I really enjoyed the multiple POV’s as I’ve mentioned with many other books before so it was really good! I feel this way, we see in both heads and it saves from having to read the same book entirely over again just to hear it from another POV. I always get excited for another book from a series I love but to find out it’s a book I’ve read and now I’m reading it all over again with an entirely different voice can be brutal for me. Just my own opinion but I find this saves me the hassle.

This is an amazing read! I couldn’t put it down! Loved the slow burn and some steamy romance! Always a fan of enemies to lovers as well!

This I heard is her first novel or debut; she knocked this out of the park! I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next!!!!

Bryce has created such a perfectly intricate world! At no point are you able to get bored with this story. The magic system is unique and plays into the class system. There are a multitude of gods and goddesses. The world is queer normative, which I believe adds to a layer of how characters express themselves and see others. The story carries on with no worries on gender of character which is very refreshing. The FMC and MMC are both morally grey and this adds a depth to their characters and the relationship between them that makes them feel relatable, and it makes the development of their relationship feel more real and not just constructed to add romance and spice to the story. The story contains many POVs that help carry the story and give a more well rounded view on all the characters' thoughts and actions, and the meanings behind them. Bryce has perfectly melded a story about personal development and relationship development with an intense plot of danger, secret missions, and quite a bit of violence (but not distasteful).

I am not even halfway through this book and I’m loving it! The main character is a kick ass heroine and the other characters are fully fleshed out as their own people instead of just supporting characters. The multiple POVs help to make the story that much more interesting, as well as provide context for history and cultures of the different characters. I also appreciate the fact that there is a wide array of genders, races, sexualities, and relationships that are not shown as anything but normal. These characteristics are part of each character, not the entire character.

I hope to finish the book prior to it being published, but I also wanted to post my thoughts beforehand because I’m also trying to take my time with the story. I will update my review once I’ve finished it.

With spectacular writing and stunning world building, this book caught me totally off guard.

This is a dark, gritty, violence filled fantasy, with a lot at stake. The multiple POV was a great choice, considering the multi-faceted nature of the characters.

I received this title from NetGalley in exchange for my review.

Let me start by saying how incredible Bryce’s world-building skills are! From the start, I couldn’t put it down and wanted to keep learning about this new world. I loved that the main character, Rorax, is a flawed, multi-dimensional character whose story is skillfully told in a well-rounded and intriguing way. I appreciate that both the FMC and MMC are both morally gray characters and this dynamic adds to their relationship and the eventual romance (as this has a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers plot). I also enjoyed the varying perspectives, as it allowed me to gain insight into the motivations and actions of the various characters. Bryce’s story has an intense plot with a unique world, a deadly contest, and well-written spice that will hook you and leave you wanting more.

Atonement of the Spine Cleaver is perfect for fans of Throne of Glass, Kiss of Death, and The Shadows Between Us.

✨ARC REVIEW✨

This book was phenomenal. The world building was top tier for me and the multiple POV was done beautifully. The characters were so well put together and developed throughout. Slow burn enemies to lovers, action, found family, magic and fantasy. I CAN NOT wait for the next one. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Bryce did such a great job with the world building of this book.
I really blew through the whole thing!
I'm a huge huge fan of multiple POV and this was full of them.
Magic, give me all the Magic!!! found family, slow burn enemies to lovers, I mean what else can a girl ask for in a book!!
I really went into this book not knowing what to expect, I just loved the look of the cover, and I was very pleased with everything that went into it. I loved the representation that was showed in the love stories, I feel that's really important. Thank for that.

Epic/Dark Romantic Fantasy
Multiple POV
Enemies to Lovers
Morally Grey FMC & MC
Queer Normative World
Found Family
Spicy
Book 1 of a series


Rorax Greywood, an orphan, is raised by the blood thirsty Wolf of the North as her own, she taught her to be a fearless, brutal, killing machine. She moulded her physically and mentally and manipulated her into killing thousands of people from a very young age.

Rorax is chosen by the gods to participate in a deadly competition known as The Choosing that decides the next Guardian of the North. It is a death sentence to every Contestar except one.

Lieutenant Ayres, better known to Rorax as Lieutenant Jackass, wants nothing more than to see Rorax dead. The devastation she has caused his people, during the Siege of Surmalinn is unforgivable. (Cue feelings of confusion, unwanted attraction with both murderous and lusty thoughts.)

The world building was done brilliantly, it had so many different aspects from the castle to the areas where the trials took place and the side missions. Throughout the whole book it felt like I was on a fast moving action packed adventure.

Each region has their own affinity to a certain type of magic and the more power you can wield the higher your social standing. Those with more power tend to be condescending to those with lesser power which then causes friction and tension amongst the Contestars.

The book is set in a queer normative world and everyone is free to love who they want.
It is also multiple POV and the side characters are absolutely wonderful. I have never felt this much empathy for book characters before.

The book also deals with a lot of personal journeys regarding loss, grief, guilt, shame and other internal struggles. Please read the trigger warnings in the Author’s note.

This is a slow burn romance with a lot of sexual tension and I give the spice 3.5 out of 5.

The Atonement of the Spine Cleaver is my new favourite book! The storyline is phenomenal, I was so absorbed in this book that I feel homesick now that it’s finished and I am dying to read the next book in the series. STANDING OVATION!
I recommend this book to lovers of dark epic fantasy, spicy romance, dangerous missions and death trials.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.
A huge thank you to NetGalley for this e-arc.

Thank you for the ARC!

Bryce truly excelled in crafting a captivating world within these pages. I practically devoured the entire book in no time at all. As an avid enthusiast of multiple points of view, I was delighted by the abundance of perspectives that enriched the narrative.

Oh, magic – give me all the enchanting elements! The presence of found family dynamics and the tantalizing slow burn of enemies-to-lovers progression ticked all the right boxes for me. It's like the book had a checklist of everything I adore in a story and nailed it!

Setting out with little expectation, drawn in primarily by the allure of the cover, I was pleasantly surprised by how wonderfully the story unfolded. The representation in the love stories woven throughout the narrative was a shining highlight for me. In a world where diversity and inclusivity matter, seeing these aspects celebrated in the book's romances was truly heartwarming.

Kudos to the author for masterfully crafting a world I was eager to immerse myself in and for weaving relationships that reflected the rich tapestry of humanity. This book is indeed a gem, and I'm grateful for the thoughtful representation it brings to the table.

This book deserves all the hype. This book has crack in it. I went from 30% to 80% in one night and the only realized I stopped was because it was 2:45 in the morning!

This intricate world has the politics and magic that will draw you in. The multipov gives you perspective of what is happening around all the people that are attached to the FMC. The side characters really give this book the depth it needs and shows how the FMC truly develops from the trauma she had at such a young age.

Rorax (FMC) is a complete badass, but has a soft spot for the people she loves. Ayres (MMC) is literally the epitome of touch her and die. The tension and angst between them throughout the entire book is amazing.


Thank you netgalley was the opportunity to review and be obsessed over this book.

I just reviewed Atonement of the Spine Cleaver by F. E. Bryce. #AtonementoftheSpineCleaver #NetGalley

This book was one of the best magical systems I have read in the longest time. It was intricate, and well thought out. I enjoyed this book and was hooked from the moment I started it. This is not for the faint of heart, and will break your heart. It is grungy, gory, and just soo addicting I could NOT put it down. The character development and backstories were dark, and the multiple POV is what I live for.

I could not get enough of everyone's stories, and their relationships. It tackles the enemies to lovers trope in the BEST of ways and leaves you wanting more. The spice is top notch. If you want a fantasy romance this is it plus some. I cannot recommend this book more. It is a beautiful combination Sarah J Maas's Crescent City, and the world building of a Brian Sanderson book. Dying for the next installment! FIVE Stars!

Atonement of the Spine Cleaver by F.E. Bryce is an ambitious and well written high fantasy about magic, deathly trials, and an intense romance. The world the F.E, Bryce built for us is beautiful and unique, one where flaws are encouraged and people are free to love.

In the beginning, I was a little lost with the world building. It does take a better part of the novel to really understand the complexity around the houses and countries of Illus. This is not a short read by any means but satisfying enough to where I can justify the need for over 650 pages.

I love a good enemies to lovers romance and the morally grey FMC and MMC made for an intense and spicy love affair. Speaking of spice, there is plenty of it and it starts from the beginning among multiple characters. No one is shy about their passion here. Rorax, the main vocal point, is a complex character that I enjoyed watching grow throughout the book.
I am not a fan of multiple POV in third person because I can lose track easily and forget who is who in the novel. Somehow F.E. Bryce is able to make this work as we follow not just one or two but multiple characters.
Overall, I enjoyed this read and I think its perfect for experienced fantasy fans who enjoy longer and complex novels. I cant wait for the second book!

4.5 stars rounded down mostly because of my own confusion at times. A fun and exciting read!
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book provided by net galley and the publisher. Thank you so much for sharing the novel with me! All thoughts and opinions are my own

✨ Atonement of The Spine Cleaver by @f.e.bryce.writes ✨

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A story of a villain's reckoning and redemption.

When the prologue hooks you in, you know you're in for a fantastic read.

This world the F.E. Bryce created was done so with great intelligence, and Rorax's story was done with absolute artistry. The intense growth of the characters throughout the book was realistic, messy, and beautiful.

The multiple POVs and thought processes, self reflection and growth each of these chacters went through was unique to each individual, and you could feel the actual shift with the change of perspective. The comraderie is palpable. The tragedy, love, hope and determination were all portrayed so beautifully - I don't even know how many times I cried during this book from all of it.

The enemies to lovers storyline was absolutely electric. The disdain overtop their attraction and overwhelming passion and chemistry was
p e r f e c t. The spicy scenes were absolutely impeccable.

I cannot express how deeply impressed I am by F.E. Bryce for this being her debut novel.

I want to forget this book, completely wipe my mind of it, just so I can experience it for the first time again.

You can read this incredible book starting this Friday, (September 1st) and it will be available on Kindle Unlimited!

*Thank you to @f.e.bryce.writes, #smartmouthpublishing, and @netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book*

Thank you NetGalley and F.E. Bryce for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. And I absolutely mean that because this was A M A Z I N G. I have never been so happy to request a fantasy book for it’s pretty cover. I think this is Bryce’s debut? correct me if I’m wrong but that makes it enormously impressive. First of all, the name of the book is so sick so I knew straight off the bat this was gonna be good but DUDE this was actually 10000/10. Atonement of the Spine Cleaver was so TOG coded and not in a copycat kind of way, but in a “if you loved TOG you NEED to read this” kind of way. And TOG is one of my favorite, if not my absolute favorite fantasy. The world building and magic system does take some time but it is explained thoroughly so it definitely becomes easier to understand while reading. Rorax is such a well written strong female main character, there is nothing I love more than a woman who holds her own and is extremely powerful especially in a fantasy book delivered so hard. Speaking of hard (tehe), the MMC is the ultimate “touch her and die” trope and of course he is huge and tattooed and powerful and dark and sexy. I really don’t think I have a single complaint, this was excellent and I will be in complete agony until the second book comes out and no I am not being dramatic. I am now a faithful F.E. Bryce follower. Please gimme the second book pretty pretty please!!!

This is an impressive fantasy debut. Rorax Greywood was groomed and trained as a killing machine by the Wolf and works now as a Heilstorm, a special forces unit of the House of Ice. One day, she is marked as a Contestar in the Choosing, a deadly competition to decide who the next Guardian of the Realms will be.

No matter how hard she tries, there is no escaping. The only House strong enough to protect her is the House of Death. Which is the House that was the victim of a genocide in which Rorax played a massive role. Nevertheless Milla, Ayres, Cannon and Kaiya do everything to help and protect her. And Jia, her friend and Heilstorm colleague, who watches over her as well.

Together they try to help her find the next suitable Guardian, and free her from the Choosing before the Choosing kills her.

Bryce has build a fully fledged new world, queer normative where everybody can be equal in power (gender is no issue), with different kinds of magick and magical creatures. The storytelling is excellent and I just raced through the book.

I loved the fact that the book had multiple point of views. It really enhances the story and gives the characters extra depth. The characters are very well developed and I loved the interaction between them.

The only thing that didn't always convince me were the sex scenes. I had to chuckle sometimes with them. But it's minor criticism. I definitely look forward to the next one!

Thank you NetGalley and F.E. Bryce for the ARC!

Absolutely enthralling!!

Bryce has created the next biggest epic fantasy to hit shelves!!

The cover and synopsis of Atonement of the Spine Cleaver are what first drew me in. But the ethereal world building, the complex magic systems, well developed fantasy lore, and astounding cast of characters did not disappoint.

Bryce truly takes the reader on an epic journey through the Realms and delivers a diverse cast of characters all fighting for something they strongly believe in. I was blown away by the captivating ups and downs of Rorax’s journey, and the other characters I came to love as well.

Bryce is a phenomenal writer, whose background and understanding of high and epic fantasy truly shines through this debut. I’m honestly beside myself that this is Bryce’s debut! If you’re a fan of Throne of Glass, and other multiple POV fantasies with a large cast of characters, you are going to covet this book. Anything Bryce publishes will have a home on my shelves, and I impatiently await the next book in the Atonement series!

Wowwww. I was a little terrified to read this book based on the name, but it turned out to be so good and such a fun read. This book gives adult Hunger Games plus magic vibes, with maybe a little inspo from HP and the Goblet of Fire. But more than that, this book gives us incredible world-building, an awe-inspiring yet truly relatable protagonist in Rorax, some wonderful male and female friendship and characters, aaaaand it is truly the sexiest book I have read all year, NFSW, 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🥵
I can’t wait to read the sequel!!

This story surprised me! I didn’t go into it knowing much but it was enjoyable and kept me engaged the whole time. Think Fourth Wing style — lots of classic romantasy elements and the stakes also felt high enough to not just be about the relationship. The end was a bit unsatisfying and not just because it needed a cliffhanger for book 2 but because it felt like there wasn’t any definite resolution of any the main tensions. There’s so much that was going on that the author could have closed some doors or finalized some plot points. That being said it might end up being a good thing for starting the next book with a big bang…

"You are enough, and you have done enough, to earn my forgiviness, my protection, my friendship, and my loyalty".

What. A. Ride. There's no better way to describe "Atonement of The Spine Cleaver".

The book gives us Rorax, an essentially lonely and troubled protagonist that's constantly fighting over the guilty and blame of her past actions. Someone who has been manipulated and, if I may, treated like garbage, and that has to deal with the consequences of her actions everyday.

I've never read a book with a morally gray protagonist before, and to begin with Rorax was the best decision I could make.

There wasn't a moment I couldn't understand her actions, even if they weren't deemed right. At some point, her troubles became my troubles, and while she's not a hero like Clary Fray or Percy Jackson — someone who has barely any flaw — it was impossible not to root for her.

Ayres is also a character to be praised. We don't have a male protagonist here that is 100% good, that does the right thing because he's supposed to do so — he's, just like Rorax, trying to be good in a world that has created to be bad. The burden he carries makes sure of it, and to see him struggling between hating and liking Rorax (as his friend and lover), was a work of art.

Even if some of their decisions almost made me become the Torch and kill them both.

F.E Bryce wove an amazing, enthralling story. She created relatable characters, and a group of friends — no, family — that had me wishing to be one of them, because if that's what being friends really mean... well, everyone should have a family like that.

To be an ARC Reader for this book was a gift, and I can't wait to read the next one.

Rorax Greywood lives in the Realms and was trained to fight, kill, and steal for the House of Ice’s special forces unit, the Heilstorms, from the time she was ten years old. During her time as a Heilstorm, Rorax committed more violent atrocities in the name of her House than she could ever remember, but the blackest stain on her soul remains the Siege of Surmalinn—an infiltration and near genocide in the largest House of Death city.
Years later, when Rorax is called upon by the Gods to compete in the Choosing, a deadly competition that decides the next Guardian of the Realms, it quickly becomes clear the only House strong enough to protect her is the House of Death.
Rorax knows she isn’t worthy to become the Realms’ new Guardian, so she somehow needs to convince the House of Death—and their brutally handsome lieutenant—to help her find the next suitable Guardian, and free her from the Choosing before the Choosing kills her.


I’m obsessed with this book. We have a deeply flawed main character who is doing all she possibly can to make up from her past actions while also attempting to stay alive through the Choosing - if only so she can live to free the other competitors from the magic keeping them there. I do still have questions on *why* the siege happened and who’s secretly working against the group though. Bryce also really didn’t pull any punches just giving us death of meaningful characters right out the gate. Im so so excited for book 2 I need more Ayres

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. (via Netgalley)

4.5 stars. I breezed through the first half before thinking, huh, wonder how long this is and was shocked to see how many pages were in this book lol. At nearly 900 pages I'm impressed it never dragged for me. The character and world building were great. Unsure if this is a standalone or not but would love to see more from these characters!

Rorax, secretly known as the Spine Cleaver, is number three in realms for total number of kills. She is part of an elite military force who serve the Frost Kingdom. One of the most powerful kingdoms of the realm. But what is most important to her, is to save her imprisoned brother, who sacrificed everything to save her. But the gods ruin her plans to rescue her brother in a big way. And she must take part in a tournament or die. While trying to find a way out of the competition, she allies with a very handsome, and very dangerous enemy, But there is more than just a competition that is troubling the realm. Rorax will need to overcome her past sins and learn what it is to be human, while saving the realm,
If you like fantasy romance, with Throne of Glass or The Serpent and the Wings of Night vibes. F.E. Bryce brings together a dangerous and violent world with one of the best written badass heroines I have read. If you like trials, redemption, revenge, impending doom, slow-burn, enemies to lovers, this book is your next read.

So this will be the first slightly negative review I will have given. This book I did enjoy however I found elements of it very complicated to get to grips with particularly the world building. If I am honest it nearly made me give up. Once I had got my head rounds this I did enjoy the book.

Would I recommend it, yes but with the warning about the world building element

As soon as I read the plot, I knew I would love this book, but I didn't expect it to exceed my expectations so much.
"Atonement of the Spine Cleaver" is a long epic fantasy with a strong romance component. At first, I admit that I had a bit of trouble with the world-building, in fact we are immediately catapulted into this world and in the midst of action, and of course it takes some time before we can get settled, but later we get the right explanations. After finishing the book, I can say that the world-building is one of its strengths.
It was a quick and flowing reading, and after you get through the first hundred pages, it becomes difficult to put the book aside.
"Atonement of the Spine Cleaver" is a volume of more than eight hundred pages, and yet at the end I wanted more of this universe. The plot is full of twists, political intrigue, action scenes and it's impossible not to love the characters.
Rorax is a fantastic protagonist. She is conscious of her strength, but she considers herself a monster since she was raised to kill. Yet she’s not afraid to show her feelings.
Ayres is the usual male character who seems detached, but who actually has a great heart. And his body is covered in tattoos.
Even the secondary characters are well characterized and I loved the bond between all of them.
Obviously the thing I liked the most was the main ship. This is an enemies to lovers with all the trimmings! And there are also spicy scenes.
I think this book is one of those that could satisfy readers who have very different tastes and I’m pretty sure It will have the success it deserves.
For me it was one of the best readings of the year.

Atonement of the Spine Cleaver by F.E. Bryce - 4.5/5

This is an ARC reader's review.

Atonement of the Spine Cleaver is a fantastic fantasy book.
Rorax lives in the Realms and was trained early on to fight and kill for the special forces unit. When Rorax is called to compete in The Choosing, a deadly competition she must find a house that is strong enough to protect her.
The author took special care to give us world-building details that make you feel transported into the book, which is hands down the best of reading. This is a multi-point-of-view story, that was done in a way that compliments the storyline. The different characters all come together and have this pull on you, from the main characters to the side characters, you find yourself rooting for them. I love this book and will be one I can go back and reread over and over.

Book review 📚
Atonement of The Spine Cleaver by F.E Bryce - 4.5/5 ⭐

I'm not sure I have enough words in my vocabulary to describe how absolutely phenomenal Atonement of The Spine Cleaver was. For a debut, I can't believe how exceptional it is. Bryce has created a truly fantastic piece of work and I know it is going to be huge. It's a must read.

I didn't read the description or blurb, I based my decision to read solely off the cover and title. It sounds and looks like my type of book. Visually stunning and a catchy title. I was not disappointed. I cannot wrap my head around how impressed I was with this read. As I said above, there are not enough words.

Let's talk tropes - I didn't think it was possible for there to be so many tropes and it not be to much? It all fits together perfectly and made the story pretty awesome. And spice? Well. There is no shortage of spice! The characters are definitely not shy in coming forward, that's for sure. The multiple POVs definitely made a difference to the entire story and, somehow, made it even better.

I am going to be thinking about this book for a long time! I don't know where Bryce has been hiding, but I'm glad they've made a leap into the world of books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dialogue Books for allowing me to read this ARC - this is an HONEST review from my own personal opinion.

This is hands down one of the best books I have ever read. It was the first thing that came out of my mouth upon finishing.

Straight from the start you are thrown into action. At no point will you find yourself bored during it. Found family, Spice, disability representation, MAGIC, etc. all of my favorite things wrapped up into one amazing novel. The FMC is not only bad 🍑 but seems like a genuinely amazing character whose growth is beautiful to read about. I cannot wait for the second book to come out.

Definitely will be buying the physical copies :)

Thank you so much NetGalley and publishers for the arc!

WOW! This book as AH-MAZING! I cannot believe this is Bryce’s debut, I’m sure I’m the 100th person saying this, but this story was everything I needed and more.

I hate to spoil books for others so I won’t be sharing much, but this is a MUST READ if you like fantasy! Go and start it now, don’t let the almost 900 pages intimidate you. It is so well written that the story just flows and keeps you wanting more and more without stopping. I loved The multiple character’s POV. At first I felt a little overwhelmed, but that’s just me with every fantasy book’s world building, there are 12 Houses, different types of magic, types of creatures, many important characters, I had to go back and re-read or highlight who was who, from which house, so I would suggest you make some notes at the begging to make it easier. I received this as an ARC (thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing) when I downloaded it, I didn’t see a map. It is now out and in the released edition I noticed the Maps! I am excited to re-read it and use them as reference. I will also be purchasing a printed copy, I enjoyed this book so much. AOTSC will be VERY BIG, I can already see it, Congratulations F. E. Bryce!

I loved Rorax (…and other characters) and I cannot wait for the next book. I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS!!! When the author says Book 2 will be coming out “early 2024” I really hope she means January 2024

This was a great book with complex characters, good banter, high stakes, and incredible uniqueness. I thoroughly enjoyed the reading experience and getting to know all these different characters. There were really only three things that I wished were different. One is the world building – it took a long time for me to understand everything going on because it felt like a lot of world-specific concepts were kicked out and used as if they were everyday things and then only later would you get an explanation of what the concept really was. I would have appreciated some quicker explanations so that I didn’t have to remove myself from the story too much in order to keep track of things. The second thing was the ending. It felt rushed in comparison to the pacing of the rest of the book and I understand that this is the first in the series, but I left unsatisfactorily because it felt like we were on the edge of a really good place to tie everything up, but we didn’t fully cross the finish line. The final thing that I wished was different was Rorax coming to decisions (especially the big one at the end) differently. She’s a very strong FMC, but it felt like all it took was a look or a few words from Ayres to change her mind about something. I would have liked to see her struggle with her decisions more and come to answers independently of Ayres’ sway, especially given her history with blind allegiance to The Wolf. Hopefully there is more of that in the next book, which I’m looking forward to!

This was a GEM of a novel.

This was such a good read. To summarize, this is about 40% murder, 40% romance, 20% politics. Bryce explores themes of loss, grief, guilt, and forgiveness throughout this multi-pov story. We follow our main character Rorax, one of the most powerful women in the realm, as she is forced to join a series of deadly trials called the Choosing. To protect herself best, she turns to help from a House of people she has a heavy history with.

The worldbuilding and magic systems were neatly organized, which I appreciate in a fantasy book. I cannot stand when authors set rules for their world at the beginning of their books and then spend the rest of their time breaking every rule they've set. The romance was a stunner. THIS IS ENEMIES TO LOVERS at its finest. They throw each other around for a good 50% of the story. There's a bit of heartbreak, a bit of groveling, a bit of pining, a bit of sex. It's perfect.

This is exactly what I mean when I say I want to read a fantasy romance. This is it. Word for word. And, as much as I loved this first book, the more you read, the more you realize that everything is being set up for the next novel. I am so fucking excited.

ARC Review

First off, this is a loooong book... but it's totally worth it! The set up takes a bit, but that's my only complaint. Once the plot is set up, the story just keeps moving. There's more depth to the characters than you think, and there's twists around every corner. Rorax is a beautifully determined character, and her arc is very well-written. Ayres is the perfect counterpart. Their interactions are filled with such emotion that you cannot help but get caught up in it all. I will definitely be getting a hard copy for my personal library!

At over 700 pages long, this was an epic fantasy romance with everything I could ask for.

In what I would call a true enemies-to-lovers story, Rorax is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of people, with a truly gruesome moniker - "The Spine Cleaver."

Forced by the gods in a do-or-die contest to choose the next Guardian of the North, she comes under the protection of a man with more reason to destroy her than anyone else as she battles to find a way out.

This was a fantastic read, especially from a debut author, and I can only wait eagerly for the next book to be complete to further feed my newfound obsession with Rorax's, and her found family's, fates.

This book was fantastic! One of my favorite reads this year. I loved the premise of the book. The plot was better than I could have imagined. It had aspects of the hunger games with the trials and their protectorates aka “mentors”. It also had aspects that reminded me of throne of glass book 1. With the trials to become an assassin. It also had aspects of game of thrones. The fighting to be one of the guardians of the realms. With added dragons. It was filled with faerie creatures and lots of fantasy aspects and magic. I loved it so much. I really also enjoyed the multiple POV’s. I appreciated getting to see different storylines mature all within the same timeframe. The world building for me was so easy to follow. At first I was a little worried it would be to much but it was done very well.

There was tragedy, love, heartbreak and death. With slow burn enemies to lovers, sapphic romances, and a slight love triangle. And I love me a morally grey character with a redemption arc.

My highest criticism however is the time frame issue. Multiple times the author would state a time frame for something to happen, say 2 weeks. And then it would be almost a month later when that thing would occur. This happened on more than on occasion. A big one is the plot point of the Guardian and what happens to them with the transfer of power ending within 6 weeks max. And then the plot continuing as though it won’t end for another 8+ weeks. Like the time that they went to get a book and said they had a week before the next trial. Yet on the way back from getting a book they said it would take 6 days to get back to the castle. That’s 12 days there and back not including the time they had already been traveling. That’s almost double the time of when the next trail would be. Just a lot of time issues that didn’t add up. This was more of an issue towards the end of the book.

My other main issue was towards the end of the book around 65% I noticed sloppier writing. Spaces missing between words, wrong words placed in a sentence. Misspelled words. It got pretty bad in the last 20% of the book to where it was happening in every single chapter. I know this is an arc. And the book is already out. So I’m hoping these changes have already been made or fixed.

Despite these major issues with the writing I’m giving it 5 stars for how absolutely banging the plot and characters were! I cannot wait for the next book. Ughhh I need the next book now!!

ARC Review (no spoilers): I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley and the following is my honest, unpaid opinion.

It is absolutely mind boggling that Atonement of the Spine Clever is a debut novel. I cannot stress enough how much I fell in love with these characters and this world. For fans seeking a new romantasy author similar to Sarah J Maas (especially Throne of Glass, A Court of Thorns and Roses) and others (Hunger Games), F.E. Bryce makes an incredible debut – building an intricate world with characters that are complex and imperfect, and who you root for – flaws and all.

In the beginning and in truth, I almost DNF’ed this book. The book starts off with a ton of world building which was making me feel like a lot was happening without anything moving the plot forward.

But around Chapter 21, the book completely shifted and really took off. It is truly impressive seeing all of the work and setup that the author did to then weave the various pieces together in ways that were entertaining, heartbreaking, and spicy AF.

There’s a LOT that I loved about this book, but here are some of my favorite highlights (without giving too much away):
- I love me a morally gray character and this book is filled with them. The lead character is a badass struggling to atone for her past (Think Aelin from TOG). She’s funny and witty but is constantly feeling as though she isn’t enough and hasn’t done enough to make up for her destructive history.
- This book is a fantastic, slow burn, enemies to lover trope that is filled with spice – but in a way that doesn’t feel gratuitous.
- I absolutely loved the diversity and representation in this book. The author points at the very beginning that the world is queer normative and I honestly, loved and appreciated that. I also ADORED that there were characters speaking in sign language which I’ve never seen before. Huge kudos and more of this, please.

The book is long- clocking in over 700 pages, and yet after reading this book, I still wanted more. Not just as a sequel to follow the main cast of characters, but honestly- there are so many substories and secondary characters in this world that I just NEED to know more about. The fact that I even feel this way after 700 pages speaks volumes to F.E. Bryce’s ability to craft characters and relationships that are interesting and entertaining.

My tips for readers:
- Do not let the length of the book deter you from reading it. I can’t believe how fast this book went and when it picked up about 20% through, it PICKED. UP. I couldn’t put it down.
- For my fellow newbie fantasy reading friends, take advantage of the materials and resources that the author provides to help place the worlds, Houses, and characters. It is super helpful!
- Be prepared and patient. Like I said, a lot of early on world building so just keep going and know that it'll all come together sooner rather than later and you won't be sorry.

Easily 5 stars for me. I actually purchased a physical version of this book to have it on my shelf, it was that good.

Book 2- whenever it comes out – will be immediately on my reading list. I need to know what happens to these characters and can’t wait to see more from this world and from this author!

Sincere appreciation and thanks to F.E. Bryce, NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to review (and fall in love with) this book.

#AtonementoftheSpineCleaver #NetGalley #ARCreview #FEBryce

"Atonement of the Spine Cleaver" by F.E. Bryce is a gripping and intricately woven fantasy novel that transports readers to a richly imagined world. The story follows the journey of a determined protagonist as they seek redemption and reconciliation with their past, all while navigating a world filled with magic, complex characters, and moral dilemmas. Bryce's masterful storytelling and vivid descriptions create a captivating narrative that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. This book is a must-read for fantasy enthusiasts, offering a unique blend of adventure, emotion, and thought-provoking themes.

The world building and magic system in this book were so well done. At times, some aspects of the book felt slightly disjointed; however, I still felt like I could pick the thread back up with few issues. I am very interested in learning more about Rorax and her mysterious past/brother. The relationships both platonic and romantic were done beautifully. This book definitely had some spice. I’d give it a solid 4/5 chili peppers. 🌶️ 🌶️🌶️🌶️

This book was close to a 5 star book. There were quite a few typos and, as mentioned previously, sometimes it felt like the story was disjointed. That said, as a whole, I’d give this book a solid 4/5.

I will be thinking about this book for the foreseeable future and will 100% be reading the next one.

I LOVED this book!! I was thrilled to see the author has plans for a second one!

If you LOVE Bryce from CC then Rorax will be your new favorite FMC!!

Morally grey characters, enemies to lovers, dragons, magic, banter, heartbreak, redemption... READ IT NOW!

I really appreciated the diversity and inclusion in the novel! However, my favorite part was all of the amazing strong female characters. It's not just one BA woman kicking butt all over, it's a unit of them!! Very cool!

Learning a new fantasy world can be overwhelming and this book has 12 houses, which is a LOT to learn at the beginning of a book BUT it felt natural in this world. The POV transitions were really helpful and such a nice introduction to the characters and houses.

The tension and banter in this book is TO DIE FOR!!! The spice is spicy!!

I cannot wait for the next one. Seriously!! I cannot hype this book enough!

🔥🗡️Phenomenally epic fantasy - a sexy Game of Thrones meets The Hunger Games🗡️🔥

WOW. This book is impossible to put down! Incredible debut by F. E. Bryce.

A plethora of violence, sex and banter, this book has everything you could want from the genre. The world building is absolutely fantastic (and queer normative!) and incredibly detailed whilst not being too difficult to follow, and the characters are thoroughly complex whilst lovable.

Bryce absolutely smashed the enemies to lovers trope in this book, creating a violent love interest that even the reader can't be too fond of at first, but grows to thirst over (THOSE SPICY SCENES🌶️🔥). She's also left the door open for other potential relationships to be explored later on (I feel a love triangle coming on).

Although the book is predominantly from the POV of our FMC Rorax, it occasionally switches between a few other characters too which works incredibly well in this book as it offers a fresh perspective and allows the reader to follow other events happening whilst not drawing attention away from main plot.

I just loved this book and I'm so glad that there's so much more of the story left to tell - GIVE US MORE! This is truly going to be the next legendary fantasy series to buy and I'll be snapping up the next one as soon as it comes out.

Atonement of the Spine Cleaver is an excellent epic fantasy novel. It is perfect for people who enjoy stellar world-building and magic systems, multiple POVs, and high-stakes competitions.
It took me a few chapters to get into the book. The first about eight chapters laid the groundwork for the story, but after that point, the plot really picked up, and I didn't want to put the book down.

Thank you to Netgalley and F.E.Bryce and Victory Editing for ARC in return for my honest review.

Atonement of the Spine Clever is a high fantasy romance book and has to be hands down one of the best books I have read this year I absolutely bloody loved it,.
F.E.Bryce is unquestionably an author to follow.I knew when I started reading the book it was going to be great but it was more than that it was outstanding.
The world building was really thought out and planned extensively and I was never bored the author also has extras on her web page of the maps of the realms and character guide and glossary which I read before reading the book this again attentively planned I love a good map. This book is almost 800 pages but I never felt this way I really didn't want the book to end and felt like I could continue reading I was so absorbed.
If you like Game of Thrones, Hunger Games, The Maze Runner you'll love this book.
It has
Morally Grey MFC-MMC
Deadly Trials
Multiple POV
Realms
lgbtq+ Rep
Enemies to lovers
Magic
High fantasy
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️
I'm anticipating the next book in 2024

Thank you to NetGalley for proving me with a copy of this book.
This was a bit rough start for me, I’m all for a chunky fantasy, but I felt a little overwhelmed with the world building on this one, I’m sure if you can smoothly go through the first 100 pages or so you’ll end up liking it a lot, especially if you like:
Slow burn, enemies to lovers (and sapphic romances), high stakes and lots of plot twists and TRIALS.
Honestly, this should’ve been right up my alley, however something just didn’t click with me (not to say this was a bad book by any means), I’m just saying that if you are an avid romantasy reader and are not scared of big books, with complex world building and just a LOT going, then this is definitely for you!

I received this title from NetGalley in exchange for my review.

This book will be perfect for fans of Fourth Wing, ToG, The Serpent and The Wings of Night, Daughter of No Worlds.

I didn’t expect this book to be exactly what I needed, after my last poor read. This book is missive, but it only took me 1 weekend to read it. It was THAT GOOD.
Atonement of The Spine Cleaver is an adult, high fantasy book with so many amazing tropes that it's hard to highlight all of them, but I will try, if only to convince as many people as I can, to read this book!

Additional info: You may find first chapters of the book a little bit confusing, because we land in the middle of the action, but for me it's definitely a better approach then 200 pages of world building. What was also a great idea for me, is that we have several spicy scenes but the descriptions of it took several pages, not 50% of the book.
//
- morally grey FMC/MC
- enemies to lovers
- orphan hero
- queer normative world
- sapphic POV
- chosen family
- touch her and die
- political plotting
- kingdoms at war
- fantastical creatures and beasts
- hidden identity
- difficult past
- chosen one
- trials
- quest to save the world
- complex world building and unique magic system
- forced proximity
///

Rorax Greywood is 166 years old female, one of the Lowborns with extremely difficult past. As a warrior trained since she was 7, she had done terrible things. It's impossible to tell, how many lives she ended or how many cities she destroyed. What is 100% sure, is that Rorax resent herself and in her eyes, she doesn’t deserve anyone’s forgiveness. When we meet Rorax, her only goal is to save her brother from 100 years of captivity. Unfortunately, Rorax's plan to save her only living family member was interrupted by Gods themselves, who chose Rorax to be one of the 12 Contestars in the new Choosing - the trials to find the new North Guard of the Realm. So now Rorax has to not only save her brother, but also save the twelve houses and the Realm from forthcoming war.

"Twelve Contestars selected by the gods, fight in trials chosen and organized by the Guardian. The last one standing supplants them".

Slow burn? Enemies to lovers? Magic? Found family?! Yes please!!!! This was phenomenal and kept me turning page after page, no breaks. No boredom. Epic fantasy and the magic system? 🤌🏻 well rounded and solid book.

It's like The Selection and Fourth Wing had the most perfect and amazing love child! This book should be the next big release! Don't let the page count fool you, once you get sucked in, the nearly 800 pages will not be enough!
The first chunk of the book is all character and world-building, and the story is told from multiple perspectives. I will be the first to say that sometimes the story gets lost with multiple POVs, but in this case, it is the best thing. Each POV has a different piece of the bigger picture and you get to watch each character struggle with how they feel about Rorax and where they stand with her on her journey.
And the enemies-to-lovers storyline....obsessed! Two people who are basically mortal enemies forced to work together, each as equally dangerous as the other, and who fall equally as hard for the other! This has been one of my favorite arcs to have the privilege of reading from NetGalley and waiting for the next one is a new type of torture.

I went into this a little intimidated, my last read was just over 400 pages and it felt like it took forever to get through. This was over 600 pages and it flew by!!

At the start of the book you will notice there are three extremely detailed maps and a link to a glossary on the authors website. For me, it put me off a little. I honestly thought this was too much and that I’d never remember everything. I was wrong! Although the maps still seem too detailed to me. I don’t think all three were needed for this book.

The characters are amazing!! Rorax has to be one of my new faves. Her grief and guilt is so easy to connect to (for me anyway) it was a view point quite rare in Fantasy IMO. I always love a strong female lead and boy did Bryce give us that.

The story, is based on a series of trials called The Choosing. This part of the book gives slight Hunger Games vibes, but so much better. I feel Bryce chose wisely when she needed to go into detail. In the past when I’ve read similar situations, the trials etc sometimes go into too much detail. It makes the trial/test go on much longer than needed and really drags. That doesn’t happen with this! Each one is, for me, the perfect length.

I can’t wait for the next book in early 2024.

HOLY HELL

This is an epic high fantasy, and I am so proud that this is a debut that is of this level of fantasy.

This is a chonky book and was easy to read and follow.
I read it alongside my Instagram ARC bestie and we both agreed it was a 4.5 star, only because we found some early chapters to be a little "too" overly descriptive by use of repeating the scene through so many different perspectives (when only 2 or maybe 3 times was enough to build a picture).

However, the story and characters and plot and romance and ALL OF IT was so good and enjoyable that I gave it an overall rounded score of 5.

Look, its big, it took me a while, but if this got made into a movie (which I sincerely hope it does), I would be getting my non-book lovers to watch!

If you love Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas, you'll enjoy this book.

It took me a few attempts to get into Atonement of the Spine Cleaver but once I got into it I enjoyed it. Rorax was a solid heroine and I enjoyed reading about her development. The side characters were well characterised, especially Jia and the House of Death crew. I did feel that Ayres was a bit generic and could be easily substituted for any of the male leads in many popular fantasy romance novels. He was powerful, good looking, good fighter and occasionally cruel. I was actually more interested in the Rorax-Raegnar backstop that was hinted at but alas a hint was all we got...hopefully F.E. Bryce will expand on it in the sequel along with the Sahana plot that came out of nowhere and fizzled away just as quickly. Maybe I'm impatient but that's what I didn't like about the novel, I wanted something more concrete in 700+ pages. The ending was also very abrupt, seemed unfinished. The book is mainly about the Choosing and it doesn't even finish in the novel. Rora has some personal growth and comes to a big decision (not a surprise), war is still stirring, the Choosing is ongoing, nothing is resolved. I could forgive that if book 2 was already released but alas I have to impatiently wait for the sequel to be released in 2024.

This book is AMAZING! I couldn’t put it down! I loved the multiple perspectives and enjoyed it. It gives you a different perspective on specific scenes in the novel. It becomes easier to love a character when you get into their brain and FE Bryce did a phenomenal job doing that. Literally you become invested in not just the main character but the side characters....even the animals LMFAO.

It has all my fave tropes: Enemies to lovers, forced proximity and Slow burn. Amazing spicy scenes.

Can’t wait for the next one!

Thank you Netgalley for sending me this book for an honest review.

Bryce has truly crafted a remarkably intricate world!
This story captivates you from start to finish.
The world's queer normative nature enhances the way characters express themselves and view others, which I find to be an admirable aspect.
In alignment with this fresh perspective, the story progresses without any concern for the characters' genders.
The main female and male characters exemplify moral ambiguity, which adds depth to their personalities and their connection, making them easy to relate to.
Furthermore, their relationship develops in a genuine way, avoiding any signs of being forced for the sake of romance.
The Author displays great skill in blending a storyline focused on personal and relationship growth, filled with thrilling adventures and a significant amount of violence, while ensuring it retains a tasteful quality throughout.

Well, I had to take a few minutes after finishing this book, because, OMG, WHAT WAS THAT??
This book is simply beyond amazing, and, honestly, one of the best books I read in my entire life! The characters are imperfectly perfect, the magic world is simply *chef kiss*, and I can't even tell you how many times I've cried with Rorax.
It blew my mind to know this is a debut novel, because, honestly, I felt like I was reading a SJM book. Rorax, to me, reminded me of Aelin, of Scarlett, that's how amazing this was.
Do yourself a favor and READ THIS BOOK RIGHT NOW!
Perfect, perfect, perfect!!! A thousand stars.

This book is an absolute masterpiece and it’s in my top reads this year. It took me a bit longer to get through and it’s the longest book I’ve ever read, but I’m so glad that I finished it. I’ll be thinking about this book a long time and I need more of that steamy romance and I hope that I’ll get access to the sequel.

This is really 3.5 stars. I had mixed feelings about this one, as there were a few times I found myself not being called to dive back into it again, but then by the end I was invested and the renewed pacing drove me through to the end.

Rorax is a tough main character because she plays the martyr a little too much to keep relating to her throughout the story. I also had a hard time with her being a total badass in every other aspect of her life, and towards Ayres, but then suddenly was simpy as soon as they dropped their clothes. It kind of makes sense with her arc, but it was a little too much for me.

I thought the world building was great, the premise was intriguing, and the descriptions were decent, so 5+ for all of that. The dialogue was a little rough, but it moved quickly enough to not matter.

All in all, solid 3.5 and I’ll probably look for the second book to know what happens!

I went into this not knowing what to expect, and I left not really knowing much more. I really wanted to enjoy this one but I struggled so much in the beginning that when nothing started to fit together, I had to dnf it. The writing style wasn’t for me but perhaps I’ll revisit it in a few months to try again.

This story really does have so much to it that I know a lot of people will enjoy it. I simply like lighter, shorter reads, narrated in a ‘less is more’ sort of way.

Found it hard to get into, dont know if that was me or anybody else has that same . Writting was good, but dnf' it.

Thank you to the author, F. E. Bryce, for this eARC via NetGalley!

Let me introduce you to my new favorite book. Atonement of Spine Cleaver is F. E. Bryce's debut novel and I'm absolutely enamored with it.

Don't let the serious title scare you. This epic high fantasy is for the SJM girlies. The world building is unique and the writing is sophisticated. There's a level of depth throughout that I've only encountered in other top romantasy series. Overall, this book is a treasure trove for avid romantasy readers.

I loved Rorax's found family and their hilarious banter. I enjoyed the super slow burn and tension between MCs. I also appreciated how different characters processed emotions related to trauma, grief, shame, and forgiveness. This book also covers almost all of my favorite tropes including: friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, slow burn, hidden identity, assassin/martyr FMC, overprotective MCs, multiple POVs, morally grey, deaf representation, "touch her and die," traumatic past, queernormative world, and political intrigue. This book is also spicy!

I don’t think any review I write can do this book justice. All I can say is Atonement of the Bone Cleaver is a must-read. I cannot wait for the rest of this series!

This is a spine, chilling, mafia, dark romance novel and I generally fell in love with this, but I think it was great. It was grumpy sunshine. I actually really loved the plot of this book as it was quite heavy. I would definitely highly recommend especially if you’re a dork romance girly, but if dark France is not your thing I would definitely say miss this book. I’m not read anything from us. All the force was quite intrigued when I saw this and it did not disappoint. She is now one of my favourite authors, and I’ll definitely reading more of her backlog future.

Thanks NetGalley for the Arc of this book!

'She burned down their cities and now she needs their protection'...

Wow! Where do I begin.

I quite enjoyed this book! I knew from the cover and the blurb, that I would love this book.

It was everything I expected and more!

The book had tons of world building that was nicely done. This made it a little bit harder to get into in the beginning because it took real concentration to understand everything. I wish I would have had a map to help, but with it being an arc it wasn't easy to see, but I saw another review mention seeing one on the internet so I looked it up too and it helped a lot to clear some things up. This book had a slow burn and steamy romance, that really added to, and didn't take away, from the story.