Trial of the Sun Queen

WOW. Wow. WOW! When I say, "I want to read some Fantasy, High Fae, Romance, with Spice." This book was EXACTLY what I want. This will blow you out of the water! I love this book and it was a top highlight of 2023 for me! It is so well written, and so well weaved I felt like the ancient Greek Seamstresses were telling me this story. It was that good. I devoured this book! Let's get into it!

First off, I want to thank Nisha for gracing us with this wonderful book & second, for using words the readers want to read/see in sex scenes, especially in fantasy romance books. Those would be cock, pussy, clit, wet, thrust.

With a dedication like this I knew I was in for a wild ride.

For anyone who finds themselves driven by both love and rage.

Our main character, Lor, is an all-around bad-ass. She ate and left no crumbs in this book. The first line of the book is so iconic, and that first chapter had me calling two friends and telling them about the book. I was hooked to say the least. Lor has been through a lot, both physically and mentally. She's had to grow up in prison and that, along with her loving & also harden siblings), has shaped her into a truly brave and strong woman. I felt myself rooting for her every move and consistenly backing her up when she was telling someone off. Which was often & I rather enjoyed. It was very nice to see a hardened character taken out of that place and still have that trauma present. Not that I want Lor to suffer, but that upbringing and environment strongly shaped her as a person and it wouldn't have made sense to have her "all of sudden have healed trauma and forget about it all." I think she is a truly flushed out & flawed character. She makes stupid mistakes, but learns from them. She sticks up for herself and doesn't take shit from anyone. She knows who she is. I love reading about a woman who knows what she is and what she wants. She doesn't wallow in self-pity and "I'm so weak as a human". She continues to grow throughout the book and I loved reading every part of her journey. Did I mention she's older than 20? 24, darlings. FINALLY! & she drinks! She drinks to calm her nerves or after a long day. Finally a character that isn't looked down upon for drinking or characters that don't drink at all. She is amazing & the kind of women we need to see more of in these fantasy books.

The other characters... just as good! I felt myself telling off Gabriel and holding back from loving Atlas too much. I got to be hesitant with these first book men. The authors always swing something on us in book two lol. He was HOT, and loved Gold. So much Gold.

Was there sex? Was there spice? Was there tension? Was it actually good? YES! It had me looking around my room at one point, and I'm a 27-year-old living on my own. haha

The way my girl Nisha had Lor getting her coochie ate out. Girlll I was living for her!

We also meet the mysterious, Nadir. Let me just say all these Fae men are sexy. He's got some bad dad issues, but all very warranted if you ask me. Comes with the territory of an egotistical, power-hungry father. His sister, Amya, was just what a supportive sister should be. There to listen and go along with the plan, but call you out on your shit, too. Also, her style is top-tier! His parts are written in third-person and I loved learning more about The Aurora from his and Lor's perspectives. They are vastly different. One as a prince and the other a prisoner in the worst rat hole of a prison, at that.

Lor's POV is first-person, but the way it's written, you're getting all the action. Every detail. I have no complaints. I usually hate first-person pov, but this one was really good! Lor was lying to me the whole time, too! I felt betrayed at the end lol! I don't love the bachelor or competing for men, but I saw it as Lor did; a means to an end to help those she loves. I loved the trials, and how she found ways to get through them. The world-building was at the right pace. I was immersed and could keep up with what was going on. I'm excited to get the next book because I know we get to learn more about all the other rulers. We got a nice tasting at the ball, but I'm ready for more! Honestly, I love this world and the characters and it's just book one. Nisha killed it with this one! You won't regret picking this up.

I am delighted to say that I actually enjoyed this book! It definitely felt like a Fae Hunger Games in the best way. I haven’t read a Fae fantasy novel before, so my hopes were not high, and I will say, I was surprised to find that I enjoyed it. I think this was especially the case because it was juxtaposed against the human female character. In a way, the reader can experience Fae for the first time because Lor is as well.

I think one of the parts of the book that I adored was Lor. She was unhinged! She would say the most out of pocket stuff in the best way. I feel like many times, the main character in a book will think something about someone, but they won’t say it. Lor said it! and I absolutely adored it. She was feisty and slightly feral, but in the best way. It definitely felt different than your typical “strong, independent” female lead.

The plot was entertaining. I can see the threads of inspiration from other books, but I still felt it was unique on its own. There was always something happening, so I never got bored. Especially with Lor’s colorful narrative. It went by really quick!

One thing I really didn’t like was the odd POV switch. What I mean is that Lor’s is in first person…but Nadir’s is written in third person. It felt like such an odd switch, and I’m not sure if this was intentional or not. It did break up the flow a bit, so I hope that this changes in the future.

The ending. It was definitely a cliffhanger. I won’t say what it was, but I will say… I wasn’t exactly shocked by it. I feel like there were enough clues throughout the book that you can see it coming BUT I don’t think that is necessarily a bad thing in this case. I think this series has 3 more books t. o come. If that’s the case, you really need to lay a solid base and background. This is exactly what this book did. I can with 100% fact tell you, I have no idea what is gong to happen in the next one and I can’t wait to find out!

Overall, I would recommend this book! Its definitely different that your average fantasy book (a tad bit spicier than my usual if you catch my drift), but really entertaining, and is that not why we read? to be entertained? If you are like me and haven’t read a book with Fae in it, this one is definitely a good place to start (courtesy of a newb like myself ;P) I will be reading the next one!

This is a book that hovers around mediocrity, meriting a lukewarm reception. The book's primary achievement is its ability to pique enough interest to make the reader consider picking up the sequel, despite its numerous flaws.

The initial six chapters are particularly challenging to get through. The author's writing style here is more expository, focusing on ‘telling' rather than ‘showing.' This approach results in a lack of vivid imagery and emotional depth, making it hard for readers to connect with the characters and the world they inhabit.

However, past these initial chapters, the narrative does pick up somewhat, offering glimpses of a potentially engaging story. There are moments where the plot shows promise, hinting at a more captivating tale that could be better realized in the sequel.

Overall, this is a book that you could skip without missing much. While it manages to plant the seeds of curiosity for what comes next, the lackluster writing style and slow start make it a less than compelling read. It's a classic case of a book that might serve more as a stepping stone to something potentially better, rather than a standout piece on its own.