This book as a whole was phenomenal. It was exactly what I was looking for in the romance and fantasy genre. I loved the characters and their complex relationships. This book is action packed with just the right amount of romance. I felt the sexual tension building with the main characters, and I was actively waiting for the next step in their relationship. The world building was done very well for the most part. I did have trouble at times keeping up with everything. However, the couple places I got lost weren't integral to the main plot.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking to have world building like ACOTAR, who enjoys enemies to lovers, and doesn't mind a cliffhanger.

Special thanks to Netgalley and Rose and Star publishing for the advanced copy!

💀The Book of Azrael by Amber Nicole💀

Rating: 5/5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley, Amber Nicole, and Rose and Star Publishing, LLC for this book.

I have been sitting here trying to contemplate what just happened in this book. Let me just say this is hands down a five star book! There wasn’t a single second during my time reading this that I wanted to put the book down. It grabbed my attention from the very first page and it held it all the way to the very end. I could not get enough of this book.

The characters in this book were top notch! I love Dianna and how strong, caring, brave, fierce and overall the sassiest main character ever! She gave up her mortality so save her sister and she will do anything to make sure she is safe. Liam is the lost hero who looks down on himself. He has hidden away for centuries because he is lost and ashamed of himself.

Oh ya did I mention… Dianna is the villain of this book… well not the biggest villain of the story (cough cough Kaden). But can we have a round of applause for having these gender roles swapped! Like yes! Make her the badass villain and have Liam be the one to save her. I love this!

Amber Nicole I don’t know what you put in this book (enemies to lovers, amazing banter, morally gray character, one bed trope, and a heartbreaking cliffhanger) but I need more!! I can’t wait for the second book because this ending killed me! If you have not read this book go do yourself a favor and go get it right now. I just read it on my kindle and you better believe that I am getting a physical copy of this book (hopefully signed 🤞🏻).

This was such a great premise and so different from most of the fantasy being published at the moment!

It was hard to keep track of what was happening in places because there was so much to absorb. But the worldbuilding was spot on, and I think some of the best books have slow starts - something you end up appreciating in the end.

Very excited for book 2!

I was given an Arc copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Overall, I did enjoy this book and it was well written especially since this is her first book. It took me a bit to get into it as you are thrown into the conflict from page one and was a bit confused. I ended up really enjoying this book.

If you love a quest and enemies to lovers with a slow burn then you will enjoy following Dianna as she does whatever she has to do to save her dying sister!

I love how so many things happened in the book. I could not keep myself from the book because it was so good

This is definitely not the type of book for me, even as I love this genre I found myself trying to read fast over the many descriptions that make it the plot slow.

I was given an Arc copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I ended up really enjoying this book but it did take me a long while to actually get into it!

You follow Dianna as she does whatever she has to do to save her dying sister! This book is a slow burn enemies to lovers!

Overall though it was very well written especially since this is her first book and I can’t wait for more!!

This is the most confusing book I have read. As soon as we start the book we are thrown in to this conflict that we have no clue how we got there or what is going on. There's no setting the scene it's all very rushed and no explained. I couldn't even figure out who our main character was. I also couldn't figure out what these creatures were. I'm sure it explains further but as a reader you should be hooked in the first couple pages not so confused that your reading the summary over and over to try and figure out what is going on. When TikTok said this book was good I should have known.

The Book of Azrael is fantastic! I on the edge of my seat waiting for book two. I'm absolutely invested in both Dianna and Liam. But, I also found myself caring for the secondary characters, like Gabby and Logan, as well. This book kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time, and I found myself thinking about it when I wasn't reading.
The only negative thing that stood out to me was the lack of creativity with Onuna. It's a separate world, but yet it's the same as Earth. There's even chocolate there! I would have liked to see some interesting traits that are unique to Onuna. Other than that, I absolutely adore this book, and I plan to recommend it to anyone I can!

Dianna is a fierce, loyal and badass heroine who will literally do anything at all to keep her sister Gabby safe. Their sisterhood is beautiful. Having lost their parents to a sickness years ago they have been on their own for a long time... during that time Dianna did what she felt she had to do to keep Gabby safe. Now she is working for Kaden... who is this evil monster who has some sort of plan to of course...take over the world! I love Dianna because she is a relatable character.. who is so stubborn and definitely stubborn and reckless. She is flawed but in all that chaos that she is .. she is beautiful.

LIam .. Samkiel.. * swoons* Not only beautiful but giving me broody and "Touch her & you die" vibes. Liam is someone a lot of people fear...and if they only knew what a sweetheart he really is. He cares deeply about his friends and his "subjects' and wants nothing but the best for everyone. Don't get it twisted though he can be absolutely deadly!

I LOVED THIS. The world, the characters, the banter. I was here for it all!!!

An ambitious debut novel from Amber Nicole! This book had a ton of action, worldbuilding, and all the classic markers of an enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance. While I feel like there were some writing struggles, it was still a fun read that was plenty enjoyable.

This book covers a lot of ground. We start with Dianna, an immortal who is indebted to the nefarious being, Kaden. With no other options and a sister on the brink of death, Kaden transforms the two initially-mortal sisters into something... other, in exchange for Dianna's eternal servitude. While demonic Kaden has designs on gaining power and conquering the earth, there is a force of celestial beings in direct opposition to him.

The original planet of the celestials had been previously destroyed by the ominous-sounding World Ender, and the remains of these two warring factions of celestials and demons ended up crash-landing on earth (or human territories). Dianna is a seemingly-overpowered protagonist (fire, shapeshifting, super speed & strength, and so much more) who journeys through self discovery in this story, transforming from an indentured hitman into something... well, different from what she thought she might ever be. She struggles internally with her own sense of self, good versus evil, monster versus savior, and for me, that's the most compelling aspect of this book.

Where did the book go slightly off the rails for me? Well, to start, the juggling of a dual POV and multiple timelines was a challenge. When we initially get the MMC Liam's POV, we are pulled into the past, separated from Dianna's story completely, and it feels quite jarring. Almost the entire chapter is lengthy exposition (Liam's memories and his personal musings), and I had no motivation to care about this character yet. In fact, I didn't really begin to feel sympathetic toward Liam until there was lots of interaction between him and Dianna later on. If his side of the story kicked in after they had met and had at least an initial interaction, I think the dual POV construction would've felt a little more cohesive. Dianna is, after all, what makes Liam a more interesting and dynamic character than he otherwise would be.

And a moment of appreciation for the worldbuilding... it is dense and rich. There is a lot to unpack. For me, the reading experience was similar to reading SJM's Crescent City (House of Earth and Blood), where my mind just couldn't quite absorb it all and it felt like different elements were coming at you from all directions. There are a lot of brand new names for places, historical events, creatures, and more. I have retained almost none of these names, even though I finished the book just a few days ago. Taking in the lore, the storyline, the character POVs, the multiple timelines... this was not an easy or quick read for me, but it was certainly interesting. Make no mistake, this is high fantasy.

All in all, the tension between Dianna and Liam was fun, the story kept me guessing, and there was even a good twist or two to be found. Despite the areas where this story may have fallen short in execution, I think plenty of fantasy-romance readers will enjoy this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a DRC of this book.

Honestly, I'm shocked at how much I enjoyed this book. Yes, there are some flaws and room for improvement with the sequel, but all in all, it was a very entertaining read and I can't wait for the next one.

The first 20% of this book was a slog to get through. It was more high fantasy than I was anticipating and the world building was intense. Not only does the reader have to understand different places within this fantasy world and a whole slew of mythical beings, but the reader also has to understand the different realms as well. TBH, I'm not sure if I actually understand the extent of the world that Amber Nicole has created but I really gave it a shot.

It wasn't only the world building that really bogged down this book in the first 200 pages... I found Liam and Dianna to both be absolutely insufferable at first. Liam had zero redeeming qualities and the only nice thing about Dianna was her relationship with her sister (which I couldn't have cared less about). BUT their characters arcs were both a joy to read and the book really took off once their characters met - I just think it took a little too long to get them together. Somewhere around the 40% mark, I found myself really invested in their journey. And I have to say, the slow-burn in this book was incredible.

In the last half of the book, the pacing was great though. The ending didn't feel too rushed and I enjoyed some of the slower moments interspersed between more action-packed sequences. The plot really held its own against the story of Liam and Dianna's relationship. The stakes are high and I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen next.

Bring on book 2!

Dianna, a reborn monster, is forced to work with her sworn enemy Liam, a King of the gods, in search of an ancient relic that could open doors to realms and destroy her very world. What starts as hatred and disgust turns into understanding and friendship as they work together and find out they have more in common than they thought. Can they find the Book of Azrael before Dianna’s evil maker/ex-lover, Kaden gets his hands on it?

In a world where I can never have enough enemies-to-lovers, The Book of Azrael provides. The world-building was a bit confusing at first, causing me to drag my feet through the first ~20% before it really snagged my interest. Nicole provides solid details for you to understand the world, the intricacies of the different species & their relationship to one another, and reveals character backstories in a manner that does not overwhelm or feel inorganic to the storyline.

Things I really enjoyed about this book: the dual POV, unique and interesting storyline, and the pace of the relationship building between the main characters.

Things I did not like: the cliff-hanger!!! But that’s just because I’m impatient and am anxious to read more about Dianna and Liam.

I will definitely be reading the next book!

*Thank you to NetGalley, Amber Nicole, and Rose and Star publishing for this ARC*

In this first installment of Amber Nicole's "Gods and Monsters", we meet our main character, Dianna, and the antagonist, Kaden. A thousand years ago, Dianna gave up her life to save her sister and was reborn with powerful abilities. Unfortunately, she has to use these powers to do Kaden's bidding, including finding an ancient relic, a book. On her path, she encounters her mortal enemy, Samkiel/Liam/World Ender, and must put aside her pride to work with him.

I went into this book skeptically as it wasn't my usual choice! It was also very long so I wasn't sure if I wanted to put myself through it. I'm glad I stuck through this as it was extremely fun, and the romance was really good! I also found the characters to be really complex and I was interested in ALL of them! I was super intrigued by Kaden as well.

The romance aspect of this novel was extremely well done. I found their banter really enjoyable; something I find hard to do. My only tiny complaint is that sometimes Dianna was a bit too much with her joking and just said unnecessary things.

I was also impressed by the world building. It was done very well and I find all the monsters and creatures fascinating.

I'd recommend this to just about anyone. I think it has a little bit of everything: romance, fantasy, action, and mystery.

I enjoyed reading this book and got really into the story. It did feel like it dragged at times and was a little repetitive. There were also parts where it seemed like Dianna and Liam were doing nothing but overall it was good. There were some parts that needed to be edited so I hope they were fixed before this book was published. Plot was overall good, enemies to lovers. Ends on a cliffhanger.

Would recommend to a friend!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC of The Book of Azrael by Amber Nicole!

I really enjoyed this book and I cannot wait to read the other books in the series!

Okay ,I wanted to read this it sounds really good and starts with a lot of action right away! The problem is the ARC had different sized font for absolutely no reason. I can't focus on what's happening in the story because the font is too distracting. I won't be finishing it.

I did not like this book. The first person pov was very hard to get through, and the beginning of the book was very confusing. I wish we were SHOWED more things, rather than told. This book just wasn't for me unfortunately.

I enjoyed the characters
Alistair, Tobias and
Which helps because I don't usually enjoy books like this. And I really wanted to like this book from the moment I saw it pop up on twitter, so when NetGalley had it up I jumped on it and was thrilled to finally get to read it.

But I'll admit I struggled through the first part of the book. I question whether or not to give up on it. The only reason I kept pushing through is because I really did want to like this book.

I however just didn't. There was to many characters, the style bored me to skim read which is never a good sign for me. And I'd rather do anything then read this book.

But damn that cover is so beautiful. I'm glad I got a chance to read it and I can already see that people will love this book it is definitely a book a friend of mine likes to read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book is published.

What’s Going On?

Centuries ago, a deadly man turned Dianna into a monster in exchange for her and her sister’s lives. She’s been ruination since, carrying out his deeds. Now, her world crosses with Liam’s. He is a god king of a destroyed planet. Dianna’s boss wants a forbidden book associated with Liam’s world, and he will do everything in his expansive power to obtain it. So, Dianna targets the book, and by extension, Liam. But power is a fickle thing, and Dianna’s trapped by a powerful man who uses her to do his bidding.

What Works?

-Age. Finally a fantasy book where the female mc isn’t a plucky late teen. She used to be mortal, but is now centuries old. He’s centuries old, because that’s the formula for every fantasy male mc. So finally they’re on the same plane.

-This retains a lot of the fantasy elements readers enjoy while subverting the typical fantasy plot. For example, the enemies to lovers trope. They’re sworn enemies and want each other dead, but there’s no abuse or acts you can’t come back from. (How maudlin, praising a book for not depicting abusive relationships! What is the state of reading today?) Authors need to remember that these characters are going to love each other in the end, so I’m glad this book didn’t fall into the trap. There’s other elements that worked too, like making sure the female mc doesn’t girlboss too close to the sun, avoiding Not Like Other Girls syndrome, satirizing men’s wars, actually fighting back when you have no choice but to trade one powerful man for another. It was quite refreshing to read a fantasy that counteracts the usual problems of the genre.

-She is not afraid to be evil. I tire of the “good moral person who just wants to save the world” act. That’s not Dianna. All she cares about is her sister. And she will get dirty when she needs to — which is often. Like, she didn’t hesitate to threaten an acquaintance to get what she wanted, after seeing that playing nice got her backstabbed. I want to run around in circles screaming with glee because finally, an actual morally gray heroine.

-Their relationship. This is how enemies to lovers is supposed to work. Well, this took an enemies to friends to lovers trajectory. Enemies, again without the abuse. Hate each other but aren’t cruel to one another. They know the other is hot, but they’re too turned off by their personality to start listing after them. Yet there’s chemistry, and they bicker to no end. Then something small shifts, and they forge a working relationship, but they still dislike each other. They start to understand each other more, and the slow burn continues. Though I prefer the extremes of enemies to lovers, they forged a nice friendship in between! Though it reached a point where it felt rushed.

What Needs Work?

-A lot of contemporary diction and world stylings. It’s parallel to the modern world. This isn’t necessarily bad, nor does it deter from the story, but it’s not my preference in a fantasy book. Just something to keep in mind. Although, the technology is integrated into the plot very well.

-Soooo much unnecessary description of clothes.

-Writing needs editing.

-World building feels inorganic. It’s very obvious that it’s world building that it reads like info dumping. What works best is when you can’t see the mechanics — here, it’s laid bare for you to see.

-POVs. I find it a challenge in books to have dual/multiple first-person perspectives. It takes a lot to make it flow, to give them distinct voices, and to connect them to readers. Unfortunately, this succumbed to the challenge. Further, the pacing was off. We’d get three chapters of Dianna, then three chapters of Liam, and when we went back to Dianna, she’d rehash the events that we just read about in Liam’s chapter. There were a lot of flashbacks and even flashbacks within flashbacks. It would have been better if Dianna’s side was shown while still in the plane of the event. So say in Liam’s POV, Dianna crashes a meeting. We should have chapters before Liam’s POV where Dianna prepares for crashing the meeting, not revisiting it in a flashback after the intrusion already occurred. However, their voices were distinguishable, not carbon copies of the other. I particularly enjoyed how his tone was always so unnecessarily formal because he is literally from a different era and world and doesn’t know the colloquial speak of the current time. It was really funny! A great character touch.

-It was hard for me to get into and stay into this book. The beginning was realllyyyyy hard for me to get into. But around 30% (mini spoiler: when they start working together), i was good to go. Until the 70% mark. Then I just skimmed.

Who Should Read This?

Hardcore fantasy fans with a taste for enemies to friends to lovers. If you’re not fond of the genre, this may not entertain you.