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Book two was packed full of action and adventure. After almost dying, Morgan wakes up in Siabra, where Draven is the prince. She faces betrayal, loss and trials she has never seen. She must help Draven win the blood trials to make it home to Camelot to stop her brothers war. As she learns more about the world Draven is from, she struggles to reconcile the kind man she is getting to know with the brutal world she is from. Morgan must master herself and learn as much as she can about this new world and the man she is tied to in it.

This book required you to basically learn an entirely new world, with only some knowledge from book one coming over. While this could definitely have been daunting, learning everything along side Morgan made it manageable. I never felt behind or like I didn’t have the information I needed because every time something new came about, Morgan was also a little clueless. I loved getting to see and learn more about Draven. The first book he felt like a mystery, so getting to see his world and learn who he is was awesome. It was so fun meeting his friends and watching Morgan become a part of his circle. His friends became her friends, and she slowly began to fit perfectly into her place with him. As Morgan began to embrace her relationship with Draven, you also got to see her start to embrace herself. The two went hand in hand. Draven helped her see her worth and the power she held and believed in her more than she believed in herself.

I absolutely love Morgan and Draven together, so I need her to forgive him asap because they are so good together. I know he messed up lying to her, but he really thought he was doing what was best and he truly cares for her.

Briar, I will never forgive you for Brek. Ever. My heart was ripped from my chest and stomped on.

This book was so much fun to read. I loved every minute and I cannot wait to read book three.

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The second book in the series was even better than the first! More spice, more action and just MORE! This story was so amazing I didn't want to put it down! The author does such an amazing job describing the environment that you almost feel like you are there yourself. This was such a good book I am so sad I have to wait until November for the 3rd.

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4.5

First of all, let's get out of the way the bad stuff and be super objective. For book 1 I mentioned how at certain points the characters could feel very inconsistent and their reactions not as genuine/ personality not as established.

And sadly, this book suffered from the same, when it came to our main character. She went from hot to cold in a super exaggerated way with, I'm sorry but, zero reason or at least certainly not enough justification. I can see how that would made her seem annoying and immature for people.
Now, the issue here is I actually love the type of attitude she had, and the angst it created... so I completely overlooked my issue with it and still enjoyed it. But I do wish it was better planted on the story... even explaining things before her reactions instead of after at certain times would have been enough.

The story got so much better and bigger, I enjoyed this new place even more than book 1. I really loved the love interest as well, he got so much more depth and chemistry with her and I'm very happy. Some other secondary characters earned my love too and that made me connect with the book so much more.

And my biggest reason for loving this so much, as I said before, is the angst and her attitude to his slights against her. When I read betrayal or groveling or similar stuff, I'm always pissed because the main character doesn't react the way I want her to. And Morgan was almost perfect here. I got the cold shoulder, I got the ignoring him, I got the empty, numb attitude to his vulnerability, and the ending gave the best thing ever but I can't say without spoilers, but I've reread those final chapters like 6 times already. I just loved her so much here. And I liked him too, I liked that he showed grief and vulnerability and emotion and regret. It was delicious.

I am so so excited for book 3 but at the same time so nervous about it. I want this angst to continue just enough and just right and I hope it delivers again.

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I enjoyed this book quite a bit more than the first in the series, and I’ll be honest, if you read a summary of the first and then skipped right to this one, you’d probably be just fine.

Book two brings us to a Fae court, where we learn more about our main characters’ backstories and the current state of the fae. A lot of questions from book 1 are answered here without raising a ton of new questions, so you get some nice resolution.

I enjoyed the development of Morgan and Draven’s relationship. The secret magic bond trope isn’t always a favorite, especially when it goes on for soooo long, but I didn’t hate it. It’s at least thinly explained. Things continue to worsen in Camelot, but the scenes are not set there and for most of the book, it’s not even a secondary concern. Morgan wants to go back for her brother but is a lot more focused on discovering who she is, who Draven is, what’s up with the fae competition, and fae politics. The fae lore is interesting enough and fits well into the plot.

It really felt like the author hit a much better stride with this book versus the first. I’ll be happy to pick up the third to see what happens next.

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Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Do you love a steamy romantasy with a fake relationship, magic, frenemies to lovers, fight to the death competition, and characters that rip your heart out? If you answered yes to any of the above, this series is for you.

Let me start off by saying, @briarboleynauthor DID. IT. AGAIN. The rollercoaster of emotions that I experienced in fact gave me whiplash. These characters have such a special place in my heart. Morgan is MY GIRL (we are all allowed to be a little insufferable at times, okay? Give her a break 😂) I think Draven is a fantastic mmc and I also adopted my first literary son, Beks. I laughed, I cried, and I was sad when it was over, BUT THE PLOT TWIST AT THE END… no words. I’m impatiently waiting for the third book. A huge thank you to @netgalley, the talented Briar Boleyn, and Starwater Press for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own although I think everyone should be a Morgan stan.

PS: This series is on Kindle Unlimited! Run, don’t walk! ✨



#bookstagram #bookreview #bookrecommendations #bookworm #readersofinstagram #bookcommunity #bookblogger #booklover #courtofclaws #netgalley #romantasy

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“You’re Mine, Morgan. Here, now, always.”

Hunger Games meets Court of Claws.

Morgan is awakened in a bed that’s not hers, in an unknown land with her kidnapper, Kairos. Get this he’s not the person he says he is, known as the Prince of Claws of Siabra. Will Kairos be able to complete the challenges or will it be the death of him? War is happening in Camelot, will Morgan be able to put an end to Arthur?


⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you NetGalley, Briar Boleyn, and Starwater Press for the opportunity to arc read the second novel “Court of Claws” for an honest review.

I couldn’t stop reading I was so engaged and there was so much action involved in “Court of Claws” that left you wondering what would happen next!

I loved the relationship between Morgan and Kairos and all the sexual tension. Let me tell you the spicy scene did not disappoint! ❤️‍🔥

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Book two blew me away! Getting to know Draven’s people and way of life, was a great way to learn about him and the environment he grew up in.

His people are savage and they are unforgiving, and I was all here for it.

It was a great turn away from the retelling and into the fae world.

You also learn a lot more about Morgan and I cannot wait for book three to learn more about her! Ugh, I cannot wait for the next book.

The smut was amazing and it was slow burn and it was just perfect. I melted.

Thank you to Briar Boleyn and NetGalley again for the opportunity to read this book.

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This book had much more action than the first. I thoroughly enjoyed Morgan’s time in the Court of Claws! There were so many interesting characters to meet. Hawl was easily my favorite. They were witty and just the right amount of sassy. Surprisingly, I ended up really liking Lyrastra a lot more than I thought I would, too.
There were a few times I just wanted to shake Morgan and tell her to pull herself together and admit how she felt about Draven. The spicy scenes were hot🥵 we love a man who goes for the praise kink and calls the FMC a good girl.
There was a lot of background revealed about both Draven and Morgan that has me excited to see what happens in the next book. That ending has given me soooo many questions! I have no idea how I’m going to wait until November to find out the answers.

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This second book in the Blood of a Fae series was non stop gripping action about 1/3 into it. Once the trials started, I found myself clutching my kindle. Continued fantastic world building and court politics were engaging. I have to admit this almost felt like a completely separate story because we hear very little about events from the first book. But that's ok, because this one had little bits sprinkled in revealing more of Morgan's unknown history. I have to admit, I was little frustrated with Morgan's continued defiance. I get it at first, but after while it became tiresome, just admit your feelings already! As for Draven, I liked him, but wanted to see/feel more of his point of view. I also hope to see more of all the side characters in the next book.
Overall great second book and that cliffhanger has me hanging on until the next book. I received an ARC of this book, all opinions are my own.

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I have never read this author before - sorry didn’t read the first instalment, but I will. Loved it, if you just want to escape from your troubles just pick this up and enjoy. Loved the characters- not so keen on the swearing - times we live in now unfortunately.. Fantasy and romance great combination. Characters Draven & Morgan are a couple you just want to succeed together. You can visualise the scenes so vividly, I couldn’t put it down.

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I had high hopes for this book after reading the first one in the series, Queen of Roses, which I loved. However, I was disappointed by the lack of character development, plot consistency, and romance in this sequel.

The book starts with Morgan waking up in the Siabra court, where she is bound to Draven, the dark fae prince who killed her love interest, Lancelot. She has to navigate the politics and dangers of this new realm, while also trying to figure out her feelings for Draven, who is not what he seems.

The premise sounded intriguing, but the execution was lacking. Morgan's character arc was flat and inconsistent. She went from hating Draven to trusting him to loving him in a matter of days, without much explanation or justification. She also seemed to forget about Lancelot very quickly, which made me question her sincerity and loyalty. Draven's character was also poorly developed. He was supposed to be a morally gray anti-hero, but he came across as a jerk who lied, manipulated, and abused Morgan. His redemption arc was rushed and unconvincing.

The plot was also full of holes and contradictions. The world-building was vague and confusing. The magic system was not well explained or explored. The conflict between the fae courts was underdeveloped and resolved too easily. The twists and reveals were predictable and clichéd. The ending was abrupt and unsatisfying.

The romance was the worst part of the book for me. I did not feel any chemistry or connection between Morgan and Draven. Their relationship was based on lies, betrayal, and coercion. There was no respect, communication, or consent between them. They had a lot of sex scenes, but they lacked emotion and passion. They did not act like a couple who loved each other.

The only positive aspects of the book were the writing style, which was smooth and engaging, and the secondary characters, who were more interesting and likable than the main ones. I especially enjoyed Beks, the human boy with magic who befriended Morgan, and Gwen, the fae princess who helped Morgan escape.

Overall, I was disappointed by this book, and I do not recommend it to fans of fantasy romance. It had a lot of potential, but it failed to deliver on its promises. I hope the next book in the series will be better.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

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Court of Claws was a pleasing continuation of the Blood of a Fae series. This second volume was a little more action-packed than the first; however, I found Morgan a bit too whiny compared to how she had been in book one. Still, the story ended on a gripping cliffhanger and I would be interested to read on to book three to see how things conclude. I would recommend the series if you like steamy fantasy romance tales and don't mind a bit of violence along the way. I am giving this book four stars.

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I would rate this a little higher than a 2.5 but this 3✨ is a round up. Okay I was so hoping that Morgan’s character would develop more but alas, hard no. In my review for Queen of Roses, my biggest issue was misalignment in character development and actions. That was even more pervasive here, but now tack on an enormous amount of plot holes. What makes it even more infuriating though is that this story has SO MUCH potential. I will read book 3, but definitely hoping that we finally learn who Morgan is and am hoping loose ends are tied up.

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*I received an ARC copy of this book via NetGalley*

*SPOILERS*

Very impatiently waiting for the release of Empress of Fae! I am really enjoying this series, and Court of Claws was even better than Queen of Roses.

I was going to rate this a 5-star read until the last 10% or so - Morgan’s attitude to Draven really started to irritate me, and there were just some completely random things thrown in towards the end (like Draven cutting out a piece of his own heart and surviving…WTAF?), but I would still place this at 4.5 stars overall.

The plot flows really well, and I’m excited to see how Morgan’s return to Camelot plays out in the third book. Is Kaye safe? Will Lancelet become a total badass? Will Morgan stop Arthur? How will the people of Camelot react to Morgan’s transformation? Will she take over Camelot and be a Queen there as well as the Empress of Siabra? Will she get over herself and just let herself be happy with Draven??? Will Draven follow her to Camelot???? SO MANY QUESTIONS.

Onto my favourite part of this series… Draven himself… SWOON. His protectiveness and “who did this to you” attitude is adorable but even better is that he sees himself as an equal to Morgan, and not better than her in any way - LOVE THIS! And the spicy scenes (yes, there is some good spice in this book, it is definitely a slow burn)… the PRAISE from that man’s mouth - “Be a good girl and wait” and “There’s a good girl. F*ck me back like you mean it” - JHEEZ.

Grab Queen of Roses, get some background info in your brain, then devour Court of Claws like I did. (Check trigger warnings first if you have any potential triggers though!!)

PS. Avriel should have had a much more horrific death. He was scum.

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Such a good read! Already cannot wait for book 3! Criminally underrated.
Morgan and Draven- Chefs kiss

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"I was trapped in a palace with a horned man who had told everyone I was basically his bed toy."

2/5 🌶
___

She's captured by her enemy in a foreign court with even more enemies. She has to pretend they're something else and they're more entwined than she's aware of.
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This book is the sequel to Queen of Roses and I enjoyed it much more than the first.

The pace was faster, way better and I really didn't expect the storyline.

Morgan has grown so much, I loved seeing that. How she stands up for herself but is always full of love for everyone else.
Draven is a horned man who grew on me. He would do anything to keep Morgan safe. If you want your heart to melt, he's your man.

I enjoyed their dynamic and connection as it developed and became something beautiful.

I definitely recommend this series after reading Court of Claws and can't wait for the last book, because this cliffhanger was so heartbreaking.
___
also reviewed on Amazon, but it's not posted yet. I will also post it on my Instagram soon.

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I really enjoyed Court of Claws and inhaled it over the course of two days! I loved being introduced to the Court of Umbral Flames, learning more of Draven’s brutal and often heartbreaking backstory and the addition of characters such as Lyrastra and Beks (and Nightclaw - I definitely want an exmoor now!) but I think I would have loved it even more than I loved Queen of Roses had it not been for Morgan’s continued stubbornness and her inability to believe that Draven might actually have a good heart, even though she acknowledges how good he is multiple times across both novels and all he does (apart from some admittedly morally grey lies) is show her how much he cares, and when that is not clear enough, he tells her - and everyone - how much he loves her in no uncertain terms!

By the end I was practically begging Morgan to open her eyes and stop being so petulant all the time. Some of her reactions were absolutely understandable considering what she has gone through, how men have treated her and her family history, but with her and Draven I just felt like what could have been great snarky banter at times came across as Morgan being frustratingly and wilfully unaware, and that got little grating as the book went on and unfortunately stopped this from being 5 stars for me.

I really enjoy Briar Boleyn’s writing and will definitely be reading book three when it comes out! Hopefully, Morgan will be able to come into her own a little bit more in the next one, and I am definitely intrigued to see what happens next after reading that epilogue!

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4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I really enjoyed Queen of Roses, but I liked this book even more. This book had more of everything! More mythical creatures, more battle, more spice, and more magic wielding!

Morgan finds herself in a different Palace and is understandably confused and upset. She wants to get back to Camelot to help her younger brother escape his older brother, King Arthur’s, wrath. The King has started a war and people are suffering. She’s desperate to help, but she can’t possibly help all on her own. Draven has promised his help, after he wins the Blood Rite and is crowned Emperor….But he has to complete three deadly trials first!

We get to see Morgan learning how to control her fire power, and let Draven into her heart- just a little bit. We find out more about where she came from, and how. We learn a lot more about Draven’s terrible family and why he was banished- and why he returned.

I loved so much about this book. I love the world building. Absolutely necessary in a fantasy book, especially when the palace is way below ground! I loved all of the mythical creatures. They are truly unique and some are nightmare fuel like the undead children -shudder-. I thought we were done with them, but we were definitely not! Harpies with their womanly features and long beaks who will not hesitate to bite your head off, the creepy trolls, and the exquisite exmoors (love).

I loved the unique fae features of each individual character. Most books I’ve read only have beautiful, human like fae. This book gives them much different features- sometimes scales, other times it’s hooves or horns, or something else. These fae also have unique talents or magic that I’ve never read about before.

The three trials were interesting, the first two were more deadly and had a lot more detail than the final one. I felt the final one was too easy and too short? It just… ends?

I didn’t like how MUCH Morgan pushed back at Draven and for EVERYTHING. Could she not see how much he had helped her? How much he wanted to help her? It irritated me how much she detested him. I wish they had more time of building trust and love in this book. More spice would have been nice but it wasn’t necessary.

I don’t want to put spoilers so I don’t think I can say much else but that ENDING. I was NOT expecting that. So much happened in the last 100 pages. Rychel!?

Definitely need book 3 ASAP.

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I love this series that retells and enhances the stories of Camelot. The relationship with Morgan and Draken is explosive and has so much potential. There's so much betrayal and intrigue involving the royalty that it can be a challenge to tell who is on the right side. The worldbuilding is beautifully done and quite expansive. Morgan and Draken have plenty of flaws but are strong and courageous. I am eagerly awaiting the next installment.

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Let me start off by saying the first book was great I loved it…this book was even better!

I can’t wait for the 3rd book to come out! Super invested to see what happens next. Draven and Morgan’s banter is so comical🤣😂…the ending 🤦‍♀️when will Draven learn…I think he means well but I hope he learns to speak up and be honest from the beginning… poor Morgan I hope she finds her footing soon she is not having a good couple of months…my only thing about Morgan is she seems a little wishy washy at times she will say one thing make a commitment or stand about something then before you know it she’s taken 5 steps back in her characters growth…I just wish she would make a choice and stick with it have a bit more conviction.

Overall I feel like the plot and romance are paced quite nicely for the most part.,I hope to see some more of where and when Morgan’s from in the next book.

I would definitely recommend this series to my book friends!

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