This book had me hooked from the first paragraph. I bought a physical copy and can't wait for the second book. The cover is stunning and the world the book holds is colorful, rich and magical. I love mythology but hadn't had the pleasure yet of reading a fantasy inspired by Indian mythology.

I really enjoyed this book, though I did have a point a little before the halfway point where it felt the story had been going on forever and realising there was still a lot to go.

The scene that left a lingering impression was the peri anida. I wish I could step into that scene to see those surroundings and beings with my own eyes.

4/5

Nisha J Tuli brings us a sweeping tale of a young woman taking her life into her own hands, in search of family, friends and love. For 21 years, Zarya has been held captive by a protective father figure and his apprentice for reasons unknown to her. When the chance finally comes to leave her lonely cottage, she takes it. Suddenly thrown into the world, Zarya struggles to create new connections with others, not knowing who to trust when she herself can’t be trusted.

What a refreshing fantasy novel. I love the spanning of cultures and foods and fashions that Tuli weaves into one to make a vibrant, diverse and fun world.

I enjoy Tuli’s writing style and her pacing was decent throughout the entire book. She balanced world-building with character development well so far, and I can’t wait to read more about the lore/world in the next one, as well as the long awaited romance.

I can tell the story is ramping up to be more spicy in the next novel, so I’m not too disappointed in this one. That said, I am looking forward to the sequel and can’t wait to read more of this original tale.

4.5 if we were allowed .5 ratings.

Zarya has been locked away her whole life. She has small trickles of magic that are deemed minor and not significant against the backdrop of other magics in this world. She fights against her existence, kept away on the shores of a swamp full of naga monsters and has only Row, her father figure, and Aarav, his assistant? Anyway, she finally breaks out because of course she does. Row and Aarav usually leave her for days at a time, this time is different. She's suddenly free. Aarav finds her outside of the magic swamp barrier Row created and when he drags her back, that's when things change.

When they return, we meet Vikram and Yasen. Now, I really liked Yasen as the story went on. He was brooding and moody but when he's training the Khada, we see him loosen up. Then as the story goes, he begrudgingly accepts Zarya/Swamp Girl/Zee as a friend. I really want to see more of his growing personality and snark as the books go. Vikram is our first love interest and 'has duties he must fulfill.' Which if you've read any romantasy almost definitely suggests he's engaged to someone.

Other characters are the Chiranjivi, which are actually four magical beings. They are interesting and I would like to know about them, their worlds and personalities. They function very well as side characters but that said, they are just side characters. They move the story along but don't necessarily leave a powerful impact. Unless we're talking about the giant flood, that was pretty powerful.

As Zarya is getting to grips with living in not a swamp and having friends/connections and a love interest with mysterious duties to fulfill, her not so impressive magic starts to come alive. Of course, this leaves Zarya with many questions and uncertainty about who to trust with this information. Consequently she picks no one until everything kicks off and she quite literally cannot hide it anymore.

Generally, I really enjoyed the characters, the world building was detailed and beautiful. I think some things could've been weaved in better, like when highlighting how detached from everything Zarya is, Tuli just straight up wrote "She'd never even been properly kissed" which feels like I'm supposed to take that as somehow worse than everything she's been sheltered from? That aside, I loved the variety of magical creatures, abilities and settings. I almost wish I hadn't started this now and waited until the whole series was out because I can tell this is going to be a fun adventure that I don't want to wait for.

Zarya is desperate to be free of the cage she’s spent her life trapped in. She doesn’t know how she came to be in the care of her guardian or anything about her parents all she does know is that she’s been hidden away from the world and isn’t supposed to ever reveal her magic. Until one day when her guardian disappears and the magic keeping her caged is suddenly gone. What else is a girl to do but steal his horse and sword and get as far as she can away from the only home she’s ever known. She finds her way to the city of Dharati with her missing guardian’s sullen apprentice and a couple of people she met a,one the way. Here for the first time in her life she is free to make her own choices and figure out what she wants to do with her life. She might even find love... but her missing guardian and his secrets keep her from moving on. And the fact that the city’s magic is failing and demons are constantly attacking is a bit distracting. Just like the mystery man in her dreams. Zaria has a lot going on and that’s before her magic decides it wants to be set free and secrets from her past are revealed...

I loved this story... I loved Zarya and Yasen especially. There was truly never a dull moment. I loved the world and the magic and just everything can’t wait for book 2 to come out. And I really need to know more about Rabin.

✨️ REVIEW ✨️


Title: Heart of Night and Fire (The Nightfire Quartet, book 1)
Author: Nisha J Tuli
Rating: 4.75

**Thankyou to the publisher for sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest review**

As soon as I saw the author's name, I knew this book would be epic. Well, I'm pleased to say that I was not disappointed.

This book had everything I could have asked for: Enemies to lovers, a unique magic system, powerful characters and complex relationships. I thought Trial of the Sun Queen (one of her other series) would still be my favourite but I'm questioning that now.

Would it be wierd of me to day that one of my favourite things about this book was the food? Technically, the world (which is drawn from South-East Asian Mythology) but the food especially. The magic too intreagued me from the start, and being gradually revealed as it was really heightened the suspense throughout the novel.

I also loved the male/female friendships in this book. Including that, and not just relying on romance as a subplot was wonderful.

What's more, I loved that Zaraya (the main character) embraced both sides to her personality: the fierce, badass side as well as the gentler, more stereotypically feminine side. This balance really made her feel so much more real and three dimensional, not just a character in a book. There were parts of the book where she could be a bit frustrating, but her character developed a lot throughout the course of the novel and it showed in her actions.

Overall, I'd highly recommend this to anyone who loves high fantasy and the elements I mentioned above. And thankyou to the author bringing this story into creation!

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for giving me an arc of this title in exchange for this honest review.

I've been in a slump lately and whilst this didn't cure it, it was certainly a fun, well written read. I really loved thr writing, the characters and the world, but sadly being in a reading slump made it pretty hard to focus on the details, which left me a bit confused most of the time. But that is mostly my fault and i feel like if i reread it when i have a clearer head my rating will definitly be higher. Overall an enjoyable experience.

Nisha created a colorful world and unique magic system. Walks the line between YA and Adult. Found myself saying "oooh kiss him... no kiss him.... actually kiss him", so many love interest potential. I did see the twists coming, but I still enjoyed the story. I think if you liked the Red Queen series you will like this.

The thing that sucks about reading “Book 1” as an ARC is knowing there is no book two to immediately devour. Which is what I would be doing right now if I had it.

This was such an interesting and fun story to read. It is different from what I have been reading and refreshing. There are a few things that made me raise my eyebrows, and I am curious on how that is going to be played out as the story progresses. however it is a spoiler, so I shall keep those musings to myself until we get further into the series.

The story is about a girl that has been held prisoner for the past 21 years of her life and suddenly finds that she is no longer being held captive by her magical restraints, and what she does with her new found freedom.

The world that Tuli creates is imaginative and completely immersive. You will find yourself wanting to walk the streets alongside her characters to live a day in their life. . . That is, perhaps, without all the demons.

Thank you NetGalley and Second Sky for the ARC.

I received this advance reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. This novel was something I struggled to read, but was written with acceptable skill. The descriptive narrative was too off-putting for me to feel engaged with the story. My library will not purchase this novel as it serves little educational purpose. But I am sure this novel will be a fairly enjoyable experience for most average readers.

Nisha J. Tuli is the queen of a slowburn romance. The slowburn is so slow that the hinted love interests do not even meet in person until the last 50 pages. She is writes in a way that makes you root for one love interest, only for the rug to be pulled out from under you. I love it so much, especially when there is an epic twist involved.

The world that Nisha built was beautiful, and made me so hungry. The way the food was described seriously had me looking for Indian takeout restaurants near me. It reminded me of the food I had in London. I had never before read anything dealing with Indian mythology, and I am so glad that I have now been introduced. The culture, colors and descriptions were overall glorious.

Nisha knows how to write a strong female character that you can't help but root for. Zarya is a bit rough around the edges at first, but only because of circumstance. She has basically been kept from the world except for the romance books that she is given. The fact that she reads romance books and dreams of a romance like the ones she reads about is so relatable I am sure to every reader out there. Reading about Zarya healing from her past trauma and creating the first friendships of her life is so heartwarming and hilarious.

My favorite relationship in the book so far is between Zarya and Yasen. When she was first introduced to Yasen and Vik, I was expecting a love triangle. Instead what actually happened was was more satisfying. Instead of a forced trope, we instead get a genuine friendship based on respect between Zarya and Yasen. Their relationship is wholesome and sweet. He truly wants to protect her, even if it is from his best friend. I was fully prepared to hate Vik for lying to Zarya, though I knew that the relationship between them was too easy. Instead I just feel bad. His life is not his and it is sad because Vik and Zarya really do make a great couple. With that being said, I have a feeling Rabin is going to blow him out of the water. So excited to read about the brother rivalry and jealously when is comes between the two and Zarya.

Overall, this book was great. The world building was great, and not too heavy as to take away from the plot. The characters are all likable and you can't help but root for them all. While we got plenty of answers at the end of the first book, there is still so much that is unknown. Even though it was not an insane cliffhanger, I was still screaming because I need to know what comes next. Nisha truly cannot miss with her romantasy books!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for access to this ARC!

Heart of Night and Fire is the story of Zarya and her quest to understand who she truly is, who she can really trust and where she belongs.

The world of this book is so lush and dense and I loved hearing about how expansive everything was. You can tell the Tuli is very passionate about the Indian inspired world she has created and it was truly unique in a world full of fantasy books based on medieval Europe. This book was dedicated to "every brown girl who wanted to be the chosen one too" and you can really feel that in this book.

The authors strengths very much lie in descriptions of environments. From the colours to the architecture and even the sounds I felt immersed in each location that the characters found themselves in and I loved that.

My let down was with the characters. While I understand why Zarya was impulsive, brash and stubborn (due to her years of being lied to and kept sheltered) it did grate on me at times when she seemed to push against those who honestly only wanted to help her. It seemed like she was blocking herself from making any forward progress at times.

I gave this book a chance as I'm not a huge fantasy romance reader and while I did enjoy this and may check out the second book, I still felt as if this genre and me aren't going to always see eye to eye.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book just wasn't for me. I couldn't care for the fmc or root for her because honestly, most of her actions felt like those of a 15-year-old, even though she's 21. I understand that she was held captive her whole life, so I can see why she would act that way. However, I reached a certain point where I simply stopped caring.

The book is supposed to be about enemies to lovers, but whenever the supposed enemy appeared, he saved her life twice. Maybe the enemies part will start in the sequel.
As for the plot, it was incredibly slow. Nothing seemed to be happening throughout the entire book. Whenever there was a lead that could potentially solve all the questions, it took a long time for it to be explored. For example, she finds a book written in an unknown language, and you would expect the following chapters to discuss this and show us how they plan to solve it. However, we have to wait a long time before they actually do.

I really wanted to like it but I just couldn't connect to the characters.

nobody will explain why, but zarya’s magic is forbidden, which is what has trapped her in a gilded prison all these years. when she finally escapes, she seeks help from rakshasa and aazheri sorcerers, but her freedom is short-lived when her new city falls under attack.

i love a good romantic fantasy and i also love books inspired by various mythologies, so i was super excited for this book! it did not disappoint and i had a great time reading about the world and the different relationships between characters. i can’t wait for book two!

An interesting premise - an indian-inspired fantasy series which the author claims covers many beloved tropes. The world building is far too similar to The Daevabad Trilogy to be truly remarkable, but its a decent attempt. The characters are a mix of well-written and annoying; I wanted to strangle the MC and Vik more than once. The writing is racy and engaging, but lacks depth and leaves the world under-cooked. However, I am looking forward to the sequels, because there is great potential for a good story.

Zarya has forbidden magic, but no one will explain why it's such a dangerous secret to keep. She escapes to Dharati, she searches for answers with the help of blood-drinking rakshasa and magic-weaving Aazheri sorcerers. The city is attacked every night by dark creatures, and they've grown stronger since Zarya's arrival. She chooses to fight for the city as well as search for answers, and the mysterious and handsome Rabin haunts her dreams. He generates desire, but she doesn't know if she can trust him. As fighting intensifies in the city, Zarya must decide if saving the city is worth revealing her secret magic, or if it will destroy everything.

Zarya chafed at being kept confined to a small radius surrounding a cottage in the jungle. Rot creeps in, there are demonic creatures that would happily kill and eat humans, and magic is held by only certain classes of creatures or people. No explanations were ever given to her regarding her birth parents, other than it's too dangerous. The first chance she gets, she heads out, and the people she meets are guards for the nearest queendom. Once brought there, she tries to find her place by becoming a guard, while also intermittently trying to figure out why she has dreams of Rabin, who her mother is, and why she can pull down starlight. We find out some of this as the book continues, which also brings up even more questions about Zarya, Rabin, the princess, and the other nations.

The world-building and magic is really fun. We learn a bit about the magic system as Zarya does, as well as the creatures of myth infused with it. The creatures outside the city walls are getting more dangerous, and a creeping darkness is out there. On top of that are rivalries between kingdoms and queendoms, and a sixth element to magic that once brought horror to the land. Of course, she gets involved with this; we wouldn't have a story to read if she didn't. Her actions have consequences, and her initial secrecy means she doesn't get answers until the end. At the same time, it's not unreasonable for her to keep those secrets. We know that some characters are more trustworthy, but she doesn't. And the queen's advisors are without key knowledge about Zarya that we have. This keeps the tension high and adds new questions for the reader. As the first book in a quartet, it strikes the right balance and makes me want more.

I truly adored this book. It has everything I would want in a fantasy book: a unique magic system, hidden powers, excellent character development, the perfect amount of feminine rage, and a strong female MC that grows into herself throughout the book (Zarya is also a badass). I also LOVED the side characters in the books and felt very invested in them. There is a slow burn romance in this book that is ~slow~ but works well in the story. I cannot wait to read the next book and can’t wait to get a physical copy of Heart of Night and Fire as well.

A Heart of Night and Fire was a great read with a strong female main character. I really enjoyed the South Asian inspiration. reading this has moved other Nisha Tuli books I've been thinking of reading higher up on my TBR.

I’m utterly convinced that Nisha J. Tuli can do no wrong.

If Nisha writes it I will buy it, consume it, and lay myself down at her feet to beg for more. Her newest book, Heart of Night and Fire, only cemented that fact into stone.

First of all, Nisha has an uncanny way or writing the kind of characters I can’t help but instantly fall for. I’m talking strong, kick ass FMC’s with a sarcastic sassiness to them that makes me unhinged. It always leads to the most delicious banter between them and the other lead/supporting roles. Zarya delivered and then some. Were there a few times I was a little frustrated with her? Yes, but given her story I still understood the reasons behind her thoughts, her words, and her actions. Even in a fantasy we love to see that bit of realism and believability.

As far as as the fantasy aspect? I’m really not sure what more I could’ve asked for. When I say this book is rich in lore I mean it is RICH. As someone not overly familiar with South Asian mythology and culture it was a fascinating and eye opening experience to learn as I read. I think it goes without saying, too, that more true diversity in books is still something we desperately need these days— not just with side characters or sprinkled within the plot to say it’s there. Despite not being of South Asian descent, myself, it left me with such a good feeling to see another brown girl as the star of the whole damn show. My roots may lay elsewhere but I could still see myself - someone who is not white, not your typically depicted FMC - represented in Zarya’s story.

And what a story it is! I won’t give spoilers away, but there were so many secrets and mysteries and questions popping up in my head. I literally cannot wait for the next book in this series and wish I could fast forward to the day it’s in my hands.

Actual Rating 3.5

The Heart of Night and Fire is a slow burn enemies-to-lovers epic fantasy romance inspired by Indian mythology. We follow Zarya who escapes a guided prison that she's been held in all her life by her guardian.

The first scene was action packed, but after that it sort of fell for me and I couldn't seem to find my way back. I feel like it had a lot to do with the writing style. To me it read overly descriptive and very meandering. There never seemed to be any urgency in the story telling and there was a lot of exposition on what felt like unnecessary detail.

I do think that there is an audience for this this book, as most of my friends really love Nisha's writing, it just wasn't for me. I do love the Indian mythology and the lush setting.

Thank you to Netgalley and Second Sky for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A highly enjoyable read, I loved every second. The characters where beautifully written and the story is gearing up to be one for the charts. It had my favourite troupes, enemies to lovers and found family and this had that. Amazing books sad I read it so early now I have to wait longer for the next one.

Still looking forward to it