Ok, so when the author said slow-burn she MEANT it. It took me the end of the book to figure who the love interest was supposed to be lmaooooo. Anyway it was a good fantasy book but I didn’t absolutely dore it either. I enjoyed the heavy presence of Indian culture in the world building (mostly when it comes to clothing and I had to google some of the clothing mentioned) and I really need to learn more about Asian mythologies just to see where all those creatures come from (I’ve read a bunch of asian mythology inspired books but have no clue what the original myths are). I enjoyed the way the author did her world building, basically using her character’s innocence on her own world to introduce us to said world although I would’ve needed a map to refer to because all those kingdoms kinda confused me and the plot twists at the end didn’t hit as it should’ve because of that. This is a first installment in a new series and the first maybe 50% felt like a big introduction to the magic system, world, characters and the stakes. I’d be interested to read the next book just to see where this goes even if the final plot twist left me a little unsatisfied since it’s a trope that’s used a lot in fantasy and it felt quite unoriginal, if I must be honest. 3.25 stars

Heart of the Night is the first book in the Nightfire Quartet, featuring Indian Mythology as the base with a few tropes like found family, a love triangle and the chosen one. There are a lot of things to enjoy in the story overall and I had a good time. I think I would have enjoyed it a little more if I’d known more South Asian based lore but it isn’t a requirement. I’m also not really a fan of love triangles but that didn’t play a huge role in this book.

Zarya has grown up trapped within a magical boundary with her guardian Row and his apprentice. She is about to turn twenty-one and all her life has been spent secluded with only a father figure and a Aarav who she fights with like a sibling. Row has taught her how to fight and she has a little magic but Zarya has no idea why she has been cut off from the rest of the world. When Row goes on one of his trips and the magical boundary breaks, Zarya is so excited to travel to the city of Dharati, to see what she has been missing her entire life.

In Dharati, Zarya finds the adventure she has been craving her entire life. It is a city full of magical beings that help fight off the demons at night that come to the wall. Every night the city is attacked and only the magical wall and the elite guard trained for just this purpose keep the city safe. But the creatures seem to be growing in strength and Zarya wants to help defend her her new home and her new friends in the city. As she trains and talks to some of the magical members of the community, she learns more of her mother and tries to figure out why Row worked so hard to keep her existence a secret.

There is a small love triangle happening between Vikram, one of the head guards of the elite fighting team and Rabin, a man Zarya only seems to see in her dreams. For me this is a minor thing, since they didn’t get a lot of page time together and Vikram has some other stuff happening in his life that makes him somewhat unavailable so I don’t see this being a hard love triangle, but it could be too soon to tell. Zayra is an interesting character, but at times I found it hard to be in her head. She isn’t socially acclimated being so sheltered and so sometimes she acts much younger than her 21ish years. But it is understandable why

I enjoyed the setting of the book and some of the lore. Parts of the lore were really strange to me, like the Queen being a tree but the general idea of it was cool. I am interested in learning more about Zarya’s magic and seeing her growth over the next books as she figures out how to use it. I’m also very interested in Rabin and his story. He left his family and the city years ago. Why are his and Zayra’s dreams connected and how will that play into the bigger plot of the story?

Nisha J Tuli is a new to me author, but I’m enjoying exploring new lore I’m not as familiar with and the South Asian feel to all the characters.

“Hope was a potent thing. even when forced with innumerable dangers, the city found a way to celebrate, to bring light into the darkness, to smile in the face of adversity and find comfort in the shadows.”

I was given an ARC of this book by NetGalley, SecondSky Books and Nisha. Thank you for this opportunity to read this.

First off, this was a really compelling read. It started a bit slow and had a lot of cultural things that I had no idea what they were - but the author did a fantastic job of giving context clues so that you could infer what they were.

Second, the characters were really interesting on the dynamics between them. There wasn’t as much depth until it was further in the book but it still was nice to read.

I enjoyed the plot and the really unique twist on different types of beings - especially vampire-esque beings. The way she wrote about the Queen was very fascinating development and magical component that isn’t often written about.

Overall, I truly did enjoy this and am really excited to hear about when book 2 is coming out. I can’t wait! I wanna know more about Zarya and the connection she has to other characters.

This was my first book by Nisha Tuli, but it won’t be my last. I was immediately captivated by the world building. I loved how much research and effort went into cultivating this world and bringing a piece of India/south Asian culture with it.

The secrets Zarya was puzzling through had my attention from chapter one. I loved how fleshed out the characters were able to be developed throughout the story and then once we got to a certain point the plot really started moving and the action didn’t stop.

I can’t wait to discover more about the world and Zarya’s family, her ability, and most notably more about Rabin. 👀

I am waiting on pins and needles for the next in series!

I always love a good south Asian inspired book. And this book definitely fulfilled thag request. The Indian mythology in this book was beautiful, along with the well curated magic system. The only thing that fell a bit flat for me was the romance aspect. When they slow burn, they truly meant: slow slow slow slow slow-burn. However, I still enjoyed this book and am excited to read the next installments to learn more about Zarya.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very exciting fantasy novel. There was a lot of action and there were not many slow points in this book. The system of magic was very interesting and I cannot wait to leave more about it in the next installment and to see it build. The slow burn romance in the book was well done and had a lot of angst that was perfect. I look forward to the next installment of this series.

New fantasy romance series that will suck you in! This story was everything I want in the first installment of a fantasy romance series- vivid imagery, complex characters, and an intriguing world with a unique magic system. I absolutely fell in love with Zarya. She is a strong and resilient FMC who can fight her own battles. Although she has questions about her parents and past, Zarya is not afraid to fight for what she wants and a better life outside of her isolated existence. The other characters in this story were also complex and well-developed and felt real and relatable. There is just a touch of spice in this book, and without giving anything away, it was the perfect amount for this story. I did not see the twist coming and I love the amount of action packed scenes! The development of the world and the Indian mythology influence was something that felt fresh and made the story feel that much more enchanting. I cannot wait to read what happens next!

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for ARC. I received my copy in exchange of an honest review.

Heart of Night and Fire is the first book in The Nightfire Quartet series, Follows 21 years old Zarya who was imprisoned her whole life in a cottage with two men. But when her jailer, Row, disappears, she can finally get free and walk to a new world beyond her prison's bariers fulls of magics, Mythological creatures and and of course Demons!
Well, this was my first experience in reading a fantasy book set in Indian concept and calture with Indian mythological creatures like Naga, Yali, Agni etc.
I really enjoyed reading an Indian fantasy novel, it was so unique and new to me.
I liked Zarya as main character, But my favourite character was Yasen. OMG! He is a very good friend to Zarya and I loved their friendship and how all the things goes on between them.
But about the romance part... It was "meh, well okay but I don't give a shit about you two" type for me cause I really don't care about Vikram. However, if Zarya and Rabin are going to be engaged, I'll be happy and satisfied with it.
At the end, I just want to wish that Suvenna get a much more role in the rest of the series.

I loved this world and really enjoyed the writing style! I have read Nisha's other series but I really enjoyed this a lot more! She builds up the FMC and really has her grow on the pages as we read.

So....this novel is marketed as " an epic fantasy romance that begins with a slow burn and builds to a steamy enemies-to-lovers adventure" but I don't think this is a fair description at all.
It is slow burn to the point where it is painful and I didn't connect with any romance that did try to develop
Steamy? Where...? Did it evaporate?
Enemies-to-lovers? Were they actually enemies? Or is it just the animosity of misunderstanding??
I literally reread nearly 30% of this book because at the 60% mark I felt like I had missed something really important but I didn't gain anything on my reread. This was fine in the way that warm chardonnay is fine - I finished it but I was grimacing by the end.
At the end of the day there was just no character development to tie me in to the story and the plot is far more convoluted than I would prefer.
This was forgettable though I really wish I had been more captivated by the story. I don't know if I will continue the series (since there will be 3 more books)....I saw it compared to An Ember in the Ashes but I would much rather revisit that series at this point.

It was such an easy story to jump into, I didn't feel confused even for a second. There's no info dumps, we learn everything when Zarya does.

The writing in the past books I've read has been good, but I think it improved even more here, especially the descriptions. I'm partial to the food!!! GIVE ME ALL OF IT NOW!!!!!!

It's also very fast paced, which I like, and I also like that we got enough character development despite the speed.

Yasen is my favorite character, I love his friendship with Zarya, but because of his chemistry with her, I hoped he'd be the other half of the love triangle, not just a friend. We can't get everything we want though.

Zarya is my second favorite character (in her own story, I know), I liked being in her head, even when some of her choices didn't make sense.

Vikram is kinda just there, I don't mind him, and if the love triangle doesn't continue past this book I won't be upset at all. Even though I adore love triangles, but I think the final pairing has been clear since the blurb (enemies to lovers, which she and Vikram are not, unless if we get some twists?).

Rabin is probably my third fav, but that might change in the next books when we get to know him better. He didn't appear much in this one, but he certainly made an impact (we even got a "who did this to you" scene).


I really liked the plot, the world building, the mythology and I can't wait to see where it goes from here, and how much the characters will grow over the course of four books.

SO ADDICTIVE!

This is a fantasy filled with magic and romance, and the writing is so addictive that I couldn't stop reading! It also has:

- enemies to lovers romance (swooooon)
- secrets (you won't see it coming)
- magic (I LOVE this world)

From the beginning I was hooked. The author is so talented at chronicling the characters through such a tough journey. This book is full of adventure, belonging and found family that it was such a joy to read. Everything about it was amazing. We need more books about brown girls in fantasy and I can't wait to continue this series!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the e-arc!

What a book! I was hooked! And I need the sequel like a rakshasa needs blood. Nisha has built such a rich image of this fantasy world with vivid descriptions of the fashion and the food - oh my gosh the food! This book made me hungry! Literally and figuratively 🤭 I have so many questions and I can't wait to have them answered during the rest of the series.

Zarya is badass! It's obvious we are only finding out the tip of her abilities and more is to come. I really liked her character - she is one tough cookie on the outside (especially with all that's thrown her way) but inside she struggles with the same insecurities we all do.
The found family in this book reminds me of the Inner Circle in ACOTAR or the Celaena/Dorian/Chaol mix in ToG. Then we have the likes of the powerful Chiranjivi gliding in like The Cullen's 🤭 Not to mention our mysterious dream man Rabin.

Every Romantasy fan needs to check out this series! Perfect for fans of From Blood and Ash and Throne of Glass.

Thank you to Second Sky Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

4.25 ⭐️

“A city of magic. A passion born in dreams. A secret that will set their world aflame. Packed with enemies-to-lovers tension, heart-pounding action and devastating twists, The Nightfire Quartet is an epic fantasy romance that begins with a slow burn and builds in intensity. ”

This is an amazing fast paced and action packed fantasy with lush world building that makes it easy to delve into the story and the world being described. I loved the magic system and how more was always being discovered about the world by the main character Zarya. The found family element was one of my favourites too and seeing the connection between the characters was really sweet, especially Yasen. The tension and chemistry between Zarya and Rabin was incredible; “his hand, his touch, this all felt like home”. I’m so excited to see what happens in the next book especially with how this one ended!

Thank you to @secondskybooks @netgalley and @nishajtwrites for the opportunity to read this book and being included in the book tour for Heart of Night and Fire, all opinions are honest and my own.

What a beautiful start to this new series!! I love Nisha J Tuli' lyrical and evocative writing style. And the way the fantasy world was vividly described, I felt living vicariously through the mere mentions of it. So excited for the next instalment. I just know it’s going to be my fav series already!

This book was so good. The magic was unique. The fmc was fierce and could handle herself. I can't wait to see where it goes next. I'm sad it's done cause I need to know now ! Haha definitely read this you won't be disappointed 💕💕

Looking for your next romantasy obsession? Don't sleep on Nisha J. Tuli. Between this book and the Artefacts of Ouranos Series, she's definitely an auto-read author for me.

Heart of Night and Fire has a unique and compelling concept with great characters and character dynamics. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and it even broke me out of a weeks-long slump, but it felt like it was missing a little something for me. That said, while this wasn't a 5 star read for me on its own, Heart of Night and Fire establishes a great basis for Zarya's story, and I can't wait to see where things go from here.

Read for:

- Secluded/Sheltered FMC experiencing life outside her "neck of the woods" for the first time.
- Found family
- Complex family dynamics
- Visits from a mysterious dream man
- Incredibly unique monarchy system

--- 3.5/5 stars

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

The novel was fun to read but I did struggle at the beginning with the writing. The writing was simple and short sentences which I didn’t expect with adult genre but getting passed that it was great

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing my advanced review copy. ✨

✨ WHAT I ENJOYED:

1. THE WORLD BUILDING: the world in Heart of Night and Fire is lush, beautiful, and brimming with new creatures and magical beings. you can practically smell the hot chai and smells of the city when reading this book and the descriptions of clothing, homes, cities, and landscapes was absolutely on point and a joy to read.

2. THE MAGIC SYSTEM: the magic system here is heavily detailed, but rich and keeps things interesting. you are introduced to more than a handful of magical creatures and individuals that have amazing powers that help understand the all-encompassing system.

3. YASEN: i have so many wonderful things to say about yasen, but to keep it spoiler-free i'll just say that i loved his relationship with zarya. the banter was A+

✨ WHAT I NEEDED MORE OF:

1. ROMANCE? CHEMISTRY?: not sure how to really state this, but the chemistry between the main love interest(s) and zarya was lacking...something. there wasn't enough depth to the relationships and i honestly wasn't really rooting for anyone. the overall romance was very YA for me...on that note, there was little to no spice and the spice felt almost...forced? like there had to be a mention of it to set up the next books probably?

2. CHARACTER DEPTH: i feel this way with not only the romantic interests, but with zarya. she is bad-ass in her own way but sometimes she acts very very teenager. the shift between mature, bad-ass zarya and head-over-heels moody teen didn't give me the depth i wanted from her.

3. THE PLOT: there were times where i was like 'this book seems so long???'. i feel like there wasn't enough happening in this book for me to get super invested. even the last 30% made me want something new and exciting to happen but it was focused more on the relationships (or lack there of) of zarya and other characters within the book. if things did happen, it felt almost rushed, and was followed up by chapters of the characters discussing what happened instead of the reader getting to witness that first-hand.

i rate this book 3.75 out of 5 stars (rounded up to 4), and enjoyed the breathtaking world that Nisha Tuli created for the reader.

i would recommend this to people who love an intricate magic system and rich, haunting world-building!

I really love all of Nisha's work! I loved the mix of folklore/mythology from different cultures. There was a lot of worldbuilding in this so I am looking forward to hopefully getting more true story and plot in the next.