This is such an exciting slow burn romantasy! Loosely based off of the story of King Arthur, the FMC Morgan Pendragon is Arthur’s sister. This book has a ton of character and world building and I love how strong Morgan is despite a lot of hardships in her life!
This is definitely a slow burn- it’s not really evident who the love interest is until about 90%, but it makes me so much more excited to read the next book!
Honestly this is such an innovative gem and I just had so much fun reading! Thank you to Starwater Press and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I know the legends of Camelot on a very surface level, and that was completely fine when reading this book. I could have known even less and still enjoyed it!

Currently in my fantasy era, reading the story of Morgan Pendragon was compelling and the story has been planted firmly. Enough was left unexplained and unanswered that I'm itching to read book 2 without feeling like I don't understand what I just read. An antagonistic Arthur and a female Merlin was not what I was expecting and it was the best surprise. I cannot wait for the next one!

Thank you to NetGalley for this free copy in exchange for my honest review.

Queen of Roses is a very loose retelling of the tale of the Knights of the Round Table - but really it is like a twist in the story where the roles of good and evil vary for the characters.
I found myself enthralled by this story and the journey Morgan went on. The way Briar Boleyn wrote her characters made them uniquely relatable - capturing thought processes that are authentic and resonated with me.
I enjoyed the pace of the story - taking the time in this first book to establish the characters and the world in a way that feels immersive. I loved reading this story and recommend it to those who love Romantasy and want something exciting that doesn't just repeat the same tropes and situations, but instead portrays them in a newer way.

Super entertaining and fast paced King Arthur retelling featuring fae! This story had a little bit of everything from forced proximity and a love triangle. Morgan could be a little annoying at times but I think that was all part of the plot. I hated so many of the slimy men but they got what they deserved! That ending!!! Im so excited to start book 2.

Thank you netgalley for the earc in exchange for an honest review.

Queen of roses was a fast paste science fiction/romance Young Adult novel that I absolutely loved. I can not wait to read the next book.

First, thank you NetGalley for granting me access to this book.

I really enjoyed this book, I'm very intrigued to see how the story progresses and can't wait to read the next one!

I also can’t wait for the main couple to grow closer together!

Thank you to NetGalley and Starwater Press for this dark romance.

No a book I would normally.puck up to read. The cover is beautifully done and called out to me.

Am so glad I gave it a go. Really enjoyed this book, much to my surprise.

It has my favorites magic, paranormal creatures, tension, banter, and love.

The book is full of adventure, action and unexpected twists!

It ended on a cliffhanger so now I must read the sequel.

Recomnend.

Queen of Roses is a twist of King Arthur with a mix of Fae. Briar Boleyn is a new to me author. I went in pretty blind. Just recognizing it as a Fae story and hints of King Arthur lore. The world building was great, and easy to understand and slip into Camelot. I also thought the pacing was perfect! I didn't find any parts that I struggled to get through. I actually found it pretty fast paced. -Enemies to lovers -Slow burn - magic - Adventure - LGBTQ+ Rep
An introductory story that left me GASPING at the end and wanting more! Morgan's story is incredible! I was immediately hooked from the first chapter down to the last! I will definitely be reading the second book.

***If Sexual assault or abuse is a sensitive topic for you (Only mainly in the first quarter of the book) Please read the trigger warnings, and take care of yourself.

Loved this story! Had me at the edge of my seat and couldn’t wait to finish it! Immediately started ready the second book and currently at 49%. First book had a 2 twist I was not expecting can’t wait to see how the story ends !

#bookreview || Queen of Roses (Blood of Fae #1) by Briar Boleyn

▪︎Star rate : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
▪︎Spicyness: 🌶

I just finished the first book of the Blood of Fae series and holy sh*tballs! 😱
Holy freaking lawd!
This book, you guys!
This book literally blew my mind.
I can't express how invested I am in this series.
The angst, the banter between Morgan and Kairos are out of this world.
I can't even erase the smile on my face everytime these two bicker. 😏🤭

The slow burn of this book made my blood pressure go up by the way but it even reaches it's peak when that leech Vesper came but still, this book literally captured me.

I need more from from Kairos and Morgan!
I need more fighting, action and more spicyness! 😉

#bookblogger #bookrecommendations #book #bookworld #booksofinstagram #bookworm #bookcommunity #booklover #books  #booknerd #bookstagram #booklove #bookaddict #booktok #bookshelf #bibliophile #love #bookobsessed #bookstagram #bookporn #booknerd

I really enjoyed this plot, but it didn’t get my full 5 stars because I felt there were too many different characters to keep up with. I did finish it in a matter of days, which backs up my thoughts that it was an engaging read. There were some plot twists I was not expecting at the end, so very convincing writing throughout. Great fantasy read!

The narrative unfolds at a perfect rhythm, with each scenes strategically placed. This meticulously crafted book offers a delightful reading experience, seamlessly blending elements and comes with a strong character development. It caters to all the essential components for an engaging read.
I highly recommend this book to enthusiasts of this genre. It promises not to let you down. Many thanks for this compelling read. I am looking forward to continue reading this series.

Review:
🚨 This is a dark and twisting fantasy story, please read trigger warnings before reading this book if you have triggers to certain topics. 🚨

- "Bloodstains wore away. The memories of those lost faded with time, for better or worse."

I love that this book has a map & a pronunciation guide. 🙌🏻 Has a medieval times/King Authur vibe, which I like. The world-building is extraordinary. It's a slow-burn plot, but fast at the same time. It took me a little bit to get into it, but once I did I had a hard time putting it down. There is fighting, lore, magic, lies, fae, & an enemies-to-lovers trope. That ending though! 😲🤯 This is labeled as a dark fantasy, but to me, it isn't that dark. Has some dark parts in it. To some, it would be a very dark fantasy. I enjoyed this book and I'm so excited that I got approved to read the next two. 😍 Whenever the 4th one is available on Netgalley to request for an ARC I'm going to try to get it.

First off, I received this book from NetGalley & Victory Editing for giving me a chance to read this book.
Now for the review. *Beware of Spoilers*
Queen of Roses follows Morgan Pendragon, a 20 year-old princess forced to live under the rule of her younger brother and tyrant king, Arthur. When Arthur announces he is sending Morgan on a mission to find a mysterious object of power, she is forced to face the truth of who she is.

Here are some of my comments
- I like this book, but I wish I could love this Book. Some chapters were unnecessary in my opinion because they didn't add much to the plot nor to the character development.
- Morgan, I love her but she needs to get herself together. First off, I do not doubt for a moment that the medecine she is forced to drink, isnt dulling her powers. I do not doubt for a second that she has magic. I do not doubt for a second that she has no idea that monsters exist. Yet she proceeds to deny all the above even as she lay dying in the last chapter. I was so frustrated by how she just lets herself believe that magic doesnt exist and she is more human than fae. Sis, how?
- The confusion was confusing. I did not understand the last few chapters, how could she allow herself to be dragged away from her friends fighting for their lives by a complete stranger.
- She unknowingly releases a High Fae from a "prison" without so much as asking any question. "who are you?" "Why are you stuck here?" "What do you mean you are happy to be released from this place?" So many questions, yet Morgan asked none as she walked right out of there with the Fae in toe.
Needless to say, I think the lack of actual admission of facts was causing more confusion than mystery. I hope the second book helps get things in order.
Again, thank you for the Book, I did enjoy it and am more than excited to finally get my questions answered

I did enjoy this overall, but in parts it felt a little slow and like not a lot was achieved. I’m going to take a break before reading the next one.

I was so excited to read this book courtesy of NetGalley and i was NOT disappointed. If you love the magical world of the fae with a twist on the legend of Camelot, this is the book for you. Boleyn’s writing style is very unique and took me a little bit to get used to but I absolutely love how she writes dialogue and how the book is paced. The representation that is present without shouting at you is also very refreshing. I cannot wait to read the second in the series (just wait, you’ll be ready to read book 2 also!) A great read and recommend it to anyone who is a fan of fantasy romances with a slow burn.

I want to start by saying thank you to the author and NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for this honest review.

This book is a dark fantasy romance book loosely based on the story of King Arthur with a twist. What I look for in a fantasy book is great world building with a slow burn romance and fast paced and this book checked those boxes for me, I read through it very quickly.

What I enjoyed
- The retelling of the king arthur story except with the introduction of the Fae, which I really enjoyed.
- The side characters were really well written and I could feel the love (or hate!) through the eyes of the FMC towards them.
- The whole Fae side of it to be honest, I will read any book that includes them and I love this authors take on it.
- The FMC was really interesting for me, you could really sympathise with her throughout this book and I enjoyed her journey and how she grew as a person.
- Draven, need I say more?! (Jokes I will say more). I could kind of tell from the start where we were going with this character however I absolutely loved him.

What I did not enjoy
- Arthur
- Florian
- Vesper
That is all!

Overall, loved it and thought it was a great set up for the sequel.

Thank you to Netgalley, Victory Editing and author Briar Boleyn for an E-copy in exchange for a review - All views are my own :)

I was so surprised by this book, I knew that it was a re telling of Arthurian legacy with a fae world setting, but I never expected to devour this book in under two sittings!

What I really loved
*World Building/Lore - The author really brought the world/lore to life with descriptions used - not so much that it was confusing at any point even for those in the beginning of reading fantasy - The build up at the start of the book just before their journey was fantastic!

Characters
Morgan - I didn't love Morgan at the start, I found that she was quite a timid FMC and that never quite changed for me even at the end of the book. She had been through a lot in her early life but I felt she could have been developed more once the journey started and away from the castle.
Kairos - the small things this man done for Morgan *chefs kiss*
Vesper - Nope! This guy (I predicted the outcome) but I could not stand this character or his music!

What I didn't love
I honestly think I read maybe four of the same kind of descriptions of Kairos by Morgan through the book, The FMC needs more character development for me. There is very little romance BUT I cannot wait for book 2 to see how this develops after that cliff hanger!

After reading the synopsis of this book, I was really keen to start it.
I found the first half of the book a little slow, but this can happen in the first book of the series so you get a feel of the characters and the world that they're in.

Once I got to where Morgan leaves Camelot the pace really started to pick up. When Vesper came into the story this felt a little too fast and he kind of just appeared as did Odelna. I also wasn't entirely sure where she came from or what her purpose is. Hopefully there'll be more information in book 2.

Overall, I did enjoy the plot and the open ending, which encourages you to read the next book, which I hope to do.

Queen of Roses by Briar Boleyn 📕

Morgan is a princess but given her dual blood type (part-fae), her father, the King, refuses to let her become Queen after his death. Morgan is then sent away on a trip by her brother to seek out a Fae weapon with a dark enigmatic warrior, Kairos. On the trip, Morgan meets outcasts and soon they create an unlikely team to battle together. There are dangers out there beyond their wildest dreams.

My Review 📖:
Queen of Roses starts slow but does pick up so I would suggest sticking with it because the ending of the book is very interesting; an intense cliffhanger than leaves you wanting more. It made me want to pick up the second book in the series.

Not a huge amount of romance in this book but the story doesn’t go where you think it will (which is a good thing because who wants to read predictable storylines?!).

Off to read book two!

My score: 3/5 ⭐️

Thank you @netgalley for access to this book.