3.5 stars
So I really, really, really liked this book in the beginning, but unfortunately it just got way too long and meandering that I ended up getting really bored about 60% of the way through.
This book had a very strong beginning. You are immediately sucked into the story with action and death and a little bit of mystery. The characters are being introduced very well and are all very different and interesting. Veyka was a complex person with her own strengths and weaknesses that are explored throughout the book. Arran was the typical brooding, powerful MMC but it definitely wasn't overdone. We know he spent a good part of his life fighting for his people, but we never really get that weird plot device of whether or not he's a good person and whether or not Veyka can love him because of that. I know this is done a lot in romantasies, so I appreciate that this isn't the case. Yes, Arran is a brutal killer but it's never questioned whether or not he'll do the objectively right thing. The only conflict like this is whether or not Veyka and Arran's goals actually align but it's pretty quickly resolved.
I am very interested to learn more about their backstories, specifically Arran since we saw so little about him and his people. I would say the only critique I really have is that there was maybe too much of the spice in this book. Not necessarily full smutty scenes, but the amount of times that Arran describe his c*ck getting hard after looking at Veyka was a little ridiculous and honestly made me uncomfortable a few times.
The side characters were also very fun to read about and had good roles in the story--no one seemed pushed to the side (except Evander, I still don't understand why Veyka hated him so much).
Now my biggest issue with this book is that it could definitely be at least 100 pages short than it is. The middle of the book is just so bogged down with nothing happening. There's a little bit of world-building going on and personal conflicts, but nothing that is really advancing the plot. Besides the very beginning and end of the book, there are maybe two or three scenes that really advance the plot. The humans aren't really explored even though they advanced the entire book's plot. As someone so bent on revenge, we don't really see Veyka doing too much to investigate who actually orchestrated her brother's assassination. Honestly if there was more minor conflict between the main characters and better emotional development of their relationships, I wouldn't mind the lack of action, but that was not the case. I didn't really feel any major chemistry between Veyka and Arran outside of physical attraction. There was a lot of good groundwork for other relationships (both romantic and platonic), but they're never really explored. As someone who loves books in which I can really relate to or fall in love with the characters, this book really fell short in that area.
Overall, I think this series has insane potential, it just really needs to be edited down and focus more on plot/characters than smut.

The Queen of Secrets was never meant to rule. Upon the untimely and brutal murder of her twin brother, King Arthur, Vekya Pendragon is crowned the Queen of the Elemental Fae. She is wrought with grief and has no desire to rule. She can't even imagine going on after the loss of her brother. Her only goal is to find his killer and seek revenge. At least that was her only goal until the Brutal Prince, Arran Earthborn of the Terrestrial Fae, and her betrothed. The Brutal Prince is less than thrilled with Veyka and think of her only as a selfish brat. As this thrilling and twisted tale unfolds Arran and Veyka learn to live with each other uniting in a common goal, to bring peace to their Kingdom.

Holy moly, I started this while I was on a road trip, it got me through the most boring part of my drive with excitement. It starts off with Veyka who at the first page I couldn't relate to. She comes across very much like the "spare," and feels no self value. You can feel the love between brother and sister though, she is very loving towards her brother, King Arthur. I'll be the first to say I was skeptical of the book but as soon as Arthur is murdered I was hooked. I was so surprised by the twist this book took as a fan of King Arthur lore. I loved the dynamic between Arran and Veyka even all the attempts of Arran to despise his betrothed.

I love the emphasis on having a curvier FMC. I love that our Brutal Prince (because yes he now belongs to all of us) loves her curves. This man may despise her for a time, but he worships her curves. Speaking of worshiping those curves. the Spice is Spicing. Excuse me, Emberly Ash you can write smut any day. It was 5/5 for spice.

The world building was beautifully done, the set up of the magic was so intriguing. Lady Guinevere, um hello bad ass! I almost wish we had seen her as Queen she would've absolutely SLAYED. The character development and slow burn romance was not what I was expecting. By the end of the book I couldn't imagine not loving Veyka. Her character growth blew me away. I like Lady Guinevere would've knelt down to Queen Veyka and served her.

That cliffhanger of an ending!!!! I am so glad I had book 2 ready and waiting, or I would've had the worst book hangover! this was a 4.5/5 stars for me. I am so glad Briar Boleyn posted about the book series, it deserves so much recognition.

I have to shout out the writing about grief and trauma. You can tell there was a lot of thought that went into this and it was a way of self expression for Emberly. I would highly advised to adhere to the content warnings. This book doesn't shy away from the hard stuff.

Thank you Netgalley, Emberly Ash for the e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Crown of Earth and Sky has:

👑 Dual pov
👑 Arranged marriage
👑 Fae factions
👑 Lots of lust
👑 Mid to plus sized fmc*
👑 7ft tall mmc (!!!)
👑 Arthurian lore
👑 Lots of trauma
👑 Unwanted throne

If you’re looking for a long, twisty spicy fantasy, this is it! Veyka, twin sister to the king, would rather spend her time on a training mat than being courtly, but when her brother is murdered, everything changes. She’s thrust onto the throne she never wanted and must marry to keep peace in the kingdom.
Arran is “the Brutal Prince”. He, like Veyka, was never meant to rule, but he must take the place of the chosen spouse after Arthur is murdered.
Sparks fly between Veyka and Arran at first sight- lusty sparks and hateful sparks. But if Veyka is dead set on revenge, how will she manage her new fiancé and ruling the kingdom?

I’m really interested to see how this plays out, especially the Arthurian storyline.

*in regards to the mid to plus sized above, she’s described as muscular but soft, with thick hips and thighs, and very large breasts. It’s sort of vague, hence the mid to plus. I think mid size girlies and plus size girlies alike could relate to her!

I received an advanced copy for review, this is my own opinion. Thanks to Netgalley and Emberly Ash for the review copy, this was a fun one!

A promising new fantasy series that starts out strong with enemies to lovers, nods to authorian legend, fae, betrayal, revenge...it's got it all

I really enjoyed this fast paced fantasy read, the characters have me on the hook and I really look forward to reading the rest of the series.

Some of the spice wasn't for me and I skipped around it but other than that, it was a great book.
My favorite element of this fantasy is the characters journey with mental illness, it's incorporated into the characters storyline so beautifully.

Wow. (I’ve had to tear myself away from immediately diving into book 2 for this review)
This was an amazing read. For an epic romantasy it was really easy to keep up with the locations, names and character which can be hard to do when trying to keep more than 4 characters from and centre. I loved all the little nods to the Arthurian legends as well as the obvious mentions of it, the little spins were done amazingly well to incorporate it into a high fantasy setting.
This book is a roller coaster, so reader beware you WILL experience whiplash 😂 sprinkled with a fair amount of spice for just the right amount of seasoning.

I couldn’t put this down! I love when a book grabs you in the first paragraph and a book has multiple pov’s that just keep dragging you further into the world! Highly recommend and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.

It contains forced proximity, enemies to lover , powerful FMC , possessive MMC. (THIS BOOK CONTAINS ALL MY FAVOURITE TROUPE IT SEEMS ). The story about a princess who was second to the crown of her brother, a spare who would never have inherited the throne and was peaceful with how things were and proud about her brother's succession from her father. But everything changed when her brother was killed and she was forced to take the crown. In order to maintain peace she needed a partner to rule by her from the other kingdom that has how it has been for generations to keep the peace of fae world ,an arrangement made by ancestors. And her bethroed was the person who was the most feared "The Brutual Prince" though not afraid but wary of all the things happened. There was only one thing she wanted REVENGE. After that none of that mattered because she holded a secret that could make the carefully crafted peace by their ancestors ruin miserably.

3.5 stars. I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley. It is a retelling of King Arthur with Fae. I felt like the imagination and plot were there for this book. There was great tension between the two main characters and some good spicy scenes. The shared trauma they both went through was heartbreaking. I kept thinking while I was reading something feels missing...what is missing? I think I figured what would have escalated this book for me was the development of the relationships and personalities of all the side characters. They are a bit more one dimensional at the moment. I think thes could have shown both the main characters in their lives and the circle. I am hoping this progresses as the series does. I did predict the ending, but I was unsure of who it would be so that was a nice or not so nice surprise. Overall, a good introduction to the series. I may be back to edit this after I complete the series.

This was a fun retelling of the Arthur legend with Fae, shifters, and plenty of revenge. Watching the character growth of the FMC was nice to see. The author showcased sexual fluidity in a way that supports the LGBTQ+ community without making it feel forced or uncomfortable for the reader. Great for readers who like medium burn and plenty of spice. Some minor grammar errors and misspellings but overall well written and worth reading the next book in the series.

Arranged Marriage--Forced Proximity--Enemies to Lovers--Arthurian Fae Fantasy Realm--Dual POV--Court Politics and Intrigue--Spicy Adult Scenes

I really enjoyed this story. the murder mystery aspect combined with the enemies to lovers was amazing !

Okay, so I know I have said this for other fantasy FMCs as well, but honestly, Veyka suits the 'Who's afraid of little old me?' So damn well! The trauma she went through, especially put in by her own damn mother, must have been one hell to get away from. No wonder she didn't want to live after her brother died. Veyka was one of the strongest FMC I have ever read, and she, being a plus sized female, was deeply celebrated by Arran instead of body shamed. LOVE that representation, we don't get much of it in fantasy books because you know they have to fight and all blah blah....

I have given it a 4⭐️ because I honestly didn't like the beginning. It felt a bit too slow for me. I mean, usually fantasy books are slow at the beginning because you are getting a hang of the world and the characters. But here, the world building itself was a bit complex to read, and the grammar was a bit confusing as well. But I'm glad I didn't DNF and read through it because once I hit the 50% mark, everything started to unfold, and it got more exciting. Especially Veyka's character development and Arran slowly going from hating Veyka to finally understanding her and falling in love with her. I also adored the side characters, especially Parys and Cyara. I love how Veyka finally realised she was not alone anymore and had some very trustworthy people around her whom she can happily call "Friends."

The storyline gets pretty interesting once you make sense of it, and the plot twist in the end was so unexpected. I am so happy there are 2 more books because I'm not ready to leave this world yet. I'm excited to read BOOK 2. 😁

Thank you, @emberlyashauthor, for giving me this ARC and an opportunity to read and review your astonishing work.

4.5⭐️ Wow, I truly could not put this book down! I devoured this book, like neglected-all-responsibilities-to-read-this-in-two-days devoured. I haven’t read a King Arthur retelling quite like this. I really liked the uniqueness of it. I’m docking this .5 stars just for how much the FMC’s curviness is sexually described and how often the word “female” is used. Maybe that’s a personal preference, but this is my review :-)

The plot was really intriguing. The fae court can only have one heir, and as twins were birthed, and Veyka being second born and without powers, was locked away and tortured by her mother in hopes to instill powers in her. Once Arthur become king, he frees Veyka and locks mommy dearest away. That is until he dies and Veyka is betrothed to the Brutal Prince. I really enjoyed their chemistry, while I was a bit confused why Veyka hated Arran, I can chalk it up to her PTSD, hatred for being crowned Queen, and him being in closest proximity. Their enemies to lovers plot line was great. I thought the second go around of the enemies part could have been dragged out a bit, but by that time I *spoliers* already knew they were mates so I understand why all was forgiven so quick.

Veyka is a badass FMC, whom I obviously don’t believe is powerless. I’m sure she has *spoilers again* mind reading capabilities and is of decent that had not been seen for hundreds of years. But we gotta get that chosen one trope in here some how. Also, what happened to the mom? I need to know where she has been

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, will definitely be recommending to those who like ACOTAR, Legendborn, any type of smutty-fae-romantasies,

Huge thank you to the author and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review

-- 5/5 Stars -- ★★★★★

Trigger Warnings for Crown of Earth and Sky: Rape, sexual assault, human trafficking, undead, blood, gore, death

Crown of Earth and Sky is Emberly Ash's first novel in the Secrets of the Faerie Crown series. This novel alternates perspective between Veyka, our unwitting heroin, and Arran, the Brutal Prince. Throughout the book we experience their growth and journey to find out what they need to do for Annwyn and for themselves.

Color me impressed. I am totally invested in Veyka and Arran's story. I came in skeptical as this is my first romantasy series other than one written by Sarah J. Maas, but Emberly Ash does not disappoint. The spice was there, the romance, and the character development. In particular, I loved the descriptions of Veyka's body, which wasn't simply rail-thin.

Overall, I would highly recommend Crown of Earth and Sky for any romantasy lover. I clawed through this book in less than three days and I wouldn't be shocked if others can do it even quicker. Special thanks to NetGalley, Emberly Ash, and Cara Maxwell Romance Publishing for access to a digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was JUST what I needed to get out of a book slump, I am soooo excited for the rest of the series.

First off, I loved having multiple points of view. I love having a male perspective in previous books I have enjoyed and this was so well done.

There are some dark themes that definitely should be considered if you have triggers, the author puts those in the beginning.
As someone who has dealt with loss and trauma, I felt this was portrayed so well and Veyka’s written with so much thought and detail, I really was pulled in to her story. The world is developed and the characters are so well laid out, I felt like I could picture this as a movie while reading. I love the writing style and then I got to the SPICEEEE.

This is a book I bookmarked and handed over to my husband! I thought it was so gooooood.

There is spice, hot faes, mystery and secrets and brilliant minds. If you need a new series, this is it.
I could not put this book down!

Thank you Netgalley for giving me an ARC to start this series!

An intriguing retelling based on the of the story of King Arthur mixed with romance, fantasy, and fae. The characters are well developed and interesting. Could not put this book down. Can't wait to continue on this series!

I LOVED THIS BOOK! I cannot wait for others to read!! The Arthurian legend was new to me, so I definitely took notes and highlighted a ton.
It was fast paced, engrossing, and I instantly fell in love with the characters and their world. An absolutely beautiful story that I could not put down. This book checks ALL the boxes for me!! Thank you so much for the read!!

Crown of Earth and Sky is book 1 in the Secrets of the Faerie Crown series by Emberly Ash.
This is an entertaining retelling of the Arthurian legend.
The world-building in this story is freaking amazing and the character development is phenomenal.
I inhaled it! It's beautifully written and utterly compelling.

Thank You NetGalley and Cara Maxwell Romance for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

“Crown of Earth and Sky” is an enthralling retelling of the Arthurian legend, filled with intrigue and a unique magic system. Emberly Ash weaves a tale of vengeance and secrets that will captivate fans of fantasy and romance alike. It’s a thrilling read that’s hard to put down!

In this first installment of the Secrets of the Faerie Crown series, we follow Veyka Pendragon, the new Queen of the Elemental Fae, as she navigates a court rife with betrayal and plots her revenge against the humans who wronged her. The arrival of her betrothed, the Brutal Prince Arran Earthborn, adds layers of complexity to her quest, as she must guard a dangerous secret that could unravel the peace her ancestors fought for. With its high-stakes drama and steamy romance, this book promises to be an unforgettable journey.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 🌶️🌶️🌶️

What a spicy ride of a King Arthur retelling!
and...
Oh my gosh! That cliff! I think I just fell off of it. WHAT?!

I love how from the very first chapters, you are just thrown into the storyline and are introduced to the characters in their grieving states.
Especially following Veyka and who she has become just 6 months after devastation rocks Annwyn completely.

I had to literally check my chapter numbers because I could not believe the bomb drop of chapter 2! This story is definitely fast paced, but in a good way!

There are secrets, lies and plenty of good 😏 times in these pages. This book is not missing ANY of the spice and I am here for every second of it!

Veyka is a breath of fresh air as far as stabby FMCs go. She has layers and secrets that unfold as you read. Not to mention she's also not your typical stick skinny bombshell that you usually see! Very body positive in all aspects!

Arran is just a complete beastly smoke show. I love his commanding personality and how well he fits with Veyka. They complement each other perfectly.

The cliffhanger though... Wow. I mean, can I please just catch my breath? The tease!
I can't wait to dive into book two.
This story is heating up in more ways than one! 🔥

I was lucky enough to get my hands on an ARC of Crown of Earth and Sky through Netgalley and I devoured the story in about two days. A fresh, new take on the legend of King Arthur, this story focuses on a new character, Veyka, Arthur's twin sister. When Arthur tragically dies before he has a chance to become the legendary ruler we all know, his unwitting twin is thrust into a role she does not want and is not prepared for.

This story is rife with the perils and politics of a royal family with the intrigue and deliciousness of fated mates, revenge, and just what can happen when you trust the wrong person. Emberly Ash manages to intricately weave the Arthurian legend into a completely new story without falling into the pitfalls of simply rehashing the existing narrative. Veyka is a compelling character that you can instantly relate to; there is trauma in her past and is so completely focused on finding out who is responsible for her brother's death that she unknowingly puts her faith in people who do not necessarily have her best interests at heart.

We also meet Arran Earthborn, Veyka's betrothed, who is quite simply the morally grey, tortured fae that you just cannot help but fall in love with. Everything he does is out of duty to his kingdom at first but we soon learn that his story is very similar to that of Veyka. His secrets are his own until they are not. His protective, "touch her and you die" manner even though at first he "hates" Veyka for what he thinks she stands for is delectable.

The world-building in this story is wonderful and the character development is inspiring. From the first page, you are drawn into a world and people that you just want to know more about. If I am completely honest, this would make a great TV series and I am seriously hoping that this gets picked up for one. I cannot wait to read the next two books in the series.

If you love morally grey characters with an incredible story and a bit of spice, this fantasy fae, fated mates story will be right up your alley.