I love Sariah's romances, so when I heard she was writing a fantasy/romantasy..... I was all in, and so thrilled to receive an ARC copy of it. This is the first in the series, and I will definitely be needing to read the next one. Lia's Locrian lands have been cursed by tragedies of the past, and in Hunger Game vibes, two Locrian maidens are selected to atone for the wrongs and compete in a life-and-death race to the Ilion temple, literally while being hunted. No maiden has ever survived. With legend of a relic within the temple that could potentially save her kingdom, Princess Lia, hides her identity, trains, and rigs the selection to be chosen. So begins an edge-of-your-seat, race-to-the-death, addictingly wild-ride of a new fantasy series. The writing is amazing and pulls you in from the start. The characters are flawed but you quickly find yourself rooting for them. Full of suspense, action, family and found family, friendship, love, and slow burn romance, this is one of those stories that will keep you up at night and stay with you long after you finish. Thank you so much to Sariah Wilson, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this e-ARC.

DNF at 5%

Not holding my attention I’m afraid. Just don’t like the initial character relationship set-up and the plot isn’t grabbing me.

I need book 2! The fantasy readers are going to eat this right on up. After onyx storm comes out and there is a low period, this will be my recommendation!

I LOVED this book. I think it was perfectly advertised and delivered. The pacing was perhaps the only thing that lacked for me (it felt much too slow, then much too fast) and the reveal of the MMC's identity seemed predictable. But I enjoy a bit of predictability now and again.

This book completely blew me away!

Let me first say, the cliffhanger at the end has me staring blankly at the wall, trying to figure out how I’m supposed to survive until the next book releases. The ending was equal parts brilliant and maddening—I’m obsessed!

Lia is an incredible FMC. Her strength, determination, loyalty, and love for her family make her such a compelling character. The book moves at a fast pace, but it’s written in a way that’s easy to follow, with a plot that grips you from the very first page and keeps you hooked. The characters are so well developed, and every twist and turn feels intentional.

I’m dying to learn more about Jason (IYKYK). He’s such a complex and intriguing character, and I can’t wait to see his role unfold. I’m also really eager to explore the dynamic with the Goddess and watch all the pieces come together. The found family vibe of Lia’s was a personal favorite—I’m crossing my fingers we get to see more of them in the next book!

This book delivers:
✨ Found family
✨ Death trials
✨ Goddesses, priestesses, and acolytes
✨ Slow burn
✨ Betrayal
✨ Secrets and plot twists

10/10 would highly recommend to anyone who loves fantasy with high stakes and heartfelt connections!

A Tribute of Fire by Saraiah Wilson is a captivating fantasy novel that blends intriguing world-building with heartfelt relationships. While the story itself is fairly predictable, particularly when it comes to the final twists, it’s the dynamic between the protagonist, Lia, and her sisters that truly stands out and elevates the narrative.

Though Lia and her sisters aren’t related by blood, their bond feels as deep and genuine as any familial connection. Their support for one another, especially in the face of danger and uncertainty, is both touching and powerful. The way their relationships evolve throughout the story adds an emotional depth that makes the book much more than just a typical fantasy. It’s rare to see such strong non-blood-related sisterhoods in fiction, and Wilson’s portrayal of this connection was a highlight for me.

As for the plot, it’s hard to ignore that it follows a somewhat predictable trajectory. The reveals at the end didn’t come as a surprise, as I had already pieced together much of the mystery from earlier hints. Despite this, the predictability didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book. It’s the characters, especially Lia and her sisters, and the world Wilson creates that keep the story engaging.

While the ending didn’t offer any shocking twists, I’m still eagerly anticipating the second book. I’m curious to see how the story develops further and how the relationships and character arcs continue to unfold. Overall, A Tribute of Fire is an enjoyable read for those who appreciate strong emotional connections, even if the plot itself is a bit on the predictable side.

unfortunately, this fell into the interesting premise but poor execution category.

i think there will be people who will enjoy the book better than me, but this book isn't for me and that's ok! onto the review that includes MINOR SPOILERS.

lia is training for a life-or-death race to lift the goddess's curse that has been plaguing locrian women. however, the stakes are raised when lia's untrained sister- quynh- is also an unwilling participant in the hunt.

i was very intrigued by the premise and the greek mythology vibes, but it did not live up to my expectations. i kid you not the intriguing premise lasted about 6% of the entire 500-page book. 6%. as soon as it happened, it was immediately over.

after the rather short race, lia spends the rest of the book in the temple where she is basically just hanging around trying to break the curse (kind of). while at the temple, lia takes an oath with other acolytes and they are basically forced to be friends. the side characters are indistinguishable from each other. in fact, the only distinction is that one of them is chatty and one of them never talks. that's about it.

the world building leaves much to be desired. there was a ton of set up like the first 30% of the book, but it could've been condensed. also, i honestly don't understand how this is a fantasy book. there are hints at magic, but no one has really seen it or knows about it, so it is extremely vague. also, dragons randomly appeared like twice in the entire book, but they had zero impact on the story or the world building. i understand that it's the first book in the series, but i wish the fantasy elements were more established.

the romance is lackluster. in the beginning of the book, lia randomly meets jason and immediately thinks she is meant to be with him and kisses him. like ok i guess? they have approximately three conversations with each other until the races occurs and then he disappears for like almost 30% of the book. oh, but lia did see jason, but they were in her "dreams." and every dream was them being horny. lia says that her and jason had in-depth "conversations" in her dreams but we are literally just told that and not shown that connection. i will say their relationship actually picks up the last third of the book (in real life), but i was already not invested at that point. also, this might be a hot take but threatening to kill your love interest with a dagger every 5 seconds doesn't equate to tension. it's overdone at this point.

speaking of lia, she unfortunately suffered from main character syndrome where there's no consequences for her and she'll survive no matter what. also, there's a few times throughout the book that she is essentially told how to do something, which is really a shame because it would've been better had she figured it out by herself. i will say the only thing i enjoyed about lia was her "female rage" because i will always support that!

thank you to netgalley, the author, and montlake for the arc. i will always appreciate the consideration for reading and reviewing arcs.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This book follows Princess Thalia who has been training to save her kingdom from famine and drought. She was selected for a life or death competition where she can only be saved if she makes it to the temple alive.

I devoured this book. The author did a great job world-building and the FMC was relatable. I need book 2 to come out ASAP!

This was amazing. I was hooked from the first chapter. It was such an interesting world.
And I have to say, the world-building was spotless.
It has adventure, romance, and believable characters

I loved Lia, our FMC. She is determined and fierce. She is a princess of cursed kingdom, and she goes to save her kingdom to the rival kingdom. There are deadly trial and secrets.
And on the way she meets Jason. And their banter is so so hot!!. I don't know yet what to think about him because we see him only through her eyes.

The ending. The ending!!!! Somewhere in the 80%, I understood that some major cliffhanger would happen. Because there was no solution for her problems. I guessed one twist before it happened. It was too obvious for me. But the other!!! I need book 2 now!

Actually, the whole book had me on hook. The characters, the plot, the world, the Sisterhood. Amazing, just amazing. I just couldn't put the book town, had to finish it in the middle of the night. And it made me so happy, because every book can't do it.

Fine! A standard romantasy. I did feel like some of the pacing was off, some parts were drawn out with no pay off while others were totally rushed through, including the main trail and premise of the entire book (according to the blurb). I'm also not a huge fan of insta love/intense attraction, which this books has in spades, but I know some are so it may not be fair to hold this against the book. I'd say my main issue was just the pacing. Clunky pacing kept this from being a real page turner I could be totally sucked into, but I still enjoyed!

I am so upset. I fell in love with this story, and it took me for a fucking ride.

First, I adore Jason & Lia. Ugh.

Second, the ending?! Never have I reached such an abrupt end…I need the next book now

Third, I was required to keep my wits about me. The world truly was pulling me in and I became shrouded in the mystery, fearful of magic. There is so much deception but I am loving it. I just want the best for all my favorite people. The bonds between each acolyte in their group of 5. The return of she who shall not be named. I just can’t even deal with myself and everything I am feeling.

This is going to be my favorite series. I already know, and now I wait with my heart in my stomach for the next book. I am confused and distraught. I am torn apart that I am reading this book so far in advance that I must now suffer an even longer wait.

I do feel like this book could be twice the length and I would still adore it. I almost wish that were true so I could know what happens next.

💔

This one didn’t work out for me. At almost half way through I wasn’t invested in the story or the characters. I had no trouble putting it down and I wasn’t very motivated to pick it back up, and when that happens it’s just time part ways. Even the trial (a plot element I love!) was actually pretty short and fell flat for me. I think I may have enjoyed it more had I read this when I was first getting into fantasy.

I don’t leave a star rating or review on my socials if I DNF as I don’t think that’s fair, but I think I read enough to leave feedback and an explanation here.

This book was fantastic! A strong multi levelled FMC, amaing world building, a plot that just kept giving, that cliffhanger!!!
The story has a hunger games meets mythology feel and I expected the race to the temple to take up a lot more of the book than it did. HOWEVER that only turned out to be a good thing as the plot just got better and better. I cant wait for the second book and I plan on checking out the authors other books

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this ARC!

A fiesty FMC, palpable tension and a plot full of unexpected twists made this a compelling read, was a quick read but by no means a 'short' book, it was pacy and kept me engaged throughout!

This book is truly incredible. If you're looking for a strong FMC and unrequited love, this is your story. The chemistry between Lia and Jason is to die for, and the plot twist?! I'm usually really good at figuring out plot twists but this one, this one got me. I can't WAIT for book two to come out.

The way I DEVOURED this book. I loved this so so much. I didn’t really know if I was going into it buttt this book captured my attention from the start.

I enjoyed many parts of this book, including the writing style and fantasy world that the author created. The plot was overall interesting and I did want to keep reading to find out what would happen next. I found that too much time was spent on the romance element, and would have preferred more plot development instead. It ended with many questions left unanswered, not just from the cliffhanger. I wonder if she plans a sequel? It would be good to fill in the gaps.

I enjoyed this book SO much!!! I couldn’t believe it was Saraih’s DEBUT romantasy!!! The action, the twists, the romance, the CLIFFHANGER!! I can’t believe we have to wait a whole year for book 2!!

The world building was TOP notch, the chemistry was sizzling, and the growth of our FMC, Lia! It was all amazing. All I can say is just go read it!!

Favorite quote: “When you kiss me, it will be because you choose to, not because I tricked you into it.”

Tropes:
- Enemies to lovers
- Ancient Greece x The Hunger Games
- Hidden magic
- Forbidden love
- Found family/sisterhood
- Death trial
- Tiny bit of dragons

It's so worth the read!!!!!

“𝙄𝙩 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙, 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙖 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚.”

As a princess of a dying nation cursed by a goddess, Lia would do anything to save her people. Every year, two young women from her country are offered up like lambs for the slaughter in a death race to the goddess’ temple, and in a thousand years, no one has made it alive. If she can make it through the labyrinthine city, she can find the solution to the famine and curse plaguing her home within the temple walls... if the magnetic sailor transporting her across the sea doesn’t distract her from her goals.

𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙨 𝙨𝙤𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙨 𝙄 𝙨𝙖𝙬 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙚, 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙, 𝙊𝙝, 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚. 𝙄’𝙫𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙬𝙖𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪.

I am a sucker for Greek mythology and retellings, and I really enjoyed this one. It was such a fun and creative romantasy spin on the Trojans tale. Lia is such a strong and badass character from the get go, and I love that she gets even stronger throughout the book, not just physically, but through empowerment fueled by her sisters/adelphia. Jason is an absolute dream and had me swooning all over the place. The last chunk of the book left me with my jaw perpetually on the floor with plot twist after plot twist! Sariah is a cruel mistress leaving us like this until next summer!

𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙚. 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙙𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙨, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙩. 𝙎𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙨𝙡𝙖𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧.

4.5 ⭐️

Title: Tribute of fire
Author: Sariah Wilson
Genre: Romantasy
Tropes: Forbidden romance, enemies to lovers, insta love/attraction, hidden identities,
found family, cursed land, deadly hunt
Format: eARC
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
The story follows Lia, a princess from Locris. Two maidens are taken as tributes to the Goddess and are forced to participate in a deadly race to the temple. This year it is Lia who will run the race. She is determined to sacrifice herself and save her dying nation; however, now the stakes are even higher--her sister is chosen as the second tribute. Lia is fiercely determined and protective of her family, both biological and found. She has a plan-- Survive the race, locate the secret relic hidden in the temple, and save her people.

Thoughts:
A Tribute of Fire is the compelling story of Lia’s journey to save her dying nation. It encompasses the power of personal strength and growth and the monumental impact of family. It is a testament to the value of the family you are born into and the family you find or choose in your lifetime.

This book is fast paced, and action filled. It was easy to read and has a wwell rounded cast of characters. I loved Lia’s strong will and determination to save her people. I enjoyed the witty banter and forbidden romance, the world building, and loved the concept of the adelphia. After that cliffhanger, I can’t wait to see what’s next for Lia in book two!

If you love high stakes fantasy books with badass FMCs, mysterious MMCs, found family/sisterhood, world building with Greek mythology elements, and a slow-burn/forbidden romance then you should definitely check out this book!

Thank you to Sariah Wilson and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this eARC in exchange for my honest review! Reviews posted to NetGalley and GoodReads.