3.5⭐️

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Emily Colin for the opportunity to ARC read this book.

This is a forbidden love romantasy with a mixture of Slavic lore and magic. This follows Katerina who is a very powerful magic welder, drawing power from all 4 elements unlike the usual one. She is trying to save her hidden world and people from being destroyed by the darkness that lurks.

For me, this story had great promise however I felt that there was a little too much information to digest with too many side characters and places/names that were hard to visualise despite the heavy world building.

I liked the FMC and MMC well enough and was happy to read their love story however I would like to see more of Katya being the powerful woman she could be. I will be happy to read the second part of this duology.

Reading the synopsis you had me sold at the Slavic inspired story and bonded pairs (and being taboo? sign me right up!).

Reading the book was ... slightly different. While I did really like the Slavic elements and the whole world building and the magic system, I had troubles with how long this book was, sometimes unnecessarily long in parts and repetitive.

My other problem was the writing. Often I have trouble tracking several POV's and this happened here, I caught my mind wandering on several POV's instead of paying attention. There are scenes and dialogue that made me cringe instead of swoon and sigh but in a bad way. And finally, the main reason why I am rating this so low - the main characters did not make me fall in love with them at all. I didn't particularly like Katerina and Niko was... not what I expected.

Maybe I had too high expectations for this that I set up before reading and thus my disappointment is bigger? But I don't know. I wish this was just more my cup of tea but sadly it turned out not to be.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to Netgalley and the author.

This book had everything you could possibly want from a Romantasy novel.
Wonderful world building which allows you to fully embrace the world in which you are transported to, and amazing characters you easily find yourself rooting for throughout.

To sum it all up, it was a wonderful read!

Romance Fantasy - forbidden love story. With witches (Dimi), shapeshifters (shadows), demons etc.
The story is about Dimi Katarina and her shadow Niko.
Together they are bonded and fight to protect their village/ kingdom from demons. Best friends since childhood, Katarina has fallen in love with Niko - but this is strictly forbidden. A prophecy is in place that would bring about the end of their world if they were to cross the line and be together. Also, Niko is about to be promised to another woman (Vila - Elena) in their village - following their traditions to keep the shadow line going. But what happens when they both succumb to their passion and love? How can they save a world they have now set in darkness?
Ok, so why 2 stars - the premise I thought was promising. I like the protective MMC angle. Katarina is a strong FMC, with good sass and banter. Cons - I felt like this book could have been 100-200 pages shorter. The plot was getting too drawn out and repetitive for me, and I was losing interest and starting to skim. Also I take issue when books start throwing out far too many complicated names and secondary characters. It starts to lack focus for me. So going into the saints and the hierarchy in the underworld, and the royals and then the elders in the village. It just alienated me from the story I found. Just not my cup of tea.

Thank you to Net Galley and the author for sending me an ARC of this book. This is everything I look for in romantic fantasy: great world building, great magic system and a couple to root for in the action. Niko and Katerina's romance is filled with yearning and forbidden love, one of my personal favorite tropes. Once the story gets going, it is very fast paced, action packed, and leaves you wanting more. I'm excited to see where this series goes!

Interesting lore/magic, but I'm not sure that I have any interest in reading the next one. And here are some more characters to bump us up so I can post this frigging thing.

Absolutely incredible. I don't often get sucked into books these days but this one had me by the throat. I don't know whether to call it romantasy with a side of emotional trauma, or emotional trauma with a side of romantasy, but the sizllung tension here was off. The. Charts. I have never needed two characters to get together so badly and have never been so terrified when they did. Emily Colin does a masterful job of infusig every scene with sky-high stakes and every decision with meaning, and the result is that I FELT every word of this book. Not to mention the villains are some of the best I've ever encountered--layered and complex and, at times, sympathetic. Easy 5 stars and I can't wait for the next one!

Thank you Netgalley ,author and publisher for the opportunity to review this intriguing story through and ARC read.Below is my honest review

My Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Fate and Fury offers a unique and captivating story, blending elemental magic with Slavic-inspired lore and a forbidden romance that adds just the right amount of tension. The world-building stands out as one of the book’s greatest strengths. The magical elements, tied so closely to the natural world, feel fresh and immersive, making the setting come alive with vibrant details. The lore and traditions woven into the story are compelling, giving the narrative a sense of depth and authenticity that fantasy readers will appreciate.

At the heart of the book are Katerina and Niko, two characters whose bond is as powerful as it is dangerous. Their connection is forbidden by the laws of their world, yet it’s impossible not to root for them as they navigate the challenges thrown their way. The push-and-pull of their relationship is emotional and intense, providing a strong emotional anchor for the story. However, while their chemistry is undeniable, some of the dialogue between them occasionally falls flat, dampening the emotional impact of key moments.

While the book’s premise and characters are engaging, the execution is uneven at times. The pacing, particularly in the middle sections, slows considerably. Repetitive scenes and a lack of forward momentum make these parts feel sluggish, as though the story is circling rather than advancing. This drags down what is otherwise a gripping narrative. The writing itself is also inconsistent, with certain passages feeling overly descriptive or clunky, breaking the flow of the story. These moments pull you out of the immersive experience the book is trying to create.

Another area where the book falls short is in the development of its supporting characters. While Katerina and Niko are well-drawn and compelling, the side characters feel underexplored. Their motivations and backstories remain too vague, leaving them as little more than plot devices rather than fully realized individuals. This lack of depth occasionally makes the world feel hollow, as though only the main characters are truly alive within it.

Despite its flaws, Fate and Fury delivers a story that has heart, creativity, and potential. The elemental magic and Slavic-inspired setting are refreshing, and the emotional stakes between Katerina and Niko are enough to keep readers invested. While the writing could benefit from tighter editing and a more balanced pace, the book lays a solid foundation for what could be an exciting series.

It’s not a perfect read, but it’s an intriguing one, earning a respectable 4.5 stars for its originality and emotional core. If the next installment can refine the pacing and bring more depth to the broader cast of characters, it could easily become a standout in the fantasy genre.

I feel like I slept on this book and now I’m counting the days until I can read the next book. Katya and Niko are the pair that would burn the world down to keep their word and honor their duties, until love is involved. The 3 sided spiritual/magic entity system is unique to this story with a Dimi being attached to a Shadow and a Shadow married to a Vila. I wish we saw more of the trials but it provides a good reason to visit the main city. There are twists and turns to the prophecy and once I got going in the story I couldn’t stop!

4.5 stars!
The storyline and magic system was very unique. This book kept me on my toes and I never truly knew what was going to happen next. I ADORE the love between our main characters - I was deeply moved by their bond. It was so beautiful it made me want to cry. My few complaints are that this is written in third person, which I don't love. And a few times throughout the book the same thing is stated more than once, just in different ways. I also desperately wish we had at least a few chapters from Niko's POV because I loved him so much. I really enjoyed this and would highly recommend it. I can't wait for book 2!

Always love a fairytale retelling, forbidden romances, and unique magic system. This story builds up slowly, but the conclusion doesn’t disappoint.

Took me a while to get into this book but I did enjoy it. I rated it 4 stars for that reason. This book was good, it was the usual genre I read which helped grasp me once the book got going

I really enjoyed this book, it’s my first book by Emily Colin and I am excited to read more of her books and anxiously await book 2 in this series!

The world building was a bit slow at first but over all great and I can see how it’s setting up for multiple books. I always love a dual POV. The tension in this book had me obsessed and it was full of all my favorite tropes.

I love this Slavic fairytale setting of forbidden romance! The book starts with action straight away, and then you're heading into a story of magic, world building and history. The story is emotional and impactful.

Unfortunately I have DNF’d at 15%, sadly this one just isn’t for me, and that’s not because I think it’s bad, I just really struggled with it.

I’ve seen that newer copies of this ARC have a pronunciation guide and a glossary which I genuinely think would have made a big difference for me because it got to the point where I felt like I couldn’t pronounce every other word. However, that being said, I don’t want to have to keep flicking to a pronunciation guide that often! I felt like the names of people and places were just a bit too complicated. But maybe for people who are more familiar with Slavic-style fantasy this wouldn’t have been an issues.

I did feel like a lot of it was a little repetitive, like I was reading the same lines over and over, and the same descriptive words over and over, such as ‘slate-gray’.

The book did feel pretty unique however, I haven’t read anything particularly like it (minus the earth, wind, fire, water power being like WTMH) and the concept of having a bonded Shadow that you’re obviously going to fall in love with, but can’t be with, is perfect for the ‘forbidden romance’ trope lovers!

Definitely feel like they’ll be plenty of people who will love this book!

What a great adult romantasy! While the world building/background was a bit slow, the rest of the book I couldn't put down! I absolutely loved the forbidden romance and the development between the two characters. Would definitely recommend and can see this one being popular in the romantasy genre!

This was such a great read! These characters have so much chemistry and the tension absolutely jumps off the page.

I adored this book. It gave me everything I wanted going in.

The magic systems felt different, and this was a big point in me enjoying the book. I loved the storyline, it felt really unique, especially the characters too. The Villains?? Extremely well written, as a reader, you’re left wondering about their motives and I LOVE that in a book.

I thought the pacing was very good, not too slow, not too fast, it kept me engaged throughout.

However, there were times that the characters came off a bit teenager-y, and it kind of pulled my focus from the story itself. And while the book is described as an adult Romantasy, the spice was minimal and I didn’t mind this, there was enough “adult” topics throughout the books that I was okay with it, but I know other readers may have an issue with this as adult = spice for some.

Also. Where is Nikos POV? We got perspectives of the other main characters, so why none for him? His absence felt like a giant missed opportunity.

Overall the book kept my attention and I’ll be on the look out for the next one.

I cannot wait for book two.


** thank you to NetGalley and Emily Colin for the ARC. All opinions are my own.**

Katerina and Niko are great together, I really enjoyed their forbidden love.

Although I thought there was too much description and detail where it wasn't really needed. I wish the book was slower and involved more tension between Katerina and Niko. I also wish it focused more on them and it took longer for them to give into each other.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
2/5 🌶️🌶️

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What to Expect:
💜Forbidden Love
🖤Elemental Magic
💜Soulbound Tattoo
🖤Shape Shifters
💜Hawtttt Demons w/ Attitude
🖤Morally Grey
💜Sassy-Kickass FMC
🖤Touch Her and 💀💀
💜Fade to Black Spice

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Where do I even begin? Fate and Fury is the kind of romantasy that grabs you by the heart and refuses to let go. Emily Colin weaves an atmospheric Slavic-inspired world brimming with elemental magic, forbidden love, and heart-pounding stakes. From the first page, I was immersed in the story of Katerina, a fiercely powerful Dimi with control over Earth, Water, Wind, and Fire elements, and her Shadow, Niko—a loyal protector bound to her by blood but off-limits (love interesttttt!!!) by the laws of their world. The romantic tension between them was electric, and the stakes surrounding their love, tied to a deadly prophecy, had me HOLDING MY BREATH CONSTANTLY!

The world-building in Fate and Fury was nothing short of stunning. From the haunting land of Iriska, nestled between realms, to the constant threat of soul-devouring Grigori demons, every detail was rich and immersive. I especially loved how the magic system was tied so deeply to the characters’ identities—Katerina’s UNMATCHED POWER!! (Wahooo… love me a good powerful FMC!) and Niko’s animal-shifting abilities created such a dynamic (and well scripted) partnership. But it was their emotional bond that truly shone. Their chemistry had me SCREAMING and ROOTING for them to defy the rules, but also bracing myself for the inevitable heartbreak destruction we all know would happen (or does it? hmmm…). And let me just say: the twists in this book? Mind-blowing. The cliffhanger had me screaming for more!!!

If you’re a fan of forbidden love, elemental magic, and the kind of storytelling that leaves you emotionally wrecked in the best way, this book is for you. The tension, the trials, the romance—it’s all beautifully written. Thank you to Emily Colin and the publisher for the ARC. I’m counting down the days until book two because I NEED to know how Katerina and Niko’s story plays out. If you haven’t added this to your TBR yet, do it now—you won’t regret it!