I adored the premise for this, with Sri Lankan mythology, romance and politics, but it fell short in parts for me.

Anula had me intrigued from the get go and I was devouring the story - however the world building and plot got confusing the further into the book I got. I loved Anula pursuing revenge and thought her character was strong and motivated - but there was something lacking.

The relationship with the MMC Reeri happened very quickly - and didn’t make a lot of sense. I wanted yearning and more tension.

I loved the mythology - and I will probably read the next book but it just needs tightening up a bit for me!

There is so much to love about this book.

It's a stand alone for one thing. Yes, some things are not explained by the end, the world is still flowing around them, but it has come to a mostly satisfying conclusion. It's a beautiful world the author has crafted, inspired by Sri Lankan mythology that is rich in colour and imagery, but is also very much it's own thing.

Anula was an entertaining MFC, battling between her desire for revenge verse the need for justice for her family and her people. Plus, who doesn't love a woman accidentally killing the odd annoying man now and then? It was amusing seeing her go through so many Rajas.

The MMC was okay, I enjoyed that she was attracted to him regardless of what body he was in, that it was his spirt she fell for. But I found his arc a little flat, predictable, I wish more had been done about the lesser Yakka characters. I was more interested in them, especially the one of the mind.

The stand out character however, by far was Anula's guard. He was a brilliant character who was both a wise mentor, helping Anula on her character arc, but also going through one himself, becoming the character he was meant to be.

And yet I really struggled to stay connected to this book, I can't even say why. The pacing was a little patchy to me, it was a slow build up then so much would happen, then a huge slow nothingness, then the speed kicked up into overdrive a lot at the end. So much happened in the last part of the book, the caves, the dagger, the *spoiler*, that part alone could have been nearly a book in its own right.

a lush world, good characters, diverse and stunning, but let down by pacing and some moments of flatness that made it hard to really care about anyone with it.

This Sri Lankan-inspired Romantasy was SO good! This is one that you’ll for sure want to check out the author’s note when you’re finished-it was so interesting to hear the author’s reasoning for telling this specific story in this way. I loved the badass feminine rage throughout the book, and the found family relationship from the main characters and their chosen circle. I was gifted this audio from Sourcebooks Audio and thought that the narration balanced both the sweet, emotional parts of the story with the intense action scenes. This book is nonstop action, so it is one that I’d recommend listening to carefully vs a casual listen, but definitely feel like it’s a can’t-miss for Romantasy fans looking for something different than the most common titles.

I could of seen this being an amazing book however I just couldn't mesh with the writing style. I also feel like the characters were a bit undeveloped and I couldn't connect with the main MMC we also had some parts of the books moving slowly while others flew by and we didn't get to see anything else from it which took away from the story for me quite a lot. I could see this being a good book for others just want for me.

DNF at 51%

I had high hopes for this book based on the premise, but sadly I just didn't like it. The prose was weird, it didn't seem to flow well, and neither did the dialogue.

Instead of the excitement I was expecting, I was simply bored. The plot felt confusing, the world building unclear.

This book also included more instances of the words "mayhap" and "betwixt" than I have ever come across in my entire life.

The romance is barely existent at this point, and the conversations between the characters are too immature for me to believe there is any attraction there.

It's just not my cup of tea at all.

I love a strong Female main character!

I promise this book is actually good. Anyone who says it isn’t isn’t alright. Ahaha

Anyways thank you for the publishers for giving me an advanced copy to read.

Honestly I enjoyed this book, I thought Anula was well rounded character and that Reeri was definitely interesting one track mind for sure.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t really connect to the romance and honestly could’ve done without it. But the friendships and the side characters were amazing.

I really loved that this book was inspired by Sri-lankan mythology and historical figures. Especially her being the first queen they had. History has always painted women in a bad light, but this book changed their criticism into a strength for the character.

I know some will say that the way she he conflict ended was slightly anti-climatic but it made soo much sense.

I do think they need to stop referring to SJM as an audience that will love it, don’t think that is a real good reflection. But if you enjoyed Tasha Suri’s oleander sword you’ll enjoy this book as well.

Also not steamy at all or maybe I kinda skipped over it 😩🫢 because I didn’t care for it. Slow burn was for sure.

I did think that some of the middle was a bit long and could’ve been more idk interesting? But I understood the groundwork it was laying.

Anula is looking to sell her soul for revenge, and all I wanted by the end of the book was for her to get it. She is an incredible character helped along by some phenomenal world building. There was a secondary plot that was less engaging, but that may just have been in comparison as our Anula is a very big character. Overall I really liked it!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

I really wanted to love this book—it had everything I look for in a fantasy romance: a revenge-driven heroine, a pining, morally grey MMC, rich political intrigue, and a world inspired by Sri Lankan mythology. The premise was strong, and the first few chapters had me hooked. Anula's ruthless ambition and her bargain with Reeri, a betrayed god, promised a high-stakes, emotionally charged story.

But as the plot unfolded, it lost momentum. The dual storylines—Anula’s quest for the throne and Reeri’s divine mission—felt underdeveloped. The side characters, both mortal and divine, lacked depth, and the world, while beautifully imagined, felt oddly hollow.

Anula was compelling in theory, but emotionally distant. Reeri’s soft nature was a nice contrast, but their bond developed too quickly to feel earned.

Despite the fascinating mythology and clear passion behind the writing, the story just didn’t land for me. I wanted more emotional weight and connection to fully invest.

I went into Her Soul for a Crown excited… I’m a huge fan of Scarlett St. Clair and Sarah J. Maas, so a slow-burn romantasy said to be for their readers and inspired by Sri Lankan mythology sounded like everything I’d love.

But unfortunately, I just couldn’t get into this one. The concept was incredible, but the pacing felt too fast, and I struggled to connect with the characters or the world. I wanted more depth, more emotion. .

It has great potential, but sadly, it wasn’t a fit for me.

What a story! This really stands out as a beautiful and compelling romantasy book. It's steeped in mythology and is so skilfully and gorgeously woven together with history to create an incredible reimagining. I truly appreciate the amount of work that must have gone into this.
I felt really swept up in this world, and invested in the story - I enjoyed the pacing of it, as it kept me turning the pages until the end.
Anula...what an FMC! She is bad a**!!!

Thank you so much to Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC via NetGalley and for giving me the opportunity to share my honest thoughts on this book.

3.5/5

A truly inspired reimagined story from Sri Lankan lore, the tale of Queen Anula of Anuradhapura, the first queen regnant.

From the very beginning, I was captivated, especially by Anula’s badassery—let me just poison this man real quick—and her initial unwavering sense of purpose.
This is a very fast paced rollercoaster of a story but maybe to its detriment. I don’t feel like I got a minute to savour the complexities before we’re violently thrown into the next loop. I wonder if this in turn is what attributes to the side characters not feeling completely fleshed out.

One thing that bothered me was the excessive use of the descriptive phrase “bee-stung lips.” Six times! I assumed it was meant to convey a positive sentiment, but for me the imagery was not there!

I also believe this book would have been better suited as a closed-door romance, the insta lust between Anula and Reeri was enough on its own for a book being marketed as a ‘slow burn’.

On the whole I did enjoy the book and would recommend it those seeking something different from the stereotypical romantasy genre. The mythology was top tier!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the opportunity to read this title.

This was a beautifully written, deeply immersive fantasy inspired by Sinhalese and Hindu mythology and rooted in Sri Lankan history. What drew me in immediately was how different the world felt — vibrant, richly detailed, full of a beautiful culture — yet the problems it explored were heartbreakingly familiar: greed, misogyny and political violence.

I was gripped from early on and felt thoroughly invested all the way through. I love when a story introduces me to a mythology I don’t know well and teaches me as well as draws me into a story. The setting never felt exoticised or overly explained — it just was, and I appreciated that so much.

Anula is a fierce, driven main character with sharp edges and complex motivations. Traumatised by what happened to her family as a child, she’s grown into someone who believes brutal vengeance is the only route to justice and making life better for the inhabitants of her city. Watching her start to question that, and to unlearn some of the truths she’s clung to for survival, made her arc really compelling. It’s messy and painful — and all the more powerful for it.

And then there’s Reeri, a Blood Yakka bound by guilt and desperation. I expected a fairly typical enemies-to-lovers arc, but the book surprised me — it’s not about romantic tension or banter, it’s about two people broken in very different ways who are forced to work together. Reeri is tender, self-sacrificing, and deeply caring even though he’s feared by everyone around him. He starts to fall first and watching Anula slowly soften toward him (even if I wish we’d had just a bit more of that) was so satisfying.

This book isn’t afraid to ask hard questions — about power, about what we’re willing to sacrifice in the name of justice, and about what it takes to truly forgive. It’s lyrical, emotional, and original.

If you love mythology-driven fantasy, morally grey heroines, and rich worldbuilding that doesn’t feel like anything else on your shelf — I’d absolutely recommend picking this up.

Unfortunately I decided to DNF. I appreciated the Sri Lankan mythology inspiration—it brings something refreshing and unique to the Romantasy genre. However, the writing style didn’t quite work for me. I found the world-building lacking in clarity and pacing off, which made it difficult for me to immerse myself in the story. I also struggled to connect to the characters. I think this book has potential but needs stronger execution.

Thank you to Netgalley and Publisher for advanced copy.

Objectively, this is a good book. It's fast-paced, good world building and a good plot line. I loved the south asian inspiration. Unfortunately, I could not get into it. I didn't connect with the characters and I found myself skipping passages to the point I eventually had to stop reading. This is obviously a very personal thing, and it's a shame because I really want more south asian fantasies (I am south asian myself). I've never read a book based on Sri Lankan myths, so I was even more intrigued by that. I think I'll have to pick this up at another time and hope it hits different, because I really wanted to like this.

The world building and character development of this book made me want to dive further in to Sri-Lanka and its mythology. As a character Anula is flawed yet develops beautifully as the story progresses - This was a stunning read that I would love to experience all over again.

I absolutely loved Her soul for a crown. It was such a refreshing fantasy to read if you are looking for south asian inspired mythology and for the south asian representation in general.
And this book has everything, plot, slightly found family, romance, fast paces actions and was so fun reading this kind of mythology for someone who always found that side of the world so interesting and so full of multiculturalism, i absolutely adored it and i cant wait to read more books like this.

This is a mythologically rich, fast-paced story that centres around Anula, who is looking to gain the crown of the country to bring justice for her family and the others failed by the current ruling class.

I thought Anula was an interesting character to read from, and I enjoyed her journey through the story. I also thoroughly loved the mythology in this book, it really shone through.

Like other reviews I've seen, I did think the secondary characters were underdeveloped and that the world-building was sacrificed a bit for the quick paced plot. There was a lot of action, but I couldn't always put it into a wider context.

I wasn't a fan of the romance element either, I thought it was a bit too instalove and I'd have liked to see it develop more naturally across the story.

Overall I'd give this book a 3.5 stars, while this book didn't quite work for me, it should be on your list if you're looking for some action packed, revenge focused fantasy with a fantastic mythology behind it. I'd be keen to see what the author writes next!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

Throughout it was a realt good story but in some places I got out of it.
It enjoyed it but not as much as I wanted.

Her Soul for a Crown is a slow burn romantasy steeped in Sri Lankan mythology 🌺

We follow Anula, an orphaned potion wielder and absolute FIRECRACKER, and Reeri, a cursed god known as the Blood Yakka.

I was super intrigued by this book with a vibrant and unique premise drawing me in. I loved the fast pacing, the plot is extremely action driven and there’s always something happening to keep you on your toes. However this is also in a way, the books downfall.

In a bid to jump to the next piece of action, I felt like we were always being pulled away from what was happening in the moment, leaving me unfulfilled. Sometimes it would’ve been nice to slow down. Overall I enjoyed the book, our main characters were really enjoyable and the plot was gripping, but with some breathing space and some more fleshing out of side characters , this may have rated slightly higher for me!

Thank you endlessly to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing an advance copy!