I really wanted to love this one - the concept had all the right ingredients: mysterious guardians, deadly rituals, a kingdom split by old magic. But for me, the story just didn’t land.
I struggled to connect with the characters and found the pacing dragged more than I’d hoped. It was one of those books that sounded perfect on paper, but something in the execution didn’t quite click.

That said, the audiobook narration was a standout. I followed along with both the audio and physical copy, and honestly, the narrator added emotional depth that I hadn’t picked up on just from reading. Certain scenes hit way harder thanks to the delivery; the tone shifts, the subtle emotion, the pacing - it made the overall experience a lot more enjoyable than it might’ve been otherwise.

So massive props to Bolindaaudio for elevating the story with a brilliant performance.



Thanks to Bolindaaudio and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for an honest review

I really wanted to like this, but it was just missing something. The story of Tábala and Lar, journeying to save their world. The pacing felt kind of all over the place and I didn't feel any kind of connection to the characters if I'm being honest.
The audiobook narration was just okay, I felt like the characterisation was pretty lacking, like there wasn't much distinction between who was who.

Narrated by Meg McKibbin
Presented by Bolinda Audio

Really wanted this to be so much more than it was.

I got a physical copy of this signed by the author, and it's gorgeous. But in order to get to it faster, I listened to an audio ARC from NetGalley. As the book went on, I was grateful for that decision.

It's not that it's bad but more ... bland. I had a hard time connecting to the characters as I didn't really like any of them, and there wasn't a lot of characterisation beyond the depth of feeling between Tabala and Lar. Which got old REAL FAST.

It felt very much like a dot-point journey; like they went here, then they went here, then they went here ... etc. I found it hard to follow the purpose of anything, but to be fair I did zone out a fair bit from halfway onwards. There wasn't really a lot about the story that interested me, so I think I might have ended up skimming quite heavily.

The narration had a huge impact on this story for me, as I found it kind of awful. There was no characterisation coming through - everyone sounded the same and there was no emotion in anything. I didn't mind the Australian accent but then for all the voices - man, woman, child, elderly person, etc - to sound the same it really just grated. It got confusing at times, too, and hard to follow who was speaking. There was no tension or turmoil; everything was delivered in almost a monotone. It was very much read, as opposed to performed.

Since I have a physical copy, I'll probably revisit it to see if it was just the bland the narration that made this one so dull. I did really want to like it more than I did so I'd like to give it a second chance, though seeing some of the other reviews on here I'm not hopeful.

With thanks to NetGalley for an audio ARC

Thank you Netgalley for this ALC of this novel.

This book had me in utter confusion for the first 20% until I realised, there was flashbacks happening at the start of a few chapters. It's easy to tell when reading as normally it has "3 days ago" or a few paragraphs in italics with a decent seperation line, however it was hard to pick up on in the audiobook as their was no indication on when or where these flashbacks happened from the narrator, which made the storyline hard to follow.

I managed to get to 60% before I switched over to paperback and it was more enjoyable reading than listening.

Unfortunately, Mistress of Amber and Flame didn’t work for me. I struggled to connect with the storyline and found the plot slow and somewhat disjointed. The characters felt underdeveloped, and I had a hard time caring about their journeys or motivations. While the audiobook narration was decent, it wasn’t enough to keep me engaged. This one just didn’t hit the mark for me, but others may enjoy it more.

I thoroughly enjoyed this enthralling romantasy!

Tabala, the chosen mistress of the Ashalin Ritual, must protect her land from the encroaching Gloom and evade a malevolent entity known as 'The Frontierwalker.' The plot twists kept me on the edge of my seat, while Tabala and Lar’s tumultuous relationship added compelling drama. Their struggles showcase Tabala as a strong female lead.

Despite some clunky writing and repetition, the pacing is excellent, with rich character development and world-building. This book is a thrilling blend of drama, suspense, and fantasy, highly recommended for fans of unexpected twists!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC! ❤️

I can see this book becoming popular for newer readers.

This book includes:
- enemies to lovers
- themes of propaganda and manipulation of the general public
- supernatural creatures
- betrayal!

This book suffered from "and then" syndrome. The plot points feel disjointed and random. The protagonists actions were more of her reacting to her environment rather than being an active participant in her story. It also felt like it was very much written at a YA reading level and I believe that if it had been allowed to be a YA, it probably would have a very popular debut. Regardless, I don't feel that this is a bad book, just unskillfully written.

I received this audiobook as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Maria Linwood, and Bolinda Audio for the opportunity to review this book. This review has been posted to GoodReads check out my profile https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/62314863 and it will be posted to my bookstagram account https://www.instagram.com/tinynightingales/ and booktok https://www.tiktok.com/@tinynightingales?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

Thank you for this audio book. But I could not get into it. I found myself drifting away from the story and getting confused by the characters.