Absolutely loved it and on to the next one

Thanks all at NetGalley! 4.5 stars (some bits quite obvious not that I'm complaining)

Scarlett Press is absolutely on fire with their book choices this year, if you're not reading them you're missing out. This is the second book that's blown me away from them. Easy to get into. Intense character dynamics. Gripping plot. Morally grey MMC. Yes, yes, yes. Are you ready for your next book boyfriend? He's in here.

I loved this book!
Fae, dragon shifters, courts, trials, rebellion, magic, tension filled romance
It ticked all of the boxes for me.

Selena lives in the Seelie court which is at the mercy of the dragon shifters, who after mistreatment hundreds of years ago by the fae are punishing their descendants.
Selena is working at a bottom of the barrel job, working with fish all day. She has a bad relationship with her family due to her magic and she is desperate to prove herself.
So when the Atonement trials come around, she signs up. These trials are deadly and pit the fae competitors against each other. Only three can win and be granted freedom from the Seelie Court.
*
Trials have been done so many times before, but the author was able to keep them exciting and new. The character work was really good. The different types of fae magic was really interesting. The slow burn Romance was fantastic, full of tension.
And the plot twists ..!!!
The ending… wow

this got me GLUED to the page for all the story, and I literally devoured this in less than 24 hours: a spicy and cheeky romantasy with dragon shifter and a femal character who is not afraid to show what she is capable for - a very nice starting of a series that promises epics and romance, for all the Fourth Wing fans who are nostalgic but at the same time wants something lighter.

I ate this book up! Every character was giving me something and that ending omg, I need book 2 right now 👏🏻

Deadly trials?
Moody dragon shifters?

Say. Less.

Empire of Flame and Thorns had me completely hooked from the very first page. The chemistry, drama, and tension were immaculate, and the dragon shifter element just sealed the deal for me.

Selena’s growth throughout the story was one of my favorite parts. Her compassion is her greatest strength, and watching her step fully into herself was incredibly satisfying. This was a true metamorphosis story, and I loved every stage of it.

Draven — commander of the dragon shifter army — is intense, brooding, and absolutely magnetic. The tension between him and Selena is thick enough to cut with a blade, and I was living for every interaction.

“I told you that I was going to ruin you, little rebel. Not the other way around.” 🔥🔥🔥🔥

Five-star vibes all around. Yes, I’ll absolutely be continuing this series.

Thank you for the ARC, NetGalley! These are my honest views of the book.

Empire of Flame and Thorns* is a gripping, emotionally charged romantasy that leans hard into both spectacle and soul. Marion Blackwood drops us into a brutal Fae empire where reputation is a death sentence and redemption must be earned in blood. At the heart of the story is a fiercely compelling heroine—one Fae woman battling not only the lethal Atonement Trials, but the weight of a world that has already decided she’s a monster. Her need to prove otherwise, especially to herself, gives the novel a raw, aching core that elevates it far beyond a simple trial-by-fire fantasy.

The trials themselves are deliciously unforgiving—equal parts political theater, survival gauntlet, and psychological torture. Every challenge peels back another layer of the protagonist’s past and power, forcing her to confront what she’s capable of becoming. And then there’s the Shadow of Death. Always present. Always watching. Blackwood plays this relationship beautifully, threading tension and dark intrigue through every encounter. Is he merely out for revenge over something as petty—and personal—as a thrown drink? Or is there a far more dangerous, intimate reason he’s tethered himself to her fate? The slow burn of their connection is steeped in menace, chemistry, and the promise of something devastating.

With lush worldbuilding, sharp prose, and a morally complex heroine you can’t help but root for, *Empire of Flame and Thorns* is an epic romantasy that embraces darkness without losing its heart. It’s a story about identity, judgment, and the terrifying power of choosing who you become when the world insists you’re already lost. Fans of deadly trials, shadowed love interests, and heroines who refuse to break will devour this one. 🔥🌑🌿