I went into this book with no idea what to expect, and wow was my mind blown! The world was so cool, I wanted to know more about it at every turn. A few times I felt it was a tad description heavy, but not enough to pull me from the story. Zarya was fun to follow, she was written as a bit naive, but I think it was purposefully done to go along with her backstory. I wanted to scream at her sometimes, but her choices made very fun and interesting events occur. The magic was incredible and the creatures were equal parts creepy and cool. Absolutely recommend and can’t wait for the next one!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley, Nisha Tuli and Second Sky for this ARC.

Heart of Night and Fire is book 1 in The Nightfire Quartet.

Zarya wants to be free from her invisible cage that she has been bound in for years. After escaping to the city of Dharati, she finds herself in a completely different world and makes friends with rakshasas who she helped save.

I was almost completely enthralled while reading this book. It had me wanting more after finishing every chapter, especially as its based on South Indian mythology. My mouth was watering from the mention of various India delicacies too! I loved Lit. Yasen and loved how his relationship with Zarya progressed throughout the book.

I would definitely recommend this book to fans of fantasy, romance and mythology.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

I really enjoyed this book. I initially struggled with some of the terms in the book but it was a great opportunity for me to learn more about the culture.

This book is filled with twist, turns and unexpected surprises. I really enjoyed Zarya and her journey throughout the book. Initially I felt like things happened really quickly and I wasn’t sure things came together as naturally as I like but as the book went on I really appreciated the pace.

I will be keeping my eye out for the next book!

Let’s dive right into this enchanting journey woven by Nisha J. Tuli. First, the world-building in this book is like stepping into a vivid, bustling marketplace of Indian and South Asian culture. It’s so rich and immersive that you can practically taste the spices in the air. From the Indian clothing to the food, the world is vibrant and intriguing.

Next, the fantasy and magical elements are complex. The author has a quartet of books planned for this world, and there is much more to be explored! From the different creatures to the variously skilled humans, I can’t wait to see how Tuli continues to develop both. And then the magic! A big part of this novel is the main character, Zarya, discovering her own abilities and the layers of secrecy surrounding her past.

Underlying the world-building, unraveling the mysteries, and elements of magic is a slow-burn romance. And be forewarned, it is very, very slow. With more than one potential romantic interest, you’re left guessing and there’s a twist near the end!

My own feelings about this book are mixed. I really enjoyed the action scenes, the mysterious meetings in the violet forest, and Zarya learning about her magic. In between these exciting sections, however, I found the story to move slowly. Part of this is due to explaining the new world and magic and painting the picture of Indian culture. There were many places where I wished Ms. Tuli would show us instead of telling us, to give a little more excitement to the background information.

Unfortunately I could just not get into this one. I found myself bored at times and I did not connect with the characters. I loved the idea of this story and the world building but I think the pacing made it hard for me to get into it. Overall, I think this could be a great fantasy read, but for me it was not my favorite.

Heart of Night and Fire is a fast-paced fantasy with a slow burn romance and a diverse cast of characters and cultural elements ✨

One of my favorite parts of this book was the slow burn romance! I really could not figure out which MMC was going to be Zarya's love interest. I thought I had it, including the little twist, but then Tuli switched things up on me! I’m excited to see where the romance goes in book 2.

While I normally enjoy fast-paced books, this one was almost a little too fast-paced for me which is why I have it at a 3 star rating. If I had been able to read it in a shorter timeframe, I don’t think the pacing would have been an issue for me. Reading on and off while traveling for work made keeping up with details a little difficult.

Overall, I'm invested in Zarya's journey and can't wait for book 2!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

There were parts of this novel that I loved—the world building, the mythic inspirations, the honest badassery of Zarya over time.

But while I found the intentions behind the book fantastic, the overall execution was a bit lacking for me—giving off the vibes of a book very much intended as 95% backstory for all that happens later on in the series. The plot was so slow at points that I debated leaving this as DNF, with minor lines throughout that I had issues believing (for example, Zarya is told her existence should be a secret her whole life yet immediately tells pretty much everyone about her upbringing…?). Also, the romance is somehow both nonexistent and rushed at the end, which may not bother pure fantasy readers but was a letdown for me given the romantasy tagline.

All in all, not my favorite, but I have hope that the series will pick up with book #2!

3,5 ★

First of all, I would like to thank Netgalley for providing me with this ARC.
I requested this book after finishing another book by this author and was intrigued when I heard about her new series inspired by Indian mythology.

This book is the first installment of Nisha J. Tuli's new fantasy series, The Nightfire Quartet. The story follows a girl called Zarya, who grew up a prisoner, forbidden to use her magic but never knowing why she'd been trapped in the first place. When her guardian disappears and the wards trapping her vanish, Zarya escapes to the city of Dharati, only to find the city endangered by attacks from dark creatures.

I believe this book has great premises. The plot had me intrigued, and I was invested in the mystery surrounding Zarya’s magic and origins. Moreover, I really enjoyed the worldbuilding. Even though it was at times quite dense, I found myself really interested, and I think it is clear that a lot of work was put into it.

The writing in this book was the main issue for me, especially in the beginning. I thought the beginning was a little slow, information-heavy, and occasionally overly descriptive. However, the pace picked up in the second half, and I was able to really get into the story.

** carefull there might be some slight spoilers**

Zarya wasn't my favourite MC, I must admit. I couldn't really warm up to her for some reason, and there were times when I thought she was particularly naive and cringy. Nevertheless, I absolutely loved her relationship with Yasen. I enjoyed seeing their friendship develop, and I was particularly pleased that they interacted frequently and that it wasn't just her and the potential love interest.

Speaking of the love interest, I did not enjoy her relationship with Vikram. Even though I think it was quite obvious that he wasn’t going to be the true love interest, and while I came to feel bad for the character, their romance still felt forced and happened too quickly (especially after Zarya kept repeating how she knew better than to fall for the first guy she met).

That being said, I look forward to the next book and will definitely get my hands on it when it comes out!

This was a rather fun romantasy rooted and based on Indian mythology. 🪷

I got this on a whim mostly because I can’t say no to a book inspired by mythology. While at times I thought it was all fluff and no plot as I (personally) think most romance novels are, it surprised me nicely towards the end. 😊

I thought the idea of Zarya as a Rapunzel like character was done very well as she’s so sweetly naive about everything. But while she is rather clueless about the world outside her home, she makes up for fierceness. I loved how quick she is to take up control over her life and make a new one for herself in Dharati. 🗡️

I thought the world was very well done with the monsters and different beings fleshed out and characterized incredible well. My favorite characters would have to be Yasen and Aarav and how they eventually won over Zarya and her trust despite their rather rocky start. ⚔️

The romance part of the book did feel a bit odd here and there as it felt rushed at times, and others VERY slow. Not what I expected from a book heavily rooted in romantasy, but I did like that it didn’t detract completely from the plot. 🧡

Overall, it was a pretty good book with enough sword action to counterbalanced the love action that I’m still rather skeptical about. I’m still not fully on board for romantasy, but I’m warming to the concept, especially if mythology is involved! Will I continue the series? Yea, I’m interested to see what happens next!🌟

Thank you to NetGalley and Second Sky publishing for an eARC in exchange for an honest review! And to the author for a fun heroine and an interestingly messy love triangle? 🤪

Publication date: September 15!! 💫

Overall: 3.75/5 ⭐️ (parts of it are a 3.5 and others are a 4)

This story follows Zarya, a 21 yr old girl was has spent her life confined to a cottage and isolated from civilization by a guardian/ father figure for “her own protection”. When he leaves for the city and doesn’t come back, the magical barrier breaks, Zayra takes the opportunity she has longed for and leaves.

A blight is infecting the forest between her cottage and the city and is beginning to encroach on the city. Zarya is on a journey to discover who she is and who her family is that leads her to a found family and the friendships she has always dreamed of and an awakening within herself that she did not expect. The kingdom is threatened and she may be the answer.

Her love interest, Rabin, appears very briefly in this book but there is definitely chemistry and potential between the two of them that I cant wait to see develop.

I really enjoyed this book and the magical vivid world Nisha Tuli has created. The world building was overwhelming in the beginning of the book and since I am uneducated in south Asian mythology and folklore, I found it really difficult. The terminology and new magical terms were intimidating enough that I took notes, which is rare for me HOWEVER I am SO glad I pushed through because the payoff was amazing.

I can’t wait to see where the author takes these characters. The plot and storyline set up in this book are going to make an amazing series and I can’t wait to read it.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a complicated fun fantasy read! Thank you so much to the author and Second Sky for the opportunity to read this book in advance.

I received an ARC through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Before getting this ARC, I haven't heard of this book. I was kind intrigued by the cover but didn't expect much due to the rather generic title.
But just a few pages in I was hooked, and I needed to follow Zarya out of her isolation into the world.
It's Indian inspired mythology and high fantasy at its best.
Clearly, this book serves a lot of tropes that are common in the fantasy genre, but somehow it manages to put a new spin on them. And even the kinda love triangle didn't make me cringe.
It's a tight story with good pacing, a writing style I adore and enough action, intrigue and secrets to keep me at the edge of my seat. And I'm very excited to see the unfolding in three more books. (All of them will have been released by the end of 2024 so I don't have to wait an eternity to dive back into this world).
The story starts with Witcher vibes and ends with serious Prison Healer vibes and a strong case of found family. And yes, even the side characters are very interesting.
I was lucky enough to have been granted an ARC of both the book and the audiobook, so I could easily switch between them. The audiobook is really well narrated. Shiromi Arserio has a voice that is both soothing and excited, never letting you lose focus. It's been real great to listen to it.

4/5 stars

Thank you @netgalley, @bookouture and @secondskybooks for the ALC and ADC

I’m really looking forward to seeing where this series goes with its conflicts, found family dynamics, and self-discovery of the MFC.

Don’t expect a lot of heavy romance development in this book. I would say it’s more focused on family and friend relationships than finding a significant other. Yes, the MFC is interested in experiencing that type of relationship, but it’s not the priority in this book.

If you are a reader who gets hung up on pronunciation I highly recommend getting the audio version of this book to avoid being distracted or discouraged with ensuring you’re saying things as the author intended.

My students are going to absolutely DEVOUR this when it comes out! A fantasy adventure with perfect pacing that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. Dare I say a soon to be BookTok darling on our hands here?

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book! Devoured it. It has all of our favourite tropes, strong FMC, slow burn & found family. The world building was so beautiful, and I really enjoyed reading a book with south east Asian culture as opposed to the usual Eurocentric inspiration. We met Vikram and instantly he felt like the FMC’s bait and switch. I didn’t instantly connect with Zarya but it definitely fell into place throughout the book. It was really interesting meeting Rabin as well - finding out who he was at the end of the book was such a twist and I honestly ate it up.

The only small downfalls for me were the constant outfit descriptions. They sometimes took over scenes, however I have to be aware that because I’m not used to a lot of the South East Asian clothing it might have only seemed that way to me - I also wished we had maybe 100 more pages?! I so wanted to know more about Zarya and Yasen’s relationship. I could honestly read a whole book on their adventures and banter together!

I loved that this book starts fast and stays fast paced! Zarya annoyed me most of the time 🤣 she has a rough start but came across as selfish and cold. That being said, I didn't hate her by the end haha. I adored Yasen and look forward to his character in the rest of the series. 👀
Oh one of Zarya's redeeming qualities was her love of romance novels 🤣
.
It was an interesting story and plot definitely stood out amongst the other fantasy books I've been reading!

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for this Advanced Readers Copy of Heart of Night and Fire by Nisha J. Tuli!

In "Heart of Night and Fire" by Nisha J. Tuli, the brilliance shines through in its meticulously constructed world and multifaceted characters. Tuli adeptly intertwines diverse cultures and magical systems, immersing readers in a vivid and captivating story.

The book encounters some challenges when it comes to the handling of romance and pacing. The romantic aspect appears underdeveloped, lacking the depth and chemistry you would expect from a
"romantacy" Additionally, the plot experiences moments of uneven pacing and occasional confusion, oscillating between intense moments and slower intervals.

Despite these limitations, "Heart of Night and Fire" remains an engaging read for those who relish well-crafted worlds and complex characters. It's a literary journey worth embarking on, despite the occasional bumps in the narrative.

Thank you to Netgalley and Second Sky for the chance to review this ARC!

Nisha J. Tuli is a one click buy for me now. I trust her to do slow burn romantasy RIGHT. I love that this book is inspired by Indian and South Asian mythology and culture. It's well written, with great characters, an engaging plot, and a pretty good twist! I'd like book 2 immediately, please and thank you.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me this sneak peak at Heart of Night and Fire. Sadly this one was a no for me and I DNF’ed at 20%.

I found myself bored and completely unconnected with the characters. There was a lot of narration and info dumping which was off putting too. However the weirdest vibe I got was the random, abrupt details that Zarya was inexperienced at sex and kissing and only could understand things through romance books etc etc. Very tropey YA stuff I guess, but it was sprinkled throughout the text in the most awkward way.

If you’re more into YA, perhaps this could appeal to you.

"For every brown girl who wanted to be the chosen one too"

5/5

When I read books like this I wish I could go back to the past and tell my teenage self that brown girls would one day be the main characters in novels, I just know younger me would be so happy. This book itself was a treat and I did not want to finish it because that meant it would be over. There are some books that are genuinely just so much fun to read and it is so easy to immerse yourself in this world-building and from the beginning I was hooked. Also the beginning really reminded me of Rapunzel being locked away, which was a very interesting take to bring to the fantasy genre and I love the mystery that enshrouded that entire plotline.

I love the found family trope. It feels like home, there's seriously something so special about going from feeling so alone to finding people who are worth fighting for. This book executed that so well! I loved Zarya's dynamic with everyone and it's so nice to read about someone who is genuinely so kind-spirited. She easily could have been closed off after what she went through being isolated for her whole life, but she always sees the good in people, which is a really underrated trait. Yasen and his dynamic with Zarya was so sweet, they remind me of siblings and their banter and protection of one another was special to read about as the book progressed. To me that dynamic really added a whole other layer to the story because they brought out the good sides of each other and really solidified that Zarya was like family to those she interacted with.

Zarya herself as a protagonist was genuinely someone who is likeable. Her reactions to certain things make complete sense at times, she was after all locked up for an ungodly amount of years. Getting to see her try new things, meet people worth fighting for, stand up for herself, grow into her power, and discover herself was a whole treat in itself. She is kind-hearted, but I liked that she stood up for herself without hesitation and she was really fiery and she fights very well with courage and no hesitation. I also loved how unflinchingly she loved her culture and being South Asian myself that really stood out to me and made me connect with Zarya on a deeper level. She grows throughout the novel as she is presented with various experiences, but what I loved was that she was smart and stayed true to herself throughout. Also she paused her escape to obtain a romance novel, which is incredibly relatable and I can very much understand that.

The mythology, world-building, and adventure throughout is sustained and it gripped me in a way that had me guessing what would come next. The wonderful thing about this is that it felt impossible to predict what would happen next. It really is rooted in creativity and it's something new altogether unlike anything I have ever read before. I love when books are rooted in mythology, as it makes for a very vivid picture in my head. Additionally, there was a lot of hope in this book, she found a better life, people worth fighting for, new experiences and it really refreshed me to read about the beauty of life and the descriptions/writing make you feel exactly what Zarya is feeling.

The romance is certainly in development and I just know it's going to hit in the later books and I will be reading them and I need them as soon as possible. It is certainly going to be a slow burn that I know is worth waiting for. Even then, the glimpses we were given were so good and did I mention I need the next one like now?

Special thanks to Netgalley, the author, and Second Sky for the arc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.