Overall was not a bad read. I found the names hard to follow at times and what each one did for a role but overall it was a good story and just my type. The world building was very good and I was able to picture myself there.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read this book. I read a lot of fantasy and while this wasn't at the top of the list for me, I did enjoy it. I really wanted to find out who Zarya actually was, but waiting until the very end was kind of frustrating. A definite mystery through most of these pages. I would absolutely pick up the second one on the hopes that even more action happens.

This book was everything!!! I could find nothing I did not enjoy within its pages.

The world building was expertly done. I felt like I walked right alongside Zarya throughout the story.

I was worried I'd find the story to be centered around the romance and end up getting bored. But the author found the perfect balance between the romance, fantasy and adventure.

I also loved the descriptions of the beautiful clothing as well as the East Indian mythology characters. This is a perfect book for many brown women out there who find themselves underrepresented in literature. As someone from the Caribbean with many brown friends, I am definitely going to be recommending this book to many readers. I absolutely cannot wait for the rest of this series!

Thank you Second Sky for the opportunity to review this book!

3.75 Stars rounded up to 4.

Heart of Night and Fire is the beginning of a series following Zarya, a 20 year old woman who has been kept secret and hidden from the world, and living on the outskirts of the kingdom with her captor/caregiver Row.

What I loved:
Indian-inspired Fantasy Setting
Cool and unique magic system
Found Family
Interesting Characters

Overall review: Fun premise, lots of promise for an interesting world and action-packed plot line, an FMC who can take care of herself, thank you!, and some slight pacing issues early on that improve a lot over the course of the book.

I don’t think I’ve ever said this about a book before, but I think there should have been more of this one. Most authors seem to struggle to edit out unnecessary filler that bogs a story down but this book could have benefitted from a little more added into it! The beginning of the story suffered from ‘first book’ issues a bit, but in a different way than I’m used to. The beginning is so action packed that- while definitely not boring- I felt as though I didn’t get much time to sit with Zarya and thus connect with her character. The pacing is just a bit off in the beginning, but I can happily say that the rest of it has much better pacing and I did get to understand the characters better later on.

This book is clearly a lot of set up for what promises to be a great series. That being said, if you’re looking for enemies to lovers romance you’re going to have to wait for book 2. If it’s with the character it seems like it will be with, it sounds fun but as of right now I’m not entirely certain who Zarya’s enemy is supposed to be. There is some romance in here, but it’s more forbidden than enemies, and I have no doubt that we’ll get a lot more of that in book 2.

I hope that we get to see Zarya’s character evolve as well. For being 20 she is pretty naive and love-starved, seeming to cling to anyone who will show her any kindness. I suppose that makes sense for her character given that she’s been cut off from any contact with the outside world her whole life, but it’s still a bit off-putting to read and prevented me from really connecting with her during the beginning of the book.

But despite these issues Heart of Night and Fire was a run read, and I look forward to continuing the series and seeing these characters evolve and the story unfold!

3.5/5 stars
This was the first of Nisha J. Tuli's books that I have read. I was super intrigued by the plot given and was very excited to read this book. The author has a way of creating a lush and inviting world that is beautifully executed. I enjoyed her ability to depict her world to the reader and truly invite us in. Beyond the setting, I did have some trouble with relating and connecting to any of the characters, a lot of interactions felt very surface level and rushed. Upon reading the synopsis for a enemies-to-lovers, every interaction the FMC had I thought maybe it was finally happening, but it didn't really until the very end (and it's really just a small sprinkle). I think maybe the second book will explore this trope more which is fine, but it really wasn't present in the first book. The second half of the book however did feel more put together and I think it will pave the way for the next book. I did all in all enjoy this book and am excited to read the second book and see what is to come.

I received this ARC from netgalley.com

A must-read for those who enjoy fantasy romance! Fantastical world building filled with rich and beautiful settings, magical beings, demons and all sorts of scary creatures. Filled with lots of south Asian folklore and mythology, the fast paced, action packed journey that Nisha Tuli sets us on is one of excitement and thrills. I found it hard to put down and am greatly looking forward to the next one! Give me more!

Read if you like Sarah J Maas (Throne of Glass feels); Chelsea Abdullah's "The Stardust Thief" and Shannon Chakraborty.

Thank you to Netgally, Nisha Tuli and Second Sky for an eARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book from the moment I picked it up, and to be honest my only complaint is that I need to know what's going to happen in the next book IMMEDIATELY!

Zarya has spent her life trapped by the man who raised her. He is not unkind to her, but she knows nothing about who she is. After she escapes one day she goes on an amazing journey where she learns more about herself and the world she lives in and finds some great people along the way.

The world building and magic system are great and the Indian folklore is wonderful and something that is new to me.

Some of the reviews that I've read mentioned struggling to connect with the characters but I didn't find that at all. I thought the characters had great depth and personality.

It's got found family, slow burn, enemies to lovers(ish) and I would definitely recommend it fans of romantic fantasy books.

Can't wait to see where the rest of the series goes.

I was provided with an eARC from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was extremely interesting. You go on a journey of discovery with the main character as she escapes her childhood prison. With her You discover friendship, love, betrayal and magic.

The characters in this book are well developed and all have interesting stories some of which we still need to learn.

The world is interesting having demons, magic and a mysterious blight. I read this early so not sure if when it's published it will have this but I would love a map of the city, the cottage and other kingdoms.

One small issue (personal and should not be changed) is I struggled with the names of people and places and clothes but I think alot of that was my cultural naivety and I did enjoy googling what the clothing terms meant and by no means should anything be done to change this as I did love learning more about othe cultures it just took me a bit longer to read because of this.

I would definitely recommend this book and I cannot wait to know what happens next.

I have already published a review to good reads and will tag second sky publishing when I make a tiktok post about it.

For twenty years, magic prevents Zarya from ever leaving the secluded cottage she grows up in off by the Dakhani Sea with Row. He’s not her father but he’s the only guardian she’s ever truly known. When Row goes missing, the magic dissipates and Zarya finally escapes her personal prison. Heart of Night and Fire is the journey of Zayra discovering who she is, who she is meant to be and why she was kept hidden.

Nisha J. Tuli’s strongest asset is her ability to write rich and intricate descriptions. This world is an eruption of Indian influences, vibrant colour, and magics that made me feel like I was a character in the novel itself. Although it was often over-whelming, I found myself fully engrossed within the pages and several times I found myself re-read passages. It also is encouraging me to read more of Indian Mythology and learn about the culture.

Heart of Night and Fire is a strong start to the Night Fire Quartet. From start to finish, it’s full of dark secrets, vibrant world-building, and is packed with action. It’s hard to know who to trust and keeps you guessing where the story is going. This story leans more towards fantasy than romance, but I'm expecting the romance to develop more in the coming installments.

A big thank you to NetGalley, Second Sky Publishing, and Nisha J. Tuli for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book I read of this author and I loved it. The world building is so well written and the characters are really easy to connect with. The chemistry between both main characters is so good, Can’t wait for the next one!

Arc from netgalley

I go lot about 100 pages into the book and I could not connect to any of the characters. The other thing was the terminology and descriptions of items or clothes just flew way over my head. They would say oh this person was wasting this. But as the reader there was no description of that that item truly looked like. Therefore pointless to me. This genre is one of my favorites, sadly this book wasn’t a good connection.

After reading a string of disappointing books, I didn't go into this one with high hopes, but it absolutely exceeded my expectations! I was hooked from the very beginning and could barely put it down.

The author built such an intricate world, and the attention to detail was so so good! I really like the main character, Zarya. She was so strong but also had such an innocent side where she just did not want to be lonely and yearned for friends and a family. Her development was really nice to see throughout the book, especially with Aarav.

The story was exciting and full of twists that I didn't anticipate! I guessed one of the reveals as it became slightly more obvious as the book went on, but it didn't take away from the story. I loved this book, and I am desperate to see more of Rabin and whatever it is between them develop!

The only downside for me was that I struggled with some of the terminology in the book. I am not well versed in Indian culture and the mythology and found myself having to google what a lot of the clothes/foods/demons were because I had no idea. That slightly pulled me out of the book because I stopped quite a few times. This is in no way a bad reflection on the author, just pointing out that some readers will be like myself and maybe some more description of the items may have helped.

I'd absolutely rate this a 4 and will wait in anticipation for the next book as I NEED to know what happens next!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

You ever read a book and feel disappointed that it isn’t longer? I felt that with Heart of Night and Fire by Nisha J. Tuli, in the absolute best way possible.

The first installment of The Nightfire Quartet has us following our Main Character Zenya, who up until now has been kept captive in a tiny cottage by the sea. Her captor is Row, an Aazheri sorcerer, and claims it’s for her protection, but never explains what it’s for protection from. She’s spent her days being trained to fight alongside Row’s apprentice Aaraav while around her little home, the land is being destroyed by the mysterious blight. When one day Row goes missing, she takes a daring chance and escapes to a world completely unknown to her, and finds out there’s more at play for her than she ever could thought.

I’ve loved other works from Nisha J. Tuli (Trial of the Sun Queen especially) and Heart of Night and Fire is no exception. This book is packed full of adventure, action and fast paced. It’s inspired by Indian mythology and has magnificent world building, an intriguing magical system, and has left me with so many questions that I’m already dying for the next book. This is an easy 4.5 out of 5🌟s for me.

The world is very interesting, but the writing and overall execution weren't quite for me unfortunately.

I was immediately pulled into the narrative, and I enjoyed the way the mythological and historical inspirations are so clear throughout the story.

The main character has alot of unanswered questions as the story starts, and is feeling a typical teenage angst about the whole thing. As her adventure begins, you see her start to blossom as a character in her own right, complete with some impressive combat and weaponry skills.

Things get complicated fast, and the characters evolve pretty quickly to keep up. There's definitely a touch of plot convenience in the burgeoning romance that begins, but the characters are likable enough that it's something you can overlook. The main character seems a little distracted by hormones given everything that's going on as the world is crumbling around them, which gives some moments a weird vibe, and the hint of a love triangle feels like it comes out of nowhere and then is resolved by another plot convenience of the "surprise, I'm gay" variety.

The world-building is impressive, and everything from the creatures to the magic feels immersive. There are a few jarring moments where sexuality seems really forced into the narrative, though, like when characters are walking through a yard full of magical creatures and take a moment to share a giggle over two who are "f-ing each other furiously." Uh ... ok? The disjointed sexuality continues in a scene where a character gets off while also worrying that she might have just revealed her location to an extremely dangerous person.

The book ends by answering some looming questions, but without resolving anything. It feels unfinished.

Great world building and I loved the characters, but I wanted them to be deeper. I also thought the book was predictable. A pronunciation guide would be helpful. All this being said, I can’t wait for the next book in the series.

ARC Review: Thank you Nisha J. Tuli and NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

When Nisha J. Tuli announced the first book in her new romantic fantasy series, Heart of Night and Fire, I wanted to read is ASAP! I loved the Trial of the Sun Queen and the Rule of the Aurora King, and couldn’t wait to get my hands on her next book.

Heart of Night and Fire follows Zarya, a woman who longs to experience life outside of the gilded cage she’s been placed in by the man who raised her. When the chance to escape with two handsome strangers presents itself, she runs and never looks back. In the beautiful city of Dharati, Zarya begins to piece together the puzzle of her past while growing closer to the mysterious stranger who haunts her dreams. Through glittering parties, epic fight scenes, and elemental magic, Zarya begins to unravel the secrets her guardian has been keeping from her. When life as they know it is threatened in Dharati, Zarya has to choose between her own safety or revealing her deepest secret to save those she’s come to love.

I really liked this book! Nisha J. Tuli has a style of writing that makes you feel as if you’re eating the food and wearing the clothing she describes. I also loved Zarya, a strong female lead who doesn’t push others away, but allows her relationships to make her stronger. I laughed out loud at some of Zarya’s inner thoughts and audibly gasped at major revelations. I absolutely plan on reading the next book in the series.

If you’re a romantic fantasy reader, please plan on picking up this book. While your at it, get the Trial of the Sun Queen and Rule of the Aurora King. You won’t be disappointed!

This book was enjoyable. However, it does have its problems.

I felt that this book was trying to do too many things at once. The magic system and world-building felt chaotic at times and non-existent at other times. I felt like I didn't understand the characters' motivations and I wished that there had been more development around them rather than leaning on tropes.

All that said, I did enjoy the book. It was fun, fasted paced and I will continue reading this series. I really enjoyed the Indian-inspired world that was created and I enjoyed hearing about the food, clothes, and scenery.

Heart of Night and Fire starts with our main character Zenya being a prisoner in a cottage by the ocean. Shes been there her entire life and her captor claims it's for her protection. After he goes missing, she sets out to see what life outside her cabin is like and discovers some secrets along the way.

While I didn't love this story, I did enjoy parts of it. I liked the magic system and creatures. Zenya at times seemed kind of whinny but I did appreciate how she didn't let anyone push her around. I had a hard time getting through probably 70% of the book. It wasn't bad I just didn't really feel attached to the characters. The last 30% was exciting and I'm interested in seeing what happens next!

Huge thank you to NetGalley for my ARC copy!

Nisha was able to captivate her audience from the very beginning. I was immediately drawn into the story and the struggles/mysteries surrounding Zarya.

After 20 years trapped behind a wall of magic, everything changes in a blink of an eye. Her guardian, Row vanishes one night, without a trace, leaving behind everything, Zarya wants to find him but also wants to be free. You can feel the guilt she is having over the situation. Fueled by her emotions, you’ll see the world through her eyes and watch as she starts to grow up and realize the dangers of the world.

Zarya longs for an adventure, for freedom, love and now the answers behind why Row (her guardian and capture) hid her away from the world.

Heart of Night and Fire is a well written and intriguing story. I enjoyed her ability to pull together different mythological tales and themes. Overall, this book is absolutely beautiful and it’s a roller coaster of emotions.