The pacing in this book was off for me. It felt like nothing was happening. I couldn't get into it and DNF'd at 40%.

Give me forbidden magic any day and I will eat it right up. This book was captivating and I had a hard time putting it down! Loved this read.

I overall really enjoyed this! I didn't seem to build a deep connection with any of the characters, but they were still pleasant to read about. The world building was spectacular. The creatures and people we meet are phenomenal.

Fantasy romance enthusiasts will adore this gem. From the get-go, the story envelops you in its magical embrace, with a city that breathes enchantment and characters that linger in your thoughts long after the final page. Zarya's journey, marked by a slow burn that skillfully builds into a crescendo of intense, heart-pounding action and devastating twists, captivates the imagination and stirs the heart​​​​.

Zarya, our protagonist, is a beacon of hope, living in a gilded prison yet yearning for the truth about her magic and her place in the world. Her escape to the city of Dharati is a soul-searching quest that is beautifully wrought and vividly narrated. The layers of the story, much like Zarya's own secrets, unravel in a manner that's both thrilling and emotionally resonant​​.

One cannot help but marvel at the intricate world-building that Tuli has achieved, inspired by Indian mythology that adds a unique and rich flavor to the tale. The book’s magic system is fascinating and well-developed, leaving me thoroughly immersed. The enemies-to-lovers tension between Zarya and the enigmatic Rabin is crafted with such finesse that it adds an exhilarating edge to the narrative. Their dynamic is a dance of desire and defiance, making their interactions a highlight of the story​​.

The family dynamics and the found family trope that unfolds throughout the book is another element that is both touching and powerful. It reminds us that sometimes, family isn't just about blood relations but the bonds we forge through shared trials and triumphs. The way Tuli wove this theme into the story added depth and an emotional core that resonated with me deeply​​.

"Heart of Night and Fire" is a triumph of fantasy romance, a book that promises and delivers an unforgettable journey. For anyone craving a story that combines rich world-building, dynamic characters, and a plot that twists and turns in the most unexpected ways, this book is a must-read. The Nightfire Quartet has begun with a masterpiece, and I eagerly await the next installment.

Heart of Night and Fire by Nisha J. Tuli was first and foremost rife with world building and an intriguing diverse culture I couldn’t get enough of. I loved all the different creatures/people that were described and the interesting history that this world had. The magic was also a huge highlight, and the world was overflowing with the different kinds, as well as the intrigue of a dark magic hinted at that had some been unleashed after not existing for a long time, which was creating damage to the world with no way to stop it.

There were a vast number of unique characters right from the start and I loved how different and interesting they all were. I immediately enjoyed Vikram and Yasen, a pair that balanced each other so well with Yasen being the grumpy standoffish one and Vikram full of flirtation and helpfulness. I also loved learning more about them as they were Rakshasa, blood drinkers and badass fighters, and learning about these creatures was definitely a highlight as they introduced Zarya to the greater world she has been sheltered from her entire life. I have to say Zarya and Yassn’s friendship had to be my absolute favourite part of this whole book because it was so pure and adorable. I couldn’t get enough of it.

Zarya has been kept against her will in a little cottage with her two keepers for her 20 years of life and when Row goes missing and his wards mysteriously fall, she finally has a chance to escape the cottage and find the adventure she so desperately wants. She knows nothing about who she is, where she comes from, or why she has been kept hidden her entire life but she is determined to find these answers.

I will say I found it very slow paced. I had a hard time getting going with this book because I felt like nothing really intriguing was happening for a good length of time as it’s very slow burn. The world building does help to make up for this as it is very rich and interesting, but I had a hard time with getting invested in Zarya as a character as she came off as a bit bland and obstinate towards the people trying to protect her to a fault. There were side characters I felt were much more interesting and who I would have preferred more of over the FMC. I was there for every moment between Zarya and Rabin, as their interactions were definitely a highlight of the book and something I need more of. Not to mention the magic Zarya possesses and her journey to learn it and explore it.

I do think there’s a lot of potential for this series, and that this first book just got caught up in having so much of this diverse world to set up as far as world building and creating the foundations for the greater plot. As a result, I would like to see where this series go as I feel it will only get stronger from here. There were also a ton of revelations closer to the end of the book that really amped up the pace and hooked my attention much more, which is another reason I have a feeling the sequel is really going to pick things up and turn this series into so much more.

Nice easy read. Had a great plot and I loved the characters. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book.

🧡⭐️ ARC REVIEW - Heart of Night and Fire ⭐️🧡

⭐️ 4.5
🌶 2

What a phenomenal start to Nisha J. Tuli's new Nightfire Quartet series!

Tuli's prose is so lush and descriptive that you can't help but be transported to an alternate ancient India/South Asia. The depictions of the settings, the colourful clothing, the food (you may want reading snacks), the architecture and the creatures all make for an immersive experience you never want to leave.

I really loved the author's take on South Asian-inspired mythology and folklore, as well as her unflinching use of the regions' languages throughout. If you can absorb Eurocentric fantasies' world building, you'll have no issues learning the world building and terminology here.

Another cultural layer to the story is the magic system. Is elemental magic ground-breaking? No, but Tuli's spin on mental touchstones is intriguing. I can't wait to see more magic in the rest of the series because Tuli's just scratched the surface here.

The scouting and battles against demons gave me 'Supernatural meets Throne of Glass meets pre-colonial India' vibes, which I adored. These creatures are no joke, and the fights were gory and intense.

One of my favourite aspects of this story though were the character interactions. The FMC Zarya has had a difficult and isolated life so far, so her social skills tend to get her into trouble. It's so compelling watching her open up and eventually allow herself to care for others. Acknowledging her struggles and internalised rage gives her the space to start becoming the person she's always dreamt of being. It's powerful to see Zarya slowly accept that she does have value, can be helpful, has choices and deserves love.

The romance was also fun. The love triangle is quite the roller-coaster ride, where nothing goes the way you think it will, and I can't wait to see how it all plays out in the next book.

For those who love mysteries/thrillers, this fantasy has so many secrets and twists that you'll surely love it. Even Zarya’s very identity has to be discovered. Many questions still remain, though.

Overall, despite some slow pacing in the beginning, this story was a fantastic ride. I definitely recommend it!

(P.S. I'm so very sorry for the delay. My chronic illnesses flared up, so I'm trying my best to catch up with pending reviews. Also, my review on Amazon is currently pending)

I am in the minority here, but I just didn't get into this one.

I was really excited by the blurb and the tagline, I love reading fantasy and fantasy romances based on mythology or fairy tales, and especially those of different cultures to mine, so I really expected to be immersed in this story, but it just didn't happen.

The romance felt kind of forced, or at least, I didn't really get to know the characters very well or their attraction, given that the tagline was "An absolutely addictive slow burn fantasy romance" I didn't find it either addictive or slow burn, especially not slow burn, unless we're talking about a different romance, the FMC, Zarya seemed pretty instantly attracted to at least one of the male characters.

"Zarya’s dreams are haunted by a mysterious stranger. Powerful, arrogant and handsome, Rabin sees through her secrets and ignites a desire she cannot resist. But can he be trusted?"
I was kind of disappointed in this sub-plot too, which was very much a sub-plot, the dream stranger was thrown in every now and then, and he only really became something more to the story towards the end, when, even then, I just felt like he was just another component to a pretty mixed set of not terribly important characters and magic stuff going on. I could see influences of ACOTAR in this, especially with the 'found family' which felt quite contrived in that it took me out of the story because it felt so deliberately added to the book.

I think my main barrier to loving this, though, was probably the main character, Zarya, who seemed pretty jumbled as a character, I couldn't get a handle on her. At some points she seems pretty worldly and confident, at others naive and childish. Her behaviour and attitudes seem pretty young teen to me most of the time, so the fact that this is an adult book is more for some of language and the sexual attraction scenes rather than the complexity of the plot, the writing style, or the experience and attitudes of the characters, so this isn't an adult fantasy in those senses. From my own personal experiences of isolation and naivety and how those things affected me and how I interacted with others as a result, I just didn't recognise that in Zarya, and so her conflicting personality traits felt messy rather than the deliberate consequence of her life experience based on what I brought to the reading of this story.

Having said that, there were a lot of things that could have made this great for me, had I been able to dive a bit deeper into the world, the politics, the position of the Queen and the mythology and magic, the world seemed packed with promise in that sense, but again I felt kind of removed from it, as I got told about a lot of it, but not in a way that made me connect or care in the way that I wanted to.

I can see that there are elements that a lot of readers would enjoy, and I'd still be interested in knowing where the story goes, but this one isn't one for my shelves, unfortunately.

Wow, wow, wow!
What an incredible book, with absolutely spectacular POC representation.
The first half of the book had quite a slow pace, however I am so glad that I persevered, It has quite intricate and heavy world building.
The found family trope? My absolute fave, and it was written so incredibly well in this book.
A really entertaining read, and I'll definatley be finishing the rest of this series!

I really enjoyed the world building and characters in this book, it was incredibly refreshing to read a romantic fantasy set in an Indian inspired world. The romance didn’t go in the direction I expected which at first was a little disappointing but I was glad that it shook up some of my predictions. I do think there was a lot of set up for the next books, almost like a prequel novel but I’m still really interested in what comes next in this story.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC of Heart of Night and Fire.
This book was phenomenal. I loved the setting and the world-building. I really felt at home. We got to explore the world with Zarya and learn more about the vast world in which this story is set.
I really can't wait to get more of Zarya and Rabin.

This story was such a delight to read! From the world building to the characters. I really enjoyed my time spent reading this book. I thought the author did a wonderful job of creating an intriguing world of magic, danger and secrets. All of which I couldn’t wait to see revealed.

I thought Zarya was such a strong character, she had her faults but this made her even more realistic. Her life had been very sheltered and to suddenly find herself in very new and dangerous situations made for an engaging read. I also have to say that all the minor characters brought something to the story. My favourite has to be Yasen though. I loved how his character developed and every interaction he had with Zarya made me smile. The found family trope is one of my new favourites and in this book it was a brilliant example of why I like it so much.

The plot moved at a steady pace but it is often tricky in the first book to get everything right. Such as introducing characters, getting to know them and create a detailed story. I thought all in all it was the right balance to keep the reader intrigued. Heart of Night and Fire was a stunning introduction to engaging characters. I loved the magic, the danger and the hint of romance too. Everything was brought to life in such a great way and now I can’t wait for book two!

Heart of night and fire is the first book in The Nightfire Quartet. It is a new adult fantasy romance that follows the perspective of Zarya. I thought that this book was slow going at the beginning while we were getting worldbuilding, history and introduction to quite a few characters. I was fine with having this slow build. It gave time to get to know Zarya, her backstory but especially world development and magic, while not feeling completely info dumped on. There were a couple of weak points in the plot that did not make sense to me, some of magical aspects for instance, but did not take a whole lot away from the story.
The writing was ok, and I did love the descriptions of clothing and the city. Some of the details about the dark creature seemed vague at times and events happening in the city. There were quite a few characters that were introduced, and I had a hard time not getting some of them mixed up, some of them I did not get enough info on, so they faded into the background for me. I was not really feeling the romance that was starting to develop it was a combination of who the love interest is and insta love that was happening, but I Do love the mystery man and I am getting a lot of enemies to lover's vibes coming from him and Zarya, so I am really excited to see where things go. One thing I did find very confusing had to do with the queen, mostly surrounding her magic, protecting the city, husband and how the next queen is picked.
I did like a number of aspects from this story that I do want to continue to find out where it is going but I did have a couple of issues throughout the story, which is why I only gave it a three star.
I received an advanced ebook, via Netgalley. This review is my own honest opinion.

This read consists of a few of my favorite tropes:
-Forbidden magic
-Enemies to lovers
-Found Family
-Hidden Secrets
-Love Triangle
-Slow Burn

I'll just said this read exceeded my expectations, the synopsis doesn't justified how good the plot will be. The author perfectly blended some South East Asian elements while curating a unique magic system.

I admire Zarya's character as she's a determined and strong woman despite going through all the hardships. She was bound and trapped in a place by her guardian without knowing why she's being cut off from the outside world. When she saw the opportunity to escape, she grasped the chance and bolt for freedom. The plot dive deeper into discovering  Zarya's power and the truth of why she's hidden from the outside world. 

Can't wait to read the sequel!

This book was the perfect mix of Fantasy and slow burn romance for me.
The world building was great and the plot was set at a fairly fast pace which I didn’t mind.
The magic system in the book was really
Unique and I enjoyed reading and learning out it.
The characters were great and I enjoyed seeing the development of each character throughout the book. The side characters at times had me more invested that the main characters.
Ahh the romance which is a slow burn was actually pretty slow and at times I wanted it to speed up as I felt it did drag after a while.
I enjoyed the authors writing style and found it easy to follow.

Thank you to Netgalley, the Author and the Publisher for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to Second Sky for the copy of this book.

With a dedication of "For every brown girl who wanted to be the chosen one too", I wanted to LOVE this book. I DNFed after 40%. I'm not sure if it's just too slow of a start or what, but I just very bored (and sad I'm not loving it!). A South Asian Rapunzel retelling sounds right up my alley, but it just wasn't for me.

Wow!! I really enjoyed this! Such an entertaining fantasy book filled with angst and tension! The slow burn was incredible!! Loved this!

An exciting fantasy romance!

When Zarya escapes the guilded prison she has always lived in, she finally discovers what life has to offer: romance, adventure, friendship... But Rabin, a mysterious, powerful and handsome stranger, haunts her dreams and Zarya can't help but be attracted to him. Can she trust him despite the secrets he keeps? With her new home in danger, Zarya doesn't know what to do: she will either save or destroy everything she loves.

I really enjoyed this book. The world was quite interesting and I liked discovering more about how the magic and the politics worked throughout the story. Even if the first part of the book was sometimes a bit slow and frustrating, the intense and fast-paced ending made up for it. Past some point, I just couldn't stop reading because of how excited I was to see what was coming. The characters are very intriguing and mysterious, which I really liked and Zarya has an interesting development throughout the story. The writing was quite addictive and beautiful, with dynamic dialogues that were swoon-worthy. Some of the twists and turns really surprised me and I'm really excited to see what's next in this series!

I recommend if you like slow burn fantasy romance with secrets and mystery!

"After a lifetime of loneliness, Zarya had suddenly never felt so alone in her life."

TW: violence, blood, assault, abuse, sexual content

a wonderfully written romantasy novel ; following protagonist Zarya as she escapes the house she's been confined in her whole life, and following her as she grapples with the outside world. She travels to one of the largest cities in her country, finding things she never knew existed, friends she never thought she'd make; and learning more about the mysterious earthly sickness threatening her land.

I absolutely Adored this book, and if I hadn't gotten sick I do think I would've finished it in one sitting. It was absolutely incredible, fantastic worldbuilding, immediately lovable yet complex characters and the description was genuinely so rich and detailed i really felt I was there. This book was inspired by various aspects of Indian mythology and I loved it! I've never encountered any of this mythology before so being introduced to it through this book was so fun! I'm definitely going to try and find some more books with these types of monsters and inspirations as I really really enjoyed all the descriptions and different aspects included within it! The ending absolutely gobsmacked me and I cannot wait for the rest in the series! so hoping I get picked for arcs of those as well 🫶

I really enjoyed this book. I particularly loved how the relationship dynamics between the characters changed. Without giving any spoilers, I did see everything coming with this one, which was a shame as I think the intention was there were supposed to be plot twists, but it made it no less enjoyable. Would very much like to read the next installment to see what comes of Zarya and Rabin. Fans of ACOTAR and Fourth Wing would like this book, and I would recommend it.

I received a copy of this ebook for free on NetGalley in return for an honest review.