Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice 🌶️🌶️.5/5

What to expect
🌹 Slow-burn romance
🌹 Enemies to lovers (to enemies again?)
🌹 Morally gray MMC
🌹 World Building
🌹 One bed and Forced Proximity
🌹 Deadly Trials & Court Politics
🌹 Touch her and ☠️
🌹 First person POV

My Thoughts: (I will make this as spoiler-free as possible)
This is the second book in Briar Boleyn's Blood of Fae series. While I thoroughly enjoyed the first book, I felt more disappointed in the second. For starters, the FMC was incredibly insufferable for almost the entire book. Anytime I reached a point of dialogue and she spoke, I wanted to throw my Kindle (dramatic? perhaps but she seems to have the maturity level of a toddler sometimes). When I reached the book's second half, I had hoped (for a brief moment) that she would get better and finally have the character arc I thought started at the end of the first book... but that lasted for about 8 pages. I am more confused about Morgan's relationship with Draven than ever before.

As for the plot; I found the story interesting but there were parts that seemed lackluster or rushed. The book picks up where Queen of Roses ends, which I did enjoy but the story felt like it could have been a novella (think Six Scorched Roses in the Crowns of Nyaxia series). I say that only because the book is more about Draven and his world rather than adding to the overall story of Morgan/Arthur/Camelot. Now, don't get me wrong, I did enjoy reading this book and learning the backstory of Draven but it felt more like a side quest (if you will) than a major plot point for the overall premise of the series. By the end of the book, I was left feeling aggravated with Morgan; I honestly had no idea a character, A MAIN CHARACTER, could be so irritating. Morgan's character reads like an insufferable brat who will throw a tantrum anything they do not get their way.

Now for Draven, I will keep this short and to the point (mostly so I do not spoil anything and also because he does not make me feel like Morgan does). If you want a dark, twisted, possessive MMC with "I would burn the world for you", "Good girl", and "Touch her and die" vibes, Draven is IT. He is morally grey but a gentle soul wrapped up with a pretty little bow.

And again, I felt like the world-building in this book was just as beautiful and well done as in the first. Overall, I thought the plot was decent and it added substance to Draven's character, overall. This book also ends on a cliffhanger.

Oh my gosh huge thank you to the author and NetGalley for allowing me to continue reading Morgan's adventures!!! I loved it just as much as I loved the first. Thank you for mastering a story telling landscape, actually good twists and turns that are not predictable at all and giving me more Morgan! Also thank you for hawl! I haven't laughed that hard in a long time, I fell in love with hawl they're perfect and thank you for making them a they it works flawless! I did cry technically twice once from the beginning (no spoilers) and than with a certain one (no spoilers) who I also had fallen in love with! That ending though! This was not the only book I was reading at the time, and the other was suppose to be a mystery with twists and turns (it fell flat) this with the ending! Never expected that at all! That you for that so much!!! If you love ACOTAR you will love this series more I promise (and I really love ACOTAR) you need this series in your life! Thank you for allowing me the pleasure of your books in my life!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.💫

Court of Claws is the second book in the Blood of a Fae series. Picking up immediately after the events of the first book, Morgan awakens to find herself convalescing in a foreign land.

Still reeling from loss and guilt, she must adjust quickly to the brutal and ruthless ways of the Siabra court.

Much to her dismay, her life is now intertwined with Draven, the male she can barely stand. Yet, she also can’t completely ignore the uninvited feelings he stirs within her. Morgan is furious with her predicament but they must work together if they wish to try to save Camelot. Morgan must grapple with her powers and relationships with Draven and his inner circle.

With deadly trials, irrevocable bonds, and shocking secrets unveiled, will Morgan face these challenges and fears and emerge unscathed?

Tropes/themes:
👑 Forced Proximity
👑 Ruses
👑 Training
👑 Deadly Trials
👑 Survivor’s Guilt
👑 Found Family
👑 Angst
👑 Magic & Bonds
👑 Slow Burn 🌶️

“I know I can never convince you, but it is all for you. What I do is for you, always."

“But I see you, Morgan Pendragon. I see you truly for everything you are and everything you will be”

“He was Kairos Draven. My enemy. My protector. Sometimes something close to a friend. Sometimes the man I wanted to stab while he slept.”

This book delves deeper into Draven's land and court. We learn much more about his tragic past and are introduced to a slew of new endearing (and some despicable) characters. Exmoors (legendary battlecats) might be my new favorite mythical creature!

Briar brilliantly weaves an intricate narrative and rich tapestry of this world. The reader is fully immersed in its customs, magic, creatures, and lore. I was riveted by the action scenes and impressed by the depth of these characters. Morgan and Draven’s relationship is tumultuous, passionate, and dynamic. I loved the angst, tension, and banter.

I’m reeling from the events of this book and will be reading the next book as soon as possible!

Court of Claws is a spellbinding sequel that will have you screaming, swooning, and begging for more!

**I received a free e-ARC and am voluntarily leaving my honest review. Huge thanks to Briar Boleyn and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this e-ARC!**

- This book was ok. The overall plot had so much potential, even if it was so different and basically a huge wrench thrown into the OG plot from Queen of Roses. The plot development was probably the only part of the book I consistently enjoyed. Predictable? Yes. She’s had a goal and stuck to it.

- This is now when the spoiler warning sets in >>>>


- I was a little surprised by the direction she took this book. I didn’t expect Morgan to wake up at Draven’s court and be thrown into the mess of him partaking in a challenge to become emperor of the Siabra. But hey, the Blood Rite is in full swing and we are not getting back to Morgans continent to approach Arthur until it is over. There could’ve been a little more carry over from the first book but alas at least we come full circle with that last chapter.

- I’m so frustrated with the FMC, she didn’t even feel like the same person in this book. And I don’t mean that she had a huge amount of growth within the time frame book one had left off on. She’s is annoying and constantly complaining. Her feelings are not expressed beyond simple statements that make you feel irritated rather than cause her to be relatable. She’s constantly making poor choices and spends majority of the book just reiterating that she hates Draven. There is little relationship building between the characters besides the forced proximity of a shared bedroom.

- There are parts in the book that are repeated and might have been missed in editing - like how lyrastra teaches the young girls to spar and then somehow now Morgan is? I mean she just started sparring like 3 days ago so this repeated sentence felt off.

- That sets me to my next issue, the time line. I cannot follow well enough how much time is passing because things feel a bit jumpy. And this is with me reading the book over two days. How is Morgan somehow now an adept fighter when in Camelot she stated she was just OK. And she’s training to use her powers for about 4 days and then seems to have mastery over them.

- Not keeping to the curses was smothering aspect that might have been missed during editing: how does Erion have a 13 year old sister if there has been a child rearing curse on the Siabra for ~150 years, if Draven was supposedly one of the last children born… yet he has a significantly younger sister as well???

- This book is too wordy and could’ve been cut in length. Some of the parts had unnecessary detail that I skimmed.

- And lastly, why would Draven be lying on his stomach (prone) after having a chest wound with stitches? The medical professional in me is shaking my head.

- I think this book had great potential but needed another round of edits before it was published.

I flew through Book 1 and Book 2 of this series in less than 24 hours. Briar Boleyn does such an amazing job just *sucking* you into the plot, I HAD to know what happened next.

Book 2 was even better than book 1 because we spent more time learning about Draven, I am a sucker for a morally grey male lead and LOVE that Briar included the differentiation that Draven would *Kill* for Morgan.

I've already started book 3 and can't wait to see what is next!

I struggled a bit with the trigger warnings with this one.
Honestly I think it's me this time.
I'd like to reread it and then give it another go. Because I still enjoyed it, just struggled at times.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am left speechless, the end of this book…

This book is written beautifully, I love getting to know Draven better and understanding who he really is. I think he might be my favourite character.

Morgan makes me a bit angry in this book but I still love her. I think her new powers and her figuring out who she really is was incredible.

I think the characters in this book are so well written. I could not put this book down! I highly recommend picking up this series, it does not disappoint!

2.75 stars.

This book was a huge disappointment for me.

Overall, it was a big step back from what the first one in the series had delivered. The tone was completely different (constantly cracking jokes and inserting levity during situations that should have been solemn or serious), and the events felt disconnected from the previous story, too (there was no real plot progression).

The story was barely moved forward, since the ending of "Queen of Roses" had already revealed Morgan and Draven's bonding, and her being a full-fledged fae of a kind having a history of enmity with Drave's fae kind.

The events presented in this book felt more like filler than anything else, like something that should have been an intermediate novella, or contained to a single act in a two, or three act book.

But even with the stagnant nature of it and everything, still the worst thing for me was the clashing tone. Forcing humor during grave, serious moments broke the book for me. It would have been one thing if this series had been darkly comedic from the start (as many others are), but because it wasn't, this book kind of came across as tone deaf for me.

Full review will be available on my blog at https://multicoloredbookreviews.home.blog/

First off thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read the second book in the Bood of the Fae series, Court of Claws.
This book continued on with the love, treachery and betrayal of the 2 main characters.
The enemy turns to your lover, then you find out he set you up to take control of his Kingdom. WHAT!!
wow. can wait to continue this series.

I started reading this book, but I felt I could not get into it. The FMC made very questionable choices in the parts I read, and I felt it was too difficult for me to continue as there were a lot of parts I had issues with.

While I won't be continuing the series, I would like to thank the author, the publisher and netgalley for the opportunity to read it here on Netgalley.

Court of Claws by Briar Boleyn is the second book in the Blood of a Fae series and is a fantasy romance story based on Arthurian legends, set in a Fae and human world. It is labeled in some places as dark fantasy but it’s really pretty mild. As always, do check content warnings, Tropes include enemies to lovers, touch her and d!e, a competition, political/court intrigue, a morally gray MMC and a very shabby FMC.

The Lovely: I still love the main characters and their relationship. Morgan and Draven are back to enemies at the start of this book and Morgan is feeling particularly shabby (do not give her a letter opener). We also meet a host of new characters that I love. And sincerely hope they’re in book three.

Also Lovely: I loved the plot and tension in this book. The tension was much more consistent and I found I couldn’t out the book down. And that ending - it was perfection. I like how the author handled the situation - it was better than I even expected.

The Mundane: There world building is still heavy and complex. This is good because it provides for a rich and immersive experience but there’s a lot to keep track of and remember, which can be hard.

Rating: 5/5 Stars 3/5 Flames

Recommendation: I received an advance review copy for free from Net Galley and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I loved how this book twisted up the traditional Arthurian retellings and had unique characters. I cannot wait to start book three yet today. The fourth (and I believe final) book is due for release in March 2024. If you like fantasy romance with a strong FMC and gods and myths, I think you would like this book.

This series is absolutely incredible! The romance, the fantasy, the action, the characters, the plot twists, the details. I am seriously obsessed and it is one of my favourite series, I cannot wait for the next one to come out! If you are an ACOTAR fan, this is a MUST read! So freaking good!

Book 2 took us to a whole new world full of danger and deceit. But it was really fun too! This book was long but felt short. It kept my interest. Briar Boleyn has this way of putting you in the mind of her characters, to where you feel like you are living the story. And this was an adventure! I really love the world building, and I’m hopeful book 3 that both worlds will combine; fae and human.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Before I was even half way through the first book, I KNEW I was going to need to the second and third book and wouldn't you know, they were just added to Netgalley. I have never requested anything so fast. I didn't love this one as much as the first one but it still had it's merits. I'm not much of a slow burn fan so that was tiresome however I LIVE for enemies to lovers so that more than made up for it. I really enjoyed the plot and the direction it went. Morgan stepping in wasn't actually something I saw coming but the outcome of it was predictable. The found family aspect is great. I wish we saw a little more of it when it had happened. I cannot wait to dive into book 3!

I flew through this book. It has been a while (since the ACOTAR series) that I read a book this fast.
The great enemies-to-lovers, found family and interesting fae courts definitely gave ACOTAR vibes.

This book took place in the fae court and therefor we saw a lot less of Camelot and Arthur. Which was a pity but I'm sure we will see that in the next book. I can't wait to read he next book!

Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing for the copy I received. This is my honest review.

To begin on a positive note, I thoroughly enjoyed the story. The concept of a retelling of Camelot with a twist, set in a new and unique fae world, was captivating. I found myself drawn to all of the characters and their individual journeys. While the romance may have started off slowly, it truly takes off in this book, adding an extra layer of depth and excitement.

The world-building in this series is refreshing and stands out from other fantasy romances I've read. Given that I've been on a recent binge of this genre, it's easy for worlds to start blending together. However, this series offers something different and unique, which I greatly appreciate.

Furthermore, the ending of this book serves as a catalyst for the plot, leaving me eager to continue on with the series. It's always satisfying when an ending leaves you wanting more and fuels your anticipation for what comes next.

Overall, I have positive feelings towards this book. The concept, characters, romance, world-building, and plot all come together to create an enjoyable reading experience.

Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for this eCopy to review

The second book in the Blood of a Fae was equally as good as the first. Boleyn sends Morgan to the Siabra Court where Draven has to participate in the Blood Rise contest to win the throne. This is quite gruesome and most of the contestants die or even worse get killed by one of the other contestants. Avril is truly detestable!!

Morgan is tricked multiple times by Draven, can their relationship survive? I loved how their relationship deepened and am praying it all manages to work out in the end

I loved the descriptions of the new court, Morgan learns how to use here powers which is pretty epic, and the battle cats are amazing. I was heartbroken with what happened to Beks, but understand it was necessary for Morgan to leave Draven.

Court of Claws by B. Boleyn is the second book in the Blood of a Fae Series. The previous book is Queen of Roses. I recommend to read the books in order.
Set in a reverse Camelot world where Fae are strongly disliked, where Merlin and some knights are female, yes I kid you not.
Morgan, Draven, Kaye and Arthur's story continues. I liked the story and the writing is great, I loved how Morgan forms relationships with other characters. Next up is Empress of Fae.

This is the second book of the Blood of Fae series which gives a spin on the Legend of Camelot.

This book reminded me way too much of SJM’s books. There were lines that could’ve been taken directly out of acotar or tog.

In the second installment, Morgan is on another continent, making friends and foes and wanting badly to go home. Draven is finally home and wants to fight for his throne. This results in a bloody game which consists of three challenges. I really liked the challenges and what the author made of them (but also again, a character reminded me strongly of Mags from Catching Fire). I also loved that we got to know more about Exmoors and I think Morgan’s and Draven’s relationship was done better in this. I was also so so sad about the one thing happening at the end but it was the catalyst Morgan needed to return home.

The history of the fae folks is really interesting and gruesome and I absolute loved Hawl. 10 of 10 character.

It was still entertaining but I just had too many instances where I was reminded of other popular books.

Second in the series and it just gets better. Yet another world beautifully developed. I loved the challenges, gruesome though they were and the developing relationship has some interesting developments. Can't wait for the end of the series.