I was instantly sucked into reading A Tribute of Fire. The first 30% was so interesting and I was soo excited to see where this story was heading! Unfortunately after about 30%-40% I just couldn’t get into it. The story slowed down so much and I just wasn’t attached to the characters anymore. I found myself skimming a lot and not feeling like I missed anything.

I was so excited to read Sariah's first romantasy book. I adored the strong woman main character energy. She had a sword and knew how to use it in a world that wanted to take its vengeance out on her. Through her eyes we see all that she's sacrificed and would be willing to for the sake of her family and country. The book also has found family, sacrifice, steam and forced proximity. I can't say more because *spoilers*, but I have so many more questions than I have answers.

A Tribute of Fire had me reeling with its unexpected plot twists! I’m usually pretty good at guessing where a story is headed, but this book kept me on my toes right until the end. Just when I thought I had it figured out, it threw in surprises that left me genuinely shocked. The cliffhanger ending was the ultimate twist, leaving me with so many questions that I cannot wait for book two to answer.

If you’re looking for a fantasy romance that will keep you guessing, this one is an absolute must-read! I flew through this book. I couldn't put it down. Thank you to Sariah, Literary Media Tours, Netgalley & Brilliance Audio for my Advanced Reader Copy.

I loved A Tribute of Fire! A great fantasy steeped in Greek mythology, this story had me hooked early on and didn't let go until the last page. The story is fast-paced, but still takes time to let the reader create connections with the many characters involved.

Lia is the princess of Locris, a dying desert nation cursed centuries ago by a goddess—one still worshipped by the thriving and adversarial nation of Ilion. Every year, Ilion offers the goddess a sacrifice: two Locrian maidens forced to compete in a life-and-death race to reach her temple. In a millennium, no maiden has made it out of Ilion alive. This year, Lia is chosen as one of the maidens.

Luckily for Lia, this gives her the perfect opportunity to search for an ancient artefact that will hopefully appease the goddess and save Locris. She just has to survive long enough to find it.

There are elements of romance in this story as well, but what I found even more compelling are the found family relationships the main character develops with the other women in this story.

I will definitely be reading the sequel as soon as it's available!

I wanted to like this one more...There were glimpses of the story where it was amazing and I thought it was going to be a five-star read, and then it would fall flat. I found it really hard to like Jason as the love-interest. I know that it was the point, but I really found a lot of the actions/banter between the pair a bit toxic, making it very hard to be invested in their story. There was also a bit too much world-building with the temple/priestesses in the middle. To be honest, I skimmed a ton of this book. The ending and the cliff-hanger was brilliant, but the middle of the story and Jason as a character made it hard for me to rate this any higher. I do wish the rest of the series the best though! Who knows, I may pick up book 2.

A tribute of fire is Sariah Wilson’s first fantasy/romantasy novel after publishing a number of romance novels. As a seasoned fantasy reader, the biggest thing I noticed was the style of worldbuilding. It was very heavily featured in the first few chapters of the book, until about half way. This just made it difficult to get into the story and really connect with our main character.

This was a difficult one to rate, as I liked the direction that the plot took, but it felt too busy, as if it was trying to achieve too much. There were also a lot of time inconsistencies that felt jarring. A lot of concepts were introduced, but not fully explored or explained and I think it would have benefited from some simplification, and waiting until the sequel to introduce some ideas. Some of the hints could have been a bit more subtle and would have made a bigger impact on the reader.

I enjoyed the aspects of found family, deadly trials and hidden identity and it was a really promising fantasy novel to read.

Courage can only exist in the same space that fear does.
~
You must always remember that all the answers you need are in the written word.
~
I could spend hours kissing you and you would demand more.
~
Three quotes, that right there should tell you how much I loved this book. I absolutely flew through it. I was lucky enough to receive an early copy from Sariah, and I went in blind, only knowing it was a Romantasy, and I fell in love with the world and the characters. Lia is far from perfect, but she is fierce and carries the weight of the world on her shoulders. Her adelphia? I adored each of them for different reasons, and honestly, they are all squad goals. The lore in the temple is so much fun to try and figure out as bits and pieces are revealed, and I know there are some clues planted in there for what’s to come in book two. Qunyh? My heart!! And Jason? Well, we love Jason, don’t we? A sailor with a protective personality and sinful good kisses, what else could you want? The twist was so good that I truly kept thinking I had it, but then something would happen to make me question my thoughts and think “that can’t be right.” And I loved every second of it. The cliffhanger is brutal though, my friends, you were warned. This was a masterpiece, well-paced world, character, and plot building, and I couldn’t put it down. This just might be your next Romantasy obsession!

I’ve wanted to read more romantasy, and this was the perfect book to draw me back into the genre!

This was a chunky book at 510 pages, but with a fascinating blend of romance, mythology, magic, and a fight for survival, it was easy to fly through the pages.

I have several of Sariah Wilson’s romance books on my shelf, so I knew the romance and banter would be sexy and on-point. But this is everything you want from a fantasy read. A desert nation cursed long ago by a goddess and a multifaceted main character, Lia, who is running for her life - not wanting to be the next sacrifice, thanks to the goddess mentioned above.

While the romantic chemistry is hot, as Lia falls for a sailor who is technically an enemy, I appreciated that the story centered more on women's sisterhood and their empowerment. However, this is a high-stakes game of tribute, with danger and tension lurking on every page. But you’ll feel the pull of the heart and soul.

𝐹𝑖𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒, 𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑒𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔!

Now, how soon can I get book two?

4.5 🌟

Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours and @sariahwilson411 for a spot on tour and a gifted book and ebook via Netgalley

It’s been almost 2 weeks since I finished this book and I’m not over it!

I’ve read most of Sariah Wilson’s contemporary romances and have been a fan of hers since I read Roommaid years ago. So when I had a chance to ARC read this book, I jumped at the opportunity. I was really interested to see Sariah branch into fantasy, and y’all, she hit it out of the park!

The world in this book was so unique and interesting. There is a ton of political intrigue and power struggles. This is one of those books that keeps you guessing on who is actually a good guy and who is a villain. And you get thrown into the action pretty much on page one - I could not set this book down!

You will love Lia. She is strong, and kind, and fiercely loyal. And Jason. Oh my. 🔥 he’s hot, and mysterious, and surprisingly gentle and I dare you not to fall in love with him.

I don’t know how I’m going to wait until next fall for book 2!

Tropes include:

✨found family
✨strong female friendships
✨they dream about each other
✨forbidden romance
✨training and trials

A Tribute of Fire has absolutely everything you could want in a romantasy story: deadly trials, rich mythology, found family, mystery and political intrigue, a strong FMC you can really root for, and of course a sizzling slow burn that makes you kick your feet and throw your book (or Kindle) across the room.

There wasn’t a single thing I disliked about this book, and I can’t say that about every book I read but something about Sariah’s writing just really vibed with me and I couldn’t put this down. I woke up early each morning before work to get a few pages in and was cursing the fact that I couldn’t just stay home and devour it in one sitting.

You should read A Tribute of Fire if you enjoy:
🔥 Greek mythology
🔥 Self-reliant heroine who is just the right amount of ‘stabby’
🔥 Found family/sisterhood (this was such a wonderful strong element to the story)
🔥 Slowwww burn romance
🔥 Hidden identities
🔥 Mysterious magic
🔥 Dragons!


This is set to be a duology, with the sequel A Vow Of Embers due out next summer and I’ll be not-so-patiently waiting to read the conclusion to this exciting story.

I loved the Greek mythology elements woven in throughout the plot and the author’s note at the end added a layer of understanding to the story as well so don’t skip it.

Thank you so much to Sariah Wilson for allowing me to read an early copy of your book! This is going to be a book you do NOT want to sleep on. It’s available now for Amazon Prime members early, and for Kindle Unlimited members and everyone else on November 1st!

I absolutely LOVED this book. Our FMC Lia is one incredible heroine and will stop at nothing to save her country and family. She goes through so many trials, love, and loss and she comes out stronger than ever. Her character development was so incredible to see - there's something about female rage that transcends time and space, and let me tell you, Lia delivered.

This is a tale of empowerment, found family, and courage. I loved the involvement of the Gods and magic and the Greek mythology references were so captivating! The complex relationships between Lia and Jason, Lia and her adelphia, as well as the supporting characters really drove the story and laid down the groundwork for the next book. And that cliffhanger ending has me reeling! I cannot wait to read the next book!

Thank you to the author for this eARC.

Absolutely LOVED the premise of this book. Princess turned warrior (in secret), in order to save her kingdom. Political/ kingdom intrigue as well as romance!! The story hooked me from the beginning until the end and left me wanting more. Lia and Jason have the kind of “kick your feet and screaming when reading” kind of romance and I livedddd for it! Do yourself a favor and read this immediately!

A Tribute of Fire is an action packed, emotional, and swoony romantic fantasy filled with Mediterranean inspiration and female rage.

Lia is a princess of the cursed island of Locris. A thousand years ago, her ancestor assaulted a priestess in the temple of the goddess in Ilion, and the goddess cursed Locris for the crime, insisting that Locris send two maidens every year to Ilion as tribute. The maidens must race to the temple of the goddess to find sanctuary, but the men of Ilion are allowed to catch and kill the maidens if they cannot reach the temple. Lia is determined to save her island. She needs to find the mythical eye of the goddess to restore her island, hidden somewhere in Ilion. She needs to first reach the temple in Ilion, so she bribes the selector to choose her name, and trains in secret in hopes she will be the last tribute. Her plan is flawless, assuming she can get past the men of Ilion, but then the worst happens - her sister is selected as the second tribute. Meanwhile, she develops romantic feelings for an Illionian sailor, Jason, despite the laws against it. Lia must reach the temple to save her island, and cannot be distracted from her task, but can she put aside her feelings for Jason in order to succeed?

I loved this book! It was fast paced, easy to read, with plenty of action balanced with plot intricacies and character development. The book has a lot of ancient Greek and Mediterranean influences, which I really enjoyed. There is a strong found family element with the acolyte priestess as Lia is part of a group of five young women who dedicate their lives to the goddess. One issue that was tough to read, but important to the story, is violence against women. The curse is caused by an assault on a woman, and the punishment is further violence on women. Misogyny is an important element and something that Lia is fighting against, and the female rage is strong in this story. The women in this book are strong because they have to be. The differences between the men in Locris and Ilion are distinct, and as Lia says, the men of Locris learned from their past and learned to be better. The priestesses and acolytes take a vow of chastity and devote themselves to the goddess, which adds a layer of complexity in the romance - Lia wants to be with Jason romantically, but cannot risk being thrown out of the temple before she retrieves the Eye to save her people. So there is a lot of swoony romance and slow burn tension in this book. There are mysteries that are slowly being unraveled, and more surprises that hint at exciting things to come in this series.

I truly enjoyed this book, and I think if you are a fan of From Blood and Ash, or A Kiss of Iron, you might really enjoy this story. I am absolutely invested and cannot wait for the next book!!

Thank you so, so much to NetGalley, Sariah Wilson, and Montlake for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This book was a bit slow going for me, but it did get more up there in speed and I enjoyed it. It was a fun book, I loved the characters.

When I say this is good…I mean it is stay up late to finish good.

I was intrigued from the beginning with the world building and the characters (especially Lia). I found “A Tribute of Fire” to hold unique elements that I so look forward to seeing how they play out as the series continues.

Were there parts I guessed…yah, sure. I’ve read many a fantasy in my day, but did I see all of the twists…no I did not. Were they twists I enjoyed? Yes…I did. I wonder how many of them you might guess too.

Am I now disappointed I need to wait for book 2 to come? Most definitely yes! July 2025 can’t come soon enough (and hopefully that date is an accurate one)

If you enjoy fantasy, adventure, twists and turns then I highly recommend grabbing this one to devour.

Thank you to @talesandteacups for the E-ARC! It was an amazing read and I look forward to the sequel!

The last 140 pages of this book had me nonstop reading till it was finished. It was a fun read especially while noticing red-herrings and hints that later revealed themselves as the story progressed.

The world building was great with descriptions of locations that I found easy to imagine. It was well-paced with romance and action that kept me reading.

Her character grows as she learns more of the world and others. She is collected, can strategise, plans and prepares. She continues to learn and develops her skills as she goes as well.
The relationship also grows with the story and was fun to read. Definitely liked his banter and personality. Looking forward to the next book.

Can I give it 6 stars?? I wanna give it six stars!! This book had me hooked from the start!! I love how deeply ingrained the story was in various Greek and Roman mythology. There were several surprises throughout the book that I had a hard time putting it down.

While the character of Lia is young, I found it easy to relate to her. Her love for her passion and her people is strong and admirable, she would go to any and all lengths for them. I really enjoyed the side characters as well, I’d really love to learn more about Suri and Antiope if given the chance!

With the mythology, I found some little Easter Eggs throughout the book. I love those little “aha” moments! I really enjoyed the backstory to the goddess and magic in the world. I know this is only the tip of the iceberg and there is so much still to learn and explore. This story is so unique and I can’t wait for book two!!

This book deserves all of the hype that it has been generating. The world building is wonderfully done. The characters are complex and multifaceted. The plot grabs and refuses to let go. Everything that I really enjoy about a fantasy book. The setting taking place in two vastly different places was great. I really liked that the two countries were opposite in almost every single way. I think this led to a lot of the absolutely horrible behaviors of some of the city people and made it easy to follow the politics. The run had me on the edge of my seat and I was sad to see that even the female population was also hardened and calloused. I adored the sisterhood and found family that came out of the girls and loved that each of them had their own special something that rounded them out. There were a few twists and turns that I did not see coming and that ending!!!! I cannot wait for book two!

I stayed up well past my bedtime to be left with a cliffhanger! You're killing me!
I am so invested in Lia. She's such a force of nature and always willing to stand up for what's right.

✨𝒜𝑅𝒞 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌✨
📖: A Tribute of Fire (The Eye of the Goddess Book 1)
🔥 Releasing November 1, 2024

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.💫

Princess Lia of Locris has been training in secret to prepare as a tribute for the selection, the annual sacrifice to the goddess enforced by the rival nation of Ilion.

Lia undertakes a secret mission of her own to help restore balance to her kingdom but unexpected complications present, like pesky betrothals, a threat to her beloved sister’s safety, and her forbidden attraction to the pompous Ilionian sailor. Will Lia survive the selection, save her cursed nation, and protect her heart?

Tropes:
⚔️ St@bby FMC
⛔️ Enemies to lovers
💀 De@dly trial
🫥 Hidden identities
🫂 Forced proximity
🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 Found family
🏰 Courtly politics
💫 Curses & Prophecies
🏛️ Mythology
🫑 Slow burn romance

Lia is courageous and willing to sacrifice herself to ensure the safety of those she loves and her kingdom. She showcases fortitude and resilience with each challenge she faces. The chemistry between her and the devastatingly handsome and rakish Jason is intense and dynamic. I loved witnessing their unique connection and snarky banter. Why is the pull to him so strong and what does fate have in store for her?

Infusing elements of Greek mythology, intrigue, action, and romance, Tribute of Fire is a riveting story of a young woman who may be the key to redemption and salvation. After the brutal cliffhanger ending, I’m anxiously awaiting the next installment, A Vow of Embers!

Huge thanks to the author, Montlake, and NetGalley for the ARC opportunity. This is my honest and voluntary review

Thank you to Sariah Wilson for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Personally, I didn't think this book needed to be this long. I don't really care for Lia and Jason, but I also I don't really like insta-love, and I felt like the FMC was basically just horny and ridiculous and a little childish overall, so that's a me-thing. I also feel like it's a bit weird that Lia has been hardcore trained and still somehow seems super naive and unskilled. And the pacing was a bit off for me. The big trial/challenge this story sets up in the beginning happens over a quick 6 or 7 chapters and then the rest of the book just moves on.

I really struggled to make it through the middle of this book. And yes, there were twists, but they were predictable. This one just wasn't for me!