I really enjoyed the Mousai trilogy, so I was excited about the author's new duology, and it didn't disappoint!

Scorched Skies has very eloquent world building, but it was done really well so I didn't feel overwhelmed.
It takes a while for the plot to pick up, but once it does, IT REALLY PICKS UP and the stakes are so high. The end in particular had my heart racing.
I cannot wait for the next book, though I'm also fine with it taking a while because I still don't feel like I've really recovered from this one.

The romance also takes a while to get going, but I really love the dynamic between the characters and the tension was so well done, I was kicking my feet several times.
I enjoyed both POVs though I was a bit partial to the FMC. The MMC is great too, and he felt a bit unconventional for a prince, which I thought was really neat.

One of my favorite elements of this book is the FMC's ability to connect and talk with animals, I always love when books have that and it was so well done here.

Overall, I really recommend this book, especially to any fans of fantasy with strong worldbuilding and plot as well as great romance to round it all out.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC.

This retelling story of Icarus sounds so good on paper, but the execution was so weak that I'd prefer if the author didn't actually use this myth... Easy read, entertaining at times, but easily forgettable, weak romance, non solid characters a wrapped up in surface level interesting world.

📚Book Review📚
🤐Spoiler Free🤐
⭐️4.2 Stars⭐️

Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing me an eARC of Scorched Skies!
I really enjoyed the authors writing and the way the author was world building throughout this story! I’m a sucker for a winged prince, I really love Prince Zolya’s and his relationship he grew with Tanwen throughout book one. The beginning of his book was more epic fantasy and towards the end it became more romantasy. To me It was the perfect amount of action and romance. The ending has me so excited for book two! This was such a perfect start to this duology! Thank you again to NetGalley for the eARC!💕📚

TROPES:
-Enemies To Lovers🗡️
-Multiple POV❤️
-Epic Fantasy🐉
-Winged Prince👑
-Forbidden Love❤️‍🔥
-Inspired by Icarus Myth🏰

Scorched Skies offers a lush, emotionally resonant entry into the romantasy genre. It’s filled with memorable characters, a vividly drawn world, and a romance that grows with purpose and power. Though timing and character choices occasionally slow momentum, the emotional payoff and mythic ambition deliver a satisfying, four-star experience.

Perfect for fans of enemies-to-lovers, slow-burn fantasy romance, especially when you love a blend of mythology and political intrigue - with wings. If you're ready to swoop into a realm of magic, conflict, and heartfelt connection, this book is a worthy flight.

Scorched Skies by E.J. Mellow is a richly imagined romantasy that earns a confident four stars for its sweeping worldbuilding and emotionally charged narrative. Inspired by the myth of Icarus, the story introduces Tanwen, a heroine born of forbidden lineage, and Zolya, a winged crown prince bound by duty. Their star-crossed connection unfolds against a backdrop of political tension and divine intrigue in the divided realm of Cādra.

Mellow’s prose is lyrical and immersive, painting vivid scenes both in the sky-bound kingdom and the earthbound Süra territories. The romance between Tanwen and Zolya is a slow burn, layered with longing and resistance. While the pacing occasionally falters and Zolya’s arc could be stronger, the emotional stakes remain high, and the supporting cast adds depth and heart to the story.

Though not without flaws, Scorched Skies delivers a compelling blend of forbidden love, mythic magic, and personal sacrifice. It’s a strong start to the Way of Wings duology, and the ending leaves just enough unresolved to make the sequel a must-read.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

The world building, setting, characters in this book are phenomenally written. By the time the romance happened, I was deeply invested in it happening. I love the docura and the atente and the examination of classes and systemic oppression. I also love how EJ Mellow writes with the chapters beginning at the action scene (this is something my editor has encouraged me to learn how to do and I will be using EJ Mellow as a way to study!).

A few things i wish were improved: There was a scene involving scaling a rockface that I wish was elaborated upon more. It seemed like it should have been an arduous task but wasn't treated as such and made me wonder why others hadn't tried. This could have been described in this character's backstory as something they are proficient in, or could have had more moments of close to falling, or more description around why it was particularly doable for this character. There were also many instances of repeated dialogue as internal monologue that I felt was overused. Could do with a little less internal monologue as well.

Overall really enjoyed this story and this world and will definitely be reading more of her work!

The Mortal Queen weaves political intrigue, magic, lies, monsters, and personal growth to provide a captivating tale. The story centers on Aisling, a mortal princess thrust into an arranged marriage with Lir, the enigmatic fae king, to secure peace between their warring species.
Aisling's character development is a highlight. Her journey of self-discovery is both authentic and compelling, capturing her internal struggles as she confronts long-held prejudices about the fae and navigates the complexities of her new reality.
The romance between Aisling and Lir is the slowest of burns, their relationship evolves naturally as the story progresses with tension and chemistry simmering beneath the surface.
The novel’s strength is its world-building. We experience the fae world through Aisling’s naive POV and so every inch is meticulously described and immersive, drawing inspiration from Celtic folklore to create a vivid landscape filled with mythical creatures and complex societies. There’s magic, curses, & enchanted beasts!

Wow! This is a wonderful read that sweeps you away into another world. The back story involves issues of inequality between different races. The story focuses on Tanwen and her family, who are trying to remain hidden from the King. Tanwen’s father is a Volari and use to be the Kings in inventor/engineer. Her mother is Sura and was a meddyg (healer). Unfortunately, relationships between Sura and Volari are forbidden as their children, called mutras are considered abominations under the kings rule. Often, couples are sentenced to death and Mutra are executed when found. Tanwen’s father and mother managed to narrowly escape the death sentence & were clever enough to realise that they were never safe if they stayed put in one area. Tanwen & her twin brother are considered to be mutras. Mutras seem to inherit talents that are unpredictable. For example, Tanwen can speak to animals, which is unique to her & makes her powerful.

Unfortunately, the handsome Volari prince discovers them and takes Tanwn brother and father away. In heartbreak and desperation, Tanwen makes a pact with the low gods and attempts to rescue her brother and father. Tanwen character development is well done and development in her relationship between herself and prince is heated. The story is fast paced & at some points a bit rushed. I wished we were allowed to see the perspectives of other characters, like Huw and Lady Esme. Overall, an enjoyable read!

I'm beginning to believe that Romantasy may not be the genre for me, which is extremely disappointing, as it would generally be something I would love. It could be the books I'm reading, though, which is also disappointing. Scorched Skies was one such disappointment that I ended up DNFing around a fifth of the way in.

Unfortunately, I was bored. The world was interesting, as were the dynamics between the two races of people, but nothing else held my attention. The characters were bland, and the plot felt like it was going nowhere. Every scene felt like it dragged on and on, which it probably did, as the plot had barely started moving by the time I DNFed.

I know Romantasy is supposed to be romance-heavy, and I do go into these books with that knowledge, but the heavy-handed, almost forceful way some of the romances are introduced takes all of the fun out of the romance for me. I know that the characters will end up together, but you don't need to inform me in the first chapter that they've only met once, but are super duper attracted to each other, even though they're enemies, and "How could I be attracted to them. Stop thinking about it, ugh." I want a bit of mystery, a bit of tension, that even though I know they'll be together, how in the world are we going to get there?

Scorched Skies didn't grip me the way I hoped it would. There is definitely an audience out there for it (as is evidenced by the mostly positive reviews I've seen), but it wasn't for me.

I received an advanced copy of Scorched Skies from Netgalley and the publisher and am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book started off really strong. Since it’s the first in a series, I expected a good amount of world-building, so the slower start didn’t bother me too much. What didn’t quite work for me was the romance between Tanwen and Zolya. It felt a bit underdeveloped, and there wasn’t much interaction between them early on, so their attraction seemed more like curiosity at first. I did appreciate that their connection eventually grew through shared interests and values instead of just physical attraction.

The last third of the book is where things kind of fell apart for me. Zolya started acting really out of character—honestly, kind of cowardly—and his actions went against everything he supposedly believed in. The ending was the biggest letdown and definitely dropped my rating.

That said, the story was still unique with some really solid world-building. I just didn’t vibe with the characters as much as I’d hoped.

Thank you, NetGalley and Montlake, for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Well written world and characters. Loosely based on greek mythology with a mix of fantasy and romance genre. It was a very easy read and easy to get lost the story telling

Scorched Skies is based out of the myth of Icarus, but the author also added in some elements of fantasy and romance. Tanwen (the FMC) is a Mutra, a child of a forbidden relationship - in this case a winged Volari father and a horned Sura mother. Also, she has the ability to communicate with animals! Zolya is the Volari Crown Prince that was tasked to bring the king’s favored inventor, Gabreel (who happens to be Tanwen’s father), back to his kingdom to create a mine. When her father and her twin brother get caught by the Volari, Tanwen poses as a maid servant for Princess Azla, in the hopes of getting her father and brother back. It gets more interesting with the added forbidden romance between Wen and Zolya and the political intrigue between Zolya, his father (the King), and Princess Azla. The author did not hold back in the character development between Wen and Zolya - both of them had to go against (in a way) how they were brought up in order to do what was right. I admit it was a bit slow to get into at first, but it got more interesting a quarter of the way - there were many twists and turns that I did not see coming. The world building was fantastic and I appreciated the glossary of terms, photos, and maps in the beginning of the book. The book ended on a cliffhanger - Wen and Zolya are in some kind of romantic relationship, but also in the opposite sides of a war after what happened to the King. I’m curious how this would continue!

I honestly had such a good time reading this. There were some parts where I had to suspend my disbelief more than what’s generally called for in fantasy, but otherwise, I liked the book and I’m excited to read the sequel whenever it comes out.

While I enjoyed the premise and the plot itself, E.J. Mellow’s writing style is what really made this such an enjoyable read—her prose flows beautifully and she has a knack for really immersing the reader in the stories of her main characters. Her attention to their emotions and motivations makes them jump off the page, and leaves you utterly invested in their stories. That said, this attention to detail with the main characters made the secondary characters feel really underdeveloped in comparison. Obviously the story is told from a limited point of view, but our main character’s lack of attention to the people around her felt at odds with her characterization on the whole.

The world building was also immersive, but lacked consistency. I think the author’s ability to paint a scene really shone in the forest settings, while the more fantastical settings felt—to some degree—vague. I felt like I was being forced to constantly shift my mental picture as new details were being provided, which you typically don’t expect to be doing toward the end of a 500+ page book. I just wish we had gotten a bit more detail in the initial world building to prevent this.

Such a great story, very unique and unlike anything I have read before. I was hooked very quickly not only on the story itself but the characters as well!

It was the cover that drew me to this book, and the interior did not disappoint! The world building is so unique among a landscape of romantasy that is barely magical. E.J. Mellow creates an immersive experience where the fantasy thrives. I wish there were less made up words, it took time to really get immersed, but once it was familiar the story was a fantastic ride.

The enemies to lovers trope is well done and I loved seeing both sides. While the characters may not have acted in ways I wanted them to, it made for an interesting read and I can’t wait for the next installment!

I will admit that I judged this book by its cover. Something about the colours and the outline of Galia drew me in. I was so excited to have the opportunity to start Scorched Skies before release. I loved the feeling I got from reading it. With most high-fantasy reads the first portion of the novel is dedicated to world building and can feel like it drags until the plot picks up. I didn’t find that at all in this one, I thought the flow made it easy to follow and understand. While also keeping the interest really high, I wanted to know what was going to happen to the characters from the beginning.

E.J. Mellow wrote this in third person bouncing between three characters. I thought it added another layer to the understanding of the world and the characters by getting to witness events unfold from multiple perspectives. The author broke the book up into multiple parts, making each part unique and memorable in its own. I loved the writing style, and the progression of the story. One of my favourite things the author did was highlight quotes that were said in previous chapters/parts of the book, it felt like a nod to foreshadowing that was mentioned in previous chapters.

The evolution of the females in this novel was amazing. Being able to read about the women finding their worth in who they are and their abilities, while sticking up for themselves was beautiful. Tanwen’s growth and bold exterior was everything I look for in a FMC. E.J. Mellow writes a swoon worthy, falls first MMC. Zolya’s progression and drive to do better as the prince of Galia was to die for. I’m excited to see what happens in book 2!

It's been a long time since I read a romantasy that felt fresh and new. The world building in this series was absolutely amazing. I couldn't put the book down. Having a dual POV between both main characters made this book perfect. Seeing their different worlds collide and watch everything unfold was a work of art.

Scorched Skies is an interesting variation of the tale of Daedalus and Icarus filled with wings, horns, Gods, and of course cruel kings. The story does align fairly well with the myth, so if you are familiar then you will see certain events coming. That said, I do find this a refreshing take on mythology given that the story itself is different ans in a fantasy setting that has its own legs to stand on (or wings to spread).

For being 700 pages, I was delighted to find that it felt much shorter thanks to good pacing. There is a lot still to be explored, mainly anything with the Gods (both High and Low) and the Mütra. Seeing what they are all capable of is something I look forward to.

The world was interesting and I found myself curious as to how everthing came to be. Were there always islands in the sky? Is it some magic that makes them stay up? What does the world look like outside of Cādra? I would love to see the docüra ceremony of the Süra since it sounded like astral projection of a sorts. I would guess we will see it in the future with Gods (hopefully) more at play.

I can't decide if I really liked either Tanwen or Zolya. For Tanwen's part, it was just frustrating for her to be all "no one can know who or what I am, or why I am here" and then go around talking to a mouse as if no one is going to question that. For Zolya, his difference in opinion from his father feels less like his own thoughts and more like he just goes with whatever someone tells him to do. Also the ending... my guy you could've avoided this but instead you pulled a Batman and decided violence is always bad even though sometimes it REALLY is the answer. You aren't a better person for letting cruelty remain in the world.

As always, thanks to NetGalley and Montlake for providing an eARC of Scorched Skies by E.J. Mellow in exchange for this honest review.

OBSESSED! Could not put this down!! The slow burn. The tension. The devastation and masterful writing. Loved loved loved!!!