“I thought Fire Queen was just a nickname, but here I am, burning in your presence.”

“Whoever you are, whatever you are, Astra Leona, the gods did not craft you to hide in the shadow of the night.”

This book was a unique and interesting twist to romantasy. There were a few twists that I did not see coming, which was super refreshing. The beginning is slow and it’s a bit confusing because I think there’s more world building needed. But once you start meeting characters and learning the system, it becomes a page turner. I loved the celestial elements, though it’s hard for me to imagine how this world exists. Are they separate planets or more like continents? As the book went on I imagined them more and more as separate planets.

Another thing I loved was the representation! Let’s give it up for a bisexual FMC 👏🏻 There were other LGBTQ+ characters as well. I also loved the diversity of the characters! We had characters that were lavender, blue, bronze and fair skinned. I absolutely loved this aspect of the book. I have never read a Romantasy with a bad ass, snarky, unashamed bisexual woman and I fear I need more books like this in my life.

I loved the characters in general. Lux completely stole my heart, he’s a wonderful MMC. He gives broody, golden retriever energy with trauma. The banter between them was good, I loved their back and forth. Overall, this was a great time. The magic is unique, the world is unique and the romance is great. I definitely recommend giving this a read!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and CB Woods for allowing me to read this book! I loved getting to read this book!!!

THE PLOT?! THE WORLD BUILDING?! THE ROMANCE?! THE TENSION?!

Ugh this book!!!

Honestly might just be one of my favourite reads! The twists and turns were absolutely amazing. I love this world so much and love the characters!

The level of tension between As and Lux!!! Ugh so so good!

Astra?? Such a strong and powerful lead i absolutely loved her and reading about her journey. She’s such a badass!!!!

Lux!!! THIS MAN. The tension between these two! *chefs kiss*

I NEED the next book!!

Sadly, DNF at 35%

I really wanted to love this one. The prose is stunning—C.B. Woods has a beautiful way of crafting imagery, and the writing feels almost cinematic at times. But unfortunately, that’s also where I struggled. The language is so lyrical and metaphor-heavy that I kept finding myself rereading passages just to make sure I understood what was happening. It’s definitely not the kind of book you can read in quick bursts (which is how I read most of the time).

The world itself is super unique, but I needed more explanation to really settle into it. Normally, I’m not someone who asks for info dumps, but in this case, I wouldn’t have minded a little extra clarity. There’s a lot to take in at the start—characters, setting, magic system—and I found it a bit overwhelming without enough grounding.

Plot-wise, I was intrigued but not fully hooked. Astra’s decision regarding the Mercury King felt a little sudden, and I wish we’d gotten more of her inner thoughts to help it feel more natural. That said, her banter with Lux? Loved it. If I could have just followed their dynamic without getting lost in the writing, I probably would have pushed through.

What I liked:
✔️ Older protagonists (yay for characters in their 30s!!)
✔️ Astra seemed to have some real depth, which I appreciated
✔️ The concept and magic system were genuinely cool

What didn’t work for me:
✖️ The prose was a little too dense—so much show and not enough tell
✖️ The world felt a bit under-explained, which made it harder to get invested
✖️ The pacing and character decisions didn’t fully click for me

That said, this isn’t a bad book at all—it’s just not my kind of read. I know plenty of readers will love the lush, poetic writing and immersive style, but I personally prefer a more direct approach. If you love dreamy, intricate prose and don’t mind working a little to piece things together, this might be right up your alley!

Thank you NetGalley, Emrae Publishing & CB Woods for providing me with an ARC of this book

4.5 ⭐️

I was completely swept away by this book! The writing is beautiful and ethereal with vivid world building and a unique magic system. I wanted to live in this universe! CB’s writing truly pulls you in and captivates you. The characters are multidimensional and relatable, and the politics are nuanced and suspenseful. This felt like such a fresh and unique story I am excited to see where it goes! I loved the feminine rage and the strong female characters. Astra is head strong, spunky while still so kind and caring for her people. The romance was beautiful- the concept of Tethers was an interesting and unique take on soulmates. The romance was slow burning and well paced with a perfect amount of banter. I was a huge fan of the the dream sequences and astral traveling. The ending of this book will leave you wanting more and sets the stage perfectly for the next installment!

🌙 Fated Mates
🌠Gods & Goddesses
🌙 Enemies to Lovers
🌠 Princess x Commander
🌙 Court Politics
🌠 Unique Magic System

I loved everything! Both characters are relatable and well developed , and the world building is so well done that i’m amazed that this is only the author debut!

“Whoever you are, whatever you are, Astra Leona, the gods did not craft you to hide in the shadows of night.”
I don’t even know where to start! This book was absolutely brilliant and what’s even more impressive is that it’s written by a first time author! I didn’t want to put it down and loved all the characters that were perfectly written. The banter between Astra and Lux was so fun to read and there was never a dull moment between them. I was extremely surprised by the ending and wouldn’t have been able to guess it. Definitely recommend!!

This book was given as an advanced readers copy for an honest review.

This was a really good what I would consider a YA romantasy. I feel like there was a lot of filler. But at the same time, the story felt very organic. Both main characters are relatable and easy to picture yourself being in their shoes if we lived in this type of world. But some of the world building got me a little lost. I gave this three stars just because it sometimes was hard to see the trees through the grass. But I am excited to read the next book and would I recommend this to a romantasy reader yes because this is a book that I think people should read in between releases of their other favorite romantasy books.

I really enjoyed this one!
This is a new author for me so I didn't really know what to expect but the world building was beautifully done, the system of celestial courts had me really intrigued and was like nothing I've ever read before, and so was the concept of fated mates for the main characters and how their relationship developed.
I will definitely be waiting for book two to come out!

I would like to thank CB Woods, NetGalley and Emrae Publishing for the opportunity to review this advance reader copy.

I really enjoyed this book. It has an interesting plot, a strong willed FMC & Broody MMC, unique magical elements, political intrigue, and a slow burn forbidden romance. It started out a little slow and took me some time to figure out the world & courts…but I’m glad I stuck it out and I’m excited to see how the story evolves in book 2!!

I found the plot of *Rift* to be both engaging and novel. The lore explanations felt insufficient as new elements were frequently and unexpectedly introduced.

I was invested in the characters and their growth throughout the story. In my opinion, however, Ameera’s involvement appears to have been an afterthought. The smut was very entertaining!

The writing quality was a major problem; it felt forced and overworked in the wrong areas that disrupted the story’s flow. It could undergo one more round of edits as the plot alone justifies a four/five-star rating given the genre, tropes, and target market.

I love a good romantasy, so when I saw this I had to add it to my TBR. I was not disappointed, I loved the characters in this book. The slow burn romance was well done, it didn't feel rushed or forced. The plot though, I still can't get over it and will probably give this a reread sooner rather than later because it was well done. It did take a minute to orient myself and get into the world, but that happens going from one book to another, so it could have totally been me and not the book itself. Definitely recommend :)

Romansty with SciFi elements
Enemies to Lovers
Fated Mates

🌶1.5

This book that CB Woods has given us is overall a delightful journey that delves into the Rift and what adventure lies with it. The main characters Lux and Astra give readers an enemies to lovers trope with humorous banter.

The world building aspect of Rift is given in detail and is plentiful throughout the story. Readers should not worry about if they will get stuck in this adventure as Woods gives us a fast paced plot and adventure.

At first I was not sure of the plot, however once the characters stories were developed and the stage was set, I could not put my kindle down!

If unique world building, a well thought out plot and loveable characters are up your alley, Rift is the book for you. Readers will not be disappointed! Personally the sequel is already on my TBR.

Thank you to CB Woods, NetGalley and Emrae Publishing for an ARC.
Comment

The premise of the book was interesting but sometimes it was hard to stay on the page with such descriptive writing with the emotions and colours. It was easy to get lost the description and loose touch with the plot.
I was excited about the book and what it had to offer, the characters were relatable and had good arcs.

3.75 stars

This book starts a bit slow, but it's hard to put down once it gets going! The world-building is fantastic, the magic system is unique, and the characters are well-developed. It's refreshing to see older main characters, older being 30+, but still older. The slow burn in the book was done so well that I was on the edge of my seat waiting for these two to get together, and the banter *chefs kiss* I am impatiently waiting for book 2!

This is Book 1 of a new Romantacy series (“The Courts Between”). So there’s enemies to lovers with fated mates and royal intrigue. There is a lot going on. It was interesting but also confusing. The magic and world seemed overly complicated and I’m still not sure I fully understand either. Oh and there were a lot of characters. New ones just kept showing up! The plot moved quickly but maybe too quickly. Overall enjoyable but did make my brain hurt a little. 3.5/3.75 stars. ✨

Thanks to NetGalley and Emrae Publishing for this advanced copy. Pub date 2/25/25.

I need book 2 now!! 4.25 🌟

Safe to say I loved this one! It started off slow for me but when I got to around 20-25% in my goodness I was completely hooked. The world building felt unique and unlike anything else I’ve seen in other romantasies, the characters were diverse and multidimensional and the writing was great.

The tension, omg the tension and yearning was excruciating and I absolutely loved it! I think a huge strength of this was the age of the characters (30+) meaning we really did get true yearning from the MCs which was amazing.

The plot was dynamic and kept me on my toes with multiple plot twists I didn’t expect! There was political intrigue, corruption, scheming and it meant that we got a great balance of romance but also a solid plot to go with it.

I will absolutely be buying (or if I’m very lucky, reading the ARC) for book 2! Congratulations CB Woods on an incredible debut, this deserves to be the next bestseller in my eyes! Thank you to Netgalley and Emrae publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts!

THIS BOOK WAS STUNNING!!
Astra is such an amazing character in this book and I loved her so much! This was honestly such a refreshing read and just so much beautiful world building. The plot was gorgeous and so entertaining. CB Wood's writing is so immersive and easy to read. Astra was just a very refreshing character to follow and she is incredibly strong. she is a very humble character that is easy to relate with.
The slowburn was stunning and had me giddy the entire time. There was no cringy moments with the romance and it was easy to see the feelings of each character and what they wanted. I could go on forever about this book but I don't want to spoil it for anyone. I highly recommend everyone go read this book.

Thank you Netgalley and CB Woods for the ARC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Dreams don’t do the truth of you justice”

This book has it all. The complex detailed world, unique political system, magic structure and layered detailed characters with a beautiful plot line.

Following Astra as she navigates her world, her role in it and how to fight for the people she loves was such a treat. Following the romance of her and Lux was a slow burn that had me turning page after page. It was flawless: whitty banter, organic growth and just enough spice to keep me hooked. Astra and Lux are some of my favorite ships in quite some time.

While the beginning of the book drops you head first into the world, it is quickly explained and easy to follow. I devoured this read and I cannot wait for the novella and next book in the series. This is a phenomenal five star read for me!

Thank you to NetGalley, Emrae Publishing, and CB Woods, for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

ＮＥＴＧＡＬＬＥＹ
ＲＥＶＩＥＷ

𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
- 30+ year old characters
- fated mates
- celestial world
- planet courts
- engagement of convenience
- forbidden love (he is her betrotheds’ commander)
- corrupt gods
- banter
- slow burn
- complex world building
- female centered society
- secrets and deceit

𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙚: a few open door scenes

𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬:
This book has such a unique world with planet courts, an interesting magic-esque system and a story that keeps you on your toes. I really liked the characters, the banter (especially in the second half) and how much there was to uncover and learn alongside the female main character. The concept is super intriguing, and the world has a lot of potential.

That being said, the beginning was a bit rough for me. I almost considered not continuing because I had little to no idea what was going on.
The book throws you right into the middle of everything without much explanation, and while it’s clear that the author knows this world and story inside and out, it just made it quite hard for me to get into the story.
With just how unique the world is, i think maybe a prequel that explains the fundamentals of the world and how certain concepts work, as well as more descriptions and explanations throughout would have helped a lot.
That said I’m glad I stuck with it, because by the second half I was much more familiar with the world, more invested and thus really enjoying it.

overall, I’m definitely looking forward to books two and three!! I just hope the next ones offer a bit more clarity on some of the concepts that still feel a little underexplained.
In general, if you’re into astrology, astronomy, female friendships and political intrigue, you should give this a go!

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving this review. All opinions are my own.

Lunar demi-goddess Astra dreams of a world where title and rank mean nothing dangerous for someone a heartbeat away from the Lunar Throne. She had been exiled due to her fiery tendencies and beliefs and spent the last three years far away from the court's politics. However, when a mysterious object is found, her intuition earns her a summons, and she goes back to the palace and away from the community she helped build. Once she is back in the court, it is clear her mother only plans to use her as a bargain, so she strikes a deal with the King of Mercury. This deal, however, entangles her with the king’s commander, Luxurious.

I loved this book. I have said that a lot recently, but I am very invested in this world. I love the fantasy world CB Woods has built and the characters she has created. I am so invested in the world's politics and the character's happiness. I am obsessed with how the courts are all based on planets from our world with the most incredible magic system in place. I am so interested in how the Tethers work. I love it compared to how other fantasy world’s fated mates work. I am so excited for the next book because I genuinely cannot wait to see how Astra's story continues or where her sister Lunnelle’s story may go. I also cannot get over the slow-burn romance; I genuinely loved their story, especially the bickering and banter and how protective they are. I loved the world-building in this book, and I loved learning alongside our main character. It is my favorite way to learn about the world. The characters' growth and development are wonderful, and I love how the dynamics change between everyone. I just fell in love with this world and am so sad that I must wait for the next book. So much of it felt so relatable to how I feel now, and I have needed that lately.

🌖Fated Mates
🌗Court Politics
🌘Book 1 in Series
🌑Enemies to Lovers
🌒Priness x Commander
🌓Forbidden Love
🌔Slow Burn